STATUE OF SHEKOU INDUSTRIAL ZONE CREATOR UNVEILED

2017-04-24  Shenzhen Daily

A STATUE of Yuan Geng, the pioneer of Chinas reform and opening up who founded the Shekou Industrial Zone in Shenzhen, was unveiled at Sea World in Nanshan District yesterday, coinciding with the 100th birthday of the official-cum-entrepreneur, who died last year.

Hundreds of people, including officials from the city government and China Merchants Group, of which Yuan was at the helm, attended the ceremony in tribute to the late maverick reformer to see his lifelike statue with sleeves rolled up, striding against the wind.

Yuan was an outstanding leader of China Merchants in its 145-year history, Li Jianhong, chairman of China Merchants Group, said in a speech. We erect the statue to perpetuate the memory of him and remind people of his noble qualities and dedicated spirit that we should carry on while pushing forward the reform and opening up.

Li Huanan, deputy Party chief of Shenzhen, also attended the ceremony.

Lu Zengkang, vice head of Guangzhou Sculpture Academy who created the statue, said it took him half a year to finish the work, which is 2.6 meters tall and weighs 1 ton.

The statue was built on the image of Yuan in his prime in the 1980s, who was both a staunch reformer and an affable elder, to convey the spirit of his time  go straight and never look back, Lu said.

Yuan was born in Guangdong Provinces Baoan County, predecessor to Shenzhen, in April 1917 and joined the Communist Party of China at the age of 21.

In 1939, he joined the Dong-jiang Column of the Guangdong Peoples Anti-Japanese Aggression Guerrilla Force, which was led by the CPC in southern China.

He was appointed head of the Dongjiang Columns liaison division in August 1944 and provided large amounts of valuable information to the United States Pacific Fleet and the U.S. 14th Army Air Force.

In September 1945, immediately after Japans surrender at the end of World War II, Yuan was sent to Hong Kong to set up a liaison office, which became the Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong branch.

In June 1978, he was assigned to help set up a bureau for merchants services in Hong Kong and was in charge of the bureaus affairs from October that same year.

The Shekou Industrial Zone he helped set up in Shenzhen in 1979 was a flagship program of Chinas reform and opening up  introducing new ways of distributing wages and housing based on performance and market values.

Yuan also coined a slogan, Time is money, efficiency is life, in 1982, which ushered in a renewed appreciation among Shenzhen residents for a market economy. A giant billboard printed with the catchphrase was erected at an intersection in Shekou in 1983.

Shekou created 24 firsts of China from 1979 to 1984.

Yuan also played a major role in establishing China Merchants Bank, the countrys first joint-stock commercial bank, in 1987 and Ping An Insurance Company of China, the first commercial insurance company founded by merchants in May 1988.

He had been living in Shekou after retirement in 1992.
French citizens who live and/or work permanently in Slovakia made Emmanuel Macron their winner of presidential elections first round, while Francois Fillon ended second.

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Among French citizens in Slovakia, Macron received 141 votes and Fillon 96 votes on April 23, in the first round of the French presidential election; the second round is slated for May 7, as none of the candidates got the necessary 50+ percent of vote.

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Marine Le Pen of the National Front ended up third in Slovakia, with 27 votes, the TASR newswire wrote one day later. Six envelopes were empty and three votes invalid, spokesperson of the French Embassy to Slovakia, Didier Rogasik, informed the newswire. Of the 581 eligible voters, 365 cast their vote in the ballot box in the single election room, in Bratislava.

Apart from the presidential election (which had 11 candidates; but only four were estimated to have real chances), general elections will take place in France this year: the first round is slated for June 4, the second for June 18.

The first round of the French presidential election showed how much the political scene there has changed, GLOBSEC Policy Institute analyst Tomas Nagy told TASR, adding that traditional parties have not made it to the second round. The difference between the two second-round participants, Macron and Le Pen, could not be any greater, which is truly sensational. Nagy sees the second round as a confrontation of policy of openness. Modernism and progressiveness on one hand, with a policy of strict defence of personal identity and economic nationalism on the other hand. He sees Macron as the favourite, as he is not confrontational.

Slovak economic analysts  Maria Valachyova of the Slovenska Sporitelna bank, Marketa Sichtarova of Next Finance and Ronald Izip of Trim Broker  see Macron as the probable winner  which is good for the economy, as he is perceived to be more predictable, for example not wishing France out of the European Union. Le Pen and her ambitions could bring protectionist measures, re-introduction of the Franc as the currency, leaving the EU and NATO, which would make the markets volatile, analysts agree.

Of Slovak politicians, the Speaker of Parliament, Andrej Danko, said he would respect any result of the French election, as cited by the SITA newswire. He added, however, that EU citizens should stick together, to suppress the wave of populism in any form and to fight against evil.
Dissatisfied taxi drivers will go on a protest ride from Petrzalka to Lamac on Wednesday.

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Drivers in Bratislava should prepare for an even more complicated traffic than during ordinary days on Wednesday, April 26. Taxi drivers, who do not like how authorities in Bratislava approach alternative taxi services such as Uber, are planning a protest ride. This way they will fulfill their threat they voiced at the protest rally in front of Bratislava city council on April 11. The protest was an appeal to the authorities and institutions to finally start addressing the issue of the mobile taxi app, Uber and similar taxi services. They see them as unfair competition as their drivers do not hold taxi licenses, their cars are not marked as taxis and do not have taximeters. Due to this they are able to offer lower prices then licensed taxi drivers.

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Were saying that this isnt the last protest, said Matej Krampl, one of the organisers of the rally, on April 11 as cited by the TASR newswire. Well go on, and it will escalate. This will happen more regularly. If they dont act, well express our disapproval in this way.

The protest ride will start from the shopping centre Danubius in Petrzalka at 9:00 and will go along with the city bypass towards Lamac. The joined taxis will go by the lowest possible speed, i.e. 65 km per hour, and only in the right lane. They promise not to block traffic.

We do not want to set people against us by blocking the bypass, the Stop Uber initiative informs on its website.

The taxi drivers claim that drivers working for various taxi applications and similar taxi services like Uber or Taxify are violating legislation but the authorities tolerate this. They claim that the legislation should apply to everyone equally  to taxi drivers as well as to Uber drivers. This means that drivers providing alternative taxi services via Uber and similar apps should also obtain a taxi license, have a taxi meter in the car, pass psychological tests and other requirements.

If the authorities do not take action, the number of protests by taxi drivers in Bratislava will increase and a mass transport strike, blocking Bratislava streets, might follow as well. This was the main message from about 60 taxi drivers who rallied in front of Bratislava city council on April 11.

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The Transport Ministry claims that the services provided via Uber and similar applications are taxi services, but the law does not enable it to check them. This is in hands of the city.

The city council is aware of the need to address the issue, but at the moment they have no power to take action, said Zuzana Onufer, spokesperson for the city council. They can keep tabs on traditional taxi drivers via the city police, but they cannot do the same in the case of unmarked Uber drivers as they cannot check civilian cars without a proper reason. The ministry sees the powers of the city council as sufficient to check drivers using Uber and similar apps.

Uber claims that its drivers operate in line with EU directives and provide registered users of the platform with a reliable and safe service, informed Uber spokesperson for Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Miroslava Jozova. The drivers are legally registered and have to meet their tax obligations. Jozova pointed out that protests as well as attacks by traditional taxi drivers against Uber drivers only highlight the fact that the platform is becoming more and more popular.

In the meantime taxi drivers have refused the idea of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) to ease existing legal conditions for provision of taxi services. The taxi drivers claim that the current regulation is set well and what their only requirement is that partner drivers of Uber and other similar apps also fulfill conditions set by the valid legislation.
Controversial historian invited to speak about Slovakias wartime president; Israeli Embassy condemns decision.

Martin Lacko - then still an UPN employee - at a commemorative meeting hailing Slovak independence and Jozef Tiso, in Zilina in 2013. (Source: TASR)

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Seventy years have passed since Jozef Tiso, the Roman Catholic priest and president of the Nazi-allied wartime Slovak State, which sent tens of thousands of Slovak citizens to their deaths, was executed as a war criminal.

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The Nitra Diocese and the Faculty of Roman Catholic Theology of Comenius University in Bratislava have used the occasion to organise a seminar Tisos life and work, which takes place in Nitra on April 25. The bishops office has stated that it is their duty to talk about Tiso, since he was a priest for 37 years, the Sme daily reported.

But among the speakers at the conference is historian Martin Lacko, who was fired from the Nations Memory Institute last year and who currently works as an assistant to an MP for the far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), Natalia Grausova. Renowned historians Ivan Kamenec and Dusan Kovac, who have published a number of scientific papers about Tiso, have not been invited, Sme noted.

The topic is alright, and it needs to be discussed, but scientifically rather than from the position of his defenders, Kovac told Sme. The list of participants suggests that it will rather be the latter.

The Israeli Embassy in Bratislava reacted to the news about the seminar by noting that the Tiso regime cooperated willingly and enthusiastically with the murder of Slovak Jews and condemned the organisers of the seminar, and in particular the participation of Comenius University.

I am quite sure that honest people in Slovakia are appalled and that they understand the need to educate and enlighten the next generation of young Slovaks about the real character of Jozef Tiso and about the ugly and dangerous nature of anti-Semitism, said Israeli Ambassador Zvi Aviner Vapni.

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One of Slovakias media schools has invited a well-known conspiracy theorist to an academic conference. What does this say about the state of the Slovak media?

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Among all EU countries, Slovakia is the second most vulnerable to Russian propaganda, a recent study found. Only Hungary scored worse.

The studys authors, from the Globsec Policy Institute think tank, identified several areas where this vulnerability shows, the media environment being one. As if to prove their point, the Faculty of Mass Media Communication at Trnavas Ss Cyril and Methodius University has invited the editor-in-chief of Zem a Vek, a Slovak-language Russian-propaganda conspiracy magazine, to lecture at a scientific conference.

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Zem a Vek and its editor-in-chief, Tibor Eliot Rostas, have been working assiduously to spread fake news since before the term even entered the popular lexicon thanks to the numerous demonstrably false statements made by Donald Trump and his surrogates during the American presidential election campaign. Zem a Vek started out peddling good old-fashioned conspiracy theories. Later, we learned about its requests for financing from the Russian Embassy, and saw it parrot fake stories about Ukraine or the American elections, most of them originating from Russian websites.

Rostas words could not make it any clearer where he stands on this: he acts as an unapologetic amplifier of the most hateful - and baseless - conspiracy theories.

It is understandable that people with no background in news or media theory might mistake fake news for real news. That is precisely why serious journalists everywhere in the western world, including Slovakia, have come to understand that, in what amounts to an information war, their job is no longer just to report honestly; they also need to employ their professional skills to explain why hoaxes are not to be trusted, and to confront them with facts.

What is much less understandable is when the person unable or unwilling to acknowledge the difference between fake news and real news happens to be the head of one of the countrys media schools, a person with academic qualifications in media theory.

On April 25 and 26, the media faculty of the University of Ss Cyril and Methodius in Trnava holds its annual international conference, Megatrends and Media, in nearby Smolenice. The weekend before the conference took place, the school and its dean caused uproar among journalists and alumni when it announced that Rostas would appear as a panellist in a conference discussion about the future of the media. He was also named as a conference lecturer.

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Several legitimate news organisations, including public-service broadcaster RTVS, private broadcaster TV Markiza, and the Sme daily, pulled out of the conference after learning the news.

When journalists, students and graduates of the school vehemently protested on social networks against Rostas full participation in the conference, including an individual lecture - and their response really was massive, which is some consolation in this whole disturbing affair - Dean Dana Petranova did not reconsider the decision. Quite the opposite. Instead, she provoked more ridicule with a statement published on the schools Facebook profile in which she argued in favour of openness in scientific research at the faculty.

We are often the first to open doors also to the unknown, the taboo-afflicted, and to confrontational spaces that very often become a legitimate part of the media scene, Petranova wrote in her reaction. These efforts of ours are not always understood by all, and only later are they able to accept the developing reality.

Speaking like an oracle, Petranova then went on to accuse the so-called mainstream of being orthodox, dogmatic and hateful, and trying to put censorship in place like modern-day inquisitors.

She concluded by stating that the organising committee does not apply negative selection of participants and instead lets them have their say, followed by a discussion that can be critical and passionate.

At this years conference, Petranova chairs the section on the future of media education, whose programme also includes points like the significance of the development of critical thinking in a post-truth society, media education in relation to identification and explanation of media propaganda, and extremist and hateful content on the internet and how to work with it in terms of media education.

This is not an isolated incident.The head of the state-run TASR newswire recently signed a contract with the Russian website Sputnik, a notorious fake-news factory. And, on the same day that the media conference starts in Smolenice, the office of the Bishop of Nitra and Comenius Universitys Faculty of Roman Catholic Theology are to hold a conference about the life and work of Slovakias wartime president, Jozef Tiso, which will feature a controversial historian and Tiso apologist who formerly worked at the Nations Memory Institute.

Are these all displays of a lack of judgment, or something worse?

Legitimising a propaganda outfit at a conference about media theory, and putting it on the same level as actual journalistic work, is not a brave step. The deluded and the mendacious are not minorities whose voices deserve to be heard. Giving them a platform alongside legitimate academics and practitioners, and thereby normalising their activities, betrays an ignorance of every sensible debate that journalists have been having since the re-emergence of industrial-scale, state-sponsored propaganda.

It is praiseworthy and advisable to think outside the box, and to look beyond the mainstream. But propaganda is not news, and it should not be glorified as such by those whose job it is to decide what is.

Disclosure: The author studied at the Faculty of Media Communications at the University of Ss Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, which awarded her bachelors degree. The authors bachelors thesis was supervised by Dana Petranova before she became dean.
The general government deficit of Slovakia dropped below 1.7 percent last year.

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Last year Slovakia reduced the general government deficit to 1.68 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This is 0.28 percentage points less than the originally projected deficit of 1.93 percent of GDP. The government debt decreased too, down 0.6 percentage points to 51.94 percent of GDP, the Eurostat announced on April 24 in the first notification of its provision of deficit and debt data for 2016.

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The Finance Ministry responded that in 2016 Slovakia consolidated its public finances faster than planned and that this happened thanks to the positive economic development, increasing effectiveness of tax collection and positive fiscal performance of self-governments.

Today, we are rewriting history, said Finance Minister Peter Kazimir. The achieved results beat the lowest-ever deficit in Slovakias history from 2007. At the same time, we have been managing to reduce the ratio of the government debt to GDP.

The general government deficit decreased to the average of the EU member countries, Katarina Muchova, analyst with Slovenska Sporitelna, wrote in her memo. In the eurozone this deficit is even lower  at 1.5 percent of GDP.

Muchova sees weaker drawing of EU funds as well as increasing tax revenues behind the better then projected deficit of Slovakia.

The deficit beat our expectations of 2.2 percent of GDP, Muchova wrote in her memo, adding that in general Slovakias tax revenues increased during the last few years while public administration expenditures decreased in 2016.

Muchova pointed out that out of 28 EU member countries, as many as 12 countries achieved either a government surplus or a government balance. Only four countries had deficit higher than 3 percent of GDP.

Within the Visegrad Group, Slovakia placed second as the Czech Republic ended first with a surplus of 0.6 percent of GDP for 2016.

In an annual comparison, the Slovakia's general government deficit fell by more than 1 percentage point from 2.74 percent of GDP in 2015. The government debt amounted to 42.053 billion, representing 51.94 percent of GDP. Year-on-year, the ratio of the debt to economic output decreased by more than a half of a percentage point.

The Finance Ministry has also confirmed its plan to further consolidate public funds, while the projection of this years deficit of 1.29 percent of GDP remains in place.
This summer, the USA military convoy will drive through Slovakia en route to NATO exercises.

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American military equipment will be passing through Slovakia in June and August, as USA military personnel will be heading to one of this year's largest NATO exercises, Saber Guardian 2017. It will take place in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria between July 8-22, the TASR newswire informed.

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The USA convoy will consist of several hundred vehicles and soldiers.

"Several hundred pieces of fighting equipment of different types will be driving through the territory of the Slovak Republic, including members of the United States Army," said Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) as cited by TASR. He specified that tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other wheeled machines will form part of the convoy.

The Americans will be moving from Germany and will pass through the Czech Republic and Slovakia to reach Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. The convoy will be divided into several smaller units, consisting of between 20-40 vehicles. The exact routes and dates of transfer will be specified by the Defence Ministry later.

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"The transfers will be organised by the military police in cooperation with the Slovak Police Corps and all necessary organisational measures will be taken so that the transfers are smooth," said the minister as quoted by TASR, adding that Slovakia is ready to provide the Americans with logistical support, including refuelling, accommodation and catering.

The last time the US military convoy passed through Slovakia was in September 2015 to attend the 'Brave Warrior' military exercise in Hungary.
Its first session is planned for the autumn.

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The summit of the EU national parliaments in Bratislava sent out a signal that Europe will fight against terrorism together, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said at the event, commenting on the setting up of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) for Europol. Representatives of EU parliaments reached such an agreement at their meeting in the Slovak capital on April 24.

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Tajani also urged secret services from individual member countries to cooperate more closely, because terrorism doesnt know any borders.

Stating that Europe is living in difficult times, including Brexit, security threats, migration, and the unemployment of mainly the young as the chief causes of concern, Tajani said that people expect solutions from EU bodies. Nonetheless, people tend to believe that the EU is not able to react flexibly enough to their concerns.

This pours oil on the flames of populism, said Tajani, adding that populists are attempting to create the appearance of a discrepancy between the European project and national interests. The EU has done a lot for its people, but these results from the past arent enough for securing a future for the European project as well.

EU national parliaments will create the JPSG to monitor Europol activities, with each member state obliged to nominate up to four members. Regardless of the number of members, each country will be entitled to one vote in the JPSG.

The European Parliament will be represented by 16 members in the JPSG, which is slated to be called into session twice a year - once in Brussels and once in a presiding country. The first session has already been scheduled for the autumn of 2017, with the Slovak Parliament authorised to choose representatives on behalf of Slovakia.

Speaker of Slovak Parliament Andrej Danko indicated that it would be a good idea to give the parliamentary defence and security committee the final say over nominations for Slovak representatives.

After the conclusion of the summit, Danko confirmed that parliamentary democracy has come under pressure in the EU and faces dangers in several countries.

Cooperation within the EU is rooted in values, said Danko. The Union has always served as a shining example of decency, tolerance and respect for human rights. Ive learnt that every national parliament faces problems posed by populist forces, which want to attack the system in which both states and the EU as a whole operate. Therefore, we reflected on what we are doing wrong and discussed how to bring politics and policies closer to people in a way that will restore public trust in the EU.
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Chennai/Kolkata, Apr 24 (IBNS): With malnutrition serving as the underlying cause of over 45 per cent of under-five mortality, the high prevalence of childhood stunting and maternal and childhood anemia in India, Tata Trusts, under the leadership of Ratan Tata, has prioritized malnutrition as a focus area in an effort to address the inter-generational consequences that are associated with it.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation (TNSC), a Government of Tamil Nadu Public Sector undertaking on Mar 3, 2016 seeks to address iron and iodine deficiencies prevalent amongst the local population, where 50.7% of children, 55.1% of all women and 20.4% of men are diagnosed anemics.

It is heartening to note that the anaemia level has come down in children between 6-59 months and in pregnant women, but at the same time it is disturbing is the increase in the anaemia level in non-pregnant women, all women and in men.

The inauguration of the salt refinery for the manufacture of Double Fortified Salt (DFS), is one aspect of Tata Trusts multi-pronged approach to address the issue of malnutrition in India.

This DFS produced thru this new refinery shall be of high quality and shall deliver the promise of improving the iron level of the masses thru distribution in PDS, meals across all Aanganwadis, Primary Health Centers (PHC), and in Mid-Day Meals provided at schools in the region.



Commenting at the inauguration, MD, Tamilnadu Salt Corporation, Government of TN Har Sahay Meena said, Iron Fortified Iodized Salt will help the people of TN specifically Women and Children in physical and cognitive development. I also appreciate Shri Ratan Tataji and Tata Trusts in helping the state government implement this project. I will continue to seek Tata Trusts support in programs that will benefit the people of TN.



R Venkataramanan , Managing Trustee, Tata Trusts said, Our partnership with the Government of Tamil Nadu is a very important step in talking Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) and progressive step towards addressing growing concerns of iron deficiency, specifically in children and women. Tata Trusts appreciates the proactive work by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in the MDM program, as we see a much needed drop in the anaemia from 64.2% to 50.7 % between NFHS 3 & NFHS 4. The Tata Trusts aim is to work with Government on various programs to bring down the overall IDA to serve for the betterment of people of Tamil Nadu. With this salt refinery of 50-60,000 MT, per annum our aim is to spread the use of DFS across the Tamil Nadu."



Tata Trusts considers the Govt of Tamil Nadu and TNSC as an important partner in its nationwide effort of lowering the cases of Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA).

The Tata Trusts has partnered with the government of Tamil Nadu and provided financial and technical assistance and monitored the progress in erecting and commissioning an Iodized salt refinery, primarily for the production of DFS.



The Tata Trusts has the expertise and capability in operation, maintenance, marketing, sales, and logistics, we propose to assist TNSC in manufacturing and making the DFS available to the Fair Price store/cooperatives. It is the ultimate vision of the Tata Trusts to support TNSC to be self-sustainable in addition to addressing Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) in the state of Tamil Nadu.

As a next step the Tata Trusts extends the partnership for helping TNSC in day to day Operation and Management of the plant.

This would help to optimize production at 100% plus efficiency, thereby bringing in additional revenue and profits into TNSC. The proposal is under consideration with TNSC and the Ministry.
By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - The leader of a 2004 coup that toppled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide pleaded guilty on Monday to a money laundering charge related to an international drug trafficking scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Guy Philippe, 49, admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering stemming from his receipt of cash payments tied to narcotics sales in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors said Philippe, a former high-ranking official in the Haitian National Police, received more than $1.5 million of bribe payments to ensure the safe transit of drug shipments. The defendant entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga in Miami. Zeljka Bozanic, a lawyer for Philippe, said she and prosecutors are recommending that her client receive a nine-year prison term at his scheduled July 5 sentencing. Two counts against Philippe were dismissed, including one for drug trafficking that could have resulted in a life sentence. "Mr. Philippe has accepted responsibility by taking the plea," Bozanic said in a phone interview. "It was an attractive plea offer that makes sense." Philippe was arrested on Jan. 5 in Haiti after giving a radio interview and then extradited to the United States. He had avoided capture for more than a decade in connection with a November 2005 indictment. The arrest came four days before Philippe was scheduled to join Haiti's parliament as a senator, following his November election from the country's southwestern Grand Anse region. U.S. prosecutors accused Philippe of conspiring from 1997 to March 2001 to import more than five kilograms (11 lbs) of cocaine into the United States, and from June 1999 to April 2003 to launder money to conceal illegal activity. He was also accused of having in late 2000 transferred a $112,000 check that included sums from drug trafficking. Altonaga on March 17 rejected Philippe's bid to dismiss the case on the ground that the "outrageous" nature of his arrest - including having a hood put over his head amidst gunfire and being deprived of food and water for several hours - deprived her of jurisdiction. The defendant has been held at a federal detention centre in Miami since his arrest. The case is U.S. v. Philippe, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, No. 05-cr-20874. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Kim Jong-un has not stepped back in his brinkmanship with Donald Trump (KCNA/Reuters)

Sales of nuclear shelters and radiation-blocking air purifiers have surged in Japan in recent weeks as North Korea presses ahead with missile tests.

A small company that specialises in building nuclear shelters has received eight orders in April alone compared with six orders during a typical year.

The company, Oribe Seiki Seisakusho, based in Kobe, western Japan, has also sold out of 50 Swiss-made air purifiers, which are said to keep out radiation and poisonous gas, and is trying to get more, said Nobuko Oribe, the companys director.

A purifier designed for six people sells for 620,000 yen (4,390) and one designed for 13 people and usually installed in a family-use shelter costs 1.7 million yen ($15,440).

MORE: North Korea detains US citizen

MORE: Russia sends troops to North Korea border

Concerns about a possible gas attack have grown in Japan after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliament session this month that North Korea may have the capacity to deliver missiles equipped with sarin nerve gas.

Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)

It takes time and money to build a shelter. But all we hear these days, in this tense atmosphere, is that they want one now, Oribe said. They ask us to come right away and give them an estimate.

Another small company, Earth Shift, based in Shizuoka prefecture, has seen a tenfold increase in inquiries and quotes for its underground shelters, Akira Shiga, a sales manager at the company said.

The inquiries began gradually increasing in February and have come from all over Japan, he said.

Kim ups the rhetoric

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension in the region.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off theKorean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the reclusive states nuclear and missile programmes.

In response, North Koreas tightly-controlled state media claimed America under Donald Trump has gone seriously mad.

Story continues

If the US provokes the DPRK even a bit, its army and people will start a great war of justice for national reunification without hesitation.

Noting that the U.S. warmongers hysterically try to ignite a war by mobilizing nuclear strategic assets without any measure to deal with the consequences to be entailed.

The U.S. has now gone seriously mad. It is mulling frightening the DPRK and achieving something with nuclear strategic bombers, nuclear carriers, etc.

However, the army and people of the DPRK will never be browbeaten by such bluffing.

Also at the weekend, North Korea detained a US citizen as he attempted to leave the country, bringing the total number of Americans held by the isolated country to three

Artillery fire and landing exercises guided by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in this undated photo. (KCNA/Reuters)

Evacuation drills

North Korean missiles have fired with increasing frequency. Last month, three fell into waters within Japans exclusive economic zone, some 300-350 kilometres off the coast of northern Akita prefecture.

The Japanese government on Friday urged local governments to hold evacuation drills in case of a possible missile attack, heightening a sense of urgency among the public.

Some orders for the shelters were placed by owners of small-sized companies for their employees, and others by families, Oribe said. A nuclear shelter for up to 13 people costs about 25 million yen ($227,210) and takes about four months to build, he said.

The shelter his company offers is a reinforced, air-tight basement with an air purifier that can block radiation as well as poisonous gas. The room is designed to withstand a blast even when a Hiroshima-class nuclear bomb exploded just 660 meters away, Oribe said.

Donald Trump has been urged to show restraint (AP)

China and Russias response

While Japan and South Korea plan military drills with a U.S. fleet in the face of an increasingly hostile North Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged caution and restraint on a call with Donald Trump.

In a call with President Trump at the weekend, an increasingly worried President Xi called for all sides to show restraint, fearful that the situation could spin out of control.

Russia, meanwhile, has reportedly ordered troops and weapons to be sent to the countrys border with North Korea as tensions continue to escalate.

Unverified video footage appears to show a train, believed to be one of three, loaded with military equipment and headed towards the 11-mile border between Russia and the secretive hermit state.

Another video appears to show military helicopters moving towards the Russian border as well as army combat vehicles moving across rugged terrain.
By Alexander Cornwell DUBAI/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Qatar Airways would consider cancelling flights to Auckland if New Zealand follows the United States in banning laptops and other large electronic devices on Middle East flights, its chief executive said on Monday. New Zealand is considering additional security checks on flights from some countries in the Middle East after similar measures were introduced last month by the United States, Britain and Australia. "Well we will have to then measure if it's really worth us still flying to New Zealand or not," Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker told reporters in Dubai. Middle Eastern carriers have seen demand on U.S. routes drop after attempts by President Donald Trump's administration to restrict travel from some Muslim countries. Qatar Airways says the decline is manageable, though Emirates said this month it would cut flights on five U.S. destinations from May. New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English said the aviation agency would make a decision on whether to restrict large electronic items independently of the government. "A number of our security partners put those arrangements in place. With this particular proposition there's a balance between inconvenience for passengers, many of whom live off their laptop, on the one hand, but, on the other hand, its making sure that the flying is safe," English told reporters in Wellington. Transport Minister Simon Bridges told Reuters in an interview in Dubai on Sunday that the Civil Aviation Authority was "assessing the evidence to determine what is appropriate". Qatar Airways launched it only New Zealand service in February with direct flights to Auckland from Doha, one of the world's longest commercially operated scheduled routes. "It's performing good but you know if we are imposed with bans which would affect our traffic then we will have to reconsider," al-Baker said. "It is a very expensive route for us to operate." The United Arab Emirates is the only other Middle Eastern country with direct air links to New Zealand, operated by Emirates from Dubai. The CAA said in a statement that it was routinely monitoring security screening in international airports and that there was no specific timeframe for when a decision would be made. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in DUBAI and Charlotte Greenfield in WELLINGTON; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Robin Pomeroy)
Kolkata, Apr 24 (IBNS): International Roaming has never been so convenient! Vodafone India now introduces a first-time-ever truly unlimited international roaming proposition for travelers to USA, UAE and Singapore in its popular international roaming pack, Vodafone i-RoamFREE.

Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged a single additional rupee for calls and data while roaming in these 3 countries.



In case you were wondering, this offer comes with zero riders or hidden costs.

There is no cap on the number of calls or amount of high speed data that can be used.

Also, calls include all incoming calls and outgoing calls anywhere in the world. This means customers traveling in USA can even make calls to Hong Kong at no extra charges!

Whats more, this pack is available at very affordable price points with options at Rs 5,000 for 30-days, Rs. 3,500 for 10-days, Rs 2,500 for 7-days and just Rs. 500 for every 24-hours. Customers in need of International Roaming service can opt for the duration that best meets their travel timeline and benefit from unmatched value, convenience and huge savings.

For frequent business travelers and those with last-minute changing itineraries, a new flexible option is available wherein one can activate this pack once and automatically get the benefits whenever they travel to any of the 47 countries at Rs. 500 for every 24-hour window of usage.

Launching the UNLIMITED international roaming proposition, Sandeep Kataria, Director  Commercial, Vodafone India, said, This is the first time ever UNLIMITED international roaming proposition and we are very excited to introduce it for our top 3 travel destinations  USA, Singapore and UAE. We are making calls and data, both incoming and outgoing, while traveling in these countries completely free. This completely eliminates the need and hassle of changing SIM cards when traveling abroad and customers can now freely use their local number seamlessly without worrying about any bill shocks or expensive charges. They can remain confidently connected on their existing Vodafone number when they travel, and be assured the best of voice and data services.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said he wants allegations of influence-peddling in government investigated, lending his support to a probe called for by the anti-graft watchdog but which President Jacob Zuma has so far ignored. Ramaphosa is considered a likely candidate for president when the ruling African National Congress elects its new leaders later this year, but he has not formally announced his intention to stand. The nation's Public Protector in November called on Zuma to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry within 30 days to examine alleged "state capture" in his government, but Zuma has not yet appointed a commission, challenging the report in court instead. "I support that there should be a judicial commission of inquiry," Ramaphosa said to loud applause at a memorial service for late freedom fighter Chris Hani. "We need to put this (matter) to rest ... If there is any wrongdoing, it must be exposed," Ramaphosa said. Zuma is facing renewed calls for him to step down after South Africa's credit rating was downgraded to sub-investment grade this month by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings shortly after he sacked respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan. Last year's 355-page report by the watchdog focussed on allegations that the brothers, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta - businessmen of Indian origin - influenced the appointment of ministers. It called for an investigation into whether Zuma, some of his cabinet members and some state companies acted improperly. Both Zuma and the Gupta family have denied any wrongdoing. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; editing by Clelia Oziel)
Kim Jong-un is getting very paranoid, the US ambassador to the UN has warned amid growing concerns that Donald Trumps war of words with North Korea could spark a nuclear attack.

In a round of interviews on Monday morning, Nikki Haley did not rule out a pre-emptive strike by the US on Pyongyang if it tests another nuclear device.

Ms Haley also praised Chinas involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing.

She also criticised the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, as unstable and paranoid.

Ms Haley told NBCs Today Show that we are not going to do something unless he gives us reason to do something  such as attacking a US military base or using an intercontinental ballistic missile.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests another missile or nuclear device, Ms Haley told NBC: I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen.

You can see hes starting to get very paranoid and we need to keep the pressure up.

The United States is not looking for a fight  so dont give us a reason to have one.

The comments follow warnings that the U.S. faces a potential nuclear attack from North Korea within the next four years, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

Mr Kelly warned that the secretive state could attach a nuclear weapon to a missile that has the ability to reach the United States during Donald Trumps first term as President.

He told CNN: Clearly, there are countries on the planet that have a lot of nuclear weapons that would overwhelm any defence that we would deploy  Russia, as an example.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly warned that North Korea could launch a nuclear strike against the U.S. (YouTube)

But the minute North Korea gets a missile that could reach the United States and put a weapon on that missile, a nuclear weapon, the instant that happens, this country is at grave risk.

Pressed on how long that would take, Mr Kelly added: I think Mr Trump will be dealing with this in real terms before he starts his second term.

Mr Kellys warning comes just days after North Korea announced their own warning of a preemptive strike against the U.S. as tensions rise between Pyongyang and Washington.

Story continues

MORE: Russia sends troops to North Korea border as tensions escalate

MORE: Jeremy Corbyn rules out second Brexit referendum in Labour manifesto

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Norths ruling Workers Party, said: In the case of our super-mighty preemptive strike being launched, it will completely and immediately wipe out not only U.S. imperialists invasion forces in South Korea and its surrounding areas but the U.S. mainland and reduce them to ashes.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, recently warned that the era of strategic patience with North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, is over, adding that any attack would be met with an overwhelming response.

Both China and Russia have moved hundreds of thousands of troops to their North Korean borders.

Moscows deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said of the rising tensions: Unfortunately, we have to admit that the risk of a serious conflict in this region has substantially increased.

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Slowly rebounding gas and oil prices, coupled with news that major multinational energy companies have spent more than $13 billion in recent months on assets in the states oil and gas fields, brings some welcome economic news to our state.

Both hint at a revival in oil and gas production, which accounts for about one-third of the tax revenues New Mexico uses each year to pay for education, public safety and other government services.

At the moment, New Mexicans are acutely aware of the impact of the prolonged downturn in oil and gas production. On one hand, weve been paying a lot less at the gas pump over the past few years; on the other, the state is facing a financial crisis so severe that lawmakers and Gov. Susana Martinez are deadlocked over the coming fiscal years state budget that kicks in July 1.

Public schools, state-supported colleges and universities and state government workers are hamstrung trying to craft budgets for the coming year with no clue how much state funding theyll receive.

Because we know how we got to this point, any hint at a recovery in the oil and gas industry  and a corresponding recovery in the tax revenue it provides  is welcome news in most quarters.

Still, a few cautionary notes seem in order.

For decades, the hue and cry from the Legislature and taxpayers alike is that New Mexico needs to diversify its economy and wean itself from its over-dependence on not only the oil and gas industry, but federal government  i.e., military installations, national laboratories, entitlement programs and the like, all of which remain major economic foundations. And when one of those sectors falters, New Mexico suffers proportionately.

Like it is right now.

Broadening our economic base remains a challenge, in part because of a political reluctance to create the economic atmosphere that attracts new businesses. The Legislature is poised to take a major step in that direction by considering a much-needed overhaul of our tax structure  one that broadens the tax base while lowering the overall tax rate  in tandem with setting a 2018 budget.

The city of Hobbs, which has dealt with the boom/bust cycle of the oil and gas industries for nearly a century, is learning to mitigate the financial roller coaster by building up reserves during the booms so it can better weather the busts. Theres a lesson in there for other cities, counties and state legislators. In fact, the original incarnation of House Bill 191, sponsored by Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque, would have used flush revenue times to create a true rainy day fund.

In light of any expansion, it bears repeating that the Legislature should also have passed Senate Bill 307, which would have restored the New Mexico Oil Conservation Divisions legal authority to fine oil and gas companies for spills and other violations of state law. When the state Supreme Court stripped the OCD of that power in 2009, its collection of fines dropped from an average of $597,000 annually to $14,000 in 2010. Lawmakers have had eight years to correct that. Considering the recent industry ramp up and the uncertain fate of the federal methane rule safeguards, OCD authority to enforce the law is more than likely to become an even more needed protection in the near future.

Its great news that the oil and gas industry may be on the verge of revival in New Mexico, but lets hope the state learns from this bust by moving forward to diversify its economy and put some revenue away for leaner times.

Because  as we are seeing now  it simply doesnt work to rely on boom and bust to fund state government.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
My wife and I spent a recent afternoon having lunch in Juarez, Mexico, and buying odds and ends.

As we ate our lunch, I talked to my wife about my first trip to Juarez as boy, when my father took my mother and me on a mini-vacation to Carlsbad Caverns and to Tularosa, where a brother of his had moved. On this trip, he made a last-minute decision to drive to El Paso, park the car and have us walk into the Juarez tourist zone.

As I was telling the story to my wife, it suddenly struck me that my parents were the first relatives on either side of my family to have been in Mexico since my ancestors settled in northern New Mexico four centuries ago. My wife, who is from an old village in Taos County, remarked how it was weird that it was the same case for her parents.

I have worked with Mexico for the past 26 years on either side of the border, and I feel equally as comfortable on either side. My family is American through and through, with various uncles and relatives, including my father, having served in the military and built successful businesses throughout the U.S. So it struck me as disturbing that a group of Mexican politicians, led by former presidential candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, are proposing a lawsuit to nullify the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. As part of its terms, the U.S. paid $15 million for Mexico to cede what are now the American states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming  essentially the greater part of the American West and Southwest.

Cardenas is the son of former Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas, who is famous for having nationalized PEMEX and for promoting a spirit of general Mexican nationalism. Cardenas Jr. has participated in politics most of his life and is one of the pillars of Mexicos leftist movement.

In his proposal, he states that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was illegal and a lawsuit can be brought before the Court of International Justice to return the territory Mexico lost after the war. Most legal experts say that such a lawsuit stands no chance of success for reasons involving precedent, time, and a signed treaty between the U.S. and Mexico.

It is obvious that Cardenas and the Mexican left are making a statement more than believing that this type of a lawsuit against the U.S. can be successful. This seems to be a game of tit-for-tat to push back against President Donald Trumps disparaging comments about Mexico pertaining to immigration, the building of a border wall and the North American Free Trade Agreement. By proposing a lawsuit, Cardenass group is stating that the U.S. committed the first intrusions and invasions, to the extent that some of the most lucrative real estate in the world today was stolen from Mexico at the hands of an aggressor. As Trump demonizes Mexico for taking advantage of the U.S. in terms of jobs and immigration, this group is sending a message back that if he wants to play that game, Mexico can play one-upmanship.

From an obvious standpoint, there is no way the U.S. is going to ever consider ceding such a huge part of its territory, not only for strategic, but also for financial purposes. When added together, the gross state products of the U.S. border states (California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) equal almost $4.4 trillion, about four times the size of Mexicos entire economy. If the border states were counted as a nation, their GDP would rank behind only the U.S., China and Japan. Ceding them to Mexico would remove almost 25 percent of the entire U.S. economy.

Its sad that two neighbors which share such a long history, culture and interests can come to a point where vitriol and lawsuits create a spirit of distrust and antagonism. What disturbs me the most is the lack of understanding that Washington, D.C., and Mexico City can demonstrate pertaining to the Mexican-American border. The D.C. executive branch folks believe that a border wall will settle immigration problems, NAFTA has been bad for the U.S., and that Mexico should be treated as an adversary rather than an important partner. Very little feedback has been solicited from those of us who live on the border, benefit from cross-border trade and interact positively with our neighbors in Mexico every day.

By proposing a lawsuit to return lost territories, Mexican politicians offend the tens of millions of Americans living in the West and Southwest, and thus possibly making them suspicious of Mexico, where suspicion may not have previously existed. It is also offensive to the thousands of original Hispanic families in this region whose ancestors settled in what are now U.S. border states before Mexico declared independence from Spain and became a republic. There is scant hope that many of these citizens, original settlers or newly arrived, are going to willingly give up their U.S. citizenship or way of life. The lives of these people seem to be an afterthought in Cardenas effort.

Perhaps I am taking the proposed lawsuit too seriously as it is obviously a way to pick back at the U.S. after a bitter presidential campaign and the uncertainty about where the U.S. stands with Mexico. However, actions on both sides are exhibiting cracks in the U.S.-Mexico relationship that are making pettiness the order of the day. The beautiful thing is that cracks can be repaired and a stronger, more successful relationship can be forged when both sides treat each other with respect, and realize that a shared future together is the best path to success.

Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
Kolkata, Apr 24 (IBNS): Emiratesa focus on meeting and exceeding customer expectations both in the air and on the ground were recognised on Monday with four accolades at the aZBusiness Traveller Middle East 2017 Awards.

At a ceremony attended by key travel industry executives, Emirates was crowned Best Airline Worldwide. It was also named Airline with the Best First Class, Airline with the Best First Class Lounge and Best Frequent Flyer Programme.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, said: Our customers are at the heart of our brand. In every step of the customers journey, we thoroughly and regularly examine the product to achieve a high level of customer care. Providing a truly memorable experience is about continually innovating across our product and offering a personal touch and a warm welcome. Moreover, our Skywards accolade solidifies the programmes standing as an industry-leading loyalty programme that offers Emirates customers value through exceptional privileges and benefits. We are honoured to be recognised for our efforts by Business Traveller Middle Easts readers. I would like thank our team and attribute this award to our dedicated staff who are the pillars behind every achievement and award we receive.


The conflict inherent in having states allow the use of marijuana while the federal government does not is playing out in New Mexico, and it begs an interesting question about legislative intent.

The New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission, established in 1981 to assist victims of violent crime, has refunded the U.S. Department of Justice $7,630 after independent investigators found the commission erroneously used federal grant money to reimburse crime victims for the cost of their medical marijuana.

Last year, the commission distributed $7.6 million to assist crime victims, according to its 2016 annual report.

Commission director Frank Zubia said the reimbursement was unintentional, and that the agency will now use state money to reimburse qualified crime victims for their medical marijuana. We have to wonder whether state lawmakers ever envisioned using state money to purchase marijuana for crime victims when they passed the medical marijuana law  officially the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act  back in 2007. At that time there were seven qualifying conditions that could be easily medically documented, including cancer and HIV/AIDS.

Now there are more than 20, including the very real (and very easily gamed) conditions of PTSD and severe pain.

Things are likely to get even more confusing; President Trump has said that marijuana legalization should be left up to individual states. Yet his appointee as U.S. Attorney General, Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions, has stated a number of times that hes against marijuana legalization, that marijuana is dangerous, and that the benefits of medical marijuana have been hyped by proponents.

Sessions apparently is unaware that 23 states now have medical marijuana programs and three others are about to join the ranks. Perhaps Sessions assumes all of those programs were implemented without solid scientific evidence of the efficacy of medicinal pot, or he missed that numerous polls show a majority of Americans favor legislation to allow recreational marijuana use.

Seven states and the District of Columbia have adopted laws legalizing recreational marijuana  including California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada, which all passed similar measures in November. New Mexico legislators have introduced recreational marijuana bills, though none has passed.

Its clear that marijuana use, both medical and recreational, is being more widely accepted than ever before (Canada being the most recent example), and that Sessions hard line on pot is not only out of step with a majority of the populace, its bound to trigger more conflicts between federal law enforcement and the states.

Although the Crime Victims Reparation Commission quickly defused its situation by shifting the funding source for its medical marijuana reimbursements from the feds to the state, you have to wonder if the legislative class of 2007 would have supported using state funds to pay for marijuana use. Other states are likely facing similar issues. And all these conflicts will be unavoidable until states, Sessions and Trump get on the same page.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
DJIBOUTI  Pirates have returned to the waters off Somalia, but the spike in attacks on commercial shipping does not yet constitute a trend, senior U.S. officials said Sunday.

The attacks follow about a five-year respite for the region, where piracy had grown to crisis proportions during the 2010-2012 period, drawing the navies of the United States and other nations into a lengthy campaign against the pirates.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at a military base in the African nation of Djibouti, near the Gulf of Aden, that even if the piracy problem persists, he would not expect it to require significant involvement by the U.S. military.

At a news conference with Mattis, the commander of U.S. Africa Command said there have been about six pirate attacks on vulnerable commercial ships in the past several weeks.

Were not ready to say theres a trend there yet, Waldhauser said, adding that he views the spurt of attacks as a response to the effects of drought and famine on the Horn of Africa.

He said he was focused on ensuring that the commercial shipping industry, which tightened security procedures in response to the earlier piracy crisis, has not become complacent.

Navy Capt. Richard A. Rodriguez, chief of staff for a specially designated U.S. military task force based in Djibouti, said piracy certainly has increased in recent weeks. But he said countering it is not a mission for his troops, who are focused on counterterrorism in the Horn of Africa and developing the capacities of national armies in Somalia and elsewhere in the region.

Anti-piracy patrolling is among several missions China cited for constructing what it calls a naval logistics center in Djibouti. The base is under construction, and U.S. officials say they dont see it as a major threat to interfere with American operations at Camp Lemonnier.

Several other countries have a military presence on or near that U.S. site, including France, Italy, Germany and Japan. This reflects Djiboutis strategic location at the nexus of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Mattis made a point of spending several hours in Djibouti during a weeklong trip that has otherwise focused on the Mideast. As a measure of his concern for nurturing relations with the Djiboutian government, he flew four hours from Doha, Qatar, and then flew right back.

At his news conference, Mattis praised Djibouti for having offered U.S. access to Camp Lemonnier shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.

They have been with us every day and every month and every year since, he said.

The U.S. rotates a range of forces through Lemonnier and flies drone aircraft from a separate airfield in the former French colony. U.S. special operations commandos are based at Lemonnier for counterterrorism missions in Somalia and elsewhere in the region.

During Mattis visit, elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, including V-22 Osprey aircraft and Harrier attack jets were visible on Lemonniers airfield.

The U.S. military presence has grown substantially in recent years, as reflected by construction of a new headquarters building, gym, enlisted barracks and other expanded infrastructure.

Djibouti has a highly prized port on the Gulf of Aden. The country is sandwiched between Somalia and Eritrea, and also shares a border with Ethiopia.

Mattis is using the early months as defense secretary to renew or strengthen relations with key defense allies and partners such as Djibouti, whose location makes it a strategic link in the network of overseas U.S. military bases.

Djibouti took on added importance to the U.S. military after 9/11, in part as a means of tracking and intercepting al-Qaida militants fleeing Afghanistan after the U.S. invaded that country in October 2001.

The U.S. has a long-term agreement with Djibouti for hosting American forces; that pact was renewed in 2014.

Over the past week Mattis has met with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt and Qatar.
Correction: The headline of this story has been changed for accuracy. The headline now reflects the accusations against the teen.

Police on Saturday arrested the 15-year-old accused of wielding a machete in a Northeast Heights grocery store  the call an Albuquerque police officer was racing to when he slammed into a car carrying a family, killing a 6-year-old boy.

Officer Simon Drobik said the incident involving Keisean Anderson, 15, was the epicenter of the whole chain of events.

Police said last week that employees saw Anderson in the alcohol section of the Albertsons near Eubank and Candelaria and approached him to ask for his ID. Anderson, according to a criminal complaint, pulled out a machete when employees confronted him. An employee who was on the phone with 911 dispatchers followed Anderson as he left the store, and Anderson turned and charged and began punching the employee in the face, loosening his teeth.

Officer Johnathan McDonnell was responding to the 911 call about the machete-wielding teen and was on Eubank with his emergency lights on when he collided with Antoinette Suinas car as she turned left onto Indian School. She and her children, Ariana Suina, 9, and Joel Suina, 6, were critically injured in the wreck. Joel was taken off life support Thursday night.

McDonnells femur and ankle were both broken. Drobik declined to give an update on his condition and said McDonnell asked us to give him some time.

Both vehicles appear to have had green lights at the time of the collision.

Police released video footage of the incident asking for tips on Friday. Tips that poured in led them to Anderson, who was on juvenile probation for property crime charges, Drobik said.

Weeks before the machete incident, Drobik said, Anderson was one of a group four teen boys who broke into an Albuquerque Police Department marked vehicle parked outside an officers home near Eubank and Comanche.

Two boys were caught later, and one had the officers Emergency Response Team equipment, according to a criminal complaint. Later, a confidential source said Anderson was also present during the break-in but managed to flee before officers arrived.

Anderson was arrested Saturday on warrants connected to both incidents.
Citing the current budget climate, University of New Mexicos College of Education will halt a stipend program for teachers who host student teachers in their classroom  one that costs less than $10,000 per year.

The college recently announced it would temporarily stop honorarium payments to teachers who help mentor and prepare UNM students pursuing education careers. Such stipends run just $50 or $100 per teacher, but the colleges dean issued a letter last month indicating they were not financially feasible right now.

Please know this was an extremely difficult decision as we had to balance the recognition of the importance of cooperating teachers with the reality of fiscal constraints. The University is facing a significant budget shortfall and the College of Education has endured cuts with the expectation for more on the way, Dean Hector Ochoa wrote.

The College has worked diligently to reduce spending and become more efficient, but it was clear that the only way to continue to provide an honorarium would be to increase fees for our students.

The college chose to temporarily stop the program rather than pass the costs to its students, he said. UNM will pay teachers participating this spring but not issue stipends starting this fall. The letter states the school is committed to a timely reinstatement.

New Mexico law requires student teaching experience to qualify for teaching licenses, and UNM places about 300 of its students with participating teachers around the state each semester. Host teachers get $50 or $100 depending on the level of field experience needed by the UNM student.

UNM has in recent years paid the bill with its own funds and some student fees. Its direct costs have ranged from $4,470 to $8,500 over the past three years, according to numbers provided by the school.

No teachers have contacted UNM since the letters release to withdraw as participants in the program, officials say. The message has prompted some to reaffirm their commitment, according to Anne Madsen, associate dean at the college.

They dont do it for the money, she said in a Journal interview.

Smith Frederick, operations director for the colleges Center for Student Success, said other parts of the country experiencing a shortage of willing teachers will sometimes ask those who do participate to take on two students, though he said that is not an issue in New Mexico now.

Weve been very fortunate our teachers in the state of New Mexico are wonderfully talented individuals who love to give back to the profession, he said.
Leave it to a fly fisherman to find the upside of global warming.

After all, as a group, fly fishermen are optimistic souls, the sort who know without a doubt that the best trout fishing anywhere, ever, is just upstream, around that bend and over those boulders. Fly fishermen are sure that the next cast, or maybe the one after that, will be the one that hooks that big, battling brown that wont get away.

So its no surprise that revered fishing guide Taylor Streit, who has been fishing the rivers and streams of northern New Mexico for about 50 years, thinks that the extended summer generated by climate change is responsible for some of the best fishing ever in his neck of the woods.

I lean toward the environment as it applies to trout, Streit told more than 40 people gathered Thursday at Rio Bravo Brewery for the annual fundraiser of the Bosque Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a coldwater fish conservation organization. We are in a situation where fishing in north-central New Mexico and south-central Colorado is very good. The Rio Grande is fishing real well.

Usually, the fishing season starts in late March or April. But Nick Streit, Taylors son and also a respected fishing guide, said that warm periods have made fishing in January not only viable but rewarding.

For the last three or four winters, we have had three- to five-week periods between January and March that have been good fishing, Nick said. The biggest fish, a 27-inch brown trout, we saw caught this year on the Rio Grande was in January.

But that doesnt mean that the Streits are blind to the adverse effects of climate change. Taylor Streit is finely attuned to the ways of nature, having lived in it most of his life.

Born in 1946 in New Yorks Hudson Valley, the senior Streit was fishing in the Catskill Mountains as a child. He migrated West in his early 20s, settling in Taos, discovering western waters and opening the Taos Fly Shop in 1980. In 2001, he was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

He understands that northern New Mexico has not only benefited from the favorable byproduct of warmer temperatures but has dodged the disasters that can be caused by excessive heat and long arid stretches.

We dont have any of that spruce beetle infestation or land beat down by fire, Taylor Streit said. Siltation (sediment in water) is the big killer of trout, and it has been 10 years since we had any killer silt event. North-central New Mexico has been relatively unaffected, and part of that is just the luck of the draw.

Streit notes that hundreds of thousands of acres of Colorado forest have been ravaged by the spruce beetle, an epidemic spurred by dry conditions, and that prolonged drought and shorter winters have caused massive forest fires in central and southern New Mexico.

A 2016 report on New Mexico forest health by the state Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department Forestry Division states that the spruce beetle epidemic is spreading across New Mexico though all other bark beetle populations are in decline after several years of favorable moisture conditions. In May 2014, 88 percent of New Mexico was in severe drought. Now, there are only areas classified as abnormally dry with no designated areas of drought, according to the National Weather Service report from April 18.

Wildfires are deadly to fish because ashes wash into rivers and streams, increasing the ammonia content of the waters to lethal levels. The Whitewater-Baldy Fire, which burned nearly 300,000 acres of southwest New Mexicos Gila Wilderness in 2012, and the Silver Fire that clawed through more than 130,000 acres of the Gila in 2013, killed a lot of fish and threatened to wipe out New Mexicos native Gila trout.

But Taylor Striet said neither beetles or blazes have harried his fishing haunts and that the above normal snowpack blanketing the mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico signal more good fortune to come.

We are going to have a monster runoff (in the Chama Basin) this year, he said. Fish love water.

A strong spring runoff creates fast-moving, muddy water, which is less than ideal for fishing, but Streit sees the bright side of that, too.

You get to the middle of summer and you will have good fishing, he said. August fishing will be better.

Nick Streit agrees.

Runoff is healthy for the rivers, he said. It flushes out the silt, and its good for insect life.

And when bugs are in the air, the trout are biting.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Ollie at 823-3916 or at oreed@abqjournal.com. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
More than 40 New Mexico high school students have qualified for a national education as a career conference this summer in Phoenix, among them 13 who earned first-place medals during the recent Educators Rising New Mexico state conference in Las Cruces.

About 150 students and educators participated in the second state conference hosted by New Mexico State University and the College of Education since the formation of Educators Rising New Mexico in 2015. The group encourages high school students to consider careers in education.

The national conference will take place June 23-26 in Phoenix. Educators Rising New Mexico will pay the registration fee for the 13 students who received first-place medals.

To support a student who would like to attend the conference in Phoenix, contact Karen Trujillo, Educators Rising state director and assistant professor in NMSUs College of Education, at ktrujill@nmsu.edu.

We are happy to see Educators Rising grow every year, said Trujillo. There is a need for great teachers and we need to support these students as much as we can. This conference allows students and teachers to network, get great ideas and qualify for nationals. Last year, we had 22 people from New Mexico go to Boston. I would like to have at least 50 attend the conference in Phoenix.

Congratulations!

This years competition categories and the first-place winners were:

Childrens Literature K-3 A: Lizbeth Gonzalez and Betty Gonzalez, Carlsbad High School.

Childrens Literature K-3 B: Victoria Dimas, V. Sue Cleveland High School.

Childrens Literature Pre-K: Tabor Holcomb and Jerekah Madron, Carlsbad.

Creative Lecture: Patrick McLellan, Rio Rancho High School.

Edrising Moment: Savannah Fisher, Eldorado.

Exploring Education Careers: Giovanna Ruiz, Mayfield.

Impromptu Speaking: John Leppala, Eldorado.

Impromptu Teaching: Amy Lucero, Manzano.

Job Interview: Edson Lobato, V. Sue Cleveland.

Lesson Planning: Ashley DeLeon, Chaparral.

Public Speaking: Abby Hobbs, Eldorado.
PYONGYANG, North Korea  A U.S. guided-missile submarine arrived in South Korea on Tuesday and envoys from the U.S., Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo, as North Korea prepared to mark the anniversary of the founding of its military.

Although a major event around the anniversary was viewed as possible, the morning came and went without any nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches. All that was publicly scheduled for the day were gatherings for mass dancing, a common celebration on major North Korean holidays.

At a national meeting of thousands of senior military and civilian officials the day before, North Koreas Minister of Defense Gen. Pak Yong Sik reiterated that the country is ready to use pre-emptive strikes or any other measures it deems necessary to defend itself against the U.S. imperialists.

The situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula is so tense that a nuclear war may break out due to the frantic war drills of the U.S. imperialists and their vassal forces for aggression, he told the gathering.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not attend. It was not known how he was marking Tuesdays anniversary.

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying its military capability and has conducted five nuclear tests. Pyongyang launched a missile one day after the 105th birthday of late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15.

Such a move could test the developing North Korea policies of President Donald Trump, who has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, the Norths only major ally, instead of military options or trying to overthrow North Koreas government.

The nuclear-powered USS Michigan submarine arrived at Busan in what was described as a routine port visit to rest the crew and load supplies. Commander Jang Wook from the South Korean navy public affairs office said there is no plan for any drill.

The submarines arrival comes as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier heads toward the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.

In Tokyo, U.S. representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun was meeting Tuesday with his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi and Kim Hong-kyun of South Korea. Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the three envoys were to deepen cooperation and stay on the same page amid growing tension.

Japans Foreign Ministry also announced that Chinas envoy for North Korea, Wu Dawei, will visit Tokyo on Tuesday for talks with Kanasugi, which may take place later this week.

Trump spoke by phone with both the Japanese and Chinese leaders Monday. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted President Xi Jinping as telling Trump that China strongly opposes North Koreas nuclear weapons program and hopes all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions. The North Korean nuclear and missile problem is an extremely serious security threat to not only the international community but also our country, the Japanese leader told reporters in Tokyo afterward.

Recent U.S. commercial satellite images indicate increased activity around North Koreas nuclear test site, and third-generation dictator Kim Jong Un has said the countrys preparation for an ICBM launch is in its final stage.

South Koreas Defense Ministry has said North Korea appears ready to conduct such strategic provocations at any time. South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, the countrys acting leader, has instructed his military to strengthen its immediate response posture in case North Korea does something significant on Tuesdays anniversary.

There is also a possibility that North Korea, facing potential changes in regional dynamics as Washington presses Beijing to pressure North Korea more aggressively, opts to mark the anniversary with a missile launch of lesser magnitude. North Korea separately fired what U.S. officials said were a Scud-type missile and a midrange missile earlier this month, but the launches were analyzed as failures.

Adding to the tensions, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday, bringing the number of Americans being held there to three. The reasons for the detention of Tony Kim, who taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, werent immediately clear.

Under Kims leadership, North Korea has been aggressively pursuing a decades-long goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an ICBM capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Last year, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests, which would have improved its knowledge in making nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles. It also launched a long-range rocket last year that delivered a satellite into orbit, which Washington, Seoul and others saw as a banned test of missile technology.

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Associated Press writers Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.
SALEM, Ore.  The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants.

From tending the plants to harvesting the grapes, it takes skill and a strong work ethic to produce the winerys pinot noir and chardonnay, and native-born Americans just arent willing to work that hard, Patricia Dudley said as a cold rain drenched the vineyard in the hills of Oregon.

Whos going to come out here and do this work when they deport them all? she asked.

President Donald Trumps hard line against immigrants in the U.S. illegally has sent a chill through the nations agricultural industry, which fears a crackdown will deprive it of the labor it needs to plant, grow and pick the crops that feed the country.

Fruit and vegetable growers, dairy and cattle farmers and owners of plant nurseries and vineyards have begun lobbying politicians at home and in Washington to get them to deal with immigration in a way that minimizes the harm to their livelihoods.

Some of the farm leaders are Republicans who voted for Trump and are torn, wanting border security but also mercy toward laborers who are not dangerous criminals.

Farming uses a higher percentage of illegal labor than any other U.S. industry, according to a Pew Research Center study.

Immigrants working illegally in this country accounted for about 46 percent of Americas roughly 800,000 crop farmworkers in recent years, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Agriculture.

Stepped-up deportations could carry significant economic implications, a 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture study said. If Americas unauthorized labor force shrank 40 percent, for example, vegetable production could drop by more than 4 percent, the study said.

The American Farm Bureau Federation says strict immigration enforcement would raise food prices 5 to 6 percent because of a drop in supply and because of the higher labor costs farmers could face.

In addition to proposing a wall at the Mexican border, Trump wants to hire 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and has served notice that he intends to be more aggressive than the Obama administration in deporting immigrants.

ICE agents have arrested hundreds of immigrants since Trump took office, though how much of a change from the Obama administration that represents is a matter of debate.

Field hands have been among those targeted, with apple pickers detained in upstate New York and Guatemalans pulled over in Oregon on their way to a forest to pick a plant used in floral arrangements.

It doesnt appear the arrests themselves have put a sizable dent in the agricultural workforce yet, but the fear is taking its toll.

Some workers in Oregon are leaving for job sites as early as 1 a.m. and staying away from check-cashing shops on payday to avoid dragnets. Farm employers are worried about losing their workforces.

They say, Dont go out, dont get drunk, dont do nothing illegal because they need us too. They worry too, said Moses Maldonado, who is in the U.S. illegally and has worked for nearly four decades tending wine grapes and picking fruit in Oregon.

In Los Banos, California, asparagus farmer Joe Del Bosque said workers are so afraid of being arrested in the field that he struggled to find enough hands in March to pick his crop.

When immigration attorney Sarah Loftin held a recent seminar in the Oregon wine-region town of Newberg to talk about immigrants legal rights, she was surprised to see that about half those present were winery owners or farmers.

By law, job seekers must provide documents establishing their eligibility to work in the U.S. But the papers are often fake. Many agricultural employers say that its not their responsibility  and that they lack the expertise  to determine if theyre genuine.

At the same time, they say that U.S.-born workers have little interest at laboring in the dirt and the cold at the crack of dawn.

As 18 Guatemalans in hoodies and rubber boots toiled in such conditions recently in Oregons Willamette Valley, their boss expressed admiration for their willingness to do the back-breaking work he said native-born Americans wont do.

Homeless people are camped in the fir forest over there, the farmer said, pointing to a stand of trees. And theyre not looking for work.

He lamented that crackdowns may force him to retire because he wont be able to find workers. Fearing reprisals from federal agents, he spoke on condition of anonymity and didnt want even his crop identified.

Some immigration hardliners say people who are in the U.S. illegally steal jobs from Americans. But a 2013 study by an economist at the Center for Global Development looked at farms in North Carolina and found that immigrant manual laborers had almost zero effect on the job prospects of native-born U.S. workers.

It appears that almost all U.S. workers prefer almost any labor-market outcome  including long periods of unemployment  to carrying out manual harvest and planting labor, Michael Clemens wrote.

While lobbying for visa and immigration reforms, agricultural employers are also looking into contingency plans such as mechanization or a switch to less labor-intensive crops. In Vermont, officials are considering a vocational program to train inmates in dairy farming.

Dudley, the vineyard owner, isnt optimistic about some of the alternatives.

I dont trust that temps off the street, or jailhouse labor, or whatever alternative they come up with would work, she said.

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AP reporters Scott Smith in Fresno, California; Wilson Ring in Montpelier, Vermont; Gillian Flaccus in Salem, Oregon; and Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this story.

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Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky
PHOENIX  Lawmakers are walking away from a proposal to spend state money on a memorial to mark the 2011 shooting that targeted then-Rep. Gabby Giffords and killed six people.

The proposal to spend $2.5 million over five years was approved by the House in February and had been sitting in two Senate committees, KOLD-TV reported (http://bit.ly/2pPs0IE).

The legislative session has not yet ended, but bills are no longer being heard in committee.

This particular bill is dead for this legislative session, Republican Sen. Debbie Lesko said in an email.

The memorial honoring the victims and survivors of the Jan. 8, 2011, shooting is planned for a park in downtown Tucson.

Crystal Kasnoff, executive director of the January 8th Memorial Foundation, said in March that the group would rely on private donations if it could not secure state funding. The foundation has not yet come up with the funds to complete construction of the memorial, which is estimated to be about $5 million.

Kasnoff said she is hopeful that pending legislation at the federal level will give the project naming rights as a national memorial and a listing with the National Park Service.

Rep. Todd Clodfelter, who sponsored the state legislation, was disappointed the bill did not make it out of committee. The proposal had faced opposition from people who thought the public money would be better spent elsewhere, he said.

From the local perspective, there are conservative voters  my constituents  who are not thrilled with the concept, Clodfelter said.

There were contingencies in the legislation to assure that private funding for the project would be generated in its complete amount, Clodfelter said. The bill also required that funding for the project be returned to the state if the memorial was not deemed a national monument by 2023.

Jared Lee Loughner killed six people and injured Giffords and 12 others in the attack at a public event in Tucson. He was sentenced to life in prison.

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Information from: KOLD-TV, http://www.kold.com/
LAS CRUCES, N.M.  A new group of entrepreneurs has emerged in the Las Cruces business scene, and theyre too young to drive themselves to the office.

The roughly 40 junior executives, ages 6 to 14, from the Acton Academy and other city schools will be participating in a nationwide Childrens Business Fair on Saturday during the downtown Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market, The Las Cruces Sun-News reported (http://bit.ly/2oU5tMu).

The students will be introducing various projects for sale, which include arts and crafts, spa services, custom-crafted woodwork, jewelry and other items.

Anna Biad is one of the founders of Actons Las Cruces school, which launched last year. She said the goal was for students to work independently on the projects so they would learn the challenges of developing their own startup business.

The big premise was to keep the parents out of it and really let the young entrepreneurs figure it out for themselves, Biad said. The philosophy is that, even if their business fails, they can reflect and really grow stronger versus us as parents coming in and creating their project so that they can end up with a nice product, but they didnt experience the process.

Working independently was something that Yakira de Rouen found really helped her Home Made Spa business, which offers body and lip scrubs and tips to customers on how to use the hand-crafted products.

When I do my business, it has to go a certain way, the 10-year-old said. Before, when I first started my business, I had partners and that didnt really work out. So now they are doing their own business and Im doing my business.

Brothers Max and Jacob Taylor, ages 11 and 9, are offering hand-crafted boxes, swords and book marks. Their business is a way to carry on family woodworking traditions handed down to them from their grandfather.

Biad, who said she started in business at age 11, is hopeful the valuable skills the children are learning at the academy will serve them well as they grow older.

I feel like that really benefited me as a young person, so I wanted to give that opportunity to other young people in our community, she said.

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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
New Delhi, Apr 24 (IBNS): Etihad Aviation Group on Monday announced the appointment of Robin Kamark as Chief Executive Officer, Airline Equity Partners.

Kamark will be responsible for leading and developing the Groups minority equity investment strategy, which includes stakes in airberlin, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Etihad Regional and Virgin Australia.

Reporting to the Group President and CEO, Robin Kamark takes over from Bruno Matheu, who has held the role since May 2016, and is leaving for personal reasons.



Kamark is a 17-year veteran of the airline industry, rising through a range of strategy, commercial and general manager roles at SAS Group to become Chief Commercial Officer.

For the last five years, he has been Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Storebrand ASA, a leading Nordic financial services business.

H.E. Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of the Etihad Aviation Group, said: Etihad Aviation Group continues to invest in world-class talent at the most senior level, building our executive team to lead the business into the next stage of its development.



Robin is a well-respected leader in global aviation, with wide-ranging experience at SAS Group. He performed important roles in the restructuring of that airline and has broadened his experience more recently in financial services.



Our equity partner strategy continues to be an important element of our business model, and Robin will drive the strategy by adjusting and progressing our approach.

We would like to thank Bruno for his sterling efforts over the last two and half years, as we have built and consolidated our equity partner approach.

Kamark will lead strategic developments to optimise business performance, revenues and cost synergies between Etihad Airways and its equity partners across the world.

He will also provide strategic leadership for airline partners where Etihad Airways has management responsibility.



Kamark holds Bachelor and Master of Business Administration qualifications from the Norwegian School of Management. He began his career in finance roles in the manufacturing sector, following his military service, before joining SAS in 1995.

Kamark will take up his new position in October 2017. He said: I am grateful to the Board of Etihad Aviation Group for their confidence in me. This is an exciting role, offering the opportunity to develop and refine an important element of the Groups strategy.

Kevin Knight, Group Strategy and Planning Officer, will also work with Bruno Matheu to provide continuity across Airline Equity Partners as the group manages the transition over the coming months.

Kamark will become one of the five key business unit executives within the Etihad Aviation Group, joining Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways; Jeff Wilkinson, CEO of Etihad Airways Engineering; and Chris Youlten, Managing Director of Airport Services. Hala, the companys destination marketing and global loyalty unit, will announce a permanent CEO shortly.

The EAG Board is currently involved in a search for a new Group CEO. Long-serving President and CEO James Hogan announced that he would step down from the company later this year.
TUCSON, Ariz.  A Tucson man accused of performing liposuction procedures while not having a medical license has pleaded guilty to felony charges.

Gustavo Nunez faces up to 178 years in prison when sentenced Aug. 7 on guilty pleas Friday for 28 counts of charges that include aggravated assault, fraud and practicing medicine without a license.

The Arizona Attorney Generals Office said seven victims had procedures performed by Nunez between 2012 and 2014 and that three victims were hospitalized after botched surgeries and one sustained life-threatening injuries.

Nunez was arrested after two women went to hospitals with serious aggressive infections stemming from liposuction procedures performed by Nunez. After his arrest was reported, other women reported they had procedures he performed.

Co-defendant Ilda Garcia pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
A federal jury sitting in Las Cruces convicted Trevor Lee Thayer, 46, of Silver City of violating the federal firearms and narcotics trafficking laws  including manufacturing silencers  after a five-day trial.

The jurys Friday verdict was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney, Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEAs El Paso Division, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Thayer was charged with illegally possessing a short-barreled rifle and a silencer, manufacturing a silencer, manufacturing marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The jurys guilty verdict was based on evidence establishing that in Aug. 2012, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thayers residence and seized eight firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, two silencers, a silencer manufacturing toolkit, marijuana plants and marijuana plant manufacturing materials.

At sentencing, Thayer faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the two firearms charges and five years in prison on the marijuana offense.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration issued sanctions Monday on 271 people linked to the Syrian agency responsible for producing non-conventional weapons, part of an ongoing U.S. crackdown on Syrian President Bashar Assads alleged use of chemical weapons.

The sanctions target employees of Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Center, which the U.S. says partly enables the use of chemical weapons. The U.S. has blamed Assad for an attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 civilians in rebel-held northern Idlib.

The United States is sending a strong message with this action: That we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House Monday. He said it was one of the largest such sanctions actions in U.S. history.

President Donald Trump has called Assad evil and said his use of chemical weapons crossed a lot of lines.

Assad has strongly denied he was behind the attack, in which sarin gas was allegedly used.

As a result of Mondays action, any property or interest in property of the individuals sanctioned must be blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

As Trump dined this month with Chinas President Xi Jinping during their highly anticipated summit at Trumps Florida resort, word emerged that Trump took action against Assad by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield. The retaliation was seen as somewhat unexpected for a president that vowed to stay out of lingering wars and conflicts overseas.

This month, Russia vetoed a Western-backed U.N. resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and demanded a speedy investigation into the attack. China abstained for the first time, a move the White House billed a win for their efforts to isolate Russia.

On Syria, the Council failed again this month to respond to Syrias use of chemical weapons, Trump said Monday at a White House meeting of U.N. ambassadors from countries on the Security Council. A great disappointment. I was very disappointed by that.

The U.S. has gradually been expanding its sanctions program against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanctions targeting Syria for a range of offenses, including its support of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon, efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

More recently, sanctions were expanded in connection with its civil war, now in its sixth year, to target offenses linked to the ongoing violence and human rights abuses.

The U.S. has also issued sanctions for foreign individuals or companies that support Assads government. A number of Iranian entities have been penalized for supporting the Syrian government or fighters working to undermine peace in Syria.

While Moscow and Washington are continuously at odds over Syria, the U.S. has not imposed any Syria-related sanctions on Russia.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  A 43-year-old man has been sentenced in U.S. District Court of Wyoming to 40 months in prison for robbing a credit union in Cheyenne last year.

Christopher D. Bandstra, Colorado transient, had earlier pleaded guilty to a single count of bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson last week accepted a plea agreement in the case that includes five years of probation and more than $2,600 in restitution.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/2oDYfZw ) that the judge noted Bandstras mental state at the time of the incident.

Bandstra apologized to the bank teller at his sentencing hearing, noting that she was just doing her job when he made her fear for her life.

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Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com
PHOENIX  Authorities are searching for a man who shot a bouncer at a Phoenix strip club after he was asked to leave the establishment.

The victim was taken to a hospital after the early Monday shooting with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

Police say the suspect was kicked out of the club before he retrieved a gun from his vehicle and started shooting at the building.

The bouncer was shot in the calf.

The shooter fled the scene in a vehicle and police have not yet located the man.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  A 61-year-old man has been charged with child abuse and traffic violations after a crash that injured four Colorado elementary students who were struck in a crosswalk.

KKTV reports (http://bit.ly/2oEMqTR ) Douglas Clubb appeared in a Colorado Springs courtroom Monday.

Hes accused of running over the students on Jan. 12, critically injuring one. All survived but their conditions werent immediately available.

Officials said three of the children were siblings and the fourth was their cousin. They were in kindergarten, first, second and fifth grades.

A witness said five men lifted the car off them.

Clubb faces charges of child abuse causing serious injury, three other misdemeanor child abuse counts and four traffic offenses. He hasnt entered a plea.

Jail records indicated he was still being held in lieu of $2,000 bail.

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Information from: KKTV-TV, http://www.kktv.com/
YUMA, Ariz.  A jury began deliberating Monday in the murder trial of a man accused of killing six people, including four children, in Arizona more than a decade ago.

Preston Strong is already imprisoned after being convicted of killing a physician in Yuma in 2007.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the current case, calling it a methodical and gruesome set of killings in which four people were suffocated and two others shot to death over money.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Karolyn Kaczorowski said Strong was a hateful person and he alone had the opportunity to commit the killings.

The motives go beyond money, there is a hatred in him. There is a rage in him, she said last week.

Defense attorneys questioned the credibility of prosecution witnesses and said the case was thin. They pointed to testimony from an ex-girlfriend who said Strong was at his home on the day of the killings.

If you believe the timeline has broken down at any point, their case collapses, defense attorney Ray Hanna said.

Strong is charged with killing 35-year-old Luis Rios, 29-year-old Adrienne Heredia and her four children, ages 6 to 13, at a Yuma house over about six hours in the summer of 2005. Prosecutors have said Strong knew Rios.

Rios and one of the children were shot, prompting 911 calls from neighbors.

Strong wasnt a suspect after the killings, as police checked multiple leads and tips. He was not arrested and charged in the case until 2014.

The jury completed its first day of deliberations Monday without reaching a verdict and was scheduled to resume Tuesday.

Strong also knew Dr. Satinder Gill, a Yuma physician who was strangled and bludgeoned in his home in 2007. Prosecutors said a large amount of money was stolen.

Officers checking on Gills welfare found his home filled with natural gas. Strong is now serving time for that killing.
PRESCOTT, Ariz.  Prescott police say an armed man was fatally shot by an officer after the man confronted officers and earlier repeatedly fired multiple shots from a home at nearby residences and in the direction of police.

Police did not release the mans identity and Officer David Fuller said he couldnt provide immediately details on the circumstances of the fatal shooting or say whether the incident took place at the mans own home.

According to police, people in nearby homes were either evacuated or asked to shelter in place and that the man who had been shooting was the only person injured.

A Police Department statement said the fatal shooting occurred after police began negotiations with the man and that the state Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident.
SANTA FE  The New Mexico Supreme Court has opened the door to a lawsuit filed by top legislators against Gov. Susana Martinez that hinges on the governors use of line-item vetoes in a state budget bill.

The states highest court on Monday scheduled oral arguments in the case for May 15 and ordered the Martinez administration to file a written response by next week.

In the initial court challenge filed last week, top lawmakers asked the five-member Supreme Court to invalidate some of Martinezs vetoes on the budget bill, arguing that the Republican governor overstepped her authority by axing all proposed funding  roughly $779 million  for legislative branch agencies, and public colleges and universities.

The Legislative Council, a group of leading legislators, specifically argued in its lawsuit that the governors vetoes violated the state Constitutions separation-of-powers clause.

Martinez has insisted her vetoes were on solid legal footing because the Constitution gives governors the authority to use line-item vetoes  which strike down certain parts of appropriations bills.

In a Monday statement, Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, praised the courts action, saying, This is a clear recognition from the Supreme Court that there are serious constitutional questions regarding Governor Martinezs authority to eliminate funding for all higher education institutions and an entire branch of government.

Papen also said she was encouraged that the Supreme Court had asked the New Mexico Council of University Presidents to submit a legal brief in the case.

The governor and the Democratic-controlled Legislature have been at odds for most of this year over the budget.

In addition to her line-item vetoes, Martinez struck down a $350 million package of tax and fee increases intended to help pay for government operations in the coming budget year, which starts July 1.

Martinez is expected to call a special session on the budget in the coming weeks, but her administration and leading Democratic lawmakers have been unable to reach an agreement, and the Legislatures lawsuit could complicate matters.

Meanwhile, Martinez spokesman Michael Lonergan suggested Monday that Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, and other top-ranking lawmakers had asked the Supreme Court to intervene to circumvent the governor.

Sen. Wirth went to the courts because he wants New Mexicans to pay higher taxes  including on gas, Lonergan said. The governor doesnt believe families should have to shoulder $350 million in tax hikes and shes going to continue to block the Senates efforts to do so.
PHOENIX  An inmate has died at an Arizona prison and authorities say it appears to be a suicide.

State Department of Corrections officials announced Monday that 27-year-old Jesse Arvizo was found unresponsive in his assigned housing location Sunday at the Lewis complex in Buckeye.

Prison staff performed life-saving measures until paramedics arrived.

Corrections officials say Arvizo died from an apparent act of self-harm but didnt elaborate.

They say Arvizo was serving a 54-month prison term for robbery and was sentenced out of Maricopa County in 2015.

Corrections officials say all inmate deaths are investigated by the county Medical Examiners Office.
Kolkata, Apr 24 (IBNS): The Tata group today felicitated the city-level winners of the aTata Building India School Essay Competition 2015-16a from West Bengal and Jharkhand at the Kala Kunj Auditorium in Kolkata.

The theme for the essay competition was Digital Technology for a Better India.

The winners from West Bengal and Jharkhand were shortlisted from a participation of over .6 lakh students from nearly 600 schools for the English, Hindi and Bengali editions.

The English edition winners were from 5 cities in which 169 English medium schools participated.

The Bengali edition winners were from 400 schools across 12 cities and the Hindi edition winners were from 30 schools across Jamshedpur.

The winners were awarded trophies, gifts and certificates at the ceremony held at the Kala Kunj Auditorium in the presence of Subodh Sarkar, Sahitya Akademi Awardee.

Speaking on the occasion, Subodh Sarkar, Sahitya Akademi Awardee said Tata is doing a great job to encourage the young students across cultures and languages, to have great skill in languages through the programme called Tata Building India Essay Competition. I am delighted to know, that many of the winners are talented boys and girls, and I am extremely happy that they are truly inspired to express themselves in languages.

The essays submitted by the students encapsulated their refreshing views and ideas on the topic. The winning essays at the city level will be further judged by a prominent jury for national level recognition and will culminate with a proposed visit to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and an interaction with a national level dignitary, e.g. The Honorable President of India or the Vice President of India.

Started in 2006 as an English-language essay contest, the Tata Building India School Essay Competition is a unique initiative undertaken by the Tata group of companies to motivate the youth of India towards thinking about nation building. The essay competition provides a unique platform to encourage young leaders of tomorrow to showcase their expressions in writing on a host of subjects related to nation building.

The competition is a two-phase activity in participating schools.

The first phase consists of screening inspirational Tata-linked films which stimulates the students to think about the nation.

Followed by this, the topic of the essay is shared with the students and they are required to write an essay on the given topic, based on the theme. The theme for year 2015-16 was  Digital Technology for a Better India
In a normal year, New Mexicos public colleges and universities would have to submit budgets to the states Higher Education Department by May 1.

But this is not a normal year.

With their state funding still not assured following Gov. Susana Martinezs veto of $745 million in higher education spending included in a Legislature-approved budget bill, the schools will get more time to craft their individual spending plans.

But just how much more time remains unknown.

Barbara Damron, secretary for the Higher Education Department, told university administrators in an April 17 letter her agency had suspended the May 1 deadline until further notice and would issue further instruction as soon as the current situation with the budget is resolved. Her letter does not specifically cite the veto, but notes that the general fund budget for higher education has not as yet been finalized.

The Governors Office has called the veto a temporary measure to balance the budget without Legislature-approved tax increases and Martinez said at a news conference earlier this month that higher education funding would get restored during a special session.

But she hasnt yet called a special session and the budget battle with the Legislature continues to rage, with lawmakers last week seeking the New Mexico Supreme Courts intervention. The lawmakers challenge that her vetoes  which also eliminated funding for legislative agencies  violate the state Constitution, a charge her office disputes.

The Higher Education Department is required to review and approve the schools budgets prior to June 1 submission to the Department of Finance and Administration.

A spokeswoman for the department said in an email our department and the Governor are hopeful that this situation will be fully resolved soon.

Given the scope of the process, most schools already have started budget planning, tentatively assuming the appropriation outlined in the Legislature-approved budget, according to Marc Saavedra, executive director of the Council of University Presidents. That would mean around a 1 percent cut.

University of New Mexico, the states largest university, postponed its annual budget summit  originally scheduled for April 7  and has not yet set tuition rates for the 2017-18 year. But the school has prepared recommendations reflecting various scenarios for our Regents to consider once (funding) comes through, spokeswoman Cinnamon Blair said in an email.
Life OK launched, Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh with a lot of pride and a massive consumer outreach campaign to attract the Indian audience. To celebrate, the vision of unity that the great king dedicated his life to - the STAR US team conducted an activation at Times Square, New York.

On 15th April, in honour of the Sikh holiday of Baisakhi, a non-profit group The Sikhs of New York organised Turban Day at Times Square. Star US team joined hands with this group to amplify the festivities and alongside, spread awareness regarding the show about the most revered leader of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

The day was celebrated by tying colourful turbans on the people of New York. The response to the event was phenomenal. Almost 8000 turbans were tied and the event saw tremendous response across social media platforms. Snapchats Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh  Life OK and Turban Day  Times Square, NY filters garnered 23872 views within just a few hours. Maharaja Ranjit Singhs life size model was the centrepiece of the event and people posed with it as pledge to always uphold the values of service and unity that their great king propagated. Snippets of the show and promos were also shown to give a glimpse of this historical masterpiece.

Speaking about the activation, a source at Life Ok said, The philosophies of Maharaja Ranjit Singh have universal relevance especially in todays day and age. With a massive Punjabi diaspora living in the US, we realised that Baisakhi was the perfect day to bring together people to commemorate Maharaja Ranjit Singhs vision of unity.

The show, Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh which airs on Life OK follows the journey of the exemplary King who placed service above rule and unity above power. The shows stars Damanpreet Singh in the lead role of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Shaleen Bhanot, Sneha Wagh, Tunisha Sharma in supporting roles. The show is produced by Contiloe Films by Abhimanyu Singh.
Telecoms and 15 members of the European Union have once again found themselves at odds over the length of wireless spectrum licenses. Industry leaders are seeking to unify the EUs wireless market through proposals to increase the length of wireless spectrum licenses to a minimum of 25 years, i.e. extend the current minimum requirement by 10 to 15 years. Many of the national governments involved, however, are not keen on giving over any semblance of control over licensing their spectrum. A document signed by 15 EU members  the United Kingdom, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic  expresses concerns that an increase in the minimum length of the licenses could seriously hamper innovation if the lifecycle of a given technology is outlived by the length of related licenses. Countermeasures contained within the proposal are too dependent on the good will of service providers, the document states, adding that the legal groundwork is not in place to handle the litigation process of withdrawing a license from a provider. Finally, the paper calls out any long-term fixed licensing as being too inflexible in a market that sees significant changes frequently.

The European Commission and the industry leaders have their own reasons for wanting to consolidate the market across Europe, as they claim that the upcoming 5G technologies require a more long-term approach to spectrum management, as well as a pro-investment approach to regulations. From the telecoms point of view, the lease terms currently differ too greatly from country to country, making large-scale growth such as that required to implement 5G across Europe a difficult task. While the first part of the European Commissions recent proposal deals with the length of licenses, they have also introduced a proposal for a peer review of draft measures on spectrum allocation. The member states disagree with that part of the proposal as well, citing issues related to heavy bureaucracy and over-reliance on ideals-based models.

The arguments being made by both sides here are not new by any means. The European Commission has tried to institute cross-border cooperative licensing measures for years in an attempt to unify the market across the EUs countries and make the continent more competitive on the world stage. While it doesnt seem that the disagreements are going to come to an end anytime soon, an update on the situation should follow shortly.
AT&T started pushing out its first software update for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus, The Android Soul reports, stating that the 5.8-inch smartphone on the wireless carriers network is receiving the firmware build G950USQU1AQD9, while its 6.2-inch counterpart is set to be updated with the build G955USQU1AQD9. The software package is being distributed as an over-the-air (OTA) update that AT&T is rolling out in stages, meaning the second largest mobile service provider in the United States will likely need at least a few days more before it manages to complete the rollout. The contents of the new update are currently unknown, though its likely that AT&T is distributing a new set of Android security patches to the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus seeing how the patch thats currently hitting devices on the companys network is approximately 300MB in size.

Apart from a new Android Security Update, the latest software package for Samsungs new flagship duo is expected to ship with code that disables the ability to remap the physical Bixby button to another action. Samsung already disabled the functionality on the unlocked variants of its high-end handsets, though all carrier-branded models will have to be updated separately. More details about AT&Ts new update for the Galaxy S8 lineup should follow shortly as the Dallas, Texas-based company is expected to officially announce the new software later this week. Users who still havent received the notification thats prompting them to download the new update but are eager to do so can always try scanning for the latest software manually through the Settings app on their device.

AT&T started distributing the new update over the weekend, only a few hours after Verizon also released its first software package for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus. The latter added numerous features to the handsets, including the ability to use the physical Volume Up button to answer calls, so its possible that devices on AT&Ts network are now also receiving the same functionality. Other mobile service providers in the country are expected to start pushing out first software updates for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus in the coming days.
A possible model of Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) has been listed on GFXBench, with its benchmark results and specifications listed on the benchmarks website. The model listed on GFXBench is designated with model number SM-J330, which is almost the same model number listed on the Geekbench Browsers online database this month. According to GFXBenchs website, the rumored Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) model is powered by a quad-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex A53 SoC, which could possibly be the 14nm Samsung-developed Exynos 7570. Still within the SoC is the ARM Mali T720 GPU, which will power the smartphones 5-inch 720p display. Even if the GPU is among the lower-end offerings of ARM, people buying the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) may still expect a respectable graphics performance from the smartphone due to its relatively low resolution. Also according to the GFXBench listing, Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) will likely have 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which further corroborates with previous rumors.

The GFXBench listing of the possible Samsung Galaxy J3 unit also provides additional information about the camera specifications of the smartphone. The smartphone will have a 13-megapixel rear camera while its front camera will have a 5-megapixel sensor, with both cameras capable of recording 1080p video. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) will possibly come out of the box with Android 7.0 Nougat, though users may expect significant delays in the delivery of the latest OS updates to their smartphones given the low-end nature of the device. Nonetheless, Android 7.0 Nougat provides owners of the latest model of the Samsung Galaxy J3 features like the improved interactions with app notifications and improvements in battery life due to changes in the Doze feature. Given the track record of the smartphone giant on the 2016 model of the Samsung Galaxy J3, owners can expect monthly security updates delivered to their smartphones.

Last month, devices claimed to be the unlocked and T-Mobile variants of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) passed the certification process of the FCC, so consumers in the US may expect the latest model of Samsung Galaxy J3 to become available soon. Previous rumors have also indicated that the smartphone may be available in white, black, and gold models, with the smartphones coming with single-SIM and dual-SIM variants. However, there is no clear information regarding the availability and pricing of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) at this point.
Sweden is home to quite a few odd tourist attractions including the Museum of James Bond and Stockholms Dragon Gate, and will soon also host the Museum of Failure thats scheduled to be opened in Helsingborg this June and will feature  the Google Glass.

The Museum of Failure is the brainchild of an organizational psychologist and innovation researcher Samuel West who has been obsessed with the concept of failure for a long time. West believes innovation is only possible by learning based on failure, which is why the upcoming museum aims to celebrate failure in a world where everyone is obsessed with success and succeeding at everything they do, the institutions official website reveals. Apart from the Google Glass, tourists visiting the Museum of Failure will be able to discover other ill-fated products such as the Apple Newton, Nokia N-gage, Kodaks Digital Camera, Sony Betamax, and Lego Fiber Optics.

Despite the Google Glass attempt to commercialize augmented reality (AR) and drive the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, the product never gained much traction among the average consumer. Three years ago, when users were finally given the chance to purchase the Glass, not many took Google up on that chance due to the weighty $1,500 price tag. Furthermore, despite Googles claims that the wearable could last up to a day of typical use, many customers found the Glass battery levels were depleted after only three to five hours of usage. While the idea of a smart device mounted on a pair of glasses sounds good on paper, the Glass design also left much to be desired. With that said, Google is now aware of the wearables faults, which is why rumors of a follow-up to the device have been circulating the industry for almost two years now. Previous reports indicated that Google was looking to overhaul the design of its smart glasses, as well as drop their price tag. Multiple variants with improved battery life were also said to be on the cards, but in the end, Google Glass 2 has yet to be officially announced. Now, despite making it into Wests Museum of Failure, the Google Glass might still have a future in at least one field  enterprise, as companies like Upskin, Boeing, and GE still use Googles wearable on a regular basis.
Google Search and Google Maps, along with Google Translate, just became even more indispensable for Android-toting travelers as Google has now added automatic translations of local reviews. When youre out and about and you dont happen to speak the language, Google will automatically translate all Search results and Maps entries for businesses into your native language, including reviews. This means that you get to see what the locals think of a particular landmark or business, be it a restaurant, store, or local attraction, without having to set anything up or lift a finger. The translation chooses the language for you based on your system language setting, and can translate to and from any language that the normal Google Translate can.

When viewing a card, or a business or landmark listing, the star ratings and reviews are typically shown in a single view, in their native language. Before today, this meant that an American tourist, for example, wanting to see how a Japanese bar compared to other local attractions, would have to either ask around, or run the Google Search entry for the place through Google Translate manually. Now, the user just has to pull up the result for the place, just like they would with any business back in their home country, and theyll see a review translated to their own language, alongside the original, as shown below. Of course, this means that fledgling linguists studying the language of the country that theyve traveled to can get a primer, and of course spot anything that should be corrected, if they know the language well enough.

Aside from the addition of automatic translations of reviews, the user experience in Maps and Search remains the same when traveling abroad. This means that features like seeing which reviews were left by trustworthy Local Guides are also on board, and users will have no trouble finding a great spot to spend some time. It should be noted that this functionality is available for both the app and web versions of Maps and Search, and does not require the Google Translate app. There have been no changes to Google Translate, so people using that app will not notice any differences from its normal functionality.
Jens Heithecker, the Executive Director of the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA) industrial exhibition said that hes hoping Samsung will announce the Galaxy Note 8 at IFA 2017 this summer. While speaking at an IFA press conference hosted in Lisbon on Saturday, Heithecker stated that IFA is the only show that can attract journalists from all parts of the world in late August and early September, which is when the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer is expected to launch its upcoming high-end Android phablet.

Despite Heitheckers comments, industry watchers believe its unlikely that Samsung will officially announce this years addition to the Galaxy Note lineup at IFA 2017 for several reasons. The Seoul-based tech giant has moved the majority of its major flagship announcements to North America several years ago, and the last Galaxy Note-branded smartphone announced at IFA was the Galaxy Note 4 in 2014. Furthermore, the company will likely be looking to beat the iPhone 8 to the market with the Galaxy Note 8, and seeing how Apple is expected to hold its annual smartphone keynote in September, Samsung will have to announce its upcoming phablet no later than August if its looking to have it ready for the market by the time Apple debuts its next flagship. As the companys previous release patterns suggest, each Galaxy flagship starts retailing approximately a month after being announced, following a massive marketing campaign. Due to that state of affairs, a launch at IFA 2017 would mean that the Galaxy Note 8 wouldnt hit the market until late September, which is why Samsung will likely announce the smartphone much sooner.

Regardless of the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung is expected to have the largest presence at the upcoming IFA show, Heithecker said, adding how the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer and its local rivals should put a larger focus on Europe in the future. As for Samsungs upcoming flagship, not a lot of details have been revealed about the handset so far, though the Galaxy Note 8 will likely be powered by the same chips that are featured inside the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus, i.e. Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 and Samsungs Exynos 8898, depending on the market.
Livestream, the New York-based company behind the hand-held Mevo live-streaming camera, have announced several major upgrades to the device, which includes an Android app featuring support for YouTube Live. Until now, there has only been an iOS app available. The Android app is currently a beta version, but when completed will allow users to broadcast in 1080p to a number of platforms. This is a big improvement as users could only stream in 720p when the device was first released. When a user upgrades to the latest version of the software and uses either the iOS or Android app, another new feature allows them to record the event in 4K.

The pocket-sized camera which costs around $400 was released last year and is the first of its kind, allowing users to live-stream video to four platforms: their own site, Livestream, Facebook Live, Twitter, and Periscope, and the video can be streamed through a local WiFi network or by using your phones cellular connection. The HD videos can then also be recorded and stored on a microSD card or in cloud storage. The pocket-sized device uses advanced software and a 4K-resolution image sensor to allow users to digitally reproduce the look of a multi-camera shoot. Although users cannot edit their video after the event ends with Mevo, the camera allows live-editing, on the fly. The Livestream site boasts around 50 million viewers each month, who watch hundreds of thousands of live events which are recorded and streamed by other customers. These include Tesla, NBA, Disney, Paramount Pictures, and SpaceX.

The Mevo app is now available as a public beta on Android. Anyone with an Android device who wishes to try the app out should first check if their device is compatible. They can then apply to join the beta-testing community through Google Play, and a Google+ account is needed to do do. To experience the app, users devices also should be running Android 5.0 or later. The app is not currently recommended for use in production environments, as it is an early beta version. The completed product is expected to be made available at some time in the summer.
On April 15, 2017, State Home Minister R. Lalzirliana reiterated that the Mizoram Government was ready to carry out repatriation of Bru (also known as Reang) families lodged at six relief camps in Tripura, and that the State Government had 'completed all formalities' which were supposed to be done in connection with the repatriation process. He also stated that, though the Supreme Court had called, on March 28, 2017, for status quo to be maintained; it clarified that people who wanted to move back should be asked to go.

Significantly, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the apex body of displaced Bru people staying in the six Tripura refugee camps, had filed an application in the Supreme Court (SC) stating that they feared the Union of India and the Tripura Government were trying to "force the Brus back to Mizoram without either proper security or proper rehabilitation". The Court had consequently called for status quo to be maintained.

The MBDPF had filed the application following the Mizoram Government's announcement on November 24, 2016, that it had identified 32,857 people belonging to 5,413 families for repatriation and the process was to begin 'soon'. Mizoram officials had conducted identification at the Tripura relief camps between November 2, 2016, and November 23, 2016. There were other developments related to this issue through 2016. Most importantly, 'Road Map-V' was approved on July 1, 2016, proposing to conduct identification of the bona fide residents of Mizoram in the camps. Those willing to return were to be resettled in three Districts - Mamit, Kolasib and Lunglei.

The Bru people had fled from Mizoram to Tripura in the wake of ethnic clashes with dominant Mizos in September 1997. An attempt at repatriation began in 2010 and small numbers even moved back. According to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA)'s latest Annual Report (2016-17), as on December 31, 2016, about 1,622 Bru families (approximately 8,573 people) out of 30,000 (approximately 5,000 families) had been repatriated and resettled in Mizoram.

Further, the stalled talks between the Mizoram Government and the Hmar People's Convention - Democracy (HPC-D), was revived in 2016, with the first round of talks held in the State capital, Aizawl, on August 10. This was followed by another two rounds of talks in 2016 (October 14 and December 16). On December 16, 2016, HPC-D, surrendered three AK-47 rifles, one INSAS rifle, four 9mm pistols, 17 magazines and 74 rounds of ammunition. The surrendered arms included a rifle of a Police constable, who had deserted the State Armed Police with the weapon and joined the militant outfit. Also, arms taken after the ambush at Zokhawthiang village near the Manipur border on March 28, 2015, were also surrendered. Earlier, HPC-D 'army chief' Lalropuia Famhoite had been released on bail on December 12, 2016. Optimistically, Lalbiakzama, Additional Secretary to the State Home Department, disclosed on February 18, 2017, that a proposed 'framework agreement' with HPC-D was on the cards and "Implementation of the proposed framework agreement would necessitate legislation by the State Assembly for establishment of a revamped council to be named as Sinlung Hills Council replacing [the existing] Sinlung Hills Development Council." The fourth round of talks is scheduled to be held on April 28, 2017.

On two earlier occasions, such efforts for peaceful resolution had ended in failure. After prolonged talks, a Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement between the State Government and HPC-D was signed on November 11, 2010. It did not last long. After withdrawing from the SoO on June 30, 2011, the HPC-D declared, in a Press Release, "The wayward attitude of the Mizoram Government has given the impression that it is keener in derailing the peace process than opening honourable democratic platform to work out a solution to the legitimate demands of the Hmar people as enshrined in the Constitution."

Again, on January 31, 2013, HPC-D and the Government of Mizoram signed a SoO Agreement at Aizawl. The 2013 talks were preceded by a series of firm Security Forces (SFs) actions against the outfit. On June 10, 2012, SFs had arrested two top leaders of the group, 'army chief' Lalropuia Famhoite and 'deputy army chief' Biaknunga, at the Kumbigram Airport located in Silchar, Cachar District, Assam. Again, on July 18, 2012, H. Zosangbera, HPC-D 'chairman', was arrested from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, by a combined team of the Mizoram and Delhi Police. However, all the three leaders were released on bail and talks were initiated again in 2013.

Later, the State Government wanted the SoO to be extended for another six months; while HPC-D sought a two month extension. During the July 18, 2013, talks, HPC-D stated that the further extension of SoO should be intrinsically linked with the fixation of a definite timeframe for a political dialogue. The SoO finally expired on July 31, 2013. The two sides however continued to talk, though the process finally ended in a stalemate on August 14, 2013.

Subsequently, HPC-D resumed violent activities, and was found responsible for all the three explosions reported from the State in 2014, though no casualty was reported in these incidents. A year later, the situation deteriorated further. On March 28, 2015, an ambush by the HPC-D militants on a vehicle carrying R.L. Pianmawia, Chairman of the 'Mizoram Assembly Committee on Government Assurances', and two other Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Lalthanliana and the lone woman MLA Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu at Zokhawthiang area in Aizawl District, resulted in the death of three SF personnel on their security detail. Four SF personnel and one State Assembly staffer sustained injuries in the attack. The legislators escaped unhurt.

Hmar tribesmen are an ethnic minority mostly inhabiting the north-eastern corner of the State, and are demanding an autonomous council for the Hmar tribes.

These developments marked the further consolidation of peace across Mizoram through 2016. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Annual Report 2016-17 thus noted, "Since the signing of Accord with the Mizo National Front (MNF), [on June 30, 1986] there is no local militancy in the State of Mizoram. Mizoram remained by and large peaceful. In 2016, no incident of violence was reported as against 2 violent incidents of 2015."

According to partial Data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), there were no terrorism-linked fatalities through 2016 in Mizoram as against three killings (all SF personnel) in 2015. The last civilian fatality in the State was recorded on October 15, 2014, when dead bodies of two non-tribals were found near the Tuikhurhlu area in Aizawl. The last militant killing was recorded on February 26, 2008, when Thangcha Kipgen, 'president' of the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), was killed in a hotel room in capital Aizawl in an alleged factional fight. HPC-D was the only prominent Mizoram-based insurgent still operating within the State, and since its signing of the SoO, no significant local insurgent formation remained active. Media reports, however, indicate the presence of a minor group, the Bru Democratic Front of Mizoram (BDFM), whose cadres were reportedly involved in a number of abductions-for-ransom incidents in the Mizoram-Bangladesh-Tripura border areas, in connivance with the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). On April 20, 2017, Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana disclosed that three BDFM militants were arrested in the Lawngtlai District near the Bangladesh border on April 16, 2017, while trying to enter Mizoram from Bangladesh. Two AK-47 rifles and 39 rounds of ammunition were seized from them.

Sporadic incidents of violence continue to be carried out by insurgent outfits operating out of neighbouring states like Assam and Tripura, and prominently include the Tripura-based NLFT and the Assam-based United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA).

However, no other violent incidents linked to militancy, such as abductions, extortion and explosions were recorded in 2016, according to the SATP database. In 2015, two incidents of extortion had been recorded by SATP. However, according to State Police data, there were six cases of abduction in 2016, down from 15 such cases in 2015. Similarly 15 cases of extortion were recorded in 2016 compared to 24 such cases in 2015. State Police data does not reveal the affiliation of the those involved in these incidents, or whether they were cadres of insurgent groups or local criminals.

While peace generally prevails, some threats persist. One of the major among these is the active terror camps of Northeast insurgent groups along India's border with Myanmar and Bangladesh (Mizoram shares its porous border with both these countries). In a significant incident on December 8, 2016, Mizoram Police and Assam Rifles (AR) troopers jointly raided a militant hideout located five kilometres from the Saiha town in the Saiha District of Mizoram near the Kolodyne River, along the Indo-Myanmar border, and arrested eight militants of the Myanmar based Arakan Liberation Army (ALA), along with sophisticated weapons and ammunition. The arrested militants were identified as Khaing Thi Zaw, Khaing Myo, Khaing Ray Min, Khaing Ming, Khaing min Htoo, Khaing Raing, Khaing Myo Naing and Khaing Zaw.

Securing the border, consequently, is of paramount importance. According to the UMHA website, there are only 18 Border Outposts (BOPs), as against a sanctioned 91, along the 318 kilometres long Indo-Bangladesh border which falls within the State. 222.89 kilometres of this border has been fenced, as against a sanctioned 349.33 kilometres [the sanctioned length of fencing exceeds the total length of the border in official documents].

Mizoram, along with Tripura, remains the most peaceful state in India's long-troubled Northeast, and can become the fulcrum for New Delhi's 'Act East' policy, emerging as a gateway to South East Asia, if Infrastructure and connectivity are vastly improved, which in turn could have a multiplier effect, both on the State and the region as a whole. Mizoram has much to gain from peacefully addressing remaining unresolved issues of ethnic minorities such as the Hmar and Brus.

Image: Wikimedia Commons
Vertus new luxury Dual-Sim Constellation smartphone has been cleared by the National Communications Commission (NCC.) The high-end device, codenamed VM-08 will soon be released in Taiwan. Their new device features a 5.5 inch Quad HD display, and the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset. It is dual-SIM and supports 34 different international bands and protocols, the smartphone is perfect for frequent travelers. The device runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and while it may be a surprise to some that it doesnt feature the latest most powerful internal specs, that usually isnt a concern for Vertus customers who prefer the external luxury and handmade craftsmanship of the device. The devices 12-megapixel rear-facing camera has a panoramic mode, can capture slow-motion video, and shoots in 4K. The sound is powered by Dolby Digital Plus for a flawless audio experience, and data transfer and charging is effortless, as the phone uses USB Type-C. The 3,220mAh battery allows for wireless charging and the internal storage is 128GB, which can be increased by using a microSD card. Included in the price of this device is access to Vertu LIFE, which launched in February and offers Vertu customers access to a range of exclusive events and opportunities.

For anyone not familiar with Vertu, they are well-known for making high-end, luxury smartphones, costing thousands of dollars. They are a British company, part-owned by the Finnish manufacturer of Nokia, who hold 10% of their shares. Their devices feature extravagant touches such as a back made from hand-made Italian leather, and a ruby button for the devices CONCIERGE service which offers their customers 24-hour assistance to fulfill a variety of requests, from finding gifts to booking events. The device also features a highly durable sapphire crystal screen. The company also offer a bespoke customization service, which can personalize the devices according to customers preferences. There are even options to have the device customized with a back made from snake, alligator, or ostrich skin.

Every device is hand-made, and they are aimed at very discerning customers who are happy to pay thousands of dollars for a smartphone. Last year, the smartphone manufacturer partnered with Bentley Motors to release their Signature Touch for Bentley smartphone. Prices for the device started at $9,000 and went all the way up to a whopping $19,000.
The Nokia 3310 (2017) feature phone was formally announced in late February with a Q2 release date. It was unveiled as a handset with 2G connectivity (well, 2.5G, technically), although a recent Nokia 3310 price spot indicated that a 3G version could also become available. However, after a rush of initial excitement, the rumor of a 3G model has now been killed by HMD Global. When the company first announced the device the price was given as just 49. However, pricing has varied across different retailers and countries so far, although this is not altogether unusual. For instance, two European retail listings so far have been for 59 in Austria or 69.90 in Germany. A recent listing at Swedish retailer Inet gave a different picture though, as a Nokia 3310 3G version was listed with a price of 899 kr and an availability date of early May. That price translates to around 93, which might have sounded realistic if it were a 3G Nokia 3310. Other than 3G connectivity, the other specs listed on Inet are the same as for the 2G model that the retailer is also offering, this time with a price of 699 kr, around 73.

If you were hoping that a 3G Nokia 3310 was indeed on the way you might be disappointed at the latest news on this. Although the listing looked credible, the 3G model had never been officially announced by HMD Global, and now the companys PR team has stated that the details are incorrect and that only a 2G version will be available. Therefore, it seems virtually set in stone that you wont be able to get your hands on a 3G variant, although it is odd that the retailer is still accepting pre-orders. There is already heavy demand for the new Nokia 3310 following the incredible sales of 126 million units of the original version that was announced way back in 2000. Pre-registrations and pre-orders have been ramping up ahead of the new versions release, some of this due to a wave of nostalgia and sentimentality. Other buyers simply dont want or need a smartphone with all the bells and whistles or are opting for the new Nokia 3310 as a backup device.

The Nokia 3310 (2017) has a 2.4-inch display with 320 x 240 resolution, and 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded via microSD to 32GB. A highlight is its removable 1200mAh battery that should offer plenty of battery life, with Nokia claiming talk time of over 22 hours. The phone has a 2-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and it uses the S30+ operating system. While the rumor of a 3G Nokia 3310 phone was interesting while it lasted, it appears to have been a red herring for now.
Some of Motorola Mobilitys upcoming smartphones could ship with ZUKs ZUI user interface. This information was shared by Lenovos own Vice President Alex Chen Yu on Chinese social media website Weibo a few days ago, though the post has since then been deleted.

Part of the reason why Moto handsets continue to be quite popular with some smartphone users across the globe is that they offer a nearly stock Android experience, but if the latest information turns out to be true, Motorola Mobilitys upcoming devices might not be able to benefit from the clean Android experience that a lot of customers are seeking. However, its worth pointing out that the Lenovo executive did not clarify if only future Chinese Moto handsets will get the ZUK ZUI as part of the package or whether the global versions will also be subjected to the same treatment. ZUK Mobile is a Lenovo subsidiary founded in 2015 and is primarily focused on manufacturing smartphones that feature the ZUI proprietary user interface based on Googles Android operating system. This isnt the first time that the possibility of ZUKs UI coming to Moto devices appeared, as older reports from March suggested that Lenovo is beta testing ZUKs ZUI on Moto Z devices.

The Lenovo-owned company is soon expected to release a multitude of new smartphone models, including two low-end smartphones  the Moto C and Moto C Plus  which are expected to be the most affordable handsets that the company has ever produced. On top of that, the Moto E4 and Moto E4 Plus  two models poised to arrive with slightly better specs  are also said to be in the works. Furthermore, if recent rumors are correct, Motorola Mobility is currently looking to revive the Moto X brand by introducing a new model later this year that should feature a dual camera setup. Most importantly, the company is gearing up to launch its next-generation Moto Z family which will probably include the standard Moto Z2, Moto Z2 Play, and the Moto Z2 Force. More details on the companys upcoming smartphone products will likely follow in the coming weeks.
Samsungs new app helps people with language disorders communicate better by using emoji. The app is called Wemogee and it seeks to be a universal language that people with language disorders such as aphasia can utilize to communicate with their friends and family. Emotions conveyed through pictures and icons like emoji are easily understood, so naturally Samsung worked to take emoji and integrate them into an app which could help close the language barrier between people with language disorders and those they wish to speak with.

Samsung worked with speech therapists to study disorders like aphasia and come up with Wemogee to help translate the words and emoji between two users so they can have a conversation. For example, A person with aphasia could send a message inside of the Wemogee app using the series of available emoji. The app then takes those emoji and translates them into words so the person that the user with aphasia is talking to can engage in conversation, from asking a simple question to simply telling them about their day. There are around 140 phrases in the app that can be used to convey emotional expression and simple needs, though over time and with more development Samsung hopes to incorporate more phrases so conversations can be a little more complete.

While 140 phrases may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things when you compare it to how many things you can really say through traditional means of communication, it can be a lot to sift through when youre looking for a specific response to something that was said instead of just being able to type it out or speak it. This is why Samsung has separated out and categorized all 140 phrases into six different main categories to make the right phrase for the situation, mood or feeling easier to find. The categories includes eating and drinking, everyday life, anniversaries and celebrations, help, feelings, and recreational activities. Once one of these categories is selected each specific phrase is depicted with a large panel sized thumbnail image of the emoji to make things as easy as possible for those trying to communicate. Wemogee will support both English and Italian at launch, and Samsung says it will hit the Play Store as a free app this week as they plan for it to go live on Friday, April 28th.
Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics have already started development of the Snapdragon 845, a new system-on-chip (SoC) that will be powering the Galaxy S9 thats expected to be released in 2018, industry sources told Aju Business Daily on Monday, as reported by The Investor. The report specifically states that neither the Snapdragon 845 nor the Galaxy S9 are the official names of either product, but nevertheless, Qualcomm is said to be hard at work developing the second generation of its 10nm chips and Samsung is reportedly assisting the company in its efforts. While the San Diego-based tech giant has yet to decide on the official name of its 2018 flagship chipset, industry sources claim that the Snapdragon 845 is currently the likeliest candidate for the name of the new SoC.

Its currently unclear when the development of the Snapdragon 845 might be completed, but the chip is expected to be manufactured by either the Taiwan-based TSMC or Samsung itself, the latest report indicates. The latter scenario might be more likely seeing how Samsung is already manufacturing the Snapdragon 835, Qualcomms first SoC that recently debuted on the market in the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus. The news of the Snapdragon 845 being in the works comes shortly after Samsung officially confirmed that it has concluded the development of the second generation of its 10-nanometer FinFET process, i.e. acquired all of the necessary qualifications for the new manufacturing technology. As the South Korean tech giant is currently in the process of upgrading its manufacturing facilities to prepare for the mass production of its new 10nm chips, it isnt surprising that the company has already started collaborating with Qualcomm on a new generation of the flagship Snapdragon lineup.

Apart from the Galaxy S9, the Snapdragon 845 is also expected to power the U.S. variants of the Galaxy Note 9 that the Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer will likely release in the second half of 2018. Another possible Samsung-made candidate for the chip is the Galaxy X, the companys rumored foldable smartphone that industry sources claim will serve as an alternative to the firms traditional flagship lineup and might hit the market next year. More details on the Snapdragon 845 and Samsungs upcoming high-end Android devices should follow in the coming months.
New Delhi, Apr 24 (IBNS) : Exit polls predicted a BJP sweep in three civic elections in the AAP-held Delhi voting for which was held on Sunday, medias reports said.

The counting for a total of 270 wards across the three civic bodies will be held on April 26.

The opposition, particularly the BJP, which has been on a dogged pursuit for control of Delhi, had described the election as a referendum on two years of the Arvind Kerjriwal Government.

An exit poll by India Today gives about 80 seats each to the BJP in north and south corporations and 50 in the east corporation. The AAP is predicted to be far behind in the second place in all three corporations, and the Congress is predicted to be going neck and neck to take the third position.

ABP News, too, has forecast a huge victory for BJP, giving it 88 of 104 seats in the north, 83 of 104 in the south and 47 of 64 in the east. While the ABP exit poll survey gives predicted a total of 218 seats for BJP , AAP has been given 24 and Congress 22.

Almost half of Delhis 13.2 million voters stayed away from polling, as the city recorded a turnout of of 53 per cent. .

Of the three corporations, the east recorded the highest turnout of 55 per cent, followed by the norths 54 per cent and the souths 50 per cent.


New Delhi, Apr 24 (IBNS): Nicos Anastasiades, President of Republic of Cyprus will be coming to India on a State Visit from Apr 25-29, 2017, at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.

This is the first visit of the President Anastasiades to India.

Earlier he had substantive meetings with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2015, read a government statement.

During the visit, President Anastasiades is scheduled to arrive at Mumbai on Apr 25.

There he will have a meeting with Governor of Maharashtra on Apr 25 and address a business forum on Apr 26.

He will travel to Delhi on 26 April. On 27 April, he will address a business forum and deliver a talk at Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

On Apr 28, he will be given a ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by wreath laying by him at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi, Raj Ghat, read a government statement.

His other engagements on that day include a meeting with Rashtrapatiji, who will host a banquet in the honour of President Anastasiades, and Delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi.

Additionally, Vice President will call on President Anastasiades; there will also be a call on by External Affairs Minister. President Anastasiades will leave Delhi on the early morning of Apr 29.

Image wikimedia commons
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute almost every day hosts Turkish visitors, Director of the Institute Hayk Demoyan said at a press conference on April 21, reports Armenpress.

This no longer surprises us, we will just state that the exhibition opened at the Museum with its quality creates an interest among Turks. I highly appreciate this since the Turkish audience is one of the targets of our work, Hayk Demoyan said.

He informed that this year is full of events and interesting since the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex is celebrated.

This year we will present the chronology, historical photos from the construction process, how people took part in the construction works through a modest exhibition, Hayk Demoyan said, adding that already two years have passed since the new renovation and there are already positive reactions over the exhibitions.

Demoyan identified the opening of a permanent exhibition on the Armenian Genocide in Riga among the major events of the year. He informed that the number of visitors to the expo comprised 15.000 in the period from May, 2016 to December.

This is the second permanent exhibition which was created by the assistance of our partners, as well as the Armenian community of Latvia. The large number of visitors is very impressing, majority of them are Europeans. Another important event was the temporary exhibition dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Armenias Independence Demoyan said.

Talking about the Genocide, he said last year the recognition of the Genocide by the German Bundestag was very important.

It was not just a recognition. Not only the genocide term was mentioned, but also there was a reference to facing with the history, Germanys involvement. We, of course, dont publicize our contributions in any event, developments related to the Genocide, I would just say that you will find our contribution in the course of time. The Promise movie will be available soon. Here we as well have our modest contribution in terms of providing advice over materials, he said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The latest constitutional changes in Turkey showed that Erdogans sultanate period is continuing and for the Turkish public the gap of reconciling with its own history is deepening, Parliaments Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov said at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

According to him, Turkey has taken the path of deepening denialism even more, and distanced itself from the path of reconciling with its own history.

Today it is blurred to speak with such neighbor in the language of reconciliation and expect that the Erdogan administration can recognize the Armenian Genocide. It is difficult to expect that this countrys administration can be so courageous and reconcile with its own history. But in spite of this, we see that the countries, scholars, and generally difference people, who recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide are increasing for the protection of human rights, Sharmazanov said.

He mentioned that sooner or later the Armenian Genocide must be finally recognized, because there is no other way.

Those who condemn are fighters for light, while those who deny are for the shadows.

The Armenian people, top officials and visiting foreigners pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide on April 24, in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

The Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman government, has been substantiated, recognized and confirmed by eyewitness accounts, laws, resolutions and decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

The full range of documents which label the massacres of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as an act of premeditated genocide is huge.

Organization like the European Council, the European Parliament, several UN committees, the World Council of Churches, the Parliament of MERCOSUR and others have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide  the first country to officially recognize it was Uruguay, in 1965.

The following countries have officially recognized and condemned the massacres of the Armenian people as an act of genocide, according to international rights  France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, New South Wales of Australia and 45 states of the US.
FWD

HP

The prototype was a production specification vehicle that was driven on road-legal track-focused tires, and it all happened during the final phase of the models testing schedule. While the car did have a full floating roll cage for safety reasons, it did not add any rigidity to the frame.The weight of the safety device was compensated by the temporary removal of the infotainment system and the rear seats of the 2017 Civic Type R, which would have had to be taken off regardless to make way for the cage.Honda announced a 7-minute 43.8-second time on the Nurburgring, which is the best result for a production-specification front-wheel-drive vehicle. The time is just five seconds slower than the new BMW M4 CS , which is an impressive result for the Japanese car that comes with less power and torque, not to mentionThe 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo engine delivers 320and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque, and it is paired to a six-speed manual gearbox that has been improved since the previous generation of this car. There is also a difference of seven seconds in Nurburgring lap times between the two models.Honda explained that the new Type R is faster than the older car thanks to its aerodynamic changes, a new rear suspension, and the improved torsional stiffness of the body frame.The tenth generation Civic is the first Type R that is commercially available in the United States of America. All versions of the Civic will be made at the firms factory in Swindon, United Kingdom.It will be shipped to Europe, Japan, and all the other markets that will get the 2017 Civic Type R. This model will hopefully be kept in production for more time than its short-lived predecessor
Well, the one we're here to show you is certainly worthy of the role mentioned above. We're talking about the 2017 edition of the UK's Secret Supercar Meet.Held on the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, this year's event managed to bring together velocity tools whose combined value raises to $64 million. And yes, this is the same airfield that hosts the Vmax event delivering majestic supercar and hypercar drag races year after year.To be honest, it's difficult to name the best part of this meet. On the one hand, the idea that we're being treated with the Supercar Driver Club's annual meet it enough to please anybody who dispise the garage queen treatment many collectors apply to their four-wheleed jewels.On the other hand, the title mentioned above could go to a little game we're inviting you to play: there are 208 speed demons in the video below and you could try to verify that number.The latter path will take you through a plethora of amazing machines, from the Bugatti Chiron that leads the pack (of course) to the... Hawker Siddeley Nimrod that seems ready to swallow the supercars whole.Whether you're a sucker for Ferrari F40s, have a thing for Zuffenhausen machines or are in love with Raging Bulls, you'll easily fall in love after hitting the play button below - any TVR, Jaguar or Aston Martin fans around here? They'll get their fair share of visual thrills, too.As the American Porsche GT gathering we discussed earlier today, the British adventure had a charitable side, with the meet having raised $16,000 for the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice.
Royal Enfield has opened its first flagship store in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This showroom is the first venture of the companys newly formed subsidiary in the country - Royal Enfield Brazil.

For now, the company has launched three motorcycles in Brazil  the Bullet 500, Classic 500 and the Continental GT. Royal Enfield Brazil will now take care of providing motorcycles to dealers as well as support activities such as marketing and aftersales in the country. Brazil is the fourth largest two-wheeler market in the world, and has a good demand for premium bikes. The company aims to capitalise on its British pedigree and the image of being a lifestyle brand to strike a chord with the Brazilian audience.

Royal Enfield sold over 6.6 lakh motorcycles in the last financial year, although a major chunk of these sales were from the domestic market. With the intention of becoming the global leader mid-size segment, the company has been aggressively expanding its presence in international markets. By the end of 2018, Royal Enfield aims to boost its production capacity up to 9 lakh motorcycles.




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Image: Google Maps

Guwahati, Apr 24 (IBNS): Police arrested another official of Assam Panchayat and Rural development department (P&RD) in connection with the multi-crore rupees Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA) scam in the Assam's hill district of Karbi Anglong.

According to the reports, the Hamren police on Monday arrested Kamaleswar Kalita, junior engineer of state P&RD from his house at Azara in Kamrup district.



A top police official said that, the arrested junior engineer who presently worked at Chamaria development block was allegedly involved in the multi-crore rupees scam during his service at Chinthong development block.



Earlier, the Hamren police arrested three persons including a junior engineer in connection with the scam.



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 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 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.





(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
New Delhi, Apr 24 (IBNS): President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday condemned the Maoist attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in Sukuma district of Chhattisgarh, which killed more than 20 personnel.

In a tweet, the President said: "Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured."

The encounter took place at the Sukma district around 12:30 PM, where many CRPF jawans were assisting the road building activities, media reports.

According to the version of an injured jawan, around 300 naxals attacked them.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, too condemned the attack and said: "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice & courage of our brave hearts."

In another tweet, Rahul said: "The thoughtless violences will never succeed in weakening our resolve to fight forces of extremism."

Hours after the attack, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said: "My heart goes out for the families of Sukma martyrs. Violence in any form is completely unacceptable."

Expressing grief for his own ruled state Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Raman Singh said: "I am deeply hurt to know the incident of the naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma."

Singh even cancelled his Delhi tour and is scheduled to come back to Chhattisgarh to chair a meeting on this issue..

Image: Official Twitter handle of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Colombo, Apr 19 (IBNS)- Fearing a possible fuel shortage due to the scheduled strike by the state-run petroleum company, which demands to halt leasing out oil tanks to India, motorists waited in hours-long queues on Monday to tank up their vehicles.

The news about leasing out oil storage tanks in the China Bay Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee to India broke with the last weeks announcement of Sri Lankas Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghes visit to India this week.

The Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC), which is the Lankan subsidiary of the Indian Oil Corporation, already has 15 tanks in the lower tank farm, out of 99 Britain built oil storage tanks in the Port. The two countries reached into this agreement in 2003.

According to sources, the new agreement scheduled to be signed during Primer Wickramasinghes visit to Delhi will see the remaining 84 oil storage tanks developed under a joint venture in the strategically important Trincomalee Port.

The Secretary of the Ceylon Petroleum Common Workers Union D.J. Rajakaruna told IBNS that if the government reached into this agreement it would badly affect the countrys economy and sovereignty.

He threatened to launch an isladwide strike in the government-owned refinery stations, if the government continues with its decision to allow India to handle 14- oil tankers and jointly managing the rest of the tanks in the farm.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Chandima Weerakkody told the media that the strike by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Unions Collective was baseless and the government had not taken any decision over the oil tank farm in the Trincomalee Port.

The Trincomalee tanks were given to India for 35 years at a cost of 100,000 USD per annum and the payment had been made for 15 years, he said adding that out of the 99 tanks 10 would be taken back.

The rest of the oil tanks in the farm will be developed under a joint venture with the LIOC and CPC, he said.

He claimed that the trade unionists were not aware of the reality but making false accusations.

(Reporting by Shanika Sriyananda)
United Drug has announced a 40m investment in technology and innovation at its headquarters at Citywest, Dublin.

The announcement which was made at United Drugs annual Pharmacy Show over the weekend will increase distribution by almost two-thirds with plans for further expansion over the next three years.



United Drug works with more than 1,800 pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and primary care centres across the country. The company employs more than 650 staff across its four facilities in Magna Park, Swords, Ballina and Limerick.



Last April, United Drug was acquired by McKesson Corporation. Currently ranked 5th on the FORTUNE 500, McKesson is a leading international healthcare services and information technology company with over 77,000 employees worldwide.

Speaking at the Pharmacy Show, Managing Director at United Drug, Paul Reilly said, "Our systems are more technologically advanced than our competitors, and, despite the tough and challenging market we operate in, we will continue to invest and innovate so as to provide a sustainable healthcare platform for our customers and maintain our strong track record.

He added, "That we have more than doubled our efficiency over the past two years, and are already seeing a return on this latest investment, means that our customers can continue to get the excellent service that they have come to expect from United Drug, and more."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Innovation Minister announces the shortlist of candidates

April 24, 2017  Toronto, Ontario

Seventeen candidates will go through the final rounds of assessments in the Canadian Space Agencys (CSA) Astronaut Recruitment Campaign. By the summer, the CSA will select two qualified astronauts among this pool of finalists.

Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced the finalists for the recruitment campaign. They are:

In the coming months, these candidates will move into the final phase of the recruitment process.

The campaign comes as Canada prepares to participate with space agencies from around the world in future deep-space missions.
Children who die before they had the chance to accept Jesus are saved by 'age of accountability,' says Christian leader

Conservative radio host Bryan Fischer has claimed that the Bible supports an "age of accountability" belief, which argues that children who die before a certain age are saved.

Fischer, who is the host of "Focal Point" on American Family Radio, said in an article for the American Family Association on Thursday that the question of what happens to children when they die is "far from academic."

"Couples tragically lose children through miscarriages (my wife and I experienced five miscarriages before our first child was born), through stillbirth, and through illness and accidents that occur in early childhood," he said.

"Some children are taken through abortion, and both the mother and father in such abortions may one day come to regret what they did, repent of it, and seek forgiveness. And then the question may arise in their hearts: what happened to the child? Where did he go when he died?"

Arizona-based Trinity Church pastor Mark Driscoll tackled that question last week, and said that while the Bible "does not answer" the dilemma, people "can trust the God who died so that His enemies could be saved to do what is right in the case of infants who die."

Driscoll revealed that his wife suffered a miscarriage, a loss that is still painful to him to this day.

"Our children and friends have asked me what I think happened to the baby and whether or not I believe the baby is in Heaven," Driscoll said.

"My simple answer is that I do not have a clear biblical answer as much as I have God who is a loving and gracious Father whom I trust."

Fischer said he also wishes there was more information in Scripture about this topic, but added that there are clues supporting the belief that children who die early are in Heaven.

"Perhaps the clearest passage concerns David and the son he conceived in his adulterous liaison with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1523). The child became deathly ill almost the moment he was born, and despite David's desperate intercession ('[he] fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground'), the boy died after just seven days of life," Fischer wrote.

In the passage, David laments the loss of his young son, and states, 'I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me' (2 Samuel 12:22-23)."

"In other words, David is saying, when I die, I will go to where my son is. I will see him and be reunited with him. Well, where did David, the man after God's own heart, go when he died? He went into Heaven, into the presence of God. And he declares that he would find his son waiting for him there," Fischer said.

"This is a powerful indication that children who die in the womb or in infancy go into the presence of God, where they will be waiting for us to join them. By God's grace, may many parents be comforted with this hope in our day as David was in his," he said.

The radio host then turned to questions about the "age of accountability," the supposed point of maturity at which children are expected to be able to understand moral and spiritual truth.

Fischer said that the Bible does not explain where exactly that age falls, but recalled from his own experience that he accepted Christ when he was 5-years-old, and even at that age he knew that he was a "sinner who needed a Savior."

"My own children were also about the same age when they first placed their faith in Christ," he added.

Others in the realm of Christian thought have said that the Bible does not support an age of accountability, however.

Verse by Verse Ministry Intentional, which says that it is a nonprofit, nondenominational, unaffiliated Christian ministry, argues that the term "never appears in the Bible nor does the concept in any form."

"Furthermore, Scripture never suggests that children are born without sin or that they cannot be held accountable for sin because they don't understand or recognize it. Ironically, the Bible teaches exactly the opposite idea: every person is accountable to God for their sin at every age," the article states.

The "Let God be True" website, describing itself as a "congregation of baptized saints of Jesus Christ assembling in Greenville County, South Carolina," also claims that the age of accountability belief is man-made.

"Stop thinking about what is fair ... about your children ... about having your eternal destiny in your hands ... and leave them in the hands of the Potter, Who is infinitely just. There is no unrighteousness with God. Put your trust in your faithful Creator, Who cannot do wrong (Deuteronomy 32:4; I Peter 4:19)," the website advises.

This article was first published on The Christian Post.
France's Macron favourite for presidency in runoff with Le Pen

Centrist Emmanuel Macron took a big step toward the French presidency on Sunday by winning the first round of voting and qualifying for a May 7 runoff alongside far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Though Macron, 39, is a comparative political novice who has never held elected office, new opinion polls on Sunday had him easily winning the final clash against the 48-year-old Le Pen.

Sunday's outcome is a huge defeat for the two centre-right and centre-left groupings that have dominated French politics for 60 years, and also reduces the prospect of an anti-establishment shock on the scale of Britain's vote last June to quit the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as US president.

In a victory speech, Macron told supporters of his fledgling En Marche! (Onwards!) movement: 'In one year, we have changed the face of French politics.' He went on to say he would bring in new faces and talent to transform a stale political system if elected.

Conceding defeat even before figures from the count came in, rival conservative and Socialist candidates urged their supporters now to put their energies into backing Macron and stopping any chance of a second-round victory by Le Pen, whose anti-immigration and anti-Europe policies they said spelled disaster for France.

A Harris survey taken on Sunday saw Macron winning the runoff by 64 per cent to 36, and an Ipsos/Sopra Steria poll gave a similar result.

As investors breathed a collective sigh of relief at what the market regarded as the best of several possible outcomes, the euro soared two per cent to $1.09395 EUR when markets opened in Asia before slipping back to around $1.0886.

It was the euro's highest level since November 10, the day after the results of the US presidential election.

In a race that was too close to call up to the last minute, Macron, a pro-EU ex-banker and former economy minister who founded his own party only a year ago, had 23.9 per cent of the votes against 21.4 per cent for Le Pen, according to figures from the Interior Ministry with 96 per cent of votes counted.

Seconds after the first projections came through, Macron supporters at a Paris conference centre burst into the national anthem, the Marseillaise. Many were under 25, reflecting some of the appeal of a man aiming to become France's youngest head of state since Napoleon.

With an eye to Le Pen's avowedly France-first policies, Macron told the crowd: 'I want to be the president of patriots in the face of a threat from nationalists.'

If he wins, Macron's biggest challenges will lie ahead, as he first tries to secure a working parliamentary majority for his young party in June, and then seeks broad popular support for labour reforms that are sure to meet resistance.

Addressing the battle ahead, he declared he would seek to break with a system that 'has been incapable of responding to the problems of our country for more than 30 years'.

'From today I want to build a majority for a government and for a new transformation. It will be made up of new faces and new talent in which every man and woman can have a place,' he said.

Le Pen, who is herself bidding to make history as France's first female president, follows in the footsteps of her father, who founded the National Front and reached the second round of the presidential election in 2002.

Jean-Marie Le Pen was ultimately crushed when voters from right and left rallied around the conservative Jacques Chirac in order to keep out a party whose far-right, anti-immigrant views they considered unpalatably xenophobic.

His daughter has done much to soften her party's image, and found widespread support among young voters by pitching herself as an anti-establishment defender of French workers and French interests against global corporations and an economically constricting EU.

'The great issue in this election is the rampant globalization that is putting our civilization at risk,' she declared in her first word after results came through.

She went on to launch an attack on the policies of Macron, whom she again described as 'the money king' in a disparaging swipe at his investment banker background.

His deregulation policies, she said, would lead to unjust international competition against France's business interests, mass immigration and free movement of terrorists.

Nevertheless, with several defeated candidates calling on supporters to stop her, Le Pen she seems destined to suffer a similar fate to her father when she goes up against Macron in two weeks' time.

Defeated Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and defeated right-wing candidate Francois Fillon all urged voters to rally behind Macron in the second round.

In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman hailed Macron's success, tweeting: 'Good that @EmmanuelMacron succeeded with his policy for a strong EU and social market economy. Wishing him all the best for the next two weeks.'

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker expressed similar good wishes for the second round, his spokesman said in Brussels.

It was a bitter night for Fillon, seen as a shoo-in for the Elysee until he was hit in January by allegations that his wife had been paid from the public purse for work she did not do.

Fillon scored 19.9 per cent in the first round and far-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon 19.5 per cent.

'This defeat is mine and it is for me and me alone to bear it,' Fillon, a 63-year-old former conservative prime minister, told a news conference, adding that he would now vote for Macron.

The two politicians left in the race offer radically contrasting economic visions for a country whose economy lags behind that of its neighbours and where a quarter of young people are unemployed.

Macron's gradual deregulation measures are likely to be welcomed by global financial markets, as are cuts in state expenditure and the civil service. Le Pen wants to print money to finance expanded welfare payments and tax cuts, ditch the euro currency and possibly pull out of the EU.

'Markets will be reassured that the dreaded Le Pen versus Melenchon run-off has been avoided,' said Diego Iscaro, an economist from IHS Markit.

'As a result, we expect some recovery in French bond prices, while the euro is also likely to benefit,' he said. 'However, a lot can happen in two weeks and French assets are likely under some pressure until the second round is out of the way.'

Timothy Ash, an economist at Bluebay asset management, said Trump's victory last November marked a turning point for electorates playing the protest card.

'Despite all the hype about the rise of populism, 60 per cent of voters went for mainstream candidates... In an uncertain world, they rather go for what they know best and want to take fewer risks,' he said.
Is this the oldest surviving image of the Virgin Mary?

Archaeologists may have unknowingly uncovered the earliest surviving depiction of the Virgin Mary.

A wall painting recovered in the 1920s from the Dura-Europos excavation site in Syria  believed to be the oldest existing Christian sanctuary in the world  is now thought to feature an image of the Virgin Mary at the moment of the Annunciation, according to Aleteia.

The ancient image, depicting a woman by a well, is now stored in a museum at Yale University. It was originally thought to show the Samaritan woman at the well, who Jesus meets in John 4.

A new look has suggested that it may instead show Jesus' mother Mary, following a story told in the second-century apocryphal (non-canonical) Gospel of James, where the angel announces the good news of the incarnation to Mary by a well.

The traditional annunciation story happens in Luke 1:26-38, but in the James account, Mary 'took the pitcher and went forth to fill it with water and lo! a voice saying, "Hail thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women." And she looked around on the right and on the left to see from where this voice could have come'.

The wall-painting originated in a 3rd century house church, which also includes the earliest-known illustrations of the Good Shepherd, Jesus walking on water with Peter, and the healing of the paralytic.

Some faint, subtle lines around the woman in the wall-painting may now be interpreted as a visual indication of the incarnation of Christ.

The wall painting at Yale University, but the excavation site is now under ISIS control and no archaeologist has been able to visit the site since 2011. Many fear that militants may have looted or damaged sacred artefacts from the sites.

'The Christians at Dura-Europos still have secrets to reveal about early Christianity in the East,' Michael Peppard, the scholar who has pioneered the Marian interpretation of the wall-painting wrote in America. Because of the threat of ISIS however, 'chances to access their particular form of Christian identity are slipping away'.
Is this the perfect title for a group of musical monks and nuns?

A group of Catholic religious have formed a band at America's Catholic University and have called themselves 'Force of Habit'.

One student at the Catholic University of America, Northeast Washington, called the group of sisters 'some of the most free and truly happy women' they've ever met, according to the Washington Post.

The sister's assembly is composed of Sister Miriam Holzman on the piano, Sister Peter Grace Weber on the bass guitar, Sister Louis Marie Zogg on the saxophone and Sister Mary Andre Thelen on the trumpet.

Dominican friar Brother Brad Elliot plays the drums, while the university's chaplain and campus ministry director Father Jude DeAngelo leads vocals.

The group transcends the expectations of a Christian music band, and opts for non-Christian tunes such as What a Wonderful World and Unforgettable, playing to entertain and engage with the university's students.

'It shows that we have completely natural, normal, human personalities,' Brother Brad said. 'And we don't really cease being human beings when we put on the habit. We don't cease to be normal and lovers of fun and music when we put on the habit. The habit is just a different aspect of who we are.'

Sister Louis Marie said: 'It sort of started out as something that we could do for the students, to show them that we love them, that we want to be a part of their community.

'But then it's also just fun for us, as a group of sisters, to be able to share that and have fun together.'

With an obvious penchant for a pun, the sisters originally formed a singing group named 'Nun of the Above'. 'Force of Habit' formed in August, and have played on four occasions at university events, to the acclaim of students.

'They're always just smiling and having a good time...They're just so fun to watch; they really are', said Martin, a theology student.

'They are not ashamed of the way that they live. They are not ashamed of their faith. I think that I wish that the rest of the world could view them in such a loving way as I do now,' said another fan.

The sisters are all part of the order of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and are also studying at the university, with plans to graduate in May.

Sister Miriam said: 'I think it's good for [students] to see that when we enter the convent, that our whole selves become for God.

'It's not a repression of yourself, but that you're really freed in the religious life to be who you are and to give of yourself. I think that they see that we're free and that we're happy.'
London's fire-fighting bishop: Who was St Mellitus?

A saint named Mellitus died on this day in AD 624. You might not have heard of him, but he's an icon of Church history who played an essential role in bringing Christianity to pagan Britain.

Mellitus was a man on a mission. Pope Gregory the Great was trying to bring Christianity to Britain's largely pagan shores. In AD 595 he sent the man who would become Augustine of Canterbury to Britain. But Augustine needed help and soon Mellitus was sent, alongside others, to assist. Mellitus was probably a Roman nobleman whose devotion to Christ had previously brought him to life in a monastery in Rome.

His new voyage saw him become the first Bishop of London, still one of the Church of England's top appointments (London currently awaits the selection of its next bishop).

Mellitus oversaw this growing city as well as the eastern English region known as Essex. Mellitus was committed to his cause, but he faced opposition. When Sberht, a Christian convert and King of Essex died, his pagan sons took his place. They allegedly demanded to be served the sacramental bread of the Eucharist by Mellitus, but he refused and they forced him out of London into exile in Gaul, western Europe.

Mellitus eventually returned and became the third Archbishop of Canterbury in AD 619. One great miracle is attested to his life, where he diverted a fire in Canterbury that threatened the church there. He allegedly entered into the flames, and the wind changed the direction of the fire.

Mellitus' legacy continues to this day. St Mellitus College in London is a thriving, innovative theological college, one of the largest ordination training hubs in the Anglican Communion.

Its website describes the legacy of its namesake: 'Mellitus was a missionary bishop. Naming our college "St Mellitus College" is not an act of antiquarian curiosity  it is laying claim to that same costly spirit of missionary love, the desire to see Christian churches growing and building for God's kingdom across this region and beyond, and seeing theology in service of that aim.

'That spirit is as important to Christians in the pluralist 21st century world as it was for their counterparts in the pagan 7th century land of the East Saxons.'
Many believe Ethiopia was the first country to accept Christianity  now for some it is being outlawed

Christianity could be outlawed in Ethiopia for smaller congregations and house churches where worshippers meet for less formal prayer or smaller services.

Tigray State, in the north of Ethiopia, is considering changing its laws to ban Christian activities outside official church compounds, reports World Watch Monitor.

Evangelical Christians and other non-Orthodox groups would be the worst hit by the new law, which will set a minimum number of 6,000 members for any church wanted to authorised as official. Proselytism outside the new official compounds willl be outlawed.

A similar law has already been enacted in a neighbouring state.

Ethiopia, Africa's oldest independent country, is believed by some to have been the first nation in the world to accept Christianity as its religion. Like many countries in Africa, the religious landscape is being changed by fast-growing Pentecostal churches.

It is currently at number 22 on the World Watch List of Christian persecution.

Christian believers are increasingly threatened by Islamist extremists.

WWM tells the story of Tutu, a widow, and her son who live in a mainly Muslim area and have faced difficulties since her husband died.

'After his burial, local Muslims dug up his body and dumped it by the side of the road. In January, Biruk was assaulted and told that he and his mother would continue to face trouble until they converted to Islam. On March 4, their house was burned down,' reports WWM.

It is part of growing general unrest in the country.

Earlier this month, a report was published showing that 669 people were killed in violence that only ended when a state of emergency was imposed last October. Protesters have criticised the government for an authoritarian approach to economic development, even though the economy is growing fast.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has said security forces have taken disproportionate measures in some areas. In one case, security forces fired teargas at protesters during a thanksgiving religious festival of the Oroma people. Dozens died in the resulting stampede.

Ethiopia is regarded as a vital Western ally against Islamist militants in neighbouring Somalia.

WATCH: Christian persecution in Ethiopia

Additional reporting by Reuters
New threat to nurses and midwives over abortions, warns Christian nurse

A leading Christian nurse is warning that nurses and midwives could find themselves under new pressures to be involved with abortions and other procedures that go against their conscience.

Steve Fouch, head of nursing with the the Christian Medical Fellowship Head of Nursing, warns in a blog of a challenge to the rules that allow doctors to opt out of abortions.

He is writing after a new study, headlined 'Vacuum aspiration for induced abortion could be safely and legally performed by nurses and midwives', questions the need for abortions to be carried out by doctors in the first place.

Sally Sheldon of the University of Kent argues that midwives or nurses should be allowed to do vacuum aspirations.

'But the real concern will be over freedom of conscience. If nurses and midwives are legally empowered to train and perform VAs and, in time, other surgical terminations of pregnancy, how long before it becomes a fundamental part of their job description? Even if the Abortion Act allows for freedom of conscience in performing terminations, the FSRH training could become essential to some posts in obstetric nursing and midwifery,' says Fouch.

'In Sweden we have already seen a midwife effectively barred from employment because she has expressed a clear conscientious objection to being involved with abortions. How long before similar issues arise in this country?'

He warns that it could herald moves to get a 'less troublesome' professional group 'empowered' to undertake abortions. 'We need to be standing together to challenge any such discrimination and potential erosion of freedom of conscience.'

Speaking to Christian Today, Fouch added: 'There will be people of all faiths and no faith who would have similar issues of conscience as Christians. But for Christians in particular there will be a number of ethics and values they will want to cleave to in the clinical setting out of respect for human life and dignity.'

Most of the time, Christians working in medicine had no problem. 'As Christians, we need to be both respectful to authority but also to recognise where there is a line and in conscience be obedient to what God wants us to do.'

All Christians are required to do things in understanding of the gospel and human ethics. 'We have to stand up and challenge, even if it is costly to us. And sometimes people do lose their jobs because of taking a stand on these issues. Sometimes the pressures onus are not to do with caring for the vulnerable. They can be to do with expediency.'
No bullet-proof glass for Pope Francis on Egypt visit

Pope Francis will not travel in a bullet-proof vehicle when he travels to Egypt later this week, in spite of the risk to his life from Islamist extremists.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said: 'The Pope will use a closed car to move around, but not an armoured one,' according to the Daily Telegraph. 'That's how he wanted it.'

Francis will travel to Cairo on Friday at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Catholic bishops, Coptic Pope Tawadros and the grand imam of Al-Azhar University, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb.

He met Sheikh al-Tayeb last year in the Vatican and has made improving Christian-Muslim relations a priority for his papacy.

Around 10 per cent of Egypt's population are Christian, though most are Orthodox Copts. They face various forms of discrimination and in many parts of the country live under the threat of violence. Islamic State attacked security forces near St Catherine's Monastery last week, killing one officer and wounding three others, and a twin suicide bombing on Palm Sunday killed many worshippers in two churches.

Despite the obvious security risks, Francis has refused the use of bullet-proof 'Popemobiles' on previous trips to areas threatened by criminal and terrorist violence. He believes they create a barrier between him and the people who turn out in their thousands to see him.
Persecuted Guatemalan pastor wins prestigious award for protecting his community

A Guatemalan evangelical pastor and farmer was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize on Monday for defending his community's land.

Rodrigo Tot, 60 is an evangelical farmer, activist and leader of his indigenous Q'eqchi community in Agua Caliente, Guatemala. Goldman, a San-Francisco born foundation which awards grassroots activism for the environment praised Tot for his 'intrepid leadership of his people and defence of their ancestral land', according to AP.

Tot defended his community's rights to fertile farmlands, against hostile corporate mining interests that also wanted the land. In 1974 a new law demanded that landholders pay approximately $4,500 to receive official property titles for their land. An arrangement was made whereby the payments could be made over time in exchange for the title.

In 1988 however, record of the community's land ownership disappeared. In 2002 they made their last payment, but the government refused to grant the property title.

In 2004 the government granted a mining licence for a region including Agua Caliente. Tot has consistently fought the mining interests, saying that the local community's livelihood and sustenance is at risk.

'That is why we defend it, because there are lots of natural resources,' Tot said. 'There are 10 springs that supply lots of communities. We are preserving the mountain because if it dies, there will no longer be any water.' The Q'eqchi community, descendants of the ancient Maya, rely on fishing and farming to survive.

Tot has now indefinitely delayed mining in the region: in 2011 Guatemala's constitutional court recognised the Q'eqchi's property rights and ordered the government to grant land titles to the people of Agua Caliente.

The victory has not come without cost. In 2012, one of Tot's sons was shot and killed in what Goldman called 'an assassination that was passed off as a robbery'. Another of his sons was seriously injured in the attack. In the last year, two previous Latin American recipients of the Goldman award were murdered.

Tot said: 'I will never forget the loss of my son, but I continue to fight.'

Tot said he was grateful for the award. 'I think this could be a stimulus for the work we do,' he said, calling it recognition for 'the struggle, because we are fighting hard for our land and our natural resources'.

The government has not enforced the court order yet, and so mining work continues. Tot continues to defend his community and advocate for its freedom.

He said: 'We are no longer in the 1980s, when they could make a leader disappear and everything was kept quiet. Not today. When they make a leader disappear, 10 more rise up.'
The faith perspective: How Psalm 33 speaks to our political reality

Like many others, I am consuming political commentary in the manner of a Netflix binge at the moment. A snap election here in the UK pulled me from my obsessive interest in the investigations into the US president's possible collusion with Russia, who all agree interfered in last year's shocking election. Will he start a nuclear war with North Korea before he's (I dearly hope) impeached, prosecuted and locked up? The National Front has done horribly well in France during the first round in the presidential election; we can only hope the centrist Macron will prevail in the run-off. And the Middle East's political situation is a deep warren of tunnels you could easily disappear down never to be seen again. I don't think anyone would accuse me of hyperbole if I said the global world order is in a precarious state.

In the face of so many genuine reasons to be fearful about the state of the world, we have some options. We can disengage and try not to pay any attention to what goes on beyond our immediate concerns. We can embrace hedonism and escape into a bottle of Prosecco, a gripping novel or a package holiday. Or we can infuse our minds with biblical truth. Psalm 33 gives us the perspective we need to stay hopeful and unshaken in uncertain times. Here is what it tells us of the true nature of reality:

The earth is full of God's unfailing love (verse 5)

There are always signs of God's faithfulness, care, and righteousness even in the darkest, most chaotic situations.

God is so much bigger and more powerful than we could ever comprehend (verses 6-9)

We can rest in the knowledge that the creator sees, knows and ultimately rules the entire universe.

God has plans that no broken system, corrupt regime, or crazed dictator could ever thwart (verses 10-11)

It can seem from our point of view that sometimes evil wins. But God is sovereign and his plans and purposes will come to pass against all human odds. And his plans are on a huge scale  they encompass all time and space.

God knows what is going on (verses 13-15)

Nothing happens that God is not aware of, even in human hearts. There is a grown-up in charge. We are not left to our own devices.

Political outcomes depend on more than armies and weapons (verses 16-17)

There is a spiritual reality at play behind the scenes of world events. We can and should pray fervently and faithfully for our leaders, for elections, diplomatic stand-offs and international conflict. I'm bad at that, but I'm working on it.

When we trust in God's love, nothing can take away our hope (verses 18-22)

While trusting in God's love might seem abstract or even a bit fluffy, countless Christians have testified across the ages that his love is to be trusted, that in concentration camps, in the deepest depression, in famine, in bereavement, under brutal dictatorships, God's love is to be counted on. God's love is more real than politics, more real than suffering, more real than the power of the most powerful.

The next time you find yourself becoming overwhelmed and demoralised by the latest headlines, switch off your computer, TV, radio or phone and pick up your Bible. Psalm 33 is a good place to go first.

Jo Swinney is the editor of Preach magazine and author of 'Home: the quest to belong' (Hodder & Stoughton), out June 29. www.joswinney.com
US citizen who worked at university with strong Christian links is detained in North Korea

North Korea has arrested an American professor who worked at a university with strong Christian links in Pyongyang as he attempted to leave the country.

Tony Kim, also known as Kim Sang-Duk, was detained on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, chancellor of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, also known as PUST.

It is believed that three men with US citizenship are now in custody in North Korea.

Kim, who previously taught in China, had been at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology for about a month. The university is the country's first private university and has strong Christian roots.

The arrest comes at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea. The US has an aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson, in the region, carrying out drills with Japanese defence forces, while North Korea is threatening another nuclear test. China is urging restraint and US President Donald Trump tweeted before the weekend:

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  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017

The original source of the news report was South Korea's Yonhap News Agency which revealed that Kim, who has joint Korean and US citizenship, had been arrested at the airport. It also said he had been involved in relief programmes to North Korea.

The university said in a statement he was detained for 'matters not connected in any way' with his work there.

'We cannot comment on anything that Mr Kim may be alleged to have done that is not related to his teaching work on the PUST campus,' the statement said. 'Life on campus and the teaching at PUST is continuing as normal.'

Pyongyang University is funded largely by evangelical Christians.

According to the BBC, founder and president Dr James Chin-Kyung Kim, a Korean-American Christian entrepreneur, was invited by the regime to build a university based on a similar one he had opened in northern China and raised much of the 20 million it cost from American and South Korean Christian charities.

Here is a video about PUST and its founder.

North Korea heads the World Watch List of the 50 countries in the world where Christian persecution is most severe. Tens of thousands of Christians are incarcerated in horrific labour camps, and thousands more keep their faith in Christ a complete secret, according to persecution charity Open Doors.

Among foreign citizens in custody there is Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, who travelled frequently to North Korea for charity and humanitarian work and who was arrested in 2014 sentenced to hard labour for life on December 16, 2015, after at least 10 months in detention. He was charged with 'harming the dignity of the supreme leader', 'trying to use religion to destroy North Korea' and 'assisting North Koreans' escape'. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
Want to solve the crisis facing England's cathedrals? Here is one answer

In terms of attendance, cathedrals are the modern success story of the Church of England. They seem immune from the savage decline that is decimating congregations, particularly outside London. Yet they are failing to monetise this success. And this is leading to a cash crisis in as many as half of them that could mean some even have to close.

There are 42 cathedrals in the Church of England, attended by up to 40,000 people a week  an increase of 18 per cent from a decade ago. Nearly all this is accounted for by midweek services. Festivals do exceptionally well. Easter worshippers rose by two per cent to 54,000 between 2014 and 2015 alone. Christmas attendance was 125,200 in 2015, the highest figure since 2011. And while infant baptisms are falling, in common with the wider Church, baptisms of people over one year of age are increasingly steadily.

There might be some clues to some answers in these stats, but they will not be easily embraced.

The Cathedrals Working Group, set up to examine the cash crisis facing the country's cathedrals, meets for the first time next month and cathedral deans are meeting in London this week.

Bishop of Stepney Adrian Newman told The Guardian the new working group will examine the 'potential reputational damage done to the Church if individual cathedrals fail'. He added: 'The challenges are not new, but we're looking at a new scale and depth at the moment.'

The cathedrals doing best are those like St Paul's in London, with huge congregations but also among the nation's top visitor attractions. They can afford both to charge for entry, and to let worshippers in for free. Many of the rest are struggling.

One of the problems is that they are responsible for their own financing, raised from a hotchpotch of historic funds, grants, offerings, tourism and desperate special appeals. There has to be a better way, possibly involving centralised cathedral funding and prioritising mission.

In reality, though, their problems are symptoms of a malaise at the heart of the wider Church.

How many of the Church's committed churchgoers go week after week to a small church in the countryside, with a vicar shared among many if there is an incumbent at all, canned bells and music instead of an organist and few if any in the congregation aged under 70? It is not surprising if the remaining worshippers decide at some point to decamp to the nearest cathedral. Perhaps this is when the latest interregnum goes on that bit too long because the diocese can't find the 'perfect' vicar with a spouse and family willing to work outside a fashionable city centre with a university or college student population to evangelise among. Or it might simply be because they can no longer stand the sneers of contempt on the face of their neighbour in church  and the village  when they sing out lustily to their favourite hymns. Better a cathedral. And if that fails, stay home and watch Songs of Praise for as long as that survives.

And what do they get in a cathedral? If they are lucky, a nice gift shop to browse for presents for the grandchildren, a cup of tea and Victoria sponge and then amazing music of classical concert standard in glorious Gothic surroundings  all for a pound in the collection plate, or whatever they can afford.

And the sermon might be pretty good as well. It will certainly be less likely to contain naive political comments about how awful Brexit is but somehow, how great Giles Fraser is. They might have less chance of being lectured on how they really must try and remember to give more money that week because they, individually, are responsible for building up the vicar's pension fund.

One task of the cathedrals working group should be to find and survey some of the new weekday service attenders. Are they new to the Church of England, or refugees from a failing rural parish nearby? I fear that the majority will be the latter.

So who are the parishes that are truly getting the new people in? We all know the answer to that. Overwhelmingly, they are the evangelical, reformed and charismatic, parishes along the lines of St Helen's Bishopsgate in London, and Holy Trinity Brompton. They are the churches where tithing is practised, or something very close to it, where life and mission is unashamedly evangelical. This the church that birthed the present Archbishop of Canterbury.

If there is a cathedral run along the lines of HTB, I don't know about it. Perhaps someone does and could tell me?

My view is that the Church of England really does not need yet another, expensive working group. And HTB really does need a cathedral. Can you imagine Canterbury Cathedral rocking to crashing drums, rhythm guitars and the fabulous Hillsong at 6pm every Sunday? Well, maybe not Canterbury  because then we'ld run the risk of never tempting AB Justin to London again. But Bradford, or Carlisle? Why not?

They've set up a working group but the answer is staring them in the face already. Phone Nicky Gumbel and ask him to plant a church. And let Jesus do the rest. Amen.
The Department for Work and Pensions has proposed an amendment to pension regulations intended to help charities facing financial difficulties because of their pension schemes arrangements.

Many charities currently have staff in pension schemes also run by other employers. These multi-employer schemes typically offer a generous "defined benefit" pension, which guarantees the level of income that employees in the scheme will receive in retirement.

Some feel these schemes have become unaffordable. But existing rules mean that if the charities withdrew from the scheme, they would be required to make a large one-off payment - also seen as unaffordable by most charities.

The Charity Finance Group says this leaves charities in a "catch-22 where they can neither afford to exit a multi-employer scheme, nor to remain in the scheme".

Government has now said it will change the rules to allow schemes to give charities and other employers more time to pay when they leave a scheme - a move which charity experts say could solve the problem, depending on how well it is implemented.

However government will not make the new rules mandatory for pension schemes, meaning that some multi-employer schemes may not implement them.

DWP consultation

DWP consulted on the issue of multi-employer schemes in March 2015, and received 77 written responses to a call for evidence. Most of the responses came from individuals with connections to the charitable sector -either as employers, pension scheme trustees or professional advisers.

The majority of respondents supported a change to section 75 of the Pensions Act to help employers manage debts that arise when an organisation has no more employees in a multi-employer pension scheme and it is required to pay money to leave the scheme, known as exit debt.

Employers with a very small number of active members who were approaching retirement feared the consequence of an employer debt being triggered when their last active member retired.

In the light of these responses and following further engagement with stakeholders the government now proposes to allow employers in such schemes to defer their payment of exit fees.

This arrangement would be subject to a condition that the employer retains all their previous responsibilities to the scheme and continues to be treated as if they were the employer in relation to that scheme.

A consultation on the government's intended changes will run until 18 May.

CFG welcomes changes

Anjelica Finnegan, Charity Finance Group policy and research manager, said the proposed changes came as a result of the sector's lobbying.

The significant response from the sector to the consultation demonstrated the threat  seen as a ticking time-bomb  to the sustainability of charities in multi-employer pension schemes.

"The proposals should allow charities who cease to employ active members in the scheme to defer the requirement to pay a cessation debt and focus on paying down the technical provisions.

"In theory this should free charities from the current catch-22 where they can neither afford to exit a multi-employer scheme, nor to remain in the scheme."

But Finnegan warned "the devil will be in the detail" and urged DWP to put in place safeguards to prevent trustees triggering a section 75 debt at an artificial point in the future.

"Whilst these regulations are a significant step forward, they wont mandate scheme trustees to use the deferred debt arrangement and I would urge the DWP to promote this as the default option for charities looking to close their multi-employer scheme, she added.

David Davison, director of Spence & Partners, similarly welcomed the proposals and commended DWP for not delaying their release until after the general election.

He said: "The proposals are encouraging and will hopefully provide a valuable option for employers but also help protect member security by avoiding employers building up benefits which they cant afford.

See in Charity Finance

"As ever with these sorts of changes the devil will be in the detail post the consultation. I would like to see a position where the deferred debt arrangement was the default arrangement with a move to a full cessation only being used with agreement between an employer and trustees or by trustees should certain criteria not be met.

"The proposals as they stand at the moment do seem to place a lot of power and discretion in the hands of trustees which could allow them to make the solution at best unattractive and at worst unworkable. It might be the final regulations need to strike a slightly better balance between the powers of employers and trustees."

The consultation applies to England, Wales and Scotland and runs until 18 May. It is anticipated that Northern Ireland will make corresponding regulations.
Anti-fascism charity Hope Not Hate has started legal proceedings against Nigel Farage after he accused the charity of pursuing violent and undemocratic means.

Hope Not Hate was supported by over 14,000 people in a crowdfunding appeal after the former UKIP leader refused to apologise for the comments. Hope Not Hate, which is in part a charity, is crowdfunding the cost of the legal fight and hopes to raise 100,000.

Legal documents were filed with the High Court on Friday by Hope Not Hates charitable arm, Hope Not Hate Charitable Trust, along with its campaigning wing Hope Not Hate Ltd, with the organisations saying they are seeking between 50,000 and 100,000.

The libel claim is seeking damages for reputational harm, and an injunction to restrain Farage from repeating his comments.

Comments made on radio show

Farage made the comments on the Nick Ferrari At Breakfast programme on LBC following the December terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin.

Farage had tweeted: Terrible news from Berlin but no surprise. Events like these will be the Merkel legacy.

Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, responded to Farage by tweeting: @Nigel_Farage blaming politicians for the actions of extremists? Thats a slippery slope Nigel.

On the 21 December, the following day, Farage was asked about Coxs tweet on LBC. He responded: Yes, well of course he would know more about extremists than me, Mr Cox. He backs organisations like Hope Not Hate, who masquerade as being lovely and peaceful, but actually pursue violent and undemocratic means.

This story was picked up across the mainstream media, and Hope Not Hate received a barrage of messages on social media accusing it of extremism, fascism and violence.

A request to Farage was made by the organisation to retract his statement and apologise, but was ignored. As a result, Hope Not Hate launched the libel action against Farage.

The following month it was announced that Farage would host his own LBC radio show. He announced last week that he would not stand again to be an MP in the former UKIP seat in Clacton in June's General Election, despite saying it would be an "easy win".

The case is not about money, it is about telling the truth'

Nick Lowles, chief executive of Hope Not Hate, said: We asked Nigel Farage to retract and apologise for his remarks attributing violence to Hope Not Hate and linking the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox to extremism. We warned him we would sue if he did not. He has not done so. All Nigel Farage had to do was say sorry.

We know that losing this case wont hurt Nigel Farage financially. He is a millionaire former City stockbroker with a personal backer worth 100m and a billionaire cheerleader in the White House. This case is not about money for Hope Not Hate, this is about telling the truth.

Nigel Farages fake claims threaten to undermine the reputation of Hope Not Hate and the vital work we do in communities across Britain helping bridge cultural and religious divides, working extensively with local authorities, schools, and the probation and prison services on issues surrounding the tacking of extremism.

As we are entering a general election, Hope Not Hate is putting Nigel Farage, his supporters and UKIP on notice that we will not tolerate anyone trying to smear us with the violence tag any longer. It is completely false and we will not allow them to peddle this lie to the people of Britain.

Its time to take a stand against liars who bully and shout down those who peacefully disagree with them.

Lowles also published a blog on the topic here.

UKIP was contacted for comment but had not replied at the time of publication.
Miki Agrawal has been a media magnet from the moment her trendy startup started making money. The CEO and founder of Thinx, which specializes in period-proof underwear, has romanced journalists with the story of her rise to fame over the past two years. Yet the self-proclaimed feminist CEO seems to have blinded reporters to the need to investigate the companys actual business practices. Now, in the aftermath of a scandal over Agrawals alleged exploitative behavior, and her resignation as CEO, much of the coverage is falling into a different type of gender-driven reporting trap.

On March 10, Jezebels Anna Merlan reported that Agrawal was stepping down as CEO of her five-year-old company. Merlan writes that sources claim that one-third of the companys 30-person staff has recently quit, and links to six negative employee reviews for Thinx on Glass Door. On March 14, Racked published an expose detailing alleged exploitative and abusive behavior on the part of the CEO toward her mostly female employees, including fat-shaming comments, poor parental leave policies, and repeated promotions for white men while other employees languished. The piece, entitled Thinx Promised a Feminist Utopia to Everyone But its Employees, quickly went viral. Less than a week later, New York magazine published an article featuring accusations that Agrawal had sexually harassed employees, with one, former head of public relations Chelsea Leibow, filing a complaint against Agrawal for continually fondling her breasts, commenting on her appearance, and asking her to show Agrawal her nipple piercings. The piece was penned by Noreen Malone, who profiled Agrawal for the magazine in February 2016.

RELATED: Newsrooms should follow two simple rules for reporting on womens bodies

The fact that Agrawals profiler later aided in exposing her is indicative of the complex media dynamic that contributed to both Agrawals rise and fall. Media outlets from Jezebel to Bustle to The New York Times have eagerly reported on Agrawal, first as a feminist hero, and now as a hypocrite. Given the abundance of lengthy profiles, its surprising that such important aspects of Agrawals business practices escaped unnoticed until after allegations of abuse forced her to resign as CEO.

Malones 2016 profile of Agrawal focuses on a lot of thingsAgrawals apartment decor, the winding career trajectory that ultimately led her to become one of the founders of Thinx, her interest in destigmatizing periods as a method of working toward gender equalitybut its surprisingly light on the details of day-to-day operations at Thinx. Many of the biggest issues women face in the workplace go unmentioned: paid parental leave, promotion policies, and institutional recourse for workplace sexual harassment. The fact that Thinx has no Human Resources departmentone of the biggest critiques leveled against Agrawal in the past monthdoesnt appear anywhere in Malones 2016 profile. The implication in Malones initial piece, and in others from that time, is that theres no need to investigate these issues in a company that calls itself feminist.

Thanks Fortune for this piece! https://t.co/0BdOPnPgWr  Miki Agrawal (@twinmiki) March 9, 2017

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Doree Shafrir at BuzzFeed News argues, however, that early indications suggested Agrawal might not be the feminist icon she was lauded as. In her piece, Feminist Hypocrisy is the New Trend in Startup Narratives, Shafrir quotes from Malones initial profile: If Agrawal were a man, her type would be immediately recognizable. She is self-mythologizing, utterly confident even in situations where she has no good reason to be, and it all serves her exceedingly well. She is a tech broexcept shes a woman. Shafrir asserts that female founders and CEOs like Agrawal are written about adoringly when theyre on their way up, because we want to root for them, further applying this argument to media coverage of Sophia Amoruso, CEO of Nasty Gal and author of #Girlboss, and of Arianna Huffington.

Despite these blind spots, Malones profile of Agrawal has a less adoring tone than many of the other early pieces on Thinx and Agrawal. In fact, it led to an online debate over whether Agrawals feminism was shallow and corporate. Agrawal decided to respond on Medium.

That Agrawal used a digital self-publishing platform to address criticism lobbed at her from social media is significant: The populist digital media-scape allows for CEOs and their critics to communicate via the same channels, creating a dialogue in which it sometimes seems like both have equal power. Agrawals post, An Open Letter to Respectfully Quit Telling Me How to Do Feminism (and to just support one another, please!), acknowledges this very dynamic by addressing itself to women in mediawriters, women editors, women in social media, women influencers, women in front of the camera and all media women in between. She is in conversation with her critics, taking up as much space on their shared platforms as anyone else.

Writing on Medium, Agrawal doesnt post as Thinx, but under her name. Her most recent piece on the site, My THINX Ride begins: This is a personal statement from me, Miki, as a human being, not as a representative of THINX. Yet Agrawal is writing from the same online account she has always used to defend both herself and her brand on Medium. In an age of targeted advertising and sponsored content, it is often difficult to distinguish between business statements and personal expressions. Through her Medium posts, Agrawal can launch a kind of advertising campaign, employing all the catchy feminist buzzwords Thinx uses in its subway ads, while appearing to be simply expressing herself asas she puts ita human, navigatingthrough a society filled with misrepresentation and remnants of patriarchies pastreflecting a signature style of communication that Malone described in her profile as speak[ing] in data-driven, consciousness-raising sound bites.

A post shared by mikiagrawal (@mikiagrawal) on Mar 17, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

Agrawals online engagement with negative feedback is indicative of a culture in which self-publishing platforms and social journalism not only allow CEOs to comment publicly through the same channels as their critics, but encourage them to do so. As Shafrir points out in her BuzzFeed piece, Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg recently faced criticism for not making a public statement about the Womens March. The ability of CEOs to share political beliefs on a variety of media platformsand in fact, the expectation that they will do sosometimes holds corporate leaders to higher standards, but sometimes lets them more deeply influence the way theyre perceived. An unnamed Thinx employee told Malone she felt intimidated to speak out against Agrawal because Im afraid out of anger and resentment shell make things up. You can write whatever you want on Medium. No one is going to fact-check that.

As Agrawal seems to fall deeper, the media attention around her grows. Her name is appearing everywherereminiscent of the days when Thinx was first developingbut some articles about Agrawals downfall seem to take a voyeuristic and sensationalistic tone. CNBCs coverage is entitled The 5 most shocking allegations brought against former Thinx CEO Miki Agrawal. The list begins with inappropriate touching, and moves on next to workplace nudity, failing to tackle parental leave concerns at all. While gender discrepancy in promotions does appear as number three, two of the five items on the list include detailed and what some may see as titillating descriptions of sexual harassment.

Quartzs coverage includes the cheeky headline Thinx founder Miki Agrawal, inspired by Burning Man, forgot that offices need boundaries, making a strange and unfounded link between Agrawals experiences at Burning Manthe most attention-getting of which was her participation in an orgyand her exploitative business practices. Even more confusing, the choice of the word forgot in the headline implies that Agrawal lacks agency, and somehow stumbled into her exploitative role. Implied is the idea that women are too clueless ever to be culpable.

Agrawals behaviors require critical journalism. But Shafrir believes reporters are quick to portray CEOs like Agrawal positively, and then, after they fall, the articles quoting disgruntled employees about their once-venerated feminist founders shortcomings come fast and furious, and people certainly seem to take a particular delight in reading them.

Agrawal herself seems to exploit this idea in her first post to women in media, writing: If the status quo of how things are done in your office is to come up with negative stories about other women, please be reminded that you can say no. Its interesting language for a woman who is said to have violated sexual consent in the workplace, and it plays into a corporate feminist myth that women in power cannot be accused of abuse, exploitation, and harassment. At the same time, its a reminder of the way media outlets are quick to chronicle the failures of female CEOs. Unfortunately, these media portrayals often cast corporate women in power as either heroes, or helpless, but rarely as villains.

ICYMI: When important investigative reporting must compete with Brangelina

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Fiona Lowenstein is a writer, speaker, editor, and producer based in New York City, the founder of the queer feminist wellness collective, Body Politic, and a co-founder of Body Politic's COVID-19 Support Group.
Australia's move to scrap the 457 visa program that allowed skilled migrants to work in the country for up to four years was the right move for the trade-dependent economy, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said in an interview with CNBC at the weekend in which he discussed economic challenge ahead of the next federal budget.

Questioned on whether scrapping the visa program would send out the wrong message to trade partners, Cormann said "we are an open trading economy" that needs skilled workers but that the 457 visa did not match people where the country had skill gaps and new rules "will improve" that process.

"There has to be a matchup," Cormann said.

He also suggested the May 9 budget presentation will address some aspects of soaring home prices in parts of Australia, but said that the fundamental issue was one of supply and demand and not nationwide, requiring more of a "scalpel" approach than a "sledgehammer."
04/24/2017

Photo credit: Mike Kalasnik - Wikimedia Commons Sears Holdings has been in a downward spiral for some time now. On numerous occasions, weve reported on the companys downsizing efforts.

At the beginning of the year, the company closed 150 Sears and Kmart locations and spun off its Craftsman Tools line. Recently, company officials stated in an SEC filing that there was substantial doubt that the franchise could continue on unless it found a way to raise additional capital.

Now, the company has announced that it will be closing 50 Sears Auto Center locations and 92 underperforming pharmacy operations in certain Kmart stores. The move is meant to help the company reach its $1.25 billion cost-cutting goal, which had previously been set at $1 billion.

"Consistent with our ongoing strategy of focusing on our Best Stores, Best Categories and Best Members, we will continue to take difficult yet necessary actions. As we sharpen our focus on profitable areas of our business, we will also continue to closely evaluate the longer-term viability of stores where a clear path to return to profitability is not in sight, said Sears Holdings CEO Edward S. Lampert.

We are determined to take all necessary actions to improve the performance of Sears Holdings and will leverage our lease optionality to reconfigure our stores and reduce capital obligations.

The Chicago Tribune reports that no timeline has been given for the closings, but some employees were notified on Friday that they would soon be losing their jobs.

We obviously dont take these decisions lightly. But in order to be a more competitive retailer and return the company to profitability, we need to look for ways to streamline the operations, said company spokesman Chris Brathwaite, adding that the full list of store closings had not yet been released.
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New York, April 24, 2017Authorities in the Maldives should swiftly identify and bring to justice those responsible for the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Rasheed died after he was found with multiple stab wounds in the stairway of his apartment building yesterday, according to media reports.

Rasheed was transported to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment, according to Raajje TV. He had 16 stab wounds to his chest, neck, and throat, the independent broadcaster reported. Rasheed, 29, was known for his satirical political commentary on his blog, The Daily Panic, and on Twitter. Before his death, he had complained on social media that police had not acted in response to death threats he said he had received.

Maldivian authorities should spare no effort to identify and prosecute Yameen Rasheeds killers, CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler said from Washington, D.C. The Maldives must not become a country where bloggers can be murdered with impunity.

The Maldives Police Service said today in a statement it was investigating the murder. In an April 23 statement, President Abdulla Yameen Abdulla Gayoom condemned the crime and sent condolences to Rasheeds family.

Rasheed led the Find Moyameeha campaign after his friend and Minivan News reporter Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla was abducted in 2014. Minivan News later changed its name to the Maldives Independent. Rilwan is still missing.

Rasheed previously told The New York Times that radical groups in the Maldives targeted bloggers like him and Rilwan because they questioned the way Islam was practiced in the country. He also told the newspaper that almost all of the people behind the Find Moyameeha campaign had received death threats.

Rasheeds last tweet, published April 21, was a red balloon emoji. Nearly 100 people gathered on a beach in Male today to release red balloons in his memory, according to Raajje TV.

[Rasheed was] tireless in his efforts to advocate for freedom of expression and stood up impartially for the rights of all, Mariyath Mohamed, his friend and former journalist at the Maldives Independent, told CPJ. Words of satire and honesty were the only weapons he ever wielded.

EDITORS NOTE: Paragraphs five and six of this text have been updated to correct the name of the Find Moyameeha campaign.
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Bogota, Colombia, April 24, 2017Ecuadoran authorities should immediately annul fines imposed on seven media outlets for declining to reproduce a story published in an Argentine newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Government regulator The Superintendency of Information and Communication, or Supercom, on April 21 levied fines of US $3,750 each on the newspapers El Comercio, El Universo, La Hora, and Expreso, and on TV broadcasters Teleamazonas, Ecuavisa, and Televicentro, for declining to follow up on a March 15 story in the Argentine daily newspaper Pagina/12 alleging that defeated opposition presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso evaded taxes, according to media reports.

My financial holdings are public, Lasso said in remarks published in Pagina/12 on March 17. They are in Ecuador, and everyone knows them and knows how I have worked.

In an April 21 press conference, Carlos Ochoa, the head of Supercom, said that the media outlets decision not to report on Pagina/12s allegations constituted prior censorship. Ochoa then refused to take reporters questions, according to press reports.

No government anywhere, including in Ecuador, has any business telling the news media what to cover, Carlos Lauria, CPJs senior program coordinator for the Americas, said from New York. We urge Ecuadoran authorities to annul this decision and allow the media to do their jobs without further official interference.

Lasso on April 2 narrowly lost a runoff vote to ruling-party candidate Lenin Moreno, a close ally of outgoing President Rafael Correa.

With polls showing a tight race between Lasso and Moreno, the Citizens Observatory for Quality Communications, a pro-government group, on March 27 filed a complaint to Supercom alleging that the seven news outlets failure to publish Pagina/12s allegations affected the voting rights of Ecuadorans, since the possible crimes involved someone who aspired to be president, according to news reports. The groups complaint followed televised remarks by the outgoing president complaining about the medias lack of coverage of the allegations, the reports said.

In defending its actions before Supercom, lawyers for El Comercio argued that the original Pagina/12 story was poorly reported, failed to include a response from Lasso, and that publishing the unverified allegations would have violated an Ecuadoran law barring media from promoting or denigrating candidates immediately before elections.

Lasso on April 21 wrote on Twitter that the government was now targeting media outlets that did not join its dirty campaign against him. This shows the radicalization of a totalitarian government that wants to destroy the free press, Lasso wrote.

Pedro Valverde, a lawyer for El Universo, told the BBC the newspaper would be exhausting all administrative and judicial options to annul this absurd sanction.

During an April 21 meeting of the ruling Alianza Pais party in Quito, President-elect Moreno said he would ask the regulator to annul its ruling.

I have asked that the matter be considered baseless, he said, according to news reports.
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New York, April 24, 2017A military court in Cameroon today sentenced Ahmed Abba, a correspondent for Radio France Internationales (RFI) Hausa service, to 10 years in prison and ordered him to make a payment of 55 million Central African francs (US$91,133) Abbas lawyer Clement Nakong, told CPJ. Abba, who has been held in pretrial detention for 635 days, was convicted of non-denunciation of terrorism and laundering of the proceeds of terrorist acts, last week. Nakong said that he will appeal Abbas sentence within the 10 days set by the court.

Ahmed Abba should never have been detained, prosecuted, and convicted for his journalismlet alone ordered to spend a decade behind bars, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal, in Johannesburg, South Africa. This outrageous sentence signals the lengths that Cameroon authorities are willing to go to intimidate the media and thwart freedom of the press.

Support Ahmed Abba with CPJs Free the Press campaign
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A journalist dies mysteriously in Yemen after receiving threats because of his work, and the resulting autopsy raises more questions than answers. A columnist in the same country is sentenced to death on espionage charges in an opaque trial.

CPJ is unable to determine in either case whether the journalist was deliberately targeted for his journalism. But the gravity of both cases, combined with the dearth of information and absence of any semblance of investigation or due process of law on the ground, highlights the treacherous and murky environment in which Yemeni journalists do their work.

Rocked by multiple insurgencies even before the ouster of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in November 2011, Yemen descended into turmoil when forces of the Ansar Allah rebel movement, commonly known as the Houthis, completed their takeover of the capital Sanaa in January 2015 and forced the government of Salehs successor to flee to Aden in the countrys south. Since then, a Saudi Arabia-led bombing campaign targeting Houthi-controlled areas and the growing presence of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula have increased the chaos, resulting in the total breakdown of state institutions.

Amid this backdrop, journalists have faced steadily mounting risks, particularly in areas controlled by the Houthis, where an atmosphere of intimidation prevails. CPJ has documented how journalists are attacked and threatened by unidentified assailants, as well as arrested or intimidated by individuals clearly affiliated with the Houthis. Rule of law is determined by whomever has seized power, and authorities in Sanaa and elsewhere lack either the infrastructure or the political will (or both) to conduct investigations in an impartial manner.

On April 12, a state security court in Sanaa controlled by the Houthis sentenced longtime journalist Yahya al-Jubaihi to death, according to several media reports. The state-run Saba News Agency, also controlled by the Houthis, reported that al-Jubaihi was convicted of spying for Saudi Arabia and of passing information to Saudi diplomats that posed harm to Yemens army, political position and economy in return for 4,500 Saudi riyal (US$1200) from Riyadh since 2010. Meanwhile, Qatars state-funded broadcaster Al-Jazeera reported, without citing sources, that the Houthis detained the journalist after he refused to write an article supporting the Houthis. Qatar is among the countries participating in the Saudi-led military campaign against the Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh.

In a statement emailed to CPJ, the Studies and Economic Media Center, a human rights organization in Sanaa, said al-Jubaihi had worked for the Saudi newspapers Al-Madina and Okaz in the 1980s, and that he had also lectured at Sanaa University. Okaz and Al-Madina both reported his sentence, though neither article identified him as a former reporter. According to Al-Jazeera, Al-Jubaihi also worked first in the northern Yemeni governments media department from 1987-1990, under former Saleh, and continued in that role after North and South Yemen unified under Salehs rule in 1990, leaving the post in 1997. More recently, Al-Jubaihi wrote columns criticizing the Houthis. The Media Freedom Observatory, a project of the Studies and Economic Media Center, told CPJ in an emailed statement that al-Jubaihi was also a media adviser at the Saudi Embassy in Sanaa at the time of his arrest.

The judicial process that handed down Jubaihis death sentence was opaque, taking place in a closed-door court usually reserved by the Houthis for Al-Qaeda militants, according to a report in the New Arab. Al-Jubaihis daughter, Bushra al-Jubaihi, told the Yemeni TV channel Belqis in an interview that her father was not allowed regular access to a lawyer during the trial. In a separate interview with the same channel, she said that the family had filed an appeal.

The mysterious recent death of Yemeni investigative journalist Mohammed al-Absi is another potential illustration of the turmoil in Yemen. Al-Absi, a blogger and investigative journalist who had previously been threatened and faced legal action for his reporting, died unexpectedly December 20, 2016. Members of his family told CPJ they suspected murder and delayed the burial in order to have an autopsy conducted abroad.

Ashraf al-Rifi, secretary of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicates Rights and Freedoms Committee, told CPJ that he took tissue samples from al-Absis remains to forensic doctors in Jordan because Sanaa lacked the proper facilities to perform a full autopsy. The syndicate put out a joint statement with the family detailing the measures they took to transport tissue samples to Jordan via Aden, which is under the control of loyalists to Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, Salehs successor. Results from the autopsy indicated his death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning, but did not clarify how he was exposed.

A member of al-Absis family, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, told CPJ they called on Houthi authorities for an in-depth investigation, but have not received a response. They said they have reason to be suspicious: al-Absi had been threatened repeatedly for his work. He was targeted with a criminal defamation lawsuit in 2013 by Hadis government when he was the editor of the newspaper al-Oula. The suit, later dismissed, was in response to articles the newspaper ran alleging financial mismanagement at a government-run charity, following up on a series of blog posts that Absi wrote independently.

After the Houthis seized Sanaa, Al-Absi switched his focus and penned a series of blog posts reporting on what he said was rampant corruption involving prominent businessmen and senior Houthi leadership. He also covered issues such as the deterioration of Yemens infrastructure in regional publications including Lebanons As-Safir. Shortly after his unexpected death, his colleagues told CPJ that al-Absi told them recently he had been threatened by militias and feared for his life.

By the time Al-Absi died, the idea of a Yemeni journalist being targeted by a government lawsuit seems almost quaint. The Yemeni state has effectively ceased to function, and the authoritarian state apparatus that muzzled journalists in the past has been replaced by a dizzying array of armed groups.

The atmosphere of intimidation is such that even carrying equipment such as cameras in Sanaa is a risky endeavor, one journalist, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CPJ, adding that while he walked with a colleague in Sanaa recently a group of Houthi forces accosted them at the sight of their cameras, saying they would smash their heads if the two colleagues were journalists. The journalist said that colleagues in Houthi-controlled areas work furtively, especially if they require noticeable photo or video equipment, and that while reporting a recent video feature the crew filmed all outdoor scenes using mobile phones and left the scene quickly.

Additionally, the journalist said, all journalists working in Houthi-controlled areas need a license to work, even while covering everyday events such as weddings. Those working without licenses risk arrest including from militias affiliated with Houthis but not officially part of them.
The Empress of the Seas made its inaugural visit to Cuba for Royal Caribbean International over the weekend as part of a 5-night sailing from Miami.

Were thrilled to be a part of Cubas future, ushering in Royal Caribbeans next big adventure with Empress of the Seas first visit to Havana. Vacationers will now be able to experience a destination like no other, with authentic and immersive experiences that bring to life the vibrancy of Havana and its traditions, said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

After returning to Miami, Florida, Empress of the Seas will reposition to Tampa, Fla. for the summer season  the cruise lines first ever summer program from the destination  offering a series of four, five and six-night sailings, including day and overnight visits to Havana, along with stops in Key West, Fla. and Belize City, Belize, as well as Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

Sailings from Tampa are available through Nov. 4, 2017 when Empress returns to Miami for the winter season, adding calls to CocoCay and Nassau in The Bahamas.
A former board chair of a Virginia credit union was indicted Thursday on 20 felony charges of forgery, check forgery and ID fraud.

Mark M. Whitaker served as board chair of the $101,630 New Bethel Federal Credit Union in Portsmouth, Va. from at least 2012 to 2015 when the credit union liquidated because of its poor financial condition. The 172-member credit union, chartered in 1978, was associated with the New Bethel Baptist Church also in Portsmouth where Whitaker is an associate pastor. He also is a Norfolk city council member.

The indictments identified three victims, including Malinda Starkley who also served on the New Bethel FCU board of directors as its treasurer from 2012 to 2015, NCUA documents show. Starkley also is listed as a trustee and deacon of the New Bethel Baptist Church.

She was a victim of fourteen of the 18 charges of forgery and forged checks. The indictments did not divulge the total amount of the forged checks. All of the crimes committed against Starkley occurred on Aug. 23, 2013 while the credit union was operating, according to the indictments.
When the residential real estate bubble burst a decade ago, many peoples dreams of homeownership deflated as well. Increasingly, though, renters are looking to become buyers, suggests Daniel Sugg, chief mortgage lending officer at Michigan First Credit Union, that serves homeowners across the state. The CU offers mortgages through Michigan First Mortgage, a credit union service organization. Sugg recently shared insights on marketing mortgages.

Q: Hows business?

Sugg: With mortgage rates sitting at near historic lows, we are seeing more peopleespecially millennialsgravitating toward the idea of buying a home. Rental rates are high right now, making homeownership more affordable. We are seeing this trend unfold in areas such as Detroit and Grand Rapids, but we have also experienced significant growth in the Lansing and Livingston County markets as well. Editors note: The Fed raised rates in March and is expected to do so as many as three times in 2017.
Luxembourg: A Prime Target For Cyber Attack

Following recent reports by Wikileaks regarding cyber attacks by the CIA, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has confirmed that Luxembourg is increasingly a target of such attacks, but not necessarily by state actors.

Luxembourg MP Laurent Mosar (CSV) addressed a parliamentary question to Prime Minister Bettel following media reports that companies from Luxembourg had been the target of CIA cyber-attacks, asking Bettel to confirm these reports.

While Bettel confirmed that Wikileaks documents did reveal that certain servers (DNS  Domain name system) were vulnerable to attacks, such as being used as 'open resolver' by intruders or for DDoS-attacks (distributed denial-of-service), the Prime Minister insists that the Wikileaks reports do not confirm that the internal systems of concerned companies were indeed attacked.

Increasing number of attacks

Bettel goes on to explain that the Wikileaks documents do not target particular states as much as specific vulnerabilities of data processing systems. Notwithstanding, there was no denying that a high number of actors are trying to exploit these vulnerabilities in order to increase their capacities to intrude such systems no matter their hardware.

Without mentioning specific actors, Bettel writes that the number of attacks by "a whole series of actors is constantly increasing".

In a recently published report, the parliamentary control commission of Luxembourg's intelligence agency SREL writes that the threat level of cyber-attacks targeting Luxembourg was "high". 2016 was marked by a high number of cyber-attacks targeting both public institutions and private companies in Luxembourg.

Only recently, Luxembourg's state servers were under attack, without the 'Centre des Technologies de l'information de l'Etat' (CTIE) being able to identify the source of the attack.

The commission writes that "these cyber-attacks, characterised by their complex and evolved structures, are the doing of criminals, hackers with different motivations, companies or state actors".

Appropriate protection and confinement tools

Asked about possible measures by the government to prevent such attacks in future, Bettel states that the best protection was to be up to date about attackers' operational modes and to put in place the appropriate protection mechanisms or, in case of an attack, the effective confinement tools.

Politically, and given the complexity of such attacks, Bettel pleads for a cooperation of all concerned national actors and for international cooperation.

Furthermore, according to Bettel, the government wants to provide Luxembourg actors with the adequate technical tools and a legal framework allowing them to fulfil their missions of protecting IT systems and discovering operational modes.

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By Press Trust of India: Eds: With CRPF statement and fresh inputs, besides updating the figure of those injured

Raipur/New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and seven wounded in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district today, the deadliest ambush by naxalites of security forces this year.

The nearly 100-strong CRPF patrol providing security for road construction work came under fierce gunfire from Maoist guerrillas occupying vantage positions, inflicting heavy casualties on the personnel, sources in the paramilitary said.

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The naxalites mounted the assault around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

"As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

Around 7-8 personnel, who were earlier reported missing, have been accounted for, he said.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured," the president said in a tweet.

The prime minister tweeted, "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely."

"We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," he added.

Home minister Rajnath Singh tonight briefed Modi by phone from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh about the attack. He informed the prime minister about the circumstances leading to the ambush and steps taken for treatment of the injured personnel. Singh will travel to Chhattisgarh capital Raipur tomorrow. He was briefed on the incident by Chief Minister Raman Singh earlier in the day.

The paramilitary force said in a statement issued in New Delhi, "The CRPF troops replied in a befitting manner but taking geographical position in (sic) their advantage, Maoists succeeded in inflicting loss to CRPF.

"24 brave soldiers were martyred at the battle ground and one succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated to hospital in Raipur."

It claimed,"Considerable number of Maoists are belived to have been eliminated (in retaliatory action by CRPF men) as the tell-tale sign indicate from the ground." However, no bodies of the Leftist guerrillas have yet been found.

The bodies of the slain personnel have been air-lifted to Raipur, where the seven injured are hospitalised.

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An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

"The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles," the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 naxalites must have got killed in the "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."

"Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," he tweeted.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy".

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the countrys largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

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Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official were killed in the deadliest naxal attack in adjoining Dantewada district on April 6, 2010. PTI NES ACB TKP AKV SK SK

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Singapore, Apr 24 (PTI) Five Indians, who were part of a syndicate, were jailed and fined in Singapore today for making fraudulent goods and services tax (GST) refund claims amounting to over USD 120,000.

They were jailed for making fraudulent GST refund claims amounting to Singaporean dollars 167,253 (USD 120,092) between January 2015 and May last year.

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Kothandaraman Gnanam, 29, Karunanidhi Rajesh, 32, Ramaiyan Karthikeyan, 44, and Waithiyalingam Karunanidhi, 61, were jailed for three years and three months.

Their accomplice, Karunanithi Saravanan, 37, was jailed for three years and two months, the Strait Times reported.

They were also fined between 14,000 Singaporean dollars (USD 10,052) and 70,000 Singaporean dollars (USD 50,262). Each man also had to fork out 51,952 Singaporean dollars (USD 37,303) as a penalty.

However, only 5,434 Singaporean dollars worth of tax refunds made to the five men have been recovered.

The court heard that the men loitered in and around jewellery shops in Little India area to obtain invoices and jewellery tags from customers, who were Singapore permanent residents and work pass holders, not entitled to GST refunds.

They would buy the invoices from the customers but no mention was made on the amount they paid for each invoice.

Tourists visiting Singapore can claim GST refunds on goods they have bought when they leave the country. They receive a receipt for goods purchased and an Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS) ticket when they buy items from a GST-registered retailer.

They can then use the eTRS ticket to make GST refund claims at ports of departure such as the Changi Airport.

They can also make similar transactions using the credit cards which they had used to buy their goods.

The five men used their passports and white embarkation cards to obtain eTRS tickets from the respective shops using the receipts they had obtained.

They then matched the invoices, jewellery tags and eTRS tickets with the jewellery they already had at hand.

Saravanan also provided jewellery from his own wholesale purchases to his accomplices to help them make false claims.

The men would then claim eTRS GST cash refunds at the airport before flying off.

When there were not enough valuables to go around, they would share among themselves the same piece of jewellery.

Investigators from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) arrested them on February 1, this year.

The men pleaded guilty last Friday to 14 GST-related charges involving 17,317 Singaporean dollars (USD 12,432) each. Each man also had between 198 and 235 similar charges taken into consideration during sentencing.

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They also removed from Singapore a total of 112,924 Singaporean dollars (USD 80,630) which were ill-gotten gains from their criminal conduct. Each man pleaded guilty to between seven and 11 charges of removing money from the country. PTI ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
Faculty of Agriculture researchers are well on their way to helping the Canadian farming sector become a world leader in the development and use of clean and sustainable agricultural technologies and practices.



On Friday, April 21, on the eve of Earth Day, Member of Parliament Bill Casey (CumberlandColchester) announced a $1.7 million investment to develop technologies, practices and processes that can be adopted by farmers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.



This project is among 20 projects being delivered through the $27 million Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP), a science-based program to help the agricultural sector adjust to climate change and improve soil and water conservation by developing new farming practices and methods. It also will help farmers increase their understanding of GHG emissions.



For decades, the Agricultural Campus has led the way in agricultural innovation and rural economic development, Bill Casey, Member of Parliament for Cumberland-Colchester. Dalhousies Faculty of Agriculture continues its leadership in tackling climate change and now with this investment from our government into their valuable project, they will be able to do even more. This is good news for both farmers and the environment, which we all depend on to sustain our livelihoods.

Success through partnership



Faculty members David Burton and Derek Lynch at the Faculty of Agriculture are working directly with the agricultural community to assess soil health, carbon storage capacity and soil nitrogen supply as a basis for greenhouse gas mitigation planning.



This research will go a long way to increase the resiliency of Atlantic Canadian soils to climate change and extreme weather events which will be of broad benefit to the agriculture sector across Canada.



The Federal Governments Advisory Council on Economic Growth recently released the Barton Report focussed on the growth potential of key sectors, explained Dr. David Gray, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and principal of the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus.

In this report, the Federal government aspires to global leadership in agri-food such that Canada will become the trusted global leader in safe, nutritious and sustainable food for the 21st century. The Faculty of Agriculture is proud to work with our government toward this vision through our leading edge teaching and research.



The new AGGP investments will continue to support the work of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, which brings together 47 countries to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.



This funding provides a wonderful opportunity to work with the Atlantic agricultural industry and provincial partners to improve our understanding of which soil, fertility and crop management approaches best contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, explained Dr. Lynch. It also provides for a unique soil health laboratory facility and helps us train the next generation of researchers in soil science and agronomy, to contribute to these important goals.


Hummingbird Resources announced a review of activities during its first quarter on Monday, including the advancement of mine construction at the Yanfolila Gold Project in Mali, ahead of its first gold pour expected by the end of 2017.

The AIM-traded company said construction of the 1.2mtpa Yanfolila mine was progressing on time and on budget ahead of its initial mining targeted in the third quarter, and first gold pour by year-end.

It said the structural, mechanical, platework and piping contract had commenced in January with IMAGRI SARL under the supervision of SENET, and the ball mill was completed and due to arrive at Yanfolila in May.

A fuel supply contract was signed with Zen Petroleum Mali, which the board described as a well-established West African fuel company, and the process plant foundations were now largely complete.

Construction of the carbon-in leach tanks was due for completion in May 2017.

The tailings storage facility was now under construction with Inter Mining Services, a Malian civil contractor, and African Mining Services was mobilising to site to assist with TSF construction ahead of pre-production mining, the board explained.

It confirmed the completion of the initial phase of pre-production grade control drilling, the appointment of Kevin Moxham as general manager for Yanfolila, and the development of an exploration plan to increase mine life.

On the corporate front, the government of Mali was set to pay Hummingbird approximately $11m for an additional 10% stake in Yanfolila.

A $60m debt facility was entered into with Coris Bank International Group in April, which the board said completed the funding package for Yanfolila and further strengthened its local content.

Cash in bank stood at $54m at 31 March, prior to the repayment of the Taurus $25m bridge loan in April.

The company received the first tranche of the CFA 15.5b (approximately $25m post quarter-end from Coris Bank International as well.

Q1 saw another impressive level of work from the team on the ground, currently numbering 410 people, with the commencement of steel work on site and significant progress across all areas, said Hummingbird CEO Dan Betts.

With the overall project now about 60% complete, we are happy with how the Yanfolila construction is shaping up so far; we remain on time and budget to commence production by the end of the year.

Betts said the arrival of AMS to start work on the TSF, and subsequently pre-production mining, were significant upcoming milestones as the company continued to ramp up development towards production.

Additionally we are delighted with the refinancing with Coris Bank International in whom we have found a local, supportive, long-term, constructive partner to build the company with.
The world's largest cement maker is looking for a new CEO after current LafargeHolcim boss Eric Olsen announced he was resigning in the wake of an investigation into the companys operations in war-torn Syria.

Olsen will depart the position in July as the company attempts to make a success of the merger between industrial giants Lafarge and Holcim. The firms have struggled to cement the merger with several setbacks since the agreement in July 2015.

In March, the corporation admitted to having funded armed groups in Syria in order to ensure its operations in Jallabiya would continue to function.

The Franco-Swiss company conducted an internal investigation into a barrage of allegations made by various sources that it had been financing the campaigns of such groups in Syria.

In March the corporation admitted to having funded armed groups in Syria

"While I was absolutely not involved in, nor even aware of, any wrongdoing I believe my departure will contribute to bringing back serenity to a company that has been exposed for months on this case," Olsen said in a statement on Monday.

The company itself cleared Olsen of any wrongdoing in the probe, but added that a variety of actions taken in order to continue operations at the plant were "unacceptable".

In a statement management added that "significant errors of judgment were made that contravened the applicable code of conduct".

Analysts at Deutsche Bank commented ahead of the official announcement that Olsens departure would impact its share price.

"With Olsen beginning to build his reputation, and no obvious successor, we see this newsflow as negative for the group," Deutsche Bank said.

Shares rose slightly during morning trading on the Swiss SMI Index, after having gained around 10% this year.
Equity futures were pointing to a sharply higher open for French stocks after centrist Emanuelle Macron was revealed to have won the first round of voting in the country's presidential elections at the weekend.

This time the pre-election polls proved roughly correct, in an election that many observers billed as another battle in the current stand-off around the world between nationalists and globalists.

Macron, a political independent, made away with 23.8% of the ballots in Sundays vote, versus 21.5% for far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, based on Interior Ministry data with 97.4% of the vote count complete.

Nevertheless, the results of the vote still point to pronounced divisions among the electorate, leaving analysts divided on the outlook.

On the more cautious side of the spectrum of analysts' reactions, economists at Barclays Research said: "as we have stated previously, we believe the Parliamentary elections will carry more weight than usual, possibly even more than the Presidential election, but the outcome remains uncertain."

Nonetheless, two of Macron's rivals in the election, ex-PM Francois Fillon, and Socialist leader Benoit Hamon, immediately endorsed Macron.

That led Holger Schmieding at Berenberg to say "The result is more than a risk avoided. It offers a genuine chance to reform France and strengthen the Eurozone and the EU."

To take note of, in Paris the vote count currently shows that Macron trounced Le Pen, winning 35% of the vote, versus less than 5% for the candidate from the Front Nationale.

As of 0722 GMT, futures for France's main equity gauge, the Cac-40, indicate it is expecte to jump by about 4% at the start of trading, as the largest risk to the existence of the European Union and the euro area recede.

As for French debt markets, analysts at UniCredit Research believe the spread between French and German 10-year government bond yields might narrow from 70 points to 55 points "as a first target" and then to 40 points once the second round of the elections is over.

In parallel, the European single currency is 1.33% higher to 1.0866 against the US dollar.
"The result is more than a risk avoided. It offers a genuine chance to reform France and strengthen the Eurozone and the EU. Fillon and Hamon immediately endorsed Macron. Fading political risk in France adds to the chance that French and Eurozone growth can surprise to the upside this year. [...] The late surge in support for Melenchon, who espouses the kind of loony left ideas that bankrupted Venezuela, remains scary. It shows that the potential for populist accidents is not confined to the UK (Brexit, Corbyn) and the US (Trump, Sanders)." - Holger Schmieding, Berenberg

"A new dawn for French politics. More generally, this result, in which both candidates of the traditional parties are excluded from the final round, suggests a complete transformation of the French political landscape, possibly along the lines of social conservatism (or not) and economic liberalism (or not) in a more fragmented, but more clearly defined distribution. We think this should also help Macron, if elected President, to form a coherent pro-European, pro market and socially liberal majority in parliament after the June 11 and 18 upcoming parliamentary elections." - Credit Suisse

"What this wont do is change the political schism that has opened up in France or change the sense of grievance amongst large sections of the French population, nearly 40% of whom voted for a Eurosceptic candidate, while Mrs Le Pen could well also put in a strong showing in the second round. This is likely to mean that Mr Macron wont be able to deliver anything like what he promised in his manifesto, given he doesnt have any party machinery or political support in the French parliament, and probably wont get it either." - Michael Hewson, chief market analyst CMC Markets

"The most likely outcome of the second round vote remains a Macron presidency, which we think would benefit the French economy. His planned labour market reforms would help to boost growth, even if his target of an unemployment rate of 7% by 2022 is very ambitious, given its historical path. And his pro-business stance should support investment. His presidency would also bode well for the EU, perhaps particularly if combined with a Schulz presidency in Germany after Septembers election there." - Capital Economics

"The first round of the French Presidential election produced one of the most market-friendly outcomes with centrist Macron (23.8%) leading against the right-wing Le Pen (21.5%). The wide-enough margin allows markets to conclude that concerns Macron may not have the ability to translate support into effective votes may disappear. Before the election it was feared that supporters of extremist candidates would show a higher commitment to vote compared to mainstream candidates." - Morgan Stanley



"Voters yesterday turned their backs on the establishment parties and are looking to Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen to remedy the French malaise. Polls suggest Le Pen is unlikely to convince many Europhile voters to side with her in the second round. A Macron presidency would be positive for growth and the EU. However, sweeping reforms are uncertain under a likely cohabitation after the June parliamentary election." - Oxford Economics

"While its clear that populism is growing in the region as it is elsewhere, the victory for Emmanuel Macron in the first round may well have crushed the chances of Marine Le Pen in two weeks time. Even when the polls had Le Pen taking the first round, Macron was comfortably expected to win the head to head but with the centrist candidate having toppled her on Sunday, the leader of the National Front would appear to have a monumental job on her hands." - Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda

"A victory for Le Pen would have been a systemic event and challenging to prepare for. Le Pen will almost certainly be defeated in two weeks time, and equities can continue to rally going into 2018 as non-existential risks can be absorbed. The global economy might not be booming, but growth is returning. [...] There could be more surprises to come in an event-packed European calendar however - UK elections, Greek debt talks, German elections, and the possibility of Italian elections in the not-so-distant future are enough to keep markets busy." - Bill Street, State Street Global Advisors

"Globalisation is under major threat since Brexit and we think this is going to remain the major focus for the second round of elections. Macron will have to work twice as hard to get himself across the line and this is by no mean an easy task, especially in the light of recent terrorist attacks in France. There was a lot of noise that Le Pen was ahead with more significant support but that was a lot to do with rural polling closing before the bigger cities had their say." - Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Think Markets

"It remains important for Macron to ensure that enough voters will turn out in two weeks to support him in the second round against Le Pen. Centre-left and centre-right politicians have expressed their support for Macron, but far-left Melenchon refused to give voting instructions to his electorate. [...] Nevertheless, with the market likely to feel relatively comfortable with the residual risk of a second round contest between Macron and Le Pen, we can start to look beyond France. Italy's election is arguably the next key political event, but that could be more than six months away. In the meantime, we expect the reflation and ECB exit themes to become more established. However, with the French election as yet unfinished, there seems little chance of the ECB surprising with a hawkish press conference on Thursday." - Marc de-Muizon, Mark Wall, Deutsche Bank
France voted to keep the euro alive at the weekend but the overall results laid bare an increasingly fragmented political landscape, leading some to question whether the winner, centrist Emmanuel Macron, will really be able to effect positive change - more importantly, whether the French truly want it.

On a positive note, sort of, the more moderate political forces from the centre, centre-right and Socialists managed to eke out a slim majority of roughly 50.4%.

Yet the question now is whether after the parliamentary elections in June that centrist majority will translate into sufficient backing for much-needed economic reforms - as most analysts at the largest investment banks appear to expect - in one of the European Union's two key nations.

Like in many other countries in Europe, the underlying debate is highly complex and has multiple cross-currents.

The great financial crisis revealed that the proverbial Emperor had no clothes, with the drag on the economy from ageing populations and a sharp drop in productivity brought starkly into the full light of day.

Indeed, as the narcotic effects of 'financial innovation' reached their limits and the global financial system literally almost self-combusted, it became abundantly clear that he was, in fact, stark naked.

As an aside, it must be said that the crisis was not the fault of the bankers, or not theirs alone, in the final analysis everyone went along for the ride as long as the music was still playing.

Even if readers do not agree with the above, the fact remains that in the aftermath of the crisis many were left behind and the rapid social changes which were underway as a result of globalisation and new technologies have quickly turned from being perceived as exciting and new to threatening.

Much the same can probably be said of immigration, which in the UK likely played an important role in keeping economic growth above what it would otherwise have been, while in Europe in general it is needed to help offset already shrinking populations.

Hence the strong showing too on Sunday for the three main anti-euro French parties, which totalled 45.7% of the vote.

That includes the far-left La France Insoumise of Jean Luc Melenchon which obtained 19.6% of the ballots. He was left out of the running for the second round of the elections on 7 May, but is an existential threat to the country's Socialists, whose leader, Benoit Hamon, only took in 6.3% of votes.

To take note of, the above results mirror current sentiment in Italy, where a Eurobarometre survey from the European Commission published in December showed 47% of Italians thought the euro was "a bad thing".

In 2008, Frances GDP per capita stood at $45,413, versus $36,354 in 2015. That compares to a fall in the UK from $49,949 in 2007 to $43,930 at present.

Italian GDP per capita fared much worse over that same time frame, falling from $40,640 in 2008 to $29,993, although Spain (which managed to pull off reforms) is the worst of the lot, having gone from $35,579 in 2008 to $25,685 in 2015.

Worth noting, the relative standing of European countries (again, UK included) in terms of GDP per capita has been relatively constant for centuries, so any large shifts might potentially ruffle more than just a few feathers even at the highest levels.

Of course, France is still a very wealthy country, which is perhaps one possible reason for optimism, but more recently it has begun falling behind other so-called 'high income' countries, according to data from the World Bank.

Likewise, a mix of moderate reforms (not too moderate, hopefully) and making sure the social safety net is secure may be the best way forward.

Hence, hopes are riding high that France has indeed managed to dodge the 'populist bullet' and will keep pushing forward with much needed reforms and undo self-inflicted wounds on its economy such as the 35-hour working week.

In turn, that will help stabilise both the European Union and the euro area.

Nonetheless, dodging bullets is a risky way of going about life, so whoever makes it to the Elysee after May's vote, and leaders in other European capitals, should not count on being able to pull that trick off a second time.
Greek government bonds rallied sharply after Brussels confirmed that Athens soundly beat its public deficit targets for 2016.

The European Union's executive arm confirmed on Monday that Greece's primary surplus, the excess of revenues over spending without taking into account interest payments on the country's debt, hit the equivalent of 4.2% of Greece's gross domestic product.

That was well ahead of the 0.5% of GDP goal which Brussels had set and sent the yield on the country's benchmark two-year sovereign debt spiralling lower by 60 basis points to 6.58%.

Yields on bonds move inversely to their prices.

In parallel, the yield on its 10-year debt was 20 basis points lower at 6.43%, although analysts tend to focus more on the two-year note given that it is much more actively traded.

In any case, the International Monetary Fund, which is wary of forcing Athens into excessively harsh reforms, believes the 2016 surplus was only reached thanks to 'one-offs' and is not sustainable in the long-run.

For that reason, until recently the Washinton-based lender has left the door open to not participating further in a financial bailout for the country.

Brussels on the other hand is adamant that it can be sustained.

The news comes just as a technical team from the European Union and the IMF has landed in Athens today to thrash out a deal to disburse the next installment of 6.0bn of financial aid before sovereign debt repayments falling due in July.
Markets in Asia finished mixed on Monday, though most finished higher as the results of the first round of the French presidential elections became clear - though it was the worst day of the year so far for Chinese stocks.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 benchmark added 1.37% to finish at 18,875.88, with the yen last weaker against the greenback but still clinging onto the 110 level.

It was last 0.94% weaker at JPY 110.11 per $1.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite lost 1.37% to 3,129.78, while the Shenzhen Composite plunged 2.44% to 1,873.37.

The losses in China came after local media reports suggesting the administration in Beijing was preparing to increase its tolerance for volatility, in a bid to stop shadow banking practices.

South Koreas Kospi was up 0.4% at 2,173.74, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong ended up 0.41% to 24,139.48.

Shares in Hong Kong jeweller Chow Tai Fook were down 1.54%, after its acquisition of Australian utility Alinta Energy cleared legal hurdles down under.

In France, centrist candidate and the favourite to win the presidency Emmanuel Macron won 23.86% of the first-round votes, ahead of controversial far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on 21.4% after 97.4% of the ballots were counted.

They would now go through to a second-round run-off.

The most likely outcome of the second round vote remains a Macron presidency, which we think would benefit the French economy, notes analysts at Capital Economics.

His planned labour market reforms would help to boost growth, even if his target of an unemployment rate of 7% by 2022 is very ambitious, given its historical path.

Geopolitical concern in Asia was set on the backburner as the news from France filtered through, even though tensions on the Korean peninsula continued to tighten.

North Korean authorities arrested a US citizen in Pyongyang at the weekend, before announcing it was prepared to sink an American aircraft carrier.

Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with US President Donald Trump about the Korea situation over the phone earlier on Monday, before Trump held a similar conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Oil prices were slightly higher in Asian trade on Monday after falling on Friday, with Brent crude last up 0.9% at $52.43 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate climbing back over the $50 level, rising 0.92% to $50.08.

Australias S&P/ASX 200 finished up 0.3% at 5,871.78, as the foreign investment regulator approved the sale of utility Alinta Energy to Hong Kong jeweller Chow Tai Fook.

It was closely watched by local traders, after the Foreign Investment Review Board blocked Chinese investment into the national electricity distributor Ausgrid in August last year.

In New Zealand, the S&P/NZX 50 was 0.4% higher at 7,222.94, led higher by broadband infrastructure operator Chorus, which added 3.2% after it was revealed it would be added to the Australian benchmark as well.

Local construction giant Fletcher Building was 1.3% firmer, extending its recovery from Friday after touching 12-month lows earlier last week.

Both of the down under dollars were stronger on the greenback, with the Aussie advancing 0.54% to AUD 1.3190 and the Kiwi ahead 0.04% at NZD 1.4225.
The CISF, tasked to guard 59 civil airports in the country, today initiated a week-long trial of the new system at the airports of Chennai, Patna, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow.

By Press Trust of India: Six more airports in the country could soon do away with the practise of stamping passengers hand baggage tags, after few prominent ones ushered in the new system from April 1.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), tasked to guard 59 civil airports in the country, today initiated a week-long trial of the new system at the airports of Chennai, Patna, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow.

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Beginning April 1, the CISF has already done away with the system at seven such air facilities in Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

"The week-long trial at these six airports will end on April 30. We will take a call based on the results and the assessment.

"If all the security concerns are found satisfactory, we will be ushering in the new regime of non-stamping of the hand baggage tags at these six airports very soon," said CISF Director General O P Singh.

The trial will ensure that adequate security gadgets and logistics are provided at these six airports so that full proof security measures are in place once the stamping of the hand baggage tags procedure is discontinued.

By having the stamped tags on the hand baggage, the security personnel used to be assured that no weapon or ammunition like material enters the aircraft with the passenger and now with the deployment of smart cameras and re-positioning of security paraphernalia at the seven airports, the same objective is being achieved.

The procedure remained a major irritant for passengers and they have made many complaints in this regard to airport authorities saying this system poses hassles for them as it consumes time and in case they forget to get it tagged, security personnel would ask them to go back and get it done.

The output roller trays at the seven airports, which have initiated the new drill, have now been extended in order to provide more visual clarity to the security personnel on each and every bag even as they have been instructed to minutely go through the x-ray images before clearing the hand bags.

COMMITTEE FORMED TO EASE NEW PROTOCOL

A committee comprising officials of the CISF, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the airport operators has been recently constituted to smoothen the roll-out of this new protocol at all the 59 airports guarded by the paramilitary force.

This was done after a high-level meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and his counterpart in the Civil Aviation Ministry, Jayant Sinha, in which the earlier BCAS order about stamping the hand baggage tags was stayed.

The meeting while staying the BCAS order had sought a thorough review of the security apparatus before the new measure could be launched.

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The CISF said it had sought modifications in the airport security for doing away with the hand baggage stamping and "to make sure that passengers could not access bags containing restricted items which are segregated by CISF personnel for checking (after X-ray scanning)".

DG Singh had said the new measure will enhance "passenger experience and provide hassle free security environment to them" while travelling through the airports.

The new protocols are only meant for domestic passengers and those travelling to international destinations will have to get their hand baggage tags stamped as usual.

Also read:

Good news: Hand baggage stamping not needed at these airports from April 1

--- ENDS ---
Markets breathed an audible sigh of relief on Monday as the centrist candidate, Emanuelle Macron, came away the winner from the first round of voting in France's presidential elections at the weekend.

As of 08:26 GMT Paris's top-tier Cac-40 was higher by 3.46% to 5,234.39, alongside gains of 2.12% for the German Dax to 12,314.60 and of 3.1% for both Milan's FTSE Mibtel and the Spanish Ibex 35.

Shares of banks in the euro area were the best performers, leaping 5.6% higher, while the euro was up by 1.22% against the US dollar.

Macron beat both his rivals and the pre-election polls, coming in first with 23.86% of the votes with the ballot count 97.4% complete, versus 21.4% for his nearest rival Marine Le Pen.

For the most part, analysts sounded an optimistic note on the implications of Macron's win for the French economy and the current drive to reform it, with some investors billing the presidential elections as a contest between the optimists and pessimists in France.

"The most likely outcome of the second round vote remains a Macron presidency, which we think would benefit the French economy. His planned labour market reforms would help to boost growth, even if his target of an unemployment rate of 7% by 2022 is very ambitious, given its historical path.

"And his pro-business stance should support investment. His presidency would also bode well for the EU, perhaps particularly if combined with a Schulz presidency in Germany after Septembers election there," said analysts at Capital Economics.

Nonetheless, the fact remains that nearly 46% of the electorate voted for candidates who questionned the country remaining in the euro.

Analysts appeared more divided on the other hand about the knock-on effects for Britain, with some indicating that greater stability in France and the EU would help the UK.

Carsten Nickel of Teneo Intelligence on the other hand told Bloomberg that French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's strong showing and the elevated levels of euro-skepticism in France mean Macron has an incentive to play 'hard-ball' with Westminster.

"[The next president] cant let the U.K. get away with a benign deal" or French voters might start to eye the exit as well, he said.

On the economic calendar for Monday, the German IFO institute's business confidence gauge for April is expected to show a slight improvement. After the close of trading in London, US Federal Reserve president Neel Kashkari is set to make a speech and participate in a Q&A session later in the day.

Stock in Deutsche Post DHL Group is trading higher after a person familiar with the matter told Reuters it is seeking a buyer for its British outsourcing subsidiary Williams Lea.

Dortmund may buy more shares in German power maker RWE, the city's mayor told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung over the weekend.

Order intake at Volkswagens Scania truck unit was "really strong" during the first quarter, its boss Henrik Henriksson told Dagens Industri.
Activist hedge fund Elliott Capital Advisors has taken a 6.8% stake in rail, telecoms and defence engineer WS Atkins .

The stake was purchased on Friday, when Atkins agreed to be taken over by Canada's SNC-Lavalin for 2.1bn.

Atkins shareholders will each receive 2,080p per share, as offered at the start of the month.

The UK company will not pay any final dividend for the financial year ended 31 March 2017.

If Atkins announces, declares, makes or pays any dividend or other distribution then SNC-Lavalin said it will reduce the offer price by an equal amount. Shareholders will vote at a meeting, with 75% approval needed.

Quebec-headquartered SNC-Lavalin has offices in over 50 countries, providing engineering and construction services to clients in four industry sectors of oil and gas, mining and metallurgy, infrastructure and power.

At 1555 BST, WS Atkins shares were up 0.7% to 2,116p.
Tensions between the US and North Korea increased at the weekend after an American professor was arrested in Pyongyang, while the isolated regime threatened to sink a US aircraft carrier following exercises in the western Pacific.

Relations between the two states have plummeted further in recent weeks as the DPRK steps up its missile programme and the US strengthens its alliance with South Korea through military exercises close to its neighbour.

Kim Sang-duk, a Korean-American lecturer who taught at the Pyongyang University of Science for several weeks prior to his arrest, was detained on Saturday with no official explanation being given for the decision. Kim had been involved in aid programmes and relief activities in North Korea.

Relations between the two states have plummeted further in recent weeks

A statement from the Pyongyang university said that the arrest was not connected in any way to Kims work at the college.

Meanwhile, state media in North Korea has said that the countrys military forces are combat-ready to respond to the placement of the US ship along with two Japanese navy ships in waters close to the state.

"Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," the Rodong Sinmun newspaper said on Sunday. It referred to the US aircraft carrier as a "gross animal".

President Donald Trump ordered the placement of the ship just off the Korean peninsula in response to the increased missile testing being carried out by Kim Jong-un's regime in recent weeks.
London's FTSE 100 was up 2.1% to 7,2634.30 in afternoon trade as investors welcomed the outcome of the first round of France's Presidential elections.

Irish packaging company Smurfit Kappa was given a boost as Goldman Sachs said the 7% drop in the share price over the past month created an attractive entry point.

GS said Smurfit remained its top-pick in the European paper and packaging space, as although the market has become increasingly concerned about a margin squeeze, this "is temporary in our view" as box prices are expected to increase in the second half to enable margins to recover quickly.

Barclays, Standard Chartered and RBS were all on the front foot, tracking their European peers as investors breathed a sigh of relief over the outcome of the first round of the French presidential elections.

ETX Capital analyst Neil Wilson said: "Banks are doing well because there is now no major risk of significant outflows from the European banking system as investors no longer worry about the future of the euro. Until the Italian elections that is."

Going the other way, utilities Centrica and SSE retreated on reports that the Conservative manifesto will include a cap on household energy bills. Centrica was also dragged lower by a downgrade to 'neutral' from 'buy' UBS, which said the snap election in June makes an energy tariff cap more likely.

"We now see implementation of some form of tariff cap as more likely than not," the bank said. It added that proposals could come this week or during the election campaign, but in either case the context of a general election increases the focus on visible action and the chance a tariff cap will be the preferred measure.

Precious metals miner Randgold Resources lost its shine amid declining gold prices as investors shunned safe-haven assets due to the risk-on tone in markets.

Risers

Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,091.00p 5.45%

CRH (CRH) 2,844.00p 4.98%

Barclays (BARC) 217.90p 4.78%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 718.00p 4.68%

GKN (GKN) 366.00p 4.18%

Old Mutual (OML) 199.20p 4.08%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 562.00p 3.69%

Aviva (AV.) 528.50p 3.63%

Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 8,590.00p 3.25%

Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 247.10p 3.04%

Fallers

Centrica (CNA) 198.10p -4.62%

SSE (SSE) 1,396.00p -3.39%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 6,925.00p -2.05%

Severn Trent (SVT) 2,312.00p -0.34%

United Utilities Group (UU.) 973.50p -0.21%

Babcock International Group (BAB) 904.00p 0.11%

Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 1,825.00p 0.22%

Sage Group (SGE) 656.50p 0.23%

Sky (SKY) 982.00p 0.26%

BT Group (BT.A) 311.75p 0.26%
Tony Hayward will step down from the board of Genel Energy , as the former BP chief executive parts company with the Kurdish oil producer he co-founded.

Hayward will retire as chairman at the conclusion annual shareholder meeting on 6 June, to be replaced by ex-Shell man Stephen Whyte.

After many year at Shell, Whyte has been commercial chief at BG Group and spent six years with Clyde Petroleum as exploration leader and then commercial director, with a recent stint as head of exploration and production at Portgual's Galp Energia.

CEO Murat Ozgul said: "It has been a great pleasure to have worked with Tony during his time at Genel. When we first started working together, the oil industry in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was still in its infancy, without an export pipeline and there was a high degree of uncertainty over export sales.

"Kurdistan now has a fully operational pipeline infrastructure exporting up to 600,000 bopd, and Taq Taq and Tawke have a proven track record of international sales and significant cash generation. Everyone at Genel wishes Tony all the best in his future activities."

Whyte said he believed the company had "renewed momentum" and significant opportunities in its portfolio.

"The fall in oil price impacted the entire industry, and that, coupled with the impact of the war against ISIS, put pressure on the finances of the already squeezed Kurdistan Regional Government. As the environment now improves, I look forward to working with the board to ensure that Genel has the best possible strategy for the future."
BRUSSELS - The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) has called for EU regulators to raise the quality threshold for applications to register chemical substances. The agency made the call as the European Commission this spring conducts its five-year review of the REACH chemical legislation which is carried out by EU member states, the EU Commission and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This is REACH's second review since it came into force in 2007.
Humidity-responsive burrowing of seeds inspires scientists to model the mechanism and find more efficient ways to penetrate soil for agricultural applications

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 24, 2017 -- Researchers in South Korea have quantitatively deconstructed what they describe as the "ingenious mobility strategies" of seeds that self-burrow rotationally into soil. This is an example of the many ways nature uses biological geometry to provide plants with muscle-like capabilities.

Professor Ho-Young Kim, from Seoul National University in Korea, brought together his colleagues to start a research project based on inspiration he took from watching a plant documentary. Seeds maneuvered to dig into soil using a coiled appendage, known as an awn, that responds to humidity. The team investigated this awn's burrowing and discovered how the nubile sprouts seem to mimic a drill to bury themselves. Their findings, published last week in the journal Physics of Fluids, by AIP publishing, could have dramatic implications for improving agricultural robotics.

"It was a surprise to us that the plant can produce effective motions without muscles. We immediately investigated plant species with self-burrowing seeds and identified plant species using similar digging strategies," said Wonjong Jung, a former student of Kim and now senior researcher at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology in Korea. "Although the seeds of some plants such as wild wheat have simple curved awns that exhibit only bending motions, the seeds of other plants with helical awns can generate rotary motions for digging. We thought that it was highly probable that the seeds spin themselves to facilitate digging."

The research team studied seeds from the flowering species Pelargonium, whose helically coiled awn responds to humidity, demonstrating hygroscopic expansion. In humid environments, the awn deforms to straighten out. If the seed is anchored, this reaction can create thrust against the soil as the unwinding coil rotationally digs and buries the seed.

"Our work illuminates the surprising functionality and beauty of natural design," Wonjung Kim, a professor at Sogang University in Korea said. "Although plants cannot generally produce active motions due to their lack of muscle, some seeds have evolved to create burrowing toward a better germination environment. More surprisingly, when a helical shape awn is exploited, the burial strategy is remarkably good for drag reduction."

Beyond highlighting another of evolution's wondrous mechanical developments, the mathematical models resulting from this work have direct applications to current and next-generation robotics. Understanding the mechanics of these seeds and how their motion reduces the drag force of the soil's granular environment deepens our insight into soil-digging machine design.

"To obtain environmental information such as soil pollution in inaccessible areas such as space planets, battlefields, or disaster areas, small robots are needed," Kim said. "Our research has demonstrated a reduction in particle drag by rotation, which informs an efficient intruder design method for digging robots. Furthermore, self-burrowing awns provide inspiration for designing non-motorized robots that respond to various stimuli such as heat, light, and humidity."

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The article, "Reduction of granular drag inspired by self-burrowing rotary seeds," is authored by Wonjong Jung, Sung Mock Choi, Wonjung Kim and Ho-Young Kim. The article appeared in Physics of Fluids April 18, 2017 [DOI: 10.1063/1.497998] and can be accessed at http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4979998.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Physics of Fluids is devoted to the publication of original theoretical, computational, and experimental contributions to the dynamics of gases, liquids, and complex or multiphase fluids. See http://pof.aip.org.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have uncovered a new mechanism showing how microbes can alter the physiology of the organisms in which they live. In a paper published in Nature Cell Biology, the researchers reveal how microbes living inside the laboratory worm C. elegans respond to environmental changes and generate signals to the worm that alter the way it stores lipids.

"Microbe-host interactions have been known for a long time, but the actual molecular mechanisms that mediate the interactions were largely unknown," said senior author Dr. Meng Wang, associate professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor and the Huffington Center On Aging. "Microbes living inside another organism, the host, can respond to changes in the environment, change the molecules they produce and consequently influence the normal workings of the host's body, including disease susceptibility."

In this study, Wang and first author Dr. Chih-Chun Lin working in the Wang Lab have dissected for the first time a molecular mechanism by which E. coli bacteria can regulate C. elegans' lipid storage. How E. coli changes lipid storage in C. elegans

C. elegans is a laboratory worm model scientists use to study basic biological mechanisms in health and disease.

"This worm naturally consumes and lives with bacteria in its gut and interacts with them in ways that are similar to those between humans and microbes. In the laboratory, we can study basic biological mechanisms by controlling the type of bacteria living inside this worm as well as other variables and then determining the effect on the worm's physiology," Wang said.

In this study, Wang and Lin compared two groups of worms. One group received bacteria that had been grown in a nutritionally rich environment. The other group of worms received the same type of bacteria, but it had grown in nutritionally poor conditions. Both groups of worms received the same amount and type of nutrients, the only difference was the type of environment in which the bacteria had grown before they were administered to the worms.

Interestingly, the worms carrying bacteria that came from a nutritionally poor environment had in their bodies twice the amount of fat present in the worms living with the bacteria coming from the nutritionally rich environment.

The researchers then carried out more experiments and determined that it was the lack of the amino acid methionine in the nutritionally poor environment that had triggered the bacteria to adapt by producing different compounds that then initiated a cascade of events in the worm that led to extra fat accumulation. In addition, the researchers observed that the tissues showing extra fat accumulation also had their mitochondria fragmented. The activities of the mitochondria, the balance between their fusion and breaking apart, are known to be tightly coupled with metabolic activities. A mechanism that reveals unsuspected connections

The researchers found that the bacteria were able to trigger mitochondrial fragmentation and then extra lipid accumulation because the molecular intermediates the bacteria had triggered allowed them to 'establish communication' with the mitochondria.

"We have found evidence for the first time that bacteria and mitochondria can 'talk to each other' at the metabolic level," Wang said.

Bacteria and mitochondria are like distant relatives. Evolutionary evidence strongly suggests that mitochondria descend from bacteria that entered other cell types and became incorporated into their structure. Mitochondria play essential roles in many aspects of the cell's metabolism, but also maintain genes very similar to those of their bacterial ancestors.

"It's interesting that the molecules bacteria generate can chime in the communication between mitochondria and regulate their fusion-fission balance," Wang said. "Our findings reveal this kind of common language between bacteria and mitochondria, despite them being evolutionary distant from each other."

Some components of this common language involve proteins such as NR5A, Patched and Sonic Hedgehog. The latter is of particular interest to the researchers because it has not been involved in regulating lipid metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics before.

"Microbes in the microbiome can affect many aspects of their host's functions, and here we present a new molecular mechanism mediating microbe-host communication," Wang said. "Having discovered one mechanism encourages us to investigate others that may be related to other physiological aspects, such as the stress response and aging, among others."

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This project is supported by the National Institutes of Health grants R01AG045183, R01AT009050, DP1DK113644 and grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. It also is supported in part by a training fellowship from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and The Houston Laboratory and Population Science Training Program in Gene-Environment Interaction of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (BWF Grant 1008200).
RICHLAND, Wash. - Three small businesses have been selected to collaborate with researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to address technical challenges concerning bio-coal, hydrogen for fuel cell cars and nanomaterial manufacturing.

The companies are among the 38 different small businesses selected to participate in the third round of DOE's Small Business Vouchers pilot. The program enables American small businesses to leverage the world-class capabilities of DOE's national laboratories and bring the businesses' advanced energy products to the marketplace faster.

In the pilot's first two rounds, DOE connected 12 of its national labs with 76 small businesses. With this latest round, a total of 114 small businesses will have been selected to collaborate with a DOE national lab. The selected businesses are able to tap into the intellectual and technical resources needed to overcome critical technology challenges they face and help their advanced energy products gain a global competitive advantage.

PNNL is among five DOE national labs leading the pilot and is specifically supporting small businesses in five of the lab's areas of expertise: bioenergy, water power, advanced manufacturing, fuel cells and buildings. In this round, PNNL received $610,000 in vouchers to support the following three small business collaborations:

ThermChem Corporation, located in Portland, Ore., will work with PNNL chemical engineer Karl Albrecht and his colleagues to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the company's hydrothermal carbonization method, which converts dairy manure into bio-coal. PNNL will also assess the technical and economic feasibility of extracting valuable byproducts from liquid waste created during bio-coal production.

Emerald Energy NW, located in Bothell, Wash., will work with PNNL researcher Jamie Holladay and his colleagues to fabricate, test and identify improvements to a key component needed for rotary magnetic gas liquefaction, which turns hydrogen gas into a liquid so it can be transported to fueling stations for fuel cell cars

InnaVenture, located in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., will work with PNNL Laboratory Fellow Pete McGrail and his colleagues to develop and test improvements to the company's method to manufacture a highly sought-after type of nanomaterial called metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs.

Small Business Vouchers is part of the Tech-to-Market Program within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Tech-to-Market is focused on strengthening the innovation ecosystem by eliminating common barriers that prevent market exploration of new energy technologies. To learn more about the pilot and current projects, visit http://www.SBV.org.

The Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accelerates research and development of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality.

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For more information, see the full DOE announcement: https://www.ornl.gov/news/ornl-collaborate-five-small-businesses-advance-energy-tech.

Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,400 staff and has an annual budget of nearly $1 billion. It is managed by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. As the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information on PNNL, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
DURHAM, N.C. - Fracking has not contaminated groundwater in northwestern West Virginia, but accidental spills of fracking wastewater may pose a threat to surface water in the region, according to a new study led by scientists at Duke University.

"Based on consistent evidence from comprehensive testing, we found no indication of groundwater contamination over the three-year course of our study," said Avner Vengosh, professor of geochemistry and water quality at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. "However, we did find that spill water associated with fracked wells and their wastewater has an impact on the quality of streams in areas of intense shale gas development."

"The bottom-line assessment," he said, "is that groundwater is so far not being impacted, but surface water is more readily contaminated because of the frequency of spills."

The peer-reviewed study was published this month in the European journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

The Duke team collaborated with researchers from The Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University and the French Geological Survey to sample water from 112 drinking wells in northwestern West Virginia over a three-year period.

Twenty of the water wells were sampled before drilling or fracking began in the region, to provide a baseline for later comparisons.

Samples were tested for an extensive list of contaminants, including salts, trace metals and hydrocarbons such as methane, propane and ethane. Each sample was systematically analyzed using a broad suite of geochemical and isotopic forensic tracers that allowed the researchers to determine if contaminants and salts in the water stemmed from nearby shale gas operations, from other human sources, or were naturally occurring.

The tests showed that methane and saline groundwater were present in both the pre-drilling and post-drilling well water samples, but that they had a chemistry that was subtly but distinctly different from the isotopic fingerprints of methane and salts contained in fracking fluids and shale gas. This indicated that they occurred naturally in the region's shallow aquifers and were not the result of the recent shale gas operations.

"The integrated suite of tracers we used -- which were developed at Duke in recent years -- provides us with tools sensitive enough to accurately distinguish these subtle differences, which might be missed if you only used a handful of simple measurement techniques," explained Jennifer Harkness, a recent PhD graduate of Duke's Nicholas School, who led the new study.

Some of the tracers have never been used together before, Vengosh noted. "To our knowledge, we are the first to report a broadly integrated use of these various geochemical techniques in studying groundwater contamination before and after the installation and fracking of shale gas wells."

"What we found in the new study in West Virginia is different from what we have found in previous studies in northeastern Pennsylvania and Texas but similar to what we found in Arkansas," Vengosh said. "That's because geology varies by region, as do the drilling operators and conditions. Time also plays a factor. What we found in the study area in West Virginia after three years may be different from what we see after 10 years, because the impact on groundwater isn't necessarily immediate."

"Using this integrated toolbox, we can conduct similar tests in as many other regions as possible, over longer time frames, to determine both the unique short-term local impacts on water quality, and the broad, cumulative long-term impacts," he said.

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Vengosh and Harkness conducted the study with Thomas Darrah, Colin Whyte and Myles Moore of Ohio State; Nathaniel Warner of Penn State; Romain Millot and Wolfram Kloppman of the French Geological Survey, and Robert Jackson of Stanford.

Funding came from the National Science Foundation (grants #EAR-1441497 and #1249255) and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

CITATION:

"The Geochemistry of Naturally Occurring Methane and Saline Groundwater in an Area of Unconventional Shale Gas Development,: Jennifer S. Harkness, Thomas H. Darrah, Nathaniel R. Warner, Colin J. Whyte, Myles T. Moore, Romain Millot, Woldfram Kloppman, Robert B. Jackson, and Avner Vengosh; Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, July, 2017 (available online, April 2017): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.03.039
In Sunday's municipal vote in the city, the BJP is expected to bag 202-220 of the total 272 wards, up from its tally of 142 in 2012.

By Harmeet Shah Singh, Rahul Kanwal: Arvind Kejriwal's ruling Aam Aadmi Party is poised for a rout if Delhi were to hold assembly elections today, according to a comparative analysis of the India Today-Axis-My-India's MCD forecast.

In Sunday's municipal vote in the city, the BJP is expected to bag 202-220 of the total 272 wards, up from its tally of 142 in 2012. Axis-My-India pollsters have predicted a sizeable decline in the Congress' share -- from 77 five years ago to somewhere between 19-31 in the MCD of 2017.

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Kejriwal's AAP, which debuted in municipal elections this year, is projected to win 23 to 35 wards.

And if extrapolated to 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi, these figures for the MCD boroughs would spell doom for the Aam Aadmi Party government.

A ward-to-constituency computation of exit polls suggests the AAP numbers would plummet down to a single digit if elections for Delhi's legislature were to be held today. Two years ago, Kejriwal's party won the same house with a landslide of 67, delivering a bloody nose to its powerful rivals.

But if municipal projections are any indication, the AAP seems to have lost popular support among various sections of Delhi voters, who catapulted it to power in the state assembly back in 2015.

A deeper study of exit-poll predictions from the MCD elections unfolds a potential fall of the Aam Aadmi Party and a sterling rise of the BJP in the event of a mid-term vote for the state assembly around this time.

Together with the Congress, Kejriwal's AAP might have to settle down at 4-7 seats if elections to the Delhi legislature were held now, the extrapolated data show. The BJP, on the other hand, is expected to get 56-62 constituencies in such a scenario, up from 03 in 2015.

The saffron party is also set to retain all its seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi if general elections happened today, the data illustrate.

The Axis-My-India's city-wide survey found 57 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with the state administration of Arvind Kejriwal compared to 68 per cent endorsing the Modi government at the centre for its performance.

Individually, the AAP convenor still remains the most preferred leader of Delhi's citizens, with 25 per cent of respondents placing their confidence in him. The BJP's Manoj Tiwari follows him closely, with 21 per cent rallying round in support. Ajay Maken of the Congress party trails badly, with only 4 per cent of citizens ticking him off on the favourite list.

In terms of party-preference though, the BJP tops public choice with 43 per cent of people in its support, followed by the AAP (25 per cent) and the Congress (18 per cent), according to the survey.

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SCs/STs/OBCs

With its promise of uplifting the downtrodden, Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party caught the imagination of lower-castes two years ago.

But now, a large part of this key bloc seems to moved away from the AAP. As high as 41 per cent of the SCs/STs and 49 per cent of the OBCs are throwing their weight behind the BJP in 2017, the Axis-My-India statistics disclose.For them, the AAP is now the second choice followed by the Congress, the study shows.

MUSLIMS

Like the lower-castes, Delhi's Muslims too overwhelmingly stood beside Kejriwal when he sought re-election in 2015. But the Axis-My-India survey has observed the minority community is moving back rapidly to Rahul Gandhi's party. Around 42 per cent of Muslims who participated in the latest study favoured the Congress as against 37 per cent supporting the AAP.

Among Delhi's Sikhs, the data showed, close to 43 per cent backed the BJP over 27 per cent rooting for the AAP and 23 per cent for the Congress.

WEAKER SECTIONS

Class-wise, the BJP has been found to be maintaining a considerable lead over other political players in Delhi across all income groups -- from less than Rs 10,000 a household to residents of high-end villas.

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A large number of slum-dwellers and other economically-weaker citizens, who were seen as a core support-base of the AAP in 2015, are now leaning towards the BJP, the study indicates. Almost 40 per cent of respondents in slums chose Modi's party, 26 per cent Kejriwal's and 25 per cent Gandhi's Congress.

The BJP now also enjoyed support of 42 per cent of citizens with a monthly household income of up to Rs 10,000. Around 25 per cent backed the AAP and 23 per cent the Congress in the same category, according to the survey.

YOUTH

Two years ago, young voters gravitated in hordes towards the AAP. But not any more if Axis-My-India study is to be believed. In the 18-35 age-group, 45 per cent of respondents in the poll now favoured Modi's party followed by 23 per cent supporting Kejriwal's.

The Axis-My-India survey was based on face-to-face interviews across 272 wards of Delhi, with a sample-size of 13,800. "As high as 68 per cent Delhi's citizenry has expressed satisfaction with the Modi government.

"As high as 68 per cent Delhi's citizenry has expressed satisfaction with the Modi government. This primarily is Brand Modi that has drawn the voters towards the BJP and away from the AAP," said Pradeep Gupta, managing director of Axis-My-India.

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Also read:

MCD 2017 exit poll results: BJP poised to sweep Delhi municipal election, predicts India Today-Axis My India

MCD 2017 exit poll results: India Today-Axis My India predicts big win for BJP, massive setback for AAP, CongressWATCH VIDEO | India Today-Axis-My-India's MCD forecast: BJP would sweep elections if Assembly elections held today

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Earth's creatures outwardly display an astonishing diversity of genitalia and mating behavior, but the intricate details of how genitalia interact during copulation has remained largely mysterious. In a new study, researchers deploy inventive new techniques to decipher the internal dynamics of copulation. They demonstrate the approach in multiple species of marine mammals, which are animals known to have unusually shaped genitalia.

Dara Orbach, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Dalhousie University and research associate at Mount Holyoke College, will present the work at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"While it may seem intuitive that the penis fits well into the vagina during copulation, the biomechanics and details of the anatomical fit can be quite complex and have seldom been explored," said Orbach. "Whales, dolphins and porpoises have unusual vaginal folds, spirals and recesses that the penis and sperm must navigate through to successfully fertilize the egg."

After obtaining reproductive tracts from dolphins, porpoises and seals that died naturally, Orbach and her colleagues developed a system to inflate the penises to full erection and simulate copulation with vaginal tissue samples. They then used computed tomography (CT) scans to visualize how deeply the penis penetrates the vagina and which anatomical landmarks are in contact. They also created silicone models of the interior of the dolphin vagina to explore how its shape might have coevolved with the shape of the male penis.

"Most previous research on genitalia has focused on the penis," Orbach said. Studying the genital diversity of both sexes together--including how they interact during copulation--is crucial to understand evolutionary driving forces. Marine mammals offer an especially interesting case study in the evolution of copulation because these animals must contend with some unique constraints, such as the challenge of mating while swimming in 3-D space and the need to prevent seawater from entering the uterus.

Orbach said studying animal copulation also has practical benefits, particularly in the context of conservation.

"The techniques we have developed can be applied to other species and help advance captive breeding programs," said Orbach. "For example, we demonstrate that particular anatomical landmarks are in contact during copulation and suggest that physical stimulation of these landmarks during artificial insemination may improve the probability of conception. Our research can also help predict which natural copulations will lead to fertilization, as males must sexually approach females at specific angles to optimize their genital alignment and penetration."

Dara Orbach will present this research during the Genital Functional Morphology: Mechanical Forces and Sexual Selection session at 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23, in room 175AB, McCormick Place Convention Center (poster E21 577.21) (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

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Image available.

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

About the American Association of Anatomists (AAA)

AAA is the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on anatomical form and function. Founded in 1888, the society advances the three-dimensional understanding of structure as it relates to development and function, from molecule to organism. http://www.anatomy.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom.
DNA might get all the attention, but proteins do the work. The recent confirmation that it is possible to extract proteins--which are encoded by DNA and perform all of the functions that keep living cells alive--from 80-million-year-old dinosaur bones has provided fodder for big questions about everything from evolution to biomaterials to extraterrestrial life.

Mary Schweitzer, PhD, professor of biology at North Carolina State University, will present her work on refining methods to extract and responsibly use dinosaur proteins at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"When you think about it, it is the message of DNA--the proteins--that are actually the stuff on which natural selection works," said Schweitzer. "The sequences of proteins can be used to generate 'family trees' of organisms, just like DNA. But modifications to proteins, which are not found in DNA and can't be reliably predicted from DNA sequence alone, can tell us how a protein functioned, because the function of a protein is determined by its 3-D structure."

For example, if you find a proline amino acid with an extra OH (oxygen + hydrogen) group attached, you can be almost certain you have collagen, the stuff that holds together skin and other connective tissues throughout the body. From the standpoint of function and evolutionary fitness, changes in DNA over time don't really matter unless the protein changes; as a result, studying changes in proteins over time can yield richer information about evolution than studying DNA alone, Schweitzer explained.

Proteins also can yield clues about the age of a sample or about the environment in which an animal lived or was buried. Researchers are also keen to understand what makes some proteins break down while others persist for eons. Conveniently, Schweitzer and others have found that proteins (or at least some types of them) are more likely to remain stable over tens of millions of years than DNA is, making them low-hanging fruit for extracting new information from old bones.

Now that she and her colleagues have demonstrated repeatedly that proteins can be extracted from dino bones, Schweitzer is focusing on new research directions. First, she is turning her attention toward refining methods for studying these ancient proteins so that paleontologists can get more information with less damage to specimens. Mass spectrometry, central to her team's current methods, is time-intensive and necessarily destroys the sample, so Schweitzer's team is working to build a database of methods and criteria that other researchers might employ to get as much information as they can from other fossils and optimize the use of mass spectrometry when it is truly worthwhile. She also is working on ways to broaden the search for proteins to different dinosaur tissues, specimens and environments.

A second area of focus is to explore what, exactly, proteins can tell us about the organism that produced them. For example, can they reveal more about the animal's physiology and not just evolutionary relationships? Can they tell us more about the functions, not only of proteins, but of the tissues they comprise? What about reproductive behavior? Or maybe proteins can be used to help pin down the timing of when various evolutionary novelties emerged at different points in Earth's history.

Paleontologists, of course, are interested in what life was like in the era of the dinosaurs, but Schweitzer believes this research also can have implications for our own times and even our future. Given that the dinosaurs lived through numerous periods of global change, for example, perhaps we can learn something from how they responded to those shifts on a molecular level as we face our own global changes. In addition, understanding what makes some proteins break down quickly or persist indefinitely could help researchers identify exciting new opportunities in drug development or the development of biomaterials.

"We have transparent, flexible, hollow polymers that have lasted for 80 million years," Schweitzer pointed out. "Someone surely can find a use for that!"

Refining the research methods used to extract proteins from ancient bones could even come in handy in the quest for extraterrestrial life, she noted. After all, sifting through bone buried in the sediments of Montana for infinitesimally small, fragmented biomolecules might not be so very different from sifting through the sediments of Mars for signs of life.

Mary Schweitzer will present this research during the Vertebrate Anatomy, Paleontology and Future of Life's History session at 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday, April 24, in Room 176AB, McCormick Place Convention Center (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

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Images available.

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

About the American Association of Anatomists (AAA)

AAA is the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on anatomical form and function. Founded in 1888, the society advances the three-dimensional understanding of structure as it relates to development and function, from molecule to organism. http://www.anatomy.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2017/newsroom.
Vienna, Austria: New research suggests it is possible to quickly and accurately diagnose some the most dangerous and drug-resistant types of bacterial infections, using equipment already owned by most hospitals.

Bacteria have been gradually evolving to become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. Over the last few year, scientists have found evidence that some bacteria have become resistant to a last resort antibiotic called colistin.

Now, in a presentation at the 27th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), researchers described how they were able to test bacteria to quickly tell whether they were resistant to colistin, and how easily they might pass this resistance on to other bacteria. They say this is an important discovery because knowing which patients have these most dangerous infections means it is possible to use quarantine measures to halt their spread and stop the rise of drug resistance.

The research was presented by Dr Laurent Dortet, Associate Professor at South Paris University, France, and a researcher at Imperial College London, UK. The work was a collaboration between Dr Dortet and colleagues at Imperial, Dr Gerald Larrouy-Maumus and Professor Alain Filloux.

They studied bacteria called Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. These are both members of a group of bacteria called Enterobacteriacae that can cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, lung diseases such bronchitis and pneumonia, and even sepsis.

Some strains of these bacteria have become resistant to nearly all available antibiotics mostly by producing antibiotic inactivating enzymes, for example extended-spectrum -lactamases and carbapenemases. This means that colistin often remains the only treatment option for these multidrug resistant bacteria. Unfortunately, some have now also developed resistance to colistin.

Previous research has shown two different types of colistin resistance exist in bacteria. One type, called chromosome-encoded resistance, can only be passed on when bacteria grow and divide to form new bacteria cells. The other type, called plasmid-encoded resistance, is considered more dangerous because it can be passed on from one type of bacteria to another completely different type of bacteria.

Dr Dortet told the congress: "This plasmid-encoded resistance is particularly worrying because it has the potential to spread quickly and easily and, if that happens, last resort drugs like colistin could also become obsolete. If, on the other hand, we are able to rapidly identify bacteria that have this type of resistance, we can take measures to stop its spread. This might include isolating the patient in a separate room where they are treated by dedicated medical staff."

The team tested 134 different colonies of bacteria using a machine called a mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometers are found in testing labs at most hospitals where they are used to analyse various different molecules.

They found that it was possible to distinguish not only between those bacteria that are colistin resistant, and those that are not, but also which bacteria have the more dangerous plasmid-encoded resistance. They say the test can be carried out in around 15 minutes and would cost less than one US dollar per sample.

Dr Larrouy-Maumus explained: "The exciting thing about this technique is that it relies on technology that is already available in most hospitals. This means that it could be rolled out quickly and cheaply, and potentially have a rapid impact on tackling drug-resistance."

The researchers are now working with Imperial Innovations, Imperial College London's technology transfer office, to patent the technique and develop it for widespread use in hospital laboratories.

They say the test could also be useful for screening in veterinary samples, where levels of colistin-resistance are known to be high. It might also be used for testing whether new drugs are able restore bacteria's vulnerability to colistin.

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Researchers at Houston Methodist demonstrated that a surface protein called OX40, responsible for keeping one type of immune system cell alive, can trigger the death of liver immune cells, in turn starting a chain reaction of events leading to liver inflammation and disease.

The study, led by Xian Chang Li, M.D., Ph.D., is described in the April 24 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).

[Click here for video of Xian Chang Li, M.D., Ph.D., explaining his research]

OX40 is a cell surface receptor on T-cells, the white blood cells (leukocytes) that circulate in our bodies. The liver hosts a large number of immune cells, and this protein receptor helps T-cells proliferate. Outside the liver, OX40 drives cell longevity, preventing emergence of proteins that threaten T-cell survival.

However, Li's team observed in a genetically modified mouse that this same OX40 protein killed immune cells inside the liver in what is called pyroptotic death, or inflammatory cell death.

"What we found was polar opposite of what our team originally hypothesized. Invariant natural killer T-cells, or iNKTs, are immune cells in the liver that express OX40 on their surface," said Li, director of the Immunobiology and Transplant Science Center at Houston Methodist Research Institute. "Instead of helping these resident immune cells in the liver to survive, OX40 drives a messy inflammatory cell death."

Li theorizes that OX40's threat to the liver is a two-step process. First, OX40 activates a chain reaction with the production of another protein (caspase-1), which, in turn, activates a third protein (gasdermin D) that forms pores in cell membranes. Once the membranes become permeable to circulating molecules, the immune cells commit suicide by bursting, releasing the inflammatory messengers of the immune system (cytokines) and causing inflammation.

Second, the OX40-induced death of the resident immune cells (iNKTs) is what likely leads to the serious consequences for liver inflammation, liver cell damage and, in severe cases, cirrhosis.

"We are clearly interested in learning how the liver microenvironment makes the iNKT cells so fragile and susceptible to this messy cell death," Li said. "We hope to open new avenues of intervention such as OX40 inhibitors or blockers."

Once a blocker is designed to stop inflammatory cell death, Li and his colleagues plan to run clinical studies in humans to see if the same events take place. According to the American Liver Foundation, 30 million Americans suffer from some form of liver disease.

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This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01AI080779 and R01AI106200). The print article will appear in JCI's (June 2017) issue. The Journal of Clinical Investigation has a 12.575 impact factor.

Li's collaborators on the JCI paper are: Peixiang Lan, Yihui Fan, Yue Zhao, Xiaohua Lou, Xiaolong Zhang, Yaling Dou, Rafik M. Ghobrial, Xiang Xiao and Xian Chang Li (Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX); Howard P. Monsour (formerly of Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX); Yongwon Choi (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA); Naoto Ishii (Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan).

To speak with Xian C. Li, M.D., Ph.D., contact Gale Smith, Houston Methodist, at 281.627.0439 or gsmith@houstonmethodist.org. For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For more information: P. Lan, Y. Fan, Y. Zhao, X. Lou, H.P. Monsour, X. Zhang, Y. Choi, Y. Dou, N. Ishii, R.M. Ghobrial, X. Xiao and X.C. Li. Journal of Clinical Investigation, (Online April 24, 2017). DOI: 10.1172/JCI91075.
Despite hospitals' best efforts, there is little proof that policies to inhibit patient mobility actually prevent falls and may actually increase the risk of serious side effects, according to Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife.

"According to a 2009 estimate, hospital patients spend over 95% of their time in bed. In -hospital immobility is one of several factors theorized to give rise to the "posthospital syndrome," a transient state of heightened vulnerability following hospitalization that is associated with an increased risk of functional decline, medical adverse events, and hospital readmission," writes Inouye in the April 24 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Writing with co-authors Matthew Growdon, MD, MPH of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Ron Shorr, MD, MS, University of Florida, Dr. Inouye, who is renowned for her work in preventing and recognizing delirium, illuminates the unfortunate stream of consequences that hospitals unintentionally set in motion in their attempts to prevent patient falls.

Inouye cites several studies that demonstrate that such policies increase the risks of many serious side effects, and that promoting mobility in hospitals may actually help to prevent injurious falls in the long run.

Inouye recommends that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare develop quality measures that promote mobility rather than incentivizing keeping patients in their beds. These measures could include supervised walks with mobility aids and trained staff or volunteers. Inouye also cautions against the use of bed and chair alarms, which have proven ineffective at reducing falls, often promote immobility, and contribute to stress and alarm fatigue in nurses.

"With the rapidly aging population, this issue will become all the more important--presenting the opportunity for health systems to align care with outcomes that matter to patients," added Dr. Growdon.

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Dr. Inouye is the Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds the Milton and Shirley F. Levy Family Chair and is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center). Her research focuses on delirium and functional decline in hospitalized older patients, resulting in more than 250 peer-reviewed original articles to date.

About the Institute for Aging Research

Scientists at the Institute for Aging Research seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity and productivity into advanced age. The Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making. The Aging Brain Center within IFAR studies cognitive aging and conditions affecting brain health.

About Hebrew SeniorLife

Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching and redefining the possibilities of aging. Founded in Boston in 1903, the nonprofit, non-sectarian organization today provides communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org, follow us on Twitter @H_SeniorLife, like us on Facebook or read our blog.
The solar flux is considered the fundamental energy source of earth's climate system on long time scales. In recent decades, some studies have noted that the tiny variations in solar activity could be amplified by the nonlinear process in climate system. Therefore, the astronomy factors, such as solar activity, present intriguing and cutting-edge questions to better understand climate change.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this subject, studies in this field were insufficient in China. In 2012, China's National Basic Research Program examined the impacts of astronomy and earth motion factors on climate change. Led by Prof. Ziniu XIAO (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences), this five-year research program that involved scientists in different research fields has greatly advanced understanding of this topic.

One of the major achievements by the multidisciplinary team is that a robust relationship between solar wind speed and North Atlantic Oscillation was found not only on a day-to-day time scale but also from the perspective of year-to-year variation, suggesting a much faster mechanism of solar influence on atmospheric system compared to the ozone destruction. Moreover, the team improved the collision and parameterization scheme and qualitatively evaluated the effects of solar energetic particle flux on cloud charge. Hence the team proposed that the solar wind and electric-microphysical effect was the key mechanism of solar activity on climate.

With the help of observations and model simulations, the team also found that the solar signal is more significant and detectable on an interdecadal time scale in some more sensitive regions, especially the tropical Pacific (eg. lagged dipolar convection pattern in tropical western Pacific; lagged El Nino Modoki-like pattern on tropical ocean surface) and monsoon regions (eg. rainband during the Mei-Yu season; north boundary of East Asian summer monsoon). Then a physical model is developed by the team to depict the interdecadal response of the air-sea system to solar activity.

The results above have been published in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters, Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal of Meteorological Research, Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, Journal of Climate, and Advances in Space Research.

The follow-up research by the team is currently in progress and focuses on two main aspects: one is the effects of solar radiative forcing and solar energetic particles on climate in middle-high latitudes through modulating polar stratospheric-troposphere coupling, and the other is the response of a tropical Pacific air-sea system to interdecadal variation in solar activity and how this response propagates into middle latitudes through East Asian monsoon activity.

A program report is recently published in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters.

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AMES, Iowa - The combination of lucrative incentives and pressure to meet sales goals led to a perfect storm that resulted in Wells Fargo employees creating millions of fraudulent bank accounts, said David King, an associate professor of management in Iowa State University's College of Business. It's an example of how self-interests can trump the best interests of an organization or its customers.

Wells Fargo is not alone. Volkswagen rigged vehicle emissions to comply with government standards, and the maker of the EpiPen came under fire for an exorbitant price increase. King says in all three examples, lack of oversight made it easy for company executives and employees to act in their own self-interest. In a paper, published by the journal Public Integrity, King explains how competing interests within an organization can limit egregious unethical behavior.

"We've created a system of 'What's in it for me?' and 'What can I get away with?' versus 'What's the right thing to do?'. There needs to be a restructuring of corporate governance, so more people, representing various interests, are at the table making decisions," King said. "That way no one person has complete power. They have to make compromises."

In most corporations, investors and managers are the primary stakeholders. King says a third party is needed. He and co-author Leslie Sekerka, a management professor at Menlo College in California, examined how defense procurement - often referred to as an "iron triangle" - is designed to mitigate self-interests. King says the Department of Defense, Congress and major defense firms that make up the triangle all have a stake in determining defense spending. The structure is similar to the three branches of government to allow for checks and balances.

King, a retired Air Force officer who served as a program manager for Air Force systems, explained that each stakeholder brings a different perspective to the table. For example, Congress is interested in jobs and support for military bases in their district, but must be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. The military wants the latest equipment, but at a fair price. The overlap between the two, along with defense firms vying for the contracts, creates a system of compromise.

At times, it can be a tedious and inefficient process, King said. However, the system generally keeps self-interests from prevailing, which could benefit corporations. As organizations grow, it is more difficult to oversee and manage every aspect of the operation, King said. Guaranteeing that all interests - from investors to managers to labor unions - are represented adds a layer of oversight and limits one group from wielding too much power.

Threat to the system

Plans to reorganize or eliminate the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, or USD/AT&L, could erase this system of checks and balances, King said. AT&L manages the budget, sets policy, reviews program costs and measures performance. Eliminating this office would shift responsibility to the individual branches, which could expedite some spending decisions, but King warns it could also lead to problems with oversight.

"It has the potential to put the fox in charge of the hen house, because each branch could essentially change the conditions to favor their own self-interests," King said. "AT&L made life difficult at times, but as a taxpayer I see the benefit. AT&L asked the tough questions and required compromise."

In the corporate world, having another voice at the table may also be difficult at times, but King says it's a necessary oversight. King used the example of Wells Fargo bank audits to illustrate how the current system is less than ideal. Bank managers received a 24-hour notice of an audit, and this did not provide the level of scrutiny needed to prevent problems, King said. In addition to improved oversight, King recommends corporate ethics policies, such as having an ombudsman or a whistle blower program.

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(BOSTON) - A new study led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers found that oral promethazine, a drug commonly taken to alleviate motion sickness, temporarily worsened vestibular perception thresholds by 31 percent, lowering one's ability to perceive sensory information about motion, balance and spatial orientation. These findings, published online in the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, may suggest that people taking the medication should take extra precautions to prevent falls, since shifts in vestibular perception thresholds are associated with poorer performance on standardized balance tests.

"Our study showed that the ability to perceive motion was significantly lowered when taking this drug," said senior author Faisal Karmali, Ph.D., a researcher in the Jenks Vestibular Physiology Lab at Mass. Eye and Ear and an instructor in otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. "We found that vestibular perception thresholds, which are the smallest motions that the brain can reliably perceive without visual information, get larger when people take the drug -- meaning that their perception gets worse. People aren't able to reliably recognize the same size motions that they could when they are not taking the drug."

A condition affecting millions of Americans, motion sickness can occur from any type of movement, but is especially common as people adjust to traveling on moving vehicles such as trains, airplanes, cars and amusement park rides. While the exact cause is unknown, the condition often involves the vestibular system, made up of tiny canals in the inner ear that are responsible for receiving information about motion, balance and spatial orientation. Dizziness, fatigue and nausea are the most common symptoms associated with the condition, and motion sickness drugs provide relief to many people.

"Almost everybody will get sick in a small boat on rough seas," said first author Ana Diaz Artiles, a research associate at Cornell University. "While the underlying cause is not completely understood, one theory suggests that conflict between how the body is moving and how it expects to move causes motion sickness."

The researchers measured the motion thresholds of 10 normal, healthy individuals during two visits to the Jenks Vestibular Physiology Lab at Mass. Eye and Ear separated by four days. Subjects were randomly (and blindly) given either oral promethazine or a placebo pill at each visit. In the test, subjects sat in a chair and repeatedly experienced small motions to the left or right, and reported their perception of the direction of each motion. The researchers found that tilt thresholds increased by 31 percent after ingestion of promethazine, indicating a worsening of vestibular perception. This increase in thresholds caused by the drug is equivalent to 10 years of aging.

The researchers assert that these results could have important functional implications, since recent studies show that higher tilt thresholds are associated with a higher risk of failing a balance test.

"Recent research shows that people are more likely to fail standardized balance tests if they have higher motion perception thresholds, and now we know that the drug causes higher thresholds," said Dr. Karmali. "We look forward to conducting further research to determine whether people who often take motion sickness drugs may want to take the same precautions that older folks do to avoid falls."

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In addition to Dr. Karmali, authors on the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology report include first author Ana Diaz Artiles, Ph.D., of Cornell University, Adrian Priesol, M.D, of Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School, Torin Clark, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and David Sherwood, Charles Oman, Ph.D., and Lawrence Young, Sc.D., of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Support for the study includes National Space Biomedical Research Institute grant NASA NCC 9-58 and National Institutes of Health grant NIDCD DC013635 (FK).

About Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Mass. Eye and Ear clinicians and scientists are driven by a mission to find cures for blindness, deafness and diseases of the head and neck. Now united with Schepens Eye Research Institute, Mass. Eye and Ear is the world's largest vision and hearing research center, developing new treatments and cures through discovery and innovation. Mass. Eye and Ear is a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and trains future medical leaders in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, through residency as well as clinical and research fellowships. Internationally acclaimed since its founding in 1824, Mass. Eye and Ear employs full-time, board-certified physicians who offer high-quality and affordable specialty care that ranges from the routine to the very complex. In the 2016-2017 "Best Hospitals Survey," U.S. News & World Report ranked Mass. Eye and Ear #1 in the nation for ear, nose and throat care and #1 in the New England for eye care. For more information about life-changing care and research, or to learn how you can help, please visit MassEyeAndEar.org.
The unpredictable annual flow of the Nile River is legendary, as evidenced by the story of Joseph and the Pharaoh, whose dream foretold seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine in a land whose agriculture was, and still is, utterly dependent on that flow. Now, researchers at MIT have found that climate change may drastically increase the variability in Nile's annual output.

Being able to predict the amount of flow variability, and even to forecast likely years of reduced flow, will become ever more important as the population of the Nile River basin, primarily in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, is expected to double by 2050, reaching nearly 1 billion. The new study, based on a variety of global climate models and records of rainfall and flow rates over the last half-century, projects an increase of 50 percent in the amount of flow variation from year to year.

The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, was carried out by professor of civil and environmental engineering Elfatih Eltahir and postdoc Mohamed Siam. They found that as a result of a warming climate, there will be an increase in the intensity and duration of the Pacific Ocean phenomenon known as the El Nino/La Nina cycle, which they had previously shown is strongly connected to annual rainfall variations in the Ethiopian highlands and adjacent eastern Nile basins. These regions are the primary sources of the Nile's waters, accounting for some 80 percent of the river's total flow.

The cycle of the Nile's floods has been "of interest to human civilization for millennia," says Eltahir, the Breene M. Kerr Professor of Hydrology and Climate. Originally, the correlation he showed between the El Nino/La Nina cycle and Ethiopian rainfall had been aimed at helping with seasonal and short-term predictions of the river's flow, for planning storage and releases from the river's many dams and reservoirs. The new analysis is expected to provide useful information for much longer-term strategies for placement and operation of new and existing dams, including Africa's largest, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, now under construction near the Ethiopia-Sudan border.

While there has been controversy about that dam, and especially about how the filling of its reservoir will be coordinated with downstream nations, Eltahir says this study points to the importance of focusing on the potential impacts of climate change and rapid population growth as the most significant drivers of environmental change in the Nile basin. "We think that climate change is pointing to the need for more storage capacity in the future," he says. "The real issues facing the Nile are bigger than that one controversy surrounding that dam."

Using a variety of global circulation models under "business as usual" scenarios, assuming that major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions do not take place, the study finds that the changing rainfall patterns would likely lead to an average increase of the Nile's annual flow of 10 to 15 percent. That is, it would grow from its present 80 cubic kilometers per year to about 92 or more cubic kilometers per year averaged over the 21st century, compared to the 20th century average.

The findings also suggest that there will be substantially fewer "normal" years, with flows between 70 and 100 cubic kilometers per year. There will also be many more extreme years with flows greater than 100, and more years of drought. (Statistically, the variability is measured as the standard deviation of the annual flow rates, which is the number that is expected to see a 50 percent rise).

The pattern has in fact played out over the last two years -- 2015, an intense El Nino year, saw drought conditions in the Nile basin, while the La Nina year of 2016 saw high flooding. "It's not abstract," Eltahir says. "This is happening now."

As with Joseph's advice to Pharaoh, the knowledge of such likely changes can help planners to be prepared, in this case by storing water in huge reservoirs to be released when it is really needed.

Already, Eltahir's earlier work on the El Nino/La Nina correlation with Nile flow is making an impact. "It's used operationally in the region now in issuing seasonal flood forecasts, with a significant lead time that gives water resources engineers enough time to react. Before, you had no idea," he says adding that he hopes the new information will enable even better long-term planning. "By this work, we at least reduce some of the uncertainty."

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Additional background

Paper: Climate Change Enhances Inter-annual Variability of the Nile River Flow

http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nclimate3273

ARCHIVE: Study: Persian Gulf could experience deadly heat

http://news.mit.edu/2015/study-persian-gulf-deadly-heat-1026

ARCHIVE: Quantifying the impacts of large-scale irrigation on rainfall

http://news.mit.edu/2015/quantifying-impacts-of-large-scale-irrigation-on-rainfall-0907

ARCHIVE: How to fight malaria by changing the environment

http://news.mit.edu/2008/agu-malaria-1219

ARCHIVE: MIT team describes unique desert cloud forest

http://news.mit.edu/2006/cloudforest
LA JOLLA, CA--Professor Klaus Ley, M.D., has been selected as this year's winner of the Eugene M. Landis Award, the Microcirculatory Society's top honor, in recognition of his pioneering work in vascular biology and microcirculation. The microcirculation comprises all the small blood vessels in all tissues and organs and their contents (blood plasma and blood cells).

A member of the Microcirculatory Society since 1990, Dr. Ley will present his Landis Award Lecture on Leukocyte Integrin Activation on April 23, 2017, during the annual Experimental Biology Meeting in Chicago. Each year, the Eugene M. Landis Award recognizes an outstanding investigator in the field of microcirculation who has published and continues to provide meritorious research in the field of microcirculation.

"It is an incredible honor to receive the Landis Award from the Microcirculatory Society," said Dr. Ley, whose research on microcirculation started 35 years ago, when he discovered the regulation of microvascular permeability by oxygen free radicals.

"If I had known back then what we know now, I would have studied immunology earlier. The immune system is the way to manipulate inflammation, prevent and cure many diseases, including cardiovascular disease."

Today, Dr. Ley's work centers mostly on the inflammatory component of atherosclerosis, defined as build-up of deposits, or plaques, of cholesterol, calcium, and inflammatory cells in arteries. Over time, plaques limit blood flow, and, if they obstruct a vessel like the coronary artery, can trigger a heart attack. Plaque rupture also increases the chance of stroke or blood clots in the brain.

Since it is actually the inflammation emerging at sites of vessel tissue damage that encourages arterial plaque buildup in the first place, Dr. Ley is actively working on an anti-inflammatory heart vaccine aimed at dialing down inflammation in affected arteries. His other research interests include the study of neutrophils, a type of white blood cells important for inflammation, activation of integrins, a type of adhesion molecule, and bioinformatics.

Born and raised in Germany, Dr. Ley received his medical degree from the Julius-Maximilians-Universitat, Wurzburg, Germany, in 1982. He trained as a postdoctoral researcher at the Freie Universitat Berlin, to which he returned to after a short stint as a visiting research scientist at the University of California, San Diego. In 1994, he joined the faculty of the University of Virginia where he served as director of the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center from 2001 until 2007. He joined La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology as Professor and founding Head of the Division of Inflammation Biology in 2007.

For his work on neutrophils and monocytes, Ley received the 2009 Bonazinga Award, the highest award of the Society for Leukocyte Biology and the 2010 Malpighi Award, the highest award of the European Society for Microcirculation and Vascular Biology. Among many other recognitions, he is also the recipient of the 2015 Franz-Koehler Inflammation Award, the 1992 Basic Medical Research Award from the Smith-Kline-Beecham Award and the 1986 Abbot Award, also from the European Society for Microcirculation and Vascular Biology, as well as the 2016 Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Heart Association.

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About La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

The La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology is dedicated to understanding the intricacies and power of the immune system so that we may apply that knowledge to promote human health and prevent a wide range of diseases. Since its founding in 1988 as an independent, nonprofit research organization, the Institute has made numerous advances leading toward its goal: life without disease.
The OPS camp today claimed that the EPS camp was making contradictory statements and there will be no merger talks till team EPS explained their game plan.

By Akshita Nandagopal: A week after talks of a merger began between the O Panneerselvam (OPS) and Edapadi Palaniswami (EPS) camps, now it seems it has gone to the cold storage.

The OPS camp today claimed that the EPS camp was making contradictory statements and there will be no merger talks till team EPS explained their game plan.

"We want to reiterate that the we have two demands - a CBI inquiry into Jayalalithaa's death and the ouster of Sasikala and her family from the party. Till the EPS faction assures us that these demands will be met, no talks will take place," MP Maithreyan, who is a staunch supporter of OPS.

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The EPS camp has been told categorically by team OPS that there will be no question of joining hands unless they agree on the two demands.

Former AIADMK minister KP Munuswamy, who is also heading the committee for the merger talks with Edappadi said, "everyday a different leader from their faction is making contradictory statements. There can be no talks till they end the confusion and have some clarity. There are clearly some leaders in the EPS camp who are trying to push their own political agenda."

CAMP EPS HITS OUT

Minutes after this stinging presser from the OPS camp, team EPS hit out saying that there can be no promises till they sit and discuss the terms and conditions. However, senior leader Manoj Pandian has dismissed any chance of a meet taking place.

"We don't have a word to discuss till they agree to the two demands which we have been reiterating from day 1. If they don't want to meet these demands, there will be no merger," said Pandian.

The EPS camp, however, has raised a valid point - the matter of a CBI inquiry into Jayalalithaa's death is now a judicial matter and hence the government cannot act on the same. But an obstinate OPS camp has said, "where there's a will, there's a way."

The new war of words between the two factions, indicate, that the long-drawn political ego clash will not die anytime soon.

Also read:

AIADMK merger talks hit more roadblocks: Team OPS wants 2 key Cabinet posts, probe into Jaya's death

AIADMK merger: Here are the terms proposed by Panneerselvam and Palanisami camps

OPS, EPS camps ready with AIADMK merger plan: VK Sasikala, Dinakaran to be 'completely sidelined'

WATCH | AIADMK merger talks to begin today; Paneerselvam demands two key cabinet posts

--- ENDS ---
New data from NASA's Cassini mission, combined with measurements from the two Voyager spacecraft and NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, suggests that our sun and planets are surrounded by a giant, rounded system of magnetic field from the sun -- calling into question the alternate view of the solar magnetic fields trailing behind the sun in the shape of a long comet tail.

The sun releases a constant outflow of magnetic solar material -- called the solar wind -- that fills the inner solar system, reaching far past the orbit of Neptune. This solar wind creates a bubble, some 23 billion miles across, called the heliosphere. Our entire solar system, including the heliosphere, moves through interstellar space. The prevalent picture of the heliosphere was one of comet-shaped structure, with a rounded head and an extended tail. But new data covering an entire 11-year solar activity cycle show that may not be the case: the heliosphere may be rounded on both ends, making its shape almost spherical. A paper on these results was published in Nature Astronomy on April 24, 2017.

"Instead of a prolonged, comet-like tail, this rough bubble-shape of the heliosphere is due to the strong interstellar magnetic field -- much stronger than what was anticipated in the past -- combined with the fact that the ratio between particle pressure and magnetic pressure inside the heliosheath is high," said Kostas Dialynas, a space scientist at the Academy of Athens in Greece and lead author on the study.

An instrument on Cassini, which has been exploring the Saturn system over a decade, has given scientists crucial new clues about the shape of the heliosphere's trailing end, often called the heliotail. When charged particles from the inner solar system reach the boundary of the heliosphere, they sometimes undergo a series of charge exchanges with neutral gas atoms from the interstellar medium, dropping and regaining electrons as they travel through this vast boundary region. Some of these particles are pinged back in toward the inner solar system as fast-moving neutral atoms, which can be measured by Cassini.

"The Cassini instrument was designed to image the ions that are trapped in the magnetosphere of Saturn," said Tom Krimigis, an instrument lead on NASA's Voyager and Cassini missions based at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and an author on the study. "We never thought that we would see what we're seeing and be able to image the boundaries of the heliosphere."

Because these particles move at a small fraction of the speed of light, their journeys from the sun to the edge of the heliosphere and back again take years. So when the number of particles coming from the sun changes -- usually as a result of its 11-year activity cycle -- it takes years before that's reflected in the amount of neutral atoms shooting back into the solar system.

Cassini's new measurements of these neutral atoms revealed something unexpected -- the particles coming from the tail of the heliosphere reflect the changes in the solar cycle almost exactly as fast as those coming from the nose of the heliosphere.

"If the heliosphere's 'tail' is stretched out like a comet, we'd expect that the patterns of the solar cycle would show up much later in the measured neutral atoms," said Krimigis.

But because patterns from solar activity show just as quickly in tail particles as those from the nose, that implies the tail is about the same distance from us as the nose. This means that long, comet-like tail that scientists envisioned may not exist at all -- instead, the heliosphere may be nearly round and symmetrical.

A rounded heliosphere could come from a combination of factors. Data from Voyager 1 show that the interstellar magnetic field beyond the heliosphere is stronger than scientists previously thought, meaning it could interact with the solar wind at the edges of the heliosphere and compact the heliosphere's tail.

The structure of the heliosphere plays a big role in how particles from interstellar space -- called cosmic rays -- reach the inner solar system, where Earth and the other planets are.

"This data that Voyager 1 and 2, Cassini and IBEX provide to the scientific community is a windfall for studying the far reaches of the solar wind," said Arik Posner, Voyager and IBEX program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., who was not involved with this study. "As we continue to gather data from the edges of the heliosphere, this data will help us better understand the interstellar boundary that helps shield the Earth environment from harmful cosmic rays."

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Researchers at Penn State have received more than $1 million in first-year funding from the National Institutes of Health to investigate malaria transmission in Southeast Asia with a goal of working toward the disease's elimination in the region. They will receive up to approximately $9 million over seven years for this project.

"In 2014, the most recent year for which data are available, about 438,000 people died from malaria worldwide," said Liwang Cui, professor of entomology, Penn State, and the project's principal investigator. "And that's just a tiny fraction of the people who were diagnosed with malaria that year -- 214 million people contracted the disease."

Cui noted that Southeast Asia accounts for 7 percent of global malaria deaths, and the majority of these cases occur along the borders of these countries. Recently, he added, the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries -- Cambodia, China's Yunnan Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam -- have committed to eliminating malaria by 2030 in all countries of the GMS.

Among the many projects they will pursue with their grant, Cui and his colleagues -- which includes Jetsumon Sattabongkot, faculty of science, Mahidol University, Thailand -- will continue to use molecular diagnostic tools to conduct malaria surveillance and to identify transmission hotspots and risk factors for malaria infection, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of current treatment regimens, along the borders of three countries within the GMS -- China, Myanmar and Thailand.

The researchers will also examine how environmental changes affect disease transmission, and whether changes in mosquito biting behaviors -- for example, outdoor/indoor biting -- have a genetic basis. In addition, they will use genetic techniques to examine resistance to several commonly-used insecticides among the major vector mosquitoes, and they will track the spread of resistance to other sites.

"Our previous work has found that the mortality rates of the Anopheles sinensis mosquitoes from both central and southwestern China were all below 90 percent for the five insecticides tested -- deltamethrin, permethrin, DDT, malathion and bendiocarb -- suggesting that they [the mosquitos] were all resistant to pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates and organochlorines," said Cui.

According to Cui, fake drugs to treat malaria are often sold in the border regions of Southeast Asia. As part of their project, he and his colleagues will investigate the extent of this problem using a special diagnostic tool they developed.

"Many migrants, due to illegal immigration status, often actively avoid contact with the authorities and seek malaria treatment at private sectors and small drug vendors," he said. "As a result, border areas represent the biggest market for counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs."

The team already has made many advances in these areas and the new funding from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will enable them to continue this work.

"We will use innovative molecular and genomic technologies to reveal the underlying mechanisms needed to design integrated, targeted control measures that attack the roots of the malaria problem," said Cui. "By strategically selecting three countries in this region with drastically different malaria epidemiologies, we expect that the findings of these studies will benefit the entire malaria community."

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Other researchers of this consortium include Jason Rasgon and Renze Li at Penn State; Daibin Zhong at the University of California, Irvine; Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Jaranit Kaewkungwal, Saranath Lawpoolsri at Mahidol University; Myat Phone Kyaw, Myo Min, Than Naing Soe at Myanmar Medical Association; Yaming Cao at China Medical University; Baomin Wang at China Agricultural University; and Zhaoqing Yang Kunming Medical University.
Vaccines and antibodies could be transported and stored without refrigeration by capturing them in tiny silica 'cages', a discovery which could make getting vital medicines to remote or dangerous places much easier, cheaper and safer.

Vaccines and many other medicines contain proteins which break down and become unusable at room temperatures, meaning they must be kept refrigerated for storage and transportation in a so-called "cold chain". Loss of vaccines through breaks in the cold chain are a serious global public health issue, in particular for mass childhood vaccination programmes in the developing world.

Breaks in cold chain storage result in the loss of millions of doses of vaccines each year.

But a University of Bath team, working with colleagues at the University of Newcastle, have created a technique which can keep proteins intact at high temperatures up to 100C, by encasing them in silica cages. Silica, which sand is made from, is non-toxic and inert.

Once the protein has been encased in silica it can be stored or transported without refrigeration before the silica coat can be removed chemically, leaving the proteins unaffected.

The discovery means that vaccines and other important medicines could be transported much more easily, cheaply and safely, especially to remote areas or places lacking infrastructure where the need is often greatest.

The teams call their method ensilication and hope it will solve the costly and often impractical need for a cold chain to protect protein-based products including vaccines, antibodies and enzymes. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Dr Asel Sartbaeva from the University of Bath's Department of Chemistry, led the project. She said: "Once the proteins in a vaccine break down and tangle up, it's useless. You can think of it like an egg that's been boiled -- it can't be unboiled.

"So the ability to store and transport proteins at room temperatures or even hotter would remove a major logistical problem for safely delivering vaccines and other medicines to patients around the world.

"We have demonstrated with ensilication that we can simply and reliably keep proteins from breaking down even at up to 100C, or store them as a powder for up to three years at room temperature without loss of function.

"We're very excited by the potential applications of ensilication and our next steps will be to test our findings on more vaccines, antibodies, antiviral and anti-venom drugs and other biopharmaceuticals."

When a protein in solution is mixed with silica, silicon dioxide binds closely around protein to match its shape and quickly builds up many layers, encasing the protein. A major advantage of this method is that unlike similar techniques it doesn't require freeze-drying, something that around half of all vaccines won't survive intact.

A powder of ensilicated proteins results, and the silica cage enveloping the protein means it can be heated to 100C or stored at 22C for at least six months with no loss of function.

The research team tested the method on three proteins; one from a tetanus vaccine, horse haemoglobin and an enzyme from egg white.

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The research was funded by The Royal Society, Annett Trust and the Alumni Fund at the University of Bath.

For further information, please contact Chris Melvin in the University of Bath Press Office on +44 (0)1225 383 941 or c.m.melvin@bath.ac.uk

Photographs available at: http://bit.ly/2o3q16F

After 10am on 24th April the paper will be available at: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep46568 Draft copies available on request.

Watch Dr Sartbaeva deliver a Google X talk on thermally stable vaccines at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHD_rBfgZvw

Notes

The University of Bath celebrates its 50th anniversary this year as one of the UK's leading universities both in terms of research and our reputation for excellence in teaching, learning and graduate prospects.

In the REF 2014 research assessment 87 per cent of our research was defined as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'. From making aircraft more fuel efficient, to identifying infectious diseases more quickly, or cutting carbon emissions through innovative building solutions, research from Bath is making a difference around the world.

Find out more: http://www.bath.ac.uk/research/

Well established as a nurturing environment for enterprising minds, Bath is ranked highly in all national league tables. We were chosen as the UK's top university in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2015.
Wounds heal - the cells in a body knit over a cut. When a neuron dies, the brain can rewire itself to make up for the loss. And now, new research suggests, something similar seems to happen within a human social network after the death of a friend.

Published in Nature Human Behavior, a study of 15,000 anonymized networks on Facebook suggests that human social structures are resilient to death. When a friend dies, we get closer to that person's friends, with the network repairing itself in ways that keep our total connectedness the same.

The study - the first large-scale study of recovery and resilience after a death in a friend group - was led by William Hobbs, who conducted the research as a University of California San Diego doctoral student in political science in the Division of Social Sciences. Hobbs is now a postdoctoral fellow at Northeastern University's Network Science Institute. His co-author on the paper is Moira Burke of Facebook.

Before undertaking the work, the researchers wondered: What happens to a social network after a central individual dies? Do people drift apart - does the network dissolve? Or does the network heal to fill the hole left by the loss?

"It was a surprise to see just how much people came together after a mutual friend's death and how long this persisted. Friends and acquaintances of the deceased increased interactions with each other not just immediately after the death, in the acute grieving period, but for years afterward," Hobbs said.

Prior research on network response to emergencies and natural disasters suggests that people can quickly form temporary bonds that also quickly dissipate.

To evaluate the resilience of social networks after a death, the researchers used de-identified Facebook data as well as public vital records from the State of California. They analyzed the traffic of interactions in more than 15,000 networks that had experienced a death. There were a total of more than 770,000 people in this sample. They compared these bereaved networks to 30,000 similar networks that had not experienced a death, representing more than 2 million additional people.

The researchers focused their analysis on aggregated counts of Facebook comments, posts and photo tags by close friends and acquaintances of the deceased. They compared counts of these interactions, over four years, before and after the death.

What they found is that interactions between people who had lost a mutual friend increased sharply immediately after the death, faded somewhat in subsequent months and then settled down to levels of interactions that were similar to total levels of interaction before the death. In other words, on the network level, Hobbs said, people compensated for interactions lost with the deceased by increasing interactions with each other.

"We can't speak to the subjective experience of loss and recovery, but on the level of a network, it looks like the amount of increased interaction is equal to the amount of interaction lost with the person who died, and there's a complete recovery of connectivity," Hobbs said.

Friends did not increase their online social interactions in general - with people who were strangers to the deceased, for example. And network response to death was different than response to a deactivated account. Both are indicators that what the study observes is not just a display of people returning to some optimum level of online social interaction, Hobbs said. Something is happening in a network as a result of a person's passing that spurs the network to heal.

In an accompanying News & Views article in the same journal, Robert Bond of Ohio State University, who is also an alumnus of UC San Diego but did not participate in the research, writes: "The increase in interaction in bereaved networks suggests that people are changing their interaction patterns in ways that are likely to provide support to those who are experiencing grief."

The recovery effect was most pronounced among young adults, those aged 18-24. In this group, interactions didn't merely stabilize at previous levels, they actually stabilized at higher levels than before the death, Hobbs said. All other age groups returned to prior levels, making up for interactions lost with the deceased. Still, the researchers call for additional research into differing response by age, which might be useful in designing age-specific interventions to help those grieving.

A major exception was suicide. Friend networks experiencing suicide did not recover to the same extent. This is an area that could obviously, Hobbs said, use further investigation.

"We hope that these findings spur greater interest in how social networks adapt to trauma and crisis," the researchers write in the paper. "Better understanding of social network adaptations could help us identify why social networks succeed or fail in recovery - and how social network failures might be prevented. The findings here, we believe, are an important first step in this direction."

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The project was reviewed and approved by UC San Diego's Institutional Review Board, Facebook's internal review group, California's Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects, and the Vital Statistics Advisory Committee at the California Department of Public Health.
Irvine, Calif., April 24, 2017 -- University of California, Irvine students will "shoot for the moon" thanks to a $1 million gift from Base 11, a nonprofit STEM workforce development and entrepreneur accelerator. The "Moonshot Initiative" will establish a rocketry program at The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, with the intent of making UCI the first academic institution to launch a liquid-fuel rocket into space.

The Base 11 donation will turn an existing area on the Engineering Tower's ground floor into a rocketry lab that enables students to design, build and test rocket prototypes between 15 and 50 feet long. It will also fund a mobile operations center and assembly trailer that can transport rockets to test sites and will allow students to make repairs off-site as needed.

"We've found that by exposing our students early to hands-on experiential learning, we have better success in keeping them engaged and inspired in their education," said Gregory Washington, Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering at the Samueli School. "This partnership with Base 11 will help us create an exciting and innovative opportunity for our students."

The first liquid-fuel rocket will be built from a prefab prototype that UCI students will modify to travel 25,000 feet high and then further refine to reach 50,000 feet. The ultimate goal is to construct a rocket within two years that breaches outer space, surpassing the Karman line at about 328,000 feet. The rocketry lab will be complete by summer's end.

The Moonshot Initiative is the latest effort in a growing partnership between the Samueli School and Base 11. In 2016, the nonprofit funded the UCI Base 11 Autonomous Systems Engineering Academy, which introduces community college students to a variety of engineering concepts by having them design and build an unmanned aircraft system, or drone, and then program it to fly. Last summer, five community college students from across the country spent two months at UCI as Base 11 fellows. (See video here.)

The nonprofit has also funded an academic-year internship program that brings high-potential, low-resource community college students from around Southern California to UCI on Saturdays for valuable exposure to university-level engineering concepts. And the Samueli School leads a pilot of Base 11's STEM Entrepreneur Program, which combines traditional entrepreneurial education with work at the school's Institute for Design & Manufacturing Innovation.

"Base 11's partnership with UCI is focused on executing a workforce development strategy that provides the engineering and computer science talent so desperately needed by aerospace, high-tech and transportation industry companies," said Landon Taylor, CEO of Base 11. "UCI and Dean Washington are ideal partners who share our vision of solving the STEM talent pipeline crisis by transforming underrepresented women and minorities into STEM leaders of the 21st century."

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About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

About Base 11: Base 11 is a nonprofit workforce development accelerator focused on solving the STEM talent pipeline crisis being fueled by the underrepresentation of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. By establishing Innovation Centers integrated with hands-on, project-based learning and STEM entrepreneurship training, Base 11 and its industry, academic and philanthropic partners set students on direct pathways to four-year STEM degrees, well-paid STEM jobs and the opportunity to launch their own STEM-related businesses. For more information, visit http://www.Base11.com. Base 11 is a DBA of the Center for Innovation in Education, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) - IRS exemption EIN#26-4365936.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
The largest genomic analysis of puberty timing in men and women conducted to date has identified 389 genetic signals associated with puberty timing, four times the number that were previously known.

The study, published today in Nature Genetics and led by researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and other scientists in the international ReproGen consortium, also found new genetic evidence linking earlier timing of puberty to higher risk of several cancers known to be sensitive to sex-hormones in later life, including breast, ovary and endometrial cancers in women, and prostate cancer in men. These influences remained after controlling for body weight, which is important as body weight itself influences both the timing of puberty and the risk of some cancers.

Dr John Perry, Senior Investigator Scientist from the MRC Epidemiology Unit and senior author on the paper, says: "Previous studies suggested that the timing of puberty in childhood was associated with risks of disease decades later, but until now it was unclear if those were circumstantial observations, for example secondary to other factors such as body weight.

"Our current study identifies direct causal links between earlier puberty timing itself and increased cancer risk. This link could possibly be explained by higher levels of sex hormones throughout life, but we need to do more work to understand the exact mechanisms involved. We aim to understand these disease links and thereby contribute to the prevention of diseases in later life."

The timing of puberty varies widely between individuals but tends to run closely within families. Earlier puberty timing may have advantages for some adolescents, for example for boys who engage actively in sports, but it appears to have largely negative effects on later health, such as higher risks of heart disease and some cancers.

By performing detailed assessments of genetic variants across the whole genome in 329,345 women, comprising data from 40 studies in the ReproGen consortium, UK Biobank, and consented 23andMe customers, this study identified 389 independent genetic signals for age at puberty in women. This observation was then confirmed in a further 39,543 women from the deCODE study, Iceland. Many of these genetic associations were also found to influence age at voice breaking, a comparable measure of puberty timing in men.

These findings shed light on the mechanisms that regulate puberty timing. Dr Perry adds: "These newly identified genetic factors explain one quarter of the estimated heritability of puberty timing. Our findings highlight the remarkable biological complexity of puberty timing, with likely thousands of genetic factors, in combination with numerous environmental triggers, acting together to control the timing of this key transition from childhood to adult life."

Dr Ken Ong, also from the MRC Epidemiology Unit and joint senior author on the paper, says: "One of the more remarkable findings concerns the role of certain types of genes called imprinted genes, which are only active in your body when inherited specifically from one parent but not the other. We identified rare variants in two genes, which both lower the age of puberty when inherited from your father, but have no effect when inherited from your mother. This is intriguing as it suggests that mothers and fathers might benefit differently from puberty occurring at earlier or later ages in their children."

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Reference

Felix R. Day, Deborah J. Thompson, Hannes Helgason et al. Genomic analyses identify hundreds of variants associated with age at menarche and support a role for puberty timing in cancer risk. Nature Genetics; 24 April 2017; DOI: 10.1038/ng.3841
RENO, Nev. - The unassuming ice plant could become an ingenious weapon in the fight against a warming climate that threatens to limit regions suitable for growing biofuel crops. Biochemist and molecular biologist John Cushman at the University of Nevada, Reno will create a gene atlas for the common ice plant that will help find ways to allow bioenergy feedstocks to better tolerate salinity and drought.

Cushman's lab is looking at the functional genomics of crassulacean acid metabolism, or CAM, a water-conserving photosynthetic pathway that helps plants survive in seasonally arid climates or those with intermittent water supply. The Joint Genome Institute chose Cushman's research with the ice plant as one of 37 projects in their Community Science Program. The Institute holds a yearly Community Science Program competition among researchers who are exploring solutions to energy and environmental challenges.

"The goal of the plant flagship genome program is basically to create gene atlases for a series of target crops that are important to the DOE (Department of Energy) mission as bioenergy feedstocks," Cushman said. "But these selected species also include model plants that grow rapidly and are easy to study to improve our understanding of gene function."

The research objectives for Cushman's lab are to understand how environmental stress and the circadian clock control the expression of CAM. Members of the lab conduct integrated transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome analyses using the ice plant, which can survive under extremely harsh environmental conditions.

"It's simple really," Cushman said. "We release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and average temperatures around the world increase. More heat leads to greater soil drying and more water loss from plants so that they can stay cool, both of which lead to greater probability of drought stress. So, one of the predictions of global warming is that with all of this heating, we are going to need to develop more drought-tolerant plants in the very near future."

Ice plant, which originated in the Namibian desert of Africa, is important as the first reported plant species that could be induced to switch from C3 photosynthesis (which occurs during the day) to CAM photosynthesis (which occurs at night) following salinity stress or water-deficit treatment. CAM plants are five to six times more water-use efficient than C3 photosynthesis plants.

"We will catalog patterns of gene expression to know exactly which genes are important for doing CAM, and that's why the ice plant is such an important model, and that's why the DOE is interested in it," Cushman said. "So now, we can take those genes and reengineer them back to a C3 photosynthesis plant like wheat or rice, or a woody bioenergy feedstock like poplar, and we hope to make those more water-use efficient."

Cushman's project is ongoing, and he said that it would take several more years to completely understand how these plants tolerate drought and heat, and what the research could contribute to improving biofuels and also food crop security. The project's partnership with the Joint Genome Institute will provide access to state-of-the-art resources and facilities for his lab to continue this research.

"These new CSP projects, selected through our external review process, exploit JGI's experimental and analytical 'omics' capabilities and build our portfolio in key focus areas including sustainable bioenergy production, plant microbiomes and terrestrial biogeochemistry," Susannah Tringe, DOE JGI User Programs Deputy, said in the announcement of the 2017 Community Science Portfolio.

"Our project, and the CSP project of our collaborators at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories, and the Universities of Liverpool and Newcastle in the UK, on another model CAM species called Kalanchoe, is to understand CAM," says Cushman. "CAM is present in more than six percent of all vascular plant species across 36 different plant families, so it is a fairly widespread ecological adaptation"

Cushman received his bachelor's degree from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and his master's and doctorate degrees from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. He has been at the University of Nevada, Reno since 2000, is a Foundation Professor in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources and serves as the director of the Biochemistry Graduate Program. He has been named 2017 Researcher of the Year by the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Cushman is leading the College's Sustainable Dryland Agriculture Initiative that seeks to optimize crop production under dryland conditions by developing dryland agricultural production systems, improving efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources, and integrating, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, and addressing the climate- and production-related challenges to food, feed, and fiber security for future generations.

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The rapid decline of ancient ice sheets could help scientists predict the impact of modern-day climate and sea-level change, according to research by the universities of Stirling in Scotland and Troms in Norway.

Ice sheets are massive land-based reservoirs of frozen water. For the first time, scientists have reconstructed in detail the evolution of the last ice sheet that covered Iceland around 20,000 years ago.

The recently published study shows the greatest changes took place at a time when temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rose by around 3C in just 500 years.

The maximum rate of ice loss in Iceland then was on the same scale seen in West Antarctica and Greenland today, providing worrying evidence of how climate change can dramatically alter the world's ice sheets, leading to rapid sea level rise.

Dr Tom Bradwell, from Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences, said: "About 22,000 years ago, the climate awoke from the last Ice Age, and entered a prolonged but gradual period of warming. This triggered the melting of the huge ice sheets that once covered North America and Eurasia.

"We used seafloor data to map the full extent of the last Icelandic ice sheet and fed this geological information into our ice sheet model. The new modelling experiments, driven by climate data from Greenland ice cores, replicate ice sheet behaviour over the last 35,000 years, showing when it melted the fastest and how it behaved.

"We found that, at certain times, the Icelandic ice sheet retreated at an exceptionally fast rate - more than double the present-day rate of ice loss from the much larger West Antarctic ice sheet - causing global sea level to rise significantly."

These high-resolution model experiments, published in Earth-Science Reviews, provide an unprecedented view of how the Icelandic ice sheet rapidly reduced in size and volume between 21,000 and 18,000 years ago, mainly through icebergs breaking away from its marine margins. It then collapsed 14,000 years ago, this time abruptly in response to rapid climate warming.

The Icelandic ice sheet reached a maximum size of 562,000 sq. km - an area about the size of France. During its dramatic collapse the ice sheet melted rapidly over much of its surface area, decreasing in size by almost two-thirds, in only 750 years. This large volume of ice melting caused a 46 cm-rise in global sea levels -- or more than 1mm rise every two years for over seven centuries -- and is equivalent to the ice losses currently being experienced in Greenland.

When compared to the length of time it took the Icelandic ice sheet to grow to its full size -- approximately 10,000 years -- this rate of change is all the more remarkable.

These abrupt events, seen in former ice sheets and mirrored today, put present-day rates of ice sheet change in a new perspective. However, until recently, much of the data needed to reconstruct and model their shape, size and flow existed unseen below sea level.

Dr Henry Patton, from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, said: "Satellite data show that the present polar ice sheets can respond on alarmingly short timescales to climate and ocean changes. By using data from the geological record to constrain model reconstructions of rapid ice sheet change thousands of years ago, we can better predict how contemporary ice sheets will probably react in the future and the serious impact they have on sea level rise."

Prof Alun Hubbard, who works at UiT Norway and Aberystwyth University, said: "Just like the Icelandic ice sheet, some 20,000 year ago, the retreat of the Greenland ice sheet is now contributing up to approximately 1.2 mm per year to global sea-level rise. That doesn't sound much but given the time-scales involved, and that Greenland's ice loss has increased from nothing 20 years ago to over roughly 350 cubic per year now, makes it a significant cause for concern -- particularly for those low lying, coastal regions where much of the planet's population lives."

The research, supported by the Research Council of Norway, is part of an ongoing collaboration between the scientists in the Universities of Troms, Aberystwyth and Stirling to understand ice sheet evolution, past and present.

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Conservation projects that protect forests and encourage a diversity of plants and animals can provide many benefits to humans.

But improved human health is not among those benefits ? at least when health is measured through the lens of infectious disease. That's the main finding of a paper published April 24 in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, which analyzed the relationship between infectious diseases and their environmental, demographic and economic drivers in dozens of countries over 20 years.

The new study found that increased biodiversity ? measured as the number of species and amount of forested land ? was not associated with reduced levels of infectious disease. In some cases, disease burdens actually increased as areas became more forested over time.

"There are a lot of great reasons for conservation, but control of infectious disease isn't one of them," said lead author and parasite ecologist Chelsea Wood, an assistant professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. "We're not going to improve public health by pushing a single button. This study clearly shows that ? at the country level ? conservation is not a disease-control tool."

Surprisingly, Wood said, the study also found that increasing urbanization reduced disease, probably because cities bring people closer to medical care and give them greater access to vaccinations, clean water and sanitation.

Even though cities crowd people together, the net benefit of their services results in reductions of infectious disease.

"It seems pretty clear that urbanization is good for people's health ? at least when it comes to infectious disease. And that's good news, because the world is rapidly urbanizing," Wood said.

The researchers relied on the UW-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's Global Burden of Disease database, a massive, worldwide effort to document premature death and disability from hundreds of diseases and injuries from 1990 to the present.

The study's authors compared data on 24 infectious diseases ? ranging from malaria, dengue and rabies to typhoid, tuberculosis and leprosy ? with separate, published data on population density, wealth, bird and mammal species richness, forest cover, precipitation and other environmental measures to analyze the effects these factors had, if any, on disease burden per country. This study is the first to look at the association between biodiversity and disease over time.

Most conservation decisions are made at the country level, so the researchers focused at that scale when analyzing whether conservation could be used as a tool for improving public health. Over the 20-year period, they saw no relationship between biodiversity (number of species present) and the overall burden of infectious disease. But for each individual disease, there was a unique set of drivers that were important in deciding whether burden increased or decreased over time.

For example, as rates of precipitation went up, so did the burden of "geohelminths" ? a group of gut parasites that includes hookworm, whipworm and roundworm. Together, the geohelminths affect 1.5 billion people.

Moist soil is an ideal environment for the development of these worms. Humans can become infected when they contact or accidentally ingest contaminated soil ? for example, on unwashed vegetables. As rates of precipitation increase with climate change, this public health threat should be acknowledged and accounted for, the researchers said.

The authors hope the disease-specific information included in this study reveals pathways toward effective control, and helps country officials to avoid inadvertently exacerbating existing public health problems.

"I hope this study encourages people to explicitly acknowledge the potential disease-related risks and benefits of conservation projects," Wood said. "The absolute last thing we want to do is a conservation project that gets people sick."

This paper is the concluding piece in an entire special edition dedicated to exploring whether conservation promotes or hinders infectious disease control. The edition's co-authors convened about two years ago to explore all sides of this controversial question, and the resulting papers examine specific diseases such as malaria, Lyme disease and schistosomiasis, as well as broader topics of policy and economics.

"The special issue arose from an interest in moving away from the very heated but some somewhat academic debate about the influence of 'biodiversity' on disease prevalence, to the more practical question about the efficacy of conservation action as a public health intervention strategy, particularly as compared to other intervention strategies," said paper co-author Hillary Young of the University of California, Santa Barbara, who is also an editor for the special edition.

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Other co-authors are Alex McInturff of the University of California, Berkeley; DoHyung Kim of the University of Maryland; and Kevin Lafferty of the U.S. Geological Survey.

This study was supported by the Michigan Society of Fellows and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan, along with funding from the authors' institutions and agencies.

For more information, contact Wood at chelwood@uw.edu or 206-685-2163.
Researchers discovered that, in terms of metabolic interactions, the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa is the primary symbiotic algae most similar to cyanobacteria than other lineages of photosynthetic organisms

Tokyo, Japan - Scientists have long studied which of the three primary photosynthetic eukaryotes (red algae, green algae, and glaucophytes) has come into existence first to unravel the biological mystery of algae evolution by analyzing their genetic information.

Despite learning that the structure of cyanelles, an organelle unique to glaucophytes, is most similar to the ancestral cyanobacteria among other organelles, these studies have not conclusively resolved the branching position of glaucophytes and left the early branching history of the three primary photosynthetic lineages uncertain.

A recent study by Waseda University researchers indicated that the effect of respiration on photosynthesis in the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa is surprisingly similar to the interaction between respiration and photosynthesis in cyanobacteria. These results suggest that cyanelles retain many of the characteristics observed in their ancestral cyanobacteria.

"From the view point of metabolic interactions, C. paradoxa is the primary symbiotic algae most similar to cyanobacteria," says Kintake Sonoike, a professor of plant and cell physiology at Waseda University. "Our findings provide valuable information for revealing how photosynthetic organisms evolved."

This research is published in Scientific Reports.

The evolution of photosynthetic organisms began approximately 2.5 billion years ago when cyanobacteria came into existence and first used water molecules for photosynthesis, releasing oxygen as a by-product and changing life forms on earth. After an endosymbiosis event involving a eukaryote and a cyanobacterium, red algae, green algae and glaucophytes diverged from its common ancestor, a eukaryotic photosynthetic organism. In this long process, various metabolic interactions in cells have changed dramatically. For example, when cyanobacteria, which had performed both photosynthesis and respiration until then, evolved into chloroplast, mitochondria became responsible for respiration. Yet, there was a lack of information of these aspects in glaucophytes which needed to be addressed in order to understand the diversity of photosynthetic regulation and metabolic interaction among primary symbiotic algae.

In this study, Professor Sonoike measured chlorophyll fluorescence using a pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometer to analyze photosynthesis in C. paradoxa, without destroying the cells, and check its interactions with metabolic reactions such as respiration. The application of such technique to algae is not easy, but being an expert in measuring fluorescence in cyanobacteria, Professor Sonoike successfully adapted the method to this research.

Fluorescence emission of chlorophyll was measured by shining different kinds of light on glaucophyte cells. As a result, the levels of nonchemical quenching (NPQ), a mechanism of algae to protect themselves from intense light, was high in the dark but decreased under low light, and increased again under high light. This implies that photosynthesis of glaucophytes is affected and changed by other metabolic reactions, even in the dark.

"Such concave light dependence was quite similar that observed in cyanobacteria," points out Professor Sonoike. "Although glaucophytes perform photosynthesis and respiration separately with respective organelles unlike cyanobacteria, similar metabolic interactions are observed in both organisms."

These results formulate a new theory on the effects of respiration and other metabolic reactions on photosynthesis. Such metabolic reactions are believed to slow down photosynthetic efficiency, but glaucophytes seem to use a different metabolic pathway to make up for the loss. In recent years, it was found that though plants without DNA regulation on photosynthesis can survive under certain light conditions, such plants can be easily destroyed in nature, where the amount of light depends on the environment. Taking this into consideration, a hypothesis arises that regulating photosynthesis in dark places under weak light through metabolic interactions in advance may be necessary for effective photosynthesis in nature. Professor Sonoike plans to further investigate whether respiration, an opposing reaction to photosynthesis, could actually be helping the efficiency of photosynthesis.

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Article title: Characterization of the influence of chlororespiration on the regulation of photosynthesis in the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa

Published in: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/srep46100

Waseda University News

About Waseda University

Waseda University is a leading private, non-profit institution of higher education based in central Tokyo, with over 50,000 students in 13 undergraduate and 21 graduate schools. Founded in 1882, Waseda cherishes three guiding principles: academic independence, practical innovation and the education of enlightened citizens. Established to mold future leaders, Waseda continues to fulfill this mission, counting among its alumni seven prime ministers and countless other politicians, business leaders, journalists, diplomats, scholars, scientists, actors, writers, athletes and artists.

Waseda is number one in Japan in international activities, including number of incoming and outgoing study abroad students, with the broadest range of degree programs taught fully in English, and exchange partnerships with over 600 top institutions in 84 countries.
The AIADMK merger talks appear to have hit a roadblock for one more time. Sources said former CM O Panneerselvam group has demanded two cabinet posts for his loyalists.

By Pramod Madhav: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) merger talks which began today appear to have hit a roadblock, yet again. According to sources, team O Panneerselvam has put two 'non-negotiable' conditions for any discussion to proceed further.

Apart from demanding two key cabinet posts for his loyalists, Panneerselvam is insisting on removal of VK Sasikala and her Mannargudi clan from the AIADMK.

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The Panneerselvam faction has also made it clear that Palanisami government should first order and inquiry into the death of former CM J Jayalalithaa for the merger talks to go ahead.

In another twist, Finance Minister D Jayakumar has offered to step down so that his portfolio could be given to the Panneerselvam camp.

Both the warring AIADMK groups have formed special committees to discuss and decide the way ahead.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam is heading the panel set up by Palanisami while the Panneerselvam group will be led by former minister KP Munusamy during the merger talks. Last week, the talks appeared to have hit a deadend as the Panneerselvam camp insisted on formal expulsion of VK Sasikala and TTV Dinakaran from the party. It had also sought a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's death on December 5 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. Following the cabinet's revolt against him early this week, Dinakaran had said he was "stepping aside" in the interest of the party. The Panneerselvam camp had also demanded withdrawal of affidavits submitted to the Election Commission by the Palanisami faction, declaring Sasikala and Dinakaran as party General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary, respectively. Dinakaran, who is currently in Delhi for interrogation for his links in the Election Commission bribery case, has maintained that he had already announced he would stay away from party affairs. Dinakaran maintained that he could be removed only by Sasikala, who is lodged in Bengaluru jail. Sasikala had inducted Dinakaran in AIADMK just hours before surrendering before a special court in Bengaluru after being indicted in a disproportionate assets case. Jayalalithaa had expelled Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran from AIADMK in 2011. Meanwhile, a source from team OPS has said that OPS is not keen on taking the post of chief minister, but instead he was eyeing the party general secretary post. The fact sheet of ministers is also expected to change. Health minister Vijayabhaskar, Revenue minister RB Udhayakumar, Transport minister MR Vijayabhaskar and Co-operative Society Minister Sellur Raju are to be shunned and their portfolios to be shared with Team OPS. K Pandiarajan, Semmalai, Aarukutti and A Saravanan are the lucky MLAs from OPS side to get ministerial portfolios with two getting key roles. Even after Team EPS is ready to talk with an open mind carrying an attitude of an open book just like Finance Minister Jayakumar said, Team OPS is still adamant though the entire picture is supposed to come to an end by May 1.

(With inputs from PTI)

WATCH | AIADMK merger talks to begin today; Paneerselvam demands two key cabinet posts

ALSO READ:

AIADMK merger: Here are the terms proposed by Panneerselvam and Palanisami camps

OPS, EPS camps ready with AIADMK merger plan: VK Sasikala, Dinakaran to be 'completely sidelined'

AIADMK: Panneerselvam, Palaniswami talk merger but marriage after divorce is not easy

Amma's vigour still strong as AIADMK factions continue to go astray

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From: Ad Council For Immediate Release: Dateline: New York , NY Monday, April 24, 2017







Earth Day is one of those holidays that sees a wide variety of activations. Each year, companies will change their logos to green for a day, invoke different eco-friendly initiatives both internally and externally, launch environmentally-conscious campaigns and more. We love seeing so many incredible brands make a commitment to improving the world we live in, and this year is no exception. Here are some of the Earth Day initiatives we cant stop talking about.

#AdoptThePlanet with NASA

NASA continually looks outward to find and learn about planets in our solar system and beyond, but no planet is better studied than the one we actually live on. This year NASA is inviting people around the world to help celebrate Earth Day by adopting one of 64,000 individual pieces of Earth as seen from space. Adopt a piece, explore an interactive world map and take a deep dive into the data of any place on Earth as seen from NASA satellites  see how far air pollution and soot from fires or volcanoes have traveled from land to the ocean or how much sea ice is present in the Arctic and Antarctic. If youre looking for a macro check-up of Mother Earth, this is the resource for you. Visit

Chopped Jr.

Car-Free NYC

On this Earth Day, our hometown and city infamous for omnipresent bumper-to-bumper yellow-cab-congested streets took a break to show Mother Earth some love by declaring 30 blocks of Manhattan streets car-free. On Earth Day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., 30 blocks of Broadway between Union Square and Times Square, in addition to other neighborhoods in NYCs boroughs, were free of any vehicular traffic and open to pedestrians and cyclists; better yet, they were filled with activities to push the conversation around building a more sustainable future.

These are just a few of the Earth Day activities were excited about. What interesting things did you see this Earth Day? Let us know in the comments!

The post

Earth Day is one of those holidays that sees a wide variety of activations. Each year, companies will change their logos to green for a day, invoke different eco-friendly initiatives both internally and externally, launch environmentally-conscious campaigns and more. We love seeing so many incredible brands make a commitment to improving the world we live in, and this year is no exception. Here are some of the Earth Day initiatives we cant stop talking about.NASA continually looks outward to find and learn about planets in our solar system and beyond, but no planet is better studied than the one we actually live on. This year NASA is inviting people around the world to help celebrate Earth Day by adopting one of 64,000 individual pieces of Earth as seen from space. Adopt a piece, explore an interactive world map and take a deep dive into the data of any place on Earth as seen from NASA satellites  see how far air pollution and soot from fires or volcanoes have traveled from land to the ocean or how much sea ice is present in the Arctic and Antarctic. If youre looking for a macro check-up of Mother Earth, this is the resource for you. Visit go.nasa.gov/adopt for more info.Our friends at the Food Network have been supporters of Earth Day for a long time. And this year they let Ad Council in on the fun with our Save the Food campaign and Chopped Junior. The young cooks on their Rescue Mission episode tackled baskets of leftover and often-wasted food, starting with cheese rinds and takeout leftovers in the appetizer round. Then unwanted produce that must be worked into an entree. For dessert, the finalists found creative uses for forgotten fruit and baking leftovers to win over judges Amanda Freitag, Sam Kass and Marc Murphy. Check your local listings for airtimes and keep an eye out for the joint PSAs we made with celebrity chefs Sam Kass and Ted Allen about food waste.On this Earth Day, our hometown and city infamous for omnipresent bumper-to-bumper yellow-cab-congested streets took a break to show Mother Earth some love by declaring 30 blocks of Manhattan streets car-free. On Earth Day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., 30 blocks of Broadway between Union Square and Times Square, in addition to other neighborhoods in NYCs boroughs, were free of any vehicular traffic and open to pedestrians and cyclists; better yet, they were filled with activities to push the conversation around building a more sustainable future.These are just a few of the Earth Day activities were excited about. What interesting things did you see this Earth Day? Let us know in the comments!The post Seeing Green: Earth Day 2017 appeared first on AdLibbing.org


Northern Irish farmers have labelled the Department of Agriculture's (DAERA) cattle identity procedures as 'complicated' and 'overly bureaucratic'.

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has confirmed that it has been in discussions with DAERA for some time over potential cattle identity problems.

Deputy president, Victor Chestnutt, said the UFU's message throughout had been that DAERA needs to work with farmers to find speedy solutions to identity queries.

We have made clear our concerns about the complicated procedures DAERA use to resolve identity queries. Often these are down to simple human error and are about the sex, colour or breed of the animal, said Mr Chestnutt.

'Rigid approach'

He said DAERA's "rigid approach" is "overly bureaucratic, creating unnecessary frustration" for farmers.

When DAERA is unwilling to resolve identity queries, the movement of cattle is restricted. They can only go direct for slaughter. This is limiting farmers' marketing options, potentially reducing the animals value while creating practical problems on the farm, warned the UFU deputy president.

The UFU has said that farmers across Northern Ireland want flexibility from DAERA.

The farming union believes this would allow the majority of identity queries to be resolved quickly on the farm, and without risk to the integrity of traceability.

Farmers here keep detailed herd records and we have a world-leading traceability system that should allow for mistakes to be corrected.

A common sense solution from DAERA could maintain the traceability of our cattle, while ensuring as many as possible secure their full value from the market, said Mr Chestnutt.
Rights to Buy must be scrapped if Scotlands farming industry is to thrive and survive, a leading agriculture expert has warned.

A chronic shortage of farms to let and an ageing farming population is being "exacerbated" by legislation that punishes landlords and squeezes available land.

Malcolm Taylor, a rural land management partner at Bell Ingram, welcomes new measures to encourage newcomers to farming but suggests that they would fall flat without the corresponding available land.

He said: It is vital that the government abandons rights to buy for tenancies and provide security and incentives for landlords to let land. A 10-year lease must mean a 10-year lease.

The government wants a vibrant tenanted farming sector but seems unwilling to facilitate it.

While recent announcements by the Royal Bank of Scotland that new entrants to farming need additional support are to be commended, this will be of little use if there are few or no farms available for young entrants to apply for.

'Glaring issues'

Though efforts are being made to create space for new entrants in agriculture, there remain glaring issues that are preventing more landlords from offering land.

According to Taylor, intervention from the top is needed to redress the balance.

He added: The Forestry Commission, too, is to be applauded for the creation of starter farms offering a first step on the farming ladder. But the word starter implies a progression and suggests that after the initial lease, they will be expected to move on to a larger unit.

This is all very well in an ideal world, but in reality there are no farms to progress to.

What will happen at the end of the tenancy? The tenant could rightly say the farm is their home and business and refuse to move, and this is not an attractive prospect for landlords.

Somebody needs to take the lead and the answer is in the governments hands. Trying to influence the Brexit debate seems more important to some than the future of our young farmers and our rural economy - this needs to change.

'New opportunities'

In England, some rural councils have addressed the issue at hand and made a success of generating new opportunities for new farmers.

Mr Taylor added: In England, forward-thinking Cambridge Council turned its back on a quick capital boost to funds by selling land, and instead is supporting tenanted farms.

The application criteria for these farms are strict. Applicants must be between the age of 23 and 40, have had five years practical experience or a three-year formal agriculture qualification; have sufficient financial support and must not be from established farms.

Those who can demonstrate direct employment generation will have enhanced potential. The final element is that the farms will be let on farm business tenancies (FBT) for a period of more than two years. The kind of flexibility of the FBT is vital to making new tenancies work.
Electronic medicine book 'eMB-Pigs' now covers around 60% of the pig herd in England a year after its launch, according to new figures.

In total, 329 farmers from 1,500 farms have recorded their antibiotic usage on the eMB website, which this week celebrates its first anniversary.

Developed by AHDB Pork and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the electronic medicine book is available to all UK producers and is supported by the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh levy bodies.

It provides an electronic version of the existing paper medicines book and is seen as a more convenient way to record and quantify usage so producers can review and optimise their on-farm antibiotic use.

AHDB experts have welcomed the latest figures and say theyre confident farmers will continue to make full use of eMB and enjoy the benefits it brings to the industry. AHDB Veterinary Senior Manager Martin Smith said: Producers are able to compare data between quarters or for producers with multiple sites, they are able to compare between holdings.

The data also identify antimicrobials by different classes including highlighting those considered to be critical to human medicine.

By reviewing antimicrobial use data, producers may be able to identify particular external effects such as seasonal variability that may be affecting the health of their herds. All of this information allows producers to review their units alongside their veterinary surgeon and seek routes to reduce usage.

Red Tractor requirement

From October it will be a Red Tractor requirement that quarterly antimicrobial data is entered into eMB-Pigs. Producers will also be required to upload retrospective data.

I think there still remains some reluctance from producers to engage with the eMB, said Martin Smith.

For some producers this is because they already have systems for collecting data which comply with the current Red Tractor requirements. However, we believe the opportunity exists to transfer these data to the eMB and so gain the advantages of using a national system.

There is also some reluctance to engage with the computer technology and there is some fear of the complexity of the IT systems. However many producers have found that once they give it a go the system is surprisingly easy to use.

AHDB Pork is providing support through the Knowledge Exchange team for those producers who may require extra assistance.

'Dynamic system'

In 2016, an independent review of antimicrobial resistance by Lord ONeill, commissioned by the government, recommended that livestock sectors set independent reduction targets of total antimicrobial use.

This recommendation was adopted by the government and has driven the need for on-farm antimicrobial use data for 2015 to establish a baseline figure for total use in pigs.

Martin said: eMB is a dynamic system and will allow producers to benchmark their holdings against the national average for units in the same category.

We hope to see the upward trend in antimicrobial data being uploaded onto eMB continue. Overall the response from the industry has been positive. It is hoped that the already positive stories from producers using the system to reduce and optimise their usage continues and more producers see the huge benefits to their businesses.
Two Powys councillors have been suspended following 2015 prosecutions relating to cattle identification.

The two Conservative councillors from Powys, Mid Wales, were suspended from the council as the result of code of conduct breaches - for bringing the council into disrepute over the prosecutions.

Cllr Gwynfor Thomas began a four-week suspension on Wednesday (19 April), a week after fellow councillor Aled Davies began a two-week suspension.

A third councillor, Gary Price, has appealed a five-month suspension and it was recommended it be reduced to three.

This amendment would need to be approved by the council's standards committee after May's local elections.

It follows prosecutions by Powys' trading standards under different sections of the Cattle Identification (Wales) Regulations 2007 and Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Wales) Regulations, over charges relating to the tagging of cattle on farms, and found guilty.
Vintage tractors have been blessed by Reverend John Dobson, Dean of Ripon Cathedral before being put through their paces at the weekend in preparation for this years Tractor Fest.

The UK's leading vintage tractor show is being held at Newby Hall over the weekend of 10 and 11 June 2017.

After the blessing at the Cathedral, show organisers gave lucky local residents a sneak preview of some of the vintage engines they can enjoy at the show when they passed through Ripon and surrounding villages including Copt Hewick, Dishforth and Marton-le-Moor.

The Very Reverend John Dobson, Dean of Ripon Cathedral commented: "It was very good to bless some of those preparing for the Tractor Fest at Newby Hall. This is a celebration of a dimension of agricultural and rural life that attracts people to this region from all over the country. I hope that many of them visit Ripon and the Cathedral."

Tractor Fest is the biggest event of its type in the country attracting thousands of visitors each year and staged by the Yorkshire Vintage Association at Newby Hall near Ripon.

This years two day event, sponsored by agricultural and machinery auctioneers Cheffins, will celebrate 100 years of the Ford Tractor and will showcase more than 1,500 engines of all marques. Ford tractors revolutionised food production in the UK when they were first imported in 1917.

The first day will culminate in the popular spectacle of the March of the Tractors which will once again start at Newby Hall, following a route into Ripon centre and end in the market square (Saturday 10 June only from 5.30pm-7pm).
Five things for farmers to watch out for in Autumn Statement
Graphite producer Syrah Resources Limitedhas announced it has awarded a distribution and logistics contract to Grindrod Mauritius.The five-year deal involves Grindrod supplying long and short haul logistics, customs clearing and dock facilities for Syrah Resources Balama Project in northern Mozambique.Syrah also has the option to extend the contract for two further five-year periods.Syrah says the operating costs for the logistics and distribution services are tipped to be less than US$125.70 per product tonne.Shares in Syrah Resources Limitedopened flat at $2.51
Social Security is, for millions of Americans, a vital source of income during retirement. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the mere fact that Social Security benefits are paid out to more than 41 million retired seniors each month has pushed the rate of senior poverty below 9%. Without Social Security income, the CBPP estimates that the poverty rate for seniors would be north of 40%!

However, most working Americans, and even some retirees, don't have a good idea of what percentage of income Social Security is designed to replace once you retire, and that's a big problem. If seniors wind up relying on Social Security too heavily during retirement, they run the risk of experiencing a monthly "sticker shock" if the program ever faces benefit cuts.

Social Security is designed to replace this much of your working wages

It's worth noting that the Social Security Board of Trustees has projected that the Social Security Trust will have completely exhausted its more than $2.8 trillion in spare cash by the year 2034, necessitating what it estimates will be a 21% across-the-board cut in benefits. In other words, if you're heavily reliant on Social Security, your monthly income could take a substantial hit in less than two decades. Worse yet, if you've claimed benefits before reaching your full retirement age (the age where the SSA deems you eligible to receive 100% of your monthly benefits), your already permanently reduced payout could be slashed even more.

Data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) shows that 61% of retired workers count on their benefits to provide at least half of their monthly income. For unmarried elderly individuals this figure jumps to 71%.

Yet according to the SSA, Social Security benefits are only truly designed to replace about 40% of the average worker's wages during retirement. Based on the $1,363.66 that the average retired worker receives each month (as of Feb. 2017), or $16,364 a year, this means around $24,000 in additional annual income (approximately 60%) should be derived from other sources aside from Social Security (e.g., a pension, 401(k), IRA, or some other retirement or investment account).

Understand that this figure has some leeway based on what a worker earns during his or her lifetime. An individual who earned an average of $150,000 a year is capped by how much they can receive monthly from Social Security ($2,687 in 2017). Thus, higher-income individuals will see around 25% of their income replaced by Social Security and, in some instances, they may not even be reliant on this added income at all. Conversely, low-income individuals could see around 55% of their working wages replaced by Social Security income during retirement.

What isn't OK, based on the SSA's recommendation, is relying on Social Security to provide a significant portion of your monthly income (60%+). Doing so runs the risk of being at the mercy of a possible benefits cut in the not-too-distant future.

Reduce your reliance on Social Security by taking these steps

While there could be a smorgasbord of reasons why seniors are so reliant on Social Security income once they retire, it's likely a function of America's poor saving habits. According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the personal saving rate in Feb. 2017 was just 5.6%, which is less than half of what it was 50 years ago. This is well below the 10% to 15% savings rate that financial advisors recommend.

One exceptionally simple solution to reduce your Social Security reliance is to save more -- and the best way to achieve that is to formulate a budget. Gallup found in 2013 that only a third of U.S. households keep a detailed monthly budget, which is a clear problem that needs to be solved.

Formulating a budget is exceptionally easy nowadays since it can be done entirely online, and in many cases for free. You may even be able to plug in how much you'd like to save within a month and have budgeting software help you derive a plan to reach your goals.

Perhaps the toughest step in the budgeting process is sticking to your plan. Though there are a number of tips that can help you stay on track, setting up a monthly automatic withdrawal to a savings or investment account should help keep you to your budget and give you the best chance for success. It also removes one of the biggest excuses for not saving money -- "I'll do it later."

Aside from just budgeting better, workers need to do a better job of taking advantage of so-called free money. More companies than ever are offering 401(k)s in the workplace in an effort to help retain talent, as well as prepare employees for the rising costs of retirement. Not only are there more 401(k) options, more employers are matching a percentage of their workers' salaries (usually around 3%). This free money can compound over time, helping to reduce workers' expected reliance on Social Security.

Workers also need to be willing to place their faith back into the stock market. A Gallup poll from April 2016 found that just 52% all Americans own stocks, which matched an all-time record low. For context, 65% of all Americans owned stock prior to the Great Recession. While the stock market has undoubtedly had some wild swings, it's also been among the steadiest wealth creators over the long run. Historically, the stock market has gained 7% a year, inclusive of dividend reinvestment. Workers should start investing in the stock market early and with regularity if they hope to build a nest egg big enough that they aren't reliant on Social Security when they retire.

If you don't take heed of the SSA's recommendations, you may live to financially regret it.
The protestors demanded that the investigation of the case should be done under the watch of the Supreme Court.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Civil society members and political activists from the village of Pehlu Khan, the man who died after being attacked by cow vigilantes, staged a protest in Jaipur today to demand justice for him.

The members of the Rajasthan Citizen Forum, People Union for Civil Society, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM), Communist Party of India (CPI), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Samajwadi Party, and several others came together to protest against cow vigilantes who allegedly attacked Pehlu Khan and others suspecting them to be cow-smugglers in Rajasthan's Alwar district.

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The protesting members demanded that the investigation of the case should be done under the watch of the Supreme Court.

They also demanded that those who have been named in the attack of Pehlu Khan should be arrested without delay. The protestors also demanded the resignation of Rajasthan Home minister Gulab Chand Kataria and asked for the removal of Alwar SP.

The protesting members have also written a memorandum to be sent to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and are even planning to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

ALSO READ:

Alwar lynching: One of the main accused in cow vigilante killing arrested

Alwar cow vigilante killing: Cattle carriers had Jaipur municipal receipts, cops booked them for smuggling

ALSO WATCH:

Congress slams government over Alwar lynching, moves adjournment motion in Lok Sabha

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Thanks for the info. Yes it is the wireless one. I like the idea of killing the power. Technically, I only need it when towing my camper so disabling it when it is not needed is a good thing. I only worry about forgetting to kill the power to it when I shut the truck off say over night. I know that if the compressor runs it will drain my battery when the ignition is off.



Does anyone know if the pressure monitor draws a lot of power? I really appreciate any help on this. Thank you.
High Court advocate HC Arora has sent a legal notice to Punjab govt to sack power minister within 10 days failing which he will start legal proceedings.

By Manjeet Sehgal: In yet another embarrassment to the Punjab government, a lawyer has now raised questions on the portfolio of Cabinet Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh. Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyer HC Arora, has alleged that besides being a minister, Rana also owns a power company and distillery.

The advocate has asked Captain Amrinder Singh to either sack the minister or to ask him to sell his shares of the distillery and power firm.

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"Captain Amrinder Singh wants to wipe out drugs from the state. He got people's mandate for this promise which he had made to the people So he formed a SIT and launched a state wide campaign to check drug smuggling and trafficking. But this campaign is incomplete as his cabinet colleague Rana Gurjeet Singh owns a distillery besides a power firm. He should give up the promotion of liquor," H C Arora told India Today.

The distillery owned by the minister and his family is located at village Louhka, Tehsil Patti, District-Taran Tarn.

MINISTER INVOLVED IN LIQUOR PROMOTION: ADVOCATE

The legal notice stated that Rana Gurjeet Singh is a major share holder in Rana Sugars Limited and is involved in promotion of liquor, and is earning profits from production and sale of liquor through the said company. The notice also said that while at one hand the State Government is reducing the number of liquor vends in the State, Rana Gurjit Singh is involved in "promotion of liquor" through production and sale of liquor.

"This is very serious and objectionable, as the State Government is fighting a war against drug-addiction of the State youth. Whether, a liquor baron should be allowed to remain in the Cabinet?" is a very serious and vital question in the present context. In my considered opinion, Rana Gurjeet Singh has to elect, as to whether he is to give up his involvement in production and sale of liquor, or to quit as a minister, without any further delay. He has no moral right to continue with both," H C Arora said.

The advocate has threatened to launch legal proceedings against the government in case the minister is not removed within 10 days.

MINISTER REFUTES ALLEGATIONS

Rana Gurjeet Singh, however, has rubbished the charges and said there was no conflict of interests him being a minister and an industrialist.

"If an agriculturist can become an agriculture minister, if a doctor can become a health minister or a lawyer can become a law minister, what is wrong if someone who has expertise in producing power becomes the power minister?," asked Rana.

"If a company in which I have stakes, is supplying power to the PSPCL in a transparent manner following all the norms and procedures and without my role or influence, should that be held against me?" Rana Gurjeet Singh added.

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Also read:

After Sidhu, now Punjab power minister Rana Gurjeet Singh faces 'conflict of interest' charges

Respect CM Amarinder Singh but won't quit TV, insists Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu wants to continue TV work, will seek AG's opinion: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh to India Today

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Haiti - Social : Visit of the First Lady to the communal Asylum





On Saturday, First Lady Martine Moise, accompanied by Roosevelt Bellevue, Minister of Social Affairs and Deputy Mayor of Port-au-Prince, Kettyna Bellabe visited the communal Asylum of Port-au-Prince on the street St-Martin (Delmas 2), to make an inventory and inquire about the problems that this institution has faced for some time.



The heads of the institution spoke of urgent difficulties concerning, among others, drinking water, health care, food and electricity. Minister Bellevue promised, in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady and the City of Port-au-Prince, to work as soon as possible to improve the living conditions of the residents.



Kettyna Bellabe took the opportunity to reiterate the will of the Municipal Administration of Port-au-Prince, under the instruction of Mayor Ralph Youri Chevry, to work tirelessly to the proper running of the institutions under his management, with the support of central power to the good of the community in a spirit of living together.



The First Lady, Mrs. Martine Moise, took advantage of her visit to meet the residents of the Asylum before proceeding to the distribution of some food and hygienic kits.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Mexico : More than 1,000 Haitians already regularized





Francisco Rueda Gomez, the Secretary General of the Mexican Government, announced that out of 2,400 Haitian citizens blocked in Baja California who have applied for regularization, 1,100 have already received permits legalizing their migratory situation on Mexican territory.



He recalled that the arrival of more than 20,000 foreign migrants seeking to enter the United States in search of a better quality of life occurred before the hardening of immigration policies of President Donald Trump, which cut the exodus.



He explained that of the 1,100 Haitians living in Tijuana and Mexicali who received legal documents provided by the National Institute of Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migracion - INAMI), 500 have a legal residence permit in Mexico and 600 have a temporary work permits.



The Secretary General said that 60% of migrants continue to live in shelters managed by civil associations.



He said that in recent days he attended a meeting sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Consul of Haiti in Mexico, Jorge Watanabe and the Ambassador of Haiti, Guy Lamothe, for in coordination, urge Haitian migrants to regularize their situation.



The Mexican Government, confronted with the importance of the migration wave, is studying the possibility of opening a consulate in Tijuana, said Haitian Ambassador Guy Lamothe to the local press. This initiative would facilitate the process of regularization of our compatriots and avoid traveling through the territory of a large number of migrants.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-20674-icihaiti-social-shooting-of-a-documentary-on-the-situation-of-haitians-blocked-in-tijuana.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20256-haiti-flash-mexico-offers-assisted-return-to-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20238-haiti-flash-30-000-haitian-migrants-on-the-mexican-border-targeted-by-scammers.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19691-haiti-mexicoto-tijuana-of-haitians-celebrates-the-independence-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19478-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitians-seek-refuge-in-mexico.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18704-haiti-flash-tens-of-thousands-of-haitians-en-route-to-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18700-haiti-flash-usa-resumption-of-regular-deportations-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18659-haiti-flash-haitians-are-fleeing-in-large-numbers-brazil-for-usa.html



SL/ iciHaiti


















The Punjab government has decided to set up an Anti-Terrorism Squad in the state and is also mulling bringing in a new law to combat organised crime in the state.

By Supriya Bhardwaj: To break the flourishing militant-gangster nexus in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has given the go-ahead to set up an Anti-Terrorism Squad.

Apart from this, the Punjab government is also mulling bringing a law called the Punjab Control of Organised Criminals Act (PCOCA) to crack the whip on organised crime in the state.

"(The) ATS would have the mandate to act both against terrorists as well as militant outfits and criminal gangs," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

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The issue of growing network of gangsters and militants was also raised by Captain Amarinder Singh with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh last week in Delhi.

CM Singh had said that jailed gangsters and militants often threatened jail staff. The Punjab government, which recently had to deal with the Nabha jail break case, has asked for the Centre's intervention to secure prisons.

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Kangar : The federal government should not entertain calls for popular preacher Dr Zakir Naik to be deported to India, says Perlis Mufti associate professor Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

He said the calls which also described Dr Zakir as a terrorist was not justified and in fact, had deliberately created confusion and tarnished the image of famous preacher.

Based on the talks and knowledge shared by Dr Zakir, there is no evidence to suggest that he incites people to violence.

Those who make the allegations should provide evidence that he (Dr Zakir) incited violence. Every speech and talk given by Dr Zakir was recorded  so please enlighten us the particular sentences that incited violence, he told reporters at his office, here today.

Mohd Asri also expressed his disappointment over the situation and proposed for a dialogue to be held between Dr Zakir and those who made the allegations.

Yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam, who is also MIC president, was reported to have said that Malaysia could not permit controversial Indian preacher Dr Zakir Naik to use the country as a haven from a terrorism investigation simply because of his religious credentials and as an agent provocateur, he would become a divisive presence in multicultural and multi-religious Malaysia.

Source : Malaysia Digest
Novotel London Canary Wharf Opens in London

The 39-story Novotel London Canary Wharf features 313 rooms, 26 individually designed suites, a New York-style gym and pool, nine design meeting rooms inspired by the goods brought into its surrounding commercial district, a ground floor coffee shop and contemporary bar and restaurant with rooftop terrace. With 360-degree views across London, experience a Novotel like never before at Novotel London Canary Wharf.

Guests entering the Gallery are met by an impressive feature staircase which draws the guest to the upper levels of the public areas. Suspended by copper vertical rods and with heavy solid character oak steps, the staircase is the centerpiece to the hotel's industrial design influenced by Canary Wharf's maritime history.

Renowned artist Sam Peacock's turquoise and red landscape wall with a dusting of Arabica coffee grains stands alongside darker woods, metals and rope that adds vibrancy to the Galleria, which is inviting to its new visitors.

Quick check-in and check-out is facilitated on tablets with no reception desk in sight. Guests are met by the Welcomers and can quickly take their key and journey up the hotel for their seamless experience of Novotel Canary Wharf. With soft seats, music and in close distance of Canary Coffee on the ground floor, this is a place where you can feel at home.

Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director, AccorHotels UK and Ireland comments, "Novotel London Canary Wharf is a hotel where you immediately feel welcome. It gives you a truly different experience on every floor."



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Floor one is a serene chill out area for those needing a quiet space to work. Alongside is the Le Club AccorHotels Lounge serving refreshments and snacks for members of AccorHotels loyalty program.

Sam Peacock's second creation is another landscape feature wall time stained in coffee, adding texture alongside copper, metals and ropes. These are all softened by mustard fabrics, gray relaxing chairs and a central soft seated area for those needing a little space to unwind.

Nine meeting rooms each individually designed around the commodities brought in from the Canary Islands conjugate off a shared social area. Visit West India Room with dark woods, brass and glass for a quiet space. East India room is complete with a rope settee and an automated dark wooden table. Rooms designed around and named; Crate, Log, Tobacco, Rum, Coffee and Spice nod to the goods from the islands which used to come into the port. Crowning off these is the Silk Room, complete with an oval table and glass chandelier surrounded by a teal silk curtain; these spaces are not for ordinary meetings.

BEDROOMS AND SUITES

Journey further up through the hotel to floors 4 - 29 that host stunning bedrooms and suites, while floors 30 - 35 showcase the executive rooms and suites. Focused on the industrial elements of the design blending natural woods, gold, copper and soft grays, bedrooms offer seclusion within the hotel's sociable environment.

Guests can enjoy their night's stay in bedrooms which include large flat screen TVs, work desks, LIVE N DREAM comfort bedding and sleek bathrooms to encourage relaxation in the city.

Elegant suites include, in addition to the facilities found in the bedrooms, a full range mini bar, turn-down service and private concierge. Soft-sofa seating areas, stocked bookcases and in some cases free standing bathtubs and crittal style doors give a feeling of home with supreme comfort and style. The hotel also includes Executive Terrace Suites with a private terrace for entertaining guests or a relaxing space to put your feet up and enjoy a glass of wine.

BOKAN

Finally you reach BOKAN. With three levels - BOKAN 37 Restaurant, BOKAN 38 Bar and BOKAN 39 Bar and Roof Terrace, guests can experience decadent modern European dishes and sip on show-stopping experimental cocktails with 360-degree views across the capital.

Anglo-Saxon for 'lighthouse', BOKAN stands as the light at the top of this impressive hotel, encouraging people to interact between floors and the experiences they offer. Let one of the baristas mix you a Royal Captain with Hendrick's gin, lavender-infused Mancino Vermouth Bianco, elderflower cordial, cold jasmine tea, grapefruit bitters, topped with soda, and enjoy a la Carte from Aurelie Altemaire, formerly Head Chef at Michelin-starred L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. BOKAN is a destination restaurant in its own right with a seasonal menu that offers a relaxed take on modern European cuisine, using carefully chosen local British ingredients.

CANARY COFFEE

Ready to leave after your stay, or running into work, grab a coffee at Canary Coffee open on the Ground Floor from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. serving Climpson & Sons coffee, Joe's Tea Co and Kokoa collection hot chocolate, as well as artisanal snacks, breakfast bites, cakes and pastries to eat in or take away. A free library allowing customers to take a book as long as they share one back is available just inside encouraging social interaction. A terrace outside is also available for those wanting a coffee in the sun. Rustic sacks, leather sofas and brass lamps finish off the space.

Dubaere concludes, "Not only does this hotel have the very best in comfort and style for those staying with us but it also houses one of London's top bars and restaurants. Whether you are an overnight guest or a customer grabbing a coffee and lunch, Novotel London Canary Wharf will give you an unforgettable experience."

Hotel facts
Pay Attention to Earth Day 2017. Your Employees Are.

Posted by Ryan Scott on Monday, 04-24-2017 12:19 am

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Has Earth Day ever been loaded with more urgency than now? It would seem that way, as our planet is under siege not only by climate change but by the unapologetic leader of the worlds largest economy. And thats why this years Earth Day - on April 22nd - is getting a colossal amount of attention. Company leaders, take heed: this is a historic moment to show you care about sustainability, which your employees - especially Millennials - really, really want to hear about and see in action. Context is everything right now because it offers the basis for what has become an uprising amongst the science community and environmentalists of every stripe. The reason that this Earth Day is not like any others is because of the oppositional stance of Americas Commander in Chief. Im sure that President Trump doesnt go to sleep at night thinking that hes against our planet, but his actions are plainly causing a grave threat to environmental progress. For starters, hes threatening to with...

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Recognize your employee's service through these unique awards

Posted by JP George on Monday, 04-24-2017 5:36 pm

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Think back to the last time someone told you that you did an amazing job. Does that bring a smile to your face? Positive reinforcement in the workplace motivates employees to keep up the good work. Employee recognition programs dont have to be expensive, and they are a wise investment if you want to keep your employees engaged and happy. Creative Ways to Recognize Employees CEO for the Day CEO for the day programs can provide valuable feedback from your team. The employee selected for this opportunity wouldnt necessarily be calling big shots, but they would be observing the CEOs daily responsibilities and asking questions about what you do. As the CEO works out daily challenges about how to improve your company, the employee can provide a unique perspective to the table. They can learn leadership skills during this experience, and the experience also provides motivation for them to work hard and stay loyal to the company, so they can move up the ranks themselves. Lunch with the B...

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Todays mobile technology is helping employees make better use of their time while giving them access to rich features that were previously unavailable. Its no longer just about on-the-go access to email and phone calls; a plethora of business-related apps and cloud resources are already available via personal mobile devices  and more are coming. As the emerging mobile workforce continues to rise (42.5 percent globally by 2022), human resource departments are realizing the benefits of mileage automation software and how it can positively impact their business bottom line when it comes to accurately reimbursing their employees. As more employees are expected to do their jobs out in the field  such as sales representatives making client visits, delivery drivers across a number of industries, or employees who simply work remotely on a regular basis  the need for solutions that specifically address their needs is pressing. In fact, a recent TechValidate survey found that mobile workers who use mileage reimbursement technology were able to complete administrative tasks sooner (49 percent) and visit a greater number of customers (38 percent). Lets take a deeper look at how companies can take back the time, money, and resources that have historically been lost to outdated manual reimbursement processes. Increased Efficiency Mobile employees have a unique set of demands placed on th...
Freelance Nation as a concept is spreading beyond US borders and is fast becoming the de facto staffing model for nimble and fast growing organizations. Last year saw rapid growth in the freelance economy, substantiated by data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that estimates that the U.S. now has a 15.5 million strong freelance workforce. More encouraging still is the findings of a study by Intuit in which it is estimated that by 2020 the American freelance workforce will have accelerated to 60 million. Thats potentially 40% of the U.S. workforce working in a freelance capacity (if that seems unbelievable, read this Forbes article). While these figures give us an undeniably useful insight into the current popularity of freelance employment, its not as clear why so many organizations opt to expand their freelance workforce. And exactly why are so many professionals being lured by the prospect of a freelancing career? Sara Horowitz, Founder and Executive Director of Freelancers Union pinpoints the increase in the numbers of people leaving their permanent positions in both large and small organizations across the country to the desire to achieve ultimate working autonomy. There has been a period when people went for unionized, well-paying jobs with benefits. Today people want a freelance 360-degree life where they can decide what they want to do and how much they want to work. One global organiz...
Besides Amit Shah, top party leaders, including almost every Union minister, have been roped in to drive the campaign at booth-level to boost the BJP's prospects.

By Brijesh Pandey: BJP chief Amit Shah will kick-off his party's expansion drive from Naxalbari, West Bengal on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Textile Minister Smriti Irani said that a 15-day programme will be started by Amit Shah when he will go to Naxalbari, West Bengal booth no 93 and start his countryside visit.

Amit Shah is going to a booth which has a past of Naxalism. He is going to spend 2 days in West Bengal and then visit Odisha, Telengana, Kerela and Tamil Nadu as part of the programme.

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By starting his drive from Naxalbari, Shah will give a message of solidarity to BJP workers, who have "suffered" violence there, Irani said. The party has accused the ruling TMC of unleashing violence on its workers in the state.

Speaking about the number of "Pracharaks" which the BJP has enlisted, Smriti said that around 3 lakh and 68 thousand people will participate in a 15-day stay in any part of country and thousands of other workers will go for 6 months to one year programme. BJP president also intends to travel for 95 days before September this year.

EXPANSION PLAN

Earlier during the day, BJP national general secretary briefed about the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CMs and Deputy CMs from the BJP ruled states. The guiding theme of this meeting was antyoday and how to carry forward the pro poor schemes of this government.

The BJP is celebrating year 2017 as 'Gareeb Kalyan Varsha' for centenary year of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay and it will also work on the Deen Dayal expansion scheme.

The national secretary said they are planning to expand even in states where they don't have a ruling government. In Gujarat, we have government for 25 years; in the states of MP and Chhattisgarh, we have government for long and schemes like Ujjwala, Gram Jyoti have benefited the poor immensely. Simultaneously, several new schemes have been launched by various states.

Talking about the UP government, he said that there the government has decided to procure crops apart from waving loans of farmers. There was also a discussion on how states can adopt good schemes launched by other states. Prime Minister Modi in the meeting told the chief ministers that their aim should be to launch programmes that will bring qualitative change in the life of ordinary people. He also said that states should learn from good schemes being implemented in other states.

Also read: Revealed! Amit Shah's Gujarat Assembly election strategy to win 150 seats

Also read: BJP President Amit Shah to spell out victory mantra for 2019 elections

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From the Archive The Military Ties That Bind

In this August 2011 story, The Irrawaddy explored the long history of support from Germany and its companies for Burmas notorious military regimes.

A military delegation led by Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing left on Sunday for a goodwill visit to Germany at the invitation of Chief of Defense of the German Armed Forces General Volker Weiker. It is the senior generals second visit to Europe. He went to Belgium in 2016 to attend the European Union Military Committee, where he stated that Burma Army representation in Parliament was still necessary because of the countrys delicate multi-party democracy.

This story, originally published by The Irrawaddy in August 2011, charts the history of close relations between Burmas military rulers and Germanys Fritz Werner GmbH Company.

Geisenheim is a small town in the State of Hessen of the Federal Republic of Germany that hosts a plush old spa of sumptuous beauty, where since Roman times people have bathed amidst lush forests beneath the Taunus Mountains. To the surprise of all visitors, in the middle of a vineyard near the town is a grand, Burmese style house.

The Myitta Paungku Beikman (Love Connection Monument), was built by former Burmese dictator Gen Ne Win and donated to the Fritz Werner GmbH Company (FWG) on Jan. 1, 1971 as a sign of appreciation for the companys assistance in preserving him and his much-hated military regime in power.

FWG is a Berlin-based company which since 1896 has specialized in machinery for the production of small arms and ammunition. The company, which played a vital role in Germanys WW I efforts, has cultivated a unique relationship with the Burmese ruling elite over the years. There is a great deal of mutual trust between FWG and the Burmese regime, whose military-minded leaders look for characteristics such as reliability and discretion in a business partner.

After WW II, FWG was wholly-owned by the West German government, falling under the jurisdiction of the governments Ministry of Economy. The company was bought with money from the Marshall Fund which was meant to rebuild industries that were destroyed during WW II, a war which FWG helped fuel with its machinery for the production of weapons and ammunition.

In 1948, Burma gained independence from Great Britain, and FWG struck up its partnership with the new Burmese government in 1953. The German companys first project was the production of the BA52 submachine gunaka the Ne Win sten.

Beginning at the time of this original contract, Ne Win cultivated friendly relations with FWG, both diplomatically and personally. Fritz Werner technical advisors posted in Rangoon had continuous access to the dictator, a rare privilege not extended to the representatives of other foreign firms. The fact that FWG was owed by the West German government itself created a close personal relationship between the two governments, causing some to say that Burma was the friendliest nation toward West Germany in Asia.

FWGs secretive Burmese operations, which have often been shrouded under a veil of mystery, got into full swing in 1960 when the West German Ministry of Defence gave the company permission to produce G3 rifles in Burma and it later established its first weapons factory on the outskirts of Rangoon with the assistance of the West Germany arms company Heckler & Koch.

The factory was supervised by German engineers from the German Technical Corporation Agency (GTZ). Until the production of that plant started, the Burmese regime used FWG as the middleman to purchase G3 rifles through Dusseldorf based arms producer Rheinmetall, which shared production with Heckler & Koch.

In 1961, West Germanys Foreign Office in Bonn granted permission to export 10,000 G3 rifles as well as four million rounds of ammunition manufactured by Metallwerk Elisenhutte Nassau (MEN), an FWG subsidiary, to Burma. The West German government had no reservations about authorizing further transfers, even when Ne Win toppled the democratic government of U Nu in 1962Rheinmetall received permission from Bonn to sell 12,000 G3 rifles and 800 MG42 machine guns, and MEN received permission to export 18 million rounds of ammunition. Then in 1969, the West German Foreign Office permitted FWG to export machinery for the production of explosives, as well as a complete rolling mill for sheet brass.

With the assistance from West Germany, the self-sufficiency of the Burmese armed forces increased continuously, and the Burmese military often used German-produced weapons to oppress the Burmese people and various ethnic minority groups, especially after Ne Win and the military seized power in 1962.

For example, on July 7, 1962, just three days after the militarys Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) was formed, the students of Rangoon University organized a peaceful demonstration inside the Campus. The Burmese military equipped with G3 automatic riflesfired into the crowd of thousands of students, killing over 100 and injuring many more. The next morning, the military blew up the Rangoon University Student Union building, which was a treasured historical monument of the Burmese struggle to gain independence from Great Britain. The building was blasted to pieces by heavy explosives, and every trace of it removed.

During the 1988 democratic uprising, over 3,000 people were once again killed by Burmese troops using German-produced weapons. Despite this, the West German government welcomed Ne Win as a guest of FWG in March 1988. In addition, after the military coup by Burmese Gen Saw Maung in Sept. 1988, the West German Federal Ministry of Economics gave permission for FWG to export machinery for the production of ammunition.

Not only did FWG set up three plants in Rangoon and Prome to produce the vast majority of armaments required by the Burmese military, they also served as a conduit for all importation of raw materials, machine parts and chemicals used in explosives production.

The cozy relationship between the West Germans and the Burmese military was something of a closely kept secret until 1988, when the democracy uprising and surrounding political crisis blew the lid off the Burmese situation and drew the attention of the whole world. Due to international pressure brought upon the West German government by the horror of the Sept. 1988 coup, it suddenly became one of the outspoken critics of the Burmese regime, as if it didnt know before how many Burmese had died at the hands of Burmese troops firing West German weapons.

The German government did, however, suspend development co-operation activities with Burma, including negotiations regarding Burmese debt cancellation, and ceased authorization of arms shipments to Burma. But regardless of assertions made by the Germans that FWG was no longer participating in the production of weapons and explosives inside Burma, and that technical co-operation had been reduced to a minimum, the manufacture of explosives and weapons continues to date, and German employees of GTZ remain in the country, disguising their true field of expertise.

Despite Germanys hasty withdrawal of economic support from Burma after the 1988 crackdown, it didnt take long before FWG found an opportunity for renewed investment. In 1990, FWG formed a joint venture with the Burmese military, a partnership that was made possible thanks to an old US $500 million loan that the West German government had made to Burma in the 1960s.

FWG stands by itself in Burma, and the joint venture grew out of a very personal relationship between the company and the Burmese generals. This personal relationship has helped preserve the Burmese military regime in power, despite the various insurgencies and unrest in the country.

Following the uprising in 1988, the European Community and the US began imposing economic sanctions on Burma, identifying the high incidence of human rights abuses by the military regime as the primary reason for imposing sanctions. However, the annual reports of the German Federal Office for Export and Trade proves that licences for the export of dual-use-goods were authorized nearly every year, despite an EU arms embargo established in 1991.

In 1999, Germany even allowed the Burmese regime to renovate the notorious Myitta Paungku Beitman in Geisenheim.

On May 4, 2011, during a Burma Conference in Berlin, Dr. Markus Loning, Germanys Federal Government commissioner for human rights policy and humanitarian aid, pushed for more engagement with the Burmese military regime and for the modification of sanctions on Burma.

For many Burmese activists, Germany is just paying a lip service to the human rights situation in Burma. A cable revealed in a 2009 Wikileaks report indicated that Germany exported sophisticated equipment to Burma, which was followed by a visit of German diplomats to the factories where the machinery was installed. In 2009-10, Germany was the biggest trade partner of Burma in the European Union.

The suffering of the Burmese people at the hands of their military rulers is undeniable. The irresponsible investments by foreign firms and others are not benefitting the people of Burma, but only contributing to the torture, persecution and killing of the many ethnic nationals, monks, students and activists who are struggling for democracy inside Burma.

For the Burmese people, FWGs cooperation and partnership with the Burmese regime has been extremely discouraging. It is time for Germany to start listening to the cry of the Burmese people for democracy, and start building a real, people to people, Myitta friendship that will live forever.

The author is a former student activist and chairman of Camp Thaybawboe run by the ABSDF. At present, he is a member of the KNU Foreign Affairs Relations efforts.
Burma English Teacher Arrested in Magwe for Alleged Rape

A policeman locks law enforcement facilities. / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  A volunteer English teacher in Pakokku, Magwe Division was apprehended and sent to Pakokku prison on Monday for rape charges, according to local police.

Myo Zaw Htwe, a volunteer English teacher at a local charity group was arrested last week for allegedly raping his girlfriend and threatening to post indecent pictures of her on the Internet if she went to the police.

We received his statement, filed a case under Article 376 of Burmas Penal Code and sent him to prison. The case will be brought to court next week, a Pakokku police officer said.

The incident spread on social media, with many saying the National League for Democracy member had defamed the partys image.

Pictures of Myo Zaw Htwe wearing an NLD shirt and participating in election campaigns were circulated, with netizens condemning him and urging the party to take action.

However, the party office in Pakokku issued a statement that said he was not a party member and that according to office records; he had no affiliation with the party office.

The charity group where Myo Zaw Htwe has volunteered as an English teacher also issued a statement to the effect that this case was a personal matter and unrelated to its affiliated organizations.
Burma Burmese Military Delegation Continues European Goodwill Visit

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing (C) with German Ambassador for Burma Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch at Rangoon International Airport on Saturday shortly before the general's European trip. / Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing / Facebook

A delegation led by Burma military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Austria on Sunday to meet with the Chief of Defense Staff of Austrian Armed Forces as part of the delegations European trip to Germany at the invitation of Chief of Defense of the German Armed Forces General Volker Weiker.

The delegation, including the senior generals wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo and senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), left Burma on Saturday. The Burmese military stated that the purpose of this trip was a goodwill visit.

For Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the trip is his second visit to Europe. He went to Belgium in 2016 to attend the European Union Military Committee, where he stated that Burma Army representation in Parliament was still necessary because of the countrys delicate multi-party democracy.

The Burmese military and Germany have had a good relationship in the past. When ex-dictator Gen Ne Win was in power, he inked a partnership with the Fritz Werner GmbH Company (FWG) that got into full swing in 1960 when the West German Ministry of Defense gave the company permission to produce G3 rifles in Burma and later established its first weapons factory on the outskirts of Rangoon with the assistance of the West Germany arms company Heckler & Koch.
Burma Govt Sets Date for Second Peace Conference Session

Representatives of the government, the Burma Army, and ethnic armed organizations met in Naypyidaw on Monday to discuss issues involved in the implementation of the national ceasefire agreement. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

NAYPYIDAW  The government has set the date for the second session of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference as May 24, after the first Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) on the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) was held in Naypyidaw on Monday.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma Army deputy commander-in-chief Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win, and Karen National Union (KNU) chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe delivered the opening speeches at the JICM, attended by representatives of the government, the Burma Army, and ethnic armed organizations.

Participants discussed the fact that two NCA-signatoriesthe Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)have, as of yet, been unable to hold national-level political dialogues in their respective states. Talks also touched on possibilities for inclusion of all ethnic armed groups in the peace building process.

It was also decided that the United Nations Secretary-General would be invited to the opening of the second round of 21st Century Panglong conference, according to Khun Okkar, the patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO).

He told reporters in Naypyidaw that they had agreed to hold political negotiations at the upcoming conference.

Despite the NCA stating that Union Peace Conference (UPC) sessions need to be held every six months or twice a year, the planned date for the next round of talks was postponed from March, citing scheduling conflicts with the KNU congress.

Prior to next months peace conference, more non-signatories of NCAparticularly those within the ethnic bloc United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)are likely to sign, once their proposed terms are negotiated and agreed upon with the government.

In his opening speech, the Burma Army deputy chief said that some ethnic armed groups had misinterpreted the NCA as a disarmament deal.

The NCA is not about asking ethnic armed groups to disarm. Everybody knows this. However, some organizations misinterpret signing NCA as being asked to disarm, Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win said.

Now is the critical time for all Burma citizens to make rapid strides toward the goal of permanent peace and democracy, he said, calling peace a precondition for prosperity.

I would like to urge ethnic leaders of [NCA] signatory groups to exhort, either in person or through their respective organizations, those who dont understand or who pretend not to understand this [to sign NCA], he said.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also the chairperson of the governments National Reconciliation and Peace Center, reiterated that she hoped all stakeholders would take part in the peace process and provide input.

When it comes to permanent peace, I hope [every stakeholder] will think about how they can make progress in the peace process and how they can make peace process more successful, regardless of different views, she said.

Burma Army Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing had stressed at the previous 21st Century Panglong Conference, in August 2016, that ethnic armed groups needed to abandon their policy of armed struggle in consideration of people, peace and prosperity in their respective regions.

Our military has a six-point peace policy, and there are also provisions in NCA as well as our military code of conduct, said Min Aung Hlaings deputy, Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win.

If ethnic armed groups respect each others views, non-signatories are likely to sign [NCA]. I hope there wont also be big problems with NCA signatories, and that we will achieve the eternal peace that all of our citizens aspire to, he added.

The NLD government is obliged to take over the duty of the previous governmentwhich run by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Partyto implement NCA, as is Burma Army, said KNU chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe, who is also the head of the Ethnic Armed Organizations Peace Process Steering Team.

As we have signed the NCA, we have committed to implementing it, he said.

Nyein Nyein contributed to this report.
Burma NLD Spokesperson Reminds Lawmakers to Act With Dignity Following a Recent Incident

A video of a Tenasserim divisional lawmaker slapping a villager during a dispute went viral on Saturday.

The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party spokesperson reminded lawmakers to behave appropriately and in line with the law, following an incident two weeks ago in Tenasserim Division.

A video of a Tenasserim divisional lawmaker slapping a villager during a dispute went viral on Facebook on Saturday.

NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the party has requested that the concerned lawmaker submit a report.

U Nyan Win said he could not comment on the incident until a report was filed and deliberated, adding that laws did not permit the lawmakers actions.

Everyone must be treated equally under the law and that applies to the lawmakers, he said. Thus, parliamentarians must behave better and with dignity.

The incident happened on April 8 when Tenasserim divisional lawmaker U Ye Myint Swe went to inspect a new school building in Pawa village, more than an hour by boat from Tenasserim town, according to U Aung Thu Ra, a Tenasserim lawmaker.

Two weeks later, the short video was posted, widely shared and criticized on social media.

U Ye Myint Swe slapped villager Ko Tun Hla when he allegedly harrassed a woman while a debate regarding school building materials carried on around him.

As you can see in the video, Ko Tun Hla sexually harrassed a woman and [U Ye Myint Swe] slapped him, but Ko Tun Hla blocked the slap, said U Aung Thu Ra.

The lawmaker later apologized to the villager and they settled the matter.

This incident has raised larger criticisms online regarding the actions of lawmakers.

In early 2014, U Ohn Myint, the former minister of livestock, fisheries and rural development, was under fire in Union Parliament after issuing a verbal threat that he would slap anyone who insulted or opposed the [former] government.
Baahubali: The Conclusion has received a fantastic response in advance booking in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, say reports.

By India Today Web Desk: SS Rajamouli's Baahubali: The Conclusion is unarguably the biggest film event this year. With just 4 days left for the release of the film, Baahubali 2 has received fantastic response in advance booking.

The film, which completed the censor formalities last week, has been passed with a U/A certificate. Going by the booking status in BookMyShow, most of the tickets have been sold for the first weekend in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

A screengrab from BookMyShow

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In Tamil Nadu, SPI cinemas, one of the largest multiplexes in Chennai, had opened the pre-booking option on Saturday (April 22). It must be noted that the tickets were sold within few minutes for the first weekend. It is also said that the theatres are filling up fast in Kerala. After the Karnataka row over Sathyaraj's controversial speech, the advance booking is yet to be made available.

Baahubali: The Conclusion is released in over 6,500 screens across India. Considering the unprecedented craze for the film, Baahubali 2 is very likely to become the highest grossing Indian film.

Directed by SS Rajamouli, Baahubali 2 takes the story forward from where Baahubali: The Beginning ended. Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah, Sathyaraj and Ramya Krishnan star in pivotal roles in this instalment of Baahubali too.

ALSO READ: Can Baahubali 2's success play a role in the national acceptance of regional cinema?

ALSO READ: Here's why Baahubali 2 will be the greatest Indian blockbuster of all time

ALSO READ: Baahubali 2's Prabhas: I'm open to Bollywood if I'm offered a project

ALSO WATCH: The Sword of Baahubali: SS Rajamouli, Raja Koduri share their VR experience

--- ENDS ---
Burma Police, Army Provide Security After Deadly Elephant Rampage in Irrawaddy Division

Authorities providing security in Sin Puu Kone Village. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division  Police and Burma Army soldiers were brought in to provide security in Sin Puu Kone village of Irrawaddy Divisions Thabaung Township after two rampaging wild elephants killed a 59-year-old villager on Saturday morning.

Thabaung Township Police Force dispatched over 20 police officers to the village to work alongside the general administration department and forest department in response to the rampage that also damaged local farmland.

The elephants are still near the forest outside the villagewe could not scare them away, chief of Thabaung Police Station police Capt. Myint Lwin told The Irrawaddy on Sunday. We had to explode firecrackers at night to keep them away.

U Than Win, 59, was trampled to death by the elephants on his way into the forest, he said.

Soldiers from the No. 308 Light Infantry Battalion of South-West Command initially joined police to provide security on Saturday, but left later in the evening.

Police plan to scare the elephants away in collaboration with the forest department personnel and local residents, said Thabaung Township Lower House lawmaker U Thein Tun.

If that does not work, police will corner the wild elephants using the forest departments tamed elephants ridden by skilled mahouts, anaesthetize the wild elephants, and transport them back to the forest, he said.

Wild elephants often visit the villages of Thabaung, Ngapudaw, Ngwe Hsaung, and Chaungtha in the Irrawaddy Delta, adjacent to the western Pegu Mountain Range, during the hot and cool seasons in in search of food.

They often damage local race paddies and other crops and cause human casualties.
Commentary Is Burma Still Exercising a Neutral Foreign Policy with China?

Chinese President Xi Jinping with Burmas President U Htin Kyaw at the Great Hall of People in Beijing, China April 10, 2017. / Yohei Kanasashi / Pool / Reuters

Burmas de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will attend Chinas New Silk Road summit in May. It will be her third official visit to China.

After the visit, the State Counselor plans to hold the second round of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference.

Her push for peace has been bolstered by assurances from China that it will persuade some ethnic armed groups in northern Burma, including the powerful United Wa State Army (UWSA), to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).

Chinas Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang told Wa leaders that China no longer has any commitment to back the UWSA and reportedly asked the Wa to consider signing the NCA.

The Wa remained defiant and surprised observers by denouncing the NCA at a summit of ethnic armed groups in the Wa Self-Administered Division capital of Panghsang in February.

Bao Youxiang, chairman of the UWSAs political arm the United Wa State Party (UWSP), criticized the government-led peace process and called on ethnic armed groups to develop a new ceasefire agreement.

It is difficult to say how China will exert its power and influence to pressure the Wa into entering more meaningful negotiations with Burmas government.

Despite a number of connections between China and ethnic armed groupsthrough respective militaries, diplomats, cultural and community groups, and businessesChina was unable (or unwilling) to prevent coordinated attacks on military targets in northern Shan State by the Northern Alliance in November last year.

Whatever the influence China has over Burmas ethnic armed groups, the country will continue to be a key player in Burma as it searches for peace and stability under the civilian government.

But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is facing mounting criticism that Burma is coming to rely on China.

Since she became de facto leader of the new civilian government last year, Chinas active engagement in the country has been visible and one can also see Burmas strategic rebalance toward its powerful neighbor.

During President U Htin Kyaws first visit to China, the two countries agreed to promote cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure development, hydropower and energy projects, and border economic cooperation zones.

China and Burma also signed an agreement on a crude oil pipeline running from Kyaukphyu port in Arakan State to southwest Chinas Yunnan Province. President Xi Jinping also promised to play a constructive role in Burmas search for peace.

China and Russia voted against a UN Human Rights Council resolution on a fact-finding mission to investigate alleged human rights abuses by security forces in Arakan State.

It is ironic that Burmas civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues to rely on China to avoid scrutiny of human rights by the UN.

Looking at recent engagement between the two countries, can we say that Burma remains under the shadow of China as in the past?

And if so, how will the current government manage simmering anti-China sentiment in the country due to China-backed mega projects and their exploitation of natural resources?

The Elephant and the Lamb

In the past, Burma was distrustful of its giant neighbor. Former prime minister U Nu once famously described China and Burma as the elephant and the lamb, and expressed fear of Chinas aggression and potential invasion of Burma in the early 1950s.

Thus, Burmese leaders conceived not to antagonize Beijing, but to adopt a policy of peaceful co-existence. This fear and apprehension also shaped Burmas foreign policy of neutralism during the Cold War.

Burma was once active in the non-aligned movement, known as NAM. This policy was to assure communist China that Burma was not interested in joining a Western bloc.

The policy was not entirely smooth sailing.

Under Gen Ne Win there were anti-China riots in 1967 whereby both Beijing and Rangoon recalled their ambassadors. Gen Ne Win visited Beijing several times to mend ties.

A year later, China-backed Burmese communist troops crossed the border and waged war against Ne Wins regime. Historically, there has been significant distrust of China by Burmas generals.

In the last two decades of Burmas military regime (1988 to 2010), relations between the two countries warmed.

China provided political and diplomatic support to the repressive regime and supplied arms, infrastructure development, and aid.

The international community, including China, waited to see whether Burma was neutral to Beijing when ruling leaders opened up the country in 2011.

Since then, Burmas active and independent foreign policy has been in full swing.

Relations with the West were normalized and EU and US sanctions were lifted. Leaders U Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited the White House. On a visit to Burma, former US President Barack Obama praised Burmas reforms and cemented ties.

Burma is no longer a pariah in international diplomacy. Appearing to move away from Chinas orbit, U Thein Sein suspended the controversial Myitsone hydropower dam project when he came into power.

Interestingly, newly appointed military commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing selected Vietnam as the location for his first official international visit in 2011, conspicuously not choosing to go to China like his predecessors had done.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing visited Germany and Austria this month and last year was invited to take part in the European Union Military Committee meeting in Belgium. It would not be surprising if he was invited to visit the United States soon.

The United States and Burma have had limited military engagementin 2014 Lt-Gen Anthony Crutchfield addressed the Myanmar National Defense College in Naypyidaw and in March this year US navy ship USNS Fall River made the first port call by US forces since World War II.

Under Gen Ne Win, Burma would seek Beijings green light when it wanted to engage the West, but today this ceases to be the case.

Burma no longer practices a neutral foreign policy with China. The situation is still that of U Nus elephant and lamb, but the geo-political strategic re-balance between China and Burma is on full display as it unfolds.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

While she is highly unlikely to win the run-off presidential election on May 7 against the Bill Clinton of France, Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen managed to come in second in the first round on Sunday. She came ahead of the leaders of both major French political parties, the Socialists and the Gaullists. It is a sad day for France, and for the world, that such a hateful person a neo-Fascist is in the running to be president.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt hated fascism and was determined to defeat it, even if it meant allying with Joe Stalin of the Soviet Union.

During World War II, Germany occupied northern France and installed a right wing puppet government in the south of the country at Vichy, led by Marshal Henri-Philippe Petain, the victor at Verdun in WW I.

Roosevelt despised the Vichy, and ultimately his troops defeated it. [Roosevelt was the one who pressed for an invasion of Vichy-held North Africa. US troops took heavy fire during Operation Torch in Algeria e.g. Some 82,600 of the invasion force was U.S. Army personnel. Ninety-six percent of the 1,469 casualties were American. It was the remnants and children of people like those Vichy soldiers who fired on and killed American GIs who formed the National Front of Le Pen.]

Today we are presented with the spectacle of the American president, Donald J. Trump, praising the Neo-Fascist National Front candidate, Marine LePen. It would be like FDR cozying up to Marshal Petain.

Trump said, Le Pen is strongest on borders, and shes the strongest on whats been going on in France.

We are living in an alternate universe not so different from Philip K. Dicks Man in a High Castle. The Nazis won after all.

Le Pens platform includes denying French Jews the right to hold dual French-Israeli citizenship. The National Front has moderated the anti-Semitic rhetoric of its founder, but lets face it, they dont like Jews very much, and French Jews are alarmed by the outcome of the election. Le Pen recently denied the responsibility of France for the round-up of Jews in the 1940s, even though there is plenty of historical documentation for it.

Le Pens wounded national pride, the seed of her platform, drives her to seek negotiations with the EU over a referendum on membership. In any case, she says, France will recover four areas of sovereignty: monetary, legislative, territorial, economic.

Heres her security platform:

Massive build-up of the police, disarming the slums. Building 40,000 new prison cells. Restore borders, keep out all but 10,000 immigrants a year. Breaking Muslim fundamentalist networks in order to eradicate terrorism.

She also has a re-industrialization plan that will depend, she says, on Smart protectionism and Economic patriotism.

She wants to leave the NATO command. Her war department budget will grow to 2% of GDP and 3% by the end of five years.

Hatred of the 5 million French Muslims is central to her program, even thought the majority of French Muslims are not religious.

It is like she plagiarized from Trump. Or maybe it is the other way around and Steve Bannon, Trumps Brain, has been studying far right European neo-Fascists as a blueprint for America.

It is a sad day when all those millions of American veterans who served in the European theater during WW II have their memory besmirched by the reemergence of fascism, in the White House and in French politics. How many Americans died to prevent a fascist take-over here and to end the Vichy in France itself.



Related video:

Vox: Marine Le Pen: Frances Trump is on the rise
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By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com) |  

MOAB sounds more like an incestuous, war-torn biblical kingdom than the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, aka the mother of all bombs. Still, give Donald Trump credit. Only the really, really big bombs, whether North Korean nukes or those 21,600 pounds of MOAB, truly get his attention. He wasnt even involved in the decision to drop the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal for the first time in war, but his beloved generals  we have the best military people on Earth  already know the man they work for, and the bigger, flashier, more explosive, and winninger, the better.

It was undoubtedly the awesome look of that first MOAB going off in grainy black and white on Fox News, rather than in Afghanistan, that appealed to the president. Just as he was visibly thrilled by all those picturesque Tomahawk cruise missiles, the equivalent of nearly three MOABS, whooshing from the decks of U.S. destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and heading, like so many fabulous fireworks, toward a Syrian airfield  or was it actually an Iraqi one? Weve just fired 59 missiles, he said, all of which hit, by the way, unbelievable, from, you know, hundreds of miles away, all of which hit, amazing Its so incredible. Its brilliant. Its genius. Our technology, our equipment, is better than anybody by a factor of five.

Call it thrilling. Call it a blast. Call it escalation. Or just call it the age of Trump. (If you look at whats happened over the last eight weeks and compare that really to whats happened over the past eight years, youll see theres a tremendous difference, tremendous difference, he commented, adding about MOAB, This was another very, very successful mission.)

Anyway, here we are and, as so many of his critics have pointed out, the plaudits have been pouring in from all the usual media and political suspects for a president with big enough well, hands, to make war impressively. In our world, this is what now passes for presidential. Consider that praise the media version of so many Tomahawk missiles pointing us toward what the escalation of Americas never-ending wars will mean to Trumps presidency.

These days, from Syria to Afghanistan, the Koreas to Somalia, Yemen to Iraq, its easy enough to see Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump as something new under the sun. (It has a different ring to it when the commander in chief says, Youre fired!) That missile strike in Syria was a first (Obama didnt dare); the MOAB in Afghanistan was a breakthrough; the drone strikes in Yemen soon after he took office were an absolute record! As for those regular Army troops heading for Somalia, that hasnt happened in 24 years! Civilian casualties in the region: rising impressively!

Call it mission creep on steroids. At the very least, it seems like evidence that the man who, as a presidential candidate, swore hed bomb the shit out of ISIS and let the U.S. military win again is doing just that. (As he also said on the campaign trail with appropriately placed air punches, You gotta knock the hell out of them! Boom! Boom! Boom!)

Hes appointed generals to crucial posts in his administration, lifted restraints on how his commanders in the field can act (hence those soaring civilian casualty figures), let them send more military personnel into Iraq, Syria, and the region generally, taken the constraints off the CIAs drone assassination campaigns, and dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group somewhat indirectly to the waters off the Koreas (with a strike force of tweets and threats accompanying it).

And theres obviously more to come: potentially many more troops, even an army of them, for Syria; a possible mini-surge of troops into Afghanistan (that MOAB strike may have been a canny signal from a U.S. commander seeking to showcase Afghanistans myriad threats to a president paying no attention); a heightened air campaign in Somalia; and thats just to start what will surely be a far longer list in a presidency in which, whether or not infrastructure is ever successfully rebuilt in America, the infrastructure of the military-industrial complex will continue to expand.

Institutionalizing War and Its Generals

Above all, President Trump did one thing decisively. He empowered a set of generals or retired generals  James Mad Dog Mattis as secretary of defense, H.R. McMaster as national security adviser, and John Kelly as secretary of homeland security  men already deeply implicated in Americas failing wars across the Greater Middle East. Not being a details guy himself, hes then left them to do their damnedest. What I do is I authorize my military, he told reporters recently. We have given them total authorization and thats what theyre doing and, frankly, thats why theyve been so successful lately.

As the 100-day mark of his presidency approaches, theres been no serious reassessment of Americas endless wars or how to fight them (no less end them). Instead, theres been a recommitment to doing more of the familiar, more of what hasnt worked over the last decade and a half. No one should be surprised by this, given the cast of characters  men who held command posts in those unsuccessful wars and are clearly incapable of thinking about them in other terms than the ones that have been indelibly engrained in the brains of the U.S. military high command since soon after 9/11.

That new ruling reality of our American world should, in turn, offer a hint about the nature of Donald Trumps presidency. It should be a reminder that as strange okay, bizarre as his statements, tweets, and acts may have been, as chaotic as his all-in-the-family administration is proving to be, as little as he may resemble anyone weve ever seen in the White House before, hes anything but an anomaly of history. Quite the opposite. Like those generals, hes a logical endpoint to a grim process, whether youre talking about the growth of inequality in America and the rise of plutocracy  without which a billionaire president and his billionaire cabinet would have been inconceivable  or the form that American war-making is taking under him.

When it comes to war and the U.S. military, none of whats happened would have been conceivable without the two previous presidencies. None of it would have been possible without Congresss willingness to pump endless piles of money into the Pentagon and the military-industrial complex in the post-9/11 years; without the building up of the national security state and its 17 (yes, 17!) major intelligence outfits into an unofficial fourth branch of government; without the institutionalization of war as a permanent (yet strangely distant) feature of American life and of wars across the Greater Middle East and parts of Africa that evidently cant be won or lost but only carried on into eternity. None of this would have been possible without the growing militarization of this country, including of police forces increasingly equipped with weaponry off Americas distant battlefields and filled with veterans of those same wars; without a media rife with retired generals and other former commanders narrating and commenting on the acts of their successors and proteges; and without a political class of Washington pundits and politicians taught to revere that military.

In other words, however original Donald Trump may look, hes the curious culmination of old news and a changing country. Given his bravado and braggadocio, its easy to forget the kinds of militarized extremity that preceded him.

After all, it wasnt Donald Trump who had the hubris, in the wake of 9/11, to declare a Global War on Terror against 60 countries (the swamp of that moment). It wasnt Donald Trump who manufactured false intelligence on the weapons of mass destruction Iraqs Saddam Hussein supposedly possessed or produced bogus claims about that autocrats connections to al-Qaeda, and then used both to lead the United States into a war on and occupation of that country. It wasnt Donald Trump who invaded Iraq (whether he was for or against tht invasion at the time). It wasnt Donald Trump who donned a flight suit and landed on an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego to personally declare that hostilities were at an end in Iraq just as they were truly beginning, and to do so under an inane Mission Accomplished banner prepared by the White House.

It wasnt Donald Trump who ordered the CIA to kidnap terror suspects (including totally innocent individuals) off the streets of global cities as well as from the backlands of the planet and transport them to foreign prisons or CIA black sites where they could be tortured. It wasnt Donald Trump who caused one terror suspect to experience the sensation of drowning 83 times in a single month (even if he was inspired by such reports to claim that he would bring torture back as president).

It wasnt Donald Trump who spent eight years in the Oval Office presiding over a global kill list, running Terror Tuesday meetings, and personally helping choose individuals around the world for the CIA to assassinate using what, in essence, was the presidents own private drone force, while being praised (or criticized) for his caution.

It wasnt Donald Trump who presided over the creation of a secret military of 70,000 elite troops cossetted inside the larger military, special-ops personnel who, in recent years, have been dispatched on missions to a large majority of the countries on the planet without the knowledge, no less the consent, of the American people. Nor was it Donald Trump who managed to lift the Pentagon budget to $600 billion and the overall national security budget to something like a trillion dollars or more, even as Americas civilian infrastructure aged and buckled.

It wasnt Donald Trump who lost an estimated $60 billion to fraud and waste in the American reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, or who decided to build highways to nowhere and a gas station in the middle of nowhere in Afghanistan. It wasnt Donald Trump who sent in the warrior corporations to squander more in that single country than was spent on the post-World War II Marshall Plan to put all of Western Europe back on its feet. Nor did he instruct the U.S. military to dump at least $25 billion into rebuilding, retraining, and rearming an Iraqi army that would collapse in 2014 in the face of a relatively small number of ISIS militants, or at least $65 billion into an Afghan army that would turn out to be filled with ghost soldiers.

In its history, the United States has engaged in quite a remarkable range of wars and conflicts. Nonetheless, in the last 15 years, forever war has been institutionalized as a feature of everyday life in Washington, which, in turn, has been transformed into a permanent war capital. When Donald Trump won the presidency and inherited those wars and that capital, there was, in a sense, no one left in the remarkably bankrupt political universe of Washington but those generals.

As the chameleon he is, he promptly took on the coloration of the militarized world he had entered and appointed his three generals to key security posts. Anything but the norm historically, such a decision may have seemed anomalous and out of the American tradition. That, however, was only because, unlike Donald Trump, most of the rest of us hadnt caught up with where that tradition had actually taken us.

The previous two presidents had played the warrior regularly, donning military outfits  in his presidential years, George W. Bush often looked like a G.I. Joe doll  and saluting the troops, while praising them to the skies, as the American people were also trained to do. In the Trump era, however, its the warriors (if youll excuse the pun) who are playing the president.

Its hardly news that Donald Trump is a man in love with what works. Hence, Steve Bannon, his dream strategist while on the campaign trail, is now reportedly on the ropes as his White House counselor because nothing hes done in the first nearly 100 days of the new presidency has worked (except promoting himself).

Think of Trump as a chameleon among presidents and much of this makes more sense. A Republican who had been a Democrat for significant periods of his life, he conceivably could have run for president as a more nativist version of Bernie Sanders on the Democratic ticket had the political cards been dealt just a little differently. Hes a man who has changed himself repeatedly to fit his circumstances and hes doing so again in the Oval Office.

In the world of the media, its stylish to be shocked, shocked that the president who campaigned on one set of issues and came into office still championing them is now supporting quite a different set  from China to taxes, NATO to the Export-Import Bank. But this isnt faintly strange. Donald Trump isnt either a politician or a trendsetter. If anything, hes a trend-senser. (In a similar fashion, he didnt create reality TV, nor was he at its origins. He simply perfected a form that was already in development.)

If you want to know just where we are in an America that has been on the march toward a different sort of society and governing system for a long time now, look at him. Hes the originator of nothing, but he tells you all you need to know. On war, too, think of him as a chameleon. Right now, war is working for him domestically, whatever it may be doing in the actual world, so he loves it. For the moment, those generals are indeed his and their wars his to embrace.

Honeymoon of the Generals

Normally, on entering the Oval Office, presidents receive what the media calls a honeymoon period. Things go well. Praise is forthcoming. Approval ratings are heart-warming.

Donald Trump got none of this. His approval ratings quickly headed for the honeymoon cellar or maybe the honeymoon fallout shelter; the media and he went to war; and one attempt after another to fulfill his promises  from executive orders on deportation to repealing Obamacare and building his wall  have come a cropper. His administration seems to be in eternal chaos, the cast of characters changing by the week or tweet, and few key secondary posts being filled.

In only one area has Donald Trump experienced that promised honeymoon. Think of it as the honeymoon of the generals. He gave them that total authorization, and the missiles left the ships, the drones flew, and the giant bomb dropped. Even when the results were disappointing, if not disastrous (as in a raid on Yemen in which a U.S. special operator was killed, children slaughtered, and nothing of value recovered), he still somehow stumbled into highly praised presidential moments.

So far, in other words, the generals are the only ones who have delivered for him, big-league. As a result, hes given them yet more authority to do whatever they want, while hugging them tighter yet.

Heres the problem, though: theres a predictable element to all of this and it doesnt work in Donald Trumps favor. Americas forever wars have now been pursued by these generals and others like them for more than 15 years across a vast swath of the planet  from Pakistan to Libya (and ever deeper into Africa)  and the chaos of failing states, growing conflicts, and spreading terror movements has been the result. Theres no reason to believe that further military action will, a decade and a half later, produce more positive results.

What happens, then? What happens when the war honeymoon is over and the generals keep right on fighting their way? The last two presidents put up with permanent failing war, making the best they could of it. Thats unlikely for Donald Trump. When the praise begins to die down, the criticism starts to rise, and questions are asked, watch out.

What then? In a world of plutocrats and generals, what coloration will Donald Trump take on next? Who will be left, except Jared and Ivanka?

Tom Engelhardt is a co-founder of the American Empire Project and the author of The United States of Fear as well as a history of the Cold War, The End of Victory Culture. He is a fellow of the Nation Institute and runs TomDispatch.com. His latest book is Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, as well as John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Copyright 2017 Tom Engelhardt

Via Tomdispatch.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - White Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE:WGO) (the "Company") is pleased to provide results from soil sampling on the East Zone target of the Dime project, located within the Money claim area. The Dime project is one of four claim blocks in the Money claim area, located 70km to the south-west of Dawson City, YT. The claims border numerous historic mineral occurrences and placer gold bearing creeks. The Company has also staked new claims over 6 of the Company's target areas.

Highlights

A total of 694 soil samples collected on the East Zone were sent to the laboratory for analysis.

Results for the samples ranged from trace up to 919 ppb Au.

Expanded the footprint of the gold and arsenic in soil anomaly approximately 500m to the north and 300m to the south, increasing the anomaly to a 2.2km x 1km area.

Defined the Gemini and Polaris target areas that will be high priority targets for follow-up work, including RAB drilling in 2017.

Staked 606 new claims over 6 of the Company's target areas.

David D'Onofrio, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, states: "We are excited by the grade and expansion of the Dime gold in soil anomalies based on these most recent soil samples. Furthermore, the recent staking has added additional prospective area to our large portfolio of properties. White Gold Corp. is looking forward to commencing our 2017 exploration program in the coming weeks."

A total of 694 soil samples from the East Zone target on the Dime property were submitted for analysis. Results of the samples ranged from trace to 919 ppb Au and are typically associated with strongly elevated arsenic (9.3 to 1,016 ppm As). The unglaciated terrain in the region results in soil that is undisturbed, therefore samples are indicative of the rock directly below. The samples were collected by Ground Truth Exploration Inc. in 2015, but previously had only been analyzed via handheld XRF for pathfinder elements; primarily arsenic. The samples were collected as infill samples (50m spaced lines x 25m spaced samples) on the northern and southern portions of the East Zone and the initial XRF results indicated the potential to expand and refine the resolution of the existing anomaly. The recent analytical results confirm the XRF analysis and expanded the footprint of the zone an additional 500m north and 300m south.

The East Zone now consists of an approximately 2.2km x 1km zone of gold in soils >12 ppb Au with numerous sub-targets of >60 ppb Au; the most significant consisting of the Gemini and Polaris targets. The Gemini target consists of two approximately 325m x 200m, north-northeast trending, gold in soil anomalies with values up to 919 ppb Au that are associated with strongly anomalous arsenic (>100 ppm As). Mineralization in the area is associated with strongly sericite altered meta-sediments and fine grained meta-intrusive rocks with zones of quartz veining and brecciation that appear to be associated with a series of N-NE trending, moderately west dipping, faults. The Gemini anomalies are separated by an approximately 60m wide, north trending, quartz porphyry dike and the current interpretation is that the anomalies likely originated as a coherent zone of mineralization that were later separated by late intrusive and/or structural activity. *Diamond drilling conducted on the East Zone in 2010-11 (2,137m over 12 holes) by previous operators was conducted to the southwest of the soil anomaly and did not test the Gemini target area.

The Polaris target occurs approximately 600m northwest of the Gemini and consists of a newly discovered 175m x 75m north trending zone of anomalous gold in soils (up to 894.5 ppb Au) that is open to the north. The target is coincident with strongly elevated lead (up to 709.8 ppm Pb) and only minor arsenic indicating it is associated with a different structural and/or lithologic control to mineralization than the Gemini target.

Exploration on the East Zone in 2017 will consist of expansion of infill grid soil sampling, DC IP-Resistivity surveys, geologic mapping/prospecting and an estimated 3,000m of RAB drilling over the Gemini and Polaris targets. Additionally, numerous other targets are known on the property that require follow-up investigation and may also be drill tested if warranted.

*Historic exploration results for the Dime Property are summarized in the "43-101 Technical Report on the Dime Project" dated February 9, 2012.

Claim Staking

An additional 606 new claims have been staked over 6 of the Company's target areas. The staking includes expansion of existing claim blocks in three areas (IND, Rice, & Pilot) and staking of three new targets (Bell, Carlisle, & BGC) based on interpretation of regional geochemical and geophysical datasets.

Further details regarding the results of Company's upcoming 2017 exploration program will be forthcoming as work is conducted.

The Company encourages individuals interested in the Company to visit its website (www.whitegoldcorp.ca) to further understand the size and scope of the Company's projects in the White Gold District.

The analytical work reported on herein was performed by Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd., an internationally recognized analytical services provider, at its Vancouver, British Columbia laboratory. Sample preparation was carried out at its Whitehorse, Yukon facility. All soil samples were prepared using procedure SS80 (dry at 60 C and sieve 100g at -80 mesh) and analyzed by method AQ201 (aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis).

Jodie Gibson, PGeo, of GroundTruth Exploration Inc. has acted as the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release. GroundTruth Exploration Inc. is owned by the spouse of a director of the Company.

Ground Truth Exploration Inc., Dawson City, YT, designed and managed all work for the Company. The reported work was completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program consisting of the insertion of certified standards, blanks, and field duplicates into the sample stream. The qualified person detected no significant QA/QC issues during review of the data.

About White Gold Corp.

White Gold Corp. owns a portfolio of 15,258 quartz claims across 25 properties covering approximately 305,440 hectares representing approximately 30% of the Yukon's White Gold District. Preliminary exploration work has produced several highly prospective targets. The claim packages are bordered by sizable gold discoveries owned by majors including Kinross, Goldcorp and Western Copper & Gold. The Company has outlined an aggressive exploration plan to further explore its properties. For more information visit www.whitegoldcorp.ca.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. (TSX VENTURE: KBLT) (the "Company" or "Cobalt 27") announces that it has entered into a number of contracts and arrangements which in aggregate constitute a "change of business" under TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.2. Specifically, the Company:

has appointed Scotia Capital Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp. and TD Securities Inc. as lead underwriters and joint bookrunners (collectively, the "Lead Underwriters") to raise $200,000,000 through a distribution of the Company's common shares (the "Offering"); has been granted thirteen options to purchase physical cobalt with net proceeds from the Offering (the "Cobalt Contracts"); has entered into six net smelter return royalty agreements on eight separate exploration-stage properties pertaining to the possible future production of cobalt (the "Royalty Contracts"); has appointed new officers and directors, being Anthony Milewski (Chairman, CEO & Director), Cindy Davis (CFO), Frank Estergaard (Director), Nick French (Director), and John Kanellitsas (Director), who will be joining John Hykawy (Director) whose appointment was announced on March 24, 2017; has promoted Justin Cochrane to President & COO; and has formed an advisory board to provide specific advice on the Company's new business strategy, comprised of Robert Mitchell, Phil Day, Andrew Ferguson, Stephen Gill, Vincent Metcalfe, Mark Selby, and Neil Warburton. In addition, Arlington Group Asset Management Limited will serve as a corporate advisor to the Company and continue to provide advice regarding management roles, board composition, marketing, financings, potential investors, streaming and royalty acquisitions and general corporate matters.

New Business Strategy

The Company intends to become a minerals company offering pure-play exposure to cobalt, an integral element in key technologies of the electric vehicle ("EV") and battery energy storage markets. The Company will initially hold physical cobalt and several exploration-stage cobalt royalties. The Company is currently in negotiations with cobalt producers and developers for potential cobalt stream acquisitions. Management believes that the cobalt purchased under the Cobalt Contracts will represent one of the largest holdings of physical cobalt in a publicly-listed pure play cobalt company. The Company's objective is to achieve appreciation in the value of its physical cobalt position and accretively grow its cobalt exposure through the acquisition of additional physical cobalt, streams, royalties and direct interests in mineral properties containing cobalt.

EVs have entered into the mainstream at economically attractive price points to the mass market. Increasing demand for EVs is expected to drive investor demand for battery metals, particularly cobalt, which is an important component in batteries. Batteries currently represent approximately 50% of total cobalt demand. The Company believes strong cobalt demand, coupled with challenged supply due to a lack of primary cobalt mines and political instability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the largest supplier of mined cobalt, creates an attractive proposition for cobalt price appreciation. The cobalt market was in a deficit in 2016 for the first time since 2009, with growing supply deficits expected through to 2020.

Management intends to pursue a business model that offers direct and long term leverage to cobalt price appreciation through owning physical cobalt and cobalt streams and royalties from producers and developers, as well as direct interests in mineral properties containing cobalt. Unlike mining companies and battery producers, physical cobalt, streams, and royalty interests will limit exposure to operational and capital risks. As there is a lack of futures liquidity for cobalt on the London Metal Exchange, and an absence of near-term primary-cobalt mining projects, the Company intends to provide a unique investment opportunity by offering investors exposure to cobalt.

Public Offering

To finance this new business strategy, the Company has appointed the Lead Underwriters, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters to be formed (collectively with the Lead Underwriters, the "Underwriters") to raise gross proceeds equivalent to $200,000,000 through a distribution of the Company's common shares ("Shares"), to be priced following a marketing program (the "Offering"). The Company has prepared and filed a long form prospectus (the "Prospectus") to qualify the distribution of the Shares pursuant to the Offering. The Company will also grant the Underwriters an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part at any time until 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase from the Company at the offering price up to an additional 15% of the number of Shares sold under the Offering.

Cobalt Contracts

Under each Cobalt Contract, the Company has been granted an option, but not an obligation, to acquire a specified maximum amount of physical cobalt, at the market price. The grade and brand of cobalt under option with each vendor varies and includes premium brands and standard brands of physical cobalt. Each Cobalt Contract will close concurrently with or immediately following closing of the Offering; and closing of each Cobalt Contract is conditional upon closing of the Offering. Each Cobalt Contract was entered into at arm's length.

Each vendor of cobalt was offered the choice of receiving cash, Shares, or any combination thereof. Following vendor elections, Cobalt Contracts provide for the purchase price to be paid in cash, Shares or in a combination of cash and Shares. Shares issued as partial or full consideration under a Cobalt Contract are referred to as "Cobalt Contract Shares". All Cobalt Contract Shares are qualified for distribution under the Prospectus, and will be issued concurrently with closing of the Offering.

Cobalt purchased under the Cobalt Contracts will be insured and is currently stored in secure warehouses, and will either remain in such location, or be re-located as the Company may determine.

Royalty Contracts

The Company has entered into the Royalty Contracts to acquire eight royalties on exploration-stage properties containing cobalt, for total consideration of $1,150,000 to be satisfied with the issuance of Shares at the offering price immediately following closing of the Offering. The Company believes the acquisition of the royalties under the Royalty Contracts will provide long-term optionality on the price of cobalt. The Company is also actively pursuing streaming and other royalty acquisition opportunities. The focus will be on streaming opportunities that could provide the Company with material near-term cash flow. Details of the Royalty Contracts are disclosed in the Company's preliminary prospectus, as filed on SEDAR. Each Royalty Contract was entered into at arm's length.

New Management

The following summarizes information regarding the Company's directors and executive officers:

Anthony Milewski, Chairman, CEO & Director

Mr. Anthony Milewski joined the Company as Chairman, CEO and a Director on April 20, 2017.

Mr. Milewski has spent his career in various aspects of the mining industry, including as a company director, advisor, founder and investor. In particular, he has been active in the battery metals industry including investing in cobalt and actively trading physical cobalt.

Mr. Milewski has managed numerous mining investments at various stages of development, including exploration, development, production and turnaround situations, and across a broad range of commodities. He has served as a director of both public and private companies and has been seconded as interim CEO on multiple occasions. Mr. Milewski is a member of the investment team at Pala Investments Limited. Prior to joining Pala Investments, he worked at Firebird Management LLC.

Mr. Milewski previously worked at Renaissance Capital and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Moscow, where he focused on advisory and transactional work in metals & mining and oil & gas sectors. He has lived and worked in Africa and Russia, including a year as a Fulbright scholar, and has spent considerable time in Central Asia.

Mr. Milewski holds a B.A. in Russian history from Brigham Young University, an M.A. in Russian and Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington, and a J.D. from the University of Washington. He holds an LLM from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Justin Cochrane, President & COO

Mr. Justin Cochrane has been an officer of the Company since March 31, 2017. In conjunction with the Offering, Mr. Cochrane was promoted to the Company's President & COO on April 20, 2017.

Mr. Cochrane has 15 years of royalty and stream financing, M&A and corporate finance experience. He served as Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Development for Sandstorm Gold Ltd. for five years. At Sandstorm, he was responsible for the structuring, negotiation and execution of over US$500,000,000 of royalty and stream financing contracts around the world, across dozens of projects. He is currently a board and audit committee member of Chatham Rock Phosphate. Prior to Sandstorm, he spent nine years in investment banking and equity capital markets with National Bank Financial where he covered the resource, clean-tech and energy technology sectors.

Mr. Cochrane is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a registered and licensed security advisor in Canada.

Cindy Davis, CFO

Ms. Davis joined the Company as the CFO on April 20, 2017.

Since June 2008, Ms. Davis has provided accounting and financial reporting services for publicly listed companies, through Marrelli Support Services Inc. She is currently a director and audit committee chair for Outdoor Partner Media Corporation; and CFO for each of Royal Road Minerals Limited, CHAR Technologies Ltd., and Pasinex Resources Ltd. Ms. Davis is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Accounting and Economics from the University of West Indies in Jamaica.

Frank Estergaard, Director

Mr. Frank Estergaard joined the Company as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee on April 20, 2017.

Mr. Estergaard is a CPA, CA and a retired partner of KPMG. As an audit partner with KPMG, he provided audit services to clients in a wide range of industries, including mineral exploration and high technology. He also served on the firm's Management Committee and Partnership Board.

Since retirement from KPMG, Mr. Estergaard has provided financial consulting services through Frannan Enterprises Ltd., and has served as CFO for several companies, including Rackforce Networks Ltd. (a private company), and for Metalex Ventures Ltd., (a public company). Mr. Estergaard has also served as a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee for QHR Technologies Inc. and Fission Energy Inc. He is currently a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee for Fission Uranium Corp. and Fission 3.0 Corp. and serves on their Corporate Governance Committees.

Nick French, Director

Mr. Nick French joined the Company as a Director on April 20, 2017.

Mr. French graduated from Cambridge University in 1975 with an M.A. in Geography (Economic) before spending 22 years with London based trader Wogen Resources Ltd. during which time he rose from trainee to Managing Director and was at the trading desk when the price of cobalt rose from US$5/lb to US$50/lb during an eight-month period during 1978. During the following years, Mr. French was on the cobalt front line as the market developed new directions based upon the opening up of China as it turned from net exporter to net importer and the collapse of the Iron Curtain including the sell-off of the Soviet stockpiles.

In 1997, he became the CEO of SFP Metals Ltd., a creative cobalt specialist trading house. While at SFP Metals, he structured finance deals with African producers, a joint venture with China's largest producer, and various long term contracts with the world's largest producers and consumers. As such, SFP Metals was well placed when the cobalt price ran up to over US$50/lb again in 2008. With SFP Metals as one of the most active global cobalt traders, the "SFP Weekly Cobalt News" publication was for more than a decade distributed to over 350 members of the global cobalt community.

In 2015, Mr. French stepped back to form his own cobalt consultancy, Metal Investment Consultants, and has spent the last two years advising various parties on the structure and potential of the cobalt market with occasional articles published in the industrial press and conference presentations.

Jonathan Hykawy, Director

Dr. Jon Hykawy has been a Director of the Company since March 24, 2017.

Dr. Hykawy was trained as an experimental physicist and worked at some of the most prestigious laboratories in North America, including the Chalk River Laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited as well as the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. He, along with the rest of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Collaboration, was awarded the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. He also earned a MBA degree from Queen's University, after which he began working in the financial industry in Toronto. Dr. Hykawy has been an equities analyst on Bay Street since 2000, covering technologies such as batteries and fuel cells, and the critical materials used to manufacture these technologies, including lithium, cobalt and the rare earths.

In particular, Dr. Hykawy has made cobalt and other battery materials a key part of his research focus since 2009, when he helped found Byron Capital Markets, a boutique brokerage operation that specialized in researching the industry and companies involved in various critical material sectors. His current business, Stormcrow Capital Limited, consults with various clients, including private equity investors, large multinational corporations and junior mining companies, who are involved in critical materials. Stormcrow's work includes analysis of supply and demand within a commodity sector, as well as future pricing projections.

Dr. Hykawy is widely quoted on battery materials such as cobalt, and is an invited speaker at such conferences as the 1-2-1 Mining Summit series, the Mines and Money series, the Lithium Supply and Markets series, the Roskill Rare Earths Conferences, the Argus Metals Week and Rare Earth Conferences, and various other events held around the world.

John Kanellitsas, Director

Mr. John Kanellitsas joined the Company as a Director on April 20, 2017.

Mr. Kanellitsas has been involved in the battery materials industry since 2009 and is currently the President and Vice Chairman of Lithium Americas Corp. He has over 25 years of corporate finance and investment management experience. He was a co-founder of Geologic Resource Partners, LLC and served as its Chief Operating Officer from 2004 until 2014, and was previously employed by Sun Valley Gold, LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. in New York and San Francisco, and General Electric. Mr. Kanellitsas has an MBA from the University of California at Los Angeles and a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University.

Advisory Board

The Company has also formed an advisory board comprised of the following persons to provide specific advice on various aspects of the Company's new business strategy:

Robert Mitchell

Mr. Mitchell is Managing Member of Portal Capital, Portfolio Manager of Green Energy Metals Fund and Co Portfolio Manager of Odysseus Fund. He has over 30 years of experience in the public securities industry and has served as a Portfolio Manager since 2002. He created and launched Adit Capital Management, L.P. in 2004, acting as its Portfolio Manager and has served as the General Partner for Adit Capital Management II, L.P. and Adit Capital Management III, L.P. He founded Portal Capital in 2006 and prior to that was the Chief Investment Officer for Touchstone Investment Managers, LLC in addition to Portfolio Manager, where he compiled a cumulative equity return of over 50% from January 2003 through December 2005. Since 2004, he has had several articles published in Marc Faber's newsletter, "Gloom, Boom & Doom", was profiled in Forbes in 2005, and has been mentioned in the NY Times and Wall Street Journal for his entry into the uranium markets.

Phil Day

Mr. Day is Vice President, Technical and Operations Team at Pala Investments Limited, which he joined in 2014 and has been directly involved in operations and development with several portfolio companies. He has over 20 years of experience in mining projects globally, focusing on operations, design and consulting. Prior to joining Pala Investment, he worked for AMEC Americas as Vice President for Process Engineering. He has managed a number of major projects, including the expansion of Corrego do Sito, the $1 billion Gramalote gold study for Anglo Gold Ashanti and the $2 billion ammonia leach expansion of Tenke Copper project for Freeport-McMoRan. He has also had operational, managerial and technical roles for BHP Billiton, WMC Resources, Minara Resources and Wiluna Gold, gaining exposure to various commodities.

Andrew Ferguson

Mr. Ferguson is Executive Director and CEO of APAC Resources Limited, a natural resources investment and commodities business company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He has 21 years of experience in the finance industry specializing in global natural resource. In 2003, he co-founded New City Investment Managers in the United Kingdom. He has a proven track record in fund management and was the former co-fund manager of City Natural Resources High Yield Trust, which was awarded "Best UK Investment Trust" in 2006. He also managed New City High Yield Trust Ltd. and Geiger Counter Ltd. He worked for New City Investment Managers CQS Hong Kong, a financial institution providing investment management services to a variety of investors. He is currently an alternate director to Mr. Lee Seng Hui of Mount Gibson Iron Limited.

Stephen Gill

Mr. Gill has been at Pala Investments Limited since 2008, during which time he has been involved in structuring many of Pala Investments' principal investments covering a range of commodities, with a particular focus on technology-related metals and non-exchange traded commodities including titanium feedstocks, tin, cobalt and lithium. Key transactions include, Pala Investments' investments in Sierra Rutile Limited, Asian Mineral Resources Ltd. and African Thunder Platinum Ltd. Mr. Gill has also supported many of Pala Investments' investee companies in defining and implementing strategic initiatives, including the expansion of Dumas Mining's business through a series of acquisitions, the turn-around of Asian Mineral Resources' Ban Phuc nickel project, and the evolution of Sierra Rutile's dry mining business model. He is also a director of Nevada Copper Corp. and Kasbah Resources Limited, and was previously a director of Sierra Rutile Limited and Asian Mineral Resources Ltd.

Vincent Metcalfe

Mr. Metcalfe is Vice President, Investor Relations at Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. and CFO at Falco Resources Ltd. He previously was Director of Project Evaluations at Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions, equity financings, corporate development and streaming transactions. He has nine years of investment banking experience, working at Desjardins Securities (VP and Director) and BMO Capital Markets (Analyst) specializing in metals and mining.

Mark Selby

Mr. Selby is the President and CEO of RNC Minerals (formerly Royal Nickel Corporation) advancing one of the few large nickel projects - Dumont. RNC Minerals has also successfully developed new processing method utilizing roasting to process nickel sulphide concentrates. Prior to joining RNC Minerals in 2010 as Senior Vice President, Business Development, he was Vice President, Business Planning & Market Research at Quadra Mining. He is actively sought out as a speaker on the nickel market and recognized as one of a limited set of global nickel market experts. He was a Director, Market Research at Inco from 2001 to 2004. Inco is recognized as one of first mining companies to understand China's impact on the nickel market. At Inco, he took over as Vice President, Strategy and led the corporate development group in early 2005 through 2007 during the Inco/Falconbridge merger and various corporate combinations thereafter.

Neil Warburton

Mr. Warburton is a Non-Executive Director of Independence Group (IGO), a diversified mining company. He is a qualified mining engineer with 35 years of experience in gold and nickel a development and mining. He was CEO at Barminco Limited from 2007 to 2012, where he managed Australian operations and coordinated the international expansion into West Africa and Egypt. He also held a senior executive position at Coolgardie Gold and was a non-executive director of Sirius Resources NL, Peninsular Energy Limited and non-executive chairman of Red Mountain Mining Ltd. He is currently a non-executive director of Australian Mines Limited, Namibian Copper Limited and Flinders Mines Ltd.

Resignation of Directors and Officers

The Company also announces the resignations of Carl von Einsiedel (as Director and CEO), Kathryn Witter (as CFO) and Ray Wladichuk (as Director) effective April 20, 2017. Kathryn Witter will remain with the Company as the Corporate Secretary. Anthony Milewski, the Company's new Chairman and CEO, states "We would like to thank Mr. Einsiedel and Mr. Wladichuk for their contributions to the Company, and we wish both of them well in their future endeavours."

Other Matters

The Company's auditors have been changed from Charlton & Company LLP to Wolrige Mahon LLP.

The Company will be a mineral resource issuer under TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") policies upon closing of the above transactions; however the Company intends to make application to list on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Company does not anticipate seeking shareholders' approval with respect to the above transactions; nor will it be engaging any sponsor with respect to its application for TSXV approval. No new "control person" (as defined in TSXV policies) of the Company will result from the above transactions.

Halt Trading and Regulatory Review

Trading in the Company's Shares was halted at the request of the Company prior to the open on Monday, April 17, 2017 pending the dissemination of this news release and approval to the above proposed transactions by the TSXV. As the transactions amount to a Change of Business under TSXV policies, it is expected that trading in the Shares will remain halted until the Offering is closed and all contracts to acquire physical cobalt and royalties have completed.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - Duran Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:DRV) (LMA:DRV) ("Duran" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of three gold-silver mineral concessions in Northern Peru through direct application with the Peruvian Ministry of Mines or by direct purchase. All concessions are 100% owned with no underlying royalties, are road accessible, were subject to varying forms of small scale artisanal mine workings, and were acquired as potential mineral sources for Duran's 80% owned Aguila Norte Mineral Processing Plant ("Aguila Norte" or the "Plant"). The three properties acquired are summarized below.

Miton de Oro

The Miton de Oro property is accessed via 157 kilometres of mostly asphalt road from Aguila Norte and consists of a 700 hectare concession application that was recently won in a closed bid auction that included Barrick and Newmont as competitors. Mineralization at Miton de Oro is considered similar to the past producing Machacala Au-Ag mine located 8.5 kilometres to the northwest. Historic production records that cannot be verified by the Company from the Machacala mine noted by the previous operators that 232,645 tons of ore were mined with average grades of 6 g/t Au and 10 g/t Ag. Highlights of initial reconnaissance sampling on the Miton de Oro property of an abandoned, 22 metre long artisanal drift located in the east of the property that exploited Low Sulphidation epithermal quartz veins hosted in pyroclastic rocks returned 127.1 g/t Ag with 1.15 g/t Au, 881.7 g/t Ag with 1.32 g/t Au, and 574.21 g/t Ag and 0.34 g/t Au on sample and vein widths of up to 40 cm. Hand selected quartz vein material from this artisanal workings dump pile returned 660.4 g/t Ag and 1,706.6 g/t Ag. Several other areas on the property have returned strong Au-Ag mineralization and will require further follow up. A large Low Sulphidation target may exist on the property.

The initial focus will be on the area of the artisanal workings. Exploration will involve reopening the historic workings where high grade silver and gold mineralization is located. Initial exploration will comprise of exploration drifts along and perpendicular to the mineralized structures. Any mineralized material from the drift will be shipped to Aguila Norte for processing. The Company intends to start the permitting for underground exploration once title is officially granted within the usual six week period.

Indio Inka

The 100% owned, 470 hectare Indio Inka Property is located roughly 224 kilometres by mostly asphalted road from the Aguila Norte processing plant. Duran's subsidiary Hatum Minas SAC purchased 100% of the property with a small cash payment with no underlying royalties. The property is located approximately 5 kilometres northeast of Eloro Resources's Victoria Gold Project in Northern Ancash.

The property's principal showing consists of high grade gold hosted in a near vertical, silicified breccia structure that roughly parallels bedding in the host lutite. The mineralized structure reaches 1 to 2 metres wide, and has been subject to artisanal development on two levels. Sampling within the old working, mostly from oxide/sulphide mix material, has returned results ranging from 1.48 to 13 g/t Au on 12 samples with sample lengths ranging from 0.4 to 1 metre. Initial metallurgical samples have shown 89% Au recovery (64% passing -200 mesh) from a Au-Ag-Cu concentrate flotation test in sulphide material and 92% Au recovery (90% passing -200 mesh) in cyanidation bottle roll tests in oxide material. The Company plans to extend the current mineralization by exploration drifting along the mineralized structures.

Pueblo de Oro

The 500 hectare Pueblo de Oro property is located in the Ancash Department near the small town of Pueblo Libre. The property is accessed via roughly 292 kilometres of mostly asphalt roads from the Aguila Norte plant and encompasses epithermal, oxide gold-silver mineralization hosted in fractured, brecciated, and faulted quartzites of the Chimu Formation. Historical mine workings are localized in a highly brecciated fault zone parallel to the hinge of an overturned, tightly folded syncline where at least two periods of exploitation have occurred including small, artisanal style tunnels and a large mechanically exploited stope measuring roughly 3,450 square metres entering the hill for 170 metres with widths of up to 30m. The area was originally claimed in 1980 by a private Peruvian company and was allowed to lapse in 2013. The property was visited and sampled by MacMillan Gold (now Duran) in 1996 but only recently acquired by Duran by application in 2014 with other bidders. Due to errors in other competitor's applications, the Peruvian Ministry rejected the applications and no closed bid auction was necessary. Duran was notified by the Ministry that it has been awarded the property and title registration should be completed in the next few weeks.

Sampling in the old workings has returned up to 7.33 g/t Au and 1058 g/t Ag in individual samples with sample lengths of 0.6m and 0.4m respectively. In total, 36 random samples were taken underground and averaged 0.73 g/t Au and 66.9 g/t Ag. It is apparent that the Au-Ag grade depends on the brecciation intensity. The old mine dumps returned anomalous results from grab samples with individual samples assaying 4 g/t Au and 431 g/t Ag. In total, 14 samples were collected from the old mine dumps and averaged 0.81 g/t Au and 151 g/t Ag. These samples are random grab samples outside the workings and are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. The Company intends to conduct mapping to understand the structural controls on the gold-silver mineralization.

The Company intends to find a partner to initially explore the property. The Chimu quartzites are excellent hosts for precious metal mineralization in Northern Peru. Barrick's massive Alto Chicama Mine and Tahoe's La Arena mines are excellent examples of this type of precious metal mineralization. The exploration target at Pueblo de Oro is underground high grade operation similar to PPX Mining's Igor Project in Northern Peru. Any agreement will first assess the economics of treating mineral at Duran's Aguila Norte plant during the development stage.

Jeffrey Reeder, CEO and President of Duran states "The Mineral Processing business is very competitive and secure mineral feed is the key to success. Our eventual corporate goal is to feed our Aguila Norte Plant with mineral from 100% owned Duran properties. These acquisitions are within acceptable transportation distances to the Aguila Norte Plant. We will continue to seek partners for our properties and focus on creating joint ventures and royalty streams. The acquisitions of these properties follow our business model as a Cash and Prospect Generator."

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

All sample lots were delivered to their respective laboratory by Company geologists where the laboratory crushed, pulverized, and split the sample for assay. No quality control material was submitted with the samples.

Miton de Oro samples were analysed for Au and Ag using fire assay with gravimetric finish by G&S laboratories of Trujillo, Peru, a private and independent laboratory. Two check samples were submitted to Minera Platinum, a separate private and independent laboratory, for Au and Ag analysis also using fire assay with gravimetric finish and the results fell within acceptable error limits.

Indio Inka samples were analysed by Inspectorate Services SAC for gold by fire assay with atomic absorption finish and with 44 element aqua regia digestion ICP emission spectroscopy. Samples containing more than 10 g/t gold were re-assayed analyzed using fire-assay with gravimetric finish. Reanalysis of the over-limit samples using fire-assay with gravimetric finish duplicated the previous results. No quality control material was employed in the sampling. All samples were also submitted for gold analysis by fire assay with ICP emission spectroscopy and achieved similar results to gold by fire assay with atomic absorption finish. Metallurgical tests for the Indio Inka property were completed by Minares Sur and Minera Platinum, two private and independent Peruvian laboratories.

Pueblo de Oro samples were analyzed by Inspectorate Services Peru SAC for gold and silver by fire-assay with atomic absorption finish. Over-limit gold and silver were reanalysed by fire assay with gravimetric finish.

Jeffrey Reeder, P.Geo., and a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About Duran

Duran Ventures Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on mineral processing and the exploration and development of precious and base metal properties in Peru.

Duran Ventures Inc. is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Bolsa de Valores de Lima: Symbol "DRV".
VANCOUVER, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") or (the "Company") (TSX:MAW) (Frankfurt:MXR) (PINKSHEETS: MWSNF) announces mobilization of a geophysical survey contractor to extend the ground magnetic data coverage at the Company's 100% owned Rajapalot Project in Northern Finland. Two diamond drill rigs continue to operate on site 24/7.

Key Points:

Given the success of the winter diamond drilling program at Rajapalot, which discovered gold mineralization well beyond the current limits of geophysical coverage, Mawson has mobilized a geophysical crew to extend ground magnetic acquisition;

A total of 105 line km of ground magnetics at 50 metre spacing is planned to be collected over the next two weeks;

Mr. Hudson, Chairman and CEO, states, "Our winter drilling program has significantly expanded the footprint of gold mineralization at Rajapalot, well beyond the area where we have detailed ground geophysical data. Owing to the association of pyrrhotite and magnetite with gold mineralization, ground magnetics is a valuable tool to map gold-bearing host rocks at Rajapalot under the thin glacial soil that covers 99% of the prospect area. While winter conditions persist, we have moved quickly to mobilize a geophysical team to site."

The planned ground magnetic survey will cover the newly discovered area of potassic-iron-sulphide alteration described in Mawson Press Release March 06, 2017 at South Rajapalot. Line spacing for the new survey will be 50 metre at Rajapalot, and 10 metre infill at Palokas. To date, drilling has defined a zone that extends for 1,200m along strike and 400m in width that remains open. Further mineralization of the same style was reported in News Release April 06 2017 and included PAL0048 (6.0 metres @ 2.0 g/t gold from 53 metres and 13.7 metres @ 2.0 g/t gold from 82 metres), PAL0043 (12.0 metres @ 1.2 g/t gold from 10.6 metres), and PAL0040 (5.0 metres @ 1.2 g/t gold from 37.3 metres). The true thickness of the mineralized interval is interpreted to be approximately 90% of the sampled thickness.

Mineralization consists of sulphide, magnetite, biotite and chlorite hydrothermal mineral assemblages hosted in predominately grey albitites. Textures range from veined albitic granofels through fractured and brecciated to locally schistose. Veining and fracture fill minerals include magnetite, pyrrhotite and magnetite-pyrrhotite (+/- quartz). Local retrograde chlorite after biotite and vein-controlled chlorite+/- tourmaline and magnetite are also present. Preliminary hand-held XRF analysis confirms the presence of associated scheelite and molybdenite, the former visible under UV light as tiny veinlets and disseminations. The iron-rich nature of the mineralized rocks is a common theme in either the oxide or sulphide form, with a variably sulphidic and chloritic overprint. The alteration is clearly post-metamorphic, reduced, and most likely driven by granitoid intrusions. Chlorite is regarded as the lowest temperature silicate mineral with gold, structurally controlled in apparent association with quartz veins. Altered rocks enclosing the mineralized package contain locally abundant talc and tourmaline. Figure 1 shows the area in which the ground magnetic survey is being conducted along with the updated location of diamond drill holes.

In other news, two diamond drill rigs remain at site as winter conditions persist for a few weeks longer than expected. 53 holes (PAL0027-PAL0077, PAL0079, PAL0080) have been completed to date, totaling 10,250 metres of diamond drill core. A total of 19 holes have been reported, while results are pending for an additional 34 completed holes. A further 3 diamond drill holes are planned to be drilled before the completion of the winter program.

Technical and Environmental Background

The ground magnetic survey is being conducted by two personnel from GeoVista AB (based in Lulea, Sweden). Measurements are on a fifty metre line spacing conducted either in E-W or NW-SE line orientations and are locally infilled to closer spacing where required by geological complexity. Levelling and post-collection processing are completed by Dr Hans Thunehed of GeoVista AB.

The qualified person for Mawson's Finnish projects, Dr. Nick Cook, President for Mawson and Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

About Mawson Resources Limited (TSX:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, PINKSHEETS:MWSNF)

Mawson Resources Limited is an exploration and development company. Mawson has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic Arctic exploration company with a focus on the flagship Rompas and Rajapalot gold projects in Finland.
VANCOUVER, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Eco Oro Minerals Corp. ("Eco Oro" or the "Company") (TSX: EOM) today announced that the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the "Court") dismissed a petition brought by Harrington Global Opportunities Fund Ltd. and Courtenay Wolfe (the "Dissidents"). The Court found in favour of Eco Oro on all matters and dismissed the petition, with costs, in favour of Eco Oro. Additionally, the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") released an order today that, among other things, overturns the March 10, 2017 decision of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") to grant conditional approval for the issuance of common shares to certain shareholders of Eco Oro.

In a supplementary ruling, the Court found that the OSC's decision and the decision of the Court, were at odds and that it was not realistic that the annual general and special meeting of the Company proceed as planned on April 25, 2017 (the "Meeting"). The Court adjourned the Meeting to a date to be set by the Board prior to September 30, 2017, to allow the parties an opportunity to take whatever steps they deem appropriate to resolve the conflict between the OSC's decision and the orders of the Court.

Eco Oro will provide further information to shareholders as it becomes available.

Company Profile

Eco Oro Minerals Corp. is a publicly-traded precious metals exploration and development company with a portfolio of projects in Colombia. Eco Oro has been focused on its wholly-owned, multi-million ounce Angostura gold-silver deposit, located in northeastern Colombia.
According to police reports, the accused burnt 6-year-old Harshitha's body after raping and murdering her.

By Nolan Pinto: A 6-year-old girl, who had been missing for past five days, was found dead at her neighbour's house, in Veerbhadranagar area of Bengaluru.

Decomposed body of Harshitha, daughter of a daily wager worker, was recovered from under her neighbour's cot on Sunday evening. According to police reports, the accused burnt her body after raping and murdering her.

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Initial investigations suggest that the crime was committed by her neighbour Anil, who is absconding at the moment.

Investigations are on and more details are awaited.

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - Asante Gold Corporation (CSE:ASE)(CSE:ASE.CN)(FRANKFURT:1A9)(OTC:ASGOF) ("Asante" or the "Company") has received final assay results from the first drilling program in the historical MEM shaft/showing area on our Keyhole Option property, Asankrangwa gold belt, Ghana.

The program was designed as the first modern drill test of bedrock for gold mineralization in a structurally favourable area where extensive alluvial mining has been ongoing over the last 30 years.

The program consisted of 1,151m of diamond drilling in twelve holes, surface sampling and ground geophysics and has confirmed that the MEM showing is part of a northeast trending gold mineralized shear that is in excess of 250m in length, 120m in depth, and is open to extension in all directions.

Based on the success of this initial program, an expanded program to further test and extend the zone and outline other potential mineralized zones is being planned.

Five holes were spotted in the MEM area where recent grab samples of sulfidic and vuggy quartz reef dump material from artisanal shafts averaged 15.5g/t gold, and historical underground sampling results to 8m widths grading 25g/t gold were reported by Junner, Gold Coast Geological Survey, 1933.

Drillhole MEM17-001B was spotted to test directly under the old MEM shaft area and intersected 13.12g/t gold over 3.0m at a down hole depth of 139m. The intersection was vertically ~120m below the showing in a graphitic shear zone hosted in meta-greywacke/argillite, with quartz, sulfide mineralization and with minor visible gold noted. Core orientation data suggest that the shear zone is sub-parallel to the regional foliation at azimuth 030 to 046 degrees with a moderate to steep dip to the northwest. A photo of the mineralization is at: http://www.asantegold.com/assets/docs/pdf/nr/MEM17-001b 140.3m.pdf.

Drillhole MEM17-002 was drilled 85m to the southwest of the MEM showing, and intersected two shear zones grading 3.43g/t over 3.0m and 3.46g/t over 1.5m at down hole depths of 64.5 and 75.0m respectively. Drillhole MEM17-010B tested the structure 60m to the northeast of the MEM showing intersecting a narrow shear zone that graded 2.0g/t gold over 0.3m. Two of the five drillholes had to be abandoned - one in heavily fractured ground/shear zone and the other in brecciated quartz/greywacke and mud filled underground workings.

In addition, twenty five surface grab/channel samples over ~1.0m widths were taken in recently exposed saprolite in an area ~120m to the northeast of the MEM showing, with the best section grading 1.89g/t over 3m.

The balance of the drillholes were collared to test anomalous IP and interpreted structural targets from a recent ground geophysical orientation program. Regional scale-fracture controlled pyrite mineralization was intersected, accounting for many of the noted IP responses. Areas with interpreted high resistivities appear related to thicker sections of greywacke interbedded with the argillaceous phyllite host.

A map showing the MEM area drill collars and significant gold intersections is available at: http://www.asantegold.com/assets/docs/pdf/nr/MEMdrillPlan.pdf. Recent pictures from the drill program are available at: http://www.asantegold.com/projects/keyhole-option.

The Keyhole Option covers a 6km long section of the Ankobra River and is strategically located at the intersection of three major regional gold mineralized trends:

the Asankrangwa Gold Belt which hosts ~11 million ounces* of gold resources at the Asanko Gold Mine (formerly known as PMI Gold Corporation's Obotan Mine), and Esaase gold projects located 36km and 60km respectively to the northeast;

a major continental scale basement structure noted on regional aeromagnetic surveys which is spatially related to the 66 million ounce* AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine and the 7.6 million ounce* Newmont Akyem Mine, located 57km and 130km to the east northeast; and

the north trending Ankobra River lineament and its extensions which connects 90km to the south the +60 million ounces total resource* gold mines at Bogosu, Prestea and Tarkwa operated by GoldenStar, AngloGold Ashanti, and Goldfields, with Newmont's 15.3 million ounce* Ahafo Mine 100km to the north. (*past production plus current resources).

Keyhole, under option from Sikasante Mining Company Limited, adjoins Asante's Ashanti II Gold project: http://www.asantegold.com/news/asante-gold-acquires-kubi-mining-leases-and-eight-prospecting-licenses-in-ghana and map at http://www.asantegold.com/assets/img/goldentristruckeyhole.jpg. Asante can earn up to 100% in the Keyhole Gold Project by completing $500,000 in work over four years, issuing 1.25 million shares, and reserving for Sikasante a 2% net smelter return royalty.

Douglas MacQuarrie, President & CEO commented: "These drill results are highly encouraging and reinforce our confidence in the potential for finding further gold mineralization at Keyhole. An expanded program will look at extending the mineralized zones as well as test further areas within the property with gold potential."

Significant assays >=0.50g/t Au are noted in the table below:

Drill Hole From (metres) To (metres) Intercept (metres) Estimated True Width (metres) Wt. Average

g/t Au, uncut MEM17-001 42.00 43.00 1.00 NA 0.76 MEM17-001B 40.50 42.00 1.50 NA 0.79 137.00 138.00 1.00 NA 0.50 139.00 140.00 1.00 NA 0.62 140.00 141.00 1.00 NA 27.50 141.00 142.00 1.00 NA 11.25 MEM17-002 64.50 67.50 3.00 NA 3.43 75.00 76.50 1.50 NA 3.46 MEM17-006 43.50 43.95 0.45 NA 0.65 MEM17-010 58.00 58.50 0.50 NA 0.84 MEM17-010B 84.20 84.50 0.30 NA 1.99 84.50 85.50 1.00 NA 0.65

Table One: Significant Drill Hole Assay Results

Drill Hole WGS84E WGS84N Dip (deg) Azimuth (deg) Length (m) MEM17-001 588272 672281 -45 315 45 MEM17-001B 588272 672278 -60 315 156 MEM17-002 588157 672298 -50 153 110 MEM17-003 588470 672380 -60 315 77 MEM17-004 587948 673135 -50 135 113 MEM17-005 588101 672994 -45 135 98 MEM17-006 587871 672938 -45 135 92 MEM17-007 587728 672924 -45 135 94 MEM17-008 587719 672657 -45 135 92 MEM17-009 588060 672622 -45 135 91 MEM17-010 588237 672387 -55 139 75 MEM17-010B 588239 672385 -60 139 108

Table Two: Drill Collar data

Scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Douglas R. MacQuarrie, P.Geo. (B.C.) Geology & Geophysics, the President and CEO of the Company, who is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. Field work, core logging and sampling was supervised by Donald G. Allen, MASc. P.Eng. (B.C.) who is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. HQ and NQ core was logged, sawn and sampled at our core logging facility in Dunkwa, with half core samples sent to ALS Ghana Limited laboratory in Kumasi, and analyzed for gold by fire assay-AA on a 50 gram sample charge. Laboratory QC consisted of inserting both blanks and standards into the sample stream and multiple re-assays of selected anomalous samples. Results from the QC program suggest that the reported results are accurate. Intercept lengths reported are core lengths, as true widths cannot be accurately determined at this stage in the exploration.

About Asante Gold Corporation

Asante and BXC Company Ghana Limited have agreed to form a 50:50 Joint Venture to develop the Kubi Mining Lease in Ghana as a potential near term underground mine; and Asante is exploring the Keyhole, Fahiakoba and Betenase concessions, all adjoining or along strike of major gold mines near the centre of Ghana's Golden Triangle.

Additional information is available on our web site at: www.asantegold.com
By Park Si-soo



A U.S. citizen has been detained in North Korea, CNN reported Sunday citing Martina Aberg, deputy head of mission for the Swedish Embassy in North Korea.

"We have been informed and can confirm that there has been a detention of a U.S. citizen Saturday morning local," she said. "He was prevented from getting on the flight out of Pyongyang. We don't comment further than this."

Sweden represents the United States' interests in North Korea.

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, a former Korean-American professor was arrested on Friday at Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the isolated country.













The U.S. citizen was identified only by his surname Kim and a former professor at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in his late 50s. He reportedly was in the North for about a month to discuss relief activities. The reason for his arrest was not clear.

Ahn Chan-il, director of the World North Korea Research Center in Seoul, said that the North "seems to be intending to use Kim as leverage in negotiations" amid rising tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

Since 2009, over 10 American citizens have been detained in North Korea on charges of anti-state and other unspecified crimes.
Seoul advised to reexamine all policy options after May election



This is the fifth in a series of interviews with international experts on North Korea to see how its nuclear issues will unfold down the road and seek ways to secure stability on the Korean Peninsula. -- ED.



By Kim Jae-kyoung





Kelsey Davenport

Donald Trump's provocative strategy on North Korea could lead to a military conflict making South Korea the biggest victim, warned Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association.

She said diplomacy through negotiations is the only way to stop North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship, calling for the Trump administration to give more weight to engagement.

Her warning came as Trump has chosen a policy that will maximize pressure on the reclusive country through tougher sanctions and military signaling, while keeping a door open for engagement.

"If Trump is serious about talking with North Korea and reaching an agreement, this plan could lead to progress on halting and eventually rolling back North Korea's nuclear and missile programs," she said.

"But to get there, Trump needs to signal to Kim Jong-un that the offer for engagement is real. Otherwise, pressure _ without a plan for diplomacy _ is a dead end."

Davenport, who provides research and analysis on nuclear and missile programs in North Korea and Iran, forecast that a pre-emptive strike will result in a military conflict.

"There is a lot of loose talk about a U.S. military strike to prevent a North Korean ICBM test. This rhetoric is dangerous and unhelpful."

She pointed out that in addition to the illegality of a preventative strike, U.S. military action would only inflame tensions, likely lead to a military conflict, and increase the risk of nuclear weapons being used," she said.

"In this case, South Korea would pay the price for Washington's blunder. Diplomacy is the only way to stop North Korea's dangerous and illicit activities."

She recommended the Trump administration "consider all options" when reviewing its policies. "That will acquaint Trump and his advisers with the costs and consequences of certain policy choices," she said.

According to Davenport, additional sanctions have some effect on sending a message that Pyongyang's provocations will not go unpunished but they are short of changing the totalitarian country's behavior.

"Sanctions are not a strategy. They have little chance of success without a plan to engage North Korea in negotiations to first freeze and then roll back its illicit nuclear and missile activities," she said.

Talks without preconditions

The Washington-based North Korea expert said that absent a diplomatic effort, continued nuclear and missile testing in North Korea is inevitable.

"North Korea is clearly taking steps to strengthen its nuclear deterrent and develop the capability to target the United States with its ballistic missiles," she said.

"North Korea could certainly test either on short notice or in response to a perceived provocation by South Korea or the U.S."

Negotiations in her words are the only way to halt the dangerous trajectory of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"It will be critical for Trump to move quickly and for both sides to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions that could cause escalatory spirals and narrow the chances for diplomacy," she said.

Once the South Korean election takes place and Washington confers with Seoul, she said, "The Trump administration should explore the possibility of talks without preconditions designed to freeze and eventually roll back North Korea's nuclear program."

She urged Trump to find the right package of pressure and incentives to spur North Korea to reach an agreement and abide by it.

She said these incentives can be carefully calibrated to ensure that if Kim Jong-un violates a deal, pressure can be quickly reapplied because the U.S. has cards it can play that would be attractive to North Korea.

In her view, reducing military exercises with South Korea, delaying the deployment of missile defenses and offering security guarantees can be possible incentives.

"These are all things the U.S. can put on the table to reach a deal," she said. "Washington can also quickly reverse these actions if North Korea pulls out of an agreement."

She warned that the longer the Trump administration waits, however, the more time North Korea has to advance its nuclear and missile programs.

"These developments will make negotiating more difficult and could result in North Korea demanding a higher price from the United States and its negotiating partners to freeze and then ideally dismantle its capabilities," she said.

Reassessing policy options

Davenport said that once a new leader is elected in the May election, South Korea should take a fresh look at its policies and role in resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis.

"It is imperative that Seoul push back against policy options or tactics that might undermine South Korean security, such as redeploying U.S. nuclear weapons, expanding missile defenses, or preventative strikes on North Korean sites such as missile launch areas," she said.

She thinks these actions risk escalation, possibly toward military conflict, in which South Korea would pay a high price.

"Slowing down missile defense also sends a message to China that South Korea is cognizant of Beijing's concerns about the system and recognizes China should play a role in diplomacy with North Korea," she said.

She also said the U.S. and South Korea should not count on North Korean regime collapse, nor contribute to any collapse by targeting its leaders.

"If the state does collapse, uncertainty about the locations of North Korea's nuclear warheads will contribute to the chaos and increase the likelihood of a nuclear accident or intentional use by a desperate regime," she said.

"Scenarios like this underscore the urgency of a diplomatic effort to cap and roll back Pyongyang's nuclear program and ultimately reduce the risk posed by North Korea."
By Kim Se-jeong

Members of energy-independent neighborhoods in Seoul will gather to talk about future opportunities Wednesday.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, representatives from the private sector will join the conference which will take place at the Seoul Energy Dream Center in western Seoul.

Spearheaded by the city government, the energy-independent neighborhood project assists small communities in the city to reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-based electricity. As of Monday, 66 communities have joined the project, installing portable solar panels outside apartments and houses and electronic appliance chargers that can use solar energy, among others.

Seoul has one power plant within city limits, and the rest comes from southern Korea through the electricity grid. Most is generated from coal, gas and nuclear power plants.

Energy independence is one of Seoul's policy priorities under Mayor Park Won-soon. By 2014, the city managed to reduce coal-fired energy by 2 billion tons of oil equivalent (toe). One toe is equivalent to 7.33 barrels of oil. The conference is open to anyone who's interested. To RSVP, visit learningcafe.co.kr or call (02) 2133-3598.
by Tanya Gazdik , April 24, 2017



The automotive industry as a whole ranks tops in brand intimacy, with Harley-Davidson, BMW and Toyota receiving top scores, according to MBLM.

The Brand Intimacy 2017 Report is a study of brands based on emotions. Brand Intimacy is defined as leveraging and strengthening the emotional bonds between a person and a brand. According to the 2017 report, top-ranked intimate brands continued to outperform the S&P and Fortune 500 indices in both revenue and profit over the past 10 years.

Harley-Davidson ranked third in MBLMs 2015 report, but overtook BMW and Toyota this year. In addition to being the strongest intimate category overall, the automotive industry is also the top industry for males, those older than 35 and those with a higher income. The remaining brands in the top 10 for the industry are: Honda, Jeep, Chevrolet, Ford, Volvo, Mercedes and Chrysler.

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Car brands form powerful bonds with us because they are both significant purchases and an extension of our identity and values, says MBLM Partner Mario Natarelli in a statement. Cars make a statement about who we want to be and what we admire.

While ranking first, the category is showing some potential signs of slippage compared to the 2015 report. Auto recalls hit a record high of 53.2 million in 2016, topping the 51.1 million recalls in 2015.

As technology continues to disrupt the category in terms of car sharing, autonomous vehicles and electric/hybrids, it will be interesting to see which brands adapt best to the changing needs and priorities of their customers, Natarelli says.

Leading brands like BMW, Toyota and Honda strike a chord with customers through better (more reliable) performing cars and better service, delivering high-quality products that assure customers that their money was well spent, according to the study.

Harley-Davidson has had success in building and maintaining intimacy across multiple generations, placing in the top three for all age groups. Its ability to appeal to all ages is a sign of its strength as a brand.

The top brand for Millennials is Chevrolet. Millennials have less intense feelings of intimacy for their top brands than the older groups. They are more comfortable with fully self-driving vehicles than consumers of other generations and would also be more willing to use car-sharing services if they were readily available.

The report analyzed the responses of 6,000 consumers and 54,000 brand evaluations across 15 industries in the U.S., Mexico and UAE. Participants were respondents who were screened for age (18 to 64 years of age) and annual household income ($35,000 or more) in the U.S., and socioeconomic levels in Mexico and the UAE. Quotas were established to ensure that the sample mirrored census data for age, gender, income/socioeconomic level and region.
The government has decided against holding parleys with the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat conference to control the situation in the Kashmir valley, even though there has been a surge in violent protests. Sources said the government was prepared for dealing with the situation which is likely to continue for the next couple of months.

The number of clashes between protesters and security forces due to stone-pelting is on the rise in Kashmir (PTI Photo)

By Ajit Kumar Dubey, Manjeet Negi: Despite the surge in violent protests across the Kashmir valley, the government has decided against holding any parleys with the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat conference for controlling the situation.

"The government is taking steps to address the situation in Kashmir but under no circumstances, there would be any engagement with the separatists including the Hurriyat Conference," senior government sources told MAIL TODAY.

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The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has not been normal in the recent times as the number of clashes between protesters and security forces is on a rise due to stone-pelting incidents on troops.

Sources said the government was prepared for dealing with the situation which is likely to continue for the next couple of months and even adversely affect the tourist season there.

'LOT OF PRESSURE TO ENGAGE WITH SEPARATIST LEADERS'

"In the present circumstances, there is lot of pressure from various quarters including the mainstream political parties to engage with the separatist leaders but the feeling is that talking to them is not going to yield any results," they said.

Leaders of the Hurriyat including Syed Ahmed Shah Geelani are at the forefront agitations where it has emerged that money is paid to the hooligans to hurl stones at the security forces convoys and patrol parties. Geelani also issues the strike calendars for the local population with instructions on the date and time of protest against Indian interests there.

After the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, it declined to talk to the separatists as the groups like Hurriyat are pro-Pakistan and Islamabad has been using them to undermine the authority of the central and state governments while dealing with the Kashmir issue.

'GOVT TO CONTINUE CRACKDOWN ON SEPARATISTS' SOCIAL MEDIA-BASED ACTIVITY'

To deal with the situation, the sources said the government will continue its crackdown on the social media-based activities of the separatists who are using applications like WhatsApp and Facebook to gather protesters and spread false information against the Indian government.

"Already, there have been cases where the local police has apprehended some group administrators who are paid to spread rumours against the forces while a large number of Facebook and WhatsApp groups are being tracked by the Information Technology experts in the valley," they said.

Sources said the government does not want a short-cut or stopgap arrangements for settling the Kashmir situation and is looking at finding long-term solutions for establishing peace. The present scenario has also created a situation where the security forces are feeling tied down but they have been ensured that the government would fully back them, the sources said.

The government has also given a go ahead to the security forces to go after the top terrorist leadership in Kashmir to break the backbone of their infrastructure and is also working to involve countries in the middleeast to curb the funding of these Islamic groups.

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ALSO READ | Kashmir: Clashes erupt between students, security forces in Srinagar as colleges re-open today

ALSO READ | Jammu and Kashmir: PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar who was shot at by suspected militants in Pulwama dies

ALSO WATCH | Instigation comes from across the border: Jammu and Kashmir DGP on stone pelting

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by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 24, 2017

A federal judge in California has tentatively approved Facebook's settlement of a class-action accusing the company of scanning users' private messages to each other.

U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton in the Northern District of California will hold a hearing in August about whether to grant the deal final approval. Hamilton approved the settlement last week, after holding a 38-minute hearing, according to court records.

The proposed deal, as outlined in papers filed with Hamilton in March, calls for the company to pay up to $3.3 million to the attorneys who brought the case on behalf of users. The agreement doesn't call for monetary compensation to users; Facebook users who want to pursue claims for monetary damages theoretically can bring a new case against the company.

If granted final approval, the deal will resolve a lawsuit filed in 2013, when Arkansas resident Matthew Campbell and Oregon resident Michael Hurley alleged that Facebook violated the federal wiretap law by by intercepting users' messages to each other and scanning them. The company allegedly did so in order to determine whether people were sending their friends links to outside sites.

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The allegations emerged in 2012, when security researcher Ashkan Soltani reported that Facebook counts in-message links as "likes." Facebook confirmed that the like-counter "reflects the number of times people have clicked those buttons and also the number of times people have shared that page's link on Facebook." The company also said that its practice didn't expose any private information.

Soon after Soltani's report came out, Facebook changed its practices. The settlement agreement filed with Hamilton notes that Facebook changed its back-end procedures.

The proposed settlement also requires Facebook to post the following sentence on its help site: We use tools to identify and store links shared in messages, including a count of the number of times links are shared.
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, April 24, 2017

Dana Anderson has left her CMO post at Mondelez International for the same role at media consultancy MediaLink.

MediaLink announced Andersons hiring shortly after Mondelez announced her departure for a new professional opportunity, along with the hiring of executives for two other Mondelez senior marketing posts.

Anderson will report to MediaLink chairman/CEO Michael Kassan and will be based in the companys Chicago office. MediaLink, which was acquired by Ascential in February, last week announced that it was opening a London office headed by its vice chair, Wenda Harris Millard.

Anderson was named SVP, CMO of Mondelez in September 2014. She had served as SVP marketing communication and strategy for Kraft Foods since 2009, and in the same role at Mondelez when it was created in 2012 through a spinoff from Kraft. Earlier in her career, Anderson served as president and CEO of DDB Chicago, and prior to that as president and CEO of Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago.

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Mondelez praised Anderson for encouraging her teams to push through boundaries to create breakthrough brand campaigns, adding that her departure represents an opportunity to evolve the CMO role. The company will focus on finding a digital first successor who can build on Andersons work by mobilizing breakthrough marketing on a global basis, Mondelez said.

Mondelez also announced that it has hired Stefania Gvillo as global head of strategic insights. Gvillo  a 15-year PepsiCo veteran who most recently served as VP, portfolio strategy and consumer insights  replaces Zurich-based Maria Alvarado, who will be leaving Mondelez in September.

In addition, Mondelez has hired Jay Gouliard as global head of packaging, a new role. Gouliard, who has experience in structure and graphics, has held packaging leadership roles at Unilever and The Coca-Cola Company, according to Mondelez.

Mondelezs Marketing Reinvention Continues



The changes come amid what Mondelez terms a marketing reinvention, as it continues to shift its focus to global power brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, Trident, Milka and BelVita and to developing an e-commerce snacks business.

Mondelez set a goal of generating a least $1 billion in annual e-commerce revenues by 2020 as part of its five-year strategic growth plan, released in late 2015. Since then, it has hired nearly 100 employees from Amazon and other ecommerce and digital companies as part of its investment in building the e-commerce platform. The company saw e-commerce net revenues grow by more than 35% last year, Mondelez executives reported at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference in February.

The power brands, which represent nearly 70% of the companys global revenues, generated organic net revenue growth that was double that of the company as a whole in 2016.



Last week, Mondelez announced that Roberto Marques, EVP and president of its North America business, is leaving.

Last years departures included chief media and e-commerce officer Bonin Bough.

Jeff Jarrett, previously VP of global e-commerce and commercial innovation at Kimberly-Clark, was named Mondelezs VP and global head of e-commerce late last year. He has been reporting to chief growth officer Tim Cofer, rather than Anderson, who previously headed Mondelezs e-commerce operation.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 24, 2017

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating whether government officials abused their authority by demanding that Twitter reveal information that could identify the creators of a protest account, Inspector General John Roth says.

The agency is also "reviewing potential broader misuse of summons authority" at the agency, Roth says in a letter to Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

Roth's statements came in response to Wyden's request for a probe into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency's attempt to unmask the people behind the account @Alt_USCIS -- one of numerous "rogue" accounts that sprang up earlier this year to protest the polices of President Donald Trump.

Last month, officials from customs served Twitter with a subpoena for information that could be used to identify the creators of the account. Twitter responded by going to court and asking for a declaration that the subpoena was unenforceable. Among other arguments, the company said the account holder has a free speech right to anonymously criticize the government.

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The critical account, which has almost 200,000 followers, appeared in January soon after Trump issued the first travel ban, which prohibited people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. On January 28, in the initial hours after the ban went into effect, the account referenced the confusion surrounding issues such as whether the ban applied to green card holders. "A WH [White House] unable not give clear directives on who,what to ban,and under what guidelines, can not be trusted to give orders to an army. #MuslimBan," the account tweeted.

The day after Twitter filed its court papers, the Customs and Border Protection agency withdrew the subpoena. That same day, Wyden sent the agency a critical letter. The lawmaker said he was concerned by "the possibility that CBP requested this information to learn if the accountholder(s) are employed by the Department of Homeland Security in order to take retaliatory action or otherwise squelch the exercise of First Amendment right to comment on U.S. policy, and to make these comments anonymously.

Wyden also requested an investigation into "the circumstances that led to the issuance" of the subpoena.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) The Congress today said the way situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been handled by the Centre and the PDP-BJP government in the state it is detrimental to both national security and national integration.

Asking the Centre to clearly spell out its Kashmir policy, the opposition party also said that J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis remarks, after meeting the prime minister that we are where Vajpayee left us, are a "damning indictment" of a complete lack of policy towards Kashmir.

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"The manner in which the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and the PDP?BJP government in the state has handled the Kashmir situation is completely detrimental to both the cause of national security as also national integration.

"And you are seeing the manifestations of this fallacious policy play itself out in other parts of India as well," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

He said it is high time the central government articulates, in clear terms, its policy towards the situation in Kashmir and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introspect as to what has gone wrong since 2014 that people have not turned up to exercise their franchise.

"Prime Minister Modi should ask himself this question that what has gone wrong between 2014 and 2017 that a mere 7 per cent people turned out to vote," he said.

Tewari said the one remark that the state chief minister made during her brief interaction sums up the entire essence of the meeting with the prime minister.

On Muftis statement we are where Vajpayee left us, the Congress leader said "There could not have been a more damning indictment of a complete lack of policy which the NDA-BJP government and the Prime Minister has qua the situation in J&K. Nothing evidences this more than the extremely poor turnout in the Srinagar bypoll."

He said the postponement of the Parliamentary bypoll in Anantnag, the continuing tension on the Indo-Pakistan border, the fragile internal security situation in the Kashmir valley and the ever increasing and deepening contradictions between the BJP-PDP alliance government in J&K describe the state of affairs in the state.

Tewari said even after the worst phase of militancy in Kashmir between 1989 and 1996 when Assembly elections were held, the poll percentage was 53.92 per cent in 1996. In 2002, it was still 43.70 per cent during the NDA regime and in 2008 during UPA, it went up to 61.16 per cent.

During the 2014 elections, polling improved to 65.52 per cent, but during the current by-elections it fell to a mere 7 per cent and when a re-poll is ordered the voter turnout is a mere 2 per cent.

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In contrast to these three years, Tewari claimed, during the NC-Congress government in J&K, the LoC remained relatively stable all though the six-year period and internal security situation barring a few months in 2010 remained relatively normal.

He said the interlocutor process was put in place by the UPA where there was a broad outreach to all spectrums of people across the board in J&K and all-round development was the prevailing mantra.

The Congress leader claimed that many of the projects which the prime minister has inaugurated, all were conceived and substantially implemented during those six years of the UPA government at the Centre and the NC-Congress government in the state.

On the incident in BITS Pilani, involving a student from Kashmir, he said unruly elements are cropping up across the country due to the absence of a core policy towards Kashmir and the government allowing vigilante groups to flourish.

He also attacked the prime minister, saying though Mufti has spoken after the meeting, but the prime minister has not "said a word".

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Meanwhile, expressing concern over the situation in Kashmir, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Governors rule in Jammu and Kashmir is not a solution and there will be no peace in the state till the time the PDP-BJP government is there.

"The Governors rule is not a solution. They should change their way. There will be no peace in Jammu and Kashmir till there is the rule of BJP and PDP," the former state chief minister said. PTI SKC SMJ

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M&T Bank Corporation operates as a bank holding company that provides commercial and retail banking services. The company's Business Banking segment offers deposit, lending, cash management, and other financial services to small businesses and professionals. Its Commercial Banking segment provides deposit products, commercial lending and leasing, letters of credit, and cash management services for middle-market and large commercial customers. The company's Commercial Real Estate segment originates, sells, and services commercial real estate loans; and offers deposit services. Its Discretionary Portfolio segment provides deposits; securities, residential real estate loans, and other assets; and short and long term borrowed funds, as well as foreign exchange services. The company's Residential Mortgage Banking segment offers residential real estate loans for consumers and sells those loans in the secondary market; and purchases servicing rights to loans originated by other entities. Its Retail Banking segment offers demand, savings, and time accounts; consumer installment loans, automobile and recreational finance loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, and credit cards; mutual funds and annuities; and other services. The company also provides trust and wealth management; fiduciary and custodial; insurance agency; institutional brokerage and securities; and investment management services. It offers its services through banking offices, business banking centers, telephone and internet banking, and automated teller machines. As of December 31, 2021, the company operates 688 domestic banking offices in New York State, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; and a full-service commercial banking office in Ontario, Canada. M&T Bank Corporation was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Buffalo, New York.
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.
The Centre today submitted a report to Supreme Court on cow protection and cow smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border.

By India Today Web Desk: Cows could soon have an Aadhaar-like unique identification (UID) number which would have all the details regarding the animal.

This is part of the report that the Centre today submitted to the Supreme Court on cow protection and cattle smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border.

The Centre told the Supreme Court that a committee headed by joint secretary (home) was formed to look into the issue of cattle smuggling.

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Congress' Rajeev Shukla called the proposal to provide cows with UID numbers "ridiculous" and said the police machinery should be more vigilant to check cow smuggling. He said the Narendra Modi government should first give Aadhaar cards to every citizen of the country.

HERE IS WHAT THE COMMITTEE FORMED BY THE CENTRE SUGGESTS: "Responsibility of safety and care of abandoned animals is mainly of the state government," says the report. Each district should have a shelter home with a capacity for at least 500 abandoned animals. This, the report states, will help in reducing smuggling. The report further states that funding of such shelter homes should be done by the state government. The existing shelter homes lacks adequate facilities, the report says. Special care should be provided for cattle beyond the age of milking. The report states that such animals are mainly smuggled outside India. The Centre's report also lays emphasis on launching a scheme for farmers in distress so that they do not sell animals that are past the milking age. Each cow and its progeny across India should get a Unique Identification Number so that they can be tracked, suggests the report. The UID number should have details such as age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body, colour, horn type, tail switch, special marks etc. The report states that unique identification number for cows and their progeny should be made mandatory across India. To stop smuggling of animals across Bangladesh, active support and cooperation should be sought from public, recommends the report. People should be encouraged to provide information related to movement of animals through toll-free helpline numbers, says the report.

A copy of the report.

(with inputs from Ahmed Azeem and Supriya Bhadwaj)

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Maximus, Inc. provides business process services (BPS) to government health and human services programs. It operates through three segments: U.S. Services, U.S. Federal Services, and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers various BPS solutions, such as program administration, appeals and assessments, and related consulting works for U.S. state and local government programs, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, child support programs, Preadmission Screening and Resident Reviews, and Independent Developmental Disability assessments. This segment also provides program eligibility support and enrollment; centralized multilingual customer contact centers, multichannel, and digital self-service options for enrollment; application assistance and independent health plan choice counseling; beneficiary outreach, education, eligibility, enrollment, and redeterminations; person-centered independent disability, long-term sick, and other health assessments; and specialized consulting services. The U.S. Federal Services segment offers centralized citizen engagement centers and support services; document and record management; case management, citizen support, and consumer education; independent medical reviews and worker's compensation benefit appeals; Medicare and Medicaid appeals; and federal marketplace eligibility appeals. This segment also provides modernization of systems and information technology infrastructure; infrastructure operations and support services; software development, operations, and management services; and data analytics services. The Outside the U.S. segment offers BPS solutions for governments and commercial clients outside the United States, including health and disability assessments, program administration for employment services, and other job seeker-related services. The company was incorporated in 1975 and is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia.
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Ltd., PGIM DC Solutions LLC, PGIM European Financing Limited, PGIM European Services Limited, PGIM Financial Limited, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund II L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives GP LLC, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives II GP LLC, PGIM Foreign Investments Inc., PGIM Holding Company LLC, PGIM Holdings Limited, PGIM Hong Kong Ltd., PGIM INDIA ASSET MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM INDIA TRUSTEES PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM IRELAND LIMITED, PGIM Inc., PGIM International Financing Inc., PGIM Investments Ireland Limited, PGIM Investments LLC, PGIM Japan Co. Ltd., PGIM Korea Inc., PGIM LTIF Berlin GP S.a r.l., PGIM LTIF Berlin MLP S.ar.l., PGIM LTIF GP S.a.r.l., PGIM Limited, PGIM Loan Originator Manager Limited, PGIM M Campus GP S.a r.l., PGIM Management Partner Limited, PGIM MetaProp Investor LP LLC, PGIM Netherlands B.V., PGIM Overseas Investment Fund Management Shanghai Company Ltd, PGIM Private Capital Ireland Limited, PGIM Private Capital Limited, PGIM Private Placement Investors Inc., PGIM Private Placement Investors L.P., PGIM QUANTITATIVE SOLUTIONS LLC, PGIM REF EUROPE SCSp, PGIM REF Europe GP S.a r.l., PGIM REF Europe Member LLC, PGIM REF Intermediary Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate CD S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Capital VII GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest L.P., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest SCSp, PGIM Real Estate Co-Invest Holdings LLC, PGIM Real Estate Debt GmbH, PGIM Real Estate Finance Holding Company, PGIM Real Estate Finance LLC, PGIM Real Estate France SAS, PGIM Real Estate Germany AG, PGIM Real Estate Global Debt GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Global Master Fund GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles II S de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles S. de R.L. de C.V, PGIM Real Estate Italy S.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Japan Ltd., PGIM Real Estate Loan Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate Luxembourg S.A., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Management Luxembourg S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Mexico S.C., PGIM Real Estate S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate U.S. CORE Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate U.S. Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate UK Limited, PGIM Scots Limited, PGIM Securities Investment Trust Enterprise, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management (Feeder) I LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management Fund I L.P., PGIM Shanghai Company Ltd., PGIM Singapore Pte. Ltd., PGIM Strategic Financing LLC, PGIM Strategic Investments Inc., PGIM Taronga Investor GP LLC, PGIM U.S. Agriculture Fund LP, PGIM USPF VI Manager LLC, PGIM Wadhwani LLP, PGIM Warehouse Inc., PGLH of Delaware Inc., PIFM Holdco LLC, PIIC Limited, PIISC Holdings UK Limited, PIM KF Blocker V Holdings LLC, PIM USPF V Manager LLC, PLA Administradora Industrial SRL, PLA Administradora LLC, PLA Administradora S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional II S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional S.de R.L. de C.V., PLA Co-Investor LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager I LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager II LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Blue LP, PLA Retail Fund I Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LP, PLA Retail Fund II Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II U.S. Carry/Co-Invest LP, PLA Services Manager Mexico LLC, PLAI Limited, PMCF Holdings LLC, PMCF Properties LLC, PPPF General Partner LLP, PR GA SCP Apartments LLC, PRAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP LLP, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP SCOTS FEEDER LLP, PRECO Account IV LLC, PRECO Account Partnership IV LP, PRECO III GP LLP, PREFG Hanwha Manager LLC, PREI Acquisition I Inc., PREI Acquisition II Inc., PREI Acquisition LLC, PREI HYDG LLC, PREI International Inc., PRIAC Property Acquisitions LLC, PRICOA Management Partner Limited, PRISA Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Pooled Manager LLC, PRISA III Fund GP LLC, PRISA III Fund PIM LLC, PRREF Debt Fund Manager LLC, PRREF II Fund Manager LLC, PRU 3XSquare LLC, PRUCO LLC, PRUDENTIAL CAPITAL ENERGY PARTNERS MANAGEMENT (FEEDER) LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP MEMBER LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP REIT LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE 2 LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE LLC, PT PFI Mega Life Insurance, Passaic Fund LLC, Pine Tree GP, Pine Tree L.P., Platinum GP Limited, Platinum II L.P., Platinum L.P., Pramerica Business Consulting Shanghai Company Limited, Pramerica EVP CP LP, Pramerica Financial Asia Headquarters Pte. Ltd., Pramerica Financial Asia Limited, Pramerica Fixed Income Funds Management Limited, Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Pramerica Holdings Ltd, Pramerica Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Pramerica Insurance Agency China Company Ltd., Pramerica Luxembourg CP GP S.a.r.l., Pramerica PRECAP I GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP II GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP III GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP IV GP LLP, Pramerica Pan European Real Estate Scots LP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I GP Scots Feeder LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I Scotland Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital II Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital III Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Limited, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Scots Feeder LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V Netherlands GP LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital VI Scots Limited Partnership, Pramerica Scots CP GP LLP, Preco III Scotland Limited Partnership, Pru 101 Wood LLC, Pru Alpha Partners I LLC, Pru Fixed Income Emerging Markets Partners I LLC, PruVen Capital Partners Fund I L.P., Pruco Assignment Corporation, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Pruco Securities LLC, Prudential 900 Aviation Boulevard LLC, Prudential Affordable Mortgage Company LLC, Prudential Agricultural Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Annuities Distributors Inc., Prudential Annuities Holding Company Inc., Prudential Annuities Inc., Prudential Annuities Information Services & Technology Corporation, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Captive Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Universal Company, Prudential Bank & Trust FSB, Prudential Capital Energy Opportunity Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners Management Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Partners Management Fund IV L.P., Prudential Capital and Investment Services LLC, Prudential Chile II SpA, Prudential Chile SpA, Prudential Commercial Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Equity Group LLC, Prudential Financial Inc., Prudential Fixed Income Global Liquidity Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Fixed Income U.S. Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Funding LLC, Prudential General Services of Japan Y.K., Prudential Gibraltar Agency Co. Ltd. Prudential Gibraltar Agency Kabushiki Kaisha, Prudential Global Funding LLC, Prudential Holdings of Japan Inc., Prudential Huntoon Paige Associates LLC, Prudential IBH Holdco Inc., Prudential Impact Investments Mortgage Loans LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Debt LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Equity LLC, Prudential Insurance Agency LLC, Prudential International Insurance Holdings Ltd., Prudential International Insurance Service Company L.L.C., Prudential International Investments Advisers LLC, Prudential International Investments Company LLC, Prudential International Investments LLC, Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, Prudential Japan Holdings LLC, Prudential Legacy Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 1 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 2 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Capital Asset Holding Company LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Funding LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, Prudential Multifamily Mortgage LLC, Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC, Prudential Newark Realty LLC, Prudential QOZ Investment Fund 1 LLC, Prudential Realty Securities Inc., Prudential Retirement Financial Services Holding LLC, Prudential Retirement Holdings LLC, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Prudential Securities Secured Financing Corporation, Prudential Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., Prudential Seguros S.A., Prudential Select Strategies LLC, Prudential Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Prudential Structured Settlement Company, Prudential Systems Japan Limited, Prudential Tax Services LLC, Prudential Term Reinsurance Company, Prudential Trust Co. Ltd., Prudential Trust Company, Prudential Universal Reinsurance Company, Prudential Workplace Solutions Group Services LLC, Prudential do Brasil Seguros de Vida S.A., Prudential do Brasil Vida em Grupo S.A., Prudential/TMW Real Estate Group LLC, Pruservicos Participacoes Ltda., QMA JP EM All Cap Equity Partners LLC, Quartzsite LLC, Residential Services Corporation of America LLC, Rio CP LP, Rock European Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock Global Real Estate LLC, Rock Kensington Limited, Rock Marty GP S.a r.l., Rock Oxford S.a r.l., Rock UK Real Estate II S.a.r.l., Rockstone Co. Ltd., Rosado Grande LLC, Ross Avenue Energy Fund Holdings LLC, Ross Avenue Minerals 2012 LLC, SCP Apartments LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERS VI GP LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP FUND VI GP LLC, SHP IV Carried Interest LP, SHP V Carried Interest L.P., SMP Holdings Inc., SVIIT Holdings Inc., Sanei Collection Service Co. Ltd. Kabushiki Kaisha Sanei Shuuno Service, Senior Housing Partners V LLC, Senior Housing Partnership Fund V LLC, Sterling Private Placement Management LLP, Stetson Street Partners L.P., Strand Investments Limited, TBG Insurance Services Corporation, TENSATOR HOLDINGS LTD, TF Proveedora S.C., TMW ASPF I Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, TMW ASPF Management GmbH, TMW Management LLC, TMW Real Estate Group LLC, TMW Realty Advisors LLC, TMW USPF Verwaltungs GmbH, TRGOAG Company Inc., The Gibraltar Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Keynes Dynamic Beta Strategy US Fund GP LLC, The Prudential Assigned Settlement Services Corp., The Prudential Brazilian Capital Fund LP, The Prudential Gibraltar Financial Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Prudential Home Mortgage Company Inc., The Prudential Insurance Company of America, The Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd., The Prudential Real Estate Financial Services of America Inc., The WMF Group, Thurloe Commercial Guernsey Limited, USPF V - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, USPF V Carry LLC, USPF V Co-Invest LLC, USPF V Investment LP, United States Property Fund VI GP S.a r.l., VIP Australia Holding Company LLC, VIP Australia Trustee Pty Ltd, Vailsburg Fund LLC, Vantage Casualty Insurance Company, Wabash Avenue Holdings V LLC, Wabash Avenue Partners V L.P., Wadhwani Capital Limited, Waveland Avenue Holdings I LLC, Waveland Avenue Partners I Ireland L.P., Waveland Avenue Partners I US L.P., Wellness Services Ecossistema De Bem Estar Ltda., Wellness Services SRL, Yamato Life, and Yavapai LLC.

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HDFC Bank Limited provides banking and financial services to individuals and businesses in India, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Dubai. It operates in Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, Other Banking Business, and Unallocated segments. The company accepts savings, salary, current, rural, public provident fund, pension, and Demat accounts; fixed and recurring deposits; and safe deposit lockers, as well as offshore accounts and deposits, overdrafts against fixed deposits, and sweep-in facilities. It also provides personal, home, car, two wheeler, business, educational, gold, consumer, and rural loans; loans against properties, securities, rental receivables, and assets; loans for professionals; government sponsored programs; and loans on credit card, as well as working capital and commercial/construction equipment finance, healthcare/medical equipment and commercial vehicle finance, dealer finance, and term and professional loans. The company offers credit, debit, prepaid, and forex cards; payment and collection, export, import, remittance, bank guarantee, letter of credit, trade, hedging, and merchant and cash management services; insurance and investment products. It provides short term finance, bill discounting, structured finance, export credit, loan syndication, and documents collection services; online and wholesale, mobile, and phone banking services; unified payment interface, immediate payment, national electronic funds transfer, and real time gross settlement services; and channel financing, vendor financing, reimbursement account, money market, derivatives, employee trusts, cash surplus corporates, tax payment, and bankers to rights/public issue services, as well as financial solutions for supply chain partners and agricultural customers. The company operates 6,378 branches and 18,620 automated teller machines in 3,203 cities/towns. As of March 31, 2022, it had 21,683 banking outlets. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is based in Mumbai, India.
The following companies are subsidiares of Emerson Electric: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd., AE Valves, AGI Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ALCO CONTROLS spol. s.r.o., APM Automation Solutions, ASC Investments Inc., ASCO (Japan) Company Limited, ASCO L.P., ASCO Numatics (India) Private Limited, ASCO Numatics Holding Inc., ASCO SAS, ASCO Valve (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ASCO/JOUCOMATIC s.r.o., ATX SAS, Advanced Protection Technologies, Aegir Norge Holding AS, Alliance Compressors LLC, American Governor, Aperture, Apple JV Holding Corp., Appleton Electric LLC, Appleton Electric S.A. de C.V., Appleton Group, Appleton Group Canada Ltd., Appleton Grp LLC, Appleton Holding Corp., Appleton Holding Sarl, Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Artesyn Hungary Elektronikai Kft., Artesyn Technologies, Asco AB, Asco Controls AG, Asco Controls B.V., Asco Joucomatic Ltd., Asco Joucomatic ZA B.V., Asco Magnesszelep Kft., Asco Numatics GmbH, Asco Numatics S.A., Asco Numatics Sirai S.R.L., Asco Numatics Sp. z o.o., Ascomatica S.A. de C.V., Ascomation (NZ) Ltd., Ascomation Pty. Ltd., Ascotech S.A. de C.V., Ascoval Industria e Commercio Ltda, Automatic Switch Company, Aventics, Aventics, Aventics AB, Aventics AG, Aventics AS, Aventics ApS, Aventics B.V., Aventics Corporation, Aventics Holding S.A.S., Aventics Holding S.a.r.l., Aventics Hungary Kft, Aventics Inc., Aventics India Private Limited, Aventics Limited, Aventics Ltd., Aventics Oy, Aventics Pneumatics Equipment (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Aventics Pneumatics Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aventics S.A.S., Aventics S.R.L., Aventics Services Germany GmbH, Aventics Singapore Pte. Ltd., Aventics Sp. z.o.o., Aventics Spain S.L., Aventics spol. s.r.o., Avtron LoadBank, Bannerscientific Limited, Beckman Industrial B.V., Beijing Rosemount Far East Instrument Co. Ltd., Bettis Canada Ltd., Bettis Holdings Limited, Bettis UK Limited, Biffi Italia S.r.l., Bioproduction Group, Branson Korea Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonic S.A., Branson Ultrasonics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonics B.V., Branson Ultrasonics Corporation, Branson Ultrasonics a.s., Branson Ultrasonidos S.A.E., Branson Ultrasons SAS, Branson Ultrasuoni S.R.L., Branson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Bray Lectroheat Limited, Bristol Babcock Limited, Bristol Inc., Buehler Europe Limited, Buehler UK Limited, CR Compressors LLC, CSA Consulting Engineers Ltd., California Emerson LLC, Cascade Technologies, Cascade Technologies Holdings Limited, Cascade Technologies Limited, Chemat GmbH Armaturen fur Industrie - und Nuklearanlage, Chloride Koexa S.A., Componentes Avanzados de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Computational Systems, Computational Systems Incorporated, Conception et Representation de Technologies de Controle C.R.T. Controle SAS, Control Products Inc., Controles de Temperatura S.A. de C.V., Cooligy Inc., Cooper-Atkins, Cooper-Atkins Corporation, Cooper-Atkins Pte. Ltd., Copeland Access + Inc., Copeland Compresores Hermeticos S.A. de C.V., Copeland Corporation, Copeland Corporation LLC, Copeland Limited, Copeland Redevelopment Corporation, Copeland Scroll Compresores de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copeland de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copesub Inc., Crosby Valve LLC, Damcos A/S, Damcos Holding A/S, Daniel Automation Company, Daniel Europe Limited, Daniel Industrial Inc., Daniel Industries, Daniel Industries Canada Inc., Daniel Industries Inc., Daniel Industries Limited, Daniel International Limited, Daniel Measurement Solutions Private Limited, Daniel Measurement and Control Inc., Daniel Measurement and Control S. de R.L. de C.V., Danmasa S.A. de C.V., Dar Ibtikar Al Iraq for General Services and General Trade LLC, Decision Management International, Dieterich Standard Inc., Digital Appliance Controls (UK) Limited, Dixell North America Inc., Dixell S.R.L., Do+Able Products, E. Business Development E.B.D.Com Ltd., E.G.P. Corporation, EECO Inc., EGS Comercializadora Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Private Ltd., EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES s.r.o., EMR (Asia) Limited, EMR (Mauritius) Ltd., EMR Emerson Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, EMR Europe Holdings Inc., EMR Foundation Inc., EMR Holdings (France) SAS, EMR Holdings Inc., EMR Worldwide B.V., EMR Worldwide Inc., EMRSN HLDG B.V., EMRSN Process Management Morocco Sarl, ENPDOR2012A Limited, ENPESNA Inc., EPM Tulsa Holdings Corp., EPMCO Holdings Inc., ETC International Holdings Ltd., Easy Heat Europe SAS, Easy Heat Inc., El-O-Matic B.V., El-O-Matic Valve Actuators (F.E.) Pte. Ltd., Electrische Apparatenfabriek Capax B.V., Emerald Advanced Technology Limited, Emerson (Philippines) Corporation, Emerson (Taiwan) Limited, Emerson (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Arabia Inc., Emerson Argentina S.A., Emerson Asia Pacific Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Holdings Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Sichuan) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Taiwan) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Thailand) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Czech Republic s.r.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Denmark A/S, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control France SARL, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Germany GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hong Kong Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hungary Kft, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Italia S.r.l., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Middle East FZE, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Netherlands B.V., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Polska Sp. Z.o.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Holding LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK II Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Automation Solutions GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Automation Solutions Ireland Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Isolation Valves Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions SSC UK Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Beijing Instrument Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Services LLC, Emerson Climate Technologies (India) Private Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies (Shenyang) Refrigeration Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Solutions (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Transportation Solutions ApS, Emerson Climate Technologies Arabia Limited Co., Emerson Climate Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies FZE, Emerson Climate Technologies GmbH, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Climate Technologies Refrigeration S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Europe S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Sarl, Emerson Commercial & Residential Tools LLC, Emerson Commerical & Residential Asia Limited, Emerson Comres de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson DHC B.V., Emerson Dietzenbach GmbH, Emerson Dominicana Srl, Emerson Egypt LLC, Emerson Electric (Asia) Limited, Emerson Electric (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Electric (Mauritius) Ltd., Emerson Electric (South Asia) Pte. Ltd., Emerson Electric (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Electric (Tongling) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation, Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation (Chile) Limitada, Emerson Electric (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric CR Limitada, Emerson Electric Canada Limited, Emerson Electric Company (India) Private Limited, Emerson Electric Company Lanka (Private) Limited, Emerson Electric Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, Emerson Electric II C.A., Emerson Electric International Inc., Emerson Electric Ireland Limited, Emerson Electric Korea Ltd., Emerson Electric Nederland B.V., Emerson Electric Overseas Finance Corp., Emerson Electric Poland Sp. z o.o., Emerson Electric U.K. Limited, Emerson Electric de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Electric do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Energy Systems (UK) Limited, Emerson FZE, Emerson Final Control US Holding LLC, Emerson Finance LLC, Emerson Fusite Electric (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Gabon SARL, Emerson Hazardous Electrical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Holding Company Limited, Emerson Holding Sweden AB, Emerson InSinkErator Appliance (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Industrial Automation USA Inc., Emerson International Holding Company Limited, Emerson Japan Ltd., Emerson Junkang Enterprise (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Korea Limited, Emerson LLC, Emerson LLP, Emerson Machinery Equipment (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Mexico Finance S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Emerson Middle East Inc., Emerson Network Power DHC B.V., Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management (India) Private Limited, Emerson Process Management (South Africa) (Proprietary) Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Tianjin) Valves Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Vietnam) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management A/S (Denmark), Emerson Process Management AB, Emerson Process Management AG, Emerson Process Management AS, Emerson Process Management Angola Lda, Emerson Process Management Arabia Limited, Emerson Process Management Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Process Management B.V., Emerson Process Management Chennai Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Distribution Limited, Emerson Process Management Europe GmbH, Emerson Process Management Flow B.V., Emerson Process Management Flow Technologies Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Process Management Holding AG, Emerson Process Management Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management Kft., Emerson Process Management LLLP, Emerson Process Management Lda, Emerson Process Management Limited, Emerson Process Management Ltda, Emerson Process Management Magyarorszag Kft., Emerson Process Management Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management NV, Emerson Process Management New Zealand Limited, Emerson Process Management Nigeria Limited, Emerson Process Management Oy, Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Inc., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions India Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Qatar W.L.L., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Inc., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Tulsa LLC, Emerson Process Management Romania S.R.L., Emerson Process Management S.A., Emerson Process Management S.A. de C.V., Emerson Process Management S.L., Emerson Process Management S.R.L., Emerson Process Management SAS, Emerson Process Management Shared Services Limited, Emerson Process Management Sp. z o.o., Emerson Process Management Ticaret Limited Sirket, Emerson Process Management UAB, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Valve Automation Inc., Emerson Process Management Verwaltung GmbH, Emerson Process Management d.o.o., Emerson Process Management de Colombia SAS, Emerson Process Management del Peru S.A.C., Emerson Process Management s.r.o., Emerson Professional Tools (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Puerto Rico Inc., Emerson Retail Services Europe GmbH, Emerson S.R.L., Emerson Sales UK Limited, Emerson Saudi Arabia LLC, Emerson Scroll Machining (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Sice S.R.L., Emerson Sweden AB, Emerson TOV, Emerson Technologies GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Technologies Verwaltungs GmbH, Emerson Tool Company de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Tool and Appliance Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson UK Trustees Limited, Emerson USD Finance Company Limited, Emerson Valves & Controls Japan Co. Ltd., Emerson Ventures Inc., Emerson Vulcan Holding LLC, Emerson Xi'an Engineering Center, Emersub 1 LLC, Emersub 10 LLC, Emersub 11 LLC, Emersub 12 LLC, Emersub 14 LLC, Emersub 15 LLC, Emersub 16 LLC, Emersub 3 LLC, Emersub 4 LLC, Emersub 5 LLC, Emersub 7 LLC, Emersub 8 LLC, Emersub 9 LLC, Emersub CII Inc., Emersub CV Inc., Emersub Italia S.R.L., Emersub LXXXIV Inc., Emersub LXXXVI Inc., Emersub Mexico Inc., Emersub Treasury Ireland Unlimited Company, Emersub XLVI Inc., Emersub XXXVI Inc., Emirates Techno Casting FZE, Emirates Techno Casting Holding Limited, Emirates Techno Casting LLC, Enardo, Endura-Greenlee Tools, Energy Solutions International (India) Private Limited, Energy Solutions International GP LLC, Energy Solutions International Ltd., Energy Solutions International SAS, Energy Solutions International Sub LLC, F-R Tecnologias de Flujo S.A. de C.V., FC QSF LLC, FMC Technologies, Fiberconn Assemblies Morocco Sarl, Fincor Holding LLC, Fire & Safety Group.Com Ltd., Fisher Controles de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fisher Controls International LLC, Fisher Jeon Gas Equipment (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Fisher Regulators (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Sanmar Limited, Fisher-Rosemount Systems Inc., Flow Control Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Flow Control Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Flow Control US Holding Corporation, Francel SAS, Fromex S.A. de C.V., Fusite B.V., Fusite Corporation, Fusite Land Company, GSEG LLC, General Equipment and Manufacturing Company Inc., Generale de Robinetterie Industrielle et de Sytemes de Surete, GeoFields, GeoFields Inc., Greenex Ltd., Greenfield (UK) Limited, Greenlee, Greenlee Communications, Greenlee Tools Inc., Gulf Valve FZE, Gustav Klauke GmbH, H.T.E. Engineering Limited, HD Electric Company, HTE Engineering Services Limited, Hindle Cockburns Limited, Hiross India Private Limited, Hiter Industria e Comercia de Controles Termo-Hidraulicos Ltda., Humboldt Hermetic Motor Corp., Hytork International Ltd., I Solutions Inc., ICC Intelligent Platforms GmbH, ISE-MagTech, Industrial Controls Canada ULC, Industrial Group Metran JSC, Instrument & Valve Services Company, Intelligent Platforms LLC, Intellution, International Gas Distribution SA, Intrinsic Safety Equipment of Texas Inc., JCF Fluid Flow India Private Limited, JSC Metran-Export, Joucomatic S.A., K Controls Limited, Keystone Germany Holdings Corp., Keystone Valve (Korea) LLC, Keystone Valve (U.K.) Limited, Klauke, Klauke (Jiangsu) Electrical Connection Technology Co Ltd., Klauke France SARL, Klauke Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Klauke Iberia S.L., Klauke Polska Sp. z.o.o., Klauke Slovakia s.r.o., Klauke UK Ltd., Knurr, Liebert, Liebert Swindon Limited, Locus Solutions LLC, Locus Traxx Worldwide, Locus Traxx Worldwide Europe BVBA, MDC Technology Limited, MDC Technology Trustees Limited, METCO Services Limited, MYNAH Technologies, Management Resources Group Inc., Mecafrance (Deutschland) GmbH, Metallurgical Services Laboratories Limited, Metaserv Limited, Metco Services Venezuela C.A., Micro Motion Inc., Mobrey Group Limited, Motores Hermeticos del Sur S.A. de C.V., NetworkPower Ecuador S.A., Nippon Fisher Co. Ltd., Novel Environmental Technologies Ltd., Novel Extinguishing Agent Technology Ltd., Numatics Incorporated, Nutsteel DHC B.V., Nutsteel Industria Metalurgica Ltda, O.M.T. Officina Meccanica Tartarini S.r.l., Open Systems International, P I Components Corp., PT Emerson Solutions Indonesia, PT. Emerson Indonesia, PT. Paradigm Geophysical Indonesia, Pactrol Controls Limited, PakSense, PakSense Inc., Paradigm, Paradigm (UK) Holding Limited, Paradigm B.V., Paradigm France S.A., Paradigm Geophysical (India) Private Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (KL) Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical (Nigeria) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (U.K.) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical B.V., Paradigm Geophysical Corp., Paradigm Geophysical Italy SRL, Paradigm Geophysical LLC, Paradigm Geophysical Limited, Paradigm Geophysical Pty Ltd, Paradigm Geophysical S.A., Paradigm Geophysical Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical Spain S.L., Paradigm Geophysical de Venezuela C.A., Paradigm Geophysical do Brasil Ltda., Paradigm Geoservices Canada Ltd., Paradigm Geotechnology (Egypt) S.A.E., Paradigm Kazakhstan LLP, Paradigm Middle East FZ-LLC, Paradigm Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Parex Industries Limited, Pentair Valves & Controls, Pentair Valves and Controls India Private Limited, Permasense, Permasense Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Permasense Limited, ProSys, ProTeam Inc., Progea, RAC Technologies (Israel) Ltd., RIDGID Inc., RPP Europe GmbH, RPP LLC, Rey-Lam S. de R.L. de C.V., Ridge Tool (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Ridge Tool Company, Ridge Tool Europe NV, Ridge Tool GmbH, Ridge Tool GmbH & Co. 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SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
As many as 25 CRPF jawans were martyred in an ambush attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday. The paramilitary force has been without a full-time boss for almost two months now.

Wounded CRPF personnel being airlifted in an army helicopter following an attack by Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh on Monday. (PTI Photo)

By Gaurav C Sawant: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that leads anti-Maoist operations across the country has been headless for almost two months.

The paramilitary wing lost more than two dozen of its men on Monday to an ambush by the communist guerillas in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district- the second attack on the CRPF in the area within 40 days.

"Why is a force of 300,000 personnel headless for two months?" asked Prakash Singh, former director general of BSF. "Where is the leadership for the force? When this government took over, (home minister) Rajnath Singh made a grand announcement about a policy to deal with the situation. Three years later, where is that policy?"

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The patrol team of 99 personnel was on a road-sanitisation operation.

"The CRPF party had left their camp around 5.30am. While patrolling the road they took a break around 10.30am. That's the time they noticed some villagers approach them. The villagers had cattle with them and soon moved away. It now appears they were a Maoist patrolling party to assess the number of CRPF personnel and their weapons,'' top sources in the ministry of home affairs told MAIL TODAY.

'MAOISTS WELL-ARMED'

Around 12.45pm, the 99-member CRPF patrol decided to break for lunch.

"As per standard operating procedures, the entire party does not eat together. While one section eats, the other stands guard. In this case, during the shift between the two parties, they saw a large group of villagers approach them. Even as they focused their attention on the villagers, another group of about 50 Maoists opened fire from the other direction and there was a loud explosion," sources added.

Before the CRPF patrol could take cover, the first group of Maoists hiding behind villagers opened fire. The firing started from two sides. "The Maoists were dressed in all-black and very well-armed. We could not open fire immediately because they were using villagers as a human shield. By the time we took cover and opened fire, there was an attack from two sides," constable Sher Bahadur, an injured CRPF jawan, told MAIL TODAY.

The Maoists, or Naxals, are inspired by the political philosophy of China's late Chairman Mao Zedong. They say they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers, but have been found to be involved in crimes such as kidnapping, smuggling and mass murders.

Sher Bahadur says he shot at least four armed Maoists in the chest before being injured in the encounter. As the CRPF personnel retaliated, a second wave of Maoists came and began firing at the security forces. The paramilitary soldiers claim several women cadre of the Red terror group were also involved in the attack. "There were about 300 Maoists in all and they came from two sides in three waves. We were outnumbered and outgunned," Sher Bahadur added.

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Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh cut short his visit to Delhi and rushed back. He visited the injured CRPF jawans at hospital. "Our jawans will not back down. Sukma is a Naxal bastion. The road (construction when completed) will cripple their network," he told the media.

RAJNATH CONDEMNS ATTACK

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too condemned the attack and said Hansraj Ahir, union minister of state for home, will travel to the affected area.

Ex-BSF chief Prakash Singh also hit out at the Chhattisgarh government. "There have been a series of attacks on the CRPF in Chhattisgarh. Has the Raman Singh government done an audit of the number of personnel trained in their Jungle Warfare School? Is there an audit of the intelligence gathering capabilities and the state police force operations on ground,'' he asked.

The Maoist insurgency feeds off anti-government hostility in some rural areas, highlighting the uneven nature of India's economic boom. Prakash Singh is not the only one seeking a national policy and multi-state operations against the guerillas.

"These attacks cannot go on. It is now time to gather actionable intelligence and carry out parallel operations across the entire Red Terror corridor," concurs Vikram Singh, former police chief of Uttar Pradesh.

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One of the biggest problems the security forces on the ground face is lack of actionable intelligence.

"If 300 people with arms are assembling to launch a terror attack on security forces, word must have gone out across several villages. Why is it that the state intelligence agencies did not learn of it,'' says an official monitoring the situation.

(With inputs from Sunil Namdeo in Raipur)

ALSO READ | Naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Sukma: All you need to know

ALSO READ | PM Modi on Sukma attack: Sacrifice of CRPF jawans will not go in vain

ALSO WATCH | Sukma attack: Naxals came in hundreds, attacked in different groups, says injured jawan

--- ENDS ---
23.04.2017 LISTEN

The official artiste lineup for the 2017 Ghana Meets Naija is yet to be released, organizers, Empire, have said.

Earlier reports communicated a fine list of artistes penciled for this years event but Empire, who are holding the event for the seventh year, say they are yet to officially communicate the complete list.

We are still in talks with some and we are hopeful that in the next few days, we will be able to communicate the final list, an Empire official says.

Sticking to the events theme and longstanding tradition of pairing artistes from Nigeria and Ghana to a nights celebration of music, this years would also feature the best of the two countries.

Empire adds that the talks have advanced to a point where they feel confident they are getting almost all the acts they want for the show.

We have had extensive negotiations and cannot wait to let people in on our final list. It is the best you can have currently from the two countries.

In its 7th year, the Ghana Meets Naija concert is the biggest concert in the region that brings artistes from the two countries together.

Usually oversubscribed, it has over the years hosted the likes of Wizkid, The Mavins headed by Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Sarkodie, and Shatta Wale among a tall list of A-List acts.

This years event has uniBank as headline sponsor.

The 7th Ghana Meets Naija takes place in May.
24.04.2017 LISTEN

Lets start off with a round of applause for dancers, non-dancers, Ghanaians living abroad, friends of Ghana, dignitaries, celebrities and media personalities who joined in the unique celebration of IDDiG (International Dance Day in Ghana) in 2016. While over 200 countries celebrated World Dance Day with different dance genres, Ghana made a strong statement by celebrating its own- Azonto Dance. The outcome, we got listed at number 17 in the world google ranking for International Dance Day celebrations.

The celebration, which started with a social media engagement and climaxed with an Azonto Jam, was graced by Carl Ampah of UNESCO, Adwoa Awindor of Greetings from Abroad fame, former Dep. Min. of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, and hosted by Reggie Rockstone.

This year, come 29th of April, the world will celebrate dance like never before and Ghana must once again give Azonto Dance a voice. Thus, all dancers and non-dancers, Ghanaians and friends of Ghana, living in and out of Ghana, and the media, are being called upon to participate and support in this years World Dance Day celebration.

World Dance Day, also known as the International Dance Day, was initiated by the World Dance Council in 1982. Affiliated with UNESCO and based in Paris, the dance council, referred to as CID, has been promoting dance each year, with specific messages and themes to promote the good values of dance on 29th April, in various countries.

According to Robert Klah, the CEO of CAiM (Creative Arts in Motion),

Dance as a creative arts discipline is currently not that prestigious in Ghana, and that has to change. We have therefore taken it upon ourselves to contribute what we can to this change, and giving Azonto dance an annual voice is one of many initiatives we believe can salvage the situation. Azonto dance is ours, Ghanas contribution to the world dance syllabus. It is our pop dance form, made up of different dance moves to Afrobeats/ Afropop tunes. Currently the dance is evolving, and its happening so fast that if we do not own the process, each step of the way, it may lose its identity. And we must not allow that to happen. So all dancers, non-dancers, Ghanaians and friends of Ghana, and the media alike, are encouraged to come aboard for this nationwide celebration on 29th April.

The celebration will start with a daytime social media engagement, where fans of Azonto are required to upload a 60sec video, or post pictures of themselves or anyone dancing Azonto on 29th April, onto Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, with the following hashtags- #iddig #azontogboko #danceteratv. Alternatively videos and pictures can be sent via Whatsapp before 29th April, to the number +233506679491 for repost.

The celebration will be climaxed with an Azonto Dance Concert at its place of origin, James Town, Manste Agbonaa, from 6pm. The night will feature over 50 dance performances from the best talents in Ghana, showcasing new dance moves, urban dance passion, and great skill. Pro Azonto music artistes such Luther, Article Wan, and more, will make an appearance to grace the celebration.

IDDiG is a call to action for all Ghanaians living in Ghana and abroad, all friends of Ghana, and all lovers of Azonto, to join in the celebration of Ghanas own- Azonto. Azonto celebration on International Dance Day is an initiative of CAiM and powered by Dancetera TV, Ghanas Official Dance Channel for anything dance. For updates and enquiries engage @DanceteraTV on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), or call +233506679491/ +233244611808.

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A group calling itself Concerned Members of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) in the Ashanti Region, has called for reforms into the operations of the association (GHAMRO) so as to deepen the relationship among its members.

The group has also threatened to petition the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Madam Gloria Akuffo, to institute a probe into the activities of both the previous and the current board to protect the rights of members.

The concerned group made this known at a stakeholders' meeting held in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, to find lasting solution to the numerous problems facing the society.

The group, at the meeting, alleged that the board members had secretly changed the constitution of GHAMRO to make the term of office of its leadership four years instead of two, without the approval of the entire members.

They registered their protest against the newly adopted GHAMRO constitution as well as the last general election, which was held on March 2017 to elect its board members.

According to them, they would not accept the newly adopted constitution as well as the election, adding that fresh election should be conducted because the previous one was manipulated and a large number of the members was prevented from voting for a candidate of their choices.

They disclosed that the GHAMRO board presented a draft constitution to the members at the last annual general meet in Kumasi on May 26, last year.

According to them, the entire GHAMRO members were shocked when the draft constitution was adopted by the board without the approval of the members.

They suggested that the government should set up an independent committee to probe the activities of GHAMRO and its administrative officers to bring sanity into its operations.

The meeting attracted hundreds of industry stakeholders, including music producers, musicians and music publishers. A wide range of issues affecting the progress of the collective society such as ghost names on GHAMRO's distribution list, accountability and equitable distribution of royalties to the rights owners among others, were discussed.

Some of the stakeholders who were spotted at the meeting were Osei Bonsu, Benjamin Owusu, Nana Tabi, Oppong Kyekyeku, Kofi Adu (Agya Koo), John Mensah Sarpong, Daniel Kusi and Osei Banahene.
MTN Ghana in its commitment towards the preservation of the rich Ghanaian culture joined the people of Kwahu to celebrate Easter festival. MTNs participation in the celebrations also provides an avenue for MTN to express its appreciation to the chiefs and people of Kwahu for their loyalty to MTN.

As part of activities to create excitement for patrons at Kwahu Easter Festival, MTN created a hashtag #kwahuThings under the umbrella #Ghanathings campaign to share exciting videos, pictures and special moments to the rest of the world. Some of the activities organised at Obo, Mpraeso, and Obomeng included an MTN Costume Carnival which paraded blend of contemporary carnival costumes and indigenous costumes. The other activities were Street Jam at Obomeng and Nkawkaw, Chop Time, a highlife concert featuring Amakye Dede, Bisa K. Dei and Ofori Amponsah. MTN also supported the Coronation of Obomenghene, Nana Effah Opinamang III and the Brenya festival of Obo. MTN also mounted giant screens to enable the people watch the Premier League.

Prior to the celebrations, MTN presented a total package made up of cash, recharge cards and assorted drinks hampers to the Kwahu Traditional Council.

During the presentation, Commercial Senior Manager for South East Business District of MTN, Mr. David G. Boadi informed the chiefs that, MTN had placed special importance on the things that matter to the people of Ghana, and prominent among them was the celebration of local festivals. Festivals reveal a lot about the Ghanaian society and are considered an integral part of the Ghanaian culture. As a result, MTN has taken the responsibility to support many festivals each year across the country to keep alive the values and principles that identify us as Africans.

Mr. Boadi said, As an organisation that prides itself in brightening the lives of the people in communities in which we operate, being part of this great festival, underlines the importance we place on our relationship with the Kwahu community. It also demonstrates our willingness to contribute to the growth and development of the communities in which we operate.

The Chiefs and members of the traditional council expressed their appreciation to MTN for its continuous support to the Kwahu Traditional Council over the past 10 years. They praised Management of MTN for their impressive Corporate Social Investment projects which are improving lives in many communities across the country. They urged management to continue with the good work and also prayed for the growth and success of the business.

As part of MTNs festivals management plan the company supports 17 traditional and regional festivals across the country. Some of the festivals supported include the Asogli Yam Festival, Ada Asafotufiami festival, Kobine Festival, Oguaa Fetu Afahye, Esikado Kuntum, Hogbetsotsoza, Oil City Fest Ashanti Fest, Suncity Fest, Sallah Fest and others.

Festival Patrons Posing For Pictures With Cut-out For Mtn #kwahuthings 1

Drummers In Mtn Costume Carnival At Kwahu
23.04.2017 LISTEN

Accra April 23, GNA -The Association of Financial Institutions (ASSOFIN) of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), as part of its Pre May day event has donated assorted items worth almost GH 75,000 to the Pantang Hospital in Accra.

The items were 200 high density latex foam mattresses with mackintosh covered, 200 bags of rice, 80 gallons of liquid soap, 100 loaves of bread, toiletries, detergents, amongst others.

Mr Solomon Kotei, the General Secretary ICU, said the donation was expected to help relieve the hospital of its financial burden and insufficient supply of logistics, which the hospital lacked.

He said: 'Any derailment in the normal way of one's brain could take anybody there, and it is a home that anybody at all can become a patient at that clinic, it is not a home where we will say they are ostracized and they cannot be part of the society hence we need to give them the maximum support.'

He therefore called on Ghanaians not to despise the sick but make it a priority to invest in these hospitals.

"We have been doing it every prior May day to choose any of the hospitals and support them, there are times we go and help in cleaning, painting and this year we focused on Pantang Hospital", he said.

He lauded the National Investment Bank, Bank of Ghana and Societe Generale Ghana who in diverse ways contributed to the success of the progarmme.

Dr Leveana Gyimah, a Senior Psychiatrist, who received the items on behalf of the Hospital, said the donation was timely and would make a favourable impact on the health delivery efforts of the hospital.

She commended the organisation for the gesture and called on other benevolent institutions and philanthropist to support the hospital.

The event witnessed 200 staff members participating in a health walk dubbed: 'Walk For Life' which started from the Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School, through some principal streets to the Pantang Hospital, to make the donation.

Amidst brass band music and dancing, the contingents displaced placards some of which read: 'The Sick needs your care', 'Healthy Life Happy Life', 'Love Cures, Smile to the Sick', 'Say No to Alcohol' and 'Go to the Doctor for Prescription'

GNA

By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA
23.04.2017 LISTEN

Tumantu, April 23, GNA - The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr John Peter Amewu, has issued a 30-day ultimatum for all excavators parked in mining communities across the country to be evacuated.

He said the operators of the excavators had the intention of returning to the mining sites to continue their mining activities hence the directive.

The Minister gave the directive at Tumantu in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region when he led a team to visit some mining sites on Sunday.

This followed the expiration of the ultimatum the Minister gave to all illegal miners to evacuate their equipment and leave mining sites.

He said henceforth all excavators would be registered and would install tracking devices to monitor their operations.

He said the government was not against mining but it must be done within the remits of the mining law

The Minister said illegal miners would be integrated into the mainstream mining by providing them alternative livelihoods under the Multilateral Mining and Integrated Project.

Illegal mining has polluted water bodies and degraded the vegetation all over the country.

GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, April 23, GNA - The Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards has become the main pillar of British-Ghanaian Diaspora in London, particularly for the younger generation involved in the arts and music, Mr Jon Benjamin, outgoing British High Commissioner, has said.

He said the GUBA awards celebrated entrepreneurs who at some stages thought it was impossible to do it, had no access to capital or probably did not know anyone.

Mr Benjamin made these remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the launch of the 2017 GUBA Awards, an event to showcase and celebrate the excellence and achievement within the British Ghanaian community.

The prestigious, annual awards ceremony inaugurated in October 2010, had been acknowledged and endorsed for its role in recognising Ghanaian achievement in the UK, as well as promoting the national interest of Ghana and the African community, by dignitaries and organisations.

The Out-going British High Commissioner noted that in the British government, economic assistance or aid programmes for Ghana was a very strong element which was promoting young entrepreneurs.

He said giving seed money to people with the best business ideas was a good initiative, as it had chalked some successes, adding that "one of our favorites at the moment is Boomers International Limited based in Kumasi, who produce the bamboo frame bicycles".

He said it began with one person and a couple of friends and now employing more than 50 people and exporting to several European countries; and would therefore, export to UK and other countries, employing hundreds if not thousands of Ghanaians.

Mr Benjamin said: "As a country we should be interested in such initiatives to create more jobs; as government essentially did not create jobs, but the private sector".

He told the GNA that even though he would soon leave, Ghana would always have a place in his heart.

'It has been an interesting place and eventful years; and will always look out for Ghana and help, and as such continue to be linked to organisations like GUBA', he added.

Mr Benjamin said the 2017 edition of the awards coincides with Ghana's 60th anniversary celebration; stating that is "where we celebrate history and modern links".

He explained that' there was no better representation of our modern relationship than what GUBA does.'

Mr Papa Owusu -Ankomah, Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK, who officially launched the 2017 GUBA Awards, also commended GUBA for the laudable initiative.

He said the GUBA initiative, would also strengthen the Ghana-UK relations.

He said it was important that the Ghanaian Diaspora participated fully in the affairs of Ghana, and so far, the award scheme had played a very key role in that direction.

He assured the organisers of his participation in this year's event, was however hopeful that GUBA Awards would move Ghana and its human resource phase to another level.

The 2017 edition registered categories such as 'Animator of the year award, Professional of the year award, Charity of the year award, Ghanaian alumni award, Made in Ghana Products award, Business start-up of the year, Efie ne fie award and Black award nominees for 2017'.

The event slated for June 3, in London, would be sponsored by the British High Commission, ECOM Ghana, PayAngel, ABN TV and Radio, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Imperial Homes, Unibank Ghana Limited, Vlisco Ghana, Kente Queen and Acote Collections.

The rest are Faze 2 Services, e-volution International, Plan it Ghana and Jay Renkyi.

GNA

By Iddi Yire, GNA
AWOPEDEC Social School, a fee-free Primary and Junior High School at Tsui Bleo in the Teshie area, has launched its 15th Anniversary Celebration at a ceremony in Accra, with a call on all stakeholders to be involved in educating every child of school going age.

With the theme, Educating for Ghanas Future, Whose Role? What Role? the year-long celebration would be climaxed by a special event in September this year, after series of programmes.

Speaking at the launch of the launch, the Special Guest, Mr. Churchil Darlington, Head, Juvenile Detention Centre, Osu, challenged politicians, parents and society as a whole to take the education of children very serious to forestall the incidence of delinquency among them.

He bemoaned the situation where children are seen loitering around during school hours without any concern from parents and other adults, who have a responsibility towards them, commending the Proprietress of the School for offering the opportunity to less-privileged children in the area to be educated.

Mr. Darlington explained that, the number of children who become a burden on society as a result of their involvement in vices such as drug abuse and armed robbery, can be reduced if the education of the child becomes the role of all, not only the political leadership.

For his part, Mr. Justice Eddie Quainoo, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and the University of Ghana, commended the management of the school for the tremendous role in shaping the destiny of pupils who would otherwise have become social miscreants.

He called for support from all stakeholders in education to ensure that AWOPEDEC Social School continues to offer education to those who cannot afford it.

Madam Edwina Okuadjo, Proprietress of AWOPEDEC Social School, recounted that the vision to offer free education to the children in the schools catchment area was born some fifteen years ago when, on her campaign trail to become Assembly Woman, she chanced on several children whose reason for not going to school was lack of money.

She, therefore, took it upon herself to set up the school to offer such children the privilege to get educated in order to be useful to society. Pupils of the school do not pay tuition fees; they only pay for feeding.

Madam Okuadjo called on parents in the area to stop hiding behind the excuse of lack of money to keep the children away from school since AWOPEDEC has the panacea to that problem.

She announced that programmes lined up for the anniversary include homecoming for past students, excursion to some educative sites, among others.

She was later joined by the special guests to launch the anniversary cloth to be used during the celebration.

The schools Cadet mounted a guard of honor, whilst the drama group put up a performance to highlight the importance of education.
Shifu Sanskriti cult guru Sunil Kulkarni, who was arrested on Friday for sexually exploiting teenage girls, was an ardent follower of Osho.

By Saurabh Vaktania: Mumbai Police have revealed that Shifu Sanskriti cult guru Sunil Kulkarni, who was arrested on Friday for sexually exploiting teenage girls, was an ardent follower of Osho. The police also recovered Osho literature from the 54-year-old self-proclaimed guru.

According to the police, Kulkarni lured young girls using Osho theory. It was also revealed that Kulkarni even recorded videos of his treatment.

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The crime branch have recovered few video clips and drugs from Kulkarni's possession. India Today has accessed statement made by Kulkarni before the crime branch.

Kulkarni was arrested by the crime branch on allegations of running prostitute and drugs racket. Kulkarni under the name of Shifu Sunkriti targeted young girls and forced them to perform sex by giving them drugs. The girls are given drugs and literature replete with sexual content.

Kulkarni told the police that he started Shifu Sunkriti a year ago. He said that it was not a cult but just an idea to heal problems. Kulkarni told the police that he had shared his thoughts on Facebook and later people started to follow him. There are nearly 5,000 followers of Kulkarni on Facebook. Police said that he has given lectures at several seminars in the past.

However, his statement did not mention any past criminal record. The investigations also revealed that he did not have any degree that claimed he was a trained doctor. Mumbai Police said that he will be booked for cheating. Incidentally, the girls are not opposed to Kulkarni and continue to maintain that they went to Kulkarni by choice.

DISOWNED BY FAMILY

A team of Mumbai crime branch is in Delhi to enquire about Kulkarni's family. Kulkarni, a divorcee, has two children. The team tried to contact his family, however, they refused to meet him. The family members told the police over the phone that they have severed ties with him.Crime branch is finding it difficult to solve the case, as the allegations were made by the parents of the girls who are unwilling to give any statements against Kulkarni.

Kulkarni maintains that he is not cult guru and that he just shared his thoughts and people joined him, making it difficult for the cops to present the case before the court.

Also read:

Shifu Sunkriti cult guru accused of sexually exploiting teenage girls arrested by Mumbai Police

--- ENDS ---
Anybody old enough can readily recall the fact that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the direct political descendant of the erstwhile Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), both of which juggernauts were founded by Chairman Jerry John Rawlings, were founded on the reckless and lawless principles of vigilantism. And so it is nothing short of plain annoying for the leaders of the most violent political party in the history of Ghana to be self-righteously huffing and puffing and demanding the heads of the leaders of the New Patriotic Party-affiliated Delta Force militia group.

Indeed, the first thing that came to mind a couple of days ago, when I read the morally embarrassing story of the female University of Ghana science professor who had her house burglarized by a bunch of thugs, who allegedly beat her up with the butts of their assault rifles, was that had the victim solicited the protection of a couple of the members of the Delta Force or the Invincible Forces, her story would be very different. The fact of the matter is that throughout the 20-year tenure of Chairman Rawlings, Ghana did not have either a professionally disciplined police service or military.

I have said time and again that the vigilantism of the Ghana Armed Forces is best exemplified by the Rawlings-Tsikata reign-of-terror. At best, the former Ghana Police Force, so renamed by Chairman Rawlings and his revolutionary thugs, was a willful collaborator in the savage and systematic use of torture as an officially sanctioned substitute for the judiciary. Today, the countrys judicial system is unacceptably weak because as part of his campaign of probity, accountability, transparency and justice, the PNDC summarily caused the abduction, torture and Mafia-style execution of the three Accra High Court judges. Justices Agyepong, Koranteng-Addow and Sarkodie were actually Supreme Court judges, because at the time of their brutal assassination the Apex Court had been proscribed by the Acheampong junta.

The decision by the leaders of the Provisional National Defense Council to establish the Kangaroo Peoples Court system, aimed at savagely short-circuiting the apt and deliberate culture of our traditional civic judicial system, or the democratic administration of justice, was incontrovertibly tantamount to official vigilantism. So it is not clear whether the leaders of the main opposition National Democratic Congress know what they are talking about, when they virulently accuse the Akufo-Addo Administration of unhealthily promoting a vigilante culture. Indeed, it is because of militia groups like the Invincible Forces that Ghana is today not a one-party socialist satellite nation.

The Kumasi Circuit Court incident, in which a group of Delta Force operatives sprang some of their associates out of judicial custody, was more a matter of effective policing than anything else. And the police woefully failed in the performance of their duties, because for the past 8 years that Messrs. Atta-Mills, late, and Mahama held the reins of governance, the police had been criminally politicized and made the coercive wing of the then-ruling National Democratic Congress. Oftentimes, the police had dutifully collaborated with the government to brutalize and persecute the members and supporters of opposition politicians.

When they had not collaborated with the powers that be in crushing the opposition, these supposedly peace officers had simply sat duck or passively looked on while Caine and mayhem were wantonly rained on the democratic forces of resistance. I cannot therefore sincerely agree with Mr. Mustapha Hamid, the Information Minister, that progressive but admittedly undisciplined radical political elements like the members of the Delta Force and the Invincible Forces are mere social deviants (See Nobody Can Stop Vigilantism  Mustapha Hamid Graphic.com.gh / Ghanaweb.com 4/18/17). The real deviants are the terror-mongering National Democratic Congress leaders who make vigilantism as a defense mechanism an absolute necessity in Ghanaian society, if democratic sanity is to prevail.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
23.04.2017 LISTEN

Today is world earth day and the theme is "Environmental and Climate Literacy". I am not excited by arguments about global warming as an African. There is enough evidence around to occupy me for 3 lifetimes. There is the garbage that is ubiquitous in most African cities with flies buzzing around.

There are the exhaust fumes from vehicles from the days of Methusaleh that make the smell in most cities acrid. And there are the rivers, polluted from mining and defecation and garbage flowing sadly towards our polluted oceans.

According to the U.N., annual air pollution in Africa increased by 36% from 1990 to 2013.

A 2016 study by Harvard University Law School Human Rights Clinic found that South African governments have failed to address the effects of 130 years of gold mining. It highlighted contamination of ground water and surface water, as well as toxic dusts and soil. These, according to the study, lead to illnesses, including Asthma, skin rashes, cancer and organ damage. This report brings to mind gold mining in Ghana, diamond mining in DRC and Sierra Leone, copper mining in Zambia and oil drilling in Nigeria, Angola and elsewhere.

Who is looking out for Africa?

In the days of Chinese idealism, it might have been China. After all, they have 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities, the mayor of Beijing Cai Qi just announced the establishment of an environmental police force to ensure compliance and President Xi Jinping was a partner of President Obama in pushing the global warming accords. But China now puts profits ahead of people and has joined the capitalists in the exploitation of Africa's resources without regard to our environment and people.

Of course, it is said that when you start using your front yard as a garbage dump, your neighbours will join you sooner or later.

Ghana's President , Nana Akufo-Addo just pledged, like his predecessors, to fight illegal mining or galamsey. He stated, "We must not allow Galamsey to destroy our country". Truth!!

It begs the question though. Why can't the security forces who can attack innocent demonstrators prevent illegal mining? Is Galamsey legal? Why does Ghana need Isreali help to stop illegal mining? Are the mines hidden?

If we cannot stop illegal mining, how can we call legal multi-national mining companies to account?

Many years ago, South African Paul Kruger laid it down for all time when he said, "This is my country ; these are my laws, those who cannot abide by the laws must leave the country".

This earth day, pray for Africa, our children and for more Paul Krugers in Africa.

Arthur K
Of course, the unrepentant critics of the Honourable Kennedy Agyapong have the right to ventilate their arousing disgust over the caption of this article.

However, my humble advice to the fault-finding bandwagon is: there is no perfect human being on this planet.

Indeed, we are all susceptible to human foibles or have defects in our characters, so why must we hastily pass judgement on others attitudes and behaviours?

The fact that the Honourable Kennedy Agyapong sometimes goes overboard in his attempt to expose the nation wreckers does not make him a bad person or a Lucifer in the flesh.

If anything at all, the man is a certified valiant patriot, who has time and time again, shown his affection, solicitude and strong predilection towards the wellbeing of Ghana.

I must confess, though, it is because of courageous and patriotic individuals like the Honourable Kennedy Agyapong that I refuse to buy President Obamas assertion that Africa needs strong institutions, but not strong men.

To me, Obamas observation is specious. Yes, Africa needs strong institutions, but then again, Africa cannot do away with strong men like the Honourable Kennedy Agyapong in our attempt to strengthen the ever so redundant institutions.

Indeed, without courageous and strong men like the Honourable Agyapong, Africa cannot build strong institutions.

Truly, the Honourable Agyapong is an unwearied corruption crusader who has consistently upheld the relevant provisions of the United Nations 2005 Convention against Corruption. He has inexorably exposed corrupt public officials, so to speak.

But for the Honourable Agyapongs whistling blowing prowess, the GH51.2million dubious judgment debt payment to Woyome would have been swept under the carpet by the conspiratorial plotters.

Take, for example, more recently, he came out and told Ghanaians that former President Mahamas brother, Ibrahim Mahama, has been evading import taxes over the past few years.

He was however scoffed at, and queried repeatedly about the veracity of the seeming chilling story. But alas, he has been proven right.

Apparently, the EOCO has ordered Ibrahim Mahama to pay GH12.7million, as all his previous 44 cheques were dishonoured by the respective banks. How bizarre?

The Honourable Kennedy Agyapong, like some of us, cannot comprehend why the people we have entrusted with the national coffers could team up with shifty individuals and steal gargantuan sums of money belonging to the nation.

Despite the fact that corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to the nation building, some corrupt officials are bent on siphoning our scarce resources to the detriment of the poor.

As a matter of fact and observation, corruption impedes economic development by distorting markets and collapsing private sector integrity.

Corruption also strikes at the heart of democracy by corroding rule of law, democratic institutions and public trust in leaders. For the poor, women and minorities, corruption means even less access to jobs, justice or any fair and equal opportunity (UNDP 2016).

What exactly is corruption?

Corruption is the misuse of public power (by elected politician or appointed civil servant) for private gain.

Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power (by heritage, education, marriage, election, appointment or whatever else) for private gain.

How are offering, promising and giving a bribe treated under the law?

In fact, different countries have different responses to these questions, by definition as well as interpretation.

In some jurisdictions, for instance, the courts may consider an oral offer of a bribe not as attempted bribery, unless the bribe giver takes further steps. An OECD report, however, suggests that broad definitions of corruption may be one reason why prosecutions are so low.

Apparently, the OECD, the Council of Europe and the UN conventions do not explicitly define corruption, but have established a range of corrupt offences.

For example, the OECD Convention acknowledges the offence of bribery of foreign public officials, while the Council of Europe adds trading in influence and bribing domestic public officials as well.

Besides, the UN Convention covers embezzlement, misappropriation of property and obstruction of justice.

The OECD glossary however notes that international definitions of corruption for policy purposes are common, and cites abuse of public or private office for personal gain as a useful example for policy development (OECD 2007).

Favouritism, Cronyism and Nepotism in Ghanaian Politics

In fact, in terms of meanings, favouritism, nepotism and cronyism are all involved abuses of discretion.

Even though some countries do not criminalise the conduct, Article 7 of the UN Convention against Corruption covers merit selection without even mentioning nepotism.

In a way, the associated violations usually involve not a direct personal benefit to an official, but promote the interests of those related to the official, whether through family, political party, tribe, or religious group.

In fact, a fantastically corrupt official who persistently hires a relative (nepotism) or a friend (cronyism), does so, in exchange, not often of a bribe, but of the less tangible benefit of advancing the interests of others connected to the official.

And more so the unlawful favouring of - or discrimination against - individuals can be based on a wide range of group characteristics: tribe, religion, geographical factors, political or as well as personal or organizational relationships, such as friendship or shared membership of clubs or associations.

To me, a fantastically corrupt public servant is no less a human rights violator than the enigmatic Adolf Hitler.

Whilst Adolf Hitler went into a conniption fit and savagely exterminated innocent people with lethal chemicals and sophisticated weapons, a contemporary corrupt public servant is blissfully bent on annihilating innocent citizens through wanton bribery and corruption.

Consequently, the innocent citizens would often end up experiencing economic hardships, starvation, depression, emotional labour and squalor which send them to their early grave.

It would, however, appear that the political criminals have the licence to steal. For, if that was not the case, how come the offending politicians and their minions often go scot free?

Let us admit it, though, the traditional exemption of heads of state from prosecution despite the evidence of a case to answer is wrong, so to speak.

For if the bribery and corruption; dubious judgment debt payments; stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists and misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement by some politicians do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?

In any case, the all-important question the discerning Ghanaians should ask is: will the day come when Ghanas political criminals find they have nowhere to hide?

To me, Ghanas 1992 Constitution has to be reviewed and the irrational and inexpedient clauses such as the indemnity clause are expunged and tossed into the dust bin accordingly.

How on earth can individuals commit unpardonable crimes (gargantuan sleaze and corruptions) against the state and get away with their misdeeds?

And how serious are we as a nation when we can only descend heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves and let go hard criminals who persistently dip their hands into the national coffers?

Well, some of us will continue to hold the fearless patriots like the Honourable Kennedy Agyapong in high esteem, for putting their precious lives on the line to trail and expose the enemies of the state.

K. Badu, UK.

References:

OECD (2007), Defining corruption: Glossary of International Standards for Criminalisation of Corruption, ISBN 9789264027404, OECD Observer. ( www.oecd.org ).

United Nations (2005), the UN Convention against Corruption.

www.undp.org
The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe Constituency who doubles as Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah has urged constituents in her Constituency to continue to pray for H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as they did during the electioneering period which got the NPP into power.

She made this call on constituents when she visited churches in her constituency this Sunday April 23, 2017. Among the churches visited were; ICGC-McCarthy branch, Pentecost Church-Wiaboman branch, the Methodist Church-Wiaboman branch and the Christ Direction Church-Central branch in Wiaboman.

The elegant looking Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister for Health who was accompanied by the constituency executives, friends and members of the Party seized the opportune moment to urge the congregation and the entire constituents to pray for Gods guidance and wisdom for the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as he delivers on all promises made to the good people of Ghana.

She likened the NPP government to a man who has newly rented an apartment, but needed time to arrange or park his belongings into the new apartment before he is able to settle, therefore her constituents and Ghanaians are to exercise patience to allow the NPP government space to fix the very problems created by the erstwhile NDC administration. I am aware of the very problems which confront my constituents and I will work hard to solve them she added.

However, the main purpose of her visit to the churches was to join hands with the congregation to thank the Almighty God for her election victory and that of the New Patriotic Party in the 2016 general elections. Prior to the general elections, the MP, who is a committed Christian and a devotee of Chirst paid a call on the congregation and appealed to them to pray and vote for her and the NPP in the general elections.

According to the MP, her victory could not have been possible without their Prayers; therefore it is important that, she joins hands with them to thank God for the overwhelming victory.

The MP who did not want to be likened to the nine (9) lepers who were healed of their disease by Christ but failed to show appreciation by way of thanksgiving. She thanked God with an amount to show her appreciation to God for his blessings, guidance and favour.
WorldViews

KAMPALA  This week, the international manhunt for Joseph Kony came to an undistinguished end. Both Uganda and the United States said they were withdrawing forces dedicated to catching the warlord, who remains on the run despite a multi-year, multimillion-dollar chase.

Just five years ago, Kony became one of the worlds most-feared monsters. More than 100 million people watched the viral 30-minute Kony 2012" video, which detailed Konys brutality during the two-decade insurgency he and his Lords Resistance Army waged against the Ugandan government.

But its been a long time since Kony was the menace the video made him out to be

The Lords Resistance Army is now a shadow of its former self, having dwindled from a force of roughly 2,000 to fewer than 100 men. The group hit its peak more than a decade ago, when it terrorized northern Uganda, killing more than 100,000 people and forcing another 2 million out of their homes.

By the time Kony 2012 was released by the San Diego-based nonprofit organization Invisible Children, the LRA was already on the run. Kony had been pushed out of Uganda and chased across the wilds of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

The LRA continues to carry out intermittent attacks, but it has not been responsible for major atrocities since 2010. The group is believed to be operating from a remote and largely ungoverned region at the intersection of Sudan, South Sudan and the CAR known as Kafia Kingi.

Ben Shepherd, an analyst and consulting fellow at London's Chatham House think tank, says it's now hard to tell the groups apart from other armed factions taking advantage of the instability in central Africa.

There is no sense under which Kony and other senior leaders should be allowed to fade into obscurity because of what they did, he said. But as an immediate strategic calculation, can one differentiate between them and smugglers, armed herdsmen, bandits [or] random folks running around in bits of Kafia Kingi? Probably not at this point.

But advocacy by Invisible Children and other U.S.-based groups continued to boost Konys profile  and make the case for American military intervention. The U.S. provided military support to Uganda beginning in 2008 and deployed 100 special operations troops to serve as advisers in the hunt for Kony in 2011.

[ U.S. troops have turned to some unsavory partners to help find warlord Joseph Kony ]

If you look at it from a regional perspective, its been a bit surprising that there was so much attention to that group, and it was mainly because of internal American reasons, said Kristof Titeca, a lecturer at the University of Antwerp who studies rebel movements in East and Central Africa.

The groups legacy of horrors made them seem particularly extreme, he added.

At that time, you didnt have many other actors which were committing these mass atrocities. There was no ISIS yet, there was no Boko Haram, Titeca said. If you look at the world stage of rebel groups or the world stage of terror, they were the ultimate evil.

Only part of the LRA's subsequent decline is because of the military mission against Kony.

In 2000, Uganda created an amnesty program that allowed roughly 13,000 former LRA fighters to lay down their weapons and come home without prosecution. The program encouraged defections via loudspeakers on helicopters and in leaflets. Combined with military pressure, the amnesty policy has been credited with significantly reducing the LRAs fighting force.

To hear the United States and Uganda tell it, the decision to withdraw is proof that you dont necessarily have to catch your enemy to beat him. At some point, they argue, you can say enough is enough.

The United States has spent more than $780 million on the anti-Kony operation since 2008.

Before taking office this year, a Trump administration transition team questioned its value, according to the New York Times .

The operation has similarly stretched Ugandan resources and provided several moments of bad press. The Ugandan military faced allegations that soldiers committed rape and sexual violence against women and girls in the Central African Republic. Human rights groups have also accused the military of committing atrocities of its own during the earlier years of civil war in northern Uganda.

Still, Konys group has proven remarkably resilient. The LRA has taken advantage of its remote hideout among crisis-stricken countries, and is said to have killed three people and abducted nearly 150 more this year, according to the LRA Crisis Tracker . One person was killed and two were injured in an incident as recently as last week.

That has some analysts and advocacy groups worried that Kony will use diminished military pressure against him to regroup and rebuild.

Today's WorldView

What's most important from where the world meets Washington

The withdrawal of Ugandan and U.S. troops is going to leave a huge vacuum, argued Martin Ewi, a senior researcher at the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies.

It is true the group has been weakened, he said. But it has not been defeated, so therefore we cant sit comfortably and say this group does not pose a threat to us.

The United States apparently agrees. Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command, told reporters on Thursday that U.S. forces will continue to help train militaries in central Africa.

"We will continue to work with those countries with training and exercises," Waldhauser said. "Even though we are officially ending [the mission], we are certainly aware of the fact that we do not want to leave a void there."
Mr. Frank Kofi LewiChief of Staff (Nungua Stool)

24.04.2017 LISTEN

Contrary to the newspaper report sponsored by Bortei Doku, who is laying claim to the Nungua Stool as Chief, Mr. Frank Lewi, the Chief of Staff of the Stool has issued a statement to debunk the false claim and described the aforementioned as a confused fraudulent imposter who wants to disrupt the peace of Nungua.

According to Mr. Lewi, Bortei had only joined a case which was pending against the Chief of Nungua Nii Odai Ayiku during the AFRC/PNDC era which led to the exile of Nii Odai. But by the time Ghana had returned back to civilian rule under the forth Republican dispensation Nii Odai return back home to fight the prohibition instrument E.I 18 which was issued on him during the revolution under the PNDC because he had not been destooled by tradition but by legal instrument which in itself doesnt enstool or destool a Chief according to custom.

He (Odai Ayiku) took the matter to court and he was heard from the High Court to Appeals court through to the Supreme Court and at the Supreme Court the Judges said, the Issue of the Odai Ayiku prohibition instrument E.I 18 which was made by the PNDC government was backed by an indemnity clause which means whatever the PNDC or AFRC has done, said or authored no court should over turn and so far as the Supreme Court is part of the courts their hands were tired and therefore dismissed the case and so Bortei Doku claimed he had won the case.

He said, it is clearly a weak case of political persecution against the Chief at the time by the PNDC and thats what Bortei want to take undue advantage of because come the 4th republic, this prohibition instrument was cruelly concealed under indemnity clause.

Mr. Lewi indicated that Bortei Doku hails from Osokrono We from the Amafra quarter and they are only heirs to the Gbobu Wulomo of Nungua and they dont come anywhere near the stool.

If so, you have only won a case as a citizen of Nungua but you are not a royal. So if Nii Odai Ayiku was no more the Chief of Nungua, the stool cannot be vacant and for that reason the Mantse Klowe quarter and the Mantse Adjema We quarter came together to install his majesty Nii Odaifio Welentsi III from the Adjema We in 2010 and was therefore gazetted and registered as the new chief of Nungua, he explained

As we speak today Nii Welentsi III is a member of the Gt. Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) and a member of their Judicial Committee and a representative of GARHC to the National House of Chiefs (NHC) so he is the legitimate Nungua Mnatse. Bortei Doku went to court to challenge what he felt is not right of which anybody or any citizen has the right to do so but it doesnt give him the right to the throne, he emphasized.

From 2010 till now he has taken Nii Odaofio III to Ga Traditional Council (GTC), he lost it, he took him to NHC, he lost it, he took him to Supreme Court he lost and still he is trying to create confusion in town. Bortei Doku is nobody, people say he is a scholar he is only a mathematician, he read mathematics at the university so he is only a mathematician and he has been worrying people all over the place, he hasnt got any capacity or locus to rule as Nungua Mantse, he doesnt hail from any of the three ruling Quarters of Nungua and nobody has ever rule as Mantse from Amafra, the Quarter where he belongs from time immemorial so people should treat that publication with all the contempt it deserves, Mr. Lewi opined

He further cautioned that these are the bare facts and should any such publication emanate from Mr. Doku again, himself and the publisher will face the legal consequences thereof because the media has got to do background check before they tarnish the image of a GREAT CHIEF.
The Physician Assistant students Association of Ghana (PASAG) on Friday 21st April 2017 had a meeting with the *Minister of health*, *Second Deputy Minister of Health* , *Chief Director of MoH*, on the above agenda at Golden Tulip Kumasi. This has become necessary since the Physician Assistants interns are being neglected of salary during their one year Mandatory internship . Several effort has been put up by the student body to rectify this anomaly in the country.

They petition the Ministry of Health Last year November 2016. After hearing by the former minister Hon. Alex Sebgefia the Chief Director has been petition this year 2017. Hearing from the students on 21st April 2017 the National president of the Association Mr. Francis Appiah presented to the Minister that he do not understand why Foreign trained Doctors after passing their Medical and Dental Council receives the same house job Allowance as Ghanaian trained Doctors but the MoH neglects most of Physician Assistants interns claiming they were trained in the private institutions.

Also he requested the physician Assistant interns need 80 percent of their Salary. Continuing his argument, he stated that Physician Assistants interns equally worked like Doctors so why should the Physician Assistants interns being neglected of welfare package during their internship. Addressing the issue by the *Hon.Minister* He said upon this several petition, he just took over and for that matter He needs to table this with the President of the Country to rectify such anomaly Besides Physician Assistants internship allowance was not captured in this year's budget .

He asked the them meet him again following the President's response. He assured them his supporting hand to solve this problem.

The meeting was adjourned as stated by the Minister to hear from the stake holders involved.

Francis Appiah

(President )

(0208294704)

Caplice Kwarteng OKyere (Vice President)

(0553912782)

P. K Conduah Stephen

( PRO)

(0248960919)

PASAG NEC 2017
President Nana Akufo-Addo has promised to make the state capital the cleanest city on the African continent in the next four years.

The President has urged city dwellers and environmental stakeholders to support his commitment to rid Accra of filth by the end of my term in office.

"That is the commitment I am making," he said on Sunday at a durbar held in his honour and First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, at Mantse Agboona, in Jamestown in Accra.

The President made the remark when the President of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, together with the Chiefs and people of Jamestown, enstooled him as a Chief in Jamestown, in Accra.

President Akufo-Addo was given the stool name "Nii Kwaku Ablade Okogyeaman, to wit "Royal Warrior; One who fights to redeem his people".

Explaining the rationale for the enstoolment, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, stated that President Akufo-Addo's career as a human rights lawyer and an advocate of the rule of law and the restoration of multiparty democracy is indicative of a man who has the welfare of Ghana at heart.

Photo: President Akufo-Addo with Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio

The Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council President noted that Ghanaians reposed their confidence in Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 election because they were dissatisfied with their living conditions.

This, he added, saw President Akufo-Addo win the election with a "historic margin", with the mandate to transform the circumstances of the Ghanaian people.

Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio was hopeful that, under President Akufo-Addo's tenure of office, he "will implement programmes and policies that will benefit all Ghanaians irrespective of the political, religious or ethnic affiliations."

Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio also urged the President to take urgent steps to modernise Jamestown, a move, he noted, would ramp up economic activity and bring in its wake jobs and wealth to the people.

He wants President Akufo-Addo to transform the Korle Lagoon into a scenic landscape to boost tourism; modernise markets in Jamestown, and implement the 1-District-1-Factory, to encourage economic activities in Jamestown and Accra.

"We will remember you in our prayers. We will pray for strength and wisdom for you, and I ask all gathered here to unite beyond your government so as to bring prosperity to all," Oblempong Nii KojoAbabio assured the President.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
The Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) has signed a deal with Chinese multinational, Yantai Jereh Group, for the construction of an onshore 278 km natural gas pipeline from the Aboadze enclave in the Western Region to the power enclaves at Tema in the Greater Accra Region.

The project agreement, dated April 11, 2017, will see the implementation of a previous agreement signed last year between the two companies.

The latest deal will enable immediate commencement of site works such as topographical/geotechnical site surveys and front-end engineering designs (FEED), which are already underway, as well as on-site civil construction activities which will commence within the next ten days.

The financial structure of the project includes a 15-year Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model whereby the Yantai Jereh Group, along with their investment partners, will fully pre-finance all construction activities related to the project.

Ghana government will not bear any upfront cost, according to a press release from the two companies.

The entire investment made by the Chinese conglomerate will be recouped by charging transportation fees based on volumes of gas being moved through the pipeline over a period of 15 years after which ownership of the entire infrastructure will be transferred to the Ghanaian government completely free of any recurring charges or financial encumbrances, the press statement said.

Yantai Jereh Groups Ghana based Senior Vice President for West Africa, Gao Yong, who will take responsibility for the implementation of the project, said the project represents a massive opportunity for growth for both Ghana and his company.

We have been highly impressed with the new administration and their ability to get things done quickly and professionally, he said.

The project is seen as a momentous milestone for the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration which has pledged massive infrastructural development and industrialisation initiatives such as one district, one factory to spur economic growth.

The proposed gas transportation charge of approximately $1.56 per MMBtu (a standard unit of measurement used to denote the amount of heat energy in fuels and the ability of appliances) is a fraction of the $4.05 per MMBtu historically charged by the offshore West African Pipeline Company (WAPCO) for similar natural gas transportation services.

Other advantages of the onshore pipeline infrastructure include a secure transportation of natural gas energy resources generated from oil fields located in the Western Region to the east of the country while traversing multiple regions along the coastlines of Ghana.

Multiple regional natural gas distribution stations will be constructed between the two major load centers of Takoradi and Greater Accra with stations being located in Takoradi, Cape Coast, Winneba, Nsawam, and Tema earmarked for phase one of the project.

Also, a potential station in the Volta Region has been proposed for phase two of the project.

These stations will enable manufacturers wishing to construct factories to connect directly to the infrastructure thus receiving cost effective natural gas to power their industrial operations.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, and President of the Ghana Bankers Association, Alhassan Andani has lashed out at critics of the 2.25 billion dollar bond issued by government some weeks back.

The Minority group in parliament, led by a former Deputy Finance Minister, Mr. Cassiel Ato Forson alleged that the issuance was done in secrecy, denying other investors an opportunity to participate in the bond.

The Minority further alleged that the transaction was cooked to favor a particular investor, Franklin Templeton, while the transaction did not receive parliamentary approval.

But responding to the issue in an interview with Citi Business News, Mr. Andani described the accusations as unhealthy and has the potential to hurt Ghana's reputation on the international capital market.

It's absolutely unhealthy. My caution is that when a nation decides to play on the international capital market we have to know that the participants and the people we go to for resources on these international markets are very monstrous companies. They are huge companies and have wide international reputations and therefore we have to be extremely careful if we are making any comments that is going to impugn any wronging, to especially the people we go to raise capital from, he warned.

 It's about country reputation , so those of us who report on those transactions lets make sure we are well informed otherwise if we just touch these people, they will give anything up for their reputation. Whether Templeton or any other global investor. They will give anything up for their reputation, and therefore we should be very careful the kind of commentary that we are running around, he added.

Pointing to several bonds issued on the international debt market, Mr. Andani maintained that the major players will always be there when Ghana hits the market to mobilize funds.

This will not be the first time or the last time we are going into the international debt capital market. We are not just hurting Templeton but we are probably passing on a message to other serious players, which I don't want to say, suffice to say let's be careful, he strssed.

He rebutted claims that Stanbic Bank is part of the Book runners hence the defense, pointing out that there are international best practices which guide the issuance of such bonds, which Templeton did not flout.

It is in the interest of the country to treat our partners in the international debt capital market with a lot of respect and a lot of professionalism. They don't play around with their reputation. They take years and years and great investment to build that reputation so if you want to say something about them be sure that you must. I can tell you confidently from where I sit that the must to criticize is not correct, he warned.

Background

The Ministry of Finance issued a press statement to debunked the accusation by the minority in parliament.

In their response, the Ministry explained that the issuance was not shrouded in secrecy nor was it cooked for any particular investor.

The Bookrunners, (Barclays, Stanbic and SAS), on behalf of the Ministry of Finance have been mandated since 2015 to issue these domestic bonds on a regular basis as per the debt issuance calendar which Ministry of Finance (MoF) puts out every quarter.

Also the book runners announce and publish every impending bond issue to the market, the week of issue and provide price guidance to the market. This particular bond issue was no different and was done in conformity with the established process. It was announced by the Book Runners to the market on March 30, via email and same published on MoF and Bank of Ghana (BoG) websites with settlement on April 3, the statement said.

It rebutted that FT was not the only participant, as there were over 25 other buyers including other foreign entities, who all brought in dollars to convert to cedis to buy the bonds.

This bond issue, like all the others done prior could not have been designed to favour any single investor. The conventional processes for the issue of bonds using the book building approach were adhered to in this particular issuance. It is our understanding that the said investor engaged various market participants and other key institutions including the IMF before deciding to participate in the bonds. It is worth noting that local investors also participated.

It clarified that the said investor participated in the issuance in the manner they have always done since 2006 through their local Primary Dealer, Barclays Bank and their local custodians, Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic Bank.

To have obtained preferential treatment, all the above mentioned institutions would have had to conspire to do so, a situation which is unfathomable. The investor in question, FT, has held Government of Ghana bonds of up to USD 2 Billion prior to this transaction. Indeed FT has been buying and investing in government bonds since 2006, it argued.

On the issue of parliamentary approval, the statement maintained that this issuance, like all other domestic bonds issued under this bond program since 2015, did not require Parliamentary approval.

Approval was given under the initial application to Parliament in the 2015 Budget Statement and Economic Policy document, to run such a bond issuance program. The Ministry of Finance has the mandate to fund the deficit as contained in the budget approved by Parliament through the issuance of debt instruments and to manage the countries debt stock.

Impact of Transaction

The statement justified that the issuance brought in significant amount of foreign currency, which was converted into cedis to purchase the bond, helping to strengthen the value of the Cedi and providing much-needed respite for the citizens of Ghana.

It added that the transaction will also lengthen the maturity periods of government debts thereby reducing the short term redemption and rollover pressures on government.

According to the statement, the proceeds from the bond issue are to be used for liability management and for the re-profiling of our domestic debt stock by repaying more expensive short-term debt as it matures, as such it shall not add to the total debt stock of the nation.

This deal is a positive move in the current debt management strategy being pursued by government and should be applauded.



By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
By Press Trust of India: (Photo: PTI4_24_2017_000061B)

From Nisha Sharma

Nicosia, Apr 24 (PTI) India can help Cyprus in its quest for reunification as it has close ties with Turkey, President Nicos Anastasiades has said ahead of his maiden visit to the country during which he will reaffirm the island nations close and time-tested ties with New Delhi.

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"Those who are close to Turkey can be helpful," he said when asked whether he would seek Indias help to reunify Cyprus, which has about about 37 per cent of its area under Turkish occupation since 1974.

"Of course we shall ask Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi if any kind of possibility to intervene on the Cyprus question," he said. Anastasiades will be on a state visit to India from April 25-29.

His remarks assume significance as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit India on April 30.

At the same time Anastasiades insisted that Cyprus wont do things that may put friends at unease.

"If they are not able to intervene, we will not ask them. We are not going to ask something that may harm Indias interest," he said.

As the talks between the two communities - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots -- have restarted this month Anastasiades is hopeful of finding an early solution.

The reunification talks stumbled over the years over the issue of territory and security. The Turkish speaking community, which is in minority, wants a significant say in the decision making process and want Turkish forces on the ground even after the reunification which are the main sticking points in the talks.

Replying to a question on Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Anastasiades said his country as a member of the 48-member bloc supports Indias bid.

He also reaffirmed Cyprus support for Indias permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

"India is not a threat to any of its neighbours. Its a stabilising factor," he said.

The President said that Cyprus, which share excellent ties with the countries of the European Union and with neighbours like Greece, Egypt and Israel, can play a role in furthering Indias interests by speaking to its partners to give the most favourable treatment to India.

Cyprus also wants to help India to facilitate the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.

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Anastasiades will lead a 60-member strong delegation. During his visit he will travel to Mumbai and Delhi. He will meet his counterpart President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He will present a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi to his Indian counterpart.

He will be accompanied by the ministers of finance, energy, transport and agriculture.

The main aim of the visit is to reaffirm Cyprus ties with India which has supported the countrys unification efforts.

During his visit, the delegation accompanying him will promote Cyprus as a gateway for Indian companies wanting to enter the European markets by setting their bases in the country.

With a double taxation avoidance treaty in place, authorities here feel that it would give level-playing field to all.

It also wants to cooperate with India in space sector as it feels that clear skies of Cyprus can help Indian scientists to do a lot of research in space sector by establishing a centre.

Service sector is another area where Cyprus has a lot to offer to India. Cyprus is also looking to collaborate with India in the healthcare sector. Cyprus, which boasts of its beaches, wines and natural beauty, also wants to promote itself as a tourist and marriage destination for Indians, arrival of whom remained less than 2,000 over the years.

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The government also keen to woo Bollywood producers to shoot their movies in the country. Anastasiades is expected to be given a guided tour of Bollywood studios in Mumbai.

Indian High Commissioner here Ravi Bangar feels that there are a lot of potential for the two nations to cooperate specially in health care and service sector.

"Indian doctors can do very well here," he said, adding that keeping in mind the common disease profile in two nations there was a lot of scope for research collaboration.

Cyprus also wants Indias help in developing a Silicon Valley-style technological park.

"I am going to ask them (Indians) if there are people who can help us in know-how," the President said.

Cyprus, which is Europes second largest shipping management centre, also seeks to cooperate with India in the sector.

India and Cyprus share historical ties. India has always supported Cyprus in its reunification efforts. In turn, Cyprus has always supported India in every international forum and on the Kashmir issue. Cyprus attaches a lot of significance to its ties with India and a bust of Gandhi outside the parliament of the country highlights this fact.

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Nicosia also has roads named after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Indians have contributed to the peacekeeping mission in the country. A road in Larnaca, where the countrys main international airport is located is named after Major General Kodandera Subbaya Thimayya who served as the commander of UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in 1965. India too supported Cyprus in its struggle for independence.

Almost all Cypriot President?s have come to India on State Visits. In October 2009, the then President Pratibha Devisingh Patil paid a State visit to Cyprus. Cyprus and India enjoy robust economic ties.

Cyprus is a major investor in India. With cumulative Foreign Direct Investment of above USD 8.5 billion, Cyprus is the eighth largest foreign investor in India and has invested in areas such as financial leasing, stock exchange, auto manufacture, manufacturing industries, real estate, cargo handling, construction, shipping and logistics. PTI NSA AKJ NSA

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Mental Healthcare Delivery in Ghana has experienced a gross negligence by the Government of Ghana and the Private Sector. The Government of Ghana in a bid to address the Mental Healthcare Challenges enacted the Mental Health Act 2012(Act 846) as well as instituted the Mental Health Authority. With this kind of laudable initiative it was expected that the John Mahama Administration would have committed significant resources to finance the full implementation of the Mental Health Act so that the Mental Health Authority will address the various challenges facing the Mental Healthcare Delivery in Ghana in order but very little was done within the four years by John Mahama Government to support the Mental Health Authority.

Ghanas Mental Health Sector is primarily funded by the Central Government and normally supported by donations and the internal funds generated by the Psychiatric Hospitals.

Mental Healthcare has becomes a critical international concern but Ghana is still straining to attend to the Mental Health needs of its suffering and stigmatized citizens. Currently, the few Psychiatric Hospitals in Ghana are severely congested, there is low mental healthcare Professionals and non-existence of Government Rehabilitative Care Centres.

Under our current circumstance, there are no special services for Old Age Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry. Ghana has only three Public Psychiatric Hospitals namely Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Patang Hospital and Ankaful Hospital.

Ghanas Mental Healthcare faces the challenges of Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, Quality and Mental Healthcare Professionals due to lack of adequate funding from the Government and the Private Sector.

One of the innovative ways to address the challenges facing Mental Healthcare Delivery in Ghana is through the adoption of the Government-Private Ownership method of financing Mental Healthcare. The Mental Healthcare needs serious Capital Investment ranging between $250-500million and the Government of Ghana can achieve this through Public-Private Engagement. It will be laudable idea for the Government of Ghana to partner the Private Sector in the Financing of Mental Healthcare Delivery in Ghana.

The leadership of Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) is passionately appealing to President Akufo-Addos Government to fully resources the Mental Health Authority of Ghana so that the Authority can undertake the expansion and renovation of the existing Psychiatric Hospitals.

We are also passionately appealing to President Akufo-Addos Government to consider budgetary allocation in the 2nd Edition of the Asempa Budget (2018) for the establishment of New Psychiatric Hospitals in Ghana such as:

1. Accra Psychiatric Teaching Hospital to serve as a referral centre for the Coastal Regions

2. Kumasi Psychiatric Teaching Hospital to serve as a referral centre for the Middle Belt Regions

3. Tamale Psychiatric Teaching Hospital to serve as a referral centre for the three northern Regions

4. Regional Psychiatric Hospitals

5. District Psychiatric Hospitals

6. National Psychiatry Research Centre to train specialized Mental Healthcare Professionals.

.Signed.

Razak Kojo Opoku

(Founder and President)
24.04.2017 LISTEN

Groupe Nduom, the parent company of GN Bank and Gold Coast Fund Management has announced that customer deposits at the companies are safe in spite of a fire disaster that razed the offices of the two companies on Saturday.

It said the company will open for business on Monday to enable customers transaction regular business.

A Saturday evening fire that engulfed the subsidiary companies on the premises of the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, North Ridge in Accra took the combined efforts of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Fire Department of the Ghana Air Force to douse, after more than 4 hours of battle.

But a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Affairs of Groupe Nduom , Richmond Keelson on Sunday said, efforts have been made to ensure the subsidiary companies resume operation as soon as possible.

Following the fire that swept through a section of the Regency Hotel yesterday, disaster recovery procedures have been activated. As a result, GN Bank, Gold Coast Fund Management and Amansan Television (ATV) that were based at the hotel will open for business tomorrow, it said.

The statement said, ATV in particular will begin broadcasting early evening today. Our cherished customers are respectfully requested to go the old Gold Coast compound right next to the Regency to transact business. GN Banks ATM at the Regency is working and available for use.

It also added that All customer funds are safe. All vaults have been recovered intact.

Meanwhile, the company will hold an interactive session for its customers on Monday about the development.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @jnyabor
Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, a graduate of Coventry's International Terrorism masters course

24.04.2017 LISTEN

ACCRA, Ghana, 24 April 2017,-/African Media Agency/- A Coventry University graduate devoted to tackling terrorism will talk about how he stopped a young man joining ISIS with just hours to spare, when he speaks in Ghana this month.

Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, a graduate of Coventry's International Terrorism masters course, has already helped at least 20 people turn away from extremism since he set up a counter-extremism centre in Ghana.

The 34-year-old launched the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) after graduating from Coventry University in 2013. Since then he and his team have helped 22 radicalised people to turn their back on terrorism -last year preventing a 21-year-old from joining ISIS in Syria.

Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar said: "Last year I saved a young man's life. He had been radicalised online and was on his way to join the terrorist group ISIS after he spent time online looking for meaning in his life.

"Just a day before leaving to join the group he watched my TV outreach programme on counter-radicalization - that was what changed everything and he changed his mind.

"West Africa is one of the deadliest regions for terrorism. My plans are to expand my counter terrorism work to include the entire West Africa region, helping to dissuade vulnerable groups and individuals from engaging in violent extremism and falling into the void of terrorist recruitment. "

Mutaru originally from Accra, works across West Africa to deepen understanding of violent extremism and radicalization to promote the support available to vulnerable people at risk.

He will talk about his determination and how postgraduate study helped him achieve his goals at Coventry University Alumni Association Event on April 29.

He hopes that by speaking to other graduates about his work and how postgraduate study helped him develop the skills he needed to act, he can encourage more people to use education and make a difference.

The event is being run in conjunction with the British Council at Coventry's partner institution, Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) to promote the benefits of continuing in education to further careers and employability.

In recognition of his own work since graduating from Coventry in 2013, Mutaru was shortlisted for an international award at the UK Alumni Awards in Ghana. Selected from 60 nominees, Mutaru represented Coventry University in the social impact category.

In 2016 he was also elected as a Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders, being invited to a summit in Washington D.C where he met former US President Obama.

John Latham, Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University, said: "Our students and alumni make a significant contribution to their communities, be they in the UK or internationally. "Mutaru's is among the most significant and important. His team's work will shape many young lives and spread a message of peace and I am delighted that his journey began in Coventry. "The success of our alumni is in part down to the experiences they have here and the opportunities they take throughout their studies."
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has dragged the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to its offices to assist with an investigation into the suspected import duties evasion involving businessman Ibrahim Mahama.

Ibrahim Mahama, who is the brother of former President John Mahama, is at the centre of a headline-grabbing import scandal which has persisted in the media since last week.

On Friday EOCO ordered Mr Ibrahim Mahama, CEO of Engineers and Planners, to pay a sum of GHE12.7 million for the unpaid duties.

He is to make the payment by Monday, May 8, 2017.

He was hauled before the anti-graft agency for purportedly issuing in 2015 post-dated cheques totaling 44 to the Customs Division, being duties for imports of equipment, but which turned out to be dud.

EOCOs invitation to the Customs to answer queries about why it breached its standards comes on the heels of similar questions posed by members of the public.

Many are wondering why the regulations binding payments of duties for imports have been made different from Mr Ibrahim Mahama.

In February this year, Ibrahim Mahama and a close associate of the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Ali Seidu, were hauled before EOCO over the corruption scandal that hit the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

The two businessmen were summoned as part of a probe into the activities of sacked CEO of the COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni.

EOCOs initial investigations at the time are believed to have fingered the two in some deals at the organisation managing cocoa purchase and production in Ghana.

Ibrahim Mahama's company was contracted under the erstwhile NDC government to execute various projects, notable among them being the construction of a platform for the AMERI power plant.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Additional files from Daily Guide
Government has heightened the fight against illegal mining by summoning mining companies that are still engaged in the act after the expiration of the 12-day ultimatum.

Okobeng Mining Company has become the first of such companies to be summoned to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources because the firm has been mining gold in the Nzema East constituency without a full operational licence.

The firm has been operating with a prospecting licence it received about three months ago.

Okobeng Mining Company has also been operating close to the Ankobra River -- about 30 meters from the river.

Miners are required to operate at least 100 metres from a major water body.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, says managers of the company will face the law at all cost and has asked them to voluntarily report to his ministry.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday when he led an anti-galamsey task force to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the Western Region, he said his ministry to committed to root out the illegal mining menace.

Commenting on Okobeng Mining Company, Mr Amewu said the seriousness of the mining firms case is that they are "not even expected to do what [they] is doing. [They] has just been given prospecting licence.

The Minister also directed all seized excavators used for the illegal mining activities to be moved to Accra within 30 days.

Meanwhile, the Minister has also asked all District Mining Officers across the country to proceed on leave with immediate effect for negligence.

The nine officers who were in charge of monitoring mining activities in each of the nine mining zones are being blamed for allowing illegal miners to take over their designated territories.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | [email protected]
24.04.2017 LISTEN

Immediately after the Second World War in 1945, the world was ushered into a kind of politics whereby decisions that were taken were viewed through the prism of East-West dichotomy- The Cold War. The Cold War was essentially based on ideological hatred and political distrust between the United States and its allies (also called the Western bloc) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the Eastern bloc).

However, long after the end of the Cold War in 1991, northing had changed much in the foreign policy of the US towards Russia- a former member of the Eastern bloc. The former and its allies continue to show hostility towards the latter.

Moving the debate further back, scholars of International Politics still hold varied views about the genesis of the Cold War. Some have argued that the concept of the Cold War was the creation of one man, Reinhard Gehlen (1902-79) who was an SS (Schutzstaffel) responsible for the murder of many prominent Jews in Russia. Fearing that he and his cohorts would be arrested and tried at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, Gehlen lied to the then US administration that he was in possession of an Intel about Russias nuclear weapons programme and military capabilities. The former bought into this clever move to evade prosecution by Gehlen and further refused to extradite him to Europe to face trial on war crimes. Several decades after, the US realized that it had been fooled by Gehlen as all the intelligence he had provided proved false and useless.

The second group of scholars had it that it was a case of mutual suspicion. That although the Soviet Union fought alongside the US to defeat Nazi-Germany, Italy and Japan in World War Two, they could never became friends because Russia could not forget that the West led by the Us tried to undo the Bolshevik revolution and intervened in their civil war. On the other hand, those of the group who argued from the US side posited that the Soviet Union had declared her intention to overthrow capitalism world wide through a revolution.

While the above groups of scholars have argued that the Cold War was a figment of the mind of some people trying to play with the emotions and intelligence of the world, the Post-Revisionist theorists have argued that the United States had long held an anti-Soviet policy long before Truman and the marshal Plan of 1947 in an attempt of the latter to install Communist regimes in other parts of the world.

The problems confronting the world today is the one of miscalculations by the US. One, the US believed that the end of the Cold War marked the triumph of Western values (liberalism, capitalism and Judeo-Christian values) which had been captured in Francis Fukuyamas book entitled: The end of history and the last man. In that book, the author argued that liberal democracy is the final form of human governance, but the emergence of China as one of the economic giants with centralized political system, disproves Fukuyamas claim. The US hegemony and its unilateral behavior in the world stage is that which is breeding global chaos. For instance, the involvement of the US in the Middle East had proved very catastrophic. Clash of civilizations is on the rise and so is global terrorism.

The United States stepped its foot into Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda was created. In Iraq, the US supported rebels against the then Saddams regime and created ISIS. Again, in Libya, the US and its allies aided opposition forces to assassinate Muammar Gaddafi, the resultant effect, today that country can be described as a failing state. Furthermore, the principle of Assad must go in Syria has brought the US to supporting terrorists groups like the DAESH, etc. America and its cohorts have worked to unsettle these countries and since then Middle Eastern countries have lost their shine.

Moving away from the accusations, the US must recognize the fact that the era of fighting inter-state wars are over. The common threat today is global terrorism which is the resultant effect of clash of civilization cleverly posited by Samuel Huntingtons in his famous book:The clash of civilizations and the remaking of the world order. China and Russia must be recognized as major powers and worked with in the UN Security Council to effectively deal with terrorist organizations acting as non-state actors and that of rogue states like North Korea, Iran and Lebanon.
24.04.2017 LISTEN

Africa112 is one of the ground breaking projects which is run by African Union Chapter in partnership with Core Foundation that aims to raise $112 million USD. The youth are Africas largest resources making up to over 65% of the continents population. It is know that in Africa, the youth constitutes about 37% of the total labour force, but make up about 60 % total unemployment. This continental project is aimed at sensitizing on the Agenda 2063 aspiration 6 an Africa where development is people driven, unleashing the potential of its women and youth which will be on a yearly basis.

It is against this background that the Core Foundation and the African Union Chapter are tasked to be the over-arching body of the Africa112 fund that will focus on the youth and women in Africa. Africa 112 believes in creating a cadre of entrepreneurs who initiate sustainable enterprises that help in empowering marginalized sections of the society.

Africa is going through a youth bulge with the medium age of the population under the 25 years old. Creating opportunities for the burgeoning number of youth is a challenge that cannot be solved only at country level. If properly harnessed this growing working age population could drive Africas economic transformation, the majority of youth do not have stable economic opportunities of the 420 million youth aged 15 to 35 years in Africa today, the majority are unemployed, discouraged or only vulnerably employed.

Engaging in entrepreneurship shifts young people from being job seekers to job creators and also from dependence to self-sufficiency. Women seeking both formal and informal jobs are particularly impacted often facing even greater barriers to accessing opportunities 35% of female youth are not in employment, education or training compared to only 20% men. Different forms of training are also needed to address the limited skills of youth once they have left formal education.

The African Union Chapter endeavors to implement the African Union Agenda 2063 through creating economic opportunities of African youth towards a prosperous and thriving African society. The youth are of paramount to achieve the fruition of the policies created by the African Union and the sovereign African States that compose of it.

Miss Khutso Modiselle the executive director African Union Chapter said that Africa112 is an opportunity for young people to create and leave a legacy for their African blue print and talent and furthering the development of the African empire. Africa112 is a dream come true for many of the young Africans in disadvantages communities getting a hand up and a stepping stone to the potential of what Africa can be and it will be. Its a sociological change not only the entrepreneurs in Africa but also to many different talents in different fields in Africa for the development of skills and empowerment of young Africans. We are offering the youth in Africa an opportunity to make the first steps of their dreams being their own ships captains not passengers and also building the confidence in their African identity

Our theme for the coming Africa112 Summit The future of Africa, Her youth and women which will be held on the 24-25th of May 2017 at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Miss Hindia Mahammed the Projects and Finance Director of the African Union Chapter said that she could imagine herself in the shoes of those women that will be the beneficiaries of the African 112 fund, that this will be a platform to build successful stories to impact and inspire other African women as she strongly believes that women in African are the family back borne and we would want to stand with women who are working tirelessly to make an economic contribution towards the supporting their children and creating employment for other women. This one of the many steps that we are taking to build an African empire but together as women and youth in African we can be the change we want to see

The two day think tank will unpack supplier development, effective troubleshooting & existing strategies. It will also demonstrate how entrepreneurs can achieve operational and financial independence, SME development policy of formalization and more. We want to awaken the culture of entrepreneurship within the SMEs sector and give them a vision for their future, providing them with a Hand- Up, not Hand Out. This will mark the introduction of an exhibition which will showcase leading Enterprise Development specialists, new entrepreneurial start- up's and big business Enterprise Development.

We would like to encourage and enhance partnership to encourage entrepreneurship and leadership within our continent said Alvin Nyika founder of Core Foundation and the partners coordinator of the Africa112 fund. The world today is looking at the entire Africa as a gold mine and Africa112 is here to unlock the potential of youth in Africa not be job seekers but also to develop their entrepreneurial competency. I believe the impact of the Africa112 will also go beyond the individuals that will benefit but also governments in Africa to start to plug into such initiatives that are being led by the African youth to focus on economic empowerment of the young entrepreneurs and women in Africa, who are trying to create jobs and contribute to economic transformation of their countries. This is already happening and day by day Africa112 is the amplifier to their actives to move from being informal to formal. I believe that delay in promoting entrepreneurship is dangerous. We aim to tackle the unemployment issues of the continent, support the African youth who lack minimum qualifications. Africa112 will truly transform the future of Africa through its youth and women.

We would also like to extend an invitation to other organization that would like to be part of this ground breaking initiative for the youth and women in African join us in different levels as

Funding partners Job and markets linkages partners Incubation and capacity building partners Monitoring and evaluation partners Philanthropic and venture capital partners.

For more information about how to partner and also attend our launching summit do contact by email: [email protected]
24.04.2017 LISTEN

It is exceedingly intriguing why major European nations such as Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, UK, Netherlands and Belgium all have kingdoms. In fact, Europe could boast of about 12 recognized monarchies as at 2017. In spite of Great kingdoms of Oyo, Dahomey, Asante, Buganda, Mossi, Zulu, Monomotapa and others, from Dakar to Dar es Salaam, Marrakesh to Maputo and Asante to Zulu, African continent could only boast of kingdoms of Morocco and Swaziland. Problems on the continent of Africa are partly due to balkanization of the continent by European powers. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufu-Addo is reported to have said: The time for the creation of the Ahafo region is due. I promise you that within the next 18 months, the opportunity is going to be given for you to have the Ahafo region (Source: myjoyonline.com, April 20, 2017).

Undoubtedly, the above statement attributed to President Akufu-Addo raises some questions. Are we creating new regions in Ghana for administrative purpose or because certain group of people must be separated from the others? Will the proposed Ahafo Region out of Brong Ahafo (BA) not open Pandoras Box of ethnic and tribal nationalism in Ghana? Is it fair to separate the Ahafo people from the Brongs (Bonos) while Assins are added to the Fantes in the Central region or the Akyims, Akwamus, Akuapims, Kwahus, Asantes and Krobos merged together in the Eastern Region? Eastern Region is a good example of interethnic cohesion needed for national identity and integration despite the above question. I think making Ghanas decentralization system more effective is the way to go. State institutions must properly be decentralized and the habit of seeking approval from Accra must rather be scrapped. If the son of Maame Abena Kwabina from Kumuwu could get a passport or process his salary without coming to Accra, things will be alright. From geographical and historical perspectives, Ghana needs no extra provinces.

Geographical Ghana, situated on the Gulf of Guinea has a total border of 2,093Km with an area of 239,540 square km. Water covers 8,520 square km. The population is estimated to be 27.4 million according to 2015 World Bank data. I think the current 10 regions are even more looking at other countries. In the Republic of South Africa for example, total land borders is 4,750 kilometers. The area of the Republic of South Africa is about 1,219,912 square kilometers. As of 2015, The World Bank states South Africa population to be 55.1 million. Republic of South Africa is divided into only nine (9) regions namely: the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, The Northern Cape, North West and Western Cape.

Also, Canada has a population of about 36 million with the total area of 9,984,670 km2 or 3.855 million square miles. Canada has 10 only regions (provinces). In Uganda, The World Bank 2015 data states Ugandan population to be 39.03 million. Uganda has only four regions namely: Western, Eastern, Central and Northern albeit, the total area 241,551 square kilometres (93.065 square miles). All these data show that Ghana does not need extra regions.

Historically, colonial masters used balkanization to ease colonization and imperialism. Asante and Ethiopian kingdoms suggest to us how colonization would have been resisted with effective and united African society. In Asante kingdom for example, after the Sagrenti War in 1874, the Asantehene Nana Kofi Karikari was dethroned. His successor, Nana Mensah Bonsu was equally abdicated. In 1888, Nana Kwaku Duah II better known as Prempeh I was enthroned. Prempeh I was very astute with impressive diplomatic skills. Within three years of his stewardship, he reunited the Asantes and made frantic effort to persuade the Dwaben to return after the civil war. The British were frightened by his effort to reincarnate the Asante Union which disintegrated due to civil war. The British also feared that either the French or the Germans operating from west in Ivory Coast and east in Togoland respectively could take over the Asante kingdom. It is worthy of noting that this was after the Berlin Conference which officially introduced appropriation of African continent among colonial masters and would-be colonial masters. The British hypocritically offered to protect the Asantes but Prempeh I, politely but firmly rejected the said protection. This meant the colonial powers were terrified by Asante formidable union under Kwaku Duah II.

In his letter to Queen Victoria, Menelik II of Ethiopia stated: I have no intention at all of being an indifferent spectator, if the distant powers hold the idea of dividing up Africa. Ethiopia having been for the past 14 centuries, an Island of Christianity in the sea of pagan. Italy already secured Eritrea in 1889 and Ethiopia and Italy negotiated a treaty at Wuchale. Italy applied this treaty to claim a protectorate over Ethiopia. Menelik defeated the Italians and other Europeans by utilizing his diplomatic maneuvers to skillfully exploit the greed of Italy, France and Britain and perspicaciously played them off against each other. Menelik had a strong army. Curious readers can follow this link

http://blackhistorypages.net/pages/menelikii.php

This means that a united African society would have prevented colonialism as Menelik II did. Also, it seems to suggest that intertribal and interethnic fraternity is necessary for national integration. As some societies are trumpeting the state of their union, we are thinking about the state of our division. Whether, Ahafo, Brong, Akyim, Dagbani, Frafra, Asante, Ewe or Gas, we must see ourselves as Ghanaians.

Prempeh I and Menelik II had shown us the benefits of national cohesion and integration over balkanization. Mr. President, once again, the plan to create Ahafo region will not help Ghana. President Nkrumah did a good job by creating BA region in 1959. The aforesaid historical evidence suggest that balkanization greatly assisted colonization. Also, comparing with other countries with larger population and land areas, Ghana has little or no justification to create new regions. There is no need for Ghana to divide its provinces on tribal or ethnic line when the creation of new regions is deemed necessary. Needless to say we must re-examine the wisdom behind the passage of the avoidance of discrimination act (ADA) by President Nkrumah, when considering important issues like the creation of the new administrative regions to ease bureaucratic bottleneck. ADR must be applicable to the creation of new regions. If for other reasons, Ghana will still need more regions, names like Ahafo region must be eschewed. It will set a very bad precedence. Mr. President, all that we need is that at least under your stewardship, Guinea Fowls will secure VISA before traveling to Burkina Faso. No Ahafo Region! God Bless Our Homeland Ghana!

By Nana Yaw Osei (Padigo), Minnesota, USA

[email protected]
The Ghana National Gas Company known as (Ghana Gas) has signed a project implementation contract dated 11th April 2017 with the Chinese multinational oil fields service conglomerate known as the Yantai Jereh group .The project agreement is for the construction of an onshore 278 kilometer natural Gas pipeline infrastructure from the Takoradi Aboadze enclave to the power enclaves of Tema Greater Accra.

The recent execution of the agreement which represents a revival of a project which was initially conceived last year enabled the immediate commencement of site work such as topographical/ geotechnical site surveys and Front end engineering designs (FEED) which are already underway, as well as on site civil construction activities which will commence within the next ten days.

The financial structure of the project includes an innovative 15 year Build operate and transfer (BOT) model where by the Yantai Jereh group along with their investment partners will fully pre-finance all construction activities related to the project with absolutely no upfront cost being born by the Ghanaian government.

The entire investment made by the Chinese conglomerate will be recouped by charging transportation fees based on volumes of gas being moved through the pipeline over a period of 15 years after which ownership of the entire infrastructure will be transferred to the Ghanaian government completely free of any recurring charges or financial encumbrances.

The proposed gas transportation charge of approximately $1.56USD per MMBtu (A standard unit of measurement used to denote the amount of heat energy in fuels and the ability of appliances) is a fraction of the $4.05 USD per MMBtu historically charged by the offshore West African Pipeline Company (WAPCO) for similar natural gas transportation services.

Other advantages of the onshore pipeline include the fact that it will enable the secure transportation of natural gas energy resources generated from oil fields located in the Western region to the East of the country whilst traversing multiple regions along the coast line of Ghana.

Multiple regional natural gas distribution stations will be constructed between the two major load centers of Takoradi and Greater Accra with stations being located in Takoradi, Cape Coast, Winneba, Nsawam, and Tema earmarked for phase one as well as a potential station in the Volta region in phase two of the project ,these stations will enable manufactures wishing to construct factories to connect directly to the infrastructure thus receiving cost effective natural gas to power their industrial operations.

The project marks a momentous milestone for the newly elected NPP government who has pledged massive infrastructure development and industrialization initiatives such as one district, one factory to spur economic growth. Yantai Jerehs Ghana based Senior Vice President for West Africa, Gao Yong, who will take responsibility for the implementation of the project went on record to say This project represents a massive opportunity of growth for both Ghana and the Yantai Jereh group, we have been highly impressed with the new administration and their ability to get things done quickly and professionally.
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Four people were killed in two separate suicide attacks in northeast Nigeria on Monday, local militia members said, in the latest violence blamed on Boko Haram Islamists.

Babakura Kolo, who assists the military with security against the jihadist insurgents, said the first incident occurred in Mammanti village, 15 kilometres (10 miles) east of Maiduguri.

"Three female suicide bombers were intercepted by the vigilantes while trying to sneak into the village around 5:00 am (0400 GMT), just as the morning prayers were about to start," he told AFP.

"Two of the bombers blew themselves up while the third was shot dead by a soldier before her explosives detonated. One vigilante was killed and another injured," he said.

Another member of the civilian joint task force, who did not want to be named, said there was a second attack in Mainari, 10 kilometres west of the city at about 8:30 am.

"A male suicide bomber approached the village but some vigilantes got suspicious of his movements and accosted him," he said.

"Suddenly, he blew himself up among the vigilantes, killing three and injuring two."

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of Boko Haram, has been repeatedly targeted in the bloody, eight-year insurgency, even as the military regains control of the region.

Suicide attacks on "soft" civilian targets, as well as security checkpoints have increased after the militants were pushed out of captured territory since early 2015.

The conflict has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009 and displaced more than 2.6 million from their homes.
When a senior citizen asked two young men to give him a seat in Delhi Metro, they told him that the seat was for "Hindustanis and not Pakistanis". They told him to go to Pakistan because he looked like a "Pakistani".

By India Today Web Desk: A Muslim senior citizen who was travelling in the violet line of Delhi Metro was denied a seat by two young men for a very atrocious reason.

They refused because they thought he was "Pakistani" (because of his appearance) and went on to tell him that the seat is for "Hindustanis not for Pakistanis".

Kavita Krishnan, Secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association, described this incident in her Facebook post. "When the senior citizen asked them again, the young men told him, "This seat is for Hindustanis not for Pakistanis like you. If you want a seat go to Pakistan and get it there", she wrote.

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In pics: Communal violence grips east Delhi's Trilokpuri area

Comrade Santosh Roy, National Secretary of AICCTU and a long-standing leader of the DTC Workers' Unity Centre, noticed the hate speech and came to support the old man. He asked the men to apologise but one of them caught Comrade Roy by the collar and asked him to go to Pakistan.

Several passengers came to support Comrade Roy and the senior citisen and when the metro stopped at Khan Market station, a guard entered the compartment. He took the two men to the police chowki at Pandara Road where a complaint was filed. Meanwhile, the men kept threatening "humare log aa rahe hai" (our supporters are coming).

Also read: Agra: Violence breaks out as police arrests Hindu activists for attacking Muslim grocers in Fatehpur Sikri

Later, Comrade Roy recieved calls from the police saying that the young men wanted to apologise, however he was not interested in getting an apology because he felt that the old man deserved the apology.

A few days later when Comrade Roy visited the police chowki, he came across a written statement by the elderly man accepting the apology. "He had forgiven them keeping in mind their young age", the post read.

Read the full post here:

--- ENDS ---
The President of Groupe Nduom, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom believes more urgency on the part of relevant state institutions could have lessened the damage caused by the fire that ravaged parts of his Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

In a Facebook post, he suggested the need for reforms with respect to the attitude of these state institutions in the face of similar disasters.

I have a heavy heart because though accidents do happen, this fire should not have caused so much damage and destruction. We have a lot to do to reform our state institutions and attitude to working with urgency when we are confronted with problems.

It took the combined efforts of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Fire Department of the Ghana Air Force more than three hours to contain the fire which started around 4.30pm on Saturday.

Although the cause of the fire is yet to be known, the company said initial information it gathered indicates a spark of fire from an air-conditioning unit led to the unfortunate incident.

Dr. Nduoms Facebook post also lauded his staff for the role they played in overcoming the fire saying, we have an amazing team of management and staff. The teamwork they have demonstrated to ensure that the Regency Hotel fire challenge is overcome quickly has been wonderful to observe. They are living the Spiritual Guidance we teach all our employees.

I am grateful to government officials, friends, politicians from all political parties, religious leaders, businessmen and women and others for their encouragement and concerns, the post added.

GN Bank open for business

GN Bank, Gold Coast Securities, Amansan TV and Business Television Africa were ravaged by fire on Saturday evening but Mr. Nduom indicated that some level normalcy has returned to these businesses.

First Digital TV is back on air and ATV and BTA are broadcasting. The affected GN Bank and Gold Coast Fund Management branches will be open today [Monday] for business next door. Our customers funds and data are safe. Our disaster recovery procedures have worked well. We are awake to the need to continuously take preventive measures to protect life and property.

The guest rooms and conference facilities of the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel itself were not affected by the fire.

Find below his full Facebook Post

Tons of Gratitude, with a Heavy Heart.

As far as my faith will take me, I give thanks to God. This has been one of the most difficult months for me as an entrepreneur ever and for my family.

Still we stand ready to keep moving on, positively. We owe our ability to do this to many, many well-wishers from near and far who encourage us and support our enterprises. I am thankful for our loyal customers and business partners who have gone beyond their personal interests to stand by us no matter what.

We have an amazing team of management and staff. The teamwork they have demonstrated to ensure that the Regency Hotel fire challenge is overcome quickly has been wonderful to observe. They are living the Spiritual Guidance we teach all our employees:

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I am grateful to government officials, friends, politicians from all political parties, religious leaders, businessmen and women and others for their encouragement and concerns.

I have a heavy heart because though accidents do happen, this fire should not have caused so much damage and destruction. We have a lot to do to reform our state institutions and attitude to working with urgency when we are confronted with problems.

First Digital TV is back on air and ATV and BTA are broadcasting. The affected GN Bank and Gold Coast Fund Management branches will be open today for business next door. Our customers funds and data are safe. Our disaster recovery procedures have worked well. We are awake to the need to continuously take preventive measures to protect life and property.

Our Groupe Nduom spirit is well and alive.

I am grateful for the prayers, good wishes and encouragement.

God bless all of us.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Kessben FM and TV journalists dressed in red attire to fight Galamsey on Friday

Many journalists in the country took their campaign against illegal mining, also known as 'galamsey,' a notch higher on Friday.

The media practitioners wore red attire to express their dissatisfaction with the rampant destruction of the environment through illegal mining in the country.

Journalists working at Kessben FM and TV in Kumasi, led by the news editor of Kessben FM, Charles Brafo Anakwa, registered their anger over illegal mining and its negative effects on the environment.

The media practitioners have therefore vowed to use their powerful platforms to campaign against illegal mining until the government totally bans it.

Mr. Anakwa, alias 'Yahoo', told DAILY GUIDE that the illegal miners have rapidly destroyed all farmlands and water bodies in the country.

He said it was unacceptable for the environment to be destroyed for some few people to prosper.

Mr. Anakwa therefore entreated journalists across the country to sustain the fight against illegal mining to ensure sanity in the system.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Had Nana Akufo-Addo not assumed the political leadership of Ghana, we could have been just a pace away from the precipice, almost close to tumbling over. Of course, it was that bad.

The chickens are slowly returning home to roost and with that many details emerging about how things had fallen apart, their fallouts too glaring for all to see and appreciate the decay, safe those who still have wool over their eyes.

In spite of the outcomes of bad governance, occasioned by the outright varying of standards by state institutions at the behest of politicians, a few persons seek to muffle the rest of us, the majority, from saying 'Hallelujah God listened to our prayers.'

These are persons who benefited from the contamination of governance, and for who hypocrisy is a hallmark.

They want us to, for instance, say there was nothing wrong for one person to vary the standards for importing goods into the country. They want us to clap when monies, which should have been paid into the state kitty, find their way to an individual's personal accounts.

We recall the special prayers in some places of worship, asking God to bestow upon us a group of politicians whose tenure would bring grace to Ghana.

If indeed the Omnipotent and Omniscient listened to the fasting and prayers of His servants, which we know he did, then we are on course towards a Better Ghana where state institutions can work.

We doubt the country could have survived beyond the tenure of President Akufo-Addo's predecessor, given the indisputable state of rot we beheld when the old order gave way.

We are beginning to see signs of a Ghana waking up from a Rip Van Winkle slumber.

Imagine the power of pardon abused with impunity by President Mahama after the sentencing of the Montie 3, even when it was palpable they did not deserve such a concession from the man entrusted with the authority to do so.

Many things passed under the bridge, which are beyond comprehension: they represent the acne of greed by some individual Ghanaian politicians.

We wonder why those at the throttle decided to treat their country the way they did.

Why is President Akufo-Addo able to reduce taxes to a level unimaginable under the crop of Ghanaians he took over from? How did he restore the nursing and teacher trainee allowances when his predecessor said it was impossible to accomplish? The then vice president said the government could not restore the allowances because the funds were needed to fund infrastructural development.

Why did government officials allow the payment of monies to contractors who had not executed contracts and allowed the country to suffer further financial haermmohage?

We are being told that the revelations about government's favourite personalities being allowed benefits from varied regulations from the Ports to the award of contracts are but a tip of the iceberg. Many more are yet to emerge and as the Yankees would say 'we ain't seen anything yet.' If change hadn't come, hmmm!
Berndt Luther Foundation officials distributing rice and chicken to the Ash Town Kids during the Easter Monday party

Berndt Luther Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at Ash Town, a suburb of Kumasi, on Easter Monday, provided over 1,000 children with food, drinks, toffees and biscuits at a party.

Children between the ages of three years and 10 from various parts of Ash Town were feted at the event christened 'Kids Easter Party.'

Berndt Luther Foundation has for the past 10 years been organizing parties during Easter to ensure that the children at Ash Town also enjoy the festivities just like their compatriots across the country.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Berndt Owusu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NGO, stated that he organized the event to give back to society.

Mr. Owusu, who was born and bred in Ash Town, said his foundation has been distributing chicken, bags of rice and other food items to the aged, widows, the sick and widowers during Christmas seasons for the past 10 years.

He stated that the NGO periodically pays the fees of some brilliant but needy students in the area.

The Holy Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive so I am just fulfilling the scriptures, he indicated.

I usually use my own money and funds from my friends, both in Ghana and abroad, to carry out the benevolent activities. I would soon partner Krokrome Foundation to support the needy in society.

Oscar Osei Acheampong, Special Assistant to Mr Owusu, appealed to other bodies and well-to-do people in society to support Berndt Luther Foundation to help improve the lives of the needy in society.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that programmes designed to help the poor and vulnerable must have clear-cut exit strategies.

He urged the citizenry not to be unduly reliant on long-term aid projects.

According to the President, such aid programmes and initiatives must be structured to enable beneficiaries strike out and lead independent lives.

I remember when the LEAP programme was envisaged and introduced under President Kufuor, we were clear in our minds that whereas we wanted it to cover all those who would qualify under the definition of the programme, it was meant to be a hand-up, not a hand-out, he said.

The President revealed that if someone has to go on the LEAP programme, it should not be for the rest of that person's life. There should be a definite time limit to being a LEAP beneficiary, and the beneficiary should be able to stand on his or her own after the stated period.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday when he delivered the keynote address at the 4th Rotary International District 9102 Conference at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The President, himself a Paul Harris Fellow of The Rotary Club, Accra South, explained that after 60 years of independence, I want us, in Ghana, to break out from our aid dependent and charity driven economic outlook. I want programmes that would be dynamic in content and help us to think big and be dissatisfied with remaining poor.

Touching on the Six Areas of Focus of Rotary, President Akufo-Addo noted that members of the Rotary Club have always been well placed to influence events and policies in Ghana.

In the area of health, he stated that the infection rates of poliomyelitis, one of the six childhood killer diseases, had been reduced from an annual worldwide infection rate of 350,000 cases in over 125 countries, to a mere 75 cases in only three countries. This feat, he noted, has been achieved thanks to the efforts of Rotary.

You have taken on the other great killer of our part of the world, malaria, and I wish to congratulate Rotary on your Roll Back Malaria project. It does look as though we are finally making headway in the fight against malaria. This is also the result of collaboration between government and non-governmental organizations.

Touching on the Water and Sanitation area, President Akufo-Addo stated that I am pleased to learn that you have started the second phase of a US$6 million Rotary International/USAID Water Collaboration. We could not ask for a better partner than Rotary as we seek to implement our government's programme to provide potable water and good sanitation to all our people.

On basic education and literacy, another area of focus of Rotary, the President stressed that education is the only way to give a good head start and provide equal opportunities for all our children. This government believes that a lot hangs on the success of our education programmes, and we welcome enthusiastically all the help that we can get from organizations such as Rotary in delivering quality education to our people.

President Akufo-Addo also charged Rotary to partner the Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development.

He also urged Rotary to partner government in the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' programme, which was launched in Goaso in the Brong Ahafo Region, on Wednesday, April 19, and in the implementation of the 1-District-1-Factory programme.

It is a programme in which private sector participation is essential. Come and join us make a success of it. You have a lot of people with good business acumen and experience amongst your ranks. There are a lot of opportunities and I invite you to join us bring prosperity to our people, he added.

In concluding, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that we are determined to build a new Ghanaian and African civilisation, where the rule of law works, where individual liberties and human rights are respected, and where the principles of democratic accountability are the foundation of public policy.
CENAB UK, a pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) advocacy group based in the United Kingdom, has described the nomination of Charlotte Osei, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) for a Chatham House Award as flawed and undeserving.

On April 3, 2017, Chatham House London published on its website nominees for 2017 Chatham House Prize to be awarded by the Royal Institute of International Affairs of the UK.

The winner would be announced at a ceremony in autumn this year.

The EC boss was cited as one of the nominees for the award.

CENAB UK Advocacy Media Team, in a statement signed by one Peter Antwi Boasiako and others, said the reasons cited by the London Chatham House to include Mrs. Charlotte Osei, who will receive the 2017 Prestigious Award if she wins among other nominees are flawed.

We contend this for various tangible reasons as far as the 2016 general elections is concerned, the statement indicated.

It said, As one of the well respected prestigious awards in the world, the Chatham House Prize is mostly awarded to a person, persons or an organization that is deemed to have made significant contributions to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

According to CENAB UK, it would be controversial to consider Mrs Osei for such an award among well deserving nominees such as Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia, for formally ratifying a peace agreement with the FARC rebel group and bringing an end to the war in Colombia, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of NATO, for steering NATO through one of the most complicated periods in its recent history.

Before Charlotte Osei took over from her predecessor, Dr Afari-Gyan, the former Ghana EC Chairman, Ghana had conducted a number of peaceful and transparent elections to the admiration of the world, and had made tremendous significant improvements on its electoral processes since December 2000, it said.

Towards the December 2016 general elections, though very important reformative decisions were taken by the EC that improved on the general transparency, fairness and enhancement on the peaceful elections in Ghana on record, none of these important reformative ideas leading to decisions to improve the process was candidly initiated by the EC boss or by the institution of the Electoral Commission itself, it added.

All instances of reformative ideas and suggestions leading to these great significant improvements on the electoral process were initiated by individual Ghanaian citizens and the opposition parties, most of which the EC overtly contested, it added.

Furthermore, in all cases, reformative decisions that were finally taken by the EC were foisted on the Commission by the Supreme Court of Ghana, and with compelling reasons for the EC to implement them.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei, in frangible posture, earlier before the elections vowed not to allow any significant reforms to take place in the electoral process for the 2016 elections. This was in spite of all the good reformative suggestions made by the Supreme Court, Civil Society Organisations, opposition political parties and Christian organisations in Ghana.

At one stage, the EC was described by some opinion leaders as having lost focus on its mandate to ensure a peaceful and transparent elections, and was likely, if care was not taken, to plunge Ghana into chaos due to their stance, as political tension was considerably raising.

According to the group, Charlotte Osei's obstinate posture not to allow for a transparent process before the elections led to some street protests by Ghanaians.

One of such peaceful demonstrations, it said, turned violent when the Police brutalized ordinary Ghanaians, adding in the process, one gentleman lost one of his eyes as a result of fired rubber bullets by the police.

With all these few instances and details available, we do not believe it will make good prudential judgment to award Mrs. Charlotte Osei with such a world class prize for only supervising. We think she is undeserving of this prize and entreat the management at Chatham House to reconsider its decision, the statement said.

BY Melvin Tarlue
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is dragging the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to its offices to assist in investigations into the suspected import duties evasion involving businessman Ibrahim Mahama.

The businessman, who is also the brother of former President John Mahama, is at the centre of a headline grabbing import scandal which has trended in the media since last week and does not show signs of abating anytime soon  not with the invitation of the Customs Division to answer questions pertaining to its role in the scandal.

Ibrahim Mahama, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Engineers & Planners, was hauled before the anti-graft agency for purportedly issuing in 2015 post-dated cheques totaling 44 to the Customs Division, being duties for imports of equipment, but which turned out to be dud, DAILY GUIDE learnt.

Curious minds are saying that if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had not won last year's elections, the money involved would not have been paid since it dates back two years ago and GRA was not in a hurry to collect it.

On Friday EOCO ordered Mr Ibrahim Mahama to pay a sum of GH12.7 million for the unpaid duties.

He is to make the payment by Monday, 8th May, 2017.

Ibrahim Mahama had been invited by EOCO to answer questions over some dud cheques he issued to the Customs at the Tema Port to clear the heavy-duty equipment he had imported since 2015.

Even though the cheques were dishonoured, it is believed that he succeeded in clearing the goods because of his connection to the seat of power.

DAILY GUIDE has also learnt that Ibrahim is being investigated over alleged non-payment of SSNIT contributions of his workers.

Even before this, Ibrahim Mahama has made a number of appearances before officials of EOCO during which he is said to have agreed to make good his duty obligation to the state.

The invitation to the Customs to answer queries about why it breached its standards comes at the heels of similar questions posed by members of the public, who wondered whether the regulations binding payments of duties for imports have been varied upon learning about the Ibrahim Mahama dud cheque episode.

DAILY GUIDE investigations have indicated that only the Sector Commander, an Assistant Commissioner, can authorize the release of goods at the point of entry in the case under review  the Port of Tema  under approved conditions.

Customs officials, by their operations, do not handle cash, the importer paying through the two approved banks, ECOBANK and the GCB Bank.

In the case where a company or an individual wants to make payments through cheques, they must hold accounts with the two banks  ECOBANK or the GCB Bank  so a quick verification of the status of the accounts can be ascertained and a decision taken.

Duty on goods must have been paid to trigger the paper processing by customs officers or specifically the Compliance Officer, before the goods are released.

The Compliance Officer is the person who does the verification of the accompanying documents before the examination of the items, to ensure that they correspond to what is recorded in the documents before release procedures, which must be preceded by the payment of the appropriate duties.

Once payment is made through ECOBANK or GCB Bank, the GCNET  managers of the database  generate a message to Customs which then proceeds with the procedures.

The Sector Commander, in rare instances, can authorize release of goods after the importer pays in money, which is above what is expected to be paid eventually so a proper tallying can be done later.

The rescheduling of payment of duties can only be authorized by the Commissioner-General of the GRA and even then the importer must submit a written application giving reasons, supported by a bank which stands as a surety or guarantor in an event of default.

Under this condition, which must fall within an approved financial threshold, the importer must have paid a certain proportion of the duty and the rest paid on an agreed date not beyond six months. Importer/applicant must hold ECOBANK and GCB Bank accounts for easy verification.

A political intervention, many are conjecturing, could have been responsible for the breach. When a representative of the revenue collecting agency makes a date with EOCO, another can of worms is set to be opened in the ongoing investigation.

NDC Supporters

A poorly attended organised picketing by hordes of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters  most of them motorcyclists  added drama to the last appearance of Ibrahim Mahama at EOCO.

An NDC national executive officer  a suspect in an ongoing investigation at EOCO who was thought to have organised the picketing  took to his heels when he was spotted by a top official of the investigation agency and beckoned him to come.

Exchanges among NDC supporters on a WhatsApp platform said it all about how the ill-fated picketing was organised.

One of them asked why they should go and picket for Ibrahim Mahama when same was not done for Dr. Stephen Opuni, embattled former COCOBOD chief executive who was also a guest of EOCO earlier.

If we make others look far special than others we will never get far in our fight, the person argued.

In another posting, one of the supporters said he was at the assembling point but could only see six persons.

Comrades, we are only about six people here so where are guys? Pls come out now cuz NPP is taking advantage of the situation, the person said frustratingly after appeals for mass support appeared to have been ignored.

There was yet another posting in which the person contributing to the chat said he was proceeding from Medie on the Nsawam Road.

By A.R. Gomda
The Coalition of Unemployed Bonded Diploma Nurses on Monday stormed the Ministry of Health to demand clearance for employment.

According to members of the coalition, they are yet to be posted two years after the completion of their programme.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had disclosed that about 11,000 nurses had been given clearance for employment.

But the nurses are skeptical about the Vice President's remark.

Some of them who thronged the Ministry had sponges, towels among other things, vowing not to go back home until their issue is addressed.

Speaking to Citi News some of them stressed that our concern is we need our clearance. No clearance, No going home!

They claimed that they have posted 11,000 nurses; we want to see the clearance of the 11,000 they were referring to because we are the very people who are supposed to be given the clearance but we are in the house. And we are bonded with government so there is no way we could go and work anywhere. Some of us are married and others are parents. As at now some of us are still depending on our parents for survival, another one lamented.

Another one also complained that we are tired of being at home.

We went to school in order to take employment and take charge of our economic lives but see the frustration they are putting us through. Immediately you complete school and you are done with your service, you have to be posted but we are nine months staying at home. What should we do? What do we feed on?

One of the coalition members also said they have complained to the Minister of Health over the issue but it seems all efforts to get their grievances addressed have proved futile.

We met with the Minister last month and he told us that he wasn't aware that we were at home. So he promised us that by two weeks' time we will get the clearance. After the two weeks elapsed, we came back and he has been telling us stories. Anytime we come they don't want to meet us, one of the unemployed nurses added.



By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey & Anass Seidu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
"The government of Ghana is committed to creating a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive, with the private sector as the driver of economic growth and development." said Ghana's Minister for Business Development during a Ministerial visit to Horizons Offices Ghana.

He added that the Government had introduced measures to stabilize the local currency and reduce significantly, the cost of borrowing. Such measures include tax cuts such as the abolishment of the 5 % VAT on Real Estate sales, re-introduction of 3% flat VAT rate for traders and the abolition of the 17.5% VAT on domestic airline tickets.

"Horizons offices is one successful Ghana-Kenya business establishment in Accra and we can assure the management of governments support for smooth operations and expansion. I entreat the Kenya Trade Expo Ghana to do more to encourage Kenyan businesses into the country." He continued.

He was speaking to a select number of business people gathered at the picturesque deck of Horizons Offices, to witness a successful Ghana -Kenya business partnership.

Horizons Offices Ghana is located in the 8th floor of the iconic One-Airport Square in Accra. It is a business venture between Kenyan Investor - Mr. Ian Kabiru and Ghana's Technology Guru - Mr. Herman Chinnery-Hesse.

The Minister was received by the Acting Chair of the Kenyan Community in Ghana Mr. Albert Ngumba, who revealed that Kenyans had ventured into several areas of business in Ghana. He expressed gratitude for support received from Ghana Government, citing a recent meeting of the Kenyan community executives, with the Foreign Affairs Minister.

The Country Manager for Horizons Offices made a statement on behalf of his Directors and continued to take guests on a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities.

On the visit, guests got to stop-in one of the client offices including those of the renowned Nii-Ardey Clegg.

After the tour, Co-Founder of the Kenya Trade Expo gave a brief on the Kenya Trade Expo in Ghana, which was founded to foster such Ghana-Kenya partnerships.

She urged the business community and corporate bodies to take advantage of the platform created by the Kenya Trade Expo Ghana, to enhance trade between Kenya and Ghana. "It is our belief that when Private Sector acts in tandem with political will, we will be able to break the barriers hindering Intra-Africa trade." she said.

She thanked the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre for having supported the Maiden Kenya Expo and having agreed to partner a second time around.

Mr. Carl Nelson, the Chief Operating Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre urged all the Ghana-Kenya businesses, to register with the GIPC. This would allow them take advantage of the GIPC's extensive network and business services.

He reiterated the GIPC's support for the Kenya Trade Expo and thanked the Founders for their dedication to enhancing trade between Kenya and Ghana.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has expressed confidence in the Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Samuel Yaw Annor to improve the scheme which is in a critical condition.

He made this revelation when Dr Annor and other functionaries of the NHIA paid a courtesy call on him during the observation of Awukudae at the Manhyia Palace last Wednesday.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed appreciation for the visit and admonished Dr Annor to keep faith with Ghanaians and work hard to meet their expectations. He conveyed his hope in the new leadership of the NHIA to manage the health care insurance to the benefit of all Ghanaians.

Accompanying the Chief Executive, were Prof. Adu-Gyamfi and some directors of the scheme in the Ashanti Region.

Dr Annor was at the Manhyia Palace to seek the blessing and support of Manhyia Palace in implementing the vision of his Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The NHIS is currently in a critical situation and owes its service providers arrears of over One billion Ghana Cedis.
Police say AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran has confessed to meeting Sukesh Chandrasekhar, the arrested middleman in the Election Commission bribery case, thinking he was a high court judge. On Monday, Delhi Police interrogated Dinakaran for a third consecutive day.

By Shalini Lobo: AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran has confessed to meeting Sukesh Chandrasekhar, the arrested middleman in the Election Commission bribery case, under the impression that he was a high court judge, police said on Monday.

Dinakaran, who was grilled by the Delhi Police for a third consecutive day, had so far maintained that did not know Sukesh, and that he hadn't met him.

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However, the leader, who is accused of trying to bribe an Election Commission official in a bid to retain the two-leaves symbol of AIADMK, denied having paid any money to Sukesh in this regard, police said.

On Monday, Dinakaran was questioned for several hours. He arrived at the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri at 3:45 pm, and left at 12:40 am on Tuesday morning.

Police claim to have incriminating evidence against Dinakaran. They have recordings of phone conversations between him and Sukesh regarding the deal, sources claim.

Dinakaran has been asked to be present by 5 pm today.

Meanwhile, Sukesh Chandrashekhar's judicial custody ends today, and he has to be produced before court.

DINAKARAN'S FRIEND, P.A. QUIZZED

Police started by interrogating Dinakaran's personal assistant Janardhan. They also quizzed his longtime friend Mallikarjuna, who has been accompanying him everywhere ever since Sukesh was arrested, police said.

It was only around 6 PM that Dinakaran's questioning began, they said.

On sustained quizzing, Dinakaran said he had met Sukesh, who had posed as a high court judge and sought to help him in the matter, police sources said.

However, he denied paying money to the middleman, the sources said, adding the Crime Branch officers also confronted Dinakaran and Sukesh.

Dinakaran had come under the scanner after the arrest of the alleged middleman Sukesh, and had since maintained having no idea about him. On Sunday, he was grilled by the police for 11 hours.

The controversial leader had earlier been summoned by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.

SURPRISE VISITOR

A surprise visitor at the crime branch today was Senior Advocate B Kumar.

Kumar was in charge of all Jayalalithaa's cases, including her disproportionate assets case, and worked as her legal aide for almost two decades. He was asked to pay a visit to the crime branch late on Monday evening.

While the other advocates sat outside the office, sources claim Kumar went into the room where the interrogation was taking place.

B Kumar, Sukesh Chandrashekar, Janardhana and Mallikarjuna have been asked to take part in the interrogation at 11 am today.

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AIADMK REVOLT

Having been appointed as deputy general secretary by jailed AIADMK chief V S Sasikala, Dinakaran 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 the 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.

ALSO READ | AIADMK symbol row: Dinakaran grilled by Delhi Police for second consecutive day

ALSO READ | For AIADMK's Dinakaran, is it the end of road or just another master plan?

ALSO WATCH | AIADMK twin-leaf symbol row: Delhi Police grills TTV Dinakaran over money trail

--- ENDS ---
A former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru-Limuna, has disclosed that the loss of former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the December 7, 2016 polls was self-inflicted.

He disclosed in an exclusive interview with mynewsgh.com that the possibility that some elements within the party sabotaged the then President to lose in order to pave the way for their presidential and vice-presidential ambitions could not be ruled out.

I would not rule that out and I would not want to say that publicly. If I get the opportunity in any meeting that is indoors, I can raise it. There were people who wanted John to fail so that they could push their agendas of being presidents, vice-presidents and whatever, he stated.

According to him, there are a lot of key members within the NDC who are nursing ambitions to lead the party in 2020, insisting that Mr John Mahama remains the best bet for the party in 2020.

He is the one who is spiritually and physically capable to lead the party to victory in 2020. It is either John Mahama or no one else. My prayer, however, is that he should accept to go as our candidate in 2020 despite claims by his family that he will not run again, he told mynewsgh.com.

Alhaji Limuna said the former President, per the Constitution, was still qualified to run and if successful, rule for another four-year term; indicating that he has contributed immensely to the development of the country, and that his track record will be largely depended on for the 2020 campaigns.
Ghana needs at least GH20billon to reclaim land surface damaged by years of illegal mining activities.

Lands and Natural Resources minister Peter Amewu found out that it cost between GH60,000 to 70,000 to reclaim a hectare of damaged land.

Peter Amewu revealed at least 1.5% of Ghana's land surface of 228,000 sq km has been destroyed through irresponsible mining.

That works out as 342,000 hectares. A hectare of land is nearly as big as international rugby field.

Photo: Waikato Stadium Hamilton, New Zealand - An international rugby field as pictured above is very close to one hectare in size.

The Ghana government will, therefore, require GH20.5 billion to ensure that about 342,000 rugby fields are repaired.

The minister said reclamation of the damaged land size is a lot of work which could take years to finish, the minister said.

"This is something that we can do with the availability of funds," the minister assured.

The minister said illegal miners can expect to get jobs through a massive reclamation project he said is part of government's Multilateral Mining Integrated Programme.

The land reclamation project is going to be a 'huge, huge job opportunity', the minister told journalists who were part of an entourage visiting mining sites in the Western region.

The region has seen the water in the River Pra turn into creamy gold.

The Western regional tour has entered its second day with a visit to Golden Star mining company in the Prestea Huni Valley which has successfully reclaimed lands it mined.

The minister and his entourage were impressed seeing an 'artificial forest' created nine years ago out of lands reclaimed after the company had closed its mining pits.

'This is not a natural forest' Francis Sarfo, responsible for the company's environmental management, pointed to flourishing flora and said 'what you see here is an area that was once a pit'.

"If you are told this is a mining site, you wouldn't believe it" Joy News Latif Iddrisu reported.

He pointed to 1.2 hectares of land reclaimed by the company which is now farm lands for residents.

Mr. Sarfo said the residents have planted cassava and plantain on these former mining pits proving that there can be life after mining.

Reclamation of contaminated lands is typically done by removing any hazardous materials, reshaping the land, restoring topsoil, and planting native grasses, trees, or ground cover.

Impressed by the work, the minister lauded the company and said it is an example of how environmentally safe mining should be done.

"We are not stopping mining. We are not against mining. We are stopping the methodology that is in Ghana now. We need to mine in a sustainable manner" the 'galamsey' minister stressed.

Government will also embark on a similar project albeit on a larger scale, the minister indicated.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]
Ibrahim Mahama

24.04.2017 LISTEN

Theres a video making the rounds on social media about a corrupt politician, an MP of the Ukranian parliament who was apprehended by citizens campaigning against corruption and thrown into a rubbish dump at the Ukranian parliament. Yes, this actually happened and it is citizens way of taking control of their democracy by fighting corrupt politicians. If you havent seen it yet, here you are. I will return to this video later.

Not long ago, Ghanaians were outraged by the actions of the so called delta force in Kumasi for defying the president and resisting the appointment of the Ashanti regional security coordinator.. These individuals were arrested and prosecuted. They were even denied bail which led to another group of delta force members invading the courtroom to release their colleagues. The public outrage intensified against this lawlessness and what was perceived as an attack on the Judiciary. This new group was again arrested and prosecuted and Ghanaians of all walks of life condemned their actions.

I do not want to go into whether resisting a public official who is perceived to be corrupt, inept and incompetent is a crime in a democracy and whether the action of delta force was not a bailable offence. They were denied bail for invading the office to remove an appointed officer from office.

Not so long ago, a well known celebrity was caught red handed, trying to steal a government owned V8 vehicle. He was in the process of remodeling it and respraying to conceal its identity. The intention to steal was clear. As of press time, no arrest has been made and no prosecution of this thief. He was just made to handover over the vehicle and go scot free. Stealing is criminal if the law enforcement authorities have forgotten what it means.

A number of politicians appropriated state properties to themselves including buildings and cars, some were caught and the properties retrieved from them but no prosecution. Many walked away with the stolen properties and are enjoying them with impunity. Taking something that does not belong to you is criminal. At least, in the delta force case, justice was done. They were arrested and prosecuted. What about the case of the celebrity who tried to steal a state V8 vehicle? Has justice been served?

The news of the month of April is that a certain well known and well connected businessman is said to have issued 44 dud cheques to a particular state institution with a clear intent to defraud the state. This is criminal. When caught, hes made to just pay the money perhaps on his own terms and without prosecution. Where is the public outrage? Has justice been served?

Something has gone wrong, very, very wrong with our democracy.

What has gone wrong with our democracy is the lack of law enforcement and the apparent discharge given to big men whiles the poor mmobrowa are denied similar treatment. A businessman issues dud cheques to a State Institution clearly reflecting an intent to defraud the State and instead of prosecuting him for fraud, we arrange for him to pay (presumably on his agreed time period). Meanwhile the poor mmobrowa who steals a bunch of banana to eat is never given the opportunity to pay for the banana. He is sent straight to jail. This is how a friend summed up his frustrations with Ghana.

I just do not get it. How? And the institution owed continued taking the checks? If true, Abolish the establishment right now. Jail those in charge, not cassava thieves, ma people. Where is the outrage, Ghanaians?!

This country seems to have two set of laws, one for the ordinary man on the street and the other for the politicians, the rich and the powerful and the well connected. We will make no progress as a nation if we did not dismantle our two face approach to law enforcement. South Korea just impeached its president for corruption allegations and she is being prosecuted. The head of the countrys best known global brand, Samsung is also being prosecuted for bribery and corruption. Who contributes more to the Korean economy in terms of taxes paid to the state, creating jobs, and putting Korea on the map than Samsung? However, if you break the law, you are dealt with according to the law. Nobody is above the law. That is what civilized nations do.

In Ghana, some people are clearly above the law. There are some who think they are untouchables in our society. They commit crimes and get away with it with impunity. There is selective application of the law. The delta force members were considered as riff raffs so were denied bail whereas the celebrity who tried to steal a V8 vehicle walks free and a prominent businessman who has committed fraud by issuing 44 dud cheques is given time to pay and has his freedom. Will he even pay? Woyome was asked to pay us back our money and it has been several years now but has not paid.

Now back to the alleged corrupt Ukranian member of parliament who was seized and thrown into the rubbish dump by anti corruption protesters, can that happen in Ghana? Politicians in Ghana think they are untouchable. They will invoke the law attacking a public official to protect themselves. In places like Ukraine, citizens are alert and jealously guarding their democracy. They are protecting their democracy not politicians. In Ghana, we are protecting our politicians and their family and friends not our democracy. If what you see in that video happens in Ghana, you bet we will blame vigilante groups for orchestrating it. It is what I call citizens vigilantism to protect and defend our democracy.

I call on the president to ensure that the law is applied equally across the board in Ghana. The President swore an oath to do justice to all manner of persons and to protect and defend the constitution of Ghana. Let the poor and the rich be equal in the face of the law in this country. Selective application of the law is taking us back and doing a great deal of harm to our democracy. Its not everything about vigilantism is bad, we need citizen vigilantes like Martin Amidu to fight for equal rights and justice for all, and fight against corruption, favouritism and cronyism.

Ben Ofosu Appiah,

Accra  Ghana.

The writer is a senior public policy expert, policy advisor, and policy strategist. He welcomes your comments; [email protected] Tel #: +233 -26-765-5383.
Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan have recently equipped busy intersections with automatic pedestrian gates that only open when the traffic light turns green.

The measure is aimed at preventing jaywalking, which has become a serious problem in many urban centers across China.

Chinese officials have been cracking down on jaywalkers for years. Jaywalking in the Asian country, often referred to as Chinese-style street crossing, often involves pedestrians completely ignoring traffic signals and crossing busy streets and roads, usually in large groups.

This contributes heavily to traffic jams and bottlenecks in busy Chinese cities, and fines havent proven as effective a deterrent as authorities had hoped.

In the past couple of years, weve seen a variety of bizarre measures meant to deter jaywalking, including shaming offenders by making them wear green caps, painting red lines on the pavement to make people think twice before crossing a road, or placing injured mannequins and white crosses on roads to highlight the danger jaywalking are exposing themselves to. These havent been working too well either.

Now, traffic officials in Wuhan, Chinas Hubei province, are trying a different approach  stopping people from jaywalking in busy intersections with the helps of automated pedestrian gates, the kind you normally see at subway stations.

For now, they have only been installed on either side of several pedestrian crossing, but if they prove effective, authorities plan to have them installed all around the city.

The gates only allow pedestrians to cross the road when the traffic light turns green, and close as the red light comes on. But what prevents people from just going around the gates, or just jumping over them as they do at the subway ticketing stations, right? Well officials have considered that possibility as well, and have announced that surveillance cameras above the gates monitor activity at all times, and offenders will be shamed by having their faces displayed on digital billboards in the area.

Jaywalking has often been described as a cultural problem in China, with citizens displaying a complete lack of principles and total disregard for the law.

Others claim that authorities and infrastructure are to blame. Chinese writer Yuan Xiaobin told Quartz that in Germany traffic lights are programmed to last no longer than 60 seconds, which is the amount of time studies found that German residents would wait to cross the street, but in China they can last for up to 90 seconds.

And when the light does turn green for pedestrians, theres no telling if the cars will actually allow them to cross.

The measure may prove to be very expensive, especially if one commenters prediction comes true. Someone might take away the turnstile and sell it for scrap metal, he joked.
24.04.2017 LISTEN

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it has no role in EOCOs investigations into some dishonoured cheques issued by businessman Ibrahim Mahama.

GRAs Assistant Commissioner for Communications, Robert Mensah told Joy News Monday the Authority did not trigger the anti-graft agencys probe into the matter.

He said the Authority has its own internal mechanism that is applied to businesses and business owners who default in their tax-related payments.

Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) logo

EOCO has directed the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners to pay the amount of GHC12 million owed the state by May 8, 2017.

The amount represents duty for some heavy equipment his company, MBG Ltd. cleared at the Tema Port in 2015.

The GRA said former President John Mahamas brother issued 44 cheques to offset the debt, but they were dishonoured.

Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama

He was invited by EOCO and reportedly interrogated on the bounced cheques for eight hours. Mr Mahama was released and directed to pay the money with interest.

Some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) massed up at the premises of EOCO to demand the release of the businessman. They claim Mr Mahama is being politically persecuted.

But the GRA official said the Authority is unaware of the issue EOCO is investigating.

He said the Authority has used its internal process right from the first day when the companies defaulted on payment.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected]
24.04.2017 LISTEN

A man believed to be in his twenties, identified as Enoch Arthur, popularly known as Paa Joe, who hails from Gomoa Afransi, the District Capital of Gomoa East, in the Central region was found dead in a gutter last Tuesday.

He was found lifeless in a gutter in cold blood at a location between Gomoa Osamkrom and Gomoa Abaasa near a coffin sale point on the Winneba-Swedru road.

The horrific incident happened after several search for the young man by his family members proved abortive in Gomoa Afransi and its environs.

His body was later discovered by his family members based on a tipoff by one taxi driver also a native of the town who used to know him.

The place where he was found is not too far from the Ghana Prison Service.

According to the driver, not too long before his death, he saw Paa Joe on the Winneba road heading towards Gomoa Abaasa around Gomoa Awobrew.

The taxi driver indicated that since Paa Joe is a grown up, he thought the deceased was going to do his own business at that place when he saw him so he did not bother to question him or get into his affairs.

He didnt show any sign of being helplessness since I saw him very fit and healthy enough.

According to the Taxi driver, it was after he returned to the town that he heard the announcement being made about his missing.

The deceased is said to be the first born of Mr. Patrick Arthur, drinking bar attendant at Gomoa Afransi.

Meanwhile the residents suspect that the deceased might have been knocked down by hit-and-run driver on that road.

The deceased, Enock Arthur, left behind a wife and three children with the last born being 10-months old now.
Kumasi, April 24, GNA - The Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital - the nation's second largest referral facility, has taken delivery of large quantity of antiseptics and sanitizers, costing in excess of GH15,000.00.

These were a donation from PZ Cussons, a major manufacturer of personal healthcare products and consumer goods.

Madam Hafsa Arthur, the Head of Brands, handed over the camel antiseptic, camel baby and carex hand sanitizers at a ceremony.

She said it was in response to the plea by the MBU for increased support to prevent cross infections, which had remained a major headache to the health professionals because of the congestion at the place.

Madam Arthur said she was confident that the supply of the products - specially made to kill bacterial and germs, would help make things better.

She indicated that using the antiseptics to bath, care for the baby's skin and disinfect the wards, would provide tremendous protection for new born babies and their mothers.

She used the occasion to applaud the health professionals for what she labeled as the 'wonderful job' they were doing, under challenging conditions and asked that they continued to give it their all to save mothers and their babies

Professor Emmanuel Addo-Yobo, Head of Department of the Hospital's Child Health Directorate, said they were determined to bring down maternal and child mortality at the facility.

He said even though they had been operating under difficult conditions, they would not be deterred.

He thanked the company for the gesture and invited other corporate bodies, individuals and groups, to find space to contribute to the cause of saving lives.

GNA

By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA
A Local Governance analyst, George Kyei-Baffour, says the failure of the President to appoint substantive Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), is having a toll on the administration of the various assemblies.

Mr. Kyei-Baffour opined that, President Nana Akufo-Addo should have been bounded by some timelines to nominate MMDCEs.

MMDCEs are nominated by the President pursuant to Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, Act 462.

This country is governed within the framework of a constitution and in article 243 (1), the prerogative is granted to the President, but unfortunately for us, we did not attach any timelines to the appointments, more especially when we are in a transition period.

When it happened in 2001, it took a longer period. When it happened in 2009, again, it took a longer period, the analyst noted.

Govt missed March 2017 deadline

In March 2017, the government had assured that the appointments of MMDCEs will be made by the end of that month.

This was soon followed by President Akufo-Addo nominating four Metropolitan Chief Executives for Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale, who were approved by their respective assemblies.

They are Iddrisu Musah, also known as Musa Superior, who is headed for the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, a former Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the NPP for Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Anthony K.K Sam, also a former Western Regional Secretary of the NPP for Sekondi/Takoradi, and Osei Assibey Antwi for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

However, 212 persons are yet to be nominated for the remaining assemblies a month after the government deadline.

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama disclosed to Citi News that the Akufo-Addo administration had finished the vetting of prospective MMDCEs at the regional level, and was validating them at the national level.



By: Franklin Badu Jr/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Youths who hitherto have fled Ekpu, a fishing community near Half Assini in the Jomoro District of the Western Region for fear of being brutalized by the Police, are yet to return to the town according to the Assemblyman of the community Peter Miezah. Peter Miezah explained that this situation has slowed economic activity in the area especially since most of the youths are into fishing which is a major source of livelihood for the community.

It would be recalled that Onua Fm broke the story of how Police from the Western Regional Command numbering 100, have invaded the small fishing community in the early hours of Tuesday 11th April 2017, a situation the Assemblyman of the area described as hostage situation. Member of Parliament for Jomoro and Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs Paul Essien also said the invasion by the Police was purposely to revenge for an attack at Half Assini Police station orchestrated by the youth from Ekpu, following which the Western Regional Police Commander DCOP Kwesi Mensah Duku in a media briefing said 50 youths were picked for further interrogation.

However Peter Miezah said the youths who fled to Cote Divoire and adjoin towns are yet to return. Explaining the latest development to host of Onua Fm morning show Bright Kwesi Asempa, the Assemblyman said every attempt to convince them to come back prove futile. He said they youths have express worry that should they come back to the town, they will be arrested and brutalized, hence they have decided to remain at exile until the situation steamer down.

They are terrified and when you come to the town, it is only the old folks and school children that are there. We are fisher folks and this is having effect on our businesses. We are talking to them but they are not willing to come because they are afraid

In a related development, the Western Regional Police Commander has refuted claims that the police offered 5000 Ghana Cedis to the family of suspect who died in Police custody at Half-Assini. DCOP Kwesi Mensah Duku said his outfit has not given any money for compensation and the story must be disregarded. He however said, 16 out of the 50 people who have been picked up from Ekpu have been granted bail to reappear on 16th May 2017.
The Western Regional Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie, has said that Ghana's premium cocoa risks being banned on the international market, due to the huge heavy metals unleashed into the soil in cocoa growing areas by illegal miners.

He said if the situation is not checked, the consequences of a ban will be far reaching on Ghana.

Speaking at a press engagement at the Regional Coordinating Council in Sekondi on Friday, Dr. Afriyie, who is a renowned cocoa farmer with several years of experience, explained that Galamsey has the potential of destroying Ghanas cocoa.

Indeed, if we do not take care, if they [galamseyers] left lose some of these heavy metals into the environment and it gets absorbed, Ghana faces the potential of its cocoa being boycotted on the international market. The mercury that the gala people use releases heavy metals like arsenic and other things. This must be addressed, he added.

Illegal miners over the past few years, have invaded the three leading cocoa growing districts in the Western Region.

The Wassa Amenfi East, West and Central districts, are now the leading cocoa growing districts in the country.

However, it is in these districts that illegal mining activity have heightened.

Mercury use in illegal small scale mining in Ghana continues to be the most commonly used methods in extracting gold.

Even though Ghana has recently ratified a Minamata Convention which seeks to reduce the use of mercury use in alluvial small scale mining and replace it with other proven methods, mercury use is yet to see reduction to acceptable levels.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singhs wife today alleged that the CBI has not followed the due process in its probe into a disproportionate assets case and urged a city court not to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed against them.

Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal, thereafter, sought the CBIs response on Pratibha Singhs plea by May 1.

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The plea stated that the court should first decide whether the material relied upon by the CBI in its final report, which was reportedly collected during its probe in the state without taking the Himachal Pradesh governments approval, can be considered for the purpose of cognisance by the judge or not.

"The consent of the concerned state is mandatory per- requisite for the CBI to derive jurisdiction to carry out investigation in any area within the territory limit of the state," the plea said.

The plea, moved through advocate Vijay Aggarwal, said that no power can be exercised by any member of the CBI in an area falling within the territorial boundaries of a state without the consent of the government of that state.

"It is a pre-condition for the CBI to assume jurisdiction. Since there is no consent granted by the state government of Himachal Pradesh to the CBI to investigate the case in question, the CBI had no jurisdiction to probe the offences against the applicant persons (those arrayed by CBI as accused in the charge sheet) in any area within the state," he said.

He said the issue was liable to be decided by the special court before taking cognisance of the charge sheet.

The court was hearing the matter in which the CBI had filed a charge sheet against the Chief Minister claiming that he had amassed assets worth Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate by 192 per cent to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister.

The final report, filed against nine people for alleged offences punishable under section 109 (abetment) and 465 (punishment for forgery) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, arrayed around 225 witnesses and 442 documents. The CBI had filed its charge sheet on March 31 this year.

Besides the 82-year-old Congress leader and his wife Pratibha, the CBI has also named LIC agency Anand Chauhan, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, stamp paper vendor Joginder Singh Ghalta, MD of Tarani Infrastructure V Chandrasekhar among others as accused, charging them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption among others. Chauhan is now in judicial custody.

The apex court had on November 5 last year transferred Singhs plea from Himachal Pradesh High Court to Delhi High Court.

The court today fixed May 17 for hearing arguments on charge in a separate money laundering case filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the LIC agent. The ED case came out of the present CBI complaint.

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Both the charge sheets are the outcome of the same offence as alleged by the two agencies. In the charge sheet filed by the ED, the chief minister has not been arrayed as an accused but a witness.

The court had on September 7 last year taken cognisance of the ED charge sheet filed against Chauhan.

The charge sheet was filed for offences under sections 3 (money-laundering) and 4 (punishment for the offence) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Act.

The ED has said Singh "while serving as a Union minister had invested huge amounts in purchasing LIC policies in his own name and those of his family members through Chauhan".

Chauhan was arrested by the ED from Chandigarh on July 9 last year under the provisions of PMLA on the ground that he was allegedly not cooperating with the probe. PTI UK ARC

--- ENDS ---
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has registered its displeasure with governments handling of businessman Ibrahim Mahama over some dishonoured cheques.

The NDC said former President John Mahama's brother did not commit any crime when he issued 44 cheques to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) that turned out to be dud.

The cheques were to offset debts incurred by two companies - MBG Limited and Holman Brothers - for the clearance of some heavy duty equipment at the Tema Port in 2015.

NDC National Organiser, Kofi Adams

NDC National Organiser, Kofi Adams told Evans Mensah on Joy FM's Top Story Monday, government's handling of the issue smacks of an attempt to victimise the businessman because of his link to the past administration.

"Ghanaians did not spend time to vote for a government to go after political opponent to destroy their businesses," he said. "This is not right."

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has directed the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners to pay the amount of GHC12 million owed the state by May 8, 2017.

This followed several failed attempts by the GRA to redeem the money from Mr Mahama.

The former President's brother was invited by EOCO to aid it in its investigation of the matter on two occasions last week. He was invited on Tuesday and Friday.

After some interrogation which lasted for eight hours, the businessman was asked to make payment or risk losing the equipment he cleared at the Port.

GRA Assistant Commissioner for Communications, Robert Mensah told Joy News the Authority has given Mr Mahama two weeks to ensure his companies redeem their debt..

But the NDC has, from the first day the businessman was invited, described the probe by EOCO as "political witch hunting" triggered by government.

Mr Adams said it is not right for government to terminate the payment arrangement between Mr Mahama and GRA. "Why defy this arrangement and make it criminal?"

He said Mr Mahama has not denied owing the state for which reason he does not deserve the bad reportage which could potentially affect his businesses in the country.

"This government must stop witch hunting innocent citizens," he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected]
Hundreds of angry residents mostly illegal small scale miners in the Prestea Hemang District of the Western Region are up in arms against government's decision to ban activities of illegal small scale miners.

The residents took to the chief's palace, Monday, where two deputies of the Lands and Natural Resources had been meeting the chief to discuss how to end the scourge of illegal mining.

Swearing at the government officials, the angry residents chanted war songs threatening to vote out the NPP government in the 2020 elections if it does not stop the campaign against galamsey.

Joy News' Latif Iddris who was present at the scene reported the protest was quite spontaneous with the number of protesters increasing with every blink of the eye.

They accused the Nana Akufo-Addo government of deceiving them during the 2016 elections.

According to them, then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo promised to streamline the illegal mining activities if voted into office only for him to do the opposite- ban the activity now that he is in office.

The protestors told Iddris the only job they are used to, since birth is mining and that should not be taken away from them.

The protestors could not however present a petition to the two deputy ministers.

Rather, there was a durbar held for the two parties to explain their positions on the galamsey menace, Latif Iddris reported.

According to him both Benito Owusu Bio and Barbera Oteng Gyasi took turns to explain to the residents government's position on the galamsey menace- a position of sustained combat of illegal mining.

The residents also pointed out to the two ministers the extent to which a ban of illegal mining will affect them.

With no jobs for them to do, the residents explained their main source of livelihood is mining, and the proceeds have been used in funding education of their children and providing food, clothing.

They reiterated their threat to vote out the NPP in 2020 if the government continues its campaign against illegal mining.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu said the $10 million land reclamation programme will begin sooner than later.

He dismissed assertion the government is banning all mining activity, saying we are not stopping mining but we will mine in a sustainable manner.

There has been a renewed fight against illegal mining in 2017. The campaign started by the media and other civil society groups has received massive support from government.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah
The Hague (AFP) - International judges on Monday unsealed an arrest warrant for Libya's former security chief, accusing him of carrying out war crimes in 2011 to quash opposition to late dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

The warrant, first issued in 2013 by the International Criminal Court, charges Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, once head of Libya's internal security agency, with three charges of war crimes and four crimes against humanity.

Between February and August 2011, the Libyan military, intelligence and security agencies carried out attacks on the civilian population "in furtherance of a policy designed by the Libyan state to quash the political opposition to the Kadhafi regime by any means," the warrant said.

That included "lethal force and by arresting, detaining, torturing and abusing perceived political opponents".

Prisoners in various places across Libya "were subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including severe beatings, electrocution, acts of sexual violence and rape, solitary confinement" as well as mock executions.

As head of the agency from February to August 2011, Khaled "had the authority to implement Kadhafi's orders," it added.

The prosecutor's office asked for the warrant to be made public as it "may facilitate (his) arrest and surrender as all states will then be aware of its existence," the court said.

Born in the Janzour area of Libya, west of Tripoli, in 1942, Khaled was known by several aliases, and had "at least 10 different passports, some issued under other identities," the warrant says.

The warrant appeals to the authorities in Egypt to co-operate with the court's request for his arrest and surrender.

According to Libyan media, he was arrested in Cairo in April 2012, but was released again as there was no warrant against him. Since then he is believed to have dropped out of sight.
Accra April 24, GNA - Richard Isaac Dankyi, who allegedly took turns to have anal sex with three kids, two males aged six and eight years respectively at Teshie, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Dankyi, an uncle to the victims, who is facing six counts of defilement, has pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over Mrs Marian Affoah has admitted Dankyi, a 29 year fashion designer to bail in the sum of 10,000 cedis with four sureties.

The court ordered the case investigator to verify the residential and occupational addresses of all the four sureties and ensure that they are of substantial means sufficient to post bail for the accused person.

The matter has been adjourned to April 29.

Mr Emmanuel Addai, who presented the accused person, prayed for bail.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Adolphine Dzansi told the court that the complainant was a businessman residing at Ablekumah and he was the father of the female victim aged eight years and her two brothers.

The three victims live with their mother at Teshie Bush road. The accused person also resides at Teshie.

DSP Dzansi said often times the victims were left in the care of Dankyi whenever their mother leaves for town.

According to the prosecutor, Police investigations have revealed that between last year and this year, Dankyi made the victims strip naked, laid them on his bed and had anal sex with them in turns.

Sometimes, prosecution said he had anal sex with one of the male victims in bathroom. On April 10, this year, Dankyi again took victims into his bedroom and had bouts of anal sex with the victims.

Four days later, DSP Dzansi said the complainant went for the victims to spend the Easter Holidays with him.

On April 15, this year, the complainant detected that the female child was unable to walk properly and when he quizzed her, she claimed she was sick.

A witness in the case who questioned the two other male victims revealed the ordeal they had gone through in the hands of the accused person.

The female victim was sent to the Rinant Hospital at East Legon and the medical officer confirmed that she had been defiled and asked the complainant to report the matter to the Police.

Subsequently, a report was made to the Police at East Legon where an extract of occurrence was prepared and forwarded to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, Accra for further investigations.

The complainant was also issued with a Police medical form to send the three victims to the hospital and same was returned after they had been endorsed by a medical officer.

Dankyi was later arrested.

GNA

By Joyce Danso GNA
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's powerful security agency on Monday accused breakaway South Sudan of staging talks with rebels fighting Khartoum's forces in two southern states, with the goal of "extending the war" there.

In a statement, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said South Sudanese President Salwa Kiir, his deputy Taban Deng and top army commanders held meetings last week with the SPLM-N rebel group.

The group -- the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) -- is fighting Khartoum's forces in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

"These meetings were aimed at extending the war in Sudan," NISS said.

"South Sudan continues to host Sudanese rebels."

As part of this policy, Kiir and Deng held "intensive" meetings with SPLM-N in Juba between Wednesday and Saturday, NISS said.

"We are warning the South Sudanese government to stop intervening in Sudanese affairs," NISS said.

It bitterly contrasted South Sudan's policy with Khartoum's humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have arrived fleeing war and famine in their own country.

"While Sudan has opened its borders to South Sudanese citizens, the government of South Sudan is responding by hosting Sudanese rebels," NISS said.

Officials say that during his visit to Khartoum in September, Deng had given assurances that Juba would expel rebels fighting Sudanese forces.

Armed revolts on both sides of the border have soured relations between Khartoum and Juba.

South Sudan split from Sudan in 2011 under a peace deal that ended a 22-year civil war.

But Juba and Khartoum have traded allegations of supporting each other's rebels on their territory, charges which both countries deny.

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, fell into a brutal civil war in December 2013.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the country since then and more than two and a half million people driven from their homes.

Sudan is hosting about 380,000 South Sudanese refugees who have arrived since the war erupted, the UN's refugee agency says.

The influx has swelled in recent months after South Sudan declared a famine in parts of the country.

In late March, Sudan opened a "humanitarian corridor" for delivering food aid to thousands of South Sudanese suffering from famine in Unity State and Bahr El Ghazal.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) says it protected the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel after fire gutted some commercial properties within the facility on Saturday.

The GNFS has dismissed claims that it was sluggish in handling the fire outbreak that gutted some commercial properties at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.

GNFS PRO, Prince Billy Anaglatey told Joy News Monday the strategies they adopted in handling the inferno helped it to save the adjoining buildings.

What we did was to position five tenders permanently on the ground and to ensure that there is no spread of fire to the other adjoining facilities, he said, adding firefighters did not run out of water.

The GNFS has come under severe criticism after fire destroyed some commercial properties belonging to Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) 2016 Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom.

The fire is reported to have started at 5:00 p.m. and raged for several hours while fire tenders were on the scene.

Officials of Groupe Nduom have estimated the loss at $1 billion, but Coconut Grove Hotel was not affected by the inferno.

Sections of Ghanaians accused the GNFS of running out of water which resulted in its inability to douse the fire on time.

A management of Groupe Nduom also criticized the firefighters for their lethargic attitude in handling the fire.

On Joy FMs Super Morning Show, Kofi Asamoah Siaw, minced no words in criticising personnel of the Fire Service.

Management of Groupe Nduom, Kofi Asamoah Siaw

He said the firefighters stood by the street in front of the hotel while they tried to extinguish the fire.

But the firefighters in their reaction said fighting fire is not as simple as handling a candle fire that could be blown off without much difficult.

Mr Anaglatey said it is not the massive application of water to inferno that extinguishes it. "If we are not careful the water damage will be more than the destruction from the fire."

He said the extent of damage caused the commercial properties could have been more if firefighters had not followed through with the strategies adopted.

The public is looking at the destruction forgetting that the hotel facility had been protected, he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected]
Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of Nigerias economy. More that 70% of the labor force is concentrated in the agriculture sector. It mostly depends on the small and scattered agricultural farms. The products that they yield are divided into two groups - food crops and industrial crops. The latter can also be referred to as cash crops or export crops.

Agriculture in Nigeria

More than 30% of the population are employed thanks to the agriculture sector. Around 33% of the land area in Nigeria is under cultivation. Around two-thirds of the crops production is contributed by small farms. They use simple production techniques, and usually, the areas are no bigger than two hectares. Farmers either use food crops for home consumption or sale. They spend a lot of time on the farm - usually, it can be the only source of food and money.

The agriculture sector of Nigeria is improving rapidly. The government is making efforts in order to develop the agriculture sector. There are some industrial improvements that will make crops cultivation cheaper and easier.

List of cash crops in Nigeria

There are different cash crops in Nigeria.

There are root cash crops such as:

Taro (cocoyams); Cassava; Yams; Sweet potatoes.

And tree crops such as:

Cacao; Rubber; Oil Palm.

The tree crops are very popular and are the main cash crops of the country, especially cacao and oil palm. The are used to produce cocoa and palm wine.

As previously mentioned, smallholder farmers contribute a lot to the agricultural sector of the country. They grow yams, cowpeas, sorghum, cassava, corn, millet, cocoyams and sweet potatoes on the farms.

In fact, in 2010, Nigeria was the worlds largest producer of sorghum. Currently, it is the biggest producer of Shea nuts. The country is also second largest producer of millet, sweet potato, cashew nuts, groundnut, the third in producing palm kernels and fourth in producing cocoa beans.

Where can the cash crops be found?

There is a wide variety of plants that can be cultivated in Nigeria because of the countrys climate. Most of the cash crops are the ones that can be grown in the tropical and the semitropical areas.

Nigeria is divided into several areas where different crops (both food and industrial) are produced.

Moist areas

READ ALSO: Irrigation farming in Nigeria

Due to the West African climate, the root crops are mostly found in the southern area. Because of the heavy rainfall and relatively short dry seasons, the area is favorable for crops.

The southwest is mostly 'occupied' with the cacao trees, the resource of cocoa. The oil palms are growing in the south-central area and the southeast. They are used to make palm wine. The rubber, one of the main products, is cultivated in the south-central and southeastern parts of the country.

Dry areas

The other part of Nigeria, the north, is mostly dry for five to seven months. But people still manage to grow cash crops in this area. Guinea corn, millet, and cowpeas . Rice is mostly cultivated in the lowland areas. In facts, corn is cultivated there too.

The middle belt

The middle belt is also known as the Guinea savanna region. There are yams, millet, cassava, corn, rice, sorghum and cowpeas. There is also sesame, which is considered one of the most important cash crops in the Guinea savanna region. It is also called beniseed.

As you can see, cash crops are cultivated all over Nigeria. They are significant to the countrys economy.

Non-oil cash crops

Cash crops are usually exported to various countries. The most popular are the oil products (one of them is olive palm), but the non-oil crops are in demand too. What are they?

Cotton

After a boost from the Federal Government of Nigeria, the cotton production sector has increased rapidly. The NACOTAN (National Cotton Association of Nigeria) received millions of naira to develop the area further.

Shea butter

Shea butter is produced from Shea nut, a crop that is quite popular in Nigeria. It is gaining popularity around the world, especially in Japan.

Cassava flour

The cassava flour is used worldwide. It is gluten-free, grain-free so it is no wonder it became so popular among people. It is used to make cakes and breads. It is similar to wheat flour although it mild and neutral in flavor. Because of all these factors, it gained a momentum and now is in high demand. It is made from the cassava root and is similar to yam and taro.

Ginger

Nigeria is one of the largest producers of ginger. The spice is on the top of the world spice market and is actively exported.

Garlic

Garlic is mostly grown by the farmers. It is cultivated in the Savanna zone of the country. Garlic is usually exported to Europe and America.

Yam flour

The yam flour is cultivated in every state of Nigeria. The country is the largest producer of this flour. Even though there is a lot of waste during the producing, the processing and preservation are easy.

Cashew nuts

Nigeria produces about 50000 tons of cashew nuts annually. Almost 80% of it is exported to Brazil, India, and Vietnam. But the problem is that the nuts are exported raw and for relatively low price. The receiving countries process them and sell for a higher value to Europe and North America. Nigeria should consider processing the nuts on their own in order to get more profit.

Sesame seed

More than 25% of world sesame seed is planted in Africa. In fact, Nigeria is one of the major producers of this product.

Chili pepper

This could come as a surprise but Nigeria is considered to be one of the biggest producers of chili pepper on the market. In the country, there are different types of chili pepper and they are in high demand in Europe and America.

Rubber wood

Nigeria is a big producer of rubber wood. The tree crop is now rising in demand and Asia, Europe and U.S are ready to find exporters. The rubber wood can be sold for $250-$350 per cubic meter.

All in all, Nigeria is one of the biggest producers of cash crops in the world. Different kinds of crops are cultivated all over Nigeria due to its various climate areas. The crops are usually cultivated by farmers. They either sell them or use for home consumption. A big amount of crops (cacao, cassava, yam, rubber, cotton, sweet potatoes, etc.) are in high demand. Despite the fact that Nigeria is a big producer, the exports are not as high as they could be.

READ ALSO: Cattle farming in Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
- The presidency is shopping for the replacement of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir Lawal

- This is coming five days after the SGF's suspension

- Two ministers, two senators, and four others are top on the list of those being considered

A report by The Nation indicates that the presidency is already shopping for the replacement of the suspended SGF, Engineer Babachir Lawal barely five days after his suspension.

According to the report, two ministers, two senators, and four others are top on the list of those being considered.

The report further stated that the presidency may have foreclosed the return of Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, to their offices.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, April 19, suspended Lawal and Oke, even as he ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against them.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo-led committee makes vital decision on Jonathan

President Buhari suspended Engineers Lawal as the SGF last week

Legit.ng gathered that the new SGF might assume more roles, as it was during the tenure of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The president is reportedly considering a reduction of the workload of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, by devolving more schedules to the new SGF.

Three geopolitical zones are said to be battling to produce the next SGF. The zones are North-East (seeking the retention of the office), the North-Central and the South-East.

But the real battle is said to be between the North-East and the North-Central.

Those being recommended from the North-Central are minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbe (based on performance in office); serving Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade.

From the North-East are a yet to be named minister, a former ambassador to Botswana, Hajiya Fatima Balla-Abubakar and a former minister of labour and productivity, Senator Joel Ikenya.

President Buhari is said to be considering restructuring the SGF office to be in tandem with that of Obasanjo's government

A source said: The battle for SGF Lawals job is also assuming a religious dimension, with Christians demanding the replacement of the suspended occupant with another Christian.

But the president pays more attention to merit and capacity than religious or ethnic colouration.

Buhari might strengthen the office of the SGF in order to reduce the heavy workload on the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari who is doing a lot now. There are some schedules which ordinarily ought not to be handled by the Chief of Staff but since such matters demand trust, the president saddles him with them.

READ ALSO: Senator Adelekes burial postponed

Meanwhile, the senior special assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu has revealed that more corrupt officials in the current administration would soon be sacked by the president.

Mallam Shehu made the revelation in an exclusive interview with the Daily Trust in Abuja while speaking on the circumstances that led to the suspension of Lawal and Oke.

Source: Legit.ng
- Son of late politician, Moshood Abiola has accused his father's ethnic group as those behind his death

- He said there was a plot to kill his father to stop him from helping the masses

- He is also of the opinion that returning his father's mandate to him after his death is of no use.

Abdulmumini Abiola, the son of late politician and 1993 president elect, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, has said those who killed his father are close to him.

Abiola said he believed in the present administration under Buhari to fish out killers of his father and bring them to justice.

Legit.ng learnt that Abiola's son, who lost both parents in the political turmoil of the 90's said it is shameful that years after his parent's deaths, Nigerians are still being regaled with several version of what led to their untimely death.

He however said that there is no need to return his father's mandate to him by referring to him as ex-president as that is of no use to the late politician or his surviving relatives, Punch reports.

Abiola called on Buhari's administration to unravel the mystery behind MKO's death.

READ ALSO: Presidency begins search for new SGF

He said: "Honestly, I have confidence in this current administration to do the needful. It is a reality that things have been very difficult for the people of this nation.

"I have put the tragedy of my parents  my father and my mother, Chief Kudirat Abiola  behind me. There is nothing I can do about the past but I can have a firm hold on the future; a future for myself, my children, grandchildren and the Nigerian masses.

"It is unfortunate that years after the death of my parents, the country is still being regaled with various versions of what happened and what did not happen.

"Can you imagine? My father died in 1998 and were still discussing his death as if he died recently. I feel there was something my father was trying to do and the powers that be then didnt want him to do that. What could that possibly be? What did MKO do to deserve that death? We want to know.

These were people from his own ethnic group; they cut him (Abiola) into pieces and shared his meat. The decision (to kill him) that they made back then, are they enjoying it now? We cant go back in time but going into the future we can avoid making the same old mistake, which is the most important thing."

READ ALSO: Magu says EFCC recovered N17bn in just four months

On his father being honoured posthumously and referred to as ex-president of Nigeria, Abiola said: "That might just be a symbolic measure actually; my father has been long dead. Whats the point of giving him back his mandate when hes no longer alive to accept it? They should keep the mandate.

"For me, any posthumous award is a distraction from the countrys present ugly situation. It might be fitting to honour with that if the country has changed for the better and people can look back with a smile.

"Forget about such mandate, people need to survive and they trust in the government to provide an enabling environment to explore profitable opportunities. It will be difficult to honour my father without the masses being given a new lease of life. My father wanted to give the Nigerian masses a better life."

Source: Legit.ng
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off the west coast of Chile today, rocking the capital Santiago and generating at least two significant aftershocks. It didn't produce any serious damage.

By Reuters: A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off the west coast of Chile today, rocking the capital Santiago and briefly causing alarm along the Pacific Coast but sparing the quake-prone nation of any serious damage.

The quake was centered about 85 miles (137 km) from Santiago, and some 22 miles (35 km) west of the coastal city of Valparaiso. The U.S. Geological Survey twice revised the magnitude before settling on 6.9, a strength usually capable of causing severe damage.

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The epicenter's shallow depth of 15.5 miles (25 km) below the sea allowed it to be felt hundreds of miles (km) away. Santiago office buildings swayed for about 30 seconds at the end of the workday.

Closer to the epicenter, residents scrambled for higher ground, remembering the lessons of the country's devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2010.

"It was short but very powerful," said Paloma Salamo, a 26-year-old nurse, who was in a clinic in Vina del Mar, just north of Valparaiso, when the quake struck.

People ran from the facility carrying children and some headed for the hills when the tsunami alarm sounded, she said, but calm was soon restored.

"So far there has been no human loss nor significant damage," President Michelle Bachelet said, praising people for evacuating in an orderly fashion in the immediate aftermath.

Officials canceled a tsunami warning that had been issued in Valparaiso. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported small tsunami waves of half a foot (15 cm).

There were no reports of structural damage in Valparaiso, but cellphone networks were down in some places, a spokesman with the local government said.

FELT BEYOND THE ANDES

Videos from the Valparaiso area showed objects falling from store shelves, rocks falling onto roads and lights flickering. The quake was felt as far away as Argentina, on the other side of the Andes.

Interior Minister Mario Fernandez said there had been some landslides but "in general the situation is pretty normal bearing in mind the quake's intensity."

Strict construction codes in Chile limit damage to buildings.

Copper mining was unaffected, according to Chile's state-run Codelco, one of the largest copper mining companies in the world, and Anglo American, which has copper operations in central Chile.

But interruptions in the electricity supply led the Aconcagua oil refinery to temporarily suspend operations for safety reasons, state-run oil firm ENAP said. There was no damage to either of Chile's two refineries, ENAP said.

AFTERSHOCKS

Several aftershocks including two of magnitudes 5.0 and 5.4 were recorded in the same spot and could be felt in Santiago, part of a cluster of tremors from that area in recent days.

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Chile, located on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire," has a long history of deadly quakes, including a 8.8 magnitude quake in 2010 off the south-central coast, which also triggered a tsunami that devastated coastal towns. More than 500 people died.

That was the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded, according to the USGS. The largest recorded temblor in history was also in Chile, a 9.5-magnitude quake in 1960.

The long, slender country runs along the border of two tectonic plates, with the Nazca Plate beneath the South Pacific Ocean pushing into the South America Plate, a phenomenon that also formed the Andes Mountains.

ALSO READ | Magnitude 6.1 quake hits northern Chile (April 15)

ALSO WATCH | NDRF rushes teams to Rudraprayag after 5.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Uttarakhand (February 7)

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- Fayose says President Buhari should go and take care of himself and put Vice President Osinbajo in his place

- The Ekiti governor says Nigerians will only believe the president is doing fine when he comes to address them and they hear his voice and see him physically

- Fayose said the president's absence is not good for the image of a country like Nigeria that is struggling to get out of economic recession

Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose, a top critic of the Nigerian presidency, has again lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over his style of administration.

The Punch reports that Fayose accused President Buhari of having become a part-time and ceremonial President who is only seen during the Friday Jumat service at the Presidential Villa.

READ ALSO: Emir of Kano Sanusi under probe over questionable expenses in his council

Fayose said this on Sunday, April 23 in a statement released through his special assistant on public communications and new media Lere Olayinka.

Fayose (right) believes President Buhari (left) should put the vice president in his place and go to take care of himself

The governor noted that it has become necessary for Nigerians to be properly informed about the well-being of their President while he should go and take care of his health and allow the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, to constitutionally act as the President.

But it is doubtful if those cabals that are obviously running their own Presidency within President Buharis Presidency will allow him to take a long vacation, probably outside Nigeria to take care of himself, Fayose said.

He added: Thats why Nigerians are told every day that the President said this and that with the President neither speaking directly nor attending any official function. This is not good for the image of a country like Nigeria that is struggling to get out of economic recession.

READ ALSO: Presidency begins search for new SGF

Fayose also claimed that Nigerians will only believe the president is doing well and acting part-time when they hear his voice and see him physically.

It is only when the President is seen and heard physically that Nigerians will believe that they are not being ruled by a part-time and ceremonial President, whose powers are being exercised on his behalf by some cabal, he said.

Legit.ng recalls that President was seen publicly for the second time in about two weeks at the Juma'at prayer service on Friday, April 21.

Also at the service was acting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission boss Ibrahim Magu, who put in a surprise appearance.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians making comparisons on who is a better leader between President Buhari and Vice President Professor Osinbajo.

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: Chandigarh, Apr 24 (PTI) As the standoff between students and Panjab University authorities continued on the fee hike issue, a group of students owing allegiance to NSUI today held a protest by polishing shoes of fellow students and passersby to press their demand for rollback of the fee hike.

"We today tried another mode of protest against the fee hike. Students today polished shoes of other students, bystanders and passersby outside the PU Vice Chancellors office," said Siya Minocha, PU student and member of National Students Union of India (NSUI).

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"We wanted to attract the attention of PU authorities and Modi government on fee increase issue," she said adding, "We wanted PU authorities to listen to us on what we have to say. It has been several days, nobody from PU talked to us."

Members of NSUI have also been holding chain hunger strike against tuition fee hike, said Siya who contested Panjab University Campus Students elections last year for the post of president.

Protesting students charged Rs 10 per pair of shoes for polish. "We charged Rs 10 per person during an hour long protest. If they (PU authorities) want our money then we can collect it in whatever manner we can," she said.

"We will continue to adopt new but peaceful methods of protest against fee hike if our demands are not met," she said.

Notably, on April 11, the protest against fee hike had turned violent at PU campus after protesting students clashed with police which had to use force which resulted in injuries on both sides.

Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal will hold a meeting with Panjab University Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on April 25 to discuss the issue pertaining to providing financial support.

Punjab cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi had arranged a meeting between Badal and the PU VC when he visited PU campus on April 21.

"We will tomorrow present the fiscal situation of the PU during a meeting with Punjab FM," PU Registrar Guljit Singh Chadha said.

Earlier, PU Vice Chancellor Grover had written to the Punjab government, seeking a meeting to apprise the government of the universitys fiscal situation.

Few days back, Badal had assured to help the university but further said that any decision with regard to providing financial support to the varsity would be taken after the state government came out with a whitepaper on fiscal position of the state.

With PU being in a fiscal mess, the varsity has been getting Rs 20 crore per annum for the last several years after Punjab government froze its share to this amount even though it was supposed to bear 40 per cent of PUs deficit.

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Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore had asked PU to review all issues including fee hike in a holistic manner.

Students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by PU senate last month for the academic year 2017-18.

In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In case of B Pharma course, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in case of MA Journalism course, it was hiked from Rs 5,290 to Rs 30,000. For PUs dental course, the fee was increased from Rs 86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

With students demanding rollback of fee increase, PU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike while considering the financial condition of the university as it has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18. It had also claimed that it has rationalised the fee structure.

Gasping for funds, PU has now demanded 12 per cent hike in funds from Punjab to meet the rising expenditure.

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PU authorities will also hold a meeting with representatives of UGC on April 26 to resolve "incongruity with respect to expenditure and revenue plan submitted by PU and to arrive at a way forward regarding funding issue". PTI CHS VJ KUN

--- ENDS ---
- Senator Adeleke died on Sunday April 23 in his hometown, Ede, Osun state

- Former Osun governor and current APC senator, Isiaka Adeleke, allegedly poisoned to death, body returned back to hospital

Arrangements for the burial of the first Civilian Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke who died on Sunday April 23 is ongoing as it is scheduled to be lowered today April 24.

Legit.ng previously reported that the burial which was earlier scheduled to hold yesterday, April 23, was however postponed by the family in order to allow them find out real cause of the death of the politician.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke's casket is being made by some sympatisers

READ ALSO: Former Osun governor and current APC senator, Isiaka Adeleke, allegedly poisoned to death, body returned back to hospital

Some sympathizers waiting for the arrival of Senator Adeleke's corpse

The corpse which was taken to the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for autopsy is expected back for burial this morning in his country home, Ede, Osun State.

As part of the preparation, there have been a lot of senior Muslim clerics in the host of the Chief Imam of Ede land.

READ ALSO: Vanity upon vanity! Hope his soul is ready for judgement? - Nigerians react to Senator Isiaka Adeleke's death

In the video below, Legit.ng ask Nigerians for what reasons would they take their own lives, here are their responses.

READ ALSO: Senator Isiaka Adeleke to be laid to rest (LIVE UPDATES)

The report was filed by Legit.ng regional reporter, Sola Adetona in Osun state

Source: Legit.ng
- Ex-governor Attah urges Buhari to appoint Ogbonnaya Onu as SGF

- He says Onu has a lot of experience as a former governor

- Attah adds that Onu is a man of integrity

Obong Victor Attah, the former governor of Akwa Ibom state, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the minister of science and technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, as the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

According to Attah, Onu has a lot of experience as a former governor and is a man of integrity, Vanguard reports.

Attah said the All Progressives Congress (APC) as an amalgam of different parties has to cater for the interests of its component units

He added that while the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) produced the president, the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), the vice president, the new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Assembly leadership, only the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has not been adequately represented.

Former Akwa Ibom state governor Obong Victor Attah urges Buhari to appoint Ogbonnaya Onu as SGF

READ ALSO: Emir of Kano Sanusi under probe over questionable expenses in his council

It is for the aforementioned reason he is calling for the appointment of Onu as SGF.

He said: The APC is made up of the defunct ACN, ANPP, CPC, and later the New PDP. The CPC produced the president, The APC Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, nominated someone as the vice president, those from the PDP control the National Assembly and I had always thought that the ANPP should produce the SGF and that person is Ogbonnaya Onu, their leader who is a man of integrity and has a lot of experience as a former governor, party leader and a minister.

So, I was quite surprised that he did not get it in the first place, unless he says he does not want it, then they can nominate another person from the ANPP bloc, but still from the South East.

Attah also faulted the decision of the Senate to reject the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

READ ALSO: All is set for Davidos uncle, Senator Isiaka Adelekes burial (photos)

He accused the senators of trying to frustrate the anti-corruption fight of the present administration.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Buhari suspended Babachir Lawal for 14 days pending the report of a three-man administrative panel of inquiry he set up to investigate the SGF, over allegations of abuse of office levelled against him by the Senate.

The president set up a three-man committee made up of Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation; Babagana Monguno who is the national security adviser and vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo to carry out a two weeks investigation on allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East.

In this video by Legit.ng, Nigerians react on the economic policies of the President Buhari. Watch the video:

Source: Legit.ng
- Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died on Sunday April 23, has been laid to rest

- He was buried in his country home, Ede, Osun state according to Muslim rites.

- Osun state House of Assembly has declared Monday to Wednesday as mourning period in honour of the late senator

The first Civilian Governor of Osun state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died on Sunday April 23, has been buried.

Adeleke who was a serving senator and a three-term senator elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, died at the age of 62.

He was buried today, April 24, in his country home, Ede, Osun state according to Muslim rites.

Legit.ng gathered that Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state were at the venue of the burial to pay their last tribute to the late senator.

READ ALSO: All is set for Davidos uncle, Senator Isiaka Adelekes burial (photos)

Senator Isiaka Adeleke buried amid tears

Tears as Senator Isiaka Adeleke is laid to rest in his hometown Ede, Osun state

Preparations before Senator Isiaka Adeleke's burial

Senator Isiaka Adeleke buried amid tears

Governor Akeredolu arrives for Senator Adeleke's burial

Governor Amosun arrives for Senator Adeleke's burial

Meanwhile, Legit.ng has gathered that the Osun state House of Assembly has declared Monday to Wednesday as mourning period in honour of the first civilian governor of the State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke. The Speaker, Najeem Salaam gave the directive on Monday morning, April 24.

READ ALSO: Ex-Governor Attah urges Buhari to appoint Onu as SGF

Also, there was a mild drama when angry supporters of Adeleke, collapsed canopy on Governor Amosun and Governor Akeredolu to chase out Idiat Babalola, who is a commissioner nominee of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Also under the canopy were Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Deji Adeleke.

Babalola who was seated among the dignitaries including the younger brother of the deceased, Deji Adeleke, was chased out by the youths who alleged that the former governor was poisoned by some APC leaders.

The irate youths said Babalola was being touted to become the running mate of the anointed candidate of the APC.

Babalola was escorted outside the house by Amosun and his security aides as the youths threw sticks and mangoe fruits at her.

In the video below, Legit.ng asks Nigerians the question, 'for what reason would you take your life?' Here are their responses. Watch video below

Source: Legit.ng
- A group of angry people has reportedly disrupted the burial of Senator Isiaka Adeleke

- According to the angry mourners, the senator was poisoned by some leaders of APC

- The mob attacked the Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Idiat Babalola

An angry mob made attempts to disrupt the burial of Senator Isiaka Adeleke who was buried today, April 24, in Osun state.

It was gathered the problem started after the mob collapsed a canopy on Amosun, Akeredolu, Oyinlola to chase out Idiat Babalola, who is a commissioner nominee of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and a special adviser to the governor.

Babalola and other dignitaries were chased out from under a canopy by the youths who alleged that the former governor was poisoned by some APC leaders.

Governor Amosun and others rescue Babalola from the angry mob

The dignitaries guarded Babalola away from the angry mob.

The group alleged that Adeleke was poisoned by some APC chieftains.

Problem started when Babalola was sighted by the mourners who demanded that she should be sent out.

Amosun rescues Babalola from the angry mob

READ ALSO: Jonathan reacts to Senator Isiaka Adelekes death

The mob reportedly insisted that Babalola should leave the burial ceremony and they refused to listen to pleas by all dignitaries seated under the same canopy.

The mob reportedly insisted that Babalola should leave the burial ceremony and they refused to listen to pleas by all dignitaries seated under the same canopy.

Governor Amosun rescues Babalola from the angry mob

Governor Amosun at the burial ceremony of Adeleke.

They reportedly started shaking the canopy where Governors Ibikunle Amosun, Rotimi Akeredolu, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Deji Adeleke were seated to chase out Babalola who they described as a betrayer.

READ ALSO: All is set for Davidos uncle, Senator Isiaka Adelekes burial (photos)

Akeredolu arriving the burial ceremony.

Babalola was escorted outside the house by Amosun and his security aides as the youths threw sticks and mango fruits at her.

Recall that Legit.ng announced the death on Adeleke, who is also a former governor of Osun state on Sunday, April 24.

According to family sources, Adeleke suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Bikets Hospital where he passed away.

There have been allegations that the late Adeleke was poisoned to death but results of his autopsy is yet to be released to the public.

Meanwhile, a similar crisis erupted in the town on April 23, the day the body of 62 year old Adeleke arrived his hometown.

The death of the Senator sparked a riot in his hometown as irate youths protested his demise claiming he was murdered by his political opponents.

The youth attacked some journalists at his home although some of them tried to calm the enraged youths.

A large crowd of people, both young and old reportedly flooded the senator's country house to mourn his demise.

Watch video of APC official disclosing reason why his party could be voted out in 2019

Source: Legit.ng
83-year-old Major Asoya Hippolytus Azuka is a retired Major in the Nigerian army. In this interview with Austin Oyibode of Legit.ng, Azuka speaks of his military experience, how they fought in the Nigerian civil war and later detained and dismissed for fighting on the side of Biafra.

Excerpt:

Lets look at your background

I was born on December 29, 1934 into the family of Obi Asoya. My mothers name is Rebecca, who hailed from Umuomake village, in Okpanam. I happen to be the only surviving child of my parents having lost the twins who were born before me. I attended St. Michaels Catholic School, Okpanam.

Towards the end of 1961, I saw an advertisement for people to be recruited into the Nigerian army. I took the examinations. I attended the interview in Kaduna because I was living in the North. When the results were out, they did not release my result.

They said they were going to add it to the list of those from the South since am from the South. So they conducted the Southerners examination in Lagos. They included my name as one of the successful ones. So that was how I joined the army.

Retired Major Asoya Azuka cutting the cake to celebrate his 83-year-birthday in Okpanam Delta state

When precisely did you join the army?

I did the Nigeria military training from November 1961 to July 1962 and those of us who were successful were later sponsored overseas for further training. So I went to Mons Officer Cadet School, England for training. I did the training, succeeded and came back as 2nd Lieutenant. That was how we got involved in the Nigerian army.

As a foremost military officer, who before joining the army, was at different intervals involved in teaching having pursued a career in education, what then would you say inspired you to participate in the Nigeria civil war?

We were in the army when the January 1966 coup took place. I was two days old in Dodan Barracks when it happened. We felt there was the urgent need for that change because of what was happening in the country as at then but in July 1966, there was a counter coup by the Northerners.

READ ALSO: True meaning of Nigerian army's symbols

So those of us who did not feel safe being in the North had to come back home to the South, precisely I was in Lagos. I was posted to the Guard Brigade, Lagos.

I was there until the counter coup in July. All the officers of Southern origin especially those of us from the mid-west as at then had to come back.

When the counter coup took place, there was no hiding place for people like us. So we were forced by circumstance to move across the Niger for protection and the Nigeria soldiers came twice to Okpanam here to look for me. I went to Biafra. That was where we stayed until the end of the war in 1970. When the war ended, I returned.

We rested for three weeks at home and, those of us who were Nigeria army personnel, despite the fact that circumstance forced us to fight on the side of the Biafra, were called back to Kaduna.

We reported at Kaduna and we were sorted out and later detained. A lot of us were put in prison detention for four years for fighting on the side of the Biafra till 1974 when we were eventually released. Since they released us we were happy to have been freed from detention; we came out and everybody started looking for a means of livelihood.

Does it mean you and other officers who fought in favour of Biafra as at then were retired?

We were not retired at that time. We were dismissed from the force. So we started protesting that those of us who survived were not responsible for the conflict in the country. We were only unfortunate to be in the midst of it.

So the protest began until 2008, everybody was on their own. We wrote series of protest letters; we were meeting regularly to chart a way forward. However, in 2008, we were considered and instead of dismissing us, they retired us. We were not taken back, they retired us and that enabled us to be having our little benefits. So it was better than nothing. That is what we are living on now.

Nigerian soldiers undergoing training

You came back home when the conflict began and you later reunited with Biafra army where you fought for. Share some of those experiences you had at the battle field

When we got across the Niger, they gathered us, lectured us and we did some bits of orientations so to say. Then my first posting was to 14 Division, Biafra army. I served briefly under Colonel Ogbugo Kalu, who was in-charge of the brigade and I was under him. So from there I was posted to Uguta. I held Uguta and from there I went to Egbema.

READ ALSO: Emir of Kano Sanusi under probe over questionable expenses in his council

The Nigeria troops wanted to take over the oil field at Egbema. It was my command, 60 brigade at Egbema that foiled their intention. After that I was still overseeing that unit until I was made a Divisional Commander and that was when I was made a full Colonel. Then later posted to S-Division and from there to Owerri. I was still at Owerri when Umuahia was threatened by the Nigeria troops who were coming from Uzuakoli.

I was then deployed to Umuahia. The Nigeria troop wanted to overrun Egbema down to Oguta. After that commission as Colonel, I was still in charge of the 60 brigade and from the 60 brigade, I was posted to S-Division. From S-Division my base was Owerri. From Owerri, Umuahia was threatened and I was drafted to that place. But for my timely intervention, the Nigeria troops would have captured Umuahia.

What is your take on the continued call for restructuring of the country?

Yes, the call is in the right direction. There is need for restructuring so as to ensure accelerated development. It would further boost and strengthen the unity of Nigeria. Since Nigeria is proclaiming to be operating federal system of government, it becomes imperative for the existence of units and regions.

That again implies that there must be resource control in which case the units remit certain percentage of the proceeds from their resources to the center. Apart from that, the issue of effective policing would have been taken care of because community policing would also take centre stage.

How the Nigerian army detained us for fighting for Biafra during the civil war  retired Major

Looking at Nigeria today with the high spate of insecurity, corruption and most importantly, the current economic quagmire confronting the nation, do you think there is still hope for the Nigeria you laboured for?

It is quite unfortunate that the country is bedeviled with these challenges but there would be light at the end of the tunnel if and again if our leaders, political office holders have genuine intention for the citizenry. They must be honest and sincere in the articulation of certain policies that are critical to the socio-economic development of the nation.

READ ALSO: Buhari suspended my father because he is Christian, he only wants Muslims in his cabinet - Man who claims to be Babachir's son alleges

At a time like this, the call for restructuring of the nation must be adhered to. There is hope for the country again; it would definitely surmount the challenges, especially the economic issue and for the security problem, various security agencies must be strengthened so as to carry out their functions effectively.

As at 1967-70 when the war broke out and ended, were you still a single or married then?

I got married by the time I entered the military training. When I came back from the St. Marys Catholic School, Lokoja, I got married to one Mary Emechete who was a teacher also from Okpanam and the marriage was fruitful. It was during our sojourn in Biafra. In 1970, I married late Maria Garrett who was a very calm, peaceful, caring and loving woman.

She was also very honest in everything and that marriage was also blessed with five children. She was a teacher. She had a degree in education. After our marriage, I sent her to the university. She taught at Imaguero College, Benin City before being posted to Mary Mount College, Agbor and thereafter transferred to St. Mulumba, here in Okpanam until she retired and later died in 2008.The death was painful because she was such a good woman.

In this Legit.ng video, Nigerians are making comments on the possibility of Nigeria being taken out of recession. Watch

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: Guwahati, Apr 24 (PTI) Fake currency with a face value of Rs one lakh in Rs 2000 denomination notes was seized by BSF personnel from the Indo-Bangladesh international border in south Salmara district of Assam.

Based on intelligence inputs regarding infiltration of Bangladeshi FICN (Fake Indian Currency Notes) racketeers from the area under Border Out Posts (BOPs) of 174 battalion of BSF, the troops carried out a special operation there at Khagrachar village yesterday.

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BSF Guwahati Frontier, Dhubri also took part in the operation.

The BSF observed movement of suspected persons near the international boundary at Charland (riverine area) and tried to apprehend them. But the men ran away to the Bangladesh side leaving behind a bag containing the 50 fake notes of Rs 2000 denomination and other items.

The seized FICN has been handed over to Sukhchar police station for further legal action after lodging an FIR, the BSF spokesman said.

The Guwahati Frontier personnel also seized 49 cattle valued at approximately Rs 4.40 lakh on the intervening night of April 22 and April 23, the BSF spokesman added. PTI ESB KK ARK

--- ENDS ---
- The federal high court ruled that EFCC's action was within the law and it would enable it to carry out its job of prosecuting the family in a criminal trial

- The EFCC had earlier countered the lawsuit saying its actions to seize properties were based on the grounds that Obanikoro received funds from ex-national security adviser and his family was linked to the matter

- The presiding judge said the case by the Obanikoro family lacked merit

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his family have lost N100m suit they filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the seizure of their properties by the anti-corruption agency.

Daily Sun reports that a federal high court sitting in Lagos dismissed the suit filed by Obanikoro, his wife Alhaja Moroophat, his two sons Gbolahan, Babajide and Fati (Babajides wife) on the grounds that it lacked merit.

READ ALSO: Senator Isiaka Adeleke buried amid tears

They plaintiffs had sued the EFCC urging the court to declare that the alleged forceful seizure of their assets by the anti-graft agency is a gross violation of their rights and to issue an order setting it aside.

Obanikoro and his wife Moroophat filed charges against the EFCC over seizure of their properties.

They also urged the court to grant an order directing EFCC to tender unreserved public apology and pay N100 million as damages while another order should be issued restraining EFCC from arresting, detaining or harassing them or entering their premises again to seize their properties.

But the EFCC had countered the suit with a preliminary objection stating that Obanikoro received suspicious payments from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) through companies linked to the family.

READ ALSO: Angry mob scatters Senator Adeleke's burial

The agency then urged the court to dismiss the suit because the agencys action against the plaintiffs fell within the law.

But the presiding judge ruled that the action of the EFCC was to enable it to prosecute a criminal case against the claimants.

Moreover, he said, the defendants can make their breach of fundamental rights cases during the trial of the criminal charges against them.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng gathered that the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu has said that the agency recovered over N17billion in just the last four months.

The anti-corruption chief said this on Saturday, April 22 at the FCT Archive Building, Abuja while he was delivering a speech at the 2017 Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) Week/Award Day.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of former NNPC group managing director Andrew Yakubu arraigned in court over fraud allegations

Source: Legit.ng
Three civilians and a bomber were killed in Mainari Kanuri village, along Damboa/Biu Road, on the outskirts of Maiduguri according to Sahara Reporters.

The Police said the second attack occurred at about 7.30am, when a suspected Boko Haram terrorist disguised as a cart pusher was intercepted by residents of the community.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC defeats Obanikoro and family in N100m property seizure suit

According to the report, he detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in his cart, killing himself and three civilians standing nearby. The explosion also injured two civilians.

However, the scenes of the attacks have since been declared safe

However, the scenes of the attacks have since been declared safe.

Recall that Legit.ng reported that at least three deaths have been recorded after Boko Haram bombers attempted to sneak into Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Monday, April 24.

READ ALSO: Retired Nigerian Army Major calls for dialogue between FG and IPOB

According to the report, the dead were insurgents who were intercepted by vigilant security officials in the state.

Two of the female bombers who tried to enter the city through Mamanti village in Jere Local Government Area which is located on the outskirts of Maiduguri were shot dead at about 5.10a.m on Monday.

Watch this touching Legit.ng TV video of child survivors of Boko Haram attacks at IDP camp near Abuja telling tales of the horrors they went through.

Source: Legit.ng
Google Doodle has paid a tribute to Kannada superstar Rajkumar on his 88th birth anniversary.

By India Today Web Desk: Google Doodle has paid a tribute to Kannada superstar Rajkumar on his 88th birth anniversary.

A popular name in Kannada cinema, Rajkumar has innumerable hits to his name. The veteran actor, who is a four-time National award winner, was remembered on his birth anniversary.

The doodle shows a larger-than-life Rajkumar on the silver screen as the audience sitting in a theatre cheer for him.

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According to Google doodle team's post on their blog, "Early drafts of today's Doodle featured different interpretations of the beloved star's work. The first illustrates Rajkumar singing and holding the white bird from Kasturi Nivasa, a quintessential Kannada drama and a cornerstone of Rajkumar's cinematic legacy. Another Doodle draft showcases an array of iconic characters Rajkumar played over a half century of acting. Ultimately, the Doodle team decided to feature Rajkumar's larger-than-life personality beaming at a crowd of moviegoers from the silver screen where his legacy lives on for generations of Indian audiences."

Born in 1929 as Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju, the legendary actor is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan (in 1983) and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (in 1995) for the lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema.

He started his film career in 1954 in the film Bedara Kannapa and went on to star in over 220 movies, his last being Shabdavedhi in 2000.

The actor died of cardiac arrest at his residence in Bangalore on April 12, 2006 at the age of 77.

ALSO READ: On Earth Day, following these Google Doodle tips can help you to conserve the planet

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Guwahati, Apr 24 (PTI) Gold biscuits weighing three kg, five kg opium and 14 kg ganja (marijuana) were seized at Guwahati Railway station by the Government Railway Police from four persons, including three women, travelling in three separate trains.

During routine checking today, 14 pieces of gold biscuits worth approximately Rs 1 crore was seized from a 19-year old man identified as Md Sadid Kamal Mondal, a resident of West Bengal and travelling the Kolkata-bound Saraighat Express, a GRP officer told PTI.

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The contraband ganja worth over Rs 1 lakh was seized from a woman identified as Lalmoni Dewa of West Bengal, travelling from Dimapur in Nagaland by the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express today, the official said.

The GRP also made a seizure last night recovering five kg opium worth more than Rs 15 lakh in the international market from two women - Phamgian Binakshi Lila and Thangiam Uma Devi - both residents of Manipur and travelling to New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal by the Brahmaputra Mail.

Investigations are on and the arrested persons are being interrogated, the officer said.

On April 4, GRP had seized 26 gold biscuits weighing nearly four kg and valued at over Rs 2 crore from a person travelling by the Kolkata-bound Indrani Express, the officer said. PTI ESB DKB

--- ENDS ---
- Naira drops five points against Dollar, Pound and Euro at parallel market

- The new rates come hours after CBN sold $20,000 to BDCs for onward sale to small-end users

- The apex bank says it would continue to introduce measures to stabilise the foreign exchange market to ease the pressure on the Naira

The Nigerian Naira on Monday, April 24, crashed against the American Dollar at the parallel market to close the day at N390/$1.

The local currency dropped N5 to fall to N390/$1 from the previous rate of N385/$1 it recorded on Friday, April 21.

The Naira also dropped N5 against the Pound sterling to close at N495 from the previous rate of N490 and N415 against the Euro from the previous rate of N410.

This new rates come few hours after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold $20,000 to Bureau De Change (BDCs) for onward sale to small-end users.

READ ALSO: Senator Isiaka Adeleke buried amid tears

Dollar to Naira

READ ALSO: Cause of Senator Isiaka Adeleke's death revealed

However, the apex bank says it would continue to introduce measures to stabilise the foreign exchange market to ease the pressure on the Naira.

It also said that various forex initiatives it had introduced in recent weeks were beginning to yield results with stability recorded in the Naira exchange rate.

CBN, spokesperson, Isaac Okorafor, said the bank will now allow investors to engage in foreign exchange trading at rates the buyers and sellers set.

The move is expected to increase the amount of dollars available in Africas biggest economy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, in a continuing effort to deepen the foreign exchange market and accommodate all FX obligations, hereby announces a special window for investors, exporters, Okorafor said.

Legit.ng recalls that the CBN had injected $280 million into the Foreign Exchange Market on Tuesday, April 18, and on Wednesday, April 19.

Watch traders talk about what has changed in the market since President Muhammadu Buhari's return from London.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Chairman, Imam Forum in Niger, Sheik Ibrahim Fari, has lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari for fighting corruption

- Fari said that the forum had embarked on the sensitisation of its members to embrace the whistle blower policy of the Buhari Administration

- The cleric described the introduction of the whistle blower policy as one of the best things that had happened to the nation

The Chairman, Imam Forum in Niger, Sheik Ibrahim Fari, on Monday, lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari for fighting corruption in the country.

Fari told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that already the forum had embarked on the sensitisation of its members to embrace the whistle blower policy of the Buhari Administration.

READ ALSO: Man gets into trouble for harassing lady wearing Biafran cap

He described the introduction of the whistle blower policy as one of the best things that had happened to the nation in recent times.

We will continue to educate our members on the importance of fighting corruption through the whistle blower policy by exposing all those, who looted our treasury.

Fari said that the recent recovery of public funds through the whistle blowing effort would greatly assist in fighting corruption to a halt.

We will also use the religious point of view on what God said about stealing public funds to reach out to our people, he said.

Fari observed that corruption was purely responsible for the present economic recession in the country.

We must fight corruption to a logical conclusion by supporting the Federal Governments war against corruption, he said.

Fari also called on the Federal Government to introduce a security system that would guarantee the safety of Nigerians, who exposed looters.

READ ALSO: Senator Isiaka Adeleke buried amid tears

The government should ensure a security measure to safeguard the lives of those, who offer intelligence information about corrupt public officers, he said.

In the Legit.ng video below, a woman accuses President Buhari of mismanaging the economy.

Source: Legit.ng
The home of Vesuwe Benjamin, a worker at a Catholic church in Gboko, Benue state, was reportedly searched by the Nigerian military.

Legit.ng gathered that the soldiers were searching for weapons.

Benjamin who accused Nigerian soldiers of being biased said his house and the entire parish was ransacked by the soldiers.

Vesuwe Benjamin said the entire parish was turned inside out by the military in-search for weapons

He noted that the Fulani herdsmen go about with heavy weapons and no one harasses them.

Lamenting the search by the military men, Benjamin wrote on Facebook: Today my house and the entire parish was turned inside out by the military in-search for weapons. They say I keep weapons, for heaven sake, I don't do weapon. The Fulani herdsmen go about with heavy weapons killing innocent people and never a day has any one of them been harassed by the military. There are instances where the military have even assisted them to carry out their attacks on Defenseless citizens. The soldiers we have in this country are one sided. Why are they trying to divide the very country they are called to defend on religious line. Would they have done this to an imam or the mosque?"

Benjoamin accused Nigerian s0oldiers of being one-sided as they don't harass Fulani herdsmen who walk about freely with arms

READ ALSO: See what happened to woman after Mbaka's prophecy

Nigerians are not happy with this and are wondering how the country got to this point. Some are accusing the military of being corrupt while others are calling on the church to rise up against this injustice.

READ ALSO: Presidency reacts to expulsion of reporter from Aso villa by Buhari's CSO

READ ALSO: Port Harcourt-based pastor marries third wife (photos)

Benjamin wondered if the soldiers would be able to ransack the home of an Imam or the like this

Responding to the reactions by his followers, Benjamin called for prayers for the betterment of Nigeria.

Legit.ng took to the streets of Lagos to find out from Nigerians if they regret voting President Muhammadu Buhari into power. Watch their responses in the video below.

Source: Legit.ng
Former Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Hafiz Saeed was not behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and that in Pakistan, the JuD chief is not considered to be a terrorist.

By India Today Web Desk: Former Pakistani president and army chief Pervez Musharraf has claimed that not only was Hafiz Saeed not involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief is also not considered to be a terrorist in Pakistan.

"I don't think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we don't call him a terrorist," the 73-year-old Musharraf was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

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The 26/11 attacks, in which 10 terrorists laid seige to India's financial capital for three days, left 166 people dead. The terrorists sailed from Pakistan and were trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit.

India has blamed Saeed, whose JuD acts as a front of the LeT, of masterminding the dasterdly attacks.

68-year-old Saeed was even placed under a 90-day house arrest by Pakistan earlier this year amid reports that Islamabad was under pressure from the new US President Donald Trump to act against Saeed and JuD.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.

'SAEED NOT AN ISSUE IN US'

In his latest comments, Musharraf also said, "Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States."

"They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi they don't talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him," the former Pakistani dictator said.

Saeed carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the United States for his terror activities. His organisation JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by Washington in June 2014.

'MODI DOESN'T WANT PEACE'

Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, "If the current prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesn t want it."

The former dictator also said that he would like to contest the 2018 general elections.

"Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel.

'DON'T WANT TO BE PM'

Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan. "I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," he said.

"There are many good people who can run Pakistan," he said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good."

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Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism.

"It didn't come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way."

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.

(With inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ | Rift in Lashkar-e-Taiba as top commanders Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi fall apart

ALSO READ | After Hafiz Saeed 'arrest', China sends top counterterror official to Pakistan

ALSO WATCH | Musharraf to India Today: On Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan will bow down to nobody

--- ENDS ---
The faculty at Central Connecticut State University is fighting back against a plan to consolidate services in the states college system.

The faculty senate plan to take a no confidence vote on both the board of regents and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian at 3 p.m. Monday, in response to a plan that increases tuition, cuts staffing, and centralizes certain services such as IT.

The Students First plan pledges to save $41 million across the system, but both students and teachers are not happy about where those savings are coming from.

Ojakian says a tuition hike and the budget cuts are both needed to deal with a big budget shortfall: $38 million next year, $55 million for the following year and $70 million the year after that.

State funding to the system has declined 12.4 percent in recent years.

The tuition hike is expected to bring in $16.5 million, but thats not enough.

In Ojakians Students First plan, which the board of regents has endorsed, administrative positions would be cut, and IT support and human resources would be centralized.

But, the staff at CCSU says removing needed staff from campus will reduce their ability to carry out teaching, research and community tasks. They say they should have been consulted before the plan was developed and that there has not been enough explanation about how the plan will be implemented.

Many other details of the plan have not been released, which is another problem faculty members voiced concerns with.

In voting today, theyll pledge not to participate in the implementation of the plan.
Season 2, Episode 10: With or Without You

Sunday nights episode of Billions makes repeated references to the film version of John Grishams novel The Firm, specifically the relationship between Mitch McDeere (Tom Cruise), a young lawyer at a sinister Memphis law firm, and Wayne Tarrance (Ed Harris), the F.B.I. agent determined to breach the firms imposing firewall. In the Wayne Tarrance role, Connerty believes that hes found his Tom Cruise in Taylor, whos new to Axe Capital and whose profile as a gender-nonconforming, almond-latte-drinking iconoclast suggests an ideal candidate for flipping. After all, Taylor, similar to Mitch McDeere, hasnt been part of Axes corporate culture for long and thus doesnt have the loyalties (or blackmail threats) that keep more veteran employees bound to the company.

Connerty underestimates Taylor on two fronts: He assumes Taylor will act out of conscience and without leverage, and he assumes Taylor will be disillusioned to learn about whats going on at Axe Capital. But one of the fascinating things about Taylor  and about Asia Kate Dillons close-to-the-vest performance all season long  is that few assumptions about the character have been borne out. In the meeting over what to do about the Sandicot disaster, it was Taylor who argued most forcefully for fiscal austerity, taking the pitiless position that the town shouldnt expect to be bailed out for its mismanagement. And in the latest episode, its Taylor who signs the papers justifying Axes dubious short position on Klaxon, even though the numbers dont bear it out.

When the smoke clears on the second season, Taylor may turn out to be Axes truest protege and disciple, far from the soul-sickened Mitch McDeere type, whose dream job turned into a sequel to The Conversation. Credit the writers for making Taylor a genuinely complex character rather than a number-crunching automaton who doesnt fit in at the office. Taylors decision to sign off on the Klaxon trade reveals some very human character flaws, a willingness to suppress higher values in pursuit of a comfier life. Mitch McDeere wouldnt allow himself to be so compromised.

So welcome to the club, Taylor! It makes sense that Taylor signs on the dotted line in the episode in which Wendy and Lara return to their husbands, because dirty secrets and moral compromise are the bonding agents of Billions. The U2 single that inspires the episodes title, With or Without You  and leads us out of the episode  is a dreamy song about romantic ambivalence, that feeling of being stuck in a relationship that allures, repels and endures. Wendy and Lara both have plenty of reasons to abandon their husbands for good, yet both are drawn back into the life they considered leaving. And its not as though anything has changed. Theyre not returning to better, more committed and upstanding men. Theyre just returning.
Fox News faced new sexual harassment allegations on Sunday as Alisyn Camerota, a former anchor, accused the former Fox News chief Roger E. Ailes of saying grossly inappropriate things to her and once inviting her to a hotel room when she asked for new opportunities at work.

Mr. Ailes was ousted in July from the network he built into a conservative media powerhouse after multiple employees, including the former anchor Gretchen Carlson, accused him of sexual harassment. Ms. Camerota added her voice to that chorus on Sunday during an interview on the CNN show Reliable Sources.

Yes, Roger Ailes did sexually harass me, she said.

I remember being in Rogers office saying I wanted more opportunities, Ms. Camerota recalled, and he said: Well, I would have to work with you  I would have to work with you really closely  and it may require us getting to know each other better, and that might have to happen away from here. And it might have to happen at a hotel. Do you know what I am saying?

Susan Estrich, a lawyer for Mr. Ailes, denied Ms. Camerotas claims in a statement to CNN.

These are unsubstantiated and false allegations, Ms. Estrich said. Mr. Ailes never engaged in the inappropriate conversations she now claims occurred, and he vigorously denies this fictional account of her interactions with him and of Fox Newss editorial policy.
ECONOMY

The European Central Bank, eye on France, focuses on policy.

The European Central Bank is not expected to make any major changes to policy when it holds a monetary policy meeting on Thursday. But analysts and traders will be listening closely for any clues about when and how quickly the bank may withdraw its stimulus to the eurozone economy. Mario Draghi, the central bank president, will hold a news conference after the meeting and is likely to try to quash expectations that any tapering is imminent. At the same time, members of the central banks governing council, watching the results of French elections, may even step in with emergency measures to stabilize financial markets if it looks as if the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has a strong chance of becoming president. She has called into question Frances membership in the European Union. Jack Ewing

TECH INDUSTRY

Alphabet earnings are likely up despite a YouTube boycott.

Googles parent company, Alphabet, will report quarterly earnings on Thursday. Advertisements on search are expected to increase again, offsetting a decline in the price of ads as more people perform searches on mobile phones. Investors will be listening to learn about the impact from a boycott on YouTube by some major advertisers after the discovery of ads appearing on racist, anti-Semitic or terrorist videos. Other technology firms, including Microsoft, Amazon.com and Twitter, will also report this week. Dai Wakabayashi

ECONOMY

Commerce will announce first-quarter growth.

On Friday morning, at 8:30, the Commerce Department will release its initial estimate for economic growth in the first quarter of 2017. Wall Street is looking for a 1 percent annual growth rate, although some experts think the figure for gross domestic product could be as low as half a percentage point.

Some of that weakness stems from seasonal and statistical factors that have repeatedly caused first-quarter data to look weak in recent years. And most forecasts do call for a significant gain in economic activity in the current quarter. But if the number for the first quarter is indeed anemic, it will highlight how an improved outlook among businesses and consumers since the election doesnt seem to be translating into heightened economic activity. Nelson D. Schwartz

GOVERNMENT

A chance of a shutdown looms over Trumps 100th day.

On Saturday, President Trumps 100th day in office, the federal government could shut down after the current funding expires on Friday. Both houses of Congress hope to avoid the shutdown by passing a $1 trillion spending measure that would keep the government operating through Sept. 30, but a few major points of partisan contention could prevent that from happening. The Trump administration wants Republican legislators to include money for a proposed wall along the Mexican border, something Democrats have vowed to oppose. The administration also wants House Republicans to vote again this week to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Investors have been keeping an eye on the funding deadline but have so far remained optimistic that Congress and the administration can avert a shutdown. Zach Wichter
I asked if he was certain that in all of Chechnya not one man was gay. He found the question strange, but said that he was certain, and hence the report in Novaya Gazeta was fabricated.

Chechnya, a tiny picturesque region in the Caucasus Mountains that fought and lost two wars for independence from Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is largely pacified today. But Mr. Kadyrov has an iron grip on the republic.

I doubted I would be able to find gay men to speak with in Chechnya, since they would probably be in jail or in hiding; and even if I did find them, I would be putting them in danger by arranging a meeting.

Still, the local governments assertion that Chechnya is a region without gays suggested that attitudes toward homosexuality there would be important enough in and of themselves to warrant a trip. Soon enough, I was on a flight heading south to Grozny, the Chechen capital, which in Russian translates as Terrible.

I went to the office of Heda Saratova, who represents the local government on matters of human rights. I never saw them with my own eyes, Ms. Saratova said of gay men. And I never heard of them. I never thought of them. In my 50 years, I have never seen a gay man.
Dear Diary:

My father, born and raised on the Lower East Side, was the prototypical Checker-driving New York City cabby.

One Sunday morning around 1965, he arrived at our apartment in Queens with his customary bag of fresh, hot bagels, but at 6:30 a.m., six hours later than usual. My mother, of course, had been up for hours, worrying and walking the halls.

He announced that he had had a fare to Boston and had made $300. He regaled us with the story of the passenger, a young woman who, with her enormous German shepherd, had hailed him in the East Village and had said she had to get to Boston that night to visit her boyfriend.

We all laughed when he described how the dog licked his neck along the way. It was all funny until my mother, the bookkeeper of the family, asked for the $300.
Defenders of liberal democracy in France and elsewhere sighed with relief after Sundays first-round vote in Frances presidential election. The centrist, pro-European Union political upstart, Emmanuel Macron, who founded his En Marche! party just last year, looks set to face off against the far-right populist National Front candidate, Marine Le Pen, in the final vote for the French presidency on May 7. Polls have predicted that Mr. Macron will beat Ms. Le Pen handily, though, with its traditional parties left in shambles by this election, France remains deeply divided and its politics unsteady.

Certainly, if Mr. Macron prevails on May 7, that will be good news for Europe: The embattled European Union would most likely not survive if France left the bloc. But the strong showing by Ms. Le Pen  who promises a referendum on France remaining in the union  is a further warning of the rising danger posed by populist right-wing leaders, in Europe and around the world. Her anti-immigrant National Front party will surely remain strong as long as French unemployment lingers in the double digits, and the many French who believe they have been abandoned by global elites see no better hope elsewhere. Ms. Le Pen called her performance in the polls on Sunday an act of French pride.

Mr. Macron and Ms. Le Pens strong showings have upended French politics, as voters spurned the mainstream center-left Socialist Party and center-right Les Republicains party that have dominated the landscape for decades. The Socialist Party of the deeply unpopular president, Francois Hollande, lies shattered, with its candidate, Benoit Hamon, trailing in a distant fifth place. Mr. Hamon conceded defeat on Sunday, throwing his support behind Mr. Macron.

A fourth candidate, Francois Fillon of Les Republicains, also failed to win enough votes to put him on the May 7 ballot after being dogged by charges that he used public funds to pay his wife and children for work they may not have done. Mr. Fillon also conceded on Sunday night and said he would vote for Mr. Macron on May 7. He warned of Ms. Le Pen that extremism can only bring about the misfortune and division of France. A far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, who reaped a late surge of support, was trailing Mr. Fillon, but said he would wait until the final, official count was announced before conceding.
Just exactly how many kinds of stories are there, anyway? The tallies vary in The Antipodes, Annie Bakers in-all-ways fabulous new play about professional fabulators in pursuit of the ultimate yarn.

One character in this endlessly fascinating work, which opened on Sunday in a Signature Theater production, puts the number of variations at 10. Another insists its six. And still another has come up with 36 versions, though when he itemizes them, he only reaches 19.

Whatever the quantity, its hard to imagine a work that touches on as many of those possibilities as The Antipodes, or makes as strong a case for the pervasiveness of storytelling in all aspects of our existence. Whats more, unlike her perpetually thwarted characters, who chase their ideas with the exasperation of dogs running after their tails, Ms. Baker delivers a complete and confident narrative.

Now complete may not be the term youd apply to a play as steeped in ambiguities as this one. The Antipodes portrays a never-ending brainstorming session for unspecified purposes in an unspecified place.
WASHINGTON  Congressional leaders and White House officials have steered the nation to the brink of a government shutdown that virtually all parties agree would be a terrible idea.

While lawmakers seem eager to forge a deal before government funding expires on Friday, the Trump administration wants to use the deadline as a point of leverage that Democrats  and at least a few Republicans  do not believe they have, raising the prospects of a shutdown that had seemed unlikely.

President Trumps team is straining to demonstrate progress on key campaign promises like money for a border wall and increased military spending, hoping to project success before Mr. Trumps 100th day in office on Saturday. But any measure will require bipartisan support, and Democrats are unlikely to budge.

The standoff continues a Washington trend, as banal now as it is nonsensical to veterans of the Capitol: legislative cliff-jumping in the name of brinkmanship, frustration or some combination thereof, with no clear endgame.
A member of the European monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine was killed and two others were injured Sunday when their vehicle drove over a mine near Luhansk. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which runs the monitoring mission, said it was investigating.

The monitor who was killed was an American man, according to a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Austria, which holds the rotating presidency of the 57-nation organization. The mans name was not released.

The mission has had more than 700 unarmed civilian monitors deployed in eastern Ukraine since 2014. Their role now is to keep track of whether government forces and Russian-backed separatists in the region are complying with a 2015 cease-fire agreement, including commitments to withdraw heavy weapons.

The organization confirmed that the episode involved a patrol of six monitors in two armored vehicles.
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Apr 24 (PTI) The Madras High Court today acquitted the niece of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M G Ramachandrans wife of the charges of killing his foster son- in-law.

A bench of justices S Nagamuthu and N Sehasayee acquitted Banu, the niece of AIADMK founder MGRs wife V N Janaki of killing MGRs foster son-in-law Vijayan, citing lack of evidence.

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Holding that the alleged participation of Banu and another accused in the murder conspiracy was not proved beyond reasonable doubt, the bench acquitted two of the seven accused in the case.

While Banu is the niece of MGRs wife VN Janaki, the victim was her sister Sudhas husband.

Giving its verdict on an appeal against a lower court order, which had found all the seven accused persons guilty, the division bench confirmed the life imprisonment awarded by the trial court to five others.

Rejecting the prosecutions evidence of mobile call conversations between Banu and the second accused Karuna, the court said it was inadmissible for want of certificate under the Evidence Act. It was furnished in support of the evidence against Banu.

"There is absolutely no evidence that before the occurrence (killing of Vijayan), the two had conversation during which Banu instructed Karuna to kill Vijayan," the court said, holding that the prosecution had not proved its case beyond doubt in so far as Banu was concerned.

As regards Karuna, the court held that the charges against him were proved beyond doubt and he was liable to be convicted for conspiracy and murder, the bench said.

Though the trial court had found five accused persons, including Karuna guilty of conspiracy as well as murder, it had not imposed punishment for conspiracy but had done so only for murder and it was contrary to the mandate of the IPC, the bench added.

The court said there was no evidence against the last accused M Karthick too to prove his complicity in the murder.

On July 13, 2016, Principal Sessions Judge G Jayachandran had pronounced all seven accused, including Banu, guilty of murder and had handed them life imprisonment to them.

The lower court had said the prosecution had proved the charges of criminal conspiracy and murder against them beyond doubt.

According to the prosecution, the alleged motive behind the crime was Banus property dispute with her brother Raja.

She allegedly conspired to eliminate Vijayan since he sided with Raja and took the help of Karuna, a constable at that time, to execute the plan.

On June 4, 2008, Vijayan was hit by an iron pipe, which led to his instantaneous death.

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Suresh, one of the accused persons along with other assailants had followed Vijayan in a car and a motorcycle in two groups and rammed the victims car from behind. When Vijayan got down to question it, he was attacked. PTI COR VGN APR RAX

--- ENDS ---
PARIS  Not since World War II has the anti-immigrant far right been closer to gaining power in France. With her second-place finish on Sunday in the first round of the presidential election, Marine Le Pen has dragged her National Front party from the dark fringes of its first 40 years.

But that remarkable accomplishment is so alarming to so many in France that as soon as the preliminary results were announced at 8:01 p.m., virtually all of her major opponents in the 11-person race called for her defeat in the second-round runoff on May 7. They implored their supporters to vote for the candidate projected to come out on top on Sunday, the centrist, pro-European Union former economy minister Emmanuel Macron, a political novice and outsider.

The first-round showing by Mr. Macron and Ms. Le Pen represented an earthquake, as they effectively broke the French political establishment. On the right and the left, the two parties that have governed France for more than 50 years suffered a severe defeat. They have been pushed aside in a wave of popular anger over the countrys stagnant economy and shaky security.

The rapid-fire endorsements of Mr. Macron, coming from across the political spectrum, represented a dynamic that has always prevailed in France when the National Front approaches executive power  the cross-party, anti-far right alliance the French call the Republican Front. The question now is whether that front can hold this time, as well.
OUTSIDE CAMP SHAHEEN, Afghanistan  They joined the army because there is no work elsewhere. Many had never fired a weapon in combat.

The fresh-faced, impoverished Afghan recruits killed and maimed in the Talibans sneak attack here on Friday, some of them just teenagers, are the latest targets of the insurgent groups campaign to subvert and demoralize the armed forces, already struggling with corruption, desertion and mistrust between soldiers and officers.

The psychological impact of the assault, one of the deadliest in the 16-year war, may now prove more devastating than the number of victims. While some survivors have vowed revenge, the assault has sown fear and rage not only among many recruits but also among their families, further threatening enlistment and making the governments fight against the Taliban that much harder.

Those who join the army, its because of poverty and lack of work, said Sher Mohamed, who buried his 22-year-old brother, Mohammed Yaqoub, a victim of the attack, in Takhar Province on Sunday. Our leaders  their financial situation is good, their children are abroad, and its the children of the poor who die protecting them.
Its a common delusion, particularly among women, that their love is transformative, Dan Savage, the sex columnist and host of the podcast Savage Love, said in a recent interview. That they can find their damaged man and, by loving him, they can save him, restore him, fix him, make him a better person.

He was talking about ordinary relationships  and also about Wagner, the composer whose Der Fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) is being performed at the Metropolitan Opera through May 12. Hollander is one of Wagners early operas, and its more compressed than the works hes best known for: At a tidy 2 hours and 20 minutes, you could fit two performances into the time it takes to do a single Tristan und Isolde. It shows its composer grappling in condensed form with the themes that will color his late masterpieces, including myth, dreams, redemption  and a combustible love story between characters hurtling toward union in death.

Its a love story that may well trouble 21st-century operagoers. The title character is a mariner (sung at the Met by the German baritone Michael Volle) who has been cursed to roam the seas for centuries. Every seven years, he is allowed to make landfall in the hope of finding a woman whose unconditional love and faithfulness might set him free. Lo and behold, here comes Senta, a young woman who has been raised on legends about the Dutchman and who fantasizes about redeeming him, worshiping a portrait of him that hangs in her familys home.

The bones of the Dutchman story existed before Wagner came to know a version by the German poet Heinrich Heine. But the celebration of self-sacrifice as an atonement for anothers guilt is characteristically Wagners  a theme that will recur powerfully in the Ring cycle, which ends with Brunnhilde breaking the curse of the Nibelung gold by immolating herself, riding her horse into Siegfrieds funeral pyre.
Offred had another name, before she was seized as breeding stock, her husband killed and her daughter taken by the state. Now shes identified as the property of her commander, Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes). The name is a loaner. If Offred disappoints, shell be exiled to clean up radioactive waste with other unwomen until she dies, and another woman will be of Fred.

Her days are spent running errands in a commissary where the goods are labeled with pictures (because women should not read), or sitting quietly in a bedroom with shatterproof windows (so she cant slash her wrists with a shard of glass). On ceremony nights, she mechanically copulates with the Commander while lying in the lap of his infertile wife, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski).

The ritual, borrowed from the biblical story of Bilhah and Rachel, emphasizes that Offred is nothing more than a womb. So does her uniform: her face hidden by a bonnet, her form draped in a dress the red of menstrual blood and childbirth. (The costume design, by Ane Crabtree, is almost a character in itself.)

This is a dark story. That its not oppressive is a testament to the deft adaptation and, especially, Ms. Mosss layered performance.

Offred is a captive. Nevertheless, she persists. She keeps a spark of self cupped in her hands. The series relies heavily on her narration, but not just for exposition. Its how we hear her true voice, defiant, spirited, even mordantly funny. Passing the hooded bodies of three men hanged by the government  a priest, a doctor and a gay man  she comments: I think I heard that joke once. This wasnt the punch line.
 North Korea celebrates the 85th anniversary of the founding of its army today, amid signs that its sixth nuclear test could be imminent.

In separate phone calls with President Trump, President Xi Jinping of China appealed for restraint and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan endorsed the U.S. position that all options were on the table.

Our national security correspondent reports that expert studies and classified intelligence findings have concluded that North Korea can now produce a nuclear bomb every six or seven weeks.
 Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen advanced to the runoff in Frances presidential elections on May 7.

The result was a rebuke of Frances traditional mainstream parties, which quickly rallied behind Mr. Macron. Heres a detailed map of the results.

Ms. Le Pen, a far-right firebrand, said the outcome was that of a people who are raising up their heads. Mr. Macron, who has never held elected office, said he wanted to be the president of patriots, to face the threat of nationalists.
W. Neil Eggleston, a former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, is returning to the law firm Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in its government, regulatory and internal investigations practice in Washington.

Mr. Eggleston, 63, was a partner at Kirkland, a 1,900-lawyer corporate law firm, in 2014 when Mr. Obama named him to the White House post. In that job, he advised the president on legal and constitutional issues involving foreign policy and domestic matters, including congressional investigations, the judicial selection and appointments process, government ethics and petitions for clemency.

Im grateful to have had the opportunity to serve in the White House under President Obama, and am looking forward to returning to Kirkland & Ellis, private practice and teaching once again, Mr. Eggleston said in a statement.

Mr. Eggleston has spent much of his career representing clients facing questioning in congressional, regulatory and criminal inquiries.
PARIS  As Syria began to descend into a bloody civil war, a cement plant in the embattled northeast run by one of Frances largest industrial companies was operating at full speed.

While fighting among Syrian rebels, the Syrian army and the Islamic State drove other foreign companies out of the country, the plant, operated by Lafarge S.A., was curiously able to tough it out for years: From its opening in 2010 through to 2014, cement continued to pour from its mills in Jalabiyeh, a town near the Turkish border.

On Monday, the company announced that its chief executive, Eric Olsen, would resign after an internal investigation that concluded last month found the Syrian operations managers paid off armed groups to allow safe passage for employees and keep supplies flowing to the multimillion-euro factory.

The group, now the worlds largest cement maker after a 2016 merger with a Swiss rival, Holcim, said it concluded that Mr. Olsen was not responsible for or aware of the activity. The groups board has put him in charge of overseeing remedial measures and examining internal policies and financial controls to guard against future misconduct at any of its operations before he steps down in July.
Sam Sifton emails readers of Cooking five days a week to talk about food and suggest recipes. That email also appears here. To receive it in your inbox, register here.

Good morning. Im thinking wok-fried asparagus with walnuts and a bowl of brown rice for dinner tonight, along with fierce consideration of why it is that I dont cook like that more often: Its really good, notwithstanding the brown-rice hippie vibe. It could be a Monday tradition.

Also, its fast, and might leave me time to make Julia Moskins recipe for the best chicken salad before bed. If so, I could have the best desk lunch of the year tomorrow, or a marvelous dinner on Tuesday night. (The salad cures up nicely in the overnight. Serve in lettuce cups just as you might at the country club, working for minimum wage.)

Later this week, Id like to make Melissa Clarks new recipe for trout with chive butter, which you can dress up with trout or salmon roe, or make more simply with capers. If you have a grill outside, or a fireplace, you can make like Tamar Adler, and cook the dish in a cast-iron pan on the edge of the flames.
Overproduction is built right into the business model of most bakeries. While we devour much of what is made, huge quantities of perfectly good grain are tossed.

But Tristram Stuart, an Englishman who began battling food waste 15 years ago, long before it became a popular cause, discovered a way to turn bread, an inexpensive product with a short shelf life, into one thats long-lived and lucrative: craft ale.

After coming across a recipe, he refined it with Hackney Brewery in London and then contracted with Hambleton Ales in North Yorkshire to produce it in quantities. In 2016, Mr. Stuart began selling Toast, an English ale with malt and citrus notes, at London restaurants, online and through a growing number of distributors. Using roughly one slice per bottle, his team of three has recycled 3.6 tons of bread in its first 15 months.

Now, in his first satellite operation, Mr. Stuart, 40, has begun making beer in New York. Working with Chelsea Craft Brewing Company, in the Claremont section of the Bronx, Toast produced the pilot batch of its American Pale Ale in March.
The Chinese navy has taken on a new mission to protect the country's overseas interests.

By Press Trust of India: India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian ocean and more on its economic development, Chinese official media said today.

"New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers," an article in the state-run Global Times said. "In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development," it said.

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"New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy," it said.

China yesterday celebrated 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet. A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

CHINA TO INCREASE OVERSEAS PRESENCE

"With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the country's overseas interests," a report in the same daily said.

As a consequence, China's military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said. As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of former Soviet ship has finished its blue sea training, he said.

While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new "logistic" based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.

"As the world's second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development," an article in the Global Times said.

"The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions," the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.

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"India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers," it said. Unlike China, India operated the aircraft carrier since 1961.

INDIA's AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

INS Vikrant which was purchased as an incomplete carrier in 1957 played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of the East Pakistan in 1971 before it was decommissioned in 1997. Its successor INS Virat that was commissioned in 1987 has just been decommissioned this month after an eventful four decades of service.

It was succeeded by INS Vikramaditya, a modified version of Russian ship Admiral Gorshikov, which became operational in 2013.

The second INS Vikrant being built in Cochin Shipyard is expected to be ready by 2018.

ALSO READ:

Our right to give names for 6 Arunachal towns: China

India will 'pay dearly' for playing Dalai Lama card, Chinese media warns

ALSO WATCH:

China shouldn't interfere in India's internal matters: Rijiju on Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit

--- ENDS ---
Washing your hair should be as basic as slipping on your favorite bluejeans. After all, the process would seem rote at this point. But if the clients at Christophe Robins Paris salon are any indication, there is plenty of confusion.

Thats my most asked question at the salon now: How do I wash my hair? said Mr. Robin, the star colorist who tends the locks of Catherine Deneuve and Tilda Swinton. Part of the problem is the baffling messaging about shampooing: Women have been told they are both overwashing and underwashing.

A lot of this is also from all the products we have out there now, Mr. Robin said. And women are so often in a rush. You have to cleanse properly. You have to take time to make sure you rinse all the products out.
Is coffee a better business than fashion?

The Reimann family, the reclusive German consumer goods billionaires who control JAB Holding, seems to think so.

On Monday, the luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo, in which JAB owns a 67.6 percent stake, announced that it was putting itself up for sale. JAB acquired the brand in 2011 for 540 million pounds, or $800 million at the time, and took it public in 2014.

JAB is also undertaking what it called a strategic review of the Swiss leather goods brand Bally, including a possible sale of the company. A review of Belstaff, the British motocross-inspired brand acquired in 2008, is expected to follow.

The possible sell-off of the luxury brands comes as JAB Holdings  which since 2012 has built a coffee and food empire in the United States by acquiring American coffee brands including Peets Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee and Keurig Green Mountain  agreed this month to buy the sandwich chain Panera for $7.5 billion, including debt.
Article: Scientists, Feeling Under Siege, March Against Trump Policies

Before Reading

Watch the video Meet Three Scientists Ready to March. How do the three scientists featured in the video explain their reason for taking part in Saturdays March for Science?

What did you see or hear about the event? Did you take part?

Questions for Comprehension and Analysis

1. How was Saturdays March for Science a break from tradition among scientists, according to the article? What messages did protesters share with their signs?

2. What cities held marches in conjunction with Saturdays event?

3. What did the event organizers say motivated them? What do they hope will result from the March for Science?
Where do you hope to live when you becoming a working adult? Are there any places on your wishlist that are in other countries?

In the Opinion essay Go East, Young American, Suketu Mehta writes:

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates  One of the fiercest debates in the nation these days centers on immigration to America, and whether it takes jobs away from people already here. But maybe the solution is emigration from America. Today, there are nine million American civilians living abroad  up from four million in 1999. In the 21st century, Americas greatest export could just be  Americans. ... Americans who work abroad do quite well; American pilots for Chinese airlines, for example, make $300,000 a year. All around the world, there are legions of Americans making a good living as engineers, corporate executives, English teachers. Critics say this kind of globalization is only for the elite, those lucky and wealthy enough to have been educated at the best schools. But its not just jobs requiring a college degree that Americans should consider doing overseas. A 150-peso-an-hour job in an automobile plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, isnt the same as a $40-an-hour union job in Detroit; but you will live much better than if you made $8 an hour slinging burgers in Scranton, Pa. Maybe, instead of building a wall, President Trump should be demanding that Mexico open up its labor market to Americans. I certainly understand why Americans might be attached to their house, their friends and family, their home country. Ive made New York my home, the last home for those who have no other. The United States is a beautiful country, a safe country and, for most people, a comfortable country. Its true that we should fight for better-paying jobs at home; companies move jobs abroad so they can pay workers less, in countries with looser environmental and labor laws. But American jobs are disappearing not because theyre moving to Mexico or China; its because they are increasingly being done by robots. What we need is not tariffs, but training. We also need to gently teach our children: You might prefer to stay in the house you were born in all your life, but its not a constitutional right.

Students: Read the entire essay, then tell us:

 What is your reaction to the suggestion that young Americans consider living abroad for work?

 Would you ever move to another country for work? Why or why not?

 What do you see as the pros and cons of living in another country for work?

 What does Ms. Mehtas comparison of the three jobs in Aguascalientes, Detroit and Scranton add, if anything, to her argument for young people being open to working abroad?

 How might Ms. Mehtas own familys experiences influence her stance on the issue and the advice she gives about it?
Letters, postcards, diaries and doodles from a teenage Orson Welles, along with unpublished scripts of his many incomplete projects from the 50s and 60s, have been acquired by the University of Michigan. The items, which came from his youngest daughter, Beatrice Welles, add to the already extensive trove of Welles memorabilia that the university holds as part of its Screen Arts Mavericks & Makers collection.

The new acquisitions include heavily annotated scripts for well-known films like Chimes at Midnight and The Immortal Story. But also in the archive are screenplays that scholars and fans of Welles, who died in 1985, had heard about but never seen, from his many, many projects that didnt reach the screen. Among them, scripts for Ulysses, The Unthinking Lobster and Operation Cinderella. Theres also a script for Fountain of Youth, the pilot for a television series for Desilu Productions; the pilot made it to the air and won a Peabody but the series was never produced.
When Amtraks new chief executive took responsibility for two recent train derailments at Pennsylvania Station in New York, it was a low point for a railroad already confronting a series of urgent challenges.

Commuters have long complained that the station is overcrowded and dreary, but now Amtrak had acknowledged that its tracks were in poor shape and not being properly maintained.

The derailments have set off alarms over Amtraks management of the station, its safety record and the railroads perennial funding problems. The days of commuting turmoil prompted by the accidents also offered an ominous preview of the future if the railroads aging infrastructure is not soon overhauled.

Today, Amtrak finds itself at a crossroad: Is the 46-year-old national railroad at the cusp of a new era of investment as it pushes to build a train tunnel between New York and New Jersey  one of the countrys largest infrastructure proposals  or will service deteriorate to levels that could damage the economy in the corridor between Washington and Boston?
We dont want to destroy communities or tear people away from their families for low-level offenses, said Eric Gonzalez, the acting Brooklyn district attorney. If someone confronts a guilty plea that would automatically subject them to a harsh immigration penalty and theres another possible plea that would hold them accountable and ensure public safety, justice demands they be given the one that doesnt have immigration consequences.

Mr. Gonzalez added that his office was not seeking to frustrate the federal governments function of protecting our country, but rather trying to enhance public safety and fairness in the criminal justice system. In a statement issued to formally announce the policy, he said, We will not stop prosecuting crimes, but we are determined to see that case outcomes are proportionate to the offense as well as fair and just for everyone.

Because immigration matters are governed by their own legal code, immigrants can face far more serious consequences than citizens when being prosecuted for relatively minor crimes like petty theft or possession of a small amount of drugs. Those two offenses, for instance, are considered misdemeanors under New York State law but can be cause for deportation under federal immigration law. Even for legal immigrants, the charges can lead to problems in obtaining full citizenship rights.

As an example of how the new policy would work, prosecutors cited the case of a Haitian man who arrived in Brooklyn in 1977 and obtained a green card in 1984. In 2000, prosecutors said, the man, whose name was not released to protect his identity, was arrested on trespassing charges. When the police searched him, they found a small amount of crack cocaine.

The man eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge and did not serve time in prison. He stayed out of trouble for years, prosecutors said, caring for his mother and working as a parking garage attendant and a telemarketer.

But in 2010, after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, he returned there for a visit. Because of his drug conviction, he was not allowed back into the United States. Prosecutors said that if he had been allowed to plead guilty to the trespassing charge, rather than the drug charge, he probably would have been able to return to New York without trouble.

The introduction of the policy comes not only amid the standoff with the Trump administration but also as Mr. Gonzalez seeks to set himself apart in a crowded field of candidates running to become Brooklyns top law-enforcement official in elections in the fall. Several of those running against Mr. Gonzalez have said they, too, would make the protection of immigrants in the borough a priority.
In a series of court filings, Mr. Guzmans lawyers have complained on his behalf that from the moment he arrived at 10 South, he has been locked in his cell for 23 hours a day, except for lawyer and court visits, and has been denied all contact with his family and the media. The lawyers claim that he is the most closely guarded inmate in the United States and that the terms of his imprisonment have hindered his ability to prepare for trial. Not only have they asked Judge Brian M. Cogan of Federal District Court in Brooklyn to loosen the restrictions he faces; they have also asked that a researcher from Amnesty International be allowed inside 10 South to investigate conditions.

It is a strange turn of events that Mr. Guzman, a serial prison escapee who stands accused of killing thousands during Mexicos bloody drug wars, has claimed the moral high ground as a critic of the penal system. After all, he twice broke out of high-security correctional facilities in Mexico  first in a laundry cart and then by way of a mile-long tunnel dug by confederates into the shower of his cell. Given his history, federal prosecutors have defended the restrictions as a necessary measure, arguing that Mr. Guzman retains unparalleled connections to his associates in the Sinaloa drug cartel  and has a proven history of murdering his enemies even while under lock and key.

Though his environment is forbidding, some of the grievances he has lodged with jail officials  there have been at least 11 of them as of last month  have been decidedly small-bore. In one motion, Mr. Guzmans lawyers claimed that the tap water had disturbed his throat, prompting him to ask for bottled water. They also said their client briefly feared that he was hearing voices, though the government contends that he was merely picking up the sounds of a radio being played nearby.

That said, the restrictions in 10 South are so severe that loneliness seems to motivate some inmates to break the units rules. One of those inmates, Oussama Kassir, once greeted a fellow Muslim prisoner in Arabic while being escorted down the hall in the clutch of two prison guards, according to an affidavit filed by his lawyer. For that infraction, Mr. Kassir lost his telephone privileges for four months.
Photographs of Rashawn on his mothers Facebook page show him in smart outfits, with bow ties and suspenders. In one picture, he is smiling, holding school awards for math and science. Chayce, the 2-year-old, liked the cartoon Paw Patrol, according to his grandmothers Facebook page. His second birthday party was a bonanza around the cartoon, with a themed cake emblazoned with his name and hugs from life-size versions of the shows puppy characters. A picture from last Christmas shows him wrestling with a present as big as he was.

Jada was a top cheerleader for the Tigers, the squad at the Young Womens Leadership School in Jamaica, Queens. She was known for incredible strength that belied her petite stature, said Abi Corbin, the coach. On Monday, the cheerleaders met with grief counselors and discussed a range of things like Jadas love of teriyaki chicken  which she ate almost every day  and the times she had been their rock.

There were a couple of high school girls who said today, I wouldnt have kept going if Jada didnt give me that kind word and encourage me, Ms. Corbin said.

In February, Jada took her first plane ride to compete in the National High School Cheerleading Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. She did not like the airplane ride, Ms. Corbin said. But she loved the roller coasters.

On Sunday, firefighters were alerted by a driver who called 911 around 2 p.m. to report that the house was in flames and that a man had fallen from an upper-story window, said Daniel A. Nigro, the commissioner of the Fire Department. Sheener Bailey Briggs, Ms. Greens sister, identified the man as Maurice Matthews. Before retreating out the window, she said, Mr. Matthews tried to save one child while another cried for help from another part of the house, but the fire forced him out entirely. He is now in stable condition, the police said.
As with other foreign policy issues, the Trump administrations approach to Iran has been full of mixed messages. Yet amid the confusion, there has been an ominous tendency to demonize Iran and misrepresent the threat it presents. This could lead to an unnecessary and risky confrontation.

The administrations various and conflicting responses to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are a case in point. The deal, one of the Obama administrations major triumphs, requires Iran to curb its nuclear activities in return for a lifting of economic sanctions. During the campaign, President Trump called it one of the worst deals Ive ever seen and promised to tear it up or renegotiate it if he won the election. Last week, however, a letter from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to the House speaker, Paul Ryan, signaled Mr. Trumps intention to stick to the deal.

The letter certified that Iran was complying with the agreement, negotiated by five world powers in addition to the United States and Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors the agreement with on-site inspectors and advanced technology, reached the same conclusion in its most recent report.

However, in the letter, Mr. Tillerson also stressed that Iran remains a leading state sponsor of terror and said the administration was reviewing whether suspending sanctions continues to advance American interests. Further jumbling the administrations views, Mr. Tillerson told reporters on Wednesday that the deal fails to achieve the objective of a non-nuclear Iran and only delays their goal of becoming a nuclear state. On Thursday, Mr. Trump accused Iran of not fulfilling the spirit of the deal. Yet on Friday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted during a visit to Israel that the deal stills stands and that Iran appears to be living up to their part. That same day, Mr Trump told The Associated Press that its possible that we wont stay in the nuclear deal, The A.P. reported on Sunday.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Indoor residual spray, a malaria control measure, saved the lives of over 41 million people in India in 2015, the World Health Organisation said today, asserting that the method was a "highly effective" way for vector control.

On the eve of World Malaria Day, the global health body stressed the need for countries in the South East Asian region to adopt "agile" thinking to meet the region-wide target to eliminate malaria by 2030.

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WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, said the region has reached the malaria-related MDG targets and more recently (between 2010 and 2015), it cut case incidence by an estimated 54 per cent and the malaria mortality rate by around 46 per cent.

She said Maldives and Sri Lanka were certified malaria-free in 2015 and 2016 respectively, terming it as a "stunning achievement".

She said the theme of this years World Malaria Day was enhancing prevention as a critical means of closing the gap and ending malaria for good.

Singh underlined two highly effective ways to curb malaria, i.e. by ensuring affected communities have access to long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, and by carrying out indoor residual spraying.

"In 2015 alone indoor residual spraying was estimated to protect 106 million people worldwide, including upwards of 41 million in India," she said.

The official said further progress must be forged and asserted that malaria remained endemic in nine of the regions 11 countries.

"Multi-drug resistance, including to artemisinin-based combination therapies, is an ever-present threat, as is resistance of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes to insecticides.

"Across the region, domestic funding for malaria prevention and control has declined, even as the need for more innovative and localised solutions has increased. Renewed focus is needed," she added. PTI TDS SRY

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STANFORD, Calif.  The crowds jostling below, the soldiers marching down icy boulevards, the roar of a people possessed: All this a young Ayn Rand witnessed from her familys apartment, perched high above the madness near Nevsky Prospekt, a central thoroughfare of Petrograd, the Russian city formerly known as St. Petersburg.

These February days were the first turn of a revolutionary cycle that would end in November and split world history into before and after, pitting soldier against citizen, republican against Bolshevik, Russian against Russian. But it wasnt until Rand became a New Yorker, some 17 years later, that she realized the revolution had cleaved not only Russian society, but also intellectual life in her adopted homeland of the United States.

We usually think of the 1950s as the decade of anti-Communism, defined by Senator Joseph McCarthy, the Hollywood blacklist and the purging of suspected Communists from unions, schools and universities. The prelude to all of that was the 1930s, when the nations intellectuals first grappled with the meaning and significance of Russias revolution. And it was in this decade that Ayn Rand came to political consciousness, reworking her opposition to Soviet Communism into a powerful defense of the individual that would inspire generations of American conservatives.

Rand is best known as the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, but before these came We the Living, the novel perhaps closest to her heart. It was certainly the novel closest to her life: The protagonist, a gifted engineering student named Kira Argounova, lived the life that might well have been Rands, had she stayed in the U.S.S.R. But whereas Kira died a dramatic death trying to escape over the snowy border into Latvia, Rand succeeded in emigrating in 1926 and soon made it to Hollywood, the American movie city she had written about as a Russian film student, which became her first home in the United States.
The first reports about the arbitrary detention and possible extrajudicial killings of men suspected of being gay in Chechnya were bloodcurdling. The authorities began rounding up men after activists had sought permission to hold gay pride parades in other parts of the North Caucasus region, which is predominantly Muslim, according to a newspaper report and activists. At least three turned up dead. Some people reported being tortured.

Then came the baffling denial. If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return, Alvi Karimov, a spokesman for the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, told the Russian news agency Interfax.

This abominable crime by a Russian republic and its reprehensible cover-up warrant a strong response from Moscow and the international community. That would be a stretch for the Russian government, which is denying that there is evidence of any crimes and has sought to keep its own gay population invisible. In 2013, it enacted a so-called anti-propaganda law that criminalizes promoting or celebrating non-straight conduct and identity  while government officials claimed that all Russians were entitled to protection from discrimination and violence.
But the history of Americas special operations forces recommends caution. They are primarily tactical tools, not strategic options. Nor, for all the talent and training, can they always beat the odds.

When Jimmy Carter sent special operators to rescue the hostages in Iran, the raid went awry far short of its objective, with eight dead Americans left behind. Bill Clinton deployed Delta Force members to neutralize the Somalian warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid, but aborted the mission after militiamen dragged American corpses through the streets of Mogadishu. Barack Obamas use of special operations forces to train a Syrian rebel army yielded a pitiable four or five fighters.

When special operations forces have succeeded tactically  as they so frequently and impressively have  they rarely have produced strategic success on their own. Presidents Bush and Obama hoped that precision strikes by special operators would decapitate the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the insurgents endured so long as they controlled territory and population. The killing of Osama Bin Laden did not cripple Al Qaeda, and it produced a strategically damaging backlash in Pakistan. With the notable exception of the defeat of the Taliban in 2001, strategic victory has required the integration of special operations forces with both conventional forces and civilian national security agencies.

Its also uncertain how relevant special operations forces will be in the next war. Although Mr. Trump may not be interested in fighting a major war, he may be left with little choice. Lyndon Johnson sent American troops into Vietnam in 1965 after campaigning as the peace candidate in 1964. George W. Bush became enmeshed in counterinsurgencies in Afghanistan and Iraq despite a vow to keep the nation out of such quagmires.

Americas special operations troops can hunt down a terrorist or train an elite unit better than anyone. But they cant destroy a Russian armored division or occupy a North Korean city. If the military continues to shift talent from conventional to special units through expansion of the latter, the conventional forces required in a large war will suffer.
She has a path partly because working-class French voters who supported the Socialist Party in past decades have drifted away from it. As a result, Frances Socialist prime minister, Francois Hollande, is historically unpopular, and the Socialist candidate yesterday failed to make the runoff. Le Pen will face a centrist named Emmanuel Macron, who leads En Marche!, a new political party.

For more on Frances turmoil, I recommend an essay from this weekend, by Christopher Caldwell in The Wall Street Journal, and a post-election editorial in The Times.

Beyond France, center-right parties have dominated politics recently in both Germany and Japan. The British Labour Party is so dysfunctional that it fumbled a chance to prevent Brexit, as Jonathan Freedland has explained in The New York Review of Books. One of the few exceptions to the lefts losing streak is Canada.

In the United States, of course, Democrats control neither the White House nor Congress. If youre tempted to excuse this by noting that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, Id point out that Democrats also hold only about one-third of state legislatures and governorships.

The situation is so dispiriting because the political right, while it is more successful at the ballot box, often lacks solutions to the problems plaguing the working class. Just look at the mess of President Trumps first 100 days  or the demise of the traditional conservative party in France.
For Marine Le Pens supporters, the European Union is an abomination that violates national sovereignty and opens borders to mass immigration, while the eurozone prevents the French government from controlling its economic and monetary policy. To Mr. Macron, the European Union is the institution that can help France be a player and defend itself in a globalized world, while its open borders and common currency increase economic opportunities for its citizens. Basically, Europeans are stronger together.

This is the clear choice French voters will face in the second round on May 7. A choice between two starkly different visions of Europe, between two opposite outlooks on the world: an open world versus a world of borders and barriers, modernity versus conservatism. The political consensus, based on the European project and liberal values, that allowed two major mainstream parties to govern France alternately on the right and the left for the past three decades has been shattered.

The candidate of the governing Socialist Party, Benoit Hamon, earned a devastating 6.4 percent of the vote, mirroring a trend in some other European countries. As for Les Republicains, the center-right party, it is also in deep trouble. Their candidate, former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, came in third on Sunday with 20 percent. Never before had the major party of the right been eliminated from the second round.

Would the party have fared better with a candidate who hadnt employed his wife in lucrative but elusive tasks and who paid for his own suits? Even this is not sure, such is the thirst for renewal and the furor of degagisme (scram-ism), as the far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who claimed 19.6 percent, called the anti-politician trend  only to fall victim of it, too.

This is the new landscape, shaped by the steady rise of the National Front and euroskepticism over the past decade. Rather than hiding behind it, Emmanuel Macron chose early in his campaign to fly the European flag. He astonished his rivals by winning support for the European Union, against all odds, at his rallies. And it worked.

He also managed to reverse the fear factor: By the end of the campaign, polls showed that more than two-thirds of French voters, still convinced of the benefits of a common currency, did not want to leave the eurozone, throwing Marine Le Pens anti-euro agenda off balance. Mr. Macron embraced the French-German relationship, so vital to a unified Europe, and went to Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel, for whose immigration policy Marine Le Pen has only scorn.

Here is Mr. Macrons toughest challenge in the next two weeks: how to reconcile an electorate that has grown more conservative and fearful of the effects of globalization with the idea that a stronger Europe is congruent with Frances interests and will not harm the countrys national identity. His frequent use of the words protection, his rousing calls to patriots, the French flags waving alongside the blue European banner with its gold stars at his rallies while supporters join him in singing La Marseillaise, show that he is aware of the danger of leaving the monopoly of patriotism to the National Front.

But even if he succeeds on May 7, he will still be left with other difficulties. Winning the June parliamentary elections  without a proper party  and achieving a majority to govern is one. Transforming the political system, as he has promised, to adjust it to the 21st century and give a voice to those voters who have felt excluded for so long is another. For a political novice, however talented and lucky, this is quite a tall order. But it is the condition for the dikes to continue holding up.
To the Editor:

Re Mr. Cuomos Free* College Plan (editorial, April 15):

How disappointing that the Times editorial board couldnt get behind this important step in making higher education more affordable for New York State residents. We need to take Gov. Andrew Cuomo out of the story, because its really not about him. Its about the middle- and working-class families of New York who will benefit from this plan.

You suggest that somehow the plan will place damaging financial strains on the SUNY and CUNY systems, but dont say how.

Worse, you attack the plan because of the many people it wont help, including part-time students and students from poor families. The poorest students already have some forms of financial aid. Certainly they need more. But middle-class families need help, too. As the most recent presidential election should have made clear, when we ignore the economic plight of the working class and middle class, we risk social and political collapse.

Rather than complaining about what Excelsior Scholarships dont accomplish, we should celebrate this important step in the right direction  then push for more.
To the Editor:

Re The Gig Economys False Promise (editorial, April 10):

While its true that an increasing number of Americans are trying to earn a living in the gig economy and are in need of real protections, only 11 percent of the nations freelance workers rely on a single company or platform like Uber and Handy for most or all of their income, the focus of your editorial.

The vast majority of the nations 55 million independent workers  more than one-third of the countrys work force  are creating income from a wide variety of sources. Theyre graphic designers and domestic workers, accountants and writers, adjunct professors and day laborers.

We should be looking at common issues and exploring ways to help turn all these independent-worker gigs into sustainable middle-class careers  like creating a new social safety net to provide the same level of benefits and protections many full-time employees enjoy. In that way we can make good on the promises of the gig economy.

SARA HOROWITZ, NEW YORK

The writer is the founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union.

To the Editor:

Workers join the on-demand economy because of the benefits it offers, not because of desperation or manipulation.
NEW DELHI  On a recent evening I was watching the video of a news feature a Hindi language television network broadcast about Yogi Adityanath, who was elected chief minister of Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, last month. The frame shows a man with a shaved head cloaked in saffron, the color of Hindu monasticism, sitting on a saffron-backed armchair. A voiceover described the scene: Whoever comes before him sits at his feet, but he makes sure every supplicant goes away satisfied; he does not discriminate.

Until he became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Adityanath, 45, was primarily known as a firebrand Hindu leader who had created a volunteer force, the Hindu Yuva Vahini, or Vehicle for Hindu Youth, a group repeatedly accused of stoking and participating in religious violence. The best chronicled of such incidents took place in 2007 in Gorakhpur, Mr. Adityanaths hometown, in eastern Uttar Pradesh. After the death of a Hindu youth in clashes between Hindus and Muslims on the day of the Shia festival of Moharram, Mr. Adityanath publicly addressed his men: In times to come, if one Hindu is killed, we wont go to the police. Instead we will make sure we will kill 10 Muslims. He was arrested and kept in custody for 15 days after his men destroyed a roadside Sufi shrine and violated prohibitory orders.

Some rather craven sections of the Indian press have been at work to build a softer public persona for Mr. Adityanath since he assumed office. A report in one of Indias largest-selling English language newspapers spoke of his pets: the calves Gauri, Ganga, Narmada and Yamuna, and the dog Raja. The paper described how Mr. Adityanaths pets have become restive in his absence as they await a move to his official residence. A journalist working for a major television network, who claims to specialize in reporting conflict, tweeted Mr. Adityanaths visit to his cowshed: Several calves ran to Yogi Adityanath as he reached and gave them Gur (jaggery) and their feed. Photo essays of Mr. Adityanath and his calves were published by numerous newspapers.

Mr. Adityanath rose to power because of his association with the Gorakhnath sect, a 1,000-year-old Hindu sect with its headquarters in Gorakhpur. Mr. Adityanath is the current head of the sect. In 1998, when Mr. Adityanath was 26, he was designated as the religious and political successor to Mahant Avaidyanath, the previous head of the sect. Mr. Avaidynath joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and was elected to the Indian Parliament three times as its candidate from Gorakhpur from 1989 to 1998. He had already been elected to the Parliament once in the 1970s from another Hindu party. Mr. Adityanath succeeded him to the Indian Parliament in 1998 and became head of the sect after Mr. Avaidyanaths death in 2014.
But, to my great delight, my worry was unfounded. Not only is the movement still strong, it appears to be getting stronger. People have found a salve for their sadness: exuberant agitation. Far from growing limp, the Trump resistance is stiffening and strengthening.

As John Cassidy put it this month in a progress report on the resistance in The New Yorker: Indeed, what is striking is how many people Trump has mobilized who previously didnt pay very much attention to what happens in Washington. He has politicized many formerly apolitical people; ultimately, this may be among his biggest achievements as president.

These comments came specifically in reference to the throngs of resisters showing up at lawmakers town hall events, sometimes in record numbers. They are passionate, vocal and confrontational. They are not bowing down; they are holding their representatives accountable and giving a very visual reinforcement to the threat that defending Trump or supporting his agenda will be punished at the ballot box.

The Republican House Oversight and Government Reform chairman, Jason Chaffetz, who made a surprise announcement last week that he would not seek re-election in 2018, found this out firsthand. As Mother Jones put it:

The once-brash congressional inquisitor has twisted himself into a pretzel trying to explain why he hasnt been investigating President Trump, the most conflict-ridden commander-in-chief in modern U.S. history. And the 50-year-old congressman has experienced an unexpected level of outrage in his own deep red district.

In February, constituents swarmed Chaffetzs town hall in efforts to (what he called) yell and scream. At the time he put on a defiant face: I thought it was intended to bully and intimidate. But, the last four elections in Utah in a row Ive won the widest margin of anybody playing at this level.
Adolescents who feel that they matter are less likely to suffer from depression, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts. Theyre less likely to lash out at their families and engage in rebellious, illegal and harmful behaviors. Once they reach college, they have better mental health.

As parents, we sometimes feel helpless because its impossible to solve our childrens problems. In those situations, we can still provide support by companioning  walking alongside them and listening. Adam told me about evidence-based programs at Arizona State University that help families cope with parental loss and divorce. These programs teach parents to create and maintain warm and strong relationships, communicate openly with children, use effective discipline, avoid depression and help their children develop coping skills and strategies. When families participate in these programs for 10 to 12 sessions, over the next six years children have fewer mental-health and substance-abuse problems, higher grades and better biological stress responses.

One afternoon, I sat down with my kids to write out family rules to remind us of the coping mechanisms we would need. We wrote together that its O.K. to be sad and to take a break from any activity to cry. Its O.K. to be happy and laugh. Its O.K. to be angry and jealous of friends and cousins who still have fathers. Its O.K. to say to anyone that we do not want to talk about it now. And its always O.K. to ask for help. The poster we made that day  with the rules written by my kids in colored markers  still hangs in our hall so we can look at it every day. It reminds us that our feelings matter and that we are not alone.

Dave and I had a tradition at the dinner table with our kids in which each of us would share the best and worst moments of our day. Giving children undivided attention  something we all know is important but often fail to do  is another of the key steps toward building their resilience. My children and I have continued this tradition, and now we also share something that makes us feel grateful to remind ourselves that even after loss, there is still so much to appreciate in life.

For my friends son whose robot was destroyed, a turning point came when one of his former teachers got in touch to see how he was doing and started spending time with him every week. She encouraged him to reach out to other kids and make friends, then followed up, reinforcing each step he took. She cared. He mattered. When a new kid started at the school, the teacher encouraged them to get together, and the friendship took. It made such a difference for a teacher to take an interest in him and a friend to bond with him, his mom said. It was like the sun came out in our house.

Since my children were so young when they lost their father, I am afraid that their memories of him will fade, and this breaks my heart all over again. Adam and I also learned that talking about the past can build resilience. When children grow up with a strong understanding of their familys history  where their grandparents grew up, what their parents childhoods were like  they have better coping skills and a stronger sense of mattering and belonging. Jamie Pennebaker, a psychologist at the University of Texas, has found that expressing painful memories can be uncomfortable in the moment, but improves mental and even physical health over time.

To keep Daves memory alive, I asked dozens of his closest family members, friends and colleagues to capture their stories about him on video. I also taped my children sharing their own memories, so that as they grow up, they will know which are truly theirs. This past Thanksgiving my daughter was distraught, and when I got her to open up, she told me, Im forgetting Daddy because I havent seen him for so long. We watched the video of her talking about him, and it gave her some comfort.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Indias second largest software services firm Infosys today said it has set up its first office and delivery centre in Karlovac, Croatia.

The new centre will strengthen Infosys engineering footprint in Eastern Europe. It will meet near-shoring requirements, support engineering clients worldwide, as well as offer R&D services.

"As part of our strategy to increase geo capabilities, the Karlovac delivery centre will deliver value to our global clients, specifically in the Nordics," Infosys President and Deputy COO Ravi Kumar S said in a statement.

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The statement did not divulge details on the investment made or number of jobs that will be created.

He added that the focus will be on consolidating consulting, IT and engineering skills in the areas of power generation, design and development of large gas and steam turbines among others.

The Karlovac facility in Croatia is the latest location across 16 regions in Europe. * * * * * * JM Financial AM approves share buy-back * The board JM Financial Asset Management Limited, a subsidiary of JM Financial Limited, today approved the buy- back of up to 10 per cent of the outstanding equity capital. JM Financial Ltd informed the BSE that the board of JM Financial Asset Management Ltd at its meeting held today approved the buy-back of 10 per cent of the outstanding equity capital subject to necessary approvals.

Nimesh Kampani led JM Financial provides services such as investment banking, equity, debt, commodity sales and trading.

Shares of JM Financial Ltd today touched fresh 52 week high of 113.50 before closing at Rs 112, up by 4.14 per cent, on BSE. PTI SR KPM MR

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FAIRFAX, Va.  A poster figure of John Wayne, the mega-hero of Hollywood westerns, offers a greeting here at the gun museums gallery door as he holds his Winchester carbine at the ready and offers an amiably crooked grin. The bad guys in the movies never fully understood that the menace behind Waynes grin (Whoa, take er easy there, Pilgrim) meant he was about to deliver blazing fantasies of triumphant gunfire that would leave them dead in the dust. Its no wonder modern Florida legislators could not resist protecting actual shooters who draw and fire like John Wayne as guilt-free, stand-your-ground defenders.

The film star stands tall at the National Rifle Associations National Firearms Museum  true, only as a cardboard cutout of himself. But the cardboard fantasy of the good guy gunning down the bad guy is what makes the museum work as an enjoyable escape from the life-and-death reality of American gun carnage.

There are thousands of ingenious, gleaming rifles and handguns in displays about Americas gun-rich history of colonialism, immigration, expansionism and vigilante justice. But it is the gallery devoted to Hollywood and its guns and good-guy shooters that best illustrates the power of fantasy now driving the modern gun rights debate.

Go ahead, make my day, Clint Eastwood famously growled to a movie bad guy after shooting his accomplices. The museum narrative identifies the actual movie guns, not the actors, as having the starring roles in assorted western and terrorist-fantasy shootouts. The gallery includes some of the blank rounds actually fired in movies, as opposed to the live rounds bedeviling real life beyond the film screen.
In such cases there is no inherent value to be gained from debating them in public. In todays age, we also have a simple solution that should appease all those concerned that students are insufficiently exposed to controversial views. It is called the internet, where all kinds of offensive expression flourish unfettered on a vast platform available to nearly all.

The great value and importance of freedom of expression, for higher education and for democracy, is hard to overestimate. But it has been regrettably easy for commentators to create a simple dichotomy between a younger generations oversensitivity and free speech as an absolute good that leads to the truth. We would do better to focus on a more sophisticated understanding, such as the one provided by Lyotard, of the necessary conditions for speech to be a common, public good. This requires the realization that in politics, the parameters of public speech must be continually redrawn to accommodate those who previously had no standing.

The rights of transgender people for legal equality and protection against discrimination are a current example in a long history of such redefinitions. It is only when trans people are recognized as fully human, rather than as men and women in disguise, as Ben Carson, the current secretary of housing and urban development claims, that their rights can be fully recognized in policy decisions.

The idea of freedom of speech does not mean a blanket permission to say anything anybody thinks. It means balancing the inherent value of a given view with the obligation to ensure that other members of a given community can participate in discourse as fully recognized members of that community. Free-speech protections  not only but especially in universities, which aim to educate students in how to belong to various communities  should not mean that someones humanity, or their right to participate in political speech as political agents, can be freely attacked, demeaned or questioned.

THE STUDENT ACTIVISM that has roiled campuses  at Auburn, Missouri, Yale, Berkeley, Middlebury and elsewhere  is an opportunity to take stock of free speech issues in a changed world. It is also an opportunity to take into account the past few decades of scholarship that has honed our understanding of the rights to expression in higher education, which maintains particularly high standards of what is worthy of debate.

The recent controversies over the conflict between freedom of expression and granting everyone access to speech hark back to another telling moment. In 1963, Yale University had rescinded an invitation to Alabamas segregationist governor, George C. Wallace. In 1974, after unruly protests prevented William Shockley from debating his recommendation for voluntary sterilization of people with low I.Q.s, and other related incidents, Yale issued a report on how best to uphold the value of free speech on campus that remains the gold standard for many other institutions.
LONDON  Can a graduate of Frances elite schools, a onetime investment banker and the former economy minister of an unpopular Socialist president prevail at a time of French disgust with politics-as-usual?

I ask the question because the greatest danger to Emmanuel Macron, at once the fresh face of French politics and a familiar product of the French system, is the assumption that his first-round electoral victory makes triumph in the second round inevitable.

It is not. Macron, a political neophyte, has work to do.

Marine Le Pen, who took 21.4 percent of the first-round vote to Macrons 23.9 percent, is not the favorite, but she is plausible in a way her father Jean-Marie Le Pen was not when he was crushed in the second round of the 2002 election. Some 7.6 million French people voted for her, 2.8 million more than her father in the first round 15 years ago. Never before has the National Front, a racist party, taken more than 20 percent of the vote. That this result for Le Pen has provoked relief in some circles is a measure of her partys steady advance.

Disruption is in the air, and Le Pens anti-immigrant, anti-European, nationalist agitation is its most powerful expression. The establishment parties of center-left and center-right have been blown away, and with them some of the essential fabric of the Fifth Republic.
On todays episode:

In this special episode, my colleague Matt Apuzzo takes us inside Mr. Comeys decision-making as he shaped the presidential election through major investigations into both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Background reading:

The Times investigation into Mr. Comeys role in the election.

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The astronaut Peggy Whitson, who early Monday surpassed the 534-day record for most time in space by an American, received a congratulatory call about nine hours later from President Trump and his daughter Ivanka.

President Trump called the International Space Station from the Oval Office, congratulated Dr. Whitson and urged NASA to go further, even saying  perhaps jokingly  that he would like to send an American to Mars during my first term or at worst during my second term.

Dr. Whitson had specified that a bill signed by Mr. Trump in March authorizing $19.5 billion in funding for NASA directed the agency to send astronauts to the planet during the 2030s. But the president, undeterred, said later in the call that such a mission could take place a lot sooner than were even thinking.

At 1:27 a.m. Eastern, Dr. Whitson, 57, surpassed a record previously held by the astronaut Jeff Williams, who spent 534 cumulative days in space. Her current mission launched in November, and though it originally was scheduled to return home in June, it is now scheduled to last until September.
SYRACUSE  Why have sightings of unidentified flying objects around the nation more than tripled since 2001? Why is July the busiest month for U.F.O. sightings? Why did they spike in Texas in 2008, or in New Mexico in September 2015?

And how in the world, or out of it, has Manhattan racked up New York States second-highest tally of U.F.O. sightings in this century?

These questions and many others emerge from the first comprehensive statistical summary of so-called close encounters: 121,036 eyewitness accounts, organized county by county in each state and the District of Columbia, from 2001 to 2015.

The unlikely compendium, U.F.O. Sightings Desk Reference, is the work of a couple in Syracuse, who crunched unruly data on U.F.O. reports collected by two volunteer organizations: the Mutual U.F.O. Network, or Mufon, and the National U.F.O. Reporting Center, or Nuforc.
Opening arguments began on Monday in a civil trial about a Broadway musical that never came to be, a real-life drama that, even by showbiz standards, stretched the suspension of disbelief.

The producers of Rebecca, a show based on the 1938 novel by Daphne du Maurier, are suing the musicals former publicist, Marc Thibodeau, in New York State Supreme Court. They say that, without their knowledge, he sent anonymous emails to a last-minute investor in 2012, urging him not to put money into the show. Mr. Thibodeau, a longtime Broadway press agent, has said he was only trying to protect the investor from losing millions in an already troubled production, which ultimately never opened because of a lack of funds.

Mr. Thibodeau has previously been found in breach of contract in a related case; the jury will assess damages for that finding and decide two other claims by the producers, defamation and tortious interference.

Lawyers for the producers said on Monday that Mr. Thibodeaus actions were a brazen attempt to undermine the very production  a story immortalized in a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940  that he had been hired and paid to promote.
In an editorial accompanying the C.D.C. researchers study, Harold Pollack, co-director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, wrote that opioid-associated crime, like all crime, extracts an even larger toll when you consider its impact on families and communities.

The most important reason to support treatment is to improve the well-being and social function of people with addiction disorders, Mr. Pollack said. But there are other social benefits. When the criminally active get help for this, the economic value of crime reduction largely or totally offsets the costs of treatment, he added.

Relative to the costs of crime alone, treatment for substance use disorders is a good deal. Even though a typical burglary may result in a few thousand dollars of tangible losses, researchers have estimated that people are willing to pay 10 times that amount to avoid that loss and 100 times more to avoid armed robbery. This reflects the fact that crime exacts a large psychological toll  the threat or climate of it is far more costly than the crimes themselves.

The most cost-effective treatment for opioid use disorders includes counseling along with a craving-relieving prescription drug, like methadone or buprenorphine, sometimes combined with other medications. According to an economic analysis by the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, this kind of treatment actually saves society money. For instance, New England states could save $1.3 billion by expanding treatment of opioid-dependent persons by 25 percent.

Though the war on drugs has not had a tangible impact on crime, treatment for substance use disorders has. A study by Emory University scholars found that a 10 percent increase in the treatment rate reduces the robbery and larceny theft rates by about 3 percent and the aggravated assault rate by 4 to 9 percent.
BERKELEY, Calif.  Days after the University of California, Berkeley, canceled an appearance by the author Ann Coulter, two conservative organizations filed a federal lawsuit on Monday accusing the university of trying to to restrict conservative speech on campus.

The legal action came after the university canceled Ms. Coulters appearance, scheduled for this week, on the grounds that specific threats by anarchist groups threatened security on campus. The groups that invited Ms. Coulter say she is planning to come anyway.

The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco, was brought by the Berkeley College Republicans and the Young Americas Foundation, a national organization that promotes conservative causes.

Berkeley promises its students an environment that promotes free debate and the free exchange of ideas, the lawsuit said, but the promise was breached through the repressive actions of university administrators and campus police.
After 12 years without an execution, Arkansas had planned to carry out eight in 10 days, the biggest concentration in the United States in decades, because its supply of one of the drugs has an April 30 expiration date. Four of the executions were blocked by courts, and the timetable has drawn protests and intense criticism from death-penalty opponents, who cited the rushed schedule as evidence of the arbitrary way capital punishment is applied.

The last time a state carried out two capital sentences on the same day was when Texas did it, in August 2000, at a time when executions were more frequent in the United States.

What drove Arkansass accelerated schedule was that the states store of midazolam, one of the drugs used in its lethal injections, was set to expire, and states have had trouble acquiring new supplies.

Like several other states, Arkansas uses a three-drug combination in its lethal injections, but in recent years, drug companies have refused to sell their products for the purpose of executions. The first drug is midazolam, a sedative intended to render the inmate unconscious, though critics contend it is not always effective. The second drug is a paralytic to halt breathing, and the third stops the heart.
By Press Trust of India: Bengaluru, Apr 24 (PTI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today said its Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre has developed an android app for computing the solar energy potential of a place.

Developed at the behest of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the app is considered tobe a "very useful" tool for installation of photovoltaic (PV)solar panels that is used for tapping solar energy, it said.

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The ISRO said the app provides monthly and yearly solar potential and the minimum and the maximum temperatures at anylocation.

It also displays the location of a place on the satelliteimage as well as the days length there during different periods in a year.

According to the ISRO, features of the app include providing of solar energy potential at any given location, the required location can be keyed in or can be obtained through GPS.

It said it also gives monthly and yearly solar potential processed using Indian Geostationary Satellite data (Kalpana- 1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR), and also offers monthly minimum and maximum temperature to calculate the realistic solar potential.

The obstruction of sunlight due to terrain is also calculated using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the help of the app which also suggests optimum tilt angle for the solar PV installation. PTI KSU RA RC RAX

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As a Republican congressman from Arkansas, Jay Dickey, through an obscure amendment, single-handedly prevented the federal government from investigating the public health effects of firearms-inflicted violence for the last two decades.

The legislation, a rider he attached to a House bill in 1996, stripped $2.6 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  the precise amount budgeted for a study of the health effects of shootings.

His amendment also stipulated that none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be used to advocate or promote gun control. That provision has dissuaded the agency from delving into the issue since then.

But in 2012, long after he left Congress and right after a gunman killed 12 people and injured scores more in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater, Mr. Dickey, who died on Thursday at 77, did an about-face. He declared that research could have been conducted without encroaching on the rights of legitimate gun owners.
New Orleans on Monday began removing four monuments dedicated to the era of the Confederacy and its aftermath, capping a prolonged battle about the future of the memorials, which critics deemed symbols of racism and intolerance and which supporters viewed as historically important.

Workers dismantled an obelisk, which was erected in 1891 to honor members of the Crescent City White League who in 1874 fought in the Reconstruction-era Battle of Liberty Place against the racially integrated New Orleans police and state militia, Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in a statement.

The monument, which was sometimes used as a rallying point by David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan, has stirred debate for decades. Local leaders unsuccessfully tried to remove it in 1981 and 1993.

The workers were dressed in flak jackets, helmets and scarves to conceal their identities because of concerns about their safety. Police officers watched from a nearby hotel.
WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed on Monday that the Trump administration would vigorously prosecute white-collar crime amid concerns that such cases would fall by the wayside in favor of higher-profile priorities like violent crime and illegal immigration.

Mr. Sessions affirmed the departments commitment to prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars corporations from bribing foreign officials to gain a business advantage. President Trump once called it a horrible law.

We will continue to enforce the F.C.P.A. and other anti-corruption laws, Mr. Sessions said. Companies should succeed because they provide superior products and services, not because they pay off the right people.

Mr. Sessions made his remarks at the annual conference of the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, a gathering of lawyers who internally police corporate misconduct. He acknowledged that it was unusual for an attorney general to appear before such a group, but said he wanted to send a message because I understand there can be some uncertainty when a new administration or new leadership occurs at the Justice Department.
CHICAGO  Former President Barack Obama studiously avoided any mention of President Trump or the assault on his own legacy as he returned to his adoptive home on Monday for his first public event since leaving the White House.

What might have been a moment for Mr. Obama to challenge Mr. Trumps wiretapping accusations, or to assail the Republican agenda, instead became a college seminar on how to engage with a new generation of young people  and urge them to participate in political life.

The single most important thing I can do, the former president told an audience of students, is to help in any way I can prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world.

Avoiding Mr. Trump was no accident.

Mr. Obama has decided  for now, at least  to steer clear of any criticism of his successor, in part out of gratitude that former President George W. Bush took that same approach. But Mr. Obama and his advisers also have concluded that confronting Mr. Trump now would be a political mistake.
WASHINGTON  After their already shaky start, it is hard to imagine Republicans would want to top off a chaotic first 100 days of unified government control with a disruptive federal government shutdown.

But that astounding scenario remains a live possibility this week as lawmakers and the Trump White House have so far been unable to agree on a plan to fund the government beyond Friday despite months of staring at the hard April 28 deadline. It is an unsettling but not unfamiliar position for congressional Republicans who have forced government closings in the past and know well that they will be assigned the brunt of the blame if federal agencies are shuttered yet again.

Should a shutdown occur, this one would have a defining new wrinkle. The politically charged spending fights that closed the government during the Clinton and Obama administrations were the product of clashes between congressional Republicans and a Democratic White House in a sharply divided Washington. Today, Republicans control both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, and allowing the federal government to go dark on their watch might be hard to explain.

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, said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court struggled to decide on Monday whether criminal defendants who may be mentally ill are entitled to independent expert witnesses to help defend them, or whether court-appointed experts who report to both the prosecution and the defense are sufficient.

The case concerns a death row inmate from Alabama, James E. McWilliams, but the issue in his case also figures in two of the eight executions Arkansas had hoped to carry out this month. Last week, the Arkansas Supreme Court stayed the executions of two men to await guidance from the United States Supreme Court in Mondays case, McWilliams v. Dunn.

Mr. McWilliams is on death row for the 1984 rape and murder of a convenience store clerk in Tuscaloosa. Before his sentencing, his lawyer asked for a psychological evaluation, and a court-appointed psychologist prepared a report that was distributed to both sides.

Mondays argument was almost entirely devoted to an attempt by the justices to divine what their predecessors had meant in a 1985 decision, Ake v. Oklahoma.
With roughly two dozen staff members and fellows, the Center for Immigration Studies provides research, filling the traditional think-tank role.

NumbersUSA is perhaps best known for exhorting members to overwhelm senators with faxes  more than a million were sent  during an effort in 2007 to pass a bill offering a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants and creating a new temporary worker program. The group likes to point out that it has activists in every congressional district, as the groups founder, Roy Beck, put it in a recent interview at its office in Arlington, Va. NumbersUSA now claims eight million participants between its Facebook followers and email lists.

All three receive small donations from individuals but also millions of dollars in recent years from the Colcom Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based organization founded by Cordelia Scaife May, a Mellon banking heiress, which has given heavily to anti-immigration causes. Her brother, Richard Mellon Scaife, was well known for bankrolling conservative causes and attacks on Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Despite their recent policy victories, the groups remain wary as to whether the administration will follow through on all its promises. In particular they point to Mr. Trumps failure to immediately end President Barack Obamas policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, allowing the so-called Dreamers who came illegally as children to remain in the country, as well as his choice of a pro-immigation economist to lead his Council of Economic Advisers.

We feel like we are going to continue to need to bring grass-roots influence on this administration because theres a lot of competing interests, said Mr. Beck of NumbersUSA.

At the same time, he pointed to a list of 10 priorities that NumbersUSA put out last summer for strengthening enforcement, and noted that the Trump administration had already addressed eight of them. One of the other two is ending birthright citizenship for children whose parents are not citizens, a controversial idea that would most likely require a constitutional amendment.

The biggest enemy we face right now is complacency, Mr. Stein of FAIR said, because Trumps people have our ideas.
Lots of CW shows will fit the bill here. (Im going to assume you already watch Jane the Virgin, too. This goes for all Watchers: Even if you think Jane is not typically your kind of show, give it a try.) The L.A. Complex, as recommended here a few months ago, is one such sudsy-but-substantive series. Reaper, from 2007, is about a slacker college dropout who discovers his parents sold his soul to the Devil, and now he has to work as one of Satans bounty hunters. Its sweet and funny, and Im one of dozens of people who watched it back when it was on. There are two seasons, both available on ABC.com. (Free, but it has an oppressive number of commercials.)

But if you want a more traditional show for and about adults, try Sensitive Skin. Its a Canadian remake of a British series of the same name, but this version stars Don McKellar (Slings and Arrows) and Kim Cattrall as a couple trying to figure out what the post-parenting pre-retirement phase of their life is supposed to look like. Its billed as a dark comedy, but it feels more like a half-hour drama to me. Seasons 1 and 2 are on Netflix.

Sensitive Skin, above, has only six episodes per season, which is unbearably scanty. Same goes for the low-impact but endearing The Book Group, a 2002 British show available on Hulu about an American expat (Anne Dudek; you know her from a million shows) trying to make new friends in Glasgow. Its not earth shattering, but it has well-drawn characters with clear ideas of themselves, which is way more than you can say about most shows.

Finally, there are Ewan McGregors motorcycle-trip documentary series Long Way Round (2004) and Long Way Down (2007). In each, McGregor and his BFF take a motorcycle trip around the world, first the long way [a]round from England to New York City, then from Scotland to South Africa. The paperwork alone is enough to keep me couch-bound, but these two seasons are equal parts charm, adventure and the worldview that most people are mostly good most of the time. Plus, unlike The Night Of, no extended foot-lotioning sequences. That is the true palate cleanser.
My mother was what we would now call math anxious, if not phobic. My daughter, on the other hand, was a math major, which always left me feeling like the transitional generation, capable of mastering standardized-test math problems and surviving college calculus (its one of the pre-med requirements) but never really connecting to the beauty or power of the subject.

So when I hear people talk about lack of self-confidence when it comes to numbers or intense math anxiety, I always think first of my mother, a college English professor who was terrified by the idea of calculating a 10 percent tip, and desperately grateful to leave it to any grandchild at the fourth grade level or beyond. (Little did my Depression-era mother know that I had taught her grandchildren to jack up the tips to 15 percent; it would never have occurred to her that anyone would willingly undergo both a slightly more difficult arithmetic problem and a slightly higher cost.)

New research shows that math anxiety is by no means an American problem, and is found in countries where students regularly outperform us in math skills. In a study published in February, researchers from the University of Chicago looked at data from 64 countries participating in the Program for International Student Assessment, which tests 15-year-olds in math, science and reading skills.

Math anxiety is prevalent all around the world, said Julianne Herts, a study author and a doctoral student at the University of Chicago who works in cognitive psychology. If you look within Japan, students in Japan who are math anxious arent scoring as well at math, she said. If you look between countries, countries where more students experience math anxiety tend to underperform.
NEW DELHI  Maoist rebels attacked a police patrol in a remote part of eastern India on Monday, leaving at least 25 security officers dead and seven more injured, officials said. The attack was one of the deadliest in the region in recent years.

The security forces, members of the Central Reserve Police Force, were guarding the construction of a new road and bridge in the Sukma district, a hilly and thickly forested part of Chhattisgarh State. The Maoist rebels in the region, known as Naxalites, often single out government road projects for attack.

The Naxalites have been fighting a sporadic guerrilla war for 50 years, aiming to overthrow the Indian government and set up communist rule. Their grievances center on control of land and resources, and what they say are unkept promises of autonomy for tribal groups in the Indian Constitution. The Naxalites dislike road construction projects because they improve the governments access to the rebels strongholds.

Officials said the ambush on Monday occurred around 12:30 p.m. A spokesman for the Central Reserve Police Force, Rajiv Singh, said 99 officers were taking part in the security patrol.
Sporadic incidents of violent clashes were reported from the Valley today after students pelted stones at security forces in protest against check-posts outside colleges.

By Indo-Asian News Service: As colleges and universities opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir valley, students again clashed with security forces and resorted to stone pelting, officials said.

Students of the SP College assembled on the Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in Srinagar.

Police tried to prevent the students from blocking the road.

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Sporadic clashes continued as security forces tried to restore traffic on the highway.

An official statement said all universities, colleges and higher secondary (Class 12 level) schools would open for academic activities in the valley on Monday.

These educational institutions had remained closed for over a week following widespread protests by students after security forces entered a college in south Kashmir's Pulwama town on April 12.

Over 50 students were injured after they protested against a temporary check-post outside the college by the security forces.

The security forces attracted criticism after video clippings showing students being beaten inside the college premises by them, went viral on social networking sites.

Also Read:

Stone pelting youth giving up life for resolution of Kashmir

How Jammu and Kashmir police removed 90 per cent of 300 WhatsApp groups that guided stone pelters

Watch Video: Instigation comes from across the border: Jammu and Kashmir DGP on stone pelting

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Shrinking the Bomb

A bomb is useless to North Korea  as an offensive weapon or as a deterrent  unless the country can make a convincing case that it has a reliable delivery system. So when the North flaunts missiles at military parades, as it did on April 15, the stars of the show tend to be the big missiles that are designed to reach Washington and New York. While several intercontinental ballistic missiles rolled down the streets of Pyongyang, conducting a flight test that proves one could fly that far, and land with accuracy, is so far only an aspiration.

Missing from the parade were the short- and medium-range missiles that have been successfully flight tested. American intelligence agencies believe some of those can carry operational nuclear arms. The critical one is the Nodong, which has a range of about 800 miles.

But the North Koreans are discovering  as the United States, the Soviet Union and China did before them  that it is far more complicated to design an intercontinental missile. With that weapons system, a warhead would move at four miles a second and re-enter the atmosphere in fiery heat  so, if badly engineered, it would burn up long before hitting a target. To reach their goal, North Korean weapons designers are looking to miniaturize their warheads, making them far lighter and more powerful.

The big effort these days is to merge two technologies: Get a missile that can cross the Pacific, and marry it to a warhead that can survive the ride. And this is why the United States is so desperate to stop the cycle of testing.

The cyber- and electronic warfare attacks that President Barack Obama ordered against the countrys missile fleet were intended to slow North Koreas learning curve. The Musudan, which can travel 2,200 miles, has racked up an embarrassing failure rate of 88 percent  although how much of that is due to incompetence or outside meddling is not known. Until the North Koreans figure out what is going wrong, and how to fix it, they appear hesitant to test the KN-14 and the KN-08, both of which are designed to hit the continental United States.
BEIJING  Chinas president, Xi Jinping, has urged President Trump to show restraint toward North Korea despite signs that the North may be preparing a nuclear test. Mr. Xi made the appeal in a phone call with Mr. Trump on Monday that reflected growing alarm over North Koreas plans, which could tip the region into crisis.

The phone conversation came after Mr. Trump had already used a meeting with Mr. Xi in Florida, a follow-up phone call, interviews and Twitter messages to press Mr. Xi to do more to deter North Korea from holding additional nuclear and missile tests. The United States and its allies have been on alert for another atomic test by the North.

In the latest call, the third between the two leaders, Mr. Xi indicated to Mr. Trump that China opposed any such test by North Korea, but he also nudged Mr. Trump to avoid a tit-for-tat response to the Norths fiery threats, according to a report on Chinese television.

China adamantly opposes any actions in contravention of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, Mr. Xi said, according to the report, evidently referring to a series of decisions by the Council to punish North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs.
JAKARTA, Indonesia  A Filipino lawyer asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Monday to charge President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 other Philippine officials with mass murder and crimes against humanity in the killings of thousands of people over three decades.

The lawyer, Jude Josue Sabio, said in a 77-page complaint that Mr. Duterte was the mastermind of a campaign that has killed more than 9,400 people, mostly poor young men, since 1988, when Mr. Duterte was first elected mayor of Davao City in the southern Philippines.

The situation in the Philippines reveals a terrifying, gruesome and disastrous continuing commission of extrajudicial executions or mass murder from the time President Duterte was the mayor of Davao City, the complaint says.

Mr. Sabio represents two men who say they were paid assassins for Mr. Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City, but filed the case on his own. The court has the authority to accept cases brought by individuals as well as by nations and the United Nations Security Council.
LONDON  There was palpable relief in mainstream Europe on Monday at the success of the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the French presidential elections, and a wide assumption that he will defeat the far-right Marine Le Pen in a runoff two weeks from now.

After other recent electoral setbacks for far-right populists, and the far rights flagging momentum in Germanys election campaign, some even suggested that the French election could represent the high-water mark of the populist surge that has voted Britain out of the European Union and Donald J. Trump into power in the United States.

If this is a high-water mark, though, the water remains quite high.

For the moment, the parties and personalities that have energized far-right populism have not fully crystallized electorally. But the issues that have animated the movements  slow economies, a lack of jobs, immigration  are not going anywhere, and the far right has already moved the political terrain in its direction.

The politics of Europe remain, at best, precarious, even if the center  the French-German core of the European Union  appears to be holding, at least for now.
PARIS  A day after mainstream parties were dealt a heavy defeat in the French presidential election, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen, one of the two candidates to advance to a runoff, condemned the parties calls to unite against her and support her rival, the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron.

Ms. Le Pens statement on Monday denouncing the old and completely rotten Republican Front  the coalition of mainstream parties allied against her  sums up her challenge in the May 7 runoff. So far, not a single rival party has called for its voters to support Ms. Le Pen. And she has no plausible major reservoir of votes to add to the 21.3 percent she received in the first round of voting, though she is expected to gain some voters from the defeated center-right candidate Francois Fillon.

Perhaps in an effort to broaden her appeal to voters from outside the far-right National Fronts traditional constituencies, Ms. Le Pen announced on Twitter on Monday that she was temporarily stepping down as the partys leader so she could run as a candidate for all the French.

Tonight, I am not the president of the National Front, I am the presidential candidate, the one who wants to gather all the French around a project of hope, of prosperity, of security, she said in an interview on French television.
Theres a certain style of politics in Europe that believes: If youre not with us, youre against us, said Michael Ignatieff, the universitys president and rector, who is also a human rights scholar and a former leader of the Liberal Party in Canada.

The C.E.U. issue came to symbolize the amount of harm that some of the governments actions are having right across the spectrum, he added. All were trying to do is get them to back off and leave us alone  and give us a guarantee that we can stay here.

The law targeting Central European University injected fear and shock into the campus.

This is an attack on academic freedom, said Alexandra Medzibrodszky, 29, a Hungarian doctoral student in history, who was wearing a pin showing her support for the university. This is why it resonates with intellectuals from all sides.

Conservative scholars are among those who have spoken out.

The entire academic sector of this nation, in essence, feels imperiled, following the passing of this law, Miklos Kiraly, a law professor at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, wrote in an open letter after Mr. Orban asked why Hungarian scholars had been standing up for Central European University. The general opinion is that there are no more boundaries, no more limits, no checks and sound professional considerations, consultations, traditions or acquired rights.

Over the past quarter-century, the university has blended into the fabric of Budapest. Even English, the lingua franca around campus, stands out less in a city that has enjoyed a tourism boom and a building boom. Support for the university seems genuine  signs declaring #IstandwithCEU in English and Hungarian can be seen not only in university buildings but also in the windows of cafes and other businesses.
Later, between 1601 and 1782, the Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri  today part of the University of Palermo  served as the prison and tribunal of the Inquisition. Its walls preserve the anguished scratched scrawls of past inmates, including some in Hebrew.

Just over three years ago, Hanukkah candles began to be lighted at Palazzo Steri, a tangible sign of the university and the citys commitment to the Jewish community.

The communitys spiritual leader, the Rabbi Pierpaolo Pinhas Punturello, who is an emissary of Shavei Israel, an organization based in Jerusalem that assists those searching for their Jewish heritage, said that he had noticed a growing interest in the Jewish heritage of Sicily and other parts of southern Italy.

Every time I go there I meet new people curious about their origins, who want to explore them, the rabbi said.

The synagogue was the natural next step and in June last year, Ms. Aouate, Ms. Pepi and Ms. Ancona asked the archbishop whether an unused church might be available.

Three weeks later, Archbishop Lorefice called to offer the oratory.

The Rev. Pietro Magro, who is responsible for interreligious dialogue for the archdiocese of Palermo, said that the archbishop had been pleased to reach out to the community in their search for a place of prayer.

The church of the Virgin of the Saturday seemed right because its in the Jewish quarter, and we hope it will be ready soon, Father Magro said.

The restoration is expected to begin shortly; the city will cover most of the costs. The community has another long list of expenses, from the ark for the Torah scrolls to a sophisticated security system, Ms. Aouate said. And we would like a beautiful Menorah!
MOSCOW  The Kremlin on Monday denied accusations that key elements of the Russian government had hacked into email accounts at Denmarks Defense Ministry over the last two years in a sustained cyberattack.

A new report by the Danish governments Center for Cybersecurity said that hackers had breached email accounts and servers at both the Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry in 2015 and 2016. The hackers gained access to login information but did not obtain any classified information from the compromised Defense Ministry accounts, the report said.

Denmark faces a very high threat of cyberespionage against both the government and private companies, according to the report from the center, an arm of the Danish Defense Intelligence Service. It emphasized that the attacks were all connected and part of a constant threat.

Although the report, made public on Sunday, did not name Russia, Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen blamed Moscow in his remarks to the Danish news media.
The chairman of a United Nations commission investigating possible war crimes in Syria has met that countrys ambassador only once, he said. It happened during a chance encounter in a hallway after he had given a briefing to the General Assembly in New York.

Then for 15 minutes, he gave me a lecture, the commission chairman, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, said of his exchange with the Syrian envoy, Bashar al-Jaafari. We dont have any hope that the Syrians will cooperate with us.

Members of the commission, created by the United Nations Human Rights Council in August 2011, have never been permitted to visit Syria by the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which appears to view them as accomplices of Mr. Assads enemies.

The commission, with a support staff of about 25 people, has collected an enormous volume of material, which could be used in courts, about the atrocities committed in the six-year-old civil war by both Mr. Assads side and the groups arrayed against him.
The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's tea estate in Ooty, Kodanad Estate became a crime scene on Monday morning, after body of a security guard was found in pool of blood.

By Pramod Madhav: A security guard at Jayalalithaa's Kodanad Tea Estate in Ooty was found murdered on early Monday morning.

Another guard sustained severe injuries in an assault by unidentified men on Sunday night. He has been rushed to a hospital.

Kodanad Estate in Ooty. Photo: ANI

Nilagiri SP Murali has initiated an investigation in what is believed to be a case of attempt of robbery.

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As many as five teams have been formed to probe the matter.

More details awaited.

Also read: Why PM Narendra Modi did not meet protesting Tamil Nadu farmers

Also read: AIADMK merger talks begin today. Panneerselvam to return as Tamil Nadu CM?

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Compared with 2012, Ms. Le Pen surged in the Nice region, historically a stronghold of parties on the right.

Mr. Macron won big around Bordeaux , a center-left area where he is expected to rack up large margins in the runoff.

Mr. Fillon , who finished third, struggled to beat Ms. Le Pen in parts of his home region, where he received less than 30 percent.

Mr. Hamon was humiliated in Lille , traditionally a Socialist bastion, and finished with less than 7 percent over all.

Ms. Le Pen dominated most of the north , strengthening the National Fronts roots in a region with high unemployment.

Compared with 2012, Ms. Le Pen surged in the Nice region, historically a stronghold of parties on the right.

Mr. Macron won big around Bordeaux , a center-left area where he is expected to rack up large margins in the runoff.

Mr. Fillon , who finished third, struggled to beat Ms. Le Pen in parts of his home region, where he received less than 30 percent.

Mr. Hamon was humiliated in Lille , traditionally a Socialist bastion, and finished with less than 7 percent over all.

Ms. Le Pen dominated most of the north , strengthening the National Fronts roots in a region with high unemployment.

1 Ms. Le Pen dominated most of the north, strengthening the National Fronts roots in a region with high unemployment.

2 Mr. Hamon was humiliated in Lille, traditionally a Socialist bastion, and finished with less than 7 percent over all.

3 Mr. Macron won big around Bordeaux, a center-left area where he is expected to rack up large margins in the runoff.

4 Compared with 2012, Ms. Le Pen surged in the Nice region, historically a stronghold of parties on the right.

5 Mr. Fillon, who finished third, struggled to beat Ms. Le Pen in parts of his home region, where he received less than 30 percent.
A team of the NDRF on Monday recovered the decomposed body of Kavery, a six-year-old girl who fell into a borewell two days ago.

Crowd gathered at the site where a six-year-old girl fell into a borewell in Karnataka (Photo: IndiaToday.in)

By India Today Web Desk: Kavery, a six year old girl, who fell into a 400-foot borewell in Belgaum, Karnataka, was found dead on Monday.

The girl fell into the dry borewell on Saturday, April 22, while she was playing.

Rescue operations reached a disappointing end Monday after the National Disaster Response Force team spotted her decomposed body.

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The NDRF rescue team managed to recover Kavery's body late Monday night, a full two days after she fell inside.

She was reported to have been stuck at around 57 feet underground.

The borewell was left open after its owner failed to find any water.

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By Ashish Pandey: Days after Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad was caught on camera beating an Air India employee, a BJP MLA Mahendra Yadav was seen slapping a toll plaza employee in Uttar Pradesh, another instance of politicians misusing their power has come to light.

Telugu Desam Party MP K Kristappa's son N Ambarish and his supporters were caught on camera vandalising a toll plaza on Anantpur-Bengaluru National highway. CCTV footage shows them smashing the windows and cabins of the toll booth and slapping the employees

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Superintendent of Police Chikballapur confirmed the incident to India Today, said "On Monday morning at around 9-9.30 am, Ambarish, son of Hindupur MP was traveling towards Bangalore, while his car was stopped at the toll plaza. When he said that his car belonged to toll free category with a pass, plaza employee said that he was not eligible for it. And thus a scuffle broke out which led to the vandalism of the toll booth by the MP's son and his supporters." Police has registered a case against the Ambarish, while a counter case has also been booked against the plaza employees.

Also Read

Ravindra Gaikwad in Lok Sabha: Why Shiv Sena MP will not apologise to Air India Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad boards first Air India flight after ban

--- ENDS ---
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"The bottom-up revolution is fueling tremendous change in politics, commerce, and how people relate to each other. Rob Kall's book Bottom-Up provides a powerful guide to how organizations can understand and tap bottom-up's power. "



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The events on September 11, 2001, changed the world. It was the excuse for the US government to launch military attacks on seven Middle Eastern countries, causing civilian casualties in the millions and sending waves of Muslim refugees into the Western world. The US government wasted trillions of dollars destroying countries and murdering women and children, while public infrastructure in the US deteriorated, Americans' homes were foreclosed, and American health needs went unattended. 9/11 was also the excuse for the destruction of the protection that the US Constitution provided to ensure the liberty of the American citizen. Today no American has the protection of the civil liberty that the Constitution guarantees.

On September 11, 2001, when a neighbor called and told me to turn on the TV, I stopped what I was doing and turned on the TV. What I saw was the two World Center Towers blowing up. I had often enjoyed lunch in the rooftop resturant in one of the towers across the street from my Wall Street Journal office.

A miniscule by comparison frail aluminum airliner hit one massive steel tower and then another aluminum airliner hit the other. There were some plumes of orange outside the buildings. Then approximately after one hour, less in one case, more in the other, the two towers exploded floor by floor as they fell into their own footprint.

This was precisely the way the news anchors described what I was seeing. "It looks exactly like a controlled demolition," the news anchors reported. And indeed it did. As a Georgia Tech student I had witnessed a controlled demolition, and that is what I saw on television, just as that was what the news anchors saw.

Later that day Larry Silverstein, who owned, or rather, held the lease on the World Trade Center, explained on TV that the free fall collapse in the late afternoon of the third WTC skyscraper, Building 7, into its own footprint was a conscious decision to "pull" the building. Pull is the term used by controlled demolition to describe a building wired with explosives to be destroyed. Building 7 had not been hit by an airliner, and suffered only minor and very limited office fires. Silverstein's statement was afterwards corrected by authorities to mean that the firemen were pulled from the building. However, many videos show the firemen already out of the building with the fireman stating that the building was going to be brought down.

As there is no doubt whatsoever that Building 7 was wired for demolition, the question is why?

Because Americans are an insouciant and trusting people and confident of the inherent goodness of their country, years passed before even experts noticed that the official story stood in total contraction to known laws of physics, was in total contraction to how buildings collapse from asymmetrical damage, and could not have collapsed due to being hit by airliners as the buildings met all code requirements for withstanding airliner collusions. Many did not even know that the third skyscraper, Building 7, had collapsed.

Professor Steven E. Jones, a professor of physics at BYU, was among the first to see that the official story was pure fantasy. His reward for speaking out was to have his tenure contract bought out by BYU, many believe under orders from the federal government backed up with the threat that all federal support of science at BYU would be terminated unless Stephen Jones was.

Cynthia McKinney, a black woman who represented a Georgia congressional district in the US House of Representatives was either much brighter or much braver than her white colleagues. She raised obvious questions about 9/11, questions begging to be asked, and lost her seat.

Approximately five years after 9/11, San Francisco architect Richard Gage noticed that the three WTC buildings did not fall down in any way consistent with the official explanation. He formed Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, currently about 3,000 members. This group includes high rise architects and structural engineers who actually are experienced in the construction of skyscrapers. In other words, they are people who know what they are talking about.

These 3,000 experts have said that the official explanation of the collapse of three skyscrapers stands in contradiction to known laws of physics, architecture, and structural engineering

In other words, the official explanation is totally impossible. Only an uneducated and ignorant public can believe the official 9/11 story. The US population fits this description.

A&E for 9/11 Truth is gradually gaining assent from architects and engineers. It is very difficult for an architect or engineer to support the truth, because the American population, which includes patriotic construction companies, whose employees fly American flags on their trucks, don't want to hire architects and engineers who are "enemies of America aligned with Arab terrorists." In America, if you tell the truth, you are in great danger of losing your customers and even your life.

Think now about physicists. How many physics faculties do you know that are not dependent on federal grants, usually for military-related work? The same for chemistry. Any physics professor who challenged the official story of 9/11 with the obvious fact that the story contravenes known laws of physics would endanger not only his own career but the careers of his entire department.

Truth in America is extremely costly to express. It comes at a high cost that hardly any can afford.

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For a long time, I have been sorely troubled in my attempts to understand how it can be that basically good people can be manipulated into supporting evil. 'Tis a dichotomy, indeed. As a pragmatic atheist, I interpret "good" simply as that behavior which increases man's chances for survival and "evil" as that behavior which puts his survival at risk. Dictionary definitions that I favor are:

good: Adjective. Having or showing or arising from a desire to promote the welfare or happiness of others.

evil: Adjective. Having or exerting a malignant influence.

In accordance with the above definitions of good and evil, there is a multitude of people whom I know to be good at heart, and yet they, at least passively, support the malignant evil of war and its perpetrators. I say "passively" in the sense of their reluctance to actively oppose the evil. Edmund Burke said it best: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Although neither the goodness of these people's hearts nor the evil of war can be questioned, I will suggest in due course a rationale for what otherwise becomes a Kafkaesque conundrum, but first, a bit of preparation:

I do believe in the basic goodness of the great majority of my fellow citizens. I also unashamedly believe that the most heinous crime of 9/11 was a "false flag," designed by an evil oligarchy to induce an insouciant public to unwittingly endorse its hidden plan for military and economic hegemony. The evils such a scheme has provoked are too numerous to mention. Why is it that so many good Americans refuse even to consider the possibility that they have been deceived by a government that has knowingly lied to them repeatedly? Our illegitimate entry into the four most recent wars--Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya--were all based on falsehoods.

With the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, a lie, we were drawn into Vietnam, culminating with the loss of more than 58,000 lives. Then, with no independent criminal investigation of 9/11, Americans bought, without question, the admittedly seriously flawed "9-11 Commission" report. The Commission was described by one of its members as one "designed to fail," with the two co-chairmen of the commission confessing that they were lied to by the CIA and the FAA. This, of course, was followed by what was known to be a false claim of Iraq's possession of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). Not to be overlooked was also Clinton's big lie of "humanitarian intervention" as an excuse to bomb and invade Libya. There is little doubt that there is more to come with Syria, Yemen, Somalia and, of course, Iran to complete the destabilization of the entire Middle East.

Now, to the question of how good Americans could support such heinous crimes: nothing like the loss of innocent lives, particularly those of women and children, can more quickly incite a citizenry to accept war as retaliation. Americans were strongly opposed to an entrance into WWII, but, with the attack on Pearl Harbor and the loss of more than 2,000 lives, they rose in solemn agreement with FDR's call to arms.

This lesson was not lost on the PNAC (Project for the new American Century), the recently resurrected neoconservative movement whose original think tank, Statement of Principles, called for the United States to be the "world's pre-eminent power." It goes on to note that the challenge would be to "shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests." The statement goes on to say that the "transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catalyzing event -- like a new Pearl Harbor." Such an event did occur on 9/11/2001, with the loss of more than 3,000 lives, thus triggering the bombing and invasion of Afghanistan, and eventually Iraq and Syria, during which millions of innocents have been killed.

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Reprinted from fair.org by Jim Naureckas

A Buffalo News headline (4/18/17) asked a pointed question about New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "How Did Cuomo Make $783,000 on Memoir That Sold 3,200 Copies?"

The accompanying article did not delve particularly deep into the mystery, beyond noting that the royalty amounts to $245 per copy for a book that retails on Amazon for $13.05, and that it more than doubled Cuomo's income for 2016, when his $216,000 in royalties topped the $168,000 he got as his gubernatorial salary. "This payment was contractual and per the agreement with the publisher," a Cuomo spokesperson told the News.

The identity of that publisher--HarperCollins, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp--goes a long way to solving the mystery: Murdoch has long made a practice of funneling large payments to influential politicians via HarperCollins book contracts, in what amounts to a system of legalized bribery.

More than 20 years ago, Mother Jones (5--6/95) was already remarking on HarperCollins' reputation as "publisher to the powerful," noting the $5.4 million it gave British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for her "almost unreadable memoirs," the $1 million it gave Deng Xiaoping's daughter for what the New Yorker (2/13/95) described as "a turgid, barely literate piece of propaganda," and the $4.5 million it offered US House Speaker Newt Gingrich for his turgid To Renew America. (After critics pointed out that the House was considering telecommunications legislation that would impact Murdoch very directly, Gingrich turned down an advance in favor of straight royalties, a choice that the Washington Post--11/4/95--estimated reduced the speaker's payday by about two-thirds.)

Other politicians who have benefited from Murdoch's editorial generosity include Ted Cruz, who reportedly received an advance in the neighborhood of $1.5 million (New Republic, 10/20/15), Sarah Palin ($1.25 million--Guardian, 10/27/09), George W. Bush (a comparatively modest $130,000--New York Times, 4/18/00), and UK prime ministers John Major ( -400,000--Guardian, 11/2/99) and David Cameron ( -800,000--Daily Mail, 10/25/16).

What do you get for that kind of money? Well, in the case of Cuomo, Matthew Cunningham-Cook and David Sirota (International Business Times, 2/25/15) pointed out that during his tenure as governor, Cuomo has repeatedly backed policies that benefited Murdoch's News Corp:

One of the initiatives was a bill that created a special sales tax break for online-only publications that charge for subscriptions. News Corporation, which was one of the two companies that lobbied for the bill, was at the time investing tens of millions of dollars in such a publication. Another initiative was a special tax exemption that Cuomo's administration created for electronic books, which are sold by, among others, HarperCollins. State records list News Corporation as lobbying Cuomo's tax department in the months before the exemption was announced. And, while News Corporation lobbied the governor's office in 2012, Cuomo championed an expansion of controversial film and television tax credits that have benefited News Corporation's films, and that News Corporation had lobbied for in the past.

Cuomo has rejected the idea that statewide officials like himself should be subject to caps on outside income, arguing that it's unnecessary (Daily News, 1/19/15): "I'm not allowed to represent anyone or any business matter."

And if you believe that, I've got a book I'd like to sell you for three-quarters of a million dollars.


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By Ann Kreilkamp, Ph.D.

First published in 1991, Update: April 2017

Twenty six years after I composed the following essay, my understanding of the personal and collective roots of war, discovered by plumbing the contradictions in my own internal process during the start of what we now call the "first Gulf War," remains intact. Back then, we called it the "Persian Gulf War" -- until 2003, when Bush Jr. decided to surpass his father and and go to war in/on Iraq again. Thus, we had to rename the war in 1991 as "the first Gulf War," or more specifically, "the first Iraq War."

Since that time, as noted by General Wesley Clark, his famous "take out seven countries in five years," speech, our wars on and in various countries in the Middle East have been more or less continuous, blending from one to the other, very confusing, and essentially interminable. So much so that, I would say now, I was fortunate to plumb the depths of my own personal process vis--vis "war" back then, when we could still pretend to know when a particular war began and ended!

That said, consider the following:

" 66% of Americans approved of the recent missile strike on a Syrian air base.

" 70% of Americans approved of dropping the MOAB bomb on an Afghan village and surrounding caves.

" Trump's approval rate went from around 35% to around 40% immediately upon his apparent conversion to "war president."

I suggest that, despite the appearances -- and except for central bankers, weapons manufacturers, and others who directly or indirectly benefit from endless war -- the above poll numbers do not imply that Americans themselves love war. Instead, let us consider another point of view, in which what we "approve" of is the (conscious or unconscious) release of extreme tension that had been building since 2013, when Obama did not bomb Syria, but instead followed Putin's lead.

And, now, notice how the tension is immediately ratcheting up again, with Assad still in the U.S. crosshairs, Naval armadas heading to South Korea and China, Pence's bombast over Iran, our military jets intercepting unarmed Russian bombers near Alaska -- and so on and on. The point is, in order to enact its endless war agenda, what we now call the Deep State must secure our apparent "approval" by pummeling us into a state of continuous tension that forever seeks release.

I do not state this contrary point of view lightly. It came to me as a result of deep personal reflection, back in 1991, when I noticed a glaring contradiction between my own lifelong pacifism and the intense relief I experienced when the first Gulf War finally began.

The War Inside Me

Wednesday, January 16, 1991. It's 4:50 p.m. Sitting at my desk, listening to "All Things Considered" on NPR. Suddenly the program is interrupted. A sober, matter-of-fact male voice announces the opening of the long-dreaded, long-awaited Persian Gulf War. "As of a few minutes ago, squadrons of F-116 Stealth bombers are bombing Baghdad." The voice drones on, detailing in clinically detached manner the kinds and numbers of sorties, their destination, their ordnance.

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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had expelled DGP TP Senkumar from his post on grounds of public interest on May 28 last year.

By Jeemon Jacob: The Supreme Court today ordered to reinstate expelled Director General of Police (DGP) TP Senkumar, while slamming the Kerala government for arbitrary expulsion of the state police chief.

The division bench consisting of Justice Madan B Lockur and Deepak Gupta ruled "Removal of TP Senkumar from post of state police chief by the state government is against earlier Supreme Court rulings."

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They also quashed the Kerala High Court order that endorsed government's decision.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had removed DGP TP Senkumar from his post on grounds of public interest on May 28 last year. His junior officer Loknath Behera was then appointed as the chief.

Senkumar then approached the high court, who defended the Vijayan government's disciplinary action against him over callous investigation in Nisha Murder case and Puttingal Temple tragedy.

The ousted DGP had argued that the government was acting with malice because he had stirred many cases related to several politicians.

While hearing the case, the apex court criticised the state government for its double standards approach.

The court also said that no police officer could serve the state if he or she takes action based on media reports.

"I'm happy that I can retire with dignity. I fought for all who fall victim to political whims and fancies while serving the people honestly," TP Senkumar told India Today.

A 1983 batch IPS officer Senkumar was appointed as DGP in May 2015.

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The progressive vision for America -- to make life better for all families, not just the privileged elite at the top -- has suffered setbacks. After the 2016 election, Republicans control the White House, both chambers of Congress and more than half of state governments.

Liberal hopes for free college, universal healthcare, equal opportunity, female rights, higher minimum wage, less militarism, less imprisonment and other left-wing goals seem doomed, at least for now. All that reform-minded folks can do is try to prevent losses of past social progress.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is trying to rally progressives into stronger unified resistance against the conservative Trump era. Her new book, "This Fight is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class," is a blunt weapon.

From the New Deal to the 1980s, she points out, America "built the greatest middle class the world has ever known." She continues:

"We built it ourselves, using our own hard work and the tools of government to open up more opportunities for millions of people. We used it all -- tax policy, investments in public education, new infrastructure, support for research, rules that protected consumers and investors, antitrust laws -- to promote and expand our middle class". Income growth was widespread, and the people who did most of the work -- the 90 percent of America -- also got most of the gains."

However, trickle-down economics under President Reagan turned the tables, giving ever-bigger favors to the rich, who used snowballing technology and their amassed wealth to corral more power.

Warren, a former Harvard professor, writes that she spent years researching the "great and terrible story" of middle-class decline. Today, college debt hobbles many families. Job insecurity grows as electronic breakthroughs wipe out more jobs. Wealth keeps amassing in hands of the 1 percent who control corporations and investments -- and who stash their money in overseas shelters.

"People are angry because trade deals seem to be building jobs and opportunities for workers in other parts of the world, while leaving abandoned factories here at home," Warren continues. ""Today, this country works great for those at the top. It works great for every corporation rich enough to hire an army of lobbyists and lawyers. It works great for every billionaire who pays taxes at lower rates than the hired help. It works great for everyone with the money to buy favors in Washington."

She calls President Trump a man "always on the hunt for his next big con." She urges progressives to follow the pattern of the million-member Women's March on Washington, to mobilize resistance against conservative attempts to slash the public safety net and human rights.

Another form of resistance is citizen lawsuits to prevent new law changes from scuttling past public gains locked into statutes.

With Republicans controlling most government power, will it be possible for progressives to resist effectively? Maybe -- maybe not. But at least conscientious Americans shouldn't just surrender.
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up, offers valuable ways of seeing and powerful tools for enabling new power and connectivity to work to change the hope and promise for the future."



Jeremy Heimans, CEO & Co-founder of Purpose and coauthor of New Power


ISIS Chemical Weapons

(Image by Daily Express) Details DMCA



Recently, Syria and Iraq have witnessed increased chemical weapon usage. In Khan Sheikhoun, a performance was staged to accuse the Syrian government while in Iraq's Mosul, the situation is quite contrary -- the besieged ISIS militants used chemical agents chlorine and mustard gas against the Iraqi troops. ( Associated Press)

The first reports of ISIS developing chemical weapons appeared in November, 2015. Then, the AP, basing on the information of the U.S. and Iraqi intelligences, stated that the terrorists were actively developing chemical agents with the assistance of highly qualified specialists from Iraq, Syria and other Middle East states. ( Associated Press, November 15, 2015)

As known, since the IS emerged, IS has numerously used chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq. In particular, the terrorists carried out a chemical attack against the Syrian army in Deir Ezzor in April 2016 and the Kurdish-held neighborhood Sheikh Maqsood in Aleppo in March and April, 2016. ( News Week)

ISIS has repeatedly used chemical agents in Mosul. In November 2016, Britain-based IHS Conflict Monitor reported that since 2014 to Nov. 2016, the Islamic State conducted least 52 chemical attacks. ( New York Times)

Initially, the terrorists used chlorine, which can be handcrafted. This agent rarely kills. Unlike chlorine, sarin and mustard gas are combat agents which require industrial environment and qualified specialists. In connection with this, according to high-ranking Iraqi and American officials, ISIS captured a laboratory at Mosul University in 2015 and used it to produce chemical weapons. ( Wall Street Journal)

In an interview to Akhbar al-An channel on Jan. 16 2017, the Syrian chemical weapons expert Nuri Primo claimed that the IS was capable of producing chemical agents in the lab.

Meanwhile, NATO members were aware of the fact the ISIS possessed chemical weapons, but recently are making efforts to conceal this information. In February 2016, CIA director John Brennan acknowledged that ISIS militants had access to the production of chemical weapons:

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Ku Klux Klan

(Image by Arete13) Details DMCA



Reprinted from www.salon.com

Hardly any concept is thrown around as carelessly these days as "white supremacy." It has become the go-to term of condemnation, applied as loosely as "fascism," with similar ramifications in terms of lack of clarity. Are all white supremacists separatists, and are all separatists supremacists? Is anti-Semitism (and, more recently, Islamophobia) always a part of white supremacy? Are white supremacists interested in combating government or taking it over for their own ends? Are all white supremacists violent, or do some value peaceful means of attaining their aims? Are all white supremacists even Christians? If they're not, then how does religious diversity accommodate the overall principles of white supremacy?

Getting a grip on the real meaning of white supremacy allows us to be clear about essential questions of behavior and policy. To what extent has white supremacy infiltrated mainstream political parties and actors, and how might this back-and-forth influence be addressed? What is the general set of beliefs under which white supremacy operates, and have those beliefs changed over time or remained constant? What is the actual power and strength of white supremacy, and are groups of people entering or exiting the movement in ways we can measure and understand? Finally, if we're clear about the meaning of white supremacy, we can then legitimately ask how white supremacy is or is not a product of the values we all share, regardless of our stated opposition to this ideology. Short of these clarifications, white supremacy (like the term "hate") simply becomes an abstraction that perpetuates the very dynamics of injustice and tyranny that progressives claim to abhor. If we define the concept too broadly, then the attack on all of our civil liberties is likely to be too great. If we define the concept too narrowly, then we absolve liberal institutions for their responsibility. White supremacy is and always has been in a deep symbiotic relationship with our structures of government, and with our theoretical beliefs going back to the American Revolution and even before. Both sides -- the supremacists and their opponents -- seem to need each other in equal measure in order for the tense dynamic to continue playing out. If white supremacy is truly the threat it's made out to be, if it really poses a revolutionary challenge to the foundations of the existing order, then we cannot at the same time pursue ambiguous or half-hearted measures, such as delegating surveillance functions to watchdog groups that may have their own private interests in mind. If white supremacy is as rampant as liberal analysis currently makes it out to be, then how is it that white supremacists continue to feel embattled and victimized, excluded from permitted discourse in the way of pariahs and outlaws? To what extent does liberalism itself turn white supremacists into heroes?





In future essays I will take on in detail some central issues, such as the extent to which mainstream American political parties have borrowed from and adapted to white supremacy and continue to do so, the degree to which stylistically and substantively the "alt-right" movement differs from the known content of white supremacy throughout its 20th-century struggle with modernity, and the most effective and ethical ways to handle white supremacy as a polity committed to tolerance and freedom of discourse. For now, I'm interested in setting the stage for later discussion by highlighting what seem to me some of the least understood dimensions of white supremacy in America today.

The continuities go back to our very origins

White supremacy obviously means the belief that the white race is unambiguously superior, so we must be careful in leveling the charge because most people who are called that don't fit the definition. It is a difficult ideal to live up to. Once the protagonist defines what the "white race" is, then a set of inescapable dilemmas follow from that: What to do about the necessarily inferior races that the white race is set against? Should there be cohabitation or separation, and what degree of rights should be extended to nonwhites, both in the white homelands and in the native countries of nonwhites already living separately? Does the white race believe in a religion or political ideology that is universalistic, and if so how can the inferior races be accommodated while being philosophically consistent? Is the white race obligated to exterminate other races as the eventual goal?

Defining what is white is not so easy as it might seem at first glance. In the age of Enlightenment, as the American republic was being founded, there was a lot of struggle with the definition, as both racist ideologues and liberal universalists parried back and forth with different classifications. Races were categorized in both America and Europe with an eye to delineating Aryanism and its origins. What exactly were the differences between Teutons, Anglo-Saxons, Celts and other identifiably white people, and did they all originate in the Caucasus? What happens to the white race in the context of intermarriage? Does it become stronger, by assimilating the inferior race, or weaker, by diluting the gene pool?

One of the earliest manifestations of white supremacism in this country, to which all later manifestations harken back in some way, was the Anti-Masonic Movement of the early 19th century. The Illuminati (adopting the vehicle of the Masons) were seen to be instigating forms of elitism that deprived the common white people of economic power. This crisis of suspicion and anxiety was to end in the renewal and reshaping of the American party system, with Andrew Jackson as our first populist president, but the yearning to purge the body politic of polluting elements became a constant. The Anti-Masonic Movement wasn't just an economic struggle, it had an indispensable racial component as well (targeting Jews and Catholics), as has been true of supremacist movements since then.

White attitudes toward blacks, in terms of institutionalizing slavery, were not always as rigid as they became during the course of the 19th century in America. When the colonies were first being settled, blacks were closer in status to white indentured servants. However, as the Enlightenment went on in subsequent centuries, categorization of the races became a central taxonomic venture, and this in due course had its effect in sharpening racial attitudes. The discourse about the black race (and to a lesser extent Native Americans) hardened during the 19th century. At the onset of the last big wave of imperialism at the end of the 19th century, fantastic new theories about the Aryan race and its others started proliferating throughout Europe and America.

Just how special is the "Aryan race," and why does it have to be so?

Imperialism is difficult to justify without assertions of racial supremacy. So whenever we encounter an upsurge of white supremacy, we are probably also dealing with the natural consequences of imperialism. In Germany in the late 19th century, all sorts of mythologies of Aryan superiority manifested in music, fiction, philosophy and the arts, often expressed in an occult manner. The music of Richard Wagner is said to have reflected this, just as in a debased way contemporary Black Metal articulates its own aesthetic of supremacy. German theorists in the early 20th century found a lot of affinity with the caste system in India, with its occupational stratification according to skin color, and many scholars suggested that the original colonizers of India were the same Aryan race that over time had become diluted to near-blackness. It was this tragic fate, following miscegenation, that German thinkers were keen to avoid for the present era.

In America too, with the onset of the Spanish-American War and other imperial ventures, a scientific racism, using and abusing Darwin's ideas, began to flourish. The coming of Adolf Hitler, in the midst of the rising popularity of eugenics and other pseudo-sciences, could not have been more timely for American racists who saw him as the avatar to fight the dark age. Various Hitler-worshipping groups formed in the 1930s, such as the German American Bund, but under pressure of wartime censorship and patriotism they didn't last.

In Europe, meanwhile, with the coming to power of the Nazi regime, ever more fantastic interpretations of Ariosophy proliferated. Savitri Devi(real name Maximiani Portas) lived in India, married a famous Indian yogic teacher and synthesized, like so many esoteric scholars of her time, whatever myths of racial superiority she could find in the Orient with the homegrown Teutonic versions. Sometimes these myths posed the Hyperborean origin of Aryans, sometimes they suggested that the Aryans came from the three sunken continents (one being Atlantis), and sometimes they suggested the race's extraterrestrial genesis. Later in the century, the Chilean diplomat and author Miguel Serrano continued Devi's speculations in his many books, speculating that the Nazis continue living underneath Antarctica, and heavily implicating UFOs in the fate of the Aryan race.

When George H. W. Bush pronounced the inauguration of the New World Order in the wake of the first Gulf War in 1991, he kick-started the most prominent white supremacist group of the 1990s, the militia movement, with its links to various strains of American white supremacy, from Christian Identity to Posse Comitatus-- although the militia movement (which is more aptly called the Patriot movement) cannot be reduced to any of these. Just as the founding of the various American Nazi movements in the 1950s was deeply connected to the onset of the national security state in the wake of the cold war, the various movements that burgeoned in the 1990s are inextricably linked to the forms of imperialism typical of the post-Cold War era. The gains that liberal humanism perceives are often insuperable losses for white supremacists.

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You wouldnt go to the UK without seeing some of Europe, so it makes sense to treat the rest of the world with the same approach. Hear me out  Ive been to Bali upwards of five times. Sure, Ive ventured out of Kuta because a human can only take so much Arak, but never have I made a real go of Asia off the back of the trip.

Dont make the same mistake as me + so many other people, and consider the below next time you head O/S and in Indonesias direction.

GILI ISLANDS



Photo: Contiki.

WHERE: Off the Northwest Coast of Lombok, Indonesia. Youll need to get a boat over from the main island of Bali, so please, for the love of god, do not make the same mistake as me and do that hungover.

WHY: Whether you hit up Gili T (the bigger, party island), Gili Meno (for da honeymooners) or Gili Air (for the ~chill~, laid-back peeps), these islands are unlike anything else. For example, all three islands dont allow cars, so you need to either opt for a bike or horse, which makes it super quiet / chill.

The water here is crystal freaking clear. Its also quite warm, so, like, thats nice and this is *the* place to get ~under the sea~, down where its better / wetter etc.

You absolutely have to go snorkling or scuba. I swam with turtles every day for a week. Some amazing coral bombies too, and the water is like a bath, Chloe Patterson tells PEDESTRIAN.TV.

Try not to have too big of a night beforehand, so that your breath can go the distance. You know what I mean.

That being said, the nightlife here is good, namely because its chill and feels like a backyard house party of sorts. Mingle after you hit up the The Datu Swing in Gili T (aka one of those most frothed over pic opps of the Indonesian Islands).

BORNEO



Photo: Flickr / Richard Toller.



WHERE: Borneo is half Indonesia, half Malaysia, within the Malay Archipelago. Kota Kinabalu Airport (which is best for Sabah) is only a three-hour flight from Balis Denpasar airport, however, flights are limited. Plan ahead.

WHY: To be at one with nature yall. Borneo is the third-largest island in the world (double the size of Germany) and home to the oldest rainforest in the world (130 million years) and one of two places in the world where orang utans can be found in the wild.

What can ya do there? So glad you asked. Venture on a two-day climb up Mount Kinabalu (the highest peak in South East Asia) + take a canopy walk at Kinabalu Park, snorkel off of Sipadan Island (rated one of the best dive sites in the world), soak in the healing waters of Poring Hot Springs, check out the Proboscis monkeys (which remains the weirdest looking animal Ive ever seen, second to Nicholas Cage) in Sabahs Klias Wetlands. Seriously, look at em here.

PALAWAN



Photo: Instagram / @amberhalleday_mta.



WHERE: An island of the Philippines. Youll have to fly in to Manila (four-hour flight from Denpasar) and then you can get an Air Swift flight to El Nido (more expensive than the flight > bus option but sooo much easier) and a lil motorbike taxi into town.

WHY: Coron and El Nido are two very popular destinations of Palawan. The turquoise lagoons that you kayak through here are insane and one of the most Instagrammable things youll do  a v. different aesthetic to that of Bali and Gili.

Its the perfect destination to relax, island hop, take boat trips, snorkel, surf and more. The boat stops off of El Nido are without a doubt some of the most beautiful (and warmest) waters Ive ever dipped in, however, the journeys to and fro can be wet n wild, so pop a motion sickness tablet prior.

KOH PHI PHI



Photo: Flickr / Mike Behnken.



WHERE: Youre best getting a two-hour ferry from Phuket. ICYMI, Phuket airport is only a five-hour flight from Denpasar airport in Bali. Not bad, not bad at all.

WHY: Phukets a wild time and all, similarly to Bali, but the real beautys over on the surrounding Islands including: Kho Phi Phi. The limestone cliffs, viking caves, white-sand beaches and snorkelling opps will have you feeling luxe / relaxed AF.

The island is also home to Maya Bay of Kho Phi Phi Lay, the smaller, sister island + enclave of A+ paradise of Phi Phi. Considering this part can now be overcrowded by tourists thanks to Tinseltown, Kho Pha-Ngan is also a goer is youre looking to party hard (ahem, Full Moon) or Kho Tao is good for an unwind.

Go on, book that annual leave stat.

Photo: Flickr / Eddie Yip.
A Tribute to Stevie Smith:

The Mothership:

No EXIF - Leica on the Builder movie shoot:

Nathan Ashworth - Not Washed Up:

The Name's, Bond... Alex Bond:

Weird & Revered - Island Boys:

Clap Cam Chronicles Episode One - Drew Boxold:

Kasper Dean - Spring Break:

Craigieburn Enduro 2017:

Montanus - Tramontana:

Who Rides Better Than Cam Zink?

Inaki Mazza - Random Memories:

Vans BMX Illustrated: Calvin Kosovich - Full Segment:

Grow Up - Chris Childs - Full Segment:

Girl & Antihero - Beauty and the Beast:

Gigi Ruf - Union: Stronger - Full Segment:

The Alchemists:

Hokkaido Calling:

Preserving One Square Inch of Silence:

120 Days:

RED Collective - Paul Nicklen - Sea Legacy:

We miss you Stevie.The Mothership is a space cadet from Australia, traveling the country, building jumps, and trying stunts. This video doesn't have any stunts because he was kinda scared at the time but trust me, sometimes he stunts. PS: he also likes a beer, it's the one thing that is clear.Leica M6 on the Builder movie shoot in 2014. Voice by Scott Secco. Photos by Hoshi Yoshida. Shot during the production of Builder on location in Vancouver, Nelson, and Williams Lake. Riders: Ryan Berrecloth, Mark Matthews, Garett Buehler, Alex Volokhov, James Doerfling. The shoot was powered by the support of Sr Suntour.I decided to piece together a few clips with Nathan Ashworth from our most frequented riding spots along the coast in South-West Victoria, Australia.Ride IO team rider Alex Bond shredding some of his local trails.10 days of adventuring and biking on Oahu and the Big Island.The first in a series showcasing my friends that happen to be very good at bicycle riding.Winter in the PNW did not mess around. As soon as classes let out Kasper made the trip south for some unbeatable California riding.Gravity Canterbury Craigieburn Enduro was such a rad event, best trails, weather, people, and the views!Tramontana [tramontana] its a cold and dry wind blowing from the north Europe towards Italy, carrying snow and frigid temperature. In ancient times the Latin word transmontanus (trans- + montanus) indicated what was beyond the mountains, unknown, barbaric and dangerous. Tramontana is a journey through human ancestral fears and primordial virtues of the fire, the natural element that, since the dawn of time, allowed it to defeat the dark, the cold, the isolation and the wild beasts. A tribute to the human wild side that gets lost in the origins of our story.Cam Zink may be one of the best all-around mountain bike riders in the world but even Cam knows that his brother Howie is the better street rider.Nuevos viajes y nuevas experiencias de Inaki junto a su bike en un video que nos muestra parte de su 2016.Calvin Kosovich takes you on a raw street tour putting his pegs on anything in his way. From Australia to California and Arizona, Calvin has perfected the art of metal on metal madness with a collection of frightening grinds that would make even Josh Harrington proud.Another great segment from Grow Up.Video features Frank Gerwer, Peter Hewitt, Eric Koston, John Cardiel, Rick Howard, Julien Stranger, Brian Anderson, Andrew Allen, P-Kid, Sean Malto, Rick McCrank, Tony Trujillo, Mike Carroll, Robbie Russo, Max Schaaf, Tony Miorana, Alex Olson, Peabody and more.One of the most stylish riders ever.Short documentary film on photography and creativity in a changing digital world following and interviewing action sport photographer Blake Jorgenson through his home mountains of British Columbia Canada.Is it possible to stand where no one has before? In search for the less obvious, Sam Smoothy Jeremie Heitz and Dane Tudor set out to explore Hokkaido, an island with over 15 metres of annual snowfall. And in looking for something different, they found something else.Gordon Hempton is on a personal quest to preserve silence in nature. The sound-tracker circles the globe recording vanishing sounds, including the most elusive one of all: silence. In 2005, Hempton resolved to find the quietest place in Washington's Hoh rainforest, itself a haven of silence. According to Hempton, the area he found is precisely one square inch. But that little area of quietwhich holds incredible value for the Earthis endangered. Now, Hempton is determined to protect it from noise pollution like overpassing jets, lest we lose one of our countrys last remaining silent places.Few people know anything the way David Mangum knows tarpon fishing. His hunger to better understand these primordial monster borders on obsession. It also makes him one of the best fishing guides in the world. Follow David as he scouts the flats and talks tarpon in 120 Days: Tarpon Season.Paul Nicklen has dedicated his life to being an advocate for the Earths threatened polar regions. Paul uses the Sea Legacy Foundation to bring awareness to the species and ecosystems currently in peril due to climate change through immersive, visual storytelling.Title Photo by: JanKaslPhoto To check out videos submitted by fellow Pinkbike members that didn't quite make Movie Mondays here
Maria Lampropulos Wins the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Main Event

April 23, 2017 Christian Zetzsche Contributor Paul Seaton

Maria Lampropulos won the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Dusk Till Dawn Main Event for 1,000,000, a historic feat.

It really feels like a magic moment Im in right now," she said after her win. "Im a little tired after such a difficult final table, but tomorrow Ill realize what I did. He didnt want to make a deal. He was convinced that he could win. Perhaps because I am a woman and he didnt want to deal with a woman, but I trusted in my game, I just thought lets play."

Outside Super High Roller results, Lampropulos has just made history by winning 1,000,000  an incredible achievement cheered by the female players in the Ladies Event.

I am proud of that obviously," she said. "Its wonderful. Every woman here supported me. When everyone chanted, I felt so emotional. They were all cheering and smiling because they feel OK, I can do it too.

The festival promised to be a huge event with three events guaranteeing seven-figure prize pools and the home of poker in the UK delivered in style. A total of 6,000,000 were locked up before the first card was dealt in Nottingham, and the 5,300 Main Event broke that number to create a massive prize pool of 6,017,395 with the top 253 spots earning their share and more than 8,500 players taking part through the various stages.

When everyone chanted, I felt so emotional. They were all cheering and smiling because they feel OK, I can do it too.

After several online and live starting days at the venue and three following tournament days, the field was reduced to the last eight hopefuls and the final table was set with an incredible combination of stories.

There were two women left in contention, one of which qualified twice through partypoker for a combined 131. one of the biggest names in UK poker. One of the biggest names in UK poker took his seat and there was the story of the duel for an extra payday of 100,000 as part of a special Golden Chip last longer competition with a special twist.

Add to that the guaranteed first-place prize of 1,000,000 in one of the biggest card rooms of Europe, with two other events with at least 1,000,000 in prizes up for grabs, and it was a match made in heaven for all poker enthusiasts with a dream.

It would take less than five hours to set up the duel for the title and seven-figure score. Jacob Mulhern faced Maria Lampropulos in a 79 versus 77 big blind deep battle. By then, Mulhern had already locked up the last longer competition and was on cloud nine thanks to the support of a massive rail. The 24-year-old from Doncaster quickly pulled away and put tremendous pressure on Lampropulos before the duel ended with a bang after just 40 minutes.

Lampropulos shoved with kings and Mulhern called with ace-queen. The board came no higher than a nine and the rail exploded.

Final Result 2017 partypokerLIVE MILLIONS Dusk Till Dawn Main Event

Place Winner Country Prize (in ) Prize (in $) 1 Maria Lampropulos Argentina 1,000,000 $1,281,700 2 Jacob Mulhern* United Kingdom 650,000 $833,105 3 Jeremy Pantin Trinidad and Tobago 450,000 $576,765 4 Mateusz Rypulak Poland 320,000 $410,144 5 Jon Spinks United Kingdom 220,000 $281,974 6 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom 150,000 $192,255 7 Katie Swift United Kingdom 100,000 $128,170 8 Neel Murthy United States 72,395 $92,789

* winner of the 100,000 Golden Chip last longer competition

Mulhern not only took home 650,000 for his second-place finish, but also another 100,000 on top of that after being the last man standing for all Caribbean Poker Party players that bagged up chips in Punta Cana last November.

"I'm chuffed," he said. "Maybe I could have folded at the end, but I'd struggle to fold ace-queen heads up. I didn't think she'd shove for that many big blinds with kings, to be honest. But it all spun from $22 online in a tournament. I can't believe it. It feels unbelievable.

"My life has changed. It's a massive amount of money for anybody to win, but for a lad like me of 24 it's huge. It means a lot to my family. Yesterday my phone was vibrating all day, they took it off me. It's gone so fast. People talk about getting tired playing poker. I've not felt tired once. It kept me going all day. I've loved it from start to finish."

For five months, Mulhern continued to work and dream of his moment. Today, it came.

"Every time we talked about it with my mates, I've been saying '1.1 million soon' and they'd laugh, but heads up then I was looking at them all thinking, 'There's a chance here.' I'm not disappointed at all, I thought I gave a really good account of myself."

"I'm not disappointed at all, I thought I gave a really good account of myself."

Coming into the final table, there was one man who Lampropulos wasn't looking forward to taking on.

The hardest opponent was Stevie [Chidwick] - hes a huge player," she said. "I have no words, because hes better than so many players, I was afraid of him.

Lampropulos had the support of her friends on the rail, and was cheered home by her poker-playing boyfriend Ivan Luca. Its clear how much the two rely on each and celebrate as equals in moments like the one weve just seen.

Its important to have his support," she said. "I learned all that I know from Ivan and we play so much together. Im next to him every day and I learned a lot. I can never be better than him but Im happy.

The day started with eight hopefuls remaining and short stack Stephen Chidwick turned two pair and doubled through Mateusz Rypulak's top pair.

Neel Murthy became the first casualty on the final table. Murthy picked the wrong timing to three-bet seven-five off suit out of the blinds, bet a ten-high flop and jam a blank on the turn only to see Lampropulos look him up with pocket kings to leave Murthy drawing dead.

The second woman on the final table, Katie Swift, saw her hopes destroyed within two big hands in quick succession. First, Chidwick doubled through Swift with ace-jack versus ace-king when a jack on the turn and the river gave Chidwick a full house. Then, Swift moved all in with pocket tens and was unfortunate enough to have Jeremy Pantin wake up with pocket queens in the small blind.

Chidwick would bow out just a few minutes later. After Pantin raised, the Brit got it in with ace-queen and Rypulak looked down at pocket kings in the big blind. Rypulak, who was the other player in the last longer competition, reshoved to isolate successfully and a ten-high board sent the most-accomplished finalist to the rail in sixth place for 150,000.

Down to the last five players, Jon Spinks was the shortest stack and wouldn't find an opportunity to chip up. His elimination came in brutal fashion, as Spinks jammed over the top of a raise by Lampropulos and a call by Pantin. While Lampropulos folded, Pantin called with ace-seven off suit and cracked the pocket kings of Spinks thanks to an ace in the window.

Rypulak, who started the final day with the chip lead, saw his stack plummet and he then defended the big blind with seven-eight suited.

On the three-way ten-high flop, Rypulak check-jammed with second pair and Lampropulos called with queen-ten suited for top pair. Another ten on the turn left Rypulak drawing dead and Mulhern's rail went wild as the last longer competition was decided.

Another ten on the turn left Rypulak drawing dead and Mulhern's rail went wild as the last longer competition was decided.

With three players remaining, the stacks were very similar. But then Pantin lost a lot of chips with two pair on the river against Mulhern's straight. Pantin then ran a big bluff against Lampropulos that would reduce his stack to zero.

Lampropulos limp-called the raise of Pantin out of the small blind with ace-three and check-called with bottom pair on the flop and two pair on the turn. A deuce on the river delivered a four-card straight and Pantin went for it with king-jack only, and Lampropulos called after long consideration.

The duel for the seven-figure score and trophy was very intense. Lampropulos fell back rather quickly, as Mulhern tried to push her around. Two bluff-catchers in a row with ace-high and second pair, however, gave Lampropulos a 2-1 lead and it was over three hands later. Mulhern three-bet with ace-queen and called the four-bet shove to run out dry against pocket kings.

This ends the PokerNews live reporting here from the Dusk Till Dawn, and poker enthusiasts can look forward to plenty of events coming up from the partypokerLIVE team.

The Grand Prix Canada runs from April 25  May 1, at the same time the Grand Prix Dublin (April 28 to May 1) and the Grand Prix Germany at the King's Casino in Rozvadov (April 27 to May 1).

The next chance to become a millionaire then awaits in the partypokerLIVE MILLION North America at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal (May 5-10, with CA$5 million guaranteed) in less than two weeks time.

An online Day 1 at partypoker for that event runs tonight, with live reporting on PokerNews.com starting shortly.

Sharelines Two bluff-catchers in a row gave Lampropulos the lead. It was over three hands later.

Outside of Super High Rollers, Lampropulos just made history by winning 1M @partypokerlive MILLIONS.
The Boy Downstairs (dir. Sophie Brooks)

The romantic comedy struggles a bit with virginity. Not the, like totally gross, act of losing it but the chronicle of first love and loss, the love you once felt with every inch of your bones and is now extinguished while time moves the hell on. For these reasons exs never become real characters in romantic comedies, they're flavorless duds that leave us confused as to how the hell our likable protagonist could have made such an unbecoming move. Andy Sandberg is great at playing them. In Sophie Brooks' debut feature, she manages to swing Zosia Mamet ("Shoshanna" on Lena Dunham's Girls, also known for solid side roles in Mad Men and Todd Solondz's latest, Wiener-Dog) for her debut leading role in order to explore just that territory.

Mamet plays Diana, who, as it happens, is a writer and, as it happens, is moving into a new apartment upstairs from her ex-boyfriend, Ben (Matthew Shear, Mistress America). Will sparks fly? Will these two characters just get along like adults who are occasionally annoyed by all the hard partying up or downstairs? Or will they realize they've been in love all along, it was true love, what happened, and something that must be expressed again?



The Boy Downstairs, initially, plays coy at the can-boys-and-girls be-friends game---Diana tries to diligently to maintain amiable relations with her new neighbor. Mamet is written to feel awkward about things and she performs superbly: the way she edges around saying a thing is a masterful and naturalistic performed, well honed from her years as the awkward-but-slowly accomplished friend on Girls. Diana and Ben are entertaining new flings: Diana with a Seth Rogan-sized stick of awkward lard named Marcus (Jeff Ward) and Ben is engaging in in monogamous relations with an annoying woman named Meg (Sarah Ramos).

We know that Meg is annoying because she takes an instant dislike to Diana, knocking on her door, unprompted, to tell 'er to back off. It's almost like Meg's seen the end of the movie before we have! Packages are suspiciously misdelivered, Marcus is given the curb shortly after mumbling through lunch with Diana's dad (a cranky Arliss Howard, still recovering from being yelled at by Lee Ermey thirty years ago). Even more serendipitous is a slip on the ol' deadly ice, conveniently right outside Ben's window. 'Nough said.

Will sparks fly? Will these two characters just get along like adults?

The movie's most recognizable faces, Mamet and Shear, play versions of their most recognizable characters. Mamet's Diana awkwardly carries her privilege, like in Girls, descended from some British people who must have that vaguely-defined old people money. Early in the movie and between expensive apartments, she describes herself as "basically homeless." Oh, Shosh. For some reason, Brooks chooses to don her in artist-at-work overalls instead of the latest fashions at J. Crew and has her stare at the glowingly blank screen of the novel or whatever that she cannot finish until her heart rediscovers true love, I think. Shear, similarly, fumbles around having two women monogamously desiring his body. He will wait for you to kiss him and then chastise you for not taking off your pants.

The Boy Downstairs' most moving moments involve neither of them: the best friend, Gabby (Diana Irvine), is driven to tears when she realizes, while late-night yachting on the nearby Hudson, that the fellow she's been congruently sleeping with has no interest in seeing her as his wife or whatnot. It's tender, really, the morals of the dead romantic comedy forced to contemplate contemporary life, a place where institutions like marriage have lost all claims to ultimate meaning. When they first hooked up, donning a speedo, he asked her if she like Radiohead. She invited him to kick-on the stereo, have you never gotten jiggy to "Paranoid Android"? "Oh, no," he says, "I was just asking."

Fucking loved that.

But lets get to that apartment. The challenge of needing to fit an entire film crew, out-of-shot, is still unable to pass realist muster in everyone's romantic comedy capital. They're pretty much mansions on Madison ave. Which isn't that much of an obstacle, in the world of things; Dev Shah's pad in Aziz Ansari's Master of None was pretty much a palace and people loved the hell out of that show because of how much realist attention it paid, instead, to issues like racism, rape culture, et. all. But The Boy Downstairs shrugs it shoulders at these trends in the contemporary "New York" romantic comedy: it is not 'about' abortion (Gillian Robespierre's Obvious Child), it is not 'about' suicide or depression (Craig Johnson's The Skeleton Twins), it is not 'about' bisexuality (Desiree Akhavan's Appropriate Behavior). The Boy Downstairs make clear that it is interested, instead, in revisiting an old tale : "Making the oft-told girl-meets-boy story new again," Liza Domnitz, the movie's programmer at Tribeca, writes with too many hyphens. In the press kit, Brooks confesses her love for When Harry Met Sally... (1989) as a key influence. So, you get it, they can't just be friends.



The Boy Downstairs is playing the Tribeca Film Festival: get tickets here

Andrew Karpan has had two women desire him simultaneously. He slept with both of them but didn't make a big deal out of it. Follow him on Twitter.

More Film Coverage:

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Heartbreak can tear you apart. Its messy, post-idyllic rubbish is strewn throughout every room of your heart. Some compartmentalize their emotions afterward, slicing up the remaining shards into digestible chunks and then sweeping the residue underneath the proverbial threadbare rug. But in that burdensome period, holes in your throbbing organ can emerge. "If you walk away, you'll have a hole inside your heart, just like the one in mine you made," Kate Tucker, of sunny Nashville pop shakers Little Reader, swears on "Burn Eternal," the duo's brand new song (premiering today). The jaunty production is patently deceiving, forcing the listener to perch forward and dig into the storyline with concerned acuteness. "You know the phrase 'It was a messy breakup'? Well that's what hit me when [bandmate] Ross [Flournoy] brought the beginnings of [this song]," Tucker tells Popdust. "I'd been fantasizing about being a secret agent and maybe falling in love in my spare time, very 'La Femme Nikita,' the French version, of course."

"I didn't realize how violent the song might come off, but I think it's even stronger, metaphorically. Most all of us have experienced some kind of gut-wrenching sorrow over lost love -- why else would we have the word 'heartbreak,'" she says. Flournoy adds, detailing the song's lengthy history, "This is a song I had started eight or nine years ago but never finished. When Kate and I started writing together, I dusted it off and we finished it together. I love her singing on this one  especially all her harmonies on the choruses. We were going for an early 80s Pretenders kind of thing."

Much like The Pretenders' 1984 song "Back on the Chain Gang"--featuring an upbeat melody, a sampling of Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" and gusting guitar (as a memorial to lead guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, who died from a drug overdose)--Little Reader utilizes polarizing emotions and ideas to hammer home heightened reality. "There was a time I'd kill for you, turn all the red to black and blue," Tucker later snarls, with utterly haunting harmonies and thudding, veiny percussion. "Shining like diamonds in the dust till all the iron turns to rust."

The sticky "Burn Eternal" samples Tucker and Flournoy's forthcoming debut album, The Big Score (out May 19). A chance meeting and a blind-date writing session birthed their "accidental love child," as Tucker puts it. Coming together with varied backgrounds--Flournoy's work includes with such bands as The Broken West and Apex Manor, while Tucker has worked extensively with film scoring and soundtracks, in addition to solo material--Little Reader have laboriously cemented their sun-bleached version of pop to great effect.

Tucker is also expected to drop her new solo record, Practical Sadness, later this year.





Listen below:

READ MORE ABOUT MUSIC...

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Premiere: DeModa doesn't let the "Moments" pass him by
Kodanad estate was a summer retreat for Jayalalithaa and was a heavily guarded fortress until her death.

By Pramod Madhav: DMK Working President MK Stalin has sought a judicial probe into the murder of a security guard that happened at Jayalalithaa's Kodanad estate yesterday night.

The 51-year-old security guard, Om Bahadur, was hacked to death and an another guard was badly wounded in the attack, who has claimed that close to 10 men forcefully entered the premises.

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Kodanad estate was a summer retreat for Jayalalithaa and was a heavily guarded fortress until her death. The 1600 acre estate has nine gates and has housed many VVIPs in past.

Speaking on the matter MK Stalin has said that the murder of a guard who is stationed at Jayalalithaa's Kodanadu estate only reflects the state of law and order in Tamil Nadu.

"It has become a mystery as to who is taking care of Kodanadu estate after jayalalithaa's death. Hence, same kind of probe should be initiated for the murder of the security guard like the one to investigate Jayalalithaa's death", he said.

This is the second shocking incident in a week, which has happened at Jayalalithaa's property. On April 19, fire was reported inside the compounds of Jayalalithaa's bungalow in Siruthavur.

Nilagiri SP Murali Raamba has initiated an investigation on the matter and the cops are trying to find out real motive of the murder.

ALSO READ:

Security guard at Jayalalithaa's Kodanad estate hacked to death

BJP govt destroying nation's unity by imposing Hindi on non-speakers, says MK Stalin

ALSO WATCH:BJP spreading disharmony by imposing Hindi on non-speakers, says Stalin

--- ENDS ---
HANNOVER, Germany, April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HANNOVER MESSE -- Bayshore Networks, the leading provider of cyber protection for industrial infrastructure, announced that it is a founding member of EdgeX Foundry, which launched today.

Hosted by The Linux Foundation, EdgeX Foundry is an open source project to build a common open framework for Internet of Things (IoT) edge computing. EdgeX Foundry will create an ecosystem of interoperable components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates secure enterprise and industrial IoT solutions that can be easily scaled.

"Secure edge computing has emerged as a complicated but critical element driving the realization of industrial IoT," said Ram Boreda, VP Product Management at Bayshore Networks. "Bayshore is partnering with Yokogawa, along with Foghorn, Telit, and Microsoft in developing their innovative Industrial IoT architecture, where cyber protection is proving critical. We believe EdgeX Foundry can become a catalyst for even further innovation in industrial markets, by simplifying interconnection of edge devices, and are thrilled to contribute our cyber protection expertise to this new open-source initiative as a founding member."

"Our goal is to accelerate enterprise IoT deployments by delivering interoperability at the edge through a common open framework," said Philip DesAutels, Senior Director of IoT with The Linux Foundation. "We are so excited to have Bayshore Networks as a member to help us grow the EdgeX ecosystem and build a secure framework that benefits the entire IoT community."

The announcement was made at Hannover Messe, the world's leading industrial event, being held this week in Hannover, Germany. Bayshore's Industrial Cyber Protection Platform and EdgeX will be on display in their respective kiosks at the Industrial Internet Consortium Pavilion (Hall 8, Stand C24). Additionally, Bayshore executives will present throughout the week in Hall 8, Stand D19.

About Bayshore Networks, Inc.

Bayshore Networks is the leading provider of industrial cyber protection. The Company's award-winning technology unlocks the power of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), providing enterprises with unprecedented visibility into their Operational Technology infrastructure while safely and securely protecting ICS systems, industrial applications, networks, machines, and workers from cyber threats. Bayshore's strategic partners include among others Arista, AT&T, BAE, Cisco, Dell, SAP, VMware, and Yokogawa. Bayshore is a privately held company headquartered in Washington, DC, backed by Trident Capital Cybersecurity, Yokogawa, Samsung Next, and BGV Capital. For more information on Bayshore's participation in the EdgeX Foundry Project, please visit http://info.bayshorenetworks.com/edgex.

Media Inquiries: pr@bayshorenetworks.com
This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: BinckBank N.V. via Globenewswire

Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact the company added in the press release. Please do not contact pr-inside. We will not be able to assist you. PR-inside disclaims the content included in this release.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 12:23:05

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New L.I.F.E. Themed Zones and Startup Zone showcase innovative productsHONG KONG, Apr 20, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The 32nd HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair and the eighth HKTDC Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair opened today. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the two four-day fairs will continue through 23 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and bring together more than 2,500 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions to showcase the latest housewares, home textiles and furnishing products.- Houseware Fair's "L.I.F.E." theme highlights the latest design trendsThe largest event of its kind in Asia, the Hong Kong Houseware Fair welcomes 2,280 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions. This year's main theme is "L.I.F.E.", which stands for four themed zones: Lifestyle, Interior, Feast and Enrich. To highlight these themes, the HKTDC is collaborating for the first time with A+A Design Studio, a well-known Italian trend forecasting agency, to set up four trend forecast displays under the themes "Count on Copper", "Own Jungle", "Visual Illusion" and "Bamboology". These 2018 Spring/Summer design trends are illustrated with a wide spectrum of houseware and interior design elements. New zones introduced at the Houseware Fair this year include Coffee Alley under Lifestyle, HORECA under Feast, as well as World of Building & Hardware under Enrich, which brings together 60 exhibitors to showcase quality building materials, hardware & DIY tools and sanitary ware.To create more opportunities for the industry, the HKTDC has organised 128 buying missions comprising more than 7,100 buyers to visit the fairs.- Startup zone debuts at Houseware FairIn line with the Hong Kong SAR Government's policy to nurture start-up companies and move towards high value-added production, the Houseware Fair launched a Startup zone this year, allowing start-ups to exhibit at the fair at lower costs and connecting them with buyers and potential business partners. Ten start-up companies are participating at the Houseware Fair this year, showcasing products such as Fun & Fair's Scooter table lamp and Harmonia Life's natural skin care products."Start-ups need support and advice in a number of areas, such as the fine-tuning of product prototypes, brand promotion or positioning, and capital needs. The Houseware Fair and Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair attracted more than 47,000 international buyers last year. Start-ups can use the opportunity to seek support and advice for their business at the fair. Start-ups can also present their business ideas at the 'Startup. Smart Launch' session and explore more business opportunities," said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau.- Innovative designs from Hong Kong and overseas brandsHong Kong has long been known for its concentration of creative talent as well as agencies that source innovative designs from around the world. Notable items from Hong Kong exhibitors include:1) Purple Clay Coffee Set: Made with Yixing purple clay, a unique variety of natural clay from the Chinese mainland, the coffee set has a fine and sandy texture which helps retain the temperature of a beverage longer than regular ceramics. The material's unglazed surface absorbs the aroma of the beverage, creating a more complex flavour. (Booth no: 1E-F12)2) Eaves stool - Spring: This small side table is inspired by the architectural shape of traditional timber rooftops and conveys the beauty of spring blossoms. (Booth no: 3CON-110)3) Wireless Bluetooth Smart Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser - iMist: Users can download an app on their mobile devices and connect with the diffuser through Bluetooth to control operations including aroma diffusion, LED effects, time settings and to play music. (Booth no: 5C-C01)Noteworthy items from international brands include:1) Hexagon Shelf: Created in Japan, the shelf set includes a number of drawers, bins and containers fitted with accessories such as lamps, hooks and clocks, and can be customised according to customer needs. (Booth no: 1E-A11)2) MAWA Clothes Hangers - Butterflies: These butterfly-shaped hangers from German brand MAWA are form-fitted, non-slip-coated and have a rotating hook, allowing customers to maximise closet space. (Booth no: 3D-C24)3) Feet Guider: This footbed from a Korean brand can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth 4.0 and directly measure the exact amount of activity, the number of footsteps, calories consumed and distance. (Booth no: 5C-C13)- Cosy decorating ideas at the Home Textiles FairHeld concurrently with the Houseware Fair, the Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair has drawn close to 300 exhibitors from eight countries and regions. This year's event features new exhibitors from Belgium and Vietnam. Nantong in the Chinese mainland province of Jiangsu - a city dubbed "the Hometown of Textiles" - as well as a number of Indian textile associations have also returned to set up group pavilions to showcase their quality textiles.Similar to the Houseware Fair, the Home Textiles and Furnishings events have also adopted the "Interior" theme to showcase a variety of home textiles, upholstery and furnishing products. The premium "Hall of Glamour" features quality brands and designer collections, covering products such as bedding, curtains, carpets and towels. Featured products include Hong Kong exhibitor Nightingale's gold embroidery trim on black satin table linen, Indian hand block printed cushion covers and wool/denim Panja Rugs.- Seminars to explore market trendsThe HKTDC is also staging a series of seminars and networking events to help industry players keep abreast of the latest trends and developments in the houseware and home textiles markets. Highlights include the seminar "WGSN Trendtalk: Houseware & Home Textiles 2018 Forecast" led by expert trend forecaster WGSN. Other topics covered in the seminars include pet supplies industry trends in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, houseware product testing, certification and inspection services as well as building inspection.To facilitate buyer viewing of exhibitors' products, a number of Product Demo & Launch Pad sessions have been organised. The "International Kitchenette" to be held in the afternoons will feature chefs preparing Turkish, Korean and Chinese dishes using the latest kitchenware. A number of baristas will also participate in "Latte Art Performance" events to make delicious coffees for participants.To continue, please go to www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/36096/
Indian hackers took down 30 Pakistan government websites to protest against the country's announcemnt of a death penalty for Indian national and former Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. "All the hacking in Pakistan was part of our operation 'Justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav'," one of the hackers told Mail Today.

By Mail Today Bureau: India's digital warriors have crippled 30 Pakistan government websites in virtual surgical strikes as protest against the neighbouring country's announcement of the death penalty to former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

A Pakistani military court this month ordered the punishment for Jadhav, after he was accused of espionage and sabotage activities in Karachi and Balochistan.

"All the hacking in Pakistan was part of our operation 'Justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav'," one of the hackers told Mail Today. Indian and Pakistani hackers also fought pitched battles in cyber space after last September's terrorist attack on a military camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector.

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A message on a hacked Pakistani website read, "Charges against Kulbhushan Jadhav are fictitious, fake and farcical. There is no evidence of wrong doing by him. This is an act of "premeditated murder'. Earlier it was Sarabjeet, now it's Jadhav."

GROUP OF 11 HACKERS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility of hitting the websites was taken by "lulzsec India", comprising 11 hackers. Experts say many nations are deploying cyber warriors to attack vital organizations in enemy countries. Pakistan, China, Iran and North Korea have deployed hackers by granting them immunity from consequences.

Another hackers' group, Telangana Cyber Warrior, claims it has infected the network of a government hospital in Karachi. "We have their entire computer network under our control. We can modify patients' records and monitor their health condition," said a member of the group.

The Kerala Cyber Warriors hacked the website of Pakistan Academy for Rural Development. The website's main page is warped in a way that it displays a message demanding "justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav Ji". The message reads that the "Indian spy", in custody of Pakistani authorities, "lives for India" and all the cases filed against him are completely fake.

'PAKISTANI HACKERS WILL TRY TO RESPOND IN KIND'

Observers say Pakistani hackers will try to respond in kind and attempt to hack prominent and sensitive Indian websites. They have in the past carried out mass defacement and are focused on targeting government portals. State police websites were defaced by Pakistani hackers where they posted anti-India comments with an image of the Pakistan flag.

Experts say the intelligence-gathering process has intensified as hackers are not only defacing the sites but are silently spying into critical networks.

Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested reportedly from Balochistan after he entered Pakistan from Iran. He was accused by Pakistan of being a "RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent" and planning "subversive activities" in the country. The Indian government, on the other hand, believed that he was picked up from Iran.

India has acknowledged Jadhav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied that he was in any way connected to the government.

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ALSO READ | Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan?

ALSO READ | Hope for Kulbhushan Jadhav: India to ask for defence lawyer in Pakistan

ALSO WATCH | Musharraf to India Today: On Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan will bow down to nobody

--- ENDS ---
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 08:03:01

Shareholders are hereby invited to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (EGM) of Sequa Petroleum N.V. (the Company), to be held at the 24th floor, Rembrandt Tower, Amstelplein 1 (1096 HA) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 31 May 2017 at 10.00 hours CET.

Download full document (attached).

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Sequa Petroleum NV via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 17:00:09

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Patriot Gold Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Las Vegas, Nevada (FSCWire) - Patriot Gold Corp. (OTCQB:PGOL). has issued a press release with the following headline:Patriot Gold Provides Update on Moss Mine RoyaltyTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Patriot Gold Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Patriot Gold Corp.Source: Patriot Gold Corp. (OTCQB: PGOL)Date: April 24, 2017Time: 11:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Patriot Gold Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) will now be known in West Bengal as 'Mission Nirmal Bangla'.

By Manogya Loiwal : The Didi vs Modi battle has gone a notch higher with the Mamata Banerjee government changing the names of the Central government schemes in West Bengal.

The Trinamool Congress has been a vocal critic of the BJP government at the Centre, and has lashed out at the Centre for its decision to demonetise high-value currency in November last year.

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The Mamata Banerjee government wants to drop the 'Pradhan Mantri' from the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and instead wants to call it 'Banglar Gramin Sadak Yojana'.

Similarly, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen is now 'Banglar Griha Prakalpa'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) will be known in West Bengal as 'Mission Nirmal Bangla'.

Hitting out at the Mamata government for renaming schemes, BJP leader Chandra Kumar Bose compared the West Bengal chief minister to Babur who "demolished a temple in Ayodhya and built Babri Masjid".

STATE IS BEARING THE COST TOO

The reason for renaming schemes: The Mamata Banerjee government said that the state has to now bear 40 per cent of the total cost of implementing the schemes as against 10 per cent previously.

According to the West Bengal government, if the state has to pay more than 40 per cent of the total cost then why should the Central government get the credit, especially when the state is providing the machinery and agency for the implementation of the scheme.

A copy of the letter to district magistrates.

P Ulagnathan, district magistrate of Cooch Behar confirmed that he has received the orders and said he would "implement" them.

Pushpita Roy Dakua, who is the sabhadipati of Cooch Behar zila parishad, said the work on changing the names of schemes on boards and banners is on at war-footing.

"The names of the schemes have been changed on boards. The state government too is providing money for the schemes and therefore the schemes cannot only have the stamp of the Central government," she said.

A copy of the letter to district magistrates.

OLD WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE

Reacting to the Mamata Banerjee government's decision, CPI (M) leader Fuad Halim said it was similar to repackaging old wine in a new bottle. "All these Central government programmes have failed miserably in impacting and changing the lives of the common people in the country," he said.

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Senior Congress leader Omprakash Mishra said that both the Central and state government, including the one in West Bengal, have been renaming projects as well as policies. He called the trend "unethical".

BJP leader Chandra Kumar Bose while comparing Mamata Banerjee to Babur said, "Babur demolished the temple in Ayodhya and built Babri Masjid. Similarly, Mamata Banerjee is demolishing and changing the names of central schemes".

"I think it is very foolish of Mamata Banerjee to change names and give a name at the state level for the same scheme which the Centre has actually adopted," the BJP leader said, adding that his party would "expose her (Mamata) bluff in the next election".

ALSO READ:

At NITI Aayog meet, PM Narendra Modi presents New India vision, Kejriwal, Mamata not interested

Mamata: BJP spreading canards that I eat beef, spending crores on social media to tarnish my image

BJP can't decide on food habits nor can they question my visit to dargah or temple: Mamata Banerjee

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
With this optimization, Sophos Server Protection now has signature-less detection capabilities to combat ransomware

Dan Schiappa, Sophos

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 13:10:00

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Sophos (LSE: SOPH), a global leader in network and endpoint security, today announced, that its next-generation anti-ransomware CryptoGuard technology is now available with its SophosServer Protection products. With this optimization, Sophos Server Protection now has signature-less detection capabilities to combat ransomware - similar to Sophos Intercept X for endpoints. In September 2016, Sophos launched SophosIntercept X with CryptoGuard, which stop the spontaneous encryption of data by ransomware within seconds of detection.By adding CryptoGuard to server security, Sophos is closing a critical gap by preventing ransomware attacks that could come in through rogue, guest or remote access users or other weaknesses in a companyas network. For example, if a company allows bring-your-own-laptops on the network, remote access for employees or is victimized by an insider cyber threat, servers become highly susceptible to ransomware. Additionally, network shares on servers are high-value targets as they contain proprietary financials, personally identifiable information and other key data, and should be protected as such.aServers are considered the jackpot for cybercriminals, since they can store confidential corporate and employee information, medical records with social security numbers or private customer documents. It would be devastating for organizations to lose this kind of sensitive data to ransomware,a said Dan Schiappa, senior vice president and general manager of Sophosa Enduser and Network Security Groups. aMost organizations back-up their data, but recovery from a backup is not always easy. Businesses, schools or hospitals do not want the liability, hassle and operational disruption required to restore from a backup. Anti-ransomware technology is a critical layer for the protection and ongoing accessibility of the information that resides on servers. Sophos has optimized its Server Protection products with CryptoGuard, adding another layer of next-gen protection to block this pervasive and highly-damaging cyber threat.a Sophos has also expanded Synchronized Security by adding Sophos Security Heartbeat capabilities to Sophos Central Server Protection Advanced. By adding Security Heartbeat to servers, an IT administrator can now leverage Sophos XG Firewall to automatically isolate infected servers and endpoints to identify and respond to the source of compromises faster. Sophos Central Server Protection also includes Malicious Traffic Detection, which monitors for traffic to Command and Control servers and application white listing with one-click Server Lockdown, which secures servers in a safe state and prevents unauthorized applications from running.Sophos Server Protection products with CryptoGuard capabilities now includes Central Server Protection Advanced on the cloud-based Sophos Central platform and Sophos Server Protection Enterprise, which is managed with a traditional on-premise console.Partner and Customer Feedback on Sophos Server ProtectionaProtection for servers is especially critical for our customers who allow remote desktop connections or have weak desktop credentials, which is a known vulnerability for ransomware attacks. Even our customers who have put every safeguard in place could still have an exposed server, due to that one rogue laptop someone connects into the network. Just one click on a tainted email could encrypt every file with ransomware. Weave seen this happen with a customer, so from a technical standpoint, itas exciting to have anti-ransomware capabilities at the server level,a said Dan Russell, chief information officer, Pine Cove Consulting, a Sophos channel partner based in Bozeman, Montana. aSophos also designed its server protection to be a lightweight.a Many of our customers are educational institutions with older computers, so having an anti-ransomware capability that doesnat impact server performance a no matter how old or new - is a must. The evolution of ransomware is a reality our customers need to deal with right now. We are focused on selling Sophos Central Server Protection Advanced and Sophos Intercept X to guard against ransomware threats.a aAt Lifeways, our userslog into servers to access their email and websites, so we definitely need a solution that prevents ransomware. Already, we use Sophos Central Server Protection Advanced forapproximately 100 servers. We also have Sophos Intercept X running on roughly 600 endpoints or about 50 percent our estate so far. With Intercept Xas root cause analysis feature, we have a holistic view of breaches and the ability to investigate every node thatas been infected. We can also reverse ransomware attacks on the endpoints, which is huge,a said Andy Pitcher, group infrastructure manager at Lifeways, a Sophos customer in London, England. aLifeways has been hit by ransomware in the past and it was not fun. The attack came in through an end point and hit the serveras well. We were able to restore quickly, but our business did come to a halt for a while. Sophos Server Protectionand Sophos Intercept X are critical defenses for us, and we plan to use them throughout our entire estate.a Pricing for the complete range of Sophos Server Protection products is available from authorized Sophos Partners worldwide. For more information, please go to Sophos.com
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 16:59:09

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Synex International Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Synex International Inc. (TSX:SXI). has issued a press release with the following headline:Synex International Inc. Registration as Eligible Business CorporationTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Synex International Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Synex International Inc.Source: Synex International Inc. (TSX: SXI, ISIN: CA87160L1067)Date: April 24, 2017Time: 10:59 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Synex International Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-24 05:03:14

New models for high productivity and stable precision molding of automobile parts added to product lineup

Toshiba Machine Expands Chinese Production of Its EC-SXII Series, the Global Standard in Injection Molding Machines

Toshiba Machine

Media inquiries:

Toyokazu Ohata, +81-55-926-5141

General Affairs & Public Relations Group

oohata.toyokazu@toshiba-machine.co.jp

or

Product inquiries:

Kang Shao Hua, +86-21-5442-0606*360

Injection Molding Machine Sales Department

kangshaohua@toshiba-machine.com.cn

Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:6104) announced that its EC-SXII series of all-electric injection molding machines, one of the best-selling products in Japan, will add the EC280SXII, featuring a clamping force of 2,744 kN (280 tf), and the EC350SXII, featuring a clamping force of 3,430 kN (350 tf), as two additional models to its production lineup at its China factory. These two new models are expected to help better meet customer needs for precision molding of automobile optical parts.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201704230050

All-electric injection molding machine EC350SXII (Photo: Business Wire)

Main Features of EC-SXII Series

Wide array of available injection (plasticized) devices for use in specific applications

A wide variety of injection devices are available with high-load, high-injection pressure, and high-speed injection specifications for automobile parts, optical parts, the medical and food container sectors, and more. Customers can select the optimum injection device for their specific application.

High-added value controller with improved control performance and scalability

The cutting-edge INJECTVISOR V50/S51 Control System includes a new core-back (foam molding) control circuit (option) for enabling more lightweight designs for molded products and also supports various plug-ins such as sub-injection units for double injection molding machines for providing wider functionality and greater ease of operation.

Preventive maintenance, remote maintenance, and other IoT technologies are utilized to contribute to higher productivity in molding plants targeting zero downtime.

Special package specifications for optical parts available

A special plasticizing system was developed for reducing foreign matter and yellowing defects in thick optical parts. This system features a high-rigidity die clamping unit and multistage compression control (PRESTROL) for enabling the shape accuracy, high microscopic transfer, and mitigation and homogenization of internal stress that are required for molding of thick lenses.

"Combined with our industrial robots, which will be produced in our China factory, this is a system solution for meeting the needs of our customers, said Masafumi Ito of the Regional Operating Headquarters (East Asia). The EC-SXII series features a wide of array of packages for optical parts such as automobile LED headlight lenses, in-car lighting and displays, and more, for contributing to higher productivity and more stable precision molding."

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201704230050
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




By Press Trust of India: Howrah, Apr 20 (PTI) The Vice President of the Republic of Mauritius Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory today visited Ramakrishna Math and Mission headquarters at Belur Math and paid obeisance at the temples here.

"I am very happy to visit Belur Math. My mother was a follower of Swamiji. Swami Vivekanandas speech in Chicago has always inspired me," he told a press conference here.

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Vyapoory was received by Ramakrishna Math and Mission general secretary Swami Suhita Nanda Maharaj and its manager Bhajona Nanda Maharaj.

He spent around two hours at Swamiji Mandir, Maa-er Mandir and Brahmananda Mandir.

Vyapoory also announced construction of a statue of Swami Vivekananda in Mauritius.

"We are very happy for his endeavours and will assist him in our full capacity for the construction of the statue," Ramakrishna Math and Mission assistant secretary Subira Nanda Maharaj said.

The vice president was also gifted books of Swami Vivekananda on the occasion. PTI CORR AYP

--- ENDS ---
Union Minister Vijay Goel today took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's allegations that the EVMs used during Sunday's MCD elections were tampered with.

By India Today Web Desk: Union Minister Vijay Goel today took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's allegations that the EVMs used during Sunday's MCD elections were tampered with.

"Baithe Baithe Kya Karein Karna Hai Kuch Kaam, Shuru Karo #EVMBahana Leke #DramaQueenKejriwal Ka Naam," Vijay Goel tweeted.

Instead of "coughing" lies & cursing democratic practice/institutions,better contest elections from nations that suit your selfish interest. https://t.co/RvMgkJ1NCW- Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) April 23, 2017

Oh no not again! Jao jao jaldi jao doctor ko bulao, nabs dikhao #Kejriwal ka haal batao??his #EVM fever seems to have started again #MCDpolls https://t.co/QAwxY773Yg- Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) April 23, 2017

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Arvind Kejriwal had raked up the EVM malfunction issue as people were casting their votes for MCD election.

"Reports from all over Delhi of EVM malfunction, people with voter slips not allowed to vote. What is SEC (state election commission) doing?," the Aam Aadmi Party convenor had tweeted.

MCD ELECTION 2017

State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava in a press conference after the voting said that Delhi recorded a turnout of around 54 per cent. North corporation's Bakhtawarpur ward recorded the highest turnout at over 68 per cent, while south Delhi's Lado Sarai registered the least turnout at 39 per cent.

INDIA TODAY-AXIS MY INDIA EXIT POLL 2017

India Today-Axis My India Exit poll has predicted an astounding victory for BJP that has been ruling the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the last 10 years.

Out of 270 wards, the BJP is predicted to win about 202 to 220 seats, while AAP is expected to win 23 to 25 seats, Congress stands third with 19 to 31 seats.

While BJP held a vote share of 43 per cent, AAP at 24 per cent, Congress at 23 per cent and others at 10 per cent.

In North Delhi, which has 104 wards, BJP is leading the predictions with as many as 78-84 seats and AAP and Congress is second with 8 to 12 seats, while others are expected to win 1 to three seats.

Although Congress is in the third position, its voter share of 25 per cent has surpassed AAP's 23 per cent share.

The India Today-Axis My India Exit poll has predicted that in south Delhi, BJP will continue to dominate with about 79 to 85 seats in its kitty. AAP is expected to win 9 to 13 seats, while Congress is likely to win about 7 to 11 seats.

Also Read

MCD 2017 exit poll results: India Today-Axis My India predicts big win for BJP, massive setback for AAP, Congress

--- ENDS ---
By: The Woman Behind The Business

The Woman Behind The Business

Contact

Justin Turner

***@dcmediaconnection.com



Photo:

https://www.prlog.org/ 12635112/1 Justin Turner

End

-- Entrepreneurial burn out isn't something we talk about often, but the statistics don't lie. Only two-thirds of all small businesses survive past 2 years, and about half of all small businesses will make it past the 5 year mark! Now, while many factors come into play with this data - some of the primary reasons for failed businesses revolve around: access to capital, poor money management, inadequate planning and last but not least - entrepreneurial burnout!According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Center for Women in Business, 90% ofwomen owned businesses have no other employees other than the business owner. Yet, there are 11 million women owned businesses in the United States, stimulating $1.6 trillion of the economy, according to The 2016 Women Owned Businesses Report!When all the cards are on the table - it's easy to understand how women entrepreneurs can crash and burn. Especially when they're managing all of their day-to-day business needs, while also fulfilling their roles as wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend ... and everything in between!It's the belief of The Woman Behind The Businessthat by equipping women entrepreneurs with tools and key learnings from other women who have successfully overcome the very valleys most start-up businesses face - they too will beat the odds."That support system is what makes The Woman Behind The Businessunique," said The Woman Behind The Business founder, Angel Livas. "We don't just throw successful women up to a microphone to gloat about their successes ... we get raw. Our conversations are unapologetically honest, because it's in those moments of truth that I believe serious entrepreneurs will see a glimpse of themselves. Maybe not in every situation ... but definitely in some."This fall, women entrepreneurs from across the country will journey to Nassau, Bahamas for the first annual "The Woman Behind The BusinessRetreat"! The goal of the retreat is to bridge the international gap between women entrepreneurs ... while also factoring in down time for women to bask in relaxation.Confirmed retreat presenters include: The Consul General of The Bahamas - Paulette Zonicle; Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, CEO - Carla A. Reid; Bon Secours Health System, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Gloria Goins; Professional Pipeline Development Group, CEO - Monica Hawkins; Former Superintendent of Bahamas Police Department, Elaine Sands, among others.To learn more about The Woman Behind The Businessor the upcoming retreat that strives to provide Strength, Strategy & Success: Your Toolkit To Sustainability, visit: www.wbbtalk.com
For the fifth year in a row, Trea Tijmens will be participating in the annual Matchmaker Conference in New York organized by the Matchmaking Institute this week.

By: HIM-Matchmaking

Trea Tijmens Top European Matchmaker-HIM-Matchmaking

Contact

Trea Tijmens, CEO HIM-Matchmaking.com

14 rue du Rhone, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland

***@him-matchmaking.com

+41 22 575 2975 Trea Tijmens, CEO HIM-Matchmaking.com14 rue du Rhone, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland+41 22 575 2975

End

-- Geneva, Switzerland:For the 5year in a row, Top European Matchmaker, Trea Tijmens, will be taking time out from her busy schedule to participate in the International Matchmaker Conference organized by the Matchmaking Institute in New York.Tijmens has been a professional matchmaker for over 12 years and firmly believes in continuous learning and the power of building meaningful connections. Each conference, she takes away some invaluable nuggets of information, picks up some new ideas, learns the latest trends, hears different perspectives from other top matchmakers in the industry as well as from matchmakers in the making. Her HIM-Matchmaking clients are the direct beneficiaries of this."Every year, the conference is an awesome opportunity for connecting, teaching, learning and bonding (from early in the morning until late at night!). I always come back with new ideas, with new matchmaker contacts, and, best of all, bubbling with fresh energy and inspiration!"says Tijmens.She added; "since my clientele is truly international, I simply cannot miss this annual event. Among other thanks to the international network and connections that I have personally created and maintained throughout the years at the MMI conferences, HIM-Matchmaking can provide the ultimate matchmaking service to its clients."Trea Tijmens is the leading European matchmaker and dating expert. Born and raised in Holland, she studied and worked in Belgium, Germany, Spain and Switzerland, and is married to a Frenchman. Tijmens speaks Dutch, French, German, English and Spanish. She is the "go-to" top matchmaker for discerning gentlemen wishing to find HER in Europe.HIM-Matchmaking was founded by Trea Tijmens. Headquartered in the center of Europe in beautiful Switzerland, HIM-Matchmaking provides a truly European Matchmaking service to high and ultra-high net worth gentlemen.For more information about HIM-Matchmaking, please visit http://www.him- matchmaking.com
There were lots of barriers in pregnancy cancellation procedures which are to make accessible easily in Canada as per their new rules which would come.

Media Contact

Cara Filson

***@buyabortionpillsrx.com

+16474918585 Cara Filson+16474918585

End

-- A new abortion medication that hit Canadian shelves in January faces a lot of barriers to make it easily accessible, advocates mentioned.The drug, Mifegymiso, can be used to cancel an early pregnancy that is within 10 weeks. It's taken as two separate medications, Mifepristone and Misoprostol. People in France can legally buy abortion pill (http://www.buyabortionpillsrx.com/)under the name RU-486 since 1988. Among the several countries in the world, Canada became the 61country to approve its use, in 2015.There are some rules regulations proposed by the manufacturer and accepted by Canadian Government, which are usually restrictive. Those rules were primarily interpreted to mean that physicians, rather than pharmacists, had to dispense the medicine, and the women had to take the first dose under the doctor's supervision.Those highly strange restrictions left doctors and pharmacists wandering as they tried to analyze how it could be prescribed and sold.However, Health department of Canadian Government has since tried to make clear those rules, following pointed questions by the British Columbia and Pharmaceutical colleges asking if pharmacists can dispense the medication and physicians simply have the option of asking patients to take the primary dose under their supervision.That's left a patchwork of understanding around the country, and conceivably opens up the experts providing the medicine to extra professional responsibility for not prescribing as needed by the product's guidelines.A pharmaceutical company, manufacturing mifegymiso mentioned it had sold nine hundred units so far, even though that doesn't mean it's yet been prescribed nine hundred times. It's unclear whether anyone is tracking the number of prescriptions issued for the drug.A Canadian owned pharmaceutical Company's spokeswoman, told that the need to take the medicine in front of a physician has changed, although she wouldn't say when that happened.President of that company told in the email to one the news channel that, medical supervision is required, but, it is not compulsory that the drug be swallowed in front of the doctor.The requirement for supervision makes sure that the woman has access to emergency follow-up treatment if necessary.This pharmaceutical company has made a second regulatory compliance, prompted by Canada government, to permit a pharmacist to distribute the medication and relax some of the rules around the product, like the number of weeks into a pregnancy it can be taken.Presently, Canadian Government permits Mifegymiso or MTP abortion kit ( http://www.buyabortionpillsrx.com/ mtp-kit.html ) to be utilized up to 7 weeks into a pregnancy. However, an article in the Canadian Journal of Gynecology in 2016, recommended its use up to 10 weeks.The present regulations also mean pharmacists and doctors need to take as a minimum 1 hour of a 6-hour online course before they can prescribe or allow patients to buy MTP kit (http://www.buyabortionpillsrx.com/mtp-kit.html)- Mifepristone and Misoprostol.
- Nine key areas for future cooperation identified - Al Mansoori: 'Joint Committee has achieved much over the past eight years'

By: Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications

End

-- Abu Dhabi, 24 April 2017The 6th session of the UAE-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai and co-chaired by H.E. Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, and his counterpart, H.E. Shahin Mustafayev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Economic Development, has concluded on a high note. The meeting was attended by H.E. Eng. Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi, Under-Secretary of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy; H.E. Sahil Babayev, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan; H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Hamel Al Qubaisi, UAE Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and H.E. Dashgin Shikarov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UAE. Also present were an elite group of senior officials and representatives of government authorities and business sectors from both sides.Participants discussed economic cooperation and enhanced bilateral relations through future collaboration in the nine key areas of agriculture, industry, renewable energy, tourism, the environment, water, communications, modern technology and air transport. They also touched on the development of trade and investment exchanges and the strengthening ties between their countries' business communities.Several promising joint projects in the fields of logistical services, free trade zones and medical industries were identified. One of the most prominent is an agreement signed by DP World, the Ministry of Economy in Azerbaijan and the Port of Baku on September 7, 2016, to establish the Alyat Free Trade Zone in Azerbaijan. The project is considered one of the most prominent success stories of the UAE-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee.H.E. Eng. Al Mansoori highlighted the importance of the meetings which have been held regularly during the past eight years. He said that the sessions translate the mutual desire to elevate the level of economic and technical cooperation between the two friendly countries.He referred to the growing trade exchange during recent years, sharing that total bilateral non-oil foreign trade inclusive of free zone trade topped USD 605 million in 2015, and reached USD 228 million during the first nine months of 2016.The Minister pointed out that since the Committee's last session in November 2014, many global economic developments have taken place and both sides must thus work hand in hand to develop a program of cooperation reflecting these developments to effectively deal with related issues to serve their common interests.H.E. further reviewed the UAE's achievements in building a flexible economy capable of keeping pace with global movements while preserving its growth and competitiveness by focusing on enhancing the path of economic diversification. He noted the vital support of the wise vision of the leadership to build a future that guarantees the welfare and happiness of the country's citizens and residents.According to preliminary estimates for 2016, the national economy grew at around 3 per cent at constant prices, proving its ability to overcome various global challenges. The non-oil sectors expanded by 2.7 per cent while the contribution of the crude oil and natural gas sectors slid to about 16.7 per cent of the real GDP. This falls within the framework of an ambitious economic policy articulated by UAE Vision 2021's goal of building a diversified and globally competitive economy based on knowledge and innovation and driven by competent Nationals.H.E. Al Mansoori added that the UAE considers the Republic of Azerbaijan as an important investment and trade partner in light of their strong economic ties. He pointed out that their countries will be cooperating further in various vital sectors, most notably agriculture, trade, investment, industry, tourism, air transport, renewable energy, communications, and technology.H.E. Mustafayev said that his country is interested in further strengthening cooperation with the UAE in all fields, and benefit mainly from the UAE's experiences in developing economic diversification policies. He added that the Azerbaijani economy is still heavily dependent on the oil sector which currently accounts for 70 per cent of the country's GDP. He commended the UAE for successfully diversifying its economy and his country's aspiration to follow suite.The Azerbaijani Minister also emphasized his government's full support in facilitating UAE investments into the local market across various economic sectors in line with his country's ongoing strategy of establish a framework for economic diversification. He noted that total volume UAE investments into Azerbaijan stood at around USD 800 million, while Azerbaijani investments in the UAE reached an estimated USD 300 million, with total mutual investments exceeding USD 1 billion.At the end of the meeting, H.E. Eng. Al Mansoori and H.E. Mustafayev signed the protocol of the 6th session of the joint economic committee between their two countries which set nine identified areas for the development of mutual cooperation.
Ayer Motor Inn is an excellent choice for an affordable and comfortable stay when you are looking for Staying in Ayer, Massachusetts.

Media Contact

Ayer Motor Inn

***@abovalley.com

+1 (978) 772-0797 Ayer Motor Inn+1 (978) 772-0797

End

-- Welcome to Ayer Motor Inn, Hotel in Ayer MA is your excellent choice to stay featuring exceptional service. Book Ayer Massachusetts Hotel near Fitchburg State University.Ayer MA Hotel gives you comfort along with the amenities including free WiFi, cable television, air conditioning and simple furnishings.The problem with many small towns is that there are not any good hotels. When you're looking for a hotel in Ayer MA, you may be worried that you won't find a place to stay. Either you'll end up in a dump or have to pay a premium, but don't worry anymore. When you 're looking for a hotel or motel in Ayer MA, the smart choice is the one I recommend to you confidently:Ayer Motor Inn.Small town accommodations may be different from those you'll find in the city, but that doesn't mean they aren't as nice or that you have to settle for paying a lot for low quality. You can have a great small-town accommodations experience when you choose Ayer Motor Inn and choose to stay in affordable comfort while in Ayer.Our Hotel Ayer Massachusetts is your perfect choice to stay.While your stay at Ayer Motor Inn you will love to visit famous attractions nearby Hotel including Nashua River Rail Trail, Fitchburg State University and Army Garrison fort Devens.Call on 978-772-0797 or Visit us at http://www.ayermotorinn.com/ to book your stay at Budget hotel near Leominster. Our front desk is always open to Support while you stay at Hotel Ayer MA.
By: Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty

James P. Retz, Christine Petersen and Deirdre O'Connell

Media Contact

Kathleen Caputi

kcaputi@epoch5.com Kathleen Caputi

End

-- Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, one of the nation's leading realtors, is reaching out to the Chinese home buyer in an inspired fashion. Christine Petersen, General Manager of Global Development, has contributed a chapter on Long Island to a new, definitive Chinese buyers' guide to United States real estate which was published this month and celebrated with a book launch party on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue."Chinese Institutions' Definitive Guide to USA Real Estate," includes chapters on Why Purchase U.S. Real Estate?; Important International Tax Issues; Single-Family Investment; Closing the Deal; as well as chapters that explore the USA's top 12 real estate markets in detail.Among the reasons that Christine Petersen was tapped for the project is that her global network for buyers includes strong connections with the Chinese, who are buying $27 billion of U.S. real estate this year, according to the National Association of Realtors. She helped launch Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty's Asia Desk in 2014 and last fall helped organize and co-hosted an informational panel discussion and reception designed to help real estate and other professionals facilitate real estate transactions with international buyers. The panel addressed numerous topics such as the Patriot Act; money held in foreign bank accounts; the importance of establishing U.S. bank accounts; and the different loans available for investment properties and owner occupied homes."Long Island real estate continues to be very attractive to international buyers," said Ms. Petersen. "As real estate professionals, our goal is to provide as much valuable information, insight, and assistance as possible to our clients and customers. We make every effort to utilize all avenues available to help international buyers target areas in which they'd like to live or invest, as well as successfully navigate real estate transactions."Ben Briggs, a 10-year resident of China and Executive Vice President of International Business for Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, led the book writing effort.Published by one of Beijing's top business publishers, the book identifies markets and submarkets in each of America's top gateway cities, with incisive chapters written by local real estate CEOs and top brokers in each area. Notable U.S.-China legal experts also helped pen chapters on optimizing tax structures and negotiating joint venture partnerships.The book will be distributed in bookstores and online in China, and through Amazon.com.Founded in 1922, Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty ( http://www.danielgale.com/ )consistently leads the nation in achieving one of the highest average sales prices in the country. Daniel Gale Sotheby's is a $3 billion dollar organization with 850 sales associates in 27 offices spanning Long Island and Queens. Services include a Relocation Division, an award-winning Marketing & Technology Department, a Development Marketing Group, Commercial and Rental Divisions; and Ambassador Abstract ( http://www.ambabstract.com/ ) Title company. The Sotheby's International Realty(http://www.sothebysrealty.com/)affiliate for Long Island and Queens since 1976, Daniel Gale Sotheby's has gained national and international recognition, including top honors worldwide. In addition to its place on the Regents Board of "Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate," Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty is on The Broker Council and Compass Group of Real Trends, The Asian Real Estate Association and The Realty Alliance (comprising some of the real estate industry's most influential companies with participation "by invitation only"). For more information, visit www.danielgale.com.celebrated the release of "Chinese Institutions' Definitive Guide to USA Real Estate," at a Fifth Avenue book launch party. Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty's Christine Petersen contributed a chapter on Long Island Real Estate. Pictured here (l-r): James P. Retz, Christine Petersen and Deirdre O'Connell, all of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty.
Multiscreen TV apps provider 24i Media has integrated the cloud-based Microsoft Cognitive Services Recommendations API to enable customers to build a smarter recommendation engine.





Explaining the rationale for the launch, 24i said that viewers expect you to really know them and personalise recommendations to help them through the search and discovery process. They also expect a service that is personalised and delightful at every stage of the experience from sign-up to discovery and viewing to renewals.The Recommendations API is pre-integrated in 24is recently launched CMS, SmartOTT Backstage. With the Microsoft Cognitive Services Recommendations API, using cognitive computing to deliver a number of algorithm-derived results, such as Frequently Bought Together (FBT) products, item-to-item recommendations, and customer-to-item flows, 24i now says that it can enable its customers to generate higher consumption, customer satisfaction and increased revenues with a smarter recommendation engine.The hottest driver for over-the-top (OTT) growth is customised, user-specific discovery algorithms  the ability to wow consumers with a stunning personalised user experience, said Martijn Van Horssen. By integrating Microsoft Cognitive Services Recommendations API , we empower our customers to take personalisation to the next level and significantly reduce customer churn and increase revenue growth. "24i Media underscores our commitment to provide our customers with state-of-the-art innovation in cloud technology, added Tony Emerson, managing director, worldwide media and cable at Microsoft . By integrating Recommendations API, part of Microsoft Cognitive Services, 24i allows clients to customise whats being fed based on the user history so their customers end up with higher engagement and lower churn  both key metrics for successful OTT services today.
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.
Serbian and Russian officials have condemned talk of the potential unification of Albania and Kosovo, with officials saying it carried the risk of igniting another Balkan war.

The comments on April 21 come after Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told Politico that a union between Albania and predominantly ethnic-Albanian Kosovo could not be ruled out if European Union membership prospects fade for the countries of the Western Balkans.

Kosovo broke away from Serbia in a 1998-99 war and declared independence in 2008. It is recognized by 114 nations, but not by Belgrade or Moscow. Tensions are high between Serbia and Kosovo and between the ethnic Serb minority and the central government within Kosovo.

Serbian Labor and Welfare Minister Aleksandar Vulin on April 21 rejected any potential union of Albania and Kosovo and demanded that the EU and NATO denounce Ramas statements and those by other Albanian leaders. He said such moves could lead to another war in the Balkans.

In his interview with Politico published on April 18, Rama said there could be a nightmare for Europe if EU membership for Balkan countries were taken off the table, with the potential for the region to go crazy and become a gray zone in which other actors have more influence than the European Union.

Rama said he would prefer to be part of a big union, such as the EU. But if theres no hope, no perspective, no space, then, of course, little unions may happen, he responded when asked about a potential merger of NATO-member Albania and Kosovo.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned Ramas comments.

"Under the guise of hypocritical talks about stabilization in the region under the NATO 'umbrella,' the fundamentals of stability are being shaken and a course has been adopted toward recarving the Balkan borders, which is sharply increasing the degree of the conflictpotential," the ministry said.

The Russian ministry also assailed the United States and European Union for timidly keeping silent in the face of sly attempts to a Great Albania project.

With reporting by AP, Politico, TASS, and Interfax
Mufti's meeting with Modi came in the backdrop of the worsening security situation in the state that has also rattled the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.

By Brijesh Pandey: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the young stone pelters in the troubled state are "systematically incited" and only dialogue similar to the ones held during the Vajpayee era more than a decade ago could save the Valley.

"There was dialogue when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and LK Advani his deputy. They even held dialogue with the Hurriyat and others," Mufti told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi.

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"We must start from where Vajpayee ji left... Modi ji has repeatedly said that he would follow the footsteps of Vajpayee ji, whose policy was of reconciliation, not confrontation," Mufti said. "There is no option but to talk," she asserted.

Mufti's meeting with Modi came in the backdrop of the worsening security situation in the state that has also rattled the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. The government headed by Mehbooba Mufti is under mounting attack in the face of fresh spurt in violence in the state.

Mufti told Modi that the Centre should seriously think about the welfare of the state. "We held discussions on various issues... the agenda of alliance between the PDP-BJP," Mehbooba said. She said she also stressed on the Prime Minister to compensate people of the state for the losses they have suffered due to the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.

STONE PELTERS 'INCITED'

When asked about the stone pelters, Mufti said the youngsters in the state are "systematically incited" by various groups, including the separatists. "Those young men have genuine grievances, which we must address," she said.

"We need a dialogue. We can't be confronting our own people for too long. We cannot hold talks when on one side stones are being thrown and bullets fired from the other side," she said.

She said her father, late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed "had given a road map" for lasting peace in the state.

The PDP and the BJP, which are running the coalition government, are not on the same page over dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting and this has led to friction between them. BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga recently advocated strong action, saying "traitors and stone pelters should be treated with bullets".

The comment drew the ire of the PDP, which said there was a "conspiracy" to keep trouble brewing in the Valley.

ALSO READ:Video of Kashmiri youth used as human shield: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti seeks police report

Also Read: Viral video shows Kashmiri youth tied to the front of moving army jeep

WATCH | Stone pelters systematically incited in J-K; Vajpayee era talks only option: Mehbooba Mufti

--- ENDS ---

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Sonalikas passenger car brand International Cars & Motors Ltd. (ICML) kick started a very ambitious world car project back in 2008. The Indian firm whose primary business is to manufacture tractors roped in the famed Italian design firm Pininfarina to pen its family of global cars which were supposed to be ready for the market by 2012.

It seems, the project started off well, and Pininfarina even delivered its first design concept, a sporty crossover coupe called ICML Evo. Unfortunately, the concept was never made public and the world car vision slipped into oblivion.

In 2012, Sonalika sold 12.5% of its tractor division to Blackstone Group, a US-based private equity firm. It appears that the new stakeholder wanted Sonalika to rather concentrate on its tractor business than pursuing its passenger car goals.

Thanks to Motown India, we now have the very first pictures of ICML Evo which is spending its life adorning Sonalikas HQ in Hoshiapur, Punjab. Even after half-a-decade, the Pininfarina-designed crossover coupe has a contemporary and a truly global appeal. What a shame that this car didnt become a reality!

While the profile derives inspiration from BMW X6 which debuted in 2008 (roughly the same time as ICMLs announcement of global car project), finer details are authentic and decidedly premium. The design concept looks production ready, indicating how awfully close ICML was to realize its dream!

With just an obsolete and dull Rhino MPV (which was later rebranded as Extreme) in its passenger car portfolio, concentrating massive resources on a global family of products would have been a huge risk for Sonalika. However, the firm had a brilliantly designed crossover in hand at exactly the right time (the crossover boom is now a truly global automotive phenomenon). We cant help but think that it would have been worth the risk!
Increasing water temperatures are responsible for the accumulation of a chemical called nitrite in marine environments throughout the world, a symptom of broader changes in normal ocean biochemical pathways that could ultimately disrupt ocean food webs, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

Nitrite is produced when microorganisms consume ammonium in waste products from fertilizers, treated sewage and animal waste. Too much nitrite can alter the kinds and amounts of single-celled plants living in marine environments, potentially affecting the animals that feed on them, said James Hollibaugh, co-author of the study published recently in Environmental Science and Technology. It also could lead to toxic algal blooms and create dead zones where no fish or animals can live.

"Rising ocean temperatures are changing the way coastal ecosystems -- and probably terrestrial ecosystems, too -- process nitrogen," said Hollibaugh, Distinguished Research Professor of Marine Sciences in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "Much of the global nitrogen cycle takes place in the coastal zone."

Hollibaugh and researcher Sylvia Schaefer found midsummer peaks in concentrations of nitrite alongside massive increases in numbers of the microorganisms that produce it in the coastal waters off Sapelo Island, Georgia, in data collected over the course of eight years. Although most researchers believe nitrite accumulation is a consequence of oxygen deficiency in a marine environment, Hollibaugh and Schaefer thought something else had to be driving the accumulation.

"The paradigm taught when I was in school was that hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, results in nitrite accumulation," Hollibaugh said. "But the Georgia coast does not go hypoxic. It just didn't fit."

After performing lab experiments that exposed the single-celled organisms known as Thaumarchaea to varying water temperatures, the researchers discovered that higher temperatures prompted the microorganisms to produce more nitrite.

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"The microorganisms involved in this process are very tolerant to low oxygen levels," Schaefer said. "Typically, two groups of microorganisms work in really close concert with one another to convert ammonium to nitrate so that you don't see nitrite really accumulate at all, but we found that the activity of those two groups was decoupled as a result of the increased water temperatures."

To see if the pattern held beyond the island, Schaefer and Hollibaugh analyzed environmental monitoring data from 270 locations across the U.S., France and Bermuda, ultimately affirming the relationship between higher temperatures and nitrite accumulation.

This dependence on temperature wasn't appreciated by the research community until now, and it can have widespread consequences even beyond coastal water quality management, Hollibaugh said.

"The same process, though we didn't look at it specifically, takes place in regards to fertilizing soil for agricultural purposes," he said. "It affects farmers and their efficient use of fertilizer -- when they should apply it and what form it should be in -- and ultimately much of that fertilizer will end up in the waterways, which can lead to algal blooms that choke out other species."

Nitrite accumulation can also result in more production of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas that has more of an effect on climate change per molecule than carbon dioxide, Hollibaugh said. That nitrous oxide production then increases global temperatures more, causing more nitrite accumulation and creating a positive feedback loop.

"If you live on a marsh and look out over the water, you're probably not going to notice it, but if you like shellfish, like to fish, like recreational water sports, then these findings do matter," Hollibaugh said. "The information gained from monitoring programs, like the ones we used to analyze temperature and nitrite data across the country and in other countries, can be used not only to forecast what is going to happen down the road and the longer-term consequences of management decisions, but also to come up with potential solutions for the problem. The data collected by these programs are important for wise management of our resources."

The study was published in Environmental Science and Technology.
Scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health report elevated levels of a pathogen responsible for the tick-borne disease babesiosis in Suffolk County, New York, where rates are the highest in the state. Results are published in the journal mSphere.

Researchers developed and employed a method to simultaneously test for five common pathogens carried by deer ticks: Babesia microti, the pathogen behind babesiosis; Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease; as well as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Powassan virus -- pathogens responsible for other tick-borne infections.

The team collected and tested 318 adult and nymph ticks at five sites in Suffolk County (Southampton, Mannorville, Southold, Islip, Huntington) and three sites in Connecticut (Mansfield, Stamford, Greenwich). Nymphal ticks are about the size of a poppy seed, emerge in warmer months, and are responsible for the majority of tick-borne disease.

A Better Test

The new test uses a DNA amplification technique called polymerase chain reaction or PCR to test for tick-borne pathogens. Most existing tests use this method to test ticks for each agent individually. Even the tests that have the ability to test for more than one agent typically only test for up to three, not five agents, and never for Powassan virus, the rarest but most pathogenic of the five. The scientists say the technique has several advantages: it lowers costs, facilitates testing for agents (B. miyamotoi, and especially Powassan virus) that are rarely tested for, and provides risk assessments for co-infections which may adversely affect the course of disease.

What They Found

Tests found B. microti present in a higher proportion of ticks in Suffolk County than Connecticut, including 17 vs. 7 percent of nymphal ticks. In both locations, B. burgdorferi, the causative agent for Lyme disease, was the most frequently detected agent in ticks tested while A. phagocytophilum, B. miyamotoi and Powassan virus were more rare.

One-quarter of B. burgdorferi-positive nymphs were also positive for B. microti suggesting a risk of co-infection with both agents from a single tick bite. "Gathering data on co-infections is particularly important in light of the fact that antibiotics used for Lyme disease may be ineffective for babesiosis," says first author Rafal Tokarz, a research scientist at CII.

Better Surveillance Needed

The number of counties in the Northeast with high rates of Lyme disease has more than tripled since the 1990s -- a sign that ticks that spread disease have expanded their range. Rates of tick-borne illness may be much higher than reported: one study in Minnesota found 79 percent of cases were not reported to health authorities. Symptoms include fever and headaches, and, more rarely, neurological complications like encephalitis.

"This new test can strengthen surveillance for tick-borne illnesses which are underreported and growing rapidly," says W. Ian Lipkin director of CII and John Snow Professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School.\
Three-dimensional printing allows extremely small and complex structures to be made even in small series. A method developed at the KIT for the first time allows also glass to be used for this technique. As a consequence of the properties of glass, such as transparency, thermal stability and resistance to acids, the use of this material in 3D-printing opens up manifold new applications in production and research, such as optics, data transmission, and biotechnology. The process is published in Nature and also presented at the Hanover Fair.

Glass is one of mankinds oldest materials. It was used as far back as in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome and has found a place now also in manufacturing technology of the 21st century. An interdisciplinary team at the KIT led by mechanical engineer Dr. Bastian E. Rapp developed a process using glass for additive manufacturing techniques. The scientists mix nanoparticles of high-purity quartz glass and a small quantity of liquid polymer and allow this mixture to be cured by light at specific points  by means of stereolithography. The material, which has remained liquid, is washed out in a solvent bath, leaving only the desired cured structure. The polymer still mixed in this glass structure is subsequently removed by heating. The shape initially resembles that of a pound cake; it is still unstable, and therefore the glass is sintered in a final step, i.e. heated so that the glass particles are fused, explains Rapp. He conducts research at the KIT Institute of Microstructure Technology and heads a working group of chemists, electrical engineers, and biologists. The scientists present the method in the Nature journal under the title of Three-dimensional Printing of Transparent Fused Silica Glass.

The variety of 3D-printing techniques available so far have been used on polymers or metals, but never on glass. Where glass was processed into structures, for instance by melting and application by means of a nozzle, the surface turned out to be very rough, the material was porous and contained voids. We present a new method, an innovation in materials processing, in which the material of the piece manufactured is high-purity quartz glass with the respective chemical and physical properties, explains Rapp. The glass structures made by the KIT scientists show resolutions in the range of a few micrometers  one micrometer corresponding to one thousandth of a millimeter. However, the structures may have dimensions in the range of a few centimeters, emphasizes Rapp.

3D-formed glass can be used, for instance, in data technology. The next plus one generation of computers will use light, which requires complicated processor structures; 3D-technology could be used, for instance, to make small, complex structures out of a large number of very small optical components of different orientations, explains the mechanical engineer. For biological and medical technologies, very small analytical systems could be made out of miniaturized glass tubes. In addition, 3D-shaped microstructures of glass could be employed in a variety of optical areas, from eyeglasses meeting special requirements to lenses in laptop cameras.

The development by scientists under Junior Scientist Group Leader Bastian E. Rapp is a result of the NanoMatFutur junior scientist funding scheme run by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) to support the development of innovative materials for industry and society. The work performed by the research group headed by Rapp has been funded by the BMBF since 2014 for a total of four years to the tune of approx.  2.8 million. Our research benefits very much from the interdisciplinary cooperation of various KIT institutes. Besides the Institute of Microstructure Technology, colleagues of the Institute of Nuclear Waste Management and the Institute of Applied Materials, among others, are involved in the project, says Rapp.
Humans have influenced nature since as early as the Ice Age, and over the past century our impact has become even greater with our many new technologies and a growing world population. Leiden researchers study this impact and how we can keep it within reasonable limits so that nature can be preserved. We cannot do without nature: we need it for our food and for raw materials, as well as for relaxation.

Human and nature: a complex relationship

Humans were probably already deliberately burning down forest areas at the end of the Ice Age, in order to create a more variable landscape. Since then the world population has grown exponentially, and will continue to do so, which means that man's impact on the planet will also increase. Natural systems and cycles are becoming disrupted leading to such problems as pollution, depletion of resources and climate change. There is evidence that biodiversity plays a major role in stable ecosystems, and, besides this, nature is a valuable asset for humans because of the peace and relaxation that it can offer. The way we use the planet does not always reflect our desire to create -- and maintain -- a healthy living environment. In Leiden researchers investigate how we can bridge this gap and how we can provide a good life for ourselves without harming the planet and future generations.

What works for us?

Leiden researchers from different disciplines conduct research on nature and biodiversity, investigating such questions as what man's impact is in farmland areas, for instance. 'The Netherlands is a small country with a super-intensive agrarian culture,' Gert de Snoo explains. De Snoo, Professor of Conservation Biology, and his colleagues discovered that maintaining small areas of nature on farmland, such as wild flowers along the borders of fields, can have a positive effect on biodiversity. Ecotoxicologists conduct research on the effects of biodiversity, exploring the influence of pesticides on local biodiversity. We can also learn from the past. Archaeologists study how man influenced his living environment in the past and what the consequences were. This could be something like the erosion of areas of loess in South Limburg, a process that was started by the Romans, but that only in the 20th century led to extensive mudslides, making the land permanently unsuitable for agriculture. All these insights generate knowledge about how we can best approach our need for food while at the same time preserving the planet.

Don't exhaust nature: use it wisely

We all want so much today: we want to live in nice houses, fly all over the world and have the newest and best smartphones. All this is possible, but at the same time we are exhausting the planet because all these products and services need raw materials. Over the years Leiden has collected enormous amounts of data on raw material supplies. How do physical flows of raw materials move across the world? Where can they be found? Leiden has the world's biggest database on this issue, which makes it possible for our researchers to chart the metabolism of society. This offers insights into the best ways of using and reusing sustainable materials so we are better able to create a circular economy.

Learn more at: http://onderzoeksgebieden.leidenuniv.nl/en/liveable-planet?utm_source=nblancering
The goal to offset rises in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations by increasing soil carbon storage by 4 per mille (0.4%) per year is unrealistic, say scientists from The Netherlands, The United Kingdom and the United States in an opinion piece in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

The plans to store more carbon in the soil ("4P1000") were launched at the 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in Paris. The soils of the world contain approximately three times the amount of carbon in organic matter as currently held in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere." Increasing this soil organic matter stock at a rate of 4 per mille per year could, in theory, fully compensate the rise in atmospheric CO2. Such an increase could come about by e.g. changes in land management, or by using different crop rotations.

"In principle, the 4P1000 goal is great," says Jan Willem van Groenigen, Professor at Wageningen University & Research and lead author of the paper. "Generally speaking, more carbon is good for almost any soil. If we could combine that with slowing climate change, that would be a double win. The problem is that the numbers don't add up."

Extra nitrogen needed

To store additional carbon in the soil, you need other nutrients, such as nitrogen. "You cannot build a house with only a pile of bricks but no mortar. Similarly, you cannot produce soil organic matter with only carbon," explains Kees Jan van Groenigen, co-author of the paper and senior lecturer at the University of Exeter. "You need enormous amounts of nitrogen, and it is unclear where that nitrogen would come from. For example, to store the quantity of carbon mentioned in the 4p1000 goals, you would need extra nitrogen equivalent to 75% of current nitrogen fertilizer production, and for it to be in the right places. Practically speaking, that is just impossible."

Does that mean that we should abandon the 4p1000 goals? "Absolutely not," says Jan Willem van Groenigen: "Let's not throw away the baby with the bathwater. The 4p1000 goals are a great inspiration to do everything we can as farmers, soil scientists, agronomists and policy makers to help fight global warming and at the same time improve our soils." Instead, the authors appeal to the scientific community to think about the role of nutrients in reaching the 4p1000 goals. "For instance, this could mean that additional soil carbon should be stored in areas where nutrients are also available," van Groenigen explains. "In other soils the best approach might be to focus on minimizing emissions of other greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane."
It all started with a one-line entry -- "Manuscript copy, on parchment, of the Declaration in Congress of the thirteen United States of America" -- in the catalog of a tiny records office in the town of Chichester in the south of England.

As part of an effort to assemble a database on every known edition of the Declaration of Independence, Emily Sneff, a researcher with the Declaration Resources Project, stumbled upon the listing in August 2015.

And though she didn't think much of it at the time, that short description would set her and Danielle Allen, the James Bryant Conant University Professor and Director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, on a two-year journey into American history.

"I'd found vague descriptions of other copies of the Declaration that turned out to be 19th century reproductions of the signed parchment in the National Archives, so that was what I was expecting," Sneff said, of her initial impression based on the catalog listing. "What struck me as significant was that it said manuscript on parchment."

Sneff contacted the archive, the West Sussex Record Office, which was unable to send images of the document online, and instead mailed her a disc with photos of the document.

"When I looked at it closely, I started to see details, like names that weren't in the right order -- John Hancock isn't listed first, there's a mark at the top that looks like an erasure, the text has very little punctuation in it -- and it's in a handwriting I hadn't seen before," she said. "As those details started adding up, I brought it to Danielle's attention and we realized this was different from any other copy we had seen."

"We knew we had a mystery," Allen said. "We had a big, big mystery."

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"There are three key questions we want to answer," she continued. "One is: Can we date this parchment based on the material evidence? Second, who commissioned it and why, and third, how did it get to England?"

Allen and Sneff are providing some answers to that mystery with a pair of papers. The first, which is currently in the final revision stage with the Papers of the Bibliographic Society of America, uses handwriting analysis, examination of the parchment preparation and styling, and spelling errors in the names of the signers to date the Sussex Declaration to the 1780s.

The second paper, presented at a Yale University conference, argues that the document was probably commissioned by James Wilson of Pennsylvania, who later aided in drafting the Constitution and was among the original justices appointed to the Supreme Court.

But the document isn't simply a previously-unknown piece of American history -- it also affords Allen and Sneff a unique window into the political upheavals of the early Republic.

In the immediate aftermath of its signing, Allen said, there was a period of "breaking news" in which the Declaration was reproduced and printed in a variety of formats as the news spread through the colonies and eventually made its way across the Atlantic to England.

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"The versions that people would have seen in July and August 1776 were broadsides and newspapers, starting with John Dunlap's broadsides, which was printed on the night of July 4," Sneff said. "Those copies would have made their way across to England as well -- there are Dunlap broadsides in their National Archives."

But it wasn't until approximately a decade later that the Sussex Declaration was produced, amidst what was one of the most challenging periods for the new nation.

"Victory was not sweet," Allen said, describing the post-war atmosphere. "There was financial disaster, the Articles of Confederation were not working...so the 1780s were a period of great instability, despite victory. And this parchment belongs to that decade."

Among the chief political debates of the era, Allen said, was whether the new nation had been founded on the basis of the authority of the people or the authority of the states.

By re-ordering names of the signers, arguably the most conspicuous feature of the parchment, the Sussex Declaration comes down squarely on one side of the argument.

On most documents, Allen said, the protocol was for members of each state delegation to sign together, with signatures typically running either down the page or from left to right, and with the names of the states labelling each group. An exception was made for a small number of particularly important documents -- including the Declaration, which was signed from right to left, and which omitted the names of the states, though the names were still grouped by state.

"But the Sussex Declaration scrambles the names so they are no longer grouped by state," Allen said. "It is the only version of the Declaration that does that, with the exception of an engraving from 1836 that derives from it. This is really a symbolic way of saying we are all one people or 'one community' to quote James Wilson."

Going forward, Allen and Sneff will continue to pursue research into exactly how the parchment reached England from the U.S. Also, they are working on a project in collaboration with the West Sussex Record Office, the British Library and the Library of Congress to perform hyper-spectral imaging on the parchment and other non-invasive studies in the hope of reading some text that appears to have been scraped away at the top of the document.
A Virginia Tech College of Science economics researcher says the popular social media website Facebook -- and its open sharing of information -- is a vital and often a significant tool against government corruption in countries where press freedom is curbed or banned.

In new research recently published in the journal Information Economics and Policy, Sudipta Sarangi of the Virginia Tech Department of Economics said his cross-country analysis using data from more than 150 countries shows the more Facebook penetrates public usage, the higher the likelihood of government corruption meeting protest. In short, Sarangi said social media serves as peer of the press.

"This study underscores the importance of freedom on the internet that is under threat in many countries of the world," Sarangi said, adding that social media is negatively correlated with corruption regardless of the status of the freedom of the press. In other words, Facebook likewise helps reduce and/or lessen corruption in governments where press freedom is low.

"By showing that social media can negatively impact corruption, we provide yet another reason in favor of the freedom on the net," he said.

The study took into account a number of control variables including other economic, democratic, and cultural factors, said Sarangi. It also comes on the heels of a volatile American election in which Facebook and other social media platforms were seen as culprits in the spread of "fake news," especially tied to politics.

Sarangi began the study in 2012 while at Louisiana State University, with co-author Chandan Kumar Jha, now an assistant professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. At the time, Sarangi said social media was being used to organize anti-corruption protests in his and Jha's home country of India. It also followed the 2011 rise of Arab Spring across the Middle East where large protests toppled governments.

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"Our initial results were encouraging in that we found a significant, negative correlation between Facebook penetration and corruption across a small sample of countries," Sarangi said.

Several qualitative studies have touched on the use of social media to oust corruption before, and many other studies have focused on internet or e-government and its impact on corruption. Sarangi said, however, that few quantitative studies have looked specifically looked at social media and its impact on corruption because country-specific social media usage data is hard to acquire.

Sarangi and Jha's study is the first of its kind to establish a link between social media and corruption across more than 150 countries, showing the complimentary role of social media along with the press in open countries, and its greater impact in countries that are oppressive. The study features a falsification test which checked whether the results would be true for a pre-Facebook era in the same countries.

Findings showed that this was not the case. Also considered were government-sanctioned social media platforms.

"Establishing causality is a difficult thing in the corruption literature, simply because corrupt governments might also control social media," Sarangi said.

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Sarangi added that much of the anti-corruption content posted on Facebook is user-created and shared individually, its audience growing with each share or repost. In other words, Sarangi and Jha report that social media as an information and communication technology tool allows multi-way communication as opposed to traditional media such as TV and print media that allow for only one-way communication. The back and forth of communication is harder to control by government censors.

"Indeed, the role of social media and the internet in providing unbiased and independent news in several countries such as China, Russia, and Malaysia has widely been recognized by scholars," added Sarangi.

"Social media provides cheap and quick means of sharing information and reaching a larger audience to organize public protests against the corrupt activities of government officials and politicians. It is therefore not a surprise that despotic governments favor controlling social media."

Additionally, interaction in social media platforms typically is shared among friends and family, thus adding a personal connection and therefore more perceived credibility to shared information. Sarangi said individuals may feel compelled to act on such information to show solidarity with family or friends.

As of February 2017, Facebook was estimated to have 2 billion users worldwide, according to CNN. Among the countries studied by Sarangi and Jha: Denmark, the least corrupt, and Somalia, the most.

"As social media evolves to be an increasingly important part of our daily lives, it is important for continued research to help us understand how these tools are impacting our lives," said Brandi Watkins, an associate professor in the Department of Communication, part of the Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Watkins was not involved in this study, but researches the use of social media.

"Related to this study, it is important to look at how platforms like Facebook can be used to improve societal issues, especially in the area of corruption," added Watkins. "This study highlights the need for information, whether from traditional media or social media, in reducing corruption."
A quarter-century of research on the star-nosed mole has unearthed startling insights into the evolution of animal behavior and the limits of physiology. Kenneth Catania of Vanderbilt University will present a new synthesis of remarkable anatomical findings about the star-nosed mole at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

"Star-nosed moles are truly amazing animals," said Catania, a neuroscientist who's interest in the creature was first piqued while working as an undergraduate research assistant at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. "Obviously they are among the weirdest looking creatures on the planet. But when I began trying to understand the star, the mole's brain organization, and its behavior -- that's when things got really surprising."

Here are some highlights:

They eat faster than any other mammal on Earth.

Star-nosed moles can identify and eat food (bugs, mostly) in less than two-tenths of a second, taking a mere 8 milliseconds to decide whether an item is edible or not. They perform this feat in part due to the extremely efficient operation of their nervous systems, which convey information from the environment to the animal's brain at speeds approaching the physiological limit of neurons. It also helps that...

...Their star is the most sensitive known touch organ in any mammal.

The distinctive star organ on the mole's snout contains more than 100,000 nerve fibers -- five times the number of "touch" fibers in the human hand, all packed into a space smaller than your fingertip. "The star skin is so sensitive that we have not been able to determine the lowest threshold for activating neurons," said Catania, adding that studying the star could provide insights that improve our understanding of the human sense of touch.

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From a neurological perspective, their sense of touch mirrors our sense of sight.

At the center of the star organ is a small area called the touch fovea that the mole uses for all of its most detailed explorations. Although the mole's actual eyes are essentially useless, the touch fovea is neurologically organized in a way that is strikingly similar to the organization of a highly developed visual system. As the mole moves through its environment, it constantly shifts the star to reposition the fovea on areas of interest, just as we shift our eyes while reading the words printed on a page, for example. "These parallels suggest there are common strategies by which evolution 'builds' high-resolution sensory systems, whether they are based on sight or on touch," Catania said.

If you use the right dye, you can literally see which parts of their brains map to which body parts.

Scientists create maps of the brains of humans and other animals using a painstaking process of trial and error to determine which areas of the brain control (and receive stimuli from) various parts of the body. In star-nosed moles, you can actually see the brain maps with the right kinds of cellular stains. "You can basically see a 'star' in the mole's neocortex," said Catania. "That allows us to make all kinds of detailed measurements and neural recordings that are very difficult in other species."

Also, they can smell underwater. And their front legs are shovels.

Star-nosed moles are like a poster child for extreme evolutionary adaptations. Using their shovel-like front limbs to tunnel through soggy, marsh-like areas, the moles often dive and swim for food. Star-nosed moles have been shown to blow bubbles into the water and then re-inhale them through the nose in order to sniff for prey, making them the first mammal known to smell underwater.

Star-nosed moles are not uncommon, just uncommonly seen, said Catania. The species' range stretches along the Eastern portions of the U.S. and Canada. So keep an eye out -- what you find just might surprise you.
Mufti, who attended the Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi on Sunday, discussed the tensed situation in the Valley with the Opposition demanding for imposition of Governor's rule in the state.

By India Today Web Desk: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the deteriorating security situation in the state and reports of strains in the PDP-BJP coalition.

Mufti, who attended the Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi on Sunday, discussed the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir with Modi and seek a solution from the Centre to address the issues of the people of the Valley; especially after the increase in the incidents of stone-pelting.

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The rise in these incidents also led to a friction between the PDP and the BJP, which are running the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP, however on Sunday, said there were no differences between coalition partners in Jammu and Kashmir and the state government was "working well".

"As far as the coalition is concerned, there are no differences among the partners. The PDP-BJP government is working well. Everyone is performing his or her task," state BJP unit chief Sat Sharma told reporters.

The PDP had earlier accused the BJP of betraying it in the council elections, in which an associate member of the PDP voted in favour of the BJP candidate on assurance of a post.

Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under tension also because the PDP lost the seat to National Conference in the April 9 bypoll, in about 3 years after the 2014 General elections. The election to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency was marred by violence and witnessed the lowest voter turnout.

Mufti is, hence, expected to review working of PDP-BJP coalition government in the state and discuss with Modi the roadmap to restore peace in the Valley.

ALSO READ | Political battles start over Mehbooba Mufti's statement over removal of AFSPA from parts of J&K

WATCH | Mehbooba Mufti to meet PM Modi to discuss restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir

--- ENDS ---
A team of researchers, affiliated with UNIST has developed a single-unit, photo-rechargeable portable power source based on high-efficiency silicon solar cells and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

This newly-developed power source is designed to work under sunlight and indoor lighting, allowing users to power their portable electronics anywhere with access to light. In addition, the new device could power electric devices even in the absence of light.

In this work, the team of Professor Sang-Young Lee and Professor Kwanyoung Seo of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST presented a new class of monolithically integrated, portable PV-battery systems (denoted as 'SiPV-LIBs') based on miniaturized crystalline Si photovoltaics (c-Si PVs) and printed solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The device uses a thin-film printing technique, in which the solid-state LIB is directly printed on the high-efficiency c-Si PV module.

"This device provides a solution to fix both the energy density problem of batteries and the energy storage concerns of solar cells," says Professor Lee. "More importantly, batteries have relatively high power and energy densities under direct sunlight, which demonstrates its potential application as a solar-driven infinite energy conversion/storage system for use in electric vehicles and portable electronics."

According to the research team, this single-unit PV-LIB device exhibits exceptional photo-electrochemical performance and design compactness that lie far beyond those achievable by conventional PVs or LIBs alone. It also displays unprecedented improvements in photo-charging (rapid charging in less than 2 min with a photo-electric conversion/storage efficiency of 7.61%).

In the study, the research team fabricated a solid-state LIB with a bipolar cell configuration directly on the aluminium (Al) electrode of a c-Si PV module through an in-series printing process. To enable the seamless architectural/electrical connection of the two different energy systems, the Al metal layer is simultaneously used as a current collector of the LIB, as well as an electrode for solar cells. This allows the battery to be charged without the loss of energy.

Professor Seo and his team have successflly implemented lossless c-Si PV modules by designing rear electrode-type solar cells. Using single-junction solar cells to fabricate solar cell modules may cause energy loss, which can be prevented by the rear electrode-type design. They also simplified the manufacturing process, using the small solar cell arragements formed on a single Si substrate substrate.

In the study, Professor Lee and his research team connected the device to various portable electronics to explore its practical use. They fabricated a monolithically integrated smartcard by inserting the SiPV-LIB device into a pre-cut credit card. Then, electric circuits were drawn on the back of the credit card using a commercial Ag pen to connect the SiPV-LIB device with an LED lamp. The SiPV-LIB device was also electrically connected with a smartphone or MP3 player and its potential application as a supplementary portable power source was explored under sunlight illumination.

The SiPV-LIB device was capable of fully charging under sunlight illumination after only 2 min. It also showed decent photo-rechargeable electric energy storage behaviour even at a high temperature of 60C and even at an extremely low light intensity of 8 mWcm-2, which corresponds to the intensity in a dimly-lit living room.

"The SiPV-LIB device presented herein shows great potential as a photo-rechargeable mobile power source that will play a pivotal role in the future era of ubiquitous electronics," says Professor Lee.

The results of the study will be featured on the front cover of the April 2017 issue of the world-renowned journal Energy & Environmental Science (EES). This work has been supported by the Basic Research Program and the Wearable Platform Materials Technology Center through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (MSIP). It was also supported by the Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER).
Wounds heal -- the cells in a body knit over a cut. When a neuron dies, the brain can rewire itself to make up for the loss. And now, new research suggests, something similar seems to happen within a human social network after the death of a friend.

Published in Nature Human Behavior, a study of 15,000 anonymized networks on Facebook suggests that human social structures are resilient to death. When a friend dies, we get closer to that person's friends, with the network repairing itself in ways that keep our total connectedness the same.

The study -- the first large-scale study of recovery and resilience after a death in a friend group -- was led by William Hobbs, who conducted the research as a University of California San Diego doctoral student in political science in the Division of Social Sciences. Hobbs is now a postdoctoral fellow at Northeastern University's Network Science Institute. His co-author on the paper is Moira Burke of Facebook.

Before undertaking the work, the researchers wondered: What happens to a social network after a central individual dies? Do people drift apart -- does the network dissolve? Or does the network heal to fill the hole left by the loss?

"It was a surprise to see just how much people came together after a mutual friend's death and how long this persisted. Friends and acquaintances of the deceased increased interactions with each other not just immediately after the death, in the acute grieving period, but for years afterward," Hobbs said.

Prior research on network response to emergencies and natural disasters suggests that people can quickly form temporary bonds that also quickly dissipate.

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To evaluate the resilience of social networks after a death, the researchers used de-identified Facebook data as well as public vital records from the State of California. They analyzed the traffic of interactions in more than 15,000 networks that had experienced a death. There were a total of more than 770,000 people in this sample. They compared these bereaved networks to 30,000 similar networks that had not experienced a death, representing more than 2 million additional people.

The researchers focused their analysis on aggregated counts of Facebook comments, posts and photo tags by close friends and acquaintances of the deceased. They compared counts of these interactions, over four years, before and after the death.

What they found is that interactions between people who had lost a mutual friend increased sharply immediately after the death, faded somewhat in subsequent months and then settled down to levels of interactions that were similar to total levels of interaction before the death. In other words, on the network level, Hobbs said, people compensated for interactions lost with the deceased by increasing interactions with each other.

"We can't speak to the subjective experience of loss and recovery, but on the level of a network, it looks like the amount of increased interaction is equal to the amount of interaction lost with the person who died, and there's a complete recovery of connectivity," Hobbs said.

Friends did not increase their online social interactions in general -- with people who were strangers to the deceased, for example. And network response to death was different than response to a deactivated account. Both are indicators that what the study observes is not just a display of people returning to some optimum level of online social interaction, Hobbs said. Something is happening in a network as a result of a person's passing that spurs the network to heal.

In an accompanying News & Views article in the same journal, Robert Bond of Ohio State University, who is also an alumnus of UC San Diego but did not participate in the research, writes: "The increase in interaction in bereaved networks suggests that people are changing their interaction patterns in ways that are likely to provide support to those who are experiencing grief."

The recovery effect was most pronounced among young adults, those aged 18-24. In this group, interactions didn't merely stabilize at previous levels, they actually stabilized at higher levels than before the death, Hobbs said. All other age groups returned to prior levels, making up for interactions lost with the deceased. Still, the researchers call for additional research into differing response by age, which might be useful in designing age-specific interventions to help those grieving.

A major exception was suicide. Friend networks experiencing suicide did not recover to the same extent. This is an area that could obviously, Hobbs said, use further investigation.

"We hope that these findings spur greater interest in how social networks adapt to trauma and crisis," the researchers write in the paper. "Better understanding of social network adaptations could help us identify why social networks succeed or fail in recovery -- and how social network failures might be prevented. The findings here, we believe, are an important first step in this direction."
Feeling heartbroken from a recent breakup? Just believing you're doing something to help yourself get over your ex can influence brain regions associated with emotional regulation and lessen the perception of pain.

That's the takeaway from a new University of Colorado Boulder study that measured the neurological and behavioral impacts the placebo effect had on a group of recently broken-hearted volunteers.

"Breaking up with a partner is one of the most emotionally negative experiences a person can have, and it can be an important trigger for developing psychological problems," said first author and postdoctoral research associate Leonie Koban, noting that such social pain is associated with a 20-fold higher risk of developing depression in the coming year. "In our study, we found a placebo can have quite strong effects on reducing the intensity of social pain."

For decades, research has shown that placebos -- sham treatments with no active ingredients -- can measurably ease pain, Parkinson's disease and other physical ailments.

The new study, published in March in the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first to measure placebos' impact on emotional pain from romantic rejection.

Researchers recruited 40 volunteers who had experienced an "unwanted romantic breakup" in the past six months. They were asked to bring a photo of their ex and a photo of a same-gendered good friend to a brain-imaging lab.

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Inside a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, the participants were shown images of their former partner and asked to recall the breakup. Then they were shown images of their friend. They were also subjected to physical pain (a hot stimulus on their left forearm).

As these stimuli were alternately repeated, the subjects rated how they felt on a scale of 1 (very bad) to 5 (very good). Meanwhile, the fMRI machine tracked their brain activity.

While not identical, the regions that lit up during physical and emotional pain were similar.

This finding alone sends an important message to the heartbroken, said senior author Tor Wager, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU Boulder: "Know that your pain is real -- neuro-chemically real."

The subjects were then taken out of the machine and given a nasal spray. Half were told it was a "powerful analgesic effective in reducing emotional pain." Half were told it was a simple saline solution.

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Back inside the machine, the subjects were again shown images of their ex and subjected to pain. The placebo group not only felt less physical pain and felt better emotionally, but their brain responded differently when shown the ex.

Activity in the brain's dorsolateral prefrontal cortex -- an area involved with modulating emotions -- increased sharply. Across the brain, areas associated with rejection quieted. Notably, after the placebo, when participants felt the best they also showed increased activity in an area of the midbrain called the periaqueductal gray (PAG). The PAG plays a key role in modulating levels of painkilling brain chemicals, or opioids, and feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine.

While the study did not look specifically at whether the placebo prompted the release of such chemicals, the authors suspect this could be what's happening.

"The current view is that you have positive expectations and they influence activity in your prefrontal cortex, which in turn influences systems in your midbrain to generate neurochemical opioid or dopamine responses," said Wager.

Previous studies have shown that the placebo effect alone not only eases depression, but may actually make antidepressants work better.

"Just the fact that you are doing something for yourself and engaging in something that gives you hope may have an impact," said Wager. "In some cases, the actual chemical in the drug may matter less than we once thought."

The authors said the latest study not only helps them better understand how emotional pain plays out in the brain, but can also hint at ways people can use the power of expectation to their advantage.

Said Koban: "What is becoming more and more clear is that expectations and predictions have a very strong influence on basic experiences, on how we feel and what we perceive."

Bottom line, if you've been dumped recently: "Doing anything that you believe will help you feel better will probably help you feel better," she said.
New data from NASA's Cassini mission, combined with measurements from the two Voyager spacecraft and NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, suggests that our sun and planets are surrounded by a giant, rounded system of magnetic field from the sun -- calling into question the alternate view of the solar magnetic fields trailing behind the sun in the shape of a long comet tail.

The sun releases a constant outflow of magnetic solar material -- called the solar wind -- that fills the inner solar system, reaching far past the orbit of Neptune. This solar wind creates a bubble, some 23 billion miles across, called the heliosphere. Our entire solar system, including the heliosphere, moves through interstellar space. The prevalent picture of the heliosphere was one of comet-shaped structure, with a rounded head and an extended tail. But new data covering an entire 11-year solar activity cycle show that may not be the case: the heliosphere may be rounded on both ends, making its shape almost spherical. A paper on these results was published in Nature Astronomy on April 24, 2017.

"Instead of a prolonged, comet-like tail, this rough bubble-shape of the heliosphere is due to the strong interstellar magnetic field -- much stronger than what was anticipated in the past -- combined with the fact that the ratio between particle pressure and magnetic pressure inside the heliosheath is high," said Kostas Dialynas, a space scientist at the Academy of Athens in Greece and lead author on the study.

An instrument on Cassini, which has been exploring the Saturn system over a decade, has given scientists crucial new clues about the shape of the heliosphere's trailing end, often called the heliotail. When charged particles from the inner solar system reach the boundary of the heliosphere, they sometimes undergo a series of charge exchanges with neutral gas atoms from the interstellar medium, dropping and regaining electrons as they travel through this vast boundary region. Some of these particles are pinged back in toward the inner solar system as fast-moving neutral atoms, which can be measured by Cassini.

"The Cassini instrument was designed to image the ions that are trapped in the magnetosphere of Saturn," said Tom Krimigis, an instrument lead on NASA's Voyager and Cassini missions based at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and an author on the study. "We never thought that we would see what we're seeing and be able to image the boundaries of the heliosphere."

Because these particles move at a small fraction of the speed of light, their journeys from the sun to the edge of the heliosphere and back again take years. So when the number of particles coming from the sun changes -- usually as a result of its 11-year activity cycle -- it takes years before that's reflected in the amount of neutral atoms shooting back into the solar system.

Cassini's new measurements of these neutral atoms revealed something unexpected -- the particles coming from the tail of the heliosphere reflect the changes in the solar cycle almost exactly as fast as those coming from the nose of the heliosphere.

"If the heliosphere's 'tail' is stretched out like a comet, we'd expect that the patterns of the solar cycle would show up much later in the measured neutral atoms," said Krimigis.

But because patterns from solar activity show just as quickly in tail particles as those from the nose, that implies the tail is about the same distance from us as the nose. This means that long, comet-like tail that scientists envisioned may not exist at all -- instead, the heliosphere may be nearly round and symmetrical.

A rounded heliosphere could come from a combination of factors. Data from Voyager 1 show that the interstellar magnetic field beyond the heliosphere is stronger than scientists previously thought, meaning it could interact with the solar wind at the edges of the heliosphere and compact the heliosphere's tail.

The structure of the heliosphere plays a big role in how particles from interstellar space -- called cosmic rays -- reach the inner solar system, where Earth and the other planets are.

"This data that Voyager 1 and 2, Cassini and IBEX provide to the scientific community is a windfall for studying the far reaches of the solar wind," said Arik Posner, Voyager and IBEX program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., who was not involved with this study. "As we continue to gather data from the edges of the heliosphere, this data will help us better understand the interstellar boundary that helps shield Earth environment from harmful cosmic rays."
One of the most dramatic medical success stories in the past few years has been the introduction of new drugs that eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV). But it's a different story among HCV patients with substance use disorders.

As an editorial published online on April 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine notes, this population typically does not have easy access to conventional health care so it is difficult to screen, diagnose and treat these individuals.

"People with substance use disorders can account for as much as 80 percent of infected individuals in developed countries, a direct result of the opioid epidemic in the U.S.," said Andrew H. Talal, MD, the lead author of the editorial and professor, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

Talal, a leading expert in liver disease, is a researcher with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University at Buffalo, funded by a National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award. He is currently principal investigator with other UB faculty on a $7 million Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute award dedicated to developing innovative ways to treat HCV in persons with substance use disorders. The award funds efforts with these patients throughout New York State, including New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Hudson Valley.

According to Talal, a combination of factors all work to prevent these patients from receiving the diagnoses and care they need. Such factors range from discomfort in conventional health care settings and lack of HCV-related knowledge to fear of stigmatization that can result from an HCV diagnosis. That's in addition to insurance barriers and physicians' general reluctance to treat this population.

According to the editorial, "New approaches for persons with substance use disorders are required at every step in the HCV care paradigm."

The reason is that following a decade of fairly steady declines in this population, there have been recent sharp increases in HCV.

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"We're seeing infection hotspots," Talal said, noting that this is partly a result of the opioid epidemic, particularly where needle exchange programs, for example, are not available.

Such programs are key, Talal said, citing a report issued earlier this month by the National Academies that found that people who inject drugs account for approximately 75 percent of all new HCV infections.

To better reach persons with substance use disorders, the editorial states, HCV screening and linkage to care must improve. Screening can be especially problematic because it typically requires two steps: confirmation that the person has been exposed to HCV through an antibody test followed by additional blood work to determine if the infection is active. Currently, the second step must be conducted in a conventional laboratory, a setting these patients rarely access. Recent advances, however, are designed to assess whether all of required analyses could be done onsite.

Once a diagnosis is made, getting patients connected with providers is another major hurdle.

"At best, only 20 percent of these patients connect with a provider for treatment," Talal explained, "and often it's far less than that."

Talal and his colleagues at UB and other institutions and care facilities have been developing promising ways to better connect these patients with the care that they need by integrating HCV screening and treatment into methadone clinics that these patients already regularly attend and by reaching patients in the corrections system via telehealth techniques.
How to find cheap flights to Punta Cana Airport

Find the best fares for all airlines that fly to Punta Cana Airport using Skyscanner's simple price search.

You can search for the cheapest month and cheapest day to fly or check for last minute flights to Punta Cana Airport if you're ready to go.

If you're waiting for the price to drop, our price alerts for cheap plane tickets to Punta Cana Airport will let you know the best time to book your Dominican Republic vacation.

Punta Cana Airport Information

Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic and one of the busiest in the Caribbean. International flights to Punta Cana use terminals A and B, which have basic facilities for arriving passengers.

Taxi prices from the airport can range from $10 to $80, depending on how far away your resort is. Most resorts offer a private airport transfer that should be arranged in advance.

Things to do and see in Punta Cana

If you can tear yourself away from your all-inclusive resort, you'll find plenty of things to do in Punta Cana to enrich your vacation further, such as:

Discovering some of the Caribbean's best beaches at Bavaro Beach, Macao Beach and Playa Blanca

Snorkeling or scuba diving around picturesque Isla Saona and Isla Catalina

Heading inland on a dune buggy tour of jungles and cacao farms

Best time to go to Punta Cana

The weather in Punta Cana is warm and pleasant all year round, with highs around 80F. If you want to avoid the crowds, the best time to go to Punta Cana is between March and May.

Where to stay in Punta Cana

Most Punta Cana hotels and resorts are close to the beaches, but staying in Punta Cana town will put you close to the airport and attractions, while still offering spectacular views over the Atlantic and Caribbean. Recommendations for where to stay in Punta Cana include:

Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village: Conveniently located for direct flights to Punta Cana Airport and 10 minutes' drive from its own private beach.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace All Inclusive: Occupying a private stretch of bustling Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana's liveliest neighborhood.

Tortuga Bay: An exclusive resort featuring private hot tubs and other deluxe amenities just a few minutes from Punta Cana International.

Please note: all information is correct as of April 2022.
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MM Mani, while addressing a public meeting in Idukki district on April 22, said that women tea plantation workers were into "drinks and much else".

By Jeemon Jacob: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is under pressure to fire electricity minister MM Mani for making derogatory remarks about activists of Pengal Otrumai (women tea plantation workers) in Munnar.

MM Mani, while addressing a public meeting in Idukki district on April 22, said that these women were into "drinks and much else".

Electricity minister was criticising the 2015 strike by women plantation workers in Munnar demanding a rise in their wages and better living conditions.

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Angered by Mani's remarks, women plantation workers launched a protest on Sunday afternoon. Workers' leader Gomathy Augustine who led the protest said that they would continue protesting till Mani comes to Munnar and offers public apology.

State BJP leaders are observing a black day in Idukki district and demanding Mani's resignation. "Mani is a shame for literate Keralaites. This is not the first time, he is making derogatory comments against his opponents. Such persons should not occupy respected posts. But he has been forced on Kerala as a Minister by CPIM leadership and given license to make derogatory remarks against women and respected bureaucrats. By making derogatory statement against women, he has committed sexual abuse and dishonoured the dignity of women. He should be charged for sexual abuse under Indian Penal code," Kummanam Rajashekharan, state BJP president told India Today.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala also demanded Mani's resignation.

Sensing trouble Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPIM state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan denounced Mani's statement with the former asking Mani to settle the issue at the earliest.

"I will only resign if my party demands for resignation. Party made me a minister. I'm not going to Munnar to express my apology to Women Worker's leaders. My comments were edited and used to defame the government," MM Mani told India Today. The issue is expected to be raised in the Legislative Assembly that goes to session on April 25.

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Minister makes unsavoury remarks against IAS officer, women

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The French First Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment began receiving the first of three new riverine combat craft in 2016. The marine paras are part of French SOF (Special Operations Forces) and specialize in waterborne and amphibious operations. The new EFC (Riverine Combat Craft) are 9.1 meter (30 foot) long shallow water craft powered by twin 300 HP outboard engines that give the EFC a top speed of 80 kilometers an hour. Armed with two gun mounts each with a pair of 7.62mm machine-guns and a rear facing mount for a 12.7mm machine-gun or 40mm automatic grenade launcher, the boat can accommodate twelve personnel and weighs about 2.5 tons fully loaded. The EFC has a small radar and two GPS navigation systems.

The French SOF is a small force of 4,000 active duty and 400 reservists. But like the Americans and British the French SOF forces are given a lot of freedom to obtain the weapons and equipment they believe is best for the job. Since 2001 the French SOF have received more money, in part to pay for a lot more overseas operations. After 2013 the force was increased from 3,000 to 4,000 to deal with the persistent problems with Islamic terrorism, especially in Africa.

Britain pioneered this sort of thing with its SBS (Special Boat Service) during World War II and has maintained a small SBS force ever since. The U.S. Navy SEALs came along after World War II but are mainly for commando operations, especially from the sea. Currently the U.S. Navy also has a small "brown water navy", including three Riverine Squadrons. The riverine force contains 2,500 active duty and 2,000 reserve sailors. Organized for service in Iraq, the three riverine squadrons were rotated in and out of Iraq from 2007 to 2011. Before first arriving in Iraq the riverine sailors received lots of infantry and amphibious training, much of it provided by U.S. Marine Corps instructors. Until 2007, the army and marines had been providing most of the riverine units in Iraq. There were some sailors there as well but not as organized riverine units.

In 2005, the U.S. Navy established Riverine Group One, which eventually had three squadrons. Each squadron had 230 sailors and twelve 12.5 meter (39 foot) boats. With headquarters and support troops the group had 900 personnel and 36 armed boats. Each boat has a crew of sixteen and is armed with machine-guns and automatic grenade launchers. The navy riverine forces eliminated terrorist movements along, and across, the main rivers in Iraq. This was similar to the successful riverine campaign the navy waged in Vietnam four decades ago, using 16 meter (50 foot) "Swift" boats.

Most nations cannot afford to maintain peacetime riverine troops thus it is popular to have some of the special operations troops specialize in this. If a major war comes you have a source of experience for recruiting and training a larger riverine force.
ISIL controls only six of 38 districts in Mosul and are only able to slow the army advance, not stop it. The areas ISIL still control are difficult to fight through. The most dangerous of these areas is the Old City with its ancient buildings, narrow streets and many alleys. There are still several hundred thousand civilians living there and the advancing troops fear ISIL is concentrating in the Old City for a last stand. That means a long battle to clear the crowded area and the additional problem with so many civilians to watch out for. ISIL is quite open about using civilians as human shields but in the end the Iraqi troops, artillery and aircraft will hit a target with human shields if there is no other way to get at the ISIL fighters. Iraqi leaders are no longer announcing when Mosul will be free of ISIL. Thats because the Iraqi generals have pointed out that ISIL can be removed from Mosul more quickly but the attackers would take heavier losses and more damage would be done to the Old City and more of its inhabitants would be killed. The troops and the families of those killed are all voters so prudence rules, at least on the Iraqi side. ISIL makes up rules as it goes along seems indifferent to how many get killed. Nevertheless ISIL is doomed.

At its peak in mid-2014 ISIL controlled about 40 percent of Iraq, including Mosul and several smaller cities. Now ISIL holds less than seven percent and that is mostly thinly populated rural areas. The final battle against ISIL in Syria and Iraq is mainly about driving the Islamic terrorists out of the major river valleys that contain most of the people and wealth. The two main rivers are the Euphrates and Tigris and that is where most of the fighting has been taking place.

The Euphrates River Valley stretches from the Persian Gulf to Turkey. Along the way this river valley passes next to or through Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi and the ISIL capital of Raqqa in eastern Syria. Also on the river, some 200 kilometers from Baghdad is the al Asad airbase, where most of 2,000 or American and NATO troops in Anbar have been stationed since 2015. Only 60 kilometers west of Baghdad, Fallujah is the gateway between the desert-like region to the west and the densely populated Tigris-Euphrates river valley to the east.

The larger (by water volume) and faster flowing Tigris River Valley also starts in Turkey and ends near the Persian Gulf where it merges with the Euphrates at Basra. Unlike the Euphrates the Tigris only passes through 44 kilometers of Syria and most of it is in Iraq. The Tigris passes next to the three largest cities in Iraq (Baghdad, Mosul and Basra) as well as other major population centers like Tikrit, Samarra and Baiji. ISIL grabbed Mosul in 2014 and went after Tikrit, Samarra and Baiji but only took Samarra briefly and never controlled all of Baiji. South of Baghdad the population is largely Shia while north of Mosul it is largely Kurdish and ISIL avoided areas where these two groups were dominant. On maps showing areas ISIL controls you can see that they still are active in lots of territory but most of it is in the sparsely populated semi-desert areas outside the river valleys. Thats why taking the major cities is so important as they are all next to these two rivers and ISIL only holds onto parts of Mosul and all of the much smaller city (a tenth the size of Mosul) Syrian city of Raqqa.

In Iraq some of the ISIL men not trapped in Mosul are fleeing to other river cities. This small groups of ISIL gunmen are showing up in Diyala province (north of Baghdad). Diyala has been largely free of any ISIL control since early 2015. But the province has also long been home to a lot of Sunni Arabs, including many who supported Saddam Hussein and Islamic terrorism. While most of the locals are disenchanted with ISIL and have been working with the largely Shia security forces to keep ISIL out, some of these Islamic terrorists fleeing from Mosul and other areas are apparently trying to establish a terrorist network in the province to support further attacks against the large Shia population south of the province in Baghdad. There is a similar situation 90 kilometers south of Mosul in Salahuddin province. This area is between Mosul and Anbar province. Most of the urban areas and smaller towns in Salahuddin were lost to ISIL by the end of 2016 but the Islamic terrorists are still operating out in the rural areas. As with Diyala local Sunni tribal militias play a key role in restricting ISIL activity, especially their use of the roads. Soldiers and local tribesmen staff the checkpoints and the tribesmen provide local knowledge of who can be trusted and who cannot. That prevents a lot of suicide car bombers from hurting anyone but themselves.

Losses

So far (since the battle began in October 2016) the battle to take Mosul has cost the Iraqi security forces nearly a thousand dead and over 6,000 wounded. There are about 100,000 soldier, police and militia men involved in the operation but only about a quarter of these have been regularly involved in combat. The UN estimates that at least a hundred civilians a week are getting killed in Mosul. Its difficult to get an accurate count until the battle is over and all the rubble searched and survivors questioned. The UN is urging major donor states to provide the cash needed to take care of all the Mosul refugees. So far less than ten percent of the money has been provided. The UN does not like to publically discuss the main reason for shortfall. It is corruption with donors increasingly unwilling to donate to relief efforts in nations where the corruption is so bad that most of the aid gets stolen.

By April nearly 70 percent of the original (2014) ISIL leadership had been killed. Three more were killed in the last week. Most of these deaths occurred in the last year and the little is known about many of the replacements. These are the men now commanding what is left of ISIL and one thing that is clear; a lot of them are foreigners. Islamic terrorists from Russia, Central Asia and North Africa predominate among the replacements. One reason these men were selected is that they are foreigners and veteran foreign Islamic terrorists have been less likely to flee or secretly make amnesty deals with the government, often involving passing on information. Local leaders have lots of kin in the region and the ancient custom of going after vulnerable family members is still practiced. The new leaders face a much less promising situation.

Armed UAVs have been particularly useful in finding and killing key ISIL personnel because these aircraft can watch continuously for hours and act immediately if a target appears. In Mosul the UAVs have killed nearly 600 ISIL men so far and destroyed over 400 vehicles, many of them rigged for suicide bomb attacks. The UAVs will sometimes be assigned to an advancing unit to continually show ground commanders the entire are and be available to quickly hit a sniper or surprise enemy attack.

Since late 2016 ISIL leaders have been trying to get their key personnel (and their families) out of Iraq and Syria. Many of the lesser known ISIL personnel are advised to return to their homeland and establish more of an ISIL presence there. Efforts to establish another base area for ISIL have, so far, failed (in Libya. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Egypt) so the disperse and raise hell at home seems to be the official plan. In response the Iraqis fighting in Mosul and the Kurdish led forces closing in on Raqqa are resigned to a slow, methodical advance. Nevertheless ISIL is expected to lose both Mosul and Raqqa by the end of 2017.

Oil Politics

Iraq is being accused of reneging on its promise to cut production in an effort to drive up world oil prices. When prices approached $30 a barrel in early 2016 the major producers agreed to cut production to turn that around. The price per barrel went over $50 by the end of 2016 but is now falling again. While increased North American production (because of fracking) has played a part Persian Gulf nations suspect Iraq, and some other OPEC members are cheating. As a founding member of the OPEC oil cartel Iraq had agreed to reduce its oil production by over 1 million barrels a day to help create a shortages and drive up the world price. But instead Iraq production increased slightly (according to the official data) in early 2017. This is a big deal because Iraq has ten percent of the world's oil reserves and renewed exploration recently increased those reserves by 10 billion barrels. That makes 153 billion barrels, which more than a third larger than it was after the resumption of oil exploration a decade ago. Iran has reserves of 158 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia 266 billion and Venezuela 300 billion. These four nations have the largest reserves which are about 60 percent of the world total and, in theory, should be able to control the world price by raising or reducing production as needed. What has broken this cartel power is fracking. That new American technology is making much more oil and gas available and it is expected that the U.S. and Canada will soon have proven reserves equaling a third of the current world total. China, a major oil importer, has enthusiastically adopted fracking and will become a major produced in the 2020s. The fall in oil prices since 2013 (from over $100 a barrel to as low as $30) has cut Iraqi foreign currency reserves to $49 billion. In mid-2016 the reserves were $53 billion.

Meanwhile up north the Kurds continue to pump and ship (via a Turkish pipeline) up to half a million barrels a day. The Shia Arab dominated national government wants to change that but has not got the military superiority to do that. Meanwhile the Kurds are preparing to hold a vote to establish an independent Kurdish state in the north. The main obstacle to the Kurds moving forward with the independence effort is internal divisions. Despite the apparent unity the Iraqi Kurds have long been divided by clan loyalty. The Kurdish north is currently dominated by the Barzani family. The Iraqi Kurds had long been divided into warring clans with the two largest of them led by the Barzani and Talibani families. Since the 1990s, the Barzanis have emerged as the most powerful clan and they are behaving more like a dictatorship (corruption, suppression of dissent, and rigged elections). Popular anger against this among Kurds is increasing. Despite that, Kurds living outside the autonomous area continue to move back to the Kurdish region. Even the Iraqi Army, which was rebuilt after 2003, with a core of experienced, loyal, and reliable Kurdish troops lost many of its Kurds. For the Kurdish soldiers leaving was mainly a matter of not wanting to get caught up in the war between Shia and Sunni Arabs.

April 23, 2017: In the west (Anbar) ISIL ambushed a convoy carrying 60 border guards killing ten and wounding 20. Three soldiers were missing and may have been captured. The ISIL men were wearing army uniforms and took advantage of a sandstorm to get into position (setting up a fake checkpoint) for the ambush. The convoy was headed for the town of Rutba (population 20,000), near the Jordanian border and 390 kilometers from Baghdad. ISIL has been active near this town for nearly a year because the place lies astride a key road connecting Baghdad with Syria and Jordan. ISIL had been driven out of Rutba in early 2016 and tribal militias were largely in charge of local security since then. More soldiers and police were sent after the recent attack and local tribes sent in more militiamen as well. Rutba is near the border town of al Qaim, which is still held by ISIL, the last major border town held by the Islamic terrorists.

April 20, 2017: In the north (west of Mosul) Iraqi F-16s used smart bombs to hit four ISIL bomb storage and assembly sites. The secondary explosions revealed that these were indeed major storage sites for explosive materials. Iraq attributed the precise target location data to the growing number of Iraqis in ISIL controlled territory who are collecting and passing on more information on what ISIL is up to and exactly where.

April 19, 2017: Iran appointed a retired Quds Force general as its new ambassador to Iraqi. This caused a lot of Iraqis to complain openly that this was part of an Iranian effort to turn Iraq into an Iranian controlled nation, like Syria has been since the 1980s. Some Kurdish officials who had dealt with the new ambassador when he was in the Quds Force reported that he was not as hard-core ideologically as most Quds Force officers. Meanwhile Turkish leaders called the Iran-backed Shia militias in Iraq terrorists and intended to expand Iranian power, not defend Iraq.

April 17, 2017: Iraqi intelligence has evidence that ISIL leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi is in Syria and has been there for several months.

April 16, 2017: In the north (Mosul) an Iraqi special operations unit leading an advance encountered ISIL mortar shells and rockets that appeared to use chemical warheads. About six troops fell sick after inhaling the noxious substance. The day before Iraqi troops fighting in another Mosul neighborhood encountered similar chemical shells. U.S. and Australian commandos were with some of the Iraqi units and noted that some of the shells contained noxious substances and helped collect samples for laboratory analysis. This is not the first time for this, in late February troops in Mosul encountered ISIL mortar shells that contained some kind of deadly chemical. Twelve civilians were injured by this and were moved to Kurdish territory for better care and closer examination. It was soon discovered that ISIL was again using the crude mustard gas that has been showing up a lot more since 2015. In 2016 Russia revealed that its chemical warfare experts collected mustard gas samples from a dud shell fired in September 2016 by ISIL forces in Aleppo. The Russians also found evidence of ISIL shells filled with chlorine. ISIL is believed to have used chlorine and mustard gas bombs and shells at least 60 times in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

April 15, 2017: So far this month over 20,000 refugees had returned to their home in Anbar. Refugees are cautious about returning because ISIL is still active in Anbar. Some of the recent returnees went to cities that have been free of ISIL for over a year but were not yet safe. Ramadi is a good example. This city is 120 kilometers west of Baghdad and astride the Euphrates river. The city was declared liberated at the end of the December 2015 but it wasnt until two months later that the city was safe enough to allow any refugees back in. Meanwhile ISIL was able to survive in several of the many towns and villages west of the city and along the river. The army spent months clearing all the landmines and explosive traps ISIL left behind. Since the ISIL offensive in mid-2014 some four million Iraqis have fled their homes. Most have not returned yet. About ten percent of those refugees are recent and from Mosul. Fighting with ISIL continues in western Anbar province, especially along the Syrian border.

April 8, 2017: The Syrian government, Russia, Iran and Iraq condemned an American cruise missile attack on a Syrian airbase yesterday. These critics supported the Syrian Assad government denials that they had anything to do with the use of nerve gas during an airstrike on a rebel held village last week. But the rest of the world either openly supported the American retaliation or were undecided. Most Western nations openly supported the cruise missile barrage as did Middle Eastern nations Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). This American action was a big deal in Israel which had hoped the newly elected American government would be more supportive of Israeli efforts to deal with Islamic terrorism (both Sunni and Shia) in the region. Israel and its new Sunni Arab allies are particularly concerned about the growing threat from Iran, which the previous U.S. government did not take as seriously as the Middle Eastern nations (particularly Israel) that Iran openly threatened.
United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
At the Niti Aayog meet, the Prime Minister said there have been suggestions on shifting the financial year from the existing April-March to January-December.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the Niti Aayog Governing Council's meeting on Sunday and addressed chief ministers of the state.

The major talking point at the meeting was Narendra Modi asking states to consider advancing the financial year to January-December, in line with major global economies.

Pitching a January-December financial calender for the country, Narendra Modi said a country where agricultural income is crucial, Budget should be prepared immediately after its receipt for the year.

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At the Niti Aayog meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a push for holding simultaneous elections for state assemblies and Parliament.

HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT PRIME MINISTER SAID AT NITI AAYOG MEETING: At the Niti Aayog meet, the Prime Minister said there have been suggestions on shifting the financial year from the existing April-March to January-December. Narendra Modi said that because of poor time management, many good initiatives and schemes had failed to deliver the anticipated results. Breaking away from tradition, the Narendra Modi government had advanced the Budget presentation to February 1 this year. At the meet, the Prime Minister reiterated the idea of holding simultaneous elections, and said the country had suffered enough from economic and political mismanagement. Narendra Modi said a constructive discussion on the subject has already begun. In his address to the nation on New Year's eve, Narendra Modi had said that it was time to "have a constructive debate and find a way to hold all elections across the country simultaneously and get rid of the various cycles of elections". "The Prime Minister said if the elections are held simultaneously, then political parties could just focus on them once in five years and then use the rest of the period to do serious work," NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya said. Narendra Modi also called upon the state governments to work with the Centre to build "the India of the dreams of our freedom fighters" by 2022, the 75th anniversary of Independence. He urged states, local governments and all government and non-government organisations to decide goals for 2022, and work in mission mode towards achieving them. He called upon the states to use the GeM (Government e-Marketplace) platform to reduce corruption and increase transparency in government procurement, adding that the use of technologies such as BHIM and Aadhaar would result in significant savings for the states.

(with inputs from IANS)

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General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson holds the record for most spacewalks conducted by a female astronaut.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Commander of the International Space Station's Expedition 51 crew, Peggy Whitson officially set the US record on Monday for most cumulative days in space, surpassing NASA astronaut Jeff Williams' record of 534 days.

"At 1:27 a.m. ET on April 24, @AstroPeggy has officially broken @Astro_Jeff's record of 534 days in space," NASA's page for updates from the International Space Station said in a tweet.

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FIRST WOMAN TO COMMAND SPACE STATION TWICE

Additionally, she is the first woman to command the space station twice, and holds the record for most spacewalks conducted by a female astronaut.

"It is one of those rides that you hope never ends. I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions!," Whitson wrote on her Twitter page.

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who has spent 879 days on orbit in total, currently holds the world record for the number of cumulative days in space.

To congratulate Whitson for her record-breaking stay aboard the space station, US President Donald Trump will make a special Earth-to-space call from the Oval Office at 10 a.m. EDT (7.30 p.m. India time) on Monday, NASA said.

Trump will be joined by daughter Ivanka Trump and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins for the 20-minute call which will air live on NASA Television and stream on the agency's website and Facebook page.

The call will be made available to schools, museums, and other organisations across the nation and globally, NASA said.

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At around 8.30 am, around 99 jawans of 74 battalion of CRPF left their Durgpal camp and reached Chintagufa, where they divided into two group on both sides of the road. Their task was to sanitise the road for construction work.

Around 300-400 Naxalites were hiding in the area and out of that 150 were from fighter groups. Catching the security forces by surprise, the extremists divided them into smaller groups and launched the attack with an IED blast followed by indiscriminate firing at around 12.25 PM.

The Naxalites also used arms like AK-47 in this operation. CPRF sources said Hidima is the leader behind the ambush.

Sources said women wing of the Naxalites also joined the attack. They used the arms which were looted on March 12 from CRPF jawans.

According to the injured soldiers, they did respond to the indiscriminate firing by the Naxalites and even claimed to kill many of them but there is no official confirmation.

Injured CRPF jawan Sher Mohammed said, "First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many. They were around 300 and we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest".

"The Naxals first sent villagers to check our position...I also saw some women Naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assault rifles," an unidentified jawan said. He said around 10-12 Naxalites must have got killed in the "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed. The Naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel.

The incident happened in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, which is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of Naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

Making it clear that no one will be spared, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government has taken it as a challenge.

The Anti Naxal Task Force of the IAF received a message that three CRPF jawans had been critically injured in an encounter with Naxals at Burkapal, and two Mi-17V5 helicopters were sent immediately from Jagdalpur, an offical statement said.

It turned out that seven, not three, had been injured in Burkapal, and they were all flown back to the Chhattisgarh capital - Raipur - for treatment, the statement said. One of the jawans died in the chopper, it added.

That's when the helicopters recived a requisition to pick up 24 martyrs from Burkapal. The choppers then flew back, landed in a field helipad after sunset, picked up the bodies of 25 martyrs and brought them to Raipur for post-mortem analysis: Statement
The United States has fired the opening shot in a latest softwood-lumber war against Canada, with the Trump administration announcing its first batch of duties on imported wood in the neighbourhood of 20 per cent.

The move was expected: the historic dispute over lumber pricing has led to once-a-decade trade skirmishes over the issue, resulting in American duties, then the inevitable court battles, and ultimately negotiated settlements.

What wasnt expected Monday was the enthusiasm with which the new American administration flung itself into the lumber hostilities, touting its incoming countervailing duties as an example of U.S. President Donald Trumps tough, America-first trade posture.

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Trump underscored the impending move by announcing it to a gathering of conservative media on the eve of the expected announcement. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also highlighted it in an interview.

Then came a statement that said U.S. Customs will begin collecting cash deposits from Canadian logging companies because they receive a range of subsidies  most of them allegedly about 20 per cent.

It has been a bad week for U.S.-Canada trade relations, said Ross, in a statement that went out of its way to link this dispute to one involving dairy, and tying it all to broader complaints about NAFTA.

This is not our idea of a properly functioning free trade agreement.

This entire dispute will play out amid the backdrop of a bigger trade file  the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Neither lumber nor dairy are part of the current NAFTA, and different actors would want to add provisions on one or the other.

What comes after Mondays countervailing duties is a study of possible anti-dumping duties, followed by a final determination by the U.S. Commerce Department as early as Sept. 7, and ultimately one of three possible outcomes: an agreement, a surprise retreat from the U.S. government, or a potential years-long court battle.

Canadas government condemned the announcement. In a statement, the federal government called the move unfair, baseless, unfounded and it promised help for its industry.

The Government of Canada strongly disagrees with (this) decision to impose an unfair and punitive duty, said Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr. The accusations are baseless and unfounded.

He said the action hurts people in both countries  not only Canadas lumber sector that employs hundreds of thousands, but also American homebuyers, who must now pay more for wood.

The buildup to this new lumber war began with the 2015 expiry of a decade-old agreement. It stems from a fundamental, long-standing dispute over whether Canadian companies access to public land constitutes a subsidy.

The U.S. administration delivered its long-awaited verdict Monday; it concluded Canadian companies benefit from subsidies ranging from three per cent in the case of J.D. Irving Ltd., to a high of 24.12 per cent for West Fraser Mills, with most companies coming in around 19.88 per cent.

Duties will be collected retroactively, too  the U.S. says it will gather them for the previous 90 days. Industry analysts have been expecting the combined duties, Mondays and the upcoming ones, to range between 30 and 40 per cent.

In Canada, pressure will mount on the federal government.

The Liberals have adopted an understated, under-the-radar approach to dealing with Trump. Now theyre being pressed into an open dispute, all while dealing with multiple sensitive Canada-U.S. files: softwood negotiations, upcoming NAFTA renegotiations, complaints about Canadian dairy, and a frustrated lumber industry at home.

There are already requests for financial help for Canadas forestry sector. A government source said conversations are underway, but there wont be an immediate announcement on that front.

The Canadian government will wait to see the details of various punitive measures before calculating the aid amount. It took the federal government more than a year to announce the first of two aid packages after duties were imposed in 2001.

The statement from Ottawa late Monday promised immediate help through existing programs  like one that finances exporters, and an innovation-related program to develop the use of wood in tall buildings.

Ministers are also travelling to China, the United Kingdom and Europe to promote market diversification.

A federal-provincial task force intends to meet this week. Quebec Economic Development Minister Dominique Anglade urged Ottawa to help forest companies, but said Monday the province will act immediately: Day 1, we will be there to support the industry, she said in an interview.

Meanwhile, Ontario named former federal trade minister Jim Peterson as its chief softwood lumber negotiator on Monday. He joins former federal cabinet minister David Emerson who represents B.C. and former U.S. Ambassador Raymond Chretien who is Quebecs negotiator.

Unifor union president Jerry Dias called on Ottawa to respond to the duties to avoid a repeat of the situation when 15,000 were laid off within months of a combined duty of 27 per cent being imposed in the early 2000s.

Its hard to exaggerate the impact tariffs will have on hundreds of small communities. The federal government needs to have a plan in place and act swiftly, he said in a news release.

However, provinces arent in total agreement about financial support.

British Columbia has said it is cautious out of fear that assistance will be construed by the Americans as unfairly helping the Canadian industry. B.C. producers such as West Fraser Timber and Canfor are in a stronger position to weather a U.S. trade battle because they have purchased sawmills in the U.S. and expanded exports to China.

In Central Canada, sawmills tend to be smaller, dont have as much cash flow to pay duties and are therefore more at risk of closing, experts say. Thats why Ontario and Quebec producers have been pushing Ottawa to provide loan guarantees to help them pay duties and stay in business.

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Billionaire Elon Musk has revealed a rare bit of personal on his Instagram account  a photo with actress Amber Heard.

Both Musk and Heard posted pictures to their Instagram accounts Monday, showing Musk with lipstick on his cheek left behind from a kiss. Musk wrote on his post that he and Heard were dining with Aquaman director James Wan and producer Rob Cowan at Moo Moo restaurant in Australias Gold Coast.

The pair were also seen in paparazzi photos zip-lining in Australia, where Heard is filming Aquaman.

Musk has been married three times, twice to British actress Talulah Riley. He has five sons from another previous marriage.

Amber Heards fame appears linked to Australia. In 2016, she pleaded guilty to pet smuggling charges after she and then husband Johnny Depp brought their Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo into the country aboard their private jet  in contravention of the countrys strict quarantine regulations.

Heard and Johnny Depp settled a messy divorce last year.

 With files from Star Staff

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Were in an era of peak TV, but the fire hose flow of shows  from late-night comedy to scripted dramas  could come to a screeching halt very soon.

Members of the Writers Guild of America, which represents the scribes behind television and movies, will vote Monday whether to authorize their union to call a strike. This comes as negotiations between the union and studios barrel toward a May 1 deadline, when the old contract expires.

Even though there are more shows than ever before and the small-screen business seems to be booming, writers have some major grievances with how Hollywood pays them, as well as with the guilds pension and health plans. And if an agreement cannot be worked out between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (which is representing the studios), writers will strike for the first time in a decade.

Heres what you need to know.

How will a strike affect my daily intake of network, cable and streaming shows?

That all depends on how long a strike would last. Scripted shows could have to end their seasons early and viewers will see a big dent in the summer TV season.

But the most immediate effect would be felt by late-night comedy, where daily or weekly episodes are churned out of New York or Los Angeles, with legions of writers penning jokes, monologues and elaborate sketches.

That could be a big deal in 2017, with Donald Trump as president and a big appetite among viewers for political comedy on TV. For instance, Saturday Night Live is experiencing some of its highest ratings in years, so much so that NBC decided to air its final four episodes live, coast to coast. There are still three episodes left before SNL breaks for the summer  May 6, 13 and 20  that could never get made. NBC also planned special prime-time, 30-minute editions of Weekend Update for August. Comedy Central will premiere a Trump-parody talk show this week, and roll out a new post-Daily Show series in the fall.

Putting late night aside, its possible a whole bunch of viewers wont notice too much of a difference because of the ability to binge-watch on streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. A strike may end up being the time viewers just catch up on all that good TV they missed.

Will writers actually strike?

Maybe. Maybe not. Mondays vote authorizes the guild (which is the combined effort of two unions representing writers in the east and west) to call a strike. If the writers vote yes, and its likely they will, the guild and studios still have a week to hash things out and finalize a new contract. But after May 1, the old contract expires and the union has promised a work stoppage.

Should this occur, writing for television, feature films and digital series will cease, the guild said in a letter to media buyers earlier this month. The guild announced it would resume talks on Tuesday.

So, basically, the studios and union have a week to work things out. And the studios have publicly been keeping mum.

Why are the writers unhappy?

Central issues involve shoring up the WGAs health plan, which is facing a deficit, securing family leave and protecting the guilds current pension plan. The WGA argues that writers average yearly income has decreased while studios operating profits have doubled from a decade ago.

The other main point at play involves how writers are compensated.

The flood of new shows on air and digital platforms, which provide endless space for content, is fuelling peak TV and changing how shows are made. But writers are still paid per episode, an older formula. There are way more scripted shows now than in the past, but the norm has shifted from 22-episode seasons to about 10 to 13, and shows now take longer to produce. In recent years, the number of scripted series jumped by 50 per cent, but the number of produced episodes only grew by 6 per cent, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

While taking more time to produce an episode can make for better TV, writers argue they are losing out on pay  especially with exclusivity deals that make it hard for writers to get work on other shows to make up the difference, and more series overall that are less likely to go into syndication. The writers demands include loosening some of those exclusivity rules, and increased fees.

Whats happened during previous strikes?

The last strike lasted 100 days, from November 2007 to February 2008. Many scripted shows, such as 30 Rock and Heroes, cut their seasons short. Some talk shows continued on, and late-night hosts improvised (Conan OBrien killed time by spinning his wedding ring on his desk).

Some hosts, such as Jon Stewart, did return to the air sans writers (Stewart rebranded his Comedy Central show as A Daily Show With Jon Stewart). David Letterman also came back after his production company, which owned his show, struck its own interim deal with the WGA.

But when it came to the big screen, many said they felt the effects of the strike all the way into 2009 with a bunch of bad movies. Michael Bay blamed the strike for ruining Transformers 2, since they only had three weeks to put the story together. Other movies, including X-Men Origins: Wolverine, G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra and Terminator Salvation, were also affected.

OK, but do we really need writers for shows?

Well, theres always reality TV.

During the last work stoppage, CBS ordered additional seasons of its flagship reality competition shows to fill airtime. And then theres NBC.

Trumps The Apprentice had been removed from the networks lineup amid low ratings. But a new programming chief came aboard in 2007, and the network decided to revive the competition show, but with a twist. And when the writers strike meant no more new episodes of The Office and Scrubs, NBC replaced the Thursday night shows in 2008 with The Celebrity Apprentice.

A New York Times headline from the time reads, Writers Guild Helps Out Donald Trump.

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Trev Bungay says the horror began in 1998 when he was among Canadian soldiers scouring the beaches of Nova Scotia in cleanup operations after the crash of a Swissair jet just off the Atlantic coast.

That was really my look at trauma for the very first time, Bungay told a panel discussion on Sunday at the inaugural OCannabiz Conference and Expo.

Then came international missions in Africa, Bosnia, Haiti and four combat tours in Afghanistan.

Little did the 39-year-old infantry veteran and medical cannabis activist know, however, that the worst was yet to come.

For five years starting in 2007, he began to know something was seriously wrong, he said. And I collapsed.

He began seeking mental-health assistance on his base. I was issued 20 pills a day and sent home.

It is by just such means, the conference was told, that many veterans are introduced to drugs such as Percocets and OxyContin, he said. Along with it comes addiction and life lived in a cycle of rage, emotional estrangement from loved ones and thoughts of self-harm.

As a regular Newfoundlander, the happy-go-lucky kid, I can tell you right now suicide has never, ever crossed my mind, Bungay said. Until he took those pills.

Within three months was my first attempt. Those pills completely rewired my brain. I had no clue where I was anymore.

Three months later, I attempted suicide for the second time, he said.

Over those nightmarish years, Bungay had 15 personal friends who committed suicide, he said. That number is staggering when you think of it. Every one of those guys was on prescription drugs. And every one of them served in Afghanistan.

He began looking for a wellness plan better than a fistful of pills and a promise to see a psychologist when one had time to see him.

I felt that if I didnt actually make a change right now I was dead. I was a dead man. There was no coming out of it.

Bungay said he had heard about the medical benefits of cannabis. He tried it. And it really started to change my life.

He soon felt better. In short order he began helping other veterans with post-traumatic stress to get rid of the pills, get on something natural. In 2015, he founded Trauma Healing Centres Inc., for men and women like him.

Darryl Hudson, a researcher who operates a lab at Lethbridge University in Alberta and is president of DOC Solutions Cannabis Consulting, said cannabis is the most effective medication that we have to battle the first stages of PTSD, especially with vets coming home trying to get acclimatized to life at home after the experience of combat.

Its a significant problem among veterans , Hudson said.

In the United States, we lose 22 to 25 vets a day to suicide. Its far greater than anything lost in the war. If you start to include prescription drug overdoses  which are not considered suicides  youre looking at over 30 deaths a day in the United States directly related to the ineffectiveness of treating PTSD.

His research has identified a rewiring of the brain with PTSD and that cannabis is effective in alleviating symptoms, he said.

We are getting close to providing the scientific evidence that corroborates all of this, but we definitely know one thing and that is, cannabis works. And it definitely works better than all the other drugs that are out there.

Michael Blais, 60, a Canadian veteran of Cyprus and founder of Canadian Veterans Advocacy, told the conference its important to know were not potheads.

I get that a lot. Oh, you just like the pot. You sit there getting high all day. Thats not true.

For people who are mentally or physically traumatized, this is a viable  not cure, by any means  but part of a treatment plan.

Blais said he had pain, episodes of rage, chronic frustration and had become a Jekyll-and-Hyde who, his wife said, was not the same man.

Medical cannabis changed all of that.

The session was one of many at the weekend trade show aimed, among other things, at highlighting the pharmaceutical benefits of cannabis in advance of federal promises to legalize marijuana by Canada Day 2018.

Organizer Neill Dixon said that whereas the cannabis business once took place in the shady underworld, the prospect of legalization, diminishing stigma and blossoming entrepreneurial opportunities produced a very corporate event.

It wasnt a sampling product show, thats for sure, he said, noting that marijuana is not legal yet. It was business.

The feedback from most of our guests and exhibitors is, Whens the next one? Well be back. 

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CALGARYA witness testifying in the hit-and-run death of a gas station worker says she screamed at the woman to get away from a fleeing truck because she feared it was a dangerous situation.

Maryam Rashidi, 35, was killed while trying to stop a driver from leaving the Centex gas station in Calgary who failed to pay for $113 worth of gas in June 2015.

I was trying to get the womans attention, Angela Reece testified Monday at the second-degree murder trial of Joshua Cody Mitchell.

I was screaming at her, Come back here. Ive got his licence number ... get away from that truck.

Reece, who had been gassing up her own vehicle, said Rashidi didnt respond.

I turned, I anticipated a bad outcome. I was screaming and I heard a sound like a branch cracking, Reece said. It was an awful sound.

Crown prosecutor Jonathan Hak told the jury in his opening remarks that Rashidi suffered devastating injuries.

You will hear that there was no saving her. Brain death set in and after she was formally pronounced dead her organs were elected for donation.

Hak said Rashidi had only been on the job for a few weeks but was already proving to be a dedicated employee.

Unbeknownst to her it was to be her last shift. That day, the defendant would come to her gas station and steal fuel. In his quest to get away, the defendant would cause her devastating injuries that would result in her death.

The jury heard Rashidi chased the truck across a parking lot and onto the Trans-Canada Highway where the vehicle got stuck in traffic. She banged on the passenger window to try to get the driver to pay, then stood in front of the vehicle with her hands up.

She was trying to right a wrong, said Hak, who said Rashidi climbed up on the front bumper and was holding onto the hood.

Once she was up on the front bumper holding onto the hood, the defendant jerked the truck forward to try and get her off, he said.

He swerved the truck to the side trying to get her off the truck. Unable to hold on any longer, Maryam Rashidi fell forward onto the road in front of the truck. At that point, the defendant accelerated hard over her body, running her over with the right front wheel and the right side duallies.

The manager of Centex said Rashidi was very, very good with customers. Shamsuddin Laiwalla said all employees received extensive training, including on what to do in a gas and dash.

We tell them not to run behind the vehicle, just stay calm, he said.

Laiwalla said employees are not expected to pay for thefts.

Rashidi and her husband, Ahmed Mourani Shallo, emigrated from Iran in 2014. Both got engineering jobs in Calgary, but when the Alberta economy started to decline, they were laid off.

The Crown is expected to call 25 witnesses.

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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Naxalism is anti-development and does not have any place in a democratic society, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said, while condemning the Naxal attack on a CRPF team in Chhattisgarh.

"Deeply pained over the loss of our bravehearts during an encounter with the Naxalites at Sukma. These sacrifices shall not go in vain," he said.

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At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today in the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.

The Information and Broadcasting minister said this is a "classic case" of Naxals indulging in "mindless killing".

"Naxalism is anti-development and does not have any place in a democratic society. Stringent action shall be taken to bring the culprits to justice," he said.

Naidu said the Centre will extend all possible support to the state governments to fight this menace and uproot it from the society. PTI MP KIS

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HALIFAXThe morning ritual for Halifax students may soon be expanded beyond the national anthem, to include a daily reminder that their school sits on traditional Mikmaq territory.

A member of the Halifax Regional School Board is proposing that an acknowledgment be read as part of morning announcements.

Jessica Rose, the boards Mikmaq representative, said Monday that the proposal was brought up at a committee meeting last Wednesday and is going to be studied in hopes it will be adopted and in place by September.

Rose said the gesture may help aboriginal students gain a sense of pride in their heritage.

I think its fantastic, she said. For some of our First Nations students they might not feel comfortable talking about their culture and they might not feel comfortable self-identifying . . . so I think this could really help with that.

She said it would likely be a simple statement that could be understood by children of all ages and would be read along with housekeeping announcements and the singing of the national anthem at each school.

Rose said the idea came from a colleague, who saw that the Toronto District School Board had introduced a similar motion last year. The message, read every morning at that boards roughly 585 schools, recognizes they sit on traditional First Nations territories.

Halifax board spokesman Doug Hadley said staff has been asked to bring back a report with more information on the proposal, adding that board meetings now start with a similar statement that reads, We acknowledge that this meeting is being held on Mikmaq territory.

Hadley said he believed the board unanimously approved the inclusion of that statement when it voted on it last year.

Rose said the effort to raise the profile of aboriginal history comes out of a report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which spent six years examining the legacy of the government-funded, church-operated schools that operated from the 1870s to 1996.

But, she said the daily message isnt enough.

She said the history of indigenous people has to become a more meaningful part of the education system and extend beyond Grade 6.

My only concern is that there needs to be the education piece that goes along with it, she said. A couple of lines in the morning isnt going to educate all of our students on this history of our First Nations people.

Rose said staff are looking into the logistics of the daily message and will consult with Halifaxs Mikmaq Native Friendship Centre about how to word it.

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WINNIPEGA coalition that represents Manitoba family members says national hearings into missing and murdered indigenous women must begin soon despite the uncertainty surrounding the process.

An open letter signed by officials with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Coalition says the hearings, slated to begin at the end of May, have been long in coming and families are anxious.

Indigenous families, women and girls cannot afford a pause in your process. We have heard directly from families of (missing and murdered indigenous women) they are quickly losing hope that your inquiry will actually be relevant to them, states the letter, dated last Wednesday.

We call on you to, at a minimum, announce in the near future when you, as commissioners, will finally go out and listen to our people.

Read more:

Inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women and girls hits roadblocks before it starts

Missing, murdered womens inquiry frustrating families, advocates say

Ontario opens support centres for families of murdered and missing indigenous women

Inquiry officials announced April 13 that they were postponing a series of regional advisory meetings, which were supposed to help determine what issues should be covered when the formal hearings get underway.

Since then, the Manitoba coalition said there has been no communication. The group is also worried many family members may have a hard time being included in the hearings.

You have not yet initiated meetings with Manitoba survivors of violence or who were missing, families of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, as well as First Nations and communities that are part of your mandate, the letter states.

A spokesperson for the inquiry commission said Monday the advisory hearings were put on pause to look at possible changes for the inquiry hearings, and the May start date is still a go.

The message we received is that we must be flexible and be prepared to change course if need be. This time is an opportunity for us to reflect on our approach for future truth-finding gatherings, Tiar Wilson wrote in an email.

The uncertainty over how families across Canada may be ensured participation in the inquiry has led some indigenous leaders to call for the inquiry to be postponed.

Eric Robinson, former deputy premier and aboriginal affairs minister of Manitoba, said a delay is warranted to ensure the inquiry is fair and thorough.

Lets not do a job thats in half-measures. I think that its got to be done in a thorough fashion and theres got to be satisfaction ... for the families, Robinson said.

Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson, who represents First Nations in northern Manitoba, said the process so far has been troublesome.

I still believe that it should take place and that they should go forward and I respect the fact that theyre being flexible, she said.

But at the same time, Im worried that the families ... are losing a little bit of faith in the process because there seem to be some false starts.

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Community groups, environmental activists and more than 500 residents are calling on Premier Kathleen Wynne to properly study a subway extension in Scarborough in a letter sent to her office Monday.

We need the province to step in and do this study comparing a one-stop subway with the LRT because Torontonians deserve to know which is the best public transit option for our city and for Scarborough, Brenda Thompson, a member of the advocacy group Scarborough Transit Action, said in a joint press release including umbrella organization TTCriders.

Its never been done, and its time to do it.

And a leading transportation planning expert, Eric Miller, a professor at the University of Toronto whose recent research was cited in the plea to the province, said such a study is long overdue.

But at Queens Park on Monday, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said the province has no plans to order a comparison.

We remain steadfast in our commitment. Wed like to see this project proceed, he told the Star. We look forward to continuing to work with the City of Toronto to make sure that we can get the shovels in the ground as soon as possible.

Last month, city council rejected a motion from Councillor Josh Matlow to do a business case analysis of the one-stop extension to the Scarborough Town Centre compared to the originally-proposed, seven-stop LRT that would have been fully funded by the province. That comparison, top city officials say, has never been undertaken despite councils about-face in 2013 or recent changes to the subway plan.

The six-kilometre subway, which is estimated to cost at least $3.35 billion, would eventually replace the aging Scarborough RT. It would be finished in 2026 at the earliest.

The letter  signed by Scarborough-based community groups like The Caring Alliance and advocates like the Toronto Environmental Alliance  asks the premier and Environment Minister Glen Murray to order the comparison, saying the subway extension has the potential to exacerbate, rather than reduce, Ontarios greenhouse gas emissions.

The minister has the right to initiate a provincial study if theres a feeling theres a negative impact environmentally and especially in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, Thompson told the Star, referencing the provincial guide for the required assessments of transit projects  a process that is now underway.

Under the McGuinty Liberal government, the environmental assessment process was streamlined for transit projects. In doing so, the province removed the requirement to consider potential alternatives to a project, something that was criticized by the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, a provincial watchdog.

"A requirement to consider 'alternatives' is still in the public interest, particularly when various transit options have differing impacts, socially, economically and environmentally," the commissioner's office wrote in a 2009 annual report. "A careful weighing of alternatives, with public scrutiny, can lead to better overall outcomes and a wiser use of scarce public resources."

The letter cites a new study from University of Cambridge and University of Toronto researchers, including Miller, that looked at how rail transit projects contribute to a citys greenhouse gas emissions.

It specifically looked at the case of the Sheppard subway and found that it would take 11 to 35 years to offset the greenhouse gas emissions made to build the subway.

Greenhouse gas emissions from building rail can be offset in part by residents taking transit instead of driving and by encouraging residential development around transit stations, the study outlined.

The letter to Wynne and Murray notes the Scarborough subway extension is only expected to carry 7,300 people during the rush hour in the busiest direction  which is less than half the capacity of an LRT and would leave the subway extension 80 per cent empty during rush hour.

By adding instead of removing access to rapid stations, the LRT would encourage more dense development along its stops, more jobs and greater walkability, the letter also says.

Environmental concerns form part of a list of issues with the controversial subway plan, the letter notes, include rising costs that have already priced out a 17-stop LRT along Eglinton Ave. East promised by Tory.

In response to the TTCriders letter, Miller wrote in an email to the Star: All I can say is that a head-to-head comparison of the Scarborough LRT and subway extension options is long overdue.

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38 Scarborough Centre), who has pushed to build a subway at council and has long been an environmental advocate, said he believes a majority of Scarborough residents still want a subway.

The anti-subway people have written a very desperate letter, he said. Now theyre resorting to sabotage.

Councillor Matlow said if proponents of the subway are so confident the subway is the right choice, they should have nothing to fear from a study.

As Ive said before, all of our elected representatives should put facts and people before political agendas, Matlow told the Star. Scarborough residents and all Torontonians deserve to know whether or not more rapid transit could be provided to serve more people for far less money.

Its a reasonable request to ask for the truth.

With files from Rob Ferguson

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The father of a developmentally disabled Timmins woman has launched a $110-million class action lawsuit against the Ontario government for failing to eliminate the years-long wait list for support services.

Wait lists are indeterminate and administered in an ad-hoc, inconsistent and unreasonable manner, denying eligible recipients statutory benefits which are necessary for their basic daily human needs and safety, says the statement of claim filed on behalf of Marc Leroux.

Adults may spend years on . . . wait lists, requiring family members or other caregivers to provide the necessary services or supports, or going without such services, says the claim filed in Ontario Superior Court on April 10. The lengthy wait lists interfere with the life and security of people with disabilities and their families, it adds.

Lerouxs 19-year-old daughter, Briana, who is non-verbal and functions at the level of a 3-year-old, lost provincial Special Services at Home funding a year ago when she turned 18. She was subsequently placed on the wait list for Passport funding, which serves adults, but her father says he has no idea when she will get any help.

Both programs provide direct funding to families so children and adults with developmental disabilities can take part in community programs, develop work and daily life skills, hire a support worker and live independently.

Common sense will tell you, if they need the funding up to age 18, they are definitely going to need it when they are over 18, Leroux said in a telephone interview.

But they cut you off and put you on a wait list, he said. It should be a simple transition. Or they should continue your funding (as a child) until the adult funding is in place.

Unreasonably long and confusing wait lists for desperately needed services to help families care for disabled children with complex needs have been a problem in Ontario for years, says the statement of claim, filed by lawyers Kirk Baert and Jody Brown of Koskie Minsky LLP.

Three independent reports since 2013 have outlined the crisis and urged the government to act, the claim notes.

A 2013 Auditor Generals report criticized the government for inconsistency of access to  and lengthy waitlists for  residential placements and other supports for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

The 2014 report of the Select Committee on Developmental Services said eliminating wait lists should be the governments top priority.

And a damning report last August by Ombudsman Paul Dube, called Nowhere to Turn, noted interminable wait list delays amid a fragmented, confusing and complex system of community support agencies where demand far outstrips the supply.

The class members are in need of services to live their life, and it is time they get what they have been promised and what they need and deserve, Baert said in a statement.

Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek, who oversees Developmental Services Ontario and the Passport program, could not comment on the case because it is before the courts.

Last month, the ministry cleared a 2014 backlog of about 13,000 adults with developmental disabilities who had been waiting for Passport funding for years, bringing the total number served to 24,000.

But since 2015, another 11,000 people, including Briana, have requested support and are still waiting.

Until she turned 18 in February, 2016, Briana received $5,000 a year through Special Services at Home, which allowed Leroux to hire a support worker during the summer when she was not in school. (People with disabilities can attend public school until age 21.)

Although her father applied for Passport funding in August, 2015  six months before Brianas 18th birthday  she was not approved until September, 2016 and has been on the wait list for support ever since.

As a result, Leroux had to quit work as a real estate agent last summer to look after his daughter. And he fears he will have to do it again this summer.

You cant just hire anyone to look after someone like Briana. There is no space in any of the day programs and even if there was, we couldnt afford to pay $18 to $20 an hour for it, he said, adding he and his wife Lisanne, who is also self-employed, have four other children to support.

At least I have the flexibility in my job. Many parents do not, Leroux said.

Autism Ontario, which provides programs for about 17,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder, is saddened by the lawsuit.

Its not surprising. Were disappointed. And its not fair, said spokesperson Katharine Buchan. Families shouldnt have to do this. They shouldnt have to be forced into these positions to advocate for their loved ones. The service needs to be robust enough to meet the needs of a complex population.

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An incident in which an on-duty Toronto police sergeant assaulted a man in a Scarborough parking lot and then drove away, leaving the victim collapsed on the ground, came to light after an account from a bystander and Toronto Community Housing Corporation surveillance footage, according to recently filed court documents.

Last week, Toronto police Sgt. Robert Goudie pleaded guilty to assaulting Hamza Sheikh, then 47, outside the mans residence in October 2015, an incident that began with Goudie approaching Sheikh believing he had been driving while impaired.

In January 2016, Ontarios Special Investigations Unit (SIU) charged Goudie with assault causing bodily harm and failing to provide the necessities of life; the latter charge was dropped at the request of the Crown prosecutor, while Goudie pleaded guilty to assault.

The defendants application of force to Mr. Sheikh was unjustified and excessive, reads an agreed statement of facts filed in court last week.

The veteran police officer has been given a conditional discharge, meaning he is now subject to six months probation, which includes a ban on contacting Sheikh. He was also ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge to Sheikh.

Goudie has been suspended with pay from the Toronto Police Service since November 2015. Nonetheless, he made Ontarios Sunshine List in 2016, earning $116,000.

Meaghan Gray, a spokesperson for the Toronto Police, said in an email the suspension is under review now that the criminal case has concluded and the police service can proceed with a related disciplinary charge. Goudie faces one count of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act for being charged with a criminal offence.

According to the summary of facts filed in court, Goudie was alone on patrol just after 4 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2015, when he spotted Sheikhs vehicle and believed he was an impaired driver.

Goudie, driving a marked police vehicle, followed him into the parking area near 10 Gordonridge Place, near Danforth and Brimley Rds., then approached Sheikh after he parked his car, the court document states.

Surveillance footage, though low quality and shot from a distance, captured a 33-second discussion between Goudie and Sheikh, who was standing near his car with the drivers side door open.

Then, Goudie took hold of Sheikh and forced him to the ground on a grassy boulevard near the cars, then pinned him with his right knee for 20 seconds and appeared to search him.

Goudie got up off of Sheikh, shone his flashlight into the mans vehicle, then removed a crutch from inside and tossed it towards Sheikh. Court heard that Sheikh had pre-existing spinal injuries.

Sheikh remained prone and motionless on the ground at this time, according to the documents.

The officer then walked back to his car and drove off. Goudie never reported the stop or arrested Sheikh, although he had reasonable grounds to do so, according to the court documents.

(Goudie) believed at that time that Mr. Sheikh was conscious, according to the statement of facts.

Sheikh remained on the ground in the same position for 30 minutes, until a Toronto police car and ambulance arrived in response to an emergency call.

Paramedics found Sheikh on the ground wearing a neck brace, and noticed a strong odour of alcohol and signs of impairment.

The court documents do not explain who made the emergency call, but a document filed with the Toronto Police Services Board agenda last week states police and paramedics were summoned to the scene by a 4:13 a.m. call reporting an officer had assaulted a member of the public. Police and paramedics arrived at 4:34 a.m.

According to the police board document, which summarizes the internal probe that must take place after every SIU investigation, the officers who responded were then directed by a superior to leave and the incident was abandoned without further investigation or documentation, the report states.

That superior was later identified as Goudie, according to the police board document.

In an interview Monday, Goudies lawyer Gary Clewley vehemently disputed the contents of the Toronto police board document, saying that whoever wrote it had nothing to do with the investigation.

I can tell you this much for sure: officer Goudie did not terminate or interfere with the investigation of this incident. Period.

Clewley also stressed that the court did not find as fact that Sheikh lost consciousness following the assault.

According to the court document, Sheikh was taken to a hospital, where he refused assessment and voluntarily left before he saw a doctor. The Crown prosecutor was unable to prove Goudies use of force caused Sheikh any bodily harm, according to the court document.

Sheikh claimed that he had no memory of the incident. At a medical appointment three days after the incident, Sheikh exhibited no signs of a head injury, the court document states.

Sheikh said he contacted police to complain about the incident only after he was informed about what transpired by the neighbour who witnessed it.

Sheikhs complaint generated an investigation by the Toronto police Criminal Investigations Bureau. Two weeks later, Toronto Community Housing informed police about the contents of its surveillance footage of the incident, according to the police board document.

The SIU was contacted the following day and took over the investigation. Goudie was suspended the same day.

The sergeants professional misconduct hearing continues.

Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca

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For three young artists, shining a light on Canadian music takes three different approaches. Shining a light on Canada as a whole takes at least 150.

Its a Friday afternoon and Frances Potts, Gloria Romy Asse and Rowell Soller are busy painting a mural together.

Potts is working on an image of Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie while Soller has created an abstract of rapper k-os. Asse has focused her efforts on a portrait of DJ and producer Kaytranada.

The three have little in common, but are joined on the same canvas to represent the diversity of Canadian music.

The mural is one of 60 being painted in honour of Canadas sesquicentennial anniversary.

The project, called 150+ Reasons We Love Canada, is led by VIBE Arts, which asked Canadians to submit reasons they love Canada.

These reasons became the themes for the 60 murals being painted across the country by 500 children and youth at schools, shelters, libraries, hospitals and other agencies.

The themes and the canvasses were given to the youth, said Julie Frost, executive and artistic director of VIBE Arts. One of the themes was peace, so how do you interpret peace? The children and youth would then figure out what that looks like and then paint.

Asked to depict Canadian music, Potts, 21, said she wanted to pay homage to Downie.

We tried to represent different genres of music, she said. I chose to include him because I grew up listening to The Tragically Hip. Theyre a great part of Canada music-wise and I thought it would be a fun part to represent the rock or alternative rock genre of Canadian music in our mural.

K-os is included in abstract form, representing chaos itself.

Its controlled chaos, my style, said Soller, 24. This is what he would look like in abstract form, in my eyes.

He said k-os is often forgotten in discussions about Torontos rap scene.

People need to know that hes from here because people dont really know a lot of musicians from Canada and when they think of them, they think of Drake and Justin Bieber maybe, said Soller. Theyve got enough promotion globally so thats why I put someone whos not really as known as Drake. Hes known, but not really known.

Asse, 19, also aimed to highlight a lesser known musician in Montreal, hip hop producer Kaytranada.

I wanted to shine a light on some underground music culture, she said.

Frost said the artwork, and the artists behind them, come from a diverse group of youth from each Canadian province and territory. She said VIBE aimed to ensure many different communities were involved, including children with special needs and racialized, LGBTQ and indigenous youth.

Other paintings depict everything from Justin Trudeau to maple syrup to the TransCanada Highway.

Each of the 60 murals will be unveiled May 26 at Scarborough Town Centre. Theyll then go on display in Torontos subway stations throughout July and August, while digitized versions will be showcased on about 300 billboards across the country.

All 60 will also be displayed in 15 airports across Canada.

Art is a unique way of communicating things that are often hard to convey, Frost said. Sometimes art acts as a vehicle or a conduit to get things that are deeper and unreachable and it brings them to the surface. Its also a universal language. Art can respond to all cultures, all languages and it can be accessible in that way as well.

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Ontarios long-awaited basic income pilot project will include 4,000 low-income people in the Hamilton area, Thunder Bay and Lindsay, who will each receive up to $17,000 annually with no strings attached, starting as early as this summer.

Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the three-year experiment in Hamilton on Monday as part of a major speech on how the Liberal government plans to ensure all Ontarians, including those struggling in low-wage, precarious work, benefit from the provinces balanced budget and improved economy.

Its not an extravagant sum by any means. For a single person, we are talking about just under $17,000 a year, but even that amount may make a real difference to someone who is striving to reach for a better life, she said.

The project will explore the effectiveness of providing a basic income to people who are currently living on low incomes, whether they are working or not, she said. People participating in our pilot communities will receive a minimum amount of income each year  a basic income, no matter what.

Under the plan, single adults between the ages of 18 and 64 will receive up to $16,989 annually and couples will receive up to $24,027. People with disabilities will receive an additional $6,000.

Single people would have to earn less than about $34,000 to qualify and the income cut-off for couples would be about $48,000, according to a government spokeswoman.

First announced in the 2016 budget, the pilot is expected to cost $50 million a year and help the government determine whether a streamlined approach to delivering income support improves health, education and housing outcomes for vulnerable workers and those on social assistance. The pilot also wants to see if providing an income floor below which nobody can fall improves job prospects for those living on low incomes.

A similar experiment in Manitoba in the 1970s showed a drop in hospital use, particularly for mental health problems, as well as increased high school completion in the test community of Dauphin.

We want to find out whether a basic income makes a positive difference in peoples lives . . . and whether it is an approach that deserves to be adopted across our province as a whole, Wynne added.

During questioning by community members at Hamiltons historic LiUNA Station, Wynne said there would be regular updates on the pilot and that Ontarians would know how the government plans to proceed by the end of the experiment.

Since about 70 per cent of low-income Ontarians are working, the government expects a similar proportion of participants will be employed or self-employed, said Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek who is leading the project with Housing Minister Chris Ballard.

The basic income amount represents 75 per cent of the provinces low-income measure, or poverty line, of about $22,653 for a single person in 2016. (The low-income measure is equal to half the median income in the province, adjusted for family size.)

Participants will be able to increase their total income through work, while their basic income payment decreases by 50 cents with every dollar they earn.

For example, a single person earning $10,000 a year from a part-time job would receive an additional $11,989 in basic income ($16,989 minus $5,000) for a total income of $21,989, according to the government.

Opposition party leaders were generally supportive of the idea, but said they would be watching closely as the pilot project rolls out this spring and summer in Thunder Bay and the Hamilton area, including Brantford and Brant County. Lindsay will join the project in the fall.

A basic income pilot for First Nations is being developed in collaboration with community partners and will likely be announced later in the year.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said former Conservative senator Hugh Segals involvement as a government adviser on the plan gives him confidence because hes a sharp individual.

The NDP has long backed the concept, Leader Andrea Horwath noted.

But she wondered why the government set the basic income amount below the poverty line.

Im very, very worried that the government puts a pilot project in place that doesnt even meet the basic (needs) of people, she told reporters Queens Park.

How do you bring people out of poverty when youre not even giving them a basic income that meets the poverty line, she added.

Those on social assistance will be able to keep their drug cards and other benefits. But Employment Insurance and Canada Pension Plan payments will be deducted from the basic income dollar for dollar.

Participants in the pilot will be randomly chosen by mail in the test communities. Homeless people will be eligible if a shelter is chosen during the randomized selection process, officials said. Participation is voluntary and no one will be worse off.

About 1,000 households will be chosen in the Hamilton area and another 1,000 will be invited to participate in Thunder Bay. About 2,000 are expected to take part in Lindsay, where larger community impacts of the basic income will be studied. Participants must be living in one of the test locations for the past 12 months or longer to be eligible.

Payments will begin in the Hamilton and Thunder Bay areas this summer, while participants in Lindsay will be recruited in the fall.

Basic income champions welcomed the premiers announcement, especially the plan to allow participants on social assistance to keep their existing benefits.

We are pleased to see that it is basic income-plus, said Sheila Regehr of Basic Income Canada Network. Im pretty confident they have got a lot of the details worked out. We are very excited to see this getting started.

Social Policy expert John Stapleton, a member of Jaczeks income security reform working group, said he is anxious to see if a basic income is a better alternative to social assistance.

Were finally going to get information to see if this is the right thing to do to replace the welfare system as we know it in Ontario, he said.

Advocates for those with mental health problems were pleased the pilot will measure health outcomes.

There is a link between income and health, said Camille Quenneville, of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario division. Those with lower incomes generally report poorer physical and mental health than those in the higher income.

Nearly half of all people receiving benefits from the Ontario Disability Support Program live with a mental illness, she added.

Anti-poverty activists said the government must ensure prospective participants currently living on social assistance fully understand the trade-offs involved in exchanging their welfare cheque for a basic income.

For the small number of people on social assistance who will be selected, the additional income and the elimination of the punitive and regressive rules will be a welcome change, said Jennefer Laidley of the Income Security Advocacy Centre, a legal clinic that advocates for people on social assistance.

But each person will have to be well informed about the possibility of losing access to other important benefits they might currently receive, she said, adding every persons situation will be different.

The most pressing issue, besides reforming the entire system, Laidley said, is that everyone on social assistance needs a significant increase in their benefits now.

The basic income pilot cannot be a reason for government to delay making immediate investments to improve the lives of people they know are living on meagre, sub-poverty incomes. she said. Im hoping well see that kind of investment in the budget on Thursday.

Ontario is among several areas in the world experimenting with the idea of a minimum or basic income, including Finland, which began a two-year pilot in January. Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland are also considering a test.

With files Kristin Rushowy

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WASHINGTON As a young federal prosecutor in the 1990s, Rod J. Rosenstein played a key role in the highly charged independent investigation of the President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, over their investments in a failed real estate company known as Whitewater.

Rosenstein now is poised to take over another sensitive investigation: the FBI counter-intelligence inquiry into whether President Donald Trumps current or former aides colluded with Russian intelligence to interfere with last years election.

The Senate is expected to confirm Rosenstein as deputy attorney general, the No. 2 position in the Justice Department, Monday night. Rosenstein will decide whether to file criminal charges, to drop the case entirely, or to hand it off to an independent counsel, as the Whitewater investigation was later run by special prosecutor Kenneth W. Starr.

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Rosenstein, who has served under Republican and Democratic presidents, will be responsible because Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation after news reports revealed that during his Senate confirmation hearing, he failed to disclose his own meetings with a Russian diplomat last year.

In all, Rosenstein has spent 27 years at the Department of Justice, the last 12 as U.S attorney for the District of Maryland. He rose steadily through the ranks with a reputation as a hard-edged career prosecutor uninterested in politics.

Rosensteins by-the-numbers work stood out in the highly politicized, widely criticized Whitewater investigation, colleagues recall.

Hes a very thoughtful guy  and I wouldnt say that about everybody at the independent counsels office, said Bruce W. Udolf, now a defence lawyer in Miami. Hes a solid guy and can be relied on to do the right thing, no matter what the politics.

During his contentious Senate confirmation hearing on March 7, Rosenstein would not say whether he would appoint a special prosecutor for the Russian investigation, as some Democrats demanded.

But he expressed confidence that the Justice Department could handle even the most politically fraught case without compromising its independence. He said he wouldnt have qualms about questioning Sessions or even Trump, if the investigation led to them.

Ive done that before, said Rosenstein, who was part of the team that questioned President Bill Clinton at the White House in the Whitewater case. Ive been involved in questioning a president of the United States.

Rosenstein told lawmakers he had no reason to doubt the conclusion of the 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that Russias government sought to influence the U.S. presidential race through cyberhacks of Democratic Party leaders and other operations.

As deputy attorney general, Rosenstein will oversee day-to-day operations at the Justice Department and help carry out the conservative shift in legal priorities that Trump and Sessions have promised.

Rosenstein will lead the departments efforts to investigate more violent crime, one of his priorities as a prosecutor in Maryland.

He also will help lead efforts aimed at tougher enforcement of immigration laws, including trying to compel so-called sanctuary cities to share information on people in the country illegally and to hand over suspects for deportation.

Rosenstein grew up in a Philadelphia suburb, where his father ran a company that processed mortgage payments for banks. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, where he was editor of the Harvard Law Review. He and his wife have two teenage daughters.

After law school, he served as a law clerk to Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In 1990, he joined the Justice Department, landing a spot in the honours program for young lawyers that grooms future stars.

He soon joined the agencys top levels, working as a counsel for Deputy Attorney General Philip B. Heymann in Clintons first term.

For me, the grand hallways of Main Justice echo with the voices of mentors and friends, Rosenstein told lawmakers last month. They taught me to ask the right questions. First, what can we do? Second, what should we do? And third, how will we explain it?

In 1995, he joined the independent counsel investigation looking into real estate investments in Arkansas by the Clintons and several of their associates. He was part of the trial team that won convictions against Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker and two others. The Clintons were never charged.

Rosenstein later led an investigation into whether the Clinton administration had improperly obtained FBI background reports, and questioned Hillary Clinton at the White House in January 1998. No one was charged in that case.

Rosenstein left the special prosecutors office before it veered into the extramarital affair between President Clinton and White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky. That investigation ultimately led to a House vote to impeach Clinton in 1998, although he later was acquitted in the Senate.

After working several years as a federal prosecutor in Maryland, Rosenstein ran the Justice Departments tax division. In May 2005, President George W. Bush nominated him to be U.S. attorney in Maryland, and he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

When he arrived in Baltimore, the office was just beginning Project Exile, a program his predecessor planned to attack violent crime. In the first year, the program looked like a flop because the violent crime rate didnt budge, said Steve Levin, one of Rosensteins top deputies at the time.

It would have been very easy for Rod to end the program and blame it on a predecessor and say, Lets try something else,  said Levin. He was willing to take any hits he was getting. He wasnt concerned about himself. He was concerned with the office.

In November 2007, Bush nominated Rosenstein to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. But the Democratic-controlled Senate refused to schedule a hearing and the nomination lapsed. Obama then reappointed him to the U.S. attorneys job.

Rosensteins office chose not to file charges in the case of Freddy Gray, whose death from injuries in police custody sparked riots in Baltimore in 2015. But he filed racketeering charges last month against seven Baltimore police officers in another case.

Hes seen it all, so nothing surprises him, said Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who has watched Rosensteins work closely over the years. He said he was impressed with Rosensteins collegiality and willingness to hash out strategy on complex investigations.

When you get to that level of leadership, you know that every day can be your last day on the job, Davis said. Hell be able to sleep eight hours a night. Hes going to make decisions in the right interests of justice.

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The sun was setting in New York as James Murdoch stepped before 350 guests in a glass-walled concert hall and waxed poetic about his pet TV channel and its dedication to scientific literacy.

The event Wednesday night was an advertising showcase for National Geographic, which Murdoch, 44, has doted on since becoming chief executive of its parent company, 21st Century Fox. As a person who cares deeply about issues related to the environment, conservation, exploration and education, he told the crowd, Im personally grateful for the important work National Geographic does.

Across town at that same moment, his 86-year-old father, Rupert  who once called climate change alarmist nonsense  was still dealing with fallout at his most cherished channel, Fox News. Bill OReilly, the pugnacious and top-rated talk show host, had been ousted that day after allegations of sexual harassment involving multiple women.

It was James Murdoch who had most aggressively moved against OReilly. The same had happened in July, when Roger Ailes, who founded Fox News with Rupert Murdoch, was forced to resign amid his own sexual harassment scandal.

This is what generational change at one of the globes most powerful media conglomerates looks like.

With James and his elder brother, Lachlan, 45, who is the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, firmly entrenched as their fathers successors, they are now forcibly exerting themselves. Their father remains very involved, but his sons seem determined to rid the company of its roguish, old-guard internal culture and tilt operations toward the digital future.

They are both young enough to see and understand that the company has to change, said Doug Creutz, a media analyst at Cowen and Co. At some media companies, there is a feeling that people are being dragged kicking and screaming into the digital future. I dont get that sense with the brothers at all.

Over his storied career, Rupert Murdoch repeatedly showed that he was willing to trade workplace culture for profits  ride people hard, overlook putrid behaviour as long as the results are there, reward infighting. When his sons took over two years ago, however, they immediately set about creating a warmer and fuzzier workplace.

Employees at the Fox broadcast network said they were pleasantly surprised, for instance, to be summoned to a town-hall meeting where the brothers espoused transparency, workplace diversity and greater co-operation between divisions. In the fall, James and Lachlan introduced additional benefits, including more paid vacation, vastly enhanced reproductive coverage for women and expanded coverage for our transgender colleagues.

James and Lachlan overhauled their international networks business, a collection of some 350 channels; changed leadership at their film studio, home to the X-Men movies; and poured money into National Geographic. The brothers have even shaken up 21st Century Foxs profile in Washington, replacing their fathers Republican lobbying chief with a Democratic one.

As James and Lachlan move to modernize their company, several questions have emerged. The biggest: Can you truly change the culture without losing what made it so successful?

James has a lot of experience in senior management, and he is capable of running a business, said Creutz. Lachlan? I dont know. People dont know him as well. He is looked at a bit more skeptically by investors.

Anthony DiClemente, an analyst at Nomura Instinet, challenged that notion. As a manager, Lachlan has grown and developed quite a bit, he said. I think the brothers get along well, and that Lachlans views are falling into line with James.

Working together will be crucial if 21st Century Fox is going to navigate the shoals ahead. The conglomerate, like its competitors, is facing an extremely uncertain future. With competitors getting bigger  AT&Ts $85.4 billion (U.S.) purchase of Time Warner being Exhibit A  where does that leave the Murdochs?

Thats a question I think they asked themselves and moved them to try to buy the rest of Sky, said Michael Nathanson, an analyst at MoffettNathanson, referring to a pending $14.3 billion deal for 21st Century Fox to take full control of the British satellite TV giant.

At the moment, 21st Century Foxs portfolio is relatively healthy. In its most recent quarter, 21st Century Fox reported income of $856 million, a 27-per-cent increase from the same period a year earlier. Speaking of those results during a call with analysts in February, Lachlan noted moves the company had made to strengthen its business.

Weve been saying this for a while, he said, but actions and outcomes speak louder than words.

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OTTAWARegulators should make public companies hold a vote on the pay packages of top executives, say investors advocates, with compensation expected to be a major issue at the annual general meetings of some of Canadas biggest corporations this year.

Canadian shareholders typically head to annual meetings in April and May, where some but not all companies give them a say on executive pay through advisory motions. While the motions are non-binding, they can be uncomfortable for highly paid CEOs and spur corporate boards to review compensation.

The issue was highlighted on Thursday when TransAlta Corp. shareholders voted down the power plant owners executive pay plan, under which chief executive Dawn Farrell received a special one-time payment for extraordinary leadership as part of her $7.39 million in total compensation.

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Say-on-pay votes now should be the norm in Canada. Theyre not, said Kevin Thomas, director of shareholder engagement at the Shareholder Association for Research and Education.

Stephen Erlichman, executive director at the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, which has long advocated for mandatory say-on-pay shareholder votes, says Canada has become an outlier in the world with many other countries already requiring them.

Such votes focus boards on being able to explain pay arrangements in the plainest English that is possible, he said.

Several big names in Canada have seen their say-on-pay motions go down to defeat.

Barrick Gold, which holds its annual meeting on April 25, saw its advisory motion on executive pay turned down by shareholders in 2013 and 2015. CIBC saw its motion rejected in 2015.

Among those to watch this year will be a pair of corporate Canadas biggest names  Bombardier and Canadian Pacific Railway  when their shareholders meet in May.

CP Rail, which saw its executive pay plan voted down in 2016, made changes this year to cut back perks and place greater emphasis on safety and operating income.

Meanwhile, Bombardier modified its plan this year after public outrage at the increases awarded to executives even as the company slashed staff and received government assistance.

There were 177 Canadian companies that held a say-on-pay vote last year compared with 157 in 2015 and 28 in 2010, according to shareholder services and advisory firm Kingsdale Advisors.

Victor Li, executive vice-president of governance advisory at Kingsdale, said low shareholder support for pay plans can prompt companies to engage shareholders and improve transparency for executive compensation even though the votes are non-binding.

Nobody wants their say-on-pay to be 51 per cent, Li said.

If the say-on-pay is below 90 per cent for many companies it is considered a fail and they have to do something, he added. They have to talk to shareholders and understand who voted against and why.

Non-binding say-on-pay motions came to prominence in the wake of the financial crisis with changes that required U.S. publicly traded companies to include a shareholder resolution to approve executive compensation.

Legislation in Britain, Australia and some European countries also requires public companies to give shareholders a say-on-pay.

The Ontario Securities Commission, which has been monitoring developments in other jurisdictions, said it is the primary responsibility of the board and its executive compensation committee to ensure that pay practices promote long-term shareholder value.

However, securities regulators may mandate say-on-pay if boards fail to take executive compensation seriously and we determine that mandating say-on-pay would further our mandate to protect investors, foster efficient capital markets and ensure confidence in our markets, said Naizam Kanji, director of the office of mergers and acquisitions at the provincial regulator.

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The encounter with 74 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was reported from Kala Pathar near Chintagufa in Sukma, the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

By India Today Web Desk: In a deadly ambush by Naxals, 25 CRPF personnel were today killed and six other injured in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

The encounter with 74 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) occurred at Kala Pathar near Chintagufa in Sukma, the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

They were around 300 & we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest: CRPF constable Sher Mohammed injured in #Sukma pic.twitter.com/9LUK7ENRMX- ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

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The Naxals laid an ambush on a patrolling party of the CRPF near Burkapal village which was supporting road construction work in the area when they were attacked.

A team of 90 CRPF jawans were sanitising a road which is being built in the area when around a large group of around 300 naxals, divided into multiple groups, attacked the CRPF party, sources said.

The injured were evacuated by helicopter and CoBRA teams of CRPF were sent as reinforcements and were conducting search operations.

A group of seven CRPF personnel including a commander went missing after the attack but were traced out later on.

Jawans injured in CRPF-Naxals encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma shifted to hospital in Raipur. pic.twitter.com/6x5zZKANVy; ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

According to reports, the gunbattle lasted for an hour. The Naxals looted all arms and ammunition of the CRPF jawans.

Injured CRPF jawan Sher Mohammed said, "First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many. They were around 300 and we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest".

Immediately after the incident, the home secretary called a high-level meeting of additional secretary and joint secretary of Naxal division to discuss the Naxal menace.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh cut short his Delhi visit and returned to Raipur where he called an emergency meeting in the aftermath of the attack.

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2- Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said it is a big tragedy and a setback for the forces. "We will react only when we have full details," the minister said when asked by reporters to comment on the Naxal ambush.

Twelve personnel of the CRPF were killed in the same district early this year in a deadly Naxal ambush.

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(Inputs from PTI)Also read:

Odisha: Naxals attack railway station, put up posters against PM Modi's visit Also watch:

Sukma: CRPF personnel killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh

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KABULAfghanistans army chief and defence minister resigned on Monday, following a Taliban attack over the weekend that struck a northern army base, killing more than 100 military and other personnel, officials said.

The attack  the biggest ever by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan  involved multiple gunmen and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday, killing and wounding scores.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which according to some estimates killed over 130 people.

Read more:100 dead in Afghanistan after Taliban attack on military compound

Also on Monday, a police official said at least four security guards were killed when a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of the army chief of staff and the countrys defence minister, according to a statement from the presidents office. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

The authorities have not released definitive numbers for the casualty tolls but Afzel Hadid, the head of the provincial council in Balkh, told The Associated Press that at least 130 people were killed and 80 were wounded.

A senior American military official in Kabul on Monday gave the latest Afghan estimate as standing at 144 Afghan soldiers killed and said it was likely to rise further.

The official said it appears likely the attack was either carried out by or planned by a Pakistan-based Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network, which is a U.S. government-designated terrorist organization. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence matters, added the assault likely took four to six months to plan and that it was also likely the attackers had help in advance from Afghan troops on the base.

Also on Monday, U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Kabul to assess what has become Americas longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending in more U.S. troops to help the Afghans fight the insurgency.

Ghani travelled to the base in Balkh on Saturday from where he strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace. Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning on Sunday, with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-staff on government buildings and offices.

In the Talibans detailed statement on the attack, posted on the militant groups website, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that four of the 10 attackers were disguised as soldiers.

The statement said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of the Taliban shadow governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, and threatened more violence against the army and police, saying this years operations will be painful.

The attackers managed to pass through two checkpoints at the base, driving in two military vehicles. When security guards stopped them at a third gate, the attackers opened fire and two suicide bombers blew themselves up.

The militarys 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.

The attack in Balkh raises serious questions about the Afghan militarys capability to stand on its own in the battle against the insurgency following the withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014. The American and other foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan are now mostly acting in an advisory and training role, with some combat assistance.

In March, an attack on a military hospital in Kabul killed 50 people. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, , which has emerged and gained a foothold in Afghanistan over the past years.

Gen. Faizullah Ghyrat, a provincial police chief in Khost province, said at least four security guards were killed after a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan on Monday. He said six other security guards were wounded in the attack.

The suicide bomber used a mini-van and targeted the guards, who were providing security for a U.S. military base near the city of Khost, said Ghyrat. No group claimed immediate responsivity for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active in the area.

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BEIJINGChinas president, Xi Jinping, has urged President Donald Trump to show restraint toward North Korea despite signs that the North may be preparing a nuclear test. Xi made the appeal in a phone call with Trump on Monday that reflected growing alarm over North Koreas plans, which could tip the region into crisis.

The phone conversation, on Monday morning in Beijing, came after Trump had already used a meeting with Xi in Florida, a followup phone call, interviews and Twitter messages to press Xi to do more to deter North Korea from holding additional nuclear and missile tests. The United States and its allies have been on alert for another atomic test by the North.

In the latest call, the third between the two leaders, Xi indicated to Trump that China opposed any such test by North Korea, but he also nudged Trump to avoid a tit-for-tat response to the Norths fiery threats, according to a report on Chinese television.

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China adamantly opposes any actions in contravention of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, Xi said, according to the report, evidently referring to a series of decisions by the council to punish North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs.

At the same time, it is hoped that all sides exercise restraint and avoid doing things that exacerbate tensions on the peninsula, Xi said, referring to the Korean Peninsula. Only if all sides live up to their responsibilities and come together from different directions can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible.

The comments reflected growing Chinese fears that the tensions between North Korea and the United States and its Asian allies could spiral into outright military conflict. That widening rift is presenting China with confounding choices between its long-standing ties to North Korea and its hopes for steady relations with the United States.

President Trump criticized North Koreas continued belligerence and emphasized that Pyongyangs actions are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula, the White House said in its brief account of Trumps call with Xi. The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

With North Korea continuing to do missile and nuclear tests, President Trump called on the United Nations Security Council on Monday to prepare to put stronger sanctions on Pyongyang.

North Korea did not proceed with a nuclear test April 15, which some experts had expected, but work apparently resumed at its atomic test site in Punggye-ri, according to analysts who have assessed satellite images of the site.

The flaring tensions over North Korea have already reopened cracks in its ties with China, which for decades has provided fuel, trade opportunities and a degree of political cover to North Korea, while other countries have shunned it.

The Chinese government has recently increased pressure on North Korea. In February, China officially suspended coal shipments from North Korea and a prominent Chinese newspaper has also raised the threat of choking off oil shipments to the North.

North Koreas official news agency responded over the weekend in a comment that warned China of catastrophic consequences for their relationship if economic sanctions continued, reported Yonhap, the South Korean news service.

But Monday, Geng Shuang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stuck to pleas for calm from all sides when asked repeatedly about North Korea, its threats to China and the possibility of another nuclear test.

The situation on the peninsula is complicated and sensitive, Shuang said when asked about a possible North Korean nuclear test. We strongly urge all sides to stay calm and restrained and dont take any actions that could escalate tensions.

On Sunday, Japanese defence forces began a joint drill with a visiting U.S. navy strike group featuring an aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson, which had arrived in northeast Asia in a display of U.S. resolve.

Trump had said this month that the Carl Vinson was part of an armada of U.S. navy ships that would move closer to North Korea as a warning against provocative actions. It turned out the Carl Vinson was headed nowhere near the Korean Peninsula, but the carrier and accompanying ships have since moved into the region, prompting warnings of a retaliatory strike from North Korea.

In the past two days, the North Korean state media, including the main Workers Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, has warned that the North was ready to turn the Carl Vinson into a great heap of scrap metal and bury it in the sea.

The South Korean Defense Ministry said Monday that it was also considering holding joint drills with the Carl Vinson and accompanying ships, Reuters reported.

In addition to his discussion with Xi, Trump also spoke with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on Monday morning in Tokyo, Abe told reporters.

Abe told the president that he strongly endorsed Trumps position that all options were on the table.

North Koreas nuclear and missile program is an extremely serious threat to security not only in the international community but also for our country, Abe said. We will continue to closely co-operate and maintain the high level of warning and surveillance. We will respond resolutely.

But Washington and allied governments believe that North Koreas weapons development is getting closer to mastering the means to hit the continental United States with a ballistic missile. And they have become increasingly impatient with China to do more to rein in North Korea.

On the other hand, Beijing argues that Washington must also do more to end the volatile impasse with Pyongyang. Chinese diplomats have urged the United States to suspend major military exercises with South Korea in return for North Korea suspending nuclear and missile tests.

Xis government has also fiercely opposed an anti-missile system  called the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD  that the Trump administration has begun installing in South Korea. China argues that the system could also be rejiggered to spy on its missiles.

But White House officials have said North Korea must prove it is serious about dismantling its nuclear and missiles programs before new negotiations are possible.

Adding to the friction, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen over the weekend, adding to the two Americans already known to be in custody there. The latest man believed to be held, Tony Kim, had been teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

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PARISA day after mainstream parties were dealt a heavy defeat in the French presidential election, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, one of the two candidates to advance to a runoff, condemned the parties calls to unite against her and support her rival, independent centrist Emmanuel Macron.

Le Pens statement on Monday denouncing the old and completely rotten Republican Front  the coalition of mainstream parties allied against her  sums up her challenge in the May 7 runoff. So far, not a single rival party has called for its voters to support Le Pen. And she has no plausible major reservoir of votes to add to the 21.3 per cent she received in the first round of voting, though she is expected to gain some voters from defeated centre-right candidate Francois Fillon.

Perhaps in an effort to broaden her appeal to voters from outside the far-right National Fronts traditional constituencies, Le Pen announced on Twitter Monday that she was temporarily stepping down as the partys leader so she could run as a candidate for all the French.

Read more:

Marine Le Pen, shown here voting in Sunday's, will step down from head of National Front

Back Macron to prevent Le Pen 'risk', says Hollande

French presidential candidate Le Pen steps down as head of National Front party

Tonight, I am not the president of the National Front, I am the presidential candidate, the one who wants to gather all the French around a project of hope, of prosperity, of security, she said in an interview on French television.

Most of Le Pens rivals have gathered around the effort to defeat her. Only one major candidate has resisted calls to unite against her: Jean-Luc Melenchon, the firebrand hard-left candidate who came in fourth and who has pointedly refused to support Macron, saying instead that he would seek the opinion of his supporters through his website. Similarly, traditionalist Roman Catholic organizations that backed Fillon refused to endorse Macron on Monday.

Some of Le Pens advisers said, in interviews with French media Monday, that they were hoping to lure some of the supporters of the defeated Melenchon, whose populist program bore similarities to that of Le Pen: hostility to the European Union, NATO and the forces of globalization; and a forgiving attitude toward Russias president, Vladimir Putin.

Many of Melenchons supporters may have little fondness for Le Pen, but in interviews they expressed equal disdain for the pro-free market Macron. For me, Le Pen, Macron, its the same, said Olivia Scemama, a musician from the 18th Arrondissement of Paris who said she voted for Melenchon on Sunday. With Macron, its the extremism of banks, of finance.

The election results published Monday suggested another hurdle for Le Pen to overcome: a sharp urban-rural divide in the vote, with voters in Frances major cities heavily favouring her rivals.

The geography and sociology of her support was similar to Donald Trumps support in the 2016 U.S. presidential race. She won more departements  between a county and a state in French political geography  than Macron, and she won the working-class vote. But she did poorly in what French sociologists call Winners France  urban, employed, well-educated and pro-European. She received less than 5 per cent of the vote in Paris, less than 8 per cent in Bordeaux and less than 9 per cent in Lyon.

Stock markets opened higher Monday across Europe, a sign that investors were relieved by Macrons strong showing. Le Pen wants France to leave the euro currency zone, a prospect that created unease on international markets in the prelude to the first round of voting.

Polls released Monday showed that about 60 per cent of voters supported Macron, compared with less than 40 per cent for Le Pen. A live televised debate between the candidates is set for May 3.

In Henin-Beaumont, the northern French city where Le Pen won 46 per cent of the vote and whose National Front mayor is one of her top advisers, even supporters were pessimistic about her chances in the runoff. Its a bummer, said Jean-Louis Devienne, 72. If people could come here and see how good the National Front has been for our town, they would understand how good it can be for our country.

On Monday, Le Pen continued to emphasize the anti-immigrant and antiglobalization views that propelled her into the second round, and she denounced the efforts of the mainstream parties to keep her out of the presidency.

The old and completely rotten Republican Front, which no one wants, and which the French have pushed away with exceptional violence, is trying to coalesce around Mr. Macron, Le Pen said in Rouvroy, a town in the deindustrialized north of France where her message tends to resonate with voters.

Le Pen also called Macron weak on terrorism, an issue that drew renewed attention days before the first round of voting, when a gunman on the Champs-Elysees, in central Paris, killed a police officer.

President Francois Hollande is scheduled to pay tribute to the fallen officer at a ceremony Tuesday. His office said Macron and Le Pen are expected to attend.

Macron, who has never held elective office, came first among 11 candidates, with 24 per cent of the vote. Le Pen was second, with 21.3 per cent, according to final results tallied Monday by the Interior Ministry.

Fillon, the centre-right candidate who was once seen as the front-runner, before a scandal erupted involving public funds paid to his family, finished third at 20 per cent. He was followed by Melenchon at 19.6 per cent and the Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon, at 6.4 per cent.

The mainstream parties were left struggling to pick up the pieces after their poor showing. On the right, many were quick to blame their candidate, Fillon, who refused to drop out of the race after the embezzlement scandal.

Fillons Republicans party called on Monday for people to vote against Le Pen, without explicitly encouraging its supporters to vote for Macron. But many prominent politicians had, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, already directly called on Sunday for voters to support Macron.

The Socialists and the Republicans will now be looking to elections in June, when French voters will elect the members of the National Assembly, Frances lower and more powerful house of Parliament. Those legislative elections could present a bigger challenge for Macron than winning the second round of the presidential election. He has vowed to field candidates in all 577 districts. But his political movement is barely a year old, and he is up against the established parties, which are weakened but still have extensive political networks.

Although Macron is seen as an overwhelming favourite in the second round of the presidential election, he was warned not to take victory for granted and  after he spent Monday night with supporters at a chic restaurant in the wealthy 6th Arrondissement of Paris  not to celebrate too much, too soon.

Macron has to avoid making the same mistake as Hillary Clinton, the newspaper Le Monde wrote in an editorial on Monday, arguing that Clinton had not sufficiently addressed the popularity of her opponent Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party primaries.

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NEW ORLEANSA monument to a deadly white-supremacist uprising in 1874 was removed under cover of darkness by workers in masks and bulletproof vests Monday as New Orleans joined the movement to take down symbols of the Confederacy and the Jim Crow South.

The Liberty Place monument, a 35-foot granite obelisk that pays tribute to whites who tried to topple a biracial Reconstruction government installed in New Orleans after the Civil War, was taken away on a truck in pieces before daybreak after a few hours of work.

In the coming days, the city will also remove three statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, now that legal challenges have been overcome.

We will no longer allow the Confederacy to literally be put on a pedestal in the heart of our city, Mayor Mitch Landrieu vowed.

The removal of the obelisk was carried out early in the morning because of death threats and fears of disruption from supporters of the monuments.

The workers wore military-style helmets and had scarves over their faces. Police were on hand, with officers watching from atop a hotel parking garage.

The statue was put up to honour the killing of police officers by white supremacists, Landrieu said. Of the four that we will move, this statue is perhaps the most blatant affront to the values that make America and New Orleans strong today.

Citing safety concerns, the mayor would not disclose exactly when the other monuments would be taken down, except to say that it will be done at night to avoid trouble.

He said the monuments will be put in storage until an appropriate place to display them is determined.

Nationally, the debate over Confederate symbols has flared since nine black parishioners were shot to death by an avowed racist at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

South Carolina removed the Confederate flag from its statehouse grounds in the weeks after, and several Southern cities have since considered removing monuments. The University of Mississippi took down its state flag because it includes the Confederate emblem.

New Orleans is a mostly black city of nearly 390,000. The majority-black City Council voted 6-1 in 2015 to take the monuments down, but legal battles held up action.

Landrieu, a white Democrat, proposed the monuments removal and rode to victory twice with overwhelming support from the citys black residents.

Opponents of the memorials say they are offensive artifacts honouring the regions racist past. Others say the monuments are part of history and should be preserved.

Robert Bonner, a 63-year-old Civil War re-enactor, was there to protest the monuments removal.

I think its a terrible thing, he said. When you start removing the history of the city, you start losing money. You start losing where you came from and where youve been.

The Monumental Task Committee, which sued to preserve the memorials, condemned the middle-of-the-night removal as atrocious government.

The Liberty Place monument was erected in 1891 to commemorate the failed uprising by the Crescent City White League.

Sixteen White Leaguers, 13 members of the white and black Metropolitan police force and six bystanders were among those killed in the bloody battle down Canal Street.

President Ulysses Grant sent federal troops to take the city back three days later. However, the White League grew in power in New Orleans after the battle, with its members and allies taking over the city and state government after Reconstruction.

An inscription added in 1932 said the Yankees withdrew federal troops and recognized white supremacy in the South after the uprising. In 1993, those words were covered by a granite slab with a new inscription, saying the obelisk honours Americans on both sides who died and that the conflict should teach us lessons for the future.

New Orleans removed the memorial from busy Canal Street during a paving project in 1989 and didnt put it back up until the city was sued. Even then, it was consigned to an obscure spot on a side street.

Landrieu said the memorials dont represent his city as it approaches its 300th anniversary next year.

Removing the monuments is not about blame, the mayor said. Rather, its about showing the whole world that we as a city and as people are able to acknowledge, understand, reconcile and  most importantly  choose a better future, making straight what has been crooked and right what has been wrong.

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A rare second parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence has been found  in England.

The discovery was made by Harvard University researchers Emily Sneff and Danielle Allen, according to a university news release published in the Harvard Gazette on Friday. The pair located the rare document in a records office in Chichester, a city near the coast of southern England.

The first clue that the document existed came in 2015, when Sneff spotted an unusual listing from a catalogue for the West Sussex Record Office in Chichester: Manuscript copy, on parchment, of the Declaration in Congress of the thirteen United States of America.

Id found vague descriptions of other copies of the declaration that turned out to be 19th-century reproductions of the signed parchment in the National Archives, so that was what I was expecting, Sneff told the Harvard Gazette. What struck me as significant was that it said manuscript on parchment.

The West Sussex Record Office sent over photos of the actual document, which Sneff and Allen pored over.

When I looked at it closely, I started to see details, like names that werent in the right order  John Hancock isnt listed first, theres a mark at the top that looks like an erasure, the text has very little punctuation in it  and its in a handwriting I hadnt seen before, Sneff told the Gazette. As those details started adding up, I brought it to Danielles attention, and we realized this was different from any other copy we had seen.

Over the last two years, Sneff and Allen, who work with Harvards Declaration Resources Project, analyzed the Sussex version of the Declaration of Independence: the handwriting, the parchment itself, the signatories. They have concluded that the Sussex Declaration likely dates to the 1780s, was made in New York or Philadelphia and belonged to the Duke of Richmond  also known as the Radical Duke for his support of the American Revolution, the Boston Globe reported.

Photos of the newly discovered declaration show crease marks indicating that it had been folded multiple times at some point.

Nobody even had an inkling that a second might exist, and so there is no reason to even look for such a thing, Allen told CBS News.

Sneff and Allen said they are trying to determine who commissioned the parchment copy, who actually made the copy and how the document arrived in England, the university said.

The National Archives in Washington has the only other parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence, the original one signed July 4, 1776. What sets the Sussex copy apart from the National Archives copy is that the signatures are not grouped by state, Allen and Sneff told the Harvard Gazette.

Though it is not legally binding like the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American history. The second sentence of its weighty preamble  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness  is often quoted.

The original parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence in the National Archives is, alas, severely faded to the point that its nearly illegible  and possibly was even defaced, according to experts who have studied it.

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MONCTON, N.B.The wife of one of three New Brunswick Mounties killed by a gunman on June 4, 2014, says a trial against the RCMP, that starts today, will be emotional but necessary.

Nadine Larche says change is needed in the RCMP before tragic history repeats itself.

Her husband, Const. Doug Larche, along with constables Fabrice Gevaudan and Dave Ross were killed, while constables Eric Dubois and Darlene Goguen were wounded when gunman Justin Bourque used a semi-automatic rifle to target police officers in Monctons northwest end.

The RCMP faces Labour Code charges stemming from the forces response to the shooting rampage.

Employment and Social Development Canada alleges the RCMP failed to provide members and supervisors with the appropriate information, instruction and training in an active shooter event, and also didnt give members the appropriate equipment.

The force entered not-guilty pleas in May 2016.

Larche said that while the trial will be extremely difficult for everyone, she hopes it will lead to changes to ensure officer safety and better working conditions.

Rob Creasser of the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada says he hopes the trial leads to accountability by the force.

He says the RCMP has made improvements in the last two years but should have done more after four officers were killed in Mayerthorpe, Alta., in 2005.

Read more:

Moncton RCMP monument uses personal touches to honour fallen officers

RCMP pleads not guilty to Labour Code charges in Moncton shooting

RCMP says most recommendations made after Moncton shootings completed

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WASHINGTONThe Trump administration issued sanctions Monday on 271 people linked to the Syrian agency responsible for producing non-conventional weapons, part of an ongoing U.S. crackdown on Syrian President Bashar Assads alleged use of chemical weapons.

The sanctions target employees of Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Center, which the U.S. says partly enables the use of chemical weapons. The U.S. has blamed Assad for an attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 civilians in rebel-held northern Idlib.

The United States is sending a strong message with this action: That we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House Monday. He said it was one of the largest such sanctions actions in U.S. history.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump has called Assad evil and said his use of chemical weapons crossed a lot of lines.

Assad has strongly denied he was behind the attack, in which sarin gas was allegedly used.

Read more:

Syria still has chemical weapons, U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says

Without offering evidence, Assad says videos of dead children in Syria chemical attack are fake

U.S. berates Syria at chemical weapons prohibition meeting

As a result of Mondays action, any property or interest in property of the individuals sanctioned must be blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

As Trump dined this month with Chinas President Xi Jinping during their highly anticipated summit at Trumps Florida resort, word emerged that Trump took action against Assad by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield. The retaliation was seen as somewhat unexpected for a president that vowed to stay out of lingering wars and conflicts overseas.

This month, Russia vetoed a Western-backed U.N. resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and demanded a speedy investigation into the attack. China abstained for the first time, a move the White House billed a win for their efforts to isolate Russia.

On Syria, the Council failed again this month to respond to Syrias use of chemical weapons, Trump said Monday at a White House meeting of U.N. ambassadors from countries on the Security Council. A great disappointment. I was very disappointed by that.

The U.S. has gradually been expanding its sanctions program against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanctions targeting Syria for a range of offences, including its support of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon, efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

More recently, sanctions were expanded in connection with its civil war, now in its sixth year, to target offences linked to the ongoing violence and human rights abuses.

The U.S. has also issued sanctions for foreign individuals or companies that support Assads government. A number of Iranian entities have been penalized for supporting the Syrian government or fighters working to undermine peace in Syria.

While Moscow and Washington are continuously at odds over Syria, the U.S. has not imposed any Syria-related sanctions on Russia.

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WASHINGTONThe United States could strike North Korea if it attacks a U.S. military base or tests an intercontinental ballistic missile, U.S. President Donald Trumps UN ambassador said Monday.

In several television interviews, Nikki Haley praised Chinas involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing and criticized Pyongyangs leader, Kim Jong Un, as unstable and paranoid.

Asked about the threshold for U.S. action, Haley told NBCs Today Show that if you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously were going to do that.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Haley said the U.S. wasnt looking for a fight and wouldnt attack North Korea unless he gives us reason to do something.

The Trump administration has been working to rally support behind its efforts to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear program and ending missile tests. Trump spoke again to the leaders of China and Japan late Sunday to discuss the matter.

Read more:

South Korea and its allies brace for North Koreas next move

U.S. warship, heading to North Korea, trains with Japan

North Korea detains American-born professor, the third U.S. citizen being held

At a White House meeting with United Nations ambassadors, President Trump says the 'status quo' in North Korea is 'unacceptable' and that the Council 'failed again' to respond to Syria's use of chemical weapons.

The White House said in a brief statement Monday that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea. Trump has repeatedly promised that China will earn a better trade deal with the U.S. if it helps to exert pressure on its allied neighbouring nation.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, Haley told NBC: I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen.

North Korea has been aggressively pursuing a decades-long goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year alone, which would have improved its knowledge on making nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles.

South Korean officials say theres a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Haley said the U.S. is working with China to pressure North Korea on the missile and nuclear testing and other issues, including the detention over the weekend of a U.S. citizen, bringing to three the number of Americans now being held there.

Haley said the detentions are North Koreas effort to have a bargaining chip for talks with the U.S.

What were dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now and hes trying to show his citizens he has muscle, Haley told CBS This Morning.

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Rhetorically speaking, comparing someone to Adolf Hitler is usually the nuclear option in policy and polite discussions alike. An opponents viewpoints can be outlandish, harmful or downright wrong  and still a far cry from the slave labour and extermination of 6 million Jews.

But what happens when its the pope making the Nazi allusion?

Pope Francis, no stranger to lending his moral authority to a range of causes, was meeting with some migrants at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew in Rome on Saturday, according to the BBC, and relayed a story about a Middle Eastern refugee whose wife was killed by Islamist militants for holding on to her crucifix.

I dont know if he managed to leave that concentration camp, the pope said. Because many of them are concentration ... because there is a great number of people left there inside them.

As the pontiffs words rocketed around the world, the American Jewish Committee, which advocates for Jewish causes, released a statement saying it understood the pontiffs sentiments but didnt agree with his comparison.

The conditions in which migrants are currently living in some European countries may well be difficult, and deserve still greater international attention, but concentration camps they certainly are not, AJC chief executive David Harris said in the statement on the groups website.

The Nazis and their allies erected and used concentration camps for slave labour and the extermination of millions of people during World War II. There is no comparison to the magnitude of that tragedy.

We respectfully urge the Pope to reconsider his regrettable choice of words, Harris added. Precision of language and facts is absolutely essential when making any historical reference, all the more so when coming from such a prominent and admired world figure.

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 65.3 million forcibly displaced people across the world. Of the 21.3 million refugees in the world, half are children. The Calais camp for migrants in northern France, nicknamed the Jungle, had cramped makeshift tents plagued by rats, water sources contaminated by (feces) and inhabitants suffering from tuberculosis, scabies and post-traumatic, the Guardian reported.

And in Greece, Interior Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis, touring the Idomeni camp on the border with Macedonia, compared it to a concentration camp. Idomeni was where a photo emerged of two Syrian parents washing their newborn baby, Bayan, in a puddle.

I do not hesitate to say that this is a modern-day Dachau, a result of the logic of closed borders, he said. Whoever comes here takes several blows to the stomach.

Read more:

Pope Francis laments Syrian attack, other world conflicts in Easter address

The pope hasnt hesitated to lend his moral voice to controversial subjects. Last summer, he gave Catholic priests the authority to forgive women whove had abortions.

He has rejected the idea of same-sex marriage, but he has encouraged priests to be merciful when dealing with divorced and remarried couples. He said destroying the environment is a sin.

He has spoken out on migrant issues again and again, emphasizing that its incumbent on all Christians to help refugees and others who are struggling, as Jesus said in Matthew 25.

Last year, after a flood of anti-immigrant sentiment in the wake of a terrorist attack in Brussels, Francis washed the feet of immigrants at a centre for asylum seekers in Rome.

Its hypocrisy to call yourself a Christian and chase away a refugee or someone seeking help, someone who is hungry or thirsty, toss out someone who is in need of my help, he said while meeting with pilgrims in October, according to Catholic News Services. If I say I am Christian, but do these things, Im a hypocrite.

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KABULThe United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top U.S. military officials said Monday.

At a news conference with U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, Gen. John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldnt provide specifics about Russias role in Afghanistan. But said he would not refute that Moscows involvement includes giving weapons to the Taliban.

Earlier Monday, a senior U.S. military official told reporters in Kabul that Russia was giving machine-guns and other medium-weight weapons. The Taliban are using the weapons in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, according to the official, who briefed journalists on intelligence information on condition of anonymity.

Read more: Afghan army chief, defence minister resign after Taliban attack

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Russia says contacts are limited to safeguarding security and getting the hard-line religious fundamentalists to reconcile with the government  which Washington has failed for years to advance. Russia also has promoted easing global sanctions on Taliban leaders who prove co-operative.

Asked about Russias activity in Afghanistan, where it fought a bloody war in the 1980s and withdrew in defeat, Mattis alluded to the increasing U.S. concerns.

Well engage with Russia diplomatically, Mattis said. Well do so where we can, but were going to have to confront Russia where what theyre doing is contrary to international law or denying the sovereignty of other countries.

For example, Mattis told reporters in the Afghan capital, any weapons being funneled here from a foreign country would be a violation of international law.

Mattis met with President Ashraf Ghani and other senior government officials just hours after the nations defence minister and Army chief resigned over a massacre of more than 140 Afghan troops at a military base last Friday.

The insurgent assault was the biggest ever on a military base in Afghanistan, involving multiple gunmen and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday, killing and wounding scores. The death toll was likely to rise further.

Referring to the Russians again, Nicholson said anyone who arms belligerents who perpetuate attacks like the one we saw isnt focused on the best way forward to a peaceful reconciliation.

Given the sophisticated planning behind the attack, he also said its quite possible that the Pakistan-based Haqqani network was responsible. The Taliban claimed it carried out the attack.

Nicholson recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own. The Trump administration is still reviewing possible troop decisions.

Mattis on Monday offered a grim assessment for Afghan forces fighting the Taliban.

2017 is going to be another tough year, he said.

Kabul was the final stop on Mattis six-nation, weeklong tour. He is the first member of U.S. President Donald Trumps Cabinet to visit Afghanistan. As part of the administrations review of Afghan policy, Trumps national security adviser, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul last week to consult with Nicholson and Afghan officials.

The war began in October 2001. The U.S. has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014 but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.

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By Press Trust of India: Srinagar, Apr 24 (PTI) The Opposition National Conference and the CPI(M) today condemned the alleged killing of ruling PDPs district president for Pulwama, Abdul Gani Dar.

"We express solidarity with Dar Sahabs family and express our grief at this tragic incident. May God give the family the strength to bear this loss," the state spokesman of National Conference said in a statement.

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Gani was shot dead allegedly by militants in Pinglena area of Pulwama district, 31 kms from here, this afternoon.

The spokesman said Dars killing was yet another reflection of the alarming state of affairs in the state, which he claimed has plunged into total chaos, uncertainty and turmoil due to the PDP-BJP government.

The PDP-BJP government and especially Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should acknowledge their shameful role in bringing Jammu and Kashmir to this situation and take moral responsibility for the continuously deteriorating situation in the state, he said.

"While Mehbooba Mufti goes around begging from office to office in New Delhi for her government to be saved, lives are being lost in Kashmir and alienation is at an all time high. She should introspect and resign without any further delay," he said.

Condemning Dars killing, senior CPI(M) leader and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami termed the incident as a "heinous and barbaric act".

Tarigami said the society must come out and express itself against such "brutal acts of violence".

"Violence in all its manifestations is condemnable as violence begets violence. These incidents of brutality are not acceptable to any civilized society," he said. PTI MIJ IKA

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CARACASProtesters sprawled in lawn chairs, worked on math homework and played cards on main roads around Venezuelas cities Monday, joining in sit-ins to disrupt traffic as the latest slap at the socialist government.

Thousands shut down the main highway in Caracas to express their anger with the increasingly embattled administration of President Nicolas Maduro. They turned the road into a kind of public plaza, with protesters settling in for picnics, reading books and reclining under umbrellas they brought to protect against the blazing Caribbean sun.

Read more: At least 3 killed in anti-government protests in Venezuela

In the provinces, protests turned deadly. The public prosecutor announced that 54-year-old Renzo Rodriguez was killed by a gunshot to the chest Monday at a protest in the plains state of Barinas. In the mountain town of Merida, state worker Jesus Sulbaran was fatally shot in the neck at a pro-government rally. In addition, five people were injured at the Merida protest, Venezuela ombudsman Tarek William Saab said.

The two killings raised to 23 the number of deaths linked to unrest that began almost a month ago over the Supreme Courts decision to gut the opposition-controlled congress of its powers.

The Caracas gathering was largely peaceful, though some protesters wrapped bandanas around their faces and threw stones at police, prompting state security forces to release a cloud of tear gas.

Juan Carlos Bautista passed the afternoon playing dominoes.

We want to be free. Im here fighting for my children and my childrens children, he said.

The current wave of protests is the most intense the economically struggling country has seen since two months of anti-government protests in 2014 that left dozens dead. But while those protests were led by young people who built flaming barricades in the street, this months movement is attracting masses of older protesters, who say they are fighting not for themselves, but for the younger generations.

Protesters in at least a dozen other cities staged sit-ins, with some building barricades to stop traffic. In Caracas, protesters dragged concrete slabs, garbage and even a bathtub into the road.

Retired professor Lisbeth Colina said she decided to participate in the sit-in for her grandchildren.

The side that gives up is the side that loses, she said. We must remain in the streets. Im not scared of the repression theyre throwing at us, she said.

Maduro said Sunday that he wouldnt give in to opponents and again urged them rejoin negotiations they broke off in December. He also said the government had no plans to expropriate General Motors Venezuelan subsidiary. A court last week ordered the seizure of a GM plant and the company responded by shuttering its operations in the country.

Former Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez came to Caracas on Monday to meet with Maduro. He had backed last years negotiations, which collapsed over the governments refusal to meet opposition demands for elections and the release of political prisoners.

But opposition leaders had no plans to meet with Maduro. They are rejecting calls for dialogue and demanding the immediate scheduling of elections.

The government wants to use negotiations as a ploy to divide us, demobilize us, and win itself time, congress Vice-President Freddy Guevara told reporters. This protest is an exercise in resistance and a test of our conviction.

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The Ten Commandments, so the Bible tells us, were etched onto two tablets of stone for perpetuity. The first tablet lists our obligations to God, the second our duties to each other. The first is largely to be manifest in ritual, the second in moral conduct.

For liberals, to be religious is to be moral more than to observe rituals. Piety without ethics is hypocrisy. The prophets of the Hebrew Bible riled against those who observed rituals but acted immorally. They taught ethical monotheism as the very core of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

However, most of our contemporaries who affirm their commitment to moral conduct describe themselves as secular. Normative Judaism disagrees with this self-assessment. Even if people only heed the commandments on the second of the two tablets, exponents of Judaism remind us that it, no less than the first, comes from God and makes for holiness.

Judaism doesnt distinguish between religious and secular, only between holy and profane. It teaches that people who act morally are implicitly God-fearing, whether they acknowledge it or not. Though adamant self-styled secularists shun open manifestations of commitment to God, their efforts to live morally bring them into the realm of faith.

Thats why many religious leaders have no qualms about joining exponents of other faiths and women and men who describe themselves as non-religious in the struggle for justice and morality. When the Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel joined the Protestant Rev. Martin Luther King in the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in 1965, he said his feet were praying when he marched for freedom.

Similarly, though many of the founders of what later became the State of Israel described themselves as secular, the influential contemporary exponent of Judaism and the first chief rabbi in the country, Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935), regarded them as doing Gods work.

Which prompts this question: if living by the precepts of the second tablet alone makes you religious, can you be religious by living primarily by the precepts of the first tablet, more concerned with rituals than with morality?

Though philosophers and theologians through the ages have said yes, most contemporary adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism will emphatically say no. They see morality even more indispensable to religion than ritual and theology. The tensions between traditionalists and modernists are often about that.

In our time, many thoughtful and believing Muslims, Jews, and Christians are horrified when they hear of corrupt religious leaders or of clergy who sexually abuse those in their charge or incite adherents to acts of violence. They regard their piety as sham and accuse them of bringing religion into disrepute. Their colleagues who protect abusers or turn a blind eye are often also castigated. Whether or not the theology of the adherents of the first tablet is sound, their practices are considered to be unacceptable in our time unless theyre rooted in moral conduct.

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, named by Newsweek and the Forward as one of Americas 50 most influential Jews, is troubled by this issue. In a recent article that has appeared in several publications he admits that one can indeed be religious and be unethical on the grounds that none of the religious traditions of the world is absolutely perfect.

Thats why its not enough to merely submit to religious teachings or authorities. Yanklowitz insists, that religious communities cannot be afraid of drawing upon moral wisdom outside of the text.

Thats also the contribution of great exponents of authentic religion such as Heschel, King, Kook and countless others. They taught us how to try to live as faithful followers of the commanding God.

Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus of Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every four weeks.

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In Ontario prisons, the shameful reality is that inmates are sometimes tossed into solitary confinement and then forgotten, for years, by the province.

We have long known this. Yet despite having studied the problem for years, Queen's Park has done little about it. A new report from Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube decries this persistent failure and recommends a series of sensible measures to address it. The province should waste no time in following his advice.

Consider the example of Adam Capay, who spent four years in solitary in a Thunder Bay jail while awaiting trial on a murder charge. The ministrys unreliable records at the time showed he had been in segregation for 50 days  when the real total was 1,591, Dube said. As far as the ministry was concerned, he was out of sight and out of mind.

Sadly, Capay's case, while extreme, is not unique, Dube warned.

We probably tracked livestock better than we do human beings, one ministry official told investigators.

Dube is rightly calling for a complete overhaul of the system. Among his recommendations:

That the province set a standardized definition of segregation so it can properly track it.

That a new tracking system be created that actually works.

That independent panels review all segregation placements  with an onus on the ministry of community and correctional services to show that each placement is justified.

And that the ministry release annual reports on its use of solitary confinement.

Correctional services minister Marie-France Lalonde has already said she will address all of the ombudsmans recommendations and report back on her progress every six months. This is an encouraging response, particularly given the province's history of inaction on the problem.

Despite studying the issue to death, the Wynne government has made little progress. In 2015, the ministry launched an internal review in response to criticism. But rather than act on its findings, it hired former federal prison watchdog Howard Sapers to conduct further study. His report is due out this summer.

Then, last May, Dube issued a report urging Queens Park to abolish indefinite segregation and develop alternative practices to protect the rights of people serving time in jail. Roughly 7 per cent of Ontarios 8,000 inmates are held in segregation at any given time, many for inhumanely long stretches of time.

Again, the province did little in response, and the few regulations it has adopted haven't necessarily been followed. For example, a rule that came into effect in September 2015 requires detailed reports be sent to senior ministry staff any time a prisoner spends more than 60 days in solitary during a single year. No such reports have ever been filed, Dube noted.

The debilitating effects of solitary confinement on prisoners mental health are well known. Reports from special investigators, ombudsmen, human rights organizations and the United Nations have all made the case that extended stays in solitary confinement often preclude rehabilitation, breaking prisoners' spirits. The UN describes durations in solitary beyond 15 days as a form of torture.

The overuse and failure to track solitary must stop. Lalonde has said she will follow up on Dubes and Saperss reports with legislation in the fall. That is to the good. But the government ought not to wait yet again for more study before acting. It should move now to implement Dubes crucial advice before anyone else gets lost in the system.

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A new attempt by Ottawa to root out bias in the hiring of federal civil servants is a modest initiative, but with real promise. If it succeeds, the pilot project will help government hire the best talent, while at the same time allowing it to better reflect the diverse people it serves. The initiative could act as a model for other employers, both public and private.

The idea behind the name-blind hiring project announced this week is simple; the names, emails and countries of birth of job-seekers will be removed from their applications, with the aim of preventing the bias  unconscious or otherwise  that too often leads employers not to bring in applicants of diverse backgrounds for interviews.

The body of evidence that ethnic and racial bias plays a troubling role in hiring is growing. A recent study out of U of T and Ryerson University, for instance, found that job seekers with Asian names and Canadian qualifications were considerably less likely to get calls for interviews than were applicants with English-sounding names -- even when the person with the Asian name had a better education.

Similar findings have been made in other western countries. A 2003 study from the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that job applicants with white-sounding names got called 50 per cent more than those with African-American-sounding names. In Germany, one investigation found that applicants with names that sounded German were called 14 per cent more often than people with Turkish names.

Ottawa's new initiative, which will initially affect six departments, is modeled on a similar project in the United Kingdom. In 2015, the government there announced that 10 large employers, including the British civil service, KPMG and Deloitte would start recruiting on a name-blind basis.

Early evidence suggests that these programs help, though they are not enough in themselves to fully defeat bias in hiring. One study of name-blind experiments in a number of countries, determined that while anonymous applications prevent bias and discrimination in the first stages of recruitment, these problems can occur later in the hiring process, such as when the applicants show up for a face-to-face interview.

Name-blind hiring is no substitute for the hard work of culture change, but it is no doubt an important step in the right direction. Bias in hiring is not simply unjust; it's also perverse. People of colour, indigenous people and immigrants are persistently underrepresented in the Canadian workforce. As these groups continue to grow relative to the general population, so does the lost opportunity. Much of the country's talent is being overlooked.

Compared to other employers, the federal civil service has a relatively diverse workforce. But Ottawa is right to look to be a model, not least because a government that reflects its constituents is better placed to understand their needs.

Clearly everyone, regardless of their colour, creed, sexual orientation, gender or disability should have an equal opportunity when it comes to applying for and landing a job. But in Canada, that's not the reality. Ottawa is right to fight to change that.

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Germany's business leaders recorded their highest level of optimism in nearly six years this month, according to a key sentiment indicator, adding further fuel to a bullish outlook for the European economy.

The IFO Institute's business climate index, a benchmark for sentiment in the region's largest economy, was marked at 112.9 in April, up from 112.4 in March and ahead of the 112.4 reading anticipated by economists. The IFO's index of current business conditions also improved, rising to 121.1 from 119.5. Only the survey's expectations component -- which gauges business leaders' views six months from now -- recorded a decline, falling modestly to 105.2 from 105.7.

"We have a very solid upswing in the Germany economy at the moment," IFO president Clemens Fuest told CNBC Europe television. "Last year the strength was mostly related to domestic spending, but now its much more broad based."

The European single currency extended gains against the U.S. dollar following the IFO release, rising to 1.0865, after trading as high as 1.0940 overnight in Asia immediately after Emmanuel's win in Sunday's presidential elections in France.

Fuest said Macron's first round win "cannot be over-estimated" in terms of its importance to the region's economy.

"There was a disaster looming," he said, referring to the possibility of a run-off between anti-European candidates Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Melenchon, "so from the European perspective, this is a very good result."

The IFO readings confirm a series of positive data signals from the Eurozone economy, which is set to grow by around 0.7% in the first quarter of this year. Last week, a reading of private sector activity hit a fresh six-year high following a surge in France that suggests the region's election risks are not holding back broader sentiment.

IHS Markit Economics' composite PMI reading of Eurozone growth rose to 56.7 in April, up from 56.4 in March and the highest tally in six years. Readings above 50 generally indicated economic growth. Markit's measure of manufacturing activity rose to 58.0, a 72-month high (up from 57.5 in March) while the pace of activity in the services sector jumped to 56.2 from a previous reading of 56.0. The figures indicate first quarter GDP growth of around 0.7%, Markit said, that could lead to upward revisions in full-year growth forecasts.
LafargeHolcim (HCMLY) said Monday that its CEO Eric Olsen will step down in July, after an internal investigation found that the world's largest cement maker had made payments to Syrian militias during 2013 and 2014 to protect its operations in the country.

LafargeHolcim shares dipped in early trading Monday following news of the CEO's decision, but rebounded to trade up less than 1% at 58.10 Swiss francs ($58.38) amid strong performance in the wider European markets following a market-friendly result in the French election.

"While I was absolutely not involved in, nor even aware of, any wrongdoing I believe my departure will contribute to bringing back serenity to a company that has been exposed for months on this case," Oslen said in a statement.

LafargeHolcim said that an independent investigation into the payments concluded that measures taken to protect operations at its Jallabiya plant in northern Syria "were unacceptable, and significant errors of judgement were made that contravened the applicable code of conduct." The company also emphasized that it had found no evidence that Olsen was either responsible or aware of the breaches.

The decision to step down brings to a close Oslen's brief stint as head of LafargeHolcim, which was formed in 2015 through the merger of Switzerland's Holcim and France's Lafarge. Olsen, who was executive vice president of Lafarge, was parachuted into the top role after Holcim, in 2015, threatened to pull out of the deal if Lafarge's first choice, its CEO Bruno Lafont, took control of the combined group.

French prosecutors are investigating actions taken by Lafarge in Syria, following allegations made in a book written by a former Lafarge security manager Jacob Waerness. The book claims to detail how the company kept its cement operation running from 2011 to 2014 by making payments to armed militia factions that controlled regions near its operations. Those payments were alleged to include kidnap ransoms paid to secure the release of Lafarge employees.

LafargeHolcim said in March that it had uncovered evidence of payments but was unable to say "with certainty" who profited from the cash.

Oslen will leave LafargeHolcim on July 15. He will be replaced on an interim basis by the group's Chairman Beat Hess.
Chevron (CVX) - Get Free Report plans to sell three of its gas fields located in Bangladesh for an estimated $2 billion to a Chinese consortium, Reuters reports.

Chevron will sell the fields to China's Himalaya Energy, owned by a consortium comprising state-owned China ZhenHua Oil and investment firm CNIC Corp.

The deal would mark China's first substantial energy investment in the South Asian country. The gas fields account for more than half of the total gas output in Bangladesh.

"The agreement is for the sale of Chevron's Bangladesh companies, which hold our interests in Bangladesh," a company spokesman told Reuters. "The value of the transaction is not being disclosed and we are not at liberty to share the details of the agreement."

(What will move markets this quarter and how should investors position themselves ahead of time? Jim Cramer sat down with four of TheStreet's top columnists recently to get their views. Click hereto listen to his latest Trading Strategies roundtable with them and read their advice for stocks, bonds, forex and gold.)
Wedbush Securities on Monday hiked its price target on Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report to $1,250 from $900, making it the highest price target among 46 Wall Street analysts surveyed by FactSet. It also represents a 40% upside from the stock's closing price on Friday.

Shares of Amazon were advancing 1.0% to $907.50 on Monday morning and are up almost 20% so far this year.

The firm, which maintained its Outperform rating on Amazon, said it expects the e-commerce giant to deliver "substantial" earnings growth when it reports fiscal first-quarter results after Thursday's closing bell. Wall Street is looking for Amazon to report adjusted earnings of $1.08 per share on revenue of $35.4 billion.

Operating margins are likely to be somewhat tempered by spending on new initiatives such as video content, fulfillment and international expansion, said Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter. Analysts estimate Amazon will spend as much as $4.5 billion on video content in 2017. That's up from the $3.3 billion it spent in 2013.

Amazon Web Services is expected to be the big growth driver in the company's upcoming earnings, Pachter noted.

"Amazon appears intent on growing annual profits (with some quarterly volatility), which we expect to continue as the company invests in growth," Pachter wrote in a note to clients. "Amazon Web Services should be the growth engine, with its gross and operating margins expanding rapidly."

Separately, Nomura analyst Anthony DiClemente raised Amazon's price target to $975 from $925 on Monday, citing increased cloud demand and international growth, especially in India. Despite reiterating its Buy rating, the firm also lowered its fiscal 2017 earnings per share outlook to $7.09 from $7.66 based on belief that Amazon's "aggressive" investment plans could pose some risks in the near term.

Goldman Sachs analyst Heath Terry argued on Monday that those investments should actually drive greater-than-expected revenue growth over time, rather than hurt its top line. Terry increased his price target on Amazon to $1,100 from $1,000 and maintained a Conviction Buy rating on the stock.

"Put simply, in a business that generates the high returns that Amazon has demonstrated, reinvesting in the business should ultimately pay off," he wrote.
General Motors' (GM) - Get Free Report Venezuelan subsidiary has reportedly told 2,700 employees that they are no longer employed with the company via text and deposited severance pay into their bank accounts, two workers told Reuters.

Last week, a court in the South American country ordered GM's Valencia plant sized, agreeing with two dealers that filed a case in 2000 against it for allegedly not complying with an agreed sale of 10,000 vehicles.

Workers told Reuters that before the seizure was announced GM began dismantling the plant, which has not produced a car since the beginning of last year due to parts shortages and strict currency controls.

"We all received a payment and a text message," a worker told Reuters.

(What will move markets this quarter and how should investors position themselves ahead of time? Jim Cramer sat down with four of TheStreet's top columnists recently to get their views. Click here to listen to his latest Trading Strategies roundtable with them and read their advice for stocks, bonds, forex and gold.)
Preorders for Samsung's (SSNLF) new Galaxy S8 smartphone set a new record for the company previously held by its predecessor, the S7, as customers seem to have moved past the battery issues that caused the Note 7 to overheat and sometimes explode.

Samsung released a statement claiming that preorders for the S8 were 30% greater than for the S7, which was released last March. This broke Samsung's preorder record previously held by the S7. "We are delighted to see the response to the Galaxy S8 and S8+," Samsung Electronics America president Tim Baxter said in the statement. While Samsung did not release specific sales figures, earlier reports said the phone had pre-sold 550,000 units in the first two days it was available starting April 7.

While the phone is offering a stunning edge-to-edge infinity OLED display, a new digital voice assistant named Bixby, facial recognition and an iris scanner, the impressive sales are still significant considering the company's last flagship phone launch ended with the company setting a much different record: its largest recall ever. The damages from the Note 7 recall ended up costing the company $5 billion even though just 330 of the three million Note 7 devices sold were affected.

Baxter seemed to hint that the sales figure was a sign that customers are staying loyal to Samsung in spite of the Note 7 episode. "At Samsung, we believe it is a privilege to make groundbreaking products that are enjoyed by millions, and have recommitted ourselves to innovate, not only with new products and services, but also in process," he said. "The response is humbling, energizing, and points to a great launch week," Baxter added.

The claim about the record number of preorders is in line with a statement that Samsung's President of Mobile Communications Koh Dong-jin made earlier this month at a media briefing: "Initial market response is better than expected. I think the Galaxy S8 will be the first device to regain customers' trust and love."

The claim is also in line with the company's high expectations for total sales of its new flagship phone in 2017. The company sees the Galaxy S8 selling a total of 60 million units this year, vs. about 48 million S7 units sold in 2016, according to the report. HMC Investment Securities analyst Greg Roh said he also expects the S8 to outsell the S7 but not by as much. He's expecting Samsung to sell 50 million S8 units this year, which would translate to about $28.3 billion in sales.

While the S8 seems to be successfully luring customers to upgrade their phones, it has also drawn a number of complaints in its first few days on the market. A number of customers have noted an annoying red hue on its display, as well as spotty Wi-Fi connection. Samsung responded by saying it would release two software updates this week for the separate problems. The company told the Wall Street Journal that neither issue was a problem with the actual hardware, as was seen with the batteries in the Note 7.

In addition, protection plan company Square Trade released a study on Monday showing that the Galaxy S8 and S8+ were significantly more prone to breaking than the S7 and S7 Edge because the new phones have all-glass front and back panels. The S8 and S8+ scored a 76 and 77 on a 1-100 scale for breakability in which the higher the number, the more breakable it is. Last year's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge received a 50 and 60, respectively. Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which launched last September, also scored a 50 and 60, respectively. This year's iPhone 8 is widely expected to implement larger curved glass screens similar to the S8, which might make them more susceptible to breaking as well.

While SquareTrade's conclusion about the phone's hardware isn't great for Samsung, a SquareTrade executive said he didn't think it would matter much. "While the nearly all-glass design of the S8 makes it a beautiful phone, it's extremely susceptible to cracking when dropped from any angle," said Jason Siciliano, vice president global creative director at SquareTrade. "However, we have no doubt it's going to be a hit. We found that 89% of Samsung owners reported having a positive view of the brand despite recent controversies, and 36% plan on buying an S8 in the next six months. Just don't drop it."
An official North Korean website warned on Monday that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States of America if Washington starts a war on the Peninsula.

By India Today Web Desk:

After carrying out two rocket tests in the last month, North Korea could be preparing for its sixth nuclear test soon to reach mainland US.

After the reports of nuclear tests, US Vice President Mike Pence expressed his views about the secretive country and said that the US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive at Korean Peninsula "in a matter of few days".

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After Pence's remark, an official North Korean website warned that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States if Washington starts a war on the Peninsula.

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said, using the country's official name.

Also read: We need to talk about North Korea and the 1984-like situation there

Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the official mouthpiece of the ruling worker's party said that North Korea's forces were undeterred and called Vinson's deployment as an undisguised military blackmail.

The editorial said it was a "big miscalculation" for Washington to compare North Korea to the situation of Syria.

They also defended themselves saying that North Korea could have, but did not, launched an immediate counter attack after the US cruise missile attack carried out earlier this month.

Also read: North Korea says it is ready to sink US aircraft carrier to demonstrate military might

"The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth," said the official mouthpiece in reference to the US strike.

North Korea may also conduct a test to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of Korean People's Army on April 25, 2017.

Although North Korea has never tested an intercontinental ballistic missile which can reach the US, the country has strongly shown ambitions to develop one. The secretive country has not been able to miniaturise atomic technology sufficiently to be able to fire a nuclear warhead on a rocket yet.

The US officials have repeatedly warned North Korea to curb their weapon ambitions and strikes as the new US president indicated he will not allow North Korea to develop a missile which can reach the US at any cost.

Due to tension rising between the two powerful nations, Pyongyang has even detained a US citizen, Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the university said on Monday.

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Two other US citizens, a college student Otto Warmbier and a Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul are currently being held in North Korea after sentenced to long prison terms.

As far as North Korea's actions are considered, the country feels that they are being invaded by US slowly and steadily and needs to come up with powerful weapons in order to protect themselves from the US forces.

Also read: In Pictures: Life inside North Korea's top-secret military

Also watch: North Korea's major nuclear test causes earthquake

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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.
A woman's severed head and chopped body parts were found at three different places near Patna last week. Police probe revealed shocking details. Read on.

By Sujeet Jha: Last week, the Railway Police recovered a bag from Patna-Gaya passenger train. The bag contained severed head of a woman. The same day, cops recovered another bag, which had some body parts of a woman, from along the rail track near Parsa Bazaar station. Later in the day, a few more body parts were found inside a similar bag from Patna's Jakkanpur area.

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The police were probing these instances as three separate murder cases. However, as it went on to connect the dots, shocking details emerged.

HOW THE PROBE UNFOLDED

As probe proceeded, the police got suspicious over pieces of a poster recovered from all the three bags in which the woman's chopped body parts were wrapped in. Further investigations revealed that the body was of one Geeta Devi, a resident of Masaurhi near Patna.

Geeta was last seen at her daughter Poonam's house, locals told the police during investigation. Poonam had invited her mother for dinner at her place in Parsa Bazaar, nearly 10 km from Patna.

WHAT HAPPENED

Poonam invited her mother Geeta for a chicken party at her place in Parsa Bazaar. Geeta fell unconscious as soon as she had the food, which was laced with sedatives.

Poonam then called her husband and one of his friends. The trio slaughtered Geeta into pieces and packed the body parts in three separate bags before disposing them at three different locations.

WHY POONAM KILLED HER MOTHER

During interrogation, Poonam revealed to the police that her mother Geeta had illicit relationship with a man named Armaan. Poonam has confessed to her crime and is now under arrest along with her father, husband and his friend. Armaan is yet to be traced.

ALSO READ:

Mother, Facebook lover arrested for killing teen girl, disguising it as suicide

If you hurt my daughter, I kill you: Kanpur woman clubbed Samajwadi leader to death, hubby helped dump body

Varanasi: Mother kills daughter to hide her extra-marital relationship, had killed niece 9 years ago

Delhi man kills mother and sister who ran prostitution business in Gurgaon

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Militants launched 34 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 enemy used 82mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers to shell Taramchuk (30km south-west of Donetsk) and Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk). Militants also launched attacks on Ukrainian positions in Hnutove (19km north-west of Mariupol), using automatic grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Ukrainian marines came under sniper fire outside Vodiane (16km north-west of Donetsk) and Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol).

In Donetsk direction, terrorists used 82mm and 120 mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to fire at Ukrainian positions in Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). Ukrainian defenders of Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk) came under 120mm mortar, anti-tank grenade launcher and heavy machine gun fire.

In Luhansk direction, militants fired at ATO troops in Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk), using 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Ukrainian positions outside Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) came under grenade launcher fire.

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The OSCE in cooperation with the international partners will coordinate four projects on chemical safety in Ukraine worth more than EUR 2 million.

OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine Vaidotas Verba said this in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent on the sidelines of the Warsaw-Kyiv International Forum: Developing cooperation in reducing chemical threats and enhancing chemical safety and security and voluntary fire service.

"We have four projects on paper. The first one relates to improvement of Ukrainian legislation in this field. The second project is connected with strengthening of the resource base for the identification of chemicals," Verba said.

According to him, the third project will be implemented jointly with the Ukrainian border guards. It will relate to prevention of chemicals transportation across the border and interaction between different services in this context. The fourth project will be connected with the organization of the training sessions on chemical safety and improvement of the resource base for their conduct.

According to the OSCE representative, it is also planned to implement the fifth project, specifically on eastern Ukraine  countering chemical threats in the area of the contact line.

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Ukraine and Hungary have many areas to create joint interesting projects, as well as sectors to increase the volume of bilateral trade, in particular, to expand the agrarian cooperation in border regions.

Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine on European Integration Olga Trofimtseva said this within the framework of the Ukrainian-Hungarian Agrarian Business Forum, held in the Hungarian city of Kisvarda on April 21, the Governments portal informed.

"Our countries are neighbors, and therefore the border cooperation in the agrarian field is very important. Both Hungary and Ukraine have well-developed agrarian sectors, so there are many interesting areas to create joint projects and niches to increase the volume of bilateral trade," she said.

During the meetings held within the framework of the forum, the parties discussed the possibilities of expanding the bilateral cooperation in the border regions, including through the program of the Hungarian government for Hungarians living in Zakarpattia region.

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Taking into account the EU-Ukraine visa liberalization, the Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) plans to establish railway communication connections with the neighboring Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Wojciech Balczun said this in an interview with the Rynek kolejowy Polish web portal.

"We have already begun the internal work to speed up certain activities related to the expected large international movement. The high-speed Intercity+ Kyiv-Przemyszl train showed the potential of such a railway link. We plan to establish new links with Hungary, Slovakia and Romania as Poland is obviously not the only EU neighbor of Ukraine," Balczun said.

In particular, according to him, Ukrzaliznytsya is going to establish a railway communication connection with Romania in the near future.

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PDP's Pulwama district president Abdul Gani Dar was shot at in Rohmoo village. Dar later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Srinagar.

By Ashraf Wani: Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Gani Dar was killed by militants in Rohmoo village of Pulwama district in south Kashmir today.

Dar, PDP's Pulwama district president, was admitted to a local hospital but later shifted to a Srinagar hospital as his condition deteriorated. Dar later succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Before joining PDP in November, 2014, Dar held several posts with the Congress.

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This was the third such attack on PDP cadre in south Kashmir in the past two weeks.

Two policemen were injured when militants attacked the ancestral residence of PDP leader and minister for Hajj and Auqaf Farooq Abdrabi in Kashmir's Anantnag district last month.

The militants also took away four service weapons from the guard room at Abdrabi's Residence at Dooru in Anantnag.

J&K CM MEHBOOBA MUFTI MEETS PM MODI, RAJNATH

Today's incident in Pulwama came just hours after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti held separate meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. Mufti's meeting with Modi came in the backdrop of the worsening security situation in Jammu and Kashmir that has also rattled the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in the state.

During her interaction with PM Modi, Mufti stressed for talks with separatists in the state. "How long can you have confrontation...There is no option but to talk," Mehbooba told reporters.

"However, an atmosphere needs to be created for a dialogue," she added.

WATCH: Jammu-Kashmir: Plastic bullets to replace pellet guns for stone pelters

ALSO READ:

Stone pelters incited, need Vajpayee era talks to save Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti after meeting PM Modi

How Jammu and Kashmir police removed 90 per cent of 300 WhatsApp groups that guided stone pelters

Kashmir: Summer of 2017 may be last for Burhan Wani's successor Zakir Rashid Bhatt

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The officers from 1968 batch including former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi have demanded the immediate arrest of all those responsible for the heinous act.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: About 23 former IAS officers have sent an open letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje demanding justice in the lynching and murder of Pehlu Khan in Alwar.

The officers from 1968 batch including former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi have demanded the immediate arrest of all those responsible for the heinous act.

"We are very disturbed by the lynching and murder of Pehlu Khan in Alwar. We are also dismayed by the acts of omission and commission by the government following the incident, including the delay and marked reluctance in arresting all those guilty of the act," the letter read.

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It further states, "While one may have strongly differing sentiments on the importance of cows, and their slaughter or consumption, the killing of Pehlu Khan by an arbitrary self - appointed group of vigilantes shows us how much we have succeeded in undermining the most basic principles and values on which we have based our nation."

The letter makes certain demands including arresting all those who attacked Pehlu Khan; ending all vigilantism in the name of cow protection and punishment of police/administrative personnel for dereliction of duty.

Among the 23 IAS officers whose names have been mentioned in the letter are Aruna Roy, Arun Kumar, and Wajahat Habibullah.

Pehlu Khan, 55, was beaten to death on April 1 in Alwar district by a mob of gau rakshaks. Khan and four others were attacked allegedly by the cow vigilantes while they were on their way to Haryana after purchasing cattle in Rajasthan's Ramgarh.

Khan succumbed to grievous injuries at a hospital on April 3.

Open letter to CM Vasundhara Raje

The letter has been signed by several former IAS officers.

Also read:

Alwar Lynching: Civil society members protest in Jaipur, demand justice for Pehlu Khan

Alwar Lynching: Civil society members protest in Jaipur, demand justice for Pehlu Khan

WATCH VIDEO | Congress slams government over Alwar lynching, moves adjournment motion in Lok Sabha

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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.
Mehbooba Mufti wants PM Modi to follow the Vajpayee doctrine to normalise the situation in the Kashmir Valley and lower the tension with Pakistan.

By India Today Web Desk: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today reminded the nation once again of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee doctrine on Kashmir when she said only dialogue similar to the ones held during the former prime minister's era more than a decade ago could save the Valley.

"There was dialogue when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and LK Advani his deputy. They even held dialogue with the Hurriyat and others," Mufti told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi.

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Vajpayee ruled between 1998 and 2004. His approach towards addressing the Kashmir issue came to be called Vajpayee Doctrine. It also included improving relations with neighbouring Pakistan.

THE VAJPAYEE DOCTRINE

The Vajpayee doctrine on Kashmir called for peace, progress and prosperity in the Valley by imbibing the spirit of Insaniyat (Humanity) , Jamhuriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Identity of the people of Kashmir).

The doctrine was universally acclaimed by all segments across of political spectrum in the state, including the extremist elements in the Valley.

Vajpayee's mantra included resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan, including that of Jammu and Kashmir issue in a peaceful manner through bilateral dialogue without any third party intervention.

He carried his message of peace to Pakistan during a bus journey to Lahore on February 19, 1999.

Vajpayee made it a point to visit to Minar-e-Pakistan where he re-affirmed India's commitment to the existence of Pakistan.

He reached out to the people of Pakistan in a passionate speech at the governor's house in Lahore telecast live both in Pakistan & India.

Vajpayee extended a hand of friendship on the basis of reciprocity and mutual trust and called for collective fight against poverty in the Indian subcontinent devoid of terrorism and drug-trafficking.

His emotional speech made Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to say: "Vajpayee Saheb, ab to aap Pakistan mein bhi election jeet sakte haein (Mr Vajpayee now you can win elections even in Pakistan)."

Vajpayee also signed a Lahore Declaration with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on February 21, 1999. As part of the declaration, Pakistan agreed to resolve all bilateral issues between the two countries, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a peaceful manner and through dialogue and to promote people to people contact.

The Delhi-Lahore Bus Service Sada-e-Sarhad (Call of the Frontier) was launched as a symbol of the efforts of the Vajpayee government to promote peaceful and friendly relations with Pakistan on the basis of reciprocity.

Vajpayee did not allow the bus service to be terminated even when Pakistan army chief Parvez Musharraf launched an attack in Kargil between May and July, 1999, which the Indian armed forces successfully repulsed forcing the Pakistani army to vacate the occupied hills in the region.

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However, the service had to be suspended during the heightened tension between the two neighbours in the aftermath of the Pakistan-ISI sponsored terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. It was restored on July 16, 2003 when Pakistan assured the Indian government as well as the international community that Islamabad would not allow its territory to be used for terrorists' activities.

All the setbacks to his dialogue initiatives, including Kargil conflict, hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandhar and terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament, notwithstanding, Vajpayee did not allow the peace process to derail despite serious provocations by the Pakistan army and the ISI.

MUFTI WANTS MODI TO FOLLOW VAJPAYEE DOCTRINE

Perhaps, Mehbooba Mufti wants PM Modi to follow the Vajpayee doctrine to normalise the situation in the Kashmir Valley and lower the tension with Pakistan.

"We must start from where Vajpayee ji left... Modi ji has repeatedly said that he would follow the footsteps of Vajpayee ji, whose policy was of reconciliation, not confrontation," Mufti said. "There is no option but to talk," she asserted.

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Mufti's meeting with Modi came in the backdrop of the worsening security situation in the state that has also rattled the ruling PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. The government headed by Mehbooba Mufti is under mounting attack in the face of fresh spurt in violence in the state.

Also Read:

Mehbooba Mufti meets PM Narendra Modi, Rajnath over Jammu and Kashmir unrest

Watch Video: Stone pelters systematically incited in J-K; Vajpayee era talks only option: Mehbooba Mufti

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Morocco has summoned Algeria's ambassador to express concern after 54 Syrians attempted to "illegally enter" the country from Algeria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.



It said 54 Syrians attempted to enter Morocco through the border town of Figuig, an area surrounded by mountains, between April 17 and 19. It accused Algeria of forcing them to cross into Morocco.



"Algeria must assume political responsibility and morality concerning this situation," the ministry statement on MAP state news agency said.



"It is immoral and unethical to manipulate the moral and physical distress of these people, [and] to sow trouble in the Morocco-Algerian border."



There was no immediate response from Algeria on state news agency APS.



Some 5,000 Syrians have gone through a migration regulatory process in Morocco, with several hundred receiving refugee status, according to Morocco's ministry of foreign affairs.



Morocco and Algeria share a 1,500 km (970 mile) land border that runs from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sahara Desert which has been shut since 1994.



The North African neighbors have had a contentious relationship since independence from France. Border disputes triggered an armed conflict in the 1960s known as the "Sand War."



One of their biggest disputes has been over Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, most of which Morocco annexed in 1975.



Algeria supports and hosts the Western Saharan independence movement Polisario, a stance which angers Morocco.
The governments of Spain and Brazil on Monday reinforced their commitment to completing a trade pact between the European Union and South American trade bloc Mercosur despite protectionist sentiments.

On a two-day visit to Brazil, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he agreed with Brazilian President Michel Temer about the need to wrap up a trade deal that has taken more than 15 years to negotiate.

Rajoy also called for elections as the only way to reach a negotiated solution to the political crisis in Venezuela, expressing deep concern over the volatile situation in the neighboring country.

We agree that given the degree of confrontation and the volatility of the situation, a negotiated solution is needed, and it must inevitably involve giving back to the Venezuelan people their voice, he said.

Rajoy is heading a large delegation of Spanish businessmen who are looking for investment opportunities in Brazilian banking, energy, water and infrastructure sectors.

Spain backs deal

Brazil is the third-most important market for Spanish investors, who account for the second largest stock of foreign investment in the South American nation after the United States.

Spain is one of the strongest backers of an accord to lower trade barriers between the European Union and Mercosur members Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Negotiations have been delayed for years by the reluctance of European farmers and Mercosur manufacturers to face competition.

Spain has always been and will continue to be a firm supporter of the agreement, Rajoy said after meeting Temer. In these moments in which some feel protectionist temptations, we both agree on the importance of free trade.

US retreat favors EU

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, who is hoping to clinch the EU-Mercosur deal by the end of the year, said external reasons would help advance it.

Malcorra said the retreat of the United States from trade talks had opened a window for the European Union to become a strong player in multilateral, region-to-region accords.

Our view is that [the EU-Mercosur accord] is not only an economic agreement, she said in Geneva on Monday. It's more than that, a political agreement.
Three policemen were killed on Sunday in a suicide attack south of Mosul, the northern Iraqi city where Islamic State is fighting off a U.S.-backed offensive, security sources said.

A group of about 10 assailants, including four suicide bombers, had tried to infiltrate a Federal Police helicopter base in Al-Areej, a police captain told Reuters.

Three policemen and three of the assailants were killed in the attack, he said. Police gave chase but the assailants managed to escape, he said.

Al-Areej is located just south of Mosul where some districts remain under control of the hardline Sunni group.

Islamic State is now besieged in the northwestern part of Mosul, an area that includes the Old City. Its Grand al-Nuri Mosque is where the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a "caliphate" over parts of Iraq and Syria in mid-2014.
The U.S. Treasury has slapped sanctions on hundreds of employees of a Syrian research center that Western analysts say develops chemical weapons like those thought to be used by government forces against civilians in Syria's long-running civil war.

These expanded sanctions, announced Monday in Washington, target workers at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, a Damascus-based facility linked to the research and development of biological, chemical and missile related technology.

The website GlobalSecurity.org alleges that the development of chemical weaponry at the center is secretly aided by Russian chemical experts.

The sanctions come three weeks after a suspected sarin gas attack in Syria's Idlib province killed at least 87 civilians and disfigured or otherwise incapacitated more than 300 others.

That April 4 attack, linked to government forces, sparked international outrage and prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to retaliate with a huge cruise missile attack on a Syrian government airbase.

WATCH: Mnuchin on new sanctions

Sanctions freeze assets

Monday's Treasury directive orders U.S. banks to freeze all U.S. assets of 271 employees of the center, and bans U.S. companies from conducting business with them. Other administration officials, speaking to reporters Monday, described the targeted workers as highly educated people able to travel abroad with the help of the international financial system.

These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The secretary also described the sanctions as a strong message ... that we will hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations.

Bush ordered first sanctions in 2005

Former President George W. Bush first placed sanctions on the facility in 2005 on suspicion that its workers were developing weapons of mass destruction.

Last year, President Barack Obama sanctioned an array of companies doing business with the center, and earlier this year, Washington imposed penalties on senior center officials linked to chemical weapons research and development.

Some international relief workers have complained that earlier Western trade sanctions made it difficult to navigate a shifting system of licenses, export controls and other prohibitions that restricted the ability of workers to obtain critical medical supplies.

As an example, relief workers last year cited bans on dual use items, including piping used in drilling that is also used to deliver fresh water to civilians and medical facilities in a country wracked by years of drought and warfare.
The U.S. and the African Union agree that the time for Somalis to take over security responsibility in their country is swiftly approaching.

During a conference call organized by U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, General Thomas Waldhauser, Commander of AFRICOM, said the recent announcement that the U.S. will send 40 troops to Somalia does not signal a change in strategy. The U.S. will play a support role training the Somali National Army to create efficient logistics networks to supply their troops.

This is part of a routine deployment that has been really in the works for quite some time, Waldhauser said.

Somalia and its international partners are working to train a 28,000-person national army after more than two decades of civil war and turmoil. The terror group al-Shabab still controls an estimated 10 percent of the country and conducts regular attacks against military and civilian targets. Somalia relies largely on the 22,000-person African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for its security.

U.S. troops on training mission

Our goal from the United States' perspective, in conjunction with our partners who are there doing the training, is that the Somali National Security Forces will be prepared to provide for their own security sometime in the 2020/21 timeframe when the next series of elections go, Waldhauser said. We all have to pull together to make sure that we're very effective and efficient in the training now.

Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the civilian head of AMISOM, said the AU intends to begin drawing down its forces in 2018.

"We were not intending to stay there forever," he said. "Somalia is for the Somalis. We, like all other Africans, we have our own countries."

Election boosts hopes for peace

Prospects for peace in Somalia were aided by a peaceful 2017 election and a smooth transfer of power to new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. Madeira believes setting a timeline for withdrawal will allow the new Somali government to strengthen its institutions to face the continued terror threat as well as address internal clan divisions.

We are in solidarity with the Somali people, we need to support Somali people. We have interests to have a stable Somalia, Madeira said. But surely, the Somalis, the country, can only be best defended by the Somalis themselves, who understand better their dynamics, their reality and their priorities and their objectives.

In early April, President Mohamed announced that he would offer amnesty to members of al-Shabab who renounce extremism and agree to undergo demobilization and reintegration training. Mohamed declared war on all extremists who rejected the offer.

Extremist group in hiding

Lieutenant General Osman Noor Soubagleh, AMISOM force commander, said the extremist group holds very little territory in the country but hides among the civilian population. This makes eradicating them difficult.

Whenever you fight, they melt with the population and they have no confront with the AMISOM. So the territory they have, when you go there, they melt with the population and you cannot touch them, he said.

The last push to take out al-Shabab will require additional intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance, Soubagleh said.

President Farmajo just announced an amnesty toward the elements of Al-Shabaab who have joined that organization for other different reasons. And he has opened his hands. But you will have to be clear. Those who still want to persist in their evil activities and violent activities against the people of Somalia and against the government of Somalia, these ones will have to be confronted by the force of arms, Soubagleh said.
All 100 U.S. senators have been invited to the White House on Wednesday for a classified briefing that will primarily concern North Korea, the administration announced Monday.

The briefing will be conducted by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joe Dunford.

While lawmakers often receive classified briefings on Capitol Hill, it is rare for them to take place at the White House and for the entire Senate to be involved in one event.

During a White House lunch with ambassadors of United Nations Security Council member states on Monday, the U.S. president called unacceptable the "status quo in North Korea."

Trump said the Security Council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"North Korea is a big world problem, and it's a problem we have to finally solve," the president added. "People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem."

Trump, Abe

The comments came after Trump made his latest round of separate telephone calls to the leaders of Japan, China and Germany to discuss concerns about North Korea. His most recent call was made just before meeting the ambassadors on Monday morning to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the "urgent security challenge" posed by North Korea, according to the White House.

A 30-minute call (Sunday evening U.S. time/Monday morning in Asia) between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meant to increase pressure on Pyongyang not to engage in further provocative actions, but was not prompted by any significant change in the situation, according to officials in Tokyo.

"We agreed to strongly demand North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe told reporters in Tokyo. "We will maintain close contact with the United States, maintain a high level of vigilance and firmly respond."

Abe also said he and Trump agreed that a larger role in dealing with Pyongyang should be played by China.

Trump, Xi

Trump subsequently spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about North Korea.

The Chinese president said he hopes all sides avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the Korean peninsula, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Trump, in the phone call with Xi, "criticized North Korea's continued belligerence and emphasized Pyongyang's actions are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula," according to a White House readout issued Monday. "The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

North Korea's continued development of ballistic missiles and its underground nuclear tests  there have been five  are "to put it mildly, a game changer," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Monday. "And it's one of the reasons why you've seen administration officials talking so candidly about our concerns and about the fact that the time for strategic patience and that policy is over."

Trump and U.S. officials have repeatedly said all options remain "on the table" to deal with further North Korean provocations.

North Korea threats

The conversations involving the president about North Korea took place as a U.S. Navy strike force, led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, is approaching the Sea of Japan, off the east coast of the Korean peninsula.

The strike force on Monday was wrapping up a "routine" joint drill "to provide combined maritime response" with components of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force in the Philippines Sea "as it continued its northern transit," U.S. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters at the Pentagon.

Officials in Seoul announced earlier Monday the Vinson is also scheduled to hold a joint training exercise with South Korean naval ships.

"Consultations are under way in connection with the exercise," Ministry of National Defense spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told reporters. He provided no additional details.

The approach of the American naval carrier strike group has not gone unnoticed in Pyongyang.

"Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," read a Sunday commentary in the Rodong Sinmun, the Workers' Party newspaper.

Such threats are common from the reclusive state.

North Korea on Tuesday celebrates the anniversary of the founding of its military, a key holiday in the country.

There are concerns Pyongyang, in conjunction with the anniversary, will demonstrate a show of force by possibly firing more ballistic missiles or conducting its sixth nuclear test.

Trump has said that Xi is applying pressure on North Korea to not engage in further provocations.

It is speculated by analysts in Washington and Beijing that China is threatening to cut crude oil supplies to its impoverished neighbor should it conduct another nuclear test.

U.S. citizen detained

Meanwhile, a third U.S. citizen was detained Friday by North Korean authorities as he was about to leave the country.

Toner at the State Department told reporters he was not aware of any diplomatic access to the American.

The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) confirmed the detention of Kim Sang-duk, who had been teaching accounting at the privately-funded school started by evangelical Christians.

"We cannot comment on anything that Mr. Kim may be alleged to have done that is not related to his teaching work on the PUST campus," the university said in a statement Sunday.

At least two other U.S. citizens are known to be held in North Korea.

The U.S. State Department said it is working with Swedish diplomats on the case.

The United States and North Korea have never had diplomatic ties. Sweden's embassy in Pyongyang represents the interests of American citizens in the country.

North Korea has a pattern of detaining and sentencing American visitors to prison in order to get high-profile visitors to go there to obtain their release.
The U.S. House of Representatives has just a few days to finish negotiations for a 2017 budget. If no agreement is reached on levels of funding, the U.S. government will shut down at midnight April 28.

What is the US House of Representatives?

Each of the House's 435 representatives represents about 700,000 people back in their home state Congressional districts. They draft and pass legislation that will become the law of the land. The House is half of the legislative branch of government. Together with the other half, the Senate, it makes up the U.S. Congress.

Why are they debating the budget?

The government budget is one of the most important pieces of legislation the House debates.

It is a law directing how the U.S. government spends its money. Just like any other legislation the House passes, the budget must be passed by the Senate and signed by the president to become a law.

Why are they making a decision so close to the deadline?

Late last year President-elect Donald Trump asked the Republican Congress to delay consideration of the 2017 budget so his new administration could make decisions on funding priorities.

Congressional Republican leaders agreed and passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government while they discussed those priorities. They gave themselves a deadline of April 28 to complete those priorities, that is when the money appropriated for government spending runs out.

Are these debates and compromises unusual?

Not recently. The U.S. government has started each of the last eight fiscal years under a CR.

Does it matter if its a continuing resolution or a budget?

A continuing resolution keeps all spending at current levels. A budget allows for cuts or increases that can have a great deal of impact on how government agencies operate.

Republicans have a majority in the U.S. Congress and a President in the White House. Why cant they agree on a budget?

Congressional Republicans dont always agree on spending priorities with President Trump, who has often diverged from his party on many key issues.

Like any political party, the Republican Party encompasses many different approaches to social and economic issues. For example, the House Freedom Caucus believes in limited government and more power for the states. The Tuesday group is made up of Republicans who consider themselves moderates on spending and how involved the government should get in peoples personal lives.

Different groups in a party align or break away from each other depending on the issue being debated. A bill must have 218 votes to pass the House.

If House Speaker Paul Ryan cannot accumulate enough votes from his own party to pass a bill, he will have to negotiate to win votes from the Democrats, the minority party.

How much money is in the federal budget?

Total spending in the 2017 budget is about $3.65 trillion. Trump proposed increases in spending for the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security and suggested paying for some of these increases through cuts to other government agencies.

What are the obstacles to funding the government?

The presidents budget is only a suggestion to Congress. As representatives of the people of the United States, Congress members are charged with making the final funding decisions. One of those obstacles could be Trumps request to fund building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Will Congress give President Trump money for the wall?

Many House representatives have concerns about the cost of a border wall. Cost estimates vary, from the Department of Homeland Securitys $21 billion to a Senate Democrats report putting the cost at almost $70 billion.

House representatives have questioned if a border wall is the best use of government money and proposed funding other options, such as increased personnel, technology and surveillance.

If time is running out to fund the government, they could compromise on these options and save the fight for border wall funding for next years budget.

Why is the timing of this budget fight important?

Trumps 100th day in office will be on April 29. Many observers and presidents see the first 100 days as an important milestone for measuring legislative and foreign policy achievements, but it has no official significance.

Building a wall on the US-Mexico border was one of Trumps signature campaign promises. Securing funding for the border wall in the 2017 budget would be a high-profile accomplishment during his early days in office.

But Trump may want to avoid a government shutdown starting on his 100th day in office.

Whats next?

Congress will have to start looking at a budget for 2018 very soon. Because they have more time to work on the 2018 budget, expect to see big battles over some of Trumps key policy proposals, including cutting funding to government agencies, increasing defense spending, and immigration enforcement.
AUTO INDUSTRY

Supreme Court clears way for GM suits

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for General Motors to potentially face billions of dollars in legal claims over a deadly ignition-switch defect, turning away the automakers appeal of a ruling connected to its 2009 bankruptcy sale.

The justices, without comment, left intact a federal appeals court ruling that said the bankruptcy accord did not block GM from lawsuits over accidents that happened before the sale or from claims that the flaw caused vehicles to lose value. Plaintiffs lawyers have estimated that claims against the company may total as much as $10 billion.

The high courts action is a setback for GM chief executive Mary Barra, whose first year in the job was consumed by the ignition flaw linked to at least 124 deaths and recalls of 2.59 million vehicles.

Robert Hilliard, the lead lawyer for those who sued, said GM can hide no more from the claims. These cases are factually some of the most tragic stories, and also some of the strongest in terms of clear liability of GMs intentional misconduct, he said in a statement.

 Bloomberg News

TECHNOLOGY

Verizon launches ultrafast Fios

Verizon has launched a faster version of its Fios Internet service that can reach download speeds of up to 940 Mbps per second, the company said Monday.

By taking the leap into gigabit service, Verizon is becoming the latest company to compete with Comcast, Google Fiber and others at that speed tier.

The product, known as Fios Gigabit Connection, is available in eight U.S. markets on the East Coast  New York; New Jersey; the District; Boston; Philadelphia; Providence, R.I.; Richmond; and Hampton Roads, Va. It costs $70 a month as a stand-alone product or $80 if bought as part of a triple-play bundle, according to Verizon.

Those prices are comparable to that of Google Fiber, which has attracted much attention in recent years for bringing ultrafast connections to places such as Austin and Kansas City.

As many as 8 million households are eligible to sign up for the gigabit service, Verizon said, or about 57 percent of its total home Internet customer base.

The news comes days after a bruising earnings report showing that for the first time Verizon lost more subscribers in its cellphone business than it gained.

 Brian Fung

Also in Business

The big wraparound glass screens on Samsungs new Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are extremely susceptible to cracking when dropped from any angle, according to tests run by SquareTrade, which sells gadget-repair plans. SquareTrade said Monday that cracks appeared on screens of both the S8 and S8 Plus after just one facedown drop onto a sidewalk from six feet. The phones had similar problems when dropped on the backs and sides. Both models did well in water-drop tests, however, with some audio distortion, which is typical and temporary.

Greek yogurt giant Chobani is suing right-wing radio host Alex Jones, accusing the conspiracy theorist of publishing false information about the company. In its suit filed Monday in Idaho District Court, Chobani alleges that Jones and his Infowars website posted fabricated stories this month that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children. The company is seeking $10,000 in damages.

T-Moble said Monday it added more subscribers than expected in the first quarter as promotional offers helped the No. 3 wireless carrier win over customers despite new unlimited data plans from competitors. T-Mobiles net income rose to $698 million, or 80 cents per share, in the quarter ended March 31, from $479 million, or 56 cents per share, a year earlier. Total adjusted revenue rose nearly 11 percent to $9.61 billion. T-Mobile said it added 914,000 branded postpaid subscribers, who pay bills monthly, on a net basis, during the period.

Wells Fargo has presented the Federal Reserve with a satisfactory plan on how to unwind its business in case of bankruptcy, the central bank said Monday. The resolution plan, or living will, is required of the nations largest banks and is meant to help prevent a future financial crisis. In December, the Fed and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation notified Wells Fargo that the banks plan fell short. On Monday, the regulators said Wells Fargo has adequately remedied the deficiencies.

Drugmaker Mylan engaged in a campaign to squash a rival to its EpiPen allergy treatment and artificially inflate the price of the drug to maintain a market monopoly, French drugmaker Sanofi said in a lawsuit filed Monday. Mylan is already under scrutiny over the skyrocketing prices of its EpiPen product and is facing a U.S. antitrust probe. In the suit filed in federal court in New Jersey, Sanofi said Mylan executives offered unprecedented price rebates to persuade government officials, insurance companies and benefit managers not to reimburse patients for Sanofis competing Auvi-Q allergy treatment.

 From news reports

Coming today

9 a.m.: Standard & Poors releases S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for February.

10 a.m.: Commerce Department releases new-home sales for March.

10 a.m.: The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for April.

Earnings: Caterpillar, Coca-Cola, Chipotle, McDonalds.
President Trump is pursuing a drastic cut in the corporate tax rate, a move that is likely to grow the national debt and breach a long-held Republican goal of curbing federal borrowing.

The president has instructed advisers to propose cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent, according to White House officials who said they were not authorized to speak publicly about the plan. The rate reduction  which independent budget experts say could cost the federal government $2.4 trillion over a decade  is larger than what House Republicans had proposed in their own plan.

White House officials said the president would make the announcement Wednesday as part of a release of broad principles to overhaul the tax code  days before a 100-day deadline Trump had given himself for achieving most top campaign goals. They are also expected to discuss changes to the personal income tax, among other aspects of the tax code, said two White House officials.

Trump has pledged that the tax cut in total would be the largest in U.S. history, and his advisers have said that the economic growth it stimulates would make up for any shortfall in revenue.

The tax plan will pay for itself with economic growth, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday.

(Reuters)

But any changes would have to be backed by Congress, and passing a sweeping tax cut plan that widens the deficit would be virtually impossible on Capitol Hill without bipartisan support, in the view of key players in both parties. Many Democrats have said they will not support such a plan, making Trumps proposal a tough political sell from the start.

Republicans, meanwhile, have argued for years that curbing the deficit is a top national priority. And even members of the GOP who agree that tax cuts can significantly boost growth have acknowledged that any big tax cut would require raising other revenue or finding budget savings.

A House Republican tax plan endorsed by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), for example, would raise nearly $1 trillion by imposing a new tax on imports, frequently referred to as a border-adjustment tax. The White House flirted with the idea but appears to have moved away from it in recent weeks in the face of opposition from industry groups.

Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn are set to meet with top Republican lawmakers Wednesday to discuss the administrations tax plan.

The administration has embarked in a very dangerous direction, said Edward Kleinbard, the former chief of staff for Congresss Joint Committee on Taxation. If it is going to rely on the principle that tax cuts can pay for themselves, history has demonstrated that tax policies move the growth needle a bit but no more than that.

Trump surprised lawmakers  and even many advisers  last week when he announced he would release details of his tax plan on Wednesday. Advisers said Trump is eager to make a mark on a top issue before the 100-day anniversary of his administration, after being frustrated by House Republicans over the failure to advance legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act.

But several House Republicans close to Ryan said that they were taken aback by the latest tax push. They said the president risked alienating the speaker and his allies on Capitol Hill if they got behind a proposal that had weak or fragile support in the chamber, and they expressed concern about Congress piling up too many issues this week, such as a revived effort to pass a health-care overhaul and keep the government funded while funneling money toward border security projects.

502 Bad Gateway

The Republicans also noted that Ryan has already outlined the Houses tax plan over the past year and secured buy-in from members on the general outline of rates and the inclusion of a border tax. Ryans plan proposed a 20 percent corporate tax rate.

Republicans familiar with the leaderships thinking said Monday that House leaders see the 15 percent corporate rate as an understandable restatement of a pledge Trump made during the presidential campaign. But they cautioned that passing such legislation would be complicated and likely necessitate other tax hikes or spending cuts.

They expected the leadership, however, to agree with the broad points and spirit of Trumps plan this week even as details and a path to passage remain unclear.

The Wall Street Journal first reported Trumps request to cut the corporate tax rate to 15 percent Monday afternoon.

Businesses are projected to pay $340 billion in corporate taxes in 2018, roughly 10 percent of all revenue collected by the government.

At 35 percent, the United States has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, but most companies pay a much lower effective rate because the tax code is riddled with deductions.

Still, lawmakers from both parties have said the corporate tax rate must be reduced to help U.S. companies compete with firms headquartered in other countries and to prevent U.S. firms from moving overseas.

The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan tax group affiliated with the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, has estimated that Trumps corporate tax proposal, as outlined during the campaign, would cost $2.4 trillion over 10 years.

It also estimated that his entire campaign tax proposal would cost $7.2 trillion  figures that Trump aides have sharply criticized as failing to take into account the revenue generated by economic growth spurred by the tax overhaul.

Inside the White House, Trump has faced a debate about how far to go with his tax proposal. Trump also called for cutting the debt during the presidential campaign, and advisers such as budget director Mick Mulvaney was a major proponent of deficit reduction as a hard-line conservative in the House.

Hes not backing away from the supply-side agenda, said Stephen Moore, a senior economic policy expert at the Heritage Foundation who advised the Trump campaign, noting that there are two competing ways of thinking about taxes inside of the White House.

Moore defined those groups inside the administration as those who are deficit hawks versus those who dont care about that. And those who dont care about it seem to be winning out. Fifteen percent suggests a turn toward them.

White House officials have said there are several basic principles to their tax plan. They want to simplify the tax code, cut the corporate tax rate, pass a middle-class tax cut and create a way to punish companies that move overseas and ship goods back into the country. They also want to encourage U.S. companies to move money back into the United States.

Trumps push for unveiling his tax plan began last week during several meetings in the Oval Office during which he expressed his frustration with the slow pace of legislation on several fronts, including taxes, according to two officials who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Trump urged his top economic advisers, including Mnuchin, to ready a rollout for this week and to keep the details of the plan controlled as much as possible by Trump advisers and Cabinet members rather than by GOP lawmakers, the officials said.

As one of the officials described Trumps outlook, he wants high growth and high employment.

Max Ehrenfreund contributed to this report.
Highly-placed intelligence sources said this threat perception has been conveyed both to Special Protection Group (SPG) responsible for the PM's security and officials supervising UP CM's security arrangements.

By Atir Khan: A recent alert by the intelligence agencies has indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath could be on the radar of some London-based Kashmiri terrorists.

According to the alert these terrorists have infiltrated Kashmir Valley and will try to travel to UP in small groups in a train. The location of these terrorists are unknown.

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Highly-placed intelligence sources said this threat perception has been conveyed both to Special Protection Group (SPG) responsible for the PM's security and officials supervising UP CM's security arrangements.

PM Modi continues to remain a high-value target for both international and domestic terror outfits. A series of bomb blasts in a public rally addressed by him at Patna while he was Gujarat CM on October 2013 is a clear indicator that he faces high security risks.

MUMBAI SIB ALERTS

Sources said another alert by Mumbai SIB has suggested both PM and UP CM have high security risks. An alert had been issued by the state Intelligence Bureau unit suggesting some people in Raigarh in Maharashtra were heard discreetly talking about carrying attacks on both the VVIPs. Senior police officers are probing the inputs and trying to identify the persons who reportedly indulged in the conspiracy.

While both the leaders enjoy highest standards of security in the country, sources said the details of the alerts have been conveyed to all security formations for necessary briefing at places wherever the VVIPs visit.

After the alerts last week a high-level union Home Ministry meeting took place. In the meeting it was decided to provide NSG commandos to Yogi Adityanath along with the regular Z plus security cover. So far only 16 VVIPs have been provided with the elite security cover NSG commandos.

According to an alert issued earlier an unidentified associate co-located with Kashmir Valley based LeT operative Ukasha revealed that he and Dujana are proposed to be sent to Delhi for targeting PM. The alert had said one undisclosed associate would be sent to north and south Kashmir each.

Also read:

Amid threat from Khalistani groups, PM Modi to visit Patna for Prakash Utsav

PM Narendra Modi's security reviewed after threat letter from 'ISI commandant'

Also watch:

Terror tape showing Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba militants surfaces, raises security concerns

--- ENDS ---
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President Trump entered office on Jan. 20 with a vow to end American carnage. Heres a sampling of what he and his administration have said and done in the almost 100 days since then  and what Post Opinions columnists and contributors have written about his record.

Days 1-10(Jan. 20-29)

Jan. 20 Inaugural address

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.  President Trump

Twenty minutes into his presidency, Donald Trump, who is always claiming to have made, or to be about to make, astonishing history, had done so. Living down to expectations, he had delivered the most dreadful inaugural address in history.  George F. Will, A most dreadful inaugural address

One group voted for him; the other did not. On Friday, Trump promised to fight for them both.  Marc A. Thiessen, Trumps speech wasnt divisive. He said hed fight for all Americans.

Jan. 21 Inauguration crowd

This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration  period  both in person and around the globe.  White House press secretary Sean Spicer

We now know that Trumps self-adoration is not a mere personality glitch. It is instead an engine of intimidation, a furiously dominant aspect of his personality, and when it gets challenged, as it was over the weekend, he responds irrationally.  Richard Cohen, Sean Spicers Stalinist apparition

Jan. 22 Womens March

Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didnt these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.  President Trump

Fear of a presidency willing to declare that up is down and down is up is why so many rallied to say a very loud no.  E.J. Dionne Jr., Why millions gathered to say no to Trump

Jan 22. Alternative facts

Youre saying its a falsehood, and theyre giving  our press secretary, Sean Spicer, gave alternative facts to that.  White House counselor Kellyanne Conway

This disconnect from reality is my biggest fear about Trump, more than any one policy he has proposed. My worry is the president of the United States is barking mad.  Dana Milbank, In Trumps mind, its always really sunny. And thats terrifying.

Jan. 23 Withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership

What we want is fair trade. And were gonna treat countries fairly, but they have to treat us fairly.  President Trump

What Trump gets from his trade crusade is a (false) rallying cry for more U.S. jobs. What the United States gets, if anything, is less clear.  Robert J. Samuelson, Trump is obsessed with trade  but its not a major cause of job loss

Jan. 25 Voter fraud

I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and  even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time).  President Trump

If you lose an election by 80,000 votes when you have 5 million to play around with, you are too dumb to be president.  Garrison Keillor, The incompetent millions of outlaw voters

Jan. 26 The opposition party

The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while  The media here is the opposition party.  White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon

We do not spoil for a knife fight. Whatever comes at us over the next four years, what we should wield is our pens and our laptops, our facts and our fairness.  Fred Hiatt, Trump considers the media his enemy. We shouldnt treat him as ours.

Jan. 26 The border wall

If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.  President Trump

All Mexicans are behind President Pena Nieto when he tells President Trump that we will not pay for his extravagant, offensive and useless project. Ernesto Zedillo, Mexico can thrive without Trump

Jan. 27 The first travel ban

We dont want them here. We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people.  President Trump

When Ronald Reagan spoke on foreign policy, tyrants sat uneasy on their thrones and dissidents and refugees took heart. When Donald Trump speaks on foreign policy, tyrants rest easier and dissidents and refugees lose hope.  Michael Gerson, Trumps half-baked travel ban is a picture of American shame

Stupid but legal.  Charles Krauthammer, The travel moratorium: A hopeless disaster

Days 11-20

Jan. 30 Executive order on regulations

This will be the largest ever cut by far in terms of regulations.  If theres a new regulation, they have to knock out two. But it goes way beyond that.  President Trump

For the past 50 years, Washingtons approach has been like the Roach Motel  regulations check in, but they never check out.  Philip K. Howard, Six presidents have failed to cut red tape. Heres how Trump could succeed.

Jan. 30 Sally Yates firing

The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States.  White House statement

The absurdity of Yatess position is self-evident.  William Barr, Former attorney general: Trump was right to fire Sally Yates

The White House . . . could have worked with her to make changes that would satisfy her concerns about its legality. Instead, the president chose crisis and chaos.  Matthew Miller, Trumps firing of the acting attorney general sets a dangerous precedent

Jan. 31 Neil Gorsuch nomination

I can only hope that both Democrats and Republicans can come together for once for the good of the country.  President Trump

It was far and away the most presidential performance weve thus far witnessed.  Kathleen Parker, The lefts boogeyman vision of Neil Gorsuch

Feb. 1 Black History Month

Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody whos done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice.  President Trump

Ancestors weep.  Colbert I. King, Trumps sad thank you to African Americans

Feb. 1 Iran

As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.  Then-national security adviser Michael Flynn

Iran is among the toughest foreign policy challenges Trump will face, and he should be careful to avoid ill-planned early actions that would make it his Bay of Pigs.  David Ignatius, Trump should look before he leaps on Iran

Feb. 4 So-called judge

The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!  President Trump

The 9th Circuit ruling, suffused with bristling at the notion that courts should remain supine in the face of claims of unbridled executive power, offers an illustration of judicial willingness to provide a needed brake on Trumpian overreach.  Ruth Marcus, The 9th Circuit ruling is the most hopeful sign yet

Feb. 8 Ivanka Trump and Nordstrom

My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person  always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!  President Trump

This style reduces important issues, from gay rights to climate change, to girlish whims, as if family benefits and the fate of the planet are as trivial as the choice of centerpieces at a wedding.  Alyssa Rosenberg, Ivanka Trump and the Cult of the First Daughter

Days 21-30

Feb. 9 One-China policy

The two leaders discussed numerous topics and President Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our one-China policy.  White House statement

What did our great dealmaker get in return? Nothing  or nothing public, anyway. Beijing must be pleased as punch.  Catherine Rampell, Trump is working hard to Make China Great Again

Feb. 9 First travel ban blocked

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!  President Trump

Well see whether Trump will condemn the entire judiciary as so-called, but thus far they have done their job: to provide a bulwark for liberty in the face of executive overreaching.  David Cole, So-called judges trump Trump

Feb. 15 Middle East peace

I am looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like . . . I can live with either one.  President Trump

The process would work only if Israel and the Palestinians simultaneously reached agreement  which, for now, they cant and wont.  Jackson Diehl, Trump has a new idea for Middle East peace! Except it isnt new at all.

Feb. 16 Michael Flynn firing

I fired him because of what he said to Mike Pence. Mike was doing his job . . . so it certainly would have been okay with me if he did it.  President Trump

The Michael Flynn fiasco was the entirely predictable product of the indiscipline, deceit, incompetence and moral indifference that characterize Donald Trumps approach to leadership.  E.J. Dionne Jr., Admit it: Trump is unfit to serve

The call may not necessarily be the smoking gun, the ultimate proof that there was a quid pro quo: You help us with the election, we help you by lifting sanctions. But it sure looks like it could be.  Anne Applebaum, Why Flynn was undone by a phone call

Feb. 16 A fine-tuned machine

This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine.  President Trump

We have seen it all before, the early successes and stumbles, but what is new is the nearly ubiquitous, 24/7 breathlessness of many in the media. We are a bunch of alarmists generally, but the crying-wolf club has never been this numerous.  Hugh Hewitt, Stop the Trump hysteria. His early stumbles are nothing new.

The checks have checked. The balances have balanced. In this scenario, it is good news that the Trump administration has been so inept.  Michael Gerson, Reality will get its revenge on Donald Trump

Feb. 17 Enemy of the American People

The FAKE NEWS media . . . is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!  President Trump

Trump was wrong to call reporters enemies. And yes, the demonization of those who disagree with us is a deep problem in U.S. politics. But it did not start with Trump.  Marc A. Thiessen, The lefts hypocrisy on Trumps enemy of the American People comment

Days 31  40

Feb. 27 Health care

Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated.  President Trump

Actually, we all knew.  Dana Milbank, The Republican health-care plans top critics? Republicans.

Feb. 28 Address to Congress

Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom  we will never forget him.  President Trump

Trump delivered . . . And in so doing he also delivered a heartfelt appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice made by thousands since 9/11.  Hugh Hewitt, What Trumps critics got so wrong about his speech

Days 41  50

March 2 Sessions and Russia

I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions

The question at this point is whether any Republican, especially one enlisted to help spin Trumps defense, can be entrusted with this investigation.  Jennifer Rubin, Why Jeff Sessions is in deep trouble

March 4 Wiretapping

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!  President Trump

Someone is unhinged and needing of help, but its not the former president.  Ann Telnaes, Trump needs an intervention

March 8 CBO report

If youre looking at the CBO for accuracy, youre looking in the wrong place.  White House press secretary Sean Spicer

Whats clear is that President Trump and his supporters have the repeal part down but not the replace.  Robert J. Samuelson, The Trumpcare trap

Its about hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts  tax cuts that will quietly pave the way for more, and far larger, tax cuts.  Catherine Rampell, The Republican health-care plan isnt about health care at all

March 9 Climate change

I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do . . . so no, I would not agree that its a primary contributor to the global warming that we see.  Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt

Missing in action is a broader sense of what is at stake. Put aside that catastrophic climate changes could render the world uninhabitable.  Katrina vanden Heuvel, Get ready for Trumps climate-denial offensive

Days 51-60

March 15 Hard-power budget

It is not a soft-power budget. This is a hard-power budget, and that was done intentionally.  Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney

Anyone who survives will be a gun covered in the fur of a rare mammal, capable of fighting disease with a single muscular flex. RAW POWER! HARD RAW POWER GRRRRRR HISSS POW! It will be great.  Alexandra Petri, Trumps budget makes perfect sense and will fix America, and I will tell you why

March 20 Unmasking

FBI Director Comey admits Obamas White House had ability to unmask American citizens.  President Trump

There are more suspicious reasons for Obamas national security adviser to have sought to unmask the identities of Trump campaign aides than there are valid reasons.  Ed Rogers, The pursuit of Trump may have caught the Obama White House

Days 61-70

March 22 Devin Nunes

I somewhat do. . . . I very much appreciated the fact that they found what they found.  President Trump

Nunes is acting as though hes trying to convince everyone hes staging a coverup.  Paul Waldman Will Republicans ever agree to an independent probe of the Russia scandal?

March 25 Health-care bill killed

ObamaCare will explode and we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for THE PEOPLE. Do not worry!  President Trump

President Trump could actually use the legislative collapse to fix health care if he went back to basics and to his core convictions on the topic, which are surprisingly intelligent and consistent.  Fareed Zakaria, Trump was right about health care for most of his life

Days 71-80

April 3 Nuclear option

Theres literally going to be the first filibuster in modern times on a qualified judge . . . And I think Democrats are setting a very dangerous precedent.  White House press secretary Sean Spicer

Sheesh! Give me some credit!  Tom Toles, Mitch McConnell can explain that he doesnt trifle with American institutions

I urged Democrats to reconsider. I regret that they could not be dissuaded from their latest and most audacious attack on the norms and traditions of the Senate.  Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Democrats reap what they have sown

April 5 Syria strike

I now have responsibility.  President Trump

Even for a president who advertised his coldblooded pragmatism, the moral dimensions of leadership find a way of penetrating the Oval Office.  David Ignatius, Trump enforces the red line on chemical weapons

Either were on a slippery slope toward deeper military involvement, or we remain helpless witnesses to unspeakable carnage.  Eugene Robinson, No one should feel good about Trumps attack on Syria

Days 81-90

April 11 Hitler and Assad

You know, you had a, you know, someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.  White House press secretary Sean Spicer

The halting, hard-to-follow speech patterns reflect an unflattering truth about the top spokesperson at the White House: He doesnt know what hes talking about.  Erik Wemple, The Daily Spicer: Holocaust centers. Yes, the press secretary used that term.

April 12 China reversal

Theyre not currency manipulators.  President Trump

It was inevitable that a rookie president with no experience in government at any level, much less the highest, would have a ridiculously steep learning curve to climb.  Eugene Robinson, We dont know where Trump stands. Neither does he.

April 12 NATO reversal

I said it was obsolete. Its no longer obsolete.  President Trump

These about-faces represent, in part, a Trump Tower-size version of the realities that confront any new president. Campaign trail proclamations yield to Oval Office sobriety.  Ruth Marcus, Is rationality dawning on Trump?

April 17 North Korea

North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region.  Vice President Pence

The world is on notice: Eight years of sleepwalking is over. America is back.  Charles Krauthammer, The Great Reversal  for now

April 17 Turkish referendum

President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to congratulate him on his recent referendum victory.  White House statement

The countrys citizens can prevail . . . if we insist on calling out a self-absorbed huckster who treats us all as easily bamboozled fools.  E.J. Dionne Jr., No, Mr. President, you cant do what you want

Days 91-100

April 20 Tax reform

The plan will pay for itself with growth.  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

Just as all of Trumps health-care promises proved impossible to square, so too will his tax populism collide with the plutocratic reality of his true priorities.  Catherine Rampell, Think tax reform will be easy for Trump? Ha, ha.


Fadha Ghozlani shows a portrait of her brother Sayed, who was killed by Islamic State militants in their family house. Among Sayeds attackers was a cousin. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

One evening last fall, the Islamic State fighters came down from the mountains.

Sayed Ghozlani was visiting his family during a break from the army, and the fighters wanted to find him. They stormed his house during dinner and corralled the men. They beat them up, tied their hands behind their backs and forced them all to kneel.

Then one fighter pressed a gun against Sayeds head and demanded his name.

Abdul Malik, he replied.

Thats not the truth, another militant said in a voice that was familiar, according to two witnesses.

His face bloodied, Sayed looked up to see a figure carrying an AK-47 rifle and smiling triumphantly.

It was his cousin, Muntasir.

In the mountains of western Tunisia, radical Islamists are spreading their ideology, cowing villagers with brute violence and dividing families. American-trained Tunisian soldiers are battling them, but the militants are formidable opponents.

The struggle lays bare the Islamic States aspirations as it loses territory in Iraq and Syria, security officials and analysts say. The militants are searching for new havens and areas where they can impose control and sow chaos. They are also fortifying existing footholds to expand their reach and fallback options.

In Egypt, Islamic State militants are staging devastating attacks on minority Christians. In Algeria and the Sahel region, new Islamic State affiliates have emerged. And after losing its Libyan stronghold of Sirte in December, the Islamic State is trying to regroup in southern Libya, and potentially in Tunisia and other neighboring countries, U.S. military and intelligence officials say.

The instability in Libya and North Africa may be the most significant near-term threat to U.S. and allies interests on the continent, Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, head of the Pentagons Africa Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last month.

The return of possibly thousands of fighters threatens to further destabilize this moderate Muslim North African nation, the only one to emerge as a functioning democracy after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Less than 15 miles from the Algerian border, the mountains have become a crossroads for militants from the region. Caves and bushes provide plenty of cover for training camps and redoubts in an area that is partly ungoverned.

In villages and towns, the forces abetting radicalization are in full gear: Ignored by successive governments, the region is beset with high unemployment, poverty and weak social services. Resentment toward the government runs deep.

On that November evening, these colluding forces led one cousin to betray another.

Ever since my brother joined the army, our cousin wanted to kill him, said Fadha Ghozlani, 35, who was in the house during the attack, along with their younger brother, Mohammed. He brought the terrorists to our home.



Karma is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kasserine. Dozens of families have sons who have joined the militants. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Spreading radicalism

By U.N. estimates, at least 5,500 Tunisians have fought for the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Syria, Iraq and Libya  more than from any other country. Many are from the Kasserine region.





But even as Tunisia became a militant pipeline to the wars in those countries, its secular history and drift toward the West made it a target. In 2015, Tunisian gunmen thought to have trained in Libya attacked the resort town of Sousse and the Bardo Museum in the capital, Tunis, killing scores, mostly foreign tourists.

Last year, Islamic State fighters based in Libya brazenly battled security forces in the southern border town of Ben Guerdane, widely seen as an effort to establish a new foothold in Tunisia.

That foothold seems to be taking shape in these mountains, where the Islamic State is also in a contest with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, for recruits and territory.

Many AQIM fighters have defected to form the Islamic States Tunisian branch, Jund al-Khilafah, which in Arabic means the Soldiers of the Caliphate, security officials and analysts say.

There are no more than a couple hundred militants in the mountains, security officials say, including some from Algeria, Mauritania and West African countries. But most of the fighters are Tunisians from the area, disaffected men such as Muntasir.

By the time he joined the Islamic State last summer, it had become harder to travel to the wars abroad. The nation is under emergency law. Men younger than 35 need written permission from their parents to leave the country. A 125-mile earthen wall was built along the border with Libya to prevent jihadists from leaving and entering.

The security situation is improving, said Yasser Mesbah, an Interior Ministry spokesman. But we cant say the threat is over.

Consider this: 3,576 Tunisians were tried last year on terrorism-related charges, including recruitment and training, according to Interior Ministry data.

The bigger issue, not just for Tunisia, but for all of us, is this: What about the guys who have not left the state to fight? said Patrice Bergamini, the European Unions ambassador to Tunisia.

They are like ticking bombs.



High unemployment and resentment toward the government have made the Kasserine region a key source of recruits for the Islamic State and other radical groups. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)



Graffiti on the wall of a local school includes a reference to radical Islamists. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Men congregate at a cafe in Kasserines city center. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Quiet conversion

Sayed and Muntasir grew up near each other in Thmad, a bucolic village in the mountains. Born the same year, they played together and often slept in the same room. They were both tall, lean and handsome.

Their families, like others in their once close-knit community, farmed and grazed sheep. They celebrated holidays and festivals together.

By the time the cousins turned 20, the Arab Spring uprisings were transforming Tunisia. In Kasserine, violent protests in January 2011 played a central role in the ousting of dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Like other interior areas, it had been ignored by the countrys northern elite for decades.

Neither cousin took part in the revolution. Muntasir was growing crops and tending his familys sheep on the mountains. And by then, Sayed had joined the army to help support his parents and siblings.

But Sayeds job drove the two cousins apart. Muntasir soon viewed him as a member of Ben Alis oppressive regime.

When Muntasir learned that Sayed had enlisted in the army, he used to call him tyrant,  recalled Mohammed Ghozlani, 25, Sayeds younger brother. He used to throw this word in our faces whenever he saw us in a local cafe or other places. But at that time, he didnt try to harm us.

After the revolt, a new openness flourished. But that also paved the way for religious extremists to attract youths frustrated with the lack of opportunities. In mosques and Islamic education camps, imams implored young people to give up their Western ways and urged them to defend Islam.

Mohamed Zorgui, a rapper and community leader, says that in 2013, Islamic State flags were being displayed openly. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Mohamed Zorgui, a rapper and community youth leader, recalled that in 2013 the black Islamic State flags were being displayed openly in the city center.

The flags are gone, but the sense of despair lingers.

The promises of economic growth that emerged after the revolution remain unfulfilled, and cafes are filled during the day with idle young men of working age.

The youth have no idea what the future will bring, said Mahmoud Kahri, a lawmaker representing Kasserine. And the government has found no efficient way to address their problems.

That has garnered more sympathy for the militants. In January, protests broke out in the town over the lack of jobs. Some youths burned tires. Others branded government officials nonbelievers and chanted ISIS is coming, Zorgui recalled.

In Karma and Zuhour, two hardscrabble enclaves in the town of Kasserine, dozens of families have sons who left to fight abroad or were recruited by the militants in the mountains.

Scrawled on the wall of a school in Zuhour are the words: ISIS is lasting and expanding.

By all accounts, Muntasir was not a devout Muslim. He rarely attended mosque or prayed five times a day. But last spring, his relatives noticed that he started praying and engaging in discussions about Islam.

Muntasir used to drink alcohol, and then, one day, he suddenly started to speak about religion, Mohammed Ghozlani recalled.

Yet, Muntasir kept his Islamic State sympathies a secret, and many family members didnt realize he had joined the militant group until he had vanished into the mountains during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last summer.

Mafoud Bin Daraie, a 40-year-old imam and community leader, said the militants have largely drawn rural young men who have wrong impressions of Islam or are very poor.

He has tried to stop several Kasserine youth from heading overseas to fight or into the mountains.

But now the imam is a target.



Mafoud Bin Daraie, an imam, became a target after denouncing radical Islamist ideologies. A militant attempted to kill him in this room. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Fuel to the battle

A few months ago, a Tunisian militant with a handgun entered Bin Daraies mosque during Friday prayers. But security forces were tipped off, and before he could pull the trigger, they grabbed him.

They tried to kill me because I spoke out against them, Bin Daraie said.

A few blocks from his mosque, a house is pocked with softball-size holes from heavy gunfire. In August, security forces fought a nine-hour battle with militants holed up there. Two of the gunmen, along with a passer-by, were killed.

One day last summer, the militants accused Najib Guasmi, 37, a shepherd, of being an informant for the security forces.

They killed him with a bullet to his head, said his brother, Hadi.

The militants have also planted land mines, killing several civilians in recent months.

At least a dozen Tunisian fighters returning from Syria and Iraq have joined the militants, said Ridha Raddaoui, co-author of a recent report on terrorism by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.

As more fighters return, he added, they will be fuel to the battle in the mountains against the Tunisian state.

At checkpoints in the towns, Tunisian security forces search vehicles for weapons and bombs. Soldiers patrol in Humvees and armored personnel carriers. Suspected militants have been arrested and sent to jail.

But a recent visit to the mountains, under armed escort, revealed the security challenges on this vast terrain dotted with cactus and pine trees along dry riverbeds.

There are fighters everywhere, said a national guard commander, pointing at the mountains, a Belgian-made rifle slung over his shoulder. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists. But we dont have the necessary means and equipment to fight them.

The security forces, he said, were stretched thin and lacked equipment to track down the militants.

God is the only one protecting us now, he said.

A tragic return

On that November evening, Muntasir was determined to confront his cousin. By then, he was routinely coming down from the mountains to pick up food and supplies. Nearly half the village was helping the militants. The other half lived in fear.

Sayed, too, was coming home  despite the omens. On one visit, a cousin told him that if he had a gun he would kill him on the spot.

I told my brother, Dont come to the house. Muntasir is watching you,  Fadha Ghozlani recalled.

But Sayed was close to his mother, and she needed money.

As Sayed glared at Muntasir in their house, his mother began to cry. She begged Muntasir not to harm her son.

But the militants hauled Sayed into a guest room. Muntasir joined them.

Moments later, two bullets pierced the back of Sayeds head.



Fadha, Salina and Mohammed Ghozlani had a brother who was killed by Islamic State militants last fall. They say a cousin was among the attackers. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Read more

Islamic State, growing stronger in Libya, sets its sights on fragile neighbor Tunisia

Two of her daughters joined ISIS. Now shes trying to save her two younger girls.

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Its not only cool to see and hear In the Heights performed in Spanish. Its also la justicia.

After all, what the shows composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton renown, accomplished with book writer Quiara Allegria Hudes in this earlier, Tony-winning work was nothing less than the rocketing of Latino aspirations and culture onto the main stage of American musical theater.

So there is a sense of linguistic homecoming for this kaleidoscopic story of contemporary life among the Americans of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, and Mexican descent in Manhattans Washington Heights to be sung in the language of its rollicking, struggling characters. And how grand for GALA Hispanic Theatre, the tenacious company tackling Spanish and Latin American plays in Columbia Heights, to be the one to produce it  in what the organization asserts is the U.S. premiere for this Spanish translation with English surtitles.

And sung with verve in a highly entertaining, often impressively acted production, staged with evident affection by director-choreographer Luis Salgaldo. With a nine-member orchestra conducted by Walter Bobby McCoy tucked away behind Elizabeth J. McFaddens set of a row of urban storefronts, GALAs In the Heights is commendable for its ambition. But a few technical kinks still need to be worked out.

Its important to be said that you dont have to know Spanish to enjoy this evening. Many scenes and songs, adapted by Amaury Sanchez and Salgado Productions, alternate in Spanish and English. And in any event, salsa is a universal language. Initially, it is a bit tricky to follow along, especially in the hip-hop sequences, as song verses shift from one language to the other and your eye has to move from the actors to the electronic message boards overhead. Once youre acclimated, though, comprehension is not a problem.

Still, sound designer Roc Lee has additional work to do, because the amplification of the band is erratic, making the work of both the actors and the audience more difficult than it should be. On the night I attended, the sound system went loudly on the fritz at a critical juncture, and though the sound booth patched it quickly, a spectator remained a bit on edge, conscious in the occasionally unfocused staging of further potential glitches.

In the Heights is a technically demanding show, not the least because it chronicles a holiday in New York City when fireworks explode and a citywide blackout turns off the electric atmosphere. It is also a rigorous undertaking because the episodic musical unfolds a multitude of plots concerning, among other tales, those of a lovesick bodega owner; a failing Stanford student; an African American taxi dispatcher trying to ingratiate himself with the parents of the young Latina he loves; a religious abuela and the gossipy buzz in a neighborhood beauty salon.

You can feel the influence of Rent in this first foray by Miranda onto Broadway, where it opened in 2008, after earlier runs out of town and off-Broadway. If you substitute the barrio for bohemia, you can deduce how Miranda was inspired by Rents Jonathan Larson to conjure the particular slice of New York he knew and loved and wanted to show the rest of the world. As with Rent, narrative in In the Heights isnt as vital as character. The emphasis on personality manifested in song doesnt always lend itself to a satisfying caliber of storytelling. And yet like Rent, there is a larger story here worth telling: how the city forges families that transcend bloodlines.

Miranda and Hudes offer ample opportunity, too, for robust solo moments, and several of GALAs actors grab the spotlight as if they were born to it. For example, Veronica Alvarez Robles , who plays Vanessa, the woman Usnavi (Juan Luis Espinal) pines for, and who aches to live downtown, is downright sensational. During the Act 1 number Ya Falta Poco (Almost There) and elsewhere, she is a dynamic dancing-and-singing force. Espinal himself, in the big-hearted role Miranda played on Broadway, proves to be an appealing guide to the neighborhood.

Vaughn Ryan Midders Benny, who only wants the disapproving parents of Nina (the excellent Laura Lebron ) to like him, conveys a fine boyish suaveness, and Michelle Rios brings melodious passion to the part of the barrio matriarch, Abuela Claudia. As salon owner Daniela, Scheherazade Quiroga, too, invests a neighborhood mainstay with life-of-the-party zest.

A party is what In the Heights strives to be. Salgados choreography gives the young, vibrant ensemble at GALA a platform to show off the best dancing in town  some of the best you may ever see in these parts. If we in the peanut gallery had half their energy, wed be up there dancing, too.

In the Heights music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Allegria Hudes. Directed and choreographed by Luis Salgado. Spanish version by Amaury Sanchez, adapted for GALA Hispanic Theatre by Salgado Productions. Music direction, Walter Bobby McCoy; set, Elizabeth J. McFadden; lighting, Christopher Annas-Lee; costumes, Robert Croghan; sound, Roc Lee. With Myriam Gadri, Felix Marchany, Gabriella Perez, Jose F. Capellan, Shadia Fairuz, Rafael Beato. About 2 hours 40 minutes. Tickets, $40-$60. Through May 21 at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14 St. NW. Visit galatheatre.org or call 202-234-7174.
Q: I do not know the origin of this lovely old green bottle, but I do know it was used as a water bottle for 25 years and kept in the refrigerator. During that time, the green glass was clear. Then the bottle was retired, and I lost track of it. It has returned, but now it has a white coating inside. I have no idea why. I have tried to remove the white film with bleach, OxiClean and vinegar. It foamed up nicely from the vinegar, but the film remained. Is there a way to remove the white film?

Chevy Chase

A: Jim Sears, a member of Potomac Bottle Collectors (potomacbottlecollectors.org), said that the best method of cleaning cloudy glass is with a bottle tumbler, a piece of equipment with a motor that turns a canister where the bottle is fixed in place while handfuls of copper pellets in water slosh against the glass over and over as the canister spins. Copper is softer than glass but harder than stains, which means it will eventually wear away the stain without harming the glass, he wrote in an email. Using chemicals to try to remove stains is riskier because early glass formulas varied. The chemical that happens to clean one antique item beautifully may leave another badly etched, he said.

He suggested contacting Rick Lease, president of the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club, whom Sears described as an expert on bottle tumbling. Lease said he would be happy to fix your bottle. If it only has cloudiness on the inside, it would cost $10 to tumble it, he said in an email. If it also has outside cloudiness, it would be $15. Im busy but not overloaded right now, so the turnaround would probably be four to six weeks from the time I would receive it. One way to contact him would be to go to a club meeting. Details are on the clubs website, baltimorebottleclub.org . The next meetings are scheduled for May 12 and June 9.

You can also find companies online that specialize in this service; search for bottle tumbling. Prices typically start at about $10, Sears said. The process can take weeks, with more difficult jobs costing more.

If you arent able to arrange for a professional tumbling, you can try a couple of cleaners that some collectors use on their less-prized pieces: Bar Keepers Friend, which is sold at grocery stores alongside scrubbing powders, or CLR Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover, which is carried by hardware stores and building-supply companies. (Its $6 for a 28-ounce jug at Home Depot.) Bar Keepers Friend is more mild but may not remove all of the stain. CLR is more powerful but can etch glass. But if your bottle is merely vintage, and not old enough to be a real antique, it should stand up to CLR, Sears said.

If nothing removes the cloudiness, theres a chance something that did etch the glass was left inside and gradually evaporated, leaving permanent damage.

Q: I have a kitchen with a good layout, oak Shaker cabinets in good condition and a laminate countertop in good condition but out of style. I am contemplating painting the cabinets white and updating the countertop. I am a committed recycler and would hate to see the countertop go to a landfill. I have read about Granite Transformations quartz countertop product that fits over an existing countertop. Would this be a good way to go?

Silver Spring

A: Granite Transformations products consist of quarter-inch-thick slabs that are joined with edge pieces in a shop, creating a lid that can be set over an existing countertop. The company makes several styles that are 95 percent granite, quartz or recycled glass, plus 5 percent polymer. The product is baked, resulting in a surface that is nonporous and resists stains, scratches and heat damage.

Online, you can read reviews by homeowners who have installed the product. One complaint is that it gives the countertop a thicker edge  at least 1 inch, to cover the edge of a countertop thats the standard 1 inches thick. That quarter-inch might not seem like much, but for homeowners who wanted a solid granite slab, its a daily reminder that they bought something that isnt quite that. Granite Transformations costs about the same as a mid-price granite slab, said Laura Fuenzalida, administrator and showroom host for the Granite Transformations franchise in Malvern, Pa.

But you have an issue greater than edge thickness: There is no Granite Transformations franchisee in Maryland. There was one, but the store closed, leaving the Malvern franchise as the closest one. Asked how someone in Silver Spring could buy the product, Fuenzalida replied, They cant. Granite Transformations products are sold only with installation included, and franchisees are restricted to working in their assigned area. Fuenzalida said her companys crew works only in Pennsylvania.

So what to do? If avoiding sending your countertop to a landfill is your top priority, you might consider removing the existing laminate and installing a new piece in a fresher style. Old laminate usually comes off fairly easily if you soften the adhesive by warming the countertop with a heat gun on a relatively low setting. Start near an edge and pry up the sheet with a six-inch putty knife.

Its also possible to install new laminate on top of old laminate, saving even that from a landfill. Wilsonart (wilsonart.com), one manufacturer, warns against it on its website because new sheets dont always stick, but then goes on to provide instructions. Formica, another manufacturer, skips the warning and just goes right to the instructions , which you can find by typing easy DIY laminate surfacing into the search box at formica.com. Do not install new laminate over old if the existing laminate is coming loose, however.

If you want to re-coat, clean the countertop with a strong detergent to get rid of any grease, then sand with a belt sander to take off the gloss. Vacuum and wipe off the dust. Then coat the old countertop and the back of the new material with solvent-based contact adhesive. When the surfaces are dry, press the new sheet in place. Use a roller to work out any air pockets. There is an art to installing laminate because the surfaces will bond where they touch; you need dowels or plastic pipes to help you position a piece because you cant slide it into place. Read up or watch one of the numerous YouTube videos on the subject or hire a professional to do it for you.
Congratulations, youre a college grad!

Go ahead, crack open Dr. Seusss Oh, The Places Youll Go! and allow yourself to daydream a bit about all the great things youll do now that youre finally done with school.

Okay, now lets come back to reality and get to the bad news: More likely than not, you have a pile of student loan debt. This is affecting more grads every year, so if you find yourself in such a situation, youre not alone.

Although cutting expenses is one way to free up cash to pay off student loans, you can only cut back so much. Thats why I recommend focusing on increasing income through side hustles.

A side hustle is any way in which you make income beyond your 9-to-5. It can be anything from freelance writing to delivering pizzas to selling things on Etsy.

The practice has exploded in popularity over the past few years as people look to reach their financial goals faster and technology has made it easier than ever to find and start a side hustle.

You arent always going to be able to increase your 9-to-5 income, but side hustles allow you to be unconstrained by what your day job is willing to pay you. They put you in control of how much you make.

Side hustle options

Side hustles can be split into two broad categories:

There are quick money side hustles, which provide income right away and are generally predictable  taking a job as a server on weeknights or working retail over the weekend.

Another type is what I call long-tail side hustles. These typically do not provide any meaningful income at first and require a longer ramping-up period. (Some may never provide any income at all  for example, a small-business side hustle that doesnt pan out  but theyre sometimes worth the risk anyway.) Working a long-tail side hustle could look like running a photography or marketing consulting business, or developing a product to sell on Amazon.

Two more keys to differentiating side hustles are knowing whether they require your physical presence and whether you can work on your own schedule.

For example, you can usually work a blogging, graphic design or social-media management side hustle whenever you want, whether its in the early morning, on your lunch break or late at night. If you tutor or give music lessons, though, you need to accommodate your clients preferred time and be physically present.

Regardless of what type of side hustle you decide to pursue, there are an unlimited number of options to choose from.

Finding the best side hustle for you

The first question I typically ask people thinking about starting a side hustle is, Do you need to increase your income ASAP? If thats the case, something that gives you immediate and consistent extra income is ideal. Later on, you may be able to switch to a hustle that requires more time to get off the ground.

To start brainstorming for a side hustle, think about your skill set. In my case, I was already knee-deep in spreadsheets at my corporate job, so helping small businesses with their spreadsheets was an obvious opportunity that aligned with my skills.

Its also really important that you choose a side hustle you enjoy. You dont have to love it, but if youre doing it on top of a 9-to-5 job, you should at least like it a little bit. If you hate it, you wont stick with it.

Make sure your side hustle aligns with your current financial needs, lifestyle, interests and skills.

How to side-hustle better

Its not uncommon for people to react to the idea of side hustles with, Whos got time for that? But there are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people working side hustles every day. They made time for them.

There are a number of things you can do to side-hustle better, but it really comes down to managing your time properly and setting your priorities.

I cant stress time management enough. My suggestion is to schedule specific hours to work on your side hustle each week. This will force you to make time for it and will make saying no to things a little easier.

Ask yourself what you can sacrifice from your schedule to make room for a side hustle. Just as important, ask yourself what you are not willing to sacrifice. For a period after college, my wife worked Saturdays on top of her full-time job, but never on Sundays. Sunday was a designated free day she kept open. She wasnt willing to compromise on that.

The unexpected upside

Besides offering extra income that will allow you to pay off debt and achieve your other financial goals more quickly, side hustles offer another, unexpected upside.

I work full-time in corporate finance, but Ive also had the privilege of consulting with Fortune 500 companies on content marketing. That would not have been possible if I hadnt started a blogging side hustle five years ago and learned extensively about content marketing in that time.

My point is this: You never know where a side hustle will take you. Ive seen many people start one that eventually led to a career change or became their full-time job.

So as you head out into the working world, consider giving your income a boost by starting a side hustle. It just might change your life.

Carlson is the author of Hustle Away Debt and the founder of the millennial personal finance blog Young Adult Money.
Mabel Sawhill died with a full appointment book  work gigs scheduled for weeks on end.

The Silver Spring caterer was 103.

And a half, she would remind folks. You get to count the halves when youre 103, thats fair. You also get single-name status. She was not Miss Sawhill. Just Mabel, thank you.

She died with her boots on, said Paula Eve, who had to phone Mabels catering clients over the weekend to cancel her bookings.

Mabels death, which came after she fell asleep in front of the television one night last week, leaves us with two lessons.

Mabel Sawhill shops for the food she would cook at the Bethesda Women's Club. (Paula Eve)

The first is Mabels key to longevity  vital engagement and a delight in everything life had to offer.

The second? Make that call youve been meaning to make. (More on that later).

Eve befriended Mabel years ago and replaced Doreen Moore, Mabels niece and longtime partner in the business, when Moore moved away. Eve took over driving duties when Mabel turned 101.

It was on one of those drives just a few weeks ago that Eve tried to ask Mabel about retirement. Seems that would be a reasonable conversation to have with someone whos trending toward 104.

[Meet two amazing women who are still working at the age of 102. Yes, 102]

Mabel, what do you think about next year with this club? Eve said, as they left the Bethesda Womens Club luncheon, having done another successful spread that included her beloved chicken salad and those sticky buns everyone raved about.

What about it? I know theyll book me, Mabel snapped back.

Mabel Sawhill at 90, preparing dinner for an officers meeting at the Capital Yacht Club in 2003. (Michael Robinson-Chavez/The Washington Post)

No way she was going to stop. Catering was her third career, launched after shed retired as an administrative assistant at the Navys Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. With events booked well into the spring, why would she even consider closing down a business she started when she was 70?

Plus, she was already planning the menu for her 105th birthday. Shed never forget what happened at her 100th. They cooked for about 450 people, but 700 showed up. Mabel briefly left the party to sneak into the kitchen so she could cut all the meatballs in half.

This was the problem with being around so long.

Shed catered some peoples weddings as well as their 50th anniversaries. Shed also catered many of their funerals.

She got the friends, their kids, then their grands and even great-grands. Even after her contemporaries died, her circle of friends grew and grew. Her 105th was going to be huge.

Eve, who knows all the recipes to Mabels greatest hits, will, along with Mabels family, cater her funeral instead. They want to do all of her favorite recipes, but theyre not sure that they can make sticky buns that will live up to hers.

We have to make her strawberry and spinach salad, and those sticky buns, Eve said.

I met Mabel almost two years ago, when I visited the Bethesda Womens Club and was blown away when I went back into the kitchen and met their caterer, the tiny, whirling wonder that was Mabel.

She loved politics, put together an NCAA bracket every year and created a scholarship in her name at Gallaudet University, to honor her deaf brother, niece and grand nephew, who played sports at Gallaudet and had Mabel cheering him on at every game. She was close to all her nieces and nephews, but she also created a family from the people around her.

I wrote a column about her and another 102-year-old who was still working, artist Marilee Shapiro Asher. The women had wildly different lives  Mabel never married and had no children, Marilee had two husbands and two children. But the thing they both had in common was their voracious appetite for their work and a constant curiosity.

Mabel was a schoolteacher in her native Iowa until World War II, when she decided that everybody was doing their part, and I thought I should do something for my country. So she moved to Silver Spring and took that government job.

She began helping with food at church, social and Navy events. So it was logical for her that after retiring from the government in 1983, shed launch a catering business.

Mabel, Eve and I went to lunch not long after we met. We went to one of the trendy, foodie places in town, She said yes to just about everything on the menu  pate, salad, soup, the fussy entree, the hipster seasonal lemonade. She didnt even snark when they brought the Iowa farm girl her drink in an ironic Mason jar. She consumed everything  with her eyes, nose and mouth  peppering the server with a million questions and studying the composition of a salmon BLT as if it were the Dead Sea Scrolls. Its how she lived her whole life. All in.

She also wanted a tour of The Washington Post offices. It was not a good day to tour The Post because we were just about to leave our old building. There were boxes everywhere and the upending of so many reporters crusty habitats gave the place a funky smell.

It didnt bother her. She posed in her sparkly dress in front of every Post sign she saw.

I was remembering that last week and knew I needed to invite her to see our new offices, especially to tour the gorgeous new test kitchen, and I wanted her to meet Greg, the amazing sushi chef in the cafe downstairs.

I never made that call.

Make that call. And live like Mabel. Go ahead, order it all. Ogle, smell and savor every bit. Launch another career. Book yourself solid  whatever it is  if you love doing it. Dont slow down, befriend a Paula Eve to help you keep going.

Thank you, Mabel. You fed us all.

Twitter: @petulad
A popular Loudoun County high school principal is back on the job more than four months after he went on leave amid questions about a glowing recommendation he made for a former band teacher later accused of inappropriate behavior with students.

John Brewer, the longtime principal of Dominion High in Sterling, had faced scrutiny over his handling of personnel issues related to former teacher Brian Damron, according to a school board member. The teacher had resigned from Dominion High in 2015 and then, with an endorsement from Brewer, found a position at a school in Duval County, Fla.

But in November, the Florida Times-Union reported that Damron had resigned from that school amid accusations of misconduct. Duval school officials concluded after an investigation that Damron had inappropriate communication with a student, had commented on a students genitals while placing his hands near the boys crotch and had told another staff member that he left Dominion High because of sexual harassment allegations. Damron, who has not been charged with any crimes, said at the time that he was innocent of the allegations Florida officials made.

The Florida disclosure put a spotlight on Damrons two and a half years at Dominion and how Brewer handled his departure.

Recently, the Loudoun school system pushed to have Damrons Virginia teaching license revoked, documents show, citing an inappropriate relationship with a Loudoun County public school student. In addition, Loudoun schools Superintendent Eric Williams recommended that Brewer be dismissed, the school board disclosed in March. No reason was publicly stated.

Principal John Brewer in a 2010 staff photo. (Courtesy of John Brewer)

The school board voted to dismiss him on March 20 but immediately re-offer him his job with certain conditions. Under the terms of his new contract, Brewer must attend training on how to recognize and report instances of inappropriate relationships between students and staff, among other things, according to the board motion.

[Former Va. high school band teacher under investigation after incident in Florida]

Brewer did not respond to requests for comment; Damron did not either. Previously, Damron told The Washington Post that he was not aware of any complaints about sexual misconduct during his time at Dominion High. He said he resigned for health and personal reasons.

In response to emailed questions, Williams referred comment to his spokesman Wayde Byard, who said that the school system considers this matter closed.

The episode comes amid statewide concern that school officials move too slowly to get teaching licenses revoked for educators accused of sexual misconduct, in some cases allowing teachers who displayed troubling behavior to get jobs elsewhere even when further investigation could yield evidence to get them barred from teaching. It also demonstrates the challenge that school officials face when confronted with allegations about misconduct that may be difficult to prove.

Steven R. Staples, Virginias superintendent of public instruction, has sent two memos in recent months reminding superintendents of their obligation to investigate educator misconduct.

Many in the Dominion High community celebrated Brewers return on April 17 to a school he has led since its opening in 2003. But questions remain about how Brewer and other officials in the district responded to Damrons behavior, including why Damron was permitted to resign and retain his teaching license in 2015 and what school officials knew when he left the county. Loudoun officials were at least aware that Damron had been accused of giving a student alcohol, according to law enforcement authorities  an allegation that the principal had referred to the county sheriffs office  but no charges were filed.

It remains unclear what Brewer knew about Damrons conduct when he wrote him a recommendation three months after he resigned. In it, the principal said Damrons enthusiasm pervades every rehearsal, each performance, indeed, the innumerable daily interactions with students, colleagues and community members alike in which he engages.

Loudoun school board member Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin) said he remains in the dark about why the district allowed Damron to resign rather than terminating him, a move that could have kept him from getting hired at the Florida school. He was not on the board when Damron resigned. He said board members usually know little about the personnel changes they are asked to review and approve.

He should have never been allowed to resign. Damron should have been terminated, DeKenipp said. Thats raised a lot of questions and concerns.

Recently, Williams sought to have Damrons Virginia teaching license revoked. In a Dec. 21 petition to the Virginia Department of Education, the superintendent alleged that Damron had an inappropriate relationship with a male student and that he took the student to a conference in Norfolk. There, according to the petition, the young man spent the night in the same hotel room as Damron and Damron gave him alcohol. The petition also included documentation of allegations against Damron in Florida.

Damron surrendered his license in response to the petition. On the form he submitted to formally surrender it, he wrote, My signature on this document does not constitute an admission of guilt of any allegations or charges.

Legions of supporters in Sterling are celebrating Brewers return. Known for a personal touch in leading the high school, Brewer has drawn strong loyalty from parents, teachers, students and graduates. His supporters packed school board meetings and delivered emotional pleas for his return, organized rallies backing him and raised $70,000 to cover his legal fees. The executive pastor of Reston Bible Church, Bruce Campbell, posted a statement in support of Brewer on its website.

Brewer is known for visiting the homes of incoming freshmen to get to know them and their families. He has earned several awards, including a Distinguished Educational Leadership Award from The Post.

Jackie Funk, whose three children attend Dominion High, said Brewer erred in offering Damron a recommendation to teach at another high school. But she said she also believed he was unfairly blamed for a wider institutional failure.

I knew he wouldnt have gone in and done something like that if he thought someone would be in danger, Funk said. I think that Dr. Brewer holds himself accountable and will do things in the future based on lessons learned.

Board member Tom Marshall (Leesburg) said Williams believed that Brewer had mishandled the situation and should have connected the dots regarding Damron.

But in the end, Marshall joined a 6-to-3 board majority in voting to offer Brewer his job back. Marshall said the communitys outpouring of support was crucial.

Yes, Dr. Brewer made a bad mistake in writing that letter, but does that say that his whole career should be out the window? Marshall said.
I usually dont celebrate schools that fail to make my annual list of Americas Most Challenging High Schools. But a week before the 2017 rankings will appear in The Washington Post, a low-performing high school in the District has shown such exceptional improvement in teaching and learning it deserves special attention.

Eastern High School, east of Capitol Hill at 1700 East Capitol St. NE, got plenty of notice for its new building in 2010, the result of a $77 million renovation. School modernizations usually dont change academic performance, so I ignored it.

During the 20 years I have been collecting data on high schools in the Washington area and nationally, Eastern has had one of the worst records. Few students participated in its Advanced Placement program, and those that did almost always failed the college-level exams.

[Americas most challenging high schools]

This year, however, D.C. Public Schools sent me a startling number from Eastern. In 2013, the school had begun an International Baccalaureate program preparing students for college-level exams even more challenging than those given by AP. Both AP and IB exams are written and graded by outside experts. In 2016, the D.C. information said, Eastern gave 62 IB exams, and 42 percent of them received passing scores of four or above on the seven-point tests.

I checked to make sure that was not a misprint. I cannot remember another instance in which an urban public school like Eastern, where just about all students are from low-income families, achieved such gains.

Even more important than the scores on IBs three- to five-hour exams, requiring long written answers, was the system the school created to help students read, write and think at a depth rarely encountered in such impoverished circumstances.

Kate Ireland, director of global education in the D.C. Public Schools Office of Teaching and Learning, and Sah Brown, Easterns principal, described for me in a long email how they strengthened their students writing and thinking. The school district established IB-designed programs in three elementary and two middle schools. Eastern High educators spread word of the program to families of children headed for the school. They created the Accelerated Cohort at Eastern (ACE) for ninth- and 10th- graders who had shown motivation and habits of mind to meet above-grade level academic standards, Ireland and Brown said.

The ACE students those first two years take courses that demand more writing and conceptual learning than most D.C. students are used to. Just before the ACE students junior year when they begin taking IB courses, they attend a summer boot camp to get ready.

Eastern offers IB courses in language and literature, history, math studies, Spanish, visual arts, biology and theory of knowledge. Writing is woven into the program. Assessments in IB courses are based on a mix of timed and untimed essays, research papers, projects, experiments, question sets and presentations, Ireland and Brown said. This enables us as teachers to build students writing abilities little by little and utilize the entire two years of the course to maximize student growth.

Teachers stay for an after-school Power Hour to help students tackle difficult points. Such careful preparation, and the funds that support it, would be useful to other D.C. schools trying to raise achievement levels in AP.

Here is one sign of the value of IB. Parents in Montgomery County may spend as much as $864 for registration and exams for each child in the toughest IB track. The cost to IB families at Eastern is zero.

AP students at Eastern are also doing better. Their passing rate on the AP exams was 11 percent, way above the school average for the prior 20 years. If Eastern gives a couple of dozen more AP and IB exams next year, it will make The Posts list. That is a nice recognition, but not nearly as useful as the reading, writing and thinking skills its students will take with them to college.
Natalie DeLeon and other D.C. marijuana advocates gather on the Capitol grounds to urge Congress to recognize the Districts laws. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Ricardo Harvin addressed a small crowd of fellow marijuana activists Monday in front of the Capitol, calling on the federal government to remove marijuana from the nations list of most dangerous drugs and recognize that it is legal in the nations capital.

Preparing for a showdown with law enforcement, the D.C. resident then spoke to more than 20 U.S. Capitol Police officers who surrounded the gaggle of activists and reporters.

Congress approved our federal law, it is federally legal [to possess] marijuana in the District of Columbia, Harvin said, referencing the 2014 referendum in which 70 percent of D.C. voters backed a measure to legalize marijuana possession on District land. So remember that as you come in to arrest us.

Some lit joints minutes later, prompting Capitol Police to swarm in and arrest four people for allegedly possessing an illegal substance on federal land. Adam Eidinger, a co-founder of the advocacy group DCMJ, which spearheaded efforts to legalize marijuana in the District, was among those arrested  his second marijuana-related arrest at a demonstration in less than a week.

[Several arrested in free joint giveaway near the Capitol]

The advocates also urged lawmakers to remove pot from the federal list of most-dangerous drugs. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Mondays rally coincided with the Senates first day back in session and came days after activists distributed joints to congressional staffers on District land near the Capitol on April 20  an annual day of celebration for marijuana supporters.

Capitol Police on Thursday ventured onto land under local jurisdiction and arrested eight activists, including Eidinger, although charges were dropped against six. Prosecutors pursued the remaining two cases under D.C. law, which allows for possession of up to two ounces of marijuana.

On Monday, activists also called on Congress to remove an amendment that Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) tacked onto a 2015 federal spending bill that has prohibited the city from passing local laws to legalize the sale and regulation of marijuana.

[Six of eight wont face charges after giving away joints near U.S. Capitol]

One of the reasons we are fighting so hard to overturn this Andy Harris rider is because theres unfinished business here in the nations capital, Eidinger said. Basically, we have legalization without commercialization.

Natalie De Leon, 26, said that she served in the military and once relied on opioids to treat her depression, but that she felt like a zombie and nearly overdosed. De Leon, one of the four activists arrested Monday, now uses marijuana for treatment.

I felt like a human being and who I really was, she said. And thats why I fight so hard for cannabis, especially for soldiers and fellow veterans.

Ras-Fia and other marijuana advocates rally at the Capitol on the Senates first day back in session. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

D.C. resident Dawn Lee-Carty said marijuana is the only treatment that has helped her 9-year-old epileptic daughter, who once suffered up to 60 seizures a day. She displayed the small container of cannabis oil she gives her daughter daily.

Although it is illegal to possess cannabis oil on federal land, Lee-Carty wasnt arrested. She said it was hypocritical that police would arrest those who lit joints but not her.

We need access, she said. We need a Plan B. Opiates should not be the only things we can put into our childrens bodies.

Activists displayed marijuana  including joints, edibles and cannabis oil  in public view toward the end of the rally, although Capitol Police didnt make arrests until activists lit joints.

Eidinger yelled Free D.C. as he was taken away in handcuffs.
According to the President's Office, Habibi and Shahim "stepped down with immediate effect" and President Ashraf Ghani has accepted their resignations, it said.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Afghan Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and the army chief, General Qadam Shah Shahim, resigned on Monday in the wake of an attack at an army base in Balkh that left over 140 soldiers dead.

According to the President's Office, Habibi and Shahim "stepped down with immediate effect" and President Ashraf Ghani has accepted their resignations, it said.

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Interior Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami has been appointed the acting Defence Minister and General Sharif Yaftal is the new acting army chief, a statement from the ARG Palace said.

The development follows the attack last Friday at 209 Shaheen Military Corps Headquarters in Mazar-e-Sharif city that also injured about 80 soldiers.

Habibi was appointed in June 2016 and Shahim had been serving as the army chief early 2015, Khaama Press reported.

The attack has led to a widespread outrage in the country with Afghan people asking for the resignations of the officials responsible.

Afghan MPs on Sunday said 209 Shaheen Army Corps Commander Major General Mohmand Katawazai, Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, Habibi, Shahim, Interior Minister Taj Mohammad Jahid and Head of the National Directorate of Security Masoom Stanekzai must be held accountable for the assault.

Afghanis welcomed the move soon after the news of their resignation broke on social media.

"Ghani also needs to resign," Afghan man Abdulahi said on Facebook.

Another Facebook user, Mardoomdar, said: "It is very good news. How many other youths would have died (had they not resigned)."

Also Read

Afghanistan: 140 soldiers die in Mazar-i-Sharif terror attack, PM Modi decries 'cowardly' act

Time to dismantle terror safe havens: India on Afghan attack

--- ENDS ---
Michaela Harmon, left, Michelle Harmon and Michelles sister, Laura Covington, look at a golden locket that belonged to A. Vernon Jannotta, Laura and Michelles great-grandfather, who lost it when his U.S. Navy ship sank in 1918. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

The sunken treasure rested in a box inside another box inside an Audubon tote bag in Barry and Sharon Covingtons Potomac, Md., living room. About two dozen people milled around, most related by blood or marriage to the man whose portrait was propped up next to the fireplace: A. Vernon Jannotta.

It was his treasure inside that box and everyone wanted to see it.

On the night of July 19, 1918, Jannotta was a young Navy ensign assigned to the USS San Diego, a cruiser that escorted troop convoys to Europe during World War I.

He never really talked about it, said Sharon, Jannottas granddaughter, about how the San Diego struck a mine laid by a German submarine off Long Island. It took about 20 minutes for the ship to sink. Six men died. The rest spent six hours in the water.

The story was that the Navy didnt want to send a ship to pick them up because they were afraid it would be torpedoed, Sharon said.

A golden locket that belonged to A. Vernon Jannotta, who lost it when the USS San Diego sank in 1918. The diver who found the locket in 1981 recently returned it to the family. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

The crew was rescued by a Dutch freighter, which dropped them off at a Hoboken, N.J., warehouse. As the men had lost all their possessions and had only the uniforms on their backs, Jannotta telephoned his uncle, who wired him $2,000. Jannotta lent each man $10 to buy clothes. (The last sailor paid Jannotta back in 1939, after tracking him down in New York City, wrote Joseph E. Jannotta Jr. in his 2015 biography of his uncle.)

Over the ensuing years, the wreck of the San Diego became a popular place for lobsters. And though it had settled on the seafloor upside down, it was remarkably intact, making it a popular place for recreational divers, too. Among them were two men who came to Sharons house Saturday, one from Delaware and the other from Virginia.

They both have dived many times on the San Diego, and in the spring of 1981  after winter storms had churned up the silt that filled the ships corridors and berths  they each made discoveries there. Mike Boring of Chester, Va., found an engraved gold pocket watch that belonged to a crewman named John Henry Russell.

And the Delaware diver found the thing inside the box inside the bag.

He asked that I not use his name. Since his discovery in 1981, the laws regarding U.S. Navy wrecks have changed. Divers may no longer salvage items. He recovered the artifact before the new rule, but people still get riled up about divers going into wrecks and taking stuff out, and hed rather not have the headaches.

But he wanted to be there Saturday.

Its a good opportunity for his descendants to hear about him and his exploits aboard the San Diego, the Delaware diver said of Jannotta.

And his exploits after the San Diego. After the Great War, Jannotta became a successful businessman while serving in the Navy Reserve. When World War II broke out, he was able to talk his way back in to active service. He was 47 and his work overseeing hundreds of landing craft in the Pacific earned him promotion to rear admiral and the Navy Cross. He died in 1972.

He was a character, a wonderful guy, said Sharon, his granddaughter. He had a real presence.

The USS San Diego sits in 110 feet of water, deep enough that only weak light reaches its portholes. Mike and the Delaware diver brought lights with them, swimming through a small hatch and into the void. The practice, they said, is to go as far into the wreck as seems safe and then work your way back out.

Like a lot of divers, Mike said he was inspired to dive by watching Sea Hunt and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. Hes dived on hundreds of wrecks all over the world and was part of a group of six divers that in 1985 pooled their resources to recover the bell from the Andrea Doria, the liner that sank in 1956. (They share the 150-pound bell, moving it from house to house like the Stanley Cup.)

When the Internet made it easier to search for people, divers were able to research the items they recovered. Mike used the Web to find some descendants of Russell, he of the pocket watch. In 2015, he was able to return it to the family. And he was able to find the Jannotta family.

Mike lifted the lid off a small jewelry box. Inside was a large, gold locket about two inches in diameter. Engraved on one side were the initials AVJ. On the other: To my beloved son Vernon.

Said the Delaware diver: It is a thrill to see gold underwater.

Said Mike: Everything people touched had a story behind it. Back in the 80s it would have taken a while to find the family. Finding the family becomes like finding the wreck.

After 99 years, the locket was back home.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
BLOOD DONATIONS

Blood drives Wednesday 1:30-6:30 p.m., Foxcroft School, 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg; Saturday 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sterling United Methodist Church, 304 E. Church St., Sterling, 800-733-2767.

Inova Blood Donor Center Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood.

FIRST AID

First aid/adult, infant and child CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Fauquier Health Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Call for schedule. 540-316-3588. Registration required.

HEARING

Disability Resource Center Technical assistance through the state Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free.

MENTAL HEALTH

Counseling for sexual violence survivors Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020.

Crisis Intervention Treatment and Assessment Center Provides emergency mental-health, substance-use and developmental services to Loudoun residents. Daily 7 a.m.-11 p.m. 102 Heritage Way NE, Suite 102, Leesburg. Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at 703-777-0320.

Crisislink Suicide and crisis intervention. Community education, a volunteer crisis response team and CareRing, a telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services This mental health nonprofit organization is accepting clients from ages 16 to 30 for a coordinated services program with Loudoun County to help young people with their first experience of psychosis find hope and recover. For information, call Lisa Beran at 703-388-6572 or go to prsinc.org.

Piedmont Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213.

Mental health first-aid A public education program offered by the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services to help residents understand mental illness and seek intervention. Go to loudoun.gov/mhfirstaid.

Northern Virginia Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their loved ones. naminorthernvirginia.org.

PREGNANCY, PARENTING

Adoptive family preservation Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellario@umfs.org.

Birthright of Loudoun County Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272.

Bond Between Us A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844.

Breastfeeding support Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588.

Dad support New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360.

For the Childrens Sake A group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information: 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org.

La Leche League Mother-to-mother support and breastfeeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-829-0349; Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637.

Loudoun Fatherhood Program Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free.

Loudoun Nurturing Parenting Program Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org. Free.

Mothernet/Healthy Families Loudoun Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217, or inmed.org.

New mother support Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360.

Young parent services Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375.

Online childbirth education program Inova Loudoun Hospitals Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breastfeeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360 or thebirthinginn.org/classes.

Parenting Alone group For parents of school-age children who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org.

Pregnancy and childbirth support Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438.

SENIORS

Chair yoga Age 55 and older. Mondays 11 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Wear comfortable clothes. Bare feet or socks are encouraged. 571-258-3400. $2 drop in.

Exercise equipment Age 55 and older. Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Eye care LensCrafters staff members clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free.

Inova Loudoun mobile van Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039.

Laughing yoga for seniors Improve flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Loudoun Adult Day Centers For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free.

Tai chi for seniors Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Zumba gold class Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month.

Zumba For people 55 and older learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance.Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Al-Anon Service Center of Northern Virginia A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m. Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666.

Alcoholics Anonymous Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org.

Alzheimers caregiver support For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800.

Alzheimers caregivers support For those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org.

Alzheimers caregivers support Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. Call 703-771-5407 or email lesley.katz@loudoun.gov.

Alzheimers caregiver support group Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org.

Alzheimers support First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520.

Alzheimers support First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334.

Alzheimers support Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400.

Talk About Curing Autism A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org.

Autoimmune support Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. autoimmunesupport@hotmail.com.

Bereaved parent support One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv.

Bereavement support Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800.

Breast cancer support Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588.

Breast cancer support For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857.

Breast cancer support For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or have metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free.

Breast Cancer Support Assistance Fund Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org.

Cancer support Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual-care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273.

Cancer support Life with Cancer, for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012 or ashburnpresbyterian.org.

Caregiver support Emotional, educational and social support. Encourages caregivers to maintain their physical and emotional health while caring for people with dementia or other chronic illness. Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831.

Caregiver support and resource group Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv.

Caring for Aging Parents Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537.

Chadd parents support For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.novaloudoun@gmail.com.

Chronic illness support Tuesdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv.

Coffee and Conversation Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814.

Compassionate Friends For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707.

Creating and Connecting Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Western Loudoun Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org.

Drop-in grief support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. Davids Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781.

Families Overcoming Drug Addiction Support group. First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. myfodafamily@gmail.com or 540-316-9221.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and parent support A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518.

Griefshare Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Tuesdays through May 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. Purcellville Baptist Church, 601 Yaxley Dr., Purcellville. Call 540-338-0918 or email caring@purbap.org. Workbook, $15.

Griefshare Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free.

Grief support Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Email hospicesupport@verizon.net or call 540-347-5922.

Grief support Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814.

Hospice support Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses. 540-347-5922.

Look Good, Feel Better For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45 to 9 p.m. ,Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free.

Loudoun CHADD support Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445.

Lyme disease support Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@

gmail.com.

Lyme disease support Third Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, 6398 Lee Hwy. Access Road, Warrenton. 540-341-8245 or email phillipsgeo@comcast.net.

Lyme disease support Age 18 and older. First Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com.

MADD Loudoun victim support For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491.

Man-to-Man cancer support Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Call 703-858-8857 or email karen.archer@inova.org.

Menopause support Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060.

Mens grief support Second Mondays at 7 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 703-568-3346. Free.

Multiple sclerosis support Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826.

Multiple sclerosis support Last Sundays, September-June, 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. Call ahead to confirm. 703-771-4256.

Nar-anon family support For those affected by loved ones with addiction. Meaningful Mondays, 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; Wisdom Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; Serenity Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125.

Overeaters Anonymous For fellowship and support. For locations and times, call oa.org.

Parkinsons social Coffee and conversation. Third Wednesdays 10 a.m.-noon, Tribute at One Loudoun, Welcome Center, 20618 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn. parkinsonsocialnetwork.org or 703-378-7221. Free.

Parkinson's support Open to those with Parkinson's disease, their family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851.

Post-partum support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Call 703-909-9877 or email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required.

Reach to Recovery Home visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550.

Sexual assault and incest survivors group counseling Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020.

Sexual assault survivors empowerment support Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48 hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720.

Spiritual support group For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850.

Stroke survivors and caregivers support Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6199 or jill.lieb@inova.org.

Suicide counseling Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. 703-587-1618 or survivorsofsuicidelossleesburg@gmail.com.

Womens support Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876.

Widows and widowers support Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039.

Womens cancer support Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850.

MISCELLANEOUS

Brain trauma survivors brown-bag lunch For survivors and caregivers. First Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free.

Child developmental screenings For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County public schools Child Find Center. 571-252-2180.

Cholesterol screenings Weekdays from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35.

Emergency food supplies Loudoun County residents in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Hunger Relief. Call 703-777-5911 or go to loudounhunger.org.

Family health fair Saturday 9 a.m.-noon, Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Free admission.

Fauquier free walk-in medical clinic Call Thursdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Fauquier Hospital Bistro Senior Supper Club Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49.

Health and Wellness Fair and Take Back drug campaign Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise St., Sterling. Free screenings. Get information about services offered in the community and have questions answered. More than 60 participants, including government and nonprofit agencies. 571-201-3877.

HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. Support to military members and families, from pre-deployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental-health services. caring@purbap.org or heroescare.org.

Loudoun Cares information and referral help line Call 703-669-4636 for help in finding resources for county residents on issues of eviction, utility cut-offs, health care and employment.

Mindfulness Workshop For teens and adults. Identify mindful qualities you can practice, understand formal and informal practices, and participate in a mindfulness meditation. May 2, 7 p.m. Gum Spring Library, 24600 Millstream Dr., Stone Ridge. 571-258-3838. Free.

Motor skill screenings Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free.

Northern Virginia long-term care ombudsman Call 703-324-5861 for help with complaints related to long-term-care facilities.

Road to Recovery Free rides to appointments for cancer patients. Call 410-781-6909 or email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free.

Safe sitter classes For girls and boys ages 11-14. First Saturdays except for holiday weekends. 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. To receive a Safe Sitter Certificate, students must pass practical and written tests on babysitting and handling an emergency. Take a lunch from home or buy one in the cafeteria. $70, includes handbook and snacks. Registration required. 703-858-8818 or charlene.martin@inova.org.

Seven Loaves Food Pantry Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-noon. Go to sevenloavesmiddleburg.org or call 540-687-3489.

Tree of Life Food Pantry Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595.

 Compiled by Sandy Mauck

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Email: ldliving@washpost.com

Fax: 703-777-8437

Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar
A Maryland delegate from Harford County was ordered to serve two days in jail last week for drunken driving, after a judge suspended the rest of his 60-day sentence.

Del. Richard K. Impallaria (R) was convicted in January of driving while intoxicated in Ocean City last summer during the annual Maryland Association of Counties summer conference.

On Friday, Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Thomas C. Groton III sentenced Impallaria to 60 days in jail, the states maximum penalty, and 18 months supervised probation, according to court records.

Groton then suspended most of the jail time because of concerns surrounding the arrest, according to Ocean City Today, which first reported the sentencing.

The newspaper said the arresting officer, who spotted a beer in Impallarias empty truck and waited for him to return, should not have allowed the lawmaker to reenter, start the vehicle and open the beer before confronting him.

Deputy States Attorney William McDermott refused to comment on the case Monday, and neither Groton nor Impallarias attorney, Frank Benvenuto, returned calls about the case.

Impallaria was immediately taken into custody after the sentencing, according to court records, and could not be reached Monday.

According to Ocean City Today, prosecutors asked Groton to impose a hefty sentence on Impallaria given his driving history, which includes 52 traffic citations.

At the time of his arrest, Impallarias blood alcohol content measured 0.07.

He requested a jury trial, and was found guilty.

Impallaria, whose district spans Baltimore and Harford counties, is a member of the House Economic Matters Committee and has been a state delegate since 2003.

He previously held leadership positions in the House Republican caucus and with his county delegation, but lost both of those posts this year.

The House Republican leadership did not reappoint Impallaria as a deputy minority whip, and the Harford County delegation did not reelect him as delegation chair.

The Maryland Association of Counties summer conference is heavily attended by county and state lawmakers.
THE DISTRICT

Arrest in attempted assault in Georgetown

An attempt to sexually assault a woman in Georgetown on Saturday led to an arrest, D.C. police said.

They said the woman was walking in the 3300 block of N Street NW at 2:44 a.m. when a man came up, punched her and tried to assault her.

She fled, and police said they arrested Tejeda Hernandez-Chrispin, 22, of Northwest. He was charged with assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual abuse, police said.

 Lynh Bui

MARYLAND

Fire at apartments displaces residents

Fire displaced about 30 residents from an apartment complex in Prince Georges County Sunday, including a woman in her 80s who was hospitalized after jumping from her balcony, fire officials said.

The fire began about 8:30 a.m. on the top floor of a three-story apartment building and quickly spread to the roof, county fire department spokesman Mark Brady said. The complex is in the 2500 block of Corning Avenue in Fort Washington.

Brady said numerous residents needed help getting down from their balconies. One woman on a middle floor handed her baby to others on the ground level before climbing down, Brady said.

Five people were evaluated for injuries and two were hospitalized: the woman in her 80s, who landed on a grassy patch, and her daughter, who is in her 60s and was brought down by ladder.

The three others included a firefighter who fell ill fighting the blaze but eventually returned to duty, officials said.

The fire appeared accidental, Brady said, with damage in the $150,000 range.

 Faiz Siddiqui

Man struck by car is critically injured

A man was struck by a car and critically injured Sunday in the Oxon Hill area, Prince Georges County police said.

The man was crossing the 6100 block of Oxon Hill Road about 9 a.m. when he was hit, Cpl. Lamar Robinson said, adding that it did not appear he was in a crosswalk or at an intersection.The victim was taken to a hospital in dire condition, Robinson said.

 Faiz Siddiqui

VIRGINIA

Alexandria man dies after moped crash

An Alexandria man was fatally injured Saturday when his moped struck a traffic sign in Arlington, police said Sunday.

Virgiliro Lopez, 45, lost control on South Glebe Road and hit a sign in the median in the 2400 block, police said.

 Lynh Bui

Cruise passenger flown off ship

A 58-year old cruise ship passenger was hoisted into a helicopter Saturday night and flown to shore after apparently suffering a heart attack on board, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said it flew him from the Carnival Pride while it was east of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in the Virginia Beach area. He was taken to a Norfolk hospital.

 Martin Weil
Happy (13657/1123) is an 8-year-old male domestic medium-hair who was surrendered by his owner. He is good with children, dogs and other cats. (Prince William County SPCA)

Happy (13657/1123) is an 8-year-old male domestic medium-hair who was surrendered by his owner. He is good with children, dogs and other cats. Summit (13629/1097) is a female American bulldog mix who was surrendered by her owner. She 3 to 5 years old and is good with older children, cats and other dogs if introduced slowly. Phoenix (13620/1089) is a male rabbit who was surrendered by his owner along with Cotton, another male rabbit. Phoenix is 1 to 3 years old.

The Prince William County Animal Shelter, 14807 Bristow Rd., Manassas, makes animals available for adoption by residents of Manassas and Manassas Park and Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier and Stafford counties. If the animal is spayed or neutered, adopters may live outside these areas. Additional animals can be seen at pwcshelter.petfinder.com. Viewing and adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. The shelter is closed Mondays and holidays. Adoptions end a half-hour before closing. For information, call 703-792-6465.

Phoenix (13620/1089) is a male rabbit who was surrendered by his owner along with Cotton, another male rabbit. Phoenix is 1 to 3 years old. (Prince William County SPCA)
D.C. police said part of 16th Street NW has reopened Monday after a report of a bomb threat.

The incident was unfolding in the 800 block of 16th Street NW  near Lafayette Square and the White House.

Police said a man called and said there was a bomb in a building. The area was searched and nothing was found, police said.
Jose Gomez of the Virginia Transportation Department s research division has a bus-eye view of connected and automated vehicle tests on Interstate 395 in Arlington County. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Gov. Terry McAuliffe bounded into the spare offices of a start-up incubator to make a rapid-fire pronouncement: He will spend the last nine months of his term trying to make Virginia the capital of automated vehicles.

It was his economic development-meets-standup routine, and the commonwealths salesman in chief had industry leader California and other rivals in mind. With more than 280 wineries, Virginia is already on the Golden States heels in a crucial industry, the argument went.

Theyre going to think Napa is an auto parts company! McAuliffe (D) jabbed, knocking the lighter fluid out there.

And driverless cars and drones, in air and water, are next up. I want to own the land, the water and the sky, McAuliffe told the roomful of tech execs and mobility wonks in Arlington County. Were going to bury those other 49 states. Worthless!

Its a goal shared by officials around the country, although often expressed with less competitive glee. Michigan, with its auto industry roots, has fought for a leading role, as has Pennsylvania, home to Carnegie Mellon University, which is among the institutions at the forefront of driverless-vehicle research. Texas, Massachusetts, Arizona and others are in the mix, too.

Virginia is for Lovers  and driverless technology, according to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

But Virginias approach also shows the pressures states face as they try to get a bigger foothold. In contrast to California, which is pursuing the nations most comprehensive regulations on self-driving vehicles, Virginia officials have made their lack of legislating and rulemaking a prominent part of their sales pitch.

We have no rules that prohibit autonomous vehicles, no law. A lot of states do, said Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne. Thats intentional that were doing that.

Some who believe robocars are barreling ahead too quickly are skeptical of Virginias approach.

Honey always attracts the bees, said Joan Claybrook, a consumer advocate who headed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under President Jimmy Carter and lives in the District. Theyre very different approaches. California is thinking of itself as a regulator. Theyre overseeing the system. And Virginia is thinking of themselves as having a business opportunity.

[Will driverless cars really save millions of lives? Lack of data makes it hard to know.]

Multiple approaches

California is in the midst of a major regulatory struggle that shows both the perils and potential promise of trying to bring clarity to the fast-growing industry. The long-running effort could be completed soon after a public hearing Tuesday.

The states eagerness to get out front has made it more difficult for the industry, said Stan Caldwell, executive director of Traffic21, a research institute at Carnegie Mellon. States urge to act can bring unintended consequences, he said.

The states are all trying to do the right thing. Theyre trying to get industry there. Theyre trying to keep it safe. But they cant keep up with the technology curve, Caldwell said.

Federal officials will need to evaluate whether all the state-by-state approaches are interoperable, Caldwell said. Some states have been combining their efforts, he added, citing Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigans Smart Belt Coalition. Thats a play on Rust Belt, and its meant to promote driverless progress across state lines. The District is working with London, Helsinki and other cities to plan for the technologys adoption. Maryland has called for testing on its stretch of the Interstate 95 corridor.

But with dozens of companies working on the technology in the nations most populous state, California remains a high-profile test case  and target.

In 2014, California required companies to apply for permission and make various disclosures when their autonomous cars are tested on the states roads. Todays regulations require a person be at the wheel and ready to take control, if needed. Googles Waymo team, Ford and a host of others are testing there.

Last year, California officials revoked registrations for Ubers self-driving cars after the company argued that the rules didnt apply to them. In response, Uber, which is based in San Francisco, trucked its cars to Arizona. The firm has since acceded to Californias rules and is back testing there as well.

In 2015, Californias Department of Motor Vehicles began releasing draft regulations that would govern broader deployment of the cars.

Last year, the state proposed requiring firms to obtain a resolution from local governments before testing cars without drivers in their neighborhoods. But industry representatives said that would drag them into endless quagmires. That requirement has been stricken from the latest draft rules. Firms instead would need to provide communities notice and describe how they will operate.

Companies would be required to provide a copy of responses to a voluntary 15-point safety checklist the U.S. Transportation Department created last year, and they also would need to certify that sufficient testing has been done to ensure safety.

Virginia, meanwhile, has tried not to do anything the industry might view as a roadblock.

We havent done any regulations, because we just dont know yet, McAuliffe said, adding that he wont do anything to stymie innovation. Layne has cited Ubers run-in with California authorities, and traveled to Ubers driverless technology headquarters in Pittsburgh to talk to the company about working with Virginia.

[Ubers driverless Pittsburgh project is response to what company sees as existential threat]

California officials reject the narrative that they are scaring away a potential cash cow. Apple obtained a California permit this month, and the state is doing important groundwork, they say.

To see the possibility that we could have completely driverless vehicles on our roads by the end of the year is a pretty big deal, said Jessica Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the California DMV. Clarity will be a competitive plus, she said. Its definitely an advantage. . . . Its a big responsibility, and were really excited about the proposed regulation.

We really left Virginia open

In Virginia, no applications or permits are required, and a lot of times the companies that are testing dont share the information with us, Assistant Transportation Secretary Ronique Day said. We really left Virginia open, to not create any additional process and red tape.

Virginia officials say the central question about whether state law allows cars without drivers comes down to an interpretation of the commonwealths traditional motor vehicle code. The code defines an operator or driver as a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. That has traditionally meant being in the car. But it does not necessarily preclude someone maintaining control remotely, officials said.

Despite some high-profile crashes of driverless vehicles elsewhere in the country, McAuliffe said the technology will be a step up from the status quo.

Safetys always a concern. Its going to make us safer, McAuliffe said. He noted that speed and alcohol cause vast numbers of road deaths. With driverless vehicles, the car aint stopping off doing shots of whiskey.

Beyond its big regulation-free welcome mat, Virginia has other major selling points, officials said.

A network of newish, privately run car-pool and toll lanes could help integrate autonomous vehicles into real-world traffic in big numbers in coming years, Layne said. While driverless cars are expected to carry passengers on short hops around congested cities, Layne thinks Virginias express lanes along I-495, I-95 and elsewhere can provide an attractive, free-flowing environment.

The whole idea is going to be to get the utility out of the cars by getting people where theyre going quickly and easily, he said.

The state has worked with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to turn 78 miles along those express lanes and on Interstate 66, U.S. 50, U.S. 29 and U.S. 234 into what they call the Virginia Automated Corridors. Theyve done high-end mapping and put in roadside equipment that can talk to cars, and researchers have worked with driverless firms to test in those areas.

Virginia Tech also manages a state smart road near its campus, complete with snowblowers and monitoring equipment, that has been used to test technology from Google and others. The state has set aside $25 million a year for technology along its roadways, including to help facilitate autonomous vehicles, Layne said.

And Virginias constellation of military, intelligence and state facilities are potent resources for in-air and underwater drones, making Virginia a triple threat, said Sen. Mark R. Warner (Va.), the top Democrat on the Senates Select Committee on Intelligence. Warner has for years sought to make the state the top locale for developing unmanned technologies for defense and commerce.

While we have competitors in each arena, he said, I want Virginia to be viewed as the most friendly toward unmanned systems.

The state is set to formally open a new, 3,000-foot drone runway next month at NASAs Wallops Island facility on Virginias Eastern Shore. That will allow small commercial drones  and bigger military and intelligence-grade ones  to take off and land without hassle and fly freely, officials said. Virginia is repairing a dock nearby so unmanned flights can link with underwater test missions there, and it is installing a facility to discreetly put small satellites aboard drones for defense-related testing, officials said.

Were not just looking at these technologies and these evolutions in their silos, said Karen Jackson, the commonwealths secretary of technology. Researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science will use autonomous kayaks and drones to view Eastern Shore sediment from different angles simultaneously, she said. Similarly, the states concentration of cybersecurity experts is valuable for research in autonomy, she said.

Always another issue

In California, there has been a mix of resignation and cautious optimism in tech circles that the industry will be able to work with that states latest regulatory approach. Many of the top companies are headquartered there, and driving on hometown roads is a point of pride. But potential flash points continue to appear.

The latest was a bill that would have required autonomous cars be electric or otherwise have zero emissions. That would exclude most current players, though not the Chevy Bolt EV or Teslas.

A state Senate transportation committee analysis said the bill would likely have required low maximum speeds and close following distances, which sounds like a perfect recipe for inciting road rage.

Opponents sidelined the proposal, amending it to call for a task force to recommend policies that would maximize the environmental benefits and minimize the air pollution, traffic congestion, and land use impacts of autonomous vehicles.

Still, some elsewhere see opportunity in the states regulatory efforts.

Usually California gets in its own way, Warner said. Thats been an advantage for us.
What do John Boehner, Bonnie Raitt and prisoners at Sing Sing have in common? Like 36 million other Americans, they do yoga, according to the April/May issue of AARP The Magazine, which features a special health section on The United States of Yoga.

Its an ancient practice, after all.

Its also one that doesnt discriminate by age. Of the folks who do it, 39 percent are older than 50, the magazine reports. And if youre interested in following its advice to take a deep breath and join in, it suggests the most suitable styles for seniors. (In your 60s, for instance, try Iyengar, which emphasizes precise alignment, deep stretching and holding for long moments.)

[An easy entry into yoga for people with aging joints]

The package features a primer on yoga gear, a rundown of yogas health benefits and a sample yoga breathing exercise.

Online, you can view a free quickie lesson that is geared to seniors and led by Lorrie Lynch, a certified instructor who also is AARPs features director. The five-minute video introduces newbies to a few simple standing poses, all of which are helpful for improving bone density as we age, Lynch points out.

For the magazine, Lynch contributes an essay that offers the most compelling case for yoga. The first line is Yoga has saved my life, twice. Lynch recounts how she used gentle yoga to recover after a quadruple coronary bypass operation. Although she had practiced before the surgery, I did not really get the breath and meditation part of it until I was in serious need of physical healing, Lynch writes.

Fast-forward seven years, and Lynch was laid off from a company shed worked at for three decades. To deal with her shattered ego, she returned to the mat. This time, she made vigorous, hot power vinyasa classes a daily habit. I was sweating out all the hurt and resentment, Lynch adds.

Both experiences were transformative, and thats what Lynch hopes to convey to anyone whos hesitant about taking a class. And maybe youll run into Bonnie Raitt.

[Read more]

[This woman is strong and healthy at 90. Heres how she does it.]

[I can swim and lift weights, but balance is something else]

[Older people need regular exercise, and theyre better off for it]
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 24 (PTI) Indian-American Raj Shah, who oversees the White House research operations, has been identified as one of the three West Wing Power Players in President Donald Trumps White House, an influential American magazine said today.

Trumps trusted aide, Hope Hicks, and Eli Miller, who currently is Chief of Staff of the Treasury Secretary, are the other two West Wing Power Players, according to Politico.

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"These members of Team Trump have navigated internal White House battles and emerged unscathed," Politico said.

"Shah, a Republican National Committee alumnus, oversees the White House research operation. His team vets people coming to see Trump and works with the White House press office to decide on lines of counterattack to push back on negative news stories," Politico said.

Shah, 32, is the Deputy Communications Director and Research Director at The White House.

"To call Hope Hicks a trusted aide is a vast understatement of her pervasive influence in the West Wing. She is the presidents gatekeeper and security blanket: She knows whom he wants to see, whom he should ignore and everyone in between," the magazine said.

Hope Hicks, 28, is the White House Director of Strategic Communications.

Eli Miller, who spent last year travelling across the US with Trump and Steven Mnuchin raising money for the campaign, rose from being the head advance man for Mitt Romney in his 2012 presidential campaign to US Treasury chief of staff in just four years. Now he keeps the trains running at Treasury and is heavily involved in discussions about tax reform, Trump?s top priority.

Tasked with the responsibility to correct inaccurate facts in this age of fast paced social media, Shah has been playing a key behind the scene role in the Trump?s White House, which has been facing onslaught of attack from the mainstream media from day one.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Shah, whose parents migrated to the US in 1980s, was Director of Opposition Research in the Republican National Committee, before he moved to the White House.

Heading a team of at least a few dozen researchers, Shah played a key role in digging out all the information about the Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

In fact, he was the backbone of all the anti-Clinton research during the presidential elections. PTI LKJ ZH

--- ENDS ---
New York

Fire kills 3 children, 2 adults in Queens

Five people, including three children, died in a Sunday afternoon house fire that engulfed a single-family home in New York City. The blaze spread to other houses and injured neighbors.

The fire broke out shortly after 2:30 p.m. in the Queens Village neighborhood of Queens. News footage showed flames burning through the roof and destroying upstairs rooms of the two-story house as smoke poured from it.

This is a devastation of a family, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at the scene of the three-alarm fire.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said witnesses reported hearing some loud booms and seeing someone tumble from a two-story window. The person, a man in his mid-40s, fell onto a porch roof before dropping onto the lawn, he said. Nigro said the man survived.

Witnesses also saw first responders carry a limp child from the wreckage.

It was the worst thing Ive ever seen in my life, neighbor Foster McPhee, 67, told the New York Post. The guy who was carrying the baby out, you could just see the stress on his face. Im just emotional about it because Im a grandfather and I have kids, too.

Nigro said the victims ranged in age from 2 to 21, plus an older adult.

 Associated Press

Texas

Biker gunfight trials rack up county costs

Costs are mounting for the Texas county where a fatal gunfight involving two motorcycle gangs and police led to the indictments of more than 150 bikers.

The trials arising from the May 2015 shooting at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco are on hold until a federal case against leaders of the Bandidos motorcycle gang wraps up. Those proceedings could take several months, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.

But that hasnt meant a slowdown for McLennan County, where prosecutors are sharing massive amounts of evidence with defense attorneys while awaiting tests on DNA samples from the shootout that killed nine people and wounded 20 others.

So far, work related to the case has topped $200,000 for the county, not including more than $500,000 defrayed by state and federal grants and reimbursements. The balance can be paid over several budget years.

The case involves about 70 court-appointed defense attorneys, meaning the county is responsible for their fees, which range from $75 to $80 an hour for work in and out of the courtroom. The attorneys also receive $50 an hour for travel time, plus mileage compensation. One defense attorney notes shes received more than 870,000 pages of documents to review.

Six top Bandidos leaders are to go on trial Aug. 7 in San Antonio on federal charges, including racketeering, that allege that they authorized a deadly years-long fight on the rival Cossacks gang.

 Associated Press

New York

Upstate zoo cashes in on April the giraffe

April the giraffe has brought a bundle to a tiny zoo in rural Upstate New York, thanks to a YouTube live stream of her pregnancy and birth of a calf that riveted viewers around the world.

Owners of the for-profit Animal Adventure Park wont say how much theyve pulled in from all April-related ventures, but online marketing experts conservatively estimate the haul in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The money will be used for zoo upkeep, wildlife conservation in Africa and a favorite cause of the zoos founders  supporting local children with unexpected medical expenses, park owners said.

The monies are going to allow the park to continue to grow and improve, said Jordan Patch, who started the 20-acre zoo with his wife four years ago in Harpursville, about 130 miles northwest of New York City. But also the money will help support our conservation efforts in Africa, so were actually providing tangible results for wild giraffes.

 Associated Press
Jessica Tillson, 35, of Baton Rouge, La., explains photos she contributed to a display dedicated to the 272 enslaved people sold by Georgetown University in 1838, after a Liturgy of Remembrance, Contrition and Hope on the campus, in Washington D.C., April 18. (Allison Shelley/For The Washington Post)

Regarding the April 19 Metro article Pain, healing at Georgetown: University hosts slave descendants as it seeks to make amends for history:

As a double alum of Georgetown University, I commend its remembrance and repentance for selling slaves in 1838 to secure the schools future. Is it enough to remember and repent for this inhumanity to man? No, it is not enough. I call upon Georgetown University to open its mighty arms and offer real help to the impoverished youth of the District. In the words of Jesus Christ: Suffer the children to come unto me. Georgetown University has the means and the power to invite the impoverished youth to the very campus that benefited from the sale of those slaves, educate them, give them the best Georgetown University has to offer and set them upon a real road of freedom.

Elizabeth Hearing, Haymarket
John Delury is an associate professor of Chinese studies at the Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies in Seoul.

President Trumps missile strike on Syria won plaudits from commentators on the left and right, with some of the enthusiasm spilling over into the debate about a military solution when it comes to North Korea. The comparison, like much of the administrations rhetoric about Korea, is dangerously misleading. There is no way to hit North Korea without being hit back harder. There is no military means to preempt its capabilities  nuclear and otherwise  with a surgical strike. Any use of force to degrade its weapons program would start a war, the costs of which would be staggering.

Maybe in the era of America First, we dont care about death and destruction being visited on the 10 million people who live in Seoul, within North Korean artillery and short-range missile range. Do we care about some 140,000 U.S. citizens residing in South Korea  including soldiers and military families at bases here, plus more in nearby Japan? Or South Koreas globally integrated $1.4 trillion economy, including the United States $145 billion two-way trade with the country? Do we care about North Korean missiles raining down on Incheon International Airport, one of Asias busiest airports, or Busan, the sixth-largest container port in the world? What happens to the global economy when a conflagration erupts on Chinas doorstep and engulfs Japan?

(The Washington Post)

Surely the American public and Congress, regardless of party, can agree that these costs are unbearable and unthinkable. Given the presence of many sober-minded strategists and policymakers in the administration, it seems reasonable to conclude the military taunts are a bluff. If so, they are a distraction from the real, pressing question: How much longer should they wait on economic pressure generated by Chinese sanctions, rather than pursue diplomatic options opened up by direct dialogue and engagement?

The Obama administration said it was open to dialogue, but put its money on sanctions and pressure as North Korea made the power transition from Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un. North Korea, unfortunately, is not vulnerable to the pinch of the purse like normal trading nations such as Iran. North Koreans are already so cut off from the global economy and disconnected from international society that deepening isolation does little to change their calculus.

The one promising thing about Kim Jong Un is that he harbors ambitions to improve North Koreas economy, and his domestic policies have already generated modest growth. But his first priority is regime survival and national security, and for that, he considers the nuclear deterrent is to be essential (a rational proposition, sadly). Eight years of sanctions and pressure  but for one spasm of diplomacy just prior to Kim Jong Ils death  did little to disabuse Pyongyang of the sense that it needs nuclear weapons, or to prevent North Korea from improving its capabilities and expanding its arsenal.

The Trump administration proclaims that the Obama approach of strategic patience has ended. But if it really wants to start a new era, the way to do so is not by distracting the public with reckless threats of war, while waiting in vain for Chinese President Xi Jinping to bring Kim to his knees. Instead, the prudent move would be to open direct talks with Pyongyang that start by negotiating a freeze on the fissile-material production cycle, return of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, and moratorium on testing nuclear devices and long-range ballistic missiles (including satellite launches). In return, the United States should at least entertain Pyongyangs standing request for suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea. Kim may be willing to accept something less, such as an adjustment in scale. Or he may be open to a different kind of trade  initiating talks to convert the 1953 Armistice Agreement into a proper peace treaty to end the Korean War, for example. The only way to probe these options is to get to the table. With two months of large-scale exercises coming to a close, now is a good time to do so.

A freeze is just the initial move in what needs to be a long-term strategy that changes underlying dynamics and addresses what each side sees as the core of the problem. We cannot really know what Kim wants, and what he might give up to get it, until we initiate dialogue. But since he took power, there have been strong signals that his ambitions go beyond a nuclear deterrent, that his real goal is economic development. Rather than threaten war or deepen sanctions, a more productive path is to nudge Kim down the same road that the major countries in East Asia have all taken: a shift from power to wealth. If Kim wants to be North Koreas developmental dictator, the United States best long-term strategy is to help him do so. We cannot rationally expect him to surrender his nuclear deterrent at the beginning of that process, but it is the only realistic path for getting him to do so eventually.

Now is the time to jump-start a diplomatic initiative that reopens channels, lowers tensions and caps North Koreas capabilities where they are. Then, working closely with the new government in Seoul and others, the United States should support a long-term strategy that integrates North Korea into regional stability and prosperity. Because the nuclear program is the last budget item that Kim will cut, sanctions only deepen the misery of the North Korean population, and pressure fails to improve human rights abuses on the ground. The best way to alleviate the suffering of the North Korean people is to give them a chance to succeed economically and help open up their country step by step.

By simply inflicting economic pain, threatening military strikes and keeping tensions high, the United States is playing into the worst tendencies of the North Korean system. Kims nuclear intentions will harden and North Koreas capabilities will only grow. Its time to reverse course.
The United States and Japan have a historic opportunity to forge a strengthened partnership to confront Asias mounting security and economic challenges, senior officials here say. But the Trump administration risks missing this opportunity because of its failure to embrace the need for a broader strategy.

The administrations of President Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe share basic interests, common values and political objectives in a way that sets the stage for the closest bilateral cooperation since World War II. The two allies need to work together to deal with a rising China, confront a dangerous North Korea and manage explosive economic growth in Southeast Asia.

But while the Japanese government envisions a strategic plan that would look over the horizon and account for the entire Asia-Pacific region, for now the Trump team is only talking about the North Korea crisis and specific bilateral issues. On both security and economics, the Japanese are asking the United States to think bigger and more broadly about what could be accomplished.

On security, both sides agree that Japan should take a more assertive role and fulfill its decades-long drive to become a more normal, independent and self-reliant nation. Vice President Pence, visiting Tokyo last week, told me that the Trump administration wholeheartedly supports Abes push for Japan to do more.

The president would like to see Japan and our other allies in the world who have an ability to play a greater role in our common defense play that role and to bear that burden and I think thats consistent with that aspiration of the Japanese people, Pence said, adding he raised the issue of sharing the financial burden directly with Abe in their meeting.

For Japan, paying more money for hosting U.S. troops is only one part of the discussion. As Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso noted after meeting Pence, Japan already pays a far greater percentage of the cost of hosting U.S. forces than any European ally does. In fact, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in Tokyo in February that Japan is a model country in that respect.

What Abe wants is for Japan to build military capabilities needed to counter North Korea and also China, for example, by acquiring an offensive-strike capability and expanding Japans missile defenses. Thats politically difficult for him domestically and could require financial commitments the Japanese budget cant bear. But the project would benefit from more support from Washington.

Tokyo also wants to join with Washington to strengthen the rules-based international order in the face of Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, as well as Chinese military expansion throughout the Western Pacific. Maritime security is paramount for Japan.

The Trump administration is pursuing a warming of U.S.-China relations, and theres a concern that relationships with key allies, including Japan, could become subservient to that drive. Theres also a risk that by placing too much emphasis on getting Beijing to fix the North Korea problem, the United States could lose sight of the regional dynamic and also acquiesce to a wide range of Chinas bad behaviors.

Japan and the United States should jointly address these issues, Kentaro Sonoura, Japans vice foreign minister, told me. What kind of actions will the United States be willing to take? Will the United States be willing to stand on our side or not? These are indeed very important points of interest and concern for us.

Several Japanese officials told me that they simply dont have interlocutors in the Trump administration yet. But their message to the United States is clear: While the short-term crisis is North Korea, the long-term challenge is China, and the alliance must not sacrifice the future for the present.

On economics, similarly, the United States is thinking more narrowly than Japan is. Pence and Aso kicked off a new bilateral dialogue and agreed on a basic framework. Following Trumps withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, theres no clear message about what Washington wants the end result to be. Pence indicated there could be a bilateral trade agreement sometime in the future. The Japanese want to think bigger.

The broader region is experiencing massive growth, especially in Southeast Asia, and the United States and Japan share an interest in ensuring that trade and investment are based on a rules-based system, as was envisioned by the TPP. By preserving the core of that agreement, free economies that value labor and other standards can compete, Sonoura said.

Trump and Abe have formed a good personal relationship, and there is trust that both sides can build on. But if the alliance doesnt know where it is going strategically, there cant be a clear path to get there. The Japanese have their ideas. Now the Trump team has to step up.

Read more from Josh Rogins archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
IS THE presidents softened tone on China a strategic choice, or does it reflect his daughter Ivankas extensive business ties to the country? Was the early camaraderie between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe influenced by a business deal between Ms. Trumps company and a state-associated Japanese firm, after the presidents daughter sat in on a meeting with Mr. Abe? Probably not; yet such questions inevitably arise given the combination of Ms. Trumps business entanglements and her White House role.

The entanglements would have been concerning if she had never entered the White House. Playing both roles puts Americas reputation on the line. Foreigners must wonder: Is the United States a country where government actions are intertwined with the private interests of the presidents family? What does the United States surrender in ethical standing when the presidents daughter is both a close adviser and a businesswoman with operations that depend on the goodwill of foreign governments?

The Associated Press reported last week that 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. Ms. Trumps company secured valuable trademarks in China on the same day she helped welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to Mar-a-Lago on an official visit.

Ms. Trump and her advisers say that she has relinquished most control over the business to a trust run by her family members. Why not just sell her business? Because, they may say, its value is based on her personal branding, so the Trump name and reputation would still be for sale. Why not establish a blind trust? Because retaining some control allows her to reject potentially shady deals. Wont she run afoul of White House ethics rules if she offers advice on, say, trade with China? Executive-branch rules have permitted certain conflicts of interest in the past, and she can recuse herself on a case-by-case basis, with advice from lawyers and government ethics experts.

But the fact remains that foreign governments will see approving trademark applications, financing and business deals as a way to curry favor with the U.S. government. As long as Mr. Trump is president, would a country such as China ever reject an Ivanka trademark application?

For decades, the United States has advocated the principle that official corruption is a scourge to be stamped out, above all by isolating government from the private interests of those in power  and of their families. This principle is enshrined in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits Americans from participating in the bribery that undermines so many foreign economies. The risk now is that the Trump administration will taint that advocacy, allowing foreign leaders to argue that the United States is no better than any Central Asian dynasty. Rather than defending a narrow legal case, the Trumps should be bending over backward to avoid any suggestion of hypocrisy. Ms. Trump can be an adviser on foreign affairs; her business should not simultaneously be expanding or seeking rights and benefits overseas.
Can U.S. politics still deliver in the public interest? A test case is taking shape in the Washington area.

The test is this: Can the transit system of the nations capital be saved?

On one level, a rescue should be easy. Pretty much everyone, even people who dont use Metro, agrees that its demise would be a disaster. Pretty much everyone agrees that Metro desperately needs help. And while there isnt quite the same consensus on a solution, what needs to be done also is pretty well understood.

Yet if you had to place bets right now, youd be cautious wagering on a happy ending. And the reasons for that say a lot about the challenges U.S. politics confront across the country.

Some of Metros difficulties are particular to the system. Multiple jurisdictions, including two states, the federal government and the District of Columbia, help manage and support it, so no one official is accountable for its success or failure.

But its problems more generally stem from a failure to face hard choices honestly that echoes loudly through state and federal governance.

For years, Metros overseers have been more inclined toward crowd-pleasing system expansion than needed but unsexy maintenance.

For years, they were happy to buy labor peace by promising generous retirement benefits that would come due down the road, on somebody elses watch.

For years, politicians have been unwilling to acknowledge that no modern transit system can support itself on fares alone but will need steady, dedicated tax revenue as well.

The result, Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Wiedefeld said during a visit to The Post last week, is a system that was once the gold standard for mass transit but is now not even bronze. Wiedefeld, who took over in 2015, said it has been amazing to me that it could slip so far.

Metros operating costs are rising nearly twice as fast as its revenue, Wiedefeld said, and that is apart from $25 billion in capital needs  for new cars and the like  over the next 10 years. If something doesnt change, fares will keep rising while ridership and service decline.

In his first 17 months on the job, Wiedefeld concentrated on safety improvements and intensive track repair. Now he has put forward a plan that would restore rail and bus service to sustainability.

The plan asks all the jurisdictions to dedicate a source of revenue to Metro, as every other region with a transit system (including New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago) does. In return it would cap the growth of operating subsidies at 3 percent per year.

It protects retirement benefits for existing employees and retirees, but would give a less cushy deal to those hired in the future. Work that is union now would stay union, but Metro would have the option to contract out some new components of the system, though unions would be allowed to compete for the work.

Theres something here to make everyone unhappy, in other words, and initial reviews rolled out accordingly. A union statement called the plan bad for riders, bad for workers and bad for the region, while Marylands Republican governor grumbled about a statewide tax that nobody had proposed. (The burden would more likely fall on Prince Georges and Montgomery counties.)

That kind of first reaction is predictable. But here are some things to watch for next.

Will local politicians have the courage to stand up to core constituencies for the common good? Will Democrats such as Maryland Reps. Jamie B. Raskin and Anthony G. Brown tell the unions that they are better off saving most of their jobs and benefits than driving the system into bankruptcy while waving the flag of purity? Will a Republican such as Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock tell members of her party that Metro needs a dedicated tax, or will she be forever moving the reform goalposts?

The federal government would be in big trouble without Metro. Will Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao step up?

And if gubernatorial candidates in Virginia, state delegates and city council members in all three jurisdictions and U.S. senators from both states opt for compromise and honesty, will voters punish or reward them? The answer to that question could spell the difference between a prosperous, growing capital region and one that chokes on its own traffic as a $40 billion onetime jewel wastes away.

Read more from Fred Hiatts archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Imagine if I began a column about Attorney General Jeff Sessions this way: I really am amazed that an attorney general who hails from a former Confederate state in the Deep South can issue a series of orders wrecking efforts to reform police practices, cutting back on voting rights and restarting the war on drugs.

The specifics of what Sessions is up to are accurate, but that knock on the land of cotton would leave my inbox bulging with rebukes to bigotry against Dixie, and Id probably get many YouTube links to Lynyrd Skynyrd singing Sweet Home Alabama. (Dont go to the trouble. I already have the song on my iPhone.)

Yet the man whose job is to be the top lawyer for all of us said something very similar about a federal judge in Hawaii who blocked President Trumps travel ban. For the record, here is Sessionss islophobic sentence:

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.

[Jeff Sessionss dismissal of Hawaii as an island in the Pacific is peak colonialism]

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

The obvious problem in Sessionss comments, made to conservative talk-show host Mark Levin (and unearthed by CNNs Andrew Kaczyn-ski), is that Hawaii is a state like every other and has been in the union for 58 years, as Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) helpfully pointed out. Are newer states inferior to older ones?

There is also the Trump administration habit of trying to discredit any judge who rules against it, the stuff of autocratic regimes. Members of the executive branch have every right to criticize and appeal lower-court decisions, but what Sessions suggested is that Derrick Watson, the federal judge in question, somehow lost his right to rule because of where his court is located.

Hawaii has been a special place in conservative demonology because many on the right, once they had to concede that former president Barack Obama was actually born there and not in Kenya, wanted to hold on to the idea that he came into the world in a location that was, well, different.

And Sessions may have picked up his anti-Hawaii cues from right-wing media, which reported that Obama had unexpectedly flown alone to Hawaii on March 13, two days before Watson issued his ruling, and that Watson just happened to go to Harvard Law School with the former president.

A conservativetreehouse.com blog post asked: Coincidences? Or did President Obama travel to Hawaii to initiate, facilitate, or participate in the decision by Judge Watson? On March 16, Rush Limbaugh got the story out there and then insisted that he wouldnt traffic in speculation. I want to mention also Barack Obama has been in Hawaii the past few days, he said, but added, I dont know if Obama met with the judge. Nicely played, Rush.

Heres one good thing that could come from Sessionss aloha-baiting: It might start focusing attention on the rest of that opening sentence and on the damage the attorney general is inflicting. Doing so would belie the idea that Trump is somehow becoming more moderate.

Sessions has started switching the Justice Departments stance on voting rights cases, away from minority plaintiffs and in favor of states that passed discriminatory measures such as voter ID laws restricting access to the ballot. The new Justice Department stance did not stop U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos from declaring earlier this month that Texass strict voter ID law was passed, at least in part, with a discriminatory purpose. Thank goodness Ramos cant be criticized as one of those island judges.

Sessions also ordered department officials to review reform agreements between its civil rights division and troubled police forces nationwide, an Obama-era initiative aimed at restoring community confidence in the police after a series of shootings of unarmed black men.

Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, called the move terrifying, but in a USA Today op-ed last week, Sessions invoked classic law-and-order rhetoric, saying he would not sign consent decrees for political expediency that will cost more lives by handcuffing the police instead of the criminals.

And as Sari Horwitz reported in The Washington Post, Sessions is bringing back the old war on drugs, thus stopping in its tracks a once-promising criminal justice reform movement of conservatives, liberals and libertarians concerned with over-incarceration, particularly in African American communities.

You dont have to live on an island to worry about what Sessions is doing in the name of justice.

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Regarding the April 21 Reliable Source item  A great night at the White House: Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent and Kid Rock dine with the president [Style]:

One of the honors bestowed upon each president is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which serves as his or her residence, the seat of national executive power and a growing monument and museum to all of our nations leaders. It is a place that all Americans proudly claim and revere, regardless of who resides within. That is why it is beyond comprehension that a sitting president would allow former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and musicians Ted Nugent and Kid Rock to mock the portrait of Hillary Clinton as first lady for tasteless Facebook photo opportunities.

Of course President Trump won the election, and of course he is entitled to invite whomever he wishes to the White House. But is he really entitled to mock the spouses of those who came before him? Lets show some dignity and class in a place we all respect, even when we dont respect the occupant or previous occupants.

Eileen McClure Nelson, Burke
The Congress party and several social activists have criticised the Vasundhara Raje government for being unable to provide a secure environment to Kashmiri students.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: The Congress party and several social activists in Rajasthan chided the Vasundhara Raje-led government for failing to provide protection to Kashmiri students studying in the state.

In the last few days, there have been incidents in Chittorgarh and recently in BITS Pilani, where Kashmiri students have been at the receiving end of harassment.

"The PhD scholar who was studying in BITS Pilani said he is not fully assured that security will be provided because the incident that happened in Chittorgarh was a stark example how police and the locals are against them... There were many things written on his door and as well as on t-shirt which proves that entire environment is hostile," Dr. Archana Sharma, Congress leader said to India Today.

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MESS CAUSED BY MODI GOVERNMENT: SOCIAL ACTIVIST

Hashim Sofi, a 27-year-old Kashmiri project fellow studying at BITS Pilani in Rajasthan left the institute after allegedly facing harassment in hostel.

Sofi had on the 20th of this month, reported to the chief warden that someone had written some objectionable comments on the door of his hostel room and also on two of his t-shirts. As per Sofi, this happened on the intervening night of April 20 and 21.

Earlier, some Kashmiri students were allegedly beaten up by few locals in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district, following which many Kashmiri students studying at the Mewar University demanded protection.

"In Rajasthan, the government and its police have failed to give protection to Kashmiris...This is a mess that the Narendra Modi government has caused.", Kavita Srivastava, social activist, said.

Also read: Kashmiri researcher returns home after harassment at BITS Pilani

Also read : Kashmiris equal citizens of India, ensure their safety: Rajnath to states after 6 attacked in Rajasthan

--- ENDS ---
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor speaks at St. Francis College in New York in February. (Kathy Willens/AP)

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote Monday that the court is developing a disturbing trend of siding with police officers accused of excessive force at the expense of their alleged victims, a notion disputed by two of her colleagues.

Sotomayor was arguing that the court should have accepted the case of Richardo Salazar-Limon, who was shot in the back by Houston police officer Chris Thompson in 2010. A federal district judge dismissed Salazar-Limons suit before trial, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit upheld that decision.

What happened in the incident that left Salazar-Limon crippled is disputed, Sotomayor wrote in her dissent, and a decision on which man is telling the truth should be made by a jury sitting as finder of fact, not a judge reviewing a paper record.

What made Sotomayors dissent unusual was the criticism of the courts past decisions.

Her colleagues failure to accept the case continues a disturbing trend regarding the use of this courts resources, Sotomayor wrote in an opinion joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

[Supreme Court finds for Texas trooper who shot fleeing suspect]

We have not hesitated to summarily reverse courts for wrongly denying officers the protection of qualified immunity in cases involving the use of force, Sotomayor said. But we rarely intervene where courts wrongly afford officers the benefit of qualified immunity in these same cases.

That drew a rebuttal from Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas. Sotomayor cited five cases, Alito wrote, but in all but one of those cases there was no published dissent. She has not identified a single case in which we failed to grant a similar petition filed by an alleged victim of unconstitutional police conduct.

As the issue of police shootings has taken on new prominence in the national debate, Sotomayor has been the justice most outspoken about whether police officers too often have received the legal benefit of the doubt.

In 2015, she was the lone dissenter to a ruling that a Texas state trooper who shot and killed a fleeing suspect in a high-speed chase could not be held civilly liable for the mans death, even though the officers superior had told him not to shoot.

[Florida police officer charged for shooting unarmed man who had arms raised]

Sotomayor said her colleagues were sanctioning a shoot first, think later approach.

In the case at the court Monday, Sotomayor said it was unclear who was in the wrong. Thompson had stopped Salazar-Limon because he suspected the man was driving drunk. The two were involved in a struggle when the officer tried to handcuff the suspect. Salazar-Limon started walking back to his vehicle when Thompson drew his gun and told him to stop.

Salazar-Limon said Thompson then almost immediately shot him in the back. Thompson said Salazar-Limon had raised his hands toward his waistband, as if for a weapon, when the officer fired. No gun was found on Salazar-Limon.

In a footnote, Sotomayor noted media reports of an increasing frequency of incidents in which unarmed men allegedly reach for empty waistbands when facing armed officers.

Lower courts said Salazar-Limon had offered no controverting evidence to Thompsons testimony that the suspect had reached for his waistband, which had made the officers use of force reasonable.

But Sotomayor said that the men offered differing accounts and that a jury should have decided which was believable.

What is clear is that our legal system does not entrust the resolution of this dispute to a judge faced with competing affidavits. The evenhanded administration of justice does not permit such a shortcut, she wrote.

Alito countered that there was nothing unusual about the case.

Every year the courts of appeals decide hundreds of cases in which they must determine whether thin evidence provided by a plaintiff is just enough to survive a motion for summary judgment or not quite enough, he wrote. This is one such case.

None of the other justices remarked upon the decision not to hear Salazar-Limon v. City of Houston.
The Supreme Courts liberals and conservatives seemed to disagree Monday on whether an Alabama inmate was entitled to a mental-health expert who would be on his side in fighting the states attempt to sentence him to death.

The justices were examining James McWilliamss 1986 death sentence and an even older Supreme Court precedent. But their decision will be immediately relevant. The Arkansas Supreme Court recently stayed the execution of two men on its death row until the justices decide McWilliams v. Dunn.

[Arkansas attempts to executive eight before lethal injection drugs expire]

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled previously that poor defendants whose mental health might explain their criminal actions have a right to expert evaluation. Mondays argument was about whether that expert should be on the defendants side, not just neutral.

Atlanta lawyer Stephen B. Bright, representing McWilliams, said the intent of the Supreme Courts 1985 decision in Ake v. Oklahoma was clear: to ensure that poor defendants have a chance to have the kind of expert assistance that wealthy defendants and state prosecutors could afford.

It at least gives the defense a shot, at least gives them one competent mental-health expert that they can talk to, understand what the issues are, present them as best they can, Bright said.

But conservative justices said the Ake opinion was not so clear that more than a neutral expert was necessary. Perhaps intentionally so, said Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.

This is an opinion that is deliberately ambiguous, because there was probably disagreement among the members of the majority about how far they wanted to go, Alito said.

Alabama Solicitor General Andrew L. Brasher acknowledged in response to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs questioning that almost all jurisdictions provide the kind of expert help to poor defendants that McWilliams seeks. But older cases should not be seen through 2017 eyes but by what was required at the time.

McWilliams was convicted of the 1984 rape, robbery and murder of convenience store clerk Patricia Vallery Reynolds in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Before sentencing, a state psychologist who examined McWilliams said he had organic brain damage and records showed he had received psychotropic drugs in prison.

But all of that came just two days before sentencing, and defense lawyers requested a delay and professional help in deciphering what that meant for McWilliamss case.

The judge refused and sentenced McWilliams to death.

Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan seemed convinced that the courts decades-old ruling specifically called for more than just a neutral expert examining the defendant.

Kagan quoted what she called the money sentence in Ake as directing that the state must assure the defendant access to a competent psychiatrist who will assist in evaluation, preparation and presentation of the defense.

She tried to count all the times the opinion used the word assist and lost track, she said. She added: It means somebody on the defendants side.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer seemed to agree with that standard and said that it seems to me that this defendant certainly did not get that help.

As is often the case, it may be that Justice Anthony M. Kennedy holds the deciding vote.

He seemed to believe the Ake decision was ambiguous. But if the original decision meant a psychiatrist must be available and then over time it becomes clear to us that that psychiatrist must be retained for the benefit of the defense only, perhaps that is only a refinement of the clearly established right, not a completely new finding, Kennedy said. That suggested an easier path for Brights argument.

New Justice Neil M. Gorsuch seemed to side with Alabama, wondering how far expert help for the defense would have to extend. And he said that one way to understand what the Supreme Court meant in Ake was to look at what defense counsel had asked for. He said lawyers would have been happy with either a neutral psychiatrist or one on their side.

When Brasher agreed, Kagan responded in a way that seemed directed both at the lawyer and the new justice.

I think that that would be a shocking way to interpret this courts opinions, she said. The way to interpret them, she said, is to look at what they actually require, regardless of what the lawyers who brought them asked for.
Former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue, President Trumps nominee for agriculture secretary, testifies on Capitol Hill during his confirmation hearing on March 23. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

Former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue was confirmed Monday as secretary of the Agriculture Department, bringing into President Trumps Cabinet an experienced politician with deep support among agricultural interests.

Perdue faced few obstacles to confirmation  the vote Monday was 87 to 11  after a collegial confirmation hearing last month before the Senate Agriculture Committee, where senators used their testimony time to raise questions about Trumps budget. Support for Perdue extended far beyond Washington. The former Georgia governor has received thumbs up from hundreds of food and agricultural groups nationwide, including major groups such as the Farm Bureau and the National Restaurant Association.

But Perdue may have to contend with deep cuts to the USDA proposed by the presidents budget, which could disproportionately affect rural residents and farmers nationwide, pitting him between the White Houses priorities and those of rural and agricultural interest groups.

Our farmers and ranchers have long been waiting for this important role to be filled, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said prior to the vote Monday. Once Governor Perdue becomes Secretary Perdue, I know he will put the needs of farmers and ranchers -- and rural America -- first.

During his confirmation hearings, Perdue told senators that he supports many of the programs that could be cut by Trumps budget, particularly those that focus on agricultural research and rural infrastructure development. The Trump administration has proposed cutting $4.7 billion from the departments 2018 budget, or 20 percent of its discretionary spending. That proposal  known as the skinny budget  has few details about which programs would face reductions. More are expected next month when the White House introduces a more detailed budget plan.

Perdue, whose confirmation stalled for months, did not have a hand in crafting that budget. During his confirmation hearing, he sought to assuage senators concerns with large rural constituencies, promising to do everything in my power to manage Trumps priorities against the needs of small towns and farmers.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), the committees ranking Democrat, said that Trumps first months in office have treated rural America as an afterthought.

For months, rural America has not had a voice in this administration and frankly it shows, she said before Mondays vote. President Trumps budget proposal makes it clear that rural America is not a priority for this administration.

Although Perdue has received considerable support in the Senate and from agricultural interest groups, ethics watchdogs have raised concerns about his agro-business holdings. During his tenure as governor, from 2003 to 2011, he declined to place his business interests in a blind trust and regularly came up against the state ethics commission. More than a dozen ethics complaints were filed against him during that time.

Despite those concerns, no members of the committee questioned his ethics record. In consultation with the Office of Government Ethics, Perdue agreed to organize his business holdings  including a Georgia-based grain merchandiser, AGrowStar  into a trust that will not benefit him or his wife.

Perdue is only the second agriculture secretary in history not to pass by unanimous vote; the last such nominee was Secretary Richard Lyng in 1986. Perdue was opposed by several prominent Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Perdues confirmation leaves two Cabinet-level nominees awaiting full Senate confirmation: Alexander Acosta for labor secretary and Robert E. Lighthizer for trade representative.


Republican Rep. Will Hurd narrowly won a second term in what turned out to be the most expensive House race in Texas history. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

 Midterm elections are known to be brutal on the party in power, and if there is an anti-Republican wave in 2018, look for it to touch shore right here.

The vast, volatile 23rd Congressional District of Texas is bigger in area than 29 states. It stretches from San Antonio to El Paso and includes about one-third of the entire U.S.-Mexico border.

Its overwhelmingly Latino electorate last year went for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential race. But it also reelected a Republican to the U.S. House  one of fewer than two dozen in the country to split that way.

Rep. Will Hurd narrowly won a second term in what turned out to be the most expensive House race in Texas history. Democrats have put Hurds seat in their top five targets in 2018. He will also be running to beat the fickle tendencies of a district that has ousted four different incumbents since 2006.

Chief among the issues where Hurd is at odds with Donald Trump is on the presidents signature campaign promise  the construction of a border wall, which would cover 820 miles in the 23rd District, much of it on private property. Trump is stepping up pressure on Congress to include money for the wall in a must-pass funding bill needed to keep the government open beyond Friday.

In interviews with several dozen of Hurds constituents, not one expressed the opinion that building a wall is the best way to control problems on the border.



Hurd speaks to his constituents at Fiesta San Antonio 2017. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Hurd attends the JBSA-Lackland Air Force Base Fiesta Parade. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Hurd came to the job with an unusual background for a cowboy-country politician. He is a former CIA agent who was stationed in Afghanistan and Pakistan (I was the dude in back alleys at 4 oclock in the morning) and an African American representing a district where only 3 percent of the population is black.

His survival strategy is a model for an endangered Republican delicately navigating the cross-currents of the Trump era. Its success will hinge in large part on whether the election becomes a referendum on the president, or on the identity Hurd has carved out for himself.

Democrats need to pick up 24 seats to take back the House, and Hurds is one of three districts in Texas they think may be in reach, thanks to anti-Trump energy in their base. They are putting organizers here earlier than they ever have before.

A scorching, dusty morning last week found the 39-year-old congressman in the desert outside El Paso, at the dedication ceremony of a project he has championed for two years. A border crossing was being renamed in honor of World War Is most decorated Texan, a Mexican immigrant named Marcelino Serna.



Hurd meets Gloria Serna before the Marcelino Serna Port of Entry Naming Ceremony on the U.S. border with Mexico, in Tornillo, Texas, on April 19. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

The 5-foot-6 Serna volunteered for the Army to avoid deportation, and at one point he single-handedly captured 24 enemy soldiers and killed 26 in France. That his Mexican citizenship made him ineligible for the nations highest military accolade, the Medal of Honor, has long been a sore point with El Paso-area veterans.

The Marcelino Serna Port of Entry will not only honor this extraordinary mans service to our nation. It will serve as a reminder of the countless Hispanic American immigrants who have fought valiantly to keep our nation safe, Hurd said. Private Sernas exemplary story is now more important than ever.

It was lost on no one there that Hurd was standing just a few hundred yards from where Trumps wall would go. Currently, there is a fence, which local residents say has been effective in stemming illegal traffic.

Our country can do without walls, said Ramon Holguin, a Vietnam veteran from San Elizario who voted for Trump because he was afraid Clinton would take away his guns. It not only affects people. It affects our environment.

The congressman has been one of the most outspoken Republican critics of that proposal. Hurd says it would be an inefficient, impractical and wasteful one-size-fits-all means of controlling illegal immigration and reducing crime.

In Hurds district and elsewhere throughout the state, support for enhancing border security runs strong. But there are also fears that a physical wall would violate the property rights that Texans hold dear, and be a kick in the gut to a regional economy heavily dependent on cross-border trade.

It could seriously turn the border into another Rust Belt, if we do not take the economic issues more seriously, said Al Arreola Jr., president of the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. This entire region is definitely going to be affected by decisions with respect to immigration and border security.

Arreola, who was having lunch with Hurd in a resurgent old neighborhood near downtown San Antonio, said merchants are already sensing a drop-off in the flow of tourists and daytripping shoppers from Mexico  something the businesspeople attribute to Trumps harsh rhetoric.

Nor is immigration the only area where Hurd parts company with the Republican president.



Commuting from one part of his constituency to the other, Hurd works aboard a Southwest plane bound for San Antonio during a Congressional recess in El Paso on April 19. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Where Trump dismisses reports of Russian hacking in last years election as a Democratic fantasy, Hurd  a member of the House Intelligence Committee investigating the matter  has said it is going to go down in Russian history as the greatest covert action campaign. The damage, Hurd added, comes not from any impact it might have had on the election outcome, but from the fact that it created a wedge between the president and the intelligence community, and rattled public trust.

Hurd often traces his own decision to run for Congress to a briefing he gave nearly a decade ago, when he was an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, to a visiting delegation of Intelligence Committee members.

One of them  Hurd refuses to say which lawmaker it was  asked him to explain the difference between a Shiite Muslim and a Sunni.

I thought it was the setup for an inappropriate joke, he recalled. But when he realized someone sitting on the panel overseeing intelligence could be that ignorant of the great sectarian divide in the Muslim world, he figured he could do a better job himself.

By conference call from Kabul, Hurd organized a network of friends from his days as Texas A&M University student body president to start putting together a congressional campaign in the district, which is near the part of San Antonio where he grew up.

It was home town, and a district where a dark-horse candidate could win, Hurd said. He lost the 2010 GOP primary in a runoff, but tried again and won in 2014.

Hurd stays close to the ground and in constant motion across his district. Across the miles, it can also feel as though he is spanning centuries.

Last Wednesday found him at launch ceremonies for Environmental Protection Agency-funded wastewater treatment facilities that will free 78 remote West Texas households from their reliance on unhygienic cesspools and failing septic tanks.

Hurd visits and is given an overview of Open Cloud Academy. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

When I was making the decision in Afghanistan to run for Congress, I didnt know Id be out here talking about sewage services, but this is the stuff people need, Hurd said.

The next morning began more than 500 miles and a time zone away, in a classroom at San Antonios high-tech Open Cloud Academy, where 15 students, mostly veterans, were training to work in cybersecurity. Hurd touted his efforts to expand GI Bill benefits to cover nontraditional courses in information technology.

Despite what you hear about Washington, D.C., there are some things people work together on, he said.

Hurd often boasts of the alliances and friendships he has forged across the partisan divide. When a snowstorm closed D.C. airports last month, he and a Democratic colleague, El Pasos Beto ORourke, decided to drive back together, lighting up social media by live-streaming their 1,600-mile road trip for 29 hours.

(Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

Hes doing an outstanding job. From the very start, he distanced himself very sharply and very starkly from Donald Trump, said Rice University political scientist Mark P. Jones. He has the most centrist voting record of any Texas Republican, which also signals to voters in the district that he doesnt always vote the party line.

Democrats, however, say all of this is window-dressing.

When it comes down to voting, and the pattern of what he actually does, he falls right in line with the rest of the Republican Party, said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

Garcia noted, for instance, that Hurd voted to roll back President Barack Obamas executive order that delayed deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. Hurd also refused to say whether he would have voted for the failed proposal that House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Trump put forward to revise the Affordable Care Act.



Hurd drives through his district on his way to a Port of San Antonio briefing. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Democrats have two paid field organizers in the district, and are doing their best to tie Hurd to Trump. A week ago, more than 100 activists rallied outside the congressmans San Antonio office to call for the president to release his tax returns.

They have also complained that he lately has not been holding town halls, where his critics can vent their grievances about what Republicans are doing in Washington.

Among the Democrats considering running next year is former Rep. Pete Gallego, whom Hurd defeated in 2014 and again two years later. One factor in his decision, Gallego said, is the possibility that a court-ordered redrawing of the district map could make it more favorable to a Democrat by removing some affluent parts of San Antonio.

The political climate may also be shifting. Gallego said he recently attended an anti-Trump event in his tiny home town of Alpine, Tex., and was startled to see more than 150 people show up on a Saturday morning. Usually, he said, 20 is considered a good crowd in a town that size.

Then again, there will also be forces working in Hurds favor. Texas Republicans generally turn out in heavier numbers than Democrats in off-year elections, and in 2018, popular Republican Gov. Greg Abbott will be at the top of the ticket.

As Hurd is well aware, however, big political waves have a way of washing out even the best defenses. So he is determined to move faster than it does.

One of the things I heard when I was running was that people didnt feel theyd seen their representative, he said. Im going to kiss every baby in these 29 counties.



Hurd speaks to his constituents at Fiesta San Antonio 2017 on April 20. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Read more at PowerPost
President Trump and White House officials pressed congressional Republicans on Sunday to use the looming threat of a government shutdown to win funding for a wall along the border between the United States and Mexico, a top priority for the administration as it nears the symbolic 100-day mark.

Trump wants funding to be included in a spending measure that would keep the government open past April 28, a determined effort that has prompted a possible standoff with lawmakers in both parties, who hope to avert a federal closure next weekend.

Trumps push for fast action on his pledge to build the border wall is part of a mounting and, at times, tense scramble inside the administration to kick-start the presidents agenda, even if it risks dire political consequences. It follows weeks of frustration within the White House over inaction and stalemates on Capitol Hill over big-ticket items such as health care and tax cuts.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said in an interview Sunday with The Washington Post that the president and his advisers remain strong in their commitment to securing funding for border security and a wall.

This is what the president ran on, Priebus said. We want to get to a place this week where border-security money is being directed to the Department of Homeland Security so that we can begin surveillance and preliminary work, and then we will keep working on getting DHS what it needs for the structure.

The burden to keep it open is on the Republicans, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), above, said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Building a wall is not an answer. Not here or any place. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

The timing promises a week of high drama on the Hill. The Senate returns Monday night, and the House returns Tuesday from a two-week recess, leaving just three days when both chambers will be in session to wrangle out a funding agreement. Negotiators worked throughout the break, but thus far a deal has not been struck.

The wall, which experts say would cost $21.6 billion and take 3 years to construct, has emerged as a crucial sticking point for the White House, with the president insisting privately and publicly that progress toward its funding and eventual construction must be showcased this week.

Congress is right to be nervous, but thats Trumps style to be aggressive, ambitious, right out of The Art of the Deal,  said William J. Bennett, a conservative commentator and close friend of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). Everyone seems to be getting used to that and how Trump doesnt want the half loaf but the whole loaf.

[Trump and his aides take hard line on border wall, as threat of government shutdown looms]

In a tweet Sunday, Trump elbowed Democrats who have resisted his call to include wall funding. He chastised them for not wanting money from the budget going to the border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and gang activity, in his view.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Trump added that he would continue to ask Mexico to pay for the project, another bold proclamation he made during the campaign. Meanwhile, he said, he will press Congress for funding so we can get started early on the badly needed border wall.

It remained unclear Sunday whether moderates within the GOP could persuade the White House to avoid a shutdown. Democrats have insisted that they will not vote for any spending bill that gives the White House money or flexibility to begin construction of a border barrier. They believe that the GOP will have to either abandon Trumps demand or assume political responsibility if a shutdown occurs.

The burden to keep it open is on the Republicans, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Building a wall is not an answer. Not here or any place.

Inside the White House on Sunday, West Wing aides made calls to congressional allies, while the president tweeted and reached out to several advisers, according to three officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Trumps tweets included a shot at Democrats in which he drew parallels between border-wall funding and continued federal payments for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Some Trump associates said that they believe Democrats may be willing to deal on border funding if those payments are put on the table this week during cross-party talks.

ObamaCare is in serious trouble. The Dems need big money to keep it going  otherwise it dies far sooner than anyone would have thought, Trump tweeted. He later followed: The Democrats dont want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members.

The tweets did little to assuage concerns created earlier in the day when White House budget director Mick Mulvaney suggested that Trump might not sign a spending bill that does not meet his demands.

Will he sign a government funding bill that does not include funding for the border wall? Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, asked Mulvaney during a televised interview.

We dont know yet, Mulvaney responded.

Mulvaney said that the White House expects Democrats to cave on the border wall in exchange for guaranteed payments under the ACA.

But Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) have already rejected a White House offer to build into the spending bill a dollar-for-dollar match in wall funding and federal health-care payments. Negotiators want the stopgap measure to keep government open by keeping spending flat, including money to keep the ACA going. Trump is hoping to open that up for negotiation in exchange for wall money.

Democrats believe that voters will blame Trump for a shutdown, particularly if congressional leaders omit wall funding from a spending deal. Democrats and GOP leaders appeared to be nearing a spending agreement last week before Trump ramped up his demands.

Aides hailed the budget talks as one of the only active discussions in which Democrats and Republicans maintained common ground. One clear area of agreement was not to include border funding in the stopgap budget. Democrats agreed to include other border-security measures, including money for new drones to patrol the border, but it was agreed that the wall itself should be debated separately, after the government is kept open.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is among a group of prominent Senate Republicans who have said publicly that they hope to avoid a border wall fight this week.

I think thats a fight worth having and a conversation and a debate worth having for 2018, Rubio said Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation. If we can do some of that now, that would be great. But we cannot shut down the government right now.

Mulvaneys hard-line stance is also at odds with a White House faction convinced that a government shutdown would be cataclysmic for an administration already struggling to prove its ability to govern, according to GOP aides in the White House and Congress who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing talks.

Republican leaders have signaled that they will concentrate this week on keeping the government open, even if that means ignoring White House calls for action on other major priorities, such as rewriting the tax code and overhauling the ACA.

[Ryan promises to keep government open  and makes no promises on health care]

Trump has pushed his staff in recent days to prod House Republicans for final revisions in a health-care proposal that can win support from both the hard-line conservative Freedom Caucus and the moderate Tuesday Group. And that task led advisers over the weekend to rely especially on three key players  Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), co-chairman of the Tuesday Group; Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the Freedom Caucus; and Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), the House GOP chief deputy whip  to finalize legislation.

But the White Houses efforts to work directly with House coalitions and piece together a compromise health-care package have led to private unease on Capitol Hill, where some GOP members close to the leadership have grumbled that Trump aides are setting up the party for defeat or a stumble if support for the tweaked health bill is not as strong as the White House has suggested.

Trumps advisers, aware of those concerns, still plowed forward Sunday on crafting the bills language, citing the presidents desire for action. There were ongoing conversations about the timing for a health vote, with Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or even sometime in early May, if necessary, discussed as options.

Ryan addressed that pressure in a conference call Saturday afternoon, in which he told GOP members that while he hoped that they would continue health-care talks, his top priority will be the stopgap spending bill.

Wherever we land will be a product the president can and will support. Ryan said, according to a senior GOP aide on the call.

Abby Phillip and Sean Sullivan contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
In this era of fiery populism and muscular anti-

globalist forces, politicians across Europe are suddenly discovering an electoral surprise.

It might actually pay to embrace the European Union.

The top finisher in the first round of the French presidential election on Sunday is Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old centrist who jets to Berlin to give speeches in English. The blue-and-yellow banner of the E.U. flutters off his campaign headquarters. He is strongly favored to beat his anti-Europe rival, Marine Le Pen, in a May 7 runoff.

After years in which the E.U. was the favorite foil for ascendant politicians on the continent, the 28-nation club may be making a comeback despite Brexit and President Trumps euroskepticism. The Netherlands staunchly pro-European Green Left party quadrupled its support in elections last month. Former European Parliament president Martin Schulz is surging in polls ahead of September elections in Germany.

And Macron has promised, if elected, to help lead an ambitious Europe, restoring France to a preeminent place in the E.U. after years in which the French role has been diminished by its domestic struggles with unemployment, terrorism and political dysfunction. He has pledged to push for reforms that would force stronger nations to protect weaker ones.

Sundays balloting showed French attitudes toward Europe split down the middle, with euroskeptic politicians winning nearly half the vote. In addition to Le Pen, Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far-left candidate, drew millions of votes. Opinion polls examining E.U. attitudes revealed conflicted feelings, with a majority of French respondents describing themselves as pro-E.U. but saying the institution needed deep reforms.

Given such division, European leaders nervously watched the first-round voting to see which way France might tilt. On Monday, many political figures were unusually public about their support for Macron.

[Choice for French voters: Hope in Europe or fear of globalization]

German Chancellor Angela Merkels chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that Macrons first-place finish showed that France AND Europe can win together. The center is stronger than the populists think!

The centrist German lawmaker Alexander Lambsdorff heaped on more praise. Macron is a French John F. Kennedy, he told Germanys ZDF television Monday.

In a rare display of cross-continental comity, Macron also was congratulated by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a combative leftist who has sparred with the German government ever since he was forced to accept a humiliating bailout in 2015.

Pro-E.U. politicians were not the only ones to focus on Macrons attitudes toward Europe.

1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See photos of French citizens voting for their new president View Photos In a primary round of voting, French voters selected centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen to move to the elections final stage on May 7. The results could shape the future of the European Union. Caption In a primary round of voting, French voters selected centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen to move to the elections final stage on May 7. The results could shape the future of the European Union. A woman walks past electoral campaign posters on her way to a polling station in Villefranche-de-Lauragais near Toulouse during the first round of the French presidential election. Eric Cabanis/AFP via Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

Nigel Farage, the British anti-E.U. politician who helped lead last years Brexit campaign, tweeted dismissively that Macron gave his victory speech Sunday night with EU flag behind him. Says it all.

Leaders in Europe normally maintain a studious silence when the vote isnt on their turf. That they didnt in this case reflects the gravity for Europe of the final round of the French vote.

If Macron is elected  and opinion polls suggest he has a comfortable lead over Le Pen despite his first-round squeaker  continental leaders are cautiously optimistic that he can steer the beleaguered country back to its historically central role in European affairs. If Le Pen wins, modern Europe  defined by integration and growing cooperation across national boundaries  could fall apart after already being jolted by Britains decision to exit the E.U.

Analysts believe that if Macron can put more of a Gallic stamp on the E.U. machinery in Brussels, he may have a chance to shift Frances complicated attitude toward the bloc back toward more positive ground, particularly if he can also jump-start his countrys stalled economy.

The French liked Europe when it was a greater France, but they feel today that its no longer the case. Its a greater Germany, said Eddy Fougier, an expert on anti-globalization movements at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.

[French election: How the pollsters got the last laugh]

For all their concerns about the E.U., voters may be becoming more wary of disruptive European politicians as they watch Trump churn up political turmoil in the United States and Britain solidify its E.U. divorce plans.

Dutch euroskeptic leader Geert Wilders crashed out of front-runner status ahead of March elections in the Netherlands. Germanys euroskeptic Alternative for Germany party spiked after Trumps election but has more recently split and sputtered. Now the ascendant political force in Germany is Schulz, a center-left leader who spent more than two decades as a member of the European Parliament and has staked his career on a robust defense of Brussels.

And though Italys anti-establishment Five Star party is doing well before elections that must be called before the spring of 2018, few observers see it as the existential threat to Europe that a Le Pen presidency would be.

The support for the centrist politicians reflects a reasonable approach to a reality that everybody must recognize, and that is the European Union, said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a Franco-German former European lawmaker who supports Macron.

Today more and more people are concerned about how we can protect Europe and the European project, Cohn-Bendit said. This has a link with Trumps election, with Brexit.

At a time when the E.U.s popularity is on the wane, Macron has stood apart for his unabashed support for Europe and globalization. On a January trip to Berlins Humboldt University, he switched to flawless English to exhort students to build a stronger Europe. The move drew praise in Germany  and darts from his far-right rivals, who said he was disrespecting the French language.

As the European powers-that-be closed ranks around Macron on Monday, they took two major risks. One is that by backing the French centrist, they will fan the flames of anti-establishment ire that have propelled Le Pens rise.

It could reinforce some of the discontent in France among those who will see this as the global elite denying them their right to vote, said Josef Janning, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

The other potential pitfall is that European leaders could find it more difficult to work with Le Pen if she wins. For months before Americans voted last year, European leaders denounced Trump  only to have to make amends this year with solicitous visits to the new U.S. president at the White House.

It would have been dumb to speak out in the way they did if they thought she could still win, Janning said. They seem to view that possibility as close to zero.

Analysts suggested that, even if Macron wins, Europes centrists will need to keep their expectations in check for what he can achieve. It may be that Europes leaders have an over-interpretation of the role Macron can play, said Claire Demesmay, who studies France for the German Council on Foreign Relations. The antiEuropean mood in France will still be there  and it could increase.

Birnbaum reported from Paris. Virgile Demoustier in Paris, Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin and Karla Adam in London contributed to this report.

Read more

The geographical divides behind Le Pens and Macrons success

Marine Le Pen goes from fringe right-winger to major contender

After years of hiding their relationship, Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron enter the political stage together

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Members of the Awami Workers Party hold banners depicting Mashal Khan during a protest in Karachi on Tuesday against the 23-year-old students killing five days earlier. Khan was shot and beaten to death by fellow students at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan who had falsely accused him of blasphemy. (Akhtar Soomro/Reuters)

Even in his ancestral village here in northwestern Pakistan, where 23-year-old Mashal Khan was the pride of the community, the pointed finger of blasphemy made him an instant pariah.

As word reached Zaida this month that Khan, a journalism student at a university in nearby Mardan city, had been fatally beaten and shot by an enraged student mob for supposedly blaspheming against Islam, neighbors shrank from his family in suspicion, and the local cleric refused to lead a funeral prayer.

It wasnt until several days later, after a more complex story emerged implicating university officials and radical Muslim students in falsely accusing Khan, and police declared he had done nothing to insult his faith, that the villagers dared to express grief and organize a funeral.

I lost my son, my friend and my light. It shattered my world, said his father, Iqbal Khan Iqbal, a social worker and poet in his 70s. But my greatest sorrow was that no one in the village came to offer condolences.

Iqbal described his son as an intellectually curious, outspoken young man who had explored Sufi mysticism and studied in Russia but had never strayed from his Muslim upbringing. He expressed particular horror that Khan had been killed by fellow students, reportedly egged on by university officials in retaliation for criticizing official policies. Police have arrested 22 people in the case.

Pakistani security officials inspect Khans dorm room, where he was killed. (Arshad Arbab/EPA)

Universities are places of learning and knowledge, Iqbal said. If such incidents are taking place there, what can we expect from the rest of society?

Khans campus lynching April 13 provoked an immediate nationwide uproar. It seemed to mark a dangerous new low in the intensifying religious and cultural clash in Pakistan over blasphemy, the perceived sin of offending Islam, which is also a capital crime in the 95 percent Muslim country.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged Pakistanis to condemn the slaying, and the National Assembly unanimously called for new safeguards in the nations blasphemy law to prevent its misuse by false accusers and vigilantes.

But the mob killing was also the unsurprising outgrowth of recent, stepped-up hysteria over the emotional issue, magnified by social media, in which televangelists and conservative talk-show hosts have accused secular activists, bloggers, journalists and others of blasphemy. Even Sharif was denounced for his warm remarks to Pakistani Hindus during the festival of Diwali in October.

[Did Pakistani security agents kidnap bloggers to make a point?]

Pakistans anti-blasphemy law is harsh but generally accepted; it provides for due process and trial, and executions are rare. But often it is used as a pretext for attacks on religious minorities or personal enemies, and the merest accusation can be enough to spark punitive riots, in which crowds rampage through poor neighborhoods or drag suspects from jail.

Khans killing included both elements: It was instigated by opponents of his campus activism and liberal social views, and it was carried out by an inflamed mob. As the first such killing in a university setting, it also highlighted the spread of Islamic zealotry among young, educated Pakistanis  precisely the populace that might be expected to resist it.

A seat of higher learning was the venue. . . . The motive was to silence a brilliant student who dared to speak his mind. . . . The charge of blasphemy came in handy to inflame sentiments, wrote commentator Zahid Hussain in the Dawn newspaper. The anti-blasphemy media campaign, he said, has emboldened accusers while cowing politicians and public figures into silence.

It reminds one of the Inquisition in Europe during the Middle Ages, Hussain said.

Even as officials and politicians traveled to Zaida to place wreaths on Khans grave, most remained wary of criticizing the anti-blasphemy law. The last official who did so, Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province, was assassinated in 2011 by his own bodyguard, who said he had acted to defend Islam. The guard was executed, but devotees view him as a martyr and continue to flock to his shrine near the capital, Islamabad.

[Muslim devotees honor man who assassinated a liberal Pakistani governor]

Since Khans death, some legislators and opinion makers have pressed for legal measures to deter false blasphemy charges and the mob violence they often provoke, although religious party leaders immediately raised objections, signaling the initiatives likely failure.

Sen. Rehman Malik, a strong advocate of the measures, said it was not a matter of blasphemy but of misuse of the law. The mob cannot be a prosecutor, judge, investigator and executioner, he said. What we are saying is that someone who falsely accuses another of blasphemy should receive equal punishment.

But in the current atmosphere of fervid religiosity, when some Muslims seek refuge in piety and others become righteous rabble-rousers, iconoclasts like Khan  a brash young man who had posters of Che Guevara and Karl Marx in his dorm room and advocated the rights of cafeteria workers at Abdul Wali Khan University  can be seen as dangerous deviants.

Here in Khans village, an elder named Ghulam Farooq confessed that he had been among those troubled by rumors that Khan was a blasphemer. After local clerics warned that it would be un-Islamic to attend his funeral, Farooq said he did not offer condolences to the family. Once he learned the truth, however, he was angry and ashamed. I am so upset that we are being taken hostage by a bunch of mullahs, he said.

On the Mardan campus, which has been closed since the killing, several students recalled how Khan had angered officials with his criticisms and how some religious student leaders had exhorted others to oppose him on Facebook. They described how the mob burst into the journalism department on April 13, searching for him and chanting, Allah is great. Later, the attackers found him hiding in his dorm room, where they broke down the door and beat him to death.

One of Khans professors, Shiraz Paracha, called him a shining and attentive student who spoke up for others rights. This inhuman killing has left many questions about a university as a place of learning, he said. I know it will haunt me for the rest of my life.

The outrage over Khans killing, however, did little to slow what is becoming an epidemic of anti-blasphemy vigilantism. Three days after his death, three sisters in a Punjabi village, carrying guns and wearing burqas, killed a man who had just returned to Pakistan 13 years after they said he had committed an act of blasphemy.

And Friday in the remote northern Chitral region, hundreds of worshipers attacked a man after weekly prayers and accused him of blaspheming in the mosque. Police took him into custody, but people stormed the station house and demanded that he be handed over. Police officials, who said the victim might be mentally impaired, had to use tear gas and fire into the air to disperse the mob.

Constable reported from Islamabad.

Read more:

Pakistans University of Jihad is getting millions of dollars from the government

Pakistans prime minister narrowly avoids ouster over corruption claims

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Apr 24 (PTI) The State Election Commission today told the Madras High Court that it is ready to conduct the local body elections in Tamil Nadu by July 2017.

In an affidavit to the bench of justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and RMT Teekaa Raaman, the poll panel said it was ready to conduct the polls by the end of July, provided the state government too complies with all the directions issued earlier by a single-judge bench for conducting the poll.

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The division bench before which the appeals of the SEC and the Tamil Nadu government against the order of the single judge came up, dismissed a petition by an NGO, Change India, seeking to be made party to the litigation to have its say on the matter.

The bench also adjourned all the appeals to July 14, 2017.

The single-judge bench in its October 4, 2016 order had directed the SEC to complete the local body polls by December 31, 2016.

Earlier, when the matter came up before the division bench, senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for RS Bharathi of DMK, the original petitioner, argued that the SEC was directed by the single judge to conduct the elections by December 31, 2016.

The Election Commission, however, challenged the single- judge bench order before the division, citing some practical difficulties in conducting the poll by December 31, 2016 and sought further time to conduct the polls.

It had also then given an undertaking that it would be able to conduct the polls by May 14, Wilson submitted. Earlier, the secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission had filed an affidavit seeking extension of time to complete the election process before July 2017, he added. Wilson also wanted the Commissioner to give an undertaking that he would not ask for further postponement of the elections. PTI COR SS APR RAX

--- ENDS ---
After picking two relative outsiders to advance into the final round of a hotly contested presidential election, French voters are facing a new political divide: a debate over national identity instead of politics or economics.

In a flat-out rejection of the center-left and center-right parties that have run the country for decades, voters opted for Emmanuel Macron, 39, a fresh-faced independent who argues for Frances place in Europe and a globalized economy, and Marine Le Pen, 48, an ardent right-winger who wants to return to a nation-state model, leave the European Union and curb immigration.

With two weeks left before the May 7 runoff, Macron is seeking to hold on to centrist voters, while Le Pen has doubled down on her anti-immigrant rhetoric.

To broaden her appeal to voters, Le Pen announced Monday that she is temporarily stepping down as head of her far-right party. Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front, she said on French television. I am the presidential candidate. The move appeared aimed at reaching out to leftists who share some of her positions, notably her aversion to membership in the E.U. and NATO.

Never in the six-decade-long history of the modern French state have the traditional parties been barred from the presidency. And never before has the National Front  once considered an extremist fringe with no chance of gaining power  received more than 20 percent of the vote in a presidential election.

(The Washington Post)

The choice between Macron and Le Pen is ultimately a choice between two radically different visions of the euro zones second-largest economy and only nuclear power.

You really have two new parties, said Dominique Moisi, a French political scientist and author of The Geopolitics of Emotion, a study of how subjective undercurrents can alter political life. On the one hand, you have global openness, based on hope. On the other, you have a party of nationalistic closure, based on fear.

After terrorist attacks that have rocked France in the past two years, Le Pen on Monday promised, for the first time, that she would expel all foreign Islamists  no longer just those suspected of crimes. Meanwhile, leaders across the political spectrum were quick to fan the flames of fear, too, warning that Le Pen might win.

This is deadly serious now, Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon said in his concession speech Sunday night as he urged his supporters to back Macron in the runoff. Francois Fillon, the mainstream conservative contender, said much the same.

Financial markets and pro-European political groups showed clear signs of relief that Macron had emerged on top in Sundays vote and appeared to hold a strong position ahead of the two-person runoff. But Macrons backers acknowledged the risky dynamic, even as they embraced opinion polls that show him with a commanding lead over Le Pen.

[WorldViews: The key story lines in Frances presidential runoff]

Its necessary to be humble. The election isnt won. We must regroup, Richard Ferrand, general secretary of Macrons political movement, said on Frances BFM television news channel.

1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See photos of French citizens voting for their new president View Photos In a primary round of voting, French voters selected centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen to move to the elections final stage on May 7. The results could shape the future of the European Union. Caption In a primary round of voting, French voters selected centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen to move to the elections final stage on May 7. The results could shape the future of the European Union. A woman walks past electoral campaign posters on her way to a polling station in Villefranche-de-Lauragais near Toulouse during the first round of the French presidential election. Eric Cabanis/AFP via Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

But the observation came only after Macron was criticized for delivering a victory speech Sunday night  followed by a celebratory banquet in a posh Paris restaurant  that suggested to many that he considered the battle over.

The French people have expressed themselves, Macron declared in his remarks, before a roaring crowd . The power of the momentum behind me will be the key to my ability to lead and to govern.

In any case, not all of those defeated in the first round responded to the call of the Republican Front, a bipartisan coalition devoted to thwarting a National Front victory at all costs.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far-leftist who energized young voters with some of the same approaches as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the U.S. Democratic presidential primaries last year, declined to formally endorse Macron; some in the Fillon camp defected to Le Pen.

[After French vote, European leaders come out against Le Pen. But what if she wins?]

Le Pen complained Monday that political elites were conspiring against her, just as they had united against her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in the final round of the 2002 presidential vote. In that contest, when the elder Le Pen, a convicted Holocaust denier, defied all odds and qualified for the runoff, leftists turned out to vote for Jacques Chirac, the incumbent conservative president.

The old rotten Republican Front, that no one wants anymore and that the French have kicked out with exceptional violence, is trying to unite around Mr. Macron, Marine Le Pen said during a stroll through a market in the northern town of Rouvroy, reiterating that French voters would not be deceived.

This is a referendum for or against wild globalization, she said, passing out fliers that said Eradicate Islamist terrorism.

Many of those who embraced Macron did so out of concern, not enthusiasm. As Fillon put it: Abstention is not in my DNA, especially when an extremist party comes close to seizing power.

[A youth revolt in France boosts the far right]

In the ongoing war over national identity, Macron faces considerable obstacles. Whether on the far left or the far right, populist voters who want to overhaul the system accounted for 49.8 percent of the ballots cast Sunday. And his better-days-are-before-us stump speech has at times been perceived as disconnected from the grim mood in France, which is struggling with a stagnant double-digit unemployment rate, the threat of terrorism and Europes refugee crisis.

But Macron defends the system and vows to improve it. His centrist vision  neither of the right, nor the left, in his words  calls for strong E.U. nations to do more to support weaker ones. He would embrace immigrants and refugees and would enact business-friendly reforms to make it easier to hire and fire workers.

Now the question will be whether Macron can seize the moment and convert grudging support into enthusiastic backing. Even if he is victorious, he will still need to assemble a governing majority in Parliament, a challenge given that his political movement is just a year old and has no lawmakers.

[The geographical divides behind Le Pens and Macrons success in the polls]

If Macron ascends to the hallowed halls of the Elysee Palace but falters once there, Le Pen could return stronger than ever in 2022. Already, she has outperformed her 2012 presidential performance as well as that of her father in his 2002 runoff.

Meanwhile, Frances two traditional mainstream parties were left confronting their failures. Hamon captured just 6.4 percent of the vote on Sunday, a remarkable meltdown of support, given that Socialist Francois Hollande is the incumbent president.

Undoubtedly, its the end of a cycle, the end of a story, said former Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls, who broke with his party to endorse Macron ahead of the first round.

Virgile Demoustier in Paris and Brian Murphy and William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

Le Pen portrays herself as the future. But can she escape her past?

Frances old two-party system under strain

Charles de Gaulle would not be pleased

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions prepares to speak before a meeting of the Attorney Generals Organized Crime Council and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. In his first months as attorney general, Sessions has been focused on violent crime, but he told a gathering of white-collar lawyers Monday that he is still also concerned with corporate fraud and public corruption. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed Monday not to diminish the Justice Departments focus on corporate fraud, asserting that a vigorous interest in violent crime would not diminish its long-standing mission to prosecute white-collar offenders.

In a speech and question-and-answer session at the Ethics and Compliance Initiatives annual conference, Sessions took aim at recent speculation that his Justice Department might be easier on white-collar crime, saying while there could be some uncertainty when administrations changed, he would still enforce the laws that protect American consumers and ensure that honest businesses are not placed at a disadvantage to dishonest businesses.

He acknowledged that he had been focused in his first weeks on the job on violent crime and immigration but said that did not mean he would give other criminals a pass.

These are important priorities for our department, Sessions said. But focusing on these challenges does not mean were going to reduce our efforts in other areas.

[Justice Department to focus on individuals in cases of corporate misconduct]

Sessions has made extensive public comments on violent crime and immigration, and  even at a gathering of corporate and white-collar lawyers at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Washington  he did so again Monday.

He spoke of his fear that crime, after years of declines, might now increase, and of his support of the broken windows philosophy of police, which has officers rigorously enforcing the laws on even minor violations in hopes of preventing more serious problems. He talked about restoring a lawful system of immigration and disrupting cartels and gangs.

Even with those tangents, the speech marked the first time the attorney general has addressed the topic of corporate fraud, bribery and public corruption in a significant way. Sessions was appointed attorney general by a businessman whose family is still engaged in significant financial dealings around the world, and some feared that  coupled with Sessionss own interest in other issues  might mean a reduced commitment to investigating and prosecuting financial wrongdoing. President Trump in 2012 said a particular law governing bribery in foreign countries, which Sessions said he will enforce, was horrible and should be changed as it put American companies at a disadvantage. He called the United States absolutely crazy for prosecuting people for such offenses.

The Justice Department, though, in some ways is a more important player on white-collar crime than it is on violent offenses, which are typically handled at the local level.

Sessions said enforcing laws governing financial and corporate dealings was important because the frauds are paid for by innocent people, and not doing so can hurt businesses that act honestly.

Companies that obey the law and do the right thing should not be at a disadvantage simply because their competitors choose to break the law, Sessions said. He said, though, that the department would try to differentiate between an honest mistake and willful misconduct.

Sessions said the department also would continue to emphasize the importance of holding individuals, rather than just companies, accountable for misconduct. But he also said doing so was not always possible and that lawyers would take into account companies cooperation and self-disclosure when making charging decisions.

He said he also felt businesses should not be held responsible for isolated mistakes by employees.

In the Obama administration, Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates had directed prosecutors to focus on individuals and not to agree to release such people from liability in a deal with the company absent extraordinary circumstances or approved departmental policy. The department under Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. had faced significant criticism for prosecuting or reaching deals with big banks but not going after top executives.

Sessions said the department would continue pursuing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases, which target companies that bribe foreign officials to gain a competitive advantage, though he noted curiously that foreign competitors often arent bound by these laws. That is technically true, but if the businesses trade securities in the United States, they can be prosecuted, and federal prosecutors have made major cases against foreign-based companies.
The State Department on Monday removed from its website an article about the history and lavish furnishings of President Trumps privately owned Florida resort club Mar-a-Lago, following questions about whether the federal government improperly promoted Trumps moneymaking enterprises.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) pointed to the travelogue-style blog piece Monday, asking in a Twitter message why the State Department would spend taxpayer $$ promoting the presidents private country club.

The State Department issued a statement Monday apologizing for any misperception.

[Are President Trumps trips to Mar-a-Lago similar to Obamas travels?]

The intention of the article was to inform the public about where the president has been hosting world leaders, the statement said.

It was not clear whether the item had been vetted for legal or ethical concerns.

The short item had been posted on a travel promotional website called Share America on April 4, ahead of Trumps meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Chinese President Xi Jinping. A version of the item was recently reposted on the website maintained by the U.S. Embassy in London, where it caught the attention of watchdog groups.

The item adopted Trumps term winter White House for the members-only club. It did not expressly encourage foreigners to visit Mar-a-Lago, although other articles on the same website actively promote U.S. tourism. The item did note that the estate is located at the heart of Floridas Palm Beach community.

By visiting this winter White House, Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lagos original owner and designer, the item read. The ornate Jazz Age house was designed with Old-World Spanish, Venetian and Portuguese influences and filled with original owner Marjorie Merriweather Posts collection of antiques, the article noted.

The item included photographs of the house and sumptuous interiors, and copies of Trump tweets mentioning Mar-a-Lago.

[What restaurant inspectors found wrong in Trumps Mar-a-Lago kitchen]

The article gave a brief summary of the 1927 mansions history, including Posts desire that it be used by U.S. presidents as a retreat and the subsequent decision by the U.S. government that the property was too expensive to maintain. Trump bought it in 1985.

1 of 39 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The scene at President Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club and resort in Florida View Photos The president refers to his sprawling Palm Beach estate as the Southern White House or winter White House. Caption The president refers to his sprawling Palm Beach estate as the Southern White House or winter White House. Nov. 23, 2016 A Coast Guard boat passes through then-President-elect Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Since the election, Mar-a-Lago has assumed a prized role in Trumps presidency, rivaling Trump Tower as a focal point of his lifestyle and ambitions. Gerardo Mora/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

After refurbishing the house and adding an events space, Trump opened the estate to dues-paying members of the public in 1995 as the Mar-a-Lago Club, the State Department item read. Posts dream of a winter White House came true with Trumps election in 2016. Trump regularly works out of the house he maintains at Mar-a-Lago and uses the club to host foreign dignitaries.

One watchdog group, American Oversight, called for an investigation by the State Department inspector general and said it would request public records documenting how the blog post was created.

The State Department describes the Share America site as its platform for sharing compelling stories and images that spark discussion and debate on important topics like democracy, freedom of expression, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and the role of civil society.

The site is produced by the departments Bureau of International Information Programs, which produces material distributed by U.S. embassies.

Read more:

Trump has spent one out of every five minutes of his presidency in Palm Beach

Coast Guard faces growing costs for protecting Trumps Mar-a-Lago

A fake diplomatic cable has the State Department fuming
The Trump administration on Monday imposed financial sanctions on 271 named employees of a Syrian research center it indicated was responsible for developing and producing sarin used to kill dozens of people in the April 4 chemical weapons attack by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The sanctions, imposed by the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control, freeze all money the employees may have in U.S. financial institutions and discourage other international banks from dealing with them.

The United States is sending a strong message with this action that we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor, and we intend to hold the Assad regime accountable for its unacceptable behavior, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in announcing the measure.

Those named were targeted because they have expertise in chemistry and related fields or have worked in support of chemical weapons programs since at least 2012, Mnuchin said.

It was unclear what effect the new sanctions would have on those targeted. All are listed only as working for Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Center, which itself was sanctioned  along with any person deemed to be involved with its chemical weapons activity  in an executive order signed by President George W. Bush in 2005. Additional sanctions were imposed on the center and affiliated organizations by Treasury in 2007.

Although none of those named is known to have assets in this country, the sanctioning of what appear to be mid-level, previously anonymous employees could have the effect of undermining confidence in the government. Those whose names have surfaced in relation to chemical weapons attacks and other alleged war crimes are more likely to be cited in any postwar investigations.

The sanctions are a second round of punishment by the administration for the chemical attack. On April 6, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles against the Syrian airfield it said was the base from which the chemical airstrikes originated.

Following a sarin attack in September 2013, in which hundreds of civilians were killed in a Damascus suburb, President Barack Obama unsuccessfully sought congressional approval to launch a military strike on the Syrian government. The Obama administration later negotiated an agreement with Russia that led to international removal of what were said to be all of Assads chemical weapons stocks.

Since then, the government has repeatedly been found to use bombs laden with chlorine, and international inspectors have discovered traces of sarin and other chemical weapons in some locations. But the April attack was the first time since 2013 that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons cited incontrovertible evidence that victims were exposed to sarin or a sarin-like substance.

The Scientific Studies and Research Center, established decades ago to advance and coordinate scientific activities in Syria, is officially unaffiliated with the government but has long been assumed to be the site of chemical weapons research and development for the Syrian military.

According to a French intelligence dossier published in 2013, a branch of the center composed only of Alawite military personnel . . . distinguished by a high level of loyalty to the regime is responsible for producing toxic agents for military use. Alawites are members of a branch of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping pause April 7 for photographs at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump spoke by phone with Xi and the Japanese president Monday. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The White House announced Monday that it would host an unusual private briefing on North Korea for the entire Senate on Wednesday, and President Trump spoke with his counterparts in China and Japan.

The flurry of activity comes ahead of a key anniversary Tuesday and as Washington steps up pressure on the North.

Just days after the nation marked the birthday of founder Kim Il Sung with a massive military parade and missile test, there are concerns that North Korea could stage a provocative missile or nuclear test Tuesday, the anniversary of its militarys founding.

Trump discussed the situation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who urged Washington and Pyongyang to meet each other halfway, and with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who demanded that North Korea stop repeating dangerously provocative actions.

(Jason Aldag,Anna Fifield/The Washington Post)

The return of a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group to the region could also reignite tensions, especially if it is accompanied by another round of punchy rhetoric from either Pyongyang or Washington.

Speaking to the U.N. ambassadors from the Security Council member countries on Monday, Trump said the status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable, and that the U.N. council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the country.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that all senators would be briefed on North Korea on Wednesday by several senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Spicer said the briefing would be held at the White House. Such briefings usually take place in a secure location on Capitol Hill, where there is more room to handle such a large group.

Past administrations have often held briefings for smaller groups of about two dozen or fewer lawmakers in the White House Situation Room. But they have traditionally sent high-level aides to Capitol Hill to hold discussions with larger groups in secure underground locations.

A senior Trump administration official said the meeting with senators will take place in the auditorium at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the building next to the White House that houses most of the National Security Council. The auditorium will be temporarily turned into a sensitive compartmented information facility, or SCIF, which is the term for a room where sensitive national security information can be shared, the official said.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, the possibility of another missile test by North Korea is leading to mounting frustration with Pyongyang and an increasingly obvious deterioration in relations with its neighbor.

(White House)

On Monday, the Global Times newspaper said that if North Korea stages a sixth nuclear test, Beijing would undoubtedly support the United Nations in adopting tougher sanctions against the regime, including an embargo on oil exports.

China says it has already suspended all coal imports from North Korea, and although several North Korean ships, thought to be laden with coal, have been seen at Chinese ports recently, there are no indications that they have been allowed to unload their cargoes.

The prospect of stiffer sanctions has already had an impact on daily life in Pyongyang: The NK News website reported Saturday that gasoline prices in the capital had nearly doubled in recent days, with residents lining up at gas stations; some stations were closed and others were selling fuel only to foreign organizations and diplomats.

The regimes Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) criticized China  without naming it  for dancing to the tune of the United States on Friday. The Global Times, whose views do not necessarily reflect official policy, responded in an editorial that such a broadside will not have any effect apart from further isolating Pyongyang itself.

Such public sniping is rare between the two allies, who fought side by side during the Korean War and have since emphasized their close bond and unbreakable friendship.

In his phone call with Trump, Chinas Xi called for restraint from both Washington and Pyongyang, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, but he also stressed that China resolutely opposes activities that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and is willing to work with the United States and other countries to keep the peace.

Japans Abe had a 30-minute call with Trump to discuss North Korea, whose actions he called an extremely serious threat to international society and to his country.

I told him we highly value President Trumps attitude to show all options are on the table with his words and actions, Abe told reporters in Tokyo. We completely agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which continues to carry out dangerous provocative actions, exercise self-restraint.

A White House statement Monday said that Trump and Xi reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programs and pledged to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The White House was less clear in describing Trumps call with Abe, saying the leaders addressed a range of regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Naval destroyers from Japans Maritime Self-Defense Force started drills with the carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson in the Philippine Sea on Sunday, and the South Korean navy is expected to do the same as the group approaches the Korean Peninsula.

An American guided-missile submarine, the USS Michigan, arrived at the South Korean port of Busan Tuesday, in what the U.S. Navy described as a routine visit. Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, described the visit as yet another example of the steadfast [South Korean] and U.S. naval partnership.

In Asia last week, Vice President Pence said that all options are on the table for dealing with North Korea and its provocations, although experts say a military strike remains unlikely.

North Korea responded by saying that the Trump administration was spouting a load of rubbish with its calls for browbeating Pyongyang and its deployment of the carrier group. Such intimidation and blackmail can never frighten North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said, according to a report carried by KCNA.

Another state media outlet was even more defiant, threatening to sink the Carl Vinson, which it compared to a gross animal, according to Reuters.

Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike, the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers Party, said in a commentary.

There are continued signs of activity at North Koreas main nuclear test site, at Punggye-ri in the northeast of the country. The latest satellite images show trailers and mining carts at the site, according to the 38 North website, although activity does not always mean that the North Koreans are planning a test.

Chinas Defense Ministry denied media reports last week that it had put its troops on high alert near the North Korean border, saying it was merely conducting normal training.

But Beijing is not only frustrated with Pyongyang.

It also blames the United States for forcing the regime into a corner, with the George W. Bush administration backing out of negotiations and naming North Korea as part of an axis of evil in 2002. The toppling of Iraqs Saddam Hussein and Libyas Moammar Gaddafi also helped convince Pyongyangs rulers that abandoning their nuclear program would lead to their overthrow, experts say.

The Global Times said Trump had initially labeled President Barack Obamas policies as mistaken but then followed the same line.

Washington should also reflect on its wrongdoing, it wrote. Trump wont reach the right destination if he only changes a pair of shoes while continuing along the same old path.

Denyer reported from Beijing and Fifield reported from Tokyo. Philip Rucker and Ed OKeefe in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

North Korea detains American at airport

Twenty-five million reasons the U.S. hasnt struck North Korea

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: In an exclusive interview to India Today, Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot held the Vasundhara Raje Government responsible for not doing enough to allay the sense of fear among the Kashmiri students in the state.

Now, in full public view, students from Kashmir are chased away, are beaten up, are made to leave in fear. I think it is unbecoming of any civil society where the governments are allowing this to happen. Then, you have the chief minister and home minister of India, saying that they are like our family. Students should be protected and nurtured and cared for and on the other hand, whether it is in one University or in Pilani or other places where scholars, teachers, students are harassed and they are harassed because of the state they come from," said Pilot.

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He added that this sort of open discrimination and use of violence have become the norm in Rajasthan.

"You have these cow vigilante groups, you have people who are beaten to death under the open sky, there is a video recording of the entire incident and yet the Government refuses to step in, forget about a fair enquiry. Why has not the chief minister condemned such instances?" asked Pilot.

In BITS Pilani, a Kashmiri project fellow was allegedly at the receiving end of harassment and had left the hostel for his hometown in Kashmir. Few days back, some Kashmiri students were allegedly thrashed by some locals after being involved in an altercation in Chittorgarh district. It had led to demands of security from the Kashmiri students studying in Mewar University.

While speaking with India Today, Pilot claimed the Union Home Minister and Rajasthan Chief Minister have been assuring people in the media but the realities on the ground are different.

"You go onto social media and you express faith that the government will protect students but this law and order breakdown is a very dangerous issue that is taking up in Rajasthan and I think students who come to study here in the city, in Jaipur and Rajasthan must feel that they are secure. Just because you belong to a state or you belong to a particular religion should not be the basis of this brutal assault that we are seeing as some of these kids are facing. It is absolutely unacceptable and it is about time that mere words will not satisfy," he said.

"Rajnath Singhji and Vasundhara ji are assuring people in the media but on the ground, the realities are different. They must see that not only what they say is heard but they must prove themselves by doing action and unfortunately, I am sorry to say, in Rajasthan, there is absolutely no rule of law. People, anti-social elements are taking law into their own hands. When you can have thousands of gau rakshak mandals to protect cows, why don't we have enough people to protect our women, our children and our students who are studying in Rajasthan?", Pilot asked.

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A devastating Taliban attack on an Afghan army base last week has shaken up the government here, forcing the resignations of the countrys defense minister and army chief on Monday as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in a surprise visit to survey the deteriorating situation.

The Taliban, which is contesting control of one-third of Afghanistan, has continued to steadily gain territory and inflict record casualties on civilians and troops since most NATO troops withdrew from the country in 2014. The assault Friday  following a winter of repeated Taliban attacks on strategic cities and towns  adds to concerns that Afghanistan will not be able to defend itself without a major commitment of U.S. support.

With the conflict at a stalemate and no sign that peace talks will resume after several years of failed attempts, it is far from clear whether the Trump administration will decide to make a significant contribution in troops and money.

But the continued weakness of the Afghan military adds urgency to a request from Gen. John Nicholson, in charge of U.S. forces here, for additional troops. Nicholson has told Congress that about 3,000 more troops are needed to prop up the security forces in Afghanistan. The White House is conducting a review of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, including troop levels, headed by national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

About 8,400 U.S. troops are currently advising and training local forces, conducting counterinsurgency operations and providing air combat and evacuation support. By comparison, at the height of the war, more than 100,000 U.S. forces were stationed here.





In an assault Friday marked by ruthlessness and stealth, a handful of Taliban fighters managed to enter a base teeming with soldiers and kill at least 140 of them shortly after the weekly prayer service there.

The attack at a base in northern Balkh province, the deadliest carried out by the Taliban against the military in 16 years of fighting, belied Afghan insistence that the countrys troubled defense forces are moving toward self-sufficiency after years of relying on Western allies to fund, train and equip them.

The attackers, who penetrated the base wearing army uniforms and kept fighting for more than five hours, were finally quelled by an Afghan commando force. That scenario has been repeated in numerous other battlefronts, where the elite units replaced police and regular troops who were unable to fend off insurgent fighters.

While the commandos were singled out for praise Saturday by Nicholson, the defense forces overall, totaling more than 700,000 men, remain plagued by poor coordination, illiteracy, high rates of attrition, defections to the Taliban, ethnic infighting, and widespread corruption that includes the theft and resale of combat supplies meant for front-line troops.

The weaknesses that have left heavily subsidized Afghan forces struggling to fend off much smaller numbers of insurgents have become increasingly difficult to excuse, as indicated by the highly unusual resignations of Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim on Monday.

No one has put pressure on me. I have resigned for the national interest of the country, Habibi told reporters. Shahim also said he stepped down voluntarily. President Ashraf Ghani accepted both resignations immediately and replaced three other army commanders, a move that some analysts praised as necessary to boost military morale and public trust.

Other recent major attacks claimed by the Taliban or Islamic State include the invasion of a military hospital in Kabul on Mar. 8 that left at least 30 people dead, and a one-day spate of scattered bombings Jan. 10 that killed 65 people, including three Emirati diplomats at a government guesthouse in Kandahar.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis checks his watch as he arrives via helicopter at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 24. (Jonathan Ernst/AP)

An adviser to the governor of Balkh, Tahir Qaderi, said the death toll from Fridays attack could be as high as 200. He said most of those who died were fresh recruits, and he attributed the high casualty numbers to incompetence and ignorance. Some of them had not taken a rifle in their hand in their lifetime, he said.

Nicholson said Monday that the Taliban appears to be receiving weapons from Russia, further complicating the war and the Trump administrations relationship with the Kremlin.

We support anyone who wants to help us advance the reconciliation process, said Nicholson, speaking to reporters alongside Mattis on Monday. But anyone who arms belligerents who perpetuate attacks like the one we saw two days ago . . . is not the best way forward to a peaceful reconciliation.

In addition, the two-sided role of next-door Pakistan in the conflict remains a major frustration for Washington as President Trump and his aides develop a policy toward the longtime Cold War and anti-terrorism ally.

Nicholson said the sophistication of Fridays attack suggested it was quite possible that the gunmen were linked to the Haqqani network, a Taliban splinter faction based in Pakistan. Nicholson and other U.S. military leaders have strongly criticized Pakistan for harboring the Haqqani group, which Pakistan denies.

In another apparent Taliban strike Monday, a car bomb exploded outside Camp Chapman, a base used by the U.S. military and others. A U.S. military spokesman here, Capt. William Salvin, said there were some Afghan casualties, but none among U.S. or coalition personnel, the Associated Press reported.

Camp Chapman, near the Pakistani border south of Kabul, was the scene of a suicide bombing in 2009 that killed seven CIA officers and contractors.

Mattis, who last visited Afghanistan in 2013 when he was a Marine general and leader of the U.S. Central Command, is wrapping up his six-nation trip through the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.

The deterioration in security has been partly blamed on protracted rivalry and paralysis within the Afghan government, a power-sharing arrangement between Ghani and his former election rival, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah. Their national unity government came to power in 2014.

Constable reported from Islamabad. Sharif Walid in Kabul and Missy Ryan in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

At least 140 dead after Taliban attack on key Afghan army base

Afghan government disappoints, but some cling to hope

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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At least 140 soldiers of the Afghan National Army were killed Friday in the deadliest Taliban attack since the Islamist regimes overthrow in the US-led invasion in 2001. Some local sources in the northern Afghan province of Balkh placed the death toll as high as 200.

The attack was conducted by a group of ten fighters, who managed to penetrate the armys largest base in the north of the country. The manner of the attack strongly suggests that the Taliban enjoyed inside support and demonstrates the increasing inability of the US puppet government led by President Ashraf Ghani to maintain control over the country.

The assailants, dressed in Afghan army fatigues, gained entry to the base in military vehicles before opening fire on the unarmed soldiers as they emerged from Friday prayers. Some of the attackers blew themselves up, with one blast killing 80 people, according to one source. It took a five-hour intervention by special commando forces to restore control over the base and kill all of the Taliban members.

Fridays attack is only the latest in a number of insurgent assaults on government institutions over recent months. In March, militants linked to ISIS entered the main military hospital in Kabul dressed as doctors and launched an attack that claimed more than 50 casualties. A dozen officers in the Afghan army, including two generals, were subsequently removed from their posts due to lapses prior to the incident.

Following Fridays attack, a number of parliamentary deputies and former security officials called on several senior figures to accept responsibility for the attack and resign, including Major General Mohmand Katawazai, the commander of the 209 Army Corps that occupied the base, Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, and Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi. The group also accused President Ghani of nepotism in his appointments of leading military personnel.

The insurgency against the US-led occupation has continued to grow. According to information from the US special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), the Afghan government controls just 52 percent of the country, with more than one third of provinces contested by insurgents and around 10 percent under the control of the Taliban. These figures come ahead of the Talibans anticipated spring offensive, and show that despite investing hundreds of billions of dollars to establish a pro-Western puppet regime in Kabul, Washington has failed to establish a viable government.

The attack on the Afghan army base came less than a week after President Donald Trumps national security adviser, General H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul for talks with the Afghan government. The main purpose of the talks was to consider whether additional US military personnel would be required to turn the tide of the conflict. Currently, some 8,500 US troops operate in Afghanistan, nominally in the capacity of advising and assisting Afghan troops.

The latest attack, which has exposed once again the fragility of the US-trained forces, will only intensify calls for further US deployments.

The request for additional forces was made by the US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, to a congressional committee in February. Although no decision has yet been made about such a deployment, the comments of McMaster indicated that this is the direction the Trump administration will take. He said in a ToloNews interview that fighters who did not accept the Afghan governments offer of peace will have to be defeated on battlefields, adding that Washington was committed to give the Afghan state, the Afghan security forces, the strength they need.

A stepped-up US presence is even more likely given the deepening crisis facing the Afghan army and the mounting alienation felt by ordinary Afghans towards Washingtons corrupt client regime in Kabul. As well as the apparent existence of elements that are facilitating the Taliban attacks within its ranks, the Afghan National Army is also suffering dramatic casualty rates. In 2016 alone there were more than 6,700 deaths.

Indicating the deep unpopularity of the Kabul government, many relatives of those killed in the latest Taliban attack and other Afghans expressed anger and frustration with the authorities. Mothers lost their sons, sisters lost their brothers and wives lost their husbands. What is the government doing to prevent such atrocities, only condemning? I am so tired. I cant do anything but to cry, Zabiullah commented, according to Al-Jazeera. We always thought our house was safe because of the base, a local resident added, but now we are shocked. How could this have happened? I cant believe we lost all these young men.

McMasters visit came just days after the US military dropped its largest nonnuclear bomb, the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), in the east of the country, ostensibly to target a few hundred ISIS supporters operating in a cave network. The blast killed an estimated 94 ISIS fighters and an unknown number of civilians, with reports of houses being destroyed some three miles away from the blast site.

US politicians and media outlets applauded the strike as a demonstration of US military power and a warning to Russia, China and North Korea as to the methods to which US imperialism is prepared to resort in pursuit of its drive for global hegemony.

The decision to drop the MOAB, together with remarks by various think tanks, point to a deliberate effort by Washington to escalate tensions with Russia and other regional powers over Afghanistan.

Stratfor, which has close links with the US intelligence apparatus, described the Central Asian country in an April 20 analysis as an increasingly important theater for the US-Russia competition. It complained that Moscow was working to deploy additional troops in Tajikistan on the Afghan border as part of a military cooperation agreement with the Central Asian country.

US and Afghan officials have also made provocative allegations that Russia is aiding the Taliban, claims the Kremlin has dismissed as fabrications.

On April 14, Moscow held peace talks with the Afghan government and other regional powers. While an invitation was extended to Washington, the Trump administration refused to attend and instead dropped the MOAB a day prior to the meeting.

During his Afghan trip, McMaster also took a swipe at Pakistan, suggesting that the Trump administration was no longer willing to tolerate Islamabads refusal to confront Taliban fighters based in the border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. We have hoped that Pakistani leaders will understand that it is in their interest to go after these groups less selectively than they have in the past, he said, before traveling to Pakistan, where he delivered a similar message. The best way to pursue their interests in Afghanistan and elsewhere is through the use of diplomacy and not through the use of proxies that engage in violence.

The escalation of the Afghanistan conflict by the Trump administration will intensify the already horrific conditions faced by the countrys long-suffering population after more than fifteen years of war. Hundreds of thousands have lost their lives as a result of US imperialist aggression and millions more have been forced to flee their homes. Civilian deaths reached a record high in 2016, when close to 11,500 noncombatants were killed or wounded. According to the United Nations, one third of these casualties were children.
A federal district judge in Arkansas declined on Friday to block the lethal injections of two death row inmates scheduled to die tonight in a double-execution in the Cummins Unit at the state prison in Grady.

Jack Jones and Marcell Williams would be the second and third prisoners out of an unprecedented eight that Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson had scheduled for execution before the states supply of midazolam, one of the three drugs used in the states lethal injection protocol, expires at the end of the month.

Late Thursday night, Ledell Lee, 51, was the first prisoner put to death in Arkansas in nearly a dozen years. His execution came after a flurry of legal challenges and rulings Thursday, including an 11:30 p.m. decision by the US Supreme Court, allowing the lethal injection procedure to begin. Lee was pronounced dead at 11:56 p.m., just 4 minutes before his execution warrant expired.

Legal rulings, including temporary stays, have blocked the executions of four inmates: Jason McGehee, Bruce Ward, Stacey Johnson and Don Davis. Davis was 15 minutes away from execution April 17 when the Supreme Court declined to overturn a stay handed down earlier that day by the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Arkansas prison authorities have acknowledged that legal issues in these cases cannot be resolved before the execution drug supply runs out at the end of April. Drugs for lethal injections have been increasingly difficult to obtain by death penalty states, largely due to companies, both in the US and Europe, not wanting their products associated with executions in general and executions gone awry in particular.

However, Arkansas authorities have vowed to push vigorously for the remaining three executions on the schedule to be carried out.

As of this point right now, there are no stays in place for either Marcel Williams or Jack Jones moving forward to the executions set for Monday night, said state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. There are court cases, we are responding to those cases as theyre being filed or as hearings are being conducted, we are firing on all cylinders at the attorney general's office and will continue to do so to ensure that  justice again is carried out.

In their case before the district court, Jones and Williams had argued that the use of midazolam, a sedative, would cause them unnecessary harm due to their obesity and other health reasons. District Court Judge Kristine Baker wrote that the two inmates argument falls short of demonstrating a significant possibility ... that the Arkansas protocol is sure or very likely to cause severe pain and needless suffering.

On April 15, before the Arkansas assembly line executions were to begin, Judge Baker issued a temporary stay of the condemned inmates lethal injections. At that time, she questioned the reliability of the sedative midazolam used as the first chemical in Arkansas three-drug lethal injection protocol, writing, If midazolam does not adequately anesthetize plaintiffs, or if their executions are botched, they will suffer severe pain before they die. That ruling was overturned by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Arkansas execution protocol begins with the sedative midazolam, followed by the paralytic vecuronium bromide, and ends 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 visibly excruciating deaths, gasping for breath and writhing on the execution gurney.

The US Supreme Court in 2015 ruled that the use of midazolam in executions does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, which is banned by the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution. In a 5-4 ruling Thursday night, the high court rejected Ledell Lees claim that he would not be rendered sufficiently unconscious by midazolam, allowing his execution to proceed, with Trump appointee Neil Gorsuch casting his first recorded vote as a Supreme Court justice in favor of the execution.

Jones and Williams both suffer from diabetes, sleep apnea and hypertension. Their legal counsel argued before Judge Baker that these conditions could lead to their executions being botched.

Dr. Joel Zivor, an Emory University Hospital physician, testified that both Jones and Williams had gained a very large amount of weight, leading to their diabetes. Jones had an amputation because of poor circulation related to that condition.

The two mens lawyers claimed that because of their poor circulation, the lethal injection drugs would not work properly and they would die painful deaths. Rejecting this argument, the judge wrote in her decision: Plaintiffs have the burden of proving that the States lethal injection protocol creates a demonstrated risk of severe pain and the risk is substantial when compared to the known and available alternatives.

Demonstrating the desperate plight of the eight Arkansas inmates, an earlier case filed jointly by their lawyers argued that a firing squad would be more humane than the states lethal injection protocol.

Both men scheduled to die tonight suffered through trauma as children. Williams was a victim of sexual abuse before the age of 10. According to the Fair Punishment Project (FPP) of Harvard Law School, 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.

Williams 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.

In addition to his physical conditions, Jones suffers from bipolar disorder and depression. His symptoms of mental illness date back to his childhood, when he suffered physical abuse at the hands of 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.

Jones declined to attend his April 2017 clemency hearing, instead having his attorney read a handwritten letter to the state parole board, in which he wrote, Im sorry, not only for what I did, but for you having to come here.

If granted clemency, Jones said, he would decline it. Theres no way in hell I would spend another day or 20 years in this rat hole, he wrote.

The final inmate on Arkansas April death list 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. He is currently set to be executed on Thursday.
Widespread and deepening famine is threatening the lives of tens of millions across large parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Analysts describe the outbreak of mass hunger as completely historically unprecedented and warn that record-breaking levels of malnourishment and starvation are overwhelming the capacity of existing humanitarian infrastructure.

Tens of millions people, including 17 million Yemenis, 7 million Nigerians, 3 million Somalis and 1 million South Sudanese, are in imminent danger of dying from lack of adequate nutrition, according to United Nations (UN) estimates. Countries impacted by famine and food shortages include South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

In Somalia, where the Trump administration announced the deployment of regular US ground troops for the first time since 1994, the price of a 20-liter can of water increased from 4 to 40 cents during the past few weeks alone. Somalia is experiencing record rates of child malnutrition and faces the die off of 75 percent of its livestock, according to Save the Children.

The Yemen war, waged by the United States and Saudi Arabia since April 2015, has transformed one of the most ancient societies in the world into the ground-zero of world famine. Some 20 million Yemenis are now on the verge of starvation. The naval blockade of Yemens ports, enforced by American and Saudi ships, is strangling the flow of goods into a country that depends on imports for 90 percent of its food supply. The US-Saudi bombing campaign has relentlessly targeted Yemens social infrastructure, completely paralyzing its economy and turning 80 percent of its population into paupers. The approval by Trump of a Navy SEALs raid into Yemen, as his first official military action, has signaled his intention to expand direct US participation in the war.

The response of Africas national elites to the famine has been intensified social attacks against their own populations. The US-backed governments of Djibouti, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia have slashed food rations in recent months. The US-backed South Sudanese government is employing starvation as a weapon against ethnic minorities, and has actively blocked and prevented aid access to famine-stricken areas, the UN said.

In the teeth of a world-historic famine, instead of food deliveries, the White House is organizing expanded war throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Trump has approved increasing American military pressure in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Central African Republic, Chad and Somalia, according to Breitbart News, a web site with close ties to the American President.

Last week, Trump approved the sale of fighter jets to Nigeria, signaling his intention to escalate the US proxy war in Nigeria. Now in its seventh year, the war has already displaced some 2.5 million, and transformed northern Nigeria into one of the worst famine hotspots on the continent.

The American military is deploying advisors, intelligence, training, and equipment throughout West Africa, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) commander General Thomas Waldhauser announced in comments March 24.

Last week, Waldhauser hosted dozens of African military officers for discussions at the AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. The purpose of the US Africa Command Chiefs of Defense (CHoD) meetings is to recruit liaison officers from African governments who will be permanently stationed alongside US commanders in Europe, coordinating joint US-African military operations on the continent.

AFRICOMs military presence in Africa is geared to crush the mass social opposition to Africas national governments and militaries that will inevitably arise out of the famine and other manifestations of the deepening economic and social crisis.

On the African continent, when you have, you know, the top 50 poorest countries on the planet. Obviously the migrant problem is a huge issue, Waldhauser remarked.

The American military is war-gaming procedures to work in a famine-type environment, the top US Africa General said.

Aside from its role in policing the increasingly restive African population, the continuous expansion of AFRICOMs war operations on the continent is aimed at seizing the continents most strategic resources and infrastructure. The huge potential profits to be coined out of the labor-power of Africas working class, and the untold trillions in mineral wealth buried in its lands, are greedily sought after by the American and European ruling elites. Africa has been at the center of the military and strategic aggression waged by the Western powers against the entire former colonial world since the end of the USSR.

The past two-and-a-half decades of the so-called post-colonial era have witnessed a renaissance of colonialism. Thousands of US and European troops and commandos now rampage freely on the continent, establishing proxy armies and organizing the toppling and murder of numerous African leaders considered insufficiently compliant with US imperialisms line.

The alternative between socialism and a new round of imperialist barbarism is posed most starkly on the African continent, the birthplace of the human species. Only a unified mass movement of the entire African working class, leading behind it the oppressed peasantry, can drive the imperialists from the continent and resolve the urgent social problems facing the masses. Such a movement requires the building of sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the only genuine socialist leadership in existence, in every country of Africa.
Protests and demonstrations in support of the global March for Science took place Saturday in 20 German cities, including Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Bonn, Dresden, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Leipzig and Munich.

The biggest demonstration took place in Berlin with around 8,000 people. Demonstrators, including many students, assembled at the entrance to the citys Humboldt University and then marched to a rally held at the Brandenburg Gate.

The rally was supported by Berlins three universities and a number of other scientific institutions situated in the city. While organisers stressed the non-partisan nature of the protest, one of the main speakers in Berlin was Michael Muller, who has implemented drastic cuts to social and educational budgets after taking over as Social Democratic Party mayor of Berlin in 2014. In Frankfurt the podium at the citys protests also turned over to the citys mayor, Peter Feldmann, also SPD.

Although the protests were originally called in response to attacks on scientific research and environmental protection by the Trump administration in the United States, speakers in Berlin and Frankfurt expressed their concern at the repressive measures against scientific thought and universities introduced by governments in Turkey and Hungary, two countries currently in conflict with the German government.

They made no mention of the way in which universities in Germany are increasingly being reshaped and privatised to further the interests of big business. None of the speakers raised the danger of war, or the increasing integration of universities into the militarisation of German society.

According to the president of Berlins Free University, Peter-Andre Alt, the problem was dictatorial regimes such as Hungary and Turkey, rather than democracies such as Germany. The nationalist orientation of the mobilisation was summed up by the mission statement of the German March for Science which noted that Germany represents only one percent of the global population, but is ... the fourth-strongest economic power. Our prosperity is the product of science, research, technology, and education. Our future is at stake. This a perspective which could rapidly become the rationale for a policy of Germany First!

In contrast to the complacency of the speakers on the podium, many participants on the demonstration recognised the danger posed to science and education by the current drive to militarism and war.

Members of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality PartySGP) and International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) intervened and distributed many copies of the WSWS perspective Science and Socialism, as well as copies of the Open Letter from the IYSSE to the president of Humboldt University. They pointed out that the march had commenced in the courtyard of the very university where HU president Sabine Kunst was leading a campaign to suppress opposition to the militaristic and far-right positions put forward by professors at the university. Kunst was herself a signatory to the March for Science protest in Berlin.

Lukas is a student from the Czech Republic studying medicine at the HU. He said, I am opposed to the suppression of free thought at the universities, and it is clear that increased military spending will take place at the expense of social programs and education. I lived in Holland for 10 years and also know that the sort of populism associated with Trump is not exclusive to the US. In Holland it is represented by Wilders and his far-right Party for Freedom, and similar parties are active across Europe.

The main problem in my own country, the Czech Republic, is corruption. All sorts of projects receive funding from the EU but somehow the money always seems to go missing before the projects get underway.

Lukas had heard of the controversy at the HU concerning the right-wing positions of some of its professors and was keen to find out more.

At a number of the German demonstrations, including Berlin and Stuttgart, members of the organisation Democrats Abroad were active in distributing propaganda material, arguing in favour of replacing Trump with a Democratic Party alternative. A number of participants in the demonstrations rejected this perspective.

A retired doctor expressed her opposition to those who stated that attacks on science would be solved merely by President Trump exiting office. The problem goes much deeper, she said. Hillary Clinton was just as much a warmonger. She was behind the US intervention in Libya, and it is the Democrats who are now baying for war with Russia. It is intolerable. All of the treaties agreed in 1990 have been swept aside and NATO has moved its troops, including German troops, to Estonia, i.e., on the border to Russia.

The doctor was shocked to hear that professors at the HU were seeking to revise German history and justify militarism. The Bundeswehr has no place in German schools and universities, she declared. It should be disbanded.
Maine Governor Paul LePage is proposing a work requirement for Medicaid recipients in the state. The move by the Republican governor comes after he has already imposed work requirements on food stamp recipients without childreneffectively denying assistance to thousands of adults who are unable to find workand forcing thousands more off the food stamp rolls if they have personal assets totaling more than $5,000.

This brutal policy is likely to receive approval from the federal Department of Housing and Human Services (HHS) and its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which would need to bless a State Plan Amendment for Maines demonstration project for Medicaid in order for it to go forward.

Seema Verma, the health insurance consultant who is now head of CMS, was instrumental in writing a Kentucky plan which would charge Medicaid recipients as much as $37.50 per month in premiums and require them to work if they want dental and eye care.

While the details of the Maine plan are still unclear, it is part of a nationwide attack on Medicaid as a guaranteed benefit based on need.

In March, Verma and HHS Secretary Tom Price released a letter to US governors promising to open the floodgates for innovative approaches to Medicaid that include work requirements, premiums and benefit plan designs similar to Health Savings Accounts. About Medicaid work requirements, they wrote cynically that it is our intent  to review and approve meritorious innovations that build on the human dignity that comes with training, employment, and independence.

In Maine, where 15.8 percent of people are food insecure, 13.4 percent are living in poverty, and state law provides no subsidies for the purchase of private medical insurance, the human dignity propounded by Price and Verma will in reality be a test case for attacking Medicaid as a government program. A March 28 article in the Bangor Daily documents the effects of the food stamp work requirement on people who have had to turn to private food pantries just to survive.

Maine is a largely rural state in which people often have to travel long distances for medical care. The states Public Law 2011, Chapter 90, already allows private insurers to charge premiums up to 1.5 times higher based on a persons location. Rural Mainers who are unable to find work will be without Medicaid and unable to afford private insurance. While the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid coverage to non-elderly adults making less than $16,394 (as of 2016), such an income would not cover the cost of housing, car, food and social needs.

According to statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 22 percent of Medicaid recipients nationwide were not working in 2015. Those who are not often face disabilities and other obstacles to finding employment. Plans like those being proposed by Maine and Kentucky will, therefore, penalize the most vulnerable. Yet Price has told ABC News that Medicaid work requirements are something that is restorative to peoples self-worth.

Changes to implementation of federal Medicaid rules by individual states require what is known as a Section 1115 waiver, which needs to be approved by CMS based on state requests. At the beginning of November, the Obama administration approved a waiver for Massachusetts to attack Medicaid, not through work requirements, but by replacing the standard fee-for-service model with Accountable Care Organizations. ACOs cap the yearly amount that can be spent on a patient by all providers in the organization. Governor Charlie Baker, a former CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, announced the change by claiming that it would support the people of Massachusetts.

While Medicaid, even as expanded under Obamacare, is inadequate, it nonetheless has well-documented benefits which will now be denied to low-income people by state governments and at the federal level. According to the Kaiser Family Foundations Medicaid Pocket Primer, the program has produced dramatic declines in infant and child mortality  reduced teen mortality, improved long-run educational attainment  and lower rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits later in life.

The government of Maine is seeking to deny people not only these benefits, but a long list of others. A March 2017 report by the Maine Center for Economic Policy lists $1.9 billion in available federal funding that has been forfeited by Governor LePage and the state legislature since 2011, either through outright refusal to accept program funding, failure to apply for available grants, or refusal to maximize matching funds.

Programs that have been deprived include arsenic testing in well water, supportive services for Alzheimers sufferers, opioid addiction treatment, mental health treatment for teenagers, dental health for rural populations, Head Start, after-school programs for children of working parents, tuition and family support for low-income parents who are in college, health insurance for parents making between 100 and 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

The Medicaid work requirement, therefore, does not arise from a lack of social resources. Currently the federal government pays 64 percent of Maines Medicaid costs. For adults who have become eligible since the Obamacare expansion, the federal government offers to cover 95 percent of the cost.
With a two-day stop in Sydney, US Vice President Mike Pence last weekend concluded a 10-day tour of key US Asia-Pacific capitals, shoring up alliances for potential military action against North Korea.

Throughout his trip to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia, Pence and other members of the Trump administration reiterated their threats against North Korea and escalated their demands on China to intervene against Beijings neighbouring ally.

As Pence wound up his mission, US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that a North Korean nuclear missile capable of striking the US would mean were at grave risk as a nation. He claimed North Korea could achieve this capability before Trump would begin his second term.

In reality, the North Korean missile and nuclear capacity remains primitive and puny compared to the massive arsenal of the US. It is Washington, not Pyongyang, that is provoking a conflict that could draw in other nuclear-armed powers, notably China and Russia, both of which have borders with North Korea.

The provocations mounted on Sunday when Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government in Japan confirmed that two of its naval destroyers would rendezvous with the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinsons battle group for exercises to practice a variety of tactics. Timed to occur during tomorrows North Koreas Military Foundation Day commemorations, the exercises would start in the South China Sea and continue in the Sea of Japan, off the Korean coast.

At the weekend, US President Donald Trump also revived his accusations that the Chinese government was not doing enough to end North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. China is very much the economic lifeline to North Korea, he wrote in a tweet. So while nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will.

According to public statements, the confrontation with North Korea was top of the agenda in Pences talks in Seoul, Tokyo, Jakarta and Sydney. What exactly was discussed behind closed doors was not revealed.

The tour began in South Korea, whose more than 50 million people would be on the immediate front line of any war, and proceeded to Japan, where 127 million people would also be directly in the firing line. Pence then stopped in Indonesia, which Washington regards as a vital strategic location in its underlying confrontation with China. In Jakarta, Pence said the chief objective of his visit was to signal the high value that the US places on its strategic partnership with Indonesia, established during the Obama administration.

At a joint media conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the shores of Sydney Harbour on Saturday, Pence three times repeated Washingtons menacing warnings that all options are on the table against North Koreaa blunt military threatand that if China does not deal with North Korea, the United States will.

Pence described the US alliance with Australia as inviolate and immutable. He noted that Australia had fought alongside the US in every major war of the last century. From the Coral Sea to Kandahar our friendship has been forged in the fires of sacrifice, Pence declared.

Turnbull reciprocated with a gushing performance, saying he was honoured by Pences visit. Turnbull praised the Pax Americana provided by long-standing US interest and intervention in the Pacific. And the US understand that they have no stronger, more committed, more loyal partner, ally than Australia, he said.

Like Pence, Turnbull defined the relationship in terms of war. He referred to an alliance that began nearly a century ago when Australian and American troops went into battle in the first world war. Since then ... Australia has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in every major conflict in the past 99 years.

Labor Party opposition leader Bill Shorten made similar utterances. He described the supposed security shield provided by the US as a bedrock of Australian foreign policy, for which he was grateful.

Without any consultation with the Australia population, the political establishment is placing millions of people at risk of a devastating nuclear war. During the media conference with Pence, Turnbull refused to answer a reporters question about whether Australia would join any US military action against North Korea. Instead, he said Australia was providing diplomatic support to the US, and he was confident that China would respond.

The truth is that any US war on the Korean Peninsula would automatically involve Australia. The American satellite communication base at Pine Gap would be pivotal to any military operations, not to speak of Australias membership of the US-led Five Eyes global intelligence network, the integration of Australian officers into US military commands, and the US Marines and war planes based in northern Australia.

The latest rotation of more than 1,250 Marines and accompanying military aircraft that touched down in Darwin last week stand ready to fight against North Korea, their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Middleton, told reporters.

Rupert Murdochs Australian reported that Turnbull convened a meeting of the cabinet national security committee on the eve of Pences arrival to discuss the North Korean situation with defence officials. The options canvassed included stepping up military exercises between the US and Australia, further economic sanctions against North Korea and contingency planning in the event of conflict.

During Pences visit, both Turnbull and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop deliberately inflamed the atmosphere. They fed sensational headlines in the media by depicting North Korea as an imminent danger to Australia. Without offering any evidence, Bishop branded the country a serious threat to Australia, which would soon be in reach of its missiles.

Her remarks provoked a militarist response. North Koreas foreign ministry said if Australia remained a shock brigade of the US master, that would be a suicidal act of coming within the range of a nuclear strike from North Korea.

This bluster, like similar statements in recent days, points to alarmed efforts by the regime to forestall a US attack. But this only plays into the hands of Washington, while driving a wedge between North Korean workers and their fellow workers internationally, who have a common interest in overturning the governments now bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear war.

Corporate media outlets in Australia portrayed Pences visit as designed to reassure Australians of the Trump administrations commitment to the Asia-Pacific region. Todays Australian editorial called it a welcome reminder of the enduring value of our alliance with Washington, the cornerstone of our security.

Far from being reassured, recent polls indicate that millions of Australians regard the Trump administration and the US alliance as the greatest danger facing them.

There were no major protests against Pences visit, but security was tight. Snipers were seen on rooftops, helicopters hovered low, US Secret Service agents were highly visible, roads were closed for Pences motorcade and large police contingents lined the streets, parks and businesses.
Trotsky is released from a British prison camp in Canada, where he had fraternized continuously with the German soldiers held there. The soldiers send him off with salutations to the Russian revolution and denunciations of the German monarchy, while an improvised band plays a revolutionary march. In Petrograd, the Bolshevik Party is in turmoil following the shock of Lenins April Theses, which were published in Pravda on April 20 (7 O.S.). A city conference of the party opens in which Lenins positions find substantial support.

Undeterred by the revolutionary mood of the masses of Europe, the imperialist elites continue to march tens of thousands of young men into slaughter. In Russia, the Provisional Government supports continuing the war. Throughout Europe, entire populations are subsisting on rations, and starvation is rampant.

Berlin, April 24, 1917: USPD seeks to prevent renewed strike

The mass strikes of the previous weeks, even though they were ended early and without any palpable success, starkly exposed the revolutionary crisis in the heart of German imperialism. The Marxist Spartacus League begins distributing leaflets under the title The Lessons of the Great Mass Strikes, declaring that the workers let themselves be deceived (hoodwinked).

The mass strike of the Berlin workers is overthe mass misery, the mass lawlessness, the state of siege and the genocide are continuing! And so does the famine! True, the government has promised that the bread deficit will be balanced by allocations of meat and potatoes... But were our provisions previously anywhere near sufficient? ... We allowed the government to fob us with guarantees of a continuation of the old misery!

Spartacus condemns the right-wing trade union leaders for their collaboration with the Supreme Army Command (OHL) and the government. The leaflet concludes with a call for new, major strike actions on May Day: Workers! Arm yourself for May Day. Work at all workshops and factories shall stop on this day completely! Forward to the struggle for peace, freedom, bread!

The party leaders and deputies of the Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD), Georg Ledebour and Wilhelm Dittmann, immediately distance themselves from this call for a strike in the German Reichstag (parliament).

During the strike, the USPD leaders had hurried from one factory to another, holding forth radical speeches. It was the USPD leaders who took care that the strikers limited their demands to purely economic issues like the food situation or the call for democratic reforms, and put their hopes on negotiations between the USPD politicians and the government. This allowed the right-wing trade unions to put an end to the strike by referring to verbal promises by the government.

Macedonian Front, April 25: Battle of Doiran between the British and Bulgarians begins

After a four-day artillery barrage, British infantry forces advance with the aim of breaking through Bulgarian lines on the Macedonian Front. Up to 43,000 soldiers organized in three divisions have been brought together for the attack.

The Macedonian Front emerged in late 1915. Following Austria-Hungarys declaration of war on Serbia in July 1914, Austro-Hungarian troops were initially repelled during their advance on Serbian territory. A second invasion launched in conjunction with German and Bulgarian forces in October 1915 proved more decisive, forcing the Serbian army to retreat to the Albanian Adriatic coast. French and British troops were sent to Greece but arrived too late to support the retreating Serbians. The allied forces then established the Macedonian Front, which stretched from the Albanian coast to the Aegean coast. It pitted British, French, Russian, Italian, Albanian and Serbian forces against Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian, German and for a time Ottoman troops.

At Doiran, British troops initially capture some of the Bulgarian trenches but are forced to retreat to their original positions when the attack fails elsewhere. Subsequent attempts to launch fresh advances are pushed back until April 27. Frustrated by the failure to make a breakthrough, British commanders order another assault in early May, which is again defeated. By the time the Battle of Doiran ends on May 8, there will have been some 12,000 British and more than 2,000 Bulgarian casualties.

Berlin, April 26, 1917: Trade union leadership grovels before Supreme Army Command (OHL)

The mood among the workers in the big factories in Berlin remains rebellious. The German Supreme Commander, Field Marshal General Paul von Hindenburg, therefore issues a circular letter, condemning any strike or call for one as treason to the fatherland and the soldiers at the front. The social democratic trade union leaders rush to assure the imperial government of their unrestrained devotion and full support for the war, promising to choke off any future strikes.

The central leadership of the trade unions and unions of employees writes to the president of the war office, Wilhelm Groener:

We thank Your Honorable Excellence for conveying us the letter by Mister Field Marshal General von Hindenburg. We declare our full agreement with the guiding ideas of this presentation. In this hour, work stops have to be avoided. The maintenance and security of the Reich are of the highest priority. .... We will tirelessly point to the fact that those who weaken our troops power to resist by arbitrarily reducing the deliveries of means for the defense (i.e., through strikes), are committing a sin against our country....We ask Your Honorable Excellence to give notice of this writing to Mister Field Marshal General von Hindenburg.

This letter is reprinted the following day, on April 27, in the central party newspaper of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Vorwarts (Forward).

St.-Jean-de-Maurienne, France, April 26: Imperialist powers negotiate division of Anatolia

Representatives of Italy, France and Great Britain meet at this village in southeastern France to secure Italian entry into fighting in the Middle East. This is procured by offering Italy control over southwestern Anatolia, in present-day Turkey. Russia, whose Provisional Government is anxious to maintain Allied promises offering it control over Istanbul and its straits, is not invited to the conference. The Agreement of St.-Jean-de-Maurienne follows the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which envisions the dividing up of the Middle East between Britain and France.

The imperialist powers plan to totally dismember the multiethnic, multireligious Ottoman Empire. In the Levant, Arabian Peninsula and Anatolia, Britain, France and Italy intend to dominate newly created Arab and Turkish successor colonies. In eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus, Russia, first under Tsar Nicholas and subsequently under the Provisional Government, is utilizing Armenian nationalism to threaten the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in the east through the creation of an Armenian state dominated by Russia.

Meanwhile, Turkish nationalists, who increasingly dominate the Ottoman government, have launched a savage campaign of ethnic cleansing and wholesale slaughter against the empires Armenians, in which between 600,000 and 1.5 million people are murdered by the state.

Petrograd, April 27 (14 O.S.): Petrograd City Conference of Bolsheviks opens

At a Petrograd City Conference of the Bolsheviks, which lasts until April 22 (O.S.), Lenin wins substantial approval for his April Theses. In a vote of 37 to three, the Conference adopts a resolution condemning the Provisional Government and calling for an eventual transfer of power to the soviets, which was drafted by Lenin. It is the first significant victory by Lenin within the party since his return to Petrograd.

In his April Theses, Lenin has adopted in essence Trotskys theory of permanent revolution. Lenin calls for a formal split with the Mensheviks, the renaming of the party as the Communist Party, the formation of a new revolutionary international, and a strategic orientation to the seizure of power by the Russian working class and the extension of the revolution throughout Europe. At the city conference, Lenins views were opposed by the right-wing in the party leadership, which includes Kamenev and Rykov.

While Lenins April Theses have shocked many of the Old Bolsheviks in the partys leadership, they will find significant support in the partys ranks. At the city conference, Lenin is elected honorary chairman and gives the main political report, which is titled, Current TasksPresent Situation. He is also selected to sit on the committee that produces the key resolutions On the Attitude Towards the Provisional Government and On the War. Lenin makes the motions for the adoption of the resolutions On the Municipal Elections and On the Attitude Towards the Parties of Socialist-Revolutionaries, Menshevik Social-Democrats, non-factional Social-Democrats and other kindred political trends.

The Bolshevik Party has not held a formal congress since 1912. The resolutions at this weeks city conference will provide the foundation for the resolutions of the upcoming Seventh All-Russia Conference of Bolsheviks.

Berlin, April 27, 1917: Campaign of revenge against striking workers

With the critical backing of the leading social democratic newspaper Vorwarts (Forward), an order by General Wilhelm Groener is displayed in all factories:

In the West near Arras, at the Aisne and in the Champagne our brothers, grey from the fields, are standing in the heaviest and bloodiest battle of world history....Whoever goes on strike while our armed forces are facing the enemy is a miserable cur (Hundsfott). I hereby order that all honorable workers, courageous men and women of all kinds shall unite at the munition factories and inform their comrades of what the hardship of our time and the future of our fatherland require from us all: Work and again work until the fortunate end of the war... Read Hindenburgs letter again and again and you will recognize where our worst enemies are hiding. The worst enemies are right among usthe faint-hearted, and those who are even much worse and agitate for strike. They need to be denounced before the entire people, these traitors to the fatherland and the armed forces....

This so-called miserable cur order (Hundsfott Aufruf) quickly becomes notorious among the workers and achieves the opposite effect. The hatred of the emperor and the Supreme Army Command is growing, not only at the front in the trenches, but also at home.

The trade union functionaries, by contrast, follow and implement the order most eagerly. The trade unions leaders help identify thousands of workers who had taken part in the strikes, especially the most active elements and strike leaders. They are drafted immediately to the military and sent to the frontoften to their deaths.

In this fight, the centrist leadership of the Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD) stands on the same side of the barricades as the right-wing SPD and trade union leaders. At a meeting with General Groener, the chairman of the USPD, Hugo Haase, promises the general that there will be no strike on May Day and that he would use all his authority to prevent the outbreak of a strike under any circumstances. However, this fact will become known only seven years after the end of the First World War.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, April 29 (April 16 O.S.): Trotsky released from internment camp

Trotsky and the other Russian exiles detained at the Amherst prisoner of war camp are informed by camp commander Colonel Morris that they are to leave and are ordered to pack their things. Unaware of their final destination, and in light of the treatment they have experienced at the hands of the British, they protest and refuse to depart the camp until they are told where they are to go.

The guards resort to forcible measures, carrying out the prisoners belongings. In the face of growing agitation among the hundreds of sailors and soldiers, Morris eventually divulges that Trotsky and the other exiles are to set sail on a Danish steamer for Europe.

Trotsky would later recall the warm response he received from the sailors and soldiers during his imprisonment. In My Life, he described his Canadian internment as like one continuous mass meeting. He added, I told the prisoners about the Russian revolution, about Liebknecht, about Lenin, and about the causes of the collapse of the old International, and the intervention of the United States in the war. Besides these speeches, we had constant group discussions. Our friendship grew warmer every day.

On one occasion, when the British guards prohibited Trotsky from continuing to speak in public, a petition with the signatures of 533 of the approximately 850 inmates was submitted protesting this action.

By contrast, the small group of imprisoned army officers, whose living quarters were separated from the rest of the soldiers by a wooden partition, was hostile towards Trotsky.

These relations continue as Trotsky departs.

As we were being taken away from the camp, our fellow prisoners gave us a most impressive send-off. Although the officers shut themselves up in their compartment, and only a few poked their noses through the chinks, the sailors and workers lined the passage on both sides, an improvised band played the revolutionary march, and friendly hands were extended to us from every quarter. One of the prisoners delivered a short speech acclaiming the Russian revolution and cursing the German monarchy. Even now it makes me happy to remember that in the very midst of the war, we were fraternizing with German sailors in Amherst.

A critical role in securing the release of Trotsky and his fellow Russian prisoners had been played by the Petrograd Soviet, which pressured the bourgeois Provisional Government to demand their freedom.

Summing up the questions that remained unanswered about his detention, Trotsky writes in a letter addressed to Foreign Minister Milyukov during his trip across the Atlantic:

Who arrested us, and on what grounds? That the general order to detain those Russian citizens who happened to hold views not acceptable to the British Government really emanated from the British Government, is without any doubt, for Mr. Lloyd George could not miss the happily offered opportunity, to reveal, at last, that titanic energy, in the name of which he came to power. There is one more question, namely, who pointed us out to the British-Canadian authorities as persons who should be detained? Who furnished Halifax in the short space of three or four days the information as to our views? A line of circumstances points to the fact that this allied service was rendered by the renovated Russian consulate, the same consulate which had removed Nicholas portrait from its reception room and has stricken the word Imperial from its title.

German painter Max Slevogt publishes works on the war

This year, the German impressionist painter Max Slevogt (1868-1932) publishes his War Diary with drawings and watercolour paintings and his portfolio History. In both works, he tries to deal with the horrors of the war. The portfolio includes nightmarish lithographs such as The Supreme Army Command in which a figure, reminiscent of Field Marshal General Paul von Hindenburg, tips with his index finger at a head, which is placed on a rostrum. The head exposes parts of the brain, pieces of which are scattered on the floor. Other lithographs bear titles such as The Dream of a Victor, Pegasus in Military Service and Final. The latter shows an eagle flying above a gnarled tree while a man, disabled from the war, hobbles past a series of crosses put up near the tree.

Like many German artists, Max Slevogt had initially volunteered for the front in 1914not as a soldier, but as an official war painter. However, he did not produce great battle paintings, as one might have expected from an artist who was well recognized in the empire. Rather, his works, including the watercolour works Cathedrals of Lions, the Procurement of the Wounded in a Church and the Fallen Englishmen, depict brutal destruction. His initial enthusiasm for the war quickly disappeared once he was at the front. He was allowed to return home where he could work his impressions into art.
Photo credit: Getty

From Esquire

WASHINGTON-They named this town-Forgive me, This Town-after a man of science, a surveyor and an experimental farmer from down the cowpaths in Virginia. In 1783, while waiting to hear that the fighting part of the American Revolution was over, he took time to team up with another science aficionado, a not-altogether successful engineer named Thomas Paine, to investigate the phenomena caused by swamp gas in Virginia. Four years later, in a closed laboratory of politics in Philadelphia, he presided over the deliberations that produced a Constitution that, in the eighth section of its very first article, promised that the new government would,

"...To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts..."

Talking through a thick mist thickening swiftly into a hard rain, and talking from a stage beneath the obelisk dedicated to that one famous polymath out of an age famous for producing them, Bill Nye took it upon himself to remind the people who had gathered on Saturday to March For Science, that they were descended in every important way from men of science.

The Framers of our Constitution, which has become a model for constitutions of governments everywhere, included Article I, Section 8... Its intent was to motivate innovators and drive the economy by means of just laws. They knew our economy would falter without them, without scientifically literate citizens, the U.S. cannot compete on the world stage.

(Speaking immediately before Nye, Manu Prakash, a Stanford neuroscientist, argued that scientific literacy was a basic human right because, in so many places, it literally is a matter of life and death.)

Yet, today, we have lawmakers, here and around the world, deliberately ignoring or actively suppressing science. Their inclination is misguided and it is in nobody's best interest.

This, of course, was the central paradox of Saturday's event, which coincided with the 47th celebration of Earth Day. It was the brainchild of a senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson, who had been on fire for what was then called "ecology" or "conservation" ever since he ran through the woods in and around Clear Lake, the small village in northern Wisconsin where he grew up.

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As he came up through politics, Nelson was steeped in the Progressive heritage of his home state. In 1963, in his first year in the Senate after two terms as Wisconsin's governor, an ascension to which Nelson's environmental policies were critical, Nelson convinced President John F. Kennedy to embark on a series of speeches across the country concerning the environment, one of the most public demonstrations of White House commitment in that regard since the death of Teddy Roosevelt even though Kennedy was swamped on the tour with questions about a nuclear test-ban treaty that he'd recently concluded with the Soviet Union.

Photo credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP / Getty

By 1970, Nelson was in his second term in the Senate and the news had become full of environmental catastrophe. In January of 1969, there was a massive oil spill off Santa Barbara in California and, almost exactly six months later, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland famously caught on fire. On April 22, 1970, Nelson helped organize Earth Day, which was a massive outbreak of activism around the country. That kicked off what became known as the Environmental Decade, wherein was passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and other environmental regulations, all of them based on a sturdy bipartisan scientific consensus.

That was then. This is now. In 2017, the country needs a series of marches across the landscape to remind itself that scientific progress and American democracy are inextricably bound for their mutual survival. The current president* has leaked a budget that decimates the federal government's role in all manner of scientific research, from the fight against epidemic disease to the war on climate change. Which was why, walking through the drizzly day on the White House end of the National Mall, you saw epidemiologists sharing umbrellas with geologists, or a group of microbiologists huddling low under a spreading cherry tree alongside a knot of anesthesiologists. People walked around dressed as bees and as lobsters and as Beaker, the lab assistant from the Muppet Show. People walked around in overalls and in lab coats. They wore the now-classic pussy hats repurposed to resemble the configurations of the human brain and they wore stethoscopes around their necks.

Photo credit: Jessica Kourkounis / Getty

"What do we want?" the signs said.

"Science!"

"When do we want it?"

"After peer review!"

(The musical interludes from the main stage were enlivened by the appearance of Thomas Dolby, who performed his hit, "She Blinded Me With Science," backed by John Batiste and Stay Human, which gave Dolby's vintage techno-pop tune a bit of New Orleans second-line juice.)

There was a great deal of infighting-"Some very ugly meetings," said one person familiar with them-about how specifically political the march should be. The older and more conventional scientists-most of them white males, for all that means in every public issue these days-tried to make the march and the events surrounding it as generic as possible.

The younger scientists, a more diverse groups in every way that a group can be, pushed back hard. The available evidence on Saturday was that their side had carried the day. Given the fact that, for example, Scott Pruitt, who took dictation from oil companies when he was Attorney General of Oklahoma, is now running the EPA, they could hardly have lost. More than a few signs reminded the current president* that, without science, he would be as bald as a billiard ball.

Generally, though, there was more than a little sadness on all sides that it ever had come to this, that a country born out of experimentation had lost its faith in its own true creation story, that a country founded by curious, courageous people would become so timid about trusting the risks and rewards of science.

Photo credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP / Getty

Beka Economopoulos runs something called the Natural History Museum, a project that takes her around the country not only educating students on the natural world, but also taking expeditions to places in which environmental damage is severe. "We collaborate with scientists, local community organizations, and museums across the country to address pressing community concerns and global challenges," she said. "Science has never been apolitical. It's always been situated within a context. All science is dedicated to pursue truth, but there are decisions made on what kind of science gets funded and what doesn't, what kinds of questions get asked.

"The goal of science is not the popularization of knowledge. It's the pursuit of truth. Scientists look to obliterate existing knowledge by finding something beyond it. Copernicus, Galileo, Rachel Carson, these are scientists that disrupted the status quo but, we look back at them now, and we see that they advanced humanity and the world we live in."

When the speeches were done, all those people who'd hung in there through the rain walked up the wide boulevards past all the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, founded in the 1840's at the bequest of an Englishman named James Smithson. "I then bequeath the whole of my property... to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge among men," Smithson's will read. As they walked past the buildings founded out of Smithson's generosity, you wondered in the mist and rain why it all seemed so much like archaeology now.

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Of all places, driving across Australia isn't something you'd do on a whim.

Yet it was the plan for one kid, who was stopped by police after driving 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from the country's east coast.

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"Checks revealed the driver to be a 12-year-old boy travelling from Kendall, NSW, on his way to Perth," New South Wales Police said in a statement, via ABC News. But it seemingly wasn't bad driving that caught the eye of authorities.

The boy was only pulled over after they noticed the car's bumper was dragging along the road on the Barrier Highway, located in the far-west of the state of New South Wales. He was arrested and taken to Broken Hill Police Station, where inquiries are continuing.

The distance from Kendall to Perth is a mammoth 4,095 kilometres (2,558 miles), which would take 43 hours of driving to complete. Even a flight from one side of the country to the other would take around five hours.

Part of the trip would've included crossing the Nullarbor Plain, a 1,256 kilometre (781 mile) stretch of highway which is Australia's longest and flattest road. The country's tourism site recommends "carrying extra petrol and plenty of water and food" due to its remoteness.

Again, it's not a trip you can do randomly.

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By India Today Web Desk: Trouble seems to be brewing in Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur's love life. It was only recently that the lovebirds rekindled their love in Maldives, and the intimate pictures of Salman and Iulia were enough proof. But it seems all is not well in their paradise.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Vantur is miffed with Salman and the two even had a huge fight before the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor left for his Dabangg tour.

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Khan, who has been touring New Zealand and Australia for the past week along with Sonakshi Sinha, Bipasha Basu, was accompanied by mom Salma, brother Sohail and sister Arpita on the tour. But his ladylove Iulia was nowhere to be seen.

And the report suggests that Iulia, who has already made her singing debut, wanted to be a part of the tour too and sing on stage, but Khan turned her down. And this led to a huge spat between the lovebirds.

On the work front, Salman will soon resume shooting of Ali Abbas Zafar's Tiger Zinda Hai.

ALSO READ: Salman Khan gifts an apartment to rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur?

ALSO READ: Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur getting steamy and intimate! See pics and video

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The all-new version of the Honda Civic Type R was always going to make a big slash when it was unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, but the Honda has now proved it has just as much substance as it undoubtedly has style. That's because the all-new 2017 Honda Civic Type R has recently set a new front-wheel drive lap record at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife.

The Civic Type R has always been renowned for outstanding performance, but this model, which set the new record and was part of the all-new tenth-generation Civic's development program, really has set a new benchmark for the Type R and for its rivals. This development car set a time of 7 minutes, 43.8 seconds, which is almost seven seconds faster than the previous generation Civic Type R managed.

It has to be said though, the new record was set during the final phase of the model's testing regime, and it was achieved on a dry track with absolutely optimum ambient temperatures for delivering the very best tire and powertrain performance. It is possible this could be replicated in a production model, but only if all the other parameters were as ideal as they were on the day the record was set.

The reasons given for the stunning performance of the new car are an optimized and refined 2.0-liter VTEC turbocharged engine developing 320 PS and 400Nm of torque, a new six-speed manual transmission with lower gear ratios for improved acceleration, and the car's comprehensive aerodynamic package.

The car also benefits from a high-rigidity body frame that's now as much as 16kg lighter than its predecessor, and there are significant benefits to steering response and cornering stability thanks to torsional stiffness now being improved by an impressive 38%. The Type R is also now capable of braking into corners later for higher cornering speeds, due to a new multi-link rear suspension system that reduces the total roll movement of the car.

Production of the new Civic Type R will commence in the summer at the UK Manufacturing (HUM) in Swindon. It will then be exported to markets all around the world, including the first time in the Type R's history, the United States.
Think space travel is just for skilled astronauts and fictional characters from your favorite "Star Wars" films? Think again. You don't have to be a professional scientist to fly into suborbital space, but you will have to pay a steep price.

[See: The 10 Top Places for Stargazing.]

With a variety of pioneering companies competing to launch humans into space, lunar exploration is taking off. Take SpaceX, the brainchild of Elon Musk, which plans to transport two passengers aboard its SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to cross over the moon and back in 2018. Or Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket company, which aspires to launch six lucky tourists into space via a capsule, and that's testing its New Shepard rocket ahead of plans for commercial suborbital journeys in 2018. For those more inclined to board a spaceship, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic aims to send tourists -- including world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking -- aboard the SpaceShipTwo (a six-passenger aircraft) into space this year.

If you're not interested in gliding into deep or suborbital space -- or you lack the funds to support a $250,000 journey aboard the Virgin Galactic -- you can enjoy epic space events from Earth this year, including watching the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, stargazing in prized national parks or even checking out the northern lights.

Thanks to groundbreaking technological advancements, space tourism is no longer a pipe dream. Here are leading astro-tourism trends to watch in 2017 and beyond.

The 21st-Century Space Race Is Heating Up

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo and Blue Origin's New Shepard are carving the path for space tourism by utilizing "reusable space vehicles," explains Bill Gutman, vice president of aerospace operations at Spaceport America, a commercial space complex that aims to unlock the future of space exploration. While refurbishing rockets can be costly, reusing rockets, shuttle space engines and space vehicle parts can significantly reduce costs for space entrepreneurs and ultimately space tourists. "These vehicles have the potential to open the space experience to vastly more people than has been possible heretofore," he says. Plus, reusable technology could trim the launch costs, advance technology breakthroughs for future exploration and enable a greater volume of launches, making space travel more accessible to tourists, he adds. "It is anticipated that Virgin Galactic will take more people to space in the first few years of operations than have experienced space from the beginning of the Space Age until present," Gutman explains.

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Orbital space travel will also be available to tourists in the near future, he adds. Gutman points to Bigelow Aerospace, which is working to build sophisticated space equipment like the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module for the International Space Station. "Bigelow Aerospace is well along with developing space habitat modules that will enable longer space tourism stays perhaps akin the 'Orbital Hilton' as seen in the movie '2001: A Space Odyssey,'" he says.

Boeing, in partnership with NASA, also has developed technology that will enable astronauts to experience low-orbit earth journeys aboard the Crew Space Transportation-100 Starliner. While other companies are offering suborbital journeys, the Starliner aims to carry up to seven people per trip to low-earth orbit. Though Starliner's technology is specifically designed for astronauts to advance space exploration, a future commercial airline is already being tested at Kennedy Space Center and is slated to launch in 2019, explains Kelly Kaplan, communications lead at Boeing Space Exploration.

Private commercial space tour company Space Adventures has partnered with Boeing to market seats on the Starliner, but it had not yet released information on what the experience will entail. "Our clients have traveled over 36 million miles and have spent a total of approximately three months in space. We also have plans to fly two clients around the far side of the moon on a modified Russian Soyuz spacecraft," says Tom Shelley, president of Space Adventures.

[See: 10 Best Trips for Adventure Junkies.]

Commercial Space Stations May Become a Reality in the Near Future

Getting materials and supplies transported from Earth to commercial space stations or settlements will have a high initial cost, but in the future, "it is likely that technologies will be developed to recycle materials, to grow food in space and to utilize lunar materials to build and to provide oxygen and water," Gutman says, enabling costs to go down. To accomplish this, commercial space lines will be vital, he adds. But first, operators must "demonstrate to the FAA that risk to the uninvolved public does not exceed a threshold level," he explains. In the future, the FAA may license space adventures, he says, noting that the process "will be complex because international law and treaties must be considered."

Boeing and NASA are also teaming up to help astronauts expand research with a deep space gateway and transport system that will create an environment, similar to the International Space Station, complete with a docking system and technology to shield astronauts from the harsh conditions, enabling an ideal jumping-off point for journeys from the moon to Mars, Kaplan adds.

In the Near-Term, Space Travel Will Cost You

Launching into suborbital space is possible, but it won't be cheap. While you can purchase tickets to board the Virgin Galactic, prices and ticket reservations for Blue Origin's New Shepard have not yet been revealed. "As with all new enterprises, we would certainly expect that as more providers enter the market, the price for a space tourism experience will trend lower. The ultimate price point will be determined by supply and demand and by the success of providers in bringing cost-lowering technologies to the market," Gutman adds.

If you're interested in visiting the International Space Station with an outfitter like Space Adventures, you can book tickets now. Pricing is contingent on the mission, timing and vehicle, Shelley explains. The cost for a flight to the ISS is roughly $50 million; flights orbiting the moon are priced at $150 million per person, he explains.

You Can Embrace Your Inner Astronaut on Earth

If you don't have the funds to support a moon mission, you can still enjoy otherworldly experiences on terra firma. "Space Adventures is able to arrange on-the-ground space-related experiences, such as tours to watch rocket launches from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, or the ability for clients to experience elements of the same training required for our private astronaut clients in Star City, Russia," Shelley explains. Space Adventures also offers zero-gravity flights for roughly $5,000, Shelley adds.

[See: Where to See 2017's Total Solar Eclipse.]

Meanwhile, Spaceport America offers programs such as interactive exhibits, a g-force simulator and launch videos for enthusiasts.

Liz Weiss is the Travel editor for Consumer Advice at U.S. News, where she writes and edits consumer-focused travel content that offers trip-planning inspiration and helps consumers make smarter travel decisions. She has been covering the travel industry for nearly five years at U.S. News & World Report. She also manages the En Route blog, and has been interviewed on a variety of outlets, including MarketWatch and Fortune. Prior to joining the Consumer Advice team, Liz oversaw the development and content creation for U.S. News Travel's Best Cruises, Best Travel Rewards and Best Vacations franchises. A native of Washington, D.C., she received a bachelor's degree from George Washington University. You can follow Liz on Twitter or email her at eweiss@usnews.com.
Milestone moments do not a year make. Often, its the smaller news stories that add up, gradually, to big history. With that in mind, in 2017 TIME History will revisit the entire year of 1967, week by week, as it was reported in the pages of TIME. Catch up on last weeks installment here.

Week 17: April 28, 1967

The young and popular King of Greece, 26-year-old Constantine II, was featured on the cover of this issue - but the story on the inside revealed that he was just one figure in a complicated story of political upheaval in the birthplace of democracy.

In the dead of night, Greeces army had shut the countrys borders and taken into custody a wide range of politicians from a number of different ideological groups. The reason for the sudden coup was that the army, which was loyal to the King, perceived that his opponents would prove victorious in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Despite the coup being taken in his name, the King didnt agree with it. Yet the palace coup that had occurred without the palaces consent offered him a cruel choice: either to fight the coup openly and risk being toppled from his throne or go along reluctantly in the hope of being able to influence the military later, TIME noted. For the time being, he chose the latter course.

The question facing Greece and the world now was whether Constantine could manage to nudge the military - and the military-influenced new government - toward moderation. Thus far he had not. (The eventual answer? Though it would take years for the consequences of the coup to play out, Constantine II would be the last King of Greece.)

Left vs. Liberal: This weeks TIME essay may interest todays readers more than the goings-on in Greece. Its all about the new radicals, characterized as a small group of creatures of conscience who had had an outsized impact on the national conversation with their attacks on the quality of American life and the direction of U.S. foreign policy:

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The New Radicals have no power base. Their number, while indeterminate, is obviously small. Still, they are a presence and a voice-partly because of the sheer energy of their commitment, which demands not just parlor protest but physical inconvenience as expressed in the sit-in, the demonstration, the march. They speak for the beleaguered individual in an impersonal society-whether Negro sharecropper, white welfare recipient, or campus dropout. Above all, they speak, or shout, against the Viet Nam war. Says Sociologist Daniel Bell: "At best, the New Left is all heart. At worst, it is no mind." They changed the temper, the tone and to some extent the terms of political debate. The question is what function or future they have beyond that.

TIMEs take on the movement doesnt exactly read as objective - even as it concedes the influence of the New Left, it belittles the very idea of such a movement - but its a fascinating read in light of divisions on the left of American politics that were highlighted by the Sanders-vs.-Clinton narratives of the 2016 election. With its focus on the 1960s divide between the Left and establishment liberals, the essay examines many disputes that are still relevant 50 years later.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

A global problem: Though American readers may think of the Civil Rights Movement as a particularly American phenomenon - and certainly the history of race in the U.S. is unique - this world-news report is an important reminder that racism is and was an issue around the world. Britains Parliament had, over the course of a decade, tossed out proposed anti-discrimination laws at what appeared to be an average rate of one a year.

Stones on tour: A report on the latest three-week European tour by the Rolling Stones includes this choice quote from their manager: Pop music is sex and you have to hit them in the face with it.

Great vintage ad: If by great you mean that youll learn something from it, check out this ad from the early credit-card company Carte Blanche, touting their hers card - a pink, discounted card designed for members wives. Remember, this was nearly a decade before the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and married American women could have expected to have to rely on their husbands credit rather than establishing their own.

Coming up next week: Pitching Congress on the war

This article was originally published on TIME.com
San Francisco is known for its love of cultural diversity and innovation, and almost nowhere is that more apparent than in its assortment of museums. Whether you're visiting one of the most comprehensive Asian history museums on the West Coast, playing with creative science experiments or exploring the recently expanded San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, you'll be awe-struck and entertained. For first-time or returning visitors, here are some of the city's best museums, according to its expert residents: San Francisco hotel concierges.

California Academy of Sciences

Set in Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences is like three museums in one. The expansive state-of-the-art space is the only place in the world with an aquarium, planetarium and natural history museum. Venture through a rare underwater world with one of the world's largest indoor living coral reefs, or soar through outer space while watching a show in the futuristic digital planetarium. Then, take a hike with tropical butterflies in the four-story glass dome rainforest. And don't miss the living roof -- its grassy surface serves as a home to local wildlife and is equipped with weather stations.

[Read: The Best Hotels in San Francisco.]

The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $34.95 for adults; $29.95 for seniors, students with an ID and youths 12 to 17; $24.95 for children 4 to 11; and free for children 3 and younger. On Thursday nights, the museum hosts NightLife events from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for those 21 and older.

Exploratorium

Located at Pier 15 along San Francisco's scenic Embarcadero Promenade, just a mile walk from Pier 39, the Exploratorium is a hands-on museum for the insatiably curious of all ages. Exploring the 9-acre facility is like discovering one giant multidimensional science experiment, aimed at sparking intrigue and informing minds. Included in the facility is a theater, a pier, outdoor installations and a hands-on tactile dome. It's also known for its lively science-minded events and lectures, as well as its spectacular view of the San Francisco Bay.

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The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, and closed Mondays, except for select holidays. Admission is $29.95 for adults; $24.95 for seniors, teens 13 to 17 and students with an ID; $19.95 for youths 4 to 12; and free for children 3 and younger. It holds After Dark events on Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for those 18 and older.

Legion of Honor

The art collections at the Legion of Honor span 4,000 years of human history, and include paintings, sculptures and decorative arts. The majority of the collections are from Europe -- including paintings and sculptures from the medieval and Renaissance periods, French impressionist art, and pieces from ancient Greece and Egypt. Some people come for the art or the impressive exhibits that rotate through, while others come simply to stroll the grounds, which are a work of art themselves. Teetering on the coastal bluffs of the city's western edge, this French neoclassical estate has great views of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown San Francisco.

"The collection, the location, everything -- it's beautiful and you can combine it with a hike through Lands End. Plus it's a great place to watch the sunset," says Andreas Rippel, chief concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

[Read: The Best Things to Do in San Francisco.]

The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for college students with an ID and free for youths 17 and younger. On the first Tuesday of the month, general admission is free.

de Young Museum

The iconic de Young Museum is a fixture in Golden Gate Park, near the California Academy of Sciences. Housing an eclectic mix of Oceanian, American and African art, as well as others, it's a great place to get lost in for a few hours. There are a few options to navigate the museum: on your own or with a scheduled docent tour, audio guide or a mobile app. Don't miss the observation tower, with views that stretch over the park's eucalyptus canopy, beyond the western neighborhoods, to the Pacific Ocean.

The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for college students with an ID and free for youths 17 and younger.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

The gem of San Francisco's bustling SoMa (short for South of Market) neighborhood, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art reopened in 2016 with a bang after a lengthy renovation nearly tripled the museum's size. Now, there's something for everyone, whether it's architecture and design, media arts, painting, sculpture or photography.

"It's the biggest art space in the city and the photography collection in particular is absolutely incredible. The living wall is a fun backdrop for photos," says Rachel Ward, editor at Where San Francisco magazine. "And don't miss the upper deck that lets you admire the architecture from the outside, and catch a great view of downtown."

Other ways to experience all that this cosmopolitan museum has to offer include exploring its 45,000 square feet of art-filled public spaces that can be experienced without a ticket purchase. Foodies will want to try In Situ, a fine dining restaurant reimagined by one of the city's top chefs. More than 80 chefs from around the world contributed to the establishment's menu.

[Read: The Best Guided Tours in San Francisco.]

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Tuesday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday. It's closed Wednesdays. Admission is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, $19 for young adults 19 to 24 with an ID and free for those 18 and younger.

Asian Art Museum

"The Asian Art Museum is a great contrast to the more common Western museums. You can see what was going on through Asia for 6,000 years," says Keith DiBene, chief concierge at Hotel Vitale San Francisco, A Joie de Vivre Hotel.

The indoor sky-lit court at this historic building provides a beautiful centerpiece that illuminates one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted to Asian art. Be sure to carve out ample time to explore the 18,000 objects carefully amassed over many years by art historians, religious studies scholars and anthropologists. From Bhutanese textiles to stone sculpture, Sikh art to bronze relics from Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, and wood carvings to jade artifacts, the museum's collection represents several millennia of history.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, with extended spring and summer evening hours on Thursdays until 9 p.m. It's closed Mondays. General admission is $15 for adults; $10 for seniors, college students with an ID and youths 13 to 17; and free for children 12 and younger. General admission on Thursdays after 5 p.m. is $10. Admission includes a free audio tour that visitors can download on their smartphone or listen to by borrowing a device from the museum.

To experience more of what San Francisco has to offer, check out the U.S. News Travel guide.

Jenna Scatena writes about San Francisco for U.S. News & World Report. Her work has appeared in Afar; BBC Travel; San Francisco Chronicle; Sunset; Travel + Leisure; Marie Claire; O, The Oprah Magazine; Vogue; Self; Delta Sky; Mr Porter; Via; and C California Style, and her stories have been anthologized in The Best Women's Travel Writing Volume 9 (Travelers' Tales) and An Innocent Abroad (Lonely Planet). You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Kabul (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned of "another tough year" in Afghanistan as he arrived on an unannounced visit Monday, hours after his Afghan counterpart resigned over a deadly Taliban attack that triggered anger and left the embattled army in disarray.

Paying his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, Mattis met with President Ashraf Ghani and other officials and US military commanders.

"We're under no illusions about the challenges associated with this mission," he said at a press conference in Kabul with General John Nicholson, US commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

"2017 is going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops who have stood, and will continue to stand, shoulder-to-shoulder with Afghanistan against terrorism," he said.

His arrival came after a Taliban attack Friday on an Afghan military base which left more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded.

"It shows why we stand with the people of this country against such heinous acts perpetrated by ... this barbaric enemy," Mattis said.

Nicholson recently called for "a few thousand" more troops but Mattis would not be drawn on extra forces to help battle the resurgent militants, who are gearing up for the spring fighting season.

The Pentagon chief, who served in Afghanistan, is compiling an assessment for President Donald Trump on the brutal and seemingly intractable conflict.

"As you know, President Trump has directed a review of our policy in Afghanistan as the new administration takes hold in Washington. This dictates an ongoing dialogue with Afghanistan's leadership and that's why I came here," he said.

Mattis arrived as Afghan security forces, already paying a heavy price against the Taliban, faced chaos with the resignations of Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem.

The resignations, along with the announcement of a corps commanders reshuffle, followed fury over the Taliban assault on an army base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

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Gunmen in soldiers' uniforms and armed with suicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops in one of the deadliest-ever Taliban attacks on an Afghan military target.

Afghan authorities have so far ignored calls to break down the official toll of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded. Some local officials have put the number of dead alone as high as 130.

The raid, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults, underscores the insurgents' growing strength more than 15 years since they were ousted from power by the US invasion of 2001.

Up to 10 army personnel are being questioned as suspects, a military spokesman attached to the base said, amid fears it could have been an insider attack.

At least four of them had valid passes to the base and had previously trained there, a security source told AFP.

Afghans have slammed the government over the attack, though Habibi told a press conference Monday his resignation was voluntary.

"Nobody in the world has been able to prevent such attacks," he said of the base assault. "It is an intelligence war and a war on terrorism. It is very difficult."

- Troops targeted -

Nicholson also spoke alongside Mattis at the press conference at NATO headquarters in Kabul, vowing there was "no space" for the Islamic State jihadist group in Afghanistan.

The US decision to drop its largest non-nuclear weapon on IS hideouts in eastern Afghanistan less than two weeks ago was a "very clear message" to the group, he said: "If they come to Afghanistan they will be destroyed".

The use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, dubbed the "Mother of All Bombs", triggered global shockwaves, with some condemning the move against a militant group that is not considered as big a threat to Afghanistan as the Taliban.

Mattis is the second senior US security official to visit Afghanistan this month: National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster arrived in Kabul days after the MOAB was dropped.

The Afghan war is the longest in US history but Trump has scarcely mentioned it -- other than to call the MOAB strike a success -- since entering office.

Mattis said in February his commander-in-chief was waiting for input from his generals.

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 troops and police, 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.
Afghanistans defense minister and army chief resigned Monday, days after the Taliban mounted its deadliest ever attack on security forces in the country, killing scores of soldiers at a major military base in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The April 21 attack on the installation by as many as ten Taliban insurgents dressed in Afghan army fatigues and driving military vehicles shook the war-torn nation, which observed a day of mourning over the weekend.

In a fallout from the raid, the countrys President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of the defense minister and the army chief on Monday, with a tweet from the Presidents office confirming their exit.

With more than 100 soldiers killed - some reports put the figure of army personnel murdered in the raid at around 170 - the assault underlined the growing threat posed by a worsening Taliban insurgency. Ousted from the capital Kabul by a U.S.-led coalition in 2001, the militant group has regained strength following the end of Natos combat mission in Afghanistan and the exit of most foreign troops at the end of 2014.

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi & Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect. - (@ARG_AFG) April 24, 2017

The Mazar-e-Sharif attack took place a week after the U.S. unleashed the so-called Mother of All Bombs on ISIS fighters in eastern Afghanistan.

The dropping of the 21,000 lbs GBU-43 bomb, the largest non-nuclear device ever used in combat, in the Achin district of Afghanistans Nangarhar province generated global headlines and was described by President Donald Trump as a very successful mission.

But while ISIS has claimed several attacks in the country, the Mazar-e-Sharif attack highlighted the fundamental threat from the Taliban, the central and increasingly powerful insurgent force there.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By Idrees Ali and Josh Smith KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's defense minister and army chief of staff resigned on Monday after the deadliest Taliban attack on a military base, and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he was "under no illusions" about the problems facing the country. Mattis, visiting as the United States looks to craft a new Afghanistan strategy, held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, officials and U.S. commanders, who want more troops. "2017 is going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops who have stood, and will continue to stand, shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan against terrorism," Mattis said. General John Nicholson, the head of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, said he was "not refuting" reports that Russia was providing support, including arms, to the Taliban. A senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that intelligence showed Russia was providing money and machine guns to the Taliban. Russia has previously denied providing any material or financial aid to the insurgent group, but has said it maintains ties with Taliban officials in order to push for peace talks. Moscow has been critical of the United States over its handling of the war in Afghanistan. Mattis arrived in Kabul just days after a Taliban assault on a major army base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in which more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed. Afghan officials said the final death toll was likely to be higher. Earlier, Ghani's office announced in a post on its Twitter account that Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim "stepped down with immediate effect." Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Friday's attack. Habibi and Shahim told reporters their resignations were voluntary. Despite his resignation, Habibi - who had come under pressure from Afghan lawmakers last month following an Islamic State attack on a Kabul military hospital - attended a meeting with Mattis at the headquarters of the NATO-led military coalition in the Afghan capital. DEADLY ATTACK In a serious security failure on Friday, 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 soldiers and recruits eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials. Ghani's office also announced the replacement of four army corps commanders in response to the attack, and defense officials said as many as eight army personnel had been arrested. A senior U.S. official said, based on intelligence and the types of tactics used, the Taliban-linked Haqqani network likely played a role. "This is very typical Haqqani network tactics, techniques and procedures," said the official, adding the United States believed it took 4-6 months to plan the attack. Ghani declared a day of mourning on Sunday. The attack came a little more than a week after the United States dropped a 22,000 pound bomb, known as the "mother of all bombs", against a series of Islamic State caves and tunnels near the border with Pakistan. U.S. officials say they were surprised by the level of attention that particular bomb received, since it did little to change the situation on the ground, where the Taliban, not Islamic State, remains the bigger threat. MORE TROOPS U.S. officials acknowledge that Afghanistan has rarely in recent years been considered a priority by decision makers, who have instead been consumed by Syria, Iraq and, increasingly, North Korea. But there are signs that the Trump administration is making progress in crafting a policy for Afghanistan. U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster visited Afghanistan earlier this month, the first senior official from the new administration to do so. U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there was an ongoing inter-agency review to determine the goals and milestones for the United States in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Afghan army is preparing for what is expected to be a year of hard fighting against Taliban militants, who now control or contest more than 40 percent of the country. Nearly 9,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, in addition to thousands of international coalition forces. Nicholson recently told a Congressional hearing he needed several thousand more international troops in order to break a stalemate in the long war with Taliban insurgents. U.S. officials say Nicholson's request was making its way through the chain of command. Conversations, however, according to current and former officials, were revolving around 3,000 to 5,000 additional troops. One official said there was an emphasis on creating a strategy that was not tied to artificial deadlines. Former President Barack Obama had wanted to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan before he left office. While Mattis is no stranger to Afghanistan - he served there and was also the head of U.S. Central Command - there are questions about what a few thousand additional U.S. troops can achieve. "Let's face it, no matter how many troops you may send to Afghanistan, it's going to be very difficult to end the war. We had 100,000 troops fighting in Afghanistan during the height of the surge and we didn't end the war," said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson Center. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni and Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Alex Richardson and Ian Geoghegan)
A country which does not let women study, work, travel or marry without the permission of their male guardian has been elected to United nations Commission on the Status of Women.

By India Today Web Desk: Saudi Arabia has been elected to a 2018 - 2022 term on United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, a UN agency which is exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

And this is a country where women have to take permission from their guardian if they have to study, work, travel or marry. In fact, to access certain types of healthcare also they need a man to accompany them. FYI, women are banned from driving cars too.

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Also read: Here is why Saudi Arabia is a pro at passing anti-women rulings

The election happened in a secret vote during the UN's Economic and Social Council, according to UN Watch- a non-governmental body that monitors the United Nations.

"Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women's rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief," tweeted Executive Director Hillel Neuer.

This is not the first time United Nations has taken such an ironical decision. The organisation came under fire for giving Saudi Arabia a key human rights role. Saudi Arabia's ambassador at the UN was was elected as chair of a panel of independent experts on the UN Human Rights Council.

Also read: Indian migrant gets jailed in Saudi Arabia after making a tearful video about terrible work conditions

The gulf nation is considered to have "the worst record in the world" on freedoms for women, minorities and dissidents. Saudi Arabia consistently ranks among the "worst of the worst" in Freedom House's annual survey of political and civil rights.

--- ENDS ---
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - The top United Nations humanitarian official called on Monday for Gulf countries to help avert mass starvation in Yemen, where two years of war have left millions at risk of famine. Stephen O'Brien, U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator, spoke in an interview a day ahead of a major conference where the U.N. is seeking $2.1 billion for Yemen this year. The world body has received only 15 percent toward that appeal, none of it from regional countries, U.N. records show. Yemen is reeling from conflict between Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, against a Western-backed, Saudi-led coalition that is carrying out air strikes almost daily. At least 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting. Some 17 million of Yemen's 26 million people lack sufficient food and at least three million malnourished children are in "grave peril", O'Brien said. "This is rapidly becoming the world's worst humanitarian disaster," he told Reuters. "I would urge the region in particular to step up to support the Yemeni people caught up in this conflict." U.N. aid agencies are reaching more than 5 million Yemenis "despite all the bureaucratic obstacles and the difficulties of access including at the ports", O'Brien said. The United Nations has already declared famine in parts of South Sudan and warned of looming famine in Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. Oxfam called on donor nations to step up life-saving assistance rather than providing arms to fuel the deepening conflict. The British aid agency also said the international community must send a clear message that a coalition attack against Hodeidah, the strategic Red Sea entry point for some 70 percent of Yemen's food imports, would be "totally unacceptable". Residents of Hodeidah, a city of 1.1 million, are concerned about a "possible escalation", said Majd Farhat, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sub-delegation there. The ICRC has diverted its imports from Hodeidah port to bring cargo to Sanaa airport and possibly soon by land from Oman, he told reporters by Skype. The agency is doubling its Yemen budget to 90 million Swiss francs ($90 million) and sending a second team of surgeons. Alexander Ventura, head of Yemen's mission for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said: "The health system is on the verge of collapse and medical services are under fire." (Additional reporting by Cecile Mantovani; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Louise Ireland)
Tirana (AFP) - Albania's political opposition blocked the country's main roads for more than an hour on Monday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, three months before a general election.

The right-wing opposition has been calling for the departure of the Socialist Party premier for more than 18 months in order to make way for a technical transitional government in the run-up to the June 19 vote.

Opposition parties, which are also boycotting parliament, have refused to take part in the election unless this transitional government is set up to ensure a free and fair poll.

They also accuse Rama of allowing the expansion of cannabis cultivation in Albania to raise money to manipulate voting.

Protesters blocked the entrances to highways as they waved Albanian flags and placards reading "Rama go!" and "We want a transitional government".

No incidents were reported during the protest, but police have warned organisers that they will be prosecuted if they "breach public order".

Lulzim Basha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, told supporters that they would continue their protest movement "until the resignation of the prime minister and the establishment of a transitional government".

Rama rejects the accusations against him and has refused to resign or postpone the election.

"The time has come to build a modern democratic European state and not block roads and institutions," he said.

He accuses the opposition of trying to hinder the implementation of judicial reform, a crucial step towards European Union accession.

His opponents have called a meeting of their supporters in the western city of Kavaja on May 7, when a local election is being held, to show their ability to block a poll.

Since the fall of Albanian communism in the early 1990s, the results of elections have often been contested by the losing side, including with street protests that have sometimes turned violent.

A NATO member since 2009, the poor Balkan country has become a candidate for EU membership and hopes to open negotiations by the year's end.
Rome (AFP) - Alitalia workers have rejected a restructuring deal from the company's management and unions to save the ailing carrier, Italian media reported Monday.

Almost 90 percent of its 12,500 employees had participated in a vote and more than half those taking part opposed the deal, with more than a third of ballots still to be counted.

They opposed a plan for 1,700 job losses and a 8 percent salary cut, despite the government saying over the weekend that there would be no alternative. The company's coffers are empty.

Italian press reports said Alitalia directors may as soon as Tuesday -- a public holiday in Italy -- ask the state to establish a "special administration" for a possible takeover or liquidation.

The company is de facto controlled by Etihad Airways, which acquired a 49 percent stake when it saved Alitalia from bankruptcy in 2014.

The pressure to find a solution has been intense, with Alitalia's liquidity expected to run out this month without emergency funding, leaving its fleet grounded.

Etihad and the Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit have said they would only inject new funds if the unions agree to the new collective labour agreement and cuts.

The Italian government, which acted as a mediator in negotiations, warned on April 18 that a "no" victory would not only be costly but potentially fatal for the company.

Alitalia has been hit hard by competition from low-cost companies and has been accumulating losses for years.
American Airlines has issued an apology after video showing the aftermath of an employee allegedly hitting a mother with a baby stroller went viral over the weekend.

Read: American Airlines Employee Suspended After Allegedly Hitting Woman With Stroller

"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 flight attendant at the center of the controversy has been suspended by the airline. The incident happened Friday on a flight from San Francisco to Dallas.

We have seen the video," the airline said. The flight attendant "has been removed from duty while we immediately investigate this incident.

The flight attendants' union, meanwhile, has expressed support for the man.

"We don't 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 judgement, APFA president Bob Ross said in a statement.

The woman, said to be from Argentina, 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.

You can't use violence with baby," the woman says in the video posted to Facebook by passenger Surian Adyanthaya. "Just give me back my stroller please."

Other passengers can be seen coming to the mom's defense, with one even threatening to knock the flight attendant "flat."

"You stay out of this," the worker snapped back, to which the passenger steps forward to confront the attendant.

Read: Passenger Dragged Off United Plane Identified; CEO 'Emphatically' Stands Behind Employees

"The flight attendant wrestled the stroller away from the woman, who was sobbing, holding one baby with the second baby in a car seat on the ground next to her," passenger Olivia Morgan, who was waiting to board the flight, told KTLA-TV. He stormed by me with the stroller and I said something like, 'What are you doing? You almost hit that baby!' And he yelled at me to 'stay out of it' just like he does in the video."

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American says on its website that a customer can carry a small collapsible stroller, but it must be checked at the gate. Bigger strollers must be checked in at the ticket counter, the site says.

The latest airplane incident comes two weeks after a Kentucky man was beaten and dragged off a 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.

Watch: Angry Passenger Shove Pilot in Airport Confrontation

Related Articles:
The first round of French presidential elections dominated the headlines this weekend, but the world continued to spin miles away from Paris.

In Ukraine on Sunday, an American paramedic working with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe was killed in eastern Ukraine when his vehicle hit a mine. Two others were injured. This is the first death of an OSCE official in the war in Ukraine that has taken over 10,000 lives.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expressed his condolences to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who reiterated the United States firm commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement, State Department acting spokesperson Mark Toner called on Russia to use its influence with the [Russian-backed] separatists to allow for a timely investigation into the death. Toner also urged Russia to use that same influence to encourage the separatists to take the first step toward peace to eastern Ukraine and ensure a visible, verifiable, and irreversible improvement in the security situation.

Russia, for its part, said the circumstances surrounding the death indicated it was likely a provocation.

But Russias seemingly immutable stance on eastern Ukraine is not the only one to watch from the Kremlin this week. On April 17, federal prosecutors launched an investigation into media reports on the alleged abduction, torture, and killing of gay men in Chechnya. On Monday, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the European Unions report on alleged violations of rights of gay men in Chechnya must be based on facts. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said theres no reason to doubt Chechnyas leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, when he said there were no abuses of gay people in Chechnya.

How, or whether, the international community responds is still to be seen. On Monday, Mogherini said the EU is ready to return to working strategically with Russia.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, nearing his 100 day mark, spent the weekend tweeting on the importance of jobs in the face of drastic environmental change; Mexicos alleged eventual payment for a border wall; and polls.

Vice President Mike Pence, who cut his trip to the Pacific short to deal with domestic matters, spent the weekend undoing damage Trump did with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shortly after his inauguration, reaffirming the refugee deal between the United States and Australia that set Trump off in the first place.

Photo credit: ALEKSEY FILIPPOV/AFP/Getty Images
(Reuters) - An American paramedic working for European security watchdog OSCE's monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine was killed and two others were injured on Sunday when their vehicle struck a mine, triggering a U.S. call for a transparent, timely investigation. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the killing was the first death of one of its members while on patrol in Ukraine, where more than 700 international observers help report on a simmering conflict that has deeply strained relations between Russia and the West. A 2015 ceasefire between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country is regularly violated, and Washington cites the conflict as a key obstacle to improved relations between Russia and the United States. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the killing underscored the increasingly dangerous conditions under which the OSCE mission operated, including grappling with "access restrictions, threats, and harassment." "The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent, and timely investigation," Toner said. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also spoke about the incident on Sunday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who offered his condolences. "This tragic incident makes clear the need for all sides - and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces - to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements immediately," Toner said. The Minsk peace agreement, brokered by France and Germany and signed by Russia and Ukraine in February 2015, calls for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line and constitutional reform to give eastern Ukraine more autonomy. But since the deal the sides appear stuck in a stalemate broken periodically by sharp resurgences of fighting that Kiev and the Kremlin accuse each other of instigating. Tillerson told Poroshenko that although Washington wanted better ties with Moscow, "Russias actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle," the State Department said. GERMAN, CZECH MONITORS WOUNDED The Ukrainian military said the blast took place at 10:17 local time (0317 ET) near the small village of Pryshyb, which is controlled by pro-Russian separatists. The OSCE said in addition to the death, two of its monitors were taken to the hospital. An Austrian foreign ministry spokesman said a German woman was injured. Austria holds the rotating presidency of the OSCE. Alexander Hug, the Special Monitoring Mission's Principal Deputy Chief Monitor, told reporters that the second injured person was from Czech Republic. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was appalled and her government expected the parties to investigate and determine who was responsible. "The conflict parties must also finally implement the long-agreed ceasefire," Merkel said in a statement. "And there, the Russia-supported separatists, who are illegally and violently occupying parts of Ukrainian territory bear a particular responsibility." The Russian foreign ministry said the circumstances pointed to likely provocation aimed at undermining the peace process. It urged the parties to the conflict to intensify direct talks. "We're deeply outraged by this cynical action, which led to the loss of human life and was directed against international observers who work for the sake of peace," the ministry said in a statement on its website. The 57 member states of the OSCE, which include Ukraine, Russia and the United States, in March extended its monitoring in Ukraine by a year. (Reporting by Phil Stewart in Washington, Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi in Zurich, Francois Murphy in Vienna, Pavel Polityuk in Kiev, Andrea Shalal in Berlin and Maria Kiselyova in Moscow; editing by Alexander Smith and Mary Milliken)
By Press Trust of India: officer calls it historic

(EDs: Updates with officer, political reax)

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court today directed the Kerala government to reinstate former DGP T P Senkumar, an order seen as a setback to the ruling LDF regime that had defended his transfer.

The apex court while setting aside the order of the Kerala High Court held that Senkumar was transferred from the post "arbitrarily".

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Senkumar was transferred from the post of Director General of Police(Law and Order) two days after the CPI(M)-led LDF government assumed office on May 25, 2016 and replaced by Loknath Behara.

Senkumar, who had alleged political vendetta by the new government for his transfer, hailed the verdict as a "historic victory."

The high court had upheld the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which did not find any fault with the state governments order to transfer the senior IPS officer from the post of state police chief. Senkumar had challenged the CAT order.

"We direct reinstatement of DGP T P Senkumar," a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said on an appeal by Senkumar against the high court verdict.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, claiming he had protected "erring" police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The state government had told the court that Senkumars transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to the April 10, 2016 incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.

On April 10 last year, when Senkumar was Keralas DGP, there was an explosion leading to a blaze after a fireworks display went wrong at Puttingal Temple in Kollam district. 110 people had died while over 300 were injured in the accident.

The Kerala government said it would do whatever has to be done legally after getting the copy of the apex court judgement.

Reacting to the court order, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government was yet to receive the full copy of the judgement.

"We are expecting to get it today itself. After getting it, we will do whatever has to be done legally," he told reporters in Kannur.

The verdict is seen as a setback to the 11-month old LDF government as the chief minister had all along defended the transfer of Senkumar, holding that the officer was not fit to hold that post.

Senkumar said: "It is a historic judgement... It is not only beneficial to me but also to the entire officers in the country who work honestly," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Senkumar, presently Director of Institute of Management in Governance in Thiruvananthapuram, said the judgement also showed that officers do not have to work under any pressure.

"It is the responsibility of all to implement the Supreme Court judgement. Let us wait and see what will happen," he said when asked whether the LDF government would take steps to reinstate him.

He also rejected the governments argument that there was a serious lapse in the investigation of the killing of a Dalit woman law student in Perumbavur last year when he was the DGP.

"Police did not try to arrest any person under pressure in the case. We waited till we got the scientific evidence," he said.

Senkumar had challenged the transfer before the CAT, which rejected his plea holding that there was no fault with the state governments decision. The CAT order was upheld by the Kerala High Court.

The officer, in his appeal before the supreme court, had stated that his transfer was an act of political vendetta as he had probed various political murders allegedly involving CPI(M) cadres, including the 2012 brutal slaying of RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan.

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The opposition Congress and BJP termed the apex court verdict as a major setback to the state government and said the chief minister has no moral right to continue in office.

Opposition leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the verdict was a "drubbing" to the LDF government.

"The chief minister has no moral right to continue in office", he said.

Echoing Chennithalas sentiments, BJP state president Kummanom Rajasekharan said the court order was a personal blow to Vijayan.

KPCC President M M Hassan demanded that the state government reappoint Senkumar as DGP as it was duty bound to implement the court order. PTI TEAM GSN GSN

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Luanda (AFP) - Angola's cabinet said on Monday that elections will be held on August 23 to choose a successor to President Eduardo dos Santos after 38 years of iron-fisted rule.

Dos Santos, 74, has been in power since 1979 and has announced that he will not contest the election. His ruling party's presidential candidate will be the current defence minister.

"At the suggestion of the president of the republic... the nation's cabinet on Monday approved August 23 as the date for Angola's general election," cabinet spokesman Joao Maria de Sousa said in a press conference broadcast on national radio.

Dos Santos must now formally trigger the legal process to stage the polls which will see up to 9.6 million Angolans cast ballots.

Joao Lourenco, the current defence minister, emerged in February as Dos Santos' chosen successor and is thought by analysts to be the most likely victor in August's contest.

The election is set to mark a new chapter for the oil-rich country as Dos Santos hands over power.

Dos Santos, who has dominated the Angolan government and the ruling MPLA party for decades, has been regularly accused of crushing dissent.

The MPLA has ruled since independence from Portugal in 1975.

About 50 protesters attended an unauthorised demonstration in Luanda on Monday calling for fair elections, with police arresting seven people who were each jailed for 45 days.

After constitutional changes in 2010, Angola does not directly elect a president but the leader of the winning party in the general elections automatically becomes head of state.

"All the political, parliamentary, financial, logistical and security conditions are in place for transparent and unhindered general elections," said Sousa, who also serves as the country's chief prosecutor, apparently quoting Dos Santos.

But opposition figures have raised doubts about the plans for the polls and suggested it is unlikely that they will be fair.
Washington (AFP) - Arkansas is rushing to execute a slew of prisoners this week before its cache of lethal drugs run out, despite intense criticism and legal challenges to the southern US state's plans.

What began as a macabre plan to put eight convicted murderers to death in 11 days -- a record, had it been carried out -- has now seen one prisoner executed and four win reprieves.

The US Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to deny staying the executions of all eight condemned inmates.

But with the clock still ticking, Arkansas authorities are preparing to administer lethal injections Monday to Marcel Williams and Jack Jones. Four days earlier, on Thursday, Ledell Lee was put to death in the state's first execution in more than a decade.

One more execution is scheduled for later in the week: Kenneth Williams, whose lawyers say he is intellectually disabled, on Thursday.

Arkansas's Republican governor Asa Hutchinson has said the accelerated execution timetable is necessary as the state's stock of a controversial sedative will expire at the end of the month.

The state attorney general, Leslie Rutledge, has pledged to overcome the stays and haul the convicts back into the death chamber.

Many of the legal clashes over Arkansas's plan focus on use of the drug midazolam, a sedative meant to render a condemned person unconscious before other drugs induce death.

Critics say it does not always adequately sedate prisoners, potentially causing undue suffering.

And McKesson Medical-Surgical, a distributor for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, had asked courts to ban the use of a paralytic it sells, vecuronium bromide, in the chemical cocktail used to kill prisoners.
By Steve Barnes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court denied last-minute appeals from one of two Arkansas killers scheduled for execution on Monday evening, clearing the way for the first of two back-to-back executions to proceed.

Jack Jones, 52, who raped and killed a woman in 1995 and left her 11-year-old daughter for dead, and Marcel Williams, 46, who kidnapped, raped and murdered a woman in 1997, were scheduled for lethal injection in what would be the first time in 17 years that a U.S. state executed two inmates on the same day.

The two men separately filed 11th-hour applications with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday afternoon seeking to have their executions halted. Such petitions are rarely granted.

Jones and Williams argued their obesity could expose them to unconstitutional pain and suffering if their death sentences included the sedative midazolam, one of three drugs the state uses for lethal injections.

In addition, Jones said the Arkansas Supreme Court applied the wrong standard of review in 1997 when considering whether a jury properly determined his death sentence.

Williams, meanwhile, also argued that his previous lawyers failed to present jurors with evidence of his difficult childhood, including sexual, physical and psychological abuse.

The court denied Jones' two stay requests without comment. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented from one of the two orders. Williams' petitions remained pending as of 6:30 p.m. CDT, less than two hours before he was scheduled to die.

The inmates' likelihood of success may have diminished with the recent appointment of conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Last week, the high court cleared the way for Arkansas to hold its first execution in 12 years, and the state executed murderer Ledell Lee.

Williams also filed an appeal with the Arkansas Supreme Court late on Monday, claiming his trial attorney plagiarized large swaths of his appellate brief without attribution.

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The last time a state executed two inmates on the same day was 2000 in Texas.

Jones was scheduled to be put to death on Monday at 7 p.m. CDT (0000 GMT) at the Cummins Unit prison, about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of the state capital, Little Rock, for killing 34-year-old Mary Phillips and trying to murder her young daughter. Jones also was convicted of rape and murder in Florida.

Williams was tentatively scheduled to be executed at 8:15 p.m. CDT (0115 GMT on Tuesday) for the murder of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson. He also abducted and raped two other women.

The condemned pair were among eight inmates that Arkansas had initially planned to execute in 11 days this month, prompted by the impending expiration date of the state's supplies of midazolam.

The drug was used in flawed executions in Oklahoma and Arizona, where witnesses said the inmates writhed in apparent pain on the gurney. No problems were reported in Lee's execution on Thursday.

Four of the planned executions have been put on hold by court order, including two pending the outcome of a case heard on Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The court's four liberal justices appeared sympathetic to the argument by Alabama death row inmate James McWilliams that he is entitled to a mental health assessment from an independent medical expert before he can be executed.

Arkansas has scheduled a final execution for April on Thursday.

The compressed schedule generated a wave of criticism and legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the company that distributes one of the drugs. McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc, a unit of McKesson Corp , said the state obtained its supplies under false pretenses, but the state's Supreme Court threw out that lawsuit last week.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott)
VARNER, Ark. (AP) -- Two inmates received lethal injections on the same gurney Monday night about three hours apart as Arkansas completed the nation's first double execution since 2000, just days after the state ended a nearly 12-year hiatus on administering capital punishment.

While the first inmate, Jack Jones, 52, was executed on schedule, shortly after 7 p.m., attorneys for the second, Marcel Williams, 46, convinced a federal judge minutes later to briefly delay his execution over concerns about how the earlier one was carried out. They claimed Jones "was moving his lips and gulping for air," an account the state's attorney general denied, but the judge lifted her stay about an hour later and Williams was pronounced dead at 10:33 p.m.

In the emergency filing, Williams' attorneys wrote that officials spent 45 minutes trying to place an IV line in Jones' neck before placing it elsewhere. It argued that Williams, who weighs 400 pounds, could have faced a "torturous" death because of his weight.

Intravenous lines are placed before witnesses are allowed access to the death chamber.

An Associated Press reporter who witnessed the execution said Jones moved his lips briefly after the midazolam was administered, and officials put a tongue depressor in his mouth intermittently for the first few minutes. His chest stopped moving two minutes after they checked for consciousness, and he was pronounced dead at 7:20 p.m.

Williams was already in the death chamber when the temporary stay was issued. He was escorted out of the chamber and used the restroom, then was brought back in after the stay was lifted.

Initially, Gov. Asa Hutchinson scheduled four double executions over an 11-day period in April. The eight executions would have been the most by a state in such a compressed period since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state said the executions needed to be carried out before its supply of one lethal injection drug expires on April 30.

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Besides the two executions Monday, Arkansas put to death one other inmate last week and has a final one scheduled for Thursday. Four others have been blocked.

Before last week, Arkansas hadn't had an execution since 2005 or a double execution since 1999.

Jones, who'd argued that his health conditions could lead to a painful death, gave a lengthy last statement. His final words were: "I'm sorry."

"I hope over time you can learn who I really am and I am not a monster," he said in the roughly 2-minute statement.

Williams declined to make a final statement.

Jones was sent to death row for the 1995 rape and killing of Mary Phillips. He strangled her with the cord to a coffee pot.

He was also convicted of attempting to kill Phillips' 11-year-old daughter and was convicted in another rape and killing in Florida.

Jones said earlier this month that he was ready for execution. He used a wheelchair and he'd had a leg amputated in prison because of diabetes.

Williams' "morbid obesity makes it likely that either the IV line cannot be placed or that it will be placed in error, thus causing substantial damage (like a collapsed lung)," his attorneys wrote in an earlier court filing asking justices to block the execution.

Both men were served last meals on Monday afternoon, Arkansas Department of Correction spokesman Solomon Graves said. Jones had fried chicken, potato logs with tartar sauce, beef jerky bites, three candy bars, a chocolate milkshake and fruit punch. Williams had fried chicken, banana pudding, nachos, two sodas and potato logs with ketchup, Graves said.

In recent pleadings before state and federal courts, the inmates said the three drugs Arkansas uses to execute prisoners  midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride  could be ineffective because of their poor health.

Williams weighed 400 pounds, was diabetic and had concerns that the execution team might not be able to find a suitable vein to support an intravenous line.

The poor health of both men, their lawyers claimed, could make it difficult for them to respond during a consciousness check following a megadose of midazolam. The state shouldn't risk giving them drugs to stop their lungs and hearts if they aren't unconscious, they have told courts.

The last state to put more than one inmate to death on the same day was Texas, which executed two killers in August 2000. Oklahoma planned a double execution in 2014 but scrapped plans for the second one after the execution of Clayton Lockett went awry.

Arkansas executed four men in an eight-day period in 1960. The only quicker pace included quadruple executions in 1926 and 1930.

Williams was sent to death row for the 1994 rape and killing of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson, whom he kidnapped from a gas station in central Arkansas.

Authorities said Williams abducted and raped two other women in the days before he was arrested in Errickson's death. Williams admitted responsibility to the state Parole Board last month.

"I wish I could take it back, but I can't," Williams told the board.

In a letter earlier this month, Jones said he was ready to be killed by the state. The letter, which his attorney read aloud at his clemency hearing, went on to say: "I shall not ask to be forgiven, for I haven't the right."

Including Jones and Williams, nine people have been executed in the United States this year, four in Texas, three in Arkansas and one each in Missouri and Virginia. Last year, 20 people were executed, down from 98 in 1999 and the lowest number since 14 in 1991, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Bleed contributed to this report from Little Rock.

___

Follow Andrew DeMillo at www.twitter.com/ademillo and Kelly P. Kissel at www.twitter.com/kisselap
Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - Islam Maytat thought marrying an Afghan-British businessman was her ticket to a new life as a fashionista in London. Instead she became a widow living under jihadist rule in Syria.

At just 23, the young Moroccan spent three traumatic years in northern Syria under the Islamic State group's so-called "caliphate".

Tens of thousands of foreigners have joined jihadist groups in Syria, including women who are encouraged to marry and raise the children of IS fighters.

Some, like Maytat, have been lured unknowingly into marriages with would-be jihadists.

Maytat spoke to AFP after fleeing IS's northern stronghold of Raqa to territory controlled by a US-backed alliance fighting the extremist group.

Now safe in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, Maytat holds her gurgling 10-month-old daughter Maria in her lap as she tells her story.

"Meeting my husband was one of the things that motivated me to study fashion design in Europe, but I had no luck. Everything went wrong," she said.

She first met Khalil Ahmed -- an Afghan-British trader who worked in Dubai -- online in early 2014, and they married two months later.

He flew to Morocco to marry her and they then went to Dubai, stepping into a complex web of lies and journeys across the Middle East that would eventually take her to Syria.

- 'Going to the caliphate' -

Ahmed proved to be a strict, controlling husband who did not allow her to wear makeup or bright clothes.

After a brief trip to Afghanistan to meet his family, Maytat was eager to get to London and start working as a stylist.

Ahmed proposed travelling to Istanbul, convincing a reluctant Maytat that it would be easier to move to London from there.

But as soon as they landed in Turkey, Ahmed immediately drove her to the southeastern city of Gaziantep near the border with Syria.

Ankara has long been accused of turning a blind eye to IS fighters using the porous Syrian-Turkish border to transport people, goods, and funds -- allegations it vehemently denies.

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In Gaziantep, Maytat and Ahmed moved into a large house full of ecstatic couples from countries including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and France.

"I asked them 'Why are you here?' And they told me they were there to migrate to the caliphate in Syria," Maytat recalls.

In June 2014, IS declared a self-styled "caliphate" across Syria and Iraq, where it implemented its literal interpretation of Islamic law.

"I began to cry. It was two weeks after the caliphate was declared and the women kept saying 'We're going to the land of the caliphate, the land of the Muslims', and they were all happy," Maytat says.

In August, Ahmed and Maytat made their own journey across the border into war-ravaged northern Syria.

- 'I had no choice' -

They settled in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, where Ahmed's brother was already living with his family.

"I said to my husband 'Why did you destroy my life like this? You should have told me from the beginning that this is what we were going to do'," Maytat recalls.

"And he said 'You're my wife -- you have to listen to what I say'."

Tears welling, Maytat says she had felt powerless to resist Ahmed, her only link to her previous life.

By September, she was pregnant with her first child -- Abdullah -- and Ahmed was sent to a month-long military training before deploying to IS's front in Kobane.

On October 8, 2014, Ahmed's brother told Maytat her husband had been killed in combat.

"I became more depressed. I said to myself, this is the only person I knew in this foreign land, and now I'm alone here," she tells AFP.

Pregnant and alone, Maytat moved into a shared "guest house" for widows of jihadists, mostly Uzbeks and Russians.

This is when the military training started.

"When they forced us to do weapons training I was pregnant, but I had no choice," she says.

Unable to communicate with many other widows, Maytat was allowed to move into a building housing other Arabic-speakers.

"There were French, Tunisians, Moroccans and Algerians. I stayed there until I gave birth to Abdullah."

- 'Secret route' to safety -

Less than a year after her first husband died, Maytat remarried in order to escape the shelter.

Her second husband, an Afghan known as Abu Abdullah, took her to Raqa, the de facto capital of IS's caliphate.

"I couldn't deal with life there -- he wouldn't let me leave the house -- so I asked him for a divorce two months later," she says.

She then married for the third time in three years, this time to an Indian fighter in Raqa known as Abu Talha al-Hindi.

That 18-month marriage produced her daughter, Maria.

When Maytat learned Abu Talha had been killed battling the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, she joined up with another jihadist widow, a Yazidi woman.

They escaped IS territory via "a secret route" that she refused to divulge.

Traumatised by her past, Maytat is now also worried about her future and that of her two young children.

"I still don't know what to do with my life.

"I hope to return to Morocco with both of my children, but I don't know if I'll have a future or not there."
Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers staged a tearful demonstration Monday to mark the anniversary of a factory disaster that killed 1,138 people, demanding justice for the victims and better pay.

Four years later, no one has yet been convicted over the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory complex in one of the world's worst industrial tragedies.

Another 2,000 people were wounded in the disaster, which sent shockwaves across the world and highlighted the failure of many top Western fashion brands to protect workers in the poor developing countries where their goods are manufactured.

"If four years are not enough to punish the culprits, bring them to us: we will find justice for ourselves," said Marium Akter, whose daughter Shieuly died in the disaster, as she laid a wreath at the site.

"I don't need any compensation any more. I want Sohel Rana to be hanged," she said, referring to the owner of the factory complex who has been charged with murder.

A court last year ordered that Rana and 40 others, including factory officials and government inspectors, should face trial for murder. They are accused of falsely certifying the factory complex as safe.

Thousands of textile workers were forced to enter the building to start shifts even though some expressed fears after noticing cracks in the structure.

Bangladesh has 4,500 textile factories, shipping some $30 billion worth of garments -- the second largest exporter after China -- but only a few hundred of these have been certified as safe.

Authorities have provided compensation for the 3,000 victims, including the injured and families of the dead, but many survivors say it is not enough.

"I would rather die than live like this," said Nilufa Begum, who was rescued 10 hours after the factory collapsed and still needs crutches.

"I want to live like a normal human being," said the 37-year-old, adding she had spent 450,000 taka ($5,700) on treatment.

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Many survivors were in tears as they protested at Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka, and at a state-run graveyard where many of the workers were buried.

Security was tight, with hundreds of police and a water cannon deployed.

"Why do they have a water cannon? We came here to honour our departed brothers and sisters," said one angry garment worker.

Some shouted slogans demanding an increase in the basic monthly wage of $68 for the country's four million garment workers.

"Bangladeshi workers are the worst paid in the world. We want minimum monthly wages of $200 to have a decent living," Saiful Islam, a union leader, told AFP.

A survey last week by global charity Action Aid of more than 1,400 Rana Plana survivors found nearly half were still jobless while roughly 31 percent were too traumatised to work.

In the wake of the disaster, authorities pledged to improve working conditions at factories but accidents are still commonplace.

Even as workers rallied for safer conditions on Monday a boiler explosion at a factory in the western district of Kushtia killed two workers, said local police chief Shahabuddin Chowdhury.

In September a fire at a factory just miles from Rana Plaza claimed 34 lives.
When you think of beautiful architecture, you probably don't think of emoji. But that could change, thanks to architect Changiz Tehrani.

He designed a building in the Netherlands that features 22 concrete-casted emoji as decorative flair. The idea resulted from Tehrani's musings about what he could include on the building that would mark it as from the 21st century.

When you think about it like that, emoji actually make a lot of sense.

SEE ALSO: The brain interprets sarcasm in emoji the same way as in words, study shows

Image: Bart van Hoek/Attika Architekten

Image: Bart van Hoek/Attika Architekten

According to The Verge, the emoji will only appear on one side of the multi-use building. It will feature ground-floor shops with apartments on top, and is located in a square that also features a library and a school.

"Theres all these young people there, and emoji is a thing of now," Tehrani told The Verge in reference to the school that's close to the building. The students sit in the square and have lunch and they take pictures. They like it. And with our architecture we always like to put in small details that makes the project a little bit more than a boring building.

Image: BART VAN HOEK/ATTIKA ARCHITEKTEN

Attika Architekten, the Dutch firm behind the emoji building, based the emoji off the ones on WhatsApp. They created each emoji into a 3D model, then had them made into molds which were then used to cast them into concrete.

I dont know if older people recognize the emoji, Tehrani said to The Verge. But if you have a smartphone, you will have seen them.

Image: BART VAN HOEK/ATTIKA ARCHITEKTEN

Overall, Tehrani feels the emoji have been received positively. He also isn't worried about the emoji losing value as they inevitably fade away as a trend.

Its like with Facebook," Tehrani expressed. "Facebook used to be cool and now its just for older people. So maybe we wont use emoji in 10 years  thats fine. Its still from our time.

Let's hear it for emoji  the gift our particular moment in history gave the human race.

WATCH: Samsung only needed 1 emoji to destroy this guy's dick pic joke
By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Apr 24 (PTI) The Bombay High Court today said the the Maharashtra government should consider setting up a high power committee to look into the grievances of resident doctors in the state-run hospitals to ensure that they do not resort to strikes.

A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice GS Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Afak Mandaviya against a strike called by the doctors in March.

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Nearly 4,000 doctors had stayed away from work during the strike, demanding an enhanced security for themselves in the wake of a string of attacks on their colleagues by the relatives of patients at government hospitals across the state.

The bench was today informed by Additional Government Pleader Milind More that security was strengthened at all the hospitals and it was decided that daily meetings would be held between the resident doctors and hospital managements.

"We want the government to set up a high power committee to address the grievances of the resident doctors. Once the committee is formed, all the problems will be solved," said Chief Justice Chellur.

More told the court that he would take instructions from the government department concerned and inform the court on the next date of hearing.

He also submitted CCTV footages of two incidents, where the resident doctors of Dhule and Thane civil hospitals were allegedly attacked by the relatives of patients.

The court said it would keep the CDs containing the footages with a sealed report until the next date of hearing in June. PTI SP RMT RC BAS

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President Trump held a video conference with NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station on Monday, in part to congratulate Commander Peggy Whitson on her record-setting 535th day in space. Briefly, however, the conversation turned to a less dignified topic.

Trump, flanked by NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and his daughter Ivanka, was speaking from the Oval Office to Whitson and Colonel Jack Fischer about the conditions in space. Whitson gave an example of one of the ways in which astronauts are able to close the life support system.

Water is such a precious resource up here that we also are cleaning up our urine and making it drinkable, Whitson revealed. And its really not as bad as it sounds.

Well, thats good, Trump, a self-proclaimed germophobe, responded. Im glad to hear that. Better you than me.

The president seemed eager to abandon that particular subject, and was far more amenable to discussing sending humans to Mars. Told that it would be at least 2030 until such a mission would be feasible, Trump encouraged the astronauts to make haste.

Well, we want to try and do it during my first term, or at worst during my second term, Trump responded. So well have to speed that up a little, okay?

Read more from Yahoo News:

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 Photos: March for Science events around the globe
KHOST, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Suspected Taliban insurgents on Monday attacked a U.S.-operated base in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost, officials said, but gave few immediate details of an assault that coincided with a visit to Kabul by U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis. The attackers had detonated a car bomb at an entrance to Camp Chapman, a secretive facility manned by U.S. forces and private military contractors, said Mubarez Mohammad Zadran, a spokesman for the provincial governor. But he had little immediate information on any damage or casualties. "I am aware of a car bomb attack at one of the gates in the U.S. base, but we are not allowed there to get more details," the spokesman said. A spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Capt. William Salvin, confirmed the car bomb attack. He said there appeared to be a number of Afghan casualties but none among U.S. or coalition personnel at the base. The attack came just three days after more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed in an attack on their base by Taliban fighters disguised in military uniforms. (Reporting by Ahmad Shah and Josh Smith; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
As the search for a woman and her stepgrandson who vanished at the bottom of the Grand Canyon grows increasingly desperate, the last known photos of the duo have emerged.

LouAnn Merrell, 62, and her stepgrandson, Jackson Standefer, 14, have been missing in the Arizona park since April 15.

Watch: 15-Year-Old Girl Found Alive a Month After Disappearing with Teacher

While search teams have yet to find the pair, they did find Standefer's backpack, which had a GoPro mounted on it. The camera carried the last photos of the woman and the teen.

Their concerned family members have since released the images to the public.

Merrell, the wife of famed boot-maker Randy Merrell, was on a multi-day hike with her stepgrandson and the boys mother when she and the boy lost their footing while crossing a creek and were swept away by water.

The National Parks Service has engaged in a search by land, water and air. In addition to search teams on the ground, an inflatable motor boat and a helicopter were joined by multiple drones Monday.

The drones, which are about 18 inches across and 10 inches high and are flown by operators who watch the video in real time before analyzing it, were deployed for several days but have since been taken off the search after coming up empty.

While the NPS has scaled back the search, family members say they are "still praying for a miracle."

"We as a family appreciate the National Park Services efforts in the search," Mark McOmie wrote in a Facebook post. "The search consists of community outreach and routine back country patrols at this time.

Watch: Mom and 2 Kids Missing After Mother Goes on Blind Date

"We pray they find something to help us gain closure... we remain hopeful. We would like to thank the National Park Service for their diligent search efforts."

Family members have yet to speak out on the matter. However, McOmie told InsideEdition.com that a celebration of life event will be held Wednesday at the school Jackson attended.

Story continues

Watch: Man Who Found Teen Girl Who Disappeared With Teacher: She Looked Depressed

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The New York Times

Olivia Dunne is a gymnast on Louisiana States womens team. She was an All-American in her freshman year and made the Southeastern Conferences honor roll as a sophomore majoring in interdisciplinary studies. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Before the start of her junior season, Dunne is also at the leading edge of a movement shaking the old foundations of college sports: a female student athlete raking in cash thanks to the passage in 2021 of new rules allowing colle
Meghan Addison Butler decided to ditch bouquets for puppies in her wedding day photo shoot.

The North Carolina bride, who was married last month, came up with the idea after seeing another bride do a similar photo shoot in the fall.

Read: Heartbroken Dog Thinks Stuffed Animals Are Puppies After Hers Died During Birth

One of my bridesmaids works for the SPCA. She helped us find the last dog that we adopted and she was like this [photo shoot] is right up your alley, Butler told insideEdition.com.

She contacted Brittany Boland, owner of Discover Love Studios, to shoot the big day and the SPCA agreed to send over eight pups.

The canines were so young that they werent even able to be put down during the shoot.

Half of the puppies were really sleepy and cuddly and then you had some that were squirming and wanted to lick on you and love on you, Butler said.

Each girl lovingly held a dog in what Butler said was the most relaxing part of her day.

It was really a big stress relief. You are so busy on the wedding day. We were all so calm and it was just wonderful, she said.

Read: Man Sends Birthday Cards Every Year to Dog Shared With Estranged Wife

Butler said she hopes her photo shoot will spread awareness about all the dogs that need a loving home.

"People have already started calling the SPCA to adopt since we've done the photo shoot," Butler said.

Watch: Suspected Hoarder Gives Up 74 Puppies and Dogs After Being Overwhelmed

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Could shining bright lights on comatose patients to encourage their natural circadian rhythms help them awaken? A small study from Austria says yes.

The body's ability to awaken from a coma after severe brain injury is tied to its maintenance of its natural circadian rhythms, according to the study, which included 18 patients in various unconscious states.

The scientists found that the chances of regaining consciousness may improve once the body falls back into its natural, healthy cycle of rising and falling body temperatures throughout the day. [The 7 Biggest Mysteries of the Human Body]

The scientists also found that, in a subset of eight patients, two showed increased levels of consciousness after a treatment with carefully timed bright lights that were intended to trigger circadian rhythm activity and natural daily body-temperature fluctuations.

"[T]he closer the body-temperature patterns of a severely brain-injured person are to those of a healthy person's circadian rhythm, the better they scored on tests of recovery from coma," said study leader Christine Blume, a postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory for Sleep & Consciousness Research at the University of Salzburg in Austria.

The new findings are very preliminary, but they suggest that monitoring circadian rhythms may one day serve as a diagnostic tool to monitor a comatose patient's chance for recovery, the researchers said. In addition, therapies aimed at tweaking those rhythms may ease patients into a more aware state, the research team wrote, in their study, published today (April 19) in the journal Neurology.

Circadian rhythms are daily cycles that tell the body when to eat, sleep or wake. They are set by environmental cues, such as daylight and nightfall. In healthy people, these rhythms include small changes in body temperature. Generally, body temperature increases during the day, with a peak at about 4 p.m., and decreases during the night, with the low point occurring at about 4 a.m., Blume said.

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For the new study, the researchers monitored 18 people with severe brain injuries. Some were diagnosed with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, also called a vegetative state. People in this state have awakened from a coma (which is a state of complete unconsciousness), and may open their eyes and have periods of sleep but otherwise remain unresponsive. Other patients in the study were in a minimally conscious state, meaning that they showed some signs of awareness.

For one week, the researchers continually monitored the body temperatures of these study participants with external skin sensors. They also evaluated the level of consciousness for each person with the Coma Recovery Scale, measuring things such as their responses to sound and their ability to open their eyes with or without stimulation. They found that the patients who scored better on that scale also had body temperature patterns that more closely aligned with a healthy 24-hour rhythm.

Then, the researchers tried to nudge eight of the patients back into a more natural temperature cycle. The researchers exposed these patients to cyclical periods of bright light stimulation over the course of a week. Two participants responded positively to this therapy, expressing increased signs of consciousness.

Blume cautioned, however, that her team's study sample, comprising only eight patients, was too small to show whether the light stimulation is a beneficial therapeutic tool to help patients with brain injuries regain alertness and awareness. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]

"This is promising, but preliminary, and should be investigated in a larger cohort," Blume told Live Science.

"We indeed hope we can encourage the cycle to return," Blume added. "We therefore encourage doctors to create an environment in the hospital that mimics the natural cycle of light during the day and darkness during the night  especially, daylight lamps may be helpful."

Follow Christopher Wanjek @wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge. Wanjek is the author of "Food at Work" and "Bad Medicine." His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on Live Science.

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Washington (AFP) - Brexit spearhead Nigel Farage on Monday said France's far-right anti-immigration firebrand Marine Le Pen could score a shock upset in her country's upcoming presidential election run-off against European centrist Emmanuel Macron.

"There is still all to play for," Farage, the former UK Independence Party leader who has praised both Le Pen and populist US President Donald Trump, told Fox News.

"And given last year -- Brexit, Trump and all sorts of surprises -- don't write this off," he said about Le Pen's chances.

The odds are stacked against Le Pen in her underdog race against clear favorite Macron, whom polling suggests would win the May 7 final-round vote by some 20 percentage points.

Farage said he was not "calling it" for Le Pen, but predicted the gap between the two candidates will "narrow considerably" in the next two weeks.

"This is a big battle of two huge cultural ideals: one, the globalists who believe in open borders, and the other, those who believe in nation states and protecting their people," he told the US network.

Trump, meanwhile, has made no public comment on Sunday's first-round results.

His chief of staff, Reince Priebus, said Trump has not endorsed any French candidate and will support whoever wins next month.

"We've got a long-term relationship that's historical with the French people and the French government. And no matter who wins, that relationship is going to continue," Priebus told NBC News on Sunday.
By Kaye Foley

Legendary actor Burt Reynolds has been working in Hollywood for nearly six decades. At 81, he still knows how to command a scene on the silver screen. His latest film, Dog Years, the tale of an aging movie star, is debuting at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.

Reynolds sat down with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric to talk about his new film, its parallels to his own life and career, the roles he regrets turning down and his friendship with President Trump.

RELATED: Burt Reynolds on aging in Hollywood

Reynolds plays Vic Edwards, an actor whose story is similar to Reynolds own life and career, from his choice in movie roles to his reputation as a ladies man. He said its right on the money showing the difficulties of aging in Hollywood.

I am wrestling with that, he said. But it must be good because Im getting all kinds of offers. I think they like the struggling actor. He works harder.

Reynolds famous 1972 nude centerfold photo in Cosmopolitan magazine makes an appearance in the movie. At the time, there was some backlash to the photo, but all 1.5 million copies of the magazine were sold. Still, Reynolds told Couric he regrets it.

I look back on it and shudder, Reynolds said. What an ass  an egomaniac would do something like that.

Reynolds joked that hes probably done about 50 good movies and 50 bad ones, but of all his films, his favorite is Smokey and the Bandit.

There was Sally, who I hadnt met before. I fell in like, and I fell in love, Reynolds said of his Smokey and the Bandit co-star and former flame, Sally Field.

RELATED: Why Burt Reynolds thinks George Clooney should play him in Smokey and the Bandit  remake

Over the course of his long career, Reynolds turned down some iconic roles, including James Bond and Han Solo.

I would have done a good job, Reynolds told Couric about the Bond role, saying that missed opportunity hurts the most.

RELATED: What Burt Reynolds would do if he werent an actor

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Reynolds spoke with Couric about some of his past loves, including his ex-wife, Loni Anderson, Dinah Shore and Field.

I screwed it up, like I did everything else, Reynolds said of his relationship with Field, the one he says got away. I should have stayed with her. She was terrific. She had everything  talent, sweet, two great kids. She was wonderful.

Reynolds also spoke with Couric about President Trump and the 2016 election. Hes friendly with both Trump and Hillary Clinton, so he found it difficult when it came time to vote. Although Reynolds said he thinks Clinton would have been a good president, he voted for Trump.

It was real close, but I voted for Trump, Reynolds said. I thought that he would grow with the job and get better. And I pray that Im right.

Hes done a couple of good things and hes done a couple of bad things. We have to get rid of the bad things  he has to realize its not about ego.

RELATED: Burt Reynolds on Trump: He has to realize its not about ego

Reynolds told Couric that he has no plans to retire.

Im going to keep working until they shoot me and take me off and bury me, he joked. And I hope they film it.
By Press Trust of India: Los Angeles, Apr 24 (PTI) Feeling low? Try hiking or spending time outdoors, say scientists who have found that engaging with natural environment contributes to a persons overall well-being.

Researchers, including those from Oregon State University (OSU) in the US, analysed results from more than 4,400 respondents to an online survey.

They used about 13 different metrics to illustrate the relationship between overall life satisfaction and engaging with the natural environment.

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Among those metrics were community activities, access to wild resources, stress eased by time outdoors, and trust in policymakers.

Researchers found that 11 of the 13 had a positive correlation to overall life satisfaction.

They quantified the relationship between well-being and six common mechanisms by which nature affects 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.

"The links between ecological conditions, like drinking water and air quality, and objective well-being have been studied quite a bit," said Kelly Biedenweg of OSU.

"However, the connection between various aspects of engaging the natural environment and overall subjective well- being have rarely been looked at," Biedenweg said.

"We wanted to identify the relative importance of diverse, nature-oriented experiences on a persons overall life satisfaction assessment and statistically prove the relationship between happiness/life satisfaction and engaging with nature in many different ways," she said.

"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," she 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," Biedenweg said.

The study was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. PTI APA SAR SAR

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Yaounde (AFP) - A Cameroon military tribunal on Monday sentenced a Radio France International correspondent to 10 years in prison for what it said was his "failure to denounce acts of terrorism."

Amnesty International quickly condemned Ahmed Abba's sentence -- he was further convicted of "laundering the proceeds of terrorist acts," and was fined a sum equivalent to around 85,000 euros.

The journalist faces an additional five years' jail if he fails to pay. His defence team said they would appeal.

Abba had denied all the charges.

The prosecution had demanded a life sentence for the reporter, who works for RFI's Hausa language service, and there were initial fears he might even face a death sentence.

Authorities believe Abba, who says he was tortured for three months by intelligence agents before being transferred to a jail, collaborated with Boko Haram and failed to pass on information about planned attacks.

Amnesty International said the sentence was "a travesty of justice.

"Ahmed Abba's conviction, after torture and an unfair trial, is clear evidence that Cameroons military courts are not competent to try civilians and should not have," the rights group said.

Abba, who had been reporting out of the troubled north of the country, a region repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram, was arrested in July 2015 in the far northern town of Maroua.
Montreal (AFP) - Ontario has launched a pilot program to provide a guaranteed basic income to a few thousand people to test its effects on recipients and public finances, the Canadian province announced Monday.

Provincial Premier Kathleen Wynne said the program would provide a "basic income" for three years to 4,000 people living under the poverty line.

"We want to find out whether a basic income makes a positive impact in people's lives," Wynne said, adding that "everyone should benefit from Ontario's economic growth."

Income support payments will be as high as Can$16,989 ($12,582, or 11,600 euros) a year for an individual, or Can$24,027 for a couple, plus an additional Can$6,000 for the disabled.

The figures will be reduced for those holding part-time jobs -- they will receive 50 cents less for each dollar earned.

As a concrete example, a single person with a yearly salary of Can$10,000 will receive an additional payment of Can$11,989.

The 4,000 participants, aged 18 to 65, have been chosen at random in three cities: Hamilton and Lindsay in the Toronto suburbs and Thunder Bay in the province's west.

The province estimates the cost of the program at Can$50 million a year.

Ontario is the most heavily populated Canadian province, with 38 percent of the country's 36.5 million inhabitants.

Thirteen percent of Ontario residents live below the poverty line, according to Statistics Canada.

A first assessment of the pilot project is due just over a year from now, shortly before local, provincial and federal elections in Canada, according to Wynne's Liberal government.

Similar experiments with guaranteed basic income are being tried in Finland and Kenya.

In Canada, the cities of Winnipeg and Dauphin in Manitoba province experimented with guaranteed income in the 1970s, but then dropped the idea.
By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) - Adults who don't have an increased risk of hepatitis C infection should not be tested for it, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommended today. The Task Force found no evidence that screening low-risk adults would be beneficial. Also, it said, screening all adults would require a lot of resources. "For the average Canadian at average risk, dont screen," said Task Force member Dr. Roland Grad, who chaired the group that crafted the new recommendation. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with chronic hepatitis C are often symptom-free for many years, but they can end up with severe liver disease. Based on its review of the evidence, published in the journal CMAJ, the Task Force estimates a one-time screening of 100,000 Canadians would find 199 chronic hepatitis C infections and save about 40 lives, but at a substantial cost. The Task Force says just focusing on screening people with symptoms and signs of hepatitis C would find 91 cases among every 100,000 Canadians. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) - the Canadian Task Force's counterpart in the United States - also reserves hepatitis C screenings for people at an increased risk of infection, including current or former injection drug users, people who were incarcerated, and those who've spent time in places where the infection is common. The USPSTF also recommends one-time hepatitis C screening for anyone born between 1945 and 1965. It says these individuals are at higher risk for hepatitis C, possibly due to blood transfusions and other exposures long ago. "At the moment, we cant make a recommendation for all Canadians regardless of what year you were born in to be screened for hepatitis C," said Grad, who is also affiliated with McGill University in Montreal. He said the prevalence of hepatitis C in Canada is different than that of the U.S. population. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care writes that between 220,000 and 245,000 people in the country have a chronic hepatitis C infection. In the U.S., the CDC puts that number at 3.1 million. Grad added that unlike the USPSTF, the Canadian Task Force takes finances and resources into account when creating its recommendations. The Canadian Task Force says recommending against universal screening allows the country to focus its resources on testing those at highest risk for the infection. Dr. Ellie Carmody, who was not involved with the new recommendation, says the recommendation against screening may be relevant to Canada, but the USPSTF's recommendation is right for the U.S. "Screening in the U.S., particularly among the baby boomers, is and continues to be a priority," said Carmody, who is an assistant professor of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. "Canada is in a different circumstance and at greater resource constraints and a lower prevalence of hepatitis C (and) that changes the risk-benefit profile of screening," she told Reuters Health. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2q83PES CMAJ, online April 24, 2017.
By Ben Blanchard and Ju-min Park

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all sides to exercise restraint on Monday in a telephone call about North Korea with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Japan conducted exercises with a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.

Trump sent the carrier group for exercises in waters off the Korean peninsula as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea said on Monday the deployment was "an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade".

"The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act," Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary on Monday.

"What's only laid for aggressors is dead bodies," the newspaper said.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

Worry that North Korea could be preparing to conduct another nuclear test or launch more ballistic missiles has increased as it prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.

China is North Korea's sole major ally but has been angered by its nuclear and missile programmes and is frustrated by its belligerence.

China, which has repeatedly called for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, is worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated, impoverished neighbour.

Story continues

Trump, in his phone call with Xi, criticised North Koreas "continued belligerence" and emphasised that its actions "are destabilising the Korean peninsula", the White House said.

"The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programmes, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said.

Xi told Trump China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, China's foreign ministry said.

China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation", the Chinese ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi.

The call between the presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for their countries and the world, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

'FULLY READY'

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, speaking on NBC's "Today" programme, said the United States and the international community were maintaining pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but were "not trying to pick a fight with him".

Asked whether a preemptive strike was under consideration, she said: "We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something."

"If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that. But right now, we're saying 'don't test, don't use nuclear missiles, don't try and do any more actions', and I think he's understanding that. And China's helping really put that pressure on him."

Trump also spoke by telephone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe later told reporters. "We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly."

A Japanese official said the phone call between Trump and Abe was not prompted by any specific change in the situation.

Envoys on the North Korean nuclear issue from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is but U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days".

South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun gave no details about the South's plan to join the U.S. carrier group for exercises, apart from saying Seoul was holding discussions with the U.S. Navy.

"The South Korean and U.S. militaries are fully ready for North Korea's nuclear test," Moon said.

South Korean and U.S. officials have feared for some time that North Korea's sixth nuclear test could be imminent.

Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week.

However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations.

Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country.

(Additional reporting by Takashi Umekawa and Linda Sieg in TOKYO, James Pearson in SEOUL, Philip Wen and Michael Martina in BEIJING, and Steve Holland, Susan Heavey in WASHINGTON; Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel)
By Will Boggs MD (Reuters Health) - Death of a sibling in childhood is associated with a greater risk of early death in the surviving brother or sister, researchers say. "The public should be aware of childrens vulnerability after experiencing sibling loss, especially in the first year and for siblings of same sex or close age, Dr. Yongfu Yu from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark told Reuters Health by email. Tailored social support may help to reduce the level of grief and minimize potential adverse health effects on the bereaved individuals. As many as 8 percent of Americans experience the death of a brother or sister in childhood. Loss of a sibling in adulthood has been linked with death of the surviving sibling, but little is known about the association of sibling death in childhood with the subsequent risk of death in the bereaved siblings. Yus team studied data from Danish and Swedish national registries on nearly 56,000 people who, when they were older than 6 months but younger than 18 years, had lost a sibling. For these individuals, the risk of dying over the next 37 years was 71 percent higher than it was for individuals who did not experience the death of a sibling in childhood. Children who experienced the death of a sibling had an especially increased risk of death from the same cause as their deceased sibling, including a much higher risk of suicide, the research team reported in JAMA Pediatrics. The strongest associations between childhood sibling death and subsequent risk of dying were in the first year after the sibling had died, and when the bereaved sibling was the same sex as the sibling who died. The link was also stronger for males than for females and when the siblings were less than two years apart in age. As this study was carried out in Denmark and Sweden, the increased mortality risk findings might be less likely caused by the lack of material or health care needs, Yu speculated. More death events could reflect genetic susceptibility, direct impacts on bereaved children by psychological stress . . . and indirect impacts through parents and other family members reactions such as behavioral changes. Further research on social environment and family characteristics might help identify the most vulnerable subgroups of bereaved children, as well as other family members, Yu said. The underlying pathways that link this life event and the increased mortality risk needs to be further investigated. In an editorial published with the report, Dr. James M. Bolton and colleagues from University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada point out that for adults, research has shown specialized grief psychotherapy to be helpful, but theres not much data on effective treatments for grieving children and adolescents. Efforts to . . . determine effective interventions among youth who experience the death of a sibling are paramount to prevent the excess risk of mental disorders and death seen in this vulnerable group, they conclude. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2psZz6E JAMA Pediatrics, online April 24, 2017.
MANILA/BEIJING (Reuters) - Twenty-nine Chinese steel firms have had their licenses revoked as Beijing kept up its campaign to tackle overcapacity in the sector and days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would open a probe into cheap steel exports from China and elsewhere. Analysts say the revocations were unlikely to be a direct response to Trump's plan, but rather a part of China's reform measures aimed at reducing surplus steel capacity that many estimate at around 300 million tonnes, about three times Japan's annual output. The official China Daily said Washington's move to investigate steel imports could trigger a trade dispute between the United States and its trading partners. In Japan, the world's second-biggest steel producer after China, the head of its steelmakers' group expressed concern over Trump's protectionist policy. "We are greatly concerned over Trump's protectionism, although we hear he has softened his tone on some issues with a grasp of reality," Japan Iron and Steel Federation chairman Kosei Shindo told a news conference on Monday. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a list on Monday of 29 firms that will be removed from its official register of steel enterprises. Most have already stopped producing steel, but some had illegally expanded production or violated state closure orders. "It's all enveloped in this strategy to improve the financial condition of the industry which has been weighed down by excess capacity for some time, partly as a result of inefficient operations," said Daniel Hynes, commodity strategist at ANZ. China is aiming to shed between 100 million to 150 million tonnes of excess capacity over the 2016-2020 period. It also plans to shut around 100 million tonnes of low-grade steel production by the end of June. On Monday, another 40 steel firms have been asked to make changes in areas such as environmental protection and safety. The majority of the companies were accused of failing to comply with emergency output restrictions during heavy pollution periods, and they must fully "rectify" their violations within a prescribed period, the industry ministry said, without giving a specific time frame. Hynes said China may take a more gradual approach in shutting inefficient mills rather than force "a lot of closures at once" and cause a spike in steel prices, which is what happened in the third quarter last year. China set up an official steel firm register in 2009 to impose order on the poorly regulated industry and to help companies during price negotiations with iron ore suppliers overseas. The register was also supposed to identify the mergers and closures required to meet a target to put 60 percent of China's steel capacity in the hands of its 10 biggest producers by the end of 2015. However, industry consolidation rates actually fell to 34.2 percent over the 2011-2015 period, from 48.6 percent in the previous five-year period, and China has now pushed back the 60 percent target until 2025. According to figures published by the official China Metallurgical News earlier this month, 292 out of a total of 635 firms in 12 provinces and cities have already ceased production or shut down completely. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr in Manila and Beijing Monitoring Desk; Editing by Tom Hogue and Christian Schmollinger)
By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - China has proposed tightening the rules on when countries can impose anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs, saying their use was rising and that such charges were often misused and distorted international trade. In a filing published by the World Trade Organization on Monday, China said it wanted to stop anti-dumping measures from "over-reaching" and becoming permanent, giving special consideration to small- and medium-sized firms, and imposing tougher standards for the use of such tariffs. The five-page proposal is unlikely to get the required unanimous support of the body's 164 members, and may be flatly rejected by the United States, where Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has been a fierce critic of China's trade practices. The proposal, which trade diplomats had anticipated for months, may seek to divert attention from Chinese fishing subsidies, which are under fire in negotiations at the same WTO committee. Global pressure on fisheries is high because U.N. Sustainable Development Goals include a target to eliminate certain fishing subsidies by 2020, and many trade diplomats hope an agreement could come at a WTO ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires in December. China is accused of unfairly subsidizing a huge and far-flung fishing fleet and, together with India and Russia, has sought to link the WTO negotiations on fish to a wider reform of the rules on using tariffs to counter unfair trade practices. The United States told the WTO in 2014 that China had 30 undeclared fisheries support programs, and it has repeatedly demanded more transparency and accused China of moving too slowly. "China is currently sorting out fisheries subsidies and will carry out research based on the results of and the progress made in relevant work," China said in its latest written response to U.S. questions on subsidies, published by the WTO on Monday. Beyond fisheries, the United States has submitted a 584-page document to the WTO, spelling out many of the economic programs that Washington says China should have notified to the WTO. (Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
By Alexander Cornwell DUBAI (Reuters) - The number of Chinese and Russian visitors to Dubai surged in the first three months of the year, boosted by the United Arab Emirates' recent decision to grant visas on arrival to citizens of the two countries. Overnight Chinese visitors jumped 64 percent to 230,000 in the three months to March 31, making it Dubai's fourth largest source market during the period, Dubai's tourism department said on Monday. Overnight Russian visitors rose by 106 percent to 126,000. "We knew that there is huge potential there for us to capitalize on," Dubai Tourism Chief Executive Issam Abdul Rahim Kazim told Reuters in an interview ahead of the release of the Q1 numbers. Tourism is a key sector for the glitzy Middle East citystate which has spent billions of dollars trying to attract visitors with sites like the world's tallest tower. The overall number of overnight foreign visitors increased by 11 percent to 4.57 million in the quarter compared to the same period a year ago with India and Saudi Arabia holding as the first and second largest source markets, respectively. "We've been focusing a lot on family tourism being our priority," Kazim said. Last September, the UAE announced it was granting visas on arrival to holders of Chinese passports and the same policy was introduced for Russians in January. The increasing number of Chinese and Russian visitors is likely to be welcomed in Dubai where growth slowed last year due to low oil prices and sluggish global trade. China is the world's largest outbound tourism market with Chinese travelers spending $261 billion in 2016, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Russia used to be a major source market for Dubai until its economy slipped into a recession in 2015 under pressure from sanctions and low oil prices. State-owned budget carrier flydubai is planning to add flights to Russia after the number of Russian passengers traveling to Dubai increased in the first quarter. "It's a huge market for Dubai," flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghatih told Reuters on Monday. However, Dubai is set to lose some direct flights to the United States, a top 10 source market, following Emirates' decision this month to cancel some services from May. Kazim said the tourism department would have to increase efforts in other markets to "compensate if there is any drop from the U.S." Along with China and Russia, Dubai is targeting South Korea, Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet states as growth source markets. Dubai has said it expects 20 million visitors by 2020, up from 14.9 million in 2016. (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
By Press Trust of India: Srinagar, Apr 24 (PTI) Twenty four people, including 12 security personnel, were injured today in clashes between stone-pelting students and law enforcing agencies in the heart of Srinagar, on a day colleges reopened in Kashmir after a five-day shutdown ordered by the government.

The upmarket Residency Road and adjoining M A Road here turned into a virtual battleground as students clashed with police shortly after colleges reopened.

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A police spokesman said the security forces came under heavy stone-pelting which resulted in injuries to 12 personnel including three officers.

"The miscreants and the students pelted stones on Traffic Headquarters and attacked police vehicles with stones clubs and lathis. The police showed utmost restraint," he said.

"Some boys involved in stone-pelting were caught on the spot and detained by police," the spokesman said, adding the mob was dispersed and normalcy restored in the area.

Other officials said several students, passersby and a photojournalist were also hurt in the clashes.

Police had to fire dozens of tear smoke shells in an attempt to disperse the protesting students from S P College and Womens College on M A Road, the officials said.

The clashes began from S P College and soon spread to the adjoining areas, the officials said.

The students from nearby Womens College also joined the protests, which spread to other parts of the commercial hub including Lal Chowk, Red cross road and Maisuma, they said.

The clashes led to closure of shops in the prime commercial hub and the people rushed to safer locations, the officials said.

The violence was witnessed on a day the colleges reopened in the valley after a gap of five days.

The authorities had shut the higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of widespread violence by the students in Kashmir on Monday against the alleged high handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15. PTI MIJ TA AKK

--- ENDS ---
After an election like no other, many celebrities around the world with a strong social media presence have been either outspoken or eerily silent about their thoughts when it comes to politics.

Christian Bale might not do it for the 'gram, but he did open up a bit with The Daily Beast while promoting his upcoming film The Promiseand the conversation revealed a bit about the Oscar winning actor's political thoughts in today's climate.

SEE ALSO: Trolls are lashing out at Christian Bale's new movie before it even premieres

The controversial film finds the English actor playing a journalist in the Ottoman empire (now Turkey) during the country's 1915 mass killings of millions of Armenians. In the interview, he discusses the "post-truth era" he says we're currently living in, in regards to people constantly questioning facts and the importance of a free press.

"Well, [the U.S. presidential election] was happening as we were filming," Bale told The Daily Beast. "We shot this towards the end of 2015, so that was happening and then becoming more and more relevant," he explained.

When the topic of the disappearance of free press under dictators came up, Bale had a succinct response that managed to throw shade at President Donald Trump: "Its like were watching somebody reading a Dictatorship for Dummies book," he said.

"I remember prior to the election I thought it was batshit crazy that people would talk about how therell be 'a revolution in appreciation of what we have and not taking it for granted,' and you think no way in hell," he explained.

"But were here, and you think, well OK, thats your best bet, isnt it? So the hope is that journalism becomes more exceptional than it has been in decades, and that we start to recognize and treasure itto treasure so many different things," Bale said.

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Bale discusses other topics, including his portrayal of former vice president Dick Cheney in an upcoming film with The Big Short director Adam McKay and how he hopes audiences leave both politically charged films ready for "conversation, education, and hopefully compassion..."

(H/T The Daily Beast)

WATCH: Prince Harry is refreshingly honest about seeking counselling after his mother's death
Washington (AFP) - Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday called the detention of a US citizen by North Korea a display of muscle-flexing by the country's "flailing" leader.

Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested Saturday at Pyongyang's airport as he was about to leave the country after a teaching stint at a university founded by evangelical Christians.

Haley said the action was an attempt by Kim Jong-Un's regime to use the American as a bargaining chip amid heightened international tensions over its nuclear and missile programs.

"What we're dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now," she said on CBS This Morning.

"And I think what he's trying to do is show his citizens that he has muscle, whether it's through his rhetoric or whether it's through his actions," she added.

The United States is still gathering information about the latest incident, the ambassador said.

Kim is the third American held in North Korea.

"We always want to get every citizen out alive and healthy and make sure that they're being treated properly," she said. "And so those are the things we'll start to work on."

Although vague about what course of action Washington might pursue in Kim's case, Haley said it is looking to China to maintain pressure on North Korea.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday talked with China's President Xi Jinping, who urged "restraint" on North Korea, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson to the western Pacific as tensions have escalated over a series of North Korean missile tests and signs it may be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

US officials have warned that "all options are on the table" in dealing with the North Korean threat but have so far relied on China to rein in its unpredictable ally.

"I think you're gonna continue to see pressure on North Korea," Haley said.

"We have said, for quite a while now, that the United States is not looking for a fight," she added. "So North Korea doesn't need to give us a reason to have one. And I think that they're panicking right now."
The pharmaceutical company Mylan has developed a reputation for fighting tooth-and-nail to promote its flagship product, the EpiPen.

Mylan has contended that its intensive marketing efforts save lives. But over the past year, the public has started to question whether the companys business tactics are in line with the best interests of patients.

Now STAT has learned of yet another previously unreported legal maneuver employed by the company to force one state to drive even more sales to its EpiPen, an epinephrine auto-injector used to halt potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.

The case played out in West Virginia when the state tried to save taxpayers an estimated one million dollars by encouraging doctors to prescribe an alternative to the EpiPen. In a 2015 lawsuit that escaped public attention until now, Mylan sued the state to halt the changes.

Hundreds of pages of court documents examined by STAT detail an effort by Mylan to compel the state to give the EpiPen coveted preferred status among its Medicaid drug offerings, which West Virginia had decided to give to a different epinephrine auto-injector instead.

That status would mean that the device would be paid for by Medicaid, no questions asked, while Medicaid recipients would have to get special approval for coverage of different devices.

Three lawyers who reviewed the case at the request of STAT said they could not think of another instance when a pharmaceutical company sued to protect the status of its medication on a state formulary.

This is another really good example of how Mylan has attempted to use the law to their advantage at every turn to expand their market share, said Rachel Sachs, an associate professor at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law who specializes in health law.

Its another in a series of controversies that have dogged Mylan, which first entered the spotlight for raising the price of EpiPen by 450 percent since 2004. Since then the company has faced criticism for allegedly overcharging state Medicaid departments for the drug, suing a competitor who tried to introduce a generic EpiPen, and offering deeply discounted EpiPens to schools on the condition that they not purchase competing products.

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Initially, Mylans lawsuit didnt succeed  but then the company had a stroke of luck. The competing product was voluntarily taken off the market, and in its place, the EpiPen regained preferred status, which it maintained in West Virginia until this year.

Mylan declined to comment for this story.

Seeking coveted status

West Virginias experience is pertinent for the rest of the nation because the case dealt with an arcane but powerful pharmaceutical policy tool many states have. The tool, called a preferred drug list, is used by state Medicaid programs to keep drug costs down.

If multiple drugs treat the same condition, then states can pick some to put on the preferred list, which means that Medicaid will automatically pay for them. If a drug isnt on the list, the patient needs to get prior authorization from the Medicaid program for it to be covered. The intention of these lists is to encourage doctors to prescribe the preferred products.

In order to secure this preferred status, drug companies offer states a discounted price  and if drugs are equally effective, then states often prefer the cheaper ones.

Read more: Mylan extends its EpiPen recall to the US and many other parts of the world

Pharmaceutical companies fought against these lists from the beginning. PhRMA, the industry interest group, filed lawsuits seeking to prevent states from using preferred drug lists in the early 2000s, with at least one suit making it all the way up the Supreme Court. Decisions in the courts affirmed that its okay for states to establish such lists, which now most states maintain.

In the winter of 2015, the committee of doctors, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals that determines that list in West Virginia voted to take the EpiPen off of the preferred list and replace it with the Auvi-Q, an epinephrine auto-injector resembling a deck of cards that at the time was marketed by Sanofi. (It has since been re-introduced by Kaleo.) It has a speaker that gives voice instructions once it is removed from its case.

But just a few days before the change was scheduled to take place, Mylan filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, seeking to prevent this modification to the list from going into effect.

We believe that the [committee] made an improper illegal decision when it moved to replace the EpiPen with [the Auvi-Q], an attorney for Mylan said before a West Virginia circuit court judge at a hearing on March 31, 2015. Mylan argued that, even though the committee held an open meeting where they voted on the change, the real decision happened in private.

The state disagreed that any such decision was made behind closed doors, characterizing Mylans actions are purely profit-seeking.

This action seeks to do one thing: Protect a pharmaceutical giants market share to the detriment of the West Virginia Medicaid program and create a monopoly over a specific class of drug in this State, West Virginias attorneys argued in a motion to dismiss the case.

Vicki Cunningham, West Virginias director of pharmacy services who is a non-voting member of the committee that made the decision, said at the hearing that the state would save right around a million dollars because of the change. She did not specify whether those savings were one-time or annual.

I believe Auvi-Q is a product thats much more user-friendly, easier to carry on your person and have available in emergency, and considerably less expensive than EpiPen, Cunningham said.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources declined to comment for this story.

Read more: Mylan may have violated antitrust law in its EpiPen sales to schools, legal experts say

Legal experts told STAT this would be a hard case for Mylan to win because judges often defer to the decisions of administrative committees.

Youve got to have a lot of money to bring a lawsuit when your prospects of victory are not that high, said Bill von Oehsen, a Washington, D.C. lawyer who practices health law. For me, thats a sign that weve got pretty well-financed company here that they can pay for a lawsuit like this.

Mylan sought a preliminary injunction, which would have forced the state to keep the EpiPen as a preferred drug while the company continued to litigate over the issue of the secret decision-making process. In order to achieve this, Mylan needed to prove that it would suffer irreparable harm.

The company argued that removing their drug from the list would cause harm by taking a bite out of their market share, and also by damaging their reputation  in their companys home state  and putting patients at risk.

If EpiPen is removed from the preferred category I believe that Mylan Speciality will experience harm to its reputation and loss of goodwill among patients and medical professionals, said Roger Graham, the president of Mylan Specialty, the division of the company that markets the EpiPen, in a sworn affidavit. Among other things, I believe that at least some patients and medical professionals will transfer the anger and frustration resulting from this change to Mylan Specialty or EpiPen.

Mylan also argued that patients might be harmed by this change.

Graham, in his sworn affidavit, said that switching a patient from one [epinephrine auto-injector] to another risks confusing ingrained behaviors in the products administration and places the patient at risk during emergency situations.

Just a few weeks after the hearing, a published study indicated that the opposite may be true  patients familiar with an older version of the EpiPen who tried to use an Auvi-Q in a simulated setting were actually more successful with the new device.

The day after the hearing, the judge issued an order denying Mylans request for a preliminary injunction, saying that Mylan did not provide evidence that the decision was made in secret, and noting that states are better equipped than pharmaceutical companies, who have a vested financial interest, to choose which drugs to put on the preferred drug list.

In short order, Mylan appealed the case to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

The case of Minnesota

Multiple lawyers who reviewed the case for STAT couldnt name another time a pharmaceutical company had sued to protect their state formulary status.

But there is evidence that Mylan was closely monitoring formulary changes in other states as well.

When, on April 22, 2015, the state of Minnesota announced a decision to move the EpiPen off of its preferred drug list in favor of the Auvi-Q, it cited price as the motivating factor.

Epipen products are at a significant price premium to other epinephrine auto-injectors that are just as effective and easy to use, the update reads.

In July, an attorney sent a letter on behalf of Mylan urging Minnesota to put EpiPen back in the preferred category, claiming that failure to do so may put patients at risk.

Read more: Mylan is sued by consumers who claim PBM rebates are really kickbacks

I hope to resolve this issue amicably with [the state], the attorney wrote on behalf of Mylan. Please understand, however, that Mylan Specialty is prepared to take all appropriate action necessary to mitigate the health risk to Medicaid patients in Minnesota who are affected by [this] decision if we are unsuccessful in obtaining a reversal of [this] decision.

Representatives of Mylan later met with state officials, but the state didnt back down, keeping EpiPen off the preferred list, according to documents provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

The department is not aware of any action by Mylan against them, a spokesperson said.

Feeling price pressure

These changes happened before any of the public outcry about the high price of EpiPens, which began last summer.

The lawsuit itself shows that states have been dealing with these problems, and insurers have been dealing with these problems, for a lot longer, Sachs said. Now patients have finally realized these are real concerns, but it just goes to show that states have been asking these questions and trying to figure out how to deal with them for quite some time.

Meanwhile, the Auvi-Q was having some troubles of its own. Twenty-six unconfirmed reports of the device not delivering the right amount of epinephrine led to the product being taken off the market in the fall of 2015.

Soon after, the legal appeals in West Virginia were withdrawn, and the case fizzled out. By the beginning of 2016, the EpiPen returned to being one of the state Medicaid programs preferred drug in both Minnesota and West Virginia.

In the years since, more and more state Medicaid programs have moved the EpiPen off of preferred status in the wake of outcry over the drugs price. As of April 1, 2017, the EpiPen is again deemed not preferred in the state of West Virginia.
Maine police took some unlikely suspects into custody over the weekend after they were wreaking havoc in a womans garage and eating all her cat food.

Read: Mom Arrested After Cops Find 4 Tigers, Cougar, Fox and Skunk Roaming Free in Her Home

Louis and Mowgli are the names of the two pygmy goats apprehended by the Belfast Police Department Sunday morning.

Ive never had passengers like that before, arresting officer Sgt. Daniel Fitzpatrick told InsideEdition.com of his pygmy perps. They were very personable, so it was nice.

Fitzpatrick explained the two pygmy goats were wandering free around the town when a local decided to corral them and keep them in her garage until she found their owners.

What seemed like a good idea took a turn for the worst when Louis and Mowgli started jumping up and down on her cat cages, eating her cats food and wandering around.

Thats when she called the local police department to pick up the two adorable intruders.

She led us to her garage and I look out there expecting to see full-size goats and then there were these two, what I thought, were baby goats, Fitzpatrick said. We attached them to the cat leashes [and they] walked to the cruiser and just jumped on in.

He posted their pictures to their Facebook page, and hoped someone would recognize the goats quickly. Instead, he spent the rest of his morning driving around with Louis and Mowgli in the back seat and feeding them carrots and celery.

The young white one was serenading me with this goat music and the other one seems to have fallen asleep, he said.

Read: On the Moove: Runaway Cow Charges Police Officer Who Tried to Corral It Into Gated Area

By the afternoon, the goats owner had realized Louis and Mowgli were missing and contacted the police department to pick them up with leashes of their own.

Occasionally we have farmer animals  goats, sheep, horses  and we kind of corral them back in with the help of the owners, but this was the first time weve had goats with us driving around, Fitzpatrick said. I do plan on checking in with them later on.

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Watch: Hound-ini: Meet the Canine Escape Artist Who Masterfully Broke Out of Kennel

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North Korea has been the focus of global attention and anxiety over the past few weeks. The countrys nuclear and missile capabilities, and increasingly strong statements from U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have raised global concerns about the possibility of open war on the Korea Peninsula. While people are right to be worried, the seeds of a diplomatic solution could be forming  if the Trump administration is thoughtful and disciplined enough to seize the opportunity, and if the White Houses bluster is in fact calculated. Big ifs, to be sure, but the threat of military force may motivate both China and North Korea to consider deals in a way they have not been willing to up until now.

For well over a decade, North Korea has calculated (correctly) that Beijing, Seoul, and Washington would all choose relative stability and conflict avoidance over taking military action to end North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. The threat of North Korean nuclear weapons, the argument goes, contains a risk of disaster  but attacking North Korea to prevent its programs from advancing is a sure-fire calamity. Casualty estimates from just the first few days of fighting the Korean Wars sequel is enough to sober up even the most bloodthirsty chest thumper.

For its part too, Beijing has bet (again correctly) that the United States was not prepared to put its economic and political relations with Beijing at risk in order to prevent a fully armed, nuclear Pyongyang from coming to be. Past statements from multiple administrations that North Koreas nuclear actions are unacceptable have not proven true. Washington has been willing to accept them in order to not upset the economic vitality and military balance in the region. If these programs were truly unacceptable, efforts to convince China to throw North Korea under the bus would have included stronger trade sanctions and embargoes on China long ago.

What has changed? Well, to be sure, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accelerated and prioritized nuclear and missile programs even more than his father and grandfather did. There was a good chance that both of them were willing to trade nuclear missiles for real world security guarantees and economic assistance to ensure the survival of the regime. But nuclear-armed missiles are Kim Jong Uns insurance policy. Finding anyone in the U.S. career political intelligence community who believes Kim will give up his nuclear program is like finding Red Sox fans in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium: They might be there, but they are not brave enough to brag about their beliefs.

Into this Korean standoff, America is now inserting Trumps bellicose tweets and Secretary of State Rex Tillersons confused and conflicting statements. A combination of bravado and bad reporting by the media has created a dangerous dynamic in East Asia. People in Beijing, Seoul, and possibly even Pyongyang are worried about Trump being just irrational (or politically desperate) enough to take preventive military action. Ask any Korean expert how many calls he or she has taken from parents, friends, and long-lost college roommates asking if a war is about to happen, and youll see.

This increased risk-taking can, however, pay off. It is a classic game of chicken, where the driver willing to appear and act irrational can gain an advantage. Despite what many have said for decades, the North Koreans are dangerous and criminal, but they are neither crazy nor irrational. And now this regime in Pyongyang has to worry about just how far Trumps America might go. Reports indicate that China is leaning on Pyongyang harder than in years and that Japan and planning to deal with a post-conflict or post-collapse North Korea. Maybe, just maybe, the instability caused by Trump can pay off.

But there is a catch. In chicken, playing the irrational actor can work to your advantage if you are, in fact, rational. While the president is being criticized for flipping on a variety of foreign and domestic policy issues, from the North American Free Trade Agreement to Syria to health care, North Korea is one issue where taking tough but then offering a diplomatic way out would make sense. The challenge now is that the Trump team, short of top officials and staff and still only now getting a policy process in place, have a lot of moving parts to coordinate  as evidenced by its failure to know whether the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was going east or west. The administration also has to be willing to work its way out of the corner it has tweeted itself into. On this score, Trumps supporters have been flexible, and it appears the president has the political space to make a deal with the North, and get credit for being willing to do so.

Trump has helped turn North Koreas annual demonstrations of military capability into a crisis. Now the challenge is to turn the crisis into a solution. If not already done, the Trump administration needs to decide if it is prepared to negotiate with North Korea and to what end? Is the United States prepared to accept a freeze as an interim step toward denuclearization, or does the progress have to come all at once? If a freeze, how will it be verified and what will and wont be permitted? And if a freeze is the goal, how will the Trump team navigate how a freeze that accepts some level of nuclear capability in the North will add to the growing pressure for nuclear weapons in South Korea. If the latter, then what is the United States prepared to give to North Korea and China to get it, how long would such a process take, and is the end state continued standoff or a truly new balance on the Korean peninsula? These are massively difficult questions. Despite criticism of the Obama administrations approach of strategic patience (which looks a lot like the new teams approach, regardless of what the White House wants to call it), the last administration spent a lot of time planning for what would happen if the United States failed on the Korean Peninsula and if, against our own predictions, we succeeded. It is past time for the Trump team to have similar plans in place.

Photo credit: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images
"Great corporate culture" has become a leading job selection criterion. Corporate culture encompasses the values and behaviors that contribute to the unique environment of a company. Establishing (or at least advertising) a desirable corporate culture is a goal of leading employers who want to attract the best talent to their company. It is so important that 85 percent of the S&P 500 have at least one or more pages dedicated to promoting their corporate culture on their respective websites, according to a 2013 study of office culture. Yet, human resources managers cite cultural mismatches as the primary factor contributing to turnover of employees.

[See: 25 Best Business Jobs for 2017.]

Clearly, there is a disconnect between what is advertised during the interview process and what is the reality of the company culture. Here are three strategies to help you assess the corporate culture of a prospective company and to thrive in the role after you start.

Research Strategically. Most of us would never buy a car based on looking at the sales brochure alone. We would take a test drive, look at online reviews of its performance, value and reliability, and likely talk to friends who have the same car before making a final decision. Yet, many job seekers make their decision based only on the brochure -- what the website, management and employees portray during the interview process. Before you accept a role, do your due diligence.

Start by reaching out to any connections you may have at that company and inquire about their experience. Sample questions should include: How is performance/success measured? What are the core beliefs -- customer first, employee first, management first, profits first? How are changes communicated from management? What have been some recent changes? How are decisions made? What is the average tenure of co-workers? What is the general office culture? You may also want to ask customers or competitors of the firm their thoughts, as well. Cast a wide net to get as much information as possible to see if the company lines up with your goals and beliefs.

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Next, use online resources like Glassdoor as well as the company website and social media to get a more in-depth view of the organization. Make sure to research multiple angles -- especially for a company that has some negative online reviews. In general, happy employees don't take the time to go post on Glassdoor that they are happy. However, a couple of disgruntled employees who were recently terminated may spend hours trying to ruin a company's reputation. Be sure to consider the source and factor in varied viewpoints.

[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]

Read Between the Lines. Once you have learned enough to feel good about the company, it's time to move forward with the interview process. Use your in-person interviews not just to compete for the job, but also to observe the corporate culture in action. If you wait in the lobby before a meeting, look around to see how colleagues interact. Do employees seem happy and motivated? Are they relating in a way that is ideal for you? Take time to notice not just words, but body language and the physical surroundings. This can show you a lot about the corporate lifestyle of the company. If you have the chance to be interviewed by two people at once, it is also helpful to see how they treat one another. These "micro messages" paint a more realistic picture of the culture than the website. Watch carefully to make sure it mirrors your values.

Consider the questions you are asked during interviews. Are they questions you would ask? Do they try to bring out the best in you or test how you handle stress? Are they big-picture or very task-focused? Do you feel the process is effective in assessing your ability to perform? No matter how rigorous the process, if the culture is a match for you, you should respect and trust the company more with each interaction. If the process is causing you to doubt or question if you are valued, that may be a sign of a mismatch. If this process has strengthened your interest in the role, most likely, you have found an ideal culture.

[See: The 10 Most Common Interview Questions.]

Successful Integration. Put your research and observations to work once you start a new role. With every career change, you have the chance to establish yourself in the most ideal way. Start by asking your manager or a trusted mentor a few questions about best practices at the firm. For example, do new employees jump right in with their ideas in a team meeting, or do managers primarily speak? Do people make small talk or do they focus on their work independently until lunch? Are people formal in their communication or more familiar? Learning some of the "unspoken" rules allows a more rapid transition from newcomer to trusted colleague. Look for patterns and behaviors that seem effective in your department. And, use every opportunity to meet people in person in your first weeks on the job. Trust and rapport are created most rapidly that way.

Feeling valued and working with others who we trust are universal desires of productive employees. However, each of us is unique in what behaviors and communication patterns make us feel valued, safe and inspired. A great work culture is not "one-size-fits-all." The key is to understand individual needs and ensure they will be met in a new role. This is an active process, but yields the best results in picking the right job and thriving over the long term.

Robin Reshwan is the founder of Collegial Services, a consulting and staffing firm that connects college students and business professionals with the organizations that hire them. She has interviewed, placed and hired thousands of people across a broad spectrum of companies and industries. She is a Careers contributor for U.S. News and World Report and her career tips and advice have been used by national clubs, associations and businesses in addition to media outlets such as Yahoo, Business Insider, Fast Company, Monster, Kiplinger and Schools.com. Robin is also a frequent speaker on professional development for the alumni associations at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and University of California, Davis, plus the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary's College of California. A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Robin has been honored as a Professional Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women's Association.
The lawyer for United passenger David Dao said a face-to-face apology from the airlines CEO wouldnt mean much after his client was dragged off the plane like a sack of potatoes.

Probably not very far, said attorney Thomas Demetrio when asked on Mondays Today show how far an apology from United CEO Oscar Munoz would go. Mr. Munoz had that opportunity to publicly apologize, and then he didnt, then he called the doctor belligerent, then he finally said mea culpa, so were past the stage of needing  Munoz to say anything.

Dao was dragged off an overbooked United flight after refusing to volunteer to give up his seat on April 9. The videos taken by fellow passengers sparking outrage as the 69-year-old doctor lost two front teeth and suffered a concussion and damaged sinuses.

Demetrio said he was not negotiating with United but that he had accepted a new client in the woman whose interaction with an American Airlines flight attendant went viral over the weekend. Demetrio said he wasnt sure if there would be a lawsuit in that case, but there definitely would be in Daos.

Were hoping that Dr. Dao being taken off that plane like a sack of potatoes is going to resonate with people, said Demetrio, and this latest incident with American Airlines will resonate with people. We live in the age of cellphone video, and corporations have to take heed.

Demetrio said there may be more video that emerges to further explain the situation and that Dao was in no way belligerent or disruptive as Munoz had originally emailed to United employees the day after the incident.

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Unthinkable tragedy struck a New York City neighborhood over the weekend when a fire left five dead, including four juveniles.

The fast-moving blaze ripped through a Queens home Sunday afternoon, trapping victims ages 2 to 20 inside despite the heroic efforts of the New York Fire Department.

Watch: Arsonist Accidentally Catches Fire, Causing More Damage to Himself Than Business

"Our members arrived at just four minutes and met with a house completely consumed by fire," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. "They valiantly pushed behind the hose line and unfortunately, they recovered all of the people from there."

Fire officials said a person driving by spotted flames and called 911.

"Bunch of fire, smoke, people running around, one witness told WCBS. Another said: "It was something like in the house, like either exploding or breaking or just blowing up or something."

Neighbors reportedly watched in horror as the badly burned bodies of children were carried out of the home.

Chayce Green had just turned 2 when he perished in the blaze while his grandfather, 46-year-old Maurice Matthews, survived.

Matthews' 10-year-old son, Rashawn Matthews, died as did their 16-year-old relative, Jada. A 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old woman were also killed, police said.

The tragedy left the New York City community so shaken that Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed the fire Sunday.

It was a fire that moved very, very quickly, and the loss was horrendous, de Blasio said. "This is the devastation of a family... Theres a lot we need to know about what happened here."

Watch: At Least 30 Killed in Oakland Warehouse Fire as Officials Continue to Search

One witness described something "either exploding or breaking or just blowing up" prior to the blaze.

However, the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Watch: Nearly 200 Squealing Pigs Are Rescued By Firefighters From Burning Building

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Left-wing extremism (LWE) or Naxal violence has been the biggest killer of our security forces if we go by the data of the past decade.

By Santosh Chaubey: The ghastly Naxal attack on our Central Reserve Police Force personnel (CRPF) jawans in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district is the biggest Naxal attack on the CRPF in the last seven years.

The last such attack was on June 29, 2010, when a Maoist ambush had killed 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district.

According to the eyewitness accounts of the injured soldiers, a group of around 300 Naxals, organised in different teams, ambushed a road opening party of the CRPF in Sukma, part of the south Bastar region which is among the worst Naxal-affected areas.

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According to the injured soldiers, the group of 90 CRPF soldiers did respond to the indiscriminate firing by the Naxalites, claiming to kill many of them but details are yet to come.

Left-wing extremism (LWE) or Maoist terrorism or Naxal violence, in fact, has been the biggest killer of our security forces if we go by the data of the past decade.

HOW RED TERROR HAS BLED INDIA: According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a data-driven website on terrorism in South Asia, since 2004, 3912 security forces personnel have martyred in India in different theatres of conflict, in Jammu & Kashmir, in our north-eastern part of the country and in the Naxal corridors of India. The portal has maintained records of the Naxal violence since 2005 and according to the data available there, 1885 security forces personnel have lost their lives in Naxal attacks. The data on the site is updated till April 16 this year. So today's death toll makes it 1914 lives lost in the Left-wing extremism in India. That casualty count is much higher than even the most debated theatre of conflict in India - Jammu & Kashmir. In the same period, since 2004, according to the SATP, 1369 security forces personnel lost their lives in Jammu & Kashmir, a significantly higher numbers, but much lower when we see it in comparison with the 1914 lives lost in the Maoist violence in the same period. The north-eastern part of India comprising eight states, ie, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura and Sikkim, is the third major theatre of conflict where the fatality rate of our forces is quite high. The SATP data since 2004 shows that till now, 609 soldiers have lost their lives in north-east terrorist violence. A 2016 report by the US Department of State found the outlawed CPI(Maoist) the deadliest terror outfit of India, joining the deadliest terror outfits of the world in terms of violence they perpetrated. Maoist violence was ranked fourth after the Taliban, the Islamic State and Nigeria's Boko Haram. According to the report, the Maoist violence had killed 176 people in 2015 in 343 terror incidents.

Also read:

Sukma attack: 26 CRPF jawans killed, 7 missing in worst Naxal attack in years

PM Modi on Sukma attack: Sacrifice of CRPF jawans will not go in vain

Also watch:

Sukma attack: Naxals came in hundreds, attacked in different groups, says injured jawan

--- ENDS ---
By Lisa Lambert WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has been reworking student lending since her appointment in February, raising concerns among Democrats that she will undo former President Barack Obama's overhaul of college financial aid. On Monday, 21 state attorneys general, all Democrats, wrote to Republican DeVos decrying her decision to end the Education Department's work on reforming loan servicing, steps intended to ensure that borrowers understand their outstanding debt and repayment options. "We should be looking for ways to ease the burden of student debt, not enabling the student loan servicing industry to manipulate and exploit students," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. Under Democrat Obama, much of the $1.3 trillion business of student lending was moved from banks and other companies to the federal government. Four companies still handle servicing the loans. Last year the department began working on restrictions as well as incentives to ensure those servicers follow the law. In March, the Consumer Federation of America reported that $137 billion in student loans were in default. In an April 11 memo announcing she was stopping reform efforts, DeVos, appointed by President Donald Trump, wrote the process had been riddled with "moving deadlines, changing requirements and a lack of consistent objectives." "We now find ourselves in a situation where we must promptly address not only these shortcomings but also any other issues that may impede our ability to ensure borrowers do not experience deficiencies in service," DeVos wrote, according to a version published on the department website. The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter from the attorneys general. The head of the Democratic National Committee, former Labor Secretary Tom Perez, said DeVos' decision was intended to boost the profits of big corporations and counteract Obama's reforms. Republicans say the U.S. government should get out of the business of making student loans. In January, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the largest loan servicer, Navient Corp, over allegations it cheated borrowers by deceiving them about repayment options and their rights. Illinois and Washington also sued the company, which was spun off of Sallie Mae in 2014. Navient said the bureau, created under Obama to protect people from fraud, sued because it would not settle a CFPB investigation right before Trump took office. The U.S. Department of Justice sanctioned Navient in 2014 for giving military members wrong information about their loans. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; editing by Grant McCool)
Meet Sandy the dingo, owner of the world's most interesting genome.

The wild-born, pure Australian desert dingo recently took first place in the World's Most Interesting Genome competition, and will have her DNA decoded thanks to the Pacific Biosciences SMRT Grant Program. The grant provides genome sequencing for "a particularly fascinating plant or animal."

In a public poll, Sandy secured 41 percent of the votes to beat out a pit viper, a solar-powered sea slug, an explosive beetle and a pink pigeon for the top prize.

Sandy's DNA could offer researchers insight into the process of domestication, according to project leader Bill Ballard, an evolutionary biologist at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). [10 Things You Didn't Know About Dogs]

"Sandy is truly a gift to science. As a rare, wild-born pure dingo, she provides a unique case study," Ballard, who submitted the bid to sequence Sandy's DNA, said in a statement. "Pure dingoes are intermediate between wild wolves and domestic dogs, with a range of non-domesticated traits. So sequencing Sandy's genome will help pinpoint some of the genes for temperament and behavior that underlie the transition from wild animals to perfect pets."

Dingoes were not domesticated by indigenous peoples after being introduced to Australia about 5,000 years ago, according to the UNSW researchers. However, interbreeding with wild and domestic dogs has made pure wild dingoes a rare find.

At 3 weeks old, Sandy, her sister and her brother were discovered in poor health in the Australian desert, and their parents could not be found. The wild pups were taken in by local animal lovers Barry and Lyn Eggleton, who have hand-reared the dingoes since their rescue in 2014.

The sequencing of Sandy's pure-dingo DNA will test of Charles Darwin's 1868 theory on the process of domestication. Darwin theorized that domestication could occur via unconscious selection (a result of nonintentional human influence) and artificial selection (breeding for specific traits).

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"This project will reveal the DNA changes between wolves and dingoes (unconscious selection) and dingoes and dogs (artificial selection)," Ballard said in the statement.

Beyond its evolutionary value, sequencing Sandy's genome will give researchers a better understanding of dingo genetics, Ballard said. This could aid conservation efforts to protect the wild canines and improve tests for their genetic purity, he added.

Original article on Live Science.

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President Donald Trump called up to the International Space Station on Monday to congratulate NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson on her record-breaking spaceflight.

Trump used some of his time speaking with Whitson and her fellow crewmember Jack Fischer to talk about the military and the inspiration that space brings to kids watching the long-distance video call around the country.

But he also asked a revealing, and unsettling, question.

SEE ALSO: Take that, dudes: Female astronaut breaks record for most time spent in space.

Instead of announcing his pick for NASA administrator (we're still waiting...) or revealing more about what he's planning for space policy in the next four years, Trump used part of his time to ask Whitson and Fischer a question only he, as president, can answer [emphasis added]:

"Tell me, Mars  what do you see a timing for actually sending humans to Mars? Is there a schedule? And when would you see that happening?"

Whitson  who just broke the record for most time in space for any U.S. astronaut  managed to answer the question as best as she could.

"Well, I think as your bill directed, it will be approximately in the 2030s," Whitson said. Since she's a pro, Whitson managed to get in a pitch for NASA funding, too.

"...Unfortunately, spaceflight takes a lot of time and money, so getting there will require some international cooperation to get it to be a planet-wide approach in order to make it successful, just because it is a very expensive endeavor."

The fact is, Whitson, Fischer, and all of their fellow NASA astronauts aren't the ones who get to decide when, or even if, we'll get to Mars.

That decision is made by people in political positions, like, I don't know, the president of the United States.

It wasn't an astronaut that addressed Congress in 1961 and set a target of making it to the moon by the end of that decade, it was then-president John F. Kennedy.

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Presidents and lawmakers set the agenda for NASA, and depending on their priorities, the space agency's directives can swing wildly from administration to administration.

At the moment, NASA doesn't have a whole lot of direction.

A bipartisan bill that Trump recently signed into law directs NASA to get to Mars by the 2030s, but it doesn't allocate any funding for that goal. Only a budget, which has yet to be fully proposed, can do that.

During the call, Trump also suggested that we should accelerate the timeline for getting astronauts to Mars.

"Well, we want to try and do it during my first term or, at worst, during my second term," Trump said during the call. "So we'll have to speed that up a little bit, okay?"

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins (left) sits with President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump during a call to the Space Station.

Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Even though Trump was trying to crack a joke, he hit upon one of the major problems with a huge, decades-long endeavor like sending humans to the red planet.

Politicians tend to be more interested in making grand gestures and proclamations about the glory of America's space program than actually funding those huge visions.

Without allocating significant amounts of funding for a crewed trip to Mars, that kind of high-risk spaceflight won't happen on the current timeline, much less an accelerated one.

The whims of new administrations have thrown America's space program into turmoil on more than one occasion.

It is one of those rides that you hope never ends. I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions! #LifeInSpace pic.twitter.com/msjKSg6WWH  Peggy Whitson (@AstroPeggy) April 23, 2017

Former president George W. Bush directed NASA to go back to the moon with his expensive Constellation program, so NASA got to work on it.

After years of working toward that goal, the Obama administration came in and dismantled it, effectively wasting billions of dollars in development costs due to the change in administration.

Trump may have already killed one Obama-era NASA program.

His administration's budget blueprint directs NASA to stop development of its mission to redirect an asteroid into orbit around the moon for astronauts to visit it.

That mission never had much congressional support, but even so, it's a good illustration of just how easy it is for NASA's goalposts to change without much notice.

WATCH: Watch the first-ever 360-degree livestream of a rocket launch
Drakes camp is maintaining that its impossible for the rapper to have impregnated Instagram model Layla Lace for Drizzy has never even met her. The rappers team has also reportedly threatened Lace with a lawsuit.

Over the weekend, sources close to the Hotline Bling hitmaker and his team revealed to TMZ that Drakes rep finds Laces claim to be ridiculous. The rappers team is also insisting that this is not possible since Drake has never met the Instagram model.

Some sources previously said that after Lace revealed on social media that Drake knocked her up in London, the Degrassi alums party threatened the model with a lawsuit. However, TMZs insiders are asserting that Drakes camp never reached out to the model for they believe that she only made the scandalous posts for attention.

READ: Drake blasts Coachella Country Club

Lace has already removed the attention-grabbing posts she made on Instagram on April 18. Her account has also been deleted, but her posts have already been immortalized by several sites. In one of her posts, she targeted Drake by saying that he stopped answering phone calls after she told her that shes pregnant with his baby. Its really unbelievable how he will just feed you with life and hurt you for NO reason, she added.

In a follow-up, Lace stated that she met Drake thanks to DJ Spade. She claimed that the latter reached out to her via social media and told her that the Canadian rapper was interested after seeing her photos online. Lace then noted that they had her fly to London in February, so she could hook up with the rapper.

Further providing evidence to her claim, Lace shared screenshots of texts that she supposedly got from Drake. MediaTakeOut has obtained a copy of the text messages, as well as the result of the pregnancy test the Instagram model took on April 17.

DJ Spade has come out to deny Laces story. He also came to Drakes defense by sharing direct message (DM) screenshots of his conversation with Lace in which the latter admitted to faking the claim just to get money from the rapper. Publicity will make me $ even if he dont want me idc, Laces DM read, according to Daily Mail.

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Drake

Photo: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

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ADEN (Reuters) - Three Yemeni civilians were killed when a drone attacked four suspected al Qaeda militants traveling in a vehicle in the southern part of the country, residents and a local official said on Monday. Residents said the attack in al-Saeed area of Shabwa province on Sunday afternoon was by a United States drone, part of a campaign by President Donald Trump's administration against Yemen's al Qaeda branch. They said Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was known to operate in the area and had been targeted by U.S. forces in recent months. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the drone strike, which also hit three civilians who happened to be passing nearby, the residents and local officials said. AQAP has exploited two years of civil war to recruit followers and cement its dominance in the central and southern part of Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis to try to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power. The Houthis seized much of northern Yemen including Sanaa in a series of lightning military operations that began in 2014, eventually forcing Hadi to flee. The Houthis regard their move on Sanaa as a revolution against corruption. The United States has repeatedly attacked AQAP with aircraft and unmanned drones in what U.S. officials say is a campaign to degrade the group's ability to coordinate attacks abroad. The new U.S. administration has not yet laid out a clear policy on drone strikes, but Trump has said he would support an escalation of the fight against Islamist militant groups. U.S. drone strikes have become more frequent in recent weeks, with at least six reported by Reuters last month. In late January, at least 30 people were killed in a U.S. commando dawn raid in southern Yemen, including at least 10 women and children, in the first such military operation authorized by President Donald Trump. The previous administration regularly used drones to attack Islamic State, al Qaeda and other militant groups in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Human rights groups criticize the tactic because of civilian casualties. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
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As the price for the EpiPen emergency allergy treatment soared by some 600%, Medicaid regulators in one state tried to de-prioritize the drug in favor of a less-expensive alternative. EpiPens parent company Mylan could have lowered the price on its signature product, but instead it chose to sue the state.

The folks at STAT News unearthed documents involved in a recent legal battle between Mylan and West Virginia, where in 2015 state officials sought to remove EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. from the states Medicaid Preferred Drug List.

When there are multiple therapeutically equivalent drugs, a state can choose to designate some as Preferred for Medicaid members, meaning the program will cover the cost of this prescription without issue. Similar drugs not on this list would require separate approval.

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In Jan. 2015, a West Virginia Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee held an open hearing on which epinephrine injectors should be included on the Preferred Drug List, and then voted [PDF] to move EpiPen off that list and replace it with lower-cost Auvi-Q.

That change would have meant EpiPen was no longer the default epinephrine injector for Medicaid recipients in West Virginia. But before that change could happen, Mylan asked a court to grant an injunction [PDF] blocking this revision of the Preferred Drug List.

Mylan argued that, in spite of the apparent public nature of the process, the Committees decision to strip EpiPen of its favored status was made long before the Committee meeting outside of public view.

Additionally, the drugmaker contended that the switch from EpiPen to Auvi-Q would put patients at risk, requiring them to either familiarize themselves with a new auto-injector or risk using a device they havent been taught to use.

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However, the judge in the case denied the injunction request [PDF], noting that Mylan had failed to identify any violation of state laws regarding the open meeting process. The judge also pointed out that, EpiPens removal from the Preferred list doesnt mean the drug is no longer available; it just requires prior authorization.

As for Mylans claim that it would suffer irreparable harm if removed from the Preferred list, the judge countered that, based on this argument, no drug could ever be removed from preferred status.

The court concluded that the state is in a better position to make decisions regarding the [Preferred Drug List] than a pharmaceutical company with a direct financial interest in having its drug included in a preferred status on the PDL. Allowing drug companies to block changes to the list could result in significant financial losses to the Medicaid program, noted the order.

Mylan appealed that decision, but serendipity intervened: In the fall of 2015, Auvi-Q was pulled from U.S. pharmacies following a recall of nearly 500,000 units. With no real competition on the market, EpiPen was returned to the West Virginia PDL.

However, notes STAT, the Mylan drug has since lost its preferred status in favor of the generic form of competitor Adrenaclick. Even the generic EpiPen, released in late 2016, is considered a non-preferred drug in the state. Auvi-Q, now being made by Kaleo, is expected to return to U.S. pharmacies this year. Its not known if it will regain its spot on the PDL.

Mylan has additional history with West Virginia. Last year, the states Attorney General investigated the drug company for allegedly miscategorizing EpiPen in the Medicaid program, resulting in the state significantly overpaying for the injector.

The federal Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services subsequently confirmed that Mylan had been incorrectly categorizing EpiPen for years. But before the exact amount could be sorted out, the Justice Department and Mylan reached a $465 million settlement over this issuethe details of which have still not been made public.

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch is not only from West Virginia, but her father is Joe Manchin, former governor of the state and one of its current U.S. senators.





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The Supreme Court on Monday reinstated TP Senkumar as the Kerala DGP in an order that sets the tone for greater transparency in police transfers.

TP Senkumar, who was reinstated as the Kerala DGP by the Supreme Court (PTI photo)

By Anusha Soni: The Supreme Court on Monday reinstated the Kerela DGP TP Senkumar who was removed from his post after the new Left Democratic Front-led government was elected to power in the state.

The top court not only set out a historic precedent but also elaborately laid down the process, power and the limits of political leaders when dealing with the transfer of top police officers.

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The apex court bench led by Justice Lokur did not mince words. The Supreme Court court was clear that law lays down clear rules and processes involving the transfer of the top police officers and the prerogative of the legislature should be exercised reasonably and objectively.

The court noted in its order that the DGP was removed in the present case without 'reasonable cause'. The court delved into the notes and orders passed for the transfer.

Two prime incidents - the Puttingal Devi Temple fire which led to death of more than 100 people and Jisha murder case - were cited as lapses on DGP Senkumar's part and as incidents that arguably could lead to 'erosion of public trust'. However, the court noted that none of these incidents were used as a reason for transfer.

'JUDICIAL REVIEW AVAILABLE'

Making use of its sweeping order, Justice Lokur said it would be a tragedy for the Supreme Court to agree that judicial review is not available to TP Senkumar merely because the post of DGP is a sensitive one.

Justice Lokur further said, "If such a view were to hold the field, Article 14 of the Constitution, the citizen's struggle against executive arbitrariness would become irrelevant and this Court would be surrendering its constitutional obligation,".

Article 14 deals with equality of citizens before law and is a fundamental right in the constitution of India.

Interestingly, the Supreme Court agreed that the two instances cited - the fire tragedy and the Jisha murder case - were not handled effectively by the DGP TP Senkumar.

However, the apex court went on say that if the accountability were to be fixed in this manner, "the entire official machinery starting from the Chief Minister down to the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary are equally to blame." The top court also noted that there was no independent member in the State Security Commission, which is important to ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the state police.

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The State Security Commission serves as a watchdog body with some official members as well as some non-official ones who should be chosen in such a manner that they are able to function independent of government control, the Supreme Court order notes

The court candidly said that the reasons stated in the order to transfer Senkumar cannot be supplemented by other reasons through an affidavit or otherwise.

Monday's judgement has clearly set the tone for greater transparency, and combating political interference, in police transfers.

ALSO READ | Kerala cops drag Jishnu Pranoy's mother on the street, IG threatens protesters

--- ENDS ---
Istanbul (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's lawyer has lodged a complaint against a former French diplomat accusing him of inciting the assassination of Turkey's leader, his spokesman confirmed Monday.

The move follows comments by Philippe Moreau Defarges about the outcome of the April 16 referendum on controversial constitutional changes that will tighten the president's grip on power.

Defarges, now a senior fellow at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said all legal paths to challenge Erdogan had been shut off and that the only two options left were civil war or assassination.

The 'Yes' camp won the referendum with just over 51 percent, a narrower-than-expected victory, but Turkey's top election board last week rejected opposition calls to annul it after complaints of vote-rigging.

Defarges told French broadcaster BFM on Saturday that Erdogan's strengthened powers would lead "only to catastrophe".

"There will either be a civil war or another scenario... his assassination," he said. He later apologised for the comments.

Huseyin Aydin, a lawyer representing Erdogan, said in a petition to an Ankara prosecutor that the comments were not a simple expression of opinion, but were "clearly instigating the crime in question", the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

He said the comments showed how far the hostility against Erdogan had reached in the West, and suggested Defarges should undergo checks for his mental health if he ever came to Turkey.

If found to be in good mental health, his alleged links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen -- blamed by Ankara for orchestrating the failed coup -- should be investigated, Aydin said.

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin confirmed the legal action, telling a press conference in Ankara: "We will do our best not to legitimise such fascist approaches."

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- 'Test for Europe'-

The comments went viral on social media, with a senior Erdogan advisor calling on the French institute to revoke Defarges's fellowship.

"Former French diplomat openly calls for assassination of President Erdogan. @IFRI_ should terminate his fellowship, apologise," Gulnur Aybet wrote on Twitter.

In a statement, the institute said Defarges spoke on a strictly personal basis, adding: "These comments do not represent IFRI in any way."

Defarges apologised Sunday, saying on Twitter: "Some of what I said was clumsy and might have been wrongly interpreted."

But Kalin said the apology was "not enough".

"This is not an issue that can be taken lightly," he said. "This is a test for Europe. Let's see how they will react."

Critics accuse Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian after 14 years in power, and say the constitutional changes will lead to one-man rule in NATO member Turkey.

There have been numerous prosecutions for insulting Erdogan, with artists, journalists and schoolchildren all targeted.
Which European countries see Russia as a threat? And what are they doing about it?

Thats the question Prague-based think tank European Values set out to answer. On Monday, its Kremlin Watch program, with support from the European Peoples Party, published, How do European democracies react to Kremlin aggression? (As the name of both the program and report suggest, the European Values think tank starts from the premise that Russia is aggressive toward Europe, and that that is not a good thing.)

The report, which tracks official statements from all 28 EU member states over the past decade, found the following:

Perhaps not surprisingly, three of the six countries pushing most forcefully for a European response to Russia are the Baltic states . They are joined by Poland , the United Kingdom , and, perhaps surprisingly, Denmark .

Five countries changed their response to Russia after the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, including Sweden and Finland, both of which, though not NATO members, are increasingly working with NATO to counteract Russia. On April 11, the two joined several NATO members in signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, a move meant to complement NATO, which welcomed the new center in a statement.

Two countries occasionally use a pro-Russian stance for domestic purposes. They are Slovakia and, most famously, Hungary .

Greece, Italy, and Cyprus do not feel threatened and are advocating for better relations with Russia. European Values argues its hard to imagine what else Russia would have to do beyond invading Ukraine, spreading disinformation throughout the continent, and meddling in elections to start changing minds in those three countries.

European Values sees the election of Euroskeptic political leaders as a major threat.



But here is another: There is no country ready to take the lead against perceived aggression from Russia. The United Kingdom is on its way out, and, if an all-left coalition is elected in Germany this coming autumn, the German government can be expected to behave even less hawkishly than it is now.

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One counterweight could be France, which historically had close ties with Russia but which in the wake of the Ukraine invasion cancelled a big arms deal with Moscow and strongly backed European sanctions on Russia (the report categorizes France as trying to stay away from issues pertaining to Russia). But nearly all the leading candidates running for French president this year support Russian President Vladimir Putin; the lone exception, Emmanuel Macron, is now the frontrunner to win the election next month.

If France doesnt do it, it could pass the torch Poland, which is both sizable and, for historic and political reasons, opposed to Russian encroachment on the EU. But Poland, the report says, is missing out on the chance to be a genuine, legitimate and well-respected leader of this pack because of the unconstructive behavior of its government.

After all, its difficult to be the EUs eastern defender when your government spends no small amount of its time attacking it and its leadership from within.

Photo credit: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The European Union's top diplomat said on Monday that the bloc wanted better ties with Russia but could not pretend Moscow did not annex Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and that EU sanctions would stay in place. Federica Mogherini, on her first official visit to Moscow in her current role as the EU's foreign policy chief, said there was no point in pretending that there were not still real problems in relations between Russia and the EU. Mogherini was speaking at a new conference in Moscow after holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Reporting by Denis Dyomkin/Jack Stubbs; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said on Monday that Russia had a duty to protect the human rights of all of its citizens. Mogherini, on her first official visit to Russia in her current role, made the comments after being asked at a news conference about the alleged persecution of gay men in the southern Russian region of Chechnya. "Our expectation is that the Russian Federation does its part to protect its own citizens in full respect of human rights principles," she said, adding that she had discussed the issue during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Reporting by Denis Dyomkin; Writing by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
What's better than clever protest signs? Protest penguins.

On Saturday, as thousands of people joined the March for Science worldwide, a group of penguins waddled in solidarity at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

The aquarium shared the "March of the Penguins for Science" via Facebook Live. The post had nearly 1.7 million views by mid-afternoon on Sunday.

The March for Science movement was born in response to President Donald Trump's "clear anti-science actions," organizers said in January.

The Trump administration has vowed to slash funding and staffing for federal scientific agencies. Top officials have repeatedly expressed hostility and skepticism toward robust, peer-reviewed, widely accepted research  including the scientific consensus on human-driven climate change.

SEE ALSO: The science march is about 'hope' for a fact-based future

But the fear that science and reason are under attack isn't confined to the United States.

On April 22  Earth Day  scientists and their supporters showed up at more than 500 events around the world, from the North Pole all the way down to the real land of the penguins: Antarctica.

A team of German researchers with the Alfred Wegener Institute braved below-freezing temperatures to carry pro-science signs and bang drums across the icy Antarctic landscape.

In one photo, they held a sign with a quote from Marie Curie, the Nobel Prize-winning chemist. It read, "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."

WATCH: Penguin gets custom wetsuit to keep her warm
By Nate Raymond and Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON (Reuters) - A former Eaton Vance Corp portfolio manager has agreed to plead guilty to having engaged in a fraudulent scheme involving call options that enabled him to illegally make $1.9 million, according to papers filed in Boston federal court on Monday.

Kevin Amell, 45, a onetime vice president at the Boston-based asset management firm, agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud and forfeit $1.95 million as part of a deal in which prosecutors would seek a prison sentence of no more than 27 months, the documents said.

A lawyer for Amell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The misconduct of this former employee in willfully violating his duty of loyalty, firm compliance policies and federal securities laws is deeply regrettable," Thomas Faust, Eaton Vance's chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Amell's plea hearing has yet to be scheduled. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday also filed a civil lawsuit against Amell, of Hingham, Massachusetts.

According to court papers, Amell's scheme involved placing orders from his personal brokerage accounts to buy call options at specific prices and, within seconds, placing orders on behalf of Eaton Vance to sell the same options at matching prices.

Doing so guaranteed that Amell could buy the options sold by Eaton Vance at artificially low prices and then, within a short time frame, sell the options to third parties at higher prices, according to the charging documents.

They said from December 2014 to February 2017, Amell engaged more than 250 such trades, according to prosecutors, enabling him to make more than $1.9 million in profits.

In his statement, Faust said Eaton Vance has opened an investigation since learning about the matter on April 18 and is committed to ensuring that the asset manager's funds are fully reimbursed for any harm they suffered.

Eaton Vance and its affiliates managed $380.9 billion in assets as of March 31, according to the company.

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The case is U.S. v. Amell, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, no. 17-cr-10101.

(This version of the story corrects 8th paragraph to show that 250 trades were at issue, not 1,250)

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; editing by Grant McCool)
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The nearly eight-year legal odyssey of former Goldman Sachs Group Inc programmer Sergey Aleynikov is not over, after New York State's highest court agreed to review his reinstated conviction for stealing high-frequency trading code.

Aleynikov may appeal the conviction won by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance because "questions of law are involved which ought to be reviewed," the Court of Appeals said in an order dated April 20.

The order came nearly three months after an intermediate appeals court in Manhattan voted 5-0 to revive Aleynikov's conviction on one count of stealing Goldman code as he prepared to join a Chicago start-up, Teza Technologies LLC.

That vote reinstated a May 2015 jury verdict that was later overturned by the trial judge.

Joan Vollero, a spokeswoman for Vance, declined to comment on Monday.

Kevin Marino, a lawyer for Aleynikov, said he was "thrilled" the court will review the conviction for what Marino said was "violating an outmoded, clearly inapplicable criminal statute."

The Court of Appeals has not set a date for the review.

Aleynikov, 47, was arrested on federal charges in July 2009 and convicted in December 2010, only to be exonerated by a federal appeals court in February 2012 after serving 11 months of an eight-year prison sentence.

Vance then filed state criminal charges against Aleynikov in August 2012, referring to the "highly confidential" Goldman code as the bank's "secret sauce."

In reinstating Aleynikov's second conviction on Jan. 24, the Appellate Division said Vance offered "legally sufficient" evidence that Aleynikov intended to steal "secret scientific material" from Goldman, violating a 1967 New York state law.

It said the trial judge who had thrown out the conviction, Daniel Conviser, appeared to have wrongly believed that the stolen code needed to be printed on paper for Aleynikov to be guilty of what he called an "obscure" crime.

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"The statute was drafted with broad generalized language that fits squarely into today's digital world," Justice Rosalyn Richter wrote for the Appellate Division.

Aleynikov, a Russian-born U.S. citizen, has said he intended the code only for his own use.

The Aleynikov tale helped inspire Michael Lewis' bestselling book "Flash Boys" on high-frequency trading in the U.S. equity market.

(Additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - A former government minister in Guinea went to trial in New York on Monday on U.S. charges that he laundered $8.5 million in bribes he took in exchange for helping a Chinese company secure valuable mining rights.

In an opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lorinda Laryea told jurors in Manhattan federal court that Mahmoud Thiam, a U.S. citizen, used the money to fund a "lavish lifestyle" including a mansion and private schools for his children in New York.

Thiam, 50, has pleaded not guilty to money laundering. His lawyer, Aaron Goldsmith, told jurors Monday that prosecutors did not have the evidence to prove he took bribes.

Thiam was living in New York and working as an investment banker before returning to his native Guinea to serve as minister of mines in 2009 and 2010, overseeing the West African country's valuable mineral reserves, Laryea told jurors.

Laryea said that Thiam helped negotiate a 2009 deal giving the company valuable exclusive mining rights in Guinea in exchange for payments from the company's executives.

"Instead of honestly serving the people of Guinea, he used his government position to line his pockets," Laryea said.

Thiam later returned to New York and transferred the money he received to bank accounts there while trying to conceal its source, violating U.S. anti-money laundering law, Laryea said.

Laryea told jurors that the government would present testimony from Guinean government officials and bank employees, bank records and emails to prove the scheme.

Goldsmith did not dispute that Thiam received money, but said the government would not be able to prove that it was a bribe.

"They don't have a witness for that," he said. "They cannot connect those dots."

The Chinese company was not named in opening arguments or court papers, but the deal in the case matches the description of an agreement reached in 2009 involving a joint venture majority owned by China International Fund and China Sonangol.

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Thiam's case is one of several corruption cases tied to Guinea's mining sector.

Only days after Thiam's arrest in December, Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz was put under house arrest by Israeli authorities on charges that he bribed officials in Guinea to secure mining rights for his company, BSG Resources.

The case is U.S. v. Thiam, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 17-cr-47.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Bill Trott)
By P.J. Huffstutter and Michael Hirtzer CHICAGO (Reuters) - A fungus that causes vomitoxin has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test their grain, and giving headaches to grain growers already wrestling with massive supplies and low prices. The plant toxin sickens livestock and can also make humans and pets fall ill. The appearance of vomitoxin and other toxins produced by fungi is affecting ethanol markets and prompting grain processors to seek alternative sources of feed supplies. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture first isolated the toxin in 1973 after an unusually wet winter in the Midwest. The compound was given what researchers described as the trivial name vomitoxin because pigs were refusing to eat the infected corn or vomiting after consuming it. The U.S. Corn Belt had earlier outbreaks of infection from the toxin in 1966 and 1928. A vessel carrying a shipment of corn from Paraguay is due next month at a North Carolina port used by Smithfield Foods Inc [SFII.UL] <0288.HK>, the world's largest pork producer. The spread of vomitoxin is concentrated in Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and parts of Iowa and Michigan, and its full impact is not yet known, according to state officials and data gathered by food testing firm Neogen Corp. In Indiana, 40 of 92 counties had at least one load of corn harvested last fall that has tested positive for vomitoxin, according to the Office of Indiana State Chemist's county survey. In 2015 and 2014, no more than four counties saw grain affected by the fungus. And in a "considerable" share of corn crops tested in Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana since last fall's harvest, the vomitoxin levels have tested high enough to be considered too toxic for humans, pets, hogs, chickens and dairy cattle, according to public and private data compiled by Neogen. The company did not state what percent of each state's corn crop was tested. Smithfield would not confirm it had ordered the corn from Paraguay, but two independent grain trading sources said Smithfield was the likely buyer. A company source said corn Smithfield has brought in from Indiana and Ohio, to feed pigs in North Carolina, has been "horrible quality due to the presence of mycotoxins. TOXIN LEVELS The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows vomitoxin levels of up to 1 part per million (ppm) in human and pet foods and recommends levels under 5 ppm in grain for hogs, 10 ppm for chickens and dairy cattle. Beef cattle can withstand toxin levels up to 30 ppm. Alltech Inc, a Kentucky-based feed supplement company, said 73 percent of feed samples it has tested this year have vomitoxin. The company analyzed samples sent by farmers whose animals have fallen ill. "We know there is lots of bad corn out there, because corn byproducts keep getting worse," said Max Hawkins, a nutritionist with Alltech. Neogen, which sells grain testing supplies, reported a 29 percent jump in global sales for toxin tests - with strong demand for vomitoxin tests - in their fiscal third quarter, ending Feb. 28. "We're polling our customers and continually talking to them about the levels they're seeing. Those levels are not going down," said Pat Frasco, director of sales for Neogen's milling, grain and pet food business. The problem, stemming from heavy rain before and during the 2016 harvest, prompted farmers to store wet grain, said farmers, ethanol makers and grain inspectors. The issue was compounded by farmers and grain elevators storing corn on the ground and other improvised spaces, sometimes covering the grain piles with plastic tarps. Grain buyers say they will have a clearer picture of the problem later this spring, as more farm-stored grain is moved to market. Iowa State University grain quality expert Charles Hurburgh said the sheer size of the harvest in 2016  the largest in U.S. history  complicates the job of managing toxins in grain, especially in the core Midwest. "Mycotoxins are very hard to handle in high volume," he said. "You can't test every truckload, or if you do, you are only going to unload 20 trucks in a day. By comparison, corn processors in Iowa unload 400 or more trucks a day. BIOFUEL IMPACTS Ethanol makers already are feeling the impact. Turning corn into ethanol creates a byproduct called distillers dried grains (DDGs), which is sold as animal feed. With fuel prices low, the DDGs can boost profitability. But the refining process triples the concentration of mycotoxins, making the feed byproduct less attractive. DDG prices in Indiana fell to $92.50 per ton in February, the lowest since 2009, and now are selling for $97.50 per ton, according to USDA. Many ethanol plants are testing nearly every load of corn they receive for the presence of vomitoxin, said Indiana grain inspector Doug Titus, whose company has labs at The Andersons Inc , a grain handler, and energy company Valero Energy sites. The Andersons in a February call with analysts said vomitoxin has hurt results at three of its refineries in the eastern U.S. "That will be with us for some time," Andersons' chief executive Pat Bowe said. Missouri grain farmer Doug Roth, who put grain into storage after last years wet harvest, has seen a few loads of corn rejected by clients who make pet food after the grain tested positive for low levels of fumonisin, a type of mycotoxin. Roth said he paid to reroute the grain to livestock producers in Arkansas, who planned to blend it with unaffected grain in order to mitigate the effect of the toxins. "As long as this doesnt become a widespread problem, we're all fine," said Roth, who said toxins have shown up in less than 1 percent of the grain loads he has sold. U.S. farmers with clean corn are reaping a price bump. A Cardinal Ethanol plant in Union City, Indiana, is offering grain sellers a 10-cent per bushel premium for corn with less than one-part-per-million (ppm) or less of vomitoxin in it, according to the company's website. (Additional reporting by Karl Plume and Julie Ingwersen in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
A complaint has been filed with a Mumbai police station regarding the issue.

By India Today Web Desk: TV actress Sangeita Chauhaan's (who currently stars in Colors' Swabhimaan) husband, 39-year-old Chirag Shah has reportedly gone missing. In fact, he has been away from home since Thursday.

Chirag, who has directed the upcoming film Dekh Indian Circus, left his home after having a heated argument with his actress-wife.

According to reports, the Swabhimaan actress had asked for a divorce, and that had left the director pretty upset.

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An FIR has been filed with the Bangur Nagar police station of Mumbai, according to The Times of India.

Also see: New show Ek Shringaar--Swabhimaan launched; Prachee Shah and Suchitra Pillai promote the show

"My mother is extremely worried about Chirag's whereabouts. I hope we are able to trace him soon with the help of the police," Chirag's brother Chintan told the Bomabay Times.

"Chirag and Sangeita have been having arguments ever since she told him that she wanted to end the marriage. We don't know if Sangeita was contractually bound to hide her marriage," The Times of India quoted a source as saying.

--- ENDS ---
Miami (AFP) - A former Haitian coup leader who was elected to be a senator pleaded guilty in the US on Monday to conspiring to launder drug money, American officials said.

Guy Philippe, a 49-year-old former senior police officer accused of taking bribes from drug traffickers, entered the plea in court in Miami, where he has been held since his arrest and extradition from Haiti in January.

He faces up to 20 years in prison in a sentence to be delivered by a judge on July 5, according to a statement by the US Justice Department.

Philippe was elected to the Haitian parliament in November. He had close ties to the country's President Jovenel Moise.

In 2004, he helped lead an armed rebellion against then-president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was forced to flee the country.

He was arrested in Haiti on January 5 this year on US drug charges hanging over him since 2005 and transferred to Florida the next day -- just three days before he was to be sworn in as a senator, which would have given him immunity from prosecution.

Philippe on Monday pleaded guilty to abusing his position as a high-ranking police officer to protect narcotics shipments headed to the US between 1999 and 2003, the statement said.

He did so in exchange for bribes from drug traffickers that totalled between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.

Philippe "admitted to accepting bribes... and to assisting a drug operation that brought cocaine into Miami," a Miami-based Internal Revenue Service special agent handling criminal investigations, Kelly Jackson, said in the statement.

Philippe gave some of the bribe money to other Haitian police and security personnel to ensure their cooperation, the Justice Department said. His cut was used to buy a Florida house and for his use and his family's while in the US.

The statement said, in one instance, Philippe wired $376,000 from cocaine sales to his joint bank account in Miami from banks in Haiti and Ecuador using the names of others.

He also admitted to organizing $70,000 in drug proceeds to be deposited into his account in amounts under the $10,000 level that triggers US reporting requirements.
By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - The leader of a 2004 coup that toppled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide pleaded guilty on Monday to a money laundering charge related to an international drug trafficking scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Guy Philippe, 49, admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering stemming from his receipt of cash payments tied to narcotics sales in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors said Philippe, a former high-ranking official in the Haitian National Police, received more than $1.5 million of bribe payments to ensure the safe transit of drug shipments. The defendant entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga in Miami. Zeljka Bozanic, a lawyer for Philippe, said she and prosecutors are recommending that her client receive a nine-year prison term at his scheduled July 5 sentencing. Two counts against Philippe were dismissed, including one for drug trafficking that could have resulted in a life sentence. "Mr. Philippe has accepted responsibility by taking the plea," Bozanic said in a phone interview. "It was an attractive plea offer that makes sense." Philippe was arrested on Jan. 5 in Haiti after giving a radio interview and then extradited to the United States. He had avoided capture for more than a decade in connection with a November 2005 indictment. The arrest came four days before Philippe was scheduled to join Haiti's parliament as a senator, following his November election from the country's southwestern Grand Anse region. U.S. prosecutors accused Philippe of conspiring from 1997 to March 2001 to import more than five kilograms (11 lbs) of cocaine into the United States, and from June 1999 to April 2003 to launder money to conceal illegal activity. He was also accused of having in late 2000 transferred a $112,000 check that included sums from drug trafficking. Altonaga on March 17 rejected Philippe's bid to dismiss the case on the ground that the "outrageous" nature of his arrest - including having a hood put over his head amidst gunfire and being deprived of food and water for several hours - deprived her of jurisdiction. The defendant has been held at a federal detention center in Miami since his arrest. The case is U.S. v. Philippe, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, No. 05-cr-20874. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Fox News has a whole new problem on its hands  and it could cost its owners a $14 billion deal.

Fox News executives have been accused of conducting a social media harassment campaign and hacking into the computer of a former host for the channel, who alleged sexual harassment against the channel's ousted CEO Roger Ailes.

Andrea Tantaros, who hosted "The Five" on Fox News, made the accusations in a lawsuit filed on Monday (lawsuit posted below). In the suit, Tantaros alleges that spyware was installed on her computer after she made claims about the behavior of Ailes and former host Bill O'Reilly. Fox News let go of both men over numerous sexual harassment allegations  moves that came after legal settlements of ten millions of dollars were reportedly used to quell complaints against the two men and pay them to leave the network.

"A person working for Fox News was responsible for hacking Ms. Tantaross computer so that she could be spied upon," the lawsuit states.

Tantaros also claimed that Fox News was responsible for a variety of fake social media accounts that harassed her.

A lawyer for Fox News denied the allegations.

Fox News and its executives flatly deny that they conducted any electronic surveillance of Ms. Tantaros. They have no knowledge of the anonymous or pseudonymous tweets described in her complaint. This lawsuit is a flimsy pretext to keep Ms. Tantaros and her sexual harassment claims in the public eye after the State Supreme Court directed her to bring them in arbitration," law firm Dechert, LLP wrote in a statement, sent to Mashable by a Fox News spokesperson.

The hacking accusation is particularly important, given the sordid history of the companies involved. Fox News is owned by 21st Century Fox, which was perviously under News Corporationheaded by chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch. Newspapers in the United Kingdom owned by News Corporation were embroiled in a phone hacking scandal in the early 2010s, which still resonate in its business to this day. The timing of the allegations couldn't be worse for News Corp, given that it's currently in the middle of trying to seal a $14 billion deal to takeover Sky, a major European broadcast company.

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The new Fox News lawsuit clearly echoes the UK phone-hacking scandal. Allegations of electronic surveillance, computer hacking etc  Matthew Garrahan (@MattGarrahan) April 24, 2017

The recent scandals with Fox News haven't helped, with media insiders pointing to the release of Ailes and O'Reilly as evidence that the sons of Rupert Murdoch, who now run much of the family's business, are looking to clean up their companies' images so that the deal will go through.

Fox News, co-president Bill Shine and executive vice president of corporate communications Irena Briganti are named in the lawsuit along with Ailes, as well as Fox News contributor Pete Snyder and his company Disruptor Inc.

The lawsuit accuses Shine and Briganti in particular of "illegal electronic surveillance." Both remain employed by Fox News, and then using information gained from the surveillance to harass Tantaros on social media.

One of the examples in the lawsuit centers on the Tantaros's deceased brother.

The lawsuit can be read in its entirety below.

WATCH: Prince Harry is refreshingly honest about seeking counselling after his mother's death
Paris (AFP) - French politics has entered uncharted territory after the "big bang" that saw off the presidential candidates of both the traditional left and right parties for the first time.

On May 7, voters will be asked to choose between Emmanuel Macron, a centrist upstart who has never held elected office, and Marine Le Pen, the anti-establishment populist of the far right.

Polls currently show that Macron, 39, will defeat the 48-year-old Le Pen by a wide margin.

But will he be able to govern?

"That's the big question," said Martial Foucault of the CEVIPOF research unit at Paris's Sciences Po university.

"We have no new information" for judging whether Macron's year-old En Marche (On the Move) movement can win an absolute majority in June's parliamentary elections, he said. "It's totally new."

Macron was virtually unknown before his mentor, outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande, made him economy minister in 2014.

But as Hollande entered the fifth year of a tumultuous presidency, becoming France's most unpopular leader in living memory because of a dismal economic record, Macron struck out on his own.

Styling himself as being "neither of the left or of the right", he has campaigned on a pro-EU, pro-business platform.

But with liabilities such as a slim resume and association with Hollande's failed policies, Macron may owe more than he realises to the fact that he is not Le Pen.

- Enthusiasm deficit -

Political scientist Frederic Sawicki, noting "a lack of enthusiasm" for Macron in voter surveys, said: "A lot of people voted to block (Le Pen's) National Front party, but don't share his ideals."

The next two weeks will be "a good test of Macron's ability to represent more than happy globalisation and be the candidate of startups", said Sawicki, of Paris's Sorbonne University.

Traditionally, a newly elected president can count on voters to deliver his (or her) party a majority in parliament.

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But either candidate would be starting practically from scratch after what the financial daily Les Echos called Sunday's "big bang".

En Marche -- newly formed -- has no seats in the outgoing parliament, while just two MPs from Le Pen's National Front (FN) sit in the 577-seat body.

En Marche has says it will field candidates in every constituency, half of them drawn from civil society. The party says it has received 15,000 applications.

Macron "wants a solid majority so he can begin to reform the country very quickly," his spokesman Laurence Haim told AFP.

But in addition to new blood, Macron must count on outgoing MPs from both left and right to get behind him.

"He will have to recycle a lot of people from the left," said political analyst Philippe Braud.

So far around 30 Socialist members -- out of 295 in the outgoing parliament -- have rallied to Macron's side while MPs from other parties have hesitated.

Aides say he is already in negotiations to build alliances -- which would result in a "coalition of circumstance", according to Sawicki.

Meanwhile, several commentators said the traditional right will bounce back after Sunday's crushing defeat of the conservative candidate Francois Fillon, who became mired in a fake jobs scandal in January.

"It was not the right that was beaten, it was the personal failure of Francois Fillon," Braud said.

Fillon, once the frontrunner to clinch the presidency, was charged last month with abuse of public funds in a fake jobs scandal involving his wife Penelope.

"The right will turn the page on Francois Fillon very fast and can make big gains," Foucault said, noting that despite the scandals Fillon came in third on Sunday with nearly 20 percent of the vote.

During the campaign, detractors accused Macron of being a closet Socialist channelling Hollande, calling him "Emmanuel Hollande".

The label "may come true", Braud said.

- Cohabitation? -

Macron may have to jettison his centrist stance and embrace the centre-left in order to win a majority, Braud said.

The right is already talking about forcing Macron into a cohabitation in which he would have to name a prime minister from Fillon's Republicans party.

"The watchword for the coming weeks is to fight for the majority in parliament and impose a cohabitation on Mr Macron," Republicans MP Daniel Fasquelle said Monday.

The FN, which harbours little hope of Le Pen becoming president, can expect her place in the second round to translate into between 20 and 50 seats, said Bruno Jeanbart of the OpinionWay polling institute.

Editorialist Patrice Chabanet, arguing that voter anger over the status quo was the main factor behind both candidates' victories, described the new political landscape as nothing short of "surreal".

"The upcoming parliamentary vote could bring aftershocks after (Sunday's) earthquake," Chabanet wrote in the Journal de la Haute-Marne newspaper.
PARIS (AP) -- France's far right is reaching out to voters who backed the defeated far-left contender, hoping to peel away voters from the extremes of the political spectrum.

The May 7 runoff will be between the populist Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron, and French politicians on the moderate left and right immediately urged voters to block Le Pen's path to power. The defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to do the same.

Le Pen offers an alternative for anyone skeptical of the European Union and France's role in it, said Louis Aliot, the vice president of the National Front party.

He spoke Monday to RTL radio after the earthshaking vote that saw France's mainstream political parties shut out of the presidency for the first time in modern history.
Kuwait City (AFP) - Prominent Kuwaiti opposition leader Mussallam al-Barrak called on Monday for national reconciliation to rescue the oil-rich Gulf state just days after his release from jail.

Barrak, 61, was freed from prison on Friday after serving a two-year sentence for insulting the emir of Kuwait in public, a charge he had denied.

The former lawmaker told thousands of supporters at a rally Monday that the emirate had reached "the lowest point in its modern history".

"Kuwait is headed to catastrophe in all fields... It is so close to becoming a failed state," Barrak said.

He called on the government led by the ruling Al-Sabah family to initiate talks to achieve compromise in the Gulf state which has suffered of bitter political disputes in the past decade.

"If the government makes a serious step towards political reforms, we are ready to make many steps," Barrak said.

He said that no one in the opposition was trying to overthrow the regime.

"No one disputes the constitutional legality of the Al-Sabah family," he said.

But Barrak said that for reconciliation to succeed, the government must reinstate revoked citizenships of opposition figures and scrap all freedom-curbing legislation issued in the past few years.

He also demanded amnesty for all activists, that the judiciary should be allowed to handle citizenship cases and called for cleaning security agencies of "corrupt" elements.

As a result of lingering political disputes between the government and opposition groups, parliament has been dissolved seven times since 2006, the last of which was in October.

Between 2011 and 2014, Kuwait witnessed violent street protests led by the opposition, demanding democratic reforms and an elected government.

Under Kuwait's political system, the prime minister has always been a senior member of the ruling family appointed by the emir regardless of the outcome of an election.

Dozens of opposition activists are either in jail or are facing trial for insulting the emir, including via social media.

The emirate is widely viewed as a pioneer in operating a parliamentary system among the Gulf monarchies.
(PARIS) - Frances political mainstream, shut out of the presidency by an angry electorate, united Monday to urge voters to back centrist Emmanuel Macron in the presidential runoff and to reject Marine Le Pens populist nationalism.

Politicians on the moderate left and right, including French President Francois Hollande and the losing Socialist and Republicans party candidates in Sundays first-round vote, maneuvered to block Le Pens path to power in the May 7 runoff.

In a solemn address from the Elysee palace, Hollande said he will vote for Macron, his former economy minister, because the far-right Le Pen represents both the danger of the isolation of France and of rupture with the European Union.

Hollande said the far-right would deeply divide France at a time when the terror threat requires solidarity.

Faced with such a risk, it is not possible to remain silent or to take refuge in indifference, he said.

European stock markets surged, and Frances main index hit its highest level since early 2008, as investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world - and its associated unpredictability in policymaking - may have peaked.

Voters narrowed the French presidential field from 11 to two on Sunday. The contest is widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave that last year prompted Britain to vote to leave the European Union and U.S. voters to elect Donald Trump president.

Only the defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Macron.

Le Pens far-right National Front party, meanwhile, is hoping to peel away voters historically opposed to a party long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

The voters who voted for Mr. Melenchon are angry voters. They can be in agreement with us, National Front Vice President Steeve Brios told The Associated Press, adding that those far-left voters sought choices outside the system.

Choosing from inside the system is no longer an option. Voters rejected the two mainstream parties that have alternated power for decades in favor of Le Pen and the untested Macron , who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year.

Story continues

Macrons optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast with Le Pens darker, inward-looking French-first platform that calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

Le Pen went on the offensive against Macron in her first public comments Monday.

He is a hysterical, radical Europeanist. He is for total open borders. He says there is no such thing as French culture. There is not one domain that he shows one ounce of patriotism, she said.

Le Pens father, Jean-Marie, made it into a presidential runoff against Jacques Chirac in 2002 and was crushed. Many commentators expect the same fate for his daughter, but she has already drawn far more support than he ever did and she has transformed the partys once-pariah image.

National Front vice president Louis Aliot insisted that Le Pen offers an alternative for anyone skeptical of the EU and Frances role in it.

Im not convinced that the French are willing to sign a blank check to Mr. Macron, he said.

But Macrons party spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, scoffed at the idea that Le Pen is a vector of change.

Shes been in the political system for 30 years. She inherited her fathers party and we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running for the next 20 years, because after we had the father, we have the daughter and we will doubtless have the niece, he said, referring to Marion Marechal-Le Pen. So she is in a truly bad position to be talking about the elites.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel wished Macron all the best for the next two weeks.

Merkels chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that the result for Emmanuel Macron shows: France AND Europe can win together! The center is stronger than the populists think!

Macron came in first in Sundays vote, with just over 23 percent while Le Pen had 21 percent. Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservative Republicans candidate, came in third with just shy of 20 percent of the vote, just ahead of Melenchon. Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, got just 6 percent of the vote.

Turnout for Sundays vote was 78 percent, down slightly from 79 percent in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Protesters burned cars, danced around bonfires and dodged riot police overnight at the Place de la Bastille and Republique in Paris. Twenty-nine people were detained at the Bastille, where protesters waved red flags and sang No Marine and No Macron! in anger at the results.

We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction, former Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls said. We didnt do the work - intellectual, ideological and political - on what the left is, and we paid the price.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have called for a state-wide shutdown in support of drought-hit farmers. Several unions have lent their support for the bandh call.

By India Today Web Desk: Opposition parties, led by the DMK, have called for a bandh in Tamil Nadu in support of drought-hit farmers, who have temporarily suspended their agitation in New Delhi.

Even a host of trade unions, farmer bodies and even the film fraternity pledged support to the shutdown, the E Palainiswami-led state government asserted that normalcy will not be hit.

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State police said it has taken several steps, including deploying additional personnel across Tamil Nadu, to ensure law and order.

Parties who have called for the bandh include the DMK, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK and IUML.

SERVICES THAT COULD BE HIT

The call of bandh has received backing from trade unions affiliated to the opposition parties, farmer bodies, the film fraternity, a lorry operators association as well as unions representing local vegetable markets, groceries, and auto-drivers.

News agency PTI, quoting state government sources, reported that essential services will likely not be affected.

PTI's sources claimed that the bandh will not have any impact and that local, long-distance buses of the state-run transport corporations and trains will ply as usual. Essential services including milk and electricity supply will be normal, they said.

However, The News Minute reported that public transport is likely to be majorly affected. "In Chennai alone 73,000 autos will stay off the roads. In addition to this, 25,000 auto drivers are going to hold an agitation in Anna Salai, opposite the post office," Balasubramani, the state general secretary of the Auto Thozhilar Samvedhanam, told TNM.

TNM also reported that the bus union has confirmed that over 20,000 buses will remain unattended to on Tuesday. Lorry services will be among those affected, the report further added. "Close to 4.5 lakh lorries that carry vegetables, construction material, iron and other important materials will not function from 6am to 6pm on Tuesday," Kumaraswamy, the president of the state lorry owners' association, told TNM.

'POLITICALLY MOTIVATED'

Meanwhile, the ruling AIADMK (Amma) and the BJP have hit out at the bandh call terming it politically motivated.

On April 16, a meeting of parties including Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, IUML chaired by DMK working president M K Stalin gave the bandh call.

According to DMK, the bandh is to urge the central and state governments to fulfil the demands of farmers and farm labourers which includes adequate relief and setting up of Cauvery Management Board.

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Other demands include remunerative price for paddy, sugarcane, immediate disbursal of cane arrears to the farmers, increasing the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 152 ft and cancelling Methane and Hydrocarbon projects.

Waiver of crop loans given by nationalised banks, adequate monetary compensation to farmers affected by drought are among the demands of a group who protested in Delhi and in other parts of Tamil Nadu.

(With inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ | Why PM Narendra Modi did not meet protesting Tamil Nadu farmers

ALSO WATCH | E Palaniswami meets protesting Tamil Nadu farmers, urges Centre to waive off loans

--- ENDS ---
PARIS (Reuters) - Polls suggest centrist EMMANUEL MACRON is on course to be French president after winning the first round of voting and qualifying for a May 7 runoff alongside far-right leader MARINE LE PEN. Main story Here are some of the main results and reactions following Sunday's first round of voting in France's two-stage presidential election. RESULTS/FORECASTS * With 46.1 million out of the 47-million-strong electorate accounted for, the interior ministry said Emmanuel Macron was on 23.91 percent and Marine Le Pen on 21.42 percent. * Conservative Francois Fillon was on 19.94 percent, left-winger Jean-Luc Melenchon on 19.54 percent and Socialist Benoit Hamon on 6.36 percent. Others had a combined 8.82 percent. * Macron is set to win the second round with nearly two thirds of the vote, according to two polls conducted on Sunday. CANDIDATE REACTIONS * Macron tells supporters: "I want straightaway to start building a government majority and a new transformation." An ally says the results suggest a deep malaise in French society. * Le Pen labels Macron the "heir to Francois Hollande" and says he will not bring the change France needs. Her campaign says the second round will be a "referendum on globalization". * Candidates of the defeated mainstream parties, conservative Francois Fillon and Socialist Benoit Hamon, urge voters to get behind Macron in the second round. Most other political heavyweights make similar statements. * Left-winger Jean-Luc Melenchon refuses to back either candidate and says "Media-crats and oligarchs are celebrating". MEDIA REACTION * Conservative Le Figaro says the choice between Macron and Le Pen is clear. But it warns of a downside for the center-right in backing Macron, since it "provides an immense service to the National Front by establishing it as the sole opposition force". * Left-wing paper Liberation says Macron is "One Step Away" from the Elysee. ANALYSIS & COMMENT * The populist tsunami that slammed into Britain last year, before sweeping across the Atlantic to the United States, may have faded on the shores of France. * To have a real chance of implementing the reform of France's economy and politics that he wants, Macron needs a victory big enough to enlist popular figures from established parties in parliamentary elections in June. * Macron's chances of victory are better than his ability to deliver on promises of change. MARKETS * Euro surges in early trading in Asia, while in Europe French bond yields are expected to fall and French stocks to rally on relief that France has not been left with a choice between two radical, anti-EU candidates. * Euro pops to 5-month high vs dollar on French election relief, touches $1.0940. * U.S. stock index futures up sharply on relief that centrist Emmanuel Macron took the first round, reducing the prospect of an anti-establishment market shock. * "Markets will be reassured that the dreaded Le Pen versus Melenchon run-off has been avoided," says Diego Iscaro, economist at IHS Markit. (Reporting by Tim Hepher)
Paris (AFP) - International media pored over the results of France's closely watched first round of its presidential election Sunday, with mainstream newspapers flocking to back centrist Emmanuel Macron against far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

- 'Le Pen threat not over' -

Media in neighbouring Britain hailed pro-European Macron's strong showing, while adding that Le Pen's projected second-place success -- securing her a place alongside him in the May 7 run-off -- should not be ignored.

"The threat from the French extreme right is not over," the centre-left Guardian said, describing Macron as the "best hope of a deeply troubled but great country".

The Financial Times predicted the May 7 run-off would be an "act of coronation" for him.

But it warned governing would not come so easily, saying Macron could be forced into "hard bargaining" to implement his reform agenda.

An opinion piece on America's right-of-centre Fox news website said le Pen was still in with a good chance and referenced US President Donald Trump's shock win, saying: "She may pull off an even bigger surprise than the Tweeter in Chief. Yuge, in fact."

- 'France torn apart' -

Media in several countries pointed to the historic defeat suffered by the mainstream left and right, with the Wall Street Journal calling the vote a "stunning rebuke of France's mainstream political forces".

In an article headlined "France torn apart", Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that more than 40 percent had cast their ballots for the far-right or far-left.

"Macron's victory is so narrow that in the two previous presidential elections, he wouldn't have won a place in the second round," it said, warning against assumptions the centrist would win in May.

The BBC said France was "entering unchartered political water" and noted that, whoever came out tops in the next round, the country was "deeply divided".

Story continues

Switzerland's Le Temps said the result signalled that the French republic was "broken" and that voters wanted "deep changes".

The second round, it said, is "set to oppose two visions of France -- one inclusive and open to the world and its concerns, and the other cut off behind its borders and its old myths".

The stakes are high, it said: "The final choice of the French will change their country, but also the face of the world."

- Insider or outsider? -

The New York Times noted Macron's strange status as both someone who has set himself apart from establishment parties and someone who hails from the political elite.

"His profile is that of an insider, but his policies are those of an outsider," the Times said. "If the ever-precocious Mr. Macron is to succeed, his first challenge is to sell a product still largely unfamiliar to almost everyone: himself."

- Closer to united Europe? -

Poland's centre-left Gazeta Wyborcza expressed relief that the prospect of a French exit from the EU -- which could spell disaster for the bloc -- appeared slightly further off as polls show Macron likely to beat Le Pen in the run-off.

"The European Union needs to survive the divorce with Britain that has just begun. But Frexit -- a French departure from the union -- would have buried the European project. And that's what National Front leader Marine Le Pen has announced."

- 'Extraordinary' -

In an editorial headlined "The hope of Macron", Spain's top-selling daily El Pais said the young centrist's success "points the way that traditional parties must follow if they want to reconnect with their voters".

"The man who is shaping up to become the youngest president of the French Republic has broken through in a France engulfed in crisis and pessimism," it said.

"His optimistic outlook on the future of the country and of Europe seduced voters at a time of rising populism, nationalism and xenophobia."

A comment piece in Australia's Sydney Morning Herald, meanwhile, called the election results "a political earthquake".
Paris (AFP) - The results of France's first round of presidential election made front page headlines around the world on Monday.

Many newspapers noted that a likely win for pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 run-off would be good news for the European Union but warned that his far-right rival Marine Le Pen could still pull off a surprise victory.

- 'Le Pen threat not over' -

Media in neighbouring Britain hailed pro-European Macron's strong showing while adding that Le Pen's second-place success should not be ignored.

"The threat from the French extreme right is not over," the centre-left Guardian said, describing Macron as the "best hope of a deeply-troubled but great country".

Similar caution appeared on the front page of France's leftist daily Liberation which ran a picture of Macron with the headline: "Just one more step."

"The FN won its highest ever score in a presidential election. And if the fight turns into a confrontation between people and elites, who can be sure of the outcome?" it said.

"In this new world, anything is possible. In other words, stay vigilant," the paper said, while voicing hope that the "young leader of the (first round) vote will defeat the wicked stepmother."

French communist paper L'Humanite had a picture of Le Pen with the words "Never" across it. "Let's rally together to block her way," it said.

The Financial Times predicted May 7 would be an "act of coronation" for him, but warned that governing would not come so easily, saying Macron could be forced into "hard bargaining" to implement his reform agenda.

An opinion piece on America's rightwing Fox News website said Le Pen was still in with a good chance and referenced US President Donald Trump's shock win, saying: "She may pull off an even bigger surprise than the Tweeter in Chief. Yuge, in fact."

Story continues

- 'A house divided' -

Many papers pointed to the historic defeat inflicted on traditional parties, with the Wall Street Journal calling the vote a "stunning rebuke of France's mainstream political forces".

"A huge leap into the unknown," wrote the French economic daily Les Echos which described the vote as an expression of people being "fed up to the back teeth with the 'system' (and) making a clean break with the past."

But Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that more than 40 percent had cast their ballots for the far-right or far-left.

"Macron's victory is so narrow that in the two previous presidential elections, he wouldn't have won a place in the second round," it said.

The BBC said France was "entering unchartered political water" and noted that whoever won the next round, the country was "deeply divided".

And Switzerland's Le Temps said the result showed the French republic was "broken" with the run-off "set to oppose two visions of France -- one inclusive and open to the world and its concerns, and the other cut off behind its borders and its old myths".

- Insider or outsider? -

"Congratulations to the artist! Eight months have seen Emmanuel Macron stage his takeover bid in the world of politics," enthused Xavier Brouet in the regional French paper Le Republicain Lorrain, in a nod to Macron's business background.

The New York Times noted Macron's strange status as both someone who has set himself apart from establishment parties but who also hails from the political elite.

"His profile is that of an insider, but his policies are those of an outsider," it said. "If the ever-precocious Mr. Macron is to succeed, his first challenge is to sell a product still largely unfamiliar to almost everyone: himself."

- Good for the EU? -

Poland's centre-left Gazeta Wyborcza expressed relief that the prospect of a French exit from the EU -- which could spell disaster for the bloc -- appeared slightly further off with polls indicating a Macron win in the run-off.

"The European Union needs to survive the divorce with Britain that has just begun. But Frexit -- a French departure from the union -- would have buried the European project."

"Europe has won", declared a headline in an opinion piece in Spain's top-selling daily El Pais. Macron was "the only truly European candidate among the four" main candidates in the first round.

- France's 'big bang' -

Australia's Sydney Morning Herald called the election results "a political earthquake" while French media said it was tantamount to a "big bang" which dealt a fatal blow to the country's traditional parties.

"A knock-out blow for the right," said Le Figaro, France's conservative daily which said that for the first time in decades, the mainstream right would not be represented in the second round of the election.

"(French) voters have turned a completely new page in the history of the Fifth Republic," said the liberal daily L'Opinion, saying they had rejected "all representatives of political parties who, in one way or another, had governed over past decades."

El Pais said the young centrist's success "points the way" for traditional parties wanting to reconnect with voters, noting that his "optimistic outlook on the future of the country and of Europe seduced voters at a time of rising populism, nationalism and xenophobia."

burs-hmw/mt
By Laurence Frost PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors have opened a formal investigation into suspected diesel emissions test-cheating by carmaker PSA Group, a court official said on Monday. The probe was opened earlier this month into alleged consumer fraud offences, the official said, confirming a report in daily newspaper Liberation. Paris-based PSA in February became the fourth carmaker to be referred to prosecutors by France's DGCCRF consumer fraud watchdog over suspected diesel test manipulation in the wake of the Volkswagen "dieselgate" scandal. Its referral, following that of VW, Renault and Fiat Chrysler, dealt a setback to the maker of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars, whose emissions performance had so far escaped major criticism. PSA, which denies any wrongdoing, said on Monday it had "taken note" of the prosecutors' decision to open a full investigation, reiterating that its vehicles comply with all regulations in countries where they are sold. Following VW's exposure in 2015 for U.S. diesel test-cheating, several European countries launched their own investigative test programs. They found on-road nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions more than 10 times above regulatory limits - for some GM , Renault and Fiat models - and widespread use of devices that reduce exhaust treatment in some conditions. Carmakers have broadly invoked a European legal loophole allowing such software for safety purposes or engine protection. PSA diesels under the current Euro 6 standard have cleaner emissions than many mass-market rivals, thanks to their standard deployment of costly selective catalytic reduction (SCR). But in a government-backed testing program last year, five PSA vehicles of the last Euro 5 diesel generation emitted significantly higher NOx in motorway driving conditions when engine temperatures were increased. By design, the cars' so-called EGR emissions treatment is deliberately reduced at higher temperatures to improve fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in out-of-town driving, where NOx and particle output is less critical, PSA engineering chief Gilles Le Borgne said in February. The company last year began an independently certified real-world CO2 emissions-testing program and began publishing results measured for all its vehicles on the road. (Reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Adrian Croft)
Berlin (AFP) - A German court ruled Monday that 10 people will face trial accused of negligently causing a catastrophic stampede at a 2010 "Love Parade" techno music festival that killed 21 people.

Overturning a year-old ruling, the court decided that four event organisers and six officials of the city of Duisburg will face charges including negligent manslaughter and causing bodily harm.

Prosecutors, victims' relatives and survivors have pointed to chaotic crowd management as the cause of the disaster in which revellers were crushed, trampled to death and suffocated.

More than 650 people were injured in the mass panic as pressure from a heaving sea of hundreds of thousands of young people squashed the victims against fences and walls.

A Duisburg court a year ago dismissed the criminal case, casting doubt on an expert report on the disaster, in a ruling that angered victims' groups.

But now, after an appeal, a higher panel in Duesseldorf overturned that ruling, saying there was a "sufficiently" high chance of convicting those responsible.

It said in a statement there was "cause to believe" that shortcomings in organisers' duty of care caused the deaths and injuries.

The court did not set a starting date for the trial.

Negligent manslaughter carries up to five years in prison.

Prosecutors blamed serious planning errors for the July 24, 2010 tragedy at the site, a former cargo rail depot in the western industrial city.

Eight men and 13 women were killed -- included seven foreigners, from Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

The city mayor at the time, Adolf Sauerland, became the prime target of public anger, accused of having ignored warnings that the summer festival was a disaster waiting to happen, and was forced to resign by a 2012 city referendum.

The Love Parade started as an underground event in the former West Berlin in 1989 and was held there most years until 2006, at times drawing over one million people.

Following wrangling over permits and arguments over the mountains of trash left behind, the festival moved from Berlin to cities in western Germany's industrial Ruhr region until the tragedy of 2010.

The deadly disaster led organisers to declare that the Love Parade would never be held again "out of respect for the victims".
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German court gave the go-ahead on Monday for 10 people to be tried over a deadly stampede at a German "Love Parade" music festival in 2010, overturning a lower court's decision last year. Twenty-one people died and 500 were injured on July 24, 2010, when panic broke out in a packed underpass that was the only entrance route to the festival venue in the western city of Duisberg. Six private event organizers and four city workers have previously denied wrongdoing in the disaster, in which eight foreigners - from Spain, Bosnia, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy and China - were among those killed. The Duesseldorf higher regional court approved the trial of the 10 organizers, who face charges including involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm, saying in a statement there was "sufficient probability" of convictions. Accustomed to a high degree of efficiency and organization at such events, Germans were dumbfounded by the chaos and by media reports that officials and organizers did not heed warnings about the problems such a massive crow would cause. The Duesseldorf court ordered that another court, in Duisberg, hear the case. It is up to the Duisberg court to set a date. (Writing by Paul Carrel, editing by Larry King)
Photo credit: Lilium / YouTube

From Popular Mechanics

In almost every vision of the future we were promised ubiquitous flying cars and personal airplanes, and yet that version of the future never materialized. It turns out that building a small airplane or flying car is much harder than many people believed. But that hasn't stopped many startups from trying, and the latest is Munich-based startup Lilium, which is making its own electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) craft.

Lilium's design features two pairs of wings and 36 turbofans.The turbofans are able to point either vertically or horizontally, and transition between the two alignments. Each turbofan is powered by a high-speed electric motor. The craft has a top speed of over 150 miles per hour, with a 1 hour rechargeable battery. It's actually quite similar to a certain DARPA X-Plane design, but with less extreme stats.

Lilium's design is also very similar to a prototype flying car in development by Zee.Aero, a mysterious company funded by Google's Larry Page. Like Lilium, Zee's design features two pairs of wings, multiple electric fans, and VTOL capability. However, unlike Zee, we actually have footage of Lilium's prototype taking to the skies:

This maiden flight featured Lilium's prototype two-seat aircraft, a precursor to its commercial five-seat aircraft. The flight was designed to test many of the aircraft's capabilities, such as its signature vertical takeoff, transition to normal flight, and other complex maneuvers.

Of course, these tests involved a smaller version of their commercial design without any passengers, so you probably won't be seeing a flying car above the streets anytime soon. And Lilium is far from the first company to try and build a flying car, so its chances of being the first to succeed are slim.

Still, this prototype test puts Lilium ahead of most of the competition. If it does succeed in bringing its craft to the market, Lilium envisions it as a kind of air taxi, capable of ferrying passengers over crowded city streets to their destinations more quickly than anything else.

Story continues

Who knows, maybe we'll finally get our flying cars at last.

Source: Lilium via Techcrunch

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Google is rolling out a special Doodle this Monday to honor the legacy of Spanish writer and thinker Maria Zambrano, who on this day in 1988 became the first female recipient of the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking worlds top literary honor.

Zambrano was associated with the Generation of 1936 literary movement, a collection of artists, poets, and playwrights who documented the experiences of creative people during the tumultuous times of the Spanish Civil War, according to Google.

Its nearly impossible to distill Zambranos layered ideologies into just a few words, remarked Google. Known for her thinking on various aspects of the human condition, as well as explorations into all topics from the political to the poetic and the spiritual, Google contended that Zambrano is perhaps most famous for combining all these areas into a means to understand a new reality - what she called poetic reason.

Poetic reason, according to Google, applies human emotion and creativity to traditional rational and logical modes of thought, in order to give a new voice of truth to the human experience.

In the Doodle, Zambrano sits on a window surrounded by potted plants, with a pen in her hand, a notebook open in her lap and a dog by her side.

This Doodle is available on Google homepages in Spain, Mexico and a number of other Latin American countries.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
PWD engineers in Madurai have decided to study the model of floating plastic balls to prevent water evaporation. The model was originally used in Los Angeles, America.

By India Today Web Desk: While social media is having a field day with the failed experiment of Cooperatives Minister Sellur Raju, the Tamil Nadu government is now set to do another experiment to prevent water evaporation.

The PWD engineers in Madurai have decided to study the model of floating plastic balls, in the Vaigai reservoir to prevent water evaporation following the model originally used in Los Angeles, America.

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The shade balls as they are called, were released into the Los Angeles reservoir in 2008 to prevent water evaporation.

However, speaking exclusively to India Today, Madurai Collector Veeraraghava Rao said that this time they will be extra cautious following the previous embarrassment.

While justifying the failed thermocol experiment, he said, "We seriously wanted to make a small trial. Evaporation level was high so they wanted to do something. We wanted to put balls but it was not available. So we used thermocol. We should have tried it first before putting it on public view. but the pilot is small. Only 200 square-meter of area was used. "

Talking on the proposal for floating balls to prevent evaporation, The Madurai collector said, "Now because so many people are criticising the earlier move, we want to do it after a proper study."

ENVIRONMENTALISTS SLAMMED THERMOCOL EXPERIMENT

Meanwhile, environmentalists have lashed out at the thermocol experiment, dubbing the experiment unnecessary and harmful for the environment.

Speaking to India Today, Ramkumar, environmentalist and activist, said "Tamil Nadu government has come up with a fancy experiment. But this is an unlikely option because of the size of the water body. We are undergoing severe drought situations because we don't know how to store water. Water can be saved by digging small bore-wells. That's the only way.

He further said,"The use of thermocol is not even environment friendly. If you cover water bodies you are stopping water synthesis. Water then ceases to remain portable. This is wholly unnecessary."

EXPERIMENT WAS RIDICULOUS: EX- BUREAUCRAT

MG Devasahayam , former bureaucrat and activist also commented on the fancy experiments, saying, "A comedy was enacted that day by Sellur Raju and team of officials. They went about with thermocol sheets to cover the area to prevent evaporation. It's so ridiculous. It has brought too much ridicule for the state government. Now they are talking about putting plastic balls. It might affect the fisheries.

"None of these experiments were tested beforehand. Recently, they used buckets to take out oil spill. I was not surprised because Jayalalithaa after tsunami did something similar. She gave an official memorandum to raise a 20-feet-wall along the entire length of 1000 km long coast of Tamil Nadu, to prevent further damage from tsunami. She was the leader they worshipped. So we can't expect anything else from her supporters."

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ALSO READ:

Not taking trolls seriously, people politicising issue: TN minister who tried to cover dam with thermocol

Fail: Tamil Nadu minister tries to cover dam with thermocol to prevent water evaporation

ALSO WATCH:

Tamil Nadu minister's thermocol proposal to prevent water loss at Vaigai dam fails miserably

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(Reuters) - Highlights for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Monday: NORTH KOREA Trump says the U.N. Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea as concerns mount that it may test a sixth nuclear bomb as early as Tuesday. Top Trump administration officials will hold a rare White House briefing on Wednesday for the entire Senate on the North Korean situation, senior Senate aides say. CONGRESS RETURNS Trump tries to press Democrats to include funds for his controversial border wall with Mexico in spending legislation as lawmakers work to avoid a looming shutdown of the federal government. Vice President Mike Pence cuts short his Asia trip to hurry back to Washington, where the administration faces a critical week on tax reform and a funding plan to keep the government running, an aide says. TAXES Trump's zeal to unveil a tax plan before his 100th day in office is raising questions about just how thorough his "tax reform" plans will be, amid signals his focus now is on slashing tax rates. MAR-A-LAGO A U.S. State Department website published an article this month about President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, stoking criticism from prominent ethics experts. SYRIA The United States blacklists 271 employees of a Syrian government agency it says was responsible for developing chemical weapons, weeks after a poison gas attack killed scores of people in a rebel-held province in Syria. HEALTHCARE A congressional vote on a Republican healthcare legislation plan may not come for weeks as leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate continue negotiations over possible proposals, the White House says. UNITED NATIONS Trump complains the United States is shouldering an unfair burden of the cost of the United Nations but says if the world body reforms how it operates, the investment will be worth it. CABINET The Senate confirms former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as secretary of agriculture, leaving all but one of Cabinet positions - Labor secretary - filled. DEFENSE Expanding the U.S. Navy to 355 ships as recommended by military leaders and backed by Trump will cost another $400 billion over the next 30 years than the currently planned 308-ship fleet, a study says. TRADE Trump's administration has adopted a "constructive" approach to NAFTA behind the scenes, despite headlines to the contrary, the head of the biggest U.S. business lobby says in a speech in Mexico City. (Compiled by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott; Editing by Grant McCool and James Dalgleish)
HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Hong Kong court on Monday granted bail to former leader Donald Tsang, who was jailed in February for 20 months for misconduct in public office, the broadcaster RTHK reported. Tsang, wearing his signature bow-tie, was transferred to court from hospital, where he had been taken from the city's Stanley Prison this month after complaining of breathing problems, RTHK said. The devout Catholic is the most senior city official to serve time behind bars, bringing an ignominious end to what had been a long and distinguished career, before and after the 1997 handover of the former British colony to Chinese rule. A nine-person jury ruled in February that Tsang had deliberately concealed private rental negotiations with property tycoon Bill Wong Cho-bau while his cabinet discussed and approved a digital broadcasting license for a now defunct radio company, Wave Media, in which Wong was a major shareholder. Tsang, 72, had denied graft and pleaded not guilty. Jurors failed to return a majority verdict for another charge related to bribery, with a re-trial tentatively set for September. (Reporting by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Robert Birsel)
They might be cute little critters, but they sure breed fast.

Hundreds of pet mice were found in an apartment in Singapore, owned by an unnamed man and his elderly mother.

SEE ALSO: iPhone photography is about to help these adorable animals get adopted

Last Friday, animal welfare volunteers went into the flat, where the mice were found roaming all over the 100 square meter (1,076 sq ft) apartment's floors  and not in enclosures.

Derrick Tan, the president of animal welfare group Voices for Animals, posted this video on Facebook:

The volunteers were called in after neighbours reported an odour to council management.

Tan said mother and son started with three pet mice a few years ago, but allowed them to multiply to hundreds.

Pet mice breed quickly  each female can have five to 10 litters a year.

In a followup comment on Facebook, Tan said the family provided adequate care and food for the mice, "it's just that they multiplied too [quickly] and they couldn't manage."

Tan also told the Straits Times that mice fell on his head from the top of a cupboard as he tried to capture them.

Apart from the mice, there were also 23 rabbits  but reportedly in far worse condition. The House Rabbit Society of Singapore (HRSS) said many of them had dirty fur, mites, and sores on their hind legs:

Volunteers have caught around 120 of the mice, and more than 41 have already been adopted over the weekend, Tan told Mashable. The groups are ensuring that adopters only get mice of one gender so they don't breed.

https://www.facebook.com/melodie.tan.yz/videos/10155111276459976/https://www.facebook.com/melodie.tan.yz/videos/10155111276459976/

This incident is hardly an isolated one.

Tan said Voices for Animals has already tended to three similar cases this year.

The Cat Welfare Society told Mashable that they handle, on average, 10 to 15 cases each year of people hoarding an overpopulation of cats at home.

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"A majority [are pet owners] who have just neglected to sterilise their pets and faced a population explosion that they didn't know how to deal with," said Laura Ann Meranda, the society's executive director.

The animals are often sterilised and then rehomed, she added. If Cat Welfare Society believes that owners might repeat their behaviour, it will work with authorities to monitor them.

WATCH: Now you can play fetch with your pet even if you're stuck at work
The Hague (AFP) - International judges on Monday unsealed an arrest warrant for Libya's former security chief, accusing him of carrying out war crimes in 2011 to quash opposition to late dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

The warrant, first issued in 2013 by the International Criminal Court (ICC), charges Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, once head of Libya's internal security agency, with three charges of war crimes and four crimes against humanity.

The announcement comes as the court is still in a legal tug-of-war with Libyan authorities to transfer Kadhafi's jailed son Seif al-Islam to the tribunal in The Hague to face trial for crimes against humanity.

The warrant against Khaled says that between February and August 2011, the military, intelligence and security agencies carried out attacks on the civilian population "in furtherance of a policy designed by the Libyan state to quash the political opposition to the Kadhafi regime by any means".

That included "lethal force and by arresting, detaining, torturing and abusing perceived political opponents".

Prisoners across Libya "were subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including severe beatings, electrocution, acts of sexual violence and rape, solitary confinement" as well as mock executions.

As head of the agency from February to August 2011, Khaled "had the authority to implement Kadhafi's orders," it added.

The prosecutor's office asked for the warrant to be made public as it "may facilitate (his) arrest and surrender as all states will then be aware of its existence," the court said.

Born in the Janzour area of Libya, west of Tripoli, in 1942, Khaled was known by several aliases, and had "at least 10 different passports, some issued under other identities," the warrant says.

According to Libyan media, he was arrested in Cairo in April 2012, but was released again as there was no warrant against him. Since then he is believed to have dropped out of sight.

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The warrant appeals to the authorities in Egypt to co-operate with the court's request for his arrest and surrender.

Although Libya is not a party to the Rome Statute which underpins the ICC, the UN Security Council unanimously mandated the tribunal to investigate abuses in the country in February 2011.

It was then still under the rule of longtime leader Kadhafi, who was killed months later by rebels in a NATO-backed uprising.

- No-one in the dock -

An arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity issued in June 2011 is still outstanding for his son, Seif al-Islam, said to be behind bars in Zintan, a town southwest of Tripoli that opposes the unity government based in the capital.

The new unity UN-backed government in Tripoli still faces dogged resistance from jihadist holdouts, as well as a rival administration in the east.

A bid by chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to have the ICC warrant served on the battalion commander in charge in Zintan, to compel him to turn over Islam to the court, was turned down by the trial chamber in November.

So far no-one has stood trial for atrocities in Libya, as the case against Kadhafi's former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi was dropped, after it was declared inadmissible in October 2013.

But Bensouda has vowed her office would keep up its investigations, and said last year new arrest warrants could perhaps follow in 2017.

She vowed to make Libya a priority for her office, and told the UN Security Council in November she would seek to expand investigations to "potentially include alleged crimes committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.

It would be the first such moves by the court -- set up in The Hague in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes -- to target IS jihadists who swept to power across a swathe of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
By Zeba Siddiqui MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's top tuberculosis fighter said the government will expand access to Johnson & Johnson's breakthrough TB drug this year, but health experts warn much more needs to be done to eliminate the superbug by 2025. India will make bedaquiline, one of just two new TB drugs marketed over the last 50 years, available at 140 government-run TB treatment centers by November, said Sunil Kharpade, head of India's Central TB Division. The drug is currently available at only six centers. "We've conducted training in several states in the last few months, and we're prepared to start giving it to patients across 140 centers," Kharpade told Reuters. Health experts and activists welcomed the move, but said the government must do even more against TB, which claims the lives of thousands of Indians each year. "India's TB program has made a lot of progress in the last few years," said Jennifer Furin, an infectious diseases expert at Harvard Medical School. "But compared to what they need to do if they are serious about eliminating TB in eight short years, they have barely scratched the surface." India has nearly a quarter of the world's TB cases, and poor infection control practices and a stressed public healthcare system make it a hotbed for spreading the drug-resistant bacteria. India has provided bedaquiline to only 300 patients, with another 300 courses available. There are plans to get treatment for 1,000 more patients in the next year, said Kharpade. But that is way short of India's requirements with nearly 2.8 million new TB cases a year, and 80,000 patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB. About a third of those with MDR TB are eligible to use bedaquiline, according to the World Health Organization, leaving thousands of Indians without access. "What that means is those people continue to transmit the bacteria to the community and it makes elimination impossible," Furin said. Kharpade says the country has been cautious in rolling out the drug to ensure people don't develop resistance to it. But some health experts believe the response has been too slow. Groups like Lawyers Collective and Medecins Sans Frontieres have called for expanded access to bedaquiline as well as delamanid, another drug for late-stage TB patients marketed by Japan's Otsuka Holdings Co Ltd. "We got these drugs after half a century of stagnant research," said Mario Raviglione, head of the WHO's TB-control program. "We don't want to lose these drugs for future people in need." (Reporting by Zeba Siddiqui; Editing by Randy Fabi)
Paris (AFP) - Financial investors say they trust centrist Emmanuel Macron to bring much-needed economic reform to France if he wins a presidential election runoff.

But they warn it remains unclear whether a man who founded his party only a year ago to shake up the political landscape can easily secure a majority in a parliamentary election which will follow in June.

Market watchers see Macron as best-placed to deliver cheer in a country battling political malaise and widespread unemployment after booking a runoff against National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

"The results from the first round of vote counting strengthen our confidence that, from this summer, France will have a president in favour of reforms for the first time," said Stefan Kreuzkamp, Chief Investment Officer with Deutsche Asset Management.

With stocks across Europe rising strongly Monday -- the main Paris index soared four percent after the first round results -- Blackrock, the world's largest asset manager, was upbeat.

- 'Momentum' -

"We see this as a positive surprise for risk assets in the near term. Business-friendly and pro-European Macron, who has maintained a large winning margin in head-to-head polls with Le Pen, can now build on his momentum," Blackrock's analysts said.

Macron, a former investment banker who had never before stood for election, edged out Le Pen, who many polls had earlier suggested might win the first round contest.

Their respective scores of 23.8 and 21.5 percent eliminated traditional centre-right candidate Francois Fillon and leftist rivals Jean-Luc Melenchon as well as Benoit Hamon of outgoing President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party.

Polls suggest Macron will easily defeat Le Pen in the final round but thereafter he will have to court traditional parties to build a workable presidential majority in the National Assembly, where the Socialists and the centre-right Republicans of Fillon and former president Nicolas Sarkozy have long held sway.

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Even so, the markets were buzzing after Macron's showing on Sunday.

"It's a very good day. Some of our clients turned in very strong performances between the close of the CAC 40 index Friday evening and this morning's opening," Elie Bohbot, commercial director at Saxo Bank, told AFP as market screens portrayed bullish early data to cheer traders still bleary-eyed from monitoring the poll outcome into the small hours.

Some warn that a Le Pen victory cannot be ruled out completely in a runoff pitting against one another two candidates diametrically opposed on issues ranging from fiscal policy to Europe.

Le Pen's desire to see France shelve the euro and offer a referendum on leaving the European Union constitutes a "nightmare scenario," the high finance world has repeatedly warned.

But such an outcome is now very unlikely, analysts agreed.

 'Vive la France' 

"Vive la France, long live Europe," exulted Deutsche's Kreuzkamp.

One French banker said on condition of anonymity that Macron's pro-business, pro-investment and pro-European stance offer a "favourable signal to foreign investors".

He added Macron would steer a line somewhere between defeated Fillon's "slightly Thatcherite" credo and a "more Kenyesian" approach nearer to Hamon for a hybrid approach between left and right "susceptible to win greater acceptance among the French".

Macron has won admirers in the financial world with criticism of stringent regulations imposed on the sector in response to the banks' role in sparking the 2008 financial crisis.

But implementation of Macron's programme -- which Saxo Bank analyst Andrea Tueni said investors view as "seductive and balanced" -- could run into roadblocks if parliament refuses to play along.

Leon Cornelissen, chief economist with Robeco, believes Macron will have to cast a centrist, catch-all net wide and "will probably have to form a coalition," which could cause market waves if it dilutes his programme too much.

For Bank of America Merrill Lynch, "expectations of far-reaching, quick supply-side reforms in France probably have to be shelved" now that Fillon has been eliminated.

"Emmanuel Macron advocates a moderate reformist path, which we would summarize as social-democratic."

burs/cw/jh
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Court has upheld a five-year jail sentence for a British-Iranian charity worker who was convicted on unspecified charges relating to national security, her husband said on Monday. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested by the elite Revolutionary Guards in April 2016 at a Tehran airport, as she was about to return to Britain with her two-year-old daughter after a family visit. Iranian media have said she was convicted of plotting the "soft overthrow" of Iran's clerical establishment, a charge denied by the Foundation and her family. She was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in September. Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said the appeal was her last legal opportunity to challenge the sentence. "Nazanin discovered this weekend that her final appeal at the Supreme Court has failed, and her 5-year sentence has been upheld," he said in an emailed statement, describing his wife as angry but not shocked. "Her lawyer was told over the phone that there was no more that the Court could do for Nazanins case, and the legal review was closed. There was no court hearing for this judgment." The Iranian judiciary declined to respond to calls seeking comment. Ratcliffe said his wife had still not been allowed to know the exact charges on which she was convicted. He urged the British government to publicly call for her release. "Now it is time for the U.K. government to say Nazanin is innocent. She was a mum on holiday, who works for a development charity in London," he said. Britain's foreign ministry said later on Monday it was "deeply concerned" by reports that the appeal had been rejected. "The prime minister and foreign secretary have both raised Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case with their counterparts in Iran," a Foreign Office spokesperson said. "We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested." The Foreign Office has previously expressed "deep concern" over Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sentence, but has stopped short of calling for her release. She works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a London-based charity that is independent of Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News. Its chief executive Monique Villa described the rejection of the appeal as a huge blow. "She is not a spy but an innocent mother who traveled to Iran only to show her baby to her parents. I stand united with Richard in calling for her immediate release. Nazanin has suffered terribly over her past year," Villa said. "We continue to be very concerned for her health and wellbeing, and she is desperately missed by her family and all at the Foundation. I ask for clemency." Iran refuses to recognize dual nationals and denies them access to consular assistance. The British ambassador to Iran last year visited Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter Gabriella, who has been placed in the care of her Iranian grandparents. Last year, the United Nations human rights investigator for Iran called for the immediate release of three Iranians with dual nationality, including Zaghari-Ratcliffe. (Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's High Court will consider next month whether it can hear a case from a British plaintiff seeking to decide if Britain's divorce from the European Union can be reversed. Judge Peter Kelly set a hearing for May 31 to decide whether an Irish court can hear a case against Brexit that campaigners hope will ultimately be referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for a definitive ruling. If it accepts the case, an Irish court could refer it to the ECJ in Luxembourg soon afterwards and have the issue handled on a European basis. British tax specialist Jolyon Maugham, the lawyer behind the challenge, said he expected a decision by June or July. If his case clears this hurdle, he expected it could be referred to Luxembourg without much delay. The backers say Ireland was chosen as their case had to be brought in the EU but outside the UK. The Irish legal system is similar to Britain's and the plaintiff could argue that Dublin colluded in a breach of the EU Treaties by wrongly excluding Britain from some EU Council meetings after last year's Brexit referendum. Michael Collins, a lawyer for the Irish state, raised several jurisdictional issues in a preliminary hearing in Dublin on Monday, including whether British citizens are entitled to launch such proceedings in Ireland. The hearing follows British Prime Minister Theresa May invoking last month of Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, formally notifying Brussels of Britain's intent to leave the EU and triggering two years of formal divorce talks. The European Parliament has said that Brexit can be reversed with the consent of the remaining EU members, but British government lawyers have said the process cannot now be stopped. If his case is thrown out, Maugham said he could file an appeal in Dublin, take it to a different EU member state or hope another member state seeks a referral to the ECJ on its own. The reality, he conceded, was that "the clock is ticking on a not especially long fuse". "It would be a bloody tragedy for democracy and the United Kingdom if the people came to want to remain in the UK before the two-year clock had expired and they were unable to do so," he told reporters after the hearing. "This case is about giving the people another referendum if they want one," he said. "The appropriate time to ask the question 'do they want one?' is October of next year. If we get a reference in June, we will have an answer well before then." (Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Shreya Goswami: Remember those times during your childhood when your naani would make you drink up a tall glass of chhaas or lassi after you came back from school on a hot summer day? Our mothers also made sure to keep supplying us with drinks like shikanji and aam panna, whether it was after school or after a session of fun games in the evening.

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Some of us loved the attention, and the little treat that it was. Then came the era of glucose drinks, and they seemed to be healthier--and a lot of families switched over to these drinks. But did you know that those traditional drinks can help you survive summers better than any amount of Gatorade or Glucon-D can?

You didn't? Well, allow us to share some secrets with you--the secret of naani's nuskhe that made summers more bearable during your childhood.

Also Read: 5 foods you should stay away from in summer

Shikanji or nimbu paani

Shikanji or nimbu paani is the Indian version of lemon water. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/vegrecipesofindia.com Shikanji or nimbu paani is the Indian version of lemon water. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/vegrecipesofindia.com

Call it lemon water, or the Indian lemonade, but shikanji or nimbu paani has always been the best of all summer drinks. Traditionally made with water, lemon, and salt, it also includes ingredients like ginger juice, sugar and cumin at times. Not only does this drink keep the body's energy level up and hydrate it, but also helps cure indigestion. And those are just some of the reasons why you should have shikanji every day during summers.

Lassi

Lassi is a very popular Punjabi drink. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/Watch What U Eat

There's probably no other Indian drink as popular as this one. The Punjabi lassi hasn't just conquered the country with its taste and benefits, but also the rest of the world. This drink has probiotic content, thanks to the amounts of yogurt used to make it, and can solve every single issue related to digestion--from acidity to constipation. And did we mention how good the yogurt, water and spice mix (which gets a boost of fruits from time to time) tastes?

Bel ka sharbat

Bel ka sharbat is made with the popular Indian fruit, bel or wood apple. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/Sailu's Food

This little drink probably isn't your favourite--after all, the smell of fresh bel can be quite intolerable. But bel or wood apple is chock full of protein, beta-carotines and vitamins. A little effort, and you can make it just as tasty as your naani did. Trust us when we say that a little jaggery or gur mixed with bel pulp, cardamom, cumin and salt will do you a world of good--and taste amazing.

Also Read: These yummylicious drinks and desserts are a must-try this summer

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Aam panna

Aam panna is a drink made with green mangoes. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/Farrukh Shadab

If there's a tagline that can be attached to aam panna it's heat resistent--because that's just what it will turn your body into. This green mango drink doesn't just help with digestion issues, but also heals blood disorders, gastric disorders and diabetes. It prevents the loss of body salts, which is just what you need in summers. So guzzle down loads of this drink.

Chhaas

Chhaas is the lighter version of lassi you should have throughout summer. Picture courtesy: Pinterest/vegrecipesofindia.com

The lighter version of lassi, chhaas is a drink orginating in Western India. Delicious and absolutely healthy, this drink is also yogurt based. Not only does chaas soothe the stomach during the summer heat, it also boosts your calcium intake and washes down body fats. A few glasses of this drink, and you'll be ready for every onslaught the summer heat has in store in the coming months.

When we have these gems to indulge in, why exactly do we need to depend on packaged power drinks? That's right, we don't. Just whip up some lassi or aam panna this summer, and you'll be good to go.

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Rome (AFP) - An Italian journalist arrested in Turkey while researching refugees near the Syrian border has been freed after two weeks in detention, Italy's foreign ministry said Monday.

Gabriele Del Grande, 34, was expected to arrive at Bologna airport in Italy Monday and be met by his parents and Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano.

"I spoke to him just now and he's on his way back to Italy. I had the great joy of telling his family. We are waiting for him," Alfano said.

Del Grande was handcuffed by Turkish police on April 9 as he was interviewing people who had fled the war-torn neighbouring country for a book he is writing on the conflict and the birth of the Islamic State group.

The blogger, writer and human rights activist began a hunger strike last week after claiming he had no access to a lawyer and had been "interrogated" on the content of his research.

Del Grande, who comes from Lucca in Tuscany, was a co-author and co-director of a documentary on Syrian and Palestinian refugees, "Io sto con la sposa" ("On the Bride's Side"), that was presented at the Venice Film Festival in 2014.
If people don't want to buy pieces from Ivanka Trump's clothing line, the only logical thing to do is change the labels and pretend the clothes are from another brand, right?

Apparently.

It's an interesting/shady AF sales technique, to be sure, but according to Business of Fashion, the company that licenses Ivanka Trump's brand relabelled her inventory as Adrienne Vittadini, then proceeded to sell the clothing items to Stein Mart, a chain of discount department stores with nearly 300 locations in the United States.

SEE ALSO: Meet the woman who's making consumer boycotts great again

As BoF stated, G-IIIthe company that owns the right to manufacture and distribute Ivanka's brandadmitted the garments were relabeled and sold without informing Trump's people.

"G-III accepts responsibility for resolving this issue, which occurred without the knowledge or consent of the Ivanka Trump organisation," a G-III representative told BoF. "G-III has already begun to take corrective actions, including facilitating the immediate removal of any mistakenly labelled merchandise from its customer. The Ivanka Trump brand continues to grow and remains very strong."

Since the 2016 presidential campaigns, Ivanka Trump's clothing and jewelry line have received a significant deal of backlash prompting major stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, T.J. Maxx, and Marshall's to pull her brand from shelves back in Feb. after a boycott campaign #GrabYourWallet, which urged people to stop supporting any brand or store with ties to President Trump.

According to BoF, a source within Stein Mart claimed Trump's brand has also received negative feedback from customers, alleging one person even spat on a Trump-labeled blouse in-store and angrily left.

But on Friday, Stein Mart chief executive D. Hunt Hawkins acknowledged that the chain was aware of the swap, and told BoF that the decision was not reflective of complaints over Trump's label. "Weve had both labels for a while. We may see more Adrienne Vittadini in the short term," he said. "Ive had an equal number of [customers] say that they dont want and do want [the Ivanka Trump merchandise] in the store."

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Though the process seems somewhat controversial, Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fashion Law Institute, told BoF that label substitutions are legal. "US textile product labelling laws allow substitution of labels, so long as the entity making the substitution is identified on the new label and keeps records for three years," she said. "This is mostly for supply chain tracking reasons. All of the other required information on the labelfibre content, country of origin, etceteramust be maintained."

However, it remains unclear whether the re-labeled inventory was sold to other retailers aside from Stein Mart, or if Adrienne Vittadini was informed of the label substitution before it happened.

"If the original label [is replaced] with that of a third party unaware of the substitution, the [responsible party] would be liable to the third party," Scafidi says. "All of this derives historically from the law of fraud."

In the mean time, stay tuned to see if Kellyanne Conway advises people to go buy Adrienne Vittadini's stuff.

WATCH: Merriam-Webster throws shade at Ivanka Trump after she can't define the word 'complicit'
London (AFP) - A British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran after being accused of sedition has seen her appeal rejected by the country's supreme court, her family said on Monday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given a five-year jail term in September for participating in anti-regime protests in 2009.

After losing an initial appeal in January, Iran's Supreme Court upheld her sentence and Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family said they have been told there are no further legal avenues.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said he will now seek a political solution to end the detention of his wife, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation which coordinates training programmes for journalists worldwide.

"We've had a year, the legal process is finished, so I think the (British) Government needs to step up, find a way to visit her, say that she's innocent and call for her release publicly," he told the Press Association.

The Foundation's CEO Monique Villa said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was not allowed to participate in her appeals, with the Supreme Court hearing held by a panel of judges.

"This extinguishes the last hope we have had of legally overturning a punishment where the crime remains a mystery," Villa said in a statement, explaining the exact charges remain unknown.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016, after visiting family in Iran with her British-born daughter Gabriella.

Iran, which does not recognise dual-citizenship, confiscated the British passport of the two-year-old girl, who has been living with her grandparents in Iran since her mother's arrest.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband said she was feeling "angry" but "determined" after losing her final appeal and is hoping for intervention from the UK.

Britain's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned" by reports the Supreme Court had upheld the sentence and said Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had raised the case with their Iranian counterparts.

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"We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested," a spokesman said.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards accused Zaghari-Ratcliffe of having taken part in the "sedition movement" of widespread protests that followed the 2009 re-election of former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, charges which she denies.

During her detention Zaghari-Ratcliffe has suffered health problems and in November her husband said she had reached "breaking point", writing a suicide letter to him and her family.

After being held in solitary confinement, she was moved to the women's ward of Tehran's Evin prison on December 26 and has since received visits from her daughter.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed to maintain close contact over North Korea, while demanding Pyongyang show restraint as tensions in the region rise. Abe told reporters after a telephone call with Trump that he appreciated the U.S. leader's stance of showing that all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea. Tensions have risen sharply over North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs. The United States has ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula, prompting Pyongyang to say it was ready to sink the carrier. Two Japanese destroyers have joined the U.S. carrier group in a show of solidarity. (Reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Editing by Paul Tait)
Brussels (AFP) - Brussels heaved a sigh of relief Monday after pro-EU Emmanuel Macron led far-right Marine Le Pen in France's presidential vote, hoping for some respite after the Brexit shock and the rise of eurosceptics across the bloc.

Relieved Brussels officials broke with protocol on not intervening in national elections and swiftly congratulated Macron despite the fact he still has to beat Le Pen in a run-off.

"Last night, there was one choice between what Europe actually represents and a choice that represents the destruction of Europe," said a spokesman for Jean-Claude Juncker, defending the European Commission chief's decision to call Macron to offer his congratulations.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini also defended her unabashed congratulations for Macron, who spoke against a backdrop of the European Union's blue-and-gold starred flag on Sunday night.

"Putting together the two flags sends exactly the right message both to the French people and the European Union," Mogherini said on a visit to Russia, which has been accused of meddling in the French election.

- 'Brussels was worried' -

The French vote was being closely watched in Brussels as a bellwether following the election of Donald Trump as US President in November, and Britain's shock vote to leave the EU in June.

"Brussels was worried. There is relief," said EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, a former French socialist finance minister.

But despite the relief, there were still warnings that far-right leader Le Pen remained a contender, a prospect that European Union bigwigs warned was a step towards the tearing apart of the crisis-ridden bloc.

Moscovici was one of many voices to warn that it was too early to celebrate, saying it is "frightening that she still got 7.6 million votes."

Polls show that Macron should beat Le Pen decisively, but analysts warned that the far right still reached historic levels in a sign that anti-Brussels populism was still alive and well in the EU.

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Macron's good showing came a month after the Netherlands also fought off a populist insurgency in an election that put the party of anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders in a still strong second place.

The Wilders result "was still 500,000 voters more (than five years ago) when there is low unemployment and the (Dutch) economy is doing well," said Catherine Fieschi, director of the Counterpoint political science consultancy.

But other analysts said the Le Pen and Wilders results were disappointments for the far right and that populism may have reached its peak with the victory for Brexit in the UK last June.

"Although right-wing and left-wing radicals advanced in France, the worst of the tide of populist anger could soon be over in Europe," said Holger Schmieding, an analyst at Berenberg Bank in Germany.

- 'Europe should save its breath' -

Across the EU, there was support for Macron, whose campaign manifesto is profoundly pro-Brussels when all of the other ten candidates running in the first round opposed giving the EU more power.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the EU's most powerful leader, wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks".

But worryingly for Brussels, the anti-EU vote in France still added up to around 46 percent, with far leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon coming in a close fourth with 19.2 percent of the tally.

"We must not underestimate the Le Pen vote as it indicates an anger that exists not only in France but in several countries," said European Parliament head Antonio Tajani.

Macron, a former banker and French economy minister, wants to accelerate EU integration, including by giving the eurozone a central parliament, finance minister and budget.

This is in stark contrast to Le Pen who backs an exit from the European single currency and a Brexit-style referendum to pave the way for a French exit from the bloc.

She has predicted the EU "will die."

"If she wins, it will obviously be an anti-Europe, protectionist, exclusionist line that wins," said far-right expert Nonna Mayer at Sciences Po university in Paris.

Also looming for France after the presidential election are legislative polls in June.

"Europe should still save its breath until 18 June and the second round of the legislatives" said Martin Michelot of the German Marshall fund.

Former Finnish premier Alexander Stubb said Sunday's result was "a step in the right direction, but experience shows that anything can happen."
Police in Australia arrested a 12-year-old boy Saturday after he drove clear across the country  a distance of more than 800 miles.

Read: Tad Cummins Ordered Cialis While on the Run With Teen, Criminal Complaint Alleges

The tween was only pulled over in the end because the cars bumper was dragging across the ground, and could have been a hazard for other drivers, the New South Wales Police Force said in a statement over the weekend.

When police pulled him over, they realized he was under the legal driving age which is 16 in the country. The 12-year-old was arrested and an investigation is ongoing.

The boy started his excursion in the city of Perth and ended in the mining city of Broken Hill on his way back to Perth.

About 11 a.m. (Saturday 22 April 2017) officers from Broken Hill Highway Patrol stopped a motor vehicle on the Barrier Highway due to defects which made the vehicle hazardous (bumper dragging across the ground)," cops said in the statement. "Checks revealed the driver to be a 12-year-old boy was traveling from Kendal NSW on his way to Perth. The young person was arrested and taken to Broken Hill Police Station. Inquiries continue."

Read: Man Who Cracked Missing Student and Teacher Case Says Teen 'Looked Depressed'

Police believe he had completed the trip alone.

It is still unclear how the boy went unnoticed as he traveled alone for hundreds of miles or raised suspicion while stopping for gas. It is also unknown who the vehicle belonged to.

Watch: Police Officer Pulls Over to Teach Little Girl How to Play Hopscotch

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In her statement today, Sumaina alleged that her mother-in-law forced her to be a surrogate and maintain physical relationship with her second husband.

By India Today Web Desk: Amid growing dialogue in support and against of triple talaq, comes another case of a Hyderabad woman divorced over WhatsApp by husband residing in Dubai.

Sumaina was divorced November last year by her husband on her birthday. In a statement today, she alleged torture and harassment by the hands of her in-laws.

The triple talaq message sent by Sumaina's husband. Photo: ANI

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According to a Zee News report, Sumaina alleged, "Amma forced me to be surrogate to her by maintaining relations with her second husband. Even my husband didn't refuse. When I refused, they tortured me and locked me in a room for as many as six days. My father came and took me home."

She also added that she was made to work like a maid and was not given proper food.

"Amma jaan performed black magic... They tortured me," Sumaina said her mother-in-law practiced black magic and tried to harm her.

A case has been registered in the Sanathnagar Police Station on the complaint of Sumaina Sharfi under the sections 420, 406, 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on March 16.

(With inputs from ANI)

Watch video:Triple talaq tale from UP: Wife divorced during court hearing, faints on spot

Also read: Daughter slaughters mother into pieces over illicit relationship, dumps body parts along railtrack in Bihar

Also read: How Jammu and Kashmir police removed 90 per cent of 300 WhatsApp groups used for mobilising stone-pelters

Also read: Bengaluru: Decomposed body of missing 6-year-old recovered, family allege rape, murder

--- ENDS ---
Although cast members have attempted to move on from the past, new drama keeps pulling them back into similar circumstances on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Season 6, episode 8.

Tommies wine tasting brings drama and a surprise guest, the synopsis for In Due Time teases. In the previous episode, Tommie had to kick Jessica Dime out of her wine tasting for attacking Tammy Rivera, but its clear that the drama is only starting. An uninvited guest makes an appearance that could either set Tommie off or bring her happiness.

Later, Scrappy holds Kirk to the fire on the paternity of baby Kannon, the synopsis for Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Season 6, episode 8 says.

READ: Are Joseline Hernandez and Stevie J having another baby?

In a sneak peek video of the VH1 series, Rasheeda tells Scrappy that she isnt sure whether or not she believes that Kannon is Kirks son. She also tells her friend that they are living apart, and although she is not sure whether or not she will divorce him, it is an option. Scrappy previously expressed his sympathy for the state of Rasheeda and Kirks marriage, and it looks like the rapper has every intention of finding out the truth behind Kirks infidelity.

Karlie finds out some truths about Joc, the synopsis for In Due Time states. In the promo, a friend is seen telling Karlie that Tommie has been telling people she is dating Joc. In another scene, Karlie can be seen walking into a venue while Tommie is affectionately hugging Joc. Judging from the look on Karlies face, it isnt likely that this encounter will end peacefully.

Joseline prepares for the birth of Bonnie, the synopsis teases. Although Joseline is not shown in the promo, she has previously expressed her disappointment that Stevie has been absent for a majority of her pregnancy. Now that she is getting closer to giving birth, will the father of her child be by her side, or will he pull a disappearing act once again?

Mimi confronts Melissa, the synopsis says. In a bonus scene from Season 6, episode 7, Melissa is seen giving Karlie details about what happened at Joselines video shoot including Jessica Dime making up with Joseline.

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In that same episode, Mimi was upset that Melissa attempted to help Joseline make peace with the ladies she once betrayed, and Mimi seemed like she had every intention of giving Melissa a piece of her mind. Will Melissas role as a peacemaker bring her and Mimis friendship to an end?

Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Season 6, episode 8 airs Monday at 8 p.m. EDT on VH1.

Karlie Redd

Photo: VH1

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Ohio Gov. John Kasich said Monday he thinks its too early to fully assess President Trumps performance, even as the 100-day mark of his time in office approaches.

In an interview with Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric, Kasich cautioned that the president is still trying to find his sea legs.

I think its sort of a mixed bag at this point, but I have to root for him the same way I root for the pilot on my airplane, Kasich said. I mean, we want him to do well  its our country, right?

Kasich, who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, went on to criticize what he saw as his rivals divisive campaign and declined to support him as the partys nominee, instead casting a vote for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the November election. Since then, Kasich accepted an invitation to the White House to discuss health care with Trump, but criticized the GOPs ill-fated health care bill and the partys approach to passing it.

I dont think its just him; I think its where the politics of America is today, Kasich said. They never gave a single consideration to including Democrats in a thorough discussion about how to improve Obamacare.

During the campaign, Kasich often lamented the fact that American politics had become so polarized, and he doesnt see that having changed under President Trump.

They werent interested in bringing Democrats in, but the Democrats were sort of the same way. Were operating in silos, Kasich said.

Now it seems as though party comes before country, on both sides, Kasich said of the gridlock in Washington.

Kasich did offer Trump some practical advice on how to focus on the job at hand. The fewer tweets, the better, Kasich said, adding that the president should also turn off cable news. I dont think its good for him to be following all the news.  If I would advise him, Id say dont follow the news so much. It colors you.

Asked if he was planning to mount another presidential run, Kasich said it was unlikely, but he was otherwise noncommittal.

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I dont see what Ill be doing, but you never know what comes, Kasich said. You never know if you feel a responsibility to do something, to run for public office again  I just dont know.

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Alana Wise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The lawyer representing Dr. David Dao, who was dragged from a United Airlines plane, said he will also represent a woman whose clash with an American Airlines flight attendant went viral over the weekend.

Thomas Demetrio told CNBC on Monday that he will represent both passengers whose recent confrontations with airline and airport employees sparked global outrage and prompted a nationwide conversation over U.S. carriers' treatment of passengers.

"Her tale is compelling. The video is a microcosm of what's wrong with the airline industry today," Demetrio said in an interview with CNBC.

In a video posted on Facebook on Friday by a bystander aboard the American Airlines flight, the woman is seen in tears and holding a young child after a male flight attendant had apparently wrested a baby stroller from her.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Demetrio said the woman from that incident, which happened before takeoff on Flight 591 from San Francisco to Dallas, had reached out to seek his counsel.

American Airlines spokeswoman Leslie Scott said on Monday that the carrier had been direct contact with the woman throughout the weekend.

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.

The video showed an unidentified man standing and yelling at the flight attendant: "You do that to me and I'll knock you flat." The crew member then points his finger and challenges the passenger to hit him and the man eventually returns to his seat.

American Airlines suspended the flight attendant and apologized to the woman and her family. The carrier said on Saturday that it was investigating the incident.

This was the second high-profile incident in less than a month involving a physical escalation of conflict between airlines employees and passengers.

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Two weeks ago, 69-year-old Dao was dragged from his seat aboard United Flight 3411 before takeoff by airport security to make room for employees.

Demetrio said in the CNBC interview a settlement had not yet been discussed with United over the incident in which Dao lost two front teeth, broke his nose and suffered a concussion.

(Reporting by Alana Wise, Timothy Mclaughlin and Barbara Goldberg)
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 24 (PTI) US President Donald Trump today called for UN Security Council sanctions against the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes of North Korea, terming it as a very big problem.

"The status quo on North Korea is unacceptable. The (UN Security) Council must be prepared to impose additional sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile program," Trump told Ambassadors of countries on the UN Security Council during a working luncheon in the White House.

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North Korea, he said, "is real threat" to the world.

"It is a big world problem," he added. Noting that it has been left unattended for a long time, Trump said it is time to resolve the North Korean problem.

"It is now time to solve the problem,? he said.

With the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, sitting by his side, Trump slammed the UN Security Council for its stand on Syria.

The mission of the UN Security Council is to maintain international peace and security, he said, quickly adding that there is much work for this 15-membered body to achieve.

He rued that many of the international problems have been unaddressed for far too long.

"I encourage the security council to come together to take action to counter all of these many threats. On Syria, the Council failed to respond again to the threat of chemical weapons. I am greatly disappointed by that," he said.

Trump said for the United Nations to perform these security challenges, big reforms would be required.

Noting that there is need to take a close look at the UN budget, he said cost have absolutely gone out of control.

"Im a budget person...but if you do a good job at the United Nations, I would be less concerned about the budget costs," he added.

The US, one of the 193 countries in the UN, pays for 22 per cent of the budget and almost 30 per cent of the United Nations peace keeping missions. "This is unfair," he said.

"We need the member states to come together to eliminate inefficiencies and bloat," he said.

"We need member states to come together to remove inefficiency in work and ensure that no one nation shoulders a disproportionate share of the burden militarily or financially," said the US President.

The United Nations, he felt, is an under performer, but has tremendous potential. PTI LKJ ZH

--- ENDS ---
A new UK study has highlighted the importance of friendships in helping people get through the more stressful periods of life.

Carried out by Dr Rebecca Graber from the University of Brighton during her time at the University of Leeds, the preliminary study is the first to provide long-term statistical evidence on the huge benefit of friends, and in particular best friends, on coping with and developing resilience to stress.

The study included 185 adults, with 75 completing the study's questionnaires and assessments on psychological resilience, best friendship quality, coping behaviors and self-esteem.

Participants then completed the same assessments again one year later, to see how the quality of best friend relationships had affected resilience to stress during this period.

The results showed that best friendships had a protective effect against stress, helping to develop psychological resilience in adults, although how still remains unclear.

The findings also support research published last year by Dr Graber, which found that best friendships can help develop resilience to stress in socioeconomically vulnerable children.
Paris (AFP) - French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday rejected accusations he was resting on his laurels after winning the first round of the election, insisting "nothing's won yet" in the race against the far right's Marine Le Pen.

The 39-year-old centrist said his victory in Sunday's first round of voting was proof that pollsters -- who had long placed him second to Le Pen in the opening round -- "get it wrong".

"Nothing's won yet," Macron said during a visit to a hospital near Paris.

"I will continue to fight for two weeks... I will defend the progressive camp to the end," the ex-banker bidding to become France's youngest-ever president said.

Earlier, President Francois Hollande appeared to admonish his former economy minister for not taking the fight to Le Pen over the past two days.

Le Pen, 48, was first out of the blocks after the first round, visiting Paris' main wholesale food market and giving a TV interview in which she accused the pro-EU Macron of representing "runaway globalisation" and lacking love for his country.

"We need to be extremely serious and mobilised, and not to think it's a done deal, because a vote is earned, it's fought for," said Hollande, who on Monday had urged voters to back Macron and called Le Pen a "risk" for France.

After winning Sunday's contest with 24.1 percent to Le Pen's 21.3 percent, Macron gave an exuberant victory speech followed by a high-profile celebration at a famous Paris bistrot, drawing fire from some.

Socialist Party boss Jean-Christophe Cambadelis told French radio: "He was smug. He wrongly thought that it was a done deal. It's not a done deal."

Le Pen herself joined the bashing, saying "all French people saw that he had the feeling he'd already won. It's not very respectful of democracy, of the voters".

Macron defended the bistrot gathering in a France 2 television interview on Tuesday evening.

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"I have no regrets. I take full responsibility," he said firmly, adding his guests were mostly campaigners who deserved a night out after a year of tireless work.

- Turbo-charged -

Since securing her berth in the runoff, Le Pen has turbo-charged her campaign with a string of appearances and statements, leaving her opponent on the back foot.

At the crack of dawn on Tuesday she was at the sprawling Rungis food market outside Paris, taking aim at what she said was Macron's desire for "total deregulation, total opening up, total free trade".

In contrast, her opponent has huddled in strategy meetings over June legislative elections that will determine the shape of a future Macron government.

Polls suggest that Macron will trounce Le Pen in the runoff with a margin of some 20 points.

But after the political shocks of Britain's vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump's unlikely ascent to the White House, analysts say a late surge by Le Pen is still possible.

Le Pen says she is the only candidate for change in a deeply divided country burdened by high unemployment and inequality.

Le Pen said Monday she was quitting temporarily as head of her National Front (FN) party in order to concentrate on the campaign.

The move was seen as largely symbolic but one that would loosen her association with the FN, the party founded by Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, notorious for anti-Semitic and xenophobic remarks.

On Tuesday, Le Pen gained an indirect boost from a conservative activist group called Manif pour Tous ("Protest for Everyone") that in 2013 staged mass rallies against same-sex marriage, a cornerstone law pushed through by Hollande.

In a statement that made no reference to Le Pen, Manif pour Tous leader Ludovine de la Rochere urged supporters to say "no" to Macron, an "openly anti-family candidate."

- Homage to slain policeman -

Earlier Tuesday, the rival candidates attended a sombre ceremony honouring a policeman killed on the Champs-Elysees last week.

Macron and Le Pen stood grim-faced among hundreds of mourners as Xavier Jugele's gay partner delivered a moving eulogy to the 37-year-old officer, whose shooting was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Macron and Le Pen differ starkly on how to protect France, still reeling from a string of jihadist attacks since 2015 that has claimed more than 230 lives.

Le Pen has called for France to take back control of its borders from the European Union and deport all foreigners on a terror watchlist, accusing Macron of being soft on terrorism.

Macron has urged voters not to "give in to fear" and vowed to step up security cooperation with EU partners.

On Wednesday, Macron will visit a household appliance factory in Amiens, northwest of Paris, that is threatened with closure, before holding a rally in Arras, a city in the northern rustbelt where the FN is strong.

Le Pen on Thursday will hold a night-time rally in the southern city of Nice -- another party bastion -- and next Monday will hold a traditional May 1 rally at a conference centre north of Paris.

The two are scheduled to meet in a TV debate on May 3.
PARIS (Reuters) - The chairman of French gas and power group Engie said on Monday that centrist Emmanuel Macron's passage into the second round of France's presidential elections brought "hope for a rebound of Europe". Macron, who favors a revival of the Franco-German axis at the heart of the European Union, won Sunday's first round ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who wants France to quit the euro, suspend application of the EU's open-border agreement and clamp down on immigration. Engie's Gerard Mestrallet addressed former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at a signing ceremony in Paris for the financing of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic gas pipeline. "We know, dear chancellor, how important the Franco-German relationship is for Europe," he said. "We can consider that the result of the first round gives us lots of hope for France and for a rebound of Europe." "So do we," Schroeder said from his seat in the audience. In the early 1980s, Mestrallet was an adviser to Socialist finance minister Jacques Delors, who later went on to become president of the European Commission in Brussels. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Paris (AFP) - Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron came under fire Monday over a glitzy party in a high-end Paris bistro and his triumphant speech following his success in the first round of France's presidential polls.

Even close allies appeared to caution the inexperienced 39-year-old against complacency ahead of the second round run-off on May 7 against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

"We need to be humble. The election hasn't been won and we need to bring people together to win," Richard Ferrand, secretary general of Macron's "En Marche" ("On the Move") movement, told BFM television on Monday.

After results emerged on Sunday evening, Macron addressed thousands of euphoric supporters at an election party in southern Paris and brought his wife Brigitte on stage to share in the applause.

"In one year, we've changed the face of French political life," he said to shouts of "Macron! President!"

Later in the evening, he was filmed visiting supporters at the famed La Rotonde bistro in southern Paris, a "Belle Epoque" hang-out for Picasso and other artists where a steak and chips costs 28 euros ($30).

"Macron made a speech as if he'd already won," Le Pen's top aide Florian Philippot said Monday, before attacking Macron for copying the style of former right-wing leader Nicolas Sarkozy.

Sarkozy, who would come to be known as the "bling-bling president", held an infamous victory party in 2007 in a restaurant on the Champs Elysees called Le Fouquet's which was packed with celebrities and business leaders.

"There were mostly volunteers... supporters who sacrificed everything for a year to put him where he is today," one of Macron's top supporters, Gerard Collomb, told RMC radio of the crowd in the restaurant.

He said La Rotonde, one of Macron's favourite eateries, "isn't exactly Le Fouquet's."

Le Pen's National Front (FN) will seek to highlight the centrist's past as a millionaire investment banker, advisor to unpopular President Francois Hollande and pro-globalisation economy minister in the weeks ahead.

"While all Macron's supporters recover from their showbiz evening at La Rotonde, Marine is at a market in Rouvroy," leading FN figure David Rachline tweeted on Monday, showing the far-right leader in a small town in northern France.

Polls published on Sunday night showed Macron comfortably beating Le Pen in the run-off if the vote were held now.
Suspected Maoist rebels killed 24 paramilitary commandos and wounded six on Monday in a remote part of central India in one of the deadliest attacks of a long-running internal conflict.

The soldiers were guarding road workers in the Sukma district of Chhattisgargh state, a hotbed of insurgent violence, when they came under heavy fire.

"We have recovered 23 bodies from the spot and one jawan (soldier) died in Raipur during treatment," Anand Chhabra, a senior police officer, told AFP, referring to the state capital.

He said six other commandos from the Central Reserve Police Force were critically injured and had been evacuated for treatment.

Another police officer, Sunil Tiwari, told AFP that Indian security forces were looking for "some CRPF jawans who are missing", adding that the rebels snatched weapons during the ambush.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack and offered condolences to the families of the deceased, saying the sacrifice of their loved ones would not be in vain.

"Attack on @CRPFIndia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely," Modi posted on Twitter.

Fatal attacks by insurgents on security forces in central and eastern India are frequent, but Monday's assault was among the deadliest in years.

Television footage showed injured commandos in their army fatigues being stretchered from ambulances into hospitals for treatment.

One soldier who survived the attack, Sher Mohammed, told reporters from his hospital bed that "almost 300 of them attacked us".

- More precaution needed -

State chief minister Raman Singh said Sukma, where Monday's attack occurred, was a stronghold for Maoists waging a guerilla war from their jungle bases.

The Maoists opposed efforts to build new roads and infrastructure in the remote area because it undermined their long-running campaign against India's security forces, he added.

"In future we will need to take more precautions," said Singh, who called an emergency meeting and rushed back from New Delhi after the attack.

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The Maoist insurgency started as a peasant uprising in 1967, and since then has cost thousands of lives in the rebel-dominated "red corridor" stretching through central and eastern India.

Tit-for-tat jungle skirmishes often result in heavy casualties on both sides.

Last month 11 paramilitary policemen were killed when their convoy was ambushed in Chhattisgarh, while at least 20 troops died in a separate attack in 2015.

In 2010 Maoists killed 76 police in the worst-ever massacre of security forces by the insurgents. The incident shook the country and led to pressure on the government to rethink its tactics.

Critics believe attempts to end the revolt through tough security offensives are doomed to fail, saying the real solution is better governance and development of the region.

The guerrillas, who say they are fighting for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers, often collect funds through extortion.

Modi had been seeking to stem the insurgency by earmarking development funds for revolt-hit areas and improving policing. In 2015 he urged Maoists to put down their guns and take up ploughs, saying "violence has no future".
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Maoist guerrillas ambushed a paramilitary patrol in central India on Monday, killing at least 24 policemen and wounding six in one of the deadliest attacks this year, senior officials said. The attack was the second in as many months in remote Sukma district in the forests of Chhattisgarh state, about 400 kms (250 miles) from state capital Raipur. Maoists seeking to overthrow the government have operated for decades across a wide swathe of central and eastern India. Security experts say the insurgency is India's biggest internal security challenge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the attack on the patrol party of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was cowardly. "The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he said. Junior federal home minister Hansraj Ahir will visit Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation, the government said. The CRPF men were providing security for road construction, Vijay Kumar, a senior CRPF official told Reuters. Maoist rebels have grown in strength in recent times in areas where poor, tribal villagers have come into conflict with mining companies seeking resources for industrialization. (Reporting by Malini Menon; Additional reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in SRINAGAR; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Hugh Lawson)
By Press Trust of India: Washington, Apr 24 (PTI) US President Donald Trump today discussed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and the "urgent security challenge" posed by North Korea in a phone call, the White House said.

"The leaders discussed the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and the urgent security challenge posed by North Korea," the White House said in a readout of the phone call.

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Trump also reaffirmed American support for German- and French-led efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Ukraine on the basis of the Minsk agreements, it said. PTI LKJ ABH

--- ENDS ---
Trying to forge a career in Hollywood? Maybe try slapping your way to the top.

Time's The Most Influential 100 People has been released, a regular feature in which profiles of the honorees are written by other famous people.

SEE ALSO: This '13 Reasons Why' star could be the Asian leading man Hollywood needs

In the case of Australian Margot Robbie, the actress was praised by director Martin Scorsese, the director of The Wolf of Wall Street  the film in which Robbie made her Hollywood breakthrough.

Scorsese tried to answer the question on what Robbie is like by waxing lyrical about her "comedic genius" and "all-bets-off feistiness," reminiscent of classic Hollywood actresses.

But what really convinced Scorsese that Robbie was right for her part in The Wolf of Wall Street was her "unique audacity"  which, well, basically means her giving Leonardo DiCaprio one across the face.

"She clinched her part in The Wolf of Wall Street during our first meeting  by hauling off and giving Leonardo DiCaprio a thunderclap of a slap on the face, an improvisation that stunned us all," he wrote.

Robbie recounted the moment in an interview with Harper's Bazaar back in 2015, where she barely got a word in during an improvised scene between herself and a "phenomenal" DiCaprio.

She had to make her mark in the next scene, an argument between the couple: "In my head I was like, 'You have literally 30 seconds left in this room and if you don't do something impressive nothing will ever come of it. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance, just take it," Robbie said.

So when she was told to come over and kiss DiCaprio, in character as the unstable Jordan Belfort, Robbie did the opposite.

"Another part of my brain clicks and I just go, Whack! I hit him in the face. And then I scream, 'Fuck you!' And that's not in the script at all. The room just went dead silent and I froze," she said.

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"And then all of a sudden Marty and Leo just burst out laughing. Marty says, 'That was great!' Leo's like, 'Hit me again!'" Robbie added. It was a slap that forged a career.

Scorsese finished his attempt to explain what Robbie is like with one last quip: "This is not a complete answer to the perennial question, but it's a start. Margot is stunning in all she is and all she does, and she will astonish us forever."

WATCH: There's now a Roomba for your lawn, but it'll cost ya
Those who join Married at First Sight are taking a big risk. After all, many of the shows coupleswho were married as soon as they methave gotten divorced. However, sometimes the experts really do find the perfect match. These couples are still together after wedding on the reality show.

Tom Wilson and Lillian Vilchez  This is the latest Married at First Sight success story. Tom was a free spirit living in a bus and Lillian was a more structured real estate agent, but the two have made their marriage work. They celebrated their first wedding anniversary on April 2.

After Nick Pendergrast and Sonia Granados announced their divorce, this is the only couple still together from Married at First Sight Season 4.

Lillian Tom MAFS







Photo: FYI





Jason and Cortney Carrion  These two connected instantly and have stayed together for over three years after being paired on Married at First Sight Season 1. The makeup artist and firefighter recently traveled to Disney World to celebrate their anniversary. You can follow their adventures in domesticity on FYIs Married Life.

Married at First Sight Jason Cortney







Photo: FYI





Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis  This Married at First Sight couple is the first duo to get pregnant! After suffering a miscarriage last summer, Jamie is pregnant again. Theyre also featured in Married Life videos, and viewers can watch them house hunt and choose baby names. Theyre set to reveal their babys gender on April 25 at 8 p.m. EDT on FYI.

MAFS Doug and Jamie







Photo: FYI





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Hopefully, those in the Married at First Sight Season 5 cast find themselves added to this list. Cast member Danielle DeGroot is hopeful that the Lifetime reality show will help her find true love.

The past divorces were a concern, Danielle admitted to International Business Times. That being said, it was no secret to me that this was a huge risk and Im a risk taker. Could it go wrong? Duh! But if it goes right, then it could be amazing. And what an adventure either way! Im a hopeless romantic.

Not every couple is so lucky. Check out where the Married at First Sight divorcees are now HERE.

Married at First Sight Season 5 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EDT on Lifetime.

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For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

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Mayor Kenney said on Monday that the amount of police resources used to bust a pot party at a Frankford warehouse Saturday night "may have been a little overkill."

Meanwhile, the city's Department of Licences and Inspections is preparing numerous citations for what department spokeswoman Karen Guss said were "pretty serious" fire, licensing, and zoning violations at the party site.

"It's not that long after that Ghost Ship experience in Oakland and this is a similarly dangerous situation," Guss said, referring to the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in California that claimed the lives of 36 people in December. "We're not against fun but we don't want people to burn to death."

Kenney addressed the marijuana raid during a news conference Monday at City Hall. The organizer of the pot party  comedian and marijuana activist N.A. Poe, whose real name is Rich Tamaccio  was one of two men who successfully lobbied Kenney when he was a councilman to get small amounts of marijuana decriminalized in Philadelphia.

Poe and 21 others, including his girlfriend and father, were arrested during the bust. Police said another 175 people were released.

According to court records, Poe has been charged with possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, causing a catastrophe, possessing instruments of a crime, and related offenses. His bail has been set at $250,000. He must post 10% to be released.

A call to Poe's attorney was not immediately returned Monday.

Police said they confiscated 50 pounds of marijuana, 100 pounds in THC-laced edibles, four guns, and $50,000 in cash during the raid.

Kenney said Its clearly illegal to sell in those quantities." But he quickly added that there may have been "another way" to go about the situation, "as opposed to the amount of resources that were put into this, especially considering our ongoing relationship with that community.

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The real solution is legalizing marijuana in Pennsylvania like they did in Colorado, Kenney said.

"We won't have to use police resources in these kinds of activities and actions," he said.

Kenney was unaware the police were going to conduct the raid but said he heard it took two months to plan. He called the building where the party was held "very dangerous."

"To set it up when it is illegal and to set it up in a building that is dangerous, you're going to get that kind of attention," he said. "I just think the amount of resources that were put into it may have been a little overkill."

A Police Department spokesman declined to comment on Kenney's statements.

Guss, the L&I spokeswoman, said the department was not part of the initial police raid, but authorities did call L&I investigators to the scene after they entered the building.

According to Guss, the building's fire alarm did not work and the sprinkler system was inoperable. The warehouse is also not zoned or licensed for assemblies or parties, she said.

"This building is not zoned or licensed for anything that was happening there," she said.

L&I workers are still investigating to determine exactly how many citations will be issued and to whom. The building's owner, whose identity the department is currently trying to verify, will receive the bulk of the citations but the party hosts may face some too for not having a special license required for parties, Guss said.

"We really urge people not to go to these parties, it's really unsafe," she said. "Hopefully nothing will happen ... but if something does happen it goes from a party to a death trap really quick."

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US defense leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to all senators in an unusual meeting at the White House, the Pentagon said Monday.

The briefing will be conducted Wednesday by Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joe Dunford, who is America's top officer and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

They "will be briefing all senators on the current strategic situation with regards to North Korea," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

While lawmakers often receive classified briefings, these are usually conducted in secure rooms in the Capitol building and not at the White House.

The briefing comes at a time of soaring tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.

An official North Korean website warned Monday that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States if Washington starts a war on the peninsula, the latest tit-for-tat saber-rattling between the two countries.

The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson to the western Pacific, and observers say North Korea appears to be readying a sixth nuclear test.

US officials have warned that "all options are on the table" in dealing with the North Korean threat but have so far relied on China to rein in its unpredictable ally.

The United States has 100 senators. It was not immediately known if all of them were expected to attend Wednesday's meeting, which is taking place at about 1900 GMT.
(REYKJAVIK, Iceland) - When an Icelander arrives at an office building and sees Solarfri posted, they need no further explanation for the empty premises: The word means when staff get an unexpected afternoon off to enjoy good weather.

The people of this rugged North Atlantic island settled by Norsemen some 1,100 years ago have a unique dialect of Old Norse that has adapted to life at the edge of the Artic.

Hundslappadrifa, for example, means heavy snowfall with large flakes occurring in calm wind.

But the revered Icelandic language, seen by many as a source of identity and pride, is being undermined by the widespread use of English, both for mass tourism and in the voice-controlled artificial intelligence devices coming into vogue.

Linguistics experts, studying the future of a language spoken by fewer than 400,000 people in an increasingly globalized world, wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the Icelandic tongue.

Former President Vigdis Finnbogadottir told The Associated Press that Iceland must take steps to protect its language. She is particularly concerned that programs be developed so the language can be easily used in digital technology.

Otherwise, Icelandic will end in the Latin bin, she warned.

Teachers are already sensing a change among students in the scope of their Icelandic vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Anna Jonsdottir, a teaching consultant, said she often hears teenagers speak English among themselves when she visits schools in Reykjavik, the capital.

She said 15-year-old students are no longer assigned a volume from the Sagas of Icelanders, the medieval literature chronicling the early settlers of Iceland. Icelanders have long prided themselves of being able to fluently read the epic tales originally penned on calfskin.

Egill Bjarnason-AP In this photo taken Saturday, April 15, 2017, a law book penned on calf-skin in 1363 is displayed at a museum in Reykjavik.

Most high schools are also waiting until senior year to read author Halldor Laxness, the 1955 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, who rests in a small cemetery near his farm in West Iceland.

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A number of factors combine to make the future of the Icelandic language uncertain. Tourism has exploded in recent years, becoming the countrys single biggest employer, and analysts at Arion Bank say one in two new jobs is being filled by foreign labor.

That is increasing the use of English as a universal communicator and diminishing the role of Icelandic, experts say.

The less useful Icelandic becomes in peoples daily life, the closer we as a nation get to the threshold of giving up its use, said Eirikur Rognvaldsson, a language professor at the University of Iceland.

He has embarked on a three-year study of 5,000 people that will be the largest inquiry ever into the use of the language.

Preliminary studies suggest children at their first-language acquisition are increasingly not exposed to enough Icelandic to foster a strong base for later years, he said.

Concerns for the Icelandic language are by no means new. In the 19th century, when its vocabulary and syntax were heavily influenced by Danish, independence movements fought to revive Icelandic as the common tongue, central to the claim that Icelanders were a nation.

Since Iceland became fully independent from Denmark in 1944, its presidents have long championed the need to protect the language.

Asgeir Jonsson, an economics professor at the University of Iceland, said without a unique language Iceland could experience a brain drain, particularly among certain professions.

A British town with a population the size of Iceland has far fewer scientists and artists, for example, he said. Theyve simply moved to the metropolis.

The problem is compounded because many new computer devices are designed to recognize English but they do not understand Icelandic.

Not being able to speak Icelandic to voice-activated fridges, interactive robots and similar devices would be yet another lost field, Jonsson said.

Icelandic ranks among the weakest and least-supported language in terms of digital technology - along with Irish Gaelic, Latvian, Maltese and Lithuanian - according to a report by the Multilingual Europe Technology Alliance assessing 30 European languages.

Icelands Ministry of Education estimates about 1 billion Icelandic krona, or $8.8 million, is needed for seed funding for an open-access database to help tech developers adapt Icelandic as a language option.

Svandis Svavarsdottir, a member of Icelands parliament for the Left-Green Movement, said the government should not be weighing costs when the nations cultural heritage is at stake.

If we wait, it may already be too late, she said.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" over North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump Monday, as Japan joined exercises with an American supercarrier heading to the Korean peninsula.

The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North's sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

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It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test a day after the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now focused on Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of its military.

- 'China can do more' -

US Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan -- "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts after Trump earlier indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The North's ruling party newspaper on Monday called the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said, using the country's official name.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said the dispatch of the Carl Vinson signalled "that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day".

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

Pyongyang has also detained a US citizen -- Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the university said Monday.

Two other US citizens -- college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul -- are currently being held in the North after sentenced to long prison terms.

North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens in the past decade, often releasing them only after high-profile visits by current or former US officials or former US presidents.

The new US president has indicated he will not allow North Korea to achieve its goal of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States.

Pyongyang insists it needs a powerful arsenal -- including atomic weapons -- to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of invasion by hostile US forces.
MONTE CARLO (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal claimed a record-extending 10th Monte Carlo Masters title as he geared up for his beloved French Open with a 6-1 6-3 victory against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos on Sunday. The fourth seed, who is also targeting a 10th Roland Garros trophy this year, was always in command as he claimed his first ATP title since triumphing in Barcelona a year ago. The 14-times grand slam champion had won his two previous encounters against Ramos and the 15th seed failed to snap that run on Sunday. "It has been an amazing week on one of the most important events on the tour. I played well here, which helps me a lot to start the claycourt season with confidence," said Nadal. Nadal wasted three break points in the second game as Ramos levelled for 1-1, only for the claycourt king to win the next five games to bag the opening set. With Nadal's topspin working with devastating effect, Ramos struggled to stay close to his baseline. The Mallorcan broke for 3-2 in the second set when Ramos sent a backhand long and from then on Nadal was unstoppable. Ramos ended his first Masters final with a double fault that handed Nadal his 70th ATP title on the third match point. (Writing by Julien Pretot, editing by Pritha Sarkar; Editing by XXXX)
At 1:27 a.m. EDT Monday, U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson  who, in November, became the oldest woman to fly in space  broke the record for the most cumulative days spent in space by an American. Whitson, who is also the first woman to command the International Space Station (ISS) and the only one to command it twice, surpassed Jeff Williams record of 534 days.

U.S. President Donald Trump, first daughter Ivanka Trump, and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will make an Earth-to-space call at 10:00 a.m. EDT Monday to congratulate Whitson. The call can be watched live here, or via the video embedded below.

I love being up here, Whitson, 57, said in a statement early last month, after her stay on board the ISS was extended by three months. Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here.

Whitsons latest stint in space began Nov. 19, when a Soyuz capsule carrying her and two other astronauts  from Russia and France  docked with the ISS. Last month, when she took over from NASA astronaut Robert Shane Kimbrough, she became the first woman to command the space station twice. Whitson, who made her eighth spacewalk in March, also holds the record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut.

In April, NASA and Russian space agency Roscosmos announced they had signed an agreement to extend Whitsons stay on the space station into Expedition 52. Instead of returning to Earth with her Expedition 51 crew members Oleg Novitsky of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency in June as originally planned, Whitson will return home with NASAs Jack Fischer and Roscosmos Fyodor Yurchikhin in September.

By then, she would have spent 666 days in space  much higher than Williams 534 days but still far from the global record of 879 days set by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka in 2015.

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I'm not here because of the record, Whitson told ABC News via video teleconference earlier this month. I'm definitely here for conducting the science.

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The United Nations' Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea, US President Donald Trump said on Monday, as concerns mount that the Asian nation may test a sixth nuclear bomb as early as Tuesday.

By Reuters: US President Donald Trump said on Monday the UN Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea as concerns mount that it may test a sixth nuclear bomb as early as Tuesday.

"The status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable," Trump told a meeting with the 15 UN Security Council ambassadors, including China and Russia, at the White House. "The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs."

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"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem and it's a problem that we have to finally solve," he said. "People put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem."

US officials have told Reuters tougher sanctions could include an oil embargo, banning North Korea's airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese banks and other foreign doing business with Pyongyang.

The State Department said US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would chair a special ministerial meeting of the Security Council on North Korea on Friday to discuss ways to maximise the impact of existing sanctions and show "resolve to respond to further provocations with appropriate new measures".

Tillerson and US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will also hold a rare briefing on North Korea at the White House on Wednesday for the entire US Senate, Senate aides said.

Administration officials routinely travel to Congress to address lawmakers but it is unusual for the entire 100-member Senate to go to such an event at the White House, and for those four top officials to be involved.

The White House said Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the "urgent security challenge" posed by North Korea in a phone call on Monday.

CHINA'S XI CALLS FOR ALL SIDES TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT

In an earlier phone conversation with Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all sides to exercise restraint, as Japan conducted exercises with a US aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.

Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea, which has carried out nuclear and missile tests in defiance of successive rounds of UN sanctions, said the deployment was "an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade".

"The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act," Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the US carrier group for exercises and South Korea said it was in talks about holding joint naval drills.

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South Korean and US officials have feared for some time that a sixth North Korean nuclear test could be imminent and speculation has grown that this, or another missile test, could coincide with the 85th anniversary of the foundation of North Korea's army on Tuesday.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike, although officials say tougher sanctions are the preferred route.

China, North Korea's sole major ally, has been angered by its nuclear and missile programmes and its belligerence.

The White House said Trump and Xi "reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula."

Xi told Trump China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation", China's foreign ministry said in a statement.

It said the call was the latest manifestation of the close communication between the presidents, which was good for their countries and the world.

'FULLY READY'

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US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Washington and the international community were maintaining pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but "not trying to pick a fight with him".

Asked whether a pre-emptive strike was under consideration, she told NBC's "Today" programme: "We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something."

"If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that. But right now, we're saying 'don't test, don't use nuclear missiles, don't try and do any more actions', and I think he's understanding that. And China's helping really put that pressure on him."

Trump also spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe told reporters. "We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly."

Envoys on the North Korean nuclear issue from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The US government has not specified where the carrier strike group is but US Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days".

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Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a US citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country.

ALSO READ | US tells North Korea to cease 'destabilising actions'

ALSO READ | North Korean media threatens Pyongyang will 'wipe out' US from Earth's surface

ALSO READ | North Korea says it is ready to sink US aircraft carrier to demonstrate military might

ALSO WATCH | North Korea's major nuclear test causes earthquake

--- ENDS ---
Athens (AFP) - Ten countries formed a new group Monday aimed at protecting ancient heritage from extremism of the kind that saw the Islamic State group lay waste to Syria's historic Palmyra.

Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Greece, Italy, China, India, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru -- all home to some of the world's most cherished archaeological sites -- have signed up to the "forum" launched in Athens by ministers and ambassadors from the nations.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, whose government is spearheading the project along with China, said the group would run joint projects to promote "dialogue in the face of fanaticism, and culture in the face of terrorism".

"We're only just getting started," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

Jihadists from the IS group seized the ancient ruins of Palmyra in May 2015, systematically destroying and looting the temples of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The group also ravaged the Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq using bulldozers and explosives, and ransacked pre-Islamic treasures in Mosul's museum.

Bamiyan, in Afghanistan, and Mali's Timbuktu are other UNESCO sites to suffer destruction at the hands of Islamist extremists.

The new 10-country group is due to meet again in Bolivia next year, the Greek foreign ministry said.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said the project stood in contrast to the idea "put forward by several intellectuals of a clash of civilisations".

"We support dialogue between civilisations against the intolerance of which Daesh is a symbol," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

In March, seven countries including France and Saudi Arabia joined forces with US philanthropist Tom Kaplan to pledge $75.5 million (70 million euros) to a UNESCO-backed fund aimed at protecting the world's cultural heritage against war and terrorism.

Their International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Zones, based in Geneva, aims to raise $100 million by 2019.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday threatened to cancel a meeting with Germany's foreign minister if he sits down with a left-wing rights group, an Israeli official said. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was due to meet with "civil society" groups on Tuesday, said a spokeswoman in Berlin who declined to identify the groups. Israeli media said Gabriel would meet with "Breaking the Silence," a group that collects testimonies from Israeli veterans about the military's treatment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the influence it says Israeli settlers have on the army's actions. The German spokeswoman had no comment on Netanyahu's threat to cancel his meeting with Gabriel. Officials traveling with Gabriel were not immediately available for comment. Germany in March canceled an annual meeting of German and Israeli leaders that was to take place in May amid rising frustration in Berlin with settlement activity in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Gabriel is visiting the Middle East to press for a two-state solution to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian government. Gabriel appealed to the Israeli government to continue to work for a pluralistic society and defy nationalism in a column to be published Tuesday, said the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau. "Democracy is the most difficult and at the same time best form of government because it continues to seek common ground in a never-ending dialogue, even despite very different viewpoints and positions that run contrary to peaceful coexistence," he wrote. In February, Netanyahu ordered the reprimand of the Belgian ambassador after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel with representatives Breaking the Silence and B'tselem, another rights group, during his visit to the region. Both organizations have become popular targets for right-wing politicians who accuse them of damaging Israel's reputation abroad and putting Israeli soldiers and officials at risk of prosecution. In 2016 Israel passed a law requiring non-government organizations that receive more than half their funding from foreign governments or bodies to provide details of their donations. The legislation was largely seen as targeting left-wing organizations such as B'tselem and Breaking the Silence and drew international criticism. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin, Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
FRANKFURT/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikon Corp on Monday said it has initiated legal action against ASML Holding NV and Carl Zeiss AG, saying the Dutch and Germany companies used its lithography technology without its permission. Nikon, the world's eighth-largest chip equipment maker, said it had filed patent infringement cases in the Netherlands, Germany and Japan against ASML, which makes semiconductor lithography machines, and Carl Zeiss, ASML's optical supplier. "ASML and Zeiss employ Nikon's patented technology in ASML's lithography systems, which are used globally to manufacture semiconductors, without Nikon's permission, thereby infringing Nikon's patents," Nikon said in a statement. Nikon said it is seeking damages and to prevent ASML and Zeiss from selling the technology. ASML dominates the market for semiconductor lithography machines, which map out electronic circuits on silicon wafers. The Netherlands-based firm has a 90 percent market share in such high-end machines, according to a January research report from Fitch Ratings. "Nikon's litigation is unfounded, unnecessary and creates uncertainty for the semiconductor industry," said ASML President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Wennink. ASML has repeatedly attempted to negotiate an extension of a cross-license agreement with Nikon, he said. The legal action comes after mediation carried out by a retired judge in the United States failed to reach a settlement late last year, Nikon said. Carl Zeiss was not immediately available to comment. The dispute is the latest involving the three, with ASML and Carl Zeiss paying Nikon $87 million and $58 million respectively in 2004, according to Nikon. (Reporting by Harro ten Wolde and Eric Auchard in FRANKFURT, Sam Nussey in TOKYO; Editing by Maria Sheahan and Christopher Cushing)
(SEOUL/WASHINGTON) - North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension as U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to call the leaders of China and Japan.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the Norths nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive within days, but gave no other details.

North Korea remained defiant.

Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike, the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Norths ruling Workers Party, said in a commentary.

The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a gross animal and said a strike on it would be an actual example to show our militarys force.

The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.

A senior U.S. administration official said Trump was expected to speak later on Sunday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In another sign of the intense focus on Pyongyang in Washington, the White House is expected to host U.S. senators for a top-level briefing on North Korea on Wednesday, a White House official said.

The official said the briefing would be led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.

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South Korea has put its forces on heightened alert.

China, North Koreas sole major ally, opposes Pyongyangs weapons programs and has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.

Speaking during a visit to Greece, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were already enough shows of force and confrontation and appealed for calm.

We need to issue peaceful and rational sounds, Wang said, according to a statement issued by Chinas Foreign Ministry.

U.S. citizen detained

Adding to the tensions, North Korea detained a Korean-American man in his 50s, bringing the total number of U.S. citizens held by Pyongyang to three.

The man, Tony Kim, had been in North Korea for a month teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the institutions chancellor, Chan-Mo Park, told Reuters. He was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the country.

The arrest took place on Saturday morning local time, the university said in a statement, and was related to an investigation into matters that are not connected in any way to PUST.

North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean Peoples Army on Tuesday.

It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.

It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

North Koreas growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump.

He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.

Worry in Japan

North Korea says its nuclear programer is for self-defense and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan.

The U.S. defense secretary said on Friday that North Koreas recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted.

Weve all come to hear their words repeatedly; their word has not proven honest, Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier.

Two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will practice a variety of tactics with the U.S. strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force said in a statement.

The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place, but the destroyers by Sunday could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be east of the Philippines.

From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japans ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said.

Japans show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads.

Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack.

Japans navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after Chinas.

Additional reporting by Ju-min Park, Tim Kelly, Ben Blanchard

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By James Pearson and Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, as two Japanese navy ships joined a U.S. carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to rising tension over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

The United States has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days" but gave no other details.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

North Korea remained defiant.

"Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary.

The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a "gross animal" and said a strike on it would be "an actual example to show our military's force".

The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.

Speaking during a visit to Greece, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were already enough shows of force and confrontation at present and appealed for calm.

"We need to issue peaceful and rational sounds," Wang said, according to a statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry.

Adding to the tensions, North Korea detained a Korean-American man in his fifties on Friday, bringing the total number of U.S. citizens held by Pyongyang to three.

The man, Tony Kim, had been in North Korea for a month teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the institution's chancellor Chan-Mo Park told Reuters. He was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the country.

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North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.

It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump.

He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.

WORRY IN JAPAN

North Korea says its nuclear programme is for self-defence and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday North Korea's recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted.

"We've all come to hear their words repeatedly; their word has not proven honest," Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier.

Japan's show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads.

Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack.

Japan's navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after China's.

The two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will "practice a variety of tactics" with the U.S. strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force said in a statement.

The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place, but by Sunday the destroyers could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be east of the Philippines.

From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japan's ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said.

U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.

South Korea has put its forces on heightened alert.

China, North Korea's sole major ally, opposes Pyongyang's weapons programmes and has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.

Last 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 pre-emptive strike".

(Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in TOKYO and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; editing by Ralph Boulton and Jason Neely)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The number of migrant criminal suspects in Germany soared by more than 50 percent in 2016, data from the Interior Ministry showed on Monday - a statistic that could boost support for the anti-immigration party five months ahead of a federal election. More than a million migrants have arrived in Germany in the last two years. Fears about security and integration initially pushed up the poll ratings of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), but the party's support has slipped as the rate of arrivals has slowed. The number of suspects classed as immigrants - those applying for asylum, refugees, illegal immigrants and those whose deportation has been temporarily suspended - rose to 174,438, 52.7 percent more than the previous year. The number of German suspects declined by 3.4 percent to 1,407,062. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said crimes committed by refugees had "increased disproportionately" last year and warned: "Those who commit serious offences here forfeit their right to stay here." But he said some migrants committed multiple offences, distorting the statistics, and that most migrants lived peacefully and obeyed German law. Migrants accounted for 8.6 percent of all crime suspects in Germany in 2016, up from 5.7 percent the previous year. De Maiziere said one reason for the high crime rate among migrants was likely to be their accommodation situation. In 2016 many were living in makeshift shelters or sharing crowded rooms. The number of attacks on refugee homes has declined for the first time since data started being collected in 2014. Some 995 were carried out in 2016, compared with 1,031 the previous year. Crimes motivated by Islamism increased by 13.7 percent, the report showed. In December a failed Tunisian asylum seeker who had pledged allegiance to Islamic State drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people. (Reporting by Michelle Martin; editing by Andrew Roche)
Despite Trump's low approval numbers, the poll showed him retaining support among his base, with 96 per cent of people saying they voted for him and would do so again.

By Indo-Asian News Service: US President Donald Trump is approaching his 100th day in office with the lowest level of support, while both the Democratic and Republican parties were "out of touch" with the concerns of most Americans, according to latest polls.

Forty-two per cent of people in an ABC/Washington Post poll issued on Sunday said they approved of Trump's performance so far, while 53 per cent said they disapproved, reports CNN.

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An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll also issued on Sunday had 40 per cent of respondents saying they approved of Trump and 54 per cent saying they disapproved.

The ABC/Washington Post poll found 67 per cent of respondents said the Democratic Party was out of touch, as did 62 per cent for the Republican Party. Less than a third said either party was "in touch".

TRUMP FAIRED BETTER THAN PARTIES

Trump faired slightly better than the parties, with 58 per cent saying he was out of touch.

Despite Trump's low approval numbers, the poll showed him retaining support among his base, with 96 per cent of people who said they voted for him saying they would do so again.

The poll showed only 85 per cent of those who voted for former presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton would do so again, with most of those who would not saying they would either go with a third-party candidate or not vote at all, CNN reported.

Thirty-four per cent of the ABC/Washington Post poll respondents said they disapproved of Trump including his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner in his administration.

And a majority, 54 per cent, said they did not have a problem with Trump working out of Mar-a-lago, his private club in Florida.

TRUMP SLAMMED POLLS

Meanwhile, Trump slammed the polls in a series of tweets on Sunday night calling the media outlets who published them as "fake".

"New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is fake and almost always negative. Would still beat Hillary (Clinton) in popular vote," Trump tweeted.

He followed it up moments later with a second tweet, saying: "ABC News/Washington Post Poll (wrong big on election) said almost all stand by their vote on me and 53 per cent said strong leader."

The ABC/Washington Post poll surveyed 1,004 adults over April 17-20. The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll surveyed 900 adults over the same period.

100-DAYS PLAN

The 100-days measure has been a focus of the media since former President Franklin D Roosevelt, who signed 15 major pieces of legislation early in his presidency, reports CNN.

Trump tweeted last week that the 100 days point was "ridiculous".

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But during his campaign he referenced the point himself and promised to fight for a sweeping package of legislation as part of his 100-day plan in his "Contract with the American Voter".

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--- ENDS ---
PARIS -- Imagine having a friend who really knows the City of Lights and who always -- literally, 24 hours a day, seven days a week -- has time to chat.

Louisa Mesnard, a Franco-Irish 25-year-old businesswoman is making sure it's not just a dream. Together with her team, she created Citron, a Facebook ChatBot that makes its business knowing every hidden jewel in Paris: the cafe in Montmartre where the fictional Amelie Poulain worked as a server, the hole in-the-wall bar with the working phonograph and the old-fashioned cocktails, or the lunch place on the Left Bank that has both good Wi-Fi and a fireplace.

On top of knowing all those things, Citron is unfailingly polite, witty and interactive. After being tested in French for months, Citron earlier in April began bantering and suggesting places in English, too.

With its social-media dependent, millennial-targeting and highly scalable profile, Citron seems to come from Silicon Valley. But it is actually being developed in France, a place that Mesnard says is one of the best places on the globe to start a business.

This summer Citron and its team will move to Station F, an ambitious project being billed as the world's biggest incubator. The space also is emblematic of a larger cultural shift taking place in France. The land of the three-hour lunch is poised to become the European hub of the frenzied-paced, hyper-capitalistic world of start-ups, according to experts here on entrepreneurship.

"Given the situation with Brexit, given the situation in the U.S. with Donald Trump, we see a lot of entrepreneurs re-evaluating the go-to places," says Roxanne Varza, an American who is a Silicon Valley veteran and the director of Station F.

With its 35-hour workweek, lifelong employment contracts and heavy social taxes, France was once perceived as decidedly business unfriendly. The country has weathered the financial crisis, but its unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent is one of the worst in Western Europe and is a major issue in this spring's presidential elections.

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Youth unemployment in France is even worse, hovering just below 24 percent, a sign of what experts call the dual labor market, where insiders are protected and "outsiders" -- young people, foreigners or the uneducated -- face greater obstacles finding long-term and well-paid work.

When finished, Station F will be a 366,000-square-foot space that will help incubate up to 1,000 start-ups, have room for 3,000 desks, house more than 10 international start-up programs and an onsite "fab lab," a workshop where prototypes of new products can be built.

Setting the conditions for Station F are a changing work culture, an increase in investment, tax directives supporting research and development, a good -- and relatively inexpensive -- supply of top-notch engineers and, above all, a powerful nascent culture of entrepreneurship, say experts.

"The main asset in a start-up company is people, and there is real entrepreneurial drive in France in these last years," says Etienne Krieger, a director of the entrepreneurship program at HEC Paris, one of the top business schools in France and a partner in the incubator.

France is fertile ground for entrepreneurs, says Patrick Riley, an American venture capitalist and the head of the Global Accelerator Network, a global network of investment accelerators that has been responsible for more than $4 billion of funding.

"The laws are good, the regulations are good and the people starting those operations in France are really good operators," he says, conceding that funding is still an issue.

Still, more work remains to foster a start-up culture in France. The country ranks No. 29 on the World Bank's annual "Ease of doing business" ranking, well behind competitors such as the U.S. (8), the U.K. (7) and slightly behind Germany (17). The Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute, which compiles a Global Entrepreneurship Index, ranks France at 13, still behind the U.S., the UK and Germany.

About 0.03 percent of France's gross domestic product is invested in start-ups. In the U.S., where modern start-up culture began, the number is closer to 0.33 percent of GDP, according to Krieger, who credits research tax credit and the investments by para-public Banque publique d'investissement for increasingly better funding opportunities.

Riley, who regularly travels to France to meet with young entrepreneurs, says the country might have a leg up on certain aspects of the start-up process. For one, he says French entrepreneurs give themselves more time to get a business off the ground.

"The French are able to take the long-term view; in the States, if you don't have your business up and running in three months, it's no good," he says, noting that French entrepreneurs will sometimes take two years to get a company started.

Arthur Menard, 26, whose start-up Spartan designs and sells boxers that shield men's reproductive areas from cellular and Wi-Fi radio waves -- a Faraday cage for the crown jewels, as one reviewer put it -- says the past half-decade has seen a shift in how start-ups are viewed in France.

"Back then it was quite weird; now it's something quite chic, young people in France see as quite desirable."

Citron, the conversational intelligence software, has a potentially high value. Getting users to share their experiences will grow Citron's local knowledge. Letting users interact conversationally with the program -- which is accessed on Facebook's messenger -- will allow people to actually find what they are looking for. Once Citron is fully operational, a small cut in booking fees -- besides suggesting places, Citron will eventually assist in actually booking them -- will finance the business.

Station F will open after extensive renovations are made to a historic building in a commercial district in the 13th Arrondissement in the south of Paris, not far from the hip Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood. Befitting its new role, the structure was the first major building in France built in 1929 from pre-stressed concrete by the very inventor of the now-ubiquitous material, Eugene Freyssinet.

Although named after Freyssinet -- the original name "Halle Freyssinet" was abandoned in favor of Station F because it proved difficult for foreigners to pronounce -- the hub's patron saint and principal backer is Xavier Niel, a notable French entrepreneur. Niel was not only instrumental in several telecommunication ventures, but has also founded 42, a private non-profit coding school with campuses in California and Paris.

"Xavier loves to take projects and scale them up," says F Station director Varza, who compares Neil in stature to Richard Branson.

With its international talent, investors and appeal, Station F appears headed to become quintessentially Parisian. Its unique sensibilities, however, aren't preventing French entrepreneurs to look to the U.S.

Referring to the founders of Evernote and Facebook, two Silicon Valley success stories, Menard says of the giant French incubator: "It's going to be the closest thing that we have to San Francisco, where you might be having coffee next to Phil Libin or Mark Zuckerberg."

Christopher F. Schuetze is a Netherlands-based journalist. You may follow him on Twitter here.
By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - For investors and pundits it is the big question-mark hanging over Emmanuel Macron; the 39-year-old centrist looks certain to win a runoff for the French presidency, but how can his one-year-old upstart party win the parliamentary majority six weeks later that he needs to implement his programme? Jean-Paul Delevoye, the political veteran in charge of making that happen, says the palpable disarray of France's two traditional governing parties has opened up the space for En Marche! (Onwards!) to do just that. The candidate of the ruling Socialists, the far-left Benoit Hamon, managed only 6 percent of the first-round vote - and already, some leading Socialists on the right of their party who declined to back him have made overtures to Macron. Meanwhile the conservative Republicans candidate Francois Fillon left his party in the lurch and without an effective figurehead when he declined to step down over damaging allegations of financial impropriety, which he denied. He stepped down from front-line politics on Monday. "There will be a break-up of the Socialist party, which may have competing candidates in some constituencies, and a split of the conservatives between those who will seek revenge and those ready to cooperate," Delevoye told Reuters in an interview on Monday. Macron, whom surveys strongly favor to beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the May 7 runoff, has based much of his pitch on a bid to transcend a party political system that has come to seem closed-off and remote from citizens' real concerns. French lawmakers are usually career politicians with little private-sector experience who have climbed through party ranks and local elected office before being selected from Paris to run for parliament often outside their native region. Macron has said he will field at least 50 percent of candidates with no prior lawmaking experience, and 50 percent women. In January, he launched a call for applications online and received more than 14,000. FARMER, TEACHER, SOCIOLOGIST This month, he revealed the names of 14 of them, including the former head of the RAID elite police squad who led the charge against Islamist hostage-takers at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris in 2015, a farmer, a school headmistress, an HR director, a hospital manager, a sociologist and several entrepreneurs. "We have extremely credible candidates from the fields of science, charity, sports, business and academia, who would never have thought to enter politics with the traditional parties," Delevoye said. That has not prevented Macron turning where needed to seasoned operators such as Delevoye, a 70-year-old who was a minister under conservative president Jacques Chirac. Delevoye said the whole list would be wrapped up in the next 48 hours, and that some new names might be revealed before the second round of the presidential election. He said some were internationally known, though he declined to name them. Many elements of Macron's programme, such as an easing of labor market rules, as well as overhauls of the jobless benefit and pension systems, are likely to be controversial and to require robust majorities to pass. Delevoye said the aim was to be "totally independent" and not to have to rely on support from other parties - but that Macron would be open to working with other parties if necessary. Asked if Macron would also be ready to cooperate with a conservative majority should the Republicans party do better in six weeks' time, Delevoye said: "Emmanuel Macron is a very practical person, he adapts to realities." Since 1958, France has known three episodes of so-called "cohabitation", when parliament is controlled by a party other than the president's, in which case the president is generally overshadowed by a prime minister backed by parliament. However, none came when, as now, legislative elections immediately followed presidential polls. In his victory speech on Sunday night, Macron said he would work as soon as this week on ensuring he can build a majority. (Editing by Kevin Liffey)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., accompanied by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of N.Y., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in March. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., delivered a message to President Trump on Monday morning about Congress sensitive negotiations over a spending bill that must pass by Friday.

That message: Butt out.

Its my view that if the president stepped out of it, we could get a budget done by Friday, Schumer said on a conference call with reporters.

Totally agree, Pelosi said. We were on the path to get it done until he did intervene.

The government will run out of funding Friday night unless Congress comes to an agreement on a series of spending bills. The major sticking points are the billions of dollars the president has demanded to begin building a wall on the southern border, as well as Democrats demands for at least some of the billions of dollars Congress owes insurance companies under Obamacare. Republican leaders suggested last month they wanted to sidestep the wall debate and deal with it later, but the White House doubled down on its demand for it last week.

Trump has tweeted about the wall and spending negotiations several times since Sunday.

Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2017

The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2017

ObamaCare is in serious trouble. The Dems need big money to keep it going  otherwise it dies far sooner than anyone would have thought.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 23, 2017

Pelosi signaled that Democrats may be flexible when it comes to providing money for technology to monitor the border in the spending bill instead of a wall, saying its Congress responsibility to protect the border.

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But Pelosi objected to the argument that Trumps wall was a central campaign promise, saying that the president also promised Mexico would pay for it.

No, he did not promise that he would take food out of the mouths of babies and seniors, [and take] education, clean air, clean water, scientific research off the table in a significant way in order for him to pay for his immoral, ineffective, unwise proposal of a wall, she said.

Schumer called the wall a monkey wrench the president threw into the process, bungling an agreement between the parties.

Pelosi shot down the idea that lawmakers could pass a temporary extension of previous funding called a continuing resolution (CR) to continue working out their problems. From the standpoint of procedure, the only justification for a CR is the prospect that we would have the substance of the bill done and wed just need a few more days in the House and Senate to pass it, she said. But to just kick the can down the road is not acceptable, she said.

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 Photos: March for Science events around the globe
By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Apr 24 (PTI) The US today inaugurated seven schools in Nepal as part of its USD 10 million project to renovate 15 primary and secondary schools destroyed during the deadly earthquakes in 2015.

The project is done in partnership with the Nepals National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Nepal Ministry of Education, and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

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"These seven school reconstruction projects are the first wave of a USD 10 million US government effort to rebuild 15 primary and secondary schools across 14 districts most affected by the 2015 earthquakes," a statement issued by the US Embassy in Nepal said.

"The new schools are a tangible step in support of Nepal building back safer, and demonstrate the US governments strong and sustained commitment to help Nepal recover from the earthquakes," the statement said.

Representatives from the NRA, Ministry of Education, and ADB joined US Ambassador Alaina B Teplitz in inaugurating the start of the construction phase of the programme. "This is our opportunity to rebuild stronger than before, making sure that each school is seismically safe, in order to protect the lives of Nepali children," Teplitz said. Since the 2015 earthquakes, the US has provided more than USD 170 million for earthquake response and recovery.

Part of these funds helped homeowners rebuild over 2,500 homes to modern safety standards and to train more than 8,600 engineers, contractors, architects, masons, and carpenters on earthquake-resistant construction techniques.

The US support also helped establish over 1,000 temporary learning centres and provided school materials to help over 93,000 students resume their education with minimal disruption after the earthquakes. PTI SBP AJR

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By Roberta Rampton PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has cut short the final leg of his Asia trip to race back to Washington, where the Trump administration faces a critical week on tax reform and a funding plan to keep the government running, an aide said on Sunday. Pence, who has been traveling in Asia to reassure allies and partners about President Donald Trump's commitment to the region, had originally planned to spend two nights in Honoluluat the end of a trip that took him to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia. While he spoke with business leaders in each country, Pence's trip was overshadowed by rising tensions in North Korea, where it is feared another nuclear test could be conducted soon in defiance of United Nations sanctions. Pence will now spend one night in Hawaii and is slated to be back in Washington on Tuesday morning, his aide told reporters before Air Force Two landed at Pago Pago in American Samoa for refueling. Trump has a busy week ahead. Funding appropriated by Congress to run the government runs out on Friday, so he and lawmakers must agree on new legislation or the government will shut down on Saturday. Saturday is also Trump's 100th day in office, a benchmark used by pundits to assess the initial accomplishments and shortfalls of his young presidency. Trump plans to outline principles for tax reform onWednesday, a top brief for Pence. While in Honolulu, Pence will meet leaders of the U.S.Pacific Command and is also slated to speak to U.S. troops and their families, the aide said. Pence had planned to tour the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor but will no longer do that, the aide said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Paul Tait)
Washington (AFP) - A Silicon Valley "flying car" startup, Kitty Hawk, reportedly backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, released a video Monday of its airborne prototype and announced plans for deliveries of a "personal flying machine" this year.

"Our mission is to make the dream of personal flight a reality. We believe when everyone has access to personal flight, a new, limitless world of opportunity will open up to them," said a statement on the website of the Kitty Hawk company, based in Google's home town of Mountain View, California.

"Today we're announcing our first prototype of The Flyer, a personal flying machine that will become available for sale by the end of 2017."

The video showed the single-seat aircraft -- with two pontoons and a spider web-like platform -- taking off from a lake at an undisclosed location and hovering above the water, where it is meant to be used.

The craft, propelled by eight rotors, takes off and lands vertically, like a helicopter. It is said to weigh about 220 pounds (100 kilograms) and fly at speeds up to 25 miles per hour (40 kph). and can hover at 15 feet (4.5 meters) high.

The company describes the Flyer as "a new, all-electric aircraft," which is "safe, tested and legal to operate in the United States in uncongested areas" under US federal regulations for ultralight aircraft. No pilot's license is required, and two hours' training is said to be all that is needed.

The website offered few details about the company, but several reports in recent months have said Page has poured millions of dollars into Kitty Hawk and another electric car startup.

Kitty Hawk president Sebastian Thrun, a Stanford University computer science professor who has been called the father of Google's self-driving car, tweeted: "Changing the future of personal transportation. Join us @kittyhawkcorp to get information about #theFlyer prototype."

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The company announced it was offering three-year "memberships" for $100 to be placed on a waiting list and to get a discount on the price of the new transporter. The price is to be announced later this year.

- Limited details -

The startup offered only limited details about the company.

An email response to an AFP query said the lead engineers were Cameron Robertson and Todd Reichert, who created a startup called Aerovelo which aims to produce the fastest human-powered vehicle.

Kitty Hawk said the flyer going on sale later this year will have a different design than the prototype.

A blog post by writer Cimeron Morrissey, who took the flyer for a test run, offered some clues on how it feels.

"The prototype looks and feels a lot like a flying motorcycle. You mount the seat and lean forward, just like you would on a bike," she wrote.

"I feel light and ecstatic and utterly free. This is just like my flying dreams!"

Several other companies, including European conglomerate Airbus, have been working on similar flying machines.
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine security forces killed about 36 Islamic State-linked militants in a three-day air and ground assault on a southern island, and captured the rebels' base, an army general said on Monday. Security forces in the mostly Christian Philippines have battled Muslim separatist rebels for decades. In recent years, peace efforts have led to a reduction in clashes with main groups but small, violent factions have stepped up attacks. The latest clash, on the main southern island of Mindanao, erupted on Friday when soldiers stumbled upon a well-fortified base of a faction known as Maute, guarded by about 150 fighters. "We captured their main base," Brigadier-General Roland Bautista, an army division commander, told reporters. Government forces used artillery and air strikes to hit the militant base and inflict the casualties, he said. Only three government soldiers were wounded, he said. A spokesman for the militant faction was not available for comment and Reuters was no able to independently verify the military's account. Bautista said surviving militants had split up into small groups and fled. The faction, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, has been accused of bomb attacks including one in President Rodrigo Duterte's hometown of Davao City in September that killed 14 people. Bautista said the army suspected militants from neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia might have been with the band and an Indonesian passport had been recovered, along with arms and explosives. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel)
A Philippine lawyer on Monday filed a complaint at the world's only permanent war crimes court against President Rodrigo Duterte, alleging his war on drugs has caused some 8,000 deaths.

Lawyer Jude Sabio urged the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate Duterte and senior adminstration officials and bring charges of crimes against humanity against them for "the terrifying and gruesome situation of continuing mass murder in the Philippines".

Sabio, who is the lawyer for Duterte's confessed hitman Edgar Matobato, alleged the president "began his strategy or system of eliminating or killing persons suspected of crimes, including drug addicts and pushers" when he became mayor of Davao City in 1988.

"The 'repeated, unchanging and continuous' mass murder being conducted by the President Duterte has already resulted into the deaths of not less than 1,400 individuals in Davao City under his Davao Death Squad and not less than 7,000 individuals in his war on drugs at the national level," the filing said.

Sabio travelled to The Hague to hand over his 77-page complaint in person to the office of ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

Bensouda's office confirmed to AFP it had "received a communication earlier this morning by an attorney from the Philippines," adding it would "analyse the materials submitted, as appropriate" in line with the tribunal's guiding Rome Statute and make its decision later.

In October Bensouda said she was "deeply concerned about these alleged killings and the fact that public statements from high officials of the... Philippines seem to condone such killings".

She warned that "any person in the Philippines who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging ... the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is potentially liable for prosecution before the court."

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Duterte won election by a landslide last May largely on his promise to launch a war on illegal drugs.

Although the campaign has proved popular at home, the president has faced international criticism for the thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings.

- Police probe -

The Philippine government denies the allegations, and presidential spokesman Ernie Abella said Monday that police were already probing those suspected "of violating procedures."

He also pointed to an investigation by the country's Senate, in which Matobato was a star witness, and said the ICC "as a court of last resort, will only exercise jurisdiction over a case once legal remedies in the Philippines have been exhausted."

"The so-called 'extrajudicial killings', are not state-sanctioned or state-sponsored. Police authorities are conducting legitimate operations that require observance of operational protocols," Abella added.

According to the latest national police figures, police have shot dead 2,087 drug suspects, while unknown killers have murdered 1,398 others in cases described by investigators as "drugs-related".

Earlier official figures had put the death toll much higher, including some 4,200 killed in unexplained circumstances.

Since beginning work in 2002, the ICC says the prosecutor's office has received some 10,000 requests from individuals, groups or countries around the world to investigate alleged crimes.

It is then up to the prosecutor to decide if there is enough cause to open a preliminary inquiry into whether a full-blown investigation is merited. There are currently 10 preliminary examinations, and 10 full investigations under way.

A total of 23 cases have been recognised, securing nine convictions and one acquittal. Five trials are ongoing.
Police fired into a crowd of stone-throwing students in Indian Kashmir on Monday, as violence in the disputed Himalayan region intensified.

Hundreds of student protesters shouting "We want freedom" and "Go India, go back" fought with government forces after taking to the streets of the main city Srinagar.

An AFP reporter saw police fire live rounds as well as tear gas and water cannon to try to disperse the protesters as shoppers fled the violence and retailers shut down for the day.

The clashes broke out as colleges in the city reopened following skirmishes last week between students and government forces.

"A few students were detained. Three photojournalists and eight policemen were injured with stones," a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Nearly 100 students and around the same number of police were wounded in last week's disturbances, which prompted authorities to temporarily shut down schools and universities.

The students were angered by a raid earlier this month on a college in the southern district of Pulwama in which police attempted to detain the alleged ring-leaders of earlier protests.

Government forces are not supposed to enter college or university premises without special permission.

In a separate incident an official with the ruling People's Democratic Party was shot by unknown attackers, later dying of his injuries, a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Indian-administered Kashmir has been tense since April 9, when eight people were killed by police and paramilitaries during election day violence.

- 'Bullets and stone-pelting' -

On Monday the leader of Jammu and Kashmir, the northern state that administers the area, held talks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the developing crisis.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called for dialogue and an end to the violence.

"The first priority is to control the situation, because talks cannot take place amid bullets and stone-pelting," she told reporters outside Modi's residence after the meeting.

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Mufti's PDP formed a governing alliance with Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) after a 2015 election in the state.

That has made her party hugely unpopular in the mainly Muslim Kashmir Valley, home to most of its traditional support base.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the valley, where most people favour independence or a merger with predominantly Muslim Pakistan.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in 1947 and both claim the territory in its entirety.

Several rebel groups have for decades been fighting troops and police deployed on the Indian side of the divided region.

The region had enjoyed several years of relative peace after an outbreak of violence in 2010.

But the killing last year of a popular rebel leader by security forces sparked widespread popular unrest, and police say dozens of local youths have joined the rebel ranks since then.

Footage apparently showing a civilian tied to the front of an army jeep to deter protesters from throwing stones at the vehicle has also caused outrage after it was circulated on social media.
An estimated 51,000 people in the United States go to the emergency room each year for injuries they sustain during encounters with law enforcement, a new study suggests. The vast majority of those injuries are minor.

The researchers found that over the seven-year period from 2006 to 2012, there were about 356,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms for law-enforcement-related injuries throughout the country. Of these cases, about 1,200 people died (0.3 percent of the total), either when they were in the emergency room or after they were admitted to the hospital, according to the findings, published today (April 19) in the journal JAMA Surgery.

The study suggests that nonfatal injuries are much more pervasive than law-enforcement-associated deaths, said lead study author Dr. Elinore Kaufman, a surgical resident at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. [6 Politicians Who Got the Science Wrong]

The new study comes after a series of high-profile deaths of civilians following contact with police officers. These deaths have brought increased media attention to the issue of police-involved deaths and have led to more questions from the public about the number of such fatalities that occur in the country each year.

But so far, data on the deaths and injuries from these interactions has been incomplete, the study authors wrote.

To find out more about these law-enforcement-related injuries and deaths, the researchers analyzed data from a government database called the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, which includes a nationally representative sample of emergency room visits in the U.S. They looked at injuries that were known to be caused by an interaction with law enforcement and were coded that way in the database.

Injury trends

The analysis showed that the number of hospital emergency room visits for law-enforcement-related injuries was stable between 2006 and 2012; it did not increase over time.

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The most common cause of injuries was "being struck by or against," which was responsible for 77 percent of the visits to emergency rooms in this category.

This could mean that people were struck by a hand, foot or object, or that they were struck against a wall, car or the ground, Kaufman told Live Science. She noted that the data used in the analysis relies on the numerical codes that hospitals use for billing purposes, and does not provide all of the details people might like to know about each injury.

Gunshot or stab wounds accounted for about 7 percent of all law-enforcement-linked injuries, according to the findings.

The researchers also found that emergency room visits linked with law enforcement were more common in the South and the West, with each of these regions accounting for about one-third of all visits. Together, the Northeast and Midwest accounted for the remaining third. [Understanding the 10 Most Destructive Human Behaviors]

Most of the injured patients were young men: More than 80 percent were male, and the average age of the injured person was 32, the researchers found. Mental illness was common, affecting 20 percent of cases, Kaufman said.

She noted that the study's estimate of 51,000 emergency room visits per year does not include deaths that occur at crime scenes or people who are injured but do not seek medical attention.

Another limitation of the study is that the database that the researchers used did not include information on patients' race or ethnicity, nor did it provide additional details on geographic location beyond regional information. These were two important components of recent headline-making cases involving police-related injuries and deaths, so more research is needed to incorporate those elements, Kaufman said.

"There is a lot more to learn about the factors that can contribute to or mitigate these injuries," Kaufman said.

Originally published on Live Science.

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By Ronnie Cohen (Reuters Health) - Children in Americas poorest communities have three times the risk of dying from child abuse before age 5 as children in the wealthiest neighborhoods, a new study finds. We think our study should inform public health leaders and local clinicians to be aware that children living in high-poverty communities are really a vulnerable group at increased risk of death due to child abuse, lead author Dr. Caitlin Farrell, a pediatrician at Boston Childrens Hospital, said in a phone interview. Farrell and her team analyzed death certificates for young children and U.S. Census poverty data from 1999 through 2014. For children ages 4 and under, counties with the highest concentrations of poverty had more than triple the rate of child-abuse fatalities compared to counties with the lowest concentrations of poverty, the study reported in Pediatrics found. Nearly 10 out of every 100,000 children died as a result of child abuse in the most impoverished counties, the study found. African-American children were the most vulnerable regardless of where they lived. Among every 100,000 young children, eight African-Americans died from assault, shaken-baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, suffocation, strangulation or another form of child abuse, compared to three white children, the study found. The fatality rate for African-American children in the richest counties was higher than the fatality rate for white children in the poorest. Farrell cant explain why African-American infants and toddlers were most at risk of dying from abuse. She called for more research and for the development of policies and plans aimed specifically at protecting poor children and African-American children. During the 15 years covered by the study, 11,149 children died of child abuse before turning 5 years old. Children under the age of 3 comprised the vast majority, or 71 percent, of the deaths, the authors wrote. African-American children represented a disproportionate 37 percent of the nationwide child-abuse deaths. We hope our study can serve as a catalyst for researchers to further explore the complex relationship between community poverty and child abuse, Farrell said. Ultimately, this information is needed for policymakers, public health officials and clinicians to enact effective prevention strategies. In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Robert Block said the studys findings should come as no surprise. What may be surprising is that although this fact is both intuitive and now statistically proven, given the significant percentage of children living in poverty, the United States has yet to develop a comprehensive plan to address the issue, he wrote. Block, who was not involved with the study, is a past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and emeritus professor at the University of Oklahoma - Tulsa University School of Community Medicine in Tulsa. Poverty-related factors - such as food insecurity, unemployment and living in unsafe neighborhoods with a high prevalence of gun violence - can lead to frustrations and consequent stressors that can lead to child abuse, Block wrote. Parenting education could help, as could educating community leaders to address the challenges of poverty in an effort to reduce frustration, drug addiction, family violence and other stresses, he wrote. To change the influence of poverty and race on the incidence of child-abuse deaths will not be easy, Block said in an email. Early identification of troubled parents as part of comprehensive pediatric evaluations might be a beginning. Farrell also called for more preventive measures during childrens wellness checks in pediatric clinics. One limitation of the study is that it could not tease out pockets of poverty within affluent counties or pockets of wealth within poor counties. The study also could not detect possible bias on the part of the medical examiner in determining the cause of death. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2pYx9Bf and http://bit.ly/2pYLQnL Pediatrics, online April 24, 2017.
Samira Abdulkadir came to the United States 10 years ago, a young bride with a baby boy. She was from Somalia but came to the U.S. by route of Kenya, where she was married. The family settled just outside of Boston, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and Abdulkadir had more children. Her second child, a girl, was born deaf. Then she had a boy, who died after five months in the hospital. Her next child, another girl, was also deaflike their father.

When this youngest girl was born without hearing, Abdulkadir drifted toward despair. She spoke very little English, she didnt have any extended family in the area, she was still grieving the loss of her baby, two out of her three surviving children were deaf, and she said her husband couldnt share much of the responsibility at home because of his own disability.

MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center referred Abdulkadir to its Healthy Families America home-visiting program. The service is designed to support first-time parents, as well as those raising babies for the first time in the United States. The program offers supports to immigrant families adjusting to U.S. culture and an unfamiliar health-care system until their youngest child turns three. Based on individual needs, MGH home-visitors help connect families to social services, educational opportunities, and medical or mental health care. They also follow an early-childhood curriculum to ensure babies and toddlers meet developmental milestones on time.

The program became a lifeline for Abdulkadir, who said she might have ended up in a mental hospital were it not for the help from her home-visitor.

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I didnt have any support, Abdulkadir said through an interpreter. The program has been my support.

Home-visiting programs appear in communities all across the country using hundreds of different models. Some, like Healthy Families America, are funded by the federal government. Others are run with state or local dollars. The goal, though, is generally the same. Home-visiting programs serve low-income, vulnerable populations and aim to make an early impact on the long-term health and well-being of both baby and family.

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Harvard Universitys Center on the Developing Child emphasizes the need to start offering early-childhood supports at birthif not sooner. Prenatally, researchers say, is even better. According to Al Race, the deputy co-director of the center, the importance of prenatal and 0-3 services is one thing that isnt getting enough attention in the nations renewed push for expanded access to high-quality preschool.

A lot of people feel like theyve got their early-childhood box checked off if they do pre-k, Race said. Programs that start sooner, though, are likely to have greater long-term effects and for good reason. Theres a lot of learning and development that happens in the first three years of life.

In fact, researchers have found achievement gaps based on race and socioeconomic status are firmly in place by the time children turn 2 years old. Supports offered by home-visiting programs can help families break patterns of slower development that are common for children raised in poverty and increase self-sufficiency of adults. Importantly, they can promote positive parenting strategieslike creating a loving and supportive home, reading and discussing stories with children, practicing counting, and engaging in active play. All of these things can help prepare children for kindergarten and beyond.

Samira Abdulkadir, left, speaks with Fadumo Hirsi, a home visitor through the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center's Healthy Families America program. (Tara Garcia Mathewson)

In Abdulkadirs case, the emotional support offered by her home-visitor has been invaluable. Having another adult to talk to and rely on has meant Abdulkadir doesnt feel so alone with her problems. And thats a big part of the program. Parents who are completely overwhelmed or suffering from depression do not have the capacity to give as much to their children as parents who arent.

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Maria Yolanda Wigozki, the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center program manager, said its not for a lack of love, but rather because they have a lot on their plate. Sometimes parents are worried about housing, food, or employment. Many of them also are haunted by their pasts.

Many of these immigrants and refugees have gone through trauma in their own life growing up as infants or teenagers, escaping from war, or escaping from gangs, or having domestic violence where they grew up, Wigozki said. They already carry a lot of stress in them.

The crushing disappointment of his disability pushed her to advocate for a spot in the program once again.

The home-visiting program can help adults learn to take care of themselves in order to take care of their babies. Participants are routinely screened for depression and substance abuse and referred to services if staff members find a problem.

Nationwide, the Healthy Families America program claims positive impacts on children, parents, and entire communities. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services named it one of seven proven home-visiting models. A long-term study in New York found only 3.5 percent of children in the program were held back in first grade, compared to 7.1 percent of children raised in similar circumstances who didnt get the services. Parent self-reports also found children in the program were exposed to less child abuse, physical discipline, and neglect.

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A study in Arizona found alcohol use among parents was lower for Healthy Families America participants12 percent versus 20.5 percent. And more than one-third of parents increased their level of education during the program period, compared to barely 7 percent of similar parents who didnt get services.

Reflecting on her experiences in the home-visiting program, Abdulkadir said support from the home-visitor helped her be more patient with her children, despite struggling with depression and an avalanche of family challenges. She developed strategies to retain her calm around her children and learned that common discipline strategies would work with her daughters even though they are deaf. Meaning they, too, could learn from being put in timeout or connecting bad behaviors with a loss of privileges instead of being subject to corporal punishment.

Healthy Families America sites like MGH Chelsea offer weekly home visits for the first six months of a childs life, after which the frequency varies based on a child or familys needsonce per month, once per quarter, or even every six months as they help adults find new jobs or enroll in education programs that whittle away the time they have for services. About 72 percent of families at MGH Chelsea remain in the program until their children age out of eligibility, and the latest program data shows every single enrolled child is in a developmentally appropriate range for communication, cognitive, and problem-solving skills.

Abdulkadir is unique in that she is now getting services through the program for a second time. Six months ago, she gave birth to another child, a boy who, like his sisters and father, is deaf. The crushing disappointment of his disability pushed her to advocate for a spot in the program once again.

The mother of four made concrete progress the first time around, but she wants the proven support as she gets back on her feet after this latest challenge. Already, she counts among her successes enrollment in English classes that helped her develop a working fluency in the language, which, in turn, helped her get a job at a local Dunkin Donuts. She also learned how to navigate the school system, finding placement for her daughters in programs that offer specialized services for children who cant hear.

A key barrier to even greater impact is capacity. Wigozki said about 400 children are born in Chelsea every year, and close to half of them could be eligible for the home-visiting program. Her staff, however, can only serve 100 families at a time.

Still, thats 100 families providing more stable homes where their children can grow up feeling safe and loved. And thats a critical foundation for later success in school and life.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Desperate for a triumph ahead of President Trumps 100th day in office, the White House is furiously pushing for another attempt at scrapping the nations health care law this week, hinting that deep tax cuts are on deck and adding border wall blueprints and a boost to Pentagon spending to the hopper to boot.

Welcome to Trumps week of magical thinking. On their own, any of these projects can take months of work in Washington. Now the President wants to jam all this into a single week, let alone one in which lawmakers face a Friday deadline to approve a federal spending measure. Failure to find agreement would shut down the government.

The vote will be one of the first consequential moves since Republicans gained control of the House, Senate and White House-and it could indicate to voters that the GOP isnt capable of governing despite unified control of Washington. Without coordinated action, federal agencies will shut their doors, workers wont report for duty and vast parts of the government will stop in their tracks. Its a serious situation-and certainly a more urgent problem than Trumps goal of ditching President Barack Obamas health care legacy, slashing tax rates or finding cash for a border wall that, at best, wont be finished during Trumps first term in office.

Administration officials spent the weekend ramping up pressure on lawmakers, even as they sent mixed signals about what the President would settle for and what he would insist Congress include in a spending plan. White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told NBCs Meet the Press that perhaps increased spending for border security could appease Trumps demand for brick-and-mortar wall funding. I think well be OK with that, Priebus said, without much conviction.

Meanwhile, the White House budget chief tried to project calm. I dont think anyone foresees or expects or would want a shutdown, budget director Mick Mulvaney told Fox News Sunday. Yet asked how intractable Trump is on the border funding question, he cautioned: We dont know yet.

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And thats the most unpredictable aspect of this momentous week. Trump prides himself on his deal-making skills. But government isnt real estate, and there are prescribed ways to fund it. Over the weekend, Trump tried to outline a spending bill in 140-character bursts. For instance: Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall. Perhaps the President was trying to tell Congress not to worry about the cost of the wall. But an IOU signed by only one country isnt going to help lawmakers foot the bill.

Then theres the pesky question of who is picking up the tab for all of this new spending Trump wants. Republicans for years have insisted any new spending be matched, dollar-for-dollar, with cuts elsewhere. Mulvaney, a former Tea Party lawmaker from South Carolina who once insisted on such spending offsets, said he wasnt sure the party orthodoxy still held: I dont think weve decided that part yet.

In a conference call with fellow Republican House members on Saturday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that keeping the government open was his top priority. He also seemed to suggest that he was sympathetic-but not beholden-to the White Houses goals. Wherever we land will be a product the President can and will support, Ryan told colleagues, according one top Republican staffer who listened to the call.

At the Capitol, senior aides to Republican lawmakers have been rolling their eyes at the Presidents gumption-and his cluelessness about how Washington works. Some traded dismayed text messages after Trumps off-handed comment that it might not matter if Congress gets its act together on health care. Well see what happens, Trump told reporters. No particular rush, but well see what happens.

Democrats were in no hurry either to help the President out of a mess made by his own ambition. The wall is, in my view, immoral, expensive, unwise, House Leader Nancy Pelosi told Meet the Press. Its unlikely that a single House Democrat will vote for a funding bill that includes cash for fencing. That could squeeze Ryan if his conservative flank revolts over other deferred priorities, such as cutting Planned Parenthood funding or killing subsidies for poor Americans health care.

Trumps first bulldozer-in-a-bureaucracy attempt to trash the health care law came up embarrassing for all Republicans involved. The President insisted Ryan schedule a vote on health care repeal, then was forced twice to postpone the vote before scrapping it altogether. Trump said he was willing to move on, but thats no longer the case. Hes been telling White House aides he wants it gone, pronto. And, while Congress is at it, to cut taxes and build the wall that was so popular at his campaign rallies. My base really wants it, the President told The Associated Press last week.

The White House is trying to accommodate Trumps demands. But there are limits to what the administration can do. Congress-specifically, the House-is the starting point for all spending plans. The Senate would need to approve the lower chambers work. To do so will require at least eight Democrats to vote with the Republican majority. If he wants to keep the government open, Trump may be forced to sign a spending bill missing items on his wish list.

Trump seems to be bracing for the moment. Last week, he tweeted the 100-day marker was a ridiculous standard, arguing that regardless of his accomplishments, the media will kill! But inside the White House, Trump wants his first hundred days to be feted. His lieutenants have struggled to figure out how best to commemorate the milestone. One element will be a Saturday evening rally in Pennsylvania, which helped deliver his Electoral College victory. But if the President keeps adding demands to the agenda, his celebration could come with the government shuttered and voters looking for someone to blame.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Paris (AFP) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who scored her best results in Sunday's presidential vote far from France's biggest cities, was carried to the run-off election by a part of the nation left behind in an era of globalisation.

The results reflect the cleaving of France into two nations: cities reaping the benefits of global links on one side, and small towns and rural areas far from the busiest hubs of employment on the other.

It is these regions -- marked by de-industrialisation, lack of jobs and the fear of a falling standard of living -- that helped propel the National Front (FN) leader into the May 7 runoff against pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron.

She won 28 percent of votes in her party's traditional bastion of the southeast and also did well in France's rust belt -- scooping up 31 percent of votes in the northeast and 28 percent in the east.

Elsewhere, she picked up support from those struggling to make ends meet.

"The current system is rotten," Le Pen voter Stephane Back, a 47-year-old wigmaker who works three jobs, told AFP in the Paris region.

"I think that humanity must go through explosive moments to re-set the clock. Things become institutionalised and then you have to shake them up."

Le Pen positioned herself as a staunch defender of France's interests, with plans to restore national borders, pull out of the eurozone and hold a referendum on leaving the EU.

"The major issue of this election is runaway globalisation, which is putting our civilisation in danger," she told supporters after qualifying with 21.5 percent of the votes, or nearly eight million ballots.

Le Pen's support drastically drops in large cities such as Paris and Lyon, where she scored five and eight percent. Those are the places where Macron scooped up nearly a third of the ballots on his way to pulling in 23.75 percent of the vote.

- 'The divide' -

"Macron-Le Pen: The two Frances" said the headline of Monday's Le Monde daily, in which "two nations confront one another, the rural areas that went overwhelmingly for Marine Le Pen and the cities that backed Emmanuel Macron."

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Voters who backed the far-right leader feel she alone can put them back on the track to prosperity.

"I think (politicians) don't realise how hard it is to live on middle-class wages," Carine Sayed, 30, a trainee beautician, told AFP.

"If they spent six months making 1,300 euros ($1,400) they would see how hard it is for many French people nowadays."

"They don't know what we're going through," added Sayed, who lives about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Paris in Melun.

Although Le Pen called it "historic", her result was tinged with disappointment after polls in recent months had put her at around 27 percent.

She was hoping to ride a wave of populist, anti-globalisation sentiment that helped sweep Donald Trump to victory in the United States and paved the way for Britain's vote to leave the EU.

"In its new strategy, the National Front is no longer concerned with the right-left divide," said Joel Gombin, one of France's leading experts on the far-right.

"It is exploiting a new dynamic of globalists against patriots, and successfully so, because the second round is a clash of these two ideologies.

However, he noted: "There is nothing to indicate that the FN can win on the basis of this divide."
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Wind power solutions provider Vestas will ramp up its equipment manufacturing capacity at Ahmadabad plant to 600 MW in 2-3 years from existing 200 MW to get a bigger share of over 5,000 MW annual market in India. "We will increase our equipment manufacturing capacity from around 200 MW to 600 MW in next 2-3 years mainly due to encouraging policy initiatives by the government," Vestas Director, Marketing & Public Affairs, India & South East Asia, Amar Variawa told PTI.

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Variawa said he expects a lot of wind power generation capacity addition in the country especially after the recent drop in tariff to new low of Rs 3.46 per unit in an auction conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India last fiscal.

India had added around 5,400 MW of wind power generation capacity in the last fiscal. After the recent tariff based bidding of 1,000 MW wind power capacities, the government has planned to auction 4,000 MW capacities in the current fiscal.

India has set a target of having around 60,000 MW of wind power capacity by 2022. At present, Indias wind power generation capacity is around 28,000 MW. India needs to add 5000-6000 MW capacity each year in coming years to achieve the target. "Vestas had provide wind power solutions of 100 MW capacities in the last fiscal. Since we have 200 MW of manufacturing capacity here in India, we would be able to sell whatever we produce in a year," Variawa said.

Vestas design, manufacture, install, and service wind turbines across the globe, and with more than 82 GW of wind turbines in 76 countries.

Vestas today expanded its 2 MW platform with two new turbine variants with larger 116 meter and 120 meter rotors.

The V116-2.0 MW and V120-2.0 MW offer industry-leading liveliest cost of energy at park level in medium, low, and ultra-low wind conditions globally, though particularly well- suited for the US, India and China, the company has said.

First deliveries of the new turbine variants are expected in the third quarter of 2018 for the V120-2.0 MW, the company added. PTI KKS MR

--- ENDS ---
There's a bill out there that might initially irk people across the country, but could be a boon for curbing what President Donald Trump once called an "epidemic." It's called the Human Trafficking Prevention Act and it proposes a tax on porn -- and lawmakers from approximately a dozen states are mulling it over.

If passed, consumers would have to pay a single $20 tax to access pornography on any new computer or phone. States like South Carolina, Georgia and Texas are looking into variants of the bill, while North Dakota and Wyoming, for instance, have squashed it.

Advocates contend porn is a public health issue. In their minds, taxing it could help curb sex trafficking, for example. According to the act's website,"The temptation to hire a prostitute to deal with one's emotional challenges will be reduced tremendously by this act."

"What we know about pornography is that it's addictive. It actually affects the brain," Kathleen Winn of the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network told 3TV/CBS 5. "Like any drug, like an addiction, you need more and more and more of it to get the same reaction from it as the first time you saw it. So yes, I absolutely believe pornography is contributing to the growing criminal enterprise of sex trafficking."

Trump has said he would fight human trafficking, which he called an "epidemic." In the U.S. alone, the National Human Trafficking Hotline learned of 22,191 sex trafficking cases since 2007, according to Polaris, a nonprofit that works to combat human trafficking. The International Labor Organization approximates 4.5 million people are stuck in "forced sexual exploitation" across the world.

The money from the proposed tax would go to organizations opposing human trafficking, sexual assault and domestic violence, reports 3TV/CBS 5. Those in favor of the bill want to push it federally soon.

But is the act constitutional?

Not according to Russ Richelsoph, an Arizona attorney. "While I'm not advocating pornography, it is a form of speech. It is protected by the First Amendment, and it is a problem if they're trying to create a tax to prevent people from engaging in that form of speech," he told 3TV/CBS 5.

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While pornography has historically been taboo, it's not always easy to define. As the late Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once famously said: "I know it when I see it."

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David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.
Psychic medium and lawyer Mark Anthony joins The Doctors to talk about his unique mix of legal acumen and uncanny abilities.

Both jobs deal with evidence, he explains. As an attorney, you have to have evidence to prove your case in court. And as a psychic medium, I have to present evidence which is transmitted to me from a spirit to the recipient, which can be verified.

Mark claims that in his new book, Evidence of Eternity, he takes mediumship into the 21st century, based on science, theoretical physics, human physiology, and evidence. Science and religion, he says, are not mutually exclusive.

Watch: Psychic Lawyer Helps Family Investigate Unsolved Murder

Being psychic gives me insights. It does not make me all-knowing and all-seeing, he adds. I tell people Im a medium, Im not a messiah.

Legally, a psychic revelation is considered hearsay and is not admissible in court, but Mark says that it can point police in the right direction to uncover concrete evidence. He agrees to put his powers to work for the family of Allison, who was murdered two years ago in a brutal unsolved crime. Now her father and cousin are looking for answers.

We may never know why it was done, but wed like to know who and wed like that person punished, says Allisons father, Harley. He and Allisons cousin Jodi meet with Mark for a reading. He asks about impressions he is receiving and asks whether Allison was murdered. He also says that the killer will be caught.

Watch: The Doctors Question Psychic

Mark says that he knew nothing beforehand about the case. He describes his impression of the killers appearance, including brown curly hair. He also says he believes that Allison had a second email account that the police are not aware of, and it really feels to me that hes going to slip up and end up behind bars.

Some of the information Mark has given with us, well share with the Scottsdale police department, says Jodi. Maybe they can go forward with it. We just want some closure with this.

If you have any information regarding Allison Feldmans case please contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or the Scottsdale Police Department at 480-312-5000.
Dubai (AFP) - The chief of Qatar Airways on Monday accused American carriers complaining over alleged subsidies to Gulf airlines of "bullying", as he announced new US routes in defiance of mounting airport restrictions.

US carriers Delta, United and American Airlines have accused Qatar Airways along with Dubai's Emirates and Abu Dhabi's Etihad of benefitting from government subsidies to expand their transcontinental networks.

They have urged US President Donald Trump to take action against the Gulf airlines, who deny any form of subsidy.

Speaking to reporters at the annual Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Qatar Airways chief Akbar al-Baker said he didn't expect any action from Washington.

"President Trump is a wise individual and a very good businessman, and I don't think he will buy into bullying by the three American carriers," Baker said.

Qatar Airways was among the airlines affected by the ban imposed last month on electronic devices larger than a smartphone on flights to the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East and Turkey.

Baker, whose carrier is offering free laptops to premium passengers in response to the ban, said Qatar Airways has faced some drop in business to US destinations.

"There was some decline. Something manageable. We did not have massive declines," he said.

"We still have robust business in the United States... and we will continue our expansion," he added.

Baker announced San Fransisco as a new route to be added to its 10 US destinations early next year. A route to Las Vegas will be launched in the second quarter of 2018, he said.

Emirates, the Middle East's largest carrier, said last week it was reducing flights to the United States in response to "weakened travel demand."

The US ban went into effect on March 25 on nine airlines in Turkey, Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Britain followed with a similar ban from five countries from the Middle East, northern Africa and Turkey.

The fast-growing Gulf carriers have turned their home airports into major hubs for international travellers, capturing a sizable chunk of travel between the West and Asia and Australasia.
Queens of the Stone Age, the shape-shifting alternative rock/metal band from California, have teased details of their album via their website and social media.

Queens of the Stone Age have completed their seventh studio album, according to new pictures of the band released April 23. As NME reported: "the band updated their social media accounts with a new logo and the words 'Coming Twentyfive'."

Frontman Josh Homme revealed that the new record wouldn't feature any special guests as the previous album had; the 2013 release "...Like Clockwork," self-produced by the band, included a number of high-profile collaborations, from Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor to Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, from Elton John to Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys.

Since "...Like Clockwork," Josh Homme has contributed to Iggy Pop's 2016 album "Post Pop Depression" and subsequent tour.

The band will tour this summer and participate in Amnesia Rockfest in Quebec, Canada (June 22-25), followed by stints in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan (throughout July), landing at San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival in August. They're also slated for Chicago's Riot Fest 2017 in September. Further tour news and album details are hotly anticipated.
Photo credit: Leah DeVun

From Redbook

Breastfeeding is somehow still a "sensitive" topic among too many people. While the idea that some people find the act of a mother feeding her child disturbing or inappropriate in some way is disappointing (to put it mildly), the silver lining is that the "controversy" over it has inspired some seriously stunning photo projects aimed at de-stigmatizing and normalizing breastfeeding. From photos that celebrate extended breastfeeding to the "Fed Is Best" series aimed at ending mom-shaming over baby-feeding choices, photographers are hard at work presenting breastfeeding as the beautiful, natural thing it is.

But what about when it's not an entirely natural, Earth Mother-y act? That's the theme of photographer Leah DeVun's stunning and raw photo project, "In the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."

Photo credit: Leah DeVun

Taking its name from the Walter Benjamin essay of cultural criticism, DeVun's project celebrates a form of nursing that isn't often centered in breastfeeding projects: pumping.

Photo credit: Leah DeVun

DeVun explained the purpose of her project in a statement on her website: "This series explores the medical technologies that assist women with breastfeeding. The plastic pumps, shields, tubes, and other devices commonly used by women underscore how technology augments and disrupts our sense of what bodies do 'naturally.' Cultural demands to succeed effortlessly and heroically at giving birth and nursing are generally hard to fulfill."

Photo credit: Leah DeVun

For the photographer, the idea of motherhood's supposed "effortlessness" was a personal one. When DeVun was pregnant, she expected to give birth naturally - but her body had other plans. "Because of health problems that I had while I was pregnant, my experience of pregnancy and giving birth was very medicalized," DeVun told A Child Grows In Brooklyn.

The photographer - who was living in Austin, Texas, at the time - said many of her friends had spoken of the virtues of a birth without medical intervention. "My experience was pretty much the opposite: I gave birth in a hospital hooked up to machines," she explained. "But instead of being depressed about the 'failure' of my body to give birth 'naturally,' I became interested in exploring how we think of pregnant and nursing bodies, and all their entanglements with what we might call the technological and artificial."

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That line of thinking led to the creation of "In the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." According to Huffington Post, DeVun put out a call on a Listserv for mothers and parents in Brooklyn, finding plenty of other mothers who felt disappointed or ashamed at the apparent inability of their bodies to breastfeed "naturally." The resulting photos depict women adorned with all the "technological and artificial" equipment that assists them in feeding their kids.

Photo credit: Leah DeVun

The neutral tone of the photos was purposeful - the moms in them are neither celebratory or sad. They're just doing what they have to do, with no judgment of moms who do things this way or any other way.

Photo credit: Leah DeVun

DeVun's photo project is an important reminder that there's no one "right" method of feeding your child. Every woman's body (and every woman's baby) is different, and mom-shaming one mother for a child's inability to latch helps no one.

(h/t Refinery29)

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Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen have little in common on the face of it. Macron, who exit polls project as the winner of Sundays first round presidential election in France, is a political neophyte. His centrist, globalist, pro-EU policies, are antithetical to the populist movements sweeping the West. Le Pen, who finished second in Sundays election, is an embodiment of that movement: Her far-right National Front (FN) has festered on the fringes of French politics for decades. She is against immigration and the EU, and a strong advocate for nationalism and borders.

But what unites Macron and Le Pen, who will face off in a second round on May 7, is that they each represent a backlash against the political movements that have dominated modern France. For the first time in a recent presidential runoff in the country, neither of the two candidates will be from the traditional center-left and center-right movements.

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Writing in Project Syndicate, Zaki Laidi, a professor of international relations at Sciences Po, compares the political moment in France to what existed in 1958 when Charles de Gaulle came to power and set up the Fifth Republic. He points out the conditions that exist todaydistrust of elites, fear of globalization, rising economic inequalitycombined with a renewed emphasis among voters on national identity, has fostered the rise of Le Pens FN, which typically finishes third in the first round of voting. Traditional French parties have suffered: The ruling Socialists, the main center-left party, have been riven by factionalism. The Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon, finished dead last among the major contenderswhile the far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, whose economic policies resemble Le Pens, tied for third place. Francois Fillon, the candidate of the traditional center-right party, whose early high poll numbers suffered after a political scandal, also finished third.

Polls have shown Le Pen in the lead, or near it, for months. She has taken an unpalatable party founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 1972 and turned it into an alternative for some of those in France who are tired of the old left-right divide that has governed the country for decades. Le Pen has channeled the anti-globalization sentiment, large-scale immigration from poorer countries, a massive refugee crisis, and terrorism to improve the FNs previous best performance, and to repeat her own fathers performance in 2002. (Jean-Marie made it to the second round of the presidential election that year only to lose; polls predict Marine will also lose in the second round.)

Recommended: The Fall of the French Left

The projected first-round results correspond with what polls predicted ahead of the vote. But in another sense, Macrons victory in the first round should be a surprise. His triumph in the second round, which is widely expected, would be stunning. He represents exactly the same values that voters in the Westfollowing the victories of Brexit and Trumpare supposedly fed up with. He is business-friendly, favors globalization, and believes in allowing in more immigrants. Yet these positions havent hurt him as they have hurt politicians elsewhere in the West. Macrons great insight, which few initially recognized, was that the right-left divide was blocking progress, and that the presidential election amounted to a golden opportunity to move beyond it, without the help of an organized political movement, Laidi wrote in Project Syndicate. At a time when the French people are increasingly rejecting the traditional party system, Macrons initial weakness quickly became his strength.

If Macron does, as polls predict, win the second round, it will undoubtedly be painted as a rejection of populism. But as my colleague Uri Friedman wrote in the aftermath of the Dutch elections, where a far-right candidate performed worse than expected, the most significant trend in Western democracies at the moment might not be the rise and fall of populist nationalism. Instead, it is arguably the disintegration of political parties. The story here is less about which specific type of politician people want to be represented by than about a crisis of democratic representation altogetherless about the empowerment of populists than about the broader diffusion of political power. Indeed, the exit polls in the French election show a similar dynamic at work. Its the type of political fragmentation to be expected in a country where trust in government is low.

Recommended: The French Election Is Macron's to Lose

A disaffected and discouraged citizenry isnt just a boon for populists, who condemn the establishment and ease worries about the future with nostalgic appeals to past greatness, Friedman wrote last week in an article on how populism took root in France. It also has consequences for left-right politics. If you lack confidence in the government in general, youre unlikely to distinguish much between left, right, and center. If you doubt that your future is bright, youre unlikely to be satisfied with the same old ping-ponging policies of the center-right and center-left.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's President Michel Temer declared Monday after talks with his Spanish counterpart that investors are returning to Latin America's biggest, but deeply troubled economy.

Temer and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy held talks in the capital Brasilia. The two leaders then met with heads of Spanish telecommunication, energy and financial firms.

"A new era is starting... for Spanish investments in our country," Temer told journalists afterward.

One of the world's biggest emerging markets, Brazil is forecast to exit a more than two-year recession this year, although only just. It is also in the throes of a huge corruption scandal, with a third of Temer's government under investigation.

Rajoy said Brazil "has very ambitious plans for its economy, matching the the immense potential of this country."

"I am absolutely convinced that there is a lot of scope to increase the presence of Spanish companies in Brazil," he said.

Rajoy urged progress on a delayed free trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc, consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. He criticized "the temptation of protectionism."

Rajoy was due later in Sao Paulo, Brazil's financial hub, where he will attend a conference with some 200 business leaders.

"Brazil is opening up and Spanish companies want to compete," a Spanish government official, who asked not to be named, told journalists.

On the violent chaos and economic meltdown in Venezuela, Rajoy said: "We are deeply worried."

The Spanish premier said a compromise between President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition was inevitable, "giving the word back to the Venezuelan people."

Brazil is Spain's third biggest export market, with bilateral trade worth $5.6 billion in 2016.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Anti-Defamation League found an increase in cases of anti-Semitic intimidation and vandalism last year, evidence that anti-Jewish bias intensified during the election.

The Jewish civil rights group found 1,266 cases of anti-Semitic harassment last year, compared to 941 in 2015 and 912 in 2014. The increase continued into the first three months of this year, with reports of 541 incidents compared to 291 in the same period the year before, according to the ADL data released Monday.

The preliminary 2017 numbers include a wave of more than 150 bomb threats that started in January against Jewish community centers and day schools. Authorities arrested an Israeli Jewish hacker who they said was behind the harassment. The ADL insists those threats should still be considered anti-Semitic since Jews were the target. During the same period, a former journalist in St. Louis was also charged with threatening Jewish organizations as part of a bizarre campaign to intimidate his former girlfriend. But authorities believe the Israeli man is primarily responsible.

Even without those bomb threats, the number of anti-Jewish incidents this January, February and March in the report would be higher than the year before.

The FBI compiles annual hate-crime statistics, but the 2016 numbers aren't expected to be released until the end of this year. The ADL tally includes a much broader array of incidents, such as distribution of hateful materials, threats, slurs, intimidation and vandalism, along with physical assaults. The organization says its researchers evaluate reports from individuals, community leaders and law enforcement.

This latest compilation includes only a few cases of online harassment  incidents that led to "on the ground" intimidation  so that the organization can continue making year-to-year comparisons of ADL data going back to the group's first report in 1979, before the internet and social media were so broadly used, according to Oren Segal, director of the ADL Center on Extremism.

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Anti-Semitic harassment in the U.S. has been at historic lows in recent years, according to the organization. In some prior years, the number of incidents surpassed 1,500 or 2,000, Segal said. But the recent uptick has fueled anxiety among American Jews during a period of emboldened expressions of white-supremacism and white-nationalism during the presidential election. Last week, a Jewish woman sued the founder of the neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer, accusing the publisher of orchestrating a barrage of anti-Semitic messages from anonymous internet trolls starting last December.

"I think the pace in which the incidents are happening, the speed at which the spike is occurring, I think the historic low is a thing of the past," Segal said.

The report linked 34 cases last year to the presidential race, including graffiti found in Denver last May that said "Kill the Jews, Vote Trump." ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt was among the most vocal Jewish leaders pressing Donald Trump, as a candidate and president, to do more to combat anti-Semitism, including among his supporters. Critics, in the Jewish community and elsewhere, said partisanship was behind such pressure on Trump. In February, Trump opened his address to Congress with a strong condemnation of recent cases of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.

On college campuses last year, the number of reports of anti-Semitic incidents remained about the same compared to the previous year, the ADL said. Many of the schools have been roiled in recent years by protests over Israeli policies toward Palestinians. However, the organization saw an increase in the number of reports of harassment against Jewish school children from elementary age through high school.
China should immediately reveal the whereabouts of eight North Koreans it detained last month, Human Rights Watch said Monday, adding they risk severe torture if they were returned to the North.

Most North Korean refugees begin their escape by crossing into China and then try to make it to third countries -- often in Southeast Asia -- where they seek asylum in the South.

If caught and returned to the North they can face severe punishment.

China regularly labels North Koreans as illegal "economic migrants" and repatriates them based on a border protocol adopted in 1986.

"By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong-Un's administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

The group it highlighted -- which includes at least four women -- was detained by Chinese officials in mid-March after they were stopped for a random check in Shenyang, in northeastern China.

Human Rights Watch said that on the basis of information from sources it considers usually reliable, the group was still believed to be jailed in China. But it feared they may soon be returned to the North since "most repatriations happen two months after detention".

"There is no way to sugar coat this: if this group is forced back to North Korea, their lives and safety will be at risk," Robertson said.

Seoul's foreign ministry did not confirm the HRW account, saying its protocol was not to publicly comment on individual refugee cases for their own safety and to protect diplomatic relations.

"But we closely coordinate with a nation involved when a problem involving North Korean refugees arises," it said in a statement, and was in general "doing our best to ensure the safety and safe transfer of those who wish to come to the South".

More than 40 North Koreans, including children and pregnant women, have been held by China over the past nine months, Human Rights Watch said, and at least nine forcibly returned to the North.

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Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, more than 30,000 North Koreans have escaped -- most after a deadly famine in the mid-90s -- and settled in the South.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is believed to have tightened border controls since he came to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011.

The number of refugees arriving in South Korea plunged nearly 50 percent to 1,417 last year.
By Press Trust of India: By Deepak Ranjan

New Delhi, 24 April (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari is expected to discuss India?s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during an upcoming visit to Poland.

Ansari, who left on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland today, will hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

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The vice president, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president?s honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

?Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them,? MEA Secretary (east) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.

?So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the vice president with an opportunity to thank Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums," she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan.

?The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest,? an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University. The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

"It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the vice president on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw,? an MEA Official said.

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The ambassador of India will host a reception where the vice president is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

"As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 per cent in just one year,? the official said.PTI DR BDS BDS

--- ENDS ---
Washington (AFP) - Russian warplanes last week flew a series of missions near Alaska, prompting the North American air defense agency to scramble US and Canadian jets, officials said Monday.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Pentagon said Tu-95 Bear bombers were spotted in international air space on three occasions -- twice near the Aleutian Islands and once near mainland Alaska and Canada.

The bomber missions occurred April 17, 18 and 20, and on two occasions NORAD launched fighters to conduct "safe and professional" intercepts.

Mid-air interceptions are routine in international air space, and Russian jets frequently scramble to fly alongside US spy planes in and around the Baltic Sea and near Russia.

But Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said there had been a lengthy pause in such operations off Alaska, possibly caused by the enormous, propeller-powered Tu-95s having been grounded due to maintenance issues.

"This was the first time in about two and a half years that we have seen Russia conduct long-range bomber missions like this in and around Alaska," Davis said.

NORAD spokeswoman Lori O'Donley said a number of Il-38 maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft were also spotted and identified in international airspace in the same vicinity on April 19.
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)
Paris (AFP) - Police said Monday they arrested more than 100 people after election night unrest in Paris, with protesters hurling bottles at security forces, torching cars and smashing shop windows.

Six police officers and three protesters were slightly injured in the violence in central Paris, police said, adding that 143 people were arrested, with 29 held overnight.

Hundreds of youths gathered to protest against far-right leader Marine Le Pen and former banker Emmanuel Macron, who both qualified Sunday for the May 7 run-off in France's two-stage presidential election.

The "anti-fascist, anti-capitalist" demonstrations were held in several French cities including central Lyon, southwestern Bordeaux and the western cities of Nantes and Rennes.
Edinburgh (AFP) - Support for Scottish independence has plummeted ahead of a snap election designed to embolden the British government for forthcoming Brexit talks, according to a poll released on Tuesday.

Just 37 percent of Scots would back independence if another referendum were held "tomorrow", according to the Kantar poll.

Support for remaining part of the United Kingdom remains at 55 percent -- the same percentage that voted no to independence in 2014 and its highest position in any poll since the referendum.

Prime Minister Theresa May will hold a snap election on June 8 to try to obtain a mandate for her Brexit plans and dent Scottish National Party (SNP) dominance in Scotland.

The SNP have demanded a second independence referendum after Scotland voted by 62 percent to remain in the EU but was outnumbered by Brexit voters in England and Wales.

May insists "now is not the time" for such a vote and, on this issue, appears to have the backing of the Scottish people, the poll suggests.

Just 26 percent back the SNP's proposed timetable of autumn 2018 to spring 2019, while 18 percent want a later vote and 46 percent say there should never be another independence referendum.

Tom Costley, head of Kantar in Scotland, said voter fatigue and a weaker economic outlook are among the factors which could have dented support for independence.

Kantar interviewed 1,060 people aged over 16 in Scotland between March 29 and April 11.

An SNP spokesman said other polls showed independence support "on a knife-edge" in Scotland.

A more recent poll by Panelbase/Sunday Post, conducted April 18-21 and released on Sunday, found support for independence at 43 percent against 48 percent in favour of remaining part of the UK.
Senate Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Burr and ranking member Sen. Mark Warner. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

More than three months after the Senate Intelligence Committee launched its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election  including allegations of collusion by associates of President Trump  the panel has made little progress and is increasingly stymied by partisan divisions that are jeopardizing the future of the inquiry, according to multiple sources involved in the probe.

The committee has yet to issue a single subpoena for documents or interview any key witnesses who are central to the probe, the sources said. It also hasnt requested potentially crucial evidence  such as the emails, memos and phone records of the Trump campaign  in part because the panels chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., has so far failed to respond to requests from the panels Democrats to sign letters doing so, the sources said.

The wheels seem to be turning more slowly than the importance of the inquiry would indicate, said Richard Ben-Veniste, a member of the 9/11 commission and former Watergate prosecutor, one of a number of veteran Washington investigators who have begun to question the lack of movement in the probe.

As Congress returns from its spring recess this week and Trump approaches his 100th day in office, the panel has no further public hearings scheduled, even as the House Intelligence Committee  torn by its own partisan wrangling and internal turmoil  shows some flickering new signs of life. The result has caused growing frustration among the Senate committees Democrats, who are privately complaining the probe is underfunded, understaffed and too timid in pushing to get to the bottom of one of the most explosive political stories in years.

I would like to see this moving more quickly, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the panel, said in an interview with Yahoo News.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking minority member on the panel, has repeatedly said the Russia investigation may very well be the most important thing I do in my public life. And until now, Warner has sought to project an appearance of bipartisan unity with Burr, portraying the probe as a methodical inquiry that will follow the facts wherever they lead.

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But Warners handling of the probe has led to grumbling among some of his Democratic colleagues that he has been too reluctant to challenge Burr and press for more aggressive action  for fear of undercutting the perception that he and the Republican chairman are working cooperatively together. Hes been afraid to even bring up the S-word, said one source familiar with the details of the investigation, referring to the panels authority to issue subpoenas for documents.

There are signs Warners patience is starting to wear thin. Warner is not satisfied with the pace of the investigation and he doesnt think its moving fast enough, a committee source tells Yahoo News. He would like to have seen more hearings and more interviews with witnesses.

Asked for comment, Rebecca Watkins, chief spokesperson for Burr, emailed: We wont have any comment on internal committee processes.

In January: President Trump speaks by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

The state of the Senate probe is considered especially significant because in the view of many observers it holds the only hope for a public resolution of the swirl of allegations about Russian interference in the election and its aftermath that have dominated the headlines for months. Those allegations led to the dismissal of Trumps first national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions from campaign-related investigations and the sidelining of House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes (now being investigated himself by the House Ethics Committee over accusations that he improperly disclosed classified information in an effort to give credibility to Trumps tweets accusing former President Barack Obama of wiretapping him, without evidence).

For Democrats, some of the information that has come to light  almost entirely from media reports  points to a concerted effort by Trump and his associates to conceal secret ties to Moscow. Flynn and Sessions both had undisclosed meetings last year with the Russian ambassador, Sergei Kislyak, and, in Flynns case, discussed the possible lifting of Obama-era sanctions once Trump took office. The FBI was concerned enough about one former Trump foreign policy adviser, Carter Page, to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant to monitor his communications on the grounds he might be an agent of a foreign power.

The White House and Trumps allies insist no clear evidence of actual collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin has actually surfaced  and never will. How many people have to say theres nothing there before you realize theres nothing there? said White House press secretary Sean Spicer, in one of his many public comments dismissing questions about the investigations.

But how and when the conflicting versions of events will ever be resolved is far from clear. As first disclosed last month by FBI director James Comey, the bureau has an ongoing counterintelligence investigation into the Russian influence campaign in the 2016 election  including possible involvement of associates of Trump. But that probe has been going on since last July and is likely to continue for some time, possibly even years, with the results never becoming public (most such counterintelligence inquiries never do)  unless it eventually morphs into a criminal investigation that leads to federal charges, far from a certainty.

Meanwhile, the House investigation seemed to have broken down after Nunes was forced to step aside. Last Friday, however, the committee, now under the leadership of Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, announced that it had asked Comey and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers to appear at a closed hearing on May 2. It also is seeking to reschedule a previously planned public hearing with former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, and she is expected to be grilled about warnings she gave White House counsel Don McGahn that Flynn had misrepresented a conversation he had with Kislyak on Dec. 29, the day then President Obama announced new sanctions against Russia, causing Vice President Mike Pence and others to give false accounts to the news media. (The panel is at the same time asking for public testimony from former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan.)

Its the first step for us getting back on track, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., a member of the House panel, said about the committees request for testimony. Its the least we can do to regain our credibility.

FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Mike Rogers testify during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russia. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

But behind the scenes, while suffering none of the public embarrassments of the House inquiry, the Senate probe has been fraught with its own conflicts. Initially, its progress was stalled because it took weeks to work out an agreement with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and other U.S. intelligence community officials to provide Senate committee staffers access to raw intelligence documents that formed the basis for the Jan. 6 assessment that Russian president Vladimir Putin authorized a multifaceted campaign during the 2016 election to sew distrust among the American electorate, discredit Hillary Clinton and boost the chances of Trump, sources said.

The issue was finally worked out, but only a limited number of staffers assigned to the probe were allowed to review the thousands of pages of material: three Republican and two Democratic aides, plus the respective staff directors for each party, both of whom had other standard oversight duties. (Of the two Democrats assigned by Warner to the probe, one was a junior staffer who is also going to law school; another Democratic investigator has since been hired and is expected to begin work next month, a committee source said.)

The limited access infuriated some senators, notably Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who demanded that their intelligence committee aides also be given the opportunity to review the same material. But Burr, who has long feuded with Wyden, refused to go along, resulting in a standoff that has badly divided the committee.

That standoff has spilled over into other areas. The committee early on sent letters to key witnesses  such as Flynn, Page, former campaign manager Paul Manafort and longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone  to preserve all documents that might be relevant to the investigation. One such letter was also sent to White House counsel McGahn, who previously served as chief counsel to the Trump campaign and has authority over its records.

But the committee has still not sent any follow up letters even asking for their documents  much less issued a subpoena demanding they be turned over. Although letters requesting the material were drafted by Democratic staffers, Burr has so far declined to sign them, leaving the panels investigators powerless to review key material necessary to pursue the issues of possible collusion.

Moreover, the committee also hasnt even approached potentially key witnesses to schedule interviews with them. Manafort, Stone and Page have all publicly volunteered to be questioned by the committee staff. But so far, the committee seems stuck in a version of Catch-22: It has yet to follow up on those offers, in large part because it doesnt want to interview them until it has reviewed their documents and emails, which the committee hasnt asked for. (Flynn, through his lawyer, also has offered to talk but only until he first receives immunity  a step the committee is in no rush to even consider.)

So what has the committee been doing for three months? The five staffers assigned to the case have been methodically reviewing the classified raw intelligence documents that formed the basis for the Jan. 6 assessment  and that, in turn, has lead to the discovery of more documents that are potentially relevant, sources say. It also has compiled a lengthy witness list that staffers have begun to winnow down.

But some veteran Washington investigators say the committee is frittering away one of its most important assets  a sense that is aggressively moving to get to the truth.

Its important to show some momentum and appear to have some momentum, said Michael Bromwich, a former federal prosecutor who participated in the Iran-Contra investigation and later served as Justice Department inspector general. If theres radio silence for a few months, you lose a valuable asset.

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

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 Photos: March for Science events around the globe
By Press Trust of India: By Deepak Ranjan

New Delhi, 24 April (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today embarked on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland, during which he is expected to discuss with Polish leaders Indias bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Ansari is slated to hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

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The vice president, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president?s honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

?Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them,? MEA Secretary (east) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.

?So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the vice president with an opportunity to thank Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums," she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan.

?The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest,? an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University. The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

"It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the vice president on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw,? an MEA Official said.

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The ambassador of India will host a reception where the vice president is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

"As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 per cent in just one year,? the official said.PTI DR BDS BDS

--- ENDS ---
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian police have detained 16 customs officers and one company director on suspicion of tax evasion and dereliction of duty, the country's interior ministry said on Monday. The customs officers were suspected of helping at least two private companies to avoid paying taxes and excise duties on cigarettes and other goods such as perfumes in 2015 and 2016, interior minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said in a statement. "By doing that, they damaged state budget for over 11.5 million euros," the statement said. The ministry said police also detained an executive of Belgrade-based company Coco Shoping, identified only as D.T.. The company could not be reached for comment. The ministry said the suspects had allegedly used forged documents to present goods as tax-exempt supplies for foreign embassies and organizations. The goods were later sold on the black market. Seeking to join the European Union, Serbia has stepped up the fight against corruption and organized crime which flourished during the wars of former Yugoslavia's break-up in the 1990s. Several dozen people have been arrested and indicted for corruption, fraud and abuse of office since 2012. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Turkeys neo-sultan managed to swing the April 16 constitutional referendum in his favor, but its a precarious, illegitimate win  and he knows it. The question now is how President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will handle his biggest domestic threat, a woman no less, who has refused to join his political harem, drawing support  or, at the very least, respect  from unlikely quarters.

Meral Aksener, a 60-year-old seasoned politician and former Turkish interior minister, fired up the campaign trail in the lead-up to the April 16 constitutional referendum. Her rallies calling on Turks to reject Erdogans proposed constitutional amendments drew thousands of worshipful supporters who, like her, defied threats and intimidation to make their voices heard. Braving mid-speech power cuts, using battery-powered megaphones, disobeying demonstration bans by local ruling party officials, powering through thugs from her own erstwhile ultranationalist party mucking about her rallies, Aksener thundered on like a tank, as one of her female supporters at a rally put it.

She has been dubbed Asena, the she-wolf of Turkish mythology who gave birth to 10 half-human, half-wolf males. When accused of the most heinous catch-all political sin in Turkey today  belonging to exiled cleric and alleged coup plotter Fethullah Gulens movement  Aksener brushes it off with the no-nonsense brusqueness of a Turkish grandmother.

Its worth combing through all these labels, plaudits, and allegations, since Aksener is a complex character whose political roots mirror the multilayered diversity of contemporary Turkish politics  and that, in essence, is what makes her a potent threat to Erdogan.

She is a grandmother, a nationalist  some would say ultranationalist  and a political warrior. She is not a Gulenist or a member of FETO (Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization) as the Turkish government loves to call any of its detractors if it cant plausibly accuse them of being Kurdish terrorists. She is not pro-Kurdish, of course; as a fervent nationalist, she has no love for Kurds who reject the wisdom of crushing their identity to become model Turks. The antipathy is mutual. Shes not an Islamist. But she is a self-declared pious Muslim, and her links to one of the forebears of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) honchos  plus her resistance to the military meddling in politics in the 1990s  lends her serious cred among the Islamist set.

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As for that florid comparison to the she-wolf Asena, it does have some lupine consistency: Aksener leads a breakaway faction of the ultranationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) whose youth wing, the Grey Wolves, has a decades-long tradition of fascist violence.

Over the past few months, one of the more disturbing signs on the referendum campaign trail was the frequent display of the Grey Wolves gesture at AKP rallies supporting the Yes vote. A hand sign representing a wolf head made by holding up the index and little fingers while touching the thumb to the middle two digits, the Grey Wolves sign is seen as a Turkish equivalent of the Nazi salute. Under current MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, the party has been reformed, though the wolverine sign remains commonplace.

But it remains a disquieting display and a disturbing reminder of the unlikely alliances Erdogan has had to forge to get those sweeping presidential powers he has been seeking for so long.

Erdogans constitutional referendum train took to the rails in January when the president, riding a patriotic wave after the July 2016 coup attempt, managed to get parliamentary approval for a raft of 18 article amendments swapping Turkeys parliamentary system for a presidential one. He secured a parliamentary majority for the measure by the skin of his teeth, only after he secured MHP support. Bahceli, the raspy-voiced leader of the MHP, was an unlikely convert to Erdogans executive presidency gospel: The aging ultranationalist had long dismissed it as a system with no balances, no checks, and no brakes and a sultanate with no throne.

But in the end, there were no brakes on Bahcelis political machinations. Erdogan had helped Bahceli stave off a party leadership challenge by Aksener. The AKP strongman managed that by getting one of the countrys ever-pliant courts to rule against Akseners leadership bid. A former MHP senior official told the Economist that his former boss may have been offered a cabinet post after the 2019 elections. Deals were done, favors had to be returned; its the usual palace intrigue of Turkish politics today.

Aksener ferociously opposed Erdogans bid to scrap the system Turkeys founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, enshrined nearly a century ago. She was one of the most effective No campaigners in the lead-up to the April 16 vote, and shes still keeping up the fight. Her Twitter posts after Sundays vote reassured supporters that she is contesting the referendum results while calling on them to take to the streets.

In a strange way, the latest twist in the Turkish presidents unbridled power grab has been good for Aksener, and therein lies the biggest chink in Erdogans political armor. It comes not from the liberal, secular left  that part of the political spectrum has been effectively crushed by Erdogans crackdowns on the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) and the main secular opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP)  but from the nationalist right. This aspect tends to get overlooked in the international press, which limits itself to viewing Turkey primarily in a binary bind between conservative Islamists on one side and secular elites on the other  the trite, old Black Turks versus White Turks dichotomy.

But theres more to Turkey today than meets the eye.

Akseners meteoric rise and the way she has managed to worm her way into the mainstream from the fascist, ultranationalist fringe is spectacular indeed.

Gender, for once, has been her biggest asset; the fact that she has managed to stick it to the boys in the macho world of Turkish conservative politics has earned her the love of some and the grudging respect of many others.

And nowhere is this girl-power play more evident than in her grasp of the symbolism of the hand gesture.

A good-looking woman with stylishly cropped hair set off by de rigueur pearl drop earrings, Aksener favors the sort of pantsuit ensembles made famous by fellow power granny Hillary Clinton. In the old days, especially during her high-profile breakup with the MHP, she was wont to flash the Grey Wolves sign at mass rallies. But over the past few months, that has given way to holding up her palm adorned with a henna imprint of the Turkish flag. During a TV interview, she explained that some of her young grassroots volunteers came up with the idea. By all accounts, it worked. With the post-coup press clampdowns ensuring that Turkish media barely covered the No campaign, Akseners henna flag went viral on social media.

Her former boss, the aging Bahceli, who has been facing the heat from his nationalist base for his tryst with the political devil, publicly disparaged her henna sign. Big mistake. Social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram exploded with all sorts of people  elderly veiled women, young soldiers, grizzled granddads  beaming with a henna flag on their palms. The hashtag #KinaliEllerHayirDiyor  or Hennaed Hands Say No (to a constitutional change)  trended for days. (Across swaths of Western and South Asia, henna is traditionally used as a feminine adornment and is especially important during marriage ceremonies when it signifies new beginnings.) In the Anatolian heartland, young soldiers going off to war also hennaed their palms in a display of warrior devotion. On International Womens Day, March 8, some of the womens rights advocates marching down Istanbuls iconic Istiklal Street flashed flag-hennaed palms. One of them told Al-Monitor, We will send henna powder to the leaders. They need it to remember the ordinary people will always find ways of peaceful resistance.

Resist she has, in a spectacular way. At a campaign rally in the northwestern Turkish town of Tekirdag, she blasted an AKP smear campaign labeling her a Gulenist. They should look to their right, they will see many Gulenist friends and relatives, she said. They should look to their left, they will also see many Gulenist friends and relatives. And then they should look in the mirror to see the real Gulenists. The crowd roared. Erdogans falling out with Gulen, his former Islamist ally who helped bring him to power, has seen an estimated 130,000 people suspended and sacked from public sector jobs, which are being filled by hastily hired, often unqualified candidates, many of them from other Islamist groups. The nationalists are concerned about the economic downturn, and Aksener has hammered home her message that the neo-sultan is fiddling in his Ottoman castle, picking fights with EU allies while the Turkish economy burns.

Her rejection of Erdogans power grab tapped into the deep disapproval among MHP supporters for a constitutional amendment. According to one Turkish pollster, only 35 percent of MHP voters cast a Yes ballot in Sundays poll. That razor-thin Yes win is not just the secular leftist and Kurdish rejection of the Turkish president; it also reflects the nationalists disenchantment with their own leaders and with Erdogan, despite his attempts to woo the nationalist base. In recent years, the MHP has seen its popularity drop in the polls, with the party losing 39 parliamentary seats (from 80) between the June and November 2015 elections.

Bahcelis cronies may still support their party chief. But the party rank and file would like to see a new, dynamic leader  if only Erdogan, the consummate political player, would let that happen. But Erdogan will not, of course, not if he can help it, because the Iron Lady of Turkish politics is his biggest political rival on the horizon.

Despite the referendum loss, Aksener is well-placed to make inroads into Erdogans Islamist base. A pious Muslim who frequently mentions that she prays five times a day, she was interior minister in the coalition government led by Islamist granddaddy Necmettin Erbakan until the military dismissed her as a result of what is called the February 1997 postmodern coup. Her resistance to the military made her a national figure, earning her the respect of many pro-democracy Turks from different political backgrounds. The events of February 1997 are still alive in the Turkish collective memory, and Aksener is politician enough to grab every opportunity to remind audiences  particularly Islamists who felt persecuted by the military in the 1990s  of her pro-democracy creds.

She has also touted a softer version of Turkish nationalism than the old MHP boys, and that could lend her some tactical  if not necessarily ideological  appeal among Turkeys battered leftist-secularists desperate for any political figure who can defeat Erdogan. Since the April 16 referendum, the Ankara rumor mill has been on overdrive about the Turkish Iron Ladys plans to form a new political party. She is the ideal candidate to unite conservative voters, secular voters, and a large portion of the nationalist vote, notes Paris-based Turkish journalist Emre Demir. There are persistent rumors that she will create a new center-right party, which can bring together the old AKP figures that Erdogan has sidelined, a number of center-right figures, as well as nationalist figures ejected by Bahceli. If that happens, it could be the only party that can threaten Erdogans one-party rule.

Aksener herself says very little and just enough to keep the political suspense at boiler pitch. They all talk about Mr. Erdogan. What if I am the countrys next president? she famously asked a BBC reporter. Her supporters at rallies are known to chant Prime Minister Meral, a cry that must surely gall Erdogan ahead of the October 2019 general elections.

The interesting thing now is how Erdogan will respond to the threat posed by this political she-wolf who has refused to be co-opted or silenced. He could treat her like he did his erstwhile biggest rival, the charismatic Kurdish HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas: toss her in jail. But it wont be as easy to imprison a popular nationalist as it is to throw a Kurdish politician behind bars in Turkey. Her hardcore supporters can unleash rowdy havoc on the streets, and they are just the sort of shock troops Erdogan himself uses when he needs a thug act or two. And then, dont forget Erdogan is an Islamist. If he has to put a devout Turkish Muslim granny  as opposed to a godless Kurdish woman  behind bars, it wont sit well with his religious base. The sultan has swung many impossible political flips in the past, but this gladiator fight, whichever way it goes, will be a treat to witness.

Photo credit: ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images
Paris (AFP) - French voters did exactly what they were expected to do -- to the relief of French pollsters who helped redeem a profession still smarting over getting Brexit and the US election wrong.

The final surveys published on the eve of Sunday's presidential election showed pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen qualifying for a run-off vote in two weeks' time.

Macron was projected at 23-24 percent with Le Pen at 22-23 percent -- and those figures were in line with their final scores of 24.01 percent and 21.30 percent.

It was the same success -- forecasts that were within around one percentage point of their final results -- for scandal-hit conservative Francois Fillon and far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon.

"There's a feeling of relief in the sense that polling groups have been under attack a lot during the campaign," pollster Yves-Marie Cann from the Elabe group admitted to AFP.

Britain's unforeseen vote to leave the European Union and Donald Trump's shock victory in the 2016 US election "spread suspicion over the whole profession" despite the generally good record of French pollsters, he added.

The French campaign was dogged by constant speculation, with some pundits raising the spectre of a "hidden vote" for rightwing Fillon or Le Pen, sampling errors or a herd mentality among the pollsters.

Only once have French presidential pollsters failed badly in recent memory, Cann said: in 2002, when far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of Marine, stunned France and the world by making it through to the second round.

In the days ahead of Sunday's vote, "they successfully detected the late rise in turnout and indicated Emmanuel Macron in the lead and Marine Le Pen in second," said Anne Jadot, a political scientist at the University of Lorraine in eastern France.

- High turnout helps -

A combination of factors probably explains the French success after perceived American and British failures.

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French polls are constructed differently, with pollsters typically seeking out a sample of people who are chosen as being representative of the voting population at large.

US and British pollsters often contact a random sample of voters by phone or internet.

Turnout for French presidential elections is generally high at around 80 percent, making voters easier to second-guess. High levels of abstentionism make an electorate more difficult to model.

And French presidential elections are a simple process, with the winners in the first round being the two candidates who gather the most votes nationwide.

Macron and Le Pen will go through to a run-off on May 7 when one of them must get more than 50 percent, with Macron widely predicted to be the eventual victor.

The American presidential system is indirect and far more complicated. Presidents are elected on the basis of votes cast state-by-state with the winner needing at least 270 votes from an electoral college.

Some political scientists believe American pollsters have been unduly criticised.

They successfully forecast the popular vote showing Democrat Hillary Clinton beating Trump by 48 percent to 46 percent, but not his victory in the electoral college.

In Britain, modelling the campaign dynamics of the in-out EU referendum last June posed technical difficulties and the final result of 52 versus 48 percent was within the margin of error of some polls.

But the credibility of the British industry was already in doubt after a general election in 2015 when it failed to detect a surge in support for the Conservative party of then-prime minister David Cameron.
With Adam Rawnsley

Wheels down in Kabul. Again. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis landed in Kabul on Monday, becoming the sixth Pentagon chief to land in the capital to check in on Americas longest war. He arrives as the Trump administration weighs its next move in the seemingly endless conflict that continues to claim American lives and cost billions of dollars a year, with no clear end in sight.

The wheels of his plane touched down just after the announcement that his Afghan counterpart, Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, and the Afghan army chief had resigned in the wake of a disastrous Taliban assault on an Afghan army base last week that left over 140 Afghan soldiers dead. It was the deadliest single attack on government forces since the Talibans ouster in 2002.

Breaking: Taliban attack. During the trip, suspected Taliban militants attacked Camp Chapman, a U.S.-operated base in Afghanistans Khost province with what looks to be a car bomb. A spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Capt. William Salvin, confirmed the attack, and indicated there appeared to be a number of Afghan casualties but none to U.S. or NATO forces at the camp.

Washington has spent over $74 billion to build and equip the Afghan armed forces, but the force has been unable to contain the Taliban, and some estimates put the total price tag for American taxpayers for the war at about $1 trillion.

Here comes the general! The Afghanistan trip was the sixth stop for the Defense Secretary on a week-long swing through the Middle East and Africa, and comes just after the U.S. commander there, Gen. John Nicholson, told Congress that the war has stalemated and he needs a few thousand more troops on top of the 9,800 already on the ground. Trumps national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, also recently visited to assess the American commitment.

Upon arriving home, McMaster told ABC News that as the U.S. effort in Afghanistan drew down from over 100,000 troops in 2010 to under 10,000, our enemy sensed that and they have redoubled their efforts, and its time for us, alongside our Afghan partners, to respond.

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Also, this. A new United Nations report released Monday says that the Afghan security forces still regularly torture suspects in their custody.

Frequent flyer. Prior to landing in Kabul, Mattis visited Djibouti, the tiny east African country that hosts a U.S. base that is a key part of Washingtons drone war in the Middle East and Africa. The country has also become another front in the global competition between Washington and Beijing, as a Chinese company is finishing up work on a $590 million port facility right next to Camp Lemonnier, the American base of operations, part of an estimated $12.4 billion in Chinese upgrades to the countrys shipping facilities. They are the biggest investors in our country, president Ismail Omar Guelleh said last year. The Chinese navy is expected to make frequent use of the new port facilities.

North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged President Donald Trump to tread cautiously on North Korea during a Sunday phone call, amid rising tensions over Pyongyangs missile tests and an expected upcoming nuclear test. Trump also dialed up Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday, who later said in a statement the American leader has indicated by his words and actions that all possible options are on the table.

The USS Carl Vinson carrier group  we think  is finally moving toward the Korean peninsula, leading the North Korean government on Monday to call the deployment an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade. Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Norths ruling Workers Party added that the U.S. should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act. Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea announced Monday it was considering holding joint naval exercises with the allies. North Korea has threatened to sink the Vinson.

Heres one. In an interview with the Associated Press on Friday, president Trump told us about NATOs recent discovery of terrorism, which the commander-in-chief appears to believe didnt exist until after WWII. Asked about his flip-flop on whether or not the alliance is obsolete, Trump admitted he didnt really know anything about NATO until after he was elected, because I wasnt in government. People dont go around asking about NATO if Im building a building in Manhattan, right?

He also assured the American people now I know a lot about NATO. But he no longer considers the alliance obsolete due to the fact that it now focuses on terrorism, thanks to his prodding, and you know, back when they did NATO there was no such thing as terrorism. NATO was founded in April 1949  after centuries of insurgent groups having used bombing, assassination, and other forms to terror to try and achieve their aims  and the alliance has long focused on international terrorism, including fighting side-by-side with U.S. forces in Afghanistan since 2001.

Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley.

Hostages. North Korea has detained an American citizen amidst growing tensions over the countrys weapons of mass destruction programs. The American, Tony Kim, was teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Its unclear why North Korean authorities detained Kim but the U.S. State Department, as well as the Swedish Embassy, which serves as the Protective Power for the U.S. in North Korea, both said theyre monitoring the situation. Kim would be the third American detained by North Korea in the past year.

Ukraine. A vehicle carrying three monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) hit a mine while monitoring the fighting in Ukraine, killing an American and wounding a Czech and a German citizen. Reuters reports that the explosion took place near the town of Pryshyb, held by Russian-backed Ukrainian rebels. In a statement, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the American had been working as a paramedic for the OSCE, noting that employees of the organization are working in increasingly dangerous conditions in eastern Ukraine.

Christening. Chinas first homemade aircraft carrier is expected to launch at sea shortly. Satellite imagery has shown the ship under construction at Dalian for some time now but local news outlets report that the construction equipment has left the docks as workers put the finishing touches on the carriers hull paint. China already has a Soviet-era carrier, the Liaoning, purchased from Ukraine in 2012 and its domestically-produced carrier, thus far known as the 001A, will be an upgraded version of its Kuznetsov-class cousin.

Old smokey. Meanwhile, in Russia, the Liaonings sister ship, the Admiral Kuznetsov, is getting an upgrade in the form of Kalibr-NK missile launch complex, according to Tass. The system is capable of firing Onyx and Zircon hypersonic missiles. The Kuznetsov is back in Russia for upgrades after a brief and much-maligned visit to the Mediterranean, where it briefly participated in attack in Syria before losing a MiG-29 and a Su-33 to accidents.

Who are you. The Islamic State appears to have goofed its claim of responsibility for a gunmans attack in Paris that killed a police officer. Following the attack the groups Amaq News Agency pushed out a customary claim of responsibility, calling the attacker Abu Yussef al-Belgik, indicating a Belgian nationality. The shooter in the Paris attack, however, was the Frenchman Karim Cheurfi. The misidentification of the attack has left experts wondering whether the Islamic State simply made a mistake in rushing out an uncharacteristically quick statement or whether it slipped up and accidentally outed another of its followers based in France.

Slow start. The Senate Intelligence Committee is taking its sweet time spinning up its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to The Daily Beast. Three months after the investigation supposedly kicked off, the committee has yet to hire a full time staffer, relying instead on seven part time staffers, and has thus far yet to interview any of the major figures on the Trump campaign staff suspected of having close ties to Moscow. Thus far, the Senates investigation has been limited to interviewing the intelligence agency analysts who wrote a January 2016 assessment on Russian activities and intentions during the election.

Ordinary decent criminals. Russia has long relied on a thriving cybercrime ecosystem to support its intelligence services, drafting personnel, malware, and information from the underworld for use towards official ends. Now the U.S. is trying to drain that swamp with anonymous officials telling Buzzfeed that the gloves were coming off when it comes to going after Russian cyber crooks. The Department of Justice has already helped track down alleged Russian hackers in Spain and the Czech Republic with rumors of more to come. The arrests are having an impact, leaving Russian hackers who used to feel protected by the state looking over their shoulder more and more and growing wary of the long reach of American law enforcement.

Photo Credit: JONATHAN ERNST/AFP/Getty Images
Your friends really do influence your exercise habits, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed information from more than 1 million people worldwide who tracked their exercise sessions with fitness trackers for more than five years, and shared their activity with friends over a social network. Collectively, the participants ran more than 350 million kilometers (215 million miles) over the study period.

To figure out how much people are influenced by their friends, the researchers also included a look at the weather: The idea was that friends who live in different cities experience different weather, and bad weather in one city would be expected to influence only the activity of the friend who lived there. So if a Chicagoan skips her run on a rainy day in Boston, this suggests the Chicago friend is influenced by the running habits of friends in Boston.

The researchers found that every extra 10 minutes that a person's friends ran on a given day caused that person to run for an extra 3 minutes that day. What's more, every additional kilometer run by a person's friends influenced that person to run an additional 0.3 kilometers.

"We found that exercise is socially contagious," the researchers wrote in the April 18 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

The findings suggest that public health efforts could be improved by tapping into this "friend effect," the researchers said. [7 Ways Friendships Are Great for Your Health]

"New interventions that take into account the fact that there is social influence in 'healthy' behaviors like exercise can be more effective than other ones that do not," said study co-author Christos Nicolaides, a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management. For example, campaigns trying to promote exercise could be designed to include engagement in a social network, he said.

Previous studies have suggested that certain behaviors are socially contagious, meaning that they spread from one person to others within their social circle. For example, studies have found that when a person becomes obese, his or her friends have an increased risk of becoming obese as well.

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However, because so many factors influence people's behavior, it is hard to prove that one person's behavior directly causes a change in a friend's behavior, the researchers said. For example, it could be that two people become obese around the same time because of an outside factor that influences both people in that social network, or because the two friends are already very similar in their behaviors.

In the new study, the researchers addressed this issue of causality by taking advantage of changes in weather to set up a natural experiment, Nicolaides said.

"In our mind, we have the pseudo question, 'Is a rainy day in Chicago [affecting the] running of your friends [in] Boston?' If yes, that means that there is causal influence of the running behavior of Chicagoans [on] the running behavior of their friends in Boston," Nicolaides told Live Science in an email.

The researchers found that, indeed, the running activity of a person's friends did have a causal effect on the person's activity.

The researchers also found that less-active runners tended to influence more-active runners, rather than the other way around. This could be because, when more-active runners compare themselves to less- active runners, they become competitive and want to "protect their superiority" over the less-active runners, the researchers said.

In addition, men were strongly influenced by the running activity of other men, and were moderately influenced by the activity of women. However, women were influenced only by the activity of their female friends.

The researchers noted that, because their study involved only people who use fitness trackers, the results may not necessarily apply to the average person who doesn't use a tracker. In addition, although the researchers saw that people shared their data, they did not know if or when other runners saw the data that people had shared. It could be that some runners check their friends' activity much more often and are more influenced by their friends compared with others, the researchers said.

The researchers used data from a global exercise company that allows people to track their activity and follow their friends' activity. But because of confidentially agreements, the researchers cannot release the name of the company that provided the data, Nicolaides said.

Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
(Reuters) - Five people, including small children, died on Sunday in a house fire in the New York City borough of Queens, the city's deadliest such blaze in two years, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

A passing motorist spotted the roaring fire that engulfed the home in the Queens Village neighborhood and called the fire department around 2:30 p.m., the New York Fire Department said in a statement on its Facebook page.

"None of the five people in the home survived," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in the statement. "It's a terrible, tragic loss."

Small children were among the dead, de Blasio said.

"Our job now is to get down to the bottom of what happened and do everything we can to make sure that no family ever suffers like this again," de Blasio said on Twitter.

The cause of the fire, which took firefighters more than three hours to control, was under investigation, he said.

(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Peter Cooney)
By Ian Simpson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two dozen red-hatted protesters gathered on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Monday to call for easing federal marijuana laws, but police snuffed out the party by arresting four of them after they lit up joints.

The activists, who carried marijuana-leaf flags and a sign saying "Let DC Tax and Regulate Marijuana," were calling for coast-to-coast legalization of the recreational use of marijuana and protections for those who use cannabis for medical reasons.

The protest included the recitation of Buddhist, Jewish, Christian and Rastafarian prayers on the lawn outside the domed national landmark.

But police swooped in and arrested the foursome as soon as they lit up in front of a crowd of media and sent smoke wafting across the grounds.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law and is banned from federal property like the Capitol, while more than two dozen states and the District of Columbia have legalized pot for medical or recreational use.

A Quinnipiac University poll released last week showed

U.S. voters back legalization by a margin of 60 percent to 34

percent, the highest level of support for legalized pot ever

recorded by the survey.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has said that it might ramp up enforcement of federal laws against recreational marijuana use, setting up potential conflicts in states where the drug is legal.

Adam Eidinger, a protest organizer who recited a Jewish prayer before being arrested, told reporters that the sacramental use of marijuana on federal land deserves protection under the Constitution's guarantee of religious freedom.

"Meaningful marijuana legislation is something that a majority of Americans are demanding," he said. Capitol Police had no immediate comment on the arrests.

The protest was aimed at urging the Republican-controlled Congress to make cannabis legal and to lift a ban on the District of Columbia's regulation of marijuana. The Constitution gives Congress oversight power over the district.

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Activists also want lawmakers to keep intact a budget provision that bars the Justice Department from spending funds to interfere with states implementing medical marijuana laws.

Last week, police arrested several activists, including Eidinger, who were distributing joints near the Capitol to generate support for reforms.

(This version of the story has been refiled to corrects spelling in headline to "Capitol" instead of "Capital")

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
Snapchat has curated snaps about life in Baghdad to create an Our Story to go live Monday afternoon.

That's Snapchat-jargon for the mobile storytelling app opening up a geofence around Baghdad and encouraging Snapchat users to submit photos and videos to Snap (with Baghdad geofilters live in the app). Snapchat will later curate and stitch those submissions into one story exclusively available on the app.

SEE ALSO: Anti-Trump protesters spread a powerful message on the Statue of Liberty

The feed should go live on the app at about 3 p.m. ET Monday.

Snapchat does not plan to include much about the violence or anything too politically-related to what's happening in Baghdad. Rather, the app is looking for snaps that show residents simply living their lives.

The feed won't just be in English. Snapchat will run an Arabic version in Arabic-speaking countries and will run a version with English subtitles shown in English-speaking countries.

The app might mostly be associated with millennials sending goofy or intimate photos to each other, but Snapchat has championed itself as an original and thoughtful entrant into news coverage as well as storytelling. The app featured life in Mecca back in July 2015 and provided a raw look at the reactions of young Americans to the election.

While these stories spark interest and engagement from users, they don't come without their controversies. After Snapchat created a Live Story for the Israeli city of Tel Aviv , Twitter users asked Snapchat why it showed only one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Snapchat, two days later, created a Live Story for West Bank.

Over the last two years, Snapchat has matured its news product. The company hired Peter Hamby back in April 2015 to serve as Snapchat's first head of news. The former CNN national political reporter now helps lead a team dedicated to creating Our Stories. For example, Snapchat built a story around the Battle of Mosul. Hamby also launched his own political news show on Snapchat called Good Luck America.

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This isn't the first time Snapchat has built an Our Story for multiple languages. An Our Story on the London terror attack was curated in English and French, and they curated a story in English and Arabic for Dubai Fashion Week.

As Facebook continues to mimic Snapchat's Stories product, with Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, WhatsApp Stories and Messenger Day, Snapchat stands uniquely positioned in its dedication in and ability to curate and tell stories.

FWIW, Instagram does have an Explore tab that has curated for live events.

WATCH: Stephen Colbert and 'SNL' have figured out the right way to use President Trump
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said he wants allegations of influence-peddling in government investigated, lending his support to a probe called for by the anti-graft watchdog but which President Jacob Zuma has so far ignored. Ramaphosa is considered a likely candidate for president when the ruling African National Congress elects its new leaders later this year, but he has not formally announced his intention to stand. The nation's Public Protector in November called on Zuma to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry within 30 days to examine alleged "state capture" in his government, but Zuma has not yet appointed a commission, challenging the report in court instead. "I support that there should be a judicial commission of inquiry," Ramaphosa said to loud applause at a memorial service for late freedom fighter Chris Hani. "We need to put this (matter) to rest ... If there is any wrongdoing, it must be exposed," Ramaphosa said. Zuma is facing renewed calls for him to step down after South Africa's credit rating was downgraded to sub-investment grade this month by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings shortly after he sacked respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan. Last year's 355-page report by the watchdog focused on allegations that the brothers, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta - businessmen of Indian origin - influenced the appointment of ministers. It called for an investigation into whether Zuma, some of his cabinet members and some state companies acted improperly. Both Zuma and the Gupta family have denied any wrongdoing. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; editing by Clelia Oziel)
By Press Trust of India: transporting cattle

New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Three men, who were allegedly assaulted in Delhis Kalkaji area while transporting buffaloes in a truck to the Ghazipur mandi, today stuck to their claim that they were roughed up by animal rights activists and not locals.

Rizwan, the truck driver, still shudders as he recalls the night of April 22 when his vehicle was intercepted by the "animal rights activists" who then went on to physically assault him and two others in the truck.

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Yesterday, Saurabh Gupta, who claims to be a member of the People For Animals (PFA), an NGO, had claimed that the trio was beaten up by the locals while they had reached the spot much later.

The NGO though has denied any association with Gupta or any of the attackers.

The trio today refuted Guptas claim.

"It was not the locals, but those who got off the cars with PFA stickers, who beat us black and blue. We were fearing for our lives," Rizwan told PTI.

He claimed that the attackers were saying "you are smuggling cows, we will teach you a lesson" and even made disparaging remarks against Muslims.

"The locals, in fact, intervened and questioned the attackers who told them that we were indulging in illegal activities by transporting cows.

"When the locals saw that the animals in the truck were buffaloes, they tried to pacify the attackers, but in vain," said Rizwan.

He claimed that of late, it had almost become a norm that "self-proclaimed cow vigilantes" would stop vehicles transporting cattle and assault the passengers.

"This is goondaism in the name of cow protection. Our ancestors have been in this business. The situation was never like this earlier.

"In the last four-five months, these attacks have become a routine affair and many in the business of cattle transportation from our village in Pataudi have been at the receiving end of such attacks," said Rizwan.

The trio also alleged that the attackers robbed them of their cell phones and around Rs 6,000 but said it was not included in the police complaint lodged by them.

"The only design of these people is to rob innocents in the name of cow vigilantism. They incite people in the name of cows," Rizwan said, adding that they never thought that they would come under such an attack in a city like Delhi.

Ashu, who was accompanying Rizwan on the night of April 22, said his family members remained constantly worried whenever he was out on work ever since a similar incident was reported from Rajasthans Alwar district.

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"They keep calling me inquiring about my safety. We kept hearing about such attacks but never thought we would be at the receiving end of one," he said.

Earlier this month, one Pehlu Khan (55) was killed and four others, including his two sons, were injured after they were allegedly beaten up brutally by cow vigilantes in Alwar.

Buying and selling cattle had been their family business for decades and they had no other means of livelihood, said Ashu.

"Our forefathers started this business and we cannot suddenly shut shop one day and start doing something else. We are illiterates and have no means of earning money," he added.

The trio has been booked under the IPC for mischief by killing or maiming cattle as well as under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act as they were carrying more animals in a truck than permitted by rules.

However, Ashu claimed that they had valid papers and the buffaloes were not being transported under "inhumane" conditions.

"It was a big truck, one that is meant for carrying 13-14 buffaloes. There were 13 buffaloes in the truck and we had taken all the precautions in transporting them," he said.

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The trio was arrested and released on bail yesterday.

One of the alleged attackers, who claimed to be a member of the PFA, was today arrested by the police. PTI SLB RC

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By Christine Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean software mogul-turned-presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo will seek to restart six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula if he is elected on May 9, he said in a written interview with Reuters. The six party talks involving North and South Korea, China, the United States, Japan and Russia collapsed in 2008 following a rocket launch by North Korea. Tensions have escalated on the Korean peninsula amid fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test and with Pyongyang threatening to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier ordered to waters off Korea as a warning to the North. "While maintaining a two-track policy with sanctions and dialogue and strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries, I will seek six party talks," said Ahn, who is currently polling in second place ahead of the elections. "By resuming the six party talks to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem, before it becomes impossible to resolve the issue, as provisional interim measures, I will pursue a freeze on the North's nuclear weapons program, a moratorium on nuclear tests, and return of IAEA inspectors to the North and restoring monitoring cameras," he said. North Korea expelled International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors in 2009 after declaring it was pulling out of the 2005 six-party agreement to freeze its nuclear program. "Also four-party talks with North Korea, the United States and China will be sought to establish a denuclearized Korean peninsula and a peaceful regime," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump telephoned the leaders of Japan and China on Sunday to discuss the latest North Korean developments. Ahn, 55, has been recognized for his tougher stance on national security than the liberal frontrunner for president, Moon Jae-in. Ahn has been in second place in polls behind Moon, but has recently at times overtaken the liberal candidate. On the economic front, Ahn said he would beef up laws to punish white collar criminals, limit pardons for corporate criminals guilty of graft and bring about more "realistic" regulations for holding companies in order to curb the massive hold conglomerates, called chaebol, have on Asia's fourth-largest economy. "Reforming the chaebol is not the goal; it's a tool and process to achieve the target that is economic development through the recovery of fair market competition," said Ahn. He added it was also inappropriate at this time to think about pardoning ex-South Korean leader Park Geun-hye who is currently in a holding facility and awaiting her corruption trial after being impeached over an influence-peddling scandal. Park's impeachment triggered the presidential election. Ahn declined to clarify his stance on whether he would draw up an extra budget if he won the election. Frontrunner Moon has said he will draft an additional budget worth over 10 trillion won ($8.83 billion) to boost the economy if he is elected. Ahn was a top contender for the 2012 presidential election but withdrew his candidacy to consolidate voters against Park, who won. Trained as a medical doctor, Ahn rose to national fame when AhnLab, a provider of computer antivirus software, became a household name. (Reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Michael Perry)
As if being laid off weren't stressful enough, most Americans don't have enough money saved to pay monthly bills if they're jobless for more than a few weeks.

But you can avoid that added stress: Create an emergency fund now to prepare for potential unemployment.

[See: 8 Big Budgeting Blunders -- and How to Fix Them.]

A recent NerdWallet study found that Americans don't save enough to weather several common emergencies, the most expensive being unemployment. Even factoring in state unemployment benefits and average annual savings, most people come up thousands of dollars short.

Among those who lose their jobs in the U.S., the average length of time spent unemployed is 26 weeks, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Coincidentally, most states' unemployment benefits are paid out for up to 26 weeks. Even the most generous state benefits aren't very high and won't cover most Americans' bills.

An $8,500 shortfall. The Nerdwallet study shows that Americans save on average 5.85 percent of their income, or approximately $2,540 per year, based on an average disposable income of $43,408 for 2016. This amount of savings plus unemployment benefits -- which average $444 per week -- would still leave Americans who are unemployed for 26 weeks around $8,500 short of their usual income.

That gap is even greater for those who live in states, such as Arizona, Louisiana and Mississippi, with lower-than-average unemployment benefits or a high cost of living. And while being frugal can help, cutting back $8,500 over 26 weeks -- more than $1,400 per month -- poses significant constraints for many people.

[See: How to Live on $13,000 a Year.]

How much to save for unemployment. The best time to save money is when you don't need it. In other words, you should save while you're employed. Having an emergency fund means you won't have to turn to debt to get through a rainy day -- or 26 rainy weeks.

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Experts recommend saving enough to cover three to six months of basic expenses. Whether you save closer to three or six months depends on several factors, including the unemployment benefit offered by your state. Maximum state unemployment benefits range from $235 to $742 per week, for 12 to 30 weeks. Search your state's unemployment benefits to see how much you could expect.

Also consider your life circumstances. If you live in a dual-income household and don't own a home, which means extra costs for maintenance, three months' worth of savings might be enough. However, if you're self-employed or work in a volatile industry where layoffs are common, you need to save more.

Remember, you're saving three to six months of expenses, not income. So if you can eliminate some expenses while you're unemployed, you can lower your monthly savings amount. In other words, if your current monthly expenses are $3,000 but you can cut $500 when you're not working, then your monthly emergency savings would be $2,500.

[See: 12 Habits of Phenomenally Frugal Families.]

How to save an unemployment fund. Saving a three- to six-month cushion could take months or even years. But don't get discouraged. Your efforts will add up. To free up cash for emergencies, you need to spend less, earn more or do both. Save consistently and contribute at least part of any windfalls, such as tax refunds, bonuses or inheritances, to your emergency fund.

You can increase your income and decrease your expenses in small and significant ways, from cutting out cable and selling things at a yard sale to getting a cheaper place and asking for a raise. It's also a good idea to set up an automatic transfer from your checking to a high-yield savings account, whether you transfer $50 or $500 a month.

Saving thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for an emergency and unemployment fund may seem overwhelming, but even small amounts now will add up over time and -- if you lose a job -- help reduce some of the stress.

Erin El Issa has contributed to the money section of USNews.com since 2015, covering debt, credit cards and consumer credit. Her articles and studies on credit cards have also appeared on NerdWallet, USA Today and Money. Erin aims to help readers figure out how to build and improve their credit scores, find the right credit card, pay off high interest debt and optimize their credit card rewards. You can find her on Twitter @Erin_El_Issa
Secretary of State Rex Tillersons unusually quiet spokesperson has a new voice.

On Monday, the State Department announced that Heather Nauert will take over as spokesperson, replacing acting spokesperson Mark Toner, a career foreign service officer who served in postings across the world including Senegal, Poland, and Belgium.

Nauert comes to the State Department after 15 years as a television anchor and correspondent, most recently at Fox News, where she covered breaking news on the, according to the official State Dept. release, top-rated morning cable news show, Fox and Friends.

The State Departments public diplomacy, including relations with the press, has come under plenty of scrutiny in the Trump administration. Tillerson prefers to run the department like he did ExxonMobil, shunning reporters and limiting transparency. In a break with tradition, Tillerson decided not to have reporters accompany him on overseas trips.

The department has also been slow to embrace the daily press briefing  an important symbol of transparency in U.S. foreign policy that began under Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in the 1950s  cancelling it for weeks at a time, and holding briefings only occasionally. The daily briefings are important not just for reporters, but for audiences around the world. Foreign leaders use the briefings to figure out U.S. foreign policy, as do many U.S. diplomats stationed overseas.

Toner, a career holdover from former President Barack Obamas administration, was sometimes seen as the lone voice publicly defending human rights in an administration thats shunned such foreign policy priorities. Toner issued statements on topics as varied as reports of detentions and deaths of gay men in Chechnya; the referendum in Turkey that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe condemned and over which Trump congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; and speaking out against the law in Hungary that would clamp down on academic freedom by effectively closing Central European University. The State Department did not immediately respond to request for comment on whats next for Toner.

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Nauert has covered terror attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino, the 2008 financial crisis, and genocide in Darfur. She also tweeted in support of Ivanka Trumps clothing line after Nordstrom dropped the brand, criticizing Nordstrom for caving to liberal pressure, though those tweets appear to have since been deleted.

Still standing, however, are some of her musings on international relations. On Feb. 10 she complained about Iranians protesting Trumps election. After the billions the US sent to #iran we get this, Nauert posted, apparently referring to Irans ability to access its own previously frozen funds as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

She also hailed Trump as a new sheriff in town on Russia after his ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, censured Russian aggression in Ukraine. Well if Donald Trump does fight back, how is that not a new sheriff in town? Youre talking about consistency, itd be totally different that what President Obama did and how he reacted, Nauert said.

From now on, Nauerts take on international affairs is going to be for a bigger  and more critical  audience.

Photo credit: Monica Schipper/Getty Images
WASHINGTON  As the White House and Republican-led Congress take aim at federal funding for health providers that offer abortion services, some state lawmakers may step in to fill the breach.

Last month, Maryland became the first state to guarantee funding for its Planned Parenthood clinics should the federal government strip funding, and similar efforts are afoot farther west.

A pair of bills in Nevada would create a state family planning fund to plug gaps in contraceptive coverage and codify Obamacare regulations into state law. And in Oregon, Democrats are optimistic about the chances of legislation that would guarantee that insurers cover contraceptive care and even abortion services at no out-of-pocket cost to plan beneficiaries.

The moves come amid growing signs that federal funding for Planned Parenthood and other groups that provide abortions is at risk.

Read more: GOP bill would allow states to defund Planned Parenthood

The American Health Care Act, the Republican attempt to repeal Obamacare, would have stripped away that funding. The bill failed, but the Republican-led Congress last month passed legislation unraveling an Obama-era regulation that had prevented states from denying Title X family planning grants to health providers that offer abortions.

Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote, and the bill was later signed by President Trump.

In my opinion, its an assault on womens health issues, Nevada state Senator Yvanna Cancela, a Democrat, said of the developments in Washington.

Cancela is a sponsor of the legislation to create a new funding mechanism for contraceptive and preventive screening coverage in her state, expanding the web of states whose laws guard against policy shakeups in Washington. Cancela said her legislation is largely influenced by a similar family planning program in Minnesota.

This bill is a direct response to whats happening at the federal level, which may leave the status quo in place but could do serious harm, she said.

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Other states are taking advantage of newfound political flexibility to move in the opposite direction. Since 2011, legislators in 16 states have attempted to block certain providers from receiving Title X funds. But even over the past several months, a number of states have tried to find other ways to restrict spending on reproductive health services.

In Iowa, for instance, a bill moving rapidly through the Legislature would remove funding for Planned Parenthood and create a state family planning network that excludes clinics where abortion is available. A number of other states have also reduced family planning funding at a rate disproportionate to broader cuts in public health spending.

But it is the action at the federal level that most alarms reproductive rights activists. Even in the absence of further restrictions on funding for Planned Parenthood, the looming federal budget process could see less money appropriated for family planning grants, leading advocates and health officials at the state level to determine how they can take action.

Were not an abortion provider, but we could be adversely affected depending on what the federal government decides to do with the grants, said Dr. Joseph Iser, the health officer for the Southern Nevada Health District.

New Jersey, where state-level cuts were enacted in 2010, has already felt the impacts of cuts to family planning funds. In 2010, Governor Chris Christie slashed $7.5 million from the cause, and his veto pen has hamstrung repeated efforts by the Democratic-controlled Legislature to replace the money.

Were certainly looking at other states to see what sort of proactive measures theyre taking, said Kate Clark, the external relations director for the New Jersey Family Planning League. Our main focus is shoring up state support for family planning funding.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the impact of the effort to defund Planned Parenthood through the ACA repeal bill, projecting that 15 percent of people in areas served primarily by the group and affiliated clinics would lose access to services that help women avert pregnancies.

Those populations access to care worries legislators in Nevada, where a measure separate from Cancelas bill would also codify Affordable Care Act womens health protections into state law, then go a step further by requiring insurers to cover birth-control prescriptions good for a full year instead of the typical three months.

In Oregon, where the full-year provision is already law, Democrats seem likely to succeed in mandating that insurers cover contraceptive care and  unlike most taxpayer-funded programs  abortion services at no out-of-pocket cost.

We got this bill up and running when we figured Hillary Clinton would be president, though Trump made it much more urgent, said state Representative Jeff Barker, a Democrat pushing the measure.

Read more: I just feel terrified: Women pour support toward Planned Parenthood after Trumps victory

The landscape surrounding abortion is less politically fraught in left-leaning Oregon than in other states, Barker acknowledged. He emphasized the importance of covering abortion services despite fears that insurance providers would effectively price them into all plans, even those to employers requesting exemptions on religious grounds.

If a woman  take a lower-income woman who has insurance with a $1,500 deductible  she needs an abortion, she cant get one because she doesnt have the $400 or $500, Barker said. We want to be sure that everybody has access to all reproductive care.  We all pay insurance premiums to go to something we dont need.

Oregons bill also finds a way around federal regulations preventing some payments to some non-citizens and undocumented immigrants, guaranteeing benefits regardless of immigration status.

There is precedent for what happens when funding for family planning is cut, according to Audrey Sandusky, the director of advocacy and communications at the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

She pointed to Christies actions in New Jersey, which came amid a recession but also bucked a trend of advancements in reproductive health spearheaded by the ACA.

From 2009 to 2015, the state saw a 35 percent increase in bacterial cases of sexually transmitted disease  a trend that began before the nations STD rate began to increase. The changes disproportionately affected women of color, too: The uptick in breast and cervical cancer cases among Latina women in New Jersey, at 25.1 percent, was nearly five times higher than for women overall in the state.

Those numbers, say advocates of family planning and preventive care, should speak for themselves. The question is simply how many states are willing to listen.
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's powerful security agency on Monday accused breakaway South Sudan of staging talks with rebels fighting Khartoum's forces in two southern states, with the goal of "extending the war" there.

In a statement, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said South Sudanese President Salwa Kiir, his deputy Taban Deng and top army commanders held meetings last week with the SPLM-N rebel group.

The group -- the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) -- is fighting Khartoum's forces in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

"These meetings were aimed at extending the war in Sudan," NISS said.

"South Sudan continues to host Sudanese rebels."

As part of this policy, Kiir and Deng held "intensive" meetings with SPLM-N in Juba between Wednesday and Saturday, NISS said.

"We are warning the South Sudanese government to stop intervening in Sudanese affairs," NISS said.

It bitterly contrasted South Sudan's policy with Khartoum's humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have arrived fleeing war and famine in their own country.

"While Sudan has opened its borders to South Sudanese citizens, the government of South Sudan is responding by hosting Sudanese rebels," NISS said.

Officials say that during his visit to Khartoum in September, Deng had given assurances that Juba would expel rebels fighting Sudanese forces.

Armed revolts on both sides of the border have soured relations between Khartoum and Juba.

South Sudan split from Sudan in 2011 under a peace deal that ended a 22-year civil war.

But Juba and Khartoum have traded allegations of supporting each other's rebels on their territory, charges which both countries deny.

South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, fell into a brutal civil war in December 2013.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the country since then and more than two and a half million people driven from their homes.

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Sudan is hosting about 380,000 South Sudanese refugees who have arrived since the war erupted, the UN's refugee agency says.

The influx has swelled in recent months after South Sudan declared a famine in parts of the country.

In late March, Sudan opened a "humanitarian corridor" for delivering food aid to thousands of South Sudanese suffering from famine in Unity State and Bahr El Ghazal.
This year's edition of the Top Marques Monaco luxury car show was held April 20 to 23 in the principality, setting the stage for some spectacular world premieres.

The Monaco event, billed as the world's most exclusive car show, featured a host of exceptional new vehicles and saw four supercars make their worldwide debut: the Donkervoort G8 RTO, the Calafiore C10, a Charlotte Edition of the Asfane by Frangivento and a Mini revisited by David Brown Automotive.

The D8 GTO-RS is the fastest and lightest supercar ever built by Dutch car maker Donkervoort. It is a limited-edition 40-car model (starting at just over 150,000 excl. taxes) that is more powerful than the current range, with improved aerodynamics for even more impressive acceleration. Italian brand Calafiora presented the C10, which has been under development for no less than seven years. It has a lightweight carbon fiber chassis and tops 1,000 horsepower.

Another show highlight was Frangivento's special edition Asfane, the Charlotte Edition, named after the Princess of Monaco. This model is directly derived from the concept car unveiled by the Italian manufacturer earlier this year. Capable of topping 300km/h, it's expected to set buyers back at least 1.8 million. British car maker David Brown Automotive presented an original Mini. The firm's Mini Remastered is particularly modern with its LED headlamps and 7-inch touch screen and uses luxurious materials like leather and aluminum.

In a different style, the show also featured a Bentley Azure painted with two million diamonds from the Jean Boulle Luxury group, and Vanda Electrics revealed a two-seater all-electric Dendrobium concept car capable of topping 320 km/h.

Finally, two futuristic flying cars premiered globally at the event -- the latest AeroMobil and the Pal-V Liberty.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish police said they had arrested a second suspect linked to the deadly truck attack in Stockholm this month. The unnamed person was detained on Sunday on the order of prosecutors, the force said, without going into further details on the suspected offence. Four people were killed and 15 injured when a truck plowed into a crowd on a shopping street and crashed into a department store in the center of the capital on April 7. The suspected driver, an Uzbek asylum seeker named by police as Rakhmat Akilov, is already in custody. Police said the second arrest had followed the examination of unspecified material gathered after the attack. (Reporting by Niklas Pollard, Bjorn Rundstrom and Johan Ahlander; Editing by Anna Ringstrom and Andrew Heavens)
By Sharon Bernstein

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A former Tennessee schoolteacher accused of abducting a 15-year-old girl and taking her on a multistate odyssey that included sexual abuse before the pair were found in California will be returned to face federal kidnapping charges in Nashville.

Tad Cummins, 50, appeared in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, California, on Monday on a charge of transporting Elizabeth Thomas across state lines for sex. She is a student at the high school where he formerly worked.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall Newman ordered Cummins to be kept in federal custody as a flight risk and a danger to others, and returned to Tennessee for trial.

Cummins did not enter a plea during the hearing, at which prosecutors detailed his alleged flight across the country with Thomas. During 38 days on the run, Cummins tried to avoid detection by switching license plates on a 2015 Nissan Rogue he stole from his wife and disabling its GPS system, authorities said.

Prosecutors argued Cummins posed a flight risk, saying he had tested out a run to Mexico on a watercraft he procured. In Oklahoma, he bought KY Jelly, a lubricant used for sex, and before leaving Tennessee he refilled a prescription for Cialis, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, showing he intended to have sex with the minor, prosecutors said.

"The alleged crime is heinous," assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt wrote in court documents. Cummins faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted.

But Cummins' attorney, public defender Ben Galloway, told a very different story, saying Thomas went willingly with Cummins.

"It is important to note that these allegations do not involve force, threats, or coercion of any sort," Galloway said in an email to Reuters. "This was not an abduction or kidnapping as has been suggested."

Cummins and Thomas became the subject of a nationwide search after he apparently lured the girl into his car outside a restaurant in Columbia, Tennessee, about 45 miles (72.4 km)south of Nashville.

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They were discovered on Thursday in a remote cabin in Northern California near the Oregon border.

Speaking to Nashville-ABC affiliate WKRN on Sunday, Thomas' sister, Kat Bozeman, said the teen is receiving treatment at a mental health facility.

Her father, Anthony Thomas, said Elizabeth is having a tough time.

Sometimes shell be happy and laughing and back to the same old girl and then shell be sometimes just in the fetal position crying," Anthony Thomas said.

(Additional reporting by Tom James in Seattle; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath snubbed his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and other ministers for suggesting uniform in government schools be changed to saffron colour.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has been meeting officials of various departments on daily basis. (File Photo/PTI)

By India Today Web Desk: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been meeting officials of various departments on a daily basis since taking charge to chart out his government's future course of action.

In PM Narendra Modi-style, CM Adityanath has been insisting officials to come with presentation and plans for development work concerning their respective departments.

During one such meeting with Education Department officials, the Uttar Pradesh CM almost snubbed his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya over the issue of colour code of school uniform in government schools.

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WHEN YOGI SNUBBED MAURYA

In an attempt to 'impress' the chief minister, officials and some other members of Yogi Adityanath's cabinet came out with strange suggestions.

While deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya suggested saffron colour code, other ministers opted for the colour similar to that of a lotus, BJP's symbol, for uniform of government schools, Dainik Bhaskar reported.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath didn't respond to the ideas and instead turned to officials for their views.

Principal Secretary Ajay Singh displayed some of the samples he was carrying with him.

"We will finalise the colour of school uniform according to the choice of kids. They should choose what colour of dress they want to wear," Adityanath told officials.

A final decision in this regard would be taken in the next review meeting.

ALSO READ:

Yogi Adityanath strikes at VIP security but keeps Z+ cover to Akhilesh, Mulayam, Mayawati

Yogi Adityanath completes a month as UP CM, scraps Akhilesh's dream project

Yogi Adityanath government completes 30 days: How foreign media reported the month

Yogi Adityanath compares triple talaq to Draupadi's cheer-haran, calls for common civil code

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Several mummies and more than 1,000 figurines have been discovered at an ancient cemetery located at Luxor in Egypt, archaeologists reported.

A team of archaeologists with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities uncovered the funerary complex during the ministry's ongoing excavations at the site. The funerary complex contains multiple tombs that were originally built for a man named Userhat, who was a judge in Luxor sometime during what modern-day archaeologists call Egypt's New Kingdom (15501070 B.C.) period, the ministry said in a statement. [See Photos of the Cemetery and Mummies at Luxor]

During the New Kingdom period, Egypt was unified, and it often controlled a large amount of territory in the Middle East and modern-day Sudan. After the New Kingdom ended, the complex was re-opened and more mummies and burials were put into the structure, the ministry said.

Researchers discovered a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers containing the remains of mummies and assorted human remains, as shown in photos released by the ministry. In some cases, the colors on the mummy coffins are well preserved, despite the passage of millennia.

The tomb complex is part of a larger ancient cemetery at Luxor that today is often called Dra' Abu el-Naga. Photo by Roland Unger, CC 1.0 Generic

Additionally, a "collection of ushabti figurines carved in faience, terracotta and wood was also unearthed," in the tomb complex, the ministry said in the statement. Ushabti figurines were frequently buried with the dead in ancient Egypt, and Egyptologists generally believe that ushabtis were buried with the dead so that the figurines could work for the deceased in the afterlife.

"We found a large number of ushabti, more than 1,000 of them," Egypt Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany told the Agence France-Presse.

Archaeologists also discovered the remains of clay pots in the cemetery.

The ministry's team is led by Mostafa Waziri, the head of the ministry's Luxor department. Excavations are underway that the ministry said will lead to the entire complex being uncovered. The complex is part of a larger ancient cemetery that today is often called Dra' Abu el-Naga.

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Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
The time is ripe to visit Myanmar. Accommodations and experiences in this nature- and culture-rich country vary from high-end hotels to small, rural countryside excursions. Indeed, Myanmar is a country that is transitioning into an up-and-coming tourist destination while still maintaining its unique charm. With almost 100 different cultures, a high concentration of Buddhist temples and a diverse array of landscapes, Myanmar boasts a wealth of experiences that will delight the mind, refresh the spirit and challenge the body.

[See: Here's How People in 8 Other Countries Stay Healthy.]

Delighting the Mind

Previously known as Burma, Myanmar has an interesting history and is home to a broad diversity of cultures. It was at one point part of the British Empire, and the prevalence of tea houses is one of the lasting impacts of Western influence on this area.

Myanmar's food, architecture and way of life is heavily influenced by India, Thailand and China, and the country is home to cultural descendants of each of these countries. A trip to Myanmar is a treasure trove of cultural and historical lessons for the mind to absorb.

One of the urban hubs, Yangon, is a fascinating place for those interested in experiencing the melting pot that is Myanmar. It's a unique city that blends the historical, older way of life with more modern influences against a backdrop of majestic golden temples and colonial-era buildings.

For a more-immersive experience into the cultures and ways of life in Myanmar, take the time to attend a Shin Pyu (a Buddhist novitiation ceremony) or, if you're visiting at the right time, a pagoda festival. Nothing can help you understand the complexities of a culture and its traditions better than witnessing them first hand.

[See: 8 Healthy West Coast Habits East Coasters Should Adopt.]

Refreshing the Spirit

The dominant religion throughout the whole country is Buddhism, and the temples and spirituality of this landscape are a popular reason visitors come to this area. Bagan, a holy area within Myanmar, is one of the main tourism hubs that draws people looking to connect with the spiritual history of this area.

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Bagan is located about 430 miles north of Yangon and is an impressive 26-square-mile area, featuring about 4,000 sacred stupas -- Buddhist shrines that contain relics and are used as places of meditation. Stupas are common in Buddhist countries, but travelers to Myanmar will notice distinct architectural characteristics that are unique to this country.

To breathe in the spirit of Myanmar, one does not have to go far -- it is simply all around you. Walk around Shwedagon Pagoda, a gilded stupa located in the heart of Yangon; pop into a monastery and join in a meditation; or witness the evening chants of the monks in a monastery near Mandalay, a unique Buddhist ritual.

It's a common phrase among travelers to Southeast Asia to start to feel "templed out." In Myanmar, however, you can easily break up the temple visits with boat or bike rides, interesting interactions with the friendly locals or culinary experiences. While the spiritual side of Myanmar definitely draws in many visitors, travelers are finding that there are many other equally valuable and rewarding ways to get out and enjoy this unique country.

[See: Here's What People Eat for Breakfast in 9 Other Countries.]

Challenging the Body

Myanmar only recently opened its borders to tourism, but its travel infrastructure is surprisingly robust for being so recently developed. Travelers might find getting around a little more challenging here than in other countries in the region, but the relatively untouched landscape and engaging culture are well worth exercising a little more patience, and a good excuse to exercise the body as well.

Renting bicycles and walking are common methods of getting around. It is also fairly easy to rent taxis, rickshaws and boats, but there's nothing quite like exploring a new land with the power of your own two feet.

Inle Lake is a particularly fun region and a great place to get out and tour by bicycle. It's an adventure-inspiring village resort where you can cycle through hills and grasslands, watch the world-famous fishermen row canoes with their feet, and go for a boat ride at sunrise or sunset.

For a more intense physical adventure, climb the 1,129 steps of Mandalay Hill, the 777 steps of Mount Popa or the 725-meter high Mount Zwegabin. Your legs may be screaming, but your mind and spirit will thank you for it. For a complete mind-body experience, spend the night at a monastery after a challenging trek -- the mesmerizing Shan Hills are not to be missed.

The most comfortable time of year to visit is during the peak tourist season of November through February. While it may be more crowded with tourists during this cooler season, the rest of the year is much less popular thanks to extremely hot temperatures. Keep this in mind when planning outdoor adventures.

A Myanmar vacation offers a truly holistic experience that has something to offer the mind, body and soul. It's hard not to fall in love with this exuberant and interesting country.

Jill Sanford is a freelance journalist and creative storyteller who specializes in covering outdoor recreation, culture and travel. She writes about international travel destinations, such as Jordan, for kimkim.com.
Are so-called single-asset allocation plans a better deal than going out and building your own retirement asset allocation program out of individual funds? Some reputable financial industry insiders think so.

A 2014 study from John Hancock shows that retirement plan participants "who invested exclusively in a single John Hancock asset allocation portfolio earned better returns on average than participants who selected individual investment options to form their portfolios over the five, 10 and 15 year periods ending Dec. 31, 2012." The gap isn't huge, but individual asset allocation plan investors earned 1.06 percent more, on an annual basis, in their retirement plans, than investors who invest in non-asset allocation funds.

For 401(k) plan participants, these one-choice portfolio funds come in the form of target-date funds that tout automatically diversified 401(k) plan investments in a single fund.

[See: 12 Steps to a Stronger 401(k).]

By and large, asset allocation funds usually come in two categories:

-- Risk-based asset allocation fund: A portfolio that matches your comfort with market ups and downs. This fund aims to rebalance to stay at a balanced risk level, and you decide what that risk level should be.

-- Time-based asset allocation fund: A portfolio based upon a future date. (Mostly the date the investors wants to retire.) This fund is adjusted automatically to grow more conservative as the portfolio owners move closer to that retirement date.

Wall Street money managers seem to think highly of such funds.

"Vanguard's Wellington and Wellesley funds have been around for decades, successfully producing long-term value," says Guy Penn, founder of Rush Penn, a financial advisory firm in St. Louis. "It's a relevant topic, especially given all the attention toward robo platforms these days. It's important to remember that asset allocation funds have been doing effectively the same thing for years."

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Penn says that asset-allocation funds offer retirement savers multiple benefits.

"In a standard retail brokerage account, trading fees can eat away at gains over the long term, so for the average investor, a single-asset allocation fund can be an ideal way to keep an overall pool of funds efficiently balanced at a lower cost," he says.

Plus, because asset allocation funds are methodically rebalanced, they also help prevent the investor from making emotionally charged decisions that negatively impact their longer-term goals.

"That's the case provided the investor doesn't panic sell the entire fund during market turmoil, or get too aggressive by investing their emergency cash savings during boom periods," Penn says.

Still, not all single-asset allocation funds are alike, so it's still up to the investor to review the underlying methodology of the fund they intend to invest in, Penn says.

"Ask some questions before investing," he says. "How often is the fund rebalanced? What are the underlying holdings? Consider the net expense ratios, when all else is equal, the lowest underlying cost tends to be the most optimal."

Not every investment professional is enamored of single asset allocation funds.

"Most of the target date funds these days are single-asset allocation funds," says Jay Srivatsa, chief executive officer at Future Wealth in Los Gatos, California. "But the problem I see with these funds is that they adopt a cookie-cutter investment approach."

[See: 9 Ways to Avoid 401(k) Fees and Penalties.]

For example, Srivatsa says, a fund owner's target retirement date is 2025, and his allocation of stocks and bonds is 70/30, or his retirement date is 2030, and allocation is 60/40.

"In taking this approach, the portfolio manager is constantly focused on building a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds and not taking into consideration the risk threshold of the client," he says.

If the retirement saver wants to retire in 2030, but is willing to take modest risks with 60 percent of his or her portfolio, 20 percent in "strict safety mode" and another 20 percent in high risk, "there is no way for a single asset allocation fund to replicate the client's requirement," Srivatsa says.

That said, for the Wall Street novice who wants to make his or her 401(k) saving experience easy, single-asset allocation funds may be the way to go, other experts say.

"Picking an all in one, like a balanced fund or a conservative growth fund, is a decent choice for someone who doesn't have the desire or ability to more precisely manage their portfolio," says Justin Smith, a financial advisor at Slayton Lewis, in Chicago. "After all, the best investment strategy is one you can stick to, and if an all-in-one fund helps you stick to the plan, that's a great option."

That being said, Smith thinks all-in-one funds can cause investors to miss out on some of the benefits of a more customized portfolio, including individual retirement accounts.

"There may be more optimal ways to locate the various asset classes of your portfolio if you have multiple accounts like IRAs, Roth IRAs and taxable accounts," he says. "Instead of buying an all-in-one fund, you could save on taxes by strategically locating some assets, like bonds, in your IRA and tax efficient assets, like index stock funds, in taxable accounts."

Furthermore, for those in retirement who are drawing funds from the portfolio, having a more deconstructed portfolio can allow you to sell stocks for cash flow in up years and sell bonds for cash flow in years when the market is down, Smith adds. "A number of academics have shown an approach like this can bolster your retirement longevity," he says. "It's simply something you can't do with an all-in-one fund."

As always, discuss your unique retirement planning needs with a trusted financial professional.

[See: 10 Financial Perks of Getting Older.]

But if you're looking for a simple way to stack up cash in retirement, while still getting that "I can sleep at night" vibe, single asset allocation funds could be for you -- in multiple ways.

Brian O'Connell is a contributing financial writer for U.S. News & World Report. A former Wall Street bond trader and the author of two best-selling books; "The 401k Millionaire" and "CNBC's Creating Wealth", he has 20 years experience covering business news and trends, particularly in the financial, technology, political and career management sectors. His byline has appeared in dozens of top-tier national business publications, including CBS News, Bloomberg, Time, MSN Money, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, TheStreet.com, Yahoo Finance, CBS Marketwatch, and many more. Visit his web site at: https://brianoco.contently.com/. Or, visit this Amazon.com link for a list/review of some of his book titles. Reach out to him on LinkedIn.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Monday asked France's envoy to the United Nations about the French presidential elections following a first round of voting at the weekend.

Trump took Ambassador Francois Delattre aside during a meeting of UN Security Council envoys to Washington to ask about the vote that sets up a run-off next month between pro-Europe candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

"He asked me about the elections in France," Delattre told AFP. "I gave him a review of the situation and put things in perspective."

Trump last week had expressed support for Le Pen, the leader of the National Front, saying that she was the "strongest on borders" and the "strongest on what's been going on in France."

On Monday, French President Francois Hollande urged voters to back Macron, who topped Sunday's first-round voting with 24 percent, compared to 21 percent for Le Pen.

Security Council ambassadors held a working lunch with Trump and meetings in the Oval Office as part of the US presidency of the council in April.

Trump signaled that he was ready to work with the United Nations if the world body shows that it can reform and become more responsive to global crises.

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.

During his election campaign, Trump dismissed the United Nations as "just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time."
For years, children brought into the United States by their undocumented immigrant parents have been considered undocumented and subject to deportation, just like their parents. In recognition of their unique status and deep roots in the only country that many of them have ever known, President Obama offered them some relief when he signed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive action in 2012. This policy granted these children, often referred to as the Dreamers, two-year renewable work permits along with freedom from deportation.

So far, the Trump administration has allowed the DACA program to persist. But the recent deportation of Dreamer Juan Manuel Montes-Bojorquez  plus broad new guidelines expanding the scope for detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants  have generated fear among Dreamers and other undocumented individuals seeking to build a future in the United States for themselves and their families.

As physicians, we have been hearing stories from our patients about the stress and anxiety they feel about looming changes to United States immigration policy. We grow increasingly worried that this overwhelming uncertainty may directly undermine their mental health. With stories from concerned patient as a backdrop, we decided to investigate this issue on a national scale.

Read more: Immigrants, fearing Trumps deportation policies, avoid doctor visits

We asked this question: Could removing the uncertainty around deportation reduce psychological distress among undocumented immigrants? To answer it, we analyzed data from the US National Health Interview Study, comparing mental health outcomes before and after DACA was signed among non-citizen Latinos and Latinas who met the age eligibility criteria for DACA and among those who did not.

Our findings, recently published in Lancet Public Health, were striking. Implementation of the DACA program reduced rates of moderate to severe psychological distress among eligible individuals by nearly 40 percent. This is a remarkable finding, considering that DACA did not grant amnesty for these individuals.

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From our perspectives as physicians, the DACA program is a clear win for public mental health.

What do our findings mean for current immigration debates? For starters, they provide medical evidence to corroborate new reports of increasing stress and anxiety among Dreamers who are understandably worried about their futures. Even our new president acknowledged as much in his Time magazine Person of the Year interview, in which he said theyre in never-never land because they dont know whats going to happen.

Our findings may also apply more broadly to others who hold many of the same concerns about escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric, such as refugees and undocumented immigrants not eligible for DACA. Even immigrants who hold valid visas have not been spared anxiety and worry.

Going beyond mental health, our findings complement growing concerns that undocumented immigrants are foregoing needed health care because they fear their interactions with health professionals and health care systems may jeopardize their ability to remain in this country.

Read more: Deportation harms the health of children who are left behind

The three of us swore an oath to help the sick and care for the suffering. To that end, we urge the Trump administration and other policymakers to carefully weigh the potential health consequences of immigration policy changes, in addition to the perceived economic consequences that now dominate the agenda. Taking this larger view, weakening DACA or repealing it would have untold harmful effects on health.

If the president were to continue deferring action against deportation for the hundreds of thousands of undocumented individuals who contribute every day to the American dream, this could be the signature deal of his early administration  one that Americans on both sides of the political aisle would talk about for years to come.

Atheendar S. Venkataramani, MD, is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. Sachin Shah, MD, is a general medicine fellow and primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. Alexander C. Tsai, MD, is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a staff psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
New York (AFP) - President Donald Trump vowed to wipe out anti-Semitism in a message to mark Israel's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day after his administration was criticized for past statements about the genocide.

In a four-minute taped video played to the World Jewish Congress in New York, the US leader called the Holocaust "the darkest chapter of human history" and pledged "never again" would such horror occur.

"Six million Jews, two-thirds of the Jews in Europe, murdered by the Nazi genocide. They were murdered by an evil that words cannot describe, and that the human heart cannot bear," he said.

The Republican commander-in-chief went on to pay tribute to Israel and Jewish perseverance, condemning anti-Semitism.

"We must stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism everywhere it is found. We must defeat terrorism, and we must not ignore the threats of a regime that talks openly of Israel's destruction," he said.

"We cannot let that ever even be thought of," he said, adding "America stands strong with the State of Israel."

The White House raised eyebrows on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January by issuing a statement that made no mention of the six million Jews killed in the Nazi genocide.

In February, Trump drew fire for remaining silent for several days over a spate of anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers, before condemning them as "horrible" and "painful."

When asked by an Orthodox Jewish reporter at a White House news conference about the post-election surge in anti-Semitic incidents, Trump reacted defensively, telling his questioner to "sit down."

Earlier this month, White House spokesman Sean Spicer sparked outrage around the world after minimizing the atrocities of Adolf Hitler in comments on Syria.

Critics and political opponents in the United States say Trump's rise to the White House has emboldened extreme right, neo-Nazi groups.

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One of Trump's closest advisors is son-in-law Jared Kushner, the Orthodox Jewish grandson of Holocaust survivors.

His daughter Ivanka, who is also an unpaid White House advisor, converted to Judaism in 2009.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath referred to the Krishna-Sudama story while urging people to go cashless.

By Shiv Pujan Jha: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today urged people in the state to opt for cashless transactions.

While doing so, Yogi Adityanath turned to mythology and asked people to take inspiration from Krishna and Sudama on cashless system.

Yogi Adityanath said cashless transactions were prevalent since the time of Krishna and Sudama. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that Krishna through "cashless" means had helped Sudama own a palace and access other facilities.

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THE KRISHNA-SUDAMA STORY

Sudama was the childhood friend of Krishna.

Legend has it that Sudama's wife reminds him of his friendship with Krishna and asks her husband to seek his friend's help.

Sudama, a poor Brahmin, reaches his friend Krishna's palace and offers him beaten rice as gift.

After meeting his childhood friend, Sudama is overwhelmed and forgets to ask Krishna for help.

However, Krishna, fulfils his friend's desire, and Sudama on returning home finds his hut being transformed into a palace.

The story is often told to illustrate how poor Sudama gave Krishna everything he had (beaten rice), and in return Krishna gave Sudama what he desired.

WHAT ELSE DID YOGI ADITYANATH SAY

Yogi Adityanath said the Uttar Pradesh government wants to turn all the roads in the state pothole-free and has set a deadline of June 15 to achieve the target.

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to do away with red beacons, Yogi Adityanath said that while the Samajwadi Party made VIP towns, his government has "made entire Uttar Pradesh VIP".

On Sunday, the Yogi Adityanath government, in a sudden move, slashed or withdrew the security cover of more than 100 leaders in the state.

While the Z+ security cover of former chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati was left unchanged, the security cover of Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Yadav, Azam Khan and Ram Gopal Yadav was degraded to Y category.

ALSO READ:

Yogi Adityanath compares triple talaq to Draupadi's cheer-haran, calls for common civil code

When CM Yogi Adityanath snubbed his minister for suggesting saffron uniform in UP schools

Yogi Adityanath on Vande Mataram: Need to find out ways to deal with 'prejudiced mind'

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's zeal to unveil a tax plan before his 100th day in office is raising questions about just how thorough his "tax reform" plans will be, amid signals that his focus for now is on slashing tax rates. Trump has directed aides to move quickly on a plan to cut the corporate income tax rate to 15 percent from 35 percent, a Trump administration official said on Monday. With his 100th day nearing on April 29, Trump has been ordering studies and signing executive orders. But he has yet to introduce a major bill to the Republican-controlled Congress on any topic or win passage of someone else's that he supports. He has promised a "big tax reform and tax reduction" announcement on Wednesday. Some analysts said this may consist of a proposal to cut the corporate rate to 15 percent, cap the individual tax rate at 33 percent, repeal the estate and alternative minimum taxes and cut taxes for the middle class. In earlier days, Trump vowed to oversee the biggest "tax reform" since President Ronald Reagan's in 1986, a legislative feat that has since defied every president. Wall Street analysts say Trump may instead offer a package of rate reductions, like those backed by Reagan in 1981 and President George W. Bush in 2001, which left the tax system intact. If that is the case, it is not tax reform. It is a tax cut," Chris Krueger, analyst at financial firm Cowen & Co, said in a research note. On Wednesday, Krueger said, "We will get some vague benchmarks about rate levels... with likely no detail on how to finance those reductions except for the assurance that the growth projections will take care of it." The announcement could also show whether Trump is turning away from a Republican plan backed by House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan that would pay for tax cuts with an import tax and by killing a business interest deduction. Ryan and other Republicans will get a preview of Trump's plan on Tuesday at a Capitol Hill meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Gary Cohn, director of Trump's National Economic Council, aides said. Trump's announcement, however, could be a disappointment for investors seeking clarity. "I don't know that it will shed a great deal of light beyond what the administration has already said," noted Peter Cohn, analyst at financial firm Height Securities. (Reporting by David Morgan and Steve Holland; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Dan Grebler)
The UN Security Council must be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling the status quo "unacceptable."

The comments are sure to ratchet up tensions again as North Korea pushes ahead with its ballistic missile program.

It is also believed to be preparing a sixth nuclear weapons test and recently detained a US citizen, the third held in the country.

"This is a real threat to the world," Trump said while hosting United Nations Security Council ambassadors at the White House. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve."

"The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," he added.

The United States has ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific near North Korea. The group is due to arrive by the end of April.

The Pentagon said its leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to US senators on Wednesday at the White House, rather than in the usual secure rooms at the Capitol.

Meanwhile, US Vice President Mike Pence is heading back to Washington after visits to Asia and Australia, where North Korea headlined talks.

- China urges 'restraint' -

Trump has intimated that he is willing to ramp up US military pressure on North Korea while simultaneously encouraging China to use its influence on its ally and reject bilateral diplomacy with Pyongyang.

"People have put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem," he said.

The US leader spoke about North Korea in telephone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, the White House said in a statement.

In the call with Xi, "the two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," it added.

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Xi urged "restraint" on North Korea in the call, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

After a compromise with Russia, the UN Security Council last Thursday unanimously and strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile test and demanded it conduct no more. The text, drafted by the United States, specifically mentioned the threat of more sanctions.

The council has already imposed six sets of sanctions on North Korea -- two adopted last year -- to significantly ramp up punitive measures and deny Kim Jong-Un's regime hard currency revenue.

Pyongyang is seeking to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.

- Kim Jong-Un 'flailing' -

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday called the latest detention of the US citizen by North Korea a display of muscle-flexing by the country's "flailing" leader Kim Jong-Un.

Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested Saturday at Pyongyang's airport as he was about to leave the country after a teaching stint at a university founded by evangelical Christians.

"We have said, for quite a while now, that the United States is not looking for a fight," Haley told CBS television. "So North Korea doesn't need to give us a reason to have one. And I think that they're panicking right now."
Following Thursdays terrorist attack on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which killed one police officer and wounded two others, Donald Trump made a prediction. The people of France will not take much more of this, he wrote on Twitter. Will have a big effect on presidential election! It seemed like the American president was implicitly backing one of the leading candidates in that election, the National Fronts Marine Le Pen, who has campaigned on rooting out Islamic extremism from the Republic and practices a Trump-like brand of populist-nativist politics.

Then Trump dispelled any doubt about his message. The attack, for which ISIS has claimed responsibility, will probably help Le Pens chances, the American president told the Associated Press, because she is the strongest on borders and she is the strongest on whats been going on in France. (This despite the fact that the Champs-Elysees attacker was a French citizen ensconced well within French borders.) Trump didnt explicitly endorse Le Pen. But he effectively endorsed her sales pitch to voters. I believe whoever is the toughest on radical Islamic terrorism and whoever is the toughest at the borders will do well at the election, Trump said.

Recommended: Mexicos Revenge

Its not unprecedented for the president of the United States to weigh in on an upcoming vote in another country; ahead of the Brexit vote, for example, Barack Obama traveled to London to urge Britain to remain in the European Union. (Now-ex-President Obama made his sympathies known in the current French election as well, participating in a delightfully awkward public phone call with the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron.) What was most remarkable about Trumps comments was, firstly, who he was praising: the far-right leader of a party with racist, anti-Semitic roots who enthusiastically supports Russian President Vladimir Putin and fiercely opposes free trade and the European Unionin other words, the avatar of precisely the policies to which the U.S. government has long objected. And, secondly, it was what Trump was suggesting: that a lone terrorist with a gun had the power to sway the course of one of the worlds most storied democracies and, perhaps, the future of Europe.

On the second point, Trump appears to have been proven wrong. On Sunday, in the first round of voting to elect the next French president, Macron eked out a victory against Le Pen and will now face her in a runoff electionresults that mirror the way the polls looked just before the attack in Paris on Thursday. Its too early to determine the extent to which the issue of terrorism influenced the vote. But whats clearer is that the big effect Trump predicted never came.

Recommended: The Fall of the French Left

It may have never come because, in the grim arithmetic of terrorism, the assault on police officers was minor relative to the massive attacks that France suffered in Paris and Nice in recent years (these bigger attacks did temporarily boost support for right-wing politicians like Le Pen). Many French voters, accustomed to news of terrorists incidents, may have placed the violence on the Champs-Elysees in perspective relative to issues such as the sluggish economy and high youth unemployment. Trump made no mention of the scale of Thursdays attack.

But it also may never have come because the relationship between concern about terrorism and support for Le Pen isnt as straightforward as it may seem. In the aftermath of Thursdays attack, Macron urged the French not to give into fear and not to let terrorists destabilize the country, while Le Pen denounced Islamism as a monstrous totalitarian ideology that has declared war on our nation. There is more than one way to defeat terrorism. Trump didnt mention that either.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
(PARIS) -Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen advanced Sunday to a runoff in Frances presidential election, remaking the countrys political system and setting up a showdown over its participation in the European Union.

French politicians on the left and right immediately urged voters to block Le Pens path to power in the May 7 runoff, saying her virulently nationalist anti-EU and anti-immigration politics would spell disaster for France.

The selection of Le Pen and Macron presented voters with the starkest possible choice between two diametrically opposed visions of the EUs future and Frances place in it. It set up a battle between Macrons optimistic vision of a tolerant France with open borders against Le Pens darker, inward-looking platform calling for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the franc.

With Le Pen wanting France to leave the EU, and Macron wanting even closer cooperation between the blocs 28 nations, Sundays outcome after a wildly unpredictable and tense campaign meant the runoff will have undertones of a referendum on Frances EU membership.

The absence in the runoff of candidates from either the mainstream left Socialists or the right-wing Republicans party - the two main groups that have governed post-war France - also marked a seismic shift in the French political landscape.

With 34 percent of the vote counted, the Interior Ministry said Sunday night that Le Pen was leading with 24.6 percent of the vote followed by Macron with 21.9 percent. The early vote count includes primarily rural constituencies that lean to the right, while urban areas that lean left are counted later.

Macron, a 39-year-old investment banker, made the runoff on the back of a grassroots start-up campaign without the backing of a major political party.

Defeated conservative candidate Francois Fillon said he would vote for Macron on May 7 because Le Pens program would bankrupt France and throw the EU into chaos. He also cited the history of violence and intolerance of Le Pens far-right National Front party.

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In a brief televised message less than 30 minutes after the last polling stations closed, Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve also urged voters to back Macron to beat the National Front and block its funereal project of regression for France and of division of the French.

Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon, who was far behind in Sundays results, quickly conceded defeat. Declaring the left is not dead! he urged supporters to back Macron.

Voting took place amid heightened security in the first election under Frances state of emergency, which has been in place since gun-and-bomb attacks in Paris in 2015.

Macron supporters at his election day headquarters in Paris went wild at the polling agency projections, cheering, singing La Marseillaise anthem, waving French tricolor and European flags and shouting Macron, president!

Mathilde Jullien, 23, said she is convinced Macron will be able to win over Le Pen and become Frances next president.

He represents Frances future, a future within Europe, she said. He will win because he is able to unite people from the right and the left against the threat of the National Front and he proposes real solutions for Frances economy.

Le Pen supporters were equally enthusiastic.

With a broad smile, Le Pen stood before an adoring crowd, said her National Front party will represent the great alternative to the French people and pledged to open a much-needed debate on globalization.

We will win! Le Pen supporters chanted in her election day headquarters in the northern French town of Henin-Beaumont. They burst into a rendition of the French national anthem, and waved French flags and blue flags with Marine President inscribed on them.

Polling agency projections showed Macron in the lead with between 23 and 24 percent support, followed by Le Pen with between 21 and 23 percent.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by former WellCare Health Plans Inc Chief Executive Todd Farha of his 2013 fraud conviction for his role in a scheme to cheat the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor.

Farha began serving a three-year sentence at a minimum security federal prison in Alabama after the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his conviction in August 2016. Farha had asked the justices to overturn his conviction, taking issue with the trial judge's handling of his case.

Farha and other executives of Tampa, Florida-based insurer WellCare were indicted in 2011. A federal jury in Tampa found them guilty of filing expense reports to Florida's state healthcare administration overstating the amount the company's subsidiaries spent on mental health services for Medicaid patients. The scheme inflated WellCare's profits, boosting rewards for the executives.

Under a 2002 Florida law, companies were required to spend 80 percent of Medicaid dollars they received for mental health services, and return the difference if they spend less.

According to legal papers, Tampa-based WellCare created a new unit to pay mental health care providers while retaining millions of dollars in Medicaid funds that should have been refunded.

Farha asked the Supreme Court to review the case. He said that he did not know the submitted reports were false, and that the trial judge mistakenly allowed the jury to convict him on a standard of "deliberate indifference" to the truth.

The government asked the court to reject that claim. Farha, it argued, "was convicted on a theory of actual knowledge of falsity, not deliberate indifference to the truth."

WellCare has paid out more than $200 million in settlements with government regulators and whistleblowers since 2009, according to the Department of Justice.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
(WASHINGTON) - Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, isnt ruling out a U.S. strike against North Korea if Pyongyang tests another nuclear device.

In several television interviews Monday, Haley praised Chinas involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing and criticized its leader, Kim Jong Un, as unstable and paranoid.

Haley told NBCs Today Show that we are not going to do something unless he gives us reason to do something, such as attacking a U.S. military base or using an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Trump administration has been working to rally support behind its efforts to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear program and ceasing all aggression. President Donald Trump spoke again to the leaders of China and Japan late Sunday to discuss the matter.

The White House said in a brief statement Monday that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea. Trump has repeatedly promised that China will earn a better trade deal with the U.S. if it helps to exert pressure on its allied neighboring nation.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests another missile or nuclear device, Haley told NBC: I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen.

North Korea has been aggressively pursuing a decades-long goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year alone, which would have improved its knowledge on making nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles.

South Korean officials say theres a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Haley said the U.S. is working with China to pressure North Korea on the missile and nuclear testing and other issues, including the detention over the weekend of a U.S. citizen, bringing to three the number of Americans now being held there.

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Haley said the detentions are North Koreas effort to have a bargaining chip for talks with the U.S.

What were dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now and hes trying to show his citizens he has muscle, Haley told CBS This Morning.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday blacklisted 271 employees of a Syrian government agency it said was responsible for developing chemical weapons, weeks after a poison gas attack killed scores of people in a rebel-held province in Syria. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), an agency that Washington says develops chemical weapons for the government of Bashar al-Assad, the Treasury said in a statement. Some of the people blacklisted had worked on Syria's chemical weapons program for more than five years, the Treasury Department said. The sanction orders U.S. banks to freeze the assets of any employees named, and bans American companies from conducting business with them. Those designated were "highly educated" individuals likely to be able to travel outside of Syria and use the international financial system even if they may not have assets abroad, administration officials said during a conference call with reporters. "These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. U.S. authorities, he said, would "relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities." The sanctions listings are the latest action taken by the Trump Administration in response to the April 4 chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun that U.S. authorities say killed nearly 90 people, including children. The United States says Assad's forces carried out the attack, while Assad has said the attack is a fabrication. Earlier this month, the United States launched dozens of missiles against a Syrian air base the Pentagon says was used to launch the chemical attack. President George W. Bush first placed sanctions against the SSRC in 2005, accusing it of producing weapons of mass destruction. Although the Syrian government promotes the SSRC as a civilian research center, "its activities focus substantively on the development of biological and chemical weapons," U.S. officials said. During the Obama administration, the United States in July 2016 sanctioned people and companies for supporting the SSRC, and on Jan. 12, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned six SSRC officials it said were linked to SSRC branches affiliated with chemical weapons logistics or research. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati, Joel Schectman and David Lawder; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bernadette Baum)
The BJP and Hindu outfit workers are not sparing any moment to take the law in their hands in UP and are not even refraining from attacking police officers.

BJP and Hindu outfit workers are not sparing any moment to take the law in their hands in UP

By Siraj Qureshi: Despite hard efforts of the opposition, the image of UP CM Yogi Adityanath has remained untarnished in the past month and neither has he been entangled in any disputes. However, where the opposition is failing in bringing down Yogi's image, the BJP's own supporters seem hard at work to accomplish just that.

The BJP and Hindu outfit workers are not sparing any moment to take the law in their hands in UP and are not even refraining from attacking police officers. Commoners are being beaten up regularly by workers of these Hindu outfits for no valid reasons and when they are stopped from doing that by the police, they release their power-fuelled fury on the police too.

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Whether the Chief Minister will be able to control this over-zealous Hindu mob is still a doubt worthy question, as although he has issued instructions to the police to maintain the rule of law in the state, when the police itself is being beaten up, there is hardly anything that can be expected from them.

SITUATION GETTING WORSE IN BRAJ REGION

The Braj region is facing the worst of the situations, where the Hindu activists had beaten up several police officials inside the police station on Saturday evening, setting police vehicles on fire and damaging many others, led by the Fatehpur Sikri MLA Ch. Udaybhan Singh, who the police claims, had left the spot before the violence started.

Another unruly mob of saffron-clad youth entered the Taj Mahal and held a demonstration inside the monument in clear contravention of the Supreme Court's directives, scaring away foreign and domestic tourists who had been inside the Taj Mahal at that time.

Tourism organizations have condemned this incident and demanded that those who are guilty of contravening the apex court's orders, should be arrested and sent to jail immediately, as such incidents are detrimental to the tourism industry and Agra's image globally.

So far, the police has arrested 18 out of the hundreds of people who attacked the Fatehpur Sikri and Sadar police stations in Agra on Saturday evening.

The actions of the BJP MLA Udaybhan Singh are being widely condemned in this incident as the MLA led the unruly mob to the police stations and left as soon as the mob grew violent, leaving them uncontrolled and without a leader to guide them.

Earlier, the BJP workers had misbehaved with the Mathura SSP Mohit Gupta in the support of a car parking operator and BJP leader Meghshyam Gautam, who had clashed with a police sub-inspector Pawan Agnihotri. The misbehavior of the BJP workers grew to such an extent that the SSP had to get them arrested.

An almost similar incident happened a day earlier in Vrindavan, where a car parking operator with ties to the BJP openly challenged some police constables and misbehaved with them saying that "ab hamari sarkaar hai, jaisa chahenge waisa karenge".

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Social activist Rajkumar Nagrath said that the Saharanpur, Meerut, Barabanki incidents also took place because of over-zealous BJP workers. In Saharanpur, two cases were registered against BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma.

'POLICE TAKING INCIDENTS SERIOUSLY'

Talking to India Today, UP DGP Sulkhan Singh said that the Saharanpur, Agra, Mathura incidents are being taken seriously by the police and all police officials have been instructed to ensure quick action in any such incidents without caring for the political ties of those involved. He said that whoever takes the law in his or her hands, will be immediately sent to jail.

He lamented the fact that sometimes, delayed action results in the situation growing worse, so the police has standing instructions now to deal with any mob with punitive force. The police officials have been asked not to pay heed to any political pressure exerted on them by anyone.

However, a BJP worker claimed that the party and its ancillary organizations are only assisting the police in maintaining law and order in the state, as promised by PM Modi and the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He said that whoever comes in the way of good governance in the state, will be punished by the party even before the police takes any action.

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Also Read:

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath meets Panchayat representatives, assures 24-hour power supply in villages

Rooting to go cashless, Yogi Adityanath invokes Krishna, Sudama story for inspiration

--- ENDS ---
By Yeganeh Torbati

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. State Department website on Monday took down an article it published this month about President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort which had prompted criticism from prominent ethics experts that the piece represented use of public office for private gain.

The original article was posted on April 4 on the "Share America" website, overseen by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs. It was also shared on the websites and social media pages of several U.S. embassies, including those in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Albania, as well as the State Department's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.

Although it was posted weeks ago, the article surfaced on Monday when it was shared widely on social media.

The State Department removed the article's content around 7 p.m. on Monday, replacing it with a short statement saying its intention "was to inform the public about where the President has been hosting world leaders. We regret any misperception and have removed the post."

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

The article described the history of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and its size, status as a registered historic site, interior decoration and oceanfront location.

"By visiting this 'winter White House,' Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lago's original owner and designer," socialite and cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, the article said. "Post's dream of a winter White House came true with Trump's election in 2016."

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the White House did not know about the article in advance, and declined to comment further.

Norman Eisen, ethics chief under Trump's predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama, said on Twitter that the article violated a federal statute barring the use of public office for private gain.

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Richard Painter, a former ethics lawyer for Republican President George W. Bush, said on Twitter that the post constituted "use of public office for private gain pure and simple."

Scott Amey, an attorney with the nonpartisan Project on Government Oversight, said the post may not be an outright endorsement of Mar-a-Lago, but that "someone inside of the government should have said 'no' to the story and further helping Trump make money while serving in the White House."

The "Share America" article said that in 1973, Post willed the estate to the U.S. government, intending it to be used as a winter White House for the president to entertain foreign dignitaries.

But Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter never used the property, and in 1981 the government returned the estate to the Post Foundation because it was costing too much to maintain, according to the article.

Trump, a businessman turned politician, bought the property in 1985, and turned it into a club open to dues-paying members 10 years later, it said.

The club has a $200,000 membership fee, and Trump has hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the resort. Trump's frequent visits there have come under scrutiny due to their expense and questions of how he has handled sensitive national security information while there.

Trump maintains ownership of his global business empire, though he has handed off control to his two oldest sons, an arrangement that ethics watchdogs said would not prevent conflicts of interest.

(Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Steve Holland in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Andrew Chung and David Shepardson (Reuters) - General Motors Co's bid to block hundreds of lawsuits, potentially worth billions of dollars, over a deadly ignition-switch defect broke down on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal claiming the suits were barred by the No. 1 American automaker's 2009 bankruptcy. The justices declined to review a 2016 ruling by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected GM's bid to block customer lawsuits related to crashes and diminished vehicle value because the plaintiffs had not been properly notified of the defect prior to the bankruptcy filing. The case involved a faulty ignition switch in GM vehicles linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries. The switch could slip out of place, causing engine stalls while driving and cutting power to critical brakes, steering and air bag systems. GM spokesman Jim Cain said in a statement the denial of the appeal "was not a decision on the merits, and it's likely that the issues we raised will have to be addressed in the future in other venues because the Second Circuit's decision departed substantially from well-settled bankruptcy law." Investors shrugged off the ruling as GM shares rose $0.33, or 1 percent, to $34.08 in Monday trading. The court's action allows lawsuits to proceed over pre-bankruptcy death, injury, economic loss and used-car economic losses. "Hundreds of death and injury cases have been frozen in place for years as GM wrongly tried to hide behind a fake bankruptcy," Robert Hilliard, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "Now, GM can hide no more." GM's Cain said that "as a practical matter, this doesn't change the landscape much in terms of the GM litigation. The plaintiffs must still establish their right to assert successor liability claims. From there, (they) still have to prove those claims have merit." The defect prompted Detroit-based GM to begin recalling 2.6 million vehicles in 2014. It has already paid roughly $2.5 billion in criminal and civil penalties and settlements and legal fees in connection with the switch. The company previously acknowledged that some of its employees knew about the switch defect for years before a recall was initiated. In 2015, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled that GM was shielded from liability over its pre-bankruptcy actions. The 2nd Circuit reversed that ruling. Since the plaintiffs were not properly notified of the defect or bankruptcy filing, barring them from suing GM would violate their constitutional rights to due process, the court found. "Due process applies even in a company's moment of crisis," the appeals court stated. That ruling affected injury and death cases stemming from pre-bankruptcy crashes, as well as claims from customers who said their vehicles lost value as a result of the ignition switch and recalls involving other parts. The claims could be worth up to $10 billion, according to court papers. GM, supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, said under the federal bankruptcy code, its 2009 bankruptcy sale to a new government-owned entity made it "free and clear" of former liabilities. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by natural gas company Chesapeake Energy Corp to avoid having to pay $438.7 million to investors in a bonds dispute.

The justices refused to hear the Oklahoma City-based company's appeal of a September 2016 ruling by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of bondholders. [nL2N1BR0Y6]

The appeals court said the payout was justified after Chesapeake Energy waited too long to tell bondholders of its plan to redeem $1.3 billion of their debt six years early.

The three-judge panel agreed with bond trustee Bank of New York Mellon Corp that hedge funds and other holders of Chesapeake's 6.775 percent notes maturing in 2019 were contractually entitled to a special "make-whole" price because of the early redemption.

The appeals court upheld a 2015 ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court, turning down a chance to test the limits of police use of force, declined on Monday to revive an unarmed suspect's lawsuit accusing a Houston officer of unconstitutional excessive force for shooting him in the back after he reached for his own waistband.

The justices, over a dissent by liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, let stand a lower court's dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit brought by Ricardo Salazar-Limon, the drunken driving suspect who was left partially paralyzed after the 2010 traffic stop, against the officer who shot him, Chris Thompson.

The issue of police use of force has been in the spotlight in the United States following a series of shootings by officers of minorities in recent years as well as high-profile attacks on law enforcement officers.

Sotomayor, writing in a dissent joined by fellow liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, said the court's refusal to take up the case continues a "disturbing trend" of shielding police officers from lawsuits and rarely intervening when they act wrongly.

Thompson testified he feared for his life when he saw Salazar-Limon reach toward his waistband, believing the suspect was going to pull out a weapon from under his untucked shirt, and fired a single shot, hitting the suspect in the right lower back.

Salazar-Limon sued Thompson and the city of Houston seeking damages for excessive use of force in violation of the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment. He is now a paraplegic and uses a wheelchair.

Sotomayor said the court should have intervened and reinstated the case, given that Salazar-Limon and Thompson contradict each other on what happened at the moment of the shooting.

"The question whether the officer used excessive force in shooting Salazar-Limon thus turns in large part on which man is telling the truth," Sotomayor wrote. "Our legal system entrusts this decision to a jury."

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Thompson stopped Salazar-Limon around midnight on the elevated overpass of a freeway for speeding and suspected drunken driving. While attempting to handcuff the suspect, the officer said Salazar-Limon tried to push him into traffic. Salazar-Limon said he merely tried to walk away.

While walking back to his truck, Salazar-Limon moved his hand toward his waistband and began to turn around, the officer said, prompting him to shoot. Salazar-Limon pleaded no contest to charges of speeding and driving while intoxicated, and was fined.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in June 2016 ruled that a trial judge properly dismissed the case because, given the perceived threat, Thompson was entitled to qualified immunity. Appealing to the Supreme Court, Salazar-Limon said he deserved a jury trial to decide whether Thompson was telling the truth.

In her dissent, Sotomayor noted that no gun was found on Salazar-Limon, and cited a 2014 decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said the fact that a suspect is unarmed is evidence that could discredit a police officer in the eyes of a jury.

"The most natural inference to be drawn from Salazar-Limon's testimony was that he neither turned nor reached for his waistband before he was shot - especially as no gun was ever recovered," Sotomayor wrote.

Sotomayor noted that cases involving unarmed men allegedly reaching for empty waistbands are increasing, making it even more important that credibility disputes be decided by juries at trial.

In a separate opinion responding to Sotomayor, Justice Samuel Alito suggested that the case was handled both by the lower courts and the Supreme Court "in a neutral fashion."

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Idrees Ali DJIBOUTI (Reuters) - The United States is closely watching a recent increase in piracy off the coast of Somalia, a senior U.S. military official said on Sunday as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited an important military base in Djibouti. The rise in piracy attacks has at least partially been driven by famine and drought in the region, the top U.S. military commander overseeing troops in Africa said during Mattis' visit as part of a week-long trip to the Middle East and Africa. The United States uses the base in Djibouti, a tiny country the size of Wales at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, as a launch pad for operations in Yemen and Somalia. The sudden string of attacks by Somali pirates comes after years without a reported incident. Attacks peaked with 237 in 2011 but then declined steeply after ship owners improved security measures and international naval forces stepped up patrols. This month has seen a new rash of attacks, with two ships captured and a third rescued by Indian and Chinese forces after the crew radioed for help and locked themselves in a safe room. "The bottom line is there have been a half dozen or so(incidents)," Marine General Thomas Waldhauser said at a press conference standing alongside Mattis. "We're not ready to say there is a trend there yet but we'll continue to watch," he said, adding one reason for the increase was famine and droughts in the region since some vessels targeted were carrying food and oil. According to the U.N. World Food Programme more than 20 million people from Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are at risk of dying from starvation within the next six months. In South Sudan alone, more than 100,000 people are suffering from famine with a further million on the brink of starvation. Mattis added that while the situation was being watched, he did not expect a U.S. military response to the surge in piracy. A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said international shipping companies had started to become complacent about their security, which could also help explain the rise in piracy incidents. MILITANCY IN THE REGION Djibouti is strategically important as it is on the route to the Suez Canal. The barren nation, sandwiched between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, also hosts Japanese and French bases. The U.S. base, which has about 4,000 personnel, is located just miles from a Chinese one, still under construction, which has caused concern to some U.S. officials. Mattis' visit to the base comes as the United States has been increasing pressure on militant groups such as al Shabaab in the region. The White House recently granted the U.S. military broader authority to strike al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants in Somalia. Waldhauser told reporters that he had not yet used the new authorities given to him by the White House. Al Shabaab has been able to carry out deadly bombings despite losing most of its territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the Somali government. On Sunday, a military vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Somalia's semi autonomous Puntland region on Sunday, killing at least six soldiers and injuring another eight. The United States recently sent a few dozen troops to Somalia to help train members of the Somali National Army. It is also carrying out strikes in Yemen against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). AQAP boasts one of the world's most feared bomb makers, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, and it has been a persistent concern to the U.S. government ever since a 2009 attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Clelia Oziel)
London (AFP) - A disciplinary tribunal opened a hearing in London on Monday into law firm Leigh Day for allegedly allowing false claims of murder and torture against British soldiers.

Leigh Day and three of its solicitors face 20 charges and are accused of knowing that their clients were insurgents and not "innocent bystanders", as claimed. The firm denies the charges.

The accusations revolve around the 2014 Al-Sweady Inquiry, which found British troops had mistreated nine Iraqis captured after a fierce firefight, but rejected claims of murder and torture as "deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility".

Leigh Day allegedly shredded a vital document that showed the claimants were militant fighters, which would potentially have brought an end to the A29 million ($37 million, 34 million euros) inquiry.

Head of the law firm Martyn Day along with senior lawyers Anna Crowther and Sapna Malik were present at the opening of the hearing, which is due to last for seven weeks.

Leigh Day, which secured millions in compensation for Iraqi clients claiming they had been abused by British troops, said it would contest "all the allegations made against us".

"The case against us primarily relates to allegations that were made by Iraqis regarding an incident in May 2004 known as 'the battle of Danny Boy', where ultimately a public inquiry found that many of the allegations were untrue," the firm said in a statement.

"We believe that it is essential for our democracy that lawyers can bring claims before our courts, whether on behalf of service personnel or civilians, against the Ministry of Defence or any other government entity," it added.
A 13-hour flight from London to Singapore is being billed as the longest, ultra-low cost flight on the market, officially ushering in the era of bargain basement airfare prices for long-haul travel.

Norwegian Air Shuttle recently announced plans to launch a new route this fall, which will shuttle travelers between London Gatwick and Singapore Changi Airport for as little as 179 ($230 USD) one-way.

The new route will be operated on the airline's new 787 Dreamliner aircraft that can seat up to 344 people in economy and premium economy cabins.

Premium airfares start at 699 ($893) one-way.

When it begins service in September, the flight will be the longest direct route offered by an ultra-low cost carrier. The direct flights clock in at 12 hours and 45 minutes.

It's the latest development to shake up commercial air travel.

After Norwegian Air Shuttle and Iceland's Wow Air, Canadian no-frills brand WestJet announced last week plans to launch a new airline that will compete in the ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC) market. The low-tier airline will compete directly with NewLeaf in Canada.

Another newcomer, Level, was also launched to specialize in long-haul flights. Based out of Barcelona, Level is a sister airline to no-frills carrier Vueling.

Service on the London to Singapore route starts Sept. 28.
First, the United States responded to Syrias chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhoun on April 6 with missiles. Now, it is responding with sanctions.

On Monday, the U.S. Treasury announced one of the largest sanctions actions in history, designating 271 employees of Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) as responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the means to deliver them. The sanctions will block any property the Syrians might have in the United States, and bars U.S. persons from any dealings with them.

The United States is sending a strong message, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement. He also spoke at Mondays White House press briefing, where he did not comment on whether additional sanctions would be placed on Russia, Syrias protector and benefactor, but did say that sanctions are both important and effective.

We wouldnt be doing this if we didnt think it was impactful, Mnuchin said.

These arent the first sanctions placed on Syria, or indeed on the SSRC. President George W. Bush first sanctioned the organization in 2005, accusing it of producing weapons of mass destruction.

But that doesnt mean there isnt something novel in this action, which more than doubles the number of Syrian individuals and entities sanctioned. Thats a big number  with potentially big consequences.

Katherine Bauer of the Washington Institute, a former Treasury Department official, said the sanctions send a message that the regime of Bashar al Assad is beyond rehabilitation. Thats important, given mixed messages from the Trump administration just days before the attacks, and the administrations about-face on its level of tolerance for atrocities by the Syrian regime.

Plus, the sanctions are so sweeping that they could be difficult to roll back in the event there actually is some sort of political transfer of power to put paid to the six-year old Syrian civil war. Despite the breadth of the sanctions action, there is not much clarity on who in the SSRC played what role in developing and delivering chemical weapons. If the Assad regime falls, that could make it tricky to precisely apportion blame for the chemical attacks Damascus has carried out in recent years, Bauer said.

Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The US State Department on Monday described last week's Taliban attack in northern Afghanistan as "unconscionable," but stressed America has no intention of giving up on the country despite more than 15 years of brutal war.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said more than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and more than 60 others were wounded in Friday's attack on an army base outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

"This was an attack on the soldiers as they were returning from prayer. It was barbaric, it was unconscionable, and we condemn it fully," Toner said.

Toner noted that the Afghan defense minister and his army chief had resigned Monday in the wake of the attack.

"This in no way should convey to the Taliban or anyone else in the region that the US has any intention of walking away from its commitment to the Afghan government and the Afghan people," Toner said.

The exact toll from Friday's assault in the northern province of Balkh remained unclear, with some local officials putting the number of dead alone as high as 130.

The raid, the deadliest-ever by the Taliban on a military base, underscores their growing strength more than 15 years after they were ousted from power.

America has spent approximately $1 trillion in warfighting and reconstruction in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in late 2001.

Despite ongoing support from NATO troops, Afghan forces continue to struggle to contain a resurgent Taliban and the country's precarious security situation feels like it is dangling by a thread.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned of "another tough year" in Afghanistan as he arrived on an unannounced visit Monday, hours after his Afghan counterpart Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem resigned.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis urged France to continue its fight against terror in Africa as he visited Djibouti, a strategic Horn of Africa nation which hosts Washington's only permanent military base on the continent.

Camp Lemonnier, home to some 4,000 US soldiers and contractors, is vital to US military operations in Somalia against militant groups like Al-Shabaab, and also provides support for US operations in Yemen, where special forces regularly carry out drone strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

China is also in the process of establishing its first overseas military base in the small port country just a few miles from the US camp, which has raised concern in Washington.

"I have no doubt that the French will continue to make their own decisions in their own best interest and that the terrorists will not enjoy these decisions" after the (French presidential) election, Mattis told reporters.

"They have always proven that they will stand up when it is time to stand against something like this."

The US backs France's Operation Barkhane, under which its military is fighting Islamists in five countries across the Sahel region -- Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso -- alongside African allies.

During the visit to the former French colony Mattis met with President Ismael Omar Guelleh as well as with General Thomas Waldhauser, commander of US troops in Africa.

"For (the defence department) Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley are critical in terms of logistics. They support multiple US combat command", a senior defence official said, referring to an airfield close to the camp, from which the US military operates drones.

Another senior defence official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, played down any concerns about China's base construction.

"At this point I don't see why we should not be able to comfortably coexist with the Chinese presence, the way we do with the Japanese, the French..." the official told reporters last week.

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- Chinese 'pearl necklace' -

Critics say China is trying to construct a so-called "pearl necklace" in the Indian Ocean -- a reference to various ports in which China has direct interest in operations including Gwadar in Pakistan and the Colombo Port City in Sri Lanka.

However, Waldhauser assured the US Senate's armed forces committee in March that he had spoken to Guelleh "and expressed our concerns about some of the things that are important to us about what the Chinese may or may not do".

With a population of 875,000 people, Djibouti lies on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to the Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

It has launched major infrastructure projects aimed at turning it into a regional hub for trade and services, using money largely borrowed from China.

In October, Ethiopia formally inaugurated a train line from Addis Ababa to Djibouti, a Chinese-funded project that is Africa's first fully electrified transnational railway.

China has said it wants the base to support its UN peacekeepers in Africa, allow it to evacuate its nationals in a crisis, and to support its anti-piracy activities off Somalia.

Piracy had waned in recent years, but Waldhauser said it had reemerged in the past month, with half a dozen pirate attacks recorded.

The United States set up base in Djibouti shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks to back up operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and was described as a temporary measure at the time.

But this was formalised and buttressed in 2014 when the US signed an agreement for 20 years.

France has about 1,450 troops stationed in Djibouti.
Washington (AFP) - The United States irked its key ally Turkey on Monday, criticizing 1915 massacres in Armenia as "one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century," although stopping short of calling them genocide.

The issue is a politically fraught one in the United States especially among Armenian Americans.

Estimates say the killings number between half a million and 1.5 million.

The largest group is in the Los Angeles area, and includes pop star and actress Cher, and the Kardashians of reality television fame.

Former president Barack Obama had promised to recognize the killings as a genocide. But over eight years in office, in need of cooperation from Turkey, he did not follow through.

New President Donald Trump issued a statement saying bluntly that "today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century."

Many of the diaspora landed in countries from France to Argentina to the United States.

"Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire," Trump said.

"I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many.

"We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again," he continued.

"We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future."

Amid sharp Turkish criticism for the remarks, the State Department noted that the US president, in fact, had made no mention of genocide.

"The (Trump) statement that was put out is consistent with the statements that have been put out for at least several of the past administrations," White House spokesman Sean Spicer told a briefing.

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"I think if you look back to the language that President Obama, President Bush have used, the language the President used is consistent with all of that," Spicer stressed.

In Istanbul, the foreign ministry said Trump's remarks on the remembrance day were "misinformation" and "false definitions."

"We expect from the new US administration not to accredit the one-sided historical narrative of these circles which are known for their tendency to violence and hate speech and to adopt an approach which will take into consideration the sufferings of all sides," it stressed.

Outside the Turkish embassy here, a few hundred protested on each side, separated by the road and police.

House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland said that "on this day in 1915, the arrest of Armenian social, political, and intellectual leaders launched a four-year campaign of genocide that took the lives of 1.5 million men, women, and children.

"Not only must we recommit ourselves to the remembrance of the twentieth century's first genocide but also work to prevent ethnic killing in the twenty-first century," he argued.
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone conversation Sunday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Moscow's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle to improved US-Russian ties, the State Department said.

"Secretary Tillerson phoned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko today to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to the Russian leadership that, although the United States is interested in improving relations with Russia, Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle," said acting spokesman Mark Toner.

The phone call came as the two leaders discussed the death Sunday of an American monitor with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, who hit a landmine while on patrol in eastern Ukraine.

The statement said Tillerson accepted Poroshenko's "condolences" for the death of the American.

It marked the first loss for the security body's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) since Europe's only current war broke out more than three years ago.

Russia has provided support to rebels in war-torn eastern Ukraine, where more than 10,000 people have died in a conflict which this month entered its fourth year.

Toner said Tillerson reiterated Washington's "firm commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and confirmed that sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements."

He said Tillerson also "emphasized the importance of Ukraine's continued progress on reform and combating corruption."
Washington (AFP) - The US Senate on Monday easily confirmed Sonny Perdue, the son of a farmer, as the next secretary of agriculture, filling one of the few remaining vacancies in President Donald Trump's cabinet after a long delay.

Perdue, a 70-year-old former two-term governor of the state of Georgia who grew up on a dairy farm, earned substantial bipartisan support and was confirmed by a vote of 87 to 11.

Senator David Perdue, the nominee's first cousin, voted present.

Perdue, a Republican, will take charge of the nation's food and farm programs, a hefty job in the best of times but one in which he now will have to juggle the White House's proposed 21-percent cut in US Department of Agriculture programs.

Furthermore, Mexico, which has bristled at Trump's harsh talk on trade and his call for scrapping or renegotiating NAFTA, has threatened to stop importing billions of dollars' worth of US corn.

Senator Debbie Stabenow, the top Democrat on the agriculture committee, which needs to craft a new farm bill over the coming year, warned that Trump's slow pace in nominating Perdue and preparing his paperwork shows the president has treated rural America as "an afterthought."

"Governor Perdue's leadership is desperately needed," said Stabenow, who voted for the nominee.

Two cabinet nominees are still awaiting Senate confirmation: Alex Acosta, who if confirmed as secretary of labor would be the only Hispanic American in the cabinet, and Robert Lighthizer for US trade representative.
Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court on Monday turned back an appeal by rights groups seeking to make public a damning report on the CIA's post-September 11 torture program, ensuring it will remain secret.

The court rebuffed arguments from the American Civil Liberties Union that the highly classified report, compiled in 2014 by the Senate Intelligence Committee, should be released based on US government transparency rules.

"We are disappointed by this major setback for government transparency and accountability. The full report is the definitive account of one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history, and the public has a right to see it," said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project.

The Supreme Court's decision left in place a ruling by the federal court in Washington that judged the report did not fall under rules that require certain government records be made public.

The 6,700 page report examined in depth the Central Intelligence Agency's program of secret detention and torture of Al-Qaeda suspects in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

It details the rendition of suspects to CIA "black sites" and the use of illegal torture methods like waterboarding on them to extract information.

It also reportedly deeply questioned the effectiveness of the techniques, later banned by the Obama administration.

About 500 pages were declassified for public release when the report was completed, with enough information to bring heavy criticism on the CIA and the government of president George W. Bush, which authorized the program.

The CIA has rejected some of its conclusions, and some politicians say it supports arguments for torturing suspects.

Only a handful of copies of the report exist, distributed to several government departments and intelligence bodies.

Fearing that those copies could be destroyed to eliminate any detailed record of the torture program, last December president Barack Obama said one copy would be held in his presidential library, to be built in Chicago.

Obama refused to declassify the report, but said it would become open to the public in 12 years.
Washington (AFP) - The US government put 271 Syrian chemists and other officials on its financial blacklist Monday, punishing them for their role in the deadly chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in early April.

In one of its largest-ever sanctions announcements, the US Treasury Department took aim at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), which it said was responsible for developing the alleged sarin gas weapon used in the April 4 attack.

The attack left 87 dead, including many children, in the town of Khan Sheikhun, provoking outrage in the West, which accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of being responsible.

The sanctions include a freeze on all assets in the United States belonging to 271 individuals on the blacklist, and block any American person or business from dealing with them.

According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington-based think-tank, the SSRC is Syria's leading scientific reasearch center, with close links to the country's military.

The center itself was already the subject of two sanctions declarations, in 2005 and 2007, due to its alleged role in developing weapons of mass destruction.

The Treasury said in a statement Monday that the SSRC is specifically behind the Syrian government's efforts to develop chemical weapons and the means to deliver them.

The 271 either have specific scientific expertise for the program or have been involved in it since 2012, it said.

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"These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assads horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"The United States is sending a strong message with this action that we will hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons."

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The Treasury's action followed the US military's firing 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on April 7 to punish the government and set a warning against any further chemical weapons attacks.

"These sanctions are intended to hold the Assad regime and those who support it - directly or indirectly - accountable for the regime's blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118," Mnuchin said.

The attack on Khan Sheikhun was also debated in the UN Security Council. But Russia, a close ally of Assad, vetoed a resolution on April 12 demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the attack.

Assad has denied the attack, branding it a "fabrication" by the West.

The US Treasury already had imposed sanctions against 18 Syrian officials in January. The sanctions effectively aim to shut those targeted out of global financial networks, making it difficult for them to do business or even travel.

Mnuchin said the administration "will relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities."
Caracas (AFP) - Three people were killed in Venezuela on Monday in renewed violence, raising the death toll in three weeks of massive demonstrations against leftwing President Nicolas Maduro to 24, officials said.

Several others were seriously injured and "between life and death," said public defender Tarek William Saab.

The latest casualties come on a day anti-Maduro demonstrators blocked major roads in the South American nation.

Two government trucks in eastern Caracas were set alight on a freeway by masked protesters who poured oil on the road. Police nearby did not immediately intervene, AFP journalists saw.

Elsewhere in the capital, riot police fired tear gas at another group of protesters who threw stones at them.

However, the majority of demonstrators, who numbered in the thousands, rallied peacefully.

The return to violence in the streets of Venezuela after a weekend lull was certain to further stoke international concern over the country, whose economy is imploding despite vast oil reserves.

Latin American countries and the United States have voiced concern at the unrest.

The population is suffering shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies. Riots and looting have occurred in several places.

The conservative-led opposition says government incompetence is to blame and calls the elected president a dictator. It wants early elections.

But Maduro, who has the backing of the armed forces, says Venezuela is the victim of a US-led capitalist plot.

He has stepped up a nationalization drive started by his late Socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez that has swept up plants and assets of foreign companies, including American ones.

Authorities have also curbed the power of the National Assembly, which is dominated by opposition lawmakers.

- Deaths in western Venezuela -

The three deaths on Monday happened in western Venezuela.

Saab said one man in the city of Merida, a university city in the Andes, "was demonstrating peacefully when he apparently received a gunshot."

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He said in a television interview that the slain man was a pro-government demonstrator, and added that five other people were also badly wounded in clashes.

Later, a second man was killed also in Merida. It was not clear if the victim was a protester or a pro-government marcher.

The third man killed was in the nearby town of Barinas, a source in the prosecutor's office told AFP.

The source did not specify whether he was an anti-Maduro protester or a pro-government activist.

But an opposition party, Justice First, said the man was in an anti-Maduro demonstration that was targeted by pro-government "paramilitaries." It said two other people were wounded.

The government has ruled out a presidential election this year, maintaining that Maduro will see out his term into 2018. Elections for regional governors due in December have been postponed.

Maduro said Sunday he wanted the regional elections "now" but did not indicate a possible date for those or local ballots that are due this year.

"I am ready for whatever the electoral authorities say," he insisted.

- 'No more repression!' -

The courts and electoral authorities have fended off efforts to remove Maduro since the opposition took over the legislature in January 2016.

Analysts say street protests are now one of the few levers the opposition has for change.

"We are taking a stand so that Maduro knows he has to go," said Amalia Duran, a housewife of 41 who joined thousands of protesters under a scorching sun in Caracas. Many dressed in white and waved Venezuela's red, yellow and blue flag.

"We are hungry because of him," she said of the president. "I can't find milk for my 16-month-old baby."

"I have come because I am tired of this. I went round 20 pharmacies looking for a simple antibiotic," said Yorwin Ruiz, 26.

"We cannot go on like this. I hope we at least manage to have elections."

The captain of Venezuela's national football team, Tomas Rincon, joined other sports figures to appealing for an end to the crisis.

"No more repression!" he wrote on Twitter, offering himself "to be a driving force in the rebirth of our country."

Miguel Cabrera, a major league baseball player, wrote on Instagram that his native country was "killing itself and those who have power in Venezuela are unable to do anything."

Maduro won the 2013 election by a narrow margin over opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. But Maduro's popularity has since dropped.

A recent survey by pollster Venebarometro indicated that seven out of 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro.

The government and the opposition have traded blame for the deadly violence, with each side accusing the other of trying to mount a "coup."

"Peaceful protests across the country will continue until Mr Maduro respects the constitution and ends his internal coup," Capriles tweeted Monday.

"If there is no answer from Maduro's corrupt drug-trafficking leadership, at the end of the day we will announce further action."
Residents of a village in Vietnam have released 19 hostages held for a week over a land dispute on the outskirts of the capital Hanoi.

Villagers in Dong Tam Commune, in the suburb of My Duc, took 38 police officers and government officials hostage last Saturday after Hanoi police detained four locals, according to the BBC. Some of the hostages were freed earlier this week.

The disagreement between the people of Dong Tam and the authorities has been simmering since 2015, when it was announced that villagers land would be parceled up and sold to a military-run telecommunications firm. Residents said that they have been offered inadequate compensation for the 116-acre land seizure.

Vietnams communist state does not allow private land ownership, and reserves the right to seize land for construction and other projects. Since the villagers do not technically own the disputed land, the government said the protests are against the law, the Associated Press reports. While land disputes are common in Vietnam, large-scale protests are rare, as the state severely limits citizens freedom of expression and assembly. Activists are often harassed and can face harsh punishment under laws designed to crack down on government critics.

The remaining Dong Tam hostages were freed Saturday after a meeting between activists and Hanois police chief, who promised amnesty for the villagers involved and a review of local land use.

[BBC]

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - Leaning on his crutch, Nizar picks through the rubble where the main building of Mosul University used to be, looking for whatever administrative documents can still be salvaged.

He is part of a unit of four volunteers working relentlessly to bring the university back to life three months after the damage it suffered during an Iraqi offensive against the Islamic State group.

The sprawling campus on the now retaken eastern side of Mosul was extensively destroyed because it had been used as a major headquarters by the jihadists who took over the city in June 2014.

"This is all that's left here," said Nizar, a young man in his twenties, after clambering through a hole into a gutted room that used to be the office where student cards were printed.

Iraqi forces launched a massive offensive in October last year to retake the country's second city from the jihadists and in January fully secured the eastern side, where the university is located.

Nizar and his three friends are going room-to-room, one floor after another, turning every piece of debris to find records and permits that could make resuming a university year easier.

"After the liberation, we came here and assessed the damage," said Hamdoon, another young volunteer.

"Twelve buildings were completely levelled, the other buildings had damage ranging between five and 20 percent, most of it caused by arson," he said. "Also, some were booby-trapped and have now been cleared."

Broken classroom chairs were piled up outside some of the buildings that are still standing and whose walls have been marked "safe" or "unsafe" with red spray paint.

"These buildings have a history and we too have stories in each one. Discovering the destruction was a heartbreak but I think it will return to be a leading Iraqi university," Hamdoon said.

The University of Mosul, which was established in the sixties, was considered one of the best universities in the region and the country's second learning centre behind Baghdad University.

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- Treasures -

"The university is the life blood of Mosul... today it needs support," said Hamdoon.

The youngsters' task is huge and they are getting limited help because the campus, which spreads along the Tigris, is still dangerously close to the areas where fighting is ongoing.

The jihadists who control positions on the other side of the river that divides the city have regularly fired mortar rounds on the liberated east or launched attacks with weaponised drones.

But Nizar and his friends, all of them former university employees, are dedicated to their task.

"This is our city and our university, this university was good to us," said Nizar, who was wounded by shrapnel from an explosion during fighting for the city.

"We are university employees so we answered the call by campus management to form a team of volunteers, with the hope of achieving something useful," Nizar said.

He admitted the task ahead was daunting however and said results would be limited without support from the central government and from the international community, especially to start paying salaries again.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Mosul since the start of the offensive six months ago, in addition to the many who had already left the city during jihadist rule.

Tens of thousands have since returned but the lack of services and the extent of the destruction have meant that life is only slowly returning to normal.

Foreign organisations are reluctant to start fully implementing reconstruction projets while fighting rages just across the river. Who will govern the city once it is fully retaken also remains unclear.

In the meantime, Nizar, his friends and other similar teams diligently sift through the wreckage of the institution they see as Mosul's best chance of resurging.

They dust every document they can retrieve, examine it and file it in cardboard boxes to be stored in a guarded room.

"Their work is very useful, they have found documents that are like treasures to us but unfortunately (IS) has burnt many of our archives," a university official who would not give his name said.
Vienna (AFP) - The psychedelic clouds in Edvard Munch's iconic "The Scream" have alternatively been interpreted as a metaphor for mental anguish or a literal depiction of volcanic fallout.

On Monday, scientists hypothesised that the Norwegian painter's inspiration may in fact have been rare clouds which form in cold places at high altitude.

The first version of "The Scream" was released in 1893. It depicts a dark humanlike figure clutching its head in apparent horror against the backdrop of a swirling, red-orange sky.

In 2004, American astronomers theorised that Munch had painted a sky brightly coloured by particle pollution from the 1883 Krakatoa volcanic eruption.

But the new paper, presented at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna, said he more likely depicted a rare sighting of "mother-of-pearl" clouds over Oslo.

A volcanic outburst does not account for the "waviness" of Munch's clouds, Helene Muri, a researcher at the University of Oslo, told journalists in Vienna.

Furthermore, volcano-tinted sunsets tend to be common for several years after an outburst, "whereas Munch's scary vision was seemingly a one-time experience, the way he described it in his journal," she said.

In his diary, Munch wrote of the sky turning suddenly blood red.

Mother-of-pearl or "nacreous" clouds, require unusual conditions to form -- very cold temperatures in the atmosphere, in a high altitude band of about 20-30 kilometres (12-19 miles).

They tend to appear at high latitudes in winter.

Because they are thin, these clouds are typically not visible during daytime, but before sunrise or after sunset.

"We do know that there were mother-of-pearl clouds in the Oslo area in the late 19th century," said Muri.

At least one scientist documented the phenomenon and wrote "they are so beautiful you could believe you are in another world", she added.

Similar sightings of nacreous clouds over southeast Norway in 2014, and their striking resemblance to Munch's painting, is what sparked the latest research.

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"Edvard Munch could well have been terrified when the sky all of a sudden turned 'bloodish red'," the researchers concluded.

"Hence, there is a high probability that it was an event of mother-of-pearl clouds which was the background for Munch's experience in nature, and for his iconic Scream."

Muri conceded the latest was but "another hypothesis".

"There are other hypotheses. But of course, we are natural scientists, we tend to look for answers in nature, whilst the psychologists have suggested it was inner torment that made Munch paint 'The Scream'."
Why do so many alcoholics and addicts in recovery relapse, knowing it could cost them their relationships, their freedom, their careers and even their lives?

Relapse is common, and it doesn't discriminate. Between 40 to 60 percent of people who've been treated for addiction or alcoholism relapse within a year, according to a 2014 study in JAMA. While relapse is most common during the first year of recovery, people with years of sobriety can resume self-destructive drug use or drinking. For example, in 2014, Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead with a syringe in his arm in his New York apartment. Hoffman, 46, died of acute mixed drug intoxication after injecting himself with a concoction of heroin, cocaine, amphetamine and benzodiazepines, authorities said. The previous year, the actor told TMZ he'd been sober for 23 years but had relapsed.

Inexplicable Recklessness

To many non-addicts, it's puzzling why people with substance use disorders would recklessly risk their lives to get high. Brain chemistry helps explain such behavior. Using drugs and alcohol releases dopamine in the reward pathway of the brain; dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain's reward and pleasure centers, as well as emotional responses. "This can affect alcoholics and addicts to the point their brains re-prioritize what's most important, such as eating and survival," says Dr. Marvin Seppala, chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation based in Center City, Minnesota.

[See: 4 Opioid Drugs Parents Should Have on their Radar.]

"The drug use becomes recognized [by the brain] as more important than survival itself," Seppala says. "It's almost unfathomable that the survival instinct could be superseded by something else. Trying to understand what that looks like is hard. People will risk their lives to keep using drugs." Addiction also erodes the addict's or alcoholic's prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved with recognizing problems and planning solutions, Seppala says.

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These factors help explain why some addicts are not only undeterred by the possibility of overdosing fatally, but they're drawn to it, Seppala says. In the last year or so, Minnesota has experienced a rash of fatal opioid overdoses, which were covered in the local press. The news didn't scare addicts. "Our opioid-dependent folks would say, 'Give me some of that,' " he says. "They don't think, 'I might die.' They think, "I might get high!'" About a dozen people who had been participating in the Hazelden Betty Ford outpatient program dropped out, and Seppala believes they quit the program to use whatever deadly opioids were hitting Minnesota streets.

Incurable Diseases

Addiction and alcoholism are chronic and incurable, and arresting the diseases takes hard work. No one can simply take medication and be "cured." Once an alcoholic or addict gets clean for a while, whether by spending time in treatment, attending 12-step support group meetings or some combination of the two, staying sober is challenging. Prescription medication such as naltrexone and Vivitrol, medications known as opioid "antagonists" because they block the effects of those drugs, can help some opioid users break their addiction. And some heroin users stop using that drug with the help of methadone, which can ease the symptoms of opiate withdrawal and blocks the euphoric effects of opiates. In the long run, people with a substance use disorder must change their behavior to stay clean, much the way diabetics have to be mindful of their sugar intake.

Addicts and alcoholics need to stay away from people and situations that could prompt them to drink or use drugs again, and to refrain from reaching for a mood-changing substance to cope with stress, as people with substance use disorders typically do. "Humans have a host of self-destructive behaviors; we do it with food, with lack of exercise, with smoking," says Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, professor and associate chief of general internal medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montfiore Health System in New York City. "How many of us haven't resumed behaviors we pledged to stop? Changing your behavior is hard."

[See: 11 Strategies for Staying Sober While Traveling.]

While relapse is common for addicts and alcoholics in recovery -- and potentially devastating -- it's not inevitable. Clinicians suggest these strategies to avoid relapse or mitigate its effects:

1. Join a 12-step support group. Participating in a support program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous provides a foundation that helps people remain abstinent from drinking and drug use, says Seppala, who's been sober from drugs and alcohol for 41 years. While both programs refer to belief in a "higher power," support group meetings for agnostics and atheists are available in many areas. Another option is Smart Recovery, a program that emphasizes scientific knowledge of addiction and provides tools to cope with urges to drink or use drugs and to manage feelings.

2. Surround yourself with positive people. If you stop drinking or using drugs but continue to hang out with drinkers and drug users, chances are you'll relapse. "Sobriety works best when a person can surround themselves with other sober people who are working toward a better life," says Lisa Boucher, a registered nurse in Dayton, Ohio and author of "Raising the Bottom: Making Mindful Choices in a Drinking Culture." Those people can be sober friends from support group meetings.

3. Mind your HALT. This acronym, well-known in the recovery community, means people should not get too hungry, angry , lonely or tired, any of which can lead to a relapse, says Elizabeth Chance, a certified recovery specialist in Wayne, Pennsylvania, who works with addicts and their families.

4. Learn new ways to cope. Some people in recovery experience a "pink cloud" during the first weeks or months of abstinence, a euphoric feeling of well-being. That wears off, and the addict or alcoholic in recovery must do the hard work of learning how to deal with life's ups and downs without reaching for a drink or drugs. "It's important to learn new coping skills to deal with stressful situations," says Elissa Chesler, an assistant professor at The Jackson Laboratory, a nonprofit research institution focused on increasing the understanding of human disease, including addiction.

5. Remain vigilant. "Remember that time [in sobriety] doesn't exempt you from relapse," says Anita Gadhia-Smith, a psychotherapist who practices in the District of Columbia and Bethesda, Maryland. "Anyone can relapse at any point in time. If a relapse occurs after a long period of sobriety, you will not pick up where you left off. The disease of addiction progresses even while you are sober in recovery, so you will pick up where you would be in your disease if you had never stopped."

[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health.]

6. If you relapse, reach out. People who've been sober for weeks, months or years typically feel devastated and humiliated if they relapse or slip. Rather than self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, they should reach out to someone in their network and go to a support meeting and talk about what happened, says Dr. Joseph Garbely, medical director at Caron Treatment Centers, which has facilities in Pennsylvania and Florida. "Relapse is common," he says. "Isolating will only make a relapse or slip worse." If you relapse, remember that the regimen that got you sober, including support group meetings and a sober network, will work again, says Anne Lewis, a licensed addictions counselor with Indiana University Health. "With more repetition, you're much more likely to have success long term."

Ruben Castaneda is a Health & Wellness reporter at U.S. News. He previously covered the crime beat in Washington, D.C. and state and federal courts in suburban Maryland, and he's the author of the book "S Street Rising: Crack, Murder and Redemption in D.C." You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him at LinkedIn or email him at rcastaneda@usnews.com.
From Popular Mechanics

Amidst the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Saigon in April 1975, a young man in the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF), Tinh Nguyen, peered out from a bunker at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The airfield had been under North Vietnamese mortar fire all night and more than 100 aircraft had been destroyed. But there was still one flyable C-130A (the initial production version). During a lull in the firing, it taxied toward the runway navigating around the smoking debris.

This massive plane's rear ramp was still open with a crowd of people huddling on it, and Nguyen knew he had to get to it.

"It was either leave right then or stay and get killed ."

Photo credit: Bettmann Archive - Getty Images

With others, he made a desperate dash from the bunker toward the lurching C-130.

"Every time [the pilot] jammed on the brake, it pushed the passengers forward," Nguyen told Fox News in 2014 . "It created more space in the back So, I jumped in. Everybody jumped in. And a few minutes after that, the ramp door closed..."

Designed to carry only 90 paratroopers, the Hercules's belly was bursting with far more people than that. Its lone pilot, a VNAF major, pushed its four Allison T56 turboprops to full throttle and began his takeoff down the 10,000 foot runway.

At the opposite end of the runway, the airplane still hadn't taken wing.

But in the runway's 1000-foot overrun, the C-130 staggered into the air. After a harrowing flight, it touched down three and a half hours later at U Tapao Royal Thai AB, southeast of Bangkok. On the ramp, American personnel were visibly surprised as they watched 452 people disembark. With herculean effort, the C-130 had lifted more than 20,000 pounds above its operational limit .

The C-130 has been a lifesaver during its six-decade history. It's been a death-bringer, too.

Hercules Is More Than a Name

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

With a squat stance, bulbous nose, four big turboprop engines, and massive fuselage, the C-130 cruises at a relatively modest 290 to 320 knots. Lockheed dubbed it "Hercules" after the mythological hero known for his strength and courage. The name fits the company's tradition of naming aircraft after celestial constellations, along with the P-2V Neptune and P-3 Orion.

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Compared to high-profile jet fighters like the F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lightning II, the Hercules looks like a bloated throwback. But what it lacks in sleekness it more than makes up for in heart. Like the A-10 Warthog, it's the Hercules' awesome capability that makes it a total badass. Simply put, the C-130 is a do-anything aircraft and its service record shows it. Lockheed says the C-130 has flown at least 100 different missions in its 63-year-old life, including its most recent return to the military limelight.

On April 13, an MC-130 dropped the largest conventional bomb ever used in combatthe GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), or "mother of all bombs"on an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. The MC-130's crew released it from the rear cargo ramp using a drag chute, a procedure that dates back to before the Korean War. Indeed, that conflict is where the C-130 was born.

During that war, the Air Force recognized it had no airplane capable of airlifting combat troops over medium distances to short, austere airfields. In 1951, Boeing, Douglas, and Fairchild presented alternative proposals, but ultimately the USAF chose Lockheed's design. Willis Hawkins, who would go on to design the Corona satellite, Polaris missile, and M1 Abrams tank, created the winning design and described the C-130 in a mere 110-page document. Compared to Lockheed's 2,500-page F-35 proposal, the C-130 writeup is a breezy read.

According to Lockheed Martin historian Jeff Rhodes, Hawkins' design team took the M551 Sheridan Tank , the largest piece of equipment the Army needed to airlift, and "drew a circle around it and that set the diameter of the fuselage." As for the fuselage's 40-foot length, its inspiration came from somewhere else entirely. "The basic C-130, aft of the cockpit and before the ramp, is the length of a railroad boxcar," Rhodes says.

Photo credit: Stocktrek Images - Getty Images

The YC-130 made its first flight on Aug. 23, 1954, at Lockheed's Burbank, California plant. With four Allison T56-A-lA turboprop engines, delivering 3,750 horsepower each and driving three-bladed Curtiss-Wright electric-reversible propellers, the YC-130 took off in only 800 feet.

The Pentagon had found its plane.

Whatever Is Needed

Photo credit: George Rinhart - Getty Images

Production of the C-130A began at Lockheed's plant in Marietta, Georgia, soon thereafter and the Herc has been rolling off the assembly line ever since. The Hercules has the longest continuous military aircraft production run in history, and one of the top three longest continuous aircraft production lines of any type. A remarkable 70 countries operate C-130s, which have been produced in more than 70 different variants.

"The C-130 is whatever is needed," Rhodes observes. "It's an ambulance, it's a gunship, it drops paratroopers, it carries cargo, it's a TV broadcast system, it's launched drones, and caught satellites. You name it, the Hercules has done it at some point in its career."

The Herc has served with the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, NASA, and foreign militaries and commercial operators (as the L100) all over the world. It's been an aerial refueler, forward air controller, hurricane hunter, fire tanker, Antarctic resupply aircraft, search-and-rescue platform, and on and on and on.

C-130s went into harm's way almost immediately with its first deployment to Europe in 1956, and the first combat loss came in 1958, when a C-130A-II was shot down over Armenia during a reconnaissance mission.

While gaining notoriety for its performance ashore, the Hercules simultaneously made history as the largest, heaviest aircraft ever to land on and launch from an aircraft carrier, a distinction it earned in October 1963 as part of a test to assess its feasibility as a carrier onboard delivery aircraft.

Photo credit: Bettmann - Getty Images

A year later, the C-130A began sorties for the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam. They hauled cargo, dropped leaflets, and delivered weapons on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Foreshadowing President Trump's recent Afghanistan mission, C-130Bs also dropped a pair of 10,000-pound bombs in Vietnam in October 1968 as a means of clearing landing zones for helicopters.

But the C-130 was more than an military brute, it was was one of three legendary Lockheed airplanes operated by the CIA in the 1960s, joining the U-2 and A-12 (SR-71) as an intelligence gathering tool. In 1969, a CIA-operated C-130E made a clandestine drop of sensor pallets near China's Lop Nur Nuclear Weapons Test Base to get information on Chinese nuclear capabilities. C-130B-II electronic reconnaissance aircraft operated in Europe and Japan and later C-130E models took on standoff jamming roles in the 1970s.

In one of their more surprising roles, special EC-130E Commando Solo Hercs transmitted radio and TV broadcasts several hours a night over Iraq as part of psychological warfare campaigns as prelude to the 1991 Persian Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War.

A Hawk of War, a Dove of Peace

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

Today's AC-130E/H/U/W Spooky/Spectre/Stinger gunship is renowned for its ability to protect special operations troops on the ground from Vietnam all the way up to the recent Afghanistan War with lethal 20mm/30mm/40mm cannon, and even 105mm Howitzer as well as additional smart bombs and missiles. In fact, one single AC-130 helped stop a southbound Iraqi armored column during the Battle of Khafji in 1991.

But the Herc was also central to rescue missions, whether dramatic hostage situations like the successful 1976 Israeli Raid on Entebbe or the failed 1980 Iranian hostage mission, and has saved countless lives on land and at sea with the Coast Guard. Breaking more records, the C-130 is also the first fixed-wing aircraft to land at the site of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, Haiti's earthquake, Fukushima, and the recent Peruvian floods.

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

The Hercules even helps make other planes as it served as a testbed for what would eventually be the engines of the European Airbus A400M airlifter. Long story short, saying the C-130 is a jack of all trades is selling it short.

But one important question remains: What is it like to actually fly the thing?

"Flying low level, going into dirt or grass strips, landing at little places that nobody else could get to with this big airplane is so much fun," says former USAF C-130 pilot and Lockheed director of business development Larry Gallogly. "I think of all the assault landings I made early in my career which may not have been as smooth as I would have liked but the airplane could take a beating."

And "take a beating" is putting it mildly. In 1971, for example, a ski-equipped Navy LC-130 crashed on takeoff in Antarctica . It lay there buried in an icy crevasse for 17 years before the Navy decided to pull it out and repair the damage. It took off and flew to New Zealand on January 11, 1988, and with a little more work it served the Navy for several years thereafter.

"We've been accused of making a pilot's airplane," says Lockheed Martin C-130 Chief Experimental Test Pilot, Wayne Roberts. The latest C-130J model upholds the Hercules' reputation as a sweet-handling airplane. Roberts adds that the Herc is so flexible, it can fly at speeds as low as 80 knots with one engine out.

With its digital cockpit, automated flight systems management, six-blade Dowty propellers and Rolls-Royce AE 2100 D3 turboprop engines, the latest C-130J/LM-100J enjoys one-third better range, 15 percent better fuel efficiency, and 25 percent more thrust than legacy A-H models. New features from a sophisticated heads-up display to optional carbon brakes and upcoming next-gen radar make the C-130 more effective than ever before.

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

The "J model" Hercules is taking on nearly all the roles of its predecessors. The LM-100J version will make its first flight in a few weeks, offering civilian operators the ability to haul heavy equipmentand even goatsto remote airports in places like central Africa.

The new AC-130J gunship will not only carry a 105mm Howitzer, it will have the first significant airborne lasers.

But just in case you're still not convinced of the C-130's badass nature, just ask Tim Nguyen about the hulking, do-everything aircraft that saved his life.

"This is a magnificent machine...the sound of the engines, the look of the airplane it will be in my mind forever.

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

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This story was updated April 20 at 10:35 p.m. EDT.

Tiny wooden figurines have stood upright "weaving" at appropriately sized looms for more than 2,100 years in a Chinese tomb containing the remains of a middle-age woman, a new study finds.

The discovery of the miniature scene astonished archaeologists, who were surveying an area slated for subway construction in Chengdu, a city in China's southwestern Sichuan province, in 2013. The looms may be small  the largest is about the size of a child's toy piano  but they're the earliest evidence on record of looms that could be used to weave patterns, the researchers said.

"We are very sure that the loom models from Chengdu are the earliest pattern looms around the world," said the study's lead researcher, Feng Zhao, the director of the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, China, and a professor at Donghua University in Shanghai. [See Images of the Model-Size Pattern Looms]

It's unclear when and where the first looms were developed, but archaeologists have found ancient looms parts at a variety of sites. For instance, in China's eastern Zhejiang province archaeologists found an approximately 8,000-year-old loom from the Kuahuqiao archaeological site, and a roughly 7,000-year-old loom found at the Hemudu site, Zhao said. Other looms include pieces of Egyptian creations from about 4,000 and 3,400 years ago, respectively, and Greek looms illustrated on vases dating to about 2,400 years ago, the researchers said.

However, unlike their predecessors, pattern looms are used to weave a "complex kind of textile," Zhao told Live Science in an email. Weavers used this type of loom to create patterns by stringing up the weft (the crosswise yarn on the loom) and weaving the warp (the longitudinal yarn that is passed over and under the weft) through it, he said.

Except for cinnabar-colored red silk thread and a brown thread, there weren't any textiles found on the tiny looms. However, this re-creation shows what the loom would have looked like with fabric. Drawing by Bo Long and Yingchong Xia; Copyright Antiquity Publications Ltd.

Pattern looms likely inspired people to make the draw loom  a device that can weave even more complex patterns, the researchers said.

Story continues

"[The draw loom] was then introduced to the West  Persia, India and Europe  indicating that the Chinese silk pattern loom made a significant contribution to the subsequent development of world textile culture and weaving technology," Zhao said.

Tiny weavers

The tomb chamber itself is spacious  about 24 feet long, 16 feet wide and 9 feet high (7 by 2.5 by 3 meters)  and contains one large room with four smaller compartments beneath it, the researchers said. The large room held the remains of an approximately 50-year-old woman whose name was Wan Dinu, according to a jade seal outside the coffin. (The seal was broken, suggesting that grave robbers had pilfered the grave's contents shortly after the burial, the researchers said.)

One of the small compartments under the grave held the four model looms, each about one-sixth the size of a regular loom, the researchers said. Next to the looms were devices for warping, rewinding and weft winding, along with 15 painted wooden figurines (four male weavers and nine female weaving assistants), each with a name written on them, suggesting that they represented real-life weavers, the researchers wrote in the study.

The 10-inch-tall (25 centimeters) weavers were carved "in the act of warping, weft winding and rewinding," Zhao said. [In Photos: 1,500-Year-Old Tomb of a Chinese Woman Named Farong]

This drawing shows the tomb, which consists of one large room with four smaller compartments beneath it. Drawing by Yingchong Xia; Copyright Antiquity Publications Ltd.

By studying the style of the tomb and a Western Han Dynasty bronze coin found within the tomb, the researchers dated the chamber to the reigns of Emperors Jingdi (157 to 141 B.C.) and Wudi (141 to 88 B.C.), the researchers said.

The model looms are "the missing technological link responsible for the renowned Han Dynasty Shu jin silks, which are frequently found along the Silk Road, and were traded across Eurasia," the researchers wrote in the study, which was published in the April issue of the journal Antiquity.

Editor's Note: This story was updated to say that it is unclear when and where the first looms were developed.

Original article on Live Science.

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A malaria vaccine -- dubbed "RTS,S," the first in the world -- is headed to Ghana, Kenya and Malawi next year as part of a World Health Organization pilot program. It has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives in Africa.

How it works: Young children must get a total of four vaccines -- three in three months, spaced a month apart, followed by another shot after a year and a half. This pilot program is intended to help researchers determine if they could launch a full-scale malaria vaccine program, since a complete, real-world picture of the vaccine's safety and effectiveness is still developing outside the realm of a clinical trial.

Approximately 375,000 kids between ages 5 to 17 months will receive the vaccine in the pilot program. There's evidence that all four doses block about 40 percent of malaria cases. For comparison's sake, that's "much lower than approved vaccines for other conditions," the BBC reports.

When studied, the vaccine also eliminated one-third of the most severe cases, not to mention limiting the need for blood transfusion or in-patient care for children. The fourth dose proved important, as the treatment benefits fell when not administered.

There were 212 million new cases of malaria in 2015, and 429,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. And every two minutes, a child died from the disease. The countries picked for the pilot already have malaria-fighting efforts going on (i.e. bed nets) but are nonetheless swamped by the disease. Those most vulnerable to malaria include children under age 5, babies and pregnant women.

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 90 percent of the world's malaria cases, though insecticide-treated nets have helped stop about 69 percent of the cases. In 2015, approximately 43 percent of people at risk there didn't have nets or indoor insecticide spray as protection.

World Malaria Day is Tuesday, April 25.

9 Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Who's Who at Your Doctor's Office

David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.
LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia's main opposition party, whose leader has been arrested and charged with treason, accused the government on Monday of trying to frame it for arson as an excuse for greater political suppression. President Edgar Lungu said last week he might declare a state of emergency in some areas after public buildings were torched in attacks he blamed on opposition members protesting at the arrest of their leader, Hakainde Hichilema. The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) denied that and said the arson accusation was a government ploy. "They are creating deliberate confusion to justify a state of emergency. There are no UPND members who have been arrested for arson," party spokesman Charles Kakoma said. A Zambian court will rule on Wednesday on whether to throw out the treason case against Hichilema who was arrested on April 11 in a police raid on his home and charged with trying to overthrow the government. The southern African country - the continent's number 2 copper producer - has traditionally been stable but relations between government and opposition have been fraught since August when Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) beat the UPND in a presidential election marred by violence and which the opposition says was rigged. It was the second time that Lungu beat Hichilema, an economist and businessman, in a presidential election by a razor-thin margin. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Ed Stoddard and Robin Pomeroy)
It's the classic ABCs of business  Always Be Computing.

The CEO of Asia's largest ecommerce company said at a conference in China over the weekend he believes that we're just a few decades away from having robots run our companies.

SEE ALSO: Bill Gates: There should be a 'robot tax' on the machines that take your jobs

"In 30 years, a robot will likely be on the cover of Time Magazine as the best CEO," said Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, according to a CNN report.

First of all, good news for Time that they're going to be around in 30 years. Did not see that coming.

Image: studiostoks/shutterstock

Don't freak out just yet. Ma, who is often compared to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, said that he sees a future where artificial intelligence works with people to create a better world. But that doesn't mean things are going to get better in the near term as we figure out how to work with our digital creations.

"In the next three decades, the world will experience far more pain than happiness," he said.

On the upside, Ma also predicted a much shorter work week  "four hours a day, maybe three days a week."

Business professionals, technologists, economists, politicians, and just about anybody with a job is wrestling with how the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence and complex robotics are going to change the world in which we live.

There is little consensus as to how, though there is widespread concern about employment prospects for workers in a variety of industries. Trucking stands out as one of the easiest understood  and nearest to reality.

Robots aren't just coming for blue collar jobs, however. A report from science and economic advisers to Former President Barack Obama found that 47 percent of U.S. jobs are at least at risk of being replaced. A variety of high-end jobs are expected to be seriously impacted by AI, including lawyers, doctors, and, if you believe Ma, CEOs.

For now, we're just starting to see robots out in the real world performing jobs once held by people. The most common so far is food delivery, with Yelp's Eat24's fleet of small automated robots and Domino's giving similar robots a try in Europe. Some restaurants are eschewing people altogether.

WATCH: There's now a Roomba for your lawn, but it'll cost ya
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone is a key step for the South Korean tech firm as it seeks to move on from last year's humiliating withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 over exploding batteries (AFP Photo/JUNG Yeon-Je)

Electronics giant Samsung will this week offer an unusually early software update for its newly-released Galaxy S8 phone, it said Monday after some consumers complained of red-tinted screens.

The launch of the device is a key step for the South Korean tech firm as it seeks to move on from last year's humiliating withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 over exploding batteries, which hammered the firm's once-stellar reputation.

The Galaxy S8 started over-the-counter sales in the US and its home market but South Korean users who pre-ordered the phones complained their screens displayed an unusually reddish hue.

Online images of their phones went viral on social media but Samsung denied a hardware flaw and maintained that users could manually adjust the colour range according to their preferences.

As more users voiced doubts, Samsung said Monday that a software update would fix the problem by allowing them to readjust colours over a wider range than at present.

"Samsung... has decided to release a software update starting from this week which will provide consumers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the colour setting to their preference," it said in a statement.

Samsung -- the world's largest maker of smartphones -- has pinned its hopes on the Galaxy S8 to compete against archrival Apple's iPhone after last year's Note 7 disaster.

The recall debacle cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global credibility, forcing it to apologise to consumers and postpone the S8 launch.
Project Scorpio has some great specs behind it, but theres reason to believe Digital Foundrys estimated $500 price could easily derail the 2017 console. Competitively, is it really worth it to make a console thats that premium? Between PS4 and PC pressures, here are five reasons why we say no.

1) $500 Doomed The Original Xbox One: Microsoft is haunted by Xbox Ones $499 launch price in a very similar capacity to Sonys PS3 struggles at $599. At the time when value was probably most important, the Xbox One featured additional hardware that priced itself just outside the competitive barrier. That always online stuff didnt help much either, but inflated starting cost is a major factor that doomed Xbox One from the start.

The Scorpio situation is a little different because consumers can purchase a cheaper Xbox One S if they choose, but the S hasnt changed the dynamic of the console race much because bundle prices remain fairly close between the S and standard PS4. The whole Scorpio situation reeks of $500 deja vu, and that wont help Microsoft gain traction.

2) The Pro Will Be Cheaper: It also doesnt help that Scorpio probably will be far more expensive than its most comparable counterpart, the PS4 Pro. Right now it costs $399, and it could feasibly drop down to $349 at E3 to be even cheaper for Black Friday. Whether that happens or not, you're still talking about a minimum price difference of $100. Thats a large chunk of change for the average consumer.

Its more or less confirmed the Pro wont have the same 4K chops as Scorpio, but, for $100 less, its not crazy to believe most folks might feel close to native is good enough for me.

3) That PC Problem: Causing even more pressure for Project Scorpio is the rising popularity of affordable, self-built gaming PCs. While its true a $500 console probably would offer a better gaming experience than a PC for the same price, weve seen time and again that consumers are willing to pay just a little bit more for the versatility a PC offers. Plus, the additional cost of PC hardware is largely offset by the low software prices on Steam.

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Steam_icon_logo

Photo: Valve

To make the issue more complicated, Xbox Scorpio is a product largely marketed toward the premium gamer who cares about horsepower and framerates. If thats truly something you value, chances are youre gaming on PC already. In that sense, a $500 machine just wont cut it.

4) Sonys Exclusives: Microsoft should also be timid about highballing the Project Scorpio price considering the growing catalog of stellar exclusives derived from Sonys partnerships. Exclusive games still sell hardware, and Xbox technically doesnt have any exclusives. All high-profile Microsoft games are planned to release on PC for the foreseeable future, and there just arent as many first-party efforts in the pipeline.

This contributes to Scorpios potential pricing problem because its hard to convince gamers to spend more money on hardware that plays fewer games. We need to see a considerable effort from Xbox first-parties at E3 because Scorpio wont sell without some great exclusives.

5) Potentially Expensive VR Partnerships: Microsoft hasnt officially commented on Scorpios VR beyond saying the console will be VR-ready. That being said, the general assumption is Microsoft will partner with Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive to offer those experiences.

That makes sense given that premium headsets should be compatible with a premium console, but, at the same time, the potential $500 Scorpio base cost makes the entry fee for those accessories even higher. How much can you truly expect people to pay for a current-gen gaming experience? Right now a PS4 and PSVR can be purchased for as low as $700. If VR ends up being a Scorpio-exclusive feature, that cost rises to $1,000 or $1,300. That trend is set in motion by the starting cost.

Project Scorpio is expected to release this fall. It will be revealed during Microsofts E3 press briefing on June 11 at 5 p.m. EDT.

Do you think $500 is too much for Scorpio? Do its high specs make up for it? Tell us in the comments section!

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- Ghana Armed Forces open up process for sale of application forms from April 25

- The GAF also warned the public to be careful of scorn men who pose as agents of the service

- The online application portal will be activated May 8- 31, 2017

The Ghana Armed Forces has advertised the sale of online application scratch card for recruitment into the service for the 2017/2018 year.

According to a statement signed by the director of public relations of the Armed Forces, Colonel Aggrey-Quarshie the sale of the scratch cards will commence across the country on April 25, 2017 at designated post offices.

Official: Ghana Armed Forces commences 2017/18 recruitment exercise

 The portal for the online application will be activated from Monday 08 to Wednesday 31 May, 2017. Interested persons can log on to www.gaf.mil.gh to apply, the statement stated.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Final year student tragically drowns in University of Ghana's swimming pool

The statement also warned members of the public to beware of persons who pose as middlemen for the GAF in recruiting.

The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to inform the general public that the Force does not employ middlemen or charge fees for recruitment. The public therefore strongly advised to desist from paying monies to any person(s) who present themselves as agents or middlemen with the promise to help potential recruits join GAF.

READ ALSO: People who bleach have mental issues - Second Image CEO reveals

Admission into the force services is highly competitive and has been hit with scam in the last two years.

Source: YEN.com.gh
- Pictures and videos show locals of Sogakope parading a "dwarf god"

- Many flocked to the streets to catch a glimpse of the said spiritual being

- YEN.com.gh believes the person is rather a midget with a mental issue

- Get more news on strange occurrences in Ghana here on YEN.com.gh

Sogakope, a town in the Volta Region was thrown into disarray after some locals claimed they had arrested a "dwarf god".

READ ALSO: Woman accused of being a flying witch in Kumasi

If the sentence above reads preposterous to you, it is because it most likely is.

The said dwarf god being paraded on the streets | Facebook / Icon Joseph

A Facebook user, one Icon Joseph, shared photos and videos showing a group of locals parading someone they claimed to be a "dwarf god" around the streets of Sogakope.

In Ghana, as according to local lore, dwarfs (known as mmoetia in Akan) are considered "spiritual" beings and are often worshipped by some people.

Locals thronged the street to see the said "god" | Facebook / Icon Joseph

In other parts of Ghana, they are said to live in the forest and are quite proficient in the use of herbs.

They supposedly specialize in working with nature spirits for healing body, mind and spirit and to address personal, family, social, financial and environmental issues. They can be playful, mischievous generally, or very cruel to evil doers and those who try to ignore them.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the local would think they had arrested a "god".

Natives of Sogakope claim to have captured a dwarf god, but we don't think so

However, a closer examination of the photos and video, shows that the "dwarf god" could not have been more than a disoriented midget who might be in dire need of medical attention.

But this didn't stop people thronging to catch a glimpse of the "spiritual" feat for whatever reasons they deemed fit.

This not the first time Ghanaians have cried "spiritual" in a situation where medical attention was required.

READ ALSO: Shatta Wale's son looks like Stonebwoy and Ghanaians are totally in over their heads

In August 2016, several media houses in Ghana reported a case of a "flying witch crash landing in Madina".

On further investigation, it was found out that the woman was suffering from a prolapsed uterus and slight disorientation.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Yes, homosexuality is illegal in Ghana. But no, that does not mean there are no homosexuals in Ghana as a new photography project seeks to point out.

Get more news on current events in Ghana on YEN.com.gh here

The project by Eric Gyamfi captures people with a "queer" sexual orientation who are living in Ghana.

READ ALSO: Pope John SHS dismisses two students for allegedly practicing homosexuality and initiating others

In 2016, Eric received a grant from the Magnum Foundation Emergency Fund to support the project.

According to a project brief by the Magnum Foundation, "Just Like Us aims to start an empathetic visual representation of the LGBT community, challenging the myths and putting LGBT people back into the society as everyday people by putting their humanity at the front of it all".

According to Eric, he wanted to use his photography to show that homosexuals were indeed in Ghana.

Its a way of establishing that there are queer people here, he said. Not just for the rest of the population but to provide a space for us in history.

The 15 photos and descriptions below are from his "Just Like Us" project.

1. S. meets A., her girlfriend, after work. S. is a musician and A. is studying feminism and climate change for her masters degree.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

2. Some of the L.G.B.T. community members organize a night of dance after an International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia event as a way to get to know other community members and network.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

3. O. lives with H. in his family house. She considers H. a brother.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

4. Someday, soon, Id have to live as a straight man, J. told the photographer one afternoon after school. I think about that every day.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

5. A. doing her friend I.s hair. N., the young boy who leans on I.s legs, is her son from a previous relationship.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

6. H. performing in drag.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

7. H. and his boyfriend, M.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

8. S., who is gay, contemplating his imminent marriage to a woman. His wife was selected for him by his family. I need a child, he said. My parents are demanding a grandchild, too."

Image via Eric Gyamfi

9. K., A.s boyfriend, spending a hot afternoon outside with friends.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

10. L. and N. met through a mutual friend and have been together since September 2014. L. moved out of her home when she was 17 and has been living on her own since. I try not to make friends. That way, I keep people away from my private life as their questions and suspicions never get answered nor confirmed, she told the photographer. We keep a close circle of friends who are mostly just like us. Its not the best way to live but it has worked for us thus far.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

11. N., R., and N.s nephew cleaning in the morning. N. and R. have been together for nearly two years and live together. N. is a chef and R. is a musician.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

12. A. examining herself in her bathroom mirror.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

13. H.s family making spring rolls and pies for O.s mothers funeral celebration. H. played a key role in the organization of the funeral rites with O.s family.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

14. A. and K., and little A., making rice balls for lunch. A. and K. are a couple and have been living together for almost two years. Little A., who lives in the same compound house, spends time with them when she is not school.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

15. A. after a dance session. My stepfather is very open minded, he said. I can sense that he is not so happy about dance as he doesnt think I can make a career out of it. but he is happy that I am happy when I dance so thats good for me. The first song I usually dance to is my fathers.

Image via Eric Gyamfi

This is not Eric Gyamfi's first attempt at shooting the LGBT community in Ghana.

In 2015, whiles working with an organization to end violence against queers in Ghana, he photographed the abuse victims he worked with.

However, upon showing those pictures around, he received negative feedback which highlighted how closed the Ghanaian community was to understanding the LGBT community in Ghana.

READ ALSO: Was Bishop Heward-Mills named after that gay UN diplomat?

Peoples responses, which ranged from That person deserved it to That person isnt normal, convinced him that he needed to stage a more radical intervention in how people perceived the L.G.B.T. community, and it was the idea that sparked the "Just Like Us" project.

Source: YEN.com.gh
* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati received the 2022 Adepi Award

* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020.

* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018.

* IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

* Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013.

* Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011.

2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100.

* Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010.

* Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010.

* Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010.

* Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll.

Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008.
Regarding a member of the Death Commission, the enforcers of Khomeinis decree for that genocide, Ebrahim Raisi, who is currently a candidate for the Presidential Election, the media writes, If Raisi played a role in the execution of the Mujahedins, this issue is actually an advantage for him.

Irans current regime tried to stop the release of Khomeinis decree, according to an article published by the National Council of Resistance of Iran on Saturday, April 22, because it was a direct order to commit genocide and mass destruction for the sake of belief. Further, they wrote, Any legal authority undoubtedly would consider this decree as a crime against the humanity.

State-run Afkar News wrote, Khomeini issued a decree to protect the country and the regime and to topple the PMOI. This order was actually a most significant and decisive one, as they released a document on April 18th, entitled The decisive agenda of Khomeini to confront and execute the Mujahedins.

Afkar News reported that i in this decree, Khomein stressed that all imprisoned Mujahedins who remained true to their beliefs should be executed. They quote Khomeini, Those who insist on their stances and beliefs are the enemies and they shall be sentenced to death. The sentence is issued in Tehran by the majority votes of the Messrs. Nayeri (the legitimate Judge), Eshraghi (the Prosecutor of Tehran), and the Ministry of Intelligence. Although caution is consensus, the majority votes of the Judge, the Prosecutor of the Revolution and the Ministry of Intelligence are mandatory in the central prisons of the country and having mercy on the enemies is naivety. The firmness of Islam against the enemies of God is undoubtedly one of the principles of the Islamic system. I hope you satisfy Allah Almighty with your hatred and anger against the enemies of Islam. Those who issue sentence shall not doubt and they have to be hard on the infidels. Any doubt in the Islamic judicial cases means trampling the blood of the martyrs.

Referring to the partnership of rivals, including Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha and Seyed Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardabili, Afkar writes, After the decree was issued, a three-member delegation consisting of the representatives of the Prosecuting General, the Ministry of Intelligence, and the legitimate Judge were assigned to investigate the case and carry out the sentence. The legitimate Judge, Hossein Ali Nayeri; the representative of the Ministry of Intelligence, Mostafa Pourmohammadi; the deputy of Tehran Prosecutor, Ebrahim Raisi; and the Judge of Evin Prison, Morteza Eshragh; are those responsible for investigating the case of the Mujahedins in the prison. Moreover, the Chief of the Supreme Court, Mousavi Ardabili, and the Attorney-General of Iran, Mousavi Khouiniha, also participated in making the decisions.

Afkar News acknowledged the success of the litigation movement, saying, As some judicial and intelligence figures of the 1990s entered the political and social arenas, the news about the mass executions of 1988 has hit the headlines once again, and added, As the current Custodian and Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi, Ebrahim Raisi sought nomination in the Presidential Election of 2017, while many attempted to expose his scandal in the mass execution of 1988. Meanwhile, some people even try to demonize Raisis case in the country by condemning the executions of 1988 and proclaiming the incident as a crime against the humanity. However, some reformists and supporters of the current government have forgotten that the decision-makers of those years are currently the spiritual fathers of the reformist faction. Due to a change of ethics and values, some people are desperate to condemn or reject the effective measures imposed by the regime in the first decade of the Islamic Revolution. Although these people were actually involved in the measures, they have become regretful of their past due to the time shift.

The NCRI notes that the state-run media released Khomeinis order desperately and they have confessed to the crisis of governance and the social hatred of the regime. However, Khamenei has a fear of showing and reading the document on the state-run TV channels, since Khomeinis order explicitly represents the crimes against the humanity.

Maryam Rajavi, President-Elect of the NCRI, stressed that the promotion of justice and the commemoration of martyrs will definitely make the mercenaries respond and they need to be tried for the crimes they committed.
A report in Press TV on Saturday did not give details of the missiles range, nor the size of its warhead. The report said that it can be fired from both land and ship-based launchers.

Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan, Iranian Defense chief, says the missile opens a new chapter in the countrys missile technology. He praised the missiles ability for fast targeting, and claimed it has an advanced radar system to counter defensive jamming measures by target ships.

Reportedly, Dehqan said, Equipping the Iranian naval forces with this missile marks an effective step toward increasing the countrys defensive capability and deterrence power.

The US Navys Fifth Fleet is headquartered in the Persian Gulf, where it has been threatened on numerous occasions by Iran.

Dehqan claimed, This missile and the other ones in the armed forces arsenal only serve the purpose of the countrys defense. It will only hit aggressors and be used to protect the regions peace, stability and security.

Cruise missiles like the Nasir are not covered by UN Resolution 2231, which was passed shortly after the nuclear deal with Iran was signed. That resolution calls on Tehran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.

The ballistic missile program is also not covered by the resolution, according to Iran, because it does not have a nuclear weapons program.

In January, new US sanctions on a number of entities involved in Irans ballistic missile program were put in place, and US President Trump warned the Islamic Republic that it had been put on notice and that nothing is off the table, after Iran test-fired a ballistic missile and cruise missile, both of which are nuclear capable.

A week after a US vessel was forced to change course after being harassed by Iranian fast boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran claimed another ballistic missile test in March. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which a fifth of the worlds oil supply passes between the Persian Gulf to the Indian Sea.

US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz have previously been harassed by Iran, most notably the case of Irans capture of 10 US Navy sailors in January 2016, when they drifted into Iranian waters after experiencing mechanical problems.
Fleitz writes that according to several sources, Trump hit the ceiling after the State Department sent its certification to Congress.

Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, called a press conference the next day, during which he condemned Iran as a state sponsor of terror which is destabilizing the Middle East. He also called the JCPOA a weak agreement which fails to achieve the objective of a non-nuclear Iran and only delays their goal of becoming a nuclear state.

The nuclear deal stopped Irans nuclear program for only a short period of time and left the problem for a future president to deal with, according to Tillerson, who added that the Trump administration would not follow this course and that U.S. policy regarding Iran is being reviewed across the entire government.

During a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Trump said that Iran is not living up to the spirit of the nuclear deal. He added, I think they are doing a tremendous disservice to an agreement that was signed and it was a terrible agreement. We are analyzing it very carefully and well have something to say about it in the not too distant future.

Former State Department officer Nicolas Burns, a critic of Trump tweeted: Trump contradicts State Department on whether #Iran is living up to nuclear deal.

Fleitz writes, I was very pleased to see President Trumps quick action to smack down efforts by the swamp to sabotage his position on the dangerous JCPOA agreement. While I would have preferred him saying that Iran is in violation of the terms of the agreement, his statement that Iran has violated the spirit of the accord is a good starting point.

He adds that the president should order the National Security Council to take control of the 90-day interagency review of the Iran nuclear deal. I dont really see the point of this lengthy review since the JCPOAs problems are so obvious. Moreover, since so many key national security jobs are vacant, an interagency review could be easily hijacked by swamp careerists who negotiated the nuclear deal in the first place, he writes.

His suggestion would be for the NSC to review the JCPOA itself and issue a recommendation by the end of the month, and adds that outside think tanks are another alternative  they could review the agreement and provide an independent evaluation.

He says that the Center for Security Policy (where he is senior vice-president), the Heritage Foundation, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, the Hudson Institute and the Institute for Science and International Security, all have experts who have done extensive research and writing on the JCPOA. According to Fleitz, they could provide a more realistic assessment of it than an interagency government review.

To keep his Iran policy on track, President Trump and his advisers need to be prepared for future efforts by the swamp to undermine his major foreign policy objectives. The best way to do this is to staff key foreign policy posts throughout the government ASAP, concludes Fleitz.
What a place for a tailgate party!

Palestinian newspapers on Friday condemned the barbecue as another aggression against the Palestinian people.

How can anyone barbecue with the smell of meat near political prisoners fighting for their country? said Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, which supports the inmates. He spoke at a demonstration Friday by dozens of Palestinians at Ofer prison, north of Jerusalem.

pic.twitter.com/E81MG0vZ7k Scum of the earth: Jewish fanatics tease hunger striking Palestinians fighting for human rights by barbecuing next to their prison. #Israel April 20, 2017

Momentum in a mass hunger strike launched by Palestinian security prisoners last week suffered a blow on Saturday when all of the 84 prisoners in the Hamas wing at Gilboa Prison, and two prisoners in Megiddo Prison, ceased to strike.



The break is the second to have taken place since the hunger strike got underway last week, with 100 prisoners reporting that they were dropping out just 24 hours after it began.



The latest sign of cracks forming in the unified protest, which is being led by Marwan Barghoutia convicted terroristcomes just days after 1,187 Palestinian security prisoners announced that they had begun the hunger strike.

The demands included a provision that the Prisons Service install public telephone wings, similar to those installed for criminal prisoners.



The second demand laid out by the prisoners was that Israel restore the procedure of two visits per month by prisoners' families.

Nine months ago, the Red Cross, which finances the transportation of family members on buses from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to prisons, reduced the number of family visits from twice a month to once. ostensibly due to financial problems.

The prisoners also demanded that visits be extended from 45 minutes to 90 minutes and that Israel not prevent immediate and extended family members with security-related offenses from visiting. Additionally, prisoners are also demanding that they be allowed to be photographed with their families once every three months.

Palestinian guards confirmed yesterday that Ahmed Saadat, a leading militant captured by Israeli troops in the raid, kept birds and flowers in his quarters. Western officials said that Saadat in effect used other prisoners as domestic staff.

An official told The Times that Fuad Shobaki, the alleged moneyman behind a 2002 weapons shipment intercepted by Israel, smoked up to five Cuban cigars a day and was known as The Brigadier to inmates and staff. He was also seized.

Saadat and Shobaki were very much in charge, one prison source said. These guys were running the prison. They did what they wanted, when they wanted.

I have mentioned that there are some 'Palestinian' terrorists in Israeli jails who claim to be on In a move that's nothing short of brilliant, the National Union (Ichud Leumi) youth group has been holding a massive barbecue outside the Ofer Prison. The Ofer Prison is at the entrance to Ramallah along Route 443 and is the home of many high risk security prisoners. And the barbecue is enhanced by fans.Let's go to the videotape.The fumes have the 'Palestinians' fuming reported widespread Palestinian anger over the barbecue:Various anti-Israel groups have joined the chorus of condemnation.The Palestine Information Center, a primary center for anti-Israel propaganda, called the Israelis the :Well. Boo. Hoo. ( Read the whole thing for a lot more reactions from the Jew haters and the self-hating JINOs).In the meantime, the funes are having their effect. YNet reported yesterday that 186 hunger strikers have already officially dropped out What are the 'Palestinian' demands? You won't believe them....They've also asked for more cable television channels . Yes, really. What they'd really like is to be in a ' prison ' like this one.But that prison was run by Britain and not by Israel. The Israeli Prison Service apparently still has some notion of punishment.

Labels: Ahmed Saadat, Fouad al-Shobaki, hunger strike, Marwan Barghouti, Palestinian prisoners, Palestinian terrorists
Switzer named to dean's list

BOSTON, Mass. -- Isaac Switzer of Ashmore has been named to the Emerson College dean's list for the fall 2016 semester.

Switzer is majoring in Media Arts Production. The requirement to make Emerson's Dean's List is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher.

Arango-Alzate accepted to Culver-Stockton College

CANTON, Mo. -- Valeria Arango-Alzate has been accepted into Culver-Stockton College's fall 2017 incoming class. Arango-Alzate, a senior at Paris High School and from Paris, was also awarded the Promise academic scholarship.

Taylor inducted into Phi Kappa Phi

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Brock Taylor of Mattoon was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
EFFINGHAM -- A.W.A.K.E., a health awareness support group for people affected with sleep apnea, will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Effingham Public Library.

Area residents with sleeping disorders are encouraged to join A.W.A.K.E., which stands for Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic, of Central Illinois. People who suffer from sleep apnea, and family members and friends of those who suffer from sleep apnea, are encouraged to attend the meeting. It is free and open to the public. The support group is sponsored and coordinated by SBL Sleep Disorders Center and Lincolnland Home Medical Equipment.

Sleep Technologist Rodney Wildman, RPSGT, will present Basics of Sleep. The meeting will also include free mask fitting, pressure checks and refreshments.

The National Sleep Foundation and Sarah Bush Lincoln suggest people be aware of the following six symptoms that can signal inadequate sleep. Those who have any apply should discuss them with a doctor or other health care provider:

Dozing off while engaged in an activity such as reading, watching TV, sitting in meetings, or sitting in traffic;

Slowed thinking and reacting;

Difficulty listening to what is said or understanding directions;

Frequent errors or mistakes;

Depression or negative mood;

Impatience or being quick to anger.

For more information, contact Rodney Wildman, at 217-238-4908. Sleep studies are offered in both Mattoon and Effingham locations. The Sleep Disorders Center in Mattoon is located at Prairie Pavilion 1, Suite 106, on Sarah Bush Lincolns campus. Sleep studies are also conducted at the SBL Effingham Clinic, 905 N. Maple.
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.
Lions appreciate community support

The Mattoon Lions Club thanks those who have given of themselves and their resources in supporting the club in serving our community.

We, as a club, would find ourselves in an impossible situation trying to serve our community and state and national organizations and their programs without the generous support. It is with heartfelt appreciation that we say "Thank you Mattoon!"

Lion clubs are dedicated to meeting their communitys needs. The Lions major service initiative is serving the blind and visually impaired. We strive to serve our local community first, keeping in mind those state and national programs supported by Lions which also filter down to our community.

Lions International was born in Illinois by several Chicago area businessmen in 1917 and has grown to become an international organization that is now the largest service club in the world, with over 26,000 clubs in 200 countries with 1.4 million members.

The Mattoon club just celebrated its 70th anniversary serving the community. The state and international organizations will celebrate their 100th anniversary in Chicago this summer.

Local programs that we support include MHS Project Graduation, MHS Scholarship to LLC, MMS Reading Club, Mattoon Community Food Center, Mattoon Public Library, Community Peace Meal program, Coles County Life Span Center, Sarah Bush Lincoln Cancer Center, Mattoon Light Works, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, Summer Camps for sight and hearing impaired children and adults, highway cleanup, and others.

These programs are supported by our fundraising efforts with sweet corn sales, chili suppers, and collections on street corners. We also support state and international programs such as Lions Leader Dog program, sight and hearing programs, worldwide environmental issues and disaster relief efforts; and we have recently hosted the State Walk for Sight program.

Donors who contributed to our recent chili supper were: Aramark, Mark's My Store, Pagliaccis Pizza, Walmart, Consolidated Communications, Home Depot, K C Summers, Lorenz Wholesale, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Lakeland Floral, Waldens Appliance, State Farm Ins. (Alex Kyle), KIMI, Tate & Lyle Grain, and Mattoon Printing. We say thank for helping us serve.

The Lions meet at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at Pagliaccis and at noon on the third Thursday to hear reports and plan for fundraisers. To inquire about joining the club or about assistance in purchasing glasses and hearing aids, call membership Chairman Randall Ross at 217-234-3098 or glasses committee contact Jim Arnholt at 217-234-3401.
CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- Jay Gatrell has been named as the new provost and vice president for academic affairs at Eastern Illinois University.

Gatrell will assume the position on July 1 following the retirement of Blair Lord, according to a news release EIU issued Monday.

He is currently a professor of geography and environmental studies and vice provost for faculty affairs and research at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky.

"I look forward to collaborating with the faculty on strategic initiatives as the leadership and entire community begin the important process of charting and implementing new pathways for student success, Gatrell said in the news release.

Gatrell also said he's excited to learn more about EIU's academic programs and efforts to "enhance the campus experience," the release said.

It said Gatrell was chosen from 30 applicants in a search that began in 2016 after Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs since August 2001, announced his retirement plans.

I was very pleased with the number of strong candidates who expressed interest in becoming Easterns top academic leader, EIU President David Glassman said in the news release.

Glassman said Gatrell stood out for his "outstanding professional experience and achievements," and for a high level of energy and personable approach to leadership, the release also said.

As provost, Gatrell will serve as the chief academic officer of the university with responsibility for academic and senior-level internal leadership, the news release said.

The provost also serves as the primary representative for the president in his absence.

In addition, the provost supervises and guides the work of the senior university-wide academic staff and of the school-based deans.

The release said Gatrell expressed enthusiasm about his new opportunity and said both he and his family look forward to joining the campus and Charleston communities this summer.

The release also said Gatrell is very excited about the prospects of joining Easterns learner-centered campus as it is a recognized leader in undergraduate education with a faculty that is truly committed to outstanding student outcomes.

EIU is also an institution that excels at graduate education and as such, the institution resonated with my experience and values," he said.

The enthusiasm of Easterns faculty, staff and students, as well as the care they showed for the mission and the important work that happens on campus everyday helped finalize his decision to accept the position, Gatrell also said in the release.

Gatrell said he was also impressed by Glassman's vision, the university's leadership team and its vitalization efforts that focus on student learning and serving the region and state, the release said.

The news release said Gatrell earned his bachelors degree in political science from Eastern Michigan University and graduate degrees in geography from the University of Toledo and West Virginia University.

Prior to his work at Bellarmine, he held appointments at Indiana State University and Wright State University.
CHARLESTON -- A man received prison time when he admitted to a drug offense that resulted from a search of his and two other men's vehicle in Charleston last summer.

Brian D. Allen received a six-year prison term, the minimum sentence possible, when he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.

Allen, 38, for whom court records list a Chicago address, and the other two men were arrested on Aug. 18 after an incident that included the vehicle search at the Mach 1 gas station at 702 W. Lincoln Ave., Charleston.

The other suspects also were sentenced to prison when they pleaded guilty earlier to charges in connection with the incident.

Records in the cases say 28 bags, each containing about a third of an ounce of methamphetamine, along with about a quarter-ounce of cocaine were found in the men's vehicle during the search.

The charge to which Allen pleaded guilty required a prison sentence of six to 30 years with a conviction because of the amount of methamphetamine allegedly found.

The agreement in his case included dismissal of a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver that alleged the cocaine possession.

Coles County Circuit Judge Brien O'Brien also ordered Allen to pay about $2,700 in fines and court fees as part of his sentence.

The fines imposed actually totaled about $3,900 but Allen received a reduction based on his time in jail since his arrest. He also received credit on his prison time for his eight months in jail.

O'Brien sentenced Allen by accepting the terms of a plea agreement that Assistant State's Attorney Joy Wolf and defense attorney Sean Britton recommended.

In November, Kenneth M. Ghaziani, 23, whose address on record is in Chicago, formerly of Mattoon, received a 7 1/2-year prison sentence with his guilty plea to the same methamphetamine offense.

The other suspect, Ian J. Kearns, 19, also with an address on record in Chicago, pleaded guilty in January to methamphetamine possession and to a charge alleging he lied to police about his identity. He received a three-year prison sentence.

Also according to case records, police stopped the suspects' vehicle after seeing them leave the Unique Suites motel in Charleston, which followed several reports of the men being involved in drug activity there.

Ghaziani also reportedly fled on foot from the scene of the stop and was later located and arrested at the County Market store at 551 W. Lincoln Ave.
MATTOON (JG-TC) -- The annual citywide spring cleanup is scheduled for 8-11 a.m. May 20, with trash bins available at the yard waste facility at Shelby Avenue and Logan Street.

The city reported that bins are available for Mattoon residents, with a drivers license or city water bill stub being required as proof of Mattoon residency. The site is open for residential cleanup only, not for commercial contractors. Load size will be limited to 1-ton trucks and trailers.

Residents may dispose of materials at the following locations.

General waste: Advance Disposal will have bins available at the yard waste facility for all waste except landscape waste, appliances, electronic appliances, car parts, tires, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, liquid waste, concrete, bricks, rocks, soil, or ash.

Yard waste: The yard waste facility will be open for the disposal of leaves, limbs, grass clippings, and other plant material. This facility is open seven days per week during daylight hours.

Scrap metal: Mervis Industries will have a bin available for metals and appliances, except TVs and monitors.

Tires: Neal Tire & Auto will accept car tires and light truck tires at 1800 Lake Land Boulevard. Free tire disposal is limited to eight tires per customer.

Batteries: Battery Specialists will accept rechargeable batteries at 309 N. 15th St. Alkaline batteries are not accepted.

Document shredding: Thrivent Financial will provide document shredding from 9 to 11 a.m. at St Johns Lutheran School, 100 Broadway Ave. They are accepting donations of cash or food for the Mattoon Community Food Center in lieu of a shredding fee. Coles County Habitat for Humanity will also collect electronics at the same site, but not TVs or monitors.

Regarding liquid waste, the city advises that waste such as paint may not be disposed of while in liquid form. Liquids should be absorbed into cat litter or other absorbents and allowed to dry before being disposed of with household waste.

Residents bringing debris to the yard waste facility during the cleanup are asked to line up on Shelby Avenue, entering from the west. The city will have personnel available to supervise traffic and unloading. Residents are required to unload their own material. City personnel will be available to assist with heavy material as needed.

The city will not be conducting a curbside collection. The city will provide curbside pickup for senior citizens and those with disabilities who cannot get their material to the designated sites. Those residents can call 217-235-5171 between 7 a.m.d and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday to make arrangements.

Special accommodation requests must be called in by noon May 17. Special accommodations must be at the curb for collection no later than 7 a.m. May 18.
Lincoln Industries quality director Mark Sneed is pleased to announce the promotion of John Tiller to supplier quality engineer. John most recently served as a quality technician. Tiller joined Lincoln Industries through Express Employment in March of 2014. Then, in March of 2015, he was selected as a Lincoln Industries quality technician. In this role, he was the commercial quality leader, working closely with the operations teams as well as customer service and sales.

Tiller has a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Nebraska Wesleyan. Prior to Lincoln Industries, he served as enrollment processor at Nelnet. In his new role, Tiller will be responsible for verifying suppliers are capable of achieving and maintaining quality standards set forth by Lincoln Industries. He will serve as a subject matter expert to the suppliers, as the need arises, to address quality problems to determine root cause, corrective actions, and cost reduction. He will be the primary conduit to the supplier to communicate and resolve quality issues.

Lincoln Industries is the largest and most diverse privately held metal finishing company in North America. They are a growth-oriented company who for over 60 years have been solving technically difficult problems for premium brands such as Harley Davidson, PACCAR, John Deere, Polaris, Navistar and Mercury Marine. Known for its unique company culture, Lincoln Industries has been named to the Top 25 Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work for in America List, seven times. Visit their website, www.lincolnindustries.com, to learn more.
A Nebraska farmer's lawsuit against Swiss seed giant Syngenta AG over its genetically modified corn is the first of thousands to go to court.

Monday's trial in state court in Minneapolis involving Morse Bluff farmer Daniel Mensik will mark the first test case over Syngenta's decision to introduce a genetically engineered corn seed variety to the U.S. market before China approved it for imports.

The second, which is a class-action lawsuit involving Kansas farmers, goes to trial in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, on June 5. The two cases are meant to provide guidance for how the complex web of litigation in state and federal courts could be resolved.

Mensik, who has a 300-acre farm near the Saunders County town about 50 miles north of Lincoln, claims he lost $125,000 in sales because of Syngentas mishandling of the GMO corn Viptera.

Hes also asking a jury to hit Syngenta with punitive damages for pushing ahead with the GMO rollout even though executives knew it could have devastating financial consequences for U.S. farmers.

Viptera has a trait called MIR162 that protects against pests such as earworms, cutworms, armyworms and corn borers. Syngenta invested over $100 million and 15 years in developing the genetically modified corn seeds.

With U.S. government approval, Syngenta began selling Viptera in the U.S. for the 2011 growing season. But China didn't approve it until December 2014.

Court papers show that Syngenta initially assured stakeholders that China would approve MIR162 in time for the 2011 crop. But the date kept slipping. Some exporters sent shipments containing the trait to China anyway. After two years of accepting them, China began rejecting them in late 2013.

One expert working for the plaintiffs estimated the damage to U.S. farmers to be $5.77 billion; another pegged it at $4.68 billion.

Most plaintiffs didn't grow Viptera, but China excluded their grain, too, because elevators and shippers typically mix grain from large numbers of suppliers, making it difficult to source corn that was free of the trait. So they say all farmers were hurt by the resulting price drop.

Grain exporters Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and Cargill Inc. have accused Syngenta in separate lawsuits of carelessly allowing its seed to taint U.S. corn, prompting the Chinese rejection. Those claims are pending in state court in Louisiana, with Cargills going to trial next year.

Syngenta denies its actions caused any losses for farmers.

There had been a 30 percent drop (in the price of corn) because of a record harvest well before the Chinese decided not to take any more corn, Syngenta lawyer Michael Jones said.
The Legislature has greenlighted a process that could speed up construction of the proposed Lincoln East Beltway and other major highway projects.

The change allows Nebraska to strike an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration to make state transportation officials responsible for signing off on their own environmental reviews.

State Roads Director Kyle Schneweis says it could shave a full year off the timeline for projects such as the East Beltway.

"It's as simple as elimination of duplication of efforts," Schneweis said.

Lawmakers voted 48-0 Monday to approve the change during a morning of mostly procedural votes on measures that had previously advanced through two rounds of debate. Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers sponsored the bill (LB271), and it was prioritized by Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist.

The state already conducts its own environmental reviews, but that work must be approved by federal officials for road projects that involve federal aid. Under the new change, the state could make a deal to sign off on its own documentation.

The state's work would still be subject to annual audit, but the audits would be limited to snapshots of projects and the state's overall review processes.

It isn't an automatic change. Nebraska must still demonstrate it can adhere to federal law through what Schneweis described as a "rigorous" 12- to 18-month negotiation process.

Once that negotiation is complete, the deal would apply to all federal-aid projects in Nebraska going forward.

One important note: It's too late for the measure to impact environmental reviews for the planned Lincoln South Beltway.

"Luckily for us, we're through that phase already, or almost," Schneweis said.

The four-lane South Beltway will link U.S. 77 southwest of the city to Nebraska 2 east of Lincoln and is expected to cost about $300 million. State and local officials hope to begin construction by 2020.

There's no telling yet when construction could begin on the East Beltway. The long-sought 13-mile freeway would connect Interstate 80 and Nebraska 2 east of the city, at a cost comparable to that of the South Beltway.

The environmental-review bill was one of two roads-related proposals approved by the Legislature on Monday.

Lawmakers also OK'd a measure (LB339), backed by Gov. Pete Ricketts, to combine the state departments of Roads and Aeronautics into the Department of Transportation. The vote on that bill was 47-0.

Here's a look at some other bills approved Monday:

Whiteclay task force

Nebraska will form a task force to address public-health issues in Whiteclay under a measure (LB407) by Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks.

Whiteclay is an unincorporated village with eight residents and four beer stores, which are frequented by residents of the nearby Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is banned. The fate of the beer stores remains uncertain following a Nebraska Liquor Control Commission decision last week to deny their liquor licenses.

Bioscience Innovation Act

The bill (LB641) would create the Bioscience Innovation Cash Fund to be administered by the Department of Economic Development to provide financial assistance to bioscience-related businesses applying for financial assistance under the Business Innovation Act.

Inspector general for child welfare

With the bill (LB207), the inspector general would be able to release a final report based on an investigation to bring awareness to systemic issues within child welfare, if it's in the best interest of the public. Also, no personnel action could be taken against an employee for disclosing wrongdoing or for providing information or testimony pursuant to an investigation by the office.

Poaching penalties

People caught hunting illegally in Nebraska may face stiffer penalties but could avoid jail time if they live in other states and can't immediately pay a fine.

The bill (LB566) will make Nebraska a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, which improves communication between wildlife officials in different states. The measure also increases some poaching penalties.

Immunity for reporting overdoses

People who seek emergency help for themselves or another person because of a drug overdose will be immune from prosecution for drug possession under a bill (LB487) sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld. The measure also protects emergency responders from liability if they administer the drug naloxone to treat an apparent opioid overdose.

Libertarians on the ballot

Lawmakers approved a bill (LB34) that would allow any political party with 10,000 or more registered voters to remain recognized in the state, regardless of how its candidates perform in statewide elections.

The measure is sponsored by Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, the Legislature's only Libertarian member, and backed by the Libertarian Party of Nebraska.

Tourism Commission revamp

The Nebraska Tourism Commission will be reformed to include representatives of 11 geographic districts from across the state under a measure (LB222) by Sen. John Stinner of Gering. At least seven members must be affiliated with the tourism industry.

'Cheri's Law'

Health care facilities must notify mammography patients if they have dense breast tissue under a bill (LB195) by Omaha Sen. Joni Craighead. Dense breast tissue can make it more difficult to detect cancer on a mammogram and might be associated with a slightly increased risk for breast cancer.

Radon-resistant construction

A task force will craft proposed minimum standards for making new construction radon-resistant and recommend them to the governor and Legislature under a bill (LB9) by Omaha Sen. Bob Krist. Radon is believed to be the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.

Insurance for first responders

The Legislature approved a bill (LB444) prohibiting state and local governments from canceling health insurance coverage for law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, prison workers or others who regularly interact with high-risk people in state custody if those employees lose working hours as a result of an on-duty assault.

Perinatal hospice

The Department of Health and Human Services would be required to create and organize geographically a list of perinatal hospice programs available in Nebraska and nationally, and post it on its website, under a bill (LB506) from Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston.
George Hansen

George Hansen, 68, died Monday, April 10, 2017, at his home in Lincoln. He was born at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina on July 20, 1948, to George and Donna (Eilers) Hansen, who preceded him in death. George's early life was spent as an Army brat, traveling with his family to places where the Army assigned his father. He graduated from Holyoke High School in Holyoke, Colorado, in 1966, while his father was serving in Vietnam.

George Hansen was a respected local professional actor with numerous memorable performances at UNL, Nebraska Repertory Theatre, The Haymarket Theatre, and Flatwater Shakespeare. A 1976 graduate of UNL, he was a member of Purple Mask, University Theatre's most prestigious honorary. He was a member of Actor's Equity Association. His performances in Flatwater Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew ' was listed as one of the 'Top 10 picks for the best local performances' of 2008 (Lincoln Journal Star). George's performance in Nebraska Rep's 'Drawer Boy' was listed as #1 among the 'Top Five Individual Performances' of 2009 (Lincoln Journal Star).

George held many non-theatre jobs to support his availability for acting. He enjoyed working at Eastmont Towers in Lincoln the last eight years, recently reducing his schedule to part-time. Prior to that, he worked at the Cornhusker Hotel for a number of years. Throughout his life, George was an avid Husker fan, closely following all sports, both male and female sports.

George is survived by two sisters, Nancy Murray of Augusta, Georgia and Karen Purvis of Lincoln; and two brothers, Edwin Hansen of Tarpon Springs, Florida and Mark Hansen of Lincoln; and many dear relatives.

A public remembrance for George Hansen will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, at Flatwater Stables (Swan Theatre), Wyuka Cemetery, 3600 O St., The family hopes all will join them to celebrate George's life, and share their favorite stories about him. We will always carry George's memory in our hearts. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eastmont Towers or Flatwater Shakespeare.
The father of an Irving Middle School student killed after she was struck crossing West O Street in November has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court.

Taylor Miller's dad, Kelly Miller, is suing the father of the 16-year-old girl who hit her Nov. 12.

The teenage driver told police she'd gone into the intersection as the light turned yellow and tried to stop and swerve out of the way when Taylor Miller ran into the crosswalk. But she couldnt avoid the collision. Police didn't ticket her.

In the lawsuit, Kelly Miller is alleging the 16-year-old girl and her dad both were negligent, leading to the crash and Taylor's death. The driver's dad, who owns the pickup, was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
A Lincoln parolee is back in jail after officers found about 13 ounces of meth in his house Friday.

Police were called to 1634 Washington St. after parole officers for Rick Schwisow, 44, said they found narcotics during a routine home visit, according to a court document.

Police found several bags of meth totaling 13 ounces and paraphernalia, the document says.

Prosecutors charged Schwisow on Monday with possession of meth with the intent to deliver. He faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.

Schwisow was released from prison in December after serving 10 years for three counts of attempted burglary and a count each of burglary, theft by deception and possession of a controlled substance, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.
The plan to manage spring fires in Kansas isnt protecting Nebraskans from potentially harmful smoke, according to local health officials. But state officials say they wont seek federal intervention, instead theyll continue informal discussions with Kansas.

A haze of pollution from agricultural burning in the Flint Hills region caused the Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department to issue air quality warnings three times this month. Smoke levels in Lincoln were in the unhealthy range for 24 hours during at least four days.

Smoke can cause asthma attacks, aggravate chronic bronchitis and emphysema, cause complications for people with heart disease and increase the risk of lung cancer.

The current smoke management plan is not working for Nebraska. It is not protecting peoples health, said Scott Holmes, the health departments environmental public health manager.

Gov. Pete Ricketts' office referred a request for comment on how the administration will respond efforts in Kansas to manage prescribed burns to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

Despite concerns, the DEQ said state officials wont seek federal intervention under the Clean Air Act or send a formal complaint.

Instead, the state agency tasked with protecting Nebraskas environment will continue informal discussions that have been going on for years with counterparts in Kansas.

Weve had discussions with both EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) on the need to update and improve that plan and are putting together some specific recommendations, Nebraska DEQ spokesman Brian McManus said.

McManus declined to discuss what those recommendations would be, but did say past discussions have included the topic of encouraging some burning in the fall.

The Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club asked the EPA to force Kansas officials to create a new smoke plan in a December letter to the administrator of EPAs regional office, but has not gotten a response.

Kansas adopted its current smoke plan in December 2010. Yet in the five years since the plan went into effect, seasonal burning has caused pollution exceeding national air quality standards in Kansas more often than the five years before the plan, according to the Kansas Sierra Club. Monitors recorded 17 instances in the five years prior to the plan going into effect, and 28 instances since.

Under the plan, Kansas models smoke clouds and offers dispersion prediction tools online that inform burn managers and landowners when to light fires to reduce the impact on cities, including Lincoln and Omaha.

The plan's recommendations are entirely voluntary, said Craig Volland, chair of the Kansas Sierra Club chapters Air Quality Committee.

Kansas ranchers burn in the spring -- generally from the first week in March through the third week of April -- because four-decade-old research showed it makes for a more nutritious grass that helps cattle put on weight, which means the animals are worth more money.

But more recent research from Oklahoma State University showed benefits for burning during all seasons rather than just during the traditional time period. Critics say Kansas should take more recent research into account.

In an email Wednesday, EPA officials said they appreciate input on protecting peoples health and the environment but also emphasized the benefits of prescribed burns in helping to control invasive species like red cedar, managing prairie ecosystems and getting rid of brush and dried grass that otherwise could fuel wildfires.

The Sierra Club and Nebraska officials agree controlled burns have benefit, but the problem arises when too many burns happen at once, sending thick clouds of smoke into densely populated areas.

Lincoln on one spring day in 2014 had the worst air quality in the nation because of Kansas burns.

That year was particularly bad, Holmes said. Kansans had done minimal burning the two years prior -- 706,000 acres in 2012 and 217,000 acres in 2013 -- due to severe drought causing dangerous wildfire conditions.

Then in 2014 they burned 2.5 million acres in the Kansas Flint Hills chock-full of fuel saved up over the past couple of years.

The 2014 pollution provoked a meeting between Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and federal officials.

Since then, Kansas has included Lincoln and Omaha in its modeling of smoke and notified Nebraska officials when smoke blowing north could impact the state.

About 1.9 million acres were burned in 2015 and 2.7 million in 2016. The burn season is not done yet this year.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment says its data shows the state is in compliance with ambient air quality standards for smoke generated from burning and will work with the EPA to determine how any new standards will apply.

"The current Kansas Smoke Management Plan was developed in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas ranchers and the EPA and has worked well in helping us meet ambient air quality standards," department spokeswoman Kara Titus said in an email. She said the department is required to monitor the ambient air quality within the state and determine if the air quality is in compliance with national standards.

Kansas state officials plan to meet with various groups once the prescribed burning season has ended to review and discuss any possible improvements to its mitigation plan, Titus said.
WASHINGTON -- Before he joined the Supreme Court a decade ago, John Roberts proclaimed what he called "the cardinal rule of judicial restraint: If it is not necessary to decide more, it is necessary not to decide more."

But as he heard arguments Wednesday in this term's much anticipated church-state case, the chief justice seemed to be practicing a different rule from the one he preached: More is more.

Restraint was in short supply during oral arguments in the Trinity Lutheran Church case at the high court. It was a manufactured controversy, cooked up by conservative interest groups that are hoping to chip away at constitutional provisions in 39 states restricting taxpayer money from going to churches. In this case, it wasn't only unnecessary to decide more -- it was unnecessary to decide it at all.

It wasn't a big deal to start with: A preschool in Missouri had applied for a state grant in 2012 to repave its playground with flooring made from old tires. The state rated the application highly but denied the grant because the school was run by a church. The church sued.

The complaint became irrelevant last week when the state's new governor, Eric Greitens, reversed Missouri's position and said he would allow religious organizations to compete for such grants. The lawyer hired by the state, James Layton, suddenly found himself arguing the position opposite of those who hired him.

The case would seem to meet the dictionary definition of moot, as in, "deprived of practical significance." Some justices thought so.

"Why isn't the case moot?" Stephen Breyer asked, adding that the governor "said he's going to give you the grants."

Sonia Sotomayor asked Layton: If representatives of the state "are not willing to fight this case, are they manufacturing adversity by appointing you?"

The short answer: Yes.

In front of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Concerned Women for America, a conservative group, was displaying balloons and signs proclaiming "Every Child's Safety Matters." Said Annette Kiehne, the Trinity Lutheran preschool director, "This is about keeping our kids safe, wherever they play."

But it really wasn't about that. It was about interest groups whose business model depends on perpetuating the culture wars trying to frighten people into thinking Christianity is under siege. It was a springtime version of the annual "war on Christmas."

Michael Farris, CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Trinity in the case, was fairly straightforward about his motives, telling reporters in the plaza that "there's a broad concern among religious people in this country that we're becoming second-class citizens."

But if this supposed assault on Christianity is real, it has been going on for a long time. Opponents of the church-state language in state constitutions correctly say that these "Blaine Amendments" were shaped by anti-Catholic bigotry in the late 19th century. But their roots go back to the founding. Layton told the justices that Missouri in 1820 adopted language based on Thomas Jefferson's 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which said that "no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever."

What has changed now? Nothing -- except the rise of interest groups (on both sides) that justify their existence and boost their fundraising with such controversies. The goal this time: to roll back restrictions on public money going to churches. An article in the conservative National Review argued that "a victory for Trinity Lutheran would fundamentally alter the landscape of school choice."

Arguing for Trinity, David Cortman offered reasons the justices need to rule even though there isn't an actual dispute in this case: The governor could change his mind, or state courts could knock down the governor's new policy. Eventually, though, he admitted that "why we're here in the first place is the Missouri state constitutional provision" -- the one saying no public money may be used "in aid of any church."

So that's what it's about: Invalidating dozens of state constitutional provisions keeping public money out of churches. "There are 39 states with constitutional amendments like the one Missouri has. That's a history," Sotomayor said. "And the essence of that history is, basically, we don't want  the vast majority of states to fund houses of worship."

Justice Samuel Alito, in retort to Sotomayor, disputed the idea that the Missouri amendment "reflects an admirable historical tradition that should be respected."

No, anti-Catholicism wasn't admirable, but the American tradition that the government doesn't give cash to churches is venerable. A restrained judiciary wouldn't upend that tradition because of a manufactured conflict over a playground.
Four of eastern Nebraskas most accomplished saxophone players who perform under the name of Group Sax will close out this seasons First Friday jazz concert series May 5 in the First Lutheran Church Activity Center, 1551 S. 70th St.

The group consists of Ed Love, Mark Benson, Paul Haar and Scott Vicroy, who serve as the nucleus of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra sax section. Lifted out of the orchestra, their focus is contemporary jazz literature, performing original arrangements of standard and not-so-standard jazz tunes.

The concert is 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is no admission fee, but donations are encouraged to help defray concert costs. Lunch will be available for purchase, or guests may bring their own. Guests are also encouraged to bring non-perishable foods for the church food pantry.

About the quartet

Ed Love has served as music director of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra since 1979 and has been a key player in the Lincoln and Omaha music scene for many years. Mark Benson teaches music in the Bellevue public schools and is an active freelance musician in eastern Nebraska. Paul Haar is a faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is recognized as one of the most versatile saxophonists in todays musical scene. Scott Vicroy is a band director with the Lincoln Public Schools and has been a freelance woodwind performer in the Lincoln and Omaha area for over 30 years.

This unique saxophone ensemble was formed in 1995 and was inspired by the music of Bobby Watsons 29th Street Sax Quartet, the British sax group, Itchy Fingers, and The World Sax Quartet.

First Friday Jazz at First Lutheran will return Oct. 6 for an eighth season of monthly concerts.
GREEN BAY  Marsha Loritz is still heartbroken over the sudden and unexplained disappearance of her mother, Victoria Prokopovitz, four years ago.

But beyond the grief, Loritz remains committed to finding out what happened to her mother, who went missing on April 25, 2013. Prokopovitz was living in the Brown County community of Pittsfield when she vanished.

You cant ever give up hope, said Loritz of Green Bay. There are answers out there, and we cant stop searching.

As part of her search effort, Loritz is again coordinating a billboard campaign in April that features information on missing persons  including her mother  throughout the state.

The billboards also feature several Fox Valley cases, including Laurie Depies, who disappeared in 1992 from a Town of Menasha (now known as Fox Crossing) apartment complex; Andy Lathrop of the Fox Crossing, who vanished in August 2015 while teaching English in Hakodate, Japan; and John Lee, an Appleton man who went missing on June 21, 2015.

Seven billboards  one in Appleton, three in Green Bay, one in Door County and two in Milwaukee  began featuring information on 176 missing people on April 1 and will continue until the end of the month. This is the second year of the program, and Lamar Advertising is donating the use of the billboards.

The hope is that someone will see something familiar on the billboards and report details to authorities.

Even though the billboards may not result in the discovery of a missing person, Loritz says the effort is worthwhile. She added that a Missing Persons Awareness Event will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 at the Brown County Sheriffs Office.

Even if this doesnt bring us answers, its a reminder that this many people are missing, she said. Im devastated that we dont have answers about my mom. The pain doesnt get any easier. If I didnt do this, I would be sulking.

The billboard project has strong support from Jason Weber, community liaison officer with the Fox Crossing Police Department.

I think the billboards are an excellent tool to keep these cases alive, he said. These electronic billboards have such a great potential to reach so many people. There is no doubt that someone  somewhere  has info on any one of these cases that may very well solve them.

Any way we can keep those messages out there, hopefully that leads someone to come forward.
RACINE  After losing to incumbent Racine Unified School Board member Don Nielsen in spring 2016 in a special election, Brian OConnell took another shot at running for the board this spring. He ran unopposed in the April 4 election and won the 7th District seat.

OConnell is scheduled to be sworn in at 5 p.m. today as the newest School Board member.

OConnell was the City of Racines director of city development from 2001 to 2015 and believes the reputation of the city and the school district are linked.

We have a good school district, OConnell said. Your kid can get a good education here.

A native of New York City, OConnell graduated from Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before working for the City of Milwaukee for almost 25 years.

OConnell said the district has challenges, particularly regarding the grade from the state Department of Public Instruction of fails to meet expectations.

The good news is the district was already putting some innovations and reforms in place to change that, OConnell said. I think they were probably close to getting results that would change, it but it didnt happen.

OConnell said he supports the Academies of Racine, the new career-path program in place for district high school students, and block scheduling in the high schools; he said he believes those will improve the district.

The programs that the district has been pursuing, I think, provide better training for students and I expect it will produce better results, OConnell said. Well see. The test scores will tell the tale.

For the past two years, OConnell and his wife, Linda, have been tutors in the Schools of Hope program, sponsored by United Way of Racine County. Last year, they tutored at Roosevelt Elementary, 915 Romayne Ave. This year theyre at Wadewitz Elementary, 2700 Yout St.

Its one-on-one reading with students who are in the middle of the pack, OConnell said, adding he checks the students vocabulary and reading comprehension. Its one-on-one attention that students wouldnt have received otherwise.

Big issues

OConnell has already been attending the School Board meetings as a member of the community. But after hes sworn in, the board will be voting on major issues, including a resolution to designate the Racine Unified School District a safe zone for immigrant students.

Such a resolution was recently passed by the Milwaukee Public Schools Board and immigrant advocates have been pushing for something similar in Racine.

I read the resolution  I wont support the resolution, OConnell said. He said the principles that it advocates are essentially already in place, and as a result the resolution has no effect.

Right now, student information is kept confidential. The bigger challenge is to reassure the students of that fact, OConnell said. There are a lot of protections for students today.

OConnell said there might be a need to have something like a safe zone in the greater Racine area.

They (students) may be under threat outside of schools, I wont minimize that, OConnell said. But when you come to the schools, that threat, right now, isnt there.

School construction

Also on the agenda for tonights School Board meeting are votes on construction projects going on at Case and Horlick high schools.

Given his years of working on development and budgets for Racine, OConnell believes hell have an advantage in that area and will focus on the ways to improve the district.

The capital improvements at Horlick this time around are in the science labs. I think thats critical to advancing those objectives, OConnell said. My son went to Horlick. Ive been through that building. That building needs a little (tender loving care). Thats one I can easily support.
In the south-central and southwestern regions of Wisconsin, the percentage of deer testing positive for chronic wasting disease surpassed 10 percent for the second straight year. Meanwhile, the number of deer testing positive for CWD reached a record high in the Badger State.

If youre wondering why the state Department of Natural Resources didnt announce such alarming results, well, the DNR doesnt seem to be in the business of keeping hunters fully informed these days.

As Patrick Durkin pointed out in an April 17 report for the Wisconsin State Journal, the DNR news release said CWD samples nearly doubled in 2016  thank you hunters!

We agree with Durkin that hunters should be commended for submitting 6,095 deer for chronic wasting disease tests during 2016s hunting seasons. Clearly, there is interest among hunters in gathering evidence of CWD.

That number  6,095  is nearly double the record-low 3,138 deer hunters provided in 2015. But the DNRs news release is woefully short on perspective. The 2016 sampling effort ranks fourth from the bottom of 15 annual assessments done since 2001.

The news release also mentioned 447 deer tested CWD-positive in 2016. But a raw number is useless without context: Is it a high number? A low number? Whats the percentage difference from the last time a measurement was taken?

What the DNR did not say, but Durkin did, is that 447 is a record high. Its 90 deer, or 25 percent more, than the previous high, 357 in 2013, even though the DNR tested 567 fewer deer than the 6,662 tested in 2013.

The DNR notes that most sick deer came from Wisconsins southern farmland zone. But CWD rates again set records across that zone, which covers much of south-central to southwestern Wisconsin. Of 3,730 deer that hunters submitted for testing there, 442  12 percent  were infected. Thats two straight years the zones infection rate hit double digits. In 2015, 296 of its 2,162 samples had CWD, or 13.7 percent.

Further perspective: When Scott Walker was elected governor in November 2010, partly on the promise of improving Wisconsins deer hunting, the southern farmlands infection rate was 3 percent. Meaning that the CWD rate in that area has quadrupled during Walkers administration.

If youre a deer hunter, dont you want the DNR to keep you informed as to whether the deer you harvest can be eaten? Under DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp, that has not been the case. Stepp wont let her staff testify in the Capitol about CWD, and her communications office that wont publicly discuss CWDs impact on Wisconsins deer herd and its hunting heritage.

Durkin reported that former DNR wildlife chief Tom Hauge said the Walker/Stepp team made it clear to him that CWD was bad news, and to share only basic facts, not analysis.

They viewed news about CWD as a wet blanket on deer hunting and the fun associated with it, said Hauge, who retired in October after a 37-year DNR career, including the final 25 as wildlife bureau director. It was frustrating at times. During the first two-thirds of my career, we routinely had an open door for sharing information. We viewed it as part of the public trust, and transparency was part of the trustees role.

But communications now are tightly controlled, he continued. (DNR administrators) have rules of engagement for handling statewide media. They come up with their talking points, and you better follow them. Its as if the DNRs the corporate world, not a public agency.

We believe the DNR, as a state agency, should be serving all of Wisconsins residents, and that certainly includes the thousands who put on blaze orange every November and head out in pursuit of that trophy buck. We believe the states deer hunters deserve better service than theyve been receiving from the DNR, that the agencys activities should be transparent. Maintaining public trust is about keeping Wisconsinites informed, not talking points.

As to whether, this fall, you can eat the results of your successful hunt? Cross your fingers and hope your venison doesnt come with a side of CWD.
Disarming the Victim - The Latest Shots

in the Democrat's War on Women

By Rob Morse. April 18th, 2017

Article Source

So let me get this straight. A man murdered his estranged wife and an innocent student in a California school. We are so desperate to ignore our own responsibility for self-defense that we blame anything and anyone but the murderer. We blame the victims, and we disarm people whove been attacked and received restraining orders against their attacker. Politicians across the country blamed the victim and the gun. Lets stop pretending that laws stop murderers. Self-defense stops murderers.

Gun control failed again. In the recent California case, the murderer was convicted of domestic abuse. He had a history of drug use, yet he got a gun illegally. Yes, you read that right. A criminal got a gun he wasnt legally allowed to carry in the gun-control-heaven of southern California. Californias system of universal background checks failed again.

If you were shocked that drug and gun prohibition failed, then hang on because that was just the beginning. The murderer then illegally concealed the handgun in public. He illegally transported the firearm in his car. The armed murderer illegally crossed into a 1000 foot gun free school zone. He illegally brought the gun onto school property. He illegally brought ammunition onto school property also. The murderer then illegally discharged the handgun on school property, several times. He illegally murdered his estranged wife. He illegally killed one young student and injured another child who was hiding behind his wife. He then killed himself.

If you watched the extensive news coverage of this attack then you would conclude that what we really need is another gun-control law to make what he did illegal. Yes, the reports said we need another gun-control law.. because the 30 thousand firearms regulations we have already passed failed to stop a suicidal murderer. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes, the politicians and the media are that shallow, but their story sells. .......

One fact that should hardly be up for debate is that evil exists and always will. Despite that fact, all too often people who need and deserve a means of self defense, sometimes quickly, find themselves prevented from so doing by ridiculous restrictions such as waiting periods. Anti-gun pundits and legislators seem to think that more laws solve everything and even give the impression of siding with a perpetrator more than a victim - this has led to many preventable tragedies.

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Disarming the Victim - The Latest Shots

in the Democrat's War on Women

By Rob Morse. April 18th, 2017

Article Source

So let me get this straight. A man murdered his estranged wife and an innocent student in a California school. We are so desperate to ignore our own responsibility for self-defense that we blame anything and anyone but the murderer. We blame the victims, and we disarm people whove been attacked and received restraining orders against their attacker. Politicians across the country blamed the victim and the gun. Lets stop pretending that laws stop murderers. Self-defense stops murderers.

Gun control failed again. In the recent California case, the murderer was convicted of domestic abuse. He had a history of drug use, yet he got a gun illegally. Yes, you read that right. A criminal got a gun he wasnt legally allowed to carry in the gun-control-heaven of southern California. Californias system of universal background checks failed again.

If you were shocked that drug and gun prohibition failed, then hang on because that was just the beginning. The murderer then illegally concealed the handgun in public. He illegally transported the firearm in his car. The armed murderer illegally crossed into a 1000 foot gun free school zone. He illegally brought the gun onto school property. He illegally brought ammunition onto school property also. The murderer then illegally discharged the handgun on school property, several times. He illegally murdered his estranged wife. He illegally killed one young student and injured another child who was hiding behind his wife. He then killed himself.

If you watched the extensive news coverage of this attack then you would conclude that what we really need is another gun-control law to make what he did illegal. Yes, the reports said we need another gun-control law.. because the 30 thousand firearms regulations we have already passed failed to stop a suicidal murderer. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes, the politicians and the media are that shallow, but their story sells.

Wed rather wallow in fake grief than stop the next attacker. Wed rather blame the gun than take action to defend ourselves. Think again. if you say that the police will be there to protect you. They wish they could, but they cant.

Pretending that evil doesnt exist cost lives. Let me remind you about the disarmed victims who where murdered while they were waiting for state permission to defend themselves. By law, Carol Bowne was supposed to receive her permit to buy a gun in 30 days. She took out a restraining order against her ex- boyfriend. This small hairdresser called the police when she saw her attacker near her home and near her work. The local police in Berlin, New Jersey ignored her. Carol Bowne was murdered after 45 days of waiting for permission to defend herself. The anti-gun politicians and police in New Jersey thought it was better to let Carol bleed to death after being stabbed by her attacker on her driveway rather than let Carol have a gun for self-defense.

These New Jersey Politicians have company. A few weeks ago, Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia said that domestic abuse victims dont need a gun for self-defense. McAuliffe vetoed a bill that would have let domestic abuse victims receive a temporary permit to carry a gun for self-defense after they had been to court and seen a judge in order to get a restraining order. The temporary carry permit would be in effect while the victims applied for their state carry license. Democrat Governor McAuliffe said no,

The bill perpetuates the dangerous fiction that the victims of domestic violence will be safer by arming themselves. It would inject firearms into a volatile domestic violence situation, making that situation less safe, not more.

Governor McAuliffe is right in that Virginia is now a little safer.. if you are a domestic abuser. McAuliffe made the world tragically worse for the victims of abuse. McAuliffe and his political supporters cant, or wont, distinguish the defenders from the attackers. McAuliffe has political company. The elected Democrats in California and New Jersey cant tell the difference either. These Democrats will continue to blame the victim and cling to the failed fantasy of gun-control. These politicians have done everything they can to stop the victims from defending themselves.

Shame on these politicians and shame on the voters who put them in office. If your significant other beats you and you live in California, Virginia, or New Jersey, then I want you to leave the state. Move to a free state and take a firearms class in a hurry.

Ive a modest proposal. How about we prepare to defend ourselves if were threatened with violence. Anything works better than sitting there and pretending that evil doesnt exist. Do something, but dont pretend that passing the 30 thousandth gun law is any kind of a solution. It is a political placebo masquerading as compassion.

The political crazies say that self-defense is really surrendering to violence. They are wrong. Please defend yourself and those you love because there is evil in the world; evil that we cant control by putting more ink on paper. Move to a free state if you have to, but please take action if you are at risk. Do it for yourself, for those you love, and for those who love you.

One fact that should hardly be up for debate is that evil exists and always will. Despite that fact, all too often people who need and deserve a means of self defense, sometimes quickly, find themselves prevented from so doing by ridiculous restrictions such as waiting periods. Anti-gun pundits and legislators seem to think that more laws solve everything and even give the impression of siding with a perpetrator more than a victim - this has led to many preventable tragedies.

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4 killed in Palpa truck accident

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Afghan defence chiefs resign over deadly Taliban attack

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Fast-track the amendment

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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.
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Govt confirms June 14 as Phase II polling day

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Habeas corpus writ filed at SC demanding DIG Silwals release

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Lenovo launches two new smartphones

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Nepal condemns terror attack in Afghanistan

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North Korean university names detained US citizen

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Postpone budget to hold polls in two phases, suggests UML

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Pvt sectors denounce price hike

Private sectors on Sunday have denounced the Nepal Transit and Warehousing Companys recent move to hike the fare of cargo handling at the Tribhuvan International Airport. According to them, the fare hike will raise the price of exportable goods and ultimately affect the competitiveness of Nepali goods in the international market.
SC orders Nepal Police to release DIG Silwal

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Nepal Police to release Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nawaraj Silwal.
Smugglers rob shotgun from police in Bara

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Students' organisation announces protest against school fee hike

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Summit to urge youths to start own business

Buoyed by the overwhelming success of the Nepal Investment Summit, the government has planned to host Startup Summit 2017 with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship among the countrys youths.
Traditional approach to doing things led to delay in reconstruction

Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the greatest national tragedy in living memory.
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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By Damali Mukhaye

The Democratic party Vice president for Buganda region Hon Betty Nambooze has attacked the state Minister for Gender Peace Mutuuzo over an invitation to join NRM.

The minister presiding over belated womens day celebrations in Mukono on Friday advised Nambooze to join the ruling NRM party if her relevance was not seen in Democratic Party.

The ministers statement followed Namboozes suspension from the party for three months.

Speaking to kfm, Nambooze said such a move would be the last and worst she could ever make especially at such a time when she has to revamp the Democratic Party.
Kampala Capital City Authority wants government to provide 10 billion shillings for the total acquisition of USAFI Market in the financial year 2017/2018.

According to budget projections presented to Parliament by the Minister of Kampala City Authority Olive Kamya, only 5 billion out of a balance of 15 billion shillings has been allocated by government, which poses a threat to breach of contract.

The total purchase of USAFI Market at 39 Billion shillings last year attracted protracted debate from sections of politicians, Civil Society and the public, with many describing the move as a waste of financial resources.

According to Kamyas submission, KCCA has so far paid Shs 24 billion and would like government to support the Authority to fully acquire the market, so as to serve its obligation.

Meanwhile the Authority has also highlighted a funding gap of 206 billion shillings out of its projected budget of 337 billion.
No

Yes, a light case

Yes, two or more light cases

One serious case

Two or more serious bouts

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Imagine if I began a column about Attorney General Jeff Sessions this way: I really am amazed that an attorney general who hails from a former Confederate state in the Deep South can issue a series of orders wrecking efforts to reform police practices, cutting back on voting rights and restarting the war on drugs.

The specifics of what Sessions is up to are accurate, but that knock on the land of cotton would leave my inbox bulging with rebukes to bigotry against Dixie, and Id probably get many YouTube links to Lynyrd Skynyrd singing Sweet Home Alabama. (Dont go to the trouble. I already have the song on my iPhone.)

Yet the man whose job is to be the top lawyer for all of us said something very similar about a federal judge in Hawaii who blocked President Trumps travel ban. For the record, here is Sessions islophobic sentence:

I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the president... from what appears to be clearly his statutory and constitutional power.

The obvious problem in Sessions comments, made to conservative talk show host Mark Levin (and unearthed by CNNs Andrew Kaczynski), is that Hawaii is a state like every other and has been in the union for 58 years, as Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, helpfully pointed out. Are newer states inferior to older ones?

There is also the Trump administration habit of trying to discredit any judge who rules against it, the stuff of autocratic regimes. Members of the executive branch have every right to criticize and appeal lower-court decisions, but what Sessions suggested is that Derrick Watson, the judge in question, somehow lost his right to rule because of where his court is.

Hawaii has been a special place in conservative demonology because many on the right, once they had to concede that President Obama was actually born there and not in Kenya, wanted to hold on to the idea that he came into the world in a location that was, well, different.

And Sessions may have picked up his anti-Hawaii cues from right-wing media, which reported that Obama had unexpectedly flown alone to Hawaii on March 13 two days before Watson issued his ruling, and that Watson just happened to go to Harvard Law School with the former president.

The conservativetreehouse.com blog asked: Coincidences? Or did President Obama travel to Hawaii to initiate, facilitate or participate in the decision by Judge Watson? On March 16, Rush Limbaugh got the story out there and then insisted that he wouldnt traffic in speculation. I want to mention also Barack Obama has been in Hawaii the past few days, he said, but added, I dont know if Obama met with the judge. Nicely played, Rush.

Heres one good thing that could come from Sessions aloha-baiting: It might start focusing attention on the rest of that opening sentence and the damage the attorney general is inflicting. Doing so would belie the idea that Trump is somehow becoming more moderate.

Sessions has started switching the Justice Departments stance on voting rights cases, away from minority plaintiffs and in favor of states that passed discriminatory measures such as voter ID laws restricting access to the ballot. The new DOJ stance did not stop District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos from declaring earlier this month that Texas strict voter ID law was passed, at least in part, with a discriminatory purpose. Thank goodness Ramos cant be criticized as one of those island judges.

Sessions also ordered department officials to review reform agreements between its civil rights division and troubled police forces nationwide, an Obama-era initiative aimed at restoring community confidence in the police after a series of shootings of unarmed black men.

Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, called the move terrifying, but in a USA Today op-ed last week, Sessions invoked classic law-and-order rhetoric, saying he would not sign consent decrees for political expediency that will cost more lives by handcuffing the police instead of the criminals.

And as Sari Horwitz reported in The Washington Post, Sessions is bringing back the old war on drugs, thus stopping in its tracks a once-promising criminal justice reform movement of conservatives, liberals and libertarians concerned with over-incarceration, particularly in African-American communities.

You dont have to live on an island to worry about what Sessions is doing in the name of justice.
Ravi Kalla got his masters degrees in engineering from UW-Madison and founded Symphony Corp., a health information company that employs a couple of hundred people in Madison.

Hes from India.

Connie Li moved to Wisconsin when her husband got a job at UW-Madison. She co-founded TrafficCast International in Madison, a rapidly growing business providing traffic data to wireless devices.

Shes from China.

Ankit Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of Imbed Biosciences, developed the Fitchburg companys promising wound-healing technology while doing post-doctoral research at UW-Madison.

Hes from India.

Thomas Rock Mackie, an emeritus UW-Madison professor, is best known for co-founding TomoTherapy, which makes cancer treatment machines in Madison and employs nearly 300.

He grew up in Canada.

Smart foreigners who come to our universities and stay here dont take away Wisconsin jobs. In many cases, they create the jobs of the future and expand our economy.

Thats important to remember after President Donald Trumps visit Tuesday to Kenosha, where he signed an order targeting visas for highly skilled workers from overseas.

Trump has a point that some companies have abused the federal visa program by hiring foreign workers into jobs that Americans with similar skills could fill. Perhaps the presidents review of the H-1B visa program can prevent some abuse.

But more generally and significantly, America needs as many young and talented people as it can find. Thats especially true in Wisconsin, where our population is aging fast without enough young workers to replace retirees and further expand the workforce.

Immigration is part of the solution, not the problem. So limiting legitimate H-1B visas  which Wisconsin universities rely on to keep talented people  would be a big mistake.

Especially the graduate students at the UW-Madison  if they can stay, they would like to stay, said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. Especially now, when Wisconsin really has a demographic crisis of sorts, its going to be tough to fill all of the available jobs moving ahead, from the high end to the low end. Its no longer about a skills gap. Its about a body gap.

Wisconsins growing technology sector relies heavily on an international workforce, with many foreign-born scholars launching startup companies. In all likelihood, Symphony, TrafficCast, Imbed, TomoTherapy and many other companies would not exist in Wisconsin if their founders had not come to the United States for higher education and stayed to contribute.

If that kind of brain power is turned away, those people will create businesses and jobs elsewhere. Wisconsins congressional delegation  especially Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, who has been strong on the issue in the past  must ensure that doesnt happen.
UW-Madison is partnering with the Dane County Sheriffs Office on a two-year, federally funded study to measure the effectiveness of virtual reality tools and 3-D-capture technology on crime scene investigations.

The study, paid for through a $265,000 Department of Justice grant, will focus on measuring evidence-gathering outcomes provided by traditional hand measurements compared with two of the more advanced 3-D methods.

The goal is really to quantify what are the benefits, what are the savings in cost and time, and what are the barriers to wider use by law enforcement, said assistant professor Kevin Ponto, principal research investigator for the study in the universitys Living Environments Laboratory.

The partnership with the sheriffs office makes sense because deputies who do crime scene investigations became early adopters of the technology with the help of UW-Madison in 2014. Thats when the lab loaned out its LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-powered, 3-D laser scanner, and the services of a lab worker to run it, to deputies investigating the fatal shooting of a 43-year-old woman in an upstairs bedroom of a large and cluttered old house in Mazomanie.

The universitys LiDAR scanner uses a combination of lasers and a camera to create detailed, three-dimensional models of entire physical environments. Its a lunch box-sized device that sits on a tripod and slowly rotates to document a single room with typically one 10-minute scan, or captures the entire interior of a house by stitching several scans together using provided software.

The sheriffs office was so impressed with the detail and quality of the resulting 3-D rendering of the Mazomanie scene, and with the ease and speed in which it was produced  by one person doing 37 scans over a period of several hours rather than by a team of people working for days with a tape measure, pencil and paper  that the office purchased its own handheld 3-D scanner in 2015.

Its been used by the sheriffs office some 35 times since then, Lt. Brian Hayes said, to investigate the scene of suspicious deaths, vehicle crashes and other incidents.

Any major crime scene, we bring it to, Hayes said. Ideally, wed like to get to the point where were able to put 3-D goggles on jury members and walk them through a crime scene that way.

We and the sheriffs office are pretty sold on this approach, Ponto said. It has a possibility to really transform how crime scene investigation is done.

But across law enforcement, 3-D technology hasnt seen widespread adoption, due to issues such as cost, concerns about data manipulation and other challenges.

Resistance might be overcome, Ponto said, if the study can document hard evidence of the technologys advantages compared with traditional methods, and creates guidelines for use and protections against misuse.

By combining 3-D capture technology, computer reconstruction algorithms and virtual reality presentation mechanisms, scientists at (UW-Madison) believe they can improve accuracy and documentation, lower time and cost, reduce risks associated with this kind of investigation and enable new means of investigations, staff said in a briefing document for County Board members who approved the transfer of $13,300 of the grant money from UW-Madison to the sheriffs office to cover expected deputy overtime for the study in late March.

For the study, sheriffs deputies plan to do measurements for sketches at 10 mock crime scenes using three methods at each  the universitys 3-D scanner, the handheld 3-D scanner and the traditional, low-tech approach with tape measure. The lab will then help analyze and quantify the outcomes of each approach, as well as run focus groups with lawyers, judges, officers and others to produce guidelines addressing procedural concerns.

The issue of cost may work itself out, Ponto said. A tripod-mounted scanner like UW-Madisons can cost $50,000, with the handheld devices retailing around $17,000. Thats down a lot compared to 10 or 15 years ago, and prices could drop a more, Ponto said. It may be very soon that our cellphones can do this type of data capture, he said. This price tag issue that you have right now may go away.
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VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about a vice president. John Tyler was William Henry Harrisons partner on the ticket in the 1840 election; he was the Tyler of the campaign slogan Tippecanoe and Tyler, too.

But only one month into his term as president, Harrison unexpectedly died. He was the first U.S. president to die in office. Today, Americans accept that when that happens, the vice president becomes the president. But in 1841, no one really knew what to do.

So people turned to the Constitution.

It said if the president is removed from office, or if he dies, resigns, or is not able to perform his duties, his power and responsibility is given to the vice president.

But the meaning of those words was unclear. Did the vice president really become the president, or did the vice president just act like the president?

The Constitution may not have been clear, but John Tyler was. He claimed that, after Harrisons death, he really was the president.

Tyler made sure he was quickly sworn-in. He answered only to the title president. He even refused to open letters that were sent to Acting President Tyler.

Eventually, Americans accepted John Tyler was the nations 10th president.

But some Americans were not happy about that fact. During his presidency, all but one of Tylers cabinet advisors resigned, and members of his own party tried to impeach him.

Early life

Tyler was from the southern state of Virginia, home to five earlier U.S. presidents. Like many of the leaders before him, he was a lawyer from an upper class family who owned slaves. He strongly supported the power of the states against the federal government, expansion of slavery, and rule by a small, elite group.

But the United States was starting to change. For example, President John Quincy Adams had proposed creating a national system of roads. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 limited slavery in new states in the northwest. And in the 1830s, many white men who did not own property earned the right to vote.

In other words, the U.S. was becoming more national, abolitionist, and equal.

Tyler resisted these changes. He fought against them as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a governor of Virginia, and a senator.

His fight reached a crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. The two men belonged to the same party, the Democratic Party. However, Tyler hated Jacksons populist policies and use of presidential powers against the states.

In the middle of the 1830s, Tyler joined with several other political leaders to create a new, anti-Jackson party. They were called the Whigs.

Presidency

The new Whig party badly wanted to win the 1840 presidential election against Jacksons right hand man, Martin Van Buren. They proposed John Tyler as the partys vice presidential candidate because they hoped he would appeal to southern voters.

The Whigs succeeded. Tyler and Harrison won the election. The new party expected that they would be able to achieve many of their policy goals.

But then Harrison died, and Tyler unexpectedly became president. Tyler kept Harrisons cabinet of top advisers. But he did not accept their advice.

Whig lawmakers presented bill after bill to Tyler, but he failed to support the measures. He believed they gave too much power to the federal government over the states.

In anger, all but one of Tylers cabinet members resigned.

Then Whig leaders officially declared that Tyler was no longer part of their group. The following year they even moved to impeach him.

He became known as a president without a party.

Tyler was able to achieve one major political act, however. Three days before he left office, he signed the law that made Texas a state.

Perhaps wisely, Tyler withdrew from the next presidential election.

He eventually withdrew even his support for the federal government. He became a leader in the movement for Southern secession.

In other words, he believed the Southern states had the right to separate from the North and leave the Union. In time, the separation between the South and North would lead to the Civil War.

Family

Tyler was an unusual president. He took office in an unusual way, and he took the unusual step of vetoing legislative action proposed by his own party.

His family life has other unusual details. Tyler was the first president to get married while in office. He was the president with the most children. And two of his grandchildren remained alive until well into the 21st century.

In 1844, Tyler married Julia Gardiner. She was his second wife. His first wife, Letitia, had died two years earlier.

John and Letitia Tyler had eight children together. Since Julia Gardiner Tyler was 24 years old -- 30 years younger than her new husband -- the two had plenty of time to have another seven children.

And, because one of their sons had children in the 1920s, two of Tylers grandchildren are still alive as of early 2017.

Legacy

Tyler is not remembered as a good president. But he is remembered for establishing a precedent  a way of doing something that other people have followed.

The Tyler precedent permitted the peaceful of transfer of power from president to vice president in 1841. And it eased the transition after other presidents have died since then.

In 1967, the Constitution was even changed to clarify what Tyler had claimed all along: when the president dies, the vice president becomes the new chief executive.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

slogan - n. a word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention

elite - n. the people who have the most wealth and status in a society

abolitionist - n. a person who wants to stop or abolish slavery

achieve - v. to get or reach (something) by working hard

secession - n. the act of separating from a nation or state and becoming independent

transfer - v. to give rights to another person

executive - n. a person who manages or directs other people in a company or organization

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.


A number of Rohingya refugee children have disappeared in Bangladesh and are feared to be victims of human trafficking groups.

In the past seven months, more than 70,000 Rohingya have fled violent persecution in their homeland of Myanmar. There have been widespread reports of rapes and murders as part of a military campaign against Rohingya civilians. The Myanmar government denies the charges.

Rashida is among the Rohingya who fled. She and her children arrived at a camp in the Coxs Bazar area of Bangladesh late last year. Her husband had been killed in a military offensive in Myanmars Rakhine state, where most of the minority Rohingya live.

A month ago, Rashidas 10-year-old son Muhammad disappeared from a school he was attending. Rashida says all efforts to learn what happened to him have failed.

My daughter is always crying. She says that shell never see her brother in the future.

As many as 300,000 to 500,000 Rohingya are thought to be living in Bangladesh. Several non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, in the region are working to help the refugees. But political sensitivities restrain the groups from reporting fully about the issues Rohingya face.

Speaking out

However, the recent child disappearances among the newly arrived refugees has led one NGO to speak out. Action Against Hunger says in knows of 16 suspected kidnappings since January.

The group director says newly arrived refugee families are at special risk of kidnapping and exploitation.

He says they lack the safety of community structures they had back home.

"They don't have any support. They have to make a living so they have to be separated from their kids. So they have some kind of set-up where they're leaving the children assuming it's safe and they're going to try to earn some living. And those kind of separations, like when they are separated that is also the highest risk."



Human trafficking groups are well established in the region. But little is known about the disappearances, which have taken place both inside and outside the camps. Many Rohingya fear asking local authorities for help.



This leaves little hope for parents like Rashida. She says all she can do is protect her daughter, continue to search and find comfort in her religion.

"I expect that I'll get him back if Allah wishes."



Im Marsha James.

John Owens reported on this story for VOANews.com. Marsha James adapted her report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

region  n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way

exploitation  n. the act or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work

authorities - n. people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws

comfort - n. a state or feeling of being less worried, upset, frightened, etc., during a time of trouble or emotional pain

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.


College students are facing more debt than ever before.

Students who graduated from college in 2015 left school with an average of $34,000 in debt, the Federal Reserve Bank reported this month.

Just 10 years ago, the average student debt was $20,000.

The Federal Reserve Bank said students and their parents are taking out bigger loans than in the past. That is because state and local governments are paying a smaller percentage of the cost of higher education.

William Dudley is president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. He said that graduates from some colleges are having trouble finding good-paying jobs.

That is making it difficult for them to pay off their loans, he said.

Some efforts to reduce college costs

Several measures have been proposed to deal with the rising costs of college.

In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed into law a bill that will let New Yorkers send their children to public colleges without having to pay tuition. Students from families whose yearly incomes are $125,000 or less will be eligible for free tuition.

The New York plan is similar to what Senator Bernie Sanders proposed nationally during his unsuccessful presidential campaign last year. Sanders lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton.

Cuomo said 95 percent of jobs created since 2008 require at least some college education.

So you need a college education. But at the same time, college is harder and harder to get. It is more and more expensive. You can't go to the family and say, Pay the tuition. They can't. You go and you get loans. You graduate with a mountain of debt you pay for half your life.

Other states are trying different ways to make college more affordable. In Tennessee, all high school graduates can attend two-year community colleges without paying tuition. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam wants to expand that program. He wants to also permit all adults without a college degree to attend community college without paying tuition.

Sarah McCormick is a doctor in Palatine, Illinois. She wrote about her efforts to repay $400,000 in loans she took out for medical school on the website studentdebtcrisis.org.

Many people think doctors are rich, she wrote. I have many friends who are pinching pennies to even make it as physicians right now. Their loans are even higher than mine and some are paying up to $4,000 a month.

International students often pay full tuition

International students often pay full tuition to attend American colleges. They are not eligible for American tuition assistance programs, such as Pell Grants. It is difficult for international students to get loans; they need someone to promise to pay it off if the student fails to do so.

Kwadwo Poku-Agyemang is a 27-year-old graduate student from Ghana. He is getting his masters degree in business and finance at Louisiana State University (LSU).

His first year of study cost him $30,000. He saved up money before coming to LSU by working at Ghanas tax office  money he has used to pay tuition. He also got some financial help from his parents. His father is an engineer and his mom works for Ghanas government.

Coming to America is hard, and you have to figure out a way to make it work, Poku-Agyemang said. Still, he is glad he decided to go to LSU. He says he has learned a lot. And, he says, he will only have to pay for 10 percent of his second year of Masters studies. LSU will cover the remaining tuition costs for him.

Maiko Le Lay is a PhD student in critical dance studies at the University of California at Riverside. She describes herself as half French and half Japanese.

She said she did not have to pay for her first year in the PhD program. But after the first year, she had to pay $15,000 a year as a nonresident of California.

I was told everything would be free and not to worry, Le Lay said. It has been a struggle to find the $15,000 because her student visa limits her to working about 20 hours a week during the school year, she said.

A fellowship helped, and so did a job with her colleges international student association. But she said she has no guarantees that the fellowship will continue.

As a candidate, Trump promised to help college students

During his successful campaign for president, Donald Trump proposed that student loan borrowers limit their monthly loan payments based on their ability to pay.

His Education Secretary is Betsy DeVos of Michigan. In response to questions from the U.S. Senate, DeVos said changes to the loan programs should be made carefully.

She promised to work with Congress to develop proposals.

Colleges looking for students who can pay full tuition

Parke Muth is a college admissions adviser in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He said most colleges look for international students who can pay full tuition because they cannot find enough American students who can afford to do so.

In many countries, only the top one percent of wage earners would be able pay full price to send their children to American colleges.

Muth then mentioned an international student from Myanmar. Not long ago, she was living in a refugee camp without enough food. Now, he said, she has won a scholarship to attend the University of Texas next fall.

I'm Bruce Alpert.

And I'm Dorothy Gundy.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. For those who went or are planning to attend college, how did you or how will you pay for college.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tuition - n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there

eligible - adj. able to do or receive something

expensive - adj. costing a lot of money

afford - v. able to pay the cost of something

pinching pennies - phrase, trying not to spend any more money than necessary

physician - n a medical doctor

fellowship - n. a financial award to study something or do research

cap - v. a limit on how much can be spent
On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice.
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LONDON  The hotel industry in the Asia Pacific region reported mostly positive results in the three key performance metrics during the first quarter of 2017, according to data from STR.

U.S. dollar constant currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Asia Pacific

Occupancy: +3.3% to 68.3%

Average daily rate (ADR): -0.3% to US$104.00

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +3.0% to US$71.04

Local currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Indonesia

Occupancy: +4.1% to 57.0%

ADR: +0.2% to IDR1,015,410.47

RevPAR: +4.3% to IDR578,716.49

Indonesia's hotel industry experienced a slight performance rebound after a 4.1% RevPAR decline for total-year 2016. Occupancy was the main performance driver during the quarter, as demand growth (+8.3%) doubled the rate of supply growth (+4.1%). STR analysts note that the visit from Saudi Arabia's King Salman in early March boosted Group business (bookings of 10 or more rooms per night), especially in Jakarta and Bali.

Malaysia

Occupancy: +2.2% to 65.3%

ADR: +4.8% to MYR373.74

RevPAR: +7.2% to MYR244.04

Malaysia's hotels benefitted from several factors, including the Chinese New Year festival (28-29 January) and the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (21-25 March). The Easter calendar shift from March 2016 to April 2017 also helped performance growth. Demand increased 5.1% for the quarter, outpacing 2.9% supply growth.

Maldives

Occupancy: -1.0% to 69.0%

ADR: +2.3% to MVR13,044.63

RevPAR: +1.3% to MVR9,000.17

RevPAR growth was moderate in Maldives despite a 10.3% increase in January. Helped by the Spring Festival Golden Week holiday, the market saw a 32.0% rise in arrivals from Mainland China, according to January figures from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism. RevPAR growth for the quarter became muted with declines in both February (-3.8%) and March (-4.2%).

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

Alex Anstett

Media & Communications Coordinator - STR

STR
Louvre Hotels' portfolio in MENA to reach 71 hotels by the end of 2017

Group sharpens focus on strengthening its mid-market offering in the region to become one of the largest players in MENA with 20,000 rooms by 2020

Dubai, UAE -- Driven by an active pipeline of new openings combined with an enhanced focus on bringing mid-market offerings to the region, Louvre Hotels Group, one of the largest hospitality groups in the world, continues to shape its wider growth strategy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Louvre Hotels is looking ahead to the opening of 10 new hotels in MENA by the end of 2017, which will add 1,600 keys to its current room inventory, exceeding the 11,000 milestone. In 2016 alone, Louvre launched 12 properties in key markets including UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon and expects to open no less than 10 hotels per year leading up to 2020 and beyond.

Louvre Hotels has a collection of six brands including Premiere Classe, Campanile, Kyriad, Tulip Inn, Golden Tulip and Royal Tulip. In 2017, the group is confirmed to open 10 new hotels ranging from upscale five star to midscale three stars such as :

Royal Tulip The Act, Sharjah, UAE (180 rooms): Opened in January 2017 Golden Tulip Ruwi Muscat, Oman (118 rooms): Opening Q2, 2017 Tulip Inn Downtown Muscat, Oman (180 rooms): Opening Q2 2017 Golden Tulip Sousse Palace Hotel & Spa Tunisia (250 rooms): Opening Q2, 2017 Golden Tulip Regency Monastir Hotel & Spa Tunisia (200 rooms): Opening Q2, 2017 Golden Tulip Palmeraie Tozeur Tunisia (100 rooms): Opening Q2, 2017 Golden Tulip Doha, Qatar (198 rooms): Opening Q3, 2017 Tulip Inn Algier Airport, Algeria (91 rooms): Opening Q3, 2017 Tulip Inn Modon Jeddah, KSA (123 rooms): Opening Q4,2017 Royal Tulip Korbous Resort Tunisia (167 rooms): Opening Q4, 2017

In keeping with the evolving needs of guests seeking affordable yet modern and fresh hospitality options, the group's long-term expansion plans in the region will additionally see the opening of budget and midscale properties under its Campanile and Premiere Classe brands. Such focus on the budget friendly segment will add 40 hotels and 5,000 additional rooms to its existing portfolio by 2020  reinforcing the group's position as one of the largest hospitality players in the MENA region with a total room inventory of 20,000.

"Our commitment to actively expanding our footprint in the Middle East and North Africa region underscores the importance we believe the region holds in our future growth as one of the leading hospitality brands. Owing to its strategic geographic location as a trade corridor that connects the East and West, the region holds tremendous potential for increased business and leisure-related travel and tourism prospects from around the globe. Therefore, we see the region as one of our strongest growth markets that will continue to play a significant role in our expansion plans in the years to come," said Amine E. Moukarzel, President, Louvre Hotels Group MENA.

"With the evolution of customer needs and their emphasis on value driven experiential travel, our mid market brands are a natural fit for todays traveler. We have placed experiences at the core of our global strategy and plans are already in place to introduce Campanile, our economy lifestyle brand in the region; with the first property under this modern fresh mid-market brand set to open in Kuwait by late 2019. In addition, we are looking ahead to bringing our mid-scale three to four-star brand, Kyriad, to the UAE and Oman with four properties planned across Dubai and Salalah," Moukarzel added.

Earlier this year, Louvre Hotels Group also cemented its position in the Asian hospitality sector by becoming the leading hotel group in India with over 90 hotels under its stewardship following the group's acquisition of a majority stake in Sarovar Hotels, the largest independent Indian hotel chain in terms of hotels and presence.

"Our continued expansion in MENA along with our strengths in Asia as the largest players in India and China enables us to build one of the strongest networks of hotels and brands across key business and leisure destinations around the world. Through our fast-expanding international footprint, we look forward to giving more choice to our growing community of loyal global consumers while further strengthening our focus on the Middle East as the central hub connecting our guests from the East and West." he concluded.

Louvre Hotels' executive team for the MENA region will share more details on the new properties during the group's participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, which takes place in Dubai from 24  27 April 2017 under the theme: "Experiential Travel". Louvre Hotels will be exhibiting at Sheikh Saeed Hall 1 Stand # HC 1020.

About Louvre Hotels Group

The Louvre Hotels Group is a major player in the worldwide hotel industry, whose portfolio today includes over 1500 hotels in 54 countries. It offers a range of hotel stays from 1 to 5 stars, with the historical brands of the Louvre Hotels Group: Royal Tulip, Golden Tulip, Campanile, Tulip Residences, Kyriad, Kyriad Direct, Tulip Inn, and Premiere Classe; the five brands of the Sarovar network in India; the Hotels et Preference Group, as well as the Chinese brand Metropolo. The group also has a distribution agreement with the Barriere Group. The Louvre Hotels Group is an affiliate of Jin Jiang International Holdings, Co, Ltd., the 2nd largest hotel group in the world.

Binan Souleiman

TRACCS

+97150 944 8389.

Louvre Hotels Group
LONDON  The hotel industry in the Central/South America region reported negative results in the three key performance metrics during the first quarter of 2017, according to data from STR.

U.S. dollar constant currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Central/South America

Occupancy: -1.6% to 55.3%

Average daily rate (ADR): -6.1% to US$101.60

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -7.6% to US$56.16

Local currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Brazil

Occupancy: -5.4% to 50.7%

ADR: -13.2% to BRL281.41

RevPAR: -17.9% to BRL142.59

Despite overall declines for the quarter, March marked Brazil's first month of demand growth (+2.9%) since August 2016. Supply for the quarter was up 4.5% compared with Q1 2016, placing pressure on both occupancy and ADR levels. At the market level, Sao Paulo benefited from Lollapalooza (25-26 March), as major headliners like The Strokes, The Weeknd and Metallica helped boost occupancy 102.8% on the 26th.

Chile

Occupancy: +7.5% to 69.2%

ADR: -8.2% to CLP80,753.79

RevPAR: -1.3% to CLP55,913.17

While a decline in ADR drove down Chile's overall Q1 performance, the country recorded its highest actual occupancy level (71.4%) for a March since 2014. Because of the ADR decreases, the Providencia area in Santiago was the only of the country's submarkets that experienced an increase in RevPAR (+9.6%) in March.

Panama

Occupancy: +9.1% to 58.7%

ADR: -6.6% to PAB96.70

RevPAR: +1.9% to PAB56.72

In March, Panama recorded a 28.4% year-over-year increase in occupancy to 66.3%, marking the country's highest actual occupancy level for the month since 2012. Panama City's occupancy increased 107.2% on Wednesday 22 March, when the city hosted the CABSEC defense conference and Expocomer 2017 international trade exhibition.

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

Alex Anstett

Media & Communications Coordinator - STR

STR
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 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.

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 U.N. 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.

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. Their role is to infiltrate their targets, unleash mayhem and fight to the death before a major ground offensive begins.

They are the lions of ground offensives, said al-Shami, who fought on several occasions alongside TIP fighters in northern Syria.

Xie Xiaoyuan, Chinas 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 Chinas 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 Abdurrahmans 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.

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 Assads 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.

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. Bassem Mroue, Gerry Shih, AP
Investors in Chinese debt arent paying enough attention to rising credit risks, according to a top bond fund manager.

Some market participants have focused on the impact of an improving economy and rising money-market rates, while overlooking the possibility that defaults will increase, said He Qian, manager of Fortis Haitong Pure Bond Fund at HFT Investment Management Co.

Its interesting that investors were paying more attention to credit risks this time last year, when there were not as many credit events, said He, whose $895 million fund has beaten 99 percent of its competitors since 2014, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Such risks seem to have faded from investors memories.

Seven companies have defaulted on a total of 10 bonds onshore so far in 2017, versus 29 for all of last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The benchmark 10-year yield is near the highest in more than a year after the worst quarterly performance in at least 12 years. A strengthening economy is bolstering expectations that yields and money-market rates will climb as the central bank guides borrowing costs higher.

The fund manager said government debt is looking more attractive after the selloff. The benchmark 10-year sovereign bond yield rose about 40 basis points this year, more than the 35 basis point increase for 10-year AAA rated corporate bonds. The yield in government debt rose 4 basis points to 3.47 percent on Friday, near this years high of 3.49 percent on Feb. 6.

We think sovereign and quasi-sovereign notes by and large have priced in the market expectation of consumer or producer price gains and rising money rates, He said. We see less risks buying into them now as they have declined even more than corporate debt.

The extra yield investors demand to hold five-year AA rated corporate notes over sovereign debt climbed to 195 basis points in February, lower than the 200 figure of April 2016. At the same time, corporate bonds saw three consecutive months of negative net financing through February, with more debt maturing than was issued, which may lead to cash-flow problems.

The Peoples Bank of China has twice raised the cost of open-market funds and medium-term loans this year, while keeping benchmark lending and deposit rates unchanged since October 2015. The Bloomberg Barclays China Aggregate Index tumbled 6.3 percent in the last quarter of 2016, the biggest drop since its inception in 2004. Bloomberg
The Macau Library Week 2017 kicked off on Saturday and will offer a lineup of activities for book lovers throughout the week.

Organized by the Macao Public Library, alongside the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) and the Macao Library and Information Management Association (MLIMA), the theme of this years edition is Reading and Images.

The event aims to broaden reading perspectives by exploring the relationship between images and reading and how visuals can spark imagination when reading, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said in a statement.

Activities at the Old Court Building over the weekend included the sale of archived periodicals for charity, a book exchange and book crossing (the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up, read and passed on by others). Other activities included English-

language hand puppet shows and various workshops such as Marbling Bookmarks DIY and Non-woven Fabric Memo Holder DIY.

This edition also includes an exhibition on German comic books (held from April 25 to May 21) and several reading game booths, among other activities. These will run until tomorrow.

The event is held every April as a celebration of World Book Day.

The Wu Yee Sun Library of the University of Macau (UM) is also participating by hosting a special reward scheme event titled Fill the Campus with Reading Atmosphere, which starts today and ends Friday, April 28. This event, which aims to promote reading and thinking habits in students on the UM campus, will grant free books to library users who borrow books during this week.

The next session of the English-language hand puppet show will tell the story of Pinocchio, as part of the exhibition Storybooks can speak at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at S. Lourenco Library.
Macau has simplified and improved some of its regulations for trade and investment promotion, the MSARs investment promotion body said yesterday.

The Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) said it has updated the regulations for companies attending promotional events, shortening the list of documents required for companies to hold or participate in promotional activities such as exhibitions or forums.

The information will instead be provided by other government departments such as the Financial Services Bureau, the institute said.

According to IPIM, companies no longer need to submit copy for business opening or modification, commercial registration, business tax forms, occupational tax forms, or certificate copy for no outstanding tax.

The updated regulations also require that exhibition information be issued to the public every month, which will make companies and interested visitors aware of promotional activities as soon as possible. Such information was previously publicized every June and December, according to the previous regulations.
Lingerie company Victorias Secret is continuing its expansion into Asia with the opening of a full-range store at The Venetian Macao this Thursday.

The new store will carry a much wider range of products than its first store at the Venetian in December 2011, which offered beauty products such as fragrances, accessories, and small leather goods and bags.

The establishment will be Victorias Secrets first full-range store in Macau and will sell its branded accessories, cosmetics, lingerie, sportswear and more.

Located at St Marks Square at The Venetian Macao, the 15,000 square-foot store will feature five iconic sets of decorated angels wings that were presented at Victorias Secret shows from April 26 to May 31 to celebrate the grand opening.

The lingerie conglomerate will reportedly also take up prime real estate when it opens in Hong Kong next year, replacing Forever 21s Causeway Bay store.

The South China Morning Post reported that Victorias Secret models will head to Shanghai this year, where a four-storey, 2,500-square meter store was opened in February.

The conglomerate is also opening another store in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.
Its a whodunit worthy of a Dan Brown novel: a small bronze plaque commemorating Thailands 1932 revolution is ripped out from a very public place by parties unknown and substituted by one praising the Chakri Dynasty, whose 10th king took the throne in December. A disinclination by the authorities to find those responsible adds another element of mystery.

The original plaque, installed in 1936, marked the spot where a group of progressive army officers and civil servants proclaimed the end of the absolute monarchy in order to steer the country toward democracy.

At this place, at dawn on June 24, 1932, we the Peoples Party have given birth to the constitution for the progress of the nation, is a translation of the words engraved on the brass disc.

The ideal still hasnt taken hold. A royalist military government that took power in a coup three years ago still rules Thailand, and its newly enacted constitution aims to limit the power of elected officials and give it instead to institutions traditionally associated with the palace, including the courts, the civil service and the military.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan- ocha said last week that he has ordered an investigation into the plaques disappearance, but warned against making a political issue of it.

He could understand why some people might be upset, he told reporters.

But look at what we are doing today, he said. Would it be better for us to look ahead at the future? Old subjects are just history.

The old plaque, about 30 centimeters in diameter and lying flush with the pavement, was embedded in Bangkoks Royal Plaza, a vast open area in the midst of government buildings and military installations.

It was so neglected as a landmark that its disappearance could only be estimated to have taken place between April 3 and 7.

As a symbol of democratic change, however, it was revered. For the same reason, it was despised.

Debate on social media over the plaques disappearance has evoked a strong streak of antidemocratic sentiment, decrying the 1932 revolution for imposing unsuitable Western-style democracy causing corruption and all sorts of social ills; slamming the 1932 coup makers as evil; and even suggesting that the plaque was the physical incarnation of a curse on the nation.

Royalist resistance began almost immediately after the revolution, and slowly clawed back influence for the palace. By the late 1950s an accommodation was reached with the military, which sought its prestige, and by the late 1970s the constitutional monarchy was the countrys most powerful institution, inviolable under the protection of the army.

This balance of power began to unravel in 2001, when billionaire populist Thaksin Shinawatra used his fortune to win an unprecedented electoral majority and become prime minister. Thaksin, accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy, was ousted by a military coup in 2006, setting off a sometimes violent struggle for power between his supporters and opponents, with the military strongly in the latter group.

Thaksins opponents saw democracy as the problem, and some identified the 1932 revolution as the original sin.

It seems to me that the junta has come to the view that the problems associated with Thaksin and erasing his regime involves a more deep-rooted issue of dealing with the notion of peoples sovereignty that was embedded in the 1932 proclamation and first draft constitution, said Kevin Hewison, a senior research fellow at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University. In this sense, the removal of the plaque is a symbolic act of delayed counterrevolution, he said.

Although a fringe group of ultra-royalists openly vowed late last year to remove or destroy the plaque, there is plenty to fuel speculation of a higher-level conspiracy.

Photos purportedly taken at the plaza during the period the plaque went missing show scaffolding at the spot, more suggestive of a public works project than a thief in the night. City officials asked to produce surveillance videos from the 11 cameras at the plaza say they were shut for maintenance during the same period. Police said they could not accept a criminal complaint of theft except from the plaques owner, who was unknown. Pressed on the point, they threatened to sue an outspoken politician who suggested they werent doing their duties.

Prime Minister Prayuths suggestion that the case was a stone better left unturned was not idle advice. A government reform activist who sought to petition him on the matter was seized by soldiers and detained for 10 hours.

The plaques removal also coincided with the signing of the new constitution by King Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who succeeded his late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, last year.

Ploenpote Atthakor, editorial page editor of the Bangkok Post, saw an upside to the affair.

In the case of the ill-fated plaque, the silver lining is that its sudden disappearance has triggered an interest in this particular period of Thai history like never before, she wrote. The people who removed it probably didnt expect that. Grant Peck, Bangkok, AP
Republicans so dominate deeply Idaho that Election Day can be anticlimactic to the Republican primary in May. That's where most races in the past several decades have been decided. Republicans on Election Day are looking to retain a U.S. Senate seat, both of the states U.S. House seats and supermajorities in the state House and Senate. Gov. Brad Little overcame his toughest challenge for a second term in May by crushing Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin despite her support from former President Donald Trump. Little will face Democrat Stephen Heidt and anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, who is running as an independent.
Members of the Silver Sage Grotto caving club are offering an adventure with bragging rights next month: guided exploration of three Gooding County caves.

One of the destinations, a complex cave, is gated to protect fragile resources. Another is seasonally gated to safeguard hibernating bats. The third is a giant lava blister with rare ferns.

All three are locations that cavers usually arent anxious to publicize. But theyre happy to take you there themselves.

Heres the deal: For a $6 rental fee, the club will provide helmets, headlamps, knee pads and gloves. The group will leave from Twin Falls at 9 a.m. May 13  in Silver Sage Grotto members high-clearance vehicles  and return by 5 p.m.

The trip is open to ages 9 and older, but with a maximum of 14 participants. So dont delay calling trip coordinator Steve Frye, at 208-721-1074, to sign up.

And this adventure will need some preparation.

Expect physical challenges; the club says participants should be capable of walking, crawling, stooping and scrambling over boulders. Wear sturdy footwear with gripping soles. Also recommended: water, lunch, a change of clothes (you might get quite muddy) and another light source.

But dont, by any means, bring personal items that have been in any cave east of the Rocky Mountains or in Washington state. That prohibition is to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has devastated bat populations in the Eastern U.S.

Silver Sage Grotto organized the May 13 adventure as an offering for Twin Falls Parks and Recreation, but a miscommunication between the cavers and city recreation staff meant the trip doesnt appear in the parks departments Activity Guide for spring-summer 2017.

Check out that guide (www.tfid.org/DocumentCenter/View/1439) for other low-cost outdoor adventures, such as paddling lessons; flatwater kayaking and whitewater rafting trips on the Snake River; group hikes; and archery leagues.

Enviable observation

Lucky you. You can celebrate International Dark Sky Week (April 22-28) in a place where the sky is actually dark.

The observatory at Bruneau Dunes State Park is open to the public on Friday and Saturday nights from early April through mid-October, weather permitting.

Need inspiration for a visit? Kirk Longs Sunday post on StarTalks blog supplies a hearty dose.

Long, a weekend employee at the Bruneau Dunes observatory and a StarTalk intern, majors in physics at Idaho State University. At Bruneau Dunes, he gives educational astronomy presentations and operates telescopes for the public.

Our telescope is relatively small  for observatories  at only 25 inches in diameter, and yet still in striking detail Ive been able to see the great red spot on Jupiter, the Cassini division between Saturns rings, the beautiful spiral arms of the Whirlpool and Pinwheel galaxies, and so much more, he writes. These fainter objects  galaxies and nebulae  are the best reasons to visit an observatory.

Last weekend I panned through a galaxy cluster in Virgo, and within one field of view I could see the faint light of several dozen galaxies, each one containing hundreds of billions of stars millions of light years away.

You cant do that in your backyard with a small telescope, Long writes, but its an incredibly profound and worthwhile experience.

Another interesting tidbit from Longs blog post for astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tysons StarTalk radio show: The base of the Bruneau Dunes telescope is signed by Carolyn Shoemaker, who co-discovered comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, and by shuttle astronaut Barbara Morgan.

Read the rest at www.startalkradio.net/international-dark-sky-week-visit-observatory

For the Bruneau Dunes observatorys presentation times, call 208-366-7919.
TORONTO  Canada's ambassador to Washington said Tuesday night that President Donald Trump is wrong when he says Canada's trade practices in the dairy industry are "very unfair."

Ambassador David MacNaughton said in a letter to the governors of Wisconsin and New York that Canada is aware of their letter to Trump asking him to address Canadian dairy practices.

"Canada does not accept the contention that Canada's dairy policies are the cause of financial loss for dairy farmers in the United States," MacNaughton said.

He said the facts don't bear that out and attached a U.S. Department of Agriculture dairy outlook report that "clearly indicates the poor results in the U.S. sector are due U.S. and global overproduction."

Trump spoke out against Canada on Tuesday in a way he's not done before, saying Canada has been "very, very unfair" to dairy farmers and "we're going to start working on that."

Canada has decided to impose import taxes on ultra-filtered milk, a protein liquid concentrate used to make cheese. It had been duty free but Canada changed course after milk producers there complained. About 70 dairy producers in both U.S. states are affected.

MacNaughton writes that the Canada dairy industry is less protectionist than that of the U.S, which he says has employed technical barriers to keep Canadian dairy out of the U.S. market.

"It is important that we work together to grow the middle class, and not lay blame where it does not belong," MacNaughton writes.

The U.S. dairy lobby has accused Canada of "systemic disregard" of its trade obligations, while the Canadian industry accused its American rival of "scapegoating."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is worried about Trump's protectionist talk and has sent his ministers to the U.S. to talk about the importance of Canada's trade relationship with the U.S.

When Trudeau visited the White House in February Trump praised the "outstanding" trade relationship between the United States and Canada, saying he would only be "tweaking" it going forward.

Relations with the U.S. are crucial as more than 75 percent of Canada's exports go to the U.S., while 18 percent of U.S. exports go to Canada. There are fears among Canadians that they could be hurt as Trump targets Mexico in a re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
TWIN FALLS  A remembrance ceremony for the Armenian Genocide will be held Monday evening in Twin Falls.

At 5 p.m., the public is invited to bring flowers to the Armenian Genocide Memorial, at Twin Falls City Park and share words and prayers.

Monday marks the 102 anniversary of the beginning of the systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire.

Following the memorial at 6:15 p.m., the public is invited to join a candlelight vigil for Syria at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church, 181 Morrison St. Candles will be provided. A traditional Armenian dinner at the church will follow the candle service.

We welcome and encourage people of all faith backgrounds, to unite on this day and lift up the memory of those persecuted for their faith and cherish our religious freedom here in the United States, a statement from organizers said.

For more information call Father Habib at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church at 818-219-2720 or Liyah Babayan at 541-292-7159.
TWIN FALLS  Chobani is suing the right-wing conspiracy website InfoWars and its founder, Alex Jones, over a video that claims Chobani was caught importing migrant rapists. The video alludes to a non-existent connection between Chobani and a Twin Falls sexual assault case involving three refugee boys and repeats the unsubstantiated claim that the yogurt companys factory has brought crime and tuberculosis to the Twin Falls community.

The video was shared online April 11 by Jones, InfoWars and other right-wing conspiracy outlets linked to Jones. It contains accusations that are false and defamatory, the lawsuit claims. Jones and InfoWars have failed to remove the defamatory statements despite multiple written demands from Chobani.

Defendant Alex Jones is no stranger to spurious statements, the lawsuit reads. He has claimed that the U.S. government orchestrated the 9/11 attacks and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The Southern Poverty Law Center described Mr. Jones as almost certainly the most prolific conspiracy theorist in contemporary America. Mr. Jones has now taken aim at Chobani and the Twin Falls community.

The video was published a week after three juveniles pleaded guilty to felonies in the assault of a 5-year-girl at the Fawnbrook Apartments in Twin Falls. That case, first widely publicized by right-wing conspiracy websites, set off months of turmoil after the story was spun into a fake news account that exaggerated or falsified many of the details and prompted local residents to speak out at City Council meetings accusing local officials of orchestrating a cover-up.

That juvenile case is sealed, so details of the assault are not public, but three boys age 14, 10 and 7 all pleaded guilty to felonies earlier this month, while law enforcement and city officials have maintained they handled the case properly.

Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs on Monday said there is no connection he is aware of between the assault and the yogurt company.

Chobanis lawsuit  filed as the city of Twin Falls weighs whether to adopt a resolution as a welcoming city to refugees and others  is the most direct attempt yet to dispel stories from the far-right media that mischaracterized the Fawnbrook incident and the interplay between Chobani, the city and the College of Southern Idahos Refugee Center.

The lawsuit

The video at the center of the suit makes a direct connection between the Greek-yogurt company and the Fawnbrook assault. Published on InfoWars and The Alex Jones Channel on Youtube, and shared by Jones on Twitter, the video purports to describe Chobanis practice of hiring refugees and an assault unrelated to Chobani, the lawsuit said.

In the video, Lee Ann McAdoo, described as a reporter, discusses the Fawnbrook case and says It was pulled into the political argument, of course, because of that refugee program. Chobani, whose factory employs many refugees, was another target of this anti-refugee anger.

McAdoo continues: A lot of people say that the factory there and other local businesses are linked to the refugee program because the existence of the labor of these refugees is needed to fuel Chobani. So interestingly while this story of these three refugee boys pleading guilty has received almost zero national attention, the owner there of Chobani was given a very glowing 60 Minutes interview where they praised him for being such a great jobs creator.

As McAdoo and another presenter, David Knight, discuss the Fawnbrook assault and continually insinuate theres a connection to Chobani, B-roll video plays behind them showing Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya.

The background of the video repeatedly depicts, and in doing so misrepresents, Chobanis owner and Chobanis products, the lawsuit said. Jones and InfoWars knowingly misrepresented the facts and made the false and misleading statements to harm Chobanis business and reputation.

InfoWars did respond Monday to a request for comment.

The defendants conduct in this matter was extreme, outrageous, and warrants punitive damages, the lawsuit says. The defendants publicly communicated the defamatory statements to a wide audience of subscribers and other online viewers causing significant damages to (Chobani). As a result of the conduct of the Defendants, (Chobani) has suffered and continues to suffer substantial damages in an amount to be proven at trial.

The lawsuit includes evidence of Jones Twitter account and Youtube channel sharing the story. The Youtube video is titled MSM (mainstream media) Covers for Globalists Refugee Import Program After Child Rape Case.

After the video was shared on Twitter by PrisonPlanetTV, another Jones-affiliated site, a Twitter user responded that Chobanis yogurt is another product to boycott.

Anti-refugee attacks

The video is just the latest in a long line of far-right, anti-Muslim and anti-refugee attacks against Twin Falls, the CSI refugee center, Chobani and Ulukaya.

But unlike some previous stories  like one from World Net Daily that removed a false claim that refugees were being sent to Twin Falls specifically to work for Chobani  Jones and InfoWars have declined to remove the defamatory statements or publish a retraction despite multiple written demands from Chobani.

Another attack last year from the right-wing site Breitbart included the headline: (Tuberculosis) Spiked 500 Percent In Twin Falls During 2012, As Chobani Yogurt Opened Plant.

But the story showed no connection between the disease and the yogurt company opening.

The story also showed the 500 percent spike was due to an increase from one tuberculosis case in 2011 to six in 2012. And that number took into account all cases in the Magic Valley, not just Twin Falls. The number of cases went back down to two in 2013, four in 2014 and one in 2015.

Other stories have accused city officials of receiving federal money to funnel refugees into Twin Falls so they could work for Chobani, Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar said, noting those allegations were totally false.

Chobani operates just like any other company, Barigar said Monday. Just like other companies that were here for 25 or 30 years before Chobani arrived who were hiring and employing refugees.

Barigar said he and the City Council have recently been hearing more vocal support from those who support the refugee resettlement program, diversity and businesses like Chobani who philosophically want to help those who need help achieving the American Dream.

But he stopped short of saying the citys proposed welcoming city resolution and the Chobani lawsuit represented local institutions standing up against anti-refugee sentiment.

That welcoming city resolution came as a request from citizens, Barigar said. That wasnt driven by the city.

Jones dark history

Jones, named in Chobanis lawsuit, specializes in provocative conspiracy theories, calling himself the founding father of 9/11 conspiracies. He says the terrorist attacks were an inside job by the U.S. government, and claims the Sandy Hook shooting was completely faked and manufactured.

Jones was also an early supporter of President Donald Trumps campaign, and during an appearance on Jones show, then-candidate Trump told Jones, Your reputation is amazing. I will not let you down.

Most or all of Jones conspiracy theories center around a globalist scheme to create a New World Order. According to a 2011 profile in Rolling Stone, Jones believes the endgame to this New World Order is a mass eugenics operation that will depopulate the planet by poisoning our food and water with fluoride, radioactive isotopes and various futuristic toxic soups being engineered in New World Order laboratories.

He was widely criticized last week when his attorney in his divorce and custody trial said Jones was a performance artist whose on-air persona was an act. Jones then testified in court, according to the Austin-American Statesman, that he means what he says on InfoWars, though he also indulges in satire and comedy on the show.

Jones later took to Twitter to ask that the media respect his privacy in the case  a request that was widely ridiculed coming from the man who claimed the massacre of 20 children was fake.

Jones, InfoWars and Free Speech Systems, LLC, another defendant in the case, now have 21 days to respond to Chobanis lawsuit.
BURLEY  Cassia County School District Superintendent Gaylen Smyer will retire next year.

The district made the announcement April 24.

Smyer will retire at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

The school board will begin searching for his replacement immediately and the trustees anticipate the search will take most of the upcoming school year. The board wants to hire the position by spring 2018 to ensure a smooth transition.

The Idaho School Boards Association will help the board find a replacement.

The search will involve faculty and community feedback.

Smyer began his teaching career in 1977 in the Cache School District at Sky View High School as an agriculture science instructor. He came to Cassia County in 1979 as the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Burley High School.

He became the administrator in 1998 at Cassia Regional Technical Center and has been the superintendent of the district since July 2007.

At his retirement he will have worked for 39 years in education in Idaho.

Smyer was born and raised in Declo and has lived there with his wife and three daughters.

Smyer has served in many local and state capacities over the years, most recently as the president of the Idaho School Superintendents Association. He also won the states superintendent of the year award in 2017.

The district encompasses 2,577 square miles and includes portions of Oneida County and Twin Falls County. There are 17 schools with a student enrollment of 5,567 students. It is the 13th largest district in the state.
Imogene Dipp

TWIN FALLS  Imogene Dipp, funeral at 2 p.m. Monday, April 24, 2017 at White Mortuary Chapel by the Park, 136 4th Ave E., visitation from 1 to 1:45 prior to the service.

Billie Westlake

JEROME  Billie Westlake, funeral service at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24 at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave., Jerome. Graveside services will conclude with military honors at Jerome Cemetery.

Veloy Lewis

DECLO  Veloy Lewis, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24, at the Declo LDS Stake Center, 213 W Main. A visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Sunday April 23 at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th, Burley and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service at the church.
Imogene Dipp

TWIN FALLS  Imogene Dipp, funeral at 2 p.m. Monday, April 24, 2017 at White Mortuary Chapel by the Park, 136 4th Ave E., visitation from 1 to 1:45 prior to the service.

Billie Westlake

JEROME  Billie Westlake, funeral service at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24 at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave., Jerome. Graveside services will conclude with military honors at Jerome Cemetery.

Veloy Lewis

DECLO  Veloy Lewis, funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24, at the Declo LDS Stake Center, 213 W Main. A visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Sunday April 23 at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th, Burley and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. preceding the service at the church.

Marvin Coates

TWIN FALLSMarvin Wilford Coates, funeral at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at Twin Falls LDS Stake Center, 2085 South Temple Dr.; visitation from 1 to 1:45 pm prior to the service at the church. (White Mortuary Chapel by the Park.)

Fleeta Barron

TWIN FALLSFleeta Barron of Twin Falls, graveside service at 3 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2017 at the Buhl West End Cemetery to celebrate her ninety-five years. (Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl)

Robert Sorenson

TWIN FALLS  Robert Sorenson, graveside service with military honors at 2 p.m. Friday, April 28 at Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls.

Janell R. Arrington

TWIN FALLS Janell R. Arrington, funeral services at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the West Stake Center LDS Church, 667 Harrison Street in Twin Falls. Visitation is on Friday evening, April 28 from 6-8 p.m. at Reynolds Funeral Chapel, 2466 Addison Ave. East, Twin Falls as well as on Saturday from 10-10:45 a.m.
Twin Falls

Senior Citizen Center

530 Shoshone St. W., Twin Falls. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors 60 and older; $6, non-seniors; $3, children 9 and younger. Other items: cinnamon roll, $2; coffee 50 cents; soup to go, $3; lunch to go, $5.50. For lunch take-out, 11 a.m. to noon daily: 208-734-5084.

Today: Breakfast bar

Tuesday: Polish sausage

Wednesday: Meatloaf

Thursday: Caesar chicken

Friday: Shepherds pie

Today: Quilting, 9 a.m.

Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 10:30 a.m., free

Mega Monday game, 11:45 a.m.

City of Twin Falls discussion with Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, 12:15 p.m.

Bridge, 1 p.m.

Art class, 1:30 p.m.

TOPS meeting, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Ticket Tuesday, 11:45 a.m.

Hand and foot canasta, 1 p.m.

Art classes, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Pinochle, 6:30 p.m.; cost is $2

Wednesday: Cinnamon roll sales, 7:30 a.m.

Quilting, 9 a.m.

Fit and Fall Proof, 10:30 a.m., free

Music by Legacy Band, 11:30 a.m.

Bridge, 1 p.m.

Laughter Therapy, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday: Organ music by Pat Blessin, 11:30 a.m.

Thunder Thursday game, 11:55 a.m.

Visually Impaired Support Group meeting, 12:45 p.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Hand and foot canasta, 1 p.m.

Art classes, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Ladies AA, 6 p.m.

Friday: Quilting, 9 a.m.

Fit and Fall Proof, 10:30 a.m., free

Bingo, 11:45 a.m.

Heart disease and stroke education with bingo, 11:45 a.m.; free bingo with prizes

Art class, 1:30 p.m.

West End

Senior Citizens Inc.

1010 Main St., Buhl. Lunch at noon, suggested donation: $5, seniors, 60 and older; $7, non-seniors; $7 for take-out dinners; and $4, children 10 and younger. Sunday buffet at 1 p.m.: $5, seniors, 60 and older; $7, non-seniors; $4, children 10 and younger. Bus for lunch pickup: 208-543-4577 by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Today: White bean kale soup

Tuesday: Taco salad

Wednesday: Breakfast, bacon and eggs, 8 to 10 a.m.

Thursday: Dixie chicken

Sunday: Barbecued ribs

Today: SilverSneakers exercise program, 10:30 a.m.

Pinochle, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Board meeting, 1 p.m.

Wednesday: SilverSneakers, 10:30 a.m.

Bingo, early bird starts at 6:45 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Filer Senior Haven

222 Main St., Filer. Lunch at noon Tuesday through Thursday. Suggested donation: $5. 208-326-4608.

Tuesday: Turkey pot pie

Wednesday: Taco salad

Thursday: Birthdays, fried chicken

Today: Bingo, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m.

Bingo, 12:45 p.m.

Wednesday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m.

Bingo, 12:45 p.m., $2

Thursday: Puzzles, 11:30 a.m.

Bingo, 12:45 p.m.

Cards, 1:30 p.m.

Ageless

Senior Center

310 Main St. N., Kimberly. Salad bar at 11:30 a.m., lunch served at noon; take-out; home delivery. Seniors 60 and older, suggested donation is $6, under 60, $7.50 (not donations); meals to go, $7.50. 208-423-4338.

Wednesday: French dip sandwich

Thursday: Chicken strips

Friday: Chicken fried steak

Today: Exercise, 10 a.m.

AA meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Snooker, 1 p.m.

Bible study, 1:30 p.m.

Bingo, 7 p.m.

Wednesday: Exercise, 10 a.m.

Thursday: Crafts, 1 p.m.

Snooker, 1 p.m.

Friday: Exercise, 10 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Gooding

Senior Citizen Center

308 Senior Ave., Gooding. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $3.50 for seniors. 208-934-5504.

Today: Haystacks

Tuesday: Pork chops

Wednesday: Chicken strips

Thursday: Turkey

Today: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 11 a.m.

Pinochle, 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hand and foot, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Pool, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Fit and Fall Proof, 11 a.m.

Shuffleboard, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday: Morning out, 9 a.m.

Pool, 9:30 a.m.

Birthday party

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Open pool, 1 p.m.

Friday: Pool, 9:30 a.m.

Duplicate bridge, 1 p.m.

Bingo, 6 p.m.

Wendell Senior Center

380 First Ave. E. Lunch served at noon. Suggested donation: $4 for seniors; $6 for under 60. 208-536-9951.

Today: Meatloaf

Friday: Chicken alfredo

Hagerman Valley

Senior and

Community Center

140 E. Lake, Hagerman. The center is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors 60 and older; $7, non-seniors. All take-outs, $6. 208-837-6120.

Today: Sesame chicken

Wednesday: Lasagna

Friday: Baked salmon

Today: Blood draws (by doctors order), 8 to 10:30 a.m.

50/50 raffle and Bridge Club, 1 p.m.

Friday: Two bingo games

Jerome

Senior Center

520 N. Lincoln St., Jerome. 208-324-5642. Salad bar at 11:30 a.m.; lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors (age 60 and older); $5, non-seniors; $3, children under 12.

Today: Parmesan chicken

Tuesday: Porcupine meatballs

Wednesday: Chicken salad sandwiches

Thursday: Macaroni and cheese hot dog casserole

Friday: Birthdays, pork roast

Today: Fitness classes with certified instructors, 10:30 a.m. and 5:20 p.m.

Music by Ricki Lee, 11:30 a.m.

Bridge, 12:30 p.m.

Bunco, 12:45 p.m.

Tuesday: Fitness class, 10:30 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Wednesday: Fitness class, 10:30 a.m.

Country Boys Band, 11:30 a.m.

Womens pool, 1 p.m.

Pinochle, 6:30 p.m.

Square dancing

Thursday: Yoga, 10:30 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Hand and foot, 1 p.m.

Fitness class, 5:20 p.m.

Womens pool, 7 p.m.

Friday: Fitness class, 10:30 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Bingo, 6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m.

Silver and Gold

Senior Center

210 E. Wilson, Eden. Lunch at noon Tuesday and Thursday. Breakfast at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Suggested donation: $5, seniors (age 60 and older); $6.50, non-seniors. 208-825-5662.

Today: Coffee, 7 a.m.

Tuesday: Coffee, 7 a.m.

Ham

Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday: Bible study, 7 a.m.

Breakfast burritos, muffins, 8 a.m.

Thursday: Coffee, 7 a.m.

Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup

Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 10:30 a.m.

Friday: Coffee, 7 a.m.

Richfield

Senior Center

130 S. Main, Richfield. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors; $5.50, under 60.

Today: Baked potato bar

Thursday: Corn dogs

Golden Years

Senior Citizens Inc.

218 N. Rail St. W., Shoshone. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors 60 and older; $5.50, non-seniors. 208-886-2369.

Tuesday: Taco salad

Wednesday: Ham sandwich

Friday: Roast beef

Today: Quilting, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesday: Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Friday: Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Camas County

Senior Center

129 Willow Ave. W., Fairfield. Breakfast, 7:30-11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $4, seniors 60 and older; $5, non-seniors; $2.50, children 10 and younger. 208-764-2226.

Today: Breakfast, 7:30 to 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: French dip sandwich

Friday: Pork roast

Today: Exercise class, 9 a.m.

Tuesday: Quilting, 10 a.m.

Cards after lunch

Wednesday: Exercise class, 9 a.m.

Blood pressure clinic, 11:30 a.m.

Cards after lunch

Weight loss group, 4 p.m.

Thursday: Art class, 10 a.m.

Friday: Exercise, 9 a.m.

Quilting, 10 a.m.

Music by Old Time Fiddlers

Cards after lunch

Blaine County

Senior Center

721 Third Ave. S., Hailey. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors; $7, non-seniors. 208-788-3468.

Today: Pan seared chicken breast

Tuesday: Crunchy baked pork chops

Wednesday: Roast beef

Thursday: Volunteer appreciation lunch, turkey with all the trimmings

Friday: Fish and chips

Today: Fit and Fall Proof exercise, 11 a.m.

Connection Club, 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Fit and Fall exercise, Carey, 10 a.m.

Connection Club, 11 a.m.

Bingo, 1 p.m.

Wednesday: Fit and Fall exercise, 11 a.m.

Kiwanis lunch, 11:30 a.m.

Thursday: Fit and Fall exercise, Carey, 10 a.m.

Connection Club, 11 a.m.

Card games, 1 p.m.

Friday: Connection Club, 11 a.m.

Fit and Fall exercise, 11 a.m.

Office on Aging meeting, 11:30 a.m.

Card games, 1 p.m.

Minidoka County

Senior Citizens

Center

702 11th St., Rupert. Lunch at noon Monday through Friday. Suggested donation: $5, seniors; $6, non-seniors; $3, children 10 and younger; $4.50, home delivery. 208-436-9107.

Menu not available

Thursday: Pinochle, 6 p.m.

Friday: Bingo, 7 p.m.

The Senior Junction

2421 Overland Ave., Burley. Lunch at noon. Suggested donation: $5, seniors and children 12 and younger; $6, non-seniors.208-878-8646.

Today: Salisbury steak

Tuesday: Sloppy Josephs

Wednesday: Teriyaki chicken

Thursday: Senior appreciation

Friday: Taco salad

Today: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Chair yoga, 10:45 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Tuesday: Woodcarvers, 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Chair yoga, 10:45 a.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Thursday: Art with Shirley, 1 p.m.

Pinochle, 6 p.m.

Friday: Open billiards, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Pinochle, 1 p.m.

Lorna Reed

Senior Center

424 Market St., Albion. Open Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; lunch at noon. Suggested donation, $5 seniors, $6 non-seniors. Take-out available ($8.50), call by 11:30 a.m. 208-673-6210.

Wednesday: Chicken and rice
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A pair of polls released Sunday showed President Donald Trump approaching his 100th day in office with the lowest level of support any modern president.

Forty-two percent of people in an ABC/Washington Post poll said they approved of Trump's performance so far, while 53% said they disapproved. An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll had 40% of respondents saying they approved of Trump and 54% saying they disapproved.

But the bad news wasn't Trump's alone. The ABC/Washington Post poll found significant majorities said both the Democratic and Republican parties were "out of touch" with the concerns of most Americans.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents said the Democratic Party was out of touch, as did 62% for the Republican Party. Less than a third said either party was "in touch."

Trump fared slightly better than the parties, with 58% saying he was out of touch.

Despite Trump's low approval numbers, the poll showed him retaining support among his base, with 96% of people who said they voted for him saying they would do so again. The poll showed only 85% of those who voted for Hillary Clinton would do so again, with most of those who would not saying they would either go with a third-party candidate or not vote at all.

That difference in remaining support for the two candidates would mean Trump would best Clinton 43 to 40% in a hypothetical rematch today. In the actual election Clinton failed to achieve an an electoral victory but outpaced Trump by almost 2.9 million votes, with 65,853,516 (48.18%) to his 62,984,825 (46.09%) according to the Federal Election Commission.

Trump seized on the poll's findings in a pair of tweets Sunday afternoon saying: "New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative. Would still beat Hillary in ... popular vote. ABC News/Washington Post Poll (wrong big on election) said almost all stand by their vote on me & 53% said strong leader."

The 100-days measure has been a focus of the media since former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who signed 15 major pieces of legislation early in his presidency. Trump tweeted last week that the 100 days point was "ridiculous." But during his campaign he referenced the point himself and promised to fight for a sweeping package of legislation as part of his 100-day plan in his "Contract with the American Voter." With less than a week until he hits the 100-day mark, none of those legislative proposals have come to pass.

Gallup's historical presidential approval numbers showed most presidents were near the height of their popularity in the beginning of their first terms.

Respondents to Sunday's polls also weighed in on a few areas unique to Trump.

Thirty-four percent of the ABC/Washington Post poll respondents said they disapproved of Trump including his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner in his administration.

And a majority, 54%, said they did not have a problem with Trump working out of Mar-a-lago, his private club in Florida.

The ABC/Washington Post poll surveyed 1,004 adults over April 17-20 and had a margin of error 3.5% points. The NBC/WSJ poll surveyed 900 adults over that same period and had a margin of error 3.3% points.
The following editorial appears in Sundays Washington Post:

Remember how President Donald Trump was going to construct a wall along the border between the United States and Mexicopaid for by Mexico? Theres been a change of plans. Now Trump wants the Democrats to put up the cash.

All right; thats a slight exaggeration. Whats actually happening is that the governments current spending authority runs out April 29. Without a new bill, the country could face a partial shutdown of federal agencies. No one, Trump included, wants that, and the two parties are negotiating a deal to avoid it. However, his budget director, Mick Mulvaney, threw a wrench into the talks Thursday by declaring that the final deal should include money for Trumps wall. Yes, Mulvaney said, Democrats dont like the wall, but they lost the election. And the president should, I think, at least have the opportunity to fund one of his highest priorities in the first funding bill under his administration. A down payment on the wall might be the White Houses price for agreeing to the Democrats own priority: a key health-care subsidy for low- income consumers.

Republicans do not have the necessary 60 votes for passage of any spending deal in the Senate, which gives the Democrats leverage despite their minority status in both houses. They would be crazy to capitulate, and not only because the politics of the issue favor them. (Sixty-two percent of the public opposes building a wall along the entire border, according to a Pew Research poll.) As a policy matter, the wall is a foolish and wasteful enterprise, one whose legitimate purposesstopping unauthorized immigration and drug smugglingcould be achieved at far lower cost through other means. In the unlikely event that this pharaonic enterprise ever did get completed, it would stand as a monument to the xenophobia Trump tapped to get elected. The sooner he can be forced to abandon it, the better.

Democrats are in the right on the health-care issue as well. At issue are billions of dollars to help lower-income health insurance exchange customers afford out-of-pocket expenses, money that the Obama administration provided but that the Republicans insist was not properly appropriated; they have a lawsuit pending on that point. Ideally, the Republicans would be abandoning that fight and engaging the Democrats in a genuinely constructive update of Obamacare, not the repeal-and-replace exercise they have been pursuing, without success, due to their own internal divisions. Intra-GOP talks are ongoing, with Trump suggesting that a compromise might be ready for a vote in the House next week. The plan gets better and better and better, Trump said, which is the opposite of the truth: Leaked versions of the bill would, under certain circumstances, allow states to let insurance companies sell policies that people with preexisting conditions could not afford.

April 29 also marks the 100th day of Trumps presidency; he may be trying to conjure some sort of legislative victory before then, or at least put up a convincing show of trying. What hes mainly demonstrating, though, are the reasons his accomplishments so far have been so paltry: His vaunted negotiating skills have delivered little, and his priorities have been misguided.
So Mr. Otter will not sign the bill (passed hugely by our Legislature) to do away with Idaho sales tax. Not a surprise to me! Otter has no idea how real people live. Those real people (taxpayers) not only pay him a huge salary, but we also pay him $4,500 a month not to live in the governor mansion we provide for him. I have no doubt he can pay tax on his groceries without having to water his kids' milk down, so he obviously does not care that some can't.

Unfortunately we have been stuck with him and now Trump. Their only credentials were a daddy-in-law or a daddy with a big checkbook. Both are playboys with a gift of bullying their way through, nothing else.

Does Otter or Trump listen to their government counterparts? No, of course not. they know more than everyone! (Even the generals, tee hee, or our Idaho Legislature.) I think it would be a very good idea to take the veto pens away, and go with the majority rules. If so, we would already have the grocery tax repealed.

Why spend so much money on a Legislature, Congress and Senate if one man can overrule months of their work, with a stroke of his pen? Total waste of money and time, not to mention just plain ol' ridiculous!

Sue Harr

Buhl
Credit Raul Labrador with holding a town hall meeting, and for not hot-footing in and out. The three hours he spent there must have been an endurance challenge; most town halls I have attended over the years have been substantially shorter, usually half as long.

In other respects, compared to other recent town halls around the country, it was not terribly different: Republican representative appears and is jeered by hundreds of people in normally friendly locations. Across the state line in the adjacent eastern Oregon congressional district, Rep. Greg Walden encountered much the same in Hood River (his small home town), Bend and elsewhere: A Republican routinely re-elected by supermajorities over two decades faced unusually large and stunningly hostile crowds. It must have been unlike anything hed seen before.

And in Idaho? Would anyone other than Labradors loyal chorus show up?

They did; and, true, some Labrador (and Donald Trump) backers did too. But the fact that this event was held in the Republican heartland of Meridian, and lines formed hours in advance, did not discourage the opposition from showing up and getting loud. The crowd was reported as numbering around 800, an unusually big number for this sort of thing. At town halls, organizers usually have to search out prospective questioners; this time, questioners lined up by the dozens at the available mics.

All that was secondary to the electricity in the air (evident even if you watched the video), and the reason was clear: This was one of the relatively few occasions when the inside and the outside of Idaho politics came face to face.

It doesnt happen a lot. Mostly in Idaho (with variations happening as well in other states), theres the Republican infrastructure and its supporters over here, and whats been dubbing itself the Resistance (Democrats and others in opposition) over there, usually in their highly separated bubbles. Theoretically, actual contact could happen more often at the Idaho Legislature, where it should happen, and it does in a limited way on specific issues. The town hall, though, was a chance to raise ideas and frame them independently. The outsiders here were able to face off directly with their opposition, and hear back in kind.

Along the way Labrador may have heard some things from constituents he might not have heard from them before, or at least not in force, things politicians dont hear oftenand that many Idahoans dont often hear from each other.

When he said, I dont think theres anything in the law that requires the president to provide his tax returns, he got boos. Whatever else, this marked a clear expression of different world views bumping against each other.

When he said, I do not believe that health care is a basic right, much of the crowd roared its disapproval. (Question: What other rights are meaningful without health, or while youre crushed underneath medical bills?) Labrador did say he thought people should have access to health care. One woman responded, I have access to buy a Mercedes. The only problem is, I cant afford a Mercedes. Many people cant afford decent health care if it is not provided by the government.

Mostly and traditionally, Idahoans have been polite and gentle-spoken around their elected officials. Contrariness usually isnt a big part of the picture; the ideas espoused by most elected officials (in Idaho, Republicans basically) rarely draw much direct blowback. But on Wednesday in Meridian, they did. Some of it wasnt polite, as Labrador noted ironically (Im super popular tonight). But he certainly was hearing from more than the hallelujah chorus. And remember: The yelling often comes from pent-up frustration at not being listened to, as it did in the days of Tea.

A side of Idaho that doesnt usually make itself very visible is doing that now. And again Monday, when Labrador has scheduled another hall at Nampa.

In Idahos other House district, Rep. Mike Simpson has been quoted as saying, Ive never been really active in doing town halls. Town hall meetings I have found, generally, disintegrate into yelling efforts.

Meridian was a demonstration that even if they do, something awfully useful can happen there. Simpson might be well advised to reconsider.
On March 30, 2017 the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte completed nine months of existence. Under normal circumstances nine months is a period long enough to justify an assessment of an administration; given the highly controversial nature of the Duterte administration; an assessment of the Duterte administrations record is clearly in order.

How has the Duterte administration performed since it took over the reins of power nine months ago? Stated differently, what did Rodrigo Duterte and his people do with the mandate given to them by 38 percent of the people of this country?

From the standpoint of the economy, the record of the Duterte administrations first nine months in office is arguably the worst of any postwar administration during the same period. Whether they actually said so or not, the administrations preceding Dutertes strove to hit the ground running. The best example of this is the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, whose people lost no time putting plans into operation as soon as they moved into Malacanang. The Duterte folk also hit the ground running, but it wasnt the economy that was uppermost in their minds. It was Mr. Dutertes war on illegal drugs.

Indeed, the story of the Duterte administrations first nine months in office is the story of Rodrigo Dutertes war on illegal drugs and the things associated with it: Operation Tokhang, extrajudicial killings and vigilante killings, the provision of facilities for the candidates for rehabilitation and the filing of drug-related charges against individuals. Such have been the degree of interest and amount of resources invested by the Duterte administration in the illegal-drugs issue that other matters of governance  especially the management of the economy  necessarily suffered during the period from June 29, 2016 to March 29, 2017.

If the truth must be told, the Duterte administration produced nothing concrete for the Philippine economy during its first three quarters in office. It largely coasted along on the basis of the good economic environment bequeathed to it by the preceding administration. I refer in particular to the stable fiscal and monetary conditions left behind by Benigno Aquino III and his people.

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Not only did the present administration not deliver concrete achievements during its first nine months in office, but it also caused palpable harm to the economy during its first 270 days in office. By talking and conducting himself in an outrageous manner towards this countrys most important political and economic partners  the US and the members of the European Union (EU)  and by embarking on a so-called independent foreign policy  Rodrigo Duterte hurt, rather than enhanced, the prospects of the Philippine economy. At no time have the economic and political partners of the Philippines been as alarmed and confused about this countrys intentions and direction as they have been with Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang.

The only accomplishments that Mr. Duterte can claim for his administrations first nine months in office are the State and official trips that he has made to the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations  the Philippines holds the 2017 chairmanship of ASEAN  and a number of other countries. The visits have invariably culminated in the signing of documents embodying promises of official assistance and investment intentions of the private sectors of the host countries. In keeping with the accustomed practice, Mr. Duterte has presented the documents to the Filipino people as evidence of concrete achievements. The official promises and private-sector intentions have once again involved enormous amounts of money. The promises and expressions of intent may translate into infrastructural facilities, factories and more productive farms: but abundant experience has shown that this is not always the case and that gaps eventually develop between funds promised and funds actually inward-remitted.

Moreover, the prospects of official assistance and private-investment inflows need to be matched against the possibilities of reductions in foreign exchange inflows resulting from Mr. Dutertes badmouthing of the European Union and his refusal to receive future US economic assistance For the first time in the post-war era the international communitys economic relations with the Philippines could become a negative-sum game.

Summing up, the period from June 29, 2016 up to today arguably has been the most dismal first nine-months period in the history of the Philippine Presidency. There have simply been too many negatives and hardly any positives. For the sake of the 106 million people of this country  this piece of Gods creation that he possessively calls my country  one can only hope and pray that Rodrigo Duterte will shape up soon and start conducting himself the way the President of the Philippines needs to.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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Moroccos Interior Ministry scolded Algerian authorities for their immoral and unethical actions with regards to 54 Syrian nationals who tried to illegally enter Morocco from Algeria, between April 17 and 19 through the mountainous border town of Figuig. Rabat deplored the actions by the Algerians to manipulate the moral and physical distress of these people as well as to sow trouble in the Morocco-Algerian border. Algerias ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the serious accusations. The ambassadors of the two countries have been summoned by the authorities of their host countries.

Rabat condemned the actions as inhumane and described the Syrians as refugees while lamenting about the fragile state of women and children under such circumstances. The statement urged the Algerian authorities to assume political responsibility and morality concerning this situation. The two countries share a border of 1500km and it has been closed since 1994.

Algiers summoned Moroccos Ambassador to the country and gave him a categorical denial of the false allegations which it claimed are completely groundless accusations only intended to harm Algeria. The statement for the foreign ministry added that the alleged actions are alien to Algerias ethics and the well-established tradition and hospitality.

The two neighboring North African countries have been at odds over wide range of issues. Diplomatic relations have notably been affected by border issues which led to the outbreak of an armed conflict, in 1963, commonly known as the Sand War. The matter of the Western Sahara is also another controversial subject between the two countries. Algeria supports the liberation and independence of the territory that once used to be a Spanish colony but Morocco claims that it is part of its territory and has annexed it since 1975 after the departure of the Spanish.
Representatives of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR), State Council president Abdulrahman Sewehli and president Ageela Saleh respectively, reached an agreement to stop the bleeding as well as (ensure) the return of displaced persons. The agreement was brokered following talks in Rome presided over by the Italian minister of Foreign Affairs Angelina Alfano. The Italian ambassador to Libya was also in attendance.

Details of the agreement have not been made public but the State Council, established under the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement (LPA), stated that the parties agreed to reach peaceful and fair solutions to outstanding issues. The HoR has refused to recognize the GNA and also delayed voting to approve the LPA. The stalemate led to UN sanctions on Saleh which includes a travel ban but that has not barred him from travelling to Italy.

Deputy President Emhemed Shouaib of the HoR said the agreement showcases political realism and the promotion of reason as the paths toward stability and maintenance of national unity. He hopes that the talks will be expanded to include all politicians.

Minister Alfano said the discussions were held in an atmosphere of friendliness and openness and looks forward to further consultations. UN Special Envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler, applauded the talks in Rome and hopes that it will help to implement the LPA.

The role of Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army loyal to the HoR, is among the key issues that have restrained cooperation between the two parties. There were numerous reservations with the LPA from the HoR and the General National Congress, the parliament based in Tripoli, but Kobler pressed ahead with its signing with those who supported it. That has made its implementation difficult and the institutions that it established have limited authority in Tripoli where they are based.
Abdelfettah al-Sisi of Egypt arrived in Riyadh on Sunday in honor of King Salmans invitation and they would be discussing regional and international issues of common interest. The invitation was made in March on the sidelines of the Arab Summit in Jordan. Cairo stated that the visit will contribute to bolstering strategic relations between the two countries and among the key issues on the agenda is the struggle against terrorism which threatens security and stability in the region.

Saudis foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir hailed the deep, strong, historical and strategic relations between the two countries after a closed door meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry. He hoped that more constructive meetings will be held between them and their bilateral ties will be always stronger. The meeting between two ministers dwelled on the strong bilateral relations and mechanisms of supporting them in the coming period in all economic, cultural, medical, educational and developmental fields. The crisis in Libya, Syria and Yemen were discussed and emphasis was made on the importance of finding solutions to these issues in light of identical views of the two countries, al-Jubeir stated.

On the sidelines of the visit, a Saudi-Egyptian Summit on ways of reinforcing bilateral relations and facing regional challenges will be held. Shoukry noted that it will be an opportunity to deal with regional and international developments as well as discredit rumors that their bilateral relations are going through hard times.

Riyadh was reported to have been unhappy with Cairo supporting a Russian drafted resolution on Syria at the UN Security Council which led to Saudi halting its oil supply to the country a few days later. The fate of the islands of Tiran and Sanafir are also contributing factors to the tension. Al-Sisi reportedly met Salman on the sidelines of the Arab League Summit to break the ice after months of apparent tensions between the two Middle Eastern allies.

Rami Khouri, a senior public policy fellow with the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, analyzed that the two former giants in the region are trying to regain their roles by working together because thats the way they can help each other.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday arrived in Djibouti to visit the U.S. military base; a month after the White House approved a Pentagon proposal to allow the head of Africa Command to launch offensive attacks against militants group in the restive Horn African region.

According to Reuters, the Defense Secretarys trip to the Middle East and Africa comes as the United States has been increasing pressure on militant groups in the region.

The VOA reported that the U.S. official spoke with French and U.S. troops at Camp Lemonnier on Sunday and met with the Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Minister of Defense Ali Hasan Bahdon.

We continue to develop intelligence and develop targets, and when we have the opportunity, we will use those, Africa Command (AFRICOM) chief, General Thomas Waldhauser told reporters after meeting with Mattis.

The U.S. base of 4,000 troops is located just miles from a Chinese base, still under construction, Reuters reported.

General Thomas Waldhauser has recently expressed concern over Chinas growing military presence in Djibouti.

He said that Chinas claim that it was building logistical facilities in Djibouti was not correct because Beijing was actually creating a full-fledged military base that would sit alongside U.S. and French bases in the strategic Indian Ocean country.
The Nigerian anti-graft Watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday said it has recovered over $53.6 million in the last four months.

According to the Acting Head of the agency, Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC recorded 62 convictions in the first quarter of 2017.

Apart from several other recoveries running into several billions of naira (local currency), the recent whistle-blower policy has led to the recovery by EFCC of $53.6 million, Magu said.

Whistle-blowers can anonymously provide information through a secure portal. If the information leads to the recovery of stolen public funds, the whistle-blower is entitled to between 2.5% and 5% of the total money recovered.

Nigeria has struggled with corruption and looted funds for decades. Africas most populous nation is facing its worst economic crisis in years, caused by the sharp decline in global oil prices.

President Muhammadu Buhari, elected in 2015, vowed to fight corruption, and recover mind-boggling sums of money stolen from the oil sector and public coffers.

The government has announced plans to recover millions of dollars from Nigerians in Switzerland, Britain, the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates, as well as their assets held in those countries.
The German government is moving to boost private investment in Africa, Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, told reporters in Washington during the Global Infrastructure Forum.

According to Schaeuble, the move is meant to avoid a destructive rise in populism and the gap between the rich and poor.

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 on sustainable growth, Schaeuble said.

He announced that the first stage of the proposal tagged Compact with Africa would focus on Cote dIvoire, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia.

If we want to ensure long-term stability and security, we have to continue to reduce the gap in wealth between rich and poor countries of this world, especially on the African continent, he added.

In a document titled Marshall Plan for Africa, German Development Minister Gerd Muller has recently proposed a new level of development cooperation with the continent.

His 33-page blueprint proposes a new level of equal cooperation between Africa and western countries in areas such as education, trade, business development and energy.

So far, only 1,000 out of 400,000 German companies are present in Africa
@amysherman1

On the anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill, Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., attacked President Donald Trump for his stance on drilling and portrayed Congress as doing nothing in the aftermath of the 2010 explosion.

Trump looking to open up E Coast & new areas for offshore oil drilling when Congress has passed no new safety standards since BP, Markey tweeted April 20.

We wanted to know what Trumps plans were and if Congress has done nothing since the explosion.

The April 20, 2010, explosion of BPs Deepwater Horizon rig was the worst offshore drilling catastrophe in U.S. history. The explosion killed 11 workers, and 134 million gallons of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico.

We emailed a spokesman for Trump and did not get a reply; however, a spokesman for the Bureau of Ocean Management sent information about the reorganization of federal agencies that oversee drilling during the Obama administration.

Keep reading from PolitiFact Florida






House and Senate leaders conceded Monday that years of Legislative stalemate over the future of slot machine expansion in Florida -- including whether Miami-Dade will be home to additional casinos -- may come to an end not because of their actions but because the courts have forced their hand.

Lawmakers convened a conference committee Monday to work out the differences between their vastly different gambling bills aimed at renewing the gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe. But, in the process they concluded that no matter what they do, a series of court rulings may be driving the train.

Theres too many lawsuits out there. We have to act, said Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, the House's chief gambling negotiator. He noted that numerous court rulings over the last few years have been nipping away at the compact with the Seminole Tribe by allowing gambling to expand in violation of the compact without legislative approval.

The latest decision came Thursday, when the court approved the language for a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voter approval for any casino expansion in the future. Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, a lawyer who helped negotiate the current compact with the Tribe, said that he thinks the dissenting opinion in that case is the latest clue the court is ready to overrule the Legislature's position that it has final say over expanding gambling in Florida.

The dissent came from one of the two most conservative members of the Florida Supreme Court, Justice Ricky Polston, who was considered "a no-vote on the referendum counties to keep their slots," Galvano explained.

The language in his opinion may shine a light on a ruling lawmakers have been awaiting for nearly 11 months: whether a struggling race track in the impoverished North Florida town of Gretna is entitled to slot machines because voters approved a countywide referendum in 2012, he said, adding that Polston's dissent reads as if he has accepted that voter-approved slot machines across the state are "existing."

The Gretna case is expected to have precedent-setting power by determining whether or not voters can expand gambling without legislative authority and, Galvano speculated, it appears as if the court has decided voters are in control.

"One can almost glean from the dissent that it's a fait accompli just pending in the court,'' Galvano told members of the gambling conference at its first meeting on Monday. "I don't want to put words in the court's future opinion but those are the type things that we need to be aware of.

Galvano said a reading of the opinions indicates that the court may have concluded that slot machines are not only allowed in the 10 counties that have conducted voter referendums to approve them, but that they may not be allowed if a county has not approved them -- such is the case at Hialeah Racetrack, in which the Legislature, not the voters, approved the slot machine expansion.

Galvano admits it's an attempt to read the tea leaves on a case the court heard oral arguments about in June but has still not ruled.

"All of these things play into the big picture, he said.

The proposed constitutional amendment is being backed by No Casinos, an Orlando-backed group that does not reveal its financing. The amendment would ask voters in November 2018 to require statewide approval for any casino expansion in the state. The proposed language would give voters the "exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling" in the state.

The Senate has long contended that lawmakers have the authority to expand gaming in Florida while the House is arguing that it supports requiring voters statewide to approve any new casinos.

In the House, we would see the constitutional amendment as a compliment to what we are trying to do, said Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, the House's leading negotiator on the gambling conference committee.

The Supreme Court approved the language of the amendment in a 4-2 decision, with Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and Justices Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince and Charles Canady in the majority and justices Ricky Polston and R. Fred Lewis dissenting. Justice Alan Lawson, who joined the court at end of December, did not take part.

In his dissent, Polston argued that the proposal is misleading and violates the single-subject requirement. He said it fails to fully inform voters about its possible effects on a 2004 constitutional amendment that authorized slot machines in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Under that amendment, local voters also had to approve the slot machines.

"The initiative is placing voters in the position of deciding between a preference for controlling the expansion of full-fledged casino gambling and Florida's current legal gaming landscape," Polston wrote.

But the majority disagreed and said the ballot language was clear enough to go on the ballot.

"The opponents primarily argue that the initiative should not be placed on the ballot because it is unclear whether, if passed, the amendment would apply retroactively and what effect, if any, the amendment would have on gambling that is currently legal in Florida --- including gambling that was previously authorized by general law rather than by citizens' initiative," the majority wrote.

Galvano repeated the Senates desire to negotiate a comprehensive gambling package rather than just address the compact.

Every point is a leverage point for one component of the industry, including the Seminoles, and thats the only way well get done, he said.

The bills before the House and Senate attempt to not only renew the compact, but address court rulings that have left the states already-frayed gaming laws in tatters. The Senate bill, SB 8, opens the door to massive expansion of slot machines and Indian gaming, while the House bill, PCB TGC 17-01, continues to give the Seminole Tribe the exclusive right to slot machines outside of Miami-Dade and Broward and blackjack at their South Florida casinos but demands more money than they are paying now in exchange -- $3 billion over seven years.

"There's still plenty of threats out there and we're constantly playing a game of catch-up,'' Diaz said.

The Seminole Tribe has said that it would not agree to either approach because the Senate allows for more competition than it believes should be allowed in exchange for payments to the state while the House asks for too much money in exchange for what is essentially the status quo.

On Monday, Galvano said the Senate was prepared to make some minor changes to its own gambling bill by including a provision to require that the state be given 24 months to pass legislation to remedy any alleged violation in the Tribes compact with the state.

The Senate also agreed to provide more flexibility if the Seminole Tribe of Florida objected to allowing an additional casino in Broward, by instead suggesting that the two new casinos it wants to authorize for South Florida could both be located in Miami-Dade or Broward, a shift from the current bill which says each county may get only one new casino.

The Tribe has objected to the competition in Broward and "that gives us the flexibility without losing the revenue,'' Galvano explained.
An eighth grade girl, age 14, needs jeans (size 14), shirts (size women's large), socks size (8-11) and undergarments, which must be new and in the package. If you would like to help with this need you can donate gently used items or make a donation of $125 to My Student in Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teacher can take him shopping. Porter 2337.
Sew For Charity sponsored by Martha's Ministries Clinton Chapter, will be held from noon to 8 p.m. (you can come and leave has you wish) Thursday, April 27, at Clinton Community Church on Clown Lane in Clinton. Fabric will be provided; bring your sewing machine if possible. Making receiving blankets and bibs for local organizations such as The Carol Graham Home, Ronald McDonald House and Parenting Place. Beverages will be provided, bring a dish to share. For more information contact Kathy McNaughton at 406-370-7934.

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The community-wide fundraiser, Missoula Gives, returns May 4-5. Missoula Gives (formerly Give Local Missoula) is an online and in-person charitable extravaganza that promotes local philanthropy and community participation. Donations can be made online or in person at local hot spots; and matching funds from corporate sponsors ensure that even the smallest gifts have a big impact. Since it first launched in 2014, Missoula Gives has raised almost $645,000 for more than 140 local organizations. This years goal is to raise $300,000 from 3,000 Missoulians for more than 145 local nonprofits.

As a civic crowdfunding event, Missoula Gives aims to raise awareness of the diversity of organizations that exist in Missoula, and to encourage a collective effort to fund charitable causes. With more than 145 participating nonprofits, people are sure to find one or more they would like to support.

Online donations are accepted at missoulagives.org. On May 4-5, donor lounges will be set up in the lobby of the Florence Hotel, Missoula Federal Credit Union, Good Food Store and Plonk.

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The Missoula Community Foundation connects people who care to causes that matter. Over the past 16 years, MCF has given almost $900,000 to more than 140 projects, inspiring long-term local philanthropy to ensure the diversity and vitality of the Greater Missoula community. For more information, please visit missoulacommunityfoundation.org.

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Western Montana Mental Health Center, in partnership with Missoula County, is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a recently completed Emergency Detention unit within Dakota Place on Tuesday, May 2, at 2 p.m. The public is invited and welcome to attend.

Dakota Place is a short-term voluntary crisis stabilization facility which has been operating for over 15 years. Over time, community partners recognized gaps in Missoula mental health services, specifically for adult individuals that required stabilization in a secure environment, and collaborated to develop a community centered solution. Currently, many individuals in need of psychiatric emergency detention are sent to Polson, Hamilton or Montana State Hospital. The Dakota Place Secure Emergency Detention Unit will serve adult residents of Missoula and neighboring counties, allowing individuals to remain in their community, within their established care systems, and increase linkage to ongoing supportive services.

Dakota Place is located at 1273 Dakota St. For more information, call Katherine Isaacson, WMMHC, 406-532-9737.

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Watson Children's Shelter and Montana Rail Link are sponsoring the 17th annual Bike for Shelter at Community Medical Center on Saturday, May 13, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The event includes a 2-mile and an 11-mile bike ride plus a bike rodeo where participants can earn a medal! After the ride, enjoy a barbecue lunch, cotton candy and snow cones while listening to music on the lawn. There will be a costume contest and carnival games with prizes, face painting, miniature horses, bouncy house and more. Most importantly, by attending this event, participants are helping Watson Children's Shelter provide a safe and nurturing home to abused and neglected Montana children.

Register online at watsonchildrensshelter.org by Wednesday, May 10, for a discounted rate of $12 per person, $40 per family (up to four people; each additional person $5). Event day registration is $15 per person, $45 per family.
Attorney Jim Browns The rest of the story on I-166 isnt quite the rest of the story. Here are the facts:

I was the lone dissenter from the Montana Supreme Courts decision on the pre-election challenge to Initiative 166. In terms of legal analysis, I stand by what I said. I laid out exhaustively why I believed that I-166 was constitutionally invalid and should not be placed on the ballot. Although the court had the ability to rule as I suggested it should, it chose not to do so. The court denied the challenge and, instead, allowed the measure to be voted upon by the people.

Heres the link to the opinion, and you can read for yourself how the court ruled, what I argued, and come to your own conclusions: http://law.justia.com/cases/montana/supreme-court/2012/op-12-0439.html.

The Supreme Courts decision on I-166 has never been over-ruled. After the voters passed the initiative, the First Judicial District Court did rule in Rickert v. McCulloch that part of I-166 was unconstitutionallargely on the basis of my dissent. The district court upheld other parts of the initiative. But, as Brown points out, the district courts decision was not appealed to the Supreme Court. Accordingly, we have no idea how that court would rule.

It has been a longstanding rule in Montana that, although the process of the district courts extends to all parts of the state, the exercise of the power of such courts is limited to the boundaries of the district. Moreover, district court decisions do not constitute binding precedent on the Supreme Court. In short, the Rickert decision established no binding statewide precedent. Only a decision of the Supreme Court can create state law. Thus, while I-166 has been partially stuck down in one judicial district, it remains in full force and effect in the rest of the judicial districts of the state.

Montanans overwhelmingly adopted I-166 by a margin of nearly 75 percent. (See: http://www.standwithmontanans.org/montanans_approve_i_166.)

I-166 is codified at  13-35-501, et. seq. of the Montana Code. Section 13-35-504, MCA charges Montanas congressional delegation with, among other things, proposing a joint resolution to amend the federal Constitution to overturn the Citizens United decision, to establish that corporations are not human beings with rights and, effectively, to get dark, mega money out of politics. Heres the link: http://codes.findlaw.com/mt/title-13-elections/mt-code-ann-sect-13-35-504.html.

Even if (as my dissent argued) Montanas congressional delegation cannot be compelled to comply with Section 13-35-504 MCA, there is absolutely nothing prohibiting each and every member of the delegation from doing what 75 percent of Montanans clearly and unequivocally expressedoffer a constitutional amendment to overturn the infamous Citizens United decision and the effects of the dark, mega money which it ushered into American politics. Indeed, one would think that when 75 percent of Montanans speak as one, our congressional delegation would take notice of and heed their instruction.

To date, only one member of Montanas congressional delegation has followed the direction given by this supermajority of Montana voters: U.S. Sen. Jon Tester was one of the first members of congress to offer the constitutional amendment that Montanans clearly wanted. Heres the link. https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=2970.

To my knowledge, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines has not offered, nor did Ryan Zinke while he was a member of Congress offer, the amendment that Montanans want. (And, voters should now be questioning Greg Gianfortes, Rob Quists and Mark Wicks position on this matter before the special election next month).

Finally, as far as Im concerned the matter of I-166 is closed. Montana voters overwhelmingly adopted the Initiative, and its language has not been rejected, overruled or modified on a statewide basis by the Montana Supreme Courtmy dissent, one district courts decision and Browns disagreement to the contrary notwithstanding.

Moreover, I wholeheartedly support the adoption of a 28th Amendment to the federal Constitution to undo the damage that Citizens United has caused to our political system. Corporations must not have the same rights as natural human beings. The votes of people must not be diluted and devalued by those who can dominate political discourse with their money.

And that is the rest of story.
As the 65th Legislative Session enters the home stretch, here are a few thoughts and numbers to share concerning infrastructure dollars and projects in the next two years.

In the next biennium (July 1, 2017June 30, 2019) the state of Montana, with solid House GOP support, has authorized $213 million in cash infrastructure spending from the interest earned on the Coal Severance Trust (CST) fund. Additionally, more than $900 million of the Montana Highway State Special Revenue Account (HSRA) fund, including the federal match, will be spent on road and bridge improvements in Montana over the same period. Thats more than $1.1 billion on infrastructure being spent during the next two years. All this is being accomplished with current tax revenues, making an 8-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase a needless hardship on most working Montanans. But, thats a matter for another discussion.

The two infrastructure bills remaining alive this session would require Montana taxpayers to add debt through bonds (borrowing) for projects being proposed as infrastructure, which most folks believe arent infrastructure at all. Theres $25 million to renovate Romney Hall in Bozeman, $10 million to build a southwest veterans' home in Butte, $5.4 million for a nursing facility addition in Great Falls, and $5 million for a technology building addition at Montana State University-Billings. According to the members of the Montana Infrastructure Coalition, the term infrastructure pertains most specifically to roads, bridges, sewer and water systems. Essentially you, as taxpayers, are being asked to foot a bill for $45.4 million in projects that are wants, and not needs, and dont even meet the definition of basic infrastructure.

There are going to be people (elected and electorate alike) who will try to convince you that the time is right to bond and that construction costs are only going to increase in the future. While both comments may be technically correct, the essential point is this: is it proper for your elected officials to put your hard-earned money on the hook for projects that are either unnecessary, improperly assigned as infrastructure, or both? According to the majority of residents in House District 97 with whom I spoke during this past campaign cycle, the answer is no. Not a single person asked me to needlessly spend money we dont have on projects we dont need. Not one!

Given the state and federal gas tax dollars we currently spend on maintaining and improving state and federal highways in Montana, the percentage of our roads in poor condition is much lower than states such as Washington, Idaho, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Most of our roads are in a fair to good state of condition. Could some roads be improved? Of course they can. But the fact remains that the vast majority of our roads and bridges are not falling apart. Lets fix the ones in need and keep watch on those needing some repair in the future, addressing them when the need arises and funding is available.

Remember the math: $1.1 billion is already going to be spent in the next two years on true infrastructure. Asking Montana citizens to borrow another $78 million to $98 million to bond a handful of items on a Christmas wish list with their future hard-earned money is grossly irresponsible and unwanted by the majority of Montana taxpayers.

Resist the hyperbole from those who act as if we have an unlimited supply of money in the state. Lets spend money for things we actually need, not things some people want but Montana truly cannot afford.


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In this political climate, witnessing Hillary Clintons foundation scandals whet my appetite to look into Greg Gianfortes foundation and my, what a stellar record this man has when it comes to helping others reach for their goals and dreams.

He has contributed $43,523,655 in grants alone. Gianforte Family Foundation: Nurturing and feeding families around the world! Building communities and supporting education and Montanans. Since when is that a bad thing?

We call this Montana millionaire not from Montana; he has lived in Montana for over 20 years spreading success, not failures.

Rob Quist wants sanctuary cities. Steve Bullock, born in Montana, has now allowed foreign laws to exist here in this state by vetoing Senate bill 97, a law that would protect Montanans from foreign law, that by the way is not from Montana or for Montana, to coin the phrase from the last go-around. Just because you are born in Montana doesnt mean you are for Montana.

Put lies and false accusations aside and do whats best for you and this state. The choice is yours. In doing my research, I am voting for Greg Gianforte on May 25. I am an Independent voter and a free thinker who did her homework; now is time to do yours.

Gina Klempel,

Kalispell
Have you ever wondered why Moses was allowed to walk into Pharaoh's palace, at will, without execution? The answer is Moses was a member of the royal family.

He was the "cousin" of Pharaoh, and Pharaoh could not kill Moses for good reason. It would lead to his own death. Pharaoh claimed he was god. Therefore all relatives held the same privilege. If he had killed Moses, Pharaoh would have jeopardized his own life.

When Roman generals realized the Caesars weren't gods, they began murdering one emperor after another. In one 50-year period, 20 men would sit on the throne but only one would die of natural causes.

Dictators always use superstition to enslave people. We're no different. We came close to assigning this role to the Bush and Clinton families.

Well, the dictator of North Korea is no different either. But he broke the rule last month when he had his brother poisoned by a Vietnamese agent. After his death in Malaysia, North Korea demanded Malaysia not perform an autopsy.

We now know Kim's family are not gods. Though all his photos show him laughing and cavorting with soldiers and generals, undoubtedly he's terrified. China has cut off his coal supply, and warned the "boy" to behave. If history repeats itself, Kim is about to ascend into heaven if he doesn't get his act together.

Did I say heaven?

Mike Donohue,

Kalispell
Ive been thinking about Montana LR-131 and how heinous its creators are. What were they thinking? Not only are there already two laws, one st
HELENA  One of two bills designed to ban the governor from transferring Medicaid funding for the elderly and disabled out of those programs for other uses has returned to Steve Bullocks desk after the House and Senate rejected a proposed amendment on Monday.

The original form of House Bill 334 is one sentence: Appropriations in a general appropriations act for Medicaid may be used only to pay for or administer Medicaid services. Last week, the governor added a second sentence that both chambers rejected today: In the event an appropriation for Medicaid services is not fully expended, it may be used to fund non-Medicaid services as necessary.

Why do we continuously balance the (Department of Health and Human Services) budget on the backs of the elderly and disabled? said Rep. Jon Knokey, the Bozeman Republican and sponsor of HB 334. He noted that instead of using unspent Medicaid dollars to plug holes in other programs  such as foster care or addiction treatment, as was done in recent years  the governor could use money from other places in the general fund.

The legislature is giving Governor Bullock one more opportunity to do the right thing and put an end to budget games being played with Medicaid funds. The proposed amendment went directly against the intent of the bill and Im glad it will go back to his desk in the original form, Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, said in a written statement.

Bullock has previously contended that it makes sense that if a program will not be able to use all of its funding that those dollars be put to good use elsewhere.

After both chambers killed his amendments Monday, the governor must now decide whether to kill HB 334 outright or let it become law as originally written.

A similar proposal, Senate Bill 208, likewise would require funding for Medicaid waiver programs that provide home-based services to the elderly and people with disabilities be spent on those programs only. The bill by Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, also clarified that the funding might be spent by the department to help employers pay direct care workers more in hopes of ending a shortage that has left people on waitlists even as the state had the money to pay for care.

Both measures originally passed their chambers with bipartisan support, although some Democrats had taken up the governors argument that the bills unnecessarily tied the hands of the executive.

Rep. Kathy Kelker, a Billings Democrat who serves on the board of a nonprofit nursing home, said Knokeys bill was making a false argument.

How we move the money around has to be decided on what we can actually do in the real world, she said.

Rep. Marilyn Ryan, D-Missoula, said she had initially supported HB 334 before learning more about the complicated issues at the heart of why the department has been unable to spend all the money it has received.

The governor has to have the flexibility to move finances where needed, she said.

Bullock Spokeswoman Ronja Abel said the governor was unavailable for comment on Monday, but emailed a statement that provided little clue as to what he might do next.

"Governor Bullock is disappointed the Legislature did not accept his amendments to make the bill more fiscally responsible. He will now take a final look at the bill on its original merits before he takes action," she wrote.
GREAT FALLS  A Montana man who was shot by a police officer responding to a domestic disturbance has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and assault with a weapon.

The Great Falls Tribune reports charges were filed Monday against Kevin J. Parisian of Great Falls. Court records say Parisian was holding a knife to a woman's throat Thursday night and refused orders to drop it before an officer shot him.

Court records do not say where on Parisian's body he was shot. He was arrested after his release from the hospital on a warrant that set his bail at $250,000.

The officer who fired the weapon was placed on administrative leave. The officer's name was not released.

The state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.
HELENA  A Helena man who fatally shot his friend while pistol-whipping someone else in July has pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide.

Austin Lee Kroll-McLaughlin admitted his guilt in a last-minute hearing Friday. Kroll-McLaughlin was 18 when he fatally shot 20-year-old Ryan William Eakin.

A sentencing hearing is slated for June 20 in Helena district court.

Prosecutors have dropped a charge of felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. A trial on the two charges had been scheduled for next month.

Kroll-McLaughlin shot Eakin in the chest as he pistol-whipped another man the morning of July 7. He was charged with deliberate homicide under the felony murder rule, which alleges he was committing felony assault with a weapon when he caused Eakin's death.

At the time of the shooting, Kroll-McLaughlin was out on bond for a pending burglary charge. In November 2015, he was arrested for allegedly breaking into a vehicle located inside of a detached garage on the 1300 block of Lewis Street. He then reportedly tried to run from police. He is awaiting sentencing in that case as well.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Chef Rachid Bouchareb, retired chef/owner of Le Figaro in Rock Island, will bring his signature French cuisine dishes to Dabeet's Bistro & Wine Bar. The two evenings are by reservation only.

Featured entrees:

Chateaubriand a la Jardiniere: The finest cut of beef tenderloin served with an assortment of vegetables and Bearnaise sauce

Dover Sole a la Meuniere: Imported Dover sole with lemon butter sauce

Escalopes de Veau Oscar: Veal medallions with seafood, asparagus and Bearnaise sauce

Carre d'Agneau Figaro: Rack of lamb with a Dijon herb crust

Bouchareb is a highly accomplished chef. With his wife, Therese, he operated Old Town and Chez Rachid in Muscatine for two and four years respectively, and Le Figaro in Rock Island for 33 years until their recent retirement.

The regular menu will also be available.

Call 563-260-9396 to put in your reservation.
MUSCATINE  For senior citizen who are looking to either downsize their home for something more manageable, it can be a struggle to find affor
MUSCATINE  Muscatine residents are mourning the loss of Stanley Howe, a Muscatine native who was a prominent business and community leader for more than 60 years.

Howe, who helped build HNI Corporation starting in the 1940s and redeveloped Muscatine's downtown in his later years, died at the age of 93 on Friday, April 21.

After graduating top of his class from Iowa State with a degree in engineering, then going onto Harvard Business School to earn his MBA, Howe joined Home-O-Nize, or HON Industries, in 1948. Stan Askren, Chairman, President and CEO of HNI Corporation said Howe was the company's 21st employee or "member."

"He really was the builder of this corporation," Askren said.

Howe began work at HON Industries under the management of Maxwell Stanley, his childhood Scoutmaster and Sunday school teacher. Askren said at that time, HON was making $500,000 in annual earnings.

"Stan always joked it was a company that had no money, no products, no customers and no prospects," Askren said, remembering Howe's "wry sense of humor."

Howe worked his way up the corporate ladder, by joining the Board of Directors in 1958, becoming president in 1964 and taking over as Chairman and CEO when Stanley died in 1984. When Howe retired 50 years after his career began, HNI had 9,000 employees and was earning more than $1 billion in sales.

Askren said Howe retired from HNI in 1998 but stayed on its board of directors until 2000. He said he will always remember Howe's intellect and "quiet leadership."

"He was very intellectual, very thoughtful and very analytic," Askren said. "He rolled up his sleeves, he knew the numbers and he was a visionary."

Muscatine real estate developer Thomas Meeker said Howe was "an amazing CEO."

"I don't care if it was an hourly or salary worker, there's nobody who really talks bad about him," Meeker said. "They always say, man, when he ran this company he knew everybody by name. Everyone talks highly of Stan. Nothing but good comes."

Meeker said Howe refused to slow down after retirement. He remembers the first time he met Howe, sharing an elevator with him at First National Bank.

"He looked at me and he said, 'Tom, I want to help you fix up the downtown,'" Meeker said.

That conversation turned into a business partnership and close friendship that lasted about a decade, according to Meeker.

"We had a special friendship that I'll cherish the rest of my life," Meeker said. "He was the best partner. He wanted the downtown to be better and really believed in that."

Meeker said one of the first major projects they worked on together was Pearl Plaza.

"People from all over the country come and they just love that building," he said. "Stan really liked how it turned out ... and that's when we hit it off and he really believed in me."

Meeker said, throughout their various projects together, Howe constantly supported and believed in him.

"I got to know him later in life and he always gave you his opinion," he said. "He always had an opinion. But, he'd always listen to you. Always. ... When I felt like I wanted to go forward, I would do it, and he backed me 100 percent of the time."

Meeker said, when people in Muscatine talk about Howe, it is hard not to think about his charitable contributions.

"[Stan and his wife Helen] always thought about other people," he said. "They could have done anything in their own personal life, but they never thought about it that way. They always thought about everybody else and had more fun helping other people than ever having something personal."

Howe dedicated his time to improving education in Muscatine and throughout Iowa, contributing to the Iowa State Foundation and the development of the University of Iowa Business School. He was a member of the Tippie College of Business Advisory Board from 1984 to 2009, and donated $2.5 million to help develop the Professional MBA Program.

Gary Fethke, Emeritus Dean of the Tippie College of Business, said, "Stan was one of those donors who listened carefully to the plans (or dreams) of the college and then aggressively supported the programs that he found to be the most interesting and important."

Howe was also instrumental in the planning and construction of the Pappajohn Business Building, where Howe Galleria is named in his honor. Howe has also been acknowledged through the naming of the Merrill Hotel and Conference Center and the Stan Howe Commons at Muscatine High School.

Askren said Howe established what is now known as the HNI Charitable Foundation.

"Stan, for a long time, has been behind the scenes and has led a lot of the transformation of this community," Askren said. "[Our] company history is full of struggles that have been overcome. ... He faced several economic struggles and challenges, and he always rose to the challenge with integrity. He was a man of integrity. I never saw him waiver or make a questionable call."

Gage Kent, Chairman and CEO of Kent Corporation, said, "In my life, Stan Howe was an extraordinary person, whether he was a corporate or community visionary, a mentor or one of the dads I grew up with in the neighborhood. Muscatine owes gratitude and a toast to the passing of a fine man and a great community leader."

Funeral services for Howe will be held Friday, April 28, at 11 a.m., at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Thursday, April 27, from 4-7 p.m.
The Wapello School District has offered the Wapello Education Association a contract with no increase in base wages for the 2017-18 school year.

In doing so, it cited recent changes to the collective bargaining law for teachers and other public sector employees, which restricts bargaining only to base wages.

Due to the law updates, the collective bargaining agreement between (the Wapello School District and the WEA) includes subjects which are now illegal and permissive (for negotiations). The District is not going to negotiate the illegal topics of bargaining, the district advised, adding it would address these topics in a handbook the district plans to create.

In its initial proposal presented to the school district Apr. 12, the WEA had proposed maintaining current contract language for all articles and items with three exceptions: (1) establish a joint Labor Management Committee; (2) extend the contract for a five-year period; and (3) set an annual 1.5 per cent salary hike for each year of the contract period.

The WEAs salary proposal would boost the $29,380 base pay by about $441 to around $29,821 for a first-year teacher with a bachelors degree.

Under the revised bargaining law, if the two sides cannot agree on wages and submit a case for arbitration, the arbitrator cannot award a wage increase larger than 3 percent or the cost of living, whichever is lower.

Much of the updated law does not apply to most public safety employees in the state. That has contributed to lawsuits being filed.

Wapello school officials indicated the two sides expect to begin negotiations within a few weeks.
MUSCATINE  Stanley M. Howe, 93, of Muscatine, passed away Friday, April 21, 2017, at his home in Muscatine. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, April 28, 2017, at the Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services. Pastor Bruce Ursin will officiate. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery. Following the committal services at the cemetery, a time of food and fellowship will be held at Geneva Country Club. Visitation for Stanley will be held Thursday, April 27, 2017, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Wesley United Methodist Church in memory of Stanley. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at lewisfuneralhomes.com.

Stanley Merrill Howe was born Feb 5, 1924, in Muscatine, the second son of Thelma Corriell Howe and Merrill Young Howe. He graduated valedictorian from Muscatine public schools, and enjoyed his friends in the Boy Scouts as well as the school yearbook. He studied engineering at Iowa State, and during the summer assisted in the design of power poles for the Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative. After graduating at the top of his class from Ames, he enrolled in Harvard Business School. He often referred to the case study lessons he learned at Harvard later in life.

Stan returned to Muscatine and came to work at Home-O-Nize Company with his lifelong mentor and former Boy Scout leader, Max Stanley. The company grew and Stan progressed as well, through 50 years of service, leading the company in many roles including president and CEO. He also served on the HON Board for 38 years holding the position of chairman of the board during the final 12. He shared his knowledge of business with leaders of industry as he served as president of Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association.

Stan believed and lived the values taught by the Boy Scout oath, his church and Rotary. He enthusiastically embraced the mission of the HON Company, in which you were a member of the company, not just an employee. He was honest, trustworthy, kind; but it was his respect for others that showed itself in how he solved problems; listen first, make a decision, stick with it to conclusion.

Stan worked throughout his life to improve education in Iowa. He was instrumental to the success of the Iowa State Foundation through the Industrial Advisory Council of the College of Engineering. Although not a Hawkeye as a youth, he became a key player in the development of the University of Iowa Business School. He served on the Board of Visitors to the Business School and taught classes. He also actively advised private schools in many ways, including membership in the Council of Independent Colleges.

Stan loved his family, his work, his community. He was a member of Rotary, Elks, Thirty Three Club and 10 a.m. Coffee Club at the bank. He held positions on several local boards such as Iowa Wesleyan College board, Musser Library Board and Muscatine Power and Water Board. In his later years, he focused on his dream to create an attractive and useful downtown Muscatine by renovating many of its historic structures. He also loved summers at the family lake cottage, travel, bridge, reading and visiting his children at their homes in various parts of the country.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Howe, one daughter Jan OCallahan of Mercer Island, Washington, and her husband, Tom. Three sons, Thomas of Normal, Illinois, and his wife Ellen. Steve of Lexington, Kentucky, and his wife, Jill, James of Cumming, Georgia, and his wife Rebecca: five grandchildren, Kelly, Brian and Molly OCallahan of Washington, Addison and Parker Howe of Cumming. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Dayton Howe of DeWitt, Iowa.
U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson has made an out-of-this-world record. Whitson, 57, broke the record for the most cumulative time in space by an American astronaut early Monday.

She broke the record by spending 534 days, two hours, and 49 minutes (and counting) away from Earth, according to NASA. Whitson isnt expected to return to Earth until September.

The 879-day global record, held by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, still stands.

President Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins called Whitson on Monday and congratulated her.

This is only one of Whitson's many records. In 2008, Whitson became the first woman to command the space station. She also claimed the record for most spacewalks by a woman.
TRUMP: "The weak illegal immigration policies of the Obama Admin. allowed bad MS 13 gangs to form in cities across U.S. We are removing them fast!"  tweet, Tuesday

THE FACTS: Obama can't be blamed for allowing MS-13 to form as a nationwide gang because that happened long before he became president.

A fact sheet from Trump's own Justice Department states that the gang, which originated in the 1980s in the Central American community in Los Angeles, "quickly spread to states across the country."

The department indirectly credits the Obama administration, in its early years, with helping to rein in the group: "Through the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement, great progress was made diminishing or severely (disrupting) the gang within certain targeted areas of the U.S. by 2009 and 2010."

The U.S. carried out record deportations during the Obama administration and, on MS-13 specifically, took the unprecedented action of labelling the street gang a transnational criminal organization and announcing a freeze on its U.S. assets.

Such actions were not enough to bring down the group and the Trump administration says it will do more.

According to an FBI assessment from January 2008, before Obama took office, the gang was operating in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia, roughly the same number of states estimated now. The assessment said the group was made up of Salvadoran nationals and first-generation Salvadoran-Americans. The FBI at the time did not provide a breakdown of how many of the gang's members were immigrants or U.S. citizens.
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
City tycoon Chris Kirubi has dismissed a job offer by gubernatorial aspirant Mike Sonko to join his team of advisors.

Kirubi said on Sunday that he has never met nor spoken to the Nairobi senator.

How do you offer a job to someone you have never met or spoken to? I dont know this man neither do I have his number, Kirubi posed.

On Saturday, Sonko said should he be elected governor he would bring on board technocrats with whom he is going to work with in policy making, implementation and pushing for Nairobi Countys development and economic agenda.

Among these technorats is the billionaire businessman Chris Kirubi who would take up the position of Nairobis Chief Economic Advisor.

I am and has always been a team player who will delegate, assign, appoint professionals to run the affairs of the county. To that effect, plans are underway to make investor CHRIS KIRUBI as our countys Chief Economic Advisor, wrote Sonko on Facebook.

However, Kirubi turned down the political prospect saying he is not interested.

I am not interested in politics, I work for International organisations and I have no time for Sonkos job offer, said CK.
A month after the government officially banned the use of plastic bags, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has taken the first steps to ensure the ban takes full effect.

Companies that manufacture plastic paper bags will no longer be issued with permits, the authority has said.

The authority has also announced that the existing licences will be cancelled.

Kebs Managing Director Charles Ongwae said the licences will be declared null and void once the legal notice on the use of plastic bags comes into effect.

He added that Kebs would implement the Ministry of Environment guidelines and order on the bags. The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) will implement the legal notice, but on our part, we will withdraw the permits we have issued, he said.

Addressing the press at a Nakuru hotel, Mr Ongwae noted that the authority would monitor all entry points into the country to prevent plastic bags from coming in.

In a Kenya Gazette notice dated 28th February 2017, the environment and natural resources ministry banned the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging.

Cabinet secretary Judi Wakhungu directed that the ban will come into effect 6 months from the notice date.

Plastic bags have been a huge environmental hazard in the country, and are so often blamed for blocked drainage leading to flooding.

Some supermarkets eg. Nakumatt have in the last few years been encouraging the move from plastic bags, by offering reusable heavy duty carry bags.
Police are on the hunt for a night guard who raped and robbed his employer on Saturday night in Kahawa Sukari estate.

Police officers in Ruiru said the man only identified as Kelvin, raped and robbed his 45-year-old employer after duping her to serve him with a glass of drinking water.

According to the woman, the man turned violent and and threatened her with a kitchen knife after she gave him a glass of water.

After commiting the deed, the guard then stole Sh23,000, a TV set, a gas cylinder, a mobile phone and an ATM card before driving off in his employers Toyota Vitz -registration number KBV 681N.

The woman admitted at Nairobi Women Hospital for treatment.
Greetings! I just had an amazing nights sleepnine hours, uninterrupted sleep and I feel like Super Girl  well, OK, Super Woman. How wonderful to enjoy a good nights sleep, rare though it is.

Lets talk about the new Community Conversation Series, 2017, which is doing a program on Sleep, The Key Element to Your Well-Being. Youll want to jot this information down: Tuesday, May 2, 5:307 p.m. at Collabria Care, Community Room, 414 South Jefferson St., Napa.

This is a free community event so youll want to reserve early to assure your place: 258-9087 ext. 272 or email healthedcoordinator@collabriacare.org Plus, refreshments will be served.

The program will be presented by Kal Edwards, a retirement specialist, who founded the forums with an advisory board consisting of health and wellness professional Elizabeth Glenn Bottari; attorney, Naomi Dreskin-Anderson; financial advisor Brian Monske; psychologist, Dr. Marly Perkins and culinary advisor, chef Greg Cole.

The Retirement Renewal Forums began last year with great success. This is the second forum of this year.

A little more about Edwards: You may have read Jennifer Huffmans Napa Valley Register article,10 Questions with Kal Edwards, of Retirement Renewal Forums a couple of weeks ago.

A few of Kals comments: Retirement is a new renewal. Thats our philosophy. When you retire, you dont disappear; you give yourself permission to renew your options. Change is always challenging, yet life is about honoring and welcoming change and knowing you can make it happen successfully with the right information and support.

Edwards also noted Ive always wanted to be of help to others as others have been to me.

It was my pleasure to meet Kal when I volunteered at Copia after it first opened. I was interviewed by Kal, who, at that time, was the community relations advisor to Copia. I learned from Kal that before this position, he had been the professor of life legacy studies at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco.

I wanted you to get to know Kal Edwards, and to understand why he is so excellent at what he does.

Now, lets get back to the Sleep Program, featuring Michael Mason, M.D., with Family and Geriatric Medicine at Kaiser Permanente.

We will learn, from Dr. Mason, that as we age our sleeping patterns change. We will learn how quality rest leads to good health and longevity, how sleep is a reset for your brain and body, how to get a full nights rest, solutions for insomnia, snoring and restlessness.

Please join me at the Forum at Collabria Care Community Room and well learn how to renew our relationship with sleep.

Before we close, Id like to suggest you also save the following dates. I love the idea of meditation, and meditation can, quite often lead to a relaxing night of sleep. Id like to invite you to join me on May 12 and May 26, for two new mindfulness classes at the Rianda House in St Helena.

The folks at Rianda House are so fortunate to have someone of Dr. James Keolkers experience teaching seniors the peacefulness and joy of meditation. Keolker is in his third year doing programs at Rianda House. Classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Keolker is a certificated meditation and mindfulness teacher, having been taught by Dr. Jack Kornfield, Mark Coleman and Dr. Anna Douglas. He is a graduate of the Mindfulness Institute of San Francisco.

There is no charge, but Rianda House accepts donations. Call 963-8555 for reservations.

More about James Keolker in the future.

Remember that life is what you make it, truly, so make it a happening. Care about yourself, and when you get yourself all fixed, turn around and care for others. Love is something you want to spread around.

Until next week, stay well.

I love hearing from you. bettyrrhodes@sbcglobal.net
Now in its second year, Healing Walk Napa Valley will return Saturday as the Peoples Climate Marches are mobilizing in Washington, D.C. and around the world.

Healing Walk invites people to slow down and reconnect with the earth through the simple practice of walking.

It is co-sponsored by Suscol Intertribal Council, Calpulli Nanahuatzin, and Protect Rural Napa Education Fund. The Walk is interfaith, intergenerational, and intercultural, with the goal of cultivating appreciation and respect for Napa Valleys watersheds, wildlife and people.

The walk starts with a reflective, peaceful pilgrimage from Yountville to Napa, and finishes with an Oxbow Commons rally.

In the indigenous tradition of thousands of years, relay runners will carry blessed water as they weave together the Napa River watershed from its headwaters in Calistoga to Yountville, where they will join the walkers.

There are several options for participation in the events of the day:

Join us for the full day in Yountville at the Veterans Memorial Park at 8:30 a.m. for a brief opening ceremony and water blessing by indigenous elders. We depart at 9 a.m. for a five-mile Healing Walk along the Vine trail to Las Flores Park in Napa.

Others can join the Healing Walkers at 11:30 a.m. at Las Flores Park, 2235 Las Flores Drive. Walkers will take a brief lunch and restroom break, then depart at noon on the final four-mile leg of the Walk.

Participants can also gather with the walkers at 2 p.m. at Veterans park on Main Street in downtown Napa and walk across the river to Oxbow Commons.

At Oxbow Commons, there will be an indigenous drumming ceremony and dances by Suscol Intertribal Council and Calpulli Nanahuatzin, short talks on local watershed and climate justice issues, and an interactive art project.

Organizers ask that attendees wear blue and/or green to honor water and life, and to bring some water from their home watershed area to add to the water-carrying ceremony. After a water-blessing ceremony in Yountville, walkers will be able to participate in carrying the mingled water on the walk.

Also bring a refillable water bottle for drinking, and remember comfortable shoes, hat and sunscreen. Bring a lunch if walking the full distance.

There will be support vehicles providing rides and restroom access along the walks.

Organizers ask participants to read the Peaceful Healing Walk and Rally guidelines here: http://bit.ly/2oQ92EQ

More information at 707-256-9948, on Facebook under Healing Walk Napa Valley, or on the web at https://healingwalknapavalley.wordpress.com
Nearly seven years have passed since George Altamura won Napas approval to build a hotel on Soscol Avenue. City land-use authorities have now opened the way for a reboot of the project, with its architecture overhauled to reflect modern designs and tastes in a growing tourism hot spot.

New plans approved by the Planning Commission on Thursday recast the Cambria Hotel as a four-story, farmhouse-like creation with metal roofing and glass, stone and wood  a sharp departure from the heavily stone-lined Craftsman design the city first passed in October 2010.

The refashioned 90-room lodging slated for 320 Soscol Ave., which its designers described as a modern agrarian work inspired by the Napa wine country, also would gain a spacious two-story lobby along with a bar, swimming pool, spa and other amenities not included in the first version.

Altamura has spent more than a decade working with city staff to roll out the Soscol Avenue hotel project, which is to occupy 2  acres where La Bamba bar had for years slid into boarded-up, weed-pocked decay.

While the tavern and two nearby buildings have been torn down, the hotel site  opposite a Hawthorn Suites on the other side of Tulocay Creek  has remained a grassy void amid Soscol Avenues strip malls and car showrooms. Altamura had received three extensions of his city permit before filing a radical rewrite of the hotel plan, a partnership between Altamura and the Newport Beach firm Stratus Development Partners.

The reboot ditches the hotels original design, which was reminiscent of a country lodge but which a city staff report dismissed as not necessarily consistent with the character of other Napa buildings. Instead, Stratus offered a more textured exterior anchored by tower-like corners and a glassy main entrance framed by wood paneling and trellises  eye-catching features that David Wood, a Stratus partner, promised would create a sense of arrival  with a vertical marquee reading CAMBRIA in a style similar to the Archer hotel under construction on First Street downtown.

Modern touches inside and outside the Cambria won compliments from planners, although some asked for an equal attention to detail elsewhere in the building  especially the south-facing side that Gordon Huether predicted would form the first impressions of most guests.

People arent coming from St. Helena to stay at your hotel, he told Wood. The south elevation is your welcome elevation, so it needs more love, he added, suggesting that a blank section on that side could receive a mural or other installation to meet a city requirement for public artwork.

The new hotel designs streamlined, unfussy look paradoxically makes any small flaws more glaring than before, according to Commissioner Beth Painter. Its a very clean look, and I appreciate that look. But because its so clean and simple well notice all the little features, she said.

Despite the concerns about plain styling away from its main entrance, planners unanimously accepted the Cambria as a suitable fit for Napas growing hotel stock  a supply that appears poised to increase further, with 10 separate proposals under city review totaling as many as 1,200 rooms.

This story has been modified to give the correct creek location.
For nearly three decades, the Wine Train has been something of a curiosity for Napa County residents  a tourist attraction that most locals never rode. To some it was a charming anachronism, to others a nuisance, generating noise and traffic disruption.

Except in those times when the train closed traffic on Highway 29 or one of the cross streets, it is probably fair to assume that most Napa County residents didnt think much about the Wine Train over the years, with the possible exception of the 2015 scandal in which the train asked a predominantly black book club to leave half way through a lunch run because other passengers complained about noise.

But that is about to change  and change for the better.

Shortly after the book club scandal, the family of the founder, the late Vincent DeDomenico, sold the entire operation to a consortium of a California development company and the Washington-based Noble House Hotels & Resorts, which also owns the River Terrace Inn in Napa.

Over the past year, the name of the Wine Train has been on many lips in Napa County. On the business side, the company has added new rail cars and reshuffled its service, adding small wine-tasting excursions to the signature full-meal trips. But the Wine Train has become a player in some unexpected areas as well, including being an enthusiastic supporter of the Vine Trail and the developing Rail Arts District, both of which run alongside the Wine Train tracks through the city of Napa.

And there are other things in the air as well, including the possibility of running morning and evening commuter trains between Napa and St. Helena.

Whats going on?

To get some answers, we met with Scott Goldie, a partner in the consortium that now owns the Wine Train. We were impressed by what we heard.

Goldie told us he at first saw the purchase of the train purely as a real estate deal. The 21-mile right of way has several large developable extra parcels, mostly in the city of Napa and most prominently at the southern maintenance yard, across the river from the Napa Mill.

Fairly quickly, however, he realized that the train operation held real potential for improvement (and he rediscovered his own love of trains  one of his grandfathers worked on the railroads).

So the Wine Train has bought new cars and added the new wine tasting service, which they hope to make a more prominent part of their business. Goldie told us he is also exploring doing evening wine tasting packages for groups at some of the famous wineries near the tracks.

He confirmed reports that he is in talks with some Upvalley businesses to start an employee commuter shuttle. Because the tracks are not approved for high-speed travel, the train would run no more than 25 miles per hour, but given the bumper-to-bumper conditions on Highway 29 during peak periods, the train trip would shave about 15 minutes off the trip each way and take up to 70 cars off the road.

Goldie let us in on one thing we had not heard from the rumor mill  he is in discussions with some Upvalley businesses to haul freight, such as bottles and materials up the valley and bulk and bottled wine down the valley. Although the Wine Train isnt permitted to run passenger trains onto the national rail network, the tracks are connected to the grid and he is permitted to run freight, giving businesses Upvalley a viable alternative to trucks to reach national markets.

Each box car would remove three full-sized trucks from our already crowded roads.

What really impressed us was Goldies apparent concern for Napa County, its communities, and the train itself. It is clear that the train has developed from a routine business deal for him into something of a mission.

He spoke convincingly of efforts to make sure his new projects dont inconvenience the city of St. Helena unduly (considering each passage of a train essentially cuts the city in half for several minutes). He said some of his new projects may stop short of the city to prevent excessive disruption to residents and traffic.

He also spoke with affection for the abandoned rail depot in Rutherford, which he is hoping to repair in a historically appropriate way and reopen before the structure falls apart.

It was clear that he has a vision that will improve the train, improve the community, and allow the Wine Train to grow into its potential as a vital part of the life of Napa Valley.
MORGAN HILL -- Two men burned to death in a two-car collision in Morgan Hill Sunday evening, police said Monday.

Officers responded to the area of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Native Dancer Drive at 7:15 p.m., according to the Morgan Hill Police Department.

A Chrysler Sebring was on fire on the west shoulder of Santa Teresa, police said. The two men inside the car seemed badly injured and were unresponsive.

The officers tried to rescue the driver from the burning car, which had major damage to the front and passenger side, but they were unsuccessful.

The Morgan Hill Fire Department arrived and tried to rescue the men in the Chrysler, police said. Despite efforts of police and fire, the two men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials with the office of the medical examiner came to the scene and investigated, and the two men were extricated from the Chrysler, police said.

When they arrived at the scene, officers also found a Toyota Camry in the road with extensive front-end damage. According to police, the driver, a woman, got out of the Camry and police found her on the east edge of Santa Teresa Boulevard.

The woman was later taken to a trauma center with injuries that did not threaten her life, police said.

According to police, the Chrysler was seen traveling northbound on Santa Teresa at a high rate of speed before the crash. The driver lost control, police said, and the car drifted sideways into oncoming traffic and hit the Camry.

Police are not releasing the names of the occupants of the Chrysler until their families can be notified.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Morgan Hill police Sgt. Carson Thomas or Traffic Cpl. Scott Silva at 408 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at 408 947-STOP.
mHealth Projects at Rollins SaniPath, allows researchers to collect fecal contamination data on drain water, flood water, and ocean water. It also collects data about how often people come into contact with each potential source of contamination. The tool then combines the two sets of data to generate a report that city planners and government officials can use to deploy interventions where theyll have the most impact. WASH Conditions tool, an mHealth assessment tool to analyze water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) data at health care facilities in low- and middle-income countries. HealthMindr, developed by Patrick Sullivan, can help men who have sex with men (MSM) remain healthy. Men can order condoms and HIV test kits, get suggestions on HIV testing based on their sexual habits, find out if they're a candidate for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (mPap), and if so, where they can get it. More Examples >> Rollins mHealth Collaboration >>

When Nishant Kishore came to Rollins School of Public Health in 2014 to pursue an MPH, word got around that he knew how to develop mHealth platforms and applications, a skill that judging from the response it received  is akin to being able to accurately predict the stock market. Classmates approached him to ask for tutorials, and he began meeting with small groups of interested students to share some tips and tricks on using mobile devices to support public health.



Kishore quickly realized the appetite for this knowledge was ravenous, so he and then-second year MPH student Roxanne Moore founded a new student organization, the Rollins mHealth Collaboration (RmC). The goal was twofoldto train students how to build mHealth systems in their first year and to line the students up with internships or job opportunities in their second year.



"This is a big up-and-coming field. There are a lot of organizations around the world looking for these sorts of skills, but I don't know of a good training protocol anywhere," says Kishore, who is now a data manager for the Malaria Zero project at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the owner of his own mHealth consulting firm, EpiTech. "The training that is available focuses on when it's appropriate to use mHealth and how to implement an existing program in the field. The mHealth Collaboration is the only group I know of that is specifically training people how to build these platforms."



Every other week for two-hour sessions, Kishore met with fellow students in a first-floor classroom. Following a curriculum of his own design, he taught them how to build and use a wide variety of mHealth platforms. He also showed them how to connect to the local SMS (short message service) gateway provider, what costs are incurred, and how to devise the user interface. Most sessions required some prep work, and each featured a lecture, a demonstration, and then hands-on practice. It was a demanding curriculum, but the students were eager to take it on.



"It's basically like taking another class but for no credit," says Kyndall White 17MPH, who replaced Kishore as president of RmC following his graduation. "It's a lot to take on in addition to your regular classes, but it gives you very marketable skills."



That marketability attracted students from all Rollins departments. "It was cool to see how these mHealth skills can be useful in different contexts," says White. "A BSHE student might want a text message reminder to reinforce a behavior. A health policy student might use it to track people's opinions of a particular policy."



Another facet of the mHealth Collaborationand the reason it was dubbed "collaboration" instead of "club"is that its members will take consulting jobs from alumni, professors, and organizations. It's a win-win, giving students hands-on experience and researchers much-needed assistance.



Oswaldo Henriquez, a physician at Grady Memorial Hospital, reached out to the student organization when he wanted a mobile app to help low-resource cancer patients access the care they need. The mHealth team is creating a text message system that Henriquez will be able to use to remind patients of the various appointments they have. Patients will have to respond to each reminder with a "yes" or "no," which could help reduce the number of no-shows. And Henriquez will be able to stay in touch with his patients, even if they move without telling his office, as they often do.



"A lot of our patients at Grady are marginalized, and it's easy for them to miss appointments and fall off our radar," says Henriquez. "They may show up again months later and the cancer has progressed. This message system will help keep them in the system so they get the care they need."



Mark Fajans 16MPH landed a summer practicum with Family Health International 360 in Myanmar thanks to the mHealth experience he gained through RmC. The organization was using a mobile application to track people with drug-resistant TB, but the app could be used only to collect the data and store it to be analyzed at the end of the trial. The lag time meant that some participants might die before researchers could get the results. So Fajans built a dashboard that enabled the data to be analyzed in real time, allowing researchers in the field to make immediate changes to treatment, if necessary.



"I know the experience I got in the mHealth Collaboration is what got me this practicum," says Fajans, who now works in the CDC's global HIV and TB division. "It was totally new to me when I started, but it was surprisingly easy to pick up and learn to use."



Nishant Kishore taught fellow students Kyndall White 17MPH, right, and Katherine Stanfill 16MPH, middle, how to build mHealth platforms through Rollins mHealth Collaboration.



That's exactly the secret Kishore has been trying to share with students. "The science of mHealth has been seen as prohibitively technical for so long that people were afraid of it," he says. "One purpose of RmC is to show that it's not that way anymore. Give me an hour, and I can teach you how to build a platform."



In fact, Kishore taught himself to build and use mHealth platforms while a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua from 2011 to 2014. By trial and error, he designed and implemented Chat Salud, a mobile health application to provide education on topics such as safer sex practices, HIV intervention, and domestic violence. After the Peace Corps, he worked for a nonprofit in Mexico developing mobile health systems for maternal health, again figuring it out as he went. So by the time he came to Rollins, Kishore had about three years' experience in building mHealth platforms.



He was so instrumental in building, running, and teaching in the collaboration, it would be easy to assume the organization would wither and die after his graduation. Easy but wrong. Kishore spent last year grooming five students to take over the collaboration. They plan not only to carry on what he started, but to improve on it.



"We plan to have a hack-a-thon using TeleRivit, a text messaging system, in the fall and a case competition in the spring," says White. "We're also adding two supplemental sessions for second-year studentsone on how data is stored using the Cloud or a server and one on how to talk to product managers about incorporating mHealth in their projects. And for students who attend all of the sessions, we are going to award a certificate saying they are mobile health specialists."
-- Published: Monday, 24 April 2017 | Print | Disqus Featured Guests Louis Navellier & Chris Powell Show Highlights Chris Powell outlines the documented PMs market rigging / manipulation.

Key investment banks settled nearly $100 million in combined gold and silver manipulation settlements.

According to GATA.org's findings, our officials have carte blanch authority to rig the markets in any way they see fit and by any means necessary.

Without price transparency, free markets cannot exist.

The duo examine the impact of their machinations, questioning if any investor can avoid the impact of price rigging.

One of GATA.org's sources reveals that the central banks of central banks, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) actively rigs the gold market.

Not the fox but the lion guards the hen house.

Koos Jansen, financial journalist Guillermo Barba and other researchers lead the charge by questioning global central banks about their gold reserves.

In 1998, Dr. Alan Greenspan testified before Congress that the Fed and their counterparts rig the gold market to the benefit of global society.

Despite the best efforts of Indian government officials, 1 billion citizens refused to turn over their 24,000 tons of gold holdings.

Please support the service through generous donations. Chris welcomes back Louis Navellier of Navellier & Associates. Louis Navellier discusses his top portfolio candidates.

Favorite gold mining stock, Franco FNV, and a lithium mining firm are discussed.

The host and guest agree on the merits of one key company, major chip maker, nVidia, NVDA, which produces GPU technology.

Favorite energy stocks include Pioneer Natural Resources PXD and Devon Energy DVN.

Expect technology shares to outperform in 2017 as new chip technology from Apple AAPL continues to push the sector higher.

Optical switching companies such as Applied Optoelectronics AAOI and Oclaro OCLR are speeding up modems and could to facilitate 4k video streaming.

Companies continue to repurchase their capital stock, reducing share float and by proxy increasing price.

The only major threat to US shares could be the failure to pass the corporate tax reform plan.

If the measures fail to pass Capital hill, the event threatens to derail the US stock market advance. Guest Biographies Chris Powell GATA.org Chris Powell presents his case regarding gold price suppression - the collusion between central banks and the investment banking cartel. Chris reveals documentation including court case information to back up his research. He proves definitively that gold has been suppressed and that the manipulators are almost out of gold to continue with their illegal operations. You won't want to miss his explanation as to why there will not be enough zero's to put behind the gold price when it finally breaks free from their grasp. To visit my website: click here. Louis Navellier The Little Book That Makes You Rich Chairman/CEO/CIO

Louis Navellier is Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer of Navellier & Associates, Inc., located in Reno, Nevada. Mr. Navellier is also editor of four leading stock advisory newsletters: Emerging Growth, Quantum Growth, Blue Chip Growth, and Global Growth. A recognized expert in translating what had been purely academic techniques into real market applications, he believes that disciplined, quantitative analysis can select stocks that will significantly outperform the overall market.

Mr. Navellier employs a three-step, highly disciplined, bottom-up stock selection process, focusing on quantitative analysis, fundamental analysis, and optimization of the securities selected for the portfolio. In 1980, Mr. Navellier began publishing his research in his stock advisory newsletter, the MPT Review. Since 1987, he has been active in the management of individual portfolios, mutual funds, and institutional portfolios.

A charismatic figure with a reputation for solid leadership, Louis Navellier has been covered by a wide range of international media. In addition to appearing on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Nightly Business Report, and Wall Street Week, he has been featured in Barron's, Forbes, Fortune, Investor's Business Daily, Money, Smart Money, and The Wall Street Journal. Most recently he was profiled in Kenneth A. Stern's book Secrets of the Investment All-Stars in the interview "Louis Navellier, A Man Who Has Beat Them All." He is also featured in Alan R. Ackerman's Investing Under Fire: Winner Strategies from the Masters for Bulls, Bears, and the Bewildered. To visit my website: click here.

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-- Published: Monday, 24 April 2017 | E-Mail | Print | Source: GoldSeek.com Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus








17:40

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh on Tuesday urged the opposition not to politicise the gruesome attack by the Naxals on the Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district and assured strict action by the government.





"It is not right to comment on this issue now, especially without knowing any facts. It is not right to comment on judiciary and its decision, they know best and some action will be taken. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has taken 'suo moto' cognizance on this issue. I request the opposition not to add politics in this serious and grave matter," Singh told ANI.





As many as 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma yesterday.





The attack took place on personnel of the CRPF's 74th Battalion as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.





The Centre, earlier in the day, assured action against the perpetrators of the 'cold-blooded murder' in Sukma.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Centre and state government would work together to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.





Singh, who paid homage to the jawans during a wreath laying ceremony in Raipur today along with his deputy Hansraj Ahir and Chief Minister Raman Singh, said this cowardly and unfortunate act exposes desperation and frustration.





"It is a cold blooded murder by the extremists. The Centre and state governments will work together and take action in this regard," Rajnath told a joint press briefing with the Chief Minister here.





Condemning the attack, the Home Minister said that the sacrifice of the jawans would not go in vain.





He further said that the Centre if needed would review and also revise the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) strategy, adding a meeting of officials of various state governments has been called on May 8.
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Vaccination campaign necessary to stop the spread of cholera in Haiti, says UF researcher

A mathematical model of cholera transmission in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake suggests that current approaches to cholera control and elimination, which focus primarily on improving sanitation, are not likely to solve the problem. However, eradication of cholera is possible with use of oral cholera vaccine.

We need to focus on routine vaccination in areas that are at risk of cholera transmission in Haiti, said Ira Longini, a professor in the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Medicines department of biostatistics. Longini is the senior author of the report.

Previous cholera elimination strategies have emphasized the need for infrastructure improvements; the authors, however, suggest that this approach has led to few if any changes in Haitis water and sanitation infrastructure. According to the authors, resources should be allocated toward administering oral cholera vaccines, or OCVs, in order to end transmission over the next few years.

Longini stressed the need for urgency, citing climatic instability as a factor that could increase disease occurrence.

We need to start now, he said. We dont know when the next disaster is coming  the next hurricane or the next earthquake  that could cause another big jump in transmission. We know it is going to happen. We just dont know when.

The study relied on data from the Ouest Department of Haiti, a region that includes Haitis capital of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area. It suggests, however, that several vaccination strategies have the potential to end cholera transmission throughout Haiti before 2023  the deadline established by Haitis Ministry of Public Health and Population in 2013 to eliminate cholera from the country.

The article, titled Controlling cholera in the Ouest Department of Haiti using oral vaccines, was published online in April 2017 in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

The vaccine would not need to be 100 percent effective in order to eliminate cholera transmission. In fact, the studys mass vaccination projections assume that vaccine effectiveness will only be 60 percent  a level surpassed by Shanchol, one the two OCVs prequalified by the World Health Organization, in previous studies.

The WHO manages a stockpile of several million doses of OCVs. Since more than 1 billion people live in regions at risk of cholera, however, campaigns relying on WHO resources will likely have to begin with targeted vaccination instead of mass vaccination. Longini is currently developing models that will identify where vaccination campaigns should be targeted to be most effective.

Transmission occurs along river systems and in areas with poor sanitation, Longini said. UF researchers have been tracking where cholera transmission occurs since the beginning of the epidemic, so we know where to look for transmission. Now we just need national and international leaders and health policy officials to place a strong emphasis on administering these vaccines to the population.
According to the President's Office, Habibi and Shahim "stepped down with immediate effect" and President Ashraf Ghani has accepted their resignations, it said.

Interior Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami has been appointed the acting Defence Minister and General Sharif Yaftal is the new acting army chief, a statement from the ARG Palace said.

The development follows the attack last Friday at 209 Shaheen Military Corps Headquarters in Mazar-e-Sharif city that also injured about 80 soldiers.

Habibi was appointed in June 2016 and Shahim had been serving as the army chief early 2015, Khaama Press reported.

The attack has led to a widespread outrage in the country with Afghan people asking for the resignations of the officials responsible.

Afghan MPs on Sunday said 209 Shaheen Army Corps Commander Major General Mohmand Katawazai, Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, Habibi, Shahim, Interior Minister Taj Mohammad Jahid and Head of the National Directorate of Security Masoom Stanekzai must be held accountable for the assault.

Afghanis welcomed the move soon after the news of their resignation broke on social media.

"Ghani also needs to resign," Afghan man Abdulahi said on Facebook.

Another Facebook user, Mardoomdar, said: "It is very good news. How many other youths would have died (had they not resigned)."

--IANS py/vm

( 253 Words)

2017-04-24-13:52:08 (IANS)
Mattis visited the headquarters of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO-led mission to train and advise Afghan security forces and met top American commander General John Nicholson, Tolo news reported.

Addressing a joint press conference with Gen. Nicholson, Mattis denounced the Taliban and called them "barbaric enemy".

"What they do makes it clear to me why we stand together to defeat them," he said.

Mattis said he expects an ongoing dialogue with the Afghan leadership in order to provide his best assessment and advice to US President Donald Trump.

"We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for the future of this country," he said.

Referring to the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb the US forces dropped in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on April 13, he said it "was to send a very clear message to Islamic State. If they come to Afghanistan they will be destroyed.

"We are going to keep going until ISIS-K (Daesh Afghanistan) is defeated in 2017. There is no space for ISIS-K in Afghanistan."

Mattis said the majority of the Afghan people rejected the Taliban and do not want to see them again in power.

The US Defence Secretary is expected to meet President Ashraf Ghani and other top leaders.

--IANS soni/mr

( 244 Words)

2017-04-24-20:10:09 (IANS)
The train connecting Russia with Jiangxi province arrived on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The train was expected to bring resources from Europe and boost local development.

The journey started from Kansk, where buses first transported 38 containers more than 260 km to Bazaiha, followed by a train journey of more than 7,000 km, before reaching Ganzhou in eastern China.

Ganzhou, an inland area with a complex landscape, was important in early revolutionary activities due to its remote mountain ranges.

However, its wartime geographical advantages became a stumbling block in development.

The government tried to push regional development in the past few decades, but Ganzhou won no major projects or key investment due to its geography, resulting in slow, sometimes nonexistent, industrial growth.

Many people in Ganzhou are still living in poverty.

--IANS in/

( 173 Words)

2017-04-24-08:52:07 (IANS)
Australian retailers are preparing for the invasion of US giant Amazon, and have vowed to take the fight up to the online-based store when it comes to local shores. Amazon confirmed its rapid Australian expansion by announcing its search for a site to build its "fulfilment centre" - a large warehouse for storing and shipping goods purchased online, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. However local retailers, mostly from electronics and homewares division, including Harvey Norman's founder Gerry Harvey, said he would make it hard for Amazon to succeed Down Under. Harvey Norman sells electronics, furniture and bedding - all markets in which Amazon hopes to hold a stake. But Harvey has said that it would happily go toe-to-toe with the American behemoth to maintain its share in the Australian market. "In America and other parts of the world, they (Amazon) have just demolished other retailers, no question about that, and they send a lot of retailers broke," Harvey told News Corp on Monday. "There is no question they have one ambition, and like Attila the Hun, or Alexander the Great, they just want to demolish everything in front of them and then at the end of day claim to be victorious and make their own rules." "So this is a company that is extraordinary by any measure and defies every rule that has ever been written about a business." Some analysts have said that Amazon could take in as much as $three billion in sales in its first five years in Australia (around one per cent of the total $225 billion market). However, Harvey has refuted those claims, saying that local retailers would be putting up "one hell of a fight" when Amazon launches its main retail services in Australia. "We will be out there fighting them like no American retailer has ever fought them," he said. "Any price that they put we will beat or equal." Meanwhile, Harvey's thoughts were backed up by those of former CEO of supermarket chain Woolworths, Roger Corbett, who said Amazon would struggle to replicate its lower wages and claims of lightning fast delivery to rural parts when it opens in Australia. "Amazon will have an impact on the market place, but they are coming into an already very competitive market," he told News Corp. --IANS in/ ( 392 Words) 2017-04-24-10:28:10 (IANS)
"Shocking breach of security that has left lakhs of innocent citizens extremely vulnerable," said Gandhi on his official Twitter account, posting along with it an article in a national daily reporting the news.

"I am proud that we took the lead on Aadhaar, but let's not compromise a great initiative by turning a blind eye to major privacy and security concerns," he added.

The Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, and addresses along with names of more than a million people were compromised by an error on website, maintained by Jharkhand's Directorate of Social Security.

--IANS sid/vd/vt

( 144 Words)

2017-04-24-20:24:11 (IANS)
Upadhyay said that the study of Hindi should be compulsory for students of Class I-VIII in all schools across India, in order to promote fraternity, assuring dignity of individual and unity and national integration.

In his plea, Upadhyay referred to various constitutional provisions and non-execution of the three-language formula enunciated in the 1968 National Policy Resolution.

He argued that at the time of framing and adoption of the Constitution, it was predicted English will continue to be used for executive, judicial and legal purposes for an initial period of 15 years but it didn't happen.

Senior Advocate Harish Salve will argue the matter. (ANI)
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Monday dubbed the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog as a 'flop', adding that the Central government needs to understand the feelings and problems of the state governments rather than harassing them. "Niti Aayog is a flop. It has not been able to make any significant mark. It, in fact, has been reduced by this government to an exercise in futility. It was a foolish decision of the Central government to do away with the planning commission. This Niti Aayog is only trying to underwrite the doings and undoings of the Modi government," Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra told ANI. Taking a dig at the Prime Minister's assertion that every state needs to work together for better India, Mishra said the former talks about new India while his supports are trying to create division in the country. "New India was born in 1947. It has been nurtured through seven decades of Parliamentary democracy. It has been enriched by liberalism, secularism. Modi government is trying to undermine institutions. Modi and his government should rather focus on building up and strengthening the institution, they should attempt to diffuse the conflict situation in many parts of the country and they should not try to harass the opposition. That is how new India actually can further be developed," he added. Chiming in the matter, Congress leader P.C. Chacko said that Prime Minister Modi should not show favoritism to BJP ruled states and should implement the promises given to the state government. "In a federal set up the Central government should understand the feelings of the state governments, their problems and difficulties. That is more important. Making a call in the meeting that everybody should work together does not have any meaning at all. Today many chief ministers said that their proposals are pending with the Central government," he told ANI. Prime Minister Narendra yesterday urged all the states to work with his government as part of Team India and help in identifying goals for 2022. "The theme of regional imbalance, raised by a number of Chief Ministers has to be addressed on priority, both nationally, and within states," the Prime Minister said at the NITI Aayog's Governing Council meet. The Prime Minister chaired the third meeting of the NITI Aayog's Governing Council at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, wherein, action taken on decisions of the earlier two meetings, were discussed in detail with special focus on the (Goods and Services Tax) GST and doubling the income of farmers. As many as 28 Chief Ministers were present during the meet. Some non-BJP Chief Ministers like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Mukul Sangma skipped the meet and sent their ministers instead. (ANI)
The Shiv Sena on Monday took a jibe at its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said its saffron partner in its incumbent times was enjoying the same political status as Congress used to do in its glorious time and hence, will meet a similar fate soon. Presaging the BJP, Shiv Sena in its editorial mouth piece 'Saamna' asserted that the BJP was siphoning victory in all quarters and drenched in the 'frivolousness of victory' has forgotten to work on ground. "The BJP's current condition has become like once the Congress used to be. There were times when the Congress used to win all elections in the states and the country and all that it cared about was victory. They had forgot about working. Similarly, the BJP is enjoying victory and has forgotten to work," the article said. "At the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are coming up with new tricks, and till the people of the nation are enjoying these magic tricks, they will keep on winning," it added. Adding another state in its kitty, the BJP reclaimed power in Uttar Pradesh after 15 years and now is turning its focus to other states where it has been traditionally weaker to determine its fortune in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP Chief Amit Shah during its national executive meet asked his cadre not to be complacent after the massive election victories and underlined that the golden period for the party will begin only when it rules from "Panchayats to Parliament" and forms a government in states like Odisha, Bengal, Kerala, Tripura and Telangana. (ANI)
RJD MLA Surendra Yadav survived a murderous attack when some gunmen fired at his vehicle under Belaganj police station area in the district, police said today. Police said here that the RJD MLA from Belaganj was going to attend a marriage at Jogia Simra village when outlaws fired at his cavalcade damaging his vehicle. Security guards accompanying the MLA returned the fire forcing criminals to retreat from the spot. Criminals were busy with their looting spree by blocking the road with a tree when they attacked the MLA who was passing through the road to attend the marriage function. Taking serious note of the incident, Gaya Senior Police Superintendent Garima Mallik suspended acting Officer-in-Charge of Belaganj police station Sikandar Paswan and an Assistant Police Sub Inspector Ram Awadhesh Ram on the charge of dereliction of duties. Ms Mallik said that a few suspects had been taken into custody for interrogation. She said that raids were being conducted to nab other criminals.UNI XC DH AD1436 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-866486.Xml
An Air India Dreamliner aircraft from Delhi was grounded at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport after bird feathers were found in the blades of its left engine during the pre-flight inspection of the plane by engineers here. Engineers suspected that the aircraft had hit a bird while taking off from Delhi this morning, although the pilots were unaware of it and did not report about it to the air traffic control either at Delhi or Kolkata and landed here safely without any precautionary measure as is usually the case. AAI staff patrolling the runway at the time of the plane landing also did not notice any bird over the NSCBI airport, it was learnt. According to AI sources, engineers from Mumbai were being flown in to Kolkata for carrying out the repairs to the aircraft. The plane was scheduled to fly back to Delhi. Arrangements are being made to fly about 235 passengers booked on the return flight to Mumbai on other flights. UNI XC AD1552 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-866628.Xml
The arguments on the sentence will be heard tomorrow.

The court also ordered the arrest of three other convicts with immediate effect. They are currently out on bail.

Rajan was found guilty for allegedly procuring a fake passport in the name of Mohan Kumar with the help of these three government officials.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had framed charges and put on trail the three retired public service personnel, who aided the gangster.

The four accused have been charged for alleged offences under Sections 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 467(forgery of valuable security or will), 419(cheating by impersonation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 12 (offences and penalties) of the Passport Act.

Rajan is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail here while the other three accused are out on bail. (ANI)
The PDP district president of Pulwama was declared dead as soon he was brought to the hospital.

This was second attack on PDP leaders in last two weeks.

The attack comes close on the heels of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Chief Minister after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured that within two-three months the situation in the Valley would definitely improve.

"In a period of two-three months, you will see a changed Jammu and Kashmir. Next few months are really crucial for us. We will first restore the normalcy, than we will talk. This issue is as old as 70 years," Mufti said.

Mufti further appealed to the media to help in restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mufti also asserted that the ruling dispensation at the Centre must follow the footsteps of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and reach out to the disillusioned and angry youth so as to restore a peaceful atmosphere for governance.

Talking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mehbooba said a conducive atmosphere was required for talks and governance.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier on Sunday urged all the Chief Ministers to take care of the students from Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of several video clips surfacing in recent times, purportedly showing human rights abuses by the security forces. (ANI)
In a first, sleek snow scooters are being inducted for patrolling purposes to help with the job of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops along the Sino-India frontier. Five of these scooters, all costing around Rs. one crore, procurred from a U.S.-based firm, have been deployed at high-altitude border locations of the ITBP in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim that overlook the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployment on the other side. Officials said the modern scooters can seat two personnel (driver and pillion rider) with their rifle and ammunition in tow and can negotiate a 45-degree slope on the hills and are supported by chaincase belts to help the 278 kg machine glide smooth and cut through the ice. 325 mm in length, the scooters are powered by hydraulic brakes for effective ground control and its carbureted ignition system can hold over 41 litres of fuel in one go. (ANI)
Terming the statement by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra modi as a severe indictment of the NDA government's lack of policy towards the state, the Congress today asked the Centre to articulate its policy towards Jammu and kashmir in clear terms.Addressing reporters here, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari said,''Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti met the PM today. Though we heard nothing from the PM or PMO about the meeting, one remark by the CM summed up the essence of the meeting. After the meeting, the Jammu and Kashmir CM said, ''We are where Mr (Atal Bihari)Vajpayee had left us. There could not be a more damning indictment of a complete lack of policy by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir. We would request the NDA government that it is high time that it articulated its policy on Jammu and Kashmir in clear terms. It is the responsibility of the government to make its policy clear''.Describing the deterioration of the situation in the state as a reflection of a complete lack of policy by the Centre on Jammu and kashmir, Mr Tewari said, ''There is a complete absence of a policy for Jammu and Kashmir. Nothing evidences this more than the poor turnout in the Srinagar bypoll, the postponement of the bypoll in Anantnag, the increasing tension on the India-Pak border, the fragile internal security situation in the Kashmir valley and the deepening contradictions between the BJP and PDP alliance . ''Even in the worst phase of militance, between 1989-1996, poll percentage for Assembly elections was 53.92 per cent. In 2002 , when the NDA was in power at the Centre, it was 43.7 per cent. In 2008, when the UPA was in power, it was 61.16 per cent while in 2014, it rose to 65 per cent, which fell to 7 per cent in the recent bypoll. ''The Prime Minister should ask himself as to what has gone wrong between 2014 and 2017.''Drawing comparisons between the situation in the Valley during the National Conference and the Congress alliance government in the state with that during the present BJP-PDP government, Mr Tewari said, ''During the rule of the alliance government between the National Conference and the Congress, the LoC was relatively stable, the internal security situation remained relatively normal, the interlocutor process was put in place by the then UPA government at the Centre. Further, all-round development was the prevailing mantra at that time.In fact, many projects which the PM recently inaugurated were conceived and significantly implemented in those six years when there was a UPA government at the the Centre and a National Conference-Congress Government in Jammu and Kashmir. ''In contrast, the way in which the BJP-PDP government in the state and the NDA government at the Centre has handled Jammu and Kashmir is detrimental to the cause of National security and integrity.''To another question on the recent incidents of violence against students from Jammu and Kashmir across the country, Mr Tewari said,''These are all manifestations of a lack of policy of the present government towards Jammu and Kashmir.''UNI AR RSA SHK 1828 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-866936.Xml
: Speaking at the 3rd governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi today, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla emphasised the difficulty for the Northeastern states in matching the state matching shares of more than 10 percent in various central schemes."Rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes needs a revision regarding core of the core, core and optional schemes as it is very difficult for the Northeast states to contribute a higher matching state shares 80:20," Lal Thanhawla said."For Northeast states, more than 10 percent matching shares is very difficult to meet," he added.He also proposed air connectivity for Northeastern state capitals."At least the state capital of the Northeast states may be connected with small aircrafts or helicopters. This would be beneficial not only for us but also for our national leaders," he said.Lauding the GST and Digital India scheme, Lal Thanhawla stressed the need to adequately address internet connectivity for effective implementation. "Owing to the topography and hilly terrain, laying of optical fibre cables is also a big challenge. Hence, we suggest the use of power transmission and poles instead of laying cables underground," he said.Lal Thanhawla believed that decentralization of telecom sector would go a long way in improving connectivity. "Bharat Net programme should be judiciously expedited keeping the terrain and other logistics in mind for the Northeast states," he said.UNI ZS SJC -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-866901.Xml
The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp.

The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur.

As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh.

Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning.

Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma.

MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today.

The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.

The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CRPF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack." (ANI)
On Wednesday, he will meet Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj at the Hotel Taj Palace. Thereafter, he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House at 1 p.m.

At 4 p.m., he will meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the Hotel Taj Palace before concluding his engagements for the day.

On Thursday, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister will emplane for a two-and-a-half day-long visit to Udaipur, Rajasthan, at 11.30 a.m. and attend several engagements there through Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, he will return to New Delhi and emplane for Colombo at 6.45 p.m. (ANI)
Strongly condemning the killing of 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the attack is cowardly and deplorable, adding that the sacrifice of the slain jawans won't go in vain. "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. The Prime Minister wished for speedy recovery of the injured jawans. Expressing his pain over the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid his tributes to the slain jawans. "Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families. Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," Singh tweeted. Resonating similar views, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said he is deeply pained, adding that the slain jawans' sacrifice should not go in vain. "It is a classic case of mindless killing. There is no place for such things in democracy," he added. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiu said, it was a very sad incident, adding that it was a big tragedy. The Congress Party also expressed its thoughts and prayers for the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in the encounter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said, "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts." As many as 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with Naxals that took place in Chhattisgarh's Sukma. A message was received by the Indian Air Force's Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of the CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift three casualties. Immediately, two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal. One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role. On landing at the venue of ambush it was learnt that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties. Immediately, the casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur. More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the slain jawans. The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp. The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur. As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals. The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh. Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning. Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma. MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today. The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district. The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CRPF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action. Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack." (ANI)
"Saddened at the tragic death of CRPF jawans in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. Strongly condemn violence. My sympathies with the bereaved families," Banerjee tweeted.

Hundreds of Maoists on Monday massacred at least 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.

--IANS ssp/vd

( 83 Words)

2017-04-24-20:22:09 (IANS)
In one of the deadliest attacks, 300 to 400 heavily armed Maoists, women included, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested patch in Chhattisgarh on Monday, killing 25 troopers and escaping with their AK-47 assault rifles. Six Central Reserve Police Force personnel were airlifted to Raipur in critical condition. An injured trooper, Sheikh Mohammed, claimed that the subsequent gun battle lasted about three hours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion at a place between Burkapal and Chintagufa in Sukma district as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths won''t go in vain. The CRPF said the ambush began at 12.30 p.m. Troopers who survived the horror said the attackers used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers as they launched the attack "from all sides". "The troopers replied in a befitting manner but taking geographical position to their advantage, the Maoists succeeded in inflicting loss to the CRPF," a CRPF statement said. "A considerable number of Maoists are believed to have been eliminated." One account said local tribes passed on vital real-time inputs on the movement of CRPF men to the Maoists. "It''s a major tragedy. We will hit back with full intensity," Vivekanand, the Inspector General of Police of Bastar region, said in Sukma after returning from the site of carnage. The dead included an Inspector, a Sub-Inspector, three Assistant Sub-Inspectors, six Head Constables and 14 Constables. Chief Minister Raman Singh flew back from New Delhi and presided over an emergency meeting with top officials to re-strategize moves against the Maoists who have shown signs of revival in recent months. "The entire Chhattisgarh is pained by the CRPF men''s killing," a visibly shocked Raman Singh said after landing in Raipur. "The Maoists are feeling a lot of heat in Sukma with increased presence of security forces." CRPF officials initially said 11 troopers were killed before scaling up the figure to 26. Eventually, the paramilitary force said it lost 25 men. The 99-member CRPF patrol was on foot on the interior road, providing security to road construction activity, when it came under sudden attack. Once the fighting died down, Air Force helicopters evacuated the wounded to Raipur hospitals. Security forces later launched a major search operation to track down the Maoists. This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed. Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year. Modi saluted the CRPF. "We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest." Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killings and offered tributes to the dead and condolences to their families. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killings. "The sacrifice of brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter our fight against extremism," Sonia Gandhi tweeted. Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh blamed the massacre on "complete intelligence failure on the ground level". Raman Singh said it was premature to comment on intelligence failure. He, however, vowed to unleash a full-blown offensive against Maoists in the entire Bastar region, mainly in Sukma district. He urged security personnel in Bastar to be more cautious and alert as the Maoists could engineer more such attacks in a bid to retain their hold over the sprawling area. Maoists aligned to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist have been active in Chhattisgarh''s tribal-dominated interiors for decades, running a virtual parallel state. --IANS suj/rak/mr/vd ( 626 Words) 2017-04-24-22:06:10 (IANS)
A minor girl trapped in a dry borewell for nearly 54 hours was found dead on Monday night at a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district, said a rescue team official early Tuesday. "The rescue team members found six-year-old Kaveri dead and buried in mud around 11.50 p.m. at about 30 feet in the borewell pipe. She fell and remained stuck since Saturday evening," a member of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told reporters at Jhunjarawadi village in Athani taluk, where the tragic accident occurred in this northern district, 640km from the state capital Bengaluru. The Pune-based NDRF team retrieved Kaveri's bruised body from the dreaded borewell through a parallel tunnel it dug for two days after drilling the rocky terrain. "We have shifted the body in an ambulance to a state-run hospital at Athani for autopsy before handing it over to Kaveri's parents," said the official. Kaveri accidentally slipped and fell on Saturday evening into the open borewell in a farm while playing with friends near her house in the village, 145km from Belagavi. "We have registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the absconding owner (Shankarappa) of the borewell and the farm land on which it was left abandoned after it dried up due to drought and scorching summer," Belagavi Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters at the accident spot after midnight. Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from the district, lamented that Kaveri could not be saved despite all efforts by the NDRF team and the fire brigade personnel. "It's a tragic incident which should not have occurred. Our heart-felt condolences to her bereaved family even as the entire state mourns for her," Jarkiholi told reporters here. Kaveri's grieving and inconsolable mother Savita told news channels that no other child should meet the fate of her young child. "We appeal to the state government to shut all open and dry borewells anywhere in the state so that no other child will die like my dear Kaveri," said Savita. --IANS fb/vgu/ ( 349 Words) 2017-04-25-02:00:08 (IANS)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Sunday detailed that among the victims were at least 1,256 civilians, including 275 minors and 184 women, Efe news reported.

The airstrikes carried out by the coalition since September 23, 2014 also killed 5,961 IS members, mainly foreigners, including many leaders of the terrorist organisation.

One IS leader was killed along with his wife and four children in the town of Dabiq, north Aleppo, according to SOHR.

The international coalition has not only targeted IS combatants in Syria, but also former al-Qaida affiliate Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as Nusra Front.

At least 141 militiamen of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham were killed in Syria by the coalition bombings against their bases, including some leaders.

Another 157 members of different extremist groups were killed by the international bombings in the province of Idlib and west of Aleppo, while 10 combatants of the Jaysh al-Sunna were killed in a bombardment of their base in the region of Atma in Idlib.

Coalition warplanes also caused the death of at least 98 members of the Syrian government forces in attacks against the base of an artillery brigade on Tharada mount in Deir Ezzor and al-Shayrat military airport in Homs.

The NGO added that a media activist working for IS-linked agency was killed by the coalition airstrikes in the village of Tal Batal in Aleppo.

--IANS vgu/

( 268 Words)

2017-04-24-04:50:09 (IANS)
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned Russia that its interventions in Ukraine are an obstacle to improving relations between the two nations, a media report said. Urging both Russia and pro-separatists in the Ukraine to immediately respect the ceasefire, Tillerson made the remarks in a phone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday, Efe news reported. During their conversation, Tillerson also talked about the results of his visit to Moscow earlier in April. According to a statement by US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner, both leaders talked about the trip and the message that Tillerson sent to the Russian government earlier. The statement said that although the US was interested in improving relations with Russia, but President Vladimir Putin's government's actions in the east of Ukraine remained an obstacle. Tillerson also assured the US government's firm commitment to supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. He said that sanctions against Moscow would "remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements." The agreements signed in Belarus capital Minsk in February 2015, aimed to put an end to the armed conflict between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists and to support the country's territorial integrity. The Minsk agreement initiated a settlement process which despite making considerable progress, has failed to end the hostilities, as there were still violations of the ceasefire in the area. Tillerson's remarks on sanctions against Russia were a change in the stance of the US government regarding the conflict, as President Donald Trump suggested in January that he would end the sanctions against Moscow for its interference in Ukraine, an idea that France and Germany opposed. During the phone call, Poroshenko also conveyed his condolences to the US government for the recent passing away of an American observer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's monitoring team (OSCE). The OSCE observer lost his life on Sunday in a landmine explosion in the separatist province of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. Both Tillerson and Poroshenko agreed that this tragic incident highlights the need for all parties, especially those led by pro-Russian separatists, to immediately comply with the Minsk agreements. The US State Department also extended its condolences to the family and friends of the victim and condemned the incident in another statement. "This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats and harassment," the statement said. "The US urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent and timely investigation," the US Department of State statement said. Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have already demanded an investigation to clarify the death of the observer. --IANS in/ ( 476 Words) 2017-04-24-08:42:08 (IANS)
According to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe, the U.S. citizen was part of a patrol of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine.

Two other monitors were also injured in the incident, when their vehicle was heavily damaged by an explosion in the Luhansk region, near Pryshyb.

It is the first time an SMM patrol member has been killed while on duty, the CNN quoted OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, as saying.

OSCE Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug, said the blast was most likely caused by a mine. The explosion happened at 11.17 a.m. Sunday morning.

"The SMM is an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks are to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine; and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis," the OSCE said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko offered Secretary of State Rex Tillerson his condolence in a call on Sunday, reaffirming the importance of the OSCE mission in Ukraine.

The two agreed the incident "makes clear the need for all sides -- and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces -- to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements immediately."

Tillerson confirmed the sanctions on Russia will remain until control of Crimea is returned to Ukraine and Russia "fully implements its commitments" under the Minsk agreements. (ANI)
Pakistan has launched a diplomatic initiative to convince Iran to join the Saudi Arabia led 41-nation Islamic Military Alliance and bring about a rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh. The Express Tribune reports that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has given a special task to Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf, a close confidante of the premier. According to the report, the Attorney General is also scheduled to travel to Tehran in the coming days as part of quiet diplomacy to ensure that Pakistan's relations with Iran are not affected by the decision on the Saudi alliance, which is being led by former Pakistan Army Chief Gen. (Retd.) Raheel Sharif. Last month, Ausaf also travelled to Riyadh where he held a series of meetings including with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss the issue. "We are trying to facilitate some kind of rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia," said an official familiar with the development. He conceded, however, that bringing the Middle Eastern rivals on the same page "is a daunting task indeed," adding that tension free ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia would make Pakistan's job a lot easier. When Gen. Raheel Sharif accepted Saudi Arabia's offer to head the military alliance, he did so on the condition that other Muslim countries, including Iran, Syria and Iraq, would be invited to join it. Before the government formally granted him a no-objection certificate (NOC) on Friday, the biggest concern Pakistani decision-makers had was that the allowing the former army chief to lead the alliance would antagonise Iran and would harm bilateral ties. Tehran is wary of the Saudi initiative on the grounds that it would eventually be used by the Kingdom to further its own 'sectarian' agenda in the Middle East. Both countries have accused each other of backing certain proxies in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. (ANI)
"Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi & Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect," the Khaama Press quoted the Office of the President, ARG Palace, as saying on Monday.

The deadly attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The militants were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistan's largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unarmed soldiers were emerging from Friday prayers and preparing for lunch, according to media reports.

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 country's 16-year war. (ANI)
According to Tolo News, Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim resigned from their respective posts following the deadly Taliban attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The militants were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistan's largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack 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 country's 16-year war. (ANI)
Afghanistan's Interior Ministry (MoI) confirmed the incident saying that the attack took place close to the Campaign Military Camp.

Khaama Press quoted MoI acting spokesman Najib Danish as saying that the attack took place around 1 pm local time after a car bomb was detonated near the base.

Khost province is located in the eastern part of the country next to Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

No casualties have been reported so far.

No group including the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the bombing took place in the same town which was the target of a chemical attack earlier this month, reported Efe news.

At least 89 persons were killed in the April 4 attack.

According to SOHR, Monday's bombing wounded several people, some seriously, and it did not rule out an increase in the toll.

--IANS soni/dg

( 110 Words)

2017-04-24-20:12:10 (IANS)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 01:05:30|Editor: yan

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ISLAMABAD, April 23 (Xinhua) -- At least four paramilitary troops were killed and three others injured when a bomb hit their convoy in Pakistan's southwest Kech District Sunday night, local media reported.

Dawn News said that Frontier Corps personnel were on their way to Mand area when their convoy was hit by a remote controlled device in the Kech District of the southwestern Balochistan Province.

Some unknown militants fixed the explosives at roadside and blew them up as the convoy passed by.

The report added that one vehicle in the convoy was completely destroyed in the blast.

The injured soldiers were shifted to a nearby hospital.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Security forces cordoned off the area for investigations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 01:10:31|Editor: yan

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NEW DELHI, April 23 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and several other went missing Sunday after a boat capsized in north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

The boat capsized in the evening in river Yamuna at Ghoorpur in Allahabad district, about 216 km south of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

"Some people managed to swim safely to the river bank, while as others reportedly went missing and are feared drowned," a police official posted at Ghoorpur told Xinhua over telephone. "So far we have fished out three bodies from the river."

According to police, more than two dozen people were aboard the boat.

No sooner the news about boat capsizal spread in the area, local villagers rushed to the spot to carry out rescue.

Authorities also dispatched police and divers to search the missing ones.

"The rescue work is going on in full swing," the police official said.

Locals said there were winds blowing in the area at the time of boat capsizal.

In February this year, at least 10 people were killed and several others injured after a fibre boat carrying them capsized in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 01:20:33|Editor: yan

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by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Greece and China are the "steam engines" in the joint effort to highlight culture, a form of soft and smart power, as a factor for cooperation, growth and stability in an ever uncertain and unpredictable era, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Both China and Greece aim at promoting a positive agenda for cooperation because we both remain concerned about the emerging trends in our growingly asymmetric world," said the foreign minister in the interview made just ahead of the first Ministerial Conference of the Ancient Civilizations Forum (ACF), which will open in Athens on Monday.

The establishment of the ACF, as the GC10 will be called henceforth, is a very important milestone as it brings together a group of 10 nations, namely Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Italy and Greece, representing the world's 10 ancient cultures that have influence on today's world, the Greek minister said.

"Over the past year, in coordination with our Chinese partners, we have meticulously planned this initiative, aiming at using culture as a vehicle in the promotion of international cooperation, dialogue, connectivity and better understanding and, ultimately, peace and stability throughout the world," said the minister.

"The mutual respect between Greece and China, stemming from the fact that we represent two of the oldest and most influential civilizations, has contributed to the deepening of our bilateral relations and this is an experience we want to expand beyond our bilateral framework, using it to further expand synergies between other nations with similar cultural impact," he explained.

According to the minister, Greece is a beacon of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, as it lies in the middle of a triangle of instability with Ukraine at its pick, Libya and Syria at its base.

Similarly, China is a major player in Southeastern Asia, and as such, is key to the stability of the region but also, for obvious reasons pertaining to its overall size, beyond it, said the Greek minister.

On the expectations to the outcome of the first GC10 forum, Kotzias said the upcoming meeting in Athens will in effect inaugurate this very important initiative, and will mark the "act of birth" of the forum.

"Moreover, it will be a very good opportunity to inaugurate a dialogue between very diverse countries from four different continents about the role of soft power and culture in international relations and its impact on the cultural industry," he added.

The Greek minister also referred to the role of the Athens forum in cross-border cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, and the links between the two initiatives.

"The purpose of the Belt and Road Initiative is to create conditions for a sustainable and viable network of cooperation in various fields -- ranging from infrastructure to transport and energy -- in a way that will safeguard the benefits of connectivity and dependence on each other," the Greek minister noted.

Describing the relationship between the two initiatives as complimentary, the minister said "the Ancient Civilizations Forum is likely to trigger a further will to cooperate by underpinning common cultural traits and references, as well as by engaging together in learning from the past and foreseeing the challenges of the future."

"In short, the Belt and Road Initiative and the ACF are different sides of the same coin," Kotzias said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 01:25:34|Editor: ZD

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias attend a press conference in Athens April 23, 2017. Wang Yi on Sunday urged all sides to make voices of peace and reason on the Korean Peninsula issue, reiterating China's consistent and definite stand on denuclearizing the peninsula. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday spoke highly of the civilization exchanges between his country and Greece, hailing the mutual learning between the two ancient civilizations as exemplary.

The comments came as Wang and his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias met with journalists after holding a meeting one day ahead of the Ancient Civilizations Forum, which will open here on Monday.

Wang told the press conference that 45 years after China and Greece established their diplomatic relations, the two countries have been maintaining a healthy, stable and smooth development momentum.

The two economic and trade partners, the senior Chinese diplomat said, are deepening and expanding their pragmatic cooperation in various areas while upholding the principle of mutual benefits and win-win cooperation.

Wang cited the Piraeus Port as a highlight of the bilateral cooperation, which he said is helping Greece to get ride of the impact of the financial crisis and sending a signal of China's confidence in the prospect of Greece's development.

He said the two countries stand ready to provide solutions to today's difficulties and challenges with the wisdom derived from their ancient civilizations.

The coming Ancient Civilization Forum is a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer and will be attended by 10 countries representing major ancient civilizations. The countries also include Bolivia, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and Peru.

Wang said the forum serves as the platform where all participants can communicate and learn from each other so as to achieve common prosperity and development.

Wang said the forum has provided dynamism in both thought and culture for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Ancient Civilization Forum and the Road and Belt Initiative can be essentially traced to the same origin," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 03:50:57|Editor: xuxin

Marine Le Pen (C), far-right National Front (FN) party presidential candidate, sings French National anthem at a rally after the first round of French presidential election in Henin-Beaumont, France on April 23, 2017. Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by polling agencies and official partial results. The two leading candidates are set to face off in the runoff on May 7. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections based on initial vote counts by polling agencies.

An updated estimation by research firm Elabe for local broadcaster BFMTV indicates that Macron leads with 24 percent of votes, and Le Pen 21.8 percent.

A total of 11 candidates participated in this year's race towards French presidency, and the two leading candidates are set to face off in the runoff on May 7.

At a gathering after the vote, Le Pen hailed the results as "historic," and expressed "profound gratitude" to her supporters.

She also called on voters to join her to create "national unity," promising to bring "great alternative" to the country.

French president Francois Hollande congratulated Macron on the phone for advancing into the second round, according to French media reports.

Right-wing conservative candidate and former prime minister Francois Fillon conceded defeat Sunday night, and vowed to vote for Macron in the runoff on May 7.

"The defeat is mine. Do not scatter, stay united," Fillon told his supporters in a gathering after the vote.

According to the updated estimation, Fillon ends up in the third place with 19.9 percent of votes, while far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon ranks fourth with 19.3 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 06:11:55|Editor: yan

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By Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras praised on Sunday China's role in addressing common challenges, welcoming Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the eve of the first ministerial Ancient Civilization Forum.

"We have the pleasure of establishing this forum of great ancient civilizations, an idea of the two foreign ministers of Greece and China, as the two countries have marked the world's cultural heritage with their ancient civilizations," Tsipras said during the meeting with Wang.

Monday's forum will allow the 10 participating countries to form a meaningful cooperation that could produce initiatives for the future, he noted.

"We are at a stage of very meaningful cooperation ... China is a very important partner for us," the Greek Prime Minister stressed.

Tsipras said he is very pleased to attend the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which will be held in Beijing in mid-May.

Greece aims to make itself into an international transportation hub and such a goal highly matches the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

Wang welcomed Tsipras' forthcoming attendance at the Belt and Road forum, during which he could discuss major win-win plans with the Chinese side and inject new impetus to bilateral cooperation.

Wang said cooperation over the Piraeus Port is not only successful economically, but also generates good political and social effect.

This year, Wang said, marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Greece, and both nations could deepen political trust and cooperation.

Greek President Pavlopoulos, during receiving Wang at the Presidential mansion, said his country looks forward to forging closer bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples, as well as the entire world.

"I believe that China, thanks to its great history and power, can play a significant role. That is why Greece as a member state of the EU appreciates China's cooperation as very important not only for Greece but for the EU as a whole," Pavlopoulos said.

He also said that Greece welcomes and supports the Belt and Road Initiative. This support is underlined by Tsipras' participation in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Greek president said.

Wang said the Ancient Civilizations Forum, a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer, aims to take clues from ancient wisdom so as to deal with common challenges faced by today's world.

China will stick to the path of peaceful development while promoting new type of international relations featuring cooperation and win-win, whereby China will work with the rest of the world to build "a human community with shared destiny", Wang said.

The Ancient Civilization Forum is attended by both China and Iran as well as other countries representing major ancient civilizations throughout the world.

The other participants include Bolivia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and Peru.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 10:23:13|Editor: xuxin

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YANGON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A three-day political dialogue at the national level is underway in Taunggyi, Myanmar's Shan state, prior to the upcoming second meeting of the country's 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference.

Representatives from the self-administered regions and zones submitted a total of 70 papers respectively related with politics, economy, land issues and natural resources and environmental conservation which were read on Sunday, the first day of the dialogue, official reports said Monday.

Minister of the State Counselor's Office U Kyaw Tint Swe called the dialogue "a milestone of the state" and a step taken by the people in the state toward peace.

Shan State Chief Minister Lin Htut noted that the first meeting of the Panglong peace conference held in August-September last year built trust among the stakeholders even though they had diverse opinions.

Present at the dialogue were representatives of some signatory armed groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA), including Pa-O National liberation Organization (PNLO) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and political parties among others.

Myanmar has been holding region-oriented and race-oriented political dialogue across the nation since January.

The outcome of all regional dialogues will be submitted to the upcoming second meeting of the Panglong Peace Conference in May.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 10:43:20|Editor: xuxin

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CANBERRA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Australian electronics and homewares retailers are preparing for the invasion of American giant Amazon, but some have vowed to take the fight up to the online-based store when it comes to local shores.

Last week, Amazon confirmed its rapid Australian expansion by announcing that it was searching for a site to build its "fulfillment center" - a large warehouse for storing and shipping goods purchased online - but local retailers, including Harvey Norman's founder Gerry Harvey, has said he will make it hard for Amazon to succeed down under.

Harvey Norman sells electronics, furniture and bedding - all markets in which Amazon hopes to hold a stake, but Harvey has said that he will happily go toe-to-toe with the American behemoth to maintain his share in the Australian market.

"In America and other parts of the world, they have just demolished other retailers, no question about that, and they send a lot of retailers broke," Harvey told News Corp on Monday.

"There is no question they have one ambition, and like Attila the Hun, or Alexander the Great, they just want to demolish everything in front of them and then at the end of day claim to be victorious and make their own rules.

"So this is a company that is extraordinary by any measure and defies every rule that has ever been written about a business."

Some analysts have said that Amazon could take in as much as 3 billion U.S. dollars in sales in its first five years in Australia (around 1 percent of the total 225 billion U.S. dollar market), but Harvey has refuted those claims, saying that local retailers would be putting up "one hell of a fight" when Amazon launches its main retail services in Australia.

"We will be out there fighting them like no American retailer has ever fought them," he said. "Any price that they put we will beat or equal."

Meanwhile, Harvey's thoughts were backed up by those of former CEO of supermarket chain Woolworths, Roger Corbett, who said Amazon would struggle to replicate its lower wages and claims of lightning fast delivery to rural parts when it opens in Australia.

"Amazon will have an impact on the market place, but they are coming into an already very competitive market," he told News Corp.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 11:03:26|Editor: MJ

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NANCHANG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A freight train connecting Russia with Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, arrived in the inland city Sunday, bringing Russian goods to the former revolutionary heartland of the Communist Party of China.

The journey started from Kansk, where buses first transported 38 containers more than 260 km to Bazaiha, followed by a train journey of more than 7,000 km, before reaching Ganzhou in eastern China.

Ganzhou is an inland area with a complex landscape. It was important in early revolutionary activities due to its remote mountain ranges, but its wartime geographical advantages have now become a stumbling block in development.

The government tried to push regional development in the past few decades, but Ganzhou won no major projects or key investment due to its geography, resulting in slow, sometimes nonexistent, industrial growth.

Many people in Ganzhou are still living in poverty.

The train is expected to bring resources from Europe and boost local development.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 11:28:32|Editor: xuxin

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SYDNEY, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Western Australia's trade and investment office in Indonesia marks its 25th anniversary this week as last year's exports rose nearly 15 percent.

"Indonesia is Western Australia's closest neighbour and we were one of the first Australian states to open an office there to further our cultural and economic relationship," Western Australia Asian Engagement Minister Bill Johnston said in a statement obtained by Xinhua.

Established in 1992 under Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, the office was originally located in the city of Surabaya, but in 2003 the facility moved to Indonesia's capital.

Since then, the Jakarta office has grown to oversee the state's broader relationship with Indonesia and in 2015 dedicated agriculture and tourism officers were brought in to expand the operation.

"Indonesia is the state's largest wheat export market, accounting for 28 percent of our total wheat exports, with petroleum another key export commodity," Johnston said.

"There is plenty of scope for growth in our trade relationship, particularly in areas like international education, tourism, mining and petroleum technology and services, and agriculture."

During 2015-2016, Western Australian exports to Indonesia grossed 1.9 billion Australian dollars (1.4 billion U.S. dollars).

"The Western Australian trade and investment office in Jakarta will continue to play a vital role in the ongoing development of our relationship with Indonesia," Johnston said. (1 Australian dollar = 0.76 U.S. dollar)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 13:28:53|Editor: xuxin

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PHNOM PENH, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday jointly inaugurated a bridge connecting southern Cambodia's Kandal province and southwestern Vietnam's An Giang province.

The concrete bridge has a total length of 427 meters in which half was built by Cambodia and the other half was developed by Vietnam, said Cambodian Transport Minister Sun Chanthol.

He said the project took 27 months to be completed at a total cost of 36 million U.S. dollars in which more than 15 million dollars were paid by Cambodia and the rest was covered by Vietnam.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said the project would contribute to broadening bilateral economic cooperation, trade and tourism, and to improving living conditions for the people of the two countries.

"Cambodia believes that the project will contribute to boosting Cambodia-Vietnam trade volume to 5 billion U.S. dollars in coming years," he said in a speech broadcast live on social media.

For his part, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the inauguration of the bridge was part of the activities that the two countries had organized to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

"The bridge alongside its connecting road becomes the shortest road linking capital Phnom Penh to Vietnamese border," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 13:28:53|Editor: xuxin

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VIENTIANE, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Children will receive free healthcare at government hospitals in 2017, according to a new government policy aiming to reduce the rate of mortality of children under five, local daily Vientiane Times reported Monday.

The policy known as the "Strategy and Action Plan for Integrated Service on Reproductive Maternal, Newborn and Child Health," focuses on pregnant women and their access to more healthcare services at hospitals and dispensaries across the country and also provides free-of-charge care to children, particularly newborns and children under five, heath officials have confirmed.

Director General of the Hygiene and Health Promotion Department under the Ministry of Health, Phath Keungsaneth spoke to Vientiane Times on Friday on the importance of the new policy.

He said that the new policy aims to enable all children under five in all provinces across the country to enjoy better access to health services including free health checks and treatment at government hospitals and dispensaries, not only to underprivileged children.

The policy started in 2013 focusing on free treatment to only poor mothers and children in targeted provinces, aiming to reduce the mortality of children under five including the promotion of access to better quality health services for poor mothers and children, a health authority said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 14:08:59|Editor: ying

New Zealand's Prime Minister Bill English announces his cabinet reshuffle at a press conference in Wellington April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Su Liang)

WELLINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is to have a new foreign minister from next month to replace the long-serving Murray McCully, Prime Minister Bill English announced Monday.

Gerry Brownlee, currently the Defense Minister, will take over the foreign affairs portfolio as McCully resigns from the Cabinet ahead of retirement and the government readies for a general election in September.

"As Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr McCully has improved existing relationships and developed new ones, all the while running a truly independent foreign policy for New Zealand," English said in tribute to the outgoing minister.

McCully, who has held his post since 2008, oversaw New Zealand's successful campaign for a United Nations Security Council seat in 2015 to 2016.

Also in Monday's reshuffle, English announced Land Information and Statistics Minister Mark Mitchell would be promoted to Cabinet to take over the defense portfolio.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye would take overall charge of the education portfolio from retiring Education Minister Hekia Parata.

The new ministers would be sworn in on May 2 and the new Cabinet will hold its first meeting on May 8.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 14:54:21|Editor: xuxin

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JALALABAD, Afghanistan, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-seven Islamic State (IS) militants were killed during an ongoing military operation in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, said a military statement on Monday.

"A total of 37 IS militants were killed following airstrikes and ground engagement with security forces during an ongoing military operation in Achin District of Nangarhar Province over the past 24 hours," the statement issued by Afghan army's Corps 201 Selab said.

The operation will continue until the area is cleared of the militants, the statement said, adding that no security force member or civilian was injured during the above raid.

The mountainous province with Jalalabad City as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of clashes between security forces and IS militants since the emergence of IS there in early 2015.

The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently, as spring and summer known as fighting season, are drawing near but the militants responded by attacks and bombings.

On Sunday, a senior police official named Toor Jan was shot dead by militants in Kandahar City, capital of southern Kandahar Province.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 14:59:23|Editor: xuxin

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KABUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and the army's Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim resigned on Monday and the Afghan president has accepted their resignations, the country's presidential palace confirmed.

The resignations came in the wake of a deadly Taliban attack on an army base which left over 135 soldiers killed and 60 others injured in the northern province of Balkh on Friday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in the latter's Florida resort of Mar-a-Lago in the United States, April 6, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

Hi, here is what you need to know about China.

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Monday discussed bilateral ties and the situation on the Korean Peninsula on phone, pledging close contact through various means to promptly exchange views on major issues of common concern.

China strongly opposes actions that violate resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Xi said, adding China hopes that the parties concerned will exercise restraint and avoid actions that aggravate tensions on the Peninsula. xhne.ws/GqJnZ

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BEIJING -- China's insurance regulator on Sunday flashed red alert on risks facing the industry.



Insurance companies must guard against liquidity risks with regular cash flow tests, noted a circular issued by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC). xhne.ws/adDMr

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CANBERRA -- The Australian government has announced it will pursue a free trade agreement (FTA) with China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in an attempt to secure further service export opportunities for Australian businesses.

Australia's Trade Minister Steve Ciobo said securing an FTA with the Hong Kong economy would "strengthen the trading partnership" with one of Australia's "most significant" trading partners. xhne.ws/SGG6T

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SHANGHAI -- A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai Sunday morning for public relations visits to more than 20 countries.

The fleet, composed of missile destroyer Changchun, missile frigate Jingzhou and supply ship Chaohu, will tour Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania for nearly 180 days. xhne.ws/PlDL1

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BUDAPEST -- The worldwide celebrity Jackie Chan, who was the guest star of the opening ceremony of the 2017 Chinese Film Festival here on Sunday, told reporters he would be considering making a film in Hungary.

"Hungary is a place where I have always wanted to come, the scenery here is really beautiful, and most importantly it is cheap, and that counts nowadays when making movies around the world becomes more and more expensive," the martial arts master said shortly before the beginning of the ceremony. xhne.ws/U1cCy


Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 15:29:33|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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URUMQI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Efforts to keep Xinjiang salamander (Ranodon Sibiricus), an endangered amphibian, from going extinct have had success.

"The number of Xinjiang salamander has stopped decreasing since 2014 and surpassed 3,000 at present," said Ji Xiaowei, head of the management station under the salamander nature reserve in Wenquan County, the major habitat for the species.

Threatened by human activity, pollution and climate change, the population of the species declined sharply from 10,000 in the 1990s to fewer than 3,000 three years ago, according to Ji.

In recent years, the reserve has spent more than 13 million yuan (around 2 million U.S. dollars) returning over 75 hectares of grazing land to grassland, setting up 9.8 kilometers of wire fencing in its habitat, diverting water to wetlands where the species live and establishing a remote video monitoring system.

The amphibian has been regarded as a "living fossil" because it coexisted with the dinosaurs about 300 million years ago. Currently, they only live in wetlands at the border of China and Kazakhstan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 15:29:34|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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JERUSALEM, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian woman stabbed and lightly injured a woman soldier at West Bank checkpoint, a day after a knife-wielding Palestinian teen injured four in Tel Aviv, police said Monday.

The incident took place at the Kalandia checkpoint, east of Jerusalem, at around 7 in the morning (around 4 am GMT.)

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri identified the suspect as a 39-year-old woman from the area of Ramallah city.

According to a police statement, the suspect waited for a security check at the Kalandia checkpoint. She approached a soldier, saying she wants to ask her something. She then pulled a knife out of her bag and stabbed the soldier.

The police released a photo a large kitchen knife that used in the attack,

"She was arrested and taken for interrogation," Samri said.

Israel's emergency medical service said the soldier sustained light wounds to her upper torso.

The incident was the latest in a wave of violence that has claimed the lives of at least 241 Palestinians, 41 Israelis, two U.S. nationals, a British tourist, and two African asylum seekers since September 2015.

On Sunday, an 18-year-old resident of Nablus city in the central West Bank stabbed four Israelis near Tel Aviv's promenade.

Israel accuses the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the unrest. The Palestinians say it is the result of 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, home to more than 5 million Palestinians.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 15:44:36|Editor: ying

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KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Sultan Muhammad V was formally installed as Malaysia's new king on Monday, as a grand ceremony celebrating the event was staged at the National Palace during which the king delivered a speech calling for unity in a country with different races and religions.

In his speech televised to the whole nation, the king, called the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, said it has been proved in Malaysia that diverse races, religions, cultures and way of life can live together in peace and harmony.

He described the co-existence of different races and religions as "the source of our uniqueness and strength."

The new king's installation came when Malaysia is celebrating its 60th anniversary of independence since 1957.

Earlier in the day, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak read a declaration, in which he said the installation represented the continuation of the country's monarchy system.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 16:24:46|Editor: ying

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UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- One of the biggest problems in South Sudan is a lack of accountability for crimes perpetrated during the ongoing conflict there, a United Nations (UN) official said here Sunday.

Earlier violence in April in South Sudan's northwestern Wau region had killed 19 Sudan soldiers and at least 28 civilians, and displaced more than 23,000, said Eugene Nindorera, the human rights director for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), as he ended his visit to the place.

Nindorera was on a three-day trip to Wau to assess the current situation in the area, visiting neighborhoods that have been deserted because they were directly affected by the fighting between government troops and ethnic groups.

According to a UN press release, since April 11, the Human Rights Division of UNMISS has interviewed 43 individuals, including eight women and two children. The purpose of the interview was to collect information about alleged human rights violations by government forces and aligned armed groups in Wau town on April 10.

"I can confirm that, as of Sunday, nobody is being detained in connection with this attack against civilians," said Nindorera.

Letting those responsible for the violence go unpunished is one of the greatest challenges to stopping violence in South Sudan's civil war, which has been raging for over three years, he said.

"I talked to victims and witnesses and was shaken to hear their testimonies of how they had to flee their houses after being attacked. It's more important than ever before that people are held accountable for the crimes they have committed," the UN official said.

Nindorera also said that after meeting the governor of Wau state that the governor had set up a committee to put together an extensive report to identify the perpetrators and their motives in order to hold the perpetrators accountable.

UNMISS has confirmed that by April 20, there were some 17,000 new arrivals at its civilian protection site in Wau, mostly women and children. Meanwhile, about 5,000 people had sought sanctuary inside the Wau Catholic Church.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 16:24:47|Editor: ying

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SYDNEY, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Australia-based technology company DroneShield announced Monday that it has sold a hand-held rifle-style drone jammer to the military of the Group of Seven (G7) nations.

Although the sale was not significant in terms of revenue, the deal was very important as it was the first of such transactions with the G7 countries, the company said.

DroneShield believes the G7 nations, namely, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States will test the weapon in the Middle East.

"The sale comes as IS (Islamic State) and other non-state actors rapidly increase their use of consumer or commercial drones for terrorism," the company said in a statement.

The device works by jamming communications between a drone and its controller. It also has the capability of tracking the user.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 16:29:49|Editor: Xiang Bo

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by Will Koulouris

SYDNEY, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Leading Australian economic experts say China's first quarter economic results have driven the global economy to success.

For the first quarter of 2017, China exceeded expectations, recording a 6.9-percent increase in Gross Domestic Product, or GDP.

The result was incredibly positive according to the James Laurenceson, deputy director of the Australia China Relations Institute at the University of Technology, Sydney, who is also a leading economist.

He told Xinhua on Monday that the figures were well above what was expected, and welcomed by the world.

"More importantly though is that it showed that rebalancing is continuing, with most of the growth coming through consumption, and that is exactly what we wanted to see," Laurenceson said.

Official data released last week showed China's economy has grown 6.7 to 7.2 percent for the last 11 quarters, with this quarter being the strongest growth experienced since the July-September quarter in 2015.

Raymond Yeung, chief economist of Greater China at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), believes that not only will China meet its annual 6.5-percent target.

"The past few months have seen the Chinese economy returning to the investment driven model, which works well to stabilize growth despite a lot of global uncertainties," Yeung said.

"Fixed asset investment data soared 9.2 percent year over year in March against market expectations of 8.8 percent."

With China "extraordinarily" accounting for 35 percent of the world's growth, Laurenceson is adamant that China's growth is extremely beneficial and forging a path to economic success, particularly outside of China.

"More Australian goods and more Australian services go to China than other country. That's because incomes in China are growing rapidly, so it's an enormous positive impact to both Australia and the world," Laurenceson said.

Yeung contends that the outperforming Chinese economy has stabilized the entire global economy during current uncertain times, and pointed to the strong growth in China's industry which has, and will continue to be, a boon to the commodity sectors.

"As the factories start to fire their engines again, Chinese demand for commodities will hold up. Investment pipelines will remain strong, underpinning solid commodity demand," Yeung said.

There is one project in particular that Yeung believes best demonstrates China's ambition to generate, and cultivate, further domestic demand and spur future growth, the Xiong'an New Area, another new area of national significance after the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area.

"The infrastructure build-out will eventually cover 2,000 square-km, a size similar to Shenzhen's. The scale will be massive," Yeung said.

With the increased infrastructure spend in the works, Laurenceson is certain this will lead to better outcomes for China, the Asia-Pacific region and the world, in particular, Australia.

"A lot of Australian commodities feed into China's manufacturing sector, so when we see China's industrial production go up, infrastructure spend up, doing well, that is a positive story for Australia," Laurenceson said.

With China's exports rocketing up by 14.8 percent, and imports an impressive 31.1 percent, Laurenceson believes that this robust result could not have come at a more critical time.

"Globally, trade has been suffering and slowing down. China is the world's largest trading nation, it is the world's second largest economy, and is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world," Laurenceson said.

"So whenever you have such a significant economy experiencing robust trade growth, that's excellent for the global economy too."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 16:44:53|Editor: ying

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WELLINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand air force P-3K2 Orion aircraft left for Tonga Monday to search for a Tongan fisherman who has been missing for two days.

The fisherman called his family via cellphone late on Saturday saying the engine of his 4.8-meter boat had failed and he had lost contact since then, Air Commodore Darryn Webb said in a statement.

The boat was believed to be between the main Tongan island of Tongatapu and the island of Eua.

"The crew will try to find the vessel and establish communications with the skipper so we can ascertain the problem and provide assistance as required," Webb said.

"Tongan authorities have launched a search but have had no success to date."

The search area was estimated at about 16,600 square km.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 17:35:15|Editor: ying

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TOKYO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Local residents of Kadena on Okinawa's main island said the United States military conducting parachute training drills over Okinawa's mainland on Monday morning was completely unacceptable with the latest provocation coming amid rising anti-U.S. military sentiment on the island.

Local media reported that residents in the area still remember a tragic incident that occurred in 1965 involving an elementary schoolgirl being crushed to death by a trailer being parachuted down to a village during such a drill.

The area hasn't seen parachute drills by the U.S. military since a drill at the base in 2011, that saw 30 personnel deploy from a MC-130 special mission aircraft, official accounts showed.

The aircraft used to deploy the airmen are designed for infiltration and exfiltration missions and can also be used for resupply of special operation forces.

The large transporter-looking planes can also be configured to be used for air refueling of primarily special operation helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft like the controversial Osprey, also hosted in Okinawa and mainland Japan, and the cause of great condemnation here for its checkered safety record.

The latest drill saw the local residents notified of the parachute exercise less than a day before it occurred, when notice was sent out on Sunday night by the Japanese Defense Ministry.

In 1996, Japan and the U.S. agreed that it would be the Ie Island near Okinawa's main island that would be used for parachuting drills at a reserve airfield there, with the surprise drill over Kadena baffling and scaring residents in the area.

The town of Kadena plays host to the U.S. Kadena Air Base which itself is home to top multiple air squadrons and accommodates around 20,000 service-members, their families and employees living or working there.

Anti U.S. base sentiment in Japan's southernmost prefecture continues to rise of late, with regular demonstrations comprising thousands of locals calling for the controversial U.S. Marines Corps Futenma base to be relocated off the island and not to the coastal Henoko region.

At the end of last month, the "prefectural people's rally calling for immediate cancellation of unlawful land reclamation work and abandonment of the plan to build a new base in Henoko, organized by the All Okinawa Coalition to Prevent Construction of a New Base in Henoko, was held in front of the gate to the U.S. military's Camp Schwab.

The demonstration saw the participation of around 3,500 people, the organizers said.

Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga attended the rally and stated that with all his strength he would absolutely revoke the approval to reclaim land off the shore of Henoko, which is needed build the new base.

Along with the unexpected parachute drill and constant anti-relocation rallies, residents have also been up in arms recently about stray bullets found at the Afuso Dam construction site in the Camp Hansen Marine Corps base on the island.

The base is located in the town of Kin, near the northern shore of Kin Bay, and is the second-northernmost major installation on Okinawa, with Camp Schwab to the north.

Damage from stray bullets was found in water tanks and the cars of dam workers, local media reported, with fears rife that if live rounds were fired and people were in the vicinity at the time, multiple lives could certainly have been lost.

"Stray bullet damage from Camp Hansen has occurred countless times since the end of WWII. It is obvious that this originates from the proximity of Okinawan residents and the base. The practice of live-fire exercises on the narrow island of Okinawa is a mistake," a recent article from an Okinawa-based publication said on the matter.

"The Marines, who operate Camp Hansen and use it mainly for exercises, are inherently unnecessary in Okinawa. Considering the safety of Okinawan residents, the only option is for the Marines to return to the continental United States. If they truly need to conduct live-fire exercises, they would be better off conducting them on the expansive training grounds in the mainland United States," the article said.

Officials from Onna, Okinawa, as well as the Okinawa Defense Bureau, both confirmed that water tanks at the construction site were found empty on April 6 and what appeared to be bullet holes were found inside the tanks.

On April 13, similar damage from bullets was found on the cars of workers who had parked at the construction site, much to the continued consternation of local residents.

The local Okinawan residents' calls for an end to their "occupation" and for all U.S. military personnel to return to the continental U.S. are growing evermore vociferous.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 17:40:16|Editor: ying

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KABUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Casualties were feared as a massive car bombing rocked near an airport in Afghanistan's eastern Khost city on Monday, a source said.

"The initial information found a suicide car bombing struck near the old airport in Khost city. We still cannot provide details on causalities. There is fear of possible causalities," the source told Xinhua anonymously.

The attack occurred hours after U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country for an unannounced visit.

Government troops cordoned off the area shortly after the blast which came roughly at 1:00 p.m. local time in the area where a base of NATO and U.S. forces is also located.

The blast caused a plume of grey smoke to rise above the scene in the city, capital of Khost province.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
PYONGYANG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday it will continue developing nuclear weapons for self-defense against military threat from the United States.

The Korean Workers' Party's official daily Rodong Sinmum said in a commentary that the U.S. move to dispatch a nuclear carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula is dangerous.

"This is an undisguised military blackmail against the DPRK and a dangerous action that plunges the peninsula into the touch-and-go situation," it said.

"Steadfast are the Korean army and people's will and resolve to annihilate the invaders to the last one and totally round off the showdown with the U.S. by bolstering up their nuclear deterrent for self-defense in every way," it added.

The DPRK has intensified its condemnation of the United States recently, vowing to retaliate with nuclear weapons amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"It is a wicked design of the U.S. to shake the DPRK's will for increased nuclear deterrent through intensive military threat and blackmail and then realize its ambition for 'the north's dismantlement of nukes,'" said the newspaper.

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK. The U.S. had better recognize this," it said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said recently Washington was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula to check attempts by the DPRK to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.

Speculations are high that Pyongyang would conduct another nuclear or missile test around April 25, which will mark the 85th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
A worker operates on the production line of Huajian Shoe factory about 40 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Oct. 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Selam Fantahun, an Ethiopian high school dropout, feels that her life's prospects have brightened up since she landed a job at a Chinese shoe factory in Addis Ababa four months ago.

"I wouldn't say I've learned 100 percent of what I aspired to but I'm getting there, learning new skills everyday," says the perky girl.

Fantahun attaches soles of slipper shoes at the new partially finished plant of Huajian, a major Chinese shoe manufacturer. Encouraged by the salary increases and skills training of the company, she plans to stay a bit longer before planning to start her own business.

Fantahun is among the latest crop of Ethiopians learning skills in Huajian's second plant located on southern outskirt of the capital. Huajian has already established a shoe factory for six years in Dukem Industrial Zone 37 kms southeast of Addis Ababa.

The spacious plant named Huajian International Light Industry City covers 138 hectares, and is expected to be totally completed by 2020.

The new park expects to earn two billion U.S. dollars in annual export revenue and employ up to 50,000 Ethiopians.

That may seem ambitious, but perfectly attainable in the eyes of Zemdeneh Negatu, former managing partner of the consulting firm Ernest and Young (Ethiopia).

"Ethiopia has 100 million people, adds 2.5 million people annually. It has a young, dynamic, educated and affordable labor force only matched in Africa by Nigeria," says Negatu.

He also cites Ethiopia's cheap electricity rates at four U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt hour and the country's 4,200 megawatts of installed electricity capacity, second only to South Africa.

Arkebe Oqubay, board chairperson of Industrial Park Development Corporation, sees the benefit of firms like Huajian not just in terms of export revenues and employment opportunities.

"With china rebalancing its economy, its firms are eyeing Ethiopia's young labor force of 45 million, while also being attracted by the relative affordability of wage in Ethiopia," he says.

According to him, with the annual manufacturing growth standing at 25 percent in the coming 10 years the government hopes the share of manufacturing in exports will increase to 50 percent.

"In 10 years time, Ethiopia will be among the top ten populous nations in the world, with manufacturing creating two indirect jobs for every one direct jobs," says Oqubay, highlighting another rationale for the country's strong focus on manufacturing.

Already the country has inaugurated three industrial parks. The Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP) with a capacity to employ 60,000 people was built in a record nine months by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Oqubay says nine more industrial park projects are planned or currently under construction by the Ethiopian government with an ability to employ more than 200,000 people when finished.

The industrialization plan is also part of the government's grand strategy to achieve middle income status for the nation by 2025.

With Ethiopian economy still dominated by agricultural commodities subjected to international price volatility and an ever increasing urban population standing at around 18 percent, the government counts on these projects to help create enough jobs and improve people's livelihoods.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 18:45:38|Editor: ying

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NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A special court here on Monday held underworld don Rajendra Sadashiv Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan guilty of possessing a fake passport.

The court of India's premier probe agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), convicted Rajan in the fake passport case, after framing charges against him and three Indian government officials who had allegedly helped him in the crime earlier.

The charges were framed against the four under various sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal conspiracy, cheating, cheating by impersonation and forgery of documents.

In its chargesheet filed in the court, the CBI has said Rajan got the fake passport issued from the southern city of Bengaluru in 1998-1999 in the name of one Mohan Kumar in connivance with the three government officials.

Rajan is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, while the other three accused are out on bail. And the arguments for sentencing will start Tuesday.

The 57-year-old gangster, who is involved in over 85 cases, ranging from murder to extortion, smuggling and drug trafficking, was arrested in Indonesia in 2015 after 20 years on the run. He was subsequently deported to India.

Rajan grew up in Mumbai and reportedly became involved in petty crime as a youth before rising to lead one of the city's crime syndicates.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 18:50:39|Editor: ying

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MANILA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine and the United States militaries are set to hold their annual joint exercises, the U.S. embassy in Manila said on Monday.

According to a statement, the Philippine and U.S. annual exercises, called Balikatan or Shoulder-to-Shoulder, will kick off on May 8 and run until May 19 on multiple locations in the Luzon Island and the Visayas region in central Philippines.

The U.S. embassy said military forces from Australia and Japan will participate in all major training events. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has invited military forces from several other nations to be part of the international observers.

The statement did not say how many troops from both sides will participate in this year's Balikatan military drills.

The U.S. and the Philippines conduct three major joint exercises and 28 minor cross-training exercises every year. Balikatan is the biggest and the most comprehensive among the several annual joint military exercises.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 18:55:41|Editor: Tian Shaohui

Marine Le Pen's supporters celebrate at a rally in Henin-Beaumont, France on April 23, 2017. Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by several pollsters. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

PARIS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Stocks in France and exchanges in European markets opened with rosy note on Monday after pro-market and Europe stance Emmanuel Macron's win in France' first round offered a relief to investors who had feared radical candidates could win power.

In Paris, the benchmark index CAC 40 rose sharply by 4.53 percent in early trading to stand at 5,228 points, the index best performance since 2007.

Heavyweight banking sector jumped by 6.15 percent with France's leading banks BNP Paribas, Cerdit Agricole and Societe Generale surged by 8.6 percent, 8.89 percent and 9.58 percent respectively.

Euphoria triggered by a victory of an advocate of strong eurozone, sent stocks of London's FTSE up by 1.86 percent while Frankfurt transactions were also lifted by optimistic French election outcome. They were high by 2.88 percent

The European index, the EuroStoxx 50 was rose by 2.03 percent.

"Investors are reassured by the very likely prospect of seeing Mr. Macron at the Elysee. It lifts the risk of having an extremist party hostile to the European construction and which would have had very negative consequences on the future of the euro area," Jean-Marie Mercadal, chief operating officer at OFI AM wrote in a note.

Latest results issued by the Interior Ministry earlier on Monday showed Macron dominating the vote with 23.75 percent against far-rightist Marine Le Pen's 21.53 percent. Both will face off in a run-off in two weeks.

Pollsters predicted the former economy minister to comfortably defeat the rival.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:20:45|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MACAO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Macao marked the second anniversary of China's Space Day Monday afternoon to popularize space science to young students in the special administrative region (SAR).

The event, held in the Macao Science Center, was organized by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of the SAR government. About 400 middle school students attended the event.

Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping, a crew member of China's Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft, shared her experience of ground training and orbit operation with the students after showcasing several video clips about the space mission.

She once had have lectures to middle and elementary school students through a nation wide live TV broadcast during her stay in space.

When asked about the most interesting experience in space, Wang said the loss of gravity was the most interesting one, but it also created some inconveniences such as sleep difficulty.

The astronaut also said if she could land on the moon in future, she wanted to dress like Chang'e, the moon goddess in Chinese fairy tales, with a pet rabbit in her arms, which made the students break into laughters.

Jin Sheng, a specialist on popularization of space science to the youth, briefed the students about China's space development plan.

The education bureau's chief Leong Lai said in her opening speech of the event that Macao's youth will learn about the achievements of China's space industry and the endeavoring spirit of Chinese astronauts.

The China Space Day was designated last year to mark the launch of China's first satellite on April 24, 1970.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:30:48|Editor: ying

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DUBAI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker said here Monday that U.S. American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines were not representing the American people, but only themselves.

Al-Baker made the remarks on the opening day of the 24th Tourism Fair Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

In the latest "war of words" between Gulf carriers and their counterparts in the United States for years of getting "unfair" discounted jet fuel from their oil-exporting governments).

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker said in a press conference that "the three American carriers (American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines) do not represent the USA, but they only represent themselves. We create jobs in the U.S. by buying American aircraft and we will continue to expand our network in the USA."

Qatar Airways flies from its home airport in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to 15 destinations in the United States. Al-Baker announced he will add the American cities Las Vegas and San Francisco in 2017/2018, too.

Al-Baker said the ban introduced to carry electronic devices bigger than smartphones for passengers flying out of many Arab states including Qatar had only a "minor impact" on passenger demand for Qatar Airways' operations towards the world's biggest economy.

Personal laptops and tablet computers have been banned for six months from March 21 on direct flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in the eight countries, namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey and Morocco.

Earlier last Wednesday, Emirates said it will cut down on the number of flights to five of the 12 cities it serves in the U.S. starting May 1 following U. S. laptop and tablet ban on six Middle Eastern countries.

In a joint statement on April 19, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines called Emirates' decision "laughable."

In order to keep affluent and loyal clients aboard, the "Big Three" Gulf airlines started to loan laptops and tablets for first and business class passengers on direct flights from their respective airports Dubai International, Abu Dhabi international and Hamad International in Doha to the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:40:49|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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HONG KONG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Former Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's bail application was granted by the region's High Court on Monday.

Tsang was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Feb. 22, 2017 for misconduct while in office and was sent to prison immediately.

Tsang was granted bail pending an appeal against his conviction and was released on a cash bail of 100,000 HK dollars (about 12,870 U.S. dollars).

Tsang was found guilty of a charge of misconduct for failing to declare a conflict of interest when he approved applications for radio broadcasting license by a broadcasting company Wave Media.

The former chief executive had faced two charges of misconduct and one charge of bribery. The nine jurors entered a majority verdict of one charge of misconduct. Tsang was cleared of another charge of misconduct.

The jury could not reach a decision on whether Tsang was guilty of accepting advantage. The judge has tentatively scheduled the proceeding to September. Enditem (1 U.S. dollar = 7.77 HK dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:45:51|Editor: MJ

People attend a ceremony marking the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 24, 2017. Armenia on Monday marked the 102nd anniversary of a genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, during which about 1.5 million Armenians were killed. (Xinhua/Gevorg Ghazaryan)

YEREVAN, April 24 (Xinhua)-- Armenia on Monday marked the 102th anniversary of a genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, during which about 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

Thousands of Armenians from all walks of life and foreign delegates visited the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to pay tribute to the victims of the genocide, which started in 1915 and was carried out in phases in the following several years.

Speaking at a ceremony, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that April 24 of 1915 had divided the Armenian history into two parts: before and after that tragic date.

He said that the survivors will never forget this part of history and will look forward into the future with confidence.

After laying flowers, the president and the participants visited the exhibition entitled "From Genocide to Restoration of Independence" at the Armenian Genocide Museum.

Ottoman Empire's successor state Turkey has insisted that the mass killings of Armenians during the period were not genocide. More than 20 countries have officially recognized the facts of the Armenian Genocide.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:50:52|Editor: ying

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KABUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber was killed in Afghanistan's eastern city of Khost, capital of eastern Khost province on Monday, and a resident near the site also wounded, sources said.

"The initial information found a suicide car bombing struck a security tower near the old airport in Khost city, where a foreign forces' military base is also located. The bomber died on the spot and the blast damaged buildings around," a source told Xinhua anonymously.

The attack occurred hours after U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country for an unannounced visit.

Earlier on Monday, Mattis visited headquarters of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) in Kabul where he met with RS Commander Gen. John Nicholson and discussed the security situation, the RS forces twitted.

He is also expected to hold meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gul Mohammad Mohammadi, a provincial health official, told Xinhua, "One woman sustained injures inside a house near the blast site following today's blast. She was shifted to a main hospital in the city where she was receiving medical treatment,"

"We could not exactly specify whether any casualties took place on the military side," the official noted.

Local residents said several security force members manning the security tower reportedly injured by the blast and were evacuated to a medical facility inside the base.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on April 1, three security forces were killed and six school children wounded after a suicide car bomb targeted a military convoy in Khost, 150 km southeast of Kabul.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:50:53|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang (Source: fmprc.gov.cn)

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday condemned a terrorist attack at a military base in northern Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif, which killed at least 140 people.

China was shocked by the number of casualties caused by the attack, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing.

He expressed condolences and sincere sympathy to the victims and their families.

"China is concerned about the escalation of violent conflicts in Afghanistan," said Geng, calling on all parties to actively participate in an "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned" peace and reconciliation process, and safeguard the country's peace and development.

Last Friday, 10 Taliban militants wearing army uniforms opened fire on scores of unarmed soldiers and officers in and around a mosque and a dining hall on a military base located on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif city, capital of Balkh province in northern Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 19:55:53|Editor: ying

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BRUSSELS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's major political representatives congratulated French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, on social networks after the first round of elections on Sunday night.

Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen won the first round of French presidential election and will face off in a runoff vote on May 7, official results shown early Monday.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel wrote on twitter: "Warmest congratulations, best wishes of success for this European, optimistic and far-sighted project."

Elio Di Rupo, president of the socialist party in Belgium, had been in support of socialist Benoit Hamon, but now called on the French to vote for Macron.

Defi, a center-right social liberal party, and the CDH, the center humanist democratic party, also congratulated Macron's results on twitter.
File photo shows South Sudanese women carry water in a UN camp in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Dec. 22, 2013. (Xinhua/Lu Rui)

JUBA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A UN human rights official has said lack of accountability for crimes perpetrated during the violence in Wau town in South Sudan's northwest region remains one of the country's "biggest challenges."

Eugene Nindorera, Human Rights Director of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said Sunday no arrest or detention has been made in connection with the recent killings in the country's second largest town of Wau.

"I can confirm that, as of Sunday, nobody is being detained in connection with this attack against civilians," said Nindorera in a statement.

"I talked to victims and witnesses and was shaken to hear their testimonies of how they had to flee their houses after being attacked. It's more important than ever before that people are held accountable for the crimes they have committed," he added.

Nindorera was speaking at the end of five-day visit to Wau, where violence earlier in April led to the death of 19 government SPLA soldiers and at least 28 civilians.

The killing of civilians in Wau town followed the ambush and killing of the SPLA soldiers by suspected SPLA-In Opposition fighters.

The Human Rights Division of UNMISS has interviewed 43 individuals, including eight women and two children, from April 11, to collect information about alleged human rights violations perpetrated by government forces and aligned armed groups in Wau town on April 10.

Wau State authorities have established a committee to produce a comprehensive report to determine the motive for the attacks and identify the perpetrators in order to hold them accountable.

Indications are that the civilian population is also fleeing, though the number of people displaced has been unable to be verified due to the highly fluid situation.

But UNMISS has confirmed that by Thursday the protection of civilians site adjacent to the UNMISS base in Wau had registered some 17,000 new arrivals, mainly women and children, while around 5,000 people had sought sanctuary inside the compound of the Wau Catholic Church.

The influx of newly displaced people has led to over-crowding and pressure on humanitarian services, the UN said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:10:56|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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People offer their condolences for the victims of the truck attack in Stockholm, Sweden, April 9, 2017. A truck rammed into people on a central Stockholm street before crashing into a department store on Friday, killing four and wounding 15 others. Nine wounded people are still hospitalized. (Xinhua/Shi Tiansheng)

Stockholm, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Swedish police have arrested one more person for suspected involvement in the April 7 attack in Stockholm.

According to the Stockholm District Court on Monday, the person is suspected of terror crime, but police won't share any more details about the investigation.

The Swedish Police and the Swedish Security Service working together arrested the person on Sunday evening, according to a statement issued by the police.

"I can confirm that one person was arrested in connection with this investigation," Simon Bynert, a spokesperson for the Swedish Security Service said.

Defence attorney Karl Harling was appointed to represent the suspect, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported.

Citing secrecy rules regarding the preliminary investigation, police would not say in which way the person is suspected of being involved in the truck attack that killed four people and injured many more.

Prosecutor Hans Ihrman has until Wednesday at noon to request that the suspect continue to be held in remand, SVT reported, citing Swedish news agency TT.

This was the third arrest made in conjunction with the attack. In addition to Rakhmat Akilov who is suspected of driving the truck, another man was held early on in the investigation. The prosecutor lifted the remand but because the man had already received deportation orders, he was moved to a detention center.

Of the 15 people who were injured in the attack, one person is still being treated in the hospital.

A few hours after the attack on April 7, Rakhmat Akilov, a citizen of Uzbekistan, was arrested in Marsta, a suburb north of Stockholm. During interrogations, he admitted to driving the truck down one of Stockholm's busiest pedestrian streets with the intention of killing innocent people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:25:59|Editor: ying

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NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 Indian security forces personnel were killed and seven others injured in an ambush by left-wing Naxalite rebels in the central state of Chhattisgarh Monday, a senior police official said.

"Some 11 personnel of the Central Reserve Security Force (CRPF) jawans were martyred and seven others injured in the ambush in the state's Sukma district. The Naxalites looted all the arms and ammunition of the security forces," Sukma's additional police chief Jitendra Shukla told media.

According to the senior police official, the Naxalites led the ambush on a patrolling party of the CRPF near Burkapal village which was supporting road construction work in the area when they were attacked.

The injured were evacuated by the helicopter and special commando teams of CRPF as reinforcements were conducting search operations, he said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also called an emergency meeting.

This is not the first such attack in Sukma district.

Twelve personnel of the CRPF were killed in the same district early this year in a deadly Naxal ambush.

Naxalites are also known as "Maoists."

Maoist insurgency has its genesis in the violent left-wing rebellion that began in 1967 at village Naxalbari in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Currently Maoists are active in more than a third of the total 600-odd districts across central and eastern India.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:36:02|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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PHNOM PENH, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE)'s wholly owned subsidiary Shenzhen Securities Information Co., Ltd and the Bank of China Phnom Penh Branch jointly launched the China-Cambodia cross-border capital services platform and held its first road show event here on Monday.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Xiong Bo presided over the launching ceremony.

The platform is aimed "to facilitate the match-making of cross-border investment and financing projects and to promote cross-border capital formation," the press release said.

It added that the Shenzhen Securities Information Co., Ltd and the Bank of China Phnom Penh Branch would make efforts to connect the Chinese capital and Cambodian projects and to diversify cross-border financial service models through information display, road show events, interactive communication and public relation training.

According to the statement, the first road show hosted four Cambodian companies from traditional industries and innovative sectors, covering infrastructure construction, industrial park development, culture and tourism, and Internet new media.

It added that around 100 Cambodian enterprise representatives attended the road show, while 30 professional investment institutions conducted interactive exchanges with the main venue at Shenzhen sub-venue through video connection.

SZSE's chairman Wu Lijun said the China-Cambodia cross-border capital services platform is based on "Science & Technology SMEs Growth Roadmap Plan 2.0" (Tech 2.0 Platform), co-sponsored by the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center and Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and operated by Shenzhen Securities Information Co., Ltd.

He said through video broadcasting systems on computers and mobile phone, the "Tech 2.0 Platform" organizes face-to-face road shows and provides live webcast solutions to match innovative projects with prospective investors beyond boundaries of time and location.

He added that the "Tech 2.0 Platform" has gathered around 4,000 certified professional investment institutions and over 2,000 quality tech projects nationwide with road shows performed on a daily basis.

"With economic, efficient, and transparent investment information sharing features, the platform helps to form an investment and financing eco-system of the private innovative tech companies," he said.

Sou Socheat, director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia, said that the platform was a new achievement born from the close relations between Cambodia and China under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"SZSE's debut in Cambodia truly reflects its confidence in the Cambodian stock market," he said at the launching ceremony. "Through the event today, I'd like to encourage more cooperation between the Cambodia Securities Exchange and the SZSE."
A Qatar Airways aircraft, flight 739 from Doha, comes in for a landing at Los Angeles International Airport on March 21, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

DUBAI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker said here Monday that U.S. American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines were not representing the American people, but only themselves.

Al-Baker made the remarks on the opening day of the 24th Tourism Fair Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

In the latest "war of words" between Gulf carriers and their counterparts in the United States for years of getting "unfair" discounted jet fuel from their oil-exporting governments).

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker said in a press conference that "the three American carriers (American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines) do not represent the USA, but they only represent themselves. We create jobs in the U.S. by buying American aircraft and we will continue to expand our network in the USA."

Qatar Airways flies from its home airport in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to 15 destinations in the United States. Al-Baker announced he will add the American cities Las Vegas and San Francisco in 2017/2018, too.

Al-Baker said the ban introduced to carry electronic devices bigger than smartphones for passengers flying out of many Arab states including Qatar had only a "minor impact" on passenger demand for Qatar Airways' operations towards the world's biggest economy.

Personal laptops and tablet computers have been banned for six months from March 21 on direct flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in the eight countries, namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey and Morocco.

Earlier last Wednesday, Emirates said it will cut down on the number of flights to five of the 12 cities it serves in the U.S. starting May 1 following U. S. laptop and tablet ban on six Middle Eastern countries.

In a joint statement on April 19, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines called Emirates' decision "laughable."

In order to keep affluent and loyal clients aboard, the "Big Three" Gulf airlines started to loan laptops and tablets for first and business class passengers on direct flights from their respective airports Dubai International, Abu Dhabi international and Hamad International in Doha to the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:46:06|Editor: An

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (L) meets with South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 24, 2017. China stands ready to work with South Africa to enhance people-to-people exchange and cooperation so as to boost the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with South Africa to enhance people-to-people exchange and cooperation so as to boost the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here on Monday.

Liu made the remarks in a meeting with South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa here before she attended the first meeting of the China-South Africa High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM).

Sino-South African relationship is now in its best time ever, with deepening mutual political trust and fruitful achievements in bilateral pragmatic cooperation, said Liu.

In their top-level design for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, the heads of state of China and South Africa have charted the course for the growth of bilateral relations and ushered in an unprecedented historic opportunity for people-to-peole exchange and cooperation, she said.

As the first high-level people-to-people change mechanism established by China with an African country, the China-South Africa PPEM is part of follow-up actions to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Johannesburg, said the vice premier.

It will not only facilitate the understanding and friendship between the two peoples of China and South Africa, but also play an exemplary role in stronger Sino-African people-to-people exchange, she noted.

China and South Africa should encourage broad public participation so as to turn Sino-South African people-to-people exchange into a fine example for the people-to-people exchange between China and Africa as a whole, she said.

To this end, Liu added, China and South Afirca should maintain close contact, innovate ideas and approaches and focus on active implementation and practical results.

For his part, Mthethwa said the founding of the South Africa-China PPEM reflects the vision and wisdom of the heads of state of the two countries.

The South Africa-China PPEM will boost the friendship between the two peoples and facilitate bilateral exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, education, culture and tourism, said Mthethwa, expressing belief that the PPEM will play an important role in further developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:46:07|Editor: ying

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MADRID, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The number of vehicles manufactured in Spain rose by 4.7 percent in the first quarter of this year when compared with the same period of a year earlier, according to data published on Monday by the Association of Car Manufacturers (ANFAC).

ANFAC posted a total of 804,918 vehicles manufactured in the first quarter of the year, while in March alone, the total number of vehicles produced stood at 306,572, a 13.1-percent increase when compared with March 2016. Almost 10,000 units were built per day at Spanish factories during the month, ANFAC said.

Production of commercial vehicles in the first quarter increased by 6.1 percent when compared to the same period of 2016, reaching 145,251 units.

In terms of exports, ANFAC reported that Spain exported 681,571 vehicles to other countries in the first three months of the year, a 8.1-percent rise.

The sector exported mainly to Germany, Britain and France.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 20:51:12|Editor: An

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (1st R) meets with his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari (1st L) on the sidelines of the ongoing Ancient Civilization Forum in Athens, Greece, April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China pledged Monday to continue its active role in the economic reconstruction of war-torn Iraq.

The promise came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari on the sidelines of the ongoing Ancient Civilization Forum here.

Wang said Iraq has made important contributions to the world's anti-terrorism cause, pledging China's support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

He said China will continue its active participation in the economic reconstruction of Iraq and do everything it can to help the Middle East country.

Wang thanked Iraq for its support of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, saying China stands ready to implement the agreement it has reached with Iraq.

Al-Jaafari, for his part, said his country appreciates China's active role in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq so as to realize its stability and development at an early date.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:01:15|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China's central government has organized a third group of inspection teams to review local government environmental protection work.

Seven teams will be dispatched to Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Liaoning, Shanxi and Tianjin from Monday, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said Monday.

The inspection will last about one month, and focus on prominent environmental issues that are closely watched by the central government and aroused strong public resentment, and how the local governments have handled them, said the ministry.

China held more than 3,100 officials accountable for lax environmental protection after the second batch of inspectors were sent to Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hubei, Guangdong, Gansu and Shaanxi at the end of last year. Punishments include removal from official posts.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:21:21|Editor: MJ

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani attends a press conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, on April 24, 2017. EU national parliaments will fight terrorism together, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said at a conference of EU parliamentary chiefs here on Monday to set up the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) for Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency. (Xinhua/Andrej Klizan)

BRATISLAVA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- EU national parliaments will fight terrorism together, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said at a conference of EU parliamentary chiefs here on Monday to set up the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) for Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency.

Tajani urged the secret services from individual members to cooperate more closely, "because terrorism doesn't know any borders." European citizens tend to believe that the EU isn't able to react flexibly enough to their concerns, he said.

"This pours oil on the flames of populism," said Tajani, adding that populists were attempting to create the appearance of a discrepancy between the European project and national interests.

"The EU has done a lot for its people, but these results from the past aren't enough for securing a future for the European project as well," Tajani pointed out.

European Commission Vice-President for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness Jyrki Katainen stressed that European people "should feel like the owners of Europe's future. Our member countries will make up a new European 27 following Brexit. We need a new direction, content, and commitments."

Katainen added that he hopes that all national parliaments in the EU will have created their own visions for the EU's future by the end of this year to be presented to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Around 300 delegates from all EU countries are attending the event in Bratislava.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:36:26|Editor: Xiang Bo

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PRETORIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Monday hailed Sino-South African relationship as an example for solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa and between major developing countries.

Inspired by their time-tested friendship, China and South Africa have been committed to developing a special relationship as one between comrades and brothers, Liu told the first meeting of the China-South Africa High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM).

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1998, bilateral relationship has developed across the board and has been upgraded from a partnership to a strategic partnership, and then to a comprehensive strategic partnership, she said.

The past five years saw two visits by President Xi Jinping to South Africa, three visits by President Jacob Zuma to China, numerous meetings between the two presidents on bilateral and multilateral occasions, and in-depth exchanges between Premier Li Keqiang and President Zuma, said the Chinese vice premier.

"Our bilateral relationship has maintained a strong momentum and kept enriching itself," she said. "It is now in its best time ever."

Under the China-South Africa Five-to-Ten Year Strategic Program for Cooperation signed in 2014, the two sides conducted wide-ranging cooperation in areas such as industrialization, special economic zones, marine economy, infrastructure, human resource development, finance and culture.

With a two-way trade volume of 35.3 billion U.S. dollars, China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for eight consecutive years.

As important members of BRICS and the G20, China and South Africa have been making joint contribution to China-Africa cooperation, South-South cooperation and global governance, serving as an example for solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa and between major developing countries, Liu added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:41:27|Editor: ying

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MOGADISHU, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's military court on Monday executed four Al-Shabaab suspects for carrying out attacks in the town of Baidoa, the administrative capital of southwest state in Somalia.

Court officials said the militants were found guilty of being behind twin attacks at a restaurant and a market in Baidoa town on February 28, 2016 where 80 people were killed and 45 others injured.

"The court carried out death penalties to four Al-Shabaab militants who organized and performed twin terrorist attacks in Baidoa town last year that left 80 people dead and 45 others injured," Deputy prosecutor Mumin Hussein Abdulahi told reporters.

Those executed by firing squad are Hassan Aden Mursal, 23, Abdiladhif Moalim Aden, 34, Siyad Hassan Farah, 41, and Sharmad Awow Mohamed, 39.

Somali government's military court often carries out death penalties against Al-Shabaab militants and some soldiers.

Southwest State in Somalia is battling Al-Shabaab militants in three key regions of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions where the group seems to be active and isolated some towns from the rest of the other major cities in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:46:28|Editor: ying

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NAY PYI TAW, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government and eight signatory armed groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) agreed on Monday on eight points with their continued peace process, said Director-General of the Ministry of the Office of the State Counselor's Office U Zaw Htay.

The Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) which reviews peace activities and the second Panglong conference was held in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, attended by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Vice Senior-General Soe Win, and leaders of eight signatory armed groups to the NCA.

The meeting decided to hold the second meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Nay Pyi Taw for five days from May 24, according to U Zaw Htay.

The agreed eight points included exploration of basic policy accepted by all sides, holding national level political dialogue with groups that have not yet been inclusive and drawing of standard of operating producer (SOP).

The JICM agreed to make coordination on undertakings during the transition period from the date of signing the NCA to reaching a union agreement.

Other agreed points included tasking the JICM to designate the controversial ceasefire area between the government forces and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS)/Shan State Army (SSA)-South and striving to bring non-ceasfire signatory groups to join the NCA.

Myanmar's previous U Thein Sein government and eight other armed groups signed the NCA on Oct. 15, 2015, and the first meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Conference was held in Nay Pyi Taw in August 2016, four months after the new government, led by the National League for Democracy, took office.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 21:56:32|Editor: ying

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BERLIN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Fewer Afghan refugees are being granted asylum in Germany, according to a report by Passauer Neue Presse, based on a statement from the Interior Ministry.

During the first two months of 2017, almost half of their asylum requests were denied. This represented a decrease of almost 30 percent.

According to the report, the acceptance rate for refugees from Afghanistan fell from 77.6 percent in 2015 to 60.5 percent in 2016 and down to 47.9 percent in January and February 2017. Out of 27,639 rulings on applications for asylum made in those two months, 14,403 were rejected.

The Interior Ministry did not release a statement as to why the number of Afghan refugees being granted protection had fallen.

In light of the aggravated situation in Afghanistan, the Left Party politician and Member of the German Parliament Ulla Jelpke said this is "a result of the political guidelines to increase deportations and send out a deterrent signal."

According to the report, the German government does not have knowledge of the whereabouts of the deportees and does not share information about their legal status, for example, whether the asylum seeker was considered an offender or was otherwise dangerous.

Monday marked the fifth collective deportation of Afghan asylum seekers since September 2016.

Deportations to Afghanistan are a subject of controversy between German state governments. Many German states do not take part in the involuntary repatriation, claiming there is no safe region in Afghanistan. In February, Schleswig-Holstein suspended deportations for three months.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:01:35|Editor: ying

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SOFIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The average agricultural land prices and rents in Bulgaria last year rose by 4.0 percent and 4.8 percent respectively, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said here on Monday.

The average price per decare of agricultural land reached 761 Bulgarian lev (416 U.S. dollars), the NSI said.

The main driver of the increase was the price of permanent grassland, which surged by 19.4 percent, the NSI data showed.

The prices of orchards, vineyards and arable land also rose by 11.3 percent, 9.1 percent, and 1.2 percent respectively, the NSI said.

Meanwhile, the average rent price per decare for hired or leased agricultural land in 2016 reached 44 Bulgarian lev.

In comparison to the previous year, a 28.1-percent increase was registered in the rent price of orchards, the price of arable land kept its level, while prices of permanent grassland and vineyards fell by 16.7 percent and 13.9 percent respectively. (1 U.S. dollar = 1.83 Bulgarian lev)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:06:38|Editor: ying

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SINGAPORE, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Singapore shares closed 0.13 percent higher on Monday, as investors' focus turned away from France and returned to more first-quarter corporate earnings to gauge the current business climate.

The French election runoff between centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on May 7 after both won the first round of the French presidential election but fall short of majority votes raised the odds that France will not ultimately produce a result as dramatic as Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. last November or Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

A snap poll released late Sunday suggested Macron would defeat Le Pen by more than 20 percentage points in the second round.

Singapore benchmark Straits Times Index rose 4.2 points to 3,144.03 points. Trading volume was 3.32 billion shares worth 1.15 billion Singapore dollars. Decliners outnumbered advancers 247 to 220.

Raffles Medical fell 0.7 percent to 1.415 Singapore dollars. It reported flat first-quarter net profit of 15.5 million Singapore dollars, buttressed by better cost control. But its revenue slipped 1.7 percent to 114.9 million Singapore dollars on softer demand from foreign patients.

CapitaLand Retail China Trust fell 1.3 percent to 1.495 Singapore dollars. It reported first-quarter distribution per unit of 2.74 Singapore cents, up 1.1 percent from a year ago. Its revenue jumped 13.4 percent to 290.9 million Chinese yuan, largely attributed to new contribution from CapitaMall Xinnan which was acquired Sept. 13 last year. It enjoyed 3.6 percent positive rental reversions in the quarter, with CapitaMall Minzhongleyuan renewing 2,554 square meters at 35.1 percent higher rentals, while CapitaMall Grand Canyon saw negative reversion of 7 percent for 2,630 square meters of leases renewed.

Among top gainers, Jardine Cycle and Carriage rose 1.6 percent to 47.60 Singapore dollars, while Venture Corporation became one of the top losers by falling 1.3 percent to 11.55 Singapore dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 6.885 Chinese yuan and 1.39 Singapore dollars)
Photo shows Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong in meeting with South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa in Pretoria on April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to work with South Africa to enhance people-to-people exchange and cooperation so as to boost the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here on Monday.

Liu made the remarks in a meeting with South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa here before she attended the first meeting of the China-South Africa High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM).

Sino-South African relationship is now in its best time ever, with deepening mutual political trust and fruitful achievements in bilateral pragmatic cooperation, said Liu.

In their top-level design for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, the heads of state of China and South Africa have charted the course for the growth of bilateral relations and ushered in an unprecedented historic opportunity for people-to-peole exchange and cooperation, she said.

As the first high-level people-to-people change mechanism established by China with an African country, the China-South Africa PPEM is part of follow-up actions to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Johannesburg, said the vice premier.

It will not only facilitate the understanding and friendship between the two peoples of China and South Africa, but also play an exemplary role in stronger Sino-African people-to-people exchange, she noted.

China and South Africa should encourage broad public participation so as to turn Sino-South African people-to-people exchange into a fine example for the people-to-people exchange between China and Africa as a whole, she said.

To this end, Liu added, China and South Afirca should maintain close contact, innovate ideas and approaches and focus on active implementation and practical results.

For his part, Mthethwa said the founding of the South Africa-China PPEM reflects the vision and wisdom of the heads of state of the two countries.

The South Africa-China PPEM will boost the friendship between the two peoples and facilitate bilateral exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, education, culture and tourism, said Mthethwa, expressing belief that the PPEM will play an important role in further developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:21:44|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has zero tolerance for any fabrication of economic data as it knows the importance of authentic figures in making correct decisions and bringing tangible benefits to its people.

Of the 23 provincial-level regions that have released first quarter regional GDP figures as of Monday, northeast China's Liaoning Province recorded the slowest growth of 2.4 percent, lower than the national growth of 6.9 percent.

This is not a surprise as the local government admitted in January that a raft of economic data had been falsified from 2011 to 2014 and vowed to eliminate the bubbles in statistics.

In response to the problem, Liaoning reported a 2.5-percent drop in its 2016 regional GDP, compared with a 6.7-percent expansion in national GDP, showing the province's firm stance against falsifying data.

The issue of inflated data originates from the obsession some local officials have for impressive figures, which could bring political benefits under previous official evaluation measures.

China is changing to a more scientific evaluation system from the former system, which placed excessive emphasis on economic indicators.

Fake data are even more harmful to society than fake products, as they will distort the central government's judgment about economic realities and influence decision making.

It is also against the Communist Party of China's ideological line, which underscores seeking truth from facts, and erodes the image of the Party in Chinese people's minds.

As in Liaoning's case, the problem can also hurt the people's material well-being, as inflated fiscal figures caused a reduction in the central government's transfer payments to the local level.

The central government has responded to fake data with a definitive "no."

To ensure data authenticity and reliability, the country has unveiled guidelines on the management of statistical work, improved the legal framework and punished economic data-related violations.

"We will never tolerate statistical violations or data falsifications. There will be zero tolerance," head of the National Bureau of Statistics Ning Jizhe said last month.

Last year, the bureau investigated 15 major statistical violation cases, punishing more than 10 people in each case.

The bureau on Thursday set up a law enforcement unit that aims to become a "sharp sword" against data fabrication.

At a time when the whole country is making strides toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way by 2020, no fake data should be allowed.

After all, China's pledge to "leave no one behind" in building a moderately prosperous society must be fulfilled among the people, not just on paper.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:26:46|Editor: ying

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MANILA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine military said on Monday that at least 36 "Maute group" militants linked to Islamic State (IS) have been killed in the series of clashes in the southern Philippines.

The military also said that at least three soldiers were also wounded in the fighting between government troops and Maute group militant that broke out on Friday in Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur.

The military launched a "final assault" on Monday, capturing an alleged camp of the Maute fighters.

Only three bodies of the 36 killed militants were retrieved from the clash sites, and that two of the bodies found were reportedly "foreign looking," the military said.

The military said they also found materials for making improvised explosive devices, rifle grenades, military uniforms and Indonesian passports.

According to the military, the Maute group was formed by the Maute family led by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The group has declared loyalty to the IS, an international jihadist group.

But the military downplays the group, saying it is a bunch of criminals that carry out several bombings and kidnappings in the southern Mindanao region.

The group, which displays a black flag and insignia of IS, has attacked army troops and beheaded their kidnapees. They are also notorious for raiding jails in the provinces to free their detained comrades.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:36:50|Editor: yan

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HONG KONG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is expected to have its first batch of Cambodian domestic helpers this September, thanks to relaxation of visa restrictions in order to promote human communications with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative.

The number of the first group of Cambodian domestic helpers to Hong Kong will be about 1,000, while the long-term goal is to have over 10,000 more Cambodians employed by Hong Kong families every year, Simon Liu, chairman of Cambodia Human Resource Development Association, said on Monday at a signing ceremony in Hong Kong.

The association signed an agreement with the Cambodian government to become the latter's official representative to promote, train and protect Cambodian workers in Hong Kong.

According to Liu, the first batch of Cambodian domestic helpers, many of whom have experience of working overseas, will receive three months of training in Cantonese, Chinese cooking, and health care skills for elderly and children, before they come to Hong Kong.

"There is an ever-increasing demand of domestic helpers from Hong Kong families... The supply of Cambodian maids can ease the situation," said Elain Fung, director of a Hong Kong employment agency, adding that Hong Kong's recent relaxation of visa restrictions has made it easier for Cambodian workers to successfully apply for visas to Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong SAR government has relaxed visa restrictions for Cambodian workers, investors and students since March 1.

Following the relaxation of visa requirements, "Cambodian nationals may apply to enter Hong Kong for employment under different schemes, or for investment, training and study," the Hong Kong SAR Secretary for Labor and Welfare Stephen Sui said Monday during a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Labor and Vocational Training Ith Sam Heng, adding that "for those who are interested to work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, we see plenty of opportunities available here."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:41:51|Editor: yan

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by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Chevron Corporation has announced the conditional sale of its gas fields in Bangladesh to Chinese investors.

The U.S. company said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Chevron Global Ventures, Ltd., has entered into an agreement to sell the shares of its wholly-owned indirect subsidiaries operating in Bangladesh to Himalaya Energy Co. Ltd, which is owned by China ZhenHua Oil, a Chinese state-backed oil explorer, and CNIC Corporation, an investment company in Hong Kong.

Chevron Bangladesh operates Block 12 (Bibiyana Field) and Blocks 13 and 14 (Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar fields).

"Closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions," it said in a press release posted to its website Monday.

The company, however, did not say how much it is going to generate from the deal.

The U.S. company Chevron had earlier reportedly sought 2 billion U.S. dollars in sale of Bangladesh gas fields.

To counter a prolonged slump in energy prices, Chevron last year announced to sell about 10 billion U.S. dollars worth of assets in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines by this year.

Through Chevron subsidiaries, the company operates three Bangladeshi fields, Bibiyana, Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar, under production-sharing contracts (PSC) signed with the Bangladeshi government, represented by Bangladesh's Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, and state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation, or Petrobangla.

According to Chevron website, its net daily production in 2015 averaged 720 million cubic feet of natural gas and 3,000 barrels of condensate which is liquid hydrocarbon produced with natural gas.

Amid growing apprehensions that the U.S. oil and gas giant Chevron may exit Bangladesh without sharing a due part of its profit with its employees, the country's High Court Division bench on April 11 directed the government not to release the due funds of employers of Chevron Bangladesh to the company.

The High Court bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo came up with the order following a writ petition filed by 538 Chevron employees on Dec. 15 last year.

Petitioners' lawyer Barrister Omar Sadat told journalists that Chevron employees worry that they will not have their due payments under "Workers Participation Fund" if it leaves Bangladesh by selling its shares.

According to the lawyer, some 76 million U.S. dollars are due to the employers of Chevron since 2006.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:46:53|Editor: yan

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HARARE, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Zimbabwe to adopt a comprehensive policy package to extricate itself out of severe economic challenges it is facing that include a biting shortage of bank notes.

The Bretton Woods Institution said on Sunday that Zimbabwe will not solve its economic challenges using a currency solution alone but needs a holistic package of reforms to address the fiscal challenges.

IMF African Department director Abede Aemro Selassie told journalists in Washington that the bond notes alone would not help Zimbabwe address its economic challenges.

"Zimbabwe is in a very, very difficult situation, as you know. There's a limited amount of foreign exchange inflows coming in and no monetary policy tool. So, they are in a difficult circumstance right now. We think that going down this one note route, in and of itself, will not address the challenges that the country has," Selassie said.

Zimbabwe last November introduced bond notes that are backed by a 200 million African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) facility as a means to ease cash shortages hitting the economy since early 2016.

Since November, the central bank has put 130 million worth of bond notes into circulation. The central bank pegged the notes at par with the U.S. dollar but they are trading at a slightly lower rate against the green back on the black market.

Despite the introduction of the notes, Zimbabwe continues to face cash shortages.

Selassie said it was very important for Zimbabwe to implement structural reforms and have a more comprehensive policy package that addresses fiscal challenges it faces.

"So, it's again more of a holistic package of reforms that are required to get Zimbabwe out of the place it's in right now," he said.

Zimbabwe is facing severe economic challenges characterized by acute cash shortages, low foreign direct investment and low exports.

Despite the challenges, the Zimbabwe government is expecting growth to pick up to 3.7 percent in 2017 from 1.7 percent last year spurred by substantial growth in the agricultural sector, the backbone of the country's economy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 22:51:56|Editor: yan

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DUBAI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Airline executives and hospitality executives said Monday that they expect Chinese inbound tourism to the Middle East to continue to boom following the lifting of visa restrictions by several Arab states.

They made the remarks at the 24th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) fair and exhibition.

Briefing the media at a press conference, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker praised the visa-on-arrival scheme for Chinese travelers the Gulf Arab states implemented in September last year.

"The removal of pre-visa requirements has triggered an increase of Chinese travelers to Qatar and this is only the beginning," said Al-Baker. Qatar Airways flies to six cities in China.

Elie Milky, vice president for business development in the Middle East at American-Belgian hotel brand Carlson Rezidor told Xinhua he was also upbeat about Chinese travelers to the Gulf Arab region.

"We run in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) nine hotels and we will open another 14 resorts by 2019. This is mainly because of the fast growing number of guests from Asia, China in particular and all of our hotels in the Middle East employ Mandarin-speaking staff."

Earlier in the day, Dubai Tourism, the biggest government-controlled hospitality group in the UAE said the emirate saw 4.57 million travellers in the first three months of this year, an 11 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2016.

"Among Dubai's top 20 source markets for inbound tourism, China continued to top the growth trajectory charts with unparalleled 64 percent increase over the first quarter in 2016, delivering 230,000 tourists," Dubai Tourism said.

The UAE, to which Dubai belongs, implemented a visa on arrival scheme for Chinese nationals at the end of last year.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Tourism, said at the ATM "China's strong growth in number of tourists in response to our initiatives are a clear reflection of the importance of such measures as facilitators of tourism sector growth."

Thierry Antinori, the Chief Commercial Officer of Dubai's government carrier Emirates Airline said the carrier launched Chinese cities of Yinchuan and Zhengzhou as its fourth and fifth destinations in China in May last year.

He said the service is maturing and the UAE's relaxed visa policy for Chinese travelers play all together for more growth.

"The number of visitors from China to Dubai in 2016 stood at 540,000, up 20 percent from a year earlier,"Cong Hongbin, the managing director of invest Dubai of Falcon and Associates, said

"Dubai-China relations are booming, and we see room for potential in bilateral exchange of human capital and intelligence," the director said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 23:22:07|Editor: yan

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by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a Naxalite attack Monday rose to 26 in Chhattisgarh state, officials said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the attack "cowardly" and said his government was closely monitoring the situation in the state.

"Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely," Modi said. "We are proud of the valor of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain."

At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and several others wounded, some of them critically, after Naxals attacked them during the day near Chintagufa in Sukma district, about 398 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

"We have lost 26 men in the gunfight," a senior CRPF official M Dinakaran told media. "The wounded personnel have been evacuated by helicopters and condition of few of them is stated to be critical."

India's junior minister for home affairs Hansraj Ahir has been sent to Chhattisgarh to assess the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

The wounded CRPF troopers told media they were outnumbered by the Naxals.

"First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us," local media quoted a wounded CRPF trooper, Sher Mohammed, as saying. "We also fired and killed many. They were around 300 and we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot three to four Naxals in the chest."

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh cut short his visit to New Delhi and rushed back to Raipur for an emergency meeting in wake of the deadly attack. Singh visited the wounded paramilitary troopers in hospital, officials said.

Following the attack helicopters of Indian Air Force were pressed into service to carry wounded and slain paramilitary troopers from the area.

Officials said they have rushed reinforcements of police and CRPF to the area to take on Naxals there.

"Since it's a far flung area, further details are awaited," the official said. "As of now we don't know about the casualties of Naxals."

According to police, the CRPF men were on a routine patrol in the area to sanitize it for a road construction project. Reports said CRPF men were ambushed simultaneously at two different places in the area.

India's semi-official news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted a CRPF officer saying seven to eight personnel were missing following the attack.

Last month, 12 CRPF personnel were killed and five others wounded after Naxals ambushed them in the district. The Naxals later looted 10 service rifles from the slain troopers.

Earlier during the day, a major tragedy was averted after an improvised explosive device weighing 10 kg planted by Naxals was diffused by bomb disposal squad in neighboring Dantewada district.

Naxalites are also known as "Maoists."

Maoist insurgency has its genesis in the violent left-wing rebellion that began in 1967 at village Naxalbari in Indian state of West Bengal.

Currently Maoists are active in more than a third of India's 600-odd districts across central and eastern India.

New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.

The insurgency reportedly has claimed more than 6,000 lives and rendered thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.

In 2010, at least 76 men of CRPF were killed in Dantewada district, a deadliest attack so far in the state.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 23:22:07|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, April 24 (Xinhua) -- At least one student was killed and 11 others were injured when a grenade went off in a school in south Russia's Republic of Dagestan on Monday, the regional Interior Ministry said.

The casualties were caused by the reckless handling of the grenade, which was brought to a computer class by a student, according to the ministry.

Ten of the injured have been hospitalized, with three of them in critical condition.

The student who took the grenade to the school has been detained and is being interrogated for where he got the weapon and why he brought it to school.

Dagestan is a hotbed of insurgency in the North Caucasus close to the conflict-ridden Middle East. Repeated violent attacks have plagued the region for years.

But it is still unclear whether Monday's blast was just an accident or linked to terrorism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 23:42:14|Editor: An

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong addresses the first meeting of the China-South Africa High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism in Pretoria, South Africa, April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- People-to-people exchanges between China and South Africa have blossomed alongside enhanced political mutual trust and closer economic cooperation, said visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong here on Monday.

Speaking at the first meeting of the China-South Africa High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM), Liu said that South Africa hosts more Chinese students, Confucius institutes and classrooms and has more sister provinces and cities with China than any other African country.

It is one of the most popular destinations in Africa for Chinese tourists and the first country on the African continent to include Chinese teaching in its national education system, she said.

Positive progress has also been made in the setting-up of cultural centers in each other's countries, the building of scientific parks, exchanges of scientific personnel and joint research and development, said Liu.

The Year of South Africa was successfully held in China in 2014, as was the Year of China in South Africa in 2015. Both were jointly designated by President Xi Jinping and President Jacob Zuma as flagship programs and national level platforms for people-to-people exchanges.

The Year of China in South Africa set a record of over 200 events and the participation of about 100,000 people.

South Africa's dance and wine is getting popular among the Chinese people, while China's Peking Opera and martial arts have drawn more and more South African fans, she said.

Many young South Africans choose to work and live in China, she said, citing a documentary entitled South Africans in China, which vividly recorded the real life of 12 South Africans in China.

Released in 2015 in Beijing, the documentary showcased the friendly exchanges and bond between ordinary people of the two countries.

One of them is Byron Jacobs living in Beijing. He came to China to learn martial arts, became the best student of his Chinese teacher, and is now campaigning to include martial arts in Olympic competition.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 23:47:16|Editor: MJ

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KABUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- 6The two sides discussed the security situation of Afghanistan and the region, fight against terrorism and bilateral ties, it said in a statement.

"Both sides talked over bilateral relations and cooperation. They also discussed fighting terrorism, narcotics and corruption," the statement added.

This is Mattis' first visit to the country since U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

During the meeting Ghani said that terrorism, narcotics and corruption were the critical menaces which threaten security, stability and development in Afghanistan, adding joint regional and global efforts were needed to fight terrorism, according to the statement.

"The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) was standing at the first line against terrorism and continues its earnest counter-terrorism efforts with full might for ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan, region and the world," Ghani noted.

However, the statement did not say whether the two sides discuss sending of more U.S. troops to the war-hit country.

The Pentagon chief said that U.S. will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for the future of Afghanistan, according to the statement.

The NATO and U.S. forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the country but around 13,000 foreign troops remain to train and assist Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) fighters.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-24 23:47:16|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Four Italian police officers started to patrol the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing on Monday as part of a law enforcement cooperation program between China and Italy.

This is the first time that foreign police officers have carried out joint patrols in China with Chinese peers.

During the two weeks from Monday to May 7, the four Italian officers will join their Chinese counterparts to conduct patrols at tourist hotspots in Beijing and Shanghai.

They will work with the Chinese police to offer suggestions to Italian tourists in China should they need police services. The Italian officers will not be armed and will have to abide by Chinese laws, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

China has already sent four Chinese police officers to Rome and Milan, both popular destinations for Chinese tourists, for joint patrols with their Italian counterparts in May 2016.

Another eight Chinese officers will be sent to Rome, Milan, Florence and Naples in June as part of the same project.

The idea of the cooperation project is to provide assistance to a rising number of tourists from both countries visiting each other's major sightseeing spots.

According to Liu Jianming, deputy head of the quality standardization and administration department with the China National Tourism Administration, more than 800,000 Chinese and Italian tourists traveled between the two countries in 2016.

The aim of the program is to further improve tourist services, he said.

Liao Jinrong, head of the international cooperation department of the MPS, said China and Italy have in recent years achieved concrete results in jointly combating transnational crimes and in addressing conventional and non-conventional threats.

The joint patrols of police from both countries have laid a foundation of trust for China and Italy to deepen cooperation in law enforcement and in combating cross-border crimes, and have set a good example for concrete law enforcement collaboration between China and other countries, Liao said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 00:12:24|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday accused one of the country's veteran politicians of tarnishing the image of Zambia to the outside world.

Lungu said the government was aware that Vernon Mwaanga had been on an international campaign aimed at discrediting the country and that he has so far been to different countries misrepresenting the country following the arrest of main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema.

The Zambian leader, who was speaking at the State House when he swore in new ambassadors, has since challenged the veteran politician to talk to him if he was man enough over the various issues happening in the country instead of tarnishing the image of the country to the outside world.

He said the veteran politician and diplomat has been telling other countries that the country was on fire and that democracy and the rule of law have died.

Zambian diplomats accredited to different countries should be on alert and ensure that they portrayed the country's image correctly, Lungu said.

Mwaanga, who has served under four different presidents since the 1960s, said Lungu should have first verified his information before issuing any statements, according to Radio Phoenix.

Zambia has witnessed heightened political tension following the arrest of the leading opposition leader who has been charged with treason.
HARARE, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Zimbabwe to adopt a comprehensive policy package to extricate itself out of severe economic challenges it is facing that include a biting shortage of bank notes.

The Bretton Woods Institution said on Sunday that Zimbabwe will not solve its economic challenges using a currency solution alone but needs a holistic package of reforms to address the fiscal challenges.

IMF African Department director Abede Aemro Selassie told journalists in Washington that the bond notes alone would not help Zimbabwe address its economic challenges.

"Zimbabwe is in a very, very difficult situation, as you know. There's a limited amount of foreign exchange inflows coming in and no monetary policy tool. So, they are in a difficult circumstance right now. We think that going down this one note route, in and of itself, will not address the challenges that the country has," Selassie said.

Zimbabwe last November introduced bond notes that are backed by a 200 million African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) facility as a means to ease cash shortages hitting the economy since early 2016.

Since November, the central bank has put 130 million worth of bond notes into circulation. The central bank pegged the notes at par with the U.S. dollar but they are trading at a slightly lower rate against the green back on the black market.

Despite the introduction of the notes, Zimbabwe continues to face cash shortages.

Selassie said it was very important for Zimbabwe to implement structural reforms and have a more comprehensive policy package that addresses fiscal challenges it faces.

"So, it's again more of a holistic package of reforms that are required to get Zimbabwe out of the place it's in right now," he said.

Zimbabwe is facing severe economic challenges characterized by acute cash shortages, low foreign direct investment and low exports.

Despite the challenges, the Zimbabwe government is expecting growth to pick up to 3.7 percent in 2017 from 1.7 percent last year spurred by substantial growth in the agricultural sector, the backbone of the country's economy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 00:37:30|Editor: yan

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COLOMBO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's petroleum workers late on Monday called off an island wide strike after holding successful talks with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody.

During the talks, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had assured he would look into the grievances of the workers.

The strike which affected Sri Lanka's transport sector, was launched on Sunday midnight by a trade union from the petroleum sector over the government's move to sign a pact with India regarding the oil tanks in the eastern port of Trincomalee.

The union wants the government to stop what it sees as entering into a partnership with the Indian Oil Company to develop disused World War II era storage tanks in Trincomalee.

Long queues lined up outside petrol pumps on Monday over worries of a petroleum shortage as Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Trade Union Collective workers threatened to cripple the entire transportation sector in the country as a result of the strike.

Weerakkody said on Monday that he would be holding discussions with the Trade Union activists and dismissed concerns that the strike would cause a fuel shortage.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 00:37:30|Editor: MJ

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NAIROBI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday unveiled a new malaria vaccine called RTS,S that will be piloted in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi next year to gauge its efficacy and safety.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Nairobi, WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said the launch of a malaria vaccine developed after years of painstaking research marked a critical milestone in the fight against the tropical disease.

"The prospect of a malaria vaccine is great news. Information gathered in the pilot program will help us make decisions on the wider use of this vaccine," Moeti said.

Combined with existing malaria interventions, such a vaccine would have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives in Africa, she added.

Developed through a public-private partnership, RTS,S malaria vaccine has been recommended by a scientific panel appointed by the WHO to gauge its efficacy.

The selection of Kenya, Ghana and Malawi to participate in the malaria vaccine pilot program was based on their well-laid structures to fight the disease alongside high prevalence levels.

Moeti noted that RTS,S vaccine will complement existing interventions like drugs, indoor spraying and treated nets to vanquish the malaria-causing parasite that is transmitted by mosquitoes.

"We require new diagnostics, more effective anti-malarial drugs and new chemical formulations to prevent insecticide resistance in order to win the war against malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa," Moeti said.

She said the UN Health agency has mobilized funds to support implementation of the initial phase of the malaria vaccine pilot program that covers 2017-2020.

"The vaccine will be assessed as a complementary intervention in Africa that could be added to our existing toolbox of proven preventive, diagnostic and treatment measures," said Moeti.

She said the Sub-Saharan African region prevented an estimated 6.8 million malaria deaths between 2001 and 2015 thanks to political goodwill and robust financing toward prevention and treatment tools.

WHO statistics show that in 2015, 13 out of 15 countries accounting for 80 percent of global malaria burden were in Africa.

The director of the WHO Global Malaria Program, Pedro Alonso, urged African governments to scale up investments in proven interventions like insecticide treated nets, indoor spraying and medicines to reduce malaria infections and deaths.

"We have highly efficacious prevention and treatment options that should be scaled up to eliminate malaria in high endemic African countries," said Alonso.

He said the initial pilot program of the RTS,S malaria vaccine will target 700,000 African children.

Kenya's cabinet secretary for health, Cleopa Mailu, hailed the launch of a malaria vaccine, saying it will accelerate progress toward elimination of the disease.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 00:47:32|Editor: yan

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VILNIUS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania should reform its higher education system as soon as possible in order not to become an "outsider" in terms of higher education among the other countries, an OECD expert said on Monday.

Thomas Weko, a representative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developmnent (OECD) and an education analyst at OECD, made the remarks after meeting with governmental representatives, according to a statement by the Lithuanian government.

"Due to the current number of universities in the country, Lithuania finds itself marginalized; the consolidation of universities must be implemented as soon as possible," said Weko.

Weko met in Vilnius with Milda Darguzaite, chancellor of the government and Une Kaunaite, Prime Minister's adviser.

According to a 2016 report, quoted by Weko, 10,000 students in Lithuania share 2.9 educational institutions on average, while this indicator in Finland and Ireland amounts to respectively 1.2 and 1.1.

Other countries which participated in the research host less than 1 educational institution for 10,000 students, the expert noted.

"Consolidation of universities is necessary in order to effectively manage finances of educational institutions and consolidate the scientific potential," Weko added.

Darguzaite said that consolidation of Lithuania's higher education institutions is a part of comprehensive educational system reform which is one of current government's priorities.

Lithuania currently has 14 state-governed universities. Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said earlier this year that after the education system reform up to five state universities should be left in Lithuania.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 00:52:34|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The entry of Emmanuel Macron to the second round of the French presidential election on Sunday was welcomed by the Finnish government and centrists and conservatives alike, while the populists kept quiet.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila, from the Center Party, said he was pleased that "a reform-minded and pro-Europe candidate" had received the largest share in the first round.

The setting is now quite clear for the second round between pro-Europe and anti-EU attitudes, he said.

Finnish Finance Minister Petter Orpo, from the conservative National Coalition Party, also expressed his pleasure, saying he hoped the French would now take "good decisions" when voting in the second round, as it involved the future of Europe.

Foreign Minister Timo Soini, from the populist Finns Party, was unwilling to give any direct comment. He said, however, that regardless of who wins on May 7, the "old parties" had collapsed.

"Macron has no (Members of Parliament) in the National Assembly and Le Pen has perhaps two," Soini said.

The three ministers were interviewed together by the national broadcaster Yle outside the prime minister's residence on Monday.

In Finnish media, Patja Pelli, an analyst for the leading newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, said that besides crushing the traditional French political setup, the election result may also be breaking the wave of nationalism and anti-EU attitudes that were empowered through the victory of President Donald Trump in the United States and the British EU-exit vote.

Juhana Aunesluoma, director of the Network of European Studies at the University of Helsinki, said Monday that Macron could bring "new leadership" to the EU, where Germany now has a leading position.

Aunesluoma admitted, however, that much depended on the kind of support Macron would get in the French National Assembly, but believed the voiced support by center-rightest Francois Fillon and socialist Benoit Hamon for Macron were signs of future cooperation.

France will arrange parliamentary elections in June. The center-right is expected to achieve moderate success. That would contribute to a government basis that would work together with the president, Aunesluoma said.

In the first round of the French presidential election on Sunday, centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen came out on top, according to projections by polling agencies and official partial results.

An updated estimation by research firm Elabe for local broadcaster BFMTV indicates that Macron leads with 24 percent of votes, and Le Pen 21.8 percent.

The two leading candidates are set to face off in the runoff on May 7. A poll late Sunday from Ipsos/Sopra Steria showed that Macron would likely win that runoff by 62 percent to 38 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:02:39|Editor: An

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Protesters throw a coal heater on a police vehicle during clashes in Srinagar, summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chief Minister of Indian-controlled Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti Monday met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to resume talks with separatists to help normalize situation in the restive region.

Mufti met Modi in New Delhi to discuss prevailing situation in the region especially in the backdrop of an increase in violence and anti-India protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The hard-pressed Mufti invoked former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to persuade Modi to resume the dialogue process in order to achieve peace.

"We have to pick up threads from where Vajpayee has left to move forward, otherwise there remains no chance to see improvement of situation in Kashmir," Mufti said.

The month of April saw violence in the region spiralling out to such an extent that Indian Election Commission had to postpone the scheduled elections in Anantnag constituency by a month, fearing an escalation.

On April 9, the day of polling for Indian elections in Srinagar constituency, massive anti-India protests were staged. The agitated youth destroyed electronic voting machines, locked polling stations and chased paramilitary personnel from the polling booths at some places. Eight people were killed and over 200 people including government force personnel injured in the daylong clashes.

Voter turnout in Srinagar constituency was recorded 7 percent, the lowest in decades. Even a re-poll at some places recorded mere 2 percent turnout.

The situation sent alarm bells ringing for New Delhi.

Mufti said there was a need to create an atmosphere for dialogue in the region for government cannot afford confrontation with its people.

Mufti's meeting with Modi preceded with the prime minister calling upon all the chief ministers in Indian states to ensure safety of Kashmiris especially the students.

Last week some Kashmiri students were attacked by locals in western Indian state of in Rajasthan. Separately threatening banners surfaced on the mega bill boards in Uttar Pradesh asking Kashmiris to leave. Hundreds of Kashmiris either students or businessmen are currently living in different Indian states. Many others are also working in these states in government as well as private sectors to earn livelihood.

Reports said the fresh outrage against Kashmiris in some states was evident over the attacks of stone pelting on Indian paramilitary troopers in the restive region.

While Mufti was in New Delhi, militants gunned down a political leader belonging to her party in Pulwama district, about 30 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

A week ago gunmen killed a political worker of the party and wounded another in the district. Last week an advocate having affiliation with opposition National Conference was gunned down at his residence in adjacent Shopian district.

As the violence graph shows upward trend in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh Monday reviewed Kashmir situation with top security officials at a high level meeting in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by India's national security advisor Ajit Doval, home secretary and India's intelligence chiefs.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris. Irate residents defying curfew and restrictions take to roads and clash with police. The youth throw stones and brickbats on contingents of police and paramilitary, who respond by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and bullets, which often proves fatal.

Mufti also called upon Singh and held a meeting with him to discuss current situation in the restive region.

"In a separate meeting with Rajnath Singh, chief minister also underlined the urgent need for initiating dialogue with all shades of opinion," a local government spokesman said.

A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Last year the region has been witnessing the largest anti-India protests, in recent years following the killing of a popular militant commander in a gunfight with Indian troops.

The region observed a complete strike demanding end to New Delhi's rule for months together. Clashes between civilian protesters and government forces resulted in killing of over 90 people mostly young men and children, besides injuries to at least 12,000 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:07:40|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Somaliland have rescued nine cheetah cubs and one sub-adult from illegal wildlife traders with assistance from Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).

The conservation group, CCF, said the curbs, found in El Sheik and Wajel last week, were destined for the Arabian Peninsula, where the illegal market for pet cheetahs is estimated at 300 animals per year.

"The three youngest cubs were found in extremely poor health, and every effort is being made to save them," CCF said in a statement.

"In a separate incident on the same day, CCF learned that three older cheetahs had reportedly escaped from a trafficker in the Wajale area bordering Ethiopia and entered the town," the organization said.

It said two of the animals were captured by the police while the third was still loose.

"CCF recovered one of the cheetahs and is in negotiations to recover the second. A search for the third one is underway," said the organization.

CCF has partnered with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to ensure the cubs are given urgent medical care, food, and appropriate emergency housing.

CCF and IFAW began collaborating on combating illegal cheetah trade in 2014 in the context of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

IFAW's Wildlife Rescue Manager Gail A'Brunzo said CCF needed critical supplies if the cubs were to survive and IFAW was pleased to offer immediate assistance.

"Wild cheetah populations are in dire trouble, largely due to demand for cubs as exotic pets. The cruelty of live animal trade is shocking and we are doing all we can to save these cubs," said A'Brunzo.

The Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (MoERD) showed great leadership in acting swiftly against these cheetah traffickers, CCF said.

CCF and IFAW are engaged in discussions with the ministry on how to provide long-term care for the confiscated cheetahs, which cannot be transferred to sanctuaries in nearby countries as current laws do not allow for confiscated animals to be transported across borders.

CCF Founder and Executive Director Laurie Marker said with a total population of just over 7,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild, the taking of even one cub is a threat to the species' survival.

"This is particularly concerning as trafficked cubs are usually removed from their mothers at very young ages -- less than 3 months -- which means that they have not had enough time to learn skills necessary to survive in the wild and will in most cases require life-long care," said Marker.

"Through this week's confiscations, the Somaliland authorities are sending a clear message to traffickers that the trade in live cheetahs will not be tolerated," said CCF Assistant Director for Strategic Communications and Illegal Wildlife Trade Patricia Tricorache.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:22:42|Editor: yan

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by Olatunji Saliu

ABUJA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Committing huge funds to the fight against malaria may not be enough to eradicate the scourge in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, which bears a huge part of the global malaria burden every year, a senior local health worker has said.

To eradicate malaria, the government of the west African country and its citizens need to work together to make their environment healthier and not just rely on treatment, Okechukwu Ezekwesili, the Head of Department at the Anti-malaria Center and Laboratory of the China-Nigeria Friendship Hospital in Abuja, told Xinhua in an interview, ahead of the annual World Malaria Day on April 25.

"Malaria, as we know, is caused by mosquito bites. The issue of malaria is not just about having the proper or adequate drugs for treatment. The basic thing to do is to ensure a proper, well-kept and neater environment," said Ezekwesili, who has been involved in the diagnosing of malaria in patients for more than three decades.

The expert said dirty environments, which serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes -- the malaria vectors, must first be cleared off before paving the way for the eradication of malaria.

"If that is done, then 50 percent of the malaria epidemic will be solved," he posited.

The theme of this year's World Malaria Day, given by the World Health Organization (WHO), is "End Malaria for Good."

"We cannot win the war against malaria if the environment is not what it should be because that is where you must start from. But when around you, there are refuse dump sites, blocked drainages and sewages, you are creating more breeding grounds for mosquitoes which cause malaria," said Ezekwesili.

He noted though funding is an important issue when it comes to malaria care, nothing can be achieved even if a billion dollars are injected into the healthcare system but the breeding ground of the malaria vectors is not totally eradicated.

"Patients stand the risk of reinfection, even after treatment, if the mosquito breeding grounds are not destroyed," he said.

Despite budgeting billions of U.S. dollars to combat malaria annually in Nigeria, it is estimated that it kills more than 300,000 citizens, mostly children, of the west African nation each year, according to the Health Ministry.

Data from the Nigerian government shows that country alone contributes 23 percent of the global malaria cases.

With an estimated 100 million malaria cases in the country every year, 97 percent of Nigeria's population is at risk of the viral disease while the remaining 3 percent of the population live in the malaria-free highlands.

Ezekwesili, who has been to China twice to attend malaria control seminars for public health personnel, said the high rate of infection can be curtailed if Nigeria can take a cue from the way China and some developed countries have stepped up the fight against malaria, which is a serious tropical disease spread by the female Anopheles mosquitoes.

According to the expert, considering its large population, China has done a great job in controlling malaria spread by wiping out the mosquitoes in virtually all the regions.

"China and Nigeria can collaborate in the areas of research on malaria treatment and control. Nigeria needs the Chinese expertise in these areas a lot, considering the dangerous effects it has on pregnant women and newborn babies," the expert said.

"A well-equipped malaria center is very much needed in Nigeria, where there will be experts in everything about malaria from both China and Nigeria, and constant research and training will be ongoing at the center.

"If this is done, different hospitals around the country can bring in samples to the defined malaria center and it can be properly analyzed and sampled," he added.

The Nigerian government has initiated the "Roll Back Malaria" program, a national campaign aimed at controlling the spread of malaria, especially among women and children. Many specialists from WHO have lended support to the program.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:32:44|Editor: An

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R, front) shakes hands with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry (L, front) during their meeting on the sidelines of the Ancient Civilization Forum in Athens, Greece, on April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Lefteris Partsalis)

ATHENS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China and Egypt on Monday voiced their willingness to enhance cooperation under the framework of the Road and Belt Initiative.

The latest development came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on the sidelines of the Ancient Civilization Forum held in the Greek capital.

Wang said bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum. Egypt, he said, is an important partner of China in the construction of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Wang said the two sides could further dovetail their development and achieve mutual benefits and win-win.

He noted that China stands ready to maintain close coordination and communication with the Egyptian side in international affairs.

Shoukry, on his part, said his country's relationship with China is one of its priorities in the foreign policy. The two countries have close stances and good coordination in international affairs.

He said Egypt is willing to discuss new cooperation channels with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:37:44|Editor: An

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Photo taken on April 23, 2017 shows an electoral card at a polling station in Paris, France. French voters began casting their ballots Sunday morning in the first round of a historic presidential election that will weigh on the future of Europe. (Xinhua/Han Bing)

PARIS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- After a chaotic campaign for the French presidential elections, the first round of voting placed Emmanuel Macron, a pro-European centrist and newcomer, at the top of the results, an outcome which Jean-Dominique Giuliani, president of the Robert Schuman Foundation, considered a sign of French belief in Europe.

"French voters have clearly indicated that they do not wish to break with the European project," Giuliani told Xinhua in an interview on Monday, a day after the first round of voting in the presidential elections.

"People wish that Europe be relaunched, notably by France; that it be more active there. They expect a more efficient Europe, but have rejected the 'all or nothing' stance proposed by extremist candidates," he added.

For Giuliani, if Macron is elected in the second round of voting on May 7, it would be an affirmation that "France is back in Europe".

He added the first round of voting was an indication that "the rise of populism is not a fatality and that the democratic engagement of citizens in Europe is solid and can resist simplicity".

"After Austria and the Netherlands, France must now prove that it rejects the extremes. These are the stakes for the second round of voting," Giuliani said.

Despite the second-place finish for Marine Le Pen, president of the extreme-right and anti-European National Front party (FN), Giuliani maintained a belief that French voters would not be persuaded by her calls for a France with closed borders.

"Everyone predicted [Le Pen] would be at the top of the list at the end of the first round. It isn't the case. If French voters are angry, worried and dissatisfied, they remain firmly attached to democratic values and stay suspicious of the National Front," he argued.

At the same time, Giuliani remained wary in advance of the second round of voting, saying it would be "more contested than expected".

"France has renounced the two principal parties of government and is therefore exploring terrain unknown until now. And voters unhappy with French governance for several years are angry," he underlined.

"Even so, it doesn't seem to me that they are ready to give themselves over to an extremist candidate. The radical proposals from the National Front candidate worry the French, especially her exaggerated positions on the euro and Europe."

If Macron is elected, he will still face challenges, Giuliani said. "The new president, whoever it may be, must take account of the expression of these dissatisfactions" from French voters.

"The election of a young president should favor the liberation of numerous French economic, intellectual, political and cultural assets and allow France to quickly make up for a lagging behind relative to its immediate neighbors. His success should reduce the strength of the extremists. A failure would reinforce them," he warned.

Final results issued by the French Interior Ministry earlier on Monday showed Macron dominated the vote with 23.75 percent against Le Pen's 21.53 percent. Both will face off in a run-off on May 7.

Pollsters predicted Macron to comfortably defeat the rival in the face-off.
Movie star Jackie Chan (Front) and students from the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual Primary and Secondary School attend the opening ceremony of the 2017 Chinese Film Festival at the Urania National Film Theater in Budapest, Hungary, on April 23, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BUDAPEST, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The worldwide celebrity Jackie Chan, who was the guest star of the opening ceremony of the 2017 Chinese Film Festival here on Sunday, told reporters he would be considering making a film in Hungary.

"Hungary is a place where I have always wanted to come, the scenery here is really beautiful, and most importantly it is cheap, and that counts nowadays when making movies around the world becomes more and more expensive," the martial arts master said shortly before the beginning of the ceremony.

The 2017 Chinese Film Festival kicked off here Sunday with five movies, one of witch is Jackie Chan's latest production, Kung Fu Yoga.

"Hungary has a very good filming environment. Today, I arrived at five o'clock, but I immediately went to see the city's scenery: it is really very beautiful, and also very clean, the air and the weather are also very good, I consider making a film here," he added.

He also recalled that his film "Shanghai noon 2" was set to be shot in Hungary, but finally went to Prague, because of tax issues.

Chan is not only an actor, but also a well-known producer. According to him, he made close to 250 films.

He explained that he was thinking of retirement, when the U.S. market suddenly opened up to him, and later, "when the U.S. market shrank, the Chinese market started to grow, and is getting bigger and bigger," he explained.

"I do not know when to retire. I believe in work transformation, later, and then a few years later I will mainly act in feature films, art films, and less action films," he told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:47:45|Editor: MJ

Photo taken on April 24, 2017 shows a scene of the Ancient Civilizations Forum in Athens, Greece. The first Ancient Civilizations Forum kicked off on Monday as countries representing early human civilizations across the world aim to pool their wisdom together to address today's problems and challenges. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The first Ancient Civilization Forum kicked off here on Monday as countries representing early civilizations across the world aim to pool their wisdom together to address today's problems and challenges with stronger cultural and economic ties.

The forum, a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer, is attended by delegations from 10 countries representing major ancient civilizations. Other participants include Bolivia, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and Peru.

Beneath the towering Acropolis of Athens, delegations headed by foreign ministers of the 10 countries attended the two-day forum, which is "in a bid to promote cultural heritage and cooperation," according to the Greek government.

The forum took place at the magnificent Zappeion Megaron, a building of historic significance and an active part of Greece's history over the last 130 years.

CONTINUITY, STABILITY

The 10 countries represent more than 40 percent of the world population and are at the center of international political developments in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.

In his welcoming address to the inauguration of the forum, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that dialogue and coordination of civilizations could help tackle today's challenges of war and terrorism, urging the crisis-hit Europe to retrieve its lost root of civilization -- peace and solidarity.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said in his opening speech that at a time of instability, ancient civilizations offer continuity and stability.

He said that the culture of compromise and consensus, ability to fight for justice should be needed.

The achievements of the past gain increasingly more value, not when one rests on one's laurels, but when they are utilized to form a better present and a more hopeful tomorrow and this is the aim of the forum, Kotzias said in his invitation to the participants.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari told the forum that the cultural diversity of the world should be respected and treasured, since "if all flowers were of the same color, they will have not been attractive."

The minister condemned the Islamic State(IS) for devastating the cultural heritages in his country.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry said that the forum revives values that should be universal and a source of inspiration.

"At this time when the world is suffering from extremism of all kinds at the global level, we need the lessons we can draw from old civilizations," said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. "We can contribute by promoting dialogue and understanding."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told press at the end of Monday's forum that three consensus including peace, inclusiveness and cooperation have been achieved by the ministers.

CLASH OR COORDINATION

At Monday's ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the forum, the ministers stressed the common vision to utilize cultural heritage to promote friendly relations, international cooperation, peace, stability and prosperity.

Foreign ministers attending the meeting reached the consensus that the so-called "clash of civilizations" can be avoided through dialogue and cooperation.

Greek diplomats said it was the first time that countries from four continents meet around the same table for a cultural initiative, aiming to form a "positive agenda" of cooperation.

Although the countries participating in the forum come from different geographical areas and cultures, they are all considered cradles of ancient cultures and are coming together to discuss issues such as the "role of culture as a source of soft power and the key tool of a modern and multidimensional foreign policy," the Independent Balkan News Agency reported.

Another aim of the forum is to highlight the international cultural cooperation as a factor for economic development.

"Civilization brings diversity closer, it is a source of wealth," Kotzias said, "Civilization is both global power and financial power, creating jobs, promoting economy. "

In his meeting with Greek leaders and foreign ministers from other countries, the Chinese foreign minister stressed the ongoing forum derives from the same origin as the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative in the sense that they both provide thoughts and culture for the cooperation of countries across the world with focuses on peaceful development and common prosperity.

Wang said the 10 countries convene to derive "nutrition" from their ancient values and civilizations to realize their own development, provide solutions to today's world challenges as well as explore new development path for the all human beings.

China advocates that different civilizations should understand and be tolerant of each other to promote common development, he said.

"Only through dialogue of different civilizations can we maintain regional and global stability," he added.

He stressed that only through peaceful means should all the disputes and conflicts be addressed as "dialogues" should serve as the bridge.

"China has been treasuring peace but also respecting the differences and diversity of different cultures and civilizations, " Wang said. "The whole world, whose fate has never been so closely knitted, is a community of common destiny. "

He called on all the countries to reject "conflicts of civilization", transcend social and ideological differences and prejudices.

The senior Chinese diplomat also urged all the present countries to join hands to strengthen their cooperation, so as to achieve common prosperity and development.

"We should inherit our traditional cultures, remain confidence and respect and honor each others' social system and development path," Wang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 01:52:47|Editor: yan

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DAR ES SALAAM, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities on Monday warned what they described as wealthy and politically well-connected individuals against diverting water from the Great Ruaha River, the lifeline of more than six million people.

January Makamba, the east African nation's minister of state in the Vice-President's Office responsible for environment, told the National Assembly in Dodoma that the malpractice has greatly affected the river's water flow.

"The government will take punitive measures to individuals found diverting water from the river for irrigating their farms regardless of their status or position," he said.

Makamba said the Great Ruaha River was a major source of hydropower generation in the country, feeding two big hydropower dams of Mtera and Kidatu.

The Great Ruaha River is a river in south-central Tanzania that flows through the Usangu wetlands and the Ruaha National Park east into the Rufiji River.

Its basin catchment area is 83,970 square km, with the population of the river basin mainly sustained by irrigation and water-related livelihoods such as fishing and livestock keeping.

The Great Ruaha River is about 475 km long, and its tributary basin has a catchment area of 68,000 square km.

Makamba said the biggest challenge facing his office is poor environmental awareness among the people.

"I believe this should be the challenge for us all and we should educate our people that most of the environmental effects that we are experiencing today are a result of our own activities," Makamba said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 02:47:56|Editor: yan

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by Chrispinus Omar

NAIROBI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The British government on Monday removed travel advice against travel to Nairobi's Eastleigh residential estate largely inhabited by ethnic Somali people of Kenyan origin.

The travel advisory against travelling to Eastleigh, also known as Little Mogadishu, has been in place for some time and has been devastating for foreign traders frequenting the area.

"The British government will, today, remove the travel advisory against all but essential travel to the Eastleigh area of Nairobi," the British embassy in Nairobi said in a statement.

"In addition, we will also make changes to the language and format of UK travel advice around the world, including, but not limited to, travel advice for Kenya," it said.

The embassy said following public consultation in the UK, the British government is amending the language used to describe the terrorist threat in countries and territories, to make it clearer, consistent and more specific.

"These changes are simply to format and language," the embassy said. "There is no change in the UK government's assessment of the level of threat from terrorism in Kenya."

It said Britons remain free to make their own decisions regarding travel based on the information available.

There are still some travel advisories in place for various areas in Kenya with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) still recommending against all but essential travel to areas within 60 km of the Kenya-Somali border, Garissa County; Lamu County (excluding Lamu Island and Manda Island); areas of Tana River County north of the Tana river itself; and within 15 km of the coast from the Tana river down to the Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) river.

Among areas British tourists are allowed to visit are the Aberdare National Park, Amboseli, Laikipia, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Meru and Mount Kenya.

British tourists are also allowed to sample attractions in Samburu, Shimba Hills, and Tsavo as well as book reservations at beach resorts in Mombasa, Malindi, Kilifi, Watamu, and Diani.

Britain is concerned about terrorism threats, especially from extremists linked to al Shabaab, who are against the country's military operation in Somalia.

Early this year, Kenya asked Western countries to lift their advisories to their citizens against visiting Kenya, saying such advisories were unjustified, citing the reduction of terrorist attacks in the region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 02:52:57|Editor: yan

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NAIROBI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan moblie operator Safaricom restored communication services late Monday after a network outage affected millions of its subscribers across the East African nation.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said the firm's engineers identified the root cause of the outage, which was a failure on both core network as well as redundancy options.

"Our team worked as quickly as possible to resolve the issue and invoked our Business Continuity Planning protocol to restore services and the incident was marked as closed at 4:30 pm," Collymore said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

The mobile operator, which has more than 27 million subscribers, experienced a system outage from 09:40 am, affecting a number of core services on its network.

The outage affected voice, data, SMS, M-Pesa and enterprise services. At present, most voice, data, SMS, M-Pesa and enterprise services are available.

"We wish to assure our customers that their balances and the integrity of our system are intact," the statement said. "We apologise for all inconveniences caused."

Many Kenyans complained about the service outage, especially at a time when the country is preparing to hold its general elections on Aug. 8.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 02:52:58|Editor: Liu

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WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. on Monday slapped sanctions on 271 employees of Syria 's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) in response to Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons.

The employees of SSRC, a Syrian government agency, are designated for their role in "developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the means to deliver them," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

"These 271 SSRC employees have expertise in chemistry and related disciplines and/or have worked in support of SSRC's chemical weapons program since at least 2012," it added.

As a result of the action, any property or interest of the designated persons in the U.S. must be blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

The sanctions are part of Washington's response to what it believed the April 4 sarin attack on innocent civilians in Khan Sheikhoun in east Syria by the Syrian government.

Two days after the alleged chemical attack, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase to neutralize its chemical weapon arsenal.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that with Monday's sanctions, the U.S. is sending a strong message that it would "hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 02:58:00|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Monday called for intensified efforts to address the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

He made the remarks at a press conference along with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Amman, where he said that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the core of conflicts in the Middle East region.

"We agree with King Abdullah that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict might lead to other conflicts," said Gabriel, stressing on the key role for the U.S. and Arab partners in this regard.

The German minister also stressed the need for the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling for ceasing any unilateral measure. He also said there was a dire need for addressing the current situation in Jerusalem and supporting the Palestinian economy.

On Syria, Gabriel underlined the need for a ceasefire in Syria that should be followed by a political process and peaceful negotiations.

He said that Russia and other key players need to place pressure on the Syrian government to reach a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

For his part, Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi said resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution is key to addressing regional conflicts.

He said the stalemate in the peace process over the past years is unacceptable and it leads to despair that can be exploited by the terrorist organization.

Referring to the Arab Summit held last month, which he said delivered a message of peace to the whole world, Safadi said Arab nations reiterated commitment to the Arab peace initiative, which is the most comprehensive solution to resolve the conflict.

Safadi also called for a political solution to address the situation in Syria.

Also Monday, Prime Minister Hani Mulki met with the visiting German official and discussed ties between the two countries as well as regional developments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 03:03:00|Editor: An

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Wang Weiguang, President of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivers a speech at the launching ceremony of China-CEE Institute in Budapest, Hungary, on April 24, 2017. The China-CEE Institute was launched here on Monday, which is China's first think tank independently registered in Europe. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)

BUDAPEST, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The China-CEE Institute was launched here on Monday, which is China's first think tank independently registered in Europe.

Huang Ping, director of the Institute of European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, serves as president of China-CEE Institute. Wang Weiguang, President of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, is its honorary president.

"We will be very happy and willing to work with experts, scholars and think tanks from Hungary and other Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries in order to promote mutual understanding and intellectual cooperation," Wang said.

He added that under the 16+1 mechanism, the China-CEE Institute would promote people-to-people exchanges through field study, joint research, conferences, seminars and lectures.

The 16+1 mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

An academic committee will be set up, and leading scholars from China and CEE countries will be members of the committee, Wang said.

China's Ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong said the institute represents a creative step in deepening cooperation among think tanks of China and CEE countries.

Hungarian Academy of Sciences Laszlo Lovasz expressed his hope that the institute will provide additional opportunities and new sources for both Chinese and Central European researchers to fulfill their research interests.

"I am really proud that the institute will be based here in Budapest," Lovasz said.

The launching ceremony was hosted by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and 16+1 Think Tanks Network.

After the launch ceremony, experts and scholars discussed the common challenges and solutions of China-CEE cooperation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 03:08:02|Editor: yan

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KIGALI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda and Ethiopia have embarked on identifying new opportunities and areas to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Delegates at the second Rwanda-Ethiopia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) session here in the Rwandan capital are expected to explore new ways and means to increase partnership in various fields.

At the three-day gathering, which runs through April 26, participants will also review implementation of agreements signed between the two nations in 2012, in such fields as defense, agriculture, civil aviation, trade, police cooperation, infrastructure, water and energy.

Speaking at the opening on Monday, Claude Nikobisanzwe, permanent secretary at the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the need to deepen and expand the already cordial relations between the two countries.

"Rwanda and Ethiopia enjoy strong bilateral relations. Today we are deepening it to ensure that bilateral partnerships and cooperations are stronger for the development of both countries," he said.

Last year, Rwanda and Ethiopia signed an agreement to open their airspace allowing their national carriers to operate without restrictions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 03:28:08|Editor: yan

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VALLETTA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said Monday that once and for all Malta has closed the emission of heavy fuel oil by switching to natural gas.

The switch to gas-fuelled electricity, the cleanest available, has been a long-term project that has taken over four years to achieve.

The termination of fuel oil usage has been welcomed as there is cleaner air and will help Malta keep on track in reducing emissions as stipulated by the EU.

This project was linked to the biggest investment ever achieved in Malta, the one with the Shanghai Electric Power, and helped establish this switch. He thanked Shanghai Electric Power for the partnership, which will continue to bear fruit in the years to come.

Muscat also thanked all involved including Siemens and Socar, involved in building the power station with a consortium of Maltese companies.

The provision of natural gas is provided by private company Electrogas, natural gas is piped towards the D3 unit and also to D4, a new combined cycle power plant.

Shanghai Electric Power holds 90 percent of the shares of D3 while the rest is held by Enemalta. Four units have been converted and put in commercial operation on March 1. Another 4 units' conversion is in progress.

Muscat added the roadmap leading to this moment has produced 100 million euros (109 million U.S. dollars) of surplus in the government's coffers and reduced poverty in Malta by half.

He added that the next step will be the establishment of a pipeline with Italy thus generating a fresh source of energy for Malta.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 03:53:14|Editor: yan

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KIGALI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda is optimistic of a massive influx of returnees before Dec. 31, 2017, according to the country's minister for disaster management and refugee affairs.

Seraphine Mukantabana told Xinhua on Monday that she is optimistic that the majority of Rwandans living in foreign countries as refugees will pour into the country as the date set by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) gets near, for fear of losing their refugee status.

The UNHCR approved the Rwandan Cessation Clause in December 2011 but extended its application to June 30, 2013, and then to Dec. 31, 2017.

The Cessation Clause provides for three options: voluntary repatriation, invocation of refugee status and local integration, and individual application for refugee status with convincing reasons.

"Any Rwandan refugee residing in different countries across the world won't be considered as refugees any more by Dec. 31, 2017, and neither the government of Rwanda nor the UNHCR will recognize their status," Mukantabana said. "They will not be refugees anymore; they will be considered as immigrants."

She noted that Rwanda, together with UNHCR, has embarked on a campaign to sensitize Rwandans living as refugees to voluntarily return home ahead of the date set in the Cessation Clause.

"We have given enough time to Rwandans who could be living as refugees to repatriate, given the fact that we have been able to extend Cessation Clause since 2011," she said.

"Rwanda is safe, secure and peaceful. They should use the remaining time to plan their relocation, or acquire citizenship of host countries, or obtain the requisite documents and stay legally as Rwandan citizens," the minister said.

The UNHCR is offering cash packages to any Rwandan refugee who returns home before the end of 2017, according to UNHCR officials.

The package provides 250 U.S. dollars to each adult Rwandan refugee and 150 dollars to any of their minors who return home before the Cessation Clause expires.

Returnees are also offered free medical insurance for a year, a free mobile phone and free transportation to any destination within the country.

The new cash incentive assistance replaces the distribution of essential household items that refugees used to get upon return, tempting some of them to sell part or all of what was provided.

About 3.4 million refugees have repatriated since 1994, the majority of them from the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the Rwanda ministry for disaster management and refugee affairs.

The ministry says that an average returning rate of Rwandans still living in exile has been around 2,000 a year.

The government of Rwanda has already prepared Nyarushishi camp in Rusizi District, Eastern Province, to receive the returnees.

Millions of Rwandans fled into exile from 1959 through to 1994.

Rwanda estimates that about 280,000 Rwandans could be still living as refugees across 20 countries in the world, with the biggest number of them, close to 245,000, living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 03:58:14|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran has launched an ambitious project to connect houses to a nationwide fiber optic network seeking to develop internet-based businesses, Iran's Minister of Communication and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi said Monday, according to Press TV.

The project, developed by Iran Telecommunications Company, will provide Iranian citizens with an easy access to high-speed internet, Vaezi was quoted as saying.

The ministry has already taken major strides to promote internet-based businesses across Iran, he said, adding that the national fiber optic connectivity project was a significant step in the same direction.

Vaezi also said that Iran's data transfer capacity has increased by 11 times since 2013 to reach as high as 10,000 gigabytes.

Iran's internet bandwidth capacity has also increased as high as 10,000 gigabytes.

Vaezi said that the number of the cities, towns and areas in the country under the coverage of third and fourth generations of wireless mobile telecommunications is growing rapidly.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 04:08:17|Editor: yan

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By Osama Radi and Emad Drimly

RAMALLAH, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week in Washington. Palestinian analysts say the meeting shows U.S. consistent efforts to resume the stalled peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

According to analysts, Trump may outline the U.S. vision for the future of the peace process, which may bring Israelis and Palestinians back to direct talks despite no permanent peace agreement.

On Sunday, a Palestinian official delegation arrived in Washington to prepare for the meeting scheduled for May 3. It will be the first meeting between the two presidents since Trump took office in January.

Last week, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, an aide to Abbas, announced that the Palestinian president will express to Trump his commitment to just and comprehensive peace and security in the region and the entire world.

"Abbas looks for a positive meeting with President Trump," he said.

In fact, the U.S. efforts to restart the regional peace process were demonstrated earlier this year. Before meeting with Abbas, Trump held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Samih Shbeib, a West Bank political analyst, told Xinhua that President Trump will listen to President Abbas and present his vision on resuming the peace process.

However, the meetings between Trump's Administration and major Middle East parties, mainly those seeking to mediate the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, did not go beyond the stage of thinking about, listening to and understanding views, Shbeib said.

The analysts believe that the United States hopes to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the core regional issue, but they say it isn't an easy mission.

The last U.S.-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in April 2014, after nine months without any breakthrough because of deep disputes between the two sides over settlement buildings and the recognition of the borders of a Palestinian state.

Khalil Shahin, another West Bank political analyst, said he expects the Trump Administration to persuade Abbas to hold direct meetings with Israel.

"The U.S. administration is certainly going to exert pressure on the Palestinians in order to make its efforts to resume the stalled peace process successful," said Shahin. "The U.S. may threaten to cut its financial aid to the Palestinians in case Abbas refuses to resume talks with Israel."

According to Abbas, Israel must fulfill its commitments to the Palestinians before a meeting with Netanyahu to discuss permanent status questions.

"We are demanding from the Israeli side to stop the illegal settlement on our Palestinian lands and release our prisoners," Abbas said in Ramallah last September.

In a February meeting in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu tried to convince Trump that Israeli settlement can never be an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.

According to the prime minister, the settlement is not the core of the conflict, but an issue that needs to be resolved during peace negotiations.

"I expect that President Abbas will show little flexibility in dealing with President Trump's vision for making peace in the Middle East," said Shahin.

"The U.S. vision might be closer to the Israeli vision. Peace can be resumed, but reaching a permanent agreement is ruled out," he explained.

In the view of Hani al-Masri, also a Palestinian political analyst from the West Bank, President Abbas would be under pressure from the new U.S. vision in Washington given the weak ability to bargain on the Palestinian side.

"Abbas will meet Trump amid a weak and bad Palestinian position, mainly a deep internal division between the West Bank, ruled by Abbas, and the Gaza Strip, ruled by Hamas, which has been going on since 2007," said al-Masri.

The current weakness in the Arab world and the violence that the region is witnessing "would certainly weaken Abbas' position before President Trump. Palestinian demands won't be influential and the chance of getting positive results in Washington could be slim," the political analyst added.

In his opinion, considering the weak position, it wouldn't be a good idea for the Palestinian leadership to accept a peace arrangement.

He called on the Palestinians and their leaders "to stick to a united position of rejecting a weak peace process without a mechanism seeking a fair solution to the Palestinian cause."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 04:28:22|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Jordan said on Monday the potential for Chinese companies to boost their investment in Jordan is extensive in various fields.

Addressing the Jordanian-Chinese Business Forum, Jordanian Minister of Trade and Industry, Yaroub Qudah, called on Chinese companies to benefit from the investment facilities and incentives provided in Jordan, especially in solar and wind energy, oil shale, pharmaceuticals and fertilizers sectors.

During the forum, held by Jordan's Chamber of Commerce, the minister said several investment opportunities exist in Jordan in the fields of energy and infrastructure plus tourism.

The minister added that Chinese companies investing in Jordan will benefit from a strategic geographic location due to Jordan's proximity to Syria, thus Chinese companies can play a key role in reconstructing Syria.

Stressing upon the strategic ties between Jordan and China in several areas, the minister said China is Jordan's second largest trade partner and that the trade exchange between both sides exceeded 3 billion U.S. dollars in 2016.

Qudan said Jordan is a gateway to Middle East markets and the country is a signatory to several free trade agreements with various countries such as Canada and the U.S.

Jordanian Chamber of Commerce President Nael Kabariti said diverse investment opportunities exist in Jordan, a country which enjoys both political and economic stability and security.

He added that the potential was substantial for increased partnerships between Jordan and China as well as both countries' private sectors.

The Chinese ambassador to Jordan, Pan Weifang, stressed the key strategic partnership between China and Jordan during his speech, noting that Chinese companies are involved in implementing mega projects in Jordan.

Furthermore, Chairman of China Council to Promote International Trade, Jiang Zengwei, heading a Chinese business delegation of over 20 entrepreneurs to Jordan, voiced China's readiness to boost collaboration with Jordan and to exchange official delegations in order to explore further cooperation opportunities.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding during the forum in order to effectively establish the Silk Road Business Council and promote joint investment between both countries and further develop their trade relations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 04:28:23|Editor: yan

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KIEV, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Sino-Ukrainian cultural exchanges week kicked off in Kiev on Monday, featuring a string of cultural events and economic discussions.

The festival, named "One Belt One Road" Week, is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Ukraine and the upcoming Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing in May.

The ceremony was attended by about 300 guests, including former Ukrainian presidents Leonid Kravchuk and Viktor Yushchenko, senior Ukrainian and Chinese officials, Ukrainian parliament representatives and local business leaders.

While addressing the ceremony, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko said that the Sino-Ukrainian cultural exchanges week will contribute to Ukraine's aspiration to become an important link in the Silk Road chain.

"The possibility of cooperation and participation in the One Belt One Road project is very important not only for the Ukrainian economy, but also for its relations with China," Zubko stressed.

He said that the participation in the Belt and Road Initiative would help Ukraine to implement its development strategy for 2020, which, among other things, focuses on the advancing of transport infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wenkang, the head of the Chinese delegation, said that apart from being an instrument for boosting economic cooperation, the "One Belt One Road" week will promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Ukrainian people.

He was echoed by Ukrainian first lady Maryna Poroshenko, who said the event will promote dialogue, connectivity and mutual trust between the peoples of Ukraine, China and other countries along the Silk Road.

"Today we are witnessing the cultural dialogue between the East and the West. It is very important that Ukraine, which lies on the route between China and Europe, has become an important link in building new continental belt connecting the East and the West," Poroshenko said.

During the whole week, visitors would have a chance to get acquainted with Chinese culture and traditions.

A number of cooperation agreements between China and Ukraine will be signed during the "One Belt One Road" week.

"This is not just the cultural festival, but also the handshake of two outstanding civilizations," said Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei, while addressing the opening ceremony of the "One Belt One Road" Week.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 04:33:24|Editor: An

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Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong attends the launch ceremony of China-South Africa science park cooperation in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

PRETORIA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China and South Africa officially launched science park cooperation on Monday amid efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in science and technology.

In a speech delivered at the launch ceremony, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong noted the rapid progress in bilateral science and technology cooperation after China and South Africa established diplomatic relations nearly 20 years ago.

Remarkable achievements have been made in bilateral cooperation in biology, information, mining, laser, new materials and other fields, making science and technology a priority and bright spot in the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership, said Liu.

In December 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma reached an important consensus on science park cooperation.

During the first meeting of the China-South Africa High Level People to People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM) on Monday, science and technology was incorporated as a key field of cooperation into the mechanism framework.

With Monday's official launch of the China-South Africa science park cooperation, representatives from the science and business circles of the two countries will conduct exchanges and researches on science park cooperation.

As an action to implement the consensus of the heads of state, the launch of the China-South Africa science park cooperation is of great significance for deepening bilateral innovation cooperation and realizing win-win cooperation, said the Chinese vice premier.

Liu described science parks as an effective tool to develop the science and technology industry and to shore up sustainable development with technological innovation, noting that many countries have made developing science parks a common choice.

Enhanced science park cooperation will inject new vitality into China-South Africa science and technology cooperation, she said.

China is willing to share experience with South Africa in the planning, building and operation of high-tech zones, said Liu.

With their respective advantages in science and technology, China and South Africa should strengthen win-win cooperation in promoting innovation, facilitating the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements so as to propel growth with innovation and bring more benefits to the two peoples, she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 04:48:30|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN is deeply concerned about the safety and protection of over 400,000 people in Syria's Raqqa, a UN spokesman said Monday.

"In past weeks, civilians have been exposed to daily fighting and airstrikes which resulted in an escalating number of civilian deaths and injuries as well as damage to civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, markets and water infrastructure," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the daily news briefing.

"Yesterday, airstrikes on Atabaqa City reportedly killed eight people including five children and damaged two schools. On April 22, dozens of people were reportedly killed and injured in airstrikes on an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp near Albardah village, 20 kilometers west of Raqqa," said Dujarric.

Some 39,000 newly displaced people fled to the Jib Al-Shaair makeshift camp in Ar-Raqqa governorate where four out of five people are staying in the open air without appropriate shelter, he said.

The UN has also received reports of the deaths of several children due to lack of medical care at the Jib Al-Shaair and Al-Karma camps and of critically injured people and sick children who are in need of urgent medical assistance, said the spokesperson.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 05:03:35|Editor: yan

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by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Striking the Syrian army on the pretext of its chemical attack against civilians without substantial evidence gives ultra radical groups a reason to stage future attacks to attract more strikes on Syrian forces, analysts say.

On April 4, an alleged chemical attack struck the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which is controlled by the Front for Liberating the Levant, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The attack was followed by massive civilian poisoning, with activists reporting the death of 74 people and the injury of 557 others.

The United States and its Western allies were quick to accuse the Syrian government of carrying out airstrikes with chemical substance, later reported to be sarin agent.

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.

Officials said the attack was staged to attract a fresh Western wreath on the administration of President Bashar al-Assad.

On the morning of April 7, the United States launched 59 missiles on a Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs Province in central Syria, in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack.

Observers and officials in Syria said the strike was so quick with no dust of investigation settling down, as it was basically based on allegations.

"How could they reach the conclusion so fast without evidence, particularly that Syria has been in a war for over six years, and there are plenty of complex rebel groups with variant background and staging such attack could be easy by any group," Maher Ihsan, a political analyst, told Xinhua.

The Syrian army said it struck areas in Idlib, adding that one of the targets was a weapon depot of the al-Qaida-linked militants and it was apparently stocked with toxic materials.

The Syrian government made it clear that it welcomes an investigation team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to look into the attack, but such team never showed up.

In a recent interview with Russian media outlets, Assad said there was no toxic attack in Khan Sheikhoun town, charging that the United States and the Western powers have prevented an investigation team from going to Syria to look into the allegation because the team will find all the narrative about what happened in Khan Sheikhoun was mere lies."

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad also rejected the allegations that the toxic materials were mounted on warplanes from the Shayrat air base, which was struck by the U.S. missiles, saying there was no trace of any chemical material when the air base was struck.

Observers agree that the responsibility of the attack was quickly assigned to the government forces, with Russian and Syrian officials warning that this will embolden the rebels into staging similar attacks in the future to attract new military strikes by the U.S., particularly since the opposition has highly appreciated the U.S. missile attack and demanded more.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that information shows the rebels in the countryside of the capital Damascus were planning to carry out a toxic attack in the hope of seeing new U.S. strikes on the Syrian military positions.

He said the Idlib chemical attack was a false flag to set Assad up, and more may come.

On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry voiced concerns over the information about an imminent attack near Damascus, fearing that a similar scenario as in Khan Sheikhoun could happen.

The Russian ministry also charged that the Western countries fear to undertake a fair unbiased investigation into the Khan Sheikhoun attack "because that will expose their allegations about the responsibility of Damascus."

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said battles in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun will cease when experts arrive to investigate the alleged chemical attack.

"After an address from the Ministry of Defense, the Syrian command expressed its readiness to stop any military activity in the area, if a special experts mission will come to investigate the events on April 4 in Khan Sheikhoun," the ministry said, as cited by RIA Novosti news agency.

A complete cease-fire will be declared "to ensure safe work for the experts," it added.

The comment came days after Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a Russian-Iranian proposal to investigate the attack "was blocked by Western delegations without any explanation," even though the proposal was amended to conform to the Western demands that the existing OPCW fact-finding mission conduct the investigation.

Meanwhile, Syrian mainstream media is playing the old records of President George W. Bush alleging the existence of chemical weapons in Iraq, when the U.S. invaded the country in 2003 over claims later proved to be wrong.

"If the rebels, or even the Western countries, mainly the U.S., want to strike the Syrian army they could use this pretext again," said Ihsan.
A Syrian tank fires at rebel positions in the Jobar area, east of Damascus, capital of Syria, on Oct. 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Ammar)

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) in response to Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons.

The employees of SSRC, a Syrian government agency, are designated for their role in "developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the means to deliver them," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

"These 271 SSRC employees have expertise in chemistry and related disciplines and/or have worked in support of SSRC's chemical weapons program since at least 2012," it added.

As a result of the action, any property or interest of the designated persons in the U.S. must be blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

The sanctions are part of Washington's response to what it believed the April 4 sarin attack on innocent civilians in Khan Sheikhoun in east Syria by the Syrian government.

Two days after the alleged chemical attack, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase to neutralize its chemical weapon arsenal.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that with Monday's sanctions, the U.S. is sending a strong message that it would "hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons."
Demonstrators protest U.S. military involvement in the Syrian war in San Francisco, California, on April 7, 2017. (AFP photo)

DAMASCUS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Striking the Syrian army on the pretext of its chemical attack against civilians without substantial evidence gives ultra radical groups a reason to stage future attacks to attract more strikes on Syrian forces, analysts say.

On April 4, an alleged chemical attack struck the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which is controlled by the Front for Liberating the Levant, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The attack was followed by massive civilian poisoning, with activists reporting the death of 74 people and the injury of 557 others.

The United States and its Western allies were quick to accuse the Syrian government of carrying out airstrikes with chemical substance, later reported to be sarin agent.

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.

Officials said the attack was staged to attract a fresh Western wreath on the administration of President Bashar al-Assad.

On the morning of April 7, the United States launched 59 missiles on a Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs Province in central Syria, in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack.

Observers and officials in Syria said the strike was so quick with no dust of investigation settling down, as it was basically based on allegations.

"How could they reach the conclusion so fast without evidence, particularly that Syria has been in a war for over six years, and there are plenty of complex rebel groups with variant background and staging such attack could be easy by any group," Maher Ihsan, a political analyst, told Xinhua.

The Syrian army said it struck areas in Idlib, adding that one of the targets was a weapon depot of the al-Qaida-linked militants and it was apparently stocked with toxic materials.

The Syrian government made it clear that it welcomes an investigation team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to look into the attack, but such team never showed up.

In a recent interview with Russian media outlets, Assad said there was no toxic attack in Khan Sheikhoun town, charging that the United States and the Western powers have prevented an investigation team from going to Syria to look into the allegation because the team will find all the narrative about what happened in Khan Sheikhoun was mere lies."

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad also rejected the allegations that the toxic materials were mounted on warplanes from the Shayrat air base, which was struck by the U.S. missiles, saying there was no trace of any chemical material when the air base was struck.

Observers agree that the responsibility of the attack was quickly assigned to the government forces, with Russian and Syrian officials warning that this will embolden the rebels into staging similar attacks in the future to attract new military strikes by the U.S., particularly since the opposition has highly appreciated the U.S. missile attack and demanded more.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that information shows the rebels in the countryside of the capital Damascus were planning to carry out a toxic attack in the hope of seeing new U.S. strikes on the Syrian military positions.

He said the Idlib chemical attack was a false flag to set Assad up, and more may come.

On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry voiced concerns over the information about an imminent attack near Damascus, fearing that a similar scenario as in Khan Sheikhoun could happen.

The Russian ministry also charged that the Western countries fear to undertake a fair unbiased investigation into the Khan Sheikhoun attack "because that will expose their allegations about the responsibility of Damascus."

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said battles in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun will cease when experts arrive to investigate the alleged chemical attack.

"After an address from the Ministry of Defense, the Syrian command expressed its readiness to stop any military activity in the area, if a special experts mission will come to investigate the events on April 4 in Khan Sheikhoun," the ministry said, as cited by RIA Novosti news agency.

A complete cease-fire will be declared "to ensure safe work for the experts," it added.

The comment came days after Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a Russian-Iranian proposal to investigate the attack "was blocked by Western delegations without any explanation," even though the proposal was amended to conform to the Western demands that the existing OPCW fact-finding mission conduct the investigation.

Meanwhile, Syrian mainstream media is playing the old records of President George W. Bush alleging the existence of chemical weapons in Iraq, when the U.S. invaded the country in 2003 over claims later proved to be wrong.

"If the rebels, or even the Western countries, mainly the U.S., want to strike the Syrian army they could use this pretext again," said Ihsan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 06:03:53|Editor: MJ

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DUBLIN, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Ireland will further intensify market access efforts for its food and drink exporters, according to a cabinet minister on Monday.

At a seminar on Brexit's impact, Irish Agriculture Minister Michael Creed outlined a seven-point plan to increase international market access for Irish food and drink exports.

The plan will be implemented by the Department of Agriculture with significant input from Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) and Irish embassies around the world, to help increase the footprint of Irish food and drink exports.

"The potential effects of a UK withdrawal from the EU mean that we must intensify our efforts further and diversify to as many international markets as we can. This is a government priority in response to the particular threat which Brexit poses to our agri-food sector," Creed said at the seminar sponsored by the Irish Farmers Association.

Under the plan, the Department of Agriculture will commission Bord Bia to undertake market profiling exercise for potential third-country and EU markets for Irish exports.

An intensified program of trade missions will be launched for the remainder of 2017 to promote Irish food and drink on EU and third country markets, and the trade missions will focus on emerging markets in Asia, North America and Africa, according to the plan.

In 2016, Irish agri-food and drink exports increased by an estimated 2 percent to approximately 11.15 billion euros.

Britain was the main destination for Irish agri-food and drink exports in 2016, accounting for 47 percent of all exports. 32 percent of exports went to continental EU markets while the remaining 31 percent went to international markets.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 06:29:00|Editor: MJ

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HAVANA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Not far from Havana's iconic Revolution Square, a green plot of land offers a welcome break from the uniform skyline and hubbub of Cuba's capital.

More importantly, it guarantees an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.

This urban farm, like numerous others like it, grows leafy greens, such as cabbage, lettuce, chard and occasionally arugula, ensuring fresh vegetables feature on local dinner tables.

Thanks to a government program begun three decades ago, urban farms today produce more than a million tons of organic crops.

The program, which has spread across the country and is present in almost all major cities, was strengthened in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, then Cuba's main political and economic ally.

"The product practically goes from the plot to our plates," said retiree Francisca Lopez, 70, who "at least once a week" visits the urban farm near her house in a populous Havana neighborhood.

It is a good source of vegetables to complement the typical Cuban dish of rice, beans and pork, she said.

By 2020, government plans to invest more than 96 million U.S. dollars -- 80 percent from international financing -- to expand urban farms, according to Nelson Campanioni, the program's executive director.

"The investment will be earmarked to develop irrigation, seed production, organic fertilizers, agro-ecological management and use of renewable energy, among other aspects," Campanioni recently told a congress of urban, suburban and family agriculture in Havana.

Increasing and diversifying food production in Cuba is a challenge, due to changing climatic conditions, such as severe drought, which currently affects the island, he said.

As part of the program, locals will receive training "to produce organic vegetables and fruits," including local production of seeds, organic fertilizers, farm implements, biocontrol and other factors.

Director of development for Cuba's Agricultural Business Group, Alina Beltran, said the program has in the past year produced 70 percent of the lettuce seeds it needs, 80 percent of the Chinese cabbage seeds and 40 percent of radish seeds.

The program also teaches young children how to plant and harvest vegetables, herbs and fruits.

By 2019, officials expect to produce around 1.2 million tons of organic fruits and vegetables at 10,000 hectares of urban farms throughout Cuba.

Agricultural production is a priority of the national push to modernize the economic and productive system, with the goal of producing up to 60 percent of the country's food needs.

Cuba currently spends some 2 billion U.S. dollars a year on imported food products, according to government officials.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-25 06:44:02|Editor: Mengjie

Cui Yuying (4th R), deputy director of China's State Council Information Office, and Cipriano Sanchez Garcia (5th L), rector of Anahuac University, pose for a photo during the opening ceremony of the new Chinese Library at Anahuac University in Huixquilucan, Mexico, on April 24, 2017. The first China-themed library in Mexico was inaugurated on Monday in a bid to promote cultural exchange.(Xinhua/Francisco Canedo)

MEXICO CITY, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The first China-themed library in Mexico was inaugurated on Monday in a bid to promote cultural exchange.

Books on Chinese history, art, culture, traditional medicine and music, among other topics, as well as digital and video archives, can be found at the new Chinese Library at Mexico City's Anahuac University.

Officials from China and the prestigious private university were on hand to inaugurate the 14th library of its kind worldwide, as part of celebrations marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Chinese Library serves as "a window that will allow Mexico's different social circles to better know our country, and it will also be a new platform for deepening educational, academic and cultural exchange," Cui Yuying, deputy director of China's State Council Information Office, told those gathered.

Cui said she hoped China and Mexico "can work together and continuously invest in the construction, administration and use of the Chinese Library, with the goal of turning it into a true cultural bridge that connects the two countries and a window that fosters bilateral friendship."

The library boasts 6,000 books and 80,000 digital archives with information on China's politics, economy, culture, science and technology, education and history.

The 120-square-meter facility is equipped with large-screen monitors for viewing some 100 hours of video and virtual reality featuring China's different regions, their ethnic groups, and lifestyls.

Students of Chinese will find special software, in both Spanish and English, for learning Mandarin.

Cipriano Sanchez Garcia, rector of Anahuac University, said the library was made possible thanks to an initiative between China's State Council and the center for higher learning.

"This collaboration proves we human beings have the potential to approach one another, to learn from one another, to build bridges and to weave networks of cultural understanding," said Sanchez.

In a moving ceremony, a group of young students enrolled in the university's Chinese-language program sang a song they were taught by professor Li Yueyin, from Anahuac's school of languages.

The two countries share key traits, said Cui.

"China and Mexico are civilizations and countries with a very rich cultural heritage, both are world renowned for their uniqueness, and both have remained strong through constant innovation. Throughout history, we have seen how both civilizations have progressed and learned from one another," said Cui.

The library is bound to draw many visitors, professor Li told Xinhua, as "there is much interest" in China's past and present.

The project, she said, would not have been possible without the support of the State Council, which "helped immensely to make the library, which is full of knowledge and full of love, a reality."

More material is set to arrive at the library to "make classes more interactive," said Li.

Since 2012, Chinese Libraries have opened in Japan, Tanzania, Congo, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Australia, Belgium, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Russia, Peru and Turkey.
Lawyer Thomas Demetrio, who is representing David Dao, the passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked United Airlines flight, speaks during a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, the United States, on April 13, 2017.(Xinhua/Wang Ping)

CHICAGO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The lawyer for the passenger dragged off an United flight signaled on Monday that his client intends to file a lawsuit.

Thomas Demetrio, a prominent Chicago lawyer representing 69-year-old David Dao, told NBC's "Today" program that its was too late for the United Airlines' CEO to apologize face-to-face to his client.

The Vietnamese American doctor was forcibly removed from a United flight at Chicago O' Hare International Airport on April 9 by aviation police after he refused to give up his seat on the fully booked plane to make room for crew members.

He suffered concussion, a broken nose and lost two front teeth.

When asked if the United had ever made an offer for a possible settlement, Demetrio replied, "No, that's not happening right now."

He said that his client was "taken off that flight like a sack of potatoes."

Demetrio also confirmed that he will represent a woman passenger with two babies, who clashed on board with an American Airlines flight attendant. The incident has already gone viral over social media and drew wide uproar.

The woman could not hold her tears when the male attendant confronted her and other passengers over a baby stroller problem, as the online video shows.
Win war against crime by turning to God

Speaking last week at an interfaith service at the St Michaels and All Angels Anglican Church, Diamond Vale, Wong said the present crime situation and the gang violence has the put the country on a track where no one feels safe.

Each one of us has been touched by the present crime situation in our country. Gang violence is an attack, not only on individuals and our communities but on the rights and freedom which is enshrined in our constitution.

It prevents the elderly from taking walks in their neighbourhood, it creates an environment of fear.

Some believe that our nation has reached a point of no return.

While these factors cause despair we are reminded in scripture that with God nothing is impossible, she said.

Wong said during this period of distress, uncertainty and hardship citizens need to be faithful and fervent in prayer.

Its during times like these we are reminded of our responsibility to humble ourselves before Almighty God. We cannot expect healing for our nation if we do not obey God through his holy Word.
Great one-time authors

Some of those authors have a book that is so successful, they can never write another book in their lives.

Other writers fumble around trying to write that second great novel, but never achieve the goal.

Below is a list of my favourite books by authors who have written one great book.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen  One of my all-time favourite books  as well as one of the favourite books among my YTC students, Water for Elephants is the touching story of ninety-year-old Jacob Jankowski as he looks back on his life in the circus. Faced with the unexpected death of his parents, a penniless Jacob joins the circus only to find cruelty beyond his imagination.

Water for Elephants is a memorable love story and a moving story of facing adversity and protecting those you love. Sara Gruen has written other novels such as Riding Lessons, At the Waters Edge and Ape House, but none of her novels ever measured up to Water for Elephants.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell  The sweeping saga of Katie Scarlett OHara and the vanishing South during the US Civil War, is still one of the best love stories ever written. After the novels publication, Mitchell spent the rest of her life trying to manage the tremendous success of her Pulitzer-prize-winning novel. Fans clamoured for a sequel, but Mitchell wouldnt comply with their wishes.

Except for Lost Laysen, a novel Mitchell wrote when she was a teenager, Mitchell never wrote any other book. She was killed by a drunk driver while walking along the street with her husband.

Tsotsi by Athol Fugard  South African writer Athol Fugard is known for his television scripts and screenplays including Tsotsi, Gandhi and The Killing Fields.

Early television in the 1950s featured many of Fugards scripts, but Fugard wrote only one novel, Tsotsi, the story of a rough, gang member whose life changes when he finds an abandoned baby. Tsotsi, the man with no name, who is only referred to by the Afrikaans name for gang leader, is a remarkable story of compassion. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole  Few characters in literature can match Ignatius J Reilly described as a huge, obese fractious, fastidious, latter day Gargantua, (and) Don Quixote of the French Quarter. This rip-roaring tale of Ignatituss adventures is one of the funniest American novels. Tools mother published this brilliant piece of humour and satire after Tool committed suicide.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy  When Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize for fiction in 1997 for her moving story of of twins living in south India and dealing with their mothers choices in life, I couldnt wait to read what she would write next.

Her novel, beautifully written, broke many rules about form and structure. Arundhati Roy certainly was an iconoclast.

It never crossed my mind that what appeared to be a semi-autobiographical novel featuring a twin who stops speaking, would turn out to be the only novel Roy would write.

Over the years, Arundhati Roy has written many essays, but no more fiction.

The Humming-Bird Tree by Ian McDonald  This coming of age story by Trinidadian author Ian McDonald is a Caribbean classic. Set in colonial times, The Humming-Bird Tree tells the story of Allen, a British boy and his relationship to two Indian children in the village.

This is the only novel written by McDonald, who is known for his poetry.

Sometimes it takes only one great novel to make an authors career.
Experts excited by brain wonder-drug

In 2013, a UK Medical Research Council team stopped brain cells dying in an animal for the first time, creating headline news around the world.

But the compound used was unsuitable for people, as it caused organ damage.

Now two drugs have been found that should have the same protective effect on the brain and are already safely used in people.

Its really exciting, said Prof Giovanna Mallucci, from the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester.

She wants to start human clinical trials on dementia patients soon and expects to know whether the drugs work within two to three years. The novel approach is focused on the natural defence mechanisms built into brain cells.

When a virus hijacks a brain cell it leads to a build-up of viral proteins. Cells respond by shutting down nearly all protein production in order to halt the viruss spread.

Many neurodegenerative diseases involve the production of faulty proteins that activate the same defences, but with more severe consequences.

The brain cells shut down production for so long that they eventually starve themselves to death.

This process, repeated in neurons throughout the brain, can destroy movement, memory or even kill, depending on the disease.

It is thought to take place in many forms of neurodegeneration, so safely disrupting it could treat a wide range of diseases.

In the initial study, the researchers used a compound that prevented the defence mechanism kicking in.

It halted the progress of prion disease in mice - the first time any neurodegenerative disease had been halted in any animal.

Further studies showed the approach could halt a range of degenerative diseases.

The findings were described as a turning point for the field even though the compound was toxic to the pancreas.

Since 2013, the research group has tested more than 1,000 readymade drugs on nematode worms, human cells in a dish and mice.

Two were shown to prevent both a form of dementia and prion disease by stopping brain cells dying.

Prof Mallucci told the BBC News website: Both were very highly protective and prevented memory deficits, paralysis and dysfunction of brain cells. The best known drug of the pair is trazodone, which is already taken by patients with depression.

The other, DBM, is being tested in cancer patients.

Prof Mallucci said: Its time for clinical trials to see if theres similar effects in people and put our money where our mouth is.

Were very unlikely to cure them completely, but if you arrest the progression you change Alzheimers disease into something completely different so it becomes liveable with. But, although trazodone is a current medication, she added: As a professional, a doctor and a scientists, I must advise people to wait for the results. The study was published in the journal Brain.

Dr Doug Brown, from the Alzheimers Society, said: Were excited by the potential of these findings, from this well conducted and robust study.

As one of the drugs is already available as a treatment for depression, the time taken to get from the lab to the pharmacy could be dramatically reduced. Dr David Dexter, from Parkinsons UK, said: This is a very robust and important study.

If these studies were replicated in human clinical trials, both trazodone and DBM could represent a major step forward.
It too hot

Recently a decision was taken to carry out renovation work on the station and tents were pitched outside the station for officers to serve members of the public.

However, due to the daily high temperatures, officers have been complaining of the heat as well as dust blowing in their faces, while they are exposed to all the elements and they feel that the time has come for the Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to intervene and move them to a rented building where there are suitable conditions for them to work under.

The officers told Newsday that no proper planning was put in place before the renovation works started and they believe that a building should have been rented for them so that their work could go on uninterrupted.

Officers insist that they could no longer operate under the existing conditions and are also calling on the Minister of National Security to intervene.

They added that they are now also exposed to criminal elements who can now pass in front of the station and single them out under the tent and probably fire a shot at them.

Yesterday, Secretary of the Police Social and Welfare Association Acting ASP Anand Ramesar confirmed that the Association had been informed of the concerns expressed by the more than 60 officers based at the Valencia Police Station.

The Association became aware of the Valencia situation very recently and our investigation into the matter has confirmed that police officers indeed been placed in less than adequate conditions fit for human occupation.

There is a position taken by the Association to call on the Acting CoP to review the current situation as many of the officers are expressing sentiments of frustration, demotivation and feelings of neglect, Ramesar said
Environment has constitutional rights, too

With that in mind, former Appeal Court judge Anthony Lucky who is a judge of the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, has thrown out a suggestion to judges around the world that perhaps the time has come for another look at how the right to life provision in their respective constitutions should be interpreted.

Justice Lucky said that the right to life and not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law provision, is enshrined in most if not all democratic countries constitutions.

Addressing last weeks 21st annual Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition at the Stetson University of Law, Florida, Justice Lucky, who is based in Hamburg, Germany, said that such a right to life provision, should be read as a right to each individual to protect himself from the acts of others which will destroy the environment or the right to biodiversity.

Lucky threw out this constitutional proposition before a panel of other judges and participants of the moot competition, which saw countries as far as India and the Phillipines participating. He made reference to a case in which he sat as a judge in Trinidad that involved persons who were planting rice in the Nariva Swamp and were stopped from encroaching onto protected wet lands.

The rice farmers had sued the State for depriving them of their right to earn a livelihood. Lucky said that the rice farmers had planted their rice in some of the lands which were part of the largest freshwater swamp in Trindiad. The State intervened when the residents began to bulldoze the lands that were part of the protected area. In other words, Lucky told the international audience which included Judge William Burns who is a professor as well at the University of California, and Justice Nancy Daves.

Justice Lucky went on to say that the farmers had claimed they were given licenses to farm, but the State countered that they were trespassers and that they were also endangering the environment and flouting the law. Lucky told the audience that he ruled against the swamping for rice and ordered the farmers be evicted. The international court judge referred to similar cases in other countries of acts of encroachment into the ecosystems, saying that the issue that is developing in the world for judges, is how do they adjudicate private rights against public interest concerns.

There is one environment-related case currently engaging the attention of the local High Court - the Highway Re-route Movement versus the State - over construction of the Mon Desir leg of the highway to Point Fortin. The Anti Smelter group against construction of the Almunium Smelter plant in Chatham is pending in the High Court. However, it may merely be relagated to an academic exercise because the plan to build the plant has been shelved.

But as countries of the world become more aware of the need for the courts to intervene in biodiversity issues, Justice Lucky said, there is a need for judges to be more mindful of the importance of biodiversity and the protection of the environment in their decisions.

He noted that already, some jurists hold the view that such an approach will encourage judicial bias in favour of the environment.

Others, he added, hold the view that reading and interpreting laws with protection of the environment in mind, display a greater appreciation of the need to ensure the environment is protected for the sake of mans survival. He said, Put bluntly, it means ensuring that the court protects man from destroying himself by depleting and exploiting the resources upon which he depends for his survival. Therefore, Justice Lucky said, the right to use of the environment by people wherever they live, must include the right of the environment to protection in order to exist for the survivial of man.
US wants TT students

The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency on the Wrightson Road waterfront on October 28 and 29.

In making the announcement, US Charge Affairs in Port of Spain, John Mc Intyre, congratulated students who have qualified for entry into American universities this year pointing out that a great number business, political, cultural and educational leaders of this country have studied in the US.

Every year local students set off for US colleges and universities ready for success, he said.

I want to congratulate all students in Trinidad and Tobago who have received offers of admission from one of the over 4,500 accredited institutions of higher learning in the United States. Mc Intyre said.

Mc Intyre said offers of admission are the product of much careful thought and hard work, both by the students who apply and by American universities that conduct a rigorous review of these applications.

He said the US recognised the energy and creativity applying students poured into essays about their dreams and ideas, the hard work it took to prepare for examinations, and the commitments you fulfilled to community service and extra-curricular interests. He revealed that over one million international students are now in US higher education institutions, maintaining the United States long-standing position as the worlds top host nation for international students.

International students from diverse backgrounds strengthen ties between the United States and countries around the world, developing the relationships between people and communities that are necessary to solve global challenges., Mc Intyre said. We value inclusion, and actively support students from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and geographic backgrounds on campuses across the United States. Colleges and universities across the United States value international students for the unique and diverse perspectives you provide both in and out of classrooms. Mc Intyre said American students and communities benefit from the unique opportunity interaction brings to expand their own world views, which, he added, helps prepare all of us for shared, successful futures in an interconnected world. I personally encourage those of you who have received offers of admission to accept this life-changing opportunity and join your peers in experiencing the unique value of an American higher education, Mc Intyre said.
New Road Safety Council tackles road fatalities

There have been 25 road fatalities, including motorcycle deaths, so far for 2017.

The council was formed in January earlier this year, and was incorporated in March.

President of the council, Stan Huggins, director of Nation Drivers Co Ltd and who has worked with Community Awareness Road Safety in the United States, said they were trying to change the culture of driving in TT.

He said the council would comply with the United Nations mandate on road safety for the world and would register with the World Road Safety Council.

The UN mandates that every country has a road safety umbrella.

Every country has its own culture in the way that they drive, and we are trying to change the culture in TT, Huggins told Newsday.

The council has already begun teaching road safety awareness in more than 15 schools and business places.

Huggins said so far they have only been able to cover north Trinidad, but has plans and needed support to expand operations across the country.

Huggins said it was time to re-educate the country with regards to driving.

There are drivers who still break the red light and people continue to cross when the light is on red. There is no regard for traffic signs so the road safety ads and signs by the police are a waste of time.

We have to educate the people. People must remember that the speed limit when driving near a school was five miles per hour.

When children see this then as they get older they would know that is the speed limit when in the vicinity of a school.

A safer driver is a better driver, a safer pedestrian is a better pedestrian.

If we do not change the culture now, we are going to inherit a culture of bad drivers, Huggins said.

The councils main objectives were to develop and deliver road safety awareness educational programmes for drivers and pedestrians through direct teaching and the use of radio, television and social media.

Huggins said they would also assist the Transport Ministry with all matters to reduce the alarming rate of deaths, and would seek funding from Government, the private sector and international agencies to finance and expand educational activities.

He said they also wanted to establish a well-equipped road safety library at its headquarters located at the Praedial Larceny Police Building,which was granted to them by the Vehicle Management Corporation (VMCOTT).
Help AG pass Marriage Bill

Brown issued this call when she spoke at the opening of a workshop being held by the Network, Gender and Child Affairs Division of the Office of the Prime Minister, Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and other groups at Cabildo Chambers in Port-of-Spain.

Telling her audience that there will be, very opportune moments that will arise shortly, Brown said, The latest opportunity comes from the AGs office.

Apparently he is having a consultation next Thursday with womens organisations to talk about the Marriage Act. The bill was passed with amendments in the Senate on January 17 and is currently before the House of Representatives.

The House began debate on the bill on January 18. The last debate on the bill took place on March 3, with Al-Rawi, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and Barataria/ San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan being amongst the MPs who participated in the debate.

Brown said while the consultation may be a little late, we need to say, better late than never. She declared, This time we must get that Marriage Act approved in the Parliament and it must be done with the recommendations for the exceptions that we in the Network have recommended. Those exceptions are for persons between 16 and 18 years to be married in certain circumstances.

Lets tell him how to do, since he asked. You know he didnt have to ask, Brown added.

Brown also disclosed that the Network has received a memo from Finance Minister Colm Imbert, asking for our proposals for the (2017/2018) Budget. She explained, That is a very important opportunity for us to put forward the recommendations of CDAW (Convention in the Discrimination of All Forns of Discrimination Against Women) as things we want to be budgeted for.
New measures for pension payments

Cuffie said Cabinet approved and confirmed a note which deals with the backlog of pensions in the Public Service and the Government is putting measures in place to ensure this problem does not recur in the future. The minister said he has received numerous complaints from citizens all across the country about the undue delays and hurdles they face when trying to access their public service pension payments.

In outlining the history of the problem, he said understaffed departments throughout government ministries were a major contributory factor. Additionally, Cuffie indicated, public officers who were trained to deal with pension and leave, a specialized field, got promoted leaving behind new officers who were unfamiliar with that area of work. Based on PMCD (Public Management Consulting Division) recommendations, we will use predominantly contract officers in staffing the pensions departments and giving them one to three year contracts to ensure you have a cadre of officers dedicated who will not be transferred or promoted and leaving the peoples pension in abeyance, Cuffie explained.
Education Ministry: Govt expanding student services

The Ministry was refuting claims by Behaviour Change Consultant Franklyn Dolly in an interview with Newsday last week Sunday that there is a school counsellor who comes into the school every two weeks to conduct a 40-minute session with a child and then sends the child back to the classroom.

It also takes issue with Dollys claims that parents are given appointments two years later, stating that for high risk or critical cases, appointments are immediate and other referrals are treated on a priority basis. Additionally, home visits are conducted to facilitate further assessment.

The statement says the Ministry does not have a Guidance Clinic but provides guidance services throughout secondary and primary schools. Children are also referred to the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) by Childrens Authority, Child Guidance Clinic, the Courts, National Family Services and Community Liaison Officers, Police Youth Clubs, NGOs and CBOs. In terms of students with special needs, the Ministry of Education provides special education clinics in the Education Districts.

Responding to Dollys suggestion for the creation of some kind of holding bay, the Ministry points out that there are already established Learning Enhancement Centres (LECs) in the Education Districts across the country, which continue to provide a safe and nurturing space for students who have committed infractions.

At-risk students and students on extended suspension are assessed and a programme developed to address their social and academic needs.

The Ministry reveals that some 319 students and their parents have benefitted from attending these centres and now have the social and life skills to make responsible choices and avoid inappropriate behaviours.

Additionally, the Ministry referred to the retention of 148 positions in the Student Support Services Division, as well as 100 Special Education Instructors towards the expansion of 299, and 225 Guidance Counsellors.

The Ministry will also be seeking to increase the number of Student Support Services in the various disciplines, including the Development and Assessment Intervention Unit (DAI Unit) who play an integral role in supporting the success of the programmes and initiatives by the Student Support Services Division.

The statement says the Ministry continues to utilise the services of clinical and behavioural psychologists, it employs both internally and externally.

Through the School Based Management model, the Ministry of Education has improved its coordinated approach to early identification and intervention, the Ministrys statement adds. The former Education Minister in his tenure said he implemented a programme whereby every teacher in every classroom would identify the difficult students.

However, the need for the programme was identified, but never implemented.
Camille, Dillon demand photocopy probe

They expressed their concern before the House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion to approve the notification of former TT Defence Force Chief of Staff, Commodore Anthony Franklin, as a member of the Police Service Commission.

As she concluded debate on the motion, Robinson-Regis endorsed Dillons call for an investigation into this matter.

She said the Opposition was out of place to accuse the Peoples National Movement (PNM) of interference in the Police Service.

Robinson-Regis reminded MPs that under the former Peoples Partnership (PP) government, a certain police officer provided then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar with a letter containing the names of alleged PNM operatives in the Strategic Services Agency (SSA). Government MPs thumped their desks as she declared, Those persons were fired. She also reminded MPs of a plant like substance that was found at Persad-Bissessars home in Palmiste, when she was prime minister. Robinson-Regis added, Again, police officers covered up that information, she said. Robinson- Regis hoped that Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams and the Police Services internal investigations unit would investigate the information which Rambachan provided during his contribution to the debate.

Saying Franklin was a patriot and well qualified to be a member of the PSC, Robinson-Regis was confident that he would ensure as a member of the Commission, that kind of thing is eliminated in the Police Service. She also disclosed that the manpower audit on the Police Service will now be completed on June 30 after Cabinet agreed to a request from audit committee chairman Professor Ramesh Deosaran for an extension. The audit was originally due to be completed by March 31.

Dillon lamented that Rambachan publicly identified the officer in question. The problem I have with that is that there is a procedural implication, he said.

Dillon said if that officer was having difficulty photcopying documents at his station, other resources that could be made available and this Government has made resources available. Dillon said he knew Franklin very well and was convinced that his management expertise will be an asset to the PSC.

Recalling that Franklin was involved in 12 vessels being acquired for the Coast Guard under the PP and that exercise was completed by the PNM, Dillon said the PP dismissed persons engaged under the PNM to acquire three offshore patrol vessels from BAE Systems.

He added that it was only on the eve of the September 2015 general elections that the PP realised its mistake and had a mad rush to acquire naval vessels.
Prakash fires back at Imbert

He added that paying the sum of TT$17,000 annually in property tax to the US government has sensitised him to the difficulties that many in the country will face when the property tax goes into effect.

In a telephone interview from overseas, on Saturday, Ramadhar reiterated the property tax will bring hardship to many homes. I do have a problem with the property tax, it is a burden I have to carry.

I know now the difficulties that many of our citizens will face if they dont pay. If I dont pay it here ( in the US) I will lose my property and for the Minister of Finance to personalise it, to suggest that this battle is about Prakash Ramadhar shows how superficial he is.

It has always been about the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Prakash Ramadhar can pay his property tax because of hard work, and a long legacy of hard work in his family, but there are many in the society who cannot do so. As a member of the Parliament, I speak for the oppressed and thats what it is about,  he said.

Continuing to criticise the property tax, Ramadhar insisted it will bring no immediate benefit to citizens who are already facing severe hardships because of the high cost of living. He said the monies collected will not go to local government but into the Consolidated Fund where Government can use it for what he called, some hairbrained project such as a highway to Toco which will not bring any real benefit to the citizenry. Ramadhar revealed he is in the process of putting together a team of lawyers to mount a legal challenge against the property tax and is also mobilising people all across the country to write their MPs, including PNM MPs, telling them they do not want the property tax.

He plans to host a property tax forum at the St Augustine community centre on Tuesday at 6 pm where persons can share their concerns and have questions regarding the property tax answered.
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German authorities have established a list of 100 migrants, including several Moroccans, flagged dangerous for national security and are on the verge of deporting them to their home countries.

A total of 900 migrants have been flagged dangerous but 100 have been put on the deportation list, Moroccan Arabic media Al Massae reports.

The list includes migrants from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Nigeria, Turkey and Serbia.

Since the December attack by Tunisian migrant and Islamic State group militant Anis Amr in Berlin, German authorities have decided to address radicalism and take on migrants who have been posing threat to the countrys security.

Authorities have fast-tracked deportation of migrants deemed dangerous. Thirteen migrants, including 7 Tunisians, have been so far deported following the lorry attack, which killed 12 people in the Berlin market.

One Moroccan, one Algerian, one Nigerian, one Serbian and one Iraqi are other dangerous migrants deported for security reasons.

The list of 900 dangerous migrants has been established based on their links with Islamist groups. The 900 have travelled to Iraq and Syria; two hotbed conflict zones where IS, al Qaeda and other terror groups have established strongholds.
An Italian prosecutor working with the countrys investigators trying to uncover the likely collaboration between charity organizations and human traffickers has indicated that he has names of NGOs, which have been facilitating illegal migration.

Carmelo Zuccaro, Chief Catania Prosecutor has told local newspaper La Stampa that there are clear evidences that some of the NGOs assisting illegal migrants to take to the sea to reach European shores from Africa are in collusion with traffickers.

We have evidence that there are direct contacts between certain NGOs and people traffickers in Libya, he told the newspaper.

We do not yet know if and how we could use this evidence in court, but we are quite certain about what we say; telephone calls from Libya to certain NGOs, lamps that illuminate the route to these organizations boats, boats that suddenly turn off their transponders, are ascertained facts, he said.

NGOs were cited in previous reports by EU border agency Frontex for collaboration with traffickers.

Last December, the Financial Times relayed a secret Frontex document, which suggested migrants had been given clear indications, before departure, on the precise direction to be followed in order to reach the NGOs boats.

The Italian Prosecutor said at a Parliamentary session in March he was sure that some NGOs were colliding with traffickers in sending waves of boast from Libya though he did not elaborate due to lack of proofs.

Zuccaro claimed that NGOs are working with traffickers to arrange collection points, instead of waiting for the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center for directions. The prosecutor also raised questions about who is funding the NGOs, Russian RT.com reports.

Doctors without Borders, SOS Mediterranee, Save the Children and Malta-based Mobile Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) involved in the rescue of the migrants on the sea have rejected the accusations by the Italian Prosecutors.

Italy is one of the top destinations of thousands of Sub-Saharan, African, Syrian, north African migrants heading to European coasts.

Around 180,000 migrants have arrived this year in Italy, compared to the same number last year. Around 1,000 have been reported lost at sea so far this year.
As Algeria braces for Parliamentary elections on May 4, 2017, the FLN-led government sees the upcoming polls as a means to keep the political status quo feeding the disenchantment of a population battered by worsening economic conditions.

The 2017 parliamentary elections are taking place in a context marked by an acute crisis reminiscent of the financial crisis that shook the country in the late 1980s.

On the backdrop of the fall in oil prices, Algeria has been depleting its coffers with reserves falling from $194 billion in 2013 to $109 billion last February. Besides the decreasing revenues and ailing economy, Algeria faces instability threats emanating from the struggle between the regimes elites, opacity regarding succession of President Bouteflika and a domestic Jihadist threat coupled with a possible spill-over of the turmoil in Libya and Mali.

The absence of genuine reforms and the adoption of austerity measures including new taxes and reduction of subsidies also threaten to infuriate protests. In Algeria, protests have always been expressed in the street rather than through the ballot box or institutions. The price hikes have always been met with violent protests as was the case in 2011. Then, the government had enough reserves to buy off social peace.

Amid such gloomy domestic and regional prospects, the FLN leaders call for voters to maintain status quo under the guise of safeguarding stability, which most regime critics describe rather as stagnation leading to an abyss.

We have to vote massively to reinforce political and security stability in the country and offer support for President Bouteflika, said Djamel Ould Abbas, head of the National Liberation Front (FLN), the presidents party, at a rally this month.

The Algerian opaque regime, or le pouvoir, continues to invoke, to maintain the status quo, the memories of the 1990s black decade, in which 200,000 civilians lost their lives in a brutal civil war.

Another factor that dissuades Algerians from casting their ballot is the widespread corruption. According to many observers, voter turnout in 2017 might be lower than in 2012 when only 43% of voters went to the polls.

Fixing polls remains a common practice casting doubt on elections credibility in the country.

As the FLN, which has been dominating Algerias governments since independence, is expected to win by large margins in a rugged electoral system, several opposition parties opted for boycotting the election.
Morocco has been shown as one of the few countries with a low presence of Salafism in a map published on the Geopoliticalfutures.com website.

Morocco together with Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain were painted light green in the map where the majority of Arab countries have been painted red or brown standing respectively for high and medium presence of Salafism, an ultraconservative branch within Sunni Islam that emerged in Saudi Arabia in the first half of the 18th Century. The branch derives its appelation from its endeavor to return to the traditions of what they deem as devout ancestors called Salaf in Arabic.

In a comment on the map, Geopolitical Futures notes that Saudi Arabia has exported Salafism to the rest of the Muslim world. It adds that this branch of Islam that espouses ultraconservative ideas was spread through purchasing mosques, underwriting seminaries, publishing literature, dispatching clerics and supporting charities.

Over time, however, it gradually lost control over the Salafist ideology itself, and three distinct branches formed: Quietist, Jihadist, and Electoral, Geopolitical Future explained.

The same website stroke a difference between the three branches of Salafism namely Quietists, Jihadists and the Electoralists. In this respect, Quietists were defined as the most dominant stand of Salafism that seeks to promote ultra conservative interpretations of Islam through proselytization.

Jihadists, for their part, add a violent dimension to their proselytization where armed insurrection is used to achieve the ultraconservative religious agenda.

The electoral branch, said Geopolitical Futures, emerged in the wake of the Arab Spring when Salafists saw in polls a bridge to reach power.
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.


Jon Ossoff. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Hours after Jon Ossoff fell 2 points short of painting the Atlanta suburbs blue, Politico summarized, in a headline, the donkey partys dismay: Democrats begin to wonder: When do we win?

In that piece, some Democratic operatives voiced fears that the anti-Trump resistance couldnt live on moral victories alone. Sure, a pro-choice civil-rights attorney, who aligned himself with a self-avowed socialist, had come within 7 points of winning a special election in deep-red Kansas  while a 30-year-old documentary filmmaker had garnered 48 percent of the vote in a Southern bastion of country-club Republicanism. But without securing a bona fide win in a high-profile race, the current level of runaway enthusiasm could sputter out long before the 2018 midterms, the partys strategists worried.

Such pessimism is understandable. After November 8, its hard to criticize any Democrat who sees the proverbial cup as half full of poison. But at present, the partys base appears neither demoralized nor demobilized. And this months symbolic victories already appear to be yielding concrete gains.

Every midterm fight begins with recruitment. And the Democrats surprisingly strong showings in disparate corners of red America are making it harder for Republicans to field their preferred players. As Politico reports:

Potential GOP candidates whom party leaders want to recruit are afraid of walking into a buzz saw, uncertain about what kind of political environment theyll be facing by the time the midterms come around  and what Trumps record will look like.



 [A]s Republican strategists examine [Georgias] special election, and one for a conservative Kansas seat a week earlier, theyre seeing evidence of a worrisome enthusiasm gap. In the run-up to the Georgia election, low-propensity Democratic voters  people who in years past did not consistently turn out to the polls  cast ballots at a rate nearly 7 percentage points higher than low-propensity Republicans, according to private polling by one Republican group. In Kansas, the chasm was wider. Infrequent Democratic voters cast ballots at a rate of 9 percentage points higher than low-propensity Republicans did  Two Republicans, Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy and Indiana Rep. Susan Brooks, recently announced they will be forgoing Senate runs.

Meanwhile, Democrats have more would-be candidates than they know what to do with. Vice News reports that 408 Democrats have already declared their intention to run for the House in 2018  a 58 percent increase over the 259 who had declared by this point in the 2014 cycle:

Normally, DCCC recruiters must fly across the country for several months and camp out in swing districts interviewing and prodding good profile candidates to run. But the DCCC has been inundated with what they say are very strong recruits from districts across the country, including traditional Republican strongholds.

There may be no better testament to the anti-Trump movements combination of enthusiasm and unbridled optimism than this: The Democratic candidate vying for Jason Chaffetzs soon-to-be-vacated seat in Utahs third district, one of the reddest in the country, has already raised more than $500,000.

The surge in declared candidates should quell Democratic fears that the resistances many marchers would pursue street politics to the exclusion of electoral ones. But it may exacerbate another fear of some Democrats  that the party will enter 2018 racked by internal divisions.

As Vice notes, many of Team Blues younger 2018 hopefuls are united by both their dislike of Trump and their distrust of the Democratic Party establishment. In addition to the DCCCs good profile challengers, the Democrats have also seen a slew of left-wing political neophytes  many of them eager to take down centrist candidates in primaries  enter the fray. Among these aspiring populist outsiders are several 27-year-olds, a former writer for The Onion, a 34-year-old Ph.D. student whose campaign staff is made up mostly of friends from Semester at Sea, and a woman who, fitting the times, goes by the name Mad.

Still, any rational party would welcome overcrowded primary fields over barren ones. Last fall, Hillary Clinton won House districts where Democrats didnt even bother to mount a candidate. In 2018, the party is poised to have candidates in every remotely winnable race (and in quite a few unwinnable ones).

In any case, divisions are a much bigger problem for the party in power. Right now, some Republicans believe the GOP desperately needs a legislative win on Obamacare repeal to improve its 2018 fortunes; others are anxious to pass new appropriations shoring up Obamas signature law.

The more candidates that Democrats recruit in swing districts, the less interested vulnerable Republicans are going to be in reviving plans to throw millions of people off of their health insurance. And while moral victories are less sweet than electoral ones, policy wins are better than both.
French presidential candidate for the far-right National Front party Marine Le Pen delivers a speech in Henin-Beaumont, on April 23, after the first round of the election. Photo: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

Far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen clinched enough votes Sunday to head into a runoff against centrist, independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in the French presidential elections. The mainstream party candidates on both the left and the right quickly backed Macron, and encouraged their supporters to unite behind his candidacy as a rejection of Le Pens extremism.

But now Le Pen has said she is temporarily stepping aside as leader of the National Front to focus on her presidential campaign, saying she wanted to be a candidate for all the French.

Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front, Le Pen said in a televised interview. I am the presidential candidate the one who wants to gather all the French around a project of hope, of prosperity, of security.

I will be above partisan concerns, she added.

The move appears to be a last-minute attempt to appeal to a broader swath of voters ahead of the May 7 runoff, in which Macron remains the favorite. Marine Le Pen has already tried to restyle the party as a kinder, gentler National Front, distancing herself from her Holocaust-denying father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded Front in the 1970s. Even so, Le Pen remains a radical candidate, channeling populist outrage with her staunchly anti-immigrant and anti-Europe candidacy.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis looks out over Kabul as he arrives via helicopter at Resolute Support headquarters on April 24, 2017, in in Kabul, Afghanistan. Mattis is on a regional tour of the Middle East. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Getty Images

Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived Monday at NATO headquarters in Afghanistan, a surprise visit tacked on the end of the former generals Middle East tour.

Mattiss visit  taking place a little more than a week after National Security Adviser H.R. McMasters trip  comes at a precarious time in the more-than-15-year-long war. On Monday, the Taliban allegedly detonated a car bomb in front of a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan, though the details and number of casualties are not yet known. That explosion follows the bloody Taliban raid on a northern Afghan army base on Friday that left as many as 140 dead and more than 150 wounded. The Taliban fighters, who disguised themselves in army uniforms, ambushed hundreds of unarmed soldiers right after they had finished prayers. It is believed to be the single deadliest attack on an Afghan military base since the start of the war, reports the New York Times.



Afghanistans defense minister and army chief resigned in the wake of the rampage, citing the national interest. Fridays brutal attack came about a week after the United States used one of its arsenals largest nonnuclear bombs in eastern Afghanistan to target a network of caves reportedly harboring ISIS fighters.

The Trump administration is reportedly reviewing its strategy in Afghanistan, and potentially mulling requests to send additional troops to the embattled country in the wake of Taliban gains and ISISs surge. There are more than 8,000 American troops still in Afghanistan; General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has requested thousands more military personnel to help reset the offensive against the terror groups.
The USS Carl Vinson. Photo: Sean M. Castellano/U.S. Navy via Getty Images

A Navy strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson is headed for waters off of the Korean peninsula. North Korean state media is promising that if those arrogant aircraft carriers get too close, Pyongyang will turn them into a lump of scrap metal  allowing the world to clearly see how the United States vanishes from the Earth.

Our super-hard-line responses include sudden, preemptive strikes involving land, naval, underwater, and airmobile assets, North Koreas state-run website Uriminzokkiri continued.

China is calling on both sides to take a deep breath and count to ten. In a phone conversation with president Trump, Chinese president Xi Jinping urged all parties to avoid any measures that might heighten tensions on the Korean peninsula, according to Chinese state medias CCTV.

Neither side seems to appreciate that advice.

America and Japan are going forward with naval exercises off the coast of North Korea, while Kim Jong-uns regime has reportedly detained a university lecturer with American citizenship  and is rumored to be preparing another nuclear test for Tuesday, to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Korean Peoples Army.

These reciprocal aggressions are the latest developments in the ongoing standoff over North Koreas nuclear program. Pyongyang is making progress toward a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States, an initiative it justifies as a deterrent against an American invasion. President Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from obtaining such a missile, even if doing so requires military action.

Asked whether the United States was considering a preemptive strike Monday, United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley told NBCs Today show, We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something.

If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously were going to do that, Haley said of Kim. But right now, were saying dont test, dont use nuclear missiles, dont try and do any more actions, and I think hes understanding that. And Chinas helping really put that pressure on him.

The tenor of North Korean state media lends some credence to that last claim. On April 21, the Korean Central News Agency complained that China is dancing to the tune of the United States.
Trump learns about space. Photo: Molly Riley - Pool/Getty Images

Peggy Whitson broke the record Monday for longest stay by a U.S. astronaut in space: 534 days. In honor of this achievement, President Donald Trump, with his daughter Ivanka and astronaut Kate Rubins present, called up Whitson from the Oval Office to congratulate her. This is a very special day in the glorious history of American spaceflight, Trump said.

He also appeared eager to discuss a mission to Mars  and seemed to forget that he had already established a target date for the voyage. Tell me, Mars, what do you see a timing for actually sending humans? he asked Whitson.

In March, Trump signed a bill authorizing more than $19 billion in funding for NASA. It set a timeline for a manned mission to Mars by 2033.

Whitson reminded him of it. Well, I think as your bill directed, itll be approximately in the 2030s, she said.

Well, we want to try and do it during my first term, Trump replied. Or at worst, during my second term, so well have to speed that up a little bit, okay?

Trump also learned how astronauts get water in space. Whitson, telling Trump that its such a precious resource said that they were cleaning up our urine and making it drinkable. And its really not as bad as it sounds.

Well, thats good, Trump replied. Im glad to hear that. Better you than me.
The more you think it through, a Cruz administration would have probably unfolded much like the Trump administration. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In all the extensive discussion of late about Donald Trumps alleged centrism, or normalcy, or whatever you choose to call it, the question that must be asked is: Compared to what? Certainly compared to some hellscape where Stephen Bannon is directing red-hatted bullyboys to beat up enemy reporters or fight anti-Trump protesters in the streets, everything is relatively calm. America is still recognizable as America. But the exultation in Wall Street and Beltway circles over Trumps decision to launch an attack on Syria as a sign that hes not Mussolini is a bit odd, to say the least. And the prominence in the administration and Congress of conservative ideologues who might have been considered a bit out-there before Trump came along is a reminder that disturbingly extremist tendencies in the GOP were not unknown before 2016.

As Brian Beutler put it earlier this week:

It is strange  to describe the combined law enforcement policy of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, economic policy of adviser Gary Cohn, and foreign policy of Trumps Twitter feed and the military generals in his good graces as centrism.

And so before we all lose our bearings, it might be useful to answer the compared to what? question by asking ourselves what Washington would be like right now if Trumps closest competitor in the Republican Party primaries were in the Oval Office right now (with everything else, including the composition of Congress, being more or less the same).

The simple and revealing answer is that a Ted Cruz presidency would probably be an awful lot like the Trump presidency so far. For those who remember how out there Cruz was considered when he first decided to run for the presidency in early 2015, that is an eye-opener indeed.

The more conventionally conservative part of Trumps original plans for the presidency would have most definitely been advanced by a President Cruz: radical regulatory reform, an originalist for the Supreme Court, and an assault on the paltry Wall Street reforms of the Obama administration. Mick Mulvaneys budget outline for fiscal year 2018 is precisely the sort of plan offering deep cuts in nondefense discretionary spending and a sharp boost in funding for the Pentagon that Cruz proposed in his own campaign; there is significant overlap in the programs and agencies he wanted to kill and those Trump is proposing to kill right now.

On the big initial legislative fight of the Trump era, the White House has wound up very close to Ted Cruz starting point on repealing and replacing Obamacare. Cruz is closely aligned to the House Freedom Caucus members who are essentially driving the health-policy bus at this point. And if there is ever a consensus bill that can command enough Republican support to get through Congress, it will likely adopt Cruzs proposal to ignore Senate budget rules and repeal Obamacare regulations via a reconciliation bill that requires no Democratic votes.

On tax policy, candidates Cruz and Trump took somewhat different tacks to enacting huge and regressive tax cuts: Trumps involved straightforward cuts in individual and corporate rates, while Cruz embraced a single 10 percent income-tax rate and then a value-added tax that would replace both corporate and payroll taxes. Its very likely President Cruz would have had to modify the controversial and complicated VAT (like Paul Ryans tax proposal, it had a border adjustment feature that many key interests dont like) and embrace something closer to Trumps plan and those of other congressional Republicans. But there is zero basic philosophical disagreement among any leading Republicans about the distributional effects of their tax plans (most of the benefits targeted to high earners and corporations)  or about the ready availability of the supply-side pixie dust of dynamic scoring to pay for any tax cuts that are not offset by spending cuts.

But aside from standard fiscal and economic policy, what about all that crazy nationalist stuff Trump has embraced? Surely President Cruz would not have gone there?

Dont be so sure. While Cruz never attacked NAFTA or trade liberalization generally, he did come out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2015. On immigration policy, Cruz spent a good part of the 2016 campaign cozying up to Trumps hard-core position. By the time the later primaries rolled around, the Texan almost sounded like he was trying to get to Trumps right on the issue:

In an interview with Fox News, host Bill OReilly asked Mr. Cruz whether he would round up all 12 million illegal aliens here, and if so, how?

Mr. Cruz replied, yes, we should deport them. We should build a wall, we should triple the Border Patrol. Federal law requires that anyone here illegally thats apprehended should be deported.

That wasnt the only topic where Trump and then Cruz exemplified a trend among conservatives and Republicans generally. Cruz was a solid recruit to Jeff Sessions retrograde effort to kill bipartisan criminal-justice reform efforts in the Senate last year. And even on that ultimate outlier proposal from Trump, the Muslim travel ban, Cruz made sure it was clear he had an alternative plan to achieve similar results:

Instead of joining the Trump critics, Cruz tried to tout his own proposals to restrict the flow of refugees: a three-year moratorium on any coming from nations where Islamic State forces are wreaking havoc, allowing governors to opt out of receiving any refugees and revoking citizenship for any American who travels abroad in support of Islamic State forces.

Again, thats close to the legal ground the Trump administration has now retreated to after it became obvious a flat Muslim ban could not possibly survive judicial scrutiny.

Would Ted Cruz have launched cruise missiles at Syria on April 6? Thats harder to say, though again, Cruz and Trump had similar approaches to the Assad regime and ISIS  prioritize the destruction of the latter, even if that meant tolerating the former  during the campaign. And in offering guarded support for Trumps action, Cruz took virtually the same Jacksonian tack as Trump himself in justifying a flip-flop from opposition to a similar proposal considered by Barack Obama in 2013:

With eight years of Barack Obama as president, what we saw was a weak president whose word did not mean anything. Our friends did not trust us, and our enemies did not fear us.

In other words, the U.S. needed to attack Syria not to topple Assad, but to reestablish the credibility of our threats to use deadly force when needed.

All in all, there is simply not a lot of evidence that a Cruz administration would have governed much differently than a Trump administration. There would have even been one more Goldman Sachs veteran in a Cruz White House: his wife, Heidi.

Does that mean Trump is now normal? Again, it depends on the context you choose. Ted Cruz represented the outward fringe of conservative thinking before Trump  a radical who earned extraordinary disdain from Establishment Republicans and from his Senate colleagues, not least because he made common cause with House conservatives and inspired them to threaten and even execute a government shutdown that congressional GOP leaders very much wanted to avoid. There was as much mutual disdain between Cruz and party leaders as there was more recently between Steve Bannon and Paul Ryan.

Perhaps Cruz and Trump simply represent stylistic differences between two leaders of a harsh new strain of race-inflected conservatism that became dominant so quickly that it commanded 70 percent of the total Republican primary vote in 2016 (Trump got 45 percent and Cruz 25 percent). It would still be dominant if there was no Bannon in the White House and no crude materialist with a reputation for sexism to whom he was reporting. Theres nothing normal or reassuring about that reality.
The Trump tax cuts are coming. Photo: Andrew Harrer - Pool/Getty Images

The Trump administrations announcement that it will support a gigantic tax cut, rather than tax reform, is exactly the outcome thats been inevitable from the beginning. Given that the Republican effort to dismantle Obamacare imploded, it is tempting to assume that a similar fate awaits the Trump tax cuts. But this misunderstands the modern Republican Party, which remains fanatically devoted to the cause of regressive tax cuts, and which is very likely to pass Trumps plan, or something like it.

The confusion over the plans prospects arises from the fact that Republicans have been internally debating the merits of tax reform versus tax cuts, giving the impression of a schism. Republicans in Congress still have no agreement for a vision on taxes, and the White House doesnt have a plan of its own, writes Josh Barro. Tax reform dies for all sorts of good reasons, and this administration looks even less organized on the issue than those that have failed to reform the tax code in the past. My bet on a Trump tax legacy: nothing.

The truth is that Republicans have little interest in truly reforming the tax code. (We know this because, in 2014, Republican Ways and Means chairman Dave Camp suddenly and unexpectedly wandered off the party reservation to propose a genuine tax-reform plan before his retirement, only to be shunned for his heresy by the entire party.) The interest in reform grew from a desire by Republicans to pass permanent tax cuts for the rich. The logic is that a tax cut for the rich wont attract any Democratic votes, which means it would have to pass through a reconciliation bill. Senate rules prohibit using reconciliation for any bill that adds to the deficit after a decade. Republicans hoped to offset the cost of their tax cuts for the rich with tax increases on the non-rich, allowing the cuts to be permanent. Paul Ryan was especially keen on a border-adjustment tax, which would, in theory, raise a trillion dollars in revenue from the poor and middle class that could offset the cost of tax cuts for rich people. But that idea provoked deep opposition from retailers, and senators in states (such as Walmarts Arkansas) where they have pull. With that source of funding politically dead, Republicans have no way to pay for their tax cuts.

So  they wont. But that doesnt mean proponents of tax reform will walk away. It just means theyll have to settle for the same thing they enthusiastically passed in 2001: a debt-financed tax cut that is phased out after a decade. Trumpcare died because a large faction of vulnerable Republicans opposed its essential function of taking health care away from their constituents. Nobody in the party opposes the basic function of cutting taxes for rich people. Some of them want to use their control of government to pass a tax cut thats more likely to last, but from their perspective, ten years of lower taxes for rich people is going to be way better than none.
The chicken legs wouldnt cook right. Chelsea Savage, then 17, could feel tears welling up as she stood over the stove. She would be chastised for this, for not getting the skins crispy enough, for not pleasing the woman who ruled over her  who had Savage cook, clean, and watch her children without pay. If she lived in a world beyond the confines of a church where members were forced to wear Victorian-style clothes and pulled out of school, shed be like the girls in the magazines she was forbidden to read: The ones who wore bangles and bright nail polish, and who dressed like members of the Brat Pack. But instead she was crying in a kitchen in rural Virginia, her hair pinned up like a turn-of-the-century housemaid. I wasnt even allowed to use the dishwasher, because then I wasnt building character, says Savage. I was just so lonely.

That was 1987. Its hard to imagine that these are the beginnings of a woman who would go on to earn two advanced degrees and become a professional liability investigator for a large hospital, much less run for office. And yet this week, Chelsea Savage, now 46, is doing just that  shes hoping voters in Virginias 73rd district will support her bid for the Democratic nomination for state delegate. If she is chosen among the partys four candidates looking to make it on the ballot, shell take on Republican incumbent John OBannon, a 69-year-old neurologist who has held the seat since 2001 and has only once been contested by a Democratic candidate. In 2012, voters in the Richmond area backed Mitt Romney for president, but then in 2016, a change: Virginias 73rd district became one of 17 districts in the state with a Republican delegate that voted for Hillary Clinton. Now, Democrats are specifically targeting those districts in this years state elections, looking to flip seats from red to blue. A Democratic victory would be a major feat, but for Savage  an openly gay single mother who grew up not just poor, but about as far from political pedigree as one can get  it would also be a personal triumph. A signal of how far shes come.

To understand who Savage is today, and why shes seeking office, its necessary to go back to the dark corners of her life. That kitchen. The old church. A run-down trailer park. Savage was just 5 when her parents divorced and her mom moved her and her brother to Hampton, Virginia, where they ended up living in a single-wide. Theyd eventually need government assistance through the Section 8 housing program to keep a roof over their heads. The trailers were at least 20 years old, says Savage. They were falling apart. I remember one woman, her trailer had a hole in the bathroom and she would have possums come up in it.

A couple living just outside the park befriended Savages mother, and they invited her to come visit the Charles Church Christian Life Center in Yorktown, where they were members. Its worth noting that the church exists in a separate iteration today and with new leadership; while the building itself remains, its a different congregation than when Savage was there. But she and three other former members interviewed for this article describe the religious group in the 1970s through 90s as a cult with roughly 70 members. I refer to it as a cult, or definitely dont call it a church, says Sharon Neal, 43, who was part of the Christian Life Center (sometimes referred to as the CLC) as a child. It was an extreme religious sect.

Chuck Call inside the Charles Church Christian Life Center.

Theres also a private survivors group on Facebook where such members share their experiences living under leaders Chuck and Betty Call  who Savage says targeted divorced women on welfare with children like her mother. She describes these vulnerable women being lured into the group under the guise of support and community, only to be turned into working support staff for the Calls.

As an adult, Im like, they preyed upon crisis moments in peoples lives, says Hannah Burns, the Calls 34-year-old granddaughter, who grew up in the CLC. For me it was this sort of really disconnected, dated cult experience that took getting away from before I could call it that. But now its something I accept. She adds, I can only imagine what Chelsea was going through back then  Theres nothing like being told youre going to be burned in hell for not wiping the counters down.

Savage describes the fear of living under Betty  the Bible-thumping bad cop to what Neal calls Chucks more love and grace good cop. We were always concerned that we were doing what Betty said was okay, because people believed she had this direct line to God and we could be going to hell, says Savage. We used to have these candles in the church, and [Betty] would light them, and all the women would [be] following her in a line. She would sing and we would dance with our arms raised, praying in tongues. We would follow everything she did.

Theres nothing like being told youre going to be burned in hell for not wiping the counters down.

When you look back as an adult, you can see the level of manipulation and how interwoven Betty was in everyones lives, says Naomi, 36, another former member, who asked that her last name be withheld for privacy reasons. There were several methods of control: It was mandated that members adhere to a strict dress code, which for women and girls meant long, dated dresses. If it was too short, we would sew lace on the bottom or top  it was all very puritanical, very much Scarlet Letter, says Savage. Additionally, most books were banned except for religious texts and approved novels, like Anne of Green Gables. And girls were groomed for marriage and motherhood at an early age  One friend got married at 16 or 17, says Burns. You were supposed to get married as young as you could.

For girls especially, marriage and homemaking were placed above education. This led to a devastating decision: When Savage was in the sixth grade, the Calls ordered that parents pull their children from school and teach them at home, in accordance with Virginias religious-exemption policy. It was at this point where former members say they were instead left to teach themselves, and with limited materials.

Initially, the material that we had wasnt even school material, it was just books about Jesus, says Neal. Stripped of a formal education, Neal says she was regularly dropped off to care for the children. They would leave all the kids at somebodys house and wed be locked up. We couldnt go out, because we were supposed to be in school, and what if a cop saw us? I had it mentioned to me several times, Stay off the street. Dont go outside. Dont go in the yard. Dont let anybody see you.

An article from 2001 shows Chuck and Betty Call outside the CLC.

Savage did the best she could to educate herself, getting her hands on real textbooks and reading them alone on the steps of her moms trailer. She kept at it, mailing in exams to advance, and at 15, earned her GED. Her hope was that she could go to community college to begin studying to become a nurse, but she was told she was too young. Instead, My only foray into the real world was that I was allowed to be a volunteer at the hospital, she says. I had my crazy, dated hairstyle and then my candy-striper dress. Her volunteer work ended, however, when she was tasked with working as an unpaid nanny and maid for Chuck and Bettys family, and after five years, shed had enough. At least marriage would be something new, a way out. And so, at 23, Savage wed a man more than 18 years her senior who had three sons from a previous marriage.

I remember feeling so depressed on my honeymoon, she says. I wasnt in love with him. He wasnt in love with me.

There was one bright spot: Savages new husband had attended church dinners, but he wasnt really a member, and more, he wasnt trapped under Chuck and Bettys spell. So when it became clear that Betty expected Savage to take his boys out of school, thats when Savage knew she had to leave. I remember sitting on the floor of the trailer, terrified  But a light bulb switched in me and I was like, I can do this. I can leave the church. And so I did, and I sent the boys to school, and I was so happy and excited about it. Savages mother and brother remained until a couple of years later, and I was dirt, says Savage. I was on the so-called devils list.

The marriage ended after six years, due in part to the age difference and also that Savage wasnt attracted to her husband  nor, she would later realize, to any man. But the couple had a daughter together, Victoria (Tori), and Savages ex owned a tuxedo-rental business profitable enough for Savage to attend nursing school. With a degree in hand, she finally had what she needed to make it on her own.

After the divorce, she worked night shifts as a hospital nurse so her ex could look after Tori. He eventually moved away, and she took on various nursing gigs  including one at a jail  to avoid the grueling shift schedule at hospitals. But the jobs were a long slog from the small apartment she was renting in Richmond. Finally, I said, Chelsea, you need to get your butt back to the hospital, and I sucked it up and did it. The problem was that I had a 6-year-old by that time, and I didnt have anybody to take care of her.

Without affordable child-care options on nights and weekends, Savage sometimes had no choice but to bring her daughter to work, having her sleep in the nurses lounge. I was so emotionally spent, says Savage. I had one credit card that I would put on another credit card, and so on. There was this day I was driving and I envisioned me and Tori on this bus  and I just wanted to get off  And then I had this image of Tori on that bus alone, hanging on for dear life, with no one to protect her. The bottom line, I told myself, is that you cant get off this bus. You cant.

So instead of getting off, she went full steam ahead. Savage enrolled in online college courses and earned a bachelors degree in philosophy between shifts, and then went on to get a masters in health administration and a doctorate in nursing practice. While she was in school, she also joined the Virginia Nurses Association (VNA). Her volunteer work with nurses organizations marked her first steps into the political sphere. It was there that she found her mentors  former VNA presidents Shirley Gibson and Becky Bowers-Lanier, who both encouraged Savage to run for office They would say, When are you going to run? says Savage. I kept saying, Why do you keep picking me? I didnt understand. That they asked directly matters: One key reason fewer women seek office than men is because men are more likely to be urged to run, according to a 2013 study.

Chelsea Savage today. Photo:  Dan Iott Photography

Pushed by her mentors, Savage also applied for and was granted a scholarship to the University of Virginias Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. Then, in a fateful coincidence two years ago, she sat at the same table as board members from Emerge Virginia  part of a nationwide network that helps Democratic women run for office  at an event. They said, You need to come do Emerge with us, and I said okay, because if people give me an opportunity, I take it.

Savage wanted to jump right in, but shed only recently come out as gay, and I was trying to get my feet on the ground, she says. For years, shed been pulling herself away from the lessons of her childhood, but her sexuality was one piece that came later. I was raised not to acknowledge what I want and who I am. After she embraced her attraction to women  and a copy of Lisa M. Diamonds Sexual Fluidity  Suddenly, everything clicked.

But would a gay candidate click with voters? The first thing I said as part of Emerge was, How much of an issue is being gay, when running [for office]? she says. They told me it wasnt a liability.

This is a different year, says Julie S. Copeland, the executive director of Emerge Virginia, who has worked in Virginia politics for 28 years. Theres a change in the electorate  whether its sustaining or not, its hard to know. But I think it affords [Savage] a donor base  And I think, we are in a time even here in Virginia where thats not a shocking thing anymore.

The real urgency didnt hit until November 9, when President Trump was elected and a wave of anger and disbelief pushed progressive women to act; Emerge Virginia experienced a 200 percent increase in applications the following week. Virginia has seen a surge of Democratic candidates this year, 52 of them women (11 of whom are incumbents), looking to change the 66-34 Republican majority in the House.

With thousands of women newly interested in running for office across the country, it could be a sign of things to come in 2018, when the majority of states hold elections. Savage now has her eyes set on April 29, when she will face three other Democrats in Virginias 73rd district  two of them women who are also involved with Emerge  looking to win the partys nomination in a caucus. That has never happened, says Copeland. Its always been our dream scenario that we have so many women that they are running against each other.

If Savage makes it past the caucus on Saturday, her next challenge will be continuing to fundraise. Its one of the biggest hurdles for any candidate, especially first-timers  and for women, per Copeland. What we find for women in general is its not something we are used to doing, she says. A lot of women feel like they are asking for money for themselves personally, and thats a hurdle we try to get past with training. So far, Savage has raised a little over $14,000  and if she wins the Democratic nomination, shell need to raise closer to $250,000. Youre supposed to do a hard ask: Will you give my campaign $100? says Savage. Its hard. I dont have rich friends  I just tell myself, Chelsea, you know how to call somebody on the phone. You know how to knock on the door. It doesnt matter if youre scared.

Sometimes the reaction isnt what shes looking for: Savage says she has had numerous people tell her they are waiting to donate until after the caucus; and then there was the email she says she received from an older voter, who suggested she keep her sexual orientation private. (To which Savage says, I love that Im the lesbian nurse!) But sometimes its better than she could have imagined, when she can tell her story and engage voters on some of her tent-pole issues, including health care, education, equal rights, and child care.

Mostly, shes looking to connect with voters who feel underrepresented; she wants them to know she sees them, because she is one of them. And even though shes now a homeowner and her daughter is about to graduate college, she understands what its like to struggle. Its one of the reasons shes open about her story  all of it, even the ugly bits  on the campaign trail. Recently I had given a speech where I talked about welfare, and after a woman came up to me in tears and said, I havent had [a candidate] talk to me before that knew about Section 8 housing, and I just hugged her, says Savage. We were hurt. We were out there  mothers trying to keep a roof over our kids heads. Or, we were children living with that and seeing our parents go through it  teased because of our clothes. You dont have to live in a cult to experience that. And we were silent. We were invisible. So I had to become the person who cared. Her mind drifts to a familiar motivator. I am on this bus, she says. Im not getting off.
Photo: Bobby Bank/WireImage

Richard Simmons posted his first Facebook update since returning home from the hospital last week. The fitness guru went to Cedars Sinai Medical Center with a case of severe indigestion last Monday, according to People, and returned home Thursday with help from LAPD detective Kevin Becker and his housekeeper to avoid the paparazzi. (Simmons was the subject of the recent podcast Missing Richard Simmons, which delved into his disappearance from the public eye.)

Hope youre having a beautiful Sunday. I wanted to take a moment to send a big thank you to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center during my short stay there this week. They make you feel good even though youre in the hospital for feeling bad.



Another shout out goes to the wonderful men and women of the Los Angeles Police Dept. They were so helpful and kind as I returned home.



Lets take a minute and all be thankful for medical professionals, police, firefighters and our brave military forces here and around the world. They risk so much every day to make us well and keep us protected.

Becker told People, He looks really great  He is getting older like all of us but he is in good shape. He is in great spirits. He was laughing and joking and talking. He is very friendly, very funny, adding, He is just fine. He is just a private guy now, he said. If he wants to go somewhere, he goes.
Photo: Getty Images

New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives  with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a 26-year-old assistant film producer who recently broke up with her boyfriend in front of a new guy: 26, straight, single, FiDi.

Day One

9 a.m. I wake up in my best friends bed groggy and hungover, still fully dressed including makeup and jewelry. My mouth tastes disgusting.

10 a.m. I find my best friends keys (hes still out cold) and walk up the block for some blue Gatorade. Blue Gatorade is the only color that cures hangovers, FYI.

I have a text from a new guy Im seeing. He actually witnessed the phone call where my ex-boyfriend and I decided to end it, just a week ago. New Guy and I were outside smoking when it happened. Through my tears, he asked how he could make me feel better and I said, Kiss me. We hung out last night, and he texted me half an hour ago saying he had fun and wanting to know if he can see me again tonight. I say maybe. Seeing him three nights in a row might be overkill.

10:30 a.m. My best friends awake now and saying he wants Starbucks. Ive been staying on his couch for the past week because I was essentially living with my ex-boyfriend and now  Im couch-crashing wherever. The city is expensive  I work 14-hour days at a TV-production job during the week and write for a blog on the weekend. It doesnt make sense for me to sublet an apartment right now, not when I can couch-surf like this.

1 p.m. Some friends from college want to go out tonight. We all went to school in the city and definitely have our old college-bar stomping grounds, but tonight theyve decided we should go to hipster bars (for the Snapchat geofilters). I agree to go even though I feel like death.

10 p.m. Out with my friends and drunk-texting New Guy. Hes cute, a bartender. He asks if he can come meet me when hes off work.

1 a.m. He somehow finds me in this very dark, very loud techno bar. Its freezing outside, but we still walk the 15 blocks to his apartment. Im super-chatty and affectionate from the tequila. We hold hands. Once we get inside his room, he goes down on me until I climax. I get on top for his turn but he cant get hard  apparently, hes also pretty drunk. We cuddle naked and listen to music until we fall asleep.

Day Two

7 a.m. I throw up in his bathroom and call a Lyft to get the fuck out of there. Hes snoring, still sound asleep. Everything I drank last night is hitting me at once and I feel like I could throw up again. I run outside. The Lyft has bottled water, thank god.

9 a.m. Im sitting in a Starbucks doing my weekend writing job. The great thing about this job is that I can do it from anywhere. New Guy texted to ask where I went. I told him I wasnt feeling well and wanted to shower before work.

11 a.m. My phone dings. Surprise, surprise, its my ex. He wants to know if Im free tonight. I tell him no.

We broke up because he acted like he didnt care about me; now, hes overcompensating. Does it make up for the three other girls he talks to  which he thinks I dont know about? Not one bit.

8 p.m. At dinner with friends at a cute Japanese place and everyone has ordered a drink except me  Im still feeling pretty wrecked. They all want to go out after. I tell them about my night and say Im just going to head home.

My best friend hands me his keys and tells me he wont be out long. On the way there I stop to pick up some Cheez-Its and one of those mini bottles of wine, on sale for $1. I lie on the couch, watching Friends from his Netflix account. I crack and text my ex: Im thinking about you too. Im not even mildly tipsy; this is just the first time Ive really been alone all week and can process my feelings. He writes back almost instantly. Good. When can I see you? I tell him I dont know.

Day Three

11 a.m. Ive been at work for a few hours and Im texting my ex again. Against all better judgment I have agreed to see him tonight. I really shouldnt have  tonight Im also moving into an Airbnb for the rest of the week. I love my best friend, but Ive been craving having my own bed. I dont know how Im going to get all the way back to my best friends from work, grab my things, go to the Airbnb, change clothing, and go on this date  but oh well. I have some time to plan.

8 p.m. Weve wrapped on filming for the day and Im waiting for the train. I decided not to change. Im in a black turtleneck and black jeans with boots. Its fine. My ex said he would pick me up at the Airbnb when Im ready. Im nervous. Why am I nervous?

9:30 p.m. Hes waiting for me outside, wearing my favorite flannel. Hes got his glasses on and looks like a young bumbling British actor. We walk up the street to a neighborhood bar. Weve been on-and-off for close to a year now. I think I might be in love with him, but thats a thought I will probably never share. I cant trust him.

At some point during our conversation I lean across the table and kiss him. I cant help it. He asks if Im going home with him tonight. I say yes.

11:30 p.m. Im back in his familiar apartment on his bed and hes kissing my neck and my chest. He knows exactly what I like, without asking. I love his mouth. He goes down on me for as long as I want and then comes back up and kisses me. Then he fucks me until we both come. I never mention that Ive been sleeping with someone else. Eventually, we fall asleep with his head resting in the crook of my neck.

Day Four

7 a.m. Im on the train to work wearing my exs shirt. He left marks all down my stomach and thighs; I can feel the button of my jeans pressing into a particularly fresh bruise. Hes already texted to say have a good day. And Im just seeing it now, but New Guy texted last night. He wants to know if I want to hang out tonight.

12 p.m. On my lunch break I go into the bathroom and send my ex photos of the bruises he left on me. If I see New Guy tonight I should probably NOT take off my shirt.

3 p.m. I tell New Guy yes, I will see him tonight.

7 p.m. We are pushing a scene and are going to wrap later than usual. I text New Guy to tell him we need to reschedule. He says hell be bartending until midnight and could probably still see me if I wanted. I dont.

9:30 p.m. Im finally off work and on the train. My ex texts to ask if I want to hang out. I say yes without hesitating and ride all the way to his apartment.

11 p.m. We hang out with his roommates for a minute and then he brings me into his bedroom and undresses me on the couch. I ride him for a little and once he feels like hes about to finish, he chokes me (he knows I like it) until he comes. Hes the only person I dont use a condom with. Ive been on birth control since high school and get tested for all possible STDs. I am clean; I know he is too. I still worry about getting pregnant, though.

11:15 p.m. I clean up and we get in bed. He tells me were not done yet and goes down on me. Hes truly the best head Ive ever had.

Day Five

6:30 a.m. Alone time on the train gives me an opportunity to slap on some makeup. Normally I hate people who do that, but the cars are usually empty this early.

3 p.m. New Guy texts and wants to know if he can see me. Hes not working tonight. I say sure.

7 p.m. Were slated to run late again  feeling guilty, I cancel on New Guy. My excuses are getting repetitive and dumb. Hes really sweet, but Id rather just go home and go to bed. Ugh.

9 p.m. My ex texts and asks if I want to come over. Ive literally just opened the front door to the Airbnb. I tell him Id love to but am just too tired. He doesnt offer to come here instead. Typical.

Day Six

4 p.m. A girlfriend texts and asks if I want to go to a show. I say yes. She says her hot friend who recently moved to the city is coming too  I met him once, at a party. I text my best friend and we joke about how its finally my moment to hook up with him.

7 p.m. Taking a Lyft to grab dinner with my friend and Hot Friend. Hes late and when he walks in, it feels like everyone turns to look at him. Hes tall and just face-melting gorgeous. My ex texts; I tell him Im busy tonight. He says he misses me.

8:30 p.m. Hot Friend buys me a drink at the bar inside the venue.

10:30 p.m. Were taking a Lyft uptown to meet my best friend and a few others. Ive spent a fortune on Lyfts this week. I vow to use the train from now on.

12 a.m. Hot Friend asks if he can buy me another drink. He also lets me know that he has Champagne at his apartment down the block. I tell him I love Champagne.

12:15 a.m. We end up inside his apartment, where he immediately pushes me against a wall and kisses me. He says a lot of sweet things about how hed been hoping this would happen. He takes me into his room and throws me on the bed. I mean, he physically LIFTS me off the ground and tosses me onto his bed like I weigh nothing. No one has ever done that to me before; its kind of super-hot. We start having sex and then he pulls out and finishes on my stomach  not my favorite. He hands me a hand towel from the bathroom and asks if I want a shirt to sleep in. I tell him I have work early in the morning, then give him a quick kiss and leave.

12:30 a.m. I text my ex: Miss you.

Day Seven

3 p.m. Absolutely wild that its only been an eight-hour workday. I get to take the train while its still light out  a huge treat for me.

5 p.m. My ex wants to take me out to dinner AND Hot Guy texted saying he got my number from our mutual friend (We should go out again soon). No text from New Guy; maybe hes given up.

8 p.m. My ex and I are at an intimate sushi spot with candles on the tables. We have a bottle of wine. For the first time all week I feel like I look put-together and can tell hes made an effort too. We have a really nice time, then head to one of my favorite bars.

10 p.m. Were sitting in a dark corner where no one can see that my hand is down his pants. He rubs the back of my neck while I jerk him off a little. We briefly discuss taking this situation to the bathroom but ultimately decide we can do way more at home.

11 p.m. In his apartment, on his bed. Im on all fours. Were role-playing that Im the babysitter and hes the dad and he found me touching myself in his bed while his wife is downstairs. He spanks me until I know Im going to have a mark on that butt cheek.

11:30 p.m. He brings me water and we finish the Slender Man documentary we started a while ago. I feel my eyes start to close as I lie on his chest. I dont know what were doing, but I like it right now, just like this.



Want to submit a sex diary? Email sexdiaries@nymag.com and tell us a little about yourself.
Oprah just told a story.... a true story. That's it. The Lacks family should've been paid. That is not Oprah's responsibility.

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ok but did they at least pay the family for the use of the story? or?

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No, not other than the $16,000 for consulting but with that comes the stipulation that they have to sign their right away to talk about their mother unless they get permission from Oprah or HBO which imo is utter bullshit



I think people think they want compensation for what happened to their mother vs compensation for the actual movie which Oprah/HBO def would be responsible for because they're profiting of this movie. It's not like they're doing it for free out of the goodness of their heart.

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yeah honestly, reading about the stipulation that can't talk about their own mother?? UNREAL. that's nagl at all.

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ugh, that's really fucked up. oprah and hbo has more than enough money too, smdh

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i mean...i guess but she could also help in compensating them since shes getting cash benefit from it.

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Wow

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Wait, whaaat?? They're not making anything from this movie, or they're just not making a ton?? The source isn't clear. Surely whoever sold the rights to the book makes something...? It's def not Oprah or HBO's job to pay for the actual cell part, but for the story itself, I'd think.

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Edited at 2017-04-24 04:26 pm (UTC) There seems to be some sort of family feud going on. Rebecca Skloot probably makes the most money, since she actually wrote the book. HBO made an unspecified donation to the Henrietta Lacks Foundation, and from there money trickles down to various family members. Lawrence, the main guy complaining, is fighting with the non-complaining Lacks members over control of the foundation.

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A family feud would definitely explain this, and doesn't surprise me. Families can get so ugly over money.

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Yeah, the family feud makes sense. Renee has been posting pictures with some of the Lacks family members so some of them have been involved/support the film.

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I agree it's not her responsibility but Oprah definitely has enough money that anything she personally made off of this could've been donated to the family, if she wanted to do that.

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she's right that the drug companies should be forking out. she can, however, give them something. i don't know if she's going to get royalties from this movie (probably) but if she does she can sign them over to them or something imo

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I edited my post. I found more informations



Edited at 2017-04-24 04:19 pm (UTC)

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They should have been paid by the companies using the cells . Oprah and HBO are only responsible for the author to get paid .....I'm not an ONTD lawyer



The book was hard for me to get through , not just because the researchers being trash also the Lacks Town all together



Edit



Just read the update WOW that is fucked up he wouldn't be allowed to talk about his mother



Edited at 2017-04-24 04:12 pm (UTC)

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No, it's that he can't discuss the production of the film and was a pretty standard contract that happens all the time for sources/consultants to protect production of the film until it is released.



Whether here or via Google, there are a lot of receipts that seem to show it's not that Lawrence doesn't want people profiting off the story...it's that Lawrence wants to be the only one profiting.

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 Lawrence Lacks turned down HBOs offer of a $16,000 consultant fee on the project and refused an advance screening because he was asked to sign his rights away and he wouldnt be allowed to talk about his mother anymore.



wtf HBO

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Yet, HBO says this: An HBO representative said the consulting contract was an industry standard and that the screening nondisclosure form applied only to discussing the movies content before its official release, not speaking publicly about Henrietta Lacks.



I don't know that any of them would sign away the right to talk about her especially since a number of them speak about her story at schools and things.

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this whole thing is so confusing

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Yeah. The original claim doesn't make much sense.



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Of all the people that took advantage of Henrietta Lacks Oprah is the least of anybody's concern tbh



ONE OF THE MOST THOUGHTPROVOKING BOOKS TBH



Oh and god bless the Polio vaccine, thank you Henrietta Lacks and Dr Salk

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Sounds like Lawrence is trying to cash in his own payday based on his other legal battles with the foundation, tbh.

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i saw some images from this big henrietta lacks exhibit they have in i think DC? and this giant rendering of her cells/DNA (sry i know nothing about science so idek the terminology oop) was in the centre of this exhibit all lit up in neon lights and they had all this stuff about it and details on her biology etc., etc., and it made me uncomfortable because..... isn't the point that like....... her privacy and consent was violated? i mean it's one thing to tell the story but there's a point where the exploitation continues.

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i think part of the problem is that there is not really a mainstream acknowledgement of exploitation of black bodies in america that ties it to a structural, institutional problem...it always kind of gets tied back to a select few fucked up doctors/studies, etc.

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I know I should never read comments but I googled a few things about this movie and ugh FUCK people are so racist and condescending about the Lacks family. So because they were poor, uneducated, inbred, etc, they should have been grateful Henrietta was treated for cancer for free. Also people defend her lack of consent because times were ~different~ back then. I can also do without smug med students explaining how getting patient consent for ~waste material~ would ruin medical research, etc. So perpetuating the abuse of black people at the hands of the medical community was for the greater good, and the Lacks family are just dumb golddiggers, amirite?





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i've been meaning to read the book but will definitely watch the movie asap.

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Here to add the obligatory "The book is better than the film".



The film was great and Oprah was amazing in it. But it was only 90 minutes long so it had to leave out a lot of really interesting material. The book goes much more into the science involved, the ethics of the billions of dollars being generated from the cells, as well as the intracacies of the Lacks family. Frankly, this would have been better as a miniseries.

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His supporters don't care. Nixon's supporters were with him until the very end so I don't see why this would be any different. People continue to make excuses for his supporters.



Senator Burr is also not responding to Democrat letters to request documents from Trump camp. It's a mess.

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People were donating to help Nixon pay his back taxes after he was outed. Ain't that some shit?

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Amazing. All these supporters who aren't fazed by what he says should be embarrassed. Some pastor voted for his "platform" and not the person rme.

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as annoying as whoopi is, i'm glad she called out that logic and told them it doesn't matter, you can't separate the person from the platform and then told trashidiah that obama never made her feel bad for being white or came after white people like oompa loompa does for all non-white races

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pic.twitter.com/HfKTgrAdE6  Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 24, 2017 Did anyone watch Obama earlier? I miss his eloquence and his compassion so much.

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lmao basically! seeing Obama is like seeing your ex look so good after a break up.

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I was my fair share of critical of him during his presidency but now every time I see his face, a voice in my head instantly pops up:



Please come back.

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same

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There's politics for you. It's never who's good for you, it's who will make less of a mess. Of course now we have someone who is less of a "try not to screw up" and more of a "try not to kill everyone on your way to burning the world down."



Edited at 2017-04-24 09:22 pm (UTC)

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same

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lol this smart ass

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You ain't getting a peso from us u delusional piece of shit. Let his racist ass supporters pay for it if they're so interested in keeping us out. Che gringos de mierda.

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lmao what's funny is this dummy doesn't realize that more mexicans are going back to mexico than coming into the states https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/20/us/more-mexican-immigrants-leaving-us-than-entering-report-finds.html?_r=0 . so he is going to build that wall to keep them in? like damn mexicans can't win. they are blamed for too much immigration when really they just want to go home and now they might not be able to do that either because of this fucking wall (don't worry i know the wall won't stop them from going home i just find the whole thing so stupid and the fact that americans are dumb enough to believe will stop anyone)

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Watching West Wing right now and loving it and her.

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The West Wing is the best. Looking back, it was really what I'd consider the crowning jewel of optimistic television before everything went grimdark for ~~~gritty realism~~~

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CJ Cregg is my favorite



Edited at 2017-04-24 07:25 pm (UTC)

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she's great in everything

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i'm doing a rewatch (AGAIN). it's depressing me that bartlet isn't a reality

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So, that AP interview was, uh, something

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That's putting it lightly. Clusterfuck would be the word I'd use.

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And it's not even making any ripples in the media. That's how used we are to his dumbfuckery. It's appalling.

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It's brand new though. Give it time.

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invoking 9/11 to gauge his ratings performance. whatta guy 

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Dude literally said Face the Nation hadn't seen ratings like that "since the World Trade Center came down".... like.........



Also, the fact that they used (unintelligible) like 20 times was killing me.

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AP interview with Trump: Read the transcript here: https://t.co/EN4btrFdtt  AP Politics (@AP_Politics) April 23, 2017

Something is seriously wrong with his brain.

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He's so stupid.

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This whole thing was bonkers from start to finish. I was honestly stunned while reading it.

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#TownHall Trump supporter was screaming that we should respect the president while she was flipping off @bradsherman's constituents. pic.twitter.com/dSmCyJ4Smq  Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) April 22, 2017

I went to my congressman's town hall on Saturday! Even though he's a Dem in a very blue district, a LOT of people showed up. Also Alyssa Milano was there and tweeted pics and lmao also this video of an obnoxious Trump supporter.

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Alyssa's been literal perfection regarding her activism the last couple years tbh. She makes the 12 years old me feel okay today for loving Phoebe while everyone else hated her lol.

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he's my congressman too! district 30!

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They should make Trump use all the money his businesses have screwed people out of over the years to build the wall.



They could build a wall around the entire United States.

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I heard he called to congratulate that woman astronaut like why did she deserve that.

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VIDEO: Watch President Trump talk about drinking pee in space pic.twitter.com/tFhRx75ZYg  NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 24, 2017





Edited at 2017-04-24 06:53 pm (UTC) Trump is also not into drinkable urine...cause we all know he only likes his piss straight from russian hookers.

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You're in space for over a year and you get a phone call from Donald Trump. Talk about being punished for your achievements

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that ap interview was fucking wild

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During the primaries it was super divided between Bernie and Hillary. I haven't been back recently, but I wonder if it changed and why.

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ONTD Political have both Hillary and Bernie supporters, if you clicked on the articles you would know that. The first two articles are from a Hillary supporter. also you don't have to be a Sanders supporter to think that the democratic party is failing lol



Edited at 2017-04-24 07:35 pm (UTC)

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did you miss the first 2 posts linked in that comment

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sadly. I know someone who I see at the pub that's a member, but she hasn't been on the comm in months.

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I'm really fucking angry about the abortion candidate thing. I'm not aware enough, but was it necessary for him to endorse in that race? he was so aloof about ossoff why couldn't he have done the same for the omaha race

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I swear to God if Agent Orange drags us into a war so can boast about accomplishing something...

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Sean Spicer, I've said this to @realDonaldTrump and now I'll tell you: Mexico is not going to pay for that fucking wall. #FuckingWall  Vicente Fox Quesada (@VicenteFoxQue) January 25, 2017





FDR came up with the "100 days" thing, right? So of course that fucking orange moron, who presumably paid a smart kid to do his 8th-grade homework for him, is blaming the meanie ~librul media~ for holding him to an impossible standard. Even though he did amazing, tremendous stuff so far. It's still totes unfair. also chocolate cake everywhere like such as Never forget:FDR came up with the "100 days" thing, right? So of course that fucking orange moron, who presumably paid a smart kid to do his 8th-grade homework for him, is blaming the meanie ~librul media~ for holding him to an impossible standard. Even though he did amazing, tremendous stuff so far. It's still totes unfair. also chocolate cake everywhere like such as

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Like mother like daughter.#War pic.twitter.com/mpOaJVI63f   Bern!  (@BernPress) April 24, 2017





@BernPress Actually, it was more of an anti-American protest less than a month after 9/11. I joined real anti-war protests in 2003.  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 24, 2017





Quotes from the interesting new book, "Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign":



hillary volunteers turn out trump voters smh pic.twitter.com/6pKsjvWDkn  robbymookisafraud (@garbagekate) April 24, 2017





because she could never articulate why she should be president, she never won over the electorate, the authors repeatedly suggest pic.twitter.com/4VO9XGRf12  robbymookisafraud (@garbagekate) April 20, 2017





"In truth, Clintons 2016 campaign failed for most of the same reasons her 2008 campaign did: a disorganized staff struggled to define a clear and persuasive message for their unexciting establishment candidate.



Clintons campaign, as Allen and Parnes render it, was a disaster before it even began in 2015. Just like when she ran against Barack Obama in 2008, Hillary was widely viewed as an establishment candidate, and her campaign struggled to put together a coherent message. Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau was brought in early on to punch up Clintons Roosevelt Island campaign-launch speech in June 2015 but left almost immediately, saying that the operation resembled that of John Kerrys failed 2004 campaign: ...a bunch of operatives who were smart and accomplished in their own right but werent united by any common purpose larger than pushing a less-than-thrilling candidate into the White House. The solution to Clintons persistent message problem was to bring in more (always Clinton-adjacent) speechwriters and strategists. Only Clinton could have known for sure why she wanted to be president, but she chose to let others decide for her. As one anonymous aide told Allen and Parnes, Clinton simply didnt have a reason for running besides continuing the establishment politics of her predecessor." Quotes from the interesting new book, "Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign":"In truth, Clintons 2016 campaign failed for most of the same reasons her 2008 campaign did: a disorganized staff struggled to define a clear and persuasive message for their unexciting establishment candidate.Clintons campaign, as Allen and Parnes render it, was a disaster before it even began in 2015. Just like when she ran against Barack Obama in 2008, Hillary was widely viewed as an establishment candidate, and her campaign struggled to put together a coherent message. Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau was brought in early on to punch up Clintons Roosevelt Island campaign-launch speech in June 2015 but left almost immediately, saying that the operation resembled that of John Kerrys failed 2004 campaign: ...a bunch of operatives who were smart and accomplished in their own right but werent united by any common purpose larger than pushing a less-than-thrilling candidate into the White House. The solution to Clintons persistent message problem was to bring in more (always Clinton-adjacent) speechwriters and strategists. Only Clinton could have known for sure why she wanted to be president, but she chose to let others decide for her. As one anonymous aide told Allen and Parnes, Clinton simply didnt have a reason for running besides continuing the establishment politics of her predecessor."

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Ok

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Hard pass.

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why do we care what an ex president's child did in 2001

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Saudi Aramcos IPO, slated to raise between $100 billion and $400 billion from a 5 percent stake in the company, will continue to make headlines until its launch. Lately, discussions on the valuation of Aramco have been intense, and the jury is still out regarding an exact price. Aramcos IPO will be a game-changer, propelling the worlds largest National Oil Company (NOC) into a league of its own on the financial markets. The current market capitalization estimates of $1-2 trillion are based on valuations of Aramcos hydrocarbon reserves carried out by independent consultants. These estimates put the giant oil company far ahead of any other publicly owned company. Two major questions remain to be answered however, one of which has been largely ignored by the mainstream media.

The primary discussion taking place is the overall level of transparency offered by Aramcos leadership, which is supported by the Saudi government. After several days of attending the GCC Petroleum Media Forum (GCCPMF) in Abu Dhabi, attended by all GCC ministers of oil, including Saudi minister Khalid Al Falih, and a long list of government advisors, the issue of transparency has yet to be solved. Gulf oil ministers and CEOs still hold a very conservative idea about financial and operational transparency. There have been minor attempts by Aramco, ADNOC, and QP to open more data and insights to the financial world and media, but the worlds largest oil company remains far from transparent. When asked about the Aramco IPO and Saudi Vision 2030, the respective Saudi officials, including Khalid Al Falih, only produced basic media statements, already largely published in the Arab and global media outlets. Even the fact that the Forum was also meant to present a new OPEC-Abu Dhabi based data outlet, no real new information on reserves, production figures, or investment cycles were presented. Analysts still need to rely on figures presented by the existing outlets, OPEC-IEA-EIA-EIF.

Aramcos IPO still falls short when it comes to accurately representing the level of reserves, operational figures, and income that we are used to when assessing international oil companies (IOCs) or independents. Yes, Aramco has increased its insights into what many consider the Holy Grail of the oil sector, aka Saudi Arabias oil and gas reserves (P1-P3-P5), but a lot still needs to be done to gain the same level of confidence as analysts can have with Exxon, Shell, BP, Apache, Tullow or Statoil. The lack of criticism by international media or analysts in regard to the Aramco IPO is startling. Most analysts have simply duplicated the assessments of Gaffney, Cline, and Associates, part of Baker Hughes and Dallas-based DeGolyer and MacNaughton, which have been published by Aramco itself. Related: Is Australia The Next Big Thing In Shale?

Questions still remain on the real facts and figures. Ongoing criticism by the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) on the reserves reporting of IOCs, such as Exxon, should be a cause for skepticism in the market related to the overall positive reporting currently in place. Until now, no real insights have been given on the depletion rate of Saudi Aramcos fields, especially the Al Ghawar field. Taking unofficial assessments, such as a report by Simmons & Simmons years ago, decline on most Saudi producing fields could be above average. Without these insights and facts, it should be a major point of concern for investors assessing the IPO.

At the same time, there is an even more critical issue which is rarely addressed. Saudi Aramco, as an NOC, is fully integrated into the geopolitical and financial discussions of the Kingdom. At present, Aramcos production and export strategies are 100 percent linked to the Kingdoms overall geopolitical aspirations. As one analyst stated years ago, the Kingdoms power in the world totally depends on its crude oil reserves and production figures. Even while Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salmans Saudi Vision 2030 is trying to diversify the nations economy for the era beyond oil, Riyadhs geopolitical impact will depend on its crude oil potential through the next 40-50 years. The set-up of the Aramco IPO should be assessed against this backdrop. Offering 5 percent of Aramco doesnt mean that the company will change into an (N)IOC. The majority shareholder is still the Kingdom itself, even though the ownership will officially be transferred to the Saudi Public Investment Fund - a 100 percent state-owned and regulated sovereign wealth fund (SWF).

Playing devils advocate; by offering a 5 percent stake in Aramco, Riyadh is not offering a say in the company, its operations, or an insight into its reserves potential. The only strategy currently in place is using the vast international interest for Aramco as leverage to access financial markets to counter the current use of Saudis vast international financial holdings. This strategy is working, and for this Mohammed bin Salman needs to receive full credit. The Saudis will not offer any real say in the operational and strategic decision-making process of Aramco, especially as it is the main geopolitical power instrument the Kingdom holds at present. In stark contrast to IOCs or independents, where minority shareholders can and will demand a say in the future of their investments, Aramcos future will very much remain in the hands of Riyadh.

For shareholders used to investments in companies that are solely focused on setting up structures to increase ROI, shareholder value, or dividends, the Aramco IPO will be a difficult nut to crack. When assessing the value of your multibillion investment in the IPO, how are you going to assess future return on investments or dividends if your majority shareholder is not only interested in return on investments (financially) but also has a geopolitical interest? How are you going to deal with Saudi Aramcos unilateral decision to play the oil market according to Riyadhs unilateral political decisions? Investors will need to be fully intertwined with the inner-circle of the royals to predict and assess possible changes in Saudi strategy before it hits the market. At present, most of the investors showing an interest have an immense lack of knowledge of Saudi politics, power-structures, or even energy strategies. This situation doesnt bode well. Related: Exxon Attempts To Maneuver Around Russian Sanctions

Saudi Aramcos IPO will be a market shaker of unknown proportion. Its overall financial impact will be immense as, whatever the outcome of the specific IPO, the Kingdom is already using its leverage to gain access to new investments. The Asia trip by King Salman last month is one of the clearest results of the IPOs leverage build up. Most deals in China, India, and Indonesia were linked to Aramco, aimed at building bridges between Asian investors and the Saudi NOC. More interesting, however, will be the decisions of international financial institutions, knowing that they will not have any say in the future of the company. The Kingdom will never allow Aramcos strategy to be changed by normal global financial indicators. Aramcos IPO is already being used as a political instrument of the Kingdom. Increased investments in Aramco or the Kingdom will be strategically placed by Riyadh to mitigate perceived geopolitical and economic risks.

Investors should be aware that Aramcos price settings or production volumes will not change from the pre-IPO era when entering the IPO market. Saudi oil is, at present, the only sword in the armament of the Kingdom, mainly to be used to support the countrys interests. ROI or dividends will hold little to no importance if the survival of the Kingdoms ruling structure is being threatened.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

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Less than a month after it announced the completion of the sale of its geothermal business in Indonesia, Chevron Corporation said on Monday that it entered into an agreement to sell its interests in gas fields in Bangladesh to Himalaya Energy Co. Ltd.

Currently Chevron Bangladesh operates Block 12, Bibiyana Field, and Blocks 13 and 14, the Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar fields. Closing of the Bangladesh transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions, the U.S. oil and gas major said today.

Himalaya Energy is held by a consortium of China ZhenHua Oil and CNIC Corp Ltd, a Chevron company spokesman told Reuters, but declined to say how much the deal was worth, or when completion was expected.

Back in February, ZhenHua Oil was said to have signed a preliminary deal to buy Chevrons natural gas fields in Bangladesh estimated to be worth around $2 billion, Reuters reported.

Last summer Chevron was said to be selling $5 billion worth of assets in Asia as part of a plan to raise $10 billion total through global asset sales.

At the end of December 2016, Chevron said that its wholly owned subsidiaries had entered into a sales and purchase agreement with Star Energy Consortium to sell Chevrons Indonesian and Philippines geothermal assets.



Related: Gas Prices In North Korea Shoot Up 83% As China Mulls Oil Embargo

This sale is aligned with our strategy to maximize the value of our global upstream businesses through effective portfolio management, Jay Johnson, executive vice president, Upstream, Chevron Corporation, said back then.

Chevron announced the completion of the Indonesian asset sale on March 31, 2017, when it said that the conclusion of the sale of its geothermal business in the Philippines is expected later this year. Although the U.S. corporation has not released sums of the deals, Reuters had reported that the assets in Indonesia and the Philippines combined were valued at around $3 billion.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The Ceylon Petroleum Common Workers Union has stopped releasing gasoline from 12 storage facilities, causing long lines at gas stations across Sri Lanka. The industrial action came in response to government plans to lease 14 of 99 oil storage tanks to Indian state oil companies.

The secretary of the trade union told AP that the oil workers are planning to take further steps and completely stop working at Sri Lankas state refinery, if the government does not put a stop to the plans. According to the workers, this plan will compromise Sri Lankas sovereignty and will only be of benefit to the Indian side.

Some of the tanks were already leased to a local division of Indian Oil Corporation back in 2002, as they were sitting unused at the port of Trincomalee. Now, Colombo plans to lease 14 and strike a joint venture with India for the utilization of the rest of the tanks.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development told media that no agreement with the Indian side has been finalized and that the minister will meet with the workers union today to discuss their demands.

With its growing demand for crude oil and fuels, India is in urgent need for more oil storage capacity. Earlier this year, New Delhi signed an agreement with the UAE to fill an underground storage facility in Mangalore to store 6 million barrels of crude oil. The agreement is part of efforts to build emergency storage capacity totaling 36.87 million barrels in underground facilities. The amount is equal to the countrys ten-day consumption based on 2016 demand figures.

Now, India is building two more strategic storage facilities to add to the existing three in a bid to insure itself against future shortages. The Sri Lanka agreement is most likely part of these insurance efforts.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The oil price slump and the consequent economic problems forced many oil-exporting countries to cut military spending last year, with Saudi Arabia recording the largest absolute decrease in spending$25.8 billionthe Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its annual update on Monday.

While in 2016 military spending in North America increased annually for the first time since 2010, and expenditure in Western Europe grew for a second year running, many oil-dependent economies saw their military budgets contract due to lower national oil revenues, SIPRI noted.

The largest percentage cuts in military spending related to falling oil income were made by collapsing economy Venezuela, 56 percent; civil war-torn South Sudan, 54 percent; Azerbaijan, 36 percent; Iraq, 36 percent; and Saudi Arabia, 30 percent. Oil producing countries including Angola, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Oman, and Peru also saw notable declines in their respective military expenditure, SIPRI said.

13 of the 15 countries with the largest declines in 2016 military expenditure are oil exporters, the institute data show.

Falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending, said Dr Nan Tian, researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) program.

Meanwhile, the U.S. stayed on top of the list of countries with the highest annual military expenditure in the world. U.S military spending grew by 1.7 percent yearly to $611 billion in 2016. China came second with a 5.4 percent rise in spending to $215 billion, and Russia was third, lifting spending by 5.9 percent to $69.2 billion last year. Saudi Arabia - the third largest spender in 2015 -- dropped to fourth place in 2016, after its spending fell by 30 percent to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars, SIPRI said.



Related: Exxon Attempts To Maneuver Around Russian Sanctions

Aeveral oil-exporting countries -- namely Algeria, Iran, Kuwait, and Norway  bucked the trend and continued on with their spending plans last year, since they were better prepared to face the oil price shock, according to SIPRI.

Feeling the effects of the oil price crash, Saudi Arabia has not only cut military spending, it is also looking to freeze multi-billion-dollar projects.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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By Kathryn Hickok

Six years ago, Arizona became the first state to pass an Education Savings Account law for some K-12 students. Earlier this month, Arizona lawmakers passed a new ESA bill which expands the program eligibility to include all Arizona children, phased in over the next few years.

The Heritage Foundations education policy fellow Lindsay Burke explains:

Education savings accounts represent a breakthrough in public education financing. Instead of sending funding directly to district schools, and then assigning children to those schools based on where their parents live, parents receive 90 percent of what the state would have spent on their child in their district school, with funds being deposited directly into a parent-controlled account.

Parents can spend the money on the educational services that best meet their childrens individual needs, such as private or home schools, tutors, online courses, and therapy. Funds not used by the student in a given year can be rolled over for future years.

Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee also have ESA programs limited to particular groups of students, such as those with special needs. Nevada passed a near-universal ESA bill in 2015, but it is yet to be funded.

When parents have more choices, kids win, said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. Its time for Oregon parents to have those choices, too. For more information about Oregons Education Savings Account bill, under consideration this legislative session, visit schoolchoicefororegon.com.

Kathryn Hickok is Publications Director and Director of the Childrens Scholarship Fund-Oregon program at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregons free market public policy research organization.
By Steven Greenhut

Oregon has a reputation as young and hip, given the vibrant tech economy in cities like Portland, Eugene and Salem. But the Beaver State sometimes also shows a stodgy resistance to newfangled ideas. After all, this is a state where its still illegal for customers to pump their own gas at service stations  a make-work throwback to the 1950s.

Those two Oregons  one forward-thinking, the other a protectionist throwback  are now at odds over legislation that would finally allow Uber, Lyft and other transportation network companies (TNCs) to operate in most of the state. Currently, these services are banned outside of the Portland area thanks to laws that mainly prop up an antiquated and overpriced taxi system.

As reported by the Statesman Journal, officials in the resort city of Bend recently voted to allow ridesharing companies to begin operating this summer. Salems mayor is also pushing his council to allow the companies to operate in the capital city. Most significantly, the Oregon House of Representatives is considering H.B. 3246, which sets out regulations more or less in line with the national model thats now been adopted in more than 30 states.

The bill would establish the state Department of Consumer and Business Services as regulator of the TNCs, who each would have to pay an annual $5,000 licensing fee to the department, and would preempt local licensing rules or attempts to regulate the services as common carriers or contract carriers. Each TNC also would have to provide $1 million coverage for drivers from the moment they match with passengers until they deposit them at their chosen destinations. Drivers themselves would be responsible to provide coverage during other periods when they have the app engaged, with minimum policy limits of $25,000 for property damage, and bodily injury coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident.

TNCs would have to perform state and national criminal background checks on drivers, but importantly, they would not have to subject them to fingerprinting requirements using the FBIs flawed database, as some other jurisdictions have required. Also of note is that the legislation would allow the companies to identify their drivers as contractors. In an October 2015 advisory opinion, state Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian declared that Ubers drivers are economically dependent on [the company] pursuant to the economic realities test, and thus should be considered employees.

The bill, which has 18 backers from both parties, is opposed by the usual suspects: taxi companies who fear the competition; labor unions who dislike these nonunionized companies; and local governments that always love to ban things. Officials in Eugene, for instance, chased Uber out in 2015 and oppose the bill  even though ride-hailing services would be a great safety feature in a big college city known for its many drinking parties.

The ridesharing companies are open to amendments to the bill, which is still alive in the state House of Representatives. How it ultimately fares will say much about the future of Oregon.

Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute. He is based in Sacramento. Write to him at [email protected].
Nokia 3310 will be available later this month in some European markets. However, according to a report by The Economic Times, the device is expected to launch in India around June-end.

Nokia made an explosive comeback in February this year unveiling its new age smartphones alongside a revamped version of Nokia 3310 taking users back to the pre-smartphones days.

Despite not being in production, Nokia 3310 has lived in memories and memes. The device now makes a comeback from dead after a decade. And, it has definitely stolen headlines better than any other latest device.

The Finnish company has made pre-order listings available in Germany and Austria. The phone will hit the shelves on April 28.

Nokia had a strong hold in India in the past, and should be an ideal market for Nokia 3310 for a majority of population still operating on feature phones.

When the phone was unveiled in February, the company was expected to release the model in India by May 2017. However, there has been no official confirmation but it is highly likely that the device will be here by the end of June this year.



In fact, some reports suggest Nokia 3310's launch in India may get delayed to the month of June. The device is priced at 49 euros (roughly Rs 3,500) which might get slightly cheaper if the devices are made in India.

The original 3310 sold 126 million phones, the 12th best-selling phone model in history. Nine of the top 12 selling models were produced by Nokia.

Though the name and company is the same, the entire brand has been refreshed with its new license owned by HMD Global, which is led by ex-Nokia executives and backed by Chinese electronics giant Foxconn.

When compared to the classic Nokia 3310, the new device has slightly bigger screens but it still retains the retro-design that the brand was famous for.
Chinese investors in CPEC are not paying taxes to Pakistan customs 24 April, 2017



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Ways that Players Used to Take Advantage of Slot Sites ISLAMABAD: Chinese investors in the $56 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are enjoying all sorts of tax breaks from customs, income, sales, federal excise and withholding taxes.



But despite all the tax discounts and exemptions, which amount to around Rs150 billion in lost revenue, the government is claiming there will be no adverse impact on local industries and domestic investors.



In a written reply submitted to the National Assembly last week, the finance ministry explained the series of tax exemptions or discounts offered to Chinese investors, which have been notified through statutory regulatory orders (SRO).

Finance ministry provides NA details of exemptions granted to companies for CPEC projects



The SRO is a piece of statute that has been, in the past, condemned by the Pakistan Muslim League-N for being discriminatory and causing revenue loss to the state.



In his reply, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar did not quantify the financial cost of the revenue exemptions.



According to him, exemptions from levy of customs duty at import stage have been specifically designed, notified and made available to Chinese contractors for a few projects of roads, mass transit and Gwadar port.



They include exemption of customs duties on the import of plant machinery and equipment, if not manufactured locally, by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited and the China Communication Construction Company for the construction of Sukkur-Multan section of Karachi-Peshawar Motorway and Karakoram Highway Phase-II (Thakot-Havelian section), respectively.



Also included in this category are the customs duty exemptions on the import of equipment and material for Lahores Orange Line Metro Train Project. The original exemptions were notified on Jan 25 and further eased through another notification on March 6.



Similarly, customs duty exemptions were also allowed on imports to the concession holder and its operating companies for the construction, operations and development of Gwadar port and all port-related businesses established in Gwadar Free Zone.



In addition, concessions and exemptions from levy of customs duty on import of goods were already available to some early projects of Thar coal field sector, which have now been extended to CPEC projects.



Some of them include the exemption of customs duties on import of coal mining machinery, equipment and spare parts not manufactured locally, for Thar coal field.



For the power sector, a concessionary duty rate of zero per cent, 3pc and 5pc on the import of machinery, equipment and spare parts, not manufactured locally, is available for generation projects using oil, gas, coal, wind and tidal energy.



On top of that, income derived from port operations by the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited, the Gwadar International Terminal Limited, the Gwadar Marine Services Limited and the Gwadar Free Zone Company Limited has been granted exemption from income tax for 23 years, with effect from Feb 6, 2007.



Besides, income generated by contractors and sub-contractors of those five companies from port operations has been granted income tax exemption for 23 years from July 1, 2016.



Similarly, income and interest earned by a foreign lender or a local bank  with more than 75pc government or State Bank of Pakistan shareholding  by virtue of a financing agreement with the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, are exempt from income tax for 23 years with effect from July 1, 2016.



Dividends received by the China Overseas Ports Holding Company from the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited, the Gwadar International Terminal Limited, the Gwadar Marine Services Limited and the Gwadar Free Zone Company Limited have also been granted income tax exemption for 23 years from July 1, 2016.



If this was not enough, exemptions from sales tax and federal excise duty have been provided on materials and equipment for construction and operation of Gwadar port and Gwadar Free Zone through the Finance Act, 2016 to the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited and its operating companies, their contractors and sub-contractors. This exemption is equally available for imported and locally-manufactured materials and equipment.



Plant machinery and equipment, including dumpers and special purpose motor vehicles, imported for the construction of the Karachi-Peshawar Motorway Project and the KKH Phase-II are also exempt from income tax and sales tax.



Likewise, exemption from sales tax and federal excise duty has also been granted to machinery, apparatus, materials etc imported by the China Railway Corporation for the Orange Line project.



Rail-based mass transit projects in the four provincial metropolises have also been exempted from the provisions of Section 148 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, which deals with advance income tax at the import stage.



This is in addition to exemption from income tax to interest and income derived by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and the Silk Road Fund in Pakistan from loans relating to the energy projects mentioned in CPEC Energy Projects Cooperation Agreement signed in Beijing in Nov 2014.



The finance minister asserted that since all the concessions and exemptions were subject to the condition that the imported goods were not manufactured locally, except in case of power plants above 25mw, local industry had been provided necessary cushion from the impact of imports for CPEC projects.



The ministrys response also said the income tax exemption for the income of companies, contractors, sub-contractors etc engaged in CPEC projects was not likely to impact the interests of local contractors and sub-contractors, etc.
North Korea ready to sink US aircraft carrier

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a US aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, as two Japanese navy ships joined a US carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific. US President Donald Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to rising tension over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.



The United States has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. US Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive within days but gave no other details. North Korea remained defiant.



Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike, the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary.



The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a gross animal and said a strike on it would be an actual example to show our military's force. The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.



Speaking during a visit to Greece, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were already enough shows of force and confrontation at present and appealed for calm.



We need to issue peaceful and rational sounds, Wang said, according to a statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry.



Adding to the tensions, North Korea detained a Korean-American man in his fifties, bringing the total number of US citizens held by Pyongyang to three.



The man, Tony Kim, had been in North Korea for a month teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the institution's chancellor Chan-Mo Park told Reuters. He was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the country.



The arrest took place on Saturday morning local time, the university said in a statement, and was related to an investigation into matters that are not connected in any way to PUST.



North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday. It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons.



North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.



It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions. North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump.



He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.



North Korea says its nuclear programme is for self-defence and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan.



US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday North Korea's recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted.



We've all come to hear their words repeatedly; their word has not proven honest, Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier.



Japan's show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads.



Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack.



Japan's navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after China's.



The two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will practice a variety of tactics with the U.S. strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force said in a statement.



The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place, but by Sunday the destroyers could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be east of the Philippines.



From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japan's ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said.



US and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.



South Korea has put its forces on heightened alert.



China, North Korea's sole major ally, opposes Pyongyang's weapons programmes and has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.



Last 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 pre-emptive strike.
PTI to increase allies to put more pressure for Panama leaks

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the main petitioner in the Panama Papers case, announced on Sunday that it would contact representative bodies of lawyers, doctors, traders, teachers, students, labourers, farmers and other professionals to increase pressure on the prime minister to quit in the light of the Panama Papers judgement.



In addition, the party said it would file a reference against National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).



In a statement, PTI information secretary Naeemul Haq said the party leaders would soon contact office-bearers of all bar councils and associations and enhance the scope of the partys anti-government movement to convert it into a countrywide agitation.



PTI chairman Imran Khan has already announced plans to hold a public meeting in Islamabad on April 28, in a bid to mobilise the masses and increase pressure on the prime minister to resign.



Talking to reporters, PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the statements made by office-bearers of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) that the prime minister had no moral authority to stay in office after the verdict.



The SCBA office-bearers have endorsed the oppositions viewpoint that PM Sharif should step down, at least until the investigations against him and his family members are completed.



But the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is standing its ground and has termed the demand unconstitutional, unjustified and politically-motivated, vowing to resist any move to put pressure on the prime minister to quit.



Fawad Chaudhry, however, insisted that the demand was logical and legal and said lawyers had always played a key role in upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country since its creation.



In a related development, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) emir Sirajul Haq held a meeting with PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Sunday where it was decided that a team of lawyers from both parties would monitor the proceedings of the joint investigation team (JIT).



Talking to reporters after the meeting, the JI chief said they would appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to open the proceedings of the JIT so that the public could witness the transparency of the process.



He reiterated his partys demand that the prime minister resign and face the JIT, adding that he could assume office again if he was cleared by the JIT.



Chaudhry Shujaat predicted that PM Sharif would tender his resignation soon after the formation of the JIT.



The JI has already convened a meeting of its Majlis-i-Shoora at the partys headquarters in Mansoora on Monday (today) to chalk out a future course of action.

Reference against NAB chief



The decision to file a reference against Qamar Zaman Chaudhry comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court benchs observations about his role.



We will file the reference against the NAB chairman on Monday, Fawad Chaudhry told Dawn. All five judges on the bench that heard the Panama Papers case gave observations against the NAB chief, saying that he had failed to perform his duties and took no step to probe the scandal.



He said his party had hoped that the NAB chairman would resign in the wake of the verdict, but that did not happen. [The NAB chief] has turned out to be even more shameless than Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in ignoring the verdict of the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, the PTI spokesman added.



Since the post of NAB chairman is a constitutional position, a reference has to be filed before the SJC and it is up to the council whether to remove him or not.



Since the SJC consists of Supreme Court judges, the PTIs optimism regarding the possibilities of the NAB chairmans ouster are not completely unfounded.



Section 6 of the NAB Ordinance states: A chairman NAB... shall not be removed except on the grounds of removal of judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan.



When asked what evidence the PTI would present before the SJC, Fawad Chaudhry said: We do not need to provide evidence; the observations of the five judges of the Supreme Court are sufficient grounds for his removal.
WB to invest in Peshawar-Kabul highway: Ishaq Dar

WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the World Bank to finance a major project in the Pak-Afghan region, which could greatly enhance intra-regional trade. The project  Peshawar-Kabul highway  would not only link Peshawar with the Afghan capital but would also be a major commercial link between the South and Central Asian regions.



The finance minister discussed this and other projects with senior officials of the World Bank group in Washington last week on the sidelines of the groups spring meetings.



The Pakistan Embassy, which released the details of these meetings, said the World Bank had agreed in principle to finance the Peshawar-Kabul highway project. Mr Dar also asked the World Bank to consider leading a consortium to finance the Diamer-Bhasha dam project.



In his talks with officials of the World Bank group, the minister underlined the structural changes the government had introduced to encourage sustainable economic development in the country. He pointed out that the changes enabled the countrys stock market to become one of the top five stock markets in the world.



The government was also trying to strengthen the role of the private sector in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, giving it an opportunity to select projects of its choice, he added.



CPEC focuses heavily on the energy sector. So far projects worth $34 billion have gone to this sector. Projects for around 25,000MW have been identified and are at different stages of implementation. Out of this, 10,000MW will be added to the system by March 2018.



Mr Dar claimed that because of these measures there had been no loadshedding in the industrial sector for three years and the government hoped to completely end loadshedding by early 2018.



The minister also discussed with the World Bank officials the governments master plan for the energy sector which, he claimed, would give the economy the much-needed jump-start by taking care of the future demands.



For an inclusive and sustainable high growth, the government is also reaching out to the poorer segments of society by extending microfinance facilities to them. This includes tripling the allocation for the Benazir Income Support Programme, which has increased the number of beneficiaries to 5.4 million.



Mr Dar told the World Bank officials that parliament had already passed 24 laws to encourage growth and investment and was working on 10 more.



The World Bank mostly agrees with this upbeat assessment of the Pakistani economy and recently revised the countrys growth rate to 5.2 per cent for 2017 and 5.5pc for 2018. Its previous estimate was 5pc for 2017 and 5.4pc for 2018.



But the bank has warned that the upcoming national elections may force the government to opt for populist policies, which can hurt Pakistans economy. The World Bank also identified various risks to the projected positive outlook for Pakistan: slower progress on much-needed structural reforms, lingering uncertainty about the US economic policy, a strong rupee and protracted global economic weakness.



Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank had also expressed similar concerns.



Experts warn that slower progress on the structural reforms could weaken growth prospects. They also noted that in early 2017, a stable nominal exchange rate of the rupee versus the US dollar resulted in appreciation of the real effective exchange rate, which was hurting exports.



The World Bank pointed out that Pakistan was also vulnerable to any significant decline in remittance flows, particularly from oil-rich countries that contributed about two-thirds of all remittances. The bank advised the government to take effective measures to reverse imbalances and continue implementing structural reforms to ensure a sustainable growth.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
At least 500 attacks on health care have been perpetrated during Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Surpassing this grim milestone in just over six months of conflict underscores how the Russian government has targeted Ukraines health system as a strategy of war, as it has done []
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Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
Spring break is over. The students are back to school and it is less than a month before voters will go to the polls on May 16 to vote on the school budget and school board candidates. I am continuing to work on budget roundups for various districts.

The big news on Monday was the announcement of Kristina Johnson as the new chancellor of the State University of New York.

Johnson served as undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Energy during the administration of President Barack Obama, according to media reports. The SUNY Board of Trustees was set to approve her appointment this afternoon.

United University Professions, the union representing SUNY faculty and staff, praised the selection of Johnson. Union President Frederick E. Kowal praised her as an innovator with extensive experience at public universities. He cited that Johnson hired more faculty and significantly increased research spending during her tenure as dean of Duke Universitys Pratt School of Engineering.

SUNY needs more full-time faculty, a need that will become more apparent with an expected influx of students under the Excelsior Scholarship program. Dr. Johnsons prior willingness to hire additional faculty will serve SUNY and its students well, Kowal said in a news release. He also said he liked Johnsons intent to focus on environmental sustainability.

SUNY Empire State College President Merodie A. Hancock also praised the selection.

Chairman (H. Carl) McCall, the Board of Trustees and the search committee have done an outstanding job in attracting such a brilliant mind to SUNY, whose proven ability to lead, educate and innovate will surely build on the achievements and legacy of Chancellor Zimphers eight-year tenure, she said in a news release.

I look forward to collaborating with Chancellor Johnson to accelerate SUNYs positive momentum in educating and graduating more students, advancing scholarship and research and expanding community service, she added.
This is the latest in series of posts about when Glens Falls native Charles Evans Hughes served as U.S. secretary of state in the Harding and Coolidge administrations.

Here is another example of political history that sounds remarkably contemporary:

Almost simultaneously with an announcement in Moscow by (Russian Foreign Minister George) Tchitcherin, in which he openly accused Mr. Hughes of blocking the restoration of amicable relations between the United States and Russia, Mr. Hughes made public at the State Department in Washington certain intercepted messages dealing with alleged efforts on the part of the Soviet Government to overthrow the United States, the South New Berlin Bee, a Chenango County newspaper, reported on Dec. 29, 1923.

The volley came as Congress was debating whether the U.S. should formally recognize the Soviet government. Hughes had recommended against it.

U.S. Sens. Edwin Ladd, R-N.D., and William Borah, R-Idaho, who supported recognizing the Soviet government, called for Hughes to testify to the Senate and show evidence why the Soviet Union should not be recognized.

It is understood that the State Department is in the position to furnish other documents, showing that those in control of Moscow have not given up their original purpose of destroying existing government whenever they can do so around the world, the Bee reported.

The complete article can be viewed on the New York State Historic Newspapers website, a project of public libraries.

Click here to read about when Sen. Borah endorsed Hughes in the 1916 presidential race.

Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series.
QUEENSBURY  The C.R. Bard medical device plant at 289 Bay Road, a mainstay in the region for decades, will soon have a new corporate owner.

Becton, Dickinson and Co., of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, another global medical company, is buying C.R. Bard for $24 billion.

C.R. Bard has its corporate headquarters in New Jersey, with dozens of other locations around the United States and the world and about 16,000 employees worldwide.

Boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the sale, which is expected to close in the fall, contingent on regulatory approvals.

The combination of the two companies, which make different but complementary products, bodes well for the local plant, which employs about 750 people, said Tori Riley, president and chief executive officer of Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

I think its a wonderful opportunity for our local plant to expand what they offer here as far as other opportunities for the workforce field, she said in a telephone interview on Monday.

Scott Lowry, a spokesman for C.R. Bard, said it is too soon to comment on potential implications for the local plant.

While we have a signed agreement in place, we still have a lot of work ahead, he said in an email. We will evaluate our footprint and associate base once the transaction closes.

We are cautiously optimistic that we will fare well in this undertaking, and Im sure the employees and their families will be anxious to find out in the coming weeks, said Edward Bartholomew, president of EDC Warren County.

Bartholomew said he contacted the office of Tom Polen, president of Becton, Dickinson, on Monday to offer assistance with workforce training grants or other incentives.

Riley said Becton, Dickinson has a good reputation in the Glens Falls region, having partnered with IBA Sterigenics  now Sterigenics International  at the companys plant in Queensbury in 2006.

The Queensbury plant sterilizes medical devices for area manufacturers.

The work that they (Becton, Dickinson) did in this region for a short time was impressive, Riley said. Their staff was on board. They increased the workforce and what was happening in the region.

The pending sale, announced Sunday, will combine Bards market strength in devices inserted into veins for diagnostic and treatment purposes with Becton, Dickinsons strong market strength in IV drug preparation and dispensing, according to a press release the two New Jersey-headquartered companies issued jointly.

It continues the trend of the combination of medical devices and the pharmaceutical industries, Bartholomew said.

Combining the companies will increase the potential of sales in emerging markets such as China, where the two companies already have a combined $1 billion in revenue, according to the press release.

The C.R. Bard plant on Bay Road is the oldest and longest continuously operated of more than a half-dozen medical device and related industry manufacturing plants in the region.

David Sheridan and Norman Jeckel established U.S. Catheter and Instrument Co. in Queensbury in the late 1930s, and later the company was sold to C.R. Bard.

Restructuring

The sale now of C.R. Bard to Becton, Dickinson comes during a period of restructuring and consolidation in the medical device industry.

Elsewhere locally, AngioDynamics announced earlier this month it will close two plants  one in Manchester, Georgia and the other in the United Kingdom  and consolidate operations at its manufacturing plant in Glens Falls and warehouse and distribution center in Queensbury, its only two other production facilities.

Workers from Glens Falls and Queensbury currently are in Georgia and the United Kingdom learning about the operations, said Caitlin Stefanik, an AngioDynamics spokeswoman, in a telephone interview on Monday.

A lot of that is happening as we speak, she said.

Production from the United Kingdom plant is expected to be transferred to Glens Falls and Queensbury by the end of summer, and production from the Georgia plant by the end of December.

We will be adding some new positions (in Glens Falls and Queensbury.) We dont know exactly what that number is yet, she said.

A couple of individuals from the Georgia plant have been offered relocation packages, she said.

The Glens Falls and Queensbury facilities now employ about 900 people.
HUDSON FALLS  Six months ago, Kaiden Starr Rice was in critical condition in Albany Medical Center with a serious head injury and a grim outlook.

Sunday, a squirming, smiling 4-year-old Kaiden was freed from her wheelchair-stroller and led several dozen people in a loop around Juckett Park as part of Hands Across New Yorks annual Stand Against Child Abuse.

The walk, held every year, came three days after Kaidens stepmother, Marissa T. Bickford-Rice, pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment, with eight felony charges, including first-degree assault in relation to the September incident in which Kaiden was injured.

At one point Sunday, spectators tried to get the marching group to stop for pictures, which lasted about a minute before Kaiden surged ahead, forcing the rest of the group to catch up.

When she was done, she grabbed the hand of Colleen Kelley Lyon, a family friend and one of the founders of Hands Across New York, a family support group, and took another spin around the park.

Not bad, considering Kaiden was released from a rehabilitation center in March and continues to have brain limitations after a stroke she suffered at one point shortly after she was hurt and had surgery in February to permanently repair her fractured skull.

Our superheroes

Lyon and Laurie Russell started the Hands group several years ago during a spate of child abuse incidents.

Probably half the children here today are survivors of some kind of abuse, Lyon said. We call them our superheroes. We start teaching them that now, that they are heroes, and they will carry that on.

Some of the children in attendance are in situations where the abuse has not been proven, but others have seen their victimizers go to jail.

I am truly honored by all the people who are here, Russell said. We have a lot of survivors here today.

Many reasons

Many of those marching carried signs with pictures of children who were killed by abuse and others wore medals, indicating they were survivors.

Still others were there simply to support friends.

Kaidens family is friends with ours, said Mia Cutter of Fort Ann. We are here to be strong for her.

Dawn Gibson came up from Knox to show her support for Kenny White, a 5-year-old, who was murdered in December 2014.

When you have a tragedy, you have to move on and make it better, she said.

Once Kaiden had made her trips around the park, she started posing for pictures, showing off her shirt that said, Hands has my back. I am a survivor, on the back.

Lyons got a little teary at the end.

That girl keeps me alive every day, she said.
QUEENSBURY  The mother of boat crash victim Charlotte McCue testified Monday in the case of the man accused of killing her, tearfully telling the jury of the moments when her daughter was killed and she was seriously hurt.

Courtney McCue cried on-and-off during her testimony, but also became angry at one point as Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan apologized for having to show her graphic photos of injuries.

Her comment, Me too, God dammit, seemed directed at having to testify and relive the nights events that killed 8-year-old Charlotte and left McCue herself with three broken vertebrae, a broken hip and cuts to the bone on her side.

She told of still having bruises nearly 9 months later where her daughters head lay, and not being able to play with her children or play tennis as she did.

When McCue was shown a picture of her leg injury, she remarked about its significance.

Thats where my daughters head was when it was crushed, she said in a low voice.

She said she was knocked to the boats floor after the other boat came over the top of the Gar Wood antique boat she and her family were in.

I remember screaming, Oh my God, oh my God,  McCue recalled.

McCue told the panel that her daughter was asleep, her head in her lap as the boats hit, but she could not say from where the other boat came. West had his head bowed for a period of time as she told of efforts to revive her gravely injured daughter.

McCue testified for about 20 minutes in the trial of Alexander M. West, the Lake George man accused of manslaughter and lesser charges for the crash last July 25 on Lake George, after the annual Log Bay Day party on the lakes east shore.

He is accused of boating while impaired by alcohol and illegal drugs and violating Navigation Law when his boat collided with one driven by Courtneys father, Robert Knarr.

The jury also saw the surveillance video that police recovered from a lakeside home in the days after the crash, which police said showed the collision. It shows two lights colliding, then both slowly lingering in the area.

It also shows both boats moving to the right, which would be southbound, on the screen, one going significantly faster than the other.

It was unclear whether the slower boat was also heading west, toward Knarrs boathouse, based on the video angle.

Photos introduced earlier in the day also seemed to show the damage on Knarrs boat came from an angle, instead of straight on from the side.

At what angle the boats hit is a crucial part of the case, as it will help determine which boat had the right of way.

The prosecution claims it was an overtaking, where the faster boat, Wests craft, should have yielded to Knarrs boat, but the defense believes Knarr was headed west, so he should have yielded to the southbound boat.

A friend of Wests who attended the Log Bay Day festivities on his boat took the stand Monday as well, telling the jury that he saw the defendant drink a beer earlier in the day, but wasnt with him much of the day.

That friend, Matt Peterson, said that a boat passenger who had not been drinking that day drove Wests boat from the bay when they were leaving.

Peterson also said that West had two vodka Moscow Mule drinks at The Huddle restaurant after they left the bay, though defense lawyer Cheryl Coleman pointed out that he told the grand jury that indicted West that he had one of the drinks that night. He also said he did not see West use drugs that day, though he talked of smoking.

The jury also heard Monday morning from two friends of Wests, to whose house he and his friends went after the crash to get a ride home.

Both said West did not appear to be intoxicated when he and friends arrived at their house around 10 p.m. July 25. That was a half-hour or so after the collision and after they had left their boat at Tea Island Resort on Lake George.

One of the friends, Kyle Schoonover, told of giving West and four people with him a ride to a home in Kingsbury later that night.

He was shown that he had previously told police the group did seem intoxicated, but he clarified Monday that that conclusion came from his knowledge they had been at the annual Log Bay Day party.

Schoonover and roommate Michael Kenny said something seemed amiss about the group, with Schoonover saying he didnt believe Wests story about running out of gas.

I had this uncomfortable feeling the whole ride that something was going on, Schoonover said.

Coleman was admonished by Hall before the jury arrived Monday for tactics from earlier in the trial, including comments made before the jury and for bringing a drug testing kit into court and placing it before a witness without court permission. She also sparred with Warren County sheriffs Investigator Russ Lail about his boating accident report.

In the report, Lail noted alcohol was a factor for West, but not for Knarr, leading to Coleman reiterating to the jury that Knarr initially refused to take a breath test at Glens Falls Hospital. He later did, though, and police have said there was no indication he was under the influence at the time of the collision.

Testimony in the trial is continuing at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Hogan said her office may wrap up its case on Thursday.
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Peter Navarro, the head of the newly formed White House National Trade Council and a top economic adviser to Trump, was believed to be quite possibly the most influential member of the West Wing when it came to matters of international trade, particularly involving the Chinese.

An outspoken China hawk, the ex-professor authored books such as "Death by China" and "Crouching Tiger: What China's Militarism Means for the World." He advocated for a much more aggressive stance against the Asian superpower. He believed, much as Trump expressed along the campaign trail, that China was responsible for a glut of manufacturing jobs exiting the US, pointing to China's manipulating of its currency as a top reason for why that was such.

In the White House, Navarro was set to be Trump's right-hand man in alliance with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representative nominee Robert Lighthizer. Together, advocates believed they would wage a major economic battle against China. Navarro already believes that China is engaged in an economic war against the US.

But Trump's recent comments sent a shockwave to watchers of the Trump-China relationship and made them wonder if Navarro's influence has been limited.

And the comments made it appear as if Navarro's influence was being limited.

"What is left for him to do?" one top Republican operative on matters of trade told Business Insider of Navarro. The operative said it's becoming clear that head of the National Economic Council and ex-Goldman Sachs executive Gary Cohn is exerting increasing influence in the trade policy realm.

The operative suggested that while Trump's comments will be viewed as a "betrayal" to his trade supporters, the move against labeling China as a currency manipulator makes sense  as trade, he said, is the "only" negotiating tool Trump has it his disposal regarding China and North Korea.

A White House official disputed that Navarro and the council he was tasked with leading are being stifled.

"Peter has always been and continues to be an integral part of the president's trade team, which is dedicated to fulfilling the president's promise to the American people that he would no longer allow this country to be taken advantage of by unfair trade deals," the official told Business Insider. "Peter and the NTC particularly focus on identifying the unique problems that have created an uneven playing field for American companies doing business around the world."

The appearance of Navarro's profile becoming more limited comes at a time when an apparent power struggle is playing out in the White House. The "Goldman Sachs" wing of New York businesspeople  Cohn, senior adviser Jared Kushner, assistant Ivanka Trump, and Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell  has sparred with the more populist, nationalist wing headed by chief strategist Steve Bannon. Navarro's views on trade fit in more with the Bannon wing, which has seemingly lost some of the power it held at the start of the Trump presidency.

According to a recent story in Vanity Fair, Navarro was brought into the Trump orbit by Kushner, who contacted the professor after browsing Amazon for a book that seemed to match Trump's views on China. Trump has commissioned Kushner to find someone to speak with on China, and Kushner stumbled upon "Death by China." In announcing Navarro's hiring, Trump said in a statement that he "read one of Peter's books on America's trade problems years ago and was impressed by the clarity of his arguments and thoroughness of his research."

"He has presciently documented the harms inflicted by globalism on American workers and laid out a path forward to restore our middle class," Trump's statement said. "He will fulfill an essential role in my administration as a trade adviser."

Lee Branstetter, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who served on President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers from 2011 through 2012 who is opposed to many of the trade proposals championed by both Trump and Navarro, said Navarro hasn't appeared to have had much say in trade policy thus far.

"It certainly does seem to be the case that Peter Navarro is not going to have the kind of impact on trade policy that we might have expected based on the campaign rhetoric, or even what Peter himself might have expected when he accepted this position to head this new council within the White House," Branstetter said.

But Branstetter said this could stem from how little power Navarro's council has among the many White House agencies.

"Lots of administrations start lots of little councils inside the White House to address various constituencies, and many of them are quite small and quite under resourced," he said. "And in the interagency game of jockeying for power and influence, these little councils can also be at a grave disadvantage, relative to the big agencies and the more established consultative councils within the White House, like a National Security Council or a National Economic Council."

"I worked for a White House that was very different from the Trump White House, but this phenomenon of lots of little councils that weren't necessarily doing a whole heck of a lot was certainly a feature of the Obama administration and probably in all administrations that we see today," he continued. "It's easy to set something up in order to trumpet its importance, to signal to a key constituency, but it doesn't really do much beyond that."

When Navarro's position was first announced, the council's responsibilities were detailed as advising the president on trade negotiations, coordinating with other agencies, and assisting unemployed workers. The council was also designed to lead Trump's "Buy America, Hire America" program, aimed at boosting jobs in infrastructure and defense sectors.

And just days after Trump's surprising comments on Chinese currency manipulation, he signed his "Buy American, Hire American" executive order, setting in motion one of Navarro's largest responsibilities. The adviser quickly made TV appearances to talk up aspects of the order, and the White House pushed out a Navarro statement praising the order.

But with a number of Trump's promised trade initiatives being slow to get off the ground  leaving some to fear they may not be happening  Navarro's influence is increasingly under question.

Lori Wallach, head of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, a group generally in favor of the trade reforms proposed by Trump, told Business Insider that Navarro is attempting to help implement the Trump trade agenda with a number of less protectionist members of the Cabinet seemingly in opposition. And as Lighthizer has still not been confirmed  meaning that, additionally, most of the top political positions in the US trade representative's office are still yet to be filled  she said Navarro has been forced to go at it without much help.

"You've got the one person in the saddle who doesn't have structurally, [the staff,] or experience wise, the chops, to get into a huge Washington policy war," she said. "As a result, first there is the fight over the ideology, and then the second issue is not having the hands on deck to do the implementation."

"While a bunch of this initial skirmish was occurring, it was Peter Navarro, who is obviously a very bright and committed guy, but is the one guy who is not cabinet level ... so he doesn't even have the capacity to be in most of those meetings," she added. "He is someone who is the least sort of political Machiavellian in the sense that he's never played in this setting."
Google is reportedly working on an ad blocker that would be included by default in its Chrome browser on desktop and mobile.

And Google is also part of the Coalition for Better Ads, which was reported by Ad Age to be discussing the introduction of industry-wide ad blocking. Facebook and Microsoft are also part of the coalition.

The coalition has created a guide to define the most disruptive ad experiences, which includes formats such as pop-up ads, autoplaying videos with sound, and flashing animated ads. According to Ad Age, the goal of rolling out industry-wide ad blocking would be to get rid of those undesirable formats.

Matt Maier, CEO of ad blocker company AdBlock, told Business Insider it could turn out to be a problem for his company because Google could choose to disable third party ad blockers, but he emphasized that nobody knew what the Coalition for Better Ads was actually doing.

In a blog post, however, AdBlock also said the move would be beneficial to users who would see less intrusive advertising.

"We believe that things [in online advertising] have gotten completely out of hand, which has led to the emergence of ad blocking," Maier said.

"There are people out there who are voicing probably justifiable concerns about putting more power into the hands of fewer and fewer organizations. We happen to think that Google has good intentions, and from our experience, has done right by users, for the most part," he said about the tech company's role in the discussions.

"Obviously there's an open question about what Google's incentives are. You could certainly make the argument that they operate one of the largest ad networks in the world and that network is predicated on being able to track people," Maier said.

Tracking is the bigger problem

Cliqz, the German privacy browser that bought anti-tracking plugin Ghostery in February, believes the discussions don't solve the real problem of privacy and tracking.

CEO Jean-Paul Schmetz, who is also chief scientist for the publishing house Burda, told Business Insider in an interview that "the core of Google's and Facebook's business is to track people. The user needs to have the right whether they want to be identified by third parties or not."

"Whenever you look at the self-regulating bodies, you often have to look at who's behind them to understand which bias they will have," Schmetz said. "In this particular case you know that when the two biggest players in the world make a coalition to make the world better, they will make it especially better for the formats that they are strong in."

Standards should have been introduced years ago

That ad blocking is now being considered something to be rolled out on an industry level is the first step to reducing the intrusiveness of online advertisements. Dr. Johnny Ryan, head of ecosystem at PageFair, which supplies anti-ad blocking technology, told Business Insider that "if the industry had had these standards years ago, ad blocking might not be the phenomenon it is today."

When it comes to user privacy Ryan pointed to the upcoming changes of the EU's ePrivacy Directive, which will limit how users can be tracked online and could reign in retargeting. "There is a crisis of tracking right now and the European regulators have stepped in and are imposing rules that will have a global effect and radically change the tracking system as we know it."

A recent report from PageFair found that ad blocking can lead to significant problems for publishers who lose out on revenue, which limits their ability to invest in content, leading to a continued drop in traffic because users lose interest in the site. Another report found usage of ad blockers went up by 30% in 2016.
The other weekend I went with my family to a coffee shop that my mother deemed "the most beautiful" Starbucks she'd ever seen.

It was a sprawling, comfortable space on the main street in suburban Michigan, where we were visiting family. The exterior was covered in wood shingles and river rocks. Customers lounged in chairs outside and tapped away on their laptops at tables indoors. Chatty baristas were happy to help us with my mom's low-cal venti iced-coffee order, my cold brew, my dad's tea, and my brother's request to use a bathroom.

It had little in common with the drive-thru Starbucks my parents visit in North Carolina or the crowded store where I pick up my mobile coffee orders in New York City.

These differences show the central tension of what Starbucks has become: all things to all people, and in the process, a brand that's become intermittently muddled and decidedly middlebrow.

Once the chain that persuaded Americans to spend $4 on a cup of coffee with Italian names for drinks and sizes that made coffee an elite experience bordering on pretentiousness, the Starbucks of 2017 is just as known for the super-sweet Pumpkin Spice Latte and the made-for-Instagram Unicorn Frappuccino.

Starbucks is sandwiched between lower-end brands like Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's, which siphon off some of Starbucks' customers with lower prices, and, at the other end, the "third wave" chains such as Intelligentsia and Blue Bottle, with their precise pour-overs and baristas who make art out of latte foam.

As Starbucks enters a new era, with plans to open 10,000 locations in five years, and the move of longtime CEO Howard Schultz (the man behind the brand's most revolutionary choices) from chief executive to chairman of the board, the company is trying to figure out if it can be everything to everyone.

That means serving Unicorn Frappuccinos for Instagram-obsessed college students, nitro cold brew for snobs, and a morning cup of joe for commuters on the go. All the while, it needs to fend off competition that its own success helped create at both ends of the market.

At Starbucks image is key. And what some customers think about Starbucks has long been reflected by the jokes about the chain.

The 'Venti' joke

When Chris Allieri visited Starbucks in Boulder, Colorado, as a freshman at the University of Colorado in 1992, he had to call his parents.

"It was magic, like a temple to coffee," Allieri, the founder and principal of marketing firm Mulberry & Astor, told Business Insider.

The location, built in a former gas station, was modern, light, and airy. The smell of coffee wafted through the air as employees ground beans in the store. Baristas  a new word to Americans back then  gave off a perfectly cool vibe, and the coffee options were endless. Everything about the store was different from the cafes and convenience stores where most people purchased stale-tasting coffee in the '90s, if they even bought the beverage instead of just making it at home from Folgers Crystals.

On the phone from his dorm, Allieri told his parents he was convinced that Starbucks would be the next big thing.

"I kept saying, 'This is bigger than coffee  you don't get it!'" he recalls telling his father. "And I remember him saying, 'Well, you should buy the stock.' As if. I was a broke college student. If only I had the money, or the foresight." (If Allieri had purchased $1,000 in Starbucks stock back in 1992, the year the company went public, he'd have $180,000 today.)

The Starbucks experience

Starbucks has made billions of dollars by creating something that didn't exist: a space where customers could not only treat themselves to fancy Italian-style beverages but also relax and socialize. It was a brand that immediately felt sophisticated and elite, making customers like Allieri feel as if they were joining an exclusive club.

When the first Starbucks opened in New York City, The New York Times had to define what a "latte" was (and explain it was pronounced "LAH-tay"). Starbucks played up its exotic nature in everything it did, down to its sizes, with "grande" and "venti" providing a connection to the Italian coffee culture that inspired Schultz.

"Starbucks was an affordable way to get luxury," Craig Garthwaite, an associate professor of strategy at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, told Business Insider. While Starbucks was clearly pricier than your average cup of coffee, it was a small luxury in the grand scheme of things. Most people couldn't afford to buy a BMW, but they could treat themselves with a grande vanilla latte as a small symbol of expensive taste.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the little details that set Starbucks apart, and allowed it to charge a few extra dollars, were new and foreign, and they were ridiculed by many. As Starbucks expanded, the chain was mocked for calling its beverage sizes tall, grande, and venti instead of small, medium, and large.

In 2004, " target="_blank"Mr. Language Person" Dave Barry published an article in The Times that hit on the tropes of the venti joke:

Starbucks decided to call its cup sizes "Tall" (meaning "not tall," or "small"), "Grande" (meaning "medium") and "Venti" (meaning, for all we know, "weasel snot"). Unfortunately, we consumers, like moron sheep, started actually USING these names. Why? If Starbucks decided to call its toilets "AquaSwooshies," would we go along with THAT?

Starbucks versus Dunkin Donuts

In 2006 the venti jokes were so common that Dunkin' Donuts launched a campaign lambasting a "certain competitor" for using elitist words that were a perplexing mix of French and Italian. In the ad, which it called "Fritalian," customers stand slack-jawed looking at a coffee shop's menu board filled with a nonsensical mishmash of words, such as "Limon Au Deau," "Lattcapssreso," and "Isto Cinno."

"Delicious lattes from Dunkin' Donuts. You order them in English, not Fritalian," the narrator says in the commercial's conclusion.

Dunkin' advertising "lattes" shows how mainstream the beverage had become over the past decade, in large part due to Starbucks' influence. As Starbucks grew, lattes had become a symbol of elitist liberals, out of touch with the average American. In 2004, a conservative PAC ran an ad during the Democratic Caucuses featuring an Iowa couple telling Howard Dean to take his "tax-hiking, government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, body-piercing, Hollywood-loving left-wing freak show" back to Vermont.

Yet in 2008, Dunkin' Donuts was selling more inexpensive versions of Starbucks' semi-Euro beverages while maintaining the brands all-American identity.

Starbucks didn't want an all-American identity. For Schultz, confusing, potentially elitist naming conventions weren't a bug; they were a feature.

"Customers believed that their grande lattes demonstrated that they were better than others  cooler, richer, more sophisticated," Bryant Simon wrote in his book about Starbucks, "Everything But the Coffee." "As long as they could get all of this for the price of a cup of coffee, even an inflated one, they eagerly handed over their money, three and four dollars at a clip."

Starbucks' strategy has long been different from that of McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts. While Dunkin' Donuts attracts customers with low prices and convenience, Starbucks' strategy has been rooted in attracting customers to what Schultz called the "romance and theatre" of the coffee-shop experience.

"Any retailer can throw a few ingredients in a cup and say here's your latte, but Starbucks has differentiated themselves with the experience," Melody Overton, the creator of the blog Starbucks Melody, said.

When customers are making venti jokes, Starbucks is at its best, as an aspirational brand that's unlike any other. The chain's problems come when the venti becomes the norm.

The Starbucks-on-every-corner joke

Throughout the '70s and much of the '80s, Starbucks was a coffee roaster first and a coffee shop second. But in the early '80s, Schultz joined the company and became convinced that Starbucks could achieve a seemingly impossible goal: remain premium while becoming ubiquitous.

Schultz had never wanted Starbucks to stay small, like other regional chains such as Peet's. In fact, Schultz left the company for a brief period in the mid-'80s because he was unable to convince Starbucks founders that the company could be an international chain, not just a coffee roaster. In 1987, Schultz acquired the Starbucks' brand and 17 locations from its founders, who decided to focus their energy on Peet's. Then Schultz began planting the seeds for one of the most ambitious retail expansions in history.

Between 1998 and 2008, Starbucks grew from 1,886 stores to 16,680.

"From the beginning, what they were hoping to be is the third place between home and work," Garthwaite said, referring to the chain's sociology-inspired mission to become a meeting place. "To achieve that goal, you have to be everywhere." And soon Starbucks was.

Even when Starbucks had just 700 stores, the chain seemed pervasive, with NPR's "All Things Considered" announcing as an April Fools' joke in 1996 that Starbucks' was building a "transcontinental coffee slurry pipeline" as part of efforts to become omnipresent. In 2000, an Onion headline read "New Starbucks Opens In Rest Room Of Existing Starbucks." That same year "The Simpsons" aired an episode in which Bart visits a mall in which every store was swiftly being turned into a Starbucks. Lewis Black had a joke in 2002 about seeing a Starbucks across from a Starbucks, which he declared a sign of the end of the universe and evidence against a loving god.

It wasnt an exaggeration. Around that time, if you stood at just the right spot in New Yorks Astor Place, you could see three Starbucks without moving your head.

But unlike the venti jokes, these jabs spelled trouble for the company.

Overexpansion

"The number of new stores got ahead of Starbucks' ability to have the [employees] to staff those stores," Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson told Business Insider. The company "got over its skis," sacrificing training and upscale marketing for speedy growth and shareholder returns without thinking of the consequences.

As a result, Starbucks made decisions that would leave the company reeling as it moved away from its roots as a sophisticated, luxury brand.

Schultz had stepped down as CEO in 2000. While he remained on the board, new leadership was more focused on expansion than safeguarding Starbucks' unique brand.

Opening locations across the US and beyond meant adding menu items that appealed to a wider swath of customers, from the failed cocoa-butter Chantico, which launched in 2005 and lasted a year, to the fruity Sorbetto, which launched in 2008 and was pulled after one year. To speed up operations, stores swapped high-end La Marzocco espresso machines for automatic ones. Starbucks no longer smelled like coffee as the chain had begun brewing from flavor-locked packaging.

On their own, each change would have likely gone unnoticed, but taken as a whole they were almost deadly.

"The damage was slow and quiet, incremental, like a single loose thread that unravels a sweater inch by inch," Schultz says in his book "Onward."

While customers may not have been able to pinpoint the changes, they noticed a different environment at Starbucks. "They lost a little bit of their luster  a little bit of their chutzpah, a little bit of their sparkle," Allieri said of Starbucks in the mid-2000s.

As quality slipped at Starbucks, McDonald's and other fast-food competitors smelled opportunity, adding lattes and other specialty coffee beverages to their menus at lower prices. Customers began buying their coffee elsewhere.

"More and more people were asking themselves, 'Why am I paying $4 for a cup of coffee?'" said Oded Netzer, an associate professor at Columbia Business School.

It was a grim situation. Starbucks had built a business on its sophisticated brand. Then, as it became ubiquitous, the chain became sterile and corporate. Further, in the recession, expensive coffee was no longer an affordable luxury.

The breaking point

The chain finally reached a breaking point in 2008.

In January of that year, Schultz returned as CEO, with the mission of "re-igniting" target="_blank" customers' "emotional attachment" to Starbucks. In February, Schultz closed all 7,100 US Starbucks locations for three and a half hours to retrain baristas on how to make the perfect espresso. And in July, Starbucks announced it was closing 600 underperforming stores.

As the company's fabled "visionary," Schulz began trying to bring the company back to his roots, a role he took with zeal. Beans were once again ground in stores, a new type of espresso machine was installed across all locations, and stores were redesigned to "recapture the coffeehouse feel," adding touches like local decorations and secondhand furniture.

He righted the sinking ship financially. The company's stock has increased by 1,140% from Starbucks' low in late 2008, and the company has opened 10,000 new locations around the world.

But few would say Starbucks fully recaptured the premium image it had crafted in the '90s. Instead, it entered a period of appealing to both the wealthy and the working class, serving the urbane and the moms in minivans who go through its drive-thrus. Shoppers expect a Starbucks to be nearby, and they no longer wince calling a drink "grande."

This is a big reason Starbucks is stuck in the middle now, sandwiched between chains focusing on no-frills value, like Dunkin' and McDonald's, and the "third wave" of high-end shops. Some are independent; others are fancier chains, like Intelligentsia and Blue Bottle.

Starbucks ubiquity empowered rivals at both ends. Over the past year, these problems have once again reared their heads as Starbucks' stock stagnated. Store traffic slowed after years of growth post-2008.

Instead of being mocked for being pretentious, Starbucks now finds itself with something like the opposite problem.

The 'basic' joke

The story of Starbucks' current place in Americana can be summed up in one drink: the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

The PSL, as its known, sometimes derisively, is a seasonal concoction of cloves, nutmeg, and other spices synonymous with fall. Its been on the menu since 2003, when Starbucks decided it wanted to create an autumn drink.

According to lore, the PSL was created while brainstorming ideas for a new espresso-based seasonal beverage. The innovation team sat with a pumpkin pie on one side and an espresso machine on the other, alternating shots of espresso and bites of pie in an attempt to deconstruct how best to combine the two flavors.

The drink has become an autumnal tradition. Over the past 13 years, Starbucks has sold 200 million cups of its Pumpkin Spice Latte. It's even created an entire category of PSL products, from breakfast cereals to Pumpkin Spice Peeps. It has a Twitter account.

It also happens to be the defining drink of the "basic b---h."

The dangers of being basic

If you are an American between the ages of 10 and 30, being basic isn't necessarily a definable term; it's a feeling you get about a certain kind of person, almost always female. To be a "basic b---h" is to buy into an unoriginal image of what is enjoyable and feminine and to broadcast these uninspired tastes to the world. It's the opposite of being edgy or cool  it's behaving as expected, buying into a certain degree of groupthink. Wearing Uggs and leggings? Basic. Instagramming your fingers, coated in Essie nail polish, clutching a rainbow bagel at brunch with your girls? Basic. Pumpkin Spice Lattes? The most basic thing of all.

Thought Catalogue listed "liking Pumpkin Spice Lattes" as No. 2 on the list of " target="_blank"21 Signs You're A Basic B*tch" in 2012.

By fall 2014, basic had exploded. Twitter was flooded with jokes about "basic white girls" loving PSLs. More than one group of white people released a parody rap video about Pumpkin Spice Lattes ("pumpkin spice latte rap" yields more than 2,000 results on YouTube). BuzzFeed published a think piece about PSL and class anxiety, "breaking down why were actually dismissive of all things pumpkin spice."

For Starbucks, the onslaught of PSL jokes is good and bad. On one hand, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is wildly popular  estimates suggest the chain has made $1 billion selling the drink. On the other hand, being seen as a beacon for the basic is far from the upscale coffee-shop image that the Starbucks brand is built upon and that Schultz fought tooth and nail to win back in 2008.

"You can say tough luck, we're going to go with the new customers because they're the majority now," Netzer said about Starbucks' attempts to serve both mainstream teens and coffee snobs. "The problem with that is [the original] strategy is why Starbucks can charge $3 more for coffee than McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts."

Schultz righted the chain after it became sterile  but he wasn't able to regain the brand's upscale "cool" factor.

"Something we all have to come to terms with as we get older is we're all going to lose the it factor at some point," Garthwaite said. It's nearly impossible for a large corporation to maintain the "edgy, hip factor" that comes with being a small company doing something revolutionary, that Starbucks managed to capture in the late '80s and early '90s.

But Starbucks wants to try. For the past two years, Netzer says, the chain has realized that it was once again straying from its roots and doubled down on coffee to win back the "coffee connoisseurs" who were the brand's base in the '90s.

Beyond basic

The first result of that plan opened in Seattle in 2014. Called a "Roastery," the 15,000-square-foot location combines coffee production, menu tests, and architectural whimsy. The Roastery has become a huge part of the company's plans to roll out an upscale brand called Reserve.

"Ubiquity will create sort of a natural gravitation pull toward a commodity," said CEO Johnson. Becoming a commodity is obviously something Starbucks wants to avoid, even as it grows. "Which is why our strategy really includes a key pillar to elevate the brand  which is why we're building Roasteries."

Globally, 1,000 Reserve stores will serve Roastery-style concoctions and food made in the stores. And 20% of all Starbucks locations will feature a Reserve Bar, to allow for more complex ways to prepare drinks.

Still, don't count out the power of the Pumpkin Spice Latte-loving basics just yet. In April, as evidence grew that Starbucks was planning to open a third American Roastery, in Chicago, the chain launched its most Instagrammable  and many would say most basic  beverage yet: the Unicorn Frappuccino.

The Unicorn Frappuccino is a brightly colored beverage that changes its color and flavor when stirred. Aesthetically, it's remarkable, looking better when you photograph it yourself than in company advertising. Culinarily, it's kind of gross  a sugar bomb that tastes like an Orange Julius married with Sour Skittles.

It was also an instant hit, flooding social media with customers photos of the drink, providing Starbucks with immeasurable free advertising. And nowhere was the drink more prevalent than on the "basic" hashtag on Instagram, where half of the posts are of the Unicorn Frappuccino. Scrolling through #basic, it's as though the hashtag has been transformed into a Starbucks ad.

The everyone-drinks-Starbucks joke

Imagine walking into a Starbucks in 2022. The building is towering, an open space the size of a large auditorium. In one corner there's a bar with baristas mixing nonalcoholic coffee cocktails; in another a roaster is heating beans; in another, there is a full-service restaurant. Employees are clad in leather aprons and low-key hipster garb. Scruffy coffee roasters wear beard nets. The menu is made up of items that easily surpass the $10 mark  drinks that seem more fit for a classy Manhattan cocktail menu than a coffee shop.

Then imagine walking into another version of Starbucks five years down the road from today. Customers are staring at their iPhones, rushing in just as an employee greets them by name and hands them their drink. There's no cash register, no workers taking orders, just baristas making drinks and handing off beverages to customers rushing in and out.

In fact, both of these Starbucks exist now, within a few miles of each other in Seattle. One is the first Starbucks Roastery and the other is the first Starbucks' test mobile-only store, which was launched earlier in April in Starbucks' offices.

Looking at Starbucks' history, it's clear that the brand evolved  and will continue to evolve  out of necessity, as it is pulled in different directions.

"As our customer base has grown, sometimes our customer wants that third place experience, and sometimes they want convenience," Johnson told Business Insider. "We're not sacrificing one for the other, but it is a delicate balance."

Striking a balance means drawing from all of Starbucks' past eras  and the lessons Starbucks has learned from the jokes people tell.

The Roastery and Reserve stores are perhaps the obvious response to people mocking Starbucks. The new store formats, with their small-batch brews and siphoned coffee, are created to counter jokes about Unicorn Frappuccinos, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and the increasingly basic nature of Starbucks. Schultz, who stepped down as CEO but will remain on the board, is at the helm of the project.

With the Roasteries, Starbucks has a chance to bring back the innovative, exotic Starbucks brand of the '90s, but at a much larger scale. Schultz told Business Insider in October that the Roasteries have shown Starbucks that there is a "real opportunity" for Starbucks to create a "super-premium brand."

"As companies face the threat of e-commerce and mobile shopping, the burden of responsibility of the brick-and-mortar retailers is to create a very immersive, dynamic experience," he said.

But Starbucks needs to be more than super premium. It needs to be convenient, basic, Instagram-worthy, and more.

Can Starbucks have it all?

Johnson says that the biggest reason you don't hear jokes about "Starbucks in Starbucks' bathrooms" as much any more is that the company has changed what a Starbucks looks like, rolling out new store formats in recent years and with more in the works.

"Take everything from an express store on Wall Street that is very small square footage, small menu, and it's all for convenience. Customers walk up, we serve them their food and beverage quickly," Johnson said, listing store formats. "Then, it's our core Starbucks stores  the third place. Starbucks stores with drive-thrus. And now we've got Reserve bars and Reserve stores and Roasteries."

In essence, Schultz and Johnson have realized that as Starbucks became ubiquitous it picked up new types of customers, from snobs to basics. Wedged between fast-food chains and hip coffee shops, Starbucks' new strategy is to create different types of stores  all with an emphasis on customer service  that match up with different types of competitors. Express stores are as fast as any fast-food chain, while Roasteries serve beverages as complex as any indie shop.

"They're bringing back the coffee and bringing back the service," said about the proliferation of Starbucks formats. "I think it's brilliant. I think it's addressing the problem they've had for years."

Others aren't as convinced that Starbucks can pull of the balancing act.

"You can't be everything to everyone," said Gairthwaite, who is skeptical of Starbucks' ability to compete with smaller brands like Intelligentsia and Stumptown while continuing to meet the needs of the majority of customers. "They've always struggled with this idea that some people want the artistry and some people just want a drink."

Vlogger Bethany Mota may have best captured this Starbucks moment. Her video, " target="_blank"Types of People at Starbucks," which describes customers including the Secret Menu Snob, the Instagram Addict, and the Rude Customer, has racked up 1.5 million views on YouTube. Starbucks' customers are increasingly visiting the chain for different reasons  and Starbucks is responding by trying to tailor its stores to all these needs.

"The problem with success is you get harder, more difficult problems to solve," Garthwaite said.
This hype has culminated in a feature film, "The Startup," that, ironically, has turned the Italian media against the 24 year old.

Achilli launched the beta version of his professional social network Egomnia  its name a portmanteau of the Latin ego, "self," and omnia, "everything"  when he was a student at the prestigious business school Bocconi University in Milan in 2012.

At this point his sole investor was his father, who had given him 10,000 to pay his only employee, a contracted developer. Achilli begin pitching his idea of Egomnia, which would connect young Italians to jobs, to fellow Bocconi students.

One of them, student liason to the school board Antonio Aloisi, wrote a blog post for the popular site Linkiesta detailing what he found to be an inspirational story of Achilli's startup dream.

While there's no shortage of the 19-year-old-with-a-startup story in the US, the story stood out in Italy, which was still reeling from the global recession. And it was especially notable that a young man wanted to help those in his generation find jobs in a country with an unemployment rate over 12%. The post went viral.

It caught the eye of the team at the magazine Panorama: Economy, and in March 2012, Achilli's face donned the magazine's cover with the title "Italian Zuckerberg." Again, the story was still based on Achilli's potential, rather than any results.

Two years later, the BBC included Achilli in its documentary series "The Next Billionaires," introducing "the Italian Zuckerberg" to an English-speaking audience. In the same way that his Panorama cover story was based on a viral blog post, the BBC documentary was largely based on the Panorama story.

We spoke with Achilli via Skype in 2014, not long after the BBC's story, and asked Achilli about his rising fame despite the results he had yet to deliver. He noted that when he visited Silicon Valley the previous summer, "I wasn't happy. In the United States, everyone has a startup. If you have one in Italy, you are special."

When we interviewed him, he had already signed the movie deal that would become 2017's "The Startup."

A trailer for the film:

From 2014 to the release of the film, Achilli continued to make media appearances in Italy (and even made BI's 2015 list of "The most powerful people under 30"). But when the film finally came out this month, it prompted Italian journalists to actually do some digging to discover how much of the dramatic film was real and how much was myth.

The numbers, combined with some questionable advertising, paint a bleak picture for a five-year-old company worthy of a film.

 Wired Italia's Luca Zorloni found that as of last December, Egomnia had about 847,000 registered users and as of April, had about 1,300 registered companies posting jobs.

Zorloni also discovered that many of the partnerships proudly displayed on Egomnia's website are not what they seem: the city government of Milan, advertised as a partner, is no longer a customer; Vodafone, advertised as a customer, once was but is no longer; Microsoft is a partner in the sense that it provides cloud services to the site and allows Egomnia to create apps for its market, but it also decided to pull jobs it listed on the site; Google's Italian office told Zorloni it had no knowledge of whether Google was still a partner, but saw no evidence it was. Zorloni also noted Achilli's Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for Egomnia was struggling  he has raised $54 of the $100,000 goal, as of April 21.

And while Egomnia may have 847,000 registered users, Balestreri noted that site performance tracker Webtrekk registered fewer than 300,000 total visits over the last two years.

He also argued that Egomnia's user experience is ugly and difficult to use, and is one of the key reasons it can't compete with the likes of professional networks like LinkedIn or job posters like GiantInfoJobs. For context, the latter company has 80,000 registered companies in Italy, had about a third of all online job postings in Italy last year, and has been adding two million users monthly.

 La Repubblica's Chiara Ugolini noted that five-year-old Egomnia has fewer than a dozen employees. She explained that there is a backlash in Italy agains the film "The Startup" for being inaccurate and overly dramatized. Its director Alessandro D'Alatri told her that his intention was to use Achilli's story as a foundation to create a narrative about all entrepreneurs in their first year, and that he was not going for accuracy.

 Diaro Innovazione's Valentina Ferrero noted that Egomnia has a very weak online presence. Its social pages have few followers (its Facebook page has about 19,000 likes and its Twitter page has just over 8,000 followers) and aside from the few popular stories mentioned earlier, it barely shows up in searches. Ferrero also noted that much of the feedback from users, which can be seen on Facebook, is quite negative.

Back in 2012, Achilli was a young entrepreneur with a relatively small investment from his dad and plenty of ambition. He soon found himself a celebrity, largely by luck and the media's desire for an interesting story  a hero for Italy's struggling economy that had failed its young adults. It turned out that when a feature film came out based on that hero's life, he didn't yet have much to show for it.
They include Asoriba, an online church management platform, mPedigree, which has built a system that uses your mobile phone to be used to detect counterfeit and Rancard, a mobile solutions company.

The rest are Esoko, which connects farmers with businesses and NGOs and mPharma, which has built a system to helps poor people accesses high quality but expensive drugs.

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, he adds.
The brother of former President John Mahama has been given a two weeks ultimatum to clear his importation debt. The GRA says it will auction Mahama's properties for the State to recover the amount if he does not pay his debt.

He is expected to make the payment by Monday, May 8, 2017.

READ ALSO: EOCO picks Ibrahim Mahama over fraud

EOCO has accused Mahama for issuing 44 post-dated cheques to the Customs Division, as duties for imports of equipment, but turned out to be dud cheques.

The cheques were issued in 2015His company MBG Ltd. located in Tema  the harbor city of Ghana  which deals in the sale and rental of heavy duty vehicles and spare parts and one other Holman Brothers have been at the centre of the scandal.According to Assistant Commissioner for Communication of GRA, Robert Mensah, though his outfit had engaged the businessman since December 2016, he has been unresponsive.Mr. Mensah said the Authority got alarmed when the cheques were taken to the banks only to be told that the accounts were closed.

READ ALSO: Supporters of Ibrahim Mahama throng EOCO

An agreement was made to pay Gh800, 000 per month payment made so far falls short of that commitment. Within the next two weeks the two companies should make good all the indebtedness of Gh10, 409, 492.86 million
In its third offer since March, PPG's chairman and chief executive Michael McGarry said he was making "one last invitation" to AkzoNobel to "engage with us on creating extraordinary value and benefits for all of AkzoNobel's stakeholders."

The new proposal offered to buy all shares at some 96.75 euros per share, an increase of 6.75 euros on its last bid on March 21. That would increase the value of the company from some 22.4 billion euros to 24.6 billion euros ($26.6 billion).

"Our revised proposal represents a second increase in price along with significant and highly-specific commitments that we are confident AkzoNobel's stakeholders will find compelling," McGarry wrote in a letter to the company bosses.

AkzoNobel's paint-making business, which includes such brand names as Dulux and Trimetal, is seen as a broad barometer of underlying global economic activity.

It said in a statement Monday that it "will carefully review and consider this proposal" which it said was "a third unsolicited and conditional proposal" from PPG.

The company has come under pressure in recent weeks after already twice rejecting offers in the increasingly hostile takeover battle with the Pittsburg-based PPG.

Last week, the Amsterdam-based company unveiled plans to spin off its specialist chemicals division either via a sale or a separate listing within the next 12 months, hoping to calm rumblings among shareholders discontent with the rejection of PPG.

Buoyed by stronger-than-expected first-quarter profits, AkzoNobel chief executive Ton Buchner valued the chemicals division at between eight and 12 billion euros.

"We will create two focused and high-performance businesses," he said.

"Both businesses have skills and capabilities to stand on their own and to deliver a strong cash generation in the future."

But PPG said Monday it believed its new offer was "vastly superior to AkzoNobel's new standalone plan."

McGarry argued that "one of more notable risks" of AkzoNobel's new plan "is that it creates two smaller, unproven standalone companies with uncertain market valuations."

It would also require "substantial restructuring" for the company.
The purchase is due to be completed in the third quarter of 2017 and expected to triple the value of DAE's owned and operated aircraft from $4.5 billion (4.1 billion euros) to $14 billion, a statement said.

"The acquisition of AWAS ... propels DAE into a top 10 aircraft leasing platform," said Khalifa Al-Daboos, managing director of the Dubai-based company.

Government-controlled DAE said that after the purchase is completed it will own and manage a fleet of more than 394 aircraft and serve over 110 airline customers in over 55 countries.

Twenty-three new aircraft are scheduled for delivery to DAE by the end of 2018.

DAE gave no further details about the deal.

The company currently holds an aircraft leasing portfolio of 104 aircraft worth approximately $4.5 billion, according to its website.

The transaction will use funds managed by AWAS shareholders Terra Firma Capital Partners and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, DAE said.
The eleven young women and nine men would this year undergo a three-year programme as well as grooming to take up roles in leadership.

The twenty are second-year students pursuing various degree programmes from the following schools: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), University of Professional Studies (UPS), University of Allied Sciences, University of Mines and technology (UMAT) and University for Development Studies (UDS).

In his address, a playwright and public speaker, Mr James Ebo Whyte, urged the students to seek knowledge and be unique in all their endeavours.

Accumulate knowledge, stand out by being unique. There must be something special about you. Have faith and believe that the impossible is possible. You must be unstoppable such that nothing can keep you down. Discover your calling and obey it. Finally, respect yourself so that others will respect you.

Mr Kufuor transformed politics in Ghana by showing how a politician can show genuine love to people of all walks of life, and respect humanity, he said.

The Minister of State for Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, lauded the move to groom the beneficiaries into effective leaders.

He also used the opportunity to call on the private sector to offer support to the educational sector.

The beneficiaries would receive a certificate of completion after the three-year programme.

Each student would also receive a GH2,000 stipend every semester and would in the course of the three years take part in seminars, internships, and other mentoring sessions.
She stated this emphatically on GHOne TV saying, We met on Skype, I just saw him standing there looking so tall, I was just looking at his six packs and his thighs and I was like Oh this guy! You are not going anywhere you are mine all the girls should know he is still mine forever".

In March this year, Afriyie Acquah also revealed that he is still friends with his ex-wife, Amanda.

We are cool, we can even fight when we are not together anymore, we are kool... The Torino player added that he has a big heart and always find ways to deal with issues affecting his life".

Amanda also disclosed that she has never dated a poor man since she turned 17 years old. She dated multimillionaire Kenpong and later her ex-husband, Afriyie.

Since her divorce, the mother of one's enviable curves cant go unnoticed; very voluptuous comparing her old photos during her days with the Torino player.
On ministerial orders, in Soumah's words, the capital of dirt-poor Guinea has been scrubbed and primped to transform it into "the pearl of the world's lagoons."

The reason for the transformation has nothing to do with a visit by a foreign VIP or a major sporting event, but with literature.

Conakry is being enshrined as World Book Capital for the next 12 months.

The honour propels the poverty-stricken, little-known city to the ranks of cultural titans such as Madrid, New Delhi, Montreal, Turin and Amsterdam -- all previous holders of the title since its inauguration in 2001.

As World Book Capital, a city gets the chance to showcase established and emerging literary talent, both from home and abroad, and to lure major book publishers.

It is also a golden opportunity for promoting talent in other areas -- theatre, music and cinema.

But to Guinea, the title also helps the country to literally turn the page on the 2013-16 Ebola epidemic that today burdens its image abroad.

Guinea was the epicentre for an outbreak of the disease that spread to neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia, killing more than 11,300 people and triggering a worldwide fear of contagion.

One of the poorest countries in the world -- it ranks 145th in the World Bank's league table for gross domestic product (GDP) -- Guinea was awarded stellar marks by health watchdogs for rolling back Ebola with patient grassroots work, substituting for lack of funds and hi-tech help.

UNESCO has similarly singled out community involvement and literacy programmes to explain why it made such a seemingly unusual choice for 2017 World Book Capital.

The UN cultural agency made the announcement in July 2015, even before the Ebola scare was officially over.

"Books, learning and reading are key to human life," its director general Irina Bokova said.

"The strong investment of the Republic of Guinea in promoting books and literacy bears witness to a clear vision of culture and education as drivers of development and recovery."

Senegal honoured

The World Book Capital programme, launched on Sunday, celebrates culturally vibrant Senegal, a fellow francophone nation, as guest of honour.

Giant posters on Conakry's northern seafront avenue bear tribute to some of the heroes of African literature.

They include Leopold Sedar Senghor -- the Senegalese poet and former president who drove the "Negritude" movement that combined use of French with a distinct African cultural identity.

Intellectuals in Conakry are hoping that Guinea's turn in the spotlight will bring desperately needed funds to boost literacy in a country where only 35 to 40 percent of Guineans complete their education. Few people read books outside those required by school curricula.
Dubbed HeLa, the cell line from the 31-year-old African-American woman became one of the most utilized in medical research, helping establish billion-dollar biomedical industries around the world for cancer treatment, vaccines -- including Johan Salk's polio inoculation -- and even in-vitro fertilization.

It was all done without her knowledge or consent.

Struggling with poverty and racism in Baltimore, Lacks's family discovered the truth accidentally years later.

Writer Rebecca Skloot's subsequent account, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," rocketed to public attention earlier this decade, spending 75 weeks on the New York Times paperback nonfiction best-seller list, and prompting a public debate about the ethics of harvesting people's cells.

Now Oprah Winfrey has helped bring the story of Lacks and her "immortal" cell line to the small screen in a HBO film adaptation of the book that debuted on Saturday to mixed reviews.

The narrative focuses on Skloot's interactions with Lacks's daughter Deborah, played by Winfrey. A toddler when her mother died, she alternates between enthusiasm and suspicion of the project, eager to learn about her mother but prone to wild conspiracy theories.

The 63-year-old Winfrey, who once worked as a reporter in Washington, was determined to co-produce the film after reading the book. But the hugely successful talk show star -- who is one of the country's most influential public figures with her own cable channel, OWN -- said she long resisted the idea of acting in it.

"I was really afraid to do this role," she said this week during a promotional tour with the director George Wolfe, who had urged her to take it on. "I said from day one, 'George, I don't want to make a fool of myself.'"

'Measure up'

Winfrey has won acclaim for a number of previous film roles, including in "The Color Purple" (1985), "The Butler" (2013) and "Selma" (2014).

Still, "I don't put myself normally in situations where I am out of control and I don't know what I am doing," she said. "Everybody on set is better than I am because they've done it longer."

"That's the fear, that you're not going to measure up in the moment."

One of the ways the billionaire Winfrey was able to connect with the role was as a longtime campaigner against sexual assault.

"I came from a life of abuse," she said.

In parallel with Henrietta Lacks' unfolding tale, her daughter gradually reveals her own untold story: the fact she and her siblings faced mental, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of relatives after their mother's death.

Still, Winfrey said she didn't feel the kind of "rage and anger and fear" many other victims do. "I am pretty damn healed from all my past stuff."

So when it came to a particularly emotional scene, she fell back on what she's most famous for.
The church in a statement said "As the church celebrates its 40 anniversary and the 60 birthday of the Founder, Pioneer, and Patriarch Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, 40/Sixty, will be celebrated under the theme, "Ebenezerthus far the Lord has helped us" taken from 1 Samuel 7:12.

READ MORE: 10 Most Influential Pastors on social media in Ghana

"The church is urging all churches and friends throughout the world to partake in this milestone in the ministrys history.

"We have planned a series of exciting programmes and activities, with seasoned men and women of God, to highlight the significance of this anniversary and birthday, and to draw inspiration from the lessons learned as we build, with grace, the legacy God has promised ACI."

"God gave Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams the vision to build "The Global Prayer Command Center as an altar of intercession and prayer for the nations of the world and a place for Christians to renew their strength and spirits and rejuvenate their bodies through the power of strategic prayers and His abiding presence", it added.

Programmes

Friday, 12 May  Birthday Dinner & Concert: The highlight of the 40/Sixty celebration will be a Birthday Dinner in support of the Prayer Command Center. The dinner will feature a concert with award winning Psalmist Vicki Yohe and a signature dining experience prepared by celebrity Chef Pierre Thiam.

Saturday, 13th May  Documentary Premiere: the worldwide premier of the Dominion Television (DTV) produced documentary, Destined to Make an Impact: The Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams Story will be held at ACI.

Sunday, 14 May  Thanksgiving Service: ACIs College of Bishops will hold a 40/Sixty Thanksgiving Service celebrating Gods blessings over ACI and the Archbishop with Vicki Yohe and Voices of Triumph in worship.

Sunday 26 November  Sunday, 3 December  Impact Convention: 40/Sixty will conclude with ACIs Annual Impact Convention with global and national Ministers including: Bishop John Francis, Bishop Michael Pitts, Bishop Jackie McCullough, Pastor Paula White, Reverend Eastwood Anaba, Reverend Robert Ampiah-Kwofi, and Prophet Victor Kusi Boateng.

Renowned playwright Ebo Whyte and Roverman Productions will premiere their own live play at Ghanas National Theatre on the life of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams during the Impact Convention.

Other 40/Sixty events

The Archbishops charitable foundation Compassion in Action, will hold a 40/Sixty 10 kilometre Health Walk in support of the Drug Rehabilitation Center.
The District Commander of the Baatsona Police Command, Chief Superintendent Felix Cosmos said: On 12th April, 2017, at about 8:00pm, the deceased, who happens to be Chinese National, Ren Guan Fa, is about 50 years old, and an engineer of a company in Accra. He closed from work about 8.30, and went to his house around Sakumono. The following day at about 7.30pm, he was found dead in his bath house. A report was made to the police; so on the 15 of April, 2017, based on our intelligence, we arrested one suspect called Ekow Korsah, a 23-year-old foreman of that same company, and during interrogation of the suspect, he initially denied knowledge of the death of the Chinese man.
The commitment I want to make, and for all of us to make, is that by the end of my term in office, Accra will be the cleanest city on the entire African continent. That is the commitment I am making, he said.

The president made this known on Sunday, April 23, 2017, when the president of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, together with the Chiefs and people of Jamestown, enstooled him as a Chief in Jamestown, in Accra.

The stool name Nii Kwaku Ablade Okogyeaman 1, which means Royal Warrior; one who fights to redeem his people was given to the president as part of the enstoolment on Sunday.

Speaking at the event, paramount chief of the area, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, said the reason for honouring Nana Akufo-Addo with the stool was because of his sterling career as a human rights lawyer who stood for the rule of law and advocated for the rights of the ordinary Ghanaian.

The paramount chief advised the president to be impartial in the implementation of policies and programmes that will benefit every citizen of Ghana. Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio also appealed to the President to expedite actions to turn Jamestown into a modern city in order to bring economic activity to the area.
The nine, who are officers of the Minerals Commission, were asked to proceed on leave after the Minster toured galamsey-plagued town of Daboase in the Western Region where a water treatment plant had to shut down due to activities of illegal small-scale mining activities.

Other areas that have been destroyed by the activities of illegal miners in the region include Prestea, Dominase, Dwira Takunta and Hiawa.

The Minister said that the mine inspectors had failed to ensure effective supervision and compliance with the mining rules and regulations.

He added that the names of the affected officers will be made public in the course of next week.

READ ALSO: Minister to sanction mine inspector found heavily drunk

Mr Amewu had earlier said that he will take action against a mining inspector who was found drunk during the ministerial tour of some galamsey areas.

"How can such a person be responsible for monitoring? ...If you put people like this to work, there is no way you can expect any accuracy in terms of monitoring", he told the media on Thursday, April 2017.

We are asking that he immediately be transferred to Accra. He is going to work in my office."

He had also assured that all the illegal small scale miners who left the mining sites following the anti-galamsey campaign will not be allowed to return.

A number of excavator operators have reportedly withdrawn their equipment from the illegal mining sites as the ultimatum given by the government to clamp down on illegal mining expired on Wednesday.

Mr Amewu who visited some illegal mining sites to assess the situation said his Ministry will ensure that all excavators withdrawn will not return to the mining sites.

"I know these guys are going out with the intention of returning but that will not happen this time around. They should take it from me. This time, we as a country, not as a government, collectively have agreed that enough is enough," he said.

READ ALSO: Miners begin surrendering excavators as galamsey ultimatum nears
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu who made this known said that it will cost between GHS60,000 to GHS70,000 to reclaim a hectare of damaged land.

He indicated that at least 1.5 per cent of Ghana's land surface of 228,000 square kilometres has been destroyed through galamsey and that works out as 342,000 hectares.

The government will, therefore, require GHS20.5 billion to ensure that about 342,000 rugby fields are repaired."This is something that we can do with the availability of funds," Mr Amewu assured on Accra-based Joy FM on Monday April 24.

Meanwhile, processes to give galamsey operators an alternative livelihood has started. It is expected to cost government $10 million.

The Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP) is expected to last for five years.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu said the programme is looking at a margin of not less than $10 million when it gets to its peak.

The process is ongoing. We have already started, we have already awarded contracts, we are talking to the small scale mining association, I am engaging them to start regrouping some of these guys, so it is an ongoing process.

What the project is going to do is to get these same factory hands who were previously engaged in this activity to together to come and work in an area that has been already explored. We are going to put in place a central processing plant for them where they will mine, and the ore from the mining will be passed through the processing plant and it will be for a fee, the minister explained.

He added that government has also awarded contracts to some firms to start these mining exploration activities as part of the MMIP.

Some mining companies are willingly relinquishing portions of their concessions to government. These concessions will be made available for small-scale mining. A typical example is Anglogold Ashanti which has allocated almost 60 percent of their concession to government, he added.
He purchased the vehicle at the cost of GH150,000.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin who inspected the vehicles at a short ceremony to hand over the vehicle to him at his palace at Kyebi in the Eastern region on Monday, April 24 called on government institutions to purchase and use the made in Ghana (Kantanka) vehicles.

READ MORE: Veep office acquires 2 Kantanka vehicles

"Government can buy a whole lot for the Police, Fire Service, Immigration among others instead of importing Land cruisers of $130,000 and $140,000 when we can purchase some for $35,000 locally with repair services," he said.

The vehicles, manufactured by the head of the Christo Asafo Mission of Ghana is one of many innovations and inventions the industrialist-cum-preacher has produced in recent times.

General Manager of Kantanka Automobile Company, Kwadwo Safo Kantanka Junior, appealed to the government to grant the company a tax waiver on the importation of its raw materials.
According to them, they voted massively for Nana Addo based on his campaign promise to retrieve their monies.

READ MORE: Aggrieved customers call for the arrest of DKM CEO

Thousands of customers of DKM Microfinance Company lost their investments running into millions of cedis after the central bank in 2015 suspended the operations of DKM for violating the banking Act.

Though the central bank subsequently lifted the ban on the companys operations, DKM was unable to pay its customers their locked up cash.

Nana Akufo-Addo prior to the 2016 elections said he will launch an investigation into circumstances surrounding the Diamond Microfinance Company (DKM) scandal if voted to office.

He said it was clear that the erstwhile administration have failed to adequately deal with the matter leading to thousands of Ghanaians losing their monies.

"I will investigate governments inability to pay the monies owed as well as investigate the DKM scandal and to ensure that there would be total restoration to all affected in both scandals," he said.

READ ALSO: Agitated customers of DKM threaten to sue DKM

Four months into the administration of Nana Addo, some aggrieved customers said the government must fulfill its promise or they'll invoke the wrath of the dreaded Antoa nyama (god) on the president.

In an interview on Accra-based Kasapa FM, one of the customers Eric Agyei said "Those of us who are not students of Nursing and Teacher training institutions what do we benefit from the restoration of the allowances. Ill invoke the wrath of the dreaded Antoa nyama (god) on the president to deal with him ruthlessly. Ill not allow the President to go free after failing to fulfill his promise made to us.

"You promised us to refund our monies if we vote you into power, you are in power now and you fail to say a word about your promise while youre in our region, instead youre talking about the restoration of Nurses and Teacher trainees allowances.

READ MORE: Shock from paltry repayment kills customer
The stool name Nii Kwaku Ablade Okogyeaman 1, which translates to mean Royal Warrior; one who fights to redeem his people was given to President as part of the enstoolment on Sunday.

Speaking at the event, paramount chief of the area, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, said the reason for honouring Nana Akufo-Addo with the stool was because of his sterling career as a human rights lawyer who stood for the rule of law and advocated for the rights of the ordinary Ghanaian.

The paramount chief advised the president to be impartial in the implementation of policies and programmes that will benefit every citizen of Ghana. Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio also appealed to the President to expedite actions to turn Jamestown into a modern city in order to bring economic activity to the area.

In his response, President Akufo-Addo thanked the chiefs and people for the honourable gesture and reiterated his campaign promise of making Accra the cleanest city on the continent under his leadership.

The commitment I want to make, and for all of us to make, is that by the end of my term in office, Accra will be the cleanest city on the entire African continent. That is the commitment I am making. He said
According to the Tema Mantse, his call is a reflection of demands made to him by his subjects about who they think should be at the helm of affairs in Ghanas industrial city.

My people have come out boldly to tell me that they want their own flesh and blood to lead the development drive of the area and I fully support them. Their demand is not an emotional one but a logical one backed by history, he said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

He said if the president did not heed to the call and imposed a non-indigene on his peoplethat would seriously offend their sensibilities, the GNA reports.

We know for a fact that in spite of the many maritime, industrial and service establishments around us, we are trapped in the quicksand of poverty, illiteracy and disease. Tema has its own peculiar problems, traditions, culture, hopes and aspirations which can only be fully appreciated by an indigene, he said.

According to Nii Adjei Kraku, the fact that Tema is cosmopolitan and heavily industrialised and inhabited by people from all the ethnic groups of Ghana, does not make it a no-mans land. Tema has an overlord, indigenes, traditions and culture. Any resident anywhere can willingly associate with the customs, hopes and aspirations of his host but for an indigene is it an obligation and honour.

Analysis

In times past, traditional authorities have been criticised for making similar demands and for limiting the governments ability to elect competent people to lead a developmental agenda.
However, with beauty comes compromise, at least when it comes to the Galaxy S8's durability.

Two YouTube channels, SquareTrade and JerryRigEverything, perform durability tests on new smartphones, and the Galaxy S8 was certainly not going to be left out.

They found that the Galaxy S8 was fragile in big impacts, but its screen stood up well against scratches. SquareTrade also found some issues with the Galaxy S8's water resistance.

Check out the results of their tests:

SquareTrade dropped both Galaxy S8 models  the S8 and S8 Plus  on their fronts and backs from a height of 6 feet.

It found that both Galaxy S8 models cracked on the front and back on their first drops.

The previous Galaxy phones, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, weren't much less fragile either. SquareTrade found that the S7 cracked on the first fall on its front and the S7 Edge cracked on the second.

Still, the Galaxy S8 is the first phone that SquareTrade tested that cracked on both sides during the first drop test.

Six feet is probably a taller-than-average height for people to drop their phones from, but the Galaxy S8 still fared poorly compared with other phones in SquareTrade's tests. The more likely scenario would be between 3 and 4 feet, and it's unclear how well the Galaxy S8 would fare.

SquareTrade also tested the Galaxy S8's rated water resistance and found that the audio was muffled and distorted after the test.

That doesn't bode well for the Galaxy S8's water resistance. It's rated with IP68 water resistance, which means it should have withstood the 30-minute immersion in 5 feet of water, but that wasn't the case in SquareTrade's test. It's unclear if the audio problem was temporary or permanent.

Next up, YouTuber JerryRigEverything tested how well the Galaxy S8 stood up to scratches.

He said the Galaxy S8's screen had a hardness of 5 before he was able to scratch it  which means it's pretty resistant to scratches  and could resist scratches from loose coins or keys in a pocket.

That's on par with the Galaxy S7 screen's scratch resistance.

JerryRigEverything also found that the camera was resistant to scratches from a box cutter, which is impressive.

The fingerprint scanner, on the other hand, didn't do so well against the box cutter.

However, he found that the fingerprint scanner still worked fine despite the scratches.

The metal sides of the Galaxy S8 are likely to scratch.

JerryRigEverything's test is a little extreme, as you're unlikely to subject your Galaxy S8 to a box cutter, but the phone is still likely to get light scratching from daily use  expected for any phone with metal sides.

Based on these tests, we'd suggest you buy a case for your Galaxy S8, but you don't necessarily need a screen protector.

Just not this case ...

Check out SquareTrade's video for the full rundown.
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The governor, in a statement signed by Mr Yomi Layinka, his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy in Ibadan on Monday, commiserated with the family, friends and associates of the late actor on his death.

Although, the late actor had been on admission at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan for a heart-related disease, we regret that he died at a time he considerably recuperated and was expected back in his favourite love of acting, he said.

Ajimobi described Bakare, who had featured in several films, as a versatile actor whose contributions to the development of the performing arts industry were immeasurable and long lasting.

Rather than mourning the deceased, the Ibadan-based actor should be celebrated for living a memorable life, both as an artiste and a family man, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bakare was a former staff of the NTA, Ibadan.

He was fondly called Chief Koko following his role in a TV series, Koko Close.
The Judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, discharged the defendant following an application by the prosecuting counsel, Ukoha Ndidi, who prayed the court to discharge the case because the parties had settled out of court.

Ogbede said having heard the prosecutions application to discharge the case as a result of settlement reached by both parties in the matter, the case is hereby struck out.

He said the complainant had told the prosecutor to withdrawal the matter because he did not want any further trouble with the defendant.

He added that the is hereby struck out and the defendant discharged."

The defendant is also discharged of all criminal charges.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecutor informed the court that the complainant told her to withdraw the case because he had forgiven the defendant.

Simon of Nyanya Mararaba in Nasarawa State, was accused of stealing gold necklace valued N200,000 sometime in 2016.

Earlier, Ndidi had told the court that the defendant stole gold necklace valued N200,000 belonging to Mr Stephen Igbinosuns wife and escaped to unknown destination.

The prosecuting counsel said that during police investigation, Simon could not give satisfactory account of the said gold, a crime that contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.
Residents of the area told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the armed security agents raided the scrap dealers for engaging in allegedly  nefarious activities.

NAN learnt that in the free-for-all fight, four persons were shot dead while several others sustained serious injuries.

They came and started shooting, killing four of our men. I am just coming from Isolo mortuary where I deposited the corpse of my brother and some other bodies.

About 17 people are lying critically wounded in two hospitals in the area, while others are in the police custody, a victim, who identified himself as Sanni, told NAN.

The angry mob also set ablaze two Hilux patrol vans at the scene.

NAN learnt that the injured were taken to Eniola Hospital, Isheri-Oshun while the dead bodies were deposited at Mainland General Hospital, Yaba morgue.

The traditional ruler of Ijegun, Oba Nureni Akinremi, told NAN that police men from Area M Command were invited to quell the clash which disrupted commercial activities in the area for several hours.

I did not allow the clash to escalate so I called a combined police team from Isheri Osun, Ikotun and Area `M, Idimu to restore normalcy, he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, told NAN that the police were only invited to the scene to maintain law and order.
Nwakuro, a resident of Odusola Street, Aboru, Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, is being tried for breach of peace and assault.

According to the Prosecutor George Nwosu, the accused committed the offences on April 4 at his apartment.

Nwosu said the accused was owing the complainant four months rent and when the complainant accosted asked for the money, the accused got angry and gave her severally slaps in the face.

The offences contravened Sections 166 and 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Section 166 provides three months or N45, 000 fine or both, while Section 170 prescribes three years jail term for breach of peace.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N10,000 with two sureties in like sum.
According to reports, the body of Former Osun governor and APC senator, Isiaka Adeleke, has reportedly been returned to the hospital for an autopsy amidst rumours that he was poisoned.

Nigerians on social mediahave reacted to the death of the three-time Senator, who is an uncle to music star, Davido.

ALSO READ: Former Osun Governor dies at 62

According to the reports, Adeleke was allegedly poisoned at a political meeting on Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Some of the Senator's who were angered by the news of his death, reportedly attacked journalists from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

The situation has reportedly led to heavy traffic gridlock in the area.

Adeleke defected to the the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

Family sources disclosed to Naij, that the Senator suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Bikets Hospital where he reportedly passed away.

ALSO READ: 7 Things you should know about late Osun Senator
Read his story here:

"My name is Edobor, a 42-year-old man living with my family in Lagos. I am from Edo State but married to an Igbo lady from Anambra State.

I have been married to Ebere for 12 years now but I am now regretting why I refused to heed the advice of my mother not to marry her.

I now know that my mother must have seen something I did not see because my wife has caused me so much trouble and heartache.

My wife is so troublesome and violent that she has fought all the tenants in the houses we have lived in. She is very quick tempered and uses anything she lays her hands on when fighting.

We have been evicted from three apartments since we got married due to her problems and I have had to be arrested and detained after she injured the wife of a police officer in our neighbourhood.

I can't begin to go into details the troubles my wife has caused me and my family in the past 12 years though I always tried to keep the family together because of our two kids.

But this time, she has overstepped her bounds and I know this is the last straw. You cannot imagine that my wife beat up my own mother when she came to pay us a visit and receive some medical attention.

I was at work when a fellow tenant called me and told me to hurry home. When I asked him what was going on, he said he could not say it on phone but insisted I should come back home fast.

When I got home, I saw a crowd of neighbours and other residents gathered in and around my flat and I knew something was wrong. My first thought was that my mother had died as I walked into the room on rubbery legs.

I was shocked to see my mother lying on the floor of the sitting room with blood gushing out of her head. I also saw some women holding down my wife who was in her underwear still fuming like a wounded tigress.

When I asked what happened, I was told my wife beat up my mother because she asked to be served food for her to take her medicine.

It was only God that saved Ebere that day because the men who were there held me back when I charged at her. maybe I would have murdered her that day.

While I rushed my mother to a hospital, I told Ebere that if I came back to meet her in the house, her dead body would be sent to her family and I meant what I said.

Good for her because I did not meet her when I came back as she had hurried over to her sister's place where she has been staying since then

She has been begging since then, sending emissaries and church members to plead on her behalf but I don't think I can take back a woman who wanted to kill my own mother.

Edobor."

The teaser for the day was:

How Nigeria voted:

I will send her packing immediately - 54%

I will give her the beating of her life - 6%

I will forgive he if she apologizes to my mother - 29%

I will also beat up her mother - 11%
The incident, according to Zuma Times Hausa, happened in the Northern parts of the country where the two women are married to the same man but have not lived in peace as they often found a way to battle each for their husband's attention.

Though details on the cause of the deadly fight were not given, it was gathered that the assailant had carefully boiled the water and laid in wait for her rival and when she came out, the rival emptied the boiling water on her, causing her severe burns.
The presidents wife made the call at the sideline of the just concluded 50th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, (UNFPA) in New York.

The theme of the event was: Investing in out-of-School-Teenage Girls, a priority for achieving demographic dividend and sustainable development goals in Africa.

The programme was organised by UNFPA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerias Permanent Mission to the United Nation.

It was to showcase Nigerias rich experience and the enormous results of the commitment shown by stakeholders helping to provide the best practice for development scale-up in Africa.

Mrs Buhari, who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant (Administration), Dr Hajo Sani, said the girl child required special care and attention.

She noted that, a substantial number of the out-of-school teenage girls either completed their primary education or did not attended school at all.

According to her, the situation portends danger to humanity.

She said thousands of women were being trained in fashion design, interior decoration, cosmetics development, leather work and many other trades through the her Future Assured Programme.

The presidents wife also said the programme was organising refresher courses for those aiming for higher education.

Recently, Future Assured Programme entered into collaboration with National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education with the aim of revitalizing the old system of adult education and community learning centres she said.
Babakura Kolo, who assists the military with security against the jihadist insurgents, said the first incident occurred in Mammanti village, 15 kilometres (10 miles) east of Maiduguri.

"Three female suicide bombers were intercepted by the vigilantes while trying to sneak into the village around 5:00 am (0400 GMT), just as the morning prayers were about to start," he told AFP.

"Two of the bombers blew themselves up while the third was shot dead by a soldier before her explosives detonated. One vigilante was killed and another injured," he said.

Another member of the civilian joint task force, who did not want to be named, said there was a second attack in Mainari, 10 kilometres west of the city at about 8:30 am.

"A male suicide bomber approached the village but some vigilantes got suspicious of his movements and accosted him," he said.

"Suddenly, he blew himself up among the vigilantes, killing three and injuring two."

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of Boko Haram, has been repeatedly targeted in the bloody, eight-year insurgency, even as the military regains control of the region.

Suicide attacks on "soft" civilian targets, as well as security checkpoints have increased after the militants were pushed out of captured territory since early 2015.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, confirmed this development in a message addressed to the Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Malam Ubale Musa.

The presidential spokesman revealed that the recall of Adetayo followed the intervention of the Director-General of the Department for State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

According to him, his office and that of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity will resolve the issue on Tuesday.

We just got a clearance from Malam Lawal Daura, the DG SSS, to recall Lekan to the Villa. Please come along with him tomorrow.

The Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina and I will resolve the issues, he said.

It would be recalled Adetayo was interrogated on Monday afternoon by the office of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the president over a story the presidency considered offensive.

The correspondent, who spent about 45 minutes with his interrogators, was later escorted out of the Presidential Villa by security operatives after picking his belongings from the Press Gallery of the Council Chamber.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, however, posted on his twitter handle on Monday evening that his office was not consulted before Adetayo was expelled from the Villa by the CSO.
According to TheCable, Olalekan Adetayo, the state house correspondent of The Punch Newspaper was expelled over a story on the state of the Presidents health.

It was further reported that Adetayo's expulsion from the state house in Abuja and other activities in the Villa is not unconnected with the detailed report which Sunday Punch ran on the absence of the president in some key occasions since he returned to the country on March 10, 2017.

There had been unconfirmed reports that the President's health had deteriorated following his absence at the Federal Executive Council meeting twice since his return.
A statement on the congratulation, signed and issued by his spokesman, Mr Parry Benson on Monday, was made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Peterside, who is the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was elected as the new chairman of AAMA at the end of the associations annual conference in Abuja.

According to the Senator, Petersides leadership qualities will help him give the maritime association the focus it deserves in Africa.
Adesina tweeted, "We weren't consulted in the media office by the CSO before he expelled The Punch reporter. President Buhari is committed to press freedom.

"An amicable solution would be found to The Punch reporter matter. President Buhari does not intend to muzzle the media in any way."

Earlier on Monday, April 24, 2017, the CSO had reportedly expelled Punch State House correspondent, Olalekan Adetayo for reasons not explained.

ALSO READ: President Buhari's aide reportedly bars reporter from Aso Rock
The NIA DG said the money found in the apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos state was allocated to the international spy agency for covert operations.

According to Punch, Fani-Kayode said He took the fall for Amaechi and when he told me he was going to do it, I warned him they would use him to cover the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and then mess him up.

He knows the drill, that once he commits himself, thats all. We are in court soon. Wait and see what will happen. It is so easy for Nigerians to be fooled by their government. I have always known that. But for serious minded and well educated people to be fooled by this sort of cheap propaganda amazes me.

Ask yourself why a panel from the Villa is investigating this matter and not the EFCC or the DSS. Ask yourself why the EFCC has not told you who owns the money. Ask yourself how much sense it makes for a security chief to keep $43m in a flat with no security for two years.

Ask yourself all these questions. When you have the answers, come back. When we get to court, people like you will know why the Rivers State Government, Ekiti State Government, myself and others have said the money is Ameachis. It is just a matter of time. Till then, I will say no more on this.

Now they are putting a spin on their cover up and bringing former President Goodluck Jonathan into it. It is shameful but I guess that is what Nigerians deserve. They are so gullible.

The NIA DG, Oke was suspended by President Buhari, and a panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, inaugurated to look into the issue of the recovered loot.
The NIA Director-General, Ayodele Oke had claimed that the $50 million found in the apartment belongs to the agency.

The monies - $43.4m, N23m and 27,000 - were recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in one of the flats in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Oke claimed that the funds were part of the $289,202,382, approved for the NIA in 2015 by former president Goodluck Jonathan.

In heat of the controversy, President Muhammadu Buhari last Wednesday ordered Oke's suspension and set up a three-man panel headed by Osinbajo to get to the root of the matter.

Other members of the panel include the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.

According to Punch, the committee had dispatch letters of invitation to Oke's aides, especially those in the NIA finance department, asking them to appear before it on Monday, April 24 (today).

It was learnt that they were also told to come along with necessary documents relating to the funds the DG claimed was approved by the Jonathan administration.

Media reports last Friday had indicated that Oke appeared before the committee that day and told the Osinbajo panel that the $289,202,382 was paid to NIA from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Service (NPIMS) on February 25, 2015, on Jonathan's orders.

"We have invited some officials of the NIA to come and explain to us why such a huge amount of money should be kept outside a financial institution," a Presidency source cited by Punch said.

"Some of those invited are from the finance department. The panel hopes to understand the workings of the NIA and how it spends cash relating to projects and security matters.

"The invited persons will also explain what the money was spent on and what sort of security projects the NIA had done which required such a sum of money."

The EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu is said to have submitted his report on the seized monies to the Osinbajo committee.
Details of the incident were released by Borno Police Commissioner, Damien Chukwu on Monday, April 24.

Borno State Police Command information just received indicates, today (Monday) at about 0510hrs, three female suicide bombers attempted to enter Mamanti village Jere local government area, Chukwu said via a text message sent to journalists.

They were intercepted by Civilian JTF. In the process, one of the bombers detonated IED strapped to her body killing herself alone. The other two tried to escape but were shot dead by security personnel on duty.

EOD mine drafted to the scene to sanitize and render the area safe. Normalcy is restored, he added.

Borno state is at the centre of the Boko Haram insurgency which has been characterized by many of such attacks.

ALSO READ: Boko Haram is facing financial challenges
The government described as a nightmare, the news of the death of one of the illustrious sons of the state.

In a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the government said the death of Senator Adeleke is hard to accept.

The sad news of the death of the first civilian Governor of our state, has struck us like a thunderbolt. who is far away in China on state assignment, is still speechless and in mourning.

ALSO READ:

While the government awaits the reports of the autopsy which is being conducted, we can only calm our people to take this huge and incalculable loss with equanimity.

Alhaji Adeleke, no doubt, has served our dear state well. First as its civilian Governor and currently as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he has provided adequate representation for the people of his senatorial district and the state. He was a politician with towering dossier.

We find this loss inexplicable but we are restrained by the fact that we cannot query the verdicts of our Creator, the Almighty.
A coalition of the militant groups has threatened to resume attacks, claiming the Federal Government has not fulfilled its promises that led to the agreement of a ceasefire.

In a statement authorised by four leaders of the groups, they said if the Federal Government does not show commitment to their agreement by swinging to immediate action, destruction of oil pipelines will inevitably resume.

The statement said: "There is no more time; the Federal Government must act now and show seriousness and commitment to the plight of Niger Delta or we will be forced to resume attacks.

"We must make sure we liberate our people from the slavery of the Nigerian state. We believe that the Federal Government will not be surprised to see another crisis in the Niger Delta and they should not blame anyone if such happens.

"The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is not sincere in resolving the Niger Delta crisis."

ALSO READ: Militants give FG conditions for dialogue

The militants faulted the visit of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the region when President Muhammadu Buhari was away on medical vacation.

"We know very well that the visit of the Vice-President (then Acting President) to oil producing states was a big scam, camouflage, deceit and delay tactics by the Federal Government to achieve its normal daily crude oil production," they said.

"We want to state here clearly that we are tired of all unfulfilled promises; we are tired of developing Niger Delta in the media, we are tired of the Vice-Presidents unending meetings without follow-up actions."
The case was struck out by presiding judge, Justice Abdulaziz Anka on Monday, April 24, for being incompetent.

Obanikoro and his family filed the fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC for what they described as an unlawful seizure of their properties and violation of their rights to privacy.

Justice Anka noted that the Obanikoro homes were searched by the EFCC based on valid search warrants issued by the Lagos State Magistrates Court.

The judge explained further that he could not declare the seizure null and void as that could tamper with the EFCCs rights to submit the seized items as evidence in a possible criminal case against the Obanikoros.

ALSO READ: I flew Obanikoro with huge bags of money to Akure - Pilot
The forfeiture order was given by Abdulaziz Anka, a judge at the federal high court in Lagos.

The court order was sequel to an application filed before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and argued by its counsel, George Chia-yakua, against Nwaoboshi and his two companies; Golden Touch Construction Project Limited, and Bilderberg Enterprises Limited.

In urging the court to grant the application, Chia-yakua, told the court that the application was pursuant to section 44(2)(k) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended), and Section 28 and 29 of the EFCC (establishment) Act 2004.

The EFCC counsel further told the court that the commission received a petition from an anti-corruption group, Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, against the senator and his companies on alleged money laundering.

The EFCC in an affidavit by Garuba Abubakar said it carried out investigations at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Abuja, banks, Delta state governors office, Delta state tenders board, Nigeria customs service, Lagos state ministry of lands, Federal Inland Revenue Services, and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

The commission said its aim was to trace the movement of funds suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities, source of funds, and the beneficiaries.

The deponent stated that sometimes in 2010, the tender board of Delta state awarded a contract to the senators company Bilderberg Enterprises Limited to buy new construction equipment for Delta state Direct labour agency, at the sum of N1. 58 billion.

But rather than buying new equipment, Nwaoboshis company imported and supplied used equipment to the agency, while the Delta government fully paid for new one.

The deponent said upon investigation, it was revealed that the senator moved the proceeds to various accounts linked to him, and his company bought the said 12 storey building formerly known as Guinea House, located at 27 Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos at the sum of N805 million, with the use of his company, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited.

The secretary to Delta state government confirmed the sale of the building to the senators company.

He also stated that the Senator completed and submitted the Code of Conduct Bureau asset declaration form on June 19, 2015, where he stated that he acquired the said Guinea House, Apapa, by being a director in the Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited.

When the EFCC team wrote to Corporate Affairs Commission CAC seeking information on the directors of the company, it was revealed that the senator is neither a shareholder or director in the company, while the purported directors and shareholders, Nwanbuoku Ike and Emma Ekpon denied their directorship.

The deponent also averred that further investigation revealed that the senator has 20 bank accounts as shown by his bank verification number (BVN), while his private companies have 23 accounts.
The cash was discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an Ikoyi luxury flat on Wednesday, April 12.

The controversy surrounding the find was heightened after NIA Director General, Ayo Oke claimed that the money was allocated to his agency by the Goodluck Jonathan administration for covert operations.

The revelation led President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend Oke on Wednesday, April 19, and set up the Osinbajo panel.

The panel has invited officials of the NIA to come before it with relevant documents.

We have invited some officials of the NIA to come and explain to us why such a huge amount of money should be kept outside a financial institution, a Presidency source told Punch.

Some of those invited are from the finance department. The panel hopes to understand the workings of the NIA and how it spends cash relating to projects and security matters.

The invited persons will also explain what the money was spent on and what sort of security projects the NIA had done which required such a sum of money, the source added.

Other members of the panel are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and National Security Adviser, Babagana Moguno.
It is a sequel to the 2012 Nigerian romantic drama film written and produced by Chinwe Egwuagu and directed by Ikechukwu Onyeka, which starred Nse Ikpe Etim, Joseph Benjamin, Barbara Soky, Thelma Okodua and Paul Apel.

The second movie in the series made its debut on Friday, April 21, 2017 without enough publicity on the part of the producers, who are probably relying on the success of the first movie to sell the new movie.

"Mr and Mrs: Chapter 2" stars Rita Dominic, Akin Lewis, Tana Adelana, Chidi Mokeme, Yaw, Munachi Abi and was directed by Teco Benson.

The movie tells the story of a couple, Sharon and Kobi, and their pursuit to keep their marriage intact.

Unavoidably, this film will be compared to its predecessor, and in all honesty, it simply can't win. However, while the new movie isn't half the movie its predecessor is, it finds a way to succeed on its own terms.

With a beautiful cast, the sequel preaches the importance of family and creating a balance between work and family.

In "Mr and Mrs: Chapter 2," Kobi loses his job after his father's crisis with EFCC costs him his money and businesses. When Kobi and the kids start to depend soley on the income of his working class wife, Sharon, he starts to feel inadequate and gets sensitive at every given opportunity.

He finally orders his wife to quit her job just so that she can have 'time for him, the kids, their family and house chores.'

He threatens her with the case of Linda, who we met in the prequel. Linda is a well-paid banker who almost loses her husband to their maid because of her busy schedule and unavailability.

This sequel subtly tries on its part to duplicate the original's mood and story; a controlling husband, a wife who has to make a decision to choose between family and work, and a meddling mother-in-law. This time around, there are kids in the picture; teenage kids who don't get enough attention from their busy parents.

Unlike the first movie which focuses more on a particular couple, Susan and Kenneth Abbah, 'Mr and Mrs: Chapter 2' has three couples who we are expected to follow their stories. The movie would have been perfect with just one couple.

There's Zola and her boyfriend - Zola's character is portrayed as a woman who has been in a particular relationship for so many years without any sort of direction and commitment on the part of her fiance, Timi.

There's Kobi's father, Senator Dede, who divorces his wife and son's mother for a younger woman. His divorced wife is bitter and fights to get back her husband.

While it's a good thing that the movie doesn't put viewers through the popular school of thought that says that 'every young girl married to an older man is interested in his money,' these supporting characters still lack dimension and substance.

The movie is so fast-paced with numerous unnecessary scenes. Example, there are scenes with inessential conversations between Sharon and Zola. There are also lots of scenes that don't last long enough to be impactful on the movie as a whole. These scenes happen in seconds and you find yourself asking 'what just happened now?'

As educating as the story is, it's shocking that the filmmakers didn't do more with the talent they had on hand. Here we were, hoping they would take advantage of Lewis, Dominic and Mokeme, and allow them to reach their potential together in one film, rather than having them rescue a movie.

The movie takes an awfully long time to end and delivers a fumbling resolution. While everyone gets a happy ending, a lot is left unresolved.

"Mr and Mrs: Chapter 2" draws viewers into the theme of homosexuality and drug abuse, but fails to explore these issues. Kobi and Sharon's kids are victims of these sensitive issues, but not enough attention is paid to their stories.

It's a bit of fluff, but despite its flaws, it manages to get by on few humorous scenes and entertaining cast.
Adeyanju was arrested on Monday, April 24, for organizing a protest to demand the release of detained blogger, Austin Okai.

Okai, convener of the PDP National Youth Frontier, was reportedly arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for criticizing the Kogi state government.

Adeyanju is said to have been arrested in front of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja.

His arrest has led many Nigerians on social media to call for his release with the hashtag #FreeDeji while condemning the government for oppressing members of the opposition.
He wrote, "Senator Adeleke's death is a great lesson to all of us politicians on the need for us to commit ourselves to true service of our fatherland as Senate Adeleke clearly demonstrated while alive."

Continuing, Omisore wrote, "The news of the death of the first civilian governor of Osun state, Otunba Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke this morning came to me as a rude shock and infact difficult to believe.

"Otunba Adeleke, no doubt was a great politician, a great leader and grassroot politician who remained committed to the growth and commitment of Osun state and Nigeria in general.

"We had exemplary relationship in the 6th Senate. Allah knoweth best.

"I shall miss him greatly Despite our different political party, I respect his sagacity, humility and urbaness.

"His death will be a great loss to Osun state, Nigeria and indeed create a vacuum that will be difficult to fill in the political circle as well as in his constituency.

"May his soul rest in perfect peace and may God give his family the strength to bear the loss! Adieu a great Distinguished personality! "
Google Lead Trainer, Mr Luke Ini-Ima told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that the training was part of the state governments youth empowerment programmes.

Ini-Ima explained that the training was specifically designed to make the beneficiaries social media managers, strategies and brand ambassadors for the 2.3 million Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

According to him, only 7 per cent of the 2.3 million SMEs in the country advertise their products online.

This training will, therefore, bridge this gap and would enable the unemployed youths tap from the huge opportunities in the ICT sector."

On successful completion of the training, the beneficiaries are expected to create online platforms for the remaining 93 per cent of SMEs in the country."

We will teach them all they need to know about online affiliate marketing and how to make cool money online, Ini-Ima said.

He said that the training is being conducted in five centres: namely A. B. U Hotel Hall Congo, Zaria; Umar Musa Yaradua Hall Kaduna; Ahmadu Bello Stadium Gymnasium Hall Kaduna; St. Johns College Kachia and New Choice Hall Kafanchan.

The SDGs Director in the state, Mr Nuhu Moses, told NAN that the beneficiaries were between the ages of 18 to 35.

Moses said that the effort was part of SDGs youth empowerment goals through skills development for employment creation.

He commended the state government for keying into the SDGs to fight unemployment in the state.
Now, look at this scenario. You're probably depressed, or frustrated about life, and people just don't seem to get you. The pain becomes unbearable, so you try to take your life. (Please, if you ever feel this way, talk to someone. If you don't find anyone to talk to, please send us an email here: info@pulse.ng).

Back to this.

Let's say a suicidal person tries and doesn't succeed, you can get arrested and charged to court!

No, I'm not making this up. It's in Section 235 Cap C17, Volume 3 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The year you see there, 2015, means it's quite recent some lawmakers sat to deliberate on this very issue!

Let's talk about Mrs. Taiwo. (We can't share her photo or full name because we don't want to make it any worse.)

On March 24, the 51-year-old textile trader was in a taxi heading towards Oworonshoki when she asked the driver to stop. According to the report, she then tried to jump, but was quickly stopped by a patrol team on the bridge.

They didn't take her to a hospital or anything, even though a psychiatric hospital was less than 30 minutes away.

They took her instead, to a police station. And charged her to court.

Mrs. Taiwo was granted a N500, 000 bail after she pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted suicide.

She will be arraigned again on the 1st of June.
Police moved in on the demonstrators, some of whom threw bottles and firecrackers, an AFP journalist saw. Three people were arrested, according to police.

Several hundred young people rallied in the Bastille square -- the historic site where the 1789 French Revolution began -- after projections suggested Le Pen would contest the second round against Emmanuel Macron, a centrist and former banker.

A protest leader called on the public through a loudspeaker to rally "against Marine and against Macron."

"We have come here to protest against the pantomime of this election," a demonstrator told AFP.

Another "anti-fascist demonstration" also took place late Sunday in the western coastal city of Nantes.

Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, scored the first breakthrough in the French presidential elections by the National Front, winning a slot in the runoff in the 2002 ballot.
The likely result clears the way for a straight two-way fight between the pair in a second and final round on May 7, with opinion polls saying Macron is the favourite.

Here are some of the first reactions to sunday's vote:

European Union

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated the pro-EU Macron after projections showed him ahead in the first round and wished him "good luck" in the run-off.

"To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it's the hope and future of our generation," tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister.

Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns that Le Pen could lead France away from the bloc.

"Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on May 7. France must remain European," the Frenchman tweeted.

Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks".

"It's good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy," Steffen Seibert said in a tweet.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel predicted that the 39-year-old Macron would be the next president of France.

"I'm sure he will sweep away the far-right, right-wing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round," Social Democrat Gabriel said in a video posted on Twitter during a trip to Jordan's capital Amman.

Writing on Twitter, he added: "I'm glad that @EmmanuelMacron is leading the field. He was the only truly pro-European candidate."

Britain

Former Conservative finance minister George Osborne, recently appointed editor of London's Evening Standard newspaper, hailed a good result for the centre.

"Congratulations to my friend . Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs," he tweeted.

Denmark

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed cautious optimism that former banker Macron would emerge victorious over Le Pen.

"Congratulations . We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reform oriented France => Good luck!"

Norway

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, whose country is not a member of the European Union, tweeted: "We need more not less cooperation in #Europe. Positive that @EmmanuelMacron is projected to win first round of #franceelections.

The Netherlands

Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the anti-Islam anti-immigrant Freedom Party, swung behind Le Pen, welcoming the result as a "bright day for patriots in France and elsewhere who want more national sovereignty and less EU and immigration.
It was a severe blow to the 63-year-old, who clinched the nomination for the Republicans party in November by presenting himself as unsullied by the scandals that surrounded his rival and former boss, ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy.

But his failure to win a place in the May 7 presidential run-off also marks the first time since 1958 that France's main rightwing party has failed to make it to the second round.

In addition, it is the first time in modern French history that neither the mainstream left nor the right has been in the run-off, after outgoing President Francois Hollande's Socialists collapsed in disarray.

'Lamentable fiasco'

"It was said to be a fight which the right could not lose, and which has ended in a lamentable fiasco," said Jean-Francois Cope, former head of the Union for a Popular Movement.

"The right has been swept away ... The right has just experienced its April 21," he said, referring to April 21, 2002, when Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin was knocked out in the first round by far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, whose daughter Marine will take on centrist Emmanuel Macron in two weeks' time.

For Fillon, the devastating allegations that Penelope had earned 680,000 euros ($725,000) for a fictional role were first reported by Le Canard Enchaine newspaper in January.

His reaction was to strongly deny that either he or his wife had done anything wrong and to claim his left-wing rivals were operating a "secret cell" to blacken his name.

It was a response that drew scorn from Hollande and surprised even some of Fillon's allies.

After backtracking on an early promise to withdraw his candidacy if he was charged, Fillon found himself in the unlikely position of running as an anti-establishment rebel determined to defy the government, magistrates and the media he said were working against him.

Subsequent revelations that a wealthy French-Lebanese lawyer bought handmade suits for Fillon worth 13,000 euros each drew further ire from his opponents.

In the end, he trailed in the first round of the election behind Macron and Le Pen, a result his campaign coordinator admitted was a "huge disappointment".

A downcast Fillon himself admitted in his speech conceding defeat that the obstacles he had had to overcome were "too numerous, too cruel".

'Iron-fisted' approach

Fillon's policy offer was based on deep cuts in public spending and slashing hundreds of thousands of jobs from France's bloated civil service.

He also proposed attacking one of the sacred cows of the French left, the 35-hour working week, raising it to 39 hours.

A leaner, meaner France could, he argued, rival Germany as the foremost economy in the eurozone within a decade.

In TV debates, Fillon stressed that of all the candidates, only he had experience of running the country.

In the wake of the killing of a policeman on Paris's Champs Elysees avenue on Thursday, he said that for years, "I have been warning that we are facing an Islamic totalitarianism" and promised an "iron-fisted" approach.

His outspokenness stood in contrast to his image as prime minister, of a quiet and urbane man whose steady temperament contrasted with the impulsive Sarkozy who once dismissed him as "Mr Nobody".

Once the youngest member of parliament at age 27, the devoutly Catholic Fillon voted against gay marriage when it was legalised in 2013.

The self-declared "Gaullist" -- a form of nationalism that proposes an independent and strong France -- also has a close bond with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two men overlapped as prime ministers from 2008-2012 and their closeness led to questions about Fillon's foreign policy.

Country manor

Fillon and his Welsh wife met at university in France when they were in their early twenties.

They soon married and live in an imposing manor house near Le Mans in northern France where they brought up their five children.

Two of their children have also had paid work for their father in parliament, performing roles as "legal advisors" despite not being qualified lawyers at the time.

Penelope was until recently a low-key political wife, a keen horse-rider who once described herself as a country "peasant" who preferred the countryside to Paris.

In examining Fillon's insistence that his wife has "always" worked to help his career, French media homed in on previous comments she made.

"Until now, I have never got involved in my husband's political life," Penelope told regional newspaper Le Bien Public last year.

For Fillon's party, the immediate prospects are bleak. The defeated candidate called within minutes for his supporters to back Macron in the second round.
"The court condemns the accused to 45 days of imprisonment and a fine of 65,000 kwanzas ($390) for the offences of rebellion and association with criminals," said the judge in Cacuaco, a district of the Angolan capital Luanda.

Among those convicted late Wednesday was rapper Adao Bunga, nicknamed "McLife", a prominent critic of Dos Santos.

About 50 protesters attended the unauthorised demonstration in Luanda on Monday calling for fair elections, with police arresting seven people.

Dos Santos, who has dominated the Angolan government and the ruling MPLA party for decades, has been regularly accused of crushing dissent.

The MPLA has ruled since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Joao Lourenco, the current defence minister, has emerged as Dos Santos's chosen successor.
"This visit means a lot to us, it is about showing respect for the suffering of the imam and the injustice he faced and about reaffirming our dedication to him," said Ahmad Jamal, a 28-year-old civil servant in the crowd of pilgrims.

Kadhim, the seventh of 12 revered imams in Shiite Islam, died in 799 AD. The commemoration has in recent years turned into a huge event that brings the Iraqi capital to a standstill for days.

The organisers estimated that around 10 million people came to Kadhimiyah for the commemoration in recent years, which is still less than the 17 million faithful said to have visited the southern shrine city of Karbala for the Arbaeen pilgrimage last year.

Shiite religious events and sites are considered prime potential targets for suicide attacks by the Islamic State group and huge security deployments were visible across Baghdad.
"We must be honest and brave enough to confront state capture," he said, using a term referring to allegations of corruption by President Jacob Zuma and his associates.

Tens of thousands of South Africans have staged protests in recent weeks demanding Zuma stand down, and opposition parties, religious groups and civil society activists last week joined forces in a new alliance against him.

"Unless the ANC addresses these challenges, we can be certain that our electoral support will continue to slide," Ramaphosa warned.

"I support that there should be a judicial commission of inquiry. And we must be prepared to talk about these things openly and honestly, as our forebears did," he said in a speech paying tribute to anti-apartheid icon Chris Hani who was assassinated in 1993.

Zuma's sacking of respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan last month fanned public anger over government graft scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

In his speech, Ramaphosa referred to recommendations by the former head of South Africa's anti-corruption watchdog Thuli Madonsela, who last year issued a damning report calling for a judicial inquiry into Zuma's relationship with a wealthy business family.

Zuma has been accused of being in the sway of the Gupta family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.

The Constitutional Court also last year found Zuma guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to repay taxpayers' money used to refurbish his private rural house.

The African National Congress (ANC) has been in power since the end of apartheid in 1994 but has lost popularity in recent years and won only 54 percent of the vote in 2016 local elections, its worst ever performance.

Zuma, who came to office in 2009, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as national president ahead of the 2019 general election.
The ferry carrying 140 passengers smashed into a breakwater late Friday in the port of Las Palmas, the capital of Spain's Canary islands off the northwest coast of Africa.

Thirteen people were injured and the crash damaged underwater fuel pipes, the regional government said in a statement. Video footage on Spanish television showed chunks of concrete falling onto the port.

Emergency crews managed on Saturday to collect half of the roughly 60,000 litres (16,000 gallons) of diesel that spilled into the ocean, the regional government said.

Three coast guard boats were on Sunday working to break up the slick -- which is three kilometres long and half a kilometre wide -- to help the diesel evaporate, it added.

"Work on the spill is continuing and we hope that it will have evaporated before Monday. Experts do not believe there is risk to the environment,"Fernando Clavijo, the president of the regional government, said in a tweet.

Beaches around Las Palmas and Telde, the two main towns on Gran Canaria, would be closed on Sunday as a precaution, the regional government said.

Repairing the pier will cost around two million euros ($2.1 million) and take six months, it added.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have set their sights on Tabqa and the adjacent dam as part of their broader offensive for the city of Raqa, the Syrian heart of the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate" since 2014.

Supported by US-led coalition air strikes and special forces advisers, the SDF surrounded Tabqa in early April.

On Monday, they entered it for the first time, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

"They seized control of several points in the town's south and were advancing on its western edges," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

He said US-led coalition warplanes were carrying out "intense" strikes in support of the offensive, but that one raid had killed three women and five children trying to flee Tabqa.

"One raid killed eight civilians from a single family, including five children, who were trying to escape in their car via the town's southwest," Abdel Rahman said.

In an online statement, the SDF said it had captured IS-held positions in west Tabqa, including a roundabout, and part of a southern district.

"There are now clearing operations in the liberated positions," the SDF said.

Tabqa sits on a key supply route about 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of Raqa, and served as an important IS command base, housing the group's main prison.

According to the Syrian Economic Task Force, a Dubai-based think tank, Tabqa is home to 85,000 people including IS fighters from other areas.

'Real battle begins now'

The ensuing fight has been intense, with IS dispatching suicide bombers daily to try to slow the offensive and coalition warplanes intensifying their raids.

"The real battle begins now," Abdel Rahman said on Monday, adding that IS fighters had "no way" out of the town.

For months, the SDF has been advancing on Raqa, hoping to encircle it before a final attack.

The city was home to around 240,000 residents before 2011, and more than 80,000 people have fled to it from other parts of the country.

Syria's war has left more than 320,000 people dead since it began with protests in 2011 that were brutally repressed by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Regional and international powers have since been drawn into the complex conflict, in which internationally prohibited weapons such as cluster bombs and toxic gas have been used.

On April 4, a suspected chemical attack killed 87 civilians, including many children, in the northwestern rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

Much of the international community blamed the Syrian regime, and three days later 59 US cruise missiles targeted the airbase from where the attack was launched.

Assad ally Moscow protested the US action and consistently sought to deflect blame from Damascus over the incident.

Air raids on Khan Sheikhun have continued, with seven people killed in strikes on the town market on Monday, the Observatory said.

It came as Russia's defence ministry said the Syrian army would halt fire around Khan Sheikhun if experts were allowed in to conduct a probe.

The ministry said Damascus was "ready to declare a complete moratorium on the activities of its troops, aviation and artillery in the area" if investigators were sent in.

Syria's government has not commented on the offer.
Nearly 1,000 people made up of supporters from the Republican People's Party (CHP) demonstrated in Taksim square on the western side of Istanbul against the result and to mark a public holiday, an AFP correspondent said.

The protest took place on the 97th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish parliament, known as National Sovereignty and Children's Day.

Across the Bosphorus, in the district of Kadikoy, hundreds more protested carrying placards saying: "The 'No' hasn't finished, it's only just begun" and "No, we won".

Some held a large banner saying "Cancel the referendum" while others held gold balloon letters spelling out "Hayir" meaning "No" in Turkish, an AFP photographer said.

The tight result has been disputed by the opposition after the top election authority known as the Supreme Election Board (YSK) made a last-minute decision on Sunday to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp.

But the CHP had its bid with two other parties to annul the referendum rejected by the YSK last week.

The party also launched a legal challenge in the country's top administrative court on Friday in a bid to cancel the YSK decision on the ballots which opponents argue opened the way for fraud.

On Sunday, parliament held a special session for the holiday which resulted in heated debates between CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.
Riot police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up one of the first rallies in eastern Caracas early Monday while other groups were gathering elsewhere, the opposition said.

It called for crowds to fill the main route into the capital and other roads around the nation.

That raised fears of fresh violence in an oil-rich country wracked by food shortages and political tension.

'Peaceful protest' vow

The center right-led opposition is demanding elections to get rid of Maduro, blaming him for the crisis.

It is furious at recent moves by authorities to curb his opponents' power.

Each side has accused the other of trying to mount a "coup."

Maduro has been resisting the opposition's drive to remove him for more than a year.

His critics brand him a dictator, while he says the crisis is a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.

"Peaceful protests across the country will continue until Mr Maduro respects the constitution and ends his internal coup," senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles tweeted Monday.

"If there is no answer from Maduro's corrupt drug-trafficking leadership, at the end of the day we will announce further action."

'Elections now'?

A presidential election is scheduled for 2018. Elections for regional governors due in December were postponed.

Maduro said Sunday he wanted the regional elections "now" but did not indicate a possible date for those or local ballots that are due this year.

"I am ready for whatever the electoral authorities say," insisted Maduro.

The government has ruled out an early presidential election this year as opposition leaders have demanded.

The socialist leader won the 2013 election by a narrow margin over Capriles. But Maduro's popularity has since dropped. A survey by pollster Venebarometro indicated that seven out of 10 Venezuelans disapprove of him.

The opposition blames Maduro for the unraveling of the oil giant's once-booming economy.

Falling oil prices have slashed its revenues, leading to critical shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Arrest, injuries

Maduro resisted the opposition's efforts last year to hold a referendum on removing him from power.

Vatican-mediated negotiations between the two sides broke down.

Late last month, the authorities moved to seize the powers of the opposition-majority legislature, before reversing the measure. They later banned Capriles from politics.

The moves sparked international condemnation and a wave of opposition demonstrations from the start of the month.

The government and the opposition have accused each other of fomenting the deadly violence. Hundreds of people have been arrested or wounded and businesses looted.

Thursday saw shootings, looting and pitched battles in Caracas between demonstrators and police officers, who forced the evacuation of a maternity ward.

Eleven people died that day alone.

The latest victim, Almelina Carrillo, 47, on Sunday succumbed to injuries suffered when she was struck in the head by a bottle thrown from a building during one of the marches in Caracas last week.

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol called her "another victim of the Terrorist Right, which is full of hatred."

"We will not rest until we capture those responsible for this repugnant crime," he added.

Dialogue

The opposition has said it will use the momentum to keep taking to the streets, demanding elections and pushing for the release of political prisoners.

Maduro called the opposition to resume the dialogue, which broke down last year with the sides accusing each other of bad faith.
Conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, several ministers and foreign diplomats attended a commemoration ceremony at the site of the Jasenovac camp which was dismantled 72 years ago.

Letters by survivors of the camp known as "Croatia's Auschwitz" -- a reference to the German World War II death camp in Poland -- were read during a ceremony that concluded with a multi-denominational service and laying of wreaths.

The camp, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Zagreb, was run by the country's Nazi-allied Ustasha regime which persecuted and killed hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascist Croatians.

But for a second straight year, representatives of those groups boycotted the official commemoration, denouncing what they see as a resurgence of pro-Ustasha sympathies and instead organised their own separate events.

On Saturday, several thousand people including survivors of the camp, victims' relatives and foreign diplomats attended a ceremony organised by anti-fascists and ethnic Serbs.

"We cannot and will not accept the reluctance of authorities regarding ... the Ustasha regime's character and (the) policy of non-reaction to its symbols," the head of an anti-fascist association Franjo Habulin said.

Anti-fascists, ethnic Serbs and Jews in particular are incensed by a plaque with the Ustasha slogan "For the Homeland Ready" unveiled at Jasenovac in November.

It was created as a memorial by former paramilitaries to honour fellow fighters killed in the region at the start of Croatia's independence war in the 1990s.

Jews in Croatia are to hold their separate commemoration on Monday.

Plenkovic, who took power after snap elections in October, has pledged to move away from the climate of intolerance seen under his centre-right predecessors.

But critics say his administration has not done enough to tamp down extremism and expressions of nostalgia for the country's pro-Nazi past.

During Sunday's ceremony at Jasenovac, a group of anti-fascist activists displayed a large banner that read "Remove the Ustasha Salute".

Meanwhile, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic paid respect to the camp's victims in neighbouring Bosnia where part of the Jasenovac complex was located.

"The killings were official and welcomed, it was a state crime," Vucic told a gathering that included other Serbian and Bosnian Serb officials, Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej and camp survivors.

"We are witnessing attempts to resurrect the Ustasha ideology," Vucic said.
Camp Lemonnier, home to some 4,000 US soldiers and contractors, is vital to US military operations in Somalia against militant groups like Al-Shabaab, and also provides support for US operations in Yemen, where special forces regularly carry out drone strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

China is also in the process of establishing its first overseas military base in the small port country just a few miles from the US camp, which has raised concern in Washington.

"I have no doubt that the French will continue to make their own decisions in their own best interest and that the terrorists will not enjoy these decisions" after the (French presidential) election, Mattis told reporters.

"They have always proven that they will stand up when it is time to stand against something like this."

The US backs France's Operation Barkhane, under which its military is fighting Islamists in five countries across the Sahel region -- Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso -- alongside African allies.

During the visit to the former French colony Mattis met with President Ismael Omar Guelleh as well as with General Thomas Waldhauser, commander of US troops in Africa.

"For (the defence department) Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley are critical in terms of logistics. They support multiple US combat command", a senior defence official said, referring to an airfield close to the camp, from which the US military operates drones.

Another senior defence official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, played down any concerns about China's base construction.

"At this point I don't see why we should not be able to comfortably coexist with the Chinese presence, the way we do with the Japanese, the French..." the official told reporters last week.

Chinese 'pearl necklace'

Critics say China is trying to construct a so-called "pearl necklace" in the Indian Ocean -- a reference to various ports in which China has direct interest in operations including Gwadar in Pakistan and the Colombo Port City in Sri Lanka.

However, Waldhauser assured the US Senate's armed forces committee in March that he had spoken to Guelleh "and expressed our concerns about some of the things that are important to us about what the Chinese may or may not do".

With a population of 875,000 people, Djibouti lies on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to the Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

It has launched major infrastructure projects aimed at turning it into a regional hub for trade and services, using money largely borrowed from China.

In October, Ethiopia formally inaugurated a train line from Addis Ababa to Djibouti, a Chinese-funded project that is Africa's first fully electrified transnational railway.

China has said it wants the base to support its UN peacekeepers in Africa, allow it to evacuate its nationals in a crisis, and to support its anti-piracy activities off Somalia.

Piracy had waned in recent years, but Waldhauser said it had reemerged in the past month, with half a dozen pirate attacks recorded.

The United States set up base in Djibouti shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks to back up operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and was described as a temporary measure at the time.

But this was formalised and buttressed in 2014 when the US signed an agreement for 20 years.
"Secretary Tillerson phoned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko today to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to the Russian leadership that, although the United States is interested in improving relations with Russia, Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle," said acting spokesman Mark Toner.

The phone call came as the two leaders discussed the death Sunday of an American monitor with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, who hit a landmine while on patrol in eastern Ukraine.

The statement said Tillerson accepted Poroshenko's "condolences" for the death of the American.

It marked the first loss for the security body's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) since Europe's only current war broke out more than three years ago.

Russia has provided support to rebels in war-torn eastern Ukraine, where more than 10,000 people have died in a conflict which this month entered its fourth year.

Toner said Tillerson reiterated Washington's "firm commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and confirmed that sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements."
Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested Saturday at Pyongyang's airport as he was about to leave the country after a teaching stint at a university founded by evangelical Christians.

Haley said the action was an attempt by Kim Jong-Un's regime to use the American as a bargaining chip amid heightened international tensions over its nuclear and missile programs.

"What we're dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now," she said on CBS This Morning.

"And I think what he's trying to do is show his citizens that he has muscle, whether it's through his rhetoric or whether it's through his actions," she added.

The United States is still gathering information about the latest incident, the ambassador said.

Kim is the third American held in North Korea.

"We always want to get every citizen out alive and healthy and make sure that they're being treated properly," she said. "And so those are the things we'll start to work on."

Although vague about what course of action Washington might pursue in Kim's case, Haley said it is looking to China to maintain pressure on North Korea.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday talked with China's President Xi Jinping, who urged "restraint" on North Korea, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson to the western Pacific as tensions have escalated over a series of North Korean missile tests and signs it may be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

US officials have warned that "all options are on the table" in dealing with the North Korean threat but have so far relied on China to rein in its unpredictable ally.

"I think you're gonna continue to see pressure on North Korea," Haley said.
The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North's sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the flashpoint region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now centring on the next event on the North's calendar, the anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its military.

'China can do more'

US Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan, "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts after Trump indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The ruling party newspaper in the North on Monday called the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said Monday, using the country's official name.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said that the dispatching of the Carl Vinson signalled a war: "It is proof that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day."

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

The new US president has indicated he will not allow North Korea to achieve its goal of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States.
As the people who can make things and use tools disappear into retirement, the generation coming behind them is not being equipped with the same knowledge.

The result will be an "industrial tsunami" in which U.S. factories will unable to find enough skilled labor to produce their products or even keep their machines running. That was the message Monday morning from "Cheers" actor and manufacturing champion John Ratzenberger, who kicked off the first Midwest Manufacturing Business Conference, held at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf.

Ratzenberger, best known as the know-it-all mail carrier Cliff Clavin on the long-running "Cheers" sitcom, brought his wit and wisdom to a crowd of manufacturers from across five Midwest states. He became an outspoken advocate for American manufacturing after his Travel Channel series "John Ratzenberger's Made in America."

Ratzenberger, an entrepreneur, warned that today's youth aren't encouraged to build things. Shop classes have been removed from schools and today's parents value college over the trades, he said.

"We shouldn't be called blue collar workers, we are the essential workers," he told the manufacturers. He added: "If all of Hollywood disappeared ... civilization wouldn't skip a beat. But welders, electricians, lathe operators  if they didn't show up, civilization would grind to a halt."

Through his stories of growing up in the factory town of Bridgeport, Connecticut, he said "Everybody knew how to do something." Whether it was working on a car, building models or making a tree house, "we were always problem-solving."

In his mid-20s, he followed his two grandfathers and became a journeyman carpenter  long before his acting career. "There was an amount of common sense we got from our ability of knowing how to make things.''

As he applauded the manufacturers' contributions, Ratzenberger said "People who manufacture things make it all work. That's what we need to tell our kids."

Ratzenberger, who made a visit Sunday to Moline's John Deere Pavilion, said he was reminded how a company and an industry sprung up from one man, John Deere. A dirt farmer from Vermont saw the need for a better plow to cut through the clay fields of Illinois, he said.

"Now thousands and thousands and thousands of families and jobs are dependent on this one company which was started by a farmer scratching his head (over a problem)," he said.

Ratzenberger's first "Made in America" episode about combine harvestors, filmed years ago, brought him to the Quad-Cities and John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline.

According to Ratzenberger, the average age of a manufacturing worker today is 59 and there are a million U.S. manufacturing jobs open that companies cannot find trained workers to fill. "There's 2 million construction jobs," he said.

More than 200 manufacturers from five Midwest states are expected to attend the conference, which ends today.

"We're focusing on the education and advancement of the business side of manufacturing," said Andrea Olson, conference director and CEO/founder of Prag'madik, an industrial consulting firm based in Davenport. "The goal of this event is to talk about leadership, strategy, marketing, sales and innovation."

She also is one of the founders of the new non-profit Midwest Manufacturing Coalition, formed last year. The conference is the Quad-Cities-based, all-volunteer coalition's first event. The coalition also includes Kevin Santry of Santry 360 and U.S. Army Col. Burl Randolph Jr., retired, who is president and chief consultant of MyWingman LLC.

Olson said the coalition's goal "is to have ongoing programming and education for Midwest manufacturing." "The fact is that larger OEMs, like Deere, Caterpillar and HON, are putting new demands on small manufacturers," she said, adding that they must learn to "be more nimble, agile, tech savvy and responsive."

"It's not just about finding more sales," she said. "We have to modernize our business practices."
It was the Rev. Michael Pica's idea: Pedal across Illinois, raise awareness and spiritual support for vocations in the Diocese of Peoria.

Pica enlisted the help of two priest friends, Adam Cesarek and Tom Otto, and planning began for a 320-mile ride, while making regular stops along the way to explain their goals.

It's described as a prayer-raiser, rather than a fundraiser.

On Monday, the trio  who had met in seminary school  dipped their wheels in the Mississippi River in East Moline, left from Our Lady of Grace Church and pedaled over to Jordan Catholic School in Rock Island.

They were met by priests and sisters and all of Jordan's students who assembled in two sessions in the school gym.

The priests wore special bike jerseys that not only displayed their purpose, "Priests Pedaling for Prayers," but also resemble a cleric's collar at the top.

They have prepared for this week's trip, Cesarek said, even biking in the rain and in a hail storm. "I just put my head down and let the hail bounce off the helmet," he said.

Pica, who practices his faith in Bloomington, Illinois, chose a route that goes from west to east, mindful of head winds. They are scheduled to finish their ride at noon Friday with a stop at Schlarman Academy in Danville, Illinois.

The aim, Cesarek said, is to show youths, especially, that a priest's job is joyful and how valuable it is to share the word of Jesus Christ.

Otto, from Monmouth, Illinois, revved up the Jordan crowd of about 100 5th- to 8th-grade students. He cycled inside the gym as the students did the "wave," urged on by Cesarek.

The students whooped and hollered at the sights. Pica's message was about the need for priests and sisters in Catholic vocations. Vocations, he said, involve work that matters.

Otto was ordained four years ago but said he had no plans to become a priest until he went on a retreat in high school. He is drawn to the work, which he described as being "at the extremes of life, from birth, or baptism, to one's final days."

The priest said he listened to God's plan for him, and he urged the students to be just as open.

"I've had the happiest four years of my life," Otto said.

Cesarek led a question-and-answer session, in which the prizes were the black-and-white "Priests Pedaling For Prayers" T-shirt. He explained the seminary process to the youths, noting that when he was in seminary school, he was in "23rd grade" and was ready to finish up the studies and actually be a priest.

Cesarek led the students in prayers and ended up with "Bless Us Our Lord, and these thy gifts," or the prayer Catholics say before eating.

"Now you're ready to go eat," he said, and the students left for lunch.

Students were impressed by the event. Ryan Dockery-Jackson, 14, of Rock Island was among the eighth-graders at the assembly.

"It was really a fun and interesting idea to have this event to pray for vocations," he said.
It was 1939 when Doris Fogel, who was born in 1934 in Berlin, began her eight years of living in a Chinese internment camp.

Fogel, of Northbrook, Illinois, was the keynote speaker Sunday at the annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust remembrance at Temple Emanuel, Davenport.

The solemn evening included readings, prayers, music and a shofar (a musical horn made from a rams horn) blast by George Rothbardt of Temple Emanuel.

We gather together to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and those who helped the victims, and tell the story of the Holocaust in such a way as to encourage resistance to any future holocaust, said Rabbi Henry Jay Karp of Temple Emanuel. Ours is a very special observance. It is one of the few interfaith services in the country. Another purpose of the observance is to remind us how dark the human soul can turn, he said.

Fogels talk echoed his words. She was with her family on Kristallnacht, when Jewish businesses and synagogues were destroyed in Germany and Austria. They were unable to obtain papers to enter the United States, so in 1939 they fled to Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China, where no entry visa or affidavit was necessary.

They were among the 20,000 Jews who spent the next eight years in the Hongkew Ghetto. There was no running water, and the conditions were filthy. I thought my bed would walk out by itself because it was so infested with bedbugs, she said.

During her time in Shanghai, she attended a Jewish school built by Jewish philanthropist Horace Kadoorie. Thats where I learned to speak English and French, said Fogel.

The students did not have textbooks, but learned with notebooks their parents made for them, said Fogel, who has donated every bit of memorabilia except her citizenship papers to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Chicago.

She says its important that people hear the stories of Holocaust survivors from the survivors themselves. This is the last generation to hear it first-hand, she said. After that, its going to be in books.

Let me tell you how to define a Holocaust survivor, she said. Its anyone who had to leave their home country because of Hitler.

After the war, a resident of Peoria, Illinois, sponsored the family to come to the United States. Fogel was 13 and weighed 65 pounds when she finally came to America.

Fogel has spoken about her experience around the country and has been on the Speakers' Bureau of the Jewish Federations of North America. She often speaks at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Chicago. In 2014, Fogel was the featured speaker at the Illinois Holocaust Commemoration in Springfield.

I have volunteered more hours than anyone you know, she said. I do not do this for the money.

She is the former executive director of the Jewish Federation in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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Congratulations, everybody! Illinois now has five public universities with junk bond credit ratings. That has to be some kind of record.

Last week, S&P Global Ratings lowered the credit score of both Southern Illinois University and Western Illinois University into junk bond status. Eastern, Northeastern and Governor's State were already in junk bond territory and their ratings were lowered even further last week. The University of Illinois, the state's flagship, was also downgraded to just three notches above junk status and, like all the other universities, put on a "credit watch with negative implications," meaning it could be downgraded again within the next 90 days.

All of the downgrade reports noted that none of the universities have received any funds since their partial "stopgap" appropriation in June of last year. The reports also seemed to advocate for another stopgap funding bill this fiscal year.

For instance, while noting in the U of I's report that a stopgap had been passed last year to cover the first six months of this fiscal year, S&P went on to write: "the state has yet to pass a budget for fiscal 2017 and has not conclusively communicated plans for stop-gap funding to support the state's public higher education institutions."

As you may know, Gov. Bruce Rauner and his legislative Republicans are adamantly opposed to another temporary stopgap budget that would use existing special state funds that are currently piling up in bank accounts to help out struggling universities, college students and human service providers and recipients.

Their argument is that distributing the money would take the pressure off everyone to pass a real budget with the governor's demanded reforms. At the same time, Rauner and GOP legislators want to take state employees out of the "pressure" equation with a continuing appropriation, which means those salaries would essentially be funded throughout eternity. But since the lack of funding for social services and higher education over the past two years hasn't spurred anyone in Springfield to action, it might be that only an actual government shutdown after state employees can't come to work will actually move the needle.

"If state operating appropriations are received in fiscal 2017," S&P declared in its SIU downgrade report, "we will incorporate the impact of those appropriations at that time," suggesting that some money thrown at the universities via a stopgap plan could forestall another immediate ratings downgrade.

Junk status means many investment institutions, like pension funds, cannot buy those bonds. So, while the state hobbles the universities by refusing to make full appropriations, it's also undermining their ability to borrow at semi-reasonable rates. Speculators looking for relatively high returns on bonds that have to be repaid will gladly buy those bonds and rake in the dough. Meanwhile, precious dollars that the universities cannot afford to spend have to be used to make higher interest payments. It's a horrific fiscal cycle and, in our case, it's completely man-made.

It could take our universities a decade or more to recover from these body blows. At the very least, we need a stopgap budget now and then a full, "real" budget before the beginning of next fiscal year.

The governor is currently running all over the state proclaiming to anyone who will listen that a deal is "very close." He said at an Elk Grove Village event last week that "a big comprehensive package was being prepared. Democrats say they have no idea what hes talking about.

Rauner had better be right because, even though the Democratic Party has its own dirty hands here, the governor is the state's chief executive, so he will wear the jacket for failure. Hes come up with excuse after excuse for more than two years now for why he cant get a budget passed, or even why he wont propose his own balanced budget. No more.

And if you dig a little deeper at those S&P reports, youll see that the ratings agency had some very specific warnings for state government as well.

Illinois credit rating is just barely above junk status. And S&P warned in several of its downgrades that the universities could be in for a multinotch downgrade if the states rating is lowered. Another downgrade report warned that there was at least a one-in-two likelihood of a rating change within the next 90 days, more than implying that action against the states credit rating could happen soon.
DES MOINES  Gov. Terry Branstad played the gender card Monday to counter Democratic complaints over his $150,000 transition request for Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, saying they didnt object to past expenditures for incoming men moving into the states top executive post.

The $7.269 billion state general fund budget the GOP-led Legislature approved for the 2018 fiscal year beginning July 1 includes the $150,000 appropriation to cover costs associated with the changeover when Branstad resigns to become ambassador to China and Reynolds is sworn in as Iowas first female governor.

Theres no reason why Kim Reynolds should be denied the same transition that other governors received, Branstad told reporters Monday.

During debate before lawmakers adjourned Saturday, Democrats took issue with the transition allowance, given the intraparty move within the governors office amid a tight budget situation, calling it wasteful.

Branstad criticized that view, given that his predecessor, Democrat Chet Culver, received $170,000 during his 2007 transition to the governorship. Culver was Iowa secretary of state before being elected governor.

The same Democrats, when they controlled everything, gave $170,000 for Culvers transition. Our budget is less than it was when Culver left office, he said, his voice rising. Those liberal Democrats have nothing to talk about here. I tell you, I cant believe it. They would criticize a Republican woman, but they would give $170,000 to a Democrat male.

Branstad said Reynolds will review state departments and agencies when she becomes governor and there may be changes in personnel, which could carry costs.

You have some people who leave, and I can tell you  especially with the system that we have  when you have longtime employees that havent used their vacations, theres a huge payout if they leave, Branstad said. So we suspect there will be some of those kinds of changes.

Branstad said his office is operating on a budget of $2.1 million, compared with $2.3 million when he and Reynolds took office in January 2011.
DES MOINES  Two days after bleary-eyed lawmakers adjourned their 2017 session and headed home, governor-in-waiting Kim Reynolds offered a partial agenda for an election-year session in 2018.

Water quality, tax reform and a study of the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System are among the issues the lieutenant governor talked about at Gov. Terry Branstads weekly news conferences on Monday.

Reynolds is poised to move into the governors office when Branstad is confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be ambassador to China. Hell be in Washington, D.C., again this week to meet with members of the Foreign Relations Committee and indicated his confirmation hearing could be next month. Branstad expects to be in office for at least the 30 days the governor has to deal with bills recently approved by the Legislature.

Water quality

Water quality is going to continue to be a priority, Reynolds said, and she hopes to work with lawmakers to build consensus based on separate bills approved in the House and Senate. Although programs in those bills are similar, the funding mechanisms are different. The Senate plan would have raised $744 million over 13 years, funneling the funds into pots for specific programs.

The House plan would raise $513 million over 13 years and give the Iowa Finance Authority the ability to sell bonds to provide additional funds for water-quality projects. The House plan would give preference to collaborative projects involving cities, rural landowners, industry and other entities.

We had a bill pass both chambers, Reynolds said. ... It has been a priority of our administration and will continue to be a priority of mine.

She wouldnt speculate on the possibility of calling a special session of the Legislature to deal with water quality but didnt rule it out.

First of all, lets get this session wrapped up, she said.

She thinks the state has the right strategy  the Nutrient Reduction Strategy  in place. The goal now is a long-term, sustainable source of funding so we can put some money behind best practices so we can reach our goal, Reynolds said. I feel confident well figure out a path forward.

Neither of the bills lawmakers passed included a sales tax increase for natural resources, and Reynolds showed no interest in going in that direction.

The Senate rejected a sales tax increase for water quality 34-16, so I dont think there is support for that in the Legislature. There never has been, (including) the time when Democrats controlled the Senate, Branstad said.

Tax reform

Tax reform again is going to be a priority, Reynolds said, adding, We didnt have the revenue this year to implement comprehensive tax reform.

She didnt endorse proposals by Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, to cut taxes by $500 million or by Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, to rein in tax credits. Specifically, she advised caution on Grassleys plan to make changes to the refundable research and development tax credit, which results in the state writing checks to large corporations.

She wants to put everything on the table, bring in stakeholders, the Department of Revenue and others with expertise to look at whats possible.

As we work over the interim to implement comprehensive tax reform, we need to take a look at everything, Reynolds said. That means maybe tweaking. That means making some changes. We need to look at what makes Iowa more competitive and how can we utilize not only a lower and more competitive tax rate, but some of the incentives we have in place to encourage companies to invest in Iowa.

She also called on working with existing companies so they can grow and expand, and most importantly ... hire Iowans for quality careers so we can continue to grow the economy.

Retirement system

Reynolds promised action on studying IPERS, the state public employee retirement system, but didnt offer a timetable. Branstad has promised a study of the pension program to make sure that it is sustainable over the long term.

I want to start with saying any talk of pension reform moving forward means that we honor the commitments already made, Reynolds said. Thats the place we start from.

She doesnt know what pension reform is going to look like, but it could be a hybrid or going from a defined benefit to defined contribution.

We dont know what that looks like, she said. "It means bringing all stakeholders to the table and talking about whats possible."
A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that challenged voting by absentee ballot in Detroit, saying a Republican candidate for secretary of state failed to produce any evidence of violations. Wayne County Judge Tim Kenny says critics have raised a red flag of election law wrongdoing. But Kenny says his ruling takes down that flag. Kristina Karamo and others sued to try to force Detroit voters to vote in person or go to the city clerks office to get an absentee ballot. They made a variety of allegations about how Detroit reviews signatures on absentee ballots and monitors ballot drop-off boxes. The judge says they failed dramatically to back up any of it.
A hunter who authorities said died in an accidental shooting over the weekend has been identified as Timothy Coats, 63, of Rapid City.

Coats was found dead Sunday on U.S. Forest Service land off S.D. Highway 44, near S.D. Highway 385, according to the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

Coats' family reported him missing after he didn't return from a turkey-hunting trip Saturday, the sheriff's office said. He was hunting alone, and investigators said it appeared Coats accidentally shot himself while crossing a barbed-wire fence.

The investigation into the incident is complete, sheriff's office spokeswoman Helene Duhamel said Monday, adding that an autopsy won't be conducted.
Editor's note: Part two of a three-part series.

Mark Schuh of Rapid City was living a full, contented life.

The 46-year-old worked hard at his successful professional painting service catering to contractors who built high-end homes in the Black Hills. He helped raise two step-children from his wifes previous marriage in a loving environment. He spent weekends hunting and fishing, and took occasional vacations as a reward for the couples labors.

But, as enduring evidence of the fragility of human beings, and how quickly life can change forever in a single instant, Schuh's active life as he knew it came to an end in a few terrifying seconds last July 26.

That day, Schuh was working at a custom home off Rimrock Highway west of Rapid City. As he and a co-worker in his painting business loaded 100-pound doors into his trailer, intent on bringing them to his shop for a coat of stain, the half-ton wall of doors cascaded downward, struck Schuh in the head, and left him injured and dazed on the floor of his trailer.

As he lie there awaiting an ambulance, his head hanging in the well of the trailers door, Schuh said he simply tried to remain calm, which aided his breathing that had become restricted.

I thought maybe I had a pinched nerve or something, he said. The hit I took to my head was so light, and it only left a small scratch on the left side of my forehead. No bleeding, no nothing. Of course, I had never been in that situation before. I thought, 'Well theyll get me to the hospital and give me some muscle relaxers.'"

As the 45-minute wait for the ambulance seemed to stretch into eternity, Schuhs parents, Duane and Carrie, arrived from their nearby home after being alerted to the accident by one of the contractors who was at the job site. They found their only son stretched out on the trailer floor, conscious, but unable to move.

After the call, the thought went through my head that something bad had happened, and I prayed all the way over there that it wouldnt be really bad, Schuhs mother recalled. We got there, and I walked up to the trailer, and the guy working with Mark said, Dont jar the trailer.

Carrie Schuh stuck her head into the trailer and asked her son if he was OK, and he said he was. But her motherly instincts told her otherwise.

I looked at my husband, and we both knew he wasnt OK, Carrie Schuh said. You could tell he was in extreme pain. We waited about 15 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and it was the longest 15 minutes of my life. His dad told me later that as soon as he saw Mark he knew it wasnt good. He wasnt positioned the way a person would be if he could move himself."

With clarity and deep understatement, she added: It wasnt a good day.

'What do we do?'

Placed on a backboard, his head immobilized, and rushed by ambulance to Rapid City Regional Hospital, Schuhs wife, Josette, beat them there after also receiving a call from a contractor. Upon seeing her husband for the first time after the accident, with doctors and nurses scurrying to treat emergency room patients, the first thing Schuh did was apologize to his wife for being such a bother.

For Schuh, memories of that morning and the ensuing days are somewhat of a blur.

I remember being unloaded from the ambulance, he said. I remember them saying they would have to cut my clothes off. I dont remember a whole lot after that. I dont remember people coming to see me over the next few days.

Shortly after Schuhs arrival in the ER, and following a CT-scan, a doctor entered the injured mans exam room to find a flock of Schuhs, including Josette, parents Duane and Carrie, step-daughter Candace Wurdeman, Josettes mother Connie, and Marks sister Paula Arthur.

The doctor informed the gathering that Schuh had fractured his C3 and C5 vertebrae and that he had a vertebral artery dissection, a flap-like tear of the inner lining of the vertebral artery located in the neck which supplies blood to the brain.

The spinal cord was not severed; it was still intact, which was a blessing, Josette recalled. But there was shock. What do we do?

As Schuh lie paralyzed in his hospital bed, unable to move anything from the neck down, the doctor began discussing options which included surgery, or a less-invasive plan to brace his neck, administer steroids, and allow time to heal the fractures. Meanwhile, nurses were prepping a surgical suite in case the family elected surgery, the doctor said.

We had about 10 minutes to make that decision, Josette recalled. Everybody gave their input and the general consensus was, lets not rush into surgery if its not life-threatening right now. Bracing would be less invasive with less chance for infection or other complications. We agreed to hold off, and we wanted to get another opinion.

Eight days later, Schuh was airlifted to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Englewood, Colo., one of the top-rated rehabilitation hospitals for brain and spinal injuries in the U.S. On the flight were the Schuh, Josette, two nurses and two pilots. For Josette, the flight to Colorado was terrifying.

It was the scariest flight I was ever on, she said. It was such a traumatic time in our lives, but I had to be with Mark, and I did it.

Three days after arriving at Craig hospital, on Aug. 6, nurses wheeled Schuh into an operating room at Swedish Hospital, a respected Trauma One surgical center, where neurosurgeons fused his C2 to his T2 with two titanium rods and 12 screws designed to increase stability of his decompressed spinal cord.

Still incapacitated from the neck down, Schuh would remain at Craig Hospital for three months, receiving occasional visitors, before returning to Rapid City on Oct. 27. For the middle-aged couple, the return to the Black Hills was greeted with some trepidation.

It felt really good to be home, Schuh said. But it was also scary for both of us, because that support system wasnt there anymore. We knew there would be challenges and Craig Hospital prepared us for that. But when we got home, it was reality, and we had to deal with that.

An abnormal 'new normal'

The stark reality of living with a quadriplegic  a person who has lost movement due to paralysis of all four limbs  or the new normal as Josette is apt to call it, didnt take long to surface after the Schuhs returned to their four-level home in a quiet neighborhood on Rapid Citys west side.

One of the Schuhs living room couches was displaced to make room for a hospital bed, where Mark now spends the majority of his time with a flat-screen television and the drapes tightly drawn to block prying eyes. Their dining room table was removed as well, to accommodate a wheel-in shower where Josette and caregivers attend to her husbands daily sanitary needs.

Shortly after the accident, the couple canceled a planned November trip to Mexico. When they returned home from Craig Hospital, they sold Josettes car and replaced it with a handicapped conversion van, a $53,000 necessity they had not anticipated.

As the loss of Marks healthy income accompanied his injury, they began receiving a modest Social Security disability stipend of $1,400 a month, but theyre still wrestling with their insurance company, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, which has twice denied coverage of in-home assistance.

They dont feel a quadriplegic needs home health care assistance for daily care, Josette said with a shrug. So, they recently met with a local advocacy group to gain assistance and advice and pressure the insurance company to cover the costs.

Spiraling costs

From the time the ambulance picked up Schuh from the accident scene on July 26 until today, total medical costs have approached $1 million. Meanwhile, the Schuhs income, insurance and disability payments dont come close to covering costs from the accident or its aftermath.

Local ambulance charges were $3,000, air ambulance costs were $32,000, neurosurgeons charged $32,000 plus expenses tied to a five-day stay at Swedish Hospital. Craig Hospital invoices averaged $4,000 per day for Schuhs three-month treatment at the Colorado facility.

Meanwhile, the Schuhs are saddled with $1,200 in monthly insurance premiums, $2,500 per month in home health care costs, and spent $65,000 on a motorized wheelchair, an additional $2,500 on a wheelchair seat lift, $700 for a portable shower, $1,000 on an electrical Hoyer lift that helps transfer the patient from his bed to his wheelchair, and $3,000 on a mattress-turning system that moves Schuh six to nine times per hour so he doesnt suffer from bedsores.

The burdensome debt led the Schuhs to sell off their prized fishing boat that theyd only owned for a year. The fifth-wheel trailer they treasured in their rare idle hours and Marks custom motorcycle are now listed for sale.

They would like to build or buy a one-level ranch house to rid themselves of the obstacles posed by their current multi-level home, but the Schuhs say time will tell if theyll ever be able to afford it.

While reluctant to discuss the most intimate details of their personal relationship, Josette credited Craig Hospital with providing an educational class on maintaining intimacy in their marriage in the aftermath of the life-changing accident.

They let us know that its still possible, she said. I hold Marks hand when were driving in the van and we still kiss and hug. Human touch is huge for anybody in this situation, because it improves the feeling of isolation experienced by any paralyzed person.

Family and friends forge on

Meanwhile, in the midst of their tragedy, the Schuhs have come to recognize the importance of family and expressed deep gratitude for the neighbors, including Darald and Joann McElroy from across the street, who have hand-delivered two meals a week to the Schuhs for many months.

A pub crawl conducted in January by the Black Hills Home Builders, of which Mark was a member, netted more than $12,000 to help defray the Schuhs medical costs, and a November benefit at the Moose Club raised additional funds. A March 11 benefit at Big Js Roadhouse in Humboldt, S.D., arranged by three of Marks uncles and aunts, also contributed to defray their expenses.

It makes you feel that there are still good people in the world, Schuh said from his home hospital bed. These are just a handful of many individuals and groups that have made their love known.

And, while it would be easy for Mark Schuh to be mad at the world for his unforeseen plight and the unwelcome challenges that await him in the future, he still awakes each morning with no malice in his heart and a determination to tackle the next obstacle.

It was an accident, he said matter-of-factly. Theres no one to blame. It could have happened to anyone or no one.
I still remember the first time Bryon and I heard our oldest daughter Kassidys heartbeat. There was no baby bump  yet. No baby clothes in the closet. No name picked out. Im not even sure how many people in our family knew we were expecting at that point, but with the rapid, muffled thuds of our babys heartbeat in the background, we knew our lives were already changed.

I believe every life, including an unborn babys life, has dignity and value. But more than 40 years ago, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in direct contradiction to those principles. In the decades since, I  along with many in South Dakota  have been fighting to undo the damage. While theres still a long way to go, weve recently taken some meaningful steps forward.

President Trump came into office with a promise to nominate a Supreme Court Justice who would protect the constitutional rights of the unborn. Im hopeful the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch fulfilled that promise and I was glad to see him take the oath of office in April.

Days later, the president signed H.J.Res.43, which empowered states to defund abortion facilities, like Planned Parenthood. Now, states can instead choose to use this money to support non-abortion-providing clinics that offer greater accessibility and a broader range of preventive health care services to women.

In South Dakota, there are more than 100 federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics that could benefit from these funds, but only one Planned Parenthood center.

To say that we must fund Planned Parenthood or deny thousands of women care is a false choice. We can support womens health  and specifically, health care for low-income women  without supporting abortion providers. I was proud to co-sponsor this legislation, which notably doesnt take a penny from womens health initiatives and was thrilled to see it earn the presidents signature.

But more must be done. Time and again, Congress has opposed taxpayer-funded abortions with bipartisan support. Annual provisions, including the Hyde Amendment, have been passed repeatedly, saving an estimated 2 million innocent lives.

Even with this provision in place, however, Obamacare has allowed your tax dollars to flow to over 1,000 abortion-covering health plans. Thats unacceptable. We need to make the Hyde Amendment permanent and government-wide. The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which I co-sponsored and the House passed, would accomplish that.

Additionally, Im working to protect doctors, nurses and others who dont want to participate in abortions. In some cases, these individuals have faced discrimination and retribution for sticking to their principles. That shouldnt happen. Ive co-sponsored legislation to protect these individuals and Im fighting to see it pass the House and hopefully be signed into law soon.

Bryon and I knew our lives had changed when we heard Kassidys heartbeat for the first time and I hope she knows just how proud we are of the generous, compassionate person shes become. Shes grown up quickly and I love to think back on those days when I was still taller than her.

We read a lot together back then. One of our favorites was Dr. Seusss Horton Hears a Who, which reads, in part: A person is a person no matter how small. Each time we read that line, Id think back to those first muffled thuds. A person is a person, no matter how small.
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Russian anti-corruption officials father to stay jailed on embezzlement charges

MOSCOW, April 24 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court has upheld the detention of Viktor Zakharchenko, father of Russian anti-corruption official charged with receiving a large-scale bribe, the court told RAPSI on Monday.

Viktor Zakharchenko will stay in jail until May 30.

According to case papers, the father of Dmitry Zakharchenko is charged with being an accessory to embezzlement.

Russian anti-corruption official, Dmitry Zakharchenko, was arrested on September 8, 2016. During searches at apartment belonging to Zakharchenkos sister law enforcement officers found around nine billion rubles (about $155 million).

Zakharchenko himself denies any relation to seized funds.

Zakharchenko was charged with receiving a 7 million-ruble ($107,600) bribe from an unknown source. He has also been charged with abuse of office and hindering the conduct of preliminary investigation. On March 2, it was revealed that he is charged with two more instances of corruption crimes.

His father also pleads not guilty to embezzlement.
Uber appeals fine for misleading consumers in Russia

MOSCOW, April 24 (RAPSI)  Uber Technolodgy, Russian firm operating under Uber brand, has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against 100,000 rubles ($1,785) fine for misleading consumers about actual carriers, the courts documents read on Monday.

Earlier, Uber Technology has filed an appeal with the Moscow Commercial Court against Moscow Department of Russias consumer rights watchdog (Rospotrebnadzor). The court dismissed the appeal on September 1, 2016, and that ruling was later upheld by higher courts.

Rospotrebnadzor believes that a consumer gets an impression that the transportation service is provided by Uber company but in fact this service is provided by Ubers partner-drivers. Consumer is not informed about results of medical examination and licensing of taxi drives as well as consumer qualities of transfer service.

The service states that during the registration on uber.com website consumers may create accounts without learning about conditions and privacy policy and as a result they may not know all conditions of service provided.
America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance!
Contacting Rensselaer Adventures

To contact Rensselaer Adventures, send e-mail to rensselaeradventures at yahoo.com. (I put the @ in there originally, and of the first eight messages I received, four were the Nigerian scam and three told me I won a lottery I never entered. Maybe this change is already too late.)



If you want to comment on any specific post, (adding information or correcting a mistake I made) please use the comment area that is available on each post. That way everyone will get to see what you think, not just me.



I would love to hear from you if you have ideas of things I can write about. Even better, if you want to contribute something, I will consider it.



I will not check this address every day, so be patient. (And I almost never check my messages on Facebook, so it you send something there, the odds are that I will not see it for weeks or months.)



Also, I encourage and appreciate comments that are informative or entertaining. However, I delete comments that I think are offensive or inappropriate (which includes spam--I delete a lot of spam).




On 12th of April, Dahals government formally withdrew its previous amendment bill and registered a fresh one. This new bill does meet some of the demands made by the Madhesi groups, though not all. As expected, the UML, more out of its cussedness has opposed the bill on the ground that the party was not consulted before hand!

For them, it has become an ego problem and are still hopeful that they can sweep the polls on an anti-Indian, nationalistic platform. The Terai groups and the UDMF in particular should understand this point.

Strangely, the UDMF without even studying the new proposals or consulting each other has decided to renew its agitation thus making it almost impossible for the government to conduct an all-inclusive local body election on May 14. It is immaterial whether the elections should be done in one go or in two phases. But the suggestions made by some vested interests to avoid the elections totally and go for the regional and federal elections should not be countenanced at all.

The agitation now proposed is supposed to be peaceful but one can never say how the dynamics will work out with the trigger-happy security forces on one side and a few fringe elements on the other. More than a hundred deaths have occurred in the agitation so far in the Terai and it is time for the leaders to make an introspection to see whether they should inadvertently support the UML that is desperately trying to perpetuate the divide between the Hills and the plains people.

As said earlier, the 11 point amendment proposal does take care of some of the misgivings of the Madhesi groups. Two major and important changes that should meet the approval of the Madhesi groups are-

* The revision of the federal boundaries will now be done through a federal commission and not through the transitional provisions set forth in Article 295. While the existing provisions under Article 274 (7) forbid change without the consent of concerned provinces, the amendment enables the federal parliament to change the provincial boundary even without the consent of the respective provinces until the provincial assembly is formed.

* The second important deviation from the previous amendment is about the composition of the National Assembly. The fresh proposal is that while each province can provide 3 representatives each, the rest 35 will be elected on the basis of the population. This in my view is an important concession to the Madhesi Groups.

It is unfortunate and totally illogical for the UDMF to call the fresh amendments as regressive. At the same time one cannot agree with the UML who wants the new proposals to be owned by the Madhesi groups. Their attempt is to make the Madhesi groups to rub their noses on the ground- a demand that is humiliating and condemnable.

The UML can act tough because of their numbers in the Parliament and no amendment is possible without their consent. Here is a lesson for the Terains who frittered away their advantages in the last parliamentary elections by not fighting under one unified banner. This disunity continues even now with Gachaadar and Upendra Yadav pulling in opposite directions and the poor ordinary Madhesis are getting killed by the security forces. In some cases the families have lost their sole bread winners!

The move to start a fresh round of agitation will only satisfy the bloated egos of the Madhesi leaders but not the people who have had enough of the agitations. It is time for the Madhesi groups to take part in the local body elections and fight another day for their rights rather than being on a perpetual motion of confrontation.

(The article originally appeared in South Asia Analysis Group)
Guwahati, April 24 : The sleuths of Vigilance of Anti-Corruption of Assam police on Monday had arrested a police official for allegedly taking bribe in Kamrup district.

Following a complaint by a person, a V&AC team had arrested red handed a sub-inspector Bakul Saikia of Boko police station in the lower Assam district while the police official has taken bribe from the complainer.

'The arrested police official had allegedly taken bribe for clearance seizure articles, vegicles,'A a top police official said.

The V&AC had arrested over 30 government officials for taking bribes in this year so far.

In last year, the sleuths of V&AC had arrested DFO Mahat Talukdar from his office in Dhemaji.

Recently, the V&AC team had arrested the secretary of state Irrigation department Kujendra Doley from his office in Dispur Janata Bhawan for allegedly taking bribes from a contractor.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati, April 24 : Police had arrested another official of Assam Panchayat and Rural development department (P&RD) in connection with the multi-crore rupees Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA) scam in the Assam's hills district Karbi Anglong.

According to the reports, the Hamren police on Monday had arrested Kamaleswar Kalita, junior engineer of state P&RD from his house at Azara in Kamrup district.

A top police official said that, the arrested junior engineer who presently worked at Chamaria development block was allegedly involved in the multi-crore rupees scam during his service at Chinthong development block.

Earlier, the Hamren police arrested three persons including a junior engineer in connection with the scam.

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.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
SEATTLE, April 22: A federal judge on Friday handed down the longest sentence ever imposed in the U.S. for a cyber crime case to the son of a member of the Russian Parliament convicted of hacking into more than 500 U.S. businesses and stealing millions of credit card numbers, which he then sold on special websites.

Roman Seleznev was sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $170 million in restitution to the business and banks that were the victims of his multiyear scheme.

Prior to his sentencing, Seleznev asked U.S. District Judge Richard Jones for leniency. He apologized to his victims and said he was remorseful for his crimes, but he urged the judge to consider his medical problems, the result of being caught in a terrorist bombing in 2011, in deciding his prison term.

"I plead, pray and beg your honor for mercy," he said.

But Jones told Seleznev that the bombing in Morroco "was an invitation to right your wrongs and recognize 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, Seleznev 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 U.S.-Russian relations.

"This decision made by the United States government clearly demonstrates to the entire world that I'm a political prisoner," Seleznev wrote. "I was kidnapped by the U.S. Now they want to send a message to the world using me as a pawn. This message that the U.S. is sending today is not the right way to show Vladimar Putin of Russia, or any government in this world how justice works in a democracy."

He said he's a citizen of the Russian Federation and he said he wanted to send a message to that government: "Please help me. I beg you."

U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes said Seleznev's 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 U.S. citizen would have been," she said.

Seleznev was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and 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 him 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. 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," Deputy U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa 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 $170 million 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.

Litvak urged the judge to consider Seleznev's life story in his decision.

Seleznev's parents divorced when he was 2; his alcoholic mother died when he was 17; he suffered a severe head injury in a terrorist bombing in Morocco in 2011, causing his doctors to say he may not recover; 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 U.S. 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.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The main opposition CPN-UML has opposed the government decision to hold the local level election in two phases.

A meeting of the partys Standing Committee held at the party chairman KP Sharma Olis residence in Balkot on Monday accused the government of spoiling the environment of local level elections.

The meeting also concluded to exert pressure to the government to hold the local level elections in a single phase on May 14 as scheduled earlier. However, what short of program will be launched to exert pressure to the government is not revealed yet.

The government seems to have intended to create distance and increase conflict with the main opposition parties by taking the decision to hold elections in two phases in the name of addressing the disgruntled Madhesi parties, the meeting had the conclusion.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Police has detained DIG Nawarj Silwal for tempering the government documents.

A team of police has taken control the DIG Silwal and taken him to Nepal Police headquarters at Naxal of Kathmandu to record his statement, claims a source close to the police headquater.

The Ministry of Home affairs had directed the Nepal Police to investigate over Silwal for tempering the classified government document and presented it to the court.

DIG Silwal has filed writ petition at the Supreme Court after the government decided to promote Prakash Aryal to the post of IGP claiming that the government tempered the performance evaluation document of DIGs and gave more numbers to Aryal to promote him.

Following the governments directives, the government had formed a committee under the leadership of DIG Bijaya Kumar Bhatta to look into the case.

As he denied to prove the allegations, a team of police arrested Silwal from his Baluwatar based resident.
KATHMANDU, April 24: Former President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has stressed on the need of institutionalizing the democracy attained through people's movement.

Inaugurating the Youth SAARC Regional Summit organized by the Youth Parliament of Nepal here on Monday, former President Yadav expressed concern that the democracy that has been achieved as the outcome of 70 years of struggle was still under the shadows due to the bickering among the political parties and it needed to be institutionalized.

He appreciated the incumbent government for trying to accommodate some sections having issues with the present constitution.

"Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has made attempts to accommodate the disgruntled sides. This is a good work. The country will take a leap forward when the demands of the disgruntled sides are addressed," the former President said, urging the political parties to go for the election by accommodating the communities left out at the time of issuing the constitution.

He also stressed on attaining economic prosperity for the country by establishing peace and stability concluding the three tiers of elections.

Former President Yadav expressed regrets saying that only one-third of the post-earthquake rebuilding has been accomplished and the government has not been able to provide relief to the earthquake affected.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said the government was committed to holding the local level election and the country would move ahead in a new way after the election. He added that the youth could lend a significant contribution to the development of the SAARC, suggesting SAARC to carry out its works keeping youths in priority.

Ambassador of India to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri, Bangladesh's ambassador to Nepal Mashfee Binte Shams and Pakistani ambassador to Nepal Mazhar Javed, among other speakers highlighted the youth's role in the advancement of the SAARC region and the need for the regional body to give appropriate place to the youths.

Twenty-five youths from the eight SAARC member countries will deliberate on the challenges to sustainable development in the region in the Summit that will conclude on Wednesday. RSS
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India and the US are all set to conduct naval exercise Malabar in the Bay of Bengal in July, the first major military drill after Donald Trump took over as President.

Japans Maritime Self-Defense Force will also participate in the naval drill that will be bigger and more complex than all previous editions.

Indian Navy sources said a planning conference would be held soon in the US to firm up the dates and warships that will take part in the exercise. This will be followed by a final planning conference in India where the scenarios to be simulated during the exercise to boost the abilities of the participating navies for joint operations will be finalised.

China has been suspicious of the trilateral engagement and has even lodged protests over Japans participation. Beijing is expected to closely monitor the exercise at a time when the Chinese navy is expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean region.

An Indian Navy officer said the drills could see the participation of aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines and frontline warships. He said the P-8I and the P-8A submarine hunter planes of the Indian and US navies would also be involved in the drills, simulating anti-submarine warfare missions.

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The two simultaneously inducted the P-8 platforma military derivative of Boeing's 737-800 commercial aircraft and christened P-8A for the US Navyfour years ago.

The exact composition of the participating units will be known after the final planning conference is over. But the drills will be more complex than any previous engagement, he added.

In 2015, India and the US renewed a significant pact to deepen bilateral defence cooperation in several security-related areas. The US-India Defence Framework Agreement aims to strengthen military-to-military engagements, improve technical cooperation and bolster overall strategic partnership till 2025.

India and the US are in the final stages of operationalising the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that sets down the guidelines for the two militaries to share each others assets and facilities for repair, maintenance, supplies and training on an equal-value exchange basis.

The US has already submitted its list of logistics points of contacts and is waiting for India to reciprocate. Defence ministry sources said India had prepared a list and would share it with the US soon to operationalise the pact signed last year.




Aprasangik

India is changing in significant ways. Marginalisation of Muslims, the largest minority in the country has often been discussed. It is getting more and more pronounced with successive elections.

The resounding victory of the Bharatiya Janta party, the political arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an organization committed to turn India into a Hindu nation, in the recently concluded assembly election of Uttar Pradesh is only the latest evidence of the ascendance of this politics. But now it has taken the form of more vicious, open attacks on Muslims with rising frequency by marauding mobs formed in the name of cow protection in different parts of northern India. It has resulted in deaths of Muslims but failed to arouse disgust in the larger political class, while the general Hindu population remains in callous apathy.

Indignation over beef eating is cited as a rationale to understand the Hindu insensitivity in such cases. But Muslims being attacked while praying in Mosques or killing of an Imam in a mosque while he was sleeping also fail to move the police or the political class. Attack on Christians in the name of opposing conversion has also now stopped to make news. It is a tiny minority and shrinking in its shell.

The politics of Hindu domination over Muslims and Christians is being achieved by hegemonising all Hindu spaces cutting across languages and cultures and smothering hitherto strong regional and cultural variances. Bengalis, Malayalis, Assamese and others have their own new years with distinct names like Vishu, Bihu, Bangla Nobovarsha, etc. But for the last three years attempts are being made to gradually erase these names . Instead of mentioning these different names, people are being congratulated on the advent of the new Hindu year. Also, the traditional festivals are now being given nationalist slogans. This year Gudi Parva , the Maharashtrian festival to mark new year was militantly Hindu accompanied by slogans to make India a Hindu nation.

Each cultural region also has its own supreme God or Goddess. In Kerala it is Bali, a mythical figure who is venerated by Malayalis. But last year the BJP tried to replace him by another mythical figure Vamana, an incarnation of Vishnu who is said to have, as legend has it, cunningly dethroned Bali. It asked the Malayalis to celebrate the birth day of Vamana. This audacious move by the BJP drew angry response from the people but it remained unfazed.

Similarly this year it was observed that Ram Navami, a festival to celebrate the birth of Rama, another revered mythical figure among Hindus, was celebrated aggressively even in regions where Ram is not counted as a major figure. For example, in Bengal it is Durga the Goddess who dominates all other gods and goddesses. Ram Navami has never been a major festival in Bengal. But this year , the BJP organized and took out aggressive processions in more than twenty towns of Bengal. In the state capital Kolkata alone twenty two Ram Navami processions were organized. For the first time the Bengalis saw boys and girls brandishing swords and other traditional weapons in these processions. In Kerala too, Ram Navami celebrations were organized with zeal and fervor never seen before.

The colour of the flag of Hanuman, another popular mythical figure, himself a devotee of Ram, is red. But this year it was seen in Patna that the red of the Hanuman morphed into saffron silently. Saffron as a colour is seen as representing the pan-Hindu identity .

The BJP is also attempting to fuse Hinduism with nationalism in very creative ways. In the rainy season, devotees of Shiva carry holy waters of the Ganga as an offering to Shiva, one of most powerful Gods of Hindus. They cover the distance on foot. Last year it was seen that most of them were also carrying the Triclour, Indian national flags with them. The trucks accompanying them were draped in the tricolor. It was a clever ploy to merge nationalism with Hinduism. People did note it but there was no adverse reaction to it among the Hindus. Why a this worldly notion of nationalism was being foisted on a religious pilgrimage aimed to attain spiritual peace ?

Appropriation of national symbols and infusing in them a Hindu content has long been a strategy of the BJP and the RSS. For the last ten years or so, it started using the national flag of India as a symbol of its brand of Hindu nationalism. It has organized Tiranga yatras, Tricolour marches several times. It gives an impression of some army marching to capture an area for the nation.It also introduces an element of aggression in the nationalist discourse.

Nationalism has been a theme BJP is harping on relentlessly for quite some time. It has shifted from its platform of aHindu religion in perila to aNation in perila. It has succeeded with the help of Hindi and language media to portray universities as places where leftists are creating and spreading anti-national ideas and conspiring to break India into pieces. Sympathy with the struggle of Kashmiri people for autonomy is being dubbed as an anti-national act. Presence of Kashmiri students in the Indian campuses is also used to spread the notion that they are using Indian tax payersa money for anti-national ends.

The strategy of the BJP and the RSS is twofold. It is trying to hegemonise diverse,little, regional and cultural spaces and paint them with a broad Hindu brush. Slowly and gradually it is trying to gain control over institutions, religious and cultural, by putting its people there. It makes the path of Hindu nationalism smooth. It is trying to create a Hindu umbrella, which would shelter all these diverse traditions and give them a feeling of being part of a unified whole called Hinduism. It is also eyeing the tribal traditions. Its entry into their holy and cultural spaces is now conspicuous. A double seamlessness, between different cultural traditions and Hinduism and simultaneously between Hinduism and nationalism has given birth to nationalist Hinduism or Hindu nationalism. That this is being done at the cost of Muslims and Christians seems, at least at this point of time, of little concern for the large Hindu population of India.

Published earlier in ALJAZEERA, April, 2017
After the long wait, the Supreme Court Chief Justice J.S. Khehar opined that long pending dispute of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid should be settled out of court. (March 2017) He even offered to mediate himself in the matter. Uniformly most of the spokesperson from RSS Combine welcomed the move, while large number of Muslims and other elements have been surprised as the Court was approached for justice and not or compromise formula.

This is in the backdrop of the judgment of Lukhnow branch of Allahabad Court (2010). As per this, the three judge bench had said that the land should be divided into three parts. As such the judgment was an exercise of sorts trying to do a balancing act between all the parties involved, Ram Lalla Virajman, Nirmohi Akhada and Sunni wakf board. The title of the land has been divided into three; each sharing one part. Also court had declared since Hindus believe that the abirth placea of Lord Ram to be below the place where the central dome of the mosque stood, that place should be allotted to Hindus. In response RSS chief in a jubilant mood had proclaimed that now the path for a grand Ram temple has been opened at the site and all the parties should cooperate in this anationala work.

For larger sections this judgment came as a matter of dismay. The Babri Mosque has been there from last nearly five hundred years and it was in possession of Sunni Waqf Board. The dispute was created in nineteen century. In 1885 even the court denied Hindus to build shed on the platform outside the mosque. It is after the forcible installation of Ram Lalla idols (1949) that the matters went in an adverse way. Through a conspiracy; the idols were installed and despite the insistence of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, the UP administration did not comply. The gates of the masjid were sealed. It was in 1986 that Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, got the doors of the Masjid opened under the intense pressure of Hindu Right wing forces.

Lal Krishna Advani took up the issue from VHP, which was agitating for Ram Temple so far. With Advani, the President of BJP, taking up the issue its political impact started deepening and widening at the same time. It was made the major polarizing issue around which consolidation of Hindu vote bank began. The mobilization for Rath yatra planned for the temple movement became much more in the aftermath of Mandal Commission implementation. Those who opposed reservation for OBCs came forward in large numbers in the mobilization for Ram Temple.

While BJP did not show direct opposition to Mandal commission, it converted the opposition in to the Ram Temple issue. Mandal versus Kamandal (Holy water pot, Religiosity), is how some framed it.

This issue came up to torment the delicate thread of peace prevailing in the society. The culmination this campaign was in the form of demolition of the Babri Masjid. In the demolition RSS combine mobilized large section of people and Narsimha Rao colluded. While local administration collapsed, Kalyan Singh of BJP, who was then Chief Minister of UP, facilitated the assembly of kar sevaks, which was to demolish the mosque. He did this despite his promise to Supreme Court that he will protect the mosque. Narsimha Rao who locked himself in his Puja room as the mosque was being demolished later promised that it will be built precisely at the same spot.

The matters took the turn for the worse as BJP led team of aarcheologists-Kar Sevaksa tried to prove that there are remnants of Ram Temple below the mosque. Archeologically this is not tenable. That there was no convincing proof of Ram Temple underneath becomes clear from the fact the High Court Bench had to resort to afaith of Hindusa to allot 2/3 of the land to Hindu groups. The demolition of Mosque might have been the biggest crime in India and that was well planned. Despite that the leaders of demolition squad have not been punished so far.

Liberhan Commission did point out the nature of underlying conspiracy but unfortunately the Commission took long to submit its report. To add salt to the injury Advani and company became stronger after this crime against the nation. The demolition also unleashed massive violence against Muslims, particularly in Mumbai, Bhopal and Surat along with other places. The guilty of this violence have also been let off totally or with minor reprimand.

In the matter of this dispute the ownership of the title has been the real issue. The High Court based itself more on aFaitha than the records of ownership of the land. The Supreme Court as the highest legal body needs to see the total issue from legal angle and needs to set right the wrongs done so far. Only concrete legal aspects should determine the outcome of the case. Instead to call for compromise out of Court in present circumstances is overlooking the aspect of justice. In out of Court settlement already the Hindu groups have said that Muslims should leave the place for Ram Temple and another suitable land will be given to them for mosque. The two sides are not evenly balanced as far as their strength on negotiating table is concerned.

There are threats from the likes of Subramanian Swami, BJP MP, and others that if Muslims donat give up their claim, the bill will be brought through Parliament once BJP has bigger strength. The threats of this type are immoral. Already there are claims on so many Mosques to convert them into temples! In the out of Court settlement, the Hindu nationalists are more assertive and dominant while the representatives of Muslims are being pushed into a corner that does not augur well for the health of our democracy. Effort to revive issue of other mosques is unwarranted and intimidating to minorities. That needs to be stopped.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-for-amicable-settlement-of-ayodhya-dispute-cji-js-khehar-offers-to-mediate/story-UOU9TGaPbpviWjhXFZscnI.html

http://www.vitastapublishing.com/2016-01-29-22-05-36/pro/making-sense-of-ayodhya-verdict-detail.html

http://www.countercurrents.org/puniyani151210.htm

https://www.quora.com/What-is-wrong-with-the-demolition-of-Babri-Masjid

http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/01082001/29.htm
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As is usual with these editions, Carlotta has put the two DVDs in the front. One features the film and some extras, the other one... even more extras! Seriously, this set is loaded. There are several hours worth of documentaries on these discs.

Do note that the set is not English-friendly, and does not feature English subtitles. The original English dub is included though (both in stereo and in 5.1 remix).
Ever get the feeling youve been cheated? John Lydon aka Johnny Rottens acerbic question to the audience at the end of the Sex Pistols disastrous 1978 U.S. tour may have marked the end of that group, but for Lydon himself, this was only the beginning of his musical journey. What came after Lydon and the Sex Pistols reinvention of rock music is the fascinating subject of Tabbert Fiillers lively documentary The Public Image is Rotten, a film with one of rocks most enduringly incisive, brutally honest, and sharply funny characters at its center.

This film tells the story of the genesis and unending evolution of Lydons post-punk, post-Sex Pistols band Public Image Ltd. (or PiL for short), which, in its fusion of punk, dance, reggae, and world-music rhythms, proved to be nearly as groundbreaking and influential as Lydons other band. PiL was the vehicle by which Lydon would break himself free from the control of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, find a path out of the destruction and chaos that was happening around him, and assert his own, unique musical identity.

Lydons own music reinvention began when, right after the Sex Pistols broke up, he traveled to Jamaica with Richard Branson, who was scouting reggae musicians for Virgin Records. After absorbing the sounds he heard there, he returned to England to form a band, the core of which included bassist Jah Wobble and ex-Clash guitarist Keith Levene, which would eventually become PiL (named after a Muriel Spark novel). Shortly thereafter, the group released its first single Public Image, which was Lydons truly new-sounding, startlingly bold declaration of musical and artistic independence. This iconoclastic refusal to accept limiting labels, musical or otherwise, would not only inform PiLs subsequent, ever-mutating musical styles, but even challenge the definition of a band, which in the case of PiL became a revolving door of constantly changing line-ups, with Lydon as the only constant.

The core of The Public Image is Rotten is an extended contemporary interview with Lydon at his current home in Los Angeles, with his trademark profane, ascerbic wit, tempered only slightly by his current existence as a man in his 60s looking back on his life, his music, and the people he loved and lost. Lydon opens up on screen as hes never before done in public, relating such stories as his bout with meningitis as a young boy, which put him in a three-month coma and caused him to temporarily lose his memory. According to Lydon, this deeply informed his life-long concern with his own identity, making it much more understandable as to why Lydon reacted so badly to McLarens attempts to control Lydons image as his Sex Pistols Johnny Rotten persona, and why he was so determined that no one but him would control his public guises and his musical directions.

Fiiller and his crew make skillful use of archival material, such as that of PiLs infamous 1981 New York show at the Ritz, where the band  augmented with a 60-year-old jazz drummer  performed in silhouette behind a movie screen, which they refused to come out from behind, so that the audience could actually see them. This so angered the audience, who pelted the band with bottles, that the show was shut down and the next nights show cancelled. The captured footage of Lydon and PiLs approach to performance, compared to the mostly sanitized, corporate, anodyne affairs much live music has become, retains its bristling, startling quality some thirty years later. This and other scenes help this documentary remind us that far from a cast-in-amber rock legend, Lydon remains an unceasingly restless musical explorer and a boundlessly creative force.
It's unclear if it's the New York setting or where it falls on the calendar, but Tribeca has emerged as one of the very best places to debut new VR and 360 content and the 2017 program is no exception. Undoubtedly the hard work of the VR programming team is a big part of this and they've certainly outdone themselves with world premieres from many of the top VR content creators like Penrose and Boabab Studios to very interesting indie artists. We've had the pleasure of experiencing the majority of what's on hand at this year's "Virtual Arcade." Let's dig in.



Penrose Studios' Allumette impressed everyone last year with its emotional story, highly detailed 3D modeling, and fully inhabitable world design. Their even more ambitious follow-up Arden's Wake builds on all of these elements and adds a more expansive and engaging narrative structure that leaves you wanting more. This first chapter (dubbed a prologue) takes place on a small island outcropping where a father and daughter live a sparse, steam-punkish existence. Again, the dollhouse-like design is employed by Penrose to create a gorgeously detailed structure that your God-like omnipresence can explore for all kinds of rewarding discoveries. The world hints at big secrets as well and the well voiced dialog (a new edition to Allumette's dialog-free narrative) draws the guest in to leave them eagerly anticipating further chapters. Chapeau!



In similar fashion to Penrose, Baobab Studios has distinguished itself as an early leader in the animated VR landscape. Like their earlier pieces Invasion! and Asteroids (the latter of which just world premiered at Sundance a few months ago), the new property Rainbow Crow is the brainchild of Eric Darnell, Baobab's Chief Creative Officer and the director of all four films in Dreamworks' Madagascar franchise. The Rainbow Crow content on hand at Tribeca is very much just a prologue but the stylized Native American-inspired story looks to be an incredibly lush and cool world to explore in the chapters to come. The piece eschews some of the gamified interactive elements found in Asteroids and also hints at some innovative attention devices such as using dynamic lighting to hint the guest where to look, somewhat akin to stage lighting. Rainbow Crow is executive produced and will feature the voice and music talents of John Legend alongside 82-year-old Kiowa-Caddo tribal elder Randy Edmonds, Diego Luna, and Constance Wu.



But it's not just the well-funded studios that have impressive pieces at Tribeca. The indie wave of VR is here and one of the standout creators looks to be director Ethan Shaftel. His debut piece Extravaganza stars comedians Paul Scheer and John Gemberling in a totally entertaining and impressive mixed live action/animated experience. The biting satire places you inside the body of a wooden character in some sort of strange miniature menagerie. The 360 elements are beautifully rendered around you in a way that fully engages with the medium. What's most impressive is how well realized Shaftel's concept is here. Not only is it fun and funny, but it feels complete. Just a well-designed and perfectly executed 360 short. It will be very exciting to see what Shaftel comes up with next.



Also perfectly executed and complete is the New York Times documentary Under a Cracked Sky. This 360 piece takes the guest under the ice with cold water scuba divers at Antarctica's McMurdo Station. The dulcet narration paired with the gorgeous blue glow of freezing water all around you has one of the most viscerally calming 360 experiences you can find. It's also totally fascinating. This is a must-see when it becomes available in late May on the NYT VR app.



Chris Milk's Within is at Tribeca in full force (after revealing their cool new logo) with three pieces. Life of Us, which premiered at Sundance, is a co-operative experience that takes two people through the evolution of life on earth in totally stylized and fun way. This beautiful piece isn't exactly narrative but is a fascinating experiment in interactivity in VR. Within also premiered the final episode of their 360 docu series The Possible with Hoverboard directed by David Gelb (of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Chef's Table fame) with Within's Dan Coplon. This totally thrilling 360 experience looks at how some crafty inventors have created a six-propeller hexacopter that can actually fly with a human on board -- an obvious subject for immersive 360 and one that is totally fun and very well executed. It's available now. Finally, Within is also premiering their Zach Richter-directed VR music video Hallelujah which we didn't get to try out but is notable as the first VR piece to be released using Lytro Immerge volumetric technology. We can't wait to try it.



Felix & Paul Studios are on hand at Tribeca as well with the world premiere of the full 20-minute version of The People's House. Essentially an extended version of the previously released 8-minute preview, The People's House is an immaculately executed tour of the White House by Michelle and Barak Obama and is sure to make you reminiscent for a simpler time of American politics.



Another high profile 360 documentary piece premiering at Tribeca is Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismail's The Protectors: Walk in the Ranger's Shoes. Made as a collaboration between National Geographic, Chris Milk's Here Be Dragons, Annapurna Pictures, and African Parks, this piece is an incredibly immersive look at the Congolese rangers of Garamba National Park that risk their lives every day to try to protect wildlife from poachers. It includes some pretty graphic material but it done with the professionalism you'd expect from a big name like Bigelow.



Two projects dealing with trauma at the fest take very different approaches to the idea of immersive experience. Becoming Homeless: A Human Experience, created by Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab is a slightly gamified narrative that invites the guest into the body of a person going through struggles of losing their home. Zohar Kfir's Testimony deals with the topic of sexual assault through a unique segmented series of survivors discussing their trauma. It employs an odd "must be looking" method to hear the testimonies which feels antithetical to the idea of immersive VR but it is certainly emotional.



One of the more indie and unique pieces in 360 today is Senegalese fashion artist Selly Raby Kane's The Other Dakar. This super weird and wonderfully stylized narrative is an Alice in Wonderland-esque story of a girl navigating Dakar's surreal mythology in an artistic style that is completely unique. It points to very cool things coming from places we haven't seen many VR creators from yet.



France is represented in the Virtual Arcade as well with Alexandre Perez's Sergeant James, an innovative and well-executed 360 narrative that places your presence under an imaginative child's bed as his mom struggles to get him off to sleep. Once the lights are out, the room comes to life with intrigue. Toys seem to be a common motif as we saw in Felix & Pauls' excellent narrative Miyubi, a trend that might speak to the childlike imaginative power this new medium presents.



Other pieces making their debut at Tribeca includes the trippy 3D-rendered room-scale narrative Remember: Remember by Kevin Cornish. The piece on hand was just a prologue but the alien abduction narrative has some good scares. Apex by Arjan van Meerten with Wevr and Kaleidoscope VR is a cool music video art project that offers a glimpse into some sort of apocalyptic future complete with weird 3D creatures. The flame effects are particularly cool. Finally, Kite + Lightning's Bebylon Battle Royale takes you into a bizarre world where adult-aged babies fight for riches. It's a pretty intriguing world but the experience right now is just a standard 3D fighter without much in terms of VR integration. We'll keep our eyes out for more from this property in the future.
Heading for release in Hong Kong on June 29, Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight follows what happens when "a monster from Lung's favorite animation appears in the city ... and turns people into zombies."

That's from the rather lengthy plot summary at IMDb. These are running kind of zombies, not George A. Romero's slow walkers, so this may not be for traditionalists. But if you can roll with that, it looks promising.

Here's the entire description (spoilers may follow):

Lung (starring Michael Ning) and Chi-Yeung (starring Louis Cheung) are two eccentric hot-blooded young men leading a devil-may-care life. They deem themselves as heroes that can save the earth.

However, Lung can do nothing about things in life that don't work out as he wishes: he has to move out from where he has grown up; his step-mother Shan (starring Carrie Ng) has chronic depression; he finds his father (starring Alex Man) who's just out of jail so annoying to get on with; his friend Chi-Yeung is fervently chasing a girl named Chan-Yat (starring Cherry Ngan) while his own idol, a star called Yee-Sue (starring Venus Wong), is still unreachable.

In the meantime, a monster from Lung's favorite animation appears in the city out of reason and turns people into zombies. The outbreak of this zombie crisis is followed by a widespread chaos all round. Even Lung's neighbors have become zombies as well.

Lung's father happens to be out of town traveling with Shan. And Chan-Yat has gone missing too. Lung risks his life to break into the infected town in order to take her back home and meanwhile realizes he is merely a loser and slick talker. But he decides not to avoid anymore and to fight a battle against zombies tonight.

Alan Lo directed; he previously helmed the shorts Zombie Guillotines and After Lasik. Watch the trailer below and tell us what you think in the comments, please.
 Six months after voting to speed executions, is California really getting any closer to carrying out death sentences? | Main | Capital procedure day at SCOTUS .... perhaps from early morning until late at night thanks to Arkansas 

April 24, 2017

Interesting final phrase in Justice Breyer's latest pitch for SCOTUS to consider whether whether capital punishment is now unconstitutional

Via a dissent in Glossip v. Gross back in 2015, Justice Breyer explained at great length why he thought "it is now time to reopen the question" of "whether the death penalty violates the Constitution." Since that time, Justice Breyer has made a fairly regular habit of dissenting or commenting on the denial of certiorari in capital cases with administrative problems along the lines he stressed in his Glossip dissent. Today's SCOTUS order list includes another such statement by Justice Breyer in Smith v. Ryan, a case that involves a prisoner who has been on death row in Arizona for more than 40 years. Here is a paragraph from the heart of Justice Breyer's statement that captures the essence of many of his capital statements since Glossip:

What legitimate purpose does it serve to hold any human being in solitary confinement for 40 years awaiting execution? What does this case tell us about a capital punishment system that, in my view, works in random, virtually arbitrary ways? I have previously explored these matters more systematically, coming to the conclusion that this Court should hear argument as to whether capital punishment as currently practiced is consistent with the Constitutions prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. Amdt. 8. See Glossip v. Gross, 576 U. S. ___, ___ (2015) (BREYER, J., dissenting). The facts and circumstances of Smiths case reinforce that conclusion.

Because statements by Justice Breyer like this one have become fairly common, I would not have blogged about this latest effort save for one little phrase in Justice Breyer's final sentence that struck me as new and unusual. Here is the final sentence with my emphasis added on the phrase that caught my attention:

Smiths confinement reinforces the need for this Court, or other courts, to consider in an appropriate case the underlying constitutional question.

I took a quick look at some other capital case statements from this Term by Justice Breyer and did not see this "other courts" phrase anywhere in his prior calls for the Supreme Court to take up the constitutionality of capital punishment. I suspect that Justice Breyer has now come fully to realize, perhaps due in part to the new addition of Justice Gorsuch, that he is not going to be able to cajole his colleagues into taking up the constitutionality of capital punishment on their own and now the issue will likely get before SCOTUS only if a lower court takes up the issue in a bold, high-profile way.

I suspect I am reading way too much into three words in a little single Justice statement concerning the denial of cert. Still, especially with talk of a new SCOTUS vacancy this summer, I do not think I am wrong to view the next few months and years as a potential turning point in the history of capital punishment in the US. Justice Breyer has demonstrated his interest in playing a central role in defining the future of the death penalty, and this latest little statement perhaps reflects a realization that his window of opportunity to do so may be closing.

April 24, 2017 at 10:23 AM | Permalink

Comments

"I suspect that Justice Breyer has now come fully to realize, perhaps due in part to the new addition of Justice Gorsuch, that he is not going to be able to cajole his colleagues into taking up the constitutionality of capital punishment on their own and now the issue will likely get before SCOTUS only if a lower court takes up the issue in a bold, high-profile way."

I question this on some level. He has been talking against the death penalty in various ways, without five votes, since the 1990s. He has written books etc. speaking beyond the Supreme Court. Not sure if Gorsuch coming alone made him think in some special way "well, need to shift to state courts." Think he has playing the long game for years.

Didn't really know how much of a chance there was for a fifth vote to end the death penalty even before the last election was over. But, there was room to continue tweaking it. Kennedy's vote on solitary confinement and other issues is still up there for grabs. Breyer's concern there is likely the next justice.

Posted by: Joe | Apr 24, 2017 11:20:33 AM

Are you suggesting the phrase I noted, Joe, is just a new linguistic tic?

Posted by: Doug B. | Apr 24, 2017 12:55:58 PM

I would not go to that extreme either.

Looking at the tea leaves, it might be specifically solitary confinement he is thinking about, perhaps his behind the scenes lobbying of Kennedy (who flagged it in the past) not going too well. But, "constitutionality of capital punishment" seemed broad.

Posted by: Joe | Apr 24, 2017 1:41:13 PM

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 Notable recent work from the Prison Policy Initiative on prison wages and medical co-pays in prisons | Main | Six months after voting to speed executions, is California really getting any closer to carrying out death sentences? 

April 23, 2017

Making the case that older punishments may not be so much crueler than current ones

Columnist Ross Douthat has this notable new New York Times commentary headlined "Crime and Different Punishments." Here are excerpts:

The tendency in modern criminal justice has been to remove two specific elements from the states justice: spectacle and pain. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, pillories and stocks and whipping posts became museum pieces, the hangman and the firing squad were supplanted by more technical methods, and punishment became something that happened elsewhere  in distant prisons and execution chambers, under professional supervision, far from the baying crowd. 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 years-long 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.... I would rather face the firing squad than be strapped down and injected into eternity, and I would choose a strong dose of pain and shame over years under the thumb of guards and inmates and the state. We tell ourselves that we have prisoners good in mind, and the higher standards of our civilization, because we do not offer them this choice. But those standards may be less about preventing ourselves from becoming like our sinful ancestors, and more about maintaining the illusion of clean hands  while harsh punishment is still imposed, but out of sight, on souls and bodies not our own.

April 23, 2017 at 04:47 PM | Permalink

Comments

You saw this idea many years ago, in the Comments section of this blog. What this left wing moron has yet to say is, natural death is the cruelest of all. In 90% of cases, death will be slow, agonizing, and humiliating, with illegal aliens having to clean up the person, every day, while trying to suppress their gagging.

I have proposed that the estates of death penalty prisoners sue the defense lawyers for a wrongful death when their self dealing appeal shenanigans result in a cruel and horrifying natural death vs a painless and immediate demise in the death chamber.

Do not believe me, but do believe your memory of the passing of 90% of your dead loved ones.



Posted by: David Behar | Apr 23, 2017 9:22:29 PM

"I would rather face the firing squad than be strapped down and injected into eternity, and I would choose a strong dose of pain and shame over years under the thumb of guards and inmates and the state."

I gather we won't test the second part. But, your support of euthanasia etc., contra to your conservative religious beliefs, is duly noted. Not really.

The fact is that most inmates rather the horrible existence of prison, only a few volunteering to end appeals or deciding to take their own lives. How I myself would decide there is hopefully just a thought experiment, but humans have a great instinct for survival even in horrible instances. See, e.g., Jews in concentration camps (NOT THE SAME THING, but it's an example of a survival instinct even among a horrible situation).

OTOH, the idea new is always better, or that we continued in a direct way toward good, the idea in one or more lethal injection opinions, very well might be wrong in certain cases. I would note though that the firing squad was not generally used in this country.

Posted by: Joe | Apr 24, 2017 11:26:17 AM

"We tell ourselves that we have prisoners good in mind, and the higher standards of our civilization, because we do not offer them this choice. But those standards may be less about preventing ourselves from becoming like our sinful ancestors, and more about maintaining the illusion of clean hands  while harsh punishment is still imposed, but out of sight, on souls and bodies not our own."

Preach it like it is, brother.

Posted by: Daniel | Apr 24, 2017 2:36:17 PM

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UC Berkeley is already going to have its hands full this week if Ann Coulter makes good on her threat to show up on April 27 regardless of the university's attempt to move the event to a quieter time slot. And now, just when the left thought they might be rid of him, alt-right rabble-rouser Milo Yiannopoulos has announced a "grand comeback tour" on Facebook  which is also the only major social media platform that has not permanently banned him. Part of that tour he says will be a "a huge multi-day event called MILO'S FREE SPEECH WEEK in Berkeley later this year." Yiannopoulos does not say if he's been invited to host this event, but it seems clear enough that he is capitalizing on the national attention being given to Coulter's planned speech to pull the spotlight back to himself.

A planned February 1 event featuring Yiannopoulos  one in which it was rumored he planned to "doxx" several undocumented students  resulted in some destructive and at times violent protests on campus and in the city of Berkeley, and a last-minute cancelation of the event for safety reasons. Since then the city has seen two weekend rallies by alt-right groups apparently seeking to "poke the bear" and engage in street battles with progressives, anarchists, and others, both of which resulted in injuries, vandalism, and dozens of arrests.

The cancellation and then postponement of Coulter's planned appearance were the result of law enforcement's and the university's nervousness about more violence, but have been framed by many  including Bernie Sanders  as suppression of free speech.

In the latest Facebook post, which comes with a photo of a burning temporary light post with graffiti on it showing his name with a line through it, Yiannopoulos continues to beat the drum for free speech, claiming "I will bring activists, writers, artists, politicians, YouTubers, veterans and drag queens from across the ideological spectrum to lecture, march, and party."

He does make things sound a bit more contentious, however, when he says, "Each day will be dedicated to a different enemy of free speech, including feminism, Black Lives Matter and Islam." And he adds, "We will stand united against the 'progressive' Left. We will loudly reject the venomous hectoring and moral hypocrisy of social justice warriors. Free speech belongs to everyone -- not just the spoilt brats of the academy."

Further, he says he'll be announcing details of a Cinco de Milo event on May 5, location TBA.

Milo got his wish and his announcement of this unconfirmed event has been picked up in the local media (and I'm writing about it here), though it is far from a foregone conclusion  as is Coulter's appearance, despite a threatening letter from a lawyer last week.

Yiannopoulos already went on a speaking tour late last year and into the early part of this year, mostly speaking on college campus and providing his own brand of provocative, anti-PC conservatism. A similar planned event at UC Davis just two weeks before the UC Berkeley speech also had to be called off at the last minute amid angry protest by students that were threatening the safety of attendees and Milo alike  and resulted in featured guest Martin Shkreli getting pelted with feces.

Yiannopoulos also seems to be hoping that the public, and his fans on the alt-right, are going to forget about the highly controversial statements he made that surfaced in February in which he endorsed sexual relationships between men and boys as young as 13. Those statements cost him his job at Breitbart, a book deal, and some other lucrative speaking engagements. Because: free speech?



Related: Berkeley College Republicans Insist Milo Yiannopoulos Will Be Back To Speak On Campus


Everyone OK after car slams into Walnut Creek house, @PeteSuratosTV reports. https://t.co/BOCgPNSbup pic.twitter.com/mzpocdSmIb  NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) April 24, 2017

Peter Zwart and family received a shock late Sunday when a white Mercedes-Benz sedan careened through their home on the 2500 block of San Miguel Drive in Walnut Creek, fire officials tell NBC Bay Area.

Breaking -car plows through a Walnut Creek, CA home on San Miguel dr. Family was inside at the time @kron4news pic.twitter.com/YtLqPhQ3xe  Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) April 24, 2017

Fortunately, the Zwarts and the young driver of the vehicle were uninjured. In a stroke of luck, the part of the house the vehicle plowed through was converted recently from a bedroom to a work space.

"They were extremely lucky that nobody was sleeping in what would have been a bedroom," Contra Costa County Fire Department Battalion Chief Dominic Ciotola told the news station.

Everybodys fine, just rattled," Zwart told KRON4. Authorities don't believe alcohol to have been a factor in the accident.

Damage to a Walnut Creek home after a car plows into it overnight. Everyone OK. Driver not facing charges @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/yuAru7Bqe8  Pete Suratos (@PeteSuratosTV) April 24, 2017



Related: Teen Driver Plunges Car Into Santa Clara Pool
A woman who hit at least one man with a stick is at large today, a day after she sent one victim to the hospital.



Police say that the woman, who was described by witnesses as being in her early 40s, was last spotted at the intersection of Larkin and McAllister Streets, at the northeast corner of the Asian Art Museum.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, that's also where her victim, a 44-year-old man, was standing at 11:15 a.m. Sunday, when the attack occurred.

Police say that the woman ran up to the man, struck him with a stick, then fled in an unknown direction. He was left with injuries police say are not life-threatening, but were serious enough that he was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Both her stick and she remain free to roam San Francisco's streets as of publication time, police say, as no arrests have been made in the case.

Related: Homeless Guy Attacks Golden Gate Park Ranger With A Stick
The use of chemicals as an agent of mass murder during the Holocaust is familiar to everyone, aside from a certain member of the Trump administration. But as shown in Holocaust by Bullets," an exhibition at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the infamous death camps at Auschwitz and Treblinka represent only one facet of the Nazi project of extermination. In the early months after the German invasions of Poland, the Baltic states and the Soviet Union, the SS swept into small towns and assembled Jewish residents for summary execution. They were shot down on the outskirts of their towns and piled into graves. More than two million Jews and Roma perished in this way before the assembly line of genocide, whose terminus was the crematorium, was in place.

Yahd-In Unum, a Paris-based organization dedicated to documenting the Eastern European sites of Nazi mass murder committed outside the ghettos and the camps, curated Holocaust by Bullets." A map of Eastern Europe at the entrance is covered in red dots, indicating the nearly 2000 gravesites identified by Yahad-In Unum. The organization estimates that 2.2 million were killed in this manner by Nazi forces, usually by a single bullet. In some cases the victims were still alive when they were tossed into mass graves.

The groundbreaking and uncomfortable aspect of Yahad-In Unums work was its project of videotaping the accounts of surviving eyewitnesses to the murders. They have interviewed 4,714 witnesses over the past 10 years, most of them small children at the time of the killings. They were often neighbors of the victims who watched out of childish curiosity. Some were forced to watch if the perpetrators were in the mood to terrorize villagers with a show of murder.

Selected quotes along with the faces of the witnesses and archival stills of the events are displayed on large panels. They caught the kids, yelling Juden! Juden! Juden! They grabbed them, put them in a truck, and took them away," one witness remembers. Others describe the way Jews were ordered to strip naked or recall Gentile villagers forced to pick through their clothing and present any valuables to the Nazis. In some cases, the Germans allowed the villagerssuffering under the deprivation of war and occupationto keep the clothes for themselves. According to one witness, These clothes [of the victims] were used as rags to wash the floor in the Gestapo building."

Yahad-In Unums director, Father Patrick Desbois from Georgetown University, recently spoke in Milwaukee at the opening of the exhibit. Because some of the images are disturbing, they have been presented in a thoughtful and discreet fashion, enabling the visitor to view them at his or her own discretion," he said. The visitor in effect becomes a witness to the crime, choosing to delve deeper into the findings."

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Desbois is keen to remind everyone that genocide did not end with the defeat of Nazi Germany. His recent book, The Fabric of Terrorists: Into the Secrets of Daesh , investigates the mass murder by ISIS of the Yezidis, a religious minority in the Middle East.

Holocaust by Bullets" is on view through May 23 at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee, 1360 N. Prospect Ave. For more information visit MilwaukeeJewish.org/Bullets.
SIOUX CITY | Briar Cliff University has announced its valedictorian and salutatorian and speakers for the college's commencement ceremony on May 20.

The valedictorian for the 2017 class is Kevin McMahon, a kinesiology and human performance major from Sioux City. He plans to attend graduate school and wants to physically rehabilitate people, especially U.S. soldiers.

Mariah Morrisette, a kinesiology and human performance major from Maple Grove, Minnesota, is Briar Cliff's salutatorian. She aspires to be an occupational therapist.

The commencement speakers, chosen by a Briar Cliff selection panel, will be Emma Burns, an education major from Sibley, Iowa, and Andrea Hunter Snowball, a business administrator from St. Paul, Minnesota.

The college's baccalaureate Mass will be at 4 p.m. May 19 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, 1000 Douglas St. Its 86th annual commencement ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. May 20 at the Newman Flanagan Center on Briar Cliff's campus at 3303 Rebecca St.
Maas assaulted his mother on May 12 at her Sioux City home after she refused to go with him to pick up another person. After she offered him money for a cab, he hit her repeatedly in the face and tried to strangle her.
SIOUX CITY | Owners who appeal the impounding of their dogs under Sioux City's pit bull ordinance would no longer bear the burden of proving that their dog is not a pit bull, under a proposed textual change to the city's nine-year-old breed ban.

The Sioux City Council will vote on a proposed amendment to the oft-debated pit bull ban Monday that, if passed, would shift the burden of proving a dog is a pit bull "by clear, convincing and satisfactory evidence" to the poundmaster during the appeal process.

That proposed amendment is one of several textual modifications to wording, spread among seven sections of the city code, that the council will vote on Monday. City documents state the overall purpose of the changes is to revise administrative procedures, update the code's language and correct any wording errors.

Under the city's current ordinance, animal control can impound any pit bull found in the city limits that is not exempted from the ban. Within seven days of the impounding, the owner of the animal can request a hearing appealing the decision. Otherwise, the pit bull is either permanently removed from the city by the owner or put down.

Sioux City enacted its ban on pit bulls in July 2008, at a time when a high number of dogs that had been declared vicious or at risk in the city were pit bulls or mixes. Sioux City updated the ordinance in 2009, then in 2010 voted 3-2 to retain it.

The ban prohibits residents from owning dogs that are 51 percent or more pit bull, but it grandfathers in pit bulls that were registered by their owners prior to April 25, 2009. Those animals must be re-registered each year, and no new pit bulls are allowed.

Sioux City's ordinance describes a pit bull as an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that looks like or has characteristics of one of those breeds.

Other proposed amendments to the pit bull section of the code include the following:

-- Addition of the word "Bull" to the name of a dog breed originally listed as "Staffordshire Terrier," correcting an apparent wording error in the breed name. The name is listed in part of a section stating that the city bans animals that have the appearance and characteristics of being certain breeds.

-- Clarification that written decisions on appeals must be produced within seven days of a hearing rather than "some time thereafter."

-- Addition of the word "transfer" to the potential consequences for impounded pit bulls if the owner does not permanently take them out of the city. Code had previously only included the word "destroy."

In August 2016, a pair of dog owners filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court claiming the ordinance is enforced in an arbitrary, inconsistent and discriminatory manner, bans animals that are not harmful and does not ban animals that do pose a risk to harm other animals or humans. The lawsuit is still pending.

A Journal analysis of dog bite records in September 2016 showed that the number of pit bulls and pit bull bites have decreased in Sioux City since the ban, but the overall number of dog bite reports have not. City officials at the time were mixed in their views of the ban's success.

The City Council meeting will begin 4 p.m. Monday on the fifth floor of City Hall, 405 Sixth St.
YANKTON, S.D. | Students will be able to benefit from a new partnership between Mount Marty College in Yankton and Nebraska's Northeast Community College, beginning this fall.

The presidents of the two Siouxland colleges signed an agreement to create an educational transfer pathway from Northeast to Mount Marty.

The agreement will focus on such program areas as accounting, business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, English literature and creative writing, exercise wellness, human services, nursing and recreation management.

Northeast President Michael Chipps said although the colleges share a common border with the Missouri River, both institutions see the value in working together.

"For (Northeast), there is a significant number of people in the northern portion of our 20-county service area who live in Norfolk and work in Yankton and the surrounding area," he said. "This agreement recognizes the value of a Northeast Community College-Mount Marty college relationship in assisting the workforce needs of this portion of the region."

Mount Marty President Marcus Long said the agreement will enable Northeast students who want to continue their studies toward a bachelor's degree in a small, private college environment to do so close to home.

Graduates of Northeast Community College who have earned an associate degree and choose to enroll full-time at Mount Marty College will be eligible for Mount Marty's scholarship program if they meet guidelines.

"Since more than 1,100 Mount Marty alumni live within 30 minutes of our Yankton campus, we're already a major contributor to the workforce of northern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota," Long said. "This agreement will enable more area students to transfer directly into our programs more easily."
LITTLE ROCK, Iowa | The Lyon County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating a firearm discharge that sent one man to a Sioux Falls hospital with a chest wound early Sunday morning.

Shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Joseph Michael Pedersen, 36, suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest at a residence in the 300 block of Clothier Street in Little Rock, according to a news release from the Lyon County Sheriff's Office. The discharge was initially reported as accidental.

Pedersen was transported to Sibley Hospital and then flown to Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, where the release says he is recovering.

Lyon County Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep said Monday afternoon that Pedersen was in the house with his wife at the time, and that the circumstances surrounding the firing of the weapon are under investigation. Vander Stoep said the weapon was a handgun.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison on a gun charge.

A jury in U.S. District Court in Sioux City in December found Donavan Cross, 25, guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Sioux City police officers responded to a June 4 domestic dispute involving Cross and his girlfriend, who led officers to their bedroom, where officers found a loaded 9 mm pistol. Ammunition and a holster were discovered elsewhere in the residence.

When confronted, Cross claimed the pistol belonged to his grandmother, who also lived with him, and that the room in which the gun was found was not his bedroom, in spite of his grandmother identifying the bedroom as his.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City teenager was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for punching and kicking a man in the head during a group assault that left the victim unconscious.

De'Von Jackson, 16, pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to willful injury. As part of a plea agreement, charges of first-degree theft, assault while participating in a felony, second-degree robbery and serious assault were dismissed.

Jackson admitted that he punched and kicked the victim during the Oct. 14 beating, which was captured on video and released by the Sioux City Police Department to get public help identifying those involved. Jackson had asked that his case be transferred to juvenile court, but the motion was denied.

Jackson must pay $15,367 in restitution to the Iowa Crime Victims Assistance Division jointly with five others charged in the assault.

The assault occurred at about 11 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Third Street. Jackson said he and another person were fighting when the victim walked up and said something they didn't like.

Court documents said that Jackson and several others surrounded the victim, threw him to the ground, then punched him and stomped on his head before one of the people stole his phone. The victim had a concussion, facial fracture and several teeth shattered or knocked out.

Al Lewis, 17, was sentenced to five years in prison earlier this month after pleading guilty to willful injury.

Austin Rockwood and Daveon Thompson, both 17, pleaded not guilty to willful injury before their cases were transferred to juvenile court.

Jayviontay Danley, 17, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree theft and willful injury. A motion to transfer his case to juvenile court is pending.

Kenneth Thompson, 15, was charged as a juvenile and in November admitted in Woodbury County Juvenile Court to willful injury. A judge ordered that he be placed at the State Training School in Eldora, Iowa.
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MILFORD, Iowa  Polaris Industries plans to put the brakes on production at its Milford, Iowa, plant by the end of the year.

Up to 300 workers will lose their jobs as a result of the move, a Polaris spokesperson confirmed late Monday after the company announced the closing of the plant.

Products built at the Milford plant included the Polaris Ranger and Rzr all-terrain vehicles and the Brutus utility vehicle. None of the products will be moved to the company's plant in nearby Spirit Lake, where Polaris employs about 650. Instead, the Milford production will shift to Polaris factories in Huntsville, Alabama; Roseau, Minnesota; and Anaheim, California.

The Milford building, a former furniture factory, will be repurposed as a storage/warehouse facility to support the Spirit Lake plant, which will continue to manufacture Indian Motorcycles.

Polaris spokesperson Kelly Basgen said she does not anticipate all 330 jobs in Milford will be lost in the transition.

Due to the ability to place some employees in open positions in Spirit Lake or other Polaris facilities, we anticipate that a slightly lower number of employees  likely 275-300  will be separated from Polaris, she said.

Ken Pucel, Polaris executive vice president of operations, engineering and lean, said the Milford employees have "performed admirably" since the plant opened in 2013.

Since we opened the Milford facility in 2013, the team has performed admirably, he said.

"They played a critical role in making the first full year of Slingshot a success and have been instrumental in driving manufacturing improvements across our off-road vehicle products, and we sincerely appreciate their contributions to Polaris, Pucel said. We evaluated a number of options to streamline our plant infrastructure. While the decision was difficult because of the impact to jobs, discontinuing manufacturing at Milford  one of our smaller manufacturing facilities  allows us to consolidate the production of similar products and improve utilization of our available capacity across the rest of our U.S. manufacturing network.

Monday's announcement is the latest job cuts in the Iowa Great Lakes region for the Twin Cities-based manufacturer of motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATVs and electric vehicles. In January, Polaris reduced the workforce at its Spirit Lake plant after discontinuing its Victory brand of motorcycles that had been made at the 400,000-square-foot plant. Around 1,000 were employed at the Spirit Lake plant at its peak.

In Monday's news release, Polaris stressed the company remains committed to maintaining its presence in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Polaris Spirit Lake facility, just a few miles away from Milford, remains a critically important part of Polaris manufacturing footprint and will continue to serve as the manufacturing center of excellence for Indian Motorcycle," the company said in the release. "Polaris is making investments to enhance the Spirit Lake facility, including a new experience center, upgraded employee facilities and additional office space.

Also Monday, Polaris announced it was transferring metal fabrication operations for its Pro Armor aftermarket products from its facility in Riverside, California, to its recently acquired Transamerican Auto Parts facility in Chula Vista, California. Pro Armor will maintain its presence in Riverside  including its business operations, R&D, and vehicle upfit services  but will relocate to a new building.

As a result of the closings in Iowa and California, a total of about 390 jobs will be impacted. Polaris said it is offering the opportunity for Milford and Riverside employees to relocate within its network, as well as providing resources including separation pay, assistance with health insurance coverage, and outplacement services.
Cardinal Health, Inc. operates as an integrated healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home. The company operates in two segments, Pharmaceutical and Medical. The Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, and over-the-counter healthcare and consumer products. The segment also provides services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers for specialty pharmaceutical products; operates nuclear pharmacies and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities; repackages generic pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter healthcare products; and offers medication therapy management and patient outcomes services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and payers, as well as provides pharmacy management services to hospitals. The Medical segment manufactures, sources, and distributes Cardinal Health branded medical, surgical, and laboratory products and devices that include exam and surgical gloves; needles, syringe, and sharps disposals; compressions; incontinences; nutritional delivery products; wound care products; single-use surgical drapes, gowns, and apparels; fluid suction and collection systems; urology products; operating room supply products; and electrode product lines. The segment also distributes a range of national brand products, including medical, surgical, and laboratory products; provides supply chain services and solutions to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare providers; and assembles and sells sterile, and non-sterile procedure kits. The company was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
HUGHESVILLE, Md.

(April 24, 2017)Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) announced that its residential customer-members have purchased three million ENERGY STAR bulbs since 2010, resulting in more than 128,000 megawatt-hours in energy savings. The energy savings are the equivalent of taking more than 19,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year, or removing carbon dioxide emissions from more than 10 million gallons of gasoline consumed.SMECO's Lighting Program encourages customers to replace their incandescent bulbs with energy-saving lighting by offering in-store discounts up to $7 per bulb at local participating retailers. ENERGY STAR bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Because they require less energy to produce the same amount of light, they help to protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy costs."LED technology has advanced rapidly and ENERGY STAR bulbs are now more affordable for SMECO customer-members, especially when they take advantage of instant discounts," said Jennifer Raley, Energy and Technology Programs Manager, Demand Side Management for SMECO. "This three-million-bulb milestone confirms our commitment to helping southern Maryland residents save energy and money."Lighting discounts are just one way SMECO helps its customers reduce energy usage in support of the EmPOWER Maryland goal to reduce energy consumption in the state. Raley added, "SMECO offers programs to businesses and commercial facilities, as well as rebates on heat pumps and other household appliances. Improving energy efficiency is an effective way to reduce energy costs."More information on SMECO's Lighting Program, along with other programs designed to save energy and money, is available at SMECO.coop/save.
LEONARDTOWN, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme.

(April 24, 2017)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident reports.BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 21000 block of Lexwood Drive in Lexington Park. Deputy S. Bowie is investigating the case. CASE#19429-17THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) removed the HVAC system from a residence in the 21000 block of Willows Road in Lexington Park. Corporal M. Worrey is investigating the case. CASE# 19418-17GUNSHOT WOUND: On April 8, at approximately 5:18 p.m., victim Lori Milligan, age 56, drove to the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department on South Shangri-La Drive suffering from a gunshot wound to her chest. The victim was flown to Prince George's Hospital Center for treatment. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Skyler LeFave at 301-475-4200, ext. *1983 or by email, Skyler.Lefave@stmarysmd.com.VANDALISM: Unknown suspect(s) cut off a lock at the Myrtle Point Park in California. Deputy T. Siciliano is investigating the case. CASE# 1974417THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) attempted to steal a motorcycle parked in the 21000 block of Liberty Street in Lexington Park. Deputy S. Bowie is investigating the case. CASE# 19564-17THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) stole a victim's wallet at the RC Theater in California yesterday afternoon. Deputy S. Shelko is investigating the case. CASE# 19645-17THEFT: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 42000 block of Brook Manor Drive in Mechanicsville. Deputy C. Ball is investigating the case. CASE# 19617-17THEFT: A juvenile stole a cellphone from another youth at the Sunshine Daycare Center in Leonardtown. Corporal J. Kirkner is investigating the case. CASE# 20012-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a barn and stole property in the 20000 block of Golden Thomspon Road in Avenue. Deputy S. Bowie is investigating the case. CASE# 20327-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole medications in the 24000 block of Morgan Road in Hollywood. Deputy Henry is investigating the case. CASE# 20331-17SCHOOL BUS FIRE: On April 18, at approximately 7:43 a.m., deputies responded to the area of Point Lookout Road and Fairgrounds Road for the report of a school bus on fire. The preliminary investigation revealed school bus #639, was in the process of transporting a bus full of students to Leonardtown High School when the engine compartment began to smoke. The bus driver pulled over to the shoulder of the road in front of Leonardtown Middle School and immediately evacuated the students off the bus. After all students had been removed, the bus caught fire.COUNTERFEIT COMPLAINT: Unknown suspect(s) passed a counterfeit $100 bill at the Food Lion in Leonardtown. Corporal J. Kirner is investigating the case. CASE# 20588-17SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT: A juvenile was outside playing when an unknown female stopped in the roadway in front of the front of the residence and called for the juvenile to come over to her. The incident took place in the 46000 block of Sandalwood Street in Lexington Park. Deputy D. Smith is investigating the case.BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in the 46000 block of Patuxent Road in Lexington Park. Corporal Flerlage is investigating the case. CASE# 20775-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a residence and stole property in 21000 block of Mayfaire Lane in Lexington Park. Deputy Muschette is investigating the case. CASE# 20768-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) attempted to force entry into a residence in the 37000 block of New Market Road in Mechanicsville. Nothing appeared to be stolen from the residence. Corporal Johnson is investigating the case. CASE# 27050-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 24000 block of Pit Way in Loveville. Deputy Edwards is investigating the case. CAS# 20739-17MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT/ARSON: Unknown suspect(s) stole a motor vehicle from the front of a residence in the 46000 block of Valley Court in Lexington Park. The same vehicle was found on fire on St. Jerome's Neck Road in Dameron. The Fire Marshal's Office responded to assist, and Deputy Beyer is investigating the case. CASE# 20896-17PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: Unknown suspect(s) damaged a motor vehicle in the 46000 block of Kent Drive in Lexington Park. Deputy Smith is investigating the case. CASE# 20881-17BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 22000 block of Iverson Drive in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Maguire is investigating the case. CASE# 20924-17BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered motor vehicles and stole property in the 22000 block of Iverson Drive in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Maguire is investigating the case. CASE# 20949-17BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 22000 block of Iverson Drive in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Maguire is investigating the case. CASE# 20952-17BURGLARY TO MOTOR VEHICLE: Unknown suspect(s) entered a motor vehicle and stole property in the 22000 block of Iverson Drive in Great Mills. Deputy First Class Maguire is investigating the case. CASE# 20573-17BURGLARY: Unknown suspect(s) entered a business in the 39000 block of Middleton Lane in Clements and stole property. Deputy Fennessey is investigating the case. CASE# 21298-17BREAKING AND ENTERING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE: During the overnight hours of 4/21 into 4/22, unknown suspect(s) entered a victim's unsecured vehicle and stole property in the 43000 block of Commerce Avenue in Hollywood. Deputy Fennessey is investigating the case. CASE# 21544-17VEHICLE COLLISION INVOLVING UNOCCUPIED POLICE VEHICLE: On April 23, at approximately 12:30 a.m., deputies responded to the 43000 block of Drum Cliff Road in Hollywood for a motor vehicle collision. The preliminary investigation reveals an unknown suspect was traveling on Drum Cliff Road in Hollywood when for unknown reasons the operator failed to negotiate a turn, departed the roadway, and entered a front yard striking an unoccupied police vehicle causing significant damage to the rear bumper and quarter panel. The driver of the vehicle initially left the scene, but later returned to where the collision occurred and was identified as Daisey Katherine Kantz, age 19, of Lexington Park. Sgt. Merritt made contact with the driver at her house and issued multiple traffic citations including failure to drive vehicle on right half of roadway when required.BURGLARY: Two fifteen-year-old suspect(s) entered Evergreen Elementary School through the roof and caused damage to the drainage system. The suspects were arrested and charged with Second Degree Burglary, Trespassing, and Property Destruction over $1000.00. Deputy Holdsworth is investigating the case. CASE# 21682-17
(WB) A gunman who opened fire on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Thursday killed a gay police officer and wounded two others.

The New York Times reported Xavier Jugele was among the three police officers the gunman shot at around 9 p.m. local time. The gunman was killed as he tried to flee the area.

Mickael Bucheron, president of Flag!, a French association of LGBT police officers, told the New York Times that Jugele joined his group a few years ago. Bucheron said he was among the Flag! members who participated in protests against Russias law banning the promotion of so-called gay propaganda to minors that took place during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

The New York Times also reported Jugele was among the police officers who responded to the Bataclan concert hall in Paris 10th arrondissement on Nov. 13, 2015, after three gunmen stormed it.

The gunmen killed 89 people inside the concert hall that is near Le Marais, an area in which a number of gay bars and clubs are located. The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the siege and several other attacks in Paris on the same day that left more than 100 people dead.

He was a simple man who loved his job, Bucheron told the New York Times on Friday. He was really committed to the LGBT cause.

Inter-LGBT, a French LGBT advocacy group that is based in Paris, on Friday offered its condolences to Jugeles family and those of the police officers who were wounded. It also expressed support to FLAG! who has lost one of their friends.

Flag! on its Twitter page posted a picture of Jugele and a short message that read, Never forget Xavier.

French President Francois Hollande also extended his condolences to Jugeles family.

My thoughts go out to the family of the fallen policeman and the relatives of those who were wounded, wrote Hollande on his Twitter page. A national tribute will be given.

Trump: Attack will probably help Le Pen in French election

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place three days before the first round of the French presidential election.

Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front party has campaigned on an anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-European Union and populist platform. President Trump on Friday told the Associated Press the Paris attack will probably help Le Pen in the French election.

 Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
Last month GayRussia.ru, a gay rights group in Moscow applied for permits to hold rallies in the Muslim-majority North Caucasus region, all of which were denied. As Novaya Gazeta, a Russian investigative newspaper reported, this marked a spike in anti-gay tensions and the disappearance of gay teenagers and adults.

Chechnya has a conservative majority-Muslim society that regards any expression of sexuality other than straight as sinful  with LGBT targeting common in the region.

In Chechnya, the command was given for a prophylactic sweep, and it went as far as real murders, the newspaper reported.

Chechen authorities addressed the reports. Alvi Karimov, a spokesman for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, publicly disputed the story according to the Boston Globe, stating, You cannot arrest or repress people who just dont exist in the republic.

If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return, Karimov continued.

Despite the dismissal by the Chechen administration, Novaya Gazeta reported the arrest and detainment of over 100 gay men in the country.

The situation in Chechnya is part of a global pattern of ongoing state-enabled or state-sanctioned violence against LGBTQ people, Kimahli Powell, executive director of human rights organization Rainbow Road said Thursday.

Rainbow Road is one of a growing number of LGBT groups who are working to help protect and evacuate gay men in Chechnya.

Since we first received initial reports of gay concentration camps being established in Chechnya, Rainbow Road immediately re-classified Eastern Europe as a priority region, Powell told NewNowNext. This means were expanding our on-the-ground contacts as well as increasing our capacity to identify and assess new or alternative safe routes out of Chechnya.

Grindr has begun helping gay men in Chechnya by using the apps location services to update users who may be in danger. They have also provided Chechen users with news reports of the progressing situation.

Grindr for Equality is gravely concerned about the atrocities occurring in Russia and is devoted to raising awareness of the danger Chechen LGBTQ people find themselves in, jack Harrison-Quintana, Director of Grindr for Equality said in a press release. We are dedicated to opposing anti-LGBT violence across the globe and urge our users to support the cause in Chechnya today.

Other human rights groups have also acted against the violations against gay men in Chechnya. GLAAD called on U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to investigate and condemn the violence against gay men, and the Russian LGBT Network has made efforts to contact the victims and has established a hotline to provide emergency support.

Russian efforts are underway to enforce protections for the targeted gay men in Chechnya. Anyone can help by donating to the efforts and signing a petition that opposes the treatment of these victims.

If you want to help gay men flee Chechnya, you can participate in this Facebook fundraiser here.
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You may have typed the address incorrectly or you may have used an outdated link.
Katherine Ellen Massey Burlingame, 69, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away at her residence on April 18, 2017.

She was born in Parkersburg, W.Va., a daughter of the late Thomas Lewis Massey and Henrietta (Callahan) Massey.

Burlingame was a longtime receptionist and secretary for the United States Trotting Association.

She enjoyed reading, visits to the casino and playing the machines.

Surviving is her son, Sean Massey; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins whom she dearly loved; and many friends who will miss her dearly. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Bob Burlingame.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family.

Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Kathy Burlingame.

(USTA)
Timothy T. Capps, 71, director of the Equine Industry Program in the University of Louisville College of Business, passed away on April 22 at Norton Brownsboro Hospital. He had been hospitalized since mid-February following a stroke.

"Tim loved to teach and his name was synonymous with the horse industry," said Todd Mooradian, dean of the College of Business. "We will miss his dedication to our equine program and our students, as well as his enthusiasm for an industry that is one of the foundations of the Kentucky economy."

Capps had been director of the equine program since June 2011, and he also taught courses in equine marketing, management, and communications and industry issues. He also taught a direct training program for racing industry officials and was a horse industry consultant on marketing, communications, business management, gaming and legislative and regulatory issues.

Prior to coming to U of L, he was executive vice president of the Maryland Jockey Club; executive vice president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association/Maryland Million; vice president of Matchmaker Racing Services; editor and publisher of Thoroughbred Record Magazine; and director of operations for The Jockey Club.

He had also worked as a stock broker and an investment counselor. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had earned the rank of captain.

Capps is survived by his wife, Nancy; and a daughter, Meredith.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Timothy Capps.

(University of Louisvilles Equine Industry Program)
By Daisy Handfield

ABOUT 30 people have participated in a weeklong search and rescue course hosted by the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME).





The workshop was geared at preparing the relevant bodies for search and rescue efforts in the event of a severe natural disaster or emergency.





DDME director Dr Virginia Clerveaux said that she was impressed with the turnout and hopes to receive the same level of support for future workshops.





She said: "We had overwhelming support. We had over 50 people who wanted to participate in this training and in fact we were unable to accommodate everyone because of the size of the room and other logistical arrangements.





"We had to kind of hand select based on a certain criteria.





The director explained that this workshop was vital because in the event of a nationwide hazard, no one will be overwhelmed.





She added that there will be sufficient trained individuals prepared to assist.





"The training is not only important for us in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but also with the right skills and meeting regional and international standards, if our neighbouring countries were to experience an earthquake or a collapsed building and they needed assistance in search and rescue, Turks and Caicos being so close could be one of the countries that could quickly deployed within a few hours versus other places that are further away that may take up to 48 to 72 hours, she said.





Coordinator Carlos Bishop reiterated the importance of the training and elaborated on some of the techniques that attendees learnt.





He said: "We are training persons on how to safely do a recovery of a body if they need to, how to rescue a person if they need to, and how to help themselves if need to.





"Right now that would be the focus of the week in terms of taking persons that would have never done a training of this sort and bring them up to a capable on a competent level in responding to TCI.




By OLIVIA ROSE

LEADER of the Opposition Washington Misick has called for the eradication of shanty towns across the Turks and Caicos Islands.





He said the settlements are unsightly and impact badly on the countrys tourism.





Misick, in the House of Assembly on Tuesday (April 18) during his budget rebuttal, said he is worried that the unpleasant environments will damage the Turks and Caicos Islands image.





He added that the new administration should make the eradication of shanty towns a priority.





Misick cited the likelihood of disease outbreak from these communities, given the deplorable unsanitary conditions.





However, only recently Minister of Infrastructure Housing and Planning Goldray Ewing, signalled his Governments intention to upgrade squatter town settlements in the Turks and Caicos Islands.





He pointed to his Governments Blue Hills master plan which will serve as a pilot project for the infrastructural enhancement of other communities across the Islands.





He said: "This master plan will redesign structurally, and reposition the settlement to be rezoned through proper organised development.





"The Government is considering this project as a pilot project so that other communities could follow suit in order to get the shanty towns within our community up to speed and if possible better than what we have in the ordinary communities.





Provos shanty towns

Many of the shanty towns found in several pockets around the Turks and Caicos Islands are built by poor Haitians who migrated to these shores in search of a better life.





Tucked away barely 50 yards from one of the biggest hotels on Providenciales in The Bight, is a Haitian community shanty town built on the side of a small rocky hill.





Whole families of six or seven live in single rooms in cramped plywood houses, and in many of these homes there is no running water and only intermittent electricity.





Shoddy roads with huge pot holes and huge piles of garbage make up the unsightly aesthetic of this small community.





During an interview with the Weekly News with several migrants revealed that most of them pay for their annual work permits and even make national insurance contributions.





However to them the Government has turned a blind eye to their plight since they are not Belongers, and they say they feel forsaken by the past administration.





But under previous administrations, the fear of a growing tide of illegal migrants from a deteriorating Haiti has stopped them putting down roots.





Even those who have been in the TCI for years, building large houses for the affluent or working in hotels, never know from one year to the next whether their permits will be renewed.





For many Haitians without the correct documents, deportation is almost instant with no chance of appeal.




By Daisy Handfield

HOLIDAYMAKERS Lauren Loeb and her husband Joe Marelle are accused of threatening and making racist statements over the phone towards a Mango Reef restaurant employee last week.





In a recorded phone call posted on social media an American woman accuses staff at the resort of stealing her cell phone.





Her voice can be heard saying, "Youre a n*gger, you dumb n*gger, and, "This is actually fun for us. This is going to be hell for you.





Staff members at Mango Reef Restaurant declined to comment on the issue.





The couple were guests at the Seven Stars resort when the recording was made.





The general manager said the couple left Tuesday, April 11, and they have been blacklisted from the property.





Since the incident president of The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) Memphis branch, Deidre Malone, released a statement expressing disgust at the comments.





She said: "After listening to the audio tape of allegedly a former Memphis Regional Chamber employee Lauren Loeb and her husband, Im convinced more than ever that racists are feeling more empowered to say exactly what they think and feel.





"It does not matter that she was on vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. What matters is what she said and how she said it and that obviously she believes it.





"Someone with that attitude towards a person of colour has no business working for an organisation whose purpose is to bring business to the area or any business at all.





Loebs grandfather Henry Loeb served as Mayor of Memphis and she was employed at the citys Chamber of Commerce.





The organisation wasted no time in releasing a statement, frowning upon the comments made allegedly by their former employee.





"This recording shows a despicable act by a despicable person. Anybody who makes a statement like this is not eligible for employment with the Greater Memphis Chamber.





"Anyone who engages in conversation like this would be terminated from the Chamber.





Attorney of the couple Brian Faughnan released a statement denying the incident, stating that the conversation circulating is fake and that the couple would never make such comments.





He said: "A news story has made its way from Turks and Caicos to Memphis.





"It is a story that is false in many respects but it is now garnering such attention here that it simply cannot be ignored or go without a response given how it threatens the reputations and privacy of people who are now about to be victimised twice.





"I represent Ms Loeb and her husband. Ms Loebs phone was stolen while she and her husband were at a restaurant in Turks and Caicos. That is true.





"Her phone was never returned to her. That is false.





"The fact that the leaked recording shows a picture of Ms Loebs phone makes clear that the people who released the alleged recorded call still had the phone they stole.





"Given their willingness to lie about what they did with the phone, everything else they claim occurred must also be doubted.





Staff members of the Mango Reef restaurant said that the phone was later found in a wine menu and that it was returned to Loeb.





The couples attorney explained that that was false and that Loeb never received her phone back.





"After Ms Loebs phone was stolen, she shared that fact on her social media account and asked her online friends to negatively review the restaurant in question.





"Apparently that did not go over well with someone who worked at that restaurant because theyve now gone to great lengths to attempt to defame Ms Loeb and her husband.





"For the record, Ms Loeb and her husband were certainly not doing drugs during their time in Turks and Caicos and the conversation that is being claimed to occur is faked in many respects as neither of them would use the terms or speak in the manner portrayed, he said.




A free junk tire disposal event will be held at the Cowlitz County Landfill off Tennant Way on May 6.

The service is free for Cowlitz County residents upon showing a valid ID verifying residency in Cowlitz County.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon. Tires on rims will be accepted, but no tires from commercial sources, trucks or heavy farm equipment will be accepted. Be prepared to unload your own tires.

The free disposal day is sponsored by the WSU Extension Service and the Cowlitz County Health & Human Services Department.
tech2 News Staff

An Indian Naval ship for the first time on Friday fired a land-attack BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. "Land attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was fired for the first time from an Indian Navy's stealth frigate, off the eastern coast, at a land target," said a source in the Ministry of Defence. "So, far only anti-ship version of BrahMos had been fired by Indian Navy," the source added.

The missile was fired from the Indian Naval ship Teg, a Guided Missile Frigate. The frontline ships of the Indian Navy, including the Kolkata, Ranvir and Teg classes of ships currently have the capability of firing the BrahMos missile. The missile is meant to be used on land based targets from stand-off ranges in sea, from a distance that allows the Indian Navy to avoid defensive fire from the target.

The cruise missile was test fired from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore, Odisha at about 11.33 AM, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said. "It was an excellent launch and a great success," a senior DRDO scientist associated with this project said. The missile is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kg. The two-stage missile, one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant, has already been inducted into the Army and Navy, while the Air Force version is in final stage of trial, they said.

The Army is already equipped with three regiments of Block III version of Brahmos missiles. While induction of the first version of BrahMos missile system in the Indian Navy began in 2005 with INS Rajput, it is now fully operational with two regiments of the Army, they said. After two successful test trials of BrahMos missile from INS Kolkata in June 2014 and February 2015, test firing from INS Kochi on September 30, 2015 had validated the newly commissioned ships systems.

The air launch version and the submarine launch version of the missile system are in progress. The Army has so far placed orders for the BrahMos missile to be deployed by three regiments of the Army and two of them have already been inducted operationally.

This puts India in a select club of nations with such capability. The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007. The BrahMos missile, with a range of 290 km and a Mach 2.8 speed, is capable of being launched from land, sea and sub-sea pads against sea and land targets. The missile can be used to precisely neutralise land based targets that are located deep inland and far away from the coast.

BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is considered the only supersonic cruise missile in the world. The missile was first inducted in the India Navy in 2005. India is developing 450 km and 800 km range BrahMos missiles and an air launched version, designed to be delivered from Su-30 jets. It is also in the development phase. With the sucessful test firing of a land attack supersonic cruise missile, India joins a select group of nations around the world with the capability.

With inputs from IANS and PTI
hidden

By Asheeta Regidi

The increasing number of internet shutdowns in India is a major cause for concern. The most recent was a 48-hour shutdown in Odisha over an objectionable social media post. Jammu & Kashmir also saw shutdowns yet again to prevent rumour-mongering. The Software Freedom Law Centre reports a total of 73 shutdowns in India, shutdowns in J&K made up 31 of these. SFLC also reports a steady doubling of the number of shutdowns each year  3 in 2012, 5 in 2013, 6 in 2014, 14 in 2015 and 30 in 2016. The frequency of the shutdowns for various reasons show a worrying trend of shutting down the internet as a matter of routine.

Are internet shutdowns becoming routine?

The most obvious abuse of this provision is its use to prevent cheating in exams. Apart from this, research by the SFLC indicates a very wide-ranging list of reasons for the shutdowns, triggered by unrest of one form or the other. This includes preventing misuse of social media during communal violence, protests after incidents of rape or murder, anti-religious material like anti-Muslim messages and desecration of deities, etc.

More specific examples include the Patel reservation and the Jat reservation agitations. In J&K, the reasons include the Prime Ministers speech, clashes with the armed forces and Eid unrest. This was also used to prevent the spread of misinformation during elections in Meghalaya, and after the death of the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister.

The range of reasons indicate an increasingly routine shutdown of the internet in response to any kind of unrest, protest, or any political event.

Shutdown orders passed under CrPC

These shutdowns orders are mostly passed, not under Indian information technology laws, but under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. IT laws in India, in fact, lack specific provisions for internet shutdowns. The trouble with the use of Section 144 for this is that it is a law designed to maintain law and order when there is a fear of disturbance of the peace. It grants wide ranging powers to Magistrates to take any measures necessary in situations like riots. Fundamental rights like the right to speech and the right to assemble peacefully can be suspended.

Shutdowns impact communication, economy

However, shutting down the internet has more far reaching consequences than the mere suspension of the right to speech. For instance, research has shown that contrary to preventing misinformation, the lack of information creates more fear and apprehension in the minds of people. Fair and immediate reporting of events, including atrocities, is very important in situations of unrest, but this comes to an end. More constructive uses of the internet, such as using it to provide accurate information, are not being considered.

Apart from this, the economic impact of shutdowns can be seen in the reported business losses of $968 million (around Rs 6,258 crores) in India. The state of Gujarat alone reported losses of Rs 7,000 Crores due to disruption of banking services. Internet shutdowns also impact the daily lives of people. The internet has become indispensable for communication and for finances, particularly in the era of Digital India and demonetisation. In such times, it is surprising that the government is not giving greater priority to unrestricted and free internet access.

Section 69A is more appropriate for such orders

Internet freedom activists have long since argued that Section 69A of the IT Act, the provision for blocking websites, is the more appropriate power for internet shutdowns.

Section 69A gives the power to block access to any computer resource. This term is arguably broad enough to include internet services and their suspension. Under this, only the Central Government will be able to issue shutdown orders. Alternative to shutdowns, is that the government selectively restrict access to only social media websites, or such other websites which are the cause of the harm.

The detailed procedural safeguards under Section 69A with its accompanying rules, the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, can prevent abuse of the process, unlike Section 144 of the CrPC, which has no such safeguards.

Restrictions to the right to speech should be minimal

Another issue is that Section 144 should be used as a last resort, with minimum possible restriction on the freedom of speech. In ordering internet shutdowns, however, less invasive means such as restricting only selected websites are not being considered.

Even under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India, restriction of the right to speech is permitted on certain grounds  sovereignty and security of India, friendly relations, public order, decency and morality. These grounds are also reflected in the grounds for blocking under Section 69A of the IT Act, with the addition of preventing the incitement of a cognisable offence.

Section 144, on the other hand, gives much broader grounds  such as preventing obstruction, annoyance and injury to a person, danger to human life, health or safety, or disturbance to public tranquility, or riot, or affray. This indicates a greater possibility of abuse of process, or overreach of the law. This also indicates that Section 69A is the more appropriate means for a suspension of the right to speech.

Supreme Court has upheld internet shutdowns

In Gaurav Sureshbhai Vyas versus State of Gujarat and a subsequent Special Leave Petition, these arguments against internet bans were dismissed by the Gujarat High Court as well as the Supreme Court. The Courts ruled that the exercise of the power by the State governments under Section 144 was legal, and a necessary exercise for the maintenance of law and order. Further, a large number of shutdowns suspended only mobile internet services and not broadband services. The Courts ruled that this complied with the minimum restrictions requirement under Section 144.

Introduce procedural safeguards under Section 144

With the hope that the Supreme Court will reconsider its view in subsequent petitions against internet shutdowns, at the very least, procedural safeguards should be introduced under Section 144 itself. These can, for instance, prescribe stricter conditions and limitations for the curbing of the internet. One can compare this to the judicially imposed restrictions on the exercise of Section 5(2) of the Telegraph Act for phone tapping, issued in PUCL versus Union of India. This will allow the State governments to take the necessary action to protect their States, while also preventing internet shutdowns as a default precautionary measure.

The author is a lawyer with a specialisation in cyber laws and has co-authored books on the subject
IANS

Noted agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan, hailed as the mentor of the Green Revolution that saw India achieve self-sufficiency in foodgrain, feels GM technology, which has generated much heat in the country, will soon become "obsolete" with the advent of nano-technology and other solutions. He also felt that it was "very important" that the loans of farmers across the country be waived  as the new Uttar Pradesh government has done  due to the prolonged drought, climatic aberrations and adverse market conditions.

Speaking on the efforts by a group of scientists pushing for commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in India as well as the opposition to this by environment activists, Swaminathan said there was no clear public policy on GM crops. Swaminathan said new technologies were coming, which could be used to achieve the objective of food security but noted that this required concrete political intervention.

"We have only one (GM crop) in cotton now, which is failing as new pests have come. Now, nano-technology is coming, which will make GM technology obsolete. Gene therapy technology has come, so it is not necessary to go to the GM's root," Swaminathan, who served as Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (1972-79), told IANS in a telephonic interview.

"Things are happening in the scientific world, but in the political world we require some legislation or regulation as we have for our nuclear entity. We need a technology regulatory authority." At the same time, he said GM crops should be supported on a case-by-case basis. "Any new technology leads to progress, as there is nano-technology. There are so many other technologies. So, do not condemn or praise technology per se but appreciate the technology for its benefits. We do not condemn nuclear power because somebody uses it. Similarly, GM can do a lot of good or create difficulties (by the manner in which it is employed)," he said.

Swaminathan was firm in his support for the farmers. "In India, food production is not just about food but the basis of livelihood, very fundamental livelihood of farmers. The farmers are going through a difficult period. These difficulties have arisen from climatic aberrations, more drought, less water, more heat. So it is important that their issues get much more attention. That is why a loan waiver is important," he contended. Another factor adding to the farmers' agony was poor returns for their yield despite assurances from the government, he said.

"The market conditions are affecting them as they are not getting the announced price (minimum support price). Media reports say the purchase of pulses and oil-seeds is poor as farmers are not getting the announced price," said Swaminathan. A group of 40-odd farmers from Tamil Nadu has been protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for over a month, demanding a loan waiver.

He also felt that the central and state governments should work together to adopt a number of measures  both short term and long term  including the human issues of farmers, various steps to provide incentives, alleviation of human distress and revival of agriculture. Import and export policies, food pricing and food policy are also important," he added. Noting that that the monsoon and the market were the two important determinants for farmers' well-being, Swaminathan said: "I am happy to see that monsoon will be normal this time."

Speaking about the various initiatives launched by the central government such as an insurance scheme for farmers, More Crop and Income Per Drop of Water and the Soil Health Card "very useful" to achieve the goal of doubling the income of agriculturists. Swaminathan was chairman of the committee that prepared a report on the More Crop and Income Per Drop of Water initiative. He said there should now be an "Evergreen Revolution" and defined this as "increase in productivity in perpetuity where ecology and technology go hand-in-hand".
tech2 News Staff

Update: Samsung told Bloomberg that it would be rolling out two software updates this week for its just launched Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones. Apart from the red-tinted displays that plagues a few handsets, the new update also rectifies a bug which led to spotty Wi-Fi connectivity.

Samsung has announced that it will roll out a software update to fix the red tint in the display reported by some Samsung S8 users. The company did not reveal the exact details for when the update is set to hit the current Samsung S8 and S8+ devices in the market, but it did reveal that it should happen "sometime in the next week."

A Samsung official stated that The company has already notified its nationwide customer service centres that it will release the software for fine-tuning the colour balance, while speaking to The Investor. The company has announced that it will replace the devices if the software update fails and the problem persists. However, industry experts could not reach a conclusion about how the problem can be fixed.

Some experts claim that the problem cannot be fixed using a simple software update and the root of the problem lies in the hardware. They further stated that this is a common problem that has nagged display manufacturers and the only way is to replace the hardware. Others claimed that the problem can indeed by solved by a new software update by controlling the excessive electrical signals going to the screen.

This comes days after Samsung announced the smartphone in India. The company has set 5 May as the date for the sale of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ sale in the country.
tech2 News Staff

Bearing protest signs and many wearing lab coats, thousands of scientists from around the US began gathering here to express their objections to the cutbacks in scientific research proposed by President Donald Trump. Trump's budget for Nasa curtailed the role of the space agency in climate science. The protest on Saturday, dubbed the March for Science and coinciding with Earth Day, was held in more than 600 cities around the world, but all eyes are on Washington, where the organisers hoped to attract as many as 75,000 people, Efe news reported.

The first scientists started arriving around 8:00 AM (local time) at the Washington Monument, looking toward the South Lawn of the White House, from where the protest was to set out at 2:00 PM down the National Mall and wind up in the streets around Congress. While hundreds of people were lining up to join the march, dozens of volunteers were handing out signs with the official slogan of the protest: "Science, not Silence".

The march saw participation from scientists, but also people from all educational background who supported the role that science plays in daily life. The signs used by the protesters referenced recent developments, trends and news stories. The questions over the effectiveness of vaccinations, denial that humans have contributed to the changes in the climate of the planet, the idea that the Earth is in fact flat, and the re-branding of fake news as "alternative facts" were all protested with hilarious placards.

Some of the signs used the language likely to be used by Trump himself. The jargon from various specialised pursuits escaped from obscure scientific journals and occupied the signs of the protests. The language conventionally used for exploring statements of logic, writing code for computer programs, equations and notations used in chemistry, were all seen side by side.

Beaker, a lab assistant from The Muppets Show was adopted as a mascot or icon for the march. The marchers have described the movement as a "resistance", to fight an increasing trend of depending on opinions and feelings instead of scientific evidence when evaluating new information. The marchers wanted to make sure that the state integrates a scientific approach in the governance, and was a protest against the government making moral and political decisions on behalf of the population.

Climate science was one of the main point of contention, as the policies taken by Trump so far are likely to adversely affect the planet. One of the slogans commonly used in the march was "There is no Planet B." The slogan indicates that all humans have only one planet to live on at present, and that the decisions taken by those in power affects everyone on the planet. The marchers protested against Trump plans to use "clean coal" as an alternative source of energy, which he presented while signing an executive order that rolled back regulations introduced by the Obama Government to encourage responsible use of energy, and restrict the contribution of human activities to global warming.

The organisers had insisted that the march should not be an anti-Trump event but rather a reminder of the important role science should play in society and in the political debate so that those in power can take sensible decisions based on "facts" and not "alternative facts".

Marchers held signs with slogans that read  "Science should be shared not censored", "Rise up before the waters do", "Dinosaurs didn't believe in climate change either", "stop the war on facts", "Denial is not a policy", and "we're not just resistors, we are transformers". Other US cities like New York and Chicago also rolled out events in support of the March for Science.

The March for Science is just the start of a weeklong program planned by the organisers, to increase the importance of science in the daily life of people around the world. Over the course of the "Week of Action", every day is dedicated to explaining better the reason for the march, and exploring and advocating various issues related to science. Government officials, educational institutions and citizen bodies around the world have been roped in to support the efforts during the Week of Action.

The organisers have split the movement into cells or "satellites" all around the world. The main march in Washington was supported by people carrying placards all around the world, including the North Pole. There are two local chapters in India. One is located in Hyderabad in Telangana, and another is located in Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu. Users can register as members to the local satellites, or provide them with funding directly. There is also a global merchandise store for the march, with apparel that sport the slogans "there is no Planet B", and "Science, not Silence."

One of the main aims of the march is to enable scientists to play a greater role in policy and governance. There is also an effort to increase the engagement of scientists with the general public. Science by children, citizen scientists, and protecting the environment are some of the issues that are going to be explored over the course of the week of action.

At the end of the week, on Saturday, 29 April, there is another march planned, known as the People's Climate March.

With inputs from IANS
tech2 News Staff

Apple is indeed known to be stringent about its privacy policies because it is their customers' privacy that is at stake, which also puts the Cupertino giant's reputation on the line. According to The New York Times (NYT) article, 2015 was no different where Apple caught Uber red-handed, when it was found that the company's app was identifying iPhones even after the app was deleted from the device.

The NYT report mainly gives a broader picture about Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and how the leader is willing to go to the extremes to ensure he gets what he wants. It details Uber's journey in China from investing millions to shutting shop abruptly in the country. The piece also points out an incident where Apple caught Uber red-handed, but the company had its reasons for doing the same.

In short, Uber wanted to track fraudsters and block them from creating multiple accounts using the same iPhone to collect new account bonuses. Uber used a process called fingerprinting, where the company was able to collect UUIDs (unique hardware serial numbers) of iOS devices. Uber would obtain the same once the app was installed. Since hardware details being collected, the company could identify iPhones even after the app was uninstalled.

Oddly, the same works with Android. It is not illegal to do so when it comes to the Google ecosystem, says a report from Apple Insider.

The above procedure, called "fingerprinting", is a strict NO as it violates the App Store's policies to do with tracking and privacy. But Uber did more than this.

According to the article, Uber took countermeasures to ensure that Apple employees were not being tracked. It did this by geofencing Apple's headquarters in Cupertino and changing its code so that the same code would not be visible to Apple Employees.

However, despite Uber's best efforts, Apple caught a whiff of the activity and this led to Tim Cook calling Kalanick to his office. "So, I've heard you've been breaking some of our rules," was the line that Apple CEO Tim Cook told Uber CEO, Kalanick in 2015. Uber quickly complied to Apple's rules.

An Uber spokesperson has responded to The Verge, stating that the company does not track individual users or their location if the app has been deleted. Not confirming any details from the NYT story, it did confirm that it did what it did to prevent fraudsters from taking advantage of the system and that similar technique is also used by the company to block suspicious logins to protect user accounts.
Restaurant worker slaughtered after rape in Jessore

Jessore Correspondent :

Jessore Kotwali police recovered the body of Chhaya Khatun, 19, worker of Babur Hotel owned by Mofizur Rahman Babu near Monihar Cinema in Jessore town on Sunday morning. She was killed after being raped, police and restaurant employees said.

Jessore district unit Hotel Restaurant Sweetmeat Bakery Workers Union brought out a protest procession in the town carrying the body in Jessore town.

They demanded arrest of the killers of the restaurant worker Chhaya Khatun, daughter of Iman Ali of Trimohini village under Sharsha upazila in Jessore.

Taijul Islam, general secretary of Jessore district Hotel Restaurant Sweetmeat Bakery Workers Union alleged that police recovered the body of the female worker of Babur Hotel on Sunday morning. 'The the bared body covered with a piece of cloth was seen lying on the corrugated iron-sheeted second floor of the restaurant on Sunday morning', he added, 'I informed the police later.'

AKM Azmal Huda, officer in-charge, Kotwali police station told that the police recovered the body from the second floor of the restaurant in the morning. She was knifed to kill by unidentified miscreants. 'The police picked up the restaurant owner, his wife Nasima Khatun and another employee of the restaurant Amena Begum for quizzing.They alleged that the boro paddy has been inundated in haor areas of Sunamganj, Netrakona and Kishoreganj districts due to the negligence of the duty of (BWDB) some officials, including engineer Afsar Uddin, as they did not set up the dams properly and timely.

It was later learnt that the Chhatra League leaders and activists, armed with sharp weapons, had taken position in Subidbazar area to avenge the attack on Sylhet city unit General Secretary Abdul Alim Tushar by Chhatra Dal activists.

Maj Aziz's jeep came under attack when he was crossing the area, police say quoting witnesses.




US Defense Secy Mattis in Afghanistan to discuss war needs

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis looks out over Kabul as he arrives via helicopter at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday.

AP, Kabul :

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Afghanistan on Monday to assess America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending more troops.

Kabul was the final stop on a six-nation, weeklong tour Mattis said was intended to bolster relations with allies and partners and to get an update on the stalemated conflict in Afghanistan. He is the first member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to visit Afghanistan.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top American commander in Kabul, recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

As part of the administration's review of Afghan policy, Trump's national security adviser, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul last week to consult with Nicholson and with Afghan officials.

McMaster said in a TV interview after returning to Washington that the U.S. in recent years has scaled back its military effort against the Taliban. "Our enemy sensed that and they have redoubled their efforts, and it's time for us, alongside our Afghan partners, to respond," he said.

Among the questions facing the administration is how to maintain pressure on a resilient Taliban and keep up counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan without prolonging a stalemate that is costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

The war began in October 2001. The U.S. has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014 but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.

Mattis was visiting just days after a bloody Taliban attack that killed well over 100 Afghans on a base in the country's north. The Taliban also controls key parts of Helmand province in the south. Officials say nearly a dozen of the attackers wore army uniforms and rode in military vehicles, raising concerns of help from inside the compound.

A senior American military official in Kabul said Monday that it appears likely the attack was either carried out by or planned by a Pakistan-based Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network, which is a U.S. government-designated terrorist organization. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence matters, said it likely took four to six months to plan the attack. He said it also was likely that the attackers had help in advance from Afghan troops on the base.

The official said the latest Afghan estimate of 144 Afghan soldiers killed is likely to rise.

Afghan officials said earlier that the country's army chief and the defense minister resigned following the weekend Taliban attack.

Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The president's official Twitter account also confirmed the resignations.

In addition to the Taliban insurgency, Afghanistan also is fighting to extinguish a small but troublesome presence in Nangarhar province of militants affiliated with the Islamic State group.

Two weeks ago, Nicholson created a stir by ordering an attack on an IS stronghold in Nangarhar using the military's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, the so-called "mother of all bombs."

Mattis has declined to disclose details of damage done by that bombing, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called an "atrocity."




West Bengal tourism minister for Dhaka-Guwahati direct flights

Economic Reporter :

India's West Bengal Tourism Minister Gautam Deb on Sunday attended the inauguration of Biman Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair in DhakaRajib Dhar

He said the launching of flights in the Bagdogra-Dhaka-Guwahati route will help both countries achieve growth in tourism sector

India's West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb suggested developing direct air connectivity between Bagdogra, Dhaka and Guwahati.

He said the launching of flights in the Bagdogra-Dhaka-Guwahati route will help both countries achieve growth in tourism sector.

Gautam Deb on Sunday attended the inauguration of Biman Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair in Dhaka.
BD footwear market expanding rapidly

Kamruzzaman Bablu :

Footwear market in Bangladesh is expanding fast riding on the growing demand from a fashion forward middle class. The increasing purchasing capacity and a rising population are also strengthening demand for footwear and encouraging brands to rev up efforts to grab a hold of the market, said industry insiders.

"The per capita usage of footwear is rising. There is hardly anyone now who does not own a pair of shoes," said Md Ruhul Amin Molla, chief executive of Orion Footwear, a concern of Orion Group.

Orion entered the local footwear market two years ago to bank on this growing market that is dominated by small retail outlets across the country.

He said the per capita consumption of footwear, including leather, is 3-pairs, which was 1.7-pairs five years back.

Molla said the local footwear market that was worth Tk 16,000 crore in 2016 is growing 10-15 percent a year. Some other players said the market size stands at around Tk 7,000 crore to Tk 8,000 crore. The country consumes 30 crore pairs of footwear annually, he added.

"This is a huge sector that is dominated by the informal market," he said, adding that the brands are expanding their foothold in the domestic market.

The organised sector began to secure a growing market share after some export oriented footwear companies started opening outlets a decade ago, said operators.

Earlier, Bata Bangladesh was the lone chain retailer.

After the entry of Apex in 2006, others such as Bay, Jennys, Zeil's, Leatherex, and Lotto also approached to win the hearts of consumers.

The entry of new players, coupled with marketing campaigns, steady growth of the economy and political stability in the last two years boosted the local footwear market, said industry insiders.

It also helps that the brands are offering a wide array of designs, and better quality products at fixed prices, they added.

"There is scope to grow in this market. It is an untapped market in a developing country," said Rajan Pillai, chief operating officer of Apex Footwear Ltd, a leading footwear marketer. He said it is difficult to get established in markets like Europe.

"But in a country that is emerging and untapped, if you have the right vision and goals, you will become established."

Fifteen to twenty years from now, the market will be dominated by chain retail outlets, said Pillai. Apex currently has 224 stores; the number will rise to 250 before the upcoming Eid festivities, said Zoheb Ahmed, head of marketing at Apex.

Razib Jahan Ferdous, senior manager of customer service and loyalty programme of Bata Bangladesh, said the entry of new firms and expansion of retail outlets will help the market grow further. Consumers prefer to shop for trendy footwear in comfortable environments, which the brands can better cater to, he added.

The multinational began its journey by opening its first retail store at Sadarghat in Dhaka in 1962. It now has 240 stores and over 500 dealers throughout the country.

There is potential for footwear exports as well for competitive labour costs, availability of raw materials and Bangladesh's reputation in terms of quality and delivery, said industry operators.

Leather and footwear is the second biggest export earner after apparel, fetching more than $1 billion thanks to increasing shipments, according to Export Promotion Bureau.

Today, around 220 tanneries, 2,500 footwear making units and 90 large firms make footwear and leather goods mainly for export, according to Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh.
Demand for industrial automation is increasing globally: Prof Dr Azhar

Prof Dr A K M Azharul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC) addressing the two day long workshop on \'Industrial Automation\' at IIUC Auditorium in Kumira as chief guest recently.

Chittagong Bureau :

Vice-Chancellor of International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC) Prof. Dr. A. K. M Azharul Islam said, the demand for industrial automation is increasing day by day. Global automation is expanding at a very fast pace.

He was addressing in an inauguration program of two daylong workshop on 'Industrial Automation' at IIUC. IEEE IIUC Student Branch & IEEE IIUC WIE Affinity Group jointly organised this workshop that was held recently at IIUC Auditorium. Associate Prof Dr Mohammad Aktaruzzaman Khan, Director, Center for Research and Publication (CRP), Md. Athar Uddin, Associate Professor, Head, Dept. of EEE, IIUC was in the Chair while Prof. Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Dean, Faculty of Science & Engineering was present as a Special Guest. Md. Bakiuzzaman, Chairperson, IEEE IIUC Student Branch delivered the address of welcome. Md. Abdullah Al Jubaer, Asst. Engineer, Akij Food & Beverages Ltd. and Engr. Abul Al Arabi, Lecturer, Dept. of CSE, Independent University Bangladesh respectively presented Key Note Speech on 'Human-Machine Interference & Building Management System' and 'Robotics and Automation'.

The Chief guest and the renowned physicist, Professor Dr. A. K. M. Azharul Islam said, due to physical limitations & the ability to control the continuous and potential maximum quality control by applying the power of the machine, the demand for industrial automation is increasing day by day.

In the closing Ceremony Md. Shamsul Alam, Assoc. Prof., CSE was the Chief Guest and Engr. Md. Liakat Ali, IT Head, Walton Bangladesh and Manager of Walton Laptop Project was Special Guest President of the program Muhammad AtharUddin, Head, EEE expressed his gratitude to the guests and organizers of the program. Finally, the ceremony of the two days long workshop on 'Industrial Automation' was ended by the speech of Md. Bakiuzzaman, Chairperson, IEEE IIUC SB. University sources said.
Rangamati people suffer from food crisis

Rangamati Correspondent :

Acute food crisis prevails in different villages of remote Sajek union under Baghaichhari upazila of the district. People of more than 50 villages are now passing their days amid hardship.

Meanwhile, Baghaichhari upazila parishad has distributed food to the affected people of some areas, but that is far less than the actual demand, said Chairman of Baghaichhari upazila parishad Boro Hrishi Chakma. On the other hand, the district administration has allocated five metric tons of foods for distribution among the affected people through district relief office.

Chairman Boro Hrishi Chakma said, "Most of the people of the remote Sajek union are poor and depend on Jhum cultivation. But, nowadays the number of hills for the Jhum cultivation and the total yield from the farming are decreasing. As a result, the food crisis has broken out in the areas for the last two months.

Besides, the areas are located in remote areas where relief cannot be reached easily for bad communication. Due to the crisis, per kilogram of rice is selling at Tk 80 to 100 in the areas."

Meanwhile, upazila administration has sent letters to the district administration and the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management asking to allocate necessary helps.

In the meantime, local representatives have distributed four metric tons of foods primarily but that is far less than the actual demand.

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Prokash Kanti Chowdhury said, after the matter came under the notice of administration, around five metric tons of foods have been allocated through the district relief department.

In this connection, District Relief Officer Biswanath Majumder said, from the allocation of five metric tons of rice, each of 250 families would be given 20 kg of rice.




French voters favour European unity

THE pro-European centrist, Emmanuel Macron, and the anti-immigration, far-right Marine Le Pen have begun a final duel for the French Presidency after anti-establishment anger knocked France's traditional political parties out of the race.

Macron took 23.75 percent votes and Le Pen won 21.53 percent - the highest ever score for the Front National. Deep Divisions will mark the second-round runoff on May 7 in a country angry at its political class and struggling with unemployment and economic unease. More than 40 percent of voters chose Eurosceptic candidates - including Le Pen, the hard-left Melenchon and other candidates.

European politicians rallied around Macron, as the Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, broke protocol to personally wish the independent candidate well in the next round. The EU's Chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, described Macron as a "Patriot and European" who he felt confident would win against Le Pen. Barnier added: "France must remain European."

Macron, 39, a political novice, is the clear favourite to be elected as France's next president. His initial victory came after voters in The Netherlands rejected Euroceptics party in election last month. It also puts favourable message for Germany's Angela Markel facing tough election in September on anti-immigration issue. The issue at stake is whether Europe will continue as a lose federation on liberal values as against populist protectionism behind closed border.

After the UK's vote to leave the European Union and the US voted for political novice Donald Trump as President, the French presidential race is the latest election to shake up establishment politics by kicking out figures that stood for the status quo. The historic first-round result marked the rejection of the ruling political class - it was the first time since the postwar period that the traditional left and right ruling parties were both ejected in the first round. But voters at the same time appear to be favouring living in a united Europe what Macron stands for.

Le Pen has no political ally and trying to use patriotic slogan to win the second round. But Macron emerged as the new generation leader most French men are putting their hope in him to bring about a revival in French society.

The twist towards rightwing across Europe and the US is the result of years of alienation of the working class by the politicians who resemble the elite to them. The working classes of the Western World feel that the politicians have betrayed them by liberalizing free trade making it easy for countries like China to reign supreme in the manufacturing sector and take their jobs.

French is terribly affected by militant attacks, the latest being carried out only few days before Sunday's election killing a police officer. Many had feared it would add winds to Le Pen's anti-immigration and anti-Muslim policies. But French voters proved that they don't go by emotion but by multi-racial values although their plight is too big now to live with the liberal values. We must say the initial results of this election suggest that European unity will survive at the end but the Union must do the necessary reform to end Eurosceptics fear about it.


Maoists kill 26 Indian cops

The injured CRPF jawans of the 74th battalion being shifted to a hospital in Raipur who died on Monday.

Hindustan Times :

Suspected Maoist militants killed 26 paramilitary personnel and injured six on Monday in a gunfight in Chhattisgarh's south Sukma region in a possible attempt to thwart a crucial road link the government believes would break the back of the insurgent group.

Police told HT that the encounter took place at around 12.45 pm between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in the middle of Maoist violence-hit south Bastar area.

Ninety Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were part of a road-opening party (ROP) providing security to construction workers building the stretch.

"A rescue team was rushed to the spot and combing is going on. Five

Maoists were also killed in the counter attack by the CRPF," said deputy inspector general of Dantewada, P Sunderraj. Senior police officers said that that party was having lunch when the suspected Maoists attacked them. The jawans were from the 74th battalion of the CRPF, including an Inspector-rank officer, who was injured in the gun battle.

"First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many," news agency ANI quoted CRPF constable Sher Mohammed as saying.

"They were around 300 and we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest", he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack in posts on his Twitter account. "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely", he tweeted. "We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families", he said in another post.

Chief minister Raman Singh cut short a visit to Delhi and rushed to Raipur. Bastar inspector general and Sunderraj left for Sukma immediately. Home minister Rajnath Singh tweeted that he was "extremely pained" to hear about the deaths and said his deputy - minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir -is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. This is the second big casualty the paramilitary force has suffered in the region in two months. On March 11, suspected Maoist rebels ambushed a similar CRPF road opening party and killed at least 12 troopers in Sukma. Sukma is considered among India's worst insurgency-hit regions that has seen several decades of bloody conflict.

At the centre of the fight is a 20-kilometre stretch of road . Officials say the rebels know that their only way to maintain control over the area is to block construction of the road, which will let soldiers directly into the Maoist heartland.
Chevron to sell its BD subsidiaries to China firm

Staff Reporter :

US oil giant Chevron on Monday announced that Chevron Global Ventures entered into an agreement to sell the shares of its wholly-owned indirect subsidiaries operating in Bangladesh to a Chinese consortium, Himalaya Energy Co Ltd, said a

Chevron handout. Himalaya Energy is owned by China ZhenHua Oil Co and CNIC Corporation Ltd. The details of the financial deal has not been disclosed. Chevron Bangladesh operates Block 12 (Bibiyana Field) and Blocks 13 and 14 (Jalalabad and Moulvibazar fields). Closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions. Whereas the country produces around 2600 million feet a day, gas, Chevron provides more than 1400 mmcfd from these three fields. Of them, the Bibiyana field alone provides more than 1100 mmcfd. Chevron is currently responsible for more than half of country's daily gas production.

Chevron also produces around 9000 tonnes of condensate, a liquid fuel by-product found in some gas fields. The remaining gas fields produce around 1500 tonnes of condensate.

The American company's earlier operations that include discovery of the massive Bibiyana field in the late 90s were spearheaded by Unocal, which was globally acquired by Chevron in 2005. The company invested around $3 billion dollars, while it currently has 538 employees. Chevron operates under two Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) under which it gets a maximum of $3 dollars for per thousand cubic meter of gas while Bangladesh gets a proportionally bigger chunk of gas as free share, making the deals very profitable for the country.

It announced selling out its assets in different countries including Bangladesh last year, due to oil price slump that led to losses. As Chevron decided to sell its Bangladesh asset, Bangladesh government had made an offer that Chevron did not accept. Since then Chevron was negotiating with Chinese company ZhenHua Oil.

Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies. Through its subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide, the company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. Chevron (previously Unocal) introduced three-dimensional seismic survey in Bangladesh for the first time in the late nineties while surveying the Bibiyana field area.
Workers still cry for justice

Staff Reporter :

Hundreds of garment workers on Monday reiterated their demand for justice to the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy, one of the world's worst industrial disaster.

The incident in 2013 claimed at least 1130 lives.

Some victims, who lost limbs when the nine-storey building came crashing down four years ago, placed floral wreaths at the Shaheed Bedi, the scythe and hammer sculpture that reminds of workers' rights, at the collapse site at Savar and wept as they remembered the dead.

Family members of the deceased, including some whose bodies were never found, recited verses of the Quran and prayed after gathering there from early morning.

Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Garments Workers Trade Union Kendra Khairul Mamun Mintu said, "Four years

have already passed but the cries for justice are still unheard. Even the police did not allow us to hold a rally on the anniversary day. But our struggle will continue."

In observance of the day, the survivors tried to hold a rally but the police intercepted.

Police also allegedly interrupted the attempts to lay floral wreaths at the site. "Local lawmaker Md Enamur Rahman had given us permission on Sunday to make a stage for a rally at the site," Mintu said.

Additional policemen were deployed in the area with a water cannon. Savar's Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Mahbubur Rahman claimed that they did not see any stage on the spot.

He said police had only asked the people "not to create any chaos" and move away as the Dhaka-Aricha Highway is an important road.

"We did not have other intentions," he clarified, "We have allowed them to place wreaths in remembrance of the victims."

When asked about the water cannon, he claimed it was part of a "regular deployment." Rana Plaza caved in on April 24, 2013 with an unknown number of people, mostly RMG workers, inside. More than 1,100 people were confirmed dead with hundreds of others suffering severe injuries.
Sakura Bar staff beat Jubo Dal leader to death

Staff Reporter :

A Jubo Dal leader was allegedly beaten to death by some employees of Sakura Restaurant & Bar centering a dispute over transaction of money in the city's Paribagh area early Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Md Jonny, 32, a former member of the Convening Committee of

Juba Dal, Ward No 21 unit in the city. Jonny, hailing from Munshiganj district, was also a flower trader in the city's Shahbagh area and resided at Mohammadpur.

Law enforcers recovered his blood stained body from in front of the bar house around 12:45am.

Police detained 46 people, including the bar's manager, for interrogation in this connection.

Maruf Hossain Sardar, Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, We have heard that a group of men from the bar began to beat him. Something may have happened inside but we are unable to confirm it."

Jonny was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared him dead, the DC said.

The bar's manager Mostafa Kamal and his son Asif are among the 46 detained people, the police official added.

The bar was sealed off temporarily as per police orders, he said.

Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abul Hasan said the bar authorities might have killed him and put the body in front of the restaurant to avoid the responsibility of the murder.

The inquest report found injury marks on the body and his right leg was broken, the OC said.

"We are investigating into the incident to know whether there is any political involvement and transaction with the bar owner", he said, adding that he was an accused in a murder case of flower trader Selim Shahi, former president of Juba Dal Ward No 57.

The filing of a case with the police station was under process on Monday night.
Dam collapse inundates Paknar Haor

Boro paddy worth over Tk 4000cr loss

Another Urar Bondho Dam at Paknar Haor in Jamalganj and Diraj Upazilas in Sunamganj breached at various points early Monday due to on-rush of waters from upper stream and heavy downpour.

Staff Reporter :

The Paknar Haor in Jamalganj upazila of Sunamganj district inundated after cracks developed at different points of Urar Dam due to heavy downpour and onrush of water from the upstream early Monday.

Paknar Haor, the only haor, remained safe after the over-flood of Shanir Haor in Tahirpur upazila of the district on Sunday. But at last it was also washed away early Monday. The flood-water is now entering through the cracks in the dam and inundated many villages.

Over 10,000 hectares of Boro paddy fields of Jamalganj upazila have already been washed away following the cracks in the embankment of Paknar Haor, according to locals and Agriculture Extension Department.

Earlier, fearing the breach of embankment, over 100 workers, locals, farmers, cops as well as administration worked round the clock on Sunday night to save the Paknar Haor embankment.

In addition, some 50 workers were also stationed there to guard the embankment round the clock. But their all efforts went in vain.

"All out effort round the clock taken by the farmers and others to protect the Paknar Haor went in vain due to strong current. The strong current washed away all paddy fields," said Zahidul Huq, Deputy Director,

of Agriculture Extension Department of Sunamganj district on Monday. He said the strong current developed a crack at Paknar embankment early Monday and at one stage it was breached at Gazaria point and the flood water entered the Paknar Haor.

He said Boro crops on almost 22,000 acres have been inundated just days before the harvesting.

"The backswamp was in precarious condition due to the flash-flood and heavy rains. The embankment collapsed after the water level rose," Zahidul added. "The flash flood has become the worst ever in Haor districts this year. There are no words to tell you how bad this is. It's just flash-flood and heavy downpour and pure destruction," said Karuna Sindhu Talukder, Chairman, Fenarbak Union Council.

However, he alleged that no official from Water Development Board was seen on the spot.

Earlier, flash-flood damaged Boro crops in 1.8 lakh hectares of land in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Netrokona Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts Farmers, who only depend on Boro paddy in Haor areas faced an estimated loss of over Tk 4,000 crore.

According to Statistics disclosed by the government, around 1,276 tonnes of fish and 3,844 ducks died in the haors where the level of dissolved oxygen dropped.

About 1,276 tonnes of fish died in Haor areas of four districts following last month's flash-flood caused by incessant rains, said the Government report. The loss is estimated at Tk 41 crore.

Hundreds of thousands of fishes, including Katla, Kalibaus, Boal, Rui, Ghagot, Pabda, Chela, Dhela and Chapila, have died.

Talking to journalists, Dr Syed Arif Azad, Director General, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said they sent the report to Ministry on Monday morning.

Beside, about 3,844 ducks have also died due to polluted water.

As a result, over 13 lakh farmers' families of Haor districts have already started facing severe food crisis. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has already launched a probe into the matter.

The Water Development Board sought bids for 28 embankments in 116 packages in the last two years for Sunamganj, but Executive Engineers and contractors plotted together to embezzle Tk 250 million without doing anything for the projects, said ACC officials.
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Should the Legislature unlock the states dedicated funds to free up more money for the budget?

An affirmative answer is one of the war cries coming from Republicans in the House and Senate this session.

These are funds that, for one reason or another, were given special protections by the Legislature over the years, which means the money theyre holding cannot be accessed by lawmakers and used on other needs.

Its a perennial topic at the Capitol; as universities and hospitals have seen their budgets cut, lawmakers have been barred from dipping into a variety of protected funds that could have helped ease the pain.

Debating the importance of these protections will once again be an issue as lawmakers continue with their regular session that adjourns June 8.

To be certain, extra cash is exactly what Gov. John Bel Edwards is calling for, although he has taken no firm stance on whether dedicated funds should be unlocked.

The governors executive budget has $440 million in needs that are not yet fully funded, and theres an additional $1.3 billion in temporary taxes that expire in 2018.

Thats why some lawmakers contend this latest incarnation of the dedicated funds debate will bring with it some urgency.

To better understand the issue, heres a look at the four categories of dedicated funds some lawmakers want to open up:

 There are 19 constitutionally dedicated funds holding $2.5 billion in appropriations this fiscal year, according to information provided by the House Appropriations Committee. The TOPS Scholarship Fund and the Artificial Reef Fund are two examples.

 There are also 124 statutorily dedicated funds from special revenue sources such as fees and licenses holding $664 million. You can find the Boll Weevil Eradication Fund and the Concealed Handgun Permit Fund in this category.

 Plus there are another 97 statutory funds for local support, including sales tax dedications, holding $70 million. These are largely local funds, like the East Baton Rouge Parish Community Improvement Fund and the Lake Charles Civic Center Fund.

 Finally, there are 42 statutory funds for agency and department support holding $716 million, which is money that would otherwise be a part of the state general fund. The Tobacco Settlement Enforcement Fund, Louisiana State Police Salary Fund and Fireman Training Fund are all examples.

Source: House Fiscal Division (click to view)

You can review each and every one of these funds, and their totals, on the LaPolitics website by clicking here. Theres also this flowchart and graph that offers a broader view of how the funds are organized.

In terms of related policy pushes this session, House conservatives are looking with interest across Memorial Hall to Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, who has SB 226 to eliminate a number of different funds  none of them constitutional.

Hewitts proposal uses criteria that the Legislatures Joint Budget Committee is supposed to be applying during regular fund reviews.

Those reviews, however, have not been taking place, says Hewitt.

Some lawmakers are already expressing support for the approach, especially compared to across-the-board reductions or eliminations.

We cannot keep doing the things that we are doing now and its time for us to helicopter up and look at the big picture, Hewitt says. We need to be willing to un-dedicate these funds and put all of the money on the table and then let the administration and Legislate prioritize spending.

Her legislation has been assigned to the Senate Finance Committee but a hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Staying on topic, here are a few related bills worth keeping an eye on:

 HB 236 by Rep. Rob Shadoin, R-Ruston, is a constitutional amendment that goes after the constitutionally dedicated funds.

 HB 458 by Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, eliminates a handful of certain statutory dedications, but doesnt go as far as Hewitts proposal.

 HB 588 by Rep. Jay Morris, R-Monroe, seeks to reduce by 50 percent the revenue dedications in certain funds.
Rep. Jean Paul Coussan Photo by Robin May

Rep. Jean Paul Coussan's HB299 will be among a short list of bills up for debate and vote by the full House of Representatives when it convenes at 3 p.m. in the Capitol Monday.

Coussan's bill won approval from the House Commerce Committee last week and is expected to sail through the House today.

"It's not a controversial bill," Coussan told The Independent last week. "It's a bill that the LITE center Commission asked me to handle and I was happy to do so."

Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise is one of several state technology investments made in larger communities around the state tied to research and economic development. Those investments began during the administration of Gov. Mike Foster and started when the state put up money to convert an abandoned Baton Rouge shopping center into Louisiana Technology Park.

Other investments in the series have included wet labs in Shreveport and New Orleans.

LITE has a super computer that allows users to walk inside their data which is projected on screens on the interior walls of the center's iconic cocoon. The center has struggled to find its business footing since it opened in 2006, as economic conditions regionally and nationally undercut the promise of public-private partnerships which were seen as the model for its development.

Coussan's bill would transfer full ownership and control of the facility to the university with the focus shifting on drawing businesses linked to the university-based research to the facility.
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By AM Monday, April 24, 2017 Share Tweet Share Share Email





It wasnt last Thursday when Dail Eireann voted 96 to 47 to accept a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail cobbled report from the



Nor was it the last 10 days of pretence negotiations between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael that shook our world when one day we were told we had a victory, only to find out later that in fact we didnt.



No, the day the music died for us can be traced back to when the movement was usurped by the parliamentary system and political agendas prior to and during last years inconclusive general election The water charges movement played second fiddle to political parties percentage points and organisations vying for power. This was further compounded by parties like Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail competing for the republican and anti water charges vote. Our apology to Don McLeans American Pie The Day the Music Died for some in the anti-Irish Water Movement was actually long, long ago.It wasnt last Thursday when Dail Eireann voted 96 to 47 to accept a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail cobbled report from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Funding Domestic Water Nor was it the last 10 days of pretence negotiations between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael that shook our world when one day we were told we had a victory, only to find out later that in fact we didnt.No, the day the music died for us can be traced back to when the movement was usurped by the parliamentary system and political agendas prior to and during last years inconclusive general election The water charges movement played second fiddle to political parties percentage points and organisations vying for power. This was further compounded by parties like Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail competing for the republican and anti water charges vote.





Also Sinn Fein and other left wing parties were also competing for the working class and anti water charges vote. Fianna Fail although campaigning for abolition of water charges and Irish Water was not part of the Right2Water or later the Right2Change campaign as it had become. On the other hand Sinn Fein and some trade unions controlled the Right2Water organisation.





Donegal demonstration, Nov 2014, in Letterkenny



One of the major issues at the time for the Fine Gael and Fianna Fail right-wing rapprochement was how to deal with the inconclusive 2016 Irish election result and the gains made by the left and left of centre opposition TDs and parties that incidentally can be attributed to the massive public opposition to the previous Fine Gael/Labour governments water charges policy and its forceful handling of that issue.







February 2016 Irish general election

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael knew that they had to come up with a plan to allow Fianna Fail to somehow row back on recent election promises of abolishing Irish Water Ltd and Water Charges, promises, by the way, they both knew ran contrary to right-wing and EU neo-liberal policies. The establishment knows instinctively that such promises are part and parcel of the political parliamentary game and understand that Fianna Fail had to make them in order to claw back 20 of the 51 seats lost in the 2011 general election. Fine Gael, on the other hand, had to somehow save what they could of its water policy fiasco.



So the two right-wing parties set about cleverly devising the Expert Water Commission and the Joint Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water processes. These delaying tactics were all directed, managed and scripted by Fine Gaels Simon Coveney with the tacit approval of Fianna Fail.



But to our amazement the left and centre left deputies and prominent campaigners didnt put up much of a fight and allowed the processes to continue for the next year and a half. Not only did they eventually even taking an active part in the setup.



No matter how significant the role that the Fine Gael/Fianna Fail right-wing pact played in the affair, we feel that that was a natural establishment reaction but what we believe much more sinister was the role play by some of the movements political supporters. In our view it was this political undercurrent and personal agendas that ripped the legs from under the anti water movement that in the end made it easier for FG/FF pact to plot its course. The wily Fianna Fail fox in the chicken run is easier to spot that the chameleon slithering in our own ranks.





Feb 2017 Stevie Fitzpatrick and David Gibney admit agreement with excessive use charge



Final report neither comprehensible nor comprehensive







Eoin O'Broin, SF calls for setting up a Select Expert Commission and admits says there is no alternative to Irish Water. RTE 13/3/2016,





The Fine Gael/Fianna Fail report that went through the Dail last week, was in our view not definitive nor comprehensive. It will lead to further controversy and political wrangling. It is a bureaucratic quagmire that promotes inequality. It is vague, misleading and obtuse and it will allow the government or system of the day to tamper with the fine print and legislate accordingly. Presently the minister responsible for interpreting it and drawing up initial legislation is none other than Fine Gaels Simon Coveney.



Perhaps we may get lucky again, like we did with the



Just what have we won or maybe the question is also much have we enabled? Note there was only two changes between the draft report the week previous and the final report.





 The report copper-fastens Irish Water Ltd, the much hated and now entrenched quango. It will remain in place in its present form for the time being but could even subtly change in future.

 The report mentions that Domestic Water will be funded through taxation. However, this is not written in stone and is subject to EU legislation. There is nothing about Domestic Waste Water or Commercial Water. Nothing about rivers, lakes or underground aquifers etc. It qualifies the funding mechanism by stating that in the future the utility must be adequately funded and guaranteed long term stability. We do not know what if required Section 2.4 means and the entire section is only recommended.  There is a lot of recommendation and not much specifics.  The report doesnt mention anything about present funding methods of VAT and Motor tax.

 Constitutional referendum. Talk about putting the cart before the horse. This might or might not happen and the report only supports the concept one. The wording and time-frame are presently unknown. In the meantime or even if it happens, private public partnerships (another name for privatisation) will be running the show.

 Water allowances, whether the 133 litres per day and whether it is going to be a household or personal average is still unclear. CER will have the responsibility who in turn base their averages on of Irish Waters sliding scale of consumption figures. It turns out that Ireland has the lowest water consumption in all the OECD countries. So it seems we are going to get the lowest of the low water allowance. Even this allowance will, in the future, be subject to intense downward pressure, with costs veering upwards. It has all the hallmarks of a bureaucratic nightmare where households will struggle to keep within limits, fill in forms and apply with cap in hand for waivers.

 Meters in new builds recommendation looks like a fig leaf. Along with millions of clandestine meters already installed and the recommended incentive of grading scheme, retrofitting, strong building standard etc, it looks like the emphasis is on full meter coverage.

 We are not looking forward to whatever draconian legislation Mr Coveney comes up with and it seems he has almost carte blanche to do what the State legal advises. With regard to legislation, no doubt he is aware of calls of whipping out unwanted meters.

 There is no mention of who is actually responsible for installing or maintaining meters. There still remains a legal questions of ownership of boundary boxes and recognition of Irish Water.

 The report never mentions Smart Meters or their possible health and privacy issues. Not a mention from the Green Party or any party for that matter even those Right2Water TDs. However, one would assume that a so called environmental party would have some policy on said electronic devices. One obvious question arises about Smart meter, can people choose an analogue one instead?

 There is no mention of how the report recommendations might affect conveyancing and prices of property.

 There was absolutely nothing in the report about the RBMP (River Basin Management Plans) nor was it discussed in the Joint Water Committee. For those that don't know this is the building block of our whole water system. The RBMP was a direct result of the WFD (Water Framework Directive 2000). If you would like more info on it just search our 'Archives'. This is a serious flaw.

 The Irish RBMP contains plans which ( also sent to the EU Commission) on how we intend to structure our water resources and its funding now and into the future. We are on our 'First Plan' now and are overdue on our 'Second' which has to be finalised by the end of this year.

 This Oireachtas report does not mention Article 9.4 or the WFD Directive. Somehow our politicians even those R2W ones seem to have given up on the vital exemption clause, one of the most important defenses against EU diktats. This 9.4 Section shouldbe emphasised and inserted into any water policy including the RBMP. * (edited18/3/17)

 One of the most significant clauses in the report is Section 4.5. It was a clause that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail haggled over for two weeks and eventually agreed on Levies. We will have to pay close attention to how Mr Coveney interprets this section because the report seems to throw the kitchen sink at it, unsure about wastage, excess use and willful abuse. After reading this section over and over we defy anyone to explain its actual meaning. The Fine Gael/Fianna Fail report that went through the Dail last week, was in our view not definitive nor comprehensive. It will lead to further controversy and political wrangling. It is a bureaucratic quagmire that promotes inequality. It is vague, misleading and obtuse and it will allow the government or system of the day to tamper with the fine print and legislate accordingly. Presently the minister responsible for interpreting it and drawing up initial legislation is none other than Fine Gaels Simon Coveney.Perhaps we may get lucky again, like we did with the ExpertWater Commission but everything is pointing to the controversy continuing , with the status quo circling their wagons and tinkering with the small print.
CARBONDALE  About three dozen people are sitting in the blue chairs inside the church sanctuary, listening as Pastor Doug Cherry stands at the front, talking about Gods power to heal.

As he finishes and heads to a room in the back, a video from a Christian concert is turned on, on a screen in a front corner of the room.

In the opposite corner of the sanctuary, two women sit behind a desk, one occasionally calling out a number, and someone presumably holding that number getting up to approach the desk. Others wait, and sometimes someone walking through the room notices someone waiting, greeting them with a quick hug, hello and short conversation.

Meanwhile, across the room, those two women at the desk meet individually with single people or couples, talking to and praying with them over whatever their concerns are.

This was the scene this past Wednesday at the Victory Dream Center, which operates one of the areas largest food pantries, supplying free food three times a week to hundreds of people in Southern Illinois.

Victory Dream Center staff are hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, to show people what they do and what happens inside the food pantry; a free lunch will be provided.

While some people know about the facilitys outreach, particularly to those in crisis, not everyone does, noted Nathan Cherry, an associate pastor at the church his parents founded more than a decade ago.

Weve kind of become known as the food pantry that prays for you, Nathan Cherry said.

Food pantry that prays

The food pantry that prays is located in a building off College Street that witnessed life as the former Carbondale City Hall, District 95 school offices and Southern Illinois University offices. The food pantry is located on the back side of the church.

Doug and Lisa Cherry, Nathans parents, opened the church in 2002 and implemented the food pantry in 2010. Estimates are that it is has distributed more than 3.2 million pounds of food since then  about 10,000 pounds of food each week  about 600,000 pounds in 2016 alone.

Each month, the St. Louis Area Food Bank makes two deposits to the food pantry, and once a month, food pantry staff drive to St. Louis  in a truck the St. Louis food pantry donated to them  to pick up more food.

There are no income requirements, and people seeking food need only to apply for it to receive it, available to pick up twice a month from the Food Pantry. While many people who visit the food pantry also receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), not everyone does, and that is OK, Nathan Cherry said.

Cherry said the amount of food distributed in a month would be equal to what one could find on all the shelves in a store the size of an Aldi or Save-A-Lot. People who pick up the free food walk away with about $150 worth of groceries at a time, he said.

A typical Wednesday would look like the scene described earlier, with people receiving a card that indicates the number of times they have left in a month to pick up food, Cherry said.

They walk through the sanctuary to the back and into a large dining room area where volunteers sit behind table, as people pick up the items and products they are allotted for that visit: chips/snacks, bread, eggs, various spices and seasonings, olive-green bottles of Suave shampoo and other items.

One of those people waiting for food this day is Alisha White, who says this is her second time at the food pantry since moving back to this area. The food pantry not only helps her with much-needed food, but she says the staff has helped people to find a place to stay.

It helps lots of people, White said.

Sourced from 'waste'

In addition to the dining area that doubles as the food pantry, there is a kitchen area, from which church members serve breakfast on Sunday morning for members and guests. Downstairs is another passion of the church ministrys, its youth area, where weekly services attract 60 to 80 area youth.

Also in this area are several more freezers, some small, like freezer No. 14, which stands outside the kitchen, and others large, silver stand-up ones like those in the dining area. The freezers are necessary to handle the fresh meat and produce the church now gets from stores including Wal-Mart.

The freezers get constant use, leading to their burnout, Cherry said. He said he has running ads looking for donated freezers, for which donors can take a tax write-off.

Cherry said he is thankful that the food pantry is able to give away as much food as it can, but he notes that it is able to do so because of a surplus elsewhere.

There is so much waste in this country, he said.
MURPHYSBORO  State and local leaders gathered Monday in Murphysboro to discuss what many in Southern Illinois have been wondering  what is the future of coal in Illinois?

A long standing economic driver in the region, coal production has dropped in the region since its heyday in the early and mid part of the last century. U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, sat down with State Sens. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, and Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, to talk with coal leaders and stakeholders.

Shimkus, in his opening remarks, said he knows that coal mining is what many in Southern Illinois use to identify themselves.

I think thats part of who we are, Shimkus said, adding that the reports he and Bost received at the event would be carried back to Washington.

Shimkus assure those in attendance that what he defined as the war on coal in the last administration is on its way to being rolled back with the Trump administration. He said there is a lot of work being done at the national level to, at least maintain the coal-fired power plants that we have. He said this is all being done to try to stop the bleeding from that war on coal.

The chief concern expressed during the three panels Monday was duplicate regulations  federal regulations overlapping with state regulations. Rusty Ashcraft, of Alliance Coal, described the United States as a, regulation nation. He said the cost of these regulations for coal companies make it difficult to compete in the energy marketplace.

Shimkus said the new administration he hopes to return to, cooperative federalism, wherein the federal government would set regulations and rely on the state to enforce them. He said he wants to see a trust of corporate America again, a belief that companies do look out for the welfare of their employees and customers.

Ashcraft said he applauded the Trump administrations efforts to defund regulatory agencies, and said Illinois needs to be ready for the new regulating responsibilities.

Ray Vanover, of Eagle River Coal, said he does not believe the state of Illinois is ready. Shifting the conversation to the state senators, Vanover said it takes too long for permits at the state level for construction and other decisions take too long.

During the third panel, Dan Thompson, of Dynegy, said regulations on coal are not just numbers, but they also have faces. He said it was on his shoulders to shutter two power plants in recent years.

When you look at somebody and you tell them they dont have a job anymore it hits you right in the face, Thompson said.

He said, coupled with regulations from the Springfield and Washington, and subsidies of renewable energy sources such as nuclear and wind, his company finds it hard to be competitive.

Where do I compete? Thompson asked.

In an interview after the panel, Bost said of the takeaways from the meeting one stood out: Illinois needs to be able to use the coal it takes out of the ground.

Right now we ship a lot of our coal overseas where it is burned in power plants that have no regulation whatsoever," Bost said. "If its pumping it into the same atmosphere, we arent gaining ground."

He said there is a massive, underused resource in the ground.

They believe that we have more energy underneath our area, Southern Illinois, [Interstate] 64 south, than Saudi Arabia, he said.

Bost also was critical of the regulatory process.

Government, whether its federal or state, has to quit throwing a weighted collar around the neck of those who produce jobs, Bost said.

Citing that it can take up to three times longer to get permits from coal plants approved in Illinois than in other states, Fowler said he knows one thing he and his colleagues in Springfield need to work on.

The delays in our permitting process is, again, one thing that they mentioned that we really have to work toward as legislators to make sure that we are competitive in the state of Illinois, he said.

None of the lawmakers in attendance said there was a likelihood of coal having the same footprint in Southern Illinois as it once did, but they added they were not giving up on it.

We have to retain what we have right now in the coal industry, Fowler said.

Schimpf said there is an opportunity in the region.

This is a potential economic explosion waiting to happen and we need to be ready to take advantage of it if the opportunity presents itself, he said.
Stalled efforts to store nuclear waste have cost ratepayers in Illinois billions of dollars and taxpayers across the country billions more.

A spent rod of nuclear material already used by a nuclear plant still gives off a lot of heat and radiation. Since the Reagan Administration, the plan was to store the nation's spent fuel rods inside the Yucca Mountain in a Nevada desert. But political fighting has all but stopped the project, leaving nuclear plants to store their spent fuel on site.

"There is no other place on the planet (to store spent fuel)," said U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, who wants to see the Yucca project restarted. He said storage under a remote mountain is the best solution. "NIMBY means 'not in my back yard.' This is in nobody's backyard."

An account called the Nuclear Waste Fund was formed in 1983 and has accumulated more than $30 billion from ratepayers to go toward finishing the Yucca Mountain project. Illinois has contributed nearly $5 billion, more than any other state because it hosts more nuclear plants than any state. President Barack Obama's administration suspended contributions to the fund in May 2014.

While Yucca Mountain is on hold, the Nuclear Energy Institute says lawsuits from power companies to pay for temporary fuel storage have cost taxpayers more than $5 billion and will cost billions more in the coming years.

"American taxpayers have had to pay for the costs incurred by the utilities for storing the fuel and keeping it safe and secure," institute spokesman John Keeley said. "We're going to see billions more paid out of the judgment fund in the treasury department because the federal government has not fulfilled its statutory obligation."

CNBC estimates that the cost of the Department of Energy lawsuit settlements could result in an additional $24 billion in just 10 years.

While most spent fuel is kept under the supervision of still-operating nuclear power facilities, some plants, like the one decommissioned in Zion, Illinois, are gone. All that remains are the casks full of still radioactive material on what Shimkus says should be developed property.

"In the case of Zion, you have a decommissioned nuclear plant with nuclear waste still on site, which depresses real estate values and discourages economic development around that," he said.

Keeley agreed with Shimkus.

"That land in Zion would be redeveloped for other business purposes, but they can't until the federal government lives up to its obligation," Keeley said.

Beside Obama's hesitance to follow through with the project, Keeley said now-retired U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, was to blame for the wrenches thrown in the Yucca Mountain project's progress.

"There has been a stalemate in Washington, principally because of one senator from Nevada who has retired," he said, referring to Reid.

A committee Shimkus chairs is hearing a bill on Wednesday that would resume the program to transfer the spent fuel to the Yucca Mountain facility. He says President Donald Trump's administration is committed to following the laws regarding government responsibility for the nation's spent fuel.

"I've been aghast at the Obama administration just not complying with the law," Shimkus said. "From all indications, the Trump Administration is going to comply with the law."

Southern Nevada Congressman Ruben Kihuen said in a statement about plans to move forward with Yucca's storage of spent fuel that "Nevada is not a dumping ground for the rest of the country's nuclear waste and our rights shouldn't be trampled over just because President Trump wants to put an unsavory waste facility in our backyard."

In 50 years, the nation's currently operating reactors are expected to create 139,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel, according to the Government Accountability Office. Nearly all of that will be transferred to dry storage.
Two Orangeburg County homes were recently damaged by fire.

American Red Cross disaster-trained volunteers are assisting a person whose home, located on Foliage Street in Bowman, was damaged by a fire Friday. The Red Cross is helping one adult by providing financial assistance for food, clothing, lodging and other essentials, and comfort kits containing personal hygiene items.

Also, an Orangeburg familys Delaware Drive home was damaged by fire on Saturday. The Red Cross is helping two adults and three children by providing financial assistance for food, clothing, other essentials, and comfort kits containing personal hygiene items.

To learn more about the Red Cross or volunteer, visit redcross.org.
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Colleges Area Commission has approved a tuition increase of about 2.9 percent for the coming school year.

Tuition will go up by $5 per credit hour. For a student with a course load of 12 hours, it will amount to $60 more per semester.

That would give us about $275,000 in revenue, Vice President of Business Affairs Kim Huff said during Tuesdays Area Commission meeting.

Tuition funds are down due to declining enrollment, and its not always easy to find money in the existing budget to offset that revenue loss, he said. There is still uncertainty in how much the state is going to assist with the coming retirement increase, he said.

We know theyre going to hit us with an additional 2 percent increase in our retirement, he said.

For example, if payroll is $10 million, the retirement increase would be $200,000 next year, he said.

How much of that the states going to help us with, I dont know, he said. But this tuition increase is going to give us $275,000, so I may use a third to a half of that increase just to cover the retirement increase.

Of the tuition increase, he said, We dont think its an unreasonable request. Its in line with what the other colleges are doing.

The increase will be effective fall of 2017, he said.

In other business at Tuesdays meeting:

 Huff said that when the commission met two months ago, they had already updated the financial projections for the spring semester.

But its still too early now ... to know what summer is going to really look like, he said.

Even though its not yet breaking even, continuing education is improving slowly, he said.

Some budget adjustments were made due to a shortfall, he said. In the category of salary and fringe benefits, the college ended up with $26,000 more in state money than originally anticipated.

So thats some good news, he said.

I think were OK right now. Obviously, until we know the summer numbers, we really dont know what the bottom line is going to look like for the year. But at least through the spring semester, we feel like any shortfalls that weve had, weve found a way to cover those.

Huff said the college continues to struggle with timely reimbursement by the state for lottery funding. Also, Pell grants are down, but student loans are up, he said.

For county revenue and expenses, a shortfall was made up by tuition, he said.

Under the capital projects fund, a $310,000 state technology grant was used mainly for two projects: the installation of a new campus-wide camera system and the replacement of data switches.

Other capital items are the roofing project; payment to the architect of the new health sciences building and instructional equipment.

In an update on roofing, Huff said the project is 20 to 25 percent complete and should come in $300,000 to $400,000 under budget. The HVAC upgrade for Building J may end up costing less than anticipated, he said. Contractor bids are due back in two weeks on the renovation of the Student Success Center, he said.

Also, the architectural firm has completed and submitted the construction documents for the new health sciences building, Huff said. The project will be put out for bid next month, he said. It could be a while before a structure starts going up, he said.

The first couple of months will be a lot of the site work, he said.

 The commission voted to approve budget adjustments, including the $26,000 increase in state appropriations, an unexpected expense, salary adjustments and money from academic budgets to help offset the shortfall.

All extra money was put into the contingency fund, which amounted to $211,000, Huff said.

It took everything in our contingency fund to cover that shortfall from the spring, he said. So thats why Im saying as of this point, were OK. But once we hear the number for the summer, if we dont meet budget, well be digging again into the budgets to find something to offset again.

 The recent legislative luncheon held on campus was a success, President Dr. Walt Tobin reported.

This is the first time we have done this, Tobin said. In the past, we have done the reception in February.

Although weather presented some challenges for us, I thought we had a pretty good turnout, he said.

Most of the deals are already done in the legislature, so the luncheon was more of a thank you, he said.

According to the Senate higher education budget plan, $250,000 in new money would be coming in to the college and $80,000 would be earmarked for the truck driving program, he said.

Tobin also reported that Huff had prepared the Orangeburg County budget request for $2.1 million.

 Vice President of Academic Affairs Donna Elmore reported that the ADN and Practical Nursing programs have been nationally recognized. She also said that the school is purchasing 10 stations of zSpace virtual reality learning technology. The college is finishing up equipment purchases, she said. Also, renovations are still ongoing in retrofitting the old math lab into the Student Success Center, she said.

The colleges catalogs are being revised, she said.

Also, the Middle College website has been revised, identifying 19 pathways for high school students to continue their education with OCtech, she said.

 Vice President of Student Affairs Sandra Davis reported that the college is still registering students. She said that the Spring Exam Bash, a fair-like event, will be held April 27. Summer school starts May 22, she said.

 The commission voted to approve an updated five-year strategic plan for the college.

 The commission entered closed session to discuss personnel matters.
A local industry manager and her company have been recognized for support of the National Guard and Reserve forces.

Sigmatex Operations Manager Misty Carter was surprised Friday with the Patriot Award, given by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. The presentation was made at the companys plant in the John W. Matthews Industrial Park on U.S. Highway 301.

Im just proud, Carter said. But all the recognition really goes to them, the ones that did the service. They are a privilege to help.

Sigmatex employee Iran Rio, a specialist in the National Guard, nominated Carter for the award.

Misty has shown her support for the Guard and my role as far as a Guardsman and what I have to do, what I have to go through in order to fulfill that role, Rio said. She has been accommodating of scheduling for time off work for drills, he said.

Also, I believe shes recognized the importance of hiring veterans, he said.

Sigmatex HR Liaison Shelly Jordan-Hunter, a retired Reservist, was also recognized for her support in a special letter from ESGR.

I feel like Sigmatex here is able to see the benefits of hiring veterans and hiring service members that are coming out of active duty, coming out of the Guard, Rio said.

ESGR is a link between employers and their employees in the service, making sure everyone does what they are supposed to do, said Jennifer Harding of ESGR South Carolina.

Its an organization to protect the rights of both the employers and the Reservists and National Guardsmen, Harding said.

The Patriot Award is a recognition for employers that have been nominated by their Guardsmen or Reservists for their support while theyre away on active duty and making sure that theyre protected with their job and doing what theyre supposed to do under USERRA law, she said.

USERRA, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, is a federal law that establishes rights and responsibilities for uniformed Service members and their civilian employers. It affects employment, reemployment and retention in employment when employees serve in the uniformed services.

As a Patriot Award winner, Carter and Sigmatex will now be eligible for the national Freedom Award, the Department of Defenses highest honor given to employers for their support of the National Guard and Reserve, Harding said.

Sigmatex is a British-based carbon fiber textile manufacturer.
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By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

A newly created Cooperation of Azerbaijan and Arab Countries Public Association was presented to public in Baku on April 22.

The aim of establishing 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.

Associations Chairman Elshan Rahimov, addressing the ceremony, noted 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 the 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 on announcing 2017 the Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan, and Bakus hosting the Islamic Solidarity Games in May.



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, to achieve its goal, he said.



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, Rahimov 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.



Close contacts will be established with representatives of business circles of Arab countries that have rich financial resources, and 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.

Rahimov further said that a mission of Azerbaijani businessmen will visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in July to establish business ties.

He said that the 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.

In addition, in October Baku will host the first Azerbaijani-Arab business forum, with participation of more than 300 entrepreneurs from Arab countries, according to Rahimov, who 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.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev has visited Dubai, as business leaders from Azerbaijan and the UAE gathered in the financial capital to discuss opportunities to invest in Azerbaijan and boost business relations between the two countries.

The business delegation led by Mustafayev attended the 6th meeting of the Azerbaijan-UAE intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and technical cooperation in Dubai on April 21.

Mustafayev, addressing the event, said that Azerbaijan is ready to open a trading house in the UAE and appoint a trade representative there.

The minister 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.

Sectors in Azerbaijan, which presented opportunities for foreign investment included agriculture, ICT, trade, education and other areas.

Mustafayev said that there is great potential to develop cooperation effectively using the existing opportunities.

The United Arab Emirates has invested $778.1 million in the Azerbaijani economy so far, the minister said adding that Azerbaijan has invested $284.4 million in the UAE. Over 255 UAE companies operate in Azerbaijan.

The 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.

Mustafayev 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.

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.

Within the framework of visit, a delegation of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs led by Mustafayev also had a meeting with the management of DP World Company in Dubai, said the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry.

The Azerbaijani delegation was informed about the work carried out by the DP World Group in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in the Alat township of Bakus Garadagh district. The sides discussed the general plan on construction of industrial and logistics infrastructure, development concept of the free trade zone and other issues.

Measures on creation of a free trade zone type special economic area covering the territory of the Baku International Sea Trade Port in the Alat township of Bakus Garadagh district was inked by a presidential decree on March 17, 2016.

In September 2016, the Azerbaijani government and Dubai Port World (DP World), one of the worlds major port operators, signed an agreement on provision of consulting services for the creation of the FTZ.

During the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also met with the management of VPS Healthcare Company.

Mustafayev recalled that currently, two medicine plants are being built in Azerbaijans Pirallahi Industrial Park, which specializes in pharmaceutics.

The minister noted that negotiations are also underway with other medicine producers.

Recalling that the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and VPS Healthcare signed a memorandum of understanding in February, Mustafayev said that the groundbreaking ceremony of a joint pharmaceutical plant will be held in the near future.

Moreover, a business forum, which was attended by entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan and the UAE operating in the spheres of industry, agriculture, construction, finance, tourism and others, was also held in Dubai.

The Azerbaijani delegation invited the UAE businessmen to invest in priority spheres of the Azerbaijani economy, such as industry, agriculture, IT and tourism.

Then the Azerbaijani delegation visited the Lulu supermarket chain and met with the companys management. Participants of the meeting discussed the issues of cooperation and sale of Azerbaijani products in the companys trade facilities located in the UAE and Gulf countries. It was noted that Azerbaijani products are in great demand in the UAE and some Azerbaijani goods, are already sold in Lulu supermarkets.

Azerbaijani entrepreneurs also visited the Union Coop chain of supermarkets and met with its management. During the meeting, the possibility of selling Azerbaijani products, especially fruits and vegetables, in Union Coop supermarkets was discussed. Representatives of the company noted that certain Azerbaijani products, which are in great demand in the UAE, are already sold in these supermarkets.




By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans State Philharmonic Hall will host concert of Azerbaijani and Italian classical music.

The concert, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries will take place on April 28, Report.az reported.

Soprano Farida Mammadova, baritone and counter-tenor Ilham Nazarov, tenor Adil Akhundov will perform classical works by G.Puccini, G.Verdi, C.Monteverdi, K.Alizade and others.

The State Symphonic Orchestra will be conducted by Pierluigi Destro.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 8, 1992. The first embassy of Italy among the Southern Caucasian republics was opened in Azerbaijan in 1997 and the embassy of Azerbaijan to Italy has been functioning since 2003.

Azerbaijan is an important economic partner of Italy. Italian companies operate successfully in Azerbaijan, particularly, in the energy sector.

In 2016, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy amounted to $1.89 billion decreasing by 33.5 percent as compared to 2015. Italy, which has been ranking first among major trade partners of Azerbaijan during eight years, was the third in late 2016.

However, in early 2017, Italy again became the leader among Azerbaijans trade partners. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, the two countries trade turnover amounted to $461.5 million in January-March 2017, increasing by 41.4 percent as compared to the 1Q2016.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

The closing ceremony of the Francophonie Weeks, presenting cultural creativity and diversity of Francophone countries, took place in Baku on April 22.

The event featuring gastronomic delights of Francophone countries was attended by famous cultural and art figures, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in the country.

French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Bouchez, addressing the event, expressed gratitude to all the guests of the event and all the partners for the assistance and support.



She noted that about 30 events were organized during the three weeks of the Francophonie Weeks in Baku. The program included screening of films, exhibitions and other events that aroused great interest of the public.

The closing ceremony also announced winners of various contests and quizzes, organized within the framework of the Francophonia Weeks, who were also awarded.

The evening continued with a gastronomic program. Guests tasted various dishes, which allowed get familiarize and learn about the gastronomic traditions of the French-speaking countries. The music program, performed at the event gave a special atmosphere to the evening.

Between April 1 and 22, the Embassies of Belgium, France, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Morocco, Mexico, Romania and Switzerland jointly celebrated French language and Francophonie holiday.

Overall, the days of French language and culture are annual spring event in Azerbaijan that brings French-speaking people together.

The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970. Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 80 member states and governments (57 members and 23 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations member states and account for a population of over 890 million people, including 220 million French speakers.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The International Mugham Center has hosted the awarding ceremony of the second Booktrailer Festival in Azerbaijan.

Booktrailers are short videos that promote a book or an author, providing a good illustration of the book content. The project aims at promoting books, supporting and developing creative forms of reading, searching talented young people in cinematography and promoting bookrailers as a part of art and business.

The festival, which took place under the slogan "Promote a book, get promoted with a book!" was organized by actor Ruslan Sabirli with support of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The festival was timed to the World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day, held annually on April 23.

Book is the best friend. How often do we hear these words? In modern life there are a huge number of various sources of information, but nothing can replace a book, a priceless gift to mankind. It's a storehouse of knowledge, a great thoughts and good advice, source of wisdom and conscience. This was the keynote speech delivered by Ruslan Sabirli.

In their speeches, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Vagif Aliyev, MP Ganira Pashayeva, honored art workers Mushfiq Hatamov, Ayaz Salayev and Kanan Mammadov, actress Senuber Iskenderli stressed the importance of the project and wished young people further creative achievements.

Later the winners were named.

Booktrailers were assessed by each member of the jury individually. In the end, the Organizing Committee summarized the assessment of each jury member.

Director of the film Studio "Azerbaijanfilm", honored art worker Mushfiq Hatamov, poet, Secretary for creative affairs at Azerbaijan's Union of Writers Ilgar Fahmi, film director, screenwriter, the founder of the production center Cinema Evi Elchin Musaoglu, film critic, writer, film maker Ayaz Salayev, cameraman, honored artist Kanan Mamedov chose the winner of the festival.

Thus, the first place went to Elnur Rzayev, who created book trailer on the book by Ramiz Rovshan "Breath". The second place was shared by Emin Hasankhanzadeh (Mushfiq Khan, O 2) and Orkhan Adigezalov (Agshin Yenisey, "I Write you a letter").

The third place was shared by Galib Mirzaliyev (Azer Elshadoglu, "Night man"), Javidan Alizadeh (Tarana Valid ,"Suicide,) and Veli Mammadov (Sahila Ibrahimova, "Coup").

The first place got a prize in the amount of 1000 manats ($ 558), while the winners of the second and third places 800 manats ($446) and 500 manats ($279), respectively.

The festival's participants expressed gratitude to the event organizers.

The gala evening was hosted actress and radio host Aygun Akif, who appeared in a gorgeous dress from the fashion house of Gulnara Khalilova.

Media partners of the event are Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az, Azernews.az
By Trend





President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran is now paving the path of success and progress as ill-wishers are trying to create obstacles to hinder such advances, IRNA reported.

President Rouhani made the remarks duing inaugural ceremony of a number of industrial projects via video conference on Sunday.

'We should take advantage of the sound atmosphere created mainly after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to boost the country's economy and industry in the province,' he said.

Trade exchanges have been eased and big ships have now berthed at the Iranian ports to load and unload commodities which mean grounds for export of our products are well-prepared, Rouhani said.

Referring to the upcoming presidential elections, President Rouhani said it is 'our duty to encourage people to go to the ballot boxes and we hope to witness another epic' much greater than the former round of presidential election campaign.
By Trend





Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif conferred with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the first International Forum on Ancient Civilizations in Athens, Greece, on Sunday, IRNA reported.

During the meeting, both officials discussed bilateral ties, regional and international issues.

Zarif arrived in the Greek capital Sunday morning for a two-day visit to participate in the international forum.

While in Athens, Zarif is also expected to meet his counterparts from other participating countries.

The two-day forum of ancient civilizations kicked off on Sunday. It is attended by foreign ministers from Iran, China, India, Italy and Egypt, among other participating states.
The UAE continues to be a buoyant and lucrative market for financial services firms, said the head of the Dubai office of Quilter Cheviot, part of UK-based investment fund Old Mutual Wealth.



The investment management firm established its representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) 12 months ago.



Since then its performance in the Mena region has exceeded expectations due to market trends in long term saving investments, new regulations and more knowledgeable investors.



Quilter Cheviot expects this growth to continue as the International Monetary Fund forecasts Emirati economic growth will strengthen to 2.5 per cent this year and 3.1 per cent in 2018.



Mark Leale, head of Quilter Cheviots Dubai representative office and principal representative, added: It was debated if this was the right time to open an office, but we knew there was demand in the region for our specialist expertise and service.



Popularity for our bespoke investment management offering has continued to grow, but even our own lofty expectations have been surpassed with financial advisers and their clients showing an ever-increasing desire to have their portfolios managed by investment experts. We are confident our second year will bring us even more success and that the sector in the UAE will continue to go from strength to strength.



Quilter Cheviot offers its clients a Discretionary Fund Manager (DFM) service - an investment expert who actively manages investment portfolios on behalf of clients. They work together in partnership with financial advisers, enabling advisers to focus on the financial planning aspects while they focus on managing the investments.



DFMs are growing in popularity around the world with many forward thinking financial adviser firms in the Middle East beginning to see the benefits in outsourcing such an important element of their advice service to the investment experts.



Another factor aiding Quilter Cheviots success is that the regions regulatory environment continues to evolve, a company statement said.



Earlier this month the Dubai Financial Services Authority joined 21 regulators from the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators (IFIAR).



The IFIAR is made up of 52 independent audit regulators from around the world including UK's Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the US' Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). It was set up in 2006 as a forum for regulators to share knowledge of the audit market environment.



Weve had a lot of support from some of the most reputable adviser firms in the country this year and that has been extremely helpful to us, but other market conditions have also worked in our favour, Leale said.



The financial sector in the Middle East is becoming more regulated and the investors are becoming more knowledgeable about their investments. Both of these factors work well for us as our investment expertise offers strong returns and more actively managed portfolios that are tailored to each client.



Craig McConnon, CEO of Dubai-based Prestige Wealth Solutions said: Although long overdue, the arrival of Quilter Cheviot has been a very much welcomed one for the region. Its market leading DFM proposition has been a delight to take to market which, transparency and performance aside, has been complimented by both the local office and international backbone of expertise that Quilter Cheviot is renowned for.



Our working relationship with Quilter Cheviot has undoubtedly assisted in securing new clients, as well as given us the ability to enhance existing client relationships with the introduction of both Managed Portfolio Services (MPS) and Discretionary Portfolio Services (DPS) services.



Another intermediary partner of Quilter Cheviot is Guardian Wealth Management.



The companys regional head in Dubai, Hamzah Shalchi, said: Since working with Quilter Cheviot in the Middle East, we have been astonished with the level of technical, sales and face to face support. The brand carries a fantastic reputation with a unique solution to clients, which excels from anything else in the market.



Quilter Cheviot is keen to help the financial sector in the UAE become more knowledgeable. It is celebrating its first birthday today (April 24) by partnering with The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) to offer a Continued Professional Development (CPD) course on Effective Portfolio Construction and Management.  TradeArabia News Service
Northern Gulf's biggest exhibitions showcasing the very best in construction, interiors and real estate will open their doors in Bahrain tomorrow (April 25) with a record number of property developers at the three-in-one event, which has now expanded to include an evening festival.



Collectively known as the 3Gs, they comprise the Gulf Construction Expo along with the Gulf Interiors exhibition and the record-breaking Gulf Property Show.



The 3Gs are being held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and will run concurrently at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre until Thursday (April 27).



This year, the trade shows will also feature an outdoor music and food festival in the evening as an added attraction for visitors and families, according to the organiser Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).



As many as 140 local, regional and international exhibitors are at the events, with the Gulf Property Show this year crossing a record 2,000 sq m for the very first time since its launch in 2013.



The three exhibitions are considered a valuable springboard into the multi-billion-dollar construction, interiors and real estate markets of the Northern Gulf, where the emphasis is on showcasing the latest products, services, technologies and projects available in the region.



HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman said the 2017 edition successfully continues the one-stop-shop concept.



"Our aim is to promote the GCCs capacity across the construction, interiors and real estate sectors and support the economic vision of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, who continues to extend his patronage to our events," noted Abdulrahman.



"The 2017 edition of the shows has seen a real growth of participants from Bahrain and across the GCC looking to offer individuals and companies with a Made in the GCC option," he stated.



The 3Gs will also feature a raft of special offers and deals from exhibitors, he added.



HCE exhibitions director Ahmed Suleiman said: "Our exhibitors are aware that the shows represent a very good opportunity to sell their products and are looking to entice deal making at the shows with attractive offers."



Gulf Construction Expo, Gulf Interiors and Gulf Property Show are open between 10 am and 9 pm from April 25 to 27 at the BIECC. Entrance is free.-TradeArabia News Service
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based international smelter, in line with its commitment to develop and train young Bahrainis, is a key participant and sponsor of Bahrain Training Institutes (BTI) Career Week 2017.



Being held under the patronage of Minister of Education Dr Majed bin Ali Al Nuaimi, the career week, which opened yesterday (April 23) will run till tomorrow (April 25) at the institutes premises.



Director of administration Waleed Tamimi said: As a Bahraini company, Alba is pleased to support BTIs Career Week, which offers the students an understanding of the professional world as well as career opportunities in Bahrain.



We look forward to meet BTI graduates and trainees who will shape the world of work for the years to come through their career aspirations, Tamimi said.



BTI is a leading technical institute in Bahrain, which has been providing the national workforce with the necessary vocational skills to enhance their industrial performance.  TradeArabia News Service


Jebel Ali Customs Center, the modern facility and one of the major customs centers in Dubai, UAE has carried out around record 729,000 customs transactions during the first quarter of the year, said director Yousuf Al Hashemi.



Thanks to the use of the latest technologies and devices we had a much better performance compared to previous years following the vision and directives of our wise leadership, he added.



The transactions were carried out using the latest systems including Mirsal 2 system, which enables clients to fulfil their requirements and fill out their applications online without the need of personal attendance, he explained.



"We have a number of plans for the future which will help develop Jebel Ali Operations room including a radioactive vehicle and container scanning unit. The inclusion of sophisticated inspection tools has raised commitment and performance levels in Jebel Ali from 42 per cent in 2010 to 91.7 per cent in 2013. In 2016, client satisfaction went up to 87 per cent, and employee satisfaction reached 88 per cent, he added.



He also highlighted a number of quality achievements of the centre during 2016. It recorded 348 seizures of restricted, fake and prohibited materials. This means a 24 per cent increase compared to 2015 which recorded 281 seizures. The center, which includes a client center and seven inspection units, also inspected 237,716 containers and carried out 605,000 customs transactions last year.



Al Hashemi pointed out that the seizures contained more than 700,000 tramadol narcotic pills, and quantities of Naswar tobacco derivative, silica powder, smuggled cigarettes, fake goods, and endangered sandal wood in coordination with local and global security authorities.





Naser Al Jumairi, director of Jebel Ali and Tecom Customs Centre explained that a Dubai Customs unit was opened at gate 11 for more convenience and client satisfaction.



Ahmed Al Jamri, director of Jebel Ali Inspection Center said the center has five advanced container scanning devices and five cargo scanning devices.  TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Restrata, a global security solutions provider, is set to launch its new web-based portal which will serve as a platform to provide reporting and longer-term situational risk analysis conducted by its Business Solutions Operation Centre (BSOC) in Basrah, Iraq.



Restrata is co-located with the Basrah Operations Command (BaOC), the main headquarters of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and provides a liaison between ISF and International Oil Companies (IOCs) and private business.



Promoting freedom of movement, emergency liaison and information & analysis through bespoke and regular reporting, the online portal will offer comprehensive current situation assessment and analysis, as well as an archive of historic material.



Information provided by BSOC allows organisations to plan and implement safe journey management with real time situational awareness. Through liaison with the 24/7 Control Centre companies can gain assistance in dealing with any difficulties that may occur and responding to incidents. Through the BSOC, the Iraqi Security Forces can be called upon to support subscribers in emergency situations.



Botan Osman, managing director at Restrata, said: It is critical that organisations planning on conducting commercial operations are able to fully assess the situation in Iraq. The BSOC has a unique relationship at the heart of command in the region and has a strong and effective working relationship with the authorities in Iraq. This provides the most complete service available for those looking to minimise the risks to personnel and equipment.



Operating conditions can change very quickly and the best way to stay informed is by using a service that continuously monitors the situation in the country in real-time.



The BSOC Insight subscription includes up to eight regular reports as well as real-time information feeds. The South-East daily focuses on incidents and issues around the Basrah province of Iraq and the current security picture.



Basrah and Iraq weekly reports review recent incidents and their effect on the medium-term security situation. Basrah and Iraq monthly reports combine all incidents in the respective areas over the past month to give a significant insight into the current situation and analysis on possible outcomes, ideal for planning for corporate risk management.  TradeArabia News Service
Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Company (Orpic) will celebrate the ground-breaking of Package Three of its Liwa Plastics Industries Complex (LPIC) Project on April 27.



The event, which will take place in the Wilayate of Ibri, Fahud, will be held under the patronage of Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, secretary-general of Supreme Council for Planning and Orpic chairman in the presence of a number of officials and community members from the Wilayate of Ibri.



A consortium of two corporations GS Engineering and Construction and Mitsui & Co has been awarded the contract to execute the engineering, procurement and construction for Package Three at a cost of $688 million.



LPIC will firmly reinforce Orpic as a recognised player in the international petrochemicals marketplace  enabling Oman, for the first time, to produce polyethylene, a form of plastic that rates highest in terms of global demand and increase the current production of polypropylene.



The project will be the first of its kind in the sultanate and will enable Oman to take the downstream plastics industry to the next level, a statement said. - TradeArabia News Service
The second edition of Hurafuna Handicraft Festival, which successfully closed last night, attracted more than 75,000 visitors from various nationalities.



The event that was held at Bab Al Bahrain in Manama Souq provided visitors of all ages an opportunity to enjoy the live performances by traditional Bahraini bands, participate in traditional games and the opportunity to purchase traditional products made by 21 craftsmen who showcased their handicrafts during the festival. Some of the handicrafts included hand-weaved baskets, rope making, wooden boxes, pottery, model ships and much more. Hurafuna aimed to create a unique atmosphere to all visitors while promoting the local heritage.



The Festival also offered its young visitors a fun-filled calendar of events including activities and educational handicraft workshops such as pottery painting and the art of collage. The workshops aimed to provide an educational platform aimed at preserving the kingdoms rich traditional handicrafts industry. More than 400 school students visited Hurafuna and took part in the various workshops.



Commenting on the conclusion of the event, the chief executive officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, said: We are delighted to witness the success of the second edition of Hurafuna handicrafts festival. The event attracted a large number of visitors and successfully promoted the handicrafts industry among the international visitors who are in Bahrain during the F1 season.



Also, by hosting workshops on the sidelines of the Festival, we were able to enhance the handicraft industry among the students and future generation. We aim to continue strengthening our strategy in hosting similar events that play an important role in preserving the traditional handicrafts industry in Bahrain, which is a main component of the tourism identity, said Shaikh Khalid. - TradeArabia News Service


Ahead of next weeks Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2017 (Ahic), being held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from April 25 to 27, its speakers have unveiled insights into the global trends and market sentiment that are currently making an impact on the hospitality industry across the Middle East.



Chairman of Bench Events and co-founder of Ahic, Jonathan Worsley, said: AHIC is the premium networking and knowledge platform for the hospitality investment community in the Middle East and beyond. As such, we are committed to providing our delegates with the very latest market intelligence and are thrilled to be unveiling new reports at Ahic 2017, including Global Megatrends from PwC and the AHIC BLP Market Sentiment Survey Review in partnership with Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP (BLP).



On April 26, PwC Middle East's Partner and Deals Real Estate Leader Dr. Martin Berlin, will present, for the first time, the new PwC Report 'Global megatrends and their impact on hospitality in the Middle East'. Later that day, Berlin will take part in the Ahic Research Den in a session entitled: 'Delving into the five global mega trends and how they relate to Middle East hospitality'.



Ahead of the conference, Dr. Martin Berlin said: We are delighted to take part in Ahic for the fourth year around. The Middle East finds itself at the epicentre of the several megatrends that are shaping our world today. These in turn have a direct impact on the region's hospitality industry.



A polarising demand shift in generations, advancement of emerging technologies, increasing connectivity and awareness in urbanisation and tourism, as well as a changing climate and the evident impact of digitisation in today's world will shape the future of hospitality and tourism. Stay tuned for our report on global megatrends and their impact on the Middle East's travel and tourism industry, which we look forward to launch at this year's Ahic, said Berlin.



Later the same day, Robin Rossmann, managing director, STR will present an exclusive data report on Performance and Pipeline for the three-four star segment at Ahic 2017, in a preview to one of the most anticipated sessions: 'The investment climate warms up to the mid-market'. Rossmann will be joined on stage by representatives from operators including Emaar Hospitality Group, Louvre Hotels Group, Shaza Hotels and The Rezidor Hotel Group along with owners from Action Hotels and Ghina Real Estate Company to discuss the potential of this important segment.



The Middle East has been the fastest growing region in the hospitality industry over the last decade in terms of supply, said Rossmann. With 153,460 rooms across 540 projects currently under contract, the region is set to add 49 per cent on top of its current existing supply. As far as markets, Dubai leads the way with over 42,000 rooms in the pipeline, followed by Makkah with almost 30,000. While this represents significant expansion for Dubai, demand has also continued to grow. Were projecting some declines for the markets occupancy levels over the next few years, as supply is expected to outpace demand. While Dubai continues to bring in substantial leisure business, which has helped offset much of the supply growth to date, it will become increasingly challenging for the market to continue maintaining this balance as it continues to expand.



The dynamic market of Dubai will take centre-stage as Ahic presents its first Dubai Tourist Profiling Report, researched and written by GRMC Advisory Consulting, on April 27 in a not-to-be-missed session on Dubai and the next five years 2017-2022.



Presented by Gurdish Bassi, Economist, GRMC Advisory Consulting, this report will provide a unique insight into Dubai tourist spend patterns, activities and motives  and analyse how the tourist profile will evolve by 2021.



In a sneak preview of the Dubai Tourist Profiling Report, GRMC Advisory Consulting forecasts a conspicuous change in the distribution of tourists coming to Dubai.



Bassi explained: Multiple primary research campaigns with hotel guests across Dubai revealed that 34 per cent of Asian visitors were first-time overseas travellers  this statistic increases to 62 per cent when only two-star and three-star hotels are considered. As affluence levels in tier two and three cities of Asian economies rise, an increasing number of first-time overseas travellers will seek Dubai as the first choice of destination, as it offers a comprehensive mix of activities, and is strategically located.



He added: As more Asians (increasingly from second and third-tier cities) replace Westerners, spending will witness growth levels lower than growth in number of visitors.



Dubai is on track to reach the target of 20 million tourists (hotel/hotel apartment and staying with friends/family combined) by 2020  this implies a 7 per cent annualised growth rate up to 2020. However, the expenditure by these tourists will only grow by 4.5 per cent because of the underlying change in visitor profile, predicted Bassi.



In an analysis of the sentiment of Ahic delegates themselves, Scott Antel, Partner, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP (BLP) will present the findings of the second annual Ahic BLP Market Sentiment Survey Review. Looking at 2016 vs 2017, the survey will analyse the shifts in market mood and forecasts.



Ahead of his presentation in The Research Den on April 26, Antel revealed that 72 per cent of respondents predicted there will be some growth in Mena RevPAR in 2017  an improvement in sentiment from 2016, where most respondents predicted no growth or a decline in growth.



Antel quoted one respondent, who said: People have gotten used to these obstacles (low energy prices, sanctions, geopolitical uncertainty) as the new norm and have adapted and are getting on with it.



However, Antel said one area that still caused major concern was that of the OTA model. According to the Ahic BLP Market Sentiment Survey Review, 90 per cent of respondents feel operators should bear more of the costs of recapturing guests back to their own direct booking platforms.



Antel said: The very real dilution of the brands distribution systems with the rise of the OTAs has not been reflected in the cost charged by the operator for marketing and distribution. If anything it has increased as operators try and lure back (through discounts, upgrades, frequent guest programmes) the customers they lost but on the owners dime. This sentiment is clearly reflected in the survey results, asserted Antel.



Suggestions from respondents for redressing this perceived imbalance included decreasing the central marketing charges of operators or waiving those charges on guest revenues attributable to bookings not made directly through the operators own website, Antel added.



To find out more, register for the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2017. - TradeArabia News Service


The region's biggest travel and tourism event, Arabian Travel Market, opened today (April 24) in Dubai, UAE, welcoming visitors and trade professions from all across the world.



The regions leading industry showcase welcomes over 2,600 confirmed exhibitors  with 100 exhibiting for the first time  across 65 national pavilions to the 24th edition.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the exhibition.

Sheikh Mohammed was joined by dignitaries including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman and CEO of the Emirates Group; and Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

Running until April 27, ATM 2017 will look into the latest industry trend of experiential travel as its main theme and feature four days of business networking opportunities, insightful seminars and ministerial meetings, at Dubai World Trade Centre.



Simon Press, senior exhibition director, ATM, said: We have visitors registered from all corners of the globe and all facets of the hospitality industry for what promises to be the biggest show yet in the events 24-year history.



The growth and scale of ATM 2017 is testament to the buoyant travel and tourism industry here in the Mena region. It is no secret the growth we observe in the regional industry is spurred by visionary national agendas and a favourable and thriving business environment. With a series of mega-events scheduled for the coming years, including Expo 2020, this growth will undoubtedly continue.



ATM Buyers Club Speed Networking kicked off day 1, seeing buyers and exhibitors from across the globe come together to strike deals and do valuable business. Exhibitors and senior buyers got five focused minutes together to talk leads, deals and business.



How to increase promotional activities to attract more visitors from two of the futures biggest inbound source markets: China and India was up for discussion on the ATM Global Stage earlier today.



According to data, China counts an average of 122 million outbound tourists annually and India contributes 22 million, with overseas spending calculated to be $252 billion and $15.4 billion respectively in 2015.



Filippo Sona, director, head of hotels Mena region, Colliers International, said: The growing middle class and cheaper flight options are transforming the outbound travel landscape for these two countries, with a combined 146 million passport holders.



Debrah Dhugga, managing director, Dukes London and Dukes Dubai, said: The GCC is home to a number of globally-recognised tourist attractions and continues to draw visitors from all over the world as a result. As markets in Europe and other GCC countries continue to feel the pressure of low oil prices and depreciated currency rates, it is key that tourism bodies and private sector hospitality, travel and tourism brands continue to explore new markets.



The growth seen from China and India has driven tourist arrivals across the region over the near past and we have seen this reflected in our recent guest profiles, he said.



Banking on the growing visitor numbers, international hospitality groups including Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental are eyeing the Middle East for expansion with major hotel projects signed at ATM and hotel openings scheduled for the year.



Marriott continues to strengthen its position across the Middle East and Africa region, with a remarkable 29 new properties set to open in 2017 with a total of 6,815 rooms, the group revealed at ATM today. The new additions will bolster Marriott Internationals existing collection of 247 hotels and 54,000 rooms in 30 countries across the region.



Hospitality group Hilton also revealed its GCC expansion plans, unveileing the largest active pipeline in the GCC, according to data from market research firm STR, with over 21,000 rooms in its pipeline across the Gulf of which more than 16,000 are already under construction and set to open before 2020.



InterContinental Hotels Group, one of the worlds leading global hotel companies, today announced four new hotel signings as well as six new hotel openings across the GCC in 2017 at ATM, indicating its continued expansion across the MEA region in multiple segments, including luxury, business, family, and lifestyle. - TradeArabia News Service
Strengthening its foothold in Bahrain, global hotel management company Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) will triple its inventory of rooms in the kingdom this year with the opening of two new hotels already under development.



Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, a 189-key five-star luxury resort will be ready by the last quarter of the year and there is a new residences property in Juffair on final stages of being branded as Swiss-Belresidences. It will open doors in December 2017, said a statement.



These two new properties will be joining the existing Swiss-Belhotel Seef that has contributed to the groups strong reputation in Bahrain and received several accolades including the Best 4-Star Hotel in GCC at the recent Food & Travel Awards 2017.



Gavin M Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International, said: We are pleased to expand our footprint in Bahrain where we have enjoyed great success with our flagship property Swiss-Belhotel Seef. The new developments are in line with our multi-brand growth strategy and reinforce our commitment to Bahrain where we continue to see a strong demand. We look forward to a long-term partnership with our valued owners and associates.



Bahrain is making significant investment into its tourism-related infrastructure, including a $1.1 billion airport expansion, and the kingdom also has plans to expand its current exhibition centre to accommodate large-scale events across all categories.



Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Laurent A. Voivenel, Swiss-Belhotel Internationals senior vice president, operations and development for the Middle East, Africa and India, said: The tourism industry in Bahrain is growing rapidly with the kingdom expecting to welcome 15.8 million annual visitors by 2018. This has significantly pushed the demand for quality hotels. We understand the needs of our customers and are confident both Swiss-Belresidences Juffair and Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef will perfectly complement our existing hotel in Bahrain, as well as supporting our wider expansion plans and growth strategy in the region as a whole by diversifying our product offering.



Swiss-Belhotel International is located at Stand HC0300 in Sheikh Saeed Hall at the ATM. - TradeArabia News Service


THERMOPOLIS  Lawmakers, for the third consecutive year, are hoping to create a law penalizing people caught with edible marijuana.

Two Wyoming judges have tossed out felony edibles cases in recent years, concluding that state law applies only to the plant form of cannabis. The Legislatures Joint Judiciary Committee, meeting Thursday in Thermopolis, discussed again creating a law with teeth on edibles. The lawmakers have been working on the issue since 2015 and have presented bills in the 2016 and 2017 legislative sessions. Those attempts have all failed.

In 2017, the bill died on the last night of the session. The bill, which originated in the House, was heavily amended in the Senate and the House rejected its changes. The bill was an overall reform of the states marijuana statutes, in both plant and edible form, said its sponsor, Rep. Jared Olsen, R-Cheyenne.

The challenge with edibles, crime lab analysts have said in the past, is that its difficult to test the amount of drugs psychoactive ingredient, THC, in brownies and other foods. Equipment that does the testing is expensive for Wyoming, which has the nations lowest population, and its hard to separate THC from ingredients such as butter, sugar, cocoa and flour.

Lawmakers over the years have debated the amount that should constitute felony possession  from a few ounces to a pound. Olsens bill would have made possession of 8 ounces a felony.

On Thursday, lawmakers ordered its nonpartisan staff to prepare a draft bill for the 2018 session similar to the version of Olsens legislation that was amended midway through the legislative process.

They also instructed staff to draft a simpler bill that would add to existing controlled substance law a specification that possession of edibles and any other form of marijuana is illegal in the state.

Committee chairman Sen. Leland Christensen said that the bills wont necessarily end up before the Legislature next year, however. He said anything could happen with the draft bills.

As typical with the cannabis debate, forces for and against legalization testified about the efficacy of such laws.

Frank Latta, director of Wyoming NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, urged the committee to take its time and craft a thoughtful law.

This is not a huge problem, he said. Were not talking about a violent crime.

Christensen, the chairman, said the committee will address the edibles weight at the next meeting.
Caspers downtown plaza received a $10,000 donation from a local energy company late last month, the Downtown Development Authority announced Monday.

Rocky Mountain Power Foundations gift moves the $9 million David Street Station even closer to completion.

David Street Station closes in on fundraising goal The Downtown Development Authority has raised $1 million for the David Street Station since 

The first phase of the plaza is planned to open by August, when the Wyoming Eclipse Festival is expected to draw 30,000 visitors to Casper.

We are honored to accept this generous donation and eager to reinvest it back into the community through what is truly a civic project  David Street Station, DDA CEO Kevin Hawley said in a statement.

Rocky Mountain Power regional business manager Leslie Blythe said the company was excited to support the DDAs mission.
Community college enrollment continues to fall across the state, but the executive director of the colleges commission says its beginning to level off.

In 2014, statewide enrollment dropped by nearly 7 percent. In the past year, its fallen by less than 1 percent, said Jim Rose, the head of the Community College Commission. While that still translates to a drop of more than 600 students, it statistically means that the decline is leveling off, Rose said.

The cause of the decline is difficult to pinpoint, Rose and Casper College officials say. Historically, economic declines mean boosts for colleges: People seek new jobs and explore new skill sets. So college administrators are mystified as to why the persistent energy decline in Wyoming hasnt hiked enrollment.

Rose and Casper College officials speculated that many of the workers who found themselves unemployed worked in the energy sector and likely uprooted to pursue similar jobs elsewhere.

Theres some pretty telling data about whats happening to our population and thats one of the things people are pointing to, Rose said. When we were experiencing a robust economy that really employed a lot of people, they werent putting down roots and were invested in the state to the point where if the economy went down they were really going to stay here.

Rose also said it might be because K-12 enrollment is down across the state by several hundred students, so the pool of potential community college students is shrinking.

Two-thirds of Wyomings community college population are part-time students, he added. So if the economy is in a tough spot, non-traditional students and part-timers might focus on their jobs rather than spending money on classes and time in school.

The problem could be potentially compounded by the commissions decision to increase tuition in the coming years. On top of that, each college has additional fees they charge students. Its a patchwork of additional costs that could be prohibitive for some, Rose has said.

Its going to have an effect on some students because theyre in some cases just making ends meet, he said in February, when the tuition increase was announced.

Attracting students

The colleges themselves might be partially responsible for the leveling off of the decline. At Casper College, for instance, officials pushed an initiative to emphasize student registration. Leanne Loya, the director of student success at the school, said in a college-wide email that enrollment is up 30 percent for next fall compared to fall 2016. She attributed that to the advising push.

The email shows in the last two days of Advising Week, enrollment for next fall jumped nearly 286 students compared to this years student population.

Got everybody on the same timeline for getting advised and registered, college spokesman Chris Lorenzen told the Star-Tribune in an interview Friday. We are also trying to get people advised and registered before theyre worried about finals and all the graduation activities take off for a group of students here as well.

The college also plans to reach out to former students who mightve left before they completed their degrees, hoping for an enrollment bump there as well.

While Casper College is looking to boost its recruitment efforts, Rose said other colleges may have had to cut back on outreach. The economic downturn has meant community colleges have lost more than $20 million in state funding. Colleges thus have less resources and potentially less staff to have a robust recruitment program.

I cant believe it wouldnt have some effects on the overall ability of colleges, Rose said.

On top of recruitment being tougher to fund, some colleges have less to offer students. With less money, educators have had to eliminate programs, offer early retirement incentives and, in some cases, lay off tenured staff, Rose said.

Despite all the challenges, the worst might be behind Wyomings seven community colleges, officials said. Lorenzen and other Casper College officials believe theyve reached the bottom of their years-long enrollment decline. Rose feels the same about state enrollment in general.

Rose pointed out that enrollment is only one metric by which colleges measure their educational health because, in the end, its about graduating students.

Most all of our colleges are increasing their completion rate, which is what weve really been striving for, he said. The overall result for us has not been to see a decline in the number of students receiving certificates and diplomas, and thats a good thing.
Most business owners work hard to create successful, sustainable businesses. They wear many hats and are ultimately responsible for every aspect of the business. One of their most important responsibilities is to generate a consistent flow of business.

Business development requires significant time, money and energy to attract enough of the right customers. Most business owners believe they know where their business is coming from, but in reality they do not. The vast majority of business owners do not accurately measure the results of their marketing efforts.

I spoke with the marketing director of a well known local financial institution. Their annual marketing budget is about $1 million. Their marketing campaigns are extensive and include TV and radio ads, newspaper ads, billboards, direct mail campaigns, social media marketing, membership in trade associations, chambers of commerce and a host of others.

I asked him which marketing mediums worked the best? He responded that TV ads produced the best results because the phone would ring when the commercials aired. When I asked how many of the callers actually became customers, he did not know. He admitted they do not track the results of their marketing efforts. I was surprised they spent $1 million each year, and they did not track the results of that investment.

Paul Bellows is a prominent business consultant and CEO of Be Good at Doing Good. Bellows says if you cant track it, you cant measure it. If you cant measure it, you cant improve it.

According to Bellows there are systems and tools to track your marketing efforts, but adds it is much easier to track digital forms of advertising. To track conventional forms of advertising, try using dedicated tracking phone numbers for each campaign. Specific calls to action can help your tracking efforts, and you can direct consumers to dedicated landing pages on your website.
To learn a citys best dishes, you need a local guide. The Arizona Office of Tourism and the Arizona Restaurant Association recently launched website Expedition Foodie to help out-of-towners plan their culinary adventure in Arizona.

The groups are collecting information about Arizona chefs and restaurants to feature on the website, expeditionfoodieaz.com. Both organizations hope the site will help capitalize on positioning the state as a food destination.

In 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized Tucson as the first city in the U.S. for gastronomy, which means it has localized food production and has invested in natural resources to create international culinary experiences.

Arizona restaurants also are getting global attention, including Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix.

Scott Holmes, owner of Little Miss BBQ, said he met a group of people from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, who planned to stay in Phoenix for a week.

They flew in, and this is the only restaurant that they knew that they were going to eat at, Holmes said. Its amazing. Its really, really cool.

Little Miss BBQ has consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in the state, even the country, according to Yelp. The site has ranked it No. 11 on its list of best places to eat in the U.S.

Scott Dunn, the vice president of communications for the Arizona Office of Tourism, said places like Little Miss BBQ help get Arizona on the food destination map.

Our culinary reputation has elevated with each passing year, he said.

The line at Little Miss BBQ usually starts at 9 a.m., and by noon, the wait can take as long as 2 hours.

We get people who fly in and they try to schedule their flight so that they land at 9 (a.m.) and can get their bags and be here by 10, Holmes said. It really kind of blows my mind sometimes.

This year, Phoenix was named No. 1 for favorite pizza by Travel and Leisure magazine.

Dominic Armato, food blogger and critic for The Arizona Republic, said Phoenix is making its way onto these lists by embracing its own history and resources.

Phoenix is finding its voice when it comes to all things culinary, Armato said. It is a town that it is getting more confident in the food that is getting made, more confident in its history.

Whether a food market, BBQ joint or pizza place, more tourists are saying food experiences are an important part of their vacations, according to the Global Report on Food Tourism by the World Tourism Organization.

However, many national lists of food cities in the U.S. focus on the same places  New York, Los Angeles, Portland, New Orleans, according to sites like Zagat and The Washington Post.

Phoenix  or any other Arizona city  usually does not make these lists. But Zagat did rank Phoenix/Scottsdale No. 9 on its up-and-coming food cities list.

The Arizona Office of Tourism reported that retail and bars brought in about $1 billion to the local economy in 2016, a 2 percent increase from the previous year.

The Expedition Foodie website is not the Office of Tourisms only attempt to increase awareness about the food scene in the state. The site launched a video series called Arizona Expedition and hired food blogger Emily Elyse Miller to travel across the state and curate a list of eateries.
Update: Ken's Hardwood Barbecue is now open

Ken Alexander usually parks his big red food truck on the corner of North Stone Avenue and East Congress Street at lunchtime on Thursdays.

But last week, a car was in its spot, so Alexander and his partner/nephew, Terrance James, turned Kens Hardwood Barbecue truck around and drove a few blocks. A police officer directed them to park the fifth-wheel on the sidewalk in front of the library on North Stone  on the other side of Congress.

People are used to seeing us there, Alexander said nodding toward Congress moments after delivering orders to two customers late in the lunch hour.

Finding someone parked on their regular corner will soon not be as big a problem. In late May, Alexander will open a brick-and-mortar version of Kens Hardwood Barbecue in a place that has been stained with barbecue for nearly 70 years.

Last week, Alexander inked a five-year lease for the 2,500-square-foot building at 5250 E. 22nd St. that has been home to barbecue since Jack Banks opened Jacks Original Barbecue in 1950. Jacks stayed open under a few different owners through 2013. An outpost of the national Dickies Barbecue Pit succeeded it for a couple years before pulling up stakes last month.

We really feel fortunate and blessed to be able to go into a spot thats been a barbecue joint for 67 years, said Alexander, who retired from Raytheon in 2015 and launched Kens Hardwood later that year. People know it for barbecue. There has been some people there that have been very successful at barbecue at that location.

Alexander, who runs the food truck with his 29-year-old son K.G. and his 34-year-old nephew James, said he hopes to be open for business by the end of May. The building is pretty much a turnkey operation; all the barbecue equipment, including smokers, is intact.

He does plan to tweak the menu a bit, adding some more comfort-food side dishes, including cornbread, to the array of barbecue ribs, chicken, pulled pork and hot links. The menu is drawn largely from generations of family recipes dating back to his grandfather, who owned a small cafe in rural Dixon, Tennessee.

Alexander has been cooking since he was 9, but when it came time to pick a career, he chose business. He got his bachelors and masters degrees in his native Kentucky, then moved to Tucson in 1985. A couple years later he landed a job at Hughes Aircraft, which was acquired by Raytheon.

Alexander said he plans to keep the food truck rolling even after he opens the brick-and-mortar restaurant. The truck is a regular fixture at several Tucson call centers, breweries and beer joints including AZ Beer House on South Kolb Road. A loyal following takes to crowd-sourcing sites like Yelp to lavish praise. In one of the more colorful reviews, Anne J. of Tucson admitted she was not a barbecue aficionado, but she called discovering Kens a bit like finding Jesus, if somewhat less life-changing. I think the sun did come out and angels sang a la Monty Python when I took my first bite of the sweet potato fries.

The good thing about the truck is we can take the food to the people, Alexander said. Its like having two locations.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some April 24 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.
With a rise in syphilis cases among women accompanying the recent popularity of online dating apps, health department officials have taken to social media to help spread the message about free STD testing in Pima County.

Provisional results for last year show 108 cases of syphilis, 93 of which were diagnosed in men, according to county records.

While that was three fewer cases than 2015, cases reported by women last year at least tripled, increasing from less than six to 15.

Recently, females have started getting it, so thats a difference we saw last year, said Azucena Huerta, lead communicable disease investigator for the Pima County Health Department, adding that in previous years, the majority of cases mainly involved men having sex with other men.

Of the 15 syphilis cases reported in women last year, 29 percent of the patients said they used internet dating sites.

Syphilis is easy to detect and easily treated. Its symptoms include a sore inside or near the mouth and/or genitals, and a red rash on palms, bottom of the feet, upper thighs or near a persons armpits. Left untreated, the disease can cause severe nerve damage and blindness.

The increase in female cases that started last September spurred the departments decision to run sponsored ads on Facebook, which guarantees more people will see them. The ads began running in mid-December, and Huerta believes theyve made a difference.

We havent seen a huge increase in testing and its really hard to document how many people came in because they saw the ads, Huerta said. The numbers are at least remaining stable in that we have a consistent level of people coming in for testing.

In February, the department saw a small increase in testing, which Huerta hopes can be attributed to the campaign.

While personal information provided by patients during testing is confidential, a number of people specified they have Facebook profiles, which prompted health officials to believe online would be a good place to put advertising.

In 2013, there were 55 total syphilis cases reported to the county health department, but in 2014, that number increased to 142.

That year, the department began its yellow and red campaign on bus stops across town, aptly named because red spots and rashes can be a symptom of syphilis.

Because reported cases were predominantly in the men having sex with men community, the department also previously advertised in bars and publications popular among the gay community.

Despite the fact syphilis rates in Pima County pale in comparison to chlamydia and gonorrhea, with 5,470 and 890 cases, respectively, reported in 2015, the department has chosen to focus its advertising efforts on syphilis.

This is the disease that causes congenital cases and there are more complications, Huerta said.

Pima County has continuously ranked second in the state for syphilis rates, with the majority of the states cases coming from Maricopa County, according to Arizona Department of Health Services records.

As of 2015, Arizona ranks 17th highest in syphilis rates among 50 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Visit the county health departments website at webcms.pima.gov for more information about sexually transmitted diseases and testing services in Pima County.
Dorothy Williams was a U.S. Forest Service fire lookout at Atascosa Peak northwest of Nogales for the summer months of 1967.

The Atascosa Lookout, built between 1930 and 1933, was a 14-by-14-foot structure that served as an active fire-sighting post until the late 1970s. In that period, improved aerial detection of fires led the U.S. Forest Service to stop staffing many lookouts.

It served as a summer roost for a string of solitary fire spotters, including the late author Edward Abbey, whose books included Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang.
9 win Corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarships

Nine Tucson-area teens have been named Corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners.

Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their sponsors.

Corporate sponsors provide awards to finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.

The winners of National Merit Raytheon Scholarships are: Bodo Lee and Luis G. Ortiz of Basis Oro Valley, Daniel Wieland of Catalina Foothills High School, Ryan M. Blanchard of Salpointe Catholic High School, Clare Kimiko Remy and Ian W. Schwind of University High School, and Aaron J. Steele of Pusch Ridge Christian Academy.

Ekow A. Buadu of Basis Tucson North was awarded the National Merit Citizen Watch Scholarship.

The National Merit Walgreen Co. Scholarship went to Luann M. Zerefa of Basis Tucson North.

Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.

The recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Students enter the National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the Preliminary SAT, which serves as an initial screen of program entrants.

Approximately 16,000 semifinalists were named, 15,000 of whom advanced to the finalist level.

Around 7,500 winners with the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies will receive National Merit Scholarships.

7 campuses receive

A+ School designation

Seven Southern Arizona campuses have been named A+ Schools of Excellence.

The Arizona Educational Foundation honored the following schools for the 2016-17 school year:

Benson High School, led by Ben Rodriguez in the Benson Unified School District.

Elvira Elementary School, led by Andy Townsend in the Sunnyside Unified School District.

Flowing Wells High School, led by James Brunenkant in the Flowing Wells Unified School District.

Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary School, led by Cindy Lewis in the Marana Unified School District.

Rio Rico High School, led by Shelly Vroegh in the Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District.

Walden Grove High School, led by Teresa Hill in the Sahuarita Unified School District.

Walter Douglas Elementary School, led by Tamara McAllister in the Flowing Wells Unified School District.

The schools were evaluated in the areas of student focus and support, school culture, active teaching and learning, curriculum, leadership, community and parent involvement and assessment data.

Each will receive $500 and a banner designating them as an A+ School of Excellence winner.

All staff and faculty at the award-winning schools will be eligible for partial scholarships from Argosy University Phoenix.

The foundation has identified and honored exemplary pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade public schools since 1983.
The Arizona Daily Stars Sportsmens Fund Send a Kid to Camp program raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend overnight YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps and Camp Tatiyee, for school-age children and older teens with special needs, at little or no cost to their families.

Our goal is to raise $190,000 and send 650 local boys and girls to area camps this summer. So far, weve received 895 donations totaling $126,349, which puts us two-thirds of the way to our goal.

Since 1947, the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund has helped pay for 38,551 children to go to camp. Were one of the oldest 501(c)3 charities in Arizona and the most efficient in our giving, with 97 cents of every dollar donated going to send kids to camp.

Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Donations are welcome throughout the year.

Recent donations include:

Michael Armstrong, $100.

Mary Black, $100.

Ross Carroll, $25.

Jared Essif, $200.

Joseph Frannea, $200.

Beverly Goodwin, $100.

Jerome Groark, $50.

Jeffrey H., $100.

Trudi Hoffman and Rick Castellini, $100.

Tom House, $100.

Joane Janega, $200.

Mary Keane, $200.

Irene Keating, $100.

Barbara Kelly, $250.

Catherine Kelly, $15.

Timothy Kelly, in memory of Michael Joseph Kelly, $400.

Carol Kemp, $50.

Jim and Jeanette Kenney, $400.

Maralyn Keyes, $20.

Frank and Mary King, $35.

Jo Anne King, $150.

Jack King, $25.

William Konkle, $200.

Ronald Kresnicka, $100.

Harriet Ann Krone, $25.

Linda Kurth, $100.

Jeffrey Lattner, $400.

Ethel Lawrence, $25.

Howard Lehto, $20.

Dr. and Mrs. Alan Lesselroth, $400.

Leuthold family, $150.

Jeff Lilley, $400.

Howard Lilley, $100.

Louise Loggins, $100.

Rosita Lutzel, $50.

Phil and Carol Lyons, $250.

Kenneth Mahan, $224.

Kristina Maher, $100.

Larry and Virginia Mann, in memory of Denny Kerkman, $200.

Susan Mann, $100.

Mariann Marcus, in memory of Carol, $50.

Lynn Marinelli, $100.

Myna Matlin, $50.

Christine Markson, $100.

David Martin, $50.

Sally McNeil, $20.

Joan Meggit, in memory of Amanda Scott, $25.

Judith Mellish, $100.

Alexandra Miller, $100.

Sarah Miller, $25.

Roslyn Miller, $50.

Dolly and Jim Moran Fidelity Charitable Grant, $500.

Frank Morello, $50.

Lawrence Morgan, $100.

Terrence Murphy, $500.

Vivien Nason, $25.

Cheryl Neal, $100.

Richard Niedling, $50.

Ardis Niemann Noonan, $200.

Joan Nix, $25.

Virginia Nurre, $25.

Brian OCain, $100.

Leo OFarrell, $50.

Kyo Okamota, $25.

Jesus Olivas, $25.

E.E. Olsen, $50.

Sharon Oneal-Tracey, $400.

Joseph Ouellette, $50.

Donna Mae Panian and family and friends, in memory of Charles Chuck Panian, $200.

Maria Parham, $100.

Deborah Parker, $250.

M. Pearthree, $50.

Annegret Perlmutter, $50.

Sandra Persels, $116.

Jackie Pilkington, $50.

Michael Pomeroy, $100.

John Poore, $100.

Jeffrey Prileson, $200.

Robert Randall, $25.

Thomas Rasmussen, $50.

Jacqueline Riley, in memory of James E. Riley and Jeff E. Riley, $100.

Helen Rogers, in memory of son, Steven C. Rogers, $100.

D. F. Romano, in honor of Fred A. Romano, $100.

Carolyn Leigh and Ron Perry, $100.

Donald Robson, $100.

William and Mary Ross Foundation, $10,000.

Devin Russel, $100.

Patricia Rutledge, $50.

Martin Sanderson, $100.

Joyce Sanford, $100.

Dr. B. D. Saunders, $100.

Shirley Schiever, $50.

Robert Schmeltz, $200.

Estella Schubert, $30.

Frank Sciannella, $100.

Floyd and Jane Sedlmayr, $75.

Liliane Selby, $100.

Charles Shultheis, $239.

Renee and Karl Sowards, $714.

B. J. Smith, $50.

Judy Smith, $300.

Paul Smith, $150.

Kay Spencer, $25.

Dale and Audrey Stein, $100.

Mariann and Allan Suenhein, $25.

Stuart Summers, $400.

Meg Sutherland-Jones, $100.

Ellie Terzieff, $100.

John Tancock, $100.

Jane Turcotte, $100.

Stephen Thomas, $200.

Keith and Martha Thorson, $100.

Linda Tumarkin, $100.

Carol Valek, $100.

Mike Vick, $100.

Kathleen Warner, $100.

Teresa Westhoff, $100.

Linda Windham $100.

Flora Yee, $50.

Fourteen donations totaling $1,600, including $150 in memory of Camp Kehonka.

More donations will be acknowledged in the coming week.
Over the past 20 years, thousands of injured birds and critters have been quietly nursed back to health at a wildlife sanctuary nestled in the hills of northwest Tucson.

On the night of March 30, a fire ripped through the center, killing multiple animals and destroying structures, equipment, food and supplies that Wildlife Rehabilitation in Northwest Tucson relied on to operate.

It took 22 firefighters more than 20 minutes to extinguish the fire and another 45 minutes to search through the home for hot spots. With no hydrants in the area, firefighters had to use a water tender to battle the blaze.

Three weeks later, Wildlife Rehabilitations training and operations continue, despite the fact that many of the surviving animals have been moved to other centers or private homes until the sanctuary is rebuilt.

The cause of the fire hasnt been determined and much of the damage is still visible, as volunteers arent able to clear out the wreckage until the fire inspection is complete.

It was devastating, volunteer Nancy Chilton said. The loss of property was one thing, but we lost some of our education birds and other birds who were in recovery and to whom we were very attached.

The sanctuary, owned and operated by 86-year-old Janet Miller, is licensed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. In addition to rehabbing injured animals, the center also provides education to students across Tucson about desert wildlife and the ways animals can be injured by sharing their environment with humans.

The center takes in all types of animals, many of which are birds, but also small and larger mammals, including bobcats and coyotes.

Of the thousands of animals that have come through the center over the years, a high percentage have been rehabbed and released, and a large number of the animals that had permanent injuries that didnt allow them to be released into the wild have been transferred to wildlife education facilities all over the country, including the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Reid Park Zoo, Chilton said.

The center has always been funded by private donations and staffed by volunteers, whom Miller says are essential to the sanctuarys day-to-day functioning.

There are roughly 60 volunteers who fill two shifts a day at the center, doing everything from housekeeping duties to assisting with wound care, physical therapy and feeding the animals, Chilton said.

Although more than a dozen birds of prey remain on site in the centers outdoor aviaries, many of the other surviving animals have been temporarily moved to other locations, leaving the volunteers with fewer birds to feed and tend.

Were actually using the time that we have to work on other projects that have needed attention for a long time, Chilton said.

Once the fire inspection is complete, volunteers can begin cleaning up the structure, after which theyll begin to replace equipment and restock supplies lost in the fire. The next step will be rebuilding the main room where the animals were held and the adjacent cages.

This is going to be very much focused on redesigning and making the space more appropriate for the kind of work were doing there, Chilton said. The center was one of those things that was added onto as need increased, now we have this opportunity to start from scratch and really design the whole place so that its a good space for the animals and its easy for the volunteers to move around in.

In early April, Chilton set up a fundraising site with a goal of $10,000. In 18 days, its exceeded its goal, raising more than $16,000.

The funding is going to be very helpful, but were going to need continued funding to get through it. The insurance from the fire should help, but as far as running the center, were always going to depend on public help, Chilton said.

While the large volume of donations that rolled in quickly was wonderful, the outpouring of support from community members offering to help in other ways was also a welcome surprise.

A lot of people have called and said they really want to help by either offering services or bringing us supplies, Chilton said. Weve had Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and different groups like that who have come forward to offer their help with cleanup or with anything else where we need people. Its really encouraging.
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.
Help India!

Jaipur, (IANS): Twenty-three former bureaucrats have urged Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to arrest those who killed a Muslim farmer and warned that unchecked cow vigilantism will lead to large-scale violence.

Very disturbed by the April 1 lynching of a dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar, the ex-bureaucrats also pressed Raje to punish police and other officials blamed for dereliction of duty.

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The petitioners, all from the 1968 IAS batch, include Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Arun Kumar, Aruna Roy and Wajahat Habibullah.

Khan and four other dairy farmers were attacked with sticks and stones by self-styled cow vigilants on a national highway when they were returning to Haryana from a cattle fair in Rajasthan.

The attackers claimed Khan and others were smuggling cows. But they had documents to prove they had purchased the cattle from the fair and had no relationship with cattle smugglers or cow slaughter.

Habibullah told IANS that they wrote to Raje with whom all petitioners have high expectations that she would set a precedent by taking action against the culprits.

We are very disturbed by the lynching and murder of Khan. We are also dismayed by the acts of omission and commission of the government following the incident, including the delay and marked reluctance in arresting all those guilty of the act, reads the April 23 letter.

They said the killing of Khan by an arbitrary self-appointed group of vigilantes shows how much we have succeeded in undermining the most basic principles and values on which we have based our nation.

They warned that if this kind of vigilantism wasnt checked, it would would lead to large-scale violence which could corrode democracy and embolden cow vigilantes to flout the law.

The letter said that a reprehensible attempt on the part of certain people in authority in Rajasthan as well as in the Union government to deny this horrific incident or to minimise its gravity have made them complicit in the crime with their inaction and silence.

They urged the government to register cases and take a decisive action on the dying statement of Khan.

The culprits must be arrested to restore the faith of the victims families and their communities in the system of justice in the country.

The failure to take immediate action at this juncture will amount to a mockery of good governance and the rule of law and will inevitably lead to anarchy.
Help India!

TCN News

A Two days seminar Towards Equality, Justice and Fraternity in Contemporary India : Creating a better Tomorrow Through Law being organised by Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi at the Aliah University, Kolkata started today with a elaborative address by Justice Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

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He talked about the growing economic disparity among Muslims and spoke for providing affirmative action to them. The government is deliberately targeting the community which is against the spirit of the constitution. Muslims need constitutional protection and all those who are speaking against secularism actually are working against Indian constitution.

Prof T K Ooman delivered a very thought provoking address and challenged the popular notion of nation state. He openly advocated that the state must not intervene in the cultural practices of diverse communities that live in India. He suggested mere constitutional provisions will never bring fraternity among citizens unless they learn to respect cultural diversity of the people. The government has no right to intrude into the personal affairs and cultural practices of communities.

Justice Ruma Pal, former judge of the Supreme Court spoke of the Personal laws and suggested that changes must come from within from the community and efforts to make as Uniform will not succeed. She suggested that Constitutional provisions will always defend womens right when they are violated hence it will always override any personal laws when they are violated.

Justice K J Sengupta, former Chief Justice of Hyderabad and now Lokayukta of Sikkim High Court asked people to work at the grassroot and think over the common issues. He also advised people to register their marriages under the Special Marriage Act, after Nikah as it will then protect women much more than anything else. Institute of Objective Studies Chairman Dr Manzoor Alam also spoke on the occasion.

In the Business Session presided over by Mr Afjal Wani saw Prof S R Mondal speaking on knowledge Era, Ris society and Better Tomorrow : Global Challenges and local responses. Noted writer and activist Shri Ram Puniyani spoke of the danger of the communal polarisation unleashed by the Sangh Parivar through creating biases and prejudices. We need to join hand to defeat the communal fascist forces. He said we must speak to counter the narrative being rumoured by the Sangh Parivar and it is time for all the political parties to join hands. Also it is important for the civil society organisations to work diligently together. He also said that technically our constitution is the best in the world but it need to fairly implemented at the ground level.

There were presentations from young scholars on Triple Talaq issues, role of Muslim Personal Law Board.

A book, Exclusions of Muslims in India Legitimacy : Legitimacy of the Constitutional State written by Mr Arsi Khan was also released on the occasion by the Justice Rajinder Sachar and all other dignitaries.

Prof Abu Talib Khan, the Vice Chancellor of Allah University Kolkata, welcomed the guests and hope the seminar would provide vision to face the future challenges.

Speaking on the occasion noted human rights defender Teesta Setalvad asked for a broader unity based on conviction to defend democracy and secularism in India and express solidarity with all the like minded segments who are fighting for the rights of the people. She also spoke of Dalits and Aadivasi struggle and applauded Jignesh Mewani of Gujarat for working towards the unity of all the marginalised communities.

John Dayal spoke of violence against Christians in Kandhamal and continuous oppression of Dalits in various parts of the country. He emphasised that we can not allow our constitution to be assaulted and will have to prepare to fight long term battle. We need to track down each cases carefully and look into the way the cases have been filed and followed up by the authorities like what he himself was engaged with people of Kandhamal who faced the worst violence against them in independent Indias history.

Activist Vidya Bhushan Rawat said that South Asia has majoritarian tendencies where minorities are despised and it is time we talk of minority rights in South Asia. One minority in India is a majority in Pakistan, Bangladesh or vice versa. And in all the states in South Asia, condition of minorities is serious and hence we need serious thinking over it. The anti cow slaughter movement in India is turning like Blasphemy law of Pakistan mainly targeting the marginalised and minorities and we must speak against it. While we must defend constitutional values and rights, we must have enough space for introspection to our failures too.

Manzoor Alam, Chairman at Institute of Objective Studies, said that two more seminar in this series would be organised this year with final one in Delhi to commemorate the 30th year celebrations of the founding of Institute of Objective Studies.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): Fearing cancellation of the biannual National Eligibility Test (NET) examination, the All India Students Association (AISA) demonstrated outside the University Grant Commission (UGC) office here on Monday and sought its clarification on the issue.

The students group moved into action on the basis of news in the media a couple of days back, which talked about the inability of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to conduct the NET examination.

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The examination is conducted by the central board twice a year  around July and December.

Certain media outlets had reported that CBSE will not be conducting NET in July, as it is already overburdened with other examinations it conducts on behalf of UGC We have demanded a clarification on this from them (UGC) within this week, AISA leader Neeraj told IANS.

He said that the suspension of the examination would simply mean that they want to deny students higher education, and insisted that the test must take place.

After causing a massive seat-cut in JNU, they are now denying students higher education. Why do people go for MA its because they have interest in a certain area which they want to probe further, and to do that they need financial assistance, he said.

The officials from the UGC met the students and assured them that the issue would be taken up with the Human Resource Development Ministry.

The CBSE, however, has not officially announced whether it would be conducting the examination.

Previous NET examination was held in January this year by the CBSE. One is required to clear this exam to be able to apply for lectureship in colleges.

Top rankers in NET are also eligible for Junior Research Fellowship.
The first round of French presidential election on April 23rd saw the victory of the expected candidates: the centrist Emmanuel Macron (23,6 % of the votes) and the extreme right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen (21,8 %). Both have centred their campaign on the relation between France and EU, seen by them (and also by French people) as an obstacle to the "prosperity". French people have to choose between one of the two in the Run-off of the presidential election, on May 7th.

The visions on EU

The leading candidate Emmanuel Macron wrote in his program that the three goals of the European project are in danger: the peace, threaten by terrorism; the prosperity, threaten by the globalisation and the excessive liberalisation of the markets; the freedom, threaten by the comeback of the borders following migrations' phenomena.

Mrs Marine Le Pen, the other candidate in the run-off, wants to renegotiate the treaties with Europe, calling also for a popular referendum on these, hoping to give again the sovereignty to French people and no more to European institutions.

After Brexit, a Frexit?

Yet, the Europe seems to be the point on which the contents of the different programs are more nebulous. Apart from the candidate Francois Assalineau, who spoke after a Brexit even of a Frexit, looming the possibility of go out of the European Union rejecting also the common currency Euro, the others want a renegotiation of the treaties but they didn't explain how.

In part, because every negotiation implies the will of the other subject.

In part, because it's difficult to blame only the Europe for the disastrous economic situation in France. Mrs Le Pen sees the globalisation as the main problem: she would avoid that a continent would sell the commodities, another one would work them, and a third one would consume them. Because of this process, there is a high level of unemployment in France, guessed Mrs Le Pen.

Mr Macron, instead, spoke about the dumping of other non-European countries (such as China) and would like strong excise duties for non-European goods.

Not opening, but closure of the markets

Both call for a closure of the European markets. But they forgot that liberalisation brought also a lot of advantages for their country.

As the Nobel prize Paul Krugman wrote in the New York Times on April the 11th, "there is every reason to believe that membership in the EU, making France part of a far larger market than it could provide on its own, makes French industry more productive and offers French citizen a wider range of cheaper products than they would otherwise be able to buy." "France just isn't big enough - continues Mr Krugman - to prosper with inward looking, nationalist economic policies".

It would be a rational reasoning, but the anger of people, who in these years have seen their salaries not enough to live and their works lost in favour of foreigners, could lead to another way of thinking. Mr Macron and Mrs Le Pen's programs are the results of the anger. But it seems that the answers of Mrs Le Pen are more radicalised and less useful than these ones chose by Mr Macron.
It is clear judging by tweets from pro-EU centrist politicians like George Osborne and Angela Merkel that they are relieved Emmanuel Macron has emerged victorious in the first round of the French presidential elections. A Le Pen victory in the final round of the contest, however, will throw the EU's future into question. It could cause greater damage to the bloc's existence than Brexit ever could. Yet even if the National Front candidate fails to win in the second round, it is impossible to ignore the fact the EU's days are numbered.

When she secured 17.6% of the vote during the 2012 presidential elections, it was easy for the EU to shrug off the National Front's chances of winning in France.

But circumstances have changed considerably since. Brexit and Trump represent a global feeling of hostility towards the establishment everywhere. Geert Wilders may have failed to become Dutch prime minister last month, but he still increased the Freedom Party's share of the vote. And in Europe, this crisis has been perpetuated by a crumbling eurozone, an inability among European politicians to understand that miss migration is causing profound social and economic problems and a stubborn desire to proceed with European unity.

It is too easy to be complacent about this election. EU politicians will no doubt toast to a Macron victory if he wins the final round. But they should not ignore the possibility of Le Pen winning a greater share of the vote than she has ever done before. It may not have resulted in another anti-establishment victory, but it would certainly suggest she has a greater chance in 2022 of winning. EU leaders would do well to take note.
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen came second to her centrist rival, Emmanuel Macron, during the first round of elections.

In what was an incredibly close contest between all of the rivals, the two candidates emerged victorious.

But opinion polls suggest Mr Macron may well easily beat Le Pen during the final contest.

Despite this, Ms Le Pen told her supporters she remains determined to become the first far-right female president of France.

'Determined to defeat nationalism'

With defeated socialist candidate Benoit Hamon and republican Francois Fillion out of the race, Mr Macron could easily pick up support from these two contestants in an effort to defeat the National Front's Le Pen.

During his speech acknowledging his triumph, Mr Macron told his activists that he owed his victory to them.

In a jibe at his Frexit rival, he said he is determined to defeat French nationalism.

Regardless of what the opinion polls say, there are numerous floating voters out there who Mr. Macron has to convince he is serious about becoming president, especially with his lack of political experience.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, another defeated candidate, refused to endorse either candidate due to his opposition towards extremism.

This makes it difficult to predict which candidate his former supporters will vote for.

'Defend French jobs against globalisation'

Ms Le Pen has the advantage of being able to persuade voters that she has transformed the toxic image of her party in a bid to broaden the support her party normally secures.

She has been able to do this despite emerging as the anti-EU and anti-euro candidate who would fight the establishment.

The National Front contestant has pledged to defend French jobs against globalisation and the free movement of capital throughout the EU.

She attacked Mr. Macron's stance of supporting the status quo that will put France at risk of terrorism whilst her country remains a member of the Schengen Agreement, which guarantees the free movement of people throughout the EU.

In response to the recent Paris attacks, the Frexit candidate wants to close France's borders as soon as she is elected.

In contrast to her opposite number, Le Pen wants to issue a referendum on France's membership of the EU immediately.

She also wants to pull France out of the Euro.

If she wins the final round, she would have secured a victory her father failed to do.

Those who have completed surveys about the election suggest Mr. Macron will easily win with 60% of the vote.

'Strong EU and social market economy'

This contest has been watched very closely by leaders of the EU, who worry that a Le Pen victory could lead to the destruction of the superbloc.

They are also worried that if the Frexit candidate wins, there will not be a united front among EU countries in the upcoming Brexit negotiations with Britain.

It would also mean France could be the next country to vote to leave the economic bloc, adding further uncertainty to the euro's future and European unity.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Mr. Macron on Twitter for his 'strong EU and social market economy' policies.

She wished him all the best in upcoming elections.

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne tweeted his relief that Mr. Macron won in the first contest.

But politicians abroad who endorsed Le Pen have been quick to pour scorn on the centrist candidate's victory.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted: 'Macron speech was vacuous nonsense. Other than backing the status quo he says nothing.'

Instead of viewing last night's result as defeat for Le Pen, the far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who failed to become Dutch prime minister during last month's election, tweeted: 'Congratulations sent to Marine Le Pen. A day of celebration for all patriots in Europe. On the second round and the presidency.'

In 2012, Le Pen came third in the presidential election that year, securing 17.9% of the vote.

She has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2004.
An attempt by attorneys for Trump to throw out a lawsuit against him for inciting violence has failed. They had argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed on the grounds of free speech and that Donald Trump did not intend for his supporters to use force. However, Federal judge David J Hale ruled that the first amendment does not protect against speech that incites violence and as such the lawsuit can proceed.

Protesters punched and shoved

At the 2016 campaign rally in Louisville, Trump said repeatedly about protesters, "Get em out of here." Protesters claim that they were punched and shoved by Trump supporters when these words were uttered.

The candidate's campaign rallies often turned violent as protesters clashed with supporters in highly charged discourse. A campaign rally In Chicago was cancelled as a result of violence. Scuffles and protests erupted at almost all his rallies during the campaign and the one in Kentucky resulted in the lawsuit for inciting violence.

White Nationalist a co-defendant

Matthew Heimbach, a representative of the White Nationalist Traditional Workers Party along with Alvin Bamberger were accused of assault and battery and are co-defendants in the lawsuit against the Trump campaign. Charges against the campaign include gross negligence, incitement to riot, recklessness and negligence. Nwanguma, Shah and Brousseau filed the lawsuit alleging that they were attacked at the Kentucky rally where Trump was addressing the crowd.

The plaintiffs allege that Trump was aware his supporters would attack citing the now President's reckless directive to remove a black woman knowing there was a white nationalist group in the audience.

Trump's words incited violence

The Federal judge felt that there was enough evidence to support the claim that the protesters' injuries were a "direct and proximate result" of the words of Donald Trump and that his words incited violence.

He found that it was plausible that what he said advocated the use of force and described it in his written judgement as, "an order, an instruction, a command." The defendant's motion to strike portions of the complaint or dismiss it all together was denied. Hale ruled that the plaintiff had sufficient cause to proceed with the lawsuit.

Video evidence had shown crowds of protesters yelling at Nwanguma who is an African-American. The video also shows fingers pointed in her face and she was being repeatedly pushed through the crowd and yelled at.
Last Friday, Donald Trump cordially invited one of his citizens back to the United States. The president introduced Aya Hijazi back into the country. He sought after the philanthropy specialists discharge from Egypt's prison system. He spoke strongly of this during his meeting with Egypt's leader a few weeks ago. The Trump administration engaged in political endeavors off camera to obtain her freedom. Their undisclosed actions come after past efforts from the Obama administration failed to achieve her prison release.

On Tuesday, Egypt discharged Hijazi from one of their correctional facilities after detaining her for almost three years.

The nation convicted her on multiple charges including human trafficking. Trump advisers stated that the president had explicitly demanded her prison release during his conference earlier this month with Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Trump made the request in secrecy. He intentionally made no honorable mentions or public announcements regarding her situation.

Hijazi and Trump greet one another in Washington

Hijazi, 30, took a seat alongside President Trump in the White House. They engaged in a conference that included Dina Powell, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump. Powell accompanied Hijazi back home to the U.S. on a general military aircraft last Thursday. Trump refused to comment on inquiries regarding her sentence.

Instead, he stated during the briefing, "We are incredibly ecstatic to know Hijazi is back here in the U.S. It's an incredible privilege to meet with her at the White House with her sibling, Basel."

Sean Spicer took upon himself to stress how Trump seemed to figure out how to obtain Hijazi's discharge effortlessly. The White House Press Secretary emphatically mentioned that this occurred after Obamas attempts had failed.

He's leaving it to the public to examine the distinctive procedures Trump implemented on this mission. He wants them to analyze further why the president was successful, and Barack Obama wasnt. American critics originally blamed the former U.S. president for her unattained release. They believed it was due to his administration having a lack of interest in her case.

The painful past between Egypt and Aya

Hijazi is Egyptian but has always held citizenship as a U.S. resident. On Sunday, the federal courts of Cairo cleared the humanitarian of all charges she accrued. Egypt arrested Hijazi and several other people for assisting homeless children living on the streets throughout the city.

During the time of her conviction, Hijazi established Belady. The non-profit organization intentionally had no government affiliations. It is a movement aimed at giving Egypt's transient children the opportunity to have a more prosperous life.

The remarkable woman sat in prison for nearly three years because of her organization. Federal prosecutors claim she infringed upon the laws of Egypt.

However, the country's federal regulations express only two years as the maximum time frame their government can detain someone awaiting trial.

The Trump administration mentioned during the meeting with Hijazi that federal authorities in the U.S. quickly acknowledged their intentions to bring Egypt to release Hijazi. They noted America addressed her situation shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated back in January.

Egypt to fix human rights history

The Egyptian government ousted Mohamed Morsi from his political seat in 2013. Since then, Fattah al-Sisi got serious about addressing his nations resistance. He also wants to seek justice in the murders of several Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

He augmented his political circle to incorporate liberal and mainstream activists so everyone dedicated to the cause can have the chance to participate in releasing thousands of innocent people, like Hijazi, from Egyptian imprisonment.

Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain have also approached the Egyptian government to find more ways to enhance the countrys policies on human rights.

In a media announcement, the two Republicans stated, "Both of us encourage Egypts federal government to further expand on its initial, most critical step towards better policies on human rights. The nation needs to release all individuals detained unlawfully. It has to maintain its global commitments to human rights. Egypt must honor its citizens rights to express themselves freely while under the rules of the law.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a telephone conversation with his US counterpart, Rex Tillerson, expressed a regret over Washington's opposition to the Russian-Iranian proposal to investigate the alleged chemical attack in Syria in early April.

The United States initiated the conversation

"A telephone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was held on the US initiative," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

During the conversation, Lavrov "regretted The United States opposition to the International Organization for the Prohibition of chemical weapons (OPCW) initiative to send inspectors to investigate information on the use of sarin in Khan Cheikhoun" in Syria on April 4, according to the statement.

Lavrov and Tillerson "agreed to re-investigate the possibility of launching an objective investigation into the incident that would be under the patronage of the OPCW."

Bilateral relations are at the lowest level

They agreed that "a task force in charge of the solutions will resolve disputed issues in bilateral relations as soon as possible." Bilateral relations are at their lowest level after the Cold War, mainly due to the Ukrainian crisis and the conflict in Syria, the statement said.

The State Department noted in a statement that Lavrov and Tillerson mentioned in the conversation the continuation of talks on bilateral issues, and launching the "OPCW investigation to determine if Syria used chemical weapons on April 4".

Tillerson has "reiterated that he supports the mechanism of the current investigation run by OPCW," it is said in a statement without further details.

Russian proposal was rejected this Tuesday

This Tuesday, the International Bureau of Chemical Weapons Ban rejected a proposal by Moscow and Tehran to send a new team in charge of an alleged chemical attack in Syria in early April.

The draft of Russian-Iran proposal is calling for an investigation to "determine whether chemical weapons were used and how were they delivered to the scene of attack".

Both Moscow and Tehran demanded that investigators go to the Shayrat base, which was attacked by the United States, to check the allegations of chemical weapons stocks at that location.

Meanwhile, there is an increasing number of NATO airplanes crossing over Russian military aircraft in the wake of the rising tension between US-Russia relations.
Two Japanese destroyers have begun a training session with a group of US carriers, including Carl Vinson in the Western Pacific while approaching the waters around the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese Navy reported. Two Japanese warships, Samidar and Ashigar, left western Japan on Friday to join Carl Vinson in solidarity while The United States faces North Korea because of their nuclear test program.

Increased tension with North Korea

Destroyers will "practice different tactics" with the American strike group, Reuters reports. President Donald Trump ordered the Carl Vinson group to enter the waters of the Korean Peninsula in response to increased tension with North Korea.

The Japanese army ordered warships to accompany Carl Vinson at least to the East China Sea, a source said for Reuters. But, he wanted to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

North Korea has announced that it is ready to sink an American aircraft carrier to show its military power after they received reports of the joint exercises of two Japanese destroyers in the US Pacific Group. President Donald Trump ordered an airborne carrier Carl Vinson to sail in the waters of the Korean Peninsula in response to the growing tension over North Korean nuclear testing.

The United States did not disclose where the exact group is located while approaching the area. US Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that they would "arrive within a few days," but did not announce details.

"Our revolutionary forces are ready to submerge the US aircraft carrier with one single blow," says Rodong Sinmun, for Workers' Party newspaper. North Korea will mark the establishment of the Korean People's Army on Tuesday. Until now, the big anniversaries were usually marked by weapon testing and firing ballistic missiles.

This country has so far conducted five nuclear tests.

Security challenge

It is believed that the growing threat of North Korea's nuclear program is the most serious security challenge for President Donald Trump. He said he would prevent North Korea from attempting to hit the United States with nuclear weapons, and he stressed that all options on the table are open, including a military coup.

Japan's demonstration of naval power is the consequence of a growing concern that North Korea could engage in the use of chemical or nuclear weapons, according to Reuters. The Japanese naval forces are the second largest naval forces in Asia after the Chinese.

China, the only North Korean ally, is also opposed to the weapons program. China has called for calming down the tension. Meanwhile, the United States has invited China to do more to help reduce that tension.
It looks like Donald Trump is up to his old routine of bashing President Obama's health care act. He had been pretty quiet about it lately, so the liberals knew it had to be coming soon.

ObamaCare is in trouble, according to Trump

Trump claims that Obamacare is in serious trouble and the Democrats need serious money to keep it going. What he didn't say is that his Health Care Bill will leave millions of Americans either without insurance or with premiums and deductibles they cannot afford.

The truth is the only reason Trump is blasting ObamaCare now is he wants to introduce his new bill.

He wants to repeal it and replace it with something that will never measure up to Obama's Affordable Care Act.

The truth

According to Occupy Democrats, TrumpCare will cover up to 20 million fewer people. The reason is Trump's administration does not believe that every American deserve to have health coverage. If you can't afford the coverage, they have a "too bad so sad" type of attitude. They think the poor should "just work harder" or "get a second job." For many, it isn't that easy. The fact is everyone needs health insurance and should be able to go to the doctor if they need to. They shouldn't have to make difficult decisions like choosing to get medications or pay rent.

Th average cost of TrumpCare will increase $1,500 per person versus Obama's health care.

This will result in many individuals not being able to afford it. It will eventually lead to many Americans not being able to afford insurance and their life-saving medications.

@realDonaldTrump You don't want a good healthcare system.

You want OBAMA to not have created a good healthcare system.#SundayMorning pic.twitter.com/Mc4baMUZC6  Holly #TheResistance (@AynRandPaulRyan) April 23, 2017

In a nutshell, Americans will get less coverage for higher premiums.

The bill will end Medicaid expansion and defund Planned Parenthood.

Trump's paranoia comes out

The president decided to post to his personal Twitter account, stating that ObamaCare is dying. He wanted to make sure he controlled the news and implied that TrumpCare could be rolled out 'soon."

The health care bill could go to Senate and the House of Representivaes this week.

The GOP lawmakers weren't sure if the health care would be on the agenda this week or not but expected it to come into play in the next week or two.

Democrats vow to block the ACA

Even if Trump has the support of the Republican senators and representatives, it's possible he won't be able to get the bill passed. The Democrats have vowed to fight the approval of Trump's plan. It's unlikely that the Independent lawmakers would vote for a health care bill that would force 11 million people out of the insurance.

@realDonaldTrump You're trying to sabotage Obamacare with the budget for your stupid wall.https://t.co/z72ZikQLbQ pic.twitter.com/77AqvPIbmz  Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) April 23, 2017

Do you think TrumpCare will pass this week? Is Trump just trying to stir the pot and get under the Democrats' skin?
Reportedly, Donald Trump had a secret meeting with two retired Colombian ex-Presidents. A report by the Miami Herald claimed that last week U.S. President Trump met secretly with Andres Pastrana and Alvaro Uribe. It was also reported by the news outlet that both men are against the current peace deal involving the Colombian government and the controversial FARC rebel group.

The meeting was purportedly arranged by Marco Rubio according to the Colombian news media that claimed that the Florida Senator helped with the arrangement of the private event.

However, Rubio denied his involvement in the meeting that was held at the Mar-a-Lago

President Trump met with Andres Pastrana and Alvaro Uribe

Rubio, in his defense, stated that he met many foreign ministers during his travels to other countries and doesnt understand why there is a big deal about the private event. He also said ex-president Uribe now works as a senator in the Colombian government. Senator Rubio declared that he had no idea that the ex-Colombian presidents were in Florida, adding that the news media would have to ask the men why they met secretly with the Republican President.

However, an official from the White House issued a report stating that there was no discussion of a peace deal between Trump and the men.

The spokesperson later stated that the meeting between the President and the ex-leaders was a chance meeting. According to NBC News, a senior official said a member of the Mar-a-Largo club invited the former presidents.

The White House and Rubio deny secret meeting

Purportedly, Donald Trump bumped into the men while he was at the renowned facility.

The senior administration official added that while others were claiming that there was a private meeting, the exchange between the three men lasted for just a few minutes then they shook hands and went about their businesses.

Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as well as the Intelligence Committee steadfastly denied the story reported by several news outlets.

On Sunday while he was on "Meet The Press" he told the host that if people want to know if he was responsible for setting up the secret meeting, they should confer with the Donald Trump White House as well as the Colombian ex-presidents.
After the boys father, 35-year-old Aramazd Andressian, was found in an unconscious state in a park in South Pasadena, police are searching for his son, five-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr.

As reported by the LA Times, the boys parents are currently going through a divorce and custody battle and currently share custody on a week-to-week basis. When the five-year-old boy is with his father, the mother keeps in touch with him via Skype twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She first became concerned when she couldnt contact Andressian on Thursday last week.

No sign of father or five-year-old boy on Saturday

On Saturday, the boys parents were supposed to meet, so that the child could return to his mother, but Andressian and the boy didnt show up at the appointed place and time. The mother phoned San Marino police at 9 a.m. Saturday to report her son missing and gave details of Andressians vehicle.

Hours before this, the citys fire department received a call to say a man had been found unconscious, close to a car in Arroyo Park. The man was taken to a hospital nearby and was later identified as being Andressian. The car that was close to him in the park turned out to belong to him and was impounded by police.

Arrested for child abduction and endangerment

According to police, hours later Andressian was arrested on suspicion of child abduction and child endangerment. Police have been questioning him about the location of the five-year-old boy, but with no success.

South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said in a press conference on Saturday that police are not sure if the boy got out of the car by himself and walked away, or if he was abducted.

Multiple agencies reportedly launched a search for the boy on Saturday with the help of LAPD bloodhounds. Due to the fact the father was found in Arroyo Park, they concentrated their search efforts there, scouring the park around four times. They also used infrared technology on helicopters in an attempt to find the child.

SCV Search & Rescue Team assisted South Pasadena PD during the night in the search for a missing 5-year-old boy. pic.twitter.com/7qhrKA2SJI  SCV Sheriff (@SCVSHERIFF) April 23, 2017

ABC7 reports that when police found the father, there was no sign of a struggle and they are still unaware of why he was unconscious.

Andressian was released from the hospital at some time during Saturday evening.

Father has a 'selective memory' when asked about five-year-old's whereabouts

Andressian was then interviewed for several hours before police arrested him. According to Miller, the father had a very selective memory as to what happened to the boy, saying it was a frustrating interview. Miller said there main concerns lie with the fact that Andressian was unconscious when he was supposed to be caring for the child.

According to Miller police will continue the search for Andressian Jr. for as long as is necessary. He said that he hopes the boy is in safe hands somewhere and that they can then reunite him with his family.

South Pasadena police searching for missing 5-year-old boy | KTTV https://t.co/PUliKPYw7M pic.twitter.com/GH3Jh1AJRQ  I Have Vanished (@IHaveVanished) April 23, 2017

Aramazd Andressian Jr. is described as having brown hair and brown eyes and weighing 55 pounds. The five-year-old was last seen to be wearing plaid shorts and a turquoise shirt. Anyone who has seen the child, or knows of his whereabouts, should contact the South Pasadena Police Department.
Bloomberg recently published a piece describing a revolution in energy production in Texas, a state known for both its free market culture and its wiliness to try new approaches. Between cheap Natural Gas and the proliferation of wind turbines, the cost of producing electricity has plummeted, with Texas homeowners and businesses benefiting. Now a company based in California named Griddy Energy has started a business in Texas that sells electricity to customers at wholesale prices for a fixed fee. The spread between retail and wholesale prices are so great that typical Texas utility customer can cut his or her electric bill by about one-third.

Texas entrepreneurs have found a way to make wind power work by building wind farms in the relatively breezy parts of the state in the west and north, with power lines connecting them to the big cities in center and eastern part of Texas. Texas has just recently started to get into solar, both utility sized plants and the rooftop variety. But the Lone Star State has avoided many of the problems suffered by other parts of the world that have gone into renewables by building efficient natural gas power plants. The Texas electricity industry is diverse enough to ensure customers get plenty of power at low prices.

Griddys approach means that other utility providers are going to have to follow suit, lowering energy prices for Texans even more.

The company also provides its customers with a phone app that tracks their Energy Consumption and provides helpful hints on how to save money, such as optimal times to do the laundry or vacuum the house.

The approach being followed in Texas by companies like Griddy is the polar opposite of the energy policy adopted by former President Barack Obama.

Under the Obama administration, energy prices were kept artificially high to encourage consumers to switch from fossil fuels to renewables. The fracking boom, as well as scandals such as Solyndra, undermined this policy. The free market approach by the Trump administration, removing regulations and taxes that have inhibited drilling and use of fossil fuels, has spurred a drop in energy prices and, especially in Texas, a free market for electricity utilities.

Cheap energy can have a profound effect on economic growth and job creation. The less one spends on keeping the lights on, the more that can be devoted to other things. From a homeowner who can get a new car or appliance to a business owner who can invest in plant and equipment, the economic stimulus effect is apparent.
"Happy Days" star Erin Moran was found dead on Saturday and fans of the iconic sitcom are searching for her cause of death. Although authorities have not confirmed what killed the 56-year-old television star, there is speculation that she died from a heroin overdose.

According to the Daily Mail, Erin Moran was found unresponsive in her Salisbury, Indiana home on Saturday afternoon. She lived in a trailer park in an area that is noted to have a heroin epidemic with the News and Tribune reporting that the Salisbury area has seen a marked increase in deaths from the drug.

The report indicates that a local Salisbury hospital recorded 182 heroin overdoses (non-fatal) in 2016, up from 51 overdoses in 2015. The number keeps climbing, with the News and Tribune noting that there were 25 non-fatal heroin overdoses in February of this year  that's six times the number of cases treated in February 2016.

Life after "Happy Days" was rocky for Erin Moran

The actress who played Joanie Cunningham, Erin Moran, in the hit sitcom 'Happy Days' has died at the age of just 56. #ErinMoran #7News pic.twitter.com/6vL0gpdDpK  7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) April 23, 2017

Although she found great success on "Happy Days," Erin Moran's recent years were filled with struggles. She spent almost a decade playing the role of Joanie Cunningham on the popular ABC sitcom from 1974 to 1982 and then returned to the show for its final year in 1984.

During her hiatus from "Happy Days," Erin starred on the short-lived spinoff, "Joanie Loves Chachi" with her co-star, Scott Baio.

Erin appeared in a number of other shows as a guest star, reports indicate that Erin's good fortune started to unravel around 2010. She is rumored to have suffered with depression and had financial problems as well.

Erin's downward spiral

The Daily Mail reports that in 2010, Erin Moran lost her home in California to foreclosure. She then moved to a trailer park in Indiana that was owned by her husband's mother.

Moran and her husband, Steven Fleischman, didn't last long in the trailer park. The couple was reportedly kicked out for partying and remained homeless for quite sometime before they moved back to the trailer park.

Celebrities offer condolences

Erin Moran's husband has yet to issue a public statement about his wife's death. However, many of her co-stars have been posting messages on social media about the "Happy Days" star's passing including her "Happy Days" and "Joanie Loves Chachi" co-star, Scott Baio.

Henry Winkler, who played the infamous Fonzie on "Happy Days" also sent out a touching tweet about Erin Moran's passing.

"OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth ...Rest In It serenely now.. too soon," Winkler tweeted.
Marine Le Pen is having a rough go of it so far. The French presidential candidate was always going to have a difficult time connecting with mainstream voters in France. She did a better job than expected, however, judging by early exit polls on Sunday. She trails, but Le Pen will make the second round of the election as France tries to decide the future of both their country and the European Union as an institution at the breaking point.

First round of balloting

As the midday exit polls rolled around, a surprisingly close race was being forecast.

Belgian broadcaster RTBF suggested that mere percentage points separated the top candidates in the election. Centrist Emmanuel Macron had approximately 24 percent of the vote, while Le Pen clocked in at 22 percent. Former prime minister Francois Fillon was not far behind himself, scoring 20.5 percent of the vote in the battle for the French future.

By the time more projections came in, it became clear that Macron was going to win the first round of voting, but that Le Pen would be successful in forcing a runoff to take place in two weeks. As Macron is relatively knew and unknown on the political field, he will likely have to improve his prominence and clarify his positions to cement his chances at beating his new rival on May 7.

The future of the French people will be in one of their hands, and they could each pull the country in drastically different directions, as neither hail from the political parties that have previously dominated the nation.

Le Pen's problematic appeal

Le Pen is one of the fastest rising stars on the political battlefield in Europe.

She comes from the same school of populist thought as other Western political figures, such as Donald Trump in the United States and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. Many believe her rhetoric to be racist and bigoted, though, and her promises prior to the election have backed up that sentiment.

Le Pen has vowed to block immigration - even legal immigration - as soon as she's sworn in as president.

In the wake of a recent terrorist attack, she called on the country to shut down mosques nationwide. Yet her popularity soars as anti-political candidate, making comments about taking back the country from the political elite following her results on Sunday. She has also vowed to pull France out of the European Union. If the French people decide she is their leader of the future, the political systems of the continent could collapse.
Nikki Haley, the current U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.), warned North Korea as she made the rounds in a series of television interviews today. This isn't the first time in recent weeks that Haley's television interview comments have made headlines, but with all the tension recently between the United States and North Korea any comments by a key official in the Trump administration are newsworthy.

Nikki Haley's comments

Nikki Haley made the morning television rounds this morning, giving interviews on the "CBS Morning Show" and on NBC's "Today Show." She made her comment about not ruling out striking North Korea when she was asked what the threshold would be for the United States to take action against the reclusive totalitarian government ruled by Kim Jong-Un.

She responded by saying that if North Korea were to strike a United States military base or tests an intercontinental ballistic missile that the U.S. could respond by striking them.

Haley did reiterate that the United States is not looking for a fight with North Korea and would not attack the country "unless he (Kim) gives us reason to do something." She also commended China's continued involvement in trying to pressure them to stop their missile and nuclear testing. Besides the missile and nuclear testing, she said the United States is also working with China on the issue of three American citizens being detained by the hostile country. Haley said this was their effort to try to "have a bargaining chip" over the U.S.

and denounced North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un as being paranoid and unstable.

Trying to stop North Korea

President Donald Trump's administration has worked to muster support for the United States efforts to pressure North Korea to stop its missile testing and end its nuclear program. Last night, President Trump once again talked to the leaders of Japan and China to discuss the situation.

Today, the White House said in a short statement that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping once again acknowledged the "urgency of the threat posed by North Korea." President Trump has emphasized that the Chinese will earn a better trade deal if they help to apply pressure to their ally.

Currently, the world is bracing for North Korea to take another inflammatory action tomorrow.

Officials in South Korea believe that there is a chance that they will conduct another nuclear test or a maiden ICBM test launch. This is because tomorrow is the founding anniversary of the country's military.
By Jing Shuiyu in Beijing and Sun Ruisheng in Taiyuan | China Daily | Updated: 2017-04-24 08:12

An overview of Taiyuan Heavy Industry Co Ltd's work platform. [Photo provided to China Daily]

By adapting its strategic plans to economies related to the Belt and Road Initiative, Taiyuan Heavy Industry Co Ltd, a heavy machine manufacturer, is confident of realizing its export target of 2 billion yuan ($289 million) this year, up from 1.36 billion yuan last year, according to its executives.

The plans are mostly about adjusting its product mix.

Zhang Hao, director of TYHI's international department, said TYHI started operations in western, central and southeastern Asia this year. The company now has branches in Iran, Kazakhstan and Indonesia that are manned by, among others, its Chinese employees.

Years ago, steel and coal products generated more than 80 percent of the company's revenue. Now, TYHI is recasting its product structure. Rail transit, new energy and marine equipment account for about 50 percent of the total revenue.

"The transition has efficiently enhanced our position in the global competition (for market share)," said Wang Chuangmin, group chairman.

Wang said during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), the group will target Asia, Africa, South America and Australia, and expedite the process of internationalization of its R&D system, marketing network, service, manufacturing system and management.

"We're taking action to increase the percentage of exports in total revenue from around 15 percent to over 30 percent, and eventually to 50 percent, so as to take a step closer to being among the world-renowned companies," Wang said.

Structural reform is key, according to Wang.

TYHI is the first listed company in Chinese heavy-duty machinery industry to boast wide-ranging products ranging from applications for rail transit, lifting, wind power generation, marine engineering applications to coke oven and gear drives.

Some of TYHI's products already have an international presence in over 50 countries and regions. The company has so far established 20 branches in India, Hong Kong, Australia and other regions or countries. For faster expansion, it bought out CEC Crane Engineering and Consulting GmbH of Germany in 2012.

In recent years, overseas markets, especially countries and regions related to the Belt and Road Initiative, have become the main battlefield of TYHI, which is keen to drive up its profitability and thus reverse its business performance.

One of the company's quality-control workers inspects wheels and axles made for railways. [Photo provided to China Daily]

According to Zhang, last year's overseas purchase orders reached 1.36 billion yuan. In fact, 62 percent of these orders, worth 847 million yuan, are excavating equipment, which were exported to India and Russia. Some 260million yuan worth of axles, train wheels and other transportation equipment have been pressed into service in North America and Southeastern Asia. The cranes were worth 155 million yuan.

The company's priorities to go global are in line with its parent group's. Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Group Co Ltd is one of the few Chinese manufacturers of excavating equipment. Its products compete with US-based P&H Mining Equipment Inc and US-based B-E enterprise, the global leaders.

Besides enjoying a 95 percent market share at home, Taiyuan Heavy Machinery has exported excavating equipment to foreign countries such as Russia, Pakistan, Peru, Kazakhstan, India, Myanmar, Iran and Liberia.

In February, Taiyuan Heavy Machinery sold two loaded mining excavators to Russia. It was the first time that the group exported such large excavators.

The 13.54-meter-high excavators weigh about 800 metric tons each, and can excavate 20 cubic meters of ore in one bucket.

They will be used in the mines run by Russian largest gold producer PJSC Polyus Gold Co.

Yao Zhizhong, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics, part of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said only when Chinese companies understand and master new approaches and rules of the global competition, would they become true players on the international stage.

Contact the writers at jingshuiyu@chinadaily.com.cn
A fleet of three Chinese naval ships leave Shanghai for public relations visits to more than 20 countries, April 23, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A trio of Chinese naval ships set sail in Shanghai on Sunday for a goodwill voyage to some 20 countries.

The group consists of missile destroyer Changchun, missile frigate Jingzhou and supply ship Chaohu from the People's Liberation Army Navy. It set sail from the Huangpu river port in Shanghai at 9:30 am.

The trio will visit around 20 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

"This voyage is an innovative way to promote harmonious ideals, peace and friendship," said Admiral Miao Hua, political commissar of the PLA Navy. "It is also a good platform to deepen military-military dialogue and cooperation, and showcase our Navy's positive image."

He urged all sailors on the trip to be communicators of Chinese culture, facilitators for military exchange and representatives of the Navy's image.

All three ships were built in China. It is the first goodwill voyage for Jingzhou, which entered service in January of last year.
The spacious atrium at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was packed on a rainy Saturday afternoon with people waiting for a conversation on the US economy between IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

It was probably the first such public event for Mnuchin since he was confirmed by the US Senate on Feb 13 to be the 77th US treasury secretary.

The audience, coming from around the world for the 2017 IMF/World Bank annual spring meeting, had many questions for Mnuchin. One of them is whether their concern about US protectionism is justified.

They have plenty of reasons to be worried. Just a few hours before the talk, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the IMF steering entity, issued a communique that does not include the usual pledge to resist all forms of protectionism.

It reminded people of the G20 statement last month in Germany, when that language was deleted for the first time, said to be under the pressure of Mnuchin, a former hedge fund manager.

Many people have had such concern since Trump made a campaign promise to impose 45 percent tariffs on China's exports to the US, thereby triggering a trade war between the two largest economies.

That concern has been dramatically reduced in recent weeks, especially after the meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping in Mar-a-Lago, Florida early this month.

But Trump's executive order to withdraw the US from the 12-member Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), his halt of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), his bid to renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the proposal for a border adjustment tax to target imports all show signs of protectionism.

That is in addition to Trump's repeated threat to US corporations that have or are planning to invest in or move their manufacturing facilities overseas to leverage global supply chains.

Americans also are divided on free trade agreements. A Gallup poll released in February showed that 48 percent believe NAFTA has been good for the US, while 46 percent say it's been bad.

So when Lagarde brought up the question on trade, phrased in a mild way, Mnuchin said Trump's agenda is to make sure "we have free and fair trade".

"I think you know the United States is probably the most open trading market there is for both goods, services and investment," he said.

He noted that the only restriction the US has on investment is the CFIUS process for security review, referring to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

"The president believes in reciprocal trade deals, and reciprocal free trade. What that means is that if our markets are open, there should be a reciprocal nature to other people's markets that are open as well. That's what he believes in, free and fair," said Mnuchin, repeating much of Trump's rhetoric.

"What's not free and fair is if our markets are open, other people either have high tariffs or have high import barriers, non-tariff barriers. That creates one-sided issues," he said.

"So tit for tat? I am open, you're open?" asked Lagarde, not entirely satisfied with the answer.

"Yes. We like to use the word 'reciprocal' as opposed to " Mnuchin said, eliciting laughs from audience members, who still seemed baffled.

There also was a reason for Lagarde not to press Mnuchin too hard on the issue, unlike many journalists would do in questioning their interviewees.

Just a week ago in an interview with the Financial Times, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross dismissed the warnings of US protectionism by Lagarde and others as "rubbish".

In a separate interview with the FT on April 17 after Ross' rebuttal, Mnuchin reiterated that his talk on protectionism was more about the comment, "We expect this to be two-way, free and fair trade. Particularly for people who have big surpluses with us."

"And if we can't address those issues, we reserve the right to be protectionist," he said.

On Saturday, Mnuchin indicated that the US has been talking with countries involved, and those talks have been "productive."

In the FT interview, Mnuchin said that with China, there are things that could be done quickly, things that can take 100 days, and things that require a one-year horizon. He expressed that the trade issue now enjoys more priority than the investment issue.

Mnuchin, however, did not exclude a continued negotiation of a Bilateral Investment Treaty with China. "It's definitely on the agenda of things that we'll be discussing. I think there's things we can open up, I think there's areas we can open up even without a full-blown bilateral investment agreement," he told the FT.

It has been widely reported that the Trump Cabinet internally is divided over free trade and protectionism. Trump also has reversed course on many of his campaign promises. In an April 17 Gallup poll, only 45 percent of the people agreed that Trump keeps his promises, compared with 62 percent in February.

It might be too early to make a judgment on Trump administration's nature of free trade or protectionism based on the first 100 days, but many in the audience seemingly left the talk with the feeling that their questions were unanswered.

Contact the writer at chen weihua@chinadailyusa.com
Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will enter the second round of the French presidential election on May 7, according to a preliminary sample of all the votes cast.

Macron won 23-24 percent of the vote and Le Pen 21-23 percent, according to the survey. The sample is survey of actual votes cast in around 200 polling stations. The numbers are tallied and then fed through a computer program to provide a result that is normally within one percent of the final result.

If the sample proves correct, it means that neither the Socialist Party nor the Republican Party will contend the second round for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the French political era which began in 1958.

Macron welcomed the preliminary result. "Today, the people of France have spoken. As our country confronts an unprecedented moment in its history, it has responded in the best way possible - by voting in huge numbers. It has decided to place me first in this first round," he said.

The defeated candidates called on their supporters to back Macron against Le Pen. Francois Fillon said: "Extremism can only bring unhappiness and division to France. There is no other choice than to vote against the far right. I will vote for Emmanuel Macron. I consider it my duty to tell you this frankly. It is up to you to reflect on what is best for your country, and for your children."

Speaking at her headquarters in northern France, Le Pen said: "The choice now is between a wild globalization, a world in which terrorists can travel free, and a France with strong borders. What I offer you is a true alternative, the renewal to which you aspire. The heir to Francois Hollande can't bring this change.

"It is time to free the French people from the arrogant elite. I am the candidate of the people. I call all patriots wherever they come from, whatever their origin, to join me. What's at stake is France's survival."

Macron will be the favorite as most voters will unite around him to stop a Le Pen victory. But the Front National has a seasoned political machine and Macron's En Marche party is very inexperienced.

Le Pen's success emulates her father's in 2002. In the 2002 second round Jacques Chirac won 82.2 percent to Jean Marie Le Pen's 17.8 percent.

Opinion polls on Friday suggested that of the 11 candidates, Macron was in the lead followed by Le Pen, Fillon and Melenchon, with the others far off. But with 25 percent of voters undecided, the top four had everything to play for. News agency AFP estimated that Melenchon came third with 19.5-20 per cent, Fillon next with 19.5-20.3 per cent and the Socialist Party's Benoit Hamon with 6.1-7 percent.

Macron set up his own party En Marche to support his candidacy, Le Pen represents the Front National party set up by her father, Fillon represents the Republicans and Melenchon is supported by the Communist Party.

Only Macron has not prioritized better relations with Russia as part of foreign policy,

The result feared by most in France and Europe was Le Pen and Melenchon coming first and second. Both are anti-EU, the euro and free trade.

Fillon was mortally wounded by allegations he employed family members at the public expense in non-existent jobs, but he quickly rallied as many voters did not see him as any more corrupt than a typical politician.

At 5pm, the Ministry of Interior said that 69.42 percent had voted by that time, compared to 70.59 per cent in 2012.

The election took place under high security after Karim Cheurfi shot a policeman in Paris before being shot himself on April 22. ISIS later said that Cheurfi acted on their behalf.

conal@chinadailyuk.com
Nepalese students from two Chinese universities presented a cultural show in Beijing on Friday to promote their nation's tourism.

The show was organized by the Nepalese embassy and featured students from Beijing Normal University and Beijing Language and Culture University. It was attended by diplomats and China's tourism officials.

Leela Mani Paudyal, the Nepalese ambassador, said China has the world's largest number of outbound tourists, and that Nepal welcomes them to travel there, which would help develop its tourism industry and strengthen the countries' relations.

Wang Xiaofeng, deputy director of the China National Tourism Administration, said promoting tourism in Nepal would encourage more Chinese to learn about and visit the South Asian country.

"It will also help facilitate more exchanges between travel agencies of both sides and bring more Nepalese tourists to China," Wang said.

Sunil Sharma, officiating director of the Nepal Tourism Board, said tourism is a pillar industry of his country, which was devastated by a magnitude-8.1 earthquake in April 2015.

Fortunately, Nepal has started to recover, with its rich natural and cultural resources attracting large numbers of tourists from all over the world, including China, Sharma said.

Statistics from the China National Tourism Administration show China is the second-largest source of tourists for Nepal, with more than 100,000 Chinese tourists visiting last year  a 55 percent year-on-year increase. Nepal's largest source of tourists is India.

Sharma said Kathmandu, the capital, is easily accessible via direct flights from major cities on the Chinese mainland, such as Chengdu, Kunming, Lhasa and Guangzhou, so it is convenient for tourists to visit.

In addition, Nepal has streamlined its visa process by adopting a visa-on-arrival policy at the international airport in Kathmandu, as well as in some border cities, to attract more tourists, he added.
The World Bank Group and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) inked an agreement on Sunday to strengthen cooperation and knowledge sharing between the two multilateral financial institutions.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and AIIB President Jin Liqun signed the memorandum of understanding on the last day of the 2017 IMF/World Bank annual spring meeting held in Washington.

The MOU provides an overall framework for cooperation between the World Bank Group and the AIIB in common areas of interest, including development financing, staff exchanges and analytical and sector work. It paves the way for the two institutions to further enhance coordination at the regional and country levels, according to a World Bank press release.

"The World Bank Group has worked closely with our partners at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank since its inception," Kim said.

"We're already financing projects together from Azerbaijan to Indonesia, and I'm delighted to further strengthen our partnership. Collaboration between development institutions is essential to make the best use of scarce resources, bring in the private sector, and meet the rising aspirations of the people we serve," Kim added.

The two institutions signed a co-financing framework agreement for investment projects a year ago. Since then, the AIIB and the World Bank have co-financed five projects: supporting power generation in Pakistan, a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, and slum upgrading, dam safety and regional infrastructure development in Indonesia. The two institutions are discussing more projects to be co-financed in 2017 and 2018.

The AIIB and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, have co-invested in a power sector project in Myanmar and are discussing additional potential projects.

"Signing this memorandum of understanding fits into our vision of a new kind of internationalism," Jin said.

"It deepens our relationship with the World Bank Group and sets up the mechanisms through which we can more easily collaborate and share information. We place a high value on our partnerships because by working together, we greatly increase our potential for positive outcomes in Asia," Jin said.

In 2015, the World Bank Group and the Multilateral Interim Secretariat for the Establishment of the AIIB signed a memorandum of understanding for overall cooperation and knowledge exchange, which ended when the AIIB was formally established.

Unlike the less than supportive attitude expressed by former US President Barack Obama's administration, World Bank President Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde have voiced their support for the AIIB since the very beginning.

The Beijing-based AIIB opened for business in January 2016 with the aim of supporting infrastructure construction in the Asia-Pacific region. According to statistics at the end of March, it had 52 member states and another 18 prospective members.

James Woolsey Jr, a former director of the CIA and former advisor to President Donald Trump's campaign, indicated earlier that the Trump administration might be interested in joining the AIIB, but no senior Trump administration official has given any clear signal on the issue so far.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Cui Tiankai, ambassador to the US (center), Walt Disney Studios Vice-President Paul Baribault (left) and Chinese documentary director Lu Chuan (second from the left) display a poster for Born in China, a Chinese-American coproduction that takes viewers on an epic journey into the wilds of the country. The film was released in the United States over the weekend. ZHAO HUANXIN/CHINA DAILY

Born in China, a Chinese-American wildlife documentary coproduction, has been offering US moviegoers a feast for the eyes and food for thought since opening in US theaters a day before Earth Day, April 22.

The film's stunning imagery was captured over three years, largely in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, and it follows the lives of pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards, with additional footage of red-crowned cranes and chiru, or Tibetan antelopes. It was coproduced by Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group.

"The film serves to increase humans' awareness of the importance and urgency of protecting wildlife," Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said at a reception at China's embassy in Washington on Friday.

"Besides, we can learn much from animals, such as pandas, on how to coexist peacefully and harmoniously," Cui told a group of US guests before the showing of the film.

Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary of the US State Department, told China Daily, "It would be good for American audiences to see Chinese people caring about the planet, and conserving wildlife and natural spaces."

Roy Conli, producer of Born in China, said he had been "totally unaware" of the wilderness of China, including what was happening on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the mountains of Sichuan, before the making of the film.

"It just shows you how wondrous this planet is," said Conli, the Oscar-winning producer of Big Hero 6. "We need to protect animal populations ... in order to protect ourselves."

For Lu Chuan, an accomplished Chinese director, directing the film allowed him to share the beauty of China, and Chinese people's attitude toward life.

"This is a film that will tell our audience that besides Beijing and Shanghai, and besides heavy industries and pollution, China has incredibly beautiful sides that many are hardly aware ofthe crystal clear skies, the stunning sceneries and wildlife habitats," Lu said.

In addition to appearing at US theaters, Born in China will be rendered into a dozen languages and later released in over 100 countries and regions, according to Cui Yuying, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office.

Cui said the China-US coproduction is emblematic of the decision at the April Mar-a-Lago meeting of President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump to ratchet up bilateral exchanges, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"The State Council Information Office welcomes and will continue to support international organizations to tell China stories ... to ramp up understanding and friendship between Chinese and people in the US and the rest of the world," she said.

The film's Chinese version was released in August. A trailer is available at nature.disney.com.

Dong Leshuo in Washington contributed to this story.
The World Bank Group and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed an agreement on Sunday to strengthen cooperation and knowledge sharing between the two multilateral financial institutions.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and AIIB President Jin Liqun signed the memorandum of understanding on the last day of the 2017 IMF/World Bank annual spring meeting held in Washington.

The MOU provides an overall framework for cooperation between the World Bank Group and the AIIB in common areas of interest, including development financing, staff exchanges and analytical and sector work. It paves the way for the two institutions to further enhance coordination at the regional and country levels, according to a World Bank press release.

"The World Bank Group has worked closely with our partners at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank since its inception," Kim said.

"We're already financing projects together from Azerbaijan to Indonesia, and I'm delighted to further strengthen our partnership. Collaboration between development institutions is essential to make the best use of scarce resources, bring in the private sector, and meet the rising aspirations of the people we serve," Kim added.

The two institutions signed a co-financing framework agreement for investment projects a year ago. Since then, the AIIB and the World Bank have co-financed five projects: supporting power generation in Pakistan, a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, and slum upgrading, dam safety and regional infrastructure development in Indonesia. The two institutions are discussing more projects to be co-financed in 2017 and 2018.

The AIIB and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, have co-invested in a power sector project in Myanmar and are discussing additional potential projects.

"Signing this memorandum of understanding fits into our vision of a new kind of internationalism," Jin said.

"It deepens our relationship with the World Bank Group and sets up the mechanisms through which we can more easily collaborate and share information. We place a high

value on our partnerships because by working together, we greatly increase our potential for positive outcomes in Asia," Jin said.

In 2015, the World Bank Group and the Multilateral Interim Secretariat for the Establishment of the AIIB signed a memorandum of understanding for overall cooperation and knowledge exchange, which ended when the AIIB was formally established.

Unlike the less than supportive attitude expressed by former US President Barack Obama's administration, World Bank President Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde have voiced their support for the AIIB since the very beginning.

The Beijing-based AIIB opened for business in January 2016 with the aim of supporting infrastructure construction in the Asia-Pacific region. According to statistics at the end of March, it had 52 member states and another 18 prospective members.

James Woolsey Jr, a former director of the CIA and former advisor to President Donald Trump's campaign, indicated earlier that the Trump administration might be interested in joining the AIIB, but no senior Trump administration official has given any clear signal on the issue so far.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Guests share opinions at a keynote panel at the Harvard China Forum on Saturday. From left: Wang Guan (moderator) of CCTV America; Anthony Saich, professor of international affairs at Harvard; Graham Allison, founding dean of the Kennedy School; Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on US-China Relations; and economist Pieter Bottelier. Hong Xiao / China Daily

Young Chinese students were called upon at a prestigious forum to do their part in developing China-US relations.

At the 20th Harvard China Forum (HCF) over the weekend, more than 100 Chinese and American political, business and academic leaders reviewed the development of Sino-US relations and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries.

With a theme of "Sharing the Road Ahead", they discussed issues such as bilateral trade, youth innovation and entrepreneurship, and cultural exchange.

Mark Elliot, vice-provost of international affairs at Harvard University and also an expert on Chinese history, referred to historical examples to show the long history between China and Harvard.

The first Chinese student was enrolled in Harvard in 1881, and now Chinese students are the largest group of international students on campus. The cooperation between Harvard and China is comprehensive.

Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, said the number of exchange students between China and the US is at an all-time high. He encouraged the students to "work toward bringing the two countries together".

"The future of US-China relations is in this room," Orlins said.

"What you in this room decide to do with your lives is going to determine the future of US-China relations in the future," he said.

He encouraged the young people present to "have a vision" and "don't be fearful of failure".

"If you participate, if you give back, if you fulfill that obligation, the US-China relations will step onto a higher level," he said in Mandarin.

Zhang Meifang, Chinese deputy consul general in New York, said at the opening ceremony that economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the US are more active than at any time in history, and both economies are highly complementary.

Zhang said that Sino-US relations have entered a new era in which cooperation is irreversible and a win-win situation is people-driven.

"I hope everyone present tonight could make your effort to further promote the development of relations between China and the US in the coming 20 years," Zhang said.

Guests at the two-day forum included former US treasury secretary Hank Paulson; Graham Allison, Douglas Dillon professor of government at Harvard.

Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington and Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban gave speeches and joined panel discussions.

According to the organizer, the number of attendees reached 1,000 this year.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
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HA NOI  British insurance firm Aviva has acquired 50 per cent stake in domestic insurance firm Vietinbank Aviva from the Viet Nam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank).

The deal, signed on Friday, has made Vietinbank Aviva (or Aviva Viet Nam) a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva PLC. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

It will help Aviva simplify its operations in the region and develop its business activities via key distribution channels.

Vietinbank Aviva was founded in 2011 as a joint venture between Vietinbank and Aviva, with each side holding half the capital. Since then, it has become one of the top 10 life insurance firms by premium, leading the bancassurance sector in Viet Nam.

Aviva also signed a new distribution agreement with Vietinbank, to sell life and health insurance products through the banks network of 1,100 branches and transaction offices.

With Avivas insurance and digital expertise and a strong partnership with a leading bank, we are optimistic about our growth prospects in Viet Nam, said Chris Wei, executive chairman of Aviva Asia and global chairman of Aviva Digital. We have developed a deep and successful relationship with Vietinbank and will continue to build on our strong foundations.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam spent US$338 million to import 1.22 million tonnes of fertiliser in the first quarter of this year, up 31.5 per cent in volume and around 24 per cent in value compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Viet Nam utilises 11 million tonnes of fertiliser annually and 90 per cent of the fertiliser used is inorganic.

Domestic production is not able to meet local demand, therefore Viet Nam must import large quantities of fertiliser, mostly from China.

In 2016, Viet Nam imported 4.16 million tonnes of fertiliser, valued at $1.1 billion, down nearly 8 per cent in volume and 22 per cent in value compared to 2015.

One of the reasons for the surge in imported fertilisers, especially from China, is the devaluation of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar, making Chinese fertilisers cheaper than domestic ones.

In addition, two out of four urea production plants of the Viet Nam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) use coal as their input material. The increasing coal price causes a rise in production cost, reducing competitiveness over import products.

These urea production factories, expected to completely replace the imported urea, have been losing money over the years, causing a significant decline in domestic supplies and forcing domestic enterprises to import the substance to meet demand.

The price of imported urea fertiliser in the third week of March in the Hai Phong Port was $237 per tonne, whereas the domestic price ranged from VN6.2 million to VN6.4 million per tone ($274 - $283), equivalent to 14-18 per cent higher.

The sharp rise in fertiliser import is one of the reasons that domestic fertiliser companies asked the Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA) earlier this month to apply trade defence instruments on import fertiliser.

The MARD is seeking opinions on a draft decree on fertiliser management designed to decentralise the management of fertiliser and assigning responsibility to local authorities.

Currently, fertiliser management is under the control of two ministries, with the MoIT managing inorganic fertiliser and MARD managing organic fertiliser.  VNS
HCM CITY  There is a huge opportunity for Viet Nam and Taiwan to boost co-operation in the renewable energy industry, delegates told a seminar in HCM City last Friday.

Speaking at a seminar on Taiwan Green and Photovoltaic Industry in HCM City last Friday, Nguyen The Hung, deputy director of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys HCM City branch, said demand for developing green and renewable energy has increased globally, including in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam has great potential for renewable energy development, he said, adding that the Government has put in place policies to encourage investment in this clean energy.

Yu Lung Shih, Manager of Taiwan Trade Centres representative office in HCM City, said: "Viet Nam is currently in a campaign to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2050." By 2050, it aims to produce at least 35 per cent solar power and 13 per cent wind  while cutting carbon emissions by 80 per cent.

That beckons huge prospects for green energy producers, he said.

Top power-maker Taiwan has already developed a lot in both solar power, wind power and many other renewable energies. Taiwans strengths can now be used to assist Viet Nam to keep on schedule, he said.

Cheng-Nan Chu, manager of Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan, said the International Energy Agency forecasts that renewable capacity will grow from 1,969 GW in 2015 to 2,795 GW in 2021.

IEA sees renewables growing 13 per cent more between 2015 and 2021 than they did in its forecast for 2014-20 conducted in 2015, due mostly to stronger policy backing in the US, China, India and Mexico, he said.

According to Yi-Kuang Chen, general manager of Kenmec Vietnam, Taiwan has been in solar industry for many years and so has many solutions to support different industries.

Sharing his experience in developing the solar energy industry, he said the most important thing is human resource development.

I recommend Viet Nam invest more in the solar industrys human resources.

Hung said professional renwable energy trade shows in Taiwan, including the Taiwan International Green Industry Show (TiGiS) and Taiwan International Photovoltaic Exhibition (PV Taiwan), would help Vietnamese firms keep up to date the green and renewable energy development trends in the world in general and in Taiwan in particular, as well as enhance co-operation opportunities with Taiwanese firms in the sector.

Carol Chang, project manager, Taiwan External Trade Devolopment Council, said the exhibitions will be held at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre from October 18-20.

The exhibitions will feature 300 exhibitors in 800 booths. Products on display include the latest solar PV systems, equipment and applications, as well as green energy, technology and environmental protection themes.

The events are expected to attract 11,000 visitors, including 1,200 from overseas, compared to the 10,362 visitors at last years show, she said.  VNS
HCM CITY  The HCM City Peoples Committee and the HCM City Food and Foodstuff Association (FFA) last Friday signed a co-operation programme to boost the development of the citys food and foodstuff industry.

Nguyen Phuong ong, deputy director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, said this co-operation programme is designed with practical activities, such as annually organising four direct dialogues on different topics between city leaders and food and foodstuff enterprises towards resolving difficulties faced by enterprises during their production and trading processes.

In addition, at least two seminars will be held annually to provide enterprises with the latest information about international integration, development trends and other information related to the food and foodstuff processing industry, he said.

In addition, the two sides will join hands to organise at least two trade promotion programmes in the food and foodstuff industry at home and abroad.

ong said trade promotion activities will not stop at just boosting retail sales of food and foodstuffs, but also target to enhance the connection between the citys food and foodstuff producers and domestic and foreign distributors to create opportunities for producers to expand their market shares at home and abroad.

The two sides will co-ordinate to establish an information channel to collect feedback from enterprises to solve problems in a timely manner.

Tran Vinh Tuyen, deputy chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee, said it is very necessary to enhance the role of business associations in the context of economic integration and in line with the citys orientation to develop a strong business force.

After signing this co-operation programme, the City Peoples Committee will continue to study co-operation programmes with other business associations in the city.

Ly Kim Chi, FFAs chairwoman, said businesses in the industry are facing difficulties and challenges in improving their competitiveness and accessing markets.

The co-operation programme will create a close linkage between the city authorities and businesses via the association so as to timely solve difficulties faced by businesses, she said.

The city is home to more than 1,700 enterprises involved in producing and processing of food and foodstuffs. The food and foodstuff industry is one of the citys four key industries.  VNS
A view of Nui Phao tungsten mine in Thai Nguyen Province.  Photo cafef.vn

In late February Indian State-owned mining giant, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), was in talks with Masan Resources Corporation(MSR) to buy a stake in the latters Nui Phao tungsten mine.

The mine located in the northern province of Thai Nguyen has the biggest tungsten reserves in the world with an estimated 66 million tonnes, or a full third of all known global reserves.

The negotiations mark the beginning of the 2017 mergers & acquisitions (M&A) season, which is expected to be hectic thanks to the State Capital Investment Company (SCIC)s plan to sell off many major State-owned companies this year.

SCICs auction of 9 per cent stakes in Vinamilk late last year saw Thailands Fraser&Neave (F&N) snapping up 5.4 per cent of the shares, raising its ownership of the dairy giant to 16.35 per cent.

The Thai company bought more VNM shares in March to raise its ownership to 17.7 per cent.

There is talk that F&N wants to take control of VNM and is likely to take part in SCICs next VNM share auction.

The Binh Minh Plastics Company (BMP) is one of 10 firms the SCIC plans to sell off. It holds a 29.5 per cent stake in BMP and 37.1 per cent another company in the industry, Tien Phong Plastic Joint Stock Company (NTP).

The sovereign funds auctions of shares of these two companies are expected to attract many foreign investors, especially since it appears that BMP will vote to allow 100 per cent foreign ownership to at its upcoming shareholders meeting.

Thailands Nawaplastic Industries (Saraburi) Company owns a 20 per cent stake in BMP to be its biggest foreign shareholder.

If it manages to buy more stakes in BMP and NTP when they are sold by SCIC, it would be able to control the Viet Nams plastics industrys two leading players.

Analysts foresee many major M&A deals this year, with foreign investors being involved.

The fact that several large companies plan to launch their initial public offering this year is also expected to have an impact on M&A activities. They include MobiFone, PV Oil, Satra, and Becamex IDC.

The increase in the number of M&A deals involving foreign investors indicates two things: firstly the attractiveness of the Vietnamese market, and secondly that foreign investors are targeting companies that have good brands, big market shares or the right to exploit some precious natural resource.

The involvement of foreign investors means the Government can speed up its pull-out from companies, while the companies could benefit from the management skills the foreigners bring.

Many domestic investors too are eyeing M&A deals to perfect their value chains, enlarge their market shares and acquire a going concern.

Though M&A activities between domestic companies often take place without much fanfare the number of such deals is expected to increase significantly this year, particularly in the banking sector.

The first deal in the sector this year is due to take place between PGBank and VietinBank, with the latter fully acquiring the former.

The Asian Development Bank plans to buy weak Vietnamese banks.

In the real estate sector, many M&A deals are being done between domestic investors, with long-delayed projects being the focus of attention.

For instance, Novaland is carrying out the necessary procedures to buy shares in projects like ICON, Galaxy 9, The Tresor, Lexington, and RiverGate Residence.

Stock market recovery allows companies capital hike

Pham Quang Dung, chairman of the Tasco Joint Stock Company (HUT), revealed that his company plans to issue some 80 million shares this year to strategic investors and retail investors to expand its chartered capital and business operations.

Last year Tasco had planned to sell 50 million shares but the plan was shelved for certain reasons.

Viet My Medical Diagnostics Biological Manufacturing Business Joint Stock Company, Kido Frozen Foods Company (KDF), Apax Holding Joint Stock Company (IBC) are also planning to go down this route or make an initial public offering.

The positive signs shown by the economy and the recovery of the stock market are the main reasons for their expansion plans.

In the first quarter of the year the consumer price index was up 1.66 per cent year-on-year. Credit growth was 3 per cent, much higher than the 1.54 per cent seen in the same period last year. Exports were up 12.8 per cent to US$43.7 billion.

The stock market has also been buoyant, with all the bourses posting steady gains and the prices of many shares breaching the VN10,000 par level.

On April 13, the VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange closed at 727.31 points.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index closed at 90.03 points.

Analysts said what the companies need to do now to safeguard investors interest and prevent dilution is ensure commensurate growth in profits so that the EPS remains at comparable levels post-issuance of stocks. - VNS
Food services at the Noi Bai International Airport. Shareholders of the Noi Bai Airport Services Co have only approved the trading of the companys shares on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM).  VNS Photo Thai Ha

HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue has ordered all relevant agencies to publicise the list of equitised State-owned enterprises (SOEs) not listed on the stock market as of December 31, 2016.

He issued the order in a meeting on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Finance, based on reports sent to it by 14 ministries, 41 local authorities and 29 State-owned enterprises, there are 578 SOEs that have been equitised but not listed.

The list of these companies has been submitted to the Government.

The Deputy PM said that all ministries, localities and State-owned corporations should ask representatives of the concerned SOEs to list their shares on the market as soon as they meet all the requirements to do so.

He noted that said that in accordance with Directive 04/CT-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on the restructuring and renovation of SOEs in the period 2016-2020, the SOEs have to list their shares on the stock exchanges within a year after their IPOs.

The Deputy PM also asked the Government Office and the Ministry of Finance to publish the list of 578 equitised SOEs on the websites of the Government and the Finance Ministry.

The Finance Ministry must make a separate list of the SOEs that have not listed despite meeting all the requirements to do so, and submit the same to the PM.

According to the Finance Ministry, of the 578 equitised SOEs, 301 have not registered to list on the stock exchange, 205 have not met the listing requirements; and 72 have not registered to list even after meeting the requirements.

Among the companies that have not registered for listing, subsidiaries of the Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) and the coal and mining group Vinacomin (TKV) are not qualified for the number of shareholders.

For companies that have not met listing requirements, the largest aviation company, Vietnam Airlines, had a return-on-equity (ROE) ratio before 2015 of below 5 per cent.

Meanwhile, shareholders of the Noi Bai Airport Services Co (Nasco) have only approved the trading of the companys shares on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM).

Analysts say that the delay in listing equitised SOEs will have negative impacts within the companies and also make further equitisation less attractive to investors, especially foreign investors, resulting in a loss of income to the State.

Delayed listing of SOEs will also reduce the chance of holding successful IPOs, because the number of investors participating in the auctions will be low, leading to low bidding prices.

The delayed listing will also result in SOEs being unable to transparently show their financial status, and investors will not be keen on investing in firms that whose operations they cannot monitor.  VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong yesterday called on large animal husbandry businesses to increase their purchase of pigs and keep them in frozen storage in order to help farmers reduce inventories and stop the resulting downward price spiral.

He spoke yesterday at an urgent meeting in Ha Noi with animal husbandry firms seeking measures to rescue the pig-farming industry.

Cuong said the Government had helped the industry for 20 years, during which businesses made profits and now they should take responsibility for the farmers plight. I believe that all businesses can share the difficulties with the farmers, said Cuong.

As a first move, Cuong said, firms needed to reduce the price of input materials, such as breeding pigs, feed and veterinary medicine.

The price of live pigs has dropped to a record VN20,000-23,000 (US$0.87-$1.32) per kilo in recent days. The minister said if the price drop continued, most husbandry households, even big farms, would be unable to operate, affecting feed business households, too.

According to the ministry, a supply exceeding demand is the main reason for the price drop. In the last 20 years, the industrys productivity increased by 20 times from 1.8 million tonnes in 1996 to 5.4 million tonnes this year. Meanwhile, peoples daily meals have changed and diversified with various foods including beef, chicken, egg and seafood.

There is also a weakness in the industrys operational organization and marketing. Some 45 per cent of the industry are pig farms, while the remainder are small farming households.

Countries in the region, such as Singapore, the Philippines and China, import high volumes of pork but Viet Nam has not yet penetrated these markets, said Cuong.

He said many farmers have gone into bankruptcy. Feed trade households, estimated to have a production capacity of about 100 tonnes per month each, were in debt of VN4 billion to VN5 billion.

At the meeting, representatives of feed companies pledged to support the farmers in overcoming their difficulties. They will take some actions, including debt rescheduling and increase in frozen storage, and expand the pork market.

Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of C.P Group, said his group would immediately reduce input prices of feed, veterinary medicine and breeding animals. They had already rented frozen storage to keep pork.

To share difficulties with farmers, he said the company had already cut the prices of feed and breeding animals. The company also planned to build a big slaughtering house this year.

Temporary import halt

Representatives of businesses proposed that the ministry temporarily stop importing pork and its products in order to stabilize the domestic market. As for the long term, planning is required for the industry, which should be seen as a conditional business area.

Cuong said the ministry would apply advanced technologies for the industry in order to raise capacity and reduce price.

He also requested localities to check and limit the opening of new feed processing units and restructure production to build an effective and sustainable pig industry.  VNS
HCM CITY The number of bookings for tours during the upcoming holiday celebrating Liberation Day and May Day, from April 29 to May 2, has risen by 15-25 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to tour operators.

The number of bookings at Fiditour increased by 25 per cent over the same period last year, said Tran Thi Bao Thu, the companys communication and marketing director.

Bookings for tours to foreign countries have filled up, while domestic tours are expected to close four to five days prior to departure, she said, adding that 90 per cent of tours were booked in advance.

Package tours to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have sold well due to good prices and easy visa applications via travel agents.

A four-day tour to Taiwan and South Korea costs around VN10 million and VN13.99 million, respectively, cheaper than some domestic tours.

Vietravel expects to serve 20,000 holiday-makers, a year-on-year increase of 15 per cent, said Tran Thi Viet Huong, the companys communication and marketing director.

Tours to foreign countries are almost fully booked, while 70 per cent of domestic tours have sold out, Huong said.

The long holiday and reasonable prices have increased travel demand, said Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, deputy director of Vietrantour.

Vietrantour has been working with airlines, transport service firms, hotels and restaurants to get prices that are 30 per cent cheaper than market prices for tours, she said.

Four-day tours from Ha Noi to a Nang/Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and a Lat are priced from VN 4.7-5.9 million (US$208-260).

A package tour to Israel costs VN55.9 million (US$2,470), which is as much as the return fare of a Ha Noi-Israel air ticket.

Tour packages from Ha Noi to the Maldives have also been popular due to reasonable prices and attractive destinations.

Tran Tuan Anh, deputy director of Vietravel Ha Noi, said the number of bookings for the upcoming holiday was expected to rise by 18-20 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Tour prices have remain unchanged or are even cheaper than usual, Anh said.

Domestic tours

Tours to foreign countries have outstripped domestic tours due to competitive prices, good service and the attraction of new experiences.

Airfares as well as prices for accommodation and hospitality services at domestic tourist destinations are more expensive than usual, said Tran The Dung, deputy director of Young Generation Travel Company.

Domestic tours have sunk, while foreign tours have sold out, Dung said.

It is difficult to keep prices of package tours unchanged during the holiday due to the rising costs of plane tickets and services for tourists.

The cost of plane tickets for the Sai Gon-Ha Noi route, for example, rose from nearly VN3 million (US$132) to nearly VN4 million during the holidays.

Domestic tours to beaches such as Phu Quoc, Con ao and Nha Trang, as well as a Nang/Hoi An, Ha Noi/Yen Tu and Ha Long Bay, have been bestsellers for the upcoming holiday period. VNS
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh inh Dung (L) meets Irish President Michael D Higgins in Dublin.  VNA/VNS Photo Le Phuong

DUBLIN  Deputy Prime Minister Trinh inh Dung has suggested Ireland prompt the European Union (EU) to sign and ratify the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UVFTA) and recognise Viet Nams market economy.

Deputy PM Dung made the suggestion during his meeting with Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan in Dublin on Friday, where he affirmed that Viet Nam attaches importance to ties with Ireland.

Dung also called on Ireland to provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students and help overseas Vietnamese in Ireland better integrate into the host society.

For his part, Minister Flanagan agreed to work with Viet Nam in implementing agreements signed during the Viet Nam visit by Irish President Michael D Higgins in 2016, and maintaining delegation exchanges, and all-level meetings to consolidate the friendship between the two nations, with a focus on economic-trade relations, development co-operation, agriculture-food, and education-training.

The two ministers agreed to work to identify priorities for co-operation between the two nations for 2017-2020, with Irelands commitment to assist Viet Nam in socio-economic development, poverty reduction and climate change adaption.

They also agreed to implement agreements on child adoption and facilitating the flow of products into each others market.

During his meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, Deputy PM Dung lauded Irelands agricultural achievements and urged Ireland to support Viet Nam in hi-tech agricultural development while strengthening co-operation in forestry, environment and response to climate change.

For his part, Minister Creed said that Ireland is willing to boost co-operation with Viet Nam in dairy, pharmaceuticals and meat processing, he said, adding that Ireland also supports promoting EU-Viet Nam relations.  VNS
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held separate meetings on Friday with US Acting Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn and a group of assistants to senators of the Democratic and Republican Parties. VNA/VNS Photo

WASHINGTON  As part of his official visit to the US, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held separate meetings on Friday with US Acting Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn and a group of assistants to senators of the Democratic and Republican Parties.

Minh also met with leaders of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the Heritage Foundation, the Trade Council and US businesses operating in Viet Nam.

At the meetings, Minh affirmed that the Government of Viet Nam is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain the momentum of development in bilateral relations, particularly in economy and trade, and continue improving the business-investment climate and for US investors.

The assistants to senators underlined the two parties support for the Viet Nam-US partnership and pledged to continue assisting Viet Nam in dealing with the consequences of war, especially in detoxifying Agent Orange/Dioxin and mine clearance.

They also shared the US Congresss concerns over the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, including the maintenance of maritime security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation and the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of respecting international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Meanwhile, representatives of the US businesses pledged to enhance Viet Nam-US relations and lauded policies adopted by Viet Nam to create a fair environment for foreign investors.  VNS
The National Assemblys Standing Committee will ask the National Assembly to consider stripping Vo Kim Cu of his NA deputy title for his wrongdoings in the Formosa environmental disaster.  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  The National Assemblys Standing Committee will ask the National Assembly to consider stripping Vo Kim Cu of his NA deputy title for his wrongdoings in the Formosa environmental disaster, said the NA Secretary General Nguyen Hanh Phuc on Saturday.

Cu, the former leader of Ha Tinh Province where the Formosa factory is based, was elected as a NA deputy by a majority of 75 per cent during national elections in April last year.

After learning the causes of the environmental disaster that affected four coastal central provinces, there were some asking the NA to review Cus position in the first meeting since he was elected.

At the time, Phuc said that any reconsideration of Cus title had to await the official reports of the Partys Central Inspection Commission and the Party Central Committees Secretariat on his wrongdoings in the Formosa case.

With the two agencies this month both concluding that the 60-year-old leader committed several violations leading to the Formosa incident, Phuc said that Cu no longer had enough credibility to be a NA deputy.

Now the NASC has legal basis to ask the NA to reconsider Vo Kim Cus deputy title. The final decision will be in the NAs hands during the upcoming NA meeting in May, Phuc said.

The Party Central Committees Secretariat on April 21 reached a conclusion on wrongdoings related to the Formosa environmental incident of the Party Affairs Section of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and several officials under the management of the Party Central Committee Secretariat.

Vo Kim Cu, Secretary of the Party Delegation and President of the Vietnam Cooperatives Alliance, former Ha Tinh Party Committee Secretary and Peoples Committee Chairman, was found to have signed many documents against the law to aid Formosa.

The secretariat also concluded that MoNREs Party Affairs Section of the 2011-2016 tenure, its former Minister Nguyen Minh Quang and other two former deputy ministers Bui Cach Tuyen and Nguyen Thai Lai were responsible for MoNREs violations in the Formosa case.

The Secretariat voted unanimously to dismiss Cu from his post as member of the provincial Party Committee in two tenures of 2005-2010 and 2010-2015.

Tuyen and Lai were stripped their titles as members of the MoNREs Party Affairs Section of the 2011-2016 tenure.

The Secretariat, meanwhile, gave a warning to MoNREs Party Affairs Section of 2011-2016 tenure, and to ex-minister Quang.  VNS
A visit to Cambodia from April 24-25 by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will be his first trip to the neighbouring country as the Government leader of Viet Nam.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  A visit to Cambodia from April 24-25 by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will be his first trip to the neighbouring country as the Government leader of Viet Nam.

The visit, made at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, is an important diplomatic activity in the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2017.

Viet Nam has 190 investment projects with total registered capital of US$2.89 billion in Cambodia, focusing on agriculture and forestry, while Cambodias investment in Viet Nam is made up of 18 projects worth $58.125 million.

Bilateral trade exceeded $2.9 billion last year and is estimated at $936 million in the first quarter of 2017, a year-on-year increase of 11.6 per cent.

About 960,000 Vietnamese people visited Cambodia and 212,000 Cambodians spent holidays in Viet Nam last year. That made Vietnam the biggest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia, which ranks 13th in the number of arrivals to Viet Nam.

Regarding security-defence, the countries have enhanced co-ordination in sharing information and resolving issues arising along the border. They have increased joint patrols at sea and worked to search for and repatriate the remains of Viet Nams soldiers who died in Cambodia during wars.

Viet Nam and Cambodia are also striving to finish land border demarcation and marker planting quickly to foster peace, stability, co-operation and sustainable development.  VNS
The Republic of Koreas (RoK) National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun will start his official visit to Viet Nam today.  Photo EPA/VNA

HA NOI  The Republic of Koreas (RoK) National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun will start his official visit to Viet Nam today.

Chung will lead a high-level delegation during a three-day visit to Viet Nam, announced the Vietnamese National Assemblys Committee for External Affairs.

The visit is made at the invitation of the National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Viet Nam and the RoK established diplomatic relations in December 1992. The two countries relationship was promoted to a comprehensive partnership in 2001 and to a strategic partnership in 2009.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam hopes to learn from Singapores experience in managing environmental and water resources as well as environmental quality improvement and green city development, stated President Tran ai Quang.

Meeting with visiting Singaporean Minister of Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli in Ha Noi yesterday, the State leader underlined that environmental protection is important to Viet Nam, and the country will not sacrifice its environment at any cost.

He said that the country will continue pushing socio-economic development towards sustainability with attention on environmental protection.

He also thanked Singapore for sharing its knowledge in national governance, urban management, economic development and personnel training.

At the meeting, President Quang affirmed that Viet Nam attaches importance to ties with Singapore, asserting that the ministers visit will open up new co-operation prospects between the two countries in natural resources and the environment.

He held that his visit to Singapore in August last year and the Viet Nam tour of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in March this year helped tighten the bilateral strategic partnership, now in its fourth year.

Connections between the leaders, governments and people of the two countries will help lift bilateral ties, he said.

President Tran ai Quang also lauded economic, trade and investment collaboration between the two countries, noting that Singapore is the sixth largest trade partner and third biggest investor of Viet Nam.

Singaporean-invested projects are operating effectively and creating jobs for locals in Viet Nam, he said, adding that he is pleased with the two countries agreement to open the eight Viet Nam  Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in the central province of Quang Tri and a software technology centre in the central city of a Nang, which was reached during PM Lees visit.

He proposed the two countries consider new collaboration models in fields such as hi-tech and innovative technology areas and food processing centres across Viet Nam.

For his part, Masagos Zulkifli said that high-level visits between the two countries showed the developing bilateral strategic partnership, with the VSIP system in Vietnamese localities a highlight.

He noted that Viet Nam is becoming an attractive destination to investors and visitors, including those from Singapore.

Sharing his host view on the need for environmental protection, he said that pollution affects a country, its neighbours and the whole world.

He suggested that Viet Nam and ASEAN countries need to show a united stance on the issue at the UN conference in Nairobi, Kenya in late 2017.

The viewpoints of ASEAN will be discussed at the 14th ASEAN Environmental Ministers Meeting in Brunei in September this year.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and visiting Foreign Minister of New Zealand Murray McCully have agreed to continue working to lift bilateral relations to a higher level during their talks in Ha Noi yesterday.

The officials expressed their joy at flourishing Viet Nam  New Zealand ties in recent years, especially in defence-security, agriculture, development assistance, tourism, education and people-to-people exchanges.

They said the joint statement on strengthening the Viet Nam  New Zealand comprehensive partnership towards a strategic partnership in 2015 laid a foundation for strengthening bilateral ties.

The two sides reaffirmed the importance of the relationship, hoping to continue promoting political trust and deepening the Comprehensive Partnership towards a Strategic Partnership.

The ministers agreed in principle on basic contents of the Viet Nam  New Zealand Action Programme in 2017-2020, and assigned the two sides relevant agencies to complete the remaining procedures for the signing of the programme, which defines plans for bilateral relations in the next four years.

They applauded the expansion of defence-security ties, stressing that this shows high mutual trust between the two countries.

They also agreed with a plan to increase the exchange of high-level visits and meetings in 2017.

The two sides will support each other in economic development, aiming to lift two-way trade to US$1.7 billion by 2020.

Minister McCully affirmed his country wants to support Viet Nam in accelerating growth and development, and realising its industrialisation and modernisation goals through official development assistance, trade and investment.

The two countries will prioritise enhancing co-operation in agriculture, education, tourism, scientific research, environmental protection and natural resources management.

New Zealand will make it easy for Viet Nam to export tropical fruits to the Oceania country, while continuing to provide Viet Nam with technical assistance in agriculture.

During their talks, the ministers compared notes on regional and international of common concern, agreeing to enhance collaboration at forums in the Asia Pacific region such ASEAN, East Asia Summit the ASEAN Regional Forum, APEC and the UN.

Minister McCully reaffirmed New Zealand will continue supporting Viet Nam to help the Asian country organise meetings and activities in APEC Year 2017.

The two sides underlined the importance of settling international disputes, including those in the East Sea, by peaceful measures, on the basis of respect for diplomatic and legal processes, in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also called for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and the finalisation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

New Zealand-funded dam

On April 24 the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development launched a project to ensure the safety of dams in the country, funded by the government of New Zealand.

Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, especially storms and floods which cause serious damage, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan.

Along with a similar project funded by the World Bank, the project is hoped to help Viet Nam improve dam quality and the operation of dams and water reservoirs, thus reducing damage caused by natural disasters, Tuan said, lauding New Zealands development assistance to the country in many projects, especially in agriculture and natural disaster risk management.  VNS
The Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV) has submitted a detailed proposal to upgrade and expand Tan Son Nhat International Airport by 2020 to the Ministry of Transport. Photo vnexpress.net

HCM City  The Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV) has submitted a detailed proposal to upgrade and expand Tan Son Nhat International Airport by 2020 to the Ministry of Transport.

It estimates the cost of newly building and upgrading the runway area, terminals and transport system around the airport at around VN19.3 trillion (US$850 million).

With demand expected to grow by 15 per cent a year, the airport will need to handle 50 - 60 million passengers by 2025, when Long Thanh International Airport in neighbouring ong Nai Province is expected to be inaugurated.

By 2020 the CAAV seeks to upgrade Tan Son Nhat Airport to serve 43  45 million passengers a year with parking space for 80 aircraft of various kinds like ATR72, A320, A321, B747, B777, B787, and A350.

It seeks to keep the existing two runways and build three more.

One more terminal, T4, with a capacity of 15 million passengers a year will be built in addition to the existing terminals, which have a capacity of 28 million passengers.

Of the three existing ones, one is used by the military.

The city plans to build a Y-shaped flyover to link Truong Son Street with the airport.

The CAAV wants to entrust the work inside the airport to Viet Nam Airlines Corporation, meaning the carrier has to mobilize the resources needed to build the runways and terminal.

The city will finance the upgrade and expansion work outside the airport. --VNS
QUANG NAM  The central province of Quang Nam will start construction this year of key traffic route projects to connect strategic economic zones, sea and air ports in the central provinces and Central Highlands.

Director of Chu Lai Open Economic Zone Authority (EZA), o Xuan Dien, told Viet Nam News the project will use VN730 billion (US$33 million) from the Korea Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF) and the State budget.

As scheduled, five traffic routes with a total length of almost 32km will link the International Bo Y Border Checkpoint in Kon Tum province with Ky Ha Sea Port, Chu Lai International Airport, Chu Lai Open Economic Zone, districts of Tien Phuoc and Bac Tra My in Quang Nam and Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai Province.

Dien said the projects would ease logistics via air and sea routes and trans-border cargo routes to Laos and Cambodia. He said the project would take four years.

Quang Nam Province launched the first Chu Lai-Korea sea route last year, connecting Tam Hiep Port and Incheon Port in Korea.

The province invested VND825 billion ($39 million) to dredge two main ports - Tam Hiep and Ky Ha - to enable docking of cargo ships with a capacity of 10,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) and 20,000 DWT.  VNS
Future students are expected to have competencies like independent learning, communication and collaboration, problem-solving and creativity.VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyet

HA NOI  The nations education system could see a paradigm shift from knowledge acquisition to how students can use knowledge to solve problems.

A draft curriculum for comprehensive education reform could very well shatter the typical image of Vietnamese schools as places where students learn the same things and have the same ideas.

The curriculum, in preparation for about three years now, seeks to bring about the most drastic and positive changes to the nations education system.

Drafters are hoping that the curriculum will address frequent public criticism of authorities failure to create a practical curriculum for K-12 education in the country.

Accordingly, the General Education Renovation Project has an overarching objective of raising students learning outcomes, officials say.

They add that the curriculum will be revised using a competency-based approach and improving the effectiveness of instruction by creating and disseminating content that aligns with the revised curriculum.

Nguyen Minh Thuyet, the programmes chief technical officer, said the new general education curriculum aims to develop the key qualities and competencies of 21st century citizens.

Ideal graduate

Viet Nams General Education reform: Primary and Secondary education curriculum.Infographic Trong Kien It starts with a conception of the ideal graduate as someone who has developed ethically, intellectually and physically, and who can apply learning to real world challenges. It starts with a conception of the ideal graduate as someone who has developed ethically, intellectually and physically, and who can apply learning to real world challenges.

This can be considered a breakthrough in the way we approach the problem. Previously, educators asked: What do WE want the students to know? Now we try to seek the answer to the question, What can students do, and how?, Thuyet said.

Basically its the well-known competence-based approach to education, which, although not new to many countries, is a paradigm shift for a system like the one that Viet Nam has at present.

We are finally taking the right path, Thuyet said.

Im not a person who is pessimistic about Viet Nams education system. But we have to admit that cant be satisfied about it. Were facing the fact that despite Vietnamese workers having relatively strong levels of literacy, employers report difficulties in hiring new workers with adequate skills.

Thuyett said employers have emphasized their need for employees who are equipped not only with technical skills, but also with cognitive and behavioural skills, such as the ability to think critically, solve problems, and communicate properly.

Apart from weaknesses like the lack of practical skills and creativity another important fact is that many Vietnamese youth still dont have big dreams, big visions, and are often easily satisfied with their initial achievement, Thuyet said.

Thats why we need to work to change things, he said.

Core competencies

Viet Nams General Education reform: High school curriculum. Infographic Trong Kien

The targeted changes include a flexible curriculum that has ample space for elective subjects and follows an interdisciplinary approach at the lower levels and an individual, career-oriented one at the high-school level, as also a pedagogy that combines both lectures and out-of-the-classroom activities.

The graduate profile of a student emerging from the renovation project would be a person with certain qualities and competencies.

The qualities a student is expected to have include patriotism, kindness, diligence, honesty and responsibility; and the competencies include self-control, independent learning, communication and collaboration, problem-solving and creativity, as also core competencies in languages, mathematics, social sciences and natural sciences research, technology, computer science, aesthetics and physical capacity.

In order to have such students, the draft envisages a flexible curriculum of traditional subjects like literature, mathematics, foreign language, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and some new optional subjects like creative activities.

Thuyet said the detailed curriculum will be developed in the months to come, but it will surely be competency-based, promoting the emergence of graduates with cognitive and behavioral skills necessary to gain employment and promote economic growth.

Alongside the flexible curriculum, another important change planned to the system is the development of pedagogies that support the ability to apply knowledge and minimize rote learning and memorization.

We understand that the task to transform Vietnamese teachers into professionals capable of providing new content and employing new instruction methods is an essential element. To affect this change, teachers will need more customized support, Thuyet said.

Not there yet

Despite the considerable efforts made by the drafters of the curriculum, the feedback has been mixed.

Some experts said the workload was still huge for K-12 students, and others expressed disappointment at the lack of breakthroughs in the curriculum.

However, Tran Thi My An, a senior education specialist from World Bank, said she and other specialists were highly appreciative of the efforts made.

The draft document for this comprehensive program is an important step towards the reform of the general education system in Viet Nam. The overall curriculum describes in great detail many of the curricular reform agenda and objectives associated with reform, she said.

The  programme clearly identifies core qualities and core competencies of students expected at the end of the general education curriculum; this helps shaping the development o specific subject curricula and learning outcome standards and guiding the curiculum rolling out as well as student assessment,, she added.

Participatory effort

Viet Nams General Education reform. Infographic Trong Kien

Among many people offering their two cents worth was Trinh Ngoc Anh, a PhD student in Education at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

In a comment that touched all key parts of the curriculum, she said key components should be visions, values, missions and principles that are relevant to Vietnamese settings.

She suggested that apart from learning from and emulating good practices in other countries, other stakeholders like teachers, parents, students in the country are consulted. This can create an open and engaging spirit, and inputs from these stakeholders could generate more effective, appropriate and achievable goals for the plan.

She also felt an interdisciplinary approach should be adopted to achieve core competences rather than putting them in different lists.

She said competence in problem-solving should be put at the centre as it includes many significant sub-competences like critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, co-operation as also independence.

Intercultural competence should be added to the list, she said.

Pham Tat Dong, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Learning Promotion Association, said the curriculum should not separate dispositions and competencies.

The dispositions, or qualities, are reflected in the competencies of each action of the student already, he said.

Ngoc Anh suggested that some subjects are combined and others removed in order to reduce the workload in the new curriculum.

She also felt it was important to providing key learning skills like brainstorming, outlining, note-taking, critical reading, critical thinking, summarising, synthesising, and evaluation to students of all levels.

On the issue that most people were concerned about, the inclusion of career-oriented subjects, Anh said the draft plan included too many of them, making the curriculum needlessly cumbersome.

She laid out subjects that she thought were essential and helpful. The compulsory list would include Vietnamese, Maths, Foreign Language, National defence education and physical education. The career-oriented subjects, meanwhile, would include natural sciences (Physics, Biology, Chemistry); social sciences (History, Geography, Culture); Information and Technology Science; and arts (Music, Fine Arts, Design).

An ideal student image after graduating.Infographic oan Tung

Will it happen?

My An of the World Bank said that successful implementation of the draft plan depends a lot on how the students are taught and how schools organise the instruction.

Thuyet agreed. Its not going to be easy. The previous curriculum that was launched in 2001 with a similar idea failed, because we didnt have enough of the elements required, most importantly, competent teachers.

The important of improving the quality of teachers was also shared by Anh, who said that, financial investments should be made in training teachers, designing curricula and teaching materials.

The renovation in teaching method, however, could only prove effective if the method to evaluate students outcomes is done differently, Thuyet said.

The draft curriculum proposed that students should no longer have to take the national exam at the end of their term to graduate. Instead, they would be evaluated on their overall performance over the high school years.

Currently, teachers hesitate to renovate their teaching methods because the students, at the end of the day, still have to take an exam at the end of their high school years.

(At present) If a teacher wants to encourage students to discuss problems, to work on research projects and so on, there will not be enough time to finish the designed lessons on which the final exams are based, Thuyet said.

Hopefully this can change, and a change in the way students are evaluated can be a motivation for teachers to renovate themselves, he said.

Nguyen Ngoc, a well-known veteran author and novelist who is also very passionate about the countrys education system, said he found the high school graduation exam in France interesting and encouraging.

He said that in 2015, the philosophy exam asked high school students about the relationship between truth and politics. The next day, a French national newspaper asked their congressmen to write on the same topic and it resulted in an interesting national conversation

I think the mission of general education should be to prepare a student to be able to face and answer questions relating to contemporary topics. A high school graduate should be able to do that, and should be pondering about such questions. Ngoc said.

Financial support and proper facilities are other important factors for the success of the plan, Thuyet added.

Authorities of each locality would have to support us in this cause. If local authorities, who can regulate the use of land (for school) and financial budget, are not supportive enough to prioritise education, it will be a challenge, he said.

Meanwhile, My An from the World Bank said the role of the Government and society would be crucial.

Curriculum developers face one lingering question of whether they should develop a curriculum that fits the countrys current conditions, or should they develop the curriculum for desired Vietnamese students of the 21st century and require the State to mobilised all the resources needed for its success. This question can only be answered with the consultation the government and society, An said.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ha Noi Department of Information and Communications has asked local telecom providers to disconnect more than 600 illegal phone numbers of businesses that provide classified advertisements since the beginning of the year.

April saw the maximum number of phone numbers being disconnected at 463.

In 2016, the department banned 4,126 illegal phone numbers that were reported for sending spam advertisements.

The move, part of campaign launched by the department since 2010, is aimed at removing classified advertisements from public walls and electricity poles, which negatively impact the aesthetic beauty of the city.

These phone numbers are used to advertise various services, including electricity and water pipeline repair, recruitment, internet and cable TV installation.  VNS
BINH INH  At least four people were killed and two injured when a north-south train crashed into a vehicle on Monday afternoon in the southern province of Binh inh in Tuy Phuoc District.

The accident occurred at a rail crossing in a residential area in Phuoc Thanh Commune.

The car, a seven-seater Honda Innova, carrying six passengers from Phu Yen Province, was trying to cross the railway when it was hardly hit by the train. The car was completely destroyed. It fell down on a hole about 50m from the crashing point.

TN1 train driver Nguyen Van Tung was quoted on tuoitre.vn saying that when the train was approaching the crossing, an automatic warning signal was lit but the car appeared so suddenly that the train could not stop even after he applied emergency brakes.

Lieutenant Colonel Ngo uc Hoai from the Binh inh Traffic Police said the train continued to the nearest station, about 10km from the accident site, to replace its locomotive, which would be used for the accident investigation.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, Ho Quoc Dung, urged authorities to ensure smooth and safe railway traffic through the area. He asked police to undertake an urgent investigation to clarify the cause of this serious accident.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump pressed for the funding of a Mexico border wall on Sunday as a looming spending showdown in Congress threatens to shut down the US government on the presidents 100th day in office.

Building the wall was Trumps signature campaign promise, and the White House appeared determined to get Congress to approve a down payment as part of a bigger bill to keep the US government funded.

Trump weighed in on Twitter, insisting Mexico will pay for the wall "but at a later date so we can get started early."

"The Democrats dont want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members," he wrote.

White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney said the administration is prepared to make concessions to Democrats on health care reform in order to get the wall money.

But if the wall isnt funded, will the president veto the larger spending bill, risking a government shutdown on Saturday - coincidentally Trumps 100th day in office?

"Dont know yet," Mulvaney said on Fox News on Sunday. "We are asking for our priorities and importantly we are offering to give Democrats some of their priorities as well."

The specter of a government shutdown has often loomed over US budget negotiations. The threat has most often been averted - but has come to pass several times, most recently for 16 days in 2013 amid a dispute over funding for Barack Obamas signature health care reforms.

Record low approval

The fight this time comes as the White House is eager to show off Trumps accomplishments at the 100-day mark.

The president is planning a speech to the nation and an "America First" rally on Saturday to highlight his successes, accompanied by an outpouring of digital content.

Trump surprised his own aides last week by promising a big announcement on tax reform last Wednesday even though lawmakers have yet to conclude negotiations on health reform, a major variable in government spending.

Mulvaney said it would be a statement of principles rather than legislation, "with some indication what the rates are going to be."

"I dont think anybody expects us to roll bill language on Wednesday," he added.

Although he has slashed government regulations and used his executive powers more frequently than any of his recent predecessors, Trump has had no major legislative achievements to speak of so far.

His attempt to repeal and replace his predecessors health care reforms was rejected in the Republican-controlled Congress, and his executive order imposing a travel ban targeting citizens of several mainly Muslim countries as well as refugees has been blocked by the courts.

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll showed his approval ratings to be at a record low for a modern US president at a point in office when most have still enjoyed a honeymoon.

It found that 42 per cent of Americans approved of his performance and 53 per cent disapproved.

Trump nevertheless found a silver lining in the poll numbers.

"New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative," he tweeted.

"Would still beat Hillary in popular vote," he said, referring to Democrat Hillary Clinton, whom he vanquished in last Novembers presidential election.

"ABC News/Washington Post Poll (wrong big on election) said almost all stand by their vote on me & 53 per cent said strong leader," Trump gloated about the surveys findings.

Spending compromise?

Democrats, meanwhile, have shown little interest in compromise, particularly on the border wall project.

"I hope the president will back off," said Senator Dick Durbin, the number-two Democrat in the Senate, on CNNs "State of the Union".

"To think that he would consider shutting down the government of the United States of America over this outlandish proposal of a border wall, which we cant even pay for at this point, and is opposed by Democrats and Republicans all along the border, that would be the height of irresponsibility," he said.

However, Mulvaney insisted that "shutdown is not desired and its not a tool, its not something we want to have.

"We want our priorities funded and one of the biggest priorities during the campaign was border security, keeping Americans safe and part of that was a border wall."

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly made similar pitches on other television talk shows.

"I think its certainly worth hard negotiation over," Kelly said on CBSs "Face the Nation".

"We have tremendous threats, whether its drugs, people, potential terrorists, coming up from the south."

Sessions said Trump would decide whether the wall money was worth the risk of a government shutdown.

"But I know one thing, we need that wall," he said on ABCs "This Week." "It will help us complete the promise that the president has made to the American people. Thats what they want."  AFP
TOKYO  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump agreed in telephone talks on Monday morning to keep urging North Korea, which continues to pursue nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development, to exercise self-restraint.

"I had an in-depth exchange of views with President Trump about the situation in North Korea," Abe told reporters after the leaders third such conversation this month.

"We completely agreed to strongly seek self-restraint from North Korea, which is still continuing its dangerous provocative acts," Abe said at the prime ministers office. "The issue of North Koreas nuclear and missile (development) is an extremely grave threat to security, not just for the international community but also for Japan."

North Korea is thought to be preparing to conduct further test-firings of missiles or a sixth nuclear test, possibly around the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Peoples Army on Tuesday.

Trump will also have a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a White House official said in Washington on Sunday.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and US Navy began on Sunday joint strategic maneuver and communication drills involving two Japanese destroyers and the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which is headed for waters off the Korean Peninsula.

There had been confusion over the exact timing of the move northward to the Sea of Japan by the Carl Vinson Strike Group, which includes the aircraft carrier, two guided-missile destroyers and a cruiser, following a US Navy announcement on April 8 that conflicted with subsequent reports.

"We will keep dealing with (the issue) by continuing to coordinate closely with the United States and maintaining advanced surveillance and warning readiness," Abe said.

North Korea has said it is in the final stages of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit mainland US targets. Targets in Japan are within range of its shorter-range missiles, but their test-firing history has been checkered with failures.  KYODO
Waterloo

Fire Alarms April 9 Ambulance runs: 24 2:13 a.m., University Ave., automobile accident.

5:21 a.m., 1327 Wyandotte St., assist resident.

6:44 a.m., 205 W. Fourth St., Ramada Inn, false alarm.

6:01 p.m., 416 Hope Ave., vehicle fire.

8:10 p.m., 121 Midlothian Blvd., unauthorized burning.

8:25 p.m., 1300 E. Fourth St., unauthorized burning.

8:41 p.m., 1600 Greenhill Road, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms April 10 Ambulance runs: 27

11:47 a.m., 405 Harwood Ave., unauthorized burning.

1:41 p.m., 123 Conger St., unauthorized burning.

2:15 p.m., 538 Ardmore St., assist resident.

4:28 p.m., 1300 block of Lafayette Street, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms April 11 Ambulance runs: 19

2:56 p.m., Dane Street and Logan Avenue, automobile accident.

6:33 p.m., 72 Franklin St., unauthorized burning.

Fire Alarms April 12 Ambulance runs: 19

3:46 a.m., 209 W. Fifth St., Russell Lamson Building, assist resident.

3:55 a.m., 908 Prairie Meadow Court, smoke alarm.

1:08 p.m., 428 Argyle St., electrical arcing.

2:49 p.m., 3749 W. Ninth St., investigate smoke.

6:07 p.m., Mullan Avenue bridge, automobile accident.

6:33 p.m., West Third Street and Vernon Avenue, power line down.

7:15 p.m., 3768 W. Ninth St., smoke alarm.

8:09 p.m., Cedar Height Drive, automobile accident.

9:44 p.m., 315 Walnut St., assist resident.

11:29 p.m., 414 Allen St., duplex fire, started with cooking.

Fire Alarms April 13

Ambulance runs: 26

9:10 a.m., Baltimore Street and Williston Avenue, automobile accident.

3:59 p.m., Ansborough and University avenues, automobile accident.

4:07 p.m., 130 Sherwood Court, electrical problem.

9:18 p.m., 511 Sherman Ave., assist resident.

Fire Alarms April 14 Ambulance runs: 25

2:31 p.m., 2110 Sager Ave., false alarm.

4:08 p.m., Greenhill Road and University Avenue, automobile accident.

4:11 p.m., 214 Washington St., assist resident.

9 p.m., Ansborough and West Ridgeway avenues, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms April 15

Ambulance runs: 20

9:08 a.m., 827 Maxwell St., assist resident.

10:04 a.m., 710 Grindstone Circle, smoke alarm.

11:02 a.m., 200 block of Maple Street, automobile accident.

10:25 p.m., 2000 Dubuque Road, automobile accident.

11:58 p.m., 219 Lafayette St., electrical problem.

Fire Alarms April 16

Ambulance runs: 21

2:08 a.m., East Donald and Idaho streets, automobile accident.

10:09 a.m., 421 Oak Ave., assist resident.

11:05 a.m., 1820 E. Ridgeway Ave., assist resident.

12:47 p.m., 907 Cutler St., automobile accident.

6:46 p.m., 622 Columbia St., clothes dryer fire.

7:02 p.m., 165 Elmridge Road, unauthorized burning.

Fire Alarms April 17 Ambulance runs: 27

10:02 a.m., 900 Sergeant Road, automobile accident.

10:28 a.m., 851 Nancy Road, fluid spill.

11:41 a.m., 1812 La Porte Road, automobile accident.

3:11 p.m., 800 block of Nancy Road, fluid spill.

4:04 p.m., 1714 W. Third St., assist resident.

4:27 p.m., Bishop Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, fluid spill.

5:38 p.m., West Mullan Avenue and Western, assist police.

5:58 p.m., 261 Cottage Grove Ave., cooking fire.

6:42 p.m., 1300 block of Flammang Drive, automobile accident.

7:14 p.m., 1710 Forest Ave., assist resident.

10:08 p.m., 4929 William Drive, false alarm.

Fire Alarms April 18

Ambulance runs: 20

10:32 a.m., 3229 Darlene Court, assist resident.

11:32 a.m., 530 Nicholas St., unauthorized burning.

12:19 p.m., 3421 W. Ninth St., smoke alarm.

12:38 p.m., 200 E. Arlington St., false alarm.

1:38 p.m., Carolina and Kimball avenues, autombile accident.

2:57 p.m., 515 MacAllan Lane, smoke alarm.

6:48 p.m., 650 LaPorte Road, cooking fire.

10:56 p.m., 273 Madison St., smoke alarm.

11:38 p.m., 360 Westfield Ave., false alarm.

Fire Alarms April 19 Ambulance runs: 26

1:43 p.m., 201 W. Ridgeway Ave., false alarm.

5:56 p.m., Broadway Street and Wagner Road, automobile accident.

Police Log

James Alan Hodges, 51, of 818 Newton St., was arrested April 18 at 1501 E. San Marnan Drive for third-degree theft. He allegedly took items from Target.

Michael Craig Padden, 48, of 2958 Independence Ave., was arrested April 18 at his home for serious domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Tasha Warnke.

Brandon Benjamin Shimp, 35, of 1110 Upton Ave., was arrested April 18 at West Ninth and South streets for two counts of third-degree theft. He allegedly passed $239 worth of checks on a frozen account on Jan. 30, and he allegedly took a Kitchen Aid mixer valued at $300 from HyVee on University Avenue in Cedar Falls on March 27.

Donald Clarence Smith, 47, and Virginia Giovanni Tensley, 60, both of Waterloo, were arrested April 18 for third-degree theft. They allegedly took $235 worth of laundry soap from Menards. Tensley was also arrested for possession of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

A 15-year-old boy was taken into custody April 16 for second-degree sexual abuse. He allegedly had contact with a girl age 12 or under between February 2016 and August 2016.

Carl Lee Burchard Jr., 31, of Dysart, was arrested March 27 at 314 E. Sixth St. for simple assault. He allegedly assaulted Eric Giacobbe.

Donall Kirby Diggins, 45, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested March 27 on San Marnan Drive for third-degree theft and possession of marijuana. He allegedly took items from Walmart.

Kimberly Sue Isaacson, 50, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested for third-degree theft and possession of marijuana. She allegedly took items from Walmart.

Samuel David Roberson, 20, of 154 W. Argyle St., was arrested March 27 on East Sixth Street for third-degree burglary. He allegedly took coins from 1002 Western Ave. on Jan. 3, 2016.

Dakoda Michael Kessell, 24, of 323 Riehl St., was arrested March 26 on Vermont Street for carrying weapons and public intoxication. He was allegedly carrying a 9mm Springfield Armory pistol, and his permit to carry was considered invalid because he was intoxicated.

Skyler Michael Wood, 31, of 1620 Wakonda Drive, was arrested March 26 for assault on medical staff. He allegedly assaulted staff at UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital.

Tony Terrell Campbell, 33, of Waterloo, was arrested March 25 on West Fourth Street for carrying weapons, interference, violation of a no-contact order and first-degree harassment. Police found brass knuckles on Feb. 26.

Michael Craig Padden, 48, of 2958 Independence Ave., was arrested April 18 at his home for serious domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Tasha Warnke, 34.

Gabriellla Starr Huston, 18, of 1112 W. Seventh St., was arrested March 30 on West Third Street for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and contraband. Police found marijuana during a traffic stop.

Kelly McCoy Jr., 28, of 323 E. Louise St., was arrested March 29 at 200 Courtland Street for forgery. He allegedly passed a counterfeit $100 bill to a pizza delivery driver on March 27.

Kristin Elaine Adams Fuller, 31, of 824 W. Eighth St., was arrested March 28 at her home for forgery and fifth-degree theft. She allegedly used a stolen credit card on Feb. 17.

Schafia Gabrielle Smith, 19, of 3855 Pine View Place, was arrested March 28 at 1501 E. San Marnan Drive for third-degree robbery and providing false identification information. She allegedly took $24 worth of items from Target and fought with store employees who confronted her.

Willie Earl Johnson, 45, of 324 Butler Ave., was arrested March 25 on Crescent Street for third-degree burglary and felon in possession of a firearm. He allegedly stole a 9mm Ruger pistol from a parked semi cab in the 100 block of Harrison Street.

Tony Terrell Campbell, 33, of 305 Broadway St., was arrested March 25 for carrying weapons, interference and first-degree harassment. Police found brass knuckles in his clothing on Feb. 26, and

Dylan Michael Slack, 19, of 5729 Knollview Drive, was arrested March 24 on East Fourth Street for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police found marijuana during a traffic stop.

Demetrius Leon Keys, 26, of Waterloo, was arrested March 24 for felon in possession of a firearm and possession of crack cocaine with intent to deliver. Police found crack cocaine during a March 19, 2015, traffic stop, and police found a .22-caliber handgun while searching a home at 3638 Ravenwood Circle on the same day.

Tanesha Renee Johnson, 41, of 624 W. Third St., was arrested March 23 at her home for ongoing criminal conduct. She and others allegedly took items from Target on multiple occasions between July 2016 and March 2017.

Bradford Lee Hinds, 56, of Burlington, and Lisa Marie Tapken, 27, of Cedar Rapids, were arrested March 23 on East Ridgeway Avenue for carrying weapons. Tapken was also arrested for felon in possession of a firearm. Police found two handguns in a truck. Bradford had a license to carry weapons, but it was considered invalid because he was intoxicated.

Eric Randall Thompson, 57, of 3930 Cedar Terrace Drive, was arrested March 23 at his home for two counts of third-degree theft. he allegedly took items from Advance Auto Parts on March 13.

Antiwan Emanual Curry, 47, of Waterloo, was arrested March 22 on Ansborough Avenue for third-degree theft and providing false identification information. He allegedly took liquor from Hy Vee on University Avenue.

Melvin Donell Manning, 34, of 433 Kern St., was arrested March 22 on Cordell Street for third-degree theft. Details werent available.

Mario Desean Goodson, 36, of 1828 W. Sixth St., was arrested March 14 for first-degree burglary, false imprisonment, domestic assault, willful injury and operating a vehicle without owners consent. He allegedly entered 916 Hawthorne Ave. on Dec. 23, assaulted Annie Thomas and left in her car.

Chad Robert Beck, 41, of Waterloo, was arrested March 13 for second-degree theft and violation of a no contact order. He allegedly took a washer and dryer from a home at 642 Dawson St. on Oct. 20.
CEDAR FALLS  Police are saying mission accomplished and job well done in a community effort to equip every officer with a body camera.

They will host an event at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at City Hall to thank citizens for their donations to a body camera fund.

Anyone that is interested in seeing the new cameras is welcome to attend, Public Safety director Jeff Olson said. The Cedar Falls Police Officers wish to thank the citizens for their generous donations.

Police received nearly $38,000 from more than 120 individual contributors toward the purchase of the body cameras. The 45 cameras, delivered in December, cost nearly $75,000. Fundraising began in August. The city is paying its portion out of budget savings over two fiscal years.

The cameras are now in full use by the officers, Olson said. The department had 15 cameras in the past and had shared the body cameras among officers. However, that caused complications with officers on multiple shifts sharing cameras. They might not be fully charged between shifts, for example, and malfunctions were not readily detected, having been dismissed as a camera being insufficiently charged.

Off-duty officers summoned to crime scenes in emergencies also were without body cameras. Police also noted more cameras were needed for special events where extra staffing is required, such as the annual Sturgis Falls and University of Northern Iowa Homecoming celebrations.

Officers themselves wanted the cameras for their own protection as well as the public. Cameras already had determined some complaints against officers were unfounded. Olsons budget did not include funding for more cameras, but officers felt they were urgently needed and did not want to wait until the beginning of the next fiscal year, July 1, to buy them.

The cameras allow an officers body camera to be coordinated with a squad car dash camera video and allow for easy and timely downloading, Olson said. Cameras also will start recording as soon as officers turn on light bars on top of squad cars, will pick up audio and serve as officers body microphone.

The $75,000 purchase includes an $18,000 warranty to cover replacement costs.

All Black Hawk County sheriffs deputies and Waterloo police officers are equipped with body cameras.
Button club meeting set

WATERLOO  Nineteenth-century vest buttons will be the topic for the next meeting of the Black Hawk Button Club on Wednesday.

It starts at 1 p.m. at St. Pauls Methodist Church, 207 W. Louise St., behind Allen Hospital.

Anyone interested in the art and history of buttons is welcome. Call Jeanine at 266-3070 with any questions.

Church hosts

free meal

WATERLOO  The Apostolic Pentecostal Church will host its monthly free community meal from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday at 1645 Downing Ave.

Call 234-2920 with any questions or go to www.apcwaterloo.com.

KOC breakfast set for Sunday

WATERLOO  The Knights of Columbus Council 11192 will host an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at Queen of Peace Church, 320 Mulberry St.

The menu also includes sausage, scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls and beverage.

Cost is $7 for adults and free for kids younger than 5. Everyone is welcome.

UNI band will play at GBPAC

CEDAR FALLS  The UNI New Horizons Band will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. May 1 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.

The 85-member band will perform music from World War I, marches, a tribute to Artie Shaw featuring clarinetist Nick Schumacher and the Clarinet Polka.

There is no admission charge for this concert.
Neighbors called police after hearing gunfire in the 900 block of West Third Street around 11:23 p.m. Saturday, and officers found 39-year-old Robert Campbell and another person in the area.

Campbell told officers he had been involved in an argument with a group of teens, and one of the teens pulled a handgun and took his watch and bracelet, according to the police report. The assailant then fired as Campbell fled, he said.
WATERLOO  Two people were injured in separate shootings over the weekend.

Both victims are expected to survive, and no arrests have been made.

Police were called gunfire to the area of Frances Drive and Parkview Boulevard at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Chaston Dewite Fox, 24, of Waterloo, suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks and was taken to Covenant Medical Center by an acquaintance, according to police. Officers found a number of spent shell casings in the area outside.

He remained in the hospital on Monday.

During the investigation, officers found a large bag of marijuana in the hospital parking lot underneath a vehicle that was parked next to the car that brought Fox of the emergency room, said Capt. David Mohlis. He said it wasnt clear if it was related to the shooting.

Then at about 11:20 a.m. Sunday, neighbors reported hearing gunshots in the area of West First and Allen streets, and police found 36-year-old Nickenson Bilsaint with a gunshot wound to his lower right leg at West Second and Denver streets. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue took him to Covenant Medical Center.

His condition wasnt immediately available, but police said the he had a through-and-through wound.
CEDAR RAPIDS  Authorities are asking the publics help in locating two men in connection with federal firearms charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney Sean Berry unveiled charges against Willie Earl Johnson Jr., 45, of Waterloo, and Troy Postel-Vargason, 34, of Independence, on Monday in announcing 15 other cases filed by the U.S. Attorneys Office for Iowas Northern District in connection with recent weapons investigations.

As Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently emphasized, the Department of Justice is committed to investigating, prosecuting, and deterring violent crime, Berry said. Historically, gun violence and crime rise sharply as temperatures rise.

With summer approaching, my office will continue to work with the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force, Waterloo Federal Task Force and all of our federal, state and local partners to combat violent crime by prosecuting the most dangerous of criminal offenders, including those who unlawfully possess and use firearms.

Postel-Vargason was found about two blocks from his home with a loaded Hi-Point 9 mm pistol that had a scratched off serial number Feb. 9. Independence police were responding to suspicious activity in the 1700 block of Third Street Northeast when they found him in a hypothermic state in a field with the weapon, more than $600 in cash and more than 500 grams of ice meth, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. He is barred from possessing weapons because of two prior felony convictions, according to authorities.

Investigators were able to restore the serial number and determined the gun had been stolen during a November 2016 burglary in Independence.

Johnson is prohibited from handling firearms because of felony drug conviction in 1995, according to court records. On March 25, he allegedly stole a 9 mm Ruger pistol from a parked semi cab in the 100 block of Harrison Street, court records state. He is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. He was initially arrested on state weapons charges and released on $10,000 bond.

Both cases were filed last week and unsealed Monday.

Other firearms cases filed in recent week include: Erwin Bell, 36, of Clinton; Gerraud Bruns, 26, of Dubuque; David Caldwell, 27, of Chicago; Daniel Henriksen, 29, of Elgin; Albert Gunnard Linne, 42, of Lowden; Nicodimus Coles, 21, Derek Hines, 32, James Mitchell, 36, Terrence Clark Shaffer, 23, and Darryl Williams, 29, all of Cedar Rapids; and Wayne Jones, 37, Dayton Myers, 20, Anntwan Dayshawn Phillips, 25, Jyshawn Robertson, 19, and Eric Sallis, 26, all of Waterloo.
WATERLOO  There werent many takers when Ole Cleveland invited students in his animal nutrition class at Hawkeye Community College to reach into the stomach of a steer that had been surgically outfitted with a cannula.

Hailee Ciesielski stepped right up, though. After putting on a long plastic glove, the 18-year-old Waterloo woman reached through the hole and pulled out a small handful of the soppy green fibrous material the steer was digesting.

Not squeamish or anything, she said, admitting the experience was kind of gross. Then she added, Its more fascinating than gross.

Ciesielskis incursion didnt seem to bother the steer, either.

The steer  who has been named Steve  had fistula surgery in early March at Hawkeyes farm laboratory. The operation involved making a four-inch diameter incision into the animals side and then removing that portion of the skin and flesh, called a fistula. The cannula, a rubber flange that fits around the incision, was installed after the surgery.

That left an opening into the rumen, one of four compartments in a steers stomach. Usually the hole is plugged with a big stopper.

Hawkeye officials believe it is the only fistulated steer or cow at an Iowa community college. We try to be on the cutting edge, said Cleveland, an associate professor of agriculture. Its not something every community college is going to do.

Wednesday was one of the first times he had shown the steer to a class. Initially, he pulled out the stopper, reached in and grabbed some of the digesting food from the stomach.

This is what he consumed this morning, said Cleveland, noting it consists of grass, hay and water. Of course, in that material youre going to have a lot of bacteria, 25 to 50 million per liter.

Various types of bacteria found in the gut are essential to digestion for bovines and some other animals commonly found around a farm.

Ciesielski, who plans to go on to Iowa State University and become a veterinarian, said the hands-on opportunity broadens her understanding of what she has already been taught about animal digestion.

Classmate Maggie Smith, 19, of Waterloo, also put on a glove and reached into the animal. Smith agreed it adds to her knowledge of the animals she one day hopes to work with as a veterinarian. But she also just wanted to experience it.

I thought it would be really cool to do, said Smith. Its a real neat experience to say you stuck your hand in the rumen of a cow.

Other classes also will get a close-up look at the fistulated steer including domestic animal physiology, beef cattle science and survey of the animal industry. Cleveland said students who work as vet assistants could be given the task of cleaning the exterior of the cannula, which needs to be done regularly.

We can do studies on his ruminant nutrition, said Cleveland, noting one of the ways data could be collected from the animal. And he envisions uses in departments at the college other than agriculture and natural resources.

My future plan is get the microbiology students into it, he said, for example. They run bacterial samples. Well, guess what? Ive got a whole lot there.

He acknowledged not everybody would see the educational and scientific value in the fistulated steer. Some people viewing this, they may not understand it, said Cleveland. Were not hurting the animal.

The Courier reached out to several animal rights organizations for comment on the procedure. Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, responded in an emailed statement:

Fistula surgeries turn living cows into a sideshow for the cruel dairy industry. A hole is cut through a fully conscious cows side, and a plastic ring is inserted into the wound to keep the hole from healing  just so humans can observe the cows digestive process. To the dairy industry, cows are merely a means of profit, so dairy producers artificially inseminate them, take their calves away and sell their milk  and when they produce less milk because their bodies begin to give out, theyre slaughtered for hamburger.

Independence veterinarian Cameron Schmitt did the surgery on the steer at Hawkeye. The animal was sedated but fully awake.

We did a complete block of the side using a local anesthesia, similar to if a human had a localized surgery, he said after completing the procedure. The animal had at least a three- to four-week healing period before being used in any classes. With proper care, the fistula is not expected to impact quality or length of life.

Oftentimes, these fistulated animals, they live for 20-plus years, Schmitt noted. At Iowa State University, a steer named Bud lived 17 years after receiving the fistula surgery, dying in 2000. Five to 10 years is the normal lifespan of cattle raised for beef.

Schmitt took issue with the characterization of the surgery as cruel and pointed to the larger purpose for the procedure.

The animal industry in Iowa, we need to train students and learn about animals, he said, and the fistulated steer will help with that effort. In my eyes its a great teaching tool that improves lives of thousands of cattle over the lifespan of an animal.
WATERLOO  In early 1945 an Iowa soldier stood over his brothers grave in Europe following the Battle of the Bulge.

Weeks prior to that, his own fate had been unknown to the rest his family.

Curtis Mather of Ottumwa was a corporal in the 84th Infantry Division. He was a Jeep driver  he named the vehicle Effie May after his wife. But in January 1945 she received an ominous telegram.

Out on a resupply mission, hed become separated from his unit in December at the start of the Bulge, a massive German offensive in which many units were overrun. He found himself 20 miles behind enemy lines at the onset of the offensive and unable to contact his outfit. He was declared missing in action.

After two weeks, he was found alive after working his way back to Allied lines, and rejoined his outfit. A short time later, his brother Otis, also of Ottumwa, was killed in action Jan. 19, 1945, serving with the 10th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Armys 5th Infantry Division, part of the U.S. Third Army under Gen. George S. Patton Jr. The division had been involved in action along the Sauer River, pushing the Germans back. A Jeep Otis was in was attacked and he was killed.

Curtis and his family settled in Waterloo after the war. The Mather brothers are just two members of their family who served in the military over four generations  dating back to when their grandfather, George Mather, and great-uncle David, served in two Ohio regiments of the Union Army during the Civil War.

For that reason, the Mather family is receiving the Grout Museum Districts Sullivan Brothers Outstanding Military Family Award for exemplary community service. Theyll receive it at the Grouts annual fundraising event, An Evening at the Museum on Saturday at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. The museum and award are named for the five Waterloo brothers who died together during World War II.

Its overwhelming, said Byron Mather Jr., Curtis grandson, who served in the Army and Army Reserve from 1983 through 2006. I always knew my grandpa was in and he talked about how his brother was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Curtis Mather died in 1981.

Byron Jr.s father, and Curtis son, Byron Sr., now of Arizona, served with the U.S. Air Force 1st Commando Group in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including service in Vietnam. His brother, Curtis son and longtime Waterloo Schools educator Jim Mather, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Army Reserve from 1968 through 2002, including service in Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989.

Were very excited about being honored with this award, since our family has been dedicated to the United States (armed) services since 1861, said Byron Jr.s wife, Vickie Trent, a retired University of Northern Iowa professor, the unofficial family historian. We have this long history of military commitment, and were proud that they were able to support our freedom.

She, Byron Jr. and Jim said the recognition is especially significant for Byron Sr., because his Vietnam service predated the 1964 Tonkin Gulf Resolution that President Johnson used to escalate the war. Prior to that, some 16,000 Americans served there as military advisers without a formal declaration of war.

In Vietnam, Byron Sr.s unit, nicknamed the Jungle Jims, would fly into combat in outdated World War II era aircraft and drop supplies to troops under fire. Byron Sr. is returning from Arizona for the award.

Byron Jr. said he and his father, like Curtis, were able to visit Otis grave in Luxembourg, in the same cemetery where Patton is buried.

When I was stationed in Germany, my dad came over and we went, in the early 90s, Byron Jr. said. Asked what that experience was like, he could only muster a sigh, with a lump in his throat.

The Grout event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets for the event are $35. To purchase tickets call 234-6457 or go to www.gmdistrict.org/2017Gala.
DES MOINES  Gov. Terry Branstad played the gender card Monday to counter Democratic complaints over his $150,000 transition request for Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, saying they didnt object to past expenditures for men moving into the states top executive post.

The $7.3 billion state general fund budget the GOP-led Legislature approved for the 2018 fiscal year beginning July 1 includes $150,000 to cover costs associated with the changeover when Branstad resigns to become ambassador to China and Reynolds is sworn in as Iowas first female governor.

Theres no reason why Kim Reynolds should be denied the same transition that other governors received, Branstad told reporters Monday.

During debate before lawmakers adjourned Saturday, Democrats took issue with the transition allowance, given the intraparty move within the governors office amid a tight budget situation, calling it wasteful.

Branstad took issue with that view. He noted his predecessor, Democrat Chet Culver, received $170,000 for his 2007 transition to the governorship. Culver was Iowa secretary of state before being elected governor.

The same Democrats, when they controlled everything, gave $170,000 for Culvers transition. Our budget is less than it was when Culver left office, he said, his voice raising. Those liberal Democrats have nothing to talk about here. I tell you, I cant believe it. They would criticize a Republican woman, but they would give $170,000 to a Democrat male.

Branstad said Reynolds will review state departments and agencies when she becomes governor and there may be changes in personnel, which could carry costs.

You have some people who leave, and I can tell you  especially with the system that we have  when you have longtime employees that havent used their vacations, theres a huge payout if they leave, the governor said. So we suspect there will be some of those kinds of changes.

Branstad said his office is operating on a budget of about $2.1 million, compared with $2.3 million when he and Reynolds took office in January 2011.
DES MOINES  Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he likely will sign into law legislation to expand access to medical cannabis for more seriously ill Iowans, but first he wants to make sure the bill doesnt have unintended consequences that would allow recreational use of marijuana.

This was just worked out in the closing hours of the session, so were going to carefully review it, but I think this is certainly a subject that has a lot of interest and support, Branstad said. Im pleased the Legislature was able to reach a consensus on this difficult and contentious issue.

House and Senate members worked in the sessions waning hours to reach an agreement to avoid a 2014 law from expiring July 1 without something to replace it.

Authors of the bill said it would expand access to medical cannabis to more Iowans suffering from debilitating medical conditions, but did not go as far as the Senate earlier proposed.

Currently, Iowas law decriminalizes possession of cannabis oil for treatment of chronic epilepsy. The legislation on Branstads desk would authorize up to two operations to grow marijuana and process 3 percent THC cannabidiol that would be distributed by five state-approved dispensaries. Iowa-based doctors could prescribe cannabis oil for treatment of up to 15 chronic conditions if Branstad signs the bill.

During floor debate, architects of the plan noted it likely would take up to 18 months for the new program to get up and running, with a new state advisory board and a bidding process for state-licensed operations producing the cannabis oil for Iowa patients. In the meantime, qualified Iowans recommended by their physicians still would have to obtain cannabidiol from out-of-state sources.

The measure creates an advisory board of specialists and law enforcement to review medical evidence and studies to determine what conditions should be added to the list of debilitating conditions.

It also would recommend to the Board of Medicine additional diseases that should be covered. And, if it determines a condition requires cannabidiol oil with a THC level of more than 3 percent, it also would make a recommendations to the board.
DES MOINES  Candidates for the Iowa Legislature made many pledges during the 2016 campaign.

That campaign set the table for the November election, which changed the power dynamic in the Legislature.

State lawmakers are finishing their work on the 2017 legislative session, and there is now evidence of whether legislators delivered on the promises they made back on the campaign trail.

After hearing from those Statehouse candidates, Iowa voters gave Republicans complete lawmaking control with majorities in the Iowa House and Senate to go with Republican Gov. Terry Branstad. At the outset of the 2017 session, the Courier Des Moines Bureau documented some of those campaign promises with an eye toward the work that was to come.

The legislators were chosen from across the state and represented a mixture of Republicans and Democrats, senators and representatives. Some of them were involved in the states most competitive races during the 2016 campaign.

Now, with the 2017 session near its completion, we take a look at how legislators fared in fulfilling those promises.

It should be kept in mind Republicans possessed the wherewithal to pass any legislation on which all lawmakers in their party could agree. Democrats, on the other hand, could not so much as get a preliminary hearing for a bill without help from Republicans.

Sen. Mark Lofgren, R-Muscatine

On water quality: Lofgren said he does not approve of a proposed sales tax increase to fund water quality projects out of fear it would hurt the economy. While this issue remains unresolved in the sessions final days, it does not appear legislators will approve the proposed sales tax increase.

On the minimum wage: Lofgren said he does not think the states minimum wage of $7.25 per hour should be increased, also because he thinks it could stifle the economy. It will not.

On the school funding formula: Lofgren said he thinks the formula for how the state funds public K-12 school districts needs revising, but he said he does not support allowing districts to spend from their reserve accounts for an extended period. Legislation that would allow districts to spend from their reserves will not be approved. The Senate did approve a bill addressing per-pupil funding inequities, but it is not expected to get a vote in the House.

On financial literacy: Lofgren thinks financial literacy should be taught in schools. There was no legislation related to the topic considered during the session.

Rep. Ross Paustian, R-Walcott

On the school funding formula: Paustian supported legislation introduced in 2016 that would have given districts a one-year pass to spend from their reserves but required them to replenish that spending the following year. During the campaign, Paustian said he would support letting districts use funds earmarked for other purposes. The Senate approved school funding formula changes, but it is not expected to get a vote in the House this year. Legislators did approve a bill that allows school districts to dip into other funding streams if deemed necessary.

That should help Davenport and other districts, freeing up some other funds in accounts they cant use right now. But it still doesnt help get to the problem of the funding disparity, Paustian said. So we have to keep working on it. ... Well still keep trying.

On water quality: Paustian said he opposes the sales tax increase, and that it will not pass. Paustian said he supports a proposal made in 2016 by House Republicans to use funds from existing state revenue streams, including its infrastructure budget and a tax on water meters, to fund water quality projects. That issue is one of the few that remains unresolved in the 2017 sessions waning days.

Rep. Phyllis Thede, D-Bettendorf

On the school funding formula: Thede said she thinks school districts that have lower per-pupil spending allowances than other districts should be permitted to spend up to the highest level allowed by drawing from their reserve accounts. The Senate approved a plan to fix the formula, but the House is not expected to vote on it.

On the minimum wage: Thede thinks the state should raise its minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. That will not happen this session.

Sen. Craig Johnson, R-Independence

On the budget: Johnson said he thinks the Legislature should adhere to a rule the state not spend more than 99 percent of its revenue. The Legislature is crafting its budget and likely will spend less than 99 percent of revenue; the problem legislators ran into this year was the estimates of how much revenue the state would have were off, so there is less money available than previously expected.

Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls

On water quality: Rogers supports a proposal similar to one introduced a year ago by House Republicans that would shift existing revenue streams to water quality projects. A similar bill may yet pass the Legislature this session.

On higher education funding: Rogers said he wanted a funding increase for the University of Northern Iowa. State budget reductions actually caused a reduction in funding to the states three public universities. Rogers said he takes solace in the fact Northern Iowa received a lighter reduction than the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.

They, as far as the three regents (universities), were affected the least, Rogers said. So, a small win there.

On tax policy: Rogers thinks the state should lower its corporate tax rate, which is one of the highest in the nation. No tax reform action will be taken this year in large part because of a tight budget that has little wiggle room to lose more revenue. Rogers said he is encouraged legislators plan to examine not only tax reform but also look at how much the state spends on tax credits and incentives.

I think that will help us take a springboard into next year, Rogers said.

Rep. Ras Smith, D-Waterloo

On mental health care: Smith said he thinks the state should reopen and fund state-operated mental health institutions in Mount Pleasant and Clarinda, which were closed in 2015. That idea has no traction in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

On abortion: Smith said he supports abortion rights and knew coming into the session Republicans would attempt to make changes to various abortion policies. Indeed, Republicans passed a ban on abortions after 20 weeks and removed from the budget all state funding to womens health care providers that perform abortions, such as Planned Parenthood.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Orange City

On gun laws: Wheeler said he supports stand your ground legislation, which gives individuals broader leeway to use lethal force to protect themselves from perceived danger by, generally, removing the requirement an individual first attempt to retreat from potential harm. That provision was included in a wide-ranging bill regarding firearm regulations.

That was probably the most exciting thing weve done so far. I campaigned pretty hard on that up in my district, said Wheeler, who said he was pleased to receive one of the pens used by Gov. Branstad to sign the bill into law.

On abortion: Wheeler said he supports so-called personhood legislation, which defines life as beginning at conception and provides full individual rights at that moment. Such legislation would effectively ban abortions. Republicans were not able to pass a personhood provision but have passed legislation that bans abortion after 20 weeks and requires an ultrasound and a three-day waiting period.

Rep. Jim Carlin, R-Sioux City

On tax policy: Carlin proposed reducing the corporate tax rate to ease the financial burden on Iowans and said he also would like to reduce income taxes. Because of a tight state budget, tax reform will not happen this session. Republican leaders say they hope to enact tax reform measures in 2018.

On abortion: Carlin also supports defining life at conception but said he was pleased with the abortion legislation that passed, especially once it included the mandatory ultrasound and three-day waiting period.

The mandatory ultrasound brings the reality of the decision thats being made and the time necessary to make a good decision for life. So I felt pretty good about that, Carlin said. If that amendment hadnt been included, I wouldnt have voted for (the bill).

On marriage: Carlin said he would support a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. No such proposal was made during the session.

Rep. Tim Kacena, D-Sioux City

On collective bargaining: Kacena said he hoped to help Democrats thwart Republicans efforts to change state laws regarding how public employees can collectively bargain for wages and benefits. Although Republicans pushed through their proposal, which significantly reduced those public workers collective bargaining rights, Democrats did their best to postpone the inevitable by dragging out the debate over the course of three days.

On education funding: Kacena said he wanted legislators to fund education in a timely manner. The Legislature approved its public school funding plan as one of the first bills of the session, although Democrats would note state law previously required funding level be set a year earlier.

Sen. Waylon Brown, R-St. Ansgar

On water quality: Brown said he thinks the state should develop a long-term funding solution for water quality programs with the greatest impact. The Legislature is still working on a new water quality funding program as the final days of the session tick away.

On school funding: Brown called for public education funding that is timely and responsible so schools do not have to worry about losing any promised funding. The Legislature finished its school funding bill early in the session, and the proposal included an increase of 1.1 percent, one of the lowest on record and a result, Republicans say, of a tight state budget.

Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood

On the school funding formula: Bloomingdale said she thinks the formula for how public K-12 school districts are funded should be updated to help districts with outsized transportation costs. A bill that addressed per-pupil funding and transportation inequities passed the Senate but is not expected to get a vote in the House.

Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City

On tax credits: During the campaign, Steckman called for the Legislature to examine tax credits and tax incentives and how much the state spends on them. Support for such an examination has increased over the course of the session while the budget pie continues to shrink.

On medical cannabis: Steckman supports a call to permit the production and sale of medical cannabis for treatment of certain ailments such as epileptic seizures. Legislators are making a final, last-ditch attempt to pass the proposal; it thus far has passed the Iowa Senate, 45-5.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo woman was taken to the hospital on Saturday after she was found on the railroad tracks with a massive leg wound, according to police.

Details of what happened werent immediately available, but authorities said Jovida Owens, 37, lost a portion of her left leg. She was taken to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital for treatment.

Police said it appeared Owens had been a pedestrian and had been in an accident with a train. She apparently remained on the tracks for about a half-hour before she was discovered by the crew of a different train as it passed, police said.

She was found at about 9:50 p.m. Saturday near the East Fourth Street rail crossing and was conscious and alert, according to police.
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 Branstads 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 items 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  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.
On April 3, the Waverly City Council met to discuss the airport expansion plan that has been dragging on since 2003. The vote was 4-3 to move forward with eminent domain proceedings on a property formerly owned by the late Eugene Miller and now owned by his family operating under Clan Properties LLC.

Dissenting councilmen David Reznicek, Dan Lampe and Wes Gade would lead you to believe the city was forcibly removing a family from a home and workable farmland. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the home was lost in a fire in September 2012, and no one had been living in the home since.

The local paper reported in an article Sept. 25, 2012, the home had been vacated previous to the fire and Eugene Miller was selling the house and part of the property to the nearby airport to install a safety apron for the runway. The city has been trying to negotiate with the new owners, Clan Properties, to purchase the vacant property over last four years and the current offer of $285,000 has been repeatedly rejected.

The county assessor values the home, land and other buildings at $106,930 and according to Iowa law, the taxable value of property should be assessed at no less than 100 percent of its actual value. So it would seem the city offer is a very good deal for the property.

In the council meeting, Gade was quoted as saying providing a safety zone for the airport helps someone lower their insurance rates at the expense of someones home. Is Gade aware the home is uninhabitable and no one resides in it? Is Gade also aware his own homeowners insurance rates were likely lowered by the citys construction of Dry Run Creek, a project in which several properties were also acquired by the city?

In the same meeting, Reznicek is quoting as saying theres literally 15 people that use that airport and people are being forced out of a farm and home as well for 15 people. That statement by Reznicek is untrue. In fact, no one lives in the home, and when the city acquires the property they will likely lease out the land to local farmers for crops.

The real data of the airport Reznicek fails to disclose is the Waverly Airport has had nearly 8,800 arrivals and departures over the last three years. In 2016 alone there were 2,659 arrivals and departures, of which 791 were for agriculture operations, 294 for business purposes, 1,172 for training purposes, 374 for pleasure purposes and 28 for medical transport.

The life support helicopter that services the Waverly Health Center relies on the airport to obtain fuel for its critical medical transports. In 2016, there were 26 local aircraft owners and 102 visiting aircraft and all of their countless passengers that used the airport and the services it provides. These aircraft owners and passengers are the same people who are likely spend money when visiting our community. For example, in 2016 alone, the Waverly airport sold more than 17,000 gallons of aviation fuel. All of this data is very conservative as it is based on traffic counts during business hours. There are possibly hundreds of additional flights that arrive and depart the Waverly airport that are undocumented. It is fair to say the Waverly airport is much busier and more productive then Reznicek has lead the public to believe.

With the FAA planning to reimburse the city 90 percent of the cost of the airport safety expansion project and normal operations of the airport only costing the city $10,000 in annual property tax support, many in the community are expressing concerns over the attitudes and resistance to the airport project by councilmen Reznicek, Lampe and Gade.

The safety expansion of our busy, productive airport in a growing community should be a priority for the council. It would also be helpful for the public if councilmen Reznicek, Lampe and Gade used accurate facts and figures when they make negative comments against the good, safe care needed for our community airport.
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Tatum's 39 points help Celtics hold on to beat Grizzlies 109-106
IAEA aims to strengthen African nuclear security

24 April 2017

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this month launched a project to enhance regulatory frameworks for nuclear security in African countries.

The project was launched during a regional workshop in Rabat, Morocco, on 3-7 April. The event - organised by the IAEA in cooperation with the Moroccan Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security Agency (AMSSNuR) - was attended by 75 participants from 36 countries.

During the meeting, regulators and legal experts from across Africa received information on international instruments for nuclear security, such as IAEA nuclear security guidance; the importance of adequate regulations for physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities, other radioactive material and associated facilities; and regulations for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.

The IAEA said enhancing nuclear security globally requires the development and implementation of stringent regulatory procedures at the national level. During the workshop, participants were urged to assess their own legal framework on nuclear security and to identify the current and future steps to be taken by their competent authorities to establish regulations and processes to enhance nuclear security.

The meeting also provided the opportunity to assess gaps in the national regulatory frameworks and to carry out country-specific implementation plans for the development of nuclear security regulations, including interim measures. Support was provided for the drafting of regulations for the physical protection of nuclear and other radioactive materials and associated facilities, transport security, and for the security of nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.

"The project will continue with tailored training activities on the drafting of nuclear security regulations based on specific country needs, national expert missions and the review of draft regulations," said Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, director of the IAEA's nuclear security division.

The workshop will be complemented by two sub-regional training courses later this year.

AMSSNuR director general Khammar Mrabit said, "It is widely acknowledged that the threat of nuclear terrorism is real and the response has to be global. Nuclear security is vital for African countries as most of them use radioactive sources that could be used for malicious acts.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
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.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, April 24, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Today the executives of Indiana-based Tactical Systems, LLC announced the opening of its offices in the state capitol of Indianapolis. The company designs and implements security systems for middle- and large-sized organizations worldwide.



"We are presently focusing on maritime ports such as those in Chicago, Los Angeles, or Miami because current US-based port and vessel network systems remain at risk of criminal cyber and physical intrusion," said Bryan Christiansen the company's Chief Executive Officer. "However, we are also investigating opportunities in other industries abroad as well as in the USA," continued Christiansen who is also Editor-in-Chief of the book series titled, "Advances in Digital Crime, Forensics, and Cyber Terrorism", published by IGI Global in the USA. There is no association between Tactical Systems, LLC and IGI Global.



According to the National Institute of Justice, protecting America's water ports is a huge task due to the sheer size and sprawling nature of the U.S. maritime system. In addition, the country has no central port authority to oversee security. Approximately 8,000 ships with foreign flags make 51,000 calls on U.S. ports each year which includes over nine million cargo containers.



Tactical Systems, LLC services middle- or large-sized organizations with a variety of security systems requirements ranging from the electronic to the physical. Major areas include video surveillance, remote monitoring, access control, RFID, intrusion detection, under vehicle inspection, biometric systems, and parking management. Data security and management are key components of these systems. The company has applied for membership in (ISC)2 which is an international association best known for its acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.



The company seeks additional cybersecurity and physical security experts as independent contractors for current and future projects. US military veterans are especially encouraged to apply.



For more information on the company and its activities, contact the company's spokesperson Jim Byrne on (317) 258-4957. The company's website is located at https://tacticalsystems1.wixsite.com/indiana.



Tactical Systems, LLC is a strategic security systems company based in Indiana, USA. Satellite offices will be opened in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Russia during 2017-2018.



# # #
Prayaag Akbar in Aeon:

In October 2016, a young man walked into a flour mill in Uttarakhand, a state of northern India where the mist-wrapped mountains of the outer Himalayas begin. He was Dalit (Sanskrit for broken, scattered, downtrodden), a relatively recent collective identity claimed by communities across the nation that are considered untouchable in the caste system. Present in the mill was a Brahmin schoolteacher  Brahmins are the caste elite  who accused the Dalit man of having defiled all the flour produced there that day, merely by his entry: notions of purity and pollution are integral to caste. After the Dalit man objected to the insult, the schoolteacher took out a blade and slit the Dalits throat, killing him instantly.

The incident caused uproar in the national press. Dalit groups in Uttarakhand staged a series of protests. The Brahmin schoolteacher was arrested, along with his brother and father, who had threatened the murdered mans family if they went to the police; booked for murder and criminal intimidation, the men were also charged under the Prevention of Atrocities act  a vital part of the Indian Penal Code that prohibits a range of violent and non-violent action against members of the lowest castes and tribes.

After the initial flurry of limited upper-class angst  followed by self-congratulation (at the foresight of the lawmakers for how the state machinery kicked into gear to protect the lower-castes)  the violence was then safely imagined as belonging to a distant, retrograde realm, where things would soon change. Silence followed, then forgetting. There was no discussion of the deep-seated convictions and codes that enabled this gruesome act, or how each Indian life was linked to it: the key to living in a caste society is to distance yourself from its most horrifying manifestations.

More here.
With no Democratic challenger, Johnson secures third term in House

Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson won reelection for his third term representing South Dakotas only U.S. House district.


Detailed Engineering of HPA Plant Well Advanced

Perth, April 24, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Altech Chemicals Limited (Altech/the Company) ( ASX:ATC ) is pleased to provide an update on the extensive detailed design and engineering work for its proposed Malaysian high purity alumina (HPA) plant.



Highlights



- Plant detailed design and engineering well advanced

- 55 M+W Group personnel allocated to the project

- Progressing in accordance with revised schedule

- Supplier and vendor firm quotations being submitted

- Final design incorporates scope changes and recommendations from due diligence



Detailed design and engineering is now well advanced and progressing in accordance with the revised schedule agreed between the Company and its appointed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor M+W Group, following settlement on a fixed price construction contract framework (refer ASX Announcement dated 22 February 2017).



Approximately 55 M+W Group personnel located in both Germany and Singapore are assigned to Altech's HPA project. Design and engineering has advanced to a stage where the majority of the supply and installation engineering packages have been released to suppliers and installation vendors to obtain firm quotations for incorporation into a final construction cost and EPC contract value.



Process engineering equipment and piping designs are being managed by M+W Group's German office. The civil, buildings, electrical, instrumentation and associated installation and engineering works are being managed by M+W Group's Singapore and Malaysian offices. Overall project management and coordination is under M+W Group's German office.



In Germany, the majority of the bills of quantities and supply packages have been completed and released to suppliers; the firm quotation response rates for these items are well advanced. M+W Group's Singapore office is more advanced with the electrical equipment and design packages, with a majority of supplier firm quotations received. Civil and building designs are substantially complete with almost all packages released to suppliers; firm quotation response rates for these packages are well advanced.



Electrical design, which is being managed by M+W Group Singapore and includes all HPA plant site power requirements such as substations, incoming high-voltage power feed and utility supplier high-voltage substation is substantially complete.



Instrumentation and process control designs are at an advanced stage, a majority of the packages have been released to suppliers and firm quotations are being received. Installation packages for CSA, piping, electrical, mechanical, instruments and building and site services, are however less advanced.



As is typical during project due diligence, design and engineering; plant design alterations, equipment selection adjustments and flow sheet optimisations have been made since the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) was released. This included building steel requirements and associated civil works, which have increased significantly (approximately 3 fold) due to local building regulations (e.g. typhoon requirements); an increase in overall equipment loads; increases in building heights; and additional requirements in laboratory, admin and process control buildings.



In the process plant both kilns and the hydrogen chloride (HCl) recycle plant have been upsized to provide improved temperature stability and conversion performance. "Inconel 600" acid resistance steel has been added to kiln and waste gas handling systems to reduce the likelihood of impurity pickup and there has been extensive use of alumina linings on various equipment for impurity management. Overall, piping requirements have increased due to improved detailed 3D piping design and engineering.



In the process control area additional electrical instrumentation is required and process control units have been upgraded for the final design. Installation of a high-voltage substation to take the high-voltage power feed for the HPA plant and an expansion of the substation requirement due to additional equipment was required. On the environmental side, the on-line storm water management system was upgraded to align with local storm water surge management requirements.



On 22 February 2017 the Company announced a significant de-risking of the project when it reached agreement with M+W Group on a framework for a fixed price EPC contract for the HPA plant. A fixed price EPC contract is an extremely positive outcome as it significantly de-risks the construction phase of the project; specifically, completion risk (cost and timeline) and project operability risk (at completion and handover).



M+W Group is not yet in a position to provide the Company with an estimate of the fixed price EPC contract value, or the final capital cost estimate for the HPA plant. These will be provided when the majority of firm quotations are received from equipment suppliers and installation vendors, which are expected towards the end of this current quarter.



Commenting on the progress of detailed engineering and design activities, Altech managing director Iggy Tan said, "overall, the detailed design, engineering and associated final EPC contract price formation is progressing at the required rate to align with the German government export credit agency project finance cover application and approval processes. Altech continues to fund all detailed design and engineering activities in order to expedite project development."



To view figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/ZX43MX50





About Altech Chemicals Ltd





Altech Chemicals Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is aiming to become one of the world's leading suppliers of 99.99% (4N) high purity alumina (Al2O3) through the construction and operation of a 4,500tpa high purity alumina (HPA) processing plant at Johor, Malaysia. Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from the Company's 100%-owned kaolin deposit at Meckering, Western Australia and shipped to Malaysia.



HPA is a high-value, high margin and highly demanded product as it is the critical ingredient required for the production of synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire is used in the manufacture of substrates for LED lights, semiconductor wafers used in the electronics industry, and scratch-resistant sapphire glass used for wristwatch faces, optical windows and smartphone components. Increasingly HPA is used by lithium-ion battery manufacturers as the coating on the battery's separator, which improves performance, longevity and safety of the battery. With global HPA demand approximately 19,000t (2018), it is estimated that this demand will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% (2018-2028); by 2028 HPA market demand will be approximately 272,000t, driven by the increasing adoption of LEDs worldwide as well as the demand for HPA by lithium-ion battery manufacturers to serve the surging electric vehicle market.
Lekki Lagos, February 1st 2019. Rilla Web Hosting, one of the top players in domain registration and web hosting has announces its full ...
Pearson Engineering has secured its position as market leaders in the supply of Counter-IED rollers following contract award by the US Army Contracting Command.





Above: Pearson Engineering rollers fitted to HMMWV 2 under previous contract.



The Counter-IED roller systems are being acquired as part of a US Foreign Military Sales contract for Afghanistan. The award was announced on 24th February 2017 following competition.



The contract, worth nearly $8,000,000 will see Pearson Engineering provide a large number of rollers in a similar configuration as previously supplied for US Army use in Iraq and Afghanistan during recent campaigns. Named SPARK OIF(R), it is part of the SPARK roller family fielded during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and was specifically designed for the terrain and threat. The system is designed to protect MRAP vehicles from the effects of Victim Operated IEDs over the track width of the vehicle and will support the mobility of the HMMVW fleet in Afghanistan.



Pearson Engineering is able to meet ongoing demands for its rollers thanks to its ability to rapidly mobilise to meet high rate production requirements. The company's in house manufacturing capability will be supported a U.S supply chain which includes manufacturing services in Baraga, Michigan and at the company's facility in Newnan, Georgia.



Technical Director, Randall Flack said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this contract to support U.S Army capacity building in Afghanistan. Despite competition from very capable companies in the U.S, we have proven that Pearson Engineering are world-experts at providing these solutions and responding to the delivery needs of our customers. Our staff worked very hard to make this opportunity a success which is testament to the engineering prowess and dedication that can be found within the company."



Projects Director, Simon Gilroy said: "We are looking forward to scaling up our operation to deliver against this contract. Our project teams retain very close ties with the US following years of providing breaching, manoeuvre support and counter-IED capability. This contract represents a natural extension of the hard work we have already put in to support the U.S Army and we look forward to developing our relationship."


Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, HE Mr Akbar Al Baker has today announced the launch of a new frequent service from Cardiff Airport, linking Wales and south west England to Qatar's capital city Doha in 2018.





The airline has announced Cardiff Airport as the only new planned UK route in its network for 2018.



The service from Cardiff Airport will be the first regular direct long-haul flight linking Wales and south west England to a major global hub in the Gulf region, benefiting both leisure and business travellers.



Services will fly between Cardiff and Hamad International Airport in Doha, which since opening in 2014 is one of the worlds largest hub airports with more than 30 million passengers using the state-of-the-art facilities each year. Via the hub, Qatar Airways connects to more than 150 destinations across six continents including key routes to Australia, UAE, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, South Africa and China.



The new service will stimulate inbound tourism to and from the region as a major gateway to the UK.



Deb Barber, CEO at Cardiff Airport said: I am immensely proud that Qatar Airways has chosen Cardiff Airport to operate its new service to Doha. It is fantastic that we will now be able to offer our customers more choice of travel with a world-class airline providing easy connections to destinations across the world.



More than one million passengers per year from our region are travelling to destinations that are on the Qatar Airways network. Over 90% of these passengers are currently travelling via London and this new service will give them the opportunity to fly more conveniently from Cardiff, their local airport.



It has been a long journey to get to this stage, with discussions spanning a number of years. Over the coming months we will work with the team at Qatar Airways to confirm the details of the service and look forward to the flights being on sale in the near future.



Roger Lewis, Chairman at Cardiff Airport added; This is a game changing announcement for Cardiff Airport and for Wales. The benefits of this relationship will be transformational for both businesses and passengers across the south west of England and for Wales.



"I sincerely thank His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, for the trust he and Qatar Airways are placing in us. He is a truly inspirational leader and I am honoured to have worked with him on this project.



"I am confident that the team at Cardiff Airport will deliver a world-class service with Qatar Airways for all of our passengers both visiting Wales and travelling across the world.



"I look forward to returning to Doha in the near future to further develop this special bi-lateral relationship between Wales, the UK and Qatar."


An outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) was declared in Ghana on 7 July 2022, after a test on an index case who died 24 hours after presenting to a health facility in the Ashanti region with symptoms of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF) returned positive after his death.
Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri has called on jihadists in Syria to wage guerrilla war against enemies ranging from Syrian President Bashar al Assad and his Iranian-backed allies to Western powers.

In an audio recording posted online on Sunday, Zawahri called for the rebels to be patient, saying they should be prepared for a long battle with the Western-led coalition in Iraq and Syria and Iranian-backed Shiites fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al Assads government.

Our people in Sham (Syria) prepare yourselves for a long battle with the Crusaders and their allies the Shiites and Alawites, the successor to Osama bin Laden said.

Zawahri said jihadists were targeted by their enemies because they sought to impose Islamic rule in Syria, adding that the West and its allies were doing everything they could to prevent an Islamic wave that was sweeping the region.

It was not clear when the recording, in which the terrorist leader also said war in Syria was not just the prerogative of Syrians but all Muslims, was made.

He also warned terrorists not to turn the conflict into an purely internal Syrian one.

Syrias former al Qaeda branch Nusra Front now spearheads an alliance of Islamist brigades known as Hayat Tahrir al Sham which is leading battles against Syrian government forces and their Russian and Iranian backed allies on most of the main fronts in the country.

This alliance plays a key role in the control of most of Idlib province, although US led coalition strikes have killed dozens of its leaders in recent months.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has underlined the need for building a combat-ready army and accelerate the building of the theatre joint combat command system, amidst the PLA flexing its muscles in the disputed South China Sea.

Xi, the ruling Communist partys General Secretary and the Central Military Commissions Chairman, made the comments while inspecting the Southern Theatre Command of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday and stressed building a strong army which should also avoid being corrupt.

Xi, 63, viewed as the most powerful leader heading the party, military and the government will complete his first five year term this year and expected to be re-elected for another five-year term during the 19th Party Congress to be held later this year.

He vowed to fight corruption and enhance the sense of gain among officers and soldiers of the 2.3 million-strong Peoples Liberation Army, the worlds largest.

Xi asked military personnel to strengthen their awareness in preparing for war, closely follow changes of situations and make unremitting efforts to enhance combat capabilities.

Xi required an accelerated building of the theatre joint combat command system, vigorous development of a new-type fighting force and simultaneous improvement of national defence strength and economic development, the official Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

His comments came amid Chinas maritime disputes with its South China Sea neighbours.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including islands more than 800 miles from the Chinese mainland, despite objections from neighbours such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

Beijing has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features. The issue is a source of ongoing tension and anger in the region.

In his speech, Xi urged all military personnel to resolutely safeguard the authority of CPC Central Committee, unswervingly follow the Partys leadership and combat corruption.

He asked all military personnel to greet the 19th CPC National Congress scheduled for later this year with outstanding achievements, Xinhua quoted him as saying.

Noting that 2017 is of great significance for the Party and the country, Xi urged the PLA to strengthen ideological building, combat preparation and reform implementation.

Xi urged PLA officers to eliminate the impact of Gen Guo Boxiong and Gen Xu Caihou, two corrupt former CMC vice chairmen, and strictly observe political discipline and rules.

It must be ensured that the PLA resolutely follows the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC at any time, in any circumstances, Xi said.

A campaign, which focuses on the study of the Party Constitution and rules, as well as the speeches by Xi, and calls for being qualified Party members, is required to be further launched in the army.
Doctors say that government wants to push across substandard cheap drugs in the market in the name of cheap health care.

The Modi government will frame a law to ensure that doctors prescribe generic medicines which are cheaper than branded drugs. The governments initiative will make benefit poor patients who are unable to afford the rising cost of medicines. The Medical Council of India has already warned doctors that action will be taken against them if they failed to follow the directive of prescribing drugs in generic names.

Generic medicine is a drug which is manufactured by other than the innovator or branded companies in simple terms. It means that the doctor should write paracetamol instead of Calpol or Crocin or another brand. The government has taken this step to prevent doctors from accepting favours from pharma companies for prescribing medicines marketed by them. Such initiative will break the nexus between doctors and pharma companies.

According to Wikipedia, 75% of counterfeit drugs have their origin in India?

The government is not addressing all these problems and want to push across substandard cheap drugs in the market in the name of cheap health care making common man a guinea pig. As per media reports the cheap generic drugs have more than 1000% profit margins as compared to branded companies.

Dr. Anshuman Manaswi said, I am a great fan of Augmentin, Supacef, Voveran, Levofox, Bevon, Crocin. But I have not even met their representatives for ages. So there is no nexus. In this era, where government apathy is the norm rather than exception, it doesnt come out with clear cut data about the quality control of the generic / branded medicines. So who is to be blamed for poor quality of drug resulting in loss of lives? How will one ensure that antibiotic is not acting because of poor quality or due to antibiotics resistance? The government is neither protecting doctors interest including their safety or public interest, their health. With this decision our problems will increase manifolds, I am sure. Doctors must have the freedom to write what they want to write. Or else how will they have any clue about what is happening?, he added.

There are innovative ways.

Stop business of medical representatives Let the pharma company advertise their brands by sending educational material etc. Let them not even sponsor the conferences directly. Let it be done through IMA/ MCI etc.

Chemists should not be permitted to decide the fate of the patients or let the chemist or the government take the responsibility of drug failure. Government cannot have knee jerk reaction to a problem where in they are part of the problem because they cant ensure quality of generic drugs, said Dr Manaswi.

Other measures like making it compulsory for PM, ministers, president, MP, MLA, government officials etc to have generic medicines only will set the system straight. Enough is enough. We have to fight or we will perish.

Choice is ours, he added.
Mumbaikars will now have shell out Rs 77.45 for buying a litre of petrol on the other hand Delhi residents will have to pay only Rs 68.26.

After a Rs 3 hike in petrol prices with effect from Friday midnight, petrol has become costliest in Mumbai as compared to other cities. Mumbaikars will now have shell out Rs 77.45 for buying a litre of petrol on the other hand Delhi residents will have to pay only Rs 68.26. Even though both Mumbai and Delhi are metropolitan cities there is a huge variation of fuel prices in both these cities. Mumbaikars are unhappy with the state governments decision to revise petrol rates citing drought cess reasons.

According to them, Mumbai is contributing more than 35 per cent taxes to the nation but the city is plagued by poor infrastructure and rising traffic jams. The government had taken the decision to revise petrol rates to recover the losses it had to incur on account of shutting liquor bars on highways. The petrol rate in Mumbai is highest when it is compared to other cities across the country. Thus Mumbaikars have to bear the brunt of rising fuel prices.

Sudesh Mehta a Kandivali resident said, We are unhappy with the governments decision to hike petrol prices. Mumbaikars already are finding it difficult to drive their vehicles during peak hours due to rising traffic jams. The state government should reconsider its decision to increase fuel prices.

Nitin Jadhav an accountant working with a financial services firm in Andheri said, I drive my motor bike for reaching my work place at Andheri as I find it difficult to board overcrowded suburban trains during peak hours. The rise in petrol price will further disturb my monthly budget.

Jatin Desai a BPO employee from Malad said, Why is the state government hiking fuel prices? The government raises the fuel price by four to five rupees but at the same time when prices slide in international market it does not pass on the benefit to customers.

Sudhir Bhonsle a Borivali resident said, Recurring fuel price hike is affecting my monthly budget. Now it will become difficult for the common man to purchase petrol. The government may be imposing drought cess and hiking petrol rates but whether this money is spent for the welfare of farmers? An audit of the money recovered by imposing drought cess must be conducted.

The government had increased fuel price at a time when the state had witnessed good monsoon last season.

A petrol dealer from the city said, Petrol prices have been increasing by Rs 7-8 per litre since last one year. Nowadays we are also finding it difficult to run our business due to low margins.

The rates of petrol and diesel will change daily in tandem with international rates in some cities of the country with effect from May 1. A pilot project will be started in five cities namely Udaipur, Jamshedpur, Chandigarh, Pudhucherry and Visakhapatnam. If this project succeeds then it will be extended to other cities across the country.
World Earth Day was celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. On the one end constant research and innovation makes it possible to produce various new products, but it is lagging behind in finding out ways and means to make environmental friendly products as wee se the amount of trash or waste generated by various products in increasing day by day and littering of the roads.

Earths uniqueness lies in the fact that it is the only planet to support life. A balanced environment on earth is what makes the survival of species possible. Modern man has made great development in the fields of science and technology. Today, he is all ready to settle a living community on Mars. So when even the planets of our solar system have not been able to escape the grasp of mans advancing technology, can the environment on our own planet remain untouched?

It is said that trees are the pillars of life on earth. To purify air and help to maintain the ecological balance on earth the survival of trees is a must. Forests are our wealth and means to our progress and prosperity. Man has been mercilessly for wood, fodder and other domestic or industrial purposes cutting down trees. Deforestation also leads to pollution. Tees are being cut down to make space for cultivation and for constructing of houses or for establishing industries for enhancing job opportunities. As a result, our forests disappeared and the atmosphere which was quite clean and clear has now become land for agriculture, river valley projects, roadways, railways and other Industries. Cutting of trees leads to soil erosion which results in the formation of infertile wastelands on earth.

Trees maintain a balance in the ecosystem without them there would be no control over soil erosion, floods, droughts and pollution etc. The trees also maintain a balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide gases in the air. Besides these productive functions, trees have innumerable productive functions. They provide man with timber, fuel, pulp, gum, resin, rubber, fruits, nuts etc. So, the trees are really very important. In a tropical country like India 1/3rd of the land is under forest and it is time to maintain the growth of trees and report the damages caused to the trees.

To fulfill greed and selfish desire, we have disturbed the ecological balance. Our body is made up of five elements fire, water, earth, air and ether. These elements constitute the universe. Unless we take due care and protect the environment, we will be threatening our own health. The process of cleanliness begins from within. The purity of the soul is reflected in the face, and purity of thought should be translated to purity of action. Ask what you can do before telling others what to do. Do not abuse the environment around you. It should be protected with great determination and perseverance. This responsibility rests with each and every one of us.

All of us desire to live in conducive environment. Cleanliness brings happiness says a proverb. If we keep our minds happy, our thoughts will be pure. Just as nature adapts itself according to the varying seasons, man must also learn to live in unison with nature.

(This is the first part of the article and the remaining portion will continue tomorrow)

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)


Neither Tamil Nadu government nor central government is bothered about the farmers protest in capital while they host foreign visitors posing a smile. No wonder the country is side-lined in the international arena. A courtesy visit may have ended the protest. Still I do not understand what Tamil Nadu MLA and MPs are doing. The CM does not care what the farmers undergo in Delhi and MPs leader from Tamil Nadu is talking about HIV in Lok sabha and did not mention about farmers plight in Delhi. I wonder, where those actors and actresses of Tamil film industry have gone, who were protesting on streets for Jallikkattu? Where are those student unities  student power that spend nights on Marina beach? Meanwhile TN politicians are fighting for power whereas there was no answer to the states farmers plight. Is it not the sole responsibility of TN Govt? Voters in the state have happily sold their votes and they are responsible for the present situation.

Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Delhis Jantar Mantar for drought-relief funds and waiver of loans drank their own urine, with the government doing little to heed their demands. It has been going for 40 days. They are deeply distressed by the fact that despite agitating for almost 6 weeks, their genuine demands have not been addressed. 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 Centres attention towards their plight. But the government has turned a blind eye towards their demands. No one has time to even meet them or ask them about their grievances. During election campaign Modiji was so much worried about Jawans and Kisans of this country, he always attacked UPA government for neglecting core issues related to them. But ever since BJP came to power they a turned blind eye towards this issue and has proven to be worse than the earlier government.

Several farmers from India from various states have committed suicide in the wake of the drought crisis. 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. We are boasting on every front leaving the crucial issue aside. For BJP it is only politics and they do not care about these people in Delhi. The state government should take initiative waive farm loans and adjust it with the money they get from centre or the TASMAC.

The farmers have been protesting at the venue for over a month expecting to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were demanding total waiver of their agricultural loans. A group of Tamil Nadu farmers stripped near the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), demanding that their agricultural loans be waived and the Centre take up their cause. The group of farmers earlier submitted a memorandum at the PMO. They were on their way back when some of them suddenly stripped and blocked traffic at Raisina Hill. They were immediately removed from the area. The farmers, who have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar since March 14, said they would intensify their stir if a positive view of their problem was not taken soon.

In India no matter how BIG our constitutional Book is after all it is only you and only you that should take care of your family. Dont ever take loans from anyone. Loans are meant for to take control over poors. Government is really not bothered of your plight and pain. Promises on loan waiving should not be just for winning elections and for particular states. If the case is genuine the centre should look into matters of the other states without power dynamics. What happened to the money deposited after demonetization? We always talk about cooperative federalism then why we are not able to waive off loan of these farmers whose condition is similar to farmers of Uttar Pradesh. We are giving grants to many countries of the world and also taking grants from World Bank and many development authorities of the world, then why are we not trying to eradicate problems of these farmers? The farmers have been demanding a drought relief package of 40,000 crore, farm loan waiver and setting up of a Cauvery Management Board by the Centre. Last week, five Tamil Nadu farmers, including a woman, cut their palms, saying the Union government should wake up to their plight at least now.

Some farmers suffered a severe heat stroke and were taken to a hospital. They were treated for dehydration and dysentery. While four of them were discharged the same day, one is still undergoing treatment. Earlier the Madras High Court had directed state government to expand its farm loan waiver scheme to include farmers who own land over five acres. However, there is no relief for those who have borrowed from nationalised banks. The state had sought Rs. 40,000 crore from the centre, which sanctioned only Rs. 4,000 crore. With 60 per cent deficit in rainfall, Tamil Nadu witnessed its worst drought in 140 years. Hope some government, state or in centre takes this issue seriously and renders help.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)








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The Bank of Canada in its quest to make the celebration of Canadas 150th anniversary as a Confederation, has unveiled a new bank note. The new commemorative $10 is just the fourth of its kind in Canadas 150 years as a Confederation and it is also one of the very few periods that a Canadian indigenous man and woman have been featured on a bank note.

According to Stephen Poloz, Governor of the Bank of Canada, The note is intended to captivate our imagination and instil 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 new commemorative $10 bank note comes with some very unique features that clearly highlight the way of life of the people of Canada, its political achievements and a trip down memory lane. The front of the new $10 note displays the faces of four staunch political figures in the history of Canada and these people are Sir George-Etienne Cartier, Agnes Macphail, James Gladstone and Sir John A. Macdonald.

The only lady on the front of the $10 note, Agnes Macphail happens to be Canadas first elected female Member of Parliament and was elected in the year 1921. Her political journey was further taken to a different level when in the year 1943 she won a seat in the legislative house of Ontario.

Gladstone, popularly called by his Blackfoot name Akay-na-muka is from the Kainai (Blood) Tribe and he happens to be the first indigenous senator of Canada. James Gladstone presence is also seen as an acknowledgement to the indigenous Canada people. On the back of the new note, there are a variety of images that depict the rich culture of Canada. Some of these images include the Owls Bouquet in a holographic form. This is also seen as a further acknowledgement of the indigenous Canadian people since the Owls Bouquet is artistic display that was made by Kenojuak Ashevak, an Inuit. It is therefore not surprising to know that Ashevaks family were present during the unveiling of the new bank note.

Aside Gladstone and Macphail, there is also the well-known portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canadas first Prime Minister and Sir George-Etienne Cartier, a fellow father of the Confederation. In an article published in the CBC News, Governor of the Bank of Canada had this to say about the assertion that about $40 million notes of the new commemorative $10 bank note will be put in circulation, just more than enough for every Canadian to keep one. The new $10 note is expected to become a legal tender from the 1st of June, 2017.

The new bank note also features artistically created maple leaves that gives a 3D view on the eye but flat when touched. This in addition to the new magnetic ink which has a colour that keeps on changing any time it is tilted are some of the unique security features that have also been introduced to make the new commemorative $10 bank note.








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The issue of universal development agenda is the issue of the twenty-first century. Never before have so many suffered amidst liberty and luxury for the few. The wealth of single inpiduals exceeds the wealth of many nations. In highly developed countries, the number of persons living past 80 years is soaring. In deprived and convulsed countries, the average longevity is but half that age. While citizens of some African and Asian countries are starving, the rich countries are beset with obesity. Discrepancies of these types are morally disturbing. The United Nations is ideally suited to ending these shocking inequalities because it hosts all the nations of the world and endows each with identical voting power in the General Assembly. The poorest and the weakest are equal to the richest and the strongest.

The most urgent priority to promoting global partnership for viable development is the ending of warfare. War, whether intramural or international, wreaks havoc on the elements necessary for health, housing, education, employment, the rule of law, the environment, and happiness generally.

War is enormously expensive. It perts resources from schools, hospitals, roads, and telecommunications to AK-47s, Kalashnikovs, missiles, bombs, and artillery shells. Children are deprived of educational opportunities. By killing or deracinating the flower of youth, war keeps a country immersed in misery and underdevelopment.

War also arrests economic development. Capital flight is staggering. Foreign investment withers. Infrastructure is destroyed. Lawlessness hikes the risks of any business enterprise. The consequence is widespread poverty.

War also fosters disease and physical ailments. Inpiduals are more susceptible to crippling bacterial and viral illnesses when their housing and food is shortchanged. Further, war destroys hospitals and handicaps the supply of medicine. Medical workers frequently shy from dangerous conditions. And refugee camps are notorious for insalubrious quarters.

War also creates a culture antithetical to democracy and the rule of law. It teaches that disputes should be resolved by the bullet in lieu of the ballot box. It engenders suspicion and distrust that confound democratic politics resting on a confidence that elections will be free, fair, and accurate.

I admit that denunciation of warfare is easier than prevention. But if mankind can assemble knowledge to send men to the moon and Land Rovers to Mars, the knowledge necessary to end wars cannot be far behind. In this regard, the United Nations should summon the Nobel Laureates and Elders to devise principles of international law and conduct that will abolish the scourge of war from the face of the planet. These exceptionally gifted inpiduals can be trusted to succeed by standing on the shoulders of other great men and women who have campaigned for the cause of universal peace, justice, and non-violence. The goal may be ambitious. But as Robert Browning versified, Ah, but a mans reach should exceed his grasp, or whats a heaven for?

The second urgent global development priority should be universal literacy and education. As Socrates explained, the unexamined life is not worth living. This observation is made not to deride or degrade the uneducated, but to underscore the criticality of education to making life morally meaningful and fulfilling.

Education is also human capital that fuels economic growth. Education correlates with a workers ability to shift jobs and master new skills in an ever-changing global economy. Education also is a central ingredient to self-government and freedom. As United States President Thomas Jefferson lectured, If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.

Mean-spirited and wicked politicians regularly exploit ill-educated voters to pursue pisive racial, ethnic or religious agendas. That explains why free and compulsory public school education is a feature of every flourishing democracy.

The United Nations should develop educational yardsticks that a nation must satisfy to receive economic or military aid from third parties, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The yardsticks should be incorporated in a treaty to be ratified by all United Nations members.

The idea of educational yardsticks with teeth creates an agonizing moral dilemma. Suppose a misgoverned nation falls short. Economic aid ends, but the suffering is felt by the common citizen, not the typically coddled rulers. That juxtaposition seems unjust and immoral at first glance. But think of the consequences of continuing aid to a brutal government, either directly or through international or private indigenous organizations. The aid relieves misery, and dulls the popular incentive to revolt and to install a more enlightened regime that would eagerly educate the nations citizens. Future generations would forever inherit an uneducated nation and despotic government. Morality in public life should be the greatest good for the greatest number. And to decline sanctions on a living generation despite the greater wretchedness visited on posterity would seem to fail that test.

Third on the global development priority should be the elimination of poverty and the securing for every man, woman, and child a right to flourishing health, a clean environment, comfortable housing, and nutritious food. The goal is not a choice but a moral obligation. A preferred position for the poor is the North Star of all religions. Thus, rich countries should transfer much of their riches to poor countries.

There is no moral excuse for regimes in poor nations to forfeit the rich self-help opportunities for economic growth. As Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan teach, economic prosperity turns more on human capital and the rule of law than on the flukes of natural resources. Think of some oil rich nations mired in misery, desolation, deprivation and destitution.

A fourth global development priority should be the ending of all racial, ethnic, or class hatreds or enmities, like Islamophobia, Xenophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, etc. Think of the horrifying quantity of violence in the world whose fundamental cause can be traced back to such social pisions. It infects every country on the planet. And if even one person suffers from invidious discrimination, then all are threatened and civilization has been tarnished. The United Nations Human Rights Council is ideally suited to fashion a program to achieve the desired result. It can assemble the best thinkers and models to draft laws and educational programs that will deter and prevent the abomination of sharp social pisions.

Next on the list of global development priorities should be the attainment of equality for women. Experience and intuition both demonstrate that women are as intelligent as men. They are as entrepreneurial and disciplined. They contribute every bit as much to economic growth and social cohesion as men. It is thus imperative that women receive the same legal rights and social dignity as men if global development objective is to advance.

Females should receive the same educational, employment, business, and professional opportunities as men. They should be equally eligible to serve in public office or to seek elective office. Women should enjoy the same social rights as men.

A clean environment is also essential to global development priorities. Pollution is more than twice cursed. It damages crops; it kills lakes and rivers; it occasions disease. The poor are invariably the worst affected by environmental pollution. They are least able to afford medical treatment. They are least able to move or change their occupation, if at all they have an occupation in the first place. They are least able to pay for the costs of self-protective measures. A clean environment, therefore, is a key element of community fairness and justice.

Let me with great humility offer a few closing observations about the entire global development agenda enterprise. It is characteristic that national or international organizations employ quantitative benchmarks to measure success in meeting enumerated objectives. For instance, a longstanding objective has been for each nation to contribute a specified percentage of its gross domestic product for humanitarian or foreign aid. Companion quantitative benchmarks have been set for literacy, vaccinations, annual income, longevity, smoking, etc.

There is nothing inherently mischievous about these development yardsticks. But they should never distract from our recognition that the highest in global development agenda consists of non-quantifiable characteristics. These would include acts of charity, humility, courage, benevolence, magnanimity, self-restraint, and non-vindictiveness. It would seem to me to turn logic and morality on their heads to award higher sustainable development acclaim to a nation whose citizens were universally economically prosperous, literate, healthy, long-lived, non-polluting, but also mean-spirited, selfish, and egotistical than to a nation whose citizens were impoverished, plagued by disease, but were generous in time, effusive in hospitality, austere in habits, and selfless for the community.

During our chapters between ashes to ashes and dust to dust, let each of us live and comfort ourselves so that our tombstones will inspire and uplift for the ages.

Dr. Fai is the Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum and can be reached at: 1-202-607-6435 or gnfai2003@yahoo.com








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The devastating effects of World War I and II can still be felt today even though it happened so many years ago. It is therefore not surprising that major international peace organizations like the UN, AU among others are always on the lookout for any act that might escalate into something nasty. However, if the predictions of a mystic by name Horacio Villegas are anything to go by, then the beginning of the third world war is just around the corner.

Horacio Villegas, a clairvoyant, is of the view that he has been able to predict a number of world events including that of Donald Trump becoming the next president of the United States two years before the elections were held. In Horacios view, a major world war is always bound to break out on the hundredth anniversary of the visit of Our Lady of Fatima. Over some years now, Horacio has been predicting one major event after the other and according to an article in the Mirror, Villegas even went to the extent to warn that Donald Trump would mastermind an attack on Syria after he ascends the presidential throne of the United States of America.

Horacios prediction about president Trump attacking Syria immediately after he ascends the US presidency has unfortunately taken place and this casts a gloomy picture over his other predictions that are yet to unfold. In the early parts of this month, the United States of America launched devastating attack on an airbase in Homs in Syria. With this prediction of Horacio coming to pass, a cloud of uncertainty has engulfed most of the world population with the date May 13th  October 13th clearly embossed in the minds of people. This according to Horacio is the exact period within which the world is set to experience the inception of World War III which he also predicts to leave on its trail a lot of dead bodies and great destruction to countries.

According to Horacio, Our Lady (another name for the Virgin Mary) paid six visits to Fatima in Portugal with the maiden one occurring on the 13th of May, 1917. The main purpose of this visit was to warn people of the impending danger that lies ahead if Russia decided not to follow her faith. On the last of the six visits to Fatima on the 13th of October, 1917, Our Lady is claimed to have said, The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return to their homes.

An article in the Daily Star quoted Villegas as saying, The main message that people need to know in order to be prepared is that between May 13th and October 13th, 2017, this war will occur and be over with much devastation, shock and death. He also claims that there will be a number of false events that will occur within the 13th of April to the 13th of May in places like Syria and North Korea. However, these are events that are bound to happen before the actual World War III occurs.
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One man was found dead after a late night house fire at this home on Cedar Street in New Ellenton on Saturday, April 22. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office, New Ellenton Fire Department and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are investigating.
Assyrians, Armenians, Greeks Commemorate Genocide in Los Angeles

( AINA) Los Angeles (AINA) -- "We have made a clean sweep of the Armenians and Assyrians of Azerbaijan" -- Those were the words of Djevdet Bey, the governor of Van Province in Ottoman Turkey, who on April 24, 1915 lead 20,000 Turkish soldiers and 10,000 Kurdish irregulars in the opening act of the genocide of Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks.

Between 1915 and 1918 750,000 Assyrians (75%), 1000,000 Greeks and 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks and Kurds in a genocide that aimed at and nearly succeeded in destroying the Christian communities in the Ottoman Empire.

A genocide commemoration was held yesterday in Los Angeles, home to a large population of Assyrians and Armenians. Participants included Mr. Sabri Atman, the director of the Assyrian Genocide Research Center, US Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, California State Senator Anthony Portantino, Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorrian, Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Adam Bennett Schiff, the U.S. Representative for California's 28th district.

( AINA)

Thousands of Armenians and Assyrians gathered in city of Montebello in California for a community wide Commemoration of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocide, at Bicknell Park where the Armenian Genocide Monument was unveiled in April, 1968.

Mr. Atman urged president Trump to recognize the genocide. Here is the text of his speech:

Over One hundred years ago, unknown to most, three quarters of the Assyrian population was massacred by Ottoman Turks. While the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek genocide is a historical fact; Turkey still denies that it took place. This genocide is an event that the survivors will never forget. The wounds of this genocide are not healed yet. Turkey and its allies from the Kurdish tribes must not only acknowledge the crime they committed, but also compensate the survivors for the pain and losses suffered at their hands. Instead of acknowledging the wrongs of the past, Turkey strongly advocates and lobbies the world to "forget about it" and "just move on." Yet, with generations displaced and a future destroyed, the people, our people, cannot simply "forget." Our cause is just, and we stand defiant and declare that to the world that what Turkey did is a crime against humanity, and we will never forget it. Turkey has not learned from it's past and is still governed by Erdogan, a president who became a dictator and, who repeatedly says "It's not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide." This statement flies in the face of the reality that Turkey is still denying -- that is the killing of millions of Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. The President of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan, and other deniers do not want to understand, and do not want to hear our voice. They are poisoned with a blind ideology, which is denial. They don't want to face their history as a civilized country. But how about the rest of the world? How about The United States of America? There are politicians who promise things, which is good. But it is much better when we see politicians who keep their promises. We don't want the truth to become victim of realpolitik. We urge the President of The United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump, to recognize the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocide. We want to hear the "G" word and saying yes, it was genocide. We want to be understood by the entire world. We want our wounds to be healed. This is what we are asking for and this is possible only when we get justice. Until this happens, Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks will never give up and we will never forget the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocide.

( AINA)

( AINA)
April 24, 2017

I am firmly convinced that this is the greatest crime of the ages. These were the words that Henry Morgenthau, American ambassador to the court of the Ottoman sultan, used to describe the mass destruction of the empires Armenian population in 1915. At least 1 million people, including tens of thousands of Syrian Orthodox and Christians as well as Yazidis, fell victim to the genocide, which is commemorated every April 24 by survivors across the globe.

Since 2010, after decades of frenzied denial, the tragedy has been publicly commemorated in Turkey as well. Today in Istanbul, where the bulk of Turkeys shrunken Armenian population, numbering around 60,000, resides, small crowds gathered to honor the dead at organized events. They carried black banners reading, Armenian Genocide: Recognize, Apologize, Compensate.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message to the citys Surp Vartanants Church, where a ceremony was held. Erdogan said, Dear esteemed Armenian citizens, I salute you with love and respect.  I offer my condolences to the grandchildren of the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the harsh circumstances of World War I.  We have zero tolerance for a single one of our Armenian citizens being ostracized, marginalized or made to feel a second-class citizen.

April 24 marks the dark moment when 234 Armenian intellectuals and artists were rounded up by authorities and most of them killed. It was just a taste of the bloodbath to follow. Erdogans comments are a far cry from the apology and acknowledgement the Armenians feel they are owed, but that he made them at all marks a radical departure from previous government policy.

Garo Paylan, a rare ethnic Armenian member of parliament for the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) who last week tabled a motion calling for an investigation of the century-old crime, said in a statement today, Let us not forget that every crime that goes unpunished leads to a repetition of the crime. Until recently, Paylan would have immediately been hauled off to jail under laws that deemed such assertions an insult to Turkishness and the Turkish nation.

Turkey has long denied that the deaths constitute a genocide and has poured tens of millions of dollars into a largely unsuccessful lobbying effort to promote the story that the Armenians perished as a result of starvation and disease as they were being marched to the Syrian desert in Deir ez-Zor for their own safety.

In Great Catastrophe: Armenian and Turks in the Shadow of Genocide, Thomas de Waal wrote, For Armenians, the name [Deir ez-Zor] represents a nadir of their experience, a kind of black hole in which one life ended and  only if you were a lucky survivor  another barely began. Most respected historians, including a growing number of Turks, have long concluded that what happened in 1915 was indeed a genocide.

Turkeys continued denial is driven by paranoia about Western designs and a prickly pride that has bred a culture of impunity. This refusal to face up to past crimes, suggests the activist Nurcan Kaya in the independent online newsportal ArtiGercek, has allowed the state to continue to brutalize its citizens without being called to account.

Yet from Germany to Argentina, dozens of parliaments throughout the world have passed legislation calling the massacres a genocide. Turkeys greatest fear has long been that a US president who pledges to do the same during an election campaign will keep his or her word. Such worries reached a fever pitch in 2015, the centennial of the genocide. The Turkish Foreign Ministry went so far as to set up a special genocide task force to manage the impending crisis. It came up with a cynical ruse to lure Western leaders away from centennial commemorations by organizing a rival event, the centenary of Turkeys victory against the allies during World War I in Gallipoli, held the same day.

No US president has used the term genocide in annual messages commemorating the massacres so far, and President Donald Trump followed suit in his statement.

Still, under Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP), the wall of denial is beginning to crack. In the early days of its rule, when the AKP was still enthusiastic about joining the European Union, the government reached out to non-Muslim minorities. Some properties confiscated by the state were returned to the Armenian, Greek and Syrian Orthodox communities.

The government helped restore a smattering of derelict churches, most notably the glorious Armenian Orthodox Akthamar church in Van. A short-lived rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia prompted a flurry of civil society engagement, which has survived the ensuing collapse in diplomatic gestures. While Turkey and Armenia have yet to establish formal ties and their borders remain sealed, Armenian students and journalists come together in joint projects aimed at reconciliation.

Today such groups go beyond their Turkish and Armenian identities and find common cause as gays, environmentalists and women, noted Khatchig Mouradian, a prominent Armenian academic who helps diaspora Armenians reconnect with their roots in far-flung corners of eastern Anatolia or Western Armenia, as the Armenians prefer. Empathy is a great healer, he told Al-Monitor.

A lot of the activities are organized by the EU and the plucky Hrant Dink Foundation, named after the Armenian-Turkish newspaper owner who was gunned down outside his office in Istanbul in 2007. Dinks murder touched a collective and deeply buried nerve. More than 100,000 people, mainly Turks, marched during his funerary procession chanting, We are all Armenians. We are all Hrant Dink.

The government accuses allies of Fethullah Gulen, the Muslim cleric who it claims masterminded the failed July coup, of plotting  and covering up  Dinks assassination by a lone ultra-nationalist gunman. Gulen was among those indicted by Istanbuls chief prosecutor today for his alleged role in Dink's death. The Gulenists deny any wrongdoing, saying the government is using the affair as a means to further discredit their movement.

In any case, the instability and climate of repression wracking Turkey in the aftermath of the attempted putsch are taking its toll on the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. Armenians from the diaspora are too afraid to come to Turkey. Islamized Armenians who came out in droves are now feeling abandoned, said Mouradian, alluding to the thousands of hidden Armenians who converted to Islam to escape the slaughter.

Renewed fighting between Turkish security forces and Kurdish rebels in the countrys southeast has dealt a further blow. The recently restored Surp Giragos church, the largest Armenian Orthodox Church in the Middle East, was damaged in fighting that raged for months in Sur, the historic heart of Diyarbakir.

Plans to rename a street and a library in the city of Bitlis after one its most famous Armenian sons, the celebrated painter and author William Saroyan, have been shelved. Government administrators have taken over municipalities run by the HDPs sister party, the Democratic Regions Party, where signs are displayed in Kurdish, Armenian and Syriac, the ancient tongue of the Syrian Orthodox Christians. The signs have been ripped out and scores of Kurdish mayors  some 85 of them at last count  have been jailed on thinly supported terror charges.
April 24, 2017

CAIRO  After seven years during which Egypt froze its membership in the Nile Basin Initiative to object to the Entebbe Agreement  which does not recognize Egypts historical annual water quota from the Nile River and gives upstream countries the right to build dams without any prior notice  the Egyptian team handling the Nile water issue at the Foreign Ministry and Water Resources Ministry embarked on a round of negotiations that started with an extraordinary ministerial meeting in Uganda on March 29 and aimed to find a formula of understanding that satisfies all parties and paves the way for Egypt's return to the Nile Basin Initiative. This comes ahead of the Nile Summit scheduled for June in Uganda.

The Egyptian decision to return to the initiative remains dependent on canceling the legal effects of the unilateral signature by the Nile upstream states on the cooperative framework agreement (CFA) known in the media as the Entebbe Agreement.

However, in light of the insistence by the Nile upstream states on the CFA, the first round of negotiations ended without any agreement being reached, as Egypt requested more time to review its report on its concerns.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, an Egyptian diplomatic source familiar with the Nile Basin issue said, "The political administration is now adopting policies to support its presence in the regional environment in Africa in order to secure Egyptian interests. We have a clear vision that the Nile basin issue is the key issue underlying Egypts role in Africa. Egypt will not promote its African bilateral relations or have a greater influence within the African regional organizations unless the dispute with the Nile upstream countries on the management of water in the river is resolved.

The source added, "This approach motivated the political administration to resolve the dispute with Ethiopia on the Renaissance Dam by signing a declaration of principles for confidence-building. But the Egyptian position this time is complex. Some within the team that manages the issue do not want to return to the initiative unless a legal breakthrough guarantees Egypts water interests in the Nile or the Nile upstream countries agree to discuss the Entebbe agreement and amend the controversial clauses rejected by Egypt. Otherwise, Egypts seven-year freeze of its membership would have been useless.

Egypt froze its membership in the Nile Basin Initiative in June 2010 to object to the signature by six Nile upstream states on the CFA, which includes three controversial clauses rejected by Egypt.

Indeed, Egypt wants to amend Clause 14(b) on Water Security, as the country seeks to obtain its historical quota of Nile water, estimated at 55.5 billion cubic meters (45 million acre-feet) in accordance with the 1959 Convention. It also wants to amend Clause 12 so as to oblige upstream countries to notify it before starting any project along the Nile. Egypt also want to amend Clause 46 on voting so that decisions are issued unanimously instead of by a majority to prevent the formation of blocs among the countries opposing Egyptian interests, especially since there is a firm belief that Cairo alone has the lion's share of water.

The source said, During the ministerial meeting we presented a detailed technical and legal report on the geological and hydraulic state of the river that explains the Egyptian vision of water management according to the international rules governing transboundary rivers, which confirms that the positions of Cairo are backed by international law and not based on political intransigence against cooperation with Nile riparian countries.

We know that persuading the riparian states to modify the Entebbe agreement is difficult, but they know very well the importance and strength of the impact of the Egyptian presence, the source added.

The source further said there were several initiatives and attempts to convince Egypt to return to the initiative, especially since the freezing of its membership caused financial losses and suspended numerous aid programs granted by international partners, mainly the World Bank, to support the Nile Basin Initiative.

The source continued, Egypt seeks an agreement on a legal document signed by the heads of states, including a number of principles governing the management of the Nile water, and setting the main lines of cooperation and decision-making mechanisms in relation to any project on the river, whose legal effects would be as binding as those of the Entebbe agreement, which has yet to be final, as not all signatory countries have concluded their ratification procedures.

The diplomatic viewpoint differed with that of the technical authorities involved in the management of the file in Egypt, such as the Egyptian Water Resources Ministry. The committees believe in the inevitability of reaching an agreement with the Nile Basin countries and that the continuation of the freeze is not in the best interest of any of the parties. The advocates of this position are pushing for the return of Egypt to the NBI without entering into legal and political mazes that will further exacerbate the dispute between Cairo and the upstream states.

A Nile Basin technical official from the Egyptian Water Resources Ministry told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The freezing of Egypt's NBI membership had some negative effects, such as the lack of activities and projects, the lack of databases on the riparian countries' projects on the river and the spread of false information on Egypts Nile water uses and requirements. Thus, the freeze made Egypt lose an important platform through which it can defend its water interests.

It seems that Sisis administration is now seeking coordination with some allied countries from among the Nile upstream states to try to influence the positions of other countries, such as Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan.

Amani El Tawil, head of the Africa and Nile Basin Studies Unit at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, The political administration is trying to fix its relations with the Nile riparian states. It started with two steps, the first of which was direct contact with Kenya on Feb. 18 and Uganda on Dec. 18, 2016, during the last two visits of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and the second was the rapprochement with Eritrea, Ethiopia's rival, and coordination with South Sudan, Sudans rival.

In light of converging opinions among the Egyptian team handling the Nile Basin issue on the decision to return to the NBI, several factors are pushing Cairo to take a quick decision that guarantees its water interests from the Nile River. Egypts seven-year long absence has only led to intransigent positions by upstream states. In parallel, Ethiopia is about to finish its construction of the Renaissance Dam, a potential threat to Egyptian water security. Sisi has been in power for three years now, and no agreement has been reached with Ethiopia on issues of water storage and the Renaissance Dam operation.
April 24, 2017

Ties between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been strained for years. Incidents such as the stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage in 2015, in which hundreds of Iranian pilgrims were crushed to death; the execution of prominent Saudi Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in January 2016; and the subsequent attacks on Saudi diplomatic compounds in Iran ultimately led to a cut in diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh. This cooling soon engulfed other GCC member states, except Oman, which has traditionally enjoyed good ties with Iran.

In Irans view, the Arab states have little desire to create tensions but are rather under Saudi pressure to follow Riyadhs policies. In this vein, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi last year, in response to an Arab League statement against Iran, said, The few countries that more or less support Saudi Arabia's mischievous policies should know that this complicity will have no result but responsibility for crimes such as child killing and support for terrorism.

Kuwaits efforts to act as a mediator and normalize ties between Iran and the GCC could be seen as an indicator of Irans view that the Arab states dont inherently seek confrontation. Indeed, the latest of Kuwaits efforts was the message that its foreign minister carried to Tehran on January 25. The message was initially said to have been sent by Kuwaits emir, but was later found to have been sent in coordination with the Gulf Cooperation Council.

But do GCC member states have different views on how to interact with Iran? Nosratollah Tajik, Irans former ambassador to Jordan, told Al-Monitor, The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council is centered around Saudi Arabia. To hope that Kuwait or others can change the councils predominant view, which follows that of Saudi Arabia, is being somewhat optimistic.

Meanwhile, on Feb. 15, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani traveled to Oman and Kuwait. Although his presence in Oman was seen as normal, his trip to Kuwait was viewed as more significant, especially since it came exactly 20 days after the Kuwaiti emirs message.

Taking to Twitter on Feb. 13, Hamid Aboutalebi, Rouhanis deputy chief of staff, described Oman and Kuwaits acceptance of Rouhani as regional creativity, calling it an important step in resuming friendly relations with Arab nations.

Two days later on Feb. 15, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah met with Rouhani and spoke of the need to expand relations with Iran: The existing situation in the region makes it necessary for all regional states to establish good relations with each other. Therefore, Kuwait is determined to step up its relations with Iran in all fields. We are all Muslims and should stand next to each other with brotherhood and unity and move in a path leading to development, stability and peace.

In a series of tweets on Feb. 16, Aboutalebi pointed to the topics Rouhani had discussed with officials in Kuwait and Oman. Although he did not explicitly mention the differences between Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, he wrote, Rouhani discussed the mechanisms of establishing regional security and stability as well as solving regional differences based on goodwill with Omani and Kuwaiti officials.

Meanwhile, in a Feb. 25 interview, Sabah Zanganeh, an expert in Middle Eastern affairs, talked about Kuwaits role and said, Kuwait is trying to create an environment to reduce tensions. Tension is not to anyones benefit, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and especially not regional peace and security. Therefore, we are trying to reduce the costs of tension and pave the way toward peace.

A senior Iranian diplomat who spoke to Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity said, We know that Kuwait and Qatar are not completely on the same page as Saudi Arabia [regarding policy toward Iran]. However, these players cannot have a great impact on the [Gulf Cooperation] Councils approach toward Iran. Of course, this does not mean that we should not consider a role for them or their efforts. At the same time, however, we know the weight and impact of these efforts.

Although Kuwait is interested in reducing hostility toward Iran, this interest does not seem to be sufficient to solve the problem. Rather, Saudi Arabia needs to take more prominent steps.

In a March 29 article for Al-Monitor, on the eve of the annual Arab League summit, former senior Iranian diplomat Seyed Hossein Mousavian advised Arab nations to end their hostile approach and open the path for dialogue and interaction by being creative and carefully leverage their mutual interests with Iran.

However, the statement released by the Arab League on March 30 shows that there is still much that needs to be done before these hopes turn into reality. The statement accused Iran of meddling in the affairs of Arab countries as well as supporting sectarianism, terrorism and instability in the region. As expected, it was roundly dismissed by Tehran, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Ghasemi saying, The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly announced that it does not basically feel any need to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and that it is committed to good neighborliness.  Its a pity that some [countries] change the realities and seek to replace the Zionist regime [of Israel] with Islamic Iran as a dummy and fabricated enemy.

In this vein, Tajik told Al-Monitor, Saudi Arabia has the false impression that Irans policies are to its disadvantage and [therefore] does not respond to the efforts made by other players to alleviate tensions. [Saudi Prince] Turki Al-Faisals interview with the Rotana TV channel is a clear indication of this. The Saudi prince accuses [former US President Barack] Obama of deceiving Saudi Arabia. Therefore, they have made up their minds for an all-out confrontation with Iran, and there seems to be no change in this mindset on the horizon.

Indeed, despite the many messages and visits, the Arab Leagues harsh attacks on Iran show that the depth of the crisis at hand is so deep that the efforts of smaller players such as Kuwait and Oman will not have much of an impact on Saudi Arabias determination to confront Iran.
April 24, 2017

On April 19, Likud Knesset members clashed with bereaved parents during a session of the Knesset's State Control Committee meeting dedicated to the 2014 Operation Protective Edge report. Watching for the second time the footage of this clash between the Knesset members and parents who lost their sons in the war is just as jarring as seeing it the first time. The problem is more than just the boorish and insensitive comments by David Bitan and Miki Zohar, who lashed out at the parents as if they were their political rivals. Even more disturbing was the silence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself, who was present at the meeting.

The fact that the prime minister kept silent when Bitan, the chairman of his coalition, shouted "Liar!" at Ilan Sagi, who lost his son Erez in Gaza, was even more disturbing than the slur itself. True, Netanyahu mumbled something under his breath to Knesset member Zohar, who interrupted Leah Goldin, the mother of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, to tell her that her claims were "exaggerated." Apart from that, however, Netanyahu allowed the unbelievable spectacle to unfold without stepping in.

Netanyahu was trying to show restraint and maintain the meeting's decorum. He knows what it is like to lose a loved one in battle, but at the same time, he is already used to such heated discussions, having sent soldiers into battle on more than one occasion. Several times during his long political career, Netanyahu was even accused of climbing to the top of the political ladder by exploiting the death of his brother, Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu, commander of the Matkal Commando Unit, who died at the Entebbe hostage rescue operation in 1976. Whenever such an accusation is made, it is generally expressed anonymously, given the sanctity of fallen soldiers in Israel. It is, therefore, unfair to say that as a bereaved brother, Netanyahu should have silenced his fellow party members.

Netanyahu's real shortcoming during this meeting was his failure to exhibit leadership. He showed weakness before the cameras when he should have taken action. He should have banged his hand on the table, reprimanded Zohar and Bitan, and demanded that they apologize immediately to the bereaved parents. Maybe that would have spared the Likud at least some of the humiliation it has faced in the media over the past few days. And since he didn't do that, he should have apologized the next day, or two days later at most. What actually happened was that Netanyahu waited four days before he apologized, and even then, his apology was cautious and lackluster. To many, it seemed as if he was only fulfilling his duty one week before Israel's Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers  May 1 this year.

Netanyahu apologized at the end of his speech at the start of the April 23 weekly Cabinet meeting. Even then, he apologized only after he had covered a wide range of other issues. By the time he finally got to his apology, he had already mentioned Holocaust Memorial Day, flattering himself for increasing the budget to benefit survivors. He also spoke about the Palestinian detainees' hunger strike and called on the Palestinian Authority to stop funding terrorism.

"I would like to say a few words to the bereaved families. The entire people of Israel is united around you, who have lost what is dearer than anything on behalf of the security of Israel. As prime minister and the son of a bereaved family, I heard what was said last week in the Knesset in the heat of debate. I regret that these remarks were made; an immediate apology was necessary, and it is good that this was done," Netanyahu said.

A comparison of these remarks to the ones made by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is unavoidable. Liberman expressed his disgust at what happened one day before Netanyahu did. Unlike Netanyahu, Liberman did not lose a brother, nor did he serve in an elite unit. Nevertheless, he expressed what many people  including many Netanyahu voters  felt about this unprecedented spectacle. "What we witnessed in the Knesset this week was shameful, humiliating and outrageous. Even if someone disagrees with a person who has lost a loved one, there is a way to say these things. It was a powerful statement, equal to the gravitas of the occasion.

But back to the prime minister. As it turns out, he was much quicker to apologize after another recent event. At a meeting about the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, while trying to explain why he wanted to postpone the launch of the new entity after he already agreed to allow it to go on the air, he remarked, "My Mizrahi gene was activated." Netanyahu meant that he might have acted too rapidly at the beginning, not necessarily thinking through his decision. The comment could have caused enormous harm to Netanyahu. Over the past few years, public discourse in Israel has become increasingly sensitive about offensive remarks targeting the Mizrahi (of Middle Eastern origin) community, many of whom support the Likud.

Just one day later, Netanyahu wrote on his Twitter account: "I apologize for my remarks yesterday. I had no intention of harming anyone. I am connected with all my heart to every ethnic group in Israel and admire their tremendous contributions to the heritage of our nation and the building of our land." In contrast, a quick visit to Netanyahu's Facebook page shows that in the four days following the incident with the bereaved parents, he found time to post six times on a variety of other issues. These include a photo of him with US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, his impressions after a visit to Dimona and a meeting he had with Holocaust survivors.

The explanation as to why Netanyahu avoided any show of leadership in real time is based on personal political considerations. Actually, it seems quite clear that Netanyahu recognized the scope of the farce immediately. This is evidenced by the way he mumbled something and shifted about in his seat. In fact, this caused Zohar and Bitan to stop their attacks on the bereaved parents. The chair of the committee where the meeting took place is Knesset member Karin Elharar of the Yesh Atid Party. Netanyahu was concerned that the purpose of the meeting was to allow the opposition party to set an ambush for him by using the fiascos of Operation Protective Edge to attack his strong hand, i.e., his reputation as "Mr. Security." Instead, Netanyahu preferred to allow the ugly incident shift the spotlight away from his personal responsibility and conclusions about the military operation. He wanted it to focus on Bitan and Zohar instead, which is, in fact, what happened.

Netanyahu has finely honed political senses. Anyone who thought that the incident would harm him politically has since been proved wrong. According to the results of a Channel 2 poll released April 22, the Likud actually grew stronger, at the expense of Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid Party. If elections were held now, the Likud would win 28 seats, while Lapid would win just 24.
April 24, 2017

The intelligence arm of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disagrees with the assessment recently heard coming from the mouths of the Iraqi armys top brass: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State (IS), is currently in Mosul and is personally leading IS fighters in the desperate, defensive battle for the city.

According to our appraisal, he is simply not there, said Lt. Col. N. (name withheld), head of the Global Jihad Desk in the Analysis and Research Division of IDF Intelligence. Regarding his exact location there are several appraisals, but we think that he is not in Mosul.

According to Israeli intelligence, the fall of Mosul is just a matter of time, and even IS headquarters in Syria, Raqqa, is in danger. The threat to Raqqa is increasing, said the lieutenant colonel. The Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF], which includes mainly Kurdish fighters, is approaching Raqqa and has been gaining the support of local tribes. The question we are focusing on now is, what will happen to IS on the day after Mosul and Raqqa fall? Israel is naturally more interested in the Raqqa front, which is geographically much closer to it than Mosul, which is in the heart of Iraq.

Who will rule Raqqa? Will it be [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assads regime, the Kurds, other forces together with locals? Lt. Col. N. wondered aloud. What kind of configuration will Islamic State have after most of its territorial assets are torn away? We have developed a research discipline in which we analyze the local forces and tribes found in each territory: with whom do they cooperate, what are their loyalties and network of interests. We map out all the things that IS needs in order to continue to cling to the Islamic State [caliphate] concept. According to these variables, we try to assess what will happen in the future.

In recent years, Israel has found itself sharing a border with two branches of the Islamic State; one in the north and the other in the south. The southern branch is the so-called Sinai District of IS, in Egypt. The northern branch is the Syrian Yarmouk District, which sits at the intersection of the Israel-Syria-Jordan borders, in the southern Golan Heights.

Talking about the Yarmouk branch, Lt. Col. N. explained, These forces started to operate as a rebel force under the name Shuhada al-Yarmouk [Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade]. He continued, Originally, they were a pragmatic secular militia that operated within the Free Syrian Army rebel coalition. Over time, when [IS] expanded, a Damascus district of IS was established. A group we call external extremists arrived in the southern Golan Heights region, and these spread the [IS] spirit. They took control of the region; they imposed Sharia law and enforced [it] with an iron hand vis-a-vis the local population. They also started to recruit local activists. At that point, Shuhada al-Yarmouk changed its identity to become the Yarmouk branch of IS. They still change their name occasionally; now they are called Jish Khalid ibn al-Walid, in honor of an Islamic military leader who won a big battle in the past over the Yarmouk [River].

Israel intelligence invests quite a bit of effort, energy and money in IS, even though the group has not been designated a major threat against Israel so far. The Yarmouk branch numbers no more than a thousand fighters, said Lt. Gen. N. Some of them perform combat support duties; others are youths in their teens. The temptation is great: They receive a salary and a Kalashnikov, and they really dont have many other choices.

Although the Yarmouk zone is viewed as far-flung and even Assads regime does not invest much energy in it, IS Yarmouk branch has significantly grown in strength. In recent months, they have advanced eastward and have doubled their territory, said Lt. Col. N. They have not succeeded in winning over the [local] population in any significant way. However, they did take control of a large territory, and today the physical size of their enclave is twice what it used to be.

In contrast to the Yarmouk zone, IS has been rapidly shrinking with the advance of Kurdish forces in Syria and the Iraqis in Iraq. Ever since the Russians entered the space and the coalition led by the Americans has intensified aerial attacks, IS has been losing territory quickly, said the lieutenant colonel.

Lt. Col. N. did not provide a precise response regarding what will happen after Mosul and Raqqa fall, stating, A caliphate is not limited to territory. We know that today, Caliph al-Baghdadi and the Shura Council are preparing caliphate 2.0, the next generation. They know whats happening, and they are preparing for the day after. They intend on finding alternate territory for the caliphate  a more convenient area, not at the center of public attention, more remote. They want to situate the core of IS there and an infrastructure that will enable them to continue to exist physically.

Given this assessment, Israeli intelligence is examining two options: southern Syria, adjacent to the Yarmouk zone, or the area where the Syrian and Iraqi borders intersect.

According to Lt. Col. N., who is privy to key information held by Israeli intelligence on IS, the chances are low that the organization will move to southern Syria, because the group would find it extremely difficult to maintain itself and fund its operations because of the low level of infrastructure in that area, almost devoid of income.

By contrast, the juncture of the Syrian-Iraqi borders has civil-economic foundations, the lieutenant colonel observed. There are crude oil fields and [natural] gas, still being produced. A takeover of this region would allow IS to continue its military activity and its powers of governability, with the option of financing the continuation of the global jihad.

The goals and concepts of IS still exist and continue to win over hearts and minds in the Muslim world, although enthusiasm is waning.

There is a significant drop in volunteers and in the flow of new forces, Lt. Col. N. asserted. In May 2016, key deputy caliph and IS spokesman [Abu Mohammed] al-Adnani made a speech in which he called on foreign activists not to continue to immigrate to caliphate territory but to remain in the Crusader countries and carry out terror attacks there. But several things have changed since then. Adnani was killed in the meantime, and his heir, [Abu al-Hasan] al-Muhajir, delivered a fiery speech at the beginning of April this year in which he called on activists to come to the territories of the caliphate. Evidently they are short on manpower and starting to feel the lack of combat fighters. We see that deep in southern Syria in desert areas, places that formerly had a large [IS] presence, forces have been withdrawn to protect more important assets in the north. The general trend is of reduction, decline and shriveling. Nevertheless, we are far from proclaiming the demise of [IS].
April 24, 2017

After Friday prayers April 14, Jordanians gathered in the northern city of Mafraq burning Iranian flags and pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while demanding the expulsion of Irans ambassador from the Hashemite Kingdom.

The demonstrations came in response to a war of words between senior Jordanian and Iranian officials. In a wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post on April 6, King Abdullah II addressed the challenge of growing Israeli settlement construction while trying to fight terrorism. He warned, These issues give ammunition to the Iranians, to [Islamic State leader Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi and ISIS [Islamic State].

The remarks of Jordan's monarch stunned many in Tehran because he seemed to equate the Iranian government with IS. The response from Iran was swift, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi blasting Abdullahs comments as silly and careless, reflecting his ignorance and superficial view. Jordans Foreign Ministry promptly summoned the Iranian ambassador in Amman, Mojtaba Ferdosipour, rebuking the Iranian envoy for his countrys verbal assault. Ghassemis words stung as Jordanians expect that those who oppose the countrys policies will criticize the government, not taunt the king himself, which is considered a red line in the Hashemite Kingdom.

Beyond the rhetorical insults, the latest spat between Amman and Tehran reflects a genuine policy divide that is unlikely to disappear in the short term. Abdullah warned in the Post interview about Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps forces operating only 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Jordan's borders, adding that non-state actors approaching Jordan will not be tolerated.

Jordan is geographically far away from Iran, Nabil Sharif, the former Jordanian minister of media affairs and former ambassador to Morocco, told Al-Monitor. Iranian forces have no business to be on our borders at all. The only conclusion that I can reach is that they are there to threaten and pressure Jordan.

At the same time, Payam Mohseni, the director of the Iran Project at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, told Al-Monitor, Iran views the Syrian civil war as a conflict mainly aimed toward undermining the Islamic Republic. Given Syrias historically close ties to Iran and its important geostrategic position on the Mediterranean  including its proximity to Hezbollah  the Iranians will never give up Syria willingly. Iran views outside incursions into Syria  including from Jordans borders  as unacceptable and will work to secure the border area.

Iranian or Hezbollah forces' approaching Jordanian sovereign territory could be especially destabilizing for Amman. Professor Musa Shteiwi, the director of the University of Jordans Center for Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that Iran and Hezbollah have previously tried to carry out attacks inside Jordan.

In 2015, Jordans military court sentenced eight Hezbollah suspects  seven Jordanians of Palestinian origin and one Syrian  for conspiring to launch a terrorist attack against American and Israeli targets inside Jordan using machine guns and homemade explosives, while recruiting members to join the Lebanese militant organization. Jordanian security forces also foiled a terror attack in 2015 by the Iranian-sponsored Bayt al-Maqdis group with 45 kilograms (99 pounds) of powerful explosives found in the suspects possession.

There is this innate desire among the hard-liners in Tehran to flex muscle to show that they are a regional actor to be reckoned with, Alex Vatanka, an Iranian senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Al-Monitor. When you say that you are close to a border, that means you are a real player in Syria or Iraq. We are part of the conversation. You cant isolate us.

Ammans renewed harsh rhetoric against Iran is also based on Jordan's two strategic alliances: Saudi Arabia and the United States, which have each adopted especially tough policies toward Tehran. Oraib Rantawi, the general director of the Amman-based Al-Quds Center for Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that Jordan does not have the luxury to distance itself from its wealthy patrons. Jordan suffers from a severe economic crisis and is in very bad need of American and Saudi support for our economy and military, he said.

In 2016, the United States provided Jordan with over $1.6 billion in assistance. There are no free lunches in international relations, Rantawi added.

The recent Jordanian-Iranian diplomatic feud is not a one-time occurrence. In January 2016, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry summoned Ferdosipour to condemn the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran; Saudi Arabia is a long-time ally of Jordan. In 2004, Abdullah warned about Irans Shia crescent dominating the region.

The tensions with Iran are likely further exacerbated by the numerous reports in the Jordanian media, including by Al-Monitors Osama Al Sharif, that Amman is considering joining a British-American military operation in southern Syria to fight against IS fighters. It is not only about defeating IS. The question now is who will fill the vacuum of IS in these areas? Rantawi noted. Iran and Hezbollah are looking to support [Bashar al-Assads] Syrian army to fill the vacuum. For Jordan and its allies, this is not even an option. They want their own allies and even their own troops to fill the vacuum of IS in these parts of Syria.

Abdullah expressed concern about Iranian intentions across the region in the Post interview, saying, There is an attempt to forge a geographic link between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah/Lebanon. I raised this with President [Vladimir] Putin, who was fully aware of  Irans strategic intent to have power there.

The Jordanian leadership echoes the March Arab League Summits communique, which implicitly rebuked Tehran by rejecting external interference in Arab affairs. Shteiwi said, Iran tries to promote its own branch of Islamic radicalism and its expansionist approach is an attempt to dominate the region.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani declined Al-Monitors request for comment.

Vatanka said Jordans 1994 peace treaty with Israel along with its pro-US orientation naturally puts the country on a collision course with the Iranians. But many Jordanians suggest that Irans consistent support for non-state Arab militia organizations such as Hezbollah in order to further propagate Irans Islamist ideology across the region contradicts Tehrans own rhetoric against meddling in other countries internal affairs.

You cannot have it both ways. You cannot be a revolutionary state that wants to break down the order including the order that keeps kings like Abdullah in place, and yet at the same time say to Abdullah, 'Why do you fear me. Why do you speak against me?' Vatanka said.
April 24, 2017

In Beirut, historical or heritage areas and buildings are being replaced by shiny tall buildings. The Red House, the Rose House and the Laziza Brewery are symbols of the lack of urban planning in the Lebanese capital, where heritage succumbs to money.

On Feb. 3, Ghattas Khoury, the new minister of culture, issued decree No. 32, which removed the famous Red House  in the Ras Beirut area in Hamra, in western Beirut  from the list of protected buildings. It was only seven months after former Minister Rony Araiji put the house on the list through decree No. 95 in July 2016. Reportedly dating back to the 18th century, the Red House is one of the oldest houses in Hamra and has a rich history.

Samir Rebeiz, a conservator who was born in the house and lived there for 65 years, was expelled from it by members of his family who were given the property by their elderly uncle. After months of discussions, I received a court order at the end of January 2016 telling me to evacuate, so I did, Rebeiz told Al-Monitor. I dont mind moving, but the house was in perfect shape and condition. I was maintaining everything  its my job after all  living in basic conditions and not having done anything to modernize the house in order to keep it intact.

When the owners asked for a demolition permit in January 2016, the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA)  a technical unit of the Ministry of Culture in charge of the promotion, protection and excavation of all heritage sites of Lebanon  started an investigation. In March 2016, it established that the Red House is a part of the city's cultural heritage and that it should not be demolished. The owners appealed this decision.

Rebeiz talked about acts of vandalism, saying, I saw people who were starting to dismantle the house from the inside, so I called the DGA, who sent the police. For a month, all was quiet. But the windows and tiles were gone as well as most of the decorations that made the house valuable, such as tiles, windows and arcades. In July 2016, the minister of culture signed decree No. 95, but it did not stop the vandalism.

I think it is the first time a heritage-listed building is removed from the list, Mona El Hallak, an architect involved in preserving the city's heritage, told Al-Monitor.

Some activists who worked on this case told Al-Monitor that to be delisted, a second investigation by the DGA was required, which did not happen. It is one of the two last houses with a red roof left in Hamra, Joana Hammour, who works for the Lebanese nongovernmental organization Save Beirut Heritage (SBH), told Al-Monitor.

She said, The interior arcades are typically Lebanese and are in good shape, so why demolish it [the house]? There is so much that could be done so the owners would make money while the property is preserved. We have talked with the owners to find a compromise to the demolition, but so far we have been unsuccessful.

Even though the demolition permit still needs to be signed, activists believe interior dismantlement is continuing.

Another symbol of Hamras urban heritage, the Rose House  which became famous when British artist Tom Young held an exhibition there at the end of 2014 after spending weeks painting in the house  is also being dismantled. Two years ago, the owner promised in public that the Rose House would be restored for his children and grandchildren, Hallak said.

She added, There was a scaffolding to support the third floor that was in bad shape. When I walked by a few months ago, the scaffolding was gone, so I thought they were doing some renovation to the house. Then last month, Tom Young called me to say he went inside the house and everything was in bad shape. The windows are open and the shutters are missing, leaving the place exposed to the elements. If nothing is done, the house will fall on its own. It needs urgent maintenance.

In collaboration with SBH and other groups such as Nahnoo and the Association for the Protection of the Lebanese Heritage, as well as civil society and neighborhood initiatives, Hallak is in contact with a member of the Jaroudi family, who owns the Rose House, to try to protect it.

On the eastern side of Beirut, in Mar Mikhael, an area famous for its nightlife, the Grande Brasserie du Levant, Lazizas first brewery and factory before the company produced non-alcoholic beverages, is also threatened with demolition. First built in the 1930s, the building hasnt been used since the 1990s, but it has a very specific design in agreement with the evolution of industrial buildings in the 1940s, Naji Raji, an activist at SBH, told Al-Monitor.

Raji added, The project that was planned for it by Capstone Investment Group and architect Bernard Khoury was to keep some elements and turn it into a 20-floor metal housing building, which would definitely crush the whole neighborhood by its size and its position, depriving people from the sun and affecting the social-economical context of the neighborhood.

Ziad Chebib, the governor of Beirut, suspended the demolition of the Grande Brasserie du Levant at the end of March 2017. Chebib asked the developers to provide more documents about the exact plans of construction and also security measures that will be made for the neighboring buildings. Since then, Khourys office has postponed his press conference. and he refused to comment to Al-Monitor.

Honestly, it is not only about preserving, Raji said. There is something to be done with the building without demolishing it, like small apartments with material from the brewery. There is a huge demand in Beirut for smaller housing.

The whole issue of heritage buildings demolition in Beirut is due to the lack of urban planning, said Abdul-Halim Jabr, a former member of the Ministry of Cultures Advisory Committee for Heritage and the current coordinator of the Beirut Madinati Municipal Program.

The last urban master plan dates back to 1954. We need a whole new holistic approach. The solutions are here though: In 1997 already, a new law was proposed, and in 2013, a new study gave some guidelines, but there is no political will, he added.

Jabr took part in the 2016 municipality elections under the independent list Beirut Madinati, whose program was largely focused on urban planning. One year later, we are still at the same point. There is a failure in the sense that public authorities who have been elected and are responsible for certain decisions dont find solutions to or even address collective issues.

According to Jabr, Beirut Madinati believes that the municipality of Beirut should have a vision for the city, between the protection of heritage and a developmental approach, and that the state should have a national urban planning department.

This request is strongly supported by civil society activists, who demand that a new law for heritage is needed. So far there has not been any reaction or comment from the newly elected government.
April 24, 2017

The decision by the Palestine Liberation Organizations imprisoned leader Marwan Barghouti to lead a mass hunger strike is a political gamble that could pay off well if it succeeds. Some 1,500 prisoners held in Israeli jails, mostly belonging to the PLO secular factions, Fatah and left-wing groups, have refused to eat anything since April 17.

The hunger strike comes on the eve of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass visit to Washington on May 3 and at a sensitive time between Abbas and the Hamas leadership in Gaza. The Palestinian president appears poised to put an end to the Gaza-West Bank division, even if it requires financial and other means of pressure on Hamas.

For their part, the prisoners in Israeli jails belonging to Hamas were not enthusiastic about joining the hunger strike. Monjed Jado, the editor-in-chief of the Bethlehem-based Palestine News Network, told Al-Monitor that the vast majority of Hamas prisoners chose not to participate. They dont want to give any credit to Fatah and the PLO for making any tangible results, even though their demands are almost all humanitarian, Jado said.

Jado added that the majority of prisoners in Israeli jails are members of the PLOs leading Fatah movement. Of the 6,500 prisoners, about 57% belong to the Fatah movement and a smaller number belong to the left-wing PLO factions, which means that the supporters of Hamas in Israeli jails are no more than 30-35%, Jado noted.

While a small number of Hamas prisoners have indeed joined the hunger strike in a symbolic show of unity, the majority of the movements members didnt. Jihad Abufalah, a producer with the London-based Al Hiwar TV, which is close to the Islamic movements, told Al-Monitor that Hamas prisoners have chosen to stay out of the strike.

There are about 2,000 Hamas prisoners and they have yet to decide whether or not to participate since the hunger strike is led by Fatah, Abufalah said.

Abufalah believes that if the decision not to join the hunger strike persists, it will further fuel the internal Palestinian division rather than heal the wounds between the two major Palestinian movements.

Jado confirms that Hamas prisoners have not participated in the hunger strike, and he believes the reason is the leader of the protests. They are concerned that any success in the hunger strike will give its leader Barghouti more popularity, and, as a result, they have taken a negative position on the hunger strike even though its demands are largely humanitarian and not political, Jado said.

Meanwhile, Abbas is dialing up the pressure on Gaza with the aim of dislodging Hamas from its control. The Ramallah-based government has cut back on much of its spending, leaving government workers with slashed salaries in March and electricity needs without the money to pay for its fuel.

Anees Sweidan, a PLO foreign affairs officer in Ramallah, told Al-Monitor that Hamas problem is much bigger than the prisoners' strike. Wednesday [April 26] will be a key day because the Fatah Central Committee is holding a crucial meeting and President Abbas will make an important speech about the future of the renegade authority in Gaza.

Sweidans prediction of a gloomy situation for Hamas proved correct when supporters of the Islamic movement suffered a loss in the largest Palestinian university student council elections. Supporters of Fatah and other PLO factions handily won the student council elections at An-Najah University on April 18. The Fatah-affiliated Shabiba bloc won a total of 41 out of 81 seats while Hamas won 34. Seven seats were won by student blocs affiliated with the leftist PLO.

Municipal elections slated for May 13 will take place in the West Bank and not in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, and pro-PLO councils are expected to do much better than supporters of Hamas. In a February 2017 public opinion poll conducted by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center, general support for Fatah was higher than for Hamas. In general, the biggest percentage of respondents, 35.4%, still said they trust Fatah the most among the Palestinian political and religious factions, as opposed to 16.3% who trusted Hamas the most, stated a March 2 press release.

The Palestinian hunger strike, which began with 1,500 prisoners refusing to accept any food since April 17, has escalated, with more members joining the strikers. Twenty-three Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails joined the hunger strike April 23 as protests outside the jail have also increased.

It is unclear whether the prisoner strike will still be on when Abbas heads to Washington for an important meeting with President Donald Trump and his foreign policy team. Regardless of what happens by then, the fact that Hamas is not involved and is losing political support, as well as possibly losing control of Gaza, will certainly improve the standing of Abbas as he meets with Trump.
April 24, 2017

HADAR, Golan Heights  As the Syrian war continues into its seventh year with no sign of resolution, one town on the edge of Syrias Golan Heights has had to fend off both opposition-led offensives and Israel's subjugation attempts over the last six years almost entirely on its own.

Hadar, a Druze town with a population of 10,000, according to local officials, has a unique story. Nestled on the Syrian face of Jabal al-Sheikh, Hadar directly faces the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where the Shouting Valley separates it by just a few hundred meters from the Israeli-occupied Druze town of Majdal Shams. A few hundred meters up Jabal al-Sheikh, perched on its peak, sits one of Israels largest military intelligence stations. It carefully monitors all activity in the Golan on one side and in Lebanons Shebaa and beyond on the other.

Hadars other neighbors are armed groups belonging to both the Jordanian-backed Southern Front and the al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, now also known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Between them, they control the villages and the remaining mountaintops overlooking Hadar.

The only access to Hadar is a small dirt track that winds around the mountain from a government-controlled road. On a good day, vehicles struggle to pass through. A particular point on the 20-minute journey from the main road to the town makes travelers clear targets for opposition snipers positioned in the mountains. The track is forced to close by opposition attacks as well as severe weather, and in past years civilians have struggled to bring in goods to survive the harsh winter months.

The already sensitive area has become a tinderbox. Adding to the presence of the Israeli army and the various elements of the Syrian opposition, there are also government forces in the vicinity that are being aided by pro-government militias and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Everyone wants to co-opt Hadar to serve their own political agendas. From [Lebanese Druze leader] Walid Jumblatt to Israel to the Syrian opposition, said Abu Tawfiq, a sturdy-looking man in his late 40s who took up arms at the start of the conflict to defend Hadar from opposition attacks. His local armed faction, known as the National Defense Forces within Hadar, wield a melange of personal weapons from before the war and some others provided by the Syrian army. But we dont see ourselves as a sectarian militia, we see ourselves as Syrian citizens, he told Al-Monitor.

Over the last six years, the opposition has attempted to woo the residents of Hadar away from the government with promises of protection and security, and when failing, resorting to attacks on the town. In one of the more recent opposition offensives on Quneitra province in September 2016, Hadar came under fierce attack by opposition fighters who while promising to not harm the residents continued to rain rockets on the town, killing several people.

The opposition has asked us on multiple occasions to leave the government and to go to their side, said Abu Tawfiq. Sitting on a wide balcony overlooking the town, he explained how the fighters there, a mere 800, are Hadar's only protection. While the Syrian army helps protect the road leading to the town, the residents are on their own. We refused [to join the opposition] and they have launched rockets on us ever since, almost on a daily basis.

Production of Hadar's famous apples, cherries and figs that were once widely distributed across Syria has dropped to a bare minimum. Resident Khalil Khayyal pointed to the wide fields and rolling hills surrounding the town. The opposition controls those hills overlooking our farms, so it is impossible to go out and farm our produce. Sometimes we can go at night, but even that is not always safe because of snipers.

Khayyal told Al-Monitor, It is near impossible to leave the town unless absolutely necessary. It is the equivalent to being under siege.

To make matters worse, some of the neighboring areas in government-controlled villages eye the residents of Hadar with suspicion. Historical rivalries between the towns make it easy for them to suspect the townsfolk of Hadar of having aided the opposition.

According to one fighter with a government-allied armed group from neighboring Khan Arnabeh, I would never defend Hadar. Some of them helped the opposition when the opposition was targeting us, he told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. They would provide them with food and blankets. I wont attack them, of course, but at the same time, why should I help them?

Meanwhile, Israel has continued to pay special attention to Hadar, offering the residents aid and protection while publicly declaring Hadar a red line. In 2015 Israel promised aid to the opposition on the condition it would not touch Hadar. Prominent figures within the Israeli Druze community have been calling on Israel to intervene militarily to protect the Druze of Hadar from the Syrian government.

Israel is constantly trying to communicate with our townsfolk, said Abu Tawfiq, adding that the residents of Hadar fiercely reject the idea of receiving aid or opening communication with Israel.

For Israel, Hadar would be both a strategic win and a PR coup. Israel has been slowly creating a buffer zone in southern Syria to create distance between itself and the Syrian government forces and their allies. It started by giving military and logistical aid to the opposition groups along the separation fence and then provided covert medical aid to fighters. Now it has expanded its program to distributing food, clothing, educational materials and medical aid to the residents within opposition-controlled areas. Opposition commanders there acknowledge the aid, but claim they do not have any choice in accepting it.

Today Israel is very openly busing both civilians and fighters on an almost daily basis into Israel to receive medical care.

By including Hadar within its buffer zone, Israel is hoping to expand its control over the area. When it comes time to negotiate a political settlement, control over this area will be a valuable card for Israel to use. Furthermore, Israel is also using Hadar as a propaganda tool for its own public. By showing its concern for Hadar  which is within spitting distance of Israeli-occupied Majdal Shams  Israel is also demonstrating to its domestic audience its concern for their Syrian brethren across the border, especially the domestic Druze population.

In January, for example, a young boy from Hadar stepped on a suspected Israeli-planted land mine in the area around the town while tending to his sheep. Witnesses told Al-Monitor that Israeli soldiers crossed into Syrian territory to retrieve him, although official statements claim UN personnel moved him. He was then transferred to a hospital inside Israel without notification to or permission from his family. Druze leaders in Israel such as Sheikh Mouaffaq Tarif capitalized on the incident, visiting him in the hospital and publicly thanking Israel for saving his life.

According to residents in Hadar, they will not fall for Israels game. We know Israel is backing the opposition that attacks us, and they are still occupying the rest of the Golan Heights, said Abu Tawfiq. For the last time, we would accept the hell of [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad over the paradise of Israel.
April 24, 2017

With the April 16 referendum, Turkey took its first step into a new era. It is a step toward institutionalizing a populist model of governance that will open new ground for violations and tensions in vital areas such as justice, freedom and the supremacy of law.

Since the botched coup in July 2016, Turkey has seen two distinct trends in this context. The first is the ongoing purge and punishment of the putschist group, that is, followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, the accused mastermind of the coup. The second is the clampdown on the opposition and the media, which is carried out on the pretext of the coup attempt. Scores of government opponents have been arrested arbitrarily for alleged links to the putschists. Intellectuals and journalists who have nothing to do with the Gulenists and who have long stood up against military coups are now facing life sentences on incredible charges, including subliminal communication with the putschists via TV programs and articles.

The court case against the Cumhuriyet newspaper is one of the most glaring examples in this respect. It involves 19 defendants, including Al-Monitor columnist Kadri Gursel, who has been behind bars for five months, along with nine other colleagues from the Cumhuriyet. On April 18, the court accepted the prosecutions indictment and scheduled the opening hearing for July 24.

As a deep-rooted press institution in Turkey, the Cumhuriyet has a distinct republican-secularist tradition. Amid growing alarm over Ankaras authoritarian tilt, the paper became increasingly critical of the government in recent years, vigorously questioning and probing government policies. According to the charges leveled against the list of defendants, which includes Cumhuriyet executives, reporters and even a cartoonist, the papers critical editorial policy was the result and extension of its collaboration with putschists and Gulenist groups.

One would expect the indictment to offer tangible evidence and discuss concrete actions to back up such grave accusations. What the prosecutors have penned, however, is a superficial report based on a political interpretation of information from open sources. The indictment states that the Cumhuriyet adopted an anti-government editorial policy after the accused executives took office in 2013. It frames the paper's criticism as a contribution to efforts to discredit and topple the government.

In short, the indictment criminalizes a critical publication simply by associating it with a criminal group (one the state now considers a terrorist organization), oblivious to all the discrepancies that emerge in drawing such a link. Take, for instance, Gursel, who has been both a columnist and editorial consultant for the paper. A key feature of Gursels writings has been his equal criticism of the ruling Justice and Development Party and the Gulenists, compounded by an emphasis on their alliance that collapsed acrimoniously before the putsch. To accuse Gursel and his like-minded colleagues at the secularist, Kemalist and left-leaning Cumhuriyet of being Gulenist collaborators can be seen only as a farce of authoritarianism.

Apart from headlines and news reports, the evidence in the indictment includes Twitter posts by the defendants and certain telephone numbers with which they have had contact.

Some time ago, Turkeys intelligence service found out that Gulenists used an app called ByLock to communicate with each other. Since the coup attempt, individuals who had downloaded the app to their mobile phones or computers have been accused of belonging to the Gulenist network. The ByLock issue appears in the Cumhuriyet indictment, too, but in an extremely arbitrary fashion. Calls and text messages from ByLock users, who could well be readers, are presented as evidence of the defendants association with Gulenists, no matter that some of those calls and messages may have never been answered or noticed. In Gursels case, the backbone of the charges rests on this bizarre link drawn by the prosecution.

When Utku Cakirozer, Cumhuriyets former editor-in-chief and now a lawmaker for Turkey's main opposition party, visited Gursel earlier in April, the imprisoned journalist relayed the following message through him: The claim that Ive been in contact with ByLock users is aimed at a character assassination. They claim I have been in contact with as many as 92 ByLock users. Did I speak to those people on the phone? How many times? Who called whom? The indictment says nothing on these issues. It is with such an ambiguity that charges are being leveled. I can have some guesses, though, on how this data was obtained. It was probably the spring of 2014, when the first wave of arrests [of Gulenists began after a corruption scandal implicating government officials], and I received hundreds of text messages from people, who, I suppose, were Gulenists. They were trying to galvanize the media against the arrests. The messages  sent to me because I was an active journalist appearing on television programs  were probably interpreted as a connection. Yet I never contacted those people. I did not even reply to them. A second probability is that some ByLock users among my Twitter followers, who numbered about 350,000 at the time of my arrest, might have retweeted my tweets and this, too, might have been shown as a connection.

The state of affairs in the Cumhuriyet case illustrates the new low the Turkish judiciary has hit and how dire its politicization has become. Todays prosecutors do not even bother to fabricate evidence, as some of their colleagues have done in the past. Instead, dissidence and oppositional politics are considered crimes themselves. This comes as another manifestation of the grave impasse that democracy and the freedom of press face in Turkey today.
April 24, 2017

Saudi Arabia is pressing the Trump administration to become more involved in supporting its war in Yemen. Bogged down in a quagmire of their own making, the Saudis want the United States to give them unqualified support. Fifty-five years ago, the Saudis pressed President John F. Kennedy to support them in another war in Yemen; Kennedy wisely deferred.

Riyadh has high expectations that the new US administration will provide significant support for their next major military operation in Yemen to seize Hodeidah, the largest port on the Red Sea, to tighten the blockade on the Houthi rebels and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The offensive will be the most complex operation of the war so far, as the rebels seem determined to fight to keep the port. The Saudis want American help to ensure their offensive does not end in a bloody repulse; they want more intelligence, munitions, naval support and diplomatic backing.

Former US President Barack Obama supported the Saudi war in Yemen, but with limits. Obama was skeptical of the Saudi claims that Iran was determining the rebels' policy or that the Houthis were the equivalent of Hezbollah. The Obama team pressed for a political solution, especially in the second year of the war.

In 1962, an Egyptian-backed coup toppled the Yemeni monarchy in Sanaa. Cairo sent tens of thousands of troops to support the republican government; the Soviets provided air power and hundreds of advisers. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser promised that the Yemeni coup would prompt a revolution in Saudi Arabia and an uprising in the British colony in south Yemen. A new Arab Republic of Arabia would emerge and unite with Egypt under Nasser's leadership.

While Saudi Crown Prince Faisal attended the UN General Assembly in New York, the Egyptian expeditionary force poured into Yemen via Hodeidah. Kennedy invited the prince to lunch at the White House, where Faisal pressed Kennedy to support the royalist opposition and help their insurgency in the Saudi borderlands. The Saudis were already getting help covertly from the British. Subsequently, the Israelis joined the campaign to back the royalists and bog Nasser down in a quagmire in Yemen.

Kennedy hesitated to back the Saudis, but committed to defending the kingdom from outside aggression and internal unrest. This was an expansion of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1943 commitment to provide security against external threats. But Kennedy was not prepared to join the clandestine war with the royalists and he recognized the republican government.

Kennedy invited Faisal to the private quarters of the White House to continue the conversation in a more intimate setting without advisers. He told Faisal that the real threat to the kingdom came from its own people who were tired of King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's corruption and misrule. The kingdom needed reform or it would collapse like the Yemeni monarchy.

Faisal agreed with Kennedy's assessment. He promised that he would take immediate measures to reform the kingdom and ease his brother off the throne. He would abolish slavery, still legal in the country, and expand education, including for girls. Within a year, Faisal had done all three.

Saudi Arabia still faced tough challenges. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) had to be grounded three times in the next five years because its pilots kept defecting to Egypt with their jets. The same thing happened to the Royal Jordanian Air Force when King Hussein sent a squadron to Jeddah to show solidarity with the Saudis. In June 1963, Kennedy sent American fighter jets to the kingdom to deter the Egyptians from bombing royalist camps inside Saudi territory. The deployment was called Operation Hard Surface and was Kennedy's only deployment of troops in the Middle East. But the CIA stayed out of the war in Yemen.

The war lasted for over eight years, and the humanitarian damage to the country was devastating. In the end, the royalists lost and the British Crown Colony in Aden became the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the only communist country in the Arab world. By then, Nasser had lost the Six-Day War and King Faisal was firmly on the throne awash in petrodollars.

Kennedy's handling of the Yemeni crisis came amid his dealings with the Cuban missile crisis and the Chinese invasion of India; it was a virtuoso performance of diplomacy and statesmanship. He defended the Saudi kingdom, but stayed out of the Yemeni quagmire.

The lesson of Kennedy's Yemeni crisis is that Washington needs to be candid with Riyadh. Kennedy told Faisal his deep threat was from the monarchy's own weaknesses and deficiencies. He agreed Egypt was a danger, but that it should not be exaggerated. Kennedy provided tangible support to defend the kingdom, but stayed out of the quarrels in Yemen. It was a wise decision.

The architect of the current Yemeni war is the Saudi king's son, Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who is apparently also the darling of the Trump team. On April 23, the king promoted another one of his sons who is a former RSAF pilot, Khaled bin Salman, to be the Saudi ambassador to Washington. He will be the perfect interlocutor for a frank and candid discussion about the future of the Saudi-American entente.
AT&T will close its Birmingham Collections Center this summer, affecting 130 employees starting in June.

AT&T said the consolidation is a result of a reduction in call volumes. It is attempting to place as many of these employees in other positions in the company as possible. Those it is unable to place will receive a severance package, a representative said.

"We're adding people in many areas where we're seeing increased customer demand for products and services," an AT&T representative said in a statement. "However, there are also areas where customer demand for our landline services continue to decline, and increasing numbers of our customers now prefer to communicate with us on a 'self-serve' online basis, rather than by phone."

AT&T said it hired nearly 550 employees in Alabama in 2016 and currently has has about 150 openings throughout the state.

But Steve Monk, President of CWA Local 3902, said he's worried about the future of the more than 1,000 employees AT&T still has in the Birmingham area, because many of these jobs can be done anywhere.

"This brings to around 400 the number laid off by AT&T in Birmingham in the last year alone," Monk said in a statement. "Since taking control of Bellsouth in 2007 AT&T has eliminated well over a thousand good paying jobs in the city."
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A delegation of business representatives from Alabama is touring Germany and Denmark.

(Alabama Department of Commerce)

A 22-member business delegation is touring Germany and Denmark this week, promoting and networking on behalf of Alabama's bioscience industry.

The Alabama Department of Commerce announced the trip this morning. Today, members are in Berlin, and tours are scheduled of biotech and bioscience sites through the week in the two nations.

The delegation hopes to make connections in areas related to drug discovery, medical devices and research, among others.

"Alabama is an emerging force in the bioscience industry, with more than 800 establishments, 14,000 jobs and a job growth rate that is increasing twice as fast as the overall private sector," Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said in a statement.

Hilda Lockhart, director of the Commerce's Department's International Trade Division, said the trip aims to link up with life science and healthcare companies and organizations, as well as promote the life sciences business sector in Alabama.

Among the delegation are representatives from HudsonAlpha, Envision Genomics, Southern Research, Blondin Bioscience, Conversant Biologics, GeneCapture, Serina Therapeutics and officials from the Huntsville, Opelika, Mobile and Tuscaloosa County areas. The University of Alabama and University of South Alabama are also represented.

Art Tipton, president and CEO of Southern Research, said the mission will "showcase our organization's extensive capabilities in life sciences" as well as lead to research and strategic collaborations between Alabama and the region's firms.
An Alabama writer is giving the public what it's been wanting for years: A glimpse of the private life of Harper Lee. Wayne Flynt, a professor emeritus of history at Auburn University, penned the book "Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship with Harper Lee," about his relationship with the famed author, who died at age 89 on Feb. 19, 2016.

Flynt gave the eulogy at Lee's funeral in Monroeville at her request. He read a tribute he gave in 2006 when Lee won the Birmingham Pledge Foundation Award for racial justice.

The book goes on sale May 2, according to publisher HarperCollins. In an email response to a request for an AL.com interview, Flynt said he gave exclusive interview rights to The New York Times. The hardcover book costs $25.99 and may be pre-ordered on the HarperCollins website and local booksellers.

Flynt and Lee

In life, Nelle Harper Lee was notoriously publicity shy, although those in her hometown of Monroeville described her as open and friendly among locals.

Lee stopped giving formal interviews in 1964 and retreated from the bright spotlight that followed the publication of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," which would become one of the most widely read books of all time.

Flynt and Lee met in 1983 and began a long correspondence through letters from Alabama to New York, where Lee lived at the time.

HarperCollins says: "Flynt and Nelle Harper Lee began writing to one other while she was living in New York--heartfelt, insightful, and humorous letters in which they swapped stories, information, and opinions on topics both personal and professional: their families, books, Alabama history and social values, health concerns, and even their fears and accomplishments. Though their earliest missives began formally - 'Dear Dr. Flynt' - as the years passed and their mutual admiration grew, their exchanges became more intimate and emotional, opening with 'Dear Friend' and closing with 'I love you, Nelle.' Through their enduring correspondence, the Lees and the Flynts became completely immersed in each other's lives."

The book synopsis credits "To Kill a Mockingbird" with inspiring Flynt's career teaching history and writing about the South. Flynt has written 12 other books about Alabama and the South.

"The violent racism of the American South drove Wayne Flynt away from his home state of Alabama, but the publication of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' ... inspired him to return in the early 1960s and craft a career documenting and teaching Alabama history. His writing resonated with many Alabamians, in particular three sisters: Louise, Alice, and Nelle Harper Lee," HarperCollins said, adding that Flynt's "Mockingbird Songs" is "an indelible portrait of one of the most famous and beloved authors in the canon of American literature - a collection of letters between Harper Lee and one of her closest friends that reveals the famously private writer as never before, in her own words."
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in the Southeast - Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennesee - rose from 26 in 2015 to 56 in 2016, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL released its annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, which includes incidents such as bullying and vandalism at K-12 schools.

"We have already seen a doubling of the number of incidents in just the first quarter of 2017 in our region, jumping from 16 incidents to 32," said Southeast Interim Regional Director Shelley Rose. "It is particularly disturbing to see the number of incidents directed toward Jewish youth. I have received several reports of Holocaust 'jokes' being shared and offensive comments directed at Jewish youth."

Israeli teen charged in threats

The 32 incidents in the Southeast in the first three months of 2017 include four bomb threats against the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham. Those bomb threats were believed to have been made by an Israeli teenager with dual U.S. citizenship, according to FBI investigators and Israeli police.

U.S. prosecutors identified the suspect as Michael Kadar, 18, of Ashkelon, Israel. Kadar is facing charges relating to thousands of hoax calls worldwide, including against airlines and police stations, according to an indictment filed to a Tel Aviv court, according to The Guardian and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Kadar was charged Monday in district court in Israel with thousands of counts on offenses that also include publishing false information, causing panic, computer hacking and money laundering.

The Israeli indictment includes allegations that he made threats to about 2,000 institutions worldwide using sophisticated technology to mask his voice and IP address.

Kadar, who has not been named in Israeli proceedings, was arrested last month in Ashkelon, after a joint investigation by Israeli and U.S. authorities, including the FBI. The threats contributed to fears of rising anti-Semitism in the United States.

Nationally in 2016, there was a 34 percent year-over-year increase in incidents - assaults, vandalism, and harassment - with a total of 1,266 acts targeting Jews and Jewish institutions, the ADL report said. Nearly 30 percent of these incidents (369) occurred in November and December. The surge continued during the first three months of 2017, with preliminary reports of another 32 incidents in these four states and 541 incidents nationwide, putting this year on pace for more than 2,000 incidents. Americans of all faiths have felt the increase and in a poll ADL released earlier this month a majority said they are concerned about violence in the U.S. directed at Jews.

"There's been a significant, sustained increase in anti-Semitic activity since the start of 2016 and what's most concerning is the fact that the numbers have accelerated over the past five months," said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. "Clearly, we have work to do and need to bring more urgency to the fight. At ADL, we will use every resource available to put a stop to anti-Semitism. But we also need more leaders to speak out against this cancer of hate and more action at all levels to counter anti-Semitism."

In the first quarter of 2017, preliminary reports of the 541 anti-Semitic incidents included:

380 harassment incidents, including 161 bomb threats, an increase of 127 percent over the same quarter in 2016;

155 vandalism incidents, including three cemetery desecrations, an increase of 36 percent;

Six physical assault incidents, a decrease of 40 percent.

In 2016, the 1,266 anti-Semitic incidents included:

720 harassment and threat incidents, an increase of 41 percent over 2015;

510 vandalism incidents, an increase of 35 percent;

36 physical assault incidents, a decrease of 35 percent.

The incidents were felt across the country, but continuing a consistent trend, the states with the highest number of incidents tend to be those with large Jewish populations. These include California (211 in 2016 and 87 in Q1 2017), New York (199 in 2016 and 97 in Q1 2017), New Jersey (157 in 2016 and 24 in Q1 2017), Florida (137 in 2016 and 41 in Q1 2017), and Massachusetts (125 and 38 in Q1 2017).

The 2016 presidential election and the heightened political atmosphere played a role in the increase. There were 34 incidents linked to the election. For example, in Denver, graffiti posted in May 2016 said "Kill the Jews, Vote Trump." In November, a St. Petersburg, Fla., man was accosted by someone who told him "Trump is going to finish what Hitler started."

Incidents on college campuses remained mostly flat, but anti-Semitic incidents at non-Jewish elementary, middle, and high schools increased 106 percent, from 114 in 2015 to 235 in 2016. This increase accelerated in Q1 2017, when 95 incidents were reported.

"Schools are a microcosm of the country," Greenblatt said. "Children absorb messages from their parents and the media, and bring them into their schools and playgrounds. We are very concerned the next generation is internalizing messages of intolerance and bigotry."

The statistics reflect white supremacist activity, the ADL says.

"These incidents need to be seen in the context of a general resurgence of white supremacist activity in the United States," said Oren Segal, director of the ADL Center on Extremism. "Extremists and anti-Semites feel emboldened and are using technology in new ways to spread their hatred and to impact the Jewish community on and off line." Incidents in 2016 and Q1 2017 included network printer hacks and the use of source-masking technology to make it easier to harass Jews anonymously. "The majority of anti-Semitic incidents are not carried out by organized extremists, as the bomb threats in 2017 demonstrate. Anti-Semitism is not the sole domain of any one group, and needs to be challenged wherever and whenever it arises."

ADL has been tracking anti-Semitic incidents in the United States since 1979. The audit includes both criminal and non-criminal incidents, acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats and slurs. It's compiled using information provided by victims, law enforcement and community leaders.
Decoration.jpg

Decoration isn't always something you put on a cake. In the South, there remain pockets of small communities who still celebrate, "Decoration Day," which is usually just shortened to, "Decoration." I grew up thinking everyone went to Decoration, and was amazed to learn it's only observed in a few of the more traditional historic areas where little has changed over the years.

My Mother's family in North Alabama recognizes Decoration, but Daddy's family in North Florida had never heard of it. Some friends in South Carolina go to Decoration, but no one I know in Georgia has any idea what it's about.

Daddy was bewildered when he realized that once a year, he'd be required to dress up and stand around in the cemetery with his in-laws, both living and the dearly departed. That's basically what Decoration is; hanging out, looking at the graves, and remembering those gone on before us (to heaven, not the Cracker Barrel).

Decoration isn't the same as Memorial Day -- that's for our armed forces. Some say Memorial Day actually grew out of Confederate Memorial Day, which is believed to have originated with regular old-fashioned Decoration Day.

In the towns that still have Decoration, people go all out. Signs on businesses announce, "Get your Decoration chicken bucket here!" or "Decoration Sale - turnips half price."

What keeps Decoration even more "underground," is the fact that each community observes Decoration on a different day of the year. Our family in Hartselle celebrates the occasion on Mother's Day, but other areas wait until summertime.

The event begins the day before, when carloads of relatives arrive at the cemetery, and using whisk brooms, hand shovels and clippers, clean the graves of all their relatives. After all plots are neat and tidy, gorgeous flower arrangements are placed on the headstones.

On Sunday morning, we dress in our best -- I always recycle my Easter outfit from a few weeks before, then proceed to the cemetery where we meander amongst the hillside graves, admiring the mounds of beautiful flowers and chatting with other families who have also spent the previous day decorating their loved one's resting places.

There's something about being in a cemetery, when you aren't consumed with the grief of an actual funeral, that is quite peaceful. Standing in front of your family name, literally carved in stone, you have time to reflect on those buried, and think how they would have loved seeing everyone together.

One year, wearing their little seersucker suits, my boys skipped around the edges of the graves. I started to tell them to stop, but just as they hopped over granddaddy, I imagined him telling me to leave them alone. "They're just being little boys," he would've said. Remembering what our loved ones were like is precisely why we're there.

The day used to end with dinner-on-the-grounds, but it's been relocated to a home with the promise of shelter from the elements, and comfortable chairs for the older folks.

Decoration keeps us tied to "our people." It's a tradition that keeps us . . . (oh, I can't say it) "grounded." Just like Scarlett had a deep longing to return to Tara, we too understand the pull of home, even if most of our kinfolk have "relocated" to the cemetery.

With days dominated by staccato, electronic messages, we search for something permanent and lasting. We want to know we're connected and part of something larger than the latest project at work. The memories of those we've loved and lost, draw us in until we're wrapped in the softness of familiarity, the scent of belonging, and then once again . . . we're home.

So, we make the drive, dust off headstones, prepare plates of deviled eggs and pour sweet tea in big jars, then dress up and stand on a grassy hill, gazing at flowered graves. We share memories, bounce babies, hug necks, then promise to return next year, never knowing who will be the one to decorate or to be decorated.

You can contact Leslie Anne at: la@leslieannetarabella.com or read more on her blog at: http://leslieannetarabella.com
Shepherd Zira and Cyril Thabede have broken racial barriers in the once exclusive field of performance riding.

Kyalami, South Africa  Since becoming the first black men to work with Lipizzaners, an elite group of horses bred for dressage, Shepherd Zira and Cyril Thabede are filled with pride over breaking apartheid-era racial barriers in the field of performance riding.

Last year, the South African Lipizzaners, a non-profit organisation, created a development programme catering to economically disadvantaged South Africans.

Zira became their first black rider and Thabede their first black performer.

Most of us, especially people of colour, we have no idea about horses or anything because this is just a white peoples sport, Zira told Al Jazeera.

After joining the organisations development programme, the 22-year-olds were allowed to train and reach a level of expertise that has now springboarded them into careers in South Africas equestrian industry.

But until last year, there was little to no opportunity for blacks or other minorities to join the South African Lipizzaners, beyond a rare group who could afford riding lessons.

The sport was steeped in colonial history and the high costs prevented many South Africans from joining.

Equestrianism is a very exclusive, privileged sport, Bronwyn Taylor, a junior rider, told Al Jazeera.

Its a very expensive sport to be in.

The Lipizzaner horses were brought to South Africa shortly after World War II and the breed dates back to 15th-century Europe.

There are only 4,000 in the world and the primarily white stallions are admired for their stellar physique, regal bearing and willingness to be trained.

I love these horses so much, Thabede says. There are very few people who have the opportunity to ride these stallions. When I ride them, I feel like a king.

However, each time the men step into an arena or teach students, they say, they seldom see faces similar to their own.
Sex education is almost non-existent in Lebanese schools  so who is teaching the facts and joys of life instead?

Beirut, Lebanon  When Anthony Kerbage and Elissa Abou Khalil go into schools and scouts clubs across Lebanon to talk about sex, there are certain topics such as abortion that raise hackles.

The two fourth-year medical students are among the enthusiastic volunteers and relaxed youth workers plugging the sex education gap left by Lebanons social and religious authorities. With that come topics that some adults would prefer them to avoid.

When teachers or leaders say we cannot cover a certain topic, we say OK, but if we get a question about it we will find a way to give the information, adds Elissa.

We tell the teachers that the children will find out about these things in other ways  such as on the internet.

At one school there was once a complaint from a parent who said that the picture of the female anatomy that we used was not appropriate, says Elissa, at an international medical students conference in Beirut.

The pair manage the peer educator programme within the Standing Committee On Sexual and Reproductive Health, including HIV/Aids (SCORA) at the Lebanese Medical Students International Committee.

READ MORE: Comprehensive sex education is a human right

Sex education

Sex education was introduced for 12 to 14-year-olds in Lebanon in 1995, but was withdrawn in 2000 after criticism from a number of religious groups in the country. According to the book, Deconstructing Sexuality in the Middle East: Challenges and Discourses, one faction said the topics studied would provoke [students] to perversion.

Subsequent attempts to reintroduce it to public schools have had little effect, with teachers complaining of a lack of training and the need for administrative support in case parents complained. At present, sex education in Lebanese schools is scant.

Predictably, the patchy availability of sex education, with the burden falling on small initiatives such as SCORAs, does not stop people having it.

READ MORE: Women decry Lebanons domestic violence law

The SCORA scheme sees 15 students from five of the countrys universities visit around 20 schools and scouts groups, in an attempt to fill in the gaps left by the school curriculum, and to tackle long-established beliefs about sex education.

A peer educators session may look something like this.

You say to the pupils, Im just a few years older than you, Im a medical student and we are just going to talk about these things ' says Elissa, who grew up in a family of gynaecologists.

At first you have to tell them not to laugh, and at the beginning they perhaps find it weird, as they are not open. But by the end of the session they feel it is a safe space and are even asking questions about their personal life.

We have to be neutral and factual, we have to say 'We don't want to question your beliefs, but as medical students, we know that science says XYZ' by Elissa Abou Khalil

The students then ask the pupils to draw the changes that take place on female and male bodies at puberty.

Drawing may sound crude, but can help to clear up some very basic misunderstandings among pupils.

They sometimes dont know that the reproductive system and the digestive system are different, says Anthony, who is currently studying at St Josephs University in Beirut.

They dont know how things work as they get ideas from TV, sex scenes in movies, and rumours. It is like they have been waiting for someone to come to answer their questions  they ask a lot.

Body language and attitude play important roles in the effectiveness of peer-given sex education, according to Diana Abou Abbas, manager at Marsa, an NGO that also offers peer education sessions to university students, schools and scout groups in Lebanon.

We try to make it open, and have someone speaking to them in a casual way, establish a sense of safety and trust, she says, in the organisations discreet office in Hamra, central Beirut, from where they offer sexual health medical services such as STI [sexually transmitted infection] screening and smear tests.

We tell the group there is safety and trust but they have to feel it as well, through the group dynamics, when they see people who are young and similar to them, for example, have a piercing, or a tattoo  small things.

All the while, the peer educators must tread a fine line between childrens religious and social backgrounds and science  whose teachings may differ.

We have to be neutral and factual, Elissa says. We have to say, We dont want to question your beliefs, but as medical students, we know that science says XYZ.'

Marsa uses its peer educator sessions to highlight the importance of consent, which they introduce to youth, from the earliest age. Their teaching comes in an environment where a rapist can still escape punishment if he marries his victim. Lebanese politicians agreed in December to overturn the clause in the countrys penal code permitting such acquittals, although the promised changes have not yet been finalised.

We have limited resources

The World Health Organizations latest statistics on contraception for Lebanon only report use among married women, at 58 percent  and the figures date from 2004. There is no data for single or uncoupled individuals.

It is a struggle to get STI screenings covered on medical insurance in Lebanon.

STI data is scant, although Marsa is worried about an increase in infections.

The rates of STIs are increasing and that is alarming for us, something has to be done to counter that, says Sara Abou Zaki, project coordinator at Marsa.

Lebanons peer educators, unable to shoulder the burden of teaching a whole nation, are advocating for wider inclusion of sex education in school curriculums and for provision of sexual health services in hospitals.

We know there are unmet needs, says Elissa. But we have limited resources; we are just students.

If you reduce stigma, more people will seek healthcare and you will reduce STIs and reduce the costs, Diana says when asked how Marsa advocates with Lebanons Ministries of Health, Social Affairs and Education.

The reply is That is what we are trying to do, we are working on it  but it takes a long time. Nothing is a priority.

All the while, Marsa is seeing an increase in demand for its services  up from 30 clients a month in 2011 to 250 at present.

To reach Lebanese communities they are unable to access through peer education, Marsa is tackling the severe deficit of information in Arabic about sexual health. It produces jaunty pamphlets and short films on topics including contraception, HIV and transgender identity.

The information in Arabic is in spoken Arabic, we never do Fussha [formal Arabic], says Diana. People wont be interested in reading it, if we are targeting the people who speak Arabic in Lebanon.

As such, information on the risks of natural contraception methods, such as cervical mucus, is presented under the title, Shoo heya wasayil mena al-hamal al-tabaeeya  what is natural contraception?  using familiar words from Arabics Lebanese dialect. An infographic on pap smears is titled, Shoo yani fuhus al-azaza?

One short clip about periods was criticised as shameless by detractors. They were saying, You are shameless! Diana says jovially, clearly unflustered by the derogatory remarks about her organisations work. On the contrary, they advocate shamelessness. That is our slogan  Bila hia  Without shame, actually, because you encourage people to talk about it.
Though co-opted by US President Donald Trump, the fake news phenomenon is global and weakening trust in media.

Its definition is unclear and can change depending on whom you ask. It is used in increasingly politicised ways across much of the world.

And, although its leap to prominence is largely due to 140-character Twitter posts coming out of the White House, it now has widespread implications for journalism, politics, and how people everywhere share information online.

But what exactly is fake news and what effect is it having globally?

I think there is a fundamental problem that fake news became a catch-all term to mean anything that we dont particularly like to read, explained Alexios Mantzarlis, who heads the international fact-checking network at the Poynter Institute.

Mantzarlis told Al Jazeera that the term fake news was originally used to refer to stories that were entirely fabricated, largely for the purposes of tricking Facebooks algorithm to reach a larger online audience and generate more advertising revenues.

READ MORE: Syrian refugees voice not heard in fake news Facebook case

But fake news gradually shifted to describe any kind of myth or disinformation, Mantzarlis said, and it has been co-opted by US President Donald Trump and his supporters.

The Trump administration has used the term fake news to describe media reports it doesnt like, or articles that question the veracity of the presidents statements, or that portray him unfavourably.

Trump himself has levied the label at CNN, NBC News, The New York Times, and other mainstream, US media outlets, and often in the form of an all-caps zinger at the end of his infamous Twitter posts.

Fake news became a catch-all term to mean anything that we don't particularly like to read. by Alexios Mantzarlis , Poynter Institute's head of fact-checking

According to Piers Robinson, a professor of politics, society and political journalism at the University of Sheffield in the UK, much of the debate over fake news revolves around being in a post-truth environment where anything goes, and [where] alternative media and politicians, such as Trump, are wilfully engaging in misleading, deceitful and deceptive political communication.

But while it has been packaged in a new and highly politicised way  especially following the US election and concerns in Europe over Brexit  the manipulation of information by politicians and other actors has been around for some time, Robinson told Al Jazeera.

Its selection of information, exaggeration, and omissions, which when you put them all together, means you have quite a deceptive picture of what is going on, he said.

This phenomenon is also not confined to the United States alone.

Fake news: A global phenomenon

Mantzarlis explained that about half of the most widely shared stories on Facebook on the eve of a referendum in Italy last year were false, and that fake news has been particularly harmful in the Philippines, where it is poisoning online information.

Recently, The Manila Times columnist Yen Makabenta accused Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, of bringing the country into the age of post-truth politics.

The two presidential luminaries have midwived this development with a cascade of fake news, fake facts and alternative truths that, perhaps not surprisingly, has earned the Philippines the distinction of being the country where people have the least trust in each other, Makabenta wrote.





The problem has become so pronounced that the University of the Philippines launched a web-based, educational television network earlier this year with the expressed purpose of fighting disinformation.

Bruce Mutsvairo, a Northumbria University professor who specialises in political participation and digital journalism in sub-Saharan Africa, told Al Jazeera that audiences in the region have also become accustomed to distortion in the media.

He pointed to repeated rumours that have been circulated in the press about the death of Zimbabwes long-standing president, Robert Mugabe, as one example.

More recently, several journalists at Tanzanias state-run broadcaster, TBC1, were suspended after they relayed a fake news story that claimed US President Trump had praised Tanzanian President John Magufuli.

I think journalists need to understand the era that we are living in, Mutsvairo told Al Jazeera. So, if we are talking about substantiating stories  then, maybe now, you actually have to do it twice, just to be sure.

He said that news consumers in countries with free public spheres generally tend to be more concerned about fake news and media credibility, and will actively seek out the truth.

Inversely, in states with less freedom, fighting fake news may be less of a priority.

Fighting disinformation

But fears that fake news is having an effect on political outcomes in European countries, especially those holding elections this year, like France and Germany, has prompted calls to action from European officials.

Andrus Ansip, vice president of the European Commission, recently warned Facebook and other social media sites to take stronger action against the spread of fake news on their platforms.

To fight such propaganda, to fight such fake news, we need to invest in journalism. We need to invest in media pluralism. We need to invest in media literacy. by Renate Schroeder, European Federation of Journalists director

The European Union also announced it would devote more money and resources to its East Stratcom Task Force, which works to combat fake news allegedly coming from Russia.

The culture, media, and sport committee in the UK parliament has launched an inquiry into the effect of fake news on democracy, while the German justice minister has proposed fining social media websites if they do not remove fake news content or hate speech from their platforms.

But Renate Schroeder, director of the European Federation of Journalists, said countries should be extremely prudent and seek to balance freedom of expression and freedom of the press with combating hate speech and fake news.

Any effort to regulate social media should not go too far, either, since it can lead to censorship, she said.

Our view is [that] to fight such propaganda, to fight such fake news, we need to invest in journalism. We need to invest in media pluralism. We need to invest in media literacy, Schroeder told Al Jazeera.

WATCH: Media distrust and reporting on the political right

She added that the effect of fake news is compounded by how quickly it spreads on social media, and by long-standing problems plaguing media organisations around the world, including budget and job cuts, a failing business model, and the publics growing distrust of the press.

Trust in media plummeting

Only 32 percent of people in the US said they had a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in the media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly in 2016, according to a Gallup poll. That is the lowest level recorded in Gallup polling history  the question has been asked annually since 1997  and eight points lower than in 2015.

Trust in media declined overall across all EU countries in 2015, a European Broadcasting Union survey also reported.

Mantzarlis of the Poynter Institute said that to fight the fake news phenomenon, journalists should promote greater transparency in their work, and develop a robust corrections policy when mistakes do occur.

That may include making [corrections] more detailed, explaining why the error was made, who made it within the newsroom, and how exactly the existing procedures failed, he said.

Schroeder added that the focus on fake news could potentially serve as a catalyst to reinvigorate the field of journalism.

If we want journalism to continue, she said, we have to invest in quality journalism, we have to invest in investigative journalism, but also we have to find new models for media to continue because the old traditional models are over.

According to Robinson, journalists should be using the fake news crisis to think of ways to strengthen the autonomy of the press, and make sure they are fulfilling their duty as a check on power.





Recent history has shown that when journalists fail to do that, the dissemination of false information can have harmful and even deadly consequences, he said.

That includes mainstream media outlets that reported a non-existent link between Iraq and weapons of mass destruction in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of that country as fact, or people and organisations downplaying the effect of climate change.

If you have situations where you have propaganda and manipulation and deception, and if you have a media which is not very good at correcting that or preventing politicians from engaging in that, this ultimately becomes corrosive on the public sphere, he said.

Democracy was something that had to be struggled for, fought for over a long period of time  and I think it can be lost easily and it can certainly be lost in these situations that were talking about.
Efren Morillos case marks the first significant legal challenge to the deadly crackdown on drugs in the Philippines.

It was the most impressive delivery of justice Joel Butuyan had seen in his more than two decades of being a lawyer.

On January 26, human rights lawyers Gil Aquino and Cristina Antonio filed a petition before the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking protection for Efren Morillo, the lone survivor of a police ambush that killed four alleged drug users in the name of President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs.

They're disillusioned with the justice system. by Jackie de Guia, Commission on Human Rights spokesperson

Only five days later, the petition was granted. It provided sweeping protections for Morillo and severely limited police activity near his home and workplace.

It was a breath of fresh air considering the current atmosphere, said Butuyan, a veteran human rights lawyer who supervised the filing of the petition along with his colleague, Romel Bagares. People have this feeling of hopelessness, but theres still a branch of government you can run to and seek protection.

It was the first legal action on behalf of a victim of the governments controversial anti-drugs campaign. Yet after more than 8,000 deaths, few cases have followed.

Rights groups said that many of the killings were assassinations of drugs users with police complicity, allegations the authorities have denied.

Butuyan is the president of the Centre for International Law, the human rights advocacy wing of his private firm, Roque & Butuyan. Last November, he put Aquino, 27, and Antonio, 37, a former community organiser, in charge of what has become one of the highest-profile cases in the country. They have four years of legal experience between them.

With such responsibility comes considerable risk. A total of 86 lawyers have been killed in the Philippines since 1999, according to Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. They also frequently face threats and intimidation. Lawyers are therefore sometimes deterred from pursuing politically charged cases.

Yet Aquino and Antonio vow to continue the quest for justice. Though human rights law is unattractive to many young Filipino lawyers because of the dangers and low pay, Aquino says he sees it as his chance to give back.

I was given some of the best education this country can offer, the graduate of the prestigious University of the Philippines College of Law explained. I should use it for good.

Persida Rueda Acosta, the nations top public lawyer, said none of the families of those killed has sought legal assistance through the Public Attorneys Office, even though its services are free. Various law groups, NGOs and the independent Commission on Human Rights, however, are investigating hundreds of other cases with the intention to file.

Im very amazed why [the families] are not asking for our help if really theyre a victim, Rueda Acosta told Al Jazeera. If the people are really innocent, why should they be afraid to ask?

They felt helpless

While poverty, a lack of awareness of their rights, and difficulty identifying the perpetrators are reasons why many victims and their families refuse to come forward, fear of retaliation is often the overriding factor.

Such was the case for Morillo and the families of the four men killed in the alleged buy-bust operation that took place about 20km north of Manila last August.

In the beginning, they didnt want to file anything that would pin down the perpetrators, said Antonio. They felt helpless. They could not imagine what they could do to make the perpetrators accountable.

READ MORE: Children and Dutertes drug war: Lessons from the past

Anna Maria Abad, dean of Adamson University College of Law in Manila, cited similar challenges. The universitys Office of Legal Aid, which counsels the families of victims killed by unknown assailants during drug operations, has not filed any cases because the families have adamantly refused to do so, Abad wrote in an email.

They did not want to provide any statements to the police, nor accept the police invitation to interview them as the families have lost their trust in the police as a whole, she added.

With just one public attorney for every two courts in the country, a backlog of cases often delays rulings for years while the accused languish in prison. As a result, many Filipinos from the lower echelons of society  those most likely to be killed in the drug war  tend to be sceptical of the judicial process.

Judicial corruption

Theres such strong support for the drug campaign because people favour this kind of quick style of justice, said Jackie de Guia, a Commission on Human Rights spokeswoman. Theyre disillusioned with the justice system.

Corruption in the judiciary through kickbacks and bribes also feeds the impression that the courts are rigged in favour of the rich and the powerful. The Philippines ranked 101st out of 176 countries in the 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index, according to Transparency International.

In December, Duterte took aim at lawyers who defend drug suspects, threatening to include them in his drugs war. More recently, he encouraged 19 police officers implicated in the death of alleged drug lord Rolando Espinosa, the mayor of a town in the Visayas region, to plead guilty so he can pardon them. The lawyer representing Espinosas son, also an alleged drug dealer, was shot dead in August.

I cant leave these officers behind. If they are convicted? No problem. They can call me and  Ill tell the judge to pardon them all, said Duterte.

Such pronouncements, along with the Duterte administrations refusal to thoroughly investigate the spate of killings across the country, have undermined many lawyers faith in much of the government.

Morillos lawyers, for example, filed murder charges against policemen before the Office of the Ombudsman so as to avoid filing with the Department of Justice, which is under the office of the president.

The lawyer for whistle-blower Edgar Matobato is avoiding Philippine courts altogether. Last year, Matobato testified during a Senate inquiry that Duterte was personally involved in extrajudicial killings while mayor of the southern city of Davao.

Jude Sabio, his lawyer, is expected to file a case this month before the International Criminal Court against Duterte for crimes against humanity based on Matobatos account.

It is wishful thinking for the government to investigate itself, Sabio said, explaining why he was planning to take his case to the international community.

Interactive  Philippines: Death toll in Dutertes war on drugs

Sabios scepticism is rooted in the belief that Duterte is responsible for the surge in killings, or at least in creating an environment in which police and vigilantes can kill with impunity. It is a demoralising proposition for lawyers, but one that should not prevent their duty to seek justice, said Maria Socorro Diokno, secretary-general of the Free Legal Assistance Group.

The point is there are courts. Once you start to question Do I have faith in this?, thats going to tie your hands, said Diokno. Youll end up doing nothing.

Thats what Aquino and Antonio fear, which is why they are encouraging more lawyers to get involved. Using the initial success of the Morillo case as a springboard, Antonio said that she hopes law groups will be more proactive by working together to eventually challenge the governments campaign on a national level. In the meantime, she promises to fight for the victims, despite the risks.

When youre in a situation of danger, youre able to rally more because your senses are sharper, said Antonio. Either you fold, youre paralysed or you find this calm inside you where everything is more vivid and youre more resolved to do things.
Presidential election is going to determine whether the rationalisation and normalisation of Iran is going to continue.

Saeid Golkar is assistant professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

The upcoming presidential election in May 2017 will determine not only Irans policies in the short term but also the future direction of the Islamic Republic. Based on the result of this election, Iran can move towards either a more theocratic, militaristic regime or a more democratic, electoral one.

Many of Irans observers have analysed elections through the binary lens of moderates v hardliners. From this viewpoint, the primary candidates who can pass the filter of the Guardian Council, a conservative institution responsible for endorsing the final candidate list, belong to two groups: hardliners and moderates.





Right now, three main candidates are running: incumbent President Hojatoleslam Hassan Rouhani from the moderate wing; and Hojatoleslam Ebrahim Raisi and Mohammad Ghalibaf, both hardliners.

Raisi is the national prosecutor-general and the custodian of the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, while Ghalibaf is the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Irans national police, and current Mayor of Tehran.

However, the binary of moderates and hardliners is no longer a useful paradigm with which to understand Iranian politics. It cannot explain the difference among hardliner candidates; nor can it predict Irans political future.

To better understand Irans politics, it helps to examine which power bloc each candidate belonged to before running for office: the clergy, the technocrats, or the military/security forces.

Three blocks that shaped Iran





Since 1979, these three blocs and the interactions between them have shaped Iranian policy. Three forms of alliances have arisen from the interactions between these groups: the clergy-military, the clergy-technocrats and the military-technocrats.

In the 1980s, the clergy-military alliance was the dominant axis, and the clergy had the upper hand therein. In the 1990s, power shifted in favour of the technocrats and against the Revolutionary Guard.

During the Hashemi Rafsanjani period (19891997), the clergy-technocrats alliance was dominant, and the clerics had more weight. However, during Khatamis presidency (1997-2005), this alliance changed to a technocrat-clergy alliance in which the bureaucrats had the upper hand.

The power shifted again under Ahmadinejad as the IRGC-bureaucrats alliance became the most influential group and political base of his hardliner administration (2005-2012). Currently, under Rouhanis presidency, technocrats have returned to power and are responsible for shaping government policy, while the IRGC has become marginalised, at least in the administration.

Using this framework, we can categorise the main presidential candidates in three categories: some are close to the clerical network (Howzeh), while others are close to the bureaucracy or military. For example, Hassan Rouhani represents the clergy-technocrat alliance; Raisi, the clergy-military/security alliance; and Ghalibaf  the security/military-technocrats alliance.

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, is also closer to the alliance of the clergy and the military (IRGC). This explains his appointment of Raisi as the custodian of the Imam Reza shrine, the wealthiest conglomerate foundation in Mashhad. Raisi also has a good relationship with the IRGC and the Basij militia, as well as the Iranian judiciary.

READ MORE: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad disqualified from Iran elections

These three axes  the clergy-military, the clergy-technocrat, and the technocrat-military  have different political, social, cultural and even economic orientations. As a result, the victory of one of these candidates in the May presidential election will decide which group holds the most power in shaping Irans domestic and foreign policies. Not only that, this most powerful axis will affect the future of the Islamic Republic by influencing future elections and, most importantly, the appointment of the next supreme leader.

It seems that this is the most important election in the history of the Islamic Republic so far. by

Second most powerful figure

While Irans presidents lack the ultimate power to design Irans security and foreign policies, which falls under the domain of Irans supreme leader, the president is still the second most powerful figure in Irans political structure.

The re-election of President Rouhani would lead to continued normalisation and rationalisation of the regime and a strengthening of the technocrats. Meanwhile, the victory of Raisi might instead strengthen the axis of radical clergy and the Revolutionary Guard and lead to the radicalisation of the administration and narrowing down of the political space. Similarly, Ghalibafs victory would strengthen the security/military-technocrat alliance and probably increase the involvement of the IRGC in politics.

The election is significant in determining short-term policies, but it also has a substantial impact on the selection of the next supreme leader. Although the president is not directly involved in the selection process, the president still plays an important role. The Iranian constitution states that, in the event of the death of the Supreme Leader, the president is one of three key figures in a council that will take over the duties of the supreme leader until the Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 jurists, appoints a new one.

OPINION: Ten things Iranians can do to preempt a Trump war

The other two members of this council are the head of the judicial power and a jurist from the Guardian Council. Because there are no constraints on the length of the appointment process, the temporary ruling council could be in power for a long time.

Among the presidential candidates, both Rouhani and Raisi are members of the Assembly of Experts. As a result, they have more power in the selection of the next supreme leader when the time comes. Because Ayatollah Khamenei is 77 and has been reported not to be in good health, there is a possibility that the next supreme leader will be elected within the next four years.

The leaders who are affiliated with the clergy-military alliance can move Iran in a different direction, possibly towards a more militaristic regime, than leaders who are closer to the clergy-technocrats axis. For this reason, it seems that this is the most important election in the history of the Islamic Republic so far.

Saeid Golkar is a lecturer at the Middle East and North African Studies Programme at Northwestern University, and senior fellow of Iran policy at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Why were the Russian anti-missile systems silent during the US strikes on al-Shayrat airfield in Syria?

Despite manifestations of mutual sympathy, the fallout between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump over the US missile attack in Syria (or any other issue that could have come up), was easily predictable even back in November 2016.

A well-choreographed confrontation serves both men better than friendship, because it helps them shift the attention of domestic audiences from their own misgivings and alleged corruption.

That confrontation works as an endless soap opera which rattles the viewers nerves by promising an ultimate showdown that never materialises because it would kill the show. Just look at the latest episode in the Russian version of the series.

Gopnik-style statements





The video of the new Russian envoy to the UN scoffing at his British colleague during a discussion on Syria at the Security Council didnt make too many headlines in the West, but it went viral in the Russian-language sector of the Internet. Vladimir Safronkovs remarks were largely lost on the Western audience, because he uttered them in Russian, reading from a piece of paper.

Look at me, dont you turn your eyes away, Safronkov said, using disrespectfully informal ty instead of more appropriate vy while addressing the British diplomat, Matthew Rycroft. Both forms are translated into English as you.

To a Russian speaker, Safronkov sounded unmistakably like a gopnik  a word reserved for semi-criminal lumpen-proletarian, a thug, you may say. In the past 30 years, gopnik jargon, dress style and musical tastes have permeated Russian society  from taxi drivers to top officials. When Putin said, he would flush terrorists down the toilet referring to Chechen militants, he sounded like a gopnik, too.

Like other scandalous gopnik-style statements the Russian foreign ministry has developed a taste for in recent years, the whole show at the UN targeted solely the domestic audience. The goal is to make the average Joe identify himself with one of their countrys top diplomats and take pride in him reprimanding foreign foes in the vernacular language he uses to converse with friends and colleagues.

Everything Putin's government does on the foreign policy front is dictated by the need of a highly corrupt political regime to consolidate majority support and marginalise the opposition, which threatens to go after multibillion assets allegedly accumulated by top officials and their business associates. by

Marginalising the opposition

Everything Putins government does on the foreign policy front  from intervening in Ukraine and Syria to endorsing Donald Trump in the US election  is dictated by the need of a highly corrupt political regime to consolidate majority support and marginalise the opposition. The latter threatens to go after multibillion-ruble assets allegedly accumulated by top officials and their business associates.

The regime is obsessed with maintaining at least a superficial level of legitimacy, so all of its efforts are aimed at keeping high approval ratings and ensuring convincing results during the elections. Once the perception of legitimacy is shaken, the spectre of Ukrainian-styled revolution becomes all too real.

Putin is facing re-election for his fourth term as president in March 2018. His only viable rival, Alexei Navalny, has challenged him by launching a presidential campaign in December and staging a successful nationwide protest on March 26.

The Kremlin can easily bar Navalny from elections, using his latest conviction as a pretext. Most observers believe that this is what is going to happen anyway. But that decision will greatly reduce the perceived legitimacy of the regime, especially since Navalny was prosecuted for fraud on extremely dubious charges in the past and has already successfully challenged his first conviction in the European Court of Human Rights.

By all means, the presidential administration, now led by former liberal politician Sergey Kiriyenko, is tasked with devising a successful propaganda narrative that will produce a convincing result in March next year.

The Crimea effect

A sharp shift towards ugly and superficial social conservatism and ultra-nationalism allowed Putin to secure a strong majority in the 2012 election and allowed his approval rating to soar as high as 89 percent after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. But what pollsters call the Crimea effect is starting to evaporate.

A recent poll conducted by the Levada Centre showed that 38 percent supported nationwide anti-corruption protests staged by Navalny in March.

OPINION: Trump  Putins best frenemy

The Kremlin is surely still toying with various possibilities, but its election strategy is starting to take shape.

Firstly, it is trying to snatch away Navalnys successful anti-corruption agenda  two regional governors have been arrested in recent weeks on graft charges. It is not inconceivable that Putin might even sacrifice his long-time ally, prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, who became the target of Navalnys latest investigation. His film about Medvedev now has almost 19 million views on YouTube.

But it is also clear that the Kremlin believes that the Crimea consolidation effect will still work its magic, for at least a part of the population, in 2018. Last week, the Russian State Duma suddenly scheduled the presidential election for March 18, the day Russia officially incorporated Crimea in 2014.

The need for a hostile America





One absolutely essential element in the Crimean consolidation narrative is hostile America. The message Russian propaganda has successfully conveyed for the past three years is that it was the US that plotted and funded the Ukrainian Maidan revolution. Following logic, it was Russias noble duty to intervene and protect those in Ukraine who stood against the aggressive West and its local nationalist puppets, who  Russian TV alleged  strove to erase the identity of Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

It is simply impossible to sell the already not-so-fresh product of patriotic consolidation in a situation where your arch-enemy is suddenly your friend. So a shift to confrontation mode has been inevitable. Similarly, for Trump, it was crucial to derail criticism on account of his staffs alleged collusion with Russia. Many of his supporters were quick to say: See, he is not a Russian stooge.

But even though they are engaged in this theatrical standoff, both sides know exactly where the redlines are. This is why Russian anti-missile systems, provided to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, were conspicuously inactive during the US strikes on al-Shayrat airfield in Syria.

OPINION: Bombs away! Wag that dog!

And this is why Trump is extremely unlikely to go after the foreign assets, which  as Russian opposition alleges  members of the Russian regime have amassed during the 17 years of Putins rule. If he does, the cozy symbiosis between the two frenemies will end and the showdown will be for real.

Leonid Ragozin is a freelance journalist based in Riga.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Army chief and defence minister forced to step down as country mourns loss of 130 lives in Taliban assault on army base.

Afghanistans army chief and defence minister have resigned following a Taliban attack on an army base over the weekend that killed more than 100 people, as the US defence secretary arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit.

The attack, the biggest ever by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan , involved multiple attackers and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which according to some estimates killed over 130 people.





President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of Qadam Shah Shahim, the army chief of staff and Abdullah Habibi, the countrys defence minister, on Monday, according to a statement from the presidents office.

Jim Mattis was expected to meet Afghan officials and US troops, but his arrival coincided with the Fridays Taliban assault. Sources told Al Jazeera that his arrival is to determine role and goals of the US troops in Afghanistan.

It is not an easy time. An attack of this scale has affected many people in this country and of course us as well, but these resignations did not affect our morale, General Dawlat Waziri, a spokesperson of the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told Al Jazeera.

We will make sure that whoever is responsible for this attack will face our wrath, they [attackers/Taliban] need to get ready now.

IN PICTURES: The Afghans on the frontlines fighting the Taliban

Protesters gathered outside the presidential palace in Kabul on Monday mounting pressure for officials to held accountable, but not many did not participate in the demonstration due to high security alert in the area.

Our government is responsible for what happened to our soldiers in Balkh and we want accountability, we demand it, Mustafa Aminizada told Al Jazeera.

This can not keep going on, it is too much for us. The government needs to make some serious changes.

Al Jazeeras Rob McBride, reporting from Kabul, said they were forced to resign and their positions were untenable.

Given the scale of the attack, which has been described as nothing short of a massacre, there have been growing calls on social media, the local media, the streets and even in parliament for both of these men to go, he said.

Both of these men were under pressure for a similar attack just over a month ago when infiltrators managed to get inside a hospital and claimed more than 50 lives.

The defence minister managed to escape a vote of no-confidence in parliament and narrowly held on to his job. So, both men have now taken a logical step.

On Sunday, Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning , with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-staff on government buildings and offices across the country.

READ MORE: Hamid Karzai calls MOAB brutal act against innocent people

The attack in Balkh raises serious questions about the Afghan militarys capability to stand on its own in the civil war following the withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014.

Were also approaching a sensitive time when the Taliban launches its spring offensive. The military has to be on its guard, our correspondent said.





This attack further undermines the military. There has already been talk about corruption and allegations of poor leadership. This does nothing to strengthen the army at this time.

Al Jazeeras political analyst, Hashmat Moslih, said the attack highlighted the continuous failure of military intelligence as well as the wider intelligence gathering of security forces.

While the Taliban have homed in on toppling the government, the governments efforts are scattered, he said.

The government is predominantly engaged in undermining its political rivals within the power sharing government.

The American and other foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan are now mostly acting in an advisory and training role, with some combat assistance.
Online audio message by Zawahiri calls on opposition to prepare for long war against Crusaders and their Shia allies.

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has called on the armed Syrian opposition to wage guerrilla warfare against the government of Bashar al-Assad and its allies.

In an audio tape titled Syria will only bow to God, released on the internet on Sunday, Zawahiri urged Syrian rebels to have patience and prepare themselves for a long war against the Crusaders and their Shia allies.

He urged them to adopt a guerilla warfare strategy because it would weaken and drain the enemy.

The rebels enemies are targeting them because they are trying to establish an Islamic rule in Syria, as the West and its allies were doing everything they can to stop it.

READ MORE: The ramifications of al-Nusras split from al-Qaeda

Al-Nusra Front, a rebel group, announced in July 2016 that it was ending its formal ties with al-Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or the Conquest of Syria Front.

On January 28 of this year, it merged with four other groups to form a new organisation called Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, or the Assembly for the Liberation of Syria.

Al Jazeeras senior political analyst, Marwan Bishara, said that Zawahiri was attempting to throw al-Qaeda into the spotlight.

Certainly with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) being the star, if you will, in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, al-Qaeda is trying to be relevant at a time when it is no longer relevant, he said.

Al-Qaeda itself has changed over the last decade. Once upon a time, it used to be a hierarchical group whereby Zawahiris boss, Osama bin Laden, used to give orders and orders used to be carried through. Various organisations joined the franchise because they knew there was some sort of a hierarchy.

Bishara explained that the organisation has become segmented over the past decade, with ideologically linked al-Qaeda groups from Yemen to Iraq acting with autonomy.

These are very autonomous groups and they are not taking any instructions from Ayman al-Zawahiri or from any headquarters in Pakistan, Afghanistan  Syria is where there could be a turning point.
Attack comes a day after deaths of three police officers in ISIL suicide bombings in a town south of Mosul.

Fighters have killed at least 10 off duty Iraqi soldiers and injured another 20 in an ambush in a part of the countrys western Anbar province.

Major Emad al-Dulaimi said on Monday that the attack occurred the night before near the town of Rutba.

He said the assailants were armed with assault rifles and rockets.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack but Dulaimi blamed the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.





ISIL, also known as ISIS, has carried out many similar attacks targeting Iraqi forces in the past months in what many see as an effort to divert attention from the ongoing battle between Iraqi forces and ISIL.

Rutba lies about 390km west of Baghdad. It is the last sizeable town on the way to the border with Jordan.

Just a day earlier, ISIL killed three Iraqi police officers when suicide bombers targeted a police station in Hamam al-Alil, a town located about 30km south of Mosul.

The police station has been used as a staging ground for operations in Mosul.

The largest city in northern Iraq, Mosul was captured by ISIL in mid-2014.

Backed by the US-led coalition, Iraqi forces launched an operation, their largest in years, in mid-October last year to retake the city.

They retook the side of the city that lies east of the river Tigris in January and launched a push on remaining ISIL fighters in western Mosul, which is more densely populated and has seen fierce fighting.

Mosuls Old City

On the west bank, Iraqi forces control southern neighbourhoods and are slowly surrounding Mosuls Old City, whose narrow streets are expected to make federal operations very difficult.

Residents who managed to escape from the Old City say that there is almost nothing to eat but flour mixed with water and boiled wheat grain.

The loss of Mosul would be a huge blow to ISIL in Iraq.

INFOGRAPHIC: Battle for Mosul  Who controls what

According to an Iraqi military spokesman, the group only controls seven percent of Iraq, down from the 40 percent of the national territory over which it ruled three years ago.

The only two other significant towns ISIL still holds are Hawija and Tal Afar. The group also controls territory in remote areas of western Iraq, near the Syrian border.

Fighting has killed several thousand civilians and fighters on both sides, according to aid organisations.
At least 25 soldiers killed in one of the worst attacks on the security forces in Chhattisgarh state, police say.

Suspected Maoist rebels have killed at least 25 paramilitary soldiers on Monday in a remote part of central India, a police official said, in the biggest attack in seven years.

The soldiers were guarding road workers in the Sukma district, nearly 400km from Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh state, when they came under fire. The rebels fired from hilltops at the group of soldiers, police officer Jitendra Shukla said.

Local channel, CNNNews18 television, quoted a paramilitary soldier as saying that hundreds of rebels attacked members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and there was an exchange of gunfire between the two sides.

The CRPF said at least six of its personnel, who were critically injured, were airlifted to Raipur, the state capital.

HM Rajnath Singh, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh & MoS Home Hansraj Ahir pay tribute to 25 CRPF Personnel who lost their lives in #Sukma pic.twitter.com/SL7OUKOSJE  ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2017

The attack is the latest in a long-running conflict between Maoist fighters and Indian forces in the forests and rural areas of mainly central and eastern India. At least 76 CRPF personnel were killed in a Maoist attack in the same district in 2010.

Raman Singh, Chhattisgarhs chief minister, said: This is the last fight  [Soldiers] are going inside with bravery. The pressure of security forces increased [and] the attack is the result of [Maoist fighters] annoyance.

IN PICTURES: Indias Maoist heartland

Ram Sewak Painkra, the districts home minister, claimed to have expelled Maoists from most parts of Chhattisgarh. Todays happening shows little mistakes [by] security forces.

Timeline: Maoist attacks May 2013: At least 30 people, including tribal leader Mahendra Karma, killed in Bastar

April, 2010: At least 76 CRPF personnel killed in Sukma

May, 2010: 36 security personnel killed near Dantewada

June 2010: 27 soldiers killed in Narayanpur district

March, 2007: 55 security personnel killed in Bastar

July, 2007: 23 policemen killed

Federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced his deputy Hansraj Ahir will travel to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

However, Prakash Singh, a former police chief, said that there was a lack of coordination between local and central police forces.

Secondly, the government of India always tries to send a message that the Maoist problem will end within five years. No sooner does this type of statement reach the Maoists, that they react with full capacity to prove their existence and strength. Todays attack is a message by Maoists that they are no weaker than the forces, Singh told Al Jazeera.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his condolences to the families of the soldiers and expressed his anger in a series of tweets following the raid.

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Decades-long conflict

Last month Maoist rebels killed 11 paramilitary policemen in the same state after ambushing their convoy.

The Leftist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers against mining in the mineral-rich region.

They have been fighting for more than three decades, staging hit-and-run attacks to press their demand for a greater share of wealth and more jobs for the indigenous people, the adivasis, who are among the poorest in the country.

READ MORE: Indias Maoist challenge

The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 states but are most active in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Home Minister Singh said in a recent statement in parliament that the Maoists are frustrated because of the success of recent security operations against them. He said that last year, 135 rebels were killed, 700 were arrested and another 1,198 surrendered to government forces, according to the New Delhi Television news channel.

Government has deployed tens of thousands of troops to root out five-decade old armed rebellion.

The violence is believed to have cost tens of thousands of lives, with much action focused around the rebel-dominated Red Corridor stretching through central and eastern India. More than 2,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the past two decades alone.

Critics believe attempts to end the revolt through security offensives are doomed to fail, saying the real solution is better governance and development of the region.

Additional reporting by Alok Putul from Raipur
Appeal comes during Xi phone call to Trump following rising speculation N Korea may hold a sixth nuclear test this week.

Chinas President Xi Jinping has called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with US President Donald Trump, according to Chinese state media.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi on Monday as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Koreas nuclear weapons programme, which is in violation of UN Council resolutions, and hoped all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Koreas ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland.

The phone call, which took place on Monday morning Beijing time, came amid speculation that North Korea could hold a sixth nuclear test this week.

OPINION: Will China intervene in North Korea?

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability, and South Korean officials say there is a chance the country will conduct a nuclear test or a major missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

On April 15, North Korea showed off its advancing nuclear weapons and missiles programme in an elaborate military parade in Pyongyang honouring Kim Il-sung, the late founder of the communist North Korean state and grandfather of the current ruler.

The displayed military hardware included prototype ICBMs and new mid-range solid-fuel missiles that can be fired from land mobile launchers and submarines, making them harder to detect before launch.





Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea given Chinas status as the countrys sole economic lifeline and major ally. Mondays call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

Trump also spoke on Monday with Shinzo Abe, Japans prime minister, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe termed provocative actions and called for China to play a larger role in helping to restrain North Korea.

Motosada Matano, spokesman for the Japanese prime minister, told Al Jazeera: President Trumps firm stance of having all options on the table has worked as a strong deterrent in this case and we highly value the policy.

Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, Mike Pence, US vice president, said the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, in a matter of days.

The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.

Confusion has clouded the naval strike groups whereabouts in recent days after Trump suggested the armada was heading towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia.

US citizen named

In another related development, the US citizen detained by North Korea on Saturday has been named as Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name, Kim Sang-duk.

Kim, who is 58, taught accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology for about a month, according to the universitys chancellor Park Chan-mo.

Park said Kim was detained by officials as he was trying to leave the country from Pyongyangs international airport. A university spokesperson said he was trying to leave with his wife on a flight to China.

The detention brings the number of Americans now being held in North Korea to three.

Its usually a tactic held by North Korea when they want to get the attention of high level US officials. South Korea says they are now looking into this detention, said Al Jazeeras Divya Gopala, reporting from Seoul.

OPINION: When Xi Jinping met Donald Trump

Against this backdrop of geopolitical tensions, the issue of North Korean refugees in Chinese detention was raised on Monday by Human Rights Watch.

China should immediately reveal the whereabouts of eight North Koreans it detained last month, the US-based rights organisation said.

It said they risk severe torture if they were returned to North Korea.

Most North Korean refugees begin their escape by crossing into China and then try to make it to third countries  often in Southeast Asia  where they seek asylum in South Korea.





If caught and returned to North Korea they can face severe punishment.

China regularly labels North Koreans as illegal economic migrants and repatriates them based on a border protocol adopted in 1986.

By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong-uns administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

There is no way to sugarcoat this: if this group is forced back to North Korea, their lives and safety will be at risk, Robertson said.

More than 40 North Koreans, including children and pregnant women, have been held by China over the past nine months, Human Rights Watch said, and at least nine forcibly returned to North Korea.

Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, more than 30,000 North Koreans have escaped  most after a deadly famine in the mid-90s  and settled in South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is believed to have tightened border controls since he came to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-il in December 2011.

The number of refugees arriving in South Korea plunged nearly 50 percent to 1,417 last year.
Members of Muslim family targeted by vigilantes among those held by police amid growing concern over issue.

Police in northern India have arrested 11 so-called cow-protection vigilantes who attacked a Muslim family over suspicions that they were transporting cattle for slaughter.

The five-member family was moving with their livestock in Jammu and Kashmir states Reasi district when a mob assaulted them on Friday. Among the injured were a 75-year-old man and a nine-year-old girl.

The accused were arrested on Sunday night and the cattle they had stolen recovered, Tahir Sajad Bhat, Reasis police chief, was reported by DPA news agency as saying on Monday.

A series of incidents involving cow-protection activists attacking people transporting cattle in various parts of the country have shaken India, whose Hindu majority regards cows as sacred.

Police said they were yet to ascertain whether the attackers belonged to Hindu activist groups.

The accused have been charged with attempt to murder. More arrests are likely soon, Bhat said.

OPINION: Umbrella politics of Hindutva

The police also charged some members of the assaulted family with transporting cattle without permission.

Last month, Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, appointed Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu nationalist politician from his governing BJP, to head the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which is also home to much of the countrys Muslim-dominated meat industry.

Shortly after being sworn in, Adityanath launched a crackdown on abattoirs, grinding much of the industry to a halt.

Last month, the state of Gujarat also increased the punishment for cow slaughter from seven years to life imprisonment.

Under the stiffened penalties, anyone caught transporting cows for slaughter could also face up to 10 years in jail.

The amendment still needs the approval of Gujarats governor before becoming law.

A series of attacks

In the latest incident of vigilantism, according to a report in the Indian Express newspaper, three men were assaulted by vigilantes who intercepted their vehicle transporting buffaloes on a main Delhi road on Saturday night.

The men said they had all relevant documents, but were still beaten in the presence of police. The men said their attackers had not been arrested. The Delhi police were not immediately available for comment.





The newspaper cited the police as saying that two reports have been filed; one against the men transporting the animals; the other against unknown persons for assaulting them.

Earlier this month, a 55-year-old Muslim man was killed in a similar attack in the northwestern state of Rajasthan.

Pehlu Khans truck carrying cattle was attacked by hundreds of vigilantes while travelling in Alwar in the western state of Rajasthan.

At least six more people were wounded in the attack.

The men had bought the dairy cows at a cattle fair and were taking them home to neighbouring Haryana state when the mob stopped the trucks.

Police also said that they were preparing a case against the survivors of the attack, whom they suspect of trying to smuggle the cattle across state borders.

They were carrying eight bovines in the mini truck without permission. We will file a case against the survivors after concluding our investigations, Ranesh Chand Sinsinwar, the police officer heading the investigation, told AFP news agency.

READ MORE: Indias Dalit cattle skinners share stories of abuse

Gulab Chand Kataria, Rajasthans home minister, blamed both sides for the incident.

It is illegal to transport cows, but people ignore it and cow defenders are trying to stop such people from trafficking them, he said.

At least 10 Muslim men have been killed in similar incidents across the country by Hindu cow vigilantes on suspicion of eating beef or smuggling cows in the past two years.

In 2015, a Muslim man was lynched by his neighbours near New Delhi after rumours he had slaughtered a cow. Police later said the meat was Indian mutton.

Last month a hotel manager was beaten by a mob and his restaurant sealed in Jaipur after Hindu vigilantes accused him of serving beef.
Police forces fire live ammunition into the air to disperse students in central Srinagar, as violence intensifies.

Students and government forces in Indian-administered Kashmir clashed again as authorities reopened schools and colleges, just one week after facilities were shut following student-led protests across the disputed territory.

Violence erupted on Monday in the SP Higher Secondary School in Srinagars Lal Chowk  the main commercial centre in the Himalayan region.

Government forces used tear gas and water cannon to stop students from marching in the streets.

The students retaliated by hurling stones and breaching barricades set up by police and paramilitary soldiers.

They chanted Go India, go back and We want freedom. Students and some police personnel sustained injuries in the clashes.

READ MORE: Pellet guns take toll on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir

As residents joined the students, the clashes with government forces spilled into the citys main streets.

Shopkeepers lowered their shutters and bystanders took refuge inside.

Troops later fired live ammunition into the air to quell the growing protests.

Violent protests first erupted on April 15, when security forces raided a college in southern Kashmirs Pulwama district about 30km south of Srinagar, and assaulted students  at least 54 sustained injuries. Authorities did not say what they were looking for in the raid.

The state government has since been trying to pacify protesters but have failed to do so.

We understand that students have grievances but we appeal them to resume classes as we have already ordered an investigation into the incident that happened in Pulwama Degree College on April 13, Syed Altaf Bukhari, the state minister of education, told Al Jazeera.

We are handling the situation peacefully as they are our own children. I am in touch with the principals and teachers who have been told to counsel the students and listen to their issues, he said.

READ MORE: Kashmir unrest  Protesting students clash with police

On April 17, another round of student protests across the region left more than 100 students and an unknown number of police officers injured. Authorities responded by closing colleges, universities and some high schools for a week, but the protests continued unabated.

Earlier in the day, the state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the situation in the region that has been on the boil since last year after the killing of a popular rebel commander.

India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favour independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Rebel groups have been fighting government forces since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and in a subsequent Indian military crackdown. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of Kashmir.

Rebel groups have largely been suppressed by Indian forces in recent years. However, public opposition to Indian rule remains deep and is now principally expressed through street protests by youths hurling stones at government forces.

Additional reporting by Rifat Fareed
Top US military officials allude to increasing concerns over Moscows role in Afghanistan.

The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against US-backed forces in Afghanistan, top US military officials say.

According to the Associated Press news agency, a senior US military official speaking on condition of anonymity said in Kabul on Monday that Russia was giving machineguns and other medium-weight weapons to the group.

The Taliban are using those weapons in Afghanistans southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, the official said.

OPINION: Afghanistan  A pawn in major power rivalry?

General John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, would not provide specifics about Russias role in Afghanistan at a news conference in Kabul alongside Jim Mattis, the US defence secretary.

But Nicolson would not refute that Moscows involvement includes giving weapons to the Taliban.

Asked about Russias activity in Afghanistan, where it fought a bloody war in the 1980s and withdrew in defeat, Mattis alluded to the US increasing concerns.

Well engage with Russia diplomatically, Mattis said. But were going to have to confront Russia where what theyre doing is contrary to international law or denying the sovereignty of other countries.

For example, Mattis said in the Afghan capital, any weapons being funnelled here from a foreign country would be a violation of international law.

Moscows position

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the US-led invasion in 2001.

Moscow says contact is limited to safeguarding security and getting the group to reconcile with the government  which Washington has failed for years to advance.

Russia has also promoted easing global sanctions on Taliban leaders who prove cooperative.

The Afghanistan war began in October 2001. The US has about 9,800 troops in the country.

They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014, but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.
Search operation continues after two people are rescued and 16 bodies are recovered off Greeces Lesbos island.

At least 16 people, including two children, have drowned when an inflatable boat sank in the eastern Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, according to Greek authorities.

Greeces coastguard said on Monday that the bodies of nine people  six women, two men and a child  had been recovered overnight from Greek waters off the island of Lesbos, while Turkish authorities found the bodies of a further six men and a child in Turkish waters.





Two women from the boat were rescued and several other people were believed to be missing. Several vessels are continuing the search.

The boat was believed to have set sail from Turkey late on Sunday. The alert was raised on Monday morning by a Greek navy vessel that spotted bodies in the water.

Citing survivors, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said 25 people were on board. Two survivors, one of whom is pregnant, were from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the agency said.

Hundreds of thousands of people, most of them fleeing the Syrian conflict, have crossed into Greece from the nearby Turkish coast, hoping to head to European countries.

But a European Union-Turkey deal reached last year  in which those arriving on Greek islands face deportation back to Turkey  has significantly reduced the number of people attempting to cross the Aegean.

An average of 20 arrive on Greek islands each day.

Most undertake the short but dangerous journey on overloaded inflatable dinghies or occasionally sailboats.

Lesbos is located fewer than 19km from Turkish shores.
Sanctions imposed on 271 Syrian officials in response to sarin gas attack, blamed by US on Assads government.

The United States has blacklisted 271 employees of a Syrian government agency it said was responsible for developing chemical weapons, weeks after a poison gas attack killed scores of people in a rebel-held province in Syria.

The US Treasury Department on Monday said the employees of Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Centre are experts in chemistry and related fields, or have worked in support of the centres chemical weapons programme since at least 2012, or both.

These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support centre for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assads horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The Syrian government said its military did not and will not use chemical weapons, denying accusations that it was behind an attack on a rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province that sparked widespread international outrage.

READ MORE: Syria denies using chemical weapons in Idlib

At least 86 people were killed and hundreds were treated in hospital after the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group.

The deaths, blamed by many on Assads government, prompted the United Nations to pledge it would investigate the incident as a possible war crime.
Jason Deischers 4-year-old daughter smiled as she sprinted toward him outside their Hawthorne home Saturday  just 500 yards from the site of a shooting that left a young woman dead late Friday night.

In the small Bella Meadows housing community off U.S. Route 301, news of the apparent homicide didnt alarm Deischer, even after hearing that the Alachua County Sheriffs Office had yet to apprehend a suspect.

Theyll catch him, eventually, he said, while walking his 3-year-old Shepherd, Hoss. I have no doubt about that.

Deputies continue to investigate the death of 23-year-old Christin Marie Cassels, who was found shot and killed outside her home late Friday night, just four days before her birthday, said ACSO Sgt. Chris Sims.

At about 11:25 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a person shot at the 7800 block of SE U.S. Route 301, according to an ACSO press release.

The suspect, or suspects, fled prior to the deputies arrival. ACSOs air unit, SWAT team and K-9 unit are conducting an active search, according to the release.

The shooting is being investigated as a homicide, Sims said.

This is an active and ongoing investigation, he said, adding that updates to the case would be announced Monday morning.

By Saturday afternoon, forensics unit personnel were still present at Cassels home, which is located next to St. Philip Neri Catholic Church. A group of adults and children who were gathered on the houses porch steps and front lawn declined to comment.

In the Bella Meadows neighborhood, where Deischer, 4-year-old Raven and Hoss enjoyed the quiet afternoon outdoors, other residents also seemed unshaken by the late-night shooting and at-large suspect or suspects.

At the home next door to Deischers, a family threw a birthday party on their back lawn with a red-and-yellow bounce-house slide and decorated tables. A woman who answered the door, who declined to comment further, said she was sort of, kinda worried about the potential of having a suspect on the loose in her area.

Deischer, who said his father served in the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office, said although deputies have yet to locate the suspect or suspects of the nearby shooting, hes not on high alert.

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Crime happens, he said. Nothing surprising about it.

Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
The publication of Rep. Ken Buck's Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse than You Think could not be more timely. The campaign for Buck's recommended corrective  the use of Article V, by the states, to adopt a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA)  is at a critical phase.

Thirty-four state resolutions are required in order for Congress to call an Article V Amendment Convention, where the proposed language of a BBA would be drafted before being sent back to the states for ratification by three quarters of them. For seven years, the BBA Task Force has been working in state capitols to pass such resolutions and today has 28 in hand. The remaining target Legislatures  all under complete Republican control  are Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Montana, and Idaho. Vigorous campaigns to adopt BBA resolutions are underway in all of them, and there is a clear path to 34 in 2018.

It may well be 2018 or never for an Article V BBA. Forces funded in large part by George Soros and his network of organizations are dead set in opposition. Working with the traditional opponents of Article V  principally the John Birch Society  these groups were able to stop passage of the Article V BBA resolution in Montana in 2015. They also convinced the Democrat leadership of the Delaware and Maryland Legislatures to rescind BBA resolutions passed in the 1970s. Moreover, they were able to elect new Democratic majorities in the Nevada and New Mexico Legislatures in the 2016 election. As a result, New Mexico rescinded its 1970s BBA resolution, and a similar rescinding resolution has passed the Nevada Senate and awaits action in the House.

Even if Nevada does rescind, the remaining Republican-controlled Legislatures in the seven states listed above will be able to reach the goal of 34 in 2018. There are no other states where Democrats have the power to rescind. However, Republican strength in state legislatures is at a historic high, with 33 of 50 under total Republican control.

As the 2016 losses in New Mexico and Nevada demonstrate, any state that reverts to Democratic control could quickly rescind its BBA resolution. If the Colorado Senate turns Democratic in 2018, its resolution will likely be rescinded, putting the goal of 34 out of reach without Democrat help. And George Soros has purchased enough clout in the Democratic Party to prevent that from happening.

Soros has selected Common Cause as his principal vehicle to oppose the BBA. Their anti-BBA campaign is an exercise in hypocrisy. They claim to oppose not the BBA itself, but the use of Article V to achieve it. Their rescission campaigns in Maryland, New Mexico, and Nevada focus exclusively on the danger of a runaway Article V Convention. Their rescinding resolutions make no reference to the BBA, instead seeking to repeal any and all pending Article V resolutions.

And yet, on their home web page, linked above, they ask their followers to "Take Action  Californians, Help Overturn Citizens United." But there's only one way to get that done, and it's by using Article V. Left-wing Wolf-Pac seeks to do just that and has passed Article V resolutions in five states and is active in state capitols across the country. As the link on their home page demonstrates, Common Cause has supported Wolf-Pac's campaign in the past. But that's down the memory hole now that they have signed on with George Soros.

Two hundred leftist organizations have banded together with Common Cause to kill the BBA. They will team up with the John Birch Society in 2018 in an all-out war on the entire Article V movement. If we're ever going to drain the swamp, it has to happen next year.

The most potent opponent of the BBA in the Republican target states will be not Common Cause, but the John Birch Society. They are particularly strong in the Mountain West, and while victories have recently been won in Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona, the Birchers and their right-wing allies have stopped BBA resolutions in Montana and Idaho. There are pockets of Bircher strength as well in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Virginia. The fear of a runaway convention is their only selling point.

In order to counteract such arguments, the Arizona Legislature, under the leadership of Speaker J.D. Mesnard and Senate president Steve Yarbrough, recently passed HCR 2022, which contains a call for the first national Convention of States since the Washington Peace Conference of 1861. The purpose of the convention, to be held in Phoenix on September 12, 2017, is to propose the rules and procedures that would be used at a subsequent Article V Amendment Convention, which will convene once 34 BBA resolutions have been passed.

As in all such conventions in American history, voting will be one state, one vote. In their deliberations, the commissioners to the Phoenix Convention will demonstrate to the right-wing skeptics that an Article V Convention will not run away  in fact, it is opposed to running away. It is expected that the commissioners to Phoenix selected by the presiding officers of the 99 state legislative chambers will be, by and large, the same individuals who would be appointed to attend an actual Article V BBA Convention in 2018. If this Convention of States succeeds, the path to 34 in 2018 will be cleared.

Representative Buck is to be congratulated on Draining the Swamp. It could not have come at a better time. With his help, the campaign to use Article V for the first time in American history will succeed next year. We won't just drain the swamp. We'll restore a bedrock principle of the Constitution: federalism, or the dispersal of political power.

Fritz Pettyjohn is a former Alaska House minority leader and state senator. He blogs at ReaganProject.com.
The Guardian Council, a very powerful and influential body in Irans theocracy, voted on Thursday to disqualify Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the regimes president from 2005 to 2013, announcing he lacks the necessary standards to take part as a candidate in the May 19 presidential election.

This council, consisting of six senior mullahs appointed directly by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stamps approval to the parliaments bills and vets all election candidates.

Based on the decision of this council, the candidates able to take part in the May 19 polls are: the incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, current Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, former head of Irans Physical Education Organization Hashemitaba, Ebrahim Raisi, a mullah involved in the 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners, former industry ministry Mostafa Mirsalim and Tehrans current mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Ahmadinejads disqualification was not unexpected. Last September Khamenei used a public speech to ban him from announcing his candidacy. However, last week he officially registered as a presidential candidate. The mullahs main problem was not the fact that Ahmadinejad discredited the Supreme Leader. He also took a step in contrast to measures aimed at engineering the elections.

This is a common term used in theocratic elections, meaning centralized control over all presidential election phases to have the Supreme Leaders considered candidate come out victorious.

Despite being a headache and a thorn in Khameneis back, Ahmadinejad still remains a member of the ruling faction. If he had surpassed this phase, he would be able to gain the support of the Supreme Leaders faction and decrease Raisis chances of becoming president.

To this end, the elimination of Ahmadinejad prevents the fragmentation of Khameneis faction and prevents such a development ending in Rouhanis favor. Mirsalim and Hashemitaba lack any significance in the upcoming election. Forecasts show Ghalibaf and Jahangiri will also step aside in favor of their allies. As a result, the election war in this theocracy will be between Rouhani and Raisi.

Despite the election results, Ahmadinejad joined the ranks most other presidents in the Iranian regimes history.

1st president  Abolhassan Banisadr (1980-81), set aside and fled the country.

2nd president  Mohammad Ali Rajaie (1981), assassinated.

3rd president  Ali Khamenei (1981-89), was fortunate and became the Supreme Leader.

4th president  Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-97), banished from the ruling elite and disqualified in the 2013 presidential election race.

5th president  Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005), has been literally banished and even the publication of his picture in Iranian media is currently banned.

6th president  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-13), considered a deviant and disqualified from taking part in the 2017 presidential election.

Mohammad Amin (@EconomieIran) is a senior research fellow for the Paris-based Fondation d'Etudes pour le Moyen-Orient (FEMO) or Foundation for the Study of the Middle East. He has written several books and essays about the ruling theocracy, the transformation of Irans political economy under the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East.
As Bill OReilly has just learned, America has become a nation that punishes men who are charged by women with inappropriate behavior. Convictions based on proof are not necessary  the charges are sufficient. Members of the Duke Lacrosse team lost a great deal  their lives were tarnished forever  before it finally became clear that their accuser was making up her charges out of whole cloth. Since that time, college leaders  as well as corporate board room executives  have not learned the lesson of Duke  that men are entitled to their day in court. An allegation should be different than a conviction.

However, Bill OReilly doesnt need me to defend him, so I wont. OReilly himself charges that he was done in by unfounded claims. Perhaps thats true, but his saying so doesnt mean hes telling the truth. I dont know if OReilly is guilty of being a sexual harasser or just an arrogant Long Island jerk who became the easy target of some people who looked to cash in by blackmailing Fox News. Neither do you.

Which means we cannot know is whether Bill OReilly saw justice served for behavior that went way beyond legal bounds, or whether Bill OReilly was lynched by a mob powerful people at Fox who  in the wake of last years Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal  were afraid of one more scandal.

I can see how each of these two completely different scenarios could be plausible, and I can make a case for either one of them.

First, justice served. Bill OReilly has a reputation for low-level sexual harassment in the work place. Some years ago, he and Fox settled a claim with a woman who cried foul after OReilly supposedly committed unnamed but unacceptable acts in her presence, or on her person. Since it was settled out of court and the terms of the settlement were sealed, those details are mere speculation. However, in the spirit of where theres smoke, theres fire, OReillys decision to settle the case means he must have been involved in a sexual harassment case.

Bill OReilly has a reputation for his relations with women. In addition to that harassment claim, he married late, and fathered a couple of kids  but then he divorced early, amid gory charges and counter-charges  not exactly what a good Catholic boy is supposed to do in a culture where divorce is still unacceptable. Not only did he divorce his wife, but he went after her, hammer-and-tongs, to the point of seeking a massive financial settlement from her. This could suggest an attitude towards women that is, at best, not politically correct.

On the other hand, the Lynch Mob. OReilly had a past legal claim against him for sexual harassment at work. And he wasnt nice to his ex-wife. On the other hand, the sexual harassment suit was settled with no finding of fault. In addition, that lawsuit OReilly filed against his ex-, he just won to the tune of more than $14 million dollars. That settlement that suggests he was the wronged party, instead of the wrong party.

Beyond that, the 2016 Roger Ailes sexual harassment debacle saw Fox settling with a number of women for tens of millions of dollars. That Ailes case also directly or indirectly cost Fox three gifted on-air women: Gretchen Carlson, Greta van Susteren and Megan Kelly. The Ailes case also opened the door to further claims from women with dollar signs in their eyes. The OReilly case showed that, in the aftermath of Ailes, Foxs Murdoch-clan owners were in no mood for facing down more sexual harassment claims.

The Murdochs reportedly had already paid multi-million dollar settlements to women whod claimed to have been harassed by OReilly. As with the Ailes settlements, those payments all came straight off the bottom line, which is something public companies strive devoutly to avoid. However, unlike the Ailes issue, Fox was also losing millions of dollars in ad revenue thanks to the rabid Lefts tidal wave of criticism, an orchestrated outcry which quickly evolved into a pressure campaign to punish OReilly and Fox News. OReillys attorney claims that it was this Left-Wing smear campaign that did OReilly in, and the evidence suggests that hes right.

In that post-Ailes environment, it became possible for women at Fox who wanted to cash in to make unsubstantiated  or at least unverifiable  claims against OReilly, then sit back, waiting for a seven-figure settlement offer. OReilly, as the networks biggest profit-maker, made an easy target  especially because of his brash, blue-collar chip-on-his-shoulder attitude. Its not hard to imagine OReilly saying and doing things in his usual style that  taken out of context  could have been used some hypothetical gold-diggers to stake their claims.

But those claimants need not be crass gold-diggers to go after OReilly. In an era of snowflakes who melt in the face of even the mildest criticism, OReillys perpetual New Yorker attitude could legitimately  if not accurately  convince some perpetual victims theyd been harassed, if not overtly sexually, then at least because they were women.

So there are two possible scenarios. Each one is plausible, based on the limited facts available. But one thing is clear. Bill OReilly lost his case before the Fox News Court of Last Appeal without facing his accusers, without even having his day in that court. He was charged, tried, convicted and executed while on a pre-scheduled Easter vacation, timing which seems awfully convenient for Fox News.

However, there is a larger issue here. As I said, Im not defending OReilly  hes perfectly capable of defending himself. But this action by Fox is very much in sync with what is happening on college campuses across America, as well as in other less public venues such as in corporate and non-profit organization boardrooms.

Using the campus example, if a male student is accused of rape or sexual harassment, he can and often is found guilty as charged without being given the opportunity to confront his accuser  thats seen by the colleges as more harassment  or even getting his day in court. These young me are kicked out of school, they lose scholarships, and perhaps worse, they lose reputations with no hope of being able to set the record straight.

Across America, lives are being ruined on nothing more than hearsay. Certainly, some of those young men are guilty and deserve what they get  and more. But just as certainly, some of those young men are innocent of all charges, except  perhaps  bad judgment for angering a vengeful young woman.

OReillys case is a microcosm of a trend in America that the wronged woman must always be right, and the wronging man must always be wrong. What we need is a healthy dose of justice  real justice, not the Lynch Mobs rush to judgment.
When George W. Bush ran, I supported him  to the max financially during the primary, then during the full campaign. In hindsight, he was a decent president early. He then sowed the seeds for his own destruction during the Iraq war and forgot who he was during his disastrous second term.

Or was it that he remembered who he was?

To this day, I am uncertain how to see the Bush family. I know they seemed decent as people, yet they made some terrible mistakes. Two of them served as president, and another was a relatively successful governor. They have left a mark on our country, a mark on our party, and history will judge them. W himself has said that.

I find myself hesitant to critique a family I voted for and donated to. Hesitant because they served with decorum. However, in advancing conservatism, they failed. We should examine why  not to tear them down, nor to add insult to injury, but to recognize those ideas and attributes that damaged the future of conservatism. We must avoid a repeat of the leftward lurch they may have caused or at least foreshadowed.

Remembering the speech of George H.W. Bush at his convention, two lines stand out. The first was "Read my lips: no new taxes." That one got him elected. His second phrase was his vision for "a kinder, gentler, America." Watching the camera pan to the Reagans at the convention, Nancy said something to her husband with a quizzical look. It was only later that we learned what she asked: "Kinder and gentler than what?" A great rhetorical question.

In hindsight, it is clear that Bush did not understand the transformational depth he had witnessed with Ronald Reagan. Instead, he slowly squandered Reagan's legacy, starting with the so-called budget deal he brokered in 1990, which was an agreement to raise taxes, supposedly forcing Congress to cut two dollars of spending for every new tax dollar. We now know that nothing was ever cut.

The salient question: Why did Bush believe them?

From day one of his broken promise, the media hammered Bush as a liar. More importantly, his voters saw what he had done. Unlike Reagan, GHW Bush didn't have the vision or the capacity to overcome the narratives from the media.

Enter the Clintons, who implemented their slimy effort to drive America to the left, institutionalizing themselves as power brokers. They began to undermine everything Reagan had accomplished while trying to sound like him.

Eight years later, enter W. Coming on the heels of a somewhat disgraced presidency, W might have lost had it not been for the Clinton scandals. W ran on a smallish agenda, one main tenet being that he "would reach across the aisle to get things done." And he did. His first reach was to have Edward Kennedy virtually write his new education bill.

Frankly, had 9/11 not happened, Bush's small-vision conservatism would not have survived the 2004 election. His inability to fend off the media narrative during Katrina really hurt. In the end, it was his betrayal and belittling of former supporters while attempting "comprehensive immigration reform" that finally did him in.

Unfortunately, like father, like son.

Here were their mutual mistakes: 1. Lack of vision. 2. Not communicating or connecting well. 3. Not keeping their promises. 4. Not recognizing the depths of depravity of their political opponents.

There is no substitute for a clear vision. H.W. joked about "the vision thing." W joked about mangled sentences. In neither case was it funny. When you run for president, you need a vision of what you want done and must creatively find ways to implement your promises. If not, you will be paved over by history, forever a prisoner to your small vision. Reagan is a great example of what a man with vision can do.

You cannot govern without communicating to your base and those who might listen. You have to get your message over the heads of the leftist media. Reagan was not called the great communicator for nothing. The media attempted to destroy him, but he spoke directly to the American people. His message unfiltered was able to sway the public. It is how he reset America for decades.

Let me be kind in saying the Bush family never had this gift. Perhaps they didn't try. W even had what he called his doctrine of "the new tone," where he thought it unseemly to criticize his political opponents. Fighting the left wasn't something W was willing to do.

After all, the left only ripped the arms off his dad, and all four limbs off W himself.

This brings me to the biggest problem they had (and have): they never understood the nature and character of their political opponents. They never comprehended what the Democratic Party became and stood for as it lurched to the left. They didn't care to realize that these were nasty ideological leftists who were not just in a simple disagreement with them. They likely never read the sick tomes of Howard Zinn, nor understood how the left used his work. They never understood the evil of Saul Alinsky, and how the left gained and kept political power. While the left was, and is, at war with us (the right), the Bush family appeased it.

In a word, they were naive. How naive? H.W. Bush began to call Bill Clinton his son. They worked together on relief projects that likely aided the Clintons on the way to fleecing the world with their foundation in order to maintain their wealth and influence. With Bush approval, the Clintons grew their corrupt foundation. H.W. was literally giving the Clintons the sword to defeat the party (and ideals) they supposedly represented once.

W ran a similar course. He never said a word while the left dismantled the American dream under Obama. Months into the Trump administration, W critiques how we should be more welcoming to immigrants, and how we need a free press to prevent us from abusing power  two punches at Trump, who represents the same group of people the Bush family was supposedly representing. So much for his own new tone.

Here is the main point: the Republican party (and the nation) was hurt by the Bush family ascendance and their leftward drift. The party left Reagan's principles and took on too many Bushisms. The virus of no vision, bad communication, broken promises, and naivete about leftist opponents was infectious. They have rarely fought for the good things they supposedly stood for. They allowed the leftist media to destroy them, an unfortunate byproduct being the destruction of their supporters (conservatives). Many conservatives become stale, lazy, and formulaic following the Bush family (#NeverTrumps).

The Bush family is thankfully spent. Unfortunately, there are too many remnants in the GOP that still follow their example. They reach across the aisle after losing fingers. They try to appease the leftist media so they won't be called racists or mean-spirited. Many think their political opponents are just engaged in "politics" rather than an effort at destruction.

Trump just showed us how to win: have a vision, be unafraid to communicate it, and know just how nasty your opponents really are. Fight them. Conservatives, it's time to move on from the Bush family, and go back to Reagan's vision of a great America. Throw out your timidity, communicate as if your lives depended on it, keep your promises, and defeat leftist tyranny.

If we don't, we won't have much left to conserve.
We arent yet 100 days into the Trump Administration and to survive the next nearly four years and beyond, rational public discourse requires that we define some terms. Among the most prominently and widely used criticisms levied at our federal government these days is characterizing an action of the president or Congress unconstitutional. But what does that really mean?

To the average person at home watching TV or browsing social media, this accusation of unconstitutional is basically synonymous with disagreeable or offensive policy. I cant tell you how many times Ive read or heard commentary in the past few months that is an opinion-based objection to political action that is characterized as unconstitutional to justify an opinion. While a political branchs actions may certainly be disagreeable or objectionable to you or me, depending on our particular persuasions, the term unconstitutional has a precise, non-opinion based definition.

I had dinner this weekend with a friend of mine, and inevitably at one point in the conversation she asked me, Do you think Trump was right to invade Syria or was it unconstitutional? I thought about this for a moment and what the question presumed. We tend to equate the idea, Do you think Trump should with a markedly different idea, Do you think Trump could The question presumes that whether or not I thought Trump was right (on whatever standard I personally determined measures such rightness), my opinion would dictate whether I thought Trump could.

Whether the president or Congress or a government agent of any sort should is a matter of policy. We can debate the wisdom, strategy, economic benefits, values, and other kinds of imbedded issues to an action without even touching on whether such action is legal. The latter is an entirely separate question. Whether the government could reaches the idea of constitutionality.

Right after the Syrian strike, members of Congress on both side of the aisle were quick to jump on the unconstitutional bandwagon. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a prominent Republican, denounced the presidents action, writing in an OpEd for FoxNews, Every American condemns the atrocities in Syria, and we cannot help but be shaken by the images of innocent women and children dying. It is also true that often in foreign policy, things are not as simple as they appear, and actions often have consequences well beyond the obvious. Sen. Paul begins his argument with a policy-based consideration. Whether one or 100 percent of Americans condemns the presidents decision, our opinion has nothing to do with whether or not the presidents action was constitutional.

The difference between should and could are often confused by Congress, media, and even activist judges, and the ultimate opinion rendered turns on whether or not they personally agree with or condemn the action, not whether the action is in fact constitutional. This suggests that politicians, media, and judges are outcome driven, rather than rule of law followers.

We saw this important difference quickly in the new administration when President Trump signed his executive action that the press termed a Muslim ban, with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declaring the action unconstitutional, and provided a 29-page opinion that completely disregarded the law and whether or not the president could temporarily halt immigration and visas from nine specific countries. Instead, the Court issued what was basically an opinion that the president shouldnt, so therefore said the executive action was unconstitutional.

In the hotly contested Obergefell v. Hodges same-sex marriage opinion from the Supreme Court in June 2015, Chief Justice John Roberts highlighted this important distinction in the context of the Courts rules according to the constitution and what political and policy preferences the nine justices may have on issues like same-sex marriage. Justice Roberts said, The truth is that todays decision rests on nothing more than the majoritys own conviction that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry because they want to Whatever force that belief may have as a matter of moral philosophy, it has no more basis in the Constitution than did the naked policy preferences adopted in [other prominent cases].

Many supporters of the outcome of Obergefell were angry over the dissents, even though Justice Roberts was not actually taking any position on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized. He was simply pointing out whether it could in the context of the Supreme Courts constitutional confinements: what the Supreme Court can and cannot do. Yet, much of the public discourse surrounding the Courts composition and the recent Senate confirmation hearings of Justice Neil Gorsuch focus on judges personal policy preferences, rather than (as Justice Gorsuch wisely pointed out during those hearings) the rule of law -- that what is or is not constitutional does not depend on the justices policy preference.

As a consumer of news, the decision-makers of who sits in the Oval Office and elected positions, and as we the people who consent to our governments limited constitutional authority, the American public must recognize the difference between what we may not like, but what is actually permissible and constitutional action. All of this defining of terms is only helpful if were willing to be honest, respectful, and teachable in our public discourse. If were willing to admit that while we may disagree over questions of should, the question of could is far less debatable.

The Constitution is supposed to operate as a set of rules blind to political preferences. It constrains political action. Whether we are for or against abortion, same-sex marriage, immigration, refugee status, bombing Syria, repealing and replacing Obamacare, the death penalty, or any other political issue of our day, we should all be aware and also glad that our Constitution limits our government action. That, in chief, was the intent of our Founders.

When my friend wanted to discuss Syria, the question might be better phrased, Since Congress has been given the exclusive power to declare war in Article I, Section 8.11, can the president initiate any military action under his power as commander in chief in Article II, Section 2.1? Just like a board game, rules must be viewed as a whole, and what impact, if any, other rules have upon a given rule.

In exactly the same way, our constitutional rules work in tandem to provide all the specific, limited powers given to our federal government to operate -- the rules the government must adhere to in every instance. These are not strategic decision-making rules, but rules that confer powers to act.

Think about how much of the noise and so-called fake news would be quelled if both sides of a political issue would be honest about this should and could distinction. The Senate democrats would have to admit that while they disliked the treatment of Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, the rules in the Constitution require only advice and consent of the Senate -- not a vote or even hearings. The Senate Republicans could have more directly responded to concerns about Justice Neil Gorsuch during his confirmation hearings -- he plays by the rules, not by policy concerns for either side. (More about that here.)

Legitimate disagreement over questions of should are an immeasurably valuable asset to a government concerned with the mandate of preserving and protecting our individual fundamental rights. The Founders displayed remarkable ability to contribute meaningfully to public discourse while sharply disagreeing, and yet still created even the rulebook itself through respecting political clash and, importantly, understanding the business of liberty and freedom. They understood that we have to govern, somehow.

Our Founders intended to give America a simple, five-page set of rules for our government. The Constitution tells us what the government can do, and our Bill of Rights enumerates specific actions government cannot do. This is how we are in fact a constitutional republic, not a democracy. We are not driven by the should we? opinion of the majority, but by can we? concrete rules of representative governance. We can very clearly read our Constitution and determine what our government can and cannot do.

So what should a president and Congress do with their powers? Well, that is why our meaningful public discourse on policy and especially our votes are so incredibly important.

Jenna Ellis is an attorney, a fellow at the Centennial Institute, a constitutional law professor at Colorado Christian University, and the author of The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution.
Venezuela's gargantuan marches against the failed socialist tyranny of Nicolas Maduro have gone on low boil now, but it's worth looking at a good eyewitness report to see how the Mother of All Marches went on the ground. Blogger Daniel in Venezuela has an excellent account, complete with photos and YouTube videos he shot himself, showing and describing the experience up close and personal.

It all started fairly normal. walking down El Cafetal and Chuao until arriving at the Caracas small airport, La Carlota. Still, things felt different, quite a stream of people even though already a lot of people had been going that way. Also my group was a tad late for the official opening of our scheduled starting point (24 total in Caracas). We were in the tail end. Warm day[.] ... Our trail merged with the one coming from Petare and Altamira, on the central highway at La Carlota. Words failed me when I saw the huge crowds and the huge flow.

...and...

I have been to a lot of marches folks, but this one, THIS ONE was something else. I do not think it is possible to do any bigger in Caracas (and probably anywhere else for that matter....). I was stunned.

Daniel goes on to describe the terror at the mass event that follows, with details such as how the Chavista security organs took a bead on the protesters like the most menacing science fiction robots from cinema.

The thing that perturbs me the most here is that it started like that in the Arab Spring of Syria and it ended up as you all know. I am afraid that the druze that our vice president is, Tareck El Aissami, indicted of terrorism and drug traffic, will have no problem turning Venezuela into the land of his ancestors.

His description of the sense of terror, from his own on-the-ground experience, and his point-of-view interpretation are simply superb. His additional reflections the following day are must-reads, too. This is what new media is about. Read and see the whole thing here and here.
Back in 1998-99, many Democrats and liberals defended President Clinton. My favorite defense was that President Clinton's private behavior did not affect his job  i.e., "look at your 401-K!"  and the unemployment rate was something I heard about on TV back then!

I find this interesting, because Bill O'Reilly's alleged personal conduct did not affect his job, either. After all, his ratings never dropped.

This is why I've grown so skeptical of any public figure accused of sexual harassment, especially when we hear about them on The New York Times.

Back in the summer of 1998, when many of us were caught up in the McGwire-Sosa home run chase, this is how some women of the left reacted to the allegations against President Clinton.

This is how the late Marjorie Williams explained it back then:

Their excuses range from the procedural stonewall ("What is important for the American people to know is that there is a process in place to deal with these allegations," in the words of Senator Barbara Boxer) to the creative inversion (What about Ken Starr's "humiliation" of the women he dragged before the grand jury?, fumed Representative Nancy Pelosi) to the truly fanciful twist on gender politics ("Not so many years ago, a woman couldn't be a White House intern," said a straight-faced Senator Carol Moseley-Braun on Meet the Press).

As Miss Williams wrote further on:

The chief reason for feminists' continued support of Clinton is clear: Clinton is their guy. Clarence Thomas was their enemy. Bob Packwood, a liberal Republican who was the next habitual boor to walk the plank, was a harder case for feminists, but in the end they tied the blindfold. Clinton, though, is the hardest case, because he is the most reliably supportive president they've ever had.

It wasn't long ago that we made excuses for men who engaged in bad behavior.

Why is Mr. O'Reilly different? Could it be his pro-life position? Or his support for marriage? Or the War on Christmas?

Put me down as a total skeptic.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
So what's behind the sudden deluge of migrants flooding Europe?

According to the Italian prosecutor's office, it's non-government organizations, seeking to keep a problem boiling in order to win more funds, funds, funds for all their supposed do-goodery. It's not at all different from a fireman who sets fires in order to put them out and find himself hailed a hero. Or a wicked stepmother who poisons her child in order to win sympathy for all her heroic caregiving.

The BBC reports:

An Italian prosecutor says he has evidence some of the charities saving migrants in the Mediterranean Sea are colluding with people-smugglers. Carmelo Zuccaro told La Stampa (in Italian) phone calls were being made from Libya to rescue vessels. Organisations involved in rescue operations have rejected accusations of collusion, saying their only concern is to save lives. Italy is the main route for migrants trying to reach Europe. Almost 1,000 people are thought to have drowned in waters between Libya and Italy this year, according to the UN refugee agency. Nearly 37,000 people have been rescued over the same period, a surge of more than 40% from last year, the figures say. "We have evidence that there are direct contacts between certain NGOs [non-governmental organisations] and people traffickers in Libya," Mr Zuccaro is quoted as saying in La Stampa.

So the whole migrant thing flooding Europe and wreaking untold havoc is actually the work of NGOs looking to beef up their portfolios and win applause and maybe Nobel Peace Prizes for their induced do-goodery. They collude with the brutal migrant smugglers, and the state has to pay for all the "imports" they are responsible for bringing in. The taxpayers get stiffed, the migrants colonized Europe, and the NGOs pocket the gains and go looking for more brutal people-smugglers, out for a few billions, to make common cause with.

It's all about the money. And these are the profiteers.

Don't think the same thing isn't going on here, with Mexico's evil cartel people-smugglers and the network of church and charity NGOs who encourage illegal immigration to the U.S. They all know that the taxpayers will pay for every illegal alien's health care, education, welfare, food, and jailing costs once they get to the states, and in the meantime, they can go to the press about a supposed sudden humanitarian crisis that requires funds, funds, funds for themselves.

If this isn't a racket, what is?

The Italian prosecutor is absolutely right to hold these colluders accountable. If only it would happen in the States, too.
Since the ordinary folks won in November, the crazies on the left have gotten crazier as they come to realize that we finally elected someone who keeps at least some of his campaign promises. Of course, that has caught the Democrats totally by surprise  a politician who actually does what he says he will  and the novelty of that is serving to fuel both their expanding insanity and their determination to undermine him. One possible way to do that in their schizoid playbook is to concentrate their resources on congressional elections taking place out of the normal cycle.

The first was in Kansas, to fill the seat vacated by Republican, Mike Pompeo, who was recently appointed by Trump to head the CIA. The Dems smelled blood in the water with a weakly polling Republican candidate, Tom Estes, so the sharks gathered, to the tune of $8 million in out-of-Kansas campaign contributions, much of it rumored to have come from deep pockets in Hollywood. The mainstream media got on board as usual, touting this election as a major opportunity for Democrats where their victory would definitely demonstrate Trump's weakness as a party leader. They kept it up right until the truth was too obvious to be denied anymore: Estes won by a comfortable seven-point margin. Even then, the liberal media kept slathering lipstick on that dying pig of a decisive Democrat defeat, claiming somewhat correctly that the results were much closer than they should have been. Of course, they failed to mention that the race was close because of the extreme efforts and money ponied up by the Democrats.

Now the Democrats are up to the same game in another special congressional election in Georgia's 6th District, necessitated by Trump's appointment of Representative Tom Price to head up the Department of Health and Human Services. Once again, the Democrats believe they have a chance to turn this Republican seat blue and have fielded a candidate who, while having local roots, appears better suited to represent San Francisco than suburban Atlanta. If you were to Google the term metrosexual, you might pull up Jon Ossoff's picture. He attended an expensive private school in Atlanta that's progressive enough to observe some Jewish holidays but none Christian. He then matriculated at Georgetown and the London School of Economics. He cut his political teeth working for members of the Black Caucus, including Georgia congressman Hank Johnson, the congressional authority on possible archipelagic inversions. But to really buff his bona fides, Jon is a filmmaker, which must surely endear him to Hollywood.

So Ossoff is the Democrats' fair-haired boy (30) for this contest in a district they again feel confident they can swing. In the just held election with a widely divided Republican field of eleven candidates, Ossoff failed to close the deal by attaining one vote over 50%, bringing in only 48.1% and forcing a June runoff between him and the Republican leader, former Georgia secretary of state Karen Handel, a solid conservative who was the vote leader for the Republican field. Once again, the Dems are marshaling their forces, aided and abetted as always by the national media, and bringing in out-of-state Hollywood money to turn this district blue as an affront to Trump's presidency.

If rich actors throwing their money and weight around in local elections offends you like it does me, here's your chance to pop those smug left-coast limousine liberals right in the old kisser by making small donations, but a helluva lot of them, to Karen Handel's race to counter their support for Ossoff. It is the one way we little folks have to stand up to the Sean Penns and Michael Moores who would have us living under a Venezuela-style tyranny. We did it with Trump and can do it again wherever they attempt to impose their will with their ill gained lucre.

Here's Handel's website: KarenHandelforCongress.
The sleepy little village of Erriadh on the island of Djerbaonce known as the island of dreams is not part of Tunisias tourist circuit. Its primarily a pilgrimage site, being home to the largest and oldest synagogue in North Africa El Ghriba which is in continuous use for over 2,000 years. Other than a few thousand pilgrims, the village sees very little foreigners. There are no large businesses or hotels in Erriadh; only small houses with traditional Berber architecture featuring open courtyards and domes. But over the last few years, this has been changing. Erriadhs primary attraction today is street art.

It began in 2014, when Mehdi Ben Cheikh, a Parisian art gallery owner and a Tunisian by birth, invited over one hundred artists from thirty countries to make his ambitious project, Djerbahood, come to life. Mr. Ben Cheikh has been mobilizing the street art movement for more than a decade. In 2013, he invited over one hundred artist to paint a derelict 10-story apartment building that was set to be demolished. It turned out to be one of the biggest collective street art exhibition in Europe. Djerbahood , he claimed, was to be the worlds first permanent street art project of its scale.

Ben Cheikh first obtained permission from the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism and the mayor of Djerba, as well as the individual homeowners. This turned out to be not as easy because many Tunisians consider graffiti to be vandalism.

At first, the locals didnt really understand what I was trying to do, Mr. Ben Cheikh said. But this project isnt about vandalism. Its a real exhibition with a real scenography.

Once consent was obtained, some homeowners began to gave opinions on how they wanted the artwork to look, whilst others gave the artists free reign to paint as they wished. Over the next several months, the artists made more than three hundred works on the walls of the village, transforming the village and the surrounding area into a large open-air art museum.

Id love to see the whole island of Djerba serve as a canvas for street art, Mr. Ben Cheikh said. I hope that the locals will keep the project alive by contributing to it after we leave.
Unlike humans, animals rarely faint from surprise, panic attacks or any other strong emotional stress. But there is a breed of goat that appears to do so.

When startled, the so-called fainting goat collapses on its side. They fall over, often with legs comically raised towards the sky. After laying motionless on the ground for a few seconds, they recover and bounce back on their feet as quickly as they fell. This curious reaction to fright has made fainting goats the popular subject for many viral, and often humorous, internet videos.

Photo credit: www.kidsdiscover.com

Fainting goats do not actually lose consciousness; they just become stiff from frighta genetic condition known as myotonia congenita, which causes their muscle to become rigid for a brief period when startled. Once the stiffness goes away, they are back on their feet. This characteristic stiffening of muscles have given the goat many names such as nervous goats, stiff-leg goats, and wooden-leg goats. They are more familiarly known as Myotonic goats.

Myotonia is a condition of the muscle and has nothing to do with the function of the central nervous system. So it doesnt hurt them and is painless, although its not nice to subject them to undue stress by purposefully frightening them. The condition is not unique to goats or livestock; human beings are affected by this too.

Myotonic goats first appeared in the US state of Tennessee in the 1880s, when a transient farm worker named John Tinsley arrived in the country with four of these goats. Tinsley worked in the area for few years and then moved on, but before he went, he sold his goats to his employer Dr. H. H. Mayberry. At least one of these goats had this distinct genetic trait. No one knows where John Tinsley came from or from where he brought his goats. Rumor is that he came from from Nova Scotia, Canada, but no one is sure. The origin of the breed remains a mystery because the condition doesnt appear to have surfaced anywhere else in the world.

The goats eventually became a local meat source. The goats are muscular, yet docile and easier to care and maintain. They are also raised as pet or show animals as they can be friendly, intelligent, easy to keep, and amusing.

Photo credit: thegoatguide.com

Photo credit: Jean/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Nat Geo / The Guardian / www.tennesseemeatgoats.com
Raphael Dias/Getty ImagesLooks like new Queens of the Stone Age music is coming sooner rather than later.

Arthur D. of Left Front Door Records posted to Instagram a photo of the band at Lurssen Mastering studio with the caption, "An album just got mixed...."

Earlier this month the band uploaded a mysterious post on social media that read, "Coming Twenty Five."

And Josh Homme told Australian website News.com.au, that a new single at least will be about in time for the band's Australian tour in July.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Dad dragged off plane for sex trafficking his 3-year-old daughter

A man and his 3-year-old daughter on a United Airlines flight to the US from Mexico were taken from the plane. A passenger saw the pair and wrongly assumed the man was sex trafficking the child. The man was carrying his and her passports and a legal letter from the childs mother giving her approval for the trip. But one passenger thought they looked iffy.

The childs mother, high school teacher Maura Furfey, tells The Huffington Post:

After our 3-year-old snoozed on her fathers lap for most of the flight, the plane landed. He texted me to tell me they had arrived. When the plane taxied to the gate, however, a number of officers from the Port Authority and Customs and Border Patrol boarded the plane, approached my husband and instructed him to grab his carry-ons and follow them. He and our daughter were escorted out of the plane before anyone else could get off.

Once out of the plane, four officers from Port Authority and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) surrounded them. They fired so many questions at him that he didnt know who was asking what. He had no idea what was going on. Our daughter started to cry in all of the commotion.

After asking about where our daughter was born, who was there, and where her birth certificate had been issued, they asked for my phone number; that was when they called me, asking me the same questions in order to verify the story. At that point they seemed satisfied that my husband was not, in fact, trafficking our daughter. They then told me that this accusation was not coming from the CBP, who were trained to identify these kind of situations, but from a passenger on the plane. They were following protocol to act on reported suspicions such as this.

One call and youre a suspected child abuser. Sex trafficking is a heinous crime. But assuming a man with a child is up to no good is awful. How did we get to this?

In 2003, UNICEF produced Stop the Traffic!. The report told us that hundreds of known cases of trafficked children are just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands may be trafficked to the UK every year, mainly from West Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, but the scale of the problem is hidden by the nature of the crime and by a lack of police statistics. Police have been unable to monitor the situation because trafficking has not been a criminal offence.

So how do we know how prevalent it is, then? What may be happening is not a fact. As well as sexual abuse, children are:

also forced to work as domestic servants, drug mules, in sweatshops and restaurants, or as beggars or pickpockets. The case of Adam, the Nigerian boys torso found in the River Thames, raised concerns that trafficked children are being used for ritual killing.

And very soon murder is linked to fostering and families seeking better lives for their children:

Between 8,000 and 10,000 children, many from West Africa, are being privately fostered in the UK. Many could be being abused or exploited, without anyone even knowing that they are in the country.

It all sounds horrific. But the facts are unclear. Nonetheless UNICEF still manages to come up with a number:

Worldwide, over a million children are trafficked each year.

But thats not a fact. Its a guess.

UNICEF is working internationally to prevent child exploitation from happening in the first place, but legislation is needed to deal with the crime once committed and to act as a deterrent.

Such are the facts.

Anorak

Posted: 24th, April 2017 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Rome, April 24 - Ex-premier Matteo Renzi said Monday that Emmanuel Macron's bid to become French president concerned Italy too. "A Macron victory in the French run-off could give a lot of strength to those who want to change Europe," Renzi, who is running to be re-elected leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), said on Facebook. "Those who love the European ideal know that populism is the opponent. "But they also know that Europe is too big be left alone to the technocrats. "Bravo Macron: the challenge starts now. A challenge that regards Italy too. Forward, together". Other members of Premier Paolo Gentiloni's PD expressed satisfaction that Macron came top too. "There is good news on two fronts from France," said Justice Minister Andrea Orlando, who is challenging Renzi for leadership of the PD. "In the first place, Le Pen did not break through and a para-Fascist party that would have thrown the process of European integration into crisis did not break though with her.

"Secondly, we have the success of a candidate who is powerfully pro Europe". Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina voiced satisfaction too. "Macron's result is very important," he said. "I think it's a fundamental signal for all European progressive, reformist democrats".


(ANSA) - Rome, April 24 - Italian reporter and documentary filmmaker specializing in migrant issues Gabriele Del Grande said he had suffered no physical violence after returning to Italy on Monday following release from Turkish custody.

"I am fine and I did not suffer any sort of violence," Del Grande stressed after Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano welcomed him on his arrival at the Bologna airport. "The problem was the detention itself, the privation of personal freedom...

"I have been the victim of institutional violence. "What happened to me is illegal. A private journalist was deprived of freedom while working in a friendly country". He said that he had been stopped by men in plain clothes and not in uniform and so was unable to understand whether he had been detained by the police or the gendarme.

"I do not understand why I was detained," he said. "The lawyers will try to find out." Del Grande was detained on April 9 close to Turkey's border with Syria and afterwards transferred to a migrant center in the city of Mugla.

After 11 days of detention without charges in Turkey, Del Grande was finally seen Friday by the Italian consul in Turkey and his lawyer at the administrative detention centre at Mugla.

Del Grande was well but on hunger strike, Alfano said.

The EU on Thursday had said that it was backing Italy in its bid to get Del Grande released as soon as possible.


ROME - The Italian reporter and documentary filmmaker specializing in migrant issues Gabriele Del Grande was on Monday released from Turkish custody.



Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano welcomed Del Grande on his arrival at the Bologna airport.



"I am fine and I did not suffer any sort of violence," Del Grande stressed. "The problem was the detention itself, the privation of personal freedom." He said that he had been stopped by men in plain clothes and not in uniform and so was unable to understand whether he had been detained by the police or the gendarme.



"I do not understand why I was detained," he said. "The lawyers will try to find out." Del Grande was detained on April 9 close to Turkey's border with Syria and afterwards transferred to a migrant center in the city of Mugla.



After 11 days of detention without charges in Turkey, Del Grande was finally seen Friday by the Italian consul in Turkey and his lawyer at the administrative detention centre at Mugla.



Del Grande was well but on hunger strike, Alfano said.



The EU on Thursday had said that it was backing Italy in its bid to get Del Grande released as soon as possible.
Macron and Le Pen advance into French presidential runoff Mainstream parties not to take part for the first time

(ANSAmed) - PARIS, APRIL 24 - The two parties that have governed the country in the nearly 59-year history of France's Fifth Republic have been left by the wayside in the presidential elections.



The runoff for the five-year seat will be taken part in by liberal center-left candidate Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, from the far-right Front National. Both of the traditional parties on Sunday evening said that they would support Macron against Le Pen in the May 7 showdown. ''We are turning over a new leaf today in French politics,'' Macron said, adding that he wants to ''unite all the French. I will push forward with the need for optimism and the hope that we want for our country and for Europe.'' ''I hope,'' he went on to say, ''that after 15 days I will become president of the French people, of patriots, in order to get rid of nationalisms.'' From her stronghold of Henin-Beaumont, Le Pen called on the population to vote for her, ''the only real alternative'' against Macron, calling him ''Hollande's heir''. She went on to quote General De Gaulle and said that she was the ''people's candidate'', launching an appeal to ''all patriots'' to vote for her and ''for France's survival''. Benoit Hamon, the winner of the Socialists primary vote, plunged to 6.5% and admitted a ''heavy electoral and moral defeat''. President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve lost no time in throwing their support behind Macron.



Right-wing candidate Francois Fillon also expressed his support for the former economy minister, saying that ''there is no other choice''. In a much-toned-down speech in comparison with previous ones in recent weeks, Fillon said that the right must ''remain united'' ahead of the June parliamentary elections. Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon was also defeated but initially refused to believe it. He nonetheless received 19% of votes after starting from a very low position.



It was on April 21, 2002, when Marine Le Pen's father Jean-Marie shocked the country and the world by unexpectedly advancing into a runoff against Jacques Chirac, leaving behind Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin. Many see the day's results as a similar watershed moment. In 2002, the 15 days between the first vote and the runoff was a series of daily demonstrations and much of France put their support behind Chirac, who won with 82%. Polls say that a similar event will not happen this time but Macron is nonetheless expected to rake in between 60 and 62% compared with Le Pen's 38-40%. Macron, unknown to the wider public prior to three years ago, is aiming to become president at age 39, which would set another precedent. The showdown between Macron and Le Pen will also determine whether the country wants to stay in the EU and policies regarding dialogue and the closing of borders.



Turnout stood at around 80% and no incidents occurred at the ballot boxes, a possibility much feared after a week of violence leading up to the vote. Scuffles did break out at the Bastille, however, between anti-Le Pen students and the police after the results were announced. Two youths were injured and cars and shop front windows were damaged. (ANSAmed).




Libyan 'minister' under Al-Gweil wants inclusive dialogue Deems Rome meeting on 21/4 'positive'

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, APRIL 24 - The 'foreign minister' of Libya's unrecognized National Salvation Government, Abdulhamid Elnamee, has called for the national dialogue just relaunched by Italy to include his group as well.



He claims that his group is ''present in the country and not discredited or fraudulent'', which he considers the Tripoli-based and Tobruk-based governments to be. ''We believe that the next step of the dialogue must seek to enable participation by the parties actually present on the ground and not limit themselves to a dialogue between political entities that have lost their credibility before the public opinion and that do not have a true presence on the ground enabling them to implement what they agree to,'' ANSA was told by the minister of the government under former prime minister Khalifa Al-Ghweil.



''We feel that the meeting held in Rome on April 21 was positive'', he added.



The meeting was between Tobruk-based parliament speaker Aghila Saleh and the head of the Tripoli-based High Council of State, Abdelrahman Swehli. (ANSAmed).




Moroccan arrested, was planning terror attack Judge says suspect was extremely dangerous

(ANSAmed) - TURIN, APRIL 24 - Carabinieri police on Monday arrested a 29-year-old Moroccan national, Mouner El Aoual, for allegedly promoting Islamist extremism on the Internet, planning attacks in Italy and looking for people to carry them out with. In the arrest warrant, a preliminary investigations judge said El Aoual was "extremely dangerous" and at a "high risk of moving to the execution of serious acts of violence". (ANSAmed).




EU 'open to anti-terrorism collaboration with Russia' Support for OPCW investigation into Khan Shekikoun massacre

(ANSAmed) - MOSCOW, APRIL 24 - Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday in meeting Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov that the EU was open to cooperating with his country in the fight against terrorism, as well as Syria and Libya, despite the differing points of view on the conflict in Ukraine and the Crimea. She was speaking at a meeting in the Russian capital.



In a prior interview with the Interfax agency, Mogherini had noted that the EU fully supports the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) investigation into alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun and that it is waiting for the results of it. The EU foreign policy chief called the attack a war crime for which it was necessary to identify the perpetrators. Western nations consider the Syrian regime air force, Russia's ally, responsible for the attack. She said in the interview that the ''future of Syria must be in Syrian hands, and all Syrians must have a say. There cannot be a lasting peace in Syria until the legitimate grievances and aspirations of all components of the extremely diverse and complex Syrian society are addressed. Only an inclusive political transition agreed by the Syrian parties in the UN framework will allow a peaceful future in Syria, where all Syrians can feel at home and contribute to the rebirth of their country. The international community has the responsibility to contribute collectively to creating the space for dialog and reconciliation'' in Syria.



She added that ''we do have a common interest, and a common responsibility, to put an end to this war and support a peaceful democratic future for Syria. This will be an essential part of our talks in Moscow.'' (ANSAmed).




ROME - Medical-aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hit back on Monday at those who have suggested migrant-rescue operations in the Mediterranean by NGOs could be benefiting human traffickers.



MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said it was "indignant about the cynical attacks on the work at sea of the NGOs by some political figures, which have seen a crescendo of venom and false accusations over the last few hours".



It added that it "will evaluate in which seats to intervene to protect its work, image and credibility".
No physical violence, says Del Grande Don't know why detained

(ANSAmed) - BOLOGNA, APRIL 24 - Gabriele Del Grande said Monday that he did not endure physical violence while he was detained in Turkey. "I am fine and I did not suffer any sort of violence," Del Grande stressed. "The problem was the detention itself, the privation of personal freedom." Del Grande added that he was still bewildered about the reason for his detention in Turkey. He said that he had been stopped by men in plain clothes and not in uniform and so was unable to understand whether he had been detained by the police or the gendarme. "I do not understand why I was detained," he said. "The lawyers will try to find out." Del Grande was detained on April 9 close to Turkey's border with Syria and afterwards transferred to a migrant center in the city of Mugla.




Renzi says Macron challenge concerns Italy Gentiloni to presidential candidate, aim to work together for EU

(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 24 - Ex-premier Matteo Renzi said Monday that Emmanuel Macron's bid to become French president concerned Italy too. "A Macron victory in the French run-off could give a lot of strength to those who want to change Europe," Renzi, who is running to be re-elected leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), said on Facebook. "Those who love the European ideal know that populism is the opponent. "But they also know that Europe is too big be left alone to the technocrats. "Bravo Macron: the challenge starts now. A challenge that regards Italy too. Forward, together". Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Monday spoke on the telephone to French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, the premier's office said.



During the call, Gentiloni expressed satisfaction about a result in France that gives hope. The pair agreed on the aim of working together to ensure that Europe is up to its economic challenges and the social demands of its citizens. Other members of Premier Paolo Gentiloni's PD expressed satisfaction that Macron came top too. "There is good news on two fronts from France," said Justice Minister Andrea Orlando, who is challenging Renzi for leadership of the PD. "In the first place, Le Pen did not break through and a para-Fascist party that would have thrown the process of European integration into crisis did not break though with her.



"Secondly, we have the success of a candidate who is powerfully pro Europe". The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) said that it does not share the policies of either of the two candidates to reach the run-off in France's presidential election. "We truly have little in common with the programme of Macron and (Marine) Le Pen," Manlio Di Stefano, the M5S's foreign affairs pointman, said on Facebook. "Neither of them has brought qualified citizens from civil society into the institutions". Northern League leader Matteo Salvini blasted Macron and reiterated his support for Pen. "While the bankers toast Macron (the euro and stock exchange are up), 40% of workers and farmers voted for Le Pen yesterday.



(ANSAmed).






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Kamark will be responsible for leading and developing the Groups minority equity investment strategy, which includes stakes in airberlin, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Etihad Regional and Virgin Australia.



Reporting to the Group President and CEO, Robin Kamark takes over from Bruno Matheu, who has held the role since May 2016, and is leaving for personal reasons.



Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, chairman of the board of the Etihad Aviation Group, said: Etihad Aviation Group continues to invest in world-class talent at the most senior level, building our executive team to lead the business into the next stage of its development.



Robin is a well-respected leader in global aviation, with wide-ranging experience at SAS Group. He performed important roles in the restructuring of that airline and has broadened his experience more recently in financial services.



Our equity partner strategy continues to be an important element of our business model, and Robin will drive the strategy by adjusting and progressing our approach.



We would like to thank Bruno for his sterling efforts over the last two and half years, as we have built and consolidated our equity partner approach.



Kamark will lead strategic developments to optimise business performance, revenues and cost synergies between Etihad Airways and its equity partners across the world. He will also provide strategic leadership for airline partners where Etihad Airways has management responsibility.

Kamark will take up his new position in October 2017. He said: I am grateful to the Board of Etihad Aviation Group for their confidence in me. This is an exciting role, offering the opportunity to develop and refine an important element of the Groups strategy.

Kevin Knight, group strategy and planning officer, will also work with Bruno Matheu to provide continuity across Airline Equity Partners as the group manages the transition over the coming months.



Kamark will become one of the five key business unit executives within the Etihad Aviation Group, joining Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways; Jeff Wilkinson, CEO of Etihad Airways Engineering; and Chris Youlten, Managing Director of Airport Services. Hala, the companys destination marketing and global loyalty unit, will announce a permanent CEO shortly.
The Lockheed Martin F-16s that had been ordered from the US remained undelivered and rapid Daesh advances around Baghdad led to concerns about basing security. Consequently, Washington postponed the delivery.

Iraq had purchased three AC-208 Combat Caravans and three C208 Caravans in 2008, and the AC-208, which could then carry a pair of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, made its combat debut in January 2014 when the Iraqi Air Force began using it against insurgents in Anbar province.

But there was a clear and urgent need to augment these lightly armed aircraft, and an interim solution was found in the shape of the six Antonov An-32B tactical transport aircraft delivered from February 2011 to augment the C-130 Hercules operating with the 23rd Transport Squadron at New Al Muthana Air Base.

Subsequently, in May 2013, Iraq formed a new unit, the 33rd Transport Squadron, to operate the An-32s.

Daesh insurgents captured several major cities in Anbar province and, so, in July 2014, the Iraqi Air Force launched an emergency programme to convert two of the six An-32Bs into makeshift bombers, using a stockpile of Chinese-made 500lb bombs delivered to Saddam Husseins air force many years before.

This was not the first time that the An-32 had been used as a bomber  Indian Air Force An-32s pioneered the use of a removable roller conveyor on guide rails in the cargo bay, carrying four 500lb/250kg bombs. This system was proved during Indias Iron Fist exercise in February 2013 at the Pokhran Test Range in western India.

Meanwhile, Ukraine had also converted similar An-26s to bomber configuration in May 2014, using fuselage-mounted pylons and BDZ-34 bomb racks to carry a similar weapon load, and installing an NKPB-7 bombsight to allow more accurate delivery.

With the help of Ukrainian technicians, the Iraqi Air Force modified a pair of An-32Bs to serve as bombers. The first aircraft was fitted with external BDZ-34 bomb racks  as used by Ukrainian An-26s  while the second adopted the Indian approach, with an internal roller-conveyor.

The first photo depicting an Iraqi Air Force An-32B Cline transport aircraft carrying a bomb on an external pylon appeared on social media in July 2016, but combat use of the An-32B bombers cannot yet be confirmed.


The company says that with millennials accounting for a quarter of the GCC population, the regions travel industry is already feeling the clout of their spending power and it estimates that millennials in the UAE will generate $40,000 average annual gross income by 2019 with almost half of them booking travel through mobile devices.

Travelport says travel apps have become the millennials preferred method of interacting with brands, almost 1/3 more than past generations with mobile applications becoming platforms for personalised offers.

Rabih Saab, Travelports President & Managing Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, says: Travel tech is an exciting place to be right now. We are increasingly living in an experiential world. Mobile penetration in the Middle East is astronomical, across the GCC almost 80% of the population are mobile subscribers. Smart travel brands will continue to look at how mobile can help bridge the gap between generic experiences and ones where the end-traveller feels truly engaged and supported. Brands will thrive or decline depending on the experiences delivered to travellers and how relevant and personalized these experiences are.

Travelport says that for airlines, the key can be the travel behaviour already known to the carrier through past purchases tied to the users booking account. In the Middle East, the company points to airlines, such as Etihad, which have launched successful travel apps to deliver innovative digital solutions to improve the travel experience. It also points to low cost carriers which are expanding into the Gulf and which are also delivering strong mobile retailing options.




The Arabian chapter of the worldwide group will be holding its fifth annual meeting in Egypt in October We are expecting over 100 female pilots to fly in and this year will be special with the attendance of the president of the Ninety Nines Jan Mckenzie from the United States, said governor, Alia Twal.

During this meeting the Ninety Nines will commemorate Lotfia El Nadi , the first Egyptian and Arab woman pilot to fly solo after Amelia Earhart. Lotfia was one of the founders of the Arabian Section in 1989.


Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has disclosed that they have selected TAV Airports, in partnership with Al Rajhi Holding Group, for operating Qassim and Hail International Airports for 30 years. Upon the closing of the selection process, the number of airports operated by TAV worldwide will reach 17 and the company will be operating four airports in Saudi Arabia.

TAV Airports President & CEO Sani Sener said: TAV has become one of the world's highly-preferred brands thanks to the know-how acquired in airport construction and operation business. TAV's success in the Madinah Airport project, which was the first airport privatization project in Saudi Arabia, opened new doors in this country. In the last two months, TAV has been selected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Saudi Arabia for the development and operation of three more airports. With the addition of Qassim and Hail to our portfolio, the number of passengers in Saudi Arabia will increase to 10.5 million per annum; while the number of passengers at all airports abroad will reach 25 million. TAV has its signature in the capital city airports of six countries in the Gulf Region, which is the most challenging market of the world. We sustain our growth in the region by working in harmony with our local partners. Furthermore, we continue seizing the opportunities at various regions worldwide."

Providing service to approximately 2.5 million passengers last year, Qassim and Hail airports will reach approximately 6.5 million passenger capacity per year thanks to the new investments.

Located in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, Qassim is one of the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Qassim Airport is the gateway to the region, where the majority of the country's agricultural production takes place and is a significant tourism destination, and 12 airlines including Turkish Airlines launch scheduled flights to the airport.
Onur Air, a Turkish low cost carrier, was founded in 1992 and is based at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. The carrier owns 30 aircraft, operating to 14 major domestic and 120 international destinations, across 25 countries.

Under the new agreement, Onur Airs full content including its branded fares and ancillaries are live on Travelports unique Travel Commerce Platform for over 68,000 Travelport-connected travel agencies and corporate travel buyers around the world to search, sell and book.

Onur Air has also signed up to and joins a network of over 200 airlines, currently live on Travelports industry leading airline merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content & Branding. Travelports innovative solution, allows airlines to merchandise their full offering to Travelport-connected travel agencies around the world. Helping airlines to connect travellers to a world of travel choice, the technology provides better opportunities for travel agents to upsell at the time of booking within the same workflow.

Elmira Tulunay, international sales manager at Onur Air, said: This agreement with Travelport is a great opportunity for our business, as their pioneering technology will support us to more effectively satisfy the demands of our customers. Travelports solutions will increase our visibility and sales growth and maximize the level of personalization in our services. We are happy to start a very promising working relationship with Travelport.

Philip Saunders, vice president, Air Commerce, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Travelport commented: We are happy to announce this new agreement with Onur Air, a fantastic airline with a great value proposition. We look forward to partnering with them to maximize their offering and grow their business via our powerful Travel Commerce Platform.
Among the Space Agencys contribution to the Year of Giving is the Martyrs Badge initiative, in which badges decorated with the names of fallen national heroes will be sent to the International Space Station in recognition of their sacrifice. The badges will then be returned to Earth, and given to the families. The Agency will also produce a special brochure, to be distributed to martyrs mothers, containing personal messages of pride and gratitude from Space Agency staff. In addition, the Space Agency will rename one of its headquarters rooms to the Martyrs Hall.

The Space Agency is also introducing a special project that involves donating and distributing seed samples of plants in order to raise awareness of the importance of agriculture in space.

Charitable work will include a Ramadan Iftar at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a campaign to distribute cold water to workers in the streets, and blood donations by Agency staff. Other initiatives will be put in place to support widows and orphans, and the Space Agency will work with the Emirati Red Crescent to organise a variety of humanitarian projects.

Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said that the Agency welcomed the Presidents declaration of 2017 as the Year of Giving, which fulfils the national charitable and humanitarian foundations laid by Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan. Dr Al Romaithi also noted the importance of charity and giving to the UAE, stating that it is one of the inherent qualities of Emirati society.

Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, spoke of the pride felt throughout the Agency to participate in the Year of Giving activities. These initiatives come as part of the Space Agencys commitment to its humanitarian and social roles, which are underpinned by a firm belief in the importance of striving towards societal growth and development, he explained. At the same time, they will help consolidate national values, social cohesion and community responsibility across the UAE.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Ahead of the Armenian Genocide anniversary, the world had focused on the historic drama film The Promise, which successfully overcome Turkish anti-campaigning efforts.

It is difficult to give estimates as to how many films have been produced after the crime which happened a century ago, but it is a fact that even 100 years do not prevent not only the generations which survived the Genocide, but also people living in various parts of the world, regardless of age and ethnicity, political views, to condemn the biggest crime against humanity of the beginning of the 20th century.

It is also difficult to imagine that in our country, next to us, even in our city, people reside who have lived a century, and not only do some events or episodes of their lives have close association with the year of 1915, but also reflect the reality which happened in their lives.

People who have witnessed and survived the Armenian Genocide, are people who were deported from their historic homeland, who have lost their family and friends, their homes and belongings, who have faces cruelty and evil in childhood, whose destinies were forever changed.

Due to their age, their lives have become difficult because of various illnesses and age related diseases. Each of them has his story and indelible memory. Some fragments from their memories, undoubtedly, have been depicted in different films, including in The Promise.

As of 2017 April estimates, 18 people who have survived the Armenian Genocide live in Armenia. 4 of them are male.

The number of the witness-survivors is gradually becoming less.

In 2014 their number reached 39  25 were female and 14 were male.

According to the Social Security Service, in April of 2016 21 witness-survivors of the Armenian Genocide resided in Armenia. 4 of whom were male.

People born in the territory of the former Ottoman Empire until December 31, 1915 receive state benefits of 50% their pension, in addition to their regular pension, plus 100 thousand drams.

Many of us have visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial often, even since childhood, accompanied by parents.

While overcoming the hill, it was important to carry the flowers unharmed through the large crowds, to reach them to the Eternal Flame. Till now there is a childish impression that the more flowers are bowed the more our common protest for the happening will be reflected, stressing the fair demand for recognition and reparation.

As adults already, each Armenian and foreigner makes this important march to Tsitsernakaberd proceeding from motives, with their own experiences. For some, details of the history of ancestors is unknown, for some it is obvious with the accuracy of documents.

Lets agree that, the facts of mass deportations of Armenians and the massacres 102 years ago as well as during the time preceding and following that period, doesnt need to be proved to the world. Next to the dozens of testimonies, valuable documents and evidence, the genetic memory of a person is indelible, which not only on April 24, but also very often forces to remember that you are the successor of people who saw Genocide, and to promise that you will demand for reparation and wont retreat from struggle. A vivid manifestation of the un-retreating struggle is the unstoppable flow of people to the Memorial, which is preceded by the traditional torchlight procession.

For already over a decade, the huge amounts of flowers which are laid at the Memorial undergo a special processing. All flowers are carefully collected and transported to the backside of the Memorial, where the stems and petals are separated.

The resulting paper is also used for preparing invitation letters and memorandums for the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. In other words, it seems that our emotions and expectations receive second life.

105 year old Silvard Atajyan from Musa Ler, is unable to reach the Memorial due to health issues. The witness-survivor gives her entire warmth and hopes for future mostly to her younger great-granddaughter. Mike, who has special love and care for her great-grandma, will visit the Memorial with his parents, instead of the great-grandmother.

The exclusive project of ARMENPRESS and

The exclusive project of ARMENPRESS, - The Witness, presented the stories of 32 Armenian Genocide survivors, who live in Yerevan and in Armenias provinces, to the public in a trilingual edition for two years, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The project was translated and spread by other media outlets as well.

Author  4th generation of Armenian Genocide survivors Tatevik Grigoryan
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Because of Turkeys refusal to confront the Armenian Genocide, the hate crimes and discriminatory attitude towards Armenians and other minorities still continue in that country, Yetvart Danzikyan, editor-in-chief of Istanbuls Agos daily told Armenpress.

Turkey must confront what it perpetrated against Armenians in 1915 and the subsequent period. As long as there is no such confrontation, the genocide to some extent can be considered as continuous. This is due to the absence of this confrontation that the hate crimes, the discriminatory attitude against Armenians and other minorities still continue, he said.

He talked about the punishments used against Armenian lawmaker Garo Paylan who raised the issue of the Armenian Genocide in the Turkish parliament in January, 2017. In previous months what had happened with Armenian lawmaker Garo Paylan after his speech at the Turkish parliament are the results of non-confrontation policy. Paylan was punished for talking about the genocide perpetrated in these lands, he was removed from three parliamentary sessions. This shows Turkeys attitude 102 years later. Turkey must refuse to deceive itself and its people, Yetvart Danzikyan said.

As for the normalization of the relations between Armenia and Turkey, Danzikyan criticized the Turkish stance on linking this issue with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The dialogue must be established without preconditions, the relations between the two countries must not be sacrificed to Azerbaijans political preferences. It is too bad that Turkey links these relations with the Karabakh issue, the Armenia-Turkey relations must be viewed as having no linkage with this issue. It is necessary to start a dialogue, the borders must be opened, the editor-in-chief of Agos said.

Araks Kasyan
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Nadia Murad - Yazidi human rights activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and since September 2016 the first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the United Nations, gave an exclusive comment to Armenpress addressing her message to the whole world to recognize the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.

Armenpress presents the full text of her statement:

On behalf of the Yazidi community, I wish to extend our compassion and understanding to our Armenian sisters and brothers, who are today commemorating the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Just over a century ago, the Ottoman Turkish authorities perpetrated a genocide against Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Yazidis. Millions were killed or perished on death marches without food or water, just as our Yazidi people were murdered on Mt Sinjar in 2014 at the hands of ISIS. Armenian women and children were abducted, forcibly converted, raped, trafficked and forced to marry their perpetrators, tortures that thousands of our Yazidi women and children are enduring now.

Yazidis and Armenians have been neighbours for centuries. The Armenian Genocide, which began on 24 April 1915, displaced so many. Yazidis numbered more than half a million people in Turkey a century ago. Now there are only a few hundred. In contrast, Armenia is home to tens of thousands of Yazidis and grants them freedom to practise their religion and culture, and to participate fully in political and social life.

Turkey still today denies the genocide of the Armenians, a denial that is entrenched in the Turkish establishment and compounds the intergenerational trauma for Armenians. As Yazidis, we call on the global community to recognize the heinous crimes committed against the Armenians and other minorities by the Ottoman Turks. And let this also be a reminder to the world of the importance of recognition and perpetrator accountability.

I hope that in 100 years, Yazidis are not still asking for acknowledgement of the crimes they endured under ISIS, but rather, that the history books will tell of perpetrators being prosecuted and a Yazidi community that is surviving and flourishing, like the Armenians are today.

Murad was born in the village of Kocho in Sinjar, Iraq. At the age of 19, Murad was a student living in the village of Kocho in Sinjar, northern Iraq when Islamic State fighters rounded up the Yazidi community in the village killing 600 people  including six of Nadia's brothers and stepbrothers  and taking the younger women into slavery. That year Murad was one of more than 6,700 Yazidi women taken prisoner by Islamic State in Iraq. She was held as a slave in the city of Mosul, beaten, burned with cigarettes, and raped when trying to escape. Nadia was able to escape after her captor left the house unlocked.

Araks Kasyan
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The Selection Committee for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity has today announced the names of the five 2017 finalists who have been chosen for their exceptional impact, courage and commitment to preserving human life and advancing humanitarian causes. They are:

Ms. Fartuun Adan and Ms. Ilwad Elman, Founders of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, Somalia  Mother and daughter who are unwavering in their mission to protect human rights, womens rights, and facilitate peace building, development and the rehabilitation of child soldiers amidst insecure and dangerous conditions

Ms. Jamila Afghani, Chairperson of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization, Afghanistan  a polio victim who accidentally received the gift of reading and has dedicated her life to bringing reading and education to girls and women, while enlisting the help of Muslim leaders of faith in her mission.

Dr. Tom Catena, Surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan  A Catholic missionary and doctor who for nearly a decade remains the only permanent doctor to treat the remote and war-torn regions half-million population, performing more than 1,000 operations each year

Mr. Muhammad Darwish, Medical Doctor at the Madaya Field Hospital, Syria  A student of dentistry returned to his hometown and took on the full responsibilities of a medical doctor, began to perform medical procedures, offered care and maintained meticulous documentation of the conditions of patients, many of them children, affected by persisting violence, thus bringing international attention to the besieged area

Dr. Denis Mukwege, Gynecological Surgeon and Founder of the Panzi Hospital, The Democratic Republic of the Congo  An obstetrician turned gynecological surgeon who is providing physical, psychological and legal support to more than 50,000 survivors of sexual violence in the war-torn country while fearlessly seeking to bring to justice those responsible

The finalists will be honored at the Aurora Prize Ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia on May 28, 2017 when one will be chosen as the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate. The Aurora Prize Laureate will receive a grant of US$100,000 to support the continuation of their work, as well as a US$1,000,000 award, which will give them the unique ability to continue the cycle of giving by supporting organizations that have inspired their work.

Co-founder of the Aurora initiative Ruben Vardanyan said today is a very important day for the Armenian nation. One year ago we selected the first Aurora laureate. During this one year, various humaniatarian issues have been solved in 4 countries, he said, adding the finalists have been chosen by the international committee, comprised from 1 Armenian and 8 foreigners.

Co-founder of the Aurora Initiative Nubar Afeyan said this years Aurora events will be held for 5 weeks, and will be completed on May 28  the First Republic of Armenia day. Its no coincidence that the events kick off in this period, which symbolizes from death to life, from death to survival and restoration, from genocide to independence, he said.

The Selection Committee, co-chaired by Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian George Clooney, includes Nobel Laureates Oscar Arias, Shirin Ebadi and Leymah Gbowee; former president of Ireland Mary Robinson; human rights activist Hina Jilani; former Foreign Minister of Australia and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group Gareth Evans; and former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo. The Committee shortlisted the five finalists from more than 550 nominations for 254 unique candidates submitted by the general public from 66 countries and in 13 languages.

Speaking on behalf of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Vartan Gregorian, Committee Member, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative said, We are gratified by the enormous response generated by the call for nominations. It is an acknowledgment of our shared humanity and values. While geography and circumstances differ for each nominee, it is the similarities that unite them all. Individual human beings risk their own well-being and safety in order to rescue those in desperate need of help, and it is Auroras mission to support these saviors. We believe that those who are rescued will themselves continue the cycle of gratitude and giving.

Marguerite Barankitse from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi was named the first Aurora Prize Laureate on April 24, 2016 in Yerevan, Armenia. Following the horrifying experience of being forced to witness the execution of 72 Hutu neighbors whom she tried to hide to keep safe from persecution, Ms. Barankitse, a Tutsi, has spent the last 20 years providing safe haven for orphans and refugees escaping violence and abuse during her countrys civil war. She has rescued and educated roughly 30,000 children, and the hospital she opened in 2008 has treated more than 80,000 patients to date.

Children from Brazil to Ethiopia to the many Burundian refugees in Rwanda are thriving today because they now have the love, education and support they need, thanks to the generous backing of the 2016 Aurora Prize, said Barankitse. The powerful work of the 2017 finalists is truly awe-inspiring. These individuals embody the spirit of gratitude in action by keeping hope alive for so many of our brothers and sisters around the world. Their work is destined to unleash the human potential for love.

The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was established in 2015 by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors. The Aurora Prize will honor an Aurora Laureate each year until 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide (1915 -1923).

2017 Nominated Organizations

Each Finalist was invited to nominate up to three organizations to receive the $1 million award.

Ms. Fartuun Adan and Ms. Ilwad Elman

 Elman Peace & Human Rights Centre, Somalia

 Vive Zene, Center for Therapy and Rehabilitation, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 Panzi Foundation, USA and DRC

Ms. Jamila Afghani

 Womens Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality (WISE), USA

 Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, USA

 Karama Network of Advocacy and Human Rights (KNAHR), Afghanistan

Dr. Tom Catena

 African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), USA

 Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), USA

 Aktion Canchanabury, Germany

Mr. Muhammad Darwish

 Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Switzerland

Dr. Denis Mukwege, Panzi Foundation in USA and DRC

 Yennenga Progress (Sweden)

 LAssociation des Victimes, Parents et Amies du 28 Septembre 2009 (AVIPA), Guinea
Credit: Jimmy MarbleKings of Leon will kick off a spring and summer headlining tour at the end of this week, and they've already announced a new batch of dates for the fall.

The fall outing begins September 27 in Charlotte and will conclude October 28 in Tampa, Florida. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning this Friday, April 28 via KingsofLeon.com.

Along with the fall dates, Kings of Leon have also added a show in Chicago to their summer tour, held August 12.

Kings of Leon will be touring in support of their new album, WALLS, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. WALLS features the singles "Waste a Moment" and "Reverend."

Here are Kings of Leon's fall tour dates:

9/27 -- Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion

9/29 -- Nashville, TN, First Tennessee Park

10/2 -- Morrison, CO, Red Rocks Amphitheatre

10/4 -- Oklahoma City, OK, Chesapeake Energy Arena

10/7 -- Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Bowl

10/11 -- Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena

10/13 -- Edmonton, AB, Rogers Place

10/14 -- Calgary, AB, Scotiabank Saddledome

10/16 -- Winnipeg, MB, MTS Centre

10/18 -- St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center

10/20 -- Columbus, OH, Schottenstein Center

10/21 -- Louisville, KY, KFC Yum! Center

10/23 -- Tuscaloosa, AL, Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

10/25 -- Jacksonville, FL, Daileys Place Amphitheater

10/27 -- West Palm Beach, FL, Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre

10/28 -- Tampa, FL, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Op/ed by Bob Shead

Hong Kong is the nearest major international city to Manila, and just one and half hour away by flight from the Philippine capital. The related sea trade routes, across the South China Sea, are always busy and form part of the China Economic Silk Route. Since the handover of Hong Kong to Mainland China in 1997, the territory has maintained its trade and economic separation from China, under the 50 year, One Country Two Systems, handover agreement.

RELATED: Pre-Investment and Market Entry Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates

Trading History between the Philippines and Hong Kong

The ethnic Chinese population in the Philippines, who originate mainly from Guangdong or Fujian provinces in Mainland China, still enjoy disproportionate economic and political power in the Philippines. The general estimate is that they comprise only two percent of the nations population, but maintain control over 50 percent of listed equities. The Filipino-Chinese population has made great strides in recent decades in merging with and absorbing the Philippine culture; nevertheless, there is still, amongst many indigenous Filipinos, a latent sense that the Chinese are governed more by financial advantage than anything else.

However, there has historically been an enormous amount of trade, going back many centuries, between the Philippines and originally the South of China, before the creation of Hong Kong. This has led to large immigration to the Philippine Islands, especially from Fujian and Guangdong provinces, mainly to escape the poverty and peasant status that many Chinese had to suffer, under the former Emperor autocracy of the Chinese states. Equally, there has also been much immigration from the same parts of China since the Chinese Communist Party took over the reins of modern China.

Current trading relations between Philippines and Hong Kong are much to the benefit of the Philippines and there is currently a large trade balance to the advantage of the Philippines (see the figures below from the Philippines Statistics Authority  Feb 2017). It is, of course, common knowledge, that the majority of trade between the Philippines and Hong Kong is purely a transit point, for trade to and from Mainland China. However, it is a route that many businesses prefer, as Hong Kong still retains the advantage of being a duty free port, operating under recognised international standards.

As of the end of 2016, there were approximately 185,000 Filipinos residing in Hong Kong, most of them working as domestic helpers in the city. According to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, 33 Philippine companies had set up their local offices in Hong Kong as of June 2016.

Tourism between the Philippines and Hong Kong has much increased, since the disastrous attack on the Hong Kong tourist bus travelling through Manila in 2010. According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the number of visitors coming from the Philippines amounted to 701,296 in the first 11 months of 2016, an increase of 12.5 percent year on year. The number of Hong Kong tourists visiting the Philippines was 115,000 during 2016.

The Philippines  Hong Kong Trade Statistics

The Philippines was the 13th largest trading market for Hong Kong, in both the first 11 months of 2016 and 2015. Hong Kongs total exports to the Philippines in 2016, dropped 2.5 percent to US$3 billion, following an increase of 7.9 percent in 2015.

In the first 11 months of 2016, major export items to the Philippines from Hong Kong included telecom equipment and spare parts at 21.2 percent; office machines and computer parts & accessories at 16.8 percent; office machines at 8 percent; electronic equipment for electrical circuits at 7.4 percent; and semi-conductors, electronic valves and tubes at 6.8 percent.

Over the same period in 2016, Philippine exports to Hong Kong increased by 3.9 percent to US$6.9 billion. Major import items were semi-conductors; electronic valves and tubes at 67.9 percent; computers at 6.8 percent; woodcraft work and furniture at 6.2 percent; telecom equipment and parts at 5.5 percent.

The current annual trade balance between the Philippines and Hong Kong is approximately US$4 billion in favor of the Philippines.

The two graphs below, issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), give the February 2017 figures for the top 10 trading countries (including Hong Kong, China). Hong Kong ranked third with US$701.46 million or 14.7 percent share of the total exports. It grew by 66.6 percent from US$421.06 million in the same month a year ago.

Conclusion

Whilst there is much confusion, debate and probably inaccurate data, mainly caused by the fact that most of the trade between the Philippines and Hong Kong is a transit point between the Philippines and Mainland China, there is much that is of benefit to the Philippines trade and economic scene. It is obvious that this trade is currently to the advantage of the Philippines, and also encourages an increase in Philippine businesses setting up shop in Hong Kong. It also acts as an incentive to promote tourism in both directions. The Philippines is a much appreciated destination for its tropical environment, weather and maritime life. Hong Kong is much appreciated in the Philippines as a close destination that is a recognized internationally much like Singapore, and as a high end tourist destination. With the Philippines economy increasing, and Hong Kong remaining one of the worlds leading financial hubs, this will only serve to increase trade relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong.

About Us Bob Shead is ASEAN Briefings Philippines Correspondent and is based in Manila. He has 25 years experience as a diplomat in Asia. Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click ASEAN Briefing is published by, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates . We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, includingthe. For editorial matters please contact usand for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at asean@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment, and taxation. We also include the latest development news for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each.

Human Resources in ASEAN

In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss the prevailing structure of ASEANs labor markets and outline key considerations regarding wages and compliance at all levels of the value chain. We highlight comparative sentiment on labor markets within the region, showcase differences in cost and compliance between markets, and provide insight on the state of statutory social insurance obligations throughout the bloc.
Army takes decision after it received negative report on samples it had sent to labs for testing.

Mumbai: Indian Army has stopped sale of Patanjali's Amla juice across its canteens, Canteen Stores Department, after it received negative test report on samples it had sent to Food Safety Standards Authority of India laboratory, according to a report in The Economic Times.

The world's third largest army took the decision after the samples it had sent for testing generated negative results, sending the armed forces authorities in a tizzy. The 'unsafe' Amla juice exposes defence personnel to certain health risks.

CDS has asked its depots to make a list of stocks that they presently hold and prepare a 'debit note' for the same so that the redundant stocks could be sent back to Patanjali Ayurveda, a company promoted and endorsed by yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

Army canteen caters to the needs of over 1.2 million strong Indian armed forces and sells them as many as 5,300 products majority of them fall under fast moving consumer goods or FMCG category, according to the report.

In recent past, FMCG major Nestle came under the scanner of country's food safety agencies for its ubiquitous Maggi noodles that failed food safety standard tests. Interestingly, the lab that sent Army negative report on Patanjali Amla juice had tested Maggi noodle samples for high levels of lead and MSG salt.
Army Commanders Conference is an important event in the planning and execution process of Indian Army.

New Delhi: In the backdrop of instances of Army jawans taking to social media by posting videos complaining of service conditions, the Army commanders meet that ended on Saturday stressed on the need to evolve a more pragmatic HR plan considering rapid societal changes.

At a six-day annual commanders conference, the top brass of the Army deliberated on a broad range of issues, including grievances relating to salary, promotions and anguish among some jawans over the sahayak system, and it was decided to address them while taking a more pragmatic approach.

The top commanders also carried out a detailed analysis of Indias internal and external security threats and decided to push for modernisation of the force. They also pitched for a tri-service doctrine to deal with major security challenges.

The core values of Army though havent changed but rapid societal changes and discernible impact of socio-economic aspirations on Army have been a focus area of the just concluded conference, said a press release issued by Army PRO Col. Aman Anand.

The Army, unlike most government departments, has a highly pyramidal structure, which results in over 50 per cent personnel not being promoted despite being highly competent thus necessitating optimum utilisation of this pool of competent personnel. The conference deliberated measures to enhance transparency and inclusiveness leading to greater equability.

In his closing remarks, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat highlighted the need for a more participative form of policy formulation. Concerned branches of the Army HQ have accordingly been directed to interact with wide cross-section of offices, branches, and personnel, it added.

General Rawat also underscored on the need to work in a collaborative manner for maintaining combat effectiveness of the Army. He added that there is a need for sustained and holistic modernisation of the Army wherein combat and manoeuvre arms, Air Defence and Aviation are on high priority.

The Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshall BS Dhanoa and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba also addressed the Conference emphasising on evolving a joint operational philosophy.

Army Commanders Conference is an important event in the planning and execution process of Indian Army. To ensure due diligence, decisions are taken through collegiate system comprising army commanders and senior officers.
The PM noted that the theme of regional imbalance was raised by a number of chief ministers.

New Delhi: Evoking the spirit of Team India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on all states to work in tandem with the Centre to ensure that the legislative arrangements at their level for the landmark Goods and Services Tax was put in place without delay. He said that the consensus on GST will go down in history as a great illustration of cooperative federalism.

Espousing the spirit of cooperative federalism, Mr Modi, in his closing remarks after the third governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, said the 15-year vision document which will replace the Nehruvian legacy of Five-Year Plans (the 12th Plan ended on March 31, 2017), and which was discussed by all chief ministers present at the meeting, will be firmed up after inculcating suggestions received from them.

Two of the Prime Ministers bitterest critics  West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal  did not attend the meeting.

Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya came out with 300 specific action points for accelerating the countrys economic growth as part of his presentation at the governing council meeting. But no specific details of the action plan were made available.

Mr Panagariya noted that there were over 300 specific action points that had been identified, covering a whole gamut of sectors, and sought the inputs and support of the state governments to take the vision forward.

According to an official statement issued by the Prime Ministers Office after the meeting, Mr Modi described the day-long deliberations as constructive. Quoting him, it said that the circulated vision document is a draft, and all suggestions given by the chief ministers will be taken into account before finalising it.

The PM noted that the theme of regional imbalance was raised by a number of chief ministers. He agreed that this had to be addressed on priority, both nationally, and within states. In this context, Mr Modi sent out a message of inclusivity in line with the spirit of cooperative federalism espoused by the Niti Aayog.

Mr Modi also seconded Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Muftis suggestion that states should take an interest in students from her state who are now studying in other states, and urged all state governments to reach out to these students from time to time.

His comments assume significance given some recent incidents of Kashmiri students living and studying in various states who faced violent attacks and harrassment. Some Kashmiri students were thrashed in Chittorgarh last week, and a hoarding was put up in Meerut asking Kashmiris to leave Uttar Pradesh.

Highlighting some constructive feedback received at the meeting from the chief ministers, the Prime Minister said there have been suggestions to have the financial year from January to December, instead of April to March. He urged states to take the initiative in this regard.

Ironically, as the Prime Minister harped on cooperative federalism, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal skipped the Niti Aayogs governing council meeting. Ms Banerjee had missed the last meeting of the council as well on July 15, 2015. But Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, who had skipped the last meeting, was present at Sundays session.

The late J. Jayalalithaa, former Tamil Nadu CM, had not attended the 2015 meeting, but on Sunday her successor Edapaddi K. Palaniswamy was present, as were other non-BJP CMs like Tripuras Manik Sarkar, Punjabs Amarinder Singh and Karnatakas Siddaramaiah.

In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister called on all states to use the GeM platform  Government e-Marketplace  to reduce corruption and increase transparency in government procurement. He said the use of technologies such as Bhim and Aadhaar would result in significant savings for the states.

Mr Modi said the District Mineral Fund, the CAMPA Fund, and the construction workers welfare fund, would provide significant boost to the resources of states. He asked the Niti Aayog to come up with a roadmap for better utilisation of such funds by the states.

In the morning, during his opening remarks, Mr Modi said the Niti Aayog is working on a 15-year long-term vision, seven-year medium-term strategy and three-year action agenda. He further noted that chief ministers do not have to come to the Niti Aayog for approval of their budgets or plans. The outfit, he said, had gone beyond relying on government inputs and inducted a number of outside specialists, experts and young professionals. The states too can contribute to policy formulation, he had added.

Mr Modi also noted while there had been a 40 per cent increase in overall fund allocations to states in 2014-15 and 2016-17, the percentage of funds tied to Central schemes had declined from 40 per cent to 25 per cent.

Participating in the meeting, Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami assured the Centre that his government would soon place the State GST Bill in the Assembly for consideration and passage. In his speech, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also said the GST had forged a new model of cooperative decentralisation in the country.

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant also briefed the meeting of the work done by the think tank for transforming the economy and cooperation with states in sectors such as education, health and infrastructure. He also spoke about the work done by sub-groups of chief ministers on rationalisation of Centrally-sponsored schemes, Swachchh Bharat and skill development.

He outlined the initiatives taken in areas like agriculture, poverty elimination, health, education, digital payments, disinvestment, coastal zone and island development.
The Naxals attacked the group of 150 CRPF jawans, who were a part of the road opening party.

Jawans injured in CRPF-Naxals encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma shifted to hospital in Raipur. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Raipur: In a deadly attack on India's paramilitary forces, a large group of Naxals brutally killed 25 CRPF jawans, including their commander, and injured many more in a remote part of Chattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday afternoon.

The Naxals fired from hilltops at the 150-member battalion that was guarding workers at a road construction site at Burkapal-Chintagufa area in Bastar region. Reportedly, the weapons of the security forces were also looted.

In the gunbattle that ensued, CRPF jawans claimed there were casualties on the Naxal's side as well. Back-up was drawn in from the proximate CRPF camps.

Also read: Cowardly and deplorable; martyr's sacrifice will not go in vain: Modi on Naxal attack

CRPF soldier, Sher Mohammed told ANI, "First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely."

He added: "We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families."

Also Read: A timeline of Naxal attacks across nation over the past 10 years

Chattisgarh CM Raman Singh has called off his Delhi trip and has left for Sukma as well. Director General of CRPF and senior officials will reach Raipur and Sukma on Tuesday morning.

Minister of State (Home) Hansraj Ahir is due to visit Raipur where the injured soldiers are being treated. Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj are already on their way to Sukma.

In early 2017, 12 CRPF personnel were killed in another Naxal ambush in the same district, raising the total security personnel body count to 36.
The chief minister also talked about the steps the state government had taken to mitigate the hardship of farmers.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami receives a memorandum from the state farmers who are protesting for the last 39 days over their plight at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu farmers protesting in New Delhi over drought relief funds and waiver of farmers loans, on Sunday, put off their agitation till May 25.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami had urged the farmers from his state, who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar, to call off their strike and assured them of taking up their demands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Palaniswami made the remarks after visiting the farmers at Jantar Mantar for the first time on the 41st day of their protest in which they 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.

I will be taking up the issue of loan waiver, among others, with the Prime Minister while meeting him on Sunday, Mr Palaniswami said.

The chief minister also talked about the steps the state government had taken to mitigate the hardship of farmers. We had even submitted a memorandum comprising various demands from the state during my previous meeting with the Prime Minister, he said. Therefore, I request the protesting farmers to call off their strike.

Lok Sabha deputy speaker M. Thambidurai, who also accompanied the CM, said the Tamil Nadu government was working on the demands raised by the protestors.

Asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu, the chief minister said he would like to comment only on the farmers issues. Mr Palaniswami is in the national capital to take part in a Niti Aayog meeting along with chief ministers of other states.

Over the last 40 days, the farmers have turned to increasingly desperate measures to direct attention to their issues. 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.
Around 588 police officials were suspended or terminated in 2014 for their alleged involvement in various crimes.

New Delhi: Around 1,811 Delhi police personnel have been suspended or terminated for misconduct while performing their duties in the last three years.

According to the data, around 588 police officials were suspended or terminated in 2014 for their alleged involvement in various crimes.

In 2015, the figure was 542 and in 2016 the number increased to 602. Till February 28 this year, 79 police personnel have been terminated/dismissed for misconduct. We have taken action against these officials as per law, said a police official on conditions of anonymity.

Among those who were suspended, 46 were inspectors, 247 sub-inspectors, 140 assistant-sub-inspector, 409 head constables, 968 constables and one multitasking staff of Delhi police.

According to the data around 94 police personnel were terminated in 2014 for their misconduct. In 2015, the figure was 77 and in 2016 the number increased to 106. Till February 28 this year, 8 police officials have been terminated for their misconduct. Among the ones who were terminated, two were inspectors, 20 sub-inspectors, 18 assistant-sub-inspector, 53 head constables, 126 constables of Delhi police.

A vigilance unit, headed by a special commissioner of police, is functioning to check the corrupt practices of police personnel. Five toll free numbers  23417995, 23416401, 23416402, 23416403, and 23416404  have been dedicated for the convenience of the general public to send complaints regarding corruption in Delhi police, said a senior police official. In order to restore public confidence in the police, deterrent action is being taken by the Delhi police in cases where policemen are found involved in malpractices. This includes suspension, transfer to non-sensitive units, initiating disciplinary action for major/ minor penalty including dismissal, and registering criminal cases against them, the official added.

The Delhi police advertises the telephone numbers of district DCPs along with their fax numbers and email addresses.A single window system is at place at the police headquarters for monitoring and tracking of complaints. In order to encourage the general public to be more vigilant about the corrupt activities of the police, there is also a facility of P.O. Box No.171 through which the public can send complaints against erring policemen.
It gave details about persons phone numbers, addresses and financial status.

Mumbai: Thane call centre scam mastermind Sagar Thakkar used specific software considered to be the equivalent of the yellow pages in India to get the numbers and details of potential victims.

The officials also revealed that after the crackdown on the Thane call centres, countries like China and Russia noticed a difference in their data searches and after investigating, busted some call centres in their countries.

Sources in the Thane Crime Branch revealed that Thakkar during questioning described how he learnt about data mining.

Some of his acquaintances were indulging in minor scams. He researched on data and found that he could get details of people including their credit ratings, loan payment status and their earnings. He then taught this to his employees who further trained the call centre executives, said a source.

He added that the police even found software that was used by Thakkar to glean these details.

The software is the equivalent of physical yellow pages of India and similar to the online phone directory White Pages. But this software would provide not just phone numbers or addresses but also other details about their financial status, said the source.

Explaining the software, he said, The executive would enter any name and an area. The software would give out details about all the people with the same name in the said area. The executive would then go through these and then pick out people who were either loan defaulters or having high earnings or migrants and make the call.

The Thane police in October busted three call centres in Mira road suburbs in the city and arrested many people. In April, this year, Thakkar who was hiding in Dubai surrendered himself and was arrested.
Another reason that the BKC dedicated bus lane plan lost steam was complaints from motorists who felt that it was not helpful at all.

Mumbai: Commuters will get Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) on Western Express Highway (WEH) if the dedicated bus lane is taken seriously, a study says.

Activists who were a part of the experiment have readied a report on the BKC dedicated bus lane results and said that if implemented, on WEH and Eastern Freeway or the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), the bus l lane will be a boon to Mumbaikars.

The BKC experiment was shut down after construction work of the Mumbai Metro was taken up and officials felt that traffic problems would eventually be resolved by this.

Activist Ashok Datar, who monitored the 3.-6 km stretch from MTNL Junction to Kala Nagar and was part of the team that conducted the study, felt this needs to be aggressively pursued as a viable alternative.

During peak office hours, in the morning and evening, we saw 150 buses travel in this lane, which was beyond our expectation, Mr. Datar said.

He added, "That means that every 2.5 minutes a commuter could access a BEST bus. Imagine the success rates of the system if used on the WEH, Eastern Freeway or even JVLR."

Another reason that the BKC dedicated bus lane plan lost steam was complaints from motorists who felt that it was not helpful at all.

Activist Sudhir Badami feels this is because apart from a dedicated bus lane, a well-planned Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) should also be looked at.

There is a need to change the way we look at BRTS, people have developed an aversion to the system through half-baked information. When asked about the failure of the Delhi BRTS, Mr. Badami was quick to point out that only 5 per cent of the work was completed and people opposed before experiencing complete benefits. The Delhi BRTS was going to be a 20-km stretch and the full benefit was yet to be realised, but such propaganda was spread that they withdrew the work only after 5 km was completed.

Success and failure
Maharashtra is one of the major tur-producing states in the country and had a bumper crop this year.

Mumbai: The controversy over tur dal procurement in Maharashtra continues to escalate. Farmers from the state especially from Vidarbha, Marathwada and northern part of Maharashtra are facing a crisis as they are unable to sell their produce. In a bid to find a solution, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met union food minister Ramvilas Paswan on Monday morning in Delhi.

After the meeting, Mr Paswan said his ministry is in favour of increasing the import duty on tur by 25 per cent.

However, the state government has indicated that it will come up with a special scheme for tur-cultivating farmers in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Maharashtra is one of the major tur-producing states in the country and had a bumper crop this year.

As per the state governments data, a record 36 lakh quintal tur has been procured through 316 different centres.

But as per estimates of the state and central government, almost 8 to 9 lakh quintal tur is yet to be procured.

The state governments marketing federations are facing severe crisis due to lack of godowns and bags to store the tur dal.

The farmers in the state have also been unable to sell their produce. The state government has announced Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 5050 per quintal this year for the tur dal.

But as the state governments marketing federations are unable to procure tur dal, farmers have to sell it in private market for Rs 4000 to Rs 4300. Due to fall in prices of tur dal, the farmers are not able to even recover the input cost.

CM Fadnavis met Mr Paswan in Delhi on Monday, asking him to increase duty on tur by 10 per cent to 20 per cent so that domestic prices would not fall.

He also requested the central government to increase the deadline of tur procurement from NAFED by one week.

The Asian Age has learnt from sources that, the state government is likely to come up with a financial proposal for procuring all tur from farmers in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Also, government may give direct financial relief to the tur-cultivating farmers.
Erdogan did indeed obtain popular endorsement of his ambition to become an all-powerful executive President.

With Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan due in India in five days, I am reminded of the gem-studded Mughal throne in Istanbuls Topkapi Palace that symbolises the failure of religion as an instrument of diplomacy. Nadir Shah had seized the throne in Delhi from Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor whom he defeated and dispossessed, and presented it to Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I. When the Ottomans and Persians fell out, Muhammad Shah gladly rallied to Mahmuds cause. Two Muslim potentates, the Mughal and Ottoman emperors, united against a third, the Shah of Persia.

Their obsession with religion is not the only commonalty between Narendra Modi and his guest. Both share with Donald Trump, who called to congratulate Mr Erdogan on his April 16 referendum victory, a somewhat flimsy democratic fig-leaf that covers the exercise of tremendous personal power. While Hillary Clintons 65,844,610 votes (48.2 per cent) was the third highest of any presidential candidate in American history, Mr Trump trailed behind with only 62,979,636 votes (46.1 per cent).

The contrast between vote and result was most glaring in Mr Modis case too. Despite his exuberant self-confidence, the BJP won only 31 per cent of the votes in 2014 although it captured 283 Lok Sabha seats. That was the lowest-ever voteshare for a single party to win a Lok Sabha majority. In contrast, Indira Gandhis Congress, which held the previous record for the lowest voteshare for a single party, won a similar 283 seats in 1967 but with 40.8 per cent of the votes cast.

Mr Erdogan did indeed obtain popular endorsement of his ambition to become an all-powerful executive President. But the desperately close margin of his victory indicates rampant discontent in a bitterly divided nation. With only 51.5 per cent of voters approving his ambition, and 48.5 per cent opposing it, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its major ally, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), have obviously slipped in the popularity stakes since the last general election in 2015, when their combined share of the vote was 62 per cent.

Although this may not come up in their discussions, Mr Modi and Mr Erdogan also share the distinction of leading governments that are trying to bestow a religious identity on the nations they rule. In the former case, every move seems to be towards a thinly veiled form of a Hindu Rashtra which mixes puja with politics, exalts the cow, bans beef, promotes vegetarianism, treats religious lore as history and temples as national monuments, foists Hindi on the populace and tacitly supports bands of marauding thugs who attack everything their half-baked perception tells them is not desi. Turkeys transition was apparent when our guide in Istanbul two years ago said his wife had started wearing the hijab because, otherwise, she might not be promoted in her government job.

Mr Erdogan, who was Prime Minister for 11 years and is in his third year as President, is as coy about admitting to Islamist ambitions as Mr Modi is about Hindutva. But as the mayor of Istanbul, he was sentenced in 1998 to 10 months in jail for inciting religious hatred after reading out verses by an Ottoman Islamist poet at a public event. Turkeys constitutional court banned his Welfare Party on the grounds that it was threatening the Kemalist nature of Turkey, specially [its] secularity. Once out of jail, he started mobilising supporters on an Islamist agenda, and in two years co-founded the AKP, the vehicle of his rise to power. Although many Turks still revere Kemal Ataturk as the first Asian modernist, the April 16 referendum empowers Mr Erdogan to dismantle the secular democratic Kemalist order he was accused of threatening 19 years ago and lay the foundations of a personal regime with expanded powers that could continue till 2029.

While Turkeys domestic polity does not concern India, its value as an ally may be questioned. The referendum took place at a time Turkey faces huge security challenges. Last years multiple terror attacks were mostly the handiwork of the so-called Islamic State and rebellious Kurds against whom the Turkish military is waging a brutal war. The massive purge in government and private institutions that followed last Julys abortive coup meant the dismissal and imprisonment of thousands of Turks, including judges, academics, top generals and senior security personnel. Over 100 journalists are said to be behind bars and 15 universities, 1,000 schools, 28 TV channels, 66 newspapers, 19 magazines, 36 radio stations, 26 publishing houses and five news agencies have been shut down. The leading Kurdish Opposition politician is also in jail, while the country is still reeling under emergency rule. Mr Erdogans position on the war in neighbouring Syria and Bashar al-Assads future is as ambivalent as the European Unions on his pending application. Turkeys once buoyant economy has been badly rattled by the resultant instability.

Mr Erdogan probably hopes a visit to India  his first foreign trip since the referendum  might help to regain some of the international respect he once enjoyed. But he must resist the temptation  common in political adversity  of pandering to extremists to gain popularity. Even apart from Kemal Ataturk, his countrys ancient history offers some splendid instances of rewarding ecumenism. Despite being Caliph of Islam, the Ottoman sultan sent a fleet of ships to rescue Jews whom Catholic Spain expelled after Moorish Granada capitulated in 1492. That demonstration of secular enlightenment, which helped Turkeys commerce and arts, occurred a full 150 years before Britain, which had expelled Jews in 1290, allowed them back again.

Mr Erdogan can gain from applying that liberal precedent to Turkeys ethnic and other minorities and by not using the referendum verdict to trample on secular democracy.
President Trump called the Holocaust the darkest chapter of human history and pledged never again would such horror occur.

One of Trump's closest advisors is son-in-law Jared Kushner, the Orthodox Jewish grandson of Holocaust survivors. (Photo: AFP)

New York: President Donald Trump vowed to wipe out anti-Semitism in a message to mark Israel's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day after his administration was criticised for past statements about the genocide.

In a four-minute taped video played to the World Jewish Congress in New York, the US leader called the Holocaust "the darkest chapter of human history" and pledged "never again" would such horror occur.

"Six million Jews, two-thirds of the Jews in Europe, murdered by the Nazi genocide. They were murdered by an evil that words cannot describe, and that the human heart cannot bear," he said.

The Republican commander-in-chief went on to pay tribute to Israel and Jewish perseverance, condemning anti-Semitism.

"We must stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism everywhere it is found. We must defeat terrorism, and we must not ignore the threats of a regime that talks openly of Israel's destruction," he said.

"We cannot let that ever even be thought of," he said, adding "America stands strong with the State of Israel."

The White House raised eyebrows on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January by issuing a statement that made no mention of the six million Jews killed in the Nazi genocide.

In February, Trump drew fire for remaining silent for several days over a spate of anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centres, before condemning them as "horrible" and "painful."

When asked by an Orthodox Jewish reporter at a White House news conference about the post-election surge in anti-Semitic incidents, Trump reacted defensively, telling his questioner to "sit down."

Earlier this month, White House spokesman Sean Spicer sparked outrage around the world after minimizing the atrocities of Adolf Hitler in comments on Syria.

Critics and political opponents in the United States say Trump's rise to the White House has emboldened extreme right, neo-Nazi groups.

One of Trump's closest advisors is son-in-law Jared Kushner, the Orthodox Jewish grandson of Holocaust survivors.

His daughter Ivanka, who is also an unpaid White House advisor, converted to Judaism in 2009.
Twelve army officers, including two generals, were sacked for negligence over that attack.

Men carry the coffin of one of the victims after Friday's attack at a military compound in Mazar-e-Sharif province north of Kabul, Afghanistan (Photo: AP)

Kabul: The Afghan defence minister and his army chief resigned Monday, days after a Taliban attack at a military base in northern Afghanistan killed or wounded more than 100 soldiers, a presidential statement said.

"President Ashraf Ghani has accepted the resignation of the defence minister and army chief of staff," the statement from Ghani's office said.

Furious Afghans had called for resignations of minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem after the assault outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

The attack is believed to be the deadliest-ever by the Taliban on a military base.

Ten gunmen dressed in soldiers' uniforms and armed with suicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops at close range in the mosque and dining hall.

The exact toll from the assault remains unclear. Afghan officials have so far ignored calls to break down the toll it has given of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded. Some local officials have put the number of dead alone as high as 130.

Many Afghans slammed the government for its inability to counter the attack, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults, including one on the country's largest military hospital in Kabul in March that left dozens dead.

Twelve army officers, including two generals, were sacked for negligence over that attack.
Khan said both the leaders were equally responsible for the destruction of the country.

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Sunday said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former President Asif Ali Zardari had been looting Pakistan for the past 30 years.

Talking to reporters in Dadu, Mr Khan said both the leaders were equally responsible for the destruction of the country.

He said after the Supreme Courts decision on the Panamaleaks scandal, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should have resigned on moral grounds.

He said, The judges hearing the case have said that the Prime Minister is neither Sadiq (truthful) nor Ameen (trustworthy). How will the institutions function under him?

The PTI chief said Mr Sharif and co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari were both corrupt. Both of them have been looting the country for the past 30 years.
Madhesi parties have called off their stir following the agreement.

Kathmandu: Nepals Madhesi parties have struck a deal with the Prachanda-led coalition government under which they would take part in the local body elections after a revised Constitution amendment bill is passed in Parliament through a fast-track process.

Federal Alliance, a coalition of Madhesi parties and ethnic groups, reached an agreement with the government representives on fast-track endorsement of a revised Constitution amendment bill and local elections in two phases, according to the PMO.

The government has proposed two dates, May 14 and June 14, for conducting local body polls in two phases.

The alliance would take part in local level elections only after the revised Constitution amendment bill gets endorsed in the Parliament, said Rajendra Mahato, a leader of the alliance.

A Cabinet meeting endorsed the agreement. Earlier, Prime Minister Prachanda had held consultations with chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav and Opposition leader and CPN-UML chief K. P. Sharma Oli.

Madhesi parties have called off their stir following the agreement.

Madhesi parties had warned the government that they would disrupt the elections if their demands were not addressed.

The parties have been demanding that the Constitution promulgated in 2015 be amended to revise the provisions of citizenship and re-demarcation of the provincial boundary before the May polls.
The forum discussed the Panama Case decision by the Supreme Court with special reference to the Joint Investigation Team.

Islamabad: Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday said the military would play its role as a part of the Joint Investigation Team to investigate the Panama Papers case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his kin.

Chairing the Corps Commanders Conference, General Bajwa pledged that the Army would respond to the confidence reposed by the apex court.

The forum discussed the Panama Case decision by the Supreme Court with special reference to the Joint Investigation Team.

The forum pledged that the institution through its members in JIT shall play its due role in legal and transparent manner, fulfilling confidence reposed by the apex court of Pakistan, the Armys media wing stated in a news release.

In a split decision in the Panama Papers case on Thursday, three Supreme Court judges found there was not enough evidence of financial or other misdeeds to remove the Premier from office, though two members disagreed.

The next day, the Supreme Court forwarded copies of the verdict to heads of Federal Investigation Agency, Military Intelligence, the Inter-Services Intelligence, Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau and State Bank of Pakistan directing them to nominate representatives to be made part of the JIT.
The United States President is a self-confessed germaphobe who, aides say, does not like using handrails or shaking hands.

London: Donald Trumps proposed state visit to the UK later this year is being planned to avoid the US President having to climb any staircases after reports of his phobia of steps and slopes, according to a media report.

Planners want to stage events on the ground floor of buildings, and design routes for Mr Trump that minimise his use of staircases, The Sunday Times reported.

The President is due to visit Britain in October, where he will be honoured with a state dinner at Buckingham Palace and a trip to Queen Elizabeth IIs Scottish retreat  Balmoral Castle.

But a senior government figure said he had attended meetings where Mr Trumps dislike of stairs was raised after the President had controversially grasped Theresa Mays hand on a ramp during the British Prime Ministers visit to the White House in January.

The United States President is a self-confessed germaphobe who, aides say, does not like using handrails or shaking hands.
The EU has had a team for years to dispel lies and untruths about the EU in the British popular press.

Brussels: The European Union's head office has thrown its weight behind Emmanuel Macron in the French presidential runoff against Marine Le Pen, arguing it is a choice between the defense of the EU or those seeking its destruction.

And even beyond the exceptional show of voting advice when it usually is scrupulously neutral, the European Commission also said it would vet campaign arguments and counter them if they told lies about the EU.

"We have tools in Brussels and also in Paris that allow us to clarify things and dispel untruths and Euro-myths if necessary," said Margaritis Schinas, the spokesman for EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The EU has had a team for years to dispel lies and untruths about the EU in the British popular press. He insisted the Commission would not take part in the campaign itself.

Schinas said circumstances forced Juncker's hand in going public with his preference. "The choice was a fundamental one," he said, adding Macron represents the pro-European values while Le Pen "seeks its destruction."

Independent candidate Macron led the first round of the presidential elections on Sunday and will face Le Pen of the extreme-right National Front in the May 7 runoff.

Even during the Brexit referendum campaign last year, the Commission kept a low profile, realizing that any perception of meddling would be punished by anti-EU media in Britain. It didn't help, since Britain voted to leave the EU.

The Brexit vote caused an existential jolt to the EU, but since Britain has always been a halfhearted member, people were always convinced the EU could survive without the British.

With France, which stood at the cradle of the EU and staunchly defended it over the past 60 years, it is different.

"France is a key EU member. It is a founding nation. It is one of nations that incarnates and symbolizes the values of European integration," said Schinas.

Le Pen has said she wants to leave the euro currency and hold a referendum on EU membership. Many would see a Frexit as the death knell of the EU.

"There only was one choice: the defense of what Europe incarnates and the option that seeks its destruction," Schinas said.

Germany, another founding member, also backed Macron. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabried said Macron would offer the chance of a "new beginning" for Europe while Le Pen's program "could cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs in France and all over Europe."

Macron also received the backing of another French neighbor, Spain, with Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis saying Macron would mark a break in the rise of extremist populist parties in Europe.
Free Speech University Ranking called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit has advised undergraduate students that 'not speaking directly to people' could be deemed a 'racial micro-aggression' (File Photo)

London: Oxford University students who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism, according to the prestigious varsity's latest guidance.

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit has advised undergraduate students that "not speaking directly to people" could be deemed a "racial micro-aggression" which can lead to "mental ill-health", The Telegraph reported.

Issued at the start of the Trinity term, the third term at the university, the newsletter claims that asking someone where they are "originally" from implies they are a foreigner. It also claims that "jokes drawing attention to someone's differences" and "not speaking directly to people" are potential forms of "everyday racism".

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in the newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence."

"But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong," it

states. However, some critics slammed the newsletter, saying it would make the students over sensitive.

Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at the University of Kent, said the guidance was "completely ridiculous" and will make students "hyper-sensitive" about how they interact with one another.

"Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime. They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking," she said.

Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University's guidance was "overstepping the mark" by telling students "how they should feel and think".

Tom Slater, co-coordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking project that highlights censorship on university campuses, called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.

"This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students," he told The Times.

An Oxford University spokesman was quoted as saying that, "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," he said. Last year, Oxford law students were told they could skip

lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too "distressing".

Earlier this year, it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as "right-hand man" and "gentleman's agreement" under its code of practice on inclusive language.
Musharraf said, 'Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States.'

Islamabad: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead.

"I don't think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we don't call him a terrorist," 73-year-old Musharraf said.

Referring to Saeed's house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, "Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States."

"They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi they don't talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him," he said, while talking about the Mumbai attacks.

In January this year, 68-year-old Saeed was placed under under a 90-day house arrest. There were reports that Pakistan was immense pressure from new the Trump administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations.

Saeed carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. His organisation JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26, 2008, which was masterminded by Saeed.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.

Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, "If the current prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesn?t want it."

The former dictator also said that he would like to contest the 2018 general elections. "Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel.

Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan. "I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," said the former president.

"There are many good people who can run Pakistan," he said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good."

Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism.

"It didn't come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way."

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.
Tensions shelved, the Egyptian president receives a warm welcome when he arrives in the Saudi capital. The two leaders speak of "strong and fraternal" bonds and intention to "strengthen strategic relations". In addition to the economy, the unresolved knots of the fight against terrorism and control of the controversial islands.

Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies)  Now that recent tensions have been shelved, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived yesterday in Saudi Arabia on an official visit receiving a royal welcome and all the honors reserved to the heads of state of friendly nations. Waiting for him in Saudi kingdom king Salman, with whom he had a face to face talks aimed at relaunching relations between the two most influential Sunni countries in the Arab world.

The monarch, surrounded by the highest political and institutional powers of the kingdom, welcomed al-Sisi at the airport, an unusual practice for Salman and reserved only to the personalities closest to Riyadh's leadership. Next, an official lunch between the two delegations.

In the context of the official meeting, the two leaders discussed the "strong and fraternal relations" and "cooperation" between the two nations at length. References to the main regional issues still unresolved, such as the war in Syria and the fight against terrorism, were inevitable.

On the eve of the trip, the Egyptian president stated that the visit was a response to King Salman's invitation and intended to "strengthen the strategic relationship" between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Among the hot spots "the fight against terrorism," continues al-Sisi, considered a "threat to security and stability" in the region.

The two leaders had met last month on the sidelines of the Arab League summit in Jordan to try to ease the tensions that followed the controversial cession of the islands from Cairo to Riyadh. A decision that had raised strong internal discord in Egypt, as well as the protest of the nationalist wing, and intensified relations with the influential Middle Eastern ally. At the beginning of the month, an Egyptian tribunal overturned a previous ruling stopping the transfer of the Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia.

Today's visit should also facilitate the unblocking of agreements (24 in total) signed by the two governments in April last year, during a visit by King Salman to Egypt. These are investments worth $ 25 billion in the Suez Canal area, on the north coast of Egypt and in the resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada in the Red Sea. The divisions of these last months had in fact "frozen" the agreements.

Meanwhile, Saudi oil giant Aramco has resumed supply of crude oil to Egypt, suspended last October at the most critical moment in relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The move followed Egypts vote in favor of a Russian UN Security Council resolution on Syria, against which opposed by Riyadh.

The Syrian conflict remains perhaps the most controversial knot in the balance of power in the Middle East region. Moscow is, along with Tehran, the most loyal ally of President Bashar al-Assad, while Riyadh also supports the armed struggle against the Damascus government - both economically and militarily. A galaxy of fighting groups, movements and militias, some of which are close to radical Islamic ideology. Among these extremist groups, there are some who benefit from the more or less direct support of the Saudis.
by Fady Noun

The Lebanese Syriac Orthodox bishop made the claim during the celebrations for the 47th anniversary of Virgin's apparitions. The portraits of the two bishops were displayed inside the church and taken in procession. The prelate appealed to the Lebanese government to make the case a "national cause".

Beirut (AsiaNews)  The two bishops of Aleppo abducted in 2013 in Syria are still alive, said Mgr Daniel Kourie, Syriac Orthodox bishop of Beirut, who spoke on Saturday at the ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's apparitions over the dome of the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Moussaitbeh, near Beirut.

The commemoration of these apparitions, which this Church invariably commemorates on the first Sunday after Easter, coincided this year with the 4th anniversary of the abduction in Syria (22 April 2013) of the Syriac Orthodox and Greek Orthodox bishops of Aleppo, Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, whose fate remains unknown. The portraits of the two bishops were displayed inside the cathedral and carried during the torchlight procession that marked the anniversary of the apparitions.

During the ceremony for the dual anniversary, Bishop Daniel Kourie, chairman of the commission charged with the affair, tried to be reassuring. As far as he knew "the two bishops are still alive. [. . .] Those who believe otherwise must give us evidence for their claim." The prelate added that the commission has knocked on every possible door, in Lebanon and Syria, doing their best, to find the two bishops.

Bishop Kourie called on Lebanese authorities to make this case a national cause given its impact on interfaith coexistence and dialogue. He slammed "religious and ethnic cleansing in Syria, Iraq and Egypt" and the states that support it by providing men, weapons and money.

The apparitions of the Virgin at Moussaitbeh, a mixed district of Beirut with a substantial Syriac community, are similar to those that occurred in Zeitoun (1968). The Syriac Orthodox Church considers them authentic and solemnly recognised them in a patriarchal decree. Unfortunately, they have not received the attention they deserve from the other Eastern Churches in Lebanon, all of which had turned inward at the time of the events, even though these events resonated as a warning and an appeal for openness and unity, in the face of the initial rise of the Islamist peril.
by Mathias Hariyadi

Some 59 per cent Indonesians are intolerant towards minorities. Religious radicalism is on the rise. At least 11.5 million people are "spiritually" ready to change Indonesian society. The last election was poisoned by religious conflict. For Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, " radical groups have their own political agenda, namely the Islamic State of Indonesia. Only 11 per cent of Indonesians are strongly opposed to an Islamic nation.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Sectarian acts against non-Muslims are rising fast, this according to a study by the Wahid Foundation, an organisation that promotes a tolerant and multicultural society in Indonesia.

The Wahid Foundation was set up to support the humanitarian vision of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), a moderate Muslim intellectual and a former president of Indonesia, who, during his political career, promoted an inclusive version of Islam. As president, and as leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama, a Muslim movement, he promoted the rights of minorities, non-Muslims and Indonesian Chinese.

His widow, Sin Nuriyah Wahid, raised the issue of intolerance during a television interview on 10 April. The former first lady cited the Foundations study to warn her fellow citizens and her words continue to echo. The results of local elections in Jakarta on 19 April, which saw the victory of Anies Baswedan and radical Islamist groups, re-ignited the debate.

"Radical movements and the spirit of intolerance have infiltrated the daily life of Indonesian society. Only 11 per cent of respondents expressed strong rejection of the idea of establishing an Islamic nation," Sinta Wahid said.

She voiced concern and denounced one of the most worrying findings in the study. About "59 per cent of Indonesians who responded to the survey carried out acts of intolerance towards non-Muslims."

This spirit of hatred against ethnic and religious minorities was the main reason for the electoral upset that saw Jakartas incumbent governor, the Sino-Indonesian Christian Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, go down to defeat.

Analysts note with apprehension that religious radicalism is rapidly expanding in Indonesia. The Wahid Foundation study found that around 11.5 million citizens are "spiritually" ready to make radical fundamental changes in Indonesian society.

Throughout the election campaign, the most extremist Islamic leaders tried to influence the vote by manipulating the religious sentiment of voters (pictured). This led to many street demonstrations, which often turned violent.

"They want to adopt laws inspired by Sharia, and their demands will become more and more radical," Sinta Wahid warned. This trend represents a serious threat to national unity and to the pluralist spirit on which the country was founded.

"The government must control and enforce content censorship, Sinta Nuriyah Wahid said. The government must look at people who play an important role in religious institutes and issue Islamic teachings to society. This must be done to ensure the national interest of Indonesian pluralism and block radicalism and fundamentalism.

Finally, radical groups have their own political agenda, she explained, which is to transform the present United Republic of Indonesia into the Islamic State of Indonesia, something that I personally oppose."
by Christopher Sharma

In just 24 months, only 50,000 homes reconstructed thanks to the help of charitable associations, 887,353 were destroyed in the earthquake. The Nepali Reconstruction Authority has about four billion dollars available, but bureaucracy and corruption has everything at a standstill. The reality of homelessness.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - Two years after the violent magnitude 7.9 earthquake that ravaged Nepal on April 25, 2015, thousands of survivors are still living in tents.

Kathmandu's official sources confirm that they have rebuilt just 50,000 homes in 24 months, and 887,353 were destroyed due to the earthquake. But the most alarming fact is that the rebuilding of the few "fortunate" homes has been possible only thanks to the funding of charitable associations from all over the world. On the contrary, the Nepalese government has a sad primacy: not one home has been rebuilt with state subsidies alone, despite the huge donations that poured in from abroad.

The Nepalese Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has about four billion dollars at its disposal, but so far the government has signed agreements for only 2.6 billion. Reconstruction operations are, however, at a standstill because of slow operations and widespread corruption among officials. This dramatic picture was further aggravated by the recent government's decision to send bulldozers to the outskirts of the capital to level the campsites that sheltered at least 2,000 people to persuade them to return to their villages.

NRA leader Govinda Pokhrel states: "My hands are tied by laws and procedures. I cannot carry out any plans. " Then he adds, "We are really sorry to see this painful situation. The victims of the earthquake are still in tents and under trees. We would like to help them, but bureaucratic procedures prevent us. "

Fr. Boniface Tigga, Jesuit Superior, states that "the victims live in an extreme poverty. We help them by providing support for their needs. We have built more than 50 schools and various homes, but our contribution is not enough. The government seems confused by so many things, it should be more serious. " Whats more, "the rainy season is upon us, and the victims have no shelter."

Fr. Shilas, director of Caritas Nepal, argues that the Church's social arm "is on the front line in offering aid, but we cannot help everyone with our limited resources. We guarantee the support for the basic necessities, but the people need houses."

Ram Bahadur Bhusal, of the Sindhupalchowk district, escaped the earthquake, but now lives in critical conditions. "My wife, my two children and my elderly mother," he says, "have been living in a tent for two years. I asked for government help to rebuild my home, but I was not listened to. This year I am at least trying to erect a wall of mud, otherwise with the rains, the tent will be infiltrated with insects and snakes."

"My children and my mother are in tears with the situation. We cannot sleep, and my wife and I have to take shifts overnight. But all this is exhausting when you do not sleep at night, and in the morning you have to work to earn something. " The government, he adds with resignation, "seems indifferent to our problems. We are hopeless. I think the government will do nothing."
by Zi Yang

In China, ideological indoctrination is expanding in universities, despites signs of growing student rejection, this according to Zi Yang, an independent researcher and consultant on China affairs. He holds an M.A. from Georgetown University and a B.A. from George Mason University. Courtesy of the Jamestown Foundation .

Beijing (AsiaNews)  In a system where ministers are incentivized to report only good news, Chinas Minister of Education public censure of failures in ideological and political education (; IPE) at Chinese universities came as a surprise (FRI, March 12). A campaign has been underway to intensify IPE since a December 2016 conference on ideological and political work in Chinas universities and colleges. At the conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping strongly reaffirmed the supremacy of Marxism and socialism in Chinese institutions of higher learning, and pressed for strengthening of ideological and political work to indoctrinate the countrys 37 million college students (Xinhua, December 9, 2016). Yet the Minister of Educations criticisms indicate that IPE is not proving successful.

The Status Quo of IPE

Chinese colleges have a long history of radicalism that stirs fear among Party elites. Whether it was the Red Guard movement, the 1989 student demonstrations, or the recent nationalist protests, the college campus, with its proclivity for freethinking, is a place where the Party cannot afford to let go of the reins. Chinese universities are firmly controlled by the state through finances and appointment of administrative leadership. Even outwardly independent private colleges are falling under the control of newly installed Party secretaries with the clear intention of being the backbone of ideological and political work (China Wenming Online, January 13).

According to surveys completed by Chinese researchers, the Party enjoys majority support among college studentswith one poll showing that 73.3 percent support or strongly support the Partys leadership. [1] Although we must be aware that Chinas political climate deeply influences how interviewees answer a survey, research has shown that the Party does have a healthy level of support among college students. [2] Nonetheless, student support for IPE, the Partys signature indoctrination program, is comparatively low.

Mixing Marxism, patriotism, and some traditional Chinese values, IPE aims to rally mass support for the Party, its ideology, and its governance. Taught as a required course, one study shows that 64.4 percent of students are unsatisfied with IPE, with another 17.9 percent very unsatisfied. [3] Likewise, 50 percent of respondents in another study find IPE almost pointless, but forced themselves to attend due to school rules. Plagiarism and cheating are common due to students falling enthusiasm. [4] Despite interest in Red Culture (), a set of state sponsored cultural values based on the Chinese Communist Partys revolutionary experiencea notable minority (28.3 percent) of students find Red Culture events (a component of IPE) boring. Over half (53.2 percent) said they were forced to attend, and 60.5 percent view these events as irrelevant to real life. [5]

Why is IPE so Unpopular?

Political indoctrination is rarely fun, especially for students living in a relatively open society. While students demand more discussions, debates and field work, IPE teachers can only continue with monotonous lectures because any exercise involving critical analysis will shatter the perfect image of Marxism. [6] Thus, while Chinese college students loathe IPE for being a single-voice class () where the teacher dominates the conversation, changes are less likely to come as it could possibly destroy IPE in its entirety. [7]

IPE is fighting an uphill battle in three areas. The increasing Internet usage by Chinese college students is corroding the hold of official ideology. For example, the officially championed myth of the Chinese Communist Party as the mainstay in expelling Japanese invaders is slowly losing believers, because more and more students are learning the truth from the Internet. [8] Eighty percent of Chinese college students spend more than two hours a day surfing the Web, 92 percent say they use the Internet as a source of information, and 88.9 percent use Weibo (Chinese equivalent of Twitter) and WeChat (Chinese equivalent of WhatsApp)two apps that allow students some modicum of privacy when discussing current affairs. [9]

The arrival of organized religion to Chinese campuses poses another threat to official ideology. Besides offering mental comfort, organized religious groups serve as a social safety net for students, in comparison to communist political organizations that are fraught with corruption and exclusivism. Recent studies show that interest in religion is gaining strength in Chinese colleges, even in the Communist Youth League. [10] Forty-nine percent of students do not know that Party members must be atheists, and a third (31.4 percent) do not mind campus proselytizingan act forbidden by the state. [11] While the growing interest in religion has not openly challenged the Partys dominance of campuses, one trend might spell trouble in the near future. In one survey of Xinjiang colleges, 5.8 percent of respondents believe one can force a religion on others. [12] More alarmingly, 8.6 percent agree with the extreme position that spreading ones religion using violent means is permissible. [13]

IPE educators face additional difficulties in areas dominated by ethnic and religious minorities, in particular among Tibetans and the Turkic Muslims of Xinjiang. Few of these groups played major roles in the events of the 20th century that conditioned the contemporary Chinese psyche. Compared to Mongols and Hui Muslims that allied with Chinese communists in the fight against Japan, Tibetans and Turkic Muslims played next to no role in the in the War of Resistance Against Japan (19371945) which forms the core of the CCPs national narrative. Moreover, Marxisms anti-religion doctrine makes IPE difficult when teaching Tibetan college students who hold Lamaism in high regard. Most Tibetans live their entire life according to Buddhism precepts and hold deep reverence for their religious leaders. To teach religion as obsolescent is not only deeply offensive to Tibetans, but also counterproductive to IPE in general. [14] The same can be said for Xinjiang, where ethnic Turkic Muslims constitute more than half of the provinces population. Although students would pay lip service to the curriculum just so they can graduate, the doctrinaire system of pedagogy is not truly winning over hearts and minds.

The Role of Political Counselors

Outside of the classroom, Political Counselors (; PCs) take care of a students all-around needs while attending college, and are tasked with shaping his/her ideological and political values. As the backbone of ideological and political education for college students, PCs are the organizer, implementer and mentors of college students in everyday ideological and political education and management (Ministry of Education, July 23, 2006).

Working closely with selected student cadres, the PCs spread the Partys message when students are outside of the classroom. Although the law stipulates that there should be one PC to every 200 students, in reality, personnel shortage makes the ratio much higher. One to 300 or 400 is not an unusual number. In extreme cases, it has been reported that a PC have to take care of 1,000 students, making the job impossible. [15]

Besides being over-encumbered, 56 percent of PCs are unsatisfied with their salary and benefits. To add to the already tense environment, PCs are governed by a dual command regime, where school and department leadership can sometime issue conflicting orders. [16]

Under these circumstances, it is not a surprise to find that some PCs do not even agree with the Party line themselves. One poll shows that 31.92 percent of PCs do not believe in the Marxist dogma that a communist society is inevitable. Straying from the government narrative, close to half (47.1 percent) of PCs do not believe that the income gap will close in ten years. [17]

The Role of Protection Divisions

If IPE teachers and PCs are the softer side of political indoctrination, then Protection Divisions () are the stick that police political behavior. Present in every university bureaucracy, the Protection Division have several functionspublic safety, fire prevention, registering visitors and temporary workersand most importantly, political policing. Underneath each Protection Division there is a Political Protection Section (; PPS). While taking on different names at different colleges, the mission of the PPS remain more or less the samepropagate official ideology and counter any attempts by hostile forces in influencing students. Although the PPS do not have law enforcement power, a power reserved for the public security police, it does have the power to investigate. [18] Political Protection Informants (), selected from the student body, serve as the PPSs eyes and ears () (Xian Shiyou University, June 6, 2014).

Given the secrecy surrounding its work, most PPSs do not publicize their duties, but the PPS of the Harbin Institute of Technology, self-referred to as the Political Protection and State Security Office (), openly declares its responsibilities as the following:

1. Responsible for propaganda and education of the national security concept, enemy awareness, and political stability.

2. Responsible for understanding, controlling, tracking, and ideological education of key people that can influence political stability.

3. Responsible for carrying out research and information gathering; grasp the ideological trends among faculty and students in a timely and accurate manner to provide the basis for higher-level leadership decision-making.

4. Cooperate with public security and state security police in detecting and investigating cases endangering state security.

5. Responsible for security of important leaders and foreign dignitaries. Assist relevant agencies in implementing security measures for foreign experts, teachers, exchange students, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and visiting foreign staff.

6. Assist relevant agencies to prevent and punish infiltration, incitement, and sabotage of schools by domestic and foreign hostile forces, illegal religious forces, and ethnic separatist forces.

7. Assist relevant agencies in secure management of the campuss computer network system and identification of sources of harmful information.

8. Assist relevant agencies in confidential work.

9. Conduct political review of school staff in accordance with the requirements of relevant agencies.

10. Assist relevant agencies in managing student associations.

11. Conduct basic business work. Establish and improve the management of various data files.

12. Assist other sections and offices in completing tasks. Complete any other mission assigned by the division director (Harbin Institute of Technology).

In essence, PPS is the monitor of campus security and ideological uniformity, in addition to serving as the workhorse of counterintelligence. While IPE staff focus on pedagogy, it is the PPSs mission to keep out unofficial people and ideas. This repressive regime is likely to receive greater state investment due to the risks associated with liberalizing IPE.

Conclusion

Among Chinese college students, support for the Party and government remain strongat least on paper. However, most students have shown their dissatisfaction with IPE and their inability to intake additional political coursework void of liberal teaching methods. In the future, the state will likely strengthen IPE in the following ways. Firstly, the state will try to assert greater control of the cyber sphere by clamping down on alternative sources of information popular among studentsalso by intensifying propaganda and counterpropaganda on Weibo and WeChat. Secondly, more PCs will be trained to alleviate the current personnel shortage. Thirdly, greater attention will be diverted to indoctrination in ethnic areas, especially to the Tibetan and Turkic Muslims most susceptible to what the state calls the three evils of terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. Finally, there will be a renewed pushback against the spread of religion in colleges, a trend, if unchecked, will present significant challenges in winning over Chinas brightest young minds.

Notes

1. Jianbo Dai, 90 [An Empirical Study of Political Identity of College Students Born after 1990a Study Based on Surveys of Seven Hubei Universities], Higher Education Exploration, no. 7 (July 2016), p. 105.

2. Yingna Huang,  [The Current Situation of University Students Socialist Core Values], Modern Education Management, no. 11 (November 2016), p. 99.

3. Xingyu Chen, 7 [Investigation on Practical Teaching of the Ideological and Political Theory Course in Colleges and Universities: Taking Seven Colleges and Universities in Yunnan Province as Examples], Journal of Dali University, no. 5 (May 2015), p. 89.

4. Weixia Zhang et al., S [Reflections on College Students Political Participation in Local Universities: Taking S University as an Example], Meitan Higher Education, no. 3 (May 2016), p. 71; Xingyu Chen, p. 91.

5. Shengqi Luo, Chao Wang, and Qingzhi Zheng,  [A Survey of Student Recognition and Demand of Red Culture Education in Universities and Its Enlightenment], Shanghai Journal of Education Evaluation, no. 5 (October 2016), p. 55; Ibid, p. 57.

6. Haoye Wang and Wuer Yan, 95 [An Analysis of Post-1995 Undergraduates Understanding of Ideological and Political Educationusing Beijing Jiaotong University as an Example], Journal of Chinese Youth Social Science, no. 4 (July 2016), p. 104.

7. Tingjian Lang and Bingzhuo Bai,  [Dilemma and Countermeasures of Ideological and Political Course in Colleges and UniversitiesBased on the Viewpoints of Teaching Faculty], Social Sciences Journal of Universities in Shanxi, no. 6 (June 2016), pp. 4445.

8. Qingxin Shi and Anzhou Fu,  [Identity and Its Influencing Factors of the Idea The Chinese Communist Party as the Mainstay in the War of Resistance against Japan Based on the Questionnaire Survey of Four Universities in Wuhan], Theory and Reform, no. 3 (May 2016), p. 83.

9. Na Chen,  [Challenges to Teachers of Ideological and Political Course in Colleges on Their Media Literacy in the Circumstances of New Media], Journal of Urumqi Vocational University, no. 3 (September 2016), p. 15; Qing Min,  [Current Situation of College Students Online Political Participation and the Countermeasures: An Empirical Research in Four Northwest Universities of Hubei Province], Journal of Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, no. 4 (April 2016), p. 46.

10. Jianhui Liang, 1200 [Comparative Analysis on the Current Situation of Religious Fever and Ideological and Political Education in Colleges and Universities Based on an Empirical Investigation of 1200 National College Students], Journal of Guangzhou Institute of Socialism, no. 3 (July 2016), p. 104.

11. Hongmei Wang and Lin Gui, pp. 5556.

12. Fayang Chen,  [An Analysis of the Survey of Religious Penetration of College Students in Xinjiang], Inheritance & Innovation, no. 10 (October 2015), p. 119.

13. Ibid, p. 120.

14. Shuguang Liu,  [Difficulties in the Teaching of the Ideological and Political Theory Course and the Effective Use of Religious Resources in Tibetan UniversitiesTaking Gansu Normal University for Nationalities as an Example], Course Education Research, no. 23 (August 2016), p. 64; Longhua Wang,  [On Political Counselors Methods of Choosing Student Cadres in Colleges and Universities], Journal of Harbin Vocational & Technical College, no. 2 (March 2013), p. 76; Hongxia Zhou, Xuelong Yang, and Kui Liu, 2231 [Analysis of Status Quo of and Solutions to Mental Health of College and University Counselors: Empirical Investigation into 2231 Counselors in Zhejiang Province], Journal of Zhejiang Normal University (Social Sciences), no. 6 (November 2015), p. 92.

15. Yaya Li and Guodong Zhang, 897 [Construction of College Advisors Team with Humanistic VisionBased on the Investigation of 897 Counselors in Gansu Province], Journal of College Advisor, no. 5 (October 2016), p. 38; Haijun Zhao and Junping Fan,  [The Mental State of Ideological Political Work of Political Instructors in Colleges and Universities], Heilongjiang Science and Technology Information, no. 36 (December 2012), p. 231.

16. Yaya Li and Guodong Zhang, p. 36; Nan Zhao et al., 20 [The Plight of Marxist Beliefs and beyond Based on a Survey of College Counselors from 20 Universities], Journal of Chongqing University (Social Science Edition), no. 2 (March 2016), p. 197.

17. Ibid, p. 195.

18. Tianling Wang and Haobin Chi,  [The Innovation of College Security Work in the New Situation], Ability and Wisdom, no. 27 (September 2016), p. 164.
by NAT da Polis

The current Turkish President has favoured a new, mostly Anatolian middle class through neo-liberal policies at the expense of Kemalist statism. in doing so, he has allowed its members to express their religiosity more openly, but has himself also become more authoritarian.

Istanbul (AsiaNews  In order to understand the Erdogan phenomenon and his authoritarian use of power, which is far from any democratic norm, a short excursion into the recent history of Turkey is necessary.

Like other societies, Turkey is a product of its history. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 by the countrys military, headed by General Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk, founding father of the Republic of Turkey.

Heirs to the Ottoman Empire, Turkeys Armed Forces created the modern state salvaging what was left of the Empire, on the basis of certain pillars  the Armed Forces, a military-controlled justice system, the Foreign Ministry, the Education Minister, and the Religious Affairs Directorate (Dinayet*)  a system that lasted for decades.

This new Turkey inherited the more-or-less efficient Ottoman state apparatus, as well as a profoundly conservative population. The gap between a conservative society and a military regime that sought to impose its ideas of reform resulted in an authoritarian form of governance that lasted from 1923 to 2002 when Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP**) came to power.

The new regime did not have the means to educate the population, i.e. to convince people that their way was better. For this reason, it undertook a form of social engineering, based on hyper-nationalism.

In view of its methods, someone even compared the Kemalist regime to the Soviet Union. It is perhaps no coincidence that the Kemalist regime developed at a time when a number of authoritarian regimes (Soviet, Fascist, etc.) emerged in Europe.

It should also be noted that Kemal Ataturk, and his followers hailed from Balkan countries, with a background different from that of Anatolian Turks. Kemal, who was from Thessalonica, had attended a Donmeh school (by Crypto-Jews who converted to Islam), and his followers hailed from various Balkan ethnic groups who had embraced Islam, a common practice imposed under Ottoman rule.

This created a major cleavage in Turkish society between Anatolian Turks, traditionally very religious, poorer and much less educated, and the more educated and secularised, and therefore more progressive Turks, of Balkan origin, the so-called White Turks (Tr: Beyaz Turkler) who came to dominate the new Turkish Republic.

Under the new dispensation those who did not fit the new mould came to suffer, most notably the Kurds, who wanted self-determination, the Alevi Muslim minority, and non-Muslim minorities, viewed as pro-democracy or socialism, but also perceived as a danger to the survival of the new state.

The creation of this seemingly secular state was the work of Ataturks Republican People's Party (CHP***), the only party allowed until 1950. For decades, the regime, backed by a highly-centralised Education Ministry, prevented and suppressed every democratic development in Turkish society.

After 1950, the United States imposed a multiparty parliamentary system. However, a series of military coups (1960,197,1980,1997) brought the political system back to the right, Kemalist path through purges and the banning of various political groups. During the single-party period, from 1923 to 1950, whenever a political group emerged and found mass support, it was immediately persecuted.

For this reason, the Turkish Parliament has never exercised real authority. Power was always exercised by the Kemalist state apparatus. Unfortunately, as Turkish academic Murat Belge noted, when the westernised Kemalists held sway in the West, the latter failed to see their anti-democratic practices and their suppression of the demands of much of the Turkish population.

The result of the state-building process undertaken by Ataturk and his comrades in 1923 is the lack of a democratic culture. This is why politics in Turkey is about who controls the state, not parliament, since there is no separation between the various branches of government. Exercising power makes no sense if a political party does not control the judiciary, the public service, and obviously the military.

It is important to note that the Turkish state is secular only in name. Basically, the state has never separated itself from religion. In fact, it came to control religion completely through the powerful Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet).

What is more, after the coup detat of 1980, Islamist parties began their march towards power in order to counter the growth of left-of-centre parts. This started with President Turgut Ozal, of Kurdish origin, and continued under Erbakan and Erdogan.

It is thus clear that Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys current president, is not destroying a democracy because the latter has never historically existed. He is an Islamist child of the Kemalist period.

Erdogan, who grew up in Kasmpasa, a poor neighbourhood in Istanbul, studied at an Imam Hatip school, a clerical educational facility. His unpolished language and his party embody the type of Turk that was supposed to develop over the decades according to the Kemalist canon. However, whenever this kind of Turk failed he was despised and marginalised. Erdogan is the classic example of a Soviet- or Fascist-styled experiment.

The current Turkish president represents a new middle class, centred on Anatolia, empowered by neoliberalism, in opposition to Kemalist statism. This class can now express its religiosity. However, for Erdogan this has meant moving towards greater authoritarianism since he is unable to see politics and social life through democratic lenses.

Kemalists tried to stop Erdogan in the Supreme Court in 2007 by preventing his partys candidate, Abdullah Gul, from becoming president, but failed to by only one vote. After that, Erdogan began to purge the Kemalist establishment until the 2011 election.

That election marked a turning point. By winning more than 50 per cent of the vote, he showed that the Kemalist danger did not exist anymore. Afterwards, he started to show signs of arrogance, vainglory, and paternalism, by interfering in peoples private life and telling them how to behave.

An old Kemalist told me that Erdogan did not impose anything; instead, the people of Anatolia imposed Erdogan on us. Since then, a number of events occurred, like the Gezi park protests, the Syrian crisis, Erdogans election to the presidency, as well as his flip flops on the Kurds, the Russians, etc.

The razor thin majority he got in his much-desired referendum on 16 April raises a number of questions:

1. what kind of balance of power will emerge in a country with limited democratic traditions;

2. what impact will have Turkeys new state apparatus with Erdogans entrenched in power following the removal of Kemalists and educated followers of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.

As some Turkey experts note, although Kemalists and Gulenists were not truly pro-Western, at least they followed some Western notion of governance, which cannot be said for those from Anatolia.

In short, will Erdogan be able to control himself after his latest victory, or he will continue to be aggressive because he has no alternatives. Whatever the case, the consequences are worrisome.

Meanwhile, White Turks are buying homes in Greece to get the much desired residence permit valid for Europe.

* Diyanet Isleri Baskanlg; literally, the Presidency of Religious Affairs.

** Adalet ve Kalknma Partisi.

*** Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi.
by Sumon Corraya

The agreement was signed between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Saudi king last year. The mosques will teach lessons to more than 150,000 children. They will have a daily capacity of more than 450,000 men and 30,000 women. "Imams must be controlled." "These mosques will not teach true Islam. People will learn extremism. "

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Saudi Arabia will donate $ 974.17 billion to Bangladesh [over 10.8 billion euros] to build 560 mosques according to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry. The agreement between Dhaka and Riyadh was reached last year during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Saudi king Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Officially, the donation will serve to bridge the shortage of places of Islamic worship in Bengal territory. However speaking to AsiaNews Muslim experts and teachers express mixed feelings: some rejoice at the news, others point out how a huge cash flow could bring with it and spread militant and extremist ideas.

The Saudi Plan foresees the construction of Category A, B and C buildings, based on the extension of the building area. They can accommodate at least 450,000 men and 30,000 women a day for prayers. Facilities will be able to accommodate 2 thousand foreign tourists. There will also be read-reading libraries that will welcome more than 34,000 people.

The authorities ensure that the distribution of the mosques will be capillary and even the smallest district, municipal or administrative sub-district will have at least one. According to the project, the places of worship will have to provide primary education to more than 150,000 children and it will be possible to carry out the registration operations for Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) directly on site.

Zillur Rahman, president of Baag-a-Jannat Mahila Madrasha, an Islamic school (madrassa) for women alone, believes that it is "a good initiative, especially because the villages lack mosques. But the government must take on imams formed by the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation (organization under the control of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, ndr). Only then can the mosques be able to spread the right teaching, otherwise there is a risk that wrong doctrines will come from these places of worship. " Even those who evaluate the imams, he adds, "must recognize those who is qualified and who is not."

In contrast, Harun-ur-Rashid, a university professor, states: "The government must not accept any donation. Saudi Arabian authorities seek to conquer the hearts of the people of Bangladesh because they need the support of Islamic countries. But these mosques will not teach true Islam. People will learn extremism. "

Naeem Mohaiemen adds that Bangladesh "shows little historical memory and shame, because we have accepted a gift from a country that has tried - and has managed - to undermine our birth." He remembers that in 1972-1975, the Saudis "refused to recognize the new state of Bangladesh because we had dared to detach ourselves from Islamic Pakistan". The man also states that when then President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was murdered on August 15, 1975, the father of the current Prime Minister Hasina, who had led the country towards independence - "Pakistan was the first country to recognize the military regime of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, and Saudi Arabia was the second. "

Regarding the Saudi donation, Mohammod Talha, head of Jamia Islam Madrasha, states that "it is a very positive and timely initiative. We need more mosques, but the government must monitor what happens inside them. Only the Koran should be taught. "
by Nirmala Carvalho

The meeting with Yogi Adityanath took place on 21 April. Local Church leaders extended their best wishes to him in his new capacity. They also asked him to guarantee the security and protection of the Christian minority and its places of worship.

Lucknow (AsiaNews)  Seven Catholic bishops met on Friday with Uttar Pradeshs newly-elected chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, and expressed their best wishes to him in his new capacity.

During the 15-minute meeting, Church leaders assured him that he is in their prayers, but they also raised the issue of security for the Christian minority.

The meeting was especially important since Yogi Adityanath is a famous Hindu priest, known for his radical views, including extreme criticisms of Mother Teresa of Kolkata and the work of Christians in India, and for the fact that one of the latest episodes of anti-Christian intolerance took place in the State he governs.

"We assured him of our prayers for the success of his work as the head of the government of the largest Indian state, Mgr Gerald John Mathias, bishop of Lucknow, told AsiaNews. We also expressed some concerns, calling for security and protection of our minority, especially in its places of worship. We also asked the eminent chief minister to investigate people who take the law into their own hands."

The reference is to an episode on 7 April, when members of the radical Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth nationalist group created in 2002 by Yogi Adityanath himself, broke into a church in Dadhauli (Maharajganj district) and disrupted an ongoing religious service.

About 150 worshippers were in the church at the time, including ten American tourists. Everyone, including Rev Yuhanna Adam, were arrested by police on charges of forced conversions to Christianity.

During the meeting, the "chief minister assured us that he would not allow people to stand above the law, Mgr Mathias said. He expressed appreciation for our work in the service of the poor and the needy, especially in the field of education. Finally, he invited us to continue practicing our faith without fear."

The bishop went on to say that Yogi Adityanath "is against conversions, but told us to continue to talk about Prabhu Yesu (the Lord Jesus), respect other faiths, and live in harmony with everyone."
10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Illinois

Illinois is one of the beautiful states in the midwest region of the United States. It is surrounded by five states and borders the Great Lakes, which makes it the perfect travel destination for thousands of people. As beautiful as the large city of Chicago is the smaller towns that share the best of what rural Illinois has to offer. Here are the 10 most beautiful and charming small towns to visit across the state.

Best Small Towns in Illinois

Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link.
Big funding opportunity for Australian agri-tech start-ups





Australian agriculture entrepreneurs are being offered the opportunity each to receive $40, 000 in start-up capital to help launch a new business idea.

Offered by the SproutX Accelerator program, successful applicants will also receive mentoring from agtech experts, six months of rent-free office space in Melbourne, introduction to key industry groups and publicity support.

SproutX was established by the National Farmers Federation and financial institution, Findex.

The program is designed to be a collaboration between corporate, academia and government to enable Australias agriculture sector.

SproutX says it is looking for applications from start-ups which have traction, team and technology. Applicants should have evidence of interest in their technologically-driven agriculture business, whether it be through sales, proof of consumer interest or letters of intent.

Those who want to apply for the program need to do so before 8 May 2017. More information and application forms can be found at the SproutX website.

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CCA profits drop along with Australian sugar consumption





Coca-Cola Amatil has been hit hard by competition and changing consumer trends, announcing that its profit for the first half of 2017 will decline.

CCA is the bottler of the full range of drink brands owned by The Coca-Cola Company, as well as selling its own branded drinks such as Goulburn Valley, Mount Franklin Water, Kirks and Deep Spring.

CCA also manufactures foods under such brands as SPC Australia (including fruit-based products such as tinned fruits), Weight Watchers, Perfect Fruit and Taylors brands.

In an update to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), CCA said trading in its Australian beverages for the year to date has been weaker than last year with all channels experiencing volume and price pressure due to competition and category trends.

CCA said although it is working with The Coca-Cola Company to rebalance its portfolio, more time is needed for initiatives to gain traction.

SPC in-line

CCA reported that although its sugary drinks may be struggling, SPC is trading as expected.

Trading is also as expected in New Zealand, Fiji, coffee and alcohol.

Papua New Guinea is performing well and while trading in Indonesia continues to be impacted by soft market growth, the business is delivering to expectations, CCA said.

CCA stated it expected its full 2017 financial year underlying net profit to be broadly in line with its 2016 results.

This is largely driven by challenges being experienced in Australian Beverages, CCA reported.

Australias fall in sugary drink consumption

Australian Food News has previously reported on Australias dropping interest in sweet drinks.

In March 2017, Roy Morgan Research released data showing Australians are drinking less cordial.

In March 2015, Roy Morgan Research also released data showing a slowdown in soft-drink consumption among Australians.

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Up to 100,000 people from New Zealand living and working in Australia could face a longer wait if they want to become Australian citizens as changes announced last week are set to affect them the most.Tens of thousands of Kiwis who had already met income and character standards had been expected to use a streamlined pathway to citizenship that was announced last year by the Government that would allow applicants to first receive permanent residency then citizenship one year later.But it is claimed that this has now been put into doubt with the citizenship changes meaning that all new applicants must have been living in Australia for at least four years.According to Tim Gassin, chairman of expat lobby group Oz Kiwi, the changes will also have a negative impact on students from New Zealand studying in Australia.'Thousands of people here were thinking finally, after in some cases up to 16 years here, we'll enjoy full rights in a bit over a year and are now being told you can wait four years and we're going to put a whole lot of other requirements on it,' said Gassin.He warned that it often seemed as if Australian immigration officials and policy makers do not think about the fact that there are half a million odd New Zealanders living in Australia.'These things often get overlooked, and we end up in this sort of mess with these sort of changes announced and really the New Zealand Government on the back foot and us on the back foot trying to sort it out,' he explained.Meanwhile, one expat, Libby Shaw, has started a petition for the changes to be axed. The freelance writer, who has lived in Sydney since 2008, said she had been counting down the days until she could get her citizenship.She had two and a half years to wait to get her permanent residency then one year before she was eligible for citizenship, but now she believes that under the changes she will have a seven-year wait.Experts point out that the rules can affect what an expat who has permanent residency and is waiting to be eligible for citizenship can and cannot do. For example, permanent residents cannot get student loans, join the defence force, or vote in Australia. Non-citizens can also be deported if they commit a minor crime.
Hi,

I'm just curious as to the timeline.

Mrs and I applied for her visa(sub 300) 15 Sept 16. Payment was made in advance the previous month.

After a day or two they requested the medical checks, she completed those the following week.

Today(24 Apr 17) we only just got the letter of Acknowledgement of application.

Is this common to have such a large gap between the application date and acknowledgement?

I'm still happy to know things are finally progressing, it's been agonizing without hearing anything, the mrs and I have been in a relationship for over 5 years now.
Price cuts ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 55 lakh on Rolls-Royce line-up for India.

The post-Brexit period is turning out to be a field day for the rich buyer in the market for a luxury automobile, with British auto manufacturer Rolls-Royce being the latest to announce price cuts across its line-ups. With the pound sterling now valued at around Rs 80 versus that of a pre-Brexit high of nearly Rs 100, British manufacturers can now export models at significantly cheaper rates.

Rolls-Royces India line-up which includes the Ghost, Dawn and Wraith come with new price tags that range from Rs 4.37 crore to Rs. 5.7 crore. Price cuts are between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 55 lakh, depending on the model.

Also, the recently introduced limited Black Badge editions will pass on this benefit with prices at Rs 4.93 crore for the Ghost Black Badge and Rs 5.28 crore for the Wraith Black Badge. The brands erstwhile range topper, the Phantom and its variants have been discontinued with the launch of a successor expected in the near future.

This move follows close on the heels of the recent reduction in prices by Land Rover on its entire range. The locally assembled Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque received price cuts of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 3 lakh respectively, while full imports like the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models saw a reduction of Rs 50 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.

For now, Brexit seems to be working in British carmakers favour and these price cuts are expected to further raise sales volumes, as it gives them an added edge over other European luxury car manufacturers. Overall, the super-luxury car market is expected to grow in the next couple of years with most manufacturers sharing positive sentiments about GST and its implementation.

Below is a price listing for Rolls Royce Indias current lineup.

Rolls-Royce prices Model Old price New price Difference Dawn Rs 6.25 crore Rs 5.7 crore Rs 55 lakh Ghost SWB Rs 4.5 crore Rs 4.37 crore Rs 13 lakh Ghost EWB Rs 4.9 crore Rs 4.86 crore Rs 4 lakh Ghost Black Badge --- Rs 4.93 crore --- Wraith Rs 4.7 crore Rs 4.69 crore Rs 1 lakh Wraith Black Badge --- Rs 5.28 crore --- Phantom Rs 6.4 crore --- Discontinued Phantom EWB Rs 7.5 crore --- Discontinued Phantom Drophead Coupe Rs 7.45 crore --- Discontinued Phantom Coupe Rs 6.98 crore --- Discontinued

All prices, ex-showroom, Mumbai.

Also read:

Massive price cuts for Land Rover SUVs in India
Audi e-tron Quattro has been announced to go on sale in Norway prior to its production. Apparently, Audi has been getting overwhelming queries on the new electric SUV.

The automaker will begin accepting pre-orders today, April 24, for the electric SUV Audi e-tron Quattro. The announcement was released through the Norwegian website of the automaker.

Still set to enter the production line next year, the new e-tron Quattro has been planned to be offered in advance to the Norwegian market. Pre-ordered units have also been scheduled to begin releasing next year.

Interested buyers are just required to pay 20,000 kroner ($,2900) as down-payment for one unit of the upcoming electric SUV. The said amount has also been confirmed to be refundable.

Audi Norway director Harald Edvardsen-Eibak revealed that they have been receiving an overwhelming response after they have first introduced the first draft edition of the Audi e-tron Quattro in 2015. Car enthusiasts may recall that the e-tron Quattro concept was displayed at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Moreover, Harald Edvardsen-Eibak proudly mentioned that they are first in the Audi Group to present the e-tron concept as a solution to the growing demand for an electric SUV. The automaker also recognized the fact that the electric vehicles have pioneered in Norway.

In addition, the Audi Norway director shared they have great confidence for the electric SUVs to hit the Norwegian roads. The automaker also aims to release the e-tron Sportback in 2019.

The new Audi e-tron Quattro will come with a 95-kWh battery pack. The automaker boasts the new crossover can make a range of over 500 km (311 miles). It can produce the electric equivalent of 435 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Its size lies in between the Q5 and Q7.

In another report, electric vehicles are indeed a growing business in Norway. Statistics say the plug-in electric vehicles comprise about 37 percent of total recorded vehicle sales in Norway in January. Apparently, the Norwegian government encourages the utilization of electric vehicles by providing incentives such as free toll roads, access to bus lanes, exemption from a 25 percent VAT tax, and free parking.

The future looks brighter for the upcoming electric SUVs in Norway. Interested buyers may check the Norwegian website to book their own unit of the Audi e-tron Quattro now.
Lilium Aviation, of Munich, says it has flown a prototype of its all-electric VTOL tilt-engine aircraft that the company says will fly 160 knots in horizontal thrust configuration with a range of 180 miles. A video provided by the company of the first flight shows the aircraft, with what looks like a spacious automotive-style cabin, autonomously taking off vertically, turning tightly and transitioning to aerodynamic flight before landing vertically. There has been no independent confirmation that the video is an accurate rendition of the flight but if its all real then it appears some breakthroughs have been made by the company, which is reportedly backed by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom. We have solved some of the toughest engineering challenges in aviation to get to this point, the company said in a statement.

They call it a jet but its powered by 36 electric-powered ducted fans, 24 on rotating flaps on the wings and six on each of the tubular canards ahead of the cabin. According to some reports, the motors have a total of 430 horsepower and the main technological breakthrough is in the batteries. The company will have a chance to celebrate, and explain, its milestone at the Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas this week. CEO Daniel Wiegand will be a panelist at the eVTOL Developer Concept and Technologies discussion at the meeting.
Tens of thousands of people marched to the Tsitsernakabert memorial in Yerevan on Monday to mark the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

The annual daylong procession followed a prayer service led by Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, by the hilltop memorials eternal fire. President Serzh Sarkisian, Prime Minister Karen Karapetian and other senior government officials also attended the ceremony held in memory of some 1.5 million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Turks during the First World War.

The genocide began with the arrest on April 24, 1915 of hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and political figures in Constantinople. That was followed by the mass killings and deportations of Armenian subjects of the crumbling Ottoman Empire.

It is our duty to not only remember and respect [the genocide victims] but also to live, work and fight in their place with redoubled vigor, Sarkisian said in a written address to the nation.

Let us remember that this annual march is a march by a surviving people that has not forgotten what it had left behind but looks to the future with confidence, he said.

Eduard Sharmazanov, the spokesman for Sarkisians Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), made clear that official Yerevan will continue to seek greater international recognition of the genocide. Sooner or later this genocide will be condemned [by the entire world] because there is no other option, he told reporters at Tsitsernakabert.

The genocide has already been officially recognized by 26 foreign states, including France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Russia and the Vatican.

Sadly, that genocide was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century, Pope Francis declared at the start of an official visit to Armenia in June last year. He visited and prayed at Tsitsernakabert during that trip.

Francis marked the 100th anniversary of what he called the first genocide of the 20th century with a special mass held at the Vaticans St. Peters Basilica in April 2015. Turkey responded by recalling its ambassador from the Vatican in protest. It reacted just as angrily after the pontiff reaffirmed the genocide recognition in June 2016.

Successive Turkish governments have claimed that Ottoman Armenian died in smaller numbers and as a result of civil strife, rather than a premediated government policy of extermination.

Most Western historians specializing in research of crimes against humanity dismiss the official Turkish position. The historical record on the Armenian Genocide is unambiguous and documented by overwhelming evidence, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) said in a 2007 statement.

Among Armenians laying flowers at the Yerevan memorial there seemed to be widespread pessimism about eventual Turkish recognition of the genocide. Turkey wont recognize it as long as it exists, said one you man visiting Tsitsernakabert with his wife and children.

I think the Turks will recognize the genocide only if America forces them to, an older Yerevan resident told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Another man, an elderly ethnic Armenian from Syria, had grown up hearing first-hand accounts of the 1915 atrocities from his parents and other genocide survivors. God willing, we wont suffer so many casualties anymore, he said.
24 April 2017 14:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Ngaire Woods

As the worlds financial leaders gather for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings, many working people around the world are demanding radical change, because they sense that their voices are not being heard. Those who are supposed to represent them should not ignore this anger and frustration any longer.

According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, the publics confidence in the status quo has collapsed worldwide, owing to widely held concerns about globalization, innovation, immigration, the erosion of social values, and corruption. At the same time, the response from elites who regard themselves as the guardians of economic growth has sometimes made matters worse. If they think they can allay public concerns simply by explaining the benefits of the current global economic system and tweaking policies to compensate those left behind, they are in for a rude awakening.

Earlier this month, the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organization published a joint reportextolling the benefits of trade as a driver of productivity growth, competition, and consumer choice. The reports argument in favor of free trade is not new, nor is its recommendation that active labor-market policies be used to cushion the blow of lost jobs and livelihoods. What is new is that repeating these claims, without also addressing peoples deeper concerns, can now do more harm than good.

Global public opinion has changed dramatically in recent years. A majority of people worldwide  and up to 72% of people in France and Italy  now believe that the system has failed them. Moreover, only 29% of people across 28 countries now trust government leaders, while three-quarters of those surveyed say they trust reformers who would upend the status quo. These findings suggest that those defending free trade have lost credibility with the people they hope to persuade.

World leaders need to recognize that todays populist revolts are being fueled by a sense of lost dignity  a sentiment that does not factor into most policymakers prescription for economic growth and compensatory payments. Working-class voters have lashed out because they feel not just economically abandoned, but also socially disdained and culturally marginalized. Their vote is the only means they have left to hit back at the establishment.

To address the publics concerns requires a three-part agenda. The first order of business should be to reach out to those who feel voiceless and unrepresented. During the US presidential campaign, Donald Trump tapped into this sentiment when he vowed to punish any company that moves jobs to China or Mexico.

As the filmmaker Michael Moore explained prior to the election, American working-class voters were desperate to hear someone promise to take on big business. The fact that it took a populist plutocrat to do it underscores the extent to which the American labor movement has been extinguished. Political parties that originally emerged from the labor movement have long since shifted to the center. They now accept political contributions from big business, and have accordingly adopting the language of common prosperity and consensus politics, leaving the many working people who do not share in that prosperity and consensus feeling disregarded and displaced.

Second, the quality of work, and the status that it confers, must be improved. In wealthy countries, precarious, poorly paid, and even dangerous forms of employment are becoming increasingly common. A recent Bloomberg Businessweek story describes how temporary workers at auto-parts factories in Alabama are paid just $7.25 per hour, and must work in hazardous conditions with no safety training. In 2010, these workers suffered work injuries at a 50% higher rate than unionized auto-parts workers elsewhere.

As the OECD has shown, non-standard work is proliferating globally. This trend is contributing to deteriorating working conditions, making workers feel increasingly helpless and vulnerable. Reversing it will require robust standards to ensure workplace safety, fair pay, and the right to enter into collective-bargaining arrangements. Governments will have to intervene to set these standards, as they did during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to improve abysmal conditions in factories. Otherwise, businesses will not be able to behave decently, for fear of being undercut by unscrupulous competitors.

Finally, more opportunities must be created for the next generation  and not just economic opportunities. Since the 2008 financial crisis, many governments have reduced their investments in health, education, housing, and other forms of human capital. Many have also cut support for the unemployed, homeless, or indebted. As a result, those who have fallen behind are deprived not just of resources, but, more important, the chance to pursue their aspirations.

As the IMF, World Bank, and WTO show in their report, free trade and globalization have certainly increased the size of the overall economic pie. In theory, this should have expanded governments capacity to compensate those left behind and create the conditions for them to get ahead. In fact, the opposite has happened, owing to government cutbacks since 2008.

The establishments agenda has been failing for too long. And as elites continue to proclaim the benefits of free trade and globalization, they are merely widening the chasm of popular mistrust.

Over the past year, that mistrust has boiled over in many countries, with voters in one election after another rejecting the status quo. Piecemeal curbs on globalization will not be enough to quell the revolt. Instead, world leaders must leave their echo chamber, take ordinary peoples concerns seriously, diversify their views, and think about why so many have lost faith in the system.

Copyright: Project Syndicate:A Practical Agenda for Revolutionary Times

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24 April 2017 15:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Tax debts of 69,329 taxpayers in the amount of 728 million manats were unconditionally written off in the first quarter of 2017 in accordance with the bill "On regulation of tax debts of taxpayers on January 1, 2017".

The Taxes Ministry reported that the volume of tax debt to the state budget of Azerbaijan decreased by 393 million manats in the first quarter of 2017.

The total volume of debt of 39.880 taxpayers was 1.5 billion manats as of January 1, 2017, but the figure decreased to 1 billion manats [of 41.352 taxpayers] as of April 1, the ministry said.

In the first quarter of the year, 35.542 taxpayers had new debts amounting to 251 million manats, and 34.070 taxpayers had forgiven debts equaled to 644 million manats.

Financial sanctions in the amount of 13.761 million manats were written off for 4.428 taxpayers in exchange for the payments amounting to 8 million manats made in January-March 2017.

The bill "On regulation of tax debts of taxpayers on January 1, 2017" was developed on the initiative of the president and approved by the parliament.

The bill covered two types of tax debts: the first article of the bill envisages cancellation of all interest accrued for non-payment of debt, and the second article - writing-off of the financial sanctions.

Under the document, in case of repayment of one third of the financial sanctions during January 2017, remaining 70 percent would be written off. In case of repayment of half of tax sanctions during January-February, other 50 percent would be written off, while if 70 percent of financial sanctions during repaid in January-March, remaining 30 percent would be written off.

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24 April 2017 10:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Currently a large number of companies in Azerbaijan are physically ready for holding an initial public offering (IPO), and the Baku Stock Exchange is working with them.

Acting Chairman of BSE Management Board Vugar Namazov made the remark in an interview with Trend.



"But at present, our companies have wrong attitude towards an IPO. For them, this is a sale of property to which one can resort only at the last moment," he said.

Namazov reminded that getting listed on a stock exchange is not only about raising funds  it also greatly promotes a company. I know there are companies that understand this," Namazov added.



He said the Baku Stock Exchange is actively working with a number of companies that are going to enter the debt instruments market and that there are those interested in issuing shares.



"I believe it is not long before this happens, as a stable legal and technical basis has been formed for holding an IPO in Azerbaijan," he noted.

An IPO is the first time that the stock of a private company is offered to the public. IPOs are often issued by smaller, younger companies seeking capital to expand, but they can also be done by large privately owned companies looking to become publicly traded.

Earlier Namazov said that the first IPO in Azerbaijan can be completed in the near future.

The IPO of five strategically important companies of the country is envisaged in one of the "Strategic Road Maps" approved in late 2016.

Public placement of shares in Azerbaijan at different times was considered by such companies as Embawood and GoldenPay. Azersun Holding recently announced about such plans as well.

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24 April 2017 15:02 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan needs to take comprehensive measures to combat piracy in the software market, Deputy Director of the Copyright Infrastructure Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Dimiter Gantchev told Trend on April 23.

He said that the mere adoption of legislative acts is not enough for the regulation of this problem. First and foremost, there is a need to carry out much educational work with end-users of software solutions for them to have an idea about the issue of copyright protection, Gantchev noted.

That is, this information should go to the masses, to all sectors of society. Secondly, there is a need for an active policy on legislative regulation and accordingly the coordination of the activities of legislature and law enforcement. Thirdly, in my opinion, it is necessary to have information, that is there should be statistics to have evidence, said Gantchev.

The piracy level in the software market of Azerbaijan amounted to 84 percent in 2015, according to the study by BSA (Business Software Alliance) - Global Software Survey 2016. However, there has been a steady improvement of the situation in recent years. In 2009, the piracy rate in the country was 88 percent, in 2011  87 percent, and 85 percent in 2013.

Gantchev said that the system of intellectual property protection is developing in Azerbaijan, and the country, being an active member of the WIPO, takes an active part in the elaboration of new international norms.

I see progress in all directions in Azerbaijan and we take this into account. Its always nice to see that the country takes seriously the aspects of international law and applies them at the national level. I believe that Azerbaijan has achieved very good results in this matter, and this success can be proud of, Gantchev said.

He added that WIPO assists its members in developing the national strategy and its implementation.

Azerbaijan can count on the help of WIPO, which is ready to assist in this, being confident that the country really wants to turn this into a strategic direction, Gantchev noted.

Azerbaijan is now on route to increase sales of licensed software, which will inevitably lead to changes in consumer behavior. The Center for Intellectual Property Rights under the Azerbaijan's Copyright Agency regulates the issuance of control marks for the objects subject to copyright.

Overall, the fight against piracy in the software industry is expected to truly influence the business environment of Azerbaijan in the future.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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24 April 2017 13:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev has visited Dubai, as business leaders from Azerbaijan and the UAE gathered in the financial capital to discuss opportunities to invest in Azerbaijan and boost business relations between the two countries.

The business delegation led by Mustafayev attended the 6th meeting of the Azerbaijan-UAE intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and technical cooperation in Dubai on April 21.

Mustafayev, addressing the event, said that Azerbaijan is ready to open a trading house in the UAE and appoint a trade representative there.

The minister 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.

Sectors in Azerbaijan, which presented opportunities for foreign investment included agriculture, ICT, trade, education and other areas.

Mustafayev said that there is great potential to develop cooperation effectively using the existing opportunities.

The United Arab Emirates has invested $778.1 million in the Azerbaijani economy so far, the minister said adding that Azerbaijan has invested $284.4 million in the UAE. Over 255 UAE companies operate in Azerbaijan.

The 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.

Mustafayev 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.

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.

Within the framework of visit, a delegation of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs led by Mustafayev also had a meeting with the management of DP World Company in Dubai, said the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry.

The Azerbaijani delegation was informed about the work carried out by the DP World Group in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in the Alat township of Bakus Garadagh district. The sides discussed the general plan on construction of industrial and logistics infrastructure, development concept of the free trade zone and other issues.

Measures on creation of a free trade zone type special economic area covering the territory of the Baku International Sea Trade Port in the Alat township of Bakus Garadagh district was inked by a presidential decree on March 17, 2016.

In September 2016, the Azerbaijani government and Dubai Port World (DP World), one of the worlds major port operators, signed an agreement on provision of consulting services for the creation of the FTZ.

During the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also met with the management of VPS Healthcare Company.

Mustafayev recalled that currently, two medicine plants are being built in Azerbaijans Pirallahi Industrial Park, which specializes in pharmaceutics.

The minister noted that negotiations are also underway with other medicine producers.

Recalling that the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and VPS Healthcare signed a memorandum of understanding in February, Mustafayev said that the groundbreaking ceremony of a joint pharmaceutical plant will be held in the near future.

Moreover, a business forum, which was attended by entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan and the UAE operating in the spheres of industry, agriculture, construction, finance, tourism and others, was also held in Dubai.

The Azerbaijani delegation invited the UAE businessmen to invest in priority spheres of the Azerbaijani economy, such as industry, agriculture, IT and tourism.

Then the Azerbaijani delegation visited the Lulu supermarket chain and met with the companys management. Participants of the meeting discussed the issues of cooperation and sale of Azerbaijani products in the companys trade facilities located in the UAE and Gulf countries. It was noted that Azerbaijani products are in great demand in the UAE and some Azerbaijani goods, are already sold in Lulu supermarkets.

Azerbaijani entrepreneurs also visited the Union Coop chain of supermarkets and met with its management. During the meeting, the possibility of selling Azerbaijani products, especially fruits and vegetables, in Union Coop supermarkets was discussed. Representatives of the company noted that certain Azerbaijani products, which are in great demand in the UAE, are already sold in these supermarkets.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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24 April 2017 11:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans State Philharmonic Hall will host concert of Azerbaijani and Italian classical music.

The concert, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries will take place on April 28, Report.az reported.

Soprano Farida Mammadova, baritone and counter-tenor Ilham Nazarov, tenor Adil Akhundov will perform classical works by G.Puccini, G.Verdi, C.Monteverdi, K.Alizade and others.

The State Symphonic Orchestra will be conducted by Pierluigi Destro.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 8, 1992. The first embassy of Italy among the Southern Caucasian republics was opened in Azerbaijan in 1997 and the embassy of Azerbaijan to Italy has been functioning since 2003.

Azerbaijan is an important economic partner of Italy. Italian companies operate successfully in Azerbaijan, particularly, in the energy sector.

In 2016, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy amounted to $1.89 billion decreasing by 33.5 percent as compared to 2015. Italy, which has been ranking first among major trade partners of Azerbaijan during eight years, was the third in late 2016.

However, in early 2017, Italy again became the leader among Azerbaijans trade partners. According to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, the two countries trade turnover amounted to $461.5 million in January-March 2017, increasing by 41.4 percent as compared to the 1Q2016.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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24 April 2017 11:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The 9th International Mstislav Rostropovich Festival has solemnly opened in Baku.

The festival is co-organized by Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in accordance with the Azerbaijani President's executive order on celebration of the 90th anniversary of the world-renowned cellist.

Prominent art and public figures, representatives of diplomatic missions attended the opening ceremony, Trend Life reported.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfaz Garayev, addressing the event, said that the festival, which is traditionally held with the participation of world-famous musicians, conductors and ensembles, is an important event in the cultural life of the country.

The eldest daughter of the maestro, festival's artistic director Olga Rostropovich expressed her gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev, First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and the Culture and Tourism Ministry for their support in organizing the festival.

"Baku is one of my favorite cities. Every time I come here, I fall in love with this city. The festivals, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Mstislav Rostropovich have been held in Russia, USA, France, and today this significant event kicks off in Azerbaijan. The legacy of Mstislav Rostropovich unites hearts, people and countries", said Olga Rostropovich.

Further, Azerbaijans State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by People's Artist Rauf Abdullayev performed on the stage.

People's artist of Azerbaijan Murad Adigezalzade and laureate of international competitions, violinist Umida Abbasova thrilled spectators with beautiful music pieces.

"Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 1" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, "Force of Destiny" by Giuseppe Verdi, "Symphony No. 3" by Khayyam Mirzazade, symphonic poem "Pines of Rome" by Ottorino Respighi sounded on the Baku stage.

Acclaimed musicians and ensembles from Russia, Austria, and Germany, including the Saint Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by of Yuri Temirkanov, Staatskapelle Dresden Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Vienna  Berlin as well as Rainer Honeck, Omer Meir Wellber, Keith Armstrong and others pleased spectators with their amazing performances.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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24 April 2017 14:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The closing ceremony of the Francophonie Weeks, presenting cultural creativity and diversity of Francophone countries, took place in Baku on April 22.

The event featuring gastronomic delights of Francophone countries was attended by famous cultural and art figures, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in the country.

French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Bouchez, addressing the event, expressed gratitude to all the guests of the event and all the partners for the assistance and support.



She noted that about 30 events were organized during the three weeks of the Francophonie Weeks in Baku. The program included screening of films, exhibitions and other events that aroused great interest of the public.

The closing ceremony also announced winners of various contests and quizzes, organized within the framework of the Francophonia Weeks, who were also awarded.

The evening continued with a gastronomic program. Guests tasted various dishes, which allowed get familiarize and learn about the gastronomic traditions of the French-speaking countries. The music program, performed at the event gave a special atmosphere to the evening.

Between April 1 and 22, the Embassies of Belgium, France, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Morocco, Mexico, Romania and Switzerland jointly celebrated French language and Francophonie holiday.

Overall, the days of French language and culture are annual spring event in Azerbaijan that brings French-speaking people together.

The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970. Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 80 member states and governments (57 members and 23 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations member states and account for a population of over 890 million people, including 220 million French speakers.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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24 April 2017 17:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The Polish Film Festival WISLA 2017 has opened in Landmark Cinema, Baku.

The festival, which kicks off in Baku for the second time, provides an opportunity to plunge into the unique atmosphere of the Polish cinema, Trend Life reported.

The history of Polish cinema is almost as long as history of cinematography, and it has universal achievements. A number of Polish filmmakers have influenced the development of the world cinema. In this regard, the works of Polish filmmakers has always aroused interest and attracted the attention of the audience.

Polish Ambassador to Baku Marek Calka, addressing the event, said that a very interesting film will be presented to the guests on the opening day.

The diplomat stressed that the film will arouse a great interest among the audience.

The floor was also given to the festival's director Malgorzata Skulsky, who welcomed the guests of the event in the Azerbaijani language.

In her speech, Skulsky stressed that the Polish Film Festival WISLA was founded ten years ago. The first time it was held in Moscow, Russia.

"The festival is held in the Azerbaijani capital for the second time. I'm glad that the festival is of great interest here, she said, adding that the films included in the festival program cover different genres.

The festival started with the screening of spy thriller "Jack Strong" (2014). "Jack Strong" is a Polish political thriller film directed by Wadysaw Pasikowski. The film is based on the true story of Ryszard Kuklinski, a Polish Army colonel who spied for the American Central Intelligence Agency during the height of the Cold War.

The festival that will run until April 27 will screen six movies, including "Jack Strong", "Gods", "Sexmission", "Closed System" and "The High Frontier". The films will be demonstrated every day in Landmark cinema at 19.00.

Polish comedy "Sexmission" will be screened on April 24.

"Sexmission" is a 1984 Polish cult comedy science fiction action film. It also contains a hidden political satire layer specific to the time and place of its production.

"Closed System" tells about of three owners of prosperous company, who were arrested for participation in an organized criminal group and money laundering as a result of collusion of corrupt officials.

The film "Influence" tells the story of a group of clairvoyants committed to restoring the Polish state as World War One dwindles to an end. Gathered inside a hotel room for a special seance, the magi use their power to save Jan Paderewski, the legendary pianist and symbolic leader of a successful patriotic uprising. At the same time, a hostile medium hired by the Prussian army is trying to influence Paderewski with his negative power.

"The High Frontier" is a film that tells a story of a father and his two teenage sons, who travel to a small mountain cabin for a male-bonding adventure. With arrival of a mysterious stranger, their outing turns into a struggle for survival.

In 2017, Polish film festival will also be held in Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Serbia and Georgia.

The festival program traditionally includes the best feature films, documentaries, as well as the works by students and graduates of the leading Polish film schools.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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24 April 2017 13:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Fears abound in Armenia that the Lapshin case may serve as an example for others and obstacle their plans to organize future visits to the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Alexander Lapshin will stand trial in Baku for his illegal visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. He was arrested in Minsk in late 2016 and transferred to Baku in February 2017.

The detention of the blogger and his extradition to Azerbaijan were the subject of heated debate and protests in Armenia.

Belarusian Ambassador to Armenia Igor Nazaruk, talking to Armenian correspondent on April 23, once again stated that blogger Lapshin has no relation with Armenia.

You continue to persistently ask about the man who has no relation with Armenia. He is a citizen of several states, but he doesnt have the citizenship of Armenia," Nazaruk told the reporter.

The diplomat added that therefore he cannot discuss one of the 7.5-billion population and pay him such attention.

Nazaruk then didnt want to continue the conversation with the reporter and went away.

Earlier, at the meeting with Armenia's Ambassador to Belarus Armen Khachatryan, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that the issue of detention and extradition of Lapshin is none of Armenia's business.

The blogger, who owns citizenship of Russia and Israel, illegally visited Azerbaijan`s Armenia-occupied lands and now is charged under the articles 281.2 (appeals directed against state) and 318.2 (illegal border crossing) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. He violated Azerbaijani laws on state border in April 2011 and October 2012.

Helped by his accomplices in the occupied territories, Lapshin paid a number of visits to Azerbaijan`s occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territorial integrity on April 6 and June 29, 2016.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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24 April 2017 14:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, two Azerbaijanis who are kept hostages by Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, are experiencing health problems, said Eldar Samadov, the deputy head of the working group of Azerbaijan's State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons.

Samadov said that the State Commission discussed the issue [health state of the hostages] in detail with the international organizations.

"Representatives of the organizations noted that they will conduct the necessary monitoring on this issue, and even invite international doctors, who will check the health condition of the hostages," Samadov told Trend.

Samadov further said that the State Commission continues to work towards the release of the hostages.

Asgarov and Guliyev were detained by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Azerbaijani Kalbajar region. Moreover, Armenian forces killed the third Azerbaijani citizen Hasan Hasanov.

Later, Guliyev and Asgarov were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of a separatist regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited judicial process in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years. Attempts of Azerbaijan to provide justice and to free its citizens are still unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Shahbaz Guliyevs brother Ilham told Azvision that the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will visit Dilgam and Shahbaz in the near future.

He added that Shahbazs family has sent a letter to him with the help of the ICRC some days ago.

They said that the letter will be handed over to him at the meeting and they will also deliver his letter to us. Since then, we have received no information about my brother, Guliyev said.

Azerbaijans State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the ICRC, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains topical yet.

Azerbaijan, whose over 4,000 citizens were taken captive, hostage, or went missing as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, has repeatedly declared its readiness to begin negotiations with Armenia to free the captives and resolve the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

However, the Armenian side keeps ignoring all attempts of Azerbaijan and international organizations, thereby disrespecting the international law and hindering the settlement of the conflict.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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24 April 2017 16:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

A scientific and practical conference "Armenian genocide: real history or historical lie" kicked off in Baku on April 24.

Representatives of various state structures, MPs and foreign participants attended the conference organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons.

In his remarks at the event, Secretary of the State Commission on Ismayil Akhundov highlighted the goal of the conference and the issues to be discussed at the event.

Chairman of Turkey's Talat Pasa Committee Ali Erdinc, addressing the event, delivered a lecture on "What actually happened on April 24, 1915" Response to Armenian lies, and the importance of Azerbaijan-Turkey relations in this regard".

He said that the committee aims to reveal the groundless Armenian claims and increase the world community`s awareness of realities in order to ensure territorial integrity and national security of Turkey and Azerbaijan.

We must fight against Armenian lies, hindering the development of Turkey and Azerbaijan, otherwise it will increase, he said.

Erdinc reminded that during 1915-1918 Armenians killed tens of thousands of innocent people in Van, Istanbul, Erzurum and other cities of Turkey, as well as in Baku and other Azerbaijani territories.

We need to inform the world community about these atrocities of the Armenians and not give them the opportunity to deceive the world community by hiding their criminal acts, he noted.

The Armenians committed genocide of the Azerbaijanis in the beginning of the 20th century. This genocide was carried out with extreme violence in Baku, Shamakhi and Guba counties, as well as in Karabakh, Zangezur, Nakhchivan, Lankaran and other regions of Azerbaijan. Armenians killed many civilians in these areas, burned and razed to the ground villages and destroyed Azerbaijani monuments of national culture.

Azerbaijani MP Isa Habibbayli, in turn, noted that Azerbaijan has always fought and continues to fight against Armenian lies.

The basis of work in this direction was laid by national leader Heydar Aliyev, and today it is continued by President Ilham Aliyev, he said.

Habibbayli noted that today Armenians continue to spread lies and it is necessary to strengthen work on the fight against Armenian lies.

The Armenians falsify history and include a part of Anatolia and other territories in the map of Great Armenia. Therefore, we, Azerbaijani and Turkish scientists, should jointly fight against falsifications of the Armenians, the MP said.

Former Ombudsman of Moldova Aurelia Grigoriu, in turn, noted that Armenia is a mono-ethnic state and it does not want to see representatives of other nations in the country.

Therefore, the topic discussed today is important not only for Azerbaijan, Turkey and the Turkic peoples, but is also relevant for all peoples of the world. Armenians actively use foreign media for spreading false propaganda, she said.

Head of Department of the Presidential Library, PhD in History Nazim Mustafa, senior research fellow of the Center for Strategic Studies Araz Gurbanov, Professor of the Institute of Oriental Studies, PhD in History Solmaz Rustamova-Tohidi and others also addressed the conference.

Many historians, scholars, experts announced that the hundred-year-old lie, the so-called Armenian genocide contradicts historical facts. Ever since Armenia came out shouting genocide, no real investigation into such allegations has ever been carried out although Turkey proposed Armenia to open its military archives and investigate the issue. Moreover, there have been many accounts which actually disproof Armenia' stance.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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24 April 2017 16:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved as soon as possible, the head of the Department of Azerbaijani History at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Professor Eva Maria Auch said as she met with Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Fuad Huseynov in Baku.

Auch hailed the work done by the Azerbaijani Government to solve the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Huseynov, in turn, highlighted root causes of the conflict and the current state of the peace talks, refugee and IDP problem in the country, and the successful state policy towards tackling the problems.

They also exchanged views on a number of other issues of mutual interest, and emphasized the significance of the activities of the Department of Azerbaijani History at the Humboldt University of Berlin.

Books "President's care for refugees and IDPs" and "Khojaly genocide" published by the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs were presented to the guest.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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24 April 2017 17:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan and Ukraine have considered the intensifying of cooperation in the military sphere, as First Deputy to the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleg Hladkovski visited the country.

During his Baku visit, Hladkovski met with First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, with whom he mulled the issues of the military cooperation, the Ukrainian ministry reported.

Azerbaijan is an important and promising partner of Ukraine in the field of military-technical cooperation. I am confident that the potential of our countries in the field of military-technical cooperation allows us to strengthen existing cooperation and work towards its development and prospects, especially in the field of aircraft construction, said Hladkovski.

He added that the two countries have considerable experience in developing joint defense developments for the domestic consumer and for foreign markets.

Azerbaijan domestically produces various types of small arms and melee weapons, artillery, armored vehicles, various aerial bombs, unmanned aerial vehicles, various types of ammunition for small arms, including small-caliber automatic pistols, optical devices and others.

Twenty-eight military factories of Azerbaijans Defense Industry Ministry have manufactured 1,160 kinds of defense products so far. Azerbaijan`s defense products are exported to more than 10 countries.

Azerbaijan and Ukraine enjoy sustainable prospects of bilateral relations in political, economic, energy, transport and humanitarian fields.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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24 April 2017 13:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Camal

Crude prices recovered lost ground on April 24 following big losses last week, driven by expectations that OPEC will extend a pledge to cut output to cover all of 2017, although a relentless rise in U.S. drilling capped gains.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures added 32 cents, or 0.64 percent, by 0649 GMT, but were still just below the $50 mark pierced on Friday at $49.84 a barrel, Reuters reported. Brent crude futures rose 35 cents, or 0.67 percent, to $52.31 per barrel.

The price of OPECs basket of 13 crudes stood at $49.99 a barrel on Apr. 21, compared to $50.48 on April 20, the cartel said in a message on its website.

The oil prices fell on the back of stubbornly high crude supplies, despite a pledge by the OPEC and some other producers to cut production by almost 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) for six months from January 1 to support the market.

The fall was also supported by the report of the US Baker Hughes company about the growing number of drilling rigs in the country. The number of drilling rigs in the U.S. has increased by 1.18 percent and stood at 857 over the working week ending on April 21. This figure has increased by 98.8 percent per annum.

Baker Hughes estimates that during the reporting period, the US saw a 0.73 percent increase in the number of oil drilling rigs, while the number of gas drilling rigs has increased by 3.08 percent.

Meanwhile, with a view to halt a further decline in prices, some OPEC states and other allied producers has recommended an extension of output cuts by another six months from June.

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24 April 2017 17:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Italys Saipem SpA plans to launch construction of the underwater section of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline in 2018.

TAP awarded to Saipem SpA the contract for Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation for the offshore section of the project in 2016.

The Italian contractor told Natural Gas World that at this stage the company is not involved in the project realization.

Saipems activities will begin when the micro tunnel area will be available and we are interested in making the area available to organize the micro tunnel operations. We are following this project with great care and the laying of the first stone is scheduled in 2018, the company said.

The activities envisaged by the contract include marine surveys, the installation of a 36 105 km offshore gas pipeline, the supply and installation of an offshore fiber optic cable, pre-commissioning activities and civil works at the landfalls in both Albania and Italy. The landfall in Italy will be located at San Foca in Puglia and will be carried out using micro-tunnelling technology.

Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is a pipeline project to transport Caspian natural gas to Europe. The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.

Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network.

TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.

878 kilometers in length, TAP's highest elevation will be 1,800 meters in the mountains of Albania while its lowest depth offshore will be 820 meters beneath the Adriatic Sea. The pipeline's design has been developed in accordance with recognized international safety standards.

The initial capacity of TAP will be 10 billion cubic meters per year with the possibility of doubling it.

The construction of TANAP is expected to be completed in 2018, and TAP - by 2020. The goal is to deliver first new gas from Azerbaijan to the markets next year, and complete this project by 2020.

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24 April 2017 18:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Natural Resources Khalid Al-Falih will pay a visit to Baku from April 25 to 27, according to the Energy Ministry of Azerbaijan.

The issues related to the forthcoming visit were discussed by Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Natig Aliyev and Saudi Ambassador to Baku, Messad Ibrahim Al-Sulaimi.

Aliyev noted that this visit is an important event for the development of the energy cooperation between the two countries.

The minister recalled that he closely communicated with Al-Falih at the events held within the framework of OPEC and expressed confidence that the meeting in Baku will further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

The ambassador, in his turn, noted that Al-Falih, who for a long time was the head of Saudi ARAMCO, has great experience in the oil and gas sphere, and his meetings in Baku will benefit the development of bilateral energy cooperation.

As part of his visit to Baku, the Saudi minister will meet with Natig Aliyev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyn Bagirov, Executive Director of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan Shahmar Movsumov and President of the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev.

Also, at the minister's own request, the visits to Bibiheybat and Sangachal also included to the program.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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24 April 2017 09:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

French presidential candidate Emanuel Macron took the first place in first round of French presidential election, French Interior Ministry final data reveal, Sputnik reported.

Emanuel Macron secured his lead from his main rival far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, gaining 23.75 percent of votes, while Le Pen has the support of 21.53 percent of French voters.

At the same time center-right Francois Fillon has 19.91 percent, while left-wing Jean-Luc Melenchon has 19.64 percent.

02:54 (GMT+4) French presidential candidate Emanuel Macron leads in French presidential election after 90 percent of votes counted, according to Interior Ministry data, Sputnik reported.

After 90% of votes counted, French presidential candidate Emanuel Macron maintains his lead with 23.72 percent of votes, while his main rival far-right candidate Marine Le Pen gained the support of 21.90 percent of French voters.

The figures added that The Republicans' party nominee Francois Fillon was backed by 19.92 percent of the French voters, while far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon was supported by 19.24 percent.

At 7 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT) the voting ended as the polling stations across France closed. Extension until 18:00 GMT is possible in some big cities. French media were prohibited by the law from publishing any preliminary results until the last polling stations were closed.

01:53 (GMT+4) Marine Le Pen is tailing Emmanuel Macron in French presidential election, Interior Ministry said.

Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is tailing her rival Emmanuel Macron in French presidential election, according to data by Interior Ministry.

According to the ministry's figures revealed at 10 p.m. local time (21:00 GMT), Macron leads with 23.40 percent of votes, while far-right candidate Marine Le Pen gained the support of 22.62 percent of French voters.

At the same time center-right Francois Fillon has 19.81 percent, while left-wing Jean-Luc Melenchon has 18.62 percent.

00:07 (GMT+4) French far-right presidential candidate and National Front leader Marine Le Pen is leading in the election with 24.10 percent of votes, according to Interior Ministry's preliminary data as over 50 percent of votes have been counted, Sputnik reported.

Independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron has gained 22.44 percent as of the data up to date.

The Republicans' candidate Francois Fillon has already received 19.57 percent of French citizens' votes in his favor, according to the preliminary data.

Macron and Le Pen apparently make it into the second round of the presidential vote.

22:36 (GMT+4) French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is leading in the vote with 24.15 percent of votes, according to the Interior Ministry's first preliminary data. Independent candidate Emmunuel Macron gains 21.43 percent.

The Republicans' candidate Francois Fillon got 20.34 percent of French citizens' votes, according to the first preliminary data after 3.76 million votes were counted. Left-wing Jean-Luc Melenchon got 17.96 percent of the votes, according to the data.

Meanwhile, the French TF1 broadcaster reported that both Macron and Le Pen gain 23 percent of votes in the first round of the French pelection, thus, make it into the second round of voting. The media outlet also suggested that Melenchon and Fillon would both get 19 percent.

Exit polls conducted by a Belgian broadcaster have showed earlier in the day that Le Pen and Macron run neck-and-neck with the latest showing that the independent candidate may get some 26 percent of votes, white 23 percent of French citizens support the National Front leader.

At 7 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT) the voting ended as the polling stations across France closed. Extension until 18:00 GMT is possible in some big cities. French media were prohibited by the law from publishing any preliminary results until the last polling stations were closed.

The French residents chose from 11 candidates in the first round, but only two of them will make it to the second round on May 7, which will be held if nobody gets support of more than half of voters.

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24 April 2017 11:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has announced the possibility of extending the term of visa-free stay for Russian citizens in Turkey.

"The period of visa-free stay for Russians in Turkey will be increased from 60 to 90 days," Cavusoglu said at a conference of the Russian Press Council held in Alanya, Anadolu reported.

Previously, Cavusoglu announced that Ankara had begun negotiations with Russia regarding passport-free travel, saying that Turkey will be installing devices in airports with capabilities to read the identification cards of Russian citizens.

Russia has been the second largest source of foreign tourists visiting Turkey, but the number of Russian tourists began to decline after a diplomatic crisis between the two countries in late 2015.

Russia had imposed a number of economic sanctions, including the suspension of visa-free travel, on Turkey at the beginning of last year in response to the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber.

Relations were normalized this June and July through a letter and subsequent telephone calls between the countries leaders. Since then, increasingly Turkey and Russia relations have become normalized.

This year, Turkish tourism sector expects to receive about five million tourists from Russia.

In March 2017, a number of documents in the sphere of tourism were signed in Moscow following the talks between Turkish Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Huseyin Yayman and Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russia (Rosturizm) Oleg Safonov.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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24 April 2017 13:10 (UTC+04:00)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an $80 million loan for the electrification of 145 kilometers (km) of railway in Uzbekistan, linking the cities of Pap, Namangan, and Andijan.

The Bank reported that the electrified track is part of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor 2, a critical transport link in the region.

The project will facilitate direct and efficient operation of both freight and passenger train services linking major cities in the Fergana Valley - home to nearly a third of Uzbekistans population - with Tashkent, the countrys capital, the message said.

The project will help improve transport connectivity and encourage growth and job creation in the Fergana Valley.

The total project cost is estimated at $177.45 million, with Ozbekiston Temir Yollari (UTY) - the public railway company - and the Uzbek government contributing $97.45 million.

ADBs investment will finance supervision consultants, procurement of plant, procurement of maintenance equipment and machinery, and procurement of materials for external power supply.

Uzbekistan joined the ADB in 1995.

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24 April 2017 16:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iran is going to sign a deal on South Pars gas fields Phase 11 with Total which will most likely happen in less than a month, Irans Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Trade Amir Hossein Zamaninia said.

The news comes a few days after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a halt to the implementation of a set of sanctions on Iran, easing concerns by Total that their deal with Iran would be stalled if Trump implemented the sanctions.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson certified on April 18 that Iran is complying with the terms of former President Barack Obama's historic deal to roll back its nuclear program. The certification, made to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), extended sanctions relief to Iran.

Total was waiting for the settlement of some changes in Washington, which now have happened and the company is continuing the talks, Zamaninia mentioned in an interview with ISNA news agency April 23.

Earlier in February, Irans Deputy Oil Minister Ali Kardor said that Total had launched the planning to build the first pillar of the platform at South Pars Phase 11.

"A team from Total recently visited Iran. They have stressed that they will continue their cooperation with Iran," Kardor said.

French oil major Total earlier signed a preliminary agreement to help develop the massive field (South Pars Phase 11 (SP11)), becoming the first Western energy investment in Iran since international sanctions were lifted following the JCPOA. The overall cost of the project is estimated to reach $4.8 billion.

The company was also involved in the development of Phases 2 and 3 of the project in 2000.

Iran plans to increase the gas production level at South Pars, the world's largest gas field, to 530 mcm/d by March 2017, while total gas output of the country is planned to reach about 830 mcm/d.

South Pars covers an area of nearly 9,700 square kilometers, with 3,700 square kilometers falling to a share of Irans territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The remaining 6,000 square kilometers are situated in Qatars territorial waters.

South Pars, divided into 29 development phases, holds 40 tcm of natural gas, or 21 percent of worlds total gas reserves, and 50 billion barrels of condensate.

In July 2015, Iran and global powers reached what has been described as a nuke deal, where Iran agreed it would scale down its nuclear program, in return for the crippling economic sanctions being eased and eventually lifted against the oil and gas rich Islamic Republic.

After lifting the sanctions, Iran got new possibilities and access to foreign resources which were inaccessible due to the sanctions.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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24 April 2017 16:49 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iran's Parliament has abolished the death penalty for dealers, distributors and traffickers of narcotic drugs, replacing this punishment with lifelong imprisonment.

Representative of the Judicial Commission of the Parliament (Majlis) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Nourozi announced about this while talking to journalists on April 23.

Under the changes, the death penalty for non-band drug traffickers and smugglers who were unarmed and had no previous execution or life imprisonment convictions will be converted to 25 to 30 years of imprisonment.

In November 2016, Nourozi indicated that there were about 5,000 prisoners between 20 and 30 years old on death row in Iran. Most of these individuals were first-time drug offenders.

The Islamic Republic has long been criticized by international community for its death penalties against drug traffickers. Iran executed hundreds of prisoners during 2016, the majority for drugs offences.

But, there has been a considerable drop in the number of executions in Iran in recent years. Earlier, the international human rights organization Amnesty International reported that the total number of executions carried out in Iran in 2016 decreased by 42 percent (at least from 977 to 567) compared to the previous year.

Even though the death penalty has not been shown to be an effective deterrent for drug-related offences, there has been no progress toward the adoption of a bill to amend mandatory death penalty sentences for these crimes.

The UN human rights mechanisms have repeatedly and consistently expressed their great concern at this persistent trend, along with urging the Iranian government to end executions and institute a moratorium on the death penalty altogether.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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24 April 2017 17:35 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Secretary of the Turkish Security Council Seyfullah Hajimuftuoglu discussed issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in Tbilisi.

The meeting was attended by the Georgian Secretary of the Security Council David Rakviashvili and the head of the Georgian Presidential Administration Giorgi Abashishvili, according to the presidential administration, NEWSGEORGIA reported.

The sides touched upon the deepening of ties between the countries, strengthening of stability in the Black Sea region, as well as bilateral cooperation of the countries in the spheres of defense and security.

Georgian leader expressed gratitude to the Turkish side for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

During the talks the significance of the establishment of a trilateral Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey format was pointed out.

"We talked about tripartite meetings and a joint memorandum of the security councils of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. We considered the trilateral format of Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia cooperation in the sphere of security, economy and energy. We think that the meeting of the presidents of Georgia and Turkey will take place this year," David Rakviashvili said after the meeting.

Within the framework of the three-day visit to Tbilisi, Hajimuftuoglu will meet with the Minister of Defense of Georgia Levan Izoria, Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua, the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service David Sudzhashvili, the Secretary of the State Security and Crisis Management Council Mindia Janelidze, as well as the leaders of non-governmental organizations working in the sphere of security.

Trilateral formats provide strong support for regional development. The Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey format is the most functional, as the cooperation is supported by huge trade, energy and transportation projects.

The sides jointly implemented such large-scale projects as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is expected to further strengthen the neighborly and fraternal relations among the three countries and enable the countries to supply domestically produced goods to the world markets.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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24 April 2017 17:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iran and Kyrgyzstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on intensifying political and economic cooperation.

The nine-article document was signed by Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani and his Kyrgyz counterpart Chynybai Tursunbekov in Tehran on April 24, the state-run IRINN television reported.

Under the MoU, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in various fields including the legislative process, development and research, sharing rules, commission and regulatory activities, administrative infrastructure, electronic Parliament, data exchange technology, and exchanging experiences on green parliament.

The two countries decided to encourage inter-parliamentary relations through creating parliamentary friendship groups and organizing regular exchanges by holding mutual visits.

The MoU also obliges the sides to cooperate on promotion of trade and economic relations and creation of necessary conditions for the adoption of relevant legislation in this area.

The sides also discussed the ways to facilitate trade cooperation and provide the possibility of Tehran-Bishkek direct flight, which will help flourish the commercial and touristic activities between the two countries.

Larijani and Tursunbekov also agreed to give support in fight against extremism and terrorism in the region.

A parliamentary delegation of Kyrgyzstan headed by Chynybai Tursunbekov arrived in Tehran on April 23.

He is scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi and head of Irans Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gholam Hossein Shafei.

The Kyrgyz speakers visit follows Zarifs recent trip to Kyrgyzstan as part of a regional tour that took him earlier to Turkmenistan and Georgia.

Foreign trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Iran for the first 9 months of 2016 amounted to $11 million.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 47F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 47F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
iStock/Thinkstock(PARIS) -- Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen appear to have won the first round of Frances presidential election.



They now advance to a second round vote that will held on May 7.



And the choice for France could be one of the most consequential in decades, analysts say.



At stake, analysts say, is nothing short of the direction of Europe and the European Union, with the two candidates offering starkly different visions for the future of France and its role on the world stage.



Here's a look at the two candidates who will almost certainly be on the ballot.



Le Pen: The Donald Trump of France?



Le Pen leads France's far-right Front National (FN) party, and was seen as a front-runner during the lead-up to the first round vote.



She has been propelled by similar political forces that saw the British vote to "Brexit" - or leave the European Union - and Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency this November.



Trump hinted before the first-round vote that he favored her candidacy over the others.



Ethnic and religious tensions have been stoked by repeated terror attacks. Unemployment has been stuck at around 10 percent for nearly five years. France's economic growth was meek in 2016 - estimates put it just above 1 percent. These factors are driving frustration and anger in large parts of the country.



She has taken a strong stance against illegal immigration and championed anti-globalist sentiments. Le Pen has also proposed a referendum on France's membership in the E.U. Many have dubbed the hypothetical vote "Frexit."



Analysts have said that Le Pen being elected would pose an existential threat to the European Union - the bloc of European democratic states that grouped together after World War II with the aim of preventing future strife.



"A Len Pen win would call into question the future of the entire European project," Erik Brattberg, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Europe Program, told ABC News. "Her anti-EU, anti-immigration and anti-globalization stance would put her starkly at odds with whoever is elected the next chancellor of Germany, France's most important partner in Europe."



It could also be damaging to U.S. interests, Brattberg said: "Le Pen would seek to reorient French foreign policy away from the U.S. and NATO and towards Putin's Russia."



An anti-establish candidate but not an outsider, Le Pen comes from a family that has enjoyed the political spotlight for decades - if not very successfully. Her father ran for the presidency five times.



The elder Le Pen led the Front National party before his daughter and his reputation continues to haunt her candidacy. He was widely rebuked for calling Nazi concentration camps "a detail of history." Marine Le Pen has denounced these remarks.



Even if she doesn't pull off a victory in two weeks time, Le Pen "would be well positioned to make another run next time around," Brattberg said.



Macron: France's own Justin Trudeau?



French voters have another choice: centrist and political newcomer Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old political neophyte who has been likened by some to Justin Trudeau of Canada..



Macron was the country's economy minister up until he quit in 2016 -- the same year he formed the En Marche! party. He has never held an elected office.



Unlike Le Pen, Macron is pro-Europe and made that clear in his victory speech after the first round vote.



"Macron would pursue a centrist approach, working closely with Germany to reform the Eurozone and the EU," Brattberg said.



His political platform earned him the tacit support of former President Obama, who called Macron to wish him well ahead of the first round vote. Obama's spokesman was quick to note that this was not a formal endorsement; however, the two are seen as political allies.



Populism remains ... popular



Heading into the second round of voting Macron is seen as the favorite to win. But similar predictions were made ahead of the Brexit vote and U.S. election this Fall.



Populism appears to be a driving force propelling far-right and far-left candidates and their ideas in major elections around the Western world over the past few years.



"The fact that some 40 percent of French voters opted for far-right or far-left candidates with anti-EU and anti-globalization agendas means that populism is alive and well in Europe," Brattberg said.



"Given the strong dissatisfaction with the status quo across Europe, there is no reason to think we have seen a 'peak populism' moment yet," he said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
On April 21 City Service SE (further  the Company) received a notice from Vilnius County Court that Vilnius City municipalitys administration and General Procurators office submitted a lawsuit against the Company on recovery of losses. The lawsuit brings unfounded allegations that Vilnius City municipality might have suffered losses arising from public procurement agreements concluded in years 2002 and 2010 between Vilnius City municipality and the Company. The quantum of the lawsuit is EUR 20.6 million.



The Company reminds, that in 2014 Vilnius city municipality announced that thanks to ESCO model, implemented in cooperation with City Service SE, Vilnius city benefited significant savings through the period of 2002-2013, as high as EUR 36.2 million.



The Company is absolutely confident and ready to prove that the lawsuit is totally without merit. City Service SE reminds, that these public procurement agreements were investigated by Lithuanian courts before. In 2013, Supreme Court of Lithuania ruled in favor of ESCO model in above-mentioned agreements between City Service SE and Vilnius city municipality. Both public procurement agreements and ESCO model itself were declared as absolutely compliant with the laws.



City Service SE also remarks that the term to file such kind of lawsuit to the court has expired long ago. The Company has to submit respond to a lawsuit within 30 days, all legal arguments and objections to the lawsuit will be provided in Companys response.



Since 2002, the Company under above mentioned public procurement agreements has been providing heating facilities management and technical maintenance services under ESCO model to education institutions established by Vilnius City municipality. ESCO model allowed to enhance energy efficiency and guaranteed substantial savings from energy expenses in public establishments. According to these agreements, City Service SE committed to maintain temperature levels in public establishments above occupational exposure standards, to reduce costs of system maintenance, and to make investments on behalf of the Company to achieve above-mentioned commitments.


Raport Biezacy nr 1/2017

Pursuant to Article 29.3 of the Rules of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, Gorenje gospodinjski aparati, d.d. presents the report on compliance with the detailed principles of the "Best Practice for GPW Listed Companies 2016"





Disclosure Policy, Investor Communications



I.Z.1.15. information about the companys diversity policy applicable to the

companys governing bodies and key managers; the description should

cover the following elements of the diversity policy: gender, education,

age, professional experience, and specify the goals of the diversity policy

and its implementation in the reporting period; where the company has

not drafted and implemented a diversity policy, it should publish the

explanation of its decision on its website;

The Company does not apply this principle.

The company has not adopted any document specifying or providing a policy of diversity in the managerial or supervisory bodies and key positions.



I.Z.1.16. information about the planned transmission of a general meeting, not

later than 7 days before the date of the general meeting;

The Company does not apply this principle.

The company does not offer a Shareholders Assembly broadcast; therefore, such information is not provided.



I.Z.1.20. an audio or video recording of a general meeting;

The Company does not apply this principle.

Neither the Companies Act nor the Corporate Governance Code (the LJSE Code) or the Rules of Procedure of the Shareholders Assembly require the Company to record the Shareholders Meeting in any other form than in writing; therefore, the company does not publish such recordings in audio and/or video format.





General Meeting, Shareholder Relations



IV.Z.2. If justified by the structure of shareholders, companies should ensure publicly available real-time broadcasts of general meetings.

The Company does not apply this principle.

According to the Shareholders Assembly Rules of Procedure, only shareholders (and their representatives or proxies) and members of the Management Board and Supervisory Board may be present at the Shareholders Assemblies. This is due to the fact that during the Shareholders Assembly sessions, discussions on matters that are classified as company's business or professional secrets may take place, which the company is not willing to share with the general public. Therefore, the Company does not allow a publicly available broadcast of the Shareholders Assembly.



IV.Z.3. Presence of representatives of the media should be allowed at general meetings.

The Company does not apply this principle.

According to the Shareholders Assembly Rules of Procedure, only shareholders (and their representatives or proxies) and members of the Management Board and Supervisory Board may be present at the Shareholders Assemblies. This is due to the fact that during the Shareholders Assembly sessions, discussions on matters that are classified as company's business or professional secrets may take place, which the company is not willing to share with the general public.



IV.Z.17. A resolution of the general meeting concerning a conditional dividend payment

may only contain such conditions whose potential fulfilment takes place before

the dividend record date.

The Company does not apply this principle.

Detailed principle IV.Z.17 regarding the conditional dividend payment does not apply to the Company due to the fact that under the Slovenian Companies Act, the Shareholders Assembly may not vote on or adopt decisions on conditional dividend payment.



IV.Z.18. A resolution of the general meeting to split the nominal value of shares should

not set the new nominal value of the shares below PLN 0.50, which could result in a very low unit market value of the shares, and which could consequently pose

a threat to the correct and reliable valuation of the company listed on the

Exchange.

The Company does not apply this principle.

Detailed principle IV.Z.18 regarding the minimum possible nominal value of the shares following the share split does not apply to the company due to the fact that company shares are no par value shares.





Remuneration



VI.Z.2. To tie the remuneration of members of the management board and key managers

to the companys long-term business and financial goals, the period between the

allocation of options or other instruments linked to the companys shares under the incentive scheme and their exercisability should be no less than two years.

The Company does not apply this principle.

Recommendation VI.Z.2, pertaining to the options and other instruments related to company shares is not in use since the company has not adopted a plan for rewarding the Management Board with options.







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The last formal memorial gathering to remember the nights of the Bath Blitz has been held.

Around 70 people gathered at the war memorial of the Royal Victoria Park gates on Sunday (April 23) to mark the 75th anniversary of the Bath bombings.

The annual service is held in memory of the 417 people who tragically lost their lives in Second World War air raids of 1942.

For the organisers it was their last formal gathering, since starting the annual event back in 2003.

Every year speeches are held, poems read and wreaths laid at the war memorial.

This year music was performed by The Bath Spa Band, including The Last Post which was followed by a minute's silence.

Chairman of the Bath Blitz Memorial Project Brian Vowles opened and closed the speeches. The current mayor of Bath Paul Crossley and Bath MP Ben Howlett also addressed the crowds.

A poem and payer was led by John Hauselman and Second World War survivor Harry Hemming shared memoirs of the bombings. Fellow survivor Doreen Williams laid a wreath next to the memorial plaque.

Alongside the deaths, 19,000 buildings were destroyed as the city centre took a beating from German bombers during the air raids on the nights of April 25 and 26 1942.

Repair and redevelopment over the years has ultimately cleared Bath of its war scars.

Speaking after the service Mr Vowles said: "We still have the website to continue so we will work at it over the years.

"It takes a lot to do this but its the crowds of people who gather. They are the real survivors and real family people."

Chippenham siblings Peter Knight and Cynthia Holbrow were seven and nine years old at the time of the bombings. They lived at 42 Second Avenue in Oldfield Park which was completely destroyed on the second night of strikes.

The family moved to Bath from Swansea as it was deemed a safer place to be, according to their father.

Peter said: "I remember being trapped under the stairs. I remember my father couldn't open the cupboard under the stairs where we were hiding. The wardens came to get us out. But we didn't really understand it."

Afterwards they went to live with an auntie in Swindon and returned to Bath to live at number 51 Second Avenue.

Cynthia added: "Some time after that when the sirens would go off mother would get us up and we would go and sleep under the hedges and the trees, away from the houses.

"We were lucky really because we had no other family in Bath. What happened to us is a small thing compared to what is happening in Syria and what families are going through."
Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County is investing $1.5 million in South St. Petersburg in 2017. Community leaders are calling that investment a "win-win" for both the city and its residents.



Nonprofit hosted "habi-tour" to show off renovations, current build site

Organization has helped build 105 homes in South St. Pete since 1985

Investment is area's largest home construction boost in more than 10 years



The nonprofit took more than 50 community leaders on a tour  called a habi-tour  of its progress Monday. Officials showed off some of the organization's recent renovations, newly completed homes and a current building site.

Shamira Burton and her two children will be moving into one of the homes under construction.

"This home is going to be the start of amazing things for me and my family, Burton said.

Habitat Pinellas has built 105 homes in South St. Petersburg since 1985. Now that the housing market is back up, the group has its sights set back on the area.

Mike Sutton, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County CEO, said the revitalization will help increase property values and instill a greater sense of pride in the area.

"It stimulates something within the community where people, they want to invest in their property, they want to make sure its a place they can call home, Sutton said.

Community leaders, including City Councilor Karl Nurse, applauded the group's vision and their investment, the largest home construction boost South St. Petersburg has seen in over 10 years.



"Think about the difference between a new house next to you and a vacant, abandoned lot. The difference is dramatic. So its like a shot in the arm into a block every time theres a new habitat house on a block, Nurse said.
Campbells Soup has issued a recall of more than 4,000 pounds of chicken soup products shipped to Florida because cans were mislabeled and the products could contain milk, which is not indicated on the product label.

Campbell's Healthy Request chicken soup being recalled

Cans were mislabeled and may contain milk

Recalled items were shipped to Florida

The chicken with whole grain pasta soup items were produced Feb. 13, 2017.

Only 18.6-oz. cans of Campbells Homestyle Healthy Request Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta with a "best by" date of Feb. 13, 2019 are affected.

The products included in the recall have establishment number EST. 4R on the bottom of the cans.

The recalled items were shipped to retail locations in Florida.

The recall was triggered last week after numerous complaints of the wrong product inside the cans. The products were labeled as Campbells Homestyle Healthy Request Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta but actually contain Campbells Homestyle Healthy Request Italian-Style Wedding Spinach & Meatballs in Chicken Broth soup.

The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Photographer Keith Carter has long been inspired by the African-American folklore he said is deeply entwined in East Texas culture.

"You can't go into those swamps and bayous and not be awash in ghosts," he said.
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.
A Colorado budget proposal that includes state spending cuts could mean service reductions and layoffs at some hospitals, reports The Denver Post.

Here are six things to know.

1. The latest budget proposal includes a $264 million cut in state funding from the provider fee program, according to the report. Taking into account federal matching funds, the total cut would be $528 million.

2. Due to this proposal, approximately 12 hospitals are slated to lose millions in state funding from the program, according to the report. A number of other Colorado hospitals are slated to lose program funding as well.

3. For instance, a new analysis from the Colorado Hospital Association shows Denver Health Medical Center could lose approximately $53 million, while Denver-based HealthOne Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center is slated to lose approximately $10 million and Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora may lose approximately $17 million.

"If you don't change anything that you are doing, meaning cut back programs or adjust, it's essentially a bottom-line cut," Jamie Smith, the CEO at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, which stands to see a $7 million reduction in payments, told The Denver Post.

4. If passed, the budget cuts are expected to have a particularly significant effect on rural hospitals. According to the report, the Colorado Hospital Association identified at least 10 hospitals in mostly rural areas as at risk for reductions in services, staff or facility upgrades.

5. But The Denver Post also cites a separate state analysis which projects less significant cuts to some hospitals.

6. One driver of the proposed state funding cuts is the provider fee program is causing state revenues to exceed the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights cap, and other areas could face cuts unless the state cuts provider fee program spending, according to the report.

Read the full report here.

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In a letter to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, Prime Healthcare Foundation, the Ontario, Calif.-based nonprofit arm of Prime Healthcare Services, said it is interested in taking over St. Francis Health in Topeka, Kan., according to The Topeka Capital-Journal.

The hospital is facing closure after Denver-based SCL Health announced last week it will cease operating St. Francis this summer. While SCL Health is still exploring options to keep the hospital open, the system said it will stop operating St. Francis this summer regardless of whether another owner or operator is found.

In an April 20 letter to Gov. Brownback, Prime Healthcare's general counsel Troy A. Schell said the hospital operator wants to save St. Francis from closure.

"Prime Healthcare wants to assist in keeping St. Francis open immediately and for years to come," Mr. Schell's letter said, according to The Topeka Capital-Journal.

On Monday, Mr. Schell reiterated that Prime is interested in taking over the struggling Kansas hospital. "Prime Healthcare believes that a closed hospital is a missed opportunity to allow a cherished asset to thrive and to be an integral part of the community for generations to come," Mr. Schell tells Becker's Hospital Review. "With sound management focusing on quality patient care, St. Francis can be a flagship hospital for Prime Healthcare and a cornerstone in the Topeka community."

Last week, SCL Health officials said the system is eager to discuss any alternatives to closure for St. Francis. SCL Health President and CEO Mike Slubowksi said he hopes to have more information about the hospital's future in the first week of May.

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Adeptus Health files for bankruptcy

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Vermont hospitals ordered to lower future price growth
The Nebraska Hospital Association selected Michael Feagler to serve as its new vice president of finance, according to a Lincoln Journal-Star report.

Here are three things to know:

1. Mr. Feagler served for 20 years as vice president of finance at Great Plains Health in North Platte, Neb.

2. He is a fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

3. He holds an executive MBA degree from University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Many physicians attended the March for Science with thousands of people this past weekend in Washington, D.C., according to Medscape.

Here's what five physicians had to say:

American Public Health Association Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, said, "A nation that ignores science, that denies science, that under-funds science, does so at its own peril. We cannot allow this to happen. We need to ensure that data and evidence drive policy-making, not uniformed ideology."

Hurley Pediatrics Program Director and march co-chair Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, who exposed Flint, Michigan's water contamination crisis in 2015 said, "Flint is what happens when we dismiss science, when we dismiss experts, when we dismiss people, and when saving money is more important than public health."

Retired ophthalmologist Gerald Rogell, MD, of Rockville, Md., said, "Until just recently, it would have been unbelievable that our government could be dominated by people so completely scornful of scientific findings and so ready to run the country based on irrational beliefs and wishful thinking."

Internal medicine and pediatric specialist Hemal N. Sampat, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital said, "National policy is set by people in law and business. We need our perspective as well. I'm hoping that we get more involvement in national, state and regional politics from people in science and medical fields."

March co-organizer Caroline Weinberg, MD, said the March for Science organization will roll over "into education outreach and policy, getting scientists into the community to break down barriers and build dialog."

More articles on practice management:

How can physicians avoid burnout? Dr. Shaina Drummond reveals key tips



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This independent physician network balances physicians' needs and desires  5 takeaways
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Vodafone has reportedly announced an unlimited international roaming offer for travelers to the US, the UAE, and Singapore. As part of its international roaming pack Vodafone i-RoamFREE, Vodafone India is offering unlimited calls and high-speed data for international travelers in packs priced at Rs 500 for 24 hours. Users can make unlimited calls anywhere in the world and use unlimited high-speed data while traveling in the USA, UAE and Singapore at just Rs 2,500 for 7-days under the scheme. Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged a single additional rupee for calls and data while roaming in the US, the UAE, and Singapore.
Northern Ireland is facing a shortage of carpenters as there are not enough chippies to meet growing demand in the construction sector, according to a survey today.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said housebuilding and demand for home improvements were fuelling growth among small to medium-sized building firms.

FMB reported its ninth quarter of growth here from January to March, despite the political stalemate.

But just under 60% of firms said they were struggling to hire carpenters - the highest reported level since the financial crisis.

And 85% of firms said they believed that material prices would increase in the next three months.

Gavin McGuire, director of FMB Northern Ireland, said: "This progress within the SME building industry owes much to robust demand for both new homes and home improvement - the bread and butter of most small local builders."

He said builders had enjoyed growing workloads and were more confident about the future. But he added: "It begs the question: if we had strong political leadership and political stability, how well would our core business sectors like construction be performing? Although the Northern Ireland construction sector is not fully out of the woods after the tough years following the financial crisis, it is in a much better place than it was two years ago."

Alan Stewart of fit-out firm Marcon said the industry was suffering from a lack of carpenters and joiners. "There would be a general shortage of skilled joiners, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a shortage of skilled tradesmen in all aspects of the construction industry.

"To try and rectify this we wholeheartedly support the local apprenticeship schemes to attract the next generation into the fast-paced and rewarding fit-out sector.

"Our annual apprenticeship programme is currently open and we are looking for a number of apprentice joiners to join our team."

Brendan Crealey, who runs Industry Training Services in Portadown, said it had established a National Construction Skills Academy in response to the skills shortage.

"One of the biggest challenges is attracting young people back into the sector after we lost so many skilled people in the downturn," he said.

Joiner Stephen Mooney (25) from Belfast, a sole trader, said he was extremely busy currently, but said demand for services could be unpredictable, leaving many sole traders reluctant to take on help. Many joined bigger companies on a temporary basis when their own work was limited, he added.
US chemicals giant PPG Industries has upped the ante in its takeover pursuit of AkzoNobel by sweetening its offer for a second time.

The Pittsburgh-based suitor has bolstered its cash and share bid for the Dulux paint maker by 8% to 96.75 euro per share, with the potential tie-up now valued at 26.9 billion euro (22.8 billion).

In a letter to the Dutch firm's board, PPG chief executive Michael McGarry said he was "extending this one last invitation" for AkzoNobel to back its takeover approach.

He said: "Despite your rejections, private and public, of our invitations to date, we are confident you will find that a combination of our two companies will be beneficial to your stakeholders - and more beneficial than the revised strategy that you recently announced in response to our proposals.

"Our revised proposal represents a second substantial increase in price along with significant and highly-specific commitments that we are confident AkzoNobel's stakeholders will find compelling."

PPG said the proposed deal would deliver annual cost savings of 750 million US dollars (585 million) and was "vastly superior" to the Dutch firm's plans to stay independent.

As part of the improved offer, the American firm said it would not shift any production from Europe to the US.

It also vowed to keep the headquarters for the marine and protective coatings business, and the decorative coatings and speciality materials arm, in the UK and the Netherlands respectively.

In response to the fresh approach, AkzoNobel confirmed it had received "a third unsolicited and conditional proposal from PPG for all outstanding share capital of the company".

It added: "In accordance with its fiduciary duties and acting under the Dutch governance code the board of management and supervisory board of AkzoNobel will carefully review and consider this proposal."

AkzoNobel announced last week that it would return 1.6 billion euros (1.3 billion) to shareholders in 2017 through a new strategy that will lead to the creation of two separate firms by hiving off its Specialty Chemicals business for its paints and coatings arm.

It came as the company beat expectations with record profits, chalking up a 13% rise in earnings to 376 million euros (314 million) in the first quarter of this year, with revenues climbing 7% to 3.7 billion euros (3.1 billion) over the period.

The Polycell manufacturer, which employs 3,000 staff across the UK, has previously warned that any deal with PPG would trigger ''significant job cuts'' and create uncertainty for thousands of workers across the globe.

However, the company is under pressure from shareholders to embrace the deal, with activist investor Elliott Advisors calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) where investors can vote to remove AkzoNobel chairman Antony Burgmans.

Known for its strong-arm tactics, Elliott, which holds a stake worth more than 3%, said it would attempt to oust AkzoNobel's managers if the company refused to commence talks with PPG.

The paint maker rejected the request for the EGM earlier this month in a bullish response that saw it accuse Elliott Advisors of sharing ''price sensitive information''.

AkzoNobel reported the investment company to the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and told Elliott to outline its relationship with PPG Industries.

The Dutch firm announced plans earlier this year to build a 12.6 million euro (10.7 million) innovation hub near Gateshead, safeguarding 270 jobs.

It is also looking to launch a 110 million euro (93.7 million) Dulux paint factory in Ashington, Northumberland.

Professor John Colley, of Warwick Business School, said PPG's new offer has given AkzoNobel little option but to engage.

He said: "PPG are taking advantage of a strong dollar, high share price, and low borrowing costs to mount a somewhat opportunist bid. PPG have threatened a hostile bid if this does not elicit a negotiation. That will probably not be necessary.

"Chairman of the board Antony Burgmans turned down the previous bid within 24 hours, whilst CEO Ton Buchner outlined in detail the unwanted issues of a cultural mismatch, lost sustainability agenda, job losses and competition issues. However it appears shareholder consultation was limited and that their interests were being ignored."

"Boards have very different interests to shareholders," he added. "Boards aspire to status, power, pay and to continue in their job. Shareholders want created value through increasing dividends and share price.

"A substantial bid is likely to deliver far more value than they would ever otherwise see from the shares. Failures in corporate governance which allow boards to ignore value creation for shareholders often result in the emergence of activists such as Elliott."

A spokesman for Elliott Advisors said it was encouraged by the comments from AkzoNobel that it would "carefully review and consider" PPG's latest offer.

"Elliott continues to believe that it is in the interest of all stakeholders for AkzoNobel's boards to accept PPG's invitation to enter into sincere and constructive discussions about a potential combination with PPG," the investment firm said.

"Elliott further notes that PPG has characterised its proposal as a 'last invitation'. We understand from this that PPG will make no further attempts to engage in friendly discussions.

"There can be no assurance that a hostile bid - if one were to materialise - would include the same or improved protections and undertakings for Akzo Nobel stakeholders. Elliott therefore believes that friendly discussions now are in the best interest of all stakeholders."
Research among 1,200 members of the Federation of Small Businesses found that one in five currently have EU staff

Fresh concerns have been raised by smaller firms about the impact of Brexit on employing EU workers.

A study showed that more than half of small businesses with EU workers are worried about accessing skilled staff.

Research among 1,200 members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found that one in five currently have EU staff.

Nearly three quarters recruited all of their EU workers when they were already living in the UK, and the vast majority of small firms have no experience using the UK's points-based immigration system to recruit non-EU workers.

The FSB said its report highlighted the need for small firms to have continued access to labour and skills from the EU post-Brexit.

If Brexit creates additional barriers to recruiting EU citizens, small firms that employ EU workers would consider moving their business abroad, reducing operations, or even closing down, said the FSB.

Chairman Mike Cherry said: "There is real concern among small firms with EU staff that they will lose access to the skills and labour their business needs to survive and grow.

"EU workers are a vital part of our economy, helping to plug chronic skills gaps across a wide range of sectors, and filling jobs in an already tight labour market.

"From packers to mechanics to graphic designers, small employers need to be able to hire the right person for the right job at the right time.

"Securing the right to remain for EU workers in the UK must be a priority."
DJ Oliver Heldens will return to Belfast this summer for a gig at Custom House Square in the city.

The Dutch producer will perform at the venue on Sunday, August 20. Tickets for the show will go on sale from Friday April 28 at 9am.

The gig comes following Oliver's appearance during a sold out Belsonic show last year, in which he supported headliner Tiesto.

After signing to Spinnin Records at just 18, Oliver enjoyed success with his breakthrough track Gecko, with the record eventually receiving platinum sales status.

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His follow-up hit Koala (Last All Night) reached No. 5 in the UK chart and achieved Silver sales certification.

Oliver has since produced remixes for Coldplay, Martin Garrix, Robin Thicke, Disclosure and Calvin Harris.
The government must introduce emergency legislation to stop MLAs' salaries and expenses, the panel which sets Stormont politicians' pay has said.

Alan McQuillan, Pat McCartan and Dr Etta Campbell have told Secretary of State James Brokenshire that spending 1 million a month on MLAs can't be justified when the institutions aren't functioning.

They are warning him that public confidence in politics here will plummet if he doesn't take swift action.

The former Independent Financial Review Panel (IFRP) members have claimed that even paying MLAs a reduced salary and expenses rate can't be justified while the Assembly is mothballed.

Mr McQuillan, a former PSNI Assistant Chief Constable, last night told the Belfast Telegraph: "The time for shilly-shallying is over. The Secretary of State must grasp the nettle on this issue. Last week, he published emergency legislation to clear the way for the collection of rates in Northern Ireland.

"He must now be decisive and move this week in the House of Commons to begin the process of stopping MLAs' pay."

Following the announcement of the Westminster election last week, Mr Brokenshire extended the deadline for a talks deal to June 29.

Mr McQuillan said: "We all want the talks to succeed but, if they don't, then the Secretary of State must turn off the tap.

"MLAs should now be given three months' notice for themselves and their staff. That is the maximum statutory period and, I believe, very fair.

"If there is a deal by June 29, the redundancy notice will of course not come into effect.

"But serving it now sends a very clear message to the politicians that they can't be paid indefinitely if Stormont isn't functioning."

Mr McQuillan stated that the government couldn't continue to sit on the fence on the issue given the huge amount of public funds involved.

"MLAs' expenses and salaries are costing us 1 million a month," he said. "On top of that, the operating cost of running Stormont in terms of the building and other staff is 2.5 million a month.

"Given that the institutions aren't functioning, those costs could also be greatly reduced.

"The government must not continue to spend 3.5 million a month when devolution isn't actually operating."

When devolution was suspended in 2002, MLAs continued to receive 70% of their salaries and expenses for the next five years. Mr McQuillan said that must not happen again.

"The public wants value for money. They are sick of the squabbling and failure to reach agreement on things that can be sorted. People believe that if the politicians can't resolve the issues, then there's no point in having them," he added.

Former IFRP chairman Pat McCartan said: "The public mood is quite clear. Nobody wants to keep on paying politicians for a role they aren't fulfilling. Ordinary people are tired and impatient with it all. They are far more advanced than the government in knowing how to deal with the situation. I haven't met a single person who says, 'Keep on paying the MLAs for as long as it takes'."

A former chairman of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Mr McCartan added: "In any other area of employment, notice would already have been served and the contracts terminated of those not doing what they were paid to do.

"In the circumstances, the three months paid notice we are recommending is generous."

Mr McCartan said that if devolution wasn't functioning, there was no need for MLAs to be paid expenses to run their constituency offices.

"We have 18 MPs, 462 councillors, and three MEPs to meet the public's needs. We are not an under-represented place and there are no burning issues which only MLAs can deal with," he commented.

In a four-page letter sent to the Secretary of State last month, the three former IFRP panel members set out their views on stopping MLAs' pay.

In a two paragraph letter of reply seen by this newspaper, the Secretary of State thanked the trio for contacting him but said that MLAs' salaries and expenses remain an issue for Stormont, not Westminster.

Mr McQuillan said: "James Brokenshire is technically right but he has the power to change this.

"On Friday, he began the process of introducing legislation to the House of Commons to provide for the setting of a Northern Ireland regional rate and enable household bills to be issued.

"If he can change the law in order to collect money, he can do the same to save public money. He has the power to do that very easily. He needs to exercise it."
Catholics living in Northern Ireland have called for a return to direct rule to end the political chaos, a senior Conservative MP has said.

Laurence Robertson, chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said it was "really unfortunate" that returning decision-making powers to Westminster is viewed as the best way to resolve difficulties in the region.

Mr Robertson told the Commons the suggestion was put to him during a recent visit to Northern Ireland, noting most people do not want such action although they would prefer it if the choice is "between chaos and direct rule".

Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley (North Antrim) also warned the UK Government's proposed law to allow Westminster to set and collect rates to fund local council services has "tipped the scales in favour" of direct rule.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire earlier denied the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill represents a return to direct rule.

The proposal also extends the time Stormont's rowing parties have to form a powersharing agreement to June 29, three weeks after the UK general election.

A row over a botched green energy scheme caused devolution to crash in January.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Robertson said: "Just a couple of weeks ago I was in Northern Ireland on a social visit speaking to friends over there, actually Catholics if that's an important factor - it is an important factor because of what I'm about to say.

"And they said to me 'For goodness sake Laurence, get on with it, bring direct rule back because that's the only way we're going to get any decisions taken'.

"Now, they don't particularly want to see that, most people probably don't want to see that but if it's choice between chaos and direct rule, people will go for direct rule - they have to do, and it's really unfortunate that we've got to that position."

In a message aimed at Sinn Fein, Mr Robertson added: "Can I just say to those who are likely to bring about that situation - and it's not people who are present in this chamber here today, in my belief, it's people who refuse to take their seats in this chamber - it really would be rather paradoxical, rather strange that one party that says they don't want rule from this place are actually the party that brings it about.

"I mean, how odd would that be?"

Mr Robertson, a former shadow Northern Ireland minister, said direct rule does not mean the Commons as a whole decides everything but committees consisting of around 20 MPs - including very few from Northern Ireland.

He said: "That is the reality of direct rule and I'd say to those who are getting in the way of the institutions being set up again, is that how you want Northern Ireland to be governed?"
Graham Keddie, boss of Belfast International Airport, said scrapping the tax would deliver a dramatic increase in air traffic

Air passenger duty (APD) is acting like an anchor on tourism growth in Northern Ireland, an airport boss has told a major airline conference in Belfast.

Graham Keddie, boss of Belfast International Airport, said scrapping the tax would deliver a dramatic increase in air traffic to and from the region.

Currently passengers departing or arriving in Belfast on short-haul flights must pay 13 APD each way.

Five years ago the Stormont Executive secured powers from Westminster to scrap APD on long-haul flights.

But local ministers have refused to follow suit with short-haul services, claiming the move would be financially unviable due to the required counter-balancing loss to block grant funding from the Treasury.

At the Routes Europe conference in Belfast, which has brought representatives of more than 110 airlines to the city, Mr Keddie stressed the need for a rethink.

"It's like an anchor on us, pulling us back," he said.

"If you got rid of APD you'd see traffic grow dramatically."

He added: "We have had one airline that have said if APD goes we'll give you a million extra seats, we've had other airlines that have said similar things."

Mr Keddie's comments were echoed by the chief executive of rival airport Belfast City.

Brian Ambrose said it would deliver a "step change" for the tourism industry.

He said his airport lost a Madrid route last year to Cork, and was told the reason was the lack of APD in the Irish Republic.

"The additional income to the economy will offset that loss (from the block grant), so it's a net benefit," said Mr Ambrose.

"Once we get that understood then I think it has to go."

The current political crisis in Northern Ireland - the region has been without a functioning government for almost two months - means movement on APD will not materialise in the short term.

Mr Ambrose added: "The airlines will commercially commit to growing the market if there is a reduction in APD.

"One of the first things we want to engage with when we get a minister back in place is a timescale to reduce APD to allow us to get exponential growth.

"While it (APD) is devolved for long haul, 99% of our business is not long haul, so it's not really making any great impact.

"Dublin led the way, they saw the benefits, they are reaping the benefits, they are hitting record numbers."

Airline bosses and tourism bodies from across the continent are spending three days in Belfast for the conference.

Their presence has already paid dividends.

Mr Keddie said he would announce six new international routes from his airport later this week as a result of a deal struck over the weekend.

Mr Ambrose said he hoped to be making similar new business announcements in the months ahead.
The explosive was discovered near a school in the Herbert Street area of Ardoyne

A view of the area where dissident republicans left a bomb which was discovered in an alleyway beside Holy Cross Boys' Primary School in Ardoyne, north Belfast

Police and ATO at the scene of an overnight security alert in the Herbert Street area of Ardoyne following the discovery of a suspicious object on April 23rd 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police and ATO at the scene of an overnight security alert in the Herbert Street area of Ardoyne following the discovery of a suspicious object on April 23rd 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Dissident republicans left a bomb at the gates of a primary school in Northern Ireland in an attempt to murder police, a senior officer has said.

The device, described as viable, significant and reckless, was discovered in an alleyway beside Holy Cross Boys' Primary School in Ardoyne, North Belfast shortly before midnight on Saturday.

People in twenty homes in a row of terraced houses in the Herbert Street area had to be evacuated while the bomb squad was called in.

They included families, pensioners and a six-year-old girl, who local representatives said was frightened and left in tears after being taken from her bed in the middle of the night.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said the bomb plot was provocative as the Holy Cross school name is synonymous with vicious and traumatic sectarian protests a decade and a half ago which targeted Catholic schoolgirls.

"It's a very significant device more than capable of causing death and serious injury," he said.

"There's no doubt that device was there to try and kill community police officers on the beat in their local area, but also it was left in such a reckless manner and in such a reckless location that it would have undoubtedly led to the death or serious injury of a member of the public had it exploded anywhere near them."

Mr Noble said he was in no doubt that dissident republicans were behind the incident in an attempt to kill police officers.

The alleyway where the device was found is used by local people coming and going as a route to and from local houses, and it was also said to be where local young people gather.

The PSNI appealed for anyone who saw an ything suspicious around midnight to come forward.

"All we need are the bits of the jigsaw to try and understand who was in the area, what people saw, because that's what detectives can then build their investigation on," Mr Noble said.

Sinn Fein MLA for the area Gerry Kelly said the device was designed to kill.

"I condemn it outright," he said.

"Those behind it have no regard whatsoever for this community and they need to end these futile acts."

Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, said those behind the attack wanted to murder or maim officers.

"They didn't care if passers-by or children out playing in the area were caught up in an explosion. It was an entirely reckless act," he said.

"This appears to have been a deadly, anti-personnel-type weapon. Thankfully, it was recovered and removed without being detonated.

"The attackers are terrorising people who live in the area and preventing them from getting on with their everyday lives."

Local SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said the threat was a chilling reminder that some people are still intent on taking life and causing injury in the community.

He said: "There can be no justification for this kind of attack on our community."

Secretary of State James Brokenshire said: "I am sickened by this incident with dissident republican terrorists placing a bomb close to a primary school in north Belfast.

"This shows their wanton disregard for human life, potentially putting children in danger.

"The consequences could have been utterly devastating and it shows them for what they really are.

"I am grateful to the emergency services for their work in keeping people safe."

Police later clarified the device was discovered on Brookfield Street in Ardoyne, which runs off Herbert Street and near a community centre, after it had been placed by the school gates.

They also said some people with disabilities were among those who had to be taken from their homes in the middle of the night.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out at the scene and the device was taken away for forensic analysis.

Mr Noble said: "Many families with young children, older people, the sick and those with significant disabilities had to leave their homes in the middle of the night last night.

"Police and community representatives stepped in to make sure these people had somewhere to go and were kept safe while those responsible for all of this were absent, likely safe in their beds."

He said the local community deserved an apology and explanation from those behind the incident.

Nigel Dodds, Democratic Unionist MP for North Belfast, said: " Those who constructed and planted this device clearly have no regard for any human life.

"Such a device could have caused devastation and we must all pay tribute to the work of those who have made the scene safe."

Policing Board chairman Anne Connolly said: " Leaving an explosive device in the heart of the community shows the recklessness of those responsible as anyone could have been caught up in this.

"I'm grateful that the device was found and the attempt to harm our police officers thwarted."
Police arrest him to end the drama

The man standing in the road

A man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday evening following a knife incident in Londonderry city centre.

Police were called to Ferryquay Street shortly before 5.30pm after a man reported to be brandishing a large knife was blocking the road in front of a silver Seat Toledo car.

The vehicle, which had four males inside, could not move as the knife-wielding man lay across the bonnet, digging the weapon into the car, while traffic backed up behind.

The incident, which happened directly outside the Richmond Centre shopping mall, played out over 10 minutes.

A large crowd of shoppers gathered to watch events unfold, while traffic in the city centre came to a standstill.

Security officers at the Richmond Centre attempted to keep the ever-increasing numbers of shoppers at a safe distance until police arrived at the scene.

At one stage one of the occupants of the car got out and challenged the assailant, but was quickly ushered back into the vehicle by shopping centre security.

Five police officers arrived and shouted at the assailant to move away from the car and get on the ground.

He was then forcibly taken to the ground by the officers, who searched him and removed a knife from the bonnet of the car.

The assailant was handcuffed and taken to Strand Road PSNI station.

Witness Connor McLaughlin (22) said it was a shocking incident.

"We were driving home from doing some shopping in town and we saw a man walk out in front of the car in front of us," said the electrician.

"He had a knife and was digging it into the bonnet of their car.

"I really was shocked that someone could be so casual, walking around the town with a knife.

"It could have turned nasty."

The PSNI said enquiries into the incident were continuing.

It added: "Police received a report of a disturbance in Ferryquay Street at around 5.20pm yesterday.

"Officers attended and arrested a man in his 50s.

"A knife was recovered from the scene."
The car was driven to Kelly's Nightclub in Portrush, court heard.

Car thieves headed to a top Northern Ireland nightclub in a 92-year-old victim's stolen vehicle, the High Court heard on Monday.

The raiders also took a farmer's 4X4 during the same crime spree on the north Antrim coast, prosecutors said.

Details emerged as bail was granted to one of two men accused of carrying out last week's thefts.

Maurice Ayres, 22, of Lodge Road in Coleraine, is banned from entering parts of the Causeway area as part of his release conditions.

He faces charges of burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, and taking a motor vehicle without authority.

Crown lawyer Conor Maguire said a Peugeot 307 was stolen from outside the home of a 92-year-old man in Coleraine in the early hours of April 18.

"That car was driven around to Kelly's Nightclub in Portrush," the barrister said.

Amid sightings of the vehicle being driven suspiciously it was abandoned a short time later.

A Daihatsu Riviera was then stolen from a farmer living close to Dunluce Castle.

The 4X4 was spotted at a petrol station where the thieves had to refuel, the court heard.

According to Mr Maguire, Ayres was dropped off at his hostel accommodation at around 6am.

Police believe he was the passenger in both vehicles.

Describing the accused as a priority offender in his local area, the prosecutor contended that any risks could be reduced by moving him out of the Coleraine and Causeway areas.

Defence counsel agreed that hostel accommodation will be available at other locations.

Granting bail, Madam Justice McBride imposed an exclusion zone to be defined on a map.

She also banned Ayres from travelling in a private vehicle, and ordered him to abide by a nighttime curfew and electronic monitoring.
Shutters come down on a woolworths store in the Tower Centre shopping complex in Ballymena co Antrim, as the store closes its doors for the final time. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday December 27, 2008. Pic: Paul Faith/PA Wire

Could Woolworths make a comeback to Northern Ireland high streets after almost a decade out of business?

Former director of the brand Tony Page has said he is still emotionally attached to the famous old name and has made approaches to buy it.

In an interview with the Daily Star, Mr Page said he would be more interested in opening stores "in the heart of communities" rather than in big shopping centres.

He said that he has approached the brand's current owner Shop Direct and asked if it would be interested in selling the name to someone who would.

"I still think it has got a role in the future," he told the paper. "It is much easier to walk down the road than to order on Amazon."

Mr Page described the closure of the shops and with it the loss of thousands of jobs as "traumatic" admitting he still carried the pain but said it was the only possible option.

"It was a huge disappointment when Woolies closed," he told us, "people had worked there for decades, and for them they had lost their careers, jobs and their livelihoods.

"I strongly believe the core of Woolworths, however, was  and still could be  a strong and prosperous business."

Woolworths went into administration in 2008 after racking up debts of hundreds of millions of pounds. It had 800 stores employing some 27,000 across the UK at the time with 11 shops in Northern Ireland with the final few closing their doors for the final time at the beginning of 2009.

It's first shop in Belfast opened in 1915.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Woolworths celebrating its first Belfast store in 1915. The end of Woolworths in 2009 Shutters come down on a woolworths store in the Tower Centre shopping complex in Ballymena co Antrim, as the store closes its doors for the final time. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday December 27, 2008. Pic: Paul Faith/PA Wire Woolworths in Londonderry's Ferryquay Street. Picture Martin McKeown Inpresspics.com. 27.11.08 Woolworths had 11 shops in Northern Ireland. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. / Facebook

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When it collapsed Woolworths had become a rather old-fashioned throwback to another retail era, but it was once a unique and ground-breaking company.

When the first British store opened in Liverpool nearly a century ago long queues formed and the shelves were nearly stripped bare after the first day's trading.

Everything was priced at sixpence (2.5p) and customers snapped up everything from sweets to tin toys, crockery and glassware.

It was the first time household items had been made available at such affordable everyday prices to the British public.

It was such a hit that from the mid-1920s the company was inundated with letters from local authorities, asking them to open in their town. At one point a new store was emerging every 17 days.

Founder Frank Woolworth put the success down to the great buying power that allows us to drive prices lower by helping factories to make their goods more cheaply.

Woolies eventually came under British ownership in 1982. It outlasted the US parent, which closed its final Woolworths stores in 1997.
Emergency powers to give Stormont's rowing parties extra time to strike a powersharing deal have been backed by MPs, amid fears of direct rule returning.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire brought the measures before the Commons in a bid to create a three-week window after the June 8 General Election to enable an agreement to be reached.

They also allow Westminster to set and collect rates to fund local council services as well as pave the way for future legislation enabling MPs to set a budget in Northern Ireland if no executive is formed after the latest round of talks.

Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley (North Antrim) was among those who warned that the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill has "tipped the scales in favour" of direct rule.

Mr Brokenshire earlier denied the draft legislation represents a return to direct rule, saying it was up to the parties in Northern Ireland to sort out their differences.

He told MPs: "My point remains that that does not need to be the outcome.

"The outcome that we want to see is an executive being formed, the outcome that we want to see is devolved government being put into place, making decisions within Northern Ireland for the people of Northern Ireland."

MPs gave the Bill an unopposed third reading and it will undergo scrutiny by peers before it can become law.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Dave Anderson was criticised during the debate on the Bill after he said British soldiers and the security services who served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland should face investigations if they did not act correctly.

The Labour frontbencher, who is not seeking re-election, went against pleas from Conservative and DUP MPs who said the police and soldiers who served in Northern Ireland should not face fresh probes into their conduct.

There has been concern over British veterans being investigated for their conduct in Northern Ireland, over incidents that happened up to 40 years ago.

Tory James Heappey (Wells) asked Mr Anderson: "I wonder if you might join me in confirming your belief that the British Army should not be subject to further investigations for the actions that they took during the Troubles?

"Would you confirm that your party under its current leadership, that they have their loyalty firmly with the British Army, not the IRA?"

Mr Anderson replied: "I think it's quite clear from my point of view that if people in uniform, if they did not act correctly, then I'm sorry, I can't agree that they shouldn't be brought to book.

"Because what signal are we sending out, that it's all right to act out of order?

"We expect the highest standards from our great people in uniform.

"In terms of his comments about the leadership, it's very, very clear that my party is committed to our armed forces and not to any terrorist organisation."

The DUP's Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) said incidents where the police or Army were involved should not be treated as murder.

He added: "That's the inequality and what causes the anger that we have seen in so many families, that every killing by terrorists was no doubt a murder, it was illegal.

"But in many occasions, those incidents in which soldiers and policemen were involved were in protection of life and property, and therefore should not be treated by the authorities as if there was something illegal involved in the incident."

Mr Anderson said: "I'm very, very clear that the vast majority of the things that were done by our forces were not murder.

"But there's a process that has fallen apart, a process of investigation that we need to put back together again, that we need to get to the bottom of.

"If there are some cases that could be construed - and this is quite clearly in the agreements that people have signed up to in the past to try and make this work - then we've got to get to the root of them and we've got to get them aired out in public."
Fred Heatley was beaten and arrested as a march was stopped by police on Duke Street in Derry in October 1968

A founder of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland has died aged 82.

Fred Heatley was beaten and arrested as a march was stopped by police on Duke Street in Derry in October 1968.

A few months later he suffered abuse as protesters were ambushed by a mob armed with rocks at Burntollet.

He was one of a number of people who parted ways from the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) in 1969 when it appeared that the organisation was getting too close to those wishing to pursue an armed struggle and shifting from its non-sectarian origins, a family notice said.

It added: "As a pacifist, Fred was not willing to condone the use of violence."

Mr Heatley, as secretary of an interim group, issued invitations to a meeting in Belfast in 1967 which saw the foundation of NICRA.

This meeting was attended by representatives from a wide range of political parties, the trade union movement, residents' groups and civil liberty groups.

Those present included Austin Currie and the late Gerry Fitt.

Mr Heatley became treasurer of the NICRA and sat on its steering committee along with a group including former Stormont MP Paddy Devlin.

His contribution, and the achievement of "one man, one vote" for the people of Northern Ireland was recognised by then Irish president Mary McAleese when he was invited to Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin in 2009.

As a writer his most noted publications were the histories of St Joseph's and St Patrick's churches in Belfast and a biography of United Irishman Henry Joy McCracken.

A founder of the West Belfast Historical Society he was also instrumental in the establishment of guided bus tours of Belfast, acting as guide on the very first tours during the 1990s.

As a former professional boxer he wrote extensively on the sport over many decades.

He is survived by his sister, three daughters, two sons, twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Roselawn Crematorium on Tuesday.
Italian rider Dario Cecconi who was critically injured in a crash at the Tandragee 100 road race

Italian rider Dario Cecconi who was critically injured in a crash at the Tandragee 100 road race

An Italian motorcyclist was last night critically ill in hospital after a crash at the Tandragee 100 road race.

Experienced rider Dario Cecconi (38) was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital by police escort on Saturday after the two-bike crash during the Senior Support race of the Co Armagh event.

The other rider suffered minor injuries.

The smash - on the final lap on the approach to Bells Crossroads - happened amid worsening weather conditions and saw the red flags come out and the showpiece Superbike and Supertwin events abandoned.

The Tuscan, who describes himself on Facebook as 'Paddy Italian Stallion', was taking part in the popular meeting for the fifth time.

Mr Cecconi has also competed in the North West 200, Cookstown 100 and Dundrod 150, as well as events in the Republic and his native Italy.

He is not believed to have any family connection to Ireland, but has travelled back and forth many times to take part in motorbike races.

Club secretary for the Tandragee 100 Anne Forsythe said: "We are very fond of Dario and are hoping and praying for the best."

The incident came after TV star Guy Martin and Magherafelt's Paul Jordan collided and came off their bikes in the opening race.

They were both uninjured.

A spokesperson for the North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club (Tarmac Section) Ltd said: "(We) can confirm that just after the chequered flag went out for the Senior Support race on Saturday, April 22, that a 38-year-old competitor, Dario Cecconi from Italy, sustained serious injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital."

Friends posted support for Cecconi on social media.

Laura Pagliaretta wrote on Twitter: "Get well soon we all pray 4 u."

Lusk man Noel Murphy died in an accident at the Tandragee 100 race in 2014.

The 36-year-old was the second rider from the Co Dublin town to lose his life at the race after Martin Finnegan was killed in 2008.

The Tandragee 100 was the first race on the 2017 Irish National calendar.

Cookstown in Co Tyrone hosts the next meeting this Friday and Saturday before the North West 200 in May.
More than 65,000 worth of damage has been caused to a park in Ballymena following an arson attack over the weekend.

The People's Park in Ballymena was targeted on Sunday night.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Audrey Wales said the damage is significant and the area is now deemed structurally unsafe.

Councillor Wales said it could cost in excess of 65,000 to repair it.

She said: The extent of the fire damage is significant and has meant that fencing will have to be erected around the whole multi-play area to keep children from entering.

In effect, this mindless act means that our children are now being denied the chance to play outdoors throughout the summer months.

It looks like the structure cannot be repaired as the uprights have been badly burnt making it structurally unsafe, which is a dreadful shame."

I have spent years fighting for playpark upgrades all over Ballymena Borough. The vandalism at the people's park is an absolute disgrace.  Paul Frew (@paulfrewDUP) April 24, 2017

Councillor Wales said the earliest that the structure could be removed and replaced would be autumn.

This kind of conduct is wholly unacceptable and I am very annoyed that this pointless act of sheer vandalism has destroyed a very important resource for our children.

As we are now into the brighter nights when children should be outside enjoying the park, this is particularly galling."

Councillor Wales said as she awaits reports - most if not all of the play area equipment will have to be demolished and replaced.

She added: At the present time this is estimated to be a figure well in excess of 65,000 representing an unnecessary and added burden to the Boroughs ratepayers."

Police investigating the significant damage caused to play equipment and windows at the Peoples Park in Ballymena are asking for witnesses to come forward.

Inspector Doris Purvis said: It is an absolute shame that damage has been caused to a play area that benefits so many children in the local area and I would strongly urge anyone with information about who is responsible to contact us on the 101 non-emergency number.

"Equally, if you saw any suspicious activity at the park overnight or during the early hours of this morning, please get in touch quoting reference 320 of 24/04/17.
Magaluf in Spain is very popular with tourists

A man from Northern Ireland has been killed after being hit by a suspected drink-driver in Magaluf in Majorca.

The victim, who was named only as A O'Bryan by local police, was struck by a car on the Calle Pinada, off the Calle Punta Ballena, at around 3am yesterday.

Police arrested a Spanish citizen who reportedly tested positive for alcohol and drugs, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin news website.

Emergency services rushed to the scene where paramedics spent approximately 30 minutes attending to the 40-year-old. However, he was pronounced dead shortly after 3.30am.

Local police sources say the man was struck by a car and dragged more than 10 metres. Medics were on the scene rapidly.

It is believed the victim arrived on Saturday with a group of people to spend the weekend there.

A spokeswoman for Calvia Council said the driver of the vehicle involved, who is Spanish and comes from the island capital Palma, had been arrested for manslaughter and for driving under the influence of alcohol.

"He failed both drink and drugs tests," she said. "The vehicle was apparently seen being driven aggressively through the streets of Magaluf just beforehand."

She said the dead man was from Northern Ireland.

A taxi driver witnessed what happened and called the police.

The Guardia Civil confirmed the car, a Ford Focus, was seen being driven erratically in the area prior to the incident.
The public has been urged to be vigilant in online business after a Belfast woman paid out thousands of pounds for a car, which didn't exist.

The 32-year-old spotted the Ford Focus on a car dealer website claiming to be based in England. The site appeared genuine with over 100 cars listed for sale.

After speaking online with the business she agreed to make a bank transfer of 4,200. However, the money vanished and the car never materialised. The website, which turned out to be fake, was subsequently shut down.

The woman is thought to be the seventh victim known to Trading Standards in Northern Ireland to have been caught out in the past year.

Trading Standards has urged the public to be vigilant when considering online purchases saying there is a possibility the same fraudsters could be operating under a different business name online to catch others out.

Bill Malloy said: Once again, Northern Ireland consumers are considerably out of pocket. People should never conclude a deal from someone without being able to touch the car in question and to deal face to face with the seller. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Even when such websites are shut down they will re-emerge under a different name but using the same tactics."

Consumers who feel that they have been a victim should contact Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 or alternatively log onto the Consumerline website at www.consumerline.org
Police believe that dissident republicans left a "very significant" bomb at the gates of a north Belfast school in an attempt to kill PSNI officers.

Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said police believed the device, which was discovered by officers at Holy Cross Boys' Primary at Brookfield Street in Ardoyne, was aimed at "police officers on foot patrol".

However, he added that the "sizeable" bomb was also "anti-community" as it "would have killed anybody in the immediate area" had it been detonated.

Residents including families with young children, the elderly, and some sick and disabled people were evacuated from their homes during the security alert in the early hours of yesterday.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out on the device.

It was then removed for forensic analysis.

"It was a very significant device that was more than capable of causing death and serious injury," said Mr Noble.

"Most poignantly and most importantly to the local community in that area is the fact that it was right at the gates of Holy Cross Boys' Primary School.

"There's no doubt that device was there to try to kill community police officers on the beat in that area.

"But also it was left in such a reckless manner and in such a reckless location that it would undoubtedly have led to the death or serious injury of a member of the public had it exploded anywhere near them."

The senior officer said pupils were due to return to the school today after the Easter holidays, but could have been in the area on Saturday evening as well.

"So a young person, a child, could have picked that up and, if it exploded, it would have been beyond life-changing - it would have been life-ending for that young person," he added.

"So I don't know who these people are but they clearly don't care about young people in that community."

Mr Noble said he believed police had discovered the device "quickly", but admitted that the PSNI "just don't know how long it was there, and indeed how many people potentially even walked past it".

Holy Cross Boys' vice principal Chris Donnelly said that planting the bomb at the school gates was "shocking and showed a callous disregard for people".

"Thankfully this was discovered, but 24 hours later kids would have been coming in to school," he said. "We have 440 boys here. Where it was situated is a walkway and a lot of people walk past there.

"It is also situated about 10 metres or less away from the nearest row of houses.

"The evacuation inconvenienced residents, and a lot of children live very close to the school.

"It's not anything that we want kids to have on their mind, that there was a bomb at the gates."

Secretary of State James Brokenshire said he was "sickened" by the incident.

He slammed the dissident republicans believed to have planted the bomb.

"This shows their wanton disregard for human life, potentially putting children in danger," he said.

"The consequences could have been utterly devastating and it shows them for what they really are.

"I am grateful to the emergency services for their work in keeping people safe."

Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said: "The people who did this wanted to murder or maim officers.

"They didn't care if passers-by or children out playing in the area were caught up in an explosion. It was an entirely reckless act.

"This appears to have been a deadly, anti-personnel-type weapon. The local community, indeed Northern Ireland as a whole, want to be rid of these terrorists, who are holding back communities and creating misery for the many."

North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds said those who planted the device "clearly have no regard for any human life" and that it "serves as a reminder once more for the entire community to unite in support of the forces of law and order in our country".

North Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly also condemned those behind the bomb.

"This was a device left in a built-up residential area which was designed to kill. I condemn it outright," he said.

Local SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said the device was "a chilling reminder that some people remain willing to murder and maim in our community".

Alliance councillor Nuala McAllister said those behind the bomb "do not represent the vast majority of the local community".
The men were warned any repeat will see them jailed.

Two Polish men who used a specially converted jacket to steal designer sunglasses have been warned any repeat will see them jailed for more than a year.

Maciej Pasternak, 22, and Dawid Mikolowski, 23, each received six-month suspended prison terms for Sunday's raid on Belfast's Victoria Square shopping centre.

The pair, who travelled up from Co Monaghan, took three sets of sunglasses valued at 90 from a Superdry store and tried to leave without paying.

Police arrested them and recovered a magnet used in the shoplifting plot.

Belfast Magistrates' Court heard the lining of Pasternak's jacket had also been adapted to create an inner pocket.

The two accused, both of The Diamond in Clones, pleaded guilty to charges of theft and going equipped for theft.

Defence solicitor Pearse MacDermott emphasised both men's previously clear records since moving to live in the Republic of Ireland two years ago.

"They came to Belfast yesterday to do some shopping," he said.

"Both indicate it was an act of stupidity on their part and they don't intend to return to this jurisdiction."

Mr MacDermott also accepted: "It was a slightly more advanced technique than one would expect in shoplifting."

District Judge Mark Hamill expressed concern at the pre-planning involved.

Imposing six-month prison sentences, he suspended the terms for three years.

But the judge warned the pair: "If you come back for this again I would give you eight months, and with the six months it would be 14 months in custody."

He also ordered destruction of the jacket and magnet.
An evangelical pastor - whose church members were accused of making other diners uncomfortable after a religious celebration was held in a Carrickfergus hotel's restaurant - has claimed a private booking was made for the room.

However, the hotel has disputed that.

Last week, a woman named Kelly contacted BBC NI's Nolan Show to express her anger, saying that she was approached about religion during Sunday lunch at the hotel, and that a religious act took place nearby.

She told the show she was sitting with a female friend and some children when two men came over and started giving out Christian tracts.

After the hotel manager asked the men to leave the table, Kelly said she witnessed a "religious act or ceremony" at another table during which a woman was anointed with holy water.

However, Pastor Paul Burns of Adullam Christian Fellowship Church, said he and two other churches had privately booked the room in order to hold a Christian Easter celebration, and had allowed the extra guests to sit there at the hotel's request as it had been "overbooked".

"We paid 648 to have a private Easter Sunday function with 53 people at the Loughshore Hotel," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"We had planned to have speeches, music, games and give out leaflets and sweets for the children, as well as holding a ceremony for a missionary lady who is going to Africa.

"Then three extra tables were put in by the hotel as they said there was an 'overspill'.

"I could have objected but we decided to show a Christian attitude and, instead of doing what we had planned, we distributed the leaflets and sweets and held the blessing ceremony.

"By the time the leaflets were distributed there was only one table of strangers left, and an 88-year-old missionary who had been told not to go to the woman's table went over by mistake to give them a leaflet as he is hard of hearing. It was in no way intimidating to the woman or her family.

"The anointing with oil was done four tables away from the woman with just two people praying."

Meanwhile, Kelly said that if she had known that those in the hotel room had been celebrating a religious ceremony she would have refused to be seated there.

"When I rang up I was told there was no room left and the girl said they could put us in the small room, which she said was the same thing," she claimed.

"If I had known it was a private function I wouldn't have wanted to go in. The whole thing was very uncomfortable.

"The ceremony with the woman took place right at the front of the room and it was very visible, and the manager and staff were looking over. Two men came over to our table and it was just me with another woman and our kids, so we felt vulnerable.

"If it was meant to have been a private room then there wouldn't be anything in it, but why were we put in there too? It should have been kept private."

In a statement, Group Operations Director for the Loughview Leisure Group, Stephen Carson, denied the room had been booked privately. He said: "We catered for 82 guests in the Imperial Suite on Easter Sunday with 30 of those guests being booked by Pastor Paul Burns from the Adullam Christian Fellowship in Belfast. At no time was the Imperial Suite booked privately for any group, nor was any room hire charged.

"During the lunch period members of the church handed out religious tracts to their group and, by accident or otherwise, they offered tracts to a table of five guests who were not part of their group. One of the pastors from the church also said a prayer with one lady in their group.

"These two events were not to the liking of the lady who had booked the table for five guests and she complained to the duty manager who dealt with her complaint promptly with tact.

"At the Belfast Loughshore Hotel we are proud to welcome guests from all walks of life, all religions and all races."
The case of Barney Watt is one of the oldest outstanding inquests to be re-examined after an order from N Ireland's Attorney General John Larkin QC

A labourer from Northern Ireland was shot dead by soldiers as he threw an explosive almost 50 years ago, a military statement before a new inquest said.

Barney Watt, 28, died in hotly disputed circumstances during a riot in nationalist Ardoyne in Belfast in February 1971.

His widow told the city centre coroner's court hearing her husband of six years was not an IRA member and his friend recalled he had never seen him engaged in Troubles-related disorder, which was then endemic in the sectarian flashpoint.

The Watt case is among the oldest outstanding inquests being re-examined following an order from Northern Ireland's Attorney General John Larkin QC.

An account from a soldier known as Sgt C said: "He had something in his hand and I gained the impression this object was alight.

"My round struck him as he was turning with the throw.

"The man fell to the ground and as he did so the object he had in his hand exploded and blew him into Chatham Street so that only his upper body was visible."

He was shot in the chest and buttock, a paramedic said.

The victim had been on a night out at a local pigeon club before he was killed.

An army vehicle - part of an operation to make "snatch squad" arrests - had gone up in flames after it was hit with a nail bomb, illuminating the pitch-black street, but its occupants escaped by a back door.

As soldiers provided cover an eye witness described what had been relatively low-key disorder developing into scenes of panic.

Two gunshots from a supposed military weapon rang out.

Margaret McAteer was returning from a Belfast city centre bar with her then boyfriend and stopped to watch the trouble.

She saw the victim lying face down on the ground.

"I could still see the blood."

She said guns were not common then and Mr Watt was about the third person shot during the conflict.

Her then partner Patrick Murphy said he saw someone roll the device under the Saracen armoured vehicle, or pig as it was known to residents angered by what they saw as military harassment.

"I never saw anything go up as fast or as hard.

"It seemed to lift it a couple of feet off the ground and it was immediately engulfed in flames."

Ms McAteer added: "As far as I was concerned the people in that Saracen burned to death - which is a horrible feeling."

The victim had a conviction for disorder from before the beginning of the Troubles.

His partner Teresa Watt said: "If there was rioting Barney would have taken part, although he was not involved in any paramilitaries."

She said everybody in the area rioted at that time.

Mr Watt's friend Michael Mailey said he had never seen him involved in violence, rebutting earlier comments attributed to him which said he was sometimes at the front line and was full of bravado.
Funding would be available for projects A5 and A6 road projects, the Belfast Transport Hub, and the Mother and Children's Hospital

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has set out to MPs legislation that will allow fresh attempts to be made to restore devolved government at Stormont.

Mr Brokenshire made clear that if no government is in place by the latest talks deadline of June 29, he will intervene to effectively set Stormont's budget for the rest of the financial year.

He published indicative figures for a budget he will impose if the Stormont's parties do not reach agreement in the ongoing talks.

Stormont's finances have been under the control of a senior civil servant since the start of the financial year due to the absence of an executive.

Figures published on Monday [Word document] include a 3% increase in cash for health spending but a 2.5% cut for education. The Department of Communities would also see a increase in it's budget.

The proposed departmental budgetary allocations are based on financial assessments by senior civil servants. The civil servants in turn were guided by the general policy directions of the last ministerial executive, before it imploded.

Funding would also be available for projects which were announced by the Executive as part of their 2016-17 Budget.

These include the A5 and A6 road projects, the Belfast Transport Hub, and the Mother and Children's Hospital.

"However it would be for individual departments to prioritise and allocate their capital budgets. As with the resource totals above, this does not include the 7m of capital provided in the March Budget," Brokenshire added.

Mr Brokenshire also laid out the new Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill.

The legislation will give Stormont's rowing parties a three-week window to strike a deal after the general election.

It will enable the collection of household rates payments in Northern Ireland, funds that run local council services, as well as paving the way for future legislation for Westminster to set a budget in Northern Ireland if no executive is formed after the latest round of talks.

Mr Brokenshire dismissed suggestions this was a return to direct rule, saying it was up to the parties in Northern Ireland to sort out their differences.

He added: "My point remains that that does not need to be the outcome.

"The outcome that we want to see is an executive being formed, the outcome that we want to see is devolved government being put into place, making decisions within Northern Ireland for the people of Northern Ireland."

Parties to decide whether to halts talks

Stormont politicians will decide on Thursday whether to halt talks to restore powersharing until the General Election is over.

With all sides acknowledging the chances of a compromise deal are slim when parties are focused on an adversarial race for votes, there is a growing expectation that the process may be paused or significantly scaled back until after June 8.

The matter will be discussed on Thursday when the leaders of the main parties meet Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire and Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan at Stormont Castle, Belfast.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was time to drop the "pretence" that anything was being achieved by continuing to talk.

"There is nothing worse than pretending to be negotiating," he said.

"The idea that we are going to get a deal in these current circumstances is just not credible."

Mr Eastwood laid the blame at Theresa May's door, claiming her decision to call the election had torpedoed any chance of an agreement in the short term.

Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly levelled a similar charge at Mrs May.

"The fact the British Prime Minister is either indifferent to what happens here or actually moved deliberately in terms of what happened here we are now left with a difficulty in trying to move forward at all," he said.

"People understand how difficult it would be to come to solid conclusions in the middle of an election, but the British Prime Minister didn't seem to worry about that."

The fate of powersharing rests on whether the two main parties - Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists - can reach a consensus.

Sinn Fein demands for legislative protections for Irish speakers, an end to the region's ban on gay marriage and the implementation of a Northern Ireland-specific bill of rights are among the issues of dispute.

The party has accused the DUP of preventing the formation of a "rights-based" government.

But the DUP has dismissed this, claiming Sinn Fein is focused only on the wish-list of its own supporters, and is failing to appreciate that others want movement on other issues.

The DUP is seeking protections for Ulster Scots speakers and has also pressed for the introduction of a military covenant in Northern Ireland, a series of policies that define the state's obligations to its armed services.

The Ulster Unionists, SDLP and Alliance Party are also involved in the protracted negotiations, along with the UK and Irish governments.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been lambasted by IRA victims for declining an opportunity to condemn the Warrington bomb which killed two young children.

He also refused to say whether or not he would be prepared to meet with Colin Parry, whose 12-year-old son Tim was one of those killed in the 1993 blast.

Now it has emerged that Mr Corbyn has also turned down an invitation to meet one of Northern Ireland's most prominent victims' groups, Innocent Victims United.

Mr Corbyn has faced criticism in the past for his warm relationship with senior Sinn Fein members during the Troubles when the IRA were committing multiple atrocities across Northern Ireland, the UK and even as far away as Germany. Last December it emerged he had hired a former Sinn Fein staffer to his leadership team.

The Sunday Times approached Mr Corbyn on behalf of Mr Parry, asking him would he condemn the Warrington bomb, and would he visit the Parry family. He did not respond.

Attempts by the Belfast Telegraph to contact the Labour Party over these matters yesterday were unsuccessful.

Mr Parry, who along with his wife Wendy, set up a peace centre in Warrington, told the Sunday Times he wanted to ask Mr Corbyn about his views. "I would ask him a simple question: why did you hold the views you did back at the height of the armed struggle and how could you possibly justify that when they were attacking innocent civilians, children and grown-ups?"

Last night Kenny Donaldson from Innocent Victims United said his group had requested to meet Mr Corbyn four times, but had not received a response. "Jeremy Corbyn continues to treat the innocent victims and survivors of PIRA terrorism with contempt," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"He is the only politician that our organisation has requested to meet with (on four occasions now) who refuses to even acknowledge correspondence.

"Within the Labour Party are many honourable representatives who know and understand what terrorism is - Kate Hoey, Dan Jarvis and there are many others."

He added: "The Warrington bomb saw the murder of two children, one a mere toddler.

"What type of person cannot even bring himself to condemn the actions which brought about that death of his own fellow citizens? Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and the other quasi-Sinn Fein/PIRA politicians within the Labour Party's ranks must be faced down by the many decent representatives and members within the party and brought to heel."
Ian Paisley warned that the Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates Bill has 'tipped the scales in favour' of direct rule

Emergency powers to give Stormont's rowing parties extra time to strike a powersharing deal have been backed by MPs, amid fears of direct rule returning.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire brought the measures before the Commons in a bid to create a three-week window after the June 8 General Election to enable an agreement to be reached.

They also allow Westminster to set and collect rates to fund local council services as well as pave the way for future legislation enabling MPs to set a budget in Northern Ireland if no executive is formed after the latest round of talks.

Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley (North Antrim) was among those who warned that the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill has "tipped the scales in favour" of direct rule.

Mr Brokenshire earlier denied the draft legislation represents a return to direct rule, saying it was up to the parties in Northern Ireland to sort out their differences.

He told MPs: "My point remains that that does not need to be the outcome.

"The outcome that we want to see is an executive being formed, the outcome that we want to see is devolved government being put into place, making decisions within Northern Ireland for the people of Northern Ireland."

MPs gave the Bill an unopposed third reading and it will undergo scrutiny by peers before it can become law.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Dave Anderson was criticised during the debate on the Bill after he said British soldiers and the security services who served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland should face investigations if they did not act correctly.

The Labour frontbencher, who is not seeking re-election, went against pleas from Conservative and DUP MPs who said the police and soldiers who served in Northern Ireland should not face fresh probes into their conduct.

There has been concern over British veterans being investigated for their conduct in Northern Ireland, over incidents that happened up to 40 years ago.

Tory James Heappey (Wells) asked Mr Anderson: "I wonder if you might join me in confirming your belief that the British Army should not be subject to further investigations for the actions that they took during the Troubles?

"Would you confirm that your party under its current leadership, that they have their loyalty firmly with the British Army, not the IRA?"

Mr Anderson replied: "I think it's quite clear from my point of view that if people in uniform, if they did not act correctly, then I'm sorry, I can't agree that they shouldn't be brought to book.

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"Because what signal are we sending out, that it's all right to act out of order?

"We expect the highest standards from our great people in uniform.

"In terms of his comments about the leadership, it's very, very clear that my party is committed to our armed forces and not to any terrorist organisation."

The DUP's Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) said incidents where the police or Army were involved should not be treated as murder.

He added: "That's the inequality and what causes the anger that we have seen in so many families, that every killing by terrorists was no doubt a murder, it was illegal.

"But in many occasions, those incidents in which soldiers and policemen were involved were in protection of life and property, and therefore should not be treated by the authorities as if there was something illegal involved in the incident."

Mr Anderson said: "I'm very, very clear that the vast majority of the things that were done by our forces were not murder.

"But there's a process that has fallen apart, a process of investigation that we need to put back together again, that we need to get to the bottom of.

"If there are some cases that could be construed - and this is quite clearly in the agreements that people have signed up to in the past to try and make this work - then we've got to get to the root of them and we've got to get them aired out in public."

Snap election scuppers any chance of resolution

Meanwhile Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has said Theresa May's decision to call a snap general election has effectively scuppered any chance of resolution in the Stormont talks.

Mr Kelly said: "The announcement of the Westminster election effectively scuppered any chance of a resolution which would have seen the institutions restored on the basis of equality, respect and integrity.

"A resolution was doable at any stage of the talks if there had been political will on behalf of the British government and the DUP.

"Instead the Tories continued to pander to the DUPs agenda of blocking progress on equality and refusing to give the Lord Chief Justice the funding for legacy inquests.

"We met with the other parties today to discuss ways to maximise the anti-Brexit, anti-austerity, pro-rights vote.

"These are preliminary discussions and we are exploring the possibilities of achieving a progressive alliance in this election and those talks will continue.

"The focus now moves to the election on June 8th and Sinn Fein is calling on the electorate to send a message to Theresa May that we are opposed to the Tory/DUP Brexit and cuts agenda."
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has reiterated his total opposition to abortion after a special committee voted for the Republic's 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, met to discuss the contentious issue for the last time at the weekend.

At the heart of their work is examining the eighth amendment to the Republic's 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.

As the results were announced, Ireland's most senior Catholic cleric, Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, gave a homily at Knock Shrine reiterating total opposition to the constitutional change.

"Demands to quash and abolish this amendment go against the good news that the life of every person is sacred and inviolable, irrespective of the stage or state of that life, from the first moment of conception until the moment of natural death," he said.

The all-Ireland Primate added: "To deliberately and intentionally take the life of an innocent person, whatever their state or stage of life, is always gravely morally wrong."

In Ireland, 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.

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 Republic's 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.

In Northern Ireland a termination is only allowed to be carried out where a woman's life or long-term health is at serious risk if the pregnancy continues.

Anti-abortion campaigners in Northern Ireland said it was "gravely concerned and alarmed at the outcome" in the Republic.

LIFE NI's Marion Woods said it was "completely unacceptable".
The founder and former trustees of the collapsed charity Kids Company could be banned from holding company directorships.

The youth organisation folded amid a storm of controversy in August 2015 - just days after receiving a 3 million Government grant in a final bid to keep it afloat.

Kids Company received more than 42 million of Whitehall funding between 1996 and 2015, thanks in part to founder Camila Batmanghelidjh winning favour with former prime minister David Cameron.

The Insolvency Service is investigating the financial circumstances of the charity and is allegedly bringing disqualification proceedings against Ms Batmanghelidjh.

Former trustees of the collapsed charity, including ex-BBC creative director Alan Yentob and Richard Handover, previously a boss of WH Smith, may also face sanctions.

The trustees, who also include Sunetra Atkinson, Erica Bolton, Francesca Robinson, Jane Tyler and Andrew Webster, responded to the "unconfirmed reports" in a joint statement.

"At all times we had the interests of the children and young people in our care as our primary concern," they said.

"We freely gave significant amounts of our personal time and money to that end.

"We took professional advice on legal and financial matters.

"In order to satisfy our funders, it was necessary to undergo regular, stringent scrutiny and validation by external independent parties, including auditors.

"There is no suggestion that we acted dishonestly or in bad faith.

"As far as we are aware, there has never been a case where trustees of a charity have been disqualified by a court in circumstances such as these.

"We acted diligently throughout, and if any proceedings are brought will defend ourselves vigorously.

"What happens to us could have serious implications for the thousands of other trustees who want to do charitable work in this country."
The writer's ranch has been targeted before by arsonists

Two suspects have been killed by Kenyan security officials after the shooting of Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann, authorities said.

Kenya's internal security minister Joseph Nkaissery said a gun was recovered after Sunday's attack and is being examined to see if it was used to shoot Ms Gallmann in the stomach.

He added that other suspects are in custody after Ms Gallmann was attacked while patrolling her ranch. She is said to be in a stable condition following surgery.

Her property had rece ntly been targeted by arsonists amid tensions with herders seeking pasture as Kenya's drought worsens.

The local farmers' association said suspicion over the attack has fallen on herders who have invaded Ms Gallmann's ranch several times.

Mr Nkaissery blamed the shooting on "isolated banditry activity".

Kenya's drought affects roughly half the country and has been declared a national disaster.

More than 30 people have died in conflicts over grazing land as herders try to save their animals and livelihoods.

The US ambassador to Kenya, Robert F Godec, condemned the attack, saying that "violence is never the answer".

Both the herders and large-scale farmers in parts of Kenya's Rift Valley have been desperately waiting for seasonal rains which were due to start last month to ease the drought.

Kenya's military and police have been working to disarm and drive the hundreds of herders and their animals out of ranches they've invaded, but their actions appear to have escalated the violence.

When herders are driven from one ranch they move into another, the Laikipia Farmers' Association said.

The association has accused politicians campaigning for the August elections of inciting herders to invade the ranches, saying the owners' leases have come to an end and that herders can take over the land and distribute it among themselves.

Kenya's government has not responded to the accusation.

AP
Police are looking into the incident

A three-year-old Nebraska boy has died after a car power window closed on his neck.

Everton Isay Romero Romero was pronounced dead on Friday at an Omaha hospital.

Colfax County attorney Denise Kracl said Everton never regained consciousness after the window closed on him on April 15 outside a store in Schuyler, where he lived.

She said it is unclear how the window button was activated in the parked car.

Everton's mother had powered the rear window down. Investigators could not determine how long the window was closed on the boy's neck.

Ms Kracl says no post-mortem examination was performed because there is no evidence any law was violated. She said the boy's mother "acted appropriately the entire time".

Schuyler is about 60 miles north-west of Omaha.

AP
What is June's general election about in Northern Ireland? Is it about Brexit, the union, Irish unity or simply which tribe is top of the heap when the votes are counted? The answer is probably a bit of all those.

The most distressing thing is that the battlelines being drawn indicate that once again an election will lead to even greater polarisation. It may be 19 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed with its promise of more inclusivity in society, but it continues to be trumped by the centuries of distrust which have preceded it.

It is evident that the recent Assembly election, when Sinn Fein came within an ace of becoming the top party and nationalists out-polled unionists, produced a shockwave within unionism.

The response has been predictable and it has been swift. In her article in this newspaper today, DUP leader Arlene Foster has outlined how a unionist pact can maximise unionist votes and assuage concerns over the union.

With new UUP leader Robin Swann already stating that his party will not be contesting the West Belfast, Foyle or North Belfast seats and Mrs Foster revealing that her party will not stand in Fermanagh-South Tyrone in the hope that the UUP's Tom Elliott can retain the seat, it is clear that both parties are buying into the project.

There are to be more discussions this week with South Belfast another likely pact site and possibly also South Antrim where the UUP has its second MP.

Unionists are constantly told that the union is safe but recent election results indicate its security is not as great as often imagined. Little wonder then that they are using this election as a way of showing that when feeling under threat the unionist family can unite.

As this newspaper has often said, pacts are not ideal - there are talks of 'alliances' on an anti-Brexit platform on the nationalist side - as they deny the breadth of opportunity for voters. But politics is all about pragmatism and when the going gets tough the parties retreat to their tribal silos.

And, it has to be admitted, the electorate by and large follows suit. Certainly Northern Ireland is a better place today than it was two decades ago, but it is still a society with a fundamental rift - pro or anti-union.

Ultimately this election, like every other one, is a headcount to see which side of the rift is crumbling.
To say that Sinn Fein's Assembly election success rocked the boat for unionists would be the understatement of the year, but I had not realised how far this had gone until I read Alex Kane's recent piece in the Irish Times.

Alex is a staunch unionist, and always thoughtful, but like many unionists his confidence in Northern Ireland's continued place in the UK has been shaken.

He wrote that unionist remainers "may conclude that a bigger, broader union embracing Ireland and the EU is preferable to a smaller, narrower union of the UK out on its own". To which the only sensible response is that they will conclude no such thing.

People across the UK, including Northern Ireland, voted Remain for a range of reasons. But high on the list was a confident belief, supported by the UK Treasury, the OECD, IMF, and many other organisations, that Brexit would leave them poorer.

Research with colleagues at Cambridge University and Ulster University suggests that this belief is considerably exaggerated, but even if it was not, what are the implications for Irish unity?

While the economic impact of Brexit is uncertain, the impact of leaving the UK's economic union is absolutely clear. The impact will be many times more disastrous than could ever be true of leaving the EU. Anyone who wishes to avoid large financial losses will clearly prefer to remain within the UK.

The annual financial contribution from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is close to ten thousand million pounds. This is one hundred times larger than the net contribution to Northern Ireland from the EU, which in any case is merely recycled cash from UK taxpayers.

The contribution from GB finances half of public spending in Northern Ireland. This is half of spending on the NHS, half of spending on schools, colleges and universities, half of social security spending and half of everything else.

It is worth around 20,000 a year to a couple with two children.

If Northern Ireland were to leave the UK to fend for itself then either the public sector would shrink by half or taxes would have to double. A shrunken public sector would mean closing half of the hospitals and doubling GPs' patient lists, closing half of the schools and doubling class sizes in the rest, and closing one of the two universities.

This list goes on and on. Alternatively, taxes could double. The basic rate of income tax could rise to 40% and the higher rate to 80%. Other taxes could take part of the strain but with equally dramatic effect.

Who in these circumstances could imagine any unionist voters in Northern Ireland preferring Irish unity in order to remain in the EU after 2019.

Of course, if the Republic of Ireland were to take over the UK's financial support for Northern Ireland things would not be so bad, but in practice the Republic is much too small to shoulder this burden.

To maintain public services at their current levels within a united Ireland would require all-Ireland income taxes to increase by 55%, or other taxes to rise by an equivalent amount.

Some savings might be available, for instance on defence since the Republic is not in NATO and does not pay its way on European defence, but this would not make much difference.

RTE polls show that there is no majority for Irish unity in the South if any mention is made of additional tax. Unity is as impossible in the South as it is in the North. Even if the UK Government offered a transitional payment to ease the movement towards a united Ireland this situation would not change.

The huge permanent cost of Northern Ireland can only be borne by a large State like the UK. Some might argue that the EU could step in and provide the necessary cash, but this is again pie in the sky. Facing a loss of 10bn in UK net contributions from Brexit, the EU is hardly likely to offer to increase its spending by a further 10bn on NI.

Together with the Brexit losses this would create a 15% hole in the budget of the European Commission. Northern Ireland's annual budget deficit is proportionately three times larger than Greece at its worst, again hardly an attractive proposition for the EU.

In practice, Brexit is likely to have much less impact than feared by Remainers. Much of the downside of Brexit would be avoided by a free agreement between the UK and EU, which is in everyone's interest and therefore likely to happen sooner or later.

If the EU can agree free trade with Canada or South Korea, can anyone really imagine that it will not do so with the UK, its largest trade partner? Free trade will also greatly simplify the border problem.

There is no real reason to prevent the free movement of people, and free trade will minimise Customs checks on commercial goods.

The swathe of commentary about a post-Brexit move to Irish unity is merely hot air and serves no constructive purpose.

At some point continued pressure for a united Ireland becomes a form of political harassment.

Tony Blair said in the Balmoral Hall in the run-up to the Good Friday Agreement that Northern Ireland would remain in the UK for the lifetime of anyone in the hall (his audience included children).

This is as true today as it was then.

Instead of daydreams and nightmares about a united Ireland, we all need to focus on how to make Northern Ireland a warm house for everyone, facing up to the reality that we will be sharing the same house for the rest of our lives.

Dr Graham Gudgin works at the Centre for Business Research, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and was special adviser to the First Minister from 1998 to 2002
The fan favourites on Game Of Thrones are set to break records by being paid up to 2m per episode when the new season hits our televisions later this year.

Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are reported to have signed record-breaking new deals.

Mostly filmed in Northern Ireland, the HBO show has become a global smash hit.

The seventh series of the fantasy drama returns to UK screens on July 17, with one more planned after that.

The Sunday Express reported that the contracts signed by the top five stars contain complex bonus clauses. The five are to benefit enormously from repeats, especially in the US, where the show averaged 23m viewers per episode last year.

Media analyst Mike Raia said: "Cable network HBO is breaking the bank to ensure its most successful scripted programme ever goes out with the kind of flourish fans all over the world have come to expect."
D uring the past three years, it seems as if time has slowed down. I know thats not scientifically possible, but still something has change...
Wounded Indian security personnel are treated aboard an army helicopter while being airlifted to a hospital, following an attack by suspected Maoist rebels in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh state, April 24, 2017.

In the deadliest attack on Indian security forces in seven years, suspected leftwing rebels killed more than two dozen Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) members Monday in an ambush in Chhattisgarh state, officials said.

The attack, which left at least 25 troops dead and six others injured, occurred when about 100 personnel of CRPFs 74th battalion were overseeing a road construction project in the Sukma district of the east-central Indian state, police said.

Maoist guerrillas are being blamed for the attack, dubbed the deadliest assault on security forces in the country since 2010, when rebels allegedly killed 76 CRPF personnel in Dantewada, a district in insurgency-ravaged Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists first triggered a blast at about 1 p.m. before opening indiscriminate fire on the CRPF party, a source in the force told BenarNews.

Sher Mohammad, a wounded soldier, said the attackers numbered in the hundreds.

First, the Naxals sent villagers to trace our location. Then almost 300 Naxals attacked [us]. We also fired and killed many, CRPFs Sher Mohammad told news agency ANI while being taken to a hospital.

Police, however, had not confirmed the number of suspected Maoists killed in retaliatory fire.

The attack on CRPF personnel is cowardly and deplorable. Sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said via Twitter.

Last month, a similar attack in the same district killed 12 CRPF personnel.

Maoists, also known as Naxalites, have been fighting Indian security forces since the late-1960s from jungle hideouts in more than a third of central and eastern Indias 600 districts.

Since 1996, about 14,000 people have been killed, including about 8,000 civilians, and more than 3,000 suspected Maoists and 2,600 security personnel, according to official figures.

The rebels, who are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have accused successive governments of uprooting poor and landless people to exploit mineral-rich forests scatters throughout the region, known as the Red Corridor.

Tall claims

Analysts blamed Mondays deadly assault on the lack of coordinated intelligence among Indian security forces.

We must review the ground-level intelligence gathering system of our security forces in Maoist-infested areas. This is this second big attack in just over a month. This shows we are lacking in strategy to combat the rebels in their strongholds, former Home Secretary R.K. Singh told BenarNews.

On Monday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh suggested that the latest Maoist attack was a sign of frustration among the rebels due to the unprecedented success of the governments security operations against them.

Last year, 135 Maoist rebels were killed, 700 were arrested and 1,198 surrendered, Singh said, adding there was a 15 percent drop from the previous year in the number of attacks by leftwing extremists.

But another analyst cast doubt on such claims.

It [the attack] throws open many questions. The Indian government has made several tall claims in the recent past that it has broken the back of the Maoist movement. But that is clearly not the reality. Repeated attacks on security personnel prove that the government has a long way to go in ending this decades-old crisis, Ajai Sahni of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management told BenarNews.
Kashmiri students clash with Indian security forces in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, during an anti-India demonstration, April 24, 2017.

Suspected militants gunned down a senior political leader in Indian Kashmir on Monday amid growing violence against government officials and security personnel in the insurgency-torn region, police said.

Abdul Gani Dar, the Pulwama district president of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir state, was on his way to Srinagar when two assailants on a motorbike intercepted his vehicle, dragged him out and fired several shots at his chest, authorities said.

The militants dragged him out of the vehicle at gun point and shot him from point-blank range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, Pulwamas superintendent of police, told BenarNews, adding that attackers were operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant outfit.

Two unarmed police officers were accompanying Dar, 50, when the shooting occurred, according to the superintendent.

A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the suspects who fled after the attack. We are hopeful of a breakthrough soon, he said.

Nazir Chowdary, medical superintendent of Srinagars Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, said Dar had died by the time he was brought to the hospital.

He had received several bullets to his chest and heart, Chowdary told BenarNews.

The attack came hours after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the security situation in the disputed Himalayan region.

Claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, Kashmir has been grappling with a separatist-insurgency that has claimed over 70,000 lives since the late 1980s.

Over the past few weeks, suspected militants have intensified attacks on Indian political leaders and security forces in Indian Kashmir, which has been rocked by street clashes between anti-India protesters and government forces since the killing of a top separatist leader in July last year.

Last week, suspected militants shot dead Imtiyaz Ahmed, a former public prosecutor and leader of the states principal opposition party, the National Conference, outside his house in Shopian district.

Farooq Abdrabi, the states Minister for Hajj and Auqaf, survived an attack by suspected militants in south Kashmirs Anantnag district in March. Two policemen escorting the minister were wounded in the assault.

It is inevitable to hold a dialogue at the earliest with all stake holders to restore peace in the region. A conducive atmosphere is a must for talks and for governance, Chief Minister Mufti told reporters after meeting with Modi, according to the Press Trust of India.

Mr. Modi has reassured me that he would follow former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees policy of reconciliation to resolve the Kashmir issue, she said.
Bangladeshi journalists and onlookers gather in front of the Dhaka apartment building where Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub R. Tanay were hacked to death, April 25, 2016.

A year after Muslim extremists burst into a Dhaka apartment and killed gay-rights activists Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub R. Tonoy, relatives are losing hope that the killers will be punished and Bangladeshs LGBT community has gone underground.

Police have determined that five to seven men carried out the killings on April 25, 2016, but investigators have since not made any significant headway and have only arrested one suspect, who was caught days after the attack. Police say they still have not been able to identify the other suspects who had disguised themselves as couriers.

The intruders entered Mannans apartment and hacked him and Tonoy to death with machetes in the presence of Mannans sick mother, relatives said.

I do not expect that we will get justice. I am worried about my mother. It is very difficult to manage my mother, Mannans older brother, Minhaz Mannan, told BenarNews. Sometimes, she becomes restless and anxious for Xulhaz.

Mannan, who worked at the American embassy in Dhaka for the U.S. Agency for International Development, moonlighted as editor of Roopbaan, Bangladeshs first magazine for the LGBT community. It has stopped publishing since his death.

The other victim, Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, was a fellow gay-rights activist who worked as a dramatist for Lok Natto-dal, an association of local playwrights.

Mannans cousin, Dipu Moni, a former foreign minister and current chairwoman of a parliamentary standing committee on matters relating to the foreign ministry, told BenarNews that Mannans mother has Alzheimers.

She sometimes mutters and says how they hacked him? What happens to Xulhaz? Then she stops, Moni told BenarNews.

Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for the double-murder that took place a year ago on Tuesday, but investigators have blamed a local militant group with AQIS leanings, Ansarullah Bangla Team, for carrying out the killings. The killings occurred amid a spate of machete attacks in which Muslim zealots targeted secular bloggers, writers publishers and intellectuals.

In an op-ed piece commemorating the first anniversary of Mannans death, Marcia Bernicat, the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, described him as a dedicated colleague, loyal friend and fierce champion of human rights.

His actions, friendship and almost never-ending smile instilled a sense of happiness and positivity that words alone cant describe, the ambassador wrote. Xulhaz loved life, just as he loved those around him and his country.

Xulhaz Mannan (left) and Mahbub R. Tanay were hacked to death on April 25, 2016. [Star Mail]

We have no security

A year later, the polices detective branch has one suspect in custody, Shariful Islam Shihab, who was arrested 19 days after the killings, investigator Rajib Al Masud told BenarNews. He said Shihab had not identified other suspects.

We have come to know that five to seven killers took part in the mission. We do not know the real names of the suspects, Masud said, adding that investigators had no photos of the killers.

Police were supposed to file an investigation report on the killings on May 8, 2016, but a court has since granted the department nine extensions.

Meanwhile, members of Bangladesh LGBT community who fear that they could be targeted as well have largely gone into hiding.

A gay-rights activist who asked to remain anonymous told BenarNews that section 377 of Bangladeshs penal code makes homosexuality a punishable offense and that Bangladeshi society is not ready to accept homosexuality.

He said he saw no hope for justice for Mannan and Tanay, and added that local media had done little reporting on the investigation.

One group that has gone underground is the Boys of Bangladesh (BOB). A cellphone number belonging to BOB chief Tanvir Alim has been disconnected and he did not respond to an email address posted on the organizations website.

We have no security. We remember our two slain friends. We are going to arrange a prayer for them tomorrow [Tuesday]. But we do not want any publicity at this moment, an organizer who asked for anonymity told BenarNews.
Malaysian state investment fund 1MDB this year will pay out U.S. $1.2 billion (5.2 billion ringgit) to an Abu Dhabi-based firm as part of arbitration to settle a loan it defaulted on last year, the London Stock Exchange said Monday.

1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) will pay International Petroleum Investment Co. (IPIC) two installments of $600 million (2.6 billion ringgit) on July 31 and Dec. 31, respectively, under terms of a deal which began last year at the London Court of International Arbitration.

The cash-strapped and state-run Malaysian fund is the target of money-laundering probes in at least a half-dozen countries, and has been tied to corruption allegations surrounding Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has denied any wrong doing.

In a statement released Monday, 1MDB said it would cash out investment funds to make the payments and already had $50 million (219 million ringgit) available. Additionally, 1MDB said it would assume responsibility for a pair of $1.75 billion (7.7 billion ringgit) bonds due in 2022.

But according to a former member of Najibs ruling United Malay National Organization (UMNO) party, who traveled to Switzerland, Britain, France and Hong Kong to draw attention to alleged corruption and financial mismanagement at 1MDB, the settlement shows that taxpayers will be footing the bill to repay the loan to the firm in the United Arab Emirates.

Najib Razak had said it would not involve the government and Malaysians, but it seems the people are ones who will be paying up the debts of 1MDB, Khairuddin Abu Hassan told BenarNews.

1MDB defaulted on $1.75 billion in bonds after missing an interest payment of $50 million in April 2016, Agence France-Presse reported. Two months later, Abu Dhabi announced it was seeking $6.5 billion through international arbitration.

Prime Minister Najib Razak accepted the settlement.

The government is pleased that IPIC and 1MDB have resolved their differences in an amicable manner, press secretary Tengku Sarifudin said Monday in a statement.

1MDB called the settlement and efforts to cash out investment funds major parts of a so-called rationalization program now in its final stages. Last year, CNBC reported the rationalization program of selling off assets was launched in May 2015 to reduce 1MDBs debt burden, which had grown to $11 billion (42 billion ringgit).

Settlement questioned

The arbitration deal agreed to between 1MDB and the Emirati firm does not appear to be related to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking restitution of more than $1 billion in assets purchased with money stolen from 1MDB, or reports that Najib received nearly $700 million in personal accounts from 1MDB funds prior to 2013 elections. Najib has been identified as Malaysian Official 1 who was named dozens of times in the DOJ lawsuit.

Malaysian lawyer Mohamad Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who has been speaking out against 1MDB, told BenarNews that all foreign agencies should increase their efforts to bring 1MDB money laundering investigations to their respective courts.

Last year, Malaysia Attorney General Apandi Ali cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing and Najib has denied taking any 1MDB-linked money for personal gain. Apandi could not be reached for comment on Mondays settlement.

No one has been charged in a Malaysian court over the 1MDB scandals, but at least five people have been charged and two banks have been closed in neighboring Singapore.

Meanwhile, a lawmaker from Malaysias political opposition issued a statement late Monday saying that the settlement would only benefit the infamous Malaysian Official 1, Prime Minister Najib Razak and his friends.

The settlement essentially allows Najib Razak to avoid a trial which would have opened a gigantic can of worms, said Wong Chen, a member of parliament representing Kelana Jaya. Instead of justice and closure, this settlement today further ingrains the culture of corruption and impunity in Malaysia at the expense of the people.

Hata Wahari in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
When a person gets arrested, a bail-bonding operation frees the suspect from jail by vouching for the defendant. The bond company pays bail to get the suspect out of jail until the next court date. Read moreCrackdown on shady bail bond activities


By: Natasha Fly

Professors from universities in Thailand and China are visiting BGSU to exchange and build on ideas for teaching and research. The international exchange provides visiting professors, students, faculty and staff with invaluable opportunities to collaborate while constructing new methodologies.

BGSU faculty members Dr. Gabriel Matney, associate professor of mathematics education, and Dr. Lan Li, associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development, coordinated the visits.

Li organized the visits for three of the professors from China. They include Chen Feng of Wuhan University of Technology, Ping Wang of Northwest University of Political Science and Law and Dongting Pan from the Hunan Institute of Science and Technology.

The primary purpose of these academic visits is to exchange ideas and experiences that improve the educational experience for students in both countries, Li said. The presence of faculty from other institutions works to improve our knowledge in specific fields while enriching students learning experiences. In addition to sitting in on classes and conducting their own research, the visiting faculty participate in a number of academic activities.

Throughout their visit, the professors conduct collaborative research with BGSU faculty, provide seminars, workshops, and professional development to interested faculty, staff and students. They also facilitate communication and possible collaborations between BGSU and their home institutions.

The fourth visiting professor, Dr. Yupadee Panarach, has worked with Matney in the past at her home institution in Thailand, Kamphaeng Phet Rajabhat University (KPRU). In 2011, Matney travelled to KPRU and during his visit heard a talk Panarach gave about teaching mathematics in English.

Dr. Panarach gave a talk at that time about the mathematics camps that her students were doing for the local schools, Matney said. Upon hearing about these camps, I created an international research project to explore mathematics camps in mathematics education programs.

Just two years later, Matney began taking BGSU students on educational trips to Thailand. In addition to the visits abroad, Matney began working with his students to develop math camps that could be brought to the Bowling Green community.

During her visit, Panarach will look at how mathematics education programs are implemented at BGSU and in local schools. Part of her time here will be dedicated to schools in Toledo and Sandusky city where she will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of students. She will also be spending time on an international research project with Matney involving pre-service teachers efficacy and mathematics camps.

Dr. Panarach will also visit BGSU courses in the mathematics department and the School of Teaching and Learning to consider content that might improve her universitys mathematics teaching program, Matney said. She will also give talks here at BGSU to the Bowling Green council of Teachers and Mathematics about her Action Research Process to improve mathematics camps.

Visiting professors are essential to forging and maintaining a strong connection between universities, while also providing students with an engaging and evolving learning environment.
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
South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry is heading to Zimbabwe with South African companies to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

 rclassenlayouts via 123RF

The companies that are part of the delegation will be assisted by the dti through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme (EMIA), which aims to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.

The dti will lead the business delegation today, 24 April 2017, to the 2017 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), which will be taking place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe from 25-30 April 2017.

South Africas participation at the ZITF follows on the heels of a successful participation in 2016 where a reported total of 431 trade leads were secured by exhibitors, with a total of 21 Zimbabwean agents appointed, and export sales totalling R10 million recorded through participation.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, says that the ZITF is one of the largest intra-regional trade fair shows in sub-Saharan Africa and that it provides the largest and most convenient trade hub in the region. In addition, an investment seminar will be held on the margins of the ZITF.

The ZITF aims to promote intra-Africa trade as well economic integration of the continent, says Davies.

The companies that are part of the delegation will be assisted by the dti through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme (EMIA), which aims to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.
LAGOS, Nigeria - Home-grown African brand, Dangote, is on track to becoming the world's largest exporter of rice in five years time. This prediction was made by Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

 Suphakaln Wongcompune via 123RF

Adesina was referring to the billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, who is the Dangote in Dangote Rice, while relating the story of how Nigerias Dangote moved from being an importer of rice to an exporter.

Speaking at the Mo Ibrahim Forum in Morocco last week, Adesina said Africa must focus on agriculture to drive growth and create jobs on the continent. I remember when I was minister of Agriculture in Nigeria. Aliko Dangote was there, and he was our biggest importer at the time, and he and I used to have all the time to dialogue, Adesina said.

One day, I was in my office, about 10 Oclock, Aliko walks in, Ngozi was minister of finance. Aliko bangs on my door and said minister I came to see you, and I said what are we going to disagree on this time?

He said no, I have actually looked at the policies, and the policies you put in place for import substitution are very right policies. So, I have changed my business model from being an importer to being a local producer.

Adesina narrated the role Dangote played in his happiest day as a minister in Nigeria. I said what exactly are you going to do. He said I will put in $300 million into producing and processing rice in Nigeria. I said yippee! I went home, I told my wife, my best day as minister, he said.

He comes back three months after that, he says I have changed my mind, I said what in the world happened? He said no, I have changed my mind from $300 million to a billion dollars.

If they continue that policy, he would probably be the single largest producer of rice in the world, in about four years. The reason why I was so excited about that is that agriculture is cool, agriculture is a business agriculture pays.

Adesina was named Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2013, while Dangote won the same award in 2014.

A tripartite agreement put together by the Dangote Rice limited to create jobs for 16,000 outgrower rice farmers in Sokoto, was recently signed with the Sokoto State government and rice growers in the country, after which he launched the rice outgrowers scheme in Sokoto.

Aliko Dangote , chairman of Dangote Rice, said he was moved to go into rice cultivation because of the genuine interest of the federal government to revive agriculture as the mainstay of the economy, and reduce importation of foods that could be produced locally.

He lamented that Nigeria consumes 6.5 Mtn of rice which costs the nation over 2 billion dollars annually, pointing out that it is heartening that the government now has policy direction that encourages private sectors active participation in agriculture.

He disclosed then that In the next three years we want to produce one million tons of quality rice and make it available and affordable to the people. We hope to do 150,000 ha and when we are done, Nigeria will not have anything to do with importation of rice.

(The)Dangote Rice outgrowers scheme is committed to creating significant number of jobs, increasing the incomes of smallholders farmers and ensuring food security in the country by providing high quality seeds, fertilisers and agro-chemicals, as well as technical assistance on best agricultural practice to farmers.

"This scheme will help to diversify the economy, alleviate poverty and reduce the nation's import bill. The scheme has been designed as a one stop solution for the rice value chain," Dangote stated.
The owners of Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town, home of the Met and the Queen's Plate, want to build up to 500 homes, a hotel and a restaurant on about 8ha of the property.

A planning tribunal report recommending the approval in principle of a rezoning application said the intention was "to provide an economically viable model that sustains continuation of the racing industry".

The site is in the southwestern corner of the 95ha racecourse, bordered by Rosmead Avenue and Wetton Road.

Phumelela Gaming, which manages the course on behalf of its owner, Kenilworth Racing, did not respond to requests for comment.

Detailed designs for the proposed buildings have not yet been done but, according to documents filed in support of the rezoning application, the proposed development will include:

Up to 498 dwelling units;

A hotel of up to 150 rooms;

A restaurant of up to 612m; and

Business space of up to 14 000m.

There will also be two new roads: Royal Kenilworth Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue.

"The proposed redevelopment will revitalise the existing racing facilities that will be retained, and will create a functional, attractive edge to Rosmead Avenue," said a report to councillors. "The additional development... will result in a greater pool of levies available for the maintenance of the biodiversity area."

Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area  Wikimedia

A 52ha conservation area in the middle of the racecourse is regarded as the best example of Cape Flats sand fynbos on the Cape Peninsula. It has 16 seasonal wetlands, 310 plant species and nine amphibians resident, including the critically endangered micro frog and Cape platanna.

Objectors called for a ban on further "one-off music events". The applicants responded: "With the proposed development reliance on these events [for] income will no longer be necessary."

Kenilworth, established in 1881, is the country's oldest racecourse. It has three tracks: an "old" course 2,700m in circumference with a 450m run-in; a "new" course of 2,800m with a 600m run-in; and a 1,200m straight.

Approval of the development by the full council is needed.

Source: The Times
The Radisson Blu La Vendome in Sea Point was buzzing on Thursday, 23 March 2017 with marketers and agency creatives excited for the launch of Mediamark's In the Know Now.

The buzz continued with the sounds of phones, doorbells, chimes and the like calling our attention as the presentation began. Werner Lindemann, MD of Mediamark for just the last four months, acknowledged that Cape Towns turnout at the roadshows is always great and acknowledged the clients and agency partners in the room, as well as media owners and brand owners that put them in business.

Werner Lindemann, MD of Mediamark SA.

Simply put, In the Know Now is a skills development and knowledge-sharing platform perfectly timed for the release of new research data, which is already bringing about a change to South Africas media-buying world. The first quarter of 2017 has already seen the release of the new establishment survey, resulting in the new and seasoned media professionals alike needing to clarify their understanding of changing South African media consumption habits.

Get ready for the 30-hour media day

Lindemann spoke of the fact that media transformation became of the proliferation of broadband and how we consume content today. This digital disruption is by no means unique to our industry though, with banks now under threat from telephony companies and retailers also looking to become banks in offering basic financial services. This is all driven by technological changes, which we see daily in media industry. To illustrate this, Lindemann spoke of the ever-rising media consumption figures, constantly on the rise as consumers further divide their attention. At the moment thats fairly evenly split between time spent on TV, radio, mobile and laptop. Little wonder Lindemann asks if brands are ready for a 30-hour media day.

But theres no need to panic just yet, as the South African environments nuances include the ability to leapfrog technology. The actual conundrum for brands today is how best to reach consumers and breaking through that media clutter to engage with the audience that matters to your brand at the moment of your campaign. As media players, Lindemann says to check you're au fait with the trends and that youre reaching those consumers that matter or else you simply won't attain your ROI.

Introducing the Mediamark Academy

Mediamark's faces a similar conundrum at the moment, as its two priorities are to firstly continue its multi-platform focus as that's how audiences engage, while also focusing on multiple solutions in the form of content, commerce marketing and gamification. Thats where In the Know Now comes to the rescue. Its being used to upskill Mediamark's own staff internally while also transferring knowledge quickly to people in the industry, and is creating a benchmark with the Mediamark Academy.

With a strong focus on industry training and education, this means youngsters who haven't worked with all the media platforms out there will have a chance to do so  important as people gravitate to what they're used to. Theres a need to explain the psychological consumer appeal of TV or radio to the tech-savvy youth who focus on digital-only platforms. This means its a mix of new knowledge as well as refreshers, as part of Mediamarks giveback to the industry. Lindemann explains that by constantly sharing what they know, we can create mutual opportunities rather than challenges going forward.

Tighter media plans to come

Lerlynn Latief, head of media and market intelligence at Mediamark, then spoke of how this will be implemented in the market, allowing users to make fast decisions through planning resources and insights that can be implemented instantly.

Lerlynn Latief, head of media and market intelligence at Mediamark SA.

The academy learning will take place in multiple forums like workshops, webinars, lecture sessions, experiential learning, roadshows and thought leadership across the media channels and platforms brands use today. It starts with radio as this ties in with the one-year BRC release, and will move on to cover mobile, digital, TV and other media platforms. Theres a definite need to focus on media consumption as we sit with our faces in our screens all day, and with the In the Know Now insights well be able to better understand what to do with those insights, such as why people based in Limpopo listen to radio in the vernacular, to create tighter media plan through knowing how to engage differently on different platforms.

Upcoming courses will thus include a Know radio planning practical half-day workshop on the mechanics of radio planning, including the implications of the BRC RAM surveys and radios roles in multimedia and 360-degree campaigns. The Know radio now full-day workshop will offer new entrants into the media industry and more experienced media professionals insight into the latest trends and best practices This will be true nuts and bolts style training, with attendees able to try their hand at voice-overs and rediscover how programmers think in order for bright-eyed newbies and seasoned professionals alike to reclaim their media passion and stay on top of their game as the media environment continues to evolve. If you missed their recent get to know Radiomax webinar, pour a cup of coffee and set aside 20 minutes as Telmar MD Jennifer Daniel talks us through the new planning suite software:



Lindemann concluded that the In the Know Now initiative is set to provide strategic direction to marketing and media professionals, equipping them with the right tools to successfully get the best tangible results from their customers media spend  thereby ensuring that the industry has a strong pool of skills for the future.

Know radio now dates:

Johannesburg: 31 May; 1 June

Cape Town: 13 June; 14 June

Durban: 28 June

Know radio planning dates

Johannesburg: 30 March; 4 April

Cape Town: 6 April; 7 April

Durban: 10 May; 11 May

Latief said theres already wide-scale industry acceptance of these courses, with Amasa endorsing the idea and the BRC wanting to be involved  fitting, as In the Know is a holistic media and marketing industry tool. Visit Mediamarks In the Know Now website to register for the courses taking place across the country throughout the year.
The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) says that, through its Imvaba Co-operatives Fund, it has disbursed a total of R80,7m to 153 cooperatives in the Eastern Cape - mainly to enterprises in agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors.

From left to right: Farmer Mlungisi Ndobeni, Chief Nobandla Makaula, OR Tambo District Municipality officials Jackson Sabona and Andiswa Dunywa, Potato South Africa Transformation Manager Nomvula Xaba, Kei Fresh Produce Marker acting operations manager Melinkqubo Ndabokutya and ECDCs acting Imvaba Co-operatives Fund Manager Simphiwe Ntshweni.

Speaking at the OR Tambo Farmers Day and Potato Production Programme Launch in Mthatha, ECDC acting Imvaba Co-operative Fund manager Simphiwe Ntshweni says of the R80,7m, R3,357m went to seven potato producing cooperatives in the OR Tambo District Municipality last year alone. The funds were used to buy agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides. The seven cooperatives have planted 26 hectares of potatoes in this their first season. Initial yield estimates indicate a yield of 1,500 10kg bags of potatoes per hectare at harvest at these cooperatives.

The seven cooperatives which have 61 members are Vukamntomtsha Agricultural Primary Co-operative (Mthatha), Ngethemba Agricultural Primary Co-operative, Mampingeni General Suppliers and Multi-purpose Primary Co-operative, Living Dreams Farming Primary Co-operative, Lusikiki Potato Farming Primary Co-operative, Xhamla Mzantsi Farming Co-operative as well as Masiphakamise Ulimo Agricultural Primary Co-operative.

The OR Tambo Farmers Day and Potato Production Programme Launch are a combination of the annual Potato South Africas farmers information day and the official launch of the joint support by ECDC, Kei Fresh Produce Market and Potato South Africa to local potato producers which coincides with their first harvest.

Enabling cooperatives to compete with their commercial counterparts

We are pleased with the partnership with Kei Fresh Produce Market which provides a market for the products of the potato producing cooperatives while linking them with distribution channels for their products. Industry association Potato South Africa and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) came on board to offer skills, training, mentoring and technical support to improve the competitiveness of the cooperatives so that they are able to compete with their commercial counterparts, says Ntshweni.

Ntshweni says the economy of the OR Tambo district relies on agriculture and Kei Fresh Produce Market (KFPM) in Mthatha became the obvious strategic partner in order to support the economy of this district.

Nonkululeko Mtintweni, chairperson of the five-member Ngethemba Agricultural Primary Co-operative in Mhlanganisweni village in Libode in the Nyandeni Local Municipality, says the potato producing initiative has given them an opportunity to improve their incomes, quality of their produce and to grow access to markets.

Most of the funds bought fertilisers, seeds, pesticides and went toward mechanisation costs which included the hiring of a tractor to plough the fields. So far we were able to use four hectares of our land to cultivate potatoes. The funding from ECDC helped us a lot and another benefit has been that we are now known in many places as it has boosted our profile. We have also been able to employ a few people from our village thereby helping in job creation. A total of 11 local people were recruited on a temporary basis to help with planting potatoes, eight to assist in removing weeds while six were employed for spraying pesticides, says Mtintweni.

Potato production an obvious choice

Acting operations and marketing manager for Kei Fresh Produce Market Melinkqubo Ndabokutya say potato production became an obvious choice because it was clear that it is the number one selling product in the OR Tambo District Municipality and it is easily cultivated. However, the product was largely imported from outside the borders of the district extending beyond the province.

In an attempt to assist local producers to benefit from potato production, Kei Fresh Produce Market has established a farmers support unit which provides mechanisation (tractor and planting equipment) as well as a washing and grading facility at our facility. In addition, KFPM has entered into a partnership with Potato South Africa which is offering technical support to the producers and is identifying viable markets for the product, says Ndabokutya.

Providing potato producers with the necessary skills

DAFF business developer Nomfesane Majova says in 2015 DAFF was amongst stakeholders that attended a potato information day in the OR Tambo district which was held in partnership with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), Kei Fresh Produce Market, and Potato South Africa to support, encourage and educate potato producers in the OR Tambo district.

DAFF began a skills transfer exercise that involved mentorship, skills development, and training to ensure that the cooperatives involved in the potato growing initiative have the technical skills and expertise to compete at a commercial scale. Support included record-keeping and financial management, adds Majova.
Zimbabwe - Government, in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) unveiled the maize lethal leaf necrosis (MLN) disease quarantine facility in Mazowe. MLN is a destructive disease capable of causing overwhelming damage to maize crops and has already caused significant damage in Central Africa and Western Africa. It is transmitted by insect vectors from infected maize crops.

Speaking at the ceremony, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made said MLN caused huge losses, and required proper and early management. "Maize lethal necrosis is a devastating disease capable of causing huge economic losses wherever it occurs," he said. "Smallholder farmers who frequently do not have the means to control it are particularly vulnerable if the disease infests their fields.

"Therefore, there is an urgency in the strategies we need to employ in order to prevent the deadly disease from moving further south."

Made said the disease was dangerous and could adversely affect the agricultural sector, hence it needed concerted effort to combat it. "The MLN disease is a reality that requires our combined efforts to combat its spread," he said. "This calls for intensive inter-institutional efforts to develop and deploy improved maize varieties that incorporate MLN resistance.

"The commercial seed sector is expected to play a key role by introducing and delivering MLN free healthy seed to farmers."

Made urged farmers to avoid the use of contaminated commercial seeds from MLN-endemic to non-endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa.

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) director Dr Boddupalli Prassanna said MNL was a new threat to food security in Africa.
Consumers tend to veer towards the cheapest option during tough economic times and some contractors may be tempted to cut corners, says John Tarboton, South African Stainless Steel Development Association (sassda) executive director. Unfortunately, contractor mistakes cost a fortune, mistakes kill profits and both parties usually blame the other, and often stainless steel itself, through angry exchanges that waste time - so what happens when stainless steel contractors fail to deliver on promises?

John Tarboton, South African Stainless Steel Development Association (sassda) executive director

Based on the number of complaints we receive, we have seen a rising trend towards C steel fabricators moving into the stainless steel area without a full understanding of the differences between the materials, often with costly mistakes. Sassdas role is to uphold an industry standard, provide advocacy and education for its members and the consumer and be a voice for best practice. Our code of conduct provides access to key pointers for contractors and consumers to consider before utilising a so-called expert contractor, says Tarboton.

Poor installation

During contractor altercations, end-users are often misled to place the blame on stainless steel as a product, however sassda counters that in most cases it may not be poor fabrication, but rather the poor installation of the product. Apart from this being a safety risk, it can lower the life expectancy of the stainless steel product as its corrosion resistance becomes compromised. Sassda is clear that member companies which fail to adhere to their code of conduct regarding best practises will see their membership terminated.

To become a member of sassda, a company needs to be ratified, meaning we investigate the company, making sure correct practises are being performed together with good business ethics. We provide education and training to both our members and the public on the qualities of stainless steel, the correct selection and the required grading of the material to the application, together with its required finishes. Stainless steel is a quality product. We understand that mistakes can happen, but its the way the member company handles it that sets a quality fabricator apart from the rest. We also appeal to consumers to only make use of our industry standard member knowledge and practices to avoid costly mistakes.

Sub-standard workmanship

Sassda was recently asked to intervene when approached by a disgruntled KwaZulu-Natal client unhappy with the construction, installation and workmanship of a balustrade on his upmarket home. Sassda KwaZulu-Natal regional manager Angie Baker visited the client on site and together with a technical expert generated a report for further Sassda review.

It was completely unacceptable that carbon steel bolts had been used which accelerate galvanic corrosion and would cause the balustrade to fail in a relatively short period, leading to a possible safety hazard. The balustrade materials had also been contaminated by carbon steel carry-over in places, either during fabrication or installation, resulting in premature staining of the base material. Joints in the balustrade had been glued with an epoxy or adhesive instead of being welded and had come loose, with further poor joint quality seen in its construction, and the stainless steel had not been correctly polished after installation.

Example of sub-standard stainless steel balustrade installation in KwaZulu-Natal.

Safety hazard

The job clearly did not comply with the legal requirements of SANS 10400 or SANS 10160, both of which require approval of the design and installation by a suitably qualified professional engineer, which we doubt was done. Quite bluntly, the balustrade was a hazard and dangerous to the safety of the home owner. We advised that the entire structure should be removed at the fabricators cost, and replaced using an experienced balustrade manufacturer, says Baker.

The current economy sees many people being left without a job while others might feel they are not earning enough so they start their own businesses with little or no knowledge of stainless steel. This causes a problem for stainless steel in the industry as incorrect procedures are used providing the end user a sub-standard job and making stainless steel look bad. Stainless steel is a great product and if fabricated and installed correctly it can last the consumer a life time; if not it can corrode in a matter of months.
Employee engagement is a buzz word. Everybody knows it. However, few people know that employee engagement means money. Research shows that companies in the US with engaged employees can outperform those without by up to 202% and have 6% higher net profit margins. And although such South African statistics are lacking, they are sure to look very similar.

Unfortunately, the same research shows that only 29% of the American workforce is engaged  and this is without the added stress of economic uncertainty. Today, as South Africa faces an uphill battle out of junk status and faces the impact of the downgrade on business and budgets, employee engagement is at risk and businesses must find ways to address it.

When people are unhappy or insecure or worried, engagement drops immediately, explains Teryl Schroenn, chief executive officer, Accsys. Any change plays a role on engagement. A look at the ANC right now  the impact of recent events has left it a disengaged party. In business, the same thing happens  people get nervous, they disengage and they worry about their jobs.

Maintaining employee engagement in complex economic times is an ongoing process, not an event. It has never been more important to have open lines of communication, to build relationships and to ensure employees feel safe. It is a tight rope to walk, especially if the business has been affected and retrenchments are in the pipeline.

An active role

Economic difficulty usually translates to corporate belt-tightening and employees know it, says Schroenn. It is vital that communication is honest and that management works behind the scenes to mitigate the risk as much as they can. It is hard to get the balance right, but it is vital for the long-term success of the business.

Often a dramatic announcement such as South Africas plummet to junk, sees people run in different directions, panicking in their attempt to protect themselves and their futures. Its a fair response, but in the business context, a damaging one. At this time it has never been more important for the business to achieve engagement and unity across all employees.

If everybody is working in the same direction and staying in line with the company goals, then the business will be more capable of sailing the choppy seas that lie ahead, says Schroenn. Train people, empower them to do their jobs well, and engage with them on corporate policy and strategy. Build positive relationships and make engagement personal. The smaller business will find it easier to do the latter than the large corporate, but there are ways of driving engagement and providing employees with support.

Dangerous disengagement

The problem is that if employee engagement is not given the priority it needs, then it can foster a toxic environment. Disengaged employees can be dangerous - spreading dissent, eroding trust and damaging morale.

Put a structure in place that makes people feel they are being told what is going on, and spend time with individuals to ensure they are on board, concludes Schroenn. Empower your managers to build engagement, reassure staff and ensure everyone is working towards the company goals together. This commitment will build a sustainable culture that gives people ownership and makes them feel like they are part of something bigger, regardless of what politicians and the economy are doing.
Exclusionary arrangements refer to those contractual provisions, which oblige a customer to obtain all its requirements for a particular product, from a particular supplier exclusively, such as school uniforms.

Similarly, exclusionary provisions may also restrict suppliers from supplying to anyone other than a specific downstream customer. These provisions may also take the form of discount, rebate or incentive schemes where customers are afforded a reward for purchasing inputs exclusively from a particular supplier.

From a commercial perspective, it makes sense for a company to determine its optimal route to market and to enter into exclusionary arrangements with its distributors or customers. Discounts and rebates in particular are common commercial practice and a significant way in which suppliers compete on prices.

Although customary in commerce, exclusionary arrangements are often complex and may have anti-competitive effects. Dominant firms must be especially cautious in their commercial dealings so as not to be guilty of inducing their suppliers and customers not to deal with their competitors. Even contracts that do not specifically stipulate exclusivity may be problematic, from a competition law perspective, if the nature of the contract is such that exclusivity results therefrom.

The issue of exclusionary arrangements has recently come into sharp focus, as is evident by a range of cases dealt with by the Competition Commission.

Number plate manufacturing

Towards the end of 2015, the Competition Commission investigated the business practices of a company that manufactures and supplies number plate-embossing machines, and the number plate blanks, to a group of customers known as number plate embossers. This followed several complaints received from competitors and customers of the company relating to exclusive provisions in its customers contracts. These contracts require that number plate embossers purchase all of their requirements for number plate blanks from the company.

The Competition Commission noted that the companys long term exclusive agreements with its customers has the effect of preventing competitors from gaining access to a significant number of customers. The Commission alleges that the companys customers are being denied the benefit of purchasing inputs at competitive prices from other manufacturers and the prices charged by the company, allegedly a dominant firm, are higher than those of its competitors are. The Commission has now referred the matter to the Competition Tribunal for adjudication. If the company is found guilty of anti-competitive conduct, it could fined up to 10% of its annual turnover in (and exports from) South Africa during its preceding financial year.

School uniform suppliers

Another instance indicative of the Competition Commissions approach to exclusive arrangements is its recent probe into the school uniform industry, where long-standing exclusive supply arrangements are being entered into between school governing bodies on the one hand, and retailers and manufacturers on the other hand. The Competition Commission has been concerned about the issue for some time and, in November 2014, announced that it is meeting with a range of stakeholders in order to promote competitive bidding in the procurement of school uniforms.

As a result, the Department of Basic Education issued a circular, which recommended that certain measures be adopted to prevent violations of the Competition Act.

These included, amongst others:

that school uniforms should be as generic as possible so that they may be obtained from various suppliers that schools should appoint more than one supplier in order to give parents as many options as possible and

that the agreements concluded between schools and suppliers should be of limited duration.



The note urged parents to report incidents of non-compliance with the circular and, after receiving several complaints from parents regarding exclusive agreements that often result in parents not having a choice of suppliers when buying school uniforms and being charged high prices, the Competition Commission initiated an investigation into the school uniform industry. This investigation may result in the relevant schools, retailers and manufacturers being found guilty of anti-competitive conduct in violation of the Competition Act.

Other examples include shopping centre leases

In December 2016, another company reached an agreement with the Competition Commission in terms of which it agreed to remove exclusivity clauses and evergreen duration provisions from its current and future contracts with its surface fluorination customers. Therefore, any customer may now approach the company, which is the monopoly supplier in the market, to procure surface fluorination services without having to lock itself into an evergreen exclusive contract.

On 27 November 2015, the Competition Commission commenced a market inquiry into the South African grocery retail sector. It said that it had reason to believe that there are features present within this sector that may prevent, distort or restrict competition. One of the aspects being investigated by the Commission is the practice of shopping centre landlords to enter into long-term exclusive lease agreements with anchor tenants (usually food retailers). These leases usually preclude the landlords from allowing competing supermarkets to set up in their shopping malls. The Commissions inquiry is ongoing.

Exclusive lease agreements in the retail sector have been under investigation by the Competition Commission for some time. In October 2014, Massmart lodged a complaint with the Competition Commission against Shoprite, Spar and Pick n Pay, alleging that the enforcement of exclusivity provisions between these retailers and their respective landlords have the effect of preventing Massmart from trading in fresh food and groceries in shopping malls. The matter is still pending before the Competition Tribunal.

Certain industries go so far as to outright prohibit exclusive arrangements; the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005 states that an electronic communications network service licensee may not enter into an agreement with another person for access to international electronic communications facilities that contain an exclusivity provision and that any such exclusivity provision would be invalid.

Conclusion

Although companies should not be punished for increased efficiency, a line must be drawn between competition on the merits and anti-competitive conduct. Insofar as the latter is concerned, companies must be cautious of including exclusive provisions in their customer, distribution or supplier contracts, especially if they or their counterparties are dominant in the relevant markets. The bottom line is that such provisions must be carefully scrutinised on a case-by-case basis to consider whether they have anti-competitive effects, which cannot be outweighed by positive technological, efficiency, or pro-competitive effects.
To protect local property buyers and keep price increases in check, governments are considering introducing additional property taxes predominantly on foreign purchases.

George Radford, IP Global director of Africa

Reacting to an increase in property prices in Toronto over the past year, the Ontario government is reconsidering a tax it rejected only a year ago. New South Wales imposed a 4% foreign investor stamp duty charge last year, with further increases expected this year as more and more foreigners are investing in property - to the extent that there are more foreign than first-time local buyers.

Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore have all introduced higher taxes in recent years. Portugal, which has attracted huge inflows of foreign investment on its golden visa scheme, is now proposing higher taxes and duties on property.

These are just some examples of tax changes which apply to foreign buyers and which could affect your investment decisions, says global property investment firm IP Globals director of Africa George Radford.

Various property taxes

There are a number of property taxes to take into account, including stamp duty (relating to transfers), property tax (ongoing taxes or rates based on the value of your property), capital gains tax and inheritance tax.

A number of governments are considering the imposition of higher taxes on foreign buyers, says Radford. With the rand being relatively strong, this is a perfect time to invest in property offshore, but investors must be aware of any additional taxes that could be imposed.

This should not, however, be a deterrent to investment as the proposed taxes are a reaction to booming property markets which in turn, mean a greater potential for growth in the value of your property asset, he says.

Taxation on foreign or buy-to-let investors reflects governments expectations of continued growth in their property market. Government regulation and taxation can also play a role in creating a more sustainable, locally driven property market which is good news for investors looking for steady capital gains and yield growth.

Good rental income

Proposed taxes also indicate you can expect good rental income, firstly because the demand by foreign investors which has driven the tax changes has led to supply shortages in some areas, forcing more people to rent and secondly, because some potential buyers are opting to rent to avoid taxes, thereby pushing up rental demand.

However, Radford says it is important to know exactly which taxes apply to your investment. For example, if you buy a property in the UK via a trust or offshore company, where there is already a stamp duty of 12% on properties valued over 1.5m, you have been previously been exempt from inheritance tax. But next month this will change, and a tax of 40% will be imposed on your death.

Company structures and trust structures, which have been targeted in some countries for increased taxes, are becoming less and less effective and this requires careful consideration from purchasers before proceeding with the sale, says Radford.

Long term investment

For people looking for a short term profit, these taxes may be a deterrent, says Radford, but in our experience they make little difference in the longer term and property is without doubt a long term investment.

It is also worth mentioning that in South Africa there are relatively onerous capital gains taxes on second homes and our transfer duties and municipal rates are not low. If one looks at Germany, for example, there is zero capital gains tax after 10 years, illustrating how important it is to make sure you are aware of tax rates in areas in which you are planning to invest, he adds.

Radford says that global diversification can often help you limit your tax exposure in any one country.

Greater London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham in the UK, Chicago in the US and Berlin in Germany offer some of the best property investment opportunities at the moment, irrespective of their tax charges.

Tax is a very important consideration for any investment. Therefore, it is important that one needs to ensure that they are working with a partner with a proven track record and global expertise in navigating foreign markets, concludes Radford.
Dozens of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students could be forced to drop out of their studies and leave the university should the institution find them guilty of #FeesMustFall-related crimes.

The university said it had expelled the first student who was found guilty after an internal disciplinary process two weeks ago.

More than 40 students were arrested in October during several clashes with the public order policing unit.

Students shut down the university, with its north and south campuses turned into scenes of chaos.

The university remained closed for nearly two months.

NMMU spokeswoman Zandile Mbabela could not provide the expelled student's name, saying that due to confidentiality issues, the university could not divulge the students' details.

The university said the student was positively identified in an incident in which cars were stoned outside the north campus administration building in October.

A total of 18 cars were damaged on 20 October on the north and south campuses.

Mbabela said the student was identified by police and campus security, using surveillance footage from the day.

She said 12 more disciplinary proceedings were under way, while seven cases of public violence and damage to infrastructure involving 45 students who were arrested were postponed to later this year.

"There are disciplinary proceedings under way for 12 students in relation to incidents that include disruptions to classes and academic administration processes as well as the arson incidents," Mbabela said.

A student, who asked not to be named as she was implicated, said she had not yet attended a disciplinary hearing.

"I would rather not comment, I don't want to implicate myself any further but it looks as though the university is trying to remove us," she said.

Another student, who also asked not to be named as his case was still under review, said he felt anxious as he waited for the disciplinary committee to make a decision.

"I have made peace with my fate, if I get expelled that's okay," he said.

"I want to finish my studies but if I am forced to leave then so be it. It was all for a good cause."

Another student said he was relieved he would not be expelled after his hearing earlier this month.

"Charges against me were dropped because there was no evidence linking me to the scene," the student said.

"The university does not have evidence. Their identifications are based on witness accounts that do not add up.

"This led to the conclusion that this is a witch hunt and we are just being targeted."

The student was investigated for public violence and damage to infrastructure.

South African Students Congress (Sasco) regional secretary Nobathembu Koko said the organisation was not aware of who the expelled student was and would first have to establish the grounds for the expulsion.

"It would be very incorrect for a student to be expelled for no reason. If #FeesMustFall cases are dealt with nationally, then it is a problem if the university privately expels students," Koko said.

"We are concerned that students have to go to court and await prosecution and then further be prosecuted internally, especially for a campaign that was national."

Koko said, however, that the #FeesMustFall campaign had distanced itself from all criminal acts.

"If this expulsion is regarding those things, we are then speaking of criminals and not students."

Source: Herald
Durban Girls High School have earned a place in the 2017 BDO Inter-School Quiz final after winning the fourth regional round of the competition at Glenwood High School on 20 April 2017.

The elated team of Durban Girls High School Grade 10/11 learners who won the third round of the BDO School Quiz for the central Durban region are pictured here receiving their prize from Jemma Shankland of BDO (back)From L-R: Rhiannon Pearce, Nontobeko Khumalo, Nokukhanya Nzimande, Juanita Mazuba, and Hazel Spires of Kip McGrath.

The members of the winning team - Rhiannon Pearce, Nontobeko Khumalo, Nokukhanya Nzimande, Juanita Mazuba  achieved 90 points, just ahead of the runners-up from Treverton College school.

The schools participating in the central Durban regional round this year were Durban High School, Treverton College, New West Secondary School, Eden College, Durban Girls High School, Glenwood High School, Kloof High, St Marys Diocesan School for Girls, Clifton College, and Inanda Seminary.

There are 36 schools taking part this year and the top two teams from each regional round go through to the final which will be held at Clifton College on 2 May.

They will compete for the title of quiz champions and the privilege of selecting a disadvantaged school that will receive a donation of books to the value of R10,000 donated by independent, community-minded book store, Books & Books and Kip McGrath education and learner enrichment centres.

Last year a team from Crawford College La Lucia were named the overall quiz champions.
Not long after appointing former MSC Cruises South Africa CFO Ross Volk to the position of managing director, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has also announced that it will be introducing the MSC Meraviglia to the waters of the Mediterranean in June 2017, in time for the upcoming 2017/2018 season. The Meraviglia is the first of five vessels to be completed, with four more planned for launch into service within the next 12-15 months.

Ross Volk

"The focus now", Volk says, "is to build on the already powerful reputation of MSC Cruises by nurturing deeper collaboration and enhancing partnerships so that were stronger than ever before to respond to socio-economic changes in a positive and effective manner."

Luca Biondolillo, MSCs chief communications officer, said that the launch of the Meraviglia formed part of a 9bn (R131bn) 10-year investment plan to introduce 11 new ships to the fleet, which currently consists of a total of 12 ships. The investment plan includes an increase in workforce by another 55,000 in the next 10 years.

Built from the ground up, this ship has been dubbed a ship for all seasons and it will be able to dock at any cruise port around the world, which means well see it setting sail across many-a-shore in the future.

Some of the features of the 315m-long MSC Meraviglia include:

96m central promenade is filled with boutiques, 12 dining venues and tranquil spots for shopping, eating, and relaxing, complete with a giant 480m 2 LED screen spanning the entire ceiling of the inside promenade transmitting visual magic around the clock  the longest LED dome at sea.



LED screen spanning the entire ceiling of the inside promenade transmitting visual magic around the clock  the longest LED dome at sea. Spacious pools with poolside entertainment (a big screen at the Atmosphere pool and an open-air dance floor at night at the Horizon pool)

A luxurious Balinese spa and state-of-the-art gym.



Entertainment in the form of exclusive Cirque du Soleil performances, a water park boasting four waterslides, a high-tech TV studio and bar, casino, nightclubs, and sports centre, F1 simulators and full-size bowling alleys, baby and kiddies centres (in partnership with Lego), as well as teens clubs.

Musica manoeuvres to SA

Specific to South African shores, the 2018/2019 cruise season holds a special surprise for holiday-makers; the MSC Musica will be replacing the MSC Sinfonia on its Portuguese Island cruises for the 2018/2019 season. According to Volk, the Muscia has been specially adjusted to suit South African ports and offers a lot more room on board, boasting a total of 1,275 cabins - whereas the Sinfonia has 980, which means the Musica is able to carry at least 540 more passengers.

Although the Sinfonia was refurbished just three years ago and is one of MSCs most modern ships, the South African market is clearly demanding more, and MSC is showing their commitment by offering a vessel more able to accommodate the growing number of those seeking a voyage.

MSC Musica

MSC sets sail to Pomene Bay

The 2017/2018 season will also see the cruise line setting sail to its new destination, Pomene, in Mozambique, with a planned 18 departures visiting Pomene Bay or a combination of both Pomene Bay and Portuguese Islands from October. 605km north of Maputo, Pomene Bay is lauded as one of Mozambiques hidden jewels, surrounded by the calm waters of the Indian Ocean, beautiful white beaches and the crystal clear waters of a mangrove estuary.

Pomene Bay

More to come

The MSC Seaside, the largest cruise ship ever to be constructed by Italian builder, Fincantieri, is due to enter year-round service in the Caribbean as of December 2017. Think seafront promenades, beach-like condos, the most interactive aqua park at sea, glass-walled atriums and panoramic elevators. Think an experience that brings you closer to the sea than ever before.

For more, go to www.msccruises.co.za.
SMEs in East Africa have seen encouraging growth in recent years, especially in the areas of IT, with ecosystems such as the Silicon Savannah forecast to be worth more than $1bn in the next three years.

This development has been enabled by organisations such as Intracen (ITC), which is dedicated to supporting the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

In a new report, the Connecting Africa series of leading pan-African telecommunications and technology events and the UNs Intracen organisation have collaborated to document the internationalisation of East African SMEs.

From building a more conducive ecosystem for SMEs to thrive, becoming a key driver for tech innovation and women-owned businesses, to facilitating effective public-private partnerships - Connecting Africa explores how the UN's Intracen (ITC) organisation is pioneering IT and IT-enabled services in East Africa.

East African SMEs featured:

SawaSawa: The custom software, design and development house



The custom software, design and development house Hostalite: Providing domain registration, web design and e-commerce solutions in East Africa



Providing domain registration, web design and e-commerce solutions in East Africa Vantage: The Ugandan communications agency



The Ugandan communications agency Bunifu: The Kenyan information security solutions company

Access the full report here.

By downloading this report, readers will also receive a 20% discount to one Connecting Africa event of their choice.

Connecting Africa and ITC have also partnered for the 14th annual East Africa Com (1719 May 2017, Nairobi). ITC is headlining the speed networking agenda at this years event, which serves as an opportunity for them to meet large companies, whilst also promoting inter-regional and international business networks for SMEs.
Robin Kamark has been appointed as the new CEO of Etihad Airways, Airline Equity Partners. Kamark takes over from Bruno Matheu, who has held the role since May 2016, and is leaving for personal reasons.

Robin Kamark

In addition, the EAG Board is currently searching for a new Group CEO as long-serving president and CEO James Hogan announced that he would step down from the company later this year.

Kamark will be responsible for leading and developing the Groups minority equity investment strategy, which includes stakes in airberlin, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Etihad Regional and Virgin Australia.

Kamark has 17 years' experience in the airline industry, rising through a range of strategy, commercial and general manager roles at SAS Group to become chief commercial officer.

Kamark will lead strategic developments to optimise business performance, revenues and cost synergies between Etihad Airways and its equity partners across the world. He will also provide strategic leadership for airline partners where Etihad Airways has management responsibility.

Effective October 2017

He will take up his new position in October 2017.

Kevin Knight, Group Strategy and Planning Officer, will also work with Bruno Matheu to provide continuity across Airline Equity Partners as the group manages the transition over the coming months.

Kamark will become one of the five key business unit executives within the Etihad Aviation Group, joining Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways; Jeff Wilkinson, CEO of Etihad Airways Engineering; and Chris Youlten, Managing Director of Airport Services. Hala, the companys destination marketing and global loyalty unit, will announce a permanent CEO shortly.
What's in a business sign? Well, if you're trying to stand out in a competitive marketplace and onboard profitable new customers, it's far more than just a label or a tag.

Its either an asset that works for your business, or a liability that works for your competitors.

It goes without saying (which is what people always say before they say it anyway  and were no different) that the last thing you want to do is serve as your competitions voluntary lead generation source. Theres being nice, and then theres being crazy.

But wait, you might be thinking, I already have a business sign and nobodys complained about it. How can we put this gently and diplomatically? Actually, we cant: unless your business sign is professional-grade, then you can safely assume that its not doing you any favours beyond providing a purely functional purpose (like one of those Hello my name is stickers that nobody likes wearing).

Here are five reasons to help you appreciate the importance and value of professional business signs vs. conventional, ordinary, run-of-the-mill and eminently forgettable ones:

Youll attract much more foot traffic. Business signs trigger whats known as confirmation bias. Its the science behind first impressions. When people see something that they like, they tend to filter what they come across after that moment through a positive lens. The same logic applies when they see something they dislike. An impressive and attractive sign sets the right tone, and leads to more foot traffic.



Heck, even if youre a B2B business and customers dont stop by, chances are that a great sign will attract some that you never knew existed. It can and does happen. A FedEx study found that nearly 8 in 10 customers entered a store theyd never visited before simply because they liked the sign.

Youll sell more. Just as a great sign helps pull people into a store or shop, it can lead to more sales. A UC study found that 60 percent of businesses that upgraded or replaced their sign with something better saw an increase in sales, number of transactions, and overall profit.

Youll go top-of-mind. Do you know how businesses these days (and youre probably among them) are trying emphatically to get to the top of Google? Well, a professional business sign will help you get to the top of something even more valuable: your prospects minds. Great signs are memorable for all of the right reasons.

Youll get more web traffic. As youve probably experienced, theres a convergence between the online and offline world. In fact, its so integrated that many customers dont care about the difference. They expect an omni-channel experience that could involve doing research online and completing a purchase in the store, making a purchase in a store and getting support online, and so on. How does this relate to business signs? Heres how: a great business sign can drive traffic to your website, since youll be generating brand awareness. And while you can put your URL on your sign (if its sign-friendly), you dont have to. Like the Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come.

The bottom line

Is a business sign a magic wand that will instantly take you to the top of your marketplace? Nope. But it can certainly help you improve brand awareness, customers, revenues and profits. But hey, with realistic expectations like this, who needs magic wands?
Part of the One Star House Party mission to host 20 restaurants in 20 countries in 20 months, the world tour has landed on Cape Town shores. Chef James Sharman and his crew have set up camp in Woodstock to create a two-week-only pop-up restaurant.

Cape Town is the eighth stop on the One Star House Party world tour, which has seen the team set up pop-up restaurants in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Oman, at the Everest Base Camp in Nepal and most recently on a float in Kenya.

Local ingredients

The restaurant in Cape Town, set in a Woodstock loft, will open for dinner from Wednesday, 26 April until Thursday, 11 May. The loft space can accommodate up to 50 diners a night and guests can anticipate a seven-course tasting menu, featuring the best local ingredients with a twist  with the details of the Cape Town menu to be revealed on opening night. Interested foodies are advised to book soon to avoid missing out.

Sharman and his team, which includes fellow chef Kevin McCrae and manager Trish McCrae, honed their culinary skills at leading restaurants, most notably Noma in Copenhagen, as well as The Ledbury and Tom Aikens in London. The team travels to a new destination each month, erects a pop-up restaurant, develops a tasting menu based on local cuisine and culture, and invites the public to an intimate dinner in their new home. This month its Cape Town, next month Florence.

Interactive experience

We apply the techniques we gleaned while working as chefs in some of the worlds best restaurants to the local food of the country we are in and serve this to our guests, explains Sharman. There is a story behind every dish. In our interactive dining experience there are no waiters. Trish, Kevin and I personally serve each course and share the story and inspiration for the dish with our guests.

One Star House Party also invites young chefs to join them on their creative journey. Chefs may apply to join a pop-up. If chosen, they are flown in to assist for the duration of the event. In Cape Town the team will be joined by Paul Graham of Scotland and Ellis Maloney of Australia. Those who feel they possess the culinary skills to assist the OSHP crew can apply via OneStarHouseParty.com.

Tickets are $85 each and available online on OneStarHouseParty.com. Guests are asked to BYOB.
With FAO's new tool, the WaPOR open-access database going live, measuring how efficiently water is used in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce countries, is going high-tech. The new tool taps into satellite data to help farmers achieve reliable agricultural yields and allows for the optimisation of irrigation systems.

Africa Rice Center via Wikimedia Commons - Irrigation infrastructure to the Tutu inland valley for rice prodution

WaPOR was presented during a high-level partners meeting for FAO's Coping with water scarcity in agriculture: a global framework for action in a changing climate. It allows for fine-grained analysis of water utilised through farming systems, generating empirical evidence about how it can be most productively used.

Worldwide water utilisation - the majority of which is used by agriculture - has outpaced the rate of population growth for most of the last century and some regions are close to breaching viable limits. "Water use continues to surge at the same time that climate change - with increasing droughts and extreme weather - is altering and reducing water availability for agriculture," says Maria Helena Semedo, FAO's deputy director-general, Climate Change and Natural Resources. "That puts a premium on making every drop count, underscoring the importance of meeting growing food production needs from efficiency gains."

WaPOR sifts through satellite data and uses Google Earth computing power to produce maps that show how much biomass and yield is produced per cubic meter of water consumed. The maps can be rendered at resolutions of as little as 30 to 250 meters, and updated every one to ten days.

FAO's team of information technology and land and water officers designed WaPOR - through a $10 million project funded by the Government of the Netherlands - to cover Africa and the Near East, with a focus on key countries that are or are projected soon to face physical or infrastructural water scarcity.

The continental level database is online, while country level data will be made available in June for Benin, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Uganda, West Bank and Gaza Strip, and Yemen. Even more detailed data will come online in October, starting with pilot areas in Lebanon, Ethiopia, and Mali.

How it works

WaPOR measures evapotranspiration, a key phase in the natural water cycle consisting of water that directly evaporates into the atmosphere and water that returns to the atmosphere after moving through a plant and emerging as vapor exuded by foliage. Evapotranspiration thus provides a direct measure of the water consumed by a crop during a growing season and, when related to the biomass and harvestable crop yield, allows for calculating the crop water productivity.

The tool can produce detailed assessments to monitor the functioning of a selected set of irrigation schemes, supporting modernisation plans as well as helping assure that improvements do in fact result in all water users receiving more reliable and cost-effective water services that are more adapted to increased climate variability.

The programme uses a pixel-based methodology to produce comprehensive maps allowing for better use of natural resources. When coupled with real-time data, agricultural extension agents can help farmers obtain more reliable crop yields, both improving their livelihoods and making them more sustainable. "Supporting smallholder farmers with access to geospatial information that can optimise water availability and curb their vulnerability to climate change is a key mission for FAO and this is an important first step," said FAO Assistant Director-General Rene Castro, head of the Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department.

The IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, part of UNESCO and the world's largest international graduate water education facility, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) will support efforts in developing countries to boost capacity to use the new technology by tailoring relevant direct data queries, conducting time series analyses and downloading data regarding key variables that contribute to water and land productivity assessments.

The WaPOR tool is being developed in cooperation with a consortium of partners in the Netherlands - eLEAF, University of Twente, ITC and Waterwatch Foundation - as well as VITO in Belgium. The work plan anticipates developing apps that can be run on smartphones, enabling locally relevant use of the data from the spatial database.

Water accounting

Water accounting is increasingly promoted as an indispensable tool, particularly in water-strained areas. This includes coherent assessments of water resources availability, which must incorporate climate factors and require consideration of equitable entitlement - in particular, allocation of water for domestic and industrial uses and for broader ecosystem services. FAO offers technical advice on setting up appropriate water accounting and auditing frameworks.

It is estimated that for each 1 C of global warming, seven percent of the global population will experience a decrease of 20 percent or more in renewable water resources. Improved management of water resources is mentioned as a critical area for intervention in the vast majority of the national climate-change adaptation and mitigation plans submitted to fulfill commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Startupbootcamp (SBC) will be launching its new accelerator programme in Cape Town. Startups from around the world are invited to apply now to be part of the intense three-month programme.

Startupbootcamp team Zachariah George, Paul Nel, and Philip Kiracofe

This global industry-focused accelerator group has 18 programmes across 13 countries and has seen value in now setting up a footprint in Africa.

Opportunity to build the African tech ecosystem

The call for applications is focused on sourcing scalable technology solutions applicable to diversified financial services and related industries. The aim is to grow disruptive startups and connect them with dynamic corporates, providing both with an opportunity to collaborate and build the African tech ecosystem.

The launch of this first Startupbootcamp Cape Town programme in Africa comes after a trend analysis that found 161 applications to the global programme to have originated from African teams in 2016.

Additionally, there were five South African FastTracks in 2015 and three in 2016. To date, Startupbootcamp has invested in eight teams from Africa in total, three of which are in the current InsurTech cohort.

With this programme, the organisation brings together top startups from around the world, a mentor network of renowned industry experts and entrepreneurs, and major players in banking, insurance, consultancy, leasing and technology as founding partners.

Benefits

From a pool of hundreds of applications, Startupbootcamp Cape Town will select the 10 most promising teams, and will provide each team with 15,000, 100+ highly engaged mentors from the fintech, insurtech and regtech industries, free office space, a convertible note, access to funding, and a network of industry partners, investors, and venture capital firms. The programme will kick off in September 2017.

Philip Kiracofe, co-MD of Startupbootcamp Cape Town says: The African tech and digital landscape is growing exponentially, and we firmly believe that the future of innovation will come from Africa. Cape Town is one of the most vibrant and creative hubs on the continent and we are both excited and humbled to contribute by attracting global expertise here. 

To kick off, startups from all over the world are invited to present their ideas to the Startupbootcamp team at a series of FastTrack days between May and July 2017. These FastTracks are being held globally in cities including Accra, Amsterdam, Cairo, Cape Town, Doha, Dubai, Johannesburg, Kampala, Lagos, London, Nairobi, Paris, and Tel Aviv.

Interested startups can apply online. Applications are open until 14 July 2017.
The South African Council of Shopping Centres will host its Annual Research Conference on 17 May 2017, at the Maslow Hotel, Sandton. The main aim of the conference is to keep delegates up to date with new consumer behaviour and shopping patterns, which are constantly evolving, driven by economic instability and the strain on consumers' pockets.

Alan Knott-Craig is one of the speakers

The conference will delve into South Africas economy and how it affects retailers and consumers by providing a holistic view on the industry. On the consumer perspective, the event will take a closer look at the infamous millennials and what they are spending their money on. Speakers will touch on trends nationally and internationally and put a spotlight on the latest technology that is taking the retail and shopping centre world by storm, highlighting a different approach to bricks and mortar versus online stores. In spite of the challenges, the industry has advanced progressively and research-driven decisions have been crucial to paint a clear picture of the market and empower the retail and property industry.

Speakers

Some of the speakers include:

Alan Knott-Craig, founder of the free WiFi movement in South Africa

Stacey Wallaberger, founder of Metis Consulting

Claudia De Gouveia Macedo, manager: strategy & transformation, PWC

Dr Yvonne Court, partner & head of International Consultancy, Cross Border Retail & Leisure

Christopher Mcinga, business manager Tshwane, Caxton

Sash Padayachee, md, Taleo Consulting

Greg Potterton, director & founder, Instant Grass International

CEO for the SACSC, Amanda Stops said, It is events like these that nurture the retail and shopping centre industry in the country. This event will not only give everyone invaluable information, it will also provide a platform to network and exchange ideas with industry peers and leaders. Cushman & Wakefield Excellerate sponsor the 2017 SACSC Research Conference and we would like to thank them for their support. On behalf of all the organisers and our sponsor, we look forward to see the industry there.

To register, click here or call +27 (0) 10 003 0228 for more information.
The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) welcomes the restoration of internet connectivity in the northwest and southwest regions of Cameroon after 94 days of network shutdown.

 icetray via 123RF

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, on April 20, 2017, under the orders of the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, restored internet connection to the people of the two regions after three months of network disruption.

The government of Cameroon shut down internet access in the two regions following protests against the government's imposition of the use of French language in the two predominantly anglophone regions.

Since protests erupted in November 2016, freedom of expression and human rights have been repressed by the Cameroonian government, four protesters have been killed and several others have been arbitrarily arrested and detained.

While welcoming the restoration of internet access in the two regions, AFEX also calls on the Cameroonian government to commit to promoting and protecting digital rights as network disruptions adversely affect people socially, psychologically, economically, educationally and politically. For instance, the 94 days of internet shutdown has deprived about 7 million citizens access to information and has resulted in the loss of about U.S. $ 4.5 million in a country with a per capita income of about $1,200.

Human rights violations

The restoration of internet access should be the first step towards redressing all outstanding human rights violations in the two regions. AFEX therefore calls on the Cameroonian government to release all those who have been arrested and detained in connection with the protests and resort to dialogue.

AFEX takes this opportunity to commend all local, regional and international bodies and organisations, for being steadfast and actively engaged in the campaign for internet restoration in anglophone Cameroon. The solidarity with the Cameroonian people and commitment towards campaigning against any form of network disruption is laudable and must be sustained.

This statement was originally published on africafex.org on 21 April 2017.
Global support for Africa's top digital entrepreneurs is coming from the World Bank and African investment groups, in a programme which will see 20 selected startups attract early stage capital between $250,000 and $1.5 million.

 Christos Georghiou via 123RF

The World Bank Group launched XL Africa, a five-month business acceleration program designed to support the 20 most promising digital startups from Sub-Saharan Africa. Startups will receive mentoring from global and local experts, learn through a tailor-made curriculum, increase their regional visibility, and get access to potential corporate partners and investors.

With support from prominent African investment groups, XL Africa will help the 20 selected start-ups attract early stage capital between $250,000 and $1.5 million.

Digital start-ups are important drivers of innovation in Africa, says Makhtar Diop, vice president for the Africa Region at the World Bank. To scale and spread new technologies and services beyond borders, they need an integrated ecosystem that provides access to regional markets and global finance. Pan-African initiatives like XL Africa play a critical role by linking local start-ups with corporations and investors across the continent.

The program comes at a time of increasing interest in the African digital sector. According to a recent report by Disrupt Africa, in 2016, the number of tech start-ups that secured funding increased by 16.8% compared to 2015.

XL Africa aims to put a spotlight on the continents growing digital economy by scouting for and supporting the most innovative tech start-ups, said Klaus Tilmes, director of the trade and competitiveness global practice at the World Bank Group. The success of these ventures will create a demonstration effect that can attract much-needed growth investment in the sector and catalyse scaling of transnational businesses in the region.

Residency

The programs flagship activity includes a two-week residency in Cape Town, South Africa, where the ventures will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from their mentors, peers, and local partners. The Cape Town residency will conclude with the Venture Showcase, a regional event in which the entrepreneurs will present their business models to a select audience of corporations and investors.

The programs unique combination of targeted mentorship and access to investors represents a vital resource for digital ventures ready to grow, said Lexi Novitske, principal investment officer for Singularity Investments, a venture group based in Lagos, Nigeria. By connecting innovative business ideas with the knowledge and resources available in the ecosystem, XL Africa will create a pipeline of investment-ready companies, unlocking better investment opportunities for regional and global investors.

The program will collaborate with prominent African investment groups, including the African Business Angel Network (ABAN); AngelHub Ventures; Goodwell Investments; Knife Capital; Nest Africa; Silvertree Capital; Singularity Investments South African Business Angel Network (SABAN); TLcom Capital; Zephyr Acorn; 4Di Capital; and corporate partners, such as Orange; .Eco; Ringier; and Thomson Reuters.

Interested companies can apply online on the XL Africa website www.XL-Africa.com by Monday, June 12, 2017. XL Africa is funded by the governments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and administered by the World Bank Group with implementation support from IMC Worldwide, VC4A, and Koltai & Co.
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The Kayin (Karen) State temporary shelter began housing thousands of people last September when fighting erupted between a splinter faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the Tatmadaw and a border militia.

Donations to the camp have been dwindling since the beginning of the year, with nothing but rice now left, according to the official responsible for the camps warehouse, Naw Tin Hla.

We had rice and salt at first. Now, we dont even have salt anymore. We only have rice, said Naw Tin Hla. The IDPs dont have any jobs and they have no support. They cant go back home so how are we supposed to live? Who should we ask for help?

The shelters secretary, Saw Aung Win Tun, said that aid for the IDPs has become scarce.

No organization comes to help us now. The government doesnt come to us. We cant return home. The [IDPs] houses were burned down. No one has cleared the landmines. We have to start our lives from the bottom again. We want to return home, but [can only do so] if the situation is better, he said.

Nan Say Awar, a member of the state-level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC-S), said that she has seen the houses that were burned. She said however that she is unable to help the families at the Myaing Gyi Ngu shelter because her role is only to monitor the situation.

More than 7,000 people living between Myaing Gyi Ngu and Mae Tha Wor fled during the flare up in fighting last year. Most of the families who were displaced continue to live in the Myaing Gyi Ngu temporary shelter.

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by Laignee Barron
Most Popular Adult Tourism Destinations! Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

Each country is known to have its own specialty. From having beautiful beaches to countries where wild animals run around freely, they bring out the best from these countries.

There are couple of countries as well that are famous for adult tourism and these countries rank among the top countries for sex trade.

You May Also Like To Read: Red Light Districts That Are Popular In India



Check out the list, as it might shock you on which is the country that tops in adult tourism!

Also Read: Things That Can Happen If Prostitution Becomes Legal



Find out more...

Dominican Republic People who visit the country tend to see many legal brothels, massage parlours and prostitution centers in some of the famous places like Puerto Plata province and Santo Domingo. This country is ranked as the fourth highest in the world among countries exporting large numbers of sex workers. Cambodia This country is a perfect destination for male sex tourists from Asia and western countries. Though prostitution is prohibited by law, it is seen in the tourist hotspots! The Netherlands Prostitution in this country is said to be legal and regulated. Operating a brothel is also legal in this country. Amsterdam has a long tradition of strong presence of prostitution. Kenya This country is a host to a hidden child sex trade. Children who are as young as 12 are being lured into prostitution and pornography by tourists who are willing to pay huge amount for sex in secret locations. Philippines According to reports, prostitution is a huge industry domestically with an estimated 800,000 men, women and even children working in this trade. Colombia Finding paid sex is easy here, as prostitutes are seen filling the main square nightly in Cartagena, Colombia, and other police-patrolled streets. It is a highly networked business that is flourishing day by day. Indonesia In Indonesia, it is legally considered as a crime against decency or morality. Yet it is widely practiced, tolerated and regulated. Some women claim that they are financially motivated to become prostitutes, while others say they are forced by friends, relatives or strangers. Spain According to reports, 39% of all Spanish men have used a prostitute's services at least once! To meet the demands, there are around 300,000 prostitutes estimated to be working in Spain alone. Brazil There are no laws forbidding adults from being professional sex workers in this country, as it is legal here. Many sex tourists flock the country to have fun. Thailand Sex is a commodity and prostitution is not strictly illegal in Thailand and sex tourism is a big business here. Prostitution operates clandestinely in many parts of the country.
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Afghanistan's defense minister and army chief of staff resigned on Monday after the deadliest Taliban attack on a military base, and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he was "under no illusions" about the problems facing the country.





Mattis, visiting as the United States looks to craft a new Afghanistan strategy, held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, officials and U.S. commanders, who want more troops.





"2017 is going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops who have stood, and will continue to stand, shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan against terrorism," Mattis said.





General John Nicholson, the head of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, said he was "not refuting" reports that Russia was providing support, including arms, to the Taliban.





A senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that intelligence showed Russia was providing money and machine guns to the Taliban.




There was a time that South Africa looked very different to the rest of Africa. The rainbow nation was seen by many  including a lot of its own citizens  to be exceptional, having more in common with the developed states of Europe than some of the countries on its own doorstep.



But, in the wake of a series of destabilising corruption scandals, financial mismanagement and the incompetent leadership of President Jacob Zuma, this is no longer the case.

Its time therefore to look to the rest of the continent for evidence on how the crisis within the countrys ruling African National Congress (ANC) is likely to unfold.



The notion of South African exceptionalism runs deep. Having suffered white minority rule much longer than most other African states, the country had one of the most stable and successful transitions to democracy on the continent. Following the election of the ANC in 1994, Nelson Mandelas government promoted tolerance and responsible government.







At that point, South Africa did not look very African. While Nigeria was blighted by endemic corruption, the ANC was led by a man whose reputation was beyond reproach. When the ZANU-PF government was becoming increasingly brutal in Zimbabwe, Mandelas administration was promoting the rule of law and inclusion. And just as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Somalia were falling apart, the South African state appeared to be growing stronger.

Moreover, the notion of exceptionalism wasnt just something dreamt up by academics or reporters: it was also deeply felt by South Africans themselves. Some surveys have found that many believe that they are exceptional, and in some cases that they are superior to the rest of the continent. This had some positive consequences, most notably by supporting the reconstruction of a broader national identity.



But it also had its downsides. A report by the countrys Human Science Research Council into the xenophobic violence against migrants from Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe in 2008 concluded that, in addition to urban deprivation and intense competition for jobs and housing, a popular understanding of exclusive citizenship motivated anti-foreigner sentiment.



The xenophobic violence, and the economic conditions that gave rise to it, were a clue  for those who had their eyes open  that South Africa wasnt really that exceptional after all.

On the one hand, a number of other countries such as Ghana and Mauritius were also doing well when it came to consolidating democracy. It was just that these positive stories tended to be ignored.

On the other, some aspects of the South African miracle didnt stand up to closer scrutiny.



Before and after Zuma

After the transition to majority rule the country recorded impressive achievements in terms of its progressive constitution and growing welfare state. But at the same time it soon became clear that many parts of the bureaucracy were prone to rent seeking behaviour.

Similarly, despite its proud history and impressive first four years in office, the ANC was already exhibiting patrimonial tendencies well before Zuma became president in 2009.

As political scientist Tom Lodge has argued, many of those who rose to prominence in the movement during the apartheid era had been born into privileged positions. And the ANC was forced to develop ties to criminal networks to operate after it was banned by the National Party in 1960 and forced into exile.



During the liberation struggle, the imperative of fighting the apartheid regime kept these patrimonial tendencies and criminal connections in check. But after the advent of democracy they started to become more pronounced.

Partly as a result, schemes such as Black Economic Empowerment were used not transform the underlying structure of the economy, but to generate opportunities for self-enrichment. South African political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki has called this legalised corruption.



These tendencies were then exacerbated by Zumas rise to power, in large part because hes a leader that understands politics through a patrimonial lens. Lacking the intellect and management skill to lead by example, he has set about entrenching himself in power by promoting loyalists within the party and the state. This while condoning corruption and sacrificing policy for patronage. As a result, the partys patrimonial tendencies have been sent into overdrive.

In addition to major corruption scandals over the upgrade to his Nkandla home and a multi-billion dollar arms deal, Zuma has drawn fire for his close relationship to the Gupta family. He allegedly allows the family to influence major policy decisions in return for its financial support.



More recently, the president plunged the ANC into a full-blown crisis by removing many of the most competent members of the cabinet and replacing them with loyalists. As a result, South Africas credit rating has been downgraded.

For many, this was the straw that broke the camels back. In the days that followed, a number of prominent political figures and the ANCs partners in the triple alliance, the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), called on Zuma to go.



Lessons from elsewhere

Putting this process in its historical context is important: it makes it clear that while Zuma has been a disaster, it would be naive to think that he is the sole source of the ANCs problems  or that his removal will solve them. It also shows that South Africa is not exceptional, and instead faces similar problems to many other countries on the continent.

One small silver lining to this cloud is that we can use the experience of other states to better understand the prospects for South Africa. One thing we know from Kenya and Nigeria is that the kind of politics practised by the president quickly embeds clientelism within key parts of the government and bureaucracy.



When this happens, its not enough to change just the president. Meaningful reform requires the removal, or at the very least retraining, of an entire tranche of figures put in place during the presidents tenure. Otherwise, patterns of patronage and clientelism have a way of reasserting themselves.



The experience of other states also tells us that some of the solutions that have been promoted as silver bullet solutions for South Africas predicament are unlikely to work. Its been suggested that the direct election of the president (who at present is elected by the parliament would lead to more accountable and responsible government. But America just directly elected Donald Trump, while Zimbabwe continues to directly elect Robert Mugabe. Presidential elections are no panacea.

The lesson from other African countries is therefore a worrying one: the road back is a long one.



Distinctive features remain

But these comparisons shouldnt lead to defeatism. There are a number of ways in which the country remains distinctive. Civil society remains more robust than in many other states, and more independent as the Confederation of South African Trade Unions criticism of Zuma demonstrates.



Similarly, the judiciary tends to be both of higher quality and more impartial, while the governing ANC itself has more internal checks and balances than most governments on the continent.

These features didnt prevent the slide towards patrimonialism, and on their own they will not topple Zuma. But they are the foundations on which the struggle for a new South Africa can be fought.



Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham

This article was originally published on The Conversation.




MUMBAI (PTI): Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters in Mumbai on April 22.



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.




BRAHMOS land attack cruise missile being launched from INS Teg. An Indian Navy photo/Twitter

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Navy on April 21 successfully test-fired the BRAHMOS land attack supersonic cruise missile in the Bay of Bengal, joining an elite club of navies to have capability to strike on land targets from sea.



The long-range missile was fired from guided missile frigate INS Teg on a target on land and it yielded desired results, a top navy official said.



The BRAHMOS missile has been jointly developed by India and Russia, and its anti-ship variant has already been inducted into Indian Navy.



"This successful maiden firing of BRAHMOS Land Attack Supersonic Cruise Missile has significantly enhanced the prowess of Indian Navy and has placed India into the club of select few nations," Navy Spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said.



Navies of the US, Russia, Britain and China have similar strike capabilities.



Majority of the frontline warships 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.



Last month, it had successfully test-fired an anti-ship missile for the first time from an indigenously built Kalvari class submarine, enhancing its "sub-surface" warfare prowess.



The weapon was fired from the submarine, the first of India's six Scorpene-class submarines which are being built under the Project 75.



All the six diesel-electric attack submarines will be equipped with the anti-ship missile, which has a proven record in combat.



These missiles will provide the vessels the ability to neutralise surface threats at extended ranges.


Britain is facing into a "bloodbath" over a proposed trade deal with the US, an EU commissioner has warned.

Phil Hogan, agriculture and rural development commissioner in Brussels, also derided British Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to strike agreements with countries around the world as a fanciful notion of a new British Empire.

Speaking at a Brexit conference in Dublin, he suggested UK Trade Secretary Liam Fox's push for cheap food imports from the US already signals a lowering of standards that risks a revolt from the British public.

"Liam Fox is pushing for agriculture to be included in such (UK-US trade) discussions, claiming that Americans have been eating hormone beef and chlorine chicken perfectly safely for years, so what's all the fuss about?" he said.

"Would British farmers and consumers accept hormone beef and chlorine chicken on their supermarket shelves?

"I seriously doubt it. There may yet be a bloodbath over these issues."

Mr Hogan told the conference, organised by the Irish Farmers' Association, that countries within the EU "can rest easy in the knowledge that our negotiating weight in trade deals means that our partners rise to our standards, rather than us lowering to theirs."

A pronouncement by Mrs May, on the day Article 50 was triggered, that Britain will strike similar deals with other countries outside the EU was also questionable, he suggested.

"This aim, based on notions of an Empire 2.0, is somewhat fanciful when you look at the trade-offs the UK would have to submit to in order to do deals around the world," he said.

However, he added he was encouraged by the British Prime Minister's remarks in more recent weeks now that "a greater sense of realism" had kicked into the Brexit debate.

Mr Hogan said he hoped June's general election would strengthen Mrs May's hand in facing down the "looney voices on the right of the Tory party" and that Britain would remain within the EU's Customs Union.

"It is my hope that, over the course of the coming months, the British government will recognise that the best way to maintain the freest possible trade in goods such as agri-food products is to remain in the Customs Union, and that sense will prevail," he said.
Catholics living in Northern Ireland have called for a return to direct rule to end the political chaos, a senior British Conservative MP has said.

Laurence Robertson, chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said it was "really unfortunate" that returning decision-making powers to Westminster is viewed as the best way to resolve difficulties in the region.

Mr Robertson told the British House of Commons the suggestion was put to him during a recent visit to the North, noting most people do not want such action although they would prefer it if the choice is "between chaos and direct rule".

Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley (North Antrim) also warned the UK Government's proposed law to allow Westminster to set and collect rates to fund local council services has "tipped the scales in favour" of direct rule.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire earlier denied the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill represents a return to direct rule.

The proposal also extends the time Stormont's rowing parties have to form a powersharing agreement to June 29, three weeks after the UK general election.

A row over a botched green energy scheme caused devolution to crash in January.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Robertson said: "Just a couple of weeks ago I was in Northern Ireland on a social visit speaking to friends over there, actually Catholics if that's an important factor - it is an important factor because of what I'm about to say.

"And they said to me 'For goodness sake Laurence, get on with it, bring direct rule back because that's the only way we're going to get any decisions taken'.

"Now, they don't particularly want to see that, most people probably don't want to see that but if it's choice between chaos and direct rule, people will go for direct rule - they have to do, and it's really unfortunate that we've got to that position."

In a message aimed at Sinn Fein, Mr Robertson added: "Can I just say to those who are likely to bring about that situation - and it's not people who are present in this chamber here today, in my belief, it's people who refuse to take their seats in this chamber - it really would be rather paradoxical, rather strange that one party that says they don't want rule from this place are actually the party that brings it about.

"I mean, how odd would that be?"

Mr Robertson, a former shadow Northern Ireland minister, said direct rule does not mean the Commons as a whole decides everything but committees consisting of around 20 MPs - including very few from Northern Ireland.

He said: "That is the reality of direct rule and I'd say to those who are getting in the way of the institutions being set up again, is that how you want Northern Ireland to be governed?"

DUP MP Mr Paisley, intervening, said: "The Bill before the House has now tipped the scales in favour of direct rule.

"Tonight, people in Ulster will be watching their televisions and it is this House that is setting rates - for the last 10 years it has been the Northern Ireland assembly that has set the rates bill.

"With that balance being tipped, with each piece of legislation that comes forward, it's going to make it harder and harder and harder to get back to devolution."

Ulster Unionist Party MP Tom Elliott (Fermanagh and South Tyrone), intervening during a speech by Conservative former Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson, said: "Maybe there is a longer term strategy that is re-emerging from Sinn Fein.

"And that is to make Northern Ireland unstable so that the people of Northern Ireland start questioning Northern Ireland's ability to govern itself."

Mr Paterson said he did not want to comment on the motives of any political party.

He added: "As someone who has been involved in Northern Ireland... there is such goodwill there amongst the populace across all parts of the community... there is longing for this to work, and real goodwill and now there is utter exasperation."
A former Bank of Ireland worker has been jailed for one year for stealing 144,000 from the bank between 2004 and 2012.

Alice Warnock from Rathbeale Court in Swords, Co Dublin was arrested following an internal investigation while she was on sick leave.

The amounts stolen between 2004 and 2012 ranged from 600 to 5,000  the total amount stolen by was just over 144,000.

Today, Judge Melanie Greally heard she has since paid back everything she stole.

What she did was heavily reported on in the media, her barrister said, and her professional and personal reputations have been damaged.

Lorcan Staines said she has lost her job and had to sell her house.

Judge Greally she said it was evident his client had occupied a position of responsibility in the bank and there was a very considerable breach of trust.

She said the offences were not committed because of financial pressures, but rather to enhance her lifestyle.

She said there was a public interest that activity of this kind committed by persons in her position must be marked by an appropriate sentence, which she felt was 12 months in prison.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) is calling for an audit on the number and nature of assaults on members of the force.

It comes as the annual conference of the GRA, which represents more than 10,500 rank-and-file Gardai, gets underway in Galway.

Among the motions for discussion over the next two days include Garda safety, firearms training and the freedom to grow a beard.

Ciaran O'Neill, president of the association, says he is concerned about the number of Gardai being assaulted.

Earlier this month, separate incidents in Dublin and Mayo saw several Gardai assaulted.

Speaking to Newstalk Drive, Mr O'Neill said: "They're not measured by Garda management unless a member goes sick and is off injured - but our members are being assaulted on a daily basis.

"Nor do our management class us, when we are assaulted, as victims. Everyone has the right and entitlement to be the victim of a crime - except a member of An Garda Siochana. We think that's very wrong."

He argued that a minimum sentence should be introduced for anyone convicted of an assault on any emergency service worker.

"I think we should start - depending on the nature and gravity of the offence - [with] at least one year in prison," he suggested.
Update 5.55pm: The head of the Oireachtas Health Committee says he believes there is still a window of opportunity to save the new National Maternity Hospital deal.

Clare TD Dr Michael Harty, who is the Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, told Newstalk Drive: "It would be very important to see the detail of that deal, because we have to separate the business deal from the medical and the ethical considerations.

"There is a need for a new maternity hospital. The fact that St Vincent's was chosen had very positive aspects to it - and I think if it doesn't go ahead in St Vincent's, there's going to be a substantial delay in providing this hospital."

Speaking about the benefits of locating the hospital at St Vincent's, Dr Harty said: "Many pregnant women have ongoing diseases - kidney, heart, renal disease - which requires expert opinion. That would be facilitated by having it co-located. There is also the advantage that the site is being offered free.

"The disadvantage is, as it would appear, that the religious order seem to want to have an input into the ethical value of the hospital - and I think that is not acceptable."

Update 12.13pm: A prominent Catholic theologian has proposed the Sisters of Charity sell the site for the new National Maternity Hospital to the Government, and use the proceeds as redress funding.

The project is under review amid controversy over the involvement of the religious order.

Current plans have the 300m facility located on the site of St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.

Former Professor of Theology at St Patrick's College, Maynooth Fr Vincent Twomey, said a land sale could be a solution.

"The board, or the Sisters in this case, because they own the land, should actually sell the land to the Government, or gift it to them, and whatever monies they get, they give to whatever redress board balance is left to be paid."

Earlier:

The controversy surrounding the new maternity hospital in Dublin, shows no sign of letting up.

The Health Minister is being urged to use powers of compulsory acquisition to take over the land at St Vincent's hospital, which is owned by the Sisters of Charity.

Simon Harris has insisted the nuns won't have any say over medical decisions despite owning the land and facility.

Councillor Eilis Ryan says the facility needs to be pushed ahead without further delay.

"Given the context of the Citizens Assembly result you really see the expansion of restructured services that will be required in Ireland over the next couple of years.

"We don't want to make this about whether or not those should be provided in the new maternity hospital, taking over the board and delaying the provision of those services," she said.
A man has been jailed for 13 years for his part in the killing of Dublin teenager Daniel McAnaspie in Blanchardstown.

Daniel was aged 17 and in State care when he went missing in Feb 2010. His body was found by a farmer on his land in Co Meath three months later.
Stephanie Davis lashed out at Phillip Schofield during an interview on todays This Morning.

The reality star appeared on the show, with her son Caben, to set the record straight about her relationship with Dublin native, Jeremy McConnell.
An American observer has been killed by a landmine which blew up a monitoring team vehicle in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine.

Two members of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission, from Germany and the Czech Republic, were wounded in the blast in Luhansk on Sunday.

Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE, called for an investigation and said on Twitter "those responsible will be held accountable".

In Washington, the US State Department expressed shock and sadness and extended condolences to family and friends of the victim, who was not identified.

Spokesman Mark Toner said the US "again calls upon Russia to use its influence with the separatists to take the first step toward peace to eastern Ukraine and ensure a visible, verifiable and irreversible improvement in the security situation".

He added: "This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats and harassment.

"The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent and timely investigation."

The State Department said US secretary of state Rex Tillerson phoned Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to Russia that Moscow's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle to improved relations with the US.

Mr Tillerson accepted Mr Poroshenko's condolences for the OSCE observer's death and the two leaders agreed that "this tragic incident makes clear the need for all sides - and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces - to implement their commitments under the Minsk Agreements immediately", the department said.

The self-proclaimed security ministry for the Russia-backed separatist rebels in Luhansk said the mine had been laid by Ukrainian forces.

The rebels and the Ukrainian government have been fighting in eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a war that has killed more than 9,900 people.

The monitoring mission assesses compliance with the two-year-old Minsk peace deal that was to bring a ceasefire and the pull-back of heavy weapons.

It also conducts work on human rights and civil society issues as well as mine-awareness programmes.

AP
The parents of a 13-month-old boy who drowned after they left him unsupervised in the bath have been jailed in the UK.

Wayne Dale and his ex-partner Lisa Passey were found guilty after trial of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Kian Dale.

Dale (aged 45) formerly of Kyreside in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England, was jailed at Worcester Crown Court today for four-and-a-half years.

Passey (aged 28) also of Kyreside - where the youngster drowned - was handed a four-year sentence for her part in failing to supervise the boy.

The youngster had been left unsupervised in a bath seat in an upstairs bathroom for at least 13 minutes while the couple were downstairs.

During their two-week trial, a jury heard Passey had been sitting in the back garden enjoying the sunshine and drinking coffee with a friend, while Dale was "socialising, listening to music and using his computer".

Jonas Hankin QC, opening the prosecution's case, said: "When, finally, Wayne Dale went upstairs to the bathroom, baby Kian had drowned.

"He was found lying over the back of the bath seat with his head and upper body immersed."

Also shown in court was Kian's bath seat, clearly marked: "Warning: Prevent drowning - always keep baby within arms' reach."

Following their sentencing, Emily Lenham, senior crown prosecutor with West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Both defendants were fully aware that Kian, their 13-month-old child, had been left unsupervised in a bath full of water.

"This was not an isolated occurrence. During their trial, it was established that the couple routinely left Kian alone while he was in the bath.

"On this occasion, he was left for nearly 15 minutes while both parents were downstairs socialising.

"The death of Kian Dale was tragic and completely avoidable.

"Wayne Dale and Lisa Passey owed their son a duty of care, to protect him from harm, but they failed in that duty and due to their grossly negligent acts both were responsible for his death."

An NSPCC spokesman said: "These parents abandoned their responsibility to keep their child safe from harm - with devastating consequences.

"Parents must be aware of the dangers of leaving their children alone, and assess the risks of each scenario before they make a decision."
Police in England have seized three supercars after they were seen racing on the M1.

The cars - a McLaren 570s, a Lamborghini Aventador and a Ferrari - were stopped after a number of drivers reported them to South Yorkshire Police.

A force spokesman said the drivers of the cars, who were travelling across three lanes of the motorway, were forcing traffic to slow down behind them before accelerating into the clear section of road.

The police spokesman said: "These vehicle were reported, and captured on CCTV, travelling on the M1 south between junctions 38 and 37.

"They were travelling side by side across all three lanes and brought traffic to a very slow speed.

"When they had created a big enough section of clear road, they accelerated away, some might say racing one another.

"They then repeated this process."

The spokesman said the cars had been hired by the drivers and warned others that vehicles seen driving in an anti-social manner would be stopped and impounded.

He added: "We are pretty sure (the cars) won't be crushed and turned into tin cans, but you never know."
Swedish police have arrested a second person over a truck attack which killed four people and injured 15 others in Stockholm earlier this month.

Police spokesman Simon Bynlert said the male suspect was arrested yesterday, but gave no more details.
The US ambassador to the United Nations is not ruling out an American strike on North Korea if Pyongyang tests another nuclear device.

Nikki Haley spoke on several television networks, praising Chinas involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing.
Braving the morning cold and spitting rain, as many as 38,000 visitors gathered at the Australian War Memorial to commemorate Anzac Day on Tuesday.

Empty space in front of the Stone of Remembrance began to fill slowly around 4am, when the first dedicated visitors claimed their spots for the dawn service.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Canberran Gary Bradley said he woke at 3.30am to get to the ceremony, a trip he makes rain, hail or shine every year on April 25.

"Every year I come down here, every year I show up to pay my respects," he said.
A burst water main has caused disruptions at the Woden Bus Station and the temporary closure of the Access Canberra Woden Service Centre on Monday morning.

Engineers from Icon Water were assessing the situation as of 9am.

Bus services at the Woden bus station have been disrupted by a burst water main. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

Access Canberra customers have been advised to instead visit service centres at:
Mount Ainslie was a beautiful backdrop on Anzac Day eve as Canberrans held lanterns at sunset for an annual peace vigil.

About 100 people gathered at the lookout at 5.30pm for community singing, an Indigenous welcome to country and a lantern-lit walk to the Australian War Memorial.

3-year-old Marandu Neale of Watson at the Anzac eve peace vigil. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Organiser and lantern-maker Graeme Dunstan said the vigil aimed to show government-funded military ceremonies were not the only way to commemorate fallen soldiers.

"We were concerned originally about expenditure for Anzac Centenary commemorations," Mr Dunstan said.
On the eve of Anzac Day, John Bale reflects on the ways friendship and sacrifice can change someone's life.

In 2008 Mr Bale's close friend, Lieutenant Michael Fussell, was killed in a bomb blast while serving with the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan.

David Savage was the first Australian civilian wounded in Afghanistan when a young suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest near him. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

In the wake of his friend's death, Mr Bale co-founded the Soldier On charity to help those struggling with the same feelings of devastation and despair.

"Michael and I went to school together and joined up with the army together," he said.
Port Adelaide utility Jackson Trengove has been cleared by his AFL club of wrongdoing after being struck in the face during a fight outside a pub.

Trengove suffered a black eye when hit outside a beachside Adelaide hotel early Sunday morning, Port says.

"Trengove did not retaliate and left the scene immediately," Port said in a statement on Monday.

"He was not seriously injured in the incident but has bruising around his left eye.
Australia is a soft target, having no means of retaliating. There is no guarantee that the US would retaliate on our behalf, especially if it thought this might lead to escalation. While the US is a friend and ally, their immutable foreign policy is self-interest first. Would they be willing to risk San Francisco for Brisbane? Or Tokyo? Or Seoul? In the face of such belligerent incompetence Turnbull must at once replace Bishop before she starts a real war. Julian Cribb, Franklin US the real problem The implication in Sue Wareham's letter, (Letters, April 21), that Kim Jong-un is unwise, irrational and as nutty as Donald Trump is incorrect, I believe.

Kim Jong-un showed steely resolve in consolidating his leadership, going so far as to kill his uncle and half-brother. His development of nuclear bombs and missile capability is just common sense defence against a rogue state intent on regime change. As Mike Whitney says in Counterpunch, "North Korea is not the problem, America is the problem". Kenneth Griffiths, O'Connor Inaction on drugs Maybe it's my age but I found reports of last year's Groovin the Moo music festival repulsive ("Security guards accused of mocking sick revellers" April 29, 2016 p6).

If I couldn't persuade my children to do something else I would, at least, want them to return home safely, but the government version of safe messaging is a police presence threatening young people with arrest and panicking them to down handfuls of pills to avoid detection. The Barr government's decision to block pill testing at this year's festival on May 7 ("Pill testing call stirs frustration", April 22, p22) could well turn a groovin' event into heartbreak. What will move a politician? Must it be: A fleet of ambulances such as ferried to hospital 21 people from the Electric Parade music festival at Melbourne in February as could so easily have happened at last year's Groovin the Moo music festival; or The death at a 2014 music festival in Sydney of 19-year-old Georgina Bartter from a suspected ecstasy overdose; or the death of their own child?

Bill Bush, vice-president Families & Friends for Drug Law Reform, Turner Tax figures mislead Amanda Vanstone ran through the echelons of taxpayers to reach the top line, "the 3 per cent of taxpayers who earn more than $180,000 ... pay a whopping 30 per cent of the [income] tax bill." ("Get facts straight on rich", April 24, p18). Her point was that the "politics of hate" and envy are invalid, that most of the wealthy are not tax cheats. The fact is, before the income tax breaks for the wealthy over decades, culminating in John Howard's largesse when the mining boom peaked, the wealthy paid much more income tax revenue.

She provided the really damning statistics that in 2014-15, "Personal income tax made up 51 per cent of revenue, followed by company tax at nearly 20 per cent" but failed to pursue that point. Ms Vanstone's argument supported the party line (Don't hit the rich or companies.) but her statistics do not. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor Vanstone blind spot I congratulate Amanda Vanstone for her well-researched article ("Get facts straight on rich", April 24, p18). Australians don't hate the rich. All Australians wish to be rich and see that no one is getting rich at the cost of government coffer or ordinary Australians. It's an age-old practice that the rich are supposed to pay more tax simply because they make money through the services provided by ordinary citizens. Ordinary Australians cannot tune themselves to the services of Australia properly if they see that there is a prosperity around them and they are not in it in a meaningful way.

Ms Vanstone missed that point. Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt Oaks Estate has heritage Your editorial "If Oaks Estate isn't worthy then what is?" (April 24) makes me wonder what on earth the word "heritage" is doing connected to that body. Oaks Estate is part of the earliest settlement by Europeans on the Limestone Plains with the colourful Timothy Beard having taken a "squattage" there by 1828 with 10 horses and 230 horned cattle. The census of that year lists Beard as the overseer with William Carter as herdsman and my great-great-great grandfather Samuel Hale his dairyman. In 1830 his son Joseph Beard ran "Quimbean" and the property now known as Lanyon. Beard then acquired further property in the "Maneroo" and Sutton Forrest and finished his life as a very significant land owner. He died on 20th December 1848 at the age of 86 and is buried at Liverpool Pioneer Cemetery. His epitaph sums up his life:

An industrious man I have been Many troubles I have seen In this world I have done my best And here I lay my bones to rest. Oaks Estate therefore is an integral part of the history not just of Canberra and Queanbeyan but in the development of the whole of what is now south-eastern NSW.

Gail Tregear, Canberra City Barnaby Joyce's folly Public service decentralisation is seat shuffling, its architects pork barrelling aficionados. The move of APVMA to Barnaby Joyce's electorate is the tip of a disastrous fiscal iceberg. Joyce's mates in Armidale are licking their lips, but rather than creating real jobs, services to the bush will be reduced to pay dislocated Canberrans. Matt Ford, Crookwell Regional Development Minister Fiona Nash claims relocating public servants from cities to regional areas will create "more career opportunities for our children to enable them to stay in the communities they grew up in".

It is a shame then that the so-called outspoken champion of regional Australia and resident of Young in country NSW doesn't practise what she preaches, sending her sons to boarding school in Canberra when Young and other nearby towns have their own high schools. How many other Nationals are happy to rely on the votes of regional Australia but choose to educate their children in the cities? Mary-Anne Ellis, Bruce Oh how the wheel goes round and back to where it started. For years federal governments have cut, cut and cut again departments, agencies and NGO funding for so-called efficiency savings. To achieve these savings Centrelink, Medicare, ATO, ABC, Telstra, post offices and other agencies have closed regional offices, staff offered redeployment or redundancy and functions centralised in major cities or head office Canberra. The current government has been no different in demanding even more savings to "balance the budget". Private enterprise are also implicit with major service providers not only closing regional offices but also suburban facilities; for example, just look at the banks. Now Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce and his colleagues are hell bent on moving as many agencies/departments or parts thereof to regional centres either held by the National Party or those that were lost by them at the last election. Pork barrelling that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars to either build or rent new offices, relocate staff, new communication and infrastructures, travel and ongoing rental of contracted but vacated offices. The LNP government claims that they are economic managers, however, they are no better at managing expenditure and I doubt I will ever see a balanced budget happening in my life time, especially by LNP governments. Jack Wiles, Gilmore

Lots in a name Many of the numerous letters in The Canberra Times protesting about the targeting of Canberra for relocation of public servants to "regional and rural" centres have mentioned pork barrelling by the National Party. Are the protesting letter writers also aware the national capital is allegedly referred to often in Coalition circles as "The Socialist Republic of Canberra"? Says it all, really. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin It's not over yet

Bob Douglas (Letters, April 24) is far too pessimistic in suggesting that humans will be extinct by 2100. Climate change will only destroy human civilisation. There will certainly be pockets of hunter-gatherers that will survive, and expand out of the tropics and temperate zones towards the poles. Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah Equal rites The letter of Rita Joseph (Letters, April 21) regarding "rights balancing process" as guaranteed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was indeed enlightening and instructional. I felt a bit sorry for women though as  according to the quote  "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life." "His life"? What about women? Geoff Barker, Flynn

Anzac mockery Since last Friday evening, as is customary at this time of year, Canberra has been deserted by droves of people heading to the coast or elsewhere for the Anzac "long weekend". Hopefully, they will attend a dawn or other commemorative service on Tuesday to honour our dead; but, regrettably, I suspect most won't. Anzac Day should not be a public holiday. Those who have served should be granted a day off by their employers on request; and, those who wish to genuinely commemorate the occasion could demonstrate their sincerity by applying for a day's recreation leave. The rest, who couldn't care less, should just go about their business as usual. D.N. Callaghan, Kingston TO THE POINT

HARDLY SURPRISING Starting World War III is just the sort of thing we have come to expect from this government. Matt Ford, Crookwell CARNAGE NEVER AGAIN Anzac: Fill your heart with the wonderful sacrifice, but fill your mind with the resolve that carnage never again ...

Barrie Smillie, Duffy NOT BEING HEARD Zed Seselja's inability to adequately represent us is getting ever more dire. He needs to lose his job before we all lose ours. Erin Cook, Waramanga VALUE JUDGMENT

Given that many politicians like to rort the system and tell lies, are these some of the "Australian values" to which we should all aspire? Felicity Chivas, Scullin PUTTING COUNTRY FIRST Given Barnaby Joyce's enthusiasm for getting jobs for country towns, may we assume he is pressing Amazon and other immigrant companies not to settle in Melbourne or Sydney? John Rogers, Cook

POLICY ON THE HOP So, we kill off the grass-eating kangaroos and then carry out extensive back burning to keep the grass down. Fascinating public policy. Philip Machin, Wamboin, NSW NO ASSUMPTIONS I'm sorry Robert Rowe (Letters, April 17) but science rejecting a metaphysical assumption does not make the rejection itself a metaphysical assumption. Look up Bertrand Russell's Teapot and stop wasting everybody's time.

James Allan, Narrabundah HERE'S A QUESTION Does the banning of the song by an ANU college mean that the question, "What should you do if Daddy Cool's Eagle Rock gets played", will or will not be on the Prime Minister's new citizen test? Brendan Dobson, Macgregor A CAPITAL IDEA

I see that the visit to Australia by the Vice-President of the United States of America started and finished in Sydney. Now there's a worthwhile decentralisation mission for Barnaby Joyce: move Australia's capital from Sydney to Canberra. Bronis Dudek, Calwell 'NO GOOD GUYS IN WAR' Given recent events in Syria and the upcoming memorial of war, it should be remembered that there are no "good guys" in war. The British, French and American forces used chemical weapons in World War I as well as the Germans. Gary Frances, Bexley, NSW
And why are the rich residents of Toorak conspiring against O'Dwyer days after she gave birth to her second baby? Pure greed. Footstamping tantrums because these residents of Australia's second-richest suburb can't get the superannuation tax breaks they used to get.

Yes, O'Dwyer, the federal member for Higgins and Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, is being monstered by a bunch of ratbag whingers, greedier than the rest of us put together. Higgins, by the way, includes the Melbourne suburb of Toorak. Second-highest mean taxable income in the land, snuggling neatly behind 2027, Point Piper, home to our Prime Minister.

Here we are, just one week after the birth of Kelly O'Dwyer's second child, and the deeply unpleasant members of the Higgins branch of the Liberal Party are conspiring against her.

Peta Credlin denied she had been "formally approached" to run against O'Dwyer. Credit:Brook Mitchell

I'll explain a little more about that later but, first, let's look at what's happening to O'Dwyer right now. Unless she is a miracle in her own right (and getting a frontbench position in the Liberal Party as a woman is pretty miraculous), she's exhausted. Childbirth is draining at the best of times. I'd even imagine it's much harder than being in the same room as Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and George Brandis on a regular basis.

She is entitled to leave for at least a few weeks (I took five weeks with my first child and I was a wreck for years to come). O'Dwyer doesn't need this undermining  and, believe me, I don't say this because I share her politics. I say this because I'm a woman who has always worked. I'm confident there is nearly nothing O'Dwyer and I agree on  but I support the right of any woman to have maternity leave and to be left in peace for a few weeks.

But I'm also appalled at the name that has emerged (and since been denied) as a rival for her preselection: Peta Credlin, former chief of staff to Tony Abbott.

Credlin is a lively and aggressive commentator  lots of detailed knowledge about the inner workings of Liberal Party. She's best when she writes and speaks about them, less good when she does the traditional and rather dull anti-Labor rant. But perhaps we have all forgotten that, just two years ago, she spoke forcefully at a forum on gender in politics and criticised her party's structure, which entrenched inequality.
Erin Moran, the former child actor who played the sweet but mischievous Joanie on the television series Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi has died. She was 56.

The Harrison County Sheriff's Department in southern Indiana confirmed her death. She was found unresponsive on Saturday afternoon, and the authorities said an autopsy was pending.

Erin Moran, left, and Marion Ross at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles in 2009. Credit:AP

Moran started acting at five, and got her first taste of television in a commercial for First Federal Bank. She went on to play minor characters in television and film in the late 1960s and early '70s. At 12, she landed her biggest role: Joanie, the freckle-faced troublemaker and sister of Richie Cunningham, the all-American teenager played by Ron Howard.

Over the 10-year run of Happy Days, Joanie transformed from the young teenager who complained about being sent to her room to a major character on the show. In later seasons, Joanie's love interest with the aspiring musician Chachi Arcola became a major story line.
It's a sentence virtually unintelligible to us today, just as our ritual celebrations 102 years after the landing would be incomprehensible to the young men who waded to shore at what is now called Anzac Cove.

So said the Herald's editorial on April 25, 1916, the first anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and so, in effect, the first Anzac Day.

"Whatever happens, however, this much is certain: today is not a fit occasion for anything in the nature of mafficking."

The word "mafficking" is all but lost to our spoken language but the miracle of internet search (and yes, miracle is the right word, to anyone over a certain age) puts it at our fingertips.

It means to celebrate with boisterous rejoicing, as in, dancing in the streets, spontaneously hugging strangers, throwing hats in the air, that sort of thing. It's a word that goes back to the Boer War, referring to the wild celebrations in British cities on the news that the siege of a British military outpost in the town of Mafeking, South Africa, had been lifted on May 17,1901.

It's a word, too, that takes us to the heart of modern-day ambiguity about Anzac Day. We drink, we gamble, we barbecue, we yell at the footy. But what is there to celebrate, about war?

We don't know for sure what was in the mind of that ancestral editorial writer when he (and yes, it was certainly a he) cautioned against mafficking in 1916. For one thing, the war was still going on. The appalling business of fighting, suffering, dying and mourning on an industrial scale was still very much afoot, so celebrations on any scale were out of order.

And the events of Gallipoli were nothing to celebrate. It was an eight-month long brutal saga of debacle and defeat; only later understood to have been largely the fault of an incompetent British military command who sent the Australian and New Zealand troops into a situation of needless suffering and senseless death.
Last year, more defence veterans took their own lives than the total number of Australians killed in the Afghanistan war.

Reports in 2017 suggest veterans are killing themselves at an average of one a week. A recent National Mental Health Commission report found: "There is an undoubted association between [military] service and suicide after you leave that service."

In plain English, our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women are at increased risk of taking their own life once they leave the Australian Defence Force.

Now that we are aware of this shameful figure and the reasons for it, the question this Anzac Day is how we support our veterans better?
For many in mum's generation, raising their sons and daughters in the suburbs, the common narrative around older gay life  even if it veered wildly from the reality for a lot of the people living it  centred on difference and, frankly, suffering. Ours was a group ravaged by the AIDS crisis, under threat of violence, and one who often worked hard to keep our identities hidden. The long-held joys of gay life  finding identity in a community, the celebration of fabulous difference and creativity  were not always at the forefront of our public image.

As the LGBT community takes its place in the mainstream, the idea of a "gay life", from early adulthood to death, is changing. Many older gay men I know tell me they would never have imagined that the day would come when they could marry the man that they love; now they're the subject of the kind of bland "is marriage beneficial" studies that fuel morning-TV segments. The normalisation is racing towards completion.

As the study itself notes, for some, this is no great thing. Difference, so often cast as a negative, has long been a point of pride in the LGBT community; marriage is a construct of the very institutions, religious and governmental, that have been key forces of oppression. I admit that when I walked down the aisle myself two years ago, this thought weighed on me: should I be so happy to be doing something so normal?

The key thing is: I had a choice  I was able to ask that question.

As the LGBT community gains more rights, grows more visible, and as attitudes towards us shift, the possibilities for our futures expand. We can live as open bachelors, or in long-term couples, or get married, or do anything in between. Just like everyone else does. And as we live those various iterations, the stereotypical idea of a "gay life" will change, because there will be too many types  lived openly  to bring into a single focus.
Going by the public narrative you'd be forgiven for concluding that it's all about mateship and two up and paying tribute to our brave Aussie heroes, rather than  for example  thinking about how getting drawn into other people's conflicts has historically gotten young Australians killed and maimed in vast numbers.

You'd therefore perhaps think that this might be the perfect time to reflect on the sheer wastefulness of armed conflict, so it's perhaps a little bit concerning that the one day reserved to reflect on the horrors of war has basically become Australia Day II: The Other Day Off.

As the Australian War Memorial reminds us, in 1915 "The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated from the peninsula, with both sides having suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. More than 8000 Australian soldiers had died in the campaign."

As last week's little citizenship theatre reminded us, there is a race currently going on as to who can slip the most offensive and divisive policy ideas through under the guise of defining the Australian national identity, as though it's a thing that simultaneously exists and yet also needs defining.

And the Anzac tradition is one over which all sides of politics like to claim ownership. We like to pretend that it's a solemn yet proud celebration of Australian identity and nobility, rather than the more accurate picture of young men being slaughtered for no benefit whatsoever, conducted under the orders of an allied power to whom we weren't game to say no in case they got annoyed with us.

Replace Turkey with Syria and Britain with the US and it's not difficult to imagine a fresh new tradition of Australians being killed to support the political agendas of foreign leaders  and that's why, in 2017, taking Anzac Day seriously is more urgent than ever.

Brexit has wounded the notion of a unified post-WWII Europe (which may yet be torn asunder by the French election result); North Korea is making nuclear threats against the United States and Australia, and China and the US seem prepared to kick off over ongoing clashes in the South China Sea.
The first time a mine forced Wendy Bowman off her Hunter Valley farm, it followed a four-year legal battle in which she fought to prove her land had been destroyed.

The second time she was served an eviction notice, with just six weeks to make way for a new mine.

The third time, she said "enough was enough".

At 83, Mrs Bowman seems an unlikely character to be taking on Yancoal, one of the biggest mining companies in the world. And yet the self-described "country girl" has been lauded for "turning the tables" in the fight against coal development in the Hunter Valley.
The Immigration Department is struggling to cope with a massive influx of inquiries about the government's changes to the citizenship test, with callers turned away or placed in lengthy queues.

Audio recorded on Monday and obtained by Fairfax Media shows clients are being disconnected and told to "call back later", or otherwise placed in queues of close to 300 people.

It comes after the Turnbull government announced a major overhaul of the citizenship test on Thursday, including the addition of a "values" test, tougher English language requirements and a four-year wait as a permanent resident.

"Due to very high demand we are unable to take your call at this time," worried callers are being told by a machine. "The department apologises for any inconvenience and we thank you for your patience. Please call back later."
The federal government appears to have been forced to release details of a high-level ministerial meeting with a top Chinese official, three days after the meeting took place in Sydney and only once Chinese media published the communique from the meeting.

Attorney-General George Brandis and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop met with Meng Jianzhu, the head of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Commission for Political and Legal Affairs, in Sydney last week, just one day before US Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Sydney.

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported details of the meeting, including the entire joint communique - in which Australia reaffirmed "its commitment to pursue ratification of the bilateral extradition treaty" - on Saturday.

But the Australian government only belatedly released the communique on Monday afternoon, three days later, after inquiries from Fairfax Media.
North Korea's state newspaper has singled out the United States' deployment of 1250 marines to Darwin to claim America is preparing for nuclear war.

And as regional tensions escalate and a US carrier strike group approaches the Korean peninsula, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the secretive regime "must be stopped" as it represented a threat to the region and, potentially, globally.

In a phone call with US president Donald Trump, Chinese president Xi Jinping said China opposed any actions that went against UN security council resolutions, as Japan confirmed it was joining drills with the strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson that is headed to Korean waters.

Pusan National University associate professor Robert Kelly told Fairfax Media North Korea's missiles might have the range to reach northern Australia, but played down the threat as "the question is guidance, not range".
I had turned 18 just a few months before. My colleagues at The Telegraph, where I'd just started my cadetship, had bought a cake and sang  even the formidable Women's News editor, Miss Erica Parker. I was 18, an adult. I had been feeling so grown-up. But now I was feeling very small. My teacher and her husband guessed. They forced it out of me one night the following week when I was at their house. I had said that I might leave my job as a cadet journalist  I couldn't think what else I'd do  and they wanted to know why. I was in a big lounge chair curled up small and they leaned over me, one on either side, and demanded to know what was going on, demanded that I speak. I was shaking all over, wanting to disappear. The shame I felt. This was all my fault, I was sure. The beach, the night I drank too much. We did the naughty but nice things, as he called them. I burst into tears and told them. I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. This was all my fault, I was sure. The beach, the night I drank too much. We did the naughty but nice things, as he called them  I sobbed and sobbed. They told me not to worry. They would fix it. The next day, my teacher's husband contacted a priest, an ex-army chaplain in Melbourne, who knew of a home for girls where I could stay. We agreed I should go away. Melbourne was a city they knew I'd never seen. My teacher and her husband told me it would be an adventure. They would come down for the birth, they said. They would visit me and everything would be all right.

Over the next week, I told everyone I was going to leave my job as a journalist. I was casual in the saying of it. I said I wanted to travel. This was shocking to my parents, to Miss Parker. I had been one of four successful applicants for cadetships from among more than 400 who applied, she said. How could I throw that away? My teacher and her husband talked, but I was not included. My teacher was unwell, an unspecified unwellness later diagnosed as endometriosis. They had no children. My teacher's husband called them brats, said he didn't want to end up like his siblings who had brats. He told me I had upset my teacher. I felt bad for what I'd done, what I'd done to my teacher. She wasn't harsh with me, but I was sure she blamed me. I blamed myself. It was all my fault and I had to make it right. We agreed it would be best to keep my pregnancy a secret from everyone but my family. We also agreed that while I should tell my parents I was pregnant, I shouldn't tell them my teacher's husband was the father. If people knew, the scandal would cost him his commission as an army officer. My mother had guessed about the pregnancy as soon as I announced I was going to quit the job I loved so much. More to the point, first thing every morning I vomited. When I told her the father was a journalist I met at a party, she went very quiet and looked hard at me. "I was drunk," I said, "and I don't know his name." I closed my mouth and set it tight. I would not say more. My father pushed until my mother turned to him and said, "That's enough, Mac." Strangely, of all the things I later worried about, this was the worst: that I agreed to tell my mother that I had became pregnant while I was drunk, having sex with a man whose name I couldn't remember.

My parents would have been happy for me to stay in Brisbane instead of going away to Melbourne. We were not a family that had the luxury of caring much about its reputation, and Catholic Church rules were the least of our failures of social expectations. My father's family's Catholicism was two generations back. "You don't have to go away on our account," Mum said. "Only if you'll feel better." She looked at me again. I thought she might be going to say more but she didn't. By this time  the late 1970s  the Catholic Church had already started to change anyway, to modernise. Girls who got pregnant were not wicked in those days: they were stupid. There was good contraception, family planning clinics. We were not bad, except in the eyes of one or two old ladies and the conservative end of the Church, which was losing ground. Of course I had to go away. My teacher and her husband had said if anyone knew about the pregnancy, he would be in trouble. Other people didn't understand. Of course I had to go away. Before I left The Telegraph, I told Miss Parker I was pregnant. She had been miffed when I gave her my letter of resignation, citing no reason other than a desire to travel, so I told her the story I'd told my parents. She was annoyed with me all over again. "That was stupid," she said. "Very stupid. You are a little fool." She meant getting pregnant. She meant throwing away my career, because she could see, as I couldn't, that I would not get it back. She wanted to know who the journalist was, the father. I said I didn't know.

Even if she called me a fool, Miss Parker understood my leaving. The world was starting to change, but leaving was what girls had done for years in Brisbane. She asked if she could tell the editor of the paper. I said she couldn't. I was worried for my teacher and her husband. The more people who knew, the more likely he'd be in trouble. Miss Parker shook her head, called me a fool again, and said to come back when it was over and she'd see what she could do. Today, Mary-Rose MacColl is a novelist living in Brisbane with her husband and son. Credit:Russell Shakespeare My father wanted us to have a conversation about abortion. I'd resigned and was about to leave for Melbourne. Dad had been asking why I couldn't tell them the journalist's name, why I didn't remember. "Shouldn't we find him?" Dad said to me, to Mum. "I do not want to find him, no," I said.

Dad said to Mum then, in my hearing, "I don't see why she can't just look after it." At first, I thought he meant the baby; look after the baby. I was silent. Mum said, "Mac, she can't do that." When I realised he meant have an abortion, not keep a baby, I left the room in tears, not because of any regard for the child growing inside me, but because I had been to the seminars at school run by Right to Life. They turned out the lights in the concert hall at my previous high school, so we 100 or so schoolgirls could see properly. They showed us the slides they brought with them in their carousel, the tiny perfect feet between a finger and thumb proving categorically that life begins at conception; the burgeoning foetus at time of termination. They told us about the different methods used and how much pain the baby felt. The suction method, the saltwater death, the poisons. I knew it to be murder. I would never have an abortion, I told my father. But a year later, when I became pregnant again, I had an abortion without hesitation I left Brisbane after I finished up at The Telegraph and drove my car to Melbourne with my oldest brother, Ian. Crossing the border from NSW to Victoria at 3am, I was spooked by big gums hanging over both sides of the highway at Echuca. I was as far from home as I'd ever been.

Ian was asleep on the back seat and I couldn't rouse him no matter how hard I tried. I longed for a human voice, so I turned on the radio and listened to country music. It was Johnny Cash, The Long Black Veil, which made me laugh. At dawn, we had apple pie and cream and icecream for breakfast at a truck stop Ian knew from another trip. At 11 o'clock that morning, Ian left me at St Joseph's Convent in Grattan Street, Carlton. He was going to stay with friends and then hitch a ride home to Brisbane. I remember I didn't want him to go; I stalled him with small talk at the gate, became close to desperate as he became keener to extract himself. Finally, he said he must go and off he went. I waited a few moments more and then went up the path to the door and rang the bell. It was answered by a nervous-looking nun who took me into a parlour and said she'd get Sister Mary, who was in charge of the girls. The first nun made me a cup of tea. There were lemon crisp biscuits. I took two. She watched me eat them. I worried about the crumbs. In Melbourne during that time, someone who caught the tram from the city and alighted at the corner of Swanston and Grattan streets would pass the Royal Women's Hospital across Swanston on their left. They would cross another street and then walk a little way further to 99 Grattan, which would be followed by 103, a double terrace, St Joseph's Convent. That was the door I was told to knock on. There was no 101 Grattan Street. But for years, 101 Grattan Street was where I thought I'd lived. It's where people addressed their letters to us girls. The nuns  whose terrace covered a double block  gave us that address so that there would be no real address if someone came searching for one of the girls. The postman knew the letters were to go to the convent at 103.

I only learnt this years later, when I went back to Grattan Street with my husband, David, trying to understand something of what had happened, what I'd done. I went looking for the place I'd been and found it had never existed. In the home, I had my own room with its own sink. I met the other girls, one of whom became my good friend. Jill was a nurse and the father of her baby was an apprentice from her home town in northern Victoria. He was young, like us. I told Jill the father of my baby was a boy I knew at university, also young like us. The father of Jill's baby came to visit Jill each month. They were going to be married one day, Jill told me, but not yet. Same with me, I said. Jill and I sat up late smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. As our bellies swelled, we didn't talk about babies. We talked about what we'd do when we got out. We talked about the other girls. There was a girl we hated, Paula, who came back at the end of September, after her baby was born, much changed Paula was a chatterbox, never shut up  it was what we criticised in her  but when she came back to pack up after her baby was born, she had little to say. If this unnerved us, we never spoke of it. Later we heard she changed her mind and came back a second time, within the 30 days, and took her baby home. Typical, Jill and I would have said, if we had said anything. Paula was weak. Another girl, Jane, wasn't booked into the Royal Women's Hospital like the rest of us. She was a patient at the private Catholic Mercy Hospital. I think her people were unhappy about what she'd done. No one visited her.

Lily was a prostitute, pregnant for the second time, giving up a second baby. She'd had polio as a child and walked with sticks. When she was with us, we walked slowly. She said she didn't know if she would give up this baby. Writer Mary-Rose MacColl in 2017, photographed on the Gold Coast. Credit:Russell Shakespeare I didn't feel self-conscious or guilty, not then. If I felt bad, it was for what I'd done to my teacher. I was young enough to believe I was on an adventure, like my teacher and her husband said. 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. As my belly swelled, I began to see it as a lump, an inconvenience, that stopped me sleeping. Not as anything else. I never looked at books with pictures of babies in them. I didn't notice if ever I happened upon a woman with a baby in the street. I didn't see women with babies at the hospital when I went for appointments. Sister Mary told us an occupational therapist would be coming to see us on Thursday mornings. She was blonde, the occupational therapist, and worked hard to act as if we were normal. She smiled and trained her eyes on our faces, ignoring our bellies. In one of the first sessions, I said, "Are we going to do basket weaving?" She told me I could leave if I wanted to, so I did. I went and hung around Sister Margaret in the kitchen.

Sister Margaret was the cook at St Joseph's. She cooked for the nuns and for us. "The same food," she told me. "I cook the same food for you as I do for us. I don't let them do the other." She didn't tell me what "the other" was. I think it was that the nuns would eat different food from the girls; the girls ate poorer-quality food. At St Joseph's, before my time, girls were made to work. The nuns took in linen and the girls washed it and wrung it out to earn their keep while they waited for their babies to be born. They were treated as unforgiven sinners. That was why their food was different from the nuns' food. Their sin was not that they were going to give up a baby. Their sin was the sex that made the baby. Giving up the baby, sending the baby to a good home with two Catholic parents, was what redeemed them, got them out of the home where they were sinners unforgiven. The memory of these beliefs was still fresh when I was in Melbourne. There were still nuns living in the convent who took this view, including Sister Mary. She liked me, because I was intelligent and read books. I think she might have found my behaviour hard to square away with who I was, would have preferred, I think, sinful girls to be unintelligent. I liked Sister Margaret best. She was tall and large-boned, in her 50s when I met her, the youngest of 12 children. She had a red face, as if her heart was about to let her down, or she'd just come in from a windy walk along a headland. She added so much salt to our food that sometimes it was hard to eat. "I have to cook it to someone's taste," she said, "so I cook it to mine." I kept a coffee mug she gave me, beige Dunoon porcelain with brown sheep embossed on it. I've tried to throw it out several times, but it keeps getting out of the bin and up onto the sink, so I've given up.
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.
Security forces will far outnumber visitors at Tuesday's Anzac dawn service in Gallipoli, with more than 2000 officials guarding possibly fewer than 500 tourists.

The dramatic fall in numbers compares to the crowd of more than 10,000 at Gallipoli two years ago to mark the centenary of Allied troops landing at Anzac Cove.

Around 500 Australians are expected to attend Tuesday's ANZAC service at Gallipoli. Credit:Georgia Matts

It also follows recent terrorists attacks in Istanbul and terror warnings from the Australian government earlier this month.

"We obviously had a peak two years ago for the centenary but that's combined with security issues in Turkey raised by the government," said Mat McLachlan a Sydney-based tour guide.
Many young Australians living overseas will soon find themselves in the sights of their home country's tax authorities.

Australian tax officials have been told to prepare for a campaign to recover student and trades training loans from graduates and trainees living and working all over the world.

Damage control: Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan. Credit:Wayne Taylor

But ex-pats need not fear a call from debt collectors, the ATO says, with an approach of encouraging "voluntary compliance" preferred, at least in the early days of the new rules.

Graduates and other workers who have covered their uni fees with HELP loans, previously known as HECS, or Trade Support payments are currently not required to make repayments if they are not living in Australia.
A 12-year-old boy who drove 1300 kilometres across NSW on his own in the family car managed to evade suspicion partly because he looks much older and is "about six foot tall", police say.

He left the state's east coast on Friday morning, drove about 850 kilometres, then stopped at a service station in Cobar early on Saturday where he put in some fuel and drove off.

The boy was stopped by Highway Patrol on Saturday. Credit:Brendan Esposito

Several hours later, he was stopped in Broken Hill when police noticed the car's bumper dragging on the ground.

On Sunday, police said the boy had been attempting to drive to Perth, getting almost a third of the way into the 4100-kilometre journey.
The centrist Emmanuel Macron will face far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a run-off for the French presidency on 7 May, multiple projections indicate.

An Ipsos/Sopra Steria poll puts Mr Macron on 23.7% in first-round voting with Ms Le Pen on 21.7%.





Opinion polls have consistently predicted Mr Macron defeating his rival in the run-off.





The two fought off a strong challenge from centre-right Francois Fillon and hard-left Jean-Luc Melenchon.





Another projection, from TF1/RTL, put Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen neck and neck in the first round.





With more than three-quarters of the vote counted, official results put Mr Macron on 23.23%, ahead of Ms Le Pen on 22.83%. Results are still coming in from big cities where he has greater support.





Whoever wins the next round, the voting marks a shift away from the decades-long dominance of leftist and centre-right parties in French politics.

Macron cements his rise

While Ms Le Pen has long been seen as likely to make the second round, Emmanuel Macron's rise has been swift. The BBC's Hugh Schofield says Mr Macron's likely victory is the story of the evening.





He told cheering supporters "we have changed the face of French political life in one year", calling for people to rally against "nationalists".





A former banker, Mr Macron served as economy minister under current President Francois Hollande, quitting to launch a new party.





He has never stood for election before and if he wins would become France's youngest-ever president.





A pro-European, he has called for gradual deregulation of France's economy and a multi-billion dollar public investment plan. - Read More








The charity at the centre of a widening payments scandal that has drawn in a top public servant and former Liberal MP has made donations to the NSW Liberal Party, Fairfax Media can reveal.

RSL LifeCare, the charity nursing home operator under investigation for the $2.5 million in "consulting fees" paid to its directors, donated a total of nearly $1500 to the NSW Liberals between 2015 and 2016, according to Electoral Commission filings.

Jim Longley, a former Liberal minister and top bureaucrat, was an RSL LifeCare director.

Guidelines from the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission warn charities not to support political candidates or parties because having a political purpose can cause them to be disqualified.

The state opposition called for the money to be returned.
A nine-year-old girl was swinging on the monkey bars at a Sydney school one morning.

Little did she know that a teachers' aide, Sergio Edward Montoya, was taking photographs of her underwear as she played at Forest Lodge Public School.

Montoya, 48, was working as a learning support officer at the Bridge Road School for special needs children, and was supposed to help young students settle into mainstream schools.

Instead, the former dancer, who gained some prominence in the 1990s when he won Channel Ten's Star Search, took 14 iPhone photographs focusing on the girl's crotch at the inner-west school in February 2015.
Bird calls and drum rolls. These are the sounds that welcomed Anzac Day to Brisbane.

Families, veterans and other locals gathered in a darkened Anzac Square to commemorate the occasion, with the solemn service beginning at 4.28am.

Thousands stood silently at the Shrine of Remembrance as the muffled sound of drummers moving up Adelaide Street mixed with waking wildlife.

Among them was Nate Fealy, of Albany Creek, who spent 15 years in the military including stints in Afghanistan, Timor and Papua New Guinea before departing as a corporal in 2009.
The owner of a Cairns piercing shop facing a growing backlash for its "No Israelis" sign said it had been on display in the store for 10 years.

Mark Bryce said he had few complaints about the sign until recently.

Mohr Wenger alleged she was told by Cold Steel Piercing staff she would not be served because she was Israeli. Credit:Facebook

"It's purely about the Palestinian issue, and it has nothing to do with race or religion," the owner of Cold Steel Piercing told the Cairns Post.

"We don't want the sign misinterpreted, so we've taken it down and we're going to replace it with one that says we support the BDS movement."
An experienced halal butcher charged with murder had a one-hour window in which to decapitate his friend and dispose of his body, a court has heard.

According to the prosecution, Mohammed Khan drove from his Rockhampton home to the banks of a muddy inlet of the Fitzroy River and brutally murdered fishing buddy and colleague Syied Alam, on the night of April 5, 2016.

A Rockhampton man is accused of killing and decapitating his friend. Credit:Michele Mossop

He then returned home and later went out again with friends, the Brisbane Supreme Court heard on Monday.

"On the prosecution case he managed to do that within this hour time period without leaving any forensic traces in his vehicle and without anybody evidencing any actions by him to either clean himself, to change clothes or to clean the vehicle in anyway," defence barrister James Godbolt said.
Fears increasing numbers of desperate Queenslanders would be turned away from community legal centres amid funding cuts have been quashed after a last-minute reprieve.

The federal government was due to effectively take $35 million from the sector, which gives free legal help to disadvantaged and vulnerable people in 190 centres across Australia, under funding arrangements due to start on July 1.

Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has announced more funding for community legal centres across the country. Credit:Andrew Meares

However, on Monday, federal Attorney-General George Brandis pledged $55.7 million in extra funding over the next three years, to be confirmed in the May budget.

The 11th-hour win comes after months of campaigning from lawyers, Labor and state governments.
A man who fled the scene of a car crash that left his two passengers unconscious in the back seat will miss the birth of his first child after being jailed.

Kurtis John Burnett-Greenland was 19, unlicensed and speeding when his car spun out of control at Zillmere in May last year.

A man who left two injured passengers in a car he had just crashed will be in jail when his child is born in November.

The Brisbane District Court heard he was uninjured when it hit a power pole.

But the two passengers in the back seat, who were not wearing seat belts, were knocked unconscious.
The foster brother of slain Brisbane schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has sought to move the case against him forward without going to a committal hearing.

Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday heard Trent Thorburn, 19, who is facing charges of incest, perjury and perverting the course of justice, has applied for a registry committal, which would allow the case against him to shift to the district court without a full committal hearing.

Trent Thorburn has been jailed for incest.

The matter has been adjourned until May 31 but the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions may approve the application before that date.

Tiahleigh's mother Cindy Palmer was present, as she has been for every court date involving Mr Thorburn and his family, when the matter was briefly mentioned on Monday.
Andrew Tebby was filled with an incredible sense of pride as he marched down St Kilda Road in the rain.

"It was beautiful to march along with serving members," he said.

"Everyone was clapping us for what we were doing."

Mr Tebby, 52, served in the Australian navy for eight years during peacetime, retiring in 1998.

Earlier today he attended the dawn service and huddled into his jacket as the rain pelted down.

"It is not to celebrate, it is to cherish what they gave us, they fought for what we have today," he said.

His jacket was decorated with 16 badges from his relatives, including those given to his British great great grandparents who served alongside the ANZACS in France and Germany.

He said there were no winners in war.

"It is a sad state of affairs."
A bumbling thief might be a contender for Melbourne's dumbest crook after dropping his mobile phone at the scene of the crime and then calling it, only for police to answer.

The man was allegedly one of two thieves who stole a basket full of items from a Chemist Warehouse store on Mains Road East in St Albans about 4pm on April 14.

The man police wish to speak to over a theft from the Chemist Warehouse in St Albans. Credit:Victoria Police

However, the man dropped his mobile phone inside the store before fleeing.

Unaware that he'd left his mobile at the crime scene, the alleged crook called it from another phone.
A row over access to public space on the roof of the St Kilda Sea Baths has put Housing Minister Martin Foley at odds with another arm of the Andrews government.

The company behind the St Kilda Sea Baths wants to take much of the public space on the roof to build a pavilion for 300 drinkers at a cost of almost $1 million.

Protestors and local Labor MP Martin Foley on the rooftop of the St Kilda Sea Baths on Sunday. Credit:Joe Armao

The Virgin Islands-based South Pacific St Kilda Pty Ltd has leased the sea baths from the Victorian government since 1999.

Any major changes to the sea baths must be approved by the government's environment department and Port Phillip Council.
Hooded ram-raiders who smashed their way into a Melbourne shopping centre and made off with an ATM may have been casing the premises weeks ago.

Thieves drove a Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel-drive through the glass doors of the Watervale Shopping Centre in Taylors Hill about 4am on Monday.

A white Mazda van followed the 4WD inside.

The LandCruiser travelled 50 metres inside the shopping centre and hit the ATM, pushing it off its base.
A war memorial in Warrandyte has been vandalised with the words "war is murder" on the eve of Anzac Day.

The stone memorial was also spray-painted with red anarchist symbols.

The RSL will try to remove the graffiti in time for Tuesday's Anzac Day march.

Warrandyte RSL president Henk Van Der Helm said he was "utterly disgusted" by the vandalism.

He suspected the vandals struck overnight and said the RSL would desperately try to remove the graffiti in time for Tuesday's Anzac Day march, which will conclude at the stone memorial.
Amiens, France: When thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops marched from the Belgian city of leper to the battlefields of the Western Front they passed two stone lions at the city's Menin Gate.

Many of those soldiers never made it home but the lions, which were gifted to Australia by , have been temporarily returned to stand guard again at the gate as part of World War I centenary commemorations.

One of the two Menin Gate lions at the War Memorial in Canberra.

The "Menin Gate Lions" were unveiled in a special Last Post ceremony in on Monday night, with a small explanatory exhibition about them also opened at the Flanders Fields Museum in the city's imposing Cloth Hall.

The lions, which each hold a shield bearing the coat-of-arms of , had stood guard at the Menin Gate from the mid-19th century
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his US counterpart Donald Trump that Beijing opposes any action on the Korean Peninsula that goes against UN Security Council resolutions.

The phone call between the two leaders came as Chinese media reported on a rift between Beijing and Pyongyang, with North Korean state media criticising China as "dancing to the tune of the US".

Mr Trump held separate telephone conversations with Mr Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday as tension grew on the Korean Peninsula ahead of the 85th anniversary of North Korea's military on Tuesday, which could prompt a new nuclear test.

Mr Abe said he had "high regard for President Trump's ability to use actions and words to show that all options are on the table", Japanese media reported.
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Their congressman wouldnt hold a town hall to talk about the issues, so his constituents did.

Southern Brooklynites in the 11th congressional district defiantly hosted their own version of a public town hall on April 19 after months of badgering Rep. Dan Donovan (RBay Ridge) to do so.

Turnout at the Bay Ridge Manor forum was huge, with thousands more watching on Facebook  in fact, the only empty chair in the room was the one reserved for Donovan  and though the ridge-to-rock rep didnt show up to answer constituents questions, the organizers were glad to put locals in a room with experts who could, said a lead organizer.

One of our goals is to help inform the community on important issues that relate to our lives, said Sally McMahon, head of community activist group Fight Back Bay Ridge. Rep. Dan Donovan has refused to hold a town hall, but were happy to do it for him.

For more than two hours, locals picked the brains of ten speakers from a variety of local and national organizations. A pair of fact-checkers who had mined public records on Donovans legislative and voting history offered input on the congressmans policy positions. A chair labeled Dan Donovan, sat empty at the head of the room.

For months, Brooklynites have slammed the freshman lawmaker for refusing to hold a genuine town hall. But Donovan prefers telephone town halls to meeting a large group of his constituents in-the-flesh because rowdy demonstrators make it a waste of time, the rep told this paper in a recent interview.

I dont think theyre productive, said Donovan, citing the chaos that ensued when protesters showed up at a February Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce event he spoke at.

The gathering was a wealth of information for constituents who feel like Donovan has left them in the dark, said one Bay Ridgite.

I thought this was useful because the speakers shared a lot of info and helped me understand a few things better, said Susan Bransky, a second-grade teacher at a Bensonhurst grade school who listened in to Donovans recent telephone town hall on April 17. I want to hear his take on things, but I also want him to spell things out  have him discuss the issues with us. And I feel you cant have that in those tele town halls.

Others felt the event was a thinly veiled platform to hawk a progressive agenda, said one conservative leader who is running for the Council seat of term limited Vincent Gentile (DBay Ridge).

By a show of hands, how many people is this room voted for Donald Trump? asked Liam McCabe, who called the gathering a clown hall, He was met with a chorus of hisses and boos.

For an event highlighting the absence of New York Citys lone congressional Republican, McCabe said he was surprised at the lack of inclusion when a right-leaning local tried to make his voice heard.

One of the events main focuses was the absence of Donovan and the absence of Republicans, and then I come up and get my head chopped off, he said. Hey look, it was informative. The speakers knew their stuff. But it wasnt a bipartisan town hall, and it cant just be one-sided. Thats all Im trying to say.

Reach reporter Caroline Spivack at cspiv ack@c ngloc al.com or by calling (718) 2602523. Follow her on Twitter @carolinespivack.
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.
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...
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New York State lieutenant governor to address UB School of Law graduates

BUFFALO, N.Y.  The University at Buffalo School of Law will host the 77th lieutenant governor of New York State at its 128th Commencement exercises on May 21. The ceremony, which begins at 3 p.m. in the Center for the Arts, will feature Lt. Gov. Kathy C. Hochul as the keynote speaker.

The highest-ranking female official elected in New York State, Hochul chairs 10 regional economic development councils that include leaders from academia, business, labor and not-for-profits and, to date, have invested $4 billion into more than 4,100 projects across the state. Hochul also chairs the State Workforce Investment Board, and the New York State Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Abuse and Addiction. Since 2015, she has spearheaded Gov. Cuomos Enough is Enough campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses.

As lieutenant governor, Hochul is liaison to New Yorks federal representatives in Washington, D.C. From 2011 to 2013, she served in the U.S. House representing New Yorks 26th Congressional District.

In a recent interview for the law schools Oral History Project, Hochul spoke about the law schools community impact. [The law school] draws people from all over the state, said Hochul. These are the people that are now counsel at different businesses, starting their own businesses and working at law firms. Theyve become an important part of the fabric of our community...You cant underestimate that.

Among the major recognitions at the commencement ceremonies, the Ken Joyce Excellence in Teaching Award will be presented to Christen E. Civiletto, an attorney and author, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the law school.

Professor Civiletto joined the adjunct faculty in 2003 and quickly established herself as an exceptional teacher and mentor, says S. Todd Brown, vice dean for academic affairs. Year after year, students have praised her enthusiasm, attention to detail, ability to make complex material and situations relatable, and overall commitment to them.

Civilettos interest in environmental history and justice led her to research why so many residents in her hometown of Niagara Falls, New York, were dealing with cancer or other chronic illnesses. Her findings led to the writing of Green City Savior, an environmentally themed suspense novel set in Niagara Falls.

Her environmental research also resulted in the filing of a series of lawsuits stemming from the Love Canal disaster. She is counsel of record for two mass tort actions related to that historic event.

In addition, the university will present one of its top awards, the Presidents Medal, to Francis M. Letro, chair of the UB Foundation, in recognition of his extraordinary service to the university.

Appointed to the UB Foundation board of trustees in 2008 and chair since 2012, Letro is founder and partner of Francis M. Letro Attorneys & Counselors at Law. A 1979 graduate of the law school, Letro has served as vice chair of the law schools Deans Advisory Council since 2008, and as a member of its Campaign Steering Committee in 2009.

In 2012, he received the Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor presented by the School of Law and the Law Alumni Association, in recognition of his service to the law profession and his sustained support of, and impact on, UB and the law school.
Redland is investing in the future of the pitched roofing sector with the launch of a programme to support young roofing students.

The programme provides a range of support to 10 selected colleges and training groups  delivering technical training from the companys National Training Centre team, alongside complimentary tiles and accessories to practice with; through to plant tours and access to online learning modules.

The programme is a part of a wider company strategy to upskill the industry. After becoming the first dedicated pitched roofing industry training centre in the UK, the Redland National Training Centre has trained over 45,000 people.

Mat Woodyatt, Redland training manager, said: One cant underestimate the importance of training up our next generation of roofers. We want to address the challenge of skills shortages in our industry by backing its new entrants and ensure that high standards are the norm.
Dunlop has kicked off its Multi-Skill Champion Competition to find the best multi-skill construction student in the UK with a series of regional college heats.

Supported by NoMorePly, the Dunlop Multi-Skill Champion Competition recognises students across the UK taking the City & Guilds Construction Skills (6219) qualification.

The competition culminates in a Grand Final in June, with students tested on their tiling and decorating skills. As an added element this year, finalists will also be tested on their carpentry and joinery skills  a core element of the qualification.

Over the coming months, Dunlop technical support manager Gareth Birks, the companys team of product support technicians, and representatives from NoMorePly will be touring construction colleges across the UK to provide free training and present a trophy to the individual nominated by the college to compete in the Grand Final.

Judges at the Grand Final this year include Dave Rowley, lead judge for the national SkillBuild finals for wall and floor tiling and training manager at Dunlop; Wayne de Wet, professional decorator and industry expert; and Nicola Butcher, a multi-award-winning carpenter.

Debi Boulton, sales and marketing manager, said: Last years competition was a phenomenal success with 18 students aged from 14 to 40 from colleges across the UK taking part in our Grand Final.

This year is going to be even bigger and better with more students and more colleges taking part. We cant wait to welcome the college winners to our Grand Final in June  its going to be a great day.

College winners will be announced on Dunlops Facebook and Twitter pages over the next few weeks.
Tres Leches Cake

A simple vanilla sponge cake soaked in a sweet three-milk glaze and covered with fresh whipped cream, Tres Leches Cake is a delicious, custardy end to a spicy Mexican feast!

You might not guess this, given that Im a mostly-dessert food blogger and Im running a year-long series on bundt cakes. Buuuut I dont really like cake.

Much of this stems from the fact that I dont really like frosting. And of course frosting and cake go hand-in-hand most of the time.

Ive shared my personal cake hierarchy before: ice cream cake > cookie cake > regular cake.

(My husband would probably put cheesecake in the top spot, but Im hard pressed to think of any dessert I loathe more than cheesecake, so it doesnt even get ranked for me!)

There is one regular cake, however, that jumps ahead of cookie cakes and even ice cream cakes: tres leches cake. In case youre not familiar, tres leches cake is a spongey vanilla cake with  you guessed it  three kinds of milk poured over the top.

The milk soaks into the cake and creates this creamy, dreamy, custardy texture. And then the whole thing is topped with whipped cream and YES, PLEASE.

Lets pause for a second to talk about the history of Tres Leches Cake. No one actually knows the origins of the cake, though the two main lines of thought seem to be Mexico or Nicaragua. Recipes for milk-soaked cakes date as early as the 19th century in Mexico, though whether this originated there is up for debate.

Either way, Tres Leches Cake has a long history in Mexico, making it the perfect dessert for your upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations! (Or, you know, any time you make Mexican food. Which in my house, is quite often!)

One of the characteristics of Tres Leches Cake is the light texture with lots of air bubbles. This allows the cake to soak in two cups of milk mixture without getting super soggy.

Its definitely dense and soft after a day or two, but the cake does an impressively good job of somehow staying fresh and fluffy. The texture  a light cake with the dense custard  is my favorite part about Tres Leches Cake!

I add a little cinnamon to my Tres Leches Cake  both in the batter and sprinkled on top. Cinnamon is one of my favorite dessert flavors and it pairs so nicely with the creamy custardy filling. I also cant resist adding a cherry on top, because its so bright and cheery!
South Jersey Election Day results roundup: Who won, who lost?

Follow along for news throughout Election Day and race results as they come in.
UKIPs candidates in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are in buoyant mood ahead of Mays County Council election.

The partys Lorna Corke  who is standing in Highbridge and Burnham South  and Brian Hobbs  who is standing in Burnham North  say they are getting lots of positive support on local doorsteps.

Burnham-On-Sea.com caught up with the two this week as campaigning continues ahead of the May 4th County Council election when residents go to the polls. We are featuring the key local candidates, having already reported on the Lib Dems and Conservatives.

Brian has lived in Burnham for over ten years and is a recruitment consultant. He says: I am so fed up of listening to comments from the County Council that there is no money to maintain roads or local services.

The past Conservative leadership have said that the only option is to raise council tax, but I disagree. The money is there  it has just been mismanaged and used on misguided schemes and squandered away. Im here to represent the local people and ensure services are properly provided. Theres a good case for more bobbies on the beat in Burnham and better education for our children.

Local people need and deserve a local councillor who will put local people first and are prepared to ask awkward questions, tackling local issues head on. Too many council decisions are made behind closed doors, unopposed. If elected, I will hold fortnightly surgeries for people to discuss local issues with me which I will then action.

Lorna has lived in the Burnham area since 1988 and is standing for UKIP in Highbridge and Burnham South. She is currently a Sedgemoor district councillor for UKIP in the Highbridge and Burnham Marine ward.

In November I was invited to join the Local Government Associations Board in London Think Tank for Children and Young People. I believe that every child has abilities and gifts and the challenge before us as a nation is to bring forth an educational system that can encompass and encourage the needs of each child.

Children and young people are our future and it is unacceptable that so many are involved in Job Seekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance. At the moment there is help for people on JSA in Highbridge and I would like to see established a hub where people can go to for help who are on ESA in Highbridge. I therefore support the work of a new community organisation called Under Construction in Bridgewater and believe they should extend their work into Highbridge.

The opportunities for the creation of new jobs in the area as a whole has increased dramatically with the start of Hinckley C. The local colleges are expanding their courses to meet these needs. This has to be a golden opportunity, not only for those starting out on careers but those who want to take up the challenge of a change.

Appropriate housing for Highbridge is being considered through the Local Plan. As Group Leader for UKIP at SDC I am part of the Leaders Development Framework Group to ensure the best decisions come forth for HIghbridge. The government supports Brown Field sites being used first before Green Field, this policy needs to come forth. Flooding in the area is a challenge and listening to local people who know the area is key. Therefore fortnightly meetings will be set up in Highbridge.
Even as marquee American stent makers plan to withdraw their most advanced coronary from the market following the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority's move to cap their price, cheaper Chinese and Malaysian rivals are pushing their products aggressively. This may lead to a grey market for some of the most sought after that would not be officially available in the market now, fear some.

Bejon Misra, founder, Consumer Online Foundation, says, "Price capping only leads to a grey market. Doctors will smuggle into the market and then tell the patient that they have a USFDA-approved stent and quote a higher price for it. Instead of billing it as a stent, they will put the additional charge as part of other expenses," he says.
Heritage Foods, the dairy products company which is based here, wants to get to Rs Rs 6,000 crore annual revenue in five years. The figure was Rs 2,300 crore in 2015-16.
Bharti Airtel has topped among India's telecom service providers in the 4G LTE download speed, while new entrant and challenger stands a distant fourth, according to a recent report by wireless coverage mapping firm OpenSignal. Compared with Airtel's average 4G speed of 11.5 Megabits per seconds (Mbps), Jio clocked a speed of 3.92 Mbps -- less than Bharti Airtels average 3G internet speed of 4.77 Mbps.
(RIL) reported record annual profits for the last financial year (2016-17), riding high on refining and petrochemicals businesses. For the March quarter, its consolidated net profit rose 12.3 per cent to Rs 8,046 crore, against Rs 7,167 crore for the same period a year ago.
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The appreciating rupee is likely to hit the margins of steel companies that have been depending heavily on exports.
Fourteen persons associated with right-wing outfits were arrested after a case was lodged against over 200 persons for roughing up cops and causing damage at Agra's Sadar Bazaar and Fatehpur Sikri police stations yesterday.
Once skilled for pulling the trigger or detonating powerful explosives, youth in Naxal heartland of in Chhattisgarh are now skilling in professional trades.


Having a Unique Identification Number is no longer restricted to humans. In an effort to stop cow smuggling, the Centre has made a proposal to the Supreme Court recommending a 12-digit unique number for every cow in the country.
Muslim voters after casting thei votes during the civic body polls, in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)

Millions of voters in the capital on Sunday exercised their democratic right amid EVM glitches and scorching heat to pick three new municipal bodies in an election crucial for all three main contenders -- the BJP, Congress and the AAP.

According to the State Election Commission, 54 per cent of the 1.32 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 5.30 p.m. when polling ended in 270 wards of the three municipal corporations.

Meanwhile, an exit poll showed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- that has ruled the capital's three municipal bodies for the last 10 years -- would register a landslide victory this time around too.

Voters did not show much enthusiasm till afternoon and voter turnout in the first two hours was a meagre 4.25 per cent, which slowly climbed to 11 per cent in the next few hours as the day temperature soared to 39.6 degrees Celcius.

In the afternoon, more people turned out and by 5.30 p.m. the voting percentage shot up.

Residents reported "low" voting in many areas but in many others there were long queues of both men and women.

The balloting was peaceful but both voters and political parties reported numerous cases of malfunctioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which themselves have come under a cloud.

Even as the polling was on, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said reports of EVM malfunctioning came from all over the capital. He also tweeted that many people with voter slips were not allowed to vote.

Kejriwal, who has been up against the Centre's ruling BJP and the Election Commission over the EVM tampering, has repeatedly flayed the state poll panel for using pre-2006 balloting machines in the civic polls.

By 3 p.m., the AAP "War Room" reported 250 calls from voters complaining about non-functional EVMs. The complaints came from several areas, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's constituency Patparganj.

Throughout the day, EVMs which broke down were either quickly repaired or replaced by functional ones.

The BJP used Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to reclaim the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 seats), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (104 seats) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (64 seats).

Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Kejriwal, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and Delhi BJP leaders were among the early voters.

Asked if the election was a referendum on his government's two-year performance, Kejriwal replied: "We will see when the results come (on Wednesday)."

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit reminded voters about the developmental works done by the previous Congress governments and asserted her party was gaining ground.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi blamed the Kejriwal government for the capital's mess and said she was confident her party would again control the civic body.

The exit poll by ABP News-C Voter, conducted among 14,503 respondents in 270 wards, claimed that the BJP will get a landslide victory in all three municipal corporations with 218 of the total 270 seats for which polls were held on Sunday.

The AAP and the Congress will get 25 seats each, the exit poll said.

It said that in all three municipal corporations, the BJP got the support of around 50 per cent voters while the Congress and the AAP share was only 19.1 per cent and 18.6 per cent respectively.

Polling did not take place in two wards -- Maujpur in east Delhi and Sarai Pipal Thala in north Delhi -- where a candidate each of the Samajwadi Party died.

A total of 2,537 candidates were in the fray.

Among others who contested the election are the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal-United and Swaraj India of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan who were earlier Kejriwal's colleagues in the AAP.

The three civic bodies cover 68 of the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi. Two other smaller civic bodies are the Delhi Cantonment Board and the New Delhi Municipal Council.
The monarchy of Bhutan has remained the biggest beneficiaryby amount and shareof Indian foreign aid for 17 years, but over the last nine years, Afghanistan has made it to the distant second spot, preferred over traditional recipients Nepal and Bangladesh, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of Indian foreign ministry data1.

Although its share of foreign aid is falling and that of African countries, listed as a group, is growing, Bhutan has remained Indias unfailing priority because of its strategic location, its dependence on India and its hydropower potential. Indian aid to Sri Lanka and the Maldives increased fastest, according to aid data between the financial years 2000-01 and 2016-17.

Source: Notes on Demands for Grants for Ministry for External Affairs in Union Budgets1

However, the averages over this period conceal substantial fluctuations in aid. For instance, while aid to Sri Lanka fell 69% year-on-year in the financial year 2016-17, it rose 118% and 166% in 2012-13 and 2009-10, respectively. Similarly, while aid to the Maldives rose 45% in the financial year 2016-17, it dropped 89% in 2012-13 after rising nearly 25 times in the previous year.

Among the countries to have benefited most by Indias reallocation of aid is Afghanistan.

In eight of last 10 years, Afghanistan makes it to second spot

Before the financial year 2007-08, the foreign ministry did not even report aid for Afghanistan individually. Since then, it has been the second biggest beneficiary, by share, in eight of the following 10 years.

In the pre-2007-08 period, Nepal was the second-largest recipient in all years except three, when Bangladesh held that position. Over the 17 years we analysed, Afghanistan received the least aid of the 12 major regions reported by the ministry, the allocation shrinking more than a quarter by amount.

How Indias Foreign Aid Priorities Changed,

2000-01 To 2016-17

Source: Notes on Demands for Grants for Ministry for External Affairs in Union Budgets1

Note: Please choose Unique Colors under the Color dropdown, Foreign Aid (As % of total) under the Size dropdown. Year denoted is financial year.

Among regions for which the ministry reports data as a group, African countries are the only significant beneficiaries: Indias aid to African countries grew 57 times between 2000-01 and 2016-17, the share rising 4.38 percentage points over the same period. African countries, as a group, were the second biggest beneficiary in 2003-04 and 2004-05 among all regions, countries as well as groups of countries, taken together.

The only constant in this story is Bhutan, but other countries in other regions have been eating into its share at a time when questions are being raised about Indias policy of aid to Bhutans hydropower sector. By change in share over the 17 years, it is better only than Afghanistan, with Bhutans aid having fallen by 10.45 percentage points.

Notes:

1. Data source: Notes on Demands for Grants for Ministry for External Affairs in Union Budgets 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18

2. Figures for Afghanistan are for financial years 2007-08 to 2016-17. Central Asian countries region dropped after financial year 2007-08. Figures for Eurasian countries are for financial years 2008-09 to 2016-17 only. Figures for Latin American countries are for financial years 2007-08 to 2016-17 only. Figures for Mongolia are for financial years 2009-10, and 2011-12 to 2016-17 only.

3. Central Asian countries include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Eurasian countries include Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Kyrgyz, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

(Vivek is an analyst with IndiaSpend.)
Of the many opportunities that have offered themselves to Karnataka-born Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, among the richest Indians in West Asia, the one he remembers the most is the one to romance Sridevi, albeit on screen. Except, his wife put her foot down. The 75-year-old father of four is now trying something even more ambitious: a Rs 1,000-crore film on The Mahabharata, the mother of all potboilers, which, if it sees light of the day, will be the costliest movie ever made in India.
Amid Sino-India differences, Union Minister said on Monday that occasional hiccups in bilateral ties would arise due to the "unsettled" border issue.

"We believe that it is important that the border gets settled because that is in the interest of regional peace. Obviously, you will have occasionally some issues arising because of that unsettled situation," Jailtey said at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent American think tank.

Jaitley, who came to New York on Sunday after attending the annual Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, said the Sino-India border was still an "unsettled border".

"In 2003 the prime minister visited China...I had accompanied him and we had a mechanism set up in order to resolve and define the border itself. Since 2003, that mechanism has not been able to come out with an answer," he said referring to the 19 rounds of talks between the Special Representatives of the two countries.

The Finance Minister said that India has a very developing relationship with China.

"Our economic relationship has strengthened significantly. There is a lot of trade between India and China that takes place. Now that is one area of strength that has picked up," said Jaitley, who holds the additional charge of the Defence Ministry.

Jaitley's remarks come amid differences between India and China on a host of issues.

India and China were recently involved in a war of words over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh and Beijing's move to standardise official names for six places in the frontier state.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covers the Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during the 1962 war.
Jammu and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the situation in Jammu and would improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated.

Though the chief minister did not specify who the talks would be with, she had earlier invoked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's policy on at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.

"I understand that the coming 2-3 months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated," she said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.

She said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.

During the meeting, at which BJP's general secretary in charge of the state, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mehbooba briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 by-poll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.

The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir.

Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governor's rule in the state, Mehbooba said only the central government could comment on that.

The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.

Mehbooba also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Singh told Mehbooba that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.

He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday.

At a meeting of the Niti Aayog on Sunday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their "own children".
Naxal guerrillas on Monday killed 25 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in one of the deadliest attacks in the recent past in Chhattisgarhs restive Sukma district.
Psychosis, sometimes called schizophrenia, is a psychological state characterised by symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations. In England, one person in every 100 will be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder at some point in their lives. Disturbingly, evidence gathered from Western nations suggests that immigrants experience psychosis at rates two to five times higher than non- .
While the lack of innovation by India Inc has often drawn flak, a recent report is encouraging about patents published by the countrys corporates.
Taking note of liberalisation in the foreign investment rules for the food processing sector in New Delhi, Italian companies are looking to secure a bigger piece of the Indian market.
The vexed issue of the Trump administration mulling curbs in H-1B visas has been taken up with by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with the American authorities during his ongoing visit, an Indian official said on Sunday.

The issue was raised by Jaitley during his meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Saturday, an Indian Finance Ministry statement said.

"Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B visas for skilled professionals from India and highlighted the contribution which Indian companies and professionals are making to US economy," it said.

The issue stems from recent executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump which indicate a possible tightening of the H-1B visas.

"Issues related to terror funding were also discussed and the US Treasury Secretary appreciated the role of India in this regard, including Indo-US cooperation in FATF (Financial Action Task Force)," the statement said.

"Critical economic issues like Indo-US Investment Initiative, infrastructure collaboration, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, collaboration with USA for smart cities development, etcetera, were deliberated upon during the meeting," it added.

Jaitley is on a five-day visit to the US to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

According to the Finance Ministry, Jaitley also held bilateral meetings with the Finance Ministers of Sweden, France and Bangladesh, as well as with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

Meanwhile, the US, in turn, has alleged that Indian IT companies were unfairly cornering the major share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which the current US administration wants to replace with a more merit-linked immigration policy.

"The top recipients of the H-1B 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 they'll get the lion's share of visas," a senior US official said at a White House briefing last week, according to transcripts posted on the White House website.

"And those three companies are companies that have an average wage for H-1B visas between $60,000 and $65,000. By contrast, the median Silicon Valley (US) software engineer's wage is probably around $150,000," the official said.

--IANS

bc/vt
How many of us have misplaced or inadvertently damaged the food coupons that we get as part of our salary? Or ended up discovering these long past the due date and rued over the fact that they cannot be used? Or have been forced to look for change while paying, as the coupon amount is not a round figure? All this will soon be a thing of the past.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of a diamond manufacturing unit at Ichhapor in Surat on Monday

Prime Minister today pitched for conducting simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies and shifting to a January- December fiscal year.

Addressing the Niti Aayog Governing Council's third meeting, which was attended by several state chief ministers, Modi said for long, India had suffered from economic and political mismanagement.

"Because of poor time management, many good initiatives and schemes had failed to deliver the anticipated results," he said, adding there is a need to develop robust arrangements that could function amidst diversity.

The prime minister called for carrying forward the debate and discussions on holding simultaneous elections to Parliament and state legislatures.

On the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Modi asked the states to make legislative arrangements "without delay" for the rollout of the indirect tax regime from July 1.

The GST, which will subsume central excise, service tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and other local levies, is scheduled to be rolled out from July 1.

The consensus on GST reflects the spirit of 'one nation, one aspiration, one determination', Modi earlier said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

Referring to the change in the budget dates, he said in a country where agricultural income is exceedingly important, budgets should be prepared immediately after the receipt of agricultural incomes for the year.

He added that there have been suggestions to follow January to December as financial year.

The prime minister asked the states to take the initiative in this regard. Currently, India follows April- March as fiscal year.

Later, briefing reporters about the meeting, Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya said the prime minister wants that "we should think of January-December financial year as this is appropriate from the point of view of farmers".

Modi also urged states, local governments and NGOs to decide goals for 2022 and work in mission mode towards achieving them.

Referring to the issue of regional imbalance, which was raised by a number of chief ministers, Modi said the matter needs to be addressed on priority, both nationally, and within states.

He also called upon states to "speed up capital expenditure and infrastructure creation" to spur growth.

"Niti Aayog is working on a 15-year long term vision, 7-year medium-term strategy, and 3-year action agenda," Modi said, adding the vision of 'New India' can only be realised through the combined efforts and cooperation of all the states.

The draft of the three-year action plan was circulated at the meeting and would be finalised after seeking comments of the chief ministers.

Stating that poor infrastructure in the country is hampering the economic development, Modi said that more expenditure on basic infrastructure such as roads, ports, power and rail would help in accelerating the pace of growth.

The meeting of the Governing Council at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was attended by several chief ministers, including from non-BJP ruled states like Punjab, Bihar, Tripura and Karnataka.

The notable absentees were West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The council, which is the apex body of the Niti Aayog, is headed by the prime minister and includes all chief ministers and the Aayog's members.
We have to be many things for many people, says Arundhati Bhattacharya, chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) as she lays out the details of how the countrys largest bank is getting ready to put its best face forward at home and for the world. With a new look, fresh global positioning and a more aggressive approach towards service, is hoping to put the brand above the banks association with bad loans and poor attitude.
Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has reiterated that GeM is the most transparent, accountable and efficient public procurement portal and has already resulted in savings of crores of Rupees to the Government. In a press conference today she strongly denied the charges levelled against GeM by the Congress Party. .

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In the Press conference held on 21st April 2017 by Congress spokesperson Sh. Randeep Surjewala, he levelled charges of irregularities against the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The basis of Sh. Surjewalas allegations were the alleged letters written by a Union Minister and few BJP MPs to the Honble Union Commerce & Industry Minister. .

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Department of Commerce strongly denies the baseless, motivated and malafide charges levelled by Sh Surjewala against GeM. .

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Sh Ajay Nishad, Honble MP(LS) has already denied in writing for having written the said letter to Honble Commerce & Industry Minister and has instead complimented her for setting up a transparent portal for public procurement. It is pertinent to mention that the letters of Sh. Nishad and Sh. Ashok M Nete (MP)(LS) are exactly similar. In addition, the letters written by 6 Honble MPs (LS), Sh Harish Dwivedi, Sh Arjun Lal Meena, Sh Alok Sanjar, Sh Rajesh Verma, Sh Radheshyam Biswas and Sh Kaushal Kishore, have all put in the similar request of extension of Software, Storage, Networking, Security items on DGS&D Rate Contract. Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Honble MoS Health and Family welfare, in his letter to Honble Commerce and Industry Minister has just forwarded the representation of a company which lost out a big order due to timely intervention by GeM. .

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The above-mentioned facts clearly indicate that there are vested interest operating behind this malicious campaign against GeM and in all likelihood, it appears to be the handiwork of certain interested group who have been badly hit owing to discontinuation of RC and development of a transparent platform. It is unfortunate that the Congress Party is supporting an opaque system and is against transparency in public procurement and good governance and has allowed its spokesperson to speak against GeM without verifying facts. .

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The items for which Sh. Surjewala has given GeM rates and e-Commerce portal rates are different items and they cannot be compared. On the contrary, GeM rates are much lower than the market rates and it has been worked out that Government has made a saving of over Rs 100 Crore in the total procurement of about Rs 450 Crore that has so far taken place through GeM. .

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Government as a policy is reducing the items on RC and bringing them on GeM which is a transparent portal. RC system has a number of limitations. .

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The processes on GeM are completely transparent and GeM is the first Government portal that places all the procurements- big or small- by Government organizations in public domain, with details about the buyer, seller, item, quantity and price. .

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GeM has removed all the registration restrictions on businesses for supplying to the Government. For the first time, vendors from small towns are getting an opportunity to do business with the Government, in contrast to the erstwhile RC system where not more than 2500-3500 suppliers were holding monopoly to supply to the Government at fixed rates. There are adequate checks and balances in place on GeM which do not allow suppliers to get away with supplying at a higher price to the Government, than the prevailing market or Last Procurement Price (LPP). A number of advisories issued by GeM in this regard to Government buyers along with action taken against a few delinquent suppliers speak volumes about the high transparency and accountability standards on GeM. .

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MJPS
Induction Ceremony of SU 30 MKI to the Valiants

In a solemn ceremony on 24 Apr 17, the Su30 MKI aircraft was inducted into 221 Squadron, Valiants, of the IAF. Air Marshal C Hari Kumar AVSM VM VSM ADC, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command IAF was the chief guest for the occasion. Among the distinguished guests were Mr Daljeet Singh, CEO, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and other officials from HAL.

The Valiants which flew Mig-23 aircraft till 2009, is now equipped with the formidable Su30 MKI aircraft. The Su 30 MKI is a state of the art all weather multi role fighter aircraft capable of undertaking varied air combat and ground attack missions.

The Valiants were formed as an offensive fighter squadron on 14 Feb 1963 at Barrackpore with Sqn Ldr N Chatrath as the first Commanding Officer. The Squadron was than equipped with three types of aircraft namely the Vampires, Spitfire, Hurricane and Su-7 aircraft. The squadron has changed many bases during its fifty four years long journey and has taken part in 1971 War and Kargil operations. Su-7 aircraft of the Valiants roared over East Pakistan in support of the Indian Armys blitzkrieg advance in 1971.

The Valiants, operating the MiG-23s, were the first ones to fire weapons on the enemy during the Kargil war. Many of the squadron pilots have been decorated with gallantry awards over the years.

Personnel from the Air Force Station and their families witnessed a well organised ceremony on this occasion. Air Cmde DV Khot VM, Air Officer Commanding of the Air Force Station and his team have worked hard for the smooth induction of the new Su-30 Squadron. The induction of the Squadron will boost the offensive capabilities of the Indian Air Force in this sector. The Flight Commander of the Squadron performed an impressive Low Level Aerobatic Display.

Air Marshal C Hari Kumar formally handed over the official documents of the Squadron to Wing Commander HS Luthra, the Commanding Officer of the Squadron. In his address, the Air Marshal congratulated the air warriors of the Squadron on the timely induction of the mighty Su 30 MKI. He appreciated the tireless efforts put in by all the personnel of the base. The Air Marshal and his wife Mrs Devika Hari Kumar interacted with the squadron personnel during the tea after the ceremony.

SKM/GKJ/BBS
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the objective of his visit to Armenia and Poland is to further the friendship and cooperation. He was addressing the Media onboard Air India One Special Aircraft on his way to Armenia, today. The Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Giriraj Singh and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. .

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The Vice President said that Armenia has old cultural links with India. He further said that it is a friendly country to India and India helped them in capacity building. The Armenian community in Kolkata had strong cultural presence, including the famous Armenian Church, he added. He further said that his visit would build on the excellent political relations and good-will the two countries shared. .

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The Vice President said that Poland is a strong trading partner for India in Central Europe and many Indian companies have a presence there and have made substantive investments. He further said that Poland has some useful technology, including in areas such s clean coal and India is keen to work with them. Poland is an important member of NATO and they have been politically supportive of India in forums like NSG, he added. .

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Reacting to a question on bilateral trade with Armenia, the Vice President said that the geographic location and small market size in Armenia limits the size of our bilateral trade. Armenians are known for their trading acumen and are culturally very advanced. India has supported Armenia in the field of Information Technology, he added. .

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In reply to a question on enhancing economic ties with Poland, the Vice President said that India-Poland trade has been growing and given the potential, it could be expanded further. He further said that some core areas including coal technology and agriculture had been identified. There is much possibility and our business community is showing a lot of interest in Poland, he added. .

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On a question on Poland's support for India's membership in expanded UN Security Council, the Vice President said that while the rules are being reworked and Poland has been supportive of India, even under the old rules. .

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On a question about India's defence ties with Poland, the Vice President said that with Poland we have specific areas of defence cooperation and two sides are working to expand the ties. .

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Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, held tripartite talks with Govt. of Assam, Six Communities, Adivasi National Convention and all-Koch Rajbongshi Students Union (P) here today. Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju and Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Commerce & Industry, Transport & Parliamentary Affairs, Govt. of Assam met the representatives of these delegations. Senior Govt. of India and Govt. of Assam officials were present during the talks. .

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The Six Communities namely Koch Rajbongshi, Moran, Motok, Tai Ahom, Chutia and Adivasi (Tea Tribes) have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status to these Communities. Adivasi National Convention has been demanding ST status for Adivasi Communities in Assam and settlement for the militant groups which surrendered in 2012. All Koch Rajbongshi Students Union (P) has been demanding ST status for Koch Rajbongshis and protection of their political, cultural and linguistic rights. .

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All the three meetings were held in cordial atmosphere. .

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Generations of Indians have admired the United States for almost everything. But many are infuriated and unnerved by what they see as a wave of racist violence under President Trump, souring Americas allure.
On Sunday, April 23, French citizens will go to the polls in the first round of the countrys 2017 presidential elections. The second round, between the top two candidates, takes place two weeks later, on May 7.

At present its nearly impossible to predict the final outcome  there are simply too many factors that could tip things in one direction or another, including the first-round results, the abstention rate, scandals dogging once-favoured Francois Fillon, the performance of centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron, and the wide range of anti-establishment candidates.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on during a phone call on Monday with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula.

The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."



It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month.

Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice-president Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days".

The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.

Confusion has clouded the carrier group's whereabouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards when in fact it was sent towards Australia.

Pence also renewed calls for Beijing  Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner  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 are very welcome," Pence said.

"We do believe China can do more."



In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea  a crucial earner for Pyongyang  for the rest of the year.

China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action.

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents.

Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.
Australias 457 visa system is back in the again. If you believe Labor, the 457 visa is a rort allowing foreign workers to steal Australian jobs. The government, on the other hand, defends it as a way for Australia to meet skills gaps in the economy.
Theresa May, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, decided on April 18 to dissolve Parliament and hold snap elections on June 8. The motion easily secured the required two-thirds majority in the U.K.s House of Commons.

The decision marks a stunning reversal and has surprised many people in her own government and abroad. May had repeatedly denied that she would make such a momentous decision.
As the 11 candidates vying for the French presidency were making their last televised bids to the electorate on the evening of April 20, news broke that a policeman had been killed in an attack on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, though this has not yet been confirmed, and an investigation was launched by French anti-terror police. Leading right-wing candidates Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen cancelled their last public campaign rallies ahead of the first round of voting on April 23.
There could be no looking back for the (BDI) hereon. Hovering around 1300 levels at present, this freight index, which measures the price of shipping majors' raw materials, is expected to move only northwards in the coming months. With global dry bulk traffic set to increase on select routes and discarding of old vessels only on the rise, BDI could have a smooth and steady uphill journey.
Divis Laboratories hit 52-week low of Rs 607, down 4% on BSE in early morning trade after the company on Saturday said that the US drug regulator has issued a warning letter for its unit-II at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The benchmark indices on Monday extended gains in the noon deals tracking positive trade in global after the market's favored candidate, Emmanuel Macron, won the first round of the French presidential election, reducing the risk of a Brexit-like shock.
Following the deadly Taliban attack on an Afghan army base, Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and National Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shaheem today resigned with immediate effect.

"Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi & Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect," the Khaama Press quoted the Office of the President, ARG Palace, as saying on Monday.

The deadly attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The militants were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistan's largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unarmed soldiers were emerging from Friday prayers and preparing for lunch, according to media reports.

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 country's 16-year war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An American paramedic deployed with a monitoring patrol in eastern Ukraine was killed in an explosion on Sunday.

According to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe, the U.S. citizen was part of a patrol of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine.

Two other monitors were also injured in the incident, when their vehicle was heavily damaged by an explosion in the Luhansk region, near Pryshyb.

It is the first time an SMM patrol member has been killed while on duty, the CNN quoted OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, as saying.

OSCE Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug, said the blast was most likely caused by a mine. The explosion happened at 11.17 a.m. Sunday morning.

"The SMM is an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks are to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine; and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis," the OSCE said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko offered Secretary of State Rex Tillerson his condolence in a call on Sunday, reaffirming the importance of the OSCE mission in Ukraine.

The two agreed the incident "makes clear the need for all sides -- and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces -- to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements immediately."

Tillerson confirmed the sanctions on Russia will remain until control of Crimea is returned to Ukraine and Russia "fully implements its commitments" under the Minsk agreements.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Violent protests erupted across Pakistan occupied Kashmir's (PoK) Kotli region against the Pakistan army and the government's forcefull grab of their lands.

Scores of people hit the streets, raising anti-Pakistan slogans for taking away lands previously used for conducting namaz.

Locals alleged that the Kotli administration is a puppet in the hands of Pakistan Army and had helped them to grab the lands.

"The Pakistan Army has been torturing us. I want to point out that the local administration and police, all are helping the Pakistan Army in this," said a protester.

In recent times, PoK has been witnessing a series of protests against the Nawaz Sharif government for ongoing atrocities and human rights violations.

During the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, India's Permanent Representative, Ajit Kumar, highlighted human rights violations in POK.

Kumar told ANI he reiterated India's stand on PoK being an integral part of India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Strongly condemning the killing of 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the attack is cowardly and deplorable, adding that the sacrifice of the slain jawans won't go in vain.

"Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister wished for speedy recovery of the injured jawans.

Expressing his pain over the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid his tributes to the slain jawans.

"Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families. Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," Singh tweeted.

Resonating similar views, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said he is deeply pained, adding that the slain jawans' sacrifice should not go in vain.

"It is a classic case of mindless killing. There is no place for such things in democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiu said, it was a very sad incident, adding that it was a big tragedy.

The Congress Party also expressed its thoughts and prayers for the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in the encounter.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said, "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts."

As many as 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with Naxals that took place in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

A message was received by the Indian Air Force's Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of the CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift three casualties.

Immediately, two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal.

One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role.

On landing at the venue of ambush it was learnt that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties.

Immediately, the casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur.

More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the slain jawans.

The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp.

The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur.

As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh.

Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning.

Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma.

MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today.

The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.

The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CRPF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an unique initiative, a Surat Diamond Association Health Committee has given a bond of Rs. 85,000 to 50 girls who are born in families which have more than one daughter.

The initiative has been named as 'Vidyalakshmi Yojana.'

However, the girls will get the amount under Vidyalakshmi Yojana after turning 20.

"We have given the amount to 50 girls to promote 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign. The girls can use this amount to make their future secure and bright," said Dinesh Nawadia, head of Surat Diamond Association Health Committee.

The Patidar society in Gujarat has earned a name in philanthropy and taking similar initiatives to promote the government's 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme.

With an aim to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services meant for girls, the Centre launched the social campaign 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' in January 2015.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been vocal about the scheme ever since it has been launched.

"'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' movement is moving forward with rapid strides. It has now become a campaign of public education," he had said in 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address.

Surat has been churning out such cases which have garnered attention for sheer philanthropy, highlighting the goodness of the communities' hearts.

Last week, Surat-based businessman Laxidas Vekaria gifted his 125 employees a scooter each. Each employee was presented a scooter by the diamond seller as an increment for their performance.

In 2016, Surat-based billionaire Savji Dholakia gifted his employees cars and houses as a bonus, and has earned a reputation of awarding his best employees every year with lavish gifts.
Reacting sharply to West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Ghosh's controversial remark, Congress on Monday accused the saffron party of trying to promote its communalism agenda everywhere, adding that the ruling dispensation is threatening people and inciting Hindus in the name of 'Ram'.

"BJP is promoting its communalism agenda everywhere. They want to do politics by creating conflicts among people, threatening people and inciting Hindus. They don't have any agenda on development and whatever they talk about development is all rubbish," Congress leader Hussain Dalwai told ANI.

Further condemning Ghosh's remark, another Congress leader Surendra Rajput said that the former is making such statement to simply get publicity on television.

"There are some leaders who want to come on television by making such statements. So it is not even worth to comment on his remark. This is condemnable that BJP leaders are trying to threaten people in the name of slogans. We will oppose this," he told ANI.

While addressing a public meeting in West Bengal on Saturday, Ghosh said that those opposing the chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Jai Sri Ram" in the country will be relegated to history.

"A leader like Narendra Modi has the capacity to take such decisions in this platform. If anyone restricts he will be thrown out from here. From Gujarat to Guwahati and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari everyone has to utter Bharat Mata ki jai and Jai Sri Ram and the one who would oppose this has to be a part of history," Ghosh said.

However, he later gave a clarification on his statement saying that the TMC-ruled state's situation is worrisome as the people are not allowed to perform rituals rather slogans in support of Pakistan can be heard aloud.

"This is not a controversy. The situation in Bengal is worrisome. Chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' is not allowed anymore and on the eve of Ram Navami the processions are being stopped. So, now in India you cannot say 'Jai Shri Ram' but say 'Pakistan Zindabad' aloud. Therefore, in this regard I made that statement," Ghosh told ANI.

He further said the Congress will witness the same fate as that of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who have become history in Indian politics.

"I said those who will not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Jai Shri Ram', they will become history or such parties will become history. During the festivals, permissions are not being granted to follow the rituals and cases are being filed against those who continue to do so," Ghosh added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Monday dubbed the Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog as a 'flop', adding that the Central government needs to understand the feelings and problems of the state governments rather than harassing them.

"Niti Aayog is a flop. It has not been able to make any significant mark. It, in fact, has been reduced by this government to an exercise in futility. It was a foolish decision of the Central government to do away with the planning commission. This Niti Aayog is only trying to underwrite the doings and undoings of the Modi government," Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra told ANI.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister's assertion that every state needs to work together for better India, Mishra said the former talks about new India while his supports are trying to create division in the country.

"New India was born in 1947. It has been nurtured through seven decades of Parliamentary democracy. It has been enriched by liberalism, secularism. Modi government is trying to undermine institutions. Modi and his government should rather focus on building up and strengthening the institution, they should attempt to diffuse the conflict situation in many parts of the country and they should not try to harass the opposition. That is how new India actually can further be developed," he added.

Chiming in the matter, Congress leader P.C. Chacko said that Prime Minister Modi should not show favoritism to BJP ruled states and should implement the promises given to the state government.

"In a federal set up the Central government should understand the feelings of the state governments, their problems and difficulties. That is more important. Making a call in the meeting that everybody should work together does not have any meaning at all. Today many chief ministers said that their proposals are pending with the Central government," he told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra yesterday urged all the states to work with his government as part of Team India and help in identifying goals for 2022.

"The theme of regional imbalance, raised by a number of Chief Ministers has to be addressed on priority, both nationally, and within states," the Prime Minister said at the NITI Aayog's Governing Council meet.

The Prime Minister chaired the third meeting of the NITI Aayog's Governing Council at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, wherein, action taken on decisions of the earlier two meetings, were discussed in detail with special focus on the (Goods and Services Tax) GST and doubling the income of farmers.

As many as 28 Chief Ministers were present during the meet.

Some non-BJP Chief Ministers like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Mukul Sangma skipped the meet and sent their ministers instead.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi Court on Monday, is likely to take cognizance of the charge sheet filed against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.

Earlier, the Court adjourned the hearing in the case till April 6.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), earlier this month, filed a charge sheet against Singh in the case.

A day after being booked by the CBI special court, the Chief Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring against him and asserted that all charges levelled against him were fabricated.

"The fight has just begun and I know the truth will prevail. All cases against me are fabricated. This is a conspiracy against me stitched by some BJP leaders like Prem Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur. The BJP is misusing its power. There's no truth in it," said Singh.

He also said the case against him is a 'political vendetta' and he was ready to face the charges registered against him.

"This is a political vendetta. I am not afraid of it. I am ready to face the case," Singh told ANI.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An application was filed on behalf of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) didn't follow proper procedure while filing the chargesheet in connection with the disproportionate assets case the former is involved with.

Pratibha's counsel argued whether witnesses and documents that were collected during the investigation could be a part of the chargesheet and if the court could read them for the purpose of taking cognizance.

The counsel also moved an application seeking consideration of these terms, while also requesting to not take cognizance of the chargesheet.

The court has now issued a notice to the CBI and deferred the hearing to May 1.

The date for hearing the argument on charges against LIC agent Anand Chauhan is fixed to be May 17.

A CBI special court was to take cognizance of the chargesheet filed against Virbhadra Singh in the DA case today.

A day after being booked by the CBI special court, the Chief Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring against him and asserted that all charges levelled against him were fabricated.

"The fight has just begun and I know the truth will prevail. All cases against me are fabricated. This is a conspiracy against me stitched by some BJP leaders like Prem Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur. The BJP is misusing its power. There's no truth in it," said Singh.

He also said the case against him is a 'political vendetta' and he was ready to face the charges registered against him.

"This is a political vendetta. I am not afraid of it. I am ready to face the case," Singh told ANI.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court will today hear the plea filed by former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) and senior counsel Indira Jaising in connection with the designation of senior lawyers.

Jaising challenged the procedure for designating senior advocates in the top court.

In her petition, Jaising questioned the discrimination meted out to capable advocates when it comes to "giving them the gown".

She had alleged violation of Articles 14 and 15 in the procedure followed, and had contended that the present procedure is arbitrary and wholly non-transparent.

Jaising's petition had sought judicial scrutiny of the top court's method to designate lawyers as 'senior advocates', terming the process "opaque, arbitrary and fraught with nepotism".

She had said such arbitrary designation of 'senior advocates', whose fees are more than three times those of non-designated advocates on an average, had created a "class of undesirable elitism", making legal services unaffordable to litigants.

In April 2016, the apex court said it had put on hold use of its discretionary power to confer the coveted 'senior advocate' designation on lawyers as recognition of their ability, court craft and legal knowledge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following the victory of French independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the French presidential election, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert expressed his satisfaction with the result.

"It is good that Emmanuel Macron with his focus on strong EU + social market economy has success. Good luck for the next two weeks," Seibert tweeted.

The first results from the Interior Ministry, after the processing of about 70 percent of the ballots cast in the first round, put him in the first place. Far-right Marine Le Pen is expected to come second.

With Macron topping the first round of the French presidential election, projections show that he is set to face Front National's Marine Le Pen in a race that has knocked France's traditional political parties out of the running.

"In one year we have changed the face of French political life." He said he represented "optimism and hope," Macron said in front of an ecstatic and raucous crowd in Paris, adding a dig at Le Pen by saying he would be a president of "patriots" against the "nationalist threat".

However, it was also a success for Le Pen, who has spent years attempting to rid the Front National of the toxic legacy of her father. "It is time to free French people from arrogant elites ... I am the people's candidate," she announced.

The first round of the French polls was held under tight security in the wake of the terror attack in Paris on Thursday night, which disrupted the final day of campaigning on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the plea of the complainant who alleged that she was raped by Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati, wherein she asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to provide protection to her family members on the alleged threat perception.

A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri passed the order, Mohammad Pracha, lawyer of victim's told ANI.

Further speaking to ANI, Pracha said, "The victim's family had knocked the doors of the Apex Court seeking police protection, to which appeal was allowed and the apex court has disposed off the matter."

Earlier in the month, the rape-accused leader had been sent to 14-day judicial remand.

This development came a day after three persons were detained in connection with the case.

Two of Prajapati's sons have also been detained for giving shelter to the accused.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) had last week arrested two more persons from Noida in connection with this case.

Earlier, the apex court had refused to stay the arrest of absconding Prajapati and asked him to approach the concerned court.

The Samajwadi Party leader, who had been on the run since February 27 after an FIR was lodged against him, had approached the top court for a stay on his arrest. An apex court bench headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri made it clear that it wouldn't modify its order.

Prajapati is accused of raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter back in 2014.

The Uttar Pradesh Police had issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Prajapati's passport was earlier revoked for four weeks to prevent him from attempting to flee out of the country.

Earlier last week, the police also initiated proceedings for a look out notice against Prajapati following reports that he might try to escape abroad to evade arrest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the raging debate over 'Triple Talaq' and the rights of Muslim women, another case of the age-old practice has emerged in the by-lanes of Hyderabad.

A case was registered in the Sanathnagar Police Station on the complaint of Sumaina Sharfi under the sections 420, 406, 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on March 16.

Sumaina complained that Owais Talib, who she married in 2015, messaged her 'Talaq Talaq Talaq' on November 28 last year, signifying that their marriage had come to an end.

"After my marriage, we got to know that Amma Jaan, my husband's guardian, performs black magic in a 'darbar'. I and my husband stayed in Dubai for a month. After we returned, they made me work like a servant and did not even give me proper food," Sumaina said.

"Amma forced me to be surrogate to her by maintaining relations with her second husband. Even my husband didn't refuse.

When I refused, they tortured me and locked me in a room for as many as six days. My father came and took me home."

"After that, I tried to talk to my husband so many times and solve the matter, but he didn't take my calls. Soon thereafter, I received a message on my WhatsApp, stating 'Talaq Talaq Talaq'," Sumaina added.

An investigation into the matter is on. Further details are awaited.
Taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, former president Asif Ali Zardari has said that how can the former be a leader of the youth as Khan is older than him, adding that his son Bilawal is the leader for the young people.

"He [Khan] calls himself a leader of the youth. How can he be a leader of the youth? He is older than me. Bilawal is the leader for the young people," Dawn quoted Zardari as saying while referring to his son and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman.

He was addressing a public gathering in Mardan on Monday.

Zardari's remarks comes a day after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had said that he would go after PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari as his struggle to pursue the alleged corruption charges against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had reached a conclusion.

While addressing his supporters in Sindh's Badin district, Imran regretted that he could not visit the province earlier as he was focusing on pursuing alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections, the Dawn reported.

"I spent a year on this issue," the PTI chief said, adding the Panamagate case verdict "has revealed the true face of Nawaz Sharif".

"Now the prime minister is stuck with the joint investigation committee. Asif Zardari, I am coming after you," the PTI chairman said.

Zardari today rallied in the PTI-ruled province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and dismissed the notion that Khan was a true Pathan.

"A captain has come ... He thinks he is a Pakhtun. He writes Khan after his name. No one knows him here," the PPP leader told the crowd in Mardan.

"He calls himself a Pathan, but for that, you need to be able to speak Pashto," he added.

Zardari alleged that till today no one has thought about giving the Pakhtuns an identity and said that he and his party members had done everything for them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking an absolute opposite stand from that of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's view of initiating dialogue only after the restoration of peace in the Valley, the Congress on Tuesday stressed that talks with Kashmiris should begin irrespective of the condition in the state.

Congress leader and senior lawyer KTS Tulsi said irrespective of all the highs and lows that keep coming, one should maintain a steady course, adding that the policy adopted by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a good one.

"Talks happen all the time. Talks with the Kashmiris should be uninterrupted, uninterruptable. Talks with Pakistan should uninterrupted, uninterruptable. Highs, lows keep happening but we have to maintain a steady course and the police of carrot and stick that was adopted by Atal Bihar Vajpayee was a good policy and it did give results. You don't get results instantly. You have to consistently adopt the approach of conciliation," Tulsi told ANI.

Tulsi further urged that the government should talk to Kashmiri brothers and sisters and do everything to convince them that whatever is being done in the Valley is for their welfare.

Another Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed condemned the terrorists' attack on People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Gani Dar which led to his death, hoping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-PDP Government to provide justice in the same.

"It is very unfortunate. Violence has no place in society. It is a crime to kill anybody. We hope that the BJP-PDP Government will bring the guilty to book," Ahmed told ANI.

Hours after urging the Centre to follow the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in dealing with the Kashmir unrest, Mehbooba Mufti yesterday stated that a dialogue process would be initiated only after normalcy was restored.

The Chief Minister after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured that within two-three months the situation in the Valley would definitely improve.

"In a period of two-three months, you will see a changed Jammu and Kashmir. Next few months are really crucial for us. We will first restore the normalcy, than we will talk. This issue is as old as 70 years," Mufti said.

Mufit further appealed to the media to help in restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We will also hold talks regarding the Whatsapp groups," Mufti stated.

Earlier yesterday, Mufti asserted that the ruling dispensation at the Centre must follow the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and reach out to the disillusioned and angry youth so as to restore a peaceful atmosphere for governance.

Talking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mehbooba said a conducive atmosphere was required for talks and governance.

"We must start from where Vajpayee ji left... Modi ji has repeatedly said that he would follow the footsteps of Vajpayee ji, whose policy was of reconciliation, not confrontation. There is no option but to talk," she asserted.

The Chief Minister also said that she discussed the recent by-polls to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, which witnessed large-scale violence and the lowest turnout ever.

"I discussed the issue of less voting percentage in the recent elections and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with Prime Minister Modi," she said.

The meeting came in the wake of recent incidents of violence, including the clashes between security forces and civilians during the Srinagar by-elections.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier on Sunday urged all the Chief Ministers to take care of the students from Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states.

His assertion came after Mehbooba raised the issue following assault of six Kashmiri students of Mewar University in Rajasthan by some locals.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of several video clips surfacing in recent times, purportedly showing human rights abuses by the security forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat evaded a question about the political conspiracy behind the illegal mining case in which he got interim anticipatory bail on Monday.

When asked whether there was a political conspiracy behind the FIR against him in illegal mining case, Kamat didn't give a straight answer.

"Only god can tell you the truth," he said.

The veteran Congress leader further refused to comment on the case saying "it is sub judice".

Ahead of appearing before the Goa Crime Branch's Special Investigation Team (SIT), Kamat moved an anticipatory bail plea before the district court, which granted him an interim anticipatory bail and fixed the next hearing date on May 2, 2017.

Goa Crime Branch SIT filed FIR against Kamat and others in August 2013 and he was first questioned in February 2014.

It is alleged that iron ore worth Rs 35000 crore was illegally excavated in Goa from 2005 to 2012 despite the Supreme Court had banned iron ore mining in Goa.

Kamat was Chief Minister of Goa from June 2007 to March 2012.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of the current turbulent atmosphere in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss the situation and possibly formulate a solution.

Besides her meeting with the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister will also meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Upon Mufti's invitation, Prime Minister Modi on Sunday suggested that other states should organise events in Jammu and Kashmir and urged them to reach out to the students from the Valley studying in other states.

According to a statement issued by Niti Aayog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi "seconded the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister's suggestion that states should take interest in the students from her state who are studying in other states".

"He urged states to reach out to these students from time to time," the statement said.

The meeting today also comes in the backdrop of recent bypoll to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which witnessed massive violence and the lowest turnout ever.

In the bypoll, the PDP also lost the seat to Conference, just in nearly three years after the 2014 general elections.

With the Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Mufti drawing sharp criticism in wake of the recent unrest in the Valley, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav earlier on Friday held a meeting with Finance Minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Haseeb Drabu to discuss the future strategy.

The meeting assumed significance as the BJP is a coalition partner of the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP leaders Avinash Rai Khanna and Satpal Sharma were also among those who attended the meeting held at the BJP office here.

Stone pelting incidents have increased manifold in the region since the BJP-PDP Government came to power in 2015.

The issue of also featured in the BJP's core group meeting headed by Prime Minister Modi a couple of days ago.

Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who won the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency bypoll on has demanded that Governor's rule be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir as the state government had failed to ensure a peaceful election.

Slamming the BJP-PDP Government in the Valley, Conference's working president Omar Abdullah has questioned the handling of students' protests.

Eight people were killed in clashes during the by-election in Anantnag last week.

The violence prompted the Election Commission to postpone voting.

Last week, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat apprised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of the security situation in Kashmir.

Rawat's meeting with Doval on April 16 came a day after he had separate deliberations with Chief Minister Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra over the law and order situation in Kashmir during his visit to the state.

As many as 411 stone-pelting incidents have been reported in the Kashmir Valley from October 2016 to March 2017.
In an interesting turn of events, Kamaal Rashid Khan who always steals the spotlight by taking on popular celebrities on Twitter has actually been insulted badly after labelling Mohanal as 'chhota bheem'.

The self proclaimed critic KRK took to his Twitter and apologised to the superstar after Mohanlal's fans started trolling him on the microblogging site and flooded his social media account with abuses.

In the apology posted, he wrote, "Sir @Mohanlal sorry to call you #ChotaBheem Coz I didn't know much about you. But now I know that you are a super star of Malayalam films."

Sir, I know that I am really handsome but I can't say this about SRK. https://t.co/rAXlVwut3T  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) April 24, 2017

The apology comes after KRK slammed the 56-year-old-actor after he announced that he will play the role of the mighty 'Bheem' in a Rs. 1,000 crore-budget film based on Mahabharata.

In a series of tweets, he said that Mohanlal's physique was not qualified to play the role of Bheem because his physique was not big enough.

Sir @Mohanlal you look like Chota Bheem so then how will u play role of Bheem in Mahabharata? Why do you want to waste money of B R shetty?  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) April 18, 2017

As soon as he posted the tweet, Mohanlal's fans went berserk and forced the 'Deshdrohi' actor to apologise.

This is not the first time Kamaal R Khan has made fun of a celebrity with his tweets. Many Bollywood celebrities including Sonakshi Sinha, Lisa Haydon and Parineeti Chopra have also dealt with his offensive tweets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Central Government and the Army after hearing a PIL filed by a journalist, who alleged that 'sahayaks' and other lower rank staff in the Army were allegedly forced to do domestic and menial chores for the seniors.

The journalist shot a sting video in which Lance Naik Roy Mathew criticised the 'sahayak system' in the Army.

Following the release of the sting video, Lance Naik Mathew allegedly committed suicide, following the journalist sought a probe into his death.

The journalist was booked by the Nasik police under sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and those relating to criminal trespass and abetment to suicide under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Challenging the FIR, the journalist urged the apex court to issue suitable guidelines to prevent abuse of the OSA, which not only impinges upon fundamental rights, but also journalistic freedom.

The journalist also sought directions for an appropriate inquiry into the alleged misuse of the 'sahayak system' in the Army.

The petition said a fair probe was being scuttled by invoking the OSA and the move would send out the message that exposure of misdeeds of delinquent Army officers would be visited with consequences so draconian that no one should dare to do so.

Retired Army jawan Deep Chand, who ran the Army canteen in Nashik where the sting video was shot, is the co-petitioner with the journalist.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, amid the turbulent state in the Vallety with soaring protests and clashes, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav on Monday asserted there was no rift in the BJP-People's Democratic Party (PDP) alliance, but didn't rule out on a possible 'lack of communication' between the two parties.

"There is no rift. There is some issue regarding the MLC elections. We noticed that there lack of communication between the two parties," BJP leader Ram Madhav said.

He added that these issues will be addressed and will be dealt with.

Mehbooba Mufti, after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, assured that within two-three months the situation in the Valley would definitely improve.

"In a period of two-three months, you will see a changed Jammu and Kashmir. Next few months are really crucial for us. We will first restore the normalcy, than we will talk. This issue is as old as 70 years," Mufti said.

Mufti further appealed to the media to help in restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mufti also asserted that the ruling dispensation at the Centre must follow the footsteps of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and reach out to the disillusioned and angry youth so as to restore a peaceful atmosphere for governance.

Talking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mehbooba said a conducive atmosphere was required for talks and governance.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier on Sunday urged all the Chief Ministers to take care of the students from Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of several video clips surfacing in recent times, purportedly showing human rights abuses by the security forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Strongly condemning the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday offered his condolences to the deceased's families.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured," the President tweeted.

Strongly condemning the killing of 26 CRPF personnel in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the attack is cowardly and deplorable, adding that the sacrifice of the slain jawans won't go in vain.

"Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister wished for speedy recovery of the injured jawans.

Expressing his pain over the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid his tributes to the slain jawans.

"Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families. Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," Singh tweeted.

Resonating similar views, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said he is deeply pained, adding that the slain jawans' sacrifice should not go in vain.

"It is a classic case of mindless killing. There is no place for such things in democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiu said, it was a very sad incident, adding that it was a big tragedy.

The Congress Party also expressed its thoughts and prayers for the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in the encounter.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said, "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts."

As many as 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with Naxals that took place in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

A message was received by the Indian Air Force's Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of the CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift three casualties.

Immediately, two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal.

One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role.

On landing at the venue of ambush it was learnt that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties.

Immediately, the casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur.

More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the slain jawans.

The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp.

The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur.

As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh.

Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning.

Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma.

MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today.

The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.

The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CRPF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the death of 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has strongly condemned the killing and stated that he will sit and talk with the head of CRPF and police on this matter.

"This is a grave matter. Our hearts go out to the martyred. We will rethink our strategies in that area soon. I will sit and have a talk with the head of CRPF and police," said Singh.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Minister asserted that Naxals are creating hurdles in the development works and the government would work on it soon.

"I have spoken to the Home secretary regarding this incident. The incident is big, it is unfortunate. I consider this as a challenge. I have ordered Minister of State (MoS) Hansraj Ahir to reach Chhattisgarh. I will try to talk to Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister, Raman Singh and later decide whether I should go to Chhattisgarh or not. Naxals are creating hurdles in the development works. The Maoists are depriving poor from accessing facilities created by government," said Singh.

An injured CRPF constable Sher Mohammed claimed that the Naxals were around 300 in number and the CRPF personnel were around 150.

"First of all the Naxals sent the villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many of them. They were around 300 and we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot three to four Naxals in the chest and we all did our best," said Mohammed.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has also condemned the attack on the CRPF personnel in Sukma by Left Wing Extremists describing it as a mindless and ruthless strike on the security forces.

"The sacrifice of twenty six brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter the fight against extremism," said Gandhi.

Gandhi also expressed her solidarity with friends and families of the slain jawans and prayed for the early recovery and good health of the injured.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister a Modi called the attack as cowardly and deplorable, adding that the sacrifice of the slain Jawans won't go in vain.

"Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister also wished for speedy recovery of the injured jawans.

Expressing his pain over the incident, the Union Home Minister Singh paid his tributes to the slain jawans.

"Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," Singh tweeted.

Resonating similar views, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said he is deeply pained, adding that the slain jawans' sacrifice should not go in vain.

"It is a classic case of mindless killing. There is no place for such things in democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiu said, it was a very sad incident, adding that it was a big tragedy.

The Congress Party also expressed its thoughts and prayers for the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in the encounter.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said, "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts."

A message was received by the Indian Air Force's Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of the CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift three casualties.

Immediately, two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal. One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role.

On landing at the venue of ambush it was learnt that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties.

Immediately, the casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur.

More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the slain jawans.

The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp. The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur.

As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh.

Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning. Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma.

The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.

The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CR PF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A widow who was allegedly raped and assaulted on April 18 died at a Ranchi hospital. The accused has been arrested, but police has been giving out a different version of the incident.

The kin of the victim said she was alone at home as they had gone to attend a marriage.

"When we returned on April 19, we were informed that our youngest daughter-in-law has been admitted to a hospital. When we went to the hospital, we were told that she has been referred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), and that she had died," said a male member of the family.

When asked what the reason for the death was, he said, "Sudarshan Thakur killed her by inserting an iron pipe in her private parts which burst her womb."

He added: "Before dying, she recorded her statement."

The family members of the victim said 'they have all the documents of the hospital' to back their allegation.

Police, however, gave a different version altogether.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Piyush Pandey told media that the victim and one Sudarshan Thakur were having some personal issues which resulted in a scuffle in Banpur on April 18.

"During the scuffle, Sudarshan kicked the victim on her stomach. She was first taken to a local hospital, but was later shifted to the RIMS, where she died on Sunday," said Pandey.

He said police immediately arrested Sudarshan after the fight, and now murder charges will be slapped on him. However, if police's version is to be believed, then the case may turn into a case of culpable homicide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived for a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday as the Trump administration considers boosting U.S. military support for a conflict that commanders say has degenerated into a stalemate.





The visit, Mattiss first as defense secretary, comes just days after a devastating Taliban attack on one of Afghanistans largest and most secure bases killed nearly 200 soldiers  leading to the resignation Monday of the countrys army chief and defense minister.





The brazen attack Friday was the largest ever carried out by the Taliban against the military. Gunmen dressed in army uniforms penetrated the base and gunned down unarmed servicemen returning from prayers.





The Taliban fighters were ultimately killed by a response force led by Afghan commandos. Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, praised the elite but overworked units response that brought the atrocity to an end.





It is unclear how the attack will affect Afghan recruiting efforts, already strained by casualties and retention rates among the ranks. But the subsequent resignation of the two top military officials is a rare development in Afghan politics.





Speaking to reporters alongside Mattis, Nicholson said the level of sophistication in Fridays attack made it quite possible that the gunmen were linked to the Haqqani network, a Taliban splinter faction based in Pakistan.





President Ashaf Ghani accepted the resignations of Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim on Monday.





No one has put pressure on me. I have resigned for the national interest of the country, Habibi told reporters. Shahim also said he stepped down voluntarily.

Three other top commanders were replaced by Ghani, and the shake-up and resignations have been hailed as a return to government accountability. Retired general and analyst Javid Kohestani said the actions would reduce the level of mistrust and boost the morale of the troops.





A U.S. military official said the resignations were not a surprise. Following an Islamic State raid on a heavily used hospital in Kabul in March, Fridays attack created expectations of blowback within the Afghan leadership.




Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the Kashmir situation must be resolved by the PDP-BJP state government without delay.

"It is wonderful that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have met. They must have discussed more than we know. If she has to really talk and produce results whereby peace can come in the state, then nobody should wait for the last stone from being thrown or the last bullet from being fired, otherwise these things are not going to end," Abdullah told ANI.

He further said that for the last two years, the PDP and BJP have been saying they will hold a dialogue with all stakeholders, but nothing has happened.

"They also said that there will be talks between India and Pakistan which Mehbooba's father also said before when he was the chief minister. A parliamentary delegation came here and they also put the same suggestions, but not a single one was implemented," he added.

Abdullah said even former foreign minister Yashwant Sinha gave his recommendations to the government, but not a single item has been taken up.

Monday's meeting assumes importance in the wake of recent incidents of violence, including clashes between security forces and civilians during the Srinagar by-elections.

Prime Minister Modi had on Sunday urged all the chief ministers to take care of the students of Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states.

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The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Monday said Patna, Chennai, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow airports will be tag free after trial run from April 24 to 30.

Earlier, seven airports were made tag free.

Beginning April 1, the CISF has already done away with the system at seven such air facilities in Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

The trial will ensure that adequate security gadgets and logistics are provided at these six airports so that full proof security measures are in place once the stamping of the hand baggage tags procedure is discontinued.

The new protocols are only meant for domestic passengers and those travelling to international destinations will have to get their hand baggage tags stamped as usual.

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Afghanistan Interior Ministry's Major General Tariq Shah Bahrami has been appointed as the acting Minister of Defense and General Sharif Yaftal as the Army Chief of Staff after officials from the respective posts resigned on Monday.

According to Tolo News, Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim resigned from their respective posts following the deadly Taliban attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The militants were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistan's largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack 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 country's 16-year war.

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Pakistan's federal government has claimed that despite the tax discounts and exemptions being given to Chinese investors in the $56 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), there will be no adverse impact on local industries and domestic investors.

The Chinese investors are enjoying all sorts of tax breaks from customs, income, sales, federal excise and withholding taxes, which amount to around Rs. 150 billion in lost revenue, reports the Dawn.

Also, income derived from port operations by the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited, the Gwadar International Terminal Limited, the Gwadar Marine Services Limited and the Gwadar Free Zone Company Limited has been granted exemption from income tax for 23 years, with effect from February 6, 2007.

Besides, income generated by contractors and sub-contractors of those five companies from port operations has been granted income tax exemption for 23 years from July 1, 2016.

Similarly, income and interest earned by a foreign lender or a local bank - with more than 75pc government or State Bank of Pakistan shareholding - by virtue of a financing agreement with the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, are exempted from income tax for 23 years with effect from July 1, 2016.

In a written reply submitted to the National Assembly last week, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that exemptions from levy of customs duty at import stage have been specifically designed, notified and made available to Chinese contractors for a few projects of roads, mass transit and Gwadar port.

The series of tax exemptions or discounts offered to Chinese investors have been notified through statutory regulatory orders (SRO), a piece of statute that has been, in the past, condemned by the Pakistan Muslim League-N for being discriminatory and causing revenue loss to the state.

In his reply, the Finance Minister asserted that since all the concessions and exemptions were subject to the condition that the imported goods were not manufactured locally, except in case of power plants above 25mw, local industry had been provided necessary cushion from the impact of imports for CPEC projects.

The ministry's response also said the income tax exemption for the income of companies, contractors, sub-contractors etc engaged in CPEC projects was not likely to impact the interests of local contractors and sub-contractors, etc.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhay Thackeray has demanded that the country's highest civilian award 'Bharat Ratna' be bestowed upon freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar .

Asserting that some of the opposition leaders in Maharashtra are unanimous on the decision, Thackeray demanded the highest honour for Savarkar.

"We all are together in demanding (Bharat Ratna for Savarkar) and some leaders of opposition (in Maharashtra) also want the highest honour for Savarkar. We should now act to make this a reality," the Shiv Sena Chief said here on Sunday.

While speaking at the closing function of a three-day long convention on Savarkar's writings, he also demanded that a replica of prison cell at the Cellular jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where Savarkar had been kept by the British should be built in Mumbai.

Thackeray further said that everyone should be aware about the contribution of Savarkar towards the 'Hindu Rashtra' and the freedom struggle.

The Shiv Sena has made repeated demands over the years including letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling on the Centre to honor the Maharashtrian freedom fighter.

Besides his gallant contributions to the nations struggle, Savarkar was known for advocating the dismantling of the system of caste in Hindu culture.

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Following North Korea's threat to sink an American vessel, the Pentagon on Sunday called on Pyongyang to avoid destabilizing the situation further.

"We call on (North Korea) to refrain from provocative, destabilizing actions and rhetoric, and to make the strategic choice to fulfill its international obligations and commitments and return to serious talks. North Korea's unlawful weapons programs represent a clear, grave threat to US national security," Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross said.

The statement came just hours after a North Korean newspaper said Pyongyang was ready to take out a US aircraft carrier conducting drills with Japanese destroyers near the Philippines, reports CNN.

The editorial in the official newspaper of the North Korean government's Central Committee, said the country is ready to illustrate its "military force" by sinking the "nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike."

The newspaper further claimed that Pyongyang has weaponry that "can reach continental US and Asia Pacific region" and the "absolute weapon," a hydrogen bomb.

Last September, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear weapons test and displayed a series of missiles at a military parade earlier this month.

The State Department said Sunday that it remains committed to directly addressing the North Korean nuclear threat.

"Provocations from North Korea have grown far too common and far too dangerous to ignore. Together with the international community, we will hold the Kim Jung-un regime accountable for its dangerous and reckless actions and serious human rights abuses through a robust international campaign to cut the DPRK off from the rest of the through diplomatic, security, and economic measures.

"With our allies and partners around the world, we will show the DPRK that the only path to a secure, economically-prosperous future is to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs," a department spokesperson said.

"We do not seek military conflict, nor do we seek to threaten North Korea," the spokesperson added. "However, we will respond to threats to us or our allies accordingly. We remain open to talks with the DPRK, but need to see that the DPRK will cease all its illegal activities and aggressive behavior in the region."

However, Sunday's threats are consistent with others North Korea has made in past weeks. Besides asserting that it will respond in kind to any US attack on the country, Pyongyang has also claimed it would strike the US mainland and US carriers and forces in the region, specifically US bases in Seoul and Tokyo.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said the government would comply with the Supreme Court's decision which ordered the reinstatement of former Director General of Police (DGP) T.P. Senkumar who was transferred "arbitrarily".

"After receiving copy of the judgment, the government will do whatever it can legally to comply with the court's order," Vijayan told the media.

The apex court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court that had earlier upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision. The CAT was in agreement with the State Government's ruling that transferred Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

On April 11, the Kerala Government defended its decision to transfer Senkumar, citing his transfer was a punishment for how he had handled the fallout of the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy, in which 110 people were killed and 300 were injured.

The fire tragedy refers to an explosion leading to fireworks display going awry at the temple in Kollam district last year.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed bilateral ties and the situation on the Korean Peninsula during a telephonic conversation on Monday.

According to Xinhua news agency, the two leaders pledged close contact through various means to promptly exchange views on major issues of common concern.

Xi told Trump that China strongly opposes actions that violate resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), adding Beijing hopes the parties concerned will exercise restraint and avoid actions that aggravate tensions on the Peninsula.

Xi noted if the parties shoulder their due responsibilities and meet each other halfway then they can solve the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and denuclearise the Korean Peninsula.

This is the second phone call between the two leaders within a month. Earlier on April 12, they discussed the situation in North Korea.

The unexpected phone call came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustration over North Korea.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he tweeted.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA," he wrote in a second tweet.

Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its neighbor, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear program since 2016.

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ACC's consolidated net profit fell 8.9% to Rs 211.06 crore on 8.83% rise in total income to Rs 3663.18 crore in Q1 March 2017 over Q1 March 2016. The announcement was made on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Maruti Suzuki India unveiled the sketch of its all new DZIRE on 21 April 2017. The car will make its global debut in May 2017. The new DZIRE is designed to leave a lasting impression with its rich sculpted side body and enhanced proportions. It is modern, sleek and agile. The unmistakable sedan proportions with low and wide stance lends an elegant road presence to the new DZIRE, company added. The announcement was made on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Indiabulls Housing Finance, Reliance Industries (RIL) and Ultratech Cement will announce Q4 results today, 24 April 2017.

Indiabulls Housing Finance said that in terms of the board authorization dated 21 October 2016, the company has on 21 April 2017, allotted its twentieth tranche of secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures of face value Rs 10 lakh each (NCDs) aggregating to Rs 25 crore.

On 10 November 2016 the company had intimated proposal to issue, secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures of face value Rs 10 lakhs each aggregating Rs 6000 crore, on a private placement basis. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced the launch of Progesterone Capsules, 100 mg and 200 mg, a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Prometrium (Progesterone) Capsules in the US Market. The drug was approved by the USFDA. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 21 April 2017.

The Prometrium brand had US sales of approximately $153 million MAT for the most recent twelve months ending in February 2017, according to IMS Health.

Reliance Industries (RIL) commenced commercial production from its coal bed methane (CBM) block SP(West)-CBM-2001/1 from 24th March 2017 and is currently supplying CBM for commissioning the Shahdol Phulpur Pipeline (SHPPL). The production from RIL's Sohagpur CBM fields will gradually ramp-up in the next 15-18 months making RIL among the largest unconventional natural gas producers in India.

CBM is an environmental friendly natural gas extracted from coal-bed and has become an important source of unconventional gas in many parts of the world. RIL was awarded the licence to explore two adjacent CBM blocks SP(West) and SP(East) with an area of 995 square kilometers in the round 1 of CBM block bidding by the Government of India in 2001.

RIL has drilled more than 200 wells connected to two gas gathering stations in the first phase of development. RIL expects to drill 600-800 wells further and develop associated infrastructure over the next phases of development.

Reliance Gas Pipelines (RGPL) a wholly owned subsidiary of RIL, laid a 302 kilometers Shahdol Phulpur gas pipeline that connects Sohagpur CBM fields from Shahdol to Hazira- Vijaipur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline Network of GAIL at Phulpur. With this new pipeline network these CBM gas fields are now connected with the Indian gas grid. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries will be in focus. With respect to news article titled "FDA issues 11 observations for Dadra unit," Sun Pharmaceutical Industries clarified that company's Dadra facility underwent an inspection by USFDA recently. This inspection was completed on 13 April 2017. A Form-483 observation letter was issued by the USFDA post the inspection, listing 11 observations. The company is currently in the process of responding to the said letter to the USFDA within the stipulated timeline of 15 days. The announcement was made on Saturday, 22 April 2017.

It added that Sun Pharma and its subsidiaries have many facilities which supply products to the US market. These facilities undergo periodic routine inspection by the USFDA in normal course of business. As indicated above, the company is in the process of responding to the USFDA for the Form-483 observation letter issued for the Dadra facility. If there are any material developments related to this inspection, the company will promptly inform the stock exchanges.

Great Eastern Shipping Company announced that board meeting will be held on 5 May 2017 to consider issue of non-convertible debentures upto an amount not exceeding Rs 1000 crore by way of private placement during the year. The company will also announce Q4 results on that day. The announcement was made on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Divi's Laboratories has updated that the USFDA has issued a warning letter for the company's unit-II at Visakhapatnam. The company responded to the USFDA inspection observations with an appropriate remediation process to overcome the deficiencies observed. As part of the company's commitments, it also provided periodic updates to the USFDA. In the import alert issued, USFDA has exempted several products manufactured at the company's unit-II at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The company will continue to supply these active ingredients to meet its obligations to customers. Divi's Labs, along with external consultants and subject matter experts, are working to address the concerns of the USFDA and is making all efforts to fully meet the compliance requirements. The company will respond to this warning letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time. The announcement was made on Saturday, 22 April 2017.

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At meeting held on 24 April 2017

McNally Bharat Engineering Company announced that Dibakar Chatterjee has tendered his resignation from his post as the Company Secretary of the Company with effect from 24 April 2017. The Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held on 24 April 2017, has appointed Indranil Mitra as the Company Secretary & the Compliance Officer of the Company with effect from 24 April 2017.

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Divi's Laboratories lost 1.12% to Rs 624.10 at 10:03 IST on BSE after the company said that US drug regulator has issued a warning letter for its unit at Visakhapatnam.

The announcement was made on Saturday, 22 April 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 159.45 points or 0.54% at 29,524.75.

On the BSE, 1.63 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 2.55 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 627.50 and a low of Rs 607 so far during the day.

The stock had hit a record high of Rs 1,380 on 16 September 2016 and a 52-week low of Rs 611.60 on 22 March 2017. It had underperformed the market over the past one month till 21 April 2017, sliding 0.5% compared with the Sensex's 0.41% fall. The scrip had also underperformed the market over the past one quarter, declining 11.6% as against the Sensex's 8.62% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 53.09 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Divi's Laboratories has updated that the United Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a warning letter for the company's unit-II at Visakhapatnam. The company responded to the USFDA inspection observations with an appropriate remediation process to overcome the deficiencies observed.

As part of the company's commitments, it also provided periodic updates to the USFDA. In the import alert issued, USFDA has exempted several products manufactured at the company's unit-II at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The company will continue to supply these active ingredients to meet its obligations to customers. Divi's Labs, along with external consultants and subject matter experts, are working to address the concerns of the USFDA and is making all efforts to fully meet the compliance requirements. The company will respond to this warning letter with a detailed plan within the stipulated time.

Divis Laboratories' net profit rose 8.7% to Rs 268.32 crore on 13.4% increase in net sales to Rs 973.44 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015.

Divi's Laboratories is primarily engaged in the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) & intermediates for generics; custom synthesis of API's and advanced intermediates for discovery compounds for pharma giants; building blocks for peptides; building blocks for nucleotides; carotenoids; and chiral ligands.

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The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) updated "prompt corrective action" (PCA) framework could suggest a greater willingness to take regulatory action to address problems at struggling banks, but its implementation is only likely to be effective if it is matched by credible plans to address banks' significant asset quality issues and capital shortages, says Fitch Ratings.

The RBI has tightened the thresholds - for capital ratios, NPLs, profitability and leverage - at which banks enter the PCA framework. This appears to be an acknowledgement of the significant asset quality stress in the system and that more banks are in need of regulatory intervention. PCA was previously viewed as an extraordinary step, which the RBI urged banks to make great efforts to avoid. That now looks likely to change. More than half of state-owned banks would breach at least one of the new thresholds, mainly owing to high NPLs, based on their latest financial reports. The new PCA framework will be invoked on the basis of the banks' FY17 financials, which they are still reporting.

The RBI has also given itself greater discretion in terms of the measures it can use to intervene in banks once they fall under the PCA framework, which suggests it has recognised a need to take corrective action at an earlier stage when banks run into difficulties. The previous PCA, in contrast, explicitly reserved the most interventionist actions for banks that had breached more extreme thresholds. It is possible that intervention could involve forcing banks to conserve capital, if other actions do not address problems.

The risk of non-performance on bank capital instruments may therefore have risen.

The actual impact of the new PCA rules will depend on how the RBI uses them. Two circulars released on Tuesday, which pressure banks to make provisions above the regulatory minimum and require further disclosures on NPLs, point to the RBI's seriousness. These circulars might weigh on bank earnings in the next round of reports. Should the additional disclosures reveal weaknesses that are greater than expected there could be further pressure on the banks' Viability Ratings.

The RBI primarily limited itself to restricting bank lending under the previous PCA framework. The scope for possible regulatory actions has been broadened under the amended framework, but it remains uncertain to what extent the RBI will use the tools it has just made available.

Moreover, the RBI will not be able to address problems in the banking sector on its own. Significant efforts to resolve bad loans, for example, would leave banks in need of recapitalisation, given that haircuts and increased provisions would be required. State banks are generally in a poor position to raise new capital, which makes them largely reliant on the government for recapitalisation.

The RBI may use the PCA framework to identify weak banks as candidates for mergers. State Bank of India took over five smaller lenders earlier this month, and further consolidation could be part of the overall strategy to clean up the banking system. However, mergers would also require the support of the government.

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Housing Development & Infrastructure was up 3.11% to Rs 94.55 at 11:50 IST on BSE, extending Friday's gains triggered by the company's launch of a new residential project in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 151.94 points or 0.52% at 29,517.24. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 122.65 points or 0.81% at 15,288.96.

On the BSE, 22.78 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 17.95 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 96.80 and a low of Rs 92.10 so far during the day.

The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 108.75 on 12 July 2016 and a 52-week low of Rs 52.25 on 27 December 2016. It had outperformed the market over the past one month till 21 April 2017, advancing 17.41% compared with the Sensex's 0.41% fall. The scrip had also outperformed the market over the past one quarter, gaining 51.82% as against the Sensex's 8.62% rise.

The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 434 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Shares of Housing Development & Infrastructure (HDIL) have risen 5.34% in two trading sessions from its closing of Rs 89.75 on 20 April 2017, after the company said after market hours on 20 April 2017, it has launched a new residential project at Mulund, Mumbai. The stock had risen 2.17% to settle at Rs 91.70 on Friday, 21 April 2017.

HDIL announced that it has launched a new project 'The Nest' at Mulund, Mumbai, under the affordable housing brand 'Budget Homes', having 263 units open for sale in phase 1 of the project.

HDIL's consolidated net profit dropped 83.8% to Rs 16.23 crore on 65.5% decline in net sales to Rs 109.32 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015.

HDIL is a real estate development company, with significant operations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

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ACC, India Cements, South Indian Bank and Bharat Financial Inclusion are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 24 April 2017.

Indiabulls Real Estate jumped 8.54% at Rs 155 at 13:39 IST. The stock topped the gainers in 'A' group. On the BSE, 51.49 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 65.49 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

The stock has seen recent upsurge triggered by the company saying on 17 April 2017 its board considered various proposals for restructuring the business. The board considered the possibility of streamlining its existing 'residential', 'commercial' and 'leasing' businesses by segregating 'commercial & leasing' business carried on by itself and/or through its special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and vesting the same into Indiabulls Commercial Assets (ICAL) and restructuring/reorganizing its businesses.

ACC surged 7.62% at Rs 1,610.75. The stock was the second biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 1.17 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 21,000 shares in the past two weeks. The company's consolidated net profit fell 9.05% to Rs 211 crore on 7.76% rise in sales to Rs 3108 crore in Q1 March 2017 over Q1 March 2016. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 21 April 2017.

India Cements gained 7.5% at Rs 202.15. The stock was the third biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 16.39 crore shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 9.11 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

South Indian Bank surged 5.03% at Rs 25.05. The stock was the fourth biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 43.71 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 21.18 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Bharat Financial Inclusion rose 4.64% at Rs 782.95. The stock was the fifth biggest gainer in 'A' group. On the BSE, 3.59 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 4.22 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

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Maruti Suzuki India rose 0.25% to Rs 6,216.05 at 9:20 IST on BSE after the company unveiled the sketch of its all new DZIRE on 21 April 2017.

The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 21 April 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 112.23 points or 0.38% at 29,477.53.

On the BSE, 758 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 52,323 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 6,236.70 and a low of Rs 6,205 so far during the day.

Maruti Suzuki India said that the car will make its global debut in May 2017. The new DZIRE is designed to leave a lasting impression with its rich sculpted side body and enhanced proportions.

It is modern, sleek and agile. The unmistakable sedan proportions with low and wide stance lends an elegant road presence to the new DZIRE, company added.

Maruti Suzuki India's net profit rose 47.5% to Rs 1744.50 crore on 12.4% growth in net sales to Rs 16623.60 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015. The company announces Q4 results on Thursday, 27 April 2017.

Maruti Suzuki India is India's biggest car maker in terms of market share. Japanese parent Suzuki Motor Corporation currently holds 56.21% stake in Maruti Suzuki India (as per the shareholding pattern as on 31 March 2017).

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Five Indian nationals were jailed here on Monday for making fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund claims amounting to 167,253 Singapore dollars (US $120,422) between January 2015 to May last year, a media report said.

Kothandaraman Gnanam (29), Karunanidhi Rajesh (32), Ramaiyan Karthikeyan (44) and Waithiyalingam Karunanidhi (61), were each jailed for three years and three months.

Their accomplice, Karunanithi Saravanan (37) was jailed for three years and two months, the Strait Times reported.

The men were also fined between 14,000 Singapore dollars ($10,080) and 70,000 Singapore dollars ($50,400). Each man also had to fork out 51,952.71 Singapore dollars ($37,405) as a penalty.

The court heard that the men loitered in and around jewellery shops in Little India to obtain invoices and jewellery tags from customers such as Singapore permanent residents and work pass holders, who are not entitled to GST refunds.

Then they would buy the invoices from the customers but no mention was made on the amount they paid for each invoice.

Tourists visiting Singapore can claim GST refunds on goods they bought when they leave the country.

They receive a receipt for goods purchased and an eTRS ticket when they buy items from a GST-registered retailer.

The tourists can then use the eTRS ticket to make GST refund claims at ports of departure.

They can also make similar transactions using the credit cards which they had used to buy their goods.

The five men used their passports and white embarkation cards to obtain eTRS tickets from the respective shops using the receipts they had obtained, the daily reported.

They then matched the invoices, jewellery tags and eTRS tickets with the jewellery they already had in hand.

Karunanithi Saravanan also provided jewellery from his own wholesale purchases to his accomplices to help them in making false claims, according to the report.

The men would then claim eTRS GST cash refunds at the airport before flying off.

Investigators from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) nabbed them on February 1.

On Friday, the men pleaded guilty to 14 GST-related charges. Each man also had between 198 and 235 similar charges taken into consideration during sentencing.

Each man also pleaded guilty to between seven and 11 charges of removing money from the country.

--IANS

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Six people, including three security personnel, were injured during protests in Paris against the result of the first round of the French presidential elections, police said on Monday.

At least 29 people remained in police custody following the demonstrations in which leftist activists came out to voice their opposition to independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, both of whom are set to battle it out at the runoff Elysee Palace on May 7, the police told Efe news.

Anti-fascist and anti-capitalist demonstrators gathered at Place de la Bastille and Place de la Republique, in the heart of Paris, two hours before polling stations for the first round of voting closed on Sunday night at 8 p.m.

Initially, protestors built barricades in the squares, but as exit poll data started to filter through pointing to a victory for both Macron and Le Pen, the demonstrations became more violent.

Several people threw firecrackers, causing damage to nearby vehicles and shop windows.

Activists in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble also staged protests that turned violent.

--IANS

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The Central government on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the Aadhaar card was made mandatory for getting subsidised food grain through the Public Distribution System as this was not reaching the poor.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra was further informed by the government that around 2.33 crore ration cards, used to get the benefits under the PDS scheme, turned out to be fake.

PDS is mostly misused in the country so Aadhar card was mad mandatory, said the government.

The government's response came on a public interest litigation filed by NGO Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan which sought quashing of the Centre's February 8 notification that made it mandatory for beneficiaries to possess Aadhaar cards for purchasing subsidised food grain under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The notification is applicable in all states and Union Territories, except Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir.

The plea said due to the notification's implementation, people are being deprived of their rightful entitlement under the NFSA and it violates the Constitution's Articles 14 and 21.

Buyers of ration under the NFSA, who do not possess the Aadhaar cards, or are not yet enrolled for it but are desirous of availing subsidies under the NFSA, are required to file applications for Aadhaar enrolment by June 30.

The plea said in October 2015, a Supreme Court interim order had allowed for voluntary use of Aadhaar and ruled that no citizen can be denied a service or subsidy for its want as it sought directions to enforce what it said was the fundamental right to food to Delhi residents, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups dependent on subsidised food grain distributed by the Delhi government through the Public Distribution System.

--IANS

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump on Monday discussed North Korea over the telephone amid heightened tensions surrounding the country.

Abe described the 30 minutes talks as intensive, public broadcaster NHK reported.

He expressed appreciation for Trump's words and actions.

He said they agreed to strongly urge North Korea, which continues to make dangerous provocations, to show self-restraint.

Abe stressed that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is a grave security threat to Japan and the international community.

He referred to a joint drill involving Japanese destroyers and the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group now underway in the Western Pacific.

He said his country will continue to closely work with the US to maintain a high level of vigilance against possible North Korean actions.

--IANS

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Stability in Afghanistan is directly linked to peace in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, a minister has said.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said this in a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Eklil Ahmed Hakimi on Sunday during which he apprised the latter of the economic situation in Pakistan, The News International cited a Finance Ministry statement as saying.

Dar highlighted the steps taken by the Pakistan government for enhancing the growth rate and putting the country on the path of sustainable economic growth.

He also condemned the terrorist attack on an Afghan army base in Mazar-e-Sharif city and reiterated that Islamabad was willing to work closely with Kabul to establish peace in the South Asia region.

He told Hakimi that strong economic ties between the two countries were necessary to achieve the goal of peaceful neighbourhood.

Both the ministers agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Economic Commission of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the near future.

--IANS

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A tourist from Argentina was detained for entering the Jagannath Temple in Puri, said police on Monday.

Police said temple servitors spotted Dario Salvador Visciglia, clad in a dhoti and T-shirt, near the Goddess Laxmi temple while he was roaming inside the 12th-century shrine.

Later, he was handed over to police as non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple.

However, the foreigner was allowed to go after verification of the travel documents as a non-Hindu's entry into the temple is not a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Police said Visciglia and his wife, who are devotees of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), had been staying in an ashram in Puri since last couple of days with valid travel documents.

The couple hail from Buenos Aires.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the killing of 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists as "cowardly and deplorable".

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," Modi tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."

The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

--IANS

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Australian retailers are preparing for the invasion of US giant Amazon, and have vowed to take the fight up to the online-based store when it comes to local shores.

Amazon confirmed its rapid Australian expansion by announcing its search for a site to build its "fulfilment centre" - a large warehouse for storing and shipping goods purchased online, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

However local retailers, mostly from electronics and homewares division, including Harvey Norman's founder Gerry Harvey, said he would make it hard for Amazon to succeed Down Under.

Harvey Norman sells electronics, furniture and bedding - all markets in which Amazon hopes to hold a stake.

But Harvey has said that it would happily go toe-to-toe with the American behemoth to maintain its share in the Australian market.

"In America and other parts of the world, they (Amazon) have just demolished other retailers, no question about that, and they send a lot of retailers broke," Harvey told News Corp on Monday.

"There is no question they have one ambition, and like Attila the Hun, or Alexander the Great, they just want to demolish everything in front of them and then at the end of day claim to be victorious and make their own rules."

"So this is a company that is extraordinary by any measure and defies every rule that has ever been written about a business."

Some analysts have said that Amazon could take in as much as $three billion in sales in its first five years in Australia (around one per cent of the total $225 billion market).

However, Harvey has refuted those claims, saying that local retailers would be putting up "one hell of a fight" when Amazon launches its main retail services in Australia.

"We will be out there fighting them like no American retailer has ever fought them," he said. "Any price that they put we will beat or equal."

Meanwhile, Harvey's thoughts were backed up by those of former CEO of supermarket chain Woolworths, Roger Corbett, who said Amazon would struggle to replicate its lower wages and claims of lightning fast delivery to rural parts when it opens in Australia.

"Amazon will have an impact on the market place, but they are coming into an already very competitive market," he told News Corp.

--IANS

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Belgian ministers on Monday welcomed the direct flights since March 30 that connect Brussels and Mumbai.

Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders and Secretary for Foreign Trade Pieter De Crem hailed the move at the official inauguration of flights on Monday.

Belgian national carrier Brussels Airlines now flies five times a week between Brussels and Mumbai.

This new route is the only direct air connection between Belgium and India, the two ministers said in a joint statement.

De Crem will visit Mumbai and Ahmedabad from April 24 to 27. He will lead a business delegation and have several political meetings in Mumbai, the statement said.

He will also assist in a business seminar of the Confederation of Indian Industries, open a new Belgian honorary consulate and visit the Indian Institute for Public Health in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

--IANS

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India should focus more on its economy rather than building its aircraft carriers to check China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, an influential daily said on Monday.

An editorial in Global Times said India was "too impatient" to develop an aircraft carrier despite not being well-equipped -- financially as well as technologically.

The newspaper said both India and China need not engage in an "arms race", especially when Beijing was on the verge of launching its home-grown aircraft carrier.

The article came in the wake of Indian reports about China's indigenous aircraft carrier posing a threat to India.

China is likely to launch its first domestically-built aircraft carrier by the end of April, which will add up to its growing naval might.

Till now, the Liaoning is China's only aircraft carrier in operation. It was refitted based on an unfinished carrier from the former Soviet Union.

"With concerns expressed by Indian outlets about the rise of China's military strength, the two countries need to avert an arms race, especially at a time when China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier is being prepared for launch in late April," the editorial said.

"New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy."

It said China's naval build-up was in sync with its economic wherewithal and being the world's second-largest economy, Beijing was "capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels."

On the contrary, the newspaper said, "India could be taken as a negative example for building up aircraft carriers".

"India's first aircraft carrier was purchased from the UK in 1957, but the vessel was not adequate for modern strategic requirements, forcing India to develop its own aircraft carrier."

India's first aircraft carrier, INS Virat, was decommissioned in 1997. The second carrier, INS Viraat, also purchased from the UK in 1986, was formally decomissioned earlier this year. India currently operates only one carrier, INS Vikramaditya, which entered service in 2013 after an extensive refit following its purchase from Russia in 2004. The country's first indegenous carrier, also named INS Virat, is currently being constructed at Kochi and there are plans for at least one more such vessel.

"The country unveiled its first domestically built aircraft carrier in 2015, but the Wall Street Journal said in 2016 that top US naval engineers discovered it wouldn't be operational for up to a decade. New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier."

"The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers."

Beijing is increasingly becoming assertive in seas and engaged in a rapid build-up of its navy. Besides claiming almost the entire South China Sea, its influence is increasing in the Indian Ocean.

Beijing in the past has told India not consider the Indian Ocean its "own backyard."

The second-most powerful navy after the US, China has some 65 submarines whereas India has 14. In comparison to China's 48 frigates, India has 14.

Experts say that China's Yuan-class diesel-electric submarine models are quieter than US' nuclear ones.

"Aircraft carriers are seen as symbols of a nation's military might, but the construction of them consumes huge amounts of resources, thus requiring developing countries to learn how to keep their military ambitions in check," the editorial said.

"China had no aircraft carriers until 2012 when its first one, the Liaoning, was commissioned, adding to the evidence that China's pursuit of military development has been in synch with its overall economic expansion."

"China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development. The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions."

"In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development."

--IANS

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Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday denied as incorrect the perception that the Centre is imposing Hindi language on others, maintaining that the government has only notified the recommendations of a parliamentary panel.

"I was pained to read in a section of the media today (Monday) that DMK leader M.K. Stalin has alleged imposition of Hindi by the central government," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said in a statement here.

"The government of India has no intention to impose any language on anyone," he stressed.

"I would like to clarify that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language headed by the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram made a recommendation (about use of Hindi by Ministers, MPs etc.) and the same was forwarded to the President of India on June 2, 2011," Naidu said.

"This committee suggested that all those occupying high political offices and who can speak and read Hindi language may be requested to give their speeches/statements in Hindi. The President and all Ministers come in this category."

Naidu said the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led government notified this recommendation on March 31.

He said the committee's suggestion was only recommendatory and not mandatory.

"It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an ordinance was passed in this regard," Naidu said.

DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "attempting to decimate the unity of the nation" ever since he came to power at the Centre.

He also alleged that the BJP government was "betraying the non-Hindi speaking citizens".

Naidu, however, pointed out that the DMK was a member of the Union government in 2011 when this recommendation was made and forwarded by the parliamentary committee to the President.

--IANS

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Despite an increase in research output and international collaboration, chemistry research, "the central science", in India is "still not in the big league", an analysis has revealed.

Researchers Subbiah Arunachalam, Muthu Madhan and Subbiah Gunasekaran carried out a scientometric analysis of contributions from India in leading multidisciplinary chemistry journals over the 25-year period 1991-2015.

The study of measuring and analysing science research is called scientometrics.

"Chemistry is the 'central science'. Whether it is drugs and pharmaceuticals, materials, or several other areas, chemistry plays a key role. In times past, say till about four decades ago, there was a strong tradition of natural products chemistry in India, but later on the emphasis moved to other branches of chemistry," the authors told IANS when asked why is it important for India to take a lead in chemistry research.

But, as modern chemical research depends more and more on information technology - computer-based data collection and processing - India has to "try hard to keep pace" with progress worldwide, they said.

The study comes against the backdrop of comments on chemistry research in India made in three recent reports prepared by Nature Index, Elsevier and Thomson Reuters.

According to the Nature Index report, chemistry is doing well in India and it is the top performer, while the Thomson Reuters report, prepared for the Department of Science and Technology, says research in the field is growing rapidly in the country.

However, India, despite its huge share of the world's population (about 17 per cent), continues to be poorly represented in the top journals, the study revealed.

The country's share of papers in the Journal of the American Chemical Society is 0.7 per cent compared to 58.4 per cent for US, 7.6 per cent for Germany and 5.1 per cent for China, and its share in Angewandte Chemie International Edition is 1.2 per cent, compared to 28 per cent for Germany, 25.3 per cent for US and 9.9 per cent for China.

This could be due to the fact that till recently, Indian universities did not encourage mobility across disciplines.

"That only a small number of Indian researchers and institutions publish in leading journals is also a matter for concern. India accounts for only a small number of papers in the top one percentile of the most highly cited chemistry papers, whereas China leads the world," the study pointed out.

Chemistry research in India is still not in the big league, the authors said.

"If we look at chemistry worldwide, what we do in India does not make big news among chemists and other scientists," they said.

The researchers compared India's performance with that of China as a benchmark.

"Overall, the number of chemistry papers from India increased steadily between 2007 and 2014. We have not compared India and China in this study but have merely highlighted a couple of points to emphasise how far we have to go," the authors clarified.

China is way ahead not only in chemistry but in all sciences. In terms of number of papers and average citations, they have been ahead of India for several years, they said.

To address the gaps, the authors suggest that researchers and funders need to identify important questions and areas of research and focus their attention on those areas.

"At the practical level, we should have many summer schools and winter schools for young researchers, encourage collaboration, invite overseas researchers, and so on. Accountability and time-bound completion of projects are a must," the authors added.

Of the study authors, Arunachalam and Madhan are in the DST Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru while Arunachalam is also the Centre for Internet and Society, Bengaluru. Gunasekaran is in the Knowledge Resources Centre, Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi.

The study was published in April in Current Science.

--IANS

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The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday urged the Chinese government not to repatriate eight North Korean defectors, who would face "a real risk of torture, incarceration in forced labour camps and public executions".

"The government in Beijing should respect its obligations under the Refugee Convention by protecting these eight North Koreans, and under no circumstances force them back to North Korea," HRW Asia director Phil Robertson said in a statement.

The petition is in reference to eight North Koreans who have been detained since March, after being identified by China's Ministry of Public Security during a routine check on a highway near the city of Shenyang, Efe news reported.

North Korean defectors are compelled to choose this route of escape, given the impossibility of reaching South Korea by land and that Beijing will not harbour the defectors because China does not consider them political refugees.

People who flee North Korea typically attempt to travel to Thailand or Mongolia, via China.

The defectors can then request asylum at South Korean embassies and consulates in those third party countries.

Several who have managed to survive claim that the North Korean regime routinely punishes those who are repatriated by "subjecting them to torture, sexual violence, forced labour - and even worse," Robertson said in the statement.

Activists and family members of the defectors have informed HRW, that over the last nine months, 41 North Koreans have been detained in China.

The non-profit believes that China has deported at least nine of the detainees have been deported back to North Korea.

--IANS

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As colleges and universities opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir Valley, students again clashed with security forces and resorted to stone pelting, officials said.

Students of the S. P. College assembled on the Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in Srinagar.

Police tried to prevent the students from blocking the road.

Sporadic clashes continued as security forces tried to restore traffic on the highway.

An official statement said all universities, colleges and higher secondary (Class 12 level) schools would open for academic activities in the valley on Monday.

These educational institutions had remained closed for over a week following widespread protests by students after security forces entered a college in south Kashmir's Pulwama town on April 12.

Over 50 students were injured after they protested against a temporary check-post outside the college by the security forces.

The security forces attracted criticism after video clippings showing students being beaten inside the college premises by them, went viral on social networking sites.

--IANS

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Actress Erin Moran, best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham on the American sitcom "Happy Days", spent her final days reportedly broke and homeless.

Moran died of a suspected heroin overdose at the age of 56 in Indiana on April 22, reports dailymail.co.uk.

A report in dailymail.co.uk claims that she had squandered her money and was without a permanent place to live.

Actor Henry Winkler even tried to help Moran get a spot on his show "Arrested Development" as it emerged that she had been bouncing around motels after a drunken brawl with her mother-in-law in 2012.

Child actor advocate Paul Petersen said that his team did its best with the actress but she 'ran from the help'.

According to dailymail.co.uk, Moran was seen looking worse outside a Holiday Inn in fall 2012, after reportedly being kicked out of the trailer she lived in with her husband Steve Fleischmann.

The National Enquirer had claimed that Moran was bouncing from motel to motel and that she was on the verge of a split from her husband, who she married in 1993.

--IANS

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The AIADMK faction led by former Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam on Monday said that it remains steadfast on its two demands - a CBI probe into the death of former Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa and throwing out party General Secretary V.K.Sasikala and her family out of the party.

Speaking to reporters here, a leader of the faction K.P.Munusamy said the death of Jayalalithaa has raised several doubts in the minds of crores of people.

The Tamil Nadu government has to write to the central government requesting for a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Jayalalithaa's death, he said.

Strict secrecy was maintained about Jayalalithaa's health condition when she was in Apollo Hospital for 75 days last year. She died on December 5, 2016.

According to Munusamy, the seven member committee formed by the ruling AIADMK faction has not called the Panneerselvam group for talks on unification of the two groups.

He said different leaders are voicing different views in the ruling camp and it seems some unseen force is directing them.

Munusamy added that Sasikala and all her family members should be removed from the AIADMK.

--IANS

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France's defeated political establishment has begun to rally against far-right leader Marine Le Pen as she goes head-to-head against political newcomer Emmanuel Macron in the final race for the French presidency on May 7.

As Le Pen celebrated the highest-ever voting tally for her Front National (NF) party, candidates knocked out in the first round began to endorse Macron, who ended his insurgent campaign with a first-place finish that confounded expectations, CNN reported.

Anti-EU Le Pen received 21.42 per cent of votes, while Macron was leading in the first election round with 23.86 per cent, according to the preliminary results, published by the French Interior Ministry as having 97 per cent of votes counted.

Both go through to a runoff on May 7.

The result amounted to a comprehensive rejection of traditional in France.

It is the first time in six decades that neither of France's main left-wing or right-wing parties has had a candidate in the second round.

Francois Fillon, the mainstream Republican candidate whose campaign foundered amid corruption allegations, emerged swiftly from his defeat with words of support for Macron.

"I promise you, extremism can only bring unhappiness and division to France," he said, describing the National Front as a party of "violence" and "intolerance."

"There is no other choice but to vote against the far right," he said.

The Socialist Party's candidate, Benoit Hamon, also warned against a Le Pen victory.

"I appeal to you in the strongest terms to beat the National Front by voting for Emmanuel Macron, even though he is not part of the Left," Hamon wrote on Twitter.

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve tweeted his support for Macron, calling on voters to back him in the second round "to combat the National Front's disastrous project to take France backwards and to divide the French people".

Government spokesperson Stephane Le Foll said that incumbent President Francois Hollande will also vote for Macron.

The European Union's head office said France faces a choice between the defence of the EU and those "seeking its destruction", the Telegraph reported.

The European Commission also waded into the contest as Macron was described as a "French John F. Kennedy" - while Le Pen accused him of being "weak" in the fight against Islamic terrorism.

Describing how circumstances had forced the hand of its President, Jean-Claude Juncker, a European Commission spokesman said "the choice was a fundamental one", adding that Macron represents the pro-European values while Le Pen "seeks its destruction".

Alexander Lambsdorff, a vice president of the European Parliament described Macron as a "French John F. Kennedy" and said his first-round victory is good news for Europe.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the boost for Macron shows "France AND Europe can win together!", while Sigmar Gabriel, the German Foreign Minister, said a Macron victory would signal a "new beginning for Europe".

Macron, who quit current Hollande's Socialists only last year ago to launch En Marche party, described himself as the "patriotic choice for France" in a victory speech to his supporters.

His party pushes a liberal, pro-EU agenda.

His rival, Le Pen, took over the FN leadership from her father in January 2011.

Her party wants to slash immigration, clamp down on free trade, and overturn France's relationship with Europe.

Following the first round results, Le Pen made an "appeal to all patriots", saying a vote for her was the key to the "survival of France".

Meanwhile, French police said six officers and three demonstrators were injured during election night violence.

Police said on Monday they had detained 29 people in the unrest between protesters and police at the Place de la Bastille in Paris.

Activists in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble also staged protests that turned violent.

Also, stocks in France and exchanges in European markets opened with rosy note on Monday at the prospect of Macron winning the second round of presidential elections.

The euro jumped to a five-month high after the first round of voting.

--IANS

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Refuting allegations of irregularities against the Governnment e-Marketplace (GeM) levelled by the Congress, the government on Monday said GeM is a transparent, digital public procurement portal and the opposition charges are based on forged letters.

On Friday, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on the basis of letters written by eight BJP members of parliament alleged "a massive scam" in the GeM portal due to "irregularities and malpractices". He said the rates on GeM for procurement are more than the rate contract, as a result of which the government bears a loss of crores of rupees.

"Department of Commerce strongly denies the baseless, motivated and malafide charges levelled by Randeep Surjewala against GeM," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters here.

Explaining that the prices quoted in the GeM are dynamic which favour the government, while the fixed rate contract (RC) applies for a period of 1-2 years, Sitharaman cited the recent acquisition of 54,000 smartphones for women aanganwadi workers in five states through GeM.

"The price at which these handsets were procured were the lowest in the market and resulted in a saving of Rs 7 crore," Sitharaman said.

"Member of Parliament Ajay Nishad has already denied in writing having written the said letter and says it is a forgery. Besides, theletters of Ajay Nishad and Lok Sabha MP Ashok M. Nete are exactly similar," the minister said.

Also, the letters written by the Lok Sabha members Harish Dwivedi, Arjun Lal Meena, Alok Sanjar, Rajesh Verma, Radheshyam Biswas and Kaushal Kishore, have all put in the similar request of extension of software, storage, networking, security items on DGS&D (Directorate General of Supplies and Disposal) Rate Contract, she said.

"Facts clearly indicate that there are vested interests operating behind this malicious campaign against GeM and in all likelihood, it appears to be the handiwork of certain interested groups who have been badly hit owing to discontinuation of RC," Sitharaman added.

Noting that the government has made a saving of over Rs 100 crore on the total procurement of around Rs 450 crore that has taken place so far through GeM, Sitharaman said: "Government as a policy is reducing the items on fixed rate conttr5act and bringing them on GeM."

"Already over 100 items have been put in the e-marketplace. In the process, the interest among sellers and vendors has increased in GeM."

She said that as and when the fixed contracts expire for items, these would be transferred to the GeM.

"Besides, GeM will go to all states, so that state government procurement can be done through it," she added.

--IANS

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Heritage Foods Limited (HFL), a leading dairy company owned by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's family, on Monday said that it had set a target of Rs 6,000 crore turnover by 2022.

Celebrating its silver jubilee, the company announced that along with its core business vertical of milk, it aims to enhance contribution of value-added products from current 24 to 40 per cent in the next five years.

Nara Brahmani, executive director of HFL, told reporters here that the firm currently handles 14 lakh litres of milk per day and this will go up to 32 lakh litres per day by 2022.

Brahmani, daughter-in-law of Naidu, said Heritage Foods would achieve the target by both organic and inorganic growth.

She along with her mother-in-law Nara Bhuvaneshwari, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of HFL, and other top company executives unveiled the new brand identity.

The company, which had turnover of Rs 2,380 crore in 2015-16, sold its retail, bakery and agri business to Future Retail Limited last year to consolidate and focus on dairy as a single line business.

As part of its inorganic expansion, Heritage recently acquired dairy business of Reliance Retail. The tie-up helped Heritage foray in five states in northern India, making it a pan-India player.

Heritage, which has presence in 15 states, is looking to expand at other geographies.

Heritage President M. Sambasiva Rao said the company planned to set up five new milk plants each with an investment of Rs 20 to 30 crore over next five years.

It currently procures milk in eight states and has 15 processing plants.

Brahmani said the company, being the leading player in curd segment, would launch varied products in Yogurt market, by tying up with an international partner.

Rao said a special purpose vehicle would be formed for the joint venture with the international partner. "Details will be announced within a month."

It also plans to launch new and high-end value added products, including products in beverages segment.

Recalling that it was on April 24, 1992, that Naidu started the company to empower farmers, Brahmani said with Rs 4 crore turnover in the first year, it had come a long way and emerged as one of the fastest growing public listed companies in India.

She said the company's rebranding would infuse new energy and prepare it to embark on aggressive expansion plans to new markets.

Stating that there are over one million consumers who use at least one Heritage product every day, Brahmani said the complete changeover of packaging was aimed at appealing to wider customer base across India.

--IANS

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Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui on Monday released a new video in which he says that he has got his DNA test done to know his religion and discovered that he is a 100 percent artist.

Nawazuddin took to Twitter to release the 55-seconds video, where the actor was seen holding placard in which he has written that he has got the DNA test done.

"Hi I am Nawazuddin Siddiqui. I had got my DNA test done and when the reports came in, I found that...I am 16.66 percent Hindu, 16.66 percent Muslim, 16.66 percent Sikh, 16.66 percent Christian, 16.66 Buddhist, 16.66 of all the religions in the world, but when I discovered my soul I found that I am a 100 percent artist," Nawazuddin's cards read.

The video starts with him introducing himself in regular clothes. He is also seen dressed in white kurta-pyjama with a saffron cloth over his shoulder and a vermillion on his forehead.

Then he is seen dressed in a black bandhgala with a white karakul. He next poses in a red turban with thick moustache.

Nawazuddin then wears the robes of member of the Church with a cross around his neck following that he wears a Buddhist monk's robes.

On the acting front, Nawazuddin will be seen in "Munna Michael", "Manto" and "Mom".

--IANS

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India's military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world's fifth largest spender at $55.9 billion, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) revealed on Monday.

As per the figures, the US remains the world's largest military spender registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.

Four others in the top 15 spenders include China, Japan, South Korea, Australia.

China is second on the list spending $215 billion, an increase of 5.4 per cent.

However, the growth rate was "much lower" than in the previous years, the SIPRI report said.

Russia increased its spending by 5.9 per cent to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender.

Saudi Arabia, the third largest spender in 2015, dropped to the fourth position in 2016 with its spending dropping by 30 per cent in 2016 to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.

Pakistan does not figure in the top 15 spenders and spent $9.93 billion.

"The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq," the report said, adding however that US' 2016 figures remained 20 per cent lower than its peak in 2010.

"Despite continuing legal restraints on the overall US budget, increases in military spending were agreed upon by Congress," said Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) programme.

"Future spending patterns remain uncertain due to the changing political situation in the US."

Military expenditure in Western Europe rose for the second consecutive year and was up by 2.6 per cent, while falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending.

Last year's global military spending accounted for 2.2 per cent of the worldwide GDP.

Military spending as a share of GDP, was highest in the Middle East with an average of 6.0 per cent, while the lowest was in the Americas, with an average of 1.3 per cent.

However, data for all Middle Eastern countries was not available.

For countries where data is available, substantial increases were seen in Iran and Kuwait, while sizable decreases were noted in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, SIPRI said.A

In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure rose by 4.6 per cent in 2016. Spending levels are related to the many tensions in the region such as over territorial rights in the South China Sea.
Warning that most terrorism "across the world have some footprint" in Pakistan, Indian Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday that the international community has to take action.

While India's relations with its neighbours have improved, "our problem comes from our western neighbour" because of terrorism, he said at the Council on Foreign Relations here.

Every initiative by India to improve ties with Pakistan have met with hostile reactions, the latest being the "unprovoked gesture of a military court sentencing an Indian to death through a kangaroo court process" in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"I think that doesn't help the cause of peace in the region at all," he said.

Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was a spy for India and following his capture under controversial circumstances in area near the border with Iran, a military court handed him a death sentence.

"If you've seen all our efforts over the last few years to normalize the relationship (with Pakistan), we've seen a reaction," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "went there, and it was immediately followed up by an attack in Pathankot air base in India, then an attack on our Uri military camp".

Answering audience questions about the state of India's relations with neighbours, Jaitley said economic relationship was an area of strength with China and has picked up significantly, but border problems persisted despite an initiative by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve them.

"We had a mechanism set up in order to resolve the (issue) and define the border itself," he said. But over the last 14 years, "the mechanism has not been able to come out with an answer".

"We believe that it's important the border get settled, because that's in the interests of regional peace," he added. "And obviously, you'll have occasionally some issues arising because of that unsettled situation."

China is now India's biggest commercial partner accounting for about $70 billion in annual bi-lateral trade.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

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An Italian journalist held in Turkey for about two weeks while filming in an area near the Syrian border has been released and is on his way home, a top official said on Monday.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu had informed him of the decision to release documentary filmmaker and journalist Gabriele del Grande, who was on a hunger strike in protest against his detention without charge, Efe news reported.

"Gabriele del Grande is free," Alfano tweeted, adding he was returning to Italy. His family had been informed.

The Italian government had intensified contact with the Turkish authorities to request Del Grande's release.

The maker of "On the Bride's Side", a documentary on the drama of immigration, was arrested on April 10 in Turkey during a police check on the Syrian border while filming refugees.

According to Italian reports, the Turkish authorities said he did not have the required permits to film in that area.

After his arrest, the Turkish authorities banned him from communicating with the outside world.

Days later, he was allowed to call his family to tell them he had begun a hunger strike in protest against his arrest.

--IANS

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Bologna (Italy), April 24 (IANS/AKI) An Italian journalist detained for two weeks in Turkey while researching refugees near the Syrian border flew back to Italy on Monday after his release.

Arriving here after his deportation from Turkey, Gabriele Del Grande told reporters he was well treated in detention.

"No harm of any kind was done to me, they did not touch a hair on my head," said 34-year-old Del Grande.

He said his thoughts were with "all the journalists who are still in prison in Turkey and elsewhere in the world, in much worse conditions than I experienced.

"I still don't know why I was arrested. I was not charged with any offence," said Del Grande, who is writing a book on the Syrian conflict.

He said he was a victim of "institutional violence" and claimed his detention had been "illegal".

Del Grande said he was arrested by plainclothes policemen after they grilled him about his research and only learnt overnight that he was being deported.

Del Grande was expelled from a repatriation centre in the Aegean province of Mugla early on Monday after an investigation into him was completed, Turkish daily Hurriyet said, citing unnamed sources.

The blogger, writer and human rights activist began a hunger strike last week after claiming he had no access to a lawyer and had been "interrogated" on the content of his research.

Del Grande, who is from the Tuscan city of Lucca, was met at Bologna airport by his parents and by Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, who negotiated Del Grande's release with Turkish authorities.

Alfano told journalists he was happy Del Grande had been freed and to see he had arrived home in good health.

--IANS

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India and France on Monday began their week-long bilateral naval exercise Varuna in France's Toulon port, a navy statement said.

The Indian contingent comprises Indian Naval Ships Mumbai, Trishul and Aditya, part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the west coast of Africa, and part of an anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

Another Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, which is also a part of this group, has proceeded to London, Navy said.

Mumbai, Trishul, and Aditya, will be at Toulon for three days, which will include the harbour phase of the joint exercise.

After that, the exercise's sea leg will start, and Tarkash will also have interactions with the French Navy as a part of the exercise later, Navy officials said.

The Varuna series of exercises began in 2000 and have grown into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies. The last installment was held off the Indian coast.

"The current visit seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and like-minded countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen the existing bonds between India and France," said the Indian Navy statement.

Western Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra is also in France with his visit coinciding with the visit by the ships.

Luthra is scheduled to visit the French frigate FNS Auvergne, a French Nuclear Submarine Unit, as well as an Underwater Weapons Facility. He would also call on senior official in France, including Vice Admiral Charles-Henri du Che, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Sea Area (CECMED).

--IANS

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Remember Julia Child? The famous chef known for introducing French delicacies to the US? In similar fashion, a Frenchman has been keeping alive his country's recipes in the very heart of the national capital for the past six years.

L'Opera -- Kazem Samandari's initiative -- is a delightful place that offers authentic and explicit French bakery and pastry products and has been successful in bringing the best of the French recipes to the people of Delhi.

Samandari came to India along with his wife nine years ago to stay along with their daughter and ever since have became a part of the country.

Just step inside the small patisseree in Khan Market and the sensational aroma of chocolate and coffee mesmerises you.

An exquisite array of breads, Viennese, mini-Viennese, pastries, tarts, cakes, biscuits, salads, quiches, sandwiches, feuilletes, tapas, canapes and many more is spread across the outlet.

"The whole idea of L'Opera was accidental, it is not something that we thought of doing initially. It was my son's idea to come up with the concept of L'Opera," Samandari told IANS.

For him, the absence of authentic and original French bakeries in the national capital paved way for L'Opera.

"Hence we thought that L'Opera can be that perfect escape for the pastry and bakery lovers who are looking for that original taste of French culinary in India," Samandari added.

Over six years, L'Opera has grown a lot and now is a food chain with 15 outlets in the NCR region and one in Dehradun. It is also planning to expand its reach to other metros and take its count to 66 in next five years.

Samandari claimed that it is the authenticity and very high quality of its products that makes L'Opera stand out from others.

And to prove his word, came a croissant, a fluffy ceation that brings alive the rich taste of butter and softness when tossed inside mouth.

"We have got Paris to India. When people come here to eat and say 'This reminds me exactly of what I had in Paris' makes us happy and proud," Samandari noted.

For Samandari, the success of L'Opera is a great indication of the fact that India welcomes cuisines from across the globe.

"India is a combination of many many people of different origins. Indians are global. It is a very good thing that in India there is an increasingly interest for French type bakery and pastry products, because this develops the market," he maintained.

Samandari also pointed that though the products reflect the rich flavours of France, the soul remains very much Indian.

How?

"The raw material used for baking and making the items are mostly Indian products. If the Indian products are not of highest quality then we use imported products," he replied.

For him, fusion is a great way of indulging two different flavours and coming up with a new exclusive dish like that of strawberry pepper.

However, 'Indianising' of items is something that hasn't yet been thought about and nor are there any future plans to do so.

"We strictly don't believe in the amalgamation of the Indian flavours in our products. Let there be some French taste," Samandari responded.

And to get the feel of Paris while sitting at the Khan Market outlet, this foodie went ahead and tried some of the personal favourites of Samandari.

First came the Eclair Coffee -- thick layer of coffee enriched cream over the bun as well as stuffed inside, then nutty chocolate treat and chocolate mille feuille -- both chocolate based pastries, a heavenly pleasure for anyone who is in deep love with the flavour of chocolate. It was followed by the macaroons. I devoted myself in two varieties of macaroons -- salty caramel and macaroon rose, both delicious.

A single bite of any of these products will end up increasing your appetite and making you crave for more.

Till then, Bon Appetit!

(The writer visited L'Opera at its invitation. Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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Twelve CRPF troopers were killed and half a dozen injured when Maoists ambushed them in Chhattigarh's Sukma district on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire when the members of the Central Reserve Police Force 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa around 1.30 p.m.

A police officer said the troopers, who formed a 99-member Road Opening Party, were readying for lunch when they came under a volley of gun fire. The Maoists also hurled hand grenades.

Eleven men were killed instantly and another critically wounded trooper succumbed to his injuries in a Raipur hospital.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R.P. Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon.

Oraon is in critical condition while the others were said to be out of danger.

"The injured were evacuated by helicopter," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

Sukma Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla confirmed the 12 deaths.

This is the same area where a Maoist carnage in 2010 left 76 CRPF troopers dead. At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.

--IANS

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Hundreds of Maoists on Monday ambushed and massacred at least 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

The Central Reserve Police Force said the deadly ambush took place at 12.30 p.m. when its 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa.

CRPF's Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

A trooper who survived the horror said about 300 Maoists surprised the paramilitary personnel when they were readying for lunch.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed hand grenades too, taking the CRPF by surprise.

The CRPF personnel were helping a Road Opening Party when they came under attack.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R.P. Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon.

Mohammed and Oraon were said to be out of danger.

"The injured were evacuated by helicopter," Dinakaran told IANS. "Our party was deployed for road opening to provide security to road construction activities."

Security forces have launched a major search operation.

This is the same area where a Maoist carnage in 2010 left 76 CRPF troopers dead. At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.

--IANS

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Hundreds of Maoists on Monday massacred at least 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion in a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths of the troopers won't go in vain.

The Central Reserve Police Force said the ambush began at 12.30 p.m., leading to a gun battle between the troopers and the Maoists who, survivors said, used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers.

Troopers who survived the horror said the Maoists, women included, emerged out of the blue before opening indiscriminate fire.

CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

Two more men died subsequently in hospital, taking the toll to 26.

The 99-member CRPF patrol assisting a Road Opening Party was reportedly readying for lunch when it came under attack, taking the victims by surprise.

Air Force helicopters evacuated the wounded to hospitals in Raipur, officials said.

Security forces launched a major search operation to track down the Maoists.

This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed. Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Modi saluted the CRPF.

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."

The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killings and offered tributes to the dead and condolences to their families.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killings of the CRPF personnel.

"The sacrifice of 24 brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter our fight against extremism," Sonia Gandhi tweeted.

Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh blamed the massacre on "complete intelligence failure on the ground level".

The killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.

Maoists aligned to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist have been active in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated interiors for decades, running a virtual parallel state.

--IANS

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Militants on Monday shot dead a District President of Jammu and Kashmir's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Pulwama district.

Police said the militants fired at Abdul Gani Dar when he was travelling in a vehicle near Pingalana village, about 30 km from Srinagar.

"He was shifted to Srinagar for treatment but he succumbed to injuries," a police officer said. Dar headed the PDP in Pulwama district.

--IANS

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BJP chief Amit Shah begins a three-day political campaign in West Bengal from Tuesday, kickstarting his booth level public interactions with house visits to Naxalbari - where the Maoist movement in India was born half a century back - and carpet bombing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's constituency the next day.

Amit Shah's visit, aimed at giving a boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to corner more political space in the eastern state and emerge as the main opposition to the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, also includes meetings with party workers and addressing gatherings of intellectuals.

The Naxalbari block in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling district was the stage for an armed peasant uprising in 1967 led by the local tribals that inspired the Maoist movement which spread to various other states through the years. The Maoists are also called Naxalites, the name being derived from Naxalabari.

Shah is slated to visit a booth at Naxalabari, where he would hold a party workers' meeting before leading a mass contact programme with a tour to five-six houses. Other national and state level BJP leaders like Union Minister S.S. Ahluwalia and party National Secretary Rahul Sinha, would simultaneously contact residents of some other houses, the party said.

However, Sinha said the visit has no connect with the Naxalbari movement.

"There is no specific significance in Shah starting his programme from Naxalbari. This is a party decision. The event could have been started from any other block," Sinha told IANS over phone.

"This booth level contact programme is meant to enthuse our grassroot workers," he said.

Shah would wrap up his programmes on Tuesday with a meeting with intellectuals at the Siliguri Indoor Stadium.

On Wednesday, Shah would reach Kolkata and head straight for ASouth Kolkata's Bhowanipore, the constituency of the Chief Minister. She also lives in the constituency.

The constituency is considered a mini India of sorts, with a large number of Gujarati residents, as also a fair share of Sikhs and Marwaris, besides housing the ancestral houses of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had surprised one and all by establishing a lead from the assembly segment, with pundits attributing it to the Gujaratis voting en bloc to see one of their brethren (Narendra Modi) as the country's Prime Minister.

In last year's assembly election, however, the BJP finished a distant third, despite fielding Netaji's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose. Banerjee retained the seat with a huge margin.

Beginning his day with a press conference at the Press Club, Kolkata, Shah would do a repeat of Siliguri by holding a booth workers' meeting followed by a hour-long mass contact programme (Booth Sampark Karyakram) by visiting some houses.

"It is the Chief Minister's constituency. He wants to see the state of development programmes in her constituency. Also, residents of the area requested him to visit Bhowanipore," BJP state General Secretary Debasree Chaudhuri told IANS.

On Wednesday evening, Shah would address intellectuals and BJP office bearers at Mahajati Sadan.

In the last leg of his visit on Thursday, Shah is slated to meet representatives of the various Sangh Parivar outfits, hold parleys with the core team of BJP leaders in the state, and then proceed to Newtown, Rajarhat, in the city's north eastern fringe for another round of booth workers' meeting and mass contact programme.

Shah's programme is being seen as a part of the BJP's efforts to strengthen the party organisation at the grass roots, where the Trinamool has an intimidating and overwhelming presence far outstripping other political parties.

Fresh from its spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has made Bengal, Odisha and Kerala as the target states.

The BJP President's visit to Bengal also comes in the backdrop of the party's noteworthy result in the Kanthi Dakshin assembly seat by-polls where it emerged runners up to the Trinamool, leaving the Left Front and the Congress way behind.

--IANS

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) here on Monday concluded its first open hearing of cases related to grievances of the Scheduled Tribes, and called for setting up a human rights panel in the northeastern state.

The NHRC, which heard eight cases, said there is a need to create public awareness of human rights and sensitise government functionaries on these.

"The commission, by holding the sitting, is attempting to take justice to the doorsteps of the people," said NHRC Member Justice D. Murugeshan (retd).

He said the State Human Rights Commission was needed to better protect the rights of Nagaland residents.

--IANS

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday condemned the Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh, which left at least 26 troopers dead.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured," the President said in a tweet.

Hundreds of Maoists massacred at least 26 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.

--IANS

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Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will be paying India a state visit from April 25 to 29, an official statement said.

"This is the first visit of the President Anastasiades to India," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.

Starting his visit from Mumbai on April 25, President Anastasiades will have a meeting with Governor of Maharashtra C. Vidyasagar Rao.

On April 26, he will address a business forum in the western metropolis and laterb in the day travel to Delhi.

On April 28, he will be accorded ceremonial welcome and will participate in delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Pranab Mukherjee will hold a banquet in his honour.

Cyprus, eighth largest foreign investor in India, has cumulative Foreign Direct Investment of above $8.5 billion in areas of financial leasing, stock exchange, auto manufacture, manufacturing industries, real estate, cargo handling, construction, shipping and logistics.

On November 18, India and the Mediterranean island nation signed a revised agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, along with its protocol. This replaced the earlier Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) signed on June 13, 1994.

The revised DTAA will enable source based taxation of capital gains on shares, except in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.

In addition, the DTAA will bring into effect updated provisions as per international standards and in accordance with the consistent position of India.

"Some Agreements and Memorandum of Understandings are currently under negotiation and will be signed during the visit," the statement said.

President Anastasiades had meetings with Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2015.

In October 2009, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil paid a state visit to Cyprus.

--IANS

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her government would prioritise the state's interest when it comes to the Teesta water sharing deal with Bangladesh.

"We have said earlier as well that we have to protect the interest of our state as well. If there is sufficient water left after providing it to all the people in the state, we have no issues in giving the spare water to Bangladesh," said Banerjee, who is on a trip to north Bengal.

She said the state government shares a good relation with the neighbouring country and mentioned having helped them with the state's spare water earlier.

"We love Bangladesh. We have helped Bangladesh earlier by providing water from the Farakka barrage. Besides, I have also proposed that the water from other rivers like Torsha, Dharla could be tapped if needed," she added.

Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, was invited for talks to New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina during the latter's four-day visit to India from April 7. During the deliberations, the Teesta water sharing issue was discussed, but no headway made.

--IANS

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Indians are known for their preference for male children, and according to a new study, some Indian-origin couples living in Canada -- mostly those from Punjab and the Hindi heartland -- may be practicing sex selective abortion out of a preference for boys.

Interestingly, the research published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, found that longer the women lived in Canada, the greater was the gender imbalance in live births.

The practice of sex selective abortion appeared to be more common among those who already had two daughters.

Canada has no legal restrictions on sex-determination tests and sex-selective abortion unless use of reproductive technology is involved.

The study was done by the same group of researchers who reported last year that more male babies than expected were being born to Indian-born women living in Canada.

In their research published in 2016, the researchers found that women born in India, who already have two daughters, gave birth to 196 baby boys in Ontario for every 100 girls while in most of the world, between 103 and 107 boys are born for every 100 girls and Canadian-born women living in Canada give birth to about 105 boys for every 100 girls.

The new study revealed that the skewed ratio of male to female babies born to Indian-born women does not change with the length of time the women live in Canada, as the researchers would have expected it to.

The findings suggest that the gender imbalance will not be corrected without interventions that include community involvement and education, said lead researcher Marcelo Urquia from St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Noting that India is a culturally and linguistically diverse country, Urquia, who is also Assistant Professor at University of Manitoba, set out to see whether the practice was more common among some groups.

He looked at records relating to 46,834 live births to Indian-born women who immigrated to the province of Ontario between 1985 and 2012 and gave birth in Canada between 1993 and 2014.

Among all Indian-born women with two previous daughters, elevated male-to-female ratios were particularly evident among women whose mother tongue was Punjabi, findings of the latest study showed.

At their third delivery in Ontario, these women had 240 boys for every 100 girls.

The researchers also examined whether this sex imbalance corrected itself after immigrants spent more time in Canada.

Women whose mother tongue was Punjabi gave birth to 213 boys for every 100 girls if they had lived in Canada for less than 10 years. The number went up to 270 boys for every 100 girls if they had lived in Canada for more than 10 years -- the opposite of what researchers would have expected, Urquia said.

Indian-born women whose mother tongue was Hindi gave birth to 163 boys for every 100 girls overall, 130 boys if they lived in Canada less than 10 years, and 217 boys if they lived in Canada for more than 10 years, the study said.

--IANS

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The lead pair Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon of the upcoming film "Raabta" paid tribute to the 1995 blockbuster "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" (DDLJ) by recreating one of its scenes featuring superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol at a railway station.

In Dinesh Vijan's "Raabta", there's a scene where Sushant and Kriti are at a railway station. On the day of the shoot, Kriti suggested that they should re-enact the famous DDLJ train scene.

Kriti convinced the director Vijan. Kriti was shot running in slow-motion as Sushant was aboard a train that started leaving the station. What's interesting is that this optional shot that was done just for fun has made it to the final cut of the film.

Kriti said in a statement: "'Raabta' being a young love story and doing a little tribute to the most loved love story of Bollywood just seemed so apt. We did it for our own mad enjoyment and I can't believe it has made its way into the film."

Vijan said it was an "impromptu thing".

"The scene needed to underline Kriti's character who is dying to get one last glimpse of her lover who is leaving her. Looking back, I'm glad we shot an option of the train pulling out and Kriti running alongside it, DDLJ style. I guess it could be a humble little bow to one of our most epic love stories," he added.

"Raabta" is set to release on June 9.

--IANS

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The authorities who will monitor the Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, (RERA) should concentrate on seeing all the existing projects are completed and delivered before allowing new projects, an official of National Real Estate Development Council (Naredco) said on Monday.

"RERA is the new paradigm which has come in. People will have to find ways not only by the builders but also by the enlightened buyers with RERA authorities come into force.

"The most critical is the Union and state governments to see how deliveries can be made as shorter time period as possible. Before new projects are allowed, we need to see all the existing projects are completed, delivered so that while you (builder) take approvals for new projects, you (builder) continue the process," said Naredco Chairman Rajeev Talwar.

"RERA is a good piece of legislation," he said, adding his hope that the problems the buyers have been facing will now become the story of the past.

"Buyers have been facing problems for almost a decade. Interest of the buyers must be protected," he said.

"In terms of implementation of the RERA, it will certainly take some time because the regulations say that you (builder) can register (a project) only after all the approvals have been taken.

In a place like Maharashtra, the cycle can take up to two years. Very often, various authorities are not in place. They take plenty of times for processing the same approvals which should not be time-consuming," Talwar said in an interview with BTVi.

He said that the real problem to solve was for buyers who have already booked flats or apartments in a place like Mumbai and any other cities in India.

"The real solution lies in assuring all the buyers all over the country, the apartment they booked will be delivered to them without any additional charge and any specification albeit delays," he said, adding that for which, all the state governments need to get some things into action.

"The inventory of projects which have been undertaken for construction and which are nearing completion. We need to play more attention for these kind projects some kind of funding kick starts, if required, may be done through a screw account so that the projects start rolling," he said.

Trust deficit should be negated, if it happens, the establishment of RERA would be justified, he added.

He said state and central government can intervene if prices of commodities go up. For example, cement prices from Rs 200 a packet to more than Rs 300 in the last six months. Prices of steel have gone up from Rs 33,000 a tonne to Rs 47,000 a tonne in the same period.

"We need to have that each one of these producers commit to a price over a year and the quantity, they will make available. Builders of affordable housing or other housing can actually plan their outlay and capital expenditure over a year's time," he said.

Maharashtra government released pro-consumer RERA rules and developers are to face action, stiffer penalties on violation of norms. In terms of penalties, he said criminal proceedings should not take place against developers.

"Let each of the RERA authorities take up each project and transparently bring out how much time is required," he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Odisha government on Monday ordered the closure of schools till June 18 in view of the prevailing heat wave in the state.

All government and private schools in the state will close from Tuesday and reopen on June 18.

"All the schools in the state have been asked to suspend the classes from tomorrow till June 18. Extra classes would be taken after the summer vacation to compensate the loss," said School and Mass Minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

The decision of the government came after normal life continued to remain affected in several parts of the state following the intense heat wave.

The mercury hovered over 40 degrees Celsius at 14 places in the state on Monday.

While Titilagarh town registered the highest day temperature at 45.5 degrees, Angul 44.1, Hirakud 43.8, Talcher and Balangir 43.6, Bhawanipatna 43.5, Jharsuguda 42.6, Sambalpur 42.2, Malkangiri 42, Sonepur 41.6, Keonjhar 41.5, Phulabani 40.6 and Dhenkanal 40.4 degrees Celsius.

The rising heat has led to increasing number of deaths due to sunstroke.

The office of Special Relief Commissioner has received 19 reports of deaths allegedly due to sunstroke till date but has only confirmed the death of two persons due to heatwave so far.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stunt artists and choreographers should be accorded as much respect as heroes at every award ceremony, actor Akshay Kumar said on Monday.

Introducing a special insurance scheme for all stunt artistes working in Hindi film industry, he said: "I am a stuntman first before an actor. For 10 years, I worked as a stuntman in Hindi film industry before getting the opportunity of acting. So I know how stuntmen risks their lives to earn their bread. I know what it takes to risk their lives to entertain us. So I think they should get equal respect even at the award shows for their work."

The actor along with renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr Ramakanta Panda of Asia Heart Institute, announced the insurance scheme that covers around 380 stunt artists between the age of 18 to 55 with a death compensation of Rs 10 lakhs.

Emphasising the importance of the insurance, Panda said: "Akshay came to me saying how could he help these people who are doing stunts in films and get injured and need treatment. He asked me if I can reserve some beds for them.

"Since they (stunt artists) work across the country, I thought insurance would be a better help. So we manage to collaborate with the insurance company to provide the facilities."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday where he discussed North Korea with the two Asian leaders amid heightened tensions surrounding the country.

Xi urged Trump to exercise restraint in the matter, saying the relevant parties will have to work together to resolve the issue.

"China hopes all parties can exercise restraint on the North Korea issue, and not take provocative actions," the People's Daily quoted Xi as saying in his phone conversation with Trump.

Xi stressed China is strongly against any action that would violate any UN Security Council resolutions.

The Chinese President added: "Only if all parties take their responsibilities and work together can the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue be solved."

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties," said a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Besides North Korea, Trump and Xi also talked about bilateral ties, pledging close contact through various means to promptly exchange views on major issues of common concern, the daily reported.

This was the second phone call between the two leaders this month.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang did not speak much on the development, saying China's position on the matter was clear to the relevant countries.

On April 12, Xi and Trump talked about the Korean Peninsula situation, and matters related to Syria.

Geng also said it should not be surprising if there were more telephonic talks between the two leaders in future.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Abe described his 30- minute phone conversation with Trump as "intensive", public broadcaster NHK reported.

He expressed appreciation for Trump's words and actions.

Abe said they agreed to strongly urge North Korea, which continues to make dangerous provocations, to show self-restraint.

The Prime Minister stressed that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is "a grave security threat to Japan and the international community".

"Japan will continue to closely work with the US to maintain a high level of vigilance against possible North Korean actions," Abe added.

The phone calls came amid rising tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, with concerns growing over the possibility of a sixth nuclear test.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tokyo, April 24 (IANS/WAM) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his delegation here on Monday.

During the meeting, held as part of Sheikh Abdullah's official visit, the two sides discussed cooperation and the friendly relations between the United Arab Emirates and Japan in all fields including economics, trade and investment.

Sheikh Abdullah affirmed that bilateral relations between the UAE and Japan were well established with a continuous keenness from both sides to strengthen them in various fields for the benefit of both countries and peoples.

Abe welcomed Sheikh Abdullah's visit and stressed his country's commitment to strengthen bilateral relations, praising the distinguished position reached by the UAE at all levels.

The meeting was also attended by UAE Ambassador to Japan Khaled Omran Al-Amiri.

--IANS/WAM

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on Monday to discuss the countrys security situation with political and military leaders.

Mattis is expected to meet Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and other top government officials. He will also be visiting the headquarters of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO-led mission to train and advise Afghan security forces, CNN reported.

Mattis's visit comes just days after an attack on the country's northern army base that left at least 140 Afghan soldiers dead.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Friday's raid at Camp Shaheen near Mazar-e-Sharif city, with a spokesman telling CNN it was revenge for the deaths of Taliban shadow Governors for Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

Mattis was also due to meet Afghan Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, but hours before he touched down in Kabul, Ghani announced that Habibi and Army Chief of Staff General Qadam Shah Shahim had resigned with immediate effect.

Mattis's visit to Afghanistan follows meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Qatar and Djibouti.

The US Defense Department said his tour is aimed at reaffirming key US military alliances, engaging with strategic partners and discussing cooperation to counter-terrorism.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Monday leaves on a visit to Armenia and Poland, official sources said.

"Continuing the momentum of high-level interactions," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted, announcing Ansari's upcoming maiden visits to the two countries.

Ansari will remain in Armenian capital Yerevan on April 25 and 26, and will hold meetings with the country's President, Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and spend the next two days there, meeting its political leadership.

Ansari's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia and 60th anniversary of setting up of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.

The Indian Vice-President will be accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari and a multi-party delegation comprising Union Minister of State for Small, Medium and Micro Industries Giriraj Singh and members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D.P. Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Accusing West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress of being deeply involved in the chit fund scams, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Monday claimed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is having "sleepless nights" and threatened central intervention if smuggling in the border areas went unchecked.

"Mamata Banerjee is having sleepless nights because more than half of her cabinet is involved in chit fund scams... she is sleepless because the CBI probe is on...," he said at a press conference here.

Citing recent incidents of violence throughout the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader claimed that "the mass agitation" is happening in Bengal due to the the brand of appeasement by the state government.

"Rallies are organised throughout the country on the occasion of Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti, but in Bengal, lathi-charge is done on people for participating in those rallies. The mass agitation is against this lack of principle in the state. The government should not resort to appeasement looking at a vote bank," he said.

Claiming that the recent election result in five states show how the people across all communities are supportive of their party, Vijayvargiya said BJP believes in "Sabka sath sabka vikash "(development for all with all).

"The reason why we have won in four out of five states in the recent elections is because everyone voted for us. In the Uttar Pradesh elections, we won 80 percent of the total seats that consists of 28 percent Muslim voters. This means, people across all the communities are with us. We do not bifurcate between the Hindus and Muslims. We try to work for the betterment of the 130 crore Indians," he asserted.

Vijayvargiya alleged that the law and order situation in the state has become worse during the Trinamool reign and said the Central government would be forced to intervene if crimes like smuggling in the border areas are not checked.

Conceding that law and order is the state government's responsibility, he said there is a limit. "Fake notes are being seized everyday in Malda, weapons like AK-47 are being seized, bomb blasts are happening, in this situation, the central government may intervene if there are illegal activities at the bordering areas of the state," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With reference to The big fuss about BS-IV vehicles (April 24), the article made interesting reading since it came from an auto industry legend. Yes, we all in a sense have directly linked the pollution levels of Delhi with vehicular emission rather than trying to understand and address other contributors. Since auto dealers didnt have much of an option, they sold most of their stocks with heavy discounts, taking a hit to their bottom line. They should have been allowed to sell these beyond the March as anyhow manufacturers were making and they were only worried about old inventories in their factories or dealerships. Indeed, it is surprising that it took seven years for oil companies to make BS-IV fuel available across India. Given that, it was unfair on the auto industry to comply with this deadline. But now the need of the hour is to have a more holistic approach and a clear-cut strategy should be drawn by the government taking into account all pollution-generating devices. We need consensus of all stakeholders to address this issue.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership on Monday roped in Textiles Minister Smriti Irani to announce the forthcoming tour itinerary of party chief Amit Shah. Irani said Shah would spend the next 15 days in West Bengal, Odisha, Lakshadweep, Gujarat and Telangana. He will be spending three days in each state and reach out to polling booth-level workers. He will begin his tour from polling booth number 93 in Naxalbari, a village in Siliguri in the northern part of West Bengal, from Tuesday. Naxalbari was the hub of the Naxalite-Maoist struggle of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and has been chosen as symbolic of putting up a fight against Leftist ideology. Irani said the party chiefs visit to Naxalbari was meant to send a message to party workers that they should counter the alleged atrocities on them by cadres of Left parties, and that the party stands by them. However, most found the choice of Irani to address the briefing curious. Irani maintained that while she does speak Bengali, Amethi in Uttar Pradesh remains her Lok Sabha constituency. In 2014, Irani had contested against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, and had also campaigned there during the recent Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
The cow and deference towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi in varying measures are the two elements that bind the chief ministers (CMs) of Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), are planning a bandh on Tuesday to support the cause of farmers protesting for the past more than 40 days in the state and in Delhi.

Retailers and traders' associations along with various trade unions have backed the bandh, while petrol bunks are expected to operate with their employees wearing black badges to mark their support. The traders' associations, which joined the protest have around 2.1 million members across the state.
At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by naxalites targeting security forces this year.

The naxalites mounted the assault around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

"As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on. About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured (sic)," the president said in a tweet.

Calling the attack a "cowardly and deplorable" act, the prime minister tweeted, "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely."



"We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," he added.

The incident occurred near Burkapal village within Chintagufa police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

"The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles," the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 naxalites must have got killed in the "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."



"Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," he tweeted.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy".

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official were killed in the deadliest naxal attack in adjoining Dantewada district on April 6, 2010.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and seven wounded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today, the deadliest ambush by naxalites of security forces this year.

The nearly 100-strong CRPF patrol providing security for road construction work came under fierce gunfire from Maoist guerrillas occupying vantage positions, inflicting heavy casualties on the personnel, sources in the paramilitary said.

The naxalites mounted the assault around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

"As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

Around 7-8 personnel, who were earlier reported missing, have been accounted for, he said.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured," the president said in a tweet.

The prime minister tweeted, "Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely."



"We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," he added.

Home minister Rajnath Singh tonight briefed Modi by phone from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh about the attack. He informed the prime minister about the circumstances leading to the ambush and steps taken for treatment of the injured personnel. Singh will travel to Chhattisgarh capital Raipur tomorrow. He was briefed on the incident by Chief Minister Raman Singh earlier in the day.

The paramilitary force said in a statement issued in New Delhi, "The CRPF troops replied in a befitting manner but taking geographical position in (sic) their advantage, Maoists succeeded in inflicting loss to CRPF.

"24 brave soldiers were martyred at the battle ground and one succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated to hospital in Raipur."



It claimed,"Considerable number of Maoists are belived to have been eliminated (in retaliatory action by CRPF men) as the tell-tale sign indicate from the ground." However, no bodies of the Leftist guerrillas have yet been found.

The bodies of the slain personnel have been air-lifted to Raipur, where the seven injured are hospitalised.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

"The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles," the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 naxalites must have got killed in the "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."



"Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," he tweeted.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy".

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official were killed in the deadliest naxal attack in adjoining Dantewada district on April 6, 2010.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by naxalites targeting security forces this year.

The naxalites mounted the assault around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

"As per the latest report, we have lost 26 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on. About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

The incident occurred near Burkapal village within Chintagufa police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

While 11 bodies were recovered first, 12 were found during combing operations. A jawan succumbed to injuries while being evacuated by air, the officer added.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

"The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles," the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 naxalites must have got killed in the "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

It is understood that the company commander, an Inspector rank officer leading the contingent which was ambushed today, was also killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."



"Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," he tweeted.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy".

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four paramilitary soldiers were among five people killed and three others injured when a roadside bomb targeted a convoy of troops in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

Four Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers and a civilian were killed in the attack when a convoy of the paramilitary troops was targeted by a roadside bomb in the Mand area of Kech district yesterday night, police said.

The convoy was going from Gwadar to Mand town in the Makran coastal division near the border with Iran when a bomb went off destroying the vehicle and damaging another, they said.

"Four FC soldiers were martyred in the explosion while a civilian was also killed. Three soldiers were injured," Bashir Ahmed, Makran Division Commissioner said.

He said the civilian was travelling with the FC men.

"The roadside bomb was detonated via remote control device," he added.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today requested his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Chauhan to look into the alleged damage to a gurudwara in Indore during a recent demolition drive.

Singh also urged Chauhan to take all possible steps to assuage the sentiments of the Sikh community which had been hurt by the "excessive action" of the police and municipal authorities.

Singh spoke to Chauhan following reports that Gurudwara Kartar Kiran in Indore district had been damaged during the demolition exercise.

The Punjab CM took serious note of reports suggesting that the sanctity of the religious place had been defiled and the concerned authorities had also misbehaved with the Sikhs there during the demolition.

Singh requested the Madhya Pradesh CM to get an inquiry instituted to ascertain the veracity of the reports, and take suitable action against anyone found guilty of any excesses.

According to a spokesperson in the Punjab CM's office, Singh conveyed to his counterpart in Madhya Pradesh his serious concern at the possibility of tensions flaring up in the wake of the incident and urged him to intervene to ensure that the issue is resolved at the earliest.

The Madhya Pradesh CM assured his Punjab counterpart that he would personally look into the matter and ensure the Sikh community's welfare.

He further told the Punjab Chief Minister that his government was committed to upholding the principles of secularism and would take immediate steps to protect the interests of the Sikh community which is an integral part of the state's population, according to the spokesperson.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said the attack on CRPF personnel in Sukma shows Naxals' cowardice and assured that the injured jawans will be provided all possible help.

"I pay my condolences to families of martyred personnel and those who have been injured in the attack. All possible help will be provided to injured jawans," Singh said.

The attack on jawans in Sukma shows Naxals' cowardice, he said.

Singh, who was in the national capital to attend some programmes, cut short his visit and went back to Raipur. He was scheduled to leave from here tomorrow.

"I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting (on the attack)," he wrote on Twitter.

At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Both the Houses of Bihar Legislature today unanimously adopted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill, becoming the second state after Telangana to pave the way for roll out of the GST from July 1.

Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as Legislative Council adopted the Bills related to GST with one voice.

Bihar became the second state after Telangana to ratify GST which needs nod of the states after its clearance in Parliament.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaking in the state Legislative Council described the passing of GST by all the parties together as "a historic moment."



Expressing thanks to all the members, Kumar said Bihar has been in favour of GST from the beginning.

"Even after change of government, Bihar continued with its support to GST," Kumar, who is heading the Grand Alliance government of JD(U), RJD and Congress, said.

He said the budget session of the two Houses were prorogued on March 31 in anticipation of passing of GST in Parliament and its coming to the state for the same.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi, who had headed a ministerial committee on GST during NDA rule in Bihar, expressed happiness over adoption of GST related bills with the help of all the parties.

He expressed thanks to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for standing in favour of GST from the beginning. "On his advise, I had accepted Chairmanship of GST as Finance minister of the state during NDA rule," the senior BJP leader said.

In the Legislative Assembly, bills related to GST were taken up in pre-lunch session and with ruling JD(U), RJD, Congress and even opposition BJP and its NDA partners in support of GST bill, it was adopted through voice vote.

Commercial Tax minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had moved the Bihar Goods and Service Bill, 2017 and the Bihar Taxation (Amendment) bill, 2017.

While all the major parties were in favour of GST, JD(U), BJP and Congress tried to score over each other in taking credit in state Legislative Assembly over it.

Sushil Modi praised Nitish Kumar for continuously being in support of GST even when BJP was opposed to it when he was heading a NDA ministry in Bihar.

"A statesman looks for good of next generation while a politician merely looks for next election while taking decision on such issues," Yadav said in praise of Kumar.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar lauded the prime minister for the historic GST legislation which he said would help in checking corruption and increase investment.

Congress Legislature Party leader Sadanand Singh said that his party has been in support of GST from the beginning.

"Due to obstacle created by BJP, the GST could not be approved in 2006 during UPA ministry. On account of this, the country lost around 12 lakh crore and now it has been cleared," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The central government is committed to grant ST status to six communities in Assam and it is working in this direction, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said today.

He said this at a tripartite meeting with representatives of the six communities and Assam government held at North block here.

"We are committed to grant ST status to six OBC communities in Assam. The central government has already set up a committee to examine the proposal and it is working on it," he told the meeting.

Granting of Scheduled Tribes status to the six communities - Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea Tribes - was a political promise of the BJP.

The BJP-led alliance had assumed power in Assam last year.

The pro-talks faction of ULFA too had been seeking ST status to the six communities of Assam.

The modality committee, headed by Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry, Rina Mitra is consulting the Assam government and all other stake-holders.

It is examining various issues for suggesting the modalities for the required reservations and shifting the existing reservation for these communities from OBC to ST.

The committee will submit its report on June 30 and the central government is expected to move further on the basis of its recommendations.

The committee is also looking into that the interests of existing tribal communities is ensured and a mechanism is framed to ensure fairness of reservations within these six communities and related security considerations, a Home Ministry official said.

The grant of tribal status to these six communities will lead to 50 per cent population of Assam becoming tribal or Assam turning into a tribal-dominated state.

It would also facilitate fresh delimitation of assembly constituencies and significant increase in the number of ST seats in the 126-member Assam assembly. At present, 16 assmebly seats in Assam is reserved for ST.

The fear of indigenous communities that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh would soon usurp political power would diminish if 50 per cent assembly seats are reserved for ST when Assam becomes a tribal-dominated state.

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today cut short his Delhi visit and returned to Raipur after Maoists killed at least 11 security personnel in the naxal-affected state.

Singh was in the national capital to attend some programmes and was scheduled to leave for Raipur tomorrow.

"The chief minister has curtailed his stay in Delhi and gone back. He will hold meeting with senior officials from the police and the administration on the naxal attack there," a state government official said.

At least eleven personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and seven others injured in a fierce encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

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Alert Chinese border guards seized over 60 kilogrammes of narcotics hidden in coffins and arrested a suspected trafficker, police said today as the Communist giant faced an uphill task in combating growing smuggling of drugs.

Border police in southwest China's Yunnan Province bordering Myanmar seized methamphetamine hidden in coffins and arrested a man in this connection, the official Xinhua agency reported.

The 330 bags of drugs were found in a van attempting to enter China from Myanmar on Thursday, after the police received information that the suspect, surnamed Bai, was planning to traffic drugs into the country.

The police said two "empty" coffins inside the van raised their suspicions. They found red powder that smelled like meth at the bottom of the coffins, dismantled them and found the bags of drugs in hidden compartments.

Further investigation into the case is underway, the report said.

Last month, the government said the number of drug addicts in China is still slowly growing.

According to a report released by the National Narcotics Control Commission, there were about 2.51 million drug users in China by end of 2016, an increase of 6.8 per cent year on year.

Among them, about 22,000 people were under 18, and more than 1.46 million were aged from 18 to 35, according to the report, which added that the percentage of new addicts belonging to these two groups dropped in 2016.

The expansion of drug users addicted to heroin slowed in the year, while the number addicted to synthetic drugs, including methamphetamine and ketamine, increased faster, the report said.

About 1.52 million drug users were addicted to synthetic drugs in 2016.

China launched a project to promote community drug detoxification and rehabilitation in 2015. The project focused on setting up local institutions and recruiting volunteers. About 81,000 staff and volunteers are now working for community-based rehabilitation programmes.

China's anti-drug efforts have also intensified, with Chinese police arresting 168,000 suspects for drug production or trafficking, and solving 140,000 drug-related criminal cases last year.

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A helicopter carrying Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suffered a bird hit and made an emergency landing at the HAL Airport here today shortly after take-off, a police official said.

Siddaramaiah and four others, including Home Minister G Parameshwara who were also on board, were safe, Assistant Commissioner of Police P Nagesha Kumar told PTI.

The chopper did not suffer any damage in the bird hit, he said.

He said the Chief Minister and others left for Shravanabelogala in Hassan district as scheduled by the same helicopter a few minutes later after clearance, adding, they landed at the destination.

Siddaramaiah was on an official visit to Shravanabelogala to launch developmental schemes for "Mahamasthakabhisheka", a once in a 12-year event at the Jain pilgrimage centre scheduled for February next year.

Mahamasthakabhisheka is the anointment of the 57-foot high monolithic statue of Jain deity Lord Gommateshwara, also known as Bahubali, located on Vindyagiri at Shravanabelogala.

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A Delhi court today issued notice to CBI on a plea of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife over the charge sheet filed against the couple in a disproportionate assets (DA) case.

In her plea, Pratibha Singh alleged that the probe agency had not followed the due process of law during investigation and sought that the charge sheet filed against the couple in the case should not be taken cognizance of.

Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal was hearing the matter in which the CBI had filed a charge sheet against the Chief Minister claiming that he had amassed assets worth Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate by 192 per cent to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister.

The final report, filed against nine people for alleged offences punishable under section 109 (abetment) and 465 (punishment for forgery) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, arrayed around 225 witnesses and 442 documents. The CBI had filed its charge sheet on March 31 this year.

Besides the 82-year-old Congress leader and his wife Pratibha, the CBI has also named LIC agency Anand Chauhan, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, stamp paper vendor Joginder Singh Ghalta, MD of Tarani Infrastructure V Chandrasekhar among others as accused, charging them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption among others. Chauhan is currently in judicial custody.

The apex court had on November 5 last year transferred Singh's plea from Himachal Pradesh High Court to Delhi High Court, saying it was not expressing any opinion on merits of the case, but "simply" transferring the petition "in interest of justice and to save the institution (judiciary) from any embarrassment".

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As part of the Opposition's consultations on fielding a common candidate for the presidential poll, senior CPI leader D Raja today met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and discussed related issues as well as the prevailing political scenario.

In the past few days, Gandhi had held meetings with Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, among others, as part of informal consultations on the presidential election.

Parleys are also being held among leaders of other opposition parties.

The presidential election has to be held before July 24, when President Pranab Mukherjee's term ends.

He had taken over the post in July 2012, defeating the NDA candidate, late P A Sangma.

At the meeting which lasted about 30 minutes, Gandhi and Raja agreed to the possibility of fielding a candidate acceptable to all secular opposition parties, sources said, adding that there was no discussion on likely candidates.

The two leaders also discussed the prevailing political situation, while expressing concern over growing intolerance and its impact on the people, they said.

The Congress has said it would take a "conscious, concerted and balanced call" on a joint opposition presidential candidate after consultation with all opposition leaders.

The sudden flurry of opposition activities comes in the wake of the BJP's winning streak in states since the formation of the Narendra Modi government in 2014. It currently has governments in 13 states and is a junior partner in the ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh. However, the party had lost badly in Bihar and Delhi.

The opposition unity for contesting may well turn out to be a precursor to an anti-NDA front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

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The CRPF remains headless for almost two months now with the government yet to appoint its regular Director General (DG), even as the country's largest paramilitary force lost 38 personnel in line of duty in two major ambushes during the period.

Post K Durga Prasad's retirement as the last full-time chief of the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) on February 28, the Union Home Ministry had appointed Additional DG Sudeep Lakhtakia to hold the charge in "additional" capacity.

Notably, 12 CRPF personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma inChhattisgarh on March 11, while the force today suffered one its major casualties in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) theatre after 25 jawans died in a repeat of the brazen Maoist assault.

While officials in the Home Ministry say the appointment of a full-time DG is expected soon, those in the CRPF maintain there was "no word" with them in this regard.

A senior Home Ministry official said a panel of eligible IPS officers has already been prepared but there has been no finality on the name of the next DG for the nearly 3-lakh- strong force till now.

While the day-to-day operations and work of CRPF is being conducted, the absence of a regular chief hits when big and important policy decisions are to be taken, the official said.

"The government will soon appoint a full time DG for the CRPF soon," the officer added.

A senior CRPF official said while the acting CRPF DG and senior Security Advisor in the Home Ministry K Vijay Kumar rushed to the spot and met the troops the very next day, the "absence of a regular chief at such crucial moments is felt".

"There has been no word on the appointment of the new DG," the CRPF officer said.

In the first week of April, 168 recruits of the force suffered food poisoning at their camp in Pallipuram in Kerala and had to be hospitalised.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had taken strong exception of the incident and also convened a meeting of all paramilitary chiefs asking them to keep a check on such instances.

"It is always good to have a full-time chief who is empowered to take confident policy decisions. It is surprising to see that the 3-lakh personnel force, which is also the largest paramilitary across the globe, is kept headless and without a regular DG for well about two months," another officer said.

The CRPF is not only the lead anti-Naxal operations force of the country but also heavily deployed for rendering law and order duties in various states in assistance to local police and for conducting anti-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

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The Hall of Nations and the Hall of Industries, two of the national capital's iconic modern architectural landmarks, celebrated globally, are now history.

According to the INTACH, which has been fighting a losing legal battle for preservation of the buildings, work to tear down the buildings began late last night and by morning, the halls were reduced to rubble.

The halls, regarded as "modern architecture marvels", were built at Pragati Maidan here to celebrate 25 years of the country's Independence. The Hall of Nations was inaugurated in 1972 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

"The Hall of Nations and the Hall of Industries have been demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art modern complex which would add immensely to the profile of the capital city.

"The buildings were not categorised as heritage by the Heritage Conservation of Committee (HCC) as those are only 45 -years-old. So, we have demolished those for the new project. Demolition of the Nehru Pavilion is still going on," a senior ITPO official told PTI.

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), headquartered at Pragati Maidan, is a nodal agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for promoting the country's external trade and hosts the famous annual trade fair on its premises.

The ITPO made clear that setting up of an Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) requires dismantling of Hall No. 1 to 6, 14 to 20, state pavilions and others, "including the Hall of Nations, the Nehru Pavilion and the Hall of Industry".

"The layout plan of IECC, which inevitably involves demolition of these structures, has already been approved by statutory authorities concerned, like the Delhi Urban Arts Commission, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the National Monuments Authority," the ITPO said.

"This is just shocking. It is not just a loss of architectural legacy but in a way the evolution of the history of the city as well.

"Next is what? Demolish the India International Centre (IIC) or other modern-era icons? Is the span of its existence the only criteria for heritage? What about its architectural significance and the emotional bond people have had with it?" noted urban planner A G K Menon asked.

Menon is the former convener of the Delhi Chapter of INTACH, which has been fighting to have a group of modern-era buildings in the city comes under protection.

The Delhi High Court on April 20 had dismissed a plea by the building's architect to preserve it.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva dismissed as "without merit" the plea by architect Raj Rewal, who had designed the building.

The court's verdict was based on the decision of the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC), set up for protecting heritage structures, which has held that only those buildings which are 60-years or older would be considered for heritage status.

It also said since the HCC's guidelines, formulated in February this year, have not been challenged, therefore the architect has no legal right to seek preservation of the structure.

In a statement, the ITPO said earlier, a public interest litigation and two writ petitions filed by India Institute of Architects in Hon'ble High Court of Delhi were dismissed.

"The Hall of Nations is a very significant building in the evolution of modern architecture in India. It demonstrated the ability of the profession in 1970 to build a large space frame structure with available resources, which in this case was reinforced cement concrete and skilled hand-labour.

"It was an iconic building representing an important step in the development of Indian architecture. It should have been conserved on that account," Menon said.

Possibly, India's first pillarless structure, the move to demolish it was met with impassioned pleas from art houses and galleries globally, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

"The MoMA and the Pompidou Centre in Paris, among other institutions, have exhibited the plans and photographs of the buildings," he said.

As per the Centre's plan, the exhibition-cum-convention complex will come up in a few years.

"Seven exhibition centres, spread over an area of nearly 1.5 lakh sqm, will come up in Pragati Maidan. Besides, a world-class iconic convention centre, with a capacity of 7,000 seats will also be built. Also, the plan goes beyond Pragati Maidan, we will be constructing an underpass through the maidan to decongest traffic in and around the area.

"The layout plan is ready and it has been approved by the Competent Authority. We expect to finish it by mid-2019. A basement parking facility for 4,800 vehicles is also a part of the project," the ITPO official said.

"Red and white sandstones will be used in the construction in harmony with other buildings in the capital. It will add to the aesthetics of the city," he said.

Heritage lovers in the city, described the demolition as a "huge architectural loss", saying, the structures should have been "preserved for posterity".

The ITPO highlighted that work for redevelopment of Pragati Maidan is time-bound in nature and such a venue of international standards is in sync with India aspiring to be a global power.

It said the RFP for IECC has been floated by the National Buildings Construction Corporation on March 23 with May 21 as the last date of submission of bids for selecting the vendor/contractor.

Meanwhile, as the Hall of Nations lies in ruins, its creator, architect Raj Rewal says the demolishment was "very unfair", particularly with two hearings scheduled on April 27 and May 1 respectively.

"When the court hearings were underway, one of them was supposed to happen on the 27th and the other on May 1. So, it is very unfair," he told PTI.

Rewal and Menon along with structural engineer Mahendra Raj and Divya Kush, president of Indian Institute of Architects have released a press statement calling the demolition "an act of outrage".

"We consider the demolition of the Hall of Nations at Pragati Maidan an act of outrage. The case was being considered in the Delhi High Court and the hearings were scheduled on 27th April 2017 and 1st May 2017.

"It may not be out of place to mention that the independent body of the Indian Institute of Architects and the different Associations' of Engineers had requested the authorities to preserve these buildings for prosterity for their unique archievements. INTACH had pleaded in their court case to do the same," the statement reads.

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Renowned director Kasinadhuni Viswanath, known for award-winning movies like "Sankarabharanam", "Sagara Sangamam" and "Swati Mutyam", was today named for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for outstanding contribution to the film industry.

He became the 48th recipient of the award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema, which consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs and a shawl.

The award for the year 2016 will be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee at a function on May 3 at Vigyan Bhawan here.

The recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke award committee to recognise 87-year-old Viswanath was approved by I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today.

Reacting to the announcement, the veteran filmmaker said it proved that hard work eventually gets recognised.

"It is difficult to express (my feelings) in words. It is a routine to say I am very happy. What I felt was, it has proved that whatever we do with commitment and discipline -- whether it is making a film or anything else -- will have its worth," he told reporters in Hyderabad.

Viswanath his parents and producers of his films for helping him in his creative endeavours.

"I am really grateful to my producers because they never objected to any aspect of my work. They never wanted alternatives to what I was doing. They never said you are doing something that a layman would not understand," he said.

Replying to a query, he said he did not feel that the honour came to him late in the life and he is happy to receive it since he is hale and hearty.

The director, whose "Swati Mutyam" with Kamal Haasan was India's official entry to the 59th Academy awards in the best foreign films category, said it is the greatness of actors like Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi for not behaving like superstars with him.

"Swati Mutyam" was remade as "Eeshwar" in Hindi, starring Anil Kapoor.

Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ESL Narasimhan said the award is the true recognition of Viswanath's contribution to cinema.

The recipient of five National Film Awards, Viswanath is known for his movies -- "Sankarabharanam", "Sagara Sangamam" (starring Kamal Haasan and Jayaprada), "Swati Mutyam", "Saptapadi", "Kaamchor", "Sanjog" and "Jaag Utha Insaan" among others.

Viswanath, who has made 50 movies since 1965, is a celebrated filmmaker in Telegu film industry but he has also been active in Tamil and Hindi cinema.

He is known for making films on content-driven stories that have revolved around social themes like disability, untouchability and the evils of dowry.

His other awards include Padmashri in 1992, five National Awards, 20 Nandi Awards (given by the Andhra Pradesh government) and ten Filmfare Awards including Lifetime Achievement.

He began his career as a technician in a studio at Chennai before debuting as a director with "Aatma Gowravam", which starred Akkineni Nageswara Rao and won the Nandi Award for the best feature film.

The filmmaker followed it with "Chelleli Kapuram", "O Seeta Katha", "Jeevana Jyoti" and "Sarada".

Viswanath also ventured into mainstream acting, working in movies like "Swarabhishekam" (which he directed as well), "Pandurangadu", "Narasimha Naidu", "Lakshmi Narasimha" and "Seemasimham", "Kuruthipunal", "Kakkai Siraginilae" and "Bagavathi" among others.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's lawyer has lodged a complaint against a former French diplomat accusing him of inciting an assassination of the Turkish leader, the state-run agency reported today.

The move follows comments by Philippe Moreau Defarges about the outcome of the April 16 referendum on controversial constitutional changes that will tighten the president's grip on power.

Defarges, now a senior fellow at the French Institute of International Relations, said all legal paths to challenge Erdogan had been shut off and that the only two options left were civil war or assassination.

The 'Yes' camp won just over 51 per cent in the vote, a narrower-than-expected victory, but Turkey's top election board last week rejected opposition calls to annul the referendum after complaints of vote-rigging.

Defarges said on French broadcaster BFM on Saturday that Erdogan's strengthened powers would lead "only to catastrophe".

"There will either be a civil war or another scenario... his assassination," he said.

Huseyin Aydin, a lawyer representing Erdogan, said in a petition to an Ankara prosecutor that the comments were not a simple expression of opinion, but were "clearly instigating the crime in question".

He said the comments showed how far the hostility against Erdogan had reached in the West, and suggested Defarges should undergo checks for his mental health if he ever came to Turkey.

"And if he is in good health mentally, his alleged links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen blamed by the Turkish government for orchestrating the failed July coup should be investigated."



Defarges' comments went viral on social media, with a senior Erdogan advisor calling on the French institute to revoke his fellowship.

"Former French diplomat openly calls for assassination of President Erdogan. @IFRI_ should terminate his fellowship, apologise," Gulnur Aybet wrote on Twitter.

"What would be the reaction if a former diplomat&senior fellow at a Turkish think tank called for the assassination of the French President?"



Defarges yesterday offered his "sincere apologies" for his remarks.

"Some of what I said was clumsy and might have been wrongly interpreted," he said on Twitter.

Critics say the constitutional changes will lead to one- man rule in NATO member Turkey.

They accuse Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian after 14 years in power as either president or prime minister.

There have been a number of prosecutions for insulting Erdogan, with artists, journalists and schoolchildren all targeted.

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said he was "extremely distressed" over the Naxal attack in his state that killed at least 24 CRPF personnel, and cut short his Delhi visit.

Singh was in the national capital to attend some programmes and was scheduled to leave for Raipur tomorrow.

"I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting," he wrote on Twitter.

At least 24 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

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Social platforms like may help fight government corruption, especially in countries where press freedom is curbed, say researchers who studied the impact of social media during the 2012 anti-corruption protests in India.

Sudipta Sarangi of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in the US said his cross- country analysis using data from more than 150 countries shows the more penetrates public usage, the higher the likelihood of government corruption meeting protest.

In short, social media serves as peer of the press, Sarangi said.

"This study underscores the importance of freedom on the internet that is under threat in many countries of the world," Sarangi said.

helps lessen corruption in governments where press freedom is low.

"By showing that social media can negatively impact corruption, we provide yet another reason in favor of the freedom on the net," Sarangi said.

Researchers, including Chandan Kumar Jha, took into account a number of control variables including other economic, democratic, and cultural factors, said Sarangi.

It also comes on the heels of a volatile American election in which Facebook and other social media platforms were seen as culprits in the spread of "fake news," especially tied to politics.

Researchers began the study in 2012, when social media was being used to organise anti-corruption protests in India.

They also followed the 2011 rise of Arab Spring across the Middle East where large protests toppled governments.

"Our initial results were encouraging in that we found a significant, negative correlation between Facebook penetration and corruption across a small sample of countries," Sarangi said.

Several qualitative studies have touched on the use of social media to oust corruption before, and many other studies have focused on internet or e-government and its impact on corruption.

However, that few quantitative studies have looked specifically looked at social media and its impact on corruption because country-specific social media usage data is hard to acquire, Sarangi said.

The research is the first of its kind to establish a link between social media and corruption across more than 150 countries, showing the complimentary role of social media along with the press in open countries, and its greater impact in countries that are oppressive.

Much of the anti-corruption content posted on Facebook is user-created and shared individually, its audience growing with each share or repost.

In other words, social media as an information and communication tool allows multi-way communication as opposed to traditional media such as TV and print media that allow for only one-way communication. The back and forth of communication is harder to control by government censors.

"Social media provides cheap and quick means of sharing information and reaching a larger audience to organise public protests against the corrupt activities of government officials and politicians," Sarangi said.

"It is therefore not a surprise that despotic governments favor controlling social media," he said.

Additionally, interaction in social media platforms typically is shared among friends and family, thus adding a personal connection and therefore more perceived credibility to shared information. Sarangi said individuals may feel compelled to act on such information to show solidarity with family or friends.

The study was published in the journal Information Economics and Policy.
Extending support to farmers who had agitated in Delhi in support of their demands, about 200 farmers demonstrated before the Collectorate here today, seeking immediate solutions to the grievances.

Covering their mouth with pieces of black cloth, they raised slogans in support of the demands like waiver of loans from nationalised banks, protection of water bodies and implementation of the Avanashi-Athikkadavu water project.

The farmers, representing various associations in the district, warned the administration that they would continue to stage such agitations till the loans were waived, police said.

The farmers also raised the issue of constitution of the Cauvery Management Board and linking of rivers to protect the agriculture sector in Tamil Nadu.

Later, they submitted a memorandum with their demands to the District Collector as today was 'Grievances Day.'



Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi had yesterday 'temporarily' called off their 40 day stir after Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami "promised" to meet their demands.

Farmers' leader Ayyakkannu had warned that if the promises were not met, they would resume the protest in the national capital in a bigger way on May 25.

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As the standoff between students and Panjab University authorities continued on the fee hike issue, a group of students owing allegiance to NSUI today held a protest by polishing shoes of fellow students and passersby to press their demand for rollback of the fee hike.

"We today tried another mode of protest against the fee hike. Students today polished shoes of other students, bystanders and passersby outside the PU Vice Chancellor's office," said Siya Minocha, PU student and member of National Students Union of India (NSUI).

"We wanted to attract the attention of PU authorities and Modi government on fee increase issue," she said adding, "We wanted PU authorities to listen to us on what we have to say. It has been several days, nobody from PU talked to us."



Members of NSUI have also been holding chain hunger strike against tuition fee hike, said Siya who contested Panjab University Campus Students' elections last year for the post of president.

Protesting students charged Rs 10 per pair of shoes for polish. "We charged Rs 10 per person during an hour long protest. If they (PU authorities) want our money then we can collect it in whatever manner we can," she said.

"We will continue to adopt new but peaceful methods of protest against fee hike if our demands are not met," she said.

Notably, on April 11, the protest against fee hike had turned violent at PU campus after protesting students clashed with police which had to use force which resulted in injuries on both sides.

Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal will hold a meeting with Panjab University Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on April 25 to discuss the issue pertaining to providing financial support.

Punjab cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi had arranged a meeting between Badal and the PU VC when he visited PU campus on April 21.

"We will tomorrow present the fiscal situation of the PU during a meeting with Punjab FM," PU Registrar Guljit Singh Chadha said.

Earlier, PU Vice Chancellor Grover had written to the Punjab government, seeking a meeting to apprise the government of the university's fiscal situation.

Few days back, Badal had assured to help the university but further said that any decision with regard to providing financial support to the varsity would be taken after the state government came out with a whitepaper on fiscal position of the state.

With PU being in a fiscal mess, the varsity has been getting Rs 20 crore per annum for the last several years after Punjab government froze its share to this amount even though it was supposed to bear 40 per cent of PU's deficit.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore had asked PU to review all issues including fee hike in a holistic manner.

Students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by PU senate last month for the academic year 2017-18.

In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In case of B Pharma course, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in case of MA Journalism course, it was hiked from Rs 5,290 to Rs 30,000. For PU's dental course, the fee was increased from Rs 86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

With students demanding rollback of fee increase, PU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike while considering the financial condition of the university as it has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18. It had also claimed that it has rationalised the fee structure.

Gasping for funds, PU has now demanded 12 per cent hike in funds from Punjab to meet the rising expenditure.

PU authorities will also hold a meeting with representatives of UGC on April 26 to resolve "incongruity with respect to expenditure and revenue plan submitted by PU and to arrive at a way forward regarding funding issue".

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Goa health department will be soon witnessing a complete reshuffle aimed at better functioning and increase in efficiency.

"There will be complete reshuffle of directorate of health services (DHS) and its wings to streamline their functioning and bring in efficiency," Health minister Vishwajit Rane told PTI yesterday.

The minister said all efforts would be made to ensure that the health facilities in the state are active and health care does not suffer due to inefficiency of a few.

Rane who was inducted as health minister last week has been holding review meetings of all the sections of his department including Goa medical college and hospital (GMCH).

"There would be no leniency shown towards anyone displaying indiscipline on duty. My department deals with healthcare. Good healthcare services is a parameter of state's well being," he said.

The minister said in order to provide quicker services, the department would be procuring ten more '108' ambulances by mid-May which would be added to the existing fleet.

"These ambulances with trained staff would be launched in service by May 25," he added.

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In a major move to liberalise agri-markets, the Centre has come out with a draft model law that seeks to end monopoly of traditional and allow private players and others to set up wholesale markets.

It would be a major agri-reform, if at least 15 BJP-ruled states adopt the new model law  Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitating) Act (APLM), 2017, as it provides wider options for farmers to sell produce and get better prices.

At present, farmers can sell their produce at regulated APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) mandis only. There are 6,746 such mandis and each one is located at a gap of 462 km. They are subjected to different kinds of fees.

"Most states have agreed to implement the new model Act. Its implementation will help in doubling farmers' income by 2022," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told reporters after a day-long meeting with state agri-ministers on the issue here.

Singh, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand, Agriculture Secretary Shobhana Pattanayak and 18 state agri-ministers and senior state officials were present at the meeting.

Last year, the Union Agriculture Ministry had set up a panel to draft a model act that would look at agri-marketing in a more holistic manner and suggest a legal template for states to adopt.

Since agriculture is a state subject, only states can implement laws related to the farm sector.

After the meeting, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Minister Swati Singh told PTI: "We welcome the new law. We are already implementing some of the features. We will study and take a call." Singh was replying to a question if Uttar Pradesh would adopt the model law.

Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini said, "We will definitely implement as we want to increase the income of farmers. Livestock is not part of our mandi act. We will see how best we can incorporate this."



Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar said, "We welcome the entry of private players. There are some shortcomings but will see how best we can adopt the model template to our needs."



Stating that Adaman and Nicobar has different farm marketing challenges, Lieutenant Governor Jagdish Mukhi said, "There are small islands and there are different problems in connecting each island with the other. We will try to adopt this law in our own ways."



Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said, "This is a model law. States are free to adopt in totality or partially depending on their needs. If they give suggestions to improve the law, we will accept. So far, no one has pointed out loopholes."



Elaborating on the new model APLM Act, Additional Secretary in Agriculture Ministry Ashok Dalwai said: "If adopted by states, it will liberalise agri-market. The purpose is to create a single agri-market where with single licence one can trade agri-produce as well as livestock."



The government's aim is to set up a wholesale market at every 80 km.

The new law will end the monopoly of APMC and allow more players to set up markets and create competition so that farmers can discover prices and sell their produce accordingly, Dalwai said.

"APMC will be one of the markets. It will have no regulatory powers. The law promotes multiple market channels like private market yards, direct marketing and even godowns and silos can be notified as markets," he said.

Even an individual keen to buy bulk agri-produce for a big event like marriage can take licence and buy the produce but not more than three times in six months, he added.

The law seeks to set a separate authority to regulate all agri-markets including APMC and provide trading licences.

It caps market fee (including developmental and other charges) at not more than 1 per cent for fruit and vegetables, and two per cent for foodgrain. It caps commission agents' fee at not more than two per cent for non-perishables and four per cent for perishables.
The Centre today said it is not imposing Hindi on anyone but promoting it like other regional languages.

"We are not imposing Hindi but promoting Hindi like any other language," Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told reporters here.

Rijiju is the minister incharge of the Department of Official Language.

His comments came in the backdrop allegations levelled by certain quarters that the Modi government is trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.

DMK leader M K Stalin has accused the Centre of trying to relegate people who don't speak Hindi, to second-class citizens and of pushing the country into becoming "Hindia".

The controversy was generated after President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the recommendation of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language that all dignitaries including the president and ministers, especially those who can read and speak Hindi, may be requested to give their speech/statement in Hindi only.

The president has accepted several other recommendations, including making announcements on board aircraft in Hindi followed by English.

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The government will organise a global food fair in November this year to provide a platform to Indian farmers and manufacturers to showcase their products and explore partnerships with foreign companies, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said today.

The three-day 'World Food India 2017' is being organised on November 3-5 by the Food Processing Ministry, where industry body CII will be an event partner.

"World Food India is an international level fair which we are organising in November this year. The event will have participation from those who are involved in food sector from farm to fork," Badal told reporters here after the first meet of advisory committee and steering committee of the event.

The minister said it is for the first time that such platform is being provided where farmers to manufacturers to retailers will showcase their products and innovations, and explore business opportunities with foreign companies.

"Foreign food companies would also explore how and with whom they want to partner in India," she added.

Badal said this event will provide a big boost to food processing sector as well as farmers income.

She said many small, big and multinational companies from the world over will take part in this event.

The event will focus on showcasing achievements and opportunities of the Indian food processing sector and fostering maximum investment commitments.

The World Food India is a step aimed at creating India a 'Global Food Factory' and 'Global Food Retail Market', she said.

The food processing sector received USD 5.76 billion in FDI equity inflows from 2010-11 to 2015-16. In 2016-17 (April-December), the food processing sector in the country has received USD 663.23 million worth of FDI.

The government had last year allowed 100 per cent FDI for marketing, including through e-commerce, of food products manufactured and produced in India.

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Dalit activist from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani today said he would launch a campaign to mobilise public opinion on atrocities against Dalits in the country.

Mevani, who was in the city to protest against the killing of Pehlu Khan over allegations of cow smuggling in Alwar, said that a march from Alwar to Ahmedabad should be undertaken by activists and family members of the victim to "open the eyes of the government".

"The incident that happened in Alwar was very unfortunate and the apathy of the government towards the entire issue is further disappointing," Mevani said here.

Khan was attacked when he along with others were allegedly transporting cows illegally near Behror in Alwar earlier this month. He later died in hospital.

Mevani and other activists including People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) General Secretary Kavita Srivastava held a dharna and public meeting on the issue and demanded the government arrest all accused in the case.

He said atrocities against Dalits have increased but neither the governments in Rajasthan and Gujarat nor at the Centre are bothered.

Mevani said the BJP had promised jobs to youth and housing to needy people but it has failed to keep its promises and therefore, he alleged, the issue of cow protection is highlighted to divert attention.

He said he will launch a campaign in Gujarat soon under which activities like wall paintings and others will be held to highlight the issues of Dalits.

"A public opinion on Dalit issues will be formed through the campaign," he said.

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The SIT today opposed former state minister Maya Kodnani's plea to the Gujarat High Court to summon BJP president Amit Shah to prove her alibi in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots case, in which she has been sentenced.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) opposed Kodnani's plea to the bench of justices Harsha Devani and A S Supehiya contending that the plea, made at a belated stage, was not legally tenable and cannot be permitted.

Kodnani, who has challenged her conviction and 28-year jail term in the Naroda Patiya riots case before the high court, has made the plea to summon Shah and seven others as additional witnesses to prove her alibi of being elsewhere and not being involved in the offence.

She made the plea to the high court after a special SIT court hearing another 2002 riots case of Naroda Gam in which too she is an accused, recently allowed her to call 14 witnesses, including BJP president Amit Shah.

The SIT had not opposed Kodnani's plea in the Naroda Gam riots case before the trial court. But, opposing her plea to high court in the Naroda Patiya riots case, the SIT argued that it is not obligatory for the prosecution to call all the witnesses cited in the chargesheet.

In her plea to the high court, Kodnani has said the prosecution dropped Shah and seven other important witnesses without any reasonable ground.

Seven others who Kodnani wants to be summoned as additional witnesses includes former BJP MLA Amrish Patel, Jagdish Patel, Lakhabhai case Rathod, Dhaval Shah, Dhiraj Rathod, Kantibhai Solanki and M D Lakhiya.

The court will hear detailed arguments tomorrow from both the sides.

The high court is hearing appeals by Kodnani and other convicts in Naroda Patiya massacre in which 96 persons were killed.

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The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to former Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who has been in jail in connection with the multi- billion NRHM scam that had rocked the state in 2010.

A single judge bench of Justice Arun Tandon, in an order of April 20, has directed Kushwaha to furnish bail bonds for a sum of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties in the like amount and also deposit a sum of Rs 20 lakh with the court concerned to secure his release.

The NRHM scam had come to light in 2010 with the murder of some top health department officials in Lucknow.

A CAG report had also slammed the then state government for irregularities in implementation of the centrally- sponsored scheme.

The matter is being investigated by the CBI.

Kushwaha, who was a close confidant of the then Chief Minister Mayawati and a cabinet minister holding the Family Welfare portfolio, was named as one of the key accused in cases filed by the CBI.

He was made to resign shortly before the 2012 assembly polls in which the BSP was routed.

He joined the BJP soon afterwards but his membership was "suspended" following an outcry.

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City-based Heritage Foods Limited (HFL) today said it is in the process of entering into a Joint Venture (JV) with an European dairy firm for manufacturing and marketing yogurt in India.

Brahmani Nara, Executive Director, Heritage Foods also said the company aims to achieve USD one billion in the next five years from now. Heritage clocked Rs 2380 crore revenue in FY 16. This year results are yet to be announced.

"Being the leading player in curd segment, the company is going to launch varied products in Yogurt market, by tying up with its international partner. In continuation to this, the company is going to launch new products very soon in beverages segment. This will further strengthen the current large portfolio of value added products.

The negotiations are in the final stage with an European company and will be finalised in a month," Brahmani told reporters here when asked about the road map for achieving Rs 6000 crore (USD 1 billion) target in next five years.

The company (Heritage) with footprints in 15 states has plans to enter newer markets soon. It also has plans to set up five milk processing units across the country with an investment outlay of Rs 150 crore, she further said.

HFL currently handles 14 lakh litres of milk per day.

"Staying true to the company's mission to reach Rs 6000 crore or USD one billion in revenues by 2022, the company along with its core business vertical of milk also aims to further enhance the contribution of value-added products from current 24 per cent to 40 per cent in the next five years.

Heritage had already made inroads into western markets like Pune and Mumbai besides Northern market. The management is confident of achieving these numbers by both organic and inorganic growth," she said.

As a part of inorganic expansion, the company had recently acquired dairy business of Reliance Retail making Heritage Foods a pan India player.

Heritage Foods--a company promoted by the family members of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-- manufactures and markets a full line of dairy products including fresh milk, curd, butter milk, lassi, ice-cream, paneer, butter, ghee, milk powder, flavoured milk, milk sweets and UHT milk and dairy whitener.

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A high power Indian business delegation will visit Maldives this week seeking to increase the country's trade with the island nation.

The three-day visit beginning April 27 is organised as a follow-up to the direction from office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had one to one meeting with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom at New Delhi in April last year, Kerala chapter of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations said here.

The visit assumes significance in wake of Male's import from India is stagnated at 11 per cent since last six years while import from countries like China increased from 2.9 per cent to 8.1 per cent, Sri Lanka from 5.8 to 6.9 per cent and Thailand from 5.2 to 6.8 per cent during the period. The FIEO, set up by Union Ministry of Commerce, said that during their meeting Prime Minister Modi and President Gayoom had discussed the biateral trade issues and the need for having more people to people contact for increasing trade between the two countries.

"Trade between India and Maldives was USD 183.38 million during the year 2015-16 and USD 159.13 million in 2016-17 (April to January)," FIEO said in a statement here.

The delegation, headed by A Sakthivel, Regional Chairman, FIEO, comprises exporters, importers and investors in various sectors including building and construction, processed food, textiles and garments, home appliances, fashion accessories, home furnishing and healthcare services.

"Apart from participating in the Happy Ramadan 2017-B2B and B2C Exhibition to be held at Male, the delegation members will be meeting leading industries and trade representatives to explore possibilities of investment, joint ventures and trade opportunities," the statement said.

The agenda of the delegation also includes finding out ways and means to improve trade and investment opportunities in the filed of infrastructure, textiles, agro, food, electronics and other key sectors, Sakthivel said.

He said India is the third larest supplier of goods to Maldives after UAE and Singapore and unless urgent measures have been taken to boost trade, "our share in this market will diminish".

Hence FIEO planned the business delegation comprising 55 delegates from 30 companies with the aim to familiarize the Male population on innovative, quality and competitive pricing of Indian products, Sakthivel said.

"India also focusing Maldives for investments especially for infrastructure and tourism," he said.

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Actress Raveena Tandon says she has always had an "activist streak" in her but has no plans of joining politics.

"I'm the kind who can't toe any party line. And I have problems with almost every political party. There's no party I have come across whose ideology matches with mine. There are people whom I believe in now, but I just prefer to be a free voice," she says.

The 42-year-old actress says that she would rather have an opinion than lose it in the din of party politics.

"I'm not going to be told what I can or should say, or what my sensibilities are. If my sensibilities say that something is wrong, but the party says, 'waah-waah', I just can't do that. So I would rather be a voice which is not scared of anyone than join politics and lose it," Raveena told PTI.

The actress also believes that to bring in change in the country, citizens must start by "being the change" they want to witness.

"We need to start being the change we want to see. We can criticise all we want, but if goons keep getting elected because of powers like 'bhaigiri' or 'moneygiri', then we don't have any right to complain. We lose the authority because we put them there," she says.

Until like-minded people come together, the system will not change, she points out. "Things will continue like this," she warns.

Raveena says she has often been criticised for praising leaders for doing their job well.

"Yes, there are people who I think are doing good work, while people around them might not be doing (such) good work. That doesn't mean I'm supporting a particular party," she says.

"Today, if you say you are proud of your prime minister or president, you will be trolled. We used to be proud when we said that Indira Gandhi was the first woman PM of India. But today, it is like taboo. Praise Modiji or Rahul Gandhi... And people will say that you are politically inclined," Raveena adds.

The actress, who stars in the recently released revenge thriller "Maatr", regrets that rape is rampant in the country, and stresses that criminals are not afraid of the law anymore.

"We come from a land where women were worshipped as goddesses. Where has that respect gone now?"



India, she adds, needs a strong legal structure.

"We talk about moving towards a new, progressive, liberal and educated India. Then why are mindsets not changing? Had these things happened 60 or 70 years ago, we'd understand. But not now."



Raveena, who is often attacked on social media, says she is indifferent to what is said about her on Twitter. Actors were trolled even before internet came to the fore, she adds.

"I don't care. I don't even read the tweets. I'm not interested in playing the victim. I say what I want to when I want to, whether the people like it or not. But trust me, everybody gets trolled. We actors get trolled even while shooting on the streets.

"We have faced all this, the abuses and comments people pass when we shoot for songs. You all are facing it for the first time, but we've been facing it for a long time. As I said, the basic mindset (of the people) needs to change.

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An illegal arms manufacturing unit was busted and three persons, including two brothers, were arrested in Maharajpur area here, police said here today.

Four countrymade pistols, around half a dozen semi- finished revolvers and equipment used to make those have been seized, they said.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a house on the bank of Pandu river yesterday, where the illegal arms manufacturing unit was being run, and arrested two brothers, Rajesh and Rajol, along with a worker, Heeralal, a police spokesperson said.

During the interrogation, the accused confessed to supplying these countrymade arms in the nearby areas of Kanpur, the spokesperson said.

Police is also collecting information about the buyers of these arms and the investigation is on.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call today with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive near the Korean Peninsula.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

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The Indian Navy today began a joint maritime exercise with the French Navy at the Mediterranean sea to further deepen combat coordination between the two navies.

Guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS Trishul and fleet tanker INS Aditya are taking part in the 'Varuna' exercise which will continue till April 30.

The ships are part of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and West Coast of Africa and they arrived at Toulon port on southern France's Mediterranean coast earlier today.

The 'Varuna' series of exercises began in 2000 and have grown into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies.

"The current visit seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and like-minded countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen the existing bonds between India and France," navy spokesperson Capt. D K Sharma said.

Interestingly, the exercise coincides with the visit of Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, to France.

Luthra is scheduled to visit the French frigate FNS Auvergne, a French nuclear submarine unit, as well as an underwater weapons facility.

He would also call on senior officials in France, including Vice Admiral Charles-Henri du Che, Commander-in- Chief of the Mediterranean Sea Area (CECMED).

The visiting ships are a part of the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command.

Defence cooperation between India and France has grown substantially in the recent past.

Bilateral exercises such as 'Garuda', 'Shakti' and 'Varuna' have been a regular feature between the two nations.

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India has a strong case to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Vice President Hamid Ansari said today, stressing that he hopes to ensure Poland's support during his visit to the country.

Ansari, who is on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland, said Poland has supported India's bid to join the NSG earlier and now that the "rules were being reworked" it will continue to do so. He said this apparently referring to the nuclear non-proliferation regime linkage to India's joining the NSG.

"As far as NSG is concerned, the rules were being reworked. Old rules are being amended," he said.

"We have good relationship (with Poland) and we want to develop the relationship with the country," Ansari said.

Speaking about the areas of cooperation between India and Poland, he said one such area was the coal sector.

"Another area is agriculture. India looks forward to strengthen the bilateral trade engagement with Poland," he told reporters on board his special aircraft.

He said India is set to sign an MoU with Poland in the agriculture sector. There is also considerable potential for bilateral engagement in the defence sector.

"Poland is a big country. It is our strongest trading partner in central Europe. We have USD 3 billion trade with the country. Indian companies are working there," he said.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

Ansari will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president's honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

About Armenia, which would be his first stop during the tour, he said, "We have very good relations with the country and it supports us on many issues at various international fora."



Armenia is a member of the Eurasian economic zone and India hopes to tap that market, he said, adding that India had helped Armenia during the 1988 earthquake.

This is Ansari's first visit to Armenia and Poland.

The vice president, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan, besides attending a host of events.

The president of Armenia will host a lunch in his honour the prime minister will host a banquet.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

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Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the government has taken up the visa issue with the US but it is not discussing the problems of individual IT companies.

"We are certainly talking with the US administration on visas. However, I am not talking on each of these firms," she told reporters here.

She was responding to a query about the US accusations that top Indian IT firms including TCS and Infosys were unfairly cornering the lion's share of visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which the Trump administration wants to replace with a more merit-based immigration policy.

The minister said India has raised the issue of change in the H-1B visa policy and "not on specific companies".

As regards H-1B, after due discussions, an understanding was reached between India and US on issuance of these visas and India is raising the issue of proposed changes announced by America.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already raised the issue of restrictions on H-1B visa twice with the US as India fears the curb would impact the movement of Indian IT professionals to America.

President Donald Trump has 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.

The Indian IT industry has expressed serious concerns over this as these visas are mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations.

The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals.

India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.
India may export mangoes that meet biosecurity standards to Australia for the first time following revision of protocols to allow them in the Australian economy.

Robert Gray from Australian Mango Industry Association, said the Indian mangoes would be for sale outside of the Australian mango season.

However, the fruit has to meet biosecurity standards including irradiation before they are exported, he said.

"Our position is that, as part of the global trade, if we want access to other countries around the world [to export Australian mangoes], then providing the protocol is safe and not bringing in any pests or diseases, then we're supportive of other countries having access into our market," he said, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Mexico, the Philippines and Pakistan have previously exported mangoes to Australia over the years.

He said India had started exporting mangoes to the US as well, but it was hard to know what type of volumes would be sent to Australia.

"While India is a huge mango-growing country, their export business is a bit like ours," he said.

"[India will be] targeting affluent markets, markets where they can place small quantities of very high-value product," Gray said.

The report quoted Kaushal Khakhar, chief executive of Kay Bee Exports, as saying that all shipments to Australia would be sent by air, and the company would initially focus on exporting the Alphonso and Kesar varieties of mango.

"Alphonso is slightly tricky but handled well it is one of the best varieties in India," he said.

"Kesar is the best commercial variety because it has a good price, good flavour, and it handles very well," Khakhar said.

He said the opportunity to export mangoes to Australia first opened up several years ago, but the revised protocol has made it a more viable option.

The Indian mango season runs from March until the end of July.

Indian mango exports are likely to surpass last year's level and touch 50,000 tonne mark in the ongoing fiscal, buoyed by strong demand and supply of export quality fruit, India's Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority ( APEDA) had earlier said.

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Indian-origin couples living in Canada, mostly from Punjabi and Hindi-speaking communities, may be practising sex selective abortions due to their preference for sons, a new research has claimed.

The research published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada has found that among all Indian immigrant women with two previous daughters, male female ratios were higher than expected, particularly among those whose mother tongue was Punjabi and Hindi.

The research also found that the ratios did not diminish with longer duration in Canada.

"Population-based studies have demonstrated son-biased male to female ratios at higher birth orders among Indian immigrants in Canada. Son-bias appears to strengthen with previous abortions, pointing to sex selective practices," the research said.

"Son-biased sex ratios among Indian immigrants have been identified in a number of immigrant-receiving countries. Research has suggested that family building practices in these communities may be influenced by son preference and female discrimination," it said.

The researchers analysed 46,834 birth/delivery records to Indian-born mothers who delivered up to 3 consecutive singleton live births in Ontario hospitals between April 1993 and March 2014 and immigrated to Canada between 1985 and 2012.

Mothers who gave birth to twins or triplets or did not have all their singleton births in Ontario were excluded, along with all their children.

The research stated that among Indian immigrant mothers with two previous daughters, longer duration of residence in Canada did not lead to more balanced male female ratios at the third birth.

"This finding chiefly applies to mothers whose first language was Punjabi or Hindi," it said.

"In our analysis, we found that son-biased male female ratios at birth among Indian immigrant mothers were mostly driven by Punjabi-speaking women, and to a lesser extent, those whose first language was Hindi," the report said.

"These results are consistent with nationally representative data from India where highly skewed male female ratios were found in predominately northern and some eastern states, where Punjabi is one of the top languages spoken," it said.

The study was funded by a grant of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

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Three Indian warhips today reached the Toulon Naval Base in France for a three-day visit, in continuation of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and West Coast of Africa.

"The warships, INS Mumbai, Trishul and Aditya, were warmly received by the officials of the French Navy at Toulon Naval Base in coordination with the Indian Embassy," an official spokesperson said.

The visiting ships are a part of the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command and the Task Group is headed by Rear Admiral R B Pandit, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, who is flying his flag on the guided missile destroyer, INS Mumbai.

"On completion of the visit at Toulon, the bilateral exercise Varuna between the Indian Navy and the French Navy is scheduled from April 24 to 30. The Varuna series of exercises began in 2000 and have grown into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies," the official said.

The last such exercise was held off the Indian coast, the spokesperson said in a statement here.

"The warships' visit to Toulon seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and like-minded countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen the existing bonds between India and France," he said.

"The visit of Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, to France, coinciding with the visit of the Indian Navy ships to France and conduct of the exercise Varuna, amply demonstrate the Indian Navy's engagement with the French Navy," he said.

Luthra is scheduled to visit the French frigate FNS Auvergne, a French nuclear submarine unit, as well as an underwater weapons facility. He would also call on senior official in France, including Vice Admiral Charles-Henri du Che, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Sea Area (CECMED).

"With the establishment of the strategic partnership with France in 1998, there has been significant progress in all areas of bilateral co-operation including defence, nuclear energy and space. A high level committee for defence cooperation between the two countries at the level of Defence Secretaries met in Paris in 2015. Bilateral exercises such as Garuda, Shakti and Varuna have been a regular feature between the two nations," he said.

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Indoor residual spray, a malaria control measure, saved the lives of over 41 million people in India in 2015, the World Health Organisation said today, asserting that the method was a "highly effective" way for vector control.

On the eve of World Malaria Day, the global health body stressed the need for countries in the South East Asian region to adopt "agile" thinking to meet the region-wide target to eliminate malaria by 2030.

WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, said the region has reached the malaria-related MDG targets and more recently (between 2010 and 2015), it cut case incidence by an estimated 54 per cent and the malaria mortality rate by around 46 per cent.

She said Maldives and Sri Lanka were certified malaria-free in 2015 and 2016 respectively, terming it as a "stunning achievement".

She said the theme of this year's World Malaria Day was enhancing prevention as a critical means of closing the gap and ending malaria for good.

Singh underlined two highly effective ways to curb malaria, i.E. By ensuring affected communities have access to long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, and by carrying out indoor residual spraying.

"In 2015 alone indoor residual spraying was estimated to protect 106 million people worldwide, including upwards of 41 million in India," she said.

The official said further progress must be forged and asserted that malaria remained endemic in nine of the region's 11 countries.

"Multi-drug resistance, including to artemisinin-based combination therapies, is an ever-present threat, as is resistance of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes to insecticides.

"Across the region, domestic funding for malaria prevention and control has declined, even as the need for more innovative and localised solutions has increased. Renewed focus is needed," she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israel is eyeing 25-30 per cent growth in tourist arrivals from India this year, mainly aided by direct air connectivity between the two countries and aggressive promotions, an official has said.

The West Asian country had hosted 44,672 Indian tourists in 2016, posting over 13 per cent growth from the previous year.

"India is one of the world's fastest-growing outbound tourism markets and an important emerging market for us. Keeping this in mind, we have increased our investments heavily in India. In 2017, we are expecting 25-30 per cent growth in Indian tourist arrivals," Israel Tourism Ministry's Director for India Hassan Madah told PTI here.

He said the ministry is targeting Indian holiday- makers through its specially-designed advertising campaign, 'Begin your journey to Israel now', which is expected to yield good results by the year-end.

Statistics revealed a robust 93 per cent growth in Indian arrivals to Israel in the month of March 2017 compared to the same period in 2015.

Madah said, "We have seen a steady growth in tourist arrivals from India over the years and are confident that this trend will continue.

"Currently, El Al (that country's flag carrier) flies non-stop between India and Israel, while Air India has also announced it will begin operations on the New Delhi-Tel Aviv route in 2017. Increased air connectivity will surely act as an added impetus for more Indians to visit Israel for a holiday."



In the past popular for only holy land tours, today Indians go beyond the pilgrimage trail and are visiting Israeli cities like Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat and the Dead Sea Region, he said.

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Recognition of its diploma courses by the Indian government is among top priorities for Israel, which is exploring various agreements in the education sector ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country.

The Jewish nation is in close contact with the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry and is working on various ideas which may be formally taken up during Modi's visit, which is likely in July.

"Defence is not the only area which defines Indo-Israel relationship. We are in close contact with the HRD Ministry, there are a few ideas. Exchange of foreign students and recognition of diploma courses will be on the table," Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon told PTI in an interview.

He said many of Israel's citizens were immigrants.

"Since we absorb people from diverse countries -- from Ethiopia to Russia and India to Argentina, we have to adjust our systems to the fact that many people are being educated and coming with degrees from across the country. Being very flexible and liberal in this field, I am sure India will not be our hardest customer," he added.

Modi's visit which will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel, coincides with 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"The area of education which does not include much of high school education but colleges and universities is on top of our joint agenda," Carmon added.

At least 15 MoUs were signed between Indian and Israeli educational institutions in November last during Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's eight-day trip to India.

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The Jet Airways management is likely to hold talks on Wednesday with its domestic pilots' union, which has threatened to boycott foreign commanders, in a bid to resolve the issue.

The airline's local pilots body, National Aviators Guild (NAG), had on April 15 issued a directive to its around 1,000 members, asking them not to fly with the expat pilots from May 1 after one of the foreign pilots allegedly assaulted a trainer in Bengaluru early this month.

"The Jet Airways management and Guild representatives are meeting in Mumbai on April 26. The pilot' body is firm on its decision not to fly with the expat commanders from May 1 and the issue is to be resolved before that," a source in the airline said.

According to the source, if the pilots stick to their boycott call, the airline operations could be affected due to unavailability of the first officers.

The carrier has around 60 expat commanders who mainly operate its Boeing 737 and ATR fleet.

In a statement last week, the guild had alleged that the airline's management has for a very long time treated the Indian employees, including the pilots, in a step-motherly manner, a charge that the airline has rebutted.

The Jet Airways management "has disregarded the legitimate expectations of its employees to be treated fairly, reasonably and in a just manner," the guild had alleged.

In a strongly-worded statement, NAG had also said that disparaging, inappropriate and racist comments allegedly made by certain expat pilots cannot be taken lightly.

"This is in addition to the verbal and physical abuse of a senior trainer by an expat pilot employed by the airline," the NAG claimed.

It has also sought removal of all expat pilots from the airline.

Denying any "step motherly" treatment to the Indian pilots vis-a-vis foreign pilots in the airline, Jet Airways had said that as a part of the airline's open door policy, it encourages all employee groups to engage in consultative processes and arrive at amicable solutions.

"As an Indian airline operating internationally, all employees, regardless of nationality, are governed by a strict and common code of conduct," the spokesperson said.

The airline spokesperson had in a statement on March 19 also said there are robust HR processes to ensure that instances of contradictory nature are duly investigated and appropriate actions taken as per the company's policy.

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European Commission chief Jean- Claude Juncker congratulated pro-EU candidate Emmanuel Macron as he emerged the clear favourite in projected results after the first round of France's presidential election.

Juncker, a former prime minister of Luxembourg, also wished Macron "good luck" in the May 7 second round of voting, when he will face far-right challenger Marine Le Pen, according to the projections.

"@JunckerEU congratulated @EmmanuelMacron for his result in the first round and wished him good luck for the next," according to Juncker's tweetyesterday, which he sent in French.

Other EU officials also welcomed Macron's strong showing. Many officials in Brussels had privately expressed concerns about Le Pen, a eurosceptic who has taken a hard line on immigration.

"To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it's the hope and future of our generation," tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister.

Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns that Le Pen could lead France away from the 28-nation bloc.

"Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on May 7. France must remain European," the Frenchman tweeted.

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Maharashtra will purchase power generated at the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power plant in the state only if it is affordable, a highly-placed source in the Devendra Fadnavis government said today.

The state conveyed its position on the issue during a meeting between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a French delegation led by French Foreign Affairs Ministry general secretary Christian Masset.

France's Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler and representatives of the company working on the project, EDF, also attended the meeting held in Mumbai a week ago.

"The French side may expect the state to purchase power in line with an old agreement.

"According to that pact, the state was to purchase 3000 mega watt electricity. But the state government has told the delegation that it will buy electricity only if it is affordable," the source said.

The government also asked the delegation about the per unit rate of the electricity generated from the plant, but they did not state any.

They assured that the rate would not be higher than what is prevailing in the market, the source said.

The Fadnavis government had asked the EDF to allay apprehensions of the people about the safety aspect of the project, particularly in the light of Japan's Fukushima power plant accident in 2011.

The Japanese nuclear power project was hit by tsunami that year, leading to meltdown of three reactors and release of radioactive material.

To a question, the source said the company plans to make the project operational next year. The project was first supposed to be commissioned six years ago.

"They will finalise the schedule (of launch) and then it will be declared," the source added.

When fully operational, the project, located in Maharashtra's coastal Ratnagiri district, is expected to generate nearly 10,000 mega watt electricity.

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A man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail by a Delhi court for raping a 10-year-old girl while rejecting his "lame excuse" that the minor was pressurising him to marry her.

Additional Sessions Judge Raghubir Singh convicted 24- year-old Bihar resident Vikas of the offence of aggravated penetrative sexual assault under provision of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The court also awarded a compensation of Rs two lakh to the girl and said, if the government deems it fit, it may give her higher compensation.

"It stands proved beyond reasonable doubt that accused established forceful physical relations with the victim child more than once between September 30, 2013 to October 2, 2013 amounting to the offence of rape," the court said.

According to the prosecution, the child had gone out on the morning of September 30, 2013 to purchase some articles from a nearby shop but did not return. Her parents then lodged a missing complaint at New Ashok Nagar police station in east Delhi.

The girl returned her home after three days and told her parents and the police that the man had forcibly taken her to a room where he repeatedly raped her.

During the trial, the man claimed that he and the girl were friends she was pressurising him to marry and when he refused, he was falsely implicated in the case.

The court termed it to be "a lame excuse" and said his defence was "vague".

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Kerala Power Minister and senior CPI(M) leader M M Mani, whose remarks against women plantation workers triggered a row, today said he was prepared to resign if asked by the party.

"Only if my party asks, will I resign", he told reporters at nearby Kunchithanni, a day after opposition parties and women organisations demanded his resignation and apology.

Mani's remarks allegedly questioning the character of women activists of a plantation workers' outfit in the district invited strong condemnation from various quarters, including from some of his own party colleagues.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said, "If any offensive statement was made against them (the women), it was improper."



The 70-year old Minister had yesterday expressed regret for his alleged offensive remarks against the women workers, who have launched an agitation demanding his ouster.

He had also claimed his remarks were wrongly interpreted by the media and that he had not made any offensive remarks against the women workers.

Mani also said that Vijayan and party state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had called him over phone and sought his explanation.

However Mani, known for making controversial remarks, refused to apologise, saying, "Let them sit there and agitate."



He said the chapter wasclosed and he had nothing more to add while and would not visit the agitating workers.

Protesting the remarks, some of the women workers had launched an agitation yesterday and are continuing it today.

Meanwhile, vehicles kept off roads and shops remained closed in the hilly district in view of a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the NDA.

The opposition Congress led UDF is also lending support to the women's agitation by observing a 'black day'.

Mani had also accused an IAS officer of plotting with the RSS to pull down a cross on an encroached piece of land in Munnar.

The CPI(M) leader had stirred up a controversy few years ago by openly stating that the party had eliminated political rivals in his home district, Idukki.

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Unidentified motorcycle borne miscreants today shot a person and looted Rs 17 lakh from him when he was on his way to deposit the amount in the bank in Bihar's Siwan district.

Muffasil police station SHO Vinay Pratap said the incident occurred near Gopalganj Mor when Manish, an employee of a two-wheeler dealer, was going to deposit Rs 17 lakh in a near by bank branch.

The miscreants shot at the employee, injured him and snatched a bag containing Rs 17 lakh, the SHO said adding, the injured man has been admitted to a nearby hospital.

Pratap said raids are being conducted to nab the culprits.

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Pointing out that there was no law on torture, the Supreme Court today said there was "extreme urgency" in national interest to frame of an effective law to prevent torture and inhuman treatment of individuals in custody.

"We do not have a law on torture. This is a matter of national interest," a bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said.

"Several issues are pending with the Law Commission. This is a matter which is required to be dealt with in extreme urgency. This is a matter of human rights," the bench further said.

The remarks were made after Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the court that Law Commission was examining the issue.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by senior advocate and former law minister Ashwani Kumar, who has sought directions to frame an effective law on the issue and empower agencies like NHRC with necessary enforcement capabilities and mechanisms to implement its orders and directions.

During the hearing, the solicitor general said that the government has referred the matter to the Law Commission which would come out with recommendations on the issue.

"We have said it categorically that we have sent it (the matter) to the Law Commission and they are considering it," he said.

The SG also said that a Bill on the issue was in the Lok Sabha in 2010 and the erstwhile UPA-II government, in which Ashwini Kumar was himself a minister, could not get it passed.

To this, the bench said, "but it has to be non-partisan. This is an important issue."



Ashwani Kumar, a senior Congress leader, contended that the Centre should have a comprehensive and stand-alone legislation against torture.

The solicitor general said, "we are not shying away. We are not saying that we will not do it".

The Congress leader also said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that they were in support of framing of such a law.

When the Centre said they were committed for framing of law on the issue, Ashwani Kumar said, "mere commitment is not enough. There has to be concrete steps".

The bench fixed the matter for further hearing on May 5 after the solicitor general sought time to take instructions in the matter.

The government had earlier told the bench that a writ petitioner cannot seek a legislation through the court as the issue fell under the domain of the Executive and the Legislature.

The petitioner had told the apex court that despite being a signatory to the United Nations' Convention Against Torture, 1997, India has not ratified the convention so far since ratification requires an enabling legislation to reflect the definition and punishment for 'torture', Kumar said.

The "absence of a standalone, comprehensive, and purposeful municipal legislation in India for prevention of custodial violence, and disinclination of the Executive and Legislature to enact a law in this regard has resulted in a disturbing void in law endangering the constitutional right of persons affected by custodial violence and torture," the plea has said.

It sought a direction to the Centre to ensure an effective law and its enforcement to fulfil the constitutional promise of human dignity and prevention of custodial torture.

The petition has sought issuance of guidelines for timely and effective investigation of complaints of torture and custodial violence and directions be given to the government for rehabilitation and compensation for the victims.

It has further sought direction to the states and union territories to establish and ensure an independent mechanism for investigation into complaints of custodial torture and to take necessary steps.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to cancel an upcoming meeting with Germany's foreign minister unless the visiting diplomat cancels an appointment with two groups critical of Israel's actions in the West Bank.

A senior Israeli official confirmed that the prime minister issued an ultimatum to Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel that he would scrap their meeting scheduled for today if Gabriel met with members of non-governmental organizations Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem.

Gabriel arrived in Israel yesterday evening following a visit to Jordan.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli Foreign



Ministry as to whether the German government has responded.

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Former Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav today said the non-BJP parties were trying to arrive at a consensus to select a common candidate for the presidential election.

"Bringing the non-BJP parties together for putting up a common candidate for the presidential poll is not easy. But there is enough time for it as the poll is scheduled for July," he told PTI here.

"After coming together, these parties will decide who will be their common candidate," Yadav said.

He, however, added that the parties had not started discussing any names yet.

Yadav arrived here late last night and left for Waghodia town in the district this morning where the JD(U)'s social justice rally, taken out to protect the rights of tribals, was scheduled to be concluded.

The BJP's thumping victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have lent a sense of urgency to the opposition's efforts to forge unity ahead of the presidential election.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to explore the possibility of fielding a joint candidate, while RJD chief Lalu Prasad talked about cobbling together a Bihar-style 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance).

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier called for a larger unity among the regional parties to take on the BJP.

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students who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism, according to the prestigious varsity's latest guidance.

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit has advised undergraduate students that "not speaking directly to people" could be deemed a "racial micro-aggression" which can lead to "mental ill-health", The Telegraph reported.

Issued at the start of the Trinity term, the third term at the university, the newsletter claims that asking someone where they are "originally" from implies they are a foreigner.

It also claims that "jokes drawing attention to someone's differences" and "not speaking directly to people" are potential forms of "everyday racism".

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in the newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence."



"But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong," it states.

However, some critics slammed the newsletter, saying it would make the students over sensitive.

Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at the University of Kent, said the guidance was "completely ridiculous" and will make students "hyper-sensitive" about how they interact with one another.

"Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime. They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking," she said.

Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University's guidance was "overstepping the mark" by telling students "how they should feel and think".

Tom Slater, co-coordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking project that highlights censorship on university campuses, called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.

"This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students," he told The Times.

An spokesman was quoted as saying that, "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," he said.

Last year, Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too "distressing".

Earlier this year, it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as "right-hand man" and "gentleman's agreement" under its code of practice on inclusive language.
AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran was today grilled by the police for 11 hours over his alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the 'two leaves' party symbol and the related money trail.

Dinakaran, who was quizzed for the second consecutive day, had reached the Crime Branch Inter-State Cell office in Chanakyapuri around 2 PM, while the questioning came to an end only around 1 AM, police officials said.

Yesterday, he was quizzed for close to seven hours.

In a gruelling session, the police today confronted Dinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK chief Sasikala, with the evidence.

The leader had come under scanner after the arrest of alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar. Dinakaran, however, has maintained that he does not know Sukesh and has never met him.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been summoned 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 the 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 serving a four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.
The prime minister's push to generic medicines has received overwhelming support from the medical fraternity, but in the store of premier medical institute AIIMS only 230 such drugs are available.

In a letter to the director of the institute, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS said 53 most- prescribed drugs by the hospital's doctors are not available in the store and despite repeated reminders, no efforts have been made to procure these.

The RDA recently had also held a meeting with the in-charge of the Free Generic Medicines store over this issue.

A list of generic medicines available has been prepared, which should be circulated in each department, the RDA said, adding each department should improve the list of and update it accordingly.

"We realised that only one-sixth of patients are availing this service (getting generic medicines free of charge) so we have to make efforts to promote generic medicines," RDA president Dr Vijay Gurjar said in the letter.

The resident doctors' body also recommended the opening of more outlets on the institute premises to make available free of charge to patients, many of whom are not being able to avail this service due to overcrowding.

"Most importantly, the quality of these medicines should be ensured so that we (doctors) can prescribe those without fear. Please look into this matter urgently so that we can deliver the benefits of government schemes to the very last patient in the queue," the RDA said in the letter.

The Medical Council of India (MCI), the apex medical regulator in the country, has warned doctors of action if they fail to adhere to its guideline on prescribing drugs in generic names.

The directive came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of putting in place a legal framework to ensure that doctors prescribe low-cost generic medicines to patients.
Over 61.63 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat arrived at the mandis in Haryana till yesterday in the current Rabi season, compared to over 58.83 lakh MT during the corresponding period last year.

A spokesman of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department said that over 61.60 lakh MT has been procured by five government procurement agencies at Minimum Support Price, while 3,596 MT has been procured by traders.

Giving details of the wheat procured by government agencies, he said that more than 21.53 lakh MT has been procured by HAFED, whereas Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has procured more than 15.07 lakh MT.

He said that the Food Corporation of India has procured more than 7.47 lakh MT of wheat, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation procured more than 5.64 lakh MT and more than 11.86 lakh MT has been procured by Haryana Warehousing Corporation.

The spokesman said that district Sirsa was leading in wheat arrival where more than 7.78 lakh MT of wheat has so far arrived in the mandis followed by district Karnal which has recorded arrival of more than 6.66 lakh MT.

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A Pakistani court today allowed Hindus to worship at a Shiva temple in Abbottabad district which had been off limits to them for 20 years.

A bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) headed by Justice Ateeq Hussain Shah permitted Hindus to worship at the Shiv Jee temple of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under section 20 of the Constitution.

The temple had been closed for any religious activity over property dispute.

In 2013, a Hindu Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) filed a petition with the PHC Abbottabad bench that they had purchased the property through lease by a legal owner.

The petitioner pleaded that after partition of sub- continent the NGO has been looking after the temple.

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US Vice President Mike Pence has thanked American service members based in American Samoa, citing "challenging times" for the military in the Asia- Pacific.

Completing a visit to the region and en route back to the United States, Pence addressed some 200 soldiers during a refueling stop in Pago Pago. He told the troops the Trump administration was seeking a large increase in military funding.

During his stop, Pence also dedicated a sign that will greet visitors at a veterans clinic. He met with American Samoan officials and troops on his way to Hawaii at the end of his tour that included a visit to the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

The trip offered evidence that Pence has become one of President Donald Trump's chief emissaries on the world stage, patching up relations, reassuring allies still wondering what to expect from Trump and diving into international crises like North Korea.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the vice president was to shorten his visit to Hawaii ahead of a busy week for the administration in Washington.

Pence's office said he would depart Hawaii on Monday afternoon after meeting with US Pacific Command leaders and troops stationed in Honolulu.

Plans for a Tuesday visit to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor have been postponed, Pence's office said.

Pence's trip to Asia was planned weeks ago. But it dropped him in South Korea just in time to deliver North Korea a stern warning from the US: that "all options are on the table" when it comes to curbing the North's nuclear ambitions, and that the Trump administration will seek support from its allies to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

His foray into the DMZ and his meetings with South Korean and Japanese leaders allowed Pence to shape a key American foreign policy issue, presenting a new challenge for a politician whose prior foreign policy experience was limited to trips to the Middle East as a congressman and trade missions to Japan, China, Israel and Europe as Indiana's governor.

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Safety of Kashmiri students across the country should be ensured by the people of the respective places, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said here today.

"It is not the Chief Ministers who can do anything. It is the people of India who must realise. It is for them to protect the people of Kashmir," Abdullah said.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to all Chief Ministers to ensure safety of Kashmiri students in their states. Modi had made the appeal yesterday at a meeting of Chief Ministers after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti raised the issue.

"It is not the question of government, it is the question of people of India who will have to honour and protect the students and the people of Kashmir in the rest of the country," the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said.

Modi had made the appeal against the backdrop of thrashing of six Kashmiri students of Mewar University in Rajasthan by some locals last week.

Abdullah also slammed a top police official of J&K for his certain comments about nomads against the backdrop of an assault on a nomadic family and demanded action against him.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu, SD Singh Jamwal had said that the nomads should take proper permission from the authorities for moving their herds to avoid incidents like the recent one in which a family was assaulted by some people on the suspicion that they were ferrying cows for slaughter.

"The first tragedy was the statement of IGP Jammu. I condemn that. He said they did not have any permit to move. When did we have permit for these people to move their herds towards the cooler pastures? They (nomads) always move their herds towards the pastures in the summer because they could not keep them in Jammu," Abdullah said.

"Permits were never issued," the former Chief Minister told reporters here.

The statement of the police officer came after an attack on a nomad family in Reasi area of Jammu allegedly by cow vigilantes.

"They (nomads) should have permission from the concerned deputy commissioner and they should move during the daytime so that there is security and people will know that they are moving in legalized manner," Jamwal said while commenting on the Reasi attack.

Jamwal said the Police Headquarters has issued an advisory to all police stations to see that such movements take place in a legalized manner.

Demanding action against the official, Abdullah emphasised that police have to protect the people rather than blame them.

"Had I been the Chief Minister, I would have sacked him (IGP) for his statement," he said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi would pay a one-day visit to the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh on April 27 where he will lay the foundation stone of a college, besides addressing a BJP rally.

The detailed programme of the Prime Minister's visit is being finalised.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal reached here this evening, while the Special Protection Group (SPG), armed force responsible for the security to the Prime Minister, discussed the security situation with the state BJP leaders.

The Prime Minister would arrive at Jubbar Hatti Airport and launch the 'UDAN'(Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme from there.

Thereafter, he would drive straight to the venue of the rally at Ridge where he will address the party workers and also lay the foundation stone of Government Hydro Engineering College at Bilapur on line.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the visit, and about 2,000 security personnel have been deployed at the venue of the rally.

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Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today said he had raised the demand for a five year exemption from NEET for the Union Territory, at the Niti Aayog meeting held in New Delhi.

Since students from both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu did not appear for CBSE exams, there were 'difficulties' for them in clearing the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET), he told reporters at the airport here.

Referring to Tamil Nadu Assembly adopting two bills seeking exemption from the test and now awaiting Presidential assent, Narayanasamy said Puducherry had also earlier taken up the matter with the Centre.

"Prime Minster Modi should personally intervene in this matter and give a five-year exemption for Puducherry from NEET," he said.

This was one of the issues raised at the Niti Aayog meet in Delhi yesterday, the Chief Minister said, adding, others included farmers' welfare and development schemes for the Union Territory (UT).

Like Tamil Nadu, farmers in the UT were also suffering due to drought and his government had, therefore, waived cooperative loans, the Chief Minister said.

Similarly, loans in banks should also be waived, he said and sought Centre's intervention in this matter.

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POPxo, a digital community for women, has raised Rs 20 crore (USD 3.1 million) in fresh funding, led by IDG Ventures India and Kalaari Capital.

The investment round also saw participation from GREE Ventures (Japan), Summit Media (Philippines), Atul Goel and Gurpreet Singh, POPxo said in a statement today.

POPxo had previously raised over Rs 15 crore in funding through multiple rounds from investors including IDG Ventures India, Kalaari Capital, Google executive Rajan Anandan, Caratlane executive Mithun Sancheti and others.

"Our platform allows women to connect with others. We focus on leveraging our large user base to generate transactions - beginning with affiliate e-commerce, across categories," POPxo founder and CEO Priyanka Gill said.

The platform attracts over nine million users every month. While POPxo's audience is primarily women, about 20 per cent is male. It gets over 70 per cent of its traffic from outside the top five cities.

Karan Mohla, Partner at IDG Ventures India, said POPxo has become a dominant and enduring media brand and has created a platform for the largest and most engaged community of women in India.

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President Pranab Mukherjee today condemned the attack on a CRPF team by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured (sic)," the President said in a tweet.

At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today in the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.

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Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades will arrive in India tomorrow on a five-day visit during which he is slated to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his stay in India, Anastasiades is expected to sign several bilateral agreements.

He will hold delegation level talks with the president, the prime minister, Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"This is the first visit of President Anastasiades to India. Earlier, he had substantive meetings with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2015," a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Anastasiades is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on April 25 and address a business forum there on April 26.

On April 27, he will address a business forum and deliver a talk at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi.

He will be given a ceremonial guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He is also expected to visit Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi at the Raj Ghat on April 28.

India and Cyprus enjoy "close, friendly and time-tested ties." On many global issues, both countries share similar views.

Almost all Cypriot presidents have come to India on state visits. In October 2009, the then President Pratibha Patil also visited the Mediterranean country.

Cyprus and India enjoy robust economic ties. Cyprus is a major investor in India.

With cumulative foreign direct investment of above USD 8.5 billion, Cyprus is the eighth largest foreign investor in India and has invested in areas such as financial leasing, stock exchange, auto manufacture, manufacturing industries, real estate, cargo handling, construction, shipping and logistics.

"There is also scope for cooperation in sectors like pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, tourism and film production," the statement added.

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President Pranab Mukherjee will embark on a two-day visit to Goa and Telangana beginning tomorrow.

He will address the annual convocation of the Goa University on April 25, a press release issued today by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

On April 26, the president will address the inaugural function of the centenary celebrations of the Osmania University in Hyderabad.

"On the same day, he will also address the first convocation of the English and Foreign Languages University at Gachibowli, Hyderabad," it said.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin today tacitly criticized a popular opposition leader whose efforts to expose official corruption fueled nationwide protests last month.

Putin didn't name Alexei Navalny, but the reference was clear. The president said that it was important to differentiate between those who truly want to fight corruption to "strengthen the state" and those who try to use the fight against corruption to further their own political interests.

A month ago, anti-corruption protests organized by Navalny were the largest and most widespread street demonstrations in Russia in years. He has announced plans to run for president in 2018, when Putin is widely expected to seek a fourth term.

As an example of an anti-corruption fight serving political purposes, Putin pointed to neighboring Ukraine, where protesters calling for an end to corruption ousted the Russia-friendly president in 2014. Putin claimed corruption in Ukraine has worsened under the new Western-aligned government. Transparency International's annual index of corruption perception, however, has shown a slight improvement in Ukraine, which moved up to 131st in the world in 2016 from 144th in 2013.

Navalny has published numerous investigations about official corruption in Russia. His latest was an hour-long documentary video about Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's alleged secret wealth, which received more than 15 million views. Medvedev has refused to comment on the allegations.

Speaking today during a meeting with the leaders of Russia's parliament, Putin said doing more to fight corruption would strengthen the Russian state.

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh tonight briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the attack on a CRPF team in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in which 25 jawans were killed.

Singh will also travel to Raipur tomorrow to take stock of the situation.

He apprised Modi of the circumstances leading to the attack and steps taken for treatment of those injured in it.

The home minister, who is in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was earlier briefed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on the attack.

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The Supreme Court today ordered the reinstatment of former Kerala DGP T P Senkumar, saying he was transferred "unfairly and arbitrarily".

The court also gave credence to Senkumar's allegation that he was transferred due to "political vendetta" by stating that the rule of law should not become a casualty to the whims and fancies of political excecutive.

The top court said no one could help 'God's own country' (Kerala's tourism tagline) if "it is bent upon making irregular or illegal appointments to sensitive posts".

It set aside the order of the Kerala High Court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision that had not found fault with the state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief which was taken over by Loknath Behra.

The state government's contention that Senkumar was transferred as a fallout of the events after the Puttingal Temple tragedy, in which 110 people were killed in April 2016, and the infamous Jisha murder case last May, did not cut much ice with the apex court.

"On an overall consideration of the material on record and considering the case in its proper perspective, that is the events post the Puttingal Temple tragedy and the Jisha murder and not the two tragedies themselves, we have no hesitation in concluding that the appellant has been unfairly and arbitrarily dealt with," a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

"Under the circumstances, we are compelled to set aside the judgment and order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, the impugned judgment and order of the High Court as well as the order dated June 1, 2016 and direct the State of Kerala to reinstate the appellant T P Senkumar as the State Police Chief," the bench added.

The bench said it was "little disturbed" with the view expressed in the detailed counter affidavit and elsewhere that the appointment of Senkumar was irregular if not illegal.

"If that is so and the State Government of Kerala is bent upon making irregular or illegal appointments to sensitive posts, then no one can help God's own country," it said.

The bench also said that "the rule of law should not become a casualty to the whims and fancies of the political excecutive" while referring to Prakash Singh case of 2006 in which it had dealt with the police reforms in the country.

The state government had told the court that Senkumar's transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to the Puttingal fire tragedy incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy and the dissatisfaction among the general public on the efficiency of the police.

The apex court, however, snubbed the Kerala government and its Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by putting questions whether he would remove the police chief if his cabinet collegues were under investigation in any case.

"The cabinet colleagues of the chief minister or senior bureaucrats (including the Chief Secretary) might need to be investigated in an appropriate case.

"Can the Chief Minister then remove the State Police Chief on the ground that in such an event he or she does not enjoy the confidence of the Chief Minister or that there is no "complete rapport and understanding" between the State Police Chief and the Chief Minister? The answer is quite obvious," the bench observed.

The court also said that "it would be tragic if this Court were to come to a conclusion that the removal of a person from a sensitive but tenure appointment based on a stature is the prerogative of the government and judicial review is not available merely because the post concerned is a sensitive one".

Senkumar had earlier told the court that his transfer was a clear case of political vendetta.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected "erring" police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The court, however, brushed aside the state government's reference to Senkumar's interference in the investigation in the Puttingal Temple tragedy and said the reference was somewhat incongruous.

"There is nothing to suggest what advantage could be gained by Senkumar in scuttling the investigations in the Puttingal Temple tragedy, particularly since in an earlier part of the detailed counter affidavit it is admitted that the State Police Chief is not personally responsible for supervising the conduct of events or adherence to safety measures in relation to large public gatherings. Therefore, why would the appellant want to interfere in the investigations," the bench asked.

The court also said prima facie satisfaction of the government to transfer the official must be based on some cogent and rational material.

"Nothing has been placed before us in this regard except the view that there was dissatisfaction among the general public on the efficiency of the police.

"...There must be some material on record (other than a newspaper report) but unfortunately nothing has been pointed out to us during the course of submissions. It is not enough to merely contend that the State Government was subjectively satisfied that the appellant ought to be transferred out as the State Police Chief," the bench said.

Senkumar had challenged his removal as a violation of Section 97(2)(e) of Kerala Police Act which assures a two-year tenure to the DGP.

"The opinion of serious dissatisfaction must be based on verifiable material and not a perception that the Chief Minister or other senior functionary might have or the "public expectation" (as learned counsel for the State put it) that the Chief Minister might imagine. Quite often public opinion can be misleading or motivated," the bench said.

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Twenty four people, including 12 security personnel, were injured today in clashes between stone-pelting students and law enforcing agencies in the heart of Srinagar, on a day colleges reopened in Kashmir after a five-day shutdown ordered by the government.

The upmarket Residency Road and adjoining M A Road here turned into a virtual battleground as students clashed with police shortly after colleges reopened.

A police spokesman said the security forces came under heavy stone-pelting which resulted in injuries to 12 personnel including three officers.

"The miscreants and the students pelted stones on Traffic Headquarters and attacked police vehicles with stones clubs and lathis. The police showed utmost restraint," he said.

"Some boys involved in stone-pelting were caught on the spot and detained by police," the spokesman said, adding the mob was dispersed and normalcy restored in the area.

Other officials said several students, passersby and a photojournalist were also hurt in the clashes.

Police had to fire dozens of tear smoke shells in an attempt to disperse the protesting students from S P College and Women's College on M A Road, the officials said.

The clashes began from S P College and soon spread to the adjoining areas, the officials said.

The students from nearby Women's College also joined the protests, which spread to other parts of the commercial hub including Lal Chowk, Red cross road and Maisuma, they said.

The clashes led to closure of shops in the prime commercial hub and the people rushed to safer locations, the officials said.

The violence was witnessed on a day the colleges reopened in the valley after a gap of five days.

The authorities had shut the higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of widespread violence by the students in Kashmir on Monday against the alleged high handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15.

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A number of upmarket areas in the heart of Srinagar city virtually turned into a battleground today as students clashed with police, on a day colleges reopened in Kashmir after a five-day shutdown ordered by the government.

Police had to fire dozens of tear smoke shells in an attempt to disperse the stone-pelting students from S P College and the adjoining Women's College on M A Road, officials said.

They said the clashes emanated from S P College and soon spread to the streets of Regal Chowk and adjoining areas.

The students from the Women's College also joined the protests, which spread to other parts of the commercial hub, the officials said.

The cops also fired a couple of aerial shots but it was not clear whether live ammunition or rubber bullets were used.

The clashes led to closure of the markets and the people rushed to safer locations out of the commercial hub, the officials said.

The violence was witnessed on a day the colleges reopened in the valley after a gap of five days.

The authorities had shut the higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of widespread violence by the students in Kashmir on Monday against the alleged high handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15.

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A comprehensive study of building height restrictions in the area around the Mumbai airport will be carried out, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today told the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

An official from Chief Minister's Office here said that Fadnavis met the Union Minister in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the Union Minister assured that a comprehensive study would soon be carried out regarding building height restrictions near the airport here, the official said.

The Bombay High Court recently ordered the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and other agencies to demolish or reduce the height (through partial demolition) of over 100 buildings near the airport within two months for violating the height-related norms.

Issues such as expediting the work of Pune airport, height clearance for construction of DN Nagar-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro in Mumbai were also discussed at the meeting.

Fadnavis thanked the Union Minister for giving 40 acres of Central government land in Dahisar for Mumbai Metro phase 7 and 9, an MoU for which would be signed tomorrow, the official added.

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Television actor Parth Samthaan has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a senior police official said today.

The actor, known for his roles in television shows 'Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan' and 'Best Friends Forever?', was earlier booked under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) based on a complaint filed by a model.

POCSO charges were added yesterday after the complainant claimed that she was molested by the actor four years ago when she was 16-years-old, he said.

Meanwhile, the actor has moved an anticipatory bail application to evade arrest, the official said.

The 20-year-old model had accused Samthaan of molestation and filed an FIR against him at the Bangur Nagar police station on March 26.

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Senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar today said Muslims themselves do not want a mosque to be built on the land where the Babri Masjid stood before its demolition in 1992, as it will be "unholy" and "against islam".

He said construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya was in "national interest".

"Muslims will never accept such a mosque which is in the name of a person. All those who believe in Islam say such a mosque is unholy (napak) and we will never accept it," Kumar, who is the patron of RSS affiliate 'Muslim Rashtriya Manch', told a seminar on 'Myth and realities on triple talaq, Ram janmabhoomi and freedom of speech'.

The mosque was named after Mughal emperor Babur and was built after demolishing a holy place (temple) belonging to another religion, he claimed.

"The mosque was named after Babur. So, according to Islam, it is immoral, illegal, unconstitutional, and against Islam. Even namaz was not offered there," he said.

Kumar, seeking to strike a chord with Muslims said," Khuda is Ram and Ram is Khuda".

He said all should help build a Ram temple there as "it will be in the nation's interest and important for its secular fabric."



The seminar was organised by the Forum for Awareness on National Security.

Claiming that a "revolution" has started for the construction of Ram temple, Kumar said all those who support peace, harmony, truth, and are nationalists, will favour such a shrine at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The Ram temple issue had resurfaced in a significant way just ahead of the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, after lying dormant for quite some time due to the BJP's compulsion of running a coalition. After the party won a majority on its own in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, several leaders, including ministers, started making noises about construction of Ram temple.

It was back in recently when the Supreme Court resurrected criminal conspiracy charge against BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti in the Babri mosque demolition case.

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The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top US military officials said today.

At a conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, Gen. John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldn't provide specifics about Russia's role in Afghanistan. But said he would "not refute" that Moscow's involvement includes giving weapons to the Taliban.

Earlier today, a senior US military official told reporters in Kabul that Russia was giving machine guns and other medium-weight weapons. The Taliban are using the weapons in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, according to the official, who briefed journalists on intelligence information on condition of anonymity.

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the US-led invasion in 2001. Russia says contacts are limited to safeguarding security and getting the hard-line religious fundamentalists to reconcile with the government - which Washington has failed for years to advance. Russia also has promoted easing global sanctions on Taliban leaders who prove cooperative.

Asked about Russia's activity in Afghanistan, where it fought a bloody war in the 1980s and withdrew in defeat, Mattis alluded to the increasing US concerns.

"We'll engage with Russia diplomatically," Mattis said. "We'll do so where we can, but we're going to have to confront Russia where what they're doing is contrary to international law or denying the sovereignty of other countries."



"For example," Mattis told reporters in the Afghan capital, "any weapons being funneled here from a foreign country would be a violation of international law.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today played down apprehensions of a financial loss caused by prohibition and said the state, instead, had witnessed a surge in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals.

"Against 1.69 crore domestic tourists in 2015, the figure was 2.85 crore in 2016, a 68 per cent increase," he told reporters in his state Legislative Assembly chambers here quoting from official figures.

Likewise, against 9.23 lakh foreign tourists in 2015, the state played host to 10.10 lakh foreign tourists in 2016, a 9 per cent hike, Kumar added.

He quoted statistics to dispel the apprehensions of loss to the state exchequer due to the implementation of prohibition in the state in April, 2016.

Kumar said the state accrued a loss of around Rs 1,000 crore in revenue collection in 2016-17 and maintained that this was not due to prohibition but mostly on account of demonetisation and other factors.

The JD(U) chief has on several occasions claimed that instead of an estimated annual excise duty loss of about Rs 5,000 crore due to the liquor ban, the state had gained "double the amount" as people were investing the money saved from alcohol consumption on good food, clothes, furniture etc.

Kumar has been visiting various places in the country on invitation from organisers of liquor ban campaigns.

On April 21, he was at Bharananganam in Kerala to address the 18th state-level Assembly of Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conferences Temperance Movement. On April 22, addressing a function in Mumbai, he had listed the virtues of not drinking.

"Those who attended the event in Kerala were immensely impressed when I told them in details about the implementation of the liquor ban in Bihar, which has transformed the social environment and resulted in economic gains," said the chief minister.

Kumar, who led the world's longest human chain, involving over four crore people, in support of prohibition in Patna on January 21, also criticised the Centre and various state governments for "finding ways to denotify national and state highways" to work a way around a Supreme Court direction that there should be no liquor outlet within 500 metres of any highway.

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US President Donald Trump today called for UN Security Council sanctions against the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes of North Korea, terming it as a very big problem.

"The status quo on North Korea is unacceptable. The (UN Security) Council must be prepared to impose additional sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile program," Trump told Ambassadors of countries on the UN Security Council during a working luncheon in the White House.

North Korea, he said, "is real threat" to the world.

"It is a big world problem," he added. Noting that it has been left unattended for a long time, Trump said it is time to resolve the North Korean problem.

"It is now time to solve the problem," he said.

With the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, sitting by his side, Trump slammed the UN Security Council for its stand on Syria.

The mission of the UN Security Council is to maintain international peace and security, he said, quickly adding that there is much work for this 15-membered body to achieve.

He rued that many of the international problems have been unaddressed for far too long.

"I encourage the security council to come together to take action to counter all of these many threats. On Syria, the Council failed to respond again to the threat of chemical weapons. I am greatly disappointed by that," he said.

Trump said for the United Nations to perform these security challenges, big reforms would be required.

Noting that there is need to take a close look at the UN budget, he said cost have absolutely gone out of control.

"I'm a budget person...But if you do a good job at the United Nations, I would be less concerned about the budget costs," he added.

The US, one of the 193 countries in the UN, pays for 22 per cent of the budget and almost 30 per cent of the United Nations peace keeping missions. "This is unfair," he said.

"We need the member states to come together to eliminate inefficiencies and bloat," he said.

"We need member states to come together to remove inefficiency in work and ensure that no one nation shoulders a disproportionate share of the burden militarily or financially," said the US President.

The United Nations, he felt, is an under performer, but has tremendous potential.

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President made a very long distance phone call to the Space Station, to congratulate its commander on breaking the record for the most time spent in space of any American astronaut.

The president spoke on Monday with Peggy Whitson, commander of the Space Station, and fellow astronaut Jack Fischer.

Whitson, the first woman to command the Space Station, surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in orbit by an American. That record was set last year by Jeffrey Williams.

Trump joked that the call was possible because of "great American equipment that works, and that is not easy." He said he's more impressed by the astronauts than by any of the politicians he deals with in Washington.

Trump's daughter and close adviser, Ivanka Trump, and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, joined him in the Oval Office during the call.

Whitson says it's a "huge honor to break a record like this," and that it would not have been possible without the support of NASA.

Last month, Trump signed new legislation adding human exploration of Mars to NASA's mission.

Whitson said she's excited about the new legislation and said there is equipment being made now in preparation for the launch.

Whitson already was the world's most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By the time she returns to Earth in September, she'll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights. The world record 879 days is held by Russian Gennady Padalka.
US President Donald Trump today discussed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and the "urgent security challenge" posed by North Korea in a phone call, the White House said.

"The leaders discussed the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and the urgent security challenge posed by North Korea," the White House said in a readout of the phone call.

Trump also reaffirmed American support for German- and French-led efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Ukraine on the basis of the Minsk agreements, it said.

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With a budget deadline looming, President Donald Trump plans a whirlwind of activities seeking to highlight accomplishments while putting fresh pressure on congressional Democrats to pay for a wall on the US-Mexico border, even if that pressure risks a possible government shutdown.

Trump approaches the symbolic 100-day mark for his administration this coming week juggling a renewed health care push and his demands that a must-pass government funding bill should include money for the wall.

In a tweet today, Trump said his proposed border wall would be "a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)!" Over the weekend, he jabbed at Democrats, who vigorously oppose wall funding.

"The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members," the president tweeted yesterday.

He added: "Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall."



The 100-day mark falls on Saturday, the same day government could shut down without a budget deal. Trump has announced a rally in Pennsylvania that day.

Despite Trump's dismissal that the 100-day marker is "artificial," the White House has packed his schedule. Trump will sign executive orders on energy and rural policies, meet with the president of Argentina and travel to Atlanta for a National Rifle Association event. Top aides will also fan out around the country to promote the administration.

Trump also plans to outline an ambitious tax cut plan on Wednesday, telling The Associated Press last week that it would include a "massive" tax break for both individuals and corporations.

Aides stressed on Sunday talk shows that funding for a border wall and a vote on an effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law were immediate priorities. They asserted that both still could be accomplished in the coming week.

"I don't think anyone foresees or expects or would want a shutdown," said budget director Mick Mulvaney on "Fox yesterday."



Trump would like to revive a failed effort by House Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare."



He also hopes to use the USD 1 trillion catchall spending bill to salvage victories on his promised 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.

So far, negotiations have proven difficult, with disputes over the wall and health law subsidies to help low-income people afford health insurance. House members received little information from leaders on a conference call this past Saturday.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he's confident the spending bill will include something "satisfactory" to reflect Trump's desire to build a wall. The legislation would keep the government running through September 30, the end of the fiscal 2017 budget year.

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US President Donald Trump today said he wants to send men to Mars during his first term.

"Well, we want to try and do it during my first term or, at worst, during my second term. So we'll have to speed that up a little bit," he said in a video conference with two NASA astronauts at the International Space Station from his Oval Office.

NASA is currently planning to send men to Mars in 2030.

Trump said he was very proud that he signed a bill committing NASA to the aim of sending America astronauts to Mars. "So we'll do that. I think we'll do it a lot sooner than we're even thinking," he said.

He asked the two astronauts whether they were ready to go to Mars.

"We are absolutely ready to go to Mars," said Peggy Whitson, who today broke the record for most days in space by a US astronaut, speaking also for her colleague Jack Fisher at the ISS.

"We will do our best," she said. "This vehicle will take us further than we've ever been away from this planet."



"It's going to be a fantastic journey getting there, and very exciting times, and all of us would be happy to go. But I want all the young people out there to recognise that the real steps are going to be taken in a few years. And so by studying math, science, engineering, any kind of technology, you're going to have a part in that, and that will be very exciting."



First Daughter Ivanka Trump, and fellow astronaut Kate Rubins were also present in the Oval Office during the call.

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The US is about actions at the United Nations, America's ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said today as she led an ambassadorial delegation from the Security Council for a meeting with President Donald Trump.

"The idea that he (Trump) would have that dialogue with them is tremendously helpful to me, whereas, you know, in the Security Council, we need them to really engage, we need them to now know that we are about action," Haley, an Indian- American, told reporters at a White House conference.

This was her first appearance in the White House press room. She did not take any questions from the media.

"I think that what we've tried to do in the UN is really bring reform, reform in the way we spend, reform in the peacekeeping operations, but also reform in the resolutions that are passed, that what we pass actually means something and that there's accountability in what we pass," she said.

Ambassadors from 15 countries, who are members of the UN Security Council, along with their spouses had a luncheon with Trump.

They also had a briefing with top officials of the Trump administration.

"I think that they are thrilled with the engagement that they had, and I think it shows that the President's very engaged on foreign policy and they see that. The idea he would sit down and want to talk to them about each of their countries and the Security Council collectively is massive for a president to be able to do this, and it was certainly helpful for the United States," she said.

Later at a working luncheon with the ambassadors, Trump praised Haley "for doing a fantastic job".

"I want to thank ambassador Nikki Haley for her outstanding leadership, and for acting as my personal envoy on the Security Council. She's doing a good job," Trump said.

"Now, does everybody like Nikki?" Trump asked the other envoys sitting in the State Dining Room of the White House.

"Because if you don't... She can easily be replaced," he said. "No, we won't do that, I promise. We won't do that. She's doing a fantastic job," he said.

"And everyone, I see - even as we took pictures before - the friendship that you've developed, all of you together. That's really a fantastic thing," Trump said.

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The US today inaugurated seven schools in Nepal as part of its USD 10 million project to renovate 15 primary and secondary schools destroyed during the deadly earthquakes in 2015.

The project is done in partnership with the Nepal's National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Nepal Ministry of Education, and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"These seven school reconstruction projects are the first wave of a USD 10 million US government effort to rebuild 15 primary and secondary schools across 14 districts most affected by the 2015 earthquakes," a statement issued by the US Embassy in Nepal said.

"The new schools are a tangible step in support of Nepal building back safer, and demonstrate the US government's strong and sustained commitment to help Nepal recover from the earthquakes," the statement said.

Representatives from the NRA, Ministry of Education, and ADB joined US Ambassador Alaina B Teplitz in inaugurating the start of the construction phase of the programme.

"This is our opportunity to rebuild stronger than before, making sure that each school is seismically safe, in order to protect the lives of Nepali children," Teplitz said.

Since the 2015 earthquakes, the US has provided more than USD 170 million for earthquake response and recovery.

Part of these funds helped homeowners rebuild over 2,500 homes to modern safety standards and to train more than 8,600 engineers, contractors, architects, masons, and carpenters on earthquake-resistant construction techniques.

The US support also helped establish over 1,000 temporary learning centres and provided school materials to help over 93,000 students resume their education with minimal disruption after the earthquakes.

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Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived here in Armenia on the first leg of his two nation trip, during which he will hold talks with the country's top leadership.

Ansari was received by Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian at the airport.

Vice President is accompanied by his wife Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State Small, Medium and Micro Industry Giriraj Singh, MP Sitaram Yechuri, MP Vivek Tankha, MP D P Tripathi and MP Thustan Chhuwang.

Ansari, who will be in Armenia till April 26, will hold talks with the country's president, prime minister and the foreign minister.

"The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest," an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University. The president and prime minister will host banquets in his honour.

His visit comes at a time when India and Armenia are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Hamid Ansari is expected to discuss India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during an upcoming visit to Poland.

Ansari, who left on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland today, will hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

The vice president, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president's honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

"Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them," MEA Secretary (east) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.

"So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the vice president with an opportunity to thank Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums," she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan.

"The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest," an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University. The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

"It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the vice president on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw," an MEA Official said.

The ambassador of India will host a reception where the vice president is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

"As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 per cent in just one year," the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today said while Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was going "door to door" in Delhi to save her job, Jammu and Kashmir was teetering on the brink with student protests a new cause of worry.

Omar was reacting to the events of the day which saw Mehbooba call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the national capital. Students of two prestigious colleges here also took to the streets against the alleged high-handedness of security forces.

"While Mehbooba Mufti goes door to door in Delhi to save her job, the state teeters on the brink - student protests are the new worry," Omar, the working president of the NC, wrote in a series of tweets.

"The CM has managed to get herself a reprieve from the PM and secured her job for 3 more months. Sadly nothing will improve with her in office," the former chief minister said.

In a direct attack on the chief minister, Omar said she needs to wake up to the reality of her leadership as she was unable to hold by-elections in the very Lok Sabha constituency which she had won in 2014 general elections.

"Madam, you are UNABLE to hold elections to the Parliament seat you vacated. Please wake up & smell the reality of your leadership.

"Before @MehboobaMufti goes about inviting other CMs to organise events in J&K how about getting her government to organise Anantnag LS poll," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Calcutta High Court today sought the West Bengal Medical Council registrar's appearance before it tomorrow to explain the council's failure to probe into the alleged negligence of a doctor leading to a patient's death.

Justice Debangshu Basak asked the registrar to appear before him tomorrow to explain as to why the WBMC has failed to probe into the doctor's alleged negligence in treating 37- year-old Neil Ghosh in 2014.

Justice Basak had first ordered the WBMC on March 28 to examine the allegation and prepare a report.

The council had claimed the doctor was not its member but Justice Basak had asked it to treat him as one and carry out the investigation.

Later on April 7, Justice Basak had summoned the WBMC registrar and asked as to why his order was not carried out.

The court on that day had directed the council to complete the probe and furnish copies of the report to the state government and petitioner Jharna Ghosh, the mother of the deceased, and fixed the next date of hearing for today.

Justice Basak today asked the state government's counsel if it has received the report from the WBMC.

On being informed by the state counsel that it has not received any report, an upset Justice Basak directed the WBMC's registrar to appear before him tomorrow at the opening of the court.

Neil had been diagnosed with dengue and was admitted to a private hospital at Garcha area in south Kolkata in November, 2014.

The petitioner's counsel Jayanta Mitra submitted that the doctor had administered intravenous glucose despite knowing that Neil was highly diabetic.

This allegedly resulted in Neil's creatinine level rising to 8.5, said Mitra adding that the doctor had then attempted dialysis but the patient slipped into coma.

He said the patient was then shifted to another private hospital where he passed away on November 16, 2014.

Jharna Ghosh had sought the state government's intervention before moving the high court earlier this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi chief minister termed as "wrong" Lt Governor Anil Baijal's order to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP for allegedly spending on the advertisements and said it will be challenged in the court.

The chief minister's remark came after Baijal had last month directed Chief Secretary M M Kutty to recover Rs 97 crore from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that was allegedly "splurged" by the Delhi government on advertisements in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines.

"The Lt Governor's order to pay Rs 97 crore is totally wrong. We will challenge the order in the court," Kejriwal told PTI.

He also sought reasons behind "targeting" of the AAP government.

The LG had also ordered an inquiry into the spendings on the advertisements projecting Kejriwal and his party, and asked the the chief secretary to fix responsibility.

"The first logic (behind the LG's order) was that my government gave advertisements outside Delhi. Several state governments - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - give advertisements in newspapers in Delhi.

"Why no such an order for them? Why only my government is being targeted?" Kejriwal said.

The Delhi chief minister said that the second reason given in the LG's order was that the advertisements carried his photos in violation of the rules.

"Photos of chief minister are given in advertisements of a state government, which is not the violation of the Supreme Court's order," Kejriwal asserted.

Last year on the direction of the Supreme Court, the Information and Broadcasting ministry had formed a three- member committee, headed by former Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon, to address issues related to content regulation in government advertising.

In its report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had said that the AAP government had spent Rs 29 crore in releasing advertisements outside Delhi which was "beyond" its responsibility.

The report, tabled in Delhi Assembly on March 10, also said that advertisements worth Rs 24 crore were released by the AAP government in violation of the financial propriety and the Supreme Court regulations.

The AAP government had rejected the report.

Asked if the LG office would clear the Delhi government's proposal to pay Rs 3.42 crore fee to noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, he said if the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) asks the LG, the file would be cleared and the fee paid.

A controversy had erupted recently over the government's proposal to pay the lawyer's fee from the public exchequer.

The BJP and the Congress had slammed Kejriwal on the issue, saying he should pay the lawyer's fee in his individual capacity.

Jethmalani has been representing Kejriwal in a defamation case filed against him by Union Minister Arun Jaitley.
The work on the strategic in Iran for which India will invest $500 million is progressing fast and the country has already formed a global port company there, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.

"We have already formed a global port company there (Chabahar Port)," he said at the launch of a roadshow for theNational High Authority of India's (NHAI) rupee denominated masala bonds here.

The Minister of road transport and highways stated that the work at Chabahar was progressing fast.

Gadkari had visited Tehran in May 2015 and both the nations had inked a pact to develop the .

In August, Gadkari had said Iran had given "very good offers" to India to develop the integrated Chabahar Port, which has a special economic zone (SEZ).

Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan.

As per the MoU signed between India and Iran in May last year, India is to equip and operate two berths in Phase-I with capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million on a ten year lease.

Ownership of equipment will be transferred to Iranian side on completion of 10-year period or for an extended period, based on mutual agreement.

Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar Port, for which India will invest $500 million, a trilateral agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor has also been signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran.

Gadkari also said India was keen on signing dollar- denominated borrowing for major ports as the country sees potential in this sector.

"Today, we have potential in ports sector, we have turnover of Rs 5,000 crore in dollars. We are in the mood to sign the agreement for borrowing for major ports," he said.

He cited the successful experience of dollar-denominated borrowing in the past for port projects.

Likewise, once the approved NHAI International starts getting revenues in dollars, it would be easy to get into dollar-denominated borrowing as there would be no need to hedge risk for funds from international market, he said.

NHAI International has received requests to undertake road projects from neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal as well as African states, Gadkari said.

This would then create dollar-revenue for NHAI International and access to international borrowing, he said.

NHAI has approval to raise up to $750 million but this is a debut issue, said Rakshat Kapoor from Nomura investment banking team in India.

All proceeds will be for NHAI projects, he said.

The NHAI masala bond roadshow will continue in Hong Kong on April 26 and in London on May 8.

Masala bonds are rupee-denominated bonds issued outside India. They will be listed on exchanges in Singapore and London next month.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" over North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump today, as Japan joined exercises with an American supercarrier heading to the Korean peninsula.

The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North's sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."



The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test a day after the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now focused on Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of its military.

US Vice President Mike Pence said today that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan -- "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts after Trump earlier indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The North's ruling party newspaper today called the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said, using the country's official name.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said the dispatch of the Carl Vinson signalled "that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day".

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."



Pyongyang has also detained a US citizen -- Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the university said today.

Two other US citizens -- college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul -- are currently being held in the North after sentenced to long prison terms.

North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens in the past decade, often releasing them only after high- profile visits by current or former US officials or former US presidents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boutique investment bank Moelis & Co plans to expand in India where it believes economic growth and corporate restructuring will prolong a boom in dealmaking, the head of its local business said on Monday.

Manisha Girotra, who previously headed the Indian unit of Swiss bank UBS and is well known in the industry, said she expects deals in sectors such as financials, telecoms and pharmaceuticals to continue driving M&A activity in the South Asian nation.

Mergers and acquisitions involving Indian companies hit a record $72.4 billion last year, led by transactions in the energy and power sectors, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Moelis has been an adviser on deals involving infrastructure companies Jaiprakash Associates and GMR Infrastructure, and pharmaceutical companies such as Strides Shasun and Intas Pharmaceuticals.

"We have a few mandates at this point on the new age tech business," Girotra said in an interview at her office in central Mumbai.

"Telecom towers and financial services should see more activity in the next 12 months," she said, referring to the sale of assets or stakes in mobile mast companies.

Moelis, which set up shop in India in 2012, currently has a team of 14 bankers. Girotra said she would like to take that number to as many as 20 in a year or so, cautioning though that growing revenue takes priority over boosting headcount.

The relatively low investment banking fee pool in India has frustrated bankers, especially multinationals some of whom have scaled back their local operations.

In financial services, Girotra said she sees consolidation in private sector banking and within the insurance sector, which has already seen a raft of deals after India relaxed foreign ownership rules.

Vodafone's Indian unit and Idea Cellular are looking to sell mobile tower assets and their stakes in a joint venture as part of an agreed deal to combine their phone service operations to create the top telecom company in India.

The founded by veteran U.S. dealmaker Ken Moelis in 2007 surprised many as it won an adviser role from Saudi Aramco on its plans for what is expected to be the world's biggest initial public share offer.

"We would love to do it, but selectively," Girotra said, when asked if Moelis would enter into IPO advisory in India.

"The IPO market is very crowded in India," she said. "I see more of the growth coming in M&A and restructuring."
By Oleg Vukmanovic

LONDON (Reuters) - Indian gas company H-Energy is to begin importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the third quarter of 2018 via a ship-based terminal leased from French group Engie, its chief executive told on Monday.

India is the world's fourth biggest LNG importer even though gas accounts for just seven percent of its coal-dominated energy mix, but consumption is growing fast in response to cheap LNG prices as new cities and industry get added to the grid.

The government aims to more than double LNG import capacity to 50 million tonnes per year and grow gas's share in the energy mix to 15 percent by late 2020.

Under the deal with Engie, H-Energy will be able to import up to 4 million tonnes a year (mta) of LNG from late next year once the terminal, dubbed GDF Suez Cape Ann, is in place, CEO Darshan Hiranandani said.

The charter term will run for at least five years.

The terminal, known as a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), will be berthed at India's west coast port of Jaigarh, also the starting point for a 635 kilometre coastal pipeline H-Energy is building to open up new gas markets.

The FSRU will convert LNG shipped from multiple suppliers back into gas, before transferring it onshore.

FSRUs are cheaper and quicker to build than land-based LNG receiving terminals, fostering quick take-up among gas-starved countries seeking to ramp up deliveries, including Pakistan and Egypt.

Hiranandani says a second import project on India's east coast is less advanced but the aim is to line up an FSRU within a year, bringing H-Energy's total potential LNG imports to 7 mta.

"The challenge is building the downstream infrastructure (pipelines) to give adequate ability for Indian customers to hook themselves up to the gas network," Hiranandani said.

"India currently has around 16,000 kilometres of gas pipelines and new cities are being added at a good pace but India lacks a spot to short-term market for trading gas which would help to finance some of the mid-stream development," he added.

Engie's terminal has the ability to re-load previously imported cargoes onto new tankers for onward export, giving H-Energy the option of trading out supply as market conditions warrant, Manish Tiwari, the firm's general manager of origination, trading and marketing said.

"We are also currently in discussion with trading companies and portfolio players for them to use the FSRU as an optimisation tool for trading," Tiwari said.

"Some of the supply for the FSRU has already been sourced, some we are still negotiating," he said.

(Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic; Editing by Mark Potter)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kicking off an era of premium smartphones with the 18:9 screen aspect ratio, South Korean giant on Monday launched G6 in the Indian market at Rs 51,990.

Initially launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February, the 18:9 format offers more viewing space and a better immersive experience while streaming videos and playing games.

"The G6 is a perfect blend of all that consumers' desire -- minimalistic design, ergonomic excellence and superb durability. We are confident that this product is the best in its league," Amit Gujral, Head, Corporate Marketing, Electronics India, told reporters in New Delhi.

LG G6 features a minimalist design that is sleek all round. It comes with a 5.7-inch QHD+ (2,880 x 1,440 resolution) "FullVision" display.

Amit Gujral, head, Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics India demonstrates the water resistant feature of LG G6 smartphone

The device has Google Assistant built-in, empowering users to get quick answers, manage everyday tasks, enjoy their favourite music and videos and search G6 more efficiently than ever.

G6 features dual 13MP rear cameras, including a 125-degree lens on the wide angle and also comes with an expanded 100-degree field of view with its 5MP front camera.

LG UX 6.0 provides a "Square Camera" feature which divides the 18:9 display into two identical perfect squares.

With this, users can shoot images in 1:1 format -- a popular format on social media apps such as Instagram -- and review them in the adjacent window.

The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor paired up with 4GB of RAM and runs on the Android Nougat operating system.

LG G6 is equipped with "heat pipes" for better cooling as part of its efforts to strengthen product safety.
Its another account of Travis win-at-all-cost ethos. In 2015, had a problem. drivers in China were using stolen iPhones to set up dozens of accounts. They would then accept ride requests from these fake accounts to get incentives that was giving out to drivers to take on more jobs.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recruited over 11,500 people outside India during 2016-17, including graduates from engineering and B-schools in the US, as it ramps up local hiring in offshore markets to tackle visa-related challenges.

The country's largest software services firm added 79,000 employees (gross) and 33,380 employees (net), taking its employee base to 3.87 lakh at the end of March. Hiring locals in overseas markets often pushes up operational costs for IT outsourcing companies. However, with the governments in markets like the US, Australia and New Zealand tightening their work visa norms, Indian IT companies are hiring more local talents in offshore markets to ensure compliance with rules.

"Our local hiring programmes in various geographies are progressing well. In FY'17, we recruited over 11,500 employees outside India, including some engineering campuses and the top-10 business schools in the US," TCS CEO and Managing Director Rajesh Gopinathan told investors.

TCS did not provide details of the geographies where hiring was done. However, the 11,500 number is lower than TCS' hiring from international markets in 2015-16. According to the company's annual report, it had inducted 16,173 people from international markets into its workforce in fiscal 2016. America accounted for over 55 per cent of TCS' USD 4.4 billion revenue in the January-March 2017 quarter, while over 25 per cent revenue came from Europe. Companies like TCS and Infosys use work permits like H-1B visa (in the US) to send engineers to work on client sites.

However, over the past few weeks, the US and other countries like Australia have taken steps to tighten their visa regime. This, in turn, has forced companies to adjust their business models to reduce their dependence on visas and hire more locals overseas instead. The development comes at a time when the over USD 140 billion Indian IT industry is grappling with challenges like fluctuating currency movement and technology changes at a fast pace.

New technologies like automation and artificial intelligence are also making a number of jobs redundant that in turn is impacting hiring at IT firms. TCS added about 79,000 employees in 2016-17 as compared to 90,000 gross hires in the preceding financial year. "...going forward, we have said directionally it is going to come down and the total net intake also will be lower than what we have done this year," TCS Head of Global Human Resources Ajoy Mukherjee said.


Amid developments of Snapdeal's sale to its bitter rival Flipkart, the mobile wallet space is buzzing with a possible merger between FreeCharge and MobiKwik.

According to a report in Business Standard, FreeCharge plans to merge itself in an all-stock deal with MobiKwik.

After the merger, the new entity is likely to get a top-up of $200 million (nearly Rs 1,300 crore) from a Chinese investor who is eager to make an entry into India, the report said.

Snapdeal's loss making digital wallet arm, FreeCharge has been struggling to raise fresh capital for more than a year. MobiKwik has also been in talks to raise more funds.

In March, online marketplace Snapdeal had announced the appointment of Jason Kothari as the Chief Executive Officer of FreeCharge and a commitment to invest an additional $20 million in the digital wallet.

According to reports, both MobiKwik and FreeCharge are worth $300 million, each, and would get about 45-50% stake in the merged entity. And, a merged entity could be valued at anything between $700 mn to $1 billion.



Earlier, SoftBank-backed digital wallet firm which is now owned by Snapdeal was said to be in talks with Paytm for a potential sale.
The Committee on Allowances, which was formed to review the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, is likely to submit its report to the government on April 27, according to reports. This could have an impact on 50 lakh government employees who are waiting to enjoy the benefits of revised pay. The long delay in allowances has left government employees frustrated. The report is expected to be submitted to the Finance Ministry as soon as Arun Jaitley returns from the US from his five-day official visit. It is believed Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa who is heading the panel has already finalised the report.

Here's a background to the Seventh Pay Commission story:

The Seventh Pay Commission had recommended abolishing 53 of the 196 allowances, and subsuming 36 other allowances. It also recommended slashing the House Rent Allowance (HRA)--for metros, commission recommended bringing down the HRA from 30 per cent to 24 per cent.

The Seventh Pay Commission had recommended the rate of House Rent Allowance (HRA) be kept at 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively.

Government employees protested the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, following which the Narendra Modi government formed a committee under Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa to review the suggestions.

The Committee on Allowances was constituted in July and after an extended deadline was asked to submit its report to the government by February 22, 2017.

That the Ashok Lavasa-led committee had missed its deadline was revealed by Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal while replying to a question on Seventh Pay Commission in Parliament.

It was reported that the Committee on Allowances could not submit its report as it had sought comments from various ministries on 14 allowances.

Speculations are rife that the Committee on Allowances is likely to recommend against reducing HRA. Although, a few reports had suggested that the committee is unlikely to vote for a hike in transport allowance.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B Visa in his meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Saturday, an Indian Finance Ministry statement said.

"Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B visas for skilled professionals from India and highlighted the contribution which Indian companies and professionals are making to US economy," it said.

The two sides also discussed other economic issues related to investment and collaboration apart from ways to curb terror funding.

"Critical economic issues like Indo-US Investment Initiative, infrastructure collaboration, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, collaboration with USA for smart cities development, etcetera, were deliberated upon during the meeting," it added.

"Issues related to terror funding were also discussed and the US Treasury Secretary appreciated the role of India in this regard, including Indo-US cooperation in FATF (Financial Action Task Force)," the statement said.

Jaitley is on a five-day visit to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Trump administration's curbs on H-1B Visa has caused concern among Indian techies, who use the visa for jobs in the US, making the Indian government step in and raise the issue with the US counterparts.

The US has in fact accused top Indian IT firms TCS and Infosys of unfairly cornering the lion's share of H-1B visas. At a White House briefing last week, an official in the Trump administration said a small number of giant outsourcing firms flood the system with applications which naturally ups their chances of success in the lottery draw.

"The top recipients of the H-1B 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 they'll get the lion's share of visas," a senior US official said at a White House.

Earlier, Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had hit back at the US saying big US companies were present in India too. "They are also here, they are earning their margins, they are earning their profits which goes to the US economy," Sithraman had said.
The Ministry of Defence's canteen stores department (CSD) has suspended the sale of Patanjali Ayurved's amla juice after receiving an adverse state-laboratory test report on the product, the Economic Times reported.

The move came after the product was tested at the central food lab that found it to be 'unfit for consumption'. Soon after the report was declared, the CSD asked all its depots to make debit notes for their existing stock so that the product can be returned. The Department has 34 depots located across India.

"The batch was tested at the Central Food Lab in Kolkata and was declared unfit for consumption. Patanjali has withdrawn amla juice from all army canteens," The ET quoted two officials as saying. However, the detailed findings of the report are yet to be known.

Incidentally, this is the same lab that found almost two years ago lead levels above permissible limits, and the presence of MSG in the samples of Nestle Maggi noodles.



According to a report by PTI, CSD has immediately suspended the sale of the particular batch of the item and sent a show cause notice to the company to examine the deviations and explain about them.

They said "further action" will be taken on receipt of reply from the firm. The CSD had sent samples of Amla Juice having index no. 85417 and batch No. GH1502 to the laboratory in Kolkata, they said.

The Patanjali Ayurveda said its amla juice is an ayurvedic medicine and test on it should be conducted as per the norms of the AYUSH ministry. The firm said norms prescribed by the countrys food regulator--Food Safety and Standards Authority of India-- were not applicable to the juice.



The latest development could hurt the Patanjali's image as its Amla juice was the product that helped it strengthen its foothold in the Indian consumer market. However, Patanjali Ayurved has not reacted yet to the news.



This is the second time when Patanjali is facing suchadverse situation. Last year in December, a local court in Haridwar slappedRamdev's Patanjali Ayurved's five production units with a fine of Rs 11 lakhfor "misbranding and putting up misleading advertisements" of theirproducts.



Patanjali Ayurved was found guilty of misbranding as the products being shownby the company as produced at its own units were in fact manufactured somewhereelse.



A case had been filed in the court against the company in 2012 by the DistrictFood Safety Department after samples of mustard oil, salt, pineapple jam, besanand honey produced by Patanjali had failed quality tests at Rudrapurlaboratory.


India's military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world's fifth largest spender at $55.9 billion.

According to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) on Monday, India spent $55.9 billion on its military in 2016.

US remains the world's largest military spender registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.

Military expenditure by China, which was the second largest spender in 2016, increased by 5.4 per cent to $215 billion, a much lower rate of growth than in previous years.

However, the growth rate was "much lower" than in the previous years, the SIPRI report said.

The third largest military spender was Russia, which has increased its spending by 5.9 per cent to $69.2 billion.

Saudi Arabia was the third largest spender in 2015 but dropped to fourth position in 2016. Spending by Saudi Arabia fell by 30 per cent in 2016 to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.

Pakistan does not figure in the top 15 spenders.

"The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq," the report said.

US spending in 2016 remained 20 per cent lower than its peak in 2010, it added.
The excitement that many showed on social media and on television after Vijay Mallya was arrested by the Scotland Yard in London on April 18 was doused after news of his subsequent bail came out.

Nevertheless, as the London court hears a case to extradite him to India on several charges ranging from money laundering to tax evasion to loan default, hopes are high that at the end of it all, he will be handed over to the Indian authorities.

Those who rejoice most, would be the bankers and Mallya's exstaff, whom he owes money. After all, Indian banks have alleged he owes them Rs 9,000 crore, interest included, which he raised from them to fund his airline, which subsequently grounded, much before he fled to London on March 2 last year.

On the other hand, he reportedly owes his 3,000 strong staff Rs 300 crore in unpaid dues over several months. The real trouble for Mallya started in November, 2015, when the State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender to Mallya who owed it Rs 1,600 crore, declared him and two of his group companies, the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and its holding company United Breweries Holdings, as wilful defaulters.

In March 2016, SBI was able to join hands with 16 other banks to appeal the Karnataka High Court that the businessman be arrested and his passport impounded.

In a separate development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also registered a case of money laundering against Mallya, based on a CBI probe into a Rs 900-crore loan KFA took from IDBI Bank.

Surely, there would be a political reason for arresting him, but purely from a banker's point of view, an arrest, extradition and possible punishment will set a big example for defaulters.

The general feeling is that punishment should be meted out to a few big defaulters who feel they can take the system for a ride. That will go a long way in preventing future defaults to a great extent.

At present, in most cases, it is the bankers who are at the receiving end, and not the industrialist. One of the major mistakes that banks have done is to fund Mallya's dreams to fly, which seemed legitimate, but then continuing to fund him even after several consecutive years of losses, resulting in good money being thrown in after the bad.

Perhaps the one biggest factor that pulled down his business was Air Deccan, which he bought to gain a licence to fly international, as Indian rules allow only airlines with five years of domestic operations to fly abroad. Mallya had created a product which needed more money to sustain itself than it was generating, leading to accusations that he siphoned off huge funds from his companies into his airline business.

Auditors of Diageo, which took a controlling stake in Mallya's United Spirit (USL) in 2014, reportedly found that Mallya had diverted Rs 7,200 crore of USL's funds to the airline, which again was diverted elsewhere. Apart from this, he is facing a probe for allegedly siphoning off over Rs 1,300 crore from United Breweries, a group firm. But the biggest accusation against him was the way in which he seemed to be squandering money and throwing lavish birthday parties at a time when he was unable to even pay salaries to his staff.

Banks were to blame too, since public sector banks were in a high lending mode as the economy boomed, disbursing loans to big projects, but in many cases without considering all the pros and cons of these businesses.

THESE banks neither had the manpower nor the inclination to adequately appraise such projects, resulting in several loans turning bad. Add to this a legal system, which while tough on retail borrowers, but seemed to allow large corporates go scot-free.

Now, the same bankers are hoping that the government make an example of the liquor tycoon through an arrest and possible jail, although they know very well there is little money that they can extract from his assets now.

An auction of his Goa bungalow gave the SBI just Rs 73 crore. The Indian banking system, straddled with non performing assets of Rs 7 lakh crore, needs some real pepping up, and hope bringing defaulters to book would be a major step in preventing more such defaults in future.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has raised the issue of tightening of the H-1B visa regime with his US counterpart Steven Mnuchin during their first meeting and highlighted the contribution of Indian companies and professionals to the American economy.

This was the second time Jaitley raised the H-1B visa issue with the American side during his visit here to attend the annual Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He had also raised the issue with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross earlier.

During their meeting yesterday, Jaitley and Mnuchin discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, in addition to the international cooperation against terror financing.

Jaitley highlighted the notable progress made in the Indo-US relations over the last few years and Indias ambitious reform agenda which was creating new opportunities towards a deeper economic engagement between the two countries, a Finance Ministry statement said.

"Critical economic issues like Indo-US investment initiative, infrastructure collaboration and NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund), collaboration with the US for Smart Cities Development were deliberated upon during the meeting," it said.

Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B visas for skilled professionals from India and highlighted the contribution which Indian companies and professionals are making to the US economy, the statement said.

President Donald Trump last 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.

The Indian IT industry expressed serious concerns over this as these visas were mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations.

The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals.

India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.

Last month, NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar had said that the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

"Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market," he had said.

Issues related to terror funding were also discussed during Jaitleys meeting with the US Treasury Secretary, who appreciated Indias role, including the Indo-US cooperation in Financial Action Task Force.

Jaitley also held bilateral meetings with the finance ministers of Sweden, France and Bangladesh. The discussions covered a wide spectrum of bilateral collaboration to strengthen the cross-country relationships.

He also held a bilateral meeting with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim among others.

Meanwhile, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das held bilateral meetings with New Development Bank (NDB) President K V Kamath and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) President Gilbert F Houngbo separately.

Various policy issues regarding NDB and IFAD were discussed during the meeting.

Jaitley, currently on a US trip, is accompanied by RBI Governor Urjit Patel, Das and Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian among other officials.


CAMEROUN :: Cameroon: 3 traffickers arrested with lion and leopard skins

Three people were arrested on the 13th of April 2015, in Meiganga for trafficking in a two leopard skins and a lion skin. Also seized from the traffickers were two crocodile skins during the operation that was carried out by wildlife officials of the Mbere Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife working in collaboration with the Gendarmerie Territorial Brigade. One of the traffickers left Garoua with some of the wildlife products on board a grey Toyota car and arrived Meiganga where he got in contact with an accomplice.

The arresting team tracked the car from the moment it arrived Meiganga to a location near a fuellng station and the three traffickers were arrested as they pulled the skins from bags full with grains of maize. According to one of the members of the team, they were about to start doing business when wildlife officials quickly move in and got them. The skins had been hidden among grains of maize to enable the 37-year old trafficker who left Garoua to pass through check points without being discovered as transporting parts of protected species. He equally had supporting documents proving he was travelling with maize.

Prior investigations had established that an illegal sale of lion, crocodile and leopard skins was about to be carried out in the town and wildlife officials teamed up with the gendarmerie to stop the transaction and arrest the traffickers. The operation was carried out with technical support from The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA). If found guilty the three face up to 3 years imprisonment for trafficking in protected wildlife species. The illegal trade in these species is seriously affecting their ability to survive and the lion is facing serious survival challenges in the country with just a few hundred remaining in the wild in the Northern part of the country.

The trade is trans-boundary with Nigeria being one of the main destinations for the lion skins coming from Cameroon. According to sources close to the case, one of the traffickers has a number of international connections in Nigeria, Chad and beyond, attesting to the international character of their business that is well organized. The Meiganga based trafficker, according to the same sources, is the main buyer of the products while the Garoua-based trafficker is the main supplier and collector. He equally supplies wildlife contraband to clients based in Yaounde and Douala. He is equally suspected of gold trafficking.

On the other hand, the 38-year old Meiganga-based trafficker owns a restaurant at the heart of the town. Traffickers generally use a front business as a cover for their underground activity and restaurants are superb areas to establish contacts with buyers and sellers. Last year, the same kind of situation was observed in Ebolowa where two were arrested for ivory trafficking. One of them owned a restaurant as a front business and in the restaurant, a piece of carved ivory was hanging free as an advert for the kind of business that was run by the owner of the restaurant.

The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife is expected to push charges against the three who are presently behind bars while the establishment of a case file is in process. The Ministry seems to

be gunning for effective law enforcement efforts in the wildlife sector and many consider this to be the a swift short term measure to hamper the illicit trade in parts of protected wildlife species.

Photo: Arrested traffickers with lion and leopard skins.

Notorious trafficker arrested with over 100 kg of pangolin scales.

A 37-year old man was arrested in Messamena for illegal possession and attempts at selling over 100 kg of pangolin skins. The arrest that took place at midday on Friday April 14, 2017 was carried out by officials of the Forestry and Wildlife Control Post who were assisted by the Messamena Gendarmerie Territorial Brigade during a crackdown operation that took the notorious pangolin scale trafficker who had been under investigations for some time now.

The trafficker who owns a store is suspected to have been regularly supplying pangolin scales to clients in Yaounde and Douala. He would transport and sell bags of scales and on returning to his base he would buy provisions and supplies for his store, reports of preliminary investigations indicate. But on that day his luck ran out as investigations had provided enough information pertaining to an illegal sale of pangolin scales that was about to be carried out in town. The operation was carried out with the technical support of The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA).

The trafficker who is presently behind bars is expected to be charged with two counts including unlawful possession and circulation of a totally protected wildlife species, this, according to sections 101 and 158 of the 1994 wildlife law and could face up to 3 years imprisonment. Cameroon has three species of pangolins and only the giant pangolin was classified as totally protected but after the last CoP of CITES that held last year in South Africa, all species of pangolins were moved to Appendix I which gives the highest levels of protection under this UN convention that regulates trade in wildlife species. Minister Ngole Philip Ngwesse quickly reacted to the CITES decision by issuing a circular letter in January 2017 that says all pangolin species are totally protected in the country.

The illicit trade in pangolin scales has witnessed a very rapid increase over the last couple of years thanks to increase demand from the Asian markets. The scales are widely used in traditional Chinese medicines and as aphrodisiacs despite no scientific evidence of any therapeutic or curative properties. This has caused a huge black market for the scales and pangolins in Africa are paying a huge price for the incessant demands for their scales. The scales are collected by smaller traffickers who go around villages and buy the scales to supply bigger traffickers like the one arrested in Messamena. They in turn supply Chinese traffickers like the ones arrested in January in Douala with over 5 tons of scales sealed in two huge containers ready for export to China.

The trafficker is presently behind bars while awaiting the completion of the case file and the forwarding of the matter to the state counsel. The operation comes barely hours after three were arrested in Meiganga in the Adamaoua region for trafficking in feline skins including a lion and two leopards skins. The intensification of wildlife law enforcement operations is aimed at breaking an illicit activity that is destroying populations of wildlife in the country and government seems to be tackling the problem head on.
Patrick Ekema W. Musa

The Mayor of Buea Council Patrick EKEMA Esunge has described as secessionists traders who close their shops on ghost town days in his municipality.

He was speaking Monday April 24, 2017 in Buea in a briefing to the Press who sought to know from him why some shops have remained permanently closed despite the recent march against ghost town organized by him.

Patrick EKEMA Esunge said ghost towns have been less effective these days but that some secessionists around Molyko are still adhering to the strike action but that they cannot be forced to open their shops.

He noted that areas like Buea town, Bongo Square are not in any way observing ghost town as shops were wide open Monday and the Buea town Market was booming with traders and buyers present for their daily activities.

The mayor also used the occasion to lambast on his predecessor now Senator Mbella MOKI Charles accusing him of using his old office to talk on behalf of the Municipality. He cannot talk on behalf of Buea Municipality today, Patrick EKEMA said.
Anti Ghost town march in Bamenda W. Musa

An Anti-Ghost Town group of about twenty youths have marched the streets of Bamenda carrying placards denouncing the observation of ghost town which has now become a common practice within the population.

They marched along the Ngeng Junction, passing through Fokou around Nkwen and moved to the Grand Stand to make a declaration.

The anti ghost town marchers held banners whose writings is aimed at dissuading Bamenda population from observing ghost town in their respective localities.

The writings read as follows: the population of Bamenda says NO to Ghost Town, another read; Stand as one and say NO to Ghost Town.

Paradoxically, the anti ghost town march met with effective ghost town on the ground as they marchers carried on their activity.

The Bamenda anti ghost town march is coming after another organized by the Limbe and Kumba City Councils as well as Buea Council.
| BY Ricki Green |

Vizeum and OOH specialist agency Posterscope have teamed up with Apparition Media to roll-out a unique Out-of-Home mural series promoting Jameson Irish Whiskey.

The murals, situated at eight locations throughout Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, depict Jamesons iconic artwork featuring its famous bottle alongside the Jameson family motto of Sine Metu (Latin, meaning without fear).

Says Valeria Catterini, senior brand manager, Jameson Irish Whiskey: We are incredibly impressed with the Apparition Media approach to Out-of-Home advertising. The hand painted billboards are disruptive and add an element of intrigue for passers-by during the painting process. Working with Apparition and the very talented artists allows us to behave differently in this traditional media channel and bring to life the Jameson Sine Metu campaign in a new and exciting way.

Says Lewis Stewart, group business director, Vizeum: Our approach for the Jameson campaign was to build a sense of crafted authenticity through our communications.

Using Apparition, we were able to transform the traditional Out-of-Home experience into a delivery mechanism which showcases high quality, in cherry picked environments, that enables us to talk to our consumer in a unique and creative way.

Posterscope handpicked locations that were both popular and high-traffic such as Surry Hills NSW, Fortitude Valley QLD, and Melbournes CBD.

Says Elliot Devine, business director, Posterscope: Jameson challenged Posterscope with thinking outside of traditional Out-of-Home channels to elevate the Jameson brand. Working closely with Vizeum and Apparition we selected the most impactful and relevant sites to elevate the brand and align with the Jameson Motto Sine Metu  without fear. Its exciting when a brand challenges the medium to come up with really creative executions!

The series, created by Apparition Media and inspired by Jamesons iconic artwork, includes three variations of the same design.

Says Tyson Hunter of Apparition Media: Jameson is a brand we have dreamt about working with since we started this business. It was one of those brands that we knew would fit the medium perfectly and we are very excited that we got the opportunity to work with them on this campaign.
Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 10:08PM

When it comes to the more advanced features on Windows 10 Mail and Calendar, Microsoft is bringing Google users into its fold with its new update. The tech company is rolling out support first to Windows Insiders first. It wont be coming in one fell swoop, too. If youre excited to get support, you might or might not get it immediately.

The update will bring some important features to Google users, though. These include Focused Inbox, which automatically detects important emails from your inbox and shows you these first. Aside from that, users will also get travel reservation reminders and package tracking in the Calendar app. These features were previously limited to Outlook.com and Office 365 accounts. To get these features, though, you will need to sync your email, contacts, and calendars to Microsofts serversin case you were concerned about this. But any changes you make to your Gmail account on Windows 10 and Calendar will sync with your Google account. So, if youre looking for a viable desktop email client, Microsoft is making a case for that.

Source: SlashGear
"If these funds are not reinstated we estimate that this would mean over 200 disadvantaged individuals and families every year will have to face courts and tribunals without critical legal advice and representation."
"He was a very good counsel, he was very good at going straight to the heart of a matter. He could cut the crap."



ACT Law Society president Sarah Avery said Mr Salmon was "highly respected, generous, and a real character", and would be missed by Canberra legal's profession.



He is survived by his wife Margot, children Amelia, Kate and Ben and five grandchildren.
The family is still "in a holding pattern" until the insurance company signs off to pay their claims out. While they're keen to make use of the community spirit which has shined through, they're unable to accept help for clearing until the insurance is finalised, or donations of plants and goods, because they have nowhere to keep them.
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 ...
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
A driver leaving a Cars and Coffee event in Tennessee is facing some serious charges after he was filmed nearly hitting several onlookers.



According to the Franklin Police, 19-year-old Tahj Turnley is looking at a felony charge of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon after he sped out of the event and nearly lost control of his Dodge Charger. As the police explained, Turnley is seen driving with total disregard for the safety of bystanders, many of whom had to take evasive action to avoid being run over.

Police used the video to help find Turnley who is currently free on a $5,500 bond. He has a court date scheduled for May 4th and could be facing up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000 according to Stan Bennett Law. Even if the charges are reduced to a misdemeanor of reckless endangerment, Turnley could still be facing up to 11 months and 29 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500.

Regardless of the outcome of the case, events such as this have become a major problem and happen all too often. Thankfully, no one was injured this time around.

H/T to Jalopnik!

Video
We can think of a number of different ways we might spend a couple of million dollars, were we to come across such a fortune. But we cant think of many better recipients of such largess as a Pagani Huayra  like the one pictured here for sale.



The second brainchild of Italian-Argentinian supercar designer Horacio Pagani, the Huayra is made almost entirely out of carbon fiber, propelled by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 sourced from Mercedes-AMG. Only about 100 of them have been made at the same factory in Modena that previously produced the Pagani Zonda, and they remain highly coveted among the supercar elite.

The example you see here is listed for sale on JamesEdition by Dubai-based broker Knight International. It was built in 2014 and has just 1,616 miles on the odometer, each and every one of which were sure were accrued with great pleasure. Its all red-tinted carbon fiber inside and out, with black leather upholstery and all manner of optional upgrades.

The seller is asking 1.95 million for it, which works out to about $2.09 million at current exchange rates. As unfathomably large a sum of money as that may seem to spend on a single car, that seems to be about the going rate: RM Sothebys sold one similar (albeit with even lower milage) just last month for about the same, and wed be hard-pressed to find one for much less.

Photo Gallery
Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with Scuderia Ferrari Watches to install a two-level Ferrari branded racetrack on the top deck of the Norwegian Joy.



Set to be one of the ships key attractions, the racetrack will allow up to ten drivers to compete against each other in electric go-carts. The thrilling experience with culminate in a photo finish which the winner can then share with friends and family.

Theres no word on how much a race will costs but Norwegian Cruise Line says The Haven and Concierge class passengers will enjoy a number of complimentary rides as part of the amenities and benefits of their suites and staterooms. Once drivers complete on the course, they will be free to browse a nearby retail store which features a selection of Scuderia Ferrari Watches.

The Norwegian Joy is a 3,850 passenger luxury cruise ship and is the companys first purpose-built vessel for the Chinese market. The boat will have a christening ceremony on June 27th and will have home ports in both Shanghai and Tianjin.

Besides the racetrack, the Norwegian Joy boasts a state-of-the-art racing simulator, two multi-story waterslides, and an open-air laser tag course.

Video

Photo Gallery

H/T to Autoblog
The owner of a Tesla Model X in China is asking the electric automaker for 8 million yuan (about $1 million) in compensation after claiming that a crash and fire caused the falcon doors to no longer function.



Speaking about the incident, the female owner of the Model X, Lee Tada, was sitting in the second row of seats with her boyfriend while their chauffeur was driving. Tada claims that while travelling at approximately 75 km/h (46 mph), the electric crossover hit a concrete siderail, spun 180 degrees and was hit by a Ford Focus.

She claims that both the falcon doors refused to open after the crash and that she and her boyfriend were forced to exit through the front door after they started hearing batteries explode, Electrek reports.

Lee says that she suffered a cut on her lower lip and a broken nose while the chauffeur was apparently hospitalized for over 40 days.

However, Tesla China isnt buying the story and has refused to pay, claiming that the crash took place at high speed, not 75 km/h.

In a statement translated from Chinese, Tesla said First of all, the lives of the owner and passengers were not threatened. We are working closely with the department concerned. The distribution of the debris at the site and the damage all indicate that this was a high-speed crash  in this case, not just electric cars, but any vehicle can catch on fire. In fact, another car involved in the accident (a fuel-powered vehicle) also caught on fire. Fuel tank fire incidents happen much more often than the electric car fires.

In addition, Tesla has consistently insisted on the disclosure and transparency of information, including other information about the incident, such as the owner is asking us for 8 million yuan, and we will not accept.

VIDEO

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Flickr - BC gov't

Castanet News wants to give you an opportunity to meet each of the candidates running in Central Okanagan ridings during the 2017 provincial election. Each candidate in Kelowna-Lake Country, Kelowna-Mission and Kelowna West was given an opportunity to provide a bio outlining who they are.

Steve Thomson: BC Liberals, Kelowna-Mission

Steve Thomson has served as MLA for Kelowna Mission for eight years and served as Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Natural Resource Operations and most recently as Minister of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for the past six years.

He was born and raised right here in Kelowna along with his five sisters and brother on the family farm in the heart of the Mission. The farm continues to operate today and has been recognized by the province as Century Farm as it has been operating for over 100 years.

Steve built his career representing BC Farmers and Ranchers as the former Executive Director of the BC Agriculture Council and has served in leadership positions in the BC Fruit Growers and BC Milk Producers Associations. He served as president of both the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and the BC Chamber of Commerce.

Steve is a strong advocate for Kelowna and the Central Okanagan focussing on partnerships and strong relationships that have delivered benefits and economic growth in education and trades training, water infrastructure, transit, highways, technology and innovation and protection from invasive species such as mussels.

Diversified economic growth, job creation and sustainable resource development is the key to our provinces future and success. I was proud to lead the process to complete the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement to ensure this gift to the world for our children and grandchildren

Steve is married to Brenda and has three children and five grandchildren. He has a great love of sport and had a long career in rugby including the opportunity to play for the Canadian National Rugby Team.
Alanna Kelly

A portion of a Peachland home was gutted in a structure fire on Vernon Ave. Sunday afternoon.

Its not clear at this point how the fire started, but firefighters on scene say no humans were injured in the fire. However, a pet is still unaccounted for.

The right side of the house has been severely damaged in the blaze, which, at one point, appeared to be fully involved.

The roof of the house has shown signs of collapsing, as firefighters wrap up extinguishing the fire.

Castanet will provide more details as they become available.

with files from Alanna Kelly
Photo: The Canadian Press

The federal government has been quietly making changes to passport offices in a bid to improve security and address concerns that the facilities could be easy targets for a terrorist attack.

Civil servants in passport and other government offices have for years faced bomb threats, and hostility from individuals who are disgruntled, drunk or suffering mental illnesses.

Internal government documents show that senior officials have more recently worried that someone with extremist views might see a passport office as prime target for an attack, particularly if the federal government revoked their passport privileges because they wanted to go abroad to join a terrorist group.

The briefing note to senior officials at Employment and Social Development Canada says the offices could now more easily become targets, or be collateral damage.

"ESDC Passport offices may be considered targets of symbolic value in future attacks," reads part of the 2015 briefing note marked, "Canadian Eyes Only."
Photo: The Canadian Press

For nearly 100 days, President Donald Trump has rattled Washington and been chastened by its institutions.

He's startled world leaders with his unpredictability and tough talk, but won their praise for a surprise strike on Syria. He's endured the steady drip of investigations and a seemingly endless churn of public personnel drama.

"It's a different kind of a presidency," Trump said in an Oval Office interview with The Associated Press, an hourlong conversation as he approached Saturday's key presidential benchmark.

Trump, who campaigned on a promise of instant disruption, indirectly acknowledged that change doesn't come quickly to Washington. He showed signs that he feels the weight of the office, discussing the "heart" required to do the job. Although he retained his signature bravado and a salesman's confidence in his upward trajectory, he displayed an awareness that many of his own lofty expectations for his first 100 days in office have not been met.

"It's an artificial barrier. It's not very meaningful," he said.

But he acknowledged that being commander in chief brings with it a "human responsibility" that he didn't much bother with in business, requiring him to think through the consequences his decisions have on people and not simply the financial implications for his company's bottom line.

"When it came time to, as an example, send out the 59 missiles, the Tomahawks in Syria," Trump said of his decision to strike a Syrian air base in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack. "I'm saying to myself, 'You know, this is more than just like 79 (sic) missiles. This is death that's involved because people could have been killed. This is risk that's involved.'"

"Here, everything, pretty much everything you do in government involves heart, whereas in business most things don't involve heart," he said. "In fact, in business you're actually better off without it."
Photo: Twitter

Leaders of British Columbia's main political parties are continuing to take shots at each other's election promises and past performances as the campaign nears the halfway mark.

NDP Leader John Horgan hosted a campaign rally in Vancouver on Sunday, where he told the crowd that Liberal Leader Christy Clark is working for her donors, not for the average British Columbian.

"There's a clear choice in this election. We can continue on with a government that's working for those who write the cheques. Or we can elect a government that's working for you, that's working for your communities," he said.

Meanwhile, the NDP is pledging to make life more affordable for British Columbians, with promises like $10-a-day daycare, building affordable housing and scrapping tolls on two busy bridges in Metro Vancouver.

Clark criticized the NDP on Sunday, saying their platform "appears to be changing every day," and gave the party's stance on scrapping medical services premiums as an example.

The New Democrats have pledged to do away with the fees, but Clark says it's unclear how they intend to make up the revenue.

Horgan spoke with media following Sunday's rally and acknowledged Clark's remarks. The NDP platform has been "crystal clear" and Clark's party is spending most of their time "throwing mud" instead of engaging with voters, he said.

"The B.C. Liberals are desperate. They'll do anything they can to cling to power," he said.
Photo: Contributed

Family and friends are mourning a toddler who was found dead outside a church in North Edmonton last week.

A Facebook group titled R.I.P. Anthony Joseph Raine had hundreds of posts as of Sunday evening, and a Go Fund Me page had raised more than $3,000 for the boy's funeral.

The boy's aunt, Brandi Raine, confirmed to The Canadian Press that police had informed the family it was Anthony who was found dead outside the Good Shepherd Anglican Church on Friday.

The Go Fund Me page says the boy's mother is from the Louis Bull Tribe in central Alberta, but the child was not registered with the band.

Brandi Raine wrote on the page that Anthony "was the sweetest little boy you can meet."

A 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were arrested Saturday evening in Edmonton, and homicide investigators said in a release issued Sunday that they "believed" the two to be responsible for the boy's death.

The case has triggered an outpouring of grief in Edmonton.

There is now a makeshift shrine outside the Good Shepherd Anglican Church where people have been leaving flowers, children's toys and messages of condolence.
Photo: Canadian Press

The Canadian Red Cross says three-quarters of the $323 million raised since a massive wildfire struck Fort McMurray has been spent or committed.

The fire, nicknamed "the beast" because it was so fierce and unpredictable, forced 88,000 to flee the northeastern Alberta city and destroyed about 10 per cent of its structures.

The Red Cross says $244 million has been spent or committed to date, with $183 million of that going toward individuals and families.

Funds have also been set aside to help community organizations and small businesses.

The charity raised $189 million in donations on its own, bolstered by $104 million in matching funds from Ottawa and $30 million from the Alberta government.

Conrad Sauve, president and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross, says the wildfire was a defining moment for the organization.
Photo: pixabay

Ottawa has talked with provinces about helping Canada's forestry sector, but won't move immediately once the U.S. imposes duties on softwood lumber imports, a government source says.

A financial package can't be determined until the federal government studies the penalties that are expected to be announced Tuesday, said an official who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

It took the federal government more than a year to announce the first of two aid packages after duties were imposed in 2001.

The U.S. Commerce Department is slated to announce Tuesday preliminary countervailing duties on Canadian imports. A decision on anti-dumping duties is expected to follow on June 23.

Industry analysts expect the combined duties could range between 30 and 40 per cent with three top Western producers being charged more than Resolute Forest Products (TSX:RFP) and New Brunswick's J.D. Irving. An average rate will be applied to other companies.

Quebec said Monday it will immediately help its forest industry even as it waits for a decision from the federal government.
Photo: Contributed

A scheduled voir dire hearing began in Vernon Supreme Court Monday in the case of Logan Scott, who is facing a charge of manslaughter over the death of an Armstrong woman.

Jillian McKinty's body was found in her home at Wolfenden Terrace on Nov. 27, 2013.

The mother of two was 27 when she died.

Police called her death suspicious in nature.

It was only nine months later, after an exhaustive police investigation, that Scott was arrested.

The court hearing is expected to take three days and will review certain evidence ahead of the trial which is also scheduled to begin.
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia Liberal Leader Christy Clark says the funds her party receives from an international lumber company are different than the donations B.C. New Democrats accept from the union that represents provincial forestry workers.

Clark made the comments while campaigning at a Delta company that relies on B.C. wood products.

When questioned about the donations, Clark says her party accept funds from Weyerhaeuser, but she is not compromised because she does not defend American demands for tariffs on Canadian softwood.

But, Clark says New Democrat Leader John Horgan supports the United Steelworkers Union and has allowed the union to pay the salaries of the New Democrats' senior campaign director and deputy director.

She says Horgan has been "cozying up" to the same union that has supported U.S. President Donald Trump and even made a senior Steelworkers leader an honorary member of the NDP.

Clark said she would never defend American interests that "want to kill Canadian jobs."
Photo: Contributed

Some proponents of string theory claim that there are about 10(500) universes.

The multiverse is like a bubble bath, said theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. (There are) multiple universes bubbling, colliding and budding off each other (all the time.)

According to the many worlds interpretation of quantum physics, every time we make a decision, the universe splits off into more universes for every possible variation of that decision.

If we run a yellow light and narrowly miss a car making a left hand turn, a world is created for every possible variation  we didnt run the yellow light, we were hit, we were hurt, we were killed, the other person was killed.

This means that there are an infinite number of universes and that everything that could possibly haven happened in ours (but didnt) does happen in another, says the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Difficult as that may be to contemplate, this theory is accepted by many of the greatest scientific minds.

In spite of the mind-boggling numbers, there is one bigger. Possibilities are infinite  and thats something we can understand and accept more readily than string theory or quantum physics.

If we look up at the night sky or marvel at the pictures taken by the Hubble telescope, we can appreciate the immensity of the universe, from which life comes.

Life is pure potential. A baby has no preconceived ideas. In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, but in the experts only a few. When we stop and smell the roses and the coffee, when we take the time to look at a buttercup or a butterfly, we can see the incredible variety and vastness of life.

We constantly consider our limitations, but how often are we awe struck by our possibilities? Most of us settled on a career in our mid-20s and as we climbed the hierarchical ladder, never looked beyond those possibilities; never wondered if our ladder of success was against the right wall.

Supposedly, baby boomers were going to have a cluster of careers, but most stuck to one. Sure, there were different jobs within the craft, but we didnt stray far from the well-worn path.

In the process of becoming experts people who know more and more about less and less  we ignored everything else. Now, its time to take the blinders off. (If its too scary, we can always put them on again, although, theres a very real possibility that they wont fit over a bigger consciousness.)

We, not fate or destiny, determine who we become by what we choose to do and how we choose to do it.

In yoga, standing bow (standing on one leg, pulling the other foot up, behind and over the head while the upper body parallels the floor and the other hand pointing straight ahead) requires strength and flexibility. But equally important are courage and commitment, a willingness to try, and if necessary fall, and faith that it can be done.

Doing a spinning hook kick in karate requires similar attributes. The physical skill only works if the mental courage flows with the body as it spins and the leg sweeps out and around in a circular motion. Many people can do it in practice, but not when sparring because for a moment, our back is to our opponent and were vulnerable.

Thats true of all activities, of life, which wasnt meant to be lived in constriction mode. Yet, we demand guarantees, we want to know it will work, that we will succeed and wont get hurt.

In spite of our conservative streak, we secretly admire people who live free  who are willing to go beyond the known, who are willing to fail  even while condemning them. But we condemn them knowing that the ones who gamble all are the ones who win big, whether monetary or mental.

Expansion is the way of the universe; its growing at the speed of light  186,282.2 miles per second, 670 million miles an hour. In the time it took to read that sentence, the universe had expanded almost the distance from here to the moon  and it has been doing that for 13.8 billion years and will continue to do so for many billions more.

Physically, we have two blind spots, which we dont notice because, well, were blind to them. One spot is caused by the optic nerve at the back of the eye and theres another at the centre of our vision in low light.

The location of what we see is commonly taken to lie out there in front of us, columnist Bob Berman wrote in Astronomy magazine. But everything we see, the images themselves, actually occur in the occipital lobes of our brain. In a very real sense, there is no external world.

"You perceive only the inside of your brain, where everything visual takes place.

Then, there are the blind spots we create. We have our worldview, which we defend as ardently as a mother bear defends her offspring.

But when we refuse to see, we limit our possibilities to the known, to the things we have done, we create blind spots to our potential and possibilities.

Wisdom and understanding can only become the possession of individual men by travelling the old road of observation, attention, perseverance, and industry, wrote Samuel Smiles, a 19th century self-help guru and motivational speaker.

Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Twitter

Some unlikely political types put their heads together recently.

Kelowna-Lake Country Green candidate Alison Shaw met with former Progressive Conservative MP Ron Cannan last week.



They met to discuss health care, affordability, electoral reform, the economy, and Organic Okanagan initiative.



Ron has a great understanding of this community and a firm grasp of the local issues, says Shaw. Evidence-based policy is not partisan. I gained a lot from listening to his perspective and from his long experience as city councillor and as MP.



Although Greens and Conservatives typically don't mix, there are things such as fiscal responsibility and conservation that they can and do agree on, Shaw said in a press release. For instance, they agree that protecting Okanagan Lake is of paramount importance as the community continues to grow.



Is there any chance of Ron Cannan running under the Green Party banner? I doubt that would happen anytime soon, says Shaw. I have respect for Ron, and by communicating across party lines we can learn a lot. I am firm believer in diversity as a way to achieve the best ideas. I am also a believer of putting ideas to the test to achieve the best social and environmental outcomes possible."
Photo: Twitter

British Columbia's Green party is hoping its promise to balance the province's books will mean more support in the ballot box come election day.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver released his party's full platform at a campaign event in downtown Vancouver today.

Weaver says a Green government would hike taxes on carbon, corporations and high-income earners to pay for more investment in childcare, infrastructure, public health and the environment.

The platform includes operating deficits in the second and third years of a four-year mandate and a $216-million surplus in the final fiscal year.

The Greens also want to make the tax system more progressive by raising taxes on those who earn more than about $108,000 a year and rolling medical services premiums into payroll and income taxes.

New Democrat candidate Shane Simpson attended the Greens' announcement and says the only reasonable choice facing voters on May 9 is between the NDP and the Liberals.
Photo: City of Vernon

Vernon city council has okayed spending an extra $560,000 in order to get the controversial Kalamalka Lake Road project started and wrapped up as soon as possible, although the mayor admits there will likely be more complaints once work begins.

The tender was awarded to LB Chapman Construction Ltd. with work scheduled to start on site in about two weeks.

With the additional cost to the project, which is being referred to by city officials as the Okanagan Rail Trail Connector, it means over $4 million is now budgeted for the work.

The city has been deluged with concerns from businesses along the route who are worried the road closure will mean a hard hit to their bottom lines.

"I understand the frustrations," said Mayor Akbal Mund following a council meeting on Monday. "Everybody's going to have complaints about 'Why now? Why in front of us? It's going to affect my business'.

"Well, of course it is but let's look at the longterm gain you will get, especially those businesses along the rail trail corridor with the bike path there."

Work is expected to take between nine and 13 weeks with the southern portion of the road closed for that time. There will be access to businesses at the south end by taking College Way.

"We're trying to do this as fast as possible," Mund added, pointing to similar projects that take more than a year to complete.

The mayor is hopeful that, with the problems Coldstream has with parking, cyclists will probably use the rail trail connector and bike from Vernon.

"It's a nice flat path. They'll be able to do that with this path so it's important to have now."

The city believes the new connection to the rail trial via Kalamalka Lake Road will allow Vernon to maximize the economic benefits derived from tourism.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
Cement price hike to hit Modis affordable housing?

ICR Newsroom By 24 April 2017

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis 'Housing for All scheme could be impacted by the steep hike in cement prices, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) argues.



According to a report in the Times of India, cement prices have risen from INR250/50kg bag to INR300/bag in the past two months. Developers in Kolkata have also reportedly been informed that the price will be hiked further to INR350 before June. If this is the case, it will raise construction costs by INR50/ft2, the article mentioned.



We will have no option but pass the hike to consumers though we know that it will pinch them hard because some have scraped their entire saving to buy the house, Nandu Belani, president of the Bengal chapter of CREDAI, told the daily.



Developers are concerned that the increases may derail several projects lined up for launch under the governments affordable housing scheme which Modi had announced in his New Years Eve address to the nation and was reiterated by Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, in this years Budget.



CREDAI on Friday accused cement companies of profiteering and said the firms had no reason to go for the steep hike at a time when the housing industry and banks were working towards meeting the governments goal of 'Housing for All by 2022. CREDAI National Vice-President, Sushil Mohta, alleged cement companies had formed a cartel to increase prices.

Published under
(TNS) -- Most students who go to college say their goal is to get a job, but some just meander through school and rack up debt. Meanwhile, local employers often come up short in the search for qualified workers.New technology developed at the University of Hawaii aims to tackle the problem by giving students, industry and the university an easy way to stay on track and in sync as they map their futures  in real time. There are two components to the effort, STAR GPS and the Sector Mapping Tool, and both have already won national recognition.STAR GPS registration is designed to help, like the GPS in your car, University President David Lassner told students as the program went into effect for summer and fall registration systemwide. It lays out the optimal pathway to your destination: the degree you have selected as your goal.The STAR app has been getting 30,000 hits a day, making it the most used app at UH, according to Gary Rodwell, UH information technology specialist.Students can map out their pathway to graduation, adjusting for different majors and minors as they go along. If they sign up for a class that doesnt count toward their major, an alert pops up noting that it is not in plan, and the system recalibrates when they will graduate.Youre welcome to take the course  its your decision, said Rodwell, who works in the UH-Manoa Office of Undergraduate Education. We are empowering them to make the decision.Pilot testing showed STAR, developed by Rodwell and a team of students, dramatically reduced the number of credits taken that didnt count toward students degrees.The Sector Mapping Tool, expected to debut in a month or two, digests scads of economic and employment data to help students as they figure out what they want to do with their lives. It uses data visualization and heat mapping to illustrate hot spots in the economy, which careers are taking off and which are dwindling.Students can take an online test to see where their interests might be and what majors could suit them. They can click on any job description and find out the skills needed, pay scales, projected demand for the position in future years locally and nationally, and even which companies are hiring. The system scoops up information from help wanted ads regularly, along with government reports and economic data, to stay fresh.Peter Quigley, associate vice president of UH Community Colleges, developed the tool with Paul Sakamoto, web manager for the community colleges. It incorporates data from EMSI, which tracks the labor market.We have every job in the state of Hawaii on our database, Quigley said. The problem is that its a huge pile of data. Our portal has organized that data in a way thats very robust and usable.A STEM button highlights careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The analytics for that segment were funded with assistance from Strada Education Network.Traditionally there has been a gulf between the ivory tower of academia and the world of work, Quigley noted. An English major, he learned a different approach as academic dean at Embry Riddle University, which specializes in aerospace engineering.Our relationships with industry were hand in hand, which is interesting, which kind of runs against the grain, he said. I came up in a humanities background, and the idea was to be as far away from that as you could.Now the points of contact are getting much more close, he added. That is part of an effort, both nationally and locally, to more strongly align academics and the economy.Quigley said sector mapping can offer dynamic answers for university administrators to questions like How does the latest proposal for a new program fit within the economic profile of the state? and How will students benefit?The Sector Mapping Tool will benefit our academic program planning at the community colleges, and it can inform policy decisions inside and outside of the university, said John Morton, UH vice president of community colleges. It provides a means for the business sector and the university to identify and address future workforce needs while giving incoming students the ability to make highly informed career path decisions.The Sector Mapping Tool received the 2017 Bernice Joseph Award from the Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders at its annual meeting last month. The award recognizes innovation, problem-solving capability and potential impact on two-year institutions.In November UH received two Presidents Awards from Complete College America, which recognizes innovation and contributions to college completion efforts. One was for the initial version of STAR, the other for the 15 to Finish campaign, which urges students to take 15 units a semester and has been widely replicated on campuses elsewhere.
Lee Universitys Department of Language & Literature hosted its sixth annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Latin American and Iberian Studies.

The purpose of the conference is to promote academic excellence among undergraduate students and to bring together students and professors from a wide variety of disciplines including languages, humanities, and history. This year, attendance reached over 250 people among international teachers and high school students. Eleven colleges and universities from around the nation were represented along with high school students from Colombia and Cleveland.

This has been the sixth successful undergraduate conference in a row, said Dr. Alexander Steffanell, director of the Latin American Studies program at Lee. For the first time we had 20 international high school students and teachers from Colombia presenting and plan to expand the countries represented at the conference in the future. Not only has the conference been a place to exchange intellectual knowledge, but also a place to raise awareness of Latin American and Iberian issues.

Represented at the conference were 25-30 professors and undergraduate students from Lee University, along with delegates from the University of Kentucky, Gettysburg College, Tennessee Wesleyan University, Young Harris College, Georgia College, Georgia State University, Harding University, Covenant College, Universidad Minuto de Dios, and Universidad Santo Tomas. The poster presentation session featured work from Gimnasio Jireh (Cota, Colombia), Colegio Americano de Ibague (Ibague, Colombia), and Cleveland High School.

Students and faculty from all fields and disciplines related to Latin America and Spain were asked to present on literature, humanities, language, and other topics in relation to the culture of Latin America and Iberia.

The Lee students presenting for the conference were Easton Bevel, Audra Chaney, Jude Clarke, William Gardner, Julius Garrod, Victoria Lentz, Micaela Lucas, Barbara Quintard, Joanna Van Pelt, and William Wheeler.

Students presented on a variety of topics such as bilingualism, families, education, social issues, government, and Colombian culture.

This annual conference always aims to explore critical thinking on culture and enhance research on controversial but up-to-date topics, said Steffanell.

The main panel included presentations with Lee alum Robert Bennett and Emily Bricker. Their presentations discussed how Lee University helped them succeed in their current professions. They also explored the relationship between culture and foreign language and how such knowledge will help them move forward in their careers.

Attention to diversity and culture is important in all sectors and across all levels of education, so I decided to share my experience as an international educator with culturally responsive pedagogy, said Bennet. I based my presentation less on the theoretical underpinnings of this method, and more on practical aspects, answering the question: how can a culturally responsive life help us improve situations of injustice and inequality.

Bennett earned his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Lee University and his Master of Arts in education from the University of West Florida with a focus on TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). He is currently a primary teacher in Norway.

Bricker earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with minors in intercultural studies and TESOL from Lee University. She currently serves as an immigrant advocate and will soon begin her Master of Arts in international studies at Fuller Seminary.

The presentation panel moderators were all from Lee University and included Evan Humphreys, Rachel Leidemann, Dr. Sara Ortega-Higgs, Barbara Quintard, Guilherme Silva Von Streber, Hannah White, and Dr. James Wilkins.

For more information on the conference, contact Steffanell at asteffanell@leeuniversity.edu or call (423) 614-8216.

For more information on Lees Department of Language & Literature, call (423) 614-8210.
Install some new software in your brain this week by cozying up with a brand new book from Page One 's Independent Bookstore Day event . Dive in this Saturday, April 29, from 10am-6pm and hear local authors like Jane Lindskold and A.J. Liese speak, as well as visiting writer Emma Straub, author of last year's Modern Lovers. The event promises to shine a light on the books and authors you love, and maybe introduce you to your next favorites. Perhaps best of all, the entire event is free , so it won't cut into your book money. (Maggie Grimason)

Seven New Mexican authors assist as guest booksellers to recommend books that have influenced them or that they've enjoyed reading, in addition to promoting their own titles.

7 NM AUTHORS TAKE PART IN PAGE ONE'S "INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY" EVENT SAT, APRIL 29

Page One Books will be participating in the nationwide "Independent Bookstore Day" event with seven New Mexico authors on hand as "guest booksellers" for an hour or two each on Saturday, April 29.

These authors will be in store to recommend books that have influenced them or that they've enjoyed reading, in addition to promoting their own titles.

Independent Bookstore Day is an one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April. Every store is unique and independent, and every party is different. But in addition to authors, live music, cupcakes, scavenger hunts, kids events, art tables, readings, barbecues, contests, and other fun stuff, there are exclusive books and literary items that you can only get on that day. Not before. Not after. Not online.

On the day's official website, it is stated, "Why are we celebrating independent bookstores? Independent bookstores are not just stores, theyre community centers and local anchors run by passionate readers. They are entire universes of ideas that contain the possibility of real serendipity. They are lively performance spaces and quiet places where aimless perusal is a day well spent. In a world of tweets and algorithms and pageless digital downloads, bookstores are not a dying anachronism. They are living, breathing organisms that continue to grow and expand. In fact, there are more of them this year than there were last year. And they are at your service."

This years Independent Bookstore Day ambassador is Emma Straub, a former bookseller and the bestselling author of "Modern Lovers," "The Vacationers," and "Laura Lamonts Life in Pictures," as well as the short story collection "Other People We Married" (all Riverhead Books). To promote Independent Bookstore Day, Straub will be speaking to the media about the importance of indie booksellers.

Authors participating in "Independent Bookstore Day" at Page One Books are the following:

10:00 am - Noon: A.J. Liese, "Three Promises for Jane"

10:00 am - 11:30 am: Elyse Russo, "Dates From Hell and Other Places"

11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Barbara J. Langner, "The Detectives Who Loved Beethoven"

1:00 - 3:00 pm: MaryJayne Rogers, "From Overwhelmed To Inspired"

1:00 - 3:00 pm: Jeffe Kennedy, "The Edge of the Blade"

3:00 - 4:30 pm: Jane Lindskold, "Curiosities," "Changer"

3:00 - 4:30 pm: Lois Ruby, "The Doll Graveyard"

Page One Books is located at 5850 Eubank Blvd NE, Suite B-41, in Albuquerque's Mountain Run Shopping Center (southeast corner of Eubank and Juan Tabo). The Independent Bookstore Day event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 294-2026 or visit www.page1book.com.

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Independent Bookstore Day website: http://www.indiebookstoreday.com
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.
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Yang Mings shares have been suspended on the Taiwan Stock Exchange from last Thursday until May 3 as part of its financial restructuring and reverse stock split.



Yang Ming Marine Transportations shares have been suspended on the Taiwan Stock Exchange from last Thursday until May 3 as part of an earlier announced financial restructuring and reverse stock split.

Our recapitalization plan will initially allow Yang Ming to reduce its equity capital, after which infusion of new capital is then obtained from various private and public investors, the liner carrier said in a customer advisory published today. At the appropriate time, we will also announce the identities of those new investors.

The suspension of shares last week was a standard procedure that is routinely carried out in the Taiwan Stock Exchange when a company implements a recapitalization as in the case of Yang Ming, the company explained.

Wen-Jin Lee, the chief executive officer and president, and Henry Ho, treasurer and senior vice president at Yang Mings North America head office in Newark, N.J., emphasized the stock suspension had been long planned and there was no reason for any concern by the carriers customers. The plan was approved by shareholders on Dec. 22 and Koreas Financial Supervisory Commission on Jan. 18.

Drewry Financial Research Services noted, As it stands, the capital reduction will have no bearing on the market cap since its existing market cap using, 3,004,440,135 shares x NTD (New Taiwan Dollars) 6.15, will be equal to its new market cap of NTD 18.5 billion (1,403,941,349 shares x NTD 13.15).

With fewer shares, the value per share will increase to NTD 13.15 from NTD 6.15, almost twice its existing share price, Drewry said.

Earlier this month, Yang Ming said it had raised $54.4 million in an offer of 161.33 million new shares to six investors, both government institutions and private companies. They include the National Development Fund of the Taiwan Government, Taiwan Navigation Co., Taiwan Chinachem, T3ex Global Holdings, Mercuries Life Insurance, and Superstar Investment.

The National Development Fund will hold a 6.39 percent stake in Yang Ming, and the company said it anticipates it will continue to invest in Yang Ming in subsequent rounds.

Yang Ming said Taiwans government, including the Ministry of Transport and Communications, now owns 36.62 percent of the company.

Yang Ming is a member of THE Alliance, a containership space sharing agreement on major east-west trades that began this month and also includes Hapag-Lloyd of Germany; and Japans Big Three carriers, NYK, MOL and K Line.

SeaIntel CEO Lars Jensen said there were strong indications in the past six months from the Taiwanese government that they will not let their shipping lines falter, to the point where they were public about putting a $1.9 billion credit facility up for availability for the shipping lines.

Jensen said it was important for both Yang Ming and its alliance partners to reassure shippers that there will be no service disruption.

THE Alliance took steps in that direction back in December when, in the wake of the bankruptcy of South Korean liner carrier Hanjin, it inserted language in its vessel-sharing agreement filed with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission to create safeguards in case any of the five members have financial difficulties in the future.

Wen-Jin Lee said the rollout of THE Alliance in the U.S. has gone smoothly and expanded Yang Mings portfolio of services. The company now has seven transatlantic services, including a service to the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. West Coast via the Panama Canal. In the transpacific, he said the number of strings has remained about the same, but the port calls are quite different now. Now we have more coverage from South Asia, direct calls to the USA.


With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than...
Marco Polo famously traveled from Venice to Xian, then Chinas capital city, with the impact on his hometown felt for centuries. Even today, ancient trade is still revered in this most beautiful of Italian cities: St. Marks Basilica still shows frescoes of Oriental merchants that were involved with the repatriation of the holy remains of the revered apostle being removed to Venice.

Today, Chinese goods are taking tentative steps to connect via rail to European destinations. London, Madrid, Moscow, Milan, and Istanbul are among some 15 European cities that are connected to the Chinese One Belt, One Road (OBOR) rail network. Although these services are not yet fixed, and concerns remain over their cost and other logistical problems, the fact is that the connectivity is in place, and it will be improved.

Not all of this is entirely in Chinas hands; there is a great deal of land to cover between China and Europe. But what is happening is that the rail network is slowly starting to be developed across the Eurasian land mass. Iran, now looking to come back into the international fold since the lifting of Western sanctions, has been developing rail routes that will link it through to Europe via the Caucasus, and onto European ports in Bulgaria and Romania. Russia has been developing high speed rail that will link Moscow and St. Petersburgs existing service to Kazan, on the banks of the Volga. The Chinese want to extend that all the way to Beijing.

RELATED: Russia Looks to Link EAEU with OBOR

Once port and rail upgrades are completed between Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the economic dynamics can be worked out, sustainable rail freight, and potentially passenger services, between Europe and China will become more commonplace. After all, the Trans-Siberian route already exists. If that route were made high-speed, as the Chinese are suggesting, and is further extended from Russia into the European network, it would be feasible to travel by train from London to Beijing in 48 hours.

There are numerous considerations before such an eventuality could take place, not least infrastructure development, security, and diplomatic concerns. However, it could be done. Somewhat uniquely, due to the UKs position on Brexit, it will shortly be free of having to negotiate agreements with non-EU countries through Brussels. Being free of the EUs legislation effectively opens the British government up to be free to deal with whom it chooses, regardless of Brussels protocols or preferences.

To that end, the UK could find itself in the driving seat in getting some of the Silk Road and OBOR ambitions directed towards it, rather than Madrid or other European destinations. Addressing this will become a tax issue, and will depend upon two elements:

The nature of future UK-EU trade in import-export, and the dutiable value placed on non-locally sourced exports (such as re-selling Chinese goods onto the EU market);

The nature of any future free trade deal between China and the UK.

In fact, when looking at the capability for British companies to re-sell Chinese goods onto the EU market, there is excellent potential, capable of creating UK employment and advances in technology that would benefit the British economy by some way. While the basic re-sale of Chinese made goods onto the EU from the UK wouldnt fly (the EU would simply impose a rules of origin import making the procedure worthless), what would work is adding British value. This means that certain Chinese technical goods could be imported to the UK, have British technologies added to them, and the finished, added value product then being presented to export markets worldwide.

If that same process could be extended to trading partners such as India, among others, then the UK could move itself into a world-class center of excellence in terms of adding critical new technologies to basic goods coming in from Asia. In fact, such a scheme would also drive investment from China and India. The UK certainly has the innovative mindset, technological infrastructure, as well as academic and scientific know how.

The question as to what products should feature is a matter for the Chinese and British to discuss and match up. Such partnerships are normal  which was a major point of the now-wasted Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement the US had envisaged.

The rail network, however, is only one component of the logistics and transportation. The UK already has significant port facilities, yet new routes may be opening up. The north Russian Arctic seaboard is opening up, mainly due to global warming, and both Russian and Chinese investors are flocking in to develop them. For the Chinese, these offer additional access points for Russian energy reserves, yet trade will surely follow. For Russia, these open up its own massive Arctic seaboard to energy exploitation, and trade. I recently described the impact of Opening up Russias Arctic Ports, and Britain in fact is no stranger to this coastline, having been partners with the Murmansk-based Russian Navy during World War II. North Russia is not far from the UK, and again, some political willpower can direct the British gaze east, via Russia.

There are further tax issues to consider in doing so. Russias equivalent to the EU is the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which provides free trade between Russia and Central Asia. That may seem a long way for Britain; however, it is a market of some 180 million with a per capital GDP of US$13,151 (PPP) which is higher than China. It is also a growing, developing regional economy with a taste for middle class consumer goods. That has attracted countries such as China, India, and Singapore among others to commence free trade negotiations with the EAEU. Those markets lie on the rail route that bought those recent trains from Beijing into London. I discussed British engagement with the EAEU recently.

There is a way for Britain to engage with Chinas OBOR, and reinvent itself as a modern day multi-port terminus for the new Silk Road, free from the constraints of Brussels and the EU. The logistics and transportation routes are already being set up, and will only continue to improve. That alone suggests a re-engagement by Britain with Asia is a path well worth following.

If tax based negotiations, focusing on Asian sourced goods and products that British technology can add value to Britain, the entire UK can become a new Silk Road terminus. This would allow the UK to invent and manufacture using Asian commodities and basic goods  a new boom time for Made in Britain in partnership with countries such as China, India, and potentially even Russia and beyond. The logistics are happening. The diplomatic and tax treatment efforts need to be worked on.



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Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

Dezan Shira & Associates and the United Kingdom: Country Brochure (Complimentary Download)

This year, Dezan Shira & Associates turns 25 years old in Asia. We retain extremely strong ties to the United Kingdom, employ numerous British nationals throughout Asia, and have serviced several hundred British companies in China and the Asian region at large since 1992. Explore Dezan Shiras partnership with British investment in China in this brochure.

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China and Iran signed the first commercial contract to redesign Iran's Arak heavy water reactor in Vienna on Sunday.

The commercial contract signed between the two sides is seen as an important step towards modification of the Arak heavy water reactor.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to redesign the reactor to minimize its plutonium production and avoid production of weapons-grade plutonium.

Redesigning the Arak heavy water reactor is a core aspect of the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear program.

The JCPOA was reached in Vienna in July 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 group, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany.

The P5+1 countries have created a working group led by China and the United States to work with Iran to redesign the reactor.

Iranian ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi told Xinhua the signing of the contract is important and Iran has very good cooperation with China. He said it's the example cooperation which the other sides should learn from.
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PLA Air Force H-6K bomber. [File photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]

China's Ministry of National Defense (MOD) confirmed late Friday that its military forces were maintaining "normal combat readiness and training" activity along the country's border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The MOD issued the statement in reaction to recent media reports alleging the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Air Force had been mobilizing bombers while raising their combat readiness to "high alert" in response to rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The MOD said such allegations were "inconsistent with the facts."

In late February, the MOD issued a similar statement denying the PLA was sending a 1,000-man military unit to reinforce China's border with North Korea, deeming such reports as "sheer fabrication."
Giant panda Cao Cao. [Screenshot: CNTV]

Monitoring data show that Cao Cao, a 16-year-old giant panda raised in captivity, has mated with a male in the wilda rare occurrence for the endangered speciesaccording to a panda research center in Sichuan Province.

Cao Cao was released in the Liziping Nature Reserve in early February in time for mating season from March to May.

In March, researchers reported seeing several males fight for the right to mate with her and began checking data sent by the GPS tag on her neckwhich is fitted with a recording deviceevery five days.

"When we checked the recording on March 27, we heard her making noises similar to those made by females while mating," said Zhang Hemin, head of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where Cao Cao was raised. "It lasted one minute and 30 seconds."

If the panda is pregnant, she will give birth in July or August, "at which point we will bring her and her cub back to the center", Zhang said.

Cao Cao arrived at the center when she was 2 years old, after being found in poor health inside the Wolong National Nature Reserve. She has already mothered two cubs: male Tao Tao and female Zhang Xiang. Both are 2 years old and have been released into the wild in the Liziping reserve.

The research center, which was set up in the Wolong reserve in 1983, has released seven captive pandas since 2006 in an effort to boost the wild giant panda population.

There are 471 captive pandas worldwide, 234 of which are from the Wolong centerenough to prevent extinction, experts say.

In the early 1990s, the government banned the capture of wild pandas to mate with captive ones. Captive pandas have mated with few of their captive peers, which hurts biodiversity, researchers say.

The center formulated the plan last year to have captive pandas mate with wild ones. Cao Cao is the first to be chosen.

"She has a close bond with humans, and researchers have helped feed her since she was released," Zhang said.

Cao Cao is the equivalent of 48 years old in human terms, and she has only one or two years left before she is too old to participate in a breeding program.

"If she fails to get pregnant this year, she will have one last opportunity to mate with a wild panda next spring," Zhang said.

More captive pandas will be selected to mate wild ones, he said.
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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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, ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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. ...

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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, ...

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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 ...

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The graphics shows the procedures of Tianzhou-1 automated docking with Tiangong-2 on April 22, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

On April 24, 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong I, and joined the select group of nations boasting an operational space program.

On April 24, 2016, the country celebrated its first National Space Day. Last year also marked the 60th anniversary of the creation of China's aerospace industry with the inauguration of the Fifth Academy of the Ministry of National Defence on October 8, 1956. The Academy was tasked with developing rocket propulsion and missiles for military purposes.

National Space Day is here to stay. Last year, President Xi encouraged the nation's brightest minds to "seize the strategic opportunity and keep innovating to make a greater contribution to the country's overall growth and the welfare of humankind."

China is a relative newcomer in the arena of scientific space exploration. It only launched its first scientific satellite, the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), on December 17, 2015, in collaboration with European partners. China's early scientific efforts have relied heavily on partnerships with the European Space Agency (ESA) ever since their first joint mission, Double Star (2003-2004), which aimed to better understand the Earth's magnetosphere.

Developments in Chinese space science are accelerating on multiple fronts. China's space science program has long focused on the near-Earth environment and on reaching the Moon and - hopefully soon - the planet Mars. Recently, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ESA called for international teams to propose new, medium-sized space missions.

One of the teams I joined at the time proposed a mission that would explore the Universe at ultraviolet wavelengths, a regime one can only access from space but which is poorly served by existing spacecraft. However, the joint mission that was eventually selected followed the long-established tradition of near-Earth instead of deep-space exploration: SMILE, the Solar-wind Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Link Explorer, will explore the effects of "space weather" on our daily operations.

The impact of space weather is of increasing concern in our high-tech society. It encompasses the conditions in space between the Sun and the Earth that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems, and which could potentially endanger human life or health.

Understanding and forecasting space weather is deemed so important, that the main goals of four of the five Chinese scientific space missions that have been approved for launch by 2022 are linked to exploring the impact of the space environment on our daily life.

Even the relatively few scientific results obtained with the Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope on the Yutu (Jade Rabbit) rover, which was taken to the Moon by the Chang'e 3 spacecraft in December 2013, are related to the interplay between the highly charged particles emitted by the Sun, known as the "solar wind," and the Earth's magnetic field.

Only three of the 10 recent and approved future Chinese scientific space missions address blue-skies research, science that does not necessarily lead to immediate practical applications. In addition to DAMPE, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope and the Einstein Probe will explore the Universe in X-rays- highly energetic radiation from objects like black holes that is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere.

This mostly practical space science focus is a direct result of the structure of the Chinese space program, which is overseen by the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, an agency tasked with developing policies for the country's defense industry. Science for the sake of science is clearly not a priority.

The Chinese scientific space program is slated to accelerate until at least the early 2020s. Meanwhile, China's space industry has been developing ever more powerful launch vehicles; the maiden launch of a Long March 5 rocket took place on November 3, 2016. With this new capability, China will now be able to place up to 25 tons in low-Earth orbit and up to 14 tons in geosynchronous orbits, at altitudes of some 36,000 km, where most communications satellites are found.

This capacity to take heavier payloads to low-Earth orbit, 200-2,000 km above the Earth's surface, will support the development of the Tiangong 3 space station. The Chinese space station will also operate a 2 m-diameter space telescope, Xuntian, which will be able to observe an area of the sky that is 300 times larger than the field covered by the Hubble Space Telescope, although I have yet to see a compelling scientific justification for the telescope's development.

Technology rather than scientific needs drive developments of space hardware. Nevertheless, if even a fraction of China's ambitious space program comes to fruition within the next decade, its scientists will be poised to take a leading role. National Space Day is meant to inspire the country's youth to take up the challenges and devote their careers to boosting the nation's scientific and engineering prowess. Ambitious and lofty goals, but well worth pursuing.

Richard de Grijs is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/RicharddeGrijs.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
The Trump Administration believes that the climate change mantra is a "hoax" peddled by some countries, including China. It also argues that it is a waste of money and threatens US jobs.

Non-adherence to the Paris Agreement on climate change may not affect the already-rich countries but China, as a developing country, has to undertake peaceful development and ensure a safe and prosperous future for Chinese citizens together with taking the strategic opportunity to develop alternative clean technologies.

President Xi Jinping said at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was hard won and therefore all signatories should stick by it.

A report released by the Ohio-based Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said China  given its domestic investment in renewable energy sectors  is now a world leader. The report also said China is going global: last year (2016) it invested US$32 billion in large overseas deals involving renewal energy.

China has chalked out a plan for a greenhouse gas "cap and trade" program, calling for the government to tax domestic companies that generate large amounts of carbon dioxide.

Domestic issues as well as a sense of global responsibility  such as acute pollution problems, particularly in the air and water, together with health hazards posed by increased carbon emissions, pollution and rising temperatures  are shaping China's response to the global climate change challenge.

Additionally, scientific advances have afforded economic opportunities to curtail carbon emissions in lieu of clean and renewable technologies.

Solar and wind energy are now major policy priorities. Already, China has started limiting coal consumption in three largest cities  following adverse effects on the environment. Given these commitments, China may be able to control level of carbon emissions by 2025  five years ahead of its stated goals of 2030.

US President Donald Trump labels climate change a hoax  ignoring the world population will hit 8.5 billion by 2030 from 7.5 billion now, increasing pressure on ever-more-stressed clean water, energy and air resources.

Timely choice

That China has taken the initiative on acquiring clean technologies is quite timely. Its new industries are manufacturing electric cars, batteries, nuclear power and wind, solar and geo-thermal technologies. As an illustration, nearly 200 million electric vehicles have been sold in China already and this trend may be catching up in other countries soon.

Already, coal is difficult to exploit as fracking technology is expensive, albeit involving low labor. Even in coal-rich US states such as West Virginia the proportion of the workforce employed in coal mining is as low as 5 per cent.

Trump's appeal and promise to coal miners and the coal industry played an important role in his election. But clean energy consciousness is growing in progressive states such as New York and California as they make plans for clean and efficient use of energy.

In fact, the Obama administration had already taken some steps to reduce the C02 emissions by 2025, to one quarter below 2005 levels. Should this happen, many European, Middle Eastern and South Asian countries could follow suit.

Thus, China could become a global leader in low-carbon technologies by taking a major role in building renewable and eco-friendly energy technologies, such as solar and wind, should the US and other rich countries renege on Paris.

The writer is Visiting Professor of International Relations at Department of Defense and Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, former president of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute and a former adviser at the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad. Shanghai Daily condensed the article.
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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.
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Two Chinese companies Friday signalled theirsupport for the New Zealand tourism sector with agreements made through ChristchurchAirport.

China Southern Airlines has joined the Christchurch-based University of Canterbury (UC)in a new partnership which will benefit one of the South Island's most popular scenicattractions.

The airline signed an agreement to become as an official partner of the iconic University ofCanterbury Mount John Observatory, New Zealand's pre-eminent optical researchobservatory, which sits at the heart of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark SkyReserve.

The partnership also supported tourism in Tekapo, an alpine lakeside resort, with 10percent of the agreement's funding provided to the Mackenzie District Council for tourisminfrastructure in Tekapo.

"China Southern Airlines is showing a real commitment in this partnership to enhance thevisitor experience at Tekapo," Mackenzie District Council Mayor Graham Smith said in astatement.

UC vice-chancellor Rod Carr said he hoped the partnership with China Southern Airlines isa sign of strong ties between the two countries.

"China is the largest and fastest growing international market for student recruitment atUC, so strengthening relationships with key organizations there will support that growthand provide students with employment opportunities," Carr said in the statement.

"This sponsorship is a direct show of support for an area Chinese visitors love to visit."Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns said in a statement.

China Southern Airlines Australasian managing director Louis Lu said it was a meaningfulpartnership that benefited both tourism and science.

"We all share an interest in discovering more about the amazing space that is the sky.China Southern explores it from an aviation perspective, the team at UC and theobservatory research its secrets and showcase the amazing stargazing opportunities itoffers," Lu said in the statement.

The observatory enables UC staff and students to carry out cutting-edge astronomicalresearch in a number of different areas, including the search for extra-solar planets, thetracking of near-earth objects and the study of pulsating, variable and exploding stars.

Christchurch Airport also announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding withAlibaba, the world's largest retail commerce company, to connect small and regional NewZealand businesses with Chinese visitors.

Chinese travellers would be able to use the Alibaba Group apps to plan their visit, whilethey toured New Zealand, including shopping and financial transactions, and after theyreturned to China.

Johns said the strategic partnership was pivotal to unlocking for New Zealand's regions thepower of Alibaba's international ambition to have 2 billion consumers in micro tradingrelationships with tens of millions of businesses around the world by 2026.

"This agreement has the potential to super-charge regional development across NewZealand, by unlocking micro exporting using tourism as the basis for the first meetingbetween the parties," he said.
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File photo taken on Feb. 4, 2017 shows French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron addressing a campaign rally in Lyon,France. Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by several pollsters. (Xinhua/Han Bing)

Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by polling agencies and official partial results.

An updated estimation by research firm Elabe for local broadcaster BFMTV indicates that Macron leads with 24 percent of votes, and Le Pen 21.8 percent.

A total of 11 candidates participated in this year's race towards French presidency, and the two leading candidates are set to face off in the runoff on May 7.

At a gathering after the vote, Le Pen hailed the results as "historic," and expressed "profound gratitude" to her supporters.

She called on voters to join her to create "national unity," promising to bring "great alternative" to the country.

Macron later also greeted a cheerful crowd of supporters, saying that "in one year, we have changed the face of French political life."

The centrist candidate, holding a prominent pro-European Union (EU) position throughout his campaign, urged unity in France and Europe, and pledged to revive the European project.

"I will be a president who transforms, protects and helps those who have little," he said, promising to embrace "all the French people."

Outgoing French President Francois Hollande congratulated Macron on the phone for advancing into the second round, according to French media reports.

European Commission chief spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said on social media that Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the commission, also congratulated Macron on the results and "wished him good luck for the future."

Right-wing conservative candidate and former prime minister Francois Fillon conceded defeat Sunday night, and vowed to vote for Macron in the runoff on May 7.

"The defeat is mine. Do not scatter, stay united," Fillon told his supporters in a gathering after the vote.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, in the fifth place, also announced that he would endorse Macron for the runoff vote.

According to the updated estimation, Fillon ends up in the third place with 19.9 percent of votes, while far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon ranks fourth with 19.3 percent.

"Once the official results are known, we will respect it," said Melenchen, who has not yet conceded defeat.
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Russia has been accused of having hacked the Danish Ministry of Defense and gained access to its employees' emails in 2015 and 2016, local media reported on Sunday.

Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen was quoted by Danish news agency Ritzau as saying that the group behind the hacking is linked to the Russian intelligence services.

"It is linked to the intelligence services or core elements of the Russian government, and it is an eternal struggle to keep them away," Frederiksen said.

According to a report by the Center for Cyber Security in the Military Intelligence Service, the hackers have gained access to so-called "non-classified information", but the attack can still harm Danish security.

The report explained that the information can be used to hire agents in the Danish military.

The group behind the attack was hacker group APT28, also called Fancy Bear, according to local newspaper Berlingske.
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The discovery of a bomb outside a school for young students in Belfast, capital city of Northern Ireland, was condemned Sunday by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire.

The device was spotted by a police patrol outside Holy Cross Boys' Primary School in north Belfast.

Brokenshire said in a statement issued by the Northern Ireland Office: "I am sickened by this incident with dissident republican terrorists placing a bomb close to a primary school in north Belfast. This shows their wanton disregard for human life, potentially putting children in danger."

"The consequences could have been utterly devastating," said the statement.

In an official statement, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said there was no doubt the bomb was intended to kill.

The statement said a "significant device" was seized following a security alert in north Belfast's Ardoyne area.

Belfast District Commander Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said: "Shortly before midnight, police discovered what we now know to have been a significant explosive device in Brookfield Street."

Noble said the area was cordoned off and local residents, including children, were evacuated after the discovery.

The officer said the device was found to be "viable and capable of substantial harm", adding that "a number of controlled explosions were carried out and the device was rendered safe before being removed for forensic examination."

Nobel believes that the device was intended to kill community police officers patrolling and tackling community issues in Ardoyne.

"The people living in this area were placed at great risk. Had this device not been found when it had, there is no telling what we may have been dealing with. Young children would have been walking right past that device tomorrow morning, families reside in this area and children play outside," said the district commander.

Police said families with young children, older people, the sick and "those with significant disabilities had to leave their homes in the middle of the night last night.

An investigation, led by detectives from PSNI's Serious Crime Branch, is now underway.

Currently the power sharing devolved parliament in Northern Ireland is suspended following a rift between the Democratic Unionist Party and the pro-republican Sinn Fein party. Brokenshire has given politicians in the region until next month to resolve their differences or risk the possibility of direct rule from London.
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The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Sunday warned against death threats directed at political leaders, activists and journalists in South Africa.

The ANC "is concerned at what appears to be a climate of intimidation steadily encroaching into South Africa's body politic," the party said in a statement.

This came after Parliament reported earlier that Makhosi Khoza, Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, had received threatening phone calls during her committee's oversight visits to the Mpumalanga province.

The South African Communist Party (SACP) also reported last week that there had been attempts to assassinate SACP Second Deputy General Secretary Solly Mapaila on the occasion of the Chris Hani Commemoration on April 10 this year.

Hani, former SACP secretary general and a fierce opponent of the apartheid government, was murdered in 1993.

The resurgence of political intolerance, of political witch hunt and of political assassinations in South Africa is extremely concerning, the SACP said.

In recent months, there have been increasing reports of political leaders, activists and journalists who have come forward with claims that they have been intimidated by certain elements owing to their positions of beliefs, according to the ANC.

"Some claim to even have received threats on their lives," ANC National Communications Manager Khusela Sangoni said.

The ANC considers these threats in a very serious light and calls on those who have been threatened to report such to law enforcement authorities who must verify these claims and investigate, Sangoni said.

He said threats made against individuals because of their political or ideological beliefs is indicative of intellectual and moral bankruptcy.

"Such behavior is an antithesis to the health and pluralistic society we seek to build where the contestation of ideas thrives," the ANC statement said.

Freedom of conscience and association are inalienable rights granted to all under the Constitution in the country whose history is littered with violence and media suppression, the party said.

Political intolerance would take South Africa back to a painful past that should not be repeated, said the ANC.

The ANC calls on all South Africans to unite behind their common vision of a pluralistic society and jealously guard their hard-won freedoms, including freedom of speech and association.

"We will not allow our country to become a breeding ground for political intolerance, which history has starkly shown can very quickly become a catalyst for anarchy and lawlessness," the party said.

Those who plot in dark corners and make anonymous threats as well and other forms of intimidation of others should pursue principled and legitimate forms of engagement instead of resorting to cowardly acts, the ANC added.
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A UN human rights official said Sunday lack of accountability for crimes perpetrated during the violence in Wau town in South Sudan's northwest region remains one of the country's "biggest challenges."

Eugene Nindorera, Human Rights Director of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said no arrest or detention has been made in connection with the recent killings in the country's second largest town of Wau.

"I can confirm that, as of Sunday, nobody is being detained in connection with this attack against civilians," said Nindorera in a statement.

"I talked to victims and witnesses and was shaken to hear their testimonies of how they had to flee their houses after being attacked. It's more important than ever before that people are held accountable for the crimes they have committed," he added.

Nindorera was speaking at the end of five-day visit to Wau, where violence earlier in April led to the death of 19 government SPLA soldiers and at least 28 civilians.

The killing of civilians in Wau town followed the ambush and killing of the SPLA soldiers by suspected SPLA-In Opposition fighters.

The Human Rights Division of UNMISS has interviewed 43 individuals, including eight women and two children, from April 11, to collect information about alleged human rights violations perpetrated by government forces and aligned armed groups in Wau town on April 10.

Wau State authorities have established a committee to produce a comprehensive report to determine the motive for the attacks and identify the perpetrators in order to hold them accountable.

Indications are that the civilian population is also fleeing, though the number of people displaced has been unable to be verified due to the highly fluid situation.

But UNMISS has confirmed that by Thursday the protection of civilians site adjacent to the UNMISS base in Wau had registered some 17,000 new arrivals, mainly women and children, while around 5,000 people had sought sanctuary inside the compound of the Wau Catholic Church.

The influx of newly displaced people has led to over-crowding and pressure on humanitarian services, the UN said.
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Despite the belief among U.S. political pundits that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) could pose the largest threat to America, a new Pew poll showed that ordinary Americans consider Russia as the "greatest danger."

According to the Pew Research Center's latest poll released early this week, about one in three Americans cite Russia as the country representing the greatest danger to the United States when asked an open-end question. In comparison, 22 percent point to the DPRK.

However, the proportion of respondents citing both Russia and the DPRK are among their highest dating back to 1990, said the poll.

In addition, the poll found that compared with Republicans, Democrats are more likely to name Russia as the country to pose the greatest danger to the United States, with 39 percent Democrats holding this view, nearly twice as many as Republicans who think alike.

The Pew poll of 1,501 U.S. adults was conducted between April 5 and April 11 before the recent tensions with the DPRK, especially before the DPRK conducted its latest failed missile lunch test on April 16.
If the risks surrounding the Korean Peninsula were perceived to be dangerously high, it was because of the fear that anything could happen at any time in the tense standoff that had developed between Washington and Pyongyang.

But now that the Donald Trump administration has demonstrated impressive patience for diplomacy  despite its announcement of the end to an "era of strategic patience"  and it is seeking closer engagement with peace-minded China on the matter, the risks would appear to have abated considerably.

However, the situation is still inflammable.

For as the sanctions imposed by the United Nations begin to bite deeper, the possibility that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea might become reckless out of desperation has never been higher.

Not just the immediate stakeholders, but the whole world is holding its breath today, the 85th Anniversary of the Korean People's Army, waiting to see whether Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear test, or major missile launch.

Of course a nuclear test, or missile launch, would not constitute the "full-out war" Pyongyang has threatened. And, despite its constant threats, Pyongyang would not embark on such a suicidal course unless it was left with no choice.

In contrast to Pyongyang's war rhetoric, Washington appears very much in line with Beijing on pursuing a peaceful resolution, at least for now.

Beijing has remained constant in advocating no-war, no-chaos on the Korean Peninsula. In his latest phone conversation with Trump on Monday, President Xi Jinping once again stated that position, appealing for restraint at this crucial juncture.

Judging from their recent words and deeds, policymakers in Pyongyang have seriously misread the UN sanctions, which are aimed at its nuclear/missile provocations, not its system or leadership. They have unfairly misrepresented Beijing's role in the process, disregarding its preoccupation with peace, humanitarian concerns and non-interference in the DPRK's domestic affairs. And they have greatly underestimated the international community's  not just any individual stakeholder's  political will to denuclearize the peninsula.

They are at once perilously overestimating their own strength and underestimating the hazards they are brewing for themselves.

They need to reassess the situation so they do not make any misjudgments.

Likewise Washington should continue to exercise restraint and pursue a peaceful resolution to the issue.

There have already been enough shows of force and confrontation, it is time for Pyongyang and Washington to take a step back from their previous rhetoric and instead heed the voices of reason calling for peaceful denuclearization of the peninsula.
The China-led development initiative aims to boost economic growth for all involved and promote a more balanced world order

1. The Belt and Road Initiative is not a modern version of the US' Marshall Plan.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher of international trade and economics at the Ministry of Commerce's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation

China has no intention of challenging the current US-dominated global economic and political systems, and its Belt and Road Initiative - the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road - is by no means comparable to the United States' Marshall Plan, which is considered, to some extent, to have led to the Cold War.

Although China is promoting a series of bilateral and regional free trade agreements, its objective is not similar to the British Empire's pre-World War II "Imperial Preference", and is not to create a world market parallel to that led by the US.

The US-led international financial system is unfair, but it is not in China's interest to change the system. More importantly, any drastic change in the system would create uncertainties and risks, which no economy wants.

China believes in reform, and it is optimistic about making the international financial system more efficient by supplementing the roles of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. It knows that only a multilateral trade system can meet its demand for an expanding global market, which is why it has an open mind on many Western-dominated international trade arrangements, while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will take an inclusive approach to create an improved international financial system.

2. The initiative will be connected with the Eurasian Economic Union.

Djoomart Otorbaev, a distinguished professor at Beijing Normal University's Emerging Markets Institute and Tsinghua University's Schwarzman College, and a former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan

With the same aim as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Eurasian Economic Union was formed in 2015 as a purely economic union, which currently includes five countries. The EEU aims to break barriers to market access in the five member nations and further deepen economic cooperation within an integrated single market of 183 million people.

To meet the expectations of the leaders of China and Russia - who are the pioneers of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EEU respectively - the two initiatives should find ways to integrate, based on natural geographic peculiarities and complementary advantages. We need to meet each other more regularly to research how to harmonize the bilateral procedures that already exist between China and members of the EEU.

The Chinese leadership is persuasive and expectant in its commitment to the success of this initiative, and things will move in the right direction with financial and human resources, and knowledge.

Facing a large international community, China needs to learn how to do things in the right way given its long and rich, but mainly inward-oriented, history, and to accept its leadership role.

The initiative, linking China to Eurasia and Europe, is not at all only about infrastructure, but also about soft power and advancing the understanding of different people and countries along the two ancient trade routes. It's not a traditional bilateral system, but a truly regional, multinational, multilateral network and thus, it needs to be designed with precision.

3. The initiative brings a new mindset to global economic governance.

Liang Haiming, chief economist at the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute

Despite the recovering US economy, Washington under the watch of US President Donald Trump is poised to accord priority to economic issues at home, rather than abroad. That, to some extent, means Beijing is required to propose a plan to address the economic woes haunting many other countries.

The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative is a boon to sluggish global growth. It is conducive to expanding global demand and revitalizing global growth, marking a breakthrough in both China's interaction with other economies and global economic governance.

In particular, China's proposal to explore third-party market cooperation could bring benefits to Western nations and developing countries along the Belt and Road, without causing a clash of interests. Projects involving China, France and some French-speaking African countries are a case in point.

For emerging economies, the initiative means more investment and bilateral trade deals, which may grant them greater economic sway. For countries that are less industrialized and heavily reliant on manufacturing, China's financial and technological assistance following its Belt and Road projects will be of great value.

4. The inclusive initiative will provide opportunities for other developing countries.

Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China

Next month, China will hold a high-level international cooperation forum on the Belt and Road Initiative that will focus on global recovery, rebalancing, renovation and reconnection in response to rising concerns about global governance. Proposed in 2013 and unlike traditional globalization backed by tariff reductions, the initiative is aimed at improving connectivity between regions and boosting global growth through infrastructure construction, among other things.

The initiative, which focuses on Eurasian infrastructure and better land and sea connectivity, is expected to elevate 3 billion people to middle class status by 2050 and help increase global trade by $2.5 trillion in the next decade.

There is good reason to believe that the initiative can hit its targets, because every $1 increase in infrastructure investment in developing economies can raise their imports by $7 US cents, half of which comes from developed countries, as Justin Yifu Lin, former vice-president of the World Bank, has said. In other words, the West, too, can benefit from an increase in exports as the initiative stimulates global infrastructure investment.

5. The early harvests of the initiative are of great significance.

Zhang Fei, an associate researcher at the Ministry of Commerce's Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation

More than 100 countries and international organizations have become part of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative, and more than 30 countries along the two routes have signed cooperative agreements with China. The initiative has also won the approval of important economic blocs, such as the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while a number of member nations of the two blocs have signed trade and investment agreements with China. Moreover, a United Nations resolution on Afghanistan, passed three months ago, voiced vocal support for the initiative, encouraging all UN members to participate to revive the war-stricken country's economy.

Last year alone, Chinese enterprises invested at least $14.5 billion in markets that make up the network that connects Asia, Europe and Africa, and covers more than 60 countries and regions with a total population of about 4.4 billion. It has also set up 65 trade cooperation zones along the way.

These achievements would not have been possible without the support of local governments and enterprises, which is evidence that the Belt and Road projects can live up to their inclusive and reciprocal nature. Although most of the projects are related to infrastructure connectivity, meaning considerable funds are often needed to start them and making profits can take some years, participating enterprises, particularly those in the West, can grab a decent share of the profits, if they play along.

6. The initiative will help China better address the new normal in economic development.

Xue Li, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics

The Belt and Road Initiative is in line with efforts to facilitate China's economic transformation. Chinese enterprises are seeking to leave the lower end of global value chains and manufacture more high-value-added products. A rise in labor costs and excessive capacity will inevitably drive Chinese companies to explore markets in neighboring countries, which also welcome China's assistance, for instance, in infrastructure.

It can be challenging to persuade labor-intensive private enterprises to venture across borders, as their founders, who are often aging but still in charge, find it less appealing to explore overseas markets. But it is a step that has to be made considering the economic transitions, and the initiative could present game-changing opportunities.

By placing underdeveloped western Chinese provinces and regions at the forefront of the process of opening-up, the initiative also has great potential to narrow the development gap between China's east and west.

7. The initiative will help boost international energy cooperation.

Shamshad Akhtar, an undersecretary-general of the United Nations and executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

The Belt and Road Initiative will generate mutual benefits for China and its partners. However, the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits vary across borders, depending on the terrain, stage of development, production capacities and traffic flows.

With nearly two-thirds of Belt and Road countries facing energy deficits, the initiative needs to complement and supplement subregional energy connectivity initiatives. There is huge scope to develop power grids; promote smart, green and integrated power and gas markets; and extend cross-border gas and oil pipelines from resource-rich Central Asia to South and East Asia. Drawing on the initiatives of China's State Grid and the Global Energy Interconnection Development Cooperation Organization to promote global energy interconnections will help to enhance the region's energy security and improve access to sustainable energy.

8. The initiative will kick-start a new era in global interconnectivity.

At the core of the Belt and Road Initiative is interconnectivity, which has multiple implications for all parties concerned. On the economic front, it stresses the importance of win-win cooperation and bringing tangible dividends to the international community. The projects on cross-region connectivity, trade exchanges and capacity cooperation are aimed at expanding demand and thus rebalancing the global economy.

This bodes well for Belt and Road countries in pursuit of advanced industrialization and modernization, as well as better infrastructure, against a backdrop of uncertain global growth.

Zhao Lei, a professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee

Aimed at shared development of all countries involved, the initiative is also about providing public goods and optimizing global governance. China is more than willing to offer tangible, ideological and institutional public goods to the international community. It has not only helped other developing economies with infrastructure construction, but also endeavored to institutionalize its endorsement of extensive interconnectivity, which is poised to provide more inclusivity than the Western-led elite clubs.

9. The initiative sets the tone for China's inclusive and cooperative foreign policy.

Wang Zhimin, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing

China's approach to the Belt and Road Initiative mirrors its independent, nonaligned diplomatic stance. As a longtime opponent of a winner-takes-all philosophy, China signed memorandums of understanding and agreements with at least 56 countries and regional organizations last year, covering both developed and developing communities.

The inclusive and open nature of the initiative could supplement the existing international order. Old multinational organizations, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, have played their parts, but many of them do not pay enough attention to the need for infrastructure in the developing world.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, for one, is designed to resolve the problem. Other Beijing-proposed financing institutions, such as the New Development Bank, will not only bring new business opportunities to other economies, but also prop up the overseas operations of Belt and Road projects.

The implementation of the initiative is conducive to enhancing infrastructure worldwide, boosting developing countries' production and consumption, and striking a balance between virtual and bricks-and-mortar economies. It aims to replace hegemonism and power politics, and help forge fairer global governance.

10. The initiative has huge support from the international community.

Chu Yin, an associate professor at the University of International Relations and a research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization

The past year saw major Belt and Road projects making huge progress and beginning to pay dividends for countries along the two routes. With a capacity of 50 megawatts and an annual average power generation of about 317 gigawatt-hours, the Upper Marsyangdi A Hydropower Station, the first hydroelectric project built in Nepal by a Chinese enterprise - Power Construction Corp of China - has been put into operation.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, which connects the capital cities of Ethiopia and Djibouti, and was inaugurated two months ago, is Africa's first cross-border standard gauge rail line as well as the first railway outside of China to be built in line with Chinese standards, using Chinese technology and equipment. Such projects are a boon for countries with underdeveloped infrastructure and have great potential to increase employment and economic growth.

Moreover, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises, including private ones, are willing to explore overseas markets covered by the Belt and Road Initiative. Their increasingly active participation further promotes the initiative. As a result, more countries along the routes are now willing to cooperate with Chinese companies, adding more weight to China's role as a leader in global governance.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, for instance, is a game-changer in the eyes of some local officials, because it reinforces the development of industrial parks, special economic zones and other industrial chains along the way. Countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have experienced the same changes through similar cooperation in the past three years. The initiative will produce both tangible and intangible benefits to safeguard peaceful development and recalibrate the world order in a fairer, more reasonable direction.

11. The initiative will help spread China's soft power abroad.

Liang Yabin, senior researcher at the Pangoal Institution and an associate professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee

For historical and ideological reasons, there have been many attempts to play up the so-called China threat, casting a shadow over China's peaceful development and even fueling concerns about the Belt and Road Initiative. It is vital that Beijing translates its soft power into a language that can be understood by the rest of the world, like the "lean, clean and green" governance championed by the AIIB.

To carry out its Belt and Road ambitions, China needs to disseminate its geopolitical perspective to relevant countries. China should make it clear that the pursuit of the transnational initiative go beyond ideological and cultural differences, and that its peaceful rise will not come at the cost of other countries' interests.

Translating the Chinese narrative of shared development into a universal language is a viable solution to geopolitical misunderstandings and will expedite the promotion of the initiative.
China will enhance support for combating climate change in countries along the belt and road no matter what stance is taken by the United States, a senior official with the nation's economic regulator said on Sunday.

"Taking advantage of regional cooperation opportunities brought by the Belt and Road initiative, China will enhance financial and technical support in the next a couple of years to combat the global challenge of climate change," Zhao Xing, deputy head of Zhejiang Development and Reform Commission, said.

He was speaking at a panel discussion on the sidelines of a seminar on combating climate change in developing countries along the belt and road held in Hangzhou by the International Cooperation Center, part of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Zhao did not reveal the exact amount of financial support on offer.

He said China will send experts to countries to help improve capacity building, create a viable environment for outbound investment in infrastructural construction projects, and make sure that efforts match the needs of countries.

Regional cooperation will help enhance regional climate policy coordination, according to Cai He, director of the Center for Climate Change and Low Carbon Development Cooperation at the commission.

He said efforts taken by China will not be impacted by a likely retreat of the United States from the Paris Agreement, because dealing with climate change is part of efforts that help facilitate domestic restructuring.

There is a lot that developing countries along the belt and road could learn from China's years of experience in dealing with climate change challenges such as floods and typhoons which remain threats for coastal countries along the belt and road, he said.

Citing the example of helping African countries build hydropower stations, Cai said that technology and financing from China for building stations will help improve resilience to climate change challenges on a large scale, especially in rural and remote places.

Yang Hua, Vice President of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said the cooperation can bring win-win results, because Chinese institutions and enterprises are able to get policy support once cooperative projects have been approved as key programs of One Belt and Road initiative by the National Development and Reform Commission.
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. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING  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.
Property agents said purchase restrictions not only squeeze out speculative demand but help some homebuyers to reduce financial risks, making them more cautious and prudent. [Photo by Kuang Linhua/For China Daily]

Homeowners who wish to upgrade to more spacious or better-located properties are among those most impacted by the recent tightening of China's home purchase rules.

Such prospective homebuyers are required to make higher down payments in key cities now.

Property agents said purchase restrictions not only squeeze out speculative demand but help some homebuyers to reduce financial risks, making them more cautious and prudent.

Ma Chengbing, an agent with Beijing-based Zhongzheng Realty Agency, said many prospective buyers of second homes, particularly young parents, eye better public resources and conveniences to enjoy a better quality of life.

So, apartments in, say, central districts of the capital typically enjoy hot demand, given their proximity to renowned hospitals, famous schools, shopping areas, parks, lawns and riverside walks.

For their part, retirees and those on the verge of retirement also prefer such areas, in order to live with their children and grandchildrenmore so if their children are young parents or are about to become parents.

"But now, for many buyers, affordability is the only factor for decision-making. Some of those upgrading are dropping their plan simply because they can't afford to make higher down payment. Also, some buyers who wished to sell their first home and then buy a second one are hesitant because they are not sure if the family income will be stable and steady enough to cover the monthly installments related to a more spacious home," said Ma.

Sun Ailian, 56, a retired high school teacher in Shanghai's Baoshan district, said she is reconsidering her plan to buy a second home in the city.

"In the past when I made plans to buy a new home, I'd focus on just buying one. But now, I need to really think about affordability; the financial burden on me would be immense. My children need to ponder if it would be worthwhile to shoulder the burden.

"Some of my friends bought new homes, but cut down on spending on other items. They don't travel or dine out any more like in the past, simply because they have to pay installment every month, up to 50 percent of their household income.

"I don't want to be in such a situation. More subway lines are expected to run near my current home. More shopping malls and hospitals have opened in my neighborhood of late. So, there may not be any urgent need to move to a central district."

Supplies of higher-end homes are unlikely to increase quickly in key cities in the short term, but more public resources offered at sub-prime locations are likely to help meet more residents' demands for better housing and living conditions, said a research note from Beijing-based B. A. Consulting.

"Homebuyers may evaluate a property in the context of urban planning and economic growth of a given region. If the region has a long-term plan for upgrading its public facilities and has strong potential for economic growth, the property will actually be 'upgraded' in alignment with the region's development," said the research note.
For most of us in the metro area, Route 66 has been a daily part of life for as long as we can remember. It's an integral part of our day and commuteso much of life happens while we're driving. For locals who have been here for generations, we've seen the background to our drive change over time, some take more notice than others. From 5-8pm this Thursday, April 27 , internationally recognized Laguna photographer Lee Marmon, New Mexican photographer Sondra Diepen and Chicago-based painter Carol L. Adamec will be showing their work reflecting the transformation of Route 66 and the surrounding areas at Then and Now: Rediscovering Route 66 Opening Reception at the KiMo Theatre Gallery . You can interpret the area's metamorphosis through the eyes of these brilliant artists until June 25, Wednesday-Saturdays 11am-8pm, and Sundays 11am-3pm. (Megan Reneau)

View the work of internationally recognized Laguna photographer Lee Marmon, New Mexican photographer Sondra Diepen and New Mexican painter Carol L. Adamec. Runs through 6/25.

The show, Then & Now: Rediscovering Route 66, presents each artists individual experience and personal relationship to Route 66 expressed through their chosen medium.

Lee Marmon, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, has captured the people, culture, landscapes, and traditions of his tribe since 1945. This exhibit includes seven of Lees classic black and white photographs, including his most famous pueblo portrait, White Mans Moccasins, which became the iconic portrayal of Native American acculturation into modern American life.

With two Nikon cameras and a fist full of sketchy maps, photographer Sondra Diepen, heads out on I40, exiting here and there, to rediscover the original Mother Road as it once wound through the desolate parts of New Mexico. Her color photographs capture it allfrom fading curio shops, boarded up motor courts, rusted classic cars, to motel signs along Central Avenue that still beckon travelers to stop, rest, and see the sights.

Carol L. Adamec, a painter from Chicago, saw Route 66 from the backseat of the family car, en route to Joplin, Missouri, for annual summer visits to her maternal grandparents. Her paintings and altered digital photographs range from an abandoned snake pit in Moriarty to Elvis chatting with a waitress at a local dinermixing kitsch, pop culture, and a dose of nostalgia.

For these three artists, Route 66Then and Nowis alive and well.

The opening reception for Then & Now: Rediscovering Route 66 is Thursday, April 27, from 5-8pm at the KiMo Art Gallery, 417 Central Ave NW.

The exhibit continues through June 25 and can be viewed WedSat 11am-8pm, and Sunday 11am-3pm. During these hours, visitors can access the Gallery via the KiMo Business Office at 423 Central NW (the corner of Central and 5th).

The opening reception and ongoing exhibit are free and open to the public.
BY PHIL FITZPATRICK





WHEN YOU TRAVEL around Papua New Guinea you come across art in unexpected places.

As you step off your aeroplane at Jacksons Airport and enter the terminal the art confronts you as murals above the stairs, continuing on along the walls in the customs hall.

Its something to admire while you wait in the long queue to get your passport stamped.

Outside there are concrete reliefs holding up the veranda and across the way the hotels display it too.

The art, particularly the paintings, are an old tradition adapted to a new format which is both innovative and exciting and receives very little recognition outside PNG.

When we were casting about for images for the cover of Sil Bolkins new book The Flight of Galkope, which is set in the Simbu Province, Sil suggested we look at the art of Simon Tagai from Kundiawas Gembogl district.

Some of Simons work, called Simbu True Life Tales, adorns the walls of the Mt Wilhelm Tourist Hotel in downtown Kundiawa. Look at this wonderful impression here. And check out the website at www.mtwilhelmhotel.com.pg.

Simon attended the Creative Arts Faculty at the University of Papua New Guinea in the early 1990s but left in his third year when he ran out of money to pay his tuition fees. Since then he has been a freelance painter.

We reckon hes in his late 30s but cant ask him because he has just disappeared into the mountains with his brushes and palette.
Potential homebuyers at a property expo held in Beijing in April, 2015. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

In Beijing's Chaoyang district, Yue Shulin, 31, a real estate agent, has been "taking a break" for more than two weeks, the longest time he has ever been off work since starting his career in the industry in 2009.

Yue focuses on deals for commercial-titled apartmentsresidential properties which were offices or shops once upon a time in commercial projects. But, since March 26, when Beijing authorities banned sales of these projects to individual buyers and suspended mortgage for such purchases, Yue has not closed a deal.

"It feels like the time when you are suspended at college and barred from pursuing your major. I had some 26 units on my list by mid-March. Now, broke. I've to find new resources, new clients and start from zero," he said.

In the past five years, commercial-titled apartments dominated the so-called quasi-residential market, and accounted for a significant part in Beijing's overall residential segment.

"Before the March 26 ban, commercial-titled apartments use to be an option for people who are not qualified to buy their first home or second home in Beijing. These projects were classified as commercial properties, so they were not subject to home purchase restrictions.

"That meant people with enough money could buy, and down payment requirement was about 50 percent, which is lower than 60 percent required for a second home.

"Commercial-titled apartments became a first choice for people without household registration (Hukou) and investors who wished to buy more than one home in the city, despite the fact that such properties were subject to higher utility bills. Demand for such properties was growing fast as supplies of conventional residential properties were limited," said Gao Liangyi, 43, who lives in a commercial-titled apartment in Beijing's Xicheng district.

Part of such high demand came from some startup business owners who used such apartments as both office and home. The average price of commercial-titled apartments was much more affordable than that of offices in commercial establishments or conventional apartments, said Gao.

According to a report by Beijing housing authorities, transactions for commercial-titled apartments surpassed that for conventional residential properties in March.

There were 7,312 new commercial-titled apartments in the market last month, up 530 percent year-on-year. And 4,675 of them were bought/sold by March 25, up 402 percent year-on-year.

The average price of such deals was 26,979 yuan ($3,967) per square meter, up 24 percent year-on-year. Overall, 7.77 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) was invested by homebuyers in such properties during the March 1 to 25 period, up 508 percent year-on-year.

Zhang Dawei, chief analyst with Centaline Property, said, "The ban on sales of such properties to individual buyers shows authorities' determination to curb speculation in every aspect of the real estate market".

"For investors who have already bought such properties, their value wouldn't appreciate as expected. Such properties may have to be used by themselves. For developers of such properties, they need to find a way out of these projects to realize their commercial value."

Other cities will likely introduce similar measures against speculation in the quasi-residential market. "They, too, may ban sales of commercial-titled apartments to individuals," said Zhang.
College graduates at a job fair in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, June 5, 2016 [Photo/VCG]

Experts have called on companies and employees to strengthen integrity managementthe emerging area that advises individuals and corporations on how to apply the highest ethical standards to every aspect of their businessin relation to China's job market.

They also urged governments to beef up relevant laws and regulations in relation to hiring in the job market.

"Integrity at work is even more important where you have potentially explosive information linked to the jobs," said Tian Yongpo, head of human resources and market research in the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science.

Tianspeaking at a forum on integrity at work, the first of its kind in the countryalso pointed out that the mobility of the Chinese labor force was on the gradual increase from 2010 to 2014.

He added that the total number of China's floating migrant population rose by 12.65 percent to 253 million from 221 million during the five year period.

"Huge information about jobs has been accumulated during the process," Tian said at the forum held by the People's Daily online platform people.com.cn in Beijing on Wednesday.

A survey whose results were released at the forum examined dishonest behavior by employees in companies.

The survey was carried out by 17zhiliao.coma website that helps companies check background information of potential employeesbetween March 10 and April 10. It collected more than 6,000 responses from individuals and 3,000 responses from human resources managers.

More than half of the respondents to the survey believed dishonest behavior had resulted in a loss to companies and individuals.

Guo Wenlong, the deputy head for Labor Law Studies of Shanghai Law Society, said the "call for a law is natural since one could not get all the information he needs to (determine if a person in focus is credible or not)".

Guo went on to mention authority figures should improve laws and regulations on the non-competition agreement in the labor law, as the occasional employee has operated in a grey area to avoid company requirements and restrictions.

HR managers listed the worst behaviors as missing job interviews, slacking off at work and malicious job-hopping where employees took company secrets.

Individual respondents considered overstating work performance and experience and falsifying education background as the main dishonest behavior.

To avoid hiring dishonest candidates, 97 percent of HR managers believed that it was necessary to investigate job seekers' information during the early stage of recruitment.

More than 90 percent of individuals supported background checks, but most of them believed that companies should seek their approval before undertaking their inquiries.

Li Aijun, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, warned that it may be illegal to collect sickness records, property information, or criminal records about a person beyond a certain period.
ZHENGZHOU  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.
ABB today announced that Chun-Yuan Gu, managing director of ABB China, will become president of the AMEA region. He takes over from Frank Duggan, who has been appointed president of Europe, succeeding Bernhard Jucker, whose retirement was announced earlier. As members of the ABB Executive Committee, both Chun-Yuan Gu and Frank Duggan will report to ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. Both appointments will be effective July 1, 2017.

"China represents one third of global growth and is a very important market for ABB. I am very pleased to welcome Chun-Yuan, a China and industrial automation expert, to our Executive Committee. He has a proven track record of delivering superior growth momentum and a profound knowledge of Asia and emerging markets", said Spiesshofer. "He will have an important role in implementing our Next Level strategy and further accelerating our growth momentum, for example, through our digital offering, ABB AbilityTM. Chun-Yuan will be key to integrating our announced acquisition of B&R, an innovation leader in machine and factory automation, in the industrial segments of emerging markets".

"At the same time, I would like to warmly thank Frank for his excellent leadership in the AMEA region and his contributions to the Executive Committee over the past years. With his extensive knowledge of ABB's global customers, markets and portfolio and solid track record of enhancing growth momentum, Frank is the ideal next leader for Europe. He will continue to play a key role in the ongoing transformation of ABB towards a more customer and market-oriented company," Spiesshofer added.

Chun-Yuan Gu and Frank Duggan have spent their careers at ABB. Gu started at ABB in Sweden in 1989 and held leadership positions in R&D, mainly in Robotics, before becoming head of the Robotics Global R&D Center in Shanghai in 2006. In January 2014, he assumed responsibility for ABB's operations in China. He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Swedish, and holds a degree in engineering from Jiao Tong University in Shanghai and a PhD in engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Gu will continue as managing director of ABB in China, in addition to his new role, and will be based in Beijing.

Duggan succeeds Bernhard Jucker, who will retire effective June 30, 2017, as previously announced. Duggan joined ABB in Sweden in 1984, and has held leadership positions in many of ABB's businesses in Europe, Asia and the Gulf. In 2011, he joined the Group Executive Committee as head of global markets and region manager for India, Middle East and Africa, before being appointed president of the AMEA region in January 2015. In addition to his responsibilities as president of the Europe region, Frank will assume the role of managing director of ABB in Ireland. ABB's current Managing Director of ABB in Ireland, Tom O'Reilly, will retire at the end of June 2017, after a distinguished 32-year career at ABB.

ABB is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport and infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 132,000 employees.
This year's China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair, scheduled to be held in Guangdong province in October, will advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Africa and promote the inclusive and sustainable development of SMEs in China and various countries, according to Xu Lejiang, vice-chairman of the organizing committee and vice-minister of industry and information technology.

Xu said at a news conference on Monday that the annual fair, known CISMEF, helps Chinese SMEs to go global and foreign SMEs to access the China market.

This year's fair adds two co-hosts: South Africa and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, he said.

"Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the BRICS cooperation mechanism, the joint hosting of the event will further promote pragmatic collaboration between China and South Africa in industry, trade and economics," he said.

Thabo Thage, the consul general of South Africa in Shanghai, said SMEs contribute more than half of his country's GDP.

"We expect that CISMEF will help to enhance our current trade patterns by increasing China's sourcing of value added products from South Africa," Thage said.

Serving as a co-host of the fair for the first time, South African will select key companies to showcase the diverse nature of its economy, he added.

The main venue for the fair, which is due to be held on Oct 10-13, is slated to be the Poly World Trade Center Expo in Guangzhou, capital of the province in South China.

Two other events are to be held later that month in Shunde, a manufacturing hub in the province.

The first, which will run from Oct 12 to Oct 15, will focus on intelligent manufacturing and businesses involved in the national Internet Plus strategy aimed at promoting the integration of internet technologies with traditional industries.

The second, to be held on Oct 20-23, will focus on smart construction materials and home appliances, as well as energy conservation products and technologies.
British pop star Amy McDonald performs to debut Land Rover's brand new Range Rover Velar at the Shanghai auto show on Wednesday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Jaguar Land Rover is set to make the most of its China experience and resources for its global business, as Britain's largest carmaker is seeking to transition its internal combustion engine-based business into one that features autonomy, connectivity and electrification: a move from ICE to ACE, as the company puts it.

With almost 120,000 vehicles sold in 2016, China is Jaguar Land Rover's largest single-country market, accounting for one fifth of its global sales.

Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: "China is not only the largest automotive market in the world, but also has the greatest development potential."

Speth made the remarks at the ongoing Shanghai auto show where the brand is showcasing a stellar lineup, including two groundbreaking new models: Land Rover's Range Rover Velar and Jaguar's first electric concept I-PACE.

To make the most of the Chinese market, the British brand appointed Pan Qing earlier this year to head its business in the country, making him the first mainland-born person to sit on the board of an international automaker.

"Pan's appointment to JLR's global board will directly feed back local insights and customers' requirements to the UK. We will be able to utilize this knowledge from our most important market in future research and development," said Speth.

Chinese customers bought 2 million premium cars last year and Pan, executive director of Jaguar Land Rover China, expects the country to surpass the United States to become the world's largest premium car market by 2025. The country is already the largest market for new energy vehicles.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that more than 320,000 new energy vehicles were sold in the country during 2016, a year-on-year increase of 84 percent.

Pan said: "We believe the new energy vehicle segment will continue its rapid growth thanks to the great support from the government, the increase in consumer recognition, and enhanced facility development.

"Jaguar Land Rover is actively leading this trend. We invest more than 15 percent of our revenue annually into research and development, and the I-PACE concept personifies our technology achievements."

Ian Callum, Jaguar's design director, presents his latest work at the ongoing Shanghai auto show: the concept I-PACE, the marque's first pure electric model, which will hit the Chinese market in 2018. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Jaguar I-PACE, which is making its Asian debut at the Shanghai auto show, has been engineered without compromise to deliver groundbreaking style, long-distance range, fast charging times and exhilarating performance.

The production model will be revealed later this year and China will be one of the first markets globally for I-PACE sales in 2018.

Speth said half of all Jaguar Land Rover products will have new energy variants by 2020.

Another highlight at the company's stand is the new Range Rover Velar, which is set to begin another new chapter in the Jaguar Land Rover story.

The company said the Velar will be built exclusively in Britain, using Jaguar Land Rover's leading lightweight aluminum architecture, and will be powered by the latest ultra-clean UK-built Ingenium petrol engines. The new Velar is positioned between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport.

"Jaguar Land Rover is a technology company, creating world-class premium cars. Jaguar Land Rover constantly pushes the boundaries, and this spirit is embodied in both of these vehicles," said Speth.

Localized operations

Jaguar Land Rover is growing fast in China, having established a presence in the country over a decade ago and starting localization in late 2014.

Within 28 months, more than 100,000 vehiclesthe Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Jaguar XFLrolled off the production line at its plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province.

Ralf Speth (left), Jaguar Land Rover CEO, and Pan Qing, member of Jaguar Land Rover's board of management and executive director of JLR China.

Pan said: "At JLR, we will strengthen our localization process and redefine our two classic British brands, while optimizing our product portfolio and upgrading our customer experience to ensure that we deliver a peerless package."

Frank Wittemann, president of Jaguar Land Rover China and Chery Jaguar Land Rover Integrated Marketing, Sales and Service, said: "We pay more attention to the quality of our products and services rather than the number of sales.

"Both Jaguar and Land Rover have renowned heritage and appeal, which includes Land Rover's all-terrain capabilities and Jaguar's performance DNA.

"We will preserve these legacies and further strengthen our products and services to give Chinese customers experiences they will love for life."

To build on this promise, the automaker is also exhibiting the 2018 Jaguar F-PACE at the showwinner of the "2017 World Car of the Year" and"2017 World Car Design of the Year" awards at the World Car Awards Ceremony held during the New York Auto Show earlier this monthas well as the all-new Land Rover Discovery and Jaguar XFL, the first locally produced Jaguar model.

This star lineup demonstrates Jaguar Land Rover's forward-looking design, industry-leading technologies, profound brand appeal and commitment to China, according to the company.

To complement the product lineup, the Innovation Lab at the Jaguar Land Rover stand allows visitors and fans to experience the company's advanced technologies and explore the story behind its pioneering all-aluminum frames.

In the Jaguar Formula E VR Experience Zone, they get the chance to understand what it's like to be on the track at a Formula E race.
An employee works on an Aston Martin vehicle at the company's factory in Gaydon in the United Kingdom. [Photo/Agencies]

While the Shanghai auto show has offered a stage for many flashy new cars and celebrities, on Friday the spotlight was stolen by furious owners circling the Aston Martin booth with a long banner in protest.

Chinese characters written in black ink on a white banner said: "Rubbish Martin, big repairs for new carsDeception and passing the buck, Martin played so many tricks A new Martin car, but five engine repairs."

The story described an Aston Martin owner's experience in Shanghai, according to pictures circulating on microblogging platform Sina Weibo.

Aston Martin Lagonda (China) Automobile Distribution's public letter published on the same day claimed that the car engine had been repaired fully in October last year and now functions normally.

The company "expressed deep regret at the owner's radical actions".

The event came just two days after China Consumers Association's announcement on April 19, the first media day of the auto show.

The association said it has started investigating numerous reports of safety hazards concerning Aston Martin's V8 Vantage, V8 Vantage S and DB11. These models encountered various problems, including gear engagement failures, gears skipping, the engine shutting off during driving and loss of steering control, according to the association.

"Safety hazards exist in the faulty vehicles, but the technicians from the carmakers failed to tackle the problem properly after repeated repairs. The affected cars could have defects in the designing or manufacturing," said the announcement.

Aston Martin China said in a statement that it has solved the problem for several Chinese customers as of April 19 and some other repair works remain in progress.

But the association wrote in its announcement: "The auto company deserves to shoulder the responsibility to inform its customers and cease sales. Actions including alerting and recalling should be taken."

"Aston Martin has been indifferent to the quality of the products," said Yale Zhang, managing director of consulting service Automotive Foresight (Shanghai).

"The carmaker has problems in its attitude toward Chinese customers.

"It shirked its responsibility to take care of its customers," he added.

Zhang said: "Aston Martin is a niche market brand with only about 1,000 customers throughout China," given its recent sales volumes have hovered at just above 200 vehicles a year.

Beijing Martin Trade, a Beijing-based dealer, told China Daily that six out 19 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S vehicles sold between 2012 and 2016 encountered the same engine problems.

Carson Guo, president of Beijing Martin Trade Co, said: "Aston Martin's reply was very cold. It offered no apology, understanding or sympathy, but only regret for the company's actions."

He said he believed if the carmaker treats the problem properly there should be no reason for five rounds of repairs, nor customers' actions at the Shanghai auto show.

Beijing Martin Trade was the dealer that prompted the quality watchdog's probe in 2016.

A document issued in January last year by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine stated that the Beijing bureau detected signs of design defects in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S. Guo had received customer feedback on the faulty engine since 2014 and reported the issue to Aston Martin China as soon as possible.

Zhang said: "It is the auto manufacturer who should be responsible for the problems. The quality issue in the powertrain and the core parts are not something can be tackled by the dealers."

He added that: "Aston Martin's weakness in quality control might be a result of frequent senior management replacement, as they lack long-term perspectives".

China's quality watchdog urged a recall of 1,094 Aston Martins across the country in February 2014 after observing safety hazard cases overseas.

The carmaker decided not to recall the affected products in China after filing a recall of about 17,600 Aston Martins in the United States, blaming counterfeit materials bought from a little-known tertiary supplier in China. After the quality issues, Andy Palmer took over Ulrich Bez' seat at the helm of Aston Martin Lagonda in September 2016. Peng Mingshan, also known as Michael, replaced Jenny Zheng as president of Aston Martin Lagonda (China) in February 2015.

Contact the writer through haoyan@chinadaily.com.cn
An employee from China Mobile Ltd explains 5G technology at an exhibition hall in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

China Mobile, the world's largest telecom carrier by subscribers, on Monday denied media report that it was considering to acquiring a stake in Singapore telecom company M1 Ltd.

The company said in a reply to China Daily that "China Mobile is not involved in the (investment) project."

Reuters reported on Friday that top shareholders in Singapore telecoms company M1 Ltd have approached potential buyers including China Mobile to sell their stake in the firm.
The Epson logo is seen during preparations at the CeBit computer fair, which opened its doors to the public on March 20,2017 at the fairground in Hanover, Germany, March 18, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Japan's Seiko Epson Corporation will continue to innovate in the fields of inkjet printers, visual communications, wearables and robotics, and sales of Epson products sustained growth in China last year.

"The cumulative sales of Epson's inkjet printers in China reached nearly 3 million units by the end of the fiscal year 2016, maintaining a growth rate of 50 percent," said Munenori Ando, the president of Epson China, at the 2017 Epson Innovation Days in Qingdao.

Its projector business has continued to rank at the top for the past six years, with its market share rising to 22.4 percent in China, while its share of scanners in the Chinese market reached 20 percent, Ando said.

Moreover, Epson's four-axis robotics accounted for 38.3 percent of the market share in China. It also announced last year it would tap into wearable devices, considering the huge potential for growth in that sector.

Ando said the company will focus on technology innovation and stick to its localization strategy this year, promoting one-stop mobile office solutions, expanding enterprise-level inkjet printers and launching AR glasses.

The company showed more than 120 types of innovative products and over 50 industry solutions, covering printers, projection equipment, robotics and wearable devices.

Epson announced its Epson 25 Corporate Vision (2016-25) to Chinese clients in April 2016, which sets out the direction it will take in the next decade.

Founded in 1942, Epson is dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. Its lineup ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots.
Japanese lolita model Akira performs on stage at the Sino-Japan cartoon concert. She is the creator of the Prince lolita style. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Sino-Japan cartoon concert celebrated the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations and gave impetus to the 2017 Japan Film Week on Saturday in North Chinas Hebei province.

Nine lolita models from both China and Japan sang popular songs from animations including Sailor Moon, Digimon and - one of the most influential cartoons in China - Lotus Lantern.

Lolita culture is a fashion subculture originating in Japan based on Victorian and Edwardian clothing, but the style has expanded much further beyond Japan.

The original silhouette is a knee length skirt or dress with a "cupcake" shape, but has expanded into various types of clothing, including corsets and floor length skirts. Blouses, knee high socks, or stockings, and headdresses are also worn.

Lolita fashion has evolved into several sub-styles and the subculture is present in many parts of the world.
WE set off from Cape Gloster in West New Britain on the long hop to Tadji Airstrip knowing that there was, as yet, nowhere for us to land - no properly prepared strip, only an area that had previously been a small enemy airstrip.

Within 42 hours of the landing, No 62 Works Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force had Tadji airfield ready for the Australian Kittyhawks of 78 Fighter Wing to land. The airstrip was a soggy mess.

LAST Saturday was the anniversary of the day in 1944 that General Macarthur's liberation force took Aitape and Hollandia, the largest amphibious operation of the South Pacific war.

On the plus side there had been a previous softening up of the place by naval bombardment and air strikes, and we were reassured by the fact that our assault troops, ground support and strip building units had gone ashore and were rebuilding the strip.

Even as we took to the air, additional landing barges were at the beachhead unloading all the necessary supplies including Marsden Matting to set up a brand new functional operational base.

So away we went with blind faith.

RAAF ground forces begin work on the airstrip at Tadji only a few hours after its capture.When we got to the point of no return on our westward flight -- not enough remaining fuel for us to safely get back to friendly territory  we contacted the landing party, and they informed us Come on in, we will have the strip ready by the time you get here.

On we went, to arrive over our destination where this rather rough looking area of what looked like a road under construction awaited our arrival.

Billie and I were ordered to maintain a patrol while the others landed, for there was still only a narrow perimeter around the strip in our hands.

But then, goodness, one of those landing suddenly flipped over onto his back without going far along the strip in his landing run.

What had happened was the strip was right on the coast and only a couple of feet above sea level, and bomb and navel shell craters from the previous softening up were deep enough to penetrate the water table and allow them to fill with water.

The strip builders of the RAAFs Airfield Construction Unit could only fix these with loose tramped earth and sand and hope for the best.

Unfortunately wheels coming across one of these wet loose filled craters sank and bogged and over went the aeroplane.

Of course, with those of us still in the air running short on fuel, and the strip being only wide enough for one at a time, wreckages had to be unceremoniously bulldozed out of the way.

As Billie and I circled, covering the others as they landed, watching, and noting that those who did land right way up had to get some sort of help off the strip. We made plans as to how we would attempt to stay right way up, especially as an audience had gathered to watch the excitement.

By this time the strip looked like a muddy construction site, with deep wheel marks from those who had landed and from the tractors and bulldozers that had gone to their rescue.

I reckoned one of our standard turning approaches, tail high, see a little of where you were going wheeler landings might be a bit risky so harked back to early training days and what were called precautionary landings.

The idea was to get the speed right back with everything hanging out -- lots of drag with full flap, gills, wheels, open canopy, low and slow in a nose high attitude, with a fair bit of power.

In that attitude and with power the prop is taking a bit of the aircrafts weight, and giving extra airflow over the wing centre section and control surfaces and the aircraft is more or less in tail down landing angle anyhow, while on approach.

Felt uncomfortable, and I could not see a thing straight ahead with that bloody great nose up high in the air, but I could see some trees on either side, so kept going. I felt the wheels, all three of them make contact, and straightway poured lots of power into the poor old girl, with the stick hard back in my belly, to give elevator help in keeping the tail down.

My faithful bird sloshed along for a short distance, but the part buried wheels soon prevented us going any further. The tractors came to get us out of the way while Billie had his successful turn.

My good mate Jim Harvey was one of the unlucky ones to turn wrong side up, and a little of his blood was spilt when he bumped his head. Your head is pretty close to the ground in an upside down Kittyhawk.

But for his troubles he was entitled to an American award - a Purple Heart. This medal was awarded to any serviceman who spilt blood on the field of battle.

In recent years Tadji has become an important site for the recovery of aircraft wrecks some of which have been rebuilt up to flying standards.

_____________

The picture at left shows a Gallion grader working on Tadji. The grader frame was still near Pro village when I last saw it in 1989.

The International Diesel engine from it was used by Catholic lay missionary Peter Hughes to run the main bench of the St Anna sawmill in 1951.

Over the years Peter had cut enough timber to build the Seleo Island boarding school complex, Malol mission station, various churches and the first permanent buildings at the Raihu Catholic Missions leprosarium which housed 400 patients.

The engine caused him much trouble as had to start it with a tiny petrol engine attached to the side and then switch over to diesel.

He had a nickname for it. Satan.

Peter was killed tragically some years later when a piece of timber came off the bench striking him in the neck.

He survived for six hours with Dr Judy Pitt of Raihu Hospital looking after him but, just as we were putting him in to a Gibbs Sepik Norseman aircraft to go to Wewak, he passed away. The small community was in deep sorrow for a very long time.

His wife Dorothy and four lovely young children accompanied his body to Wewak Hospital and continued on to Geelong, Victoria, never returning to Aitape.

Peter Hughes was an amazing builder, a gifted mechanic & dedicated missionary.
President orders vigilance at Southern Theater Command

NANNING  President Xi Jinping inspected the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army on Friday and stressed building a strong army.

Xi, who also is general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged all military personnel to safeguard the authority of CPC Central Committee and follow the Party's leadership.

He asked all military personnel to greet the 19th CPC National Congress scheduled for later this year with outstanding performance.

Noting that 2017 is of great significance for the Party and the country, Xi urged the PLA to strengthen combat preparation, ideological training and reform implementation.

Xi told PLA officers to eliminate the impact of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, two corrupt former CMC vice chairmen, and strictly observe political discipline and rules.

"It must be ensured that the PLA resolutely follows the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC at any time, in any circumstances," Xi said.

A new program will focus on studies of the Party Constitution and rules and speeches by Xi. He also called for members of the military to become qualified Party members.

He vowed to fight corruption and enhance the "sense of gain" among officers and soldiers.

Xi asked military personnel to strengthen their awareness in preparing for war, closely follow situational changes and make all efforts to enhance the Chinese military's combat capabilities.

Xi ordered an accelerated timeline for building the theater joint combat command system, swift development of a new type of fighting force and simultaneous improvement of national defense strength and economic development.

He asked for stronger military management, while caring for and developing officers and soldiers and ensuring the stability of troops.

XINHUA
Liu Zhigang stands in front of his motor tricycle in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Heilongjiang Yunda Express awarded 5,000 yuan ($730) to Liu Zhigang on April 17 for his heroism.

The 47-year-old dispatch worker at a Yunda delivery-service station in Heilongjiang province's capital, Harbin, who had earlier lost an arm, helped an elderly blind man escape from a fire.

His story went viral online. Some netizens call him the "hero in the fire".

A first-floor convenience story in Harbin's Pingfang district caught flame, and the blaze swiftly spread to the balcony of a neighboring apartment while Liu was delivering packages nearby on April 12.

The heat had shattered the glass. Liu noticed the old man groping around in thick smoke.

Liu jumped up onto the balcony without hesitation and led the blind man outside.

"It was windy, and the fire could have easily spread into the room if it was not controlled," Liu said. "And I saw a fridge on the balcony. It could have been really dangerous if it exploded."

After ushering the man to safety, Liu kept taking water from the convenience store to toss on the flames.

He was able to keep the fire at bay.

But he left without a word after the fire trucks arrived.

"He didn't say anything about the fire after he returned," says Xiao Ya, a customer-service representative at the station.

"So we didn't know anything about it until local media reported it."

But colleagues were not surprised. "Of course, he'd rush in if faced with this scenario. He's very kind and willing to help others. He helps me finish my job before break time every day at noon," Xiao said.

He is also hardworking, she said.

"He delivers to three residential communities and one school. He once delivered 180 packages in one day. We've never received complaints since he joined."

Liu lost his right arm in an accident when he was working in a factory in Hebei province's Tangshan.

Heilongjiang Yunda Express manager Wang Xiangchun said: "I hope all Yunda employees can learn from Liu and help others."

Liu gave another 5,000 yuan that the Alibaba Foundation had earlier awarded him to his mother.

"She's the person I care about most. And she was really worried about me after she found out what I did."
A screenshot shows the Tianzhou 1 docking with the Tiangong II space laboratory on Saturday.Wang Sijiang / Xinhua

China's first cargo spacecraft, the Tianzhou 1, has docked with the country's Tiangong II space laboratory and will stay in space about five months to conduct tests and experiments.

The docking took place on Saturday afternoon about 380 kilometers above the Earth, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Tianzhou 1, the country's largest and heaviest spacecraft, was lifted atop a Long March 7 rocket on Thursday night at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province. The Tiangong II has been in space since mid-September and carried two Chinese astronauts from mid-October to mid-November. It is now unmanned.

The two spacecraft will stay in combined orbit for about two months, during which the Tianzhou 1 will resupply fuel to Tiangong II and conduct scientific experiments, the agency said.

After the two months, the cargo spacecraft will undock and re-dock with the space lab. It will then undock again and start a three-month independent flight before a third docking.

The cargo craft will inject fuel into Tiangong II during the second and third dockings. After the third docking, Tianzhou 1 will depart from Tiangong II and will be directed by ground control to fall back to Earth.

If the mission is successful, China will become the third nation to use its own technology to conduct in-orbit refueling, joining Russia and the United States. It is part of China's plan to have a manned space station in orbit by about 2022.

The reason for repeating the docking and undocking process is that scientists want to test the technology developed to enable a spacecraft to dock with a space station from different directions.

According to designers, after the first undocking from Tiangong II, the cargo vessel will fly to the opposite side of Tiangong II and dock with different section.

Xu Xiaoping, deputy chief designer of the Tianzhou 1 at the China Academy of Space Technology, said China's space station will have multiple adapters to dock with spacecraft from various directions so Tianzhou 1's dockings will help scientists collect experience and data.

Zhang Qiang, another deputy chief designer of the cargo ship, said Tianzhou 1 will make sophisticated, automated maneuvers circling Tiangong II before the second docking. He said in the third docking, Tianzhou 1 will use fast-docking technology, which will take six hours for the entire process. By comparison, a typical docking will take two days.

In the future, the Tianzhou series will be tasked with bringing supplies of fuel and other necessities to China's manned space station, for which construction will start around 2018.

The station will consist of three parts - a core module attached to two space labs, each weighing about 20 tons - and will operate for at least 10 years, according to the manned space agency.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, Tianzhou 1 is 10.6 meters long and has a diameter of 3.35 meters. Its maximum takeoff weight is 13.5 metric tons, enabling it to carry up to 6.5 tons of supplies.
The Japanese Cabinet deserves plaudits for uncovering hitherto undiscovered passages in Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf of such educational value that they could be used in the nation's classrooms. The cabinet, in its wisdom, confirmed on April 14 that Mein Kampf can be classified as appropriate teaching material for schools on the proviso that the book, and this requires the greatest discipline not to howl with derision, cannot in any way be used to promote racial discrimination.

The book was written during Hitler's time in prison following his failed 1923 putsch. It is part autobiography, manifesto, anti-Semitic diatribe and instructions on how to gain power. It became a bestseller from 1933, selling a total of 12.5 million copies. Finding any part of the book that could be useful for pupils would seem difficult and up until now beyond the capabilities of education authorities the world over.

That it should be advocated by the next host of the Olympic Games is beyond parody. Nor can it be considered a great, if poisonous, work of literature. It is dotted with clunky prose, generally poorly written and grammatically incorrect (it has often been called Sein Krampf or "His Cramp").

Hitler had been registered as living in Munich, which was in the US sector after World War II. The Americans passed publication rights to the state of Bavaria. They refused to republish it, though it was never technically banned.

The Bavarian copyright expired at the end of 2015, 70 years as per European copyright law after his death. Consequently publication of the book has been legal in Germany since 2016. Indeed it has been republished in heavily annotated form.

The Japanese decision came just weeks after the use of the controversial Imperial Rescript on Education in school was given the green light.

The Rescript, issued in 1890, was meant to inoculate a sense of militarism in schools and unquestioning loyalty to the emperor to groom the nation's youth in a far-right ideology.

American occupation authorities banned formal reading of the Rescript at the end of the war.

Japan's cabinet in a statement on March 31 said that its use as teaching material (the same classification as for Mein Kampf) "cannot be denied".

The Imperial Rescript came into the limelight earlier this year after a video emerged showing 3 - to 5-year-old pupils at an Osaka kindergarten reciting the document.

The kindergarten is at the center of a growing controversy surrounding land it acquired at well below the market value and a donation it allegedly received from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife.

Nor is the Mein Kampf episode the first time that Japanese politicians have raised the specter of Nazi Germany. In 2013, deputy prime minister Taro Aso refused to resign despite having to retract comments suggesting the country should follow the Nazi example in changing the country's constitution.

Japan, he said, should learn from how the Nazis changed Germany's constitution prior to the war before opposition was organized to prevent them, and suggested that Japanese politicians should avoid controversy by making quiet visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni war shrine, where militarism, and Japan's wartime role, is celebrated.
The public got a rare glimpse into one of the most secret branches of China's military forces on Sunday when the People's Liberation Army Navy released a video of the training and exercises of its nuclear submarine force.

The video, called Things About the PLA Navy's Nuclear Submarines, shows crew members taking an oath while standing atop the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, officers operating equipment within submarines as well as a submarine firing a torpedo.

The force's attack and ballistic missile submarines are shown sailing on the surface or taking part in a naval parade.

The video also shows China's first submerged launch of its submarine-based ballistic missile.

On Sunday, the PLA Navy celebrated the 68th anniversary of its founding. Over decades, the Navy has evolved from an antiquated, poorly equipped force into a modern and capable power.

Pictures of the nation's nuclear submarines are rare - they are one of the PLA's most powerful weapons and incorporate many military and technological secrets.

The Navy has never released information about its nuclear submarines' construction, commissioning or deployment.

The PLA Navy also released another video of the firing of various kinds of ammunition from ships, submarines and aircraft. It is filled with images of anti-ship and air defense missiles roaring away from warships with flames and deafening sounds.

The most rarely seen parts of the video include images of a submarine launching two missiles underwater as well as an H-6 bomber and a J-15 carrier-borne fighter jet delivering anti-ship cruise missiles.

The Navy published another four videos on Sunday, including one showing live-fire exercises of the PLA Navy Marine Corps and one saluting the Navy's female sailors.

On Sunday, the Navy began public tours of its first nuclear submarine - theChangzheng 1 nuclear-powered attack submarine.

The submarine, which was in active service for more than 40 years, is now displayed at the Navy Museum in Qingdao, Shandong province.

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Cui Tiankai, ambassador to the US (center), Walt Disney Studios Vice-President Paul Baribault (left) and Chinese documentary director Lu Chuan (second from the left) display a poster for Born in China, a Chinese-American coproduction that takes viewers on an epic journey into the wilds of the country. The film was released in the United States over the weekend.Zhao Huanxin / China Daily

Wildlife movie coproduction shows angle not known to many

Born in China, a Chinese-American wildlife documentary coproduction, has been offering US moviegoers a feast for the eyes and food for thought since opening in US theaters a day before Earth Day, April 22.

The film's stunning imagery was captured over three years, largely in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, and it follows the lives of pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards, with additional footage of red-crowned cranes and chiru, or Tibetan antelopes. It was coproduced by Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group.

"The film serves to increase humans' awareness of the importance and urgency of protecting wildlife," Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said at a reception at China's embassy in Washington on Friday.

"Besides, we can learn much from animals, such as pandas, on how to coexist peacefully and harmoniously," Cui told a group of US guests before the showing of the film.

Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary of the US State Department, told China Daily, "It would be good for American audiences to see Chinese people caring about the planet, and conserving wildlife and natural spaces."

Roy Conli, producer of Born in China, said he had been "totally unaware" of the wilderness of China, including what was happening on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the mountains of Sichuan, before the making of the film.

"It just shows you how wondrous this planet is," said Conli, the Oscar-winning producer of Big Hero 6. "We need to protect animal populations ... in order to protect ourselves."

For Lu Chuan, an accomplished Chinese director, directing the film allowed him to share the beauty of China, and Chinese people's attitude toward life.

"This is a film that will tell our audience that besides Beijing and Shanghai, and besides heavy industries and pollution, China has incredibly beautiful sides that many are hardly aware of - the crystal clear skies, the stunning sceneries and wildlife habitats," Lu said.

In addition to appearing at US theaters, Born in China will be rendered into a dozen languages and later released in over 100 countries and regions, according to Cui Yuying, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office.

Cui said the China-US coproduction is emblematic of the decision at the April Mar-a-Lago meeting of President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump to ratchet up bilateral exchanges, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"The State Council Information Office welcomes and will continue to support international organizations to tell China stories ... to ramp up understanding and friendship between Chinese and people in the US and the rest of the world," she said.

The film's Chinese version was released in August. A trailer is available at nature.disney.com.

Dong Leshuo in Washington contributed to this story.
"Master Ren" - as he is known online - has become an international sensation for his masterful translations of Chinese fantasy novels into English.

The 31-year-old Chinese-American, whose pen name is Ren Woxing - real name Lai Jingping - aspired to "do something for Sino-US relations" after graduating from University of California, Berkeley.

First, he joined the US Foreign Service. Then, he translated fiction.

He is said to be the first to translate a Chinese web novel as long as 3.4 million words. It was arranged into 804 chapters.

He updated his chapter-by-chapter translations free on the online forum SPCNET, where fans discuss and share translations of particular works.

That was a year and a half of diligent translation, a "life-changing ... heck of a ride", Lai said.

The popularity of the work inspired him to launch website wuxiaworld.com in December 2014. It had received over 1 billion visits as of August.

He quit his diplomatic position in Vietnam at the end of 2015, with overwork's strain on his health requiring him to choose one path or the other.

"My parents happened to be visiting, and they saw the state I was in. They knew I wouldn't give up wuxiaworld. Their only concerns were about my previous career," he said.

He views his work facilitating Chinese online-novel translation as a continuation of his mission to connect China with the outside world. His website offers English translations of 40 novels, most of which are web literature, including Coiling Dragon, which was successful overseas.

Each month, about 2 million visitors from 115 countries read the novels translated by Lai's team of 24, he said.

Lai's family moved to the United States to pursue chemistry doctorates in 1986, three years after he was born.

"They hoped I'd also study hard science," he said. "I chose political science instead."

He spoke Mandarin as a child, but could not write Chinese. Still, he wanted to read more kung fu novels because he loved the films and TV series. He took three years of Chinese language classes at Berkeley, while translating and discussing Louis Cha's novels on SPCNET.

"The most common expressions are hardest to translate," he said.

Years of experience sharpened his language skills and enriched his understanding of China and kung fu, and he dramatically sped up the translation of Coiling Dragon.

"The characters' Western names attract more English-language readers," he said.

He was providing his service free of charge, but some readers began offering donations for quicker translations. Lai recognized an opportunity.

"I did what I promised," he said. "This resulted in a virtuous - albeit exhausting - cycle of continuing to translate new chapters. More readers, more donations, more translations."

Coiling Dragon has brought Chinese fantasy web novels "to the forefront" internationally, he added.

Lai obtained the rights to do the translations of novels last year. His website is advertising-supported and provides a living, he said.

Peking University online-literature researcher Ji Yunfei said Lai's team members can earn $10,000 a month, and expects that will increase.

"Lai has established his operating model," Ji said.

Lai said: "My dreams are big, but my methods are risky." The difficulty is getting published in the US, especially in print. "Also, web novels aren't simply entering the US market. They're forging a new market," he said.
Readers deliver an excerpt from Dishes on Plate, a winner of a 2017 Wenjin Award, on Sunday.Zhang Yuwei / Xinhua

High-quality books on traditional Chinese culture are being revitalized, judging from the results of the 12th annual Wenjin Awards, China's national-level comprehensive book award to encourage public reading.

The results were released on Sunday, which was World Book and Copyright Day.

Awards from the National Library of China were given to 10 winning books from about 80 finalists chosen by 14 top librarians and scholars. Several preliminary rounds involving media and libraries nationwide whittled down a field of 1,800 books that were published in China last year.

The award, usually excluding novels, has three categories: humanities, popular sciences and children books. Half the winners this year deal with different aspects of traditional Chinese culture - ancient music, architecture, philosophy, astronomy and food.

"Only three winners were translated," said Wang Yusheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has been a judge for the award since 2006. "That shows that the quality of Chinese books is improving."

He said the mixing of social and physical sciences is a trend this year, and the winning children's books were suitable for adult readers.

"Many good children's books have been introduced into China from other countries in recent years. They helped broaden people's horizons and inspired our writing," said Yu Hongcheng, author of the award-winning Dishes on Plate.

"However, it worries me that Chinese children may not have enough self-confidence from a cultural perspective when exposed to a market dominated by translations."

That concern encouraged her to create the picture book, which traces Chinese agrarian culture - starting with rice, a foundation of Chinese cuisine.

Another winner, Xu Gang, author of the popular science book Empire of the Stars, said: "Western signs of the zodiac are popular in China. People sometimes forget that we have our own ancient astronomy."

He added that the old system remains a crucial element in understanding traditional Chinese culture.

"Traditional Chinese culture is often explained in misleading ways," said Lou Yulie, author of winner The Basic Spirit of Chinese Culture. "What matters is not the accumulation of knowledge, but how to use it in modern life. Reading helps this."

"The award strives to stay away from market performance," said Zhou Guoping, a philosophy professor and a judge for the Wenjin Awards. "Reading good books should be pure process."
About half of the 400 Anhui University freshmen questioned about their teachers' names on their midterm exams were unable to answer.

The exam had a maximum score of 100 points, with 40 points attributed to questions that were unrelated to the students' course subjects.

Yang Liangpan, a tutor at the university's School of Electronics and Information Engineering, designed the questions.

"When communicating with students, I found that many don't even know their teachers' names, let alone interact with them," Yang said.

Yang, who is an electronics and information-engineering graduate, said he wanted to use the questions to encourage students to build relationships with their teachers.

Freshmen from five majors at the school took the exam. Yang found that nearly half of the students failed to name all five teachers.

"When I looked at the examination paper, I was surprised by the first section, which asked us to write down the names of four teachers and our tutor, as well as in which classrooms we attend the courses and where the tutor's office is," said Han Kai, who took the exam on April 15.

"Some of my classmates were unable to provide the answers."

Li Lulu, a sophomore at Wuhan Media and Communications College, said that students at her college in the capital of Hubei province would also struggle to provide answers to similar questions.

"Students are not entirely to blame for this situation. Some teachers just enter the classroom, teach the class and leave without staying to chat with students or offer any personal advice," Li said.

On the last three questions of the exam at Anhui University, students were questioned about how best to console friends who have broken up with their boyfriend or girlfriend; their opinions on student loans; and what their favorite video games are.

Han said most of his male classmates play video games, but he is not a fan, because they remind him of his older brother, who became addicted to video games and dropped out of high school.

"College students should be given more freedom, but they should still prioritize their studies," Yang said, adding that most of the questions of the exam were about mathematics and physics.
Community correction must be employed when convicted people are allowed to serve sentences outside prison. The process should be overseen by members of the community in which the convicted person resides.

If they fall into the categories listed below, people sentenced to a set term of imprisonment are allowed to serve their sentences outside prison.

a) People with an illness within the scope of the List of Major Diseases of Medical Parole, and need to seek medical treatment outside prison.

b) Women who are pregnant or lactating.

c) Those without the capacity to look after themselves.

Assessment of illness should be carried out by a hospital designated by the relevant provincial government.

The medical document provided by the hospital should be signed by two senior physicians and the hospital's head or deputy head. The document should be included with copies of the results of medical examinations.
The Queensland radio journalist and author has a talent for discovering little-known events and fleshing them out to make history come alive. His new book is a gripping yarn of espionage and war.

IAN Townsends third book, Line of Fire, a work of nonfiction, is excellent. It follows two fine novels: Affection (2007), based on the 1900 plague outbreak in north Queensland, and The Devils Eye, centred on the worst cyclone in Australian history.

Townsend meticulously mined research archives in Australia, Japan and Papua New Guinea. The story he tells is as fascinating as it is tragic: in May 1942, in the tropical town of Rabaul in the then Australian territory of New Guinea, Japanese troops shot dead a group of Australians who had been convicted as spies.

One was Marjorie Manson, a dressmaker who had lived in Adelaide and Brisbane. She was executed along with her brother Jimmy, her partner AA Harvey, a friend named Bill Parker and her 11-year-old son Richard, known as Dickie.

Were they spies? During their trial it was revealed the four adults had been caught behind enemy lines with a hidden radio transmitter. Marjorie also had a concealed revolver.

Their executions occurred at the base of Tavurvur, one of the volcanoes that surround Rabaul harbour. It was the site of an earthquake in early 1941, and violent twin eruptions in 1937 in which almost 400 people perished. Indeed, as Townsend explains, this area remains one of the most seismically active places on the planet.

Acknowledging the fallibility of documents, including so-called primary sources, and the frailties and fickleness of memory, Townsend has nevertheless reconstructed an extremely intriguing historical narrative. Despite the limits of the source material, he has, in the main successfully, tried to explain how and why a working-class Australian family ended up in a hot and humid trading post, caught behind enemy lines in a brutal conflict that cost them their lives.

He also illuminates why their experiences have largely been forgotten. Part of the explanation is that a number of Marjories relatives, especially her mother Phyllis, disapproved of her leaving Australia to live on a rundown plantation at Lassul, outside Rabaul, with the often unstable and grandiose Ted Harvey, a married man. As a consequence, much of the truth about the five executed Australians has not been well-known.

Townsend explores how the John Curtin government was unable to reinforce some of Australias small garrisons in New Guinea, while at the same time refusing to evacuate their civilian and military populations. On New Years Day 1942, the commander of the 2/22nd Battalion, colonel John Scanlan, issued the following order: THERE SHALL BE NO WITHDRAWAL.

Townsend documents how, in the face of an irresistible Japanese invasion soon after the Pearl Harbor attacks, more than 1500 Australian soldiers and non-combatants were abandoned in Rabaul as hostages to fortune.

One of the many reasons this book is so absorbing is that the multilayered experiences of these five ordinary Australians, executed in Rabaul, are part of Australias story and a crucial episode in our military history.

Townsend uncovers some important secrets along the way, mainly personal  including one about Dickie Manson, which I will not reveal. However, something that impresses me about the authors approach is that he indicates where hes more or less certain about what actually happened and where he has speculated.

He also clearly italicises conversations and dialogue he has invented. In doing so, he has tried to, as he puts it, to keep what people said true to their character and circumstances.. In this endeavour, too, he has also been largely successful. I like to call such books faction.

In a sad postscript, Townsend reveals that, despite her repeated efforts, which included writing to federal ministers such as Labors mercurial Eddie Ward, Marjories estranged mother, Phyllis, never knew what had happened to her daughter, to her son Jimmy, or to her grandson Dickie. Unable to cope with such deep uncertainly, Phyllis Manson committed suicide in February 1956 at the age of 65. The grief had finally caught up with her.

Ross Fitzgerald is emeritus professor of history and politics at Griffith University.
A man in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined 20,000 yuan ($2,900) for using his pregnant wife to deliver drugs. The couple was arrested in May last year after police found more than 300 grams of ketamine - street names, special K or super acid - in their home. A local court sentenced the woman to two years in prison with a three-year reprieve because she needed to breast-feed her baby.

A 33-year-old single mother in Tianjin was imprisoned after she was repeatedly caught selling drugs while on bail between July and October 2015. The First Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin arranged for the woman's 3-year-old daughter to be sent to the civil affairs department in Tsitsihar, Heilongjiang province, where the family home is registered.

When she was prosecuted in January 2015, the woman, who had previous convictions for drug dealing, was allowed bail because the father of her baby is unknown, and there would be no one to care for the child if the mother was sent to prison.

A man in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, who had been sentenced to 15 years for selling drugs, arranged for his wife and their housekeeper to deal narcotics when he was given home leave on medical parole last year. He was given a life sentence in August.

In October, the parents of a 3-year-old child were caught transporting drugs as they pushed a stroller with the child in it through customs at Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Customs officers found the Hong Kong couple suspicious because their only luggage was a school bag. When the stroller was searched, officers found two bottles of "orange juice", which turned out to be liquid methadone.
Almost 94 percent of Guangzhou residents believe the city government should support the bike-sharing industry to help reduce vehicle emissions, according to a poll.

An online survey of 2,238 locals between January and March found that 70 percent are satisfied with bike-sharing services in the city.

However, 64 percent expressed dissatisfaction over the management of such bikes, with poor parking and damaged bikes among the main concerns.

Fifty-one percent said they use shared bikes less than three times a week, 30 percent said three to six times, and 18 percent said more than seven times.

Chen Zhenxi with the Guangdong Consumer Council, which conducted the survey in partnership with the city's consumer council, said shared bikes provide a convenient, affordable and quick way for residents to travel over short distances.

However, he added, "Bike-sharing companies should improve the management of their bikes, and residents should be educated on how to use the bikes in a civil manner." Chen Lianshu, a lawyer with the Guangdong council, urged the government to tighten its regulations to standardize the operation of shared bikes and protect the legal interests of companies and users.

Huang Fengchao, a white-collar worker in Guangzhou's Tianhe district, said shared bikes help him avoid traffic jams in busy downtown areas during rush hour.

He said he usually rides a shared bike from his home in Panyu district to his office after getting off the subway. " It is convenient and economical," he said.

Yu Xiaoying, a housewife, said many of her friends and neighbors ride shared bikes, but the management of the bikes should be improved.

"I often find shared bikes parked inconsiderately, blocking the entrances of the meat and vegetable markets," she said.
Population of Xinjiang's endangered amphibian stops declining

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-04-24 15:35

URUMQI - Efforts to keep Xinjiang salamander (Ranodon Sibiricus), an endangered amphibian, from going extinct have had success.



"The number of Xinjiang salamander has stopped decreasing since 2014 and surpassed 3,000 at present," said Ji Xiaowei, head of the management station under the salamander nature reserve in Wenquan County, the major habitat for the species.



Threatened by human activity, pollution and climate change, the population of the species declined sharply from 10,000 in the 1990s to fewer than 3,000 three years ago, according to Ji.



In recent years, the reserve has spent more than 13 million yuan (around 2 million U.S. dollars) returning over 75 hectares of grazing land to grassland, setting up 9.8 kilometers of wire fencing in its habitat, diverting water to wetlands where the species live and establishing a remote video monitoring system.



The amphibian has been regarded as a "living fossil" because it coexisted with the dinosaurs about 300 million years ago. Currently, they only live in wetlands at the border of China and Kazakhstan.
Legislators are discussing a law change that would make tech companies that make online maps, such as Baidu, responsible for protecting any personal data they collect or use.

A draft amendment to the Surveying and Mapping Law was submitted to the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee for a second reading on Monday.

The changes, if approved, would also cover other companies and institutions that collect, use or share geological information.

Governments and the media are also required in the draft to enhance public awareness of China's territory, while related educational elements will be introduced in primary and middle schools.

Zhang Delin, the vice-minister of land and resources, said after the draft's first reading in November that the regulations on surveying and mapping are out of date, "as technological advances have changed the way people interact with and access data".

He said some geological information is not utilized effectively, and that some even present security risks.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn
A popular bar street in Beijing's Sanlitun area has undergone a face-lift after the demolition of illegal constructions in the neighborhood.

Tonglihou Street, located in the well-known Taikoo Li shopping mall, is home to a variety of nail salons, foot massage parlors, bars and restaurants.

A staff member with the Sunlitun Street management office, which oversees construction in the area, said the demolition began on Monday morning. He did not want to be identified because he is not authoritized to talk to the media.

An urban patrol officer, better known as chengguan, at the scene said the demolition was expected to finish on Monday.

The move comes amid a string of similar operations across Beijing, which the city government said is aimed at removing safety risks, as many homeowners have knocked down walls to rent space to shopkeepers.

On April 17, the same management office demolished illegal constructions on the ground floor of Taipingzhuang Nanli residential building.

The ground floors of apartment blocks in Sanlitun are often rented out to stores, bars and restaurants, as the area is a popular destination for tourists, expats and locals.

Illegal structural work, such as removing interior walls, creating rooftop areas or extending buildings, is common in the area, according to the authorities.
HONG KONG - Former Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's bail application was granted by the region's High Court on Monday.

Tsang was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Feb 22, 2017 for misconduct while in office and was sent to prison immediately.

Tsang was granted bail pending an appeal against his conviction and was released on a cash bail of 100,000 HK dollars (about $12,870).

Tsang was found guilty of a charge of misconduct for failing to declare a conflict of interest when he approved applications for radio broadcasting license by a broadcasting company Wave Media.

The former chief executive had faced two charges of misconduct and one charge of bribery. The nine jurors entered a majority verdict of one charge of misconduct. Tsang was cleared of another charge of misconduct.

The jury could not reach a decision on whether Tsang was guilty of accepting advantage. The judge has tentatively scheduled the proceeding to September.
As the HIV/AIDS epidemic begins to hit more young Chinese, the nation's health and education authorities are installing vendor machines selling home HIV test kits on university campuses to help raise awareness and fight the disease.

To date, 10 Chinese universities in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Heilongjiang provinces, Beijing, and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have joined the initiative many call "progressive" in a country where sex largely remains a taboo subject and systematic sex education is still lacking.

"We cannot wait to take action, but it's hard to do so, especially on university campuses. Otherwise we put the young students' health at risk," said Shen Jie, deputy director of the Chinese Association of STD and AIDS Prevention and Control, which led the initiative.

"More universities are talking with us to install such machines on campus as an alternative option for students seeking HIV testing, which should be normalized anyhow," she added.

Many students are reluctant to visit the HIV testing clinics run by the health authorities, even though a visit is free, she said. Privacy and fear of discrimination largely keep them away.

In recent years, China has seen a rapidly increasing HIV epidemic, particularly among young students aged 15 to 24, mostly via unprotected gay sex, said Wu Zunyou, head of the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention.

Over the weekend, a story made national news headlines that 106 university students tested positive for HIV in a single district in Yuelu, Changsha, capital of central Hunan province, in recent years, local public health institutions revealed. Most of those infected were gay men.

Nationwide, during the first nine months of last year, more than 2,300 students in this age range were detected with HIV, roughly four times greater than in 2010.

In the vendor machine projects, the home test kits are on sale on campuses alongside snacks and beverages, according to Liu Peng, who's responsible for the association's program. "There is more privacy this way."

The kit uses urine and costs 30 yuan ($4.38) and one can check the result over the Internet after sending back the sample of urine to designated labs run by public health authorities. No ID information is required, he added.

"Roughly 100 samples were sent back from our campus during the first several months," said Zhang Jihong, head of the health center at Southwest Petroleum University in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

As a pioneer, the university first joined the initiative in June 2016. The two vending machines selling the kits are at the health center and the stadium, both frequented by students.

"I never saw anyone buy the kit but I did see the kit packages in our dormitory toilets. And that somewhat serves as an alert to me that the disease is actually all around and we need self protection," said a sophomore surnamed Du.

Shen Jie agreed. "The fact that more universities became willing to join us well demonstrates an ever-increasing public awareness of AIDS control," she said.

The positive trend has been seen among the general public and with the authorities as well.

The country will promote HIV home testing among the people to detect as many sufferers as possible for early treatment, said Wu Zunyou.

The home test kits have become largely available now at e-commerce platforms and will be on sale at pharmacies soon, he added.
BEIJING - China's central government has organized a third group of inspection teams to review local government environmental protection work.

Seven teams will be dispatched to Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Liaoning, Shanxi and Tianjin from Monday, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said Monday.

The inspection will last about one month, and focus on prominent environmental issues that are closely watched by the central government and aroused strong public resentment, and how the local governments have handled them, said the ministry.

China held more than 3,100 officials accountable for lax environmental protection after the second batch of inspectors were sent to Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hubei, Guangdong, Gansu and Shaanxi at the end of last year. Punishments include removal from official posts.
Four police officers from Italy conduct joint patrols with Chinese police officers on the Great Wall in Beijing on Monday. The Italian officers will help to patrol the streets in Beijing and Shanghai from April 24 to May 7. ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY

Eight Chinese police officers will go on patrol in Italy in early June to help their Italian counterparts protect Chinese tourists, a senior police official said on Monday.

The officers, selected nationwide and proficient in Italian, will patrol scenic spots in Rome, Milan, Florence and Naples to help deter crimes against Chinese tourists, said Liao Jinrong, director of the Ministry of Public Security's International Cooperation Bureau.

The patrol duties will last for two weeks or possibly longer, depending on the needs, Liao said. The Chinese officers may not be armed, and they have no law enforcement authority on these patrols, he said.

China may also send police officers to Austria and Spain later this year to help ensure Chinese tourists' safety and to aid in communication, Liao said.

"Joint police patrols are an effective means of expanding mutual trust and giving tourists a stronger sense of security," he said. "They can also help us better understand each other's legal systems and police procedures."

China and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding on joint police patrols in September 2015, the first such agreement between China and a European country. A first group of four Chinese police officers patrolled in Rome and Milan from May 2 to 13 last year.

Four Italian police officers began patrolling in Beijing and Shanghai on Monday and will continue to May 7.

They may not carry weapons, but can offer advice and help handle cases targeting Italian tourists in tourist spots, according to China's Ministry of Public Security.
Construction starts on first base for privately financed projects

China's first man in space, Yang Liwei, compares his hand with his preserved print displayed at an exhibit about China Space Day at the National Museum of China in Beijing. JIANG DONG/CHINA DAILY

Construction began on Monday on China's first commercial space industry center in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

The Wuhan National Space Industry Base aims to attract at least 100 enterprises involved in the space industry before 2020 and generate 30 billion yuan ($4.36 billion) in annual gross product by then, according to China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the main investor. The center will occupy 68.8 square kilometers in Xinzhou district.

Expace Technology, a subsidiary of CASIC that provides commercial launch services, will invest 1.7 billion yuan to build production and assembly plants for solid-fuel carrier rockets for commercial launches. The company plans to make about 20 rockets at the center each year, it said in a statement.

In China, a commercial launch usually means a space launch financed by an entity other than a Chinese government or military agency.

The CASIC Second Academy will invest 300 million yuan to construct a research, development and manufacturing complex at the center to make small satellites. CASIC has said it will launch 156 small communications satellites into low Earth orbit, at an altitude of 160 to 2,000 km, before the end of 2025. They would form a network capable of global coverage.

Monday was the second China Space Day. On April 24, 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong 1.

Also Monday, Expace Technology said it signed a contract with an unnamed domestic client to conduct four commercial launch missions in a week early in 2018.

The missions will employ Kuaizhou 1A, a solid-fuel carrier rocket developed by the CASIC Fourth Academy in Wuhan. The rocket has a liftoff weight of 30 metric tons and is capable of sending a 200 kg payload into a sun-synchronous orbit, or a 300 kg payload into a low-Earth orbit. Unlike most Chinese carrier rockets, it uses a transporter-erector-launcher vehicle rather than a fixed launch pad.

The first flight of Kuaizhou 1A, to launch three small satellites, was in January at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China.

CASIC Fourth Academy began to develop Kuaizhou solid-fuel rockets in 2009 as a low-cost, quick-response rocket family for the commercial launch market. It has launched three of the rockets.

Zhang Di, deputy director of the academy and chairman of Expace, said a new-generation Kuaizhou 11 is under development and will make its first flight before year's end.

He said Kuaizhou 11 will have a liftoff weight of 78 tons and will be capable of placing a 1-ton payload into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 km, or a 1.5-ton payload into a low Earth orbit at an altitude of 400 km.
From the German for comrade, related to the concept of having a meal together, it was brought to these shores by the convicts. It evokes Depression drifters and diggers, six o-clock swills and smokos, tradies and truckies.

As a nation weve claimed it and desexualised it and morphed it into something deeply endearing; its held fiercely in our national psyche. Its mateship. A term of colonial Australia used as vividly back then as it is now.

ITS A word that presses all our national buttons. One of those go-to terms for politicians seeking an easy emotional resonance.

And as we approach Anzac Day, our sepia-tinged word for a deeply loyal companionship is coming under threat from unexpected quarters.

In Papua New Guinea, on the track known as Kokoda  another word barbed deep in our national psyche  the word mateship has been controversially replaced on a sign with the far more anodyne friendship.

Aussie veterans are furious because mateship has a very specific meaning for them; its as distinctively Australian as the rising sun army badge and slouch hat. Aussie mateship in war encapsulates sacrifice as much as it does the smoko; its about unwavering loyalty and trust and working together in adversity against a common enemy, whether that be a member of the Rum Corps, the unforgiving bush, the bastard boss or the Japs.

Its a word stronger and tougher than friendship, encapsulating the beautiful best of Australian masculinity. Its binding and softening.

The memorial at Owers Corner describes the mateship forged between the Australian and Papua New Guinean military, and vets are concerned that the change in signage could detract from the trails emotive military history.

Mateship is inscribed on one of four memorial slabs there; the others read courage, endurance and sacrifice.

The Australian has reported that PNG officials have changed the sign to become more politically correct, based on concerns that some locals were offended by the word mate. A government official explained that villagers along the track respected that the term meant loyalty and companionship, but others didnt understand. Because the term mate can also, of course, describe a lover or partner.

Veteran Charlie Lynn says hes not surprised by the move: Mateship is no longer a politically correct word because of its male, Anglo-Saxon connotations  somewhere in the Canberra bubble they dont like it so theyve changed it to friendship.

I love the word. Love hearing men call each other mate, in all its myriad tonal variations. It can be a plea, a threat, an admonishing; a yearn, a declaration of pride, an admission of love.

In an Australian context the word feels physical and emotional rather than intellectual. Its an unconscious soldier slung over a shoulder, a shared cup of tea on the wallaby; its not necessarily a yarn about La Traviata.

Henry Lawson wrote in Shearers: They tramp in mateship side by side  The Protestant and Roman. They call no biped lord or sir, And touch their hat to no man!

The emotional resonance of the word in Australia cant be underestimated. Several years back Westpac published a survey of 1,000 people who were asked to define what makes a typical Australian. Their top answer was mateship; runners-up were friendly and laid-back.

Mateship is a word of generosity incubated in adversity. Its a great leveller, its classless, its about rolling up your shirt sleeves and working side by side, sweaty brow to sweaty brow; its about community as opposed to an elite only out for themselves.

This newspaper has reported that Australian authorities will be fighting to keep mateship on the Kokoda sign. In the lead-up to the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda battle  arguably our most significant World War II campaign  that feels right.
Test aims to find best way to select juries for trials in Chinese courts

Jurors are sworn in as they face the Chinese national emblem in Hefei, Anhui province. XIE CHEN/CHINA DAILY

A pilot program for jurors in Chinese courtrooms may continue for an additional year.

Shen Deyong, vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, applauded the achievements of the pilot program, launched in 50 courts in 10 provincial regions, including Beijing, Hebei and Chongqing, in April 2015, but he also said that some problems need more time to be solved.

Last year, 81,772 cases in the 50 courts relied on jurors, of which 64,917 were civil disputes and 11,642 were criminal matters, a draft proposal to extend the pilot program said.

Courts were encouraged to hear jurors' opinions on cases involving the public interest or that might influence society, the draft said. It was submitted to the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Monday.

"In the pilot program, we hoped jurors would share their opinions on the facts of the case instead of legal issues, but so far we have no system to clarify the difference between the two," he said.

"Meanwhile, we hoped that jurors would be selected randomly instead of chosen from a group of candidates recommended by local communities and authorities, but in reality we found it harder to find those with professional backgrounds, such as medicine or architecture, through a random selection."

"That's why some legal experts and NPC deputies suggested that we continue to use recommended candidates," he said.

Extending the pilot also aims to increase public participation in legal proceedings and improve the credibility of court rulings, Shen added.

In 2015, the top court decided to rethink the selection procedure and allow more people from different walks of life to take part in court hearings. It increased the minimum age for jurors from 23 to 28 but lowered educational requirements for the pilot program.

Before the pilot, jurors in China were mainly chosen through recommendations, unlike the jury system in the United States, for example, which randomly creates a large jury pool that lawyers whittle down to a smaller number of acceptable jurors to hear a case.
The Chinese version of Japanese musical The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man will tour the country this summer.[Photo provided to China Daily]

When Zhao Yongbin began to study musicals as a major at the Beijing-based Central Academy of Drama in 1995, he did not know what musicals were.

For the 30 students in Zhao's class, which was the first one to major in musicals in the country, musicals were a new art form.

In 1996, along with his classmates, Zhao had his first experience of performing in a musical, the Chinese version of The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man, one of the most popular musicals of Japan's Shiki Theatre Company.

Artists of the established Japanese company visited Beijing to help the students rehearse.

The musical, based on a children's novel of the same title by the late American writer Lloyd Chudley Alexander, was staged more than 40 times in 1996 at the Central Academy of Drama. The troupe also visited Japan later that year for three shows at the Shiki Theatre Company.

"For us, the musical was an art form that we had never seen in Chinese theaters then," recalls Zhao.

"The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man opened our eyes and helped us understand the art form. It laid a solid foundation for us - the first group learning and performing musicals in China."

Now, two decades or so later, the Chinese version of the musical will be reproduced and will kick off a national tour from Beijing in June.

Zhao, a teacher at the Central Academy of Drama and a director, in 1996 performed the lead character of Lionel, a cat who becomes a man with the help of a magician. He will direct the new production.

The musical will feature actors who performed in the 1996 version as well as young Chinese musical talents.
The dance drama Sissi by ExperiDance Production will make its debut in Beijing this week.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Dance drama about legendary Austrian queen set to launch this year's Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, Chen Nan reports.

The Austrian film Sissi, based on the legendary life of Empress Elisabeth, became popular in China after it was screened here in the 1980s.

The 1955 film, directed by Ernst Marischka, has Romy Schneider in the lead role as the beautiful yet sad queen.

Her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1854 made her the empress of Austria at age 16. She eventually also became the queen of Hungary.

A dance drama titled Sissi, which is adapted from her life story, will make its debut in Beijing soon. It premiered in Budapest in 2013.

As the opening performance of the 17th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, which begins on Thursday, the dance drama will be staged by Hungary's ExperiDance Production.

It focuses on the queen's connection with Hungary and her romance with Gyula Andrassy, a Hungarian official.
The first conference of the Music Education Alliance Across the Silk Road will be held at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing from May 5 to 7, says Yu Feng, president of the school.

Starting this year, the alliance will annually host concerts, workshops and exhibitions over three days.

More than 70 musicians and scholars from 16 countries, including India, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey and Uzbekistan, will attend the inaugural conference along with their Chinese peers.

Top representatives from at least 10 music schools in the country are also expected to participate.

The Belt and Road Initiative announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013 aims to revitalize economic, cultural and other links along the ancient Silk Road between China and other parts of the world.

"The Silk Road, which linked traders, pilgrims, monks, nomads and others, was not only a trade route but was also important for the development of Chinese culture and civilization," Yu says.

"Music is an important bridge, too. We want to strengthen understanding and promote cultural exchanges among the countries through this conference," he adds.

Yu and his team visited many countries in recent years to get to know foreign musicians better. They also found that many were interested in Chinese music.

"We believe this event will promote such connections," Yu says.

The symphony and folk orchestras of the Central Conservatory of Music will present the opening concert at the event on May 5. Other recitals include a joint performance by musicians from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, and a concert marking 25 years of diplomatic relations between China and Azerbaijan.

The conservatory, a leading music school in China, was founded in 1950. It started research on musical connections among countries along the Silk Road in 2014.

Last year, it set up the Center for Music Communication, Development and Research.

The music conference will be held ahead of the first Belt and Road Forum in Beijing over May 14-15.
China plans to completely eliminate the use of HCFCs, compounds composed of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and carbon atoms, by the end of 2025 in the polyurethane foam sector, according to the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office at Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The plan was announced in a meeting held on Friday in Kunming, Yunnan's provincial capital, to plan the phase-out. The session also featured a seminar on alternative technologies.

About 21 million metric tons of polyurethane was consumed globally in 2016. The number is expected to increase to 28.6 million in 2018, 40 percent of which will be consumed in China, the biggest producer and consumer of the products, according to Foreign Economic Cooperation Office.

The material is used in bedding, furniture, autos (mainly for car seats) and thermal insulation of buildings. As key material for PU production, 400,000 to 500,000 tons of the HCFC agents are used every year in the world.

Though polyurethane foam-making has been more and more environment-friendly, agents like chlorine and fluorine, which are harmful to the ozone layer and result in greenhouse gases, are still unavoidable.

HCFCs have been replacing CFC, compounds that contain atoms of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon, as refrigerants and aerosol propellants. CFCs are blamed for the depletion of ozone layer, and HCFCs are considered less harmful to the environment than CFCs. The widespread use of HCFCs, however, has become a major contributor to global warming.
Exhibition reveals traditional aesthetics of life ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-04-21

My Land, My People, an exhibition focusing on how daily life in Fujian province has changed over the centuries, opened in Xiamen on April 15 and will run till June 15.

The exhibition brings together a collection of carefully-selected artifacts ranging from clothing and culinary culture, to living utensils, building materials, and travelling bags.

Visitors browse My Land, My People, an exhibition of traditional artifacts from Fujian province, which is currently taking place in Xiamen. The artifacts were provided by a number of independent collectors and institutions from Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Taiwan. [Photo/taihainet.com]

As a way to communicate traditional Fujian culture, the show is open to the public for free, with the more than 100 artifacts on show provided courtesy of a number of independent collectors and institutions from Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Taiwan.

The sound of children chanting of an old nursery rhyme greeted the visitors at the opening ceremony, creating an instant sense of nostalgia. Looking at the extensive collection, including brown-colored fishermen's clothes, ladles made of shells, and blue-and-white porcelain that portrays the lives of fishermen on boats, also reminds visitors of all the time that has passed by.

The organizer is local clothing brand Qing's. It plans to offer lectures on Fujian culture and dialects, and nanyin (the oldest music genre in China) performances alongside the exhibition.

A brown-colored fishermen's coat known as a shu liang coat, dyed by Dioscorea cirrhosa. This type of coat had many advantages: It is waterproof, protects wearers from the sun, and can be dried quickly. [Photo/WeChat: qingyijiashe]

Exhibition information

Time: 9:30 am  8:30 pm, April 15  June 15

Location: Flagship store of Qing's, Building 1, Longshan Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, 84 South Longshan Road, Xiamen, Fujian.

Sponsor: Local clothing brand Qing's.
Chickens boost poverty alleviation in Guizhou ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-04-24

Zhang Yuhui, the founder of Xingnong Chicken Farm in Guizhou province, transports chicks and eggs on a cableway. [Photo/zgqxn.com]

Zhang Yuhui, a female farmer, set up a farm in Guizhou province in 2009 and has since been donating food to over 2,000 impoverished households.

Costing 450,000 yuan ($654,279), the Xingnong Chicken Farm covers 400,000 square meters and surrounded by unpolluted barren stony mountains in Zhenfeng county, Guizhou province. Zhang Yuhui and her family carried building materials on their backs in the early stages of construction.

With road construction impossible, the only way to the farm is a 600-meter-long cableway to the foot of Laoying mountain.

Xingnong Chicken Farm buys chickens from impoverished farmers, with the chicks provided by the local government, which reduces the financial risks to farmers to a minimum. Farmers can have their chicks grown on the Xingnong farm and share the dividends annually.

About 270,000 chickens were fostered at the farm in 2016, earning 1,281 households 100,000 yuan each in an annual dividend, with a further two years of earning coming from those animals.

Chen Yuangangs mother, a villager in Lugong county, Guizhou province, earned a net income of 3,000 yuan in just six months last year by raising 300 chicks, said Wang Fawei, the head of Lugong countys poverty alleviation workstation.

Some 10 percent of targeted poverty alleviation families come out of poverty by raising chickens in Lugong county, Wang said.

Zhang Yuhui said: Only by increasing the scale of Xingnong Chicken Farm can we help more impoverished farmers. About 80,000 chicks will be distributed to 654 targeted poverty alleviation households in 2017.
Ritual held at Mausoleum of Genghis Khan

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2017-04-21

A sacred ritual was held at the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan in Ejin Horo Banner on April 17, gathering hundreds of Mongolian people to worship and pray for favorable weather and family prosperity.

Tributes offered by the Mongolian people included hada (pieces of silk cloth used as a greeting gift), mutton, and butter.

The ritual for Genghis Khan, celebrated on the 21st day of the third lunar month of the Chinese calendar, was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.
Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning returns to Qingdao, China after Pacific drill, January 13th, 2017. Comprised of aircraft carrier Liaoning, a number of destroyers, some J-15 carrier-based fighter jets and helicopters, the fleet sailed through the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China sea. [Photo/CRI]

China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, the second such vessel, will soon be commissioned, say reports. Designed to be a base for fighter jets and helicopters, the country's second aircraft carrier is the first of the Type 001A class.

The "homemade" aircraft carrier is expected to have a displacement of about 50,000 metric tons, and conventional engines and fighter jet launch systems, which are used on CNS Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier. However, on-board fighter jets may still have to resort to ski-jump ramps instead of the more advanced catapult-assistance take-off.

CNS Liaoning, rebuilt from a former Soviet cruiser, Admiral Kuznetsov-class carrier Varyag, is primarily used for training and research, while the new carrier will serve naval combat and defense missions, as well as non-combat missions ranging from fighting terrorism and piracy to taking part in rescue operations. Pilots and commanders for the new carrier have been trained and its equipment tested on Liaoning for future operations.

Although the new aircraft carrier will be a much-improved version of Liaoning, it will not be as advanced as its US counterparts, including the nuclear-powered US Nimitz-class and the latest Gerald Ford-class carriers, in terms of size, scale and combat capability. Also, it will take a few more years to complete the functional operations of the new vessel's devices and weapons before it can embark on sea trials.

This is all the more reason Beijing should intensify its research in and enhance its capacity to build aircraft carriers. Such vessels are a necessity for a major power aspiring to better protect its legitimate interests in the open seas, as well as to safeguard regional stability and international sea lanes. Since strong naval powers like the United States are unlikely to exchange equipment and technologies used in their top carriers, China should emulate successful models and learn how to build more advanced carriers.

Two aircraft carriers, regardless of their size, are not enough for a country such as China. The basic principle is that a country the size of China should have at least three aircraft carriersone for training, one for naval duty and one for maintenance. Six of the 11 US aircraft carriers are deployed in the Pacific Ocean and the rest in the Atlantic Ocean, which help Washington to maintain a formidable maritime presence across the globe.

China has no intention of challenging the US' global dominance nor will it seek to strengthen its navy beyond its defense-oriented strategic need. Chinese vessels are mainly used for self-defense and to preserve regional security. And there is plenty of room for improvement with regard to their capability and combat readiness.

Since aircraft carriers will continue to play a key role in securing open sea operations, China's efforts to design and build a competent carrier from scratch are more than justified. Besides, China needs to convince its neighbors with which it has maritime disputes that the carriers will not be used to flex its military muscles but to make the region safer.

The author is a senior researcher at the Naval Military Studies Research Institute of the People's Liberation Army. The article is an excerpt from his interview with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng.
July 1 marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with the motherland and the implementation of the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" in the special administrative region. Evaluating the implementation of this national policy of "One Country, Two Systems" is of great political significance today.

Two basic indices are needed to objectively evaluate the implementation of a policy: its original political goal and the actual result it produces.

When China first advanced the "One Country, Two Systems" policy in 1978, its political wisdom profoundly impressed the international community. But the process that transforms this political concept into actual institutional arrangement changed with the complicated global developments.

Yet the "One Country, Two Systems" policy has passed the severe tests of the drastic changes of the past decades and won wider recognition in Hong Kong.

On April 4, 1990, the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, which incorporated the spirit of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle was approved by the third session of the 7th National People's Congress. The session also decided to make Hong Kong a special administrative region in accordance with the "One Country, Two Systems" policy.

The Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR was enacted based on the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, establishing the constitutional basis of the special administrative region. And the system and policies implemented in Hong Kong are in accordance with the Basic Law, which explains the political relationship between the central government and the SAR. The Basic Law, as such, is the judicial and institutional outcome of the principle of "One County, Two Systems".

No wonder paramount leader Deng Xiaoping called the Basic Law a creative masterpiece and praised it for its historical and international significance.

The "One Country, Two Systems" policy came into effect on July 1, 1997, when Hong Kong was reunified with the motherland. But some Hong Kong residents were skeptical about the implementation of the policy at that time, and they have voiced their dissatisfaction with the policy over the past two decades.

Legislation of National Security, based on Article 23 of the Basic Law, has been laid aside for a long time. The "Occupy Central" movement in 2014 raised wide public concern. And the political reform plan was impeded in the Hong Kong Legislative Council, with some SAR residents even calling for "Hong Kong independence". As a result, the way to achieve political reform which the Basic Law stipulates appears a bit difficult today.

But despite the "One Country, Two Systems" policy facing some difficulties at the moment, the central authorities' confidence in the policy is as strong as ever.

At his recent meeting with newly elected Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, President Xi Jinping reiterated that the central government's confidence in the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong, and the SAR's high-degree of autonomy is as strong as ever. Xi also said the central government will give full support to the new Hong Kong government's administration according to the law. Hong Kong society responded actively, saying the "One Country, Two Systems" policy is the best choice for the SAR.

The goal of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy is to achieve national unity and maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stabilization. And one can safely conclude that the "One Country, Two Systems" policy has achieved great success. The most obvious proof of that is the central government's successful exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the implementation of the system stipulated by China's Constitution and the Basic Law, and the continued prosperity and stability of Hong Kong over the past two decades.

Hong Kong has witnessed some problems in recent years. But Hong Kong society should always remember that the "One Country, Two Systems" policy that stresses inclusiveness is basically a national policy of, rather than an expediency for China. And only when we fully understand and implement this progressive policy can it fully play its role.

The author is a professor at Shenzhen University and a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.
Relatives of deceased Chinese forced laborers, accompanied by lawyer Kang Jian (center, in blue coat), attend Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court on Feb 26, 2014, to sue two Japanese companies over forced labor during World War II. The lawsuit seeks printed apologies to be carried in Chinese and Japanese newspapers as well as compensation from the Japanese companies. WANG JING / CHINA DAILY

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration apologized in 2015 for the women and girls called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese army before and during the World War II. It offered to help the Republic of Korea set up a fund for the surviving victims. At the same time, it has kept clearing the wartime Japanese authorities of responsibilities for those women's ordeal.

Then, why should the Japanese government apologize?

On Feb 17, the National Archives of Japan submitted copies of 19 documents of "comfort women" to the country's Cabinet. The records are a collection of the minutes of the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal and the trials of Japan's Class-B and Class-C war criminals. The files include the testimony of an Indonesia-based police officer who said he was ordered by the Japanese army to "take" about 200 women to Bali to serve as "comfort women".

Some Japanese scholars and newspapers believe the documents re-emphasize the fact that "comfort women" were forcibly mobilized. But Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda said on Wednesday there is no "direct" proof of forced mobilization of such women.

In 1993, then Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono released a statement based on a government study on the issue that began in 1991, acknowledging that women, primarily Koreans, were "recruited against their will, through coaxing (and) coercion". Kono said in his statement:

"We shall face squarely the historical facts as described above instead of evading them, and take them to heart as lessons of history. We hereby reiterate our firm determination never to repeat the same mistake by forever engraving such issues in our memories through the study and teaching of history." And he expressed his "sincere apologies and remorse".

When Abe was prime minister between 2006 and 2007, his administration said it had not found any descriptions by the Japanese military or state agencies to prove the forced mobilization of "comfort women". The denial of historical facts has continued during Abe's second stint as prime minister, which began in December 2012.

In 2014, a government panel reviewed how the Kono statement was issued, calling it a product of diplomatic negotiations between Tokyo and Seoul. The panelists argued that the then Japanese government did not make further inquiries or check more facts to back up the testimonies of the 16 former "comfort women" from the ROK the 1991 study's authors interviewed.

Asked in 2016 to provide written answers to questions put forward by the Geneva-based United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Tokyo said forceful movement of "comfort women" by the Japanese military and government authorities could not be confirmed in any of the documents.

The issue of "comfort women" is so sensitive to the Abe administration that it has attempted to play it down. It argues that "comfort women" should not be described as "sex slaves", which many Western media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian and CNN, use. In Japanese officials' words, "the term 'sex slaves' doesn't match the facts".

But the rest of the world has not forgotten those women. On March 27, the US Supreme Court refused to hear a case calling for the removal of a "comfort woman" statue in California, putting an end to a three-year legal challenge initiated by US plaintiffs supported by the Japanese government.

"By remembering the past, including the women who suffered immensely, we help ensure these atrocities are never committed again," said Ed Royce, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "Now that the highest court in the land has spoken, I hope those who've wasted years trying to rewrite history will finally move on."

People cannot help but ask what "direct" evidence can stop the Abe administration from continuing to deny the truth.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn
A wooden sign which reads "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe" is seen on a ritual offering, a "masakaki" tree, from Abe to the Yasukuni Shrine, inside the main shrine at the controversial shrine for war dead, in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering of a tree to Yasukuni Shrine, and one of his aides, Seiichi Eto, along with more than 90 members of a cross-party group of lawmakers, visited the shrine for its annual spring festival on Friday.

To offer gratitude and reverence in person to those who died for state policies has long been cited by some Japanese politicians as a long-standing tradition. Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi, who was one of those who visited the shrine, defended the action by saying, "The way we commemorate [the dead] shouldn't turn into a diplomatic issue," according to Japanese reports.

But their homage-paying to the shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 World War II Class-A war criminals, constitutes a repeated challenge to international justice, as the shrine has long been a symbol of Japanese militarism.

Following Abe's ritual offering and the visit by the lawmakers, China's Foreign Ministry urged Japan to profoundly reflect on its history and "maintain a distance from militarism".

The Republic of Korea also voiced "deep concerns and regret" over Abe's act and said the shrine "glorifies Japan's past colonial exploitation and war of aggression".

There have also been protests and opposition within Japan.

Aside from the Yasukuni Shrine issue, a series of rightist moves that have taken place in Japan recently, including the Abe Cabinet giving the green light to the use of the 1890 Imperial Rescript on Education in classrooms earlier this month, have provoked concern from peace-loving people around the world.

Any attempt by the Abe government to whitewash Japan's past crimes will come to no avail and only keep Japan further away from its dream of becoming a normal country. By continuing to refuse to take an unflinching look at its history and even attempting to deliberately distort that history, Japan, which committed atrocious crimes in neighboring countries, will never win respect and understanding of its neighbors and the rest of the international community.

-PEOPLE'S DAILY
WeChat is China's most popular mobile text and voice messaging communication service developed by Tencent. [Photo/IC]

IN AUGUST 2012, THE DOMESTIC SOCIAL MEDIA APP WECHAT opened a new function called "public accounts" that allows registered users to publish their articles. Those who read an article on a public account can choose to make a payment to the writer as token of their appreciation for the writer's efforts. However, since Wednesday, users can no longer pay the bonus on iPhones or iPads because Apple insists that such payments must be done via Apple's in-app purchase feature. An editorial on thepaper.cn comments:

Apple is suspected of abusing its leading position in the market, which is against the Anti-Monopoly Law. According to phonearena.com, a smartphone big data company, Apple's iOS operating system had 38.58 percent of the global market share by the end of 2015; there is no exact data about that in China, but doubtlessly Apple has the leading share.

The Anti-Monopoly Law forbids companies with leading positions in the market from requiring a trading party to trade exclusively with itself. By asking users to pay the bonus via IAP, which is an Apple product, the company is suspected of having broken the law.

A closer look at the market shows that Tencent, the owner of WeChat, has also committed many similar deeds. By October 2016, the number of WeChat's registered users reached 806 million, making it an absolute monopoly in the social software market. However, it excludes other companies, too. For example, it blocks users from sending each other links to Alibaba's online trading platform.

It is the monopolistic deeds of Apple, Tencent, and other digital giants that divide China's internet market. It is time the authorities more strictly enforced the Anti-Monopoly Law.
The Chinese suspect Zhou (C) is under the control of Vietnamese policemen at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, on April 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

ON APRIL 22, 2015, the International Criminal Police Organization National Central Bureau for China issued global arrest warrants for the 100 most-wanted Chinese fugitives overseas, of whom 60 percent were officials accused of bribery and graft. Two years after that, 40 of the 100 suspects have been brought to justice. An editorial on Beijing Youth Daily commented on Sunday:

Bringing back 40 of the 100 most-wanted corrupt Chinese officials to face the charges against them is only part of the achievement made by the Chinese authorities in hunting corrupt officials that have fled overseas. Since it launched the so-called fox-hunting campaign in 2014, it has successfully brought 2,566 corrupt officials back, of which 1,283 came back of their own volition or at the persuasion of the anti-graft agencies.

It is the national anti-graft campaign that was launched after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2012 that made these achievements possible. Echoing the top leadership's call for more strictly regulating the Party and fighting corruption, the authorities at various levels have established special offices in order to bring back officials that have fled overseas.

The regulations have also been improved so that fewer officials choose to flee overseas when they know they are being investigated for corruption. The number of corrupt officials that fled overseas also dropped from 101 in 2014 to 31 in 2015. In 2016, the number was as low as 19.

China's anti-graft efforts have received support from other countries, too. For a long time, corrupt officials favored fleeing to developed countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia because of their lack of extradition agreements with China. Since the 18th Party Congress, China has accelerated talks for extradition treaties with these countries. By the end of last month, China had already signed bilateral extradition treaties with 48 countries, while talks for treaties with the US and Canada are ongoing. Some countries that have not signed extradition treaties with China are actively working with China, too.

With the firm determination of the top leadership to root out corruption, there will no longer be any safe havens for corrupt Chinese officials. Increasingly more countries will help China in its pursuit of corrupt officials that fled overseas. The day when corruption is basically rooted out will come.
Compared with other European countries, Greece has attracted a lot of headlines in recent years.

Most of the stories have featured one of three subjects: prolonged negotiations with international creditors about a financial bailout; frequent elections; or the nation's privatization process.

Since 2010, when my European posting began, those stories have taken up a great deal of my energy. They have centered on whether Greece will be able to stay afloat in the face of possible bankruptcy resulting from a severe crisis of sovereignty and austerity programs.

Amid the United Kingdom's triggering of negotiations ahead of leaving the European Union, Grexit (Greek exit) is no longer a threat, despite the fragility of the economy.

Some Greeks are dissatisfied with belt-tightening reforms, while others remain wary of structural reform.

Though data suggest that Greece has emerged from several years of recession, it will still be difficult for the country to embark on a new economic cycle. That's mainly because its miserable business climate has failed to inspire confidence among global investors.

What impressed me most during interviews I conducted in the country last month was that people were discussing the national strategy of positioning Greece as a center for regional shipping, logistics and even energy.

It plans to do that by taking advantage of the fact that its southern boundaries are on the Mediterranean Sea and its northern regions lead to Eastern and Central Europe.

The strategy accords with the Belt and Road Initiative because both are focused on increasing connectivity and the flow of goods, and other productive elements.

The opinion makers I met even urged Greece's political parties to take a concerted stance on the national strategy to ensure the implementation process will not be disrupted by political rivalry.

Surely, this is the most encouraging message: The Greeks are ready to say goodbye to a decade-long crisis management phase and debate the transition to exploring sustainable growth.

The country has a population of around 11 million. In Europe, there is a long list of countries with similar populations that have achieved higher levels of development.

Greece shares similarities with Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany; its ports are developing logistics and it has an economic corridor leading to the heart of Europe.

It also enjoys greater geographical advantages than landlocked Switzerland, an innovation giant and one of the world's richest countries.

Either way, Greece has a tremendous opportunity to become a power in Europe.

Harnessing such power will require an additional shaping of the long-term and visionary development consensus among Greeks.

At the same time, the European Union should support Greece as the country explores its potential and becomes a new economic engine in Europe, rather than just monitoring its bailout and privatization programs, and expressing concerns about its impact on other port countries.

As a conduit between Europe, Asia and Africa, Athens enjoys a good geopolitical position.

However, the key to whether that advantage can be exploited lies in how the Greek leadership turns opportunity into action and how well the European Union supports developments.
Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, celebrates after partial results in the first round of 2017 French presidential election, at the Parc des Expositions hall in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will enter the second round of the French presidential election on May 7, according to a preliminary sample of all the votes cast.

Macron won 23-24 percent of the vote and Le Pen 21-23 percent, according to the survey. The sample is survey of actual votes cast in around 200 polling stations. The numbers are tallied and then fed through a computer program to provide a result that is normally within one percent of the final result.

If the sample proves correct, it means that neither the Socialist Party nor the Republican Party will contend the second round for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the French political era which began in 1958.

Macron welcomed the preliminary result. "Today, the people of France have spoken. As our country confronts an unprecedented moment in its history, it has responded in the best way possible - by voting in huge numbers. It has decided to place me first in this first round," he said.

The defeated candidates called on their supporters to back Macron against Le Pen. Francois Fillon said: "Extremism can only bring unhappiness and division to France. There is no other choice than to vote against the far right. I will vote for Emmanuel Macron. I consider it my duty to tell you this frankly. It is up to you to reflect on what is best for your country, and for your children."

Speaking at her headquarters in northern France, Le Pen said: "The choice now is between a wild globalization, a world in which terrorists can travel free, and a France with strong borders. What I offer you is a true alternative, the renewal to which you aspire. The heir to Francois Hollande can't bring this change.

"It is time to free the French people from the arrogant elite. I am the candidate of the people. I call all patriots wherever they come from, whatever their origin, to join me. What's at stake is France's survival."

Macron will be the favorite as most voters will unite around him to stop a Le Pen victory. But the Front National has a seasoned political machine and Macron's En Marche party is very inexperienced.
Wildlife movie coproduction shows angle not known to many

Cui Tiankai, ambassador to the US (center), Walt Disney Studios Vice-President Paul Baribault (left) and Chinese documentary director Lu Chuan (second from the left) display a poster for Born in China, a Chinese-American coproduction that takes viewers on an epic journey into the wilds of the country. The film was released in the United States over the weekend. ZHAO HUANXIN/CHINA DAILY

Born in China, a Chinese-American wildlife documentary coproduction, has been offering US moviegoers a feast for the eyes and food for thought since opening in US theaters a day before Earth Day, April 22.

The film's stunning imagery was captured over three years, largely in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, and it follows the lives of pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards, with additional footage of red-crowned cranes and chiru, or Tibetan antelopes. It was coproduced by Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group.

"The film serves to increase humans' awareness of the importance and urgency of protecting wildlife," Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said at a reception at China's embassy in Washington on Friday.

"Besides, we can learn much from animals, such as pandas, on how to coexist peacefully and harmoniously," Cui told a group of US guests before the showing of the film.

Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary of the US State Department, told China Daily, "It would be good for American audiences to see Chinese people caring about the planet, and conserving wildlife and natural spaces."

Roy Conli, producer of Born in China, said he had been "totally unaware" of the wilderness of China, including what was happening on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the mountains of Sichuan, before the making of the film.

"It just shows you how wondrous this planet is," said Conli, the Oscar-winning producer of Big Hero 6. "We need to protect animal populations ... in order to protect ourselves."

For Lu Chuan, an accomplished Chinese director, directing the film allowed him to share the beauty of China, and Chinese people's attitude toward life.

"This is a film that will tell our audience that besides Beijing and Shanghai, and besides heavy industries and pollution, China has incredibly beautiful sides that many are hardly aware ofthe crystal clear skies, the stunning sceneries and wildlife habitats," Lu said.

In addition to appearing at US theaters, Born in China will be rendered into a dozen languages and later released in over 100 countries and regions, according to Cui Yuying, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office.

Cui said the China-US coproduction is emblematic of the decision at the April Mar-a-Lago meeting of President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump to ratchet up bilateral exchanges, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"The State Council Information Office welcomes and will continue to support international organizations to tell China stories ... to ramp up understanding and friendship between Chinese and people in the US and the rest of the world," she said.

The film's Chinese version was released in August. A trailer is available at nature.disney.com.

Dong Leshuo in Washington contributed to this story.
US President Donald Trump looks up while hosting a House and Senate leadership lunch at the White House in Washington, US March 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump heads into one of his most challenging weeks, juggling a renewed health care push and a looming budget deadline, and readying for a potential showdown with Democrats over paying for a border wall.

The symbolic 100-day mark for the administration is Saturday  the same day government could shut down without a budget deal. Trump has announced a rally in Pennsylvania that day.

Aides stressed on Sunday talk shows that funding a wall along the US-Mexican border and a vote on an effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law were priorities. But they also expressed optimism that a shutdown could be avoided.

"I don't think anyone foresees or expects or would want a shutdown," said budget director Mick Mulvaney on "Fox News Sunday."Trump would like to revive a failed effort by House Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare." He also hopes to use a $1 trillion catchall spending bill to salvage victories on his promised US-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.

But so far, negotiations have proven difficult, with disputes over the border wall and health law subsidies to help low-income people afford health insurance. House members received little information from leaders on a conference call Saturday. A one- or two-week extension might be needed to prevent a shutdown.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he believes the spending bill will include "something satisfactory" to reflect Trump's desire to build a wall. The legislation would keep the government running through Sept. 30, the end of the budget year.

"We expect the priorities of the president to be reflected," Priebus said, citing ongoing talks with the House and the Senate. He added that "it'll be enough ... to move forward either with construction or the planning, enough for us to move forward through the end of September, to get going on the border wall and border security."House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California described a border wall as "immoral" and "expensive" when asked if there was any scenario in which Democrats will agree to money for a wall to avoid a shutdown.
CAIRO -- China's special envoy to Syria, Xie Xiaoyan, said on Sunday that the only way out for Syrians is through political settlement with peace negotiations.

Speaking to Chinese and Egyptian media representatives in Cairo, the Chinese official said he does not see a quick fix to the Syrian issue, stressing that the military option is not a solution.

Xie Xiaoyan is on an official visit to Cairo where he met with officials from the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs to discuss the solutions possible to the Syrian crisis.

"Egypt is a major player in the Syrian issue and a strategic partner for China as it plays a very enthusiastic constructive role," he said.

Xie added that it is important for China and Egypt to keep in touch to exchange information and views, and also talk about the measures that are needed to be taken so as to make steps forward.

Speaking about the situation in Syria, he said the situation remains tense and precarious, most notably after the alleged chemical attack that killed many people in Syria.

"The basic position of China is this: we are firmly against and strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons by any country, any organization or any individual under any circumstances in any place at any time," the Chinese official said.

Second, he added, China calls for "an independent, impartial, professional and thorough investigation into the case to find out the perpetrators, catch them, condemn them and punish them according to international law and conventions."

"It is important to start the investigation, but the formation of the investigation team should be just, independent and balanced so as to provide credibility and authority, and the findings must be accompanied with hard reliable evidence and actual facts," he stressed.

The envoy also said that the Syrian parties should not divert from the correct path as political settlement through negotiations, adding that they should also show political will to engage in dialogue for understanding of each other, to "make sacrifices when sacrifices are required."

"I see some positive developments...there is ceasefire in place and basically the ceasefire agreement is holding," the Chinese official said, adding that the most important thing at the moment is that the parties should avoid any escalation of tension and fully implement the ceasefire agreement.

The official also said that another positive development is a stronger realization and commitment to fight against terrorism which does block any incentives for peace negotiations.

The Syrian crisis started on March 15, 2011, and evolved into a full-fledged war that involved outside powers.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, More than 310,000 people have been killed during Syria's six-year war.
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The State University of New York has a new leader.

Dr. Kristina Johnson, an engineer and inventor who served as undersecretary of energy in the Obama administration, was appointed Monday to become SUNY's 13th chancellor. She will succeed Nancy Zimpher, who's stepping down in June after eight years as head of the state university system.

H. Carl McCall, chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees, said Johnson's appointment followed a nine-month international search for Zimpher's successor. The search committee included SUNY trustees and outside experts.

McCall highlighted Johnson's experience in academia, business and government service. She was dean of Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering from 1999 to 2007. She then served two years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University.

In 2009, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as undersecretary of energy. She later founded Enduring Hydro, a hydropower-centered energy firm.

"We found someone who's been a leader in all of those sectors," McCall said.

Johnson earned her doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University. She has received numerous awards for her work in optical engineering, including the John Fritz Medal in 2008. A holder of 42 U.S. patents, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2015.

Her credentials impressed the trustees. Before Monday's vote, many of the board members discussed the breadth of her resume.

Marc Cohen, a trustee and president of the SUNY Student Assembly, lauded the incoming chancellor.

"Truly, Dr. Johnson is the whole package," he said.

Johnson is the second woman  after Zimpher  to be appointed SUNY chancellor. She's the first openly gay person to hold the post. Her wife, Veronica Meinhard, attended the SUNY Board of Trustees meeting Monday.

She was born in St. Louis and raised in Colorado, but she does have New York roots. Her mother was born and raised in New York City and her parents' wedding ceremony took place at the Lady chapel in St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Johnson recalled stories her mother told about growing up in New York.

"I feel that I'm coming home," she said.

Johnson's first day will be Sept. 5. Her annual salary will be $560,000 and she'll be allowed to live in the SUNY-owned residence reserved for the chancellor. She'll also be granted access to a university-owned vehicle or an $800 a month automobile allowance.
Once againthe US Congress is poised to decide the fate of the EB-5 program that enables foreign investors  many of whom are Chinese - to pump between $500,000 and $1 million into US projects that create jobs in return for visas.

EB-5 is scheduled to expire on Friday unless Congress acts. According to Stephen Yale-Loehr, an attorney and Cornell University law professor, Congress is likely to once again extend EB-5 temporarily as it weighs more pressing matters and agrees on changes to the program.

"I don't think we will have a final package by Friday," he said in an interview. Lawmakers must also deal with measures to fund the government beyond Friday and possibly health care "so a bill that includes a temporary extension of EB-5 along with these other matters is likely to gain approval," Yale-Loehr said.

EB-5 targets foreign investors who invest at least $500,000 in a project that creates a minimum of 10 jobs in an economically-depressed region. In return investors receive a two-year visa with a good chance of obtaining permanent residency for them and their families. About 10,000 EB-5 visas are awarded each year and previous estimates indicate that the Chinese account for about 85 percent of recipients.

Yale-Loehr said industry interests seem to have coalesced around three main changes for EB-5: an increase in the minimum investment, a redefinition of a "targeted area" and a certain number of visas (perhaps 2,000 of the 10,000 total) set aside for projects in rural or highly blighted rural areas.

One of the criticisms of EB-5 is that projects in rural areas receive less funding than those in urban areas. Eric Orenstein, an attorney who handles EB-5 matters for Rosenberg & Estis PC of New York, said it's due to several reasons.

"Far more development goes on in urban areas than in rural areas," he said. "There are costs involved in raising EB-5 funds and it's easier to absorb those costs in the larger-scale projects found in urban areas. Many overseas investors are much more familiar and comfortable with investing in a project in New York and Los Angeles rather than one in Boise, Idaho, or Minnetonka, Minnesota."

Previously, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, proposed raising the minimum investment from $1 million to $1.8 million and from $500,000 to $1.35 million for projects in a targeted employment area.

Yale-Loehr believes that that the current $500,000 threshold will be increased to about $800,000. "The $1 million amount will also be increased, but no one is certain yet what that amount will be," he added.

Orenstein believes that the market could handle an increase from $500,000 to "around $750,000." But the $1.35 million proposed by USCIS could be a problem.

"There is very little justification for an increase that big," Orenstein said. "Even though other countries do charge more for similar programs, you don't have the same hurdles to overcome like you do in EB-5 which has job creation requirements."

Angelique Brunner, the EB-5 Investment Coalition's spokesperson and the founder and president of EB5 Capital, also believes that agreement is near on a reform package for EB-5.

"Over the last month, we have seen broad consensus across the industry on a strong reform package. We believe an agreement is within reach, and we look forward to working with Congress to strengthen this job-creating program," she said in a statement.

Since 2012, the program has brought in more than $8.7 billion of foreign direct investment into the US and created 35,150 jobs, according to USCIS estimates.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
Leaders, in 2nd recent telephone call, focus on how to de-escalate tensions

President Xi Jinping urged all parties involved to exercise "restraint" over the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday, their second such conversation this month.

Xi said China firmly opposes actions that violate UN Security Council resolutions and added China expects all relevant parties to remain restrained and avoid taking moves that aggravate tension on the peninsula.

Only when all parties involved shoulder their duties and meet each other halfway can the peninsula's nuclear issue be resolved swiftly and denuclearization be achieved, President Xi said.

"We are willing to work with all parties involved, including the US, to jointly work for the peace of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world," Xi said.

The two leaders agreed to maintain close contact through various means and exchange views on issues of common concern in a timely manner.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that Monday's phone conversation was a sign of the close contact between Beijing and Washington.

Their close contact and frequent exchange of views are "a good thing for both countries as well as the world", Geng said.

Trump also spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday about the peninsula situation.

In response, Geng said China has always encouraged Japan to play a positive and constructive role in resolving the nuclear issue.

Wang Junsheng, a researcher on Asia-Pacific studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Xi and Trump's phone conversation on Monday shows the rising urgency for tackling the peninsula's crisis and the sense of urgency shared by Beijing and Washington.

Xi's comments indicate that de-escalating the tension is not only Pyongyang's but also Washington's duty, and China has played a dutiful and fair role in addressing this issue, Wang said.

Xi and Trump had their first meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6 and 7.

One major highlight of the meeting is that the two countries have established four high-level dialogues: on diplomacy and security; economy; law enforcement and cybersecurity; and society and culture.

Xi and Trump later spoke by phone on April 12, focusing on bilateral ties, the peninsula situation and Syria.

Xi said that members of the public from both countries and the international community have spoken positively of their recent meeting and their phone talks.

The international situation is "changing rapidly", Xi said, and it is necessary for China and the US to maintain close contact and exchange views on the important issues in a timely manner.

Trump said it is important for the countries to maintain communication and coordination over major issues.

On bilateral ties, Xi said on Monday the two sides should effectively implement the consensus that has been reached and cement the stable and developing momentum of the bilateral relationship.

Teams from both countries should strengthen coordination and effectively prepare for Trump's visit to China during the year, Xi said.

Also, the teams should initiate arrangements soon for the four dialogues, Xi said.

Trump said he had a good meeting with Xi at Mar-a-Lago and he is satisfied with the development of the relationship and respects the Chinese people.

The US president also said he expects another meeting with Xi soon, in addition to his state visit to China.

Xi said the two countries should press ahead with exchanges and cooperation in areas including the economy and trade, military, law-enforcement, cyberspace, culture and localities.
BEIJING - China on Monday condemned a terrorist attack at a military base in northern Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif, which killed at least 140 people.

China was shocked by the number of casualties caused by the attack, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing.

He expressed condolences and sincere sympathy to the victims and their families.

"China is concerned about the escalation of violent conflicts in Afghanistan," said Geng, calling on all parties to actively participate in an "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned" peace and reconciliation process, and safeguard the country's peace and development.

Last Friday, 10 Taliban militants wearing army uniforms opened fire on scores of unarmed soldiers and officers in and around a mosque and a dining hall on a military base located on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif city, capital of Balkh province in northern Afghanistan.
MANILA - The Philippine and the United States militaries are set to hold their annual joint exercises, the US embassy in Manila said on Monday.

According to a statement, the Philippine and US annual exercises, called Balikatan or Shoulder-to-Shoulder, will kick off on May 8 and run until May 19 on multiple locations in the Luzon Island and the Visayas region in central Philippines.

The US embassy said military forces from Australia and Japan will participate in all major training events. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has invited military forces from several other nations to be part of the international observers.

The statement did not say how many troops from both sides will participate in this year's Balikatan military drills.

The US and the Philippines conduct three major joint exercises and 28 minor cross-training exercises every year. Balikatan is the biggest and the most comprehensive among the several annual joint military exercises.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir - A top leader of Indian-controlled Kashmir's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) was shot dead by suspected militants Monday, hours after the state's Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for a dialogue with separatists.

A police official said Abdul Gani Dar, the Pulwama district unit chief of the PDP, was shot thrice in his chest by militants who waylaid his car while he was travelling to capital Srinagar.

"Dar was shot at when he was in the Pinglana area. He was rushed to a local hospital in capital Srinagar, some 30 km away, where he was declared brought dead by doctors. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the assailants," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

Following the attack contingents of police and army rushed to the spot to carry out searches for the assailants. However, reports said the attackers fled the spot immediately.

PDP is currently heading a coalition government with support of rightwing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister of Indian-controlled Kashmir met Modi in the national capital amid the deteriorating security situation in the state and strains in the coalition government of PDP and the BJP.

During her meeting with the prime minister, Mufti stressed the need for initiating talks with separatist leaders of Indian-controlled Kashmir but only after normalcy is restored in the state.

Mufti said she has also urged the prime minister to follow on the footsteps of BJP's former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and reach out to the disillusioned and angry youth, which would help restore normacly in the state.

A growing anger against the state has seen civilians, mainly youths, forming mobs that attack security forces with stones. But the PDP and the BJP coalition government in Kashmir are not on the same page on the issue of dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting.
PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday it will continue developing nuclear weapons for self-defense against military threat from the United States.

The Korean Workers' Party's official daily Rodong Sinmum said in a commentary that the US move to dispatch a nuclear carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula is dangerous.

"This is an undisguised military blackmail against the DPRK and a dangerous action that plunges the peninsula into the touch-and-go situation," it said.

"Steadfast are the Korean army and people's will and resolve to annihilate the invaders to the last one and totally round off the showdown with the US by bolstering up their nuclear deterrent for self-defense in every way," it added.

The DPRK has intensified its condemnation of the United States recently, vowing to retaliate with nuclear weapons amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"It is a wicked design of the US to shake the DPRK's will for increased nuclear deterrent through intensive military threat and blackmail and then realize its ambition for 'the north's dismantlement of nukes,'" said the newspaper.

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK. The US had better recognize this," it said.

US President Donald Trump said recently Washington was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula to check attempts by the DPRK to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.

Speculations are high that Pyongyang would conduct another nuclear or missile test around April 25, which will mark the 85th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
The first talks between China and South Africa on people-to-people exchanges and culture was praised on Monday by President Xi Jinping, who said it would build a foundation of public support for the ties and stimulate cultural exchanges.

The talks were led by visiting Vice-Premier Liu Yandong and South African Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, who co-chaired the meeting.

Xi, in a letter of congratulation following the first meeting, said the China-South Africa High-Level People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges Mechanism, as the talks are called, is the first high-level dialogue between China and any African country for pushing people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

It also is an important action that would lead to implementing the results of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Johannesburg Summit in 2015, Xi said.

The mechanism covers areas like education, culture, science and technology, health, youth, women, press, think tanks, tourism and sports, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said earlier this month.

South African President Jacob Zuma said in a congratulatory letter that the mechanism's launch is more evidence the two nations have a good relationship.

Further, he said, it will boost mutual understanding and lift the ties to greater heights.

Both China and South Africa are major developing countries and members of BRICS, an organization of five emerging nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In recent years, a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations has maintained a robust momentum of development and has brought tangible interest for the two peoples, Xi said.

Xi also said China is ready to join with African countries including South Africa to usher in a new era of China-Africa cooperation.

When addressing the meeting on Monday, Liu noted that among the African countries, South Africa has received the largest number of Chinese students and Confucius Institutes.

The two countries also have made progress in jointly building science parks and conducting research and development, and many young South Africans work and live in China, Liu added.

During Liu's official visit to the country, the two sides also held a ministerial level conference for health cooperation on Monday.

Xi said cooperating with each other on health is an important part of a friendly relationship, and all parties concerned are encouraged to work together for the benefit of both countries.
Part-time employees have their own special issues in China and for that reason their employment contracts require special care. The following provisions are usually required in part-time employment contracts:

The working hours

The term/duration of the employment agreement

A description of the work the part-time employee will be performing

The part-time employees wages

Applicable labor protections and labor conditions

But as is true of so much regarding China employment law, the laws and the requirements for part-time employees tend to be very local. Nonetheless, there are a number of issues that regularly need resolution when drafting a part-time employee contract, including the folllowing:

1. Working hours: You should specify your part-time employees working hours in the employment contract and make sure the specified hours do not exceed the legal maximum. In most places in China, this means your part-time employees working time cannot exceed either 5 hours a day or 24 hours a week. Since it is possible for a part-time employee to incur overtime your company should have a written policy on how your employees (both part-time and full-time) should record and report their working hours. If you have nothing in writing on this, you are setting yourself up for disputes regarding overtime payment.

2. No probation period is allowed for part-time employees. We constantly see China employment contracts with illegal probation periods and/or a lack of clarity regarding the term of employment. These sorts of ambiguities increase both the likelihood of an employee-employer dispute and the likelihood of the employer losing such a dispute.

3. Wages: Many places in China (e.g., Beijing, Shenzhen) mandate a 15 day payment cycle for part-time employees, which differs from the rules for full-time employees who are usually paid monthly. These required payment cycles cannot be contracted away and employers are legally obligated to pay their employees in full and on time and late payments can subject employers to administrative fines and other regulatory and litigation risks. In addition, as with full-time employees, the salary you pay to your part-time employees must meet all national, provincial and local minimum wage requirements.

4. Social insurance contributions: Though most places in China do not require employers to make the full range of social insurance contributions for their part-time employees, we are unaware of a municipality that does not mandate at least one type of social insurance for part-time employees. This means you need to formally enroll your part-time employee in government required social insurance program, and paying them with cash to cover their own social insurance (no matter how generous you are) will not cut it and do not believe anyone who tells you otherwise on that, and plenty of people will.

5. Annual paid leave: Its generally okay to not provide annual paid leave for part-time employees, but be careful because this is not true of all locales. You need though to make sure that your documents on this are consistent. For example, if your rules and regulations state that employees are entitled to annual paid leave and there is no clear language on what document will control, you will probably need to give such a paid leave even if your employment contracts provide otherwise. It would certainly not hurt you to go search out and then root out any inconsistencies in your employment documents.

6. Termination: Just as is true with full time employees, ignoring required formalities and procedures in handling employee terminations will be done at your peril.

Oh and one last thing, you want all of your employment contracts to be in both Chinese (the official language) and in English so all your personnel will be able to refer to them in making employee decisions.
U.S. Rep. John Katko won't run for state attorney general in 2018, a spokesperson confirmed Monday.

Katko, R-Camillus, was floated as a possible Republican candidate to challenge state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, in next year's statewide election. The New York Daily News reported over the weekend that GOP officials asked Katko to run for the seat.

"Given his background as a federal prosecutor and record in Congress, Rep. Katko has been approached," said Erin O'Connor, Katko's spokeswoman. "He is honored to be considered but is focused on representing central New York in Congress and will seek re-election in NY-24 in 2018."

O'Connor confirmed in an email to The Citizen that Katko won't run for attorney general next year.

Katko is in his second term representing New York's 24th Congressional District, which includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, plus the western portion of Oswego County.

He was first elected in 2014. He defeated then-U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei, a Democrat, by 20 points. Last year, he won his re-election bid by 22 points over Democratic challenger Colleen Deacon.

Katko's ability to win by large margins in a district with a Democratic enrollment advantage is one likely factor that state GOP leaders considered when asking him to run for attorney general.

He also has an extensive legal background. He was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of New York. He's prosecuted organized crime cases and led a crackdown on gangs in the Syracuse area.

Running a statewide campaign is a challenge for anyone, but especially Republicans in New York. A GOP candidate hasn't won a statewide race since George Pataki was re-elected governor in 2002.

Schneiderman, a former state senator, was elected attorney general in 2010. He won the race with 56 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 2014 by a nearly identical margin.

A Quinnipiac University poll released in March found Schneiderman had a 55 percent job approval rating. While he was boosted by strong Democratic support, even 42 percent of GOP voters approved of his work as attorney general.

A Siena College poll, which was also released last month, revealed that Schneiderman had a 39 percent favorable rating. Less than 20 percent of voters had a negative opinion of the Democratic incumbent.
The 2017-18 state budget received mixed reviews from New York voters, but they liked a handful of key initiatives included in the $153 billion spending plan.

A new Siena College poll released Monday found at least a majority of voters support five of the signature items in this year's state budget. Eighty-two percent of respondents agreed that the $2.5 billion investment in water infrastructure projects will make the state better.

Eighty percent of voters said the $1.1 billion increase in school aid will be beneficial. Three-quarters agreed that allowing Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing companies to operate in upstate New York would be positive.

There was also strong support for the Excelsior Scholarship, a program that will provide free tuition to public colleges and universities for students whose families earn no more than $125,000 annually. The poll found 71 percent of voters believe the program will make the state better.

Rounding out the list is raising the age of criminal responsibility. While it received less support than other initiatives, 56 percent of voters still said it would be positive for the state.

"About two-thirds of Democrats and New York City voters think raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 will make New York better, as do a small majority of independents, downstate suburbanites and upstaters," Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said. "By a 53 to 43 percent margin, Republicans disagree."

While the big ticket items received mostly rave reviews, the overall budget did not.

Two percent of voters said it's an "excellent" budget and 20 percent said it was good. A plurality of respondents  37 percent  said it's a fair budget for New York's resident. Nearly one-quarter of voters called it a poor spending plan.

Voters' opinions of the state budget didn't seem to affect how they view Gov. Andrew Cuomo's involvement in developing the plan. Forty-two percent gave him an A or B grade for his budget work. Less than a quarter of voters gave him a D or failing mark.
(Photo : USAF) Long Range Discrimination Radar.

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Production of the U.S. Air Force's new Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) -- the key system that will protect the U.S. from future ballistic missile attacks -- will begin later this year.



The LRDR will be deployed to Clear Air Force Station in Alaska in 2020. Clear AFS is a radar station for detecting incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles launched by Russia. It also provides space surveillance data to the U.S. Air Force Space Command's Space Control Center.



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The air force said LRDR, which is being developed by Lockheed Martin, recently passed the preliminary design review phase. This means the radar has moved past the developmental stage and is ready for production.



LRDR will be the backbone of America's future anti-ballistic missile defense.



It's a Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based, solid-state Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) long-range radar that will provide precision metric data to improve ballistic defense discrimination and replace existing sensors in the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).



LRDR combines proven solid-state radar technologies with proven ballistic missile defense algorithms, all based upon an open architecture platform capable of meeting future growth.



This very large and powerful radar will support the ballistic missile defense system, primarily for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD) set-up to defend the continental U.S. against missile threats from North Korea and Iran.



It will be networked Lockheed's Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications system. Lockheed's other GaN projects include the Air Force's Space Fence to be built at Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific, and new long-range radar for the U.S Army.



LRDR will keep pace with evolving ballistic missile threats and increase the effectiveness of ground based interceptors.



The program is built upon the U.S. government's long-term investment in S-Band radar, ground-based radar, and systems integration, as evident in such Lockheed Martin technologies as the Aegis Combat System, Space Fence and Aegis Ashore.



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TagsU.S. Air Force, Long Range Discrimination Radar, LRDR, Ballistic missile, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, Gallium Nitride, GaN, Active Electronically Scanned Array, AESA
(Photo : Getty Images) Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shankes hands with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain (L) at The Great Hall Of The People in Beijing, China.

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Pakistan residents are reportedly seeing significant changes in the country, two years after the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) program was launched.



"The locals are being skilled with construction of these mega projects, with respect to construction of bridges, tunnels, and other protection establishments involved in these projects, so we are seeing a lot of things being transferred from the Chinese, which goes in the benefits of this nation," Muhammad Nisar Khan, a general manager of a section of the CPEC project, said.



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The CPEC is a significant element of China's 'Belt and Road Initiative' that was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015. The multi-billion dollar plan includes building infrastructure along the route connecting Xinjiang's Kashgar city in China to the southwestern Pakistani port Gwadar.



A security guard at the Gwadar port Bashir Ahmed also shared how the CPEC program opened educational opportunities for his children. "They helped us build a good primary school. Our children study there. They also helped us build homes to improve living conditions," he said.



Other locals have also said that aside from improving traffic conditions, the CPEC has also created about 2,500 jobs.



"I have learned a lot since I came here. Now I can operate the main machines, learn cutting and welding. And also, I can operate crane," a worker at the construction site said.



Locals were also hired for the security forces that have been deployed to safeguard the projects under the CPEC as they can perform well in their respective areas, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, minister for planning, development, and reforms, said.



Meanwhile, Pakistan has officially handed over the operations of Gwadar port to the state-run China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) for 40 years. The firm will perform all the development work associated with the Gwadar port. It will also collect 91 percent share from the gross revenue of terminal and marine operations, and 85 percent of gross revenue of free trade operations. Based on the constitution, the provinces will have no share in revenue collection for this.



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TagsPakistan, china, CPEC, Gwadar Port
(Photo : SIPRI) World military expenditures, 1988-2016.

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Islamic terrorism, Chinese imperialism and Russian neo-imperialism were the main factors driving the world's staggering appetite for weapons, which reached $1.69 trillion in 2016, the second highest spending on record.



This staggering amount was equivalent to 2.2 per cent of global GDP, said the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which monitors developments in military expenditure worldwide. SIPRI maintains the most comprehensive, consistent and extensive data source available on military expenditure.



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In its latest report on the state of the world's military spending, SIPRI said the rise in overall defense spending in 2016 was the first consecutive annual increase since 2011 when spending reached its peak of $1.7 trillion.



The United States, China and Russia were the world top three military spenders in 2016.



The United States was again the country with the highest annual military expenditure in the world. U.S. military spending grew by 1.7 percent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.



Military expenditures by China, which was the second largest spender in 2016, jumped by 5.4 percent to $215 billion, a much lower rate of growth than in previous years.



Russia increased its spending by 5.9 percent in 2016 to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender.



Saudi Arabia was the third largest spender in 2015 but dropped to fourth in 2016. Spending by Saudi Arabia fell by 30 percent in 2016 to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.



India's military expenditure grew by 8.5 percent in 2016 to $55.9 billion, making it the fifth largest spender.



SIPRI said the growth in U.S. military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.



U.S. spending in 2016, however, was 20 percent lower than its peak in 2010.



"Despite continuing legal restraints on the overall U.S. budget, increases in military spending were agreed upon by Congress," said Dr. Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) program.



"Future spending patterns remain uncertain due to the changing political situation in the USA."



Military expenditure in Western Europe rose for the second consecutive year and was up by 2.6 percent in 2016. There were spending increases in all but three countries in Western Europe. Italy recorded the most notable increase, with spending rising by 11 percent between 2015 and 2016.



The countries with the largest relative increases in military spending between 2015 and 2016 are in Central Europe, which is facing a threat of a military invasion by Russia. Overall spending in Central Europe grew by 2.4 percent in 2016.



"The growth in spending by many countries in Central Europe can be partly attributed to the perception of Russia posing a greater threat," said Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI AMEX programme.



"This is despite the fact that Russia's spending in 2016 was only 27 percent of the combined total of European NATO members."



Large falls in military expenditure in many oil-exporting countries, especially those in the Middle East



"Falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending," said Dr. Nan Tian, Researcher with the SIPRI AMEX programme.



"For example, between 2015 and 2016 Saudi Arabia had the biggest absolute decrease in spending of $25.8 billion."



The largest cuts in military expenditure in 2016 related to falling national oil revenues were in Venezuela (-56 per cent); South Sudan (-54 per cent); Azerbaijan (-36 per cent); Iraq (-36 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (-30 per cent).



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TagsStockholm International Peace Research Institute, sipri, world military spending, United States, china, Russia
(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) The Elephone P9000 smartphone is currently priced on India at around Rs. 11,999 or roughly equivalent to $186.

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Chinese brand smartphone Elephone P9000 is currently on sale on Amazon India. The device is priced in the country at around Rs. 11,999 or roughly equivalent to $186.



The Elephone P9000 smartphone features a features a 5.5-inch Full HD OGS display with a resolution of 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels and 401 ppi pixel densities. Under the hood, the handheld device is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT6755M processor clocked at a speed of 2.0 Ghz, which is paired with 4GB of RAM onboard and ARM Mali-T800 MP4 GPU for the graphics.



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On the photography department, the Elephone P9000 smartphone flaunts a 13-megapixel Sony IMX 258 primary camera with auto-focus, HDR for photos and videos, 4x digital zoom, flashlight, geo-tagging, and a dual Color LED flash support. On the front is an 8-megapixel sensor for selfies and video chats. It comes equipped with a built-in 32GB of internal memory storage, which can be further expandable up to 128GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.



The Elephone P9000 runs on the latest Android 7.0 (Nougat) operating system out of the box, coupled with Elephone's latest customized user interface laid on top of it. The phone is fueled by non-removable Li-Polymer 3,000 mAh capacity battery.



Other features the Elephone P9000 offers include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, MicroUSB v2.0, Type-C port, dual-SIM connectivity, 4G, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth, GPS with A-GPS, and NFC. Sensors on the phone are Digital Compass, Accelerometer, and Gyroscope. The device measures body dimension 152.6 mm x 76.2 mm x 8 mm and weighs around 150 grams.



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TagsElephone, elephone news, elephone p9000, Amazon, elephone smartphone
(Photo : Russian Aerospace Forces) For export. Russia's obsolete S-300 surface-to-air missile system.

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Russia reported a paltry rise of less than $500 million in its arms exports for 2016 compared to 2015, indicating the battering its weak economy is taking from the crippling economic sanctions imposed on it in 2014 by the United States and the European Union as punishment for Russia's occupation of Crimea.



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Russian arms exports amounted to some $15 billion in 2016, exceeding 2015's figures, which stood at $14.5 billion, said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a report addressed to the State Duma (lower house of parliament).



"We're the second-biggest player on the global arms market. Last year exports of products for military purposes exceeded $15 billion," said Medvedev.



He noted that "the new contracts signed (in the reporting period) amounted to $9.5 billion, while the stock of orders in end-2016 was worth around $50 billion."



Russian arms exports have remained flat since 2014. Before this year, however, arms exports rose rapidly from $6.12 billion in 2005 to $15.7 billion in 2013, according to data from the the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C.



Those figures dropped to $14.5 billion in 2015 and then inched slightly upwards to $15 billion in 2016.



China and India account for about half of Russia's arms exports. CSIS said China kept Russia's defense industry afloat in the 1990s, buying fighters jets, warships, and other weapons developed by the Soviet Union.



It's a different story today, however, since China now has a growing, indigenous defense industry. Russia completely lost its share of the Chinese market for warships to Chinese shipbuilders. Russia last delivered a destroyer to China in 2006.



India is also ramping-up domestic production of its weapons, a development that bodes ill for future Russian arms exports to India.



South Korea has taken Russia's place as the builder of warships for the Indian Navy. South Korea has become India's leading Asian weapons supplier and defense industry partner and a recent agreement on warship construction for the Indian Navy cements this position for South Korea.



Both countries on April 21 signed an inter-governmental memorandum of understanding (MoU) on "Defense Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding" that will facilitate their partnership in warship building programs. Under this deal, warships for the Indian Navy will be built at domestic shipyards with South Korean assistance.



The MoU was signed by Ashok Kumar Gupta, India's Secretary of Defense Production and Chang Myoung-jin, South Korean Minister of Defense Acquisition and Program Administration.



India has selected state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) to cooperate with a shipyard nominated by South Korea.



Located at Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India, HSL has built some 2,000 ships, including warships for the Indian Navy. It's upgrading its facilities to build nuclear powered submarines. It currently refits and overhauls navy submarines.



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TagsRussia, arms exports, economic sanctions, United States, European Union, Crimea, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
(Photo : Getty Images) A fleet of three Chinese naval ship left Shanghai on Sunday.

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Three Chinese naval ships departed Shanghai on Sunday morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries.



The fleet including the missile destroyer Changchu, missile frigate Jingzhou, and supply ship Chaohu will tour Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania for about 180 days. According to Miao Hua, the political commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the visit will convey friendship, strengthen military communication and cooperation, and portray a good image of the Chinese Navy.



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The overseas visit also aims to give the Navy a chance to learn on sea conditions and environments in various parts of the world to prepare the fleet's officers and sailors for future missions such as search and rescue, evacuation, and anti-piracy.



Based on the latest white paper about China's Military Strategy published by the Information Office of the State Council in 2015, the PLA Navy will be pivoting its focus from "near shore defense" to a combined strategy of "near shore defense" and "open seas protection." It also plans to build a multi-functional marine combat force structure.



China's military strategy for the Navy has changed as it aims to meet the demand of foreign trade expansion and the One Belt and One Road initiative. The Chinese Navy now focuses on protecting the nation's overseas interests.



"Today, the Navy has realized the strategic transformation to 'open seas protection,'" Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said.



All three ships were reportedly made by China, and the visit marks Jingzhou's maiden voyage. The other two ships have previously carried out escorts, drills, and patrol missions.



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TagsPLA Navy, Changchu, Jingzhou, Chaochu, china
(Photo : Getty Images) US, India, and Japan will conduct trilateral naval drills in this July and China is growing suspicious.

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India and the US are ready to carry out its naval exercise in the Malabar in the Bay of Bengal this coming July. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will also join the naval drill that will be more sophisticated than all previous editions.



A planning conference will be launched soon in the US to plot the dates and warships to be included in the drill. After that, a final planning conference will be done in India to finalize the scenarios to be simulated.



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China, on the other hand, grew suspicion on the said trilateral engagement and has lodged a protest over Japan's inclusion. Beijing is expected to closely keep an eye on the exercise as its navy is expanding its footprint across the Indian Ocean region.



An Indian Navy officer revealed that the exercise could involve aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and frontline warships. The P-8I and P-8A 'submarine hunter' planes from India and US will also participate to simulate anti-submarine warfare missions.



"The exact composition of the participating units will be known after the final planning conference is over. But the drills will be more complex than any previous engagements," the officer said.



India and the US have renewed their commitment to deepen bilateral defense cooperation in security-related areas. Under its US-India Defense Framework Agreement, the two countries aim to boost military-to-military engagements, enhance technical cooperation, and improve overall strategic partnership until 2025.



Meanwhile, earlier this month, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull seek to revive the quadrilateral naval drills of India, the US, Japan, and Australia in the Indian Ocean Region. Defense News reported that Australia had previously participated in the four-nation naval war games in 2007 but has pulled out in 2008 in the face of sharp reaction from China.



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TagsIndia, china, Japan, US, Military exercises, military drills, US-India Framework Agreement, Indian Ocean
North Korea threatened to reduce the United States to ashes if the Trump administration continues to call for scrutiny of the totalitarian regimes nuclear capabilities.



North Koreas state-controlled newspaper The Rodong Sinmun warned on April 20 the United States and its allies should not mess with us.



In the case of our super-mighty preemptive strike being launched, it will completely and immediately wipe out not only U.S. imperialists invasion forces in South Korea and its surrounding areas but the U.S. mainland and reduce them to ashes, it said, according to Reuters.



The comments came after President Donald Trump and his top officials publicly repudiated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for continuing to escalate his countrys nuclear program. Vice President Mike Pence, nearing the end of a 10-day tour of Asian allies, said this week the era of strategic patience with North Korea is over.



Before Pences trip, Trump hinted his administration would adopt a more aggressive strategy toward North Korea. In a tweet last week, Trump said he is confident China will deal with North Korea, but if they dont the United States and its allies will.



North Korea often makes threats against South Korea, Japan, and even the United States, but this week the rogue nation escalated tension with hostile behavior. First, it organized a display of its missile arsenal during a parade in Pyongyang. Then on Sunday, North Korea launched a failed missile test, a move intended to assess its own military compatibilities and intimidate its enemies.



U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Washington on April 19 that North Koreas recent behavior is similar to other state sponsors of terrorism and reiterated the administration is appraising its options.



Were reviewing all the status of North Korea, both in terms of state sponsorship of terrorism as well as the other ways in which we can bring pressure on the regime in Pyongyang to reengage with us, but reengage with us on a different footing than past talks have been held, Tillerson said.



According to experts, the United States has few options available when it comes to North Korea.



James Person, a Woodrow Wilson Center fellow on Korean history and public policy, said North Koreas nuclear ambitions contain a defensive component. The nations leaders are paranoid and believe stockpiling nuclear weapons will keep them safe. North Korea thinks the United States will attack any regime it doesnt like as long as it doesnt have nuclear capabilities, Person said. Trumps recent bombing orders in Syria and Afghanistan only reinforced that belief, he added.



Robert Litwak, another Wilson Center scholar who authored a book in February on preventing a North Korean nuclear breakout, predicts tension will continue to increase. He believes North Korea has about 15 nuclear warheads and said by 2020 they could have 100. That would put North Koreas nuclear program at roughly one-half the size of Great Britains.



But to put this in context, North Korea has a GDP of $16 billion a year, Litwak said. Thats roughly the size of Asheville, N.C.



Because of North Koreas fear of attack, persuading its leaders to get rid of all nuclear weapons is not on the table, Litwak said. Attacking North Korea is also not an option, and judging by recent comments from Pence and Tillerson, substantive diplomacy with the regime is not in the forecast either, Litwak added. The United States has had a de facto strategy of acquiescing until North Korea reaches its goal of a muscular nuclear program. If that happens, North Korea will have a full-fledged arsenal by 2020, with long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching U.S. soil, Litwak warned.



Meanwhile, relationships with allies in the region may be fragmenting as well.



Earlier in the week, Trump announced he had deployed a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, toward North Korea amid the growing tension. But on Tuesday, the Navy confirmed it never steered the ship in that direction. While Trump insisted it was on its way toward the peninsula, the aircraft carrier was thousands of miles away, conducting training exercises off the coast of Australia.



That didnt sit well with U.S. allies also concerned about North Koreas escalation.



South Korea is just weeks away from its presidential election. Hong Joon-pyo, one of the leading candidates told The Wall Street Journal this week this is not a good sign for future relations with the Trump administration.



What [Trump] said was very important for the national security of South Korea, he said. If that was a lie, then during Trumps term, South Korea will not trust whatever Trump says.

Courtesy: WORLD News Service

Publication date: April 24, 2017
Most students in the school district in Mercer County, West Virginia choose to attend voluntary Bible courses offered in their public schools. The classes, paid for by parents and community members, teach Bible stories to students in elementary and middle schools. However, if two plaintiffs and the Freedom from Religion Foundation have their way, the classes will come to an end.

One of the plaintiffs, Elizabeth Deal, alleges that the classes may be voluntary, but no alternative lessons or classes are offered for those who do not participate. Deal, who describes herself as an agnostic, said that her daughter is sent to the computer lab to read a book. She says that her daughter's lack of participation has exposed her to bullying. "They taunted her about it. They told her that she was going to hell, that I was going to hell, that her father was going to hell."

School officials claim that the classes are not sectarian and are not meant to try to convert children to the Christian faith. Courtney Tolliver, a teacher in the District, said: "It's not teaching religion, but it teaches character and respect and how important it is to tell the truth." The Mercer County School District issued a statement saying they teach the Bible to children for its "literary and historical qualities."

The plaintiffs and the Freedom from Religion Foundation disagree and quote from a lesson to illustrate their point. "If all of the Israelites had chosen to follow the Ten Commandments, think of how safe and happy they would have been." The Freedom from Religion Foundation's press release about the case also says that "Lesson 25 indoctrinates young students in the core narrative of Christianity  the alleged crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus."

Parents and some of the 63,000 residents of Mercer County raise $500,000 to pay those who teach the classes to the district's 4,000 students. In spite of the private funding and claims of non-sectarianism, the Freedom from Religion Foundation wants the courts to rule that the classes are unconstitutional and end them. In a press release, they indicated that they are confident the courts will side with them, as they did in Rhea County, Tennessee in 2004.

However, while Tennessee public schools no longer offer the Bible classes and West Virginia public schools may face the same fate, Kentucky's conservative governor Matt Bevin has just signed a bill into law authorizing public schools to offer elective Bible literacy classes.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: April 24, 2017
On Monday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that a boat carrying hundreds of passengers sank off the coast of Malta last week. More than 500 of the Egyptian, Sudanese, Syrian, and Palestinian passengers are feared dead.

IOM reported that the ship departed from Damietta, Egypt and was carrying migrant passengers who were headed to Europe in hopes of better opportunities and living conditions. Although details are not clear, IOM stated that apparently a vessel manned by human traffickers rammed into the vessel carrying the migrants.

Christiane Berthiaume, IOM spokesperson, said that it appeared as though the traffickers used one boat to ram into the vessel after the migrants refused to board a second vessel owned by the traffickers.

Another IOM spokesperson, Leonard Doyle, said, It looks like this is the worse incident that weve seen. It looks like certainly the worst this year, if its validated. Obviously, if its true, its very, very serious.

In an interview with two Palestinian survivors, IOM learned that there had been a violent struggle between the traffickers and migrants onboard the ship, and further details about the sinking. The Palestinian survivors were found adrift at sea before taken to Sicily by a Panamanian-flagged merchant ship.

Another ship traveling from Africa to Europe capsized this past weekend off the coast of Libya, killing an estimated 200 migrant passengers.

These deaths are part of a growing trend of refugees fleeing to Europe. Most of these migrants are traveling to Europe on unstable ships. IOM stated that in this past year alone, more than 2,200 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean (excluding the most recent tragedy). The previous year, the number was 700. This past weekend there were about 2,380 migrants who were picked up in the Mediterranean, according to the Italian Navy.

This past year, more than 100,000 individuals fled from conflict in Syria, Iraq, and Africa to Italy.
A Korean American professor has been arrested and detained in North Korea, the Swedish Embassy in the reclusive country confirmed on Sunday.

We have been informed and can confirm that there has been a detention of a U.S. citizen Saturday morning local, Martina Aberg, the deputy head of mission for the Swedish Embassy in North Korea, told CNN. The Swedish government takes care of matters related to the U.S. in North Korea, as the latter two countries do not have diplomatic relations.

He was prevented from getting on the flight out of Pyongyang. We dont comment further than this.

Tony Kim, a 58-year-old professor who had been in Pyongyang for a month teaching accounting at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), was stopped at the airport as he was trying to leave the country, according to Park Chan-Mo, chancellor of PUST.

Kim is also a former professor of Yanbian University of Science and Technology (YUST), located in Jilin, China.

The reasons for his detainment are unclear.

Park additionally told Reuters news agency that some officials at PUST told [Park] his arrest was not related to his work at PUST.

He had been involved with some other activities outside PUST such as helping an orphanage, he said.

The school, known to have Christian roots and a large funds base from Christians, also issued a statement saying that life on campus and the teaching at PUST is continuing as normal.

With Parks detainment, the total number of U.S. citizens detained in North Korea is brought to three. A university student named Otto Warmbier who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, and a Korean-born U.S. citizen named Kim Dong Chul who was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor, are the other two citizens who are still in custody in North Korea.
Most Christians assume that scientists who are atheists are anti-religion. I hear this stereotype a lot when I visit churches. And I used to believe it myself.

This weekend demonstrated it. Not because the March for Science has overcome concerns of divisions and managed to incorporate (most) religious viewpoints into the rally.

But what I have learned in the past 10 years paints a different picture about how scientists feel about religion and spirituality. And its not the same as Richard Dawkins, author of the bestselling The God Delusion.

During the past decade, I have led four large studies on the faith perspectives of scientists. The most recent is a research study published in 2016 on the religious views of scientists in eight regions: the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, Turkey, Italy, and France. For the studythe largest ever conducted on how scientists view religionmy colleagues and I surveyed more than 12,000 biologists and physicists, and interviewed more than 600 of them in depth.

Full disclosure: We did find that scientists at top universities are much less likely to believe in God than the general population in several national contexts. And many of them do believe that science is the only true way of understanding the world. However, few are actively hostile toward religion. The proportion who believe there is no God varied immensely by nation, ranging from a high of 51 percent in France to a low of 6 percent in Turkey. But I could count on two hands the number of atheist scientists we met who are as strongly anti-religious as Dawkins, the outspoken evolutionary biologist.

In some national contexts, a majority or near majority of scientists are what I call complete ...

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New Organization for Sacred Art Has Big Plans in 2017

Restoring the Sacred in Catholic Art

Contact: Kathleen Carr, 240-418-3308

CHICAGO, April 24, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- An organization dedicated to the restoration of the Sacred in the visual arts has been established at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, a parish known for its renaissance in Catholic faith and culture.

"We want to support artists in offering their gifts for the greater glory of God in an effort to harness the power of Beauty and its necessity in the work of evangelization," says founder and president Kathleen Carr.

The Catholic Art Guild will achieve its mission by presenting speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities for artists and students in the visual arts.

The guild hosts monthly events to explore the philosophy of aesthetics and the power of the visual arts for evangelization, as well as offering skill-based training in crafts such as gilding, illumination, stained glass, and traditional drawing techniques, as well as a juried exhibition.

Vision, Inspiration, Restoration

The Catholic Church has always seen art as an integral part of its liturgical worship and recognized the power of Beauty to evangelize. The visual arts flow from the wellspring of the Sacred Liturgy, and both the Church and her artists flourish when this is understood and embraced.

Father C. Frank Phillips, C.R. , pastor of St. John Cantius, saw the need to foster the visual arts. As a student of Msgr. Martin Hellreigel, an early leader in liturgical renewal, Father Phillips first experienced the power of the liturgy to evangelize through the sacred arts.

"We have had many organizations that enliven our vibrant parish, particularly in sacred music, liturgy, catechesis, youth and young adult ministry. It was time to establish a program for the visual arts and the training of artists," says Fr. Phillips.

Kathleen Carr , an award-winning, classically trained painter, illustrator, and designer approached Fr. Phillips with her inspiration:

"We want to bring together artists and the Church as partners to proclaim the Gospel to all who enter our doors or will hear our message. I was inspired by the Catholic vision that all art flows from the altar. It seemed natural to form an artist guild with the support of a religious community that lives and breathes the liturgy," says Carr.

Interested visual artists, designers, architects, art educators, and art lovers looking to join a community centered around the 'restoration of the Sacred' are welcome to join the Catholic Art Guild.
The Auburn and Skaneateles YMCAs are offering a new physical activity program for older adults, Enhance Fitness.

The program will be offered at 11:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Auburn YMCA, 27 William St., and at 11:30 a.m. the same days at the Skaneateles YMCA, 97 State St. The classes include research-based aerobic, strength, balance and flexibility exercises in a fun, social atmosphere.

The New York State Foundation has funded the Auburn and Skaneateles YMCAs, along with nine others across the state, to offer the program.

For more information, call (315) 253-5304 or visit auburnymca.net.
home World City Harvest Church leaders surrender at Singapore's State Courts to start serving their jail sentences

City Harvest Church (CHC) founder Kong Hee, along with four other church leaders, surrendered to the State Courts on Friday so that they could start serving their jail terms.

Kong, who was the first to arrive the State Courts building at around 8:30 a.m., will be serving three and a half years for misappropriating $50 million from the church funds.

"I am totally at peace and I'm grateful to God for this. I have nothing more to say, just let me thank my friends," said the 52-year-old church founder, according to The Straits Times.

Kong went on to speak individually to about 20 church members who had gathered outside the courtroom. Some were reportedly teary-eyed as the church leader shook their hands and hugged them.

Former CHC finance manager Sharon Tan, who faces the shortest jail sentence of seven months, was next to arrive at the court. She was followed by former church finance committee member John Lam, who was sentenced to one and a half years in jail.

CHC's deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, who faces a jail term of three years and two months, arrived just after 9 a.m.

Former finance manager Serina Wee, who will be serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence, was the last of the church leaders to arrive.

The jail terms of the five convicted church leaders were shortened on April 7 after the High Court decided to reduce their criminal breach of trust charge to a less serious one.

All five of the church leaders were inside the courtroom by 9:20 a.m. Lawyers not related to the case said that the convicted church leaders will be locked up in the basement and taken to jail in prison buses.

The church leaders are expected to serve their sentence at Changi Prison, where CHC has been providing chapel services and support group sessions since 2001.

However, they will probably not be able to access their own church's services to avoid a "conflict of interest." They will instead be allowed to attend Christian counseling services provided by other churches.

Prison officials will decide whether to house the three men in maximum security or medium security facilities after some paperwork and medical examinations. The women are expected to undergo a similar process at the Changi Women's Prison, according to Asia One.

The two women have cut their hair short when they arrived at the State Court building because the prison does not allow long hair for female prisoners unless the inmate is a Sikh.

Kong Hee could see his prison term cut to 28 months with good conduct, and he may even serve only two years in jail if he qualifies for home detention for the tail end of his term.
home World Muslim extremists threaten to kill pastor after burning down his church and home in Eastern Uganda

Muslim extremists have threatened to kill a pastor for taking legal action against them after they destroyed his home, farm, and church building in Eastern Uganda.

Christopher James Kalaja, the pastor of Agape Sanctuary International Church, said that nine Muslims carrying blunt metal objects rampaged through his property in Nakabale village, Kaderuna Sub-County on March 27.

"As they were approaching, they were shouting 'Allah Akbar' and immediately started cutting down the trees on my farm, and thereafter pulled down the church building," Kalaja told Morning Star News. "I then took off for the sake of my life," he added.

The pastor said that the Kaderuna police took no action when he reported the incident, so he filed a suit in Budaka District court on March 28, listing Dongo Patrick and Subairi Kasabu as the gang leaders.

The police only visited the site and filed a case against the suspects after Kajala filed the lawsuit.

"Since then, I have been receiving threats that they will come for my life, that they will soon destroy me completely," said the pastor.

He said that the police have not arrested any of the suspects and that the hearing scheduled for April 13 was postponed until later this month. Kajala noted that one of the assailants was his cousin, but he does not personally know any of the other members of the group that attacked his home.

Kajala noted that residents of the predominantly Muslim area have objected to a church building that is under construction on his farm.

"These people have been hunting for me since the early '80s. And as a result, they even managed to kill my mother by poisoning, and after the death of my mother, they went ahead and killed my livestock. They are provoking me to leave the area," he narrated.

The pastor said he was unable to cover the costs of an attorney. He and his family are currently staying in a thatched hut of a friend.

Kajala, who has been leading his 86-member congregation for 10 years, stated that Muslim extremists also attacked his home in 2008, but the situation normalized after Muslim leaders apologized for trespassing when the suspects were summoned to the sub-county headquarters of Kaderuna.

About 85 percent of the Ugandan population are Christian while 11 percent are Muslim. Although the country's constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to proselytize and convert from one faith to another, Christians in eastern Uganda suffer from continual attacks committed by non-state figures.
A Jewish community association in northern Sweden has decided to close following a series of threats from far-right activists, seven years after it opened.

The centre in the town of Umea was targeted with Nazi swastikas and daubed with messages such as 'we know where you live'.

Local members said the authorities had failed to provide enough security.

A community spokesperson, Carinne Sjoberg said that some people no longer dared to come to the centre.

She said that a Neo-Nazi group, Nordfront, was behind the hate campaign which initially targeted her and then other members of the community too. She added that the windows of a community member's car were broken at the weekend.

Members of the community 'started to feel they didn't want to bring the children,' Sjoberg told the BBC.

'My mother and father are [Holocaust] survivors, so this is not OK. Enough is enough. It was like stepping into their shoes in the 1930s,' she added.

Umea previously hit the headlines two years ago when a march was held to mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the outbreak of mass violence against Jews in Nazi Germany in 1938.

Sjoberg said that despite the closure of the centre, the community would aim to have a meeting place in the future that was more central in Umea and easier to protect.

Jewish community leaders say that the situation is tense for Jews in some Swedish towns.

'We've had problems with neo-Nazis in Gothenburg and Umea, but in other cities like Stockholm we feel safer,' said Isak Reichel, the secretary general of Sweden's central council of Jewish communities.

He told the BBC that for Jews in the southern city of Malmo, the threat was mostly from Islamist groups.
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In the case of two long-standing churches in Willis, the residents of the area had their faiths fed even prior to the formation of the town.

Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church Willis developed near the mid-1800s prior to Willis being founded in 1870.

First United Methodist Church of Willis and the Willis Church of Christ weren't too far behind, forming in the early to mid-1870s. Today all four continue to minister to the Willis community, strong in faith and the rich history of generations that passed on the tradition.

Thomas Chapel UMC

When the city of Willis was founded in 1870, Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church already had its root in town. Thomas Chapel was organized in 1867 and is the oldest congregation in town.

"The church was there before the city of Willis was founded," said Nancy Jackson, the church's secretary and certified lay speaker/leader, in a previous Courier article. "  It has been destroyed several times, but the congregation always regrouped and rebuilt it."

The first Methodist Church for blacks in Willis, built of logs, became a reality in 1867 and was named Thomas Chapel Episcopal Church. The Rev. Enoch Jefferson served as the first pastor. The building was used as a school as well as a place of worship for a number of years according to documentation from the Cultural Roots Committee of Montgomery County Genealogical and Historical Society.

In 1899, the present structure, which still serves the community today, was completed under the pastorate of Rev. Edward Lee. The church went through restructuring of the Methodist Church in 1939 and 1968 that changed the church to eventually become Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church.

The conference year of 1998 brought Thomas Chapel's first clergywoman, Rev. Rose Marie Veal. Her grandfather, the late Rev. A. D. Phelps was also the pastor of Thomas Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church from 1932-1933.

"That's why it means so much to me because it's the church my family went to. It's the church I was raised in," Jackson said. "The present membership is related in some way. It's part of our family history."

The church is at 512 W. Martin Luther King Blvd. at the intersection of Holland Street. The fellowship hall was added in 1954.

While repairs have been made to the building over the years, the church's bell tower was reconstructed in 2004.

Andrew E. Stewart III is the church's current pastor.

First United Methodist Church, Willis

As the town of Willis was fast becoming a prosperous industrial community, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South was developing as well, according to a passage in the 1981 history of Montgomery County compiled by the Montgomery County Genealogical Society. The passage was written by Melinda Peters.

On Oct. 17, 1877, the Texas Land Company conveyed to the trustees of the church, two lots in the town of Willis on the condition that the property should be used as a site for a church building.

Parishioners worshiped in a local school until a church could be constructed.

Sidney Inglet, a pioneer builder of Willis got to work on a church building. The pastors at the time were G.S. Sandel and J.M. Pugh.

In August 1879, the Rev. Pugh advertised for the donation of seats, lamps, a Bible and hymn book for the completion of the new church.

The pews and chancel rail were made by Mr. E.A. Anderson a cabinet maker and furniture maker in Willis.

The bell for the church was donated by Capt. T.W. Smith, a local merchant. The pulpit was made by prisoners in Huntsville.

The need for a resident minister grew and a parsonage was built.

The passage reported that this church at the time was the second-highest paying church in preachers' salaries, paying $800 a year.

Also, early in the life of the church both the Paddock and Scott families of Willis donated additional land adjacent to the original lots. Descendents of these families remain members today.

In May 1966, this church was dedicated as a Texas Historical Landmark by the Texas Historical Survey Committee and markers were placed at the church to share the church's rich history.

FUMC-Willis continues to add property to the original site in part to serve the needs of a growing population and downtown Willis residents, even as other churches move west of Interstate 45. The church is at 200 N. Thompson Street in Willis. The Rev. Dr. Nathan Hodge is the current pastor.

Willis Church of Christ

In 1872, a lot was set aside by the railroad company for a Christian Church site. In 1887 the site was bought by M.C. Leslie and B.H. O'Banion, trustees of the church. A building was erected in late 1888 or early 1889.

Benches in the building were handmade with square nails.

The church is on West Marlin Street in Willis.

Information from Mrs. Ewing Martin printed in the 1981 Montgomery County History book compiled by the Montgomery County Genealogical Society.

First Baptist Church Willis

A missionary from Huntsville, Elder J.W.D. Creath, met with a few people July 10, 1850, at a house in the neighborhood of Zill McCaleb for the purpose of talking about organizing a church.

The church was organized Nov. 30, 1850 with a few dozen members.

The first pastor, J.V. Wright was called in December 1850.

It was then called Danville Baptist Church. The Danville church disbanded in 1868 due to declining membership.

Willis Baptist Church was organized July 18, 1872.

The church had financial difficulties during this time and Willis Baptist Church was later reorganized on July 5, 1885. Parishioners met in a school house.

Brother Geo. M. Daniel was called as pastor. He was a pioneer Baptist preacher and the grandfather of Texas Gov. Price Daniel.

A church building was established on Thomason Street in 1912.

Eventually the church moved to a location along Interstate 45, just south of FM 1097.

The church opened the doors to its new worship center June 24, 2007 to a full house.

"Our church is growing, and we needed more worship space," Senior Pastor Charles Smith said in a 2007 Courier article. "We were outgrowing the old facility."

Smith continues to lead the church today.

The church is at 12177 I-45 North, Willis.

The Courier thanks Jan Parker Dial for her contribution to this article.
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Armed with charts, numbers and data of all kinds, scientists and supporters of the sciences convened on Sam Houston Park on Bagby Street downtown Saturday to send a message to President Donald Trump and about his proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency and other programs that fund scientific research at the federal level.

From the natural sciences like geophysics and molecular biology to computer programing and engineering, people in prominent positions in some of Houston's biggest corporations chanted and marched from the park to Houston City Hall where a number experts in scientific fields addressed the crowd on the steps of the lawn.

"What do we want? Evidenced-based science! When do we want it? After peer-review!" chanted the crowd as organizers yelled through amplifiers to prompt the well-mannered gathering as they made their way.

The normally apolitical professionals said they weren't there to be political, and that science itself is a neutral field.

Two professors in behavior science at University of Houston Clear Lake and one astrophysicist with NASA drove from the Bay Area to add their voices to the rest of the country's as many other major cities join similar marches in the nationwide protest set on Earth Day.

Jennifer Fritz, behavior analyst at UHCL said, "Science does so much and needs to be supported. It's unfortunate science has become partisan, it should be nonpartisan."

Dorothy Lerman, professor at UHCL and director for the autism and developmental disabilities center at the campus believes industry plays a role in governmental funding for the sciences.

"Any research that could reduce the bottom line for a business, that's at risk," she said of the areas of science she feels are most are vulnerable to budget cuts.

Lerman's husband Bob Dempsy, director with the international space station and an astrophysicist at NASA said the type of work done there take years to manifest and benefit the public, which requires long-term investment.

"In my 20 years, I've never seen such a dire attack on science and engineering," he said. He wore a NASA t-shirt with a homemade sign alluding the persecution of Galileo Galilei, the 16th century Italian scientist who was placed under house arrest by the Catholic Church for supporting the Copernican theory that Earth revolved around the Sun. "We're approving pesticides that are not based on science. Right out of the gate (of Trump's administration) we're throwing out the science," said Dempsy.

But there were scientists there too that are still working on their credentials.

Isabella Phelps, 10, loves birds and wants to be an ornithologist. She held up a sign with a picture of her fifteen-month-old brother with tubes in his nose and IVs jutting from his small body. The sign read: "My brother is alive because of science."

Her brother, Beckham Sheiman, was born at 24 weeks and weighed 1.8 pounds. Their mother Maegan Sheiman and her husband had Beckham through a donor egg and a surrogate due to Maegan's health problems she encountered when was pregnant with Isabella.

They're not sure why the surrogate mother went into labor so early, but little Beckham underwent multiple surgeries after birth, had brain bleeds and blood clots. Meagan wrote a heart-felt letter to the staff at Texas Children's Hospital that caught the attention of CNN in March of this year and they wrote a story about her.

Mom and daughter stood among the doctors and lab-coated professionals with a piece of their heart on their sign.

"I got a glimpse of him and have never seen anything so small in my life," Sheiman said in her CNN interview. "I did not know that a human could be that small and look like a human."

One graduate student at Texas A&M Health Science Center in Houston said managers in his lab announced the march in a recent meeting and encouraged staff to participate if they wanted.

Two researches at Baylor College of Medicine waiting in the food truck line said their administrators encouraged them to attend as an individual and a scientist, but not as a representative of Baylor.

Dr. Jeffrey Rosen in the department of molecular and cell biology and the breast center said the 40 percent decrease in breast cancer mortality is a product of basic research funding, and that no private organization could match the level of funding that the government invests through the NIH.

The proposed cut by the President would decrease the organization's funding by 18 percent, around $5.8 billion.

Dr. Yi Li, professor at BCM and the breast center said, "This cut will have a dramatic effect on a whole generation. Life science is not something we can stop for a time until you have money. Like life, like the heart, it keeps going."

Rosen worries the cuts will have a negative impact on Houston in particular.

"This will have a severe impact here, more than oil and gas" he said. "You can never replace government funding for science, private money is a drop in the bucket."
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Personnel from the county's fire departments gathered Saturday at Hardin Volunteer Fire Department to accept $100 donations to each agency from First Liberty National Bank.

The modest donations will be put to good use, said Hardin Fire Chief Craig Powell.

"We think it's great. Every dollar counts," said Powell, adding that his department is facing a $5,000 expenditure for bumper-to-bumper service checks on three fire trucks.

The check presentations came on a day when Hardin VFD was hosting its first-ever crawfish boil. Over the course of the afternoon, firefighters served up fresh-boiled crawfish, potatoes and corn on the cob until all 350 pounds were sold.

Powell said the department was anxious to try the crawfish boil as another fundraising event, even though plans are already underway for Flag Day, the department's biggest annual fundraiser.

This year's event is slated for June 17 at Hardin High School and includes the sale of fried fish platters and auctions.

After making the check presentations, FLNB's David Castle and Bryan Reynolds explained how the bank feels it is important to support the community, particularly first responders who do so much for others with very little recognition.

"Most of these folks don't get paid for what they do for their communities. They could be out fishing or spending time with their families, but instead they choose to serve the community," Reynolds said.
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The North Liberty County Relay for Life event kicked off on April 22 at the Cleveland High School track with hundreds of participants coming out to support efforts for cancer research.

This year's theme was Passport to a Cure as participants and vendors each came representing a different nation ranging from Australia to Puerto Rico, Jamaica and many others.

This year's event raised more than $50,000. This is not a final total.

"Surviving cancer is just something unspeakable," said Master of Ceremonies J. Rice. "We're making lots of progress."

Rice thanked everyone who came in attendance as well as those who have survived battles with cancer or acted as caregivers to those battling cancer.

"We honor you tonight for all the work you've done," he said.

Cancer survivors took the first lap around the track in celebration of winning their battles with cancer. One such survivor is Susan Pennington who finished her battle with breast cancer 11 years ago.

"It's a wonderful cause," said Pennington. "I've been doing it ever since I've been released from my doctor."

Pennington also volunteers with the American Cancer Society where she provides words of comfort to new victims of breast cancer.

"Some people find out and they want to go into a zone where they're not going to make it," she said.

While cancer can be a scary challenge to face, Pennington has won her battle and encourages others diagnosed with cancer to never give up.

"It's a wonderful world and I'm proud to be here by the grace of God," she said.

Others walked to support those battling cancer such as Cathy Collins, Lisa Yerby, Liz Gibson and Patty Strange, who all bore an Irish motif complete with the phrase "We fight for Kim" on their shirts. They were in support of Kim Boles, an employee of Cleveland ISD.

"We all wanted to honor her," said Strange. "We wanted to let her know we're all fighting for her."

Boles is diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, according to her friends. She won her battle previously but her disease has since come back. Her friends noted that this hasn't deterred her from having a positive attitude.

Cancer also has a cruel effect on children as Abigail Branham, an 11-year-old girl who is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"She's just been a champion through the whole thing," said Karen Branham, Abigail's mother.

Abigail is coming close to the final stages of her treatment where she will be in the intensive treatment stage before doing oral treatment at home.

"It feels very comforting to have everyone's support and prayers," Abigail said.

North Liberty County Relay for Life Director Hannah Taylor discussed how successful this year's Relay is not only for the participants but also the research.

"I feel like the mission was clear," she said. "Everyone knows the true reason why we're here."
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For a time Party on the Plaza was a weekly tradition in Houston, and now the party is set to return to another part of downtown with some notable locals on the lineup.

Every Wednesday night in May and June, Avenida Houston in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center along Avenida Plaza will host free concerts starting at 7 p.m. with two bands performing each night.

SEE A SHOW: Houston's 2017 concert lineup

The fun kicks off on May 3 with Los Skarnales and Muddy Belle headlining. The series wraps up on June 28 with Fat Tony and Young Mammals.

The weekly parties are sponsored by KRBE-FM, one of Houston's longest-running pop stations.

Yes, there will be alcohol as a number of bar stations will be open along the plaza for your after-work pleasure. There are also restaurants open along the route.

The previous incarnation of Party on the Plaza was held at Jones Plaza ( 610 Louisiana Street) near Jones Hall and the Alley Theatre on Thursday nights after 5 p.m.

WHATASONG: Houston rapper Fat Tony drops new Whataburger-loving single

In the late '80s and into the mid-'00s acts like John Mayall, Joe Ely, Reverend Horton Heat, Marcia Ball, The Hunger, and Cracker were on various bills. In 1994 PACE Concerts took over booking musical acts for the plaza concerts

Back in May 12, 1998, Party on the Plaza turned into Seinfeld on the Plaza as fans of the NBC sitcom were able to watch the show's series finale on four 60-inch screens before and after Soul Hat played.

Click through the slideshow above to see who else is playing Party on the Plaza this season...
After four decades, a Houston man is facing a murder charge thanks to the work of the investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Cold Case.

David Lee Edds, 61, was charged after the Cold Case Unit reviewed the case in July 2014.

According to a news release, "On Tuesday, May 11, 1976, at approximately [6 a.m.], the nude body of an adult white male was found on an oil field road (private road) just north of 3000 Atascocita Road. The victim had multiple stab wounds and lacerations on his torso, head and neck.

The victim was later identified as 28-year-old Rene Anthony Guillotte of Houston.

Investigators traced Guillotte's last-known moments to a Montrose-area bar about 1 a.m. May 11, 1976. At the time, investigators canvassed the Montrose area and conducted several interviews with witnesses. Investigators worked in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and the Texas Rangers during the original investigation.

The original investigation eventually grew cold.

In July of 2014, the Cold Case Unit began a review of the case. While conducting follow-up investigation, investigators were able to link physical evidence recovered at the crime scene and evidence recovered at autopsy to Edds.

"Research revealed Edds lived in close proximity to the crime scene at the time of the murder. Cold Case investigators interviewed Edds in 2017," the Sheriff's Office reported. "Edds denied knowing the victim, being at the crime scene or having any knowledge of the murder. He could offer no explanation as to why he was linked to the crime scene and to the victim by physical evidence. Investigators learned that Edds was charged by the Houston Police Department in 1977 for assaulting a man with a knife after leaving a bar in the Montrose area."

Edds' history includes burglary, robbery, narcotics possession, weapons charges, DWI, bail jumping and parole violations.

He is currently not in custody and has not been arrested, according to Harris County District Clerk records.
ARLINGTON  Heels clicked. Bells boomed in the amphitheater outside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, signaling the changing of the guard.

The crowd remained still. Left foot, right foot, one in front of the other. The guards carried on the rhythmic choreography of nearly a century  21 steps in 21 seconds for the highest military honor, the 21-gun salute.

Its a never-ending, living memorial played out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And on Sunday, Cayuga County-area veterans traveling with Operation Enduring Gratitude got to see the nation's monument to those who served and died, but have no identified remains.

The veterans watched, entranced by the slow and sure march, many with a front row seat to the ceremony.

Filling up four trams, the group also toured the hallowed ground where approximately 400,000 people are buried including multiple presidents and war heroes. Burials don't take place on Sundays, the tour guide explained, so the rolling hills were quieter than usual, dotted with thousands of white government-issued marble stones.

It was the last stop, too, to a weekend full of memorials and remembering and making memories. The trip began with a send-off at the New York Army National Guard Armory in Auburn where two buses picked up approximately 50 veterans and 50 volunteers and guests to travel to Washington D.C. for free. In its second rendition, the trip was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 207 and was made possible by hundreds of local donations.

Patrick Malvaso and his wife Elaine Yablonsky Malvaso stood at the buses after the tour, waving goodbye to their friends preparing to head back to Auburn. The Malvasos worked with Operation Enduring Gratitude Coordinator David Pappert and other council members to organize the trip. The Malvasos grew up and lived in Auburn, but moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Patrick Malvaso is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and still a member of Auburn's Knights of Columbus. He and his wife helped organize the hotel and the multiple military ceremonies, besides recruiting renowned photographer Marty LaVor to document the trip.

They also helped to coordinate the trip with former Sen. Robert 'Bob' Dole, who was present at the National World War II Memorial to greet Operation Enduring Gratitude veterans and many others from all over the country. By chance, too, Patrick Malvaso said a group of 50 people from Indiana lined the entryway to the memorial. They cheered and clapped in the rain, some giving the New York veterans kisses and others shaking their hands.

"Down here it was a family, community effort, and up there (in Auburn), it was a family, community effort," Patrick Malvaso said. "Not only did we enjoy it, we enjoyed each other."

He added that they will be talking about the trip for a long time. And that's perhaps one of the subtle gems about this trip  it gets people talking. There's still the hesitation. No one wants to shed tears over tragedies or hurt from decades ago. But those tears still spring to the eyes sometimes. Chuckles tumble out unexpectedly, too.

Take Philip Caci Jr. The Auburn World War II veteran served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1945. He risked his life a second time to avoid a different kind of risk.

"I didn't shoot anybody," he said. "I didn't get shot at. I was lucky. Then I went to go back in because I didn't want to get married. This girl wanted to get married, and I refused, and so I went down to the recruit sergeant."

A grin sneaks across Caci's face.

He also remembers the exact length of time he served for the United States between World War II and the Korean War  20 years, six months, 20 days and 9 1/2 hours to be exact.

In the Korean War he worked for the U.S. Navy, first starting as a meat butcher and cooking for the crews. He'd later work as a recruit instructor and then as a communications technician.

"Our motto was, 'In God we trust, all others we monitor,'" he said. Joseph Caci, shook his head and chuckled as he watched his father tell the stories. Joseph Caci flew out from California to be with his dad on the weekend tour.

Other stories left a lump in the throat. Dale Bush of Auburn served in the Vietnam War as a Marine. It took him a day or two to decide to tell his story about why he placed a note at the foot of the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial on Saturday. It was a note from a friend, who Bush had served with years ago.

"This is going to be tough," he started. "I left a letter, a note at the wall to explain on the back side that I felt the person who wrote that (his) name probably should be on the wall, but it isn't."

The friend had committed suicide shortly after seeing the memorial for the first time back in 1988. Bush said he thinks seeing the wall may have tipped the scales, though things were bad to begin with considering the reception they received when coming home.

"There was absolutely no recognition," he said. "Even family members didn't even want to know you. So this trip here has been just great, and to see the wall is just tremendous again."

The long drive back up north to Auburn passed with song and snacks and stories. In the twilight, the two buses rolled back down South Street, one bus arriving to "God Bless America."

The veterans sang. Back in their own territory after a memorable adventure, they really were home, sweet home.

Veterans (with action they served in) who participated in 2017's Operation Enduring Gratitude are:

John Allen, Vietnam War

Richard S. Burke, Korean War

Dale Bush, Vietnam War

Philip Caci, World War II and Korean War

Charles Carroll, Korean War

Joe Casper, Korean War

Theodore L. Cheche, Korean War

Joseph S. Christiantelli, Korean War

Anthony Colella Jr., Korean War

William J. Cowmey, Vietnam War

Thomas Crawford Jr., Vietnam War

Leo Delaney, Korean War

Ralph DeMasi, Vietnam War

Frederick Edmunds, Korean War

Michael Emperato, Korean War

David Gould, Vietnam War

Gerard Guiney, Vietnam War

Glenn Allen Jorgensen, Vietnam War

Gerald V. Kelly Jr., Vietnam War

Jack Kulis, Vietnam War

Jim Lamay, Vietnam War

Bruce Langerlan, Vietnam War

Adam E. Luziani, World War II

Dwitt Marion, Korean War

John Morabito, Korean War

Theodore Nowak, Vietnam War

James Orman, Vietnam War

Robert Pesek, Vietnam War

Thomas Prentice, Vietnam War

James Quinn, Vietnam War

David Reyer, Vietnam War

John Rhodes, Korean War

Ralph Rogers Jr., Vietnam War

Dale Sellen, Vietnam War

Arvil Shea, World War II

Joseph Soccio, World War II and Korean War

Jack Soccio, Vietnam War

Joseph A. Solomon, Vietnam War

John Spinelli, Korean War

Mel Spurling, Vietnam War

Ronald Starr, Korean War

Robert Strohm, World War II

David Tarleton Sr., Vietnam War

John Trapani, World War II

Michael Trapani, Korean War

Augostino Vivenzio, Korean War and Vietnam War

William Donald Young, Korean War
GALVESTON  An animal rights group has filed another complaint against researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, citing a study published in a journal as evidence of animal abuse.

Stop Animal Exploitation Now! filed a complaint with the U.S Department of Agriculture alleging that an article by UTMB researchers published April 5 in the journal Translational Medicine contained information about animals that were allowed to suffer instead of being euthanized.
Moments after the cast of Clear Springs High School's production of "Big Fish" performed a spirited song-and-dance number at the 15th annual Tommy Tune Awards, the show won its only honor of the night, for best crew and technical execution.

"Big Fish" went into the Tony Awards-style ceremony tied for the most nominations (14) with Friendswood High School's mounting of the "school edition" of "Les Miserables."

The 49th annual Friendswood High musical finished the night with four awards, for best ensemble/chorus, musical direction, scenic design and lighting design.

A total of 45 Houston-area schools competed in this year's Theatre Under the Stars program, which culminated April 18 with the announcement of awards in 15 categories at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston.

Noticeably absent from the proceedings was Tommy Tune himself, marking the first time he's missed the awards named in his honor.

The "Big Fish" production number began with Noah Carlin as Edward Bloom teaching his young son how to catch fish by performing a dance called "the Alabama Stomp."

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime," advises Edward.

"Teach a man the Alabama Stomp, you feed his soul!"

The rest of the cast joined them on the Hobby Center stage, rocking the joint with dancing that was honored with a nomination for best choreography.

In the medley of best leading actor finalists, Carlin performed a song with another nominee who played Edward Bloom in his school's production of "Big Fish." Fellow Clear Springs finalist Will Byrne, who portrayed Will Bloom, drew applause with his ballad, "Be the Hero."

Hannah Hayes, who portrayed Sandra Bloom in "Big Fish," performed in the medley of best leading actress nominees, along with Emily Mesa, who played Eponine in "Les Miserables School Edition" at Friendswood High. Mesa opened the medley with a crowd-pleasing taste of her character's show-stopping ballad, "On My Own."

All 36 students nominated for acting awards in lead and supporting categories opened the Tommy Tunes by singing "Our Favorite Son" from "The Will Rogers Follies," a 1991 Broadway musical for which Tune won Tony Awards for best direction and choreography.

The show closed with two students from each of the 45 participating schools, including Clear Lake High and Clear Brook High, performing "Shine On," with music and lyrics by the ceremony's musical director and conductor, Michael Moricz.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
Authorities are hunting for a killer after a woman was found dead in her south Houston home, police said Monday.

The victim's family found her body in her home in the 6600 block of Sherwood Drive after what appeared to be a brutal slaying.
City life can sometimes be cramped and noisy, so it's no wonder suburbs continue to be a popular place to live.

To help narrow down the selection, data site Niche recently released its rankings for the best suburbs to live in Texas.
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Friendswood High has scored four Tommy Tune Awards for its production of the school edition of "Les Miserables."

The honors for best ensemble/chorus, musical direction, scenic design and lighting design were awarded at the 15th annual Tommy Tune Awards came April 18 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston.

Friendswood had been tied with Clear Springs High School for having the most nominations - 14. Clear Springs came away with a win for best crew and technical execution for its production of "Big Fish."

Forty-five Houston-area schools competed in this year's Theatre Under the Stars program.

Friendswood leading actor nominees Alex Rudd as Jean Valjean performed part of "Bring Him Home." and Max Morgan sang an excerpt from ""ABC Cafe / Red and Black."

Rudd, whose mother and stepfather are Caroline and Peter Clarke, and classmate Kathleen Sharp, the daughter of Alfred and Cheryl Sharp, were awarded $1,000 Tommy Tune scholarships during the ceremony.

Emily Mesa, who played Eponine in "Les Miserables," opened the medley of best leading actress nominees with a crowd-pleasing taste of her character's show-stopping ballad, "On My Own."

Accepting the best lighting award for the school was Meredith Fraga, a junior who programmed the lighting and wired all the lanterns.

Accepting for best set design were seniors Logan Newsom and Max Rittenhouse, who were construction crew heads for the set.

Best musical direction was accepted by senior choir students Kylee Hill and Ally Eckart.

Seniors Kyle Dickens and Elaina Roher accepted the award on behalf of the school for best ensemble.

Noticeably absent from the proceedings was Tommy Tune himself, marking the first time he's missed the awards named in his honor.

All 36 students nominated for acting awards in lead and supporting categories opened the Tommy Tunes by singing "Our Favorite Son" from "The Will Rogers Follies," a 1991 Broadway musical for which Tune won Tony Awards for best direction and choreography.

Friendswood supporting actor nominees were Clayton Senter as Enjolras and Cade Tucker as Thenardier.

As one of eight top contenders for best musical, the Friendswood cast also got to perform a number, ending the award ceremony's first half with the stirring anthem, "One Day More."

"Standing in the wings stage left as members of our cast performed 'One Day More,' I was overwhelmed with pride and honor as they gave the performance of a lifetime," Friendswood theater director Kathy Powdrell said.

"From backstage left where I was standing in the wings, I could not see the standing ovation but I could hear it and I saw it in their eyes and their faces." This of course will be a moment that our students will never forget."

The show closed with two students from each of the 45 participating schools, including Clear Lake and Clear Brook high schools performing "Shine On," with music and lyrics by the ceremony's musical director and conductor, Michael Moricz.

The ceremony was live-streamed at www.abc13.com. It will be broadcast 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 11 on ABC Channel 13.

Winners in each category can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/myTuneAwards/?ref=ts.
Many have taken to Twitter today to say "Donald Trump is unintelligible"  why?

The Associated Press conducted an interview with President Trump in the Oval Office Friday and released the transcript Sunday night (read it here).

The AP notes in 16 instances that the "audio recording of the interview is unclear" and those places are flagged with ellipses or "a notation that the recording is unintelligible."

Social media has run with this and as you can see in the gallery above people all over Twitter are saying "Donald Trump is unintelligible."

A few Trump supporters are posting rebuttals: One wrote, "Donald Trump is unintelligible to liberals because they don't understand common sense."

Trump has come under fire for being unintelligible, and he's also being criticized for distributing false information.

In the interview, he talks about his plan for his first 100 days and says "I'm mostly there on most items."An AP fact check of the article suggested, "He's not."

Many have yet to be taken up. Of 38 specific promises Trump made in his 100-day "contract" with voters, he's accomplished 10, mostly through executive orders that don't require legislation. For example, he's withdrawn the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, created a violent crime task force and lifted restrictions on fossil fuel development. Of the 10 pieces of legislation he promised, none has been achieved and most have not been introduced, with the notable exception of the health care overhaul that was put in play but withdrawn from Congress because of insufficient support. That proposal is being reworked.

Read the full fact check of the AP interview.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting in this story.
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A number of offensive tweets sparked outrage at Texas State last week, forcing a response from the university president and leading to a petition to remove a member of student government.

University officials are investigating two racially-charged tweets and screenshots of messages that appear to be directed at David Hickland, interfraternity council president at Texas State.

"While this university is committed to the principles of free speech, it is also dedicated to fostering civil discourse, and Texas State does not tolerate communications that are threatening, harassing, or racially motivated," said President Denise Trauth in a statement Thursday.

RELATED: Father of Texas State student dragged to death accuses 14 people, groups in $10 million suit

The racially-charged tweets posted by an anonymous Twitter account depict Hickland, a black student, as a lynched man and use racial epithets against him. A second set of screen shot images posted to Twitter shows a set of messages allegedly sent to Hickland from Corbin Cornwell, a finance junior and student government senator at the university.

In the posted screen shots, Cornwell appears to be continually berating Hickland using aggressive language, and at one point saying: "I hope you rot in hell."

Matt Flores, university spokesman, said Friday both the messages and the tweets were being looked at by Texas State.

Hickland told mySA.com he received messages from Cornwell in January, after comments he made in reference to suspended fraternities in a private group were screen shot and spread around.

In an interview with The University Star, the university's student newspaper, Corwell said he contacted Hickland after seeing the comment, which was about the suspension of Cornwell's fraternity following the death of student Jordin Taylor.

"At that point I messaged him privately via Facebook and expressed by displeasure for his post," he told the Star.

Cornwell said in now-deleted tweets that he was not behind the lynching photos, but acknowledged past exchanges with Hickland  though not directly confirming the offensive messages involved in the university investigation.

Hickland told mySA.com he has received hate mail and targeted attacks since January. He said he's apologized for his Facebook post that initially made Cornwell upset.

RELATED: University records reveal shocking details of party where 20-year-old student was found dead

Since screenshots of Cornwell's alleged messages and the racially-charged tweets were posted on Twitter, a petition was made calling for the removal of the student government senator. It has accumulated 1,051 signatures.

Cornwell did not immediately respond for comment.

Student government president Connor Clegg told The University Star that the lynching photos were "disgusting."

"Whoever made them, there needs to be consequences," he said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
AUBURN  Last winter, when Erin Humphrey was planning Genesee Street Voices' annual spring concert, the musical director noticed a common theme in the songs she picked  they were all about peace.

"I thought it was a particularly politically charged and kind of unsettling year since the election ... and I thought it was a good time for peace," she said. "I wanted to bring (people) together to talk about ... cultivating peace within ourselves and within our community."

And on Sunday, Humphrey did just that as dozens of people gathered at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn for an afternoon of song and celebration.

More than 100 people attended what Humphrey hopes to be the first annual Peace Concert, in which three local choirs  Genesee Street Voices, Tonal Recall a cappella and Auburn Community Choir  performed several songs of peace.

"This is the first time that our mostly white choir is opening some doors and stepping out of our comfort zone to collaborate together and make connections," Humphrey said.

"I've personally observed ... some separation and (segregation) in Auburn, whether that's between people of color and white people or poor people and richer people," she added. "I wanted to give people the opportunity to come together."

The concert began Sunday with the Auburn Community Choir, a group of four women who performed gospel songs on the altar at Westminster Presbyterian. Then, between brief dialogues with Auburn/Cayuga's NAACP President Eli Hernandez and Celebrate! Diverse Auburn member Laurel Ullyette, Genesee Street Voices and Tonal Recall a cappella sang a variety of music, from John Lennon's soft-rock hit "Imagine" and Bobby McFerrin's pop song "Don't Worry Be Happy" to Walt Disney Picture's "Colors of the Wind."

"Really listen to the lyrics," Hernandez told the audience. "Each song is a message for our community."

"I think the most exciting part of all this is that we actually have activists and people in the community who are working for peace," he added. "This really means the world to the community."
AUSTIN -- The Texas Senate on Monday voted to abolish a state refugee agency that figured in a controversy last year over the resettlement of Syrian and other Mideast refugees in the Lone Star State.

Approved by a final vote of 20-10, the Republican-supported Senate Bill 260 would permanently shutter both the Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs and the Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and Refugees.

In a fight last year about then-President Obama's decision to resettle Syrian refugees into Texas over state officials' objections over what they said was inadequate security screening, Gov. Greg Abbott last September withdrew Texas from the resettlement program operated by the U.S. State Department.

Since then, federal officials have resettled immigration refugees in Texas through private charities, without state help.

In 1991, the Texas Legislature created the Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), a division of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Since it was established in 1991, the state agency has "assisted roughly 4,500 refugees a year in gaining economic independence and adjusting to American culture through several federally funded assistance programs," according to an official bill analysis.

"This bill is about eliminating this agency from statute," said Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas. "The governor withdrew us from the program. This agency is no longer operating."

Fourteen states in addition to Texas have withdrawn from the program, he said.

The assistance programs included temporary cash assistance, medical assistance for refugees who had lived in the United States for eight months or less, and social services for those who are eligible and have lived in the United States five years or less, officials said.

They said actual resettlement of refugees was not handled by the state but by local voluntary resettlement agencies, such as Catholic Charities.

Advocates of the refugee resettlement program in Texas decried Monday's Senate vote.

"We thought it was a bad idea for the state to opt out of the program to start with, because Texas was not opting out of getting refugees. They're still being resettled here," said Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, a faith-based policy and advocacy organization.

"We think abolishing the office and advisory committee is a bad idea. All it;s done is give the state even less ability to have a voice in when and where refugees are resettled."

Sens. Sylvia Garcia of Houston, Eddie Lucio of Brownsville and Royce West of Dallas -- all Democrats -- questioned whether the agency should be wiped from state law, in case future governors might want to rejoin the program.

Huffines said if future governors want to do so, they will have convince the Legislature to create it again by state law.

The Senate's vote for approval was along party lines. The measure now goes to the House for consideration.
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.
Two men were injured after a skydiving incident and small plane crash in the town of Ovid, the Seneca County sheriff said.

According to the sheriff's office, at around 12:50 p.m. Sunday, a small single engine Cessna crash landed in a plowed field just northwest of the Ovid Airport after the craft experienced a mechanical problem.

While attempting a soft field landing, deputies said the plane got caught in the rough terrain and flipped over before coming to rest on its top near 2562 Parish Rd.

The pilot, 22-year-old Conner Carey, of Parish Road, was able to exit the flipped plane on his own and walk back to the Ovid Airport. He was then transported by ambulance to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa., where he was treated and released.

In addition, the sheriff's office said deputies discovered that a second man had been injured while skydiving from the plane just prior to the crash.

Perry Sickler, 49, of 210 Day St. in Endicott, suffered minor injuries while attempting to land on his feet after a jump. He was transported by ambulance to the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Seneca County Sheriff's Office has remained on the scene and is assisting the Federal Aviation Administration in an ongoing investigation.
Three people have been arrested for smuggling synthetic marijuana into Cayuga Correctional Facility, New York State Police said.

According to state police, Ginger R. Wood, Charmain R. Smith and Michael R. Kindred were visiting an inmate at the Moravia facility Sunday afternoon when the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision placed them in custody for promoting prison contraband.

Wood, 27, of Albany, allegedly possessed four balloons of synthetic marijuana, which weighed approximately 70 grams, while Smith, 37, of Schenectady, had one balloon that weighed around 27 grams.

Meanwhile, Kindred, 57, of Moravia, was on parole for drug possession at the time and, although he did not have synthetic marijuana in his possession, police said Kindred knew what was going on and transported the women to visit his son at the prison.

Both Wood and Smith were charged with first-degree promoting prison contraband, a class D felony, and reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. Kindred was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana  for allegedly possessing marijuana in his vehicle  and breaking the terms of his parole, both violations.

In addition, police said Wood was also charged with second-degree forgery, another class D felony, and second-degree criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor, as she used a fake ID while visiting the inmate.

All three defendants were arraigned in the Town of Moravia Court and taken to Cayuga County Jail. Both Wood and Smith have been held in lieu of bail  $5,000 cash, $10,000 bond and $1,500 cash, $3,000 bond respectively  while Kindred was remanded without bail.
Ten years ago, dozens of single-story beach cottages dotted the streets of Merion Park, a low-lying neighborhood in Ocean Citys south end. Then Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012 and the quiet New Jersey residential neighborhood was flooded with more than two feet of water.

Now, Merion Park looks vastly different.

I think the whole neighborhood has kind of gone through a renaissance, Chris Halliday told The Press of Atlantic City.

An architect and local resident, Halliday purchased the first home ever built in Merion Park from Joe Newsome in the spring of 2012, a few months before Sandy.

It had 24 inches plus of water in the house after the hurricane, Halliday said.

So he rebuilt it  eight feet off the ground.

And that was required by the city, which means we felt like the house would never get wet, ever, Halliday said.

New federal and city regulations are causing buildings throughout the shore region to go higher and higher, elevating the skylines of shore towns and bringing to an end the era of the beach cottage.

If you look at Ocean City pre-Sandy, height was kind of a bad word, said Frank Donato, Ocean Citys finance director and emergency management coordinator. But now that were in a post-Sandy era, and based on things like the new flood maps  I think its kind of mandated nowadays that these structures be higher.

Avalon emergency management coordinator and Fire Chief Ed Dean said that higher homes are critical for saving shore properties from damage during severe floods.

Its definitely changing the faces of the towns, but its changing the faces of the town toward resiliency, Dean said. Lets face it, those little summer cottages are flooding out because were getting more floods than we ever had before.

Since Hurricane Sandy, builders in Ocean City have to meet new elevation requirements pushing first floors 2 feet above base flood elevation (the height to which water is expected to rise during the 1-year storm). Avalon requires 3 feet of height above base flood elevation, what is referred to as freeboard.

Because of flood prevention efforts like this, towns like Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon and Stone Harbor have been rewarded by FEMAs National Flood Insurance Program. Homeowners in these towns receive a 25 percent discount on their flood insurance premiums.

In addition, the state recently allocated $1 million per town to complete home elevation projects for what are called severe repetitive loss properties, homes that are damaged often in storms. The funding comes as a result of Winter Storm Jonas last year.

In FEMAs eyes, if they can take a storm like Jonas, turn it around and invest the money into hazard mitigation projects, then its money well spent, as far as theyre concerned, Donato said.

Local developer Dean Adams also lives in Merion Park and has been building homes for the last 20 years. Last week, he was putting up the walls and stairs on a custom home on Bartram Avenue where, just a few years ago, stood a single-story home on a slab.

Of course everything that was built in the 40s and 50s had no regulations, let alone any kind of freeboard, Adams said.

Adams estimated that only about 25 or 30 percent of the housing stock in Merion Park was new when Sandy hit. He said that probably half of the homes in the neighborhood were damaged in the storm and have been replaced with higher homes.

Adams said whether or not the loss of the lower skyline is a negative thing is subjective.

When Hurricane Sandy (hit) and all these rules were changing, I said to people over time  maybe three, four, five, six years  this is just going to become normal, Adams said. Its just the evolution of things.

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It may not be quite like the Jetsons, but for over a million dollars you too can soon fly around in a car.

A Slovakian company called AeroMobil unveiled on Thursday its version of a flying car, a light-framed plane whose wings can fold back, like an insect, and is boosted by a hybrid engine and rear propeller.

It will be available to pre-order as soon as this year but is not for everyone: besides the big price tag  between 1.2 million and 1.5 million euros ($1.3 million-$1.6 million)  youd need a pilots license to use it in the air.

I think its going to be a very niche product, said Philip Mawby, professor of electronic engineering and head of research at the University of Warwick.

Several companies are working on flying cars, either like Aeromobils two-seater that needs a runway, or others that function more like helicopters, lifting off vertically. But not many companies are seriously looking at marketing these vehicles anytime soon, Mawby said.

The technology is there The question is bringing it to the market at an affordable cost, and making it a useful product.

Among the big questions is how to control the air traffic if there are hundreds of such vehicles zipping through the air. There is no control except for traditional aircraft, notes Mawby.

So while vehicles like the AeroMobil could be used for recreational purposes by people who have a large piece of land, flying cars are unlikely to become a mass market reality anytime soon, he says.

The AeroMobil has a driving range of about 100 kms (62 miles) and a top speed of 160 kph (99 mph). When flying, its maximum cruising range is 750 kms (466 miles), and it takes about three minutes for the car to transform into a plane.

You can use it as a regular car, said Juraj Vaculik, co-founder and CEO of Aeromobil, at the unveiling in Monaco. Though it is not legal  yet  to take off from a highway.

The previous AeroMobil 3.0 prototype made news in 2014 when it was presented in Vienna, but no test-flight took place then. It crashed during a test flight in Slovakia in 2015 with its inventor Stefan Klein on board. He escaped largely unharmed.

(Charlton reported from Paris. Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.)

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The widow of a South Carolina plastics plant worker who was killed when a pipe exploded and hot chemicals were sprayed on him has sued his employer, saying the company was negligent.

In a federal wrongful death suit filed Wednesday, the widow of 63-year-old Alton Ray Zeigler said Eastman Chemical Co. knew or should have known about the risks posed by the situation.

In an email, Eastman spokeswoman Amanda Allman said the company was still reviewing the lawsuit and expressed sympathies for the Zeigler family.

In December, Zeigler was one of several employees working to repair a leaking pump at the Calhoun County plant that makes plastics used in bottles.

Several days earlier, according to the lawsuit, other workers had been trying to drain the pipeline when a fire broke out, converting the chemicals in the pipeline from liquid to gas.

When Zeiglers team loosened bolts, the pressure that had built up inside the pipeline blew the nearly 300-pound pump through a cement block wall. About 500 gallons spewed from the pipeline into the workspace, at temperatures of more than 570 degrees Fahrenheit (300 degrees Celsius).

Zeigler, a retired U.S. Army master sergeant, was killed in the explosion. Two other employees were injured, authorities said.

The company, according to the lawsuit, neglected to implement adequate safety procedures and didnt have in place precautions that could have saved Zeiglers life. Zeiglers family wants a jury trial as well as unspecified damages from Eastman and another company that had been charged with draining the pipeline.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Arizona House has given initial approval to legislation banning texting or other cellphone use by drivers with only a learners permit or during the first six months teenagers have a regular license  a major move after years of failed efforts to make even small steps to address distracted driving.

The measure by Sen. Karen Fann of Prescott now needs only a formal House vote before heading to Gov. Doug Duceys desk for his consideration.

The measure is small compared with the full ban sought by some lawmakers that has repeatedly failed to get a hearing over the years, including in the current session.

There is opposition to even the incremental proposal by Fann. Wednesdays voice vote, without debate, came two days after Speaker J.D. Mesnard revived the legislation that had been held up by former Rules Committee Chairman Rep. Phil Lovas.

Other Republican members opposed it and feared it would be just the start of efforts to enact a wholesale ban. Lovas resigned last week to take a job with the Trump administration.

Those opponents include the Republican majority leader and majority whip, Reps. John Allen and Kelly Townsend.

Its the camels nose. Its incrementalism at its finest, said Townsend. You start with this and next thing you know its a full ban and Im not for that. Im not going to start this step forward.

Fann said she disagrees with those who think a small ban will grow and said she has no intention of pushing for any broader cellphone ban but cant say other wont.

My goal is concentrating on the young kids, my goal is to make sure that they learn how to be safe drivers before they get into an accident and hurt themselves or somebody else, Fann said. All were doing is adding this one thing that says pay attention, learn how to drive before you start thinking about doing anything else.

All but four states ban texting while driving. Arizona only bars school bus drivers from texting.

U.S. Department of Transportation research shows 46 states and Washington, D.C., ban text messaging, while 14 states and Washington, D.C., bar the use of cellphones without hands-free devices.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
AKRON, Ohio - Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan has appointed Tamiyka Rose to serve as the city's first health equity ambassador.

The new position will advise the mayor and his staff on policy initiatives and lead the city's efforts to decrease racial and ethnic disparities, specifically premature birth and infant mortality rates.

"We cannot and will not accept health disparities in our community," Horrigan said in a news release. "Every Akron resident deserves an equal chance at a long, healthy, and successful life - and nothing is more important that ensuring that our children are provided with every opportunity to thrive, regardless of race, economic status, or zip code. Tamiyka's significant experience and insight will be invaluable in helping us tackle these issues as a community."

Rose, the former vice president of government relations for the MetroHealth System, will work with the assistant to the mayor for education, health, and families, Terry Albanese. Together, they will collaborate with community partners and public health organizations to create policy initiatives that aim to reduce community health disparities.

The need for a position to coordinate ongoing efforts to reduce racial disparities in premature birth and infant mortality arose from the city's Inaugural Health Equity Summit held last fall. Akron Children's Hospital, Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General together will pay about $30,000 of the $45,000 salary for two years, said city spokeswoman Ellen Lander.

"I am honored that Mayor Horrigan and the hospital systems chose me to lead the efforts in this very important initiative," Rose said in a news release. "I spent the first 365 days of my life on Montgomery Street in Akron. I believe that every child should have the same opportunities that I had, and that starts by making it to day 366 and beyond. In Akron, we will not allow a person's race or zip code to determine their life expectancy."

A Macedonia resident, Rose holds a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in political science from the Ohio State University.
Cleveland Heights police car.jpg

Cleveland Heights police are searching for two men who pretended to buy candy before robbing a Family Dollar.

(File photo)

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - Detectives are searching for two men who pretended to buy candy before robbing a Family Dollar in Cleveland Heights.

No arrests have been made in connection with the Friday robbery at the store on South Taylor Road near Blanche Avenue, according to a police report.

The men pretended to buy a pack of Life Savers Gummies just after 6 p.m. One man reached into his jacket as if he were taking out his wallet, but he instead pulled out a black handgun, the report says.

The men forced a cashier to open a register and put $205 into a blue plastic bag, the report says. The men also demanded the cashier open a safe, but she was unable to do so, the report says.

The men ran from the store and headed south toward Superior Road. Officers searched the area but could not find them.

Investigators took the pack of Life Savers as evidence and are working to collect video footage that could help identify the two men, the report says.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Federal prosecutors in Cleveland will not pursue cases against two Lorain police officers accused of using excessive force during arrests.

Pat Riley, law director for the city of Lorain, confirmed Friday that an official at the U.S. Attorney's Office called him April 13 and informed him that it does not intend to further pursue investigations into officers Zachary Ferenec and Christopher Ferenzi.

A dashcam video (see above) depicts Ferenec pushing Pele Smith onto the hood of a police cruiser in September 2014. The video, released last year, shows that the impact from Smith's head cracked the windshield.

Ferenec was initially cleared by an internal investigation, though Lorain police Chief Cel Rivera said in October that the department asked the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office to review the case. Riley said it was his understanding that Prosecutor Dennis Will asked federal authorities to review the case.

Ferenzi, meanwhile, was suspended for 10 days after investigators said he hit stabbing suspect Jared Brillon during his arrest in November 2015. The stabbing happened at Ferenzi's ex-girlfriend's house, with whom Ferenzi has a son. Ferenzi also cursed and made inappropriate remarks toward Brillon, who was involved with Ferenzi's ex, during the arrest.

U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Mike Tobin declined to comment.

Brillon and Smith have filed excessive-force lawsuits against Lorain police. Smith's case is currently on hold, according to court records.

Mark Petroff, attorney for Brillon and Smith, did not return a phone call. He told the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram that the videos clearly show what happened in both incidents.

"I think police officers should be held to a higher standard," Petroff told the newspaper. "It doesn't appear either subject, Brillon or Smith, did anything to provoke this."

Smith later pleaded guilty to charges of tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business and was sentenced to probation, court records show.

He was indicted in February on separate drug and weapons charges.

Brillon was cleared of felonious assault charges.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.

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Joseph Zegarac closed Lakewood's Chow Chow in March to take over the food offerings at Parkview Nite Club. The new menu combines the best of both worlds. Pictured: The Winner Dinner featuring buttermilk fried chicken

(Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Joseph Zegarac is getting back to his roots. Before he opened his Southern-inspired takeaway shop in Lakewood, Chow Chow, he worked as an executive chef at the venerable Detroit Shoreway bar and restaurant, The Parkview Nite Club. Beginning April 27, he reprises his role in the driver seat of the laid-back bar for "Chow Chow at the Parkview."

Chow Chow shut its doors in March, but not for lack of demand: It had been offering quick, casual takeout fair to the neighborhood's delight. But limited by the takeout and delivery format, Zegarac was ready to go bigger.

"We were open for 18 months, and we already started growing out of the spot," says Zegarac. "Things happened quick, which is great. I really wanted to start focusing on expanding. We had a constraint on what we could do, food wise. I wanted a space that was more sit-down oriented."

Zegarac began looking to build a restaurant from the ground-up, but was inspired to team with the Parkview after seeing how other small-food businesses were collaborating in the kitchens of existing, established venues. He began talking to Parkview owner Mike Plonski and plans came together.

"We've already worked together as a team and know the ins and outs of each other," says Zegarac. "It really seemed right."

The result is a mix that keeps the longtime crowd pleasers of the Parkview in place while bringing in Chow Chow's signature scratch favorites. Parkview patrons can expect to see their beloved Philly cheesesteak and chipotle pork tacos. A wide menu of sandwiches like a salmon BLT, Cuban and French dip will be available, as will bar snacks, soups and salads.

Diners will see the Chow Chow influence in the Parkview's platters, where they'll revive dishes such as the Winner Dinner with buttermilk fried chicken, mac 'n' cheese, fries and pickles. (A lunch portion will also be available.) They'll serve up their Nashville-style Hot Chicken with creamy slaw and white bread as a platter in addition to a sandwich option. Fried catfish, pulled pork, charred corn succotash and a jumbo mac 'n' cheese round out the hearty offerings. Chow Chow's New Orleans flavor will pop up again in their Cajun gumbo made with smoked andouille.

"Combining the menu was easy because we both do comfort food," says Zegarac. "There were a lot of things on the menu that people love and that keep bringing new people in the doors. I didn't want to mess with that. With our new menu, it's a complete mash-up of what we saw as the best dishes from both sides."

Even before he stepped into the Parkview's kitchen, Zegarac was familiar with the neighborhood staple. It's one of the reasons he hopes to bring more attention to the bar. It may be far more tucked away than Chow Chow's Madison Ave. space, but Zegarac says that's all the more reason to bring it into the spotlight.

"Growing up, my dad was into the Cleveland local music scene and we'd go to their blues jams," recalls Zegarac. "I always thought it was a great twist on bar-style cuisine. It's hidden away, but with all the people moving to the area now, there's going to be tons of traffic. Everything fell into place."

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What's the best field trip spot?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio is rich with a variety of historical, natural and educational spots where our state's youth can have enriching visits.

So we've compiled a list of the 12 best field trip locations for students statewide. Every region of Ohio is represented, with each offering its own unique places to enrich school-aged visitors with boundless opportunities to learn and grow.

We've included descriptions of each, as well as information on how to book a visit.

Here's a look at 12 of the best field trip locations available for kids throughout Ohio.

By Hannah Drown, cleveland.com

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Plain Dealer file

Amish Country

Learn about the Amish way of life in Ohio's Amish Country. The area has a variety of attractions such as various flea markets, Amish Heartland group tours, the Ohio Star Theater, crafting classes, Amish cuisine and more. You can also view the visitors' guide online. Contact the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau at 330-674-3975 or info@visitamishcountry.com.

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Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer

Cedar Point

Cedar Point is home to 70 rides, 150 attractions, three dedicated kids' areas and live shows and is located in Sandusky, about an hour outside of Cleveland. There are special packages that include free tickets for larger groups, and even special interest days for topics such as music, engineering and physics. All youth group days can be found online. For more information on ticket pricing visit here.

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Photo courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

The Museum of Natural History in Cleveland gives visitors the opportunity to learn through a variety of exhibits. From the dinosaur hall to the Shafran Planetarium, children will flourish in this hands-on learning environment. There are plenty of field trip options broken down by grade level and curriculum. You can request a program online or call 216-231-8002.

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Photo courtesy of Columbus Zoo

Columbus Zoo

The Columbus Zoo is located in Powell, about two hours from Cleveland. Most notably, it was been named the No. 1 zoo by USA Travel Guide in 2009. There are plenty of options for school field trips at the Columbus Zoo. From behind-the-scenes tours to camp-in overnights, there's an option for everyone. Online registration needs to be complete in order to secure a school group reservation. Steps to reserve are based on the school's location, but all instructions can be found online.

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Photo courtesy of COSI

COSI stands for Center of Science and Industry, and that's exactly what it is. Located in Columbus, a little more than two hours outside of Cleveland, this facility aims to pique the curiosity of young scientists and innovators and was named America's No. 1 science center for families by Parent Magazine in 2008. To make a reservation for a school field trip you can call 614-228-2674.

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Debbi Snook, The Plain Dealer

Hocking Hills

Hocking Hills State Park is an expansive 10,000 acre national park that includes waterfalls, caves and forests and attracts millions of visitors each year. The welcome centers are located in Hocking County, which is about three hours from Cleveland. Activities include canoeing, kayaking, climbing, horseback riding, hiking, ziplining, water sports and much more. You can also view the free Visitor Guide online here. You can inquire about group visits by calling 1-800-462-5464 or filling out an online form.

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Lynn Ischay, The Plain Dealer

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located in Cleveland next to Lake Erie. The hall also serves as a museum, which houses historical pieces from rock history. Different special packages and discounted rates are available for a variety of groups. All group packages require reservations. You can either fill out a form or call 216-515-1228. Packages include specialized itineraries for boy scouts and girl scouts, educational programs for children and bundle packages.

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Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer

National First Ladies' Library

The National First Ladies' Library is located in Canton, about an hour outside of Cleveland. It's the only resource of its kind, devoted to informing the public on the contribution of our country's First Ladies. The facility is dedicated to educating youth about this significant part of our history. There are different programs designed for different age groups. They are also free. To learn more about the National First Ladies' Library programs or to make a reservation, email lfrailly@firstladies.org or call 330-452-0876 ext. 317.

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Photo courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is located in Dayton, a three-hour drive from Northeast Ohio. It is the largest and oldest military aviation museum. A field trip to this museum can be catered toward STEM learning or even just fun activities. Trips can also be planned around upcoming events. To schedule a trip, call any of the numbers on this page or fill out a registration form.

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Photo courtesy of National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is located in Cincinnati, about a four-hour drive from Cleveland. The Center educates visitors on the Underground Railroad, which helped those seeking freedom from slavery make their way north in the mid-19th century. The center features permanent and temporary exhibits, interactive experiences and special programming. There are experiences for every type of group. To schedule a visit or learn more, visit the center online or call 513-333-7578.

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Photo courtesy of Newport Aquarium

Newport Aquarium

The Newport Aquarium is located near downtown Cincinnati, about a four-hour drive from Cleveland. The aquarium houses thousands of species from all different areas in the world. Activities include touching a shark or meeting a penguin. All tours are self-guided but you can receive a group discount with preregistration. There are a variety of packages, including educational options and overnight experiences. For more information or to start your reservation, call 859-815-1423 or fill out a request form.

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John Harper, cleveland.com

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is a historical landmark located in Akron. It is the former American Country Estate of F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. It can be seen via a guided or self-guided tour, depending on each group's preference. The tours include seeing the 65-room manor and historic gardens. The gardens can be toured while they are in bloom in the summer or explored in the winter when they're adorned with holiday lights. The grounds also feature a children's garden, a butterfly habitat and a "Homes of Nature" play area for younger visitors. Group reservations need to be made two weeks in advance by calling 330-315-3284 or emailing pcourrier@stanhywet.org.
AKRON, Ohio - Authorities are still searching for a man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Akron's North Hill neighborhood.

Kenneth Lindsey, 32, is charged with murder in an early Wednesday morning shooting on the 700 block of Pine Knolls Drive, near Dan Street, Akron police said. Lindsey is accused of shooting 32-year-old Reginald Edwards in the chest during an argument.

Lindsey is likely hiding in Akron, the Marshals said. He was last seen in a silver 2005 Chevy Impala with the Ohio license plate of GTJ5599, Akron police said.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the U.S. Marshals' Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED or via text by sending the word WANTED to 847411. Tips can remain anonymous, and reward money is available.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.

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Abe told reporters after a telephone call with Trump that he appreciated the U.S. leader's stance of showing that all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea .

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping held separate calls on Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump over rising tensions with North Korea.

Artillery pieces are seen being fired during a military drill at an unknown location, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 25, 2016.

Xi told Trump that he hopes all sides exercise restraint over the issue of North Korea and that China opposes anything that runs counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, state media said on Monday.

Xi said during a telephone call with Trump that all sides should avoid doing anything to worsen tensions, state television reported.

Tensions have risen sharply over North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs. The United States has ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula, prompting Pyongyang to say it was ready to sink the carrier.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the U.S. carrier group in a show of solidarity.

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Hong Kong-listed Central China Real Estate (CCRE), the biggest developer in Henan province, may be facing tough times. However, its founder and chairman Hu Baosen denies that oversupply in the property market in China's third and fourth tier cities is one of the reasons. "I don't think there's a bubble," the property tycoon tells CNBC's Martin Soong from the sidelines of China Entrepreneur Club annual summit, held in Hu's homeground, Zhengzhou, this year.

Pedestrians cross a road in front of residential buildings in Beijing, China, on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images

In its latest earnings report released last month, CCRE posted just 403 million yuan (US$58.4 million) of net profit for 2016, roughly half of its profit in the previous year. However, Hu said market demand is not to be blamed. According to Hu, a key indicator used to judge overheating in the market is the rise of property inventory. "Right now, it takes about 8 to 10 months to clear up inventory in Zhengzhou. If that climbs to 16 or 18 months, then there's danger, but right now it hasn't, so no bubble." Hu admits that there are properties by other developers that are not selling well in third and fourth tier cities in Henan province, but that, he said, is not due to lack of demand in the market.

Hu Baosen, chairman of Central China Real Estate CNBC
ZHENGZHOU, China  A top executive in China's all-important agriculture sector is "hopeful" that U.S.-China trade will continue to flourish, despite tough talk that has come from both sides.

"For a period of time, to a certain extent, yes, we were concerned," Angela Liu Chang, chairman of New Hope Liuhe, a major agricultural enterprise, told CNBC. "But more recently, we saw [Chinese President Xi Jinping's] visit to the U.S., and this 100-day trade cooperation with Trump and the U.S., and as such, it makes us hopeful going forward."

Trade tensions have flared between the U.S. and China lately, including for agricultural products. Last fall, the U.S. filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization, accusing China of having unfair agricultural subsidies for three key crops  wheat, corn and rice  and alleging they hurt American farmers. President Donald Trump was also outspoken on the campaign trail about China's unfair trade practices  a sentiment that continued after he set foot in the White House.
Portraits of the candidates who will run in the second round in the 2017 French presidential election, Emmanuel Macron (L), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) political party leader. Reuters

Centrist Emmanuel Macron took a big step towards the French presidency on Sunday by winning the first round of voting and qualifying for a May 7 runoff alongside far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Though Macron, 39, is a comparative political novice who has never held elected office, new opinion polls on Sunday had him easily winning the final clash against the 48-year-old Le Pen. The French Interior Ministry's final figures for the first round showed Macron earned 23.75 percent of the vote, while Le Pen won 21.53 percent. Sunday's outcome is a huge defeat for the two center-right and center-left groupings that have dominated French politics for 60 years, and also reduces the prospect of an anti-establishment shock on the scale of Britain's vote last June to quit the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. In a victory speech, Macron told supporters of his fledgling En Marche! (Onwards!) movement: "In one year, we have changed the face of French politics." He went on to say he would bring in new faces and talent to transform a stale political system if elected. Conceding defeat even before figures from the count came in, rival conservative and Socialist candidates urged their supporters now to put their energies into backing Macron and stopping any chance of a second-round victory by Le Pen, whose anti-immigration and anti-Europe policies they said spelled disaster for France. As investors breathed a collective sigh of relief at what the market regarded as the best of several possible outcomes, the euro soared 2 percent to $1.09395 when markets opened in Asia before slipping back to around $1.0886.

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It was the euro's highest level since Nov. 10, the day after the results of the U.S. presidential election. The race was too close to call up to the last minute, but Macron, a pro-EU ex-banker and former economy minister who founded his own party only a year ago, managed to win more votes than Le Pen. On that news, Paris conference center burst into the national anthem, the Marseillaise. Many were under 25, reflecting some of the appeal of a man aiming to become France's youngest head of state since Napoleon.



With an eye to Le Pen's avowedly France-first policies, Macron told the crowd: "I want to be the president of patriots in the face of a threat from nationalists." If he wins, Macron's biggest challenges will lie ahead, as he first tries to secure a working parliamentary majority for his young party in June, and then seeks broad popular support for labor reforms that are sure to meet resistance. "From today I want to build a majority for a government and for a new transformation. It will be made up of new faces and new talent in which every man and woman can have a place," he said. Le Pen, who is herself bidding to make history as France's first female president, follows in the footsteps of her father, who founded the National Front and reached the second round of the presidential election in 2002. Jean-Marie Le Pen was ultimately crushed when voters from right and left rallied around the conservative Jacques Chirac in order to keep out a party whose far-right, anti-immigrant views they considered unpalatably xenophobic. His daughter has done much to soften her party's image, and found widespread support among young voters by pitching herself as an anti-establishment defender of French workers and French interests against global corporations and an economically constricting EU. "The great issue in this election is the rampant globalization that is putting our civilization at risk," she declared in her first word after results came through. She went on to launch an attack on the policies of Macron, whom she again described as "the money king" in a disparaging swipe at his investment banker background. His deregulation policies, she said, would lead to unjust international competition against France's business interests, mass immigration and free movement of terrorists.

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There is no need for bluster and threats, but the president should tell the Germans and the Japanese what they did not here last week in Washington: Get off your export gravy train and generate more economic growth from household consumption and (public and private) investments. Yes, the U.S. will be watching your progress in reducing excessive trade surpluses with America and the rest of the world. And do drop a hint over that gutsy Sicilian "tre forze" espresso about America's readiness for defensive measures  should making nice fail.

That would be the beginning of upholding the true system of multilateral free trade. The rules of that system must be followed. Otherwise there is no system at all.

Germany and Japan know that. They also know that their trade policies are unsustainable.

Witness the confused German defense of their trade surpluses during last week's international meetings in Washington. The most influential pro-government right-of-center German daily followed suit last Friday (April 21) with a discussion pretending that, poor souls, they did not know what to do: German products are just very good, they said, and the world wants to buy them.

Well, here is an idea. Germany's household consumption is estimated to have grown last year at a rate of 1.4 percent, and the business investment at a stagnating 1 percent. If Germans stimulated these two demand components  exactly two-thirds of the economy  they could make it possible for foreigners to sell them something (that would raise German imports), and German companies would not have to export to survive and escape weak demand at home.

Japan is a similar case. Half of its growth last year came from trade surpluses, while the household consumption and business investments advanced at lethargic growth rates of 0.4 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

Tokyo wants to hang on to its export-driven growth; it has no interest in a bilateral trade deal with the U.S. that would open up closed sectors of its economy. And furious about Washington's alleged trade pressure, Japan's deputy prime minister was aggressively disparaging the American society at my alma mater in New York last Wednesday (April 19), while praising "an open multilateral trading system" that gave Tokyo a trade surplus of $200 billion and net foreign assets of $3.3 trillion in 2016.
Consolidation has been a topic of discussion for several years among city of Auburn and Cayuga County officials at varying levels. It is raised every so often as municipalities look for ways to reduce costs in the face of razor-thin margins or expected budget short falls. After prolonged debate the topic usually fades away from the wider public awareness for a while.

Five years ago I wrote a piece for The Citizen on the supposed advantages of consolidation among municipalities. At the time, this was a major news story, as joint meetings between Auburn City Council and the county Legislature explored the idea in the wake of cuts at the city level. I mentioned that in my research I had found that consolidation can definitely result in more efficient operations, but there was no evidence to suggest it produced any economic benefit. Studies conducted over multiple decades could not prove that municipal consolidation resulted in noticeable savings or job growth.

Auburn fire chief: Consider a countywide fire service AUBURN  Joe Morabito, chief of the Auburn Fire Department, said it won't happen in his care

The most recent focus of this topic has been the consolidation of fire departments across the county. The consolidation talk is born out of a low volunteer rate in the rural areas, rather than the need to create budget efficiencies, although that is an associated selling point. A dive into data on the economic savings related to fire department consolidation produces a mixed bag, if anything. In fact, John K. Murphy, retired deputy fire chief, lawyer and expert on EMS and fire department operations in New York and Washington state, recently wrote that fire chiefs and local politicians should not promise major cost savings with consolidations, because there is generally none or very little actual savings.

Financial questions aside, the real drive for consolidation comes from the manpower crisis caused by decreasing volunteerism, a nationwide problem. Rural districts have to keep calling for backup from neighboring districts when battling fires. While the consolidation of departments might help improve response time and staffing levels, the long, skinny shape of Cayuga County creates unique spatial limitations. A county-wide fire district would seemingly face similar issues when a fire breaks out in Fair Haven or King Ferry, where the fleet would have to move from one end of the county to help out.

Creating consolidated, self- taxing fire districts that cross county boundaries might be a sensible way to serve the rural areas of the region. Washington state allows for the creation of regional fire authorities. These are a special districts voted into existence that consolidate and regionalize fire and emergency services. A statute passed way back in 1985 provides the framework for local municipalities to form these regional districts.

Our view: Explore consolidation of fire departments, despite roadblocks Auburn Fire Department Chief Joe Morabito recently told the city council that area leaders s

Unfortunately, sensible solutions are hard to come by in the Empire State. As Auburn Fire Chief Joe Morabito pointed out in his address to Auburn City Council earlier this month, Cuomos imperatives are often at odds with existing state law. Its not just fire departments, either. School boards, city and county governments, also face the same pressure from Albany. We all need the same elusive creative reforms to relieve the stress.
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The euro's spike to a five-month high after the results of France's first round of presidential voting came in as expected was already fading in early Asia trade Monday. The single currency jumped as high as $1.0935, the highest since just after the U.S. election in November, after Sunday's voting in France, but had fallen to $1.0825 by 10:27 a.m. on Monday. Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen were headed to a runoff in France's presidential election, set for May 7, matching expectations for the first round outcome on Sunday. Polls forecast that pro-European Macron will roundly defeat anti-European Union Le Pen. The euro had been weighed by uncertainty heading into the voting Sunday as the four leading candidates were all polling within the margin of error for deciding which two would proceed to the second round. Marc Chandler, global head of currency strategy at BBH, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday that the market wasn't surprised by the outcome.

Dan Kitwood | Getty Images

"This is very much what the market expected so what we saw happen, is that the euro has been marked sharply higher immediately as the results were known and since then it's actually been trickling lower," he said. Chandler also noted that the results showed that the market may be able to throttle back concerns about other risks. After the U.K. voted in June to exit the European Union, fears have risen that other European nations might exit, potentially breaking up the monetary union or the entire trading bloc. "The big takeaway from this, like the Dutch election earlier this year, is that there is not a populist, nationalist wave sweeping across the world," Chandler said, noting that Germany's right-wing, anti-immigration, Eurosceptic party AfD was "very weak" and getting weaker. But others attributed the euro's step back to continued concerns over Le Pen.

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Capitalizing on that popularity is Go-Jek, an app used commonly for ride-hailing of motorbikes. The company was reportedly valued at $1.3 billion dollars , making it Indonesia's first and only unicorn.

More than 76 million motorbikes were registered in the nation as of 2012, according to The Jakarta Post , citing the Central Statistics Agency.

In Indonesia , the motorbike often reigns supreme over cars. In addition to the obvious reasons of affordability and efficiency, heavy traffic is a large factor. Jakarta, for instance is one of the most congested cities in the world.

CNBC recently tested out the service on the Indonesian island of Bali. The 10-minute ride on a motorbike, cost the equivalent of about 30-cents. While cash payment was accepted, using payment platform GoPay would have offered a roughly 25-percent discount.

Southeast Asia has seen Uber and Singapore-based Grab expand aggressively, and both companies also offer a motorbike option in parts of Indonesia.

"It's a most uniquely positioned company and I don't see it as a pure Uber or Grab competitor but as a hybrid tech play. Its payments capabilities and wide array of customer offerings are most interesting," Ozi Amanat, founder of venture capital firm K2 Global told CNBC.

"Southeast Asia is a vibrant economy with a massive population and growing spending power," he added.

Indonesia is by far the largest nation in the region, with a population of roughly 250 million people. In addition to Go-Jek being homegrown, it's also at the early stages of potentially creating its very own ecosystem, similar to WeChat in China.

Not only can users order a ride from bikes and cars, Go-Jek is also used as a food delivery service and as an online payments system. For instance, users can order Starbucks on the app and a biker then picks up the job for delivery.

Go-Jek was recently in talks to raise an additional $1 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The dominance of Facebook and when it comes to advertising could "crush" smaller players like Snapchat  unless regulators step in, said one author and professor.

"As the poor folks at Snapchat are finding, these companies can crush even well-capitalized companies like Snapchat, by just knocking off their features," Jonathan Taplin, director emeritus of the University of Southern California's Annenberg Innovation Lab, told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Monday.

Recently public, makes its money from advertising. Despite Snapchat's popularity, eMarketer projects that it will account for only about 1.3 percent of the U.S. mobile ad market this year. Meanwhile, Facebook has introduced copycat features to rival Snapchat.

One solution, Taplin said, is to treat companies like Google as a "utility" that's required to share its patents with the rest of the community.

Google does make many of its products available to developers and consumers for free, and many tech innovations actually reduce prices for consumers  not typical of an economic monopoly.

Still, Taplin said, "you could argue that Google is a natural monopoly."

"The problem is, the rise of Google, Facebook and Amazon has meant the fall of the creative economy," Taplin said citing falling profits in industries like books, newspapers, music and movies. Taplin is the author of "Move Fast and Break Things: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy."

In an opinion piece for The New York Times this week, Taplin argued that rather than drive down the cut that musicians and artists get for their work, the tech giants need to share more of their revenue.

"They need to be more generous with the creative community or there won't be a creative community," Taplin said.

Watch: Google engineers form startup
Donald Trump has made an unusually large number of pledges since becoming president, and as his administration approaches the 100-day mark on Saturday, the evidence shows he hasn't followed through on many of them.

Trump has not delivered on a range of distinct policy pledges, such as increasing tariffs, cutting taxes, funding infrastructure, repealing Obamacare or reforming drug prices. He has also declined to take any public action to pursue several ideas he theatrically promoted on Twitter, such as creating a voter fraud commission or potentially changing libel laws.

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According to an analysis by MSNBC, out of 35 public pledges Trump made since becoming president, he has made no major effort to follow through on 18, while he has taken some kind of action on 17 other pledges. The tabulation focuses on pledges Trump made since he was elected  separate from promises made during the campaign (which can be found on NBCNews.com's Promise Tracker).

More than most modern presidents, Trump has made a wide range of claims, accusations and promises, especially on Twitter, and those remarks have garnered intense media and political attention. Yet the tabulation suggests, at least for the first 100 days, Trump has made virtually no effort to carry out many of those pledges.

The "100 Day" mark is an early but traditional time to take stock of a new administration. For Trump, the results suggest that while he is more voluble than his predecessors, he is far less effective at achieving actual governing results. That is especially true for legislative achievements, where the president's record is quite thin.

Of the 28 bills he has signed into law so far, 13 essentially oppose federal agency rules drafted during the Obama administration, nine involve appointments or ceremonial matters, such as naming federal buildings, and only six involve legislative substance, such as a bill authorizing spending for the space program.

By most metrics, Trump has not signed any laws that are considered major policy reforms. His administration pulled back from a high-profile effort to repeal Obamacare, though officials say Trump may return to the issue, and he has yet to push detailed legislation regarding taxes or infrastructure spending.

Trump did sign a bill canceling an Obama-era rule regarding Planned Parenthood, a major issue for conservatives and liberals alike. The rule, which barred local governments from interfering with federal funding for organizations that provide abortion services, had technically been in effect for two days when Trump took office.

In terms of larger legislation during the 100-day period, by contrast, Obama signed a $787 billion stimulus into law, Bill Clinton got Democrats to approve a $1.5 trillion budget, and Franklin Roosevelt, who set the standard for early success, rammed 76 bills through Congress.

One area where Trump has been productive, by historical standards, is executive orders. He has released 25 executive orders, more than the past two presidents at this time. Aides say Trump will sign a new order on veterans Thursday, which would be his 26th. (At 100 days, Obama had 19 orders and Bush had 11.) While Trump's most well-known order, the travel ban, is currently blocked during a court fight, most of his orders are in effect.

Trump's Justice Department is busy implementing strict executive policies on crime, immigration and law enforcement coordination with local police. Several orders limiting government bureaucracy or regulations are now winding their way through federal agencies.

It turns out some Trump executive actions, however, contain exceptions that cut against his own pledges.

In February, Trump said pipe for the Keystone project must come "from the U.S." His new executive rules for that policy, however, provided an exception for Keystone. The president also signed an order to eliminate two regulations for every new regulation, but it provides large exceptions for any regulations about agency organization, national security, military matters or foreign affairs.

And while the president touted an order limiting lobbyists in his administration, it includes secret waivers for lobbyists. The Obama administration also used waivers to hire some former lobbyists.

Finally, on inspection, some Trump orders amount to little more than optional advice for the government  not binding reforms.

Trump's order on Obamacare tells agencies to reduce "burdens" of the policy, for example, while complying with the law.

In contrast to the executive orders, a review of Trump's presidential pledges on Twitter reveals a string of discarded ideas, at least so far.

In January, Trump bemoaned violence in Chicago and pledged, "I will send in the Feds!"

His administration has only reduced federal oversight of local police departments, however, pulling back from several federal training programs. The head of the Chicago police says the White House has not responded to his requests for federal assistance.

Trump has also declined to pursue his pledges to investigate or "prove" his own conspiracy theories.

In January, he tweeted a call for a voter fraud investigation. In February, he told Fox News he would "set up a commission" led by Vice President Mike Pence to investigate the issue. In March, he also tweeted a call for an "immediate investigation" into New York Sen. Chuck Schumer's alleged ties to Putin. He has taken no public action on any of those pledges.

Trump's tendency to kick the can down the road is not limited to political controversies and distractions.

On tax reform, a major policy priority for Republicans, Trump said in February he would unveil a specific tax plan in "a few weeks," a deadline which has come and gone. Last week, he moved the deadline again, saying he would release a tax plan "Wednesday or shortly thereafter." That timeline "left Mr. Trump's own Treasury officials speechless," The New York Times reported, and on Sunday, Trump aides said Wednesday's announcement will provide "principles for tax reform," not written legislation.

While a handful of Trump's accusations have consumed Washington and the political press, on Twitter, he has spent the first 100 days hammering the topic of jobs. He frequently tweets about employment and economic plans, arguing individual company decisions are a response to his administration.

"Car companies coming back to the U.S. JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!," Trump posted about a Ford announcement about investing in Michigan plans.

"There is an incredible spirit of optimism sweeping the country right now  we're bringing back the JOBS!," Trump wrote in another tweet, about Exxon investing in American refineries.

He also outlined plans to cut "wasteful regulations," a pledge Trump's administration has acted on. Many business leaders have welcomed the news, though some of the regulations may cut against American workers. Among the bills Trump signed to cancel Obama-era rules, one made it easier for companies to avoid reporting when their workers are hurt or killed on the job.

While the countdown to Trump's 100-day mark is sure to animate many debates, for his part, the president is already arguing the framework is overhyped. In tweet on Friday, he dubbed it a "ridiculous standard."
Is this what unity looks like? Maybe.

The reviews of the Democratic National Committee's national "unity tour" with Sen. Bernie Sanders and Chairman Tom Perez have been mostly negative. The Republican National Committee flooded reporters' inboxes with bad headlines from the past week and even the liberal New Republic declared the effort "failed."

There was plenty of grist for the critics: Boos for Perez; blowback from pro-choice groups for Sanders; and even, as if proving the curse, the collapse of an American flag behind Perez during a live interview on MSNBC.

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The whole point of the latest endeavor was to put Perez, the new party chief, in front of Sanders' most loyal supporters in key spots around the country to try to begin to earn their trust  even if that starts with letting them vent. Thousands turned out to see the Vermont senator in Portland, Miami and Las Vegas, where the tour concluded Saturday. Perez was the opening act; Sanders the closer.

Whether each of them likes it or not, the Democratic party and Sanders will need each other to survive in Donald Trump's America.

Sanders is the most popular politician in either party, several recent polls have found. More than four-in-10 Democrats  about 13 million people  picked him over Clinton in last year's primary, and they've stuck with him with a loyalty that any politician would envy.

"I have been amazed at the energy Bernie Sanders has generated," Perez said from the stage at the Mesa Amphitheater Friday as he gazed out at sea of T-shirts emblazoned with Sanders' face.

So since being elected chairman in February  over the fierce objection of Sanders  Perez has been traveling the country as a human sponge to soak up the pent-up frustration of Democrats of all stripes.

Just as winning has a way of papering over internal divisions, losing has a way of exacerbating them.

At a black church in Detroit last month, congregants murmured "Amen" when an African-American woman came to the microphone to tell Perez, "We feel abandoned and we feel taken for granted." Last week, steelworkers told him they didn't know whom to trust anymore.

"I wanted to hear directly the frustration of people who feel the party hasn't met their expectations," Perez told NBCNews.com. "And for every boo-bird, there's 400 people who want the party to succeed, have frustrations, and want to make sure that somebody is listening to them."

Perez, who was vetted to be Hillary Clinton's vice president and then in line to be her attorney general, probably didn't expect to spend this year relitigating the 2016 Democratic primary. But if the party were already unified, there'd be no need for a unity tour.

As he reflected on the tumultuous week riding Sanders' coattails, Perez said he was satisfied with the outcome. "For me, this has been a great trip," he said.

So Perez, and other Democrats, can do little but bite their lip about what the Washington Post dubbed "Bernie Sanders' strange behavior"  his refusal to call himself a Democrat, or to call Georgia congressional candidate Jon Ossoff "a progressive," and less-than-full-throated endorsement of Perez' stewardship of the DNC.

"We must conclude that the current model, the current process by which the Democratic Party does business, is a failed process," Sanders said minutes after Perez left the stage in Mesa. "That is why I am here tonight. Enough is enough."

Still, for all his anti- joinerism , Sanders long ago concluded that he had to work inside the Democratic party, and to help it do what he thinks needs to be done.

He's taken on a leadership role inside the party's Senate caucus, and has a solid relationship with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, aides say.

Even agreeing to participate in a tour to help the DNC  an organization he went to war with during the primary  was a concession, allies say, and if nothing else he and Perez have now forged a personal bond.

"There's very few people who have been running around the country quite as much as I have been, trying to bring people into the party," Sanders said when asked about his commitment to the party Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Perez and Sanders both want " Berniecrats " to work with the party and vote for its candidates, even if those people don't want to be called Democrats themselves.

Getting some will be easy.

"Anybody who goes against Trump is good with me," said Roxanne Bowers of Phoenix said of Perez.

Others will be harder.

Paul Welshons, a Navy veteran who scrapes by financially by selling scrap metal, wrote in Sanders' name on the ballot in November.

He loves Franklin D. Roosevelt and said he voted Democratic every year since 1970, but gave up on the party when no one went to jail for the financial crisis.

"I want to see that whole thing taken apart and dismantled," he said of the party.
ZHENGZHOU, China  China holds excellent opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation, according to Yu Zhichen, CEO of Turing Robot, a firm looking to make it big in artificial intelligence.

"I've been to the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and Israel, and the opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship in China are just as good  in some respects it's actually better," Yu told CNBC.

That's because China is already a pretty tech-savvy place and firms continue investing in R&D, according to Yu, who added that the country's giant manufacturing machine means everything can happen in one place.

Like in many countries, technology firms have taken the spotlight in China's entrepreneurial space. And it's an increasingly important part of the growing private sector, as the government guides the economy away from the old growth model of manufacturing and exports, and into the modern era with services and consumption as the main drivers.

Beijing has made it clear that developing advanced technology and capabilities are a priority. In 2015, the government announced its "Made in China 2025" plan, a policy initiative meant to supercharge development in key high-tech areas including advanced medical devices, semiconductors and aerospace equipment.

But some critics have said that plan will unfairly prop up Chinese companies as the government pays out giant subsidies and gives domestic firms preferential treatment. It may also mean foreign firms start to lose access to the Chinese market.

Above Image: Robots from Turing Robot. Courtesy Turing Robot.

No matter how that policy plays out, Chinese innovators seem determined to forge ahead with a new generation of entrepreneurs. That's not a surprise given the success of tech titans like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Robin Li of Baidu .

Turing Robot, for instance, has not only developed a voice recognition software that is capable of understanding Mandarin and overlaying that with artificial intelligence services, but it has also created an operating system that can be used for robots  including a toy robot meant to offer companionship to children.

In the long run, robots could end up with the ability to do tons of things. But we're still at least a few years off from having to worry about machines replacing humans, said Yu, 32.

"At this point, the technology still needs time to develop  maybe in 5 to 10 years we can start worrying about this issue," he said. Plus, "robots should be seen more as a friend, rather than competition."

In the future, though, robots are likely to contribute an increasing amount to the overall economy. "As this industry develops, robots will add more support and take on more duties," Yu said. And when asked about a suggestion that Bill Gates has before raised, a tax on robots, Yu said the idea could very possibly become reality  especially if machines begin adding more value to GDP.
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Beijing appears to be sending fresh signals about its view on North Korea, in order to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to take less aggressive action against the rogue nuclear state, several political analysts say. "One thing we're seeing is a tactical adjustment on Beijing's part to Trump," said John Delury, associate professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. "There's a kind of game here where Beijing is playing along to a certain extent, almost to call Trump's bluff, and to get the Americans to recognize they have the key in their hand to unlock the problem." "The key is not military. When you start to look carefully at the military options, they are horrific, just given the economic vulnerabilities of everyone in this neighborhood," he said. "The key the U.S. has is diplomacy." At least two-thirds of North Korea's trade is with China, giving Beijing tremendous leverage over the state. Recent reports indicate that Chinese authorities are beginning to test that power.

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After a North Korean missile test in February, Chinese authorities suspended coal imports from the state for the rest of the year. Media reports citing Chinese academics and opinion pieces in the Beijing-backed Global Times have raised the prospect of cutting oil exports to North Korea. Such action would severely hurt the small, North Korean economy and indicate China's seriousness on curbing the pariah state, analysts said.

The chimneys of a power station amid the Pyongyang city skyline. Ed Jones | AFP | Getty Images

"Clearly the Chinese regime is losing patience with North Korea," said Michael Hirson, Asia director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. "We're seeing some incremental steps that the Chinese may be in favor of doing more." "I think China is signaling to both sides, to the U.S. that China is doing more, that China is acting in good faith to head off a crisis in North Korea," Hirson said. "Primarily they're telling the U.S. that ultimately China feels the only solution in North Korea is one that involves diplomacy and getting North Korea to the table." As a candidate, Trump said he would be prepared to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and talk things out "over a hamburger."

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But Trump has changed his tone since winning the election, and the chance of negotiations appears slimmer. Trump has repeatedly pressured China to act on trade, and offered better deals with the U.S. in return. Vice President Mike Pence said during a visit to South Korea this month that "the era of strategic patience is over" with North Korea. The U.S. ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail toward the Korean peninsula  after some confusion within the administration about when, exactly, that was happening. Pyongyang responded by saying it was ready to sink the carrier. Meanwhile, two Japanese destroyers have joined the U.S. carrier group. And there's even a chance the United States could build some level of influence over North Korea itself. "The main leverage we have is the North Koreans want a new relationship with us because they don't want to become too dependent on China," said Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project. "They don't trust the Chinese."

Chinese sanctions alone may not cut it

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone call with Trump on Monday that China opposes anything that runs counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions and that all sides should avoid doing anything to worsen tensions, state media reported. Xi's own hands are tied in terms of how dramatic a shift he can make on North Korea, because he faces domestic political considerations. The Chinese leader wants stability ahead of a key Communist Party congress this fall. "Yes, China can do more and should keep up the multilateral sanctions, but at the same time it would be overreaching to conclude that somehow China through sanctions alone can get the North Koreans alone to change behavior," said Zha Daojiong, professor at Peking University's School of International Studies. He noted that North Korea's access to the ocean potentially allows trade with other parts of the world, especially on black markets. Analysts were also quick to point out that China said more but has actually done little so far on the economic front. The value of imports and exports between North Korea and China in the first two months of this year actually rose nearly 7.6 percent from the same period last year, according to China Customs data. Part of the problem is China has less control over its trade with North Korea than it appears. "You're looking at some pretty lucrative business partnerships" due to high risks that elevate prices, said John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School. "Even if the Chinese authorities were serious about implementing (sanctions), because of the challenge of corruption at local levels, implementation is a different ballgame altogether."  Reuters contributed to this report. Watch: S. Korea finance minister speaks
CNBC, the world's number one business and financial news network, today unveiled plans to launch a new, Middle East business update live from the UAE capital's International Financial Centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), starting this month. The segment will be hosted by CNBC's Middle East Anchor, Hadley Gamble.

Gamble, who joined the network in 2010, has extensive experience in covering Middle Eastern business and will be reporting live into some of CNBC's most popular global shows, including its EMEA flagship, Squawk Box.

John Casey, SVP International News and Programming for CNBC, said: "The economic story in the Middle East is one that we are extremely interested in. We've seen huge growth across the region in recent years and Hadley will be on the ground to get under the skin of these stories."

Hadley Gamble, Middle East Anchor at CNBC International said: "I'm excited to be fronting these new, Middle East business updates for CNBC. We've been reporting on the business of the Middle East for years, documenting the region's growing influence in global finance which is only going to become more critical in the years ahead. It's time to raise the bar. I'll be speaking to the key players; the men and women who will help to define not only Abu Dhabi's role as a global financial powerhouse, but also shape the future of the region."

Mubarak Al Nakhi, Director of Strategy and Business Affairs, ADGM, said: "We welcome CNBC to Abu Dhabi and are pleased that CNBC will be reporting its Middle Eastern stories from ADGM. International news and programming networks are important constituents contributing towards a successful business and financial marketplace. At ADGM, we look forward to its in-depth news coverage of the region to enable corporates and investors to make more informed business and investment decisions."

He added: "Having access to succinct and timely news reports and insights is vital to the growth and sustainability of any economy. This new development, that clearly demonstrates CNBC's recognition of Abu Dhabi's leading role in the regional and global business landscape, dovetails well with ADGM's commitment and efforts in fostering a vibrant financial ecosystem. It also underscores ADGM's forte and position as the nexus in providing valuable access to the whole MENA region."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Sarah Whiteacre, CNBC

+44 (0)20 7653 9363 / Sarah.Whiteacre@CNBC.com

Mirna Hijazi, Abu Dhabi Global Market

Mirna.Hijazi@adgm.com

About CNBC

CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with three regional networks including CNBC in Asia, CNBC in EMEA and CNBC in the US. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is dedicated to CEOs, senior corporate executives, the financial services industry and private investors. The channel is available in more than 371 million homes worldwide. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal.

About Abu Dhabi Global Market

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre located in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, opened for business on 21st October 2015.

In line with the Abu Dhabi's Economic Vision, ADGM is a natural extension of Abu Dhabi's role as a reliable and responsible member of the global financial community. Strategically situated in Abu Dhabi, home to one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, ADGM plays a pivotal role in positioning Abu Dhabi as a global centre for business and finance that connects the growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

ADGM's three independent authorities, the Registration Authority, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority and ADGM Courts, enable registered companies to conduct business in a zero-percent tax environment and operate with confidence within an international regulatory framework with its own independent judicial system and legislative infrastructure based on the Common Law.

Established by a UAE Federal Decree as a broad based financial centre, ADGM's foundation is anchored on three of Abu Dhabi's strategic strengths - private banking, wealth management and asset management and will continually expand its financial services in response to the needs of its businesses and marketplace.

Abu Dhabi Global Market is located on Al Maryah Island, a 114-hectare development that is home to world-class business and lifestyle facilities such as the Rosewood and Four Seasons Hotels and Residences, the first ever specialty Cleveland Clinic Hospital outside of USA, luxury retail at the Galleria Mall, and grade-A offices spaces to meet Abu Dhabi's long-term development and economic needs. All these complement ADGM's international financial centre position as a vibrant destination in the capital city in Abu Dhabi.
City

 Sid S. Harrison, 37, 1140 Norton Ave., Rochester, was picked up on an indictment warrant April 19 and charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.

 Patricia S. Lafler, 44, 61 Chapman Ave., Auburn, was picked up on a warrant April 19 and charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree use of drug paraphernalia, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and petit larceny.

 Shawn M. Anthony, 39, 55 Market St. Apt. 4A, Auburn, was charged April 19 with petit larceny.

 Brooke A. Hotaling, 19, 94 Wall St., Auburn, was charged April 19 with petit larceny.

 Matthew J. McIntosh, 26, transient, Auburn, was picked up on a warrant April 20 and charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

 Michael J. Pidlypchak, 41, 4147 State Route 34B, Union Springs, was picked up on a warrant April 20 and charged with first-degree criminal contempt.

 Allison A. Besner, 20, 6021 Oakridge Road, Auburn, was charged April 20 with first-degree identity theft, second-degree forgery and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

 Kenneth D. Tanner, 46, 13 Wright Ave., Auburn, was charged April 20 with aggravated driving while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated.

 Nushaw R. Nwankwo, 32, 204 Belaire Place, Apt. 1, Syrcause, was picked up April 21 on a bench warrant.

 Roland Barreto, 53, 24 Chase St., Auburn, was charged April 21 with second-degree criminal contempt.

 Michael J. Coraci, 48, 6562 Beech Tree Rd., Auburn, was charged April 22 with third-degree assault.

 Scott M. Lang, 38, 7969 State Street Rd., Port Byron, was charged April 22 with resisting arrest.

 Danieal J. Farrar, 23, 17 N. Fulton St. Apt. 2, Auburn, was charged April 22 with driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated and second-degree obstructing government administration.

 Calvin M. Laning, 21, 333 Clark St., Auburn, was charged April 24 with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree menacing.

County

 Cynthia Stevens, 55, Marcellus, was charged March 20 with endangering the welfare of a child.

 Michael K. Swan, 25, Auburn, was charged April 2 with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and introduction of prison contraband.

 Timothy E. Prall, 53, Victory, was charged April 5 with operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit first offense and driving while intoxicated first offense.

 Clifford I. Bond, 25, Sennett, was picked up on a warrant April 6 and charged with first-degree criminal sexual act.

 Nichole W. Brown, 27, Auburn, was picked up on a warrant April 7 and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 David M. Janusz, 57, Throop, was charged April 8 with driving while intoxicated first offense.

 Harry A. Fearon, 21, Springport, was charged April 9 with petit larceny.

 Adam J. Lamphere, 34, Cato, was charged April 12 with third-degree menacing and second-degree criminal contempt.

 Mariah D. Dann, 22, Port Byron, was charged April 15 with fourth-degree criminal mischief.

 Matthew C. Henry, 35, Ontario, was charged April 15 with driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction and aggravated driving while intoxicated.

 Saw T. Win, 33, Syracuse, was charged April 16 with aggravated driving while intoxicated, second-degree reckless endangerment and driving while intoxicated first offense.

State

 Dustin A. Brier, 19, Port Byron, was charged April 19 with fourth-degree criminal mischief.

 Theresa M. Hilliard, 22, Seneca Falls, was charged April 20 with operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit and driving while intoxicated first offense.

 Nicole A. Weiler, 26, Auburn, was charged April 19 with second-degree criminal impersonation, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

 Victoriano Vergel-Marquez, 27, Amsterdam, was charged April 21 with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree attempted disseminating indecent material to minors and luring a child.

 Christopher M. Gonyea, 35, Jordan, was charged April 21 with driving while ability impaired by drugs.

 Ginger R. Wood, 27, Albany, was charged April 23 with second-degree forgery, second-degree criminal impersonation, first-degree promoting prison contraband and second-degree reckless endangerment.

 Charmain R. Smith, 37, Schenectady, was charged April 23 with first-degree promoting prison contraband and second-degree reckless endangerment.

 Genevieve M. Von Walstrom, 34, Syracuse, was charged April 21 with first-degree falsifying business records.
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Ronald Arculli, Chairman of FWD Group and Former Chairman of HKEX. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 24 April 2017 at 09:00AM SG/HK Time, during CNBC's "Hong Kong versus Singapore" theme week.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview".

Interviewed by Bernie Lo, Anchor, CNBC and Oriel Morrison, Anchor, CNBC.

Bernie Lo: Things have changed quite dramatically, you know. We recently had Guotai Junnan Securities that was good to see that happen but the thing I noticed is that before that happened, the month leading up to that, it was actually... definitely quiet. A lot of businesses had dropped off quite a bit. I know exchanges around the world are kinda going through a lot of soul searching. What do they want to be? What do they want to be ruled by? Do they want to act to the demands of a lot of these companies that want to list. Should we be doing that sort of thing in order to be home to those markets?

Ronald Arculli: I think one of the challenges in any stock exchange, and Hong Kong is no different, is that in terms of the different businesses and perhaps the different expectations of different markets, Hong Kong, obviously, over the years have, as it were, looked at the situation and see whether we should try and be all things to all people or whether at the end of the day, a little old fashion might be the order of the day. So I think this theme keeps recurring, coming back ever so often.

Bernie: Our options are not binary though. We don't have to be either one vote... One share one vote, so full democracy and action or be all things to all people and be a free for all. I mean we could determine, you know, what kind of companies do what here, make what concessions actually are worth it in terms of getting those listings here, getting that sort of market capitalisation and that kind of attention focus back on our markets again. There are in-betweens right?

Ronald: There are, definitely, in-betweens. But also in terms of you know the maturity and sophistication of the market that we serve, you know, does that allow for a system like they have in the U.S. where buyers beware, everything is disclosed. And off you go. There are of course even critical voices about the American system of you know, different voting structure for corporate structure. And there are pluses and there are minuses obviously.

Oriel: From your perspective, and you have a very unique perspective when it comes to the financial markets, what do you think that Singapore has, that Hong Kong doesn't?

Ronald: ASEAN, in one word. I mean when you look at the ASEAN group, they generally tend to accept that Singapore, as it were, is a guardian of their group. Particularly when it comes to financial markets as each of the nations around it grow in maturity and sophistication. So Singapore has that great advantage, I think, over Hong Kong. Rather like Hong Kong has the advantage over Singapore in greater China or North Asia.

Oriel: Singapore, when you talk about ASEAN, there is an effort at play at the moment to bring ASEAN closer together with the ASEAN passport. However, you can't get around the fact that it is still a very fragmented region, a lot of different regulations in different countries. So surely on one hand it is a huge positive that Singapore has ASEAN, but also on the other hand, it can be a negative.

Ronald: But I think if you look, if you fast forward say to five, ten, fifteen years. On a five year horizon, I mean the level of sophistication in each of these markets is growing and they're learning very fast because of economic development and so on and so forth. So you put together a very large population, a very young population, you have 250 million in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, you know, Philippines approaching a hundred million. That's a lot of people.

Bernie: Even in this day and age and it's been somewhere in the neighbourhood of 24 years, a quarter of a century since china started its stock market experimentation. I still feel in some ways, we're still testing the grounds each time with mainland companies. Companies come and list and they're still the exception, fortunately, rather than the rule. But six months later, nine months down the line, companies run into trouble, book keeping runs into trouble. Auditors start having problems, they make the news for all the wrong reasons and then they get halted from listing. It's like, every time I see stories like that happen here, I tell myself, where was all the due diligence? Isn't all these things, stuff should have happened a long, long time ago? Why do we keep going through the same hoops, the same hurdles, the same problems in Hong Kong? Why is that?

Ronald: I imagine, you know, in every market you get the odd rogue, if I could put it that way. And you'll try and see a professional advisors try to do. Unless you really roll up your shirt sleeves and make physical sort of inspection, literally, that might help reduce it but might not get rid of it entirely. So I suspect there are a fair bit of due diligence in that area anyway. But when you have such a large economy growing at the rate of knots the governance or the very.. We assume to be the basic things in the rest of the world as well as Hong Hong, I mean it's not a given in developing and emerging markets.

Bernie: Have we gotten it right in terms of fiduciary regulations here in Hong Kong? I mean the responsibilities of under writers, book builders and those people, when it comes to actually introducing listings and bringing companies to the capital markets. I mean we went through that debate for the longest time. Do we seem to have the right formula now?

Ronald: Well I think we are moving, definitely, very much in the right direction. But at the end of the day, whatever rules you make, wherever you put the responsibilities, at the end of it, it still comes down to cooperation between the professionals that are involved and the regulators. So if you over regulate, you will tend to kill the market. And therefore... And also access to different markets by the regulators. Which I think right now, China is in quite a good spot because, you know, she is definitely a member of IOSCO and it's represented in different, sort of professional and recognised global regulatory bodies. So you know, from that perspective, you know, from the governmental point of view, they're definitely having a great impact and participating in all that governance structure out of G20 etc. And all that.
European markets closed higher on Monday after centrist presidential candidate, Emmanuel Macron, secured the most votes in the first round of the French election.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended up by over 2.1 percent with all sectors and major bourses trading in positive territory. The benchmark hit its highest level since early December 2015. While, the French CAC 40 bourse jumped 4.1 percent, to notch highs not seen in more than nine years with the German DAX also recording an all-time high of 12,454.

Stocks of French banks dominated the top of the European benchmark with Credit Agricole , Societe Generale , Natixis and BNP Paribas all closing over 7.5 percent higher on Monday. Axa and Vinci also traded higher as a rally in french stocks boosted the entire sector and subsequently outperformed its peers.

Investors are confident Macron is poised to defeat his far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen, in the runoff vote as the former economy minister's first round success sparked an unwinding in safe haven trades. Should Macron emerge victorious on May 7, traders appear optimistic the French economy could benefit from the frontrunner's ambitious reform policies and the European Union should also be more likely to retain its second-biggest economy.

As a result, the jumped and posted its best daily climb against the dollar since last June. It climbed 1.19 percent to $1.0854 shortly after European markets closed on Monday.



Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average and broader S&P 500 index both continued significantly higher as investors breathed a sigh of relief on Macron's first round election victory. The blue-chips index moved up by around 200 points at the start of the trading week while the Nasdaq opened at another fresh record high.
Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, celebrates after partial results in the first round of 2017 French presidential election, at the Parc des Expositions hall in Paris, France April 23, 2017. Benoit Tessier | Reuters

In France, all eyes are on a dapper former banker who has never held public office as the country heads into the second round of voting on May 7 in the French presidential elections. Thirty-nine years old, with a face that looks a decade younger, Emmanuel Macron has emerged as France's last, best, and perhaps only chance of staving off far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. That France finds itself in this position  hoping for a complete novice to win and cringing at the consequences if he should falter  has rattled the French political establishment, and Europe. He has already emerged victorious in round one, held April 23, pulling 23.7 percent of the vote from the other ten candidates and edging out Le Pen, who came in second. More from Vox:

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A new tell-all about the Clinton campaign is a searing indictment of the candidate herself That's a shocking spot for a man who has no established political party, has never run for office, and most recently served in the beleaguered Socialist Party government of Francois Hollande, a president so unpopular he didn't even attempt to run again. Macron broke with the socialists last August and launched a bid for the presidency. Initially seen as an unlikely upstart, he spent the spring steadily climbing the polls as other candidates are brought down by corruption charges and political infighting. Just before leaving Hollande's government, Macron created his own center-left nascent political party, which now backs his candidacy. It's called "En Marche!" (translated as "On the move!" or "Forward!"). Thousands have signed up online in support. In any other election year, that sort of outsider third-party upstart campaign might have amounted to little more than a notable political peculiarity, not a winning bid. But then a corruption scandal ensnared the race's more likely candidate, Francois Fillon of the conservative Republican Party  who, nevertheless, refused to drop out. Fillon is charged with having paid his wife, Penelope, and family members a million euros for work they did not do. He denies the allegation, naturally. Meanwhile, on the left, intraparty squabbles in the Socialist Party left it with a relatively unknown brand new candidate  Benoit Hamon  rather than Hollande, the incumbent president. Hamon took a dismal 6.2 percent of the vote on Sunday  undermined by both popular dismay at the current socialist regime and a rising challenge from the far left in the form of Jean-Luc Melenchon, who managed over 19 percent in the first round. Melenchon is a far-left populist who began to surge in popularity in just the past few weeks on the backs of an anti-globalization platform calling for raising taxes, pulling out of trade deals, and reducing the workweek further. With all the usual players in France's political game cast aside, Macron suddenly looked very presidential indeed. And so, untried or not, many French are now counting on him to hold off the ascension of the populist, anti-globalization, antiEuropean Union candidate Marine Le Pen of the Front National. And, after election results came in Sunday, both Fillon and Hamon immediately called for the French electorate to back Macron against the far right. Indeed, given Le Pen's campaign promises to pull France out of the EU and the common currency (or at the very least try), it isn't an exaggeration to say that it's more than France's future that is riding on the fate of Emmanuel Macron. The future of the EU itself is as well.

Meet France's last great hope

Macron is a social liberal, a centrist, and an evangelist for liberalizing the French economy. He embraces the European Union with both arms and has criticized both Brexit and Donald Trump  even going as far as to offer safe haven to those Americans who find themselves at odds with the current administration for their belief in science or their hope for academics, or those who wish for a future that involves the rest of the world. He is currently projected to beat Le Pen in the second round. And yet, polls aside, French observers' optimism about Macron's candidacy comes with a heavy dollop of concern. For one, he has only just begun to truly detail what his policies will actually be. "Macron is a very fragile candidate. He's young. He has absolutely no experience," a senior French official told me, speaking on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the government. "Frankly, he's making blunder after blunder after blunder." And yet, the same official said, "It may work because, in a sense, he looks different. He's not a traditional politician. He's a populist also from the center. He's liberal, he's more European, and, again, he has never been elected. And in our system, it's never seen. In our political system, when you are a candidate it means that you have been around for 30 years." "Our election is extremely, totally unusual," the official added, in an understatement.

A love affair even surprising for the French

Emmanuel Macron was born to physician parents in Amiens, a village about two hours north of Paris that boasts a Gothic cathedral and was the site of a major battle during the First World War. Macron referenced that bloody history to underscore the risks of returning to a divided Europe in a presidential debate two weeks ago. "Nationalism is war," he said. "I know it. I come from a region that is full of graveyards." It was a well-constructed dig at Le Pen's hypernationalism. As a child and adolescent in Amiens, Macron was a standout. He was a brilliant student and a well-regarded pianist. But he was also unusual in other ways. He fell in love with his French literature teacher, Brigitte Trogneux, who was more than 20 years his senior. The feeling was mutual, but complicated: When they met, Macron was 15; she was 36 and married with three children. Though he was soon shipped off to study at the prestigious Lycee Henri IV, a high school in Paris, he swore to her that he remained undeterred in his quest for her heart. "You will not get rid of me," he told her in as he left for high school in Paris, according to the French magazine Paris Match. "I will come back and marry you." He made good on that promise: They were married in 2007. The story of their love has prompted some sniffing, though. It is a bit of an oddity even in France, where sexual freedom (and privacy) is privileged and American sexual mores are pooh-poohed as uptight. She is considered an unofficial (unpaid) adviser to his campaign, and he relies on her heavily. There were even rumors  published on a Russian-backed website  that Macron is actually gay. He denied them vigorously. Theirs is an oft-photographed love story, unusual as the age gap gender reversal might be. As one former classmate recalled to the magazine Le Parisien, even back in their school days, the young Macron seemed "already much older than we were, without a doubt because he was already in a couple with his former French teacher."

Macron is a member of the French elite

Macron is what the French call an enarque  that is, he studied at the Ecole Nationale D'Administration, considered an elite feeder school for those who eventually go on to run the country. To go there is a calculated choice, a step on the path to public office. Macron graduated at the top of his class in 2004. But instead of immediately entering politics, Macron went to work at the Rothschild bank, where he negotiated a sale between Pfizer and Nestle in 2012 that made him a rich man. The estimates of his wealth vary widely, but most place it in the millions. "He worked as an investment banker, which makes him hated, openly, by a part of the population who like nothing more than to criticize banks," says Martin Michelot, deputy director of the Europeum Institute for European Policy in Prague. "But it is a funny argument, because people say, 'He is a banker, he has no political experience, he's never been elected.' But at same time, [they] criticize people like [Francois] Fillon or Marine Le Pen who have been elected or been in politics their whole life." Macron was appointed as an adviser to the Hollande government in 2012 (taking a massive pay cut), and then became economics minister in 2014. He brought with him a number of ideas he had developed in the private sector. For instance, he questioned the sanctity of France's 35-hour workweek (he'd be open to a longer one), the rigidity of the retirement age, and France's notoriously inflexible laws of hiring and firing, which he saw as contributing to the stagnant economy. He is liberal in the classical sense, in that he believes in the virtue of the free market. In an oft-repeated quote, when Hollande during his election campaign floated the idea of a 75 percent tax hike on higher earners, Macron said, "It's Cuba without the sun!" By May 2015, the British magazine Prospect, in a piece headlined "Can this man save France?" was calling Macron the "face of reform"  yet the piece also noted that Macron had such a baby face that a French satirical television program had presented him onscreen as a literal baby. The video (in French) is pretty funny, with a little baby Macron saying, "The 35 hours c'est caca!"  that is, "The 35-hour week is poop." And by December of 2015, he was enough of a domestic novelty star that the weekly political magazine Le Point ran a cover story that asked "Macron: et pourquoi pas lui?"  Macron: Why not him? In other words: Why not a Macron presidency? "Macron is a superstar in London, Berlin, Montreal  basically all the cities that French entrepreneurs have emigrated to to pursue business opportunities, especially in the startup world," says Martin Michelon. But that doesn't mean he's a man of the people. And in an era of right-wing populism, and the disintegration of the French manufacturing and agricultural jobs of the past, that might be a problem.

A guy like this would have no chance in a normal election. It's not a normal election.

But even with so many accolades, it's unlikely Macron, with no experience as an elected official, would have made it to presidential frontrunner status in a normal year. As late as August 2014, one of his early champions  economist Jacques Attali, known for nurturing future leaders  told the Daily Beast he was predicting a Macron presidency in 20years. Macron's unlikely ascendency has come so quickly in no small part because the rest of the candidates have struggled  Fillon, the Conservative Party candidate, most spectacularly, due to the corruption scandal currently engulfing him. But Macron has also started to carefully carve out a space for himself in opposition to the xenophobia of Le Pen. Fillon hasn't run away from this trait but has seemed, instead, to embrace it; he's begun to sound so aggressive on the questions of immigration and Islam that it's become hard to distinguish the two  he often sounds more hardline than Le Pen herself. "We've got to reduce immigration to its strict minimum," he told crowds in November, and in the same speech, he likened radical Islam to "totalitarianism like the Nazis." Macron, on the other hand, has drawn a clear line between himself and Le Pen's radical views. In the first presidential debate, he declared: "The trap you are falling into, Madame Le Pen, with your provocations, is to divide society." He then accused her of making "enemies out of more than 4 million French men and women whose religion happens to be Islam." But he has also made what the public saw as mistakes. During a visit to Algeria, he told the Algerians that French colonialism in their country had been a crime against humanity. "It's truly barbarous and it's part of a past that we need to confront by apologising to those against whom we committed these acts," he said. Breast-beating about the horrors of colonialism may be made in the salons of Paris  the French role in Algeria has been an argument and a debate for decades  but that's just not something a French politician is supposed to say when outside of France. "There is a basic saying: 'You don't criticize your country abroad.' It was a blunder," the French official I spoke to told me. Macron tried to explain what he meant, but ended up miring himself deeper in a culture war about how the French handle  and don't handle  their colonial history. His opponents immediately pounced. "This hatred of our history, this constant repentance is undignified for a presidential candidate. It wasn't so long ago that Mr. Macron recognised some of the positive aspects of colonisation. This means that Emmanuel Macron has no spine. He's simply saying what people want to hear," Fillon said at a political rally in February. Macron is also an intellectual who speaks a florid, sophisticated French, the French official pointed out to me, which means that like his Algeria statements, his speeches are too often pitched at the academy, rather than at the street and global community. There have been other critiques as well. A Le Monde profile of him quoted the current health minister, Marisol Touraine, calling his deft maneuvering around Hollande the "hold up of the century." The piece also described it as the "crime of the century" and a "parricide"  the murder of a parent.

The 64,000 question: can Macron actually win?
Jean-Claude Trichet , former president of the European Central Bank, shared his views on the French election Monday on CNBC's " Squawk on the Street ." On the state of French politics: "I would say all taken into account, this is an earthquake in French politics," Trichet said. "We don't know yet how the political forces will re-establish the appropriate equilibrium, in particular, the two governmental parties." On youth unemployment in France: "It seems to me that the success of the new government, the new president, will rely upon eliminating this youth unemployment, which is an abominable disgrace," he said. "If it is not done then we will see the populism, protectionism, you name it, continuing to grow." French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will compete in the final round of the election on May 7 . Trichet was the president of the European Central Bank from 2003 to 2011. He also discusses: Central banks. Global monetary policy. The euro. To watch the broadcast interview in its entirety, you must be a CNBC PRO subscriber .

Jean-Claude Trichet, former president of the European Central Bank, shared his views on the French election Monday on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." On the state of French politics: "I would say all taken into account, this is an earthquake in French politics," Trichet said. "We don't know yet how the political forces will re-establish the appropriate equilibrium, in particular, the two governmental parties." On youth unemployment in France: "It seems to me that the success of the new government, the new president, will rely upon eliminating this youth unemployment, which is an abominable disgrace," he said. "If it is not done then we will see the populism, protectionism, you name it, continuing to grow." French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will compete in the final round of the election on May 7. Trichet was the president of the European Central Bank from 2003 to 2011. He also discusses: Central banks.

Global monetary policy.

The euro. To watch the broadcast interview in its entirety, you must be a CNBC PRO subscriber.
Beyond the hundreds of positions that require Senate confirmation, thousands of political appointments that don't require congressional approval still aren't being filled.

Transitioning in just a few months to a new administration charged with overseeing 2.2 million federal employees is never easy. With no prior government experience and few Washington insiders on the transition team, the Trump administration is hitting a steep learning curve, according to Max Stier, founding president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service.

"No prior administration has done well at this," he said. "But Trump is even further behind."

The process has reportedly been slowed by Trump's close involvement in choosing nominees, and by turf wars between his inner circle and his Cabinet members.

Trump could decide not to fill appointments he's been given since he has promised to cut the fat out of government. But he may not be able to go as far as he wants since thousands of so-called career appointments are beyond his reach.

The full slate of top government jobs up for grabs is published every four years in the so-called Plum Book, named for the volume's purple cover. Of the more than 8,300 jobs listed in the latest edition, about half are "career appointments" over which the incoming administration has only limited discretion.

Hundreds more are part-time or honorary posts, including members of dozens of commissions, foundations and other federal bodies. Many of those job are unpaid.
Morgan Stanley shared its favorite internet stock picks for the rest of the year. "We continue to focus on revisions and areas where the market's 'narrative' can change," internet analyst Brian Nowak wrote in a report to clients Sunday entitled "Who will outperform from here through the year of investment?" Here are four companies that Morgan Stanley recommended and their price targets. 1) Alphabet (GOOGL) "Google websites growth is likely to surprise to the upside ... driven by mobile search, strong YouTube contribution, and continued innovation, such as Maps monetization in 2017," he wrote. Alphabet's "continued expense discipline leads to margin expansion and upward revisions on EPS estimates." The analyst has an overweight rating on Alphabet with a $1,000 price target, representing 16 percent upside from Friday's close. 2) Facebook (FB) We are "positive on FB's ability to continue to innovate and improve its monetization (Canvas Ads, Dynamic Ads, video)  combined with high and growing engagement we see monetization upside going forward," Nowak wrote. The analyst has an overweight rating on Facebook with a $165 price target, representing 15 percent upside from Friday's close. 3) Priceline (PCLN) "PCLN's top-line addressable market is expanding  we believe PCLN has early leadership and traction in the vacation rental space," he wrote. "PCLN's leading consumer reach, traffic acquisition and conversion capabilities, and growing selection of vacation rental properties position it to take share in the alt. accommodations market." The analyst has an overweight rating on Priceline with a $1,950 price target, representing 11 percent upside from Friday's close. 4) GrubHub (GRUB) "We are bullish [on] GRUB  as our Google trends [search] analysis shows that GRUB's Tier 2 [cities] ad efforts are increasing awareness," Nowak wrote. The analyst has an overweight rating on GrubHub with a $43 price target, representing 24 percent upside from Friday's close.

Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet Inc., speaks during the New York Times DealBook conference in New York, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with David Gerald, President & CEO of Securities Investors Association Singapore. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 24 April 2017 at 10:00AM SG/HK Time, during CNBC's "Hong Kong versus Singapore" theme week.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'.

Interviewed by Dan Murphy, Correspondent, CNBC and Oriel Morrison, Anchor, CNBC.

Dan Murphy: When it comes to market capitalisation, market liquidity and when it comes to the overall number of listings, what we really have is Hong Kong coming in above the bar when it comes to a comparison against Singapore. What is really Singapore's competitive advantage then?

David Gerald: Well it is, really the quality of companies, it's not really quantum. China enjoys the listings from; I mean Hong Kong enjoys listings from China, a number of companies have come across the border to Hong Kong to list.

We have been careful here about insisting on quality. The recent initiatives are to further cement that criterion, that we want good companies. Now, we have Hong Kong leading companies like Hong Kong Port, we have you know Hong Kong Land, and we have Hong Kong Hutchison. They're all listing here, why? Because of the established business structure, the business environment is conducive to do business, neutrality of doing business, and the best judicial system and arbitration for commercial disputes if any.

Above all, I think the regulatory framework is transparent, and provides an environment that's clear and transparent. Also, Singapore provides the gateway to global investors, to some 400 billion Asian, the market is 400 billion worth, so and there are 200 banks here and many more banks are setting up Singapore as a headquarters for the operations. Why? Because there is predictability, there is stability in governance, our government is stable, and it provides a good environment for business.

So, we don't have problems, alright, you come and set up business here, we help you all the way, and you expand into Asia, so this is the gateway to Asia.

Oriel Morrison: Let me bring Chris (Wei, Chairman of Aviva) into the conversation, Chris let me ask you directly, you do business in both, well you do business in Asia. Singapore versus Hong Kong specifically, which of these places is easier to do business in?

Wei: I think it's hard to answer that question specifically, let me put it up a notch. If you look at the underlying demographics of both markets there are actually a lot of similarities. Sort of natural one child phenomenon, you have aging populations in both.

Both cities are financial centres, they have been health care centres, they have been education centres, and they're tourist centres. What's different in terms of heavily serviced dependent economies is I think, Singapore is getting a little bit ahead in terms of the innovation agenda, and they're putting the weight of the Singapore government behind it. We're seeing a little bit more momentum, certainly in the fintech area, in terms of regulatory, in terms of the regulatory developments, as well as the government investing, in terms of helping lubricate the digital economy.

What that means is for example, giving access to financial institutions, to Singapore government databases for identity validation, for anti-money laundering validation etcetera. That helps a lot. So I think Singapore has taken a little bit of a lead in that. The journey is not over, it's a long term one, but that I think is the next wave.

Oriel: That's the positive, if you look at the negatives surely one of the negatives of doing business in Hong Kong, I guess the influence, the negative side of the influence of China, which is the lack of transparency and regulation, which you don't know when it's going to change. Is that a fair comment?

Wei: I think Hong Kong's political environment is very clear, I think certainly in our industry, the insurance side, the office of commission of insurance has become an independent insurance authority that's probably the most volatile segment, in terms of financial services regulatory changes.

But it's very clear on the banking side; it's very clear on the security side. Hong Kong exchanges at the moment, a lot bigger than the Singapore Exchange. And if you look at what China is trying to do, I mean our partner is a state owned enterprise, there's a big drive towards transparency, and I think there's a big drive to going international in terms of standards towards corporate governance. So we feel that our joint venture in China is managed professionally as any of our international businesses.

Oriel: David, you've just heard what Chris had to say about doing business in Hong Kong, versus doing business in Singapore. Where do you stand, on that front, what would your reaction be to what Chris had to say?

Gerald: Well Singapore has been ahead of the curve, in fintech for example, we've taken the lead in Asia, we make doing business much easier, and the collaboration between the public sector and the private sector is quite strong, and that is helping businesses to find its way around here and doing better business and to access Asian market.

Regulators have been very active in Singapore, to make the framework much easier, much more transparent.

You must remember, we have a British tradition, we are actually a commonwealth country, and we have been improving on what the British have left behind, and we are making strikes, and making it more and more easier for businesses to do business in Singapore. And we're helping them expand into Asia, mind you there's a 400 billion market waiting for investors through Singapore.
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Ke Yin, CEO of Citic Securities International. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 24 April 2017 at during CNBC's "Hong Kong versus Singapore" theme week.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview'.

Interviewed by Emily Tan, Correspondent, CNBC.

Ke Yin: Two cities, very very active in the financial industries - Singapore very solid in the talent for IT, for fixed income, and Hong Kong is very active in people having knowledge about China. So if you look at the two cities, I don't know, because the cities can compete against each other but they have different past, I mean futures.

Emily: Now you talk about Citic Securities, but you're amongst the many Chinese brokerages that are now here in Hong Kong. Most recently we had the listing of Guotai Junan in Hong Kong with their H-shares. Do you find it a very crowded space, operating a brokerage, a mainland brokerage, in Hong Kong?

Ke Yin: Over 40 branches set up in Hong Kong by Chinese investment banks - it's a little bit crowded in Hong Kong, a small city. But at the same time, China's too big, so Guotai Junan based in Shanghai, it brings some knowledge, some good news from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and you look at the Guang Fa, from Guangzhou, and if you look at other, like Henan Province, they have a Zhong Yuan securities, they build their branches in Hong Kong.

So if you look from the China side, if you look at the mainland side, they still have more and more investment banks that like to come to Hong Kong. But in the Hong Kong side we need to work together to see how we improve ourselves, to serve clients better.

Emily: Hong Kong has held the title of the world's top IPO market for the last two years. How has China brokerages, or Citic Securities, in particular, been able to grab a piece of that action?

Ke Yin: We're ranking, sometimes ranking number one or sometimes ranking in the top five because we have a lot of companies come to Hong Kong to do the IPO program. But not only this part. For long time term, you look at IPO is part of a financial market, it's not the whole.

So for the follow on, for the placement, for the data offering, so many many tourists Hong Kong can provide to offer the IPO. Citic Securities has now become, not only China's largest investment bank, but also will become the regional major player in this region. We help Southeast Asia countries to find investment opportunities in Hong Kong and in the mainland. So we've become one of the hubs of the investment banks.

Emily: With the rise in fintech, and economic integration throughout Asia, do you think that will threaten Hong Kong's status as a financial hub?

Ke Yin: Yeah, fintech is a hot topic, in recent years. And mainland China is very very pioneer in this area. You look at Tencent, you look at Baidu. Citic has a close relationship with all fintech, and I fully understand the China landscape of financial markets changed by fintech now. If you stayed in Beijing, you don't need to use the cash.

In a commercial bank, the ATM, ATM machine is almost out of date now in China. Hong Kong just the start of that. Hong Kong needs to pay more attention about this part - more investment in fintech because this relationship with the mainland is very strong link, so we cannot be just behind of the new development of China in fintech.
At Thursday's Skaneateles Rotary Club meeting, President Bill Huba introduced Will Guido, a third-year engineering student representing Engineers Without Borders, which is an organization that works in underserved areas with local community involvement to design and build needed, sustainable facilities to improve quality of life.

As an intern with Engineers Without Borders, Guido participated in a project that assessed the need for composting latrines for 300 students at a school in Las Majadas, Guatamala, designed the composting latrines and then built the latrines.

Engineers Without Borders seeks to address practical needs with a broad and sustained effect on the community. Guido described an upcoming project which is reliable water distribution throughout the village.
Those opening their mail in India will soon have the scent of coffee to look forward to, but without having to pour a cup themselves.

The Coffee Board and India Post launched a coffee-scented stamp in Bengaluru on Sunday. The Rs100 ($1.55) stamps, featuring beans, a cup of the brew and the word COFFEE, is on sale via the India Post's website, plus 84 "philatelic bureaus" across the country. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha launched the stamps at the General Post Office.

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An ad for the launch posted on Twitter by the Coffee Board states: "Sent the aroma of coffee to your loved ones. Who would you gift these scented coffee stamp?" and the board claimed in a tweet that people were already queuing to buy the stamps.

It isn't the first time India has introduced stamps that smell. According to The Hindu website, a sandalwood-scented stamp was launched in 2006, with rose-fragranced varieties following in 2007.

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India's coffee is exported worldwide, with Italy being the number one destination, taking 25 percent of exports in 2015-16, according to the India Coffee website. Nearly nine percent goes to Russia, in second place, while only 1.8 percent goes to the U.S.

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Starbucks and Costa both have stores in India as well as Cafe Coffee Day, which also has a range of upscale holiday resorts in the country. But tea is still hugely popular in the country, with Indians each drinking 176.6 cups per year in 2015, compared to only 16.6 cups of coffee, according to Euromonitor figures.

This year has seen a global shortage in the supply of coffee, for the third year in a row, according to the International Coffee Organization.

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Centrist Emmanuel Macron's lead in the first round of the French presidential election is good news for Europe and the world, Italian Finance Minister Pier Padoan told CNBC on Monday.

"Let's wait for the second round," Padoan, an independent, said on "Squawk Box."

Global markets soared Monday after Macron of the independent En Marche party secured the lion's share of votes in Sunday's preliminary election, with the far-right's Marine Le Pen of France's National Front party trailing narrowly. They face a May 7 runoff.

U.S. stock futures were 1 percent higher, with the Dow futures soaring jumping more than 200 points, as investors sighed in relief.

Le Pen, who is attempting to make history as France's first female president, has an anti-establishment platform with a closed-door policy to immigration. She wants France to leave the European Union and has called for a tax on companies hiring foreign workers.

Macron, who has never held elective office, is an EU ex-banker and former economy minister who founded his own party only a year ago. He is pro-European Union and has called for less strict immigration policies than has Le Pen.
Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma warned on Monday that society could see decades of pain thanks to disruption caused by the internet and new technologies to different areas of the economy.

In a speech at a China Entrepreneur Club event, the billionaire urged governments to bring in education reform and outlined how humans need to work with machines.

"In the coming 30 years, the world's pain will be much more than happiness, because there are many more problems that we have come across," Ma said in Chinese, speaking about potential job disruptions caused by technology.

The Alibaba founder warned that social conflicts could have a "huge impact" on all walks of life. Ma's company has invested in areas such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence as it expands into new sectors beyond its e-commerce business.
With centrist French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron topping the polls in Sunday's first round of voting, many are heralding the political upstart's ability to overturn mainstream politics. But one Goldman Sachs economist sought to calm the fever surrounding Macron, also placing him within a broader European political movement.

Macron's leading 23.9 percent of the vote represents "quite a fundamental realignment of politics in France, and maybe more broadly in Europe," Huw Pill, chief European economist at Goldman Sachs, told CNBC's Squawk Box Monday. But, he detailed that "perhaps we should interpret this as a very important step, but still only a step."

For Pill, France's runoff vote on May 7 reflects a broader trend in which: "The traditional left/right spectrum of political opinion maybe is dissolving, or at least is being paralleled with another spectrum going from the sort of Eurosceptic, more nationalistic side, towards a more internationalist, pro-European globalist side." This was also reflected in March's Dutch election, which saw incumbent pro-Europe Prime Minister Mark Rutte retain his position.

Pill also chimed in with others arguing that Macron must win big in June's legislative elections in order to most smoothly implement his reformist agenda. The En Marche! candidate "needs to build a new coalition," he explained.
The victory of Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the French presidential election could prove a loss for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Thomas Wright, fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted Sunday night that the centrist Macron was the only candidate with an anti-Putin stance.

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Though President Putin has stated that Russia had no intention of influencing the French vote, most candidates were more Kremlin-friendly. Macron's runoff opponent, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen met with Putin a month before the first round of voting on March 24. Le Pen was the only candidate to do so.

"A Le Pen victory would mean a considerable shift in France's attitudes towards Putin given the National Front's strong links with Russian political and economic interests," Antonio Barroso, managing director at Teneo Intelligence, told CNBC via email.

Marine Le Pen has supported Russia's annexation of Crimea and as a result, she has opposed the European Union's sanctions on Russia. Furthermore, her party has borrowed money from Russian banks, after lenders in France refused loans due to the National Front's racist past.

According to the BBC, in 2014, the National Front took Russian loans worth 11 million euros ($ 11.94 million). One of these loans, of 9 million euros ($9.77 million) was lent by First Czech Russian Bank, which reportedly has links to the Kremlin.

Putin has also reportedly met with the centre-right presidential candidate Francois Fillon last year before the latter entered the presidential race. During the campaign, there were allegations that Fillon was paid $50,000 to arrange a meeting between a Lebanese billionaire and Vladimir Putin.

However, if Macron wins the runoff against Le Pen, it is unlikely that the Paris-Moscow relationship will become closer.

"If he wins, French policy towards Russia will remain relatively stable," Barroso added.

Georg Zachmann, senior fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, told CNBC: "Emmanuel Macron is not considered a Russia hawk. But he is not ignoring the challenge arising from Russia."

In his program, Macron noted that Russia has returned to an aggressive foreign policy and called for the resuming of NATO-Russia dialogue. He also said that sanctions should be in place until Russia respects the Minsk agreement - which seeks peace in Ukraine.

"More importantly, Macron wants to strengthen the EU, which runs against the interest of the Kremlin to weaken it. All other candidates were openly against or at least less enthusiastic about the EU," Zachmann said.

"If Macron succeeds, the EU might continue to be able to defend its values on human rights and international law - even in times when the U.S. takes a more appeasing stance towards the Kremlin," he added.

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Eric Feferberg, Joel Saget | AFP | Getty Images

Investors may have started pricing in a victory for centrist Emmanuel Macron in the runoff of the French presidency but the battle against the far-right leader Marine Le Pen is yet to be concluded. CNBC takes a look at what separates Macron from Le Pen, and why a victory for the former might not be so straight forward.

Who are they?

The far-right candidate has taken on the leadership of the party founded by her father  Jean-Marie Le Pen. Marine Le Pen managed to get through to the second round of the French presidential election as voters have grown concerned with immigration, terrorism and security matters. This is only the second time in French history when the far-right has managed to reach the second round of the presidential vote. Jean-Marie Le Pen disputed the presidency against Jacques Chirac in 2002 but lost the runoff with a difference of about 65 percentage points. Marine Le Pen graduated from Pantheon-Assas University in Paris with a degree in law. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron would be the youngest ever French president if elected. The 39-year-old politician began his career as an investment banker and though he has served as an economy minister for two years, in the last Socialist government, he has never run for public office until now. At the start of the campaign, most analysts said Macron was running in the 2017 presidential race as preparation for the election in five years' time. But the centrist, independent candidate decided to take his chances even without the backing of the Socialist Party.

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What do they want to achieve?

"Regarding Mrs Le Pen's program, the clear primary focus would be on European policy (open negotiation with other member states to bring sovereignty back in member states, including monetary policies), putting an end to the independence of the Bank of France and putting in place economic protectionism," Barclays said in a note after the first round of the election. Le Pen's platform has been based on a closed-door policy to immigration and has called for a tax on companies hiring foreign workers. On the other hand, the bank added that Macron's plan includes "a further labor law, (aimed at making it less rigid) to be implemented before the Summer Measures to improve governance (ministers will be assessed, and will be renewed every year; insistence on no criminal record) an audit of public finances; proposals on the future of Europe (euro area budget)." The former investment banker has promised a Nordic-style economic model for France  making government spending cuts of 60 billion euros ($64.4 billion) while also implementing a stimulus package of 50 billion euros.

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What are polls indicating?
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella knows a thing or two about success in business. The technology executive reportedly earned over $16 million in pay last year and has been leading one of the world's most widely recognized companies since 2014.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Nadella discusses what he believes are two of the most important qualities needed for a company's "long-term success."

"The first is the sense of purpose and mission that is enduring," he says. "Technologies will come and go, so you need to be able to both ask and answer the question: What do you do as a company, why do you exist?"

"That's exactly what is captured in our mission," he adds.
President Trump will host members of the United Nations Security Council at the White House Monday, a highly unusual meeting made even more startling because of his harsh criticism of the international institution during the campaign and since taking office.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley is serving this month as the President of the Security Council, a role that rotates each month among the five permanent members: the U.S., Great Britain, France, China and Russia. There are 15 members of the group  but the others, right now including Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Ukraine and Uruguay are non-voting members.

Haley will be attending before the group returns to New York for scheduled Security Council meetings on Tuesday.

More from NBC News:

White House optimism on shutdown complicated by Trump demands

Here's the full list of Donald Trump's executive orders

Analysis: Trump's nowhere on half his presidential pledges

The president's budget outline proposed deep cuts in the U.S. contribution to the UN, which could dramatically impair its peacekeeping functions around the world.

Other high profile UN functions include refugee relief and vetting of refugee visa applicants to the U.S, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna  the weapons inspectors who monitor Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal.
The Frye Companys Maker Wall lets customers shop an extended assortment while feeling the texture of the leather.

It's one of the most common responses when retailers are asked how they plan to bring customers back into their shops: make the in-store experience more exciting.

But few have figured out what, exactly, that buzz phrase really means  and fewer still have made meaningful efforts to roll out an effective solution.

Time is running out. With mall traffic deteriorating in nearly every quarter since 2014, retailers need to hone in on what makes their brand unique and find a way to bring it alive for customers.

"I think people are falling back on experience [as a concept], and perhaps not thinking about it in the right way," Jeremy Bergstein, president of The Science Project, told CNBC. "They have to look at what their ownable qualities are."

Bergstein's company tries to help retailers find those kinds of distinct solutions. For example, if a swim shop wants to sell more bikinis, an interactive screen that virtually transports a customer to St. Bart's would likely be more impactful than a mundane "magic mirror," Bergstein said. Traditional magic mirror technologies allow shoppers to see things like what an item would look like in different colors without them having to try on multiple versions.

Thinking about what problem the retailer is trying to solve  whether it's turning more shoppers into buyers, or getting additional customers to enter a store from the street  allows The Science Project to come up with a "useful and meaningful innovation, rather than just novel innovation," Bergstein said.

Take, for instance, the company's recent partnership with The Frye Co. The two last year worked together on a San Francisco store that puts a high-tech spin on the boot maker's 154-year-old heritage.

By using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, shoppers can hold up a leather swatch in front of a custom screen. From there, they can shop an expanded assortment, knowing what the item's true color and texture would be.

"What we've learned is that customers sincerely want a hands-on experience," Frye's CEO, Adrienne Lazarus, told CNBC.

The technology is visible from the street, encouraging customers to come inside and interact with the brand, Lazarus said. But it also allows Frye to shrink its square footage and operate a more productive store.

Frye's goal with each of its shops is to offer a different experiential element that helps it connect with that neighborhood, Lazarus said. The brand's Nashville, Tennessee, store has a music stage as its centerpiece, and its Austin, Texas, shop incorporates custom-made guitars by local maker Moniker.

Yet even for retailers that get it right, an innovative store experience will only get them so far. Founded in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop was a pioneer at fusing retail with theater, allowing kids to select and customize their own stuffed animals. Even it has stumbled amid slower mall traffic, reporting its third consecutive quarterly sales decline in February.

For a retailer to succeed, it also needs to have the right product. And while technology can help deliver a dose of excitement in stores, it should also take some of the friction out of shopping, Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, told CNBC.

"There's a lot that's happening in terms of, 'how do you do things that are more one-off?'" Weinswig said. "If that's going to save retail, I'm not sure."
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Sony's shares popped on Monday after the company raised its earnings outlook and analysts said the company could hit profit levels not seen in 20 years. The Japanese electronic giant's stock closed 3.84 percent higher in Tokyo. On Friday after the market close, Sony raised its earnings outlook for the fiscal year ended March 31. It said operating income would be 285 billion yen ($2.6 billion), up from a previous forecast of 240 billion yen. Pre-tax profit is expected to come in at 250 billion yen, up from February's forecast of 196 billion yen. "The forecast for consolidated operating income has been revised upward due to expected improvement, compared with the February forecast, in all segments other than the components segment, which is expected to deteriorate compared with the February forecast," Sony said in its statement on Friday.

David Becker | Getty Images

"The primary reasons for the upward revision in the segments that are anticipated to improve are expected decreases in amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs and other costs in the Financial Services segment and lower costs than anticipated in February in the other segments, particularly Semiconductors." Under CEO Kazuo Hirai, Sony has been focusing on making previously loss-making areas like smartphones profitable and doubling down on segments of strong growth like its PlayStation gaming business and semiconductors.

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Spring homebuyers are pounding the pavement at a furious pace, but the pickings are getting ever slimmer.

Even as more homes come on the market for this traditionally popular sales season, they're flying off fast, with bidding wars par for the course. Home prices have now surpassed their last peak, and at the entry level, where demand is highest, sellers are firmly in the driver's seat.

"I've been selling real estate for 25 years and this is the strongest seller's market I have ever seen in my entire real estate career," said David Fogg, a real estate agent with Keller Williams in Burbank, California. "A lot of our sellers are optimistically pricing their homes in today's market, and I have to say in most cases we're getting the home sold anyway."

Fogg listed a three-bedroom, two-bathroom , 1,240-square-foot home in Burbank for $789,000 and had three offers before the first open house Sunday. In the Los Angeles-area market, that is considered an entry-level home. The open house drew more than 100 potential buyers, most of them already weary of the competition.

"It's very tough. Most of the listings are intentionally listed a little low to get a lot of attention, and it's not uncommon to get 12 to 16 offers on one property," said Jilbert Mosessian, who has been renting in the neighborhood but wants to buy. "In three properties recently, we did our best, we went considerably over the listing price, and we were told that there were still five people above us and they were only going to deal with them."

Mosessian said he will have to try another neighborhood and cut his expectations.
The Treasury Department announced "one of the largest sanctions actions in its history," slapping 271 individuals with punishment in response to an apparent April 4 chemical attack against civilians in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria.

In a Monday statement, the Treasury said it was targeting individuals within a Syrian government agency that the department says is responsible for the development and production of chemical weapons.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a Monday statement, "We take Syria's disregard for innocent human life very seriously, and will relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities."

U.S. officials have been steadfast in their determination that Bashar Assad's government is responsible for deploying the nerve agent sarin, in violation of an agreement Syria made in 2013 to give up its chemical weapons. Defense Secretary James Mattis said on April 11 that "there is no doubt" that the Syrian government is responsible.
President Donald Trump still wants a 15 percent corporate tax rate, The Wall Street Journal and NBC News reported Monday, a plan that could cause trouble in keeping the deficit in check.

Trump campaigned on a 15 percent rate for businesses, as well as across-the-board income tax cuts, but most analyses of the proposal said it would balloon the U.S. deficit. The House Republican tax proposal championed by Speaker Paul Ryan calls for a 20 percent corporate tax rate, along with the revenue raised by the controversial border adjustment provision.

The current corporate rate is 35 percent.

The Journal reported that Trump wants to sell a major tax cut to Americans, even if it means reducing revenue. Trump told staff to "get it done" before his planned Wednesday announcement on tax reform, according to the newspaper.

During his campaign, Trump said that easing the burden on individuals and businesses would help to boost the economy. Still, a plan that makes the U.S. budget deficit grow could have serious trouble clearing the Republican-controlled Congress.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief economic advisor Gary Cohn will head to the Capitol on Tuesday to meet with Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other top lawmakers.
Jim Sholle speaks during a meeting at a union hall in Huntington, Ind., March 16, 2017. Sholle, who assembled circuit boards for Carrier furnaces at a factory here for 21 years, is one of more than 700 workers who have been or will be laid off as their jobs with United Technologies are moved to Mexico and the plant is shuttered.

These are the Indiana workers whose jobs President Trump didn't save.

After assembling circuit boards for Carrier furnaces at a factory here for 21 years, Jim Sholle, 56, walked out of the plant for the final time last month. But he still finds himself waking up every morning at 4:30, ready to work the 6 a.m.-to-2 p.m. shift.

"I'm a routine guy, and I'm not boohooing," he said. "But I feel used up."

Pat Saylors, 57, is still employed, but her days here are numbered, as they are for more than 700 other blue-collar workers. Production is set to end by late December at the plant, this town's largest private employer, and each month several dozen of them are being let go.

More from The New York Times:

Trump sealed Carrier deal with mix of threat and incentive

Trump saved jobs at Carrier, but more Midwest jobs are in jeopardy

Carrier workers see costs, not benefits, of global trade

"I loved my job," said Ms. Saylors, who earns $17.31 an hour as a materials specialist, readying parts for the workers on the assembly line. She joined the company 40 years ago, when the plant was in tiny Converse, Ind., and then followed her job to Huntington when the factory here opened in 1990.

Ms. Saylors is typical of the factory's work force, which is mostly female, with an average age around 50. She joined a few months after graduating from high school, as did her daughter Amanda, who is now 33.



"It's all I've ever known," she said.

During Mr. Trump's campaign, the fate of more than 2,000 Carrier jobs that the company wanted to move to Mexico from Indiana, including those in Huntington, were Exhibit A in his attacks on the free-trade policies of his predecessors, both Democratic and Republican.

So when President-elect Trump announced on Thanksgiving that he was near a deal with Carrier's corporate parent, United Technologies , to save them, Mr. Sholle and Ms. Saylors thought they were among the lucky ones.

It was not to be. Thanks to public pressure from Mr. Trump and a generous package of tax breaks negotiated by Gov. Mike Pence, now the vice president, Carrier did agree to keep making some of its furnaces in Indianapolis, preserving roughly 800 of 1,400 jobs there.

But the plant in Huntington operated by United Technologies Electronic Controls, or UTEC, was not part of that deal  nor would it be helped by the "buy American" mandate for federal infrastructure projects that Mr. Trump promised in Wisconsin last week. And by early next year, the components used for furnaces still assembled in Indianapolis will come instead from Monterrey, Mexico, where it takes a day to earn what workers here make in about an hour.

The economy in Huntington, a town of 17,000 in rural northeast Indiana, is quite different from what workers in Indianapolis face, however, as is the culture. Despite some notable closings, many factories remain, with 21 percent of local workers employed in manufacturing, a higher proportion than in more than 90 percent of the other counties in the country.

And as Mr. Sholle's reluctance to complain suggests, the anger about the economy and about Washington that was so evident in Indianapolis and other parts of the Midwest that Mr. Trump carried is more muted here. Not that it's absent  more than 70 percent of Huntington County voters supported Mr. Trump  but the pain is further below the surface.

For the most part, the workers do not fault Mr. Trump for failing to preserve their jobs, even as he took credit for keeping the Indianapolis plant open.

"I support him 100 percent," said Tami Barnett, a 27-year veteran who left at the end of March. "I was very pleased he saved the jobs in Indianapolis. Do I wish he could have saved mine? Absolutely. But he did his best."

Susan Cropper, 55, who works in the plant with her sister, Sandy VanDiver, 58, said she did not regret voting for Mr. Trump in November, either.

"I'm glad he stepped in, but it's a letdown," she said, adding that most of her fury was reserved for Carrier and its executives.

Asked about the failure to keep the Huntington plant open, a White House spokesman said last week that Mr. Trump was "incredibly proud to work with United Technologies to save nearly 1,000 jobs in Indiana and will continue to work with major companies to ensure he is doing all he can to increase American manufacturing, job creation and economic growth."

Huntington's mayor, Brooks Fetters, admits when pressed to being frustrated that he never heard back from Mr. Pence's office after he called late last year to find out why Huntington was not helped.

"Right or wrong, that's where we are," said Mr. Fetters, a moderate Republican. "We're not in panic mode."

And in any case, he said, "German stoicism runs deep in northern Indiana, and you take your lumps."

Huntington has managed to adapt by luring new metalworking and automotive suppliers in recent years, according to Mark Wickersham, director of economic development for Huntington County.

"We are not a dying town," he said, citing the $1.4 million expansion last fall of a learning center opposite the high school, where teenagers as well as adults can earn certificates in fields like advanced manufacturing and health care.

Although retraining offers only modest hope for workers in their mid- to late 50s who possess only a high school diploma, Mr. Fetters insists the UTEC workers do not have to face a dismal economic future if they can learn new skills.

"At 4 percent unemployment, if you're not working, there's a reason and it's not a good one," Mr. Fetters said. "As mayor, I don't have jobs for people who can just use a rake and a shovel. I do have jobs for equipment operators."

The mayor is right  up to a point. It's true that local auto parts suppliers, machine tool makers and other industrial companies are hiring. But only a few positions are available at any time.

Not far from the soon-to-be-shuttered UTEC plant, with its parking lot full of late-model S.U.V.s and pickups, Ecolab is hiring. The hourly wage is equal to what UTEC paid, but only four jobs are open at the plant, which makes soaps and sanitizers, with two of them offered to United Technologies employees.

Beyond that, Ecolab's 100-strong work force is not expected to rise significantly, according to Tracey Hartman, the company's human resources manager in Huntington.

Like other longtime workers, Mr. Sholle received a severance package, including a $17,700 payment in his case. But he worries that he is not healthy enough to start over at another factory, and after he paid out $10,000 to cover taxes and medical expenses, the severance does not buy him that much time. His health insurance runs only through September.

More than a means to a paycheck, working in the UTEC factory was a way of life, with female workers especially developing the kind of deep bonds more common in small towns than big cities.

"We weren't blood family, but we were family," said Ms. Barnett, who worked in aftermarket sales and service. When she had a heart attack and needed quadruple bypass surgery in 2007, colleagues held bake sales and donated close to $2,500 to help her offset the loss of income during her 14-week recovery.

"That's a lot of money to me, and I was overwhelmed by the caring and compassion," Ms. Barnett said.

The decision last year to close the plant came as a shock, she added. "We made the company billions in profits. It's a slap in the face."

Workers like Ms. Barnett and Ms. Saylors might have been surprised, but outsourcing factory jobs was hardly a secret on Wall Street.

To improve earnings amid slow growth in recent years, a key strategy of United Technologies executives has been to shrink the company's manufacturing footprint and move production to countries where labor is cheap.

At a meeting with analysts last month to discuss the outlook for 2017, the head of the division that includes Carrier, Robert J. McDonough, boasted that profit margins had doubled over the last five years.

"Part of it has been moving factories to lower-cost locations, there is no question about that," he said. "I think everybody knows that's been part of the formula for us."

Why was Mr. Trump more successful in Indianapolis than in Huntington? "We were the redheaded, bucktoothed stepchild," Mr. Sholle said bitterly. "We never even got mentioned in the coverage."

There is some truth to the latter part of Mr. Sholle's assessment. More than two hours north of Indianapolis and some distance from the nearest Interstate, Huntington, like other rural corners of the country, rarely gets much attention from outsiders.

At the same time, true to the spirit of its understated residents, Huntington's political and union leaders shied away from the spotlight that their counterparts in Indianapolis sought out. Some feared that criticizing United Technologies publicly would undercut negotiations to save jobs.

About 100 jobs in sales, marketing and engineering will remain in Huntington after manufacturing ceases, and the company has been adding to its white-collar staff here. Unfortunately, most of the workers on the assembly lines would never be considered for these jobs because they lack college degrees and other credentials, like engineering experience.

While it is too late for the likes of Jim Sholle and Pat Saylors, even United Technologies' chief executive, Greg Hayes, suggested recently that the years of cost-cutting at Carrier, the furnace and air-conditioner maker, had gone too far, putting short-term profits ahead of long-term growth.

The need to stay competitive was the reason the company gave for moving the jobs from Indiana to Mexico, but Carrier's market share actually eroded slightly last year. So Carrier is making a course correction.

"We need to make investments, as I said before, in the sales force," Mr. Hayes told analysts on Wall Street in December. "We need to get more feet on the street."

"Bob is focused on it," Mr. Hayes added, referring to Mr. McDonough's new marching orders to invest, in what sounded like a mix of goal and threat. "Bob's senior leadership team is focused on it, and we've got to get everybody in the organization focused on it equally, so more work to do there."
The Trump tax plan reducing both individual and corporate tax rates down to competitive global levels is precisely what the economy needs to grow. Reagan proved that and, as Larry Kudlow points out in his latest book, JFK and the Reagan Revolution: A Secret History of American Prosperity, Kennedy knew that too.

Unfortunately, protectionism is another story altogether. The Border Adjusted Tax, or BAT, is a disaster waiting to happen. As a huge believer in free markets and global trade, the very notion of incorporating protectionist measures into a responsible pro-growth agenda nauseates me! In May 1930, the Smoot-Hawley tariff was signed into law by then President Herbert Hoover, which was followed by massive retaliation on U.S. made products from our foreign trading partners.

The Smoot-Hawley tariff, or as I call it the 'BAT 1930', helped bring about one of the worst periods for the U.S. economy in history. 'BAT 1930' was supposed to stimulate growth, increase tax revenues and reduce the budget deficit. Flawed logic led lawmakers to believe that the American public would 'buy American' which would lead to growing U.S. production and an increase in jobs. Does that sound familiar?

The best description of 'BAT 1930' is by the Department of State after an analysis of the events: The Smoot-Hawley tariff "provoked a storm of foreign retaliatory measures and came to stand as a symbol of the 'beggar-thy-neighbor' policies (designed to improve one's own lot at the expense of that of others) of the 1930s. Such policies contributed to a drastic decline in international trade."

By circumstances, we find ourselves as the bearers of free market 'American' style capitalism which has helped lift billions of people around the world out of poverty. Globalization, and the free markets which make it a reality, must be nurtured and fostered by those who helped created it, the United States. Whether we like it or not, we are the vanguard of modern day capitalism.

The U.S. has inherited the title of policeman for the worlds' free markets. A protectionist mentality at the forefront of international trade will only prove to be a hindrance, something which every free market economist understands to be a dogmatic fact. In a fragile, global political climate free markets for trade could only prove to be an asset towards peace.

If there is a Black Swan looking to hit the market unexpectedly, let's hope it's not a self-inflicted wound caused by an ill-advised move towards 1930's style protectionism. President Trump should take the ideas of a BAT along with other brilliant pieces of failed liberal legislation such as the windfall profits tax and bury them deep in a governmental Black Hole. Now is the time for the U.S. to step-up and proclaim the power of the free markets, not put up barriers to free trade.

The Trump pro-growth agenda has shown great potential in the first 100 days, promising to rid the economy of over regulation and lower taxes to reasonable levels to enable growth. Now, if he can only get this BAT thing right and get something passed through congress we should be in great shape.

Commentary by Jack Bouroudjian, CEO of Index Futures Group LLC, a registered independent broker, and CIO of Index Capital Partners, a registered commodity-pool operator. He was also a three-term director of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and founder and advisor of UCX (Universal Compute Exchange). Follow him on Twitter @JackBouroudjian.

For the latest commentary on markets in the U.S. and around the world, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.


"The United Nations is an underperformer, but it has huge potential ... I think that the United Nations has tremendous potential," Trump said.

Ahead of a lunch meeting with the ambassadors from Security Council member countries, Trump called the international institution an "underperformer" but said he hopes it can better deal with threats around the world.

President Donald Trump again pushed for changes at the United Nations on Monday as the powerful nations on its Security Council face an escalating confrontation over North Korea's missile program.

President Donald Trump, sitting next to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, speaks during a working lunch with ambassadors of countries on the United Nations Security Council and their spouses, Monday, April 24, 2017, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.

The president said the Security Council should prepare for the possibility of new, tougher sanctions on Pyongyang, as North Korea pushes ahead with its nuclear program in the face of foreign opposition. Trump said the world is wearing "blinders" when it comes to North Korea, and has done so for "decades."

"The status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable, and the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile

programs," he said.

The comments came after Trump held separate private phone calls with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Japan has sent two warships to join a U.S. aircraft carrier group headed toward Korean waters.

Fears have grown that North Korea could attempt another nuclear test, defying U.N. sanctions.

In December, Trump referred to the U.N. as a "club" for people to "have a good time." As a candidate, he questioned the institution's effectiveness in dealing with international threats.

 Reuters contributed to this report
It's expensive to live in San Francisco  even if you make six figures. In an article published earlier this year, The Guardian reported on an anonymous Twitter employee in his 40s who says that, even on a $160,000 annual salary, he's barely scraping by in Silicon Valley. "I didn't become a software engineer to be trying to make ends meet," he told The Guardian. The employee's biggest expense is the $3,000 monthly rent he pays on a two-bedroom house where he lives with his wife and two kids, which he describes as "ultra cheap."

"Families are priced out of the market," he says, explaining that it's hard to compete with the hordes of 20-somethings willing to pile into a shared house  and still pay $2,000 per person for a room. The employee's grievances are echoed by many of his fellow tech workers in the Bay Area. Another woman who spoke to The Guardian says that although she and her partner make a combined salary of over $1 million, they can't afford a house. "This is part of where the American dream is not working out here," she says.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all sides to exercise restraint on Monday in a telephone call about North Korea with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Japan conducted exercises with a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.

Trump sent the carrier group for exercises in waters off the Korean peninsula as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea said on Monday the deployment was "an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade."

"The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act," Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary on Monday.

"What's only laid for aggressors is dead bodies," the newspaper said.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

The United States and its allies fear North Korea could be preparing to conduct another nuclear test or launch more ballistic missiles.

China is North Korea's sole major ally but has been angered by its nuclear and missile programs and is frustrated by Pyongyang's belligerence.

China, which has repeatedly called for the de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula, is increasingly worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated, impoverished neighbor.

Xi told Trump in their latest telephone conversation that China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the peninsula", the ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi.

The nuclear issue could only be resolved quickly with all relevant countries pulling in the same direction, and China was willing to work with all parties, including the United States, to ensure peace, Xi said.

The issue has gained added urgency as North Korea prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday. It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.

Trump was critical of China in his election campaign but he has in recent days praised its efforts to rein in what he called the "menace of North Korea."

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the call between the two presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for both of their countries and the world.
"GMV strongly rejects the arbitrary measures taken by the authorities and will vigorously take all legal actions, within and outside of Venezuela, to defend its rights."

"The seizure was granted and enforced in total disregard of GMV's right to due process, causing irreparable damage to the company, its 2,678 workers, its 79 dealers (the country's largest service network with more than 3,900 workers), and to its suppliers," the company said in a statement.

GM last week announced it would cease operations in the South American country after claiming a General Motors Venezolana (GMV) plant in the industrial hub of Valencia was illegally seized.

Venezuela's seizure of a General Motors auto plant has created concerns that assets in other sectors of the economy could be seized by authorities.

Yet GM may have to wait to achieve legal recourse. Venezuela has more than 20 pending cases at the World Bank's arbitration court, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

"Despite Venezuela's formal withdrawal from the ICSID on 25 July 2012, and the government's strong nationalist rhetoric, the country has at least 24 bilateral investment treaties (BITs), which remain effective and still guarantee compensation through arbitration procedures," Diego Moya-Ocampos, senior analyst at IHS Markit Country Risk, told CNBC via email.

"Delays in payment had been, until recently, more likely than non-payment, and the administration had so far proved willing to settle with foreign investors, but less so with domestic investors. But as the economy continues deteriorating dramatically non-payment risks following expropriation and arbitration cases are significantly escalating."

Moya-Ocampos says the risk of asset seizures remains high in the near-term outlook and may intensify as the economy deteriorates under President Nicolas Maduro. He added that firms which halt production or are accused of hoarding or price speculation are at risk from expropriation.

"Companies operating especially in the food, basic goods and oil services sector are particularly vulnerable. But in general terms, most companies operating in Venezuela are exposed to being seized due to nationalist populist ideological reasons, if they are legally declared strategic for economic and social development or if somehow are linked with supporting opposition groups," he said.

Reasons for the GM plant seizure are not clear, according to global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. Local reports claim the order was issued by civil court in relation to a 17-year lawsuit between General Motors and a dealership, while other reports state it was an attempt to remove union workers occupying the facilities.

However, Grant Sunderland, Latin America analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, doesn't think this move will lead to a new wave of property rights violations.

"The seizure of unproductive assets is a common practice under the ruling PSUV government," he said in a research note.

"While we do not expect this episode to trigger an escalation in expropriations, the latent threat of asset seizure will maintain Venezuela in the extreme-risk category of our Respect for Property Rights Index for the foreseeable future."

One sector least likely to be affected by seizures is oil and gas, according to Sunderland.

"This is because the cash-starved Maduro government has to maintain a positive relationship with potential investors looking to increase their stake in existing joint ventures."

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Asia's third-largest economy has kicked off an international roadshow in Singapore for a masala bond sale aimed at upgrading the country's highways.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is looking to sell 50 billion rupees ($775 million) worth of the offshore rupee-denominated bond in order to build expressways, economic corridors, bridges and tunnels.

With stops to come in Hong Kong and London, the roadshow is a visible sign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to the upgrade of public works, which is seen as critical to future economic growth.

India is looking to reduce traffic congestion by building multi-lane roads and increasing the rate of national highway construction, the country's Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said at a Nomura event on Monday. Enhancing the monetization of existing infrastructure to fund maintenance and the development of multi-modal hubs were also key goals, he added.

New Delhi has already facilitated investments to fund these programs the government will be injecting $3 billion of annual equity commitments into the newly-formed National Investment and Infrastructure Fund  but Modi wants the private sector to help.

To drum up foreign investor interest in India's road network, the second-largest in the world, policymakers have undertaken a slew of reforms, Gadkari said. Measures include a one-time fund infusion to revive stuck projects, a fast-track dispute resolution and a new model of public-private partnerships that offers lower risk for the private sector.

Innovative technologies, such as electronic toll collection and intelligent transportation systems, are also underway.
[This livestream has ended.]

White House press secretary Sean Spicer held his daily briefing Monday ahead of this week's possible fight over keeping the government open.

Congress returns from a recess this week with only a few days before government funding ends on Friday. The White House has complicated matters by insisting that a funding bill has money for the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and pushing for it to withhold some subsidies for the Affordable Care Act.

Spicer said negotiations are ongoing among congressional leadership about some of those provisions. He declined to provide updates on the status of specific funding issues.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also appeared at the briefing after his department unveiled sanctions against 271 individuals in response to an apparent chemical attack in Syria earlier this month.

Last week, President Donald Trump put more pressure on what will already be a difficult legislative week by saying he wanted to Congress to vote on a revised plan to replace the ACA. However, he said Friday that "it doesn't matter" if a health-care vote takes place this week.

Trump also promised to make a "big announcement" on his tax reform proposal on Wednesday. However, he did not say how many details of the plan would be released.

More from CNBC:

Treasury hits 271 people in 'one of largest sanctions actions' ever following Syria attacks


"I think the purposes of the orders are to make clear what the president and the administration's priorities are and to signify the importance of these issues to the American people," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Friday.

In all, the White House has set upward of 46 deadlines before the end of the year, including some 15 outlined in the president's controversial travel ban, which is currently stalled. On Friday, the Treasury Department received two new deadlines: In two months it must identify burdensome or complex tax regulation; in six months it must assemble a plan to fix them.

Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has signed more than two dozen executive orders on issues ranging from border security to government restructuring and financial reform. But most of those executive orders have one commonality: They assign the heavy lifting to government agencies and set ambitious deadlines for them to report back.

The Trump White House has issued seven more executive orders than President Barack Obama in the same period. Those signings have come with campaign-like rallies and splashy photo ops, even as the resulting recommendations remain months away.

"It could be that President Trump wants to be more hands-on," said Sean Moulton, program manager at the Project on Government Oversight. "While obviously, the agencies are doing the work, he wants to put his name on it; that could be his preferred way of operating."

The market is watching two deadlines closely. First, the Treasury Department is expected to file a report by the first week of June outlining its guideposts for financial reform. The findings will likely inform the final draft of the Financial Choice Act 2.0, the House's replacement for Dodd-Frank, a draft of which was released on April 19 and will be debated April 26.

Rob Nichols, president of the American Bankers Association, told CNBC that the report would "provide key stakeholders with the important opportunity to better understand President Trump's priorities and goals for financial regulation in the months and years ahead."

The second closely watched deadline came via an informal announcement, not an official executive order. In early April, the U.S. and China established a "100-day plan" to revisit the countries' trade relationship and begin untangling issues that have plagued the two nations for decades and resulted in a trade deficit which stood at $347 billion at the end of 2016 that the president has roundly criticized.



The expiration of that time frame will happen in mid-July, though the president's advisors have suggested there will be "way stations" of progress before then, and that the large issues will take much longer to resolve.

"We have to show each other that we can walk together, then we can start running," said the president's chief economic advisor, Gary Cohn, at a recent conference in Washington. "We're not saying it's 100-and-done, we're saying it's a start, and we start working really hard after the 100-day plan on the big things that are really going to move the needle."

The due dates are difficult to calculate because it's unclear when the White House is starting the official clock on many of these matters and whether they'll offer leeway if an agency needs more time. Agencies currently operate with skeletal staff as the nomination process drags on and temporary budgets as Congress works to pass a spending bill to keep the government open. Within the executive branch, only the Department of Homeland Security has a deputy secretary confirmed and installed.

The Treasury alone  in addition to financial regulation and tax burdens  must consult on or submit its own findings on U.S. trade deficits, energy independence, anti-dumping policies, "Buy American" laws and regulatory reform. But the agency only has 1 of 28 appointed positions filled, according to The Washington Post and Partnership for Public Service.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Albertsons, the US supermarket operator controlled by buyout group Cerberus Capital Management, is exploring a takeover of high-end grocer Whole Foods, according to two people briefed about the matter.

The US private equity group that backs Albertsons has had preliminary talks with bankers about making a bid for Whole Foods , said one person close to the buyout firm. No formal bid has yet been made, according to both people briefed on the situation.

Albertsons' interest comes two weeks after Jana Partners, the activist investor, revealed it had built a 9 percent stake in Whole Foods and raised the possibility of a sale of the grocer, which has a market value of $11.4bn. A deal would be one of the largest take-privates in recent years, the people said.

More from Financial Times:

Macron and Le Pen go to second round of French presidential poll

Brussels pressed to rethink Turkey ties

Emmanuel Macron's rapid rise in politics  the FT's coverage



Whole Foods has hired Evercore to advise them on a strategic review of their business operations, which could include exploring a sale, said one person close to the company, based in Austin, Texas.

Cerberus has been actively looking for deals to further expand its supermarket business. Bloomberg reported in March that Albertsons had held preliminary talks to merge with Sprouts Farmers Market , an organic food retailer.However, talks between Albertsons and Sprouts have not proceeded, according to two people briefed about the matter, prompting Cerberus to take a serious look at Whole Foods, which is significantly larger.

A bid for Whole Foods would come less than three years after Albertsons acquired Safeway for $9bn in a deal that turned the Boise, Idaho-based group into the third largest supermarket chain in revenue terms behind Walmart and Kroger .

In 2015 Albertsons, which operates about 2,200 stores, shelved a plan for an initial public offering because of market jitters. Cerberus is likely to team up with other investors to carry out a successful deal given Whole Foods' size.

Albertsons, like Walmart and Kroger, has been under enormous pressure in recent years as a price war between grocers has negatively affected their top and bottom lines.

Whole Foods has also felt the pressure from several fronts, including traditional supermarkets' improved organic offerings, small retailers such as Trader Joe's and Sprouts competing directly, and food retailers such as Amazon and Fresh Direct trading online.

Jana told the Whole Foods management earlier this month that it wanted a "review of strategic alternatives, particularly in light of [Whole Foods'] apparent unwillingness to engage in discussions with third parties regarding such alternatives".

Some analysts said Albertsons' interest in Whole Foods could spark a bidding war if other supermarket chains indicated they would also like to buy the high-end grocer.

Evercore and Albertson declined to comment. Cerberus and Whole Foods did not immediately return a request for comment.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer will depart in June when Verizon completes the $4.48 billion acquisition of Yahoo that led to the newly-formed company. Also out, according to a person familiar with the matter who is not authorized to speak about it publicly: Yahoo Chief Financial Officer Ken Goldman; Adam Cahan, senior vice president of product and engineering; Chief Revenue Officer Lisa Utzschneider; Enrique Munoz Torres, senior vice president of search and advertising products; Ian Weingarten, senior vice president of corporate development and Partnerships; and Debra Berman, senior vice president of consumer marketing.

SAN FRANCISCO  Oath, the Yahoo-AOL creation owner Verizon will debut this year, plans to announce its leadership team Tuesday. And it does not include most of Yahoo's executive team.

Mayer was expected to leave Yahoo after Verizon finalized the deal and Yahoo ceased to be an independent company, but it wasn't clear if she'd land with new owner Verizon. It was unlikely: During her tenure, the Internet company failed to realize an ambitious user and sales turnaround in the face of aggressive competition from Google and Facebook, eventually pressured by activist investors to sell its core assets. Two massive hacks under her watch, disclosed last year, further eroded the likelihood Verizon would take Mayer on board.

Related from USA Today:

Marissa Mayer's golden parachute is $23 million

Yahoo plus AOL, now called Oath

Under Oath? How Yahoo + AOL will change your web life

Yahoo and AOL declined comment.

The reconstituted Oath team is tantamount to a house cleaning of Yahoo. By the time of her exit, Mayer will have served nearly five years as Yahoo's CEO. Goldman was Yahoo CFO for five years. Cahan oversaw a team that built Yahoo's mobile division from $11 million in 2012 to nearly $2 billion last year. Weingarten was heavily involved in negotiations with Verizon and in transition talks after the deal was announced in July 2016.

"In the summer of 2017, you can bet we will be launching one of the most disruptive brand companies in digital," Armstrong told USA TODAY in an email in early April, when announcing the Oath name.

Business Insider reported last week that an executive shuffle was in the works.

Separately, Yahoo disclosed the size of its stake in Snapchat-parent Snap. Its 2.3 million common-stock stake is worth about $48 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. It also owns 2.3 million in preferred shares.

Watch: Oath to oversee Yahoo & AOL brand
Images courtesy of the Melbourne Mint.

Issued for Tuvalu, a Proof 5-ounce .9999 fine silver $5 coin depicts the ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex. The coin has a mintage limit of 500 pieces.

Melbourne Mint (a distributor and not a striking facility) is launching a Proof Tyrannosaurus Rex 5-ounce .9999 fine silver $5 coin in the name of Tuvalu on May 2.

The coin was struck by the Perth Mint.

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 reverse of the coin shows the dinosaurs ferocious mouth gaping open, ready to attack, with T-REX below in a cartoonish style.

The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

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The coin has a diameter of 60 millimeters, allowing the design to have greater effect. The coin has a mintage limited to 500 pieces.

The American distributor is GovMint.com, but no pricing information was available as of April 24.

To learn more about the coin, visit the Melbourne Mint website.
N. Oregon Coast Events: Tillamook History Book, Local Seafood Issues

Published 04/22/2017 at 6:33 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Tillamook, Oregon)  What's going on with the local seafood industry on the Oregon coast and around Oregon? And are you craving more Tillamook area history? These are the questions being looked at and answered this month in the area with an event and a new release from a history museum. (Above: Tillamook Bay).



The north Oregon coast region around Bay City and Tillamook Bay will be the epicenter of a special discussion on some intriguing questions about local seafood. Fish Tales: Tillamook Traditions and Challenges happens on Saturday, April 29 at the Bay City Arts Center on 5th Street in Bay City. The discussion will be facilitated by Jennifer Burns Bright, a food and travel writer from Port Orford, Oregon.

In this interactive conversation, Bright and the panel of seafood experts will explore the conundrum of eating local seafood on the North Oregon Coast. Why arent we eating more local seafood now that preserving and distribution technologies are the most sophisticated they have ever been? What are the challenges we face in an increasingly globalized market? What traditions would we like to see continue as our community grows and changes? The group will delve into the north Oregon coast's relationship with products of the sea and cultural traditions.

Participating local panelists will be Erin Whitney, Food Manager at Pacific Oyster in Bay City, Ray Monroe, a commercial doryman from Pacific City, Jeremy Coon from Tillamook Bay Seafood Inc. in Garibaldi, and Jeff Wong from the Consumer Supported Fishery, also in Garibaldi.



Dr. Bright holds a PhD from the University of California, Irvine, as well as a Master Food Preserver certification. She has recently retired from teaching at the University of Oregon and is currently a travel and food writer as well as a community organizer who likes linking local producers with consumers.

There is no charge for this program but reservations are encouraged as seating is limited. Please call the Pioneer Museum at 503-842-4553 to register or for more information.

Also in Tillamook, the Tillamook County Historical Society (TCHS) is touting the re-release of its book about Oregon coast life in the early pioneer days, after it funded a reprinting of a memoir by famed figure Dr. Huckleberry. The book digs into the struggles, routines and even comic aspects in the timber country of the Tillamook area, written by the man who spent decades there as a rural doctor.

With the permission of the Oregon Historical Society, TCHS member Karen Hirte has spent three years scanning text, upgrading photos and preparing the book for publication. "The Adventures of Dr. Huckleberry: Tillamook County, Oregon," has been out of print for some time and with the help of Karen and the Jewell High School Graphics Students, has been brought it back to life.

The Garibaldi Maritime Museum has a collection of Dr. Huckleberry memorabilia and will be hosting a reception for the book's reprinting. That event takes place on Saturday, May 13 at 1 p.m., giving you chance to buy a copy of the book and enjoy the Garibaldi Museum's Huckleberry exhibit.

For those locals who remember Dr. Hucklberry, the museum is asking them to attend so they can share stories of the revered resident. The Garibaldi Maritime Museum is located at 112 Garibaldi Ave., Garidbaldi, Oregon. For more information call the Garibaldi Museum at 503-322-8411 or Sally Rissel at 503-781-4102. Where to stay for this event - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour

















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Swarm of Five Small Quakes Off Oregon Coast Last Week

Published 04/19/2017 at 6:23 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Waldport, Oregon)  A string of five small earthquakes rattled off the Oregon coast this last week, with four on Saturday alone, and another slightly larger one on the Tuesday prior to that, on April 11. (Above: Graphic courtesy Pacific Northwest Seismic Network).

It's simply another case of the Cascadia subduction zone letting us know it's out there, say scientists. Essentially, it's more of the same slipping action the two plates do on a regular occasion. However, many residents on the central Oregon coast felt at least one of these rattlers.

The four on Saturday were centered about 60 miles west of Waldport. The first on Tuesday, happened about 130 miles west of Coos Bay, much farther south and way out beyond the shore. That one was the largest, clocking in at a 4.1 magnitude at a depth of 6.2 miles, happening at 6:45 in the evening.

The first of the swarm on Saturday was the largest of that bunch, a magnitude 3.8 at 7:48 a.m., happening about 40 miles west of Waldport. This quake was felt by many residents in areas around Yachats, Waldport, Seal Rock and close to Newport. Several people on the Yachats Community page talked of feeling their homes being rattled.

The next three happened largely in the same spot and within two hours of each other.

A second quake hit at 10:52 a.m. with a 1.8 magnitude, shaking at nearly 20 miles beneath the sea floor. The third came at 12:06 p.m. with a 2.7 magnitude at nearly 23 miles in depth. The fourth took place not long after at 12:53 p.m., a 2.4 magnitude quake that was centered 20 miles in depth.

No tsunami alerts were issued, and scientists say this is fairly normal in this region, although this many in such a short time is unusual.

The Cascadia subduction zone is where two of the Earth's plates meet, creating intense pressure as the two press up against each other. With all the Earth's plates moving at about the pace that a human fingernail grows, periodically that pressure gets released when a plate slips. This results in such tremblors as were felt recently.

Even though none of these were cause for alarm, officials and scientists are using the opportunity to urge the public to be ready for such disasters. A massive quake is expected off the Oregon coast sometime between now and the next 100 years, so it is imperative the public engage in disaster preparedness. On the Oregon coast, this also means paying attention to tsunami evacuation routes. See Live Earthquake, Tsunami Updates from Oregon Coast, Washington. B.C., California, Alaska.



















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Not much can stop Kati Preston from telling her story.

The 78-year-old Holocaust survivor had a knee replacement operation almost three weeks ago. Recovery requires lots of bed rest in her Barnstead farmhouse, and most would probably prefer to take it easy while they heal.

But Preston said theres an urgency to her message that didnt exist when she started speaking publicly about her life 10 years ago. Back then, her story was Like a memory ... like a story, more historical than anything, she said. Now, theres a change, she said, in the America she journeyed to 38 years ago, the country she loves  an attitude that suggests its okay to engage in hate speech and to use a group of people as scapegoats for the countrys problems.

Its a mission, she said, that has meant more to her than any other profession shes ever held. More than being a journalist, an EMT or founding the a nonprofit theater organization.

Its that urgency, she said, that had her speaking to an army medical unit in Portsmouth just nine days after her surgery. She had to sit in a wheelchair to tell her story then, but she hopes shell be able to stand Monday when she gives a talk at 7 p.m. at Rivier Universitys Dion Center in Nashua in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Her energy, she said, is better when she stands.

Running out of time

Besides the change she feels in the country, she said she fears shes running out of time to tell her story. An estimated 100,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive today in the U.S., according to the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, and by 2020, that number is expected to drop to 67,100. By 2030, the number of survivors is expected to drop to a mere 15,800.

An estimated 6 million Jewish people died in the Holocaust, a figure that does not encompass the Romas, the Polish or Serb civilians, among others, who were killed by the Nazi regime, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Its a lonely existence, Preston said, and as survivors die she fears the memory of the Holocaust will eventually be lost, unless people hear their stories. So she speaks, because she cant afford not to. Now, more than ever, she said, people need to understand the dangers of allowing hatred of others to rule their actions, and the dangers of being complicit in that hatred.

Just ask her about what happened to her father.

He wouldnt leave me

Before the Hungarian authorities rounded up all the Jewish inhabitants of Nagyvarad, a village in what is now considered Romania, Preston lived a secure life. Her mother, a fierce, bright Catholic woman, employed 40 women in a successful dressmaking business; her father, a tall, dark Jewish man with a big laugh, supplied the whole region with carp from the Koros river with his wholesale fishing businesses. Their interfaith marriage, Preston said, was a bit of a scandal at the time.

Preston was treated like a princess, she said, especially by her father, who always had a gift for her in his pocket when he came home. He made her feel safe, she said, even when he threw her in the air and caught her. When he held her, she felt a sense of love, peace and security  one, she said with a pause, Ive never recaptured.

When authorities required all the Jewish residents to register at the police station around 1943, Preston was too young to perceive the threat. At age 4, she couldnt understand that registration turned into denying Jewish people the ability to go to college, or that Jewish doctors werent allowed to treat non-Jewish patients, or that she wasnt even allowed to sit on her favorite bench anymore because she was Jewish.

Even when her mother presented her with a golden Star of David, which she wore proudly until a man spat on her in the street, Preston wasnt worried  the concept of hatred, or death, was foreign to her as a child.

So when her father disappeared behind the walls of a ghetto, Preston wasnt afraid.

He was my daddy, she said. He wouldnt leave me.

The moment she understood death

Preston wouldnt find out what happened to her father until after the war was over. She learned her mother had bribed some authorities to release her father, and he almost escaped; the night he was recaptured, he was supposed to walk across the Romanian border.

But he couldnt leave, Preston said, without saying goodbye to his daughter. He set out for the outskirts of a nearby village, where Preston hid for three months after a peasant woman named Erzsebet who delivered milk to her family spirited her away to avoid going into the ghetto.

He was captured, she learned, and deported the next day to Auschwitz.

In Auschwitz, Prestons father was caught trying to steal a piece of bread, a transgression he was beaten for and, ultimately, paid for with his life. But Preston wouldnt learn of this until much later, when her stepfather, a man named Erno, told her on his deathbed. Erno had also lost loved ones  his wife and child, an 11-year-old named Ditta  to Auschwitzs gas chambers.

Preston said she knows that could have been her were it not for Erzsebet. She hid Preston in her barn attic among the hay and big, black spiders. She was there, watching through the cracks in the walls, when three men in green uniforms appeared at the farmhouse. They had been tipped off by one Prestons mothers workers, who knew she had a child.

Preston watches as the men slapped Erzebet around. Wheres the Jew? they demand.

Search my house, she replied.

They searched with gusto, throwing furniture out the window. As the soldiers were about to leave, one got the idea to check the barn. The sounds of what happened next stand out strongest to Preston: The clomp of the soldiers black, heavy boots, making their way up the barns rickety steps; the beating of her heart, so loud she was certain the soldiers would hear it; the twang of metal sticking into wood just inches from her face as a soldier poked the hay with a bayonet.

Preston said that was the moment she understood death. As an adult, when she heard of how her father died, she understood another emotion: hatred.

It was almost like a psychosis. I wanted revenge  I was filled with these incredible fantasies about what I would do to the people who killed my father, she said. My soul was so full of hatred there was no room for anything else.

That hatred, she said, took 50 years to leave her.

Family

One of the most common questions Preston gets when she speaks is, What do you do for revenge?

More than 73 years after the Holocaust, a corner of Prestons Center Barnstead farmhouse is filled with pictures of her family. Her mother, who married Erno and eventually moved to America with Preston and her husband, Gordon, is gone, as is Erno, but her four children and their children remain.

Their family is multicultural, Preston said  the four grandchildren are half-Chinese, half-Mexican, half-African American, and half-German. The half-German child is the granddaughter of a German soldier, and Preston said when she first learned her son was marrying the descendant of a Nazi, she gulped, then gulped again, collecting herself.

I said, Thats okay; we dont revisit the sins of the father on the children,  she said.

The future

The birth of her half-German granddaughter closed the circle for Preston; now, she said, her heart is full of love, and she hopes her message can stem the rising tide of intolerance and scapegoating of minorities she sees going on in the U.S. today.

Despite that, she disagrees with the notion that America is in danger of following in Germanys footsteps.

When Hitler took over, Germany was on its knees, she said. People say America is, but its not, and thats a big difference.

Preston also has a lot of hope for the younger generations that she views as being more tolerant. She gains strength from the reactions of the children she speaks to at schools, from their desire to touch her and take selfies with her.

But the older generations cant slack off either.

Its very scary, she said. Its going to take another generation to get away from this. I tell my kids, Youre going to be here for a long time. What you do today is going to affect your kids, and your kids kids.

She urges people to remember what can happen when intolerance wins. She doesnt want people to forget her, or Ditta, whose fate could have easily been hers, if not for Erzebet. She wants people to remember that without her, Prestons children and grandchildren would not exist.

Preston often looks at a picture of her and her father. Shes sitting on his shoulders at a pool, giving him rabbit ears. Its the last picture ever taken of the two of them together.

What do I do for revenge? she says. I live.

(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)
Overview:

There are 55 constituencies in the South West of England. Currently the Conservatives hold 51 and Labour four, with the Liberal Democrats (for whom this was previously something of a heartland) with none.

This is the major front in the Tory defence against a resurgent Lib Dems, and some MPs from the area have apparently been amongst the staunchest opponents of an early election. Including a rather long shot in Bristol West, every remaining seat in the region is a plausible Conservative target.

For Labour, this election is probably about trying to cling on to some of their few southern seats outside of London. The party currently holds three of Bristols four seats plus Exeter  but will try to go on the offensive against slender Conservative majorities in Plymouths two seats too.

Tim Farrons troops want this to be the cradle of their comeback  six of their 20 narrowest margins are in the South West. But that may not be as easy as they might like, for many of their former seats voted Leave and have big UKIP votes for the incumbent Tories to plunder. The Lib Dems best chances are where either their regional support is concentrated into particular strongholds, and a local source estimates about four Conservative losses.

The Greens launched their campaign here and have one seat firmly in their sights: Bristol West. However they may also be a factor in Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, where they may stand aside to boost Labours chances of unseating a Tory MP.

UKIPs relative strength in this Leave-supporting region has previously cost the Conservatives, ironically to the benefit of the arch-Europhile Lib Dems. If the Tories are able to substantially squeeze the Peoples Armys 2015 vote share it will greatly bolster their defence across a range of seats  especially if Paul Nuttall is serious about not standing against Eurosceptics.

Method:

Welcome back to our series on the election battlegrounds! As in 2015, well be taking a region-by-region look at the seats which could change hands and offering our suggested lists of target seats for each party.

These lists arent predictions of gains: rather, theyre just seats which we think could be competitive. They might be official party targets, have a small majority, or be subject to other factors which could leave them open to change.

Amongst the resources well be using to steer us through these murky waters are Electoral Calculus, UK Polling Report, Number Cruncher Politics, and Election Polling, whilst all Leave vote share estimations are from Chris Hanrettys very helpful constituency-by-constituency charts. Were also keeping an eye on the work of many other pollsters, psephologists, and analysts, some of whom our assistant editor has collated onto a Twitter list.

So without further ado the South West.

Battleground Rating: 6/10

Targets by party:

(NB These are our own suggestions of potential attack seats for each party  including those officially designated as targets and others where the incumbent has a relatively small majority, or local factors are at play which may open the seat to change.)

Conservatives:

Bristol East: UK Polling Report classifies this as a semi-marginal, and in normal circumstances that would be about right. Kerry McCarthys majority has been down in the high 3000s since the 2010 election, so with pollsters predicting that any Labour seat with a majority under 5000 is in deep trouble the Conservatives must be optimistic about their chances here  especially since, according to Hanrettys chart, almost 47 per cent of constituents voted Leave. Electoral Calculus is currently predicting a Conservative gain with 58 per cent probability.

Bristol South: If Bristol East is semi-marginal, UK Polling Report classes its southern neighbour as a safe Labour seat. Karin Smyths majority of 7,128 is at the upper end of the scale for Tory ambitions, but in 2010 it was a much more competitive 4,734 so there is clearly scope for an upset  especially as at 48 per cent this had the highest Leave share of any Bristol seat (North West, the Conservative seat, was third with just 39 per cent). Electoral Calculus predicts another Conservative gain, with slightly narrower odds than East.

Bristol West: This one is an odd one. By far the citys most left-wing constituency, and with only a 21 per cent Leave vote, this is squaring up to be a strictly intra-left fight between Labour, the Greens, and possibly the Liberal Democrats. Yet Electoral Calculus gives the Tories a 39 per cent chance of winning here, despite predicting a Labour hold, and it has appeared on a couple of gains in event of blowout lists. A very long shot indeed, not least since the Tories would be coming from fourth, but left-to-right swing voters do exist and if the left vote splits right it could be one of those shock results which so enliven election night.

Exeter: This was a disappointing seat for the Tories last time out, as Labour incumbent Ben Bradshaw managed to increase his majority from a competitive 2,721 to a much more intimidating 7,183. However, that was built on the back of a Lib Dem collapse, so if Tim Farrons troops are making a comeback this could go blue. Hanretty has Exeter at 45 per cent Leave, which suggests the Tories could also squeeze both the UKIP and Labour votes. UK Polling Report thinks this is safe, and local activists think that failure to re-run 2015 challenger Dom Morris will hurt Tory chances, but Electoral Calculus foresees a Conservative gain with 53 per cent probability.

Labour:

Plymouth Moor View: Formerly the storied Plymouth Devonport, home to such Labour giants as Michael Foot and David Owen, this seat was picked up by Johnny Mercer (sometime of this parish) in 2015 by just over 1,000 votes. UK Polling Report class it as the more working class of Plymouths seats and as a marginal, but Electoral Calculus predicts a 71 per cent chance of a Conservative hold, not least because Mercer may be able to squeeze the UKIP vote in a seat that went 66 per cent Leave.

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport: Conservative incumbent Oliver Colvile captured this seat in 2010, but in 2015 his majority was more than halved to 523 making this the more marginal of the two. It was also the more pro-Remain, although Leave still scooped 54 per cent of the vote. Electoral Calculus predicts another 71 per cent chance of a Tory hold, probably assuming Colvile will eat into the Leave-leaning portion of Labours share and the 6,731 who voted UKIP in 2015. However, this is one seat where a progressive alliance may be a complicating factor: rumour is the local Greens (3,401 votes in 2015) may stand aside to give an anti-Tory candidate a better shot.

Liberal Democrat:

Bath: The 12th-most marginal Lib Dem target, theyd held this seat since unseating Chris Patten, the Conservative Party Chairman, in 1992 until Ben Howlett took it back in 2015 when Don Foster, the long-serving incumbent, stood down. Local sources tip this as at risk: the area is estimated to have voted 68 per cent Remain and theres precious little UKIP vote to squeeze. Howlett himself backed Remain and is firmly on the Tories liberal wing, but with more than 6,000 Labour and 5,600 Green voters in 2015 this must be one seat where progressive tactical voting could make the difference. Electoral Calculus is having none of it, however, and gives the Lib Dems just a one-in-four chance of recapturing the seat.

Cheltenham: Alex Chalk captured this with an 11-point swing to secure a majority over the Lib Dems of over 6,500, but local sources suggest this pro-Remain town may be at risk. Not only do they have an overwhelming majority on Cheltenham Council but Martin Horwood, the former MP, is their candidate again. Whilst UKIP got just over 3,800 voters in 2015 there are plenty of Labour (3,902) and Green (2,689) to reinforce Horwood. Electoral Calculus give Chalk an almost four-in-five chance of hanging on, but that may be underestimating a concentration of Lib Dem strength in this seat.

Chippenham: This would be something of a long shot, as Michelle Donelans majority stands at over 10,000  although first-term majorities can be soft. Hanretty puts the seat at 52 per cent Leave, and with UKIP third-placed in 2015 with almost 6,000 votes she should be able to hold on  indeed Electoral Calculus puts Donelans odds at 85 per cent. There is apparently some local concern about how the seat has been worked since the last election, however, so we include it here as an outsider.

North Cornwall: Scott Manns majority in this seat stands at a healthy 6,621, but word on the ground is that having his election expenses investigated by the CPS may be hurting him. Moreover Dan Rogerson, the former MP, is standing again. Nonetheless, the seats Leave vote is estimated at 60 per cent and Brexiteer Mann should have no trouble winning over a substantial chunk of UKIPs more than 6,000 2015 voters, which may keep him safe. Electoral Calculus gives the Lib Dems just a 17 per cent shot.

North Devon: At 26th on the Lib Dems margin-based target list this is nominally a more plausible bet than seats such as Wells and North Cornwall, but word on the ground is that first-term Conservative incumbent Peter Heaton-Jones can be pretty confident of defending his majority of just under 7,000. The seat is estimated to have gone 57 per cent Leave, there are 7,719 UKIP votes to squeeze, and Electoral Calculus gives the Lib Dem challenger just an 18 per cent chance.

St Ives: By far the Lib Dems best prospect in Cornwall on paper, Andrew George lost by just under 2,500 votes in 2015 and is apparently consulting the people of Cornwall as to whether he should stand again. His message seems focused on uniting Remain voters, but the seat is estimated to have voted 55 per cent Leave and Derek Thomas, the Conservative incumbent who backed Leave, has 5,720 UKIP votes to woo. Electoral Calculus gives George, once the Lib Dems most rebellious MP, just a 28 per cent chance.

Thornbury & Yate: One of the most marginal seats to go in the 2015 wipe out, Tory incumbent Luke Hall won this by just under 1,500 votes after a 14-point fall in the Lib Dem share of the vote. However Steve Webb, the experienced former MP who served as Pensions Minister in the Coalition, is not standing again. None the less, despite the narrow margin, there the new candidate Claire Young faces some headwinds: Hanretty estimates that the seat went Leave by 52 per cent, the Conservatives are likely to squeeze the more than 5,000 votes UKIP won in 2015, and Halls backing Remain may cut across the Lib Dem core message. Despite it being fourth on the partys most marginal target list, Electoral Calculus gives them only a 30 per cent chance of a win.

Torbay: Another seat which, by the standards of the region, only went Tory rather narrowly in 2015: Kevin Foster enjoys a majority of just 3,286 over the Lib Dems, whod previously held the seat since 1997, and its their tenth-most marginal target. However, the seat is estimated to have gone 62 per cent Leave and Foster has over 6,500 votes to squeeze  and his backing Remain may help him with Con-LD switchers. Electoral Calculus give the Lib Dems just a 26 per cent chance and some local Tory sources tip a solid hold, although others think it could be one of the most likely Lib Dem pick-ups in the region.

Wells: James Heappeys majority of just over 7,500 puts this down at the 27th-most marginal Lib Dem target, which would suggest a very good night for them. With the electorate believed to have gone 53 per cent Leave in the EU referendum and 5,600 votes from third-placed UKIP available he should be fine, although the Lib Dems will get a boost from the fact that Tessa Munt, the former MP, is standing again. Electoral Calculus puts her chances at less than one-in-five.

Yeovil: This was one of the more comfortable Conservative gains two years ago, and Marcus Fysh enjoys a majority of just under 5,300 after securing a 16-point swing. Hanretty estimates that Paddy Ashdowns old seat went Leave by 60 per cent to 40, which will likely help Brexiteer Fysh attract some of UKIPs 7,464 2015 voters. Local activists warn that the Lib Dems have a majority of the local councillors and that Fysh has not been as active as he might have been, but Electoral Calculus still gives his challenger just a 22 per cent chance of winning.

Green:

Bristol West: As discussed above, this is far and away the most left-wing seat in Bristol and its number one on the Greens target list, needing a swing of just 4.42 per cent to fall. Theyre running Molly Scott Cato, their current MEP for the region, in order to get an increase on the impressive 17,227 they got last time. Only 21 per cent of constituents voted Leave, too. The big question for Labour is whether this is one of the few seats where Jeremy Corbyns left-wing leadership helps to woo voters back from their primary challenger. As noted above, Electoral Calculus predicts a Labour hold.
Four years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories.

Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts.

Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters.

To help remedy this, every fortnight we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented.

         

Residential Care Leadership Board  Chair

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for education and childrens services. We focus on early years, schools, tertiary education including apprenticeships, and childrens social care. We aim to deliver an effective and efficient education system that drives social mobility. We are setting up the Residential Care Leadership Board (RCLB) to drive significant improvements in the residential care system in England, as recommended in Sir Martin Nareys independent review of residential care. The board will have an initial focus on Sir Martin Nareys recommendations for commissioning and Staying Close pilots, with scope to extend this remit in the longer term.

Time: 40 days per annum maximum.

Remuneration: 500 per diem up to 40 days per annum plus travel and expenses.

Closes: 03 May

         

UK Research & Innovation  Chief Finance Officer

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is now looking to appoint UK Research and Innovations Chief Finance Officer (CFO). The CFO will be vital to the success of this new organisation. Working closely with the interim Chair, the CEO, the Board (of which they will be a member) and stakeholders across the sector, the CFO will aid in the design and establishment of the new organisation, building vital relationships, developing strategy, and putting the working model for the new system in place. They will shape and lead a globally important, pioneering new organisation.

Time: Full time.

Remuneration: Circa 142,000 per annum, plus pension and performance-based pay.

Closes: 05 May

         

Bank of England  Deputy Governor (Markets and Banking)

he new Deputy Governor will be responsible for managing the balance sheet of the Bank. He or she will look after the execution of financial stability and monetary policy decisions via balance sheet operations, the management of the Governments foreign exchange reserves, gold custody services, the operation of the real time settlement system, the effective risk management of these operations and the gathering of market intelligence relevant to policy decisions.

Time: Full time.

Remuneration: 273,333 per annum.

Closes: 05 May

         

Pubs Code Adjudicator  Deputy Adjudicator

The Pubs Code governs the relationship between large pub-owning companies and their tied tenants. The Code regulates the relationship between around 11,500 tied pub tenants and the large pub-owning businesses which rent the pubs to them and sell them tied products. The Code governs their relationships with tied pubs, but not with their managed houses or free-of-tie pub tenants. Tied tenants have the right to take disputes regarding the Code to the PCA. The Adjudicator has statutory powers to arbitrate Code disputes and award compensation if a breach is found. The Adjudicator can also investigate suspected systemic abuses of the Code and may impose sanctions on one or more pub-owning companies following an investigation.

Time: Full time.

Remuneration: 80-95,000 per annum.

Closes: 08 May

         

Regulatory Policy Committee  Chair

We are seeking to appoint a new Chair of the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC). The RPC is a small advisory Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It provides independent, expert advice on the quality of analysis and evidence supporting regulatory changes that affect businesses, charities and voluntary organisations. The Committee is an essential part of the better regulation system providing stakeholders, in particular business, with confidence that the costs and benefits from regulatory change have been properly considered. The RPC is seeking to recruit a new Chair to lead the Committee and to assure the quality, consistency and proportionality of the Committees opinions.

Time: Ten meetings a year plus additional duties.

Remuneration: 500 per diem up to 20,000 per annum.

Closes: 12 May

         

Economic and Social Research Council  CEO/Executive Chair

We are seeking an inspirational social scientist with international standing and proven track record to lead the ESRC  initially as its CEO and subsequently as its Executive Chair as it is established as one of the nine Councils within UK Research and Innovation in April 2018. As part of UK Research and Innovations Executive Committee the Executive Chair will have an important role in determining how these benefits are manifested in UK Research and Innovation and a critical role in championing and increasing the impact of the social sciences within UK Research and Innovation, government and the UK more widely.

Time: Full time.

Remuneration: Dependent upon skills and experience.

Closes: 26 May

         

Ofcom  Board Member

This Board Member will be expected to have a good understanding of broadcasting policy issues, content regulation and be a clear advocate for the consumer in the context of devolved policies in the nations and regions. They will, in the context of the new Members of the Ofcom Board being appointed by each of the devolved administrations, reflect the needs of consumers and citizens in England and be able to work with their colleagues from the devolved Nations on policy and consumer issues. This will demand a good understanding of the legislative environment in which Ofcom operates and of the wider public policy environment.

Time: Up to two days per week.

Remuneration: 42,519 per annum.

Closes: 16 June
When David Cameron won a majority in the general election of 2015, despite final polls suggesting otherwise, his victory looked like a triumph for middle-ground Toryism. When Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in last years presidential election, some said that Americas anti-establishment politics would come next to Europe. When Mark Rutte hung on in Holland, it was claimed that normality was reasserting itself, since Geert Wilders had failed to break through.

Readers will get the point. We tend to read into elections what we want to find. Camerons win was unexpected by many people, including this site, but it flattered to deceive. The EU referendum result scarcely a year later showed how disillusioned, badly-off and resentful many voters felt outside much of London and its plush satellite belt. Trump didnt outpoll other Republican candidates further down the ticket, most of whom were from the party establishment which he railed against. Rutte may still be there, but only after telling migrants (clearly, by implication, Muslims) to behave normally, or go away.

The moral of these stories, applied to the first round of Frances presidential election, is to search for the trend  or try to  rather than be swayed by the mood of the moment. It is true that the countrys main parties have been humiliated by the result, but this is not the first time that a Le Pen has made the final round of a presidential contest. Time will tell whether or not Graeme Archers hunch turns out to be right, and less well-off French voters push Marine Le Pen over the winning line, or the polls are correct, and they band together instead to keep the Front Nationals candidate out. If this happens, it is hard to see how Emmanuel Macron, an independent, will have much authority amidst a system still dominated by the political parties.

We have got used to feeble presidents trying to grip a turbulent country: a Macron presidency would probably repeat the process. One could waste a lot of ink over what a victory for either candidate would mean for Brexit. Perhaps a Le Pen presidency would swiftly weaken the EU and strengthen Britains position. Or maybe the rest of the EU27 would toughen their negotiating stance  in order to send a message to anyone thinking of following us out of the exit door. We cannot know. What will remain the case is that Frances instincts are often protectionist, suspicious of Anglo-Saxon capitalism, and antagonistic to the City of London. These will endure whoever wins.

What is unmissable is that trend. The outlook for much of the rest of the world is sunny: longer lives, higher incomes, fewer wars. By contrast, the economic and cultural weather in Europe and North America is overcast: low birth rates, high immigration, pressure on wages, the disruption of automation. Le Pen is part of the response to it. We are wary of predictions here, but Macron is unlikely to crush her, if he wins, on the same scale that Jacques Chirac crushed her father in 2002.
The political dust-up between Philip Hammond and Patrick McLoughlin reported in this mornings Sun highlights two competing theories of what a Party should do when confronted with that rare creature, a seemingly surefire victory.

Hammond, as the once-and-presumably-future Chancellor, wants to use the leeway afforded by Labours weakness to win with a mandate to take tough decisions.

This involves jettisoning popular but expensive policies such as the pensions triple-lock and the no-tax-rises guarantee, which Hammond has said tie his hands when it comes to tackling the nations financial challenges.

As Party Chairman, McLoughlins role is to try to hit Labour as hard as possible and win the largest majority he possibly can, to which end hes clearly trying to muddy the waters over the Tories tax intentions.

His suggestion that the manifesto will be for Cabinet to decide probably hasnt been true since the days of Jim Callaghan, but it may yet reassure voters unfamiliar with the nuances of the British constitution.

But whilst not all Philip Hammonds ideas are good ones  whacking new taxes and rights on self-employed people looks a lot like an unimaginative Treasury trying to force new patterns of work into old moulds it knows how to tax  in general his is probably the wiser course.

The size of a mandate is less important than what you do with it. If the Conservatives dont use this election to free themselves from expensive policies, such as the tax lock or NHS ringfencing, which hinder efforts to close the deficit then most likely they never will.

But theres a caveat: this election is also an opportunity to return Conservative MPs in parts of the country where theyve been thin on the ground for a generation (or several SNP generations).

Delivering strong results in Scotland, Wales, and the North will be important if the Prime Minister is to lead a genuinely one nation Government through the Brexit negotiations, as will winning over voters from age groups and social brackets where the Tories are traditionally weak.

This means that whilst Hammonds path of using this election to break free of popular but unworkable policies is good in principle, the party should remain wary of some of his ideas. It wont win over the working class long-term with Spite van man headlines.
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.
NO to war

Peace is union business

The world is spiralling towards World War Three, a nuclear war which nobody can win. US imperialist aggression is out of control, directly or indirectly threatening independent nation states on every continent of the globe.

Photo: Avante Media Australia

Donald Trump has wasted no time in overturning pre-election rhetoric rejecting endless war or war in more than one theatre. He is shaping up to become the most reckless and dangerous of war hawks yet to hold the US presidency.

Trumps appointments to senior government positions and actions reveal an alarming and power-hungry, ultra-conservative hell bent on asserting US global economic, political and military domination by force. Trump appears prepared to do whatever the US war machine and its military industrial complex demand of him.

US Vice-President Mike Pence has just completed a tour of the South East Asia region including Australia, briefing allied governments in South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, as well as here.

Pence did not hold back with his warnings to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea). In provocative and chilling threats, Pence repeatedly made the same threat in relation to North Korea: The era of strategic patience is over.

Pence raised the stakes saying: all options are on the table, that if China is unable to deal with North Korea, the United States and our allies will. The DPRK has resorted to heightened defence response mode to protect itself from the US which holds annual joint exercises with South Korea, rehearsing an invasion of the north.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faithfully and blindly echoed Pences threat of war, describing the DPRKs regime as reckless and dangerous and claiming it puts the peace and stability of our region at risk.

Tensions heightened

In 2011, President Barack Obama flew to Australia to declare, in an address to parliament, what became known as the pivot to Asia: the biggest build-up of US air and naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region since the Second World War. The target was China.

In July, one of the biggest US-led naval exercises ever staged, the biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre, is set to rehearse a blockade of the sea lanes through which run Chinas commercial lifelines. Based on an Air-Sea Battle Plan for war with China, which prescribes a pre-emptive blinding attack, this war game will be played by Australia and other allies.

China has been encircled by about 400 US military bases. In a similar fashion, the US has encircled Russia with its own and NATO bases.

Pivot to Asia

The real threat of peace and stability comes from US imperialism and its allies, which includes Australia.

The target remains China. The bombing and invasion of North Korea would provide the US with yet another strategic military base and facilities on the border of China. North Korea also has a short border with Russia, another target high on the USs list, near Vladivostok.

Last month the US announced the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (Thaad) in South Korea. This raises concerns for Chinas security as well as that of North Korea.

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, warned that Thaad would bring an arms race in the region: More missile shields of one side inevitably bring more nuclear missiles of the opposing side that can break through the missile shield, it said.

North Koreas Ambassador to the UN, Ja Song-nam, said in a letter to the UN Security Council that the US was using nuclear propelled aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, nuclear strategic bombers and stealth fighters in joint exercises with South Korea which began on March 1.

Consequently, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is again inching to the brink of a nuclear war, the letter said.

These joint exercises encroach on North Korean waters on an annual basis, rehearsing an invasion of North Korea, a blatant intimidation.

The US is also in the process of increasing its military forces and weaponry in Australia.

Endless war

When Detente ended with the demise of the former socialist Soviet Union, the US became emboldened and more bellicose.

Islamist terrorism has replaced the threat of communism. On September 11, 1990, US President George Bush made his public declaration of a new world order. Then on January 16, 1991, the bombing of Iraq began, Operation Desert Storm was underway.

In 1992, a document titled Defence Planning Guidance, was published openly declaring a long-held aim, that the United States would become the sole superpower handling the military needs of the world. The document offered pre-emptive wars, allegedly to eliminate weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

In 2002, the Bush administrations Nuclear Posture Review included plans to use nuclear weapons against China, Iraq, Russia, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria. Nuclear weapons were no longer considered weapons of last resort.

The policy of pre-emptive strike was announced. Pre-emptive strike is a term for out-and-out aggression against independent states, in complete violation of international law. It was supported by the then Howard Coalition government.

Since then the US and its proxies have waged endless and wars and effected regime change or destabilised governments in a host of countries. The justifications for these illegal and horrendous acts have been based on lies, such as the alleged stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq or the demonisation of leaders. These include in Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Yugoslavia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine.

The US turned its attention to economic rivals Russia and China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which is an Eurasian political, economic and military organisation covering China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The US has military and spy bases in over 150 countries with 160,000 active-duty personnel and is directly or through its proxies is presently involved in conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, the strategically placed and oil rich Middle East and Horn of Africa.

It is in the process of attempting to destabilise the governments of Venezuela and Bolivia, and still has Cuba in its sights.

The US envisages the construction of new military bases in Latin America including Colombia on the immediate border of Venezuela.

Trump has indicated his full support for the right-wing Zionist government of Israel and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people. The unspoken agenda is outright elimination of Palestine and the installation of Greater Israel.

When Donald Trump launched his recent missile attack on Syria  following his bombing of a mosque and a school  he was having dinner in Florida with the President of China, Xi Jinping. All the media could do was focus on the chocolate cake he was eating.

Role of media

The medias role is to lend legitimacy to the USs war-mongering, presenting the US as a global peace-maker bringing democracy and human rights to the countries it bombs and invades. The media in Australia sings the same tune, churns out the same line, word perfect with every new bombing, drone attack or lie.

The Washington Posts claim, Wars make us safer and richer, was a classic. In reality, they do nothing of the sort. Wars are eating up budgets, making the people poorer, causing mass destruction and misery and feed into the global growth of terrorism. A nuclear war will leave the planet inhabitable.

The corporate media have come to the party, repeating and failing to question the lies and trotting out the same slogans of failed states, global war on terror: to make war an acceptable necessity.

Western trained and funded mercenaries such as in Syria are referred to as the opposition fighting a civil war. The immediate goal in Syria is regime change followed by the installation of a compliant government and control over resources and the country which is strategically placed in the Middle East.

The wars are illegal and unjustified.

Shift to right

The drive to war and to make war appear acceptable has been accompanied by a marked shift to the Right. In Europe, neo-fascist movements, backed and funded by the US, have made significant gains. In particular in the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Romania where there are governments of the extreme right.

Le Pen in France and New Dawn in Greece are amongst others which have made significant gains, and not without considerable assistance from the corporate media and corporate donations, which has done a great deal to mainstream them.

In Australia, Pauline Hansons One Nation party, which fuels the racist and xenophobic hatred and anti-Islam sentiments, has received considerable assistance from the media in a process aimed at normalising fascists.

The treatment of asylum seekers, many victims of the endless wars, fuels the racist fires and detracts from the real cause of peoples insecurity and suffering  capitalism.

Fight for peace and independence

Since the Second World War Australia has been involved in numerous conflicts on behalf of the US. These range from outright war and the training of foreign forces, to espionage and destabilisation of governments.

The USs military facilities at Pine Gap in South Australia are dedicated to spying and war fighting.

Its most important function is as a ground control station for US satellites which covers one third of the earth, encompassing the strategic areas of southern Russia, China and the oil fields of the Middle East.

Australia, willingly or not, would be immediately implicated in any war fought by the US against China or Russia, because of the role that Pine Gap plays and the use of Australia as a launching pad for US forces. The only way for Australia to be completely independent is to close Pine Gap and all other foreign military facilities and end the ANZUS Treaty. The US military installations, particularly Pine Gap, also make prime targets in any US-instigated conflict.

Pine Gap is also used in the carrying out of extrajudicial, illegal killings using drones.

Peace is union business

This May Day the world is on the brink of two irreversible catastrophes  nuclear war and destruction of human life on our planet as a result of human induced climate change.

Both catastrophes are being driven by capitalism and its rapacious and blinkered pursuit of profits.

In Australia, we can play our part by joining the anti-imperialist movement to end the US alliance, close all foreign bases and adopt and assert Australias sovereignty and independence.
Editorial

Shared values

Amid continued rhetoric of Australian values and national identity, the Turnbull government has said it is overhauling Australias citizenship laws, including abolishing 457 visas and replacing them with two new visas.

The changes to Australian citizenship laws announced by PM Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton mean migrants will need to pass tougher hurdles, including a stand-alone English test, having to have lived in Australia as a permanent resident for a minimum of four years, and will need to demonstrate the steps they have taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community.

The new citizenship requirements include:

Applicants pass a stand-alone English test, involving reading, writing, listening and speaking (Relevant exemptions will apply, such as for permanent or enduring incapacity and for those under 16 years of age);

Extending the time an applicant must have lived in Australia as a permanent resident from one year to at least four years;

Strengthening the citizenship test with new and more meaningful questions that assess an applicants understanding of  and commitment to  our shared values and responsibilities;

Applicants demonstrate steps they have taken to integrate into the community, such as getting a job, joining community organisations and ensuring their children are enrolled at school;

Limiting the number of times an applicant can fail the citizenship test to three  currently there is no limit;

Automatically failing people who cheat during the citizenship test.

The Turnbull government will strengthen Australian citizenship by putting Australian values at the heart of citizenship processes and requirements, a statement from the Prime Ministers office said.

Membership of the Australian family is a privilege and should be granted to those who support our values, respect our laws and want to work hard by integrating and contributing to an even better Australia.

An almost immediate response to the 457 visa change came from India, which made clear that the Australian governments decision to replace the 457 skilled worker visa may affect trade negotiations. Indians make up a quarter of 457 visa holders, the most of any nation.

India wanted to expand approved skill categories to allow more Indian professionals to work in Australia. In response to the governments changes, Indias Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement, saying that it was examining the consequences of the new policy, adding that it would look at the matter in the context of trade negotiations.

One of the Australian values questions is, Do you support female genital mutilation? Who would answer such a question in the affirmative? What is its purpose? Dog whistles, directed to xenophobes and in particular Islamophobes.

Stealing polices from One Nation  a practice begun by former Coalition PM John Howard  is now standard procedure for the Liberal-Nationals. Maybe its time to question what might happen if they as current Australian citizens dont share Turnbulls values.

How about the values embraced and practiced by the current and previous governments in handing over Australias sovereignty and independence, giving up the northern part of the country to foreign military forces in preparation for participation in yet another US-instigated war?

What about the values behind the dispossession and attempted assimilation and genocide of Australias First People? Where are the values of basic human rights in the prolonged abuse and torture of men, women and children on Nauru and Manus Island, and here on the mainland? Religious intolerance; Christianity only? All good Aussies should love coal and see climate change as a hoax?

Social division based on fear and ignorance is the real agenda of this government. If youre for fighting against poverty, climate change and inequality, and believe in striving for social justice, you are not on the governments Team Australia.

On this coming May Day everyone needs to come out and march and show the flag, the one with the call, Workers of all countries, Unite!.
From penal powers to  penal powers

In 1965 a dispute arose over the introduction of one-man bus routes in Melbourne. Union bans on the disputed routes led to fines being imposed in 1966. By 1969 the Tramways Union had accrued some 40 fines totalling $13,200.

Melbourne tram circa 1969.

Those fines arose from the 1947 Arbitration Act (Commonwealth). The Act was amended in 1951 by the Menzies government with an increase in the penalties for contempt of a court order (sections 109 and 111), which were 500 on a union, 200 or imprisonment for 12 months on a union official and 50 on a rank and file member. Section 138 provided for a 100 fine on an officer of the union for advising any member to take direct action. By 1969 contempt of court fines were $1,000 a day for a union. Between 1956 and 1968 unions were fined 799 times for a total of $282,410.

There was growing rancour amongst rank and file unionists towards the hated penalty provisions, together known as the penal powers. At the same time militancy and confidence were increasing amongst a layer of (mainly) younger union activists. In 1969 the Communist Party and communist-led unions decided to confront the penal powers head-on.

The Tramways Union had been paying off the fines at a rate of $100 a month, but in 1967 Industrial Registrar suddenly demanded immediate payment of $3,000. The Union said this was impossible and offered $200 a month, but the Registrar seized the union bank account and recovered $3,741.

Early in 1969 the Registrar obtained a summons for Clarrie OShea, Victorian state secretary, to appear with the unions records over the $8,100 still owing, set for 20 March. OShea dodged this and two further summons to appear. Finally, when he did appear on May 15 he refused to take the oath and hand over the union books. He was jailed for contempt of court by the judge, John Kerr (Yes, that John Kerr), and sent to Pentridge prison.

On Friday May 16 some half to one million workers struck across Australia. The ACTU made no resolution on the jailing of OShea or on strike action. The Trades and Labour Councils (TLCs) of Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland called for general strikes. The Victorian, New South Wales and Tasmanian TLCs refused to endorse the strike and in some cases were hostile to it. Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra TLCs called out their members. In Tasmania, 22 rebel unions representing 50,000 workers (80 percent of the workforce) organised a general strike.

In the afternoon of Tuesday May 20, Dudley MacDougall, a former advertising executive of the Australian Financial Review, paid both the unions fines ($8,100) and OSheas personal fines ($500). MacDougall claimed that he had won the money on the Opera House lottery, but OShea maintained that ASIO had something to do with paying the fine. Either way, nothing was ever proven. At 11 am Wednesday May 21 Kerr discharged OShea from examination. On release OShea was as defiant as ever.

In 1970, sections of the Act were amended. Fines were still levied, but no unions paid them.

What is the situation now? The $8,100 in 1969 would be worth about $90,500 now. For comparison, these are some recent examples. The CFMEU was fined $1.25 million for contempt of court over a dispute with Grocon in 2012 and 2013. (In contrast, Grocon was ordered to pay only $250,000 in connection with the deaths of three people after a wall collapsed at a building site in Melbourne in 2013.)

The CFMEU was fined $110,000 and the officials Aaron Cartledge, David Bolton and Michael McDermott $4,600 each for breaches of right of entry provisions at an Adelaide site in 2014. Also in 2014, 117 workers of the CFMEU and AMWU were ordered to pay $680,000 in fines. Thirty-three failed to pay up and risked having their personal assets seized.

Fines now arise from the Fair Work Act and the Australian Building and Construction Commission. The magnitude of the fines seems to have increased by a factor of ten, and the unions seem unwilling or unable to defy them. While individual unionists have much at stake now (home, superannuation) compared to the 1960s and the fear of bankruptcy is well-justified and understandable, in the long term paying the fines can only pave the way for more tyrannical laws.

There has never been a general right to strike in Australia, only periods where strike action is possible and there is much militant activity, such as in the early 1970s following the defeat of the penal powers, and when it is punishing and unions are cowered, as it is now. But those in the union movement who think that the course of least resistance will suffice should be reminded of the fact that unionism can get a lot tougher than it is now.

In the 19th century the Combination Act (UK, 1799) and the Master and Servants Act (NSW, 1828) meant that unions were basically illegal and an employer could imprison an employee who refused to work.
A better world is possible

ACFS 34th Annual Consultation

Every year the Australian Cuban Friendship Societies hold its Consultation with the Cuban ambassador in a city around Australia which has an active branch. The Consultation had not been held in Albury since 2003 and many members of the ACFS had not previously visited the city situated on the mighty Murray River which forms the southern border between NSW with Victoria.

From left to right: Deputy Mayor of Albury Dr Amanda Cohn, Veronica, Cuban Ambassador Jose Galego and Albury Mayor Kevin Mack.

The Consultation is an opportunity for the various ACFSs around Australia to let the ambassador, Jose Manuel Galego Montano, know what activities they had undertaken in the past year to promote solidarity with the Cuban people and their revolutionary society which is seen as a beacon to the world of a peaceful, egalitarian and sustainable society.

The proceedings commenced with a civic reception at the Albury City Council offices on March 31 where the Mayor Kevin Mack welcomed Ambassador Galego and his family. The mayor also acknowledged the Wiradjuri Aboriginal people as the custodians of the land on which the Consultation would take place and acknowledged his Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn who was also present and other councillors. Mayor Mack also acknowledged the experience of the Cuban ambassador and his search for ways to improve relations with Australia and New Zealand as well as the difficulties which confronted Cuba, in maintaining its independence and the struggles which your country endures on a daily basis.

The Consultation opened on the Saturday with a report by the Cuban Ambassador Jose Galego in which he described the challenges facing Cuba in improving not only energy production but also food production. Cuba needs not only to become less reliant on the import of oil and gas but increase its production of energy from renewable sources which it is doing from solar, wind and biomass.

In relation to food production, the Cuban government is looking at incentives to encourage the highly educated and skilled Cuban workforce to move to the countryside to resource Cubas efforts at increasing food production and food sovereignty. Though urban agriculture continued to provide fresh food and vegetables to many city people, it was often not possible to have pig and chicken farms in the cities for health reasons. This was also compounded by the need to feed the extra 6-7 million tourists who visited Cuba.

Relations between Australian and Cuban governments, reported Galego, continued to be constructive and mutually beneficial. 50,000 Australians are visiting Cuba each year and discussions are ongoing about improving flights between the two countries, while the position of opening an Australian embassy in Cuba is still on the agenda.

As usual, sitting at the top of Cubas concerns about its finances and economy, is the effect of the outdated and cruel blockade of Cuba by the United States which has been in effect for over 55 years. The only positive side effect of the US blockade being in place for so long was that it increasingly made transparent the ideological imperative of those who implemented and continue to maintain it including the previous US President Obama and the current President Trump.

In February 2018, President Raul Castro will stand down as president of Cuba and hand the reins of power to a new generation of leadership while Raul would continue to stay on as president of the Cuban Communist Party.

Finally, Galego advised that the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People (ICAP), which now has a new president in former Cuban Five Fernando Gonzales, is supportive of the projects in the areas of health and education funded by individual ACFSs around Australia.

For the rest of the day the individual ACFSs presented their annual reports and there was also a comprehensive report back from the members of 34th Australian New Zealand Southern Cross Brigade to Cuba on the activities undertaken in Cuba and the observations of life, society and economy that brigade members had experienced.

On the Sunday, there was a report on the Yo si Puedo! (Yes I can!) literacy project being run with some Cuban resources and also private sector funding (e.g. Multiplex). Ambassador Galego advised the Consultation that the government wants to have the Yo si Puedo campaign in mainstream schools as well as in Aboriginal communities. However, while the results and effectiveness of the Cuban literacy campaign is self-evident, a lot of money goes into resourcing the campaign.

What is also evident from the way the campaign is run is that it is not a one size fits all campaign and success comes in part from it being able to empower individual communities through education: The community drives the program with the guidance of advisers.

Another report presented on the Sunday included one on the Havana Book Fair held in February 2017. The Havana Book Fair is based on the Cuban Revolution. More than 4 million books were published in Cuba last year.

There were also reports on the medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp by a registered cannabis grower, Wayne Wadsworth, on why Cuba should grow cannabis, the Fidel is Fidel photo exhibition touring Australia and the 8th Asian Pacific Regional Conference to be held in Manila, Philippines on 8-9 April 2017.

At the conclusion of the two-day Consultation the 31 attendees presented the Declaration of the 34th Australian/NZ-Cuba Friendship Societies in which they asserted their long and proud history of solidarity with Cuba, its people and government and stand in solidarity in their struggle against the enemies of the Revolution and US regime change policies.

The 34th Consultation also Salutes the courage, determination and creativity of the Cuban people who have not given up in the face of adversity, who continue with generosity in international missions to assist those in need with medical aid and sharing their legacy of literacy in all corners of the world, including Australia and New Zealand.

The 34th Australian/NZ Consultation calls for The lifting of the criminal economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the US (through over 40 legislative instruments) for over 55 years. The immediate closure and withdrawal of the US from the illegally occupied Guantanamo Bay and the end of the covert and overt media war against Cuba, and attempts at regime change to try to discredit and demoralise the victorious Socialist Revolution won and constructed by the Cuban People. An additional resolution passed by the Consultation called for The US to pay for the cost of the ongoing rehabilitation of the land upon the withdrawal and closure of the illegally acquired US Military Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

We stand with Fidel in saying, A better world is possible.

The 35th Australian/NZ-Cuba Friendship Societies National Consultation will be held in 2018 in Adelaide, South Australia.
Book Review by Rob Gowland

Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha will forever be associated with Art Nouveau, and anyone who watches Antiques Roadshow knows that that encompasses flowing lines, floral motifs and the idealisation of the female form. Mucha developed his distinctive style of decorative and commercial art while scratching a living as a penniless artist in Paris.

1897 poster for Chocolat Ideal.

He was born in Moravia in 1860 and he began his career painting theatrical scenery in Brno and then in Vienna. The Austrian capital at this time was undergoing an explosion of art which greatly excited the young Mucha. He lived in abject poverty, however. His only pair of trousers became so threadbare that a group of society women were moved to chip in and buy him a new pair.

In 1881 he returned to Moravia, and was hired by Count Karl Khuen to decorate Hrusovany Emmahof Castle with murals. The Count was impressed enough that he agreed to sponsor Muchas formal training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.

Six years later Mucha moved to Paris to continue his studies, and joined other struggling artists. Mucha and Paul Gauguin shared a studio that was full of exotic objects and frequented by bohemian writers, artists, and musicians who came there to work and play. An infamous photograph of Gauguin playing the Harmonium with no trousers on captures the mood of their studio.

Mucha scraped together a living illustrating magazines and advertisements, surviving mainly thanks to new age printing technology, which enabled the mass circulation of higher quality prints. The Parisian publishing industry was growing and new publishing houses were appearing; this led to increased job opportunities for young artists like Mucha  Tomoko Sato, Alphonse Mucha.

His big break came in 1896: the leading actress, Sarah Bernhardt, needed a new poster in a hurry for her role in Dismonda at the Renaissance Theatre. Mucha undertook to produce it.

The poster he designed featured Byzantine motifs: Bernhardt in a richly embroidered costume, stands in an arched alcove like a saint, before a mosaic-tiled wall with the Orthodox cross in the background, the whole design marked by flowing lines, floral motifs, curlicues, and  unlike the designers of other posters of the time, who favoured strong bold colours  Mucha used delicate, pastel colours. Bernhardt was enchanted and gave Mucha a six-year contract.

Soon Muchas distinctive posters were appearing all over the French capital, advertising everything from wine to biscuits to cigarette papers. Other artists soon began imitating what at first was called the style Mucha but became known as the new art (art nouveau). Unlike many other art movements ... Art Nouveau was not a movement to promote a specific system of artistic principles invented by an individual or group of artists and theorists under the name of Art Nouveau. Its name derived from a commercial gallery in Paris, the Maison de lart nouveau, opened in 1895 by German art dealer Siegfried Bing.

Like many of his contemporaries, Bing believed that European civilisation was in great turmoil, faced with unprecedented political, social and technological changes, and that the world of art and design should respond to the requirements of these developments  Sato, op cit.

The style Mucha launched ceased to be new before the First World War but it is still called art nouveau today, as again any regular viewer of Antiques Roadshow could testify. In this process, Mucha was benefited by two factors: the improved colour printing technology, and the growing Slavophilism in France. Muchas posters were all printed in colour lithography, the newest colour printing process at the time. Muchas exceptional draftsmanship and his profound understanding of the printing process from his long-standing experience with publishers were a great advantage. He took account of the technicality of the lithographic process in his work to enable lithographers to reproduce his designs as faithfully as possible  Sato, op cit.

Since the late 1880s, France and Russia had been drawing closer to each other in a balancing act against the growing power and imperial ambitions of Germany. French society reflected this rapprochement. Muchas Slavic nationalism and his growing mysticism eagerly embraced it: In his words, The public ... needed to breathe fresh air and to find peace and harmony. The existing harmonies were exhausted, empty ... and people were glad to quench their thirst for beauty with a new draught. It was the refreshing new Slav element they were looking for.

Art Nouveau was also interested in (almost obsessed with) the femme nouvelle or new woman. No matter what the product or event, Muchas posters featured as their centrepiece an idealised portrait of a woman. Mucha and his peers celebrated femininity as the antidote to an overly-industrialised, impersonal, masculine world. Women thus served both allegorical and decorative purposes and it is hardly surprising therefore that they are such a common theme in Muchas work.

His famous poster for Job cigarette papers not only showed a woman luxuriating in the act of smoking (at a time when respectable women never smoked in public) but he painted her with her hair falling free around her shoulders, when respectable women always wore their hair up in public!

Muchas career (and his reputation) received a boost with the Paris Exposition of 1900. He was involved in the decoration of two of the national pavilions: that of Austria itself and also that of the province of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Art Nouveau had gone international.

Mucha felt that everything could be a work of art, encompassing a persons daily experience, from wallpaper to furniture to clothing to promotional posters around the city. He not only applied his distinctive style of commercial art to a wide range of posters and advertisements, but also to paintings, book illustrations, designs for jewellery, carpets, wallpaper, and  where he had started  theatre sets.

However, Mucha saw himself as so much more than just a commercial artist and Alphonse Mucha by Tomoko Sato, written as the lavishly illustrated catalogue for the Mucha exhibition in Rome in 2016, demonstrates that he certainly was. Like an actor trying to break free from being typecast in a certain role, Mucha attempted for the rest of his life to disassociate himself from the Art Nouveau style, insisting that rather than being the product of particular style or movement, his paintings were entirely a product of himself and Czech art.

He had always been partisan in his support for Czech nationalism. His murals for the Lord Mayors House in Prague, done in 1910 (before independence), are dripping with longing, sorrow and defiance. When Czechoslovakia gained its independence with the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of WW1, Mucha was given the honour of designing the new States stamps and banknotes. Typically, the 100 crown note he designed features two ordinary peasant girls (one in Czech and one in Slovak national dress) instead of a famous person.

Mucha had a strong mystical bent, which showed itself even when he was a student in Paris. He was a passionate adherent of the Freemasons, and their beliefs can clearly be seen to have influenced Muchas most important work of fine art, his masterwork on which he spent many years, The Slav Epic (Slovanska epopej), a series of 20 huge paintings, half depicting the history of the Slavs in general and half the history of the Czech people in particular. He believed that art existed only to communicate a spiritual message, and this series is replete with representations of spiritual moments in Czech or Slavic history: Bohemian nationalist leader Jan Huss preaching, the abolition of serfdom in Russia, a depiction of the Holy Mount Athos with angels and saints floating in the air above the congregation, etc. Mucha bestowed this huge series on the city of Prague in 1928.

He was particularly peeved that his fame rested on his commercial art when he wanted to be known for his more artistic projects. However, although his Slav Epic is unquestionably impressive in its size and scope, it is his more commercial projects that display verve and life, despite their similarity of design one to another.

The posters, for example, are densely patterned but they display to perfection the Art Nouveau interest in natural forms and decoration. Ironically, mechanical printing had allowed art to be reproduced in quantity, but the artists of Art Nouveau rejected the anonymity of mechanical production.

Whether your interest in Mucha stems from history or graphic art, or some other aspect of the subject, Satos book is a beautiful, fascinating read. And it truly is lavishly illustrated. Apart from beautiful reproductions of Muchas posters, the book features photographs of models (and sometimes Mucha himself) posing for studies in preparation for subsequent works, photos taken by Mucha on research trips to pre-Revolutionary Russia and the Balkans, in readiness for his great series of works The Slav Epic, and reproductions many of his actual paintings, not merely his posters (splendid designs though they are).

Just dont look for realism: that wasnt Muchas forte at all.

Alphonse Mucha by Tomoko Sato

Published by Skira 2016
Can rational thinking save the world?

The West has brought the world to the brink of total collapse, but its citizens, even its intellectuals, are stubbornly refusing to grasp the urgency. Like ostriches, many are hiding their heads in the sand. Others are behaving like a surgeon who opts for treating a small cut on a finger of his patient who is actually dying from a terrible gunshot wound.

Logs stacked in Riau, Sumatra, which has one of Indonesias highest rates of deforestation. (Photo: Sandra Siagian)

There seems to be an acute lack of rational thinking, and especially of peoples ability to grasp the proportions of global occurrences and events. For years I have been arguing that destroying the ability to compare and to see things from the universal perspective has been one of the most successful endeavours of the Western indoctrination drive (dispersed through education, media/disinformation and culture). It has effectively influenced and pacified both the people in the West itself, and those living in its present and former colonies (particularly the local elites and their offspring).

There seems to be no capacity to compare and consistently analyse, for instance, those certainly unsavoury but mainly defensive actions taken by the revolutionary governments and countries, with the most horrid and appalling crimes committed by the colonialist regimes of the West all over Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, which took place in approximately the same historical era.

It is not only history that is seen in the West through totally crooked and out of focus lenses, it is also the present, which has been perceived and analysed in an out of context way and without applying hardly any rational comparisons. Rebellious and independent-minded countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East (most of them have been actually forced to defend themselves against the extremely brutal attacks and subversion campaigns administered by the West) have been slammed, even in the so-called progressive circles of the West, with much tougher standards than those that are being applied towards both Europe and North America, two parts of the world that have been continuously spreading terror, destruction and unimaginable suffering among the people inhabiting all corners of the globe.

Almost all the most terrible crimes committed by the West were committed abroad, and were directed against enslaved, exploited, thoroughly plundered people in almost all parts of the world.

Now, according to many, the endgame is approaching. Rising oceans are swallowing entire countries, as I witnessed in several parts of Oceania. It is a horrid, indescribable sight!

People in numerous countries governed by pro-Western regimes are shedding millions of their inhabitants, while some nations are basically ceasing to exist, like Papua or Kashmir, to give just two obvious examples.

The environment is thoroughly ruined where the lungs of the world used to work hard, just a few decades ago, making our planet healthy.

Tens of millions of people are now on the move, their countries thoroughly ruined by Western geopolitical games. Instead of influencing and helping to guide humanity, such great cultures as those of Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria are now forced to disgorge millions of desperate refugees.

Extremist religious groups (of all faiths, and definitely not only belonging to the Muslim religion) are being groomed by the Western Machiavellian ideologues and strategists, then dispersed to all corners of the globe: South Asia, the Middle East, China, Latin America, Africa, and even Oceania.

It is a total disgrace what imperialism has managed to reduce our humanity to.

Most of the world is actually trying to function normally, democratically, following its natural instincts, which are based on simple humanism. But it is being constantly derailed, attacked and tormented by the brutal monstrous and merciless hydra  the Western expansionism and its culture or nihilism, greed, cynicism and slavery.

Warnings

For many years I have been sending warnings, I have been writing and showing and presenting thousands of terrible images of destruction, of the irreversible collapse, of barbarity.

I have generally kept nothing to myself. I have recycled my work, my films and books, into new journeys into the darkest abysses of our world. I have received hardly any support from the outside world. But I couldnt stop: what I have been witnessing, the danger to the planet and total devastation, have forced me to never give up the struggle. If necessary and most of the time, I have done it alone. I spent too much time in Latin America; I could not give up. I learned too much from Cuba and so many other wonderful places; I felt I had no right to surrender.

The world looks different if observed and analysed from a pub in Europe or North America, or if you are actually standing on one of those atolls in the middle of the South Pacific (Oceania) that are under the constant assault of tidal waves, dotted with dead stumps of palm trees pointing accusatively towards the sky. These islets are at the forefront of the battle for the survival of our planet, and they are obviously losing.

Everything also appears to be much more urgent but also real, when observed from the black and desolate plains of the hopelessly logged out Indonesian islands of Borneo/Kalimantan and Sumatra.

I used to recount in my essays, just for my readers to know, what the villages somewhere like Gomain the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), look and feel like, after the murderous assaults by the pro-Rwandese, and therefore pro-Western, militias. It was important for me to explain how things are right in the middle of it, on the ground. I used to write about mass rapes and mutilations, about the burning flesh, terrible torture  I stopped some time ago. You at least once witness all this or you simply didnt. If you did then you know what it all looks like, what it feels like and smells like  or you could never imagine it, no matter how many books and reports you read, no matter how many images you consume.

I have been trying to speak about all this to the people in the West, at conferences, universities, or even through my films and books. They do listen, mostly respectfully. They do show politely how outraged and horrified they are (it is expected of them). Some say: I want to do something. Most of them do absolutely nothing, but even if they decide to take action, it is usually for themselves, just to feel good, to feel better, to convince their own conscience that they have actually done at least something for the humanity.

I used to blame them. I dont, anymore. This is how the world is arranged. However, I have sharply reduced my work-visits to both North America and Europe. I dont feel that I click with the people in those places. We dont think the same way, we dont feel the same, and even our logic and rationale are diametrically different.

My recent three-week stay in Europe clearly revealed to me, how little there is in common between the Wests state of mind and the reality in which the great majority of the world has been living.

Empires

In the past, before the Western empires and the sole Empire took most of determination and enthusiasm away from the people, the most talented of human beings used to make no distinction between their personal lives, their creativity and their relentless work and duty towards humanity.

In several places including Cuba, it is how many people still live.

In the West, everyone and everything is now fragmented and life itself became objectively meaningless: there is distinct time to work (satisfying ones personal career, guaranteeing survival, advancing prestige and ego), there is time to play, and for family life  and there is occasionally time to think about humanity or, very rarely, about the survival of our planet.

Needless to say, this selfish approach has failed in helping to advance the world. It has also squarely failed when it comes to stopping at least some of the monstrosities committed by Western imperialism.

When I go to the opera house or some great classical music concert, it is in order to get some deep inspiration, to get fired up about my work, to recycle the beauty that Im expressing in my novels and films, theatre plays and even political reports. I never go to get simply entertained. It is never for my own needs only.

It is also essential for me to work closely with the people that I love, including my own mother who is already 82 years old.

It is because I know there is absolutely no time to waste. And also because everything is and should be intertwined in life: love, work, duty, and the struggle for the survival and progress of our world.

Choosing rationally

I may be labelled as a fanatic, but I am decisively choosing those C) and B) options from the dilemmas I depicted above. I am choosing rationality, now that the US armada packed with the nuclear weapons is sailing towards both China and North Korea, now that the Tomahawk missiles have rained down on Syria, now that the West will be sending thousands more mercenaries to one of the most devastated countries on Earth  Afghanistan.

Survival and then the advancement of the world should be our greatest goal. I believe it and I stand by it. In time of absolute crises, which we are experiencing right now, it is irresponsible, almost grotesque, to simply continue to live our daily lives.

Imperialism has to be stopped, once and for all, by all means. At the moment when the survival of humanity is at stake, the end justifies all means. Or as the motto of Chile goes: By Reason Or By Force.

Of course, if those who know do not act, if they are cowardly and opportunistically do nothing, from a universal perspective, nothing much will happen: one small planet in one of the so many galaxies will simply cease to exist. Most likely there are many inhabited planets in the universe, many civilisations.

However, I happen to love this world and this particular Planet. I know it well, from the Southern-most tip all the way to the north. I know its deserts and valleys, mountains and oceans, its marvellous and touching creatures, its great cities as well as god-forsaken villages. I know its people. They have many faults; and much that could be condemned in them, and much that should be improved. But I still believe that there is more that could be admired in them than denounced.

Now it is time to think, rationally and quickly, and then to act. No small patches will do; no feel good actions. Only a total reset, overhaul. Call it the Revolution if you will, or simply C) and B). No matter how you define it, it would have to come rapidly, very rapidly, or there soon will be nothing to love, to defend, and to work for, anymore.

Information Clearing House
Gramscis legacy

This month marks the 80th anniversary of the death of Italian Communist leader Antonio Gramsci and his legacy is the focus of the Edinburgh Peoples Festival on April 29.

The festival was founded in 1951 by communists Hamish Henderson, Ewan McColl, Joan Littlewood, Norman and Janey Buchan, all heavily influenced by Gramscis ideas, on the importance of popular workers education.

Regarded as the most influential European Marxist after Marx, Gramsci left an indelible mark on socialist politics. Every self-respecting socialist will have his Prison Notebooks on their bookshelf, for it provides a wealth of material on culture, linguistics, socialism and on intellectualism itself.

As Gramsci insisted: All men [and women] are intellectuals in that all have intellectual faculties but not all men have the social function of intellectuals. Written during 11 years in jail, the notebooks were smuggled out and only published after his death.

Born in Ales, Sardinia, in 1891, the fourth son of a local administrator, Tino Gramsci suffered a spinal injury as a child which left him with a pronounced hump.

He won a scholarship to the University of Turin in 1911 where he immersed himself in the working class politics of this burgeoning industrial city. Joining the Italian Socialist Party he wrote for its newspaper Avanti alongside one Benito Mussolini. Both men would cross paths again later.

Gramsci developed workers councils as a means of organising in the huge Fiat and Lancia car factories. In 1921 he left the PSI to establish the Italian Communist Party (PCI) and rose to prominence alongside Palmiro Togliatti and Amadeo Bordiga.

The rise of Mussolinis fascists polarised Italian society. As leader of the PCI, Gramsci was elected to parliament. Despite purported immunity from prosecution he was jailed by Mussolini in 1926 with the judge ordering: We must stop this brain from working for 20 years.

He failed. In jail Gramsci worked prodigiously, despite poor health and severe privations. His prison notebooks include highly original work on the rise of fascism, the Russian Revolution, economic determinism, the agency of the working class and the unique national characteristics of socialist revolutions.

But it is his writing on cultural hegemony which most endures. Capitalist states, Gramsci concluded, maintain their power over the masses as much through the conditioning of civil society as through repression or economic conscription.

That legacy will be discussed at the April 29 conference, with speakers including representatives from the Gramsci Museum in Italy, author Ray Burnett from South Uist, Red Pepper editor Hilary Wainwright and sociologist Eurig Scandrett.

Morning Star
Valentino Rossi hit out at MotoGP rookie Johann Zarco after he was forced wide when the French rider attempted a pass in the Grand Prix of the Americas.

Rossi ran off track and re-joined ahead of Zarco, who remained in fourth place on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha, but slightly closer to Marc Marquez in front.

The Italian rider received a penalty of 0.3 seconds to be added at the end of the race, which was the amount of time he gained by straight-lining the corner.

Race Direction said Rossi could have avoided the penalty if he had backed off by the same amount, once he returned to the track .

The 38-year-old, who eventually finished runner-up behind Marquez, felt a penalty was 'not right' given he didn't trigger the incident.

But while Rossi could also accept the punishment purely in terms of gaining time, he had strong feelings on the cause of the incident itself, stating 'the problem is Zarco'.

"For me it is not right because I have two choices. We do like this, or we touch and we crash. But I hear the penalty is for gaining advantage and 0.3 is OK, but for me the problem is not Race Direction, the problem is Zarco," Rossi said.

"He is always very fast and rides the bike very well, he has great potential, but this is not Moto2 and if you want to overtake you have to overtake in another way. He always arrives too much in the line and for me, he has to stay more quiet."

Rossi was unaware of the penalty during the race and revealed afterwards that his team decided against putting the information on his pit board because he had already opened a big enough gap over Dani Pedrosa by the final laps.

"It's always very difficult because at the end we don't have any communication and you have to see just on the board. My team wait and when I overtook Dani, I was able to take a good gap in the first two sectors - one second - so they say it is not important.

"If you put on the board 'penalty, 0.3', maybe when I pass I see 'penalty 3' and maybe it is seconds or tenths, and I push at the maximum on the last lap for take more advantage and I can do some mistakes, so for me they make the right decision."

In the post-race press conference, race winner Marquez said aggressive riding was part and parcel of MotoGP.

"The penalty, 0.3 or 0.2, is not much. Of course I see the action and it was aggressive, but in the end, and in the beginning, everybody is pushing 100 per-cent. I'm an aggressive rider, Valentino is an aggressive rider and we also overtake in the past very strong, and we will overtake in the future really strong," said Marquez.

"So if you're aggressive and you overtake strong, you need to understand that the other riders are aggressive and it's always like this - it's racing. Yes it was tight and aggressive, but he didn't gain nothing, Valentino."

Pedrosa was made aware that Rossi had picked up a penalty via his pit board. But the Repsol Honda rider said he was not in a position to push any harder after his tyres went off and admitted the exact nature of the 'penalty' was also unclear to him.

"I only saw on the board 'penalty' but anyway at that time I couldn't really do anything else because I was fighting with my tyre, but 0.3 penalty I don't think it is necessary to know unless I was there fighting for last lap attack to the last corner.

"I only saw penalty and I didn't know which type of penalty it was: if it was ten seconds or one position, so it was like it was. But communication: I think if you want to communicate with the board, you can, but sometimes you don't see exactly what is showing on the board."

Zarco finished the race in fifth.
*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on PsychCentral.

New research suggests forgetting content from a stressful math class may be one way to protect an individuals belief that they are good at math.

The phenomenon is similar to repression, the psychological process in which people forget emotional or traumatic events to protect themselves.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers found that the students who forgot the most content from the class were those who reported a high level of stress during the course.

However, paradoxically, the study also found that the strong relationship between stress level and the tendency to forget course material was most prevalent among the students who are most confident in their own mathematical abilities.

The phenomenon, which the authors call motivated forgetting, may occur because students are subconsciously protecting their own self-image as excellent mathematicians, said Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, a UCLA assistant professor of psychology and the studys lead author.

For the study, researchers analyzed 117 undergraduates in an advanced calculus course at UCLA.

The students generally consider themselves to be strong in mathematics and plan to pursue careers that rely on high-level mathematical skills, so the logical assumption would be that they would be likely to remember most of the material from the course.

Researchers asked students a series of questions at the start of the course, including having them assess to what extent they see themselves as math people.

Each week throughout the course, students were asked to gauge how stressful they thought the course was. Then, the studys authors examined students performance on the courses final exam and on another similar test two weeks later. On average, students grades were 21 percent lower on the follow-up.

Among students who strongly considered themselves to be math people, those who experienced a lot of stress performed measurably worse on the follow-up exam than those whose stress levels were lower.

The results were striking because, in the cases of the students whose stress levels were highest, test scores dropped by as much as a full letter grade, from an A-minus to a B-minus, for example.

Ramirez explains that the behaviors make sense from a psychological perspective.

Students who found the course very stressful and difficult might have given in to the motivation to forget as a way to protect their identity as being good at math, he said.

We tend to forget unpleasant experiences and memories that threaten our self-image as a way to preserve our psychological well-being. And math people whose identity is threatened by their previous stressful course experience may actively work to forget what they learned.

The idea that people are motivated to forget unpleasant experiences  activating a sort of psychological immune system  goes back to Sigmund and Anna Freud, the pioneers of psychoanalysis, Ramirez said.

The students who think of themselves as excellent at math and felt high levels of stress were also more likely to report they avoided thinking about the course after it ended more than other students did. Previous studies by other researchers also seem to support the concept of motivated forgetting.

Source: PsychCentral

https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/04/20/college-students-may-forget-class-content-to-protect-self-image/119388.html
Diane Rufino

I'm tired of the insane talking points and reactions to everything President Trump is doing. I'm tired of the messages and texts from people who accuse me of being some horrible person for supporting the election of Trump and his policies of tax reform, healthcare reform, trade deal reform, job creation, immigration enforcement and increased homeland security. Everyone who voted for Trump saw the necessity for these policies. And guess what, most of America (through the electoral system) agreed with him and rejected the decaying policies of the Democratic party and it spokesperson, the deeply-flawed Hillary Clinton. It indeed was a revolution of sorts, accomplished by a momentous turn-out at the ballot box and a major shift in ideology by a good chunk of the American people. Government wasn't working for them.The dishonest news better get on board and start paying allegiance to the ones it was granted first amendment protection in the first place - the American people..... not a political party and not the federal government. They need to start reporting objectively and accurately and start recognizing the legitimate concerns of the people and not the goals of the Democratic Party or the progressive movement. Otherwise, let them organize as a PAC. Progressive judges need to read the Constitution, understand it, and stop trying to be a branch of government that they are not. People need to show respect for the results of 2016 election because that was the voice of their fellow citizens. The election was extremely significant in what it stood for. All anyone needs to do is to take a look at a breakdown of the election county-by-county across the 50 states. Again, it was a grassroots revolution.... a unified message that government is corrupt, bloated, antagonistic to the interests of business and taxpayers alike, unfit to protect the American people and manage who comes across our borders, and incapable of putting the interests of American citizens before the interests of other groups.Give President Trump a chance. Sit back and enjoy the increase in jobs. People who have jobs can support themselves and their families and can live productive lives with dignity and self-respect. Sit back and enjoy the lower taxes you'll have to pay (if you are, in fact, one of the ones who pay). Sit back and watch how greater homeland security will make you feel safer. Sit back and watch how a common-sense immigration policy will reduce the burden on our social services, provide jobs for citizens, and reduce the violence in our communities. Sit back and enjoy the lower healthcare insurance premiums that you will have to pay. Sit back and enjoy decreased federal regulations that used to strangle small businesses, burden agriculture, increase costs of energy, lower the efficiency of public education, and lessen the personal use and enjoyment of our real property. Give him a chance. Maybe you'll see that, in fact, the good and decent people of the United States got it right and that the people's revolution was a good thing after all.Let's not forget the words of President John F. Kennedy:
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Gen. David Woosters leadership during the 1777 Battle of Ridgefield will be celebrated this weekend when professional re-enactors from around the country converge on that storied Connecticut town where the drama unfolded  bringing history to life through a special daylong event.

The pivotal fight will be re-enacted in honor of its 240th anniversary as part of a massive commemoration organized by the Masons of Jerusalem Lodge No. 49. Activities take place rain or shine, at various locations along Main Street, including Ballard Park and Keeler Tavern.

L. Julian Demchuk is a master Mason at Jerusalem 49 Masonic Lodge, and coordinator of the Battle of Ridgefield celebration. He said Saturdays events will bring visitors as close to 1777 and the Battle of Ridgefield as you will ever get!

There will be period actors and battle re-enactors mingling with spectators, Demchuk said in an email interview. There will also be military drills, and people will get to see what life was like in Ridgefield in the late 1700s, thanks to guided tours by Ridgefield Historical Society members. Visitors will learn about everything from food and drinks that were popular, to the ways in which wounds were treated.

To know where our country is going, we must remember where our country has been  the sacrifices and ideals that made our country! Demchuk said.

At a time when our society seeks a point of reference, the day of April 27 in 1777, the actual day of the battle, farmers and townsfolk, men and women with muskets, rose against the mightiest empire in the world and said, We decide how we will live and what our hard work and tax monies will finance. The British clearly got that message, and never wandered inland in Connecticut again.

More Information Main Street in Ridgefield, between Danbury Road and Keeler Tavern (132 Main St). Saturday, April 29, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free admission. Parking/free shuttles at Ridgefield High School, 700 N. Salem Road. 203-403-7065, info@battleofridgefield.org See More Collapse

Demchuk said the re-enactment will show that we are one nation, that we all stood together  whether Patriot or reluctantly changing Loyalist  and realized that we decide how we will live our lives  not occupying forces.

Planning for Saturdays activities, including the celebration of the leadership of Wooster, founder of Connecticut Masonry, has been underway for several years. Demchuk said finances are always a challenge with something like this, but you make do with the little you have, as it was in 1777. We hope our GoFundMe site will help our coffers somewhat. You always start out with a grand vision, and whittle it down to what you can do. It will nevertheless be a grand day!

See battleofridgefield.org for a full list of activities, the last of which is a black-tie dinner gala at the Lounsbury House. The event is sponsored by the 1777 Wooster-Sons of Liberty Foundation; to make a donation or become a sponsor, contact info@battleofridgefield.org

lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz
BRIDGEPORT  Its probably safe to say that if you were in or around Bridgeport on Thursday, April 23, 1987, at 1:36 p.m., you remember where and when you were when you first heard of the LAmbiance Plaza collapse, the worst construction accident in Connecticuts history, instantly claiming the lives of 28 workers.

For thousands living, working and going to school within a half-mile radius of the lift-slab collapse, the news was announced by the shaking of ground followed by the rumble of huge prestressed concrete slabs pancaking on top of one another.

Then there was silence, a deafening silence, as recalled by the Rev. Michael A. Boccaccio who, in 1987, was assigned to St. Augustines Cathedral, which became a source of comfort to the scores of people left adrift by the loss. The cathedral, and its school, Kolbe Cathedral High, were less than 200 yards from the disaster and its acres of twisted beams and broken concrete.

It was in Kolbes gymnasium where scores of family members waited, hoping against hope in the days that followed that their husbands and fathers would somehow be found alive. They were being counseled by social workers and clergy of all faiths. But there was no good news to be had; all 28 had died within a second or two.

When a deceased worker was found, the silence was tangible, deafening, and I dare say it was almost beautiful to see everyone coming together in that moment of sadness, Boccaccio said. We was so taken by this experience, my respect for civil servants was multiplied by one million.

He was speaking at the 30th anniversary ceremony of the LAmbiance collapse, the worst construction accident in Connecticuts history. Speaker after speaker reminded the audience, gathered around the south steps of City Hall, that the cause of safety in the workplace is one that requires constant vigilance.

We all know where we were on that day, and families had just celebrated Easter, a celebration of renewal, and when that building collapsed, their world collapsed as well, said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. There are still workplaces just as dangerous. Ill be going back to Washington today to consider a budget submitted by the president that would cut workplace safety enforcement by more than twenty percent.

The senator read from a letter from a construction worker who was at the site on that fateful day. He wrote: I served in Korea. In combat you know that theres a chance you might not go home. That shouldnt happen when you go to work. 

Connecticut AFL-CIO President Lori Pelletier agreed. Every sixteen hours, a worker dies on the job, she said.

It was easily the largest turnout that the annual remembrance has seen in years. Last year about 40 turned out for the 29th anniversary observance. Mondays gathering saw about five times that number. The fickle weather of spring has sent many of these ceremonies inside City Council chambers, but Mondays weather cooperated; it was seasonably cool without wind nor rain.

The pain never quite goes away, said Paula Gill, of Somers, who with a quivering voice spoke in honor of her father, Richard McGill, who died in the collapse. It was a terrible day, but one thing my father taught us was to do what you love and Im sure if he had to do it all over again, he would have done the same thing.

Gill was accompanied at the lectern by her sister, Patty Charette, of Ellington; both were little girls when their father died.

Another child left fatherless in attendance Monday was Anna Maria Andarowski of Torrington who was 11 when her dad, Angelantonio Perugini, died. Now, one of her daughters is that age.

There was the call  someone from the worksite called, she said. Then I heard my mom scream. My brother wasnt there  I ran to the neighbors to get help.

One of those credited by emcee Thomas A. Wilkinson, president of Local 371, Fairfield County Chapter of the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, was Michael J. Daly, editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post. Daly received a plaque from the local for his many columns over the years that laid the blame on the disaster on corporate greed, as well as describing the outpouring humanity in the ensuing hours, days and weeks.

Mayor Joseph Ganim told the group thanked the building trade unions.

We can never forget, he said. The world stopped that day  people put their lives back together bu the loss is still there.

Former Mayor Tom Bucci, mayor at the time of the tragedy , also thanked the building trade unions for organizing the event as well as Frank Carroll, the retired international vice president with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, for his tireless help in the weeks that followed the collapse.

People from every economic strata turned out to help, Bucci said. It was a tragic day, but out of that tragedy, it was the human spirit that triumphed.

jburgeson@ctpost.com
References

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?



During the September 26, 2016 presidential debate, candidate Hillary Clinton hinted that her opponent, Donald Trump, was hiding something by not releasing his taxes. Who can forget her attack: "You've gotta ask yourself, why won't he release his tax returns? And I think there may be a couple of reasons. First, maybe he's not as rich as he says he is. Second, maybe he's not as charitable as he claims to be. Third, we don't know all of his business dealings, but we have been told, through investigative reporting that, he owes about $650 million to Wall Street and foreign banks. Or maybe he doesn't want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he's paid nothing in federal taxes. Because the only years that anybody has ever seen, were a couple of years where he had to turn them over to state authorities when he was trying to get a casino license. And they showed he didn't pay any federal income tax." Most of us shook our heads at the audacity of the likes of Hillary Clinton, a serial liar, cheat, intimidation expert, and lawbreaker, and known roundly for her lack of ethics, morals, and decency (particularly in a so-called charitable organization, the Clinton Foundation, which turned out to be a sham or front for her own campaign financing)When Trump's 2005 tax returns were inappropriately leaked (the smear campaign against Donald Trump already in full swing), Rachel Madcow, and MSNBC, couldn't wait to treat their rabid progressive audience to what they were sure was evidence of a tax-evader. And so, on air, Madcow, filled with the kind of exuberance that only liberals and progressives are capable of - in anticipation of destroying the reputation of a hardworking, patriotic, conservative family man, exposed Trump's tax results.The only thing.... Trump's tax returns weren't at all what she (or the left) were expecting. Not only did Trump not escape paying taxes, but he paid a higher rate than the likes of Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama. The Obamas paid an effective tax rate of only 18.7% in 2015. Bernie Sanders paid a federal tax rate of only 13.5% in 2014. Ironically, Comcast, the parent of MSNBC, paid a tax rate of only 24% from 2008 through 2012, less than Trump's 2005 effective rate of roughly 25.3%. Trump paid $38 million in taxes on his income of $150 million.Back in 1995, Trump had serious financial issues. We know this because of another "inappropriate" leak of Trump's tax returns. In fact, by the early 1990's, Trump was hemorrhaging money and was on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. He was heading toward personal bankruptcy as a result of a series of misguided investments and mismanagement of his company in the late 1980's which ended up forcing him to borrow money from his family. Trump suffered a staggering loss of $916 million in 1995 - enough to allow him to take advantage of a tax law which would permit him to avoid paying income taxes for 18 years.Perhaps Hillary Clinton and her campaign strategists took a gamble on this information, using it to make the bold accusation that Trump wasn't releasing his tax returns because he wasn't in fact, paying taxes. This, of course, begs the follow-up: She must have been given this information in advance; someone must have leaked information to her and the campaign prior to its release through the news that Trump suffered such devastating losses that surely he was exempt from paying federal income tax. Was that Hillary's "October surprise"?Trump's tax information was leaked to the New York Times; it was received by an "anonymous" package in the mail. It then made it to Madcow and to all other news outlets. Those who gleefully exposed it, hoping it would embarrass and harm Trump's legitimacy for the presidency, suffered ridicule and embarrassment themselves. We enjoyed watching them with egg on their faces.Indeed, Trump's near-billion-dollar loss in 1995 might have been the single biggest net operating loss in the country that year, amounting to almost 2% of the the total net operating losses reported by all American taxpayers who used the same tax provision as Trump.Sure, Donald Trump did not pay federal income tax in 1995, and perhaps even a few years after that. But as the leaked 2005 tax return shows, he chose NOT to take advantage of a tax law that Congress itself put into the IRS code to enjoy relief from taxes for nearly two decades.That speaks to the man that is Donald Trump.Trump may not be as good a businessman as he claims nor as rich, but he is clearly an honest-enough taxpayer and loyal American who believes that if he has made money in this country, he is obligated to pay taxes and not shift the burden to the middle class to pay the taxes he should. He doesn't have the intuition of a Hillary Clinton to break and skirt the law, nor the audacity of a Bernie Sanders, who paid minimal while being quite rich.This story goes to show one thing -- Liberals and Democrats are so happy to go after conservatives and Republicans for character assassination. All too often, as in this case, we find the charges to be baseless or trumped up (couldn't resist!) and in the end, we find that, by comparison, liberals and Democrats are guilty of far worse and have gotten away with it.Maybe the American people will begin to take accusations by the left a little less seriously, maybe they will begin to note the glaring hypocrisy, and maybe - just maybe - they will give President Donald Trump a chance to help the American people, as a whole, and to Make America Great Again !!Daniel John Sobieski, "Rogue IRS Felons Vindicate Trump," American Thinker, March 16, 2917. Referenced at: http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/03/rogue_irs_felons_vindicate_trump.htmlAbigail Tracy, "Trump's Financial Troubles in the Early 1990's Were Even Worse Than Anyone Thought," Vanity Fair, October 4, 2016. Referenced at: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/10/donald-trump-financial-troubles-taxes-1990s
BRIDGEPORTA Black Rock warehouse was the hub of an illegal cigarette ring that sold untaxed tobacco throughout Southwestern Connecticut, state officials announced Monday.

Ten were arrested and tobacco valued at $234,000 was seized, along with $50,000 in cash following an anonymous tip that directed investigators to a quiet neighborhood off Fairfield Avenue and a wholesaler named KVD Discounts, LLC.

State Commissioner of Revenue Services Kevin Sullivan said the operation sold tobacco to clients in Waterbury, Stamford, Bridgeport, West Haven and Ansonia. The bust was a record for state regulators, who were assisted by Bridgeport police.

The owner of KDV Discounts, Pavan M. Vaswani of West Haven, was arrested and charged with possession and sale, as well as conspiracy, in allegedly selling more than $13 million in untaxed tobacco, and dodging $6 million in state excise and sales taxes.

KDV Discounts, which is licensed as a tobacco wholesaler was a legitimate business selling illegal products, according to DRS spokesman James Carson, who added that the alleged scheme was uncovered after an anonymous tip.

Vaswani incorporated the company in 2012, after dissolving a company in 2008 called Connecticut Discounts, according to an Internet search of the corporate identities. It was registered to the same Poland Street address.

The alleged scheme ended with a bust at the warehouse, where officials say that they caught employees of the company red-handed with untaxed tobacco trucked in from out of state.

The arrests took place over a number of days recently, according to Carson. Some turned themselves in.

They were coordinated with Bridgeport police and the DRSs Criminal Investigations Division. Local police provided uniform supportbackupduring the operation, according to Captain Brian Fitzgerald.

We are very serious about tax fraud. I am pleased that our special agents shut down a very lucrative operation that was a significant distributor of untaxed tobacco products throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties over several years, Sullivan said in a statement. This action has put an end to what has been an ongoing crime involving as much as $250,000 in untaxed tobacco provided by the distributor and sold by local stores each month.

The 24-hour DRS tip line for illegal trafficking of tobacco is (860) 297-4887. Tipsters can also submit by email to tobaccotips@po.state.ct.us.
STORY LINK EUR to GBP Exchange Rate Surges on Macron?s First Round French Election Win

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When markets opened on Monday morning, the Euro surged as investors scrambled to buy it following the results of Sundays French vote. The first round of Frances Presidential election ended with pro-EU Emmanuel Macron in first, giving the Euro to British Pound exchange rate a huge boost.EUR/GBP plunged from 0.8474 to 0.8368 last week, losing a cent when it was confirmed that Britain would have a general election on the 8th of June. The pair even hit a 2017 low of 0.8339 last Wednesday.However, so far this week has seen EUR/GBP reverse those losses. EUR/GBP fluctuated between a high of 0.8507 and 0.8456 on Monday morning.Sundays first round of the French Presidential election went as markets hoped, and as some pollsters expected.After last years unexpected Brexit and Trump votes, investors were pleasantly surprised when the first round of the French vote put all four most popular candidates close to their projected polling figures.Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron attainted 23.8% of the vote while anti-EU far-right Marine Le Pen came in second with 21.5%. Both will go head to head in the second round on the 7th of May.Pro-EU conservative Francois Fillon and anti-EU far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon also performed closely to poll projections with about 19% each.The possibility of a Frexit, which has been part of both Le Pen and Melenchons campaigns, has been a major concern for global markets since the beginning of the year. It has limited the Euros gains despite solid economic data from the Eurozone.France is one of the biggest and most influential economies in the Eurozone. If France were to leave the bloc, the currency itself may collapse or enter a long-term crisis.However, Macron met polling projections and won the first round of the election, increasing hopes that he will meet second round polling projections too. Most second round opinion polls give Macron over 60% of the vote against Le Pen, so investors are optimistic.The Pound has seen little in the way of influential news since last weeks UK election announcement and disappointing UK retail sales data for March.Demand for Sterling is still solid. EUR/GBP has been unable to hold its best levels as investors remain optimistic towards Britains upcoming general election. Hawkish comments from Bank of England (BoE) policymaker Michael Saunders have also supported the Pound.Eurozone and UK consumer confidence reports will be published throughout this week, but the main events are likely to be Thursdays European Central Bank (ECB) policy decision, as well as Fridays Q1 2017 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stats for Britain.With investors now more optimistic about the French election the Euro to Pound exchange rates movement is likely to be a little more bias to the upside overall. Concerns remain that Le Pen could win the second round, but these have lightened since last week.

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STORY LINK GBP USD Exchange Rate Ticks Up on US Uncertainty over Taxes

I dont think weve decided that part yet. You can either have a small tax cut thats permanent or a large tax cut thats short-term.

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The Pounds small advance against the US Dollar today follows a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) report on manufacturing and business optimism.The CBIs data shows manufacturing orders to be growing at their fastest pace in six years, while orders from outside the European Union were the highest ever.The cloud to the silver lining has been a specific slowdown in Aprils exports, which has led some to speculate that production may slow in the coming months.Although the Pound has recently climbed against a weakened US Dollar, GBP losses may still make up most of the weeks currency movement.Tuesdays public sector net borrowing data is expected to show an expansion of the current trade deficit, from -1.08bn to -1.5bn. This could lower confidence in the government ahead of Junes election, which would raise the spectre of an economically risky alternate government taking shape.Another source of Sterling weakness may be Fridays Q1 GDP growth rate figures, which are predicted to show a quarterly slowdown and minor annual rise.The US Dollar has dipped slightly against the Pound today, falling to a rate of 0.77. This follows a sharp turnaround in Donald Trumps attitude towards the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).Covering US trade deals with Mexico and Canada, NAFTA has been labelled a disaster by Trump, who has also promised to change how the US trades with Canada.This goes against his previous aims of merely tweaking the arrangement, which has unnerved traders at a time of increasingly unpredictable activity from the White House.High-impact US data releases arent due until Thursday and Friday this week, but the USD GBP exchange rate could still be shifted dramatically on Wednesday.Over the weekend, President Donald Trump declared that he would announce big tax reform and tax reduction plans on Wednesday.Amid speculation, top Trump officials have given mixed messages about the potential tax changes.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin mentioned a widespread overhaul, consisting of comprehensive economic tax reform.Conversely, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has clouded the picture by stating;If Trump makes unprecedented tax change plans on Wednesday, the US Dollar may drop due to investor uncertainty. On the other side, minor adjustments are more likely to reassure traders in the near-term.

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Treasurer want to tighten up fee policy, boost performance of pension and health funds



State Treasurer Dale Folwell, shown here at a January swearing-in ceremony at the Executive Mansion. (CJ file photo)

State Treasurer Dale Folwell wants to know if Wall Street investors charged the state fees on $9 billion of state pension plan money that never got invested.At the same time, unfunded liabilities in the retirement system grew to more than $13 billion.Folwell said some investment fund managers collected all the fees they were entitled to receive from the $91.7 billion retirement system but left some of the money idle. Others didn't invest all of their obligations because they never withdrew it from the treasury in the first place.Folwell, who has been on a 100-day reform blitz since taking office in January, said he would seek repayment of any fees improperly paid on the $9 billion of uninvested money.He said he was disappointed the state recently paid tens of thousands of dollars for a compliance and fees report commissioned under previous Treasurer Janet Cowell that was delivered in February.The project should have been designed to examine every contract and ensure that fees were paid according to the terms, Folwell said.Folwell comments came during his second monthly Ask Me Anything teleconference series with reporters in April. He was featured in a recent Bloomberg Businessweek profile He's trying to determine where fund managers made alternative investments - investing in non-traditional assets like real estate, hedge funds, or derivatives contracts - and will examine the billions of dollars the state has invested in what are known as a fund of funds . Under that arrangement, one investment manager gets a state contract but spreads the money around to let multiple fund managers who do not have state contracts invest it.The state will begin shifting alternative investments into indexed funds, Folwell said, which should be more transparent and generate higher returns.Folwell said he is continuing to work with his investment management division to whittle down other investment management fees, in keeping with a campaign promise to eliminate $100 million in Wall Street payouts.He talked to 170 investment agents with state contracts, and immediately saved almost $25 million in recurring annual fees, he said.By the end of his four-year term he would have hit his $100 million target, but he's seeking even more, because it would represent only 5 percent of the nearly $2.5 billion the state would pay in fees during his term.A substantial portion of the $25 million savings came from investment managers who did not deliver promised returns. He said the state could have earned more money if those investments had gone into an index fund.His office also is looking at investment arrangements that are 10 to 12 years oldhe said.Folwell warned there is a looming financial problem with the State Health Plan.Folwell said.The State Health Plan lost $125 million in 2015, and is projected to come up short $160 million when 2016 figures are finalized. Losses are projected to be $300 million in 2017, $500 million in 2018, and $550 million the year after that.which would be a huge change, Folwell said.The State Health Plan will charge members a $25 monthly premium (they now pay nothing), and premiums now charged by other state plans will increase to help offset the drain. With the changes, the state will pick up 82 percent of the health plan's costs, with employees responsible for the rest.Folwell said several large contracts are coming due in the State Health Plan over the next 19 months. He intends to use the state's clout as the largest purchaser of health care to negotiate better deals.He has initiated an eligibility audit to root out fraud and abuse. The last audit, conducted in 2012, found 7,103 ineligible people on the State Health Plan at a cost of $22 million.Folwell said, promising stiff penalties against individuals who deliberately enrolled ineligible spouses and dependents over the past two or three years.Other State Health Plan reforms will deal with cleaning up enrollment processes, and eliminating other poorly functioning programs and paperwork that gum up the system.The Senate is pushing a $1 billion tax cut package , and the House plan might end up with a larger proposed cut. Folwell said he has neither reviewed the competing plans nor received legislative feedback on them.Folwell said. House Bill 651 would create a State Health Plan solvency fund. He said he's curious to see how that fits in with the tax package proposals.
This case illustrates the risks prison staff are exposed to when dealing with extremist offenders. I saw the dangers first-hand last year when I interviewed officers in high-security prisons as part of my review of jail extremism for the then Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

I was shocked and concerned by what I heard.

Staff had become so used to the possibility of being taken hostage and killed by Islamist-inspired prisoners that they had normalised it so they were able to function properly on the wings.

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

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

Unarmed officers relied on teamwork and hyper-vigilance to stay safe. Their daily working environment was saturated with menace leavened only with gallows humour. Prisons are hard places to work in at the best of times and we are not in the best of times, with a collapse in order, control and decency across the system.

I was a prison officer and loved the job, but I am not sure I would have the right stuff to survive todays environment.

It is rather chilling to sit with a group of men and women on the front line talking calmly about how to avoid being beheaded. Not one of the staff I spoke with felt properly understood or protected from harm by the bosses in London. And when we looked at the response to the threat at HQ level, we felt bound to agree.

My team saw little real understanding of the psychological impact on these brave public servants managing some of the most formidable and dangerous extremists in the world.

The system for gathering intelligence on Islamist prisoners was fractured and inadequate to the point where there was no real understanding by bureaucrats of the dangers posed. The arrangements to protect staff and respond to incidents were sometimes hopelessly muddled and out of date. Few of the very well paid senior administrators in London responsible for counter-terrorism roles had any operational experience of running prisons.

Former Justice secretary Michael Gove, pictured, ordered a report on jail extremism

We found more concern about political correctness and ministerial briefings where we should have seen decisive leadership and support. We made recommendations to correct these serious problems and I expect the Government to ensure all those reforms are put in place urgently.

It is pleasing to see that one of our main recommendations is being adopted.

We argued that the most dangerous and subversive extremists in the system must be prevented from influencing and radicalising others by placing them in special units. For this to work effectively, the selection process must be rigorous and fair. The regime on these units must not be punitive but must be capable of holding extremely dangerous people for a long time.

To run these units we will need outstanding, resilient staff. Careful selection, training, support and outstanding leadership will be required. We are asking a huge amount from these men and women and they deserve the best.

Further up the greasy pole and away from the front line, serious questions must be asked about the current capability in the boardroom to help them defeat this threat to national security.
This paper has great sympathy with those who are fed up with politics after the rash of elections and referendums since 2010.

But to any tempted to stay at home on June 8, yesterday brought a terrifying reminder of the fate that could befall Britain if we surrender to apathy.

True, early polls suggest Theresa May has a commanding lead, which makes it highly unlikely Jeremy Corbyn and the ragbag coalition of chaos will seize power.

Corbyn's is the vision of a student revolutionary, so dangerous it makes even Ed Miliband seem almost statesmanlike

But the paradox is that this seeming invincibility may prove a weakness, with many believing its so obvious the Tories are the only party fit to govern that the result is a foregone conclusion and their votes wont make a difference.

The risks of such thinking simply cant be exaggerated  as Mr Corbyn brought home when he outlined his vision for Britain.

For his is the vision of a student revolutionary, so dangerous it makes even Ed Miliband seem almost statesmanlike.

Take defence  or, rather, Mr Corbyns policy of stripping us of our defences. As a lifelong campaigner for unilateral nuclear disarmament, it was perhaps predictable he would defy his party by casting renewed doubt over Tridents future.

But the threat to our security from this anti-American, anti-Israeli sympathiser with Islamist extremists goes deeper still.

Early polls suggest Theresa May has a commanding lead, which makes it highly unlikely Jeremy Corbyn and the ragbag coalition of chaos will seize power

Mr Corbyn has previously made clear he was unhappy with a police shoot-to-kill policy in terrorist incidents. Now he has cast similar doubt over his willingness to strike against IS leaders.

And take what passes as Mr Corbyns economic policy. Straight from a Marxist textbook, it is hard to imagine a more effective recipe for national bankruptcy.

Apart from imposing swingeing extra taxes on the (undefined) rich, he would deny State contracts to firms paying bosses more than around 350,000  a random figure which would rule out work for most, if not all, our 350 biggest employers.

In a surreal touch, he would also introduce four extra bank holidays  effectively closing Britain for the spring, costing some 9billion and maximising disruption to schools.

Certainly, the Tories should not rely on Mr Corbyn to win the election for them. Indeed, they must produce their own plans for closing the grotesque, socially corrosive divide between the haves and have-nots.

But nor should voters have any doubt about the importance of the choice facing them on June 8. God forbid we should sleepwalk into the economics of the kindergarten  and the politics of a fifth-form revolutionary who never grew up.

Public service for sale

Confirming everything this paper has warned, MPs today condemn the Whitehall jobs watchdog as a toothless regulator which undermines trust in democracy by letting ex-ministers and civil servants exploit public office for private gain.

Indeed, it has become a national embarrassment to see figures such as George Osborne waltz into highly paid jobs for private firms, hoping to cash in on their inside knowledge and contacts.

Britain was once famed for the integrity of its MPs and mandarins. We wont regain that precious reputation until the watchdog is given real teeth  and public service is seen once again as an end in itself, not just a step on the ladder to self-enrichment.

Thousands die while waiting for home care visits

In the first study of its kind, the Mail reveals thousands of patients have died while waiting up to nine months for home care visits to be arranged. Many spend their last weeks in hospital, occupying much needed beds, while yearning for familiar surroundings. Others die neglected at home, depending on intermittent support from volunteers or relatives. One question: with so much suffering in cash-strapped Britain, how can the Tories justify lavishing 0.7 per cent of our output on foreign aid?
Former Australian Olympic hurdler Jana Pittman, 34, has revealed she could have ended up as the Princess of Monaco.

The Olympic star recently opened up about a number of secret dates she and Prince Albert of Monaco, 59, went on in 2000 when she was just 18 and he was 43.

In an extract of her new autobiography, Just Another Hurdle, shared by Woman's Day, the mother-of-three said the liaison came about following a gala awards night for talented track athletes where she won an award.

Former Australian Olympic hurdler Jana Pittman, 34, has revealed she could have ended up as the Princess of Monaco

The Olympic star recently opened up about a number of secret dates she and Prince Albert of Monaco, 59, went on in 2000 when she was just 18 (right) and he was 43 (left)

Ms Pittman said Prince Albert, who hosted the evening, approached her at 'Monte Carlo's biggest night club' and introduced himself before buying her a drink and taking her to a 'quieter area' to talk.

Ms Pittman had 'no idea' he was a Prince but found him 'smoothly dressed' with a 'beautiful smile'.

She said the Prince, who married Charlene, Princess of Monaco in 2011, then offered her a lift back to her hotel, which she accepted.

'He held my elbow as we stepped out of the club, and opened the car door for me. As we walked to the car I found it interesting that every person we passed kept nodding, which made me think "Wow, this guy knows everyone!",' she recalled.

Ms Pittman said Prince Albert, who hosted the evening, approached her at 'Monte Carlo's biggest night club' and introduced himself before buying her a drink and taking her to a 'quieter area' to talk

She said the Prince, who married Charlene, Princess of Monaco in 2011, then offered her a lift back to her hotel, which she accepted

Ms Pittman said the Prince invited her for another date the following night which she agreed to - but it wasn't until his secretary called to confirm that she realised who he was.

'It was the middle of the night back home but I rang Mum and said "Mum I think I'm going on the date with the Prince of Monaco!",' Ms Pittman said, adding that she was 'nervous' about the whole thing.

Ms Pittman went on what she described as a 'highbrow' date with the Prince and the following day, he took her to an aquarium and took her on a 'dreamy and surreal' date where they went dancing at a bar and 'sipped Champagne for a few hours'.

Ms Pittman said the Prince invited her for another date the following night which she agreed to - but it wasn't until his secretary called to confirm that she realised who he was

They then went back to his 'plush pad' with 'stunning views' where they shared a kiss.

'He was an amazing kisser, and I was besotted,' Ms Pittman said.

The pair spent the night together, but she slept in his bed and he stayed on the couch.

The former Olympian flew home the next day but said she stayed in touch with the Prince for six months and he 'rang every few days'.

But after dropping her phone in water and losing her contacts, they fell out of contact - despite Ms Pittman attempting to contact him through the palace.

The former Olympian flew home the next day but said she stayed in touch with the Prince for six months and he 'rang every few days'

Since, the Sydney-based mother has found success at multiple sporting events, has become a mother to three beautiful children and is studying to become a doctor

Since, the Sydney-based mother has had success at multiple sporting events, has become a mother to three beautiful children and is studying to become a doctor.

But the two-time world-champion admitted recently that she was struggling to retire because she never reached her goal of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Pittman is a two-time world champion in the 400m hurdles and she won gold at two Commonwealth Games - but her incredible achievement was not what she wanted.

'I didn't ever hit the goal that I was hoping for in my career. Growing up as a child wanting to win the Olympic Games was all I ever dreamed of, I never made it,' she told SBS program Insight.

'I have a beautiful family and three beautiful kids. I'm studying to be a doctor... I have so many things on, I can't fit training in anymore.

Pittman won the Telstra female Athlete of the year award (left) in 2004

The devoted mother has been juggling motherhood (pictured with baby daughter Emily)

'I feel very fat right now with the amount of food I eat,' she said as she laughed. 'I just had a baby but I feel like I just can't stop eating.'

Fighting back her tears, the mother-of-three said she found it difficult to let go of her sporting career despite retiring on a number of occasions.

'I'm not really sure I've actually coped with it [retirement] yet. I think it's probably the hardest thing I've ever dealt with,' she said.

Ms Pittman recently announced she is set to tie the knot for a third time.

Following two divorces from her first husband, Chris Rawlinson, Jana is now engaged to IT consultant Rajiv Chaudhri.
As Rupert Murdoch enjoys wedded bliss with Texan model Jerry Hall, the 86-year-old media magnates ex-wife, Wendi Deng, is becoming increasingly serious about her toyboy lover, Bertold Zahoran.

To celebrate his 22nd birthday, Wendi, 48, took the Hungarian model to Tahiti, where she introduced him to Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, 48, known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men film series, and his actress wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, 61.

Friendly (clockwise from front): Wendi Deng, her lover Bertold Zahoran, Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness

They are very much in love, a friend tells me. Wendi made sure Bertold met everyone, including the fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller.

Wendi, who has two teenage daughters with Murdoch, is known to appreciate the male form.

She once allegedly gushed of former prime minister Tony Blair: He has such a good body and he has really, really good legs.

Clarkson's latest pin-up

From passengers being dragged off planes because of overbooking to woeful in-flight meals, airlines have been taking flak on all sides.

For Jeremy Clarkson, its the lack of space that winds him up. Legroom issues, he wrote online next to a photograph of a pair of shapely female pins in the air.

The Grand Tour presenter, 57, declined to identify the owner of the legs, but they are thought to belong to his lover, Lisa Hogan, 46, former wife of eccentric aristocrat Steven Bentinck

The Grand Tour presenter, 57, declined to identify the owner of the legs, but they are thought to belong to his lover, Lisa Hogan, 46, former wife of eccentric aristocrat Steven Bentinck.

She and Clarkson (above right) watched Chelsea play Spurs in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.

Jeremy has lived apart from his wife Frances for six years, but they have still not agreed what would likely be a complicated divorce.

Known for ditching his tie at the first opportunity, David Camerons dressing down went to comical extremes at times.

Home Office minister Joanna Shields has revealed that the then Prime Minister once turned up for a meeting with Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg in a hooded top.

I was working at Facebook and had taken Mark Zuckerberg to see [Cameron] shortly after his election, says Baroness Shields.

Mark showed up in a suit and tie and David Cameron wore a hoodie. You cant make it up. Its hard to imagine Theresa May in a hoodie, isnt it?

A stroll in the park turned to horror this weekend for glamorous health food guru Jasmine Hemsley when her beloved dog Julie was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier

TV food guru's dog is savaged

A stroll in the park turned to horror this weekend for glamorous health food guru Jasmine Hemsley when her beloved dog Julie was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

The attack happened on the 42nd birthday of her photographer fiance, Nick Hopper, who was injured trying to rescue Julie, a Jack Russell/border terrier cross.

Distraught Jasmine, 36, who, along with sister Melissa, is known as the queen of clean eating, reveals: A dog without its owner or a collar ran into the park, clamped onto Julies ear and skull and started throwing her around. It was savage and awful  there was blood everywhere.

Half her head was in its mouth. Somehow, we got the dog off her. Nicks arm got bitten. Thank God it wasnt a child. Julie has a deep puncture in her ear and her neck is askew.

Poor Nick then spent two hours queuing at the police station to report the incident. Hes had the s****est birthday, adds Jasmine (pictured with Julie). He also got a parking ticket . . . and paid 350 to stitch Julie up.
For all the friendliness and warmth which made her so popular, there was a streak of steel in the Queen Mother and I got a glimpse of what it could be like to cross her shortly after I began working for her in the summer of 1994.

Most world leaders would have been lucky to get ten minutes alone in her presence but as her equerry  her fixer and organiser  I would be on my own with her for at least half an hour every day and she took a keen interest in what I got up to in my private life.

I was then a 26-year-old bachelor and she would always quiz me about what I had done with my weekend off and whether I had met any girls.

The Queen Mother never allowed Diana to be mentioned after her separation from Prince Charles, Major Colin Burgess reveals. He began working for her in the summer of 1994

Did you get lucky? she would ask. I didnt suppose for a moment that our respective definitions of getting lucky were remotely the same, though.

It was perhaps the informality of these conversations that lulled me into overstepping the mark when, just a few weeks into the job, I asked whether she had seen Jonathan Dimblebys television documentary about Prince Charles broadcast the night before.

It included the now famous interview in which Charles admitted that he had been unfaithful to Princess Diana and his grandmothers reaction to my question evoked the description of her by the historian Sir Roy Strong, a frequent lunch guest at Clarence House.

Her beguiling mask of humorous charm was belied by the determined set of the lips, he wrote of my new employer, and the look the Queen Mother gave me that day could have frozen fire. There was a smile there but she spoke through gritted teeth and her eyes narrowed slightly as she said: Some things are best not discussed.

She once told Sir Roy Strong, Some things are best not discussed after Charles's interview where he admitted he had been unfaithful to Diana. He said: 'The look the Queen Mother gave me that day could have frozen fire.' Pictured at Prince William's christening

She meant that Charles shouldnt have done the interview and, probably more pointedly, that I shouldnt be asking her about it.

It was a particularly sensitive subject because Charles was clearly far and away her favourite grandchild, and it seemed to me that he had a far cosier relationship with his grandmother than he did with the Queen.

All the formality surrounding the monarch meant that, no matter how much he wanted to, he just couldnt get close to her. Thats presumably why, whenever he saw me, all he talked about was his grandmother, never his mother.

For her part, while she had all the time in the world for Charles, it was quite clear that the Queen Mother had no love at all for the Princess of Wales.

Once Diana split from Charles, she was very much persona non grata, and I never again heard her name mentioned by, or in front of, the Queen Mum, not even when I saw her a couple of months after Dianas death, by which time I had left her employ.

The Royal Family had a tendency just to make the best out of a bad situation and soldier on, which is what the Queen Mother did best. But Charles seemed less well equipped to cope with those horrendous years in which his vengeful wife seemed determined to stick the knife in at every available opportunity.

In August 1995, I accompanied the Queen Mother to Birkhall, the grand hunting lodge which is part of the Balmoral estate, for her annual summer break.

While she had all the time in the world for Charles, it was quite clear that the Queen Mother had no love at all for the Princess of Wales.

I was always first down for breakfast, making sure that all her guests had everything they needed, and one morning I was joined by Charles, who had come up to do a bit of sketching in the hills and escape all the newspaper stories about his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, which was supposedly still a secret, albeit a very badly kept one.

As I sat eating my breakfast, he started going through the morning papers and suddenly his face contorted into a pained expression as he spotted yet more embarrassing revelations in one or other of the tabloids.

Oh, bloody hell, these bloody people! Why dont they just leave me a-bloody-lone? he cried, slamming his fists on the table.

I tried to look as sympathetic as possible, especially when he kept turning to me and saying Look at them, look at them, and pointing at the paper. But what could I say? I got on with my breakfast quietly, letting him ride it out as my cereal bowl jumped up and down.

I would never have worked for Charles at that time, not even for double the money I was on at Clarence House.

His separation from Princess Diana polarised their staff, who had no choice but to take sides, and if you walked into any of his offices you could easily witness something being thrown at someone in anger.

Even the Prince would pick things up and launch them at one of his staff if that person had done something wrong, or said something inappropriate to the Press.

Charles's separation from Princess Diana polarised their staff, who had no choice but to take sides, and if you walked into any of his offices you could easily witness something being thrown at someone in anger

Equally, being Princess Dianas equerry would have been the job from hell because she was then on the verge of a complete breakdown. She regularly went off into London alone, without any bodyguards, sparking mass panic among those back at Kensington Palace who would launch a hunt to find her.

I remember one of the Queen Mothers chauffeurs driving through Chelsea and, quite by chance, spotting Diana trying to cross the road alone.

He pulled over and said, Maam, jump in now, and in she hopped, to be taken back to the Palace.

From there she would telephone the wives of certain members of her own staff at all times of the day and night, insinuating that their husband was having an affair and making all sorts of wild accusations, such as: Do you know where he was yesterday evening?

Dianas leaks to the Press about Charless private life drove him to despair, but his staff could forgive his occasional bouts of bad temper because he was usually so engaging and funny

It was all totally unfounded, and her equerry was forced to pick up the pieces until eventually he could take no more and left. He was one of the most stressed people I met in the royal employ.

Dianas leaks to the Press about Charless private life drove him to despair, but his staff could forgive his occasional bouts of bad temper because he was usually so engaging and funny. Most of the time he was lovely to work for, unlike Prince Andrew who, in all honesty, wasnt a particularly nice person.

Once he berated his equerry Rupert Maitland-Titterton because the train they were scheduled to catch from Birmingham station had been cancelled and the next wasnt due to leave for an hour.

Why cant they divert that one over there? he screamed, pointing at a random train and presumably imagining that all those planning to travel on it would happily abandon their journey for his convenience.

While Charles regarded the Queen Mothers household as her companions, Andrew perceived the staff as mere employees who were to be treated as such. He visited Clarence House about once a month, and I nearly told him where to go on one occasion when he demanded that I wrap something for him. You! he barked and, pointing to whatever it was, said: Wrap that!

By then, Andrew and his wife Sarah Ferguson had announced their separation but they kept seeing each other on and off for ages afterwards and I remember the Queen Mum sighing and saying to me: You know, Andrew does love her so.

You could see that regardless of everything Sarah Ferguson had done, despite all the shame she had brought on the Royals with her affair and her gaffes, the Queen Mother was still quite fond of her because of the joy she brought to Andrew.

In her eyes, if you were happy with someone, it didnt really matter about anything else, just so long as love and happiness prevailed.

'Oh look, Margo's on fire!' said the Queen

Just as with her grandchildren, the Queen Mothers daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, also had widely different personality traits, and the difference between them can best be summed up by their reaction to an incident which happened at Sandringham one Christmas.

During a meal there, Margaret leant forward to get something and her hair touched a candle. Within seconds the back of her head was blazing away, but her tresses were sufficiently thick that she knew nothing about it until the Queen spotted what was happening.

Oh look, she said in slight amusement. Margos on fire!

During a meal at Sandringham at Christmas, Margaret leant forward to get something and her hair touched a candle. Within seconds the back of her head was blazing away

As a quick-thinking member of staff patted it out with his hands, Margaret looked at him in horror as if to say: What the hell do you think you are doing, do you know who I am?

The Queens reaction to her sister catching fire was typical of her, as I was privileged to see at first hand. Although I was contracted to look after the Queen Mother, I was part of a team responsible for any member of royalty and this included the Head of State.

If guests dropped out of dinner at Buckingham Palace for any reason, I was often drafted in to make up the numbers  keeping a black tie and dinner jacket in my office for just such eventualities  and the Queen always made a bee-line for me.

Colin, how are you? Its great to see you, she would say and I felt lucky to spend so much time in her presence. In private, she was very much the laughing sort, very bright and very funny, whereas Margaret could get quite snappy, her mood turning on a sixpence.

Once or twice Margaret had a go at me for not doing things quickly, but then she could go to the other extreme, being too friendly.

Once or twice Margaret had a go at me for not doing things quickly, but then she could go to the other extreme, being too friendly. Pictured with the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Diana

One morning she asked me what I was doing and, when I told her that I didnt have much on, she told me to grab my swimming trunks.

Come on, she said. Lets go for a swim and then well come back and have lunch.

We loaded up a Range Rover and went off to one of her friends houses where there was an outdoor pool.

She appeared wearing this rather old-fashioned, one-piece bathing outfit and I spent the rest of the morning trying to swim in such a way that I couldnt touch her. It all seemed a tad too informal, too close for my comfort.

Prince William, then in his early teens, popped into Clarence House with Charles once every couple of weeks.

William was always very affectionate with the Queen Mother, but she was 82 years older than him and the gap was apparent when he talked about films, computer games and the usual things that boys of his age would chat about.

Major Colin Burgess writes: 'I almost ended up in tears and when I attended her funeral, it was suddenly brought home to me who I had worked for.' Pictured with Prince Charles

Nice  oh that is nice, she would say, clearly baffled.

She came from a more innocent world. Not that Tony Blair, then the Leader of the Opposition, would have been too pleased about the impressions she liked to do of him.

Fascinated by the fact that he always seemed to be smiling for no apparent reason, she would mimic him by breaking into a huge grin and being all teeth.

Thats pretty much what she thought of his politics, too: all teeth and no bite. She reserved her admiration for Margaret Thatcher, declaring that she and Churchill were similar but that Thatcher had that little bit extra.

That said, it was Churchill she drew on for inspiration when my two years with her finally came to an end. Besides the cufflinks which were the traditional gift for departing equerries, she handed me a piece of paper on which she had written: Never Flinch. Never Weary. Never Despair.

The Queen Mother reserved her admiration for Margaret Thatcher, declaring that she and Churchill were similar but that Thatcher had that little bit extra

It was Churchills wartime battle cry, and summed up her whole attitude to life.

I wasnt expecting the note. It knocked me for six. All I could think was that this lady had taken the time to go to her study, look up Churchills speeches, find something she thought was appropriate.

I almost ended up in tears and when I attended her funeral six years later, it was suddenly brought home to me who I had worked for.

I had never really experienced the full whack of pomp and ceremony as an equerry because there wasnt much of it in the Queen Mothers world towards the end of her life; it was all very domestic during my time, so this extraordinary funeral was quite a jolt to the senses.

After the service at Westminster Abbey, I had received an invitation to go back to Clarence House but I couldnt make it, and anyway, the place wouldnt have been the same without the Queen Mother there.

So that was that. Everybody just drifted away and a major chapter of my life had closed, leaving me with warm memories of a woman whose old-fashioned values and love of life made her beloved both of the nation and all those like myself who were lucky enough to work for her.
A heavily-tattooed mother has spoken out after being refused entry to a trendy bar because of her visible body art.

Sydney make-up artist Gordana Poljak said she was barred from celebrating a friend's birthday at the waterfront Coogee Pavilion earlier this year.

The former wife of TV presenter Mike Willesee said she has never been banned from venues for her inks until last month.

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Ms Poljak said her visible tattoos all play an important role in her job as a make up artist

Ms Poljak had claimed last month she was mistreated by staff because of her visible tattoos

'I felt like I was treated very rudely,' she told Today Tonight.

'They didn't care. They looked at me like "she's looking for attention"... [I felt] rejection.

'Don't discriminate. It's horrible,' she added.

Sydney make-up artist Gordana Poljak was refused entry to a bar because of her body art

The single mother said her visible tattoos on her body, including her neck, arms and hands, all play an important role in her job as a make-up artist.

'It's my image to look a certain way. My clients come to me and they want make-up based on how I look... Or how I'm tattooed,' she said.

'If I was Rihanna, really... Would I have been knocked back?'

Following the incident, Ms Poljak said the venue apologised to her in a 'respectful manner' after she received a 'heartfelt message'.

Ms Poljak said her visible tattoos on her body were important for her job as a make up artist

Last month, Ms Poljak took to Facebook to accuse the bar of mistreating her because of the tattoos on her body.

'I was stopped at the door, and said I cannot go further due to my neck and hand tattoos,' she wrote.

'My tattoos describe me, they don't define me. I love my tattoos, to me I resemble encouragement, diversity, and adversity!

'No person has the right to judge your attendance based on your choice of body adornment!'

Under the NSW legislation, a venue can refuse entry to any patron without providing a reason, as long as they do not violate discrimination legislation.

Unlawful discrimination includes targeting someone because of their age, race, sex, disability, sexuality, or due to their marital or domestic status.
A woman who is forced to live in a single, sealed, toxin-free room and sleep on the bathroom floor as she is allergic to almost everything in the outside world has ventured outside for the first time in two months.

Amelia Hill, nicknamed 'woman in a bubble', lives as a prisoner in her own Adelaide home and has been struggling to survive as her health worsens.

The 41-year-old posted on Facebook on Sunday night to say that she had been outside.

She accompanied her moving post with a photograph in which she lay on a sun deck outside her home.

A woman who is forced to live in a single, sealed, toxin-free room and sleep on the bathroom floor as she is allergic to almost everything in the outside world has ventured outside for the first time in two months (pictured)

Amelia Hill (pictured), nicknamed 'woman in a bubble', lives as a prisoner in her own Adelaide home and has been struggling to survive as her health worsens

'Even though I still have to remain in a reclined position everyday and need help to do everything, last weekend I was able to have two short visits outside on the back deck to get some sun on my face and feet,' Ms Hill posted.

'Thanks to Danija...& David for setting up my bed and wheeling me out there. After over two months in doors, let me tell you, the warm rays felt so healing and relaxing,' she continued.

The 41-year-old also thanked her supporters on her GoFundMe page for their ongoing support.

She said that she has had 'two phone consultations with an interstate doctor who is familiar with my situation as well as finally making contact with local Respiratory & Neurologist Physicians'.

'Thank you for helping make all of this possible. The last few months have been unbelievably difficult... so much so, I have questioned many times whether I was going to make it,' Ms Hill continued.

'But I'm trying my absolute best to find a way through this... I can promise you that.'

'Even though I still have to remain in a reclined position everyday and need help to do everything, last weekend I was able to have two short visits outside on the back deck to get some sun on my face and feet,' Ms Hill (pictured) posted

Ms Hill suffers from disabling 'allergic' type reactions that can last from hours to weeks ever since she was exposed to termite spray when she was 15 years old.

She said she sometimes experiences 24-hour non-stop loops of 'symptomatic mayhem' that causes her immense physical pain, rashes, fatigue and can leave her unconscious.

Ms Hill spent years without a concrete diagnosis and suffered her inexplicable symptoms alone while doctors labelled her a hypochondriac.

She was finally diagnosed at the age of 33 with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Electrohypersensitivity.

Ms Hill spent years without a concrete diagnosis and suffered her inexplicable symptoms alone while doctors labelled her a hypochondriac

The former fashion designer worked with luxury brands and was even appointed editor of a magazine at the age of 21.

But by the time she was 30, Ms Hill's crippling hypersensitivity reached its peak and stopped her from realising her dreams as she was forced to accept she would never regain her health.

Despite her efforts, the outside world often permeates Ms Hill's sealed room, and her condition has deteriorated to the point where she says she can no longer hold her body upright, her respiratory muscles are weak and she struggles to breathe.

She said the smallest triggers cause her physical pain and overwhelming fatigue.

On on occasion, a neighbour's chemical-based cleaner drifted in through vents and windows and made her airways close up. It left her shaking in the corner of the room, drifting in and out of consciousness.

Ms Hall must also furiously type her blog posts on her mobile before her phone's electrical field wreaks havoc with her hypersensitive body.

'It was horrific,' Ms Hill recalled in her blog.

'When the landlord switched the shower water from rain water to main water, my body rejected that too.

'My mum then carted in bottles of twice filtered water and bathed me from a bucket. Sleeping in a newly vacuumed house sent me to the emergency room.'

Ms Hill uses the power of words to cope with her lonely existence, and tells her legion of supporters that she is not ready to give up hope

Her crippling condition means exposure to other people makes her very hill, so medical professionals must visit her at home (pictured)

The designer-turned-blogger must sleep on a tiny bed in her bathroom because of her hypersensitivity to dust and bedding

WHAT IS EHS? Electrohypersensitivity or EHS is a physiological condition. It is characterized by neurological and immunological symptoms that noticeably flare or intensify upon, or following expose to: -Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) -One or more of the types of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) found in the modern environment

Symptoms include: Concentration problems, memory lapses, aches or pressure in head, throat and chest, unsteady balance, dizziness, altered heart rate, ringing in the ears, excessive fatigue, numbness or pain in affected areas, sleep disturbances, eye irritation, red skin blotches and eczema. Source: WEEP initiative Advertisement

Living in long-term isolation in a glass-home on Adelaide Hills is a lonely life for Ms Hill as she cannot have visitors and is forced to eat from a rotation of only seven foods.

Her body rejects almost everything that healthy people take for granted: books, magazines, furniture, clothes, computers, television, wifi, perfume and even people.

Despite doing everything in her power, the crippling condition has ravaged her body and she says she will only become sicker without urgent medical help.

Her illness means she cannot visit a hospital and medical bills have piled up as she fights her symptoms.

Ms Hill uses the power of words to cope with her lonely existence, and tells her legion of supporters that she is not ready to give up hope.

'Even within the paradigm shattering scenario of serious illness, you will discover some things so profound, that they have the potential to reshape your entire perspective, your world and even your destiny,' she said.
Sylvia Jeffrey's controversial Logies dress divided viewers on Sunday evening, with many comparing the blush pink gown to a 'vagina'.

Social media users either praised or mercilessly mocked the frilled frock as the striking blonde stepped onto the red carpet for the 2017 awards.

And now, the 31-year-old TV presenter has revealed that the original Rebecca Vallance gown was made using leftover material from the dresses her bridesmaids wore to her wedding.

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Sylvia Jeffrey's controversial Logies dress divided viewers on Sunday evening, with many unfortunately comparing the blush pink gown to a 'vagina'

And now, the 31-year-old TV presenter has revealed that the original Rebecca Vallance gown was made using leftover material from the dresses her bridesmaids wore to her wedding

The star, who married Peter Stefanovic in early April, shared the update on the Today Show on Monday morning after joking with her fellow presenters about the unfortunate comparison.

'I wouldn't think there was anything controversial about a ruffle, but there you go,' she said.

While many applauded Sylvia's stunning Rebecca Vallance wedding dress, few were aware that her four bridesmaids were also donning dresses by the high-end designer.

The star, who married Peter Stefanovic in early April, made the revelation on the Today Show on Monday morning (pictured is one of her bridesmaids Meggie Palmer)

While many applauded Sylvia's stunning Rebecca Vallance wedding dress, few were aware that her four bridesmaids were also donning dresses by the high-end designer

The pink, off-the-shoulder gowns were tied around the arms and now form part of the designer's new eveningwear line (pictured is bridesmaid Alison Ariotti)

The pink, off-the-shoulder gowns were tied around the arms and now form part of the designer's new eveningwear line.

And according to Marie Claire, the exact same gowns will be dropping into stores again later this year.

'The floor-length silhouette styles were a collaboration with Sylvia from our eveningwear line,' Vallance told the magazine.

'The new eveningwear line was introduced late last year and has proved to be a favourite amongst our customers.'

The 31-year-old jokingly said she wanted to 'apologise' for the frock, and caused her Today show co-hosts to erupt into fits of laughter by saying: 'A few people are in a flap about it'

'Is @SylviaJeffreys a giant vagina? I do like that she recycled Nanna's pink velveteen bedspread from '86 into her wearable vagina,' one viewer wrote on Sunday

Despite the mocking online, Sylvia didn't have a care in the world as she arrived on the red carpet in the figure-hugging number on Sunday

The four bridesmaids included her Sylvia's sister Claire Going, her sister-in-law Jenna Stefanovic, SBS editor Meggie Palmer and Nine News presenter Alison Ariotti.

Despite the mocking online, Sylvia didn't have a care in the world as she arrived on the red carpet in the figure-hugging number on Sunday.

'Ready to roll! Tvweeklogies red carpet starts now!' Sylvia wrote in a caption alongside an Instagram picture she posted of herself.

'Thank you to my friend @rebeccavallance for another gorgeous frock!' she continued alongside the hashtags #9today.
As summer approaches, it's a major concern for swathes of middle-aged women wanting to get their legs out.

But cankles - where the calves appear to merge into the ankles - are also big business with clinics offering a staggering array of expensive treatments that promise to rid you of them for good.

The latest offering, dubbed 'cankle contouring', works by zapping fat cells in order to sculpt and shape the ankles - and experts say it can knock years off their clients' legs.

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How far would you go to rid yourself of cankles? The laser lipolysis treatment - dubbed 'cankle contouring' - works by zapping fat cells in order to sculpt and shape the ankles in half an hour

Using SculpSure - a technology which launched in the UK last year - cankle contouring works by passing a laser light through the skin for 25 minutes, allegedly with no damage to the skin and zero downtime.

The 450-per-ankle laser lipolysis procedure can also be used on other problem areas such as the abdomen, love handles and even the knees.

It is touted as perfect for pre-wedding beauty regimes and 'holiday makeovers', although experts warn it can take between six and 12 weeks post-treatment before results are visible.

And this summer, with ankle-flashing midi dresses and cropped trousers all over the UK high street, experts are predicting an influx of new clients seeking to slim down their chubby joints.

How does it work? The laser lipolysis procedure is proven to permanently destroy up to 24 per cent of treated fat. The treatment involves a laser light passing safely through the skin, with no damage to the dermal tissue. The fat absorbs this laser for 25 minutes, during which the light heats the underlying fat and initiates a process called apoptosis, which leads to the permanent loss of fat cells. Advertisement

Cosmetic doctor Dr Galyna Selezneva, from the Dr Rita Rakus clinic, told FEMAIL women are now flocking to get the procedure and her clients are 'thrilled' with the results.

But clients wanting to try the treatment should seek medical advice beforehand, as cankles can sometimes be a sign of health problems including diabetes, hypertension and even cardiovascular issues.
UNC system President Margaret Spellings is ECUs Spring Commencement speaker. (Contributed photo)

University of North Carolina system president Margaret Spellings will deliver the commencement address at East Carolina University's Spring Commencement ceremony. The event will take place at 9 a.m., May 5 in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.Spellings was named president of the 17-campus system in March 2016 and in partnership with the UNC Board of Governors has launched a new strategic planning process focused on making North Carolina the nation's leader in affordability, accessibility, student success, economic impact, and excellent and diverse institutions.said ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton.Nationally known as an education thought leader and public policy expert, Spellings served as president of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, where she planned, managed, and implemented programs on economic growth, education reform, global health, and special initiatives focused on women and military service. Her work at the Bush Center included the 2014 launch of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a one-of-a-kind leadership program born out of the first-ever partnership of multiple Presidential Centers.Spellings was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but spent much of her childhood in Houston. She is a graduate of the University of Houston and received an honorary doctorate and Distinguished Alumna Award from the university in 2006.Early in her career, Spellings served as legislative director and chief committee clerk for the Texas House of Representatives, special projects director for Austin (TX) Community College, and led governmental and external relations for the Texas Association of School Boards. From 1995 to 2000, she was senior advisor to then-Governor George W. Bush of Texas.Following his election as president, Spellings served in key positions in the Bush Administration. As White House Domestic Policy Advisor, from 2001 to 2005, she led the development of the President's domestic policy agenda. Her areas of responsibility included education, transportation, health, justice, housing and labor. In that role, she oversaw the development of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the development of a comprehensive immigration plan, and numerous other initiatives.From 2005 to 2009, Spellings served as U.S. Secretary of Education, the nation's senior policy official on all aspects of education-primary, secondary, and post-secondary. During her tenure she led the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, a national bipartisan initiative to provide greater accountability for the education of 50 million U.S. public school students.As secretary, she also launched a national conversation on the future of higher education that resulted in an action plan to address challenges of access, affordability, quality, and accountability of our nation's colleges and universities. In addition to developing and implementing international education agreements on behalf of the president, she also helped manage the federal role in the aftermath of crises including Hurricane Katrina, the credit crunch in the student loan industry, and the Virginia Tech shootings.From 2009 until joining the Bush Center in 2013, Spellings was president and CEO of Margaret Spellings and Company, a Washington, D.C. consulting firm that provided strategic guidance on a variety of domestic policy matters, particularly those related to education and workforce issues. During much of this same period, she served as a president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, leading its initiatives to drive effective education and workforce training reform.Many of ECU's colleges, schools and departments will hold unit recognition ceremonies during commencement weekend. A complete listing can be found at http://www.ecu.edu/commencement
A woman who was conned out of 200,000 by the bigamist husband she met online has opened up about her ordeal - and told how she believes her ex is a 'psychopath'.

Mary Turner Thomson, 51, from Edinburgh, had two children with her American ex-husband William Allen Jordan, 51, who eventually gained worldwide notoriety after it emerged he had claimed to be a spy so he could defraud vulnerable women in both the UK and the US.

The mother-of-three, who met Jordan online in 2000, has written a book about the horror of discovering her husband had another wife and - though he told her he was childless - in fact fathered a total of 13 children with different women.

In an interview on This Morning today, the author said that to Jordan, - who she said persuaded her to sell 'everything she had' by leading her to believe her children's lives were at risk - his victims were merely 'people to manipulate'.

Mary Turner Thomson first met William Allen Jordan online in 2000, she then went on to marry him and have two children with him

It wasn't until four years later that she found out the shocking truth about her bigamist husband, who swindled 200,000 from her with the help of his lies

Jordan has served time in prison both in the UK and in the US, on charges including fraud and bigamy.

'A psychopath is somebody who has no conscience and no remorse, no chemical empathetic response to other people,' she said on the show.

'To him we are all just SIMS [a computer game which allows users to control animated characters as they go about their daily lives] characters, we are people to manipulate. It's like a cat playing, it will not stop him, it will just delay him.'

Mary told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that when Jordan was released from a second prison sentence in America, he had already begun preying upon more women who made contact with her via a support group she set up on Facebook.

It was through speaking with other victims of Jordan's that Mary was able to estimate he has fathered 13 children by approximately six different women.

She also learned that Jordan - who she met online in 2000 - had spent time in prison for molesting a girl between the ages of nine and 13.

Jordan had told Mary that he worked for the intelligence services in the IT department, and explained away his long spells of absence by telling her he was working on dangerous missions.

'He went to extreme lengths, he would damage his body to show he'd been injured,' Mary explained.

Mary recalled how the relationship took a sinister turn when Jordan told her they were being blackmailed and demanded she hand over money to protect her children.

'At the time [he said] he was at a job where he was earning 10,000 a month so it wasnt like he was short of money,' she said.

'Basically he said unsavoury people had found out where we lived and were blackmailing us, saying they were going to steal the children and rip bits off them and send them through the post if we didnt give them the money.

I sold everything I had. I had a flat which I sold, a life insurance policy I sold, I sold a car, I sold everything I could. And who wouldnt to look after their children? [I was] living in absolute terror.'

Mary explained the complicated story during an appearance on This Morning where she hopes by raising the profile it will stop other women from falling victims to Jordan's crimes

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were shocked to hear Mary's story and the length Jordan had gone to to keep up his lies

William Allen Jordan was eventually sentenced and charged with fraud and bigamy but after he was released and deported back to the US he quickly found another victim

Jordan swindled Mary out of 200,000 in total and in 2006 he was arrested for fraud, at which time it emerged he was also engaged to another woman.

Mary was also contacted by Jordan's other wife Julie Bringhurst, who had been married to him for 16 years and had five children with him.

He had told each woman that the other was an intelligence officer he had to live with for work.

Jordan was sentenced to five years in total in a British prison for fraud, bigamy, failure to register an address and for possession of a firearm - he served two and half years and was deported back to America, where he almost immediately preyed upon his next victim Mischele Lewis, 39.

Mischele Lewis fell for Jordan's lies - she says he told her he worked for the MOD and that his name was Liam - but she soon discovered the truth

After he accidentally left out his wallet on the kitchen counter she searched his real name online and found articles revealing his crimes in the UK

She appeared via video link on This Morning and explained how she was also hoodwinked by his lies of being a spy - this time for the Ministry of Defense in the US.

After learning the truth, Mischele worked with the police in her New Jersey home to bring him down in a sting operation which saw him confess to his crimes.

The single mother said that Mary had been her rock throughout the traumatic period: 'I know he is a sexual predator, he always targets single mothers.

'And because of [his] history of molesting a child, thats why he uses single mothers as pawns, he is so devious. I like to keep the awareness out there and so other victims dont feel so alone.

I felt intense shame and disappointment afterwards. Mary is such an amazing support I would be a broken woman now if it wasnt for her.'

Jordan was released from prison last year and the women are hoping to prevent any other women going through what they did by making their story known.

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10.30am
A man who found a photo of his father as a young man has shared the image on Reddit - saying his dad was a dead ringer for not one, but two Hollywood film stars.

jonjoshelvy posted the black-and-white high school yearbook photo of his father on the social media site suggesting that he was perfect hybrid of film stars Brad Pitt and Elijah Wood.

Far from being laughed off the site, many people agreed with him, saying the blend of A-listers was 'confusing' for the eyes.

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He looks familiar! Reddity user jonjoshelvy posted an erstwhile yearbook snap of his father, saying he was the spitting image of not one, but two Hollywood actors

A Brad Elijah sandwich? Many users agreed with jonjoshelvy that his father was indeed a perfect hybrid of the two actors...with Brad making up the mouth and jawline, while Elijah has the eyes

Responding to the post, entitled 'My dad looked kinda like a mix between Brad Pitt and Elijah Wood', littlecat84 said: 'That's actually really amazing' while others said the similarities were 'spot on'. sfcc2014 added: 'He's got Brad Pitt's jawline for sure.'

After nearly 900 people commented, the original poster confirmed: 'Yes people, this is actually my father, and no Photoshop was used.'

While the image may be more of a stretch based on Brad Pitt in 2017 - the actor is now 53 - there's certainly a lantern jawline in common if you base it on a younger version of the Hollywood star.

Likewise, Elijah Wood is now 36, some advancement on the high school yearbook snap posted by jonjoshelvy of his dad - but the eyes and the hair are still a good match.

Uncanny! jonjoshelvy's father and Brad Pitt certainly share the lantern jaw look

After most people agreed there was a similar look going on, the puns began. One penned: Brad Wood: Mustache Aficionado, while other users combined the film work of Pitt and Wood to describe the snap.

'The first rule about The Fellowship is you do not talk about The Fellowship', quipped one, referencing Pitt's Fight Club and Wood's Lord of the Ring appearances.
Pregnant Bristol Palin is just two weeks away from her due date, and the soon-to-be mother-of-three had a special visit from her mother and sister over the the weekend.

For the past couple of weeks, the 26-year-old has been living in a suburb of Austin, Texas, with her husband Dakota Meyer, their one-year-old daughter Sailor Grace, and her eight-year-old son Tripp, her only child with her ex-fiance Levi Johnston.

And while Bristol is enjoying the last weeks of her pregnancy in Texas, she got to spend a magical weekend with her mother Sarah Palin and her 22-year-old sister, Willow, who flew in from their hometown in Alaska.

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Family fun: Bristol Palin received a visit from her mom Sarah and her sister Willow over the weekend. Willow is pictured with Bristol's one-year-old daughter Sailor Grace

Grandma: For the past couple of weeks, Bristol has been living in a suburb of Austin, Texas, with her kids. Sarah is pictured holding Sailor at a carnival on Sunday

Bristol took to Instagram on Sunday to share a sweet photo of Sarah holding her granddaughter Sailor, who is about to become a big sister.

The little girl has been getting plenty of attention from her family during her last days as Bristol and Dakota's only daughter.

The proud mom also shared an adorable snapshot of Sailor indulging in a cream-filled doughnut while sitting in her highchair.

Although she barely took a bite out of the treat, the tot still managed to get cream filling all over her mouth, cheeks, and chin.

'Dad life': Bristol's husband Dakota Meyer shared a video of himself enjoying a monster truck ride with Sailor

Unsurprisingly, Sailor got some special attention from her Aunt Willow who shared photos of herself holding her niece.

While Willow donned denim shorts and a pale pink T-shirt, Sailor looked absolutely darling in a striped Ralph Lauren dress and gold sandals.

'Hers the best,' Willow captioned the images, one of which sees her giving Sailor a peck on the cheek.

Over the weekend, the family visited a carnival, and Dakota, 28, happily filmed himself riding a monster truck ride with his little girl.

Smile for the camera! While Dakota and Sailor sat in the back of the truck, Bristol's eight-year-old son Tripp was in the front

Making a mess: Bristol also posted a snapshot of Sailor covered in cream while eating a doughnut in her highchair

'This is dad life, right?' he says in the clip, which sees him sitting next to Sailor on the ride.

Bristol also filmed them together, and her footage shows that Tripp was sitting in front of them next to another little girl.

The expectant mom is due to give birth to her second child with Dakota in early May, and a few months ago, the couple revealed they are expecting another baby girl.

Last week, Bristol shared a seven-month-old video of her little brother Trig trying to claim he was born in October, when his birthday actually falls on April 18.

Almost there: Bristol is due to give birth to her third child  her second with Dakota  this May. She shared this picture last Sunday when she was three weeks away from her due date

'HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY TO MY TRIG PAXSON VAN PALIN!!!' she captioned the cute clip. 'I wish I could put into words the joy that this boy brings into our lives! #helovesmydog #theluckyfew #mybrotherhasmorechromosomesthanyou.'

Trig was diagnosed with Down syndrome while he was in utero, and the genetic disorder occurs when a person has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

When praising her little brother on Instagram, Bristol often uses the hashtag #mybrotherhasmorechromosomesthanyou' to raise awareness for Down syndrome.

Sarah also shared the clip on her Facebook page on Tuesday, writing: 'Trig, seven months ago, looking forward to his birthday today.'

In addition to the heartwarming footage, the proud mom shared a snapshot of Trig blowing out the candle on his birthday cupcake.

Make a wish! Bristol's brother Trig celebrated his birthday last week, and their mom Sarah paid tribute to the boy by sharing a photo of him blowing out the candle on his birthday cupcake

All smiles: Sarah and Willoww were at the White House last Wednesday to visit President Donald Trump with Shemane Deziel, Ted Nugent (center), Kid Rock, and Audrey Berry (right)

Sarah jetting off to Washington, D.C. the night of her youngest son's birthday so she could party at the White House with her good friends Ted Nugent and Kid Rock.

Palin later wrote about her day in a blog post, while also taking to Facebook to write that she was home for her son's birthday.

'President Trumps invitation for dinner included bringing a couple of friends; it was the highest honor to have great Americans who are independent, hardworking, patriotic, and unafraid share commonsense solutions at the White House. (Asked why I invited Kid Rock and Ted Nugent I joked, Because Jesus was booked.),' she wrote.

'The company was wonderful and dinner was beyond superb, with Baked Alaska for dessert. Thanks to the outstanding White House staff, chefs, Secret Service, and of course the President for making it such a special evening.'

As for her son's birthday, Sarah added: 'I missed my son's birthday for Trump's visit? WRONG. Quit making things up just to stir it up. I was home with my son, Trig, for his birthday.'
A Minnesota man's marriage may be in trouble after an embarrassing  and, frankly, mind-boggling  misunderstanding.

The man, whose identity is unknown, called the Wyoming, Minnesota police department earlier this month because he suspected his wife was doing drugs.

Ratting out your spouse to the cops would make for strange enough story, but stranger still, the 'drugs' he found didn't even remotely resemble an illegal substance.

Yikes! Wyoming, Minnesota police were called to investigate what a man thought were drugs in his wife's purse

Odd: According to the PD, the man did not know what a cocktail umbrella was

The police department broadcast the news on its Twitter account earlier this month.

Sharing a picture of what they found, they wrote: 'A man thought he found drugs in his wife's purse & contacted us. He was happy to learn that the items were just a broken cocktail umbrella.'

The picture shows a red cocktail umbrella, with the umbrella part in pieces and broken off the wooden stick. The pieces are kept together inside a baggy.

Though the police department did not include an update about the state of the man's marriage, hundreds of people had things to say about the odd turn of events.

Roasting: Hundreds of people on Twitter are making fun of the unkown man

Seriously? Many are confused about the misunderstanding

'Has he never seen a cocktail umbrella? What rock does he live under?' asked one. The station replied that they needed to Google a photo of a cocktail umbrella to show the man.

Several criticized the man, not just for calling the cops on his wife but for going through her bag in the first place.

'What was he doing in her purse?' asked one. 'What a snitch. He should have spoken with her, not treat her like a suspected criminal,' added another.

'I'm guessing he thought a toothpick was hypodermic and the paper held heroin. He must have been really stoned,' suggested a third.

The police Twitter account doesn't shy away from shaming locals who make silly or potentially dangerous mistakes. Also this month, they shared the worst excuse people give when pulled over for speeding.

Marriage in trouble: Quite a few have also pointed out that he is a terrible husband

'"I was just keeping up with traffic." ... except traffic was 2 miles ahead sooo... didn't fly,' they tweeted.

Several days later, they tweeted: 'Suspicious vehicle turns out to be a person playing Pokemon. No harm, no foul...except maybe at the PokeStop.'

On April 20, they wrote: '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.'

That same day, the humorous PD also set 'traps' for stoners with snacks and butterfly nets.
The old saying teaches us that 'sharing is caring,' but could that actually be a damaging mindset? One mom thinks so, and her viral story about teaching her son not to share has the internet split about what really matters when it comes to sharing.

Alanya Kolberg of Springfield, Missouri explained her philosophy in a Facebook post revealing that her son, Carson, had taken toys to the park to share with a friend he was meeting later that day, but that he was 'approached by at least six boys, all at once demanding that he share his [toys]'.

When a concerned Carson looked to his mother for answers, Kolberg told her 'visibly overwhelmed' child that he could simply say 'no' and nothing else.

What's mine...isn't always yours: Mother Alanya Kolberg is facing both praise and backlash for explaining why she doesn't always want her son Carson (left) to share

Laying it all down: In a Facebook post, Kolberg explained that learning not to share and 'set boundaries' is just as important for a child's development as learning to share

'Just say no': Kolberg says she received 'dirty looks' from other parents when her son didn't want to share

The would-be sharers ran over to Kolberg, attempting to 'tattle' on Carson for not sharing.

Kolberg informed them that if Carson wanted to share, he would.

Though Kolberg says she received 'dirty looks from other parents,' she stands by her decision to teach Carson that sharing is not mandatory.

She compares the scenario to eating a sandwich: 'If I, an adult, walked into the park eating a sandwich, am I required to share my sandwich with strangers in the park? No!'

Furthermore, she asks others to consider 'whose manners are lacking.'

Is it worse for a child who is 'visibly uncomfortable' to refuse to share his toys with a group of strangers - or is it worse for strangers to demand use of someone else's toys?

Kolberg goes on to explain that, while she knows plenty of adults who 'clearly never learned how to share as children,' she says she knows far more who never learned to 'say no' and 'set boundaries.'

A logical approach: One woman explained that feeling secure, not pressured, will help children learn to share better in the long run

Covering all the bases: Many rushed to Kolberg's defense, explaining that the high cost of toys and the demanding attitudes of others are not a recipe for sharing

Selfish begets selfish? Critics of Kolberg's story felt that the mother was teaching her child the wrong lessons

Counterproductive? Some felt that if Carson didn't share, he might gain a bad reputation among other children

Poll Should children be encouraged to share? Yes No Should children be encouraged to share? Yes 621 votes

No 932 votes Now share your opinion





Reactions to Kolberg's tale have been mixed. Many praised her attitude and said they hope to instill similar values in their own children. Others cited examples of how an 'always share' rule can actually be a veiled excuse for bullying.

'Children who feel confident in their boundaries will naturally share well,' stated one commenter in defense of Kolberg's actions.

Of course, not all felt so affirmed by the story. One commenter blasted Kolberg, calling her a 'selfish woman' who was 'teaching her kid to be selfish' too.

Another said, 'I'm baffled by the number of people who agree with this and think this is the gospel. If anything, it seems counterproductive to their social development.'

Of course, whether one agrees or disagrees with Kolberg's parenting philosophy - there is one solution that seem to diffuse the debate entirely:

'[Leave] all toys in the car before going in any public space. So many problems solved.'
She is known to be one of Europe's busiest royals but that never stops Queen Letizia from making time for her adoring fans - especially when it comes to babies.

The Spanish royal delighted crowds who had gathered in Gran Canaria on Monday to welcome her on the first of her two day visit to the Canary Islands.

Charming Letizia, 43, could be seen shaking hands and chatting with well-wishers who had gathered in the city of Las Palmas this afternoon.

Queen Letizia showed off her maternal side as she cradled a baby during a visit to Gran Canaria on Monday

The mother-of-two showcased her maternal instincts as she cradled a tiny baby who had been bought to witness her arrival.

The royal could be seen cooing over her young fan as she chatted with his mother who accompanied him to the event.

The former-journalist made sure that all eyes were on her this afternoon stepping out in a fitted Carolina Herrera dress that she had recycled from her visit to Portugal just a month ago.

Today marks the first of her two day visit to the Canary Islands and already the royal seemed to be making friends

Letizia could be seen chatting to the crowds who had lined up in the town of Las Palmas ahead of her visit this afternoon

The Spanish queen was accompanied by her husband King Felipe VI who looked dapper in a grey suit and baby blue tie

The former-journalist made sure that all eyes were on her this afternoon stepping out in a fitted Carolina Herrera dress that she had recycled from her visit to Portugal just a month ago

Despite being faced with a cobbled street the royal opted for an elegant pair of burgundy court shoes for her engagement this afternoon.

With the weather proving increasingly fairer this afternoon Letizia swept her hair into a low chignon to keep her cool during her engagement.

She was joined by her husband King Felipe VI who looked dapper in a grey suit and baby blue tie for their visit.

The couple were given a tour of the Marine Science Technology Park on Monday

President of the Government of Canary Islands Fernando Clavij (right) joined the royal couple for their visit to the museum

The couple appeared fascinated as they admired several exhibits on display this afternoon

The couple could be seen waving to crowds before they headed in to the Marine Science Technology Park.

The couple were given a tour of the vicinity by President of the Government of Canary Islands Fernando Clavij.

The royal pair looked fascinated as they were shown an aquatic installation in the museum before they moved on to a display of the marine science.

There was just enough time for the couple to end their visit to pose for a commemorative photo with staff at the museum.

Despite being faced with a cobbled street the royal opted for an elegant pair of burgundy court shoes for her engagement which she coupled with a matching berry coloured clutch
Twitter users are quizzing their boyfriends and husbands to see just how much they pay attention to beauty products.

This weekend, one Twitter account shared a picture of acrylic manicure gel powder and added the caption, 'since y'all boys know everything, what's this????'

The tweet inspired followers to send the photo to the men in their lives to see if they could identify the white substance  and, unsurprisingly, most could not.

Pop quiz: A Twitter account charged followers with quizzing their significant others with this picture

Let's order Mexican! Women sent it to their boyfriends to see if they knew what it was

Um, that's not a spoon: The picture shows the powder gel that is used to apply acrylic nails

Not quite right: Unsurprisingly, most of the men didn't know what it was

The responses  which Twitter users shared with screengrabs  ranged from patient to annoyed.

Quite a few men told their partners that they simply didn't know and didn't want to play games, while others were more willing to humor their partners.

Guesses ranged from milk and cocaine to different kinds of paint. A few men figured out that the picture was make-up related, but couldn't get much further than that  with one man even guessing that the white substance was mascara.

It appears that only one man  who seems to have the patience and listening capabilities of a saint  knew that it was 'gel for da nail'.

'Omg I've taught you so much,' his partner replied gleefully.

Nope! Unlike other make-up products, this isn't something most women would have around the house

Winner! It seems only one man, this one, knew what the white stuff was

Dairy fan: Guesses included milk, cocaine, yogurt, and horchata

Well, he's almost right... A few knew it was beauty-related but couldn't seal the deal

Back in January, a Birmingham, Alabama started a similar trend, having women ask their partners to identify a Beauty Blender.

Selena Faye tweeted to her nearly-15,000 followers: 'Ok, send your boyfriend (or male friend) this pic asking him "What is this?"' while adding a product shot of the blender.

The Beauty Blender is one of the most popular tools in most make-up lovers' arsenals. The pink egg-shaped sponge is dipped in water and then used to blend foundation.

They're so popular that when Selena sent out her challenge, her tweet was liked 13,000 times  and quickly garnered replies.

'I was texting a guy friend and he just swore he pays so much attention, even when I'm doing my makeup,' Selena told Buzzfeed. 'So I sent him a pic of the Beauty Blender and asked him, "what's this?" And his reply was 'a makeup brush'; he was so wrong.'

What is it? Selena Faye from Birmingham challenged her followers to quiz men in their lives on what the name for this cosmetics tool is

Too funny: Plenty of women complied and posted the evidence on social media

Mind out of the gutter! Some guessed that it was a sex toy or yoni egg

Her friend got a lot closer than a lot of the other men who were quizzed for the experiment, though.

Guesses ranged from 'Burt's nose from Sesame Street' and 'clown nose' to, tear drop, rain drop, egg, and bath bomb. One joked that it looked like the alien from the movie Chicken Little.

Some guys even guesses that it was a stress reliever, vibrator, or tampon  or some new period product.

Several knew it had something to do with make-up but didn't quite know the name, calling it 'a make-up blender spongey thing' and a 'make-up sponge duhh'.

Very few actually knew what it was called, and at least one man had no patience for the name, saying it was simply: 'That piece of s*** you always make me get up and go soak'

The original tweet has gone viral, and women are still joining in with their own text conversations.

Other guesses included an Easter egg, a teardrop, and a clown nose

Nice try! Many of the responses from confused men were funny

Clueless: Most of the men didn't seem to be paying much attention to their girlfriends' vanities

Ding ding ding! A few knew the sponge had something to do with applying make-up

No idea? Some got close but couldn't quite guess the name of the product
Starbucks' now-extinct Unicorn Frappuccino may appear to be the magical beverage children's dreams are made of, but one little boy didn't mince words when it came to his thoughts about the surgery-sweet drink.

For its limited released, unicorn lovers flocked to the coffee chain to try the pink and blue frappuccino, which was only available in stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico until the end of the weekend.

And while reviews for the much-hyped concoction have certainly been mixed, a four-year-old boy named Bentley didn't hold back when he bluntly told his mom Tristan Lee Courtney that the drink tastes like 'dog s**t'.

Taste tester: Tristan Lee Courtney filmed her four-year-old son Bentley trying Starbucks' limited-edition Unicorn Frappuccino

Made with mango syrup and a sour blue drizzle, then topped with whipped cream and pink and blue powder, the drink is meant to be fruity and sweet.

However, he clearly wasn't impressed by the colorful beverage, which has been featured in hundreds of thousands of social media posts since it officially debuted last Wednesday.

The short, 15-second clip sees the boy sitting in his car seat while his mom prompts him to take a sip of the bright pink and blue beverage.

After mixing the drink with a straw, he bends over and takes a long sip before looking at his mom.

Magical? Bentley took a big long sip of the colorful concoction, which is made with mango syrup and a sour blue drizzle, then topped with whipped cream and pink and blue powder

Keeping it real: Bentley bluntly told his mom that the much-hyped drink 'tastes like dog s**t'

'It still tastes the same,' he tells her.

'What does it taste like?' Tristan asks, prompting him to say: 'It tastes like dog s**t.'

Of course, like most people, the mom couldn't resist bursting into laughter at her son's blunt response.

And the video has proved to be more than just a hit. After Tristan shared it last Wednesday, the clip has racked up more than 17 million views on Facebook alone.

'Thanks to everyone who shared and liked keep it up! I was just trying to take a video of him making a sour face, not saying it tastes like dog [s**t] and I sure never thought it would go viral!' the mom later wrote.

Too funny: Like most people, Bentley's mom Tristan couldn't resist laughing at her son's blunt response

Going viral: Bentley's video has been viewed more than 17 million times on Facebook

The Unicorn Frappuccino has faced plenty of controversy despite only being available for less than a week.

A Colorado barista named Braden Burson went viral after he begged customers not to order it because he has 'never been so stressed out in [his] entire life', and he wasn't the only Starbucks employee who griped about making the in-demand drink.

Meanwhile, celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain didn't hold back when sharing his opinion of the trendy frappuccino.

'Wow, that's like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns, and the colors pink and purple,' he told Town and Country. '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 added.
Patrick Swayze loyalists are not at all impressed with the upcoming Dirty Dancing remake.

As the first promo for the ABC TV movie hit the internet today, fans of the original film have become especially vocal about the new version, which is set to premiere on May 24 at 8 p.m.

While a few are excited and fully expecting to have the time of their lives watching it, many more appear to be horrified that the classic 1987 flick is being remade at all.

Nobody puts Baby in a remake! ABC has remade the 1987 film Dirty Dancing

Seriously? Not everyone is happy about the upcoming TV movie

Social outrage: Many are taking to Twitter to express their ungenerous thoughts

Crazy for Swayze: Many have said that they don't want to see a version without the late heartthrob Patrick Swayze

Whose idea was this? In fact, since the first promo was released today, few have expressed positive opinions

Something's not kosher: Many are unsure why this movie was necessary

Starring Patrick Swayze as Catskills dancer Johnny Castle and Jennifer Grey as well-to-do doctor's daughter Baby Housman, the '80s film is a favorite for millions of women.

The remake has been cast with an all-star lineup, with Abigail Breslin taking on the role of Baby and newcomer Colt Prattes playing Johnny. Debra Messing, Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Hyland, Katey Sagal, and Billy Dee Williams also star.

Yet despite big Hollywood names attaching themselves to the project, many fans have objected that no one could fill the original cast's shoes.

Coming up: The film stars Abigail Breslin as Baby and newcomer Colt Prattes as Johnny

Hungry eyes: It seems much of the movie was remade scene for scene

Yeah, we guess that's what they WOULD see: Loyalty to the original may not be enough to entice fans

Does she even carry a watermelon? A few Twitter users have expressed anger

Some are growing dramatic and even hysterical in their protests, taking to social media to air their grievances.

'They're doing a dirty dancing remake?!? One of my all-time favorite movies. This is blasphemy, wrote one woman.

Another chimed in: 'Every time I see an ad for the remake of Dirty Dancing my butt clenches. NO SWAYZEY NO WATCHEY.'

How do you call your loverboy? 2017 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the film

TWITTER REACTIONS TO THE DIRTY DANCING REMAKE Advertisement

'Is there no end to the horror of Trump's America? The "Dirty Dancing" remake promo dropped,' added one man.

Several turned to biblical words and references to express themselves, calling the remake an 'abomination', 'absolute sacrilege', and 'blasphemy'.

'How dare they remake Dirty Dancing! Patrick Swayze is a GOD,' one woman tweeted angrily, while yet another wrote simply: 'A Dirty dancing remake is against my religion.'

No thanks: Colt has been rejected as the new Swayze before he's even started

Got it: He has certainly mastered the late Point Break star's jump

Tick: It has the crawling make-out scene

Tick: It has the log dancing scene

Tick: It has the lift scene, of course

'Who wanted this? Who said, lets remake Dirty Dancing for tv? Didn't they learn from Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights? Just NO,' one more fan argued.

More said the idea of a remake made them 'heated' and 'shook', while one said it is 'is giving me anger issues'.

The 30-second promo suggests it's practically a shot for shot remake  right down to 'Nobody puts baby in the corner'.

It airs on Thursday May 24 on ABC.

Preggers: Nicole Scherzinger plays Johnny's dance partner Penny Johnson

Married with children: Debra Messing plays mom Marjorie Houseman, while katey Sagal plays 'bungalow bunny' Vivian Pressman
It's one of Britain's most expensive vegetables and is typically viewed as a luxury item.

But now asparagus could just make its way onto your weekly shopping list - thanks to the supermarket Morrisons' new cut-price range.

The budget supermarket is selling the speared vegetables for just 1 (for 180g) this season - making it the cheapest on the market.

Morrisons has introduced 'wonky' asparagus costing just 1 as a budget alternative to the upright variety which is one of Britain's most expensive vegetables

The reason? Some of the crop is growing wonky this spring, making it less desirable to retailers who prefer the more upright variety.

The bend in the vegetable is due to the warm spring we've been experiencing, which has encouraged asparagus shoots - which typically grow from late April until the summer solstice - to pop up early.

As shoots track the sun round the sky - and early spring sun levels are low - it has caused some of the crop to grow into a 'wonky' shape.

A combination of changeable hot and cold spring temperatures has also resulted in shorter and longer spears.

The wonky shape is due to the warm spring we've been experiencing, which has encouraged asparagus shoots - which typically grow from late April until the summer solstice - to pop up early

The supermarket has assured customers that despite the kink in the vegetable the asparagus will maintain its sweet and fresh flavour

But there's no need to worry. The supermarket assures customers that, though wonky, the asparagus will have tender spears which will taste sweet and fresh.

Morrisons Wonky Asparagus  will become part of a fourteen-strong Wonky fruit and vegetable range  and has now been on sale since April 22.

PRICE COMPARISON Morrisons  1 for 180g Aldi  1.19 for 100g Asda  1 for 150g Lidl  1.60 for 250g Tesco  1.80 for 250g / 1 for 170g Waitrose  2.50 for 230g Sainsburys  1.75 for 250g Advertisement

The supermarket hopes that the line will help growers to sell more crops.

In previous years, farmers may have sent a wonky crop to be processed into other food products or may not even have harvested the crop at all.

Michael Weightman, Asparagus Buyer at Morrisons said: 'Weve stepped in to buy the crop as we wanted to help growers and put this normally luxury ingredient into the hands of shoppers for just a pound.'

James Dale from Flamingo Produce added: 'The warm early spring and temperature fluctuations has resulted in ten to fifteen per cent of our asparagus crop growing wonky this spring.

'But its only their shape which is different. Growing asparagus takes many years of hard work so were grateful that this part of the crop is being sold on to customers and will not be wasted.'
Dr. Edwin W. Ed Monroe. (contributed photo)

Dr. Edwin W. "Ed" Monroe, a physician who went from private practice to helping build the School of Allied Health Sciences and School of Medicine at East Carolina University, died Sunday. He was 90.Monroe came to Greenville in 1956 to be a "nose-to-the-grindstone internal medicine specialist," he said in a 2000 interview. His goal was short-lived, as he quickly got involved in East Carolina's efforts to establish a medical school and other health sciences programs.In 1968, he became founding dean of the School of Allied Health and Social Professions. From that post, he lobbied for a four-year medical school at ECU and helped prepare the academic foundation for it.In 1974, he became president of the Eastern Area Health Education Center; its conference center is named for him. During that time, he also served as director and then vice chancellor for health affairs at ECU, as associate dean of the School of Medicine from 1979-1986 and executive dean from 1986-1990, when he retired.said Dr. Paul Cunningham, who retired as dean of ECU's medical school last year and served on the faculty in the 1980s.As leader of EAHEC, Monroe helped develop outreach programs such as an off-campus bachelor of science in nursing degree as well as community medical residencies, allowing young doctors to experience the demands of a rural practice.Monroe said in 2000.After retiring from ECU, he went to Winston-Salem to reorganize the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. But he wasn't done in eastern North Carolina. From 2000-2001, he chaired the boards of what are now Vidant Health and Vidant Medical Center during a time of rapid expansion of the system.A native of Laurinburg, Monroe received his bachelor's degree at Davidson College in 1947, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's two-year School of Medicine from 1947 to 1949 and earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 1951. He interned at the Medical College of Virginia and was a resident in internal medicine at the then-new N.C. Memorial Hospital at UNC from 1952-1956.After that, he swore to himself he'd never have anything to do with a new hospital or medical program again. But the call to service was too strong.Monroe said in 2000.He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nancy, a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation, 525 Moye Blvd., Greenville, N.C. 27834.
A patient in Wales has been waiting three and a half years to be discharged from hospital.

The individual, who has complex health needs, has been occupying a hospital bed for 1,338 days.

Their identity has not been revealed but they are being looked after by Hywel Dda University Health Board, in Milford Haven, South Wales.

A patient in Wales has been waiting three and a half years to be discharged from hospital. Stock image

Two other patients have been occupying hospital beds in Wales for almost 600 days, more than one and a half years.

The cases uncovered by the Welsh Conservatives suggest the social care crisis in Labour-run Wales is even worse than in England.

The longest recorded delay in England is just over two years and that was an exceptional case whereby the patient refused to leave.

Under normal circumstances, patients become stuck in hospital when care cannot be set up for them at home due to a lack of funding from councils.

Waiting times in the Welsh NHS are also significantly worse than in England and some patients travel over the border to be seen more quickly.

The patient who is currently stuck in hospital suffers from a serious mental health condition, has a learning disability and also physical needs.

Conservative Assembly member Darren Millar said the delay was truly scandalous.

No patient should have to wait almost four years to be discharged from hospital.

While bed blocking is extremely costly for the NHS in Wales, the real cost is the quality of life of patients for whom it affects.

Mr Millar was sent details of the cases in a letter from the Welsh cabinet secretary for health, Vaughan Gething.

This states that the unnamed patient is likely to be discharged in about six months.

It adds: We have recently been advised that using a bespoke commissioning approach, the health board has secured a provider who is able to meet all of the patients complex needs, subject to some structural alterations to their premises.

Two other patients have been occupying hospital beds in Wales for almost 600 days, more than one and a half years. Stock image

Another patient has been stuck in hospital for 589 days in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, in Swansea.

A third patient has been waiting for 583 days to be discharged at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, the letter also revealed.

Welsh Conservative shadow health secretary Angela Burns said the figures were shocking and a further indictment of the Welsh Labour Governments failure to process patients through hospitals and into community care within an acceptable timescale.

In January the James Paget Hospital near Great Yarmouth in Suffolk took legal action to evict a patient who had been there more than two years.

Adriano Guedes, 63, was paralysed from the waist down had refused to move into a care centre because his family could not live there as well.

He was eventually forced out of the hospital on the 10th of January after managers secured a court order to evict him.
Coffee lovers rejoice - drinking up to four cups of your favourite beverage each day won't damage your health.

Scientists made the findings after reviewing more than 740 studies into the effects of caffeine on humans.

They found consuming 400mg - the equivalent of four cups - was safe for adults, an amount that has long been deemed the limit.

So long as this quantity isn't regularly breached, there is no need to worry about consumption, the researchers said.

Scientists found that consuming 400mg of caffeine daily - the equivalent of four cups - was the safe limit for adults

The findings were also true for 300mg for pregnant women - the equivalent to that of three cups.

Despite being found to reduce inflammation and boost brain function, caffeine has long been linked to heart disease and dementia.

The most available and widely-used psychoactive substance in the world is also known to cause and worsen anxiety.

To try and determine its effects on health, researchers carried out a review of studies published between 2001 and 2015.

They looked at five effects of caffeine on health: acute toxicity, bone, heart, brain and reproductive.

Lead author Dr Eric Hentges, executive director of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), said: 'This provides evidence that furthers our understanding of caffeine on human health.

'Also, this provides the research community with data and valuable evidence to support the development and execution of future research on caffeine safety that will impact public health.

'We concluded that the previously-defined levels of caffeine intake in a healthy caffeine consumer (400mg) were not associated with overt, adverse effects.

WALK UP STAIRS - DON'T DRINK COFFEE Forget your morning coffee - spend 10 minutes walking up and down some stairs instead. It sounds like a nightmare to anyone who's struggling to get fired up after a mid-week night out. But according to research published last week, that little bout of exercise will do far more for your energy levels than if you were to take the elevator while slurping on a soda or a cappuccino - and saves you some money. 'We found, in both the caffeine and the placebo conditions, that there was not much change in how they felt,' said Patrick O'Connor, a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia who co-authored the study. 'But with exercise they did feel more energetic and vigorous.' Advertisement

'The complete transparency with which the data has been shared will encourage other researchers to build upon this work.'

Despite the study, published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, being part-funded by the ILSI, the American Beverage Association and the National Coffee Association also donated towards the research.

The EUs food safety watchdog advised a daily limit of 400mg in its first guidelines on caffeine consumption in 2015.

The European Food Safety Agency warned those who break the limits run the risk of a host of health problems, from anxiety to heart failure.

Its warning also showed links between high caffeine intake in pregnancy and having a baby that is underweight.

The NHS says that too much caffeine can cause a miscarriage. There are also links to birth defects.

However, with coffee far from the only food or drink to contain caffeine, people may unintentionally be going over the safe limit,

The average cup of tea contains 50mg, while a can of the energy drink Red Bull has 80mg per can.

A small bar of plain dark chocolate has up to 50mg of caffeine, while milk chocolate has around half that.

Coke, a drink often perceived as being high in caffeine, has just 30mg per can. While the drug is also often added to painkiller pills to given them an extra kick.
Scientists may be one step closer to discovering a cure for the debilitating lifelong condition multiple sclerosis (MS).

Researchers have shown MS sufferers have high levels of a certain protein in their brain cells, which is virtually nonexistent in healthy people.

This protein alters the cells' energy supply, triggering the disabling symptoms.

The finding may enable scientists to create protein-targeting treatments for the incurable disease.

More than 100,000 people are diagnosed with MS in the UK.

Multiple sclerosis patients are often confined to wheelchairs, but new therapies could be close

Scientists at the Universities of Exeter and Alberta analysed human brain tissue samples.

They discovered high levels of a protein, known as Rab32, in MS patients.

Rab32 is thought to cause the part of the brain cell that stores calcium to get too close to the cell's so-called energy supplier.

WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It occurs when the body mistakenly attacks the nervous system. MS is a serious condition that can cause significant disability and reduce life expectancy. Yet, some cases are mild. Symptoms include fatigue, difficulty walking, blurred vision and muscle stiffness or numbness. There is no cure. Treatment focuses on reducing relapses and speeding up recovery time between episodes. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

This causes miscommunication within the cell, leading to brain cell damage.

Although it is established that MS occurs due to nervous system damage, the cause of this was less clear.

Study author Professor Paul Eggleton, said: 'Multiple sclerosis can have a devastating impact on people's lives, affecting mobility, speech, mental ability and more.

'So far, all medicine can offer is treatment and therapy for the symptoms - as we do not yet know the precise causes, research has been limited.

'Our exciting new findings have uncovered a new avenue for researchers to explore.

'It is a critical step and, in time, we hope it might lead to effective new treatments for MS.'

The latest findings are welcomed by MS campaigners.

Dr David Schley, research communications manager, the MS Society, said: 'No-one knows for sure why people develop MS and we welcome any research that increases our understanding of how to stop it.

'There are currently no treatments available for many of the more than 100,000 people in the UK who live with this challenging and unpredictable condition.

'We want people with MS to have a range of treatments to choose from, and be able to get the right treatment at the right time.'
Statins' side effects outweigh any of their potential benefits.

The cholesterol-lowering medications do not reduce death rates in any patients, a leading expert has warned.

Professor Sherif Sultan, president, the International Society for Vascular Surgery, said: 'People are taking this drug to prevent a problem and [are] creating a disaster.'

Side effects vary between individuals, with one in 1,000 suffering visual disturbances and increased bleeding; one in 100 experiencing inflammation of the liver and pancreas; and as many as one in 10 developing headache and muscle pain.

Statins are prescribed to around one in four adults in the UK, making them the most common treatment given out by doctors.

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Professor Sherif Sultan warns statins' side effects outweigh any of their potential benefits

WHAT ARE STATINS? Statins are a group of medicines that lower 'bad' cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol can cause hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which may lead to heart disease. People may be offered a statin if they have previously suffered from heart disease or are at risk of it. Once prescribed, statins must usually be taken every day for the rest of a patients life to prevent cholesterol levels rising again. Cholesterol can also be reduced by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and not smoking. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Professor Sultan analysed various studies investigating the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

He concluded the medications' so-called benefits were based on 'statistical deception', The Express reported.

Professor Sultan also warned past studies may be influenced by bias as they were conducted by scientists employed by statin manufacturers.

He even revealed certain past studies demonstrate statins accelerate artery hardening, which is a known risk factor for heart attacks.

The studies also demonstrated a link between statin use and an increased risk of diabetes, cataracts, impotence, breast cancer, nerve damage, depression, muscle pain, and renal and liver failure.

Professor Sultan is urging drug regulators to reassess guidelines on the heart drugs.

At the very least, he is advising the medication should never be prescribed to children or those older than 62 as there is no evidence of their effectiveness among these patients.

Other experts agree with Professor Sultan's findings.

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST STATINS The case for: For those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, studies have shown statins slash the chances of a second incident. They are thought to save 7,000 lives each year in the UK. Many doctors recommend statins as a preventative drug to protect millions who have not yet shown symptoms but have a small chance of suffering a heart attack in the next decade. They cost the NHS less than 2 a month per patient. Statins expert Professor Sir Rory Collins claims that just five in 10,000 statin users suffer muscular pain as a result of the treatment. Backers of statins claim that patients incorrectly blame any back or muscular pain on the drugs, when most supposed side effects have a different cause entirely. The case against: Many doctors are uneasy with what they call over-medicalisation of the middle- aged  doling out statins just in case they have problems later. New rules set out in 2014 mean virtually all over 40s  up to 17 million people in total  are eligible for a prescription, irrespective of their symptoms. The vast majority of those who take statins would never suffer a heart attack or stroke. A 2013 Harvard study calculated that for every 140 low-risk patients who take statins for five years, only one major heart event is prevented. A paper on statin side effects revealed that between 5 and 20 per cent of people who take the drugs discontinue treatment due to muscle pain. Some doctors question whether reducing bad cholesterol protects against heart disease at all. A study of 68,000 people this year found no link between high levels of 'bad' cholesterol and heart deaths among over-60s. Advertisement

Sir Richard Thompson, former president, the Royal College of Physicians, said: 'Data needs to be urgently scrutinised.

'We are very worried about it and particularly side-effect data which seems to have been swept under the carpet.'

Yet, others argue millions of patients may be putting their lives at risk if they stop taking their treatment against the advice of their doctor.

Dr June Raine, director of vigilance and risk management, the Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency, said: 'The benefits of statins are well established and are considered to outweigh the risk of side effects in the majority of patients.

Statins may even accelerate hardening of the arteries, which is a known heart attack risk

'The efficacy and safety of statins has been studied in a number of large trials which show they can lower the level of cholesterol in the blood and reduce cardiovascular disease and save lives.

'Trials have also shown that medically significant side effects are rare.'

The British Heart Foundation states just one in 10,000 people taking statins will experience a potentially dangerous side effect.

This comes after a group of European doctors claimed the very theory on which statins are based  that lowering bad cholesterol cuts heart disease  is fundamentally flawed.

They added that evidence that statins save lives is 'underwhelming'.
When Alivia McKay was two years old, her parents took her to the doctor to check out a mark under her left eye.

It looked like a bug bite.

They could never have imagined that the news the doctor would give them about their daughter's condition was far graver.

Little Alivia, from Agawam, Massachusetts, was diagnosed with Parry-Romberg Syndrome, a disease where half of the face deteriorates progressively, sometimes drastically altering appearance.

Now 10 years old, Alivia's last hope to slow down the advances of the disorder may be a surgery performed by only one doctor in the world - if her family can raise the money for it.

Tragic: Alivia McKay, 10, from Agawam, Massachusetts, is suffering from Parry-Romberg Syndrome, a disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of half of the face, usually the left side

Devastating: When Alivia was two years old, her parents, Kevin and Shannon, took her to the doctor after they noticed a bug bite under her left eye (pictured). Not long afterwards, doctors diagnosed her with PRS

Shortly before Alivia turned three years old, her parents, Kevin and Shannon, noticed that her left eye looked a little strange.

The skin under the eye was swollen and red, and Alivia's parents just assumed she was having a reaction to a bug bite.

She was taken the hospital and, just a few weeks later, Alivia was diagnosed with Parry-Romberg Syndrome (PRS).

The rare condition, which affects fewer than 1,000 people worldwide, is caused by progressive shrinkage and degeneration of the tissues beneath the skin.

For some, the damage isn't shown for years. For others, it occurs within months.

For Alivia, the deterioration of the tissue in her face starts from the left side of the bridge of her nose, down the nostril, and through to the left side of the roof of her mouth and gums.

Alivia was immediately started on treatment at Boston Children's Hospital, which consisted of a low-dose chemotherapy drug called methotrexate.

Methotrexate is most often used for cancer of the blood, bone, lung, breast, head, or neck. It can also treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

It was also during this period that Alivia was diagnosed with inflammatory eye disease, which is the swelling and destroying of eye tissue - and the leading cause of blindness in children.

In 2015, MailOnline reported on 22-year-old Yasmin Butler, a fellow sufferer of Parry-Romberg Syndrome. By age 17 (pictured), the left side of her face appeared as though it had sunk as she lost definition of her cheek bone

While the chemotherapy helped Alivia's eye disease from getting worse, doctors began to wean her off the medication when she turned 10.

It is only safe for children to take the drug for seven years before lifelong side effects can emerge, and Alivia's seven years were up.

Additionally, doctors wanted to see if the disease would stay dormant without the medication.

The McKays say Alivia has seen an orthodontist and, because of the progression of her disease to her mouth and gums, she is suffering from something similar to cleft palate and will need extensive orthodontic treatment.

Now, as she approaches her teenage years, issues such as puberty and pregnancy could accelerate the disease's progress- and she can never go back on the chemotherapy drug.

However, there is hope.

Dr John Siebert, a plastic surgeon based in Madison, Wisconsin, is the only one in the world performing a new type surgery to help PRS patients.

The process is called microvascular free tissue transfer, where healthy tissue from a part of the body is taken to replace the disease tissue in the patient's face.

Researchers have demonstrated that with gene sequencing, facial growth and soft tissue is normalized after surgery.

Dr Siebert told Kevin and Shannon that Alivia would be a perfect candidate for the treatment.

'This gives us so much hope, and is our only option,' the family wrote on their fundraising page.

The surgery, however is not covered by insurance and Alivia's out-of-state insurance is not accepted in Wisconsin.

The surgery will cost almost $50,000, which has to be paid before the appointment can be scheduled.

Battle: After her diagnosis, Alivia was immediately put on a low-dose chemotherapy drug. However, she is now being weaned off because after seven years, which have just passed, it is no longer safe for children to be on the drug (pictured left in 2017 and right in 2012)

Hope: The McKay family has found the only doctor in the world, in Madison, Wisconsin, who is performing a new surgery to helps PRS patients called microvascular free tissue transfer, where healthy tissue from another part of the body is taken to replace the disease tissue in the patient's face. They are now working to raise $50,000 (Alivia pictured with her mother, Shannon)

Additionally, because the surgery lasts 14 to 17 hours, Alivia will need to stay in the hospital for 14 days to recover.

Her parents have created a Facebook page to document her journey and a YouCaring account to help cover the cost of the surgery, along with additional medical expenses.

So far, more than $34,000 has been raised out of the $55,000 goal.

Alivia's cause has even attracted celebrity attention. In March, comedian Rosie O'Donnell tweeted a link to her YouCaring page, and contributed $1,000 herself.

'Help Alivia McKay kick Parry Romberg Syndrome in the Face!'' she wrote.
Scientists have successfully developed the first new class of antibiotics in 40 years, providing a vital weapon in the war on superbugs.

Initial trials on the new drug suggest it has a 91 per cent success rate against a deadly bacteria which causes severe pneumonia.

The treatment, called Murepavadin, targets a drug-resistant infection called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is highly dangerous, with a 20 to 50 per cent death rate

The infection was included on a World Health Organisation list of 12 superbugs considered to be priority pathogens - the antibiotic-resistant bacteria which pose the greatest threat to human health.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa commonly causes hospital-acquired pneumonia, a disease with a death rate of up to 50 per cent.

In a phase-one trial, only 9 per cent of patients treated with Murepavadin died within 28 days, with 91 per cent cured.

The trial was an initial pilot study, involving only 12 patients, but experts last night said it was a vital first step and revealed they have already moved onto phase-two testing and hope to start final phase-three trials by the end of the year.

Study leader Professor Antoni Torres, of the Respiratory Institute Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, said: Antibiotic resistance is one the most serious health threats of our time with significant global implications.

New treatment options are urgently needed.

Presenting his findings at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Austria, he said: Todays announcement that Murepavadin has shown positive benefits in the trials offers hope for the management of this challenging patient group.

Polyphor, the Swiss company developing the drug, in February was given a 1.8million research grant by the Wellcome Trust, specifically for its work on antibiotics.

Murepavadin is the first in a class of Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotics - or OMPTA - which targets bacteria in a different way to traditional drugs.

Antibiotic resistance - the process by which bacteria evolve to fight off drugs - is rapidly becoming seen as the biggest crisis facing modern medicine.

More than 10million people a year could be killed by superbugs within a generation if the problem is not tackled, experts have warned.

The more existing antibiotics are used the more resistant bacteria become to them.

Drug resistance is a big problem with current treatments, leaving sufferers with few options

Superbugs are already breeding at a rapid rate, with increasing numbers of germs evolving to become untreatable with what were previously effective drugs.

But doctors have had little choice because no new class of antibiotic has been discovered for a generation.

Dr Ignacio Martin-Loeches, an intensive care consultant at St James Hospital in Dublin, last night welcomed the findings.

He said: Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents a significant threat to the most vulnerable hospital patients, including intensive care patients, those with depleted immune systems such as those with cancer, people with severe burns and premature babies in neonatal units.

Treatment options are limited and so this new class of antibiotics is desperately needed.

Dr Glenn Dale of Polyphor said: Murepavadins single pathogen focus prevents a build-up of resistance against other pathogens, which is a common problem with antibiotics.

Todays findings show that our proposed dose of Murepavidin could be a promising new antimicrobial.

This year, we expect Murepavadin to enter Phase III trials and take another step to bring it to patients.
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.

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 (file pic)

Police say he planned to dump her in flesh trade.

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.

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.

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 (file pic)

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.

Photographs of missing Indian children are displayed at a Police station in New Delhi

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.

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).

An alleged Indian human-trafficking victim sits at a police station after being rescued from a village in Karnal around 100km from New Delhi in 2013

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.

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.

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 (file pic)

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 Rs 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.

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 economic 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.

Maiti Nepal is an organisation fighting the sex trade in Nepal and the trafficking of girls and women into India. In Maiti Nepal's legal department's office there is a wall covered with convicted criminals

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).

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 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.

Thirteen-year-old Shivam Singh promised his mother he would be back to do his homework as he ran to get some sweets. He never returned, becoming one of the 50,000 children who go missing every year in India

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 highest 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.
Clashes between students and government forces erupted in Kashmir on Monday, as authorities reopened schools closed due to the tensions.

Tear gas and water cannons were used to stop students from marching in the main commercial area of Srinagar but they retaliated by throwing rocks and pushing back barricades formed by police and the military.

And the fresh violence come as the government ruled out talks with the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat conference about controlling the situation.

Kashmiri students and other protesters attack an Indian police vehicle as they clash in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir

With residents joining the students, the clashes with government forces spilled into main streets in the city's main commercial center of Lal Chowk.

Shopkeepers lowered their shutters and many bystanders took refuge inside.

Troops later fired live ammunition into the air to quell the growing protests.

Tensions between Kashmiri students and Indian security forces have escalated since April 15, when government forces raided a college in Pulwama, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Srinagar, to scare anti-India activists.

A Kashmiri student throws away a tear smoke shell during a clash with police in Srinagar

Hundreds of students protested and clashes left at least 50 students injured. Authorities didn't say what they were looking for in the raid.

On April 17, another round of student protests across the region left more than 100 students and an unknown number of police officers injured.

Authorities responded by closing colleges, universities and some high schools for a week, but the protests continued unabated.

An Indian police man throws stones at protesters supporting students as they clash

Shooting

Also on Monday, suspected rebels shot and killed a pro-India politician, Abdul Gani, near the town of Pulwama, police said. Gani belonged to the People's Democratic Party, which is ruling the region in coalition with India's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janta Party.

Despite the surge in violent protests across the Kashmir valley, the government has decided against holding any talks with the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat conference about controlling the situation, it emerged.

'The government is taking steps to address the situation in Kashmir but under no circumstances, there would be any engagement with the separatists including the Hurriyat Conference,' senior government sources told Mail Today.

An Indian police man covers himself with a bamboo shield to protect himself from stones thrown by student protestors

Sources said the government was prepared for dealing with the situation which is likely to continue for the next couple of months and even adversely affect the tourist season there.

'In the present circumstances, there is lot of pressure from various quarters including the mainstream political parties to engage with the separatist leaders but the feeling is that talking to them is not going to yield any results,' they said.

Leaders of the Hurriyat including Syed Ahmed Shah Geelani are at the forefront allegations of money being paid to the hooligans to hurl stones at the security forces convoys and patrol parties.

Kashmiri students and other protesters attack an Indian police vehicle

Geelani also issues the strike calendars for the local population with instructions on the date and time of protest against Indian interests there, it has been claimed.

After the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, it declined to talk to groups like Hurriyat which are pro-Pakistan.

To deal with the situation, the sources said the government will continue its crackdown on the social media-based activities of the separatists who are using applications like WhatsApp and Facebook to gather protesters and spread false information against the Indian government.

Tensions between Kashmiri students and Indian law enforcement have escalated since April

'Already, there have been cases where the local police has apprehended some group administrators who are paid to spread rumours against the forces while a large number of Facebook and WhatsApp groups are being tracked by the Information Technology experts in the valley,' they said.

Sources said the government does not want a short-cut or stopgap arrangements for settling the Kashmir situation and is looking at finding long-term solutions for establishing peace.

The present scenario has also created a situation where the security forces are feeling tied down but they have been ensured that the government would fully back them, the sources said.

The government has also given the go ahead to the security forces to go after the top terrorist leadership in Kashmir to break the backbone of their infrastructure while also working to involve countries in the middle east to curb the funding of these Islamic groups.

India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. Most people in the Indian-controlled portion favor independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Rebel groups have been fighting government forces since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and in a subsequent Indian military crackdown. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of Kashmir.

Photographer steps in to save injured student during protests

A press photographer has spoken of how he downed tools to help an injured 18-year-old woman who had been hit in the head and began bleeding during the student protests in Kashmir.

Dar Yasin, who was documenting the clashes for the Associated Press, carried Khushboo Jan away from the protest site in Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, and urged her anxious friends not to worry.

'It was an instant decision, and I didn't think twice,' he said. He explained that he was closest to the woman and so best able to help. 'I gave my camera to a colleague. ... I took the injured girl in my arms.'

Associated Press photographer Dar Yasin helps Khushboo Jan, 18, after she was injured during clashes between Kashmir students and India security forces in Srinagar

The effort was captured by another photographer who then helped Yasin load Jan into a car that had been pulled up by a civilian to take her to a hospital.

'When I saw Yasin helping the girl, I thought I should document it and clicked some shots,' said the other photographer, Faisal Khan, from the Turkish news organization Anadolu Agency.

Yasin and Khan then resumed taking photographs of the protest.

Associated Press photographer Dar Yasin and Kashmiri student Khushboo Jan, meet up

Jan received six stitches on her forehead before being sent home from the hospital later that day.

Police released a brief statement after Thursday's protest saying Jan had been hurt in a stone-throwing incident, referring to a common practice by protesters of hurling bricks and stones at police and paramilitary troops.

Jan said, however, that she had been hit by a marble fired from a sling by a soldier in a nearby bunker.

Marbles are often used by Indian forces as ammunition against protesters.

'Later, my friends told me that I was rescued by some media persons,' Jan told the Associated Press on Sunday, as Yasin visited her in her Srinagar home.
China is planning to hold an international conference on President Xi Jinping's 'One Belt One Road' (OBOR) project (aimed at rebuilding the ancient Silk Road) in May where the presence of world leaders will boost its leadership ambitions in Asia and beyond.

Xi has the dream to make China a global power and wants others to share it, kindled by the prospect of benefiting from Beijing's investment plans across Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Dreams are by nature disconnected and incoherent, which is why the Chinese have not been able to define the project clearly, referring to it as an evolving concept that would incorporate the ideas of participating countries as it develops.

A mural reading 'Long live the friendship of Pakistan and China' stands at Gwadar Port in Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan

It is presented as a cooperative project in a bid to delink it from China's geopolitical ambitions, but it was launched without consultation with anyone, including India.

It remains a Chinese-controlled project as they hold the purse strings.

Ambitions

China has launched this idea to serve its global ambitions and the needs of its economy and expect others to make it implementable.

To artificially amplify its scope, projects already implemented by China to serve its resource and connectivity needs and which were never intended to be 'public goods' have been included in OBOR.

One Belt, One Road Gwadar is the cornerstone of Chinese President Xi Jinping's so-called One Belt, One Road project to rebuild the ancient Silk Road, a trading route connecting China to the Arabian Sea that slices through the Himalayas and crosses deserts and disputed territory to reach this ancient fishing port, about 500 miles by boat from Dubai. Advertisement

China's oil and gas pipelines from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to East Turkestan, and the development of the Gwadar port pre-date OBOR.

Just four days ago, China's foreign minister Wang Yi has also falsely included the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) project under OBOR's rubric.

Some in India echo China's line that it is in India's interest to participate in OBOR as all our neighbours have supported it and our staying out will isolate us.

Others suggest that we skirt the issue of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) violating our sovereignty by traversing Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) with a formula that satisfies our formal position on the territory with a view to allowing our participation in OBOR.

Members of the security forces observe operations at a site where workers gather materials for the construction of the M8 motorway on the outskirts of Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan

The stakes for us are apparently too high, as we are in desperate need for Chinese investments in ports and manufacturing.

The argument is also being made that China's deep involvement in Pakistan's political success and economic development creates a congruence of interest with India, as it would help stabilise India's neighbourhood and wean Pakistan away from terrorism.

We are being exhorted to move out of ossified positions and avoid painting ourselves into a corner by opposing OBOR.

China's global power status is being cited as a reason for India not to be fixated on one or two issues such as NSG membership as that is not an issue of core interest for India.

No wonder Wang Yi has noted in his recent statement that many Indian friends support OBOR. All these arguments are highly questionable.

If NSG is not a core issue for us, why is it one for China, which considers our membership as being against its national interest? China already dominates Central Asia at Russia's cost. Our neighbours have long played the China card against us and OBOR will be one more, presuming that Sri Lanka's lesson from opening doors to costly Chinese investments goes unheeded by others.

Hegemony

Our neighbours are not worried about China's hegemonic ambitions in Asia; they would be more wary of India's hegemony.

If all the aid showered by the West on Pakistan for decades has not stabilised Pakistan and ended its terrorist affiliations, it is unclear how CPEC  which is a project sponsored by the Pakistani military  will serve India's needs.

Chinese diplomats in Delhi warn that India will pay a price for not participating in OBOR. What will be that price?

China will continue to oppose us on NSG membership and Masood Azhar's designation as a terrorist? It will make more statements on Tawang?

It will give Tibetan names to more counties in Arunachal Pradesh? It will do more military exercise with Nepal and squeeze debt-ridden Sri Lanka more?

It will send more submarines into the Indian Ocean? It will continue to deny us opportunities in its economy and increase our bilateral trade deficit even more?

Presumably if we embraced OBOR we will be rewarded by a reversal of Chinese policies on all these issues.

China will begin investing in India in a big way and build us up an economic power that will compete with them tomorrow in Asia and beyond and challenge them, replaying the naivety of the Americans of empowering China that now seeks to oust them from Asia.

The national flags of Pakistan, left, and China are displayed on the side of a mountain in Gwadar, Balochistan,

Expansion

We should just ignore OBOR, except opposing the CPEC, as it represents the vital connectivity between Chinese expansion on the Asian landmass and its plans in the Indian Ocean.

We need to implement our own connectivity projects with much greater speed. If these projects get connected in the normal course with the Chinese connectivity projects on the Asian landmass, so be it. Why should we laud OBOR as transformative (for whom  us?) and praise it.

Simply because our companies could get a contract or two here and there is no reason to mortgage our foreign policy to China's dream. We need not become petulant and raise our fists at China's initiative.

We should study OBOR to assess its geopolitical implications for our security and our role in Asia.

At the Beijing OBOR show our representation should be low level, only to keep an eye on the proceedings and prepare a report.

The writer is former foreign secretary
Top sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it was still awaiting a report of the Bheji ambush in which 12 CRPF soldiers were massacred by Maoists, when another 26 soldiers also lost their lives to the Reds.

The MHA had asked CRPF to analyse lapses and submit a report. CRPF sources said they are yet to complete the inquiry and hence haven't submitted the report.

This comes even as the ministry has failed to appoint a Director General to the CRPF, after former chief Durga Prasad retired in February 2017.

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh in a meeting with police officers over the Sukma attack

The force of nearly three lakh personnel is now helmed by an officiating DG - Sudeep Lakhtakiya. He will hold fort till a permanent DG is appointed.

Prakash Singh, a former DG of the BSF said: 'The MHA should be hauled up for not appointing a DG of such a big force. They know when the retirement of an officer is due. There is no reason that the organisaton should remain headless.'

Criticising the ministry, the former DG also said officers make suggestions emphasising on quality training and better intelligence, but bureaucrats in the ministry often do not pay heed to soldiers reporting from the ground.

The series of attacks come even as MoS Home Gangaram Hansraj Ahir claimed that Maoist violence had dipped to its lowest compared to the past few years.

One of the soldiers injured in Monday's attack in Chhattisgarh is rushed to hospital

No sooner did he give the ministry a thumbs-up, March 11 saw one of the worst Maoist attacks on soldiers claiming 12 CRPF jawans.

Monday's attack is the worst since the 2010 Dantewada attack where 76 CRPF soldiers were gunned down, with the force being labelled as sitting ducks to Maoist bullets.

The attack also led Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh to make a quick exit from Delhi and rush back to his state to take stock of the situation.

Singh said the attack shows Naxals' cowardice and assured that the injured jawans will be provided all possible help.

The chief minister held a meeting with top bureaucrats and police officers to chart out the future course of action in dealing with the Naxalite menace.

Union Home minister Rajnath Singh said he would possibly visit Sukma on Tuesday.

'I have already asked Union MoS for Home Hansraj Ahir to leave for Sukma,' Singh said.

The CRPF, meanwhile, claimed that a 'considerable' number of Maoists are believed to have been killed in retaliatory action by CRPF men after the attack on them, though no bodies have yet been recovered.

Road to death? One soldier killed every month on construction

The 80-km stretch from Dornapal to Jagargunda is a death trap for CRPF - the latest casualties being the 26 jawans of the 74 Battalion.

Men deployed for road opening patrol (ROP) for construction of a portion of the road were killed by at least 300 Maoists, who had laid an ambush.

Sources said the cost of this road has been very high - one soldier per month. But this year, it has already cost more.

Only a few days ago, 12 soldiers were killed in Bheji, 20 km away from the site of Monday's massacre.

IEDs and other Maoist tactics delay road construction in this stretch, where contractors seek police protection to work

As per CRPF sources, Jagargunda was expanded into a major government-backed settlement during the Salwa Judum movement, a controversial programme in which state authorities tried to shift villagers from the forests into fortified camps.

The area was also a hotbed for cattle smuggling, but remained infamous as a Maoist base.

The area has seen a history of bloodshed perpetrated by Maoists and has been the focal point of some of the fiercest encounters between security forces and Naxals since 2006.

The Maoists cut off all three access roads (via Vijaypur, Aranpur via Dornapal, and Chintagufa) leading to Jagargunda, virtually converting it into a landlocked and inaccessible island.

All roads, bridges and culverts were either destroyed or blown up by IEDs.

On being cut off, Jagargunda could be accessed via a 100-km detour running southeast from Kuakonda to Dornapal via Sukma along NH-221.

From Dornapal, the travel required another 70 km past the CRPF camps at Polampalli, Kankerlanka, Chintagufa and Chintalnar.

While no intelligence of the impending attack was available, CRPF sources say movement of soldiers was known to all, including Maoists and villagers, as they were assisting in road construction - a painfully slow process as contractors fear for their lives due to threat from the Reds.

Former CRPF DG Durga Prasad told Mail Today: 'The road construction is costing us many soldiers. The Naxals are aware that soldiers would assist in ROP duty.'

However, many blame the government for not paying attention to recommendations.

Such mishaps also drive more fear in the minds of contractors, thus delaying projects further.

A senior officer, who returned after serving in Dantewada, said that a 20-km road from Palnar to Aranpur took four years to complete.

Suspecting IEDs and other tactics, construction of a cemented road began in January 2012, and could be completed only in January 2016.

Sources say the area is a stronghold of South Bastar divisional committee headed by one Raghu, and is under the Jagargunda area committee led by Papa Rao.

They are considered among the most formidable leaders that Maoists have been able to create in the region.

Moreover, the area has a People's Liberation Guerrilla Army platoon, three local operating squads and one local guerrilla squad.

Sources also say an IAS officer named Alex Paul Menon, who was posted as collector of Sukma, was abducted for a fortnight in 2012 for overseeing road construction here.
April has a reputation as a beautiful month, and so far she has been living up to it! Every day of spring break has been lovely. A few showers in the early morning have left the air clean and fragrant. Otherwise, the sunshine abides in the day, and the stars at night. I think days, come and go in the loveliest way. We have a sunrise to inspire hope, and a sunset to inspire gratitude, for what has transpired in the course of the day.I am in Elizabeth City for a few days, another rabbit patch . ( Chances are if you live in rural North Carolina, you live on a rabbit patch.) Elizabeth City is full of rabbits. I noticed this when I first began strolling with Lyla, now two years ago. (It was one of the reasons, I named the diary "Rabbit Patch"). There were rabbits in the yards, in the ditches and even in the quaint and quiet streets. These rabbits are much more friendly than their country cousins. They are not as skittish and allow Lyla a close observation. We saw some yesterday in a bed of clover at twilight.Yesterday was full of all sorts of sweet moments. Lyla and I did not take to wandering about til later in the afternoon. We used a new "stroller" from Aunt B, who I am now convinced gives wonderful presents. It is a tricycle with a handle for pushing. Lyla pedals along and seems to feel very important, as she does so. We quickly encountered some robins taking a bath in a puddle. Their splashing and fluttering in the water was quite amusing to Lyla. A crow flew down from a crepe myrtle to join them. Lyla has learned to be still and quiet when watching birds and critters, but the crow, almost made her laugh aloud as he squawked and carried on so. She covered her mouth with her little hand and looked at me with a merry expression that showed up in her eyes.On the next block, we walked by a mock orange in full bloom. As is my habit, I smelled the blossoms and found the scent heavenly. It was a most pleasant floral and citrus blend. The blossoms are not so spectacular, but the bush was heavy laden with them and it was a pretty sight. I love the mock orange and now Lyla does too.Squirrels were scampering out and about and all seemed to have an agenda. We watched several and all of them were every bit as friendly as the rabbits. One fellow was hastily digging and was too intent to mind us watching. He dug as if it was the last pecan in the world to be found.The sweet smell of freshly cut grass was all around us. Clover blossoms mingled with it and made me want to breathe deeply as we strolled. As usual , we ended up at the river. We sat quietly and listened to the laughing sound, made by the gentle waves. I do not think great thoughts when we sit on the banks of the Pasquotank. I don't entertain notions, and if there are any problems to solve, I just don't remember them. Lyla follows suit, and just stares at the water like it is telling her secrets-and maybe it is. I never know how long we have been in this state as the laughing river does not honor a measurement of time. At some point the sound of noisy seagulls or a barking dog breaks the spell and we hid for home.On the way home, yesterday, a neighbor was working in his yard and invited me to see a wild rose that had surprised him, by planting itself in his yard. The color was a cheerful fuschia and several large roses were in plain sight with many buds-all weighing the branches down, in their abundance. The neighbor wanted me to smell the roses and so I happily obliged. It was maybe the sweetest rose I had ever come across.There are so many ways to live a life. I think of this often. Cities and corporate ladders suit many. Travel to exotic lands suits others. The ways to spend a life are varied so that every one can be content, I think. For me, watching birds in a puddle and listening to a laughing river was a day well spent. . . and a moment with a wild rose is a lovely and tender moment, and Dear Diary, I was glad I passed that way.
So-called digital avengers based in India have crippled 30 Pakistan government websites in virtual surgical strikes.

The attacks come in protest against Pakistan's announcement of the death penalty issued to former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

A Pakistani military court this month ordered the punishment for Jadhav, after he was accused of espionage and sabotage activities in Karachi and Balochistan.

Former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage'

'All the hacking in Pakistan was part of our operation 'Justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav',' one of the hackers told Mail Today.

Indian and Pakistani hackers fought pitched battles across cyber space after last September's terrorist attack on a military camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector.

A message on a hacked Pakistani website read, 'Charges against Kulbhushan Jadhav are fictitious, fake and farcical. There is no evidence of wrong doing by him. This is an act of 'premeditated murder'.

'Earlier it was Sarabjeet, now it's Jadhav.'

The responsibility for the website attack was taken by 'Lulzsec India' - a team of 11 hackers.

Experts say many nations are deploying cyber warriors to attack critical infrastructure and vital organisations in enemy countries.

The responsibility for the website attack was taken by 'Lulzsec India' - a team of 11 hackers (file pic)

Pakistan, China, Iran and North Korea have deployed hackers by granting them immunity from consequences.

Another hackers' group, Telangana Cyber Warrior, claims it has infected the network of a government hospital in Karachi.

'We have their entire computer network under our control. We can modify patients' records and monitor their health condition,' said a member of the group.

The Kerala Cyber Warriors hacked the website of Pakistan Academy for Rural Development. The website's main page is warped in a way that it displays a message demanding 'justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav Ji'.

The message reads that the 'Indian spy', in custody of Pakistani authorities, 'lives for India' and all the cases filed against him are completely fake.

Observers say Pakistani hackers will try to respond in kind and attempt to hack prominent and sensitive Indian websites.

Lulzsec India was here! Grab of the Pakistan government's website after being hacked

They have in the past carried out mass defacement and are focused on targeting government portals.

State police websites were defaced by Pakistani hackers where they posted anti-India comments with an image of the Pakistan flag.

Experts say the intelligence-gathering process has intensified as hackers are not only defacing the sites but are silently spying on critical networks.

Kulbhushan Jadhav was reportedly arrested from Balochistan after he entered Pakistan from Iran.

He was accused by Pakistan of being a 'RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent' and planning 'subversive activities' in the country.

The Indian government, on the other hand, believe that he was picked up from Iran.

India has acknowledged Jadhav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied that he was in any way-connected to the government.
An intelligence alert from the central intelligence agencies has forced security to tighten around Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yodi Adityanath.

A recent alert by the intelligence agencies has indicated that both of them are on the radar of an alleged London-based Kashmiri terrorist group.

According to the alert, these terrorists have infiltrated the Kashmir Valley and will try to travel to UP in small groups by train. However, the current location of the terrorists is still unknown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) with Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath

Highly placed intelligence sources said the threat has been passed on to both the Special Protection Group responsible for the PMs security and officials supervising UP chief minister Yogi Adityanaths security arrangements.

PM Modi continues to remain a high-value target for both international and domestic terror outfits.

Sources confirmed that another alert by Mumbai Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau has indicated that both PM and UP CM are high security risks.

An alert had been issued by the state Intelligence Bureau unit suggesting some people in Raigarh in Maharashtra were heard discreetly talking about carrying attacks on both the VVIPs.

Police are probing the inputs and trying to identify the persons involved in the conspiracy.

An intelligence alert from the central intelligence agencies has forced security to tighten around Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yodi Adityanath

Tensions remain high in Kashmir as students clash with security forces

While both leaders have the highest standards of security in the country, sources said the details of the alerts have been conveyed to all security formations for necessary briefing at places where the VVIPs visit.

After the alerts last week a high-level Union Home Ministry meeting took place.

In the meeting it was decided to provide NSG Commandos to Yogi Adityanath along with the regular Z plus security cover.

So far only 16 VVIPs have been provided with the elite security cover NSG commandos.
GDP is seriously messed up.

It is often thought of simply as the most common measurement of the size of a countrys economy  how could that be controversial?

But far from being impartial, GDP considers all sorts of negative things as good for the economy and ignores other things that are actually really beneficial.

Worse than that, it incentivises governments to prioritise those negative things at the expense of the positive  and that can be hugely damaging for a healthy society.

Thats the view of Lorenzo Fioramonti, the latest guest on the Big Money Questions show.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

To be feared? GDP May look like a harmless little number, but it's destructive, argues one economist

The professor of political economy at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and author of The World After GDP believes that what we measure affects what we do, but even more so with GDP.

Heres an example of how unhelpful it is.

According to Lorenzo, the perfect GDP Man  someone who lived to optimise economic growth  would be obese, driving a car to work every day and stuck in traffic, probably have a serious chronic disease and be on the verge of a divorce because after a divorce means more fees to lawyers but also two houses to be bought and one house to sell.

He adds that in theory to maximise GDP, no one would spend any time with their children and work all the time instead.

That way, there would be two contributions to GDP instead of none  one of the parent earning money and a second of the carer being paid to look after their children and then spending their earnings.

Furthermore, car accidents, poor health and destruction boost GDP, while maintaining and keeping things as they are  such as good health and natural resources - does not.

He points out that the two countries that have seen the strongest GDP growth in the last few years have been Libya and South Sudan  both of which have suffered civil wars.

So if this number is as bad as all that, does it really matter? How can it impact what we as individuals or governments or economists do?

And if it is having a destructive effect, what can we do about it? Isnt that something for statisticians and government to worry about?

All of these questions are explored in the Big Money Questions.
I have covered the healthcare sector on and off for the past 20 years for my sins. In the US in particular it is a hotbed of life-changing innovation that has spawned a new generation of drug and med-tech giants.

But would I invest in the sector? Probably not. Backing the small, up-and-coming firms is often risky with many more failures than successes.

Outcomes tend to be binary - a treatment, or device either works or it doesnt.

Risks: Outcomes tend to be binary - a treatment, or device either works or it doesnt

If you are looking for income, the bedrock of any portfolio if reinvested, then your options are severely limited.

The big dividend payers - companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, or Pfizer - are either slow growth or no growth at all.

That leaves little room for capital appreciation.

There are also the big, structural issues to get ones head around. The flawed Obamacare system in the US is one, while the unwillingness of payors (health services and insurers) to pony up for expensive new treatments is another.

In some respects you are better off throwing a dart blindfolded at the Financial Times prices pages.

Okay I jest. But it is difficult picking winners.

Paul Major, of Bellevue Asset Management, agrees there are many elements you need to factor into your investment equation.

BBH HEALTHCARE TRUST AT A GLANCE AIM ticker: BBH Market value 184.5million Listed at: 100p Current price: 113.25p

But, while the task of picking winners in the sector is tough, it isnt impossible, judging from Bellevues track record.

It manages the BB Biotech Investment Trust that has delivered a compound return of 15 per cent annually since its inception 23 years ago. BB Biotech is listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange.

In managing the trust, Major and the Bellevue team have become experts not just in the technology and platforms being developed but also how these companies fit into the wider healthcare market.

Over time they have compiled a comprehensive understanding of how the whole ecosystem works and is interconnected.

The impediment to expanding BB Biotechs scope was its mandate, which meant it could only really invest in a subset of the wider market - biotechnology.

That is why several years ago the team around BB Biotech began to consider setting up an investment vehicle with a broader remit.

Their idea came to fruition with the BB Healthcare Trust, which made its stock market debut in December.

Scope: The BBC Healthcare Trust fund has a cap of 35 companies in which it can invest

While BBH can be more expansive, there is a very rigid internal discipline to stock-picking.

The fund has a cap of 35 companies in which it can invest (it is currently up to 32) and while it takes stakes in specific businesses it does so to garner exposure to investment themes that are rigorously assessed to drive innovation and value.

'There is the confluence of a macro-top down view and then this bottom up stock-picking model,' explains Major.

'We are different from other investment trusts as we are totally unconstrained so can have zero exposure to certain parts of the sector.

'Equally we can have as much exposure we deem as appropriate from a risk point of view to anything we like.'

The BBH team reckons the healthcare industry will continue to grow at a brisk pace, underpinned by demographic factors such as the Wests ageing population and an increase in wealth.

Regime: While BBH can be more expansive, there is a very rigid internal discipline to stock-picking

But as mentioned above, there is now a reluctance from these countries to shell out more for new and expensive treatments.

Against this backdrop, companies have to possess certain attributes to succeed and flourish, says Major.

'They have to improve outcomes, demonstrate value for money and they have to make the system work better,' he explains.

'The problem for a physician is how does he or she allocate medical capital efficiently? Tools to help them do that are a big focus for us.

'We look at areas where we see sustainable long-term growth and we avoid anything where we think the market is implying levels of returns that are unsustainably high.'

Many of BBHs investee companies are in the US, just because it is the global hub for the industry and the capital used to bankroll nascent technologies.

It eschews the big conglomerates such as the aforementioned GSK, AZ and Pfizer because of their growth prospects and lack of focus, concentrating on the innovative, fleeter footed small- and mid-caps.

The one thing the latter grouping doesnt traditionally provide is steady dividend.

BBH aims to correct that by making a payout from the companys net asset value, which on current calculations, should generate a yield of a 3.5 per cent.

It will be a progressive dividend if the trust can emulate the success of the Bellevue-run BB Biotech.

So that marks it out in the sector, as does a mechanism called a redemption option under which BBH can efficiently return capital to investors if they desire it.

There are a number of advantages to operating this system. It means small investors arent at the mercy of the market-makers and their often bafflingly wide spreads.

The redemption option also works well for the big, institutional investors, offering the chance to get into the stock in scale and exit without being murdered.

In other words it promotes liquidity. And while BBH isnt the first to offer this entry and exit, it is a trendsetter in the world of healthcare.

The shares, priced at 100p each when they debuted on December 2, valuing the company at 150million, are now changing hands for 112p.

Major will be hoping BBH can build on that momentum to emulate BB Biotech, its big sister, worth 2.4billion, which is quoted in Switzerland.

There is no doubt in Majors mind that the fundamentals are there to make the trust a winner.

'What I think we have done is constructed something that is best in class in terms of how its run and managed and gives the opportunity to get yield from quality healthcare assets.'
Markets across Europe rose steeply after the first round election in France last night showed centrist Emmanuel Macron in pole position to triumph in the polls.

Macron, won 23.8 per cent of the votes and will face Le Pen next month on 7 May. Le Pen won 21.5 per cent votes in the first round of voting.

Macron wants closer ties with Europe and has pledged to reinforce France's commitment to both the European Union and the euro.

The latest opinion poll, by Opinionway, suggested a second-round victory for Mr Macron by 61 per cent to 39 per cent

The result sent Germany's Dax 3.3 per cent higher, while in Paris the Cac has added 4.1 per cent.

London also made significant gains, with the FTSE 100 adding 2.1 per cent, or 150.1 points at 7,264.6.

The latest opinion poll, by Opinionway, suggested a second-round victory for Mr Macron by 61 per cent to 39 per cent.

Click here to view if you are using a This is Money phone app.
Mr Ethical: Bearded HSBC whistle-blower Nicholas Wilson

Whistleblower Nicholas Wilson, whose 13-year campaign against HSBC resulted in a multi-million-pound compensation payout to thousands of customers in January, is standing in the General Election.

The former solicitor will contest Home Secretary Amber Rudd's seat, Hastings and Rye as an independent candidate.

Any skeletons he needs exorcising?

Says Wilson: 'I got a drink driving conviction in 2001 and had an affair when I was married.'

Par for the course round Westminster way, surely.

Italian businessman and serial supermodel romancer Flavio Briatore yesterday released About Wealth, a book reflecting on his career as well as his frustrations with bureaucracy.

He complains that Italy's tourist industry fails to cater to his mega-rich friends who he says spend '10, 20 or 30 thousand euros a day on a holiday.'

There's speculation the lecherous old goat is preparing a Donald Trump-style bid for political office. Mio dio!

The dull dog New York Times says News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch is on the phone to Donald Trump every week 'encouraging the President when he's low'.

Meanwhile, it claims Murdoch's son James, chairman of Sky, is building a 'survivalist compound' in rural Canada, that has its own water and energy supply.

Does James, 44, know something we don't?

Reporting from the IMF meeting in Washington, BBC economics editor, Kamal Ahmed, says Philip Hammond 'told' him he may drop the Tories' commitment not to raise taxes.

As though they'd shared an intimate chat. In fact, the Chancellor 'told' this to a group of journalists, of which Ahmed was one, gathered around a table in the British Embassy.

Snazzy boulevardier Kamal, 49, likes to make out he's hugger mugger with the big hitters.

Quizzed by a newspaper on his finances, US rap mogul Coolio, 53, reveals he eschews the stock market, preferring investments such as diamonds and gold.

A former drug dealer, he estimates his enterprises net him about 800,000 a year. He once published a cookery book called Cookin' With Coolio. Sample instruction: '2 eggs  beaten like a red-headed step child.'
Family man: M&S boss Steve Rowe, 49, started out at M&S as a Saturday boy

We've dumped the frump!' Steve Rowe declares gleefully. 'But I'll get in trouble for saying that.'

The Marks & Spencer boss is showing me the latest Classics range of fashions, which used to be aimed at older customers.

Rowe is understandably a little wary of what he says  he was in hot water soon after he took the top job for talking about female customers as 'Mrs M&S', which some found patronising.

But he's too brimful of enthusiasm to let that stop him talking. 'I've stopped designing for age. These are clothes anyone would wear, only some have a slightly more relaxed fit.'

He now says there is no such person as Mrs M&S. 'People think our customers are mainly women, and that they are ageing. But 48 per cent are male and more than a fifth are under 25.'

If there is no such thing as an archetypal M&S customer, then Rowe is certainly not a stereotypical FTSE 100 chief executive. Most of them like to lord it in their plush headquarters, a safe distance from the shop floor. That's not Rowe's style.

When the 49-year-old took over a year ago, he declined to move into his predecessor Marc Bolland's grand office in Paddington, and got rid of an express lift to the executive floor.

His Dad Joe was a senior M&S manager and Rowe Jnr has been at Marks for virtually all his career, starting out as a Saturday boy.

He spends a lot of time in his local Bromley store, where I meet him. We perch for a while in the bustling cafe, against a backdrop of mums and babies, hissing coffee machines and clattering crockery to discuss his strategy for the much-loved retailer.

This month he celebrates his first anniversary in the job  one of the toughest on the High Street. Like a string of bosses before him, Bolland, a dapper Dutchman, had failed to stem the relentless decline in women's fashion.

Rowe made his name running the food business, but how does he plan to face the even tougher challenge of getting womenswear back on track?

And wouldn't a female CEO be better placed to know what female customers want?

'I don't think it matters whether the CEO is a man or a woman as long as they do the right things,' he says. 'I have a wife, I have two daughters, and I have plenty of advice from my mother. My mum thinks the ranges have improved. I have feedback from female shareholders as well.'

Holly Willoughby's skirt sells out When Holly Willoughby wore an M&S skirt on ITVs This Morning (pictured right), sales soared. The 36-year-old TV presenter posted a photograph of herself wearing the 45 skirt on her Instagram, which was then liked by more than 22,000 people. On M&Ss website, it sold out in three sizes. The Jacquard Print A-line midi skirt is part of M&Ss Per Una range, which the mother of three wore with a pair of black court shoes and a black top. Midi skirts  which fall just below the knee  have been a key fashion trend over the past couple of years. Per Unas version uses a type of fabric known as jacquard, which creates a textured pattern. Willoughby is a fan of M&S. Earlier this year she wore a striking yellow outfit which also sparked a social media storm.

Jo, his wife, he says, has bought one of the new elegant black crepe jumpsuits with ivory piping. He admits she has given him a hard time over some of the styles, but won't say which ones.

'What I will say is we had gone a bit too fashionable. In summer 2015, I found a pair of gold hot pants in the range. I'm not sure anyone should sell gold hot pants, but certainly M&S shouldn't.'

Traumatised by the hot pants  they were in the Norwich branch  he set about a root-and-branch fashion overhaul.

'Customers said they couldn't find anything, they were not clear what we stood for, our prices were too expensive, our availability was poor and they were not enjoying the shopping experience. Other than that, it was quite good,' he says with a wry smile.

He and Jo Jenkins, one of the most senior female executives in the business, have gone to obsessive lengths to improve the garments on the rails.

Trousers have been tested on more than 180 'fit models'  who try on different styles and sizes to make sure they are as flattering as possible to the nation's posteriors. Countless 'blocks'  the templates for how a garment is cut  have been redone.

'We've gone into forensic detail on the blocks,' says Jenkins, who oversees womenswear, lingerie and beauty products. 'We overhauled and upgraded 60pc of the blocks to make the fit better.'

It's an enormous challenge as M&S caters to the full gamut of British womanhood, from the waifish to the Rubenesque. 'Women are taller, shapes are changing, waist sizes are bigger,' Rowe says.

He's also cut the number of sales each year from nine  meaning there was an almost permanent state of discounting  to just four. 'Our business is now about selling great products at great prices. I don't want to discount all the time because it devalues fashion.

'Customers didn't trust the prices. There is nothing more annoying than buying an item and seeing it reduced a week later.'

He is pulling out of ten countries where M&S owns stores, but will continue to operate in more than 55 through franchises.

Although fashion gets a lot of the attention, 55 per cent of the business is food. The Bromley food hall is lively, with a lady at the front offering tastes of savoury cheese hot cross buns, which are delicious, if unconventional.

Rowe urges me to try culatello ham. 'It is air dried. The mists from the River Po give it the flavour.' All quite exotic for the south London suburbs, but the ham is superb.

It is early days, but Rowe's revamp might be paying off. In the third quarter of last year, M&S had a 3 per cent increase in clothing sales  the first time the figure had gone in the right direction for six years. Even more heartening, full price sales as opposed to discounts were up 13 per cent on the year.

For all the troubles it has gone through, British women want M&S to succeed, hoping this isn't another false dawn.
Misconduct: Grant Thornton has been handed a 3.5m fine

Grant Thornton has been handed a 2.3million fine for misconduct relating to an AIM-listed fire engine firm.

The Financial Reporting Council issued a severe reprimand to the accountancy giant and excluded a retired partner  Robert Napper  from the industry body. The fine would have been 3.5million had the firm not settled early.

It relates to the 2009 and 2010 audit of AssetCo's results, which the FRC said had been treated with a 'significant and widespread lack of professional competence'.

AssetCo used to supply fire engines in London and Lincolnshire but nearly collapse after it revealed its results in those years had included 'significant overstatement of profits and assets'.

It had to be bailed out in 2011, before selling its UK business to focus on the Middle East.

Napper is excluded from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for three years, and was fined 200,000  reduced to 130,000 after a settlement discount.
A Vienna bartender who was fined 55 for letting out a sonorous post-kebab burp next a police officer has won an appeal against the fine.

Nearly a year after a policeman ticketed Edin Mehic for loudly belching next to him, a court has ruled in his favour saying there was 'never proof' that he burped to affront the officer.

The original ticket said Mehic violated 'public decency with a loud belch next to a police officer.'

A court has overruled Austrian police who heard Edin Mehic (pictured) burping near the Praterstern area of the Austrian capital Vienna told him it was a breach of the peace, handing him a 55 fine. But a court ruled in his favour saying there was no proof he did it to affront police

Mehic's belch resonated in Austria long after it was emitted. Groups organized to support him, and a kebab chain paid for both his ticket and an all-expenses trip to Istanbul.

The incident went viral in Austria when Mr Mehic posted a copy of the police report of the incident on his Facebook page.

He stated: 'I know in these times police are very present on the streets to tackle crime but surely tackling a burper is a bit too much.

The incident went viral in Austria when Mr Mehic posted a copy of the police report of the incident on his Facebook page. He stated: 'I know in these times police are very present on the streets to tackle crime but surely tackling a burper is a bit too much.'

'It was a Sunday and I was enjoying a walk in the park, and I suddenly felt hungry. I ordered one the way I like it, spicy with a lot of onion.'

He said he had been shocked when he felt a policeman's arm on his shoulder after the burp and even more surprised when he ended up with the fine.

He added: 'I didn't even know he was there until I felt his arm on my shoulder.

'I guess things can't be as bad in the area as we read in the papers because if they have time to chase up burping, it means there isn't anything more serious to worry about.'

Bizarrely, after heated online debate about the incident, a flash mob was organised to meet up in the area shortly afterwards to drink cola, eat kebabs and then stage a mass burping.

Mr Mehic said he thought had been at least 20 metres away from the police officers when he burped and had no idea that they could have even heard it.

Bizarrely, after heated online debate about the incident, a flash mob organised to meet up on to drink cola, eat kebabs and then stage a mass burping to show solidarity with Mr Mehic (pictured)

In the meantime, the 27-year-old has handed the matter over to his lawyer, Heinz Robathin, who described it as 'all a question of perspective'.

'If my client had done it in the opera or theatre, I could probably understand somebody complaining.

'But not in the Praterstern, where there are drug dealers and other people of a dubious character on a daily basis.

'People burping a hardly rare there. This is such an abuse of police authority that it borders on misconduct.'
A sign hanging up in a body piercing shop that reads 'no Israelis served here' has sparked outrage.

The sign was pictured inside Cold Steel Piercing in Cairns, in far north Queensland.

Several locals attempted to enter the shop when the store owner asked if they were from an Israeli background.

When the customers replied they were Israeli, the store owner - named Mark - then allegedly told the customers they could not be served and pointed to the anti-Semitic sign.

The sign (pictured) allegedly inside Cold Steel Piercing in Cairns reads: 'No Israelis served here'

Owner Mark, who said the sign has now been taken down, claims it was there because of his personal beliefs over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

'It is not because of religion or racism but because of my own beliefs in the ongoing issues in Palestine,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'I did not have it up with the intention to insult and I thought people would understand it was not a racist agenda.'

It comes as Israeli woman Mohr Wenger shared her experience in the store after she was refused service because of her background.

Ms Wenger claims she attempted to get her nose pierced at Cold Steel Piercing but the owner Mark said they were 'not welcome in his shop'.

'At that moment that guy said he can't pierce our nose because he doesn't serve Israelis out of principle. He said he doesn't agree with what our government does and therefore we are not welcomed in his shop,' said Ms Wenger.

Ms Wenger (pictured) claims she was refused service for being of Israeli background

Social media identity and former Israel Defence Force member Avi Yemini also shared the story in a live video on Facebook with his followers - and told viewers the owner justified the sign because he 'does not like what the Israeli government does'.

'Cold Steel Piercing in Cairns have lost their minds. They've been infected with the leftist hate bug,' Mr Yemini said.

'He has chosen to take it out on anyone who has an Israeli background... this is the type of thing the left would jump on if it were anybody else.'

'It is unacceptable to pick a group of people and not welcome them into your shop because you don't agree with their politics, that is a way of silencing people.'

The owner of Cold Steel Piercing (pictured) allegedly refused to serve several Israeli customers

Mr Yemini's video - which attracted more than 8,000 viewers - caused a stir as social media users quickly blasted the shop for the alleged racist sign.

'Principle? You can't discriminate people out of principle. He even pointed out a sign that we missed saying "No Israelis served here". A sign that means "I don't want to listen, I don't care who you are but if you are from Israel go away"'.

Many furious Facebook users took to Cold Steel Piercing's online page to express their disgust and slam the shop for its 'vicious racism'.

'This is a disgusting outrage. Vicious racism. Nazi Germany 1930s. They did exactly the same. It's against the law,' one user wrote.

Another said: 'Would be a great place if it weren't for the anti-Semitic and racist owner who refuses to serve people of a certain nationality... now wonder what legal consequences this store owner would suffer if he refused to serve Muslims or Arabs.'

One user said: 'Take down the sign and educate yourself just a little. This blatant hatred based on ignorance is unacceptable.'

Social media identity and former member of the Israeli Defence Force Avi Yemini (pictured) shared his views on the sign in a Facebook live video

Facebook users took to Cold Steel Piercing's Facebook page to slam the shop for racism

One social media user labelled the sign as 'racist and anti-Semitic' on Facebook

Mr Yemini asked his social media followers to share his video in a bid to spread the word about the owner's alleged racist antics.

'Even if you disagree with Israeli politics you cannot take it out on Australian Israelis or Israeli civilians in general,' he said.

'They haven't done anything to you, if they want to come and spend their money in your shop... you're an idiot, you're a stupid businessman.'

Mr Yemini is a prominent voice on issues relating to self defence, counter-terrorism, being pro-Israel in Australia and the Jewish community in Melbourne.

After serving almost three years in the Gaza Strip the father-of-two returned to Australia to get married and start his own gym which today is known as the largest Krav Maga centre in Australia.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission told Daily Mail Australia: 'I am aghast and distressed at this reported conduct. The diseased clouds of bigotry and Israeli-hatred have clearly darkened the skies of Cairns.

It also sends the wrong message to all potential tourists that there are those in our country who choose the path of exclusion and demonization, instead of extending a hand of friendship and putting out the welcome mat.'

He added: 'Does the owner refuse to serve people from any other nations, or just those from the only Jewish state on earth? We call on the QLD Anti-Discrimination commission to investigate this outrageous episode and to take the necessary steps to ensure this does type of stigmatization does not happen again.'
A California judge has decided that a man suspected of killing seven former classmates at a small Oakland Christian college in 2012 is now mentally competent to stand trial.

Oikos University shooting suspect One Goh's trial had been put on hold in 2015 after a judge determined Goh had a mental illness that prevented him from rationally assisting his attorneys with his defense.

But on Friday, a prosecutor working on Goh's case reveled the new ruling, which means that the case can now go forward, East Bay Times reports.

A California judge has deemed alleged shooter One Goh mentally competent to stand trial for the April 2012 shooting spree at Oikos University, which left seven dead and three wounded

The 48-year-old Korean national is now expected to appear in court on Wednesday and enter a plea.

Goh is charged with seven counts of murder, three counts of premeditated attempted murder and other enhancements for committing a murder during a kidnapping and committing multiple murders at once, stemming from the shooting that took place on the vocational school's campus on April 2, 2012.

That day, police say Goh had gone to the campus, looking for a female administrator and demanding a refund for his $6,000 tuition fees, after dropping out of the program the previous fall.

When told the administrator was not on campus, Goh allegedly opened fire, shooting the reception and nine students.

Seven people were killed, three were wounded.

The bodies of Goh's alleged victims seen pictured on the day of the shooting on April 2, 2012

Goh, pictured in 2012, plead not guilty in Oakland's Alameda County Superior courtroom

Court proceedings against Goh were halted several times over the intervening years, due to concerns about his mental competency, reports SF Gate.

In October 2012, his lawyers questioned his mental competency to stand trial. Then in January 2013, based on psychiatrist's reports, a judge ruled him incompetent and had him sent to Napa State Hospital. In July 2015, the hospital's forensic psychologist determined he was competent to stand trial.

Five months later, in December 2015, at the end of a competency hearing, a judge ruled that Goh was still mentally unfit to stand trial and placed him into a conservatorship and would receive an annual review that assessed the status of his mental health.

Goh confessed to the killings and said that he wanted to die for his actions. He has also said that he doesn't believe himself to be mentally ill.

Shooting victims (left to right): Sonam Chodon, Lydia Sim, 21, and Grace Eunhae Kim, 23

Shooting victims (left to right): Tshering Rinzing Bhutia, Doris Chibuko and Judith Seymour

However, Goh has also said that he wants to plead not guilty to the charges, laying the blame for the deaths and wounded at the hands of Oikos University's staff and administration.

Shooting victim Kathleen Ping, 24, pictured with her then four-year-old son Kayzzer

He is said to believe that the school's staff bugged his home, tracked his car and isolated him from his classmates.

Goh is eligible for the death penalty, but the Alameda County District Attorneys Office has not yet stated whether they intend to seek it in his trial.

When reached by phone, the husband of one of the victims of Oikos shooting, Doris Chibuko, expressed relief that the case could now go forward.

We just need to put this behind us so we all can move on with our lives, Efanye Chibuko told East Bay Times.
'Feud' finished out its nine-episode run on Sunday night by giving its two leading ladies the one thing both seemed to want so badly but were so afraid to admit - a friendship.

It came towards the end of the finale when a cancer-stricken Crawford (played by Jessica Lange) awoke to hear the voices of her recently departed Hollywood cohorts Hedda Hopper (played by Judy Davis) and Jack Warner (played by Stanley Tucci) as the two exchanged stories over drinks.

Crawford approached the two in her nightgown but then, in an instant, was transformed to her younger days, taking a seat at the table in a stunning red dress while showing off her old brunette bouffant.

And then, after some laughs and a little singing among the three, they were joined by Davis (played by Susan Sarandon).

'Feud' finished out its nine-episode run on Sunday night by giving its two leading ladies the one thing both seemed to want so badly but were so afraid to admit - a friendship

In one of the series last scenes, an emotional Joan Crawford and Bette Davis apologize for past wrongs they committed against one another

The scene grew dark and quickly changed, showing that all along it was just Crawford sitting alone in her living room in her nightgown

Davis' entrance was quickly followed by Warner and Hopper's exit, leaving the 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?' costars alone at the table while they went to make drinks.

It was revealed earlier in the episode that Davis had tried to reach out to Crawford after learning she had cancer, going so far as to ring her one day, but did not have the guts to speak when her old costar picked up the phone.

Crawford meanwhile was living along and had given up chemotherapy after adopting the practices of Christian Science.

'Nice apartment. You get out much?' Davis asked Crawford in what appeared to be an attempt to mock the fact that the star had become a recluse in her final months.

'Theater? Guggenheim?'

A dejected Joan kept a smile on her face but looked heartbroken as she stared at the table and said: 'No, not so much.'

Davis then burst into maniacal laughter before telling Crawford: 'Neither do I.'

Then, as she stubbed out yet another cigarette, Davis went on to say: 'You know what I love the most in the world? "The Young and the Restless."'

In the final scene of the episode, Davis' reason for her 'wish' was revealed as the action switched back to the first day on the set of 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?'

Davis never gathered the nerve to contact Crawford before her death after learning she had terminal cancer

It was shocking to hear the two-time Oscar winner admitting to her affection for a soap opera, but Crawford seemed to agree.

'Yes, that beautiful sea captain, what is his name....,' responded Crawford.

'Lucas Prentiss,' Davis quickly replied, clearly still eager to be the smartest girl in the classroom.

Prentiss, played by Tom Ligon, was not introduced on the show however until late 1977, after Crawford passed away.

After some laughter, a reflective Crawford looked Davis in the eyes and said: 'Why am I so happy to see you?'

Davis, appearing to get a bit choked up, told Crawford: 'Nostalgia.'

She then announced that the two would play a card game called 'Regrets.'

Crawford audibly began to sigh and looked defeated, but Davis cut her off at the pass, explaining: 'If you draw a pip card you say sorry for something that you feel you did.'

She went on to say: 'If you draw a face card, you say something that you wish you had done.'

Crawford was still not convinced and said it did not sound 'like a very fun game,' to which Davis informed her: 'It's the only game I know.'

No regrets: Bette and Joan playing a card game called 'Regrets'; if you draw a face card you say something that you wish you had done

Actress Bette Davis attends the First Annual American Film Institute Opening Night After Party in 1987 (left), while right Joan Crawford in The Virginian, 1970

Dreamboat: The two women agreed on their love for the character of Lucas Prentiss on 'Young and the Restless (Tom Ligon as Lucas Prentiss and Victoria Mallory as Leslie Brooks in January 1978 above)

After drawing a pip card to start things off, Crawford looked at Davis and said as both their eyes welled up with tears: 'I'm sorry I wasn't more generous with you.'

Davis drew a face card when she was up, and started by saying: 'I wish...'

The actress then paused for a few seconds before making eye contact with Crawford and finishing her thought.

'I wish I'd been a friend to you.'

Crawford, overcome with emotion, giggled and teared up as she said to Davis: 'Well it's not too late is it?'

She then announced that the moment called for a champagne toast, depute the fact that she had not had any alcohol for months, but while she went about grabbing glasses and calling Mamacita (played by Jackie Hoffman), Davis grew silent.

And when Mamacita did finally arrive, the scene grew dark and quickly changed, showing that all along it was just Crawford sitting alone in her living room in her nightgown.

Crawford stopped going to chemotherapy and following the principles of Christian Science a few months before her death

It was revealed earlier in the episode that Davis had tried to reach out to Crawford after learning she had cancer, going so far as to ring her one day, but did not have the guts to speak when her old costar picked up the phone

In the final scene of the episode, Davis' reason for her 'wish' was revealed as the action switched back to the first day on the set of 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?'

The two costars laughed in their chairs before the first read through and as they walked to their dressing rooms to prepare, Crawford looked over at Davis and earnestly said: 'Bette, here's what I really hope from this picture when all is said and done.'

Crawford then gathers herself for a second before stating: 'I hope I've made a new friend.'

Not one to mince words, Davis simply replied: 'Me too.'

And on Sunday night, that friendship finally came to be for a brief moment.
Former President Barack Obama headed back to his hometown of Chicago on Sunday to meet at-risk men and boys - 24 hours before his first official public appearance since he left the White House.

The former president spent time at a roundtable with youth from the organization Chicago Create Real Economic Destiny in the impoverished South Side of Chicago where Obama started as a community organizer at age 25.

The CRED program provides job skills and employment opportunities for at-risk young adults.

Spokesman Kevin Lewis says Obama listened to the young men's stories and shared some of the challenges that he faced growing up.

Obama 'was optimistic about their potential to positively contribute to their communities and support their families because of the services provided in the program,' Lewis said.

Former President Barack Obama met Sunday (seen above in the center) with at-risk young men and boys in his hometown of Chicago before his first major post-presidency speech

The program was founded by Obama's education secretary, Arne Duncan, who also attended the meeting.

'The president and Mrs. Obama look forward to working with similar organizations through the Obama Foundation and the My Brother's Keeper initiative that are already committed to bringing much needed expansion of opportunities in Chicago neighborhoods,' Lewis said.

Obama will speak Monday to young community leaders and organizers at the University of Chicago, where his presidential library is planned.

Obama's first public engagement comes as President Donald Trump nears his 100-day mark in office.

The former president spent time at a roundtable with youth from the organization Chicago Create Real Economic Destiny located in the Roseland/Pullman neighborhood in South Side Chicago where Obama started as a community organizer at age 25

Obama returns to public life after spending time outside of the country while on vacation. He is seen above during a trip to Richard Branson's Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands in February

The Democrat has been mostly quiet since leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on the heels of President Donald Trump's shock win over his preferred replacement, Hillary Clinton.

He has spent much of the three months on vacation.

The 55-year-old ex-president has only just returned from French Polynesia, where he was reportedly working on his memoir.

The Obamas technically live in Washington, D.C. still, having decided to remain in the capital city until their younger daughter finishes high school.

They are expected to return to Chicago after that.

Obama's library is being built on Chicago's South Side and is scheduled to open in 2020.

The 55-year-old ex-president has only just returned from French Polynesia, where he was reportedly working on his memoir. Obama is seen above taking a photograph of his wife, Michelle, on board a yacht off the island of Moorea

Since he exited office, Obama has weighed in from time-to-time on subjects like healthcare in statements sent out by his office.

Earlier this week, he called a leading French presidential candidate who's considered a moderate.

His office has said the phone call to Emmanuel Macron - competing against a right-wing candidate, Marine Le Pen, in the mold of Trump - should not be considered an endorsement.

But Obama did wish Macron good luck in the weekend election that's likely to result in a May 7 run-off between the top two contenders.

Aside from those actions and a handful of tweets,

Obama has stayed out of the way as Trump set fire to his signature achievements.

His last tweet was nearly a month ago, on March 23, and it was to share condolences to the people of London after the city's terror attack.

Obama has done no television interviews, and Monday will be his first time delivering remarks since a goodbye to his staff on the afternoon of January 20.
A Melbourne family have been spooked after a sinister ghost-like face was captured peeking into a window in the background of a family photo.

The picture was taken by 18-year-old Dayna Lynch just days after the family said goodbye to a late grandmother.

Ms Lynch claims she was snapping the impromptu shot of her father and former stepmother with her iPhone when she noticed an eerie face appear floating in the window behind them.

The eerie photo (above) was snapped during an evening at home in Frankston, Melbourne

Her stepmother - who is no longer with Ms Lynch's father - had just returned from her grandmother's funeral in Turkey, and said the ghostly apparition bears a striking similarity to her departed grandmother she calls 'Nene'.

She claims the phantom face looks exactly like her grandmother did when she was younger.

The photo was taken in the family's Frankston home and Ms Lynch says the ghoulish face frightened everyone in the room.

'She and her grandmother were incredibly close and that she could feel her presence the entire day. She knew that her grandmother was watching over her,' Ms Lynch told Daily Mail Australia.

'Besides myself, no one believed in ghosts. And that night it was fair to say that everyone believed in the paranormal after the incident. No one could sleep properly.

The flash went off and this eerie face appeared behind it. Upon inspection I realised that someone was floating sideways behind the door. It is not a reflection,' she said.

Upon closer inspection Ms Lynch noticed a ghostly face appear in the window behind (pictured)

The 18-year-old (pictured) says her family has experienced countless paranormal experiences over the years

'We tried to take another one but got absolutely nothing. It was a one-off.'

Ms Lynch also said her family has noticed many paranormal occurrences over the years, including unexplained knocks on doors and windows, lights flickering and hair pulling.

In a bid to prove the paranormal snap to skeptics, Ms Lynch ran the photo through photo enhancing software however came to no logical explanation for the ghostly appearance.
A teenage girl is fighting for her life after her boyfriend allegedly beat her in the front yard of a home.

Emergency services were called to an address in Diamond Street in Riverview, Queensland, on 3.15pm on Sunday.

Police will allege that an argument between the girl and her 18-year-old partner became physical, and she was hit multiple times before she fell.

A teenage girl is fighting for her life after her boyfriend allegedly beat her in a front yard

She was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition.

Paramedics said she appeared to have sustained head injuries, the Brisbane Times reports.

The 18-year-old man, of Riverview, was subsequently charged with grievous bodily harm.

He is scheduled to appear in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday to face that charge and an unrelated charge of contravention of a domestic violence order.

The investigation is ongoing.

Emergency services were called to a yard in Diamond Street in Riverview (above, file photo)

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444 or use the online form.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
After a jam-packed weekend, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has jetted out of Australia to complete the final leg of his Asia-Pacific tour.

Mr Pence, wife Karen and daughters Charlotte and Audrey boarded Air Force Two on Monday morning, and will go to Hawaii to meet with U.S. troops.

While his trip Down Under was to reaffirm the alliance between Australia and the U.S., the Vice President also found time to meet with our native wildlife and enjoy a cruise tour of Sydney Harbour.

US Vice President Mike Pence, wife Karen (top left) and daughters Charlotte (left) and Audrey (right) departed Sydney on Monday morning

After touching down on Friday night, Mr Pence was taken to the Intercontinental Hotel in Macquarie Street.

He spent Saturday in meetings with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull before the pair addressed the media on the lawn of Kirribilli House.

The Vice President then sat down to lunch with senior Government ministers and business leaders, including Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, at Admirality House - the residence of Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

To finish off his day, Mr Pence then met with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and business leaders in the city.

The family arrived in Sydney on Friday night, and were escorted via motorcade to the Intercontinental Hotel in Macquarie Street

With most of the hard work out of the way, the Pence family were able to enjoy some quality time together on Sunday as they took a tour of Sydney.

The family of four were pictured visiting Taronga Zoo, where the Vice President met some of Australia's native wildlife.

Pictures from the day showed Mr Pence's wife, Karen, looking more interested in the visit and Mr Pence's awkward encounter with a kangaroo named Penny was well-documented.

Following the Pence family's trip to the zoo, they were treated to a cruise around Sydney Harbour with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

On Sunday, Mr Pence and his family enjoyed a sightseeing tour of Sydney, which involved a visit to Taronga Zoo where the Vice President had an uncomfortable encounter with a kangaroo named Penny

Mr Pence will stop over in Hawaii on his way back to the United States to meet with US troops

He then met with NSW Governor, General David Hurley at Government House, before being escorted around Sydney Opera House on a private tour.

During his tour of the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Pence also visited South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Mr Pence's visit confirmed the commitment of the United States to the region.

'It is very noteworthy that this is a very early visit, I believe the earliest visit by a Vice President to Australia, in the new administration,' he told the ABC's 7.30 program.

'Many people - including wise people in the media - were skeptical of the Trump administration's commitment to the region, and as you can see the commitment is very real.'
The father of the Tennessee teenager who was found by police six weeks after allegedly being kidnapped by her teacher said that her experiences might have changed her.

Elizabeth Thomas, 15, is said to have been kidnapped by her high-school teacher Tad Cummins, 50, on March 13.

Her father, Anthony Thomas, told ABC News that he wants his daughter to be the same as before she disappeared, but understands that after these traumatic experiences it might not be possible.

Arrested: Ted Cummins (left) was arrested Thursday for allegedly kidnapping Elizabeth Thomas (right) in March. The pair had fled from Tennessee across the country, ending up in rural California

Her father, Anthony Thomas (bottom left) told ABC News that her experiences might have changed her

When Elizabeth was found she was described by authorities as 'healthy and unharmed'. However, authorities noted that their main concern is the state of her emotional and mental well-being.

Even physically, her father said that she's changed, telling ABC that she has lost weight.

She was found with her former teacher at a remote cabin in northern California near the Oregon border on Thursday, and he was arrested.

Jason Whatley, who is representing the Thomas family (pictured), said that she is in 'a safe location with family and friends where she is comfortable and resting'

Cummins and Thomas were found in a cabin near Cecilville, California. They stayed there for just one night before police, acting on a tip-off from the site's caretaker, arrested Cummins

Cummins surrendered to police without incident and faces charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor, as well as a federal charge of transportation of a minor across state lines with the intent of criminal sexual intercourse.

The last charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Elizabeth returned to her home and family in Tennessee on Friday and one of the first things she asked for was to see her father.

Mr Thomas recounted his daughter's once take-charge personality, saying: 'She used to really believe in herself, she had this confidence, she was always a leader, she was very outspoken'

'It was really great to have her tell her she loved me,' he told ABC.

Jason Whatley, who is representing the Thomas family, said that she is in 'a safe location with family and friends where she is comfortable and resting'.

Elizabeth Thomas reportedly told authorities that she was afraid that her father would be mad at her.

'I think Tad had told her too, "There's no way you can go home because your dad is just going to be mad at you,"' Mr Thomas said.

Her father also believes that Cummins was fully aware of the extent of the search for he and Elizabeth, but does not think that his daughter knew the effort that was being put in to find them.

Elizabeth Thomas reportedly told authorities that she was afraid that her father would be mad at her. She was pictured in Oklahoma with Cummins just two days after her disapperance

Thomas and Cummins were seen on the run in Oklahoma just two days after her disappearance. Her father believes that Cummins was fully aware of the extent of the search for he and Elizabeth, but does not think that his daughter knew the effort that was being put in to find them

He told ABC that the family are keeping things positive in their interactions with her, and that they do not ask her about things that happened along the way at this stage.

'I go in there and tell her how much I missed her, how much I love her and how much her dog missed her,' Mr Thomas said.

He also recounted his daughter's once take-charge personality, saying: 'She used to really believe in herself, she had this confidence, she was always a leader, she was very outspoken'.

A map shows where Cummins took Thomas while they were on the run. Thomas's father told ABC News that she was afraid her father would be mad at her if she came home

However, he said that now she really needs a lot of help.

Mr Thomas told ABC that when she returned home, the first material things she asked for were a shower and a razor.

He also said that she has very few clothes in her possession right now, as all of the clothes she had with her were taken when she returned home, and many of her clothes were taken previously to help with the investigation.

Reflecting on the difficulty of parenting a teenager, he said: 'At the end of the day when they're gone, you find out you can't live without them'.

Cummins is expected to make his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento on Monday at 2pm.
A colonel who commanded UK forces in Iraq will give evidence to a tribunal involving a law firm accused of hounding British troops.

James Coote will speak on behalf of soldiers at Leigh Days seven-week disciplinary hearing starting today.

The law firm, which has secured millions of pounds in compensation for Iraqi clients, has spent 3.9million preparing to defend itself against a string of misconduct charges.

Colonel James Coote, who commanded UK forces in Iraq, will give evidence to a tribunal involving law firm Leigh Day, which is accused of hounding British troops

The firms boss, Martyn Day, along with lawyers Sapna Malik and Anna Crowther, face being struck off if found guilty.

Colonel Coote of the Princess of Waless Royal Regiment will describe how soldiers had their lives ruined by baseless allegations of torture, mutilation and murder in 2004.

Leigh Day is accused of paying an Iraqi agent at least 75,000 to bring in business  a practice that is banned.

The referral fees were approved by the boss of the firm, Martyn Day and his colleague Sapna Malik, according to evidence obtained by the solicitors watchdog and handed to the tribunal.

The firms boss, Martyn Day, along with lawyers Sapna Malik and Anna Crowther, face being struck off if found guilty. Leigh Day faces 19 charges, which will be discussed during a seven-week disciplinary hearing

The payments make up just a few of the 19 charges brought against the firm.

The lawyers are also accused of deliberately hiding the fact they had breached the code of conduct by paying the agent and of failing to report serious misconduct.

The allegations also referred to a key document Leigh Day shredded that could have stopped the Al-Sweady inquiry into accusations against troops - and saved taxpayers the 31million.

Leigh Day had failed to declare a list that showed detainees they were representing were insurgents and not villagers.

The inquiry found the most serious claims against UK soldiers were wholly without foundation.

The allegations against Leigh Day came after a year-long investigation into their alleged dodgy practices.

A Leigh Day spokesman said: We contest all the allegations made against us and will be defending ourselves vigorously at the tribunal hearing.
After his narrower-than-expected victory in the Unite leadership contest, Red Len McCluskey, in true Socialist tradition, celebrated with 51-a-bottle champagne.

McCluskey was spotted drinking in the Boot & Flogger pub by London Bridge, best known for customers drinking bubbly from tankards.

With McCluskey was Seumas Milne, who is Comrade Corbyns sinister right-hand man and communications chief, who dreamed up a short-lived plan for this election to dub the Tories the real extremists (the plan was dropped because it would inevitably have drawn attention to Corbyns extremist crony chums).

McCluskey was spotted drinking in the Boot & Flogger pub by London Bridge

But the victory of McCluskey will bring little cheer to the rest of us.

Unite, with 1.3 million members, has amassed an astonishing 36 million strike fund. The money means the union can pay striking workers a minimum 35 a day, with an ability to double that rate.

Incredibly, only 12 per cent of Unite members bothered to vote in the leadership ballot, calling into question their general secretarys legitimacy.

But that wont stop him trying to engineer a series of damaging stoppages if the Tories win the General Election. After strikes by rail unions, commuters on Southern Railway already know only too well what that feels like.

On the campaign trail yesterday, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron  backing Simon Hughes as the partys candidate in Bermondsey and Old Southwark  said: You will never meet anybody more loved within the community he served than Simon Hughes. So why did he lose the constituency last time to Labour by more than 4,000 votes on a 14 per cent swing?

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said the party's candidate in Bermondsey and Old Southwark was loved in the community. So why did they lose the constituency last time?

In a car crash interview on Radio 4s PM programme, the Labour MP Dawn Butler said: This election is Theresa May trying to rig democracy. This is the same Dawn Butler who was one of the MPs who voted for the general election!

Weirdest tweet of the week: Liz McInnes, the Labour MP for Heywood & Middleton, majority 5,299, wrote on the day the election was called: Theresa May, the unelected Prime Minister, has just ruined the day of my poor mums funeral. She was poor working class so not important. McInnes was one of the 13 MPs who voted against the June 8 election.

What next for Ukip MP Douglas Carswell who is standing down in Clacton? Ill be working on my vegetable patch, he said. It will be nice to go out and about without those two letters after my name.

In a rare interview, Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, told Prospect magazine: Complete freedom of movement and uncontrolled migration into Europe is catastrophic. Obviously one recognises the benefits of some migration, but when you get 1.3 million people coming into Europe  that was the figure in 2015  the total net migration into the UK was 270,000. The total entry, counting EU and outside the EU, was around 600,000. These are massive numbers.

Its one of the reasons why so many of us voted to Leave.

Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, said: Complete freedom of movement and uncontrolled migration into Europe is catastrophic'

After Comrade Corbyn pledged that a Labour Government will introduce four new UK Bank Holidays, one Labour MP said to me wearily: Will they celebrate the birthdays of Marx, Lenin, Engels and Trotsky?

Has Prezza Jr a chance in Hull?

Is another Prescott on his way into Westminster?

David, whose father John was Deputy PM under Tony Blair, is in the running for the vacant seat in Hull West, caused by the resignation of Alan Johnson, the former Home Secretary. Prescott senior was MP for the next-door Hull constituency. Prescott junior was brought in to Comrade Corbyns office to try to improve his performance.

If hes judged on the success of his work with Corbyn, hes got no chance of being selected.
The mother of accused South Carolina serial killer Todd Kohlhepp was found dead in her home Sunday.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said that 70-year-old Regina Ann Tague's body was discovered by her husband.

Her son Todd Kohlhepp, 45, is charged with four notorious slayings at a motorcycle store in 2003 and three more recent killings.

The real-estate agent was arrested in November after a woman was found chained in a storage bin on his property.

Regina Ann Tague was found dead in her home at the age of 70 by her husband

Tague said in a CBS television interview in November that her son was misunderstood and not a monster.

Todd Kohlhepp (pictured) is suspected of murdering seven people

She told WSOC-TV: 'I am so sorry. If I had thought for two seconds early on that he had done it, I would have called the sheriff.'

The coroner said law enforcement officials investigated Tague's death and found no indication of foul play. He expected to release the cause of death on Monday.

In February, an indictment was handed down in the case of Todd Kohlhepp, who confessed to murdering seven people, kidnapping a 30-year-old woman and raping her.

He could face life in prison according to Greenville Online.

Police rescued 30-year-old Kala Brown from Kohlhepp's property, two months after she went missing.

Brown told police that she came out to the property two months prior with her boyfriend, 32-year-old Charlie David Carver, for a cleaning job.

Kohlhepp shot Carver dead and then chained her up in the storage container where he continued to rape her on a near daily basis.

Cops then discovered the body of Brown's boyfriend, 32-year-old Charles Carver, buried in a shallow grave nearby.

Brown (left), 30, was found chained up in a metal container on Kohlhepp's property after going missing in August. Charlie Carver (right), 32, her boyfriend was found buried on the property

Kohlhepp led investigators to the bodies of Meagan and Johnny Joe Coxie, a married couple

Just two days after he was detained, Kohlhepp led investigators to the remains of 25-year-old Megan McCraw-Coxie and her 29-year-old husband Johnny Coxie.

He allegedly shot Coxie, and then kept his wife against her will for a week, before killing her on Christmas Day, 2015.

Kohlhepp also faces four additional murder charges for the killings of Brian Lucas, Scott Ponder, Beverly Guy and Chris Sherbert at a motorcycle shop. He has confessed to these 2003 killings.
HELENA  Montana lawmakers were a vote away Monday from sending the governor a bill that creates licenses, fees and regulations for medical marijuana distributors.

The bill endorsed by the Montana House attempts to regulate the medical marijuana industry after voters last November approved lifting restrictions that severely limited distribution of the drug.

The bill must pass a final House vote. The Senate previously approved it.

The measure requires state officials to track marijuana in the state from seed to sale, to protect against the drug being sold on the black market. It also requires nurseries and distributors to be licensed, for the marijuana to be tested and for registered users to have photo identification cards.

One opponent, Republican Rep. Derek Skees of Kalispell, pointed out that marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Until that changes, any state-level regulation would still put Montanans who sell or use the drug at risk, he said.

"Can the feds not come in tomorrow and go after these distributors if they decide so?" Seeks said.

Republican Rep. Jeff Essmann of Billings says the measure is important to avoid having an unregulated industry such as the one that led to widespread abuses in 2010 and federal raids of dispensaries across the state the following year.

"We cannot afford to go back to the wild, wild West of 2010," Essmann said.

Essmann sponsored a bill in 2011 that severely restricted medical marijuana. Among other provisions, it prohibited medical marijuana distributors from making a profit and limited them to providing the drug to three patients.

That bill became law and was put on hold for five years while a court battle played out. Last year, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the three-patient distributor limit was constitutional, effectively shutting down dispensaries across the state.

Voters in November approved an initiative that rolled back many of the restrictions in the 2011 law. The bill being considered now would set rules for that initiative, instead of letting the state Department of Public Health and Human Services do it.
Scott Baio, Erin Moran's 'Happy Days' co-star, penned a Facebook tribute to his recently deceased television love interest.

He wrote on Sunday afternoon: 'May people remember Erin for her contagious smile, warm heart, and animal loving soul.

'I always hoped she could find peace in her life. God has you now, Erin.'

The eulogy came after the news that Moran, who shot to fame playing teenager Joanie Cunningham, died at the age of 56 in Indiana on Saturday, likely of complications from stage four cancer.

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Scott Baio, pictured at left with Donald Trump and at right on 'Happy Days' with Erin Moran, wrote in a tribute to his deceased former co-star: 'May people remember Erin for her contagious smile, warm heart, and animal loving soul. I always hoped she could find peace in her life. God has you now, Erin'

Scott Baio, pictured at the Republican National Convention in July 2016, wrote a tribute to his former 'Happy Days' co-star on Sunday

Happy Days actress Erin Moran spent her final days reportedly broke and homeless. She was found dead at the age of 56 in Indiana on Saturday afternoon

Baio's tribute comes following eulogies from other co-stars including Henry Winkler and Ron Howard

Her fellow co-stars including Henry Winkler and Ron Howard were quick to pay tribute to the actress who spent her final years in an apparent downward spiral after it was reported she had squandered away her money and was without a permanent place to live.

Actor Winkler even tried to help Moran nab her a spot on his show Arrested Development as it emerged she had been bouncing around motels after a drunken brawl with her mother-in-law in 2012.

Winkler, who played Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli in the show, tweeted just moments after the death was announced: 'OH Erin, now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth, Rest In It serenely now, too soon.'

Howard, who played Richie Cunningham, tweeted a tribute to his on-screen little sister, saying: 'Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I'll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.'

Child actor advocate Paul Petersen commented on the heartbreaking loss and said on Sunday that his team did its best with the actress but she 'ran from the help.'

Her troubles were not ignored by her fellow childhood actors, as advocate Petersen said 'Erin had friends and she knew it' and they 'were actively reaching out to Erin in the last week of her life.'

Moran was remembered by former co-stars and on social media for the feisty and youthful character that she played in Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi. She is pictured at right with Baio

Moran's costar Henry Winkler (right) heard about her troubles and tried to get her on his show Arrested Development. Happy Days was one of the most popular sitcoms of its time and started in 1974 and ran for almost a decade

Winkler led the tribute to his former Happy Days co-star Erin Moran and said she would 'finally have the peace [she] wanted so badly'

Howard also tweeted a tribute to his on-screen little sister, saying: 'Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I'll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens'

Moran spent her final days reportedly broke and homeless after she was kicked out of her mother-in-law's trailer park house in a drunken brawl.

Authorities found Morans body in Indiana following a call about an unresponsive female about 4pm Saturday.

A source told DailyMail.com Moran, who lived in a trailer park in New Salisbury, Indiana, died of a suspected heroin overdose.

A Burbank, California native, Moran began acting in TV and movies before she was 10 years old. She was just 14 when she signed on to play Joanie, the feisty little sister of Ron Howard's character Richie Cunningham, on Happy Days.

She became a household name as a result of her performance on the show, which started in 1974 and ran for almost a decade.

She continued the role in 1982 in the short-lived spinoff Joanie Loves Chachi, alongside Scott Baio, until it was canceled the following year.

Moran was just 14 when she signed on to play Joanie, the feisty little sister of Richie Cunningham on the popular sitcom

Moran continued her sitcom role in 1982 in the short-lived spinoff Joanie Loves Chachi, alongside Scott Baio, until its cancellation the following year

Moran is pictured bottom left with the rest of the Happy Days cast. She shot to fame in that role throughout the 70s and 80s before her career essentially stalled

More of her former co-stars commented after hearing about her tragic death. Anson Williams, who played Warren 'Potsie' Weber on the show told ABC 7: 'Erin was a person who made everyone around her feel better. She truly cared about others first, a true angel. I will miss her so much... she is in God's hands'.

Don Most, who starred alongside Moran as Ralph Malph on the hit sitcom, said: 'She was a wonderful, sweet, caring, talented young woman... A very painful loss.'

After Joanie Loves Chachi, Moran's career essentially stalled, with the exception of several television guest spots, and an appearance in the 2007 independent comedy feature Not Another B Movie.

Moran and her husband were understood to be living off a dwindling sum of money which was the result of a payout springing from a lawsuit filed by several Happy Days cast members in April 2011.

The actress and three of her Happy Days co-stars, Don Most, Anson Williams and Marion Ross, plus the estate of Tom Bosley, who died in 2010, filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS, which owns the show.

The suit claimed cast members had not been paid for merchandising revenues owed under their contracts.
A 32-year-old man was taken into police custody after a newborn baby boy died in hospital, having earlier been found critically injured at home.

The man reportedly sobbed as he was taken into custody, before he was later released without charge.

He had been arrested after police and paramedics were called to a home in New South Wales on Monday morning.

They responded to the home in Henwood Avenue, Kooringal, near Wagga Wagga, at about 5am to reports of an infant in distress.

A man was arrested after a baby boy died in hospital after being found injured at a home in Henwood Avenue (pictured) in Kooringal

The boy was taken to Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

It's understood the infant sustained head injuries, according to the Daily Advertiser.

Simone Gowland said she and her daughters had been woken by hysterical crying and saw a man 'screaming and sobbing uncontrollably'.

'He just kept saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she told the Advertiser.

'He didn't put up any fight  he just sobbed as police loaded him into the wagon.

'Even as they drove off, he just kept screaming 'I'm so, so sorry.'

The two-month-old was taken to Wagga Wagga Hospital (pictured), but died a short time later

A crime scene was established in Henwood Avenue and the man, who has not been named, was arrested at the scene but later released without charge.

Strike Force Banco has been established to investigate the death.

Superintendent commander Bob Noble said officers have yet to determine if the death was accidental or foul play. He declined to confirm the relationship of the man to the baby boy.

'There are circumstances of suspicion but we will keep an open mind and enquiries will continue,' he said.

The child's mother is also assisting investigators.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
The Lockerbie bombers widow has sparked outrage after claiming that the world will say sorry to my husband and my family as she launches a legal bid to clear his name.

Relatives of the family of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi also want former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to be quizzed in court over Libyans release  and he has said he is happy to help.

Megrahis widow Aisha said: I wish to pursue this appeal in my husbands name to have his conviction overturned, to clear his name and to clear the name of my family.

The world will say sorry to my husband and my family one day.

Megrahis widow Aisha said her family is owed an apology over her husband's conviction

Megrahi was found guilty in 2001 of planting the bomb which destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over the Dumfries-shire town of Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people

He was found guilty in 2001 of planting the bomb which destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over the Dumfries-shire town of Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people.

He wanted to appeal against the sentence and his 27-year jail term but abandoned the move after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in 2008.

Megrahi was allowed to leave Greenock Prison, Renfrewshire, and return to Tripoli in 2009 on compassionate grounds, leading to a major global backlash. He died in 2012.

The grounds for a new appeal will formally be handed to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) by the Megrahi familys lawyer, Aamer Anwar, this week.

Megrahi was allowed to leave Greenock Prison, Renfrewshire, and return to Tripoli in 2009 on compassionate grounds, leading to a major global backlash

An SCCRC decision to refer the case to the Appeal Court would prove a major humiliation for prosecutors and the Scottish Government.

Last night, American Susan Cohen, 79, who lost her daughter Theodora, 20, in the tragedy, said: The world owes an apology to the families of the victims for allowing airline security to be so lax and in some cases for failing to voice their outrage over the atrocity.

The bombing destroyed my life and took away the only person I was prepared to die for.

The people who insist on Megrahis innocence are using alternative facts, theyre conspiracy theorists.

In terms of the appeal, a lot of the people involved are dead and probably by the time this is concluded some of the victims relatives will also be dead.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Douglas Ross said: We must not forget that Megrahi was found guilty of this atrocity.

While an appeal must be given due process, to suggest that the world owes him and his family an apology will be galling for many of the friends and relatives of those who lost their lives in the Lockerbie disaster.

The bomber's family want former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to be quizzed in court over Libyans release  and he has said he is happy to help

Megrahis widow Aisha, 55, and son Ali agreed the terms of the appeal at a meeting in Zurich, Switzerland. They met Mr Anwar and Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the atrocity.

The SCCRC has already ruled that the Libyans conviction was potentially a miscarriage of justice.

Relatives of victims, led by Dr Swire, tried to have the conviction overturned posthumously but the SCCRC ruled it could re-examine only if asked by the family. That barrier has now been overcome.

Ali Megrahi, 22, said: I still feel bad that my father was innocent and locked up in prison for so many years.

I lost my father and although nobody can bring him back, I still want justice for him.

Im sure that, with the new appeal, my fathers name will be cleared from all allegations.

The Lockerbie affair hit my family very, very hard and were looking forward to the day that Scottish justice prevails and that we can live in peace again.

The SCCRC has the power to refer the case to the Appeal Court if it feels there are grounds. The process is likely to take months.

Mr Anwar said: A reversal of the verdict would mean that the governments of the United States and the UK would be accused of having lived a monumental lie for over a quarter of a century and having imprisoned a man they knew to be innocent for the worst mass murder on British soil.

According to Megrahis deathbed memoirs, published in 2012, Mr MacAskill indirectly urged him to ditch an appeal in return for his freedom  dismissed by the SNP at the time as hearsay.

Mr MacAskill, Justice Secretary between 2007 and 2014 under Alex Salmond, promised to come forward if asked, saying: If I am called to give evidence, I will give evidence.

Due process will take place and I will fully co-operate.

He strongly defended the decision to release Megrahi.

Dr Swire said: Before Megrahi died, I met him in Tripoli and reassured him I would still do everything I could to clear his name.
The euro soared in value against the pound as pro-business Emanuel Macron was tipped to win the French election following the first round of voting.

Investors had been wary of the currency in the run-up to Sunday's vote amid large support for Marine Le Pen, who has vowed to take France out of the Eurozone.

But news that Macron, a former investment banker and Europhile, had scooped the largest share of the vote saw a buy-up of the single currency.

Meanwhile British sterling, which saw a rise of almost 2 per cent last week after Theresa May announced a snap general election, saw those gains wiped out as investors backed Europe over Brexit.

Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker and independent centrist, achieved 23.8 per cent of the votes in the first round of the presidential election in France

The euro rallied sharply against the pound after it was revealed Macron had made it through to the second round of voting, where he is widely expected to beat Marine Le Pen

Germany's DAX index also climbed to an all-time high, with almost all 30 companies listed there making gains, especially Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank.

Across Europe, most stock markets also registered gains following Macron's win.

And on Monday, US stocks joined the global rally after the French vote with the Dow opening up 1.0%.

A late surge by Socialist Jean-Luc Melenchon had caused additional nerves among investors, but those fears were calmed as he was knocked out of the running.

The euro jumped two per cent to more than $1.09 (85p) on Sunday evening - the highest level since November.

Against the Japanese yen, the Euro also spiked to as high as 120.5 in early trading in Asia Pacific, up by 3.4 per cent.

E-mini futures for the S&P 500 climbed 0.8 percent in early trade, while futures for the 10-year U.S. Treasury note sank 22 ticks.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan tacked on 0.3 percent, while Japan's Nikkei jumped 1.4 percent as the yen retreated.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen will face Mr Macron in the second round on May 7 after achieving 21.5 per cent of the votes.

Investors had feared for the euro's future if one of the far-left candidates had gotten through to fight Le Pen.

Meanwhile sterling fell sharply against the euro as investors appeared to back the Eurozone over Brexit after Macron's win

The markets had been wary of a win by Le Pen, who has vowed to take France out of the Eurozone and the single currency

Unlike his competitor, Mr Macron wants closer links with Europe and has vowed to reinforce France's commitment to the EU and Euro.

Marine Le Pen is keen to get France out of the EU and return to the franc.

Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic adviser at Allianz, said: 'While markets had deemed a Le Pen-Macron (run-off) as the most likely outcome, there was an element of uncertainty.

'Now that this has been lifted, there will be a relief rally, bolstered by how quickly the mainstream candidates... have endorsed Macron, the market's favorite.'

Defeated Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and defeated right-wing candidate Francois Fillon all urged voters to rally behind Macron in the second round.

Markets had also been nervous of the possibility that far-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon might make the run-off.

'On the face of it, this looks like a rebuke to populism, and a solid vote in favour of a more solidly integrated Europe,' said Karl Schamotta, director of global product and market strategy at Cambridge Global Payments in Toronto.

Sunday's sharp moves point to an unwinding of bets taken in the past few days as traders turned defensive ahead of the vote.

Prices for protection against wild swings in stocks, bonds and the euro surged last week ahead of the election as polls tightened and investors fretted that another unforseen election outcome could upend a solid start to the year for risk assets.
More than a quarter of teachers in many key subjects do not have a relevant degree in their field  and the problem is getting worse, research suggests.

Some 37.5 per cent of physics teachers do not have any post-A-Level qualification in the science, despite thousands of children relying on them to help them pass exams.

A recruitment crisis in the secondary school sector has seen this figure rise by 4 percentage points in two years. There are also shortages of chemistry and maths teachers with relevant qualifications, according to analysis by school recruitment experts TeachVac.

Some 27.1 per cent of chemistry teachers (up 3.2 percentage points in two years) and 26.3 per cent of maths teachers (up 3.9 points) do not have a degree in the subject.

More than a quarter of teachers do not have a relevant degree in their field. Almost 38 per cent of physics teachers do not have a post-A-level qualification in the subject (file photo)

That is on top of shortages in English, history, geography and French and other languages.

But while there are severe problems in more academic subjects, the figures show that from 2013 to 2015, the number of qualified teachers in areas such as drama, media studies and citizenship has risen. Lib Dem education spokesman John Pugh said: Michael Goves legacy as education secretary is actually teachers being thrown into the classroom without the needed qualifications.

Parents should be aghast at this as will most teachers, as their job is a profession.

The Government need to get a grip on this crisis. We need to stop allowing schools to be able to grab virtually anyone off the street and allow them to teach anything from physics to advanced maths.

We need to support teachers rather than what the Government currently do  finding every opportunity to do the profession down.

The figures, contained in a submission to a House of Commons education select committee inquiry, show that of the core school subjects, physics is the one with the lowest proportion of qualified teachers. In 2015, 37.5 per cent of them had no degree qualification, up from 33.5 per cent two years before.

The same is true of English (22.4 per cent  up from 20.1 per cent), history (27.6 per cent  up from 27.2 per cent) and geography (34.9 per cent  up from 33.4 per cent).

More than half of Spanish teachers did not study the subject at university.

More than half of Spanish teachers did not study the subject at university. Lib Dem education spokesman John Pugh said: Parents should be aghast at this as will most teachers, as their job is a profession' (file photo)

Last night the National Union of Teachers said that, according to its own survey, 68 per cent of staff said that in the past year the number of professionals teaching subjects they were not qualified in had increased.

Kevin Courtney, the unions general secretary, said: This is happening as a result of a combination of the school funding crisis and a teacher recruitment crisis.

A Department for Education spokesman said the proportion of all teachers with a degree in any subject had increased by 3 per cent since 2010.

The quality of new entrants to the profession also continues to be high, with 18 per cent of this years cohort again holding a first-class degree, the highest proportion on record, she added.
Showered with praise for their brave mental health campaign, Heads Together, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have now encountered their first resistance

Showered with praise for their brave mental health campaign, Heads Together, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have now encountered their first resistance.

Through their charity, The Royal Foundation, the trio are trying to register the name Heads Together as a trademark  but they failed to reckon with the determination of a businesswoman from Northern Ireland.

Joanne Kane set up a human resources consultancy called Heads Together ten years ago, and she is not prepared to let the young royals hijack her name.

She has formally lodged her objection to their trademark application at the Intellectual Property Office.

Jo has worked so hard establishing her business, an associate tells me. She doesnt see why she should let someone else remove her name, even if they are royal. Shes made her name with that business.

Ms Kane (pictured), a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, has offices in both London and Belfast, and her largest client boasts 84,000 employees.

Well-known in Northern Ireland, last year she won a leadership award for the vital services her business provides to the local community.

William, Kate and Harrys foundation applied to register Heads Together as a trademark last year for a wide range of goods and services, including advisory, consultancy and information services; education and training; campaigning; promotional and public awareness campaigns; printed matter such as banners and posters; clothing, footwear and headgear.

Through their charity, The Royal Foundation, the trio are trying to register the name Heads Together as a trademark  but they failed to reckon with the determination of a businesswoman from Northern Ireland

Now their foundation may have to persuade a tribunal that its claims to the name trump those of Joanne before a decision is made.

Its not the first time the Royals have had trouble with trademarks. An attempt to trademark the face of Princess Diana by her memorial fund was turned down in 1999.

And executors of her estate were later refused permission to trademark her signature Diana on a range of beauty products as a Turkish company had already registered the name for its cosmetics line.

A Kensington Palace spokesman declined to comment.

With the Duchess of Cornwalls 70th birthday to go largely unmarked, amid fears that it would be overshadowed by the 20th anniversary of Princess Dianas death the following month, Camilla is leaving the country.

I hear she is planning to celebrate the July milestone with a holiday to Greece for her extended family.

Camilla and the Prince of Wales will go to Crete with her two children and all their grandchildren, says a friend

Camilla and the Prince of Wales will go to Crete with her two children and all their grandchildren, says a friend. She can think of nothing better than celebrating with her family around her.

After Mike Tindall married into the Royal Family, he said it was important that he and his wife, the Queens granddaughter Zara Phillips, earned their own money. It annoys me when people think we get handed things on a plate, because we dont, he said.

And the former England rugby captain, who works as a pundit, has shown he is good on his word not to live off taxpayers.

Newly published accounts for Kimble Trading Ltd, the company into which he channels his earnings, disclose profits of 405,000  an increase of 100,000 on the previous year.
It could be the ultimate line in luxury clothing - garments spun from spider silk.

Scientists have revealed they can generate the fine but strong threads used by spiders to make their webs by growing it in genetically modified tobacco plants.

They have developed a method of purifying the silk from the plants and then spinning it into long threads several metres long.

Scientists have revealed they can generate the fine but strong threads used by spiders to make their webs by growing it in genetically modified tobacco plants.

Unlike traditional silk from silkworms, the threads used in spiders webs cannot be farmed on a mass scale as the arachnids are highly territorial and tend to attack each other if kept in close quarters.

Fashion designers have previously attempted to make clothing from spider silk, but it can take years to gather enough to weave a length of cloth.

The new technique, however, raises the prospect of being able to grow and collect spider silk from plants in much the same way as common textile materials like cotton.

The scientists at Clemson University in South Carolina who developed the technique say it could allow large quantities of spider silk to be produced for use in clothing.

It promises a new generation of lightweight but hardwearing clothes as spider silk can be up to five times stronger than steel weight for weight. It is also stronger than kevlar so could also be used in protective clothing.

Professor Bill Marcotte, chair of genetics and biochemistry at Clemson University in South Carolina who led the research, said it may be possible to produce clothes using silk from the plants within a few years.

He said: We were able to pull fibres several metres long but we are currently limited as all fibres are pulled by hand.

We are trying to develop a mechanism to semi-automate fibre pulling, but those efforts are underway. These fibres could potentially be used in textiles.

The researchers, whose work is published in the journal Biomacromolecules, introduced genes from the golden orb web spider Nephila clavipes into tobacco plants.

This allowed the plants to produce two large proteins called Major ampullate Spidroin 1 and Major ampullate Spidroin 2 - the main components of the orb web spiders dragline silk.

Draglines are used by the spider to build the main outer parts of a web and are the strongest of the different silks it produces. This silk lacks the sticky coating that captures prey on webs.

In the natural world, spiders produce the proteins in silk glands as a liquid, which turns into fibres due to changes in acidity in their silk ducts before being pulled out of pairs of tiny spinnarets.

The researchers tried to mimic this by purifying the silk proteins from the tobacco plants and treating them with an acid and a chemical called glutaraldehyde - disinfectant normally used for treating warts.

This caused the silk proteins to form a thin film over a gum. The researchers could then pull this film into thin fibres.

These were left to dry in the air before being soaked in water - similar to a process that happens in the natural world when dew forms on webs - causing the silk strands to become narrow and stronger.

Professor Marcotte said they were able to produce fibres that were only a fraction of the strength of natural silk.

He said: Our fibres do not come even close to rivaling natural silks.

They are not the only researchers trying to create artificial silk.

Earlier this year scientists in Sweden demonstrated they could create silk fibres up to a mile long by growing proteins in bacteria and pumping it through extremely fine glass tubes.

Researchers at Utah State University also managed to produce silk proteins in the milk of genetically modified goats. The goats produce about an ounce of silk in their milk, which is then purified and spun into fibres.

The process, however, was still too expensive to make spider silk commercially available and a company set up to produce it from the goats went out of business.

It is hoped that by growing them on tobacco plants - which are already a cheap and easily grown crop - it may make production more affordable.

Professor Marcotte said the silk proteins could also be used to create gels for use in medical dressing.
Terrorism fears have stopped Australians attending the Anzac Day memorial in Gallipoli.

Only 700 people will attend the commemoration on Tuesday, compared to 10,000 in years past, Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson says.

Dr Nelson told 2GB radio he was disappointed in the outcome, despite the 'real threats' of terrorism.

'So few people feel it's safe enough to travel, I think is extraordinarily disappointing but that is the world we are living in,' he said.

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Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson is disappointed only 700 Australians will attend the commemoration, compared to 10,000 in years past (Dr Nelson is pictured in February)

'I just don't want to live in a world where these lunatics that have hijacked the name of Islam are going to stop us from exercising the freedom and rights so many people fought and died for.

'But we have to remember, and this is part of what Anzac Day is about, we have to remember we are Australian.

'They're certainly not going to stop me from doing what I think we need to do.'

Dr Nelson said just 700 people had registered to attend the Dawn Service and other ceremonies. When he addressed the service in 2007, there were 10,000 people in attendance.

He will be running the commemoration from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Tuesday, but said he would be in Gallipoli 'as a matter of principle' otherwise.

The Federal Government's Smart Traveller website recently warned tourists to avoid Turkey, particularly the Gallipoli commemoration on the Western Front on Tuesday.

Terrorism fears have stopped Australians attending the Anzac Day memorial in Gallipoli on Tuesday (the cemeteries at Anzac Cove in Canakkale are pictured in April last year)

A patriotic Australia is pictured deep in thought at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli in April, 2006

'There is information which suggests terrorists may seek to target Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Turkish authorities are aware of this information and traditionally provide a high level of protective security around Anzac Day commemorations on the peninsula,' the website says.

'There is a high threat of terrorism in Turkey. Terrorists may be planning attacks which could take place at any time. Terrorists maintain an interest in attacking tourist destinations. More attacks in urban centres are expected.

'Terrorists have recently called for attacks in Turkey.'

Official Anzac Day commemorative services at Gallipoli are held over two days.

The Smart Traveller website says 'airport style' screening of liquids will take place, and liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 mLs will not be permitted.

Large backpacks, weapons or sharp objects, alcohol, among other items are also prohibited.

'Tight security arrangements will be in place for the Anzac Day commemorations in Gallipoli. All visitors to the commemorative services should expect to undergo airport-like screening on arrival at sites,' the website says.

'All bags are searched, and prohibited items may be confiscated and not returned.'
A six-year-old boy has died after he was left sleeping in the back of a daycare van for three hours in the hot sun.

Malaysian boy Muhammad Iqram Danish was one of four children picked up and driven to school on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur, the New Straits Times reports.

When the daycare van arrived at school, three of the children got out but Iqram was asleep in the back.

Malaysian boy Muhammad Iqram Danish (pictured) fell asleep in the back of the daycare van and went unnoticed for three hours

The 21-year-old driver drove the van to his house, where he parked it in the sun for three hours.

He did not see the young boy asleep in the back.

Three hours later when the driver returned to his van at 5pm for the school pick up, he noticed Iqram was still in the van and unresponsive.

When the driver, 21, returned to the van three hours later, he found the boy unresponsive in the back and rushed him to a nearby clinic (stock)

'By then, Iqram was already unconscious,' deputy police chief Superintendent Mohd Marzuki Mohd Mokhtar said.

The driver rushed the boy to a nearby doctors clinic and later to a hospital, but the boy was pronounced dead due to heatstroke.

The driver provided a statement to the police, who are investigating the incident as potential neglect under the Child Acts.
An 11-year-old boy has been given medicinal marijuana on the NHS in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.

Epileptic Billy Caldwell travelled regularly to the US for medication to treat up to 100 seizures a day.

Doctors in the States gave him cannabis oil to help stop the episodes, but when he almost ran out and was unable to go to Los Angeles for more, his desperate mother took him to see his GP.

Dr Brendan OHare realised the situation was unique and prescribed the CBD oil  a derivative of cannabis that does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the illegal psychoactive component of cannabis.

Epileptic Billy Caldwell travelled regularly to the US for medication to treat up to 100 seizures a day

Miss Caldwell, 49, who is Billys full-time carer, collected the medicine from her local pharmacy.

Last year, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency allowed the prescription of drugs containing cannabidiol, a component of marijuana, for medical purposes.

Campaigners hope Billys prescription will open the door for all patients and GPs who believe in the virtues of medicinal marijuana. Miss Caldwell, who lives with her son in Castlederg, Northern Ireland, told the Daily Telegraph: With just a few days doses of Billys US medication left, I was getting desperate.

In the end I called my GP and gave him all our paperwork and he said hed prescribe the medicinal cannabis for Billy, and thats exactly what he has done. We went down to our surgery and picked it up. It was as simple as that. Miss Caldwell, who campaigns for children to receive the treatment, added: Its a huge step forward. Its an alternative treatment and its worked out well for Billy.

US research has shown cannabis oil is effective for those with epilepsy. One study of Epidiolex, which is a purified, 99-per-cent oil-based CBD extract from the cannabis plant, showed a 54 per cent decrease in seizures

After eight years in remission, a lesion in Billys left temple brought back his seizures. The oil was helping to reduce the damage and had stopped the seizures for three months. Dr OHare said he supplied a prescription because Billy faced a crisis, adding: Whatever the rights and wrongs, we had a child who had benefitted and the childs welfare was paramount. On that basis I issued a prescription.

This was not to open the floodgates for others, it is a one-off.

US research has shown cannabis oil is effective for those with epilepsy. One study of Epidiolex, which is a purified, 99-per-cent oil-based CBD extract from the cannabis plant, showed a 54 per cent decrease in seizures.

Most of its side-effects are moderate, unlike more severe reactions that can be caused by rival drugs. One is thought to be responsible for the severe malformations of up to 4,100 children in France.

MPs and drugs policy reform groups hailed the success of Billys treatment, and hinted that it could open the door to other British patients in a similar position.

Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb said it was potentially life saving, adding: I dont think anyone seriously argues against him getting access to treatment that has had such a dramatic impact. Theres lots of evidence, particularly in conditions involving lots of pain, that medical cannabis can be extraordinarily effective.
HELENA  The Montana Senate has rejected an attempt by Gov. Steve Bullock to revive a bill that would have allowed counties to conduct the May 25 special congressional election by mail.

The Republican-led Senate rejected the Democratic governor's proposed amendment to a separate election bill 27-21 on Monday.

Republican Sen. Doug Kary urged the Senate to return the bill to the governor without the mail-ballot amendment, saying it was too close to the election to happen.

The election to replace U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montana's U.S. House representative is among Democrat Rob Quist, Republican Greg Gianforte and Libertarian Mark Wicks.

County election officials had supported a mail-only election option, saying it could save as much as $750,000.

But the measure stalled after Montana Republican Party chairman Jeff Essmann said a mail-only election would benefit Democrats.
The mother of a child born with just 2 per cent of his brain has launched a campaign to change the law on abortion.

Women can terminate foetuses with disabilities up until birth  rather than the usual 24-week limit.

But Shelly Wall, 45, says all children should have equal rights from the moment of conception.

Noah Wall's mother has called for limits to abortion laws, which currently allow mothers with disabled children to abort their children up until birth

The mother-of-three urged mothers not to abort children who are not perfect  arguing that her son Noah was perfect to her. Noah developed congenital hydrocephalus at birth, caused by spina bifida, and lost 98 per cent of his brain.

Doctors advised Mrs Wall to abort him five times during her pregnancy. She even planned Noahs funeral.

But he survived and  despite being confined to a wheelchair  is a happy and popular five-year-old.

Now Mrs Wall has joined forces with a disabled parliamentarian  Lord Shinkwin  to bring in Noahs Law. The peer says that abortion laws are a licence to kill disabled children.

He added: The tragedy is that some in the medical establishment still see disability as a tragedy to be eradicated by abortion. Its eugenics.

What no one can explain is why after birth Im good enough for the Queen to send me to the House of Lords while before birth Im only good for the incinerator.

Mrs Wall, from Abbeytown, Cumbria, said: It is not about having the perfect baby. What is a perfect baby?

Noahs a perfect baby to me. Mothers who abort their disabled babys life will miss out on a very special relationship.

It didnt cross my mind to contemplate termination. When you create a life with a person you love and you wanted to have a baby with, then you love that child. It was a child conceived in love. Do you love a child any less because its disabled? Mrs Wall, who has two daughters Ally, 20, and Steph, 25, and is married to Rob, a 50-year-old design engineer, said she treasured every moment with her son despite knowing he might die.

We didnt know how long wed have with him  minutes, days, months  we had no idea, she said. I feel that all disabled children should be given a chance. Noah is normal to me.

Hes my son. We need to treat disabled people with respect and treat them like human beings.

Everybody has the chance to abort their baby up until 24 weeks but I dont think that destroying a child up until birth just because its got a cleft palette or just because it has spina bifida is right.

Lord Shinkwin suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetic brittle bone disease.

The peer proposed a bill in parliament that would have seen all abortions banned after 24 weeks but it was defeated last month.

Lord Winston, the fertility scientist, argued the plan was not reasonable for women facing hugely difficult decisions. Others warned it would lead to a rise in backstreet abortions.

In a statement, the charity Disability Rights UK said: Whatever time limit is set after which abortion should not happen, no distinction should be made between a foetus where the child will be born disabled and where the child will be born non-disabled. All lives are equal.
The heavily-tattooed son of a Turnbull government minister posted vile and violent Facebook messages joking about rape, murder and stabbing a man in his genitals.

Daniel Scullion, whose father Nigel is a cabinet minister, made the comments about a Sportsbet employee who featured in a light-hearted Facebook Live post.

Asked by the betting agency what pranks should be played on Oli from their social media team, Daniel, 27, certainly did not hold back.

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Daniel Scullion (right) made a series of vile Facebook posts joking about rape and murder

A screen shot of Daniel Scullion's vile Facebook posts joking about raping someone's girlfriend

The heavily-tattooed son of a Turnbull government minister was responding to a Facebook video and published this questionable image on his Facebook page

'Kill his family,' he wrote on April 13 the morning after Sportsbet's video went viral.

But he didn't stop there posting, 'Rape his girlfriend' and 'Stab him in the d***.'

Nigel Scullion, who holds the indigenous affairs portfolio and is the Nationals leader in the Senate, said his son's rape comments were 'completely unacceptable and deeply offensive'.

'I have spoken to my son, Daniel, and he very much regrets the comments he has posted,' Senator Scullion told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

'I love my son but his comments are completely unacceptable and involve the use of offensive and disrespectful language.

'Daniel did not mean any offence, but in hindsight accepts the comments, in any context, are deeply offensive.'

Daniel Scullion had several suggestions for pranks to play on Sportsbet employee Oli

Keyboard warrior Daniel Scullion joked about some pranks he would like to play on Oli

Senator Scullion, who has been in parliament since 2001, said his adult son faced extra scrutiny as the son of a politician.

'Although Daniel is not a public figure and, as an adult, lives his own life, he now has to deal with this matter at a personal level with the added scrutiny associated with being the son of a federal parliamentarian,' he said.

'But as I have made perfectly clear on numerous occasions, any violence against or disrespect towards women is completely unacceptable.'

Daniel Scullion lives in Darwin and is a fly-in, fly-out worker on oil and gas projects off Western Australia's Kimberley coast.

He declined to comment.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said comments about violence towards women were wrong

Daniel Scullion made the offensive Facebook comments on Sporsbet's Facebook page

His comments were made the day after his father's cabinet colleague Michaelia Cash, the Minister for Women, condemned Islamist extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir for making a video advocating domestic violence.

Mr Scullion, a Northern Territory senator with the Country Liberal Party, promised to speak with his son when Daily Mail Australia contacted him early last week.

'My son is currently working at sea off remote parts of the Kimberley and uncontactable - and it is not reasonable I comment further until I have had a chance to talk to him,' he said.

Daniel Scullion's Facebook message was among more than 2,000 comments posted on Sportsbet's public page, featuring a 40-minute live video of Oli at his work desk which has been viewed 332,000 times.
An American paramedic working with a security watchdog in eastern Ukraine has been killed after the vehicle he was in drove over a mine.

The US citizen, who has not been named, was part of a patrol involved in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Special Monitoring mission in the country.

Two other monitors, a German and a Czech, were injured in the blast, near Luhansk. It has led US officials to call for a 'full, transparent investigation'.

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The vehicle destroyed by the mine that killed an American paramedic and injured two other people

The OSCE said the killing was the first death of one of its members while on patrol in Ukraine, where more than 700 international observers help report on a simmering conflict that has deeply strained relations between Russia and the West.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the killing underscored the increasingly dangerous conditions under which the OSCE mission operated, including grappling with 'access restrictions, threats, and harassment'.

He added: 'The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent, and timely investigation.'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also spoke about the incident on Sunday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who offered his condolences.

A 2015 ceasefire between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country is regularly violated, and Washington cites the conflict as a key obstacle to improved relations between Russia and the United States.

'This tragic incident makes clear the need for all sides - and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces - to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements immediately,' Toner said.

The car is pictured at a gas station after being removed from the scene. The US has called for a 'full, transparent investigation' into the blast in eastern Ukraine

The Minsk peace agreement, brokered by France and Germany and signed by Russia and Ukraine in February 2015, calls for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line and constitutional reform to give eastern Ukraine more autonomy.

But since signing deal the sides appear stuck in a stalemate broken periodically by sharp resurgences of fighting that Kiev and the Kremlin accuse each other of instigating.

Tillerson told Poroshenko that although Washington wanted better ties with Moscow, 'Russias actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle'.

On Monday Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, also called for an investigation to be conducted into the explosion.

He said the incident would be discussed at a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday between Lamberto Zannier, the secretary general of the OSCE, and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister.

A woman walks past vehicles of the OSCE. The organization is in Ukraine on a special monitoring mission

The Ukrainian military said the blast took place at 10:17 local time (02.17 EST) near the small village of Pryshyb, which is controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

The OSCE said the two injured monitors, who are also yet to be named, were taken to hospital.

An Austrian foreign ministry spokesman said a German woman was injured. Austria currently holds the rotating presidency of the OSCE.

Alexander Hug, the Special Monitoring Mission's Principal Deputy Chief Monitor, told reporters that the second injured person was from Czech Republic.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was appalled and her government expected the parties to investigate and determine who was responsible.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, pictured, spoke about the incident with the Ukrainian President on Sunday

'The conflict parties must also finally implement the long-agreed ceasefire,' Merkel said in a statement. 'And there, the Russia-supported separatists, who are illegally and violently occupying parts of Ukrainian territory bear a particular responsibility.'

The Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday the circumstances pointed to likely provocation aimed at undermining the peace process. It urged the parties to the conflict to intensify direct talks.

'We're deeply outraged by this cynical action, which led to the loss of human life and was directed against international observers who work for the sake of peace,' the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The 57 member states of the OSCE, which include Ukraine, Russia and the United States, in March extended its monitoring in Ukraine by a year.
Two Arkansas inmates scheduled to be put to death Monday asked an appeals court on Sunday to halt their lethal injections because of poor health that could cause complications.

If the execution of Jack Jones and Marcel Williams is carried out, it would be the nation's first double execution in more than 16 years.

Their lawyers asked the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Sunday to grant them stays of execution.

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This combination of undated file photos from the Arkansas Department of Correction shows Jack Jones, left, and Marcel Williams, right. They are due to be executed on April 24 but asked an appeals court on April 23 to halt their lethal injections because of poor health

Jones's lawyers say he suffers from diabetes and is on insulin, has high blood pressure, neuropathy and had one leg amputated below the knee.

He is on heavy doses of methadone and gabapentin. They say he may be resistant to the lethal injection drug midazolam because of the drugs he is taking for his maladies and could suffer a 'tortuous death.'

Lawyers for Williams say he weighs 400 pounds and it will be difficult to find a vein for lethal injection, so the drugs are unlikely to work as intended.

The state said the appeals are just delaying tactics and should be denied. It was not clear when the appeals court will rule.

Also on Sunday, two lower court federal judges ruled against inmates in separate cases.

Judge Kristine Baker denied a request from several inmates, including Jones and Williams, that the rules for witnesses to view the executions be changed.

Judge J. Leon Holmes denied a stay of execution for Williams saying that the matter should be dealt with by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, because the inmate had already been appealed to the higher court.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson had hoped to administer 8 lethal injections in 11 days. From top to bottom, left to right: Bruce Ward, Don Davis, Ledell Lee (who was executed last week), Stacey Johnson, Jack Jones, Marcel Williams, Kenneth Williams and Jason McGehee

Ledell Lee, pictured on April 18, was executed the night of April 21 by lethal injection

Governor Asa Hutchinson originally set out an aggressive schedule of eight lethal injections in 11 days that would have marked the most inmates put to death by a state in such a short period since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

The state set such a compressed schedule because its supply of one of the lethal injection drugs, midazolam, expires at the end of April.

It put to death Ledell Lee last week in the state's first execution since 2005.

Lee, 51, was given the death penalty for the 1993 death of his neighbor Debra Reese, whom Lee struck 36 times with a tire tool.

Jones and Williams are scheduled to die on Monday. Both have admitted they are guilty.

Williams was sent to death row in 1994 for the rape and murder of Stacy Errickson.

Jones was given the death penalty for the 1995 rape and murder of Mary Phillips.

The state had hoped to execute multiple inmates in such a short time because its supply of lethal injection drug 'midazolam' expires at the end of April. Pictured: Governor Asa Hutchinson

Another inmate, Kenneth Williams, is set for execution Thursday.

Four of the eight inmates have had their executions blocked by the courts.

One of the inmates set to die last week, Stacey Johnson, received a stay of execution.

He has said that advanced DNA techniques could show that he didn't kill Carol Heath, a 25-year-old mother of two, in 1993 at her DeQueen apartment.

Don Davis and Bruce Ward were supposed to be the first two executed.

Davis was convicted of killing Jane Daniel in 1990 and Ward killed Rebecca Doss in 1989.

They won stays from the Arkansas Supreme Court on Monday after lawyers argued their mental health issues were similar enough to those raised in an Alabama case going before the US Supreme Court next week.

The execution of a third inmate, Jason McGehee, had been set for April 27, but a federal judge put it on hold earlier this month.

The judge said McGehee was entitled to a 30-day comment period after the Arkansas Parole Board told the governor that the inmate's clemency request had merit.

McGehee, 40, was convicted of murdering 15-year-old John Melbourne in 1996.
Fox News host Sean Hannity has been forced to deny he sexually harassed a former guest on his popular cable news program.

Debbie Schlussel said on Friday that the married anchor invited her back to his hotel in Detroit after the pair met up at a book signing, and that after she turned down the father-of-two's advances she was not invited back on his show.

Schlussel also said Hannity, whose show draws an average of more than two million viewers a night, got angry when she turned 'redhead' and claims the veteran broadcaster asked her 'creepy' questions about her pants size.

In an interview with Tulsa, Oklahoma-based radio host Pat Campbell, she said: 'This kind of stuff is all over the place at Fox News and anything that has to do with Sean Hannity.'

Then on Monday, Schlussel gave an interview expressing her disbelief over the coverage of the story, saying that she never accused Hannity of sexual harassment.

'I would never accuse him of that. Sexual harassment has a special meaning under the law, and I would never accuse him of that,' Schlussel said in an interview with LawNewz.

'I never thought I was sexually harassed by Sean Hannity, I thought he was weird and creepy not someone I liked.'

That about face came just hours after Hannity denied Schlussel's allegations and accused her of seeking attention in a statement to DailyMail.com before threatening legal action.

A former Fox News guest has accused Sean Hannity (right) of sexual harassment. Debbie Schlussel (left) said the prime time host invited her back to his hotel in Detroit after a debate. After she turned down his advances, she claims she wasn't invited back on his show.

In an interview with Tulsa, Oklahoma-based radio host Pat Campbell, she said: 'This kind of stuff is all over the place at Fox News and anything that has to do with Sean Hannity.' She is seen during one of her appearances on Fox News

'LET ME BE CLEAR THE COMMENTS ABOUT ME ON A RADIO SHOW THIS WEEK by this individual ARE 100% false and a complete fabrication,' wrote Hannity.

'This individual is a serial harasser who has been lying about me for well over a decade. The individual has a history of making provably false statements against me in an effort to slander, smear and besmirch my reputation.

'The individual has not just slandered me over the years but many people who this individual disagrees with. This individual desperately seeks attention by any means necessary, including making unfounded personal attacks and using indefensible and outrageous political rhetoric. My patience with this individual is over.'

He went on to say: 'I have retained a team of some of the finest and toughest lawyers in the country who are now in the process of laying out the legal course of action we will be taking against this individual.

'In this fiercely divided & vindictive political climate I will no longer allow slander and lies about me to go unchallenged, as I see a coordinated effort afoot to now silence those with conservative views. I will fight every single lie about me by all legal means available to me as an American.'

Schlussel followed up her interview with tweets urging Fox News to fire Hannity and 'Ailes pimps'

The conservative commentator also said Hannity got angry when she changed her hair

Schlussel previously attacked Hannity in a scathing 2010 blog post in which she claimed that the host's charity of choice, Freedonm Alliance, was running a scam in collecting donations to help fund the college tuition of children of fallen soldiers.

She said that almost none of the money collected at concerts held across the country went to the charity and that Hannity's demands to appear at each event cost over $200,000 with the Fox News personality being flown in to each city on a Gulfstream 5.

He then required a fleet of SUVs take him to a block of suites in 'really expensive hotels' according to Schussel, who saidshe learned this all from an unnamed 'conservative writer.'

Those claims were all revealed to be completely false however by Freedom Alliance in a statement soon after the post was published, with Schlussel having first published without approaching the charity for comment.

The charity said that not only did Hannity pay for his own flights, cars and hotel rooms at every event he attended, but he also was one of their biggest individual donors as he gave his money and his time.

'Sean Hannity has contributed $100,000 to the Wounded Warriors Foundation, over $200,000 to the Freedom Alliance, and over tens of thousands of dollars to other military charities and individuals,' said the charity in a statement.

'We only make this information public because of the outrageous slander against him.'

Schlussel refused to publish the charity's statement, but did update her post after its release to write: 'Just as I expected, the liars and frauds at Freedom Alliance want to keep the gravy train going for them and their cronies. So theyve issued a response, which doesnt refute a single fact in here and frankly provides no hard evidence of anything . . . because they dont have any.'

Her comments came just two days after Bill O'Reilly (above) was fired from Fox News over similar allegations

Sclussel's comments came just two days after Bill O'Reilly was fired from Fox News over allegations of harassment, racism and abuse, bringing his twenty years at the network to an end.

Hannity slammed Schlussel's allegations, and insists she is just seeking attention. He has also threatened legal action.

She did not say when the alleged harassment took place.

Schlussel said: 'He had some event at a bookstore where he signed his book for people standing in line.

'He asked me to come meet him at this book signing,' Schlussel said on Campbell's show.

Hannity strenuously refuted the allegations, and insisted Schlussel was just seeking attention

'So I met him there and it was very awkward. He had me up there with him while he signed books and I felt very weird.

'These people don't know me and they didn't come for me to sign their books.

'Then I left to get ready for the show, and he said, "Why don't you come back with me to my hotel?" and I said no, I have to get ready for the show.'

Hannity allegedly told Schlussel before the show that they would team up against another panelist.

But Schlussel told Campbell that the move was a 'head-fake'.

'Sean came up to me and said we're gonna double-team (which was a weird phrase to use) this Palestinian guy that I was up against on the show.

'And then every time I tried to open my mouth and say something, they yelled at me and said obey your host, you can't say anything or else we're gonna shut off your microphone.'

After the show, Schlussel claims Hannity made his second advance, asking her back to his hotel for the second time.

She told Campbell that her father and brother were in the green room at the time.

'After that, I wasn't booked on his show again. And he called me and yelled at me,' Schlussel said. 'I got a very weird feeling about the whole thing, and I kind of knew I wouldn't be back on his show.'

She added to her interview comments with tweets.

One said: 'Hannity also got mad at me when I briefly became a redhead and wasn't blonde and argued w me saying my pants size was 4, which was creepy.'

She then wrote: 'If Fox News were really serious about dumping harassers, Sean Hannity and Ailes Pimps Bill Shine and Margaret Scott would be gone.'

O'Reilly was seen out shopping near his home in Williston Park, New York, after he was let go from the scandal-hit news station

O'Reilly recently signed a new multi-year contract just weeks ago that guaranteed him over $20 million a year (host's Fox News sign near the entrance to their NYC office building above on Wednesday)

Hannity has been married to his wife, Jill Rhodes, since 1993. He has two children: Merri Kelly and Patrick.

Schlussel and Hannity have clashed in the past and have a history of confrontation.

In 2007, she accused him of 'ripping off' a column she wrote for the New York Post.

And in 2011, Schlussel was slammed for suggesting Lara Logan should have seen her sex attack coming - and for calling the Egyptians who were protesting for democracy 'animals'.

She posted a picture of Miss Logan on her blog, under the headline: 'Islam Fan Lara Logan Gets a Taste of Islam', before adding: 'How fitting that Lara Logan was liberated by Muslims in Liberation Square while she was gushing over the other part of the liberation".'

The former host posted this picture on his website, advertising a new episode of his podcast for this Monday night

Rupert Murdoch made the announcement O'Reilly was no more at Fox News in a letter signed by himself and sons James and Lachlan (above)

O'Reilly was fired from his high-profile role with Fox News last Wednesday after it emerged five secret sexual harassment accusers had been paid $13million.

Despite his uncomfortable exit, the 67-year-old will reportedly pocket $25million - a quarter of the $100million he had been guaranteed in the four-year contract he signed this past January.

He will return with his own podcast on Monday.

The network previously paid disgraced CEO Roger Ailes $40million when he exited last July.

Tucker Carlson will replace O'Reilly at his 8pm slot.

Last month, Hannity issued a stinging response to CBS's Ted Koppel's statement that he is 'bad for America.'

On his talk show, 'Hannity,' the Fox News commentator said: 'I was just used as a prop to advance his narrative, which is why only one minute and 10 seconds out of the 45 to 50 minutes was used.'

He added: 'That is the one minute that fit into their narrative. That is edited fake news.'

Hannity was responding to the fallout from his CBS 'Sunday Morning' interview with Koppel.

On Sunday New York Magazine reported that Fox News bosses forced black employees to hold arm wrestling matches in their offices for entertainment.

Seven black employees are expected to join a racial discrimination lawsuit against the outlet next week.

New York Magazine cites a letter sent to the network on behalf of the former staff which alleges that the arm wrestling matches were orchestrated within the accounting department and aimed at black female employees.

It singles out accounting director Tammy Efinger, claiming she forced one woman to participate because she wanted to 'fight' a black employee.

Fox News has not responded directly to the allegations, telling DailyMail.com on Sunday via a spokesman: 'We can't comment on a lawsuit that we haven't seen yet.'
Uber folded in a showdown with Apple after the iPhone maker threatened to effectively shut down the ride-sharing app after it was caught flaunting its privacy regulations, according to a report Sunday.

Travis Kalanick, 40, the oft-criticized head of Uber, was summoned for what turned out to be a tense meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2015 at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, according to The New York Times.

Apple had caught on to Ubers attempt to circumvent its guidelines by secretly identifying and tagging iPhones with a digital fingerprint even after the Uber app had been deleted from its devices.

In order to protect the privacy of its users, Apple mandates that all iPhones which are wiped clean do not contain traces of apps that were used.

Travis Kalanick (left), 40, the oft-criticized head of Uber, was summoned for what turned out to be a tense meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook (right) in 2015 at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. The two are seen in a May 2016 file photo in New York

Uber, however, hoped that Apple wouldnt notice, according to Gizmodo.

In 2014, Uber wanted to trick Apple because it had discovered that many of its drivers in places like China were buying stolen iPhones on the black market and creating fictional email addresses and account.

The drivers would then cash in on Uber incentives to hail more rides by ordering them from the numerous accounts, thereby earning more money from the company even though in reality there was no growth of its customer base.

Uber wanted its fingerprinting mechanism to continue keeping tabs on iPhones in order to crack down on the incentive fraud.

In order to evade detection by Apple, Ubers engineers used a technique called geofencing, which meant that their app was programmed not to show its fingerprinting technology on all iPhone devices located in the area near Apple headquarters in northern California.

But the ruse did not work, as Apples engineers who live outside of the geofenced area figured out what Uber was doing.

Apple had caught on to Ubers attempt to circumvent its guidelines by secretly identifying and tagging iPhones with a digital fingerprint even after the Uber app had been deleted from its devices

The Apple chief told Kalanick that if his company continued with the practice, Uber would be kicked out of the App Store. That meant a loss of millions of drivers  and an end to Uber

This prompted Cook to invite Kalanick to his office for a Silicon Valley showdown.

So, Ive heard youve been breaking some of our rules, Cook, 56, told Kalanick.

The Apple chief told the young executive that if his company continued with the practice, Uber would be kicked out of the App Store.

That meant a loss of millions of drivers  and an end to Uber.

Kalanick, shaken by the threat, had no choice but to back down.

Ubers chief executive has been wrestling with a series of high-profile scandals and departures of top talent in recent weeks.

Earlier this week, it was announced that former Attorney General Eric Holder was granted an extension by Ubers board so that he could pursue an investigation into alleged widespread sexual harassment.

Kalanick called for the 'urgent investigation' in February after explosive claims from former employees emerged.

The probe has included 'information received from hundreds of employees through interviews and anonymous online focus groups', according to the newly leaked memo.

'We anticipate the report by the end of May,' Arianna Huffington, an Uber board member, wrote in the leaked memo to Uber staff.

The allegations emerged in a lengthy blog post by former Uber employee and best-selling author Susan Fowler Rigetti, who detailed a number of concerning incidents she experienced during her year with the company.

She recounts being propositioned sexually by a manager on her first day at the office.

Using the company chat system, she said that the unnamed manager told her that he and his girlfriend had an open relationship, but that his girlfriend was having an easier time finding sexual partners than he was.

He continued, saying that he wanted to stay out of trouble at work, but that it was difficult because he was trying to find women to have sex with, Fowler said.

'It was clear that he was trying to get me to have sex with him, and it was so clearly out of line that I immediately took screenshots of these chat messages and reported him to HR,' she continued.
Bystanders have captured the moment a group of men were involved in a wild early-morning brawl on a packed street outside a nightclub.

Shocking footage shows the sickening fight breaking out in central Adelaide, South Australia, shortly before 4am on Sunday with up to six people involved.

While it is not clear from the footage what started the fight, a group can be seen attacking another man who is lying on the ground in the middle of the city's CBD, rolling around desperately as punches and kicks are aimed at him.

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Bystanders have captured the moment a group of men were involved in a wild early-morning brawl on the streets of Adelaide

Footage shot on the mobile phone of a girl observing the fight begins with the group attacking a man as he lies on the ground.

Kicking and stomping on him as he rolls around, bystanders in the background can be heard yelling at the men to stop.

Eventually the man manages to scramble to his feet and run to the footpath where he is helped by friends.

But it seems that instantly another spotfire breaks out down the road, with the men running up the road where more screaming and yelling can be heard.

Shocking footage shows the sickening fight breaking out in the middle of the packed CBD of the South Australian capital, with up to six people involved

The group can be seen attacking another man who is lying on the ground in the middle of the street. As he rolls around desperately, the men throw punches and kicks at him (pictured)

It is believed the incident occurred outside 'Woolshed on Hindley', a three-level pub and popular nightspot. It is not clear what started the fight.

Video of the brawl has been viewed more than 40,000 times since being shared to the internet.

South Australia police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that two men were arrested and charged with aggravated assault over the incident.

The men were both bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 2 June.
He dedicated his Best Actor Logie to his sister who is dying of cancer, but still Samuel Johnson thinks he is a bad brother.

An emotional Johnson, who also won the coveted Golden Logie last night, used his acceptance speech to speak of his love for his sister Connie, who is terminally ill.

He urged viewers and those in the audience in Melbourne to donate to the Love Your Sister charity, which the siblings set up after Connie was diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking about the speech on Today Extra on Monday morning, Johnson said he wanted to make things right with his sister after being a 'terrible brother' as a child.

He dedicated his Best Actor Logie to his sister who is dying of cancer, but still Samuel Johnson thinks he is a bad brother

An emotional Johnson, who also won the coveted Golden Logie last night, used his acceptance speech to speak of his love for his sister Connie (pictured), who is terminally ill

Johnson said he spoke to his sister on the phone 'all night' after the awards show, which she watched with her friends

Connie posted a series of touching photographs online of her watching her brother collect his award, as well as a video of her watching the Logies live

'I want her to die knowing I've gone to the end of the earth for her 10 times backwards and sideways,' Johnson said as he spoke about his charity work.

'I need to prove that to her before she goes so that when she goes she thinks of me. And she'll go knowing there's no issues there.

'I want a clean slate. I want us to be good. Because I was a s***ty... I was a terrible brother.

'I want to make up for it. I was a t**d. I was such a t**d.'

Johnson said he spoke to his sister on the phone 'all night' after the awards show.

He also revealed that he had other people he wanted to thank during his speech, but that his sister was the priority.

'I wanted to thank Molly and all of these other people but my sister's crook and she's doing some superb things on the way out. To be honest that's more important than anything to me.

'It's family. When your family are sick you go to the end of the Earth for them.'

Samuel Johnson poses with the Gold Logie Award for Best Personality On Australian TV

Johnson said he spoke to his sister (pictured together) on the phone 'all night' after the glitzy awards show

Connie posted a series of touching photographs online of her watching her brother collect his award, as well as a video of her watching the Logies live.

Huddled around an iPhone - because a television was broken - and surrounded by a group of close supporters, Connie had her fingers tightly crossed before her brother's name was read out on Sunday night.

When her brother did win the Logie for his portrayal of veteran Australian music presenter and critic Molly Meldrum in the Channel Seven mini-series, Molly, Connie was ecstatic.

A video of Connie's priceless reaction was uploaded to the Love Your Sister Facebook page.

Connie could be seen clapping her hands in pure joy and was heard screaming in excitement.

As her brother dedicated the award win to his terminally ill sister, Connie became visibly emotional.

'My sister is succumbing finally to the perils of cancer after a three decade long tussle and rather than rolling over, she's going out blazing with an attempted world record for the longest line of coins absurdly,' Samuel said.

An ecstatic Connie Johnson reacts to the news her brother had won the Best Actor Logie on Sunday night

Connie Johnson (at centre) had her fingers tightly crossed before her brother's name was read out as the award winner

Connie sat huddled around an iPhone to watch her brother at the Logies as a television was broken

He finished with an 'I love you Connie', which made his sister smile broadly.

The emotional footage of Connie's reaction has been viewed almost 300,000 times.

'If that doesn't make you smile and cry in equal measure, nothing will,' one person posted on the Love Your Sister Facebook page.

From another: 'I love love love this!!!!!! I was wondering what your reaction might be when I saw him accept the award and now I want to watch this over and over and over again! Beautiful.'

Connie had more reason to smile later in the night, when her brother received the coveted Gold Logie.
The man, 46, who allegedly tried to sexually assault a boy in a public toilet has been arrested and is due to face court.

The boy, 12, had walked into a public toilet inside Bass Hill Plaza, a shopping complex on the Hume Highway in south-west Sydney, about 8.15pm on Saturday, police said.

As he entered, he noticed a man in a cubicle with the door open, NSW Police said in a statement.

The man, 46, who allegedly tried to sexually assault a boy in a public toilet has been arrested and is due to face court

The boy, 12, had walked into a public toilet inside Bass Hill Plaza, a shopping complex on the Hume Highway in south-west Sydney, about 8.15pm on Saturday, police said

The boy then quickly went to leave the toilet but the man allegedly grabbed him by the waist and pulled him into the cubicle.

Police were told the man hit the boy across the head, while attempting to pull him closer.

As the assault was occurring, two men entered, startling the suspect and allowing the boy to break free and run out of the facility, police said.

The boy then quickly went to leave the toilet but the man allegedly grabbed him by the waist and pulled him into the cubicle

Police were called and detectives from Bankstown Local Area Command attended the scene and commenced an investigation.

CCTV footage was seized and released in the hopes of finding the man.

Just before 7pm on Sunday, a 46-year-old man attended Bankstown Police Station, where he was arrested and charged with assault with intent to have sexual intercourse with children between 10 and 16-years-old.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Monday.
Two sisters who were sexually abused as children by the same neighbour in the 1980s say the Victorian legal process has taken them to 'hell and back'.

'Going through this whole process is disgusting,' one said outside a Melbourne court after the accused was sentenced.

Michael Fieldew, 61, was found guilty at a Victorian County Court trial earlier this year of multiple sex offences from the early 1980s against two sisters then aged between 13 and 14.

The two sisters said the ordeal of the Victorian legal process has taken them to 'hell and back' (stock image)

Fieldew was on Monday sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison, to serve a minimum of four years.

Judge Frank Gucciardo said Fieldew, who pleaded not guilty, had shown no remorse and denied any wrongdoing by accusing the women of lying.

'The trial was a full-blooded attack on the victims' integrity,' he said on Monday.

'It was not a mere assertion of innocence but that both had fabricated their accounts.'

The judge said Fieldew had demonstrated 'a total lack of remorse' while on trial and in his instructions to his lawyer when the defence were cross-examining the sisters.

'It clearly did not impress the jury,' Judge Gucciardo said.

Fieldew was found guilty of 13 offences: 12 counts of unlawful indecent assault and one count of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

The sisters did not know they had been abused by the same man until they disclosed the assaults to authorities decades later.

The 61-year-old grandfather sexually abused the two sisters when they were children and he was their neighbour (stock image)

'The trial was a full-blooded attack on the victims' integrity': The man maintained his innocence during the entirety of the trial (stock image)

Fieldew was aged between 24 and 25 when he preyed on both girls when they visited him and his young family at his home.

'The repetition of this conduct towards both sisters increases your moral culpability,' Judge Gucciardo said.

'You violated their physical integrity and betrayed their trust, and the trust their parents placed on you as a friendly neighbour.'

Judge Gucciardo said the sisters, now in their 40s, are yet to overcome the trauma of having their 'naivety, innocence and vulnerability as children' destroyed.

Outside court, the sisters, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the legal process spanning three years between when charges were laid, a pre-trial committal hearing and the trial itself had taken its toll.

'I've been to hell and back through this process on several occasions,' one sister said.

The pair want more support for all men, women and children who come forward about sexual assault.

'People need to be aware that although this happened over 30 years ago, the aftermath and the ripple effect of sexual assault lives on forever,' one said.
School District 2 trustees expelled two middle school students Monday.

Discussion of the expulsions occurred in closed session. Trustees unanimously publicly voted to follow superintendent Terry Bouck's recommendations.

Bouck said after the meetings that the issues involved student safety.

"It's very hard on the board members," Bouck said. "They weigh everything very carefully."

The expulsions were the fifth and sixth in Billings Public Schools since 2006, with the most recent in 2015.

Bouck declined to provide specific details about any incidents that led to the expulsion hearing, instead pointing to the district's student code of conduct, which prohibits things like making threats, having possession of drugs or weapons and disruptive learning environments.

He declined to say which school the students were from, noting that it was one school. Administrators from Riverside Middle School attended both meetings and did not speak during public sessions.

Trustees were trained on student disciplinary procedures before the public was barred from the meeting because of student privacy laws. Jeff Weldon, a private attorney who often represents the school district, noted that expulsions have a lower burden of proof than criminal proceedings, requiring a "preponderance of evidence."

An expulsion hearing is typically the last stop in a line of disciplinary actions meant to help students reform their behavior and become more productive members of the student body.
While White House press secretary Sean Spicer, has found himself in hot water over the past four months, he can rest assured that he will keep his job.

Donald Trump, discussing Spicer's job performance, compared his press briefings to a daytime soap opera.

He told attendees at a working lunch last month: 'I'm not firing Sean Spicer,' the Washington Post reported.

Trump added: 'That guy gets great ratings. Everyone tunes in.'

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Donald Trump said he would not fire the White House's press secretary, Sean Spicer, pictured during an April 17 press briefing

Trump told attendees at a luncheon that Spicer 'gets great ratings. Everyone tunes in'

Trump also compared Spicer's daily press briefings (pictured) to daytime soap operas. Pictured: A stock photo from daytime soap 'Days of Our Lives'

Trump is pictured here in 2005 with 'Days of Our Lives' actress Arianne Zucker and 'Access Hollywood' host Billy Bush

Spicer has made multiple gaffes during his daily meetings with reporters that have been skewered by Melissa McCarthy on 'Saturday Night Live.'

This past Easter weekend, McCarthy wore a bunny suit while portraying Spicer, whose shocking suggestion that Adolf Hitler was a lesser evil than Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad raised more than a few eyebrows.

Trump's media mogul pal Rupert Murdoch even counselled Spicer after the embattled White House official made the gaffe.

Spicer's reasoning was that Hitler 'didn't even sink to...using chemical weapons.'

Hitler, of course, notoriously used gas chambers to kill Jews at concentration camps during the Second World War.

Spicer also mistakenly called concentration camps 'Holocaust centers' in the April press conference in Washington, D.C.

Spicer issued several statements after the blunder to apologize and spoke at the Newseum's 'President and the Press' event where he said he let down the president.

'I screwed up,' Spicer said multiple times, explaining that he felt badly about the gaffe on both a personal and professional level. 'From a professional level, I think it's disappointing because I think I let the president down,' he noted.

Radio and television shock jock Howard Stern branded Spicer a 'laughingstock' who speaks 'fluent moron.'

On the April 15 episode of 'Saturday Night Live,' Melissa McCarthy portrayed Sean Spicer wearing an Easter Bunny suit and mocked his gaffe in which he mistakenly called concentration camps 'Holocaust centers'

McCarthy also portrayed Spicer in a cold open for 'Saturday Night Live' on February 11

And in March, Spicer went after reporter April Ryan, a correspondent at American Urban Radio, for 'shaking her head' after she pressed him on the how the White House would give itself an image makeover to try to turn around the Russia story.

'Stop shaking your head again,' Spicer chided her.

'It seems like you're hell-bent on trying to make sure that whatever image you want to tell about this White House stays,' Spicer said.

Ryan asked Spicer at the briefing how the Trump administration would revamp its image after a series of reports about Trump associates and their connections to Russia.

'How does this administration revamp its image two and a half months in?' Ryan asked.

'You've got Russia, you've got wiretapping, you've got other things going on,' said Ryan.

'No, we don't have that,' Spicer said, his voice rising. 'You've got Russia,' he said, sputtering and waving his hands while he spoke.

'I get it, but I've said it from the day that I got here until whatever, that there is no connection,' he said, pushing back on the idea of Trump associates' ties to Russia.

Donald Trump is pictured signing an executive order on April 21. He told attendees at a luncheon: 'I'm not firing Sean Spicer'

'At some point, report the facts,' he admonished the longtime reporter, cutting her off at times.

'I appreciate your agenda here,' Spicer said at one point, again taking on Ryan.

'I'm sorry that disgusts you. You're shaking your head,' he said during one of his answers.

Spicer contended that 'every single person' who had been briefed on the Russia situation, Republican and Democrat, had come to the same conclusion.

'At some point, April, you're going to have to take "No" for an answer with respect to whether or not there was collusion' with Russia.

The day after the controversy, he called on Ryan first, before any of the top TV correspondents, the Associated Press, or the conservative outlets that had drawn his favor of late.
The 'armada' Donald Trump said he was sending to the Korean Peninsula is finally approaching.

Japan is conducting exercises with the U.S. aircraft carrier strike group that's headed for Korean waters.

Trump sent the USS Carl Vinson carrier group as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

The 'armada' Donald Trump said he was sending to the Korean Peninsula is finally approaching

Worry that North Korea could be preparing to conduct another nuclear test or launch more ballistic missiles has increased as it prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.

It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.

Angered by the approach of U.S. aircraft carrier group, a defiant North Korea said on Monday the deployment was 'an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade'.

'The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act,' Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary on Monday.

'What's only laid for aggressors is dead bodies,' the newspaper said.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.

Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country.

The White House said Monday morning that Trump talked to Japan's Shinzo Abe and China's Xi Jinping by phone on Sunday.

China is North Korea's sole major ally but has been angered by its nuclear and missile programs and is frustrated by its belligerence. It has repeatedly called for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Xi is worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated, impoverished neighbor.

Trump, in his phone call with the Chinese president, criticized North Koreas 'continued belligerence' and emphasized that its actions 'are destabilizing the Korean peninsula', the White House said.

'The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,' the statement read.

Trump sent the USS Carl Vinson carrier group - seen here in mid-March - as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions

Xi told Trump China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, China's foreign ministry said.

China 'hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation', the Chinese ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi.

The call between the presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for their countries and the world, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, speaking on NBC's 'Today' show said the United States and the international community were maintaining pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un but were 'not trying to pick a fight with him'.

Asked whether a preemptive strike was under consideration, she said: 'We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something.'

'If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that. But right now, we're saying "don't test, don't use nuclear missiles, don't try and do any more actions," and I think he's understanding that. And China's helping really put that pressure on him.'

Trump also spoke by telephone with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

'We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint,' Abe later told reporters. 'We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly.'

Japan is conducting exercises with the U.S. aircraft carrier strike group that's headed for Korean waters. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers Samidare (L) and Sazanami (R, rear) are seen above

A Japanese official said the phone call between Trump and Abe was not prompted by any specific change in the situation.

The White House said only that they 'addressed a range of regional and global issues of mutual concern.'

Envoys on the North Korean nuclear issue from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is but U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive 'within days'.

South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun gave no details about the South's plan to join the U.S. carrier group for exercises, apart from saying Seoul was holding discussions with the U.S. Navy.

'The South Korean and U.S. militaries are fully ready for North Korea's nuclear test,' Moon said.

South Korean and U.S. officials have feared for some time that North Korea's sixth nuclear test could be imminent.

Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week.

However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a 'tactical pause' before another test or was carrying out normal operations.
A woman who lost her daughter to a murder nearly 20 years ago is once again dealing with tragedy following the violent death of another daughter.

Casey Eaton, 34, was shot dead in a car in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday, according to KSHB-TV.

Police arrested Emenencio Lansdown early Friday morning in connection with Eaton's death.

He faces second-degree murder charges as well as criminal possession of a firearm, KSHB-TV reported.

Local and federal authorities asked for the public's help in finding Lansdown, who evaded capture shortly after the shooting.

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Casey Eaton (left), 34, was shot dead in a car in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday. Police arrested Emenencio Lansdown (right) early Friday morning in connection with Eaton's death

Police in Kansas City received a tip that Lansdown was in a home in a local residence.

Lansdown exchanged gunfire with officers before eventually exiting the residence and surrendering.

Eaton is the older sister of Pamela Butler, the 10-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered in 1999.

Eaton, who was 16 years old at the time, witnessed her sister being kidnapped from her neighborhood.

Eaton's mother, Cherri West (left), lost another daughter, Pamela Butler (right), who was kidnapped in front of her home and murdered in 1999

Searchers, backed up by a FBI evidence recovery specialist, are seen entering a wooded area in Grain Valley, Mo., as they look for evidence related to the disappearance of Butler in 1999

'I can't believe this has happened to me again,' said Cherri West (seen right with Eaton)

A t-shirt showing the images of Casey Eaton and her sister, Pamela Butler, is seen above

Butler's killer, Keith Nelson, was convicted and sentenced to death. He is still on death row awaiting execution.

Nelson kidnapped Pamela as she roller-skated near her home in Kansas City, Kansas, on October 12, 1999, stuffed her into the cab of a pickup truck, drove east into Missouri and stopped in the parking lot of a Grain Valley church.

Butler's killer, Keith Nelson (seen in an undated photo above), was convicted and sentenced to death. He is still on death row awaiting execution

He then dragged her into a densely wooded area, beat her and strangled her with speaker wire.

He was arrested two days later on the bank of the Kansas River.

'I can't believe this has happened to me again,' Cherri West, the mother of Butler and Eaton, told Fox 4 KC.

'You kind of sit back and you wonder what have you done in life for something like this to be done to you.'

'Casey was the oldest sister,' West said.

'She was my biggest helper. Anything that I needed done, like taking the kids to the dentist, do whatever, she did for me because I work.'

West said that when Nelson kidnapped Butler in front of her home, it was Eaton who ran after them.

'She was screaming down the street, and that's where the neighbor on the next block come down and started chasing the truck and lost it, but he got the tag number for us,' West said.

Nelson was sentenced to death in March 2002.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn his sentence in November 2004, opening a second round of appeals that permitted Nelson and a new set of lawyers to argue that he had received ineffective representation in his first appeal.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals returned the case to Kansas City in October 2008, asking the judge to rule on whether Nelsons lawyers had investigated the case properly, raised the necessary objections and done everything possible to explore mental health issues.
Laeticia Brouwer, 17, died after her left leg was bitten off at the hip by a shark as she surfed with her father

The heartbroken parents of a 17-year-old girl who was mauled to death by a great white shark have called for beaches to be made safer - but do not want sharks to be culled.

Laeticia Brouwer died after her left leg was ripped off at the hip by a shark as she surfed off the coast of Esperance, south-east of Perth, in Western Australia with her father.

He dragged her to shore and tried to save her life by using a surfboard leash as a tourniquet, but she ultimately lost too much blood and could not be saved.

Laeticia's death sparked calls for sharks to be culled, but her parents said she would not have wanted animals to suffer.

A statement read on their behalf by the 17-year-old's uncle, Steve Evans, said: 'She loved God deeply and all that he created, taking great pleasure in nature and animals of all kinds.

'If she could save an ant, bug or spider from death she would go to any lengths to do so. The beach has always been a special place and she loved catching the waves with her sisters Alyssa and Eden and, most of all, her dad.

'Her loss is a calling to love God and our neighbour, a calling to preserve life and maintain a healthy balance in creation order.'

The parents added they wanted people to be able to use beaches with 'minimal risk and fear', The West Australian reported.

Hundreds of people attended the memorial service on the beach, with surfers paying tribute to Laeticia by holding hands as they formed a circle in the ocean.

Her family wept during the emotional service and were seen hugging each other as they knelt with Laeticia's surfboard.

Her family wept during an emotional service at the beach on Sunday and were seen hugging each other as they knelt with Laeticia's surfboard

Laeticia's uncle Steve Evans (left) read a statement on behalf of Laeticia's parents (right)

Laeticia had been surfing with her father on April 17 when she let out an ear-piercing scream.

He turned to see her being dragged underwater, but carried her body back to shore with another teenage surfer after she surfaced, The West Australian reported.

Laeticia's mother and two sisters also watched in horror from the beach near Kelps Bed, 3km east of Wylie Bay, as the shark's jaws clamped down on the girl's left leg just before 4pm.

By the time she had been carried ashore, the teenager was unconscious and had lost copious amounts of blood.

The girl's family treated her at the scene while they waited for paramedics to arrive, with a nurse who was on the beach performing CPR on the teenager for 30 minutes.

She was taken by ambulance to Esperance Hospital in a critical conditon and later died.

Laeticia (left, with her family), known affectionately as Teesh by her family, was out surfing with her father near Esperance, Western Australia, last week when she was attacked

Laeticia's father (the family are pictured surfing) heard her ear-piercing scream as she was dragged underwater by the monster predator near Esperance, Western Australia

Hundreds of people (pictured) turned out for a memorial service in Laeticia's honour

The church-going family, from Singleton, north of Mandurah, had been in the area on an Easter holiday.

The WA government has said it will not deploy drum lines following the fatal shark attack.

A hunt for the predator has been called off and demands for a cull have been dismissed.

There have been 15 fatal shark attacks in Western Australia since 2000.

Surfer Sean Pollard was attacked at Wylie Bay in 2014. He lost his right hand and left arm in the attack.

The girl's surfboard, which had a chunk bitten out of the front of it, has been handed to the police for forensic analysis

The girl's mother and two sisters watched in horror from Kelps Bed, 3km east of Wylie Bay, as the shark's jaws clamped down on her leg just before 4pm

Laeticia is the third person to die in a shark attack in Western Australia in a year.

Grandmother Doreen Collyer, 60, died after she was attacked by a great white shark while scuba diving on a reef near Perth on June 5, 2016.

Ben Gerring, 29, was killed by a shark just a day earlier after having his leg severed at Falcon Beach, in Mandurah.

The area where the 17-year-old girl was attacked is isolated and sits about 16kms outside of Esperance.

The remote beaches are surrounded by shrubbery and connected to area towns by lengthy roads.

Esperance is home to the Pink Lake, which is famous for its bright pink water.
The disgraced admiral who was charged in the 'Fat Leonard' Navy corruption scandal began accepting gifts and prostitutes from an Asian defense contractor 20 years ago, court documents claim.

Robert J Gilbeau, 56, became the first ever active-duty Navy admiral to be convicted of a felony when he pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators in 2016.

He will be sentenced next month, and likely faces up to 18 months in prison, according to the Washington Post.

Robert J Gilbeau, 56, (R)became the first ever active-duty Navy admiral to be convicted of a felony when he pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators in 2016 about his relationship with Leonard 'Fat Leonard' Glenn Francis (R)

Last June, Gilbeau admitted to making false statements about contacts with Leonard Glenn Francis, or 'Fat Leonard,' a defense contractor from Singapore who has pleaded guilty to bribing Navy officials.

When he made the plea deal, Gilbeau and federal authorities did not reveal much information about his relationship with 'Fat Leonard'.

However, in new court documents that were filed in a San Diego Federal court and obtained by the Post, prosecutors claim that Gilbeau became involved in the corruption in 1997 when he and another officer met Francis in Bali.

The two officers were working on the USS Boxer, and documents claim that Francis 'plied Gilbeau and another US Navy Officer with hotel rooms, dinners and the service of prostitutes.'

They met again in 2003 during a port call to Singapore while working on the USS Nimitz, and continued frequent interaction from that point on.

During that 2003 visit, prosecutors claim that Francis and Gilbeau conspired to overcharge the Navy for services provided to the Nimitz.

Gilbeau was working on the USS Boxer in 1997 and documents claim that Francis 'plied Gilbeau and another US Navy Officer with hotel rooms, dinners and the service of prostitutes.'

They met again in 2003 during a port call to Singapore while working on the USS Nimitz, and continued frequent conversation from that point on. During that 2003 visit, prosecutors claim that Francis and Gilbeau conspired to overcharge the Navy for services provided to the Nimitz (pictured)

Prosecutors allege that in exchange for approving invoices that billed the Navy for pumping about 450,000 gallons of sewage and wastewater by about triple the usual amount, Gilbeay accepted cash kickbacks of $40,000 from Francis.

They also claim that in 2005, when Gilbeau returned to Singapore to help coordinate the Navy's tsunami relief efforts, he went for many nights out with Francis and stayed at the Singapore Marriott and other hotels several times.

Court records show that Francis provided prostitutes to dozens of Naval officials over years and kept notes so that he could cater to their specific preferences.

The relationship continued on this sporadic basis until 2012, the Post reports, with Francis treating Gilbeau to multiple evenings out at karaoke bars and luxury restaurants in Singapore.

These allegations show that the origins and scope of the scandal, which is the biggest in Navy history, stretch back seven years earlier than originally thought.

Authorities last year said that more than 200 people, including 30 admirals, were under investigation in relation to the scandal.

This new evidence suggests that the number of suspects has increased, potentially significantly, and poses a question of how far into the past authorities will go to hold people accountable.

They also claim that in 2005, when Gilbeau returned to Singapore to help coordinate the Navy's tsunami relief efforts, he went for many nights out with Francis and stayed at the Singapore Marriott (pictured) and other hotels several times

'Fat Leonard' is being held in San Diego while he awaits sentencing, and has admitted to scamming the Navy out of $35million, though investigators suspect the total may have been much larger. His firm did business with the Navy for 25 years.

Gilbeau and his attorneys claim, in court documents, that some of his actions were influenced by injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder that he suffered as a result of a mortar attack in Baghdad in 2007.

He was awarded a purple heart after the attack, which left him with shrapnel in his knee, back trauma, loss of hearing in one ear and a traumatic brain injury. His doctors said he later developed severe depression and PTSD, reported the Post.

However, prosecutors suggest that Gilbeau is exaggerating this condition, and that his mental health symptoms only showed up in 2013 with news of corruption charges and arrests.

'Fat Leonard' is being held in San Diego while he awaits sentencing, and has admitted to scamming the Navy out of $35million, though investigators suspect the total may have been much larger. His firm did business with the Navy for 25 years

When Francis and other Navy officers started being arrested on charges of corruption in 2013, Gilbeau held a key command job in Afghanistan overseeing the logistical withdrawal of American soldiers.

Upon receiving the news of Francis's arrest, Gilbeau began acting irrationally, showing signs of paranoia. He became suicidal, and military officials seized his firearm and evacuated him to a hospital in Germany to be observed, according to medical records.

Doctors said that the behavior might be a result of the mortar attack injuries he suffered in Iraq, but prosecutors think it stems from 'regret over being caught,' reported the Post.

In order to ease his anxiety, he was prescribed a therapy dog (pictured). He now has a fluffy white Cavachon crossbreed named Bella who weighs 16 pounds and accompanies Gilbeau into the courtroom for all of his hearings

In order to ease his anxiety, he was prescribed a therapy dog. Gilbeau now has a fluffy white Cavachon crossbreed named Bella who weighs 16 pounds and accompanies him into the courtroom for all of his hearings.

In a letter to US District Court Judge Janis Sammartino, who will sentence him, Gilbeau referred to himself as 'a broken and ashamed man' before apologizing for his actions.

Under the terms of his plea, he will pay $150,000 in fines and restitution, and Prosecutors are pressing for an 18-month prison sentence, reported the Post.

Court papers show that his attorneys believe he should be spared prison time.

The Navy allowed Gilbeau to retire after 33 years of service, but reduced his rank to captain and discharged him under 'less than honorable' conditions.

He now received a military pension of $111,000 a year, but in court papers his lawyers argue that his demotion has cost him significantly, in that if he had been allowed to retain his rank he would be entitled to $692,000 in pension payments over 40 years.

He also lost up to $2.4million in disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs due to his less-than-honorable discharge.
An Arizona teacher was arrested for allegedly sending sexually explicit photos of herself and masturbating over video chat to a 13-year-old male student.

Kara Loofborough, 26, admitted to both acts when she was arrested on April 20, KPNX reported.

The seventh-grade teacher also admitted letting the victim kiss and touch her breasts.

Kara Loofborough, a 26-year-old seventh grade teacher at an Arizona school, was arrested last week. She admitted to sending sexually explicit photos of herself and masturbating over video chat to a 13-year-old male student. She could face charges of indecent exposure

Possible charges that could be levied against her include indecent exposure and luring a minor for sexual exploitation.

The 13-year-old boy told police that Loofborough had showed him photos of her breasts and genitalia.

She had also shown him pornographic videos including a video in which she performed oral sex on a man, police said.

Loofborough told police that she knew the boy was 13 years old.

Loofborough had been a teacher at Fees College Preparatory Middle School in Tempe but had not been on the campus since March 15. The school said she had no criminal history prior to being hired

She had been a teacher at Fees College Preparatory Middle School in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.

She had not been on the campus since March 15 and resigned for 'personal reasons' on March 30.

She had been a teacher at the school since August 2016.

In a letter sent to parents the day after Loofborough's arrest, the Tempe Elementary School District wrote: 'At the time she was hired, she had no criminal history reported based on the Districts fingerprint and record check with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and her background check by the District revealed no adverse findings.'

The district added: 'As always, the education, welfare, and safety of our students is our main priority.

'This situation is extremely disturbing for everyone, but we must continue to be focused on teaching and learning for our students and to allow Tempe Police Department to conduct a thorough investigation.'
AFL club Port Adelaide have had their horror run of headlines continue, with a star player at the club involved in a late night confrontation over the weekend.

The club is currently investigating the role of one of its players in an alleged fight at a bar in beach-side Glenelg on Saturday night.

It's reported Jackson Trengove, who showed up to the club on Monday morning with a bruised left-eye, is the player involved in the incident.

A number of comments on social media suggest Trengove may have been coward punched from behind as he helped a female patron outside the Moseley Bar and Kitchen.

AFL club Port Adelaide have had their horror run of headline making continue, with star player Jackson Trengove (left) allegedly involved in a late night incident in Adelaide over the weekend

It's believed Trengove, who showed up to the club on Monday morning with a bruised left-eye, is the player involved in the incident

The 26-year-old looked sore as he walked into the club's training facilities at Alberton Oval on Monday, however the club refused to confirm that he was the player involved in the incident in a statement.

'Port Adelaide is aware of reports alleging one of its players was involved in an incident outside an Adelaide bar on Saturday night,' the statement read.

'The club is investigating the matter and will not be making further comment until it has all the information at hand.'

South Australian police are said to be aware of the incident and investigating, but are yet to lay any charges.

However comments on social media suggest Trengove may have been coward punched from behind as he helped a female patron outside the Moseley Bar and Kitchen in Glenelg

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, SA police said they were investigating two incidents at the Moseley Bar and Kitchen (pictured), in Moseley Square, in the city's south

Trengove's role in any incident remains unclear, however his Wikipedia page was anonymously altered on Monday to say he 'likes to beat people up on his days off'

On Monday afternoon retired Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes tweeted that Trengove had been cleared of any wrongdoing over the incident and would be free to play this weekend

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, SA police said they were investigating two incidents at the bar in the early hours of Sunday.

The first call at 12.30am was for a male patient who did not require treatment. Little more than an hour later at 1.40am police and paramedics attended a priority call after an alleged assault.

On arrival a man was found conscious after an alleged fight in which he was struck in the head. He was taken to a nearby hospital.

Trengove's role in any incident remains unclear, however his Wikipedia page was anonymously altered on Monday to say he 'likes to beat people up on his days off'.
The Australian Defence Force has published extraordinary images of its planes dropping bombs on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.

It includes dramatic footage of missiles destroying a former agricultural compound in northern Iraq which ISIS used to make bombs.

Footage of the exploding weapons-manufacturing site illustrates the contribution Australia is making to the American-led war on terror in the Middle East.

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The Australian Defence Force has published the bombing an ISIS target in northern Iraq

Australian military personnel are in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation OKRA's terror fight

An Australian Air Force pilot is on duty as part of a U.S.-led campaign against ISIS

The Australian military has publicised the capability of its fighter Hornet jets in the Middle East, two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Syrian air force bases to thwart President Bashar al-Assad.

Australian F/A-18A fighter jets have been deployed as part of Operation OKRA's fight against the Islamist terror group, ISIS.

The ADF has tweeted vision of its jets 'striking targets to disrupt and degrade Daesh' - the Arabic term for Islamic State which the terror group violently objects to.

The Australian military's Air Task Group has flown been increasingly active in the former ISIS strongholds since the start of 2017, when Mr Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

The Australian Defence Force's F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets are active in Iraq and Syria

Australian has sent 780 Defence Force personnel to Iraq and Syria to destroy ISIS

An Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter bombing an ISIS bombing making factory in northern Iraq

The Department of Defence has confirmed that about 780 ADF personnel have been sent to the Middle East.

Of those men and women in uniform, about 300 are part of the Air Task Group, about 80 linked to the Special Operations Task Group and about 300 to Task Group Taji, the Herald Sun reported.

The footage also shows aircraft being refuelled midair by a KC-30a multi-role tanker.

The vision was shared on the official Twitter account for HQ Joint Task Force 633, which exercises command and control over the ADF in the Middle East region.
An experienced halal butcher charged with murder had a one-hour window in which to decapitate his friend and dispose of his body, a court has heard.

According to the prosecution, Mohammed Khan drove from his Rockhampton home to the banks of a muddy inlet of the Fitzroy River and brutally murdered fishing buddy and colleague Syied Alam, on the night of April 5, 2016.

He then returned home and later went out again with friends, the Brisbane Supreme Court heard on Monday.

'On the prosecution case he managed to do that within this hour time period without leaving any forensic traces in his vehicle and without anybody evidencing any actions by him to either clean himself, to change clothes or to clean the vehicle in anyway,' defence barrister James Godbolt said.

SES volunteers discovered the headless, decomposing remains of Syied Alam (pictured)

'There is absolutely no forensic evidence at all to suggest Mr Khan has in any way been involved in the killing.'

Ten days after the alleged murder SES volunteers discovered the headless, decomposing remains of Mr Alam.

They also found a small tomahawk and his head, wrapped in black jeans, nearby.

An autopsy revealed Mr Alam's neck had been cut with a sharp knife or similar weapon before a heavier blade was used to cleave his head from his neck.

According to the prosecution, Mohammed Khan (pictured) drove from his Rockhampton home to the banks of a muddy inlet of the Fitzroy River and brutally murdered fishing buddy and colleague Syied Alam

Khan was on Monday denied bail, with crown prosecutor Jodie Wooldridge telling the court he had both the skill and means to murder Mr Alam.

The experienced halal slaughterman, she said, had the knowledge and access to tools to carry out the 'unique execution.'

The tomahawk was similar to one Khan had been seen with at his home, she said.

Khan's motive to murder Mr Alam, who he had lived and worked with for years after first meeting him in immigration detention, was an affair, she said.

Ms Wooldridge said Khan knew his alleged victim's brother was sleeping with his wife and had also been shown a naked selfie his wife had sent the man.

Khan's (pictured) motive to murder Mr Alam, who he had lived and worked with for years after first meeting him in immigration detention, was an affair, she said

But witness statements suggested this was likely not a strong motive, Mr Godbolt said.

'The motive makes no logical sense,' he said.

'Surely the gripe you would have would be with the person having the affair.'

Justice Glenn Martin agreed the motive was unclear.

'Where's the motive? Why kill a man?' He asked.

Ms Wooldridge argued that if granted bail Khan could interfere with witnesses and may flee and avoid court due to the serious nature of the charges.

Justice Martin found Mr Godbolt had not shown cause why Khan's detention was unjustified and refused bail.

Khan's matter will return to court for mention in May.
Follows criticism of 'sexist' banners to advertise New Year's Eve 'frat party'

It was immediately slammed as 'tasteless' and disrespectful to veterans

A pub has come under fire for a 'tasteless' promotion for its Anzac Day eve party featuring a 'GI Jane' dress up contest.

The Brass Monkey Hotel in Perth put up a poster on its Facebook page featuring a blonde female dressed as a soldier wearing fatigues and holding an assault rifle.

The ad included the tagline 'celebrating sisters that (sic) serve' and made heavy use of hot pink colouring for the event's name, date, drink specials and dress up contest.

Perth pub The Brass Monkey came under fire for a 'tasteless' promotion for its Anzac Day eve party featuring a 'GI Jane' dress up contest

The Brass Monkey (pictured) spruiked $5 spirits, $13 jugs of beer, a DJ, 'prizes for best dressed', and a change to win a $100 bar tab if they tagged three friends in the post

It spruiked $5 spirits, $13 jugs of beer, a DJ, 'prizes for best dressed', and a change to win a $100 bar tab if they tagged three friends in the post.

The poster also included a handful of bullets casually placed to fill space between the GI Jane figure and the event details.

GI Jane is a female character in the iconic 'GI Joe' line of military-themed action figure toys, named after a slang term for U.S. Army soldiers.

Brass Monkey's Facebook page was immediately inundated with outraged comments calling the party and its poster 'tasteless' and disrespectful.

The slimmed-down version of the ad that was used as the pub's Facebook cover photo

Brass Monkey's Facebook page was immediately inundated with outraged comments calling the party and its poster 'tasteless' and disrespectful

'Is this a joke? You guys have stooped to new lows,' one wrote.

'Anzac eve is nothing to be celebrated Brass Monkey Hotel and should not be used in any form of party related marketing,' another wrote.

The poster was swiftly removed from the pub's Facebook page but no apology was posted.

This was not the first time the historic nightspot was criticised for edgy event advertising, as it was slammed in December for hanging 'sexist' banners on its balcony.

The banners, advertising its New Year's Eve Frat Party, read: 'Our couches pull out, but we don't', 'drop your freshmen daughters off here', and 'you teach her morals, we'll teach her oral'.

This was not the first time the historic nightspot was criticised for edgy event advertising, as it was slammed in December for hanging 'sexist' banners on its balcony

The banners, advertising its New Year's Eve Frat Party, read: 'Our couches pull out, but we don't', 'drop your freshmen daughters off here', and 'you teach her morals, we'll teach her oral'

Management issued an apology that time, promising not to put them up again.

'The team meant no offence or harm to anyone by the messages written on these banners and can see how they are inappropriate,' it wrote.

This incident was not forgotten by those angered by the Anzac Day promotion, who immediately demanded that heads should roll for the stunt.

'Oh boy. Last time could be passed off as a rogue promoter. This time clearly shows your management team needs the sack,' one wrote.

Management issued an apology that time, but has so far only taken down the Anzac Day event poster from its page without comment

Not everyone was offended, however, with one woman claiming to be a Women's Royal Australian Army Corps veteran writing that she was 'not offended by this at all... thanks for acknowledging the ladies'.

The pub faced more controversy in December when a bouncer was filmed repeatedly kicking a young man who was asked to leave for being a nuisance.

Under the Protection of Word 'Anzac' Act 1920, 'permission from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs is generally required to use the word 'Anzac' in a commercial context'.

Women have served in Australia armed forces since 1899 but were only allowed to join front light fighting units from 2013.
The biennial budget bill heading for Gov. Steve Bullocks desk will save state money by shifting incarceration costs to counties.

House Bill 2 limits the state to paying $69 a day for state prisoners held in county jails. The actual costs per inmate at jails in Bozeman, Kalispell, Billings and other counties is up to $97.

In January, sheriffs sought a state law that would reimburse counties the actual costs of incarcerating state inmates in county jails. House Bill 230, sponsored by Rep. Don Jones, R-Billings, specified how actual costs would be calculated. The state has been transferring the obligation of the state on to the citizens of the county, Jones said at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. This has to change.

The bill was cosponsored eight other Republicans, including Rep. Dale Mortensen and Sen. Tom Richmond of Billings.

Flathead County doesnt want the state prisoners, Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry told the committee, noting that he had 18 state inmates in his jail at that time. We need our beds for our own prisoners.

At $69, its not worth us housing DOC (Department of Corrections) inmates, Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin said.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said his jail is at crisis point with 30 DOC inmates.

We have a major problem with overcrowding, Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder told lawmakers. If were going to house state inmates, weve got to get paid what it costs to house them.

In 2013, DOC was paying Yellowstone County $76.94 a day to house state inmates, according to Linder. In the last days of the 2013 Legislature, a provision was slipped into the budget bill, capping the rate to all jails at $69, unless the county demonstrated its actual costs were higher. Even then, the state payment was capped at $72.50. Linder successfully argued for $72.50.

Starting July 1, according to the new budget bill, that payment will be cut to $69, although Yellowstone Countys actual costs are $96.90 per day per inmate. The jail in Billings typically holds 60 to 90 DOC inmates.

Linders worries are even bigger because the state budget will cap payments for Montana Highway Patrol inmates at $69 a day, too. The Billings jail often holds 10-15 MHP inmates.

Harold Blattie, executive director of the Montana Association of Counties, estimated that the state is shifting $600,000 of its costs to taxpayers in the counties that hold state inmates.

Jones and the sheriffs convinced the Judiciary Committee, which voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 230. The full House approved it 95-5. The fairness of paying actual costs is undeniable.

Then the bill went to House Appropriations, and there it died. The bills fiscal note stated that 23 of the 39 counties contracting with DOC have actual costs exceeding $69. Paying actual costs could add about $2.1 million a year to state expenses, the fiscal note estimated.

The appropriations committee may have acted to balance the state budget, but it did not reduce taxpayers cost. Instead of the state paying its legally mandated obligation, the new budget exacerbates the cost shift to counties.

When legislators return home from the 2017 session, their official duty will be completed till January 2019. Sheriffs and counties will struggle with legislative decisions till then.
Jeremy Corbyn pleaded with Scots not to support the 'vicious' Tories today as he fights to avoid an electoral wipeout north of the border.

Amid signs that Labour could lose its last remaining Scottish seat, the veteran left-winger urged voters not to write off his chances of winning the keys to Downing Street.

It is the first time Mr Corbyn has ventured to Scotland since Theresa May fired the starting gun on the snap election last week.

But the veteran left-winger is not expected to visit Labour's final stronghold of Edinburgh South.

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured giving a speech to a union conference in Scotland, is fighting to avert a wipeout north of the border with polls showing the party could lose its sole remaining MP

Mr Corbyn told the conference that he needed the help of Scots to defeat the 'vicious' Tories

The row over his lax attitude to security has also dogged Mr Corbyn - as the conference he is addressing is due to vote against renewing Trident nuclear weapons.

In a car-crash interview yesterday, Mr Corbyn made clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent and would stop airstrikes on ISIS in Syria.

Addressing the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Aviemore, the veteran left-winger said: 'Labour will never, ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement, you are our family.

'That is why one of the very first things we will do when forming our Labour Government will be to repeal the vicious Tory Trade Union Act. Giving working people the rights to collectively organise and make their lives better, safer and more content.

Theresa May was pictured leaving Tory headquarters today as the campaign was drawn up

'We will open inquiries into blacklisting and Orgreave. And we urge the Scottish Government to set up an inquiry into the actions of the Scottish police during the miners' strike.'

A Labour government would 'challenge the rigged system that is holding our country back' and would 'stand for the many not the few'.

Mr Corbyn added: 'While the timing of the election was unexpected, the choice is clear and the stakes are high. Let no-one be in any doubt, we are in this election to win it and we will fight for every seat in every corner of these isles.

'The choice facing the country is clear. It's the people versus the powerful.'

Labour is also promising workers a 'real living wage of 10 an hour' by 2020 and to end the cap on public sector pay.

Mr Corbyn also vowed: 'We will end the need for food banks.

'We will upgrade our economy to create wealth for all through investment in our infrastructure, helping our small businesses, delivering high skill jobs and ending poverty pay.

'We will put conditions on the massive public spending budget with private business to ensure no company wins a public contract if they avoid or evade taxes, don't pay their local suppliers on time, or don't recognise trade unions.

A Panelbase poll of voters intentions in the Westminster election found the Tories, led in Scotland by Ruth Davidson, on 33 per cent - 11 points behind the SNP but an extraordinary 20 clear of Labour

Nationwide polls show the Conservative Party with a commanding lead and on track to extend their majority at the election on June 8

'We will never put tax giveaways to corporations and the wealthiest above our vital public services like our social care system and NHS. And we will give schools and colleges, those engines of opportunity, the funding they need.'

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said all Mr Corbyn offered was the potential to 'put our country's future at risk' by helping the SNP's demands for independence.

An ICM poll for the Guardian today put the Tories 21 points ahead of Labour, enough to deliver a massive majority.

A Panelbase survey over the weekend laid bare the grim picture for Labour in Scotland - suggesting it is on track to lose its last stronghold of Edinburgh South.

By contrast, a Conservative surge could see its 2015 tally of one Scottish MP increase to as many as 12 at the general election on June 8.

The survey, conducted for the Sunday Times, found the Tories were on 33 per cent north of the border - 11 points behind the SNP but 20 per cent ahead of Labour.

If 11 new seats did fall to the Tories it would be the party's best performance in Scotland since the 1970's and end a near wipe out that began in the 1980s.

Speaking at a trade union conference in Scotland later, Mr Corbyn will pledge to repeal legislation imposing tougher rules on the bodies, and also commit to inquiries into the practice of blacklisting, and the 'Battle of Orgreave' in the miners' strike.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson warned that Mr Corbyn would 'put our nation's future at risk'

Labour currently only holds Edinburgh South, down from 41 seats before the 2015 ballot that saw the SNP tsunami sweep 56 out of the 59 Scottish seats.

Ms Davidson said: 'The choice for Scottish voters at this election is between the Conservatives standing up for the Union and focusing on getting the best deal in the Brexit negotiations, or Jeremy Corbyn and the SNP putting our nation's future at risk.

'Corbyn couldn't be bothered to campaign in the independence referendum and he has already said he would do a deal with the SNP. And the last time he was in Scotland he said he was 'absolutely fine' with a second referendum.

'On top of that, there's no way he could get a good deal from the other European leaders.

'Only the Conservatives can bring the SNP's nationalist caravan to a halt and provide the leadership we need to get the best possible deal out of Europe.'

Corbyn is endorsed by the COMMUNIST PARTY amid warnings the election could be even worse for Labour than polls suggest

Jeremy Corbyn suffered fresh embarrassment today when he was endorsed by the Communist Party.

The tiny party said it would not field any candidates on June 8 for the first time since 1920 - because the Labour leader is so in tune with its extreme left wing views.

The support will cause more dismay among moderate MPs after Mr Corbyn's car-crash interview yesterday in which he made clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent, and would halt airstrikes against ISIS.

Writing in the Morning Star, Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths praised Mr Corbyn's policy platform of nationalisation and bolstering the trade unions.

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured on TV yesterday, is expected to lead Labour to a humiliating defeat

'Therefore our members will be campaigning for a Labour victory as the essential first step towards the formation of a left-led government at Westminster,' he wrote.

'In every general election since the formation of the CP in 1920, we have stood our own candidates, not least in 2015 when we fielded nine.

'Now, on this occasion, we we will not contest any seats, although this does not signal any withdrawal from the electoral arena in the future.'

It comes as a respected academic warned the polls could actually be underestimating the scale of the defeat Labour is facing.

The party is faring even worse in its heartlands than the overall vote intention figures suggest, according to analysis by Chris Hanretty, a reader in politics at the University of East Anglia.
A teenage mother who gave birth to her daughter when she was just 16-years-old has bravely allowed the public to ask her any question.

For a new MailOnline experiment, Hope Victoria Jones, from south London, took to the streets of the capital with a sign that said: 'I'm a teen mum. Ask any question.'

The 19-year-old is a YouTube vlogger whose videos about being a young mum have been viewed thousands of times online.

So what did the public ask this brave teen mum?

Hope is also a full-time carer for her two-year-old daughter Alina and is engaged to her daughter's father Jonathan, 19.

The vlogger, who completed her GCSEs while pregnant and went to college, said: 'I wanted to do this so I could change the stigma of being a teen mum.

'I wanted to portray teen mums in a different way.'

A teenage mother who gave birth to her daughter when she was just 16 years old has bravely allowed the public to ask her any question

Hope (right) is a vlogger and full-time carer for her two-year-old daughter Alina (left) and is engaged to her daughter's father Jonathan (centre)

She added: 'I was surprised by how open-minded the public were and just how supportive they can be.

'They were all really encouraging which made me feel great.'

The teen mum said: 'My pregnancy didn't come as a complete shock but it certainly wasn't planned.'
This is the husband who saved his British wife from being savaged by a shark by punching it in the nose off the coast of a remote holiday island in the Atlantic.

Frankie Gonsalves, a member of the St Helena government, was attacked near English Bay at around 4pm on Saturday while snorkelling with her husband Dean.

The shark savaged her leg but Dean bravely fought back, punching the shark on the nose and forcing it to retreat off the coast of Ascension Island.

This is the husband who saved his British wife from being savaged by a shark (pictured together, Dean and Frankeie Gonsalves), by punching it in the nose

Frankie Gonsalves (pictured), a member of the St Helena government, was attacked near English Bay at around 4pm on Saturday

Mrs Gonsalves (pictured) was airlifted to hospital and is now receiving treatment for her injuries

It is not yet known if Dean (pictured with Frankie) was injured, or the extent of his wife's injuries

Dean bravely fought back, punching the shark on the nose and forcing it to retreat off the coasT of Ascension Island (pictured, stock image)

She was airlifted to hospital and is now receiving treatment for her injuries, The Times reports.

Gonslaves was taken to Georgetown Hospital on Ascension Island, before being airlifted for treatment in the UK, according to the BBC.

The extent of her injuries is unclear. A witness said the shark also attacked her husband, though it is not known if he was also injured.

St Helena is a British Overseas Territory located 1,150 miles (1,850km) off the west coast of Africa, and incorporates the islands of St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

The government employee was taken to Gerogetown Hosptial, on remote Ascension Island, before later being flown to the UK for treatment

The territory is self-governing, though the UK is responsible for providing defense as well as managing its internal security and international relations.

The remote islands, which sit thousands of miles apart, have a combined population of just 6,000 and are linked to the outside world only by boat.

Ascension Island does have a hotel, and is a popular destination for fishing and scuba diving holidays.
A quick-thinking lorry driver delivered more than he bargained for when he knocked out a fleeing criminal suspect who was running from a police chase.

Video footage shows the suspected thief running down a road in Bogota, Columbia desperately trying to evade police.

The helpful lorry driver quickly opens his door at the critical moment when the suspect was head-height to his lorry door.

The suspected thief can be seen reaching into a vehicle and running off when he sees police approach. The gang member drops a white object - which looks like a bag - as he flees

Officers from Colombia's Police Sijin run in hot pursuit after the suspect but he is ahead of them as he runs down a busy street in Bogota - Colombia's capital

The quick door-opening action catches the thief right on target and slaps him hard in the face instantly knocking him to the ground.

This fast reflex helps police - who were hot in his pursuit - to handcuff and arrest the dazed suspect as he was still on the ground.

Colombian news channel RCN News released the video of the moment the thief was floored as an officer from the countrys Police Sijin pursued him, The Sun reports.

The lorry-floored criminal was a member of the La Pluma gang which is known to steal from cars in Colombias capital.

A quick-thinking lorry driver opens his door at the critical moment, slapping the unsuspecting fleeing criminal in his face, knocking him to the ground and allowing police to catch up

Police officers quickly handcuff and arrest the man who is a member of the La Pluma gang which is known to steal from cars in Colombias capital

Police also arrested nine other members of his gang this week, Publimetro reports.

The ten gang members were all arrested for aggravated theft and face more than ten years in prison.

The speedy thieves acted in small groups and could break into a vehicle and steal all the contents in less than one minute.

The criminal organization minutely planned each theft and police believe that members of the gang have been operating in the capital's centre for more than 30 years.
A fire has ripped through a metal scrapyard in Sydney's west.

About 30 firefighters are working to put out the blaze, which began at the site on Sunnyholt Road near Blacktown around 5pm on Monday, according to 9News.

Clouds of heavy smoke can be seen in the area and flames are flicking several meters into the air.

Crews are using excavators to get access to the scrapyard.

There are no reported injuries.

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About 30 firefighters are working to extinguish an intense fire at a metal scrapyard in Sydney's west

The blaze began at the site on Sunnyholt Road near Blacktown on Monday afternoon

It will be several hours until firefighters will be able to gain control the fire, according to 9News.

A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said 15 fire trucks were dispatched to the fire.

It is anticipated more trucks are en route.

Surrounding streets have been shut down in the meantime, causing heavy traffic.

Clouds of heavy smoke can be seen in the area and crews are using excavators to get into the scrapyard
Three Islamic State jihadis have reportedly been killed by rampaging wild boars near Iraqi farmland.

The three Islamic State militants were cut down by the feral boar known to inhabit Kirkuk in the the al-Rashad region, a local news site claims.

They attacked the militants and left three killed, Iraqi News reports.

Three Islamic State militants trying to rid Iraqi farmland of a wild boars infestation were killed, according to an Iraqi news site. ISIS claimed the land in 2014 and regular execute civilians across the region (stock)

'Islamic State militants took revenge at the pigs that attacked the farmland,' though reports of how the fighters died remain unclear.

Thousands of civilians in the Kirkuk region fled to refugee camps following the Islamic State emergence in 2014.

ISIS continue to hold the land despite calls for the government to engage and force them back.

However, the Iraqi government is currently locked in a six-month-old campaign to retake Mosul, ISIS's biggest stronghold in Iraq.

It is expected that the government will launch further offensives against IS havens across Iraq once the campaign in Mosul is won.

Islamic State militants have regularly executed civilians in Kirkuk over accusations of collaboration with security forces or for attempting to flee to refugee camps.
The heir to a multi-million pound fortune has claimed he single-handedly fought off a 'laughing' balaclava-clad axe murderer who butchered his entire family in their beds.

Henri van Breda is accused of murdering father Martin, mother Teresa, brother Rudi and attempting to kill sister Marli in Cape Town in 2015.

If acquitted, he stands to inherit part of his family's 12million fortune.

In court on Monday the 21-year-old pleaded not guilty, claiming he watched helpless through a crack in a bathroom door as a silhouetted man wielding an axe murdered his loved ones.

Henri van Breda, 21, denied killing his parents and brother and attempting to murder his sister as he appeared in court in Cape Town on Monday

Van Breda instead claimed his family were butchered by a 'laughing' axe murderer as he watched through a crack in a door, before he fought the intruder off

Prosecutors say Henri (left) murdered father Martin (right), mother Teresa (front right), brother Rudi (center) and tried to kill sister Marli (front left)

Van Breda claimed the man set upon his older brother in the early hours of the morning as he lay sleeping in his bed.

Van Breda said his shouts for help woke his 54-year-old father who turned on the light and 'lunged at the attacker' to defend his son.

But he was also cut down by the killer  'who was laughing' throughout the ordeal, Van Breda's statement claimed.

Despite being aware that a 'frozen' Van Breda was watching, the masked intruder then targeted the sleeping figures of mother-of-three Theresa, 55, and schoolgirl Marli, according to a statement read by defense lawyer Pieter Botha.

It was only after he had left four members of the wealthy family dead or dying, that the killer confronted the witness, whose statement described a life-and-death struggle during which he was slashed and stabbed with a knife.

As his brother laying writhing and 'gurgling' on the nearby bed, Van Breda said he managed to wrestle the axe out of the killer's hands and bludgeon him with it.

When the killer came at him with a knife, he fought back as the blade was plunged into his side in the violent struggle, he claims.

Marli, the sole survivor of the attack, has been listed as the prosecution's main witness, but lawyers are reportedly argonising over whether to call her

It has been reported that Mali can remember nothing of the night she was found with a severed jugular and left in a coma

As his attacker fled down the stairs, Van Breda said he gave chase, throwing the axe again at him, before falling and injuring himself.

According to reports, Van Breda's injuries were described by medical examiners as 'superficial' and 'self inflicted'.

An 'angry exchange' of voices convinced him there was more than one intruder in the house, the court heard.

Van Breda said he was delayed from calling for help for four hours after the murders because he did not know the number to dial.

He said he called his girlfriend to get the number, but she failed to pick up.

After having a cigarette to 'calm' himself, he returned to the bloodbath upstairs before blacking out.

'I could hear Rudi and saw Marli moving about next to my mum who was not moving,' his statement read. 'I then lost consciousness.'

He only woke some hours later when it was light, he claimed, and successfully phoned for help.

The first officer to arrive on the scene told the court how Van Breda 'smelled strongly of alcohol' when he came to the door and appeared 'nervous, not crying, but emotional'.

Van Breda (pictured outside court on Monday) said it took him four hours to phone for help because he did not know the right number to call

If Van Breda is found not guilty he will be in line to inherit money from the sale of the family home, worth 400,000, and a mansion in Queensland, valued at 1.9million

Sergeant Adrian Kleynhans testified that a blood-smeared Van Breda said nothing about the attack on his family, and the house 'didn't fit with my experience of a crime scene'.

'There was a laptop on the table, plugged into the wall, there was a handbag on the table. The TV was still there,' the officer said.

Wearing a grey suit and dark blue shirt, Van Breda looked unemotional, sitting behind his lawyer as his account was read to the court.

Private schoolgirl Marli, now 18, is listed as a state's witness against her brother  but prosecutors are agonising over whether to call her to give evidence or not.

Marli, the sole survivor and witness, reportedly remembers nothing about the night her throat was slashed and she was left in a coma.

The siblings have had only supervised contact since the grisly triple murder.

Since the killings Van Breda has been living at a series of bed and breakfasts with his girlfriend Danielle Janse van Rensburg (pictured together at court last week)

The murder weapons, a large kitchen knife and an axe weighing 10lbs, were carried into court by a police officer.

Martin Van Breda amassed a fortune from property and other investments while living in Perth, Australia, for seven years.

Shortly before the murders, he moved back to South Africa with his family to cash in on a lucrative business deal.

Mr Botha, who is representing Van Breda, was on the team that secured an acquittal for Shrien Dewani, a British millionaire who was accused of ordering the assassination of his new bride during their 2010 honeymoon to Cape Town.

Tomorrow, the court will reconvene at the one-time family home where the massacre took place.

It was recently and quietly sold off for 400,000, little more than half of the going rate for such a coveted address.

A property acquire by the family on Australia's Sunshine Coast was also recently put up for sale for 1.9million.

Whether Van Breda will inherit his parents wealth remains to be seen - as under South African law, no one convicted of killing can profit financially from their crimes.

Van Breda denies three charges of murder, one of attempted murder and one of perverting the course of justice.
Jeremy Corbyn suffered fresh embarrassment today when he was endorsed by the Communist Party.

The tiny party said it would not field any candidates on June 8 for the first time since 1920 - because the Labour leader is so in tune with its extreme left wing views.

The support will cause more dismay among moderate MPs after Mr Corbyn's car-crash interview yesterday in which he made clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent, and would halt airstrikes against ISIS.

It comes as a respected academic warned the polls could actually be underestimating the scale of the defeat Labour is facing.

The party is faring even worse in its heartlands than the overall vote intention figures suggest, according to analysis by Chris Hanretty, a reader in politics at the University of East Anglia.

Mr Corbyn is delivering a speech to a union conference in Scotland today as he fights to avoid electoral wipeout north of the border

Writing in the Morning Star, Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths praised Mr Corbyn's policy platform of nationalisation and bolstering the trade unions.

'Therefore our members will be campaigning for a Labour victory as the essential first step towards the formation of a left-led government at Westminster,' he wrote.

'In every general election since the formation of the Communist Party in 1920, we have stood our own candidates, not least in 2015 when we fielded nine.

'Now, on this occasion, we we will not contest any seats, although this does not signal any withdrawal from the electoral arena in the future.'

Mr Corbyn is struggling to get his campaign back on track today after his appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday, in which he spelt out his lax approach to national security.

In the wake of the interview a series of Labour frontbenchers surfaced to contradict his suggestion that Trident may not be renewed if he won the keys to Downing Street.

The party also issued a statement insisting its policy was to back keeping the nuclear deterrent.

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffiths said today: 'It is very firmly our policy,' she told the BBC's Daily Politics show today.

Frontbench sources told MailOnline today that keeping the deterrent would be in the Labour manifesto 'whatever Jeremy Corbyn may or may not have said'.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon branded Mr Corbyn a 'security risk' and said he could not be allowed to take charge of the country.

Tory MP Amanda Milling highlighted the Communist Party's policies. 'Let this sink in: Jeremy Corbyn has been endorsed today by a party who want to close down businesses, leave the protection of NATO and hike up taxes to a level never seen before in this country,' she said.

Labour has been trailing the Tories by over 20 percentage points in some polls, ICM research for the Guardian today put Mrs May's advantage at a hefty 21 points.

Theresa May, pictured out on the campaign trail on Saturday, is expected to lead the Tories to a storming victory on June 8

But Mr Hanretty raised the prospect that the result could end up being even worse for Mr Corbyn's party because of the way voters were falling in key constituencies.

In a blog post, he wrote: 'For Labour, the picture is not good. They are falling backwards in seats that they already hold.'

He added: 'An increase of seven percentage points in Labour-held seats would, coupled with a fall in the Labour vote in those seats, represent a major incursion into Labour territory.'

Mr Hanretty said the polls may 'represent an under-estimate of Conservative strength in these seats, and an over-estimate of Labour strength'.

He added: 'These figures represent the state of play in December of last year, using weights from even earlier.

'As I have already said, wave 10 of the BES, when weighted using the weights from the previous wave, under-estimates the increase in the Conservative vote share seen in current opinion polls.

'If all these swings are increased (or decreased) to bring them in line with current polling, the results could be truly disastrous for Labour.

'They would end up with fewer seats than would be predicted using a uniform national swing, because they would have fallen back in areas where the Conservatives are on the attack.'

Meanwhile, a poll yesterday found that the Tories could win as many as 12 Scottish seats at the election.

In what would be an audacious raid on Nicola Sturgeon's electoral heartlands, Theresa May's party is hoping to add to its single Scottish seat.

A Panelbase poll of voters intentions in the Westminster election found the Tories, led in Scotland by Ruth Davidson, on 33 per cent - 11 points behind the SNP but 20 per cent ahead of Labour.

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured on TV yesterday, is expected to lead Labour to a humiliating defeat
A husband accused of murdering his wife was charged after police downloaded information from her FitBit to track her final moments.

Richard Dabate, 40, claimed a man who sounded like Vin Diesel had broke into his house, tied him up and shot dead his wife Connie on December 23, 2015.

Connie Dabate was found dead at their home in Connecticut by police.

Richard Dabate, right, claimed an intruder shot dead his wife Connie, left, in December 2015

Police examined Mrs Dabate's FitBit which seemed to contradict Dabate's version of events

Dabate said his wife arrived home as he was struggling with an intruder who incapacitated him

As police investigated the case, they discovered that Dabate had been having an affair with a woman he knew since childhood who became pregnant and wanted him to leave his wife.

In text messages, he told his lover that he and his wife were 'on the same page' for an divorce.

However, weeks before the murder, the Hartford Courant found messages between Debate and his wife. One in November 2015 - a month before the murder - read: 'I'm ready for u big boy.'

An electronic trawl through the couple's lives found a file on his wife's phone dated December 2014, 'Why I want a divorce.'

Police records show Dabate had obtained a secret card from which he spent $1,200 at a strip club and stays at a local hotel. He also used the credit card to pay for flowers for his girlfriend.

Dabate had a secret pregnant mistress and also spent more than a $1,000 in a strip club without his wife, right, knowing according to documents submitted to the court

The records on Connie's FitBit showed she had been moving more than an hour after Dabate claimed she had been murdered by an intruder.

According to district attorney Craig Stedman: 'To say it is rare to use FitBit records would be safe. It is an electronic footprint that tracks your movements. It is a great tool for investigators to use. We can also get the information much faster than some other types of evidence such as DNA tests.'

Police studied CCTV footage from the gym and saw Connie leaving at 9.18am. Her FitBit was idle for nine minutes as she drove home.

She then posted two videos to Facebook using her cellphone.

At 10.05, her FitBit stopped moving after she traveled 1,217 feet inside her home.

At 10.11 the alarm went off at their home and at 10.16 the alarm company rang the state police.

At 10.20, Dabate called 911 to report the murder. He told police his wife had been killed an hour earlier, however detectives believe the CCTV footage from the gym, data on Connie's FitBit and her Facebook posts prove otherwise.

He was found by police tied to a chair on the kitchen floor, and said the masked home invader had shot his wife dead in the garage during a chase through their home.

Dabate claimed he was tied to the chair after the man had murdered his wife, but scared the intruder off by kicking a blowtorch at his head.
Doctors in China seem to have found a new way to help reduce their patients' anxiety: to let them play on their phones.

Ms Zhu, a 69-year-old patient, was too nervous to undergo an operation last month, so her surgeon allowed her to use her handset during the surgery as she said it could help her relax.

Doctor Zhu Yuefeng from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital said that being able to play with her phone had made the elderly patient 'happy'.

A patient in China played on her mobile phone during an operation so she could feel relaxed

The surgical procedure took place at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on March 30.

The patient, surnamed Zhu, had suffered from varicose veins on her right leg for more than a decade. The condition had prevented her from standing up properly.

After experiencing immense pain caused by her swollen and stretched veins, Ms Zhu decided to undergo an operation to treat her condition.

Doctor Zhu Yuefeng, Ms Zhu's surgeon, told MailOnline: 'The patient was very anxious after she entered the operating theatre.'

The patient (bottom), 69, was given permission by her surgeon (centre) to toy with her phone at a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province

The pensioner was extremely agitated because she had undergone a painful operation in the past and she was afraid of upcoming surgery.

Normally, patient are not allowed to bring personal items into the operation theatre. However, the surgeon decided to break the rule and let her play on the mobile phone as a distraction.

'She was happy, she was very curious and she took some photos of the surgery,' Dr Zhu recalled.

The surgeon said that the patient also browsed her friends' social media updates during the surgery.

The patient (right) posed for a photo with her surgeon (left) and her phone after the operation

Her phone was sterilised by alcohol swipes.

The doctor said the phone had been kept at a distance of 5.9 inches from the patient's wound and that it would not affect the outcome of the surgical procedure.

The operation took half an hour and was a success.

The patient left the hospital the same day.
The controversy surrounding sexual assault prosecution is everywhere, not just in Yellowstone County, and not only in Montana. By and large across the nation, juries still have problems recognizing what constitutes consent. And partially, thats due to confusion about the way that victims react to a rapist attacking them.

Many people are skeptical when they hear a rape victim didnt fight off an attacker or scream out for help. Its important to understand that rape is a traumatic event that affects victims differently. Neurobiological research supports the fact that victims react in many different ways.

Some victims might fight back or be able to flee. Some victims might not be able to move any part of their body, while others find they can only move one finger or some other random body part. Some victims are unable to speak. Some have an out-of-body experience. These are just a few examples.

There are many reactions a victim might have when someone rapes them, and all reactions are automatic instinctual reflexes. Victims have no control over how their body reacts.

In addition, most victims know the person raping them. Often, the rapist is someone the victim trusted. Victims dont want to hurt their acquaintance, friend, or romantic partner who is attacking them.

Once the attack is over, there is no standard way a victim will react to the trauma. Victims have been known to say things that appear odd to others, such as thanking the attacker. Victims also might do things that confuse those on the outside, such as providing the attacker with a ride home. For those who havent been the victim of a rape, it helps to understand that even after the attack is over, the victims brain and body are still operating as if they are in imminent danger. Things that look strange from the outside might be a victims way of trying to protect themselves from further harm.

After a victim is safe from the attacker, no two victims will respond the same way. Some might seek out someone to tell immediately, or seek to have a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE) done. Some might not want to tell anyone for many reasons  they fear others wont believe them (especially if the rapist was someone they know), they dont want to get in trouble (if, for example, the victim is a minor who was drinking), they feel shame, or they think the rape was somehow their fault. If the victim knows their attacker well (perhaps the rapist is a friend or a family member), they might not want their perpetrator to be punished by the legal system.

The truth is that nobody knows how they would react to the trauma of being raped until it happens to them. While changing laws and definitions is an important step forward for Montana, we also need to educate each other. Without jurors who understand what the trauma of rape does to rape victims, getting justice will remain a challenge.
A former general who served in Afghanistan today warned Jeremy Corbyn cannot be trusted with the nation's security after the Labour leader said he would not use Trident.

Lord Richards, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff, joined Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon in a stinging attack on the Labour leader today.

The Labour leader is underfire after he used his first major TV interview of the election campaign to make clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent and could even scrap it.

Mr Corbyn's claims are in defiance of official Labour policy and the party has scrambled to insist its position is unchanged.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured campaigning in Scotland today) is a security risk to Britain and he must not win the election, Sir Michael Fallon warned today

Mr Corbyn made no mention of national security at a rally with trade unionist supporters today (pictured) but instead stumped for his plans to reform the economy

A Labour source told MailOnline today 'there won't be any change on trident policy, whatever Jeremy Corbyn may or may not say'.

Mr Corbyn also told the BBC's Andrew Marr he would halt air strikes on ISIS and suggested he would not authorise a drone strike against the group's leader.

Writing in the Telegraph, former general Lord Richards said: 'Jeremy Corbyn, unlike many of his distinguished predecessors in the Labour Party from Clement Attlee through Denis Healey and beyond, has demonstrated why he should not be trusted with the ultimate responsibility of government  that of the nation's defence and security.'

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think you saw Jeremy Corbyn yesterday questioning strikes against terrorists, refusing to back the nuclear deterrent, he's been querying our Nato deployment and he seems to have fallen out with his own party over the nuclear deterrent.

'That's chaos, but it's very dangerous chaos that would put the security of our country at risk.'

Former chief of the defence staff Lord Richards said Jeremy Corbyn could not be trusted with the nation's security (file)

Sir Michael said it was vital to be clear about being a nuclear power and warned the Government could not entirely rule out ordering a nuclear first strike.

He told the Today programme: 'In the most extreme circumstances we have made it very clear that you can't rule out the use of nuclear weapons as a first strike.'

Asked about Sir Michael's comments on a pre-emptive strike, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said there was 'no reason to disagree with what the Defence Secretary said'.

Labour has underlined its commitment to Trident renewal since Mr Corbyn used a Sunday broadcast interview to say he would order an immediate strategic defence review looking at 'all aspects' of defence policy if he was prime minister after June 8.

Sir Michael Fallon (pictured at the Bristol and Bath Science Park today) has revealed Theresa May would be prepared to launch a pre-emptive strike if necessary

The Defence Secretary (pictured on Friday announcing a new missile system) said Mr Corbyn was 'irresponsible' to campaign for power on a platform that undermines Britain's commitment to the nuclear deterrent

Echoing a statement from a party spokesman issued after the interview, Labour campaign chairman Andrew Gwynne said renewal of Trident would be in the party's manifesto.

Sir Michael said Theresa May, pictured leaving Tory headquarters today, could be trusted to defend national security

'Yes, it's Labour Party policy. We are committed to renewing the Trident system,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Asked directly on ITV's Good Morning Britain programme whether he personally would kill the Isil leader, Mr Gwynne said: 'Yes. Yes.'

He continued: 'The Labour Party will never ever put the defence of the realm at the back of the queue.

'Jeremy will as prime minister put the defence of the real first and foremost. Any Labour leader, any Labour prime minister will do that.'

Sir Michael's comments signalled that the Tories intend to make Mr Corbyn's suitability for high office a key issue in the general election campaign.

But he was unable to stamp out questions over whether Theresa May will recommit to David Cameron's pledge not to put up to income tax, VAT or national insurance.

The Defence Secretary left the door open to tax rises, admitting the Tories do not want to commit to too many 'prescriptive' targets in its general election manifesto.

The Tory reluctance to tie their hands on tax is likely motivated by the party's commanding lead in every opinion poll over the past week

The Labour leader is underfire after he used his first major TV interview of the election campaign (pictured on Andrew Marr yesterday) to make clear he would never use Trident and could even scrap it

Tories appear to kill off their vow not to hike taxes as Michael Fallon warns the manifesto will not contain 'too many prescriptive' promises

Sir Michael Fallon moved the Tories closer to axing their pledge to hike taxes today with a warning the manifesto would not contain 'prescriptive' promises.

The intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election.

In 2015 the party campaigned on a promise not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT - branded a tax lock by David Cameron.

Theresa May has refused to repeat the promise since calling the election seven days ago, insisting only that the Conservatives are a party of low taxes.

The Defence Secretary's intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think what (Chancellor Philip Hammond) said is he doesn't want too many targets inside the manifesto that are too prescriptive, that don't allow you, as the situation develops over the lifetime of the Parliament, that don't allow you the flexibility.'

Asked if the Tories would rule out rises in income tax, VAT or national insurance, Sir Michael said: 'The manifesto will certainly make clear which side of this argument we're on  it's Labour governments that increase tax, it's Conservative governments that take the lower paid, in particular, out of tax.'
Former British agent Douglas Boyd was confronted by the Soviet security agency while enduring solitary confinement

A former Cold War spy from Britain has revealed the horror of being held hostage in an East German prison and interrogated by the KGB.

Ex-agent Douglas Boyd was confronted by the Soviet security agency while enduring solitary confinement as a prisoner in a Stasi interrogation prison behind the Iron Curtain in 1959.

He feared for his life as many prisoners were drugged, committed suicide or died of dysentery in captivity because of the barbaric treatment of the guards.

KGB officers tried desperately to get him to break his cover - of a run-of-the-mill clerk - and offered him a bogus deal in order to get him out of the prison so they could take him to a Gulag.

Soviet Union President Nikita Khrushchev intended to use him as a high profile political prisoner to highlight the 'swamp' of British spies in Berlin.

In a book, The Solitary Spy, A Political Prisoner in Cold War Berlin, Mr Boyd describes his undercover work, his arrest by armed Stasi soldiers one night on the Berlin border and his incarceration and interrogation in an East German political prison.

The interior of the cell where Mr Boyd spent six weeks in solitary confinement as a prisoner in a Stasi interrogation prison behind the Iron Curtain in 1959

In the extra punishment cells, naked prisoners were hosed down with cold water in sub-zero weather. Mr Boyd feared for his life as many faced barbaric treatment from the guards

After learning Russian while training at the Joint Services School for Linguists, Mr Boyd was sent to the front lines in Germany and elsewhere to spy on Russian aircraft.

Mr Boyd was posted to RAF Gatow in south-western Berlin in 1958 where he listened in on Russian radio discussions between pilots and air control.

Mr Boyd is pictured in 2008 pointing to the window of his cell at the East German prison

However, the rebellious spy got himself involved in a black market camera racket buying cameras in East Germany and selling them for four times the amount in West Germany.

His extracurricular activities backfired and he was captured by East German officials with a camera in his possession boarding a train in Berlin on April 1, 1959.

Mr Boyd was taken to Lindenstrasse interrogation prison in Potsdam, 25 miles west of Berlin, where he spent six terrifying weeks.

In a bid to crush morale, no detainee would be allowed to see another prisoner. The only faces they would see were the wardens and the dreaded interrogators.

During the interrogations, a lint pad was placed below prisoners to absorb any sweat which was inserted into a glass jar immediately following the interrogation.

Each pad would be labelled with the prisoner's name and number so that it could be taken out of the jar and used to give tracker dogs the scent should the spy ever escape and go on the run.

The bridge of spies: Glienicke's closely guarded 'Unity Bridge' is pictured during the Cold War. It was a point of exchange for secret agents of political systems who had been taken prisoner

The bridge is secretly pictured in a spy swap, with the 'gent in bowler hat obviously catching the next flight back to London with his "Joe"' (deep cover agent), according to the book

Mr Boyd was captured by East German officials with a camera in his possession boarding a train in Berlin in 1959, at the point pictured above where the two nearer commuters are stood

More often than not, Mr Boyd would be interrogated by East German prison guard Lieutenant Becker who would probe him about what he was doing in East Germany.

KGB, the world's largest intelligence agency The KGB was the Soviet Union's foreign intelligence and domestic security agency, and became the largest of its kind in the world. Its roles included technical intelligence and the security of the countrys frontiers and it was also known for conducting surveillance on suspected dissidents. The KGB managed to infiltrate various major Western intelligence operations and was successful in getting hold of advanced technology necessary for the development of Soviet submarines, planes and rockets. It promoted Soviet ideology with propaganda and existed from 1954 until it was dissolved in 1991. President Vladimir Putin was himself a KGB agent in the 1970s and 1980s. Advertisement

But on one occasion, it was not Lieutenant Becker who sat opposite him but two KGB officers who interrogated him for several hours.

The KGB officers offered to have Mr Boyd released from prison and drive him back to West Germany - but it was a trap and they actually intended for him to go to a Gulag.

He said: 'I have never been more terrified, before or since. It was difficult to keep the fear from showing on my face, so I put on a silly grin to pretend I had not understood.

'It was so plain the men did not believe a word I said in this pantomime that I could feel sweat on my palms, several times wiping them surreptitiously on my thighs while pretending to change position.

'The interview went on for a good couple of hours - which were really a very bad couple of hours - until they came up with a plan that accorded with my pretended activities in Gatow.

'After a warning that the German Democratic Republic could keep me in prison for months or even years without trial, they offered to spring me out of the prison in a few days' time and drive me back to the border with the British sector of Berlin.

The Bedbug ( in Russian), a play by Vladimir Mayakovsky, was performed in Russian by Intake 35 at Crail as a cunning way of avoiding cross-country runs

Only the barred ground-door windows betray this building's former function as a high-security Stasi prison, where Mr Boyd was kept in solitary confinement for six terrifying weeks

A linguist's certificate of discharge for 'John Fuller', which tells nothing about his actual work

The certificate of discharge also carries a warning that the work should never be spoken about

'From here they said I could find my own way back to Gatow, and account for my absence by a story of being shacked up with a girlfriend, with whom I had at last fallen out. I agreed, but asked, "why would you do this for me?"

Notorious and hated: The Stasi secret police The Stasi was the secret police force in East Germany that became notorious as a hated and feared institution. It was known for kidnapping former East German officials who had fled the country and had a network of informants who spied on colleagues, friends, neighbours and relatives. Proportionally to its population, the Stasi had far more agents working for it than the KGB or the CIA  and it turned one in three of the 17 million people of the German Democratic Republic into an informant. Children sneaked on their parents at school, wives informed on husbands, lovers betrayed one another. Stasi agents also infiltrated and undermined West Germany's government. The Stasi often broke the will of the victim by targeting their private or family life. This often included breaking into homes and messing with the contents smear campaigns, denunciation, provocation, psychological warfare, psychological subversion, wiretapping, bugging, mysterious phone calls or unnecessary deliveries. Advertisement

'"Because", the older man answered, "in the Great Patriotic War, your country and ours were allies. So we are your friends and the Germans are your enemies and ours. That's why."

'I pretended to see the logic of that. At the end of this real-life nightmare, I agreed to go along with their plan to "spring" me from the prison.'

Mr Boyd played along with the KGB officers but as soon as he got back to his cell he kicked up a stink in a desperate bid to not be released to the Russians.

Surprisingly, an irate Lieutenant Becker took such offence to KGB officers interrogating one of his prisoners that, to spite the Soviet Union, he brokered a deal for Mr Boyd to be returned to West Germany in return for payment.

He said: 'The very last thing I wanted was to fall into the hands of the KGB, which would lead to many years locked away in some remote work camp in the Gulag.

'So, I kicked up such a fuss with the guards after being returned to my cell that Becker came next morning to see what was wrong.

'His normally expressionless face showed emotion for the first time when I told him of the Russians' visit. They had no right to be here, he exploded. This is not their territory.'

The ritual end-of-square-bashing photo, taken after the military drill performed on the barrack square, at RAF Station Wilmslow in Cheshire. Mr Boyd was sent to spy on Russian aircraft

With able-bodied men in prisoner of war camps or dead, it was the women who had to clear millions of tons of debris from the streets of Berlin following the Second World War

To Berliners, the British were largely responsible for reducing their city to rubble. The German capital was hit by more than 67,000 tonnes of TNT over five years of bombing in the war

In total, the West German Government paid 3.5 billion Deutschmarks for the liberty of 33,755 prisoners held in East German prisons and 250,000 of their relatives and other people.

In his new book, Mr Boyd describes his undercover work, his arrest by armed Stasi soldiers and his incarceration in the prison

Mr Boyd returned to England and the military high command were satisfied he hadn't revealed any British secrets so he was allowed to resume a civilian life, working for a film distribution company and for the past 30 years as an author.

Reflecting on his ordeal, he acknowledges he was 'so lucky' to have escaped a worse fate in the prison since Soviet and Stasi warders frequently beat prisoners for no apparent reason.

Some prisoners were kept in a cage of iron bars with no privacy and were fettered hand and foot to the bars for up to three weeks so they could not reach the toilet, afterwards being insulted by the guards as a filthy animal.

There are even examples Mr Boyd has found through his research of prisoners being drugged, committing suicide or dying of dysentery in captivity because of the barbaric treatment of the guards.

The Solitary Spy, A Political Prisoner in Cold War Berlin, by Douglas Boyd, is published by The History Press and costs 20.
It was an historic election result that swept away the political mainstream in France.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron last night took a giant step towards the French presidency by winning the first round of voting and will battle far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a May 7 run-off.

The significance of Sunday's vote has been reflected in the French media this morning, with one newspaper saying there had been a 'big bang' moment that marked a 'clean sweep of the past'.

The significance of Sunday's presidential vote has been reflected by the French media this morning, with Le Figaro and Le Parisien both dedicating their front pages to election coverage

Roman Catholic paper La Croix (left) said the result 'constitutes an earthquake' while Liberation (right) called for 'vigilance' after writing that the National Front had achieved the 'highest score in its history' at a presidential election

Le Monde's website was dominated by reaction from the election result that swept away the political mainstream in France

Le Figaro said the right had been on the end of a 'K-O' - knock-out - while its website (top) was also dominated by election coverage

Le Figaro said the right had been on the end of a 'K-O' while Le Monde focused on a new split in French society.

In an editorial, the left-leading daily highlighted the difference in voting trends in rural areas compared to cities and pointed to the anti-establishment voting as evidence of a backlash against globalisation.

The liberal newspaper L'Opinion suggested yesterday's vote marked 'a brand new page in the history of the Fifth Republic'.

French financial paper Les Echos said there had been a 'big bang' moment and 'a clean sweep of the past' as Macron and Le Pen topped the first round voting.

Roman Catholic paper La Croix said the result 'constitutes an earthquake' while Le Parisien spoke of the 'Macron sensation'.

La Depeche dedicated its front page to 'The Duel' with pictures of both Macron and Le Pen.

Regional newspapers including Le Telegramme (left) and Nice-Matin (right) carried pictures of the two leading contenders on their front pages

Le Parisien spoke of the 'Macron sensation' while its website (pictured) this morning looked forward to the next round of voting

L'Ouest France newspaper warned that although Macron had not yet won the presidency, 'he succeeded in his operation: pulverising the old political world.'

Liberation called for 'vigilance' after writing that the National Front had achieved the 'highest score in its history' at a presidential election.

Though Macron, 39, is a comparative political novice who has never held elected office, new opinion polls on Sunday had him easily winning the final clash against the 48-year-old Le Pen.

Sunday's outcome is a huge defeat for the two centre-right and centre-left groupings that have dominated French politics for 60 years, and also reduces the prospect of an anti-establishment shock on the scale of Britain's vote last June to quit the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president.

In a victory speech, Macron told supporters of his fledgling En Marche! (Onwards!) movement: 'In one year, we have changed the face of French politics.' He went on to say he would bring in new faces and talent to transform a stale political system if elected.

La Depeche, based in south west France, dedicated its front page to 'The Duel' with pictures of both Macron and Le Pen

Macron is the clear favourite to become France's youngest-ever president after topping Sunday's ballot with 23.75 percent of votes, slightly ahead of National Front (FN) leader Le Pen on 21.53 percent. A map shows how people voted across France

Conceding defeat even before figures from the count came in, rival conservative and Socialist candidates urged their supporters now to put their energies into backing Macron and stopping any chance of a second-round victory by Le Pen, whose anti-immigration and anti-Europe policies they said spelled disaster for France.

A Harris survey taken on Sunday saw Macron winning the runoff by 64 percent to 36. An Ipsos/Sopra Steria poll gave a similar result.

Round two of the bitter fight for the French presidency got under way this morning within hours of first round results with Le Pen's top aide launching a stinging attack on Macron.

'Emmanuel is not a patriot. He sold off national companies. He criticised French culture,' Florian Philippot, deputy leader of Le Pen's National Front told BFM TV, saying she and Macron held completely different visions of France.

Philippot called the independent centrist and former investment banker 'arrogant' and said that in Sunday night's speech acclaiming his move into the May 7 second round 'he was speaking as if he had won already'.

'That was disdainful towards the French people,' Phillipot said. Macron's victory dinner celebrations at Paris's upscale Rotonde restaurant amounted to 'bling-bling biz,' he said.
A college professor has been arrested after he allegedly lied about being subject to a racist attack in a bid to gain sympathy with the bosses who were dismissing him.

Azhar Hussain, 56, an assistant professor of aviation technology at Indiana State University (ISU), in Terre Haute, told police he had been as he arrived at his office.

The alleged attack came amid a series of threatening emails received on campus that contained several anti-Muslim messages, according to the college.

Azhar Hussain has been arrested and accused of fabricating a racist attack

The first of the emails was received on March 8 and specifically named Hussain as a target.

On March 24 the professor went to police claiming he was ambushed from behind and thrown to the floor by an unidentified attacker.

He said he did not see the person's face and no words had been spoken during the assault.

But after finding no evidence to back his claims, police have accused Hussain of creating the threats himself and making up the attack.

A university news release reported that investigators had tracked the computers from which the emails had been sent and gathered enough evidence to charge him with writing the messages himself.

ISU revealed that they had notified the professor that he would not be reappointed to his faculty position beyond the 2017/18 academic year.

Police claim Hussain made the claims in a bid to gain sympathy with his bosses at Indiana State University

The college said the decision had been made due to Hussain's failure to fulfil the conditions of his original appointment.

ISU's chief of police, Joseph Newport, told the Tribune Star: 'Based upon the investigation, it is our belief that Hussain was trying to gain sympathy by becoming a victim of anti-Muslim threats, which he had created himself.

'It is extremely unfortunate that this situation caused undue concern on other members of the ISU community.'

Hussain was booked into Vigo County jail Friday afternoon on a felony charge of obstruction of justice and a misdemeanor charge of harassment. His bond has been set at $10,000.

He has been suspended from his teaching role and is due to attend court this afternoon.

ISU said it was also seeking to formally dismiss Hussain in accordance with university policy.
While final reparations for Anzac Day are well underway, there has already been events commemorating the solemn day.

In Gallipoli, Australian and New Zealand soldiers marched during an international service marking the 102nd anniversary of the WWI battle of Gallipoli at the Turkish memorial in the Gallipoli peninsula.

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground AFL fans were privy to an emotion stirring display as servicemen carried a flame into a darkened stadium before a cauldron was lit up.

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground fans were privy to an emotion stirring display as servicemen carried a flame into a darkened stadium before a cauldron was lit up

A bugler played the Last Post and Reveille to the respectful record crowd of 85,657  the largest ever for a Richmond-Melbourne game.

Earlier preperations were focused heavily on anti-terror attacks after a number of recent events, although 'no specific threat' has been recognised.

Water-filled barriers and parked vehicles will be used to block key roads as NSW police try to prevent any lone wolf attackers from driving into Anzac Day crowds in Sydney.

Operation Callaway is under way ahead of the dawn service at the Cenotaph in Martin Place.

Preparations for Anzac Day are focusing heavily on anti-terror attacks after a number of recent events, although 'no specific threat' has been recognised

Hundreds of police officers will also be on duty to protect the more than 100,000 members of the public expected to line the city's streets for the annual Anzac Day march to Hyde Park.

Superintendent Mark Walton says there is 'no specific threat' to Tuesday's events but security at all mass gatherings has been upgraded over the past year as a 'sensible reaction' to the risk of vehicles being used as weapons.

In Melbourne in January, although it was not a terror attack, a man drove at crowds in Bourke St mall, killing six people.

Nice, Berlin and Stockholm have all witnessed deadly terror attacks over the past 10 months involving people driving trucks into crowds.

'We are sensitive to that changing threat and, as a result, we put barriers that are more significant than police and trellis boards across roadways,' Supt Walton said in Sydney on Monday.

NSW Counter Terrorism Minister David Elliott is urging those attending commemorations to take responsibility for their own safety.

'The world that we live in suggests we should all take a little bit more time and effort when it comes to keeping our surroundings safe,' he said.

Hundreds of police officers will also be on duty to protect the more than 100,000 members of the public expected to line the city's streets for the annual Anzac Day march to Hyde Park

Water-filled barriers and parked vehicles will be used to block key roads as NSW police try to prevent any lone wolf attackers from driving into Anzac Day crowds

'(But) if you don't turn up to a public event like Anzac Day because of the threat of terrorism, you're already a victim of terrorism.'

Mr Elliott has the 'utmost confidence' that everything that can be done to make the city safe on April 25 has been done.

But, he added on Monday, 'no city is 100 per cent safe'.

NSW Ambulance staff will also be at the dawn and sunset commemorative services, along the parade route, to help any diggers or bystanders needing medical attention.

Ambulance Chief Superintendent Jason Stone said many elderly people attending the 'emotional day' commonly forget to bring medications or take them properly.

Fatigue and dehydration can also cause problems.

Superintendent Mark Walton says there is 'no specific threat' to Tuesday's events but security at all mass gatherings has been upgraded over the past year

Organisers are preparing for respectful crowds at dawn services and watching veterans and service men and women in parades on Tuesday

Thirty-three people were treated at Sydney's Anzac Day services last year with six taken to hospital for conditions including chest pain and a fall.

Organisers are preparing for respectful crowds at dawn services and watching veterans and service men and women in parades on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will represent the government at the national service in Canberra.

Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will mark the 75th anniversary of the Papua New Guinea campaign at services at Bomana Cemetery, Isurava Memorial and Kokoda.

Mr Shorten said more and more Australians each year recognised the battles in PNG as decisive moments in our nation's history.

Australian and New Zealand soldiers take part in an international service marking the 102nd anniversary of the WWI battle of Gallipoli

Australian and New Zealand soldiers march during an international service marking the 102nd anniversary of the WWI battle of Gallipoli at the Turkish memorial in the Gallipoli

'In PNG, inexperienced and outnumbered Australians turned the tide against invasion. Ordinary people defended their homeland with acts of extraordinary courage,' he said.

'Spending Anzac Day in Papua New Guinea also reminds us of the gratitude Australians owe the locals, so many of whom risked their own lives as guides and stretcher-bearers.'

NSW Veterans Affairs Minister David Elliott said Anzac Day was a special occasion because many families of fallen soldiers were still mourning their loved ones.

'Tomorrow is a day of reflection, a day of memory and a day of national identity,' he told reporters in Sydney.

The flame is passed around the boundary by servicemen during the round five AFL match between the Richmond Tigers and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground

The flame is passed around the boundary by servicemen

The Last Post is played in front of the flame by a serviceman

But he had a caution for the crowds as well.

'It is not a day for people to use an opportunity to go out and get drunk and have fights,' he said.

'Every fallen soldier would expect Australians to play footy on this special day, expect them to play two-up, expect them to have a drink but it is a day we need ... to show some decorum and respect for the message of the Anzacs.'

Commemorations have already started in Adelaide with a service remembering police officers who died while on military duty, and in Perth marking the 75th anniversary of a WWII massacre of Australian nurses.
Workers at a Chinese speech therapy centre have been caught hitting, slapping and kicking deaf and mute toddlers who were being looked after there.

One worker even threatened to make a boy eat his own faeces after the young child failed to go to the toilet as she demanded.

A report from a Chinese television broadcaster exposed the shocking incident on April 20 and revealed disturbing footage taken by an undercover reporter at the centre in Jiangxi Province.

A worker at the Nanchang Hope Speech Therapy Centre in China was spotted slapping a boy

Ms Yao (right) claimed: 'They cannot speak, so crying can help them practise speaking'

The workers claimed themselves to be teachers at the school. They said the cruel punishments could help the pupils improve their ability to speak.

The incident was exposed after Nanchang News sent an undercover reporter to the Nanchang Hope Speech Therapy Centre to investigate. The reporter pretended to be a teacher.

Footage from a hidden camera shows the toddlers crying loudly as the teachers kicked their bodies and slap their faces.

They were also beaten on their hands by wooden sticks.

The video also shows a teacher threatening one child in the toilet: 'If you soil your pants, you will have to eat your faeces.'

A teacher can be heard yelling to children in the class: 'Don't you use your brain? See how stupid you are'

Another teacher told other pupils to scold their classmates. The teacher instructed the pupils to call each other 'pig heads'.

Ms Yan (middle) can be seen slapping a boy as she told him to use his brain at the centre

The children at the centre, mostly deaf and mute, are between two and three years old

One teacher, surnamed Yao, explained to the undercover reporter: 'You must have thought this was cruel when you first started here, but this is all for their own good.

'They cannot speak, so crying can help them practise speaking.'

It's understood that teacher Yao was unaware of the reporter's identity and thought the reporter was a teacher.

Furthermore, Ms Chen, another teacher, recommended the undercover reporter to hit the pupils on the staircase because 'no one would see'.

Ms Chen said: 'You can take a glimpse outside the window to check if anyone is walking past.

'If there is no one, you can take the pupils back there and hit them again.'

Wu Xi, the head of the therapy centre, explained that teachers are allowed to slap pupils, but they are not allowed to hit them on their heads as the pupils wear hearing aids on their heads.

Teacher gave the white towel to other pupils after one boy (in green) used it to wipe his bottom

The centre has poor hygiene as the video shows toothbrushes being stacked in one cup

The video also shows serious hygiene issues at the therapy centre.

At least five to six toddlers can be seen using the same towel to wipe their bodies and private parts. All the toothbrushes were stacked in one single cup.

The report has sparked serious concerns among viewers online.

Many worry that the pupils wouldn't be able to inform their parents about the punishments because they couldn't speak properly.

However, Ms Wu said in an interview with Pear Video that the video was unfair as it had been lifted out of context.

Ms Wu said: 'There were many caring moments that the reporter did not show in the video.

'All it shows were the moment when the teachers lost their temper.'

Wu Xi, head of the centre, said teachers are allowed to slap the pupils, but they are not allowed to hit the children on their heads

Ms Wu also said in an interview that the video was not fair as it had been lifted out of context

Nanchang Hope Speech Therapy Centre charges 1,800 yuan (204) a month for parents to send their disabled children for daycare. It also offers overnight stays at 3,000 yuan (339) a month.

Nanchang Disabled Persons' Federation Rehabilitation Centre issued a statement on Weibo, a Chinese equivalent to Twitter, on April 23.

The authority has closed the centre temporarily and is assisting the police to investigate the case, according to the statement.

A thorough check on other therapy centres in the city has been launched to prevent similar incidents from happening.
A jailed rapper has hit over two million views for his latest track - after he promoted his music on a smuggled phone from behind bars.

Demehl Thomas, 26, was jailed for aggravated burglary in January 2012 but still regularly Tweets under his stage name Remtrex.

He shared a link of Elite Sessions and urged fans to 'Send this around and get it to 2 millions views' on January 29 - despite serving time at HMP Doncaster.

Thomas boasts of using a Nokia so the 'feds' can't catch him in the five-minute clip as well as talking about smoking the Black Mamba drug and threatening to stab 'rats'.

Demehl Thomas, pictured left, and Moysha Shepherd, pictured right, were convicted of making an unauthorised sound recording in HMP Birmingham

On the track he raps while sitting in a car with masked associates - and warns informants and rivals they will be shot or stabbed if they cross him.

Footage shows Thomas, 26, in the front passenger seat rapping through the window surrounded by the men whose faces are covered by balaclavas.

He says: 'I've been sentenced two different times, both of them times I got ratted up,

'One of them snitches died, I guess he couldn't handle life, after I stabbed him up.'

Thomas also talks of taking drugs behind bars, saying: 'In jail mandem get much worse for criminals, that's where you go to learn.

In his most popular video Remtrex raps while sitting in a car with masked associates - and warns informants and rivals they will be shot or stabbed if they cross him

'Kick back with n****s next ends, you talk bare s***, and smoke a burn.

'I remember when I got f***** off the Black Mamba, it had me feeling like I smoked on sherm.'

Finally, Thomas tells of how he can Tweet from his cell, saying: 'And if, you don't know where I'm from, Highgate, B5!

'We get watched by the five-o, so we gotta lie low,

'But feds can't track me cause I use old-school Nokias, and not IPhones'

Thomas Tweeted to thank his followers after passing two millions hits on February 17, writing: 'WE DID IT!!!... To everyone that help me get 2 million views...RESPEC'!'

The underground rapper, who is in privately-run HMP Doncaster, also expressed disappointment at not being given parole on the Twitter profile used to promote his album GoonLyfe.

In another YouTube video his voice can be heard rapping over a phone as he talks about 'snitches' in jail and how he identifies cars used by undercover police in Birmingham.

An account under his stage name pushed a campaign to gain views for his most popular video, which has gone viral in America

The one-minute clip runs under the title 'Remtrex Freestyles Through Nokia in Jail' and features footage of a phone along with his voice.

He has received supportive messages from Jaykae, one of Birmingham's leading grime artists who made a cameo at Stormzy's concert in the city earlier this month.

Jaykae has tweeted: 'Remtrex is happy with me right now so I know I'm doing something right out here.'

He also posted a message on Twitter in March about being denied parole

Another Birmingham rapper named Twista Cheese also name-checked Remtrex on a video which included a voice message from the prisoner.

In the YouTube upload a member of Twista Cheese's crew then raps: 'F*** the feds they can't get me, can't wait til they let 'Trex free.

'I'll squeeze the strap til it's empty.'

The original clip of the pair rapping from their cell behind bars landed them both extra time in prison

Thomas originally received a seven-year sentence for aggravated burglary but was given an extra nine months in December 2015 after he was discovered to have made a rap video while in HMP Birmingham.

Thomas and Moysha Shepherd, who also appeared in the clip, were convicted of making an unauthorised sound recording in prison.

Shepherd, also 26, had been serving a five-year sentence for dangerous driving and involvement in a prison break-out plot.

Thomas, who has an album on iTunes, is believed to have been considered for release in recent weeks.

Moysha Shepherd, pictured left, and Demehl Thomas, pictured right, released a rap track online which was record while they were serving time at HMP Birmingham

Moysha Shepherd, pictured left, and Demehl Thomas, pictured right, were convicted of making an unauthorised sound recording in HMP Birmingham

A tweet from his profile last month read: 'SOOO...I DIDNT GET MY PAROLE... SADTIMES!!!'

Thomas, from Highgate, and Shepherd, from Handsworth, were believed to be the first inmates to be charged under the 1952 Prison Act with making an unauthorised sound recording in prison.

A spokesman for Serco, which operates HMP Doncaster, said: 'We do not provide information on individual prisoners.

'The use of mobile phones in prison is illegal and we have a zero tolerance approach to anyone found using one.'
Sales of nuclear shelters and radiation-blocking air purifiers have surged in Japan in recent weeks as North Korea has pressed ahead with missile tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

A small company that specializes in building nuclear shelters, generally under people's houses, has received eight orders in April alone compared with six orders during a typical year.

The company, Oribe Seiki Seisakusho, based in Kobe, western Japan, also has sold out of 50 Swiss-made air purifiers, which are said to keep out radiation and poisonous gas, and is trying to get more, said Nobuko Oribe, the company's director.

Sales of nuclear shelters and radiation-blocking air purifiers have surged in Japan in recent weeks as North Korea continues testing its missile programme

A purifier designed for six people sells for 620,000 yen (4,396) and one designed for 13 people and usually installed in a family-use shelter costs 1.7 million yen (12,073).

Concerns about a possible gas attack have grown in Japan after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliament session this month that North Korea may have the capacity to deliver missiles equipped with sarin nerve gas.

'It takes time and money to build a shelter. But all we hear these days, in this tense atmosphere, is that they want one now,' Oribe said. 'They ask us to come right away and give them an estimate.'

Another small company, Earth Shift, based in Shizuoka prefecture, has seen a tenfold increase in inquiries and quotes for its underground shelters, Akira Shiga, a sales manager at the company said. The inquiries began gradually increasing in February and have come from all over Japan, he said.

North Korean missiles have fired with increasing frequency. Last month, three fell into waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone, some 300-350 kilometers off the coast of northern Akita prefecture.

The Japanese government on Friday urged local governments to hold evacuation drills in case of a possible missile attack, heightening a sense of urgency among the public.

North Korea's display of military strength as seen another small company, Earth Shift, based in Shizuoka prefecture, see a tenfold increase in inquiries and quotes for its underground bunkers

Some orders for the shelters were placed by owners of small-sized companies for their employees, and others by families, Oribe said. A nuclear shelter for up to 13 people costs about 25 million yen (177,546) and takes about four months to build, he said.

The shelter his company offers is a reinforced, air-tight basement with an air purifier that can block radiation as well as poisonous gas. The room is designed to withstand a blast even when a Hiroshima-class nuclear bomb exploded just 660 meters away, Oribe said.

A nuclear shelter for up to 13 people costs about 25 million yen (177,546) and takes about four months to build, although Oribe Seiki Seisakusho do not advertise their shelters online (the USS Carl Vinson in the Sea of Japan gearing up for military exercises)

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension in the region.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the reclusive state's nuclear and missile programmes.

In Japan's previous experience with sarin gas in 1995, members of a doomsday cult killed 12 people and made thousands ill in attacks on Tokyo subways.
North Korea's despotic leader Kim Jong-un has warned a 'great war' is on the horizon after increasing tensions with the US.

President Trump this week sent the USS Carl Vinson to carry out exercises in the Korean peninsula - an overt demonstration against the totalitarian regime.

Acknowledging the threat, North Korea's state media wrote: 'If the US provokes the DPRK even a bit, its army and people will start a great war of justice for national reunification without hesitation.

Scroll down for video

North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has threatened 'a great war' should tensions continue to escalate after the US. President Trump dispatching the USS Carl Vinson to nearby waters

'Noting that the U.S. warmongers hysterically try to ignite a war by mobilizing nuclear strategic assets without any measure to deal with the consequences to be entailed.

'The U.S. has now gone seriously mad. It is mulling frightening the DPRK and achieving something with nuclear strategic bombers, nuclear carriers, etc.

'However, the army and people of the DPRK will never be browbeaten by such bluffing.'

Both China and Russia are watching on nervously as they are likely to receive floods of refugees should the conflict escalate to full-blown military engagement.

Russian tanks were also dispatched and reached the land border with North Korea.



Following a failed missile test last Sunday, fears that North Korea is preparing a sixth nuclear bomb test have been growing.

Kim Jong-un appears determined to achieve nuclear armament posing a threat to mainland US.

'What is ridiculous is that the US makes last-ditch efforts by mobilizing its vassal forces in the war drills to stifle the DPRK,' North Korean media said.

President Trump sent the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier on exercises in sea of Japan, an overt demonstration against the totalitarian regime. There had been some confusion as the vessel sailed nearer Indian oceans however it moved further north into the Korean peninsula

'The US seeks to occupy the DPRK by the concerted efforts of Japan and south Korea, intentionally provoking the latter and driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a war.'

South Korea and Japan are also gearing up for a conflict as war-mad Kim continues to lash out at the key US allies.

Despite this, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for Donald Trump to exercise restraint when dealing with North Korea.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped 'all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation' on the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for Donald Trump to exercise restraint when dealing with North Korea in order to avoid 'aggravating the situation'

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are 'on the table' to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came amid speculation that Pyongyang could hold a sixth nuclear test this week.

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability, and South Korean officials say there's a chance the country will conduct a nuclear test or a major missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

Trump also spoke Monday with and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.
A village primary school's website has been hacked by an Islamist group who replaced it with pro-Turkish propaganda.

Sussex Police are investigating the cyber-attack on North Mundham Primary School near Chichester after 'concerned' parents got in contact.

Turkish hacking group Ayyildiz Tim, who are said to be anti-Christian, anti-Israel and strongly anti-American, target websites all over the world.

Over the weekend they managed to bypass web security at North Mundham primary writing pro-Turkish slogans and warning readers: 'Allah will not know the fear of the prophet.'

Dozens of parents apparently contacted Sussex Police about the hack and police have promised to send a patrol to the gates if they need reassurance - and two children were kept off school today.

Sussex Police are investigating the cyber-attack on North Mundham Primary School near Chichester after 'concerned' parents got in contact when a pro-Turkish group took control of its website and posted these messages

Upsetting: Dozens of parents at the village school (pictured) apparently contacted Sussex Police about the hack and police have promised to send a patrol to the gates if they need reassurance

North Mundham Primary School's head teacher, Julia Carey, said two pupils had been kept at home as their parents were worried about the hack.

Extra police patrols had not been deemed necessary.

She said she could understand parents' fears, adding: "I think it's not what any of us would want.

"I can understand people's thoughts, but I think people know that we are all working together to keep the children safe in every possible way.

"School is open as usual and the vast majority of us are here."

The website is still offline.

Asked whether she considered it secure, she added: "It's run by an organisation that lots of schools use. It's secure. We checked it out carefully. The police think it's a malicious random act."

Sussex Police believes there is no specific threat to safety and children can go to school as usual.

Sussex Police believes there is no specific threat to safety and children can go to school as usual

A force spokesman said: 'Sussex Police have received numerous reports of the website of North Mundham primary school in Chichester being 'hacked'.

'The images and general content of the hacked site have caused concern among parents about the safety of their children at school.

'Sussex Police would like to reassure both parents and staff alike that initial investigations have not identified a specific threat in relation to this activity.

'The nature of the hack would appear to be largely malicious in nature and Sussex Police have not received any credible or specific intelligence that would lead us to recommend children are kept away from school.

'This will be kept under constant review into Monday 24th April, and any chance in circumstances will be communicated.

'Sussex Police will continue to investigate and will liaise with the school in the morning, deploying reassurance patrols should this be deemed necessary.'

North Mundham is a small parish two miles south of Chichester. The school has 214 pupils on its roll.

According to Google Translate, text written in Turkish on the site reads as follows: 'Allah will not know the fear of the prophet.

'The revenge is delayed but never resurrected. Become a friend to Turk, do not become an enemy.

'Persecution is the time to visit every nation. Being Turk is hard. Fight with the world.'

The school's normal website was turned blank, with just the Turkish text and a message reading 'HELLO ADMIN SYSTEM HACKED.'

In 2013, Ayyildiz Tim hacked the website of the the United Nations Country Team in Ethiopia, defacing it with a black jihadi flag and a message claiming the hack was in retaliation for cyber attacks against Turkey and Islam.

The group claim to be the first Turkish cyber army and use imagery associated with jihadi ideology.

Part of the message left on the UN website's page included the warning: 'Turks has no patience anymore.'

Other websites have been attacked in a similar manner including Kenya's Ministry of Transport, and the Facebook page of the Kurdish LGBT group Hebun.

The group left a message on the Kenyan website reading: 'All the muslims are together.

'The CYBER-WAR will be appeared all the Countries which not respecting Islam.

'Ayyildiz promises that they will visit your areas too.'

Even a movie website became a target in September 2014. Sony's Provident Films alerted producers after the website for the film Saving Christmas was hacked with pro-Islamic slogans.

A member of the production team said the attack was 'fairly sophisticated.'

Visitors were automatically forwarded to Ayyildiz Tim's Twitter page after hearing music and a loud gunshot.

The Saving Christmas team consulted with a translator who said text on the site read: 'The Turkish spirit will shine again and the use of weapons will emerge in the nation's history as this hero will shine again.'

The translator said that the 'hero' invoked in the text is likely Saladin, the Muslim sultan of Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Palestine who fought against Christian Crusaders in the 12th century.
The Affordable Care Act survived the first attack. More are coming. Montanans need to know how much this act has impacted our state.

Montana enrolled over 70,000 people in health coverage during 2016. This brought $248 million to Montana. It saved our state budget over $22 million. It reduced bad debt or charity care by 25 percent. Now that money is being spent on medical resources. Over 400,000 additional hours of medical service were provided to patients, adding approximately 189 full-time medical staff positions statewide. Native Americans covered as a result of the ACA can access care without worrying about the government allowing or funding it. ACA has allowed states to use part of that money to fund treatment for substance abuse disorders and for mental health services. Enrollees are using more effective primary care options instead of the expensive emergency room. The list goes on.

We must be very wary that "repeal and replace" means restricting enrollment, cutting funding by using block grants to states, raising premiums for older people who haven't reached Medicare eligibility, allowing incredibly high deductibles before benefits kick in, and co-pays that exceed the patient's ability to pay. We must seek to provide more care, not less.

We need a representative who believes that the ACA needs fine-tuning rather than repealing. That would be Rob Quist.

I sit on the RiverStone Health Clinic Board of Directors and chair the Finance Committee. These opinions, however, are my own. Thanks to the Montana Hospital Association for providing information.

Dale Anderson

Billings
A French mayor has threatened to quit because he doesn't want to 'dedicate his life to a***holes' after his town voted for Marine Le Pen as president.

Daniel Delomez described the results in Annezin, northern France, as 'catastrophic' after 38 per cent of voters backed the National Front candidate in the first round of the presidential election.

But the furious mayor then went one step further by lashing out at his own town's electorate and warning he may now resign.

Daniel Delomez threatened to quit because he doesn't want to 'dedicate his life to a***holes' after his town voted for Marine Le Pen (pictured) as president

He told the news website LAvenir de lArtois: 'It is catastrophic. It's possible that I will step down as I do not want to dedicate my life to a***holes.'

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon received 19.25 per cent of the vote in Annezin while current front-runner Emmanuel Macron received the backing of just 17.29 per cent of voters in the town.

Despite his outburst, Delomez's comments have proved a hit online.

His rant has been shared thousands of times after L'Avenir de l'Artois posted it on Twitter.

One social media user described it as 'beautiful' while another urged someone to 'send flowers to this man'.

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon received 19.25 per cent of the vote in Annezin while current front-runner Emmanuel Macron (pictured) received the backing of just 17.29 per cent of voters in the town

He was described as a 'hero of the day' and a 'genius'.

It is not yet clear whether he plans to follow through with his threat to quit.

Pro-European centrist Macron and anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen began a final duel for the French presidency today after a first round of voting delivered a stunning blow to the traditional political class.

Macron is the clear favourite to become France's youngest-ever president after topping Sunday's ballot with 23.75 percent of votes, slightly ahead of National Front leader on 21.53 percent.
US Defense Secretary Jim 'Mad Dog' Mattis made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan this morning to meet military leaders about the country's perilous security situation.

Mattis is currently on a week-long six nation tour concerning the ongoing war against terror.

President Donald Trump has been urged to send more troops to Afghanistan to help support local forces in their battle against the Taliban.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, left, arrived in Kabul this morning on board a helicopter

The former general received a briefing on the ground about the current security situation

Mattis, right, received a salute from the tail gunner of the helicopter after it touched down

He is the first member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to visit Afghanistan.

The Trump administration only confirmed the visit after Mattis' helicopter landed - unlike Jared Kushner's recent trip to Iraq.

A White House official briefed the media while his aircraft was still en-route to Baghdad, which was regarded as a major security breach.

General John Nicholson, the top American commander in Kabul, recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

As part of the administration's review of Afghan policy, Trump's national security adviser, Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul last week to consult with Nicholson and with Afghan officials.

McMaster said in a TV interview after returning to Washington that the US in recent years has scaled back its military effort against the Taliban. 'Our enemy sensed that and they have redoubled their efforts, and it's time for us, alongside our Afghan partners, to respond.'

Among the questions facing the administration is how to maintain pressure on a resilient Taliban and keep up counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan without prolonging a stalemate that is costing US taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

The war began in October 2001.

Mattis was on a week-long tour of countries involved in the War on Terror, including a meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, right, on Saturday afternoon

The US has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014 but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.

Mattis was visiting just days after a bloody Taliban attack that killed more than 100 Afghans on a base in the country's north. The Taliban also controls key parts of Helmand province in the south.

Officials say nearly a dozen of the attackers wore army uniforms and rode in military vehicles, raising concerns of help from inside the compound.

Afghan officials said earlier that the country's army chief and the defense minister resigned following the weekend Taliban attack. The officials said that President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The president's official Twitter account also confirmed the resignations.

In addition to the Taliban insurgency, Afghanistan also is fighting to extinguish a small but troublesome presence in Nangarhar province of militants affiliated with ISIS.

Two weeks ago, Nicholson created a stir by ordering an attack on an ISIS stronghold in Nangarhar using the military's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, the so-called 'mother of all bombs'.

Mattis has declined to disclose details of damage done by that bombing, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called an 'atrocity'.
Thief: Charisse Montes, 32, snatched eight Hublot and Rolex timepieces

A cleaner who stole 330,000 worth of luxury watches from a Russian billionaire's son to fund her roulette addiction has been spared jail.

Charisse Montes, 32, snatched eight Hublot and Rolex timepieces worth between 25,000 and 65,000 each from a special rotating cabinet in the master bedroom of Timur Sardarov's home in Kensington, London.

Montes exchanged the watches for around 22,000 at W1 Watches in Soho, central London run by crooked pawnbroker Mattia Dal-Pont, 36.

She was said to have enlisted her lesbian lover Rowena Rosita Cantos, 42, to help sell the stolen loot, but Ms Cantos was cleared of converting criminal property after telling jurors she believed the watches were gifts from Mr Sardarov.

Dal-Pont admitted attempting to handle stolen goods and illegally acting as a pawnbroker after an undercover police officer, known only as 'Kev', carried out a sting at his shop.

The crook was busted when he encouraged 'Kev' to steal goods from a Hermes handbag shop not far from his pawnbrokers.

Montes was caught out when she did not come to work or answer her phone when Mr Sardarov, son of billionaire oil tycoon Rashid Sardarov, discovered the theft after returning from a business trip in June 2015.

Mr Sardarov had previously sacked Montes in 2014 for taking his wife's Rolex, but the couple forgave her and rehired her 'as an act of mercy.'

After the theft, the Ocean Group International founder called the police and also hired private investigators to track Montes down.

They soon spotted her coming out of the flat she shared with Ms Cantos.

When Montes was arrested, officers found 4,240 cash, as well as three iPads, a laptop and seven designer handbags in her bedroom.

Victim: The thief took the watches from a special rotating cabinet in the master bedroom of Timur Sardarov's home in Kensington, London

A casino app on her phone was also found to have recorded 2,429 separate 'plays' in the year leading up to her arrest.

Mr Sardarov told police that he felt a 'sense of betrayal' over the thefts, as Montes was a 'trusted member of the household.'

Prosecutor Mr Franklin said: 'There was a high degree of trust reposed in the defendant. They were clearly watches of substantial value, not just in terms of monetary worth.'

He added that, allowing for the watches' depreciation in value as they were second-hand and 'erring on the low side of valuation,' the total resale value of the watches was 100,000.

Montes appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court in a black and white hoody and grey tracksuit bottoms and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue throughout her sentencing, while Ms Cantos looked on from the public gallery.

Rupert Russell, defending, said: 'She is deeply remorseful for what she has done. Her offending is clearly driven by her gambling addiction. She does now have that under control.

Montes was said to have enlisted her lesbian lover Rowena Rosita Cantos (pictured), 42, to help sell the stolen loot but she was cleared

'She was also receiving texts from her co-defendant, Mr Dal-Pont, encouraging her to come forward with more watches.

'She was working as a part-time cleaner but she has in fact lost that job. A newspaper picked up on this case and it has been reported in the press and disseminated across social media.

'Her prospects for employment have been damaged.'

Mr Russell added that Montes' offending 'should be looked at in context' as Mr Sardarov was 'an extremely wealthy man.'

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Grieve QC said: 'Timur Sardarov was your employer over a period of at least eight years.

'I saw Mr Sardarov give evidence in the trial of your friend and co-defendant Ms Cantos and you were indeed a trusted cleaner.

Montes stole watches by Hublot and Rolex and tried to sell them to a corrupt pawnbroker (stock images)

'In the course of this hearing, he told the court how he regarded you as a family friend.

'You let him and his wife down very badly and I hope you are aware of that.

'Gambling addiction is one of the scourges of modern times. It draws people like yourself to do very shameful and hurtful things.'

Montes, of Barnet, north London admitted one count of theft and one count of criminal converting criminal property and was sentenced to 14 months concurrent on each count, suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Cantos, of the same address, was cleared of one count of converting criminal property.

Dal-Pont, formerly of Westminster, admitted four counts of attempting to handle stolen goods, one count of encouraging or assisting the commissioning of an offence believing it would be committed and one count of carrying on a regulated activity without authorisation.

He was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment last month.

A confiscation hearing for both Montes and Dal-Pont was provisionally listed for 3 November.
A 54-year-old man died in February while riding the Thunder Mountain roller coaster at Disney World in Florida, it has emerged.

The deceased, who has not been named, had a pre-existing medical condition.

The theme park informed Florida's Department of Agriculture about the death in a quarterly report into deaths and injuries at the resort.

The 54-year-old man who had a pre-existing medical condition died after riding on board the Thunder Mountain roller coaster at Disney World in Florida in February (file photo)

However, at the time of the death, Disney did not publicize what had happened.

The company has refused to name the dead man, or to provide details of exactly how he died.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that there were 11 major injuries and illnesses at the park between January and March.

The theme park is obliged to report all deaths, or accidents or deaths which require a stay in hospital of more than a day.

Disney and other theme parks have to report any deaths, or illnesses and accidents requiring a 24 hour-or-more stay in hospital

The man collapsed in the park and was rushed to hospital where he later died.

It is understood the man's own doctor signed his death certificate stating the cause was 'natural causes'

Other patrons suffered neck pain, while a 72-year-old woman fell and hit her head on a different ride.

A 50-year-old who recently had throat surgery became ill on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
Paul Nuttall barricaded himself in a room today as he hid from questions about his election campaign after a disastrous press conference on his burka ban.

Ukip's senior team were bombarded with questions about whether a ban on face coverings would impact on Catholic nuns, beekeepers and even bridal veils.

As the press conference came to an end, Mr Nuttall then refused to answer a series of questions about whether he would run for election at the snap poll on June 8 before locking himself into a room with only one exit.

Journalists waited outside the Queen Mary room at London's Marriott County Hall in pursuit of an answer.

Emerging from the locked room around 10 minutes later, he insisted Ukip leaders in the past had 'have done quite well not being in Parliament haven't they' and said it was up to the party's national executive committee to agree selections later this week.

Paul Nuttall (pictured during his campaign event today) barricaded himself in a room to hide from questions about his election campaign after a disastrous press conference on his burka ban

The Ukip leader was surrounded by a huge press pack as he was left his press conference and headed to his hiding place without giving an answer on his own plans (pictured)

Mr Nuttall headed into the Queen Mary room pursued by reporters as he refused their questions about whether he would run on June 8

Emerging from the locked room around 10 minutes later, he insisted Ukip leaders in the past had 'have done quite well not being in Parliament haven't they'

Mr Nuttall refused to answer a volley of questions on whether he would contest a seat. He has until May 11 to get on a ballot.

Mr Nuttall stood in the Stoke by-election in February but endured a disastrous losing campaign.

He pleaded with reporters to focus on the subject of the press conference, the ban on Muslim veils and sharia law placed at the heart of its 'integration agenda'.

Mr Nuttall yesterday told the BBC's Andrew Marr the ban was in line with others on the continent and was fuelled both by security concerns and a desire to boost integration.

Deputy leader Peter Whittle dismissed claims the Ukip policy was racist, accusing reporters of 'straw man' arguments about bridal veils and beekeepers.

Mr Nuttall saw his policy ideas mocked at a press conference before he was unable to say whether he would contest a seat on June 8

Mr Nuttall pleaded with reporters to focus on the subject of the press conference, the ban on Muslim veils and sharia law placed at the heart of its 'integration agenda'

Mr Nuttall will be hoping the policy push is enough to boost Ukip's ailing poll rating which have spent the first week of the campaign locked in single digits and fourth place

Mr Nuttall said the plans - which also include a moratorium on the creation of new Islamic faith schools - will 'promote integration'.

Mr Nuttall said the veil was bad for security and damaged integration

He said he believed Ukip was '10 years ahead of our time' on these issues, predicting the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats will be 'where we are today at some point in the 2020s'.

Opening the launch of Ukip's integration policy in Westminster, Mr Nuttall said: 'Today's message will be a message of positivity, it will not be about negativity.

'What we will say today is not designed to sow the seeds of division.

'It is about promoting integration in British society.'

Ukip education spokeswoman Margot Parker said girls thought to be at risk of female genital mutilation should undergo annual medical exams.

Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, said: 'UKIP's 'integration agenda' is an assault on multiculturalism and an attack on Muslims.

'It's full throttled Islamaphobia.'

Ukip would ban the burka and end sharia law, leader Paul Nuttall has said as he launched the party's general election campaign in London today (pictured)

Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr yesterday, Mr Nuttall also failed to confirm whether or not he would personally stand for election at the snap poll on June 8.

But he suggested Ukip could stand down in contests against 'good Brexiteers' such as Kate Hoey in Vauxhall and David Nuttall in Bury North.

Making his pitch to Ukip's core vote, Mr Nuttall told Marr: 'We have more CCTV per head than anywhere else on the planet. For that to be effective you need to see people's faces.

'Secondly there is integration. I don't believe you can integrate fully and enjoy the fruits of British society if you can't see people's faces.

'58 per cent of Muslim women are economically inactive. 22 per cent don't speak English to any great level.

'What we need to do is we need to ensure these people are fully integrated into British society. You can't do that hidden by the veil.'

Mr Nuttall said the ban would be enforced via fines and would be in line with other European countries such as Belgium and Bulgaria.

Asked why his view had changed, he said: 'I think there is a bigger security threat we face now but you look at Trevor Phillips report last year into Muslims into the UK, look at the work Dame Louise Casey has done on this issue.

'Integration is getting worse in Britain not better. This will help.

'I can't walk into a bank with a balaclava or a crash helmet on. If I can't do and other people can't do it, I don't see why we have a special interest.'

Mr Nuttall said Sharia courts should be banned to ensure there is not a 'parallel' legal system in Britain.

The Ukip leader said he would make a decision next week on whether to personally seek a seat at the election.

Ukip has no MPs after the resignation of Douglas Carswell and had collapsed in the polls, falling behind the Liberal Democrats in most surveys to fourth place.

Mr Nuttall insisted the face veils were bad for security and stopped Muslim women integrating into British society

Asked if he will seek election at June's general election, Mr Nuttall told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'I will make a decision in the coming week as to where to stand.

'Obviously I'll be having conversations with branches.'

He also said Ukip will seek to help Conservative and Labour MPs with a track record in backing Brexit.

Mr Nuttall said: 'I didn't just say Tory candidates, they could be people like Kate Hoey (Labour MP for Vauxhall) as well.

'This will not be an order which is coming down from the top of the party. I will speak to branches over the coming weeks and we will make decisions.

'What I don't want to see happening is good Brexiteers - not fly-by-night or five to midnight Brexiteers - people who have campaigned for years for Brexit, I don't want to see them lose their seats and a remainer be there in their place.'

Jeremy Corbyn is a security risk to Britain because he would refuse to use the nuclear deterrent, Sir Michael Fallon warned today.

The Defence Secretary said Mr Corbyn was 'irresponsible' to campaign for power on a platform that undermines Britain's commitment to nuclear weapons.

The Labour leader is underfire after he used his first major TV interview of the election campaign to make clear he would never use Trident and could even scrap it.

Mr Corbyn's claims are in defiance of official Labour policy and the party has scrambled to insist its position is unchanged.

A Labour source told MailOnline today 'there won't be any change on trident policy, whatever Jeremy Corbyn may or may not say'.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured campaigning in Scotland today) is a security risk to Britain and he must not win the election, Sir Michael Fallon warned today

Mr Corbyn also told the BBC's Andrew Marr he would halt air strikes on ISIS and suggested he would not authorise a drone strike against the group's leader.

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think you saw Jeremy Corbyn yesterday questioning strikes against terrorists, refusing to back the nuclear deterrent, he's been querying our Nato deployment and he seems to have fallen out with his own party over the nuclear deterrent.

'That's chaos, but it's very dangerous chaos that would put the security of our country at risk.'

Sir Michael Fallon moved the Tories closer to axing their pledge to hike taxes today with a warning the manifesto would not contain 'prescriptive' promises.

The intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election.

In 2015 the party campaigned on a promise not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT - branded a tax lock by David Cameron.

Theresa May has refused to repeat the promise since calling the election seven days ago, insisting only that the Conservatives are a party of low taxes.

The Defence Secretary's intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think what (Chancellor Philip Hammond) said is he doesn't want too many targets inside the manifesto that are too prescriptive, that don't allow you, as the situation develops over the lifetime of the Parliament, that don't allow you the flexibility.'

Asked if the Tories would rule out rises in income tax, VAT or national insurance, Sir Michael said: 'The manifesto will certainly make clear which side of this argument we're on  it's Labour governments that increase tax, it's Conservative governments that take the lower paid, in particular, out of tax.'
A Chinese mother was devastated after discovering that her toddler daughter had been sexually attacked.

Ms Wang, the mother of a 16-month-old girl, broke down in tears as she saw the blood-soaked nappies and pants when she was taking care of her daughter, as she told Chinese media.

Police have arrested a suspect, who is a male friend of Ms Wang's and is in his 50s.

The 16-month old toddler had to undergo emergency surgery for what doctors described as severe vaginal injuries in Zhejiang province, China

The incident took place in the Xikou town of Zhejiang province, according to a report by Modern Express on April 24. The date of incident is not stated.

Ms Wang said her male friend, an eggs seller at a local market, offered to take care of her daughter for 40 minutes on one day.

The little girl looked dull when she returned, Wang noticed. She thought it was due to the wet nappy, so she decided to change it for her daughter.

'My daughter was unusually upset when I tried to remove her pants', said Ms Wang, who was then horrified to see the bloody nappy and pants.

Ms Wang, the mother of the victim, broke down in tears after finding out that her toddler daughter should have been sexually attacked

The helpless mother immediately brought her baby to the hospital.

She was told that her daughter's hymen was broken. The toddler also suffered severe vaginal tears, leaving wounds that needed stitches.

These wounds are all believed to be results of a sexual assault.

The doctor told Wang to report the case to the police immediately.

The man has been arrested by Xikou Public Security Bureau. The investigation is under way.

The doctor said the toddler suffered severe vaginal tears, leaving wounds that needed stitches

Tens of thousands of online users discussed the disturbing incident on Weibo, China's micro-blogging platform.

'I am trembling with anger while reading this,' one user said.

'Even if that's a close friend, the parent should not let her child out of sight,' another commented.

'She is only 16 months old and she has not even started talking. God knows how it will impact the rest of her life,' an user noted.
The mystery prisoner who Aaron Hernandez wrote to before his shocking suicide is a 22-year-old man jailed for a knife point robbery at a gas station near his home, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

Kyle Kennedy was the last person to see the former New England Patriot alive and is now on suicide watch inside the maximum security Souza-Baranowski Corrections Center, sources say.

He is the man to whom Hernandez gave a $50,000 watch and other property shortly before he took his life.

Kyle Kennedy was the last person to see the former New England Patriot alive and is now on suicide watch inside maximum security Souza-Baranowski Corrections Center

Kennedy was arrested in January 2015 for an early morning robbery at a Cumberland Farms gas station in Northbridge, Massachusetts. He was wearing a black mask and carrying 'a long butcher-style knife,' according to a report. He got away with just $189

DailyMail.com exclusively reported last week that Hernandez, 27, who was found dead hanging from a bed sheet in his cell early on Wednesday morning last week, left three suicide notes.

One was addressed to his fiancee Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, the second to their four-year-old daughter Avielle and the third to a prisoner, who high level prison sources described as his prison lover.

That man is Kennedy, the son of a businessman from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, close to the Rhode Island state line, the sources reveal.

When approached at his home at the end of a leafy cul-de-sac, Kennedy's stepmother Deborah, refused to comment and drove in through the automatic gates.

Within minutes his father Matthew, 42, ran out of the home, which is set on more than four acres of land, and furiously berated a DailyMail.com team sitting on a public road outside his house, yelling: 'Get the f**k away and don't f**king come back.'

Court documents show that Kennedy's own father accused him of using heroin. Daily Mail.com has also leaned the 22-year-old In 2012 was sentenced to nine months for trafficking heroin in 2012 and a year for heroin possession in 2013.

Attempts to reach Kennedy's mother, Cindy Curving Kennedy, were unsuccessful

The final entry on Kyle Kennedy's Facebook page was posted minutes before his arrest at 12.58 am on Sunday January 18, 2016. It said simply: 'Pray 4 Me.' A post 35 minutes earlier said: 'Who got wheels and wanna make $.'

Kennedy was arrested in January 2015 for an early morning robbery at a Cumberland Farms gas station in Northbridge, Massachusetts. He was wearing a black mask and carrying 'a long butcher-style knife,'

Attempts to reach Kennedy's mother, Cindy Curving Kennedy, were unsuccessful.

CBS's Boston affiliate reported that Hernandez had given his jailhouse lover's family a $50,000 watch before his suicide. The station did not say which member of the family received the watch.

Kyle Kennedy was arrested in January 2015 for an early morning robbery at a Cumberland Farms gas station in Northbridge, Massachusetts. He was wearing a black mask and carrying 'a long butcher-style knife,' according to a report in the local Milford Daily News. He got away with just $189.

He then led police on a high speed chase and after being arrested ran out of the police station in an attempted escape, according to reports at the time.

After being stopped by police officer Peter Bates, Kennedy drove his red sedan off at speeds of up to 110 mph on Route 146 near his home town, court documents show.

'The sedan drove down the off ramp of the exit, Bates said, striking several signs and scraping the side of the guardrail,' the newspaper reported.

When approached at his home at the end of a leafy cul-de-sac, Kennedy's stepmother Deborah, refused to comment and drove in through the automatic gates. Within minutes his father Matthew, 42, ran out of the house furiously berated a DailyMail.com team sitting on a public road outside his house, yelling: 'Get the f**k away and don't f**king come back'

Matthew Kennedy's home, the address listed by local press when Kyle was arrested, is set on more than four acres of land

'According to Bates, the sedan attempted to circle back onto Rte. 146 by going up the ramp, but could not make the maneuver and stopped.'

While being held at Northbridge Police Station over the Martin Luther King Day weekend, Kennedy asked to make a phone call and while the officer was dialing he made a dash for freedom out of the door.

'Police pursued Kennedy through three residential yards until he eventually gave up on Edgemere Avenue,' the newspaper reported.

The final entry on Kyle Kennedy's Facebook page was posted minutes before his arrest at 12.58 am on Sunday January 18, 2016. It said simply: 'Pray 4 Me.'

A post 35 minutes earlier said: 'Who got wheels and wanna make $.'

Other posts show him holding huge wads of cash.

In a letter to the Worcester Superior Court Matthew Kennedy wrote: 'I am requesting the court to revoke Kyle's bail. 'Kyle had begged me to bail him out of the house of corrections with the understanding Kyle would attend and complete a program that I had lined up in Boston,' added the older Kennedy.

But three months earlier, in October 2014, he had written: 'today is the start of my new lifegetting all my s**t prioritized for my long week ahead of me. im about to make a lot of changes in my life so please don't take anything personal if I stop answering you. Thanks.'

Papers show that Matthew Kennedy bailed his son out, paying $12,500 of his $125,000 surety. But in September 2015 he had a change of mind.

In a letter to the Worcester Superior Court Matthew Kennedy wrote: 'I am requesting the court to revoke Kyle's bail.

'Kyle had begged me to bail him out of the house of corrections with the understanding Kyle would attend and complete a program that I had lined up in Boston,' added the older Kennedy.

'I also hired an independent counselor to bring him to the program and keep an eye on him so he would complete and hopefully live a normal life.

'This person brought him to Boston the day after he was bailed and checked him in. Kyle stayed one day and left the program! To the best of my knowledge he is living in Worcester with no job and back using heroin.

'I believe Kyle is a threat to himself and anyone around him. Also, given his history, he is a flight risk.'

Kennedy was charged with armed and masked robbery but in a deal he agreed to plead guilty to the lower charge of armed robbery. He was sentenced to 3-5 years in state prison in December 2015.

He was originally sent to the Cedar Junction maximum security facility in Walpole, Massachusetts.

In an online profile on the website Write A Prisoner, Kennedy described his sexual orientation as 'straight.'

'Hello, my name is Kyle,' he wrote on the site in May last year. 'I signed up on this website so I can correspond and possibly build friendships with people from around the world.

'I stand at 5' 10', I weigh 175 pounds, I have brown hair and brown eyes. I am also heavily tattooed. I work out, read books and write to help me pass the time while incarcerated,' he added

Kennedy  prisoner number W107335  revealed on the site that he is serving time for armed robbery and said his earliest date for release is March 1 next year

'I stand at 5' 10', I weigh 175 pounds, I have brown hair and brown eyes. I am also heavily tattooed. I work out, read books and write to help me pass the time while incarcerated,' he added.

'My hobbies on the street include racing motocross, building and customizing cars and motorcycles and doing anything that includes the outdoors. I am currently working to attain my Barbering license.'

He ended his profile with the words: 'If you want to get to know me, I'm just a stamp away! Thank you, Kyle.'

Kennedy  prisoner number W107335  revealed on the site that he is serving time for armed robbery and said his earliest date for release is March 1 next year.

Lawrence Army, the Kennedy family attorney, told DailyMail.com he had no comment. He said he was visiting Kyle in prison on Monday 'to see what's going on.'

Calls to Massachusetts Department of Corrections spokesman Christopher Fallon were not immediately returned.

Hernandez, a Super Bowl-winning tight end with the Patriots, killed himself last week. His family has donated his brain to a team from the University of Boston to see whether he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition caused by repeated hits to the head.

Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, 27, looked drawn as she and daughter Avielle stepped out just before sunset on Wednesday, the day after her life partner and fiance, Aaron Hernandez, committed suicide in jail

He had been serving a life sentence without possibility of parole for the murder of his close friend Odin Lloyd, but just five days earlier had been acquitted of a separate double murder.

One theory for Lloyd's murder is that he knew about Hernandez's bisexuality and might tell Shenea Jenkins  Hernandez's fiancee's sister  who Lloyd was dating.

According to Newsweek, Hernandez had a long-term gay lover before he was imprisoned who was due to give evidence at his murder trial. But shortly before the case he transferred a large sum of money into the man's bank account.

As exclusively revealed by DailyMail.com, Hernandez  prisoner number W106228  had carefully planned his death. He had soaped the floor in his cell, so he would not be able to stand if he changed his mind after attempting to take his own life.

He had also given away his property to fellow inmates and left the three notes next to a Bible opened to John 3:16, the number scrawled that on his forehead in red marker.

The Cumberland Farms store Kyle Kennedy robbed at knife point

John 3:16, often described as 'the gospel in a nutshell' reads: 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.'

He jammed the door to the cell  number G2-57  with cardboard and piled furniture against the door to slow down anyone trying to enter. He also covered the interior window with a curtain to cover up his nakedness, according to Boston's CBS affiliate.

A corrections officer has been placed on paid leave for allegedly failing to inspect the cell at 2 am on Wednesday. Hernandez's naked body was found hanging shortly after 3.

His body was taken to UMASS Leominster and he was officially pronounced dead at 4.07 am.

Hernandez's funeral is due to take place in his home town of Bristol, Connecticut on Monday.
A dog whose back paw was bitten off when he was a puppy has been fitted with a prosthetic 'ballet shoe' giving him the chance to walk normally for the first time.

Zeus, a two-year-old whippet from Brazil, lost his back left foot in a ferocious attack when he was a new-born.

The mutilated leg which ends in a stump means the animal struggles to walk. The pet either drags the limb behind or lifts it off the ground.

But in a new video, the animal can be seen having a 3D-printed attachment fitted to his leg.

A dog (pictured with owner Christiane Kimura) whose back paw was bitten off when he was a puppy has been fitted with a prosthetic 'ballet shoe'

Zeus, a two-year-old whippet from Brazil, lost his back left foot in a ferocious attack when he was a new-born

In an effort to improve Zeus' life, Brazilian veterinarian surgeon Roberto Fecchio and dentist Paulo Miamoto, based in Sao Paulo, devised an attachment that resembles a ballet shoe.

Zeus got the new prosthetic paw earlier this month and is now learning to walk on the tip.

To create the prosthesis, the animal specialists took a CT-scan of Zeus's hind legs and processed the data using software to produce three dimensional images of the dog's limbs.

Mr Miamoto explained: 'We used the information to model a 3D prosthesis that would fit onto and snuggly embrace Zeus's lower left leg.

'The artificial attachment re-establishes the spatial difference between the rest of his legs and the gap between the damaged limb and the ground.'

In an effort to improve Zeus' life, Brazilian veterinarian surgeon Roberto Fecchio and dentist Paulo Miamoto, based in Sao Paulo, devised an attachment that resembles a ballet shoe

Zeus got the new prosthetic paw earlier this month and is now learning to walk on the tip

To create the prosthesis, the animal specialists took a CT-scan of Zeus's hind legs and processed the data using software to produce three dimensional images of the dog's limbs

An anatomically accurate image was printed producing the 3D artificial device in biodegradable plastic.

The lightweight attachment, which weighs 24 grams, slips on like a shoe and Velcro straps fitted to the prosthesis hold the part securely in place.

The dentist added: 'Zeus needed to be able to run up and down with ease and we knew that while comfort was one thing, making sure the prosthesis was effective when it touched the ground was also important.'

Miamoto and Fecchio are members of the volunteer group Animal Avengers, which is known for saving the lives of Freddy the Tortoise and Victoria the Goose, among others.

'If we hadn't carried out this intervention now, Zeus's gait would have become steadily worse over the years, 'Fecchio revealed.

'His attempts to adapt to his disability would have eventually taken a toll on his body by adversely overloading his spine and seriously affecting his other limbs.'

The lightweight attachment, which weighs 24 grams, slips on like a shoe and Velcro straps fitted to the prosthesis hold the part securely in place

The nervous hound (pictured without the attachment) is currently having physiotherapy at the Animal Care Vet Hospital in the city to get him accustomed to the prosthesis

Within a day of the prosthesis being slipped on, Zeus's owner, Christiane Kimura, reported the pup was adapting faster than expected.

She said: 'I could see he was thinking about what to do with the leg and so I encouraged him to try it out on grass to soften the impact, by physically helping him to rest it on the ground. To my surprise, he began to take to his new green paw really quickly.

'He hit the ground with it in short bursts but it wasn't a fluid movement and he kept inspecting it and trying to shake it off. Even so it was wonderful to watch.'

The nervous hound is currently having physiotherapy at the Animal Care Vet Hospital in the city to get him accustomed to the prosthesis.

The Brazil-based Animal Avengers team is composed of Vets Roberto Fecchio, Rodrigo Rabello, Matheus Rabello, Marco Campos, Henrique Perez, Sergio Camargo and Lucas Porto, and dentists Paulo Miamoto and Guilherme Costa who continue to pool their expertise to help and improve the lives of injured pets and wild animals.
Zac Goldsmith is plotting a dramatic comeback to the Commons on June 8 despite his humiliating defeat in the Richmond Park by-election.

The former London mayoral candidate lost out to the Liberal Democrats just eight months ago after quitting the Tories and calling a ballot in protest at the decision to expand Heathrow Airport.

But he is among the senior figures considering another tilt in the snap election called by Theresa May last week.

Former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, who was a Conservative minister until she lost her seat in 2015 - is in the running to be the party's candidate in Tatton, where George Osborne has announced he is standing down.

Apprentice star Michelle Dewberry is also said to be considering standing in Hull West after complaining that Labour has become a 'joke', and selfie queen Karen Danczuk - wife of current MP Simon - is said to have put her name forward in Bury North.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems have taken the unusual step of selecting a candidate for Buckingham - where traditionally Speaker John Bercow would be unchallenged.

Zac Goldsmith is plotting a dramatic comeback to the Commons on June 8 despite his humiliating defeat in the Richmond Park by-election just six months ago

Lib Dem Sarah Olney is defending the south west London seat, which voted heavily for Remain in the EU referendum

Esther McVey, who was employment minister under David Cameron, is on the three-strong shortlist for Tatton

Mr Goldsmith saw his by-election stunt backfire last October when Lib Dem Sarah Olney overturned his 23,000 majority to eject him from the Commons.

The constituency voted heavily for Remain in the referendum, and many analysts think he will have a mountain to climb to reclaim it.

However, Mr Goldsmith will be hoping to benefit from the huge national poll lead enjoyed by Theresa May's party.

WHO IS CONSIDERING A COMMONS BID AND WHERE? Zac Goldsmith, former Tory MP - Richmond Park Esther McVey, former minister and GMTV presenter - Tatton Michelle Dewberry, Apprentice star and businesswoman - Hull West and Hessle Karen Danczuk, former wife of MP Simon Danczuk - Bury North Advertisement

He has yet to be formally selected by the Conservatives in the West London constituency.

A local source told the Evening Standard there was a feeling that Mr Goldsmith would stand the best chance of winning.

'He was an extremely popular and hard working local MP and he has remained a party member,' said the source. 'Not everyone was happy with the by-election but at least he kept his promise to resign his seat over Heathrow expansion.'

Mrs McVey, who was employment minister under David Cameron, is on the three-strong shortlist for Tatton.

It is an ultra-safe Tory seat, where Mr Osborne had a majority of more than 18,000 in 2015 - but is due to be abolished in boundary reviews which are now slated to take effect in 2022.

Businesswoman Ms Dewberry said she was contemplating running in Hull West and Hessle, where Labour's Alan Johnson has said he will not seek reelection.

'There are so many people who are unrepresented in politics at the moment,' she told the Sun.

Theresa May was pictured leaving Tory headquarters today as the campaign was drawn

'Hull is a Brexit seat, I've no idea of Labour's position on Brexit.

'The Tories have lot of ideas but they have an image problem.'

A Lib Dem spokesman said: 'We beat Goldsmith once, we will beat him again. He resigned over Heathrow and caused a by-election on this issue, and yet, he seems to want to fight an election under a pro-Heathrow Tory banner again.

'The Liberal Democrats are the only party fighting a Hard Brexit.

Theresa May has chosen the hardest and most divisive form of Brexit, choosing to take us out of the Single Market before she has even tried to negotiate.'

The Lib Dems in Buckingham have selected Sarah Lowes to run against Mr Bercow.

By tradition, the main parties do not usually field opponents in the Speaker's seat as they are considered politically impartial.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage stood in the constituency in 2010, but was soundly defeated.

Apprentice star Michelle Dewberry is also said to be considering standing in Hull West after complaining that Labour has become a 'joke'

Selfie fan Karen Danczuk, wife of current MP Simon Danczuk, is said to be seeking selection in Bury North

John Bercow is facing a challenge after the Lib Dems defied convention by saying they will field a candidate against the Speaker

Selfie Queen Karen Danczuk is hoping to swap the camera for Parliament and run for Labour at the General Election

Selfie queen Karen Danczuk is hoping to run for Labour at the looming General Election.

The mother-of-two, who is best known for posting provocative photos of her cleavage, has applied to become Labours candidate in the marginal seat of Bury North.

If she is selected and wins she could join her estranged husband, the suspended Labour MP Simon Danczuk, in the Commons.

The selfie queen will hear if she has been selected by Labour tomorrow at the earliest

It is not Ms Danczuk's first foray into politics. She was a councillor in Rochdale for four years from 2011 to 2015.

And she has previously told of her ambition to enter the corridors of power in Westminster.

Speaking in February, she told the BBC : I want to get back into politics, and Ive been thinking this past week, actually I would love to be an MP, I genuinely would , and I just hope I can get the support out there to enable that, because I think my voice is important.

Mixed views should be taken into account.

A spokeswoman for Ms Danczuk told the Mail Online: 'I can confirm that the application did go in last week.

'She doesn't hear until tomorrow at the earliest if she has been accepted.'

A source close to Ms Danczuk, who submitted her application for the seat last week, said her campaigning on child abuse and regular media slots gives her a good shot at the seat.

They told the Guido Fawkes wesbite: Karen connects with people, shes a poor girl done good, and shes a local girl.

'Shes serious about getting selected.

Ms Danczuk keeps her 72,000 Twitter followers entertained by posting a steady stream of busty photos.

But she also campaigns against child abuse, having bravely spoken out about her torment at being raped by her paedophile brother, Michael Burke, who was finally jailed for 15 years in in December.

Tory MP David Nuttall had a wafer-thin majority of just 378 votes at the last election in 2015

Waiving her right to anonymity, she told how her brother robbed me of my childhood and drove her to try to kill herself.

If she is selected, she will be taking on the Tory MP David Nuttall, who has held the seat since 2010.

But he had a wafer-thin majority of just 378 votes at the last election. A string of other famous faces are also hoping to be heading for Westminster in the snap election.

Zac Goldsmith is plotting a dramatic comeback to the Commons despite his humiliating defeat in the Richmond Park by-election.

The former London mayoral candidate lost out to the Liberal Democrats just eight months ago after quitting the Tories and calling a ballot in protest at the decision to expand Heathrow Airport.

And former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, who was a Conservative minister until she lost her seat in 2015 - is in the running to be the party's candidate in Tatton, where George Osborne has announced he is standing down.
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Emmanuel Macron looks set to beat Marine Le Pen with 61 per cent of the vote in the election run-off next month, a new poll has shown.

French voters turned their backs on the political establishment last night in round one of the presidential election as independent centrist Macron won first place ahead of the National Front leader.

The result will have major implications for Britain and its departure from the EU. Miss Le Pen wants to completely renegotiate France's relationship with Brussels while Mr Macron wants closer links.

But this morning an Opinionway poll predicted Le Pen will end up being beaten by her opponent on May 7 with just 39 per cent of the vote compared to Macron's 61 per cent.

A war of words has already started today with Le Pen's top aide describing the presidential front-runner as 'arrogant'.

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French centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron leaves his apartment in Paris (left) and Marine Le Pen (right) arrives at her campaign headquarters in Paris, the day after they both made it through to the second round of the election

Le Pen went to greet her supporters after the initial results and said: ''This is a historic result. The French must take the step for this historic opportunity. This is the first step to drive the French [people] into the Elysee Palace'

Supporters of Le Pen, leader of the French National Front, were seen waving their flags emblazoned with 'Marine Presidente' at her election headquarters in Henin-Beaumont, after the inital results were announced

Supporters of French centrist candidate Macron were also seen cheering in delight at the results and waving the French flag

Many people were seen hugging after initial results showed Macron winning 23.9 percent of the vote, beating France's two main parties

Le Pen's camp took aim at what they see as Macron's weak spots - his privileged banker background and his role as economy minister in a discredited Socialist government of outgoing President Francois Hollande.

'Emmanuel is not a patriot. He sold off national companies. He criticised French culture,' Florian Philippot, deputy leader of Le Pen's National Front told BFM TV, saying she and Macron held completely different visions of France.

Philippot called the independent centrist and former investment banker 'arrogant' and said that in Sunday night's speech acclaiming his move into the second round 'he was speaking as if he had won already'.

'That was disdainful towards the French people,' Phillipot said. Macron's victory dinner celebrations at Paris's upscale Rotonde restaurant amounted to 'bling-bling biz,' he said.

President Hollande struck back on Monday afternoon, saying Le Pen's policy of pulling out of Europe would devastate the economy and threaten the country's liberty.

In a televised address from the Elysee palace, he called Le Pen a 'risk' saying her policies would 'deeply divide France' at a time when the terror threat requires 'solidarity' and 'cohesion'.

Hollande also threw his backing behind Macron, saying he would be voting for him on May 7. Benoit Hamon, the candidate for Hollande's own Socialist Party, has already been eliminated after polling at just seven per cent.

Macron put out a tweet shortly after in which he avoided attacking Le Pen directly, thanking Hollande for his support and calling on his followers to be 'faithful to the value of France' at the next election in two weeks.

According to France's Interior Ministry, 46 million people voted in the first stage of the elections which knocked the traditional Right and Left parties out of the running for the first time in 60 years.

Francois Hollande threw his weight behind Macron, his former economy minister, saying that Le Pen's policies will 'deeply divide France' at a time when unity is needed

Marine Le Pen (left) and Emmanuel Macron (right) celebrated the initial results of the polls, which said they both made it to the second round of the election

Macron (pictured celebrating the result at a restaurant last night) is clear favourite to become France's youngest president after topping Sunday's ballot with 23.75 per cent of votes, slightly ahead of National Front (FN) leader Le Pen on 21.53 per cent, according to final results

Macron pledged to unite 'patriots' behind his agenda to renew French politics and modernise the country against Le Pen and 'the threat of nationalists' as mainstream political leaders urged voters to back him and keep the far-right away from the Elysee Palace

Throughout the campaign, Macron insisted France was 'contrarian' - ready to elect a pro-globalisation liberal at a time when right-wing nationalists are making gains around the world

With 97 per cent of the vote counted, Macron achieved 23.9 per cent, followed by Le Pen on 21.4. A total of 36.7million voted, a turnout of 78.2 per cent.

But it is thought that Le Pen's chances of winning the second round are limited as supporters for Republican candidate Francois Fillon, who conceded but has gained 19.9 per cent of the votes, will support Macron.

However, far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, who gained 19.6 per cent, refused to concede until the final results of first-round vote were announced.

Macron took to the stage in Paris earlier, with his wife Brigitte, and urged national unity against Le Pen.

To chants of 'Macron president!' and 'We're going to win,' Macron began his speech by paying tribute to his opponents, and praised his supporters for his lightning rise.

He said: 'We have turned a page in French political history,' and added he wants to gather 'the largest possible' support before May 7.

Macron acknowledged widespread anger at traditional parties and promised 'new transformations' in French politics.

At a rally last night, Le Pen told her supporters she is offering 'the great alternative' in the presidential race.

She added: 'It is time to liberate the French people from the arrogant [political] elite.' Le Pen was later given a bunch of flowers

She said: 'This is a historic result. The French must take the step for this historic opportunity. This is the first step to drive the French [people] into the Elysee Palace.

'It is time to liberate the French people from the arrogant [political] elite.'

EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici warned today that although pro-Europe Macron won the first round of France's presidential election, Le Pen is still a contender.

Moscovici, a former French socialist finance minister and now EU commissioner for financial affairs, told reporters Macron's victory was welcome but there was 'bad news' too.

'Le Pen qualified for the second round; she may have scored less in percentage terms than was expected but it is frightening that she still got 7.6 million votes,' he said.

'It is too early yet to heave a sigh of relief, the election is not over,' he said.

Moscovici said he believed Le Pen would not be the next French president but feared that she could still garner about 40 percent of the vote.

'That would show a country deeply divided and we must remain on guard - We must not claim victory yet, we must fight against the false claims of the FN,' he said.

Macron 'will have my vote,' he said, adding that his victory was essential to the future of France and Europe.

'The European Commission is ready to work with the new French president on how we can re-launch Europe,' he said.

Former favourite Fillon conceded and voiced his support for Macron after initial projections showed he and Melanchon got 19.5 per cent of the vote.

Shortly afterwards, France's Prime Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, also called on voters to support Macron.

The outcome capped an extraordinary few months for a deeply divided France, which saw a campaign full of twists and turns and widespread anger at traditional parties.

It signals a stinging defeat for the Fillon and Socialist Benoit Hamon, meaning neither of France's mainstream parties will be in the second round for the first time in 60 years.

Macron, a 39-year-old who had never before stood for election and only started his independent centrist movement 12 months ago, will be the overwhelming favourite to win the second round on May 7.

He served as an economy minister under President Francois Hollande, ran without the backing of an established party, forming his own called 'En Marche!'.

His wife Brigitte is 25 years his senior and taught him at school.

Macron, a 39-year-old who had never before stood for election and only started his independent centrist movement, En Marche!, 12 months ago

He said he wants to gather 'the largest possible' support before the May 7 runoff. He praised his supporters for a campaign that 'changed the course of our country'

Macron acknowledged widespread anger at traditional parties and promised 'new transformations' in French politics

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Macron on Sunday and wished the centrist well for the May 7 French presidential runoff against Le Pen.

'Juncker congratulated Macron on his result in the first round and wished him all the best for the next round,' Margaritis Schinas said on Twitter.

Underlining broad support for Macron among leaders of the European Union institutions in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini from the Italian centre-left added her congratulations to those of Juncker, a centre-right former prime minister of Luxembourg.

'To see the flags of France and the EU hailing Emmanuel Macron's result shows hope and the future of our generation,' tweeted Mogherini, 43, after the 39-year-old Macron's first-round victory speech to supporters was broadcast on television.

Last night he was congratulated by former Labour MP David Miliband and by former chancellor George Osborne.

Mr Miliband said: 'Tremendous achievement by Emmanuel Macron. Bulwark against evil forces and tribune for modernization in France and Europe.'

Mr Osborne said: 'Congratulations to my friend Emmanuel Macron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last the chance for the leadership that France needs.'

Despite his defeat, supporters for the election candidate far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon still cheered for him outside his election headquarters

Anti-fascist activists clashed with riot police in Paris' Place de la Bastille - the birthplace of the French Revolution

Demonstrators in Nantes chanted anti-Le Pen slogans as they showed their opposition to the National Front leader

The euro has jumped 2 per cent on Sunday night, to more than 85p ($1.09), after projections showed Macron and Le Pen would go head to head.

Macron has vowed to reinforce France's commitment to the EU and euro.

Stock markets will next open in Asia before Europe starts trading on Monday morning.

But despite stock markets around the world improving significantly, investors fretted beforehand that another unforseen election outcome could upend the market. In addition, the presidential race was plagued by controversy.

Republican candidate Fillon, 63, is accused of embezzling state money by paying his British wife Penelope, 61, as his assistant  despite her allegedly carrying out no work.

Le Pen faces a fraud inquiry, with her chief of staff accused of misusing EU funds while Melenchon, 65, had vowed to pull his country out of Europe and get rid of the euro.

Earlier this evening, Le Pen had security authorities on high alert, with rioting expected across the country in protest due to her election success.

More than 50,000 police and gendarmes were deployed to the 66,000 polling stations for Sunday's election, which comes after Thursday's deadly attack on the Champs-Elysees in which a police officer and a gunman were slain.

However, initial election results triggered riots across the country, initially sparked in Paris' Place du la Bastille, the birthplace of the French Revolution, tonight against the Le Pen's National Front.

The crowds of young people, some from anarchist and anti-fascist groups, gathered in eastern Paris as results were coming in from Sunday's first-round vote.

Police fired tear gas to disperse an increasingly rowdy crowd. Riot police surrounded the area.

Protesters have greeted several of Le Pen's campaign events, angry at her anti-immigration policies and her party, which she has sought to detoxify after a past tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

There were angry scenes in Nantes in western France, where anti-fascists took to the streets to protest

Ballot boxes in Le Port, on the French overseas island of La Reunion were seen locked after the polls closed earlier this evening

Two officials were seen tipping out the votes ready to count them ahead of the results, which are expected to be announced within the hour

Le Pen has vowed to offer French voters a referendum to leave the EU and wants to leave the euro, known as Frexit.

Her father, the convicted racist and anti-Semite Jean-Marie Le Pen, won through to the second round of the 2002 presidential election but was then crushed by the conservative Jacques Chirac.

However she faces a similar prospect of defeat when she goes up against Macron in the second round of the next week.

He is widely expected to win the contest against Le Pen.

In France the election took place with the nation on high alert, with the vote taking place just three days after a police officer was gunned down by a Jihadi on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

In Besancon, eastern France a stolen car was abandoned outside a polling station with the engine running.

A policeman secures the entrance of a polling station as people arrive to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Henin-Beaumont, France, April 23, 2017

Policemen stand near a polling station during the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France

Femen activists with masks, including one wearing a mask of Marine Le Pen, top left, are detained as they demonstrate in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, where far-right leader and presidential candidate Le Pen voted during the first round of the French presidential election

Police found a hunting rifle inside the vehicle which had been disguised with stolen number plates.

In Rouen, Normandy, a gunman shot and wounded another man but the incident was classified as 'non-terror related'.

Two other polling station, in Saint Omer, northern France, were evacuated because of a suspicious vehicle with Dutch number plates.

Ballots were cast in the wake of took place after a series of devastating terror attacks across France, but despite that armed police and soldiers are outlawed from protecting 67,000 French polling stations.

There had been a serious concern that groups including Islamic State would target the election.

However the 50,000 policemen and gendarmes that were only standby along with 7,000 soldiers were not required as the day went on.

The presidential poll is the first to be held during a state of emergency, put in place since the Paris attacks of November 2015.

A Femen activists wearing the mask of Marine le Pen is detained as they demonstrate in Henin Beaumont, northern France

Voters are choosing between 11 candidates in the most unpredictable contest in decades, and the poll conducted by RTBF suggests just that.

Topless demonstrators from the Femen activist group caused a commotion as they staged a stunt against Le Pen outside a polling station where the far-right presidential candidate was heading to vote.

Around six activists were detained Sunday morning after jumping out of an SUV limo wearing masks of Le Pen and United States President Donald Trump.

Police and security forces quickly forced them into police vans, confiscating their signs.

Le Pen voted at the station shortly after without further disruption.

After nine hours of voting, turnout was 69.4 percent, one of the highest levels in 40 years.

While down slightly on the same point in the 2012 election, an extra hour of voting in smaller towns was expected to take turnout to around 78 to 81 percent.

A Femen activist wearing the mask of U.S President Donald Trump is taken away from the scene near a scrum of photographers

People line up before casting their vote for the first-round presidential election at a polling station in Paris, Sunday, April 23, 2017

Outgoing French president Francois Hollande casts his ballot at a polling station in Tulle (left) as Marine Le Pen emerges from a booth (right)

Outgoing French president Francois Hollande picks up ballot papers before casting his vote at a polling station in Tulle, central France, on April 23, 2017, during the first round of the Presidential election

Former French President and former Head of Les Republicains right wing Party Nicolas Sarkozy (centre) and his wife, the singer Carla Bruni Sarkozy (left) vote in the first round of the 2017 French Presidential Election at the Jean de la Fontaine High School in the 16th arrondissement on April 23, 2017 in Paris, France

Former French President and former Head of Les Republicains right wing Party Nicolas Sarkozy sweeps the curtain aside as he leaves a voting booth

Marine Le Pen was today poised for a historic breakthrough in France's nail-biting presidential race

Her campaign has been dominated by anti-Islam and anti-immigration rhetoric and critics said she has used the violence to stoke further hostility.

Defiant voters proclaimed the Paris terrorist attack would not alter their political loyalties in the French presidential elections today, although many feared a surge in support for the National Front.

As citizens flocked to polling stations across the country Parisians told how they would 'vote with their hearts' to reject extremist ideas, in the first round of voting to decide the new leader of France.

Mother-of-one Marie-Noelle Liesse told MailOnline she voted for independent centrist Emmanuel Macron to stop Marine Le Pen.

She said: 'I voted with my heart to stop the extremists, the National Front, from getting into power.

'The terrorist attack on the Champs Elysee has not affected the way I voted, but I fear it may have influenced some people.

'I voted for Macron. I believe he is the right candidate to lead France.'

Mrs Liesse, 45, a communications executive, brought her five-year-old son Amant, to the polling station in the central Marais district of Paris.

French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National (FN) party, Marine Le Pen casts her ballot in the first round of the French presidential elections in Henin-Beaumont, Northern France, shortly after the commotion

Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron waves supporters after casting his vote in the first round of the French presidential election, in le Touquet, northern France, Sunday April 23, 2017

People line up before casting their vote for the first-round presidential election at a polling station in Paris, Sunday, April 23, 2017

Young professional couple Max Nivoix and Mariam Guedra voted for independent centrist Emmanuel Macron for said they feared the terrorist attack would galvanise support for Marine Le Pen's National Front.

Mr Nivoix, 28, an industrial products buyer, told MailOnline: 'I have voted for Macron. I think he is the best candidate to lead France.

'The terrorist attack last week has not influenced the way I voted. But I fear that people outside of Paris will turn to Le Pen because of it.'

French nationals in the UK casting their votes Among the 60,000 polling stations to open their doors was the French Consulate in South Kensington, where the bulk of the UK's French nationals are expected to cast their votes. According to figures from 2014, there are 400,000 French people living in London, which prompted Boris Johnson to call it France's sixth biggest city. At the end of 2013, the Foreign Ministry recorded 1.6million French expats living in the UK, according to The Independent. Outside of the capital, there are polling stations in Ashford, Brighton, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Advertisement

His partner Ms Guedra, 28, an engineer, added: 'I voted for Emmanuel Macron too. He has the best policies for young people and for the time we live in now.

'But we are both educated and from the city. I know that old people and people in the countryside are more in favour of Le Pen.'

Flight attendant Baptiste Laurent said he voted for communist-backed firebrand Jean-Luc Melonchon he feared National Front candidate Marine Le Pen could come top in the poll.

Mr Laurent, 39, told MailOnline: 'I voted for Melonchon because I voted for what I believe in  a more equal society.

'But I fear that Le Pen could be the biggest winner today.'

Mr Laurent came to the polling station with his 14-month-old daughter Romy.

A primary school teacher also backed communist-backed firebrand Jean-Luc Melonchon but feared a surge of support for Le Pen's National Front.

Alexandre, 42, told MailOnline: 'I voted for Melonchon because I support his programme and his socialist policies.

'But Le Pen will do well in the polls today. She has a strong base of support. And after the terrorist attack she will get more votes. I think she will get through to the second round of voting.'

The second round of voting between the two front runners of today's poll will take place on Sunday 7 May.

She is locked in a duel with centrist front-runner Emmanuel Macron, 39, a staunch defender of the single market who has told Theresa May he favours a 'hard Brexit'.

If, as expected, Le Pen and Macron are successful in the first round of voting today, they will face each other in the run-off on May 7.

People line up to vote at a polling station in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Vaulx-en-Velin, France, April 23, 2017

Brigitte Trogneux casts her ballot next to her husband, French presidential election candidate for the En Marche movement Emmanuel Macron during the first round of the Presidential election at a polling station in Le Touquet

But analysts say the battle for the Elysee Palace is by no means a two-horse race.

Le Pen has moved from 22 per cent to 23 per cent in the latest opinion poll while her three rivals have all lost half a percentage point of support.

Macron dropped back to 24.5 per cent, while republican candidate Francois Fillon and leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon were back on 19 per cent.

The far-Right leader is confident her chances of winning the election's first round have been strengthened by last week's terrorist murder of a police officer on the Champs-Elysees

Experts said a Le Pen victory in the first round could mean cheaper holidays for Brits heading to Europe.

Kathleen Brooks, of City Index Direct, said: 'I think if Le Pen wins today by a wide enough margin, then the euro will fall significantly, possibly to the lowest levels we've seen this year. And a weak euro will initially be great for us as everything will be much cheaper in Europe.'

Le Pen's father, the convicted racist Jean-Marie Le Pen, caused shockwaves around the world in 2002 when he came second in the first round. He then went on to lose to Jacques Chirac by a landslide of more than 80 per cent.

But Marine Le Pen is convinced she can go one better by positioning herself as the candidate who is toughest on terror.

She had pledged to 'immediately reinstate border checks', to expel foreigners and to ban all immigration, whether illegal or not. Supporters include Donald Trump who said the Paris attack would 'have a big effect on the presidential election' because the French people 'will not take much more of this'.

But Prime Minister Cazeneuve accused Le Pen of 'shamelessly seeking to exploit fear and emotion for exclusively political ends'. Mr Cazeneuve pointed out that Karim Cheurfi, the 39-year-old responsible for the murder of traffic officer Xavier Jugele, 37, was a born and bred Frenchman.

Le Pen has called for negotiation with Brussels on a new EU, followed by a referendum; extremist mosques closed and priority to French nationals in social housing; and retirement age fixed at 60.

Macron forged a reputation with his 'Macron Law', a controversial reform bill that allowed shops to open more often on Sundays. On security, he has said France is paying for the intelligence jobs cuts made when Fillon was PM between 2007 and 2012.
HELENA  One of two bills designed to ban the governor from transferring Medicaid funding for the elderly and disabled out of those programs for other uses has returned to Steve Bullocks desk after the House and Senate rejected a proposed amendment on Monday.

The original form of House Bill 334 is one sentence: Appropriations in a general appropriations act for Medicaid may be used only to pay for or administer Medicaid services. Last week, the governor added a second sentence that both chambers rejected Monday: In the event an appropriation for Medicaid services is not fully expended, it may be used to fund non-Medicaid services as necessary.

Why do we continuously balance the (Department of Health and Human Services) budget on the backs of the elderly and disabled? said Rep. Jon Knokey, the Bozeman Republican and sponsor of HB 334. He noted that instead of using unspent Medicaid dollars to plug holes in other programs  such as foster care or addiction treatment, as was done in recent years  the governor could use money from other places in the general fund.

The legislature is giving Governor Bullock one more opportunity to do the right thing and put an end to budget games being played with Medicaid funds. The proposed amendment went directly against the intent of the bill and Im glad it will go back to his desk in the original form, Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, said in a written statement.

Bullock has previously contended that it makes sense that if a program will not be able to use all of its funding that those dollars be put to good use elsewhere.

After both chambers killed his amendments Monday, the governor must now decide whether to kill HB 334 outright or let it become law as originally written.

A similar proposal, Senate Bill 208, likewise would require funding for Medicaid waiver programs that provide home-based services to the elderly and people with disabilities be spent on those programs only. The bill by Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, also clarified that the funding might be spent by the department to help employers pay direct care workers more in hopes of ending a shortage that has left people on wait lists even as the state had the money to pay for care.

Both measures originally passed their chambers with bipartisan support, although some Democrats had taken up the governors argument that the bills unnecessarily tied the hands of the executive.

Rep. Kathy Kelker, a Billings Democrat who serves on the board of a nonprofit nursing home, said Knokeys bill was making a false argument.

How we move the money around has to be decided on what we can actually do in the real world, she said.

Rep. Marilyn Ryan, D-Missoula, said she had initially supported HB 334 before learning more about the complicated issues at the heart of why the department has been unable to spend all the money it has received.

The governor has to have the flexibility to move finances where needed, she said.

Bullock Spokeswoman Ronja Abel said the governor was unavailable for comment on Monday, but emailed a statement that provided little clue as to what he might do next.

"Governor Bullock is disappointed the Legislature did not accept his amendments to make the bill more fiscally responsible. He will now take a final look at the bill on its original merits before he takes action," she wrote.
A former soldier, who described suicide as a 'cowards way out' drowned herself in the bathtub of a hotel because she thought her depression would 'shame' her family.

Rosemary Atkins, 32, from Manchester, was too proud to ask her parents for help over her lengthy history of depression.

Miss Atkins thought, if she asked, she would hurt them and did not want to burden them with her problems.

Instead of seeking professional help she booked into a Premier Inn in the city centre, drank Cava sparkling wine and placed a 'do not disturb' sign on her door.

She wrote a note saying 'this is a goodbye and a last request', before submerging herself in the bathtub.

Rosemary Atkins, 32, from Manchester, was too proud to ask her parents for help over her lengthy history of depression

Inquiries revealed in the three days before her suicide on May 19 last year, Miss Atkins had spoken to a 'confusing' array of mental health crisis teams asking for help saying she 'could not cope any more' and threatening to kill herself.

She had also previously told a mental health doctor she had a 'long-term fantasy of harming herself in the bath' but had 'never tried it and never would'.

None of the information was fed back to her parents due to patient confidentiality.

At an inquest in Manchester, Miss Atkins' father Martin, 60, from Royton, near Oldham said: 'I am not blaming anybody for her death, but I do wish there was a way we could have been more involved and done more for our daughter.

'I feel it is a real shame we were kept in the dark about her problems. Had we known the extent of her battle we may have been able to be more of a support to her.

'I understand that there are issues with patient confidentiality and she was an adult so there was very little we could do for her.

Rosemary Atkins killed herself after keeping her mental illness a secret from her family

'We did try to contact people to get her help on her behalf, but we were never privy to any conversations or meetings which occurred as a result, and perhaps if we'd have known we could have done more and things might have been different.

'The passing between services is deeply confusing and I do not believe Rosemary would have been in a frame of mind to deal with this. This system does not seem logical.'

The hearing was told Miss Atkins had told her parents she self harmed when she was in the army - but unbeknown to them her condition worsened following the break up of a nine-year relationship she had with a former boyfriend and she began drinking wine heavily to mask it.

Mr Atkins added: 'Rosemary only ever seemed to binge drink when she visited friends in Kent and in London but seemed to wean herself off it when she was back home.

'She was fierce and independent and kept her problems to herself. She never wanted to upset or hurt anybody.

'We always offered her our support but she never seemed to need it. She always seemed to have it all together aside from occasional, throw-away comments she never gave us a reason to believe she would do something so drastic and final.

'She occasionally made comments such as 'life isn't worth living' but dismissed her comments and said she'd never want to do that to her friends or family. She said suicide was a coward's way out.

Miss Atkins thought, if she asked, she would hurt them and did not want to burden them with her problems

Instead of seeking professional help she booked into a Premier Inn in the city centre, drank Cava sparkling wine and placed a 'do not disturb' sign on her door

'She was a wonderful young woman with many distant plans for the future. She had saved up a deposit for a home of her own and we had accompanied her in viewing different places for her to live.

'She had recently started a new job which she loved and had high hopes for securing a higher position within the company. She had plans. The day before she took her life she had a job interview for a higher role within her company, but was not hopeful of getting it.

'She had sent me a text message to say she had made a mess of the interview, but when she came home later that night she seemed happy enough.

I simply cannot shift my shock and deep grief. It is just inconceivable that Rosemary would do this. We are heartbroken.'

The inquest heard of various phone calls Miss Atkins made to three mental health services connected to Pennine Care NHS Trust between May 16 and May 19. Following one SOS call a police community support officer spoke to Miss Atkins for 50 minutes and a patrol followed her home.

She wrote a note saying 'this is a goodbye and a last request', before submerging herself in the bathtub

Mental health nurse David Bostock of Oldham Hospital who dialled 999 after a call from Miss Atkins said: 'It was clear that she needed help, but she explained to me that she did not wish to attend at A&E where immediate support would have been available for her.

'She was very proud and very private. She felt embarrassed for seeking help. I advised her to ring the helpline.'

Susan Griffiths a helpline operator for the RAID mental health service said: 'It was clear she was in distress and had difficulty breathing and I talked her through some relaxation techniques on the phone and made a referral to a mental health assessment team.

'She said she'd seen a RAID nurse at her local A&E but did not wish to return there. At that point she was very anxious but never mentioned self-harm, suicide or anything of that nature.

Inquiries revealed in the three days before her suicide on May 19 last year, Miss Atkins had spoken to a 'confusing' array of mental health crisis teams asking for help saying she 'could not cope any more' and threatening to kill herself

She had also previously told a mental health doctor she had a 'long-term fantasy of harming herself in the bath' but had 'never tried it and never would'

'But the following day she called again and was very distressed and kept telling me she could no longer cope.

'She hinted at being in trouble at work and I asked her to come and see me and when she refused I asked if I could call her an ambulance and she refused this too.

'She did not want to disclose the location of her place of work and didn't want to take trouble to her parents' home. She felt it would shame them and she did not wish to hurt them or cause them distress. She was a very proud young woman.

'I could see that all she needed was somebody to turn to. I tried to help her and give her as much support as I possibly could. Shortly after I received another call. Rosemary was calm. She thanked me for everything I had done for her, and thanked me for being so kind to her.

'Then she said: "I can't do this anymore" before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. Something told me that something wasn't right and deep down I just had a horrible feeling.

'Nobody has ever called to thank me before. It seemed very final and made me very concerned for her welfare. I made a call to authorities which ultimately led to Rosemary's body being discovered.'

None of the information was fed back to her parents due to patient confidentiality

Rachel Cheltenham of the Healthy Minds service said: 'Rosemary was very distressed and upset and refused to go to A&E, despite me explaining immediate help would be available for her there.

'She said she needed to speak to somebody as she felt she was going to do something stupid. She told me she had booked herself a hotel room where she'd planned to take an overdose, but had been too scared and hadn't gone through with it.

'I told her about the referral services we offer and asked her if she planned to take her life - but she said she didn't. I reiterated the services available to her, as I wanted her to know support was available.

'A lady at RAID advised me concerns for Rosemary's welfare had already been raised but I did not feel she was an immediate risk. She wanted to get back to work and she did not say she was going to harm herself.'

Dr Andrew Walker who worked with the RAID team at Oldham Hospital said: 'She said she felt she was at low risk of suicide. She had future plans, was accepting of our help and told me she was hopeful of securing her own accommodation. I was not overly concerned for Rosemary.

'She did confided in me that she had a long-term fantasy of harming herself in the bath but she said she had never tried it and insisted she never would.'

Despite Rosemary contacting a number of different crisis teams, none were able to access her medical history. A new computer system called Paris has now been introduced so each service can access patients' files.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Fiona Borrill said: 'I do believe these services were very fragmented and I have heard evidence that led me to feel concerned - but now that I am aware of the Paris system, I have no reason to feel concerned.

'There is no doubt that this is a very sad and very tragic case. I do not underestimate the shock and heartbreak felt by the family.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch, or visit www.samaritans.org
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations warned North Korea on Monday that Americans 'don't want war, so don't start one.'

Nikki Haley said on ABC's 'Good Morning America' that the when the communist country's government seized an American teacher on Friday, it risked sparking an all-out military conflict.

Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, was teaching at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained as he prepared to board a plane out of the country.

'I think that North Korea has been playing games from the very beginning. What we're seeing is that Kim Jong-Un is really trying to show his strength to the people of North Korea,' Haley said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned North Korea on Monday that 'we don't want war, so don't start one'

North Korea's despotic leader Kim Jong-Un is saber-rattling at the U.S. and his government seized an American teacher on Friday who was preparing to leave the country

President Donald Trump joked with members of the UN Security Council on Monday that Hely could be replaced if they didn't like her

'I think that just by detaining a prisoner is one more way he's trying to show his strength, and it's not going to work.'

President Donald Trump convened a lunch on Monday with members of the UN Security Council, joking about Haley's work.

'Shes doing a good job. Now, does everybody like Nikki? Because if you dont  otherwise, she can easily be replaced,' he said, to laughter.

'No, we wont do that, I promise. We wont do that. Shes doing a fantastic job.'

Haley said on 'CBS This Morning' that the U.S. is working hand-in-glove with the Chinese government to put pressure on North Korea, and it's beginning to work.

'I think we're going to handle it properly, and I think we'll have to use China to do that,' she said.

She added on NBC's 'Today' show that 'Kim Jong-Un is starting to flex his muscles because he feels the pressure' from his Chinese ally.

Haley said on ABC, however, that the U.S. isn't interested in a Chinese proposal that would call for an end to joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises in exchange for Pyongyang's pledge to stop developing its nuclear missile program.

'We're not going to do that,' she said.

Haley said on NBC's 'Today' show that 'Kim Jong-Un is starting to flex his muscles because he feels the pressure' from his Chinese ally

President Trump has sent the USS Carl Vinson to waters off the Korean peninsula to conduct military exercises with South Korea, as a show of strength against the North

'South Korea has been an ally from the very beginning. We want to protect them just as we're protecting ourselves. And that's what we said we were going to do, is we were going to have the backs of our allies, and we were going to call out our adversaries.'

'North Korea has done nothing but give every reason why we need to have military exercises in South Korea,' she said.

'We're not backing down from South Korea, and North Korea just needs to get in line.'

North Korea's dictator warned over the weekend that the military exercises put the U.S. at risk of starting an all-out war.

North Korea's state media claimed that 'if the US provokes the DPRK even a bit, its army and people will start a great war of justice for national reunification without hesitation.'

'National reunification' refers to saber-rattling related to North Korea's desire to conquer and annex South Korea.

''The U.S. has now gone seriously mad. It is mulling frightening the DPRK and achieving something with nuclear strategic bombers, nuclear carriers, etc. However, the army and people of the DPRK will never be browbeaten by such bluffing,' the media report read.
One Nation candidate Mark Ellis was sent death threats and harassed on social media after a kidnapping charge from 1994 resurfaced.

Mr Ellis was one of the infamous 'Pinkenba Six' police officers who in May 1994 drove three Aboriginal boys to remote bushland, took their shoes, and made them walk 14 kilometres home.

The security contractor is now standing for the seat of Macalister - or 'Mark-alister' as he likes to call it - in southeast Brisbane at the Queensland state election next year.

He was questioned by 9 News at a campaign event last week about the 23-year-old incident, and the report on Friday night began a deluge of hate mail, social media harassment and death threats.

One Nation candidate Mark Ellis was sent death threats and harassed on social media after a kidnapping charge from 1994 resurfaced

'I've been burned pretty bad ... over this, I've had death threats, I'm not prepared to make any further comment,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

'As you can imagine I'm in protecting my family mode at this stage. The police are involved.

'I'm not going to continue it because it's just going to get worse and worse for my family.'

Mr Ellis was also harassed by several fake Twitter and Facebook accounts pretending to be him defending his actions and making light of the incident.

Mr Ellis was one of the infamous 'Pinkenba Six' police officers who in May 1994 drove three Aboriginal boys to remote bushland, took their shoes, and made them walk 14 kilometres home

'They told us to take our clothes of, we said no, [then] they told us to take out shoes off,' one told an investigation on camera at the time

Multiple Facebook pages were shut down over the weekend but the Twitter profile @onenationmark began posting on Monday night.

'One nation candidate for Macalister, technically I never kidnapped anyone,' its bio reads,

Mr Ellis was also harassed by several fake Twitter and Facebook accounts pretending to be him defending his actions and making light of the incident

It was a reference to deprivation of liberty charges against the six officers being controversially dismissed when a magistrate found the boys went with the police willingly.

The first tweet started innocuously enough: 'Hi Australia. My name is Mark Ellis and I am the One Nation candidate for Macalister. Pleased to meet you. Let's open a dialogue.'

However, the replies - and the fake Mr Ellis' increasingly bizarre responses - quickly veered into mostly discussing the case.

'What's your policy on kidnapping?' one user wrote. 'Obviously I am against it. I have not kidnapped anyone. The court proved they came willingly,' the imposter replied.

Another user then argued the boys only went with the officers out of fear of violence.

'Correct. But it was a mistake in hindsight and I have admitted that over and over. It's time to heal and bring this country forward,' fake Mr Ellis replied.

Replies to his posts - and the fake Mr Ellis' increasingly bizarre responses - quickly veered into mostly discussing the case

The fake account's responses frequently parodied his responses on the 9 News report

Fake Mr Ellis was later asked for his view on the stolen generation and appeared to use echo his defence to the Pinkenba Six charges.

'It is a complicated issue. The mainstream media and left want you to think we abducted aboriginee (sic) kids. But it isn't that simple,' he wrote.

In another post he said U.S. civil rights leader Malcolm X was the historical figure he would most like to kidnap.

After copping a battering from Twitter users who thought the account was real, fake Mr Ellis said he was taking his dog for a walk to relax.

'No I am not going to take him to the bush and leave him there, I am bring him back (sic)!! God!!!' he quickly clarified.

One of the three boys gives a TV interview at the time of the case

Fake Mr Ellis was later asked for his view on the stolen generation and appeared to use echo his defence to the Pinkenba Six charges

The fake account consistently insisted the incident was not actually a kidnapping - except a few times when it pretend to slip up

His next tweet read: 'It wasn't kidnapping it was an excursion to the bush. Sue me for trying to give some kids a fun activity!!'

'Hey Mark, bunch of the fellas and me are gonna go kidnap some Aboriginal youths, you in?' one user clearly in on the joke asked.

The fake Mr Ellis account replied 'yeah sure' before appearing to realise what he said and taking it back.

Mr Ellis told Daily Mail Australia he had reported the fake Twitter and 'that's all I can do... the Facebook (accounts) are gone but they'll start up again.'

Mr Elliss is now standing as Pauline Hanson's candidate for the seat of Macalister - or 'Mark-alister' as he likes to call it - in southeast Brisbane at the Queensland state election next year

His next tweet read: t wasn't kidnapping it was an excursion to the bush. Sue me for trying to give some kids a fun activity!!'

In another post he said U.S. civil rights leader Malcolm X was the historical figure he would most like to kidnap

In the 9 News report, Mr Ellis was ambushed with questions about the Pinkenba Six incident and said he had moved on and everyone else should too.

'I would honestly have thought that something that was thrown out of court 30 years ago (actually 23 years ago) wouldn't be an issue,' he said.

'I did it, I own it, I take full responsibility for it. I wouldn't do it again, I've learned a lot from it but the circumstances at that time were very different to today.'

The report angered Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, who on Saturday said she was appalled One Nation leader Pauline Hanson endorsed him.

'This is wrong. This is abhorrent. Pauline Hanson and One Nation may think this is acceptable behaviour, but I don't,' she wrote on Facebook.

The report angered Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, who on Saturday said she was appalled One Nation leader Pauline Hanson endorsed him

After copping a battering over the weekend, Mr Ellis slammed the 'trolls' who were upset by his 'error in judgement' on his (actual) Facebook page

'We never threatened them, and never took their shoes. That's just the media trying to sell papers!' Mr Ellis wrote on Facebook after Friday's report

'I will always call them out on it, not only as the Member for South Brisbane, but as a mother who doesn't want to see her children grow up in a world where people like Mark Ellis get a tick of approval.'

After copping a battering over the weekend, Mr Ellis slammed the 'trolls' who were upset by his 'error in judgement' on his (actual) Facebook page.

'To the 2 or 3 angry keyboard warrior trolls that got very upset that I made an error of judgement 23 years ago, I commend you on living perfect lives!' he wrote.

The Aboriginal boys, aged 12, 13 and 14, claimed one of the other officers threatened to cut their fingers off.

'They told us to take our clothes of, we said no, [then] they told us to take out shoes off,' one told an investigation on camera at the time.

One of the shoes the boys were made to remove by the police officers

The Aboriginal community protested in the street after the case was thrown out

Mr Ellis and his five colleagues admitted to picking the boys up from the Fortitude Valley mall and dumping them, but insisted the boys came willingly.

'We never threatened them, and never took their shoes. That's just the media trying to sell papers!' Mr Ellis wrote on Facebook after Friday's report.

The six officers were suspended but reinstated once the charges were dropped. Mr Ellis stayed with the police force for 15 years, leaving in 2004.

The Aboriginal community protested in the street after the case was thrown out and the ruling was condemned by a Criminal Justice Commission review, which wanted the officers sacked.

Mr Ellis now runs private security company Gatecrash Security, drawing on his experience as a police officer to change the 'overbearing, violent and robotic' security culture, with 'physical confrontation' a last resort.

'Gatecrash Security is not about physical tactics and brute force. Its about professionalism, leadership, tolerance and peace of mind,' its website reads.

The next Queensland state election date is not set but must be held on or before May 2018.
Two Arkansas inmates are set to be put to death in the first double execution in the US in more than 16 years.

Jack Jones and Marcel Williams, both of whom are condemned killers who have admitted their guilt, are scheduled to be put to death on Monday night after their desperate attempts to be granted a stay fell on deaf ears.

Lawyers for both men argued their poor health could lead to extreme pain during the lethal injections.

Williams was sent to death row for the 1994 rape and killing of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson, whom he kidnapped from a gas station in central Arkansas.

Jack Jones (left) and Marcel Williams (right) are due to be executed on Monday after last ditch appeals on Sunday were rejected

Authorities said Williams abducted and raped two other women in the days before he was arrested in Errickson's death. Williams admitted responsibility to the state Parole Board last month.

'I wish I could take it back, but I can't,' Williams told the board.

Jones was sentenced to death for the 1995 rape and killing of Mary Phillips. He strangled her with the cord to a coffee pot.

In a letter earlier this month, Jones said he was ready to be killed by the state.

'I forgive my executioners; somebody has to do it,' wrote Jones, who had a leg amputated in prison because of diabetes and uses a wheelchair.

The letter, which his attorney read aloud at his clemency hearing, went on to say: 'I shall not ask to be forgiven, for I haven't the right.'

A recruiting sign for the Arkansas Department of Corrections greets visitors to the Cummins Unit prison - where the executions are scheduled to be held on Monday

Two federal judges ruled against the inmates in separate cases on Sunday.

One denied a stay of execution to Williams, saying that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has jurisdiction in the case.

Another federal judge denied the inmates' request for changes to the rules for witnesses to view the executions.

Arkansas is carrying out a series of executions before its lethal drug expires this month. The makers of Midazolam (pictured), asked the Arkansas Department of Corrections not to its drug to carry out executions

After the setback in a lower court, both inmates on Sunday asked the appeals court to halt their executions based on their poor health.

Lawyers for Jones' say he suffers from diabetes and is on insulin, has high blood pressure, neuropathy and had one leg amputated below the knee.

He is on heavy doses of drugs they say could prevent the lethal injection drug midazolam from working and lead to a 'tortuous death'.

Williams' lawyers say he weighs 400 pounds and it will be difficult to find a vein for lethal injunction, so the drugs are unlikely to work as intended.

Despite the legal attempts to extend their lives, the daughter of Jones' victim said she hopes the execution will bring her family closure.

'We couldn't move on and have that closure because they wouldn't let us,' Darla Jones - who is no relation to the killer - told CNN on Monday morning.

'It's like they trapped us... thinking about it and going to clemency hearings, and telling them one more time "Yes, we still want you to finish this".

'Our wounds have healed, but they're making a circus out of it.'

The 37-year-old told the network she plans to watch the execution on Monday night with her brother, father, and two other family members.

Ledell Lee, pictured on April 18, was executed the night of April 21 by lethal injection

The state had hoped to execute multiple inmates in such a short time because its supply of lethal injection drug 'midazolam' expires at the end of April. Pictured: Governor Asa Hutchinson

Williams and Jones are set to die in what would be the second and third executions in Arkansas this month.

The state set an aggressive plan to execute several inmates before one of its lethal injection drugs expires at the end of April.

The state executed Ledell Lee last week in the state's first use of capital punishment since 2005.

Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson originally scheduled four double executions over an 11-day period in April.

The eight executions would have been the most by a state in such a short period since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

The state said the executions needed to be carried out before its supply of the sedative midazolam expires on April 30.

Courts have blocked four of the eight scheduled executions.

The last state to put more than one inmate to death on the same day was Texas, which executed two killers in August 2000.
A policeman has been sacked for repeatedly beating a suspected fare-dodger with his baton in a crowded station.

PC Peter Crofts sprayed Anthony Yeboah with Captor spray and lashed his legs four times with a baton as he pleaded: 'I'm not a criminal, I'll go with you'.

The disgraced British Transport Police officer tried to justify his actions at London St Pancras by claiming Mr Yeboah broke his nail - but he failed to offer any evidence to explain how it happened.

He said he 'resented' the allegation that his beating of Mr Yeboah was racially motivated.

Brutal: A policeman has been sacked for repeatedly beating a suspected fare-dodger with his baton

Shocked bystanders filmed the brutal arrest which required six officers on March 8 last year.

An Independent Police Complains Commission report seen by MailOnline found that there was no evidence that Mr Yeboah needed to be detained.

The report concluded that the officers could have arranged for him to 'come to the police station voluntarily for an interview'.

Crofts attempted to handcuff Mr Yeboah but when he resisted he ordered him to 'get on the ground' before spraying him with Captor spray' - designed to cause a burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat.

Mr Yeboah, who is from Ghana, begged the officers moments before he was incapacitated and said: 'The way you guys are treating me, it's not right.

'I'm not a criminal, I'll go with you.'

He was handcuffed and taken to a van outside the station where he was further arrested for assault in relation to Crofts' broken thumbnail. Following the arrest Mr Yeboah was released without charge.

Two months before the arrest, Pc Crofts had received a final written warning for a 'disproportionate and unjustified use of force' in relation to the use of his Taser in June 2015.

Bosses had removed Crofts' Taser authority and ordered him to complete 'further conflict management training', but he had failed to undertake the training when Mr Yeboah was arrested.

The IPCC report said: 'There is no clear evidence as to how PC Crofts' thumbnail came to be broken.

A picture of Pc Crofts' broken nail

'PC Crofts had no evidence to suggest Mr Yeboah applied force directly to his thumb intentionally or recklessly causing his thumbnail to be broken.

'The thumbnail could have been broken while PC Crofts was attempting to handcuff Mr Yeboah or using the other restraint techniques detailed above.

'PC Crofts does not give any explanation as to why he thought Mr Yeboah had caused it above any other explanation.

'There was no evidence as stated above that Mr Yeboah was aggressive or threatening towards PC Crofts.'

After the arrest in June 2015 Crofts was ordered to undertake 'further conflict management training'.

After the officer was sacked Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: 'I support the decision of the independent misconduct panel to dismiss PC Peter Crofts with immediate effect.

'When police officers fail to retain control of a situation and do not exercise restraint, it understandably alarms the public and it is of extreme regret that a BTP officer has failed in his duty to be proportionate and cautious in his use of force.

'As seen in the video that captured some of the incident, this behaviour was unacceptable and it important to remember that a single incident such as this undermines the bravery of hundreds of officers who rush to the protect the public every day.

'PC Crofts' dismissal sends a clear message of the likely consequences should anyone fail to meet the expectations of our very clear Standards of Professional Behaviour.

'I hope the decision today also serves to reassure the public that all incidents of gross misconduct will always be thoroughly investigated and dealt with firmly by the Force.'
Sir Michael Fallon moved the Tories closer to axing their pledge to not hike taxes today with a warning the manifesto would not contain 'prescriptive' promises.

The intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election.

In 2015 the party campaigned on a promise not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT - branded a tax lock by David Cameron.

Theresa May has refused to repeat the promise since calling the election seven days ago, insisting only that the Conservatives are a party of low taxes.

Sir Michael Fallon (pictured today in Bristol) moved the Tories closer to axing their pledge to hike taxes today with a warning the manifesto would not contain 'prescriptive' promises

The Defence Secretary's intervention will further raise fears the Conservative Party will hike taxes if as expected they win the snap election

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think what (Chancellor Philip Hammond) said is he doesn't want too many targets inside the manifesto that are too prescriptive, that don't allow you, as the situation develops over the lifetime of the Parliament, that don't allow you the flexibility.'

Asked if the Tories would rule out rises in income tax, VAT or national insurance, Sir Michael said: 'The manifesto will certainly make clear which side of this argument we're on  it's Labour governments that increase tax, it's Conservative governments that take the lower paid, in particular, out of tax.'

Theresa May was pictured leaving Tory headquarters today as the campaign was drawn up

Tory ministers have been pursued by questions about the party's tax plans since Friday when Mrs May stopped short of repeating the commitment.

Campaigning in her home seat of Maidenhead, the Prime Minister said the Tories would recommit to a controversial promise on foreign aid spending.

On the same day Chancellor Philip Hammond has hinted the Tories could raise taxes after the election just a month after he was forced into a humiliating U-turn over planned national insurance hikes.

The row led to the effective collapse of Mr Hammond's first Budget as one of just two significant revenue raisers in the plan was dropped.

The Chancellor said previous manifesto promises not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT had 'constrained' his ability to balance the books.

Mr Hammond's warning will enrage right-wing Tory ministers and backbenchers, who are vehemently opposed to tax rises.

The Tory reluctance to tie their hands on tax is likely motivated by the party's commanding lead in every opinion poll over the past week

Theresa May (pictured campaigning in Dudley on Saturday) has refused to repeat the 2015 pledge not to raise taxes

Revealing his intentions, Mr Hammond said: 'I'm a conservative, I didn't come into politics because I believe in higher taxes, I believe in lower taxes.

Chancellor Philip Hammond (file) is said to want few 'prescriptive' promises in the manifesto

'I want to see Britain as a high skilled, high employment, high growth, low taxed, sensibly taxed economy. I'm not in the business of having some ideological desire to increase taxes.

'But I also think we need to manage the economy sensibly and sustainably, and we need to address the remainder of our deficit, to get our fiscal accounts get back to balance.

'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.'

Last month Mr Hammond announced plans to increase class 4 National Insurance paid by the self employed from 9 per cent to 11 per cent over the next two years.

But the move sparked anger as critics were quick to point out it breached the party's manifesto promise, and was quickly dropped.

Corbyn is branded a 'security risk' after he defies own party to make clear he would NEVER use nuclear deterrent

Jeremy Corbyn is a security risk to Britain because he would refuse to use the nuclear deterrent, Sir Michael Fallon warned today.

The Defence Secretary said Mr Corbyn was 'irresponsible' to campaign for power on a platform that undermines Britain's commitment to nuclear weapons.

The Labour leader is underfire after he used his first major TV interview of the election campaign to make clear he would never use Trident and could even scrap it.

Mr Corbyn's claims are in defiance of official Labour policy and the party has scrambled to insist its position is unchanged.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured campaigning in Scotland today) is a security risk to Britain and he must not win the election, Sir Michael Fallon warned today

A Labour source told MailOnline today 'there won't be any change on trident policy, whatever Jeremy Corbyn may or may not say'.

Mr Corbyn also told the BBC's Andrew Marr he would halt air strikes on ISIS and suggested he would not authorise a drone strike against the group's leader.

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think you saw Jeremy Corbyn yesterday questioning strikes against terrorists, refusing to back the nuclear deterrent, he's been querying our Nato deployment and he seems to have fallen out with his own party over the nuclear deterrent.

'That's chaos, but it's very dangerous chaos that would put the security of our country at risk.'

Paul Nuttall barricades himself in a room to hide from questions about whether he will stand for election

Paul Nuttall barricaded himself in a room today as he hid from questions about his election campaign after a disastrous press conference on his burka ban.

Ukip's senior team were bombarded with questions about whether a ban on face coverings would impact on Catholic nuns, beekeepers and even bridal veils.

As the press conference came to an end, Mr Nuttall then refused to answer a series of questions about whether he would run for election at the snap poll on June 8 before locking himself into a room with only one exit.

Journalists waited outside the Queen Mary room at London's Marriott County Hall in pursuit of an answer.

Emerging from the locked room around 10 minutes later, he insisted Ukip leaders in the past had 'have done quite well not being in Parliament haven't they' and said it was up to the party's national executive committee to agree selections later this week.

The Ukip leader was surrounded by a huge press pack as he was left his press conference and headed to his hiding place without giving an answer on his own plans (pictured)

Mr Nuttall refused to answer a volley of questions on whether he would contest a seat. He has until May 11 to get on a ballot.

Mr Nuttall stood in the Stoke by-election in February but endured a disastrous losing campaign.

He pleaded with reporters to focus on the subject of the press conference, the ban on Muslim veils and sharia law placed at the heart of its 'integration agenda'.


The lawyer acting on behalf of a 69-year-old doctor who was dragged off a United Airlines flight said he is no longer interested in an apology from airline bosses but he is gearing up to sue.

Dr. David Dao was filmed being hauled off the flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, on April 9 after being told the plane was overbooked and that airline staff needed to be on board.

He refused to leave his seat and was forcibly removed by aviation officers who dragged him along the aisle by his arms as he bled from the mouth after having his face smashed in to an arm rest.

Videos filmed by fellow passengers went viral and propelled United Airlines, which initially attempted to defend the incident by claiming Dr. Dao had been 'belligerent', into a disastrous PR spin.

Chicago attorney Thomas Demetrio is representing Dr. Dao in a civil lawsuit against United which is yet to be filed. He appeared on the Today show on Monday to say that his client was still 'emotionally and physically hurt' by the ordeal.

Thomas Demetrio, the lawyer representing Dr. David Dao (right) against United Airlines, said his client was still 'hurt' by the ordeal as he appeared on the Today show on Monday (left)

Hows Dr. Dao doing emotionally and physically? -@MLauer

Hes hurt. Both. He's hurt -Lawyer for Dr. David Dao pic.twitter.com/9kMlULaJ5Y  TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 24, 2017

'He's hurt. And he's of the mindset that this is an example...of why we need fairness, dignity and being treated right,' he said.

Dr. Dao suffered a broken nose, concussion and lost two teeth as he was dragged off the plane to the horror of fellow passengers.

On Monday, his lawyer said he was no longer interested in a face-to-face apology from United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz, telling Today host Matt Lauer: 'Mr. Munoz had that opportunity to publicly, first of all, apologize, and he didn't.

'And then, he called the Dr. belligerent. Then, he finally, mea culpa. So, I think we're past that stage of needing Dr. Munoz to say anything.'

Munoz went from first blaming Dr. Dao for the ordeal, telling staff he was investigating why he 'defied' Chicago Aviation Security Officers, to apologizing unreservedly for it.

Dr. Dao, 69, was dragged off a United Airlines plane from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, on April 9. He suffered a broken nose and concussion and lost two teeth as he was hauled off the flight in front of horrified fellow passengers

The airline's embattled CEO Oscar Munoz first attempted to blame the passenger for the ordeal but became unreservedly apologetic after receiving global backlash for his handling of the incident

Language in prepared statements evolved from describing the incident as 'upsetting' to 'truly horrifying' and Munoz eventually conceded responsibility, appearing solemnly on Good Morning America to say he was ashamed of the way the doctor had been treated.

His delayed attempts to repent fell flat. At a press conference the day after his television appearance, Dr. Dao's daughter said Munoz had not been in touch with her father to apologize despite offering every other passenger on the flight a full refund for their ticket.

Demetrio is yet to file his lawsuit against the airline. He said he is still gathering evidence and information from other passengers which he hopes will help his case.

'I'm hoping with all of the passengers on that plane, we'll eventually have it. We're hoping that Dr. Dao, being taken off that plane, like a sack of potatoes, okay, is going to resonate with people.'

Demetrio also revealed plans to take on American Airlines in a separate dispute involving an Argentinian mother who was filmed nearly being hit in the head with her child's metal stroller by a flight attendant who later challenged other passengers to hit him.

The woman, who has not been identified, was flying to Dallas from San Francisco with her two young children on Friday when the incident occurred.

Dr. Dao, above with wife and grandchildren, is no longer interested in the airline's apologies and is preparing to sue bosses who his lawyer said need to be held accountable

At a press conference last week, Demetrio joined Dr. Dao's adult daughter Crystal Dao Pepper (right) to speak of the trauma her father endured

She was looking for an overhead space to store the stroller when the flight attendant grabbed it from her, almost smacking her and the children with it in the process.

The woman wept in shock afterwards and pleaded for him to return it to her as fellow passenger Tony Sierro leaped to her defense.

The flight attendant aggressively challenged Sierro to hit him, pointing in his direction as he yelled: 'You don't know the full story'.

American Airlines apologized for the flight attendant's aggressive behavior immediately and fired him without hesitation.

Despite their remorse, Demetrio said the incident was another indicator of an industry-wide problem among airlines who treat passengers unfairly.

'This latest incident with American airlines will resonate with people. We live in the age of cell phone video. So, corporations have to take heed.

'The video we just saw is a microcosm of the entire problem. We have a flight attendant out of control. We have a distressed mother. We have a passenger trying to protect that mother.

Demetrio is also representing a mother who was filmed sobbing on an American Airlines flight on Friday after a flight attendant 'violently' ripped her children's stroller from her

Fellow passenger Tony Sierro (left) defended the mother, approaching the flight attendant who took her stroller off her to tell him: 'If you did that to me you'd be flat'. American Airlines fired the employee who was filmed responding to the man: 'Hit me!'

'But in the background, we see the pilot. And the pilot is concerned.

'The pilot - when we get on an airplane, we want our pilot to be calm, cool, collected, as he takes off or she takes off into the skies. So, this is, this is a real, real problem.'

He has not yet indicated whether he plans to wage legal action against American Airlines.

Dr. Dao has not been seen publicly since April 9. His adult daughter joined Demetrio at a press conference last week to say he had been traumatized by the ordeal and was seeking privacy and recuperation.

At the press conference, Demetrio said he found the treatment he received by the airline 'more horrifying' than what he endured while fleeing Vietnam during the fall of Saigon.
New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg has said he abandoned a plan to run for the White House as he thought his record as the Big Apple's Mayor would have prevented him from hiding his beliefs.

The 75-year-old businessman considered a possible White House bid after serving three terms as Mayor of New York.

Last night, he admitted his views - which he promoted while in office - would have alienated significant sections of both main parties.

Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg admitted he abandoned plans to run for the White House has his policies would alienate sections of Republicans and Democrats

He told 60 Minutes on CBS: 'If I thought we could win, or had a reasonable chance, I would have done it. It would be totally unlikely, very unlikely that an independent could win. And in my case, I was mayor for a long time. People know where I stand. I couldnt pretend to be something Im not.

'For the Republicans, Im pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-immigration. Thats a good start there. Youll never get their nomination.

'On the Democratic side, I believe in teacher evaluation. The big banks, we need to help them rather than just keep trying to tear them down. Those are not particularly things that will help you get the nomination.'

He said there was little chance of an independent winning a presidential campaign .

Speaking over the weekend, Bloomberg said his formal political career is over, although he will continue to advocate strongly for the issues he believes in.

Bloomberg, pictured with Diana Taylor, said he was going to continue to campaign for issues he feels strongly about although admitted he is no longer interested in running for office

Bloomberg said Donald Trump's attempts to remove environmental protections will not be successful as the states and consumers will drive the demand for lower emissions

He urged world leaders not to follow President Donald Trump's lead on climate change and declared his intention to help save an international agreement to reduce carbon emissions.

He said there was no political motive tied to last week's release of his new book, Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet, co-authored by former Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope.

'I'm not running for office,' the Bloomberg said.

During 2015, speculation in New York was growing in New York society that Bloomberg was considering a White House bid.

In October 2015, the New York Times reported that Wall Street wanted Bloomberg to run for president.

Billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman said at the time: 'Hes all the best of Trump without the worst of Trump. I would do everything in my power to get this guy elected.'

Wall Street favored a potential run by Bloomberg because it would be self-financing. He was also viewed as someone who was socially liberal while fiscally conservative.

Instead of helping to re-ignite his political career, he said the new book offered a specific policy objective: To help save an international agreement, negotiated in Paris, to reduce global carbon emissions.

The Trump administration is debating whether to abandon the pact as the president promised during his campaign. Under the agreement, the US pledged that by 2025 it would reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels, which would be a reduction of about 1.6 billion tons.

Bloomberg said he believed the US would hit that goal regardless of what Trump does because of leadership at the state level and market forces already at play in the private sector.

Speaking to AP, Bloomberg said: 'Washington won't determine the fate of our ability to meet our Paris commitment. And what a tragedy it would be if the failure to understand that led to an unraveling of the agreement. We hope this book will help to correct that wrong impression - and help save the Paris deal.'

Bloomberg has donated significant sums advocating for stronger gun controls and liberal immigration policies.

In the new book, $80million in donations to the Sierra Club in recent years, the New York businessman solidifies his status as a prominent climate change advocate as well.

His policy repertoire aligns him with core values of the Democratic Party, although the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned independent has no formal political affiliation.

In the interview, Bloomberg shrugged off conservatives who condemn him as a paternalistic New York elitist. He noted that policies he helped initiate in New York City - including a smoking ban and high taxes on sugary drinks - have eventually caught on elsewhere.

'My goal has been to save and improve lives,' he said. 'Some ways of doing that can be controversial at first, but end up being highly popular and successful.'

In his new focus on climate change, Bloomberg directs particularly aggressive language at the coal industry.

'I don't have much sympathy for industries whose products leave behind a trail of diseased and dead bodies,' he wrote in the book. He added: 'But for everyone's sake, we should aim to put them out of business...'

Similar language haunted Hillary Clinton's presidential bid last year and fueled criticism from Trump and other top Republicans that Democrats were engaged in a 'war on coal.'

Bloomberg offered a pragmatic approach when asked about the political consequences for politicians who embrace such a stance.

'The fact is, coal in Appalachia is running out,' he said, adding that 'Washington can't put generations of people back to work in a dying industry.'

Saying that coal miners 'have paid a terrible price,' Bloomberg also disclosed for the first time plans to donate $3million to organizations that help unemployed miners and their communities find new economic opportunities. Bloomberg Philanthropies highlights the plight of coal miners in a new film to be featured at the Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday.

He avoided condemning the Trump administration directly, however, largely casting the new president's steps on climate change as irrelevant. The White House declined to comment when asked about Bloomberg's statements.

'As it turns out, Trump's election makes the book's message - that the most important solutions lie outside of Washington - even more important and urgent,' Bloomberg said.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday that erecting a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border can completely eliminate the flow of illegal immigrants from the south.

'We're going to end this illegality,' Sessions said on the 'Fox & Friends' program. 'We're not going to stop until we get it done.'

'Illegal border crossings have 'already been reduced as much as 70 per cent ... and we're going to get it to zero and keep it there,' he pledged.

The wall, which President Donald Trump made a centerpiece of his domestic agenda during the 2016 campaign, has become a hot potato in this week's congressional battle over a government budget.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday on 'Fox & Friends' that President Donald Trump's proposed southern border wall could drive illegal imimgration down to 'zero'

Portions of the U.S.-Mexico border are currently defended only by short fences, but Trump wants to erect a massive, impenetrable concrete barrier instead

Republicans, said Sessions, should 'remind Congress and the American people that this president promised this. They voted for it in large numbers. It was one of the great strengths in his campaign.'

Trump himself weighed in Monday morning on Twitter, writing that an impenetrable physical barrier on America's southern border would be 'a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others).'

'If the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be! #BuildTheWall,' the president continued.

Sessions, a former Alabama senator, suggested his former colleagues on the political left have no interest in supporting it  even though 26 Democratic senators including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton voted to fund 700 miles of border fencing a decade ago.

'The Democrats are fighting a desperate rear-guard effort to stop the barrier and the stop the ending of illegality at the border,' he claimed.

Sessions said Monday that Democrats in Congress 'are fighting a desperate rear-guard effort' to scuttle funding for the wall in a vicious budget fight

Trump argued Monday on Twitter that a wall would also stem the flow of illegal narcotics

Trump has faced criticism for asking Congress for funding for the massive public works project, following repeated boasts that the nation of Mexico would pay for it.

In his first 13 weeks as president, he has taken a position that America's neighbor to the south will 'eventually' cover the cost.

Sessions said Monday that the net savings to the government from no longer absorbing the financial costs of a torrent of border-jumpers would make a $21.6 billion wall a bargain by comparison.

'It's going to save a huge amount of money because we're going to see this rapid decline in the number of people that come into our country illegally  housing, deportation cost  all kinds of costs will be reduced when we reduce that flow,' he said.

Sessions spoke to reporters Friday af a border crossing in California, appearing with Department of Homeland Security John Kelly (right) and Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

And Sessions complained about Democrats who are stubborn in the face of multiple budgetary options that could be leveraged to compensate the treasury for construction costs.

'Congress can find a host of ways to pay for this wall. It can be done through people who come to our country from Mexico  fees and costs  and even fixing a tax abuse situation that I believe would make a lot of the payment toward fixing it,' he said.

'It can be paid for over time,' he added. 'We're going to save billions of dollars by ending this illegality.'
A law firm, that accused British troops of torturing Iraqis, allegedly knew their clients were members of a murderous militia group and not civilians.

Law firm Leigh Day and solicitors Martyn Day, Sapna Malik and Anna Crowther are facing misconduct charges over legal claims they brought of torture and murder by British troops during the Iraq War, along with prohibited payments to a person called Mazin Younis.

Among the charges is also an allegation of improper conduct at a 2008 press conference involving disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner, where it was claimed that British soldiers had abused Iraqi civilians during a 2004 battle.

Pictures emerged (from left) of Anna Crowther, acting senior partner Russell Levy, Martyn Day, Sapna Malik and managing partner Frances Swaine arriving at the tribunal

(Left to right) Anna Crowther, Martyn Day and Sapna Malik arrive at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in London

Representing the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Timothy Dutton QC said in his opening summary at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) in London that the allegations were 'false' and should not have been 'advanced in the public domain'.

'Over a period of more than seven years, Martyn Day, Sapna Malik and Leigh Day made and maintained allegations that soldiers in the British Army had murdered, tortured and mutilated Iraqi civilians,' he added.

Mr Dutton said they continued to act for their clients when they had evidence, in the form of a document, that they were members of a militia associated with the Mahdi Army.

He drew attention to the 'OMS detainee List', which he said had been in their possession from 2004 onwards, and which 'undermined their clients' claims they were innocent bystanders in the Battle of Danny Boy'.

He added: 'It demonstrated that they were members of a murderous militia who had ambushed British soldiers.'

The tribunal, which is due to last seven weeks, heard how it was 'almost nine years' since they had first come into contact with the list, including an English translation, before this document was passed on to anyone else in August 2014.

Mr Dutton highlighted an email sent from Mr Day to Ms Malik and Ms Crowther in October 2013 about the OMS (Shia militia group Office of the Martyr Al Sadr) detainee List which he said contained 'military stuff' and was something he had 'never seen before'.

Anna Crowther, Sapna Malik and Frances Swaine of solicitors Leigh Day arriving at the hearing

Colonel James Coote, who commanded UK forces in Iraq, will give evidence to a tribunal involving law firm Leigh Day, which is accused of hounding British troops

Within the internal email he said its 'relevance is patently obvious' and that within 'one second' of reading the document its 'massive significance' would have been clear, and had he read it he would have 'packed the file away immediately'.

Mr Dutton said if the list had been made available to others, it is unlikely that Mr Shiner's firm Public Interest Lawyers would have felt able to pursue the claim for legal aid, that legal aid would have been granted, and the long-running public Al-Sweady inquiry would have been ordered.

He said: 'If the respondents had discharged their duties, British soldiers and their families would not have had to endure torment and years of worry arising from false allegations endorsed by solicitors and members of the profession, made not just in claims but to the world's media.'

The firms boss, Martyn Day, along with lawyers Sapna Malik and Anna Crowther, face being struck off if found guilty. Leigh Day faces 19 charges, which will be discussed during a seven-week disciplinary hearing

The 31 million Al-Sweady inquiry concluded in its final report that the conduct of some soldiers towards detainees breached the Geneva Convention.

But it was highly critical of the claims it was initially set up to investigate - that Iraqi detainees had been murdered, mutilated and tortured following the Battle of Danny Boy on May 14 2004 near Al Amarah in southern Iraq.

It found that British forces responded to a deadly ambush by insurgents with 'exemplary courage, resolution and professionalism'.

It suggested some of the detainees - all described as members or supporters of the Mahdi Army insurgent group - consciously lied about the most serious allegations to discredit the British armed forces.

Mr Day, Ms Malik and the law firm face 19 charges, while Ms Crowther faces one allegation of destroying a handwritten English translation of the detainee list.

Colonel James Coote, who commanded UK forces in Iraq, will give evidence and will speak on behalf of soldiers.

Colonel Coote of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment will describe how soldiers had their lives ruined by baseless allegations of torture, mutilation and murder in 2004.
With help from a Montana Army National Guard helicopter crew, a Humvee has been returned to Malmstrom Air Force Base after spending more than a week stuck on a muddy Montana road.

The recovery operation took place April 12 on Fairview Road, near Grass Range.

The Humvee, a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, was removed by a powerful CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The whole rescue took about 30 minutes, from preparing the Humvee for flight to the moment its wheels returned to dry ground, said Maj. Christopher Lende, chief of public affairs for Montana National Guard, in an email.

Lende said sling load operations are a training task Army aviation units are required to demonstrate. The recovery was a joint effort with the United States Air Force. After the helicopter set the Humvee back on the ground it was met with a ground recovery team.

The Humvee became stuck in deep mud while Air Force Security Forces patrolled a nearby Minuteman III missile site the previous week.

In an email, Connie Hempel, public affairs chief for Malmstrom Air Force Base, said airmen drive more than 4 million miles per year on roads across central Montana. They receive at least 12 hours of training before taking the wheel of government vehicles and are required to take refresher courses every year to learn how to deal with the difficult driving conditions often present in Montana.

These airmen exercised the precautions and protocols they were trained to use, Hempel said in the email. Unfortunately, the road conditions going to the launch facility were not the same when they were leaving the launch facility. They had to make a judgment call as the conditions worsened and thankfully put their safety first while ensuring the security of the government vehicle.

Fairview Road is gravel leading to the missile site but becomes unmaintained dirt about a half-mile after. The Humvee was positioned facing away from the missile site about two miles down the road.

Before the recovery Hempel said the airmen were driving on an alternate route but were not in an unauthorized area. They packed out their firearms and other equipment when they made the decision to leave the stuck vehicle.

According to Hempel the Montana Army National Guard contacted personnel at Malmstrom to use the recovery as a training exercise.

It was great opportunity to demonstrate and execute how cross-service support really works and we appreciate the assistance, she said.
Precious Valdez went missing around 10pm on Sunday at a park in Waller, Texas

The missing five-year-old girl at the center of an Amber Alert and overnight search has been found safe outside Houston.

Precious Valdez was found around 8.30am Monday asleep under an air conditioning unit in Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Waller, Texas.

The FBI and at least seven other agencies had joined a massive overnight search for the girl after she wandered off from her family in the park around 10pm Sunday.

Precious had wandered away from a family campsite while the group was watching a movie outdoors. The family said it took a few minutes to realize she was gone, according to police.

Police believe she crawled under the air condition unit, which put off exhaust heat, in order to stay warm as temperatures dipped overnight.

'She's scared. She didn't want the officer picking her up,' Waller County Sheriff's Officer Major Joe Hester told ABC13.

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Precious' cousin Emily Solis weeps for joy as she hears news that the girl has been found safe

The girl appeared uninjured but was transported to a local hospital as a precaution.

Precious was wearing a light green shirt, jean shorts, and pink sandals. She is about three feet tall and weighs 50 pounds.

The park where she went missing is a popular family getaway, with campsites and a water park.

Crews began searching the area just after midnight, using helicopters and tracking dogs.

Officials searched the park three separate times, including several bodies of water, before she was eventually found.
Bloodhounds and police helicopters on Sunday joined a frantic search for a missing 5-year-old boy whose father was found unconscious in a South Pasadena, California, park and was later arrested for child abduction.

Local police are asking for anyone with information about Aramazd Andressian Jr to come forward and help bring the boy home to his mother, who has not seen him in person since the morning of April 15, when she handed him over to her estranged husband, Aramazd Andressian Sr, at the Baldwin Park Police Department as part of a custody-sharing arrangement.

South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said during a weekend press conference that investigators have had a difficult time getting answers from the elder Andressian, who was charged on Saturday on counts of child endangerment and child abduction after paramedics found him unconscious in Arroyo Park at 6.30am.

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Police in Southern California are searching for Aramazd Andressian Jr, 5, (left), after his father, Aramazd Andressian Sr (right), was found passed out over the weekend

Authorities have released a photo of the man's car, this silver four-door 2004 BMW

Police and the local sheriff's office have been looking for the missing child since Saturday morning

A police helicopter has been brought it to help look for Andressian Jr from the air

Investigators don't know why the man was unconscious, Miller said, adding that there is no evidence he was attacked by anyone.

Andressian was taken to a hospital for treatment and then released before being arrested. His statements have been 'convoluted and contradictory,' Los Angeles County Sheriff's Captain Chris Bergner said. The department is helping with the investigation.

The mother of Aramazd Jr reported the boy missing at 9am on Saturday, telling police that her estranged husband had failed to drop the boy off at a pre-arranged meeting place. The parents are in the process of getting a divorce and share custody of the young boy.

Aramazd Andressian Jr has not been seen by his mother in person since the morning of April 15. The woman last spoke to the 5-year-old remotely via Skype on Tuesday

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Captain Chris Bergner said the father's statements have been 'convoluted and contradictory'

The 5-year-old was last seen remotely by his mother on Tuesday when the two spoke through a Skype video call.

He was supposed to speak to his mother via video call again on Thursday but that did not happen, officials said.

Miller asked the public to report if they had recently spotted the father's car, described as a silver four-door 2004 BMW. The car was last seen early Friday morning in Orange County.

'There's got to be someone out there that knows the whereabouts of Aramazd Andressian,' Miller said. 'I'm asking you as a law enforcement official and as a parent, if you know anything, please contact us.'

NBC Los Angeles reported that bloodhounds have scoured Arroyo Seco Park at least twice in search of the missing child.

Andressian was arrested Saturday on child endangerment and child abduction after paramedics found him passed out in South Pasadena's Arroyo Park

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue and the San Gabriel and San Marino police departments have also joined the search, with police helicopters looking for Aramazd Jr from the air, reported South Pasadena Review.

Andressian's bail was initially set at $100,000, but detectives later went back to a judge to explain the boy is still missing and provide additional information about the circumstances. The judge then upped Andressian's bail to $10million, Miller said.

The younger Andressian was described as 4-foot-1, weighing 55lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray-and-white striped shirt, gray sweatpants and tan shoes, or a teal shirt and plaid shorts.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aramazd Arndressian Jr is being asked to call South Pasadena police at (626) 403-7297.
Selfie queen Karen Danczuk is hoping to run for Labour at the looming General Election.

The mother-of-two, who is best known for posting provocative photos of her cleavage, has applied to become Labours candidate in the marginal seat of Bury North.

If she is selected and wins she could join her estranged husband, the suspended Labour MP Simon Danczuk, in the Commons.

Karen Danczuk is hoping to be selected as Labour's candidate in Bury North for the election

It is not Ms Danczuk's first foray into politics. She was a councillor in Rochdale for four years from 2011 to 2015.

And she has previously told of her ambition to enter the corridors of power in Westminster.

Speaking in February, she told the BBC : I want to get back into politics, and Ive been thinking this past week, actually I would love to be an MP, I genuinely would , and I just hope I can get the support out there to enable that, because I think my voice is important.

Mixed views should be taken into account.

A spokeswoman for Ms Danczuk told the Mail Online: 'I can confirm that the application did go in last week.

'She doesn't hear until tomorrow at the earliest if she has been accepted.'

A source close to Ms Danczuk, who submitted her application for the seat last week, said her campaigning on child abuse and regular media slots gives her a good shot at the seat.

Ms Danczuk, pictured striking a selfie pose which made her famous, could be about to spend less time in front of the camera and more time in Parliament

They told the Guido Fawkes wesbite: Karen connects with people, shes a poor girl done good, and shes a local girl.

'Shes serious about getting selected.

Ms Danczuk keeps her 72,000 Twitter followers entertained by posting a steady stream of busty photos.

But she also campaigns against child abuse, having bravely spoken out about her torment at being raped by her paedophile brother, Michael Burke, who was finally jailed for 15 years in in December.

Waiving her right to anonymity, she told how her brother robbed me of my childhood and drove her to try to kill herself.

If she is selected, she will be taking on the Tory MP David Nuttall, who has held the seat since 2010.

But he had a wafer-thin majority of just 378 votes at the last election.

Karen Danczuk, pictured with her now estranged husband Simon Danczuk in 2015. She has bravely spoken out about the horrific sexual abuse her brother subjected her to

David Nuttall, pictured last June speaking in favour of leaving the EU, is the MP for Bury North, and could face a challenge from Karen Danczuk in the election on June 8

A string of other famous faces are also hoping to be heading for Westminster in the snap election.

Zac Goldsmith is plotting a dramatic comeback to the Commons despite his humiliating defeat in the Richmond Park by-election.

The former London mayoral candidate lost out to the Liberal Democrats just eight months ago after quitting the Tories and calling a ballot in protest at the decision to expand Heathrow Airport.

And former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, who was a Conservative minister until she lost her seat in 2015 - is in the running to be the party's candidate in Tatton, where George Osborne has announced he is standing down.
Mohammed Iqbal (pictured) drove from Luton, Bedfordshire to Farnham, Surrey to meet what he thought was a girl, 14

A paedophile drove 70 miles from his home in Luton to meet a 14-year-old virgin for sex, only to be snared by a vigilante sting.

Mohammed Iqbal was confronted by Shane Brannigan, who revealed that Iqbal had actually been speaking to a middle-aged woman.

As a result of the 'sting', Iqbal was convicted of a charge of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

As the jury of nine men and three women returned their verdict, Iqbal shouted 'Not f*****g true'.

Judge Nigel Lithman QC remanded Iqbal, a 32-year-old IT worker, of previous good character, in custody for sentencing on June 2.

The judge told him: 'I am requesting a report with all options open, but be prepared to be sent to custody.'

During a four-day trial at Luton Crown Court, the jury heard how, Iqbal, began visiting a dating chatroom called 'Waplog' in June of last year.

On the evening of July 10, he began an online conversation with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl called Tia.

However, Tia was a middle-aged woman named Tracey Reid living in the North East of England who, the jury was told, was engaged in exposing paedophiles online.

She had set up a fake profile under the name of 'Tia0014', which showed a photo of a young teenage girl she had permission to use.

Reid told the court she used the profile to flush out paedophiles.

The trial heard how Iqbal, having learned 'Tia' was a 14-year-old schoolgirl, at first spoke about school and going to university.

He told her his name was Mo and soon he was talking about relationships, asking her 'Would you get into a relationship with someone older?'

Over the next few days Iqbal, whose photo was on his profile page, sexualised his communications by talking about sex acts and sending her a photo of his penis.

Four days after their first 'chat' online, Iqbal arranged to meet the girl the following evening. In his last online conversation with her, he had spoken about them having sex when they met.

The message came back from Tia0014 telling him to drive to a spot beside Farnham Railway Station in Surrey. He told Tia he would be in his black Astra car.

The jury heard Tracey Reid frequently worked with Shane Brannigan and had chosen the railway station as a location to confront Iqbal.

Giving evidence, Mr Brannigan told the court 'We set up fake profiles on social media sites and pose as children to weed out men and women who are willing to chat to children online and meet them for their own sexual gratification.'

Iqbal was confronted by vigilantes after parking his car in The Fairfields, opposite Farnham railway station (pictured middle)

He described himself as a 'Child Protection Enforcer' and said he was part of a group called 'Not of Normal Criminal Element' which set out to expose paedophiles using the Internet to meet children for sex.

Mr Brannigan said prior to him going to confront Iqbal, Tracey Reid had sent the chat logs of her online communication with Iqbal.

He said he had trained her in the work they were undertaking and wanted to ensure Iqbal had not been been 'encouraged' by 'Tia' or was the victim of any possible entrapment.

Mr Brannigan said he had the details of Iqbal's car as well as his photograph and, on the evening of July 15 last year, spotted the vehicle in The Fairfield, a side road near Farnham Railway Station.

The court heard Mr Brannigan had a body camera strapped to his chest and, on reaching the defendant's car, opened the passenger door and got in beside him.

He said he told Iqbal 'You are here to meet Tia who you believe to be an underage child for sex.' He got very angry and said something about it being a sick joke and he had been set up.'

Mr Brannigan said Iqbal got out of the car and was clearly very angry, flailing him arms about.

He said after walking away from his vehicle, Iqbal returned to it and then got back in and drove away at speed.

The court was told the police had been called but didn't get there in time to stop the defendant leaving the scene that night and he was eventually arrested last September.

In the witness box he said he had not set up the profile Moonwalker007 or used the dating app Waplog.

He said someone must have obtained his details and his photo from his Facebook page to set up the profile and he said he had never contacted anyone using the profile name Tia0014.

He agreed he had driven to the spot in Farnham that evening because he had gone to meet someone who was selling tickets over the Gumtree site for matches between England and Pakistan.

Iqbal claimed he had bought seven tickets for 600 while parked up in the road, where Mr Brannigan confronted him shortly afterwards.

He said he had been frightened by Mr Brannigan and drove away from the scene.
President Donald Trump pushed lawmakers this morning to include funding for his border wall in a spending bill it must pass this week to keep the lights on.

'The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)!' he tweeted. 'If the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be!'

The White House has not threatened to veto legislation in which funding for the structure is absent - yet. Officials have made it clear that Trump expects the money he asked for, though.

Vice President Mike Pence is rushing home from Hawaii today to help lead negotiations.

President Donald Trump pushed lawmakers this morning to include funding for his border wall in a spending bill it must pass this week to keep the lights on

The White House has not threatened to veto legislation in which funding for the structure is absent - yet. Officials have made it clear that Trump expects the money he asked for, though.

Having returned to Washington themselves from a two-week recess tied to Easter and Passover, Republican lawmakers are dashing to cross off big-ticket items on Trump's to-do list before his 100-day mark.

On top of urgent appropriations negotiations, Trump is asking them to rally behind an Obamacare repeal bill and a tax plan he hopes to release on Wednesday.

The president and his aides have scoffed at April 29 as an arbitrary deadline to make good on a checklist of actions Trump said he'd take in his first 100 days, even as they've done pole vaults to meet it.

Pence is cutting short a trip from Asia, by way of Hawaii, to be in Washington by Tuesday morning. The former congressman is Trump's emissary to Capitol Hill, and his early return indicates the White House is preparing for battle.

Congress must approve a bill this Friday that funds the government until the end of the fiscal year or continues funding at current levels for several days or a week while lawmakers to come up with a plan.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he was 'confident' last Friday that a shutdown would not occur, and the president told reporters, 'I think we're in good shape.'

A fight over funding for Trump's border wall threatened to derail a compromise with Democrats on Monday, however.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters Monday by phone as she readied herself for a flight to Washington that appropriators from both parties were working out their differences 'until the White House intervened.'

'Legislative branch. Article I. The president should respect the work of Congress, especially on appropriation bills, which must originate in the House,' she said.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader, said on the same call that a resolution to fund the government would definitely be done by Friday if Trump 'stepped out of it.'

'Donald Trump and the White House threw a monkey wrench into this with the wall,' Schumer asserted.

Trump's ask for $1 billion in starter money for the border wall has been met with resounding nos from Democrats, who disagree with it on principle and on price tag.

Some Republicans, like Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, have also said Trump should hold off the request until the shutdown threat has passed.

'We cannot shut down the government right now,' he said Sunday. 'The last thing we can afford is to send a message to the world that the United States government, by the way, is only partially functioning.'

Rubio said the wall should be part of the debate that will take place this fall on Trump's fiscal year 2018 budget.

Schumer made the same request today.

'Instead of risking government shutdown by shoving this wall down the Congress and the American peoples' throats, the president ought to just let us come to an agreement,' the Democratic senator who reps New York said on the Monday morning call.

Vice President Mike Pence is rushing home from Hawaii today to help lead negotiations to keep the government open

The Democratic leader said, 'We're happy to debate this wall in regular order down the road, once he has a plan, which there's no plan now. He just says build it.'

The Department of Homeland Security says the wall will cost $21.6 billion to build. Democrats on the Senate's Homeland Security panel estimate costs reaching as much a $70 billion.

The president blasted the minority party on Twitter yesterday for opposing the wall that he says will cut down on drug use and deadly gang violence.

'The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members,' he said.

Pelosi in turn accused Trump of a 'dereliction of duty' when it comes to border security if he needs to erect a wall to keep threats out.

'The wall is, in my view, immoral, expensive, unwise, and when the president says, "Well, I promised a wall during my campaign." I don't think he said he was going to pass billions of dollars of cost of the wall on to the taxpayer,' she said Sunday.

Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall during his campaign and claimed Sunday that it still will.

'Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall,' he said in a tweet.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions told ABC the same day: 'We're going to get it paid for one way or the other.'

The president repeated a campaign promise to get Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall, saying that it would happen 'eventually' and 'in some form' on Sunday

Trump pointed a finger at Democrats Sunday for the party's resistance to his planned Southern border wall

Trump's administration has threatened to tax remittances to Mexico and crack down on tax credits that a government watchdog says are paid out illegal immigrants.

'Those kind of things add up. Four billion a year for 10 years is $40 billion,' Sessions said Sunday in reference to a report that identified $4 billion in erroneous payments.

The president is asking for a down payment on the wall this year to get construction going.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told CNN yesterday that Trump 'will be insistent' on the supplemental appropriation.

He stopped short of issuing the kind of threat that could mar Trump's first 100 days in office as a time of severe government dysfunction if he follows through with it.

Trump's budget director Mick Mulvaney and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus held back, too.

'I think that as long as the President's priorities are adequately reflected in the CR (continuing resolution), and it allows us to get moving with an increase in military spending and a rebuilding of our military as he promised in one of your bullet points, and there's enough as far as flexibility for the border wall and border security, I think we'll be okay with that,' Priebus said on Meet the Press.

'The way the system works is that whenever the government is shut down, people blame the Republicans,' Sessions acknowledged this morning on Fox & Friends

Priebus said talks are still ongoing with appropriators in the House and Senate.

Mulvaney similarly told Fox News' Chris Wallace, 'We are asking for our priorities, and importantly, we are offering to give Democrats some of their priorities as well.

The Office of Management and Budget Director added, 'Shutdown is not a desired end. It's not a tool.'

'The way the system works is that whenever the government is shut down, people blame the Republicans,' Sessions acknowledged this morning on Fox & Friends. 'But let me tell you, it will be the Democrats that shut this government down to block the funding of the wall,' he added.

The ex-senator who vacated his seat to join Trump's cabinet said congressional Republicans will include the president's ask in their bill. If it fails, and the government shuts down, it will be because Democrats refused to vote for it.

'That's what the question is. Are they going to shut the government down? We'll have a bill moving forward with some money and therefore the wall, and it will be up to Congress to pass it,' Sessions said. 'And if the Democrats filibuster that, and block it, they're the ones shutting the whole government down just to keep the wall from being built. No doubt about it.'

Schumer said he'll be pressing Republican appropriators to take funding for the border wall out of the bill so there can be a discussion about cost, Mexico's role and eminent domain.

'We believe the R leaders should tell Donald Trump that he can do this at a later time,' Schumer said. 'I don't think it will pass.'
A Sydney man who was allegedly part of a plot to 'terminate' at least five people a month and target a 'random unbeliever' was trying to get a high-ranking ISIS member to abandon the plan, a court has heard.

Omarjan Azari allegedly prepared or planned for a terrorist act in a phone call with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, who was very likely in Syria, in September 2014.

The NSW Supreme Court in Parramatta on Monday heard Baryalei told Azari that he and others should find a 'random unbeliever', 'finish' them and then put a flag of 'the state' in the background for videos.

Omarjan Azari (pictured) allegedly planned to kill five Australians a month for ISIS

He allegedly prepared or planned for a terrorist act in a phone call with Mohammad Ali Baryalei (pictured), who was very likely in Syria, in September 2014

He said 'five, six, seven,' people a month should be killed and that backpackers would make good targets because it would attract worldwide media attention.

'These people are unbelievers and their blood is like dogs' blood,' Baryalei said he'd been told by a 'big big man' in the Middle East, according to a transcript read to the court on Monday.

'Find someone who can terminate five people for us every month.'

The court heard Azari told Baryalei that he and associates in Australia were under heavy surveillance and urged him to wait two months for him to get a new phone.

The defence says Azari (R), who had two brothers in Syria under the authority of Baryalei, was trying to find a way to have the plan abandoned and never agreed to it

Court heard Baryalei told Azari that he and others should find a 'random unbeliever', 'finish' them and then put a flag of 'the state' in the background for videos

The defence says Azari, who had two brothers in Syria under the authority of Baryalei, was trying to find a way to have the plan abandoned and never agreed to it.

The court heard Baryalei told him that senior ISIS figures wanted him to do 'work' in Australia.

'What the accused was attempting to do was to find excuses to put off Mr Baryalei,' defence barrister John Stratton SC said in his opening address.

'If he hasn't even agreed... it would hardly be said he had taken part in planning it (the alleged act).'

Police dig in Azari's yard after raiding his house in Bursill Street, Guildford, Sydney

Afghan-born Azari has admitted attempting to send money to ISIS, through a younger Muslim man.

The attempted transactions happened the month before the phone call, after the youth was handed thousands of dollars in a Parramatta car park.

The trial continues.
At least six secret prisons are holding gay men in Russia's Chechen Republic, with prisoners tortured until families pay police large bribes, it has been claimed.

Earlier this month it was revealed police in the predominantly Muslim republic rounded up more than 100 men suspected of homosexuality and that at least three of them had been killed.

Reports had initially centred on two jails in the villages of Argun and Tsotsi-Yurt. But Novaya Gazeta, the respected Russian newspaper that made the initial claims, now says there are a further four prisons illegally holding men for their sexual orientation.

At least six secret prisons are holding gay men in Russia's Chechen Republic, with prisoners tortured until families pay police large bribes, it has been claimed. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured) has denied rounding up and murdering homosexuals in his predominately Muslim republic

The newspaper also claims that the men, who face torture in jail, are only released once their families offer bribes to police.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov last week denied rounding up and murdering homosexuals and insisted one man declared dead was 'in good health and at home'.

But his denial was then dismissed by many gay men forced to flee the country, one of whom told the AFP news agency: 'I had to lie or die.'

Campaigners said gay men are being tortured with electric shocks and beaten to death, or ordered to 'sit on bottles' as punishment.

Images of people who claim to have been detained at the camps show them with large bruises on their legs, and what appears to be burns on their backside.

One survivor, known only as Adam, said metal clamps were attached to his fingers and toes before shockwaves were sent through his body, as part of a campaign of torture at an informal detention facility.

Families are believed to be 'shamed' for not snitching on homosexuals, who are publicly humiliated, beaten up and electric shocked in prisons. Pictured: A former military base in the city of Argun, believed to be the location of one of the camps

Adam also told how he was beaten with wooden sticks or metal rods as his torturers shouted abuse at him and demanded to know the names of other gay men.

Chechnya, which has come under fire from LGBT groups for its institutional homophobia, is run by Kadyrov, a father-of-ten who has been accused of ordering extra-judicial killings.

It was feared that he is sanctioning the killings of homosexuals after his spokesman after Alvi Karimov denied there were any gays in Chechnya at all.

Karimov added: 'You can't detain and harass someone who doesn't exist in the republic.

'If there were such people in the Chechen republic, law enforcement wouldn't have a problem with them because their relatives would send them to a place of no return.'

One former gay inmate, known only as Adam, said metal clamps were attached to his fingers and toes before shockwaves were sent through his body as part of a campaign of torture at an secret prison in Chechnya. Pictured: Another victim speaking out on TV in Germany

Today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was concerned about human rights violations but had no reason to believe reports about the persecution of gay men in Chechnya.

President Vladimir Putin last week met Kadyrov, who dismissed the 'provocative' reports.

The reports, however, have been taken seriously by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and prominent international organisations, which have urged the Russian government to investigate.

Lavrov told reporters Monday that Russian officials haven't seen any information confirming the reports but added that Moscow is concerned about 'any human rights violations.'
Missing Anna Lewis of Fishponds, Bristol

Police have launched an urgent appeal to find a 27-year-old trainee nurse who hasn't been seen since leaving work at a hospital last Thursday.

Anna Lewis, from Fishponds, Bristol, was last seen leaving the city's Southmead Hospital at 12.15pm on April 13.

She was working there on placement as part of her studies at the University of West of England (UWE).

An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said: 'Anna has been known to go on camping trips without telling others, but never for this amount of time.'

'Her disappearance is out of character and we are growing concerned for her welfare.'

Worried friends have launched an appeal on Facebook to find Miss Lewis.

Niki Crawford wrote: 'If you know anyone who lives in Bristol/Bath areas or just if you see this on your timeline it's really important that you share this. It could lead to some further information.

Missing: Anna Lewis (right with a friend) was last seen leaving Southmead hospital in Bristol on 13 April

An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said: 'Anna has been known to go on camping trips without telling others, but never for this amount of time.'

'This is genuinely very out of character and her family and friends must be terrified. Do your bit and share.'

Miss Lewis is described as white, 5ft 5ins to 5ft 6 ins, and of slim build, with brown eyes and long dark brown hair, which she typically wear in a low ponytail.

The police spokesman added: 'The clothing she tends to wear includes jeans or walking trousers, hiking boots and loose jumpers.'
The suspect in a shooting that left three people dead in Savannah on Monday morning has been arrested after a high-speed chase.

Keith Lamont Marrow Jr. was taken into custody after a high-speed chase in Hardeeville that ended when his Toyota RAV 4 crashed on U.S. 17 near the intersection of S.C. 315.

Marrow was reportedly driving over 100mph and police found a 40-caliber handgun in his car.

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Keith Lamont Marrow Jr. (pictured), a person of interest in an early Monday morning shooting that left three people dead in Savannah, was has been arrested after a high-speed chase

The victims in the shooting have been identified as: 18-year-old Shayla Curtis (left), 31-year-old Courtney German (center) and 24-year-old William Mullins (right)

Savannah-Chatham County police said officers responded to a home on the 1100 block of East 31st Street about 1:15am Monday and found three people shot to death inside (scene above)

He was charged with possession of an unlawful weapon and several traffic infractions.

Savannah-Chatham County police said officers responded to a home on the 1100 block of East 31st Street about 1:15am Monday.

Inside authorities found the bodies of 31-year-old Courtney German, 24-year-old William Mullins and 18-year-old Shayla Curtis.

Police have not released a motive and have not said what Marrow's connection is to the victims.

Police have not released a motive and have not said what Marrow's connection is to the victims (scene above)

Police said the shooting does not appear to be 'random' and they are still investigating (scene above)

'The actual circumstances leading up to the shooting are still under investigation,' a police news release said.

'Investigators do not believe this is a random shooting.'

Local news outlets report police cordoned off the area and obtained a search warrant. They were also interviewing witnesses.

Anyone with information on the triple homicide is being asked to call the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department tip line at 912-525-3124. Tips can also be phoned into the CrimeStoppers hotline at 912-234-2020.

Tipsters can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
A Chicago artist who raised almost $12,000 to paint a mural depicting Michelle Obama as an Egyptian queen has been accused of stealing the idea from another artist.

Chris Devins, a self-described white 'artist and urban planner', finished his colorful portrait of the former First Lady on the side of a building in a South Side neighborhood last Friday.

The striking image received a string of publicity in Chicago, leading Devins to tell DNAInfo he created the mural to: 'present her as what I think she is, so she's clothed as an Egyptian queen.'

Devins originally said he needed to raise money for the project to cover its cost, which he said would be about $15,000.

Devins shared this picture of the mural on his GoFundMe page, which he used to raise just under $12,000 for the artwork

A Chicago artist who raised almost $12,000 to paint a mural depicting Michelle Obama as an Egyptian queen has been accused of stealing the creation from another artist. Pictured is the original work by Gelia Mesfin, which she posted on Instagram last November

Pictures of the mural were widely-shared across social media, and it eventually found its way to Gelila Mesfin, an Ethiopian art student in New York.

Mesfin, who shares artwork of her own on Instagram under the name 'thick_east_african_girl,' was shocked to see that the South Side painting was almost identical to a digital drawing of Obama she uploaded last November.

Her image was created by editing a picture taken by New York Times photographer Collier Schorr.

The 24-year-old student, who told the Washington Post she was initially flattered her work had seemingly inspired another artist, was quick to fire off a scathing attack on Devins.

'How can you just steal someone's artwork... someone's hard work and claim it like it's yours... how can you go on record and say you designed this... this is so disheartening and so disrespectful on so many levels,' Mesfin wrote on Instagram.

Chris Devins (left) finished his colorful portrait of the former First Lady on the side of a building in a South Side neighborhood last Friday. Gelila Mesfin (right), an Ethiopian art student in New York, accused him of stealing her work

'This man seriously created a gofundme page, raised money and did this... it's one thing to share or even profit from someone's work but to claim it as yours is just wrong!

'I wouldn't mind if he had given me credit or said he took the design from another artist but saying you designed it is just wrong!'

She continued: 'The man is a teacher for God's sake and said he was doing this to create positivity for his students and community... but he didn't think that stealing a young girl's artwork and making a profit out of it does more damage than good.'

Many on social media saw Mesfin's protestations, and were quick to go on the attack against Devins.

Devins explained on his GoFundMe page why he needed to raise money to pay for the project, which he has since been accused of stealing

After learning her work had been used in the mural, Mesfin posted a lengthy message on social media attacking the Chicago artist

'This dude tried to steal a piece of art by a black woman of a black woman and thought he wouldn't get caught,' Chicago Tribune writer Britt Julios added.

But Devins didn't take the criticism laying down, and hit back when speaking to DailyMail.com.

'I am doing these things in my capacity as an urban planner but everyone keeps saying 'artist'... As an urban planner i make no claims on any of the images I do, a fool can see that I use public domain images a lot, but they know that the audience has no idea what an urban planner does, so they sexy it up with artist,' he said.

'It would be a problem if I posed as an Artist and took credit for another artists work, but i don't do that. Im urban planning.

Now, it does turn out that the way I take whole sets of images, re-mix them and re-present them as a way to connect buildings to the community may be in itself a new form of art, like an image DJ.

As a non-artist artist, it turns out I may be thinking more outside the box than a lot of these so-called artists who doodle, but who are trapped in that box of gallery attendance and wine sipping.'

He then confirmed to DailyMail.com that all the money he raised was 'gone' - having been spent on: 'supplies, the paints, the lift to get up on the building, insurances, all that sort of stuff'.

Devins then took aim at Mesfin, referencing her use of a New York Times photograph to create her piece.

'She cant come to me and be upset you cant steal a bike then be upset when someone else rides it,' he said.

Explaining how he came across the artwork, Devins said: 'I found her picture on Pinterest, and there was no link back anywhere. I wasnt aware of her or her work until about two weeks ago.'

Devins also shared a picture along with the quote: 'The bad artists imitate, the great artists steal.'

His comments seemed to be contrary to some Mesfin made on Saturday, when she returned to Instagram with a message that suggested they had come to some sort of agreement.

'I have been in contact with Chris Devins in hopes of resolving this issue in an applicable and professional manner,' it read.

'Every artist wants (to) share their work not only in the hopes of recognition but also to bring people joy and create a voice for the voiceless.

'Much love and respect to all of you.'

Many on social media were quick to accuse Devins of stealing the idea after pictures of it went viral

The Chicago artist defended himself by listing his qualifications, before posting a picture of the quote: 'the bad artists imitate, the great artists steal'
HELENA  A request to immediately remove patients from isolation rooms at the state mental hospital, where lawyers say they were held nearly 24 hours a day, has been denied by a Helena judge, though the patients attorney says they have been released from their solitary rooms while a court case progresses.

The original lawsuit filed last fall included Faith Swanson and Tyler Sapp, who attorneys with Disability Rights Montana said were held in locked seclusion rooms most of the day. But Swanson and Sapp, who are civilly committed to Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, have been dropped from the suit.

That means the case will go forward with Ryan Bragg and Charles White, who are criminally committed.

Both of them have been subject to isolation or seclusion as punishment, said Bridgitt Erickson, a lawyer with Disability Rights Montana, who represents the patients.

Bragg was put into physical restraints after he broke a fire suppression sprinkler, something Erickson says was a retaliatory action but doctors and nurses at the hospital say was necessary for his, other patients and employees safety.

White, who wanted to be moved back to the hospital from the Forensic Mental Health Facility at Galen, was relocated after the suit was filed. He claimed he was held in seclusion as a punishment for trying to escape.

In her denial of the injunction, issued in February, Helena District Court Judge Kathy Seeley wrote that she did not have authority to second-guess medical decisions made by doctors at the hospital.

She cited a court case called Youngberg v. Romeo, which says a decision if made by a professional is presumptively valid and that decisions cannot be questioned unless it substantially departs from accepted professional judgment or standards.

Seeley said that attorneys for Swanson and Sapp didnt prove the hospitals use of seclusion or restraints was unreasonable.

Erickson said Swanson and Sapp were let out of isolation after the suit was filed.

Theyre both out and theyre both doing really, really well, she said. However, that does not deter us whatsoever.

Swanson and Sapp were dropped from the lawsuit because theres not enough time before a March 2018 court date to review the 60,000 pages of documents delivered from the state hospital that document the two patients lives at the hospital, Erickson said.

Last fall, she tried to present information from the documents at the injunction hearing to show Swanson and Sapp were rarely let out of their isolation rooms, but an attorney for Drake Law Firm succeeded in stopping the summaries from being filed as exhibits after pointing out several errors in the compiled data.

Earlier this year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal agency that conducts inspections at the state hospital, issued an immediate jeopardy notification warning the hospital of a potential loss of its certification, saying chronic, pervasive staff shortages led to assaults on those the facilitys staff viewed as vulnerable.

The hospital made required corrections laid out by CMS quickly enough not to lose its certification. More nurses were hired, existing staff was paid overtime to cover shifts and changes were made to remove suicide risks.

A trial is set for spring of next year.

Bragg has several co-occurring mental health diagnoses and was criminally committed to Galen after violating his probation in Ravalli County on theft and burglary charges; and White killed his mother and sister and kidnapped his nephew in Carbon County.
The number of migrant criminal suspects in Germany soared by more than 50 per cent in 2016, data from the Interior Ministry showed on Monday.

Police were hunting 174,000 suspects classed as immigrants in 2016, the data showed, 52.7 per cent more than in the previous year.

Crimes motivated by Islamism also increased by 13.7 per cent. That includes the truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market by a failed Tunisian asylum seeker.

German police were seeking more than 174,000 criminal migrant suspects in 2016, data shows, while crime motivated by Islamism also rose by 13.7 per cent (file image shows police officers arresting a Syrian man accused of smuggling migrants from Austria to Germany)

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere warned that crimes committed by refugees had 'increased disproportionately' last year.

Migrants accounted for 8.6 percent of all crime suspects in Germany in 2016, up from 5.7 percent the previous year.

Mr De Maiziere blamed the high crime rate among migrants on their housing , saying that many were living in makeshift shelters or sharing crowded rooms in 2016.

The number of attacks on refugee homes has declined for the first time since data started being collected in 2014.

Some 995 were carried out in 2016, compared with 1,031 the previous year.

Under the German system immigrants are classed as people who are applying for asylum, refugees, illegal immigrants and those whose deportation has been temporarily suspended.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere (pictured) said crimes committed by migrants had 'risen disproportionately' in 2016, blaming it on their housing situation

The number of German suspects declined by 3.4 percent to 1,407,062.

More than a million migrants have arrived in Germany in the last two years, largely from the Middle East.

Concerns over security and integration initially pushed up the poll ratings of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), but support has slipped as the rate of arrivals has slowed.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union, has shown strong gains in recent polls, including in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

That region goes to the polls on May 14 in what is being seen as a bellwether for the general election in September.

The UDC is currently level with the Social Democrats on 34 per cent.
Sitting in the Oval Office Monday, President Trump spoke with two American astronauts currently living aboard the International Space Station.

Trump, flanked by astronaut Kate Rubens and daughter Ivanka Trump, did a brief Q&A with NASA's Peggy Whitson, who just broke the record for the American who has spent the most days in space, and Jack Fischer, a new arrival to the space station.

'Better you than me,' Trump told the astronauts, when they talked about some of the things they have to do to live in space, such as turning their own urine into drinking water.

The president, who signed a NASA bill last month with the aim of sending people to Mars, asked the astronauts when the trip was planned.

'I think, as your bill directed, it will be in the 2030s,' Whitson said.

Trump replied that was simply too far away. 'Well, we want to try and do it during my first term or, at worst, during my second term, so we'll have to speed that up a little, OK?' he told the astronauts.

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President Trump (center), flanked by astronaut Kate Rubens (left) and Ivanka Trump (right) held a video conference with two American astronauts aboard the International Space Station

President Trump (center) gives a thumbs up as he conducts a Q&A with astronauts today alongside NASA's Kate Rubins (left) and daughter Ivanka Trump (right)

President Trump did a Q&A with astronauts Peggy Whitson (left), who broke the record for the longest an American has stayed in space, and Jack Fischer (right), who arrived recently

At one point during the call, commander Peggy Whitson (left) let the microphone float, while her colleague Jack Fischer (right) hung from the space station wall

Whitson, a commander, and Fischer, a flight engineer, laughed.

'We'll do our best,' Whitson replied.

She had explained to the president that, 'Unfortunately, space flight takes a lot of time and money so getting there will require some international cooperation to get ... it to be a planet-wide approach in order to make is successful, just because it's a very expensive endeavor.'

'But it is so worthwhile doing,' Whitson added.

Whitson, who has spent 534 days in space, talked about some of the realities of long range space travel, such as the scarcity of water.

'Right now we are taking solar power, which we collect and we're using it to break apart water to oxygen and hydrogen, the oxygen we breath of course, we use the hydrogen combine it back with the Co2 we take out of the air and make more water,' she said.

'But water is such a precious resource up here that we also are cleaning up our urine and making it drinkable,' she continued. 'And it's not really as bad as it sounds.'

Ivanka Trump (right) took a turn asking a question of the space station astronauts as she's been working to get more women and girls interested in STEM subjects

Commander Peggy Whitson (left) and flight engineer Jack Fischer (right) of NASA wave goodbye after speaking to President Trump on Monday

The two American astronauts showed off some of their 'space ninja' moves in zero gravity including a flip

Astronauts Peggy Whitson (left) and flight engineer Jack Fischer (right) show off their sock feet as they do flips at the International Space Station

Trump didn't quite believe her.

'Well, that's good, I'm glad to hear that,' the president responded. 'Better you than me,' he laughed.

The president then asked Fischer about his journey to the station.

Fischer geeked out.

'Oh sir, it was awesome,' he said. 'It mad even my beloved F-22 feel under-powered.'

The astronaut had hitched a ride with the Russians and in a short period had helped the Japanese with an experiment and assisted a Frenchmen with driving a Canadian robotic arm to help a space ship from Virginia dock.

'The International Space Station is, by far, the best example of international cooperation and what we can do when we work together in the history of humanity,' Fischer said. 'It's also just cool.'

He pointed to Whitson as she showed some of her 'space ninja' moves, floating around in zero gravity.

'Yesterday morning I had my coffee in floaty ball form and it was delicious,' Fischer bragged. 'It's like playing fort, but you're changing the world why you do it,' he explained.

Ivanka Trump chimed in, asking the female astronauts how they became interested in math and science, as she's advocated for more women and girls to choose STEM careers.

But her dad pivoted back to the subject of Mars.

'I think we'll do that a lot sooner than we're even thinking,' Trump said. 'Who's ready to go to Mars up there?' Trump asked the astronauts.

'We are absolutely ready to go to Mars,' Whitson replied.
Optimism about exports is rising at the fastest rate for four decades amid surging demand from outside the EU.

Manufacturers gave the first quarter of the year a net positive rating of 22 per cent - the highest level since April 2011.

And businesses expect exports to keep surging despite more muted prospects for the economy.

Nearly a quarter more companies think they will grow over the next year than fear a reduction, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) trends survey.

Nearly a quarter more companies think exports will grow than fear a reduction, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) trends survey

The figures are a boost for Theresa May as she prepares to kick-start Brexit negotiations after the looming general election.

The survey, which covers 397 manufacturers, found sterling's slump since the historic Leave vote last year had a rise in costs in the three months to April.

However, the squeeze failed to hold back domestic orders, which rose at their fastest pace since July 2014 at plus 20 per cent over the period.

CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said cost pressures remained despite the strong performance from export orders.

'UK manufacturers are enjoying strong growth in demand from customers in the UK and overseas, and continue to ramp up production,' he said.

'Exports have surged and firms are at their most optimistic about selling overseas in over four decades.

'Even so, the combination of the weak pound and recovering commodity prices means that cost pressures continue to build, and manufacturers report no sign of them abating over the near-term.'

The report showed average unit costs had soared with a reading of plus 45 per cent, while average domestic prices also saw a rapid rise at plus 27 per cent.

Total orders chalked up a reading of plus 25 per cent for the first quarter of this year, while more firms said they were hiring staff, giving a balance of plus 7 per cent.

Competitiveness in non-EU markets rose at the fastest pace in the history of the survey, at 27 per cent.

However, the outlook for business investment over the next 12 months was more gloomy, with investment in machinery and buildings delivering readings of minus 10 per cent and minus 15 per cent.

The figures are a boost for Theresa May as she prepares to kick-start Brexit negotiations after the looming general election

It found that firms were also marginally more optimistic than three months ago, with a reading of plus 1 per cent.

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Markit, said the survey reveals a 'recent robust performance by manufacturers', but said forward-looking indicators point to a challenging road ahead.

'The surveys show strong orders and output over the past three months - with both domestic demand and export orders healthy.

'However, some slowdown in orders growth and output is seen over the coming three months, with a slowdown in domestic demand modestly outweighing expected robust export demand helped by the competitive pound and decent global growth.'

It added that total orders for the second quarter are expected to ease back to a balance of plus 14 per cent.
A teenager has been killed and 11 more are injured after a pupil set off a grenade in a Russian classroom, it has emerged.

The explosion sent deadly shrapnel flying through a computer room at a school in the Dagestan village of Agvali in Russia's North Caucasus region.

A 12-year-old pupil was killed and three teenagers are in critical condition after being airlifted to hospital with injuries, it has been reported.

A teenager has been killed and 11 more are injured after a pupil set off a grenade in a classroom in the remote Russian village of Agvali (pictured), Dagestan, it has emerged

A 12-year-old pupil was killed and three teenagers are in critical condition after being airlifted to hospital with injuries, it has been reported (file picture)

Police have arrested a teenager who brought the grenade to school in the remote village.

Officers called the blast an accident, but the circumstances are not immediately clear. Investigators rushed to the scene following the explosion today.

'According to preliminary information, one teenager died and 11 were hurt due to careless handling of a grenade,' the regional interior ministry said in a statement.

The explosion sent deadly shrapnel flying through a computer classroom at a school in the Dagestan village of Agvali in Russia's North Caucasus region

The blast during a computer class at the local school in Agvali, a village about 70 miles in the mountains west of the regional centre of Makhachkala, the ministry said.

A student who claimed to have found the grenade in the street brought it into the classroom, the ministry said, adding that an investigation had been opened.

Following two separatist wars in neighbouring Chechnya, an Islamic insurgency spread to Dagestan where shoot-outs between the militants and police are almost routine occurrences and the illegal ownership of weapons is high.
Immigration minister Peter Dutton has demanded the ABC apologise over their reporting of a shooting on Manus Island earlier this month.

On Good Friday, detainees at the island's immigration detention centre clashed with locals in a rampage which allegedly saw 100 rounds of ammunition fired.

Speaking to Sky News on Monday night, Mr Dutton said the public broadcaster had 'lost the plot' for taking the word of a 'convicted fraud' over that of the Australian Government.

His comments came a day after he clashed with ABC Insiders host Barrie Cassidy.

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Immigration minister Peter Dutton (pictured) demanded the ABC issue an apology over their reporting of an shooting on Manus Island, in an interview on Sky News

Mr Dutton on Monday accused the national broadcaster of having 'lost the plot' for taking the word of someone 'convicted of fraud' about the events leading up to a shooting on Manus Island (stock image)

'When you've got the ABC and others who are relying on the reports and the accounts of people that have been convicted of fraud, and have been excluded from parliament, and they're taking their word over the word of the Australian Government then I frankly think the ABC has lost the plot,' Mr Dutton told Sky News.

The minister said his comments about the circumstances leading-up to the Good Friday melee were factual and he stood by his remarks '100 per cent'.

'I'm not going to be cowered into a different position when I know what I've said to be the truth,' Mr Dutton said.

'I'll stand by those comments and I expect the ABC and Fairfax and others to be making an apology in the next 24 hours or so given the revelations that have been released in relation to their discredited witness.'

The ABC, and later Fairfax, aired comments by Manus Island politician Ronny Knight taking aim at Mr Dutton and his knowledge of what had occured before gunfire broke out.

Mr Knight said it was 'ridiculous' Mr Dutton knew more than those on Manus Island about what led to the shooting.

Mr Dutton has demanded an apology from the public broadcaster, the ABC (stock image)

But it has since been revealed Mr Knight was dismissed from the Papua New Guinea parliament last week owing to corruption findings, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

In his interview on Insiders, Mr Dutton's assertion three asylum seekers had led the five-year-old into the detention centre before the shooting was scrutinised.

'Now that's not true is it?' Mr Cassidy asked.

Mr Dutton replied he had significant contacts on Manus Island.

'Well, Barrie, I have senior people on the island. We also have obviously significant contacts with the governor and the people of Manus,' he said.

Mr Dutton also reiterated his belief allegations of sexual assault were behind increasing tensions on Manus Island in his interview on Sky News.

'I believe, very strongly, that there was a ramping up of the tension on the ground, we have seen allegations and charges in relation to a number of sexual assaults,' he said.

'The fact remains that a number of males who were within the population on Manus Island were involved in leading a young boy into the detention centre and that matter is being investigated.'
A turkey hunter shot his brother and friend in the face because they were disguised as turkeys.

Kenneth Dienst, 35, Gary Dienst, 32, and Justin Wiles, 34, all met up in southeast Kansas for the state's opening day of spring turkey hunting in Crawford County on April 12.

What was meant as an exciting hunting trip quickly turned into a disaster when Kenneth, of West Plains, Missouri, shot his brother and Wiles in the face, thinking they were turkeys.

The grave error was made when Kenneth was stalking what he thought was a gobbler while hiding behind a turkey tail feather fan and it turned out the other men were doing the same, investigators said.

The three men had ended up hunting each other, all under the mistaken impression that the feathers they were following belonged to turkey and not a friend.

Gary Dienst and Wiles, both from Arkansas, were taken to the hospital and despite their initial critical condition, are expected to survive it was revealed on Friday.

A turkey fan is used as a decoy to lure in or go unnoticed by other turkeys and come in various sizes. It is not clear what size fan the men were using.

Justin Wiles (left and right with his wife Brianna), 34, of Hardy, Arkansas, was shot in the face along with his friend Gary Dienst, 32, while they were turkey hunting in southeast Kansas on April 12. Wiles is pictured left in stable condition on Monday

The men were hunting using a turkey fan (file photo pictured) when friend Kenneth Dienst, 35, fired at them, mistakenly thinking they were turkeys. It is not clear what size turkey fan they were using at the time of the accident

Although Kenneth fired one shot of his .12-gauge shotgun, it put multiple shotgun pellets into the faces and bodies of the other two men, the Kansas City Star reported.

Wiles was in a medically induced coma for five days at a Little Rock, Arkansas, hospital where his seven-month pregnant wife Brianna Wiles anxiously awaited what would come next.

According to photos, Wiles is in stable condition as he was pictured smiling and kissing his wife on Monday.

The Dienst brother is expected to survive as well.

Investigating the unfortunate incident was Jim Bussone, a Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism game warden.

He told the Kansas newspaper that the accident stemmed from two main problems; the first being that the hunting groups were both using a turkey's preserved tail fan in order to sneak up on other birds.

A turkey fan (pictured) is used as a decoy to lure in or go unnoticed by other turkeys

Wiles was in a medically induced coma for five days as his pregnant wife Brianna (pictured together) anxiously waited. He and the other victim are expected to survive

Bussone said: 'The shooter swore he'd seen strutting toms and some other turkeys right up until then.

'They were calling to each other and sneaking up on each other like two toms coming at each other. Both swore they were sneaking on real turkeys.'

The other was that Kenneth was originally hunting in the area alone but for an unknown reason, Gary and Wiles came to the same property without letting Kenneth know they were there.

According to The Joplin Globe, a local sheriff said the two victims have not been interviewed yet because of their serious medical conditions.

There has been no evidence to contradict the initial account of what happened, they said.

Neither paper was able to contact any of the men for comments.
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Four RAF Typhoon pilots using the world's most advanced fighter helmet set off for Eastern Europe today as tensions with Russia mounted.

Theresa May sanctioned the sending of British RAF resources to patrol the skies over the Black Sea alongside local jets to reassure Eastern European countries in the face of increased aggression from Vladimir Putin.

The four Typhoons, from 3 (Fighter) Squadron will lead the deployment, which is part of the Nato southern air policing mission.

Four Typhoon aircraft left from RAF Coningsby today to begin a deployment to Romania amid mounting tensions with Russia

Pilots prepare for the 1,300-mile flight to Eastern Europe today. The group now boast new state-of-the-art

Ground crew taxi the 1.8Mach fighter jets which will be ready to fly sorties over the Black Sea in coming weeks

Pilots are using the new 250,000 Striker II helmet, which boasts in-built digital night vision that identifies enemy targets by red and yellow colour codes.

The state-of-the-art head gear allows pilots to tell friend and foe apart in an instant while travelling at supersonic speeds in the dark or bad weather.

The cutting-edge helmets are being used by Typhoon pilots who set off from RAF Coninsby, Lincolnshire, today to bolster air support in Romania.

The planes - which can fly at almost twice the speed of sound - will spent up to four months based at Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in south east Romania.

Last year BAE signed a deal worth 2.1billion over ten years to support the RAF's Typhoon fleet.

Chris Colston, who developed the Striker II helmets, said: 'For the pilot it's like going from your old analogue TV to HD.

The state-of-the-art aircraft costs more than 100million each can be armed with a range of air-to-air missiles

Pilots will now be using new high-tech helmets which mark ground and air targets by colour on screens in front of their faces

A pilot checks over his fighter shortly before take off at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire this morning

Typhoons have been repeatedly required in the skies above the North Sea in recent years to escort Russian bomber planes

THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED HELMET The Striker II uses cameras on the plane to offer the pilot a 360-degree view. For example, the pilot can 'see through' the fuselage to the ground. It has night vision integrated into the display, avoiding the need to wear bulky, uncomfortable goggles. A tracking system ensures the pilot's exact head position and the aircraft computer system are continuously in sync. Enemies are illuminated, avoiding the risk of blue on blue incidents. The wearer is protected against laser beams as well as chemical and biological weapons. Advertisement

'Before, everything was displayed in monochrome green. Now we can mark ground and air targets by colour - making them easier to identify at speed.

'The symbols jump out in daylight and at night-time over the green.

'All the info the pilot needs is displayed in this helmet but you can also see through the display to the outside world. And we have packed all that into a helmet that can protect you if you eject.'

An RAF spokesman said: 'Since the helmets were unveiled they have become a part of the normal equipment used in our aircraft.'

The Black Sea has been the scene of increasing tensions between Russia and the West this year.

In March, Russia fired missiles as part of a war game that followed a similar exercise by NATO the week before.

And on February 10, the USS Porter was buzzed by four Russian planes in an incident condemned as 'unsafe and unprofessional' by the American Navy.

The incident came months after Moscow vowed to take 'retaliatory measures' against the US for what it viewed as an encroachment on its sphere of influence.

Fighters from the Lincolnshire airbase were scrambled in February to escort two Tupolev TU-160 Blackjack bombers

Nato is keen to put on a show of strength following Russian military movements in Syria and Ukraine in recent years

The 1,370mph aircraft will help detect, track and identify anything approaching or skirting NATO airspace

The USS Porter entered the Black Sea last June as part of an increase in NATO activity in Eastern Europe, according to USA Today.

Russia has a large naval base in the Black Sea and has in the past warned the US and its allies of activity there.

'From time to time, US vessels enter the Black Sea. Obviously, we do not appreciate it and, undoubtedly, this will lead to retaliatory measures,' a Russian Foreign Ministry official told Sputnik.

Tensions between the US and Russia have grown in recent years as Moscow has aggressively deployed military might in Ukraine, Crimea, and Syria.
This is the chilling three-on-one assault that took place in broad daylight on a sidewalk in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia police are seeking three male suspects in a brutal April 15 assault on a victim, 25, who was attacked and robbed as he left a restaurant where he was seeking employment.

The vicious attack took place around 12.30pm on the 3500 block of B Street, in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood.

'It hits really hard when you see something with that level of brutality, and what appears to be that random looking, and again in broad daylight conditions. It does get a little startling," police Captain Sekou Kinebrew told ABC 6.

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Police are seeking three male suspects in a brutal April 15 assault, including these two

The three assailants can be seen peering into storefront windows before the assault, suggesting the attack may have been targeted

The three assailants can be seen peering into storefront windows before the assault, suggesting the attack may have been targeted.

After one of them, wearing a cast on his right arm, looks into the restaurant window, he appears to signal to the other two males, who turn around.

Seconds later, the victim walks out of the restaurant. He had been in the restaurant to pick up a job application, seeking employment to support his four-year-old daughter, he told Fox29.

The victim doesn't appear to flee from the three assailants, who strike him and knock him to the ground in a blitz attack.

The victim (right) doesn't appear to flee from the three assailants, who strike him and knock him to the ground in a blitz attack

After mercilessly beating and stomping the unconscious man, one of the attackers goes through his pockets, stealing his money, wallet and cell phone

After mercilessly beating and stomping the unconscious man, one of the attackers goes through his pockets, stealing his money, wallet and cell phone.

The attackers are described as a black or Hispanic male with a scruffy beard and mustache, wearing a black skully hat, black coat, and black sweatpants; a Hispanic male with a light complexion, bushy hair, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, red pants, and red sneakers; and a Hispanic male with a stocky build, beard and mustache, a cast on his right arm, tattoos on both arms, wearing a white t-shirt, black pants, and red sneakers.

Police say they aren't sure whether the victim knew the assailants.

The victim was transported to a hospital with a broken nose and orbital bone, and has since been released.

'It is kind of difficult to jump into their minds to see what they were thinking, if it was something spontaneous - they see someone and they went on the attack - or that is what their plan was that day,' said Kinebrew.

'But that is another reason we want to get them in, because regardless of their motive, what transpired was brutal.'

Anyone with information about the suspects is urged to call detectives anonymously at 215-686-3243.
Nicola Sturgeon stoked her feud with Theresa May today as she urged Scottish voters to give her a mandate to curb Brexit and force another independence referendum.

The SNP leader lashed out at Tory attempts to 'buy' the election and accused the PM of calling the poll in a bid to defuse the row over campaign spending in 2015.

Miss Sturgeon said it was vital that she had as many MPs as possible in Westminster after June 8 to restrict the impact of leaving the EU, and increase pressure on Mrs May to meet her demands for a new vote on breaking up the UK.

Speaking at a union conference in Aviemore today, the SNP leader lashed out at Tory attempts to 'buy' the election

Theresa May, pictured leaving Tory HQ today, has said she will ignore SNP demands for a second independence referendum before the Brexit process is complete

'The people of Scotland and not the Tory party should have a choice about our future,' the First Minister said.

The remarks, at a union conference in Aviemore this afternoon, come as Miss Sturgeon tries to paint the contest north of the border as a straight fight between the SNP and the Tories.

The First Minister and Mrs May have already exchanged a series of barbs during the fledgling campaign.

At an event in Dudley on Saturday, Conservative activists booed when the PM mentioned the SNP and branded them 'separatists who want to tear our country apart'.

Mrs May has vowed to ignore Miss Sturgeon's demands for a fresh independence vote before the Brexit process is complete - saying 'now is not the time' to throw the future of the union into doubt again.

Miss Sturgeon upped the ante this afternoon by raising the police investigations into spending by Tory MPs at the 2015 election. There are disputed claims that more than a dozen candidates misdeclared expenses and could have gained an unfair advantage.

'We are, of course, at the start of a general election campaign,' Miss Sturgeon said.

'A campaign called by the Prime Minister last week for one purpose and one purpose only: to strengthen the grip of the Tory party and crush dissent and opposition, and to do so before possible criminal prosecutions for alleged expenses fraud at the last general election catches up with her.

COMMUNISTS COME OUT FOR CORBYN PRAISING HIS HARD-LEFT POLICIES Jeremy Corbyn, pictured speaking to a union conference in Scotland today Jeremy Corbyn suffered fresh embarrassment today when he was endorsed by the Communist Party. The tiny party said it would not field any candidates on June 8 for the first time since 1920 - because the Labour leader is so in tune with its extreme left wing views. The support will cause more dismay among moderate MPs after Mr Corbyn's car-crash interview yesterday in which he made clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent, and would halt airstrikes against ISIS. Writing in the Morning Star, Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths praised Mr Corbyn's policy platform of nationalisation and bolstering the trade unions. 'Therefore our members will be campaigning for a Labour victory as the essential first step towards the formation of a left-led government at Westminster,' he wrote. 'In every general election since the formation of the Communist Party in 1920, we have stood our own candidates, not least in 2015 when we fielded nine. 'Now, on this occasion, we we will not contest any seats, although this does not signal any withdrawal from the electoral arena in the future.' Advertisement

'Whatever else happens in this election, we should not allow the Tory party to escape the accountability for any misdemeanours that may have led to them buying the last general election.'

Miss Sturgeon said the Tory vision for the future of the country 'should be ringing alarm bells loudly and clearly across Scotland right now'.

'It's no surprise that Ukip right now is losing support to the Tories because the Tories are now threatening to take the UK in a direction that a few years ago Ukip could only have dreamed about, but it should alarm all of us.

'Whatever our politics, we should all stand up against that rightward drift of the country that the Tories are determined to effect.'

Earlier today, Jeremy Corbyn pleaded with Scots not to support the 'vicious' Conservative as he fights to avoid an electoral wipeout north of the border.

Amid signs that Labour could lose its last remaining Scottish seat, the veteran left-winger urged voters not to write off his chances of winning the keys to Downing Street.

It is the first time Mr Corbyn has ventured to Scotland since Theresa May fired the starting gun on the snap election last week.

But the veteran left-winger is not expected to visit Labour's final stronghold of Edinburgh South.

Addressing the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Aviemore, the veteran left-winger said: 'Labour will never, ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement, you are our family.

'That is why one of the very first things we will do when forming our Labour Government will be to repeal the vicious Tory Trade Union Act. Giving working people the rights to collectively organise and make their lives better, safer and more content.

'We will open inquiries into blacklisting and Orgreave. And we urge the Scottish Government to set up an inquiry into the actions of the Scottish police during the miners' strike.'

A Labour government would 'challenge the rigged system that is holding our country back' and would 'stand for the many not the few'.

Mr Corbyn added: 'While the timing of the election was unexpected, the choice is clear and the stakes are high. Let no-one be in any doubt, we are in this election to win it and we will fight for every seat in every corner of these isles.

'The choice facing the country is clear. It's the people versus the powerful.'

Labour is also promising workers a 'real living wage of 10 an hour' by 2020 and to end the cap on public sector pay.

Mr Corbyn also vowed: 'We will end the need for food banks.

'We will upgrade our economy to create wealth for all through investment in our infrastructure, helping our small businesses, delivering high skill jobs and ending poverty pay.

The First Minister (pictured in Aviemore today) and Mrs May have already exchanged a series of barbs during the fledgling campaign

A Panelbase poll of voters intentions in the Westminster election found the Tories, led in Scotland by Ruth Davidson, on 33 per cent - 11 points behind the SNP but an extraordinary 20 clear of Labour

Nationwide polls show the Conservative Party with a commanding lead and on track to extend their majority at the election on June 8

Corbyn is branded a 'security risk' after he defies own party to make clear he would NEVER use nuclear deterrent

Jeremy Corbyn is a security risk to Britain because he would refuse to use the nuclear deterrent, Sir Michael Fallon warned today.

The Defence Secretary said Mr Corbyn was 'irresponsible' to campaign for power on a platform that undermines Britain's commitment to nuclear weapons.

The Labour leader is under fire after he used his first major TV interview of the election campaign to make clear he would never use Trident and could even scrap it.

Mr Corbyn told the conference that he needed the help of Scots to defeat the 'vicious' Tories

Mr Corbyn's claims are in defiance of official Labour policy and the party has scrambled to insist its position is unchanged.

A Labour source told MailOnline today 'there won't be any change on trident policy, whatever Jeremy Corbyn may or may not say'.

Mr Corbyn also told the BBC's Andrew Marr he would halt air strikes on ISIS and suggested he would not authorise a drone strike against the group's leader.

Sir Michael told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think you saw Jeremy Corbyn yesterday questioning strikes against terrorists, refusing to back the nuclear deterrent, he's been querying our Nato deployment and he seems to have fallen out with his own party over the nuclear deterrent.

'That's chaos, but it's very dangerous chaos that would put the security of our country at risk.'
The wife of schoolgirl 'kidnapper' Tad Cummins put on a brave face as she was seen for the first time since the disgraced teacher was captured and slapped with a federal child trafficking charge.

Jill Cummins, a grandmother and mother-of-two, spent the weekend being comforted by daughter Erika, 29, and son-in-law Blake, a Christian music producer.

She decided to stay home Sunday, walking her dog and visiting friends rather than joining worshippers at the Columbia, Tennessee church where she and her husband would attend weekly services, sometimes taking along 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas, the student Cummins is now accused of grooming for sex and abducting.

Jill Cummins, the wife of schoolgirl 'kidnapper' Tad Cummins put on a brave face as she walked through the rain in Columbia, Tennessee. This is the first time she seen since the disgraced teacher was captured and slapped with a federal child trafficking charge

She decided to stay home Sunday, walking her dog and visiting friends rather than joining worshipers at the Columbia, Tennessee church where she and her husband would attend weekly services

On March 13, Cummins fled the state with Elizabeth Thomas, a vulnerable young student Mrs Cummins had taken under her wing and grown so close to that she talked of her as a 'third daughter'

Elizabeth is believed to have gone along voluntarily but authorities suspect Cummins had spent months grooming her right under his wife's nose

In security footage, Cummins can be seen walking through a store after he fled the state with Elizabeth in tow, wearing an oversized flannel shirt

Mrs Cummins released a brief statement last week welcoming Elizabeth's safe recovery, but has offered 'neither comment nor opinion' on what should happen to her partner of 31 years, whom she is in the process of divorcing on grounds of 'cruel and inhuman treatment'.

The shamed educator's jeep is still parked in the driveway of their three-bed marital family home but friends say the 49-year-old Cummins matriarch has no intention of letting him back into her life.

Elizabeth herself is with her father and other family members at a 'safe house'. She has not been reunited with her mother who is banned from contacting her because of a court order issued last year over allegations she beat her daughter and other children.

With Cummins facing arraignment this Monday in a Sacramento, California court on federal charges of transporting a minor across state lines, she accepts their 'perfect' union is finished.

'As far as Jill was concerned their marriage was rock solid,' a friend said. 'But there's no coming back from the hurt and humiliation he's put her through. It was the ultimate betrayal.'

According to court papers, Mrs Cummins first learned of her husband's disappearance when she came home on March 13 to find a note saying he was 'traveling to Virginia Beach or the D.C. area to clear his mind.'

The youngster was finally recovered safely on Thursday morning when police tracked the pair to a remote cabin 2,500 miles west in Cecilville, California, and arrested Cummins without a struggle

DailyMail.com revealed that the pair had previously spent ten days hiding at a nearby hippy commune, the Black Bear Ranch, where they posed as a married couple and were seen 'making out' like lovers by a camp fire

While at the commune the pair frequently spending entire days in bed in this attic, even though the group expects at least four hours of work a day from everyone

Concerned: Commune residents April Shower (left) and Sophia (right) said they were concerned about the couple, who seemed 'off' and 'weird' after arriving at the commune, which is open to all for a probationary period of two weeks

Magic: The commune's advertisements say they are open to 'magicians' and 'wizards' but they do not allow religion on the ranch - which caused conflict with Cummins, a conservative Christian

They were eventually kicked out of the ramshackle community, who regard clothing as 'optional' and have no internet or phone links to the outside world, because residents found the age gap in their relationship 'creepy'

FBI forensic investigators have now begun sifting through the cabin in Cecilville for evidence

By then Cummins had fled the state with Thomas, a vulnerable young student Mrs Cummins had taken under her wing and grown so close to that she talked of her as a 'third daughter.'

Elizabeth is believed to have gone along voluntarily but authorities suspect Cummins had spent months grooming her right under his wife's nose.

The youngster was finally recovered safely on Thursday morning when police tracked the pair to a remote cabin 2,500 miles west in Cecilville, California, and arrested Cummins without a struggle.

DailyMail.com revealed that the pair had previously spent ten days hiding at a nearby hippy commune where they posed as a married couple and were seen 'making out' like lovers by a camp fire.

They were eventually kicked out of the ramshackle community, who regard clothing as 'optional' and have no internet or phone links to the outside world, because residents found the age gap in their relationship 'creepy'.

Elizabeth was brought back to Tennessee on Friday and was taken to an FBI medical facility to be examined, her sister Kat Thomas told DailyMail.com.

Thomas said her sister had no bruises, cuts or external signs of injury.

Elizabeth was released into the care of family members on Sunday afternoon and spent the weekend resting at a 'safe location.'

Cummins has since been charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor in Lawrence County, Tennessee, and faces up to 12 years in jail

The shamed educator's jeep is still parked in the driveway of their three-bed marital family home but friends say the 49-year-old Cummins matriarch has no intention of letting him back into her life

DailyMail.com understands that plans are underway for her to check in to a specialist therapy center where trauma experts will help her understand the true nature of her relationship with Cummins.

'There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning,' Jason Whatley, the Thomas family's lawyer, said in a statement.

Jill Cummins filed for divorce on March 31 under a provision of Tennessee divorce law that states: 'The husband or wife is guilty of such cruel and inhuman treatment or conduct towards the spouse as renders cohabitation unsafe and improper, which may also be referred to in pleadings as inappropriate marital conduct.'

Mrs Cummins listed March 13, the day her husband disappeared with Elizabeth, as the date they separated.

The fillings said that was the last time they had any contact.

Cummins has since been charged with aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor in Lawrence County, Tennessee, and faces up to 12 years in jail.

He also faces a federal charge of transportation of a minor across state lines with intent of having criminal sexual intercourse, which carries a minimum ten-year sentence, and further state charges in California.
A man has almost died after contracting severe food poisoning from eating a chicken parmigiana.

Liam Steele, 19, became violently ill 36 hours after eating the pub staple at a Melbourne restaurant.

The gym loving teenager tried to fight off the sickness but collapsed in unbearable agony and was taken straight to the doctor.

A man has almost died after contracting severe food poisoning from eating a chicken parmigiana

'Within an hour of being in the GP we were in the hospital and he was in violent fits of muscle spasm,' Liam's dad Matt told 7 News.

Liam lost eight kilograms in 72 hours while in the hospital and almost died after his kidney's shut down.

'I was sitting in a wheelchair in hospital having muscle convulsions being told my kidneys have shut down,' Liam said.

'It was terrifying to have someone tell me, 'we're going to make you stop breathing to keep you alive.'

Liam Steele, 19 (pictured), became violently ill 36 hours after eating the pub staple at a Melbourne restaurant

The gym loving teenager tried to fight off the sickness but collapsed in unbearable agony and was taken straight to the doctor

Mannigham council have since investigated the Doncaster restaurant where the chicken pamigiana (above stock) was bought but found no evidence of salmonella

Liam was released after five days in hospital but only after surgeons feared they would have to place him on life support.

Matt said that if it wasn't for how fit and active his son was, he may have lost him.

'Had he been much younger or much older I don't think he would've been here,' he said.

Mannigham council have since investigated the Doncaster restaurant but found no evidence of salmonella and will therefore take no further action.

Liam lost eight kilograms in 72 hours while in the hospital and almost died after his kidney's shut down
Saryna Parker, 43, was arrested with her 10-year-old son in the car for allegedly drunk driving in Miami last month

Police dash cam video shows the moment a former eighth grade science teacher told a police officer that she wanted to kiss him while being arrested for allegedly drunk driving with her 10-year-old son in the car in Miami.

Saryna Parker, 43, a former teacher at South Dade Middle School, appears to be stumbling during a field sobriety test and slurring her words while speaking in a recently released video from her March 19 arrest.

Parker, who was on probation at the time, allegedly crashed her Cadillac into a Chrysler van while allegedly drunk driving with her son in the car on U.S. 1 and Southwest 182nd Avenue.

During the traffic investigation, the responding Florida Highway Patrol trooper tried to speak with Parker, but 'she slurred her speech and he could smell a strong odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage emitting from her breath,' according to her arrest report.

Parker at first denied being the driver of the Cadillac that was involved in the car accident and tried to leave to go to the bathroom, according to the report.

Dash cam video of her March 19 arrest shows Parker (above) appearing to stumble during a field sobriety test and slurring her words. Cops were called because she allegedly rear-ended another car and first denied being the driver before trying to flee

She was then detained with handcuffs before another trooper arrived to the scene to conduct sobriety tests.

The trooper said that she was having difficulty keeping her balance and tried to begin the tests before instructed to do so.

The beginning of her arrest video appears to show Parker try and walk away yelling that she wants a lawyer before two troopers place her in handcuffs.

'What are you doing? You're arresting me? For what?' Parker can be heard asking before a trooper responds and tells her 'yes ma'am'.

One of the troopers can be scene telling her that he asked her to perform field sobriety tests to which she replies saying that she wasn't asked and begs to do them.

He then takes the handcuffs off of Parker before giving her instructions on which test to perform.

Parker tells the trooper, 'I want to kiss you.'

The beginning of her arrest video appears to show Parker try and walk away yelling that she wants a lawyer before two troopers place her in handcuffs (above)

Moments later, Parker is allowed to take a field sobriety test and that's when she can be heard telling one of the troopers that she wants to kiss him (above)

The trooper says, 'You better not', before Parker appears to touch his stomach and says, 'If he doesn't stop looking at me like that, I'm going to kiss him'.

He then asks her if she is 'okay' and she replies that she's fine.

The trooper then tries to have Parker complete a field sobriety test and she asks him to do it with her, but he declines.

She then appears to try and hug the trooper, who asks her why she's hugging him.

'Because I love you', Parker can be heard replying.

'You love me, you don't even know me. You're all over me,' the trooper says. 'You're touching me a little too much.'

Parker can be heard telling the same trooper that she loves him moments later. She tries to take the field sobriety test but is handcuffed again after not passing

'Because I like you, I'm liking you,' Parker tells him.

Parker then agrees to take the field sobriety test, but she was placed in handcuffs again after not passing the tests.

Moments later the troopers arrest her and she can be heard sobbing while being placed inside the back of a patrol car.

The trooper can be heard asking her why she's kicking him before he tells her 'you just kicked me, that's an extra charge.'

'I didn't kick you,' Parker yells. 'I didn't kick you I kicked the door.'

Miami Dade-County Public schools confirmed to the Miami Herald that she was a probationary teacher at South Dade Middle School (file above) and has been terminated

In the arrest report, the trooper wrote: 'As Ms. Parker sat in the back of my patrol car she violently kicked me in the groin with her right leg then continued to kick my right rear passenger side door,' the trooper wrote.

'During this whole incident, Ms. Parker was uncooperative and very belligerent.'

Miami Dade-County Public schools confirmed that she terminated following her arrest and that she will never be allowed to teach in the district again.

She faces charges of DUI, DUI with property damage, careless driving and battery on a police officer.

Police initially charged her with child abuse for having her child in the car, but prosecutors did not pursue that charge.

Parker was released on bond the next day.
A teenage cyclist was among three people to be stabbed to death in London this weekend in a weekend of knife carnage.

The 17-year-old boy was killed just yards from Prince George's new nursery school, while a 42-year-old was fatally attacked in Enfield and another man, 60, died in Bow.

In the early hours of yesterday morning the youngster was stabbed to death at a housing estate in Ingrave Road, just five minutes from the young prince's new school.

The Evening Standard reports the victim was chased by a gang wearing balaclavas and carrying large knives who stabbed him several times and left him sprawled on the bonnet of a car.

Police in Enfield investigating the murder of Damien McLaughlin, who was stabbed in Enfield at around 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon

In the early hours of Sunday morning a 17-year-old cyclist was stabbed to death at a housing estate in Ingrave road, just five minutes from the young prince's new school

Police officers at the police cordon in Bow Common Lane in Bow, east London, where a 60-year-old man was knifed to death

Neighbours raised the alarm after being woken at 1.25am on Sunday when they heard the boy shout: 'Help me, I'm dying'.

He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead at 2.50am, Scotland Yard said. No arrests have been made and a murder investigation has been launched.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'A murder investigation has been launched following a stabbing in Battersea.

'Police were called at 01:25hrs on Sunday, 23 April, to reports of a disturbance and a male stabbed in Ingrave Street, SW11.

'Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the location and found a 17-year-old male suffering stab injuries.

Police officers gather at the scene of the stabbing in Battersea this morning, with a murder investigation now underway

Detectives have launched a murder investigation after a man, in his 20s, was killed after an altercation in Surrey Lane, Battersea on Tuesday morning

'The victim was taken to a south London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 02:50hrs.

'Although formal identification awaits, officers believe they have established the identity of the deceased. Next of kin have been informed. A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.'

Detective Inspector Tony Lynes said: 'This was a brutal attack on a young man.

'We are still trying to establish the circumstances behind this incident, and we are appealing to anybody who was in the area at around the time of the attack - from 12.45am onwards - or who lives nearby and may have seen or heard something to come forward and speak to officers as soon as possible.'

He added: 'There have been no arrests and inquiries continue.'

The incident happened just yards from Thomas's School in Battersea, south London, where Prince George will enrol this September

The incident happened just yards from Thomas's where Prince George will enrol this September.

The youngster will be four years old when he starts at the 6,000-a-term school, which states that its most important rule is to 'be kind'.

Just hours earlier, Damien McLaughlin was killed in Enfield after he clashed with a group of youths who had jumped out of his van on Saturday afternoon.

A 17-year-old has now been charged with Mr McLaughlin's murder, as well as possession of an offensive weapon and cannabis.

The youth, from Tottenham, north London, is due to appear before Highbury Youth Court on Tuesday.

A 17-year-old has now been charged with Mr McLaughlin's murder, as well as possession of an offensive weapon and cannabis

Mr McLaughlin's grey van, seen here, has been parked in the middle of the road since Saturday afternoon in Enfield

Damien McLaughlin, who was stabbed to death in Enfield

Police found the third victim at a flat in Bow Common Lane in Bow, east London, after being called to reports of another injured man, aged 54, at 11.20pm on Sunday.

Before going to hospital for treatment to a head injury and a stab wound, the 54-year-old directed officers to an address in which a 'seriously injured' man aged 60 was found with stab wounds.

Officers desperately tried to carry out first aid while waiting for an ambulance, but the older man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight on Monday.

No arrests have been made.

Police said they are aware of the dead man's identity but are awaiting formal identification and are trying to trace his next of kin.

The 54-year-old man is currently in a stable condition in hospital.
Timothy McCarthy, 35, pictured, was jailed for three years at Hull Crown Court earlier this month over the revenge porn plot

A mother-of-three who was the victim of a revenge porn plot had to beg Facebook 20 times to have naked pictures of her removed from the social network.

The woman was left feeling suicidal after repeated failures to haul down the highly personal images - including one of her bare backside - by the company.

They were uploaded by her ex-boyfriend Timothy McCarthy, 35, who was jailed for three years at Hull Crown Court earlier this month.

The devastated 45-year-old victim said: It took Facebook 24 hours to shut down the page where he had posted the picture of my naked bottom, so God knows how many people saw that.

She added: He has set out to control and destroy me and he has succeeded. I'm in a constant state of anxiety.

The victim, who asked to remain anonymous, has urged Facebook to review their procedures so they take down offensive pictures faster.

She said: I sent lots of messages asking them to remove it. So did my daughter and some friends.

'The only message back at first said Facebook had looked at the profile and found it was OK.

I was horrified so we kept messaging them until finally it was taken down the next day.

Farm worker McCarthy, of Bridlington, East Yorkshire, had just been released from prison for abusing the same woman and was subject to a restraining order at the time that was supposed to protect her from him.

At Hull Crown Court, pictured, earlier this month Recorder Nicholas Lumley, condemned Timothy McCarthy as vile and vicious (stock photo)

But he repeatedly called the company where she worked up to 300 times during her shifts and sent her texts in abuse that caused her to contemplate suicide, quit her job and become a recluse, the court heard.

She said in a victim impact statement: Tim McCarthy has destroyed my life. I don't do anything anymore, I just do not go out.

'I'm now on benefits and can't afford my rent and arrears are building up. I've lost all my friends through Tim, I don't feel I can speak to people any more.

In one call the victim took from McCarthy, he said: I'm in your house now, smashing it up. She replied: You're not, you can't get in. McCarthy said: You've no front windows now.

McCarthy admitted breaching the order and two offences of disclosing private sexual photos with intent to cause distress.

Recorder Nicholas Lumley, who also imposed a five-year restraining order, condemned McCarthy as vile and vicious.

He told the defendant: You have completely ruined her life. She has become a recluse. The courts know now, more than ever, that women, particularly in cases such as this, require the protection of the courts.

A Facebook spokeswoman said: We are deeply committed to combating this issue and have been working closely with our partners to innovate new tools which help to ensure the safety of people on Facebook.

Facebook says it also works with safety organisations to offer 'resources and support' to people who had been affected by revenge porn (stock photo)

Revenge porn is a problem that is on the increase - or at least one that is becoming more well-publicised - particularly since it was made an offence in England and Wales in April 2015.

According to the most recent Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) report, 206 people were prosecuted for such offences in the law's first year.

It also has a profound psychological effects on its victims, with one study in the United States finding that 93 per cent reported significant emotional distress.

Significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of their life was reported by 82 per cent of respondents.

Facebook says it also works with safety organisations to offer 'resources and support' to people who had been affected by revenge porn.

Laura Higgins - founder of the Revenge Porn Helpline UK, one of the organisations partnering with Faceboook - said: 'We are delighted with the announcement made by Facebook today.

'This new process will provide reassurance for many victims of image based sexual abuse, and dramatically reduce the amount of harmful content on the platform.

'We hope that this will inspire other social media companies to take similar action and that together we can make the online environment hostile to abuse.'
President Trump (pictured on Monday) is nearing 100 days in office

Crikey. has it really only been 100 days?

It feels more like 100 years since Donald Trump became President of the United States.

But on Saturday, he will indeed celebrate his first century of days at the White House.

Love him or hate him, and for the vast majority of Americans  not to mention the wider world  theres absolutely no middle ground on Trump, its been a stunning rollercoaster of a ride for the brash, swaggering New York tycoon.

On a positive note, by any dispassionate non-partisan yardstick, hes not turned out to be the unconscionable monster many of his critics feared.

I defy anyone to look at Trumps record as president to date and name one thing hes done that truly qualifies as monstrous.

Sure, hes been wildly unpredictable, contrary, hypocritical, flip-flopping and often unsettlingly economical with the truth. None of which is entirely shocking given what we saw during the election campaign.

But hes also proven to be a bold, flexible, energetic and often surprisingly effective president.

Most significantly, Trumps taken a gigantic slug at the Washington political system and smashed it into irrevocable pieces. The fact that someone like him, a man with zero political history, won the election at all sent most of DCs inmates into severe anaphylactic shock. To their horror, it turns out he has absolutely no intention of calming down and playing by their normal rules now hes sitting in the White House.

Trumps anarchic style has thus caused complete chaos in the hallowed halls of US government but Ive found it rather refreshing to watch someone throw all Washingtons rigidly conventional plates into the air, then wait to see how they land.

Remember, this is a system that for the past two decades has presided over endless ruinously expensive war, financial Armageddon, and huge rises in both the rich/poor divide and jobs-stealing globalisation.

All while Congress reduced itself to a bickering cesspit of intransigent point-scoring and inaction.

It needed major reform and now its come from the most unlikely source.

Trumps not just been a bull in the establishment china store, hes been a herd of rampaging bison.

The swaggering New York tycoon was sworn in as 45th President of the United States on January 21

This hasnt endeared him to many in Americas mainstream media, intelligence agencies and judiciary. Nor to the permanently outraged luvvies of Hollywood.

But it has electrified large swathes of Americans sick and tired of seeing the elite prosper as they have suffered. And latest polls show they are loving his presidential performance just as much as his enemies are hating it.

To his supporters, Trump is doing exactly what he said hed do.

To his critics, hes been a walking, talking wrecking ball of hideously amateur and offensive proportions.

The truth, as always with Trump, lies somewhere in between.

On the foreign stage, America First Trump has been a revelation  probably even to himself. Hes charmed the leaders of China and Japan, reinforced his commitment to major US special relationships with countries like Britain and Germany, and given NATO the shake-up it deserved.

Then Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons to murder young children, and Trump suddenly faced the same red line on which Obama shamefully failed to act four years ago.

Trump the citizen didnt think America should get into more messy military conflict with warring Middle East nations, and preferred a good relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Trump the president watched the horrifying images of young children being deliberately annihilated by Sarin gas and took immediate, decisive action  unleashing 59 Tomahawk missiles at Assads forces.

It was an entirely correct and proportionate response from the worlds No1 superpower to a grotesque breach of international warfare rules.

Hes charmed the leaders of China and Japan, reinforced his commitment to major US special relationships with countries like Britain and Germany. Above, the president with British Prime Minister Theresa May on January 27

It also told a doubtless startled Putin that his so-called poodle has viciously independent fangs and is not afraid to use them when provoked.

Further, by ordering those airstrikes, Trump instantly dampened the feverish and totally unsubstantiated claims that he plotted with Putin to fix the US election.

And no, I dont buy into the ridiculous conspiracy theory that this was precisely why he did it.

Days later, a US plane dropped the biggest non-nuclear bomb in history on a bunch of ISIS terrorists in Afghanistan, killing 36 of them.

And when North Korean crackpot Kim Jong-un started up his usual inflammatory nonsense to test Trumps resolve, the US responded by moving a naval fleet to the Korean peninsular.

The message couldnt be clearer: President Trump wont hesitate to wield US military power if he has to keep dictators in check or protect the American people.

The equally important message to the military was that Trump clearly listens to his cabinet generals McMaster and Mattis  two highly respected and talented men.

The travel ban was a disaster, badly drawn up and terribly executed. Above, protesters gather at Miami International Airport on January 29

And to Secretary of State Tillerson, who looks to me like an increasingly inspired pick  a smart, experienced, no-nonsense and canny operator.

On the domestic stage, Trump has been very busy but less successful.

Getting Justice Gorsuch approved to the Supreme Court was a triumph, as has been Trumps under-reported but laudable war on bloated federal government.

But his travel ban was a disaster, badly drawn up and terribly executed. The spectacle of legal US green card holders being rounded up at airports in handcuffs was frankly obscene.

Then came the Obamacare debacle.

For years, Republicans vowed to repeal it the moment they got the chance. But when they finally got that chance, they failed the 7 Ps test: Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents P*ss-Poor Performance. The new Trumpcare bill was so absurdly complex and unworkable it was D.O.A.

One other potential disaster turned out to be a blessing in disguise: General Mike Flynns idiotic fibbing over Russian contacts led to his rapid departure but also heralded the arrival of General McMaster, a far better choice.

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn (above in the White House on February 10) was fired after lying over meetings with Russian officials

By contrast, Trumps secretaries for education and the environment, DeVos and Pruitt, are both dreadful selections.

And I was dismayed to see him fire US Surgeon-General Vivek Murthy this week over alleged disagreements about how to tackle gun violence.

Murthy views Americas 32,000 gun deaths a year as a public health issue, whereas Trump takes the NRA view that guns are a good thing.

Murthy is right, the President is wrong.

Equally contentious is Trumps explosive Twitter feed, which continues to be a bone of seething argument with many thinking it tacky, dangerous and un-presidential.

But I dont think he should stop. Trumps tweets offer a unique insight into the mind of the worlds most powerful person, good, bad and occasionally ugly. The modern world operates through social media, and it remains one of Trumps more astonishing achievements that the best exponent of the art is a 70-year-old guy who doesnt even use email.

As for his war with the so-called Fake News media, it is, as I hoped, finally calming down. Both sides need to learn to respect each other more. Yes, the media should hold the White House to aggressive account. But where that journalistic rigour crosses over into viciously biased personal bile and endless self-serving games of Gotcha! it fails the American people.

Similarly, Trump and his press team led by the much-maligned Sean Spicer must work harder to ensure that statements from the White House are truthful. Veracity should be the cornerstone of both a strong free press and a presidency.

The bottom line as we approach the 100 days anniversary is that President Trumps choir is still singing with joy, but much of his wider US congregation remains resolutely hostile to the whole idea of him.

And by hostile, I mean lying-on-the-floor-shrieking-their-heads-off-with-fury hostile.

I honestly dont believe Trumps more vociferous opponents will ever change their minds about him. To die-hard, Hillary-loving, kale-munching democrats living on Americas east and west coasts, he is the absolute antithesis of what they believe a president should be.

President Trump is seen inside the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility at his Mar-a-Lago estate with his National Security team after ordering a missile strike on Syria on April 6

They see, and will always see, Trump as a racist, sexist, misogynist Neanderthal pig that will end civilisation, in all its guises, as we know it.

Of course, it would be great if Trump could reach out to these Americans in a way that reassured them. Im sure he has many people inside the White House suggesting that very strategy on a daily basis.

But its not going to happen.

I know Trump well enough to know he wont give a damn about mollifying his liberal haters like Meryl Streep by pretending to be something he isnt.

One of his greatest assets is his authenticity.

However, he will give a damn about being judged a successful president and one who delivers on his main campaign promises about jobs, the economy, immigration, security and healthcare.

To do that, he has to start closing some big deals.

This, as hes discovered, is not as easy as he thought.

When North Korean crackpot Kim Jong-un started up his usual inflammatory nonsense to test Trumps resolve, the US responded by moving a naval fleet to the Korean peninsular. The USS Carl Vinson is pictured above on April 15 on the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra

For a billionaire businessman used to barrelling his way through boardroom negotiations, it must be incredibly frustrating to experience at first hand how the slowly and self-servingly the wheels of Washington bureaucracy turn.

President Obama found it almost impossible to do a deal with the Republicans about anything; a failure that I attribute as much to his own personal shortcomings at deal-making as to the undeniably obstructive partisan GOP intransigence.

Now the big question is can someone whose whole life has been spent doing deals, and who has packed his cabinet with like-minded people, get the democrats around a table and successfully horse-trade?

As with all things Trump, I wouldnt bet against it.

Particularly as US stock markets and the economy have soared since his election, enthused by his ebullient self-confident rhetoric.

But the clock is ticking, and its time he scored some real legislative wins, not just fire off record numbers of executive orders.

Fail and the Republicans will be punished in the 2018 mid term elections, probably losing the House and a lot of power to effect real change in the process.

Succeed and he will probably get re-elected in 2020.

On the day Donald Trump first announced he was running for president, I wrote a column warning all the mockers not to underestimate him and predicting he may have the last laugh.

Today, I offer the exact same advice.
An injured baby whale that washed ashore a beach in the Bronx had to be put down, despite desperate attempts from police and rescue crews to save it.

The 10-foot long minke whale was spotted around 11.41am on Sunday at Orchard Beach.

An NYPD spokesman said the whale had visible scarring on its body, according to AM New York.

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An injured baby whale that washed ashore a beach in the Bronx had to be put down, despite desperate attempts from police and rescue crews to save it. The 10-foot long minke whale (pictured) was spotted around 11.41am on Sunday at Orchard Beach

Officers and other city agencies tried to help the whale but it refused to return to the sea. A bystander said crews took the whale out 'pretty far' before the whale 'swam in a complete circle' and came back to the shallow beach

The NYPD's Harbor and Emergency Services units, along with a marine specialist, used straps to keep the animal in the water, until help came later in the day

Officers and other city agencies tried to help the whale but it refused to return to the sea. A bystander said crews took the whale out 'pretty far' before the whale 'swam in a complete circle' and came back to the shallow beach.

The NYPD's Harbor and Emergency Services units, along with a marine specialist, used straps to keep the animal in the water, until help came later in the day.

Authorities from the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation arrived later in the day and determined the sea creature had to be euthanized. It was then transported to the Bronx Zoo to be put down.

An autopsy will be performed to determine if the whale had gotten sick.

The chief scientist at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society told Fox 5 that they 'didn't want the animal to be suffering by going down to the bottom, so humane euthanasia was the best choice we had'.

The baby minke whale was discovered stranded in the shallows at Orchard Beach around noon, authorities said. Several bystanders gathered around to watch rescue crews try and help the baby whale.

Bronx construction worker, Bob Doran, told the New York Post that they baby whale 'had abrasions underneath his belly'.

Doran said he was 'stunned' when he saw the sea animal because Orchard Beach is shallow. It's still unclear what caused the minke whale's injuries.

The baby minke whale was discovered stranded in the shallows at Orchard Beach around noon, authorities said. Several bystanders (pictured) gathered around to watch rescue crews try and help the baby whale
Wendy Thompson, 53, has been jailed

A sales manager who killed a pensioner by ploughing into a parked car at 50mph while trying to charge up her phone and send a birthday message to a friend has been jailed for two years.

Wendy Thompson, 53, was distracted by fiddling with the mobile and its power cable as she drove her VW Passat along the busy North Circular road in London on her way to a meeting.

She failed to look up and spot the stationary car of Rodney Lewis, 84, and his wife Marlene, 77, with its hazard warning lights flashing and did not even brake before the crash.

The couple were parked up on the inside lane behind their 21-year-old grandson Samuel's broken-down Ford Fiesta waiting for a recovery vehicle to turn up.

Mr Lewis, who was sitting in the driver's seat, was flung forward by the impact and died almost instantly from a broken neck after smashing his head on the windscreen.

Mrs Lewis suffered a fractured hip and shattered pelvis and remains emotionally and physically traumatised by the accident.

Thompson immediately confessed to a lorry driver who stopped at the scene: 'I was trying to put my charger in my phone, I just didn't see them.'

She later told the police that her phone battery had drained overnight in her hotel and she had been trying to wish her friend happy birthday on Facebook.

Prosecutor Oliver Dunkin said: 'She realised it was a friend's birthday and sent a message but had noticed that message on Facebook had not sent.

'She explained her mobile phone had run out of battery in the hotel but in her car was a lead with which she could charge the phone.

'She went to press send again while holding the phone and was trying to put the charger back into her phone.

'What we have is a lady foolishly attempting to resend a message and engaging her other hand to try and put it in to charge.'

Thompson was distracted by fiddling with the mobile and its power cable as she drove her VW Passat along the busy North Circular road (pictured) in London on her way to a meeting

Lorry driver Michael Smith told police he noticed the red Hyundai car stopped on the inside lane of the A406 near the junction with Colney Hatch Lane and slowed down to allow Thompson's car to move into the middle lane to avoid it.

But Thompson made no attempt to change lanes or slow down before the collision on the morning of 3 February last year.

Mrs Lewis told police she and her husband drove out to the North Circular after being told their grandson had broken down with a blown out tyre.

They had called the RAC but decided to wait in the car because it was cold.

Mrs Lewis heard her husband say 'Oh my God' before feeling a 'terrible bang' as Thompson crashed into the back of them.

'When Marlene came round her husband was lying flat on the driver's seat which had collapsed backwards,' said Mr Dunkin.

'She had a vague recollection of Wendy Thompson saying 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'

Mrs Lewis said in a victim impact statement the crash had affected her mobility and previously active social life, adding: 'I'm leading a very lonely life, feeling trapped in my own home and spending most of the day in pain.'

I'm leading a very lonely life, feeling trapped in my own home and spending most of the day in pain Crash survivor Marlene Lewis

Thompson, who has two previous offences of speeding on her licence, passed a breath test and an eyesight test at the scene.

She worked as an area sales manager for a door installation company and drove around 1,000 miles a week around the South East of England.

Her barrister Tahir Khan said: 'She offers no excuses for what happened.

'She is deeply sorry for what happened. She will carry the guilt of her wrongdoing for the rest of her life. She has prepared herself to serve the prison sentence that must follow.'

Several members of the Lewis family sat in court for the sentencing.

Thompson, of Windsor Way, Barnetby, north Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

She was sentenced to two years and three months for the first offence and 15 months concurrent for the second.

Thompson was also banned from driving for ten years.
A beloved Maine TV meteorologist and father-of-three who was found dead in the woods in early April from an apparent suicide succumbed to hypothermia after slashing his wrists amid an ongoing investigation into a suspected sexual assault.

Tom Johnston, 46, better known by his pseudonym, 'TJ Thunder,' from WCSH-TV in Portland, failed to return home from the River Ski resort in Newry on April 2 after emceeing the Springfest event the night before.

The weatherman had told a family member he planned to head home on the morning of April 2, but when Johnston failed to show up, his girlfriend filed a missing persons report the following morning.

Mystery death: Tom Johnston, 46, meteorologist with WCSH in Maine, was found dead in the Maine woods in early April from an apparent suicide

Grisly end: The medical examiner has concluded the dad-of-three succumbed to hypothermia after slashing his wrists. Johnston had been with the station since 2014

On April 6, the 46-year-old TV personality was discovered dead in a wooded area in Auburn. Preliminary reports said foul play has been ruled out in his death.

Last week, the Office of the State Medical Examiner revealed that Johnston's cause of death was hypothermia from exposure to the elements after he suffered self-inflicted wounds to his wrists and lost consciousness, reported Portland Press Herald.

The autopsy report was released last Wednesday, a day after two local advocacy groups issued a joint statements claiming that Johnston 'was being investigated for a reported sexual assault' at the time of his suicide.

Local law enforcement officials, however, have not confirmed that Johnson was a suspect in the case and said the investigation was ongoing.

We have to make sure in any type of case that were getting factual information from our suspects and victims as well, Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant said in reference to the speculations surrounding Johnston.

The sheriff's office said that a woman called on the morning of April 2, the day of Johnston's suicide, from Bridgton Hospital saying she had been sexually assaulted at a home in Newry.

The suspect in the attack fled and was later reported as a missing person in Newry, according to the initial police report, which was later amended to exclude information on the potential suspect.

Johnston's final social media postings were made on the eve of his death, when a storm produced heavy snow in parts of Maine.

Speculations: Two Maine advocacy groups have issued a joint statement claiming that Johnston (far left) 'was being investigated for a reported sexual assault,' but police have not named him a suspect

The news station where the deceased worked announced his death online on April 7 and paid tribute to their popular meteorologist

Colleagues said the weatherman 'was at his best broadcasting or doing Facebook live shots in the middle of a blizzard'

The only person to have been reported missing around that time in the area was Tom Johnston, according to early reporting by the radio station WGAN, which was the first to raise questions about Johnston's possible involvement in the sexual assault investigation.

Days later, two other media outlets, NH1 and FTVLive.com, picked up the story, though no one has directly accused the deceased meteorologist of being connected to the case.

Last Tuesday, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Maine's National Alliance on Mental Illness released a joint statement repeating the speculation that Johnston has been linked to the alleged sex assault in Newry, saying their goal was to get out in front of the story.

Suicide and sexual violence both result in serious trauma and for the two to coincide as they have in this case, the trauma is even more immediate and serious, Cara Courchesne, communications director at MECASA, wrote in the statement.

The radio station WGAN was the first to raise questions about Johnston's possible involvement in the sexual assault investigation

Chief Deputy Hart Daley, with the Oxford County Sheriff's Office, would not comment on the allegations against Johnston in this case, but he said the agency was pretty confident with who the suspect in the sexual assault is.

Daley cautioned the public against jumping to conclusions before the investigation is complete.

As of Monday morning, the sheriff's office has not named the late weatherman as a suspect or a person of interest.

According to Johnstons obituary, his love of weather started a child growing up in Pennsylvania, when instead of watching cartoons he would tune in to The Weather Channel.

He later went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in atmospheric science from Rutgers University and a Master's degree in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University.

Before coming to WCSH-TV in Maine in 2014, Johnston had worked as a weather anchor across the South, including at several stations in Florida where he received two back-to-back Best Weathercast awards in 2007 and 2008 from the Florida Associated Press.

Mr Popular: Before coming to WCSH-TV in Maine in 2014, Johnston had worked as a weather anchor across the South, including at several stations in Florida where he received two back-to-back Best Weathercast awards

Johnstons online is obituary described him as an avid outdoorsman, philanthropist and a dedicated father of three.

WCSH announced Johnston's death 'with great sadness' on its website April 7. He was described as a hardworking and 'wicked funny' on and off the camera.

'Tom loved to forecast and loved his job. He was at his best broadcasting or doing Facebook live shots in the middle of a blizzard,' the site said.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with Toms family. We will miss that great laugh of his, his fierce competitive spirit and his love for all things weather-related.'
Former Fox News Channel anchor Heather Nauert will be the US State Department's new spokeswoman.

Nauert, 47, will fill the slot that had been vacant since the start of the Trump administration.

The job had been filled on an acting basis by Mark Toner, a career diplomat who served as deputy spokesman during the last years of President Barack Obama's presidency.

Former Fox News anchor and 'Fox & Friends' regular Heather Nauert will be the US State Department's next spokesperson

'Heathers media experience and long interest in international affairs will be invaluable as she conveys the Administrations foreign policy priorities to the American people and the world,' the State Department said in a press release.

It was not immediately clear when Nauert would start briefing reporters from the podium.

Nauert, above, covered breaking news for Fox & Friends and also occasionally did celebrity wrangling, such as posing with Steve Doocy and Bret Michaels (left)

Nauert, who has 15 years of experience in television journalism and started in the industry with ABC News, where she was nominated for an Emmy, and from 2012 was an anchor on the 'Fox and Friends' morning show, which is known to be a favorite of President Donald Trump.

Nauert's tweets since the election have had a vaguely pro-Trump tone to them, not surprising given the channel's support of the president.

'After the billions the US sent to we get this...' she captioned a news story about 'thousands' rallying in Iran against Trump.

She quoted White House spokesman Sean Spicer as saying 'There will be a respect for taxpayers under this administration' and highlighted a briefing about 'new executive orders to protect law enforcement.'

She also, however, retweeted one of Saturday Night Live's infamous parodying of Spicer, played by Melissa McCarthy.

Acting spokesperson Mark Toner will be stepping aside to make room for Heather Nauert

She also retweeted a tweet from Trump on February 3 that said 'A new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART U.S.'

On that day, an Egyptian national who lives in the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah Hamamy, with a machete rushed toward a group of soldiers and guards in the Carrousel du Louvre and was shot by police. He survived.

Nauert is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism. She covered the September 11 terror attacks, the Iraq war, and reported breaking news for 'Fox & Friends,' according to a Fox bio.
A drug addict, who stole money from a Girl Scout selling cookies so he could buy heroin, has been jailed for one year.

Eric Mullen, 28, targeted Leyla Hayward, 12, as she sold the snacks with her mother in front of a Vons in San Diego last month.

He swiftly grabbed their cash box, which contained about $400, and ran away.

Eric Mullen has been jailed for one year after he stole money from a 12-year-old girl

The thief was chased by a passer-by who caused him to drop his cell phone.

The phone led police to quickly track Mullen down and he was arrested hours later.

A female accomplice who the thief met to buy the heroin was sentenced to 180 days in jail.

The District Attorney's office said she had helped Mullen commit identity theft in a check-cashing scheme.

Both defendants have been told they may serve some of their sentence in a rehabilitation facility.

Mullen originally pleaded not guilty to a series of charges in the first few days after the event but later changed his plea.

Leyla Hayward, left, and her mother Deema, right, were selling cookies in San Diego when they were robbed

At the time of the crime Leyla was just 100 boxes away from her target of 1,000 for her local Girl Scout group.

Speaking after the theft on March 12, Leyla's mother Deema Hayward told NBC 7: 'I think it's horrible just to steal from anybody, but to steal from a child who has been working so hard day after day to meet their goal, it's just horrible.

'She goes out every day door-to-door, booth sale after booth sale, trying to reach her goal.'
A man suffered bone fractures on his chest after being thrown to the ground by a furious father amid a fight over a parking space in Zhejiang Province of eastern China.

The 25-year-old man, surnamed Wu, parked his car at his neighbourhood on April 21 before a family of three approached to him.

The parents claimed Wu had parked on his lot and both parties argued over before the father picked him up and threw him to the ground as young son watched on.

The woman came up front to push the victim (left) as the two me started fighting (right)

Soon after the man turned his back, he picked Wu up and slammed him on the floor hard

'1818 Golden Eye', a television programme under Zhejiang broadcaster, posted surveillance camera footage of a neighbourhood in Binjiang district online on April 22, showing the moment of the alleged attack.

Both parties were reported to have an argument on the pavement before the mother came up front and pushed Wu, who was wearing a white shirt and carrying a shoulder bag.

A young boy, believed to be the assailant's son, came after.

From the video, the 37-year-old father, surnamed Zhang, can be seen telling his wife to bring their son away.

But soon after he turns his back to Wu, he picks him up and smashes him down with his headfirst and shoulder back onto the ground.

The assailant watched Wu shaking before moving him to the side of the road before leaving.

His young son was watching while he carried the attack on the 25-year-old driver in Binjiang

Zhang stood by while watching Wu shaking his body and struggling to get up after the attack

Zhang then moved Wu to the side of the road and left with his family short while after

The attack left Wu in pain as his body shivered and not being able to get up, as video shows.

A report on News Morning Post stated that Wu recalled the woman saying she drove her car out of the parking lot to let her husband to park.

The woman told him that he had parked on her space as she intended to let her husband to park.

Wu argued saying there were never a specific parking lot dedicated to residents from buildings nearby.

Wu's wife was notified by one on-duty security guard and had to rush to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang.

Wu was confirmed to have its bone fractured due to compression and was arranged to have surgery immediately.

Binjiang police department confirmed the incident on Weibo, a Chinese social media account, that Zhang was arrested and has been detained for wounding with intent.

The incident is now in further investigation.
A new poll has suggested the Tories are on the brink of their first ever majority in Wales as Labour's leader in the country warned Jeremy Corbyn has 'work to do'.

A YouGov/ITV survey of Welsh voters suggests Tory support has rocketed by 12 per cent to since January to a record breaking 40-points, with most of the increase coming from a collapsing Ukip vote.

It means the Tories stand 10 points clear of Labour on 30 per cent - enough to win 21 of Wales' 40 seats. The Conservative Party has never won a majority Welsh constituencies.

Welsh Labour leader and first minister Carwyn Jones said Mr Corbyn was likeable but had so far failed to prove to voters he was a leader.

Welsh Labour leader and first minister Carwyn Jones (pictured on Friday) said Mr Corbyn was likeable but had so far failed to prove to voters he was a leader

A YouGov/ITV survey of Welsh voters suggests Tory support has leapt by 12 per cent to since January to a record breaking 40-points

Speaking on the campaign trail in Swansea, Mr Jones said: 'It is clear Jeremy has work to do to convince people he is a leader.

'He knows that and over the next few weeks he has to show people he is a good candidate for prime minister.'

He added: 'From the publics perspective they havent seen his best side yet. Ive gone round with Jeremy on the doorstep; Ive gone round town centres with him.

'Hes not someone that puts people off when they meet him. Far from it. Its the exact opposite.

'I think he just needs to do more of that, going around, meeting people, listening and I think people will be impressed by what they hear.'

Mr Corbyn is campaigning in Scotland today (pictured) as he attempts to defy record breaking lows in the polls to overcome Mrs May on June 8

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon (pictured in Bristol today) has slammed Mr Corbyn as a risk to national security

Mr Jones disagreed with the Labour leader about Trident and insisted it was important to give clear answers.

Theresa May was pictured leaving Tory headquarters today as the campaign was drawn up

The First Minister said he did back the nuclear deterrent and added: 'Its hugely important as a party that you are able to convince people you are going to keep them secure. Trident is a deterrent.

'It doesnt keep us secure against terrorism. Thats why its so important that we need to bolster our armed forces to meet the immediate threat that exists in Europe at the moment.'

Mr Corbyn is campaigning in Scotland today as he attempts to defy record breaking lows in the polls to overcome Mrs May on June 8.

Amid signs that Labour could lose its last remaining Scottish seat, the veteran left-winger urged voters not to write off his chances of winning the keys to Downing Street.

It is the first time Mr Corbyn has ventured to Scotland since Theresa May fired the starting gun on the snap election last week.

But the veteran left-winger is not expected to visit Labour's final stronghold of Edinburgh South.

The row over his lax attitude to security has also dogged Mr Corbyn - as the conference he is addressing is due to vote against renewing Trident nuclear weapons.

Mr Corbyn is campaigning in Scotland today as he attempts to defy record breaking lows in the polls to overcome Mrs May on June 8

In a car-crash interview yesterday, Mr Corbyn made clear he would never use the nuclear deterrent and would stop airstrikes on ISIS in Syria.

Addressing the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Aviemore, the veteran left-winger said: 'Labour will never, ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement, you are our family.

'That is why one of the very first things we will do when forming our Labour Government will be to repeal the vicious Tory Trade Union Act. Giving working people the rights to collectively organise and make their lives better, safer and more content.

'We will open inquiries into blacklisting and Orgreave. And we urge the Scottish Government to set up an inquiry into the actions of the Scottish police during the miners' strike.'
Former directors of collapsed charity Kids Company - including founder Camilla Batmanghelidjh and ex-BBC chief Alan Yentob - could face boardroom bans.

The Insolvency Service has written to lawyers acting on behalf of the ex-board members telling them it is pursuing legal action that would see them banned from any directorship position.

Former WH Smith chairman Richard Handover is also believed to have been included in the disqualification claim, according to Sky News.

Camilla Batmanghelidjh was reportedly paying herself a 90,000 salary at the time that Kids Company went under

A spokesman for the Insolvency Service said: 'Our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of Keeping Kids Company and the conduct of the directors is ongoing.

'It is not appropriate to comment further at this time.'

The Insolvency Service has the power to ban any senior officials from organisations that have liquidated from taking similar positions for up to 15 years.

The letter was met with a request for more time for the recipients to make a formal response, but that deadline is believed to be expiring soon.

The charity collapsed in 2015, just weeks after it was handed a 3million grant by David Cameron's government.

In 15 years, Kids Company took a reported 42million from the taxpayer, but a damning 2016 report showed 'catastrophic failures by its m

Yentob resigned as the BBCs creative director in the wake of controversy over his role as chairman of the scandal-hit group

Batmanghelidjh was reportedly paying herself a 90,000 salary at the time that Kids Company went under.

An investigation was also carried out over claims that thousands of pounds of the charitys money was spent on paying the boarding school costs of her chauffeurs daughter.

Soon after, Yentob resigned as the BBCs creative director in the wake of controversy over his role as chairman of the scandal-hit group.
In order to preserve its nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Obama administration agreed not to prosecute an arms smuggler whose products killed hundreds of U.S. troops in Iraq.

The lenient approach to the case of Amin Ravan was one of several uncovered in previously hidden court filings and exposed on Monday by Politico.

Ravan, U.S. authorities believed, was involved with providing Iran with components of bombs that Shiite militias used over a long period of time.

He was also charged with smuggling American military antennas to Hong Kong and Singapore so they could be sold to Iran.

President Barack Obama cut a nuclear deal with iran in 2015 and lifted economic sanctions again the Islamist country months later, but didn't announce that his administration was dropping criminal proceedings against more than a dozen Iranians including one who smuggled components of bombs that killed hundreds of Americans in Iraq

Other Iranians let off the hook by the Obama White House had been accused of supplying Iran with U.S. microelectronics needed for making surface-to-air and cruise missiles

But the Obama White House dropped those charges, along with those of at least 13 other fugitives, as part of the negotiations that led to the nuclear deal announced in 2015.

The move was executed quietly, even as the administration publicly carried out a prisoner swap and released seven Iranians and Iranian-Americans who it portrayed as low-level violators of U.S. sanctions against Tehran.

In reality, the Justice Department had accused some of them of supplying Iran with U.S. microelectronics needed for making surface-to-air and cruise missiles.

One, an aerospace engineer was in the middle of an eight-year prison sentence. He was convicted of conspiracy in a case involving the transfer of satellite hardware to Tehran. The U.S. government even dropped its demand that he hand over $10 million that Iran paid him.

Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control executive director Valerie Lincy told Politico: 'This is a scandal. The cases bear all the hallmarks of exactly the kinds of national security threats we're still going after.'

'It's stunning and hard to understand why we would do this,' Lincy said.

Another Iranian whose charges were dropped by the Obama administration had been indicted for attempting to export 3,500 American-made M-4 rifles to Iran via Syria

In addition to Ravan, the fugitives that the Obama White House allowed to slip under the radar included Seyed Abolfazl Shahab Jamili, who faced 10 charges related to his efforts to export highly sensitive equipment with nuclear applications to China  knowing they would be passed on to Iran.

At the time, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz cited 'significant foreign policy interests' in the decision to dismiss the charges, but didn't link it to the nuclear deal.

Jamili's accomplice, a Chinese national, was jailed for 9 years. He unsucessfully appealed that sentence in federal court.

Behrouz Dolatzadeh, another Iranian whose charges were dropped, was facing a federal grand jury indictment for attempting to export 3,500 American-made M-4 rifles to Iran via Syria.

Dolatzadeh also served on the corporate boards of several companies under the control of the Iranian government.
The Liberal Democrats today launched their attempt to unseat Brexiteer Labour MP Kate Hoey from her safe Vauxhall constituency.

Tim Farron branded the Labour veteran as Ukip's candidate after Paul Nuttall indicated the Eurosceptic party would not contest the seat.

Ms Hoey has held the seat for almost 30 years by one of Labour's biggest majorities.

But it is also had one of the strongest Remain votes of any constituency prompting the Liberal Democrats to push for an unlikely victory.

The party has produced leaflets featuring a split face of Ms Hoey and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron launched his campaign to seize Vauxhall from Kate Hoey alongside candidate George Turner today (pictured)

Mr Farron is hoping for an unlikely win in a constituency Labour won by more than 12,000 last time but which is held by Brexit-supporting Kate Hoey on a strongly Remain patch

The pair campaigned together during last year's referendum on EU membership and even posed on a boat on the Thames.

Speaking at a rally to launch the Vauxhall campaign, Mr Farron said: 'We stand here in Vauxhall. And you talk about opposition.

'One of the opposition parties over the weekend decided to back another of the opposition parties.

'You might have seen Paul Nuttall on the television on Sunday morning saying that Ukips candidate here in Vauxhall is basically going to be Kate Hoey.

'The reality is that we have, if you like, a coalition of chaos - the Conservatives, Labour and Ukip all lined up backing the hardest of all Brexits, exit from the single market, cutting off all our ties with our friends and neighbours in Europe, despite those things never being on the ballot paper.

'We say the British people can choose a different future.'

Ms Hoey and Nigel Farage campaigned together during last year's referendum on EU membership and even posed on a boat on the Thames

Ms Hoey was re-selected as Labour's candidate in Vauxhall last week.

She said she looked forward to a 'positive' campaign.

Mr Nuttall yesterday told the BBC's Andrew Marr Ukip will seek to help Conservative and Labour MPs with a track record in backing Brexit.

Mr Nuttall said: 'I didn't just say Tory candidates, they could be people like Kate Hoey (Labour MP for Vauxhall) as well.

'This will not be an order which is coming down from the top of the party. I will speak to branches over the coming weeks and we will make decisions.
A Tory MP who cheated on his wife with a fellow politician is facing calls to be deselected ahead of the General Election.

Jack Lopresti left his wife of 23 years after being caught having an affair with 'Cameron cutie' Andrea Jenkyns, who he now has a son with.

His wife Lucy, who he has three children with, was said to have been 'devastated' after discovering the liaison just before it hit the headlines at Christmas 2015.

Local Tories in his constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke, in south Gloucestershire, are seeking to boot the MP out and pick someone else to stand.

Jack Lopresti and Andrea Jenkyns, pictured leaving a pub in Morley together in December 2015. Mr Lopresti left his wife for her shortly afterwards and the couple now have a baby

An email, reportedly being circulated among party members and posted on Twitter, states: 'This is an opportunity for you to decide whether you wish Mr Lopresti to continue to be our candidate.

'There are many of us who feel very strongly that Mr Lopresti is not representing our constituency in a very good way.

'Locally there are several excellent people who are already on the CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) approved candidate list and would love to have this opportunity to represent us.

'We feel that one of these people should be given a chance.'

It is unclear why the Conservative party members are so fed up with Mr Lopresti, but one source told The Bristol Post he has been running the constituency 'like a mafia fiefdom'.

Mr Lopresti, pictured with his wife Lucy on election night in 2010. She was said to be devastated at his affair, which she learnt about just before it was splashed across a newspaper

Mr Lopresti has held the seat since it was created in 2010, and he has a majority of nearly 10,000.

Theresa May was pictured leaving Tory headquarters today as the campaign was drawn

Since news of his affair broke, Mr Lopresti and ex-beauty queen Ms Jenkyns have gone public with their romance.

They recently had a baby boy, named Clifford George, together.

Mr Lopresti's estranged wife Lucy is a former nursery nurse and daughter of Tory grandee Baron Cope of Berkeley.

Responding to the calls for his deselection, Mr Lopresti said: 'It's is a tremendous honour and privilege to serve and represent the people of Filton and Bradley Stoke.

'All Conservative sitting Members of Parliament, at every election, have to be formally re-adopted.

'I am pleased to say that I have put my name forward and local party members will now decide.'
A Chinese gang filmed themselves breaking into businesses, stealing cash and vandalising cars in an Easter weekend crime spree across Brisbane.

A Queensland University student, identified only as David, was arrested after posting several videos and photos of the alleged crimes to Facebook and charged with willful damage.

The videos allegedly showed the 21-year-old and at least two other men driving around Brisbane committing burglary and vandalism.

A Chinese gang filmed themselves breaking into businesses, stealing cash and vandalising cars in an Easter weekend crime spree across Brisbane

One clip even showed two masked men running out of a building into an alley carrying a cash register box, moments after prying it open

It showed men breaking into businesses and apartments, stealing money from cash registers, spray-painting cars with graffiti, and even using a cigarette lighter to rig a car tyre to explode while driving.

One clip even showed two masked men running out of a building into an alley carrying a cash register box, moments after prying it open.

The crew were heard exclaiming in Cantonese that it was like using a slot machine as they emptied coins onto the floor and piled them into an upturned cap.

Another allegedly showed David spraying graffiti on to a parked car on Gregory Street, Toowong, which police said was the offence he was charged over.

The cash register box the crew allegedly pryed open and stole from a business in Brisbane

The crew were heard exclaiming in Cantonese that it was like using a slot machine as they emptied coins onto the floor and piled them into an upturned cap

Video of two men breaking open a lock getting in to a business where they stole the register

Photos posted to Facebook show one of the members tagging a parked car

Videos show multiple vehicles were targeted in the multi-day crime spree

The most bizarre clip appeared to show the gang using a cigarette lighter to rig a car tyre to explode while driving.

The numerous crimes were allegedly committed over the Easter long weekend in at least the suburbs of Mt Gravat, Toowong, and Sunnybank Hills.

According to Hong Kong media, where the men were from, one of the gang allegedly contacted David and told him to get a new phone to avoid the police.

The student will face court on May 30 and police confiscated his phone while they try to track down the other men caught in the videos.

Queensland University student David was arrested after posting several videos and photos of the alleged crimes to Facebook (pictured) and charged with willful damage
Fellow dog walker Giovanni Bardelli jumped into the Tanner Park creek and pulled a drowning Liudmilla Feldman, 58, to land. Efforts to revive her were unsuccessful and she was declared dead at the scene

A woman drowned as she tried to rescue her dogs from drowning in a fast-moving, cold creek in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Liudmilla Feldman, 58, and her husband were taking their two dogs for a walk by a creek in Tanner Park when the pets jumped into the water and were quickly carried downstream.

In an effort to save her dogs, Feldman entered the creek, only to be dragged underwater and carried away by the fast-moving creek.

Feldman's husband and two other men jumped into the creek to try and pull her out, but were not able to do so quickly enough to save her life.

'They started to get carried away, and somehow one of the witnesses was able to grab her foot and pull her out,' Unified Police Lt. Dan McConkey told media, according to Deseret News .

'She was taken down by the water and that water is cold,' he added, noting that she had been under water for about 90 seconds.

'It wouldn't take long for her to lose her mobility because of the cold water.'

Police, EMTs and firemen responded to the scene at Tanner Park where Feldman drowned

Fellow dog walker Giovanni Bardelli was one of Feldman's three attempted rescuers  and the one who managed to pull her out of the water.

'I saw a lady carried down in the rapids, just going around and around, so my first instinct was to see what was going on and jump in,' Giovanni Bardelli told Gephardt Daily.

'I gave my dog to the husband  he was at the bottom of the river. He was pretty cold, too. He had been in the water for a while.'

After jumping into the creek, Bardelli said, 'The current pulled me, like two times around, too. But finally I grabbed onto her foot and I pulled her out of the water and took her into shore. After that, people started coming. Two other people came running, saying they knew CPR, and I just let them take it from there.'

Bardelli admitted that after pulling Feldman out of the creek, he 'was pretty in shock, I was shaken. I didn't know how to react to it.'

Dog walkers in Tanner Park, where Feldman was walking her dogs before she drowned

According to Bardelli, Feldman was unconscious, with her eyes open, but appeared to still be breathing when he yanked her from the creek.

Once her husband started doing CPR, though, Bardelli said that her eyes closed and her skin color started to change.

'By the time I got there she was completely passed out, she was starting to look purple,' witness Jared Gonzalez, who directed the EMTs to the location, told KSL.

'It really is scary seeing somebody lying there not breathing. It really is an experience you can't put into words.'

Feldman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said that Feldman's dogs were able to pull themselves out of the stream on their own power and are expected to be OK.
For the second time in six months, President Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star has been vandalized.

Over the weekend, 'F*** Trump' was written in marker above the President's name on the star.

This time, the graffiti will wash off. The damage was far worse last October when the star was smashed to rubble and the entire slab had to be replaced.

President Trumps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been vandalized for the second time since October

At the time, James Otis, 52, managed to avoid jail and ordered to pay a $4,400 fine and complete 20 days of community service for CalTrans after he pleaded no contest to a felony charge of vandalism.

He could have landed a three-year jail sentence and $10,000 fine.

Otis had been trying to remove the star to protest President Trump, who at that point had yet to be elected, when he arrived at the site of his star in the pre-dawn hours of October 26.

The millionaire heir to the Otis Elevator Company fortune wore construction gear while going about his task, and used a sledgehammer and pickax to try and remove the tribute from the ground.

Free man: James Otis (above in October) avoided a three-year jail sentence and $10,000 in fines after destroying President Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of fame in October

Aborted mission: He attempted to remove the star with a pickax and sledgehammer on the morning of October 26 but could only manage to smash it to rubble (above)

Last year, a pickaxe and sledgehammer were used to utterly decimate the star; it had to be replaced as a result

He later stated that he had hoped to sell it off and give the money he received to the 11 women who had come forward and publicly accused President Trump of groping them in the past.

Otis failed to free to star however and instead just smashed it to rubble, later saying that he did not realize how hard the task would be and the hours it would take to complete.

He turned himself into police the following day and was released on $20,000 bond.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who presented President Trump with his star in 2007 for his work on the popular reality show The Apprentice, responded to Otis' actions in an angry statement at the time.

The symbol was recently replaced after James Lambert Otis destroyed it with a pickax and sledgehammer in October, barely a week before the election

'When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark,' said Leron Gubler, the head of the group.

'Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property.'

Gubler also urged the court to punish Otis to the 'full extent of the law' while the Chamber of Commerce set about repairing the damage star at a cost of approximately $2,500.

Otis pleaded no contest to a vandalism charge in February in exchange for a small fine and three years probation (President Trump's star being repaired above)

Pay day: Otis later said he wanted to sell the tribute and give the money to the 11 women who had accused President Trump of groping them (Trump receiving his star in 2007 above)

Otis said after turning himself in that he was prepared to accept any consequences he might face for his actions.

He then apologized for what he had done the following month after his first hearing before the judge, telling reporters out side the courtroom: 'Upon reflection after my arrest, I had said I was proud and felt very good about destroying Mr. Trump's star. However, now I realize I was wrong, that I shouldn't have done it.'

Otis went on to say that 'non-violence id the way to protest Trump' and what he would do moving forward before adding: 'By destroying that star, it was wrong and I apologize for that, and I hope no one else will affect and hurt the Hollywood Walk of Fame stars.'

Just a few days after that appearance, the Chamber of Commerce debuted President Trump's repaired star on the Walk of Fame.
A crime expert who told documentary-makers Madeline McCann's parents could have hidden her body is suing the producers for misrepresenting her comments.

Criminal profiler Pat Brown told Australian Channel 7 that Kate and Gerry McCann could have put the body in a bag, buried it on a beach and moved it weeks later.

But she is now suing the channel for defamation, claiming that they made it look as though she said the McCann's did bury the body, when she only said it was possible.

Crime expert Pat Brown (left), who told documentary-makers Madeline McCann's parents could have hidden her body, is suing the producers for misrepresenting her comments

Kate and Gerry McCann had urged the documentary-makers to hand over their evidence to police 'immediately'

Mrs Brown was seen on camera during an explosive documentary saying that Maddie could have died as a result of an accident, abuse or neglect.

In the dramatic trailer for the show, she was seen saying: 'They are lying and they are concealing guilt,' speaking of the 2007 disappearance, when Maddie was three.

During the show, she said: 'There are other cases where a child has come to some kind of harm by way of a parent either by neglect or abuse and the parents have indeed covered that crime up by trying to move the child's body and claim that the child has gone missing and has been abducted.'

But Miss Brown has since received hate mail over the comments, and launched a legal claim against the Seven West Media and Rahni Sadler, who interviewed her.

She claims that during the hour-long Skype interview with Sadler, she made it abundantly clear that the claim was merely a theory, based on her view of evidence.

Miss Brown told The Sun: 'I thought whether people agreed with the evidence or not, I would be able to present this as a professional.'

She added: 'The show purposefully set out to destroy my reputation. The only reason I was featured was to annihilate me by making me look foolish.'

Miss Brown (pictured) has since received hate mail over the comments, and launched a legal claim against the Seven West Media and Rahni Sadler, who interviewed her

FATHER'S BROTHER-IN-LAW'S STATEMENT IS 'AREA OF CONCERN' An expert in lying and deception has claimed Gerry McCann's brother-in-law's statement is 'an area of concern'. Mark McClish, a former US Marshall and Secret Service agent, said the statement on blood and a strange odour in a rental car needs further investigation. After the disappearance, Alexander 'Sandy' Cameron flew into Portugal from England with his wife Trish and spent months with Kate and Gerry. Mr Cameron was listed as a registered driver of a Renault Scenic that the McCann's had rented 25 days after the disappearance. British police dogs detected blood and tissue in the apartment they had rented, and in the boot of the Renault. Mr Cameron then explained that he used the car to transport rubbish and blood had leaked out of a broken bag, and he later noticed a foul smell. Mr McClish said he believed the overall statement was truthful, he believed that the section in question needed further investgation because of the language used. Speaking to Australia's 9news, he said: 'Deceptive people will sometimes use synonyms because they are making up a portion of their story they cannot relate to and consequently do not always follow their personal dictionary.' Advertisement

In the same documentary, a former police chief has sensationally claimed that MI5 helped to cover up the death and disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Goncalo Amaral, who was the original lead investigator in the case, made the astonishing claim that British secret agents 'for sure had an involvement'.

He claimed MI5 helped to hide the body of the youngster and that even former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was involved in the cover up.

The documentary also suggested that a new key witness - who worked at the Praia da Luz resort at the time of Maddie's disappearance - was being sought.

One theory put forward by a professor is that the youngster was run over by a motorist, who then hid her body in one of the resort's 600 wells.

Mr Amaral worked on the case when Maddie went missing from the apartment the McCanns were staying in in Praia da Luz as Kate and Gerry ate dinner with friends.

He was moved off the case and resigned six months later but wrote his book using police files as he put forward a theory she had died in the apartment.

The McCanns took legal action, saying there was no evidence and his work was defamatory.

The appeal hearing in Lisbon which ruled against the McCanns was held in private.

After the show was aired, Kate and Gerry McCann urged the producers to hand over any credible evidence to police.

Though Miss Brown insists that she only ever discussed wrongdoing by her parents as a possibility, she has previously suggested that they have something to hide.

In a blog two weeks ago, Miss Brown claimed that the McCanns would not have ignored The Smith Sighting, 'If they are innocent'.

Goncalo Amaral, who was the original lead investigator in the case, made the astonishing claim in an Australian documentary which aired last night

An Australian TV show claims to have made a 'major breakthrough' in the Madeleine McCann case - but won't hand its evidence to police until the programme has aired

She was referring to an alleged sighting of a man carrying a young girl through the resort in his arms, reported by an Irish family, the Smiths.

Four months after her disappearance, they saw the McCanns appeal on television and claimed that the man they saw was Gerry McCann.

Miss Brown wrote: 'Even if I could explain away every other behavior of the McCanns and every other piece of evidence in this case, the one thing I cannot possibly come up with is an alternative explanation for is the McCanns ignoring of the Smith sighting.

'If they are innocent of any connection to Maddie going missing, they would have jumped on the Smith sighting as a huge lead as to who might have taken their daughter.

'And if they are guilty of involvement in the disappearance of Maddie, their ignoring of the Smith sighting is the strongest piece of evidence we have of Maddie's death and subsequent cover-up being an inside job and not a stranger abduction.'
A man shot dead his female boss inside of a Dallas office building meeting room Monday morning before committing suicide, police say.

Dallas police officers and swat team members responded to several 911 calls placed about a person with a gun inside an office building located at 8330 LBJ Freeway around 10:45am.

Assistant Chief Blankenbaker said during a press conference that police officers fired one shot in the incident, a shotgun blast used to shatter a glass door so that officers could gain entry into the office where the shooting took place.

He said that once officers were inside, they found a deceased white male and a deceased white female.

Blankenbaker said that it appears as though the man specifically targeted his female supervisor and no one else was injured.

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A man shot dead his female boss inside of a Dallas office building meeting room Monday morning before committing suicide, police say. Pictured above are Dallas police officers outside of the building (scene above)

Assistant Chief Blankenbaker said during a press conference that it appears as though the man specifically targeted his female supervisor and no one else was injured (scene above)

The names of the man and woman will not be released until their families have been notified and the investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Above a bullet hole is pictured near a broken window at the office building on Monday

The names of the man and woman will not be released until their families have been notified and the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

He also would not disclose what type of work they did or the name of the company that they worked for.

He said that only one officer was injured from falling debris and that the building was 'made safe at 12:49pm'.

The company that manages the building released the following statement via Twitter early Monday afternoon:

'Our thoughts & prayers are with those involved during this incident at 8330 LBJ. Tenants at property please follow all emergency procedures.'

Television footage showed a heavy police response, including a SWAT team, at the multi-story office building near Schroeder Road.

Dallas Police Department tweeted that the building at 8330 LBJ Freeway has 'been made safe' at 12:49pm. Above workers stand outside of the building following the shooting

Police said that only one officer was injured in the incident due to debris (scene above)

A broken window can be seen on one of the upper floors of the mirrored tower.

Hannah Greenhaw was among the workers evacuated safely from the offices near a multi-level highway interchange known as the High Five.

Greenhaw told KXAS that people from an office across the hall came over to warn them to lock the doors because there had been reports of an active shooter.

Everyone in her office hurried to a corner in the back and turned out the lights, she said.

Armed tactical police officers then arrived, entered her office and told the workers to put their hands up, according to Greenhaw.

Officers helped evacuate everyone from the building, she said, with some people allowed to use elevators.

'There was a few of us who couldn't actually walk down 10 flights of stairs,' Greenhaw said.

Bailee Christian told KXAS that she heard two gunshots - one when she was still inside and another after she and her co-workers had been evacuated from the building. She said that when she heard the second shot she also heard screaming.

'It was very intense in the moment, very scary,' Christian said.

The company that manages the building released the above statement via Twitter early Monday afternoon

Christian, who works in a call center on the 10th floor, said her boss told everyone to hide in the back corner of the office.

'Probably about 6 minutes goes by and a police officer, a couple actually, came up to grab us,' Christian said.

Two employees inside the office building described their experiences inside the office building as the situation unfolded.

'SWAT was escorting us out (of the building) and telling us to go downstairs,' one woman told CBS DFW.

'As we were walking out, there was a police officer holding his shield and he was bleeding down his arm,' another woman added.

Mary Jo Nsuk, who works on the 10th floor, heard a commotion coming from below and heard police say, "Come out with your hands up." About five minutes later, police came to the door to escort her downstairs.

She left her belongings behind, including her cellphone and shoes.

"Police were doing their best to make sure all floors were clear," Nsuk told The Dallas Morning News.

"They protected people with shields and a cop was facing backwards when they were trying to get us downstairs."
Former President Barack Obama sidestepped any discussion of his successor as he made his first public remarks since handing over the keys to the White House to Donald Trump.

Obama stuck to the topic of community organizing on Monday as he convened a panel of students and recent college graduates at the University of Chicago.

Briefly acknowledging his three-month absence from public life, Obama asked to laughter at the top of the event, 'So what's been going on while I've been gone?'

Former President Barack Obama sidestepped any discussion of his successor as he made his first public remarks since handing over the keys of the White House to Donald Trump

MISS ME? Briefly acknowledging his three-month absence from public life, Obama asked to laughter at the top of the event. 'So what's been going on while I've been gone?'

Obama talks to students about community organizing on Monday. On the left is Tiffany Brown  Chicago State University/Chicago State (doctorate in Pharmacy). The student on the right is Max Freedman  University of Chicago

BIPARTISAN: He even had a college Republican on his panel - Freedman - but Trump still didn't come up

Obama has been vacationing since he left the White House for good on Jan. 20. He returned from Tahiti this month ready to make his comeback.

'It is wonderful to be home. it is wonderful to be at the university of Chicago. It is wonderful to be on the south side of Chicago,' he told his audience Monday.

The former president and his wife, Michelle, live in Washington still but remain homeowners in Chicago. They're expected to move back there when Obama's library opens in 2020.

Reminiscing on Monday, Obama said he arrived in Chicago just out of college 'filled with idealism and absolutely certain that somehow I was going to change the world.'

He told a laughing audience that he didn't know how and frankly admitted that he became a community organizer to pay off his student loans.

'I did not really know what that meant or how to do it. But I accepted the job and for the next three years I lived right here in Hyde Park,' he said.

Now that he's out of the White House, Obama said he's pursuing his next job.

'And what i'm convinced is that although there are all kinds of issues that I care about and all kinds of issues that I intend to work on,' he said.

Obama said he's realized 'the single most important thing' he can do in his post-presidency is to 'prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world.'

Challenges like climate change, economic inequality and criminal justice reform 'are daunting but they're not insoluble,' he said.

'What is preventing us from tackling them and making more progress really has to do with our politics and our civic life,' he assessed. 'It has to do with the fact that because of things like political gerrymandering our parties have moved further and further apart and it's harder and harder to find common ground.'

Obama stuck to the topic of community organizing on Monday as he convened a panel of students and recent college graduates at the University of Chicago

Obama tagged special interests as the reason that Washington acts in 'ways that don't match up with what the broad majority of Americans feel' and the echo chamber of partisan media as the reason that voters 'neglect of a common reality that allows us to have a healthy debate.'

Reflecting on the speech that catapulted him to national notoriety Obama said his 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention declaring that he does not see 'red states or blue states' was 'aspirational.'

'But i think it's...one that I still believe in the sense that when you talk to individuals one-on-one, people, theres a lot more people have in common than divides, them,' he said, 'but obviously thats not true when it comes to our politics and our civic life.'

Obama said only young people, like the bipartisan panel he was speaking to that included a College Republican, can fix what's wrong with society.

'And so the question then becomes, what are the ways in which we can create pathways for them to take leadership, for them to get involved? Are there ways in which we can knockdown some of the barriers that are discouraging young people about a life of service?

'And if there are, I want to work with them to knockdown those barriers and to get this next generation to accelerate their move towards leadership, because if that happens, I think we're going to just fine,' he said, 'and I end up being incredibly optimistic.'
US defense leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to all senators in an unusual meeting at the White House, the Pentagon said Monday.

The briefing will be conducted Wednesday by Pentagon chief Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joe Dunford, who is America's top officer and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

They 'will be briefing all senators on the current strategic situation with regards to North Korea,' Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

While lawmakers often receive classified briefings, these are usually conducted in secure rooms in the Capitol building and not at the White House.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will a conduct a briefing along with other defence leaders on North Korea

The briefing comes at a time of soaring tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.

An official North Korean website warned Monday that Pyongyang will 'wipe out' the United States if Washington starts a war on the peninsula, the latest tit-for-tat saber-rattling between the two countries.

The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson to the western Pacific, and observers say North Korea appears to be readying a sixth nuclear test.

US officials have warned that 'all options are on the table' in dealing with the North Korean threat but have so far relied on China to rein in its unpredictable ally.

There are 100 senators. It was not immediately known if all of them were expected to attend Wednesday's meeting, which is taking place at 3pm EST.

The invitation was revealed after the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations warned North Korea on Monday that Americans 'don't want war, so don't start one.'

Nikki Haley said on ABC's 'Good Morning America' that the when the communist country's government seized an American teacher on Friday, it risked sparking an all-out military conflict.

Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, was teaching at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained as he prepared to board a plane out of the country.

'I think that North Korea has been playing games from the very beginning. What we're seeing is that Kim Jong-Un is really trying to show his strength to the people of North Korea,' Haley said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned North Korea on Monday that 'we don't want war, so don't start one'

North Korea's despotic leader Kim Jong-Un is saber-rattling at the U.S. and his government seized an American teacher on Friday who was preparing to leave the country

President Donald Trump joked with members of the UN Security Council on Monday that Hely could be replaced if they didn't like her

'I think that just by detaining a prisoner is one more way he's trying to show his strength, and it's not going to work.'

President Donald Trump convened a lunch on Monday with members of the UN Security Council, joking about Haley's work.

'Shes doing a good job. Now, does everybody like Nikki? Because if you dont  otherwise, she can easily be replaced,' he said, to laughter.

'No, we wont do that, I promise. We wont do that. Shes doing a fantastic job.'

Haley said on 'CBS This Morning' that the U.S. is working hand-in-glove with the Chinese government to put pressure on North Korea, and it's beginning to work.

'I think we're going to handle it properly, and I think we'll have to use China to do that,' she said.

She added on NBC's 'Today' show that 'Kim Jong-Un is starting to flex his muscles because he feels the pressure' from his Chinese ally.

Haley said on ABC, however, that the U.S. isn't interested in a Chinese proposal that would call for an end to joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises in exchange for Pyongyang's pledge to stop developing its nuclear missile program.

'We're not going to do that,' she said.
President Donald Trump is recalling the death and suffering of more than 1 million Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire, without describing it as genocide.

Such a declaration would anger Turkey, whose cooperation Trump seeks in Syria.

Trump says in a statement that the World War I-era killing of Armenians represents one of the 20th century's worst mass atrocities, and a 'dark chapter' in history.

Not aligned: Kim Kardashian has called for the Armenian deaths in the last years of the Ottoman Empire to be called genocide but the president on Monday declined to do so

Contentious: Protesters in Istanbul on Monday called for the Turkey to recognize the mass deaths which began in 1915 as genocide. The country refuses to do so

Violent past: More than one million Armenians died in the mass killings from 1915 onwards

He adds that remembering will 'prevent them from occurring again.'

The issue also confronted Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, and other presidents.

Obama promised as a candidate to describe the killing as genocide, if elected. But he repeatedly stopped short of doing so once in office.

Samantha Power, Obama's U.N. ambassador, however, did describe it as genocide during a speech in late 2016.

The issue has been the subject of a long-running campaign by Armenia itself and many Armenian-Americans.

Among them has been Kim Kardashian, whose ancestors left the Ottoman Empire before the mass killings.

She has called for the use of the word 'genocide' and compared a refusal to use it to Holocaust denial or spreading 9/11 conspiracy theories.
The US government has imposed 'sweeping sanctions' on Syrian officials in response to the sarin gas attack the country's dictator hit civilians with earlier this month.

The Treasury Department ordered a freeze on all assets in the United States belonging to 271 employees of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), and blocked any American person or business from dealing with them.

The SSRC was responsible for producing the chemical weapons Washington believes were used in the attack and the means to deliver them, a statement said.

'We intend to hold the Assad regime accountable for its unacceptable behavior,' Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin declared from the White House.

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The US government has imposed 'sweeping sanctions' on Syrian officials in response to the sarin gas attack the country's dictator hit civilians with earlier this month. 'We intend to hold the Assad regime accountable for its unacceptable behavior,' Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin declared from the White House

A chemical attack left 87 dead, including many children, in rebel-held territory in Idlib province on April 4, with the West accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of being responsible.

President Donald Trump punished Assad already with a one-time set of airstrikes. The United States also fired 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on April 7.

Foreign leaders and US lawmakers commended the swift activity. But legislators demanded to know if Trump intended to take further action to push out Assad.

Mnuchin had indicated that sanctions were on the way before Treasury finally dropped the hammer on Monday.

'They will be coming out in the near future,' he told reporters a day after Trump's sneak attack. 'These sanctions are very important and we will use them to the maximum effect.'

That was nearly three weeks ago. Treasury came down on Assad's government on Monday just as the White House began it's daily briefing with reporters.

'The United States is sending a strong message with this action that we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor,' Mnuchin said from the podium.

In a statement for Treasury he said the US government will 'hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons.'

'These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assads horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children,' it read.

Treasury already had imposed sanctions against 18 Syrian officials in January, and Mnuchin said the administration 'will relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities.'

Mnuchin made a surprise appearance at the White House press briefing to announce the sanctions

He would not commit to additional sanctions on Monday or say whether the government had any knowledge of Americans doing business with the entity that was blacklisted.

'I can't comment on the specifics of these sanctions beyond what we released,' he said. 'But I can assure you that when the U.S. puts out sanctions, they have impacts both here and throughout the world, and we wouldn't be doing this if we didn't think it is impactful.

He then stressed, 'It's quite impactful.'

Mnuchin said the sanctions would affect not just US businesses. They will 'have enormous impact with all of our partners around the world who also work with us on...these issues,' he said.




An off-duty Tennessee officer shot at two young suspects who robbed him at gunpoint.

The Memphis officer, who is in his late sixties was leaving the Mapco gas station at the intersection of Airways and Winchester when the incident occurred.

He was heading to his car parked on the side of the building when two young men, armed with a gun, came up and robbed him, police told Fox News.

An off-duty Tennessee officer shot at two young suspects who robbed him at gunpoint. He was heading to his car when two young men, armed with a gun, came up and robbed him

The Memphis officer, who is in his late sixties was leaving the Mapco gas station (pictured) at the intersection of Airways and Winchester when the incident occurred

The officer, who is also a captain at the department, got his pistol and fired a shot at the two suspects.

Police said the two men fled the scene and are still on the run.

The Memphis officer was not hurt. It's unclear if the bullet from the officer's gun struck one of the suspects.

Witness and next door neighbor, Marshall Chism, told the network that the officer goes to the gas station every day.

'I'm glad he was able to defend himself, and I know he is a good man, he is a friend of mine,' Chism said.

Authorities collected evidence at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
An suspected bigamist is now on trial after his estranged wife found photos of him with the woman he has since married on Facebook.

Iain Theyers, 45, married Peruvian national Marian Belahonia in December 2006 and they had a son together the following year.

He totally disappeared and stopped contacting her and their son when they split, so she wrote to his parents but got no reply.

This is the photo of suspected bigamist Iain Theyers and Louise Martin that his estranged wife found before reporting him to police

She also hired a private investigator but was forced to do her own detective work when the professional failed.

Miss Belahonia found an image of him and Louise Martin on Facebook, and later found out that they had married in 2011.

She reported self-employed IT specialist Theyers to police and he is now on trial at Hull Crown Court, where he denies one count of bigamy.

The full charged is 'that during the life of your wife you went through a form of marriage with Louise Martin contrary to section 57 of the Offences Against the person Act 1861 at Bridlington, Yorkshire, on 30th December 2011.'

Crown barrister Gordon Stables told the jury: 'The prosecution case is defendant Iain Theyers committed the offence of bigamy by going through a form of marriage with Louise Martin on the 30th of December 2011 and he did so at a time, when he was and still is married and his wife was, and still is alive - she being Marian Belahonia.'

'Ms Marian Belahonia was a citizen of Peru she applied for a travel visa to the UK and came to UK in 2004. She moved to Nottingham where she carried out voluntary work. It was while there she met Iain Theyers. In due course they began a relationship.'

He said both parties had previous marriages but they were not relevant as before their marriage they were both divorced.

He said the relationship blossomed with Marian Belahonia moving in with Iain Theyers, from Balloch, Inverness, in Nottingham in December 2005.

'They lived together for about a year before the defendant asked Marian Belahonia to marry him,' said Mr Stables. ' By this time Marian Belahonia's visa had expired. She returned to Peru. The couple made plans to marry in Peru. He travelled to Peru in December 2006. Ms Marian Belahonia will give evidence about wedding plans and a ceremony in marriage. She will tell you she returned to Peru in 2006 and she applied for permission to get married to the defendant Iain Theyers in her home district.

'In order for the ceremony to go ahead the couple had to present previous divorce papers, passport and birth certificate. All documents were provided on 9th Dec 2006 and the couple married in the family home, in the presence of their family, friends and two officials.

'The couple signed a marriage document. It gives the name of the groom Theyers Iain. It gives his age and 34 and says he was divorced.'

Theters tied the knot with Louise Martin while still allegedly married to wife of five years Marian Belahonia (pictured), a court heard

Mr Stables said: 'The defendant knew he had entered in to valid marriage by his subsequent actions demonstrated on 18th December 2006 when he and Marian Belahonia applied to the Home Office for a UK spouse visa- she was now his wife. This required a marriage certificate and a letter of support from Iain Theyers and a letter from the defendant's father.

'They returned to UK in 2007. They continued living in Nottingham and on June 19th 2007 she gave birth to their child Kyle. Unfortunately after a few years, the marriage deteriorated. Iain Theyers moved out in December 2010 almost 4 years after their marriage.

'Initially Iain Theyers and Marian Belahonia remained in contact allowing him access to his son. However in 2011 suddenly, just like that, all contact ceased. Marian Belahonia heard nothing from Iain Theyers at all. No communication. No contact with his son.

'In December 2011 Iain Theyers was attending at Bridlington Town Hall where Louise Martin and he where attesting to a notice of marriage. Mr Stables said he lied to the registrar when asked if he had ever been married after his first marriage with Kelly Jones ended on June 6 2006.

Mr Gordon said: 'He lied. He had been through a form of marriage in Peru in December 2006. There was also a warning sign in the town hall which stated that a person who provides false information to a registrar is liable to a prosecution for perjury. He may have lied because he did not want Ms Martin to know about his previous marriage.'

Mr Stables said the marriage went ahead on December 30 2011 in Bridlington Town Hall and he was asked the same questions about his previous marriage.

Iain Theyers, 45, is accused of being a bigamist who secretly married another woman behind his wife's back

Mr Stables said: ' The prosecution case is, this was the second time he deliberately lied. You will hear that if he had disclosed the marriage, then the registrars would not have gone through with the marriage process.

'Meanwhile, Marian Belahonia, who had not contact with Mr Theyers, was completely unaware of his marriage. She had decided the time had come for her to move on with her life. She approached a solicitor and asked to go ahead with divorce proceedings. In mid 2011 she drew up divorce papers. She had no address from him. But she knew his parents' address. There was no response.

'The prosecution say it was inconceivable he did not know she wanted a divorce. It was him hoping the problem would go away and she would not find him.

'She used a private investigator to locate him. But that failed. She used her own detective work on social media found the defendant's profile on Facebook. She discovered from what she saw on Facebook to be his new partner. She sent a message to the woman saying she needed him to sign divorce papers and contact his son. She received no message.

'Then she realised Ms Martin had blocked her. You will hear, from what she saw on Facebook she suspected Iain Theyers had remarried.

'She applied to the general registrar's office in December 2014 and she received a copy of marriage between Ms Martin and Mr Theyers. She took it to her solicitor but they told her to go to the police, which she did on December 23 2014. In police interview Theyers denied he was ever properly married.

Mr Stables told the jury: 'You may ask why does this matter. There is offence bigamy passed by Parliament so it is against the law. It does matter Marian Belahonia needs to move on. She needs to obtain divorce. In the UK people are treated differently if they are married or not married. It may affect wills, taxation and inheritance. It can have lots of consequences involved, not least children.

Judge Jeremy Richardson, QC, told the six women and six men of the jury they were the real decision makers who decide if Mr Theyers is guilty or not guilty of bigamy. He said: 'This is in many respects an unusual case. There are not many case of bigamy tried before a crown court. You might have expected to hear a case involving an assault or even murder. This is an unusual case. It may well attract media attention, I know not. However good or fair the newspaper reporting of the case is, you must disregard it. It will not be a long case. I anticipate it will last a week.'

The trial continues.
French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has announced that she is temporarily stepping down as her party's leader.

The Front National leader revealed she would be quitting her role in her party to focus on the upcoming Presidential election.

Monday's move appears to be a way for Le Pen to embrace a wide range of potential voters ahead of the May 7 runoff between herself and centrist Emmanuel Macron who came in first in Sunday's first round.

French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has announced that she is temporarily stepping down as her party's leader in a bid to focus on the presidential election on May 7

She announced on France 2: 'Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the presidential candidate.

'I will feel more free, and above partisan considerations.'

The news comes as she made it to the second round of the vote.

In the first round of voting centrist Emmanuel Macron won 23.9 per cent and Le Pen received 21.4 per cent.

Le Pen has said in the past that she is not a candidate of her party, and made that point when she rolled out her platform in February, saying the measures she was espousing were not her party's, but her own.

In the first round of voting Emmanuel Macron received 23.9 per cent of the vote. He was Hollande's top adviser on economic issues from 2012 to 2014 and was economy minister

Le Pen has worked to bring in voters from the left and right for several years, cleaning up her party's racist, anti-Semitic image to do so.

Much of the antagonism towards the Front Nationale stems from its association with her father, the convicted racist and Holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is now 88.

He founded the FN in 1972, at a time when it was associated with street violence and hatred of foreigners.

Le Pen's father Jean-Marie founded the Front Nationale in 1972, when it was associated with street violence and hatred of foreigners. He is a convicted racist and Holocaust denier

Mr Le Pen has officially been kicked out of the FN byhis daughter, but he bizarrely remains honorary president of the party and anMEP.

He has also funded his daughter's campaign by the equivalent of more than5 million pounds.

Through resigning from the FN leadership Ms Le Penalso hopes to emulate France's most famous ever president, General Charles deGaulle.

De Gaulle founded the current Fifth Republic in 1958and always tried to portray himself as a universal leader of France, ratherthan just a party political leader.

After the first round of voting, French President Francois Hollande has urged voters to choose centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 presidential runoff to keep out Le Pen.

It comes as Le Pen went through to the second round of the French Presidential election, where she will face off against centrist Emmanuel Macron. She said on French television: 'Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the presidential candidate'

Speaking from the Elysee presidential palace, Hollande says that Le Pen's platform of pulling out of the euro would devastate the country's economy and threaten French liberty.

He says that the far right would 'deeply divide France' at a time when the terror threat requires 'solidarity' and 'cohesion.'

Macron was Hollande's top adviser on economic issues from 2012 to 2014, then economy minister in his Socialist government for two years.

While Macron is a committed Europhile, Le Pen wants to pull France out of the EU. She once asked a television programme to remove the European flag from the stage during her speech

In April 2016, he launched his own political movement, En Marche! (In Motion!) to prepare his presidential bid as an independent centrist candidate. He quit the government few months later.

This morning an Opinionway poll predicted Le Pen will end up being beaten by her opponent on May 7 with just 39 per cent of the vote compared to Macron's 61 per cent.

Today Le Pen's supporters took aim at Macron, calling him 'arrogant' and said 'he was speaking as if he had won already'.

'Emmanuel is not a patriot. He sold off national companies. He criticised French culture,' Florian Philippot, deputy leader of Le Pen's National Front told BFM TV, saying she and Macron held completely different visions of France.

'That was disdainful towards the French people,' Phillipot said. Macron's victory dinner celebrations at Paris's upscale Rotonde restaurant amounted to 'bling-bling biz,' he said.

Macron is fierily promoting common European ideals of peace, prosperity and freedom. He says that, with Britain leaving, the bloc needs to build a new leadership base anchored by France and Germany.

French President Francois Hollande has urged voters to choose centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and said Le Pen would devastate the country's economy and threaten French liberty

He wants the bloc to be able to deploy 5,000 European border guards to the external borders of the Schengen passport-free travel zone, and proposes a European fund to finance and develop shared military equipment.

Le Pen, on the other hand, wants to pull France from the European Union. She advocates for closing France's borders, protectionist trade policies and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

She promised to restore France as a sovereign state in charge of its own borders and money supply, and to crack down on immigration.

Emmanuel Macron billed himself as being 'neither of the left or of the right' and has campaigned on a pro-EU, pro-business platform. Many of his supporters fly European flags at his rallies

She considers Macron 'an immigrationist' because he has backed German Chancellor Angela Merkel's policies to welcome refugees from Syria.

Le Pen asked a television program to remove the European flag from the stage during her speech. During Macron's rallies, by contrast, many supporters wave European flags alongside French flags.

Macron was virtually unknown before his mentor, outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande, made him economy minister in 2014.

But as Hollande entered the fifth year of a tumultuous presidency, becoming France's most unpopular leader in living memory because of a dismal economic record, Macron struck out on his own.

Le Pen often wears sombre suits or plays on the blue, white and red colours of the French flag

Styling himself as being 'neither of the left or of the right', he has campaigned on a pro-EU, pro-business platform.

But with a slim resume and an association with Hollande's failed policies, Macron may owe more than he realises to the fact that he is not Le Pen.

Le Pen, 48, is an experienced leader making her second bid for the French presidency. She has held elected office several times in northern France and has been a European lawmaker since 2004.

On stage, she favors a classic style, often wearing somber suits or playing on the blue-white-red colours of the French flag.

At a rally last night, Le Pen said: 'It is time to liberate the French people from the arrogant [political] elite.' She won 7.6 million votes in the first round of voting yesterday

A rousing speaker, she likes to use dramatic, cut-to-the-chase expressions and doesn't hesitate to harshly criticize her rivals.

At a rally last night, Le Pen told her supporters she is offering 'the great alternative' in the presidential race.

She said: 'This is a historic result. The French must take the step for this historic opportunity. This is the first step to drive the French [people] into the Elysee Palace.

'It is time to liberate the French people from the arrogant [political] elite.'

EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: 'Le Pen qualified for the second round; she may have scored less in percentage terms than was expected but it is frightening that she still got 7.6 million votes.

'It is too early yet to heave a sigh of relief, the election is not over.

'That would show a country deeply divided and we must remain on guard - We must not claim victory yet, we must fight against the false claims of the FN.'

After the first vote result, European stock markets surged, and France's main index hit its highest level since early 2008.

Investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world, and its associated unpredictability in policymaking, may have peaked.

Overnight, European stock markets surged as investors predicted the rise of populism around the world may have peaked. But there's no guarantee the French will come together to stop Le Pen from becoming President

It is now up to French voters to decide whether to entrust him with this nuclear-armed nation in the May 7 presidential runoff.

Polls consider him the front-runner but that's no guarantee that the French will come together to stop Le Pen the way they stopped her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from reaching the presidency in 2002.

In Sunday's election, Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, got just 6 percent of the vote.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, got just 6 percent of the vote. Turnout was one per cent lower than the first round of voting in 2012

Turnout was 78 percent, down slightly from 79 percent in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Protesters angry over the results burned cars, danced around bonfires and dodged riot police overnight at the Place de la Bastille and Republique in Paris.

29 people were detained at the Bastille, where protesters waved red flags and sang 'No Marine and No Macron!'
A search for missing RAF airman Corrie McKeague appears to be closing in on the area where his body could be found, his parents have said.

Officers scouring the landfill site in Milton, near Cambridge, are finding rubbish dating close to the time he was last seen on September 24 last year.

They began sifting through 8,000 tonnes of waste in early March and Corrie's mother Nicola Urquhart said the task could take a further four weeks.

RAF airman Corrie McKeague (left and right) was last seen in the early hours of September 24 on a night out in Bury St Edmunds

Corrie's mother Nicola Urquhart said the search for him in the landfill site could take a further four weeks

The operation is now focused on one particular area.

Ms Urquhart, of Dunfermline, said: 'Although the search doesn't start again until Tuesday, I pray we get some news this week.

'Each day of not finding Corrie is potentially as heartbreaking as receiving that call.

'For now all we can do is wait.'

Corrie's father Martin, who lives in Cupar, said more than 2,200 tonnes had already been raked through.

He wrote on Facebook: 'They've even told us that where they're now looking, they're finding more and more mail and newspapers with dates and addresses near to the time and area where Corrie disappeared.

Officers scouring the landfill site in Milton, near Cambridge, in early March. The operation is now focused on one particular area

Corrie's phone signal was traced to the landfill site, after he was last seen walking into a loading bay known as the The Horseshoe (above) which is used as a bin store

'While I dread the thought of finding my son here, not knowing what's happened to him is almost worse.'

Ms Urquhart said even though she believes he is at the landfill, the vehicles that were in the same area the night Corrie disappeared are still being investigated.

She said: 'Given the information that the police have give me and stuff that I know I would say I'm just like the police - absolutely amazed that Corrie has not been found yet in the landfill site.

'All of those vehicles are still being looked at because he must have gone in one of them.

'None of the vehicles have been ruled out completely at this point, they've not been able to say that none of them have had anything to do with it completely so they are still carrying out enquiries.'

She added: 'It's still my belief that Corrie will be found at that landfill, that's what I think and that's what police think and they do still have another four weeks of searching potentially.

'Although it's impossible waiting for the landfill to be searched we will manage.'

Corrie, 23, from Fife, a Royal Air Force Regiment gunner, has been missing since a night out in Bury St Edmunds near his base at RAF Honington.

He was last seen in the early hours of September 24 walking into a loading bay known as the The Horseshoe which is used as a bin store.

A bin lorry linked to his disappearance was initially thought to have collected an 11kg load but was later found to have been carrying more than 100kg.
When fire broke out inside a home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, police say Michael Casteel rushed inside his apartment, in defiance of first responders' orders, to save what he held most dear - two cans of Bud Ice Premium.

The bumbling beer lover's valiant act landed Casteel in jail Sunday afternoon on two counts of obstruction.

A spokesperson for the Sioux Falls Police Department slammed Casteel's suds-saving heroics as an instance or 'poor judgement.'

Trouble's brewing: Michael Casteel, 56, was arrested after police say he rushed into this multifamily home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during a fire to save two cans of beer

Three people were injured in the blaze, one of whom had to be taken to Avera McKennan Hospital to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

According to police, the incident took place at around 12.30pm on Sunday when Sioux Falls Fire Rescue received a report about an apartment building on fire on Spring Avenue.

While first responders were busy treating resident on the scene, police say Casteel pushed past officers and firefighters to repeatedly re-enter the burning multifamily residence.

Eventually, he emerged from the house carrying two cans of Bud Ice Premium, according to police.

Cold one: Police say Casteel landed behind bars over two cans of Bud Ice Premium there were inside his apartment (stock photo)

But the 56-year-old brew aficionado did not get to enjoy a cold one for all his labors because he was arrested on the spot on two counts of obstruction and taken to Minnehaha County Jail, where he is being held on $300 bail.

It took responding fire units about 10 minutes to put out the flames. The cause of the house fire is still being investigated, reported the station KSFY.

State records cited by The Smoking Gun indicate that Casteel has a history of run-ins with the law, most of them alcohol-related.

Last month, he was arrested on a drunken-driving charge and driving with an open container of alcohol, and in April 2016, Casteel was convicted of a DUI.
The director of the theater department at the University of Mary is producing a new, period Western film to be shot in the North Dakota Badlands.

Daniel Bielinski is planning to shoot the film this summer in the long, rolling hills of the Badlands. This is his third North Dakota film, the other two, "The Good Father" and "You Crazy Blind Cripple," which he made with the support of other faculty members and students at the university.

I feel like this is what our films in North Dakota have been building toward," Bielinski said.

With the script already written, Bielinski said he plans to shoot the film in July or August. Set in 1895, the film will convey a historic period Western and the beauty of the Badlands.

"The Badlands, of course, are considered by most to be the state's greatest treasure," said Bielinski, who has spent a lot of time in the national park, thinking, researching and visiting with some nearby ranchers, who may let him use their land to film.

"I think it's a good place to be creative," he said. "There's no shortage of beautiful places to shoot."

With no disrespect to the Coen brothers filmmakers whom Bielinski greatly admires  the film is no "Fargo."

Bielinski came to North Dakota in 2015 by way of New York City, though he acknowledges his Midwestern roots, as he's originally from Wisconsin. He got his master's degree in fine arts from Columbia University.

He worked as an actor for a few years before getting the call to work at the University of Mary, located in a city and state which he said is "the polar opposite of New York City."

Around that time, his family started to grow  his youngest now a 5-month-old baby  as did his interest in making films in North Dakota.

Its a different canvas than New York City, but there has been some great opportunities for me as an artist here, and being an educator and having students and feeding off of their energy," he said.

There are few people making narrative films about North Dakota, and even fewer period Western films shot here, he said.

I just felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled, Bielinski said. I felt like this was a great chance for (the University of Mary) to take the lead, in that respect, and I could bring the experience and the other faculty members here.

The new film has gained support from North Dakota Tourism, the Medora Foundation and the State Historical Society of North Dakota, according to Bielinski.

University of Mary students will be involved in the making of this film. In the past, students have filled a variety of roles that include first and second assistant directors, prop director, art director and script supervisor, Bielinski said.

University faculty members will mentor students on staff, and Bielinski also plans to bring in professionals from New York City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Fargo.

Bielinski also teamed up with Belfield's auditor for an event and fundraiser next weekend to showcase his previous films and discuss his upcoming one.

Natalie Muruato, the city's auditor, who recently restored the old Belfield theater, said she agreed to the event, calling it a "Night of North Dakota Films."

"I wanted to use the facility to really showcase local talent and to help make people aware of the different art and culture thats going on," said Muruato, adding the theater recently got new digital equipment to project the films onto a huge screen, as well as surround sound. The theater can seat as many as 250 people.

Muruato said she thinks the films will be hit in the local community. They recently showed the American western movie, "The Magnificent Seven" at the theater, which did "remarkably well," she said.

Theres a lot of cowboys around here, and farmers and ranchers, who enjoy that kind of thing, she said. The landscape is almost prime for a Western film."

Bielinski said he plans to have the new film done by December, to be released next year in North Dakota and nationwide at film festivals.
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Veterans are marching in towns and cities across Australia as they pay tribute to soldiers who fought and died for their country.

As many as 100,000 people are lining the streets in Sydney ahead of the city's march, while hundreds of thousands more will gather across Australia to pay their respects.

WWII veterans travelling in taxis led Sydney's march along Elizabeth St from Martin Place at 9am as spectators waved flags, cheered and thanked them as they passed.

The marches follow dawn services this morning, which saw the nation fall silent as it remembered those who lost their lives in battle.

The ceremonies marked 102 years since the Gallipoli landings, Australia's first major conflict of World War One, and honoured armed forces past and present for their service.

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Veteran Les Manning, 104, waved an Australian flag as he was driven to the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne

A veteran in a wheelchair smiles as he makes his way through Sydney's CBD during the Anzac Day march

Veterans are marching in towns and cities across Australia as they pay tribute to soldiers who fought and died for their country. Pictured, the Anzac Day march in Melbourne

Veterans were driven to the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne for the march, which followed a poignant dawn service

Salute: Our heroes were driven through the city and were applauded as they waved to the crowds of people lining the streets

Spectators applaud a parade prior to an Anzac Day service in Southport on the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning

Servicemen salute during the Anzac Day dawn service at North Bondi Beach in Sydney on what was a solemn morning

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews (centre), Melbourne Mayor Robert Doyle (left) and Victorian Governor Linda Dessau march to the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne

A young girl proudly wear's a loved one's medals as she marched in Southport, Gold Coast, on Anzac Day

Jan, daughter of David Wilson who served in the army in New Guinea during WWII, said she preferred to watch the Sydney march from the sidelines than walk with other descendants.

'Two of his unit are still marching today, we will go and meet up with them later,' she said.

Thousands of people were out in Brisbane as the Queensland city prepared for their march.

Many were out with deckchairs hours before the start time so they could secure a good spot.

Meanwhile, in Adelaide the skies have cleared after a wet dawn service, with 6,000 servicemen and women past and present set to march.

Millions of Australians fell silent earlier this morning as they paid tribute at Anzac Day dawn services across the nation.

Australian flags were waving as the Anzac Day march got underway in Sydney, with 100,000 people lining the streets

A veteran takes a quiet moment to reflect as he makes his way through Sydney as part of the Anzac Day march

Royal New Zealand Army officer Colonel Glenn King lays a wreath during the Indigenous Anzac Day commemoration event held on Mount Ainslie in Canberra

Flares are lit from boats during an Anzac Day service in Southport on the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning

There were vast crowds at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Tuesday morning as people commemorated Anzac Day

The marches follow dawn services (North Bondi's dawn service is pictured) this morning, which saw the nation fall silent as it remembered those who lost their lives in battle

'On Anzac eve we dug in among friends': Thousands of people gathered at the war memorial in North Bondi

Respect: A young girl inspects the roll of honour at the Australian War Memorial during Anzac Day in Canberra

A member of the Catafalque Party stands near the Cenotaph during the Anzac Day dawn service at Martin Place in Sydney

A young family wave Australian flags as they attend the Anzac Day dawn service at Elephant Rock on Currumbin Beach

The heart of Sydney ground to a halt at dawn as thousands gathered at Martin Place, more than a century after Australia's soldiers landed on Gallipoli's shores.

Yet more people gathered at cities across Australia, while thousands more paid their respects at moving ceremonies in Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined Australian soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as he paid a solemn tribute to those who have given their lives for their country.

Close to 20,000 people packed the length of Martin Place on the 90th anniversary of Sydney's first dawn service.

Commander of the Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, gave the Anzac address noting that Australia has lost 102,825 men in war since 1861.

'This morning we don't boast about triumphs or victories,' he said.

'We remember the sacrifice of those who were prepared to stand up for someone else, for people that believed that there was something bigger, more important than just their own interests and were prepared to put others ahead of themselves and put their lives at risk of because of those beliefs.'

He said the dawn service ceremony was a commitment to always remember those who gave their lives in war.

'It is a promise that adds to the dignity of our nation and that the nation's people would annually recommit to the promise to remember those who have stood in harm's way.'

Meanwhile in Canberra, rain did not deter 38,000 people from making the walk to the Australian War Memorial for the city's dawn service.

Millions of Australians have fallen silent as they pay tribute at Anzac Day services across the nation, including thousands at North Bondi RSL

A veteran in uniform applauds during the moving dawn service on Currumbin Beach on Tuesday morning

A father and son share a touching moment at the Anzac Day dawn service at Elephant Rock on Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast

Early risers joined the service at Elephant Rock on Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast, on Tuesday morning for Anzac Day

Horses trotted through the town as thousands of people came out to pay their respects to soldiers past and present

The dawn service on Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast, was attended by thousands as the commemorations got underway

The Last Post rang out at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in a poignant ceremony in the nation's capital

The stone of remembrance is seen in front of the Australian War Memorial during the Anzac Day dawn service in Canberra

'Their name liveth for evermore': A member of the Catafalque party guards the stone of remembrance at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

People gather around the Cenotaph in Martin Place in Sydney during Tuesday morning's dawn service

Martin Place was packed with thousands of people this morning as Sydney paid tribute to Australia's servicemen and women

The gathered people sang hymns and read prayers as the ceremony marked the 102nd anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli

Well-wishers and veterans gathered around the Eternal Flame at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance on Tuesday

Millions of Australians are falling silent as they pay tribute to the fallen at Anzac Day services across the nation. Pictured, the service at Martin Place in Sydney

The heart of Sydney stood still at dawn as thousands gathered at Martin Place (pictured), more than a century after Australia's soldiers landed on Gallipoli's shores

The commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of the Gallipoli landing got under way at 5.30am in the cool Canberra darkness.

Former sapper-turned-Paralympian gold medallist Curtis McGrath, who lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan, delivered an emotional commemorative address.

McGrath lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan and gave a poignant recollection of the moment his convoy was hit by an IED in August 2012.

'On this Anzac day, we look back on a century of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice,' he told the crowd.

'We honour those who have died and suffered through the old and the new wars.'

Speaking of the attack that injured him in Afghanistan, he said: 'In a violent, hot explosion, the ground beneath me erupted, taking both my legs instantly.

'Somehow, in a state of bewilderment and physical wreckage, bizarre moments of clarity and focus took hold.

'I found myself trying to do my own first aid and instructing the men and how to administer the morphine.

'Meanwhile, my mates wrestled with tourniquets on what was left of my legs as they swallowed their own terror and tears.'

He said joined the army through a sense of duty, and called on Australia to take care of those who return from conflicts.

'May we, as a nation, continue to provide those men and women who have served us with the care they need.'

Early risers: The sun rose as people paid tribute to servicemen at Currumbin RSL on the Gold Coast

Wet day: People walk past the stone of remembrance at the Australian War Memorial at the end of the Anzac Day dawn service in Canberra

Thousands were out in force for the dawn service at Currumbin RSL on the Gold Coast on Tuesday morning

The service (pictured) marked 102 years since the Gallipoli landings, Australia's first major conflict of World War One

There was a large dawn service at Coogee Beach in Sydney as people headed to the coast for a moving ceremony

Former prime minister Tony Abbott lays a wreath during the Anzac Day dawn service held by the Currumbin RSL

A tattooed man attached a poppy to the roll of honour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Anzac Day

Members of the Mudgeeraba light horse troop take part in the Anzac dawn service at Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club

Veterans move wreaths and floral tributes after they had been laid around the Cenotaph during the dawn service in Sydney

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shields his eyes from dust kicked up by a helicopter as he joined Australian soldiers in Kabul, Afghanistan

In Brisbane, Anzac Square was filled by 4.28am as the dawn service began.

Queensland Governor Paul de Jersey told the crowd the Brisbane service was one of many 'solemn, profound and grateful' gatherings across Australia and New Zealand.

'This occasion engenders huge emotional effect nationally and individually - and rightly so,' he said.

The war's initial recruits hoped for adventure and the glory of battle, but this didn't last, he said.

'(Eventually) the war's grim reality was plain for everyone to see,' he said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was also present.

Among those attending was Nate Fealy, 39, of Albany Creek, who spent 15 years in the military before departing as a corporal in 2009.

He said he had been going to local dawn services since he was a kid growing up in a small NSW town.

'Today is just all about being here for the rest of your mates,' he said, medals displayed proudly on his chest.

'It's a special day.'

The last post is played on a bugle during the dawn service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in New Zealand

People surround the Cenotaph for the dawn service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum

Thousands turned out to pay their respects at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, New Zealand

An elderly person pays their respects in Wellington as they lay a poppy at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English (second from right) was joined by his wife, Mary (right) at the dawn service in Wellington. Also pictured are Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and her husband Sir David Gascoigne

Crowds gathered at the Australian Memorial for the Anzac Day dawn service in Wellington

We will remember them: Thousands of people braved the morning chill in Auckland for the dawn service

Poppies are laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Wellington as New Zealand pays its respects to soldiers past and present

A sea of umbrellas surrounded the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne as thousands gathered in the rain for the city's Anzac Day dawn service.

The event was expected to bring 100,000 people, with roads around the Shrine have closed off as police ramped up security.

Meanwhile 2,000 people paid tribute at the Cenotaph in Darwin, while thousands more were not put off by the rain as they paid their respects in Adelaide.

Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said Tuesday's Anzac Day events would salute the bravery and sacrifice of Australia's servicemen and women.

'Anzac Day is a time to reflect on the thousands of Australian lives cut short by war and conflict and the terrible cost paid by families, communities and our nation,' he said.

'We also pay tribute to those members of the Australian Defence Force currently on active service overseas, including in Afghanistan and the Middle East.'

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will represent the government at the national service in Canberra, while Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will represent Australia at commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will mark the 75th anniversary of the Papua New Guinea campaign at services at Bomana Cemetery, Isurava Memorial and Kokoda.

In his Anzac Day address, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was not an occasion to glorify war but to remember and honour the high cost of the country's freedom and liberty - a price paid in young lives lost far from home.

He said the best way to honour the Anzacs of a century ago was to support the servicemen and women of today as well as veterans and their families.

Dozens of people visited the Anzac Commemorative Site in Gallipoli, Turkey, the day before Anzac Day
A nurse claims he was fired by the care home he worked for after telling bosses his five-year-old daughter had stage four kidney cancer.

Daniel McCarthy said he was fired by Daleview Care Center in Farmingdale, New York, because bosses were angry he was using holiday time to care for his daughter Cassidy who was diagnosed with stage four renal cell carcinoma in October.

The 42-year-old lost his job in January by bosses who cited 'insubordination' as the reason. It came after a row over how he should discipline another nurse who had forgotten to wear her mask around elderly patients.

He claims this was an excuse and that the home had been giving him a 'hard time' for taking earned vacation days to look after Cassidy who had been relying on his job for her health insurance.

Daniel McCarthy, 42, claims he was fired from his nursing home job for taking time off to look after his cancer-stricken five-year-old daughter Cassidy

Her medical expenses are now being covered through a charity until her father, who is also a former fire fighter and holds a real estate license, starts his new job at a different home.

The little girl, who was five in February, is undergoing chemotherapy to battle the cancer which has spread to her lungs.

Her father suing the home for breach of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

He had been working at the care home since 2011 when he learned of her diagnosis on October 12.

McArthy had been working as a nurse at the center for five years

He immediately requested time off until October 30 but claims bosses were resistant. They eventually granted him the days off but he said they tried to force him to take them as sick days instead of vacation days.

If unused, sick days at the company are paid out at the end of the year whereas vacation days are not.

In December, McCarthy used four sick days then asked for more time off, which he said he was entitled to, but claims he was questioned over the request.

Directors even suggested he was trying to take an impromptu vacation, he said.

The tension came to a head in January when McCarthy tried to discipline another nurse who had forgotten to wear her mask at work.

She had not yet received a flu shot and was therefore a danger to the elderly patients, he said.

McCarthy tried to issue her a suspension, as he had done for a previous employee who is black, but says bosses challenged him.

After arguing over the matter, he claims he clocked out of his shift early and was later told over voicemail that he had been suspended.

He was called in and fired several days later.

His lawyers told DailyMail.com the practice was putting its business needs ahead of his family commitments.

McCarthy (above with Cassidy, his wife and their two sons) said he was questioned and accused of trying to take an impromptu vacation when he asked for the time off

Cassidy was diagnosed with stage four renal cell carcinoma in October. She is pictured (left) a few days before her diagnosis and (right) more recently after undergoing chemotherapy

He claims bosses at Daleview Care Center in Farmingdale, New York, violated his right to take time off to look after his daughter

'Dan McCarthy served Daleview's residents with love and caring for years, and saved lives while doing it.

'Unfortunately, as the Complaint states, in Mr. McCarthy's time of need to care for his own daughter, Daleview put its business first and fired him on a flimsy pretext because he was taking family medical leave.'

Attorney Lawrence Pearson said it was surprising treatment from an establishment which prides itself on compassionate care.

'One would expect that a company that cares for people to understand that people need to be accommodated. Unfortunately this wasn't the case.'

Daleview Care Center has not yet responded to the lawsuit which seeks unspecified damages and lawyers costs.

Cassidy is still undergoing treatment.
Dr. Phil McGraw was honored by the Los Angeles Police Reserve Foundation on Saturday night for his humanitarianism and support of law enforcement.

The number one television host was feted at the 'Twice a Citizen' Awards Gala at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles Saturday night.

Phil, accompanied by wife Robin, was singled in part because of his show's 'Behind the Badge' initiative, which shines a light on extraordinary police officers and departments throughout the country who go above and beyond to make their communities better and safer.

Dr Phil McGraw, here with wife Robin, was honored Saturday night for his support of law enforcement at a gala event hosted by Patricia Heaton and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, right

The event was hosted by actress Patricia Heaton and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck - who started his career as an LAPD Reserve Officer in 1975.

In his speech accepting the honor, Dr Phil talked about how there are three professions he salutes- the military, teachers and the police. As he put it, 'not one of these groups do it for the money.'

'It's about a moral compass and having a good tired at the end of the day.'

After watching negative stories on the news about the police, Dr Phil got upset with the tone of the media when talking about the brave men and women who served, then, as he put it, 'I realized i AM the media!'

From there his 'Behind the Badge' segments were born. Whether it's an officer saving a baby's life or a cop who spends his time on LA's Skid Row, trying to get to know and help the homeless, each segment highlights the positive, often under-celebrated work happening every day in police forces nationwide.

Phil was honored for his 'Behind the Badge' segments, which highlight the positive, often undercelebrated work happening every day nationwide

Phil ended his speech on a light note - joking that if any officer should pull over his wife when driving, please be easy on her

After a highlight reel from his show's Behind the Badge segment, and some from Phil words paying tribute to the men and women in uniform who filled the room, 'God bless you for doing this,' the top tv host surprised the crowd - and even his wife Robin watching from his table.

He flashed a photo of his partner of 40 years standing in front of her red Ferrari and joked to the crowd that if they saw that woman in that car, remember his good work for the police should they pull her over.

She drives 'like a bat out of hell' he warned the laughing crowd, as Robin's jaw dropped at the surprise addition to his speech, the rest of which she knew about in advance.

No doubt Mrs. McGraw can hope that should she get stopped, it's by a Reserve officer who was in the room.

In his speech Dr Phil talked about how there are three professions he salutes- the military, teachers and the police. As he put it, 'not one of these groups do it for the money'

In Los Angeles, the Reserves are integral. The hundreds of unpaid citizen Reserve Police Officers and Specialist Volunteers (doctors, attorneys, pilots businessmen, and others) donate their time to the LAPD, are held to the same standards as their full-time partners, and wear the same uniform and badge.

In addition to Dr Phil, the Saturday gala honored dozens of them, as well as, Hon. Mitchell Englander, a Los Angeles City Councilmember, staunch supporter of the LAPD sworn member of the LAPD Reserve Corp, and the Hon. Bob Kellar, who was a 25 year veteran with the LAPD and retired as the Supervisor in Charge of Reserve Officer Training at the Police Academy.
Snap-happy prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has taken selfies with Australian troops during a surprise visit to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Turnbull, who was in the Middle East for Anzac Day, joined servicemen and women in the two countries, while also meeting the two countries' leaders.

The prime minister was seen shielding his eyes from dust kicked up by a military helicopter as he spoke with officials at the resolute support headquarters in Afghan capital Kabul.

Other pictures released following his visit to Iraq show him wearing body armour and a helmet, and taking photographs with soldiers.

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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has joined Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as he paid his respects ahead of Anzac Day

In an unannounced visit, Mr Turnbull (pictured on Monday) met with servicemen and women in the two countries, while also meeting the two countries' leaders

The prime minister stopped to take a selfie with Australian troops at Camp Taji in Iraq on Sunday

Snap happy: Mr Turnbull looked to be enjoying himself as he stopped for a photo with soldiers at Camp Qargha near Kabul in Afghanistan on Monday

Australia has 270 defence personnel deployed mostly in Kabul, where they provide support and security along with some mentoring recruits at the Afghan National Military Academy.

Since 2002, 42 Australian troops have been killed in Afghanistan and two in Iraq.

During his visit on Sunday and Monday, Mr Turnbull paid tribute to their sacrifice.

'This trip was not just an occasion to celebrate Anzac day with Australians (and New Zealanders) who are serving on the front lines, it was an invaluable opportunity to assess the progress of the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan,' the prime minister said in a statement.

'By confronting and defeating the terrorists on the battlefield, we are helping make the world - and Australia - a safer place.'

Mr Turnbull also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi in Baghdad and Afghan Ashraf President Ghani in Kabul during the trip.

Mr Turnbull was pictured wearing a helmet and body armour during his visit to the Middle East on Sunday and Monday

Mr Turnbull disembarks from a CH-47 Chinook in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday

Mr Turnbull was flown over Kabul in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter by Australian forces on Monday

The prime minister met with scores of troops during the visit to the Middle East on Monday

He also held a meeting with US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, where he reiterated Australia's commitment to defeating terrorism and working alongside US, NATO and Afghan partners to build Afghanistan's security institutions.

The prime minister had earlier paid tribute to the sacrifices of Australian soldiers past and present in his Anzac Day message.

The prime minister said Anzac Day was not an occasion to glorify war but to remember and honour the high cost of the country's freedom and liberty - a price paid in young lives lost far from home.

The day also commemorates the triumph of the human spirit and the patriotism, sacrifice, endurance, courage and mateship of Australian servicemen and women, he said.

'We pay tribute to those who've faced the horrors of war and we reflect on the heavy burden of war still felt by many Australians,' he said in a video posted on Facebook.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets with Australian troops at Camp Taji during a visit to Iraq on Sunday

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets with US Secretary of Defence General (Ret) James Mattis during a visit to Kabul, Afghanistan with Australian Chief of Defence Force Air Marshall Mark Binskin and ISAF Commander General Mick Nicholson on Monday

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets with Afghani President Dr Mohammed Ashraf Ghani at Dilkusha in the grounds of the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday

More than 100,000 Australian men and women have died in service of the nation and many more have been left wounded in body or spirit, Mr Turnbull said.

'Their sacrifice has protected our liberty and our values, and their legacy continues in the work of those who serve today,' he said.

Mr Turnbull said the best way to honour the Anzacs of a century ago was to support the servicemen and women of today as well as veterans and their families.

'On behalf of all Australians, thank you to all those at home and abroad today as your ancestors did before you, in our uniform, under our flag, put their lives on the line to keep us free,' he said.

'In quiet and solemn reflection, with thanks we say, lest we forget.'
Christin Ormond's pitbull Calypso (pictured here) disappeared on April 17 and was found, decapitated, by a rail road track on April 20

After days of looking for her missing dogs, a Mesa County, Colorado woman's two pit bulls were found burned and beheaded and dumped near train tracks earlier this month.

The pets' owner, Christin Ormond, had posted photos and descriptions of her two dogs in hopes of seeing them returned home safely after she discovered they had gone missing around midnight on April 17, reports The Daily Sentinel.

Ormond claimed that her husband had let the dogs out to relieve themselves in the yard, but that they jumped over the back fence and disappeared.

Her hopes of seeing the dogs  B.B., a 6-month-old black and white spotted male, and Calypso, a one-and-a-half-year-old white and Brindle female  came to a sad end just days later when a friend alerted her to a post on a lost and found animal page on Facebook.

The post mentioned a report of two dead dogs found by railroad tracks miles away from Ormond's home.

Ormond and her friend traveled to the location on April 19 and subsequently identified the dead dogs as being B.B. and Calypso.

'They were the sweetest dogs. They didn't have a mean bone in their bodies,' Ormond told The Daily Sentinel on Friday.

In addition to the dogs having been decapitated, Ormond said that it looked like B.B.'s legs had been burned and that Calypso had received deep puncture wounds.

Ormond's pit bulls B.B. (seen here) and Calypso disappeared on April 17 and were found decapitated on April 20, miles away from their Mesa County, Colorado home

'I'm a CNA (certified nursing assistant). I've been a CNA for 16 years and I've seen some pretty bad stuff. This is probably the worst thing I've ever seen,' Ormond said.

'There's someone (out there) that is really sick in the head,' Ormond said.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office incident report stated that multiple people had reported seeing the decapitated dogs by the train tracks near a shooting range in the early evening of April 19. A man and a women later moved the dogs' remains away from the middle of the track to avoid any additional damage to their bodies.

The dogs remains were photographed and the photos were placed into evidence by a deputy.

Sheriff's Office spokesperson Megan Terlecky said that because there were no suspects and no leads on the dogs' disappearance and deaths, Ormond's case has become inactive.

Terlecky said that cops had no evidence that the dogs were purposely killed, but said that 'there's definitely a strong possibility this is animal abuse.'

Pit bull owner Christin Ormond (pictured with family) said the sight of her beheaded dogs, which were found on a railroad track, was 'probably the worst thing I've ever seen'

On April 20, Ormond took to her Facebook account to thank her friends for helping her find and recover B.B. and Calypso.

'Thank you everyone who helped to find our babies, and the ones who actually came out to the site and helped me retrieved them, a very special thank you to you three,' she wrote.

'I could not have done it myself. You are all amazing. Also, thank you all so much for your kind words in this hard time, it is appreciated so much... we will miss them so much.'

Ormond revealed that funds for the dogs' cremations were raised by the 'lost and found pets community.'

Further investigation into the dogs' deaths is 'very difficult for us without the public's help,' Terlecky said.

Ormond said that she will work with officials at Union Pacific railroad to look at footage captured by one of the company's trains in an effort to see if she can identify a suspect or obtain more information about what happened to her dogs.
The Tennessee teacher who was arrested last week after spending five weeks on the run with his 15-year-old student planned to take the girl to Mexico to start a new life, prosecutors allege.

Tad Cummins, 50, was arrested in northern California last week in a cabin near Cecilville, California, where he was hiding out with 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas.

The pair vanished from their hometown of Columbia, Tennessee, on March 13 sparking a nationwide manhunt and Amber Alerts in several states.

Prosecutors in Sacramento, where he is facing kidnapping charges, claimed on Monday the teacher had test driven a boat from San Diego to Mexico with the intention of later taking Elizabeth on the same route to evade police.

It was not immediately clear if the practice run was carried out before or after the pair vanished on March 13.

Once across the border, he may have taken her even further in to South America, they said.

Prosecutors in California say Tad Cummins, 50, planned to take 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas to Mexico on a boat he test drove in San Diego

Cummins appeared in court for his first hearing on Monday. According to the prosecutors, he planned to take Thomas to Mexico, and then on to countries further south

The documents, filed in federal court on Monday morning ahead of his first hearing so claim he admitted to switching license plates on his car several times and disabling its GPS system to avoid being caught.

He paid for essentials, including chocolate for the teenager, with cash and only took back roads to avoid roadside surveillance, they claim.

'The defendant had plans to attempt to escape across the United States border to Mexico. He then planned to seek passage to countries further south of Mexico.

'In furtherance of this plan, the defendant procured a small watercraft and conducted a test run to cross into Mexico across the water from San Diego.

'The defendant also considered the feasibility of a land crossing into Mexico,' they said.

Prosecutors said in court documents that Cummins (pictured with his federal defender, second from right) should not be granted release conditions while awaiting trial

Cummins spoke only briefly in court to confirm his identity, and agreed to be returned to Tennessee to face trial there, according to WAAY TV.

Judge Kendall Newman agreed that Cummins should not be allowed any release terms after being told by the prosecution's claims that he had played a 'cat and mouse game' with officers who were hunting him.

Assistant US attorney Jason Hitt added that Cummins had used 'his position of trust as a school teacher' to commit the alleged crime.

That - and Cummins allegedly having two guns in the vehicle when he and the missing girl were found Thursday - make him a danger, he said.

He also had at least seven pills of erectile dysfunction drug Cialis, they said.

'During his flight, the defendant engaged in a daring cat-and-mouse run from law enforcement in order to further his own prurient desires while engaging in a number of sophisticated maneuvers to avoid being caught,' prosecutors said in the documents.

'His actions in evasion were criminal.'

Cummins (pictured leaving court) had played a 'cat and mouse' game with police while on the run, the prosecution said, and had also considered entering Mexico by land

The pair were caught on store surveillance footage in Tennessee the days after they vanished having both dyed their hair

'This level of sophistication demonstrates that he cannot be trusted with conditions, or any combination of conditions, of release while awaiting trial in the Middle District of Tennessee.'

Cummins and Thomas were found last Thursday after a nationwide manhunt which lasted five weeks.

Police were pointed to them by the caretaker of the cabin. A SWAT team broke in on them in a 4am raid, arresting Cummins and taking Elizabeth to safety.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert for the schoolgirl in March when she failed to come home after being dropped off at a restaurant.

As their hunt for the pair intensified, sickening details of her relationship with the teacher, a grandfather and self-described 'Jesus freak', emerged.

The pair left emails for one another on his classroom computer and were seen by other students at the school where he taught kissing in front of his grandson.

The pair disappeared from Columbia, Tennessee, on March 13. They traveled to Alabama the next day then on to Oklahoma where they were spotted on March 15 before dropping off the radar until April 20 when they were found in a cabin in northern California

Police say Cummins switched the license plates on his car several times and disabled its GPS system to avoid detection

Bosses suspended Cummins after police launched an investigation into the claims.

The day before they vanished, he was seen on surveillance footage buying women's hair dye.

Once on the run, they were spotted again in store surveillance footage in Alabama and then in Oklahoma having both changed their hair and clothes.

Numerous reported sightings of the pair were made across the country for weeks as police hunted them.

They included reports that the duo were in Corpus Christi, a border town on Texas's south east coast.

Police eventually tracked them down on April 20 in a cabin in Siskiyou County, a rural area north of the city of Redding, in California.

Crime scene investigators continued to work in the secluded cabin where the pair were found last week

Police found empty bottles, canned food and toilet paper inside the cabin where the pair had been hiding

Cummins' sister spoke out on Monday to say that he believed he had done nothing wrong.

'He's done this horrible thing, that he has to pay for. But he's still my brother and I love him,' Daphne Quinn told the Today show.

'The answer he gave me was that she wanted to run away and that she wanted to leave and he didn't want her to go alone and so he went with her so that he knew she would be safe,' she added.

But his wife - who filed for divorce at the end of last month - would likely not agree.

Cummins' wife Jill was somber as she was seen running errands on Monday

The grandmother and mother-of-two, spent the weekend being comforted by daughter Erika, 29, and son-in-law Blake, a Christian music producer.

She did not attend her local church in Columbia, Tennessee, where she and her husband would sometimes take Thomas, whom she regarded as a 'third daughter.'

'As far as Jill was concerned their marriage was rock solid,' a friend said. 'But there's no coming back from the hurt and humiliation he's put her through. It was the ultimate betrayal.'

According to court papers, Mrs Cummins first learned of her husband's disappearance when she came home on March 13 to find a note saying he was 'traveling to Virginia Beach or the D.C. area to clear his mind.'

Elizabeth was taken to a safe house to be reunited with relatives last week after being found.

In the weeks before she vanished, she updated her social media profiles to describe herself as a 'wife' and referred several times to a 'mission' that was 'almost complete'.

Cummins' distraught wife Jill, who begged her husband to return to her with the schoolgirl who they sometimes brought with them to church, has been largely quiet since they were found.

She issued a statement to say she was glad the teenager was safe but said nothing of her husband.
'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenace' sold more than five million copies worldwide

Robert M. Pirsig, whose philosophical tome 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' became a million-selling classic after more than 100 publishers turned it down, has died.

Pirsig's publishing house, William Morrow, announced that he died Monday at his home in South Benwick, Maine.

He was 88 and had been in failing health.

'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' was published in 1974 and was based on a motorcycle trip Pirsig took in the late 1960s with his son, Chris, from Minneapolis. Minnesota to San Francisco.

It went on to sell more than five million copies worldwide and was praised as a unique and masterful blend of narrative and philosophy and was compared by a New Yorker critic to 'Moby Dick.'

In 1974, Pirsig told NPR that it took him four years to write 'Zen.' During two of those years, he continued his job of writing technical manuals, sometimes working on 'Zen' for four hours before starting his day job.

Six years after the famed book was published, Pirsig's son, Chris, was killed in a mugging in San Francisco. In later editions of the book, Pirsig wrote that he believed his daughter, Nell, born in 1980, was the continuation of Chris' life pattern.

Author Robert M. Pirsig (in 1975) was rejected by more than 100 publishers before William Morrow agreed to publish 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.' He died in his Maine home on April 24, at age 88. He had been in failing health, according to his family

Pirsig (in 2005, left, and in an undated photo, right) also wrote 'Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals'

Pirsig, a native of Minneapolis, also wrote 'Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals' in 1991. The novel  which picked up where 'Zen' left off  was nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992.

A private memorial service has been planned, according to the Pioneer Press.

Pirsig is survived by his wife, Wendy Kimball, and two children.
Arrested: Edward Harold Ramsey of Wichita, Kansas, is in the US Air Force

A undercover police dragnet targeting online predators who chat with children and travel to have sex with them has led to the arrests of 23 men, one of whom is in the Air Force.

Police in Gwinnett County, Georgia announced the sting on Monday, saying a 15-agency task-force had made the arrests over the past five days in what it is dubbing 'Operation Spring Cleaning'.

The men, who range in age from 19 to 48, have been charged under a state law banning obscene communication with minors and communications for the purpose of meeting kids for sex.

Police say the men traveled to Gwinnett County from other areas around the Atlanta metro area with the intent to meet a child for sex. The men's interest in children included both boys and girls, police said.

Left to right: Scott Robert Baxter, Andrew Sean Carroll, Brian Dwayne Clark, Alisha Gagguturu

L to R: Connor Fionn Hale, Demetrius Deshawn Harper, Joel Blake Jackson, Rasesh Jagtap

The operation also targeted those who were willing to exploit children by paying for sex with a minor.

Those arrested were employed in such fields as warehouses, maintenance, IT, construction, and retail, and some were unemployed, according to police.

One man arrested, Edward Harold Ramsey of Wichita, Kansas, is in the US Air Force.

Since 2014, Georgia police have arrested 77 people in stings similar to this one, which police called a 'proactive undercover investigation'.

L to R: Akshat Jasra, David Kelley, Steven Anthony King, Horacio Mendoza

L to R: Andrew Ryan Murphy, Max Park, Edward Harold Ramsey, Melchior Simon

'This successful operation was a partnership amongst all the agencies involved,' Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Debbie Garner said in a statement.

'We will continue to aggressively work together to protect our children,' she said.

The GBI was the coordinating agency in the undercover operation, in which state, federal, and local law enforcement participated.

L to R: Martinez-Torres Sixto, Brett William Smith, Zadok Smith, James Evan Soggs

L to R: Adis Spahic, Ertiza Talukder, William David Warren
The Royal Navy have sailed a warship into the Black Sea in what could be seen as a message to aggressive Russian President Putin.

The move comes just a few months after Russia sailed their own navy within sight of the White Cliffs of Dover on its way to Syria.

Todays deployment comes as the Royal Navy escorted yet another Russian warship through the English Channel, according to Forces Network.

British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Daring sets sail in the Bosphorus, on its way to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey

HMS Daring, pictured in Istanbul, headed for the Black Sea as a Russian ship was escorted through the English Channel today

Pictured is the route taken by the HMS Daring, through Turkey and towards the Black Sea

HMS Severn left fishery patrol to track the Russian Korolev, Forces TV reported today, the second time the Royal Navy has escorted a Russian ship this month.

The landing ship, capable of carrying 24 armed vehicles and 170 troops, is believed to have been sailing back to Russia from the eastern Mediterranean.

Britain's HMS Daring was pictured in Istanbul today after sailing through the Bosphorus toward's Russia's coastline, The Sun reported.

Four RAF Typhoon pilots also set off for Eastern Europe today to patrol the skies over the Black Sea alongside local jets.

Theresa May sanctioned the deployment to reassure Eastern European countries in the face of increased aggression from Vladimir Putin.

The four Typhoons, from 3 (Fighter) Squadron led the deployment, which is part of the Nato southern air policing mission.

The news comes after Moscows top diplomat in the UK warned Britain's relationship with Russia is the worst it has ever been.

Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko last week attacked No 10 for raising tensions in Europe by deploying 800 troops to Natos eastern flank.

The Royal Navy ship's path could be seen as a message to President Vladimir Putin amid heightened tension with Russia

The Kremlins man in London said ministers were guilty of hostility, and that ties between the two countries had plummeted to an all-time low.

In an escalation of Moscows rhetoric, he said there was no longer any bilateral relationship of substance.

He added that the UKs actions recently had been provocative and even outright ridiculous.

The comments came amid fears the world is on the brink of a nuclear conflict as Donald Trump, with UK backing, adopts a tougher stance towards adversaries.

Britains relationship with Russia has deteriorated since the US Presidents revenge bombing on a Syrian regime air base, following a gas attack on civilians.

Boris Johnson cancelled his trip to Russia then said last week that its president, Vladimir Putin, was in a league of supervillains because of his support for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Theresa May accused Moscow of being on the wrong side of this argument by failing to condemn a chemical attack in Syria. And Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said Russia was responsible by proxy for the deaths of more than 80 civilians gassed by the regime.

Last month hundreds of British troops, tanks and armour were sent to Estonia as part of the biggest show of force against Moscow since the Cold War.

The HMS Daring, pictured today in Istanbul, heading towards the Black Sea, which joins Russia's coastline

Speaking for the first time since the recent heightened tensions, Mr Yakovenko, 62, a career diplomat who was handed the London role in 2011, said: We deplore that deployment for it raises tensions in Europe along the border between Nato and Russia.

Russia doesnt pose any threat to Estonia nor any other Nato member. Thats why all the talk of territorial defence sounds provocative, and with [the] changing nature of war, outright ridiculous.

Asked if this is the worst that relations between the UK and Russia have ever been, he said: Yes, it is. Previously officials have gone only as far as saying relations are the worst since the Cold War.

He denied claims the regime was responsible for the chemical attack earlier this month, saying it looked like Assad had been framed by terrorists.

Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson was accused of being a poodle for cancelling a diplomatic trip to Moscow following the Syrian strikes, leaving talks to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Mr Tillerson was said to have issued an ultimatum, telling Moscow to side with America or stand alongside Assad and militants.
A former classmate of a missing New Jersey woman admitted Monday he helped throw her body into a river and agreed to testify against another friend who's accused of strangling the woman and stealing thousands of dollars from her.

Preston Taylor, 19, of Neptune City, pleaded guilty Monday to charges, including robbery, conspiracy, disturbing or desecrating human remains and hindering apprehension.

In return, Monmouth County prosecutors agreed to drop a felony murder charge he also faced in the death of 19-year-old Sarah Stern, who was last seen alive on December 2.

Taylor agreed to testify against Liam McAtasney, who is accused of killing Stern and recruiting Taylor to dump her body off Belmar Bridge into the Shark River according to Asbury Park Press.

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Preston Taylor (left), 19, who is one of two men accused in the horrific murder of 19-year-old, Sarah Stern (right) whose body was thrown off a bridge after she was choked to death, has pleaded guilty to several charges against him

Admission: Taylor appears in court in Freehold, New Jersey to take his plea deal on Monday

Michael Stern, Sarah Stern's father, wipes his eyes as Taylor answers questions about his role in the murder of his daughter

The men were longtime friends of Stern's and Taylor was her junior prom date.

Prosecutors have said McAtasney killed Stern in her Neptune City home, robbed her, then called Taylor and asked him to hide her body.

McAtasney's attorney, Charles Moriarty, has maintained his client is innocent. McAtasney remains jailed pending trial.

Taylor said Monday that they put Stern's body in her car, then drove it and another vehicle to a bridge where they threw her body into the river.

He said they left Stern's car at the bridge to make her death look like a suicide.

Taylor also admitted knowing about McAtasney's plan to rob and kill Stern, and said he received a share of the robbery's proceeds.

McAtasney and Taylor were among nearly 100 people who volunteered to help search for Stern near the river shortly after her car was found.

Prosecutors have said the duo participated in the search on December 10 to deflect suspicion. Her remains have not been recovered as authorities fear it's been swept out to sea.

Prosecutors said if Taylor does not fully cooperate, they would seek a first-degree murder charge against him.

Taylor faces up to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced July 21. His attorney, John Perrone, said he will instead seek a 10-year sentence.

Prosecutors have said McAtasney (right) killed Stern in her Neptune City home, robbed her, then called Taylor (left in court in February) and asked him to hide her body

Prosecutors agreed to drop a felony murder charge Taylor faced in the death of Stern, who was last seen alive on December 2. Taylor also agreed to testify against McAtasney (pictured in February), who is accused of killing Stern

Taylor (pictured) and Stern even went to junior prom together. McAtasney could face a life sentence with no chance for parole if convicted

'He's got closure. He made admissions,' Perrone told reporters after the hearing. 'This was something he had to get off his chest. He had to atone for this.'

Perrone also compared McAtasney to cult leader and convicted murderer Charles Manson, saying he exerted control over Taylor.

Shortly after Taylor entered his plea, prosecutors announced that a county grand jury had indicted McAtasney on charges of murder, felony murder, conspiracy, desecrating human remains, tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

They said he could face a life sentence with no chance for parole if convicted.

The indictment alleges that McAtasney killed Stern on December 2 during a robbery that netted $10,000.

McAtasney had plotted the killing for six months after learning that she had come into money from her grandmother, prosecutors said.

'We're a long way away from trial and at this point, as far as my client's concerned, all Preston had done is indicate that he (Taylor) was somehow responsible for what happened to the young girl,' Moriarty told the Asbury Park Press.

'All I can tell you is my client had nothing to do with it.'
A State Historical Society of North Dakota budget that includes money for preserving the Double Ditch Indian Village Historic Site is headed to the governors desk, following Monday votes hours apart in both chambers.

House Bill 1018 contains $19.8 million in total funding and authorization for up to 75 staff, representing a reduction in three positions, for the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

HB1018 also authorizes $500,000 in grant dollars from the state disaster relief fund to provide for repairs at the historic site as well as up to $500,000 in grant dollars from the Parks and Recreation budget for the development of recreational opportunities on sovereign lands in the state along the river.

The bill passed the House by a 68-21 vote early Monday afternoon and by a 44-3 vote in the Senate later the same afternoon.

Following Missouri River flooding in 2011, tribal burial sites have been eroded at the Double Ditch Indian Village Historic Site north of Bismarck.
A new documentary is set to explore the possibility JonBenet Ramsey was murdered by a Colorado 'child porn ring'.

The shocking new film, Casting JonBenet, features actors from around Boulder - where the Ramsey family lived - auditioning to play the roles of the central figures in the murder mystery.

One of the local would-be movie stars, according to The Sun, says in the film: 'There was a lot of talk that there was a child porn ring going on in Boulder.'

At other points in the movie, which will be released by Netflix this Thursday, residents who lived near the family discuss wild theories and conspiracies surrounding JonBenet's death in 1996.

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A new documentary is set to explore the possibility JonBenet Ramsey (pictured) was murdered by a Colorado 'child porn ring'

'This is Boulder, that is what you have to deal with, but I thought there was some sort of sexual escapade that got out of hand,' one local says in the documentary, according to the newspaper.

'Its always somebody you know, nine times out of 10 its always somebody you know,' another person is heard saying.

The newspaper reports another person asks in the film: 'What you find is a lot of white collar crime, and possibly the child porn angle with everybody was just like 'why isnt this investigated?"'

The documentary is the second feature piece from Australian director Kitty Green. It is described as a new look at, 'the world's most sensational child murder case'.

This image from the new documentary shows a young girl auditioning for the role of JonBenet Ramsey

The Ramsey family is pictured together in a photograph from the early 1990s. JonBenet was killed in 1996

Some of the roles different local performers audition for are: JonBenet, her brother, Burke, her father John, and her now-deceased mother, Patsy.

Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 from ovarian cancer.

No one has ever been charged over the death of the six-year-old girl, who was found dead inside her family home on December 26, 1996.

Several hours before the youngster's body was found under a white sheet, Patsy Ramsey had called 911 and reported her daughter missing.

No one has ever been charged over the death of six-year-old JonBenet (left and right), who was found dead inside her family home on December 26, 1996

JonBenet had a fractured skull and it appeared as though she had been strangled.

Male DNA was found on her underwear, but authorities have never been able to match it to a suspect.

When John and Patsy called police they told them they found a ransom note demanding a payment of $118,000 - but said they could not tell authorities about it.

Despite being told about the note, police arrived to their home shortly after in clearly marked vehicles.

A group of girls auditioning for the role of JonBenet are pictured in a scene from the new documentary, Casting JonBenet

This photograph shows the Ramsey family home - after the shocking discovery in December 1996

John (right) and Burke (left) Ramsey are seen after the funeral of Patsy Burke in Georgia in June 2006

John and Patsy would remain the primary suspects in their daughter's death for more than a decade, and it was not until 2008 that police finally cleared them of any wrongdoing.

At that time, Patsy had been dead for two years.

Casting JonBenet will be released on Netflix on April 28

Late last year, Burke Ramsey filed a $750million lawsuit against CBS a production company and seven consultants who all worked on a television special that suggested he killed his sister.

The lawsuit pertains to the CBS special 'The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey' which aired last September.

In the special, investigators conclude Burke - who was nine years old at the time of the murder - killed his six-year-old sister by hitting her over the head with a flashlight.

According to the lawsuit, Burke is demanding $250million in compensatory damages and $500million in punitive damages for 'permanent damage to his reputation' resulting from the TV special's 'false accusation that he killed his sister'.

The suit was the second he had filed in relation to the TV special, after earlier a $150million lawsuit against Dr. Werner Spitz, a crime expert whose interview about the case was used on the show.

Burke was exonerated by DNA evidence in May of 1999, a little over two years after the murder.

Casting JonBenet will be released on Netflix on April 28

A young girl is seen in this picture during an audition in the new documentary to play the role of JonBenet
The price of railway travel is already considered a national scandal by many but news of a 10,000 ticket will shock even the most hardened home counties commuters.

Great Western Railway was offering a price of 10,000 for the 64-mile journey between Taunton in Somerset and Trowbridge in Wiltshire in June.

The price, which works out at 156 per mile, may be for a first class ticket, but it's a huge premium to pay for upgraded seats when the normal fare was listed at 12.70.

Great Western Railway was offering a price of 10,000 for the 64-mile journey between Taunton in Somerset and Trowbridge in Wiltshire in June

The price, which works out at 156 per mile, may be for a first class ticket, but it's a huge premium to pay for upgraded seats when the normal fare was listed at 12.70

Not only that but there were even restrictions on the journey, on which passengers are not permitted to travel through Bristol.

It is quite a rise on the 501 journey between Shanklin on the Isle of Wight and Buxton, Derbyshire, thought to be the most expensive in the country in January.

However, Great Western Railway say that the 10,000 ticket was simply an IT 'anomaly', which occurred because a first class fare on the route does not exist.

'We are aware of an IT glitch which has published fares for a first class journey that does not exist,' a spokesman told the BBC.

Trainline, where the fare was spotted, said the error also appeared on the GWR website, which proved it was a price-setting error, not a problem with their technology.

Train operators have come under fire this year for pricing after it emerged some passengers are paying five times as much per mile as others on different routes.

The system was dubbed a postcode lottery after an investigation revealed some journeys cost as much as 86p per mile, while others are as little as 16p.

Rail companies have promised to reform the baffling ticketing policies, making it easier to buy the cheapest possible ticket.

Not only that but there were even restrictions on the journey, on which passengers are not permitted to travel through Bristol. Stock image

But an investigation comparing the cost of train journeys on different routes reveals the shocking difference in prices across the network.

Train companies have been accused of punishing passengers for travelling on certain busy routes, where fares can average as much as 177 per 200-mile return journey.

Some quieter routes of the same distance cost just 30 for an anytime return.

A comparison of 200-mile journeys, calculated by Barry Doe, for Rail magazine, revealed Great Western Railway to be the countrys most expensive operator, closely followed by Virgin Trains West Coast and East Midlands Trains.

Passengers travelling into London from cities including Bristol, Leicester and Manchester are regularly charged exorbitant fares because the routes are so popular.

Research by the Daily Mail found that one of the countrys most expensive routes, the Great Western Railway service between Bristol and London, charges passengers 86p per mile for the 236-mile round trip.
The 19-year-old pneumonia patient who was denied a lung transplant at the University of Utah after traces of marijuana were found in his system has died of complications following a surgery in Philadelphia.

Riley Hancey became sick over Thanksgiving with a severe case of pneumonia after his lungs collapsed, and had to be put on life support within days of being admitted to the hospital.

Doctors said that he would need a double lung transplant to survive. But they denied him a place on the transplant list after finding THC - the main intoxicant in marijuana - in his system, reported KFOR.

Riley Hancey, 19, died due to complications following a double lung transplant surgery

Riley's father Mark Hancey was in the room when a doctor told his son he was going to die.

He says his son broke down in tears when the doctor said 'You will die. You better get your affairs in order,' according to KSL.

'She was willing to let him die over testing positive for marijuana. This is what shocked me,' he added to Buzzfeed News.

He said that his son doesn't usually do drugs, but had some weed after Thanksgiving dinner, when he met up with an old friend.

He was initially denied the surgery after the University of Utah Hospital discovered marijuana in the teen's system, Riley's father Mark (father and son pictured above) said

His parents searched the country for a hospital willing to perform the operation, and two months after being denied at the University of Utah, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to perform the transplant

'It's not like he's a smoker for 30 years and (had) deteriorating lungs because of that,' Mr Hancey said.

Marijuana can stay in the system for about a month after use, but tends to exit the system faster for infrequent users.

Officials at the University of Utah Hospital refused to talk specifically about Riley's case, but said that the medical center follows international guidelines for transplants and makes decisions on a case by case basis.

'We do not transplant organs in patients with active alcohol, tobacco or illicit drug use or dependencies until these issues are addressed, as these substances are contraindicated for a transplant,' the statement said.

Riley was taken to the University of Pennsylvania by medical transport plane on February 17 (above) and received the eight-hour surgery March 31

Mark Hancey initially expressed optimism and said that his son was looking healthy

His parents searched the country for a hospital willing to perform the operation, and two months after being denied at the University of Utah, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to perform the transplant.

He was flown out on February 17, and a pair of lungs became available on March 31 and he underwent the eight hour surgery.

Mark Hancey initially expressed optimism, and said about his son: 'He looked so healthy, It made all the difference, and he still looks healthy. ... He still fighting, and he's doing well.'

It would have taken a year for Riley to recover in the hospital.

On Saturday, the family announced in a statement that Riley had died from complications following the transplant

Mark Hancey said that the University of Pennsylvania did everything that they could to save his son, and that 'they were phenomenal'

However, on Saturday, the family announced in a statement that Riley had died from complications following the transplant.

'It has been a long battle to save Riley's life. We know that in our hearts we gave him every opportunity to survive. He will live in our hearts forever.

'Riley is now free to climb every mountain, ski in the backcountry, go fishing and run every river. He will continue to do so with his family in spirit,' they said, reported KFOR.

Mark Hancey said that the University of Pennsylvania did everything that they could to save his son, and that 'they were phenomenal'.

His family has asked that, in honor of the boy, everyone perform a random act of kindness.
A 10-year-old boy faces a charge of aggravated arson after allegedly lighting the inside of a dollar store on fire.

Fire crews in Middletown, Ohio responded to a Family Dollar on Sunday after a 1pm report of a fire in the store. There were 10 people inside at the time of the blaze, but none were injured.

Surveillance footage from the Family Dollar shows the boy using a lighter from the store to light a box of charcoal and lighter fluid, and there were tanks of propane nearby, police said.

'It could have been disastrous,' Lieutenant Jimmy Cunningham of the Middletown Division of Police told the Journal News.

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Fire crews in Middletown, Ohio responded to a Family Dollar on Sunday after a 1pm report of a fire in the store. The store remained closed on Monday

The boy told police that he rode his bike to the store with his younger sister, eight.

The sister remained in the front of the store while he allegedly cobbled the materials together for the blaze.

Smoke was billowing when fire crews arrived. Though the fire was contained, much of the store's merchandise was destroyed by water from overhead sprinklers.

Though the fire was contained, much of the store's merchandise was destroyed by water from overhead sprinklers

When cops reviewed the surveillance video, the children were no longer on the scene. But a school resource officer was able to identify the boy by looking at the video.

Investigators interviewed the boy's father, who was uncooperative, police said. The boy's mother helped them locate him, and he was found on a nearby street at 3.15pm.

Lieutenant Cunningham said that as he approached, the boy began broke down in tears and hugged him.

'He's a little boy and I feel sorry for him,' Cunningham said. 'But what he did was potentially deadly. Not only for himself, but for the other 10 people inside.'

The boy has been placed with his mother ahead of a May 16 appearance in juvenile court.
Brexit caused something of a political earthquake and in its wake, Eurosceptic parties across the continent intensified demands for their own referendums.

Shortly after the result was announced last year, French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen called for a 'Frexit' vote while the far-Right Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders called for a 'Nexit'.

There were also fears that Brexit could also trigger a Czexit, a Swexit, and a Grexit in the Czech Republic, Sweden and Greece.

Now a new map has looked at a host of puns and portmanteaux for the other countries which could follow suit.

A new map has looked at a host of puns and portmanteaux for the other countries should they leave the EU

The map, created by Reddit Bezzleford, depicts all the possible names for various countries should they leave the EU.

They include Noland, Quitaly, Extonia, Withdrawsaw and Czech-out.

In recent months, countries have experienced a surge in Euroscepticism emboldened by Brexit.

A poll last year suggested that 36 per cent of Swedes would be in favour of 'Swexit' if Britain were to leave.

Marine Le Pen has vowed to offer French voters a referendum to leave the EU and wants to leave the euro, known as Frexit

Last May, an Ipsos Mori poll revealed that more than half of French and Italian citizens want a referendum

And Marine Le Pen has vowed to offer French voters a referendum to leave the EU and wants to leave the euro, known as Frexit.

Le Pen, who has promised to dump the euro and hold a Brexit-style referendum, has recently appeared to soften her stance, saying she is open to a 'common currency' alongside a national currency.

Last May, an Ipsos Mori poll revealed that more than half of French and Italian citizens want a referendum, and the same number believed there would be a 'domino effect' if Britain were to leave.
A hero husband fought off a shark which savaged his wife during a swimming trip by punching it in the head.

Frankie Gonsalves, 40, was just ten yards from the shore of Ascension Island when the beast plunged its teeth into her leg and foot, as her children watched in horror.

But her husband Dean, also 40, lunged at the shark and hit it in the head until his wife of 14 years managed to escape.

This is the husband who saved his British wife from being savaged by a shark (pictured together, Dean and Frankeie Gonsalves), by punching it in the nose

Frankie Gonsalves pictured with a whale shark on a previous trip

Last night the British couples family said Mrs Gonsalves, a senior social worker on the island of Saint Helena, would have lost her foot if her husband had not intervened.

She was treated at a nearby hospital in the British overseas territory before being flown back to the UK, where she is expected to have reconstructive surgery tomorrow.

The shark was thought to be a Galapagos, which can grow up to 11ft in length.

Mrs Gonsalves posted on Facebook: Yes I was attacked by a shark on Ascension Island on Friday. The b****** chomped on my foot and calf. Yes Dean Gonsalves beat it up good and proper and sent it on its way! What an absolute hero. Kids traumatised by seeing the whole thing unfold in front of them. All limbs still attached but further surgery needed once back.

Her father Irving Benjamin said it was scary to think how close he had come to losing his daughter.

Frankie Gonsalves (pictured), a member of the St Helena government, was attacked near English Bay at around 4pm on Saturday

Mrs Gonsalves (pictured) was airlifted to hospital and is now receiving treatment for her injuries

It is not yet known if Dean (pictured with Frankie) was injured, or the extent of his wife's injuries

The 70-year-old former surgeon and professor at Kings College Hospital in London said his son-in-law phoned him on Friday evening to tell him of the attack.

He added: Dean is a hero to us. [He] was extremely shocked and distressed.

He said, I have just got bruised knuckles and who wouldve known how hard a sharks head was? Mrs Gonsalvess stepmother Cate Benjamin said: He did it because a shark had his wifes leg in its mouth. What was he supposed to do? The 61-year-old added that it could have been a lot worse had Mr Gonsalves not acted, saying: She would have lost her foot for sure.

Mr and Mrs Gonsalves had been living on Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, part of the same British overseas territory as Ascension Island, with their children Katie, 11, and Louis, seven, after moving from Hertfordshire in 2015. The attack happened on Friday at around 4pm when the couple were swimming close to the shore.

Dean bravely fought back, punching the shark on the nose and forcing it to retreat off the coasT of Ascension Island (pictured, stock image)

The government employee was taken to Georgetown Hosptial, on remote Ascension Island, before later being flown to the UK for treatment

Mr Benjamin said: The children were playing at the waters edge  they saw everything ... Frankie and Dean had just been swimming when the shark attacked.

Frankie has swum with a whale shark before and both of them have scuba dived for years. The paramedics wrapped Frankie up and took her to the children on the beach to show them she was OK.

There has never been a shark attack on that island before. Its the first one ever.

He said his daughter was now in good spirits, adding: Shes alive but it is scary to think how close I was to losing a child ... and how lucky we were that it was not our grandchildren in the water at the time.

Ascension Islands council issued a public warning to swimmers after the attack.
This is the two-month-old baby boy who died in hospital after he was found 'critically injured' at home.

Andrew Crichton, believed to be the father of the newborn, Archer Butler, has been released from custody 'pending further inquiries', police say.

The 32-year-old was seen 'screaming and sobbing uncontrollably' and repeatedly saying sorry as he was taken away by police at Kooringal, near Wagga Wagga.

The baby's mother Millie Butler, 21, also spoke to police.

This is two-month-old Archer Butler, who died in hospital on Monday after he was found 'critically injured' at home

Andrew Crichton, believed to be the father of a two-month-old baby who died in southern NSW has been released from custody 'pending further inquiries', police say

Young Archer Butler was found 'seriously unwell' early on Monday morning.

Paramedics treated the baby at the scene and he was rushed to Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital but died a short time later.

It's understood the infant sustained head injuries, according to the Daily Advertiser.

Simone Gowland said she and her daughters had been woken by hysterical crying and saw a man 'screaming and sobbing uncontrollably'.

'He just kept saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she told the Advertiser.

'He didn't put up any fight  he just sobbed as police loaded him into the wagon.

'Even as they drove off, he just kept screaming 'I'm so, so sorry.'

The baby's mother Millie Butler, 21, (pictured) also spoke to police

A man was arrested after a baby boy died in hospital after being found injured at a home in Henwood Avenue (pictured) in Kooringal

The two-month-old was taken to Wagga Wagga Hospital (pictured), but died a short time later

A crime scene was established in Henwood Avenue and Strike Force Banco has been established to investigate the death.

Mr Crichton was released several hours later without charge pending further inquiries, a police spokesman said on Monday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Bob Noble said while the cause of the infant's death was unclear, the incident was being treated with 'a degree of suspicion' and a post-mortem would be carried out.

'There are circumstances of suspicion but we will keep an open mind and enquiries will continue,' he said.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
President Donald Trump's elusive tax plan will not be making its debut on Wednesday.

The big announcement he's been teasing is a set of 'broad principles and priorities,' an official said over the weekend and a Trump spokeswoman affirmed on Monday.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Monday 'there will be details that will come out.' But he did not reject the reporter's suggestion that the document would essentially serve as a blueprint.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later said the 'level of specificity, in terms of the pay-fors and the cost' is still under consideration.

'We'll have to see how comfortable the president is,' Spicer said.

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President Donald Trump 's elusive tax plan will not be making its debut on Wednesday. The big announcement he's been teasing is a set of 'broad principles and priorities'

Trump told the Associated Press in a Friday interview that his administration would be 'announcing, probably on Wednesday, tax reform.' He repeated the declaration in remarks at the Treasury Department.

He said in a Saturday tweet, 'Big TAX REFORM AND TAX REDUCTION will be announced next Wednesday.'

The president's remarks were taken to mean that comprehensive tax reform was on the way, even though he'd said earlier in the week, 'We have the concept of the plan.'

'We're going to be announcing it very soon,' he added during a speech in Wisconsin, apparently referring to an announcement about a tax structure concept, not a fully-developed plan.

The administration will have a tax announcement on Wednesday, senior officials have said since, but it will not have the level of detail Trump intimated.

'I think what youre going to see on Wednesday is some specific governing principles, some guidance,' Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Sunday morning on Fox. 'I dont think anybody expects us to rollout bill language on Wednesday.'

Mulvaney also said the document would focus on 'principles' and 'ideas that we like, some of the ideas we don't like' and talk about tax rates.

He told Fox News' Chris Wallace that he doesn't expect a meatier package to come out until June.

Spicer affirmed on Monday that the president would 'outline' his tax plan in two days. The White House official would not offer any additional details, reminding reporters that Trump and his tax team still have 48 hours to finish their discussions.

'Will we have a generally better idea of where his thinking is?' one reporter asked.

Trump's spokesman said in response, 'I think you will have a better idea of where the President stands on tax reform and what he wants to accomplish. Yes.'

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Monday 'there will be details that will come out.' But he did not reject the reporter's suggestion that the document would be a blueprint rather than a fully-developed tax package. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later said the 'level of specificity in terms of the pay-fors and the cost' were still under consideration

Mnuchin told reporters from the podium just before Spicer briefed that the president's 'objectives' have been clear all along.

'Middle income tax cut - a priority of the Presidents. Simplification - the average American should be able to do their taxes on a large postcard. Business tax reform - we need to make business taxes competitive, and we expect, with doing that, we will bring back trillions of dollars from offshore,' he said.

To that a reporter said, 'It doesnt sound like were going to get the finer details of what this tax reform package will entail. Is it a good idea to start talking about tax reform -- something that you say cant be accomplished by August -- when you dont have all the details?'

Mnuchin carefully said, 'There will be details that will come out. And yes, I think it is important that were talking about it and we are going to move forward.'

He notably did promise the reporter the fine points of the plan would be released Wednesday.

Trump told the Associated Press on Friday that he'd be 'putting out a massive tax reform  business and for people.'

'And that's a big story, because a lot of people think I'm going to put it out much later,' he said.

The president did not say what would be in the tax package, either, other than the largest cut in American history, as he'd previously promised.

'It will be bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever. Maybe the biggest tax cut we've ever had,' he said.

His 100 day mark in the horizon, Trump said his administration will have it ready by 'Wednesday or shortly thereafter.'

Mnuchin, had said the same day that the plan would be out soon. He said nothing about a Wednesday target date, though,

The White House has previously said the proposal would be done by the end of March.

Tax reform is coming: The president indicated Friday that his tax packages would be released on 'Wednesday or shortly thereafter' - just before his 100 day mark in office

He repeated the claim at the Department of Treasury as he signed memos on Friday

'We'll be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform,' he said

Mnuchin suggested last week that an original August deadline for reform to pass would also be blown and found himself publicly rebuffed by Trump, whose motto as a developer was 'on time, under budget.'

Trump said Friday that his administration was 'on time' with tax reform, even though it's nearly the end of April and all it apparently has is an outline.

The Republican president, who's a billionaire in his own right, previewed the tax package on Friday afternoon during his first visit to the Department of Treasury.

'We'll be having a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform,' he said after signing an executive order that dealt with another aspect of the tax code. 'The process has begun long ago, but it really formally begins on Wednesday,' he added.

Making his wishes clear, Trump ordered Mnuchin to 'go to it.' His cabinet secretary got the message. 'All right, Mr. President,' he said.

But even then the White House was walking back Trump's pledge no sooner than it had left the president's mouth.

'I would also point out the fact that he gave himself some wiggle room with the "or shortly thereafter,"' an official told CNN, referring to the time frame Trump offered in the AP interview.

Mnuchin told reporters earlier in the day, during a briefing on the memos Trump signed at Treasury, the administration was 'very close to coming out' with its plan.

'The president is focused on this. It has been one of his biggest priorities to create economic growth and we are very focused on that,' Mnuchin said.

The cabinet official said that he's been meeting with the head of the House's tax committee every week for the last month or two, and their staffs have been meeting as often.

'We will be working with Congress on a comprehensive tax reform package,' Mnuchin said.

Without going into detail, either, Munchin said the driving idea of the plan is to simplify personal taxes, solidify middle income tax cuts and make business taxes more competitive.

'President Trump...he understood how complicated tax reform was even before he became a candidate. Tax reform is way too complicated, he said during the campaign, and we've said now,' Mnuchin told White House reporters.

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin walk back to the White House from the Treasury Department after Trump signed an executive order to review tax regulations on Friday

President Donald Trump greets people as he arrives at the Treasury Department, which is next to door to the White House

Trump promised the largest cut in American history, as he'd previously promised. 'It will be bigger, I believe, than any tax cut ever. Maybe the biggest tax cut we've ever had,' he said

Spicer declined to answer questions of the deal at an off-camera briefing just after.

'Im not going to even start to talk about the nature of tax reform,' he said. 'Theyve been working for a while now with House and Senate leaderships in undergoing the process of engaging with various stakeholders, but Im not going to start talking about whats in and out.'

Trump has been promising mammoth reforms to the nation's tax structure that he says will help corporations and low-to-middle income Americans.

He told Fox News' Jesse Watters in a March interview, 'We're going to get a big reduction, we're going to bring business down from 15% to 20% from 36% and 38% and higher in some instances.

'We are the highest taxed nation in the world. And we are going to bring taxes way down,' Trump said. 'And for middle income, we're also getting rid of brackets. We are going from 7 to 4 or 3 brackets. And that will be such a pleasure.'

At that time, Trump said Americans with limited income could see their tax burden go down to zero.

'I would like to see zero if you dont make much. Like zero, and that's what it's going to be, it's going to be zero up to a level,' he said. 'Then it's going be 12.5%, 15%. It's going to be 10%.'

His proposed tax cut is expected to rival the one Ronald Reagan introduced and passed his first year in office, 1981.

'It will be the biggest tax cut since Reagan and probably bigger than Reagan,' Trump told Fox News in the March interview.

'The process has begun long ago, but it really formally begins on Wednesday,' Trump said of tax reform on Friday at Treasury

Mnuchin sowed doubt this month that the tax reform package could pass before August recess, though he still believes it will get the approval of the legislative branch this year.

'It is fair to say it is probably delayed a bit because of the health care,' he said in an interview with the Financial Times.

President Trump countered that on Tuesday.

'We're also working with Congress on tax reform, and simplification, and we're on time,' Trump told an audience at the Snap-On Tool headquarters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 'If we get that health care approval.'

Trump told the crowd that they needed to get in touch with lawmakers in order to usher a Republican health care bill through. Then tax reform would quickly follow.

'So press every one of your congressmen, press everybody, because we want to get that approval and it just makes tax reform easier and it makes it better and it's going to make it steeper, it's going to be bigger and that's what we want to do,' the president proclaimed.

Either way, Trump suggested, a tax reform package was in 'good shape.'

'We have the concept of the plan,' he said. 'We're going to be announcing it very soon.'

But he said again, 'We have to get health care taken care of...And as soon as health care [gets taken] care of, we are going to march very quickly, you're going to watch, we're going to surprise you.'

'Right, Steve Mnuchin? Right?' he said, calling out to his secretary of Treasury.

DON'T CELEBRATE YET: Trump needs to win over conservatives and moderate Republicans in Congress to get a tax deal. It's not going to be easy

Trump will need conservatives to fall in line if he's going to have any shot of getting tax reform. Democrats have made it clear they'll oppose his plan in if it it goes too easy on rich Americans like him.

A sticking point on reform for Republicans: whether to implement a 'border adjusted' plan that would tax imports.

House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady has pushed aggressively for the BAT, which he says will help the US compete against Canada, Mexico and China.

'Our competitors are driving much newer, faster models of tax codes. That's why we have to stop taxing worldwide. That's why we have to border adjust our taxes so that we can get into a competition and win worldwide,' Brady has said.

But some Republicans are against such a plan. Economists from two right-of-center think tanks called the border adjusted tax 'a dodgy sales pitch' his week in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.

'What matters from a competitive perspective is whether the playing field is leveland it is,' Veronique de Rugy of George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center and Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute said.

Using Europe as an example, they explained, 'When the German company sells to customers in the U.S., it is subject to the German corporate income tax. The competing American firm selling domestically pays the U.S. corporate income tax. Neither is hit with a VAT. In other words, a level playing field.'

Senior Trump administration officials told FT that the measure is unlikely to survive - meaning the Republicans could be short $1 trillion in cash over a 10 year span.

Mnuchin suggested there are other ways that revenue could be raised, though also stated that the 'border adjustment' plan hasn't been taken off the table.

'Economic growth creates lots of revenues,' Trump's treasury secretary pointed out. 'When you calculate whether it is deficit-neutral or not, there are a bunch of different calculations and a bunch of models.'

'I am just pointing out the magnitude of what economic growth does,' he added.

Trump unreleased plan is already being rebuffed by Democrats, who say they won't play ball so long as Trump holds out on releasing his own taxes.

'It's gonna be much harder to get tax reform done if the president doesn't disclose his taxes, for the very simple reason, that when there's a provision in [the] bill, people are gonna say, "Oh, this is for Trump and his business not for the benefit of the American people,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned.

Tax Day came and went on Tuesday with no public release from Trump, who says he's under routine audit. Spicer indicated this week that Americans won't even see the president's 2016 returns, as they, too, are, or will be under audit as soon as he files them.




Andrea Tantaros is making bombshell claims about Fox News and former CEO Roger Ailes in court papers that were filed in United States District Court on Monday.

A new complaint in her case against her former employer states that certain executives at the cable news network 'are continuing to emotionally torture Ms. Tantaros into giving up her claims that she was sexually harassed by Ailes and Bill O'Reilly ... through illegal electronic surveillance.'

That 'surveillance' according to the filing involved 'the hacking of her personal computer' and 'the use of "sockpuppet" social media accounts to stalk Ms. Tantaros.'

New suit: Andrea Tantaros (above in 2011) accused Fox News and former CEO Roger Ailes of hacking in a new lawsuit filed in federal court

Dining out: One of the defendants listed in the suit is current co-president Bill Shine, who house after the filing was seen leaving a business lunch with Rupert Murdoch

One of the executives named as a defendant in Tantaros' court filing is current network co-president and former Ailes lieutenant Bill Shine, who just hours after this latest complaint was filed got some very public support from Fox News CEO Rupert Murdoch.

The pair were photographed exiting the pricey eatery Marea after a business lunch in midtown on Monday with the network's other co-president, Jack Abernathy.

This is now the second lawsuit Tantaros has filed, with her first being filed in New York Supreme Court last August but rejected by a judge earlier this year under her arbitration agreement with the network.

That is why the pair made the decision to file in federal court, with Tantaros claiming she turned down a $1million settlement before her first lawsuit was thrown out.

Fox News said in a statement to DailyMail.com on Monday: 'Fox News and its executives flatly deny that they conducted any electronic surveillance of Ms. Tantaros. They have no knowledge of the anonymous or pseudonymous tweets described in her complaint.

'This lawsuit is a flimsy pretext to keep Ms. Tantaros and her sexual harassment claims in the public eye after the State Supreme Court directed her to bring them in arbitration.'

Tantaros explained in an interview on Good Morning America last October that she refused the money because of what was required of her if she agreed to the terms.

'They wanted to guarantee my eternal silence which was never going to happen,' said Tantaros.

She stated that what she wanted instead was a 'culture change' at Fox News, saying at one point: 'Fox News has plenty of money, theyve bought off a lot of women. What they dont have is accountability.'

Fox News responded by pointing to the claims made in their response to Tantaros' original complaint, and has stated in the past: 'We stand by our earlier motion to compel arbitration.'

Meanwhile, a source close to the situation disputes Tantaros' claims that she was set to get a settlement, telling DailyMail.com: 'There was never a direct settlement offered  it was an agreement and release form that Fox would continue to pay her under her contracts pay or play provision. No additional money of any kind was offered.'

Tantaros claims in both her suits that after multiple complaints about sexual harassment to executives at Fox she was taken off the air in April of last year, just as she was to begin promotion of her book.

According to her lawsuits that letter came 'the day before the publication date of Tantaros' book and 12 hours before she was slated to appear on Fox and Friends to launch the book and embark on a media tour.'

She has not been on Fox News since that time, but was still an employee for months after her on-air freeze.

'They had approved my book. I had not violated any of the contractual guidelines so it was just made up to basically act as a smokescreen for their behavior,' said Tantaros on GMA.

'I was demoted from a show I launched, The Five, after I rebuffed Roger Ailes. And then I had my book destroyed 12 hours before the launch.

'I mean, they could have come to me and said we have objections with the book. My lawyer had been in contact with them for weeks, and they didn't do that.

'It was deliberately designed to hurt me and cause me pain. And that's what they did there.'

Fox News meanwhile wrote in their response to Tantaros' first complaint: 'Tantaros was suspended months ago by Fox News for breaching her Employment Agreement by writing an unauthorized book and is a party to a pending arbitration proceeding before the AAA.'

When then asked on GMA why she thanked Ailes in her book if he had been harassing her for so long at the network, Tantaros responded by saying: 'You had to thank Roger Ailes or your book didn't get published. And if you notice, it's the most carefully crafted non-thank you. I wrestled for hours with that thank you.'

She then detailed what would have been expected of her is she had taken the seven-figure lawsuit being offered by Fox News, and why she turned it down.

'Well first of all, the seven-figure lawsuit would have had me renouncing my sexual harassment complaints.

'Two, they wanted me to publicly admit, lie basically to the public, and say that I violated my book contract, which I didn't do! So, I wasn't going to lie.

'Three, they wanted to guarantee my eternal silence, which was never going to happen. What they don't have is accountability, and that's why I'm speaking out.'

Tantaros was asking for $50million from the network in her first lawsuit.

By comparison, Gretchen Carlson reportedly received $20million to settle her sexual harassment complaint while Ailes walked away with $40million after stepping down as CEO last July.

O'Reilly meanwhile walked away with $25million last week while the combined amount three of his alleged victims received was reported to be $13million.
The US State Department has removed a blog post from its federally-funded government websites after outrage stemmed from its alleged promotion of the Trump Organization's Mar-a-Lago Club resort in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The blog was originally written for a government-funded website called ShareAmerica and was reposted to the State Department's page dedicated to the US Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom on April 5.

The ShareAmerica page where the original post appeared has been replaced with the following statement:

'The intention of the article was to inform the public about where the President has been hosting world leaders. We regret any misperception and have removed the post.'

It was the post on the US Embassy and Consulates page that garnered attention, and criticism, for its use of taxpayer dollars to highlight the resort which President Donald Trump often frequents and has been called the 'winter White House.'

The US State Department has removed a blog post from its federally-funded government websites after outrage stemmed from its alleged promotion of the Trump Organization's Mar-a-Lago Club resort in West Palm Beach, Florida; President Donald Trump (L) is shown walking the resort grounds with China's President Xi Jinping (R) on April 7

'Trump is not the first president to have access to Mar-a-Lago as a Florida retreat, but he is the first one to use it,' the post read.

'By visiting this "winter White House," Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lagos original owner and designer.'

The post went on to say that the original owner, Marjorie Merriweather Post who built the resort in 1927, left the property to the US government upon her death in 1973 'to be used as a winter White House for the US president to entertain visiting foreign dignitaries.'

The ShareAmerica page where the original post appeared has been replaced with a statement

A blog post from early April, which went viral on Monday, has been called out for its promotion of the Trump Organization's Mar-a-Lago Club in West Palm Beach, Florida; The page where the repost was published not appears as pictured here

The blog, which has since been removed, was originally written for a government-funded website called ShareAmerica and was reposted to the State Department's page dedicated to the US Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom on April 5

The Trump helicopter is seen at the Mar-a-Lago Resort on April 9 where Trump held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 8 West Palm Beach, Florida

The original post from ShareAmerica explained that after the property went unused by Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, Post's gift was eventually returned to her estate in 1981 because it cost to much to maintain.

Trump purchased the Mar-a-Lago property in 1985 and turned it into a private club 10 years later.

Government Accountability Office officials agreed in March to examine the costs and security issues involved with conducting official business at the Mar-a-Lago Club and to look into any special access to the President that might come along with membership to the resort, according to New York Daily News.

ShareAmerica's post was also shared on another US Embassy and Consulates social media page, for the country of Albania.

That shared post was still on the page at 8.18pm Eastern, with previously populated text from the original article visible.

'ShareAmerica is the US Department of States platform for sharing compelling stories and images that spark discussion and debate on important topics like democracy, freedom of expression, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and the role of civil society,' the organization's 'About Us' section read.

'The ShareAmerica team is part of the Bureau of International Information Programs, which works with US embassies and consulates in more than 140 countries to engage with people around the globe on US foreign policy and American society.'

There was no discussion of policy in the original ShareAmerica post.
Just when the housing market was expected to enter a period of relative stability during the summer, Theresa May threw in a curveball into the mix.

Following the disruptive elements of stamp duty hikes, landlord tax relief reductions and Brexit, the Prime Minister added to the uncertainty by announcing a snap General Election for June 8.

But is it all bad news? We take a look at what this means if you're looking to buy or sell a home right now.

The Prime Minister Theresa May has called a General Election in seven weeks on June 8

If you've already got your house for sale on the market, it may be unlikely that you will stop any marketing of it given that we are less than seven weeks away from the election.

But what about those who were looking to take the decision to buy or sell in the next few weeks - should they proceed... or hold off until after June 8?

There will undoubtedly be factors outside of the General Election which will influence any decision, such as your personal circumstances (you may be starting a new job in a different area, for example, and so may be keen to sell up and move as quickly as you can).

And while the next few weeks may see a more muted housing market during the run-up to the election, there may be better news ahead, according to analysts and estate agents.

Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, says: 'The good news is that unlike many Government announcements which are leaked, they managed to keep it secret and there hasn't been any build-up because when the cat is out of the bag it adds to the existing uncertainty in the market.

'This uncertainty will prevail until the election result is known because nobody knows what the outcome will be.

A decisive election result is likely to lead to a surge in activity in the housing market

'The period of indecision starts from now until the election and thankfully it is relatively short.

'Inevitably, a lot of decision-making will be put on hold, particularly as the polls fluctuate, and that includes the decision to buy and sell property.'

However, he added: 'As we saw from the EU Referendum, the polls can be notoriously unreliable, which can only add to nervousness in the market.

'Looking forward, on the positive side if the result is decisive that will give the Government a greater mandate for its existing policies and is likely to result in a surge in activity in the housing market at least for the honeymoon period afterwards, however long that may last.'

'Whether you should buy and sell now or not depends on the view you take regarding the likely result and your own timing.'

Estate agents suggest the housing market could see a period of indecision from now until the General Election

Mr Leaf said that four out of every five of his sellers are buyers, which means that while they may not get as much for a property if they sell now there is also the chance that they can negotiate the same amount or more off the property they are purchasing.

However,the agent added: 'If you gamble and leave it until after the election, it could be a very different market; at least we know what the current market is like. You may make more money if you sell afterwards if there is a positive outcome but you may need to pay more, particularly if you are trading up.'

It is with good reason that estate agents suggest the General Election is likely to dampen the housing market, according to broker Jefferies which has analysed the last seven UK elections.

It found that the number of property transactions are higher in the six to 12 months prior to an election and also one to six months after it compared to the time of a campaign.

It claims that the four months immediately preceding elections have typically seen housing transactions 3 per cent to 8 per cent below the level seen at the time of an election.

It attributes this to the uncertainty regarding elections delaying people's decisions to buy a home.

This is a snap election, however, so different.

Sam Cullen, an analyst at Jefferies, told the MailOnline: 'The difference this time around is that the run up to the election is a lot shorter. It means that the impact on the housing market will be a lot shorter and sharper.

'Normally, it would affect the housing market over a three or four month period, but this may be concentrated into one month.

The number of home sales around a General Election has been studied by brokers Jefferies

He added: 'We are lapping very strange times in the property market from last year. Any impact will be shorter than any normal election cycle.'

Some estate agents agree that such market uncertainty will be kept to a minimum, suggesting that the election is a foregone conclusion.

Alex Gosling, chief executive of estate agents HouseSimple.com, said: 'It doesn't make any sense for buyers and sellers to wait until after the election. With the election result a foregone conclusion in many people's eyes, we're unlikely to see property prices fall off a cliff."

So should buyers delay their purchase or sale decisions? Mr Gosling doesn't think so.

Buyers hoping to pick up a bargain post-election may be disappointed to find that nothing much has changed

He explained: 'Buyers hoping to pick up a bargain post-election may be disappointed to find that nothing much has changed, and they would have been better proceeding right now, as we're in a buyers' market.

'Even if there's a boost in activity in June, and the traditionally buoyant spring market extends further into the summer, it's unlikely to be worth holding off marketing your property. It should be business as usual.'

Jonathan Hopper, managing director of Garrington Property Finders, said: 'The possibility of Theresa May being returned to power with a stronger mandate could prove a shot in the arm for the property market if it settles Brexit nerves.

'From a buyer's perspective the main problem with the property market in most areas is the chronic shortage of supply. The snap election is unlikely to improve the level of supply, and could persuade discretionary buyers to sit on their hands for a few more weeks.

'For now the property market is likely to continue its listless limbo. But if the election delivers a clear result that puts Brexit firmly back on track, the property market could receive a huge boost, freeing up more supply and spurring buyers into action.'

David Cox, chief executive of ARLA Propertymark, said: 'All political parties need to put housing front and centre in their election manifestos. The country is rapidly moving towards crisis point, where a chronic shortage of housing has become unsustainable. Rather than trying to look at individual issues, it's time to take an holistic view of housing policy.'
A bizarre new study has provided a glimpse into the strange sex lives of dolphins.

Researchers inflated the penises of dead dolphins, before simulating sex to find out how these organs fit inside the female.

They discovered that the females have unusual folds in their vaginas which the male's penis must navigate to fertilise the egg.

The study could help researchers discover how evolution shaped the organs into their present forms.

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An image reconstructed from CT scans showing how the penis of the common bottlenose dolphin (red) fits within the intricate folds and turns of a bottlenose dolphin vagina (pink)

WHAT DID THEY DO? Researchers found dead dolphins and inflated their penises so they were fully erect. They then simulated sex and used computed tomography (CT) scans to visualise how deeply the penis penetrates the vagina and where the two touch. They also created silicone models of the interior of the dolphin vagina to explore how its shape might have co-evolved with the shape of the male penis. Researchers found that there was an optimal position for the vagina and penis to fit together which varied with overall body positioning. Advertisement

Marine mammals have particularly interesting sexual intercourse as they must contend with some unusual constraints, such as making sure sea water does not enter the vagina.

Dolphins, in particular, have strangely fascinating sex lives due to their elaborate vaginas and a unique type of penis that is almost always erect.

As part of the study, researchers wanted to find out how often dolphins have sex for 'fun'.

Different species also use various sexual positions.

They also have sex all year round even when they can only conceive for certain periods of the year.

'By looking at how the genitals align, we can now say certain body positions are more likely to lead to successful fertilization than others, which might be for purposes other than reproducing,' Dara Orbach, a marine mammologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax told Science.

'Is it play? Is it working out hierarchies? Is it establishing dominance? Is it learning? There could be many functions of sex.'

Orbach's team examined the reproductive tracts of dolphins, porpoises and seals that had died naturally in order to find out more about their sex lives.

After blowing up the genitalia they used computed tomography (CT) scans to visualise how deeply the penis penetrates the vagina and where the two touch.

They also created silicone models of the interior of the dolphin vagina to explore how its shape might have co-evolved with the shape of the male penis.

Researchers found that there was an optimal position for the vagina and penis to fit together which varied with overall body positioning.

'The deeper the male is able to extend his penis within the vagina, the shorter a distance his sperm must travel to reach her egg', Orbach told MailOnline.

'In some species it appears belly-to-belly copulation will enhance genital alignment, while in other species it appears a sexual approach from the female's side will result in deeper penetration', she said.

'There is amazing variation in the number, shape, size, and positioning of vaginal folds across species', she said.

From looking at the genitalia, scientists could make predictions about what positions the dolphins would use in real life.

'Body positioning during copulation is predicted based on anatomy', Dr Orbach explained.

Scientists simulated sex and used computed tomography (CT) scans to visualise how deeply the penis penetrates the vagina and where the two touch (stock image)

Most research on genitalia has focused on the penis alone but this study looked at how the penis and vagina fitted together.

'While it may seem intuitive that the penis fits well into the vagina during copulation, the biomechanics and details of the anatomical fit can be quite complex and have seldom been explored,' said Dr Orbach.

'Whales, dolphins and porpoises have unusual vaginal folds, spirals and recesses that the penis and sperm must navigate through to successfully fertilise the egg', she said.

The dolphin penis contains a large proportion of tough and elastic fibres instead of spongy erectile tissue.

'The penis is extruded prior to copulation, meaning there are hydrodynamic drag forces acting on the penis that likely influence is structure and shape', said Dr Orbach.

'Salt water is lethal to cetacean sperm, and females are expected to have adaptations to keep salt water out of their reproductive tracts', she said.

'Additionally, cetaceans do not have appendages to hold each other in place during copulation, so the angle of approach is critical'.

The team found there were particular parts of the vagina that were stimulated during sex which could help captive breeding programmes.

The findings will be presented at the American Association of Anatomists in Chicago later this month.
The world's wealthiest oil companies will race to build spacecrafts that can snatch up alien water reserves and mine precious metals.

That's according to one leading analyst, who has predicted that Middle Eastern oil companies will use their enormous wealth to invest in space mining within the next five years.

Energy consultant Tom James said oil firms will focus on monopolising water sources on other planets.

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Oil companies will race to build spacecrafts that can snatch up extraterrestrial water reserves and mine precious metals, according to an energy analyst (stock image)

WATERY WORLDS Nasa has identified a number of planets and extraterrestrial objects that are likely to be awash with water, including: Ceres (dwarf planet)

Europa (moon of Jupiter)

Ganymede (moon of Jupiter)

Callisto (moon of Jupiter)

Enceladus (moon of Saturn)

Titan (moon of Saturn)

Mimas (moon of Saturn)

Triton (moon of Neptune)

Pluto (dwarf planet) Advertisement





'Water is the new oil of space,' Mr James, from Navitas Resources, told Bloomberg.

'Middle East investment in space is growing as it works to shift from an oil-based to a knowledge-based economy.'

In recent years, Nasa has uncovered how many planets in our own solar system and beyond are likely to be awash with water.

Mr James believes extraterrestrial sources of water will one day be a precious commodity in an era of space travel.

Water could be used as an energy source in space or it may be split into hydrogen and oxygen, which could then be burned for fuel.

And Middle Eastern oil firms may already competing to cash in on space's water resources, he said.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are already developing space programmes, with an interest in developing space commodities, he said.

Observations in 2005 by the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini mission revealed plumes of water vapour and ice spraying into space from the south pole of Enceladus, the sixth-largest moon of Saturn, as illustrated above

And Abu Dhabi is a heavy investor in Virgin Galactic, the space tourism venture of Richard Branson.

Mr James added that Middle Eastern countries are in the prime location for space travel.

The closer a country is to the Earth's equator, the easier it is to launch a rocket.

That's because there is more surface velocity around the Earth's axis, meaning spacecrafts have to burn less fuel to go up into orbit.

'The Middle East builds the tallest buildings, the biggest shopping complexes,' said Mr James.

Middle Eastern oil companies will compete to make billions from mining space metals from asteroids (stock image)

TOP FIVE ASTEROID MINING PROSPECTS 162385 (2000 BM19) - Profit: $6.94trillion

4034 Vishnu - Profit: $5.28trillion

65679 (1989 UQ) - Profit: $1.74trillion

5143 Heracles (1991 VL) - Profit: $2.33trillion

7753 (1988 XB) - Profit: $1.31trillion Source: Asterank Advertisement

'Certainly they're having a big impact on the space and satellite industries as well.'

He also predicted that the Middle East will be the first to mine precious metals from asteroids.

Earlier this month, a report from Goldman Sachs outlined the company's interest in space mining.

Asteroids are thought to be loaded with tonnes of precious metals and minerals, including pricey platinum, worth quadrillions on Earth.

A 98-page report from the banking investment company claimed that mining asteroids for precious metals in the near future is a 'realistic' goal.

'While the psychological barrier to mining asteroids is high, the actual financial and technological barriers are far lower,' the report read, according to Business Insider.

'Prospecting probes can likely be built for tens of millions of dollars each and Caltech has suggested an asteroid-grabbing spacecraft could cost $2.6bn (2bn).'

Asteroids are thought to be loaded with tonnes of precious metals and minerals. Pictured is an artist's impression of an asteroid-grabbing spacecraft

But experts have warned that the value of materials mined from even a single asteroid would be large enough to destroy commodity prices and cause the world's economy to collapse.

If the asteroid could be transported back to Earth, the iron alone would be worth $10,000 quadrillion (8,072 quadrillion).

In comparison, all the money on Earth is thought to be worth $60 to $75 trillion.
Millions of Britons could be descendants of Vikings - especially if their surname ends in 'son', according to experts.

Despite it being more than 900 years since the Viking Age, millions of people in the UK can trace their roots back to the Scandinavian invaders.

And experts say surnames can give you an indication of a possible Viking heritage in your family, with anything ending in 'son' or 'sen' likely to be a sign.

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Pictured is Emma Watson (left) and Robert Pattinson (right). People with names ending in 'son' could be related to the Scandinavian warriors

SURNAMES OF VIKING DESCENDANTS Names ending in 'son' or 'sen'

Roger/s, Rogerson and Rendall

Names which refer to personal characteristics, such as 'Long', 'Short', 'Wise', 'Lover' and 'Good'

Scandinavian names such as 'Linklater', 'Flett', 'Scarth', 'Heddle' and 'Halcro'

Scottish names such as 'McIvor', 'MacAulay' and 'McLeod' Advertisement

Other surnames which could signal a Viking family history include 'Roger/s' and 'Rogerson' and 'Rendall'.

Names which refer to a personal characteristic were also common among Vikings, such as 'Long', 'Short', 'Wise', 'Lover' and 'Good.'

Researchers from the Centre for Nordic Studies, University of the Highlands and Islands and the TV channel HISTORY revealed the surnames linked to Viking settlers as part of a new survey.

Dr Alexandra Sanmark, from the University of the Highlands and Islands, said: 'Vikings in Britain can be traced through archaeological evidence, such as burials, place-names, DNA studies, Scandinavian influence on the English language.

Pictured left is Emma Thompson. Scottish names such as 'McIvor', 'MacAulay' and 'McLeod' are also more likely to have come from Vikings. Pictured right is Sir Ian McKellen

Scottish actor Ewan McGregor (pictured) may have inherited his blue eyes and fair hair from Viking settlers

UK REGIONS WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF VIKING DESCENDANTS The Shetland and Orkney islands have the highest proportion of Viking descendants in the UK 1. Shetland - 29.2 per cent 2. Orkney - 25.2 per cent 3. Caithness - 17.5 per cent 4. Isle of Man - 12.3 per cent 5. Western Isles - 11.3 per cent 6. North West Scotland and Inner Hebrides - 9.9 per cent 7. Argyll - 5.8 per cent 8. Yorkshire - 5.6 per cent 9. North East Scotland - 4.9 per cent 10. North England - 4 per cent 11. East England - 3.6 per cent 12. South West Scotland - 3.2 per cent 13. South East Scotland - 2.7 per cent 14. Central England - 2.6 per cent 15. Central Scotland - 2.2 per cent 16. South East England - 1.9 per cent 17. South West England - 1.6 per cent 18. Ireland (Ulster) - 1.4 per cent 19. Ireland (Munster) - 1.3 per cent 20. Ireland (Connacht) - 1.2 per cent 21. Wales - 1 per cent 22. Ireland (Leinster) - 1 per cent Advertisement

The Viking descendant population is much more prominent up in the northern parts of the British Isles

'The people of the Viking Age did not have family names, but instead used the system of patronymics, where the children were named after their father, or occasionally their mother.

'So, for example the son of Ivar would be given their own first name and then in addition "Ivar's son".

'A daughter would be Ivar's daughter.

Millions of Britons could be descendants of Vikings - especially if their surname ends in 'son', according to experts (stock image)

Musician Sir Paul McCartney (left) and TV personality Ferne McCann (right) may be able to trace their family back to the Viking era

A famous example from a 13th-century Icelandic saga, describing the Viking Age, is Egil Skallagrimsson, who was the son of a man named Skalla-Grim, she added.

She said: 'This naming pattern still remains in use in Iceland today but has been abandoned in Scandinavia in favour of family names, just like in the UK.

'People of the Viking Age would often have a descriptive nickname, for example two of the Earls of Orkney who were known as Sigurd the Stout and Thorfill Skullsplitter.'

Orkney and Shetland, where the Viking heritage is very strong, is home to many names which can be traced back to the period including 'Linklater', 'Flett', 'Scarth', 'Heddle' and 'Halcro'.

Names which refer to a personal characteristic were also common among Vikings, such as 'Long', 'Short', 'Wise', 'Lover' and 'Good.' Pictured is British comedian Josie Long

Made in Chelsea siblings Sam (left) and Louise (right) Thompson may be descendants of Scandinavian settlers

Scottish names such as 'McIvor', 'MacAulay' and 'McLeod' could also signal a Viking family history.

But the research found many Brits have no idea about key Viking facts, with one in five having no idea they originated from Scandinavia.

And almost one in ten believe the Viking Age was around the 15th - 18th century - despite this being the era of rulers such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

One in four were also unaware the Vikings raided the UK, with more than one in twenty believing they targeted south America instead.
Uber drivers could soon be out of a job, as new technology is being developed that will allow members of the public to summon driverless cars with a click of a button.

The UK government has handed 12.8 million ($16.4 million) to an AI firm to develop a driverless car system.

The firm plans to demonstrate a fully-working system that would allow people to order driverless rides through a smartphone app, in 2019.

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Uber drivers could soon be out of a job, as new technology is being developed that will allow members of the public to summon driverless cars with a click of a button. Pictured is a Nissan driverless vehicle being tested in London in February

DRIVERLESS CARS IN THE UK The UK currently allows driverless car trials to take place on public roads anywhere, as long as that car is covered by insurance This is where the issue often occurs, as the rules aren't clear as to who is responsible if a crash occurs. Despite this, insurers such as RSA have accepted applications from some driverless car companies. First trials of the technology began in February 2015 in Greenwich, Milton Keynes, Coventry and Bristol. In October 2016, a driverless car was tested among members of the public in Milton Keynes. Volvo launched 'Drive Me UK' earlier this year, an extensive UK-based autonomous driving trial, involving up to 100 driverless cars being driven on roads by people later this year. Advertisement

The Departments for Business and Transport gave the huge funding to FiveAI, an AI firm based in Cambridge, who will develop the technology alongside Direct Line, the University of Oxford, Transport for London and the Transport Research Laboratory.

FiveAI plans to create the system by the third quarter of 2019, and sees it being trialled in 10 electric cars in south London.

Although the firm has been given initial funding by the UK government, it plans to raise further money privately to grow its staff base from around 20 to 120 people in the next two years.

It has already been testing prototype vehicles on private land in Cambridge, and expects to soon move onto rural roads.

Mr Stan Boland, CEO of FiveAI, told The Telegraph: 'It's about delivering to the consumer an autonomous Uber-type service in London.

'It's insane for people to buy a car and then leave it parked for 94 per cent of the time and only have one user per car, in the future vehicles can be shared.'

Earlier this month, members of the public were given the opportunity to test a driverless vehicle for the first time. Around 100 people travelled in a prototype shuttle on a two-mile route near London's O2 Arena

DRIVERLESS BUSES Earlier this month, around 100 people travelled in a prototype shuttle on a two-mile route near London's O2 Arena. Five cameras and three lasers helped the vehicle navigate along a riverside path used by pedestrians and cyclists at up to 10mph. A trained person was also on board who could stop the vehicle if required during the tests. Advertisement

The Oxford-based 'Driven' group has also been given government funding to try out a fleet of autonomous vehicles between London and Oxford.

The group is led by Oxbotica, which makes software for driverless vehicles.

Professor Paul Newman, founder of Driven, told the BBC: 'We're moving from the singleton autonomous vehicle to fleets of autonomous vehicles - and what's interesting is what data the vehicles share with one another, when, and why.'

This isn't the first time that driverless cars will be tested on UK roads.

In February, Nissan began testing autonomous driving technology for the first time in Europe, using routes in East London to trial the performance of a Leaf electric car kitted out with cameras and radars deigned to help it negotiate traffic and roundabouts.

And earlier this month, members of the public were given the opportunity to test a driverless vehicle for the first time.

Around 100 people travelled in a prototype shuttle on a two-mile route near London's O2 Arena.

It is hoped the project could make it easier for smaller neighbourhoods in Greenwich to access existing public transport hubs.
People are terrified of a robot uprising in which androids take control of society, a new study has found.

Sinister threats are brewing deep inside our technology laboratories according to 60 per cent of people who say an 'android takeover' in the near future is a 'genuine concern.'

The team that carried out the survey about our android paranoia believes the AI revolution will affect humans in 'ways we can only imagine.'

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Nearly two out of three people say an 'android takeover' in the near future is a 'genuine concern' according to the survey of 2,000 British people. Pictured is a robot from The Terminator film

ANDROID TAKEOVER The survey found that three out of four of British people believe robots are 'unsafe' and could be open to attack. Sixty per cent of people are genuinely concerned about an 'android takeover'. Brits were equally fearful of self-driving cars with two out of three people fearing they would crash. Although people are terrified of an android takeover, 87 per cent of people included in the survey said they are interested in using AI technology. Sixty per cent would like to have their own 'domestic robots' to help out at home. Advertisement

The survey found that three out of four of British people believe robots are 'unsafe' and could be open to attack.

They were equally fearful of self-driving cars with two out of three people fearing they would crash.

Half of the 2,000 people surveyed believed they would be targeted by hackers to crash on purpose.

Bosses at SQS, the Cologne-based software quality assurance firm who carried out the survey, said that protection from 'robot malfunction' should be the focus of AI firms.

'Our research proves the threat of hackers targeting AI devices has caused the UK to be reluctant in adopting such technologies', said Dik Vos, CEO of SQS.

'[This] has even caused fear that a scenario of robots malfunctioning and killing humans is likely to happen in the future', he added.

Although people are terrified of an android takeover, 87 per cent of people included in the survey said they are interested in using AI technology.

Sixty per cent would like to have their own 'domestic robots' to help out at home.

Professor Stephen Hawking has previously expressed his concerns about an android takeover.

Professor Stephen Hawking warned that artificial intelligence has the potential to evolve faster than the human race and humanity faces an uncertain future as technology learns to think for itself

In an interview at the Starmus Festival last year, he said: 'I don't think advances in artificial intelligence will necessarily be benign.

'Once machines reach a critical stage of being able to evolve themselves we cannot predict whether their goals will be the same as ours.

'Artificial intelligence has the potential to evolve faster than the human race.'

Brits were found to be equally fearful of self-driving cars with two out of three people fearing they would crash. Pictured is a Nissan driverless car being tested in London

This is not the first time Professor Hawking has warned of the dangers of a robot uprising.

In 2015 he warned humanity faces an uncertain future as technology learns to think for itself and adapt to its environment.

'The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race', the physicist said.
Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson has just broken the record for the longest time spent in space by any American.

The 57-year-old astronaut has previously broken records for being the oldest woman in space and for being the woman who has taken the most space walks.

The Nasa flight engineer is currently in the midst of her third stint at the International Space Station, where she is investigating the medical implications of space travel.

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Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson (pictured) has just broken the record for the longest time spent in space by any American

RECORD-BREAKING SPACEWOMAN: PEGGY WHITSON At 57 years old, Peggy Whitson is the oldest spacewoman in the world. The NASA flight engineer is currently in the midst of her third stint at the International Space Station. Dr Whitson broke the record for the most time an American has spent in space at 1.27AM ET (6.27AM BST) on April 24. On March 30, Whitson performed the eight spacewalk of her career, the most ever performed by a woman. And, midway through the spacewalk, Whitson surpassed the current record for women of 50 hours and 40 minutes of total accumulated spacewalking time, held by former space station resident Sunita Williams. Advertisement

Dr Whitson broke the record at 1.27AM ET (6.27AM BST) today, logging 535 days in orbit.

She is expecting a call from Donald Trump and Ivanka from the Oval Office on Monday later today.

Dr Whitson has overtaken US astronaut Jeff Williams, who spent a total of 534 days in space.

She said on Twitter on April 23: 'It is one of those rides that you hope never ends.

'I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions! #LifeInSpace'

The all-time record belongs to Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka, who has spent 879 days in space.

'At 1:27 a.m. ET on April 24, @AstroPeggy has officially broken @Astro_Jeff's record of 534 days in space.

'Wish her well with #CongratsPenny!'

By the time she lands back on Earth in September, Dr Whitson will have spent 666 days in orbit.

But it seems she is more concerned with her research than being a record holder.

The Nasa flight engineer (pictured) is currently in the midst of her third stint at the International Space Station

Dr Whitson (pictured) has overtaken US astronaut Jeff Williams, who spent a total of 534 days in space

'I'm not here because of the record,' she told ABC News earlier this month.

'I'm definitely here for conducting the science.'

Scientists are eager to monitor any changes to her body, to add to the knowledge gained from retired astronaut Scott Kelly's recent one-year flight.

It is one of those rides that you hope never ends. I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions! #LifeInSpace pic.twitter.com/msjKSg6WWH  Peggy Whitson (@AstroPeggy) April 23, 2017

Her mission on the ISS was recently extended by several months.

'This is great news,' Dr Whitson said at the time.

'I love being up here. Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here.

'Having three more months to squeeze is just what I would wish for.'

At 1:27 a.m. ET on April 24, @AstroPeggy has officially broken @Astro_Jeff's record of 534 days in space. Wish her well with #CongratsPeggy! pic.twitter.com/ylZtOwt4lA  International Space Station (@Space_Station) April 24, 2017

By the time she lands back on Earth in September, Dr Whitson (pictured) will have spent 666 days in orbit

PREPARING THE NEW PARKING SPOT In March, astronauts on the ISS began to make preparations for the installation of the second of two parking spots for space taxis, known as the International Docking Adapters. New crew spaceships, being designed by SpaceX and Boeing, will use them when they begin flying astronauts to the station in the coming years, as early as 2018. Currently, the only way the world's astronauts can reach orbit is by buying a ride aboard Russia's Soyuz capsules, at $81 million per seat. Advertisement

Whitson's extension will ensure a full complement of six astronauts on board the station and increase the amount of valuable astronaut time available for experiments on board the station.

'Peggy's skill and experience makes her an incredible asset aboard the space station,' said Kirk Shireman, NASA's International Space Station Program Manager.

'By extending the stay of one of NASA's most veteran astronauts, our research, our technology development, our commercial and our international partner communities will all benefit.'

Last week the world's oldest and most experienced spacewoman, broke another record as she floated out of the International Space Station to set up a new parking spot.

It was the eighth spacewalk of her career, the most ever performed by a woman.

World's oldest and most experienced spacewoman, Peggy Whitson (pictured), broke another record as she floated out of the International Space Station to set up a new parking spot

Whitson and her spacewalking partner, station commander Shane Kimbrough, ventured out to complete prep work on a docking port.

But, at around 10:30 a.m., the spacewalking astronauts lost an important piece of shielding needed for the International Space Station, forcing them to carry out an impromptu patch.

The cloth bundle floated away Thursday midway through the spacewalk.

Spacewalking astronauts lost an important piece of shielding needed for the International Space Station, forcing them to carry out an impromptu patch

Whitson and her spacewalking partner, station commander Shane Kimbrough, ventured out to complete prep work on a docking port

Whitson immediately reported the mishap to Mission Control, which tracked the item as it drifted away.

The shielding protects against micrometeorite debris.

It was one of four shield pieces to be installed in the hole left by a newly relocated docking port.
Online perverts are using fake celebrity social media profiles to con young people into sending them inappropriate images, police have cautioned.

Law enforcement officers have warned about social media accounts pretending to be idols like Harry Styles and Justin Bieber.

The accounts approach young people pretending to be celebrities and ask them to take pornographic images of themselves.

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Law enforcement have warned about social media accounts pretending to be idols such as Justin Bieber (pictured) and Harry Styles who approach young people pretending to be their idol and ask them to take pornographic images of themselves

FAKE ACCOUNTS Law enforcement have warned about social media accounts pretending to be idols like Harry Styles and Justin Bieber. 'Lots of child sex offenders are utilising Musical.ly to groom children. That's a very well-known international fact, believe it or not,' said Inspector Jon Rouse. He warned that we need to re-evaluate the way children are educated about safe behaviour online. The Twitter account @PrvtHarryStyles claiming to belong to the One Direction star claimed to give mental health advice had more than 10,000 followers. Detective Inspector Rouse also led a recent investigation into a man with more than 900 child sex offences posed as Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Advertisement

'The fact that so many children across the world could believe that they were talking to Justin Bieber, and that Justin Bieber would make them do the things that they did, is really quite concerning', Inspector Jon Rouse, who runs a specialist branch responsible for tackling online child exploitation in Queensland, Australia told BBC.

'I think a re-evaluation of the way we educate children about safe online behaviour is really needed.'

Inspector Rouse also warned about the dangers of another popular social platform which launched in 2014 called Muscial.ly.

'Lots of child sex offenders are utilising Musical.ly to groom children. That's a very well-known international fact, believe it or not,' he said.

Musical.ly allows users to create 15-second video clips to accompany their favourite songs and share them online.

Most children use the app to film themselves lip-syncing to chart hits.

The Twitter account @PrvtHarryStyles claiming to belong to the One Direction star had more than 10,000 followers.

A number of people had posted about inappropriate behaviour from the account although these allegations were not able to be verified.

The star's sister, Gemma Styles, sparked a probe into fake accounts that preyed on vulnerable girls.

'For people asking @PrvtHarryStyles is NOT a real account. Do not send pictures of anything else. Stay sharp, stay suspicious, stay safe', she wrote on Twitter.

The account has now been suspended.

The Twitter account @PrvtHarryStyles claiming to belong to the One Direction star (pictured) had more than 10,000 followers. A number of people had posted about inappropriate behaviour from the account although these allegations were not able to be verified

Melbourne mother Alicia was horrified when a stranger calling himself 'the real Justin Bieber' asked her eight-year-old daughter Charlie to send him nude photographs on Musical.ly.

She had only allowed her daughter to download Musical.ly on her own iPad two days before the incident.

The first message was an invitation to enter a competition to win a conversation with a celebrity.

Harry Styles' sister, Gemma Styles, sparked a probe into face accounts that preyed on vulnerable girls. 'For people asking @PrvtHarryStyles is NOT a real account. Do not send pictures of anything else. Stay sharp, stay suspicious, stay safe', she wrote

Then the second message that came up was along the lines of 'all you need to do is send me a photo of you naked or of your vagina,' according to Alicia.

The next message said 'Don't worry about it. All the girls are sending me these photos. Just do it. It'll be our secret.'

Musical.ly told MailOnline: 'We take the safety of our users very seriously and we have zero tolerance for inappropriate, illegal, or predatory behaviour on our apps.

'We urge our users to report any inappropriate activity to us.'

Detective Inspector Jon Rouse led a recent investigation into a man with more than 900 child sex offences who posed as Justin Bieber.

Gordon Douglas Chalmers allegedly used Facebook and Skype to impersonate the pop star and convince fans to send him explicit images.

The Canadian star's sister tweeted about the hoax account which asked young people to send explicit images. 'Young girls don't need this', she tweeted

Detective Inspector Rouse described the 42-year-old's crimes, which included three counts of rape, as 'frankly horrendous'.

Sharon Girling, a safeguarding consultant at the UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre told the BBC: 'When you're nine or 10 or 12 looking at these accounts, they seem to be genuine and so as a consequence it's the younger element that is getting fooled into believing that they are legitimate.

'We don't let people drive a car until they're 17 because it's illegal to drive a car and we understand people have got to have an understanding of their responsibilities.

'Yet we give mobile phones and apps to children as young as five and six without parents having any understanding of what they're doing on them', she said.
Google co-founder Larry Page's mysterious flying cars will be available to buy by the end of this year.

The billionaire's company Kitty Hawk has officially launched after months of rumours and speculation.

Kitty Hawk president Sebastian Thrun, who co-created Google's self-driving car, tweeted a link to the company's official website today.

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Google co-founder Larry Page's mysterious flying cars will be available to buy by the end of this year. Kitty Hawk, pictured here, is an electrical aircraft that resembles a flying jet ski

WHAT IS A KITTY HAWK? Kitty Hawk is an electrical aircraft that resembles a flying jet ski, but it doesn't require a pilot's license to fly. The vehicle weighs around 220lbs (100kg) and can hit speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40kph). According to the Kitty Hawk site, the machine is 'safe, tested and legal to operate in the US', as long as it is flown in 'uncongested areas.' Users can learn to fly the strange vehicle in minutes, the company claims. The prototype can only fly around 10 metres (33 feet) over water, and the video of the vehicle shows it gliding over a lake in California. The company is offering a $2000 (1560) discount to those willing to pay an early $100 (78) deposit for a vehicle now, though it has not said how much the vehicles will cost. This prepayment will grant the discount as well as some early test flights with the Kitty Hawk, according to The New York Times. Advertisement

Clicking on the link gives viewers a full look at a prototype Kitty Hawk vehicle in action.

Kitty Hawk is an electrical aircraft that resembles a flying jet ski.

It doesn't require a pilot's license to fly according to the company's website.

A New York Times profile of the Kitty Hawk describes it as 'something Luke Skywalker would have built out of spare parts'.

The final version of the vehicle will look quite different to the current prototype, test pilot Cimeron Morrissey wrote in a first-hand review.

The vehicle weighs around 100 kilograms (220lbs) and can hit speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40kph), Mrs Morrissey wrote. She described the Kitty Hawk as 'a toy helicopter.'

'The prototype looks and feels a lot like a flying motorcycle,' she wrote.

'You mount the seat and lean forward, just like you would on a bike.

'The controls are built into a set of handlebars and work similar to buttons and joysticks on a video game controller.

'It takes off and lands vertically, like a helicopter. But unlike a helicopter, the Flyer is 100 per cent electric and powered by eight rotors.'

According to the Kitty Hawk site, the machine is 'safe, tested and legal to operate in the US', as long as it is flown in 'uncongested areas.'

Users can learn to fly the strange vehicle in minutes, the company claims.

The prototype can only fly around 10 metres (33ft) over water, and the video of the vehicle shows it gliding over a lake in California.

The billionaire's company Kitty Hawk has officially launched after months of rumours and speculation. The company has released a promo video for its prototype vehicle (pictured), which weighs 220lbs (100 kilograms) and can hit speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40kph)

The company is offering a $2000 (1560) discount to those willing to pay an early $100 (78) deposit for a vehicle now, though it has not said how much the vehicles will cost.

This prepayment will grant the discount as well as some early test flights with the Kitty Hawk, according to The New York Times.

It was revealed last month that Page's other flying car company 'Zee Aero' registered two new aircraft with the US Federal Aviation Administration on January 18.

Both of the aircraft are all-electric rotary aircraft, meaning they use rotary wings to fly like a helicopter.

The final version of the vehicle will look quite different to the current prototype, test pilot Cimeron Morrissey wrote in a first-hand review. The prototype looks and feels a lot like a flying motorcycle, she said. Users mount the seat and lean forward to move

Users can learn to fly the strange vehicle in minutes, the company claims. The prototype can only fly around 10 metres (33 feet) over water, and the video of the vehicle shows it gliding over a lake in California

LARRY PAGE'S FLYING CAR COMPANIES Zee Aero was set up in 2010, working on a small, all-electric plane that could take off and land vertically  essentially a flying car. While there was much speculation that the company was affiliated to Google, as their headquarters were next door, Zee Aero fiercely denied the claims. However, it has since been revealed that Zee Aero belongs to Larry Page, Google's co-founder. The company's operations have expanded to an airport hangar in Hollister, California, where a pair of prototype aircraft take regular test flights. In 2015 a second competing flying-car startup called Kitty Hawk also began operations in its headquarters very near Google's. Despite the apparent rivalry, Bloomberg have reported that Mr Page has in fact been putting money into both Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk. Advertisement

The registration files allow Zee Aero to fly the rotorcraft for tests for up to three years, according to documents seen by Business Insider.

Kitty Hawk, a subsidiary of Zee Aero that is working on separate flying car designs, registered to fly a four-seater Cessna 172 Skyhawk plane in January - the most-produced aircraft in history.

Page's creation of Zee Aero in 2010 was kept secret until last year when it was revealed Page had privately invested $100 million (82 million) in the two separate flying car firms.

Since 2010 Zee Aero has been working on a small, all-electric plane that could take off and land vertically  essentially a flying car.

To date Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk have collectively filed more than dozen different aircraft registrations with the FAA.

The first of these filings was registered in 2014.

Aircraft types include electric gliders, rotorcraft, and fixed-wing designs that work like traditional aeroplanes.

Zee Aero has never publicly acknowledged or demonstrated any of its designs or prototypes.

But last year one of its prototype aircraft was spotted at a remote airfield in California.

Locals said they had even seen it hovering above the ground.

The company is offering a $2000 (1560) discount to those willing to pay an early $100 (78) deposit for a vehicle now, though it has not said how much the vehicles will cost. This image shows a first-person view of someone driving the new vehicle

Kitty Hawk president Sebastian Thrun, who co-created Google's self-driving car, tweeted a link to the company's official website today. Clicking on the link gives viewers a full look at a prototype Kitty Hawk vehicle

Page's 'Zee Aero' registered two new aircraft with the US Federal Aviation Administration on January 18. One of Zee Aero's prototypes (pictured) was spotted at the firm's secretive test lab in Hollister, California, last year. Locals said they had even seen it hovering above the ground

Google's company's co-founder, Larry Page appears to be secretly investing in flying cars. According to Bloomberg Businessweek , Page has personally provided 70 million ($100 million) to two startups developing the technology

A patent from 2011 emerged in June 2016 showing Zee Aero's designs for a flying car, and Bloomberg reported it was now pursuing a 'simpler, more conventional-looking design.'

Since then it relocated to Hollister, California, where its new design was spotted by locals in October.

The attention-grabbing plane had a high pitched, electric whine, they said.

'It sounded like an electric motor running, just a high-pitched whine,' Steve Eggleston, assistant manager at an airplane-parts company with offices bordering the Hollister Municipal Airport tarmac, told Bay Area News.

Video courtesy: Mercury News

During two Zee Aero flights witnessed by DK Turbines staff from several hundred yards away in September and October, the aircraft hovered about 25 feet off the ground, and landed rapidly, straight down.

In October an aircraft was spotted being towed down the runway on two consecutive days, although no hovering or flying was observed by witnesses.

Zee Aero was set up in 2010, working on a small, all-electric plane that could take off and land vertically  essentially a flying car. Pictured is a Zee Aero patent from 2011

Dual propellers in the rear fitted with the description and drawings from the patent, but the aircraft appeared to have a single main wing, with pod-like structures beneath it, rather than the smaller wings at the front and rear shown in the drawings.

Job ads on the firm's sight also confirm it is sticking with propellors, saying: 'The aerodynamics group is responsible for supporting airframe design, propeller design, performance and stability analysis, handling qualities analysis and flight testing.'

In a May 2016 letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the firm said it was building 'an entirely new aircraft that will change personal aviation.'

A Zee Aero spokeswoman said the firm is 'currently not discussing (its) plans publicly.'
Global warming's milder winters will likely nudge Americans off the couch more in the future, a rare, small benefit of climate change, a new study finds.

With less chilly winters, Americans will be more likely to get outdoors, increasing their physical activity by as much as 2.5 percent by the end of the century, according to a new study in Monday's edition of the journal Nature Human Behaviour .

Places like North Dakota, Minnesota and Maine are likely to see the most dramatic increases, usually the result of more walking.

But that good global warming side effect is not likely to extend to the deep south and especially the desert southwest because hotter summer days may keep people inside.

Arizona, southern Nevada and southeastern California are likely to see activity drop off the most by the year 2099, the study found.

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2016 file photo, a man carries a young boy over his shoulder as he walks among beach goers enjoying unusually warm winter temperatures in Encinitas, Calif. Global warming's milder winters will likely nudge Americans off the couch more in the future, a rare, small benefit of climate change, a new study finds. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

"It's a small little tiny silver lining amid a series of very bad, very unfortunate events that are likely to occur," said study lead author Nick Obradovich , who studies the social impacts of climate change at both Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and MIT. Global warming "almost certainly will be very costly on net for humanity."

Any overall benefit for Americans as a whole will probably be far outweighed by many other ways that climate change hurts health, said both Obradovich and outside health experts. For example, deaths from heat waves are expected to increase, allergies are likely to worsen and infectious diseases will be more easily spread, said Dr. Howard Frumkin, a University of Washington environmental health professor.

Obradovich said he got the idea to look about what climate change will do to people's activities a few Octobers ago when he was living in San Diego and running regularly in the afternoon. There was a heat wave, temperatures broke 100, and he stayed home.

Obradovich looked at government surveys about health activity habits, daily weather data from when they were interviewed and simulations of future climate conditions. The warmer it gets, the more people go outside, which he said makes sense. Until it gets too hot. At about 82 to 84 degrees (28 to 29 degrees Celsius) people start to go out less.

For most of America for most of the year, the daily high does not hit 84, so the net effect nationwide is more exercise.

But the affect varies by month and location. Nearly all the country is likely to be less physically active in July, August and September by the end of the century, but a similar majority would also likely exercise more in November, December, January, February, March and even April in the year 2099, the study finds.

Dr. Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, faulted the study for not taking into account people who have jobs that require lots of physical activity nor the growing popularity of winter sports.

Other outside experts said the study made sense, but the bigger picture is more important.

"While milder winters will permit more exercise - a good thing - it's important to put the results of the paper in that broader context," Frumkin said in an email, emphasizing "climate change threatens far more than it benefits."

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Follow Seth Borenstein at http://twitter.com/borenbears and his work can be found at http://tinyurl.com/sethap .
A Linton native, who died last week during a dive recovery operation in Texas, was honored Sunday night by local law enforcement.

About 20 law enforcement officers from seven agencies met Lori Pohanka-Kalama's casket on the tarmac at the Bismarck Airport and escorted her home to Linton.

The 46-year-old speech pathologist and mother of two died Easter morning of an undisclosed injury sustained while searching for a soldier swept away in a Fort Hood, Texas, creek.

Dive team leader and Morgan's Point Resort Police Chief Fred Churchill said Pohanka-Kalama, who was an avid scuba diver and had been a member since 2014, encountered "hazardous diving conditions" in a low-water dam in House Creek on April 14. She was tethered with a rope, which broke during the incident. She hooked a second rope to herself, but it took the team 15 to 20 minutes to finally pull her from the water. She was nonresponsive at that point and died early the next morning at a local hospital.

On the previous day, the dive team found the soldier's vehicle, dog tags, cell phone, wallet and clothing, Churchill said. He has been missing since April 11 and still has not been located.

Churchill recalled Pohanka-Kalama as a "phenomenal diver," who was also outgoing and quickly made many friends on the team. She helped on missions to recover drowning victims, search for law enforcement evidence and find swept-away vehicles.

She was the second female diver ever on the 22-person team, but she did not let the "man's world," hold her back, according to Churchill.

Soon after joining the dive team, she asked one of the leaders why she couldn't be the first one in the water. He told her to come to the next training with a two-by-four plank. She did it. Stunned, the leader jokingly told her to go hit another diver over the head  then she could be first.

On another occasion, Churchill called on her to recover a vehicle that slid into the water at 3:20 a.m. on New Years 2015. She showed up for duty on the festive night and dove into the water with a heavy chain to tow the car from the lake.

"She infiltrated a man's world. Theres not too many women that do that," he said.

Memorial services were held for Pohanka-Kalama in Temple, Texas. From there, her body was escorted by law enforcement to the airport in Austin, Texas. An honor guard was present while her casket was transferred between planes in Minneapolis and then from the plane to Linton, when she reached North Dakota.

At the airport around 10 p.m. Sunday, officers performed a salute and waved North Dakota and U.S. flags as her body was transferred from the plane to the hearse. She and her family were escorted south by multiple fire trucks and marked patrol cars from the Emmons County Sheriff's Department, Linton Fire Department, Burleigh County Dive Team, Burleigh County Sheriff's Department, Bismarck Rural Fire Department, Bismarck Fire Department, Bismarck Police Department and North Dakota Highway Patrol.

"She gave the ultimate sacrifice of her own life in trying to help others," said Emmons County Sheriff Gary Sanders. "We wanted to pay our respects to her and her family."

The Burleigh County Combined Water Rescue and Recovery Team, was among the agencies present Sunday night. It performs a similar role in this region and has been around since 1980, when a plane crashed into the Missouri River, according to Burleigh County Sheriff's Department Maj. Kelly Leben, who formerly commanded the team.

"When you hear somebody doing the same duties we ask our guys to do, then you hear of this tragedy, it really hits home," Leben said.

Pohanka-Kalama was born in Grafton and grew up in Linton, according to a family obituary. She lived in Belton, Texas, where she managed a speech pathology practice and raised two kids, Rafe, 14, and Gabriel, 13.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Linton.
Insects navigate in much the same way that ancient humans did: using the sky.

Their primary cue is the position of the sun, but insects can also detect properties of skylight (the blue light scattered by the upper atmosphere) that give them indirect information about the sun's position.

Skylight cues include gradients in brightness and colour across the sky and the way light is polarised by the atmosphere.

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Nocturnal dung beetles take to the air at dusk in the African Savanna, in search of the fresh animal droppings on which they feed. But they are not alone and, to escape competition from other dung beetles, they construct a piece of dung into a ball and roll it a few meters away from the dung pile before burying and consuming it

Together, these sky 'compass cues' allow many insect species to hold a stable course.

At night, as visual cues become harder to detect, this process becomes more challenging.

Some can use the light of the moon but one insect, the nocturnal dung beetle Scarabaeus satyrus, uses light from the Milky Way to orient itself.

To find out exactly how this process works, my colleagues and I constructed an artificial Milky Way, using LEDs, to test the beetles' abilities.

We found that they rely on the difference in brightness between different parts of the Milky Way to work out which way to go.

Scarabaeus satyrus holds its course with apparent ease every night.

They take to the air at dusk in the African Savanna, in search of the fresh animal droppings on which they feed.

But they are not alone and, to escape competition from other dung beetles, they construct a piece of dung into a ball and roll it a few meters away from the dung pile before burying and consuming it.

To avoid returning to their starting point, they maintain a straight path while rolling their ball.

Nocturnal beetles do not use the intricate star patterns within the Milky Way as their compass cue, but instead identify a brightness difference across the night sky to set their heading. This is similar to what their day-active relatives do when the sun is not visible but instead orient themselves using the brightness gradient of the daytime sky

Scientists discovered that the beetles could do this even on moonless clear nights.

DUNG BEETLE FACTS Dung beetles are found on every continent - apart from Antarctica

They have a life span of three years and range in size from less than 1 millimetre (0.039 inches) to 6 centimetres (2.4 inches).

Ancient Egyptians revered the beetle (also known as the scarab) and believed that a giant version of the insect kept the earth revolving.

They are usually solitary - except for the period they spend with a partner before mating .

Female dung beetles are the best mothers in the insect world and stay with their offspring for two months.

Scientists have found up to 16,000 beetles in one 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) heap of elephant dung. Advertisement

So in 2009, a group of researchers took some beetles on a trip to the planetarium in Johannesburg, and watched them try to orient themselves under different star patterns.

They found the beetles could hold their course well when the planetarium displayed just the Milky Way, the streak of light across the night sky produced by the disc-shaped arrangement of the stars in our galaxy.

But the beetles became disoriented when only the brightest stars in the sky were shown.

What was still unclear was exactly what kind of compass cue the beetles extracted from the Milky Way.

We knew, for example, that night-migrating birds learn the constellations surrounding the sky's northern centre of rotation, much as sailors did before the advent of modern navigation systems.

These constellations remain in the northern part of the sky as the Earth rotates, and so are a reliable reference for northsouth journeys.

The planetarium experiments had shown that the beetles don't use constellations of bright stars, but perhaps they could learn patterns within the Milky Way instead.

My colleagues and I then proposed that the beetles might perform a brightness comparison, identifying either the brightest point in the Milky Way or a brightness gradient across the sky that is influenced by the Milky Way.

To avoid returning to their starting point, nocturnal dung beetles maintain a straight path while rolling their dung ball away

We used our artificial night sky to test this theory, constructing a simplified Milky Way streak that simulated different patterns of stars and brightness gradients.

We found that the beetles became lost when given a pattern of stars within the artificial Milky Way.

The beetles only maintained their heading when the two sides of the streak differed in brightness.

This suggests nocturnal beetles do not use the intricate star patterns within the Milky Way as their compass cue, but instead identify a brightness difference across the night sky to set their heading.

This is similar to what their day-active relatives do when the sun is not visible but instead orient themselves using the brightness gradient of the daytime sky.

This brightness-comparison strategy may be less sophisticated than the way birds and human sailors identify specific constellations, but it's an efficient solution to interpreting the complex information present in the starry skygiven how small the beetles' eyes and brains are.

In this way, they overcome the limited bandwidth of their information proNocturnal dung beetles rely on the difference in brightness between different parts of the Milky Way across the night sky to work out which way to go, researchers at Lund University have found.essing systems and do more with less, just as humans have learnt to do with technology.

This straightforward brightness comparison strategy is particularly effective over short distances.

So although Scarabaeus satyrus is the only species known to hold its course in this way, the technique may also be used by many other nocturnal animals that perform short journeys at night.
It is a region that could finally answer the question is whether life existed on Mars.

Brown University has revealed the first high resolution map of Northeast Syrtis Major, one of three areas NASA is considering sending its next generation Mars 2020 rover to.

The region is home to a striking mineral diversity, and experts say it 'includes deposits that indicate a variety of past environments that could have hosted life.'

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Brown University researchers have published the most detailed geological history to date for a region of Mars known as Northeast Syrtis Major, a spot high on NASA's list of potential landing sites for its next Mars rover to be launched in 2020.

Using the highest resolution images available from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the study maps the extent of those key mineral deposits across the surface and places them within the region's larger geological context.

'When we look at this in high resolution, we can see complicated geomorphic patterns and a diversity of minerals at the surface that I think is unlike anything we've ever seen on Mars,' said Mike Bramble, a Ph.D. student at Brown who led the study, which is published in the journal Icarus.

'Within a few kilometers, there's a huge spectrum of things you can see and they change very quickly.'

If NASA ultimately decides to land at Northeast Syrtis, the work would help in providing a roadmap for the rover's journey.

'This is a foundational paper for considering this part of the planet as a potential landing site for the Mars2020 rover,' said Jack Mustard, a professor in Brown's Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences and a coauthor on the paper.

'This represents an exceptional amount of work on Mike's part, really going into the key morphologic and spectroscopic datasets we need in order to understand what this region can tell us about the history of Mars if we explore it with a rover.'

THE NORTHEAST SYRTIS OF MARS Northeast Syrtis sits between two giant Martian landforms -- an impact crater 2,000 kilometers in diameter called the Isidis Basin, and a large volcano called Syrtis Major. The impact basin formed about 3.96 billion years ago, while lava flow from the volcano came later, about 3.7 billion years ago. Northeast Syrtis preserves the geological activity that occurred in the 250 million years between those two events. Northeast Syrtis sits between two giant Martian landforms -- an impact crater 2,000 kilometers in diameter called the Isidis Basin, and a large volcano called Syrtis Major. Billions of years of erosion, mostly from winds howling across the region into the Isidis lowlands, have exposed that history on the surface. Within Northeast Syrtis are the mineral signatures of four distinct types of watery and potentially habitable past environments. Those minerals had been detected by prior research, but the new map shows in detail how they are distributed within the region's larger geological context. That helps constrain the mechanisms that may have formed them, and shows when they formed relative to each other. Northeast Syrtis, is the site of a rocky volcano which once had hot water running underneath its crust The lowest and the oldest layer exposed at Northeast Syrtis has the kind of clay minerals formed when rocks interact with water that has a fairly neutral pH. Next in the sequence are rocks containing kaolinite, a mineral formed by water percolating through soil. The next layer up contains spots where the mineral olivine has been altered to carbonate - an aqueous reaction that, on Earth, is known to provide chemical energy for bacterial colonies. The upper layers contain sulfate minerals, another sign of a watery, potentially life-sustaining environment. Advertisement

Understanding the relative timing of the different areas is critical, Mustard says.

They occurred around the transition between the Noachian and Hesperian epochs -- a time of profound environmental change on Mars.

'We know that these environments existed near this major pivot point in Mars history, and in mapping their context we know what came first, what came next and what came last,' Mustard said.

'So now if we're able to go there with a rover, we can sample rock on either side of that pivot point, which could help us understand the changes that occurred at that time, and test different hypotheses for the possibility of past life.'

And finding signs of past life is the primary mission of the Mars2020 rover. NASA has held three workshops in which scientists debated the merits of various landing targets for the rover.

Mustard and Bramble hope this latest work might inform NASA's decision, and ultimately help in planning the Mars2020 mission.

'As we turn our eyes to the next target for in situ exploration on the martian surface,' the researchers conclude, 'no location offers better access of the gamut of geological processes active at Mars than Northeast Syrtis Major.'

Earlier this year NASA narrowed down its quest to find alien life on the red planet by pin-pointing three potential target sites for its Mars 2020 mission.

The US space agency will send its Mars 2020 rover to one of three drilling sites - each selected for their potential to host extraterrestrial life.

The automated robot rover will scan the surface of the chosen landing site before taking detailed pictures and collecting rocky samples to bring back to Earth.

Nasa has announced the three potential landing sites for their 2020 Mars Rover, pictured, including an ancient lake, a volcano or silica rock deposits

The American space agency picked the three potential drilling sites during a workshop with planetary scientists in California on February 10.

The site with the most votes - the Jezero crater - was once home to an ancient Martian lake.

Scientists hope that the extraterrestrial delta, which has once connected to a river but has now dried up, could host the fossilised remains of microbial life.

Nasa's first choice, the Jezero crater, pictured, was once home to an ancient Martian lake which could host the fossilised remains of microbial life

'You've got a large river bringing water and sediment into a very large lake, comparable to Lake Tahoe,' said Timothy Goudge, a planetary scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, to Nature.

Northeast Syrtis, which received the second highest number of votes, once had hot water running underneath its crust.

The rocky region was discovered to be a volcano when the robotic spacecraft Mars Global Surveyor stumbled across it in 1996.

The last potential excavation site, Columbia Hills, was previously explored by the Martian rover Spirit, which found silica rocks that could be linked to alien life

The last potential excavation site, Columbia Hills, is the most controversial choice.

Nasa's earlier Martian rover Spirit has previously found silica rocks on the site - which resemble hydrothermal mineral deposits on Earth.

But some scientists doubt whether the Mars 2020 rover will be able to assess whether the silica rocks are truly linked to alien life.

Nasa will make their final decision a year before the mission's launch date in July 2020.

The rover will then spend two years drilling for rock and soil from the chosen landing site.
Tesla has revealed it will be 'doubling' its charging network with massive solar powered stations  from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year.

In the US, the firm has planned to increase its Supercharger stations by 150 percent, which will spread out across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas.

Tesla has also announced that it expects to expand its 'Destination Chargers' stations, which sit at hotels and restaurants, from 9,000 to 15,000.

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Tesla has revealed it will be 'doubling' its charging network with massive solar powered stations  from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year. Tesla has also revealed that it expects to increase the number of its 'Destination Chargers' that sit at hotels and restaurants from 9,000 to 15,000

SUPERCHARGER STATIONS Tesla plans to increase number of stations from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year. The number of facilities in the US will increase by 150% and will be placed across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas. Tesla also expects to increase the number of its 'Destination Chargers' that sit at hotels and restaurants from 9,000 to 15,000. Some of the stations will also run on solar panels. Advertisement

Tesla plans to go as green as possible with the new stations and design some of the new units for these Superchargers to run on solar panels, Bloomberg reported.

Many sites will soon enter construction to open in advance of the summer travel season,' Tesla said in the post. 'We're moving full speed on site selection.'

The firm also noted that as it prepares for its first mass-market vehicle and continues to increase our Model S and Model X fleet, charging is becoming an even greater priority.

'It is extremely important to us and our mission that charging is convenient, abundant, and reliable for all owners, current and future,' Tesla explained.

'In 2017, we'll be doubling the Tesla charging network, expanding existing sites so drivers never wait to charge, and broadening our charging locations within city centers.'

Tesla first revealed its plans for the Supercharger stations in 2012.

'High traffic corridors across the US over the next year, with units heading to Europe and Asia in the second half of 2013,' CEO Elon Musk said in the announcement.

And as the years past, Musk began expanding his vision to turning highways into 'electric superhighways' in an attempt to persuade drivers to switch to battery-powered cars.

The firm also noted that as it prepares for its first mass-market vehicle and continues to increase our Model S and Model X fleet, charging is becoming an even greater priority

Musk has come a long way from the first announcement, as it now has over 5,400 Superchargers and more than 9,000 Destination Charging connectors that replicate the convenience of home charging by providing hotels, resorts, and restaurants with Tesla Wall Connectors.

'We started 2017 with over 5,000 Superchargers globally and by the end of this year, Tesla will double that number to total more than 10,000 Superchargers and 15,000 Destination Charging connectors around the world,' Tesla said in Monday's announcement.

In the US, the firm has planned to increases its Supercharger stations by 150 percent, which will spread out across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas. Red are current stations and gray are those set to come

Parts of Europe are also set to get a slew of new Supercharger stations. Red are current stations and gray are those set to come

TESLA MODEL 3 DETAILS Elon Musk has boasted the firm's production facility for its much anticipated Model 3 will look like an 'alien dreadnought'. Musk has said the facility, which is separate from the firm's 'Gigafactory', will be 'the machine that makes the machine,' and told analysts it will stun people. 'It's like, 'What the hell is that?'' said Musk. Musk revealed the in-house term for the manufacturing advancement he hopes to introduce is 'alien dreadnought.' 'The point at which that's what the factory looks like, that's when you know you've won.' He also revealed the line will evolve in stages. 'By version 3, it won't look like anything else,' he said. 'You can't have people in the production line itself, otherwise you drop to people speed. 'So there will be no people in production process itself. 'People will maintain the machines, upgrade them, and deal with anomalies.' However, there will still be people working in the factory, though, mostly overseeing the robots and making sure everything is running at peak efficiency. Advertisement

'In North America, we'll increase the number of Superchargers by 150 percent, and in California alone we'll add more than 1,000 Superchargers.'

'We're moving full speed on site selection and many sites will soon enter construction to open in advance of the summer travel season.'

The firm is set to build the stations further off the highway and will bring them into more urban areas.
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The Today host separated from his wife Cassandra Thorburn last year, before finding love with a younger model several months later.

And Karl Stefanovic, 42, appeared overjoyed to be reunited with girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, 33, when he touched down at LAX earlier this month.

He had flown in to Los Angeles for a week-long break with the former catwalk model, which also included a trip to Mexico with her family.

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It must be love! Karl Stefanovic, 42, appeared overjoyed to be reunited with girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, 33, when he touched down at LAX earlier this month

Passionate embrace: Karl had flown in to Los Angeles for a week-long break with the blonde model, which also included a trip to Mexico with her family

Meanwhile, as Karl enjoyed his overseas holiday, his estranged wife-of-21-years Cassandra spent the week clearing out their former marital home in Lindfield, Sydney.

Cassandra, a former ABC journalist and mother-of-three, was picturing carrying bags and boxes to her car as she prepared to move out after selling the property.

But it was a far different scene in the car park of LA Airport as Jasmine, clearly overcome with emotion, jumped into Karl's arms and passionately kissed him.

The fashion designer was seen wrapping her legs around his waist and tightening her grip around his neck as they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

Karl's new squeeze! Karl simply couldn't keep his hands off his younger girlfriend, as his hands often wandered towards the blonde businesswoman's pert derriere

It's you! Jasmine, clearly overcome with emotion, jumped into Karl's arms and passionately kissed him in the LAX car park

Karl, who had just stepped off a 14-hour flight from Sydney, returned her embrace in a very public display of affection.

The Channel Nine personality looked in happy spirits as he dressed casually in jeans, boots, a white collared T-shirt and a grey blazer.

Having been spotted getting intimate on a yacht in Sydney in February, the passion certainly seemed to be alive and well as the couple reunited in America.

Get a room! Karl, who just stepped off a 14-hour flight from Sydney, returned her embrace in a very public display of affection

Psst! Karl was pictured kissing Jasmine's neck and whispering sweet nothings while she packed his suitcases into the boot

Karl simply couldn't keep his hands off his younger girlfriend, as his hands often wandered towards the blonde businesswoman's pert derriere.

He was pictured kissing Jasmine's neck and whispering sweet nothings while she packed his suitcases into the boot of their vehicle.

Karl appeared to hold Jasmine's designer handbag in his right hand as his left hand gently caressed the model's posterior.

Helping hand! Karl held Jasmine's designer handbag in his right hand as his left hand gently caressed the model's posterior

Part of the family? Karl reportedly flew overseas to reunite with Jasmine for her brother Josh's 30th birthday celebrations

Meanwhile, Jasmine looked fashionable as always in tight jeans, a black T-shirt and a leather jacket as she picked up her boyfriend from the airport.

After getting into the car, the couple continued to kiss and exchange loving glance before driving away to begin their romantic holiday.

During his break from hosting Today, the lovebirds went from LA to Mexico, where Karl was pictured getting to know Jasmine's family.

Karl reportedly flew overseas to reunite with Jasmine during celebrations for her brother Josh's 30th birthday.

Well, she is a model! Jasmine looked fashionable as always in tight jeans, a black T-shirt and a leather jacket

Smitten! After getting into the car, the couple continued to kiss and exchange loving glance before driving away

One for the road! Karl separated from wife Cassandra Thorburn last year, and met Jasmine several months later

The look of love? It appears the Channel Nine veteran has found happiness once again
Samuel Johnson portrayed him in Channel Seven mini-series Molly.

And Molly Meldrum told news.com.au that he hopes the retired actor wins the Gold Logie on Sunday Night, to encourage him to get back into the industry.

'He's a bloody good actor,' the 74-year-old music critic told the publication.

'He's a bloody good actor': Molly Meldrum, 74, told news.com.au that he hopes Samuel Johnson takes home the Gold Logie on Sunday night, to encourage him to get back into the industry

'I really want Sam to win at least one award for his acting,' Molly revealed.

'He's a bloody good actor. It'd be lovely if he wins the Gold (Logie) but he can't be disappointed if he doesn't, it's impossible to pick that. Just being nominated for so many awards says so much about how popular he is.

'He's got a lot of things going on, obviously Connie (his sister) is very sick and he's very upset over the death of his friend (Karen Ristevski) but he's so good at acting,' the journalist and record producer continued.

'It'd be lovely if he wins the Gold (Logie)': Molly continued to gush to the publication of Samuel's talent: 'He can't be disappointed if he doesn't (win), it's impossible to pick that. Just being nominated for so many awards says so much about how popular he is'

Samuel is nominated not only for the Gold Logie on Sunday night, but also the Best Actor and Most Outstanding Actor for his portrayal of Molly in the Channel Seven mini-series of the same name.

The program is also nominated for Best Drama and Most Outstanding mini-series.

Molly, which premiered as a two-part series in February last year, was based on Meldrum's autobiography, The Never, Um...Ever Ending Story, co-written by journalist Jeff Jenkins.

Lead role: Samuel portrayed Molly in the Channel Seven mini-series of the same name in February last year

Detailed life: Molly, which premiered as a two-part series, was based on Meldrum's autobiography, The Never, Um...Ever Ending Story, co-written by journalist Jeff Jenkins

Molly became one of the most powerful figures in Australian music from the 1970s onwards.

Despite securing the coveted starring role in the mini-series, Samuel admitted to The Daily Telegraph in February last year: 'My audition was terrible!'

'Most of my auditions are (terrible). Nerves get the better of me which means I'm not present with the character, which means I don't get the role!' he continued.

Humble: Despite securing the coveted starring role in the mini-series, Samuel admitted to The Daily Telegraph in February last year: 'My audition was terrible!'

Fortunately, the star had Molly on his side who was very vocal about his preference for having Samuel play him in the series.

'Obviously having Molly in my corner was essential to me getting the role. I've known Molly for a long time,' Samuel explained to The Daily Telegraph.

'(But) as vocal as Molly was in support of me we still did need network approval. Thankfully that came,' he went on.
For a scion of celebrity and star of a massive global film franchise, snagging a ride with Giovanni Ribisi must seem like no big deal.

Dakota Johnson was spotted in the passenger seat of his car Saturday night, when they'd both attended jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer's 40th birthday party.

Giovanni, who was at the wheel, had buttoned on a stylish white shirt, while Dakota wore a glinting black coat over a midnight blue top.

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Dakota in tow: For a scion of celebrity and star of a massive global film franchise, snagging a ride with Giovanni Ribisi must seem like no big deal

Dakota - the 27-year-old daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith - and Giovanni, the twice-divorced 42-year-old - had joined quite the starry guest list.

Celebrities in attendance at Jennifer's West Hollywood fete included power couple Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, who've been married since 2015.

Jennifer had slid on an attractive sleeveless black top, whereas Justin had flung a dark blazer over a Gucci T-shirt, adding a splash of glitz by way of a chain necklace.

Party night: Dakota Johnson was spotted in the passenger seat of his car Saturday night, when they'd both attended jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer's 40th birthday bash

The looks: Giovanni, who was at the wheel, had buttoned on a stylish white shirt, while Dakota wore a glinting black coat over a midnight blue top

Courteney Cox - Jennifer's co-star on the iconic sitcom Friends, which had propelled them both to global stardom - was seen ambling behind her that night.

As it happens, Giovanni was himself a recurring guest star on Friends, playing Frank Jr., the faintly addled younger brother of Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe Buffay.

Jessica Alba wore a midnight blue denim jacket over a blue and green patterned flowing dress, accessorizing with a blue purse and black ankle-strap stilettos.

Trio: Among other celebrities at the party were Jennifer Aniston (center) her husband Justin Theroux (left) and her Friends co-star Courteney Cox (right)

Throwback: As it happens, Giovanni was himself a recurring guest star on Friends, playing Frank Jr., the faintly addled younger brother of Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe Buffay

On-the-go: The next day Dakota was spotted grabbing groceries in LA

The actress and business mogul was seen walking hand in hand with the dashing Cash Warren, whom she married in 2008 and by whom she's got two daughters.

Dakota had been seen on Friday walking her dog Zeppelin and chatting away on the phone as she enjoyed a stroll out and about in Santa Monica.

The Fifty Shades Of Grey star had teamed an intricately patterned purple, blue and white sundress with orange shoes and a massive black bag.

Quite the event: Jessica Alba wore a midnight blue denim jacket over a colorful dress, holding hands with Cash Warren, her husband since 2008 and the father of her two daughters
Penelope Ann Miller wasn't sure she could pull off playing a dowdy prison tailor-shop instructor after reading the script to NY Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell, which premieres Sunday on Lifetime.

'It was a little daunting at first,' the 53-year-old Golden Globe nominee told People on Friday.

'I really tried to capture the essence of her. In this case you have to throw vanity out of the window and go for it. That was a fun, different approach for me as well.'

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'It was a little daunting at first': Penelope Ann Miller wasn't sure she could pull off playing a dowdy prison tailor-shop instructor after reading the script to NY Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell, which premieres Sunday on Lifetime (pictured Saturday)

'You have to throw vanity out of the window': The movie-of-the-week is based on the real-life story of Joyce Mitchell, who helped convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility in 2015

'We shot in an actual prison': Following a fatal manhunt, Mitchell pled guilty to promoting prison contraband and criminal facilitation and was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison

The movie-of-the-week is based on the real-life story of Joyce Mitchell, who helped convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility in 2015.

Following a fatal manhunt, Mitchell pled guilty to promoting prison contraband and criminal facilitation and was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison.

'We shot in an actual prison. It was really kind of creepy and eerie and really bizarre. Its a strange feeling to be in an actual prison,' the Adventures in Babysitting alum remembered.

'One of the things I love about acting is being able to transform, take risks, be daring and play something people wouldnt normally expect to see me in.'

'I just loved that role!' The Adventures in Babysitting alum still fondly recalls her experience shooting the 1993 drama Carlito's Way with Oscar winners Al Pacino (L) and Sean Penn (R)

'It's not a secret and I'm not ashamed of it': Penelope was only 29 when she had an on-set fling with Pacino, who was 53 and living with Australian director Lyndall Hobbs at the time

Penelope still fondly recalls her experience shooting the 1993 crime drama Carlito's Way with Oscar winners Al Pacino and Sean Penn.

'I just loved that role,' Miller said of her part as Gail, a ballet dancer who moonlights as a stripper.

The Tony-nominated thespian was only 29 when she had an on-set fling with Pacino, who was 53 and living with Australian director Lyndall Hobbs at the time.

'It's not a secret and Im not ashamed of it,' Miller confessed to People back in 1993.

Miller confessed to People back in 1993: 'Al is a very passionate person, and he brought out a certain womanliness, a sexuality, a passion in me'

'I feel really blessed': Coincidentally, the LA native has managed to 'work with all three Godfathers' - including Marlon Brando in The Freshman (1990) and Robert De Niro in Awakenings (1990)

'Al is a very passionate person, and he brought out a certain womanliness, a sexuality, a passion in me. I think I always knew I had it in me, but he brought out a real fire...[But] we really wanted to keep the relationship discreet for the sake of the movie.'

Coincidentally, Penelope has managed to 'work with all three Godfathers' - including Marlon Brando in The Freshman (1990) and Robert De Niro in Awakenings (1990).

'They're actors that I hugely admire. I feel really blessed,' said the ex-wife of Will Arnett.

The LA native and her second husband James Huggins will officially celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary on May 28.

Impressive: The Tony-nominated thespian and her second husband James Huggins will officially celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary on May 28

'I get so much joy out of seeing them!' The acting couple - who legally separated for three months in 2012 - are parents of 16-year-old daughter Eloisa and eight-year-old daughter Maria

The acting couple - who legally separated for three months in 2012 - are parents of 16-year-old daughter Eloisa and eight-year-old daughter Maria.

'I get so much joy out of seeing them have joy and happiness!' The Bronx Bull beauty gushed.

'It's amazing how much you can love another being.'
They are known for pushing the boundaries of taste, but even radio program The Kyle And Jackie O Show has its limits.

On Monday, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson were debating some of the jokes made during the previous night's TV Week Logie Awards.

Kyle asked if there was any mention of A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack, who was arrested on child pornography offences earlier this month.

'Anyone bring that up at the Logies?' Kyle Sandilands asked if A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack's child porn charges were mentioned at Sunday night's Logie Awards - but it was quickly established that would not have been appropriate joke material

But it was quickly established that any jokes on the subject would not have been appropriate for the ceremony.

The shock jock, 45, said: 'Remember that other bloke at Channel Nine who got carted out for all the kiddie porn s**t? Anyone bring that up at the Logies?'

Jackie replied: 'What can you say? You can't really joke about that.'

Guest Sonia Kruger agreed, saying it was acceptable to 'joke about a jacket' (in reference to Amber Sherlock and Julie Snook's viral video) but not about the serious charges Mr McCormack is facing.

Charges: Earlier this month, Ben McCormack (pictured) was arrested and charged with using a carriage service to send child pornography material and was later suspended by his employer

Mr McCormack was arrested and charged with using a carriage service to send child pornography material and was later suspended by his employer.

His arrest and charges were not mentioned during the Logies.

Kyle concluded: 'The jacket's A-okay. Tim Worner's affair, that's OK. But kiddie porn, you can't joke about that.'

The discussion took place during a segment about the comedy 'hits and misses' during the Logie Awards on Sunday night.

Debate: The discussion took place during a segment on The Kyle And Jackie O Show about the comedy 'hits and misses' during the Logie Awards on Sunday

During the ceremony, Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes and radio duo Hamish and Andy poked fun at Channel Seven CEO Tim Worner's recent sex scandal.

It emerged earlier this year that Mr Worner had an affair with former executive assistant Amber Harrison.

It was later alleged he had sexual relationships with two female TV personalities who have not been named for legal reasons. Both Mr Worner and the women involved have emphatically denied the existence of any sexual relationship.

Comedian Peter Helliar and actress Kat Stewart also joked about 'Jacketgate' at the Logies, while Amber Sherlock herself smiled awkwardly in the audience.
She's a big admirer of the actress once known as the most beautiful woman in Hollywood's Golden Years.

And Diane Kruger, a noted beauty herself, joined executive producer Susan Sarandon for the premiere of Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story at New York's SVA Theatre during the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday.

Written and directed by Alexandra Dean, the 90-minute documentary revealed Hedy's little known life as a successful inventor in the 1940s and 50s.

Laid-back style: Diane Kruger took the stage after the premiere of documentary Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story at New York's SVA Theatre during the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday

Diane, 40, went for laid-back chic in a black leather jacket that she draped over her shoulders, a white crochet AllSaints sweater, skinny jeans and black ankle boots.

She tucked her wavy, bob-cut, blonde hair behind her ears as she smiled at Susan.

The 70-year-old actress, who plays iconic Hollywood star Bette Davis in FX's Feud: Bette and Joan, was suited up in black with a smart white blouse and ankle boots.

Hedy, who hailed from Austria, developed a wireless form of communication called 'frequency hopping,' which helped the Allies win WWII and went on to revolutionize communications all over the world, according to Vanity Fair.

Revealing the secrets: The 40-year-old actress, who talks about Hedy's scientific successes in the 90-minute documentary, appeared with its producer Susan Sarandon, 70

And then there were three: They were joined by writer and director Alexandra Dean

She gave her patents to the Navy and received nothing in return, winding up broke in her later years before passing away age 85 on January 18, 2000, in Casselberry, Florida.

Diane is one of a slew of celebs who talk about their relationships with the star in the biodoc, including Mel Brooks and Peter Bogdanovich.

She, Susan and Alexandra took to the stage afterwards for a discussion centering on Hedy's scientific achievements.

Bringing the truth to a wider audience: Alexandra and Sudan's biodoc is due to air on TV as part of the PBS American Masters series on a yet-to-be-announced date

Diane has reportedly been trying to get a project about Hedy going for some years.

Back in July 2015, she told Prestige: 'I'm trying to produce a mini-series about Hedy Lamarr. FX just bought it and we're in the early stages of making it.' Whether that comes to pass is still to be seen.

Meanwhile, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is due to air on TV as part of the PBS American Masters series on a yet-to-be-announced date.
He's the outspoken TV host, who's no stranger to discussing controversial topics.

And Waleed Aly was asked a very personal question while attending the Logies with wife Susan Carland in Melbourne on Sunday.

While speaking to News Corp, The Project co-host was asked to play a game of Truth or Dare and he picked truth.

Intimacy: Waleed Aly was asked a very personal question while attending the Logies with wife Susan Carland in Melbourne on Sunday

The private couple were asked about the most public place where they have been intimate.

'We haven't been very exhibitionist,' he replied as a seemingly unimpressed Susan signalled for her hubby to stop speaking.

During TV's night of nights, Waleed won the Logie for Best Presenter.

Personal question: The private couple were asked about the most public place where they have been intimate. 'We haven't been very exhibitionist,' he replied as a seemingly unimpressed Susan signalled for her hubby to stop speaking

But at the after party, Susan again appeared less than impressed.

Susan walked from the party with a disinterested expression while she carried the train of her dress as her award-winning husband spoke to her.

Waleed thanked his wife Susan during his acceptance speech, however she looked merely content with her husband's success.

All ok? At the Logies after party, Waleed's wife Susan Carland looked less than impressed

The couple posed happily on the red carpet looking as loved-up as ever.

While Susan kept her head done, Waleed pulled a pained expression as it appeared her was bickering with his wife.

Waleed thanked his wife Susan during his acceptance speech, however she looked merely content with her husband's success

Waleed thanked his beautiful wife when he won the Best Presenter Award, before losing out on the Gold Logie to actor Samuel Johnson

Earlier in the evening, Susan and Waleed were seen earlier in the night holding hands as the crossed the road to attend the award ceremony.

But at the after party, their was a noticeable distance between the pair as Waleed carried his Logie and Susan lifted the train of her dress.

Susan's stunning dress was completely covered in traditional white lace with a high neck line and long-sleeves.

Susan's stunning dress was completely covered in traditional white lace with a high neck line and long-sleeves

Attached to a pale purple waist band was a purple skirt that fell over her legs with the colour matching her traditional Muslim headscarf.

She wore a huge silver ring on her left hand with matching silver dangling earrings.

She posed with her husband Waleed who wore a black suit with a black velvet jacket.

He thanked his beautiful wife when he won the Best Presenter Award, before losing out on the Gold Logie to actor Samuel Johnson.
On Friday night she shone on the red carpet, but on Sunday this star was where she always prefers to be - home in Nashville.

Reese Witherspoon jetted into Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday to spend some time with her mother Betty.

The 41-year-old star shared a social media snap of herself and her mom as they went for a car ride.

Family time! Reese Witherspoon jetted into Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday to spend some time with her mother Betty

The star was clearly enjoying some family time, beaming from the passenger seat as her mom took the wheel.

Reese is all too happy to have her mom take the lead and drive because, as the actress says, 'Betty knows best'.

Posting the photo on Instagram, Reese said: '#Nashville days with Mama #FamilyTime #BettyKnowsBest.'

The family resemblance between mother and daughter was very evident.

Look-a-like: Clearly there is some strong genes on the female side of the Witherspoon clan, as there is also no mistaking the family resemblance between Reese and her daughter Ava (pictured February)

Red carpet wow: Reese headed to Nashville after attending the Tiffany & Co celebration of The 2017 Blue Book Collection on Friday

Clearly there is some strong genes on the female side of the Witherspoon clan, as there is also no mistaking the family resemblance between Reese and her daughter Ava.

Reese headed to Nashville after attending the Tiffany & Co celebration of The 2017 Blue Book Collection.

At the event, the Big Little Lies lead told the Associated Press she 'loves' the jewelry company's commitment to stop global trafficking and how they're challenging the demand for elephant ivory.

Save the elephants: At the event, the star praised the luxury jeweler for their commitment to stop elephant poaching and ivory trafficking

'I've had the great opportunity to work with elephants in my career, and spend a lot of time in Africa with elephants,' explained the Southern Belle.

In 2011 she starred in Water For Elephants with Robert Pattinson.

Wild at heart! Reese has spent her fair share of time with pachyderm, starring in 2011's Water For Elephants besides Robert Pattinson. Above you can see the starlet while promoting the 2011 film

'I love that [Tiffany & Co.] are doing so much for conservation, and helping save the elephants.'

Between 20,000 and 30,000 elephants are killed every year for their tusks. Last year, Tiffany & Co partnered with the Elephant Crisis Fund to raise money to fight for the elephants.

'They provide a lot of information about what they're doing to ethically source diamonds, gold, and silver, so it's a very responsible brand; not only beautiful, but very responsible,' said the New Orleans native.

Fresh from a film shoot in South Africa, actor Dominic West also cheered the impact that the Elephant Crisis Fund has made on the poaching of elephant tusks.

The English talent said he just wished the same would also apply to rhinoceroses, which poachers are also killing for their horns.

'Oh, they're killing thousands every year in South Africa. It's just appalling,' the Wire star said.
Stephanie Davis showed off her incredible post-baby physique in lacy lingerie in a saucy Instagram post on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Celebrity Big Brother personality gave birth to Jeremy McConnell's son Caben-Albi in mid January earlier this year.

But the new mum confidently revealed her eye-popping cleavage in the plunging lacy neckline of her racy ensemble.

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'Wow that body': Busty Stephanie Davis showed off post-baby physique and eye-popping cleavage in lacy lingerie in Instagram photo on Sunday three months after giving birth

The tightly fitted sleepwear showed off the former soap star's slender frame and tiny waistline.

Stephanie also put on a leggy display as the thigh-skimming skimpy sleepwear showed off her slender pins.

Sweeping her brunette locks from her face, she revealed her make-up free glowing complexion.

She captioned the post: 'Mood lighting. Sweet dreams.'

Her stronghold of 776K Instagram followers were quick to respond to the intimate bedroom picture, with one fan saying: 'Wow that body.'

Others followed suit in complimenting her, 'Looking good Steph. Stunning girl. Gorgeous inside and out.'

Meanwhile her former flame is battling his demons in rehab but Stephanie has continued to show her support for him.

She shared a sweet throwback snap of their son and 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'.

'Proud of you': The 24-year-old 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

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.

Supportive: Stephanie has insisted she is 'proud' of Jeremy for seeking treatment - his rehab stay came after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting her

'I just never handled fame': Jeremy shared a lengthy statement addressing his decision to check into rehab

But now 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 :)'
Actor Chris Chalk wed girlfriend Kimberley Dalton Mitchell on Saturday in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.

Chalk, who plays Lucius Fox on TV series Gotham, posted a selfie to his Instagram with Mitchell in the background.

'Marrying my best friend today,' he wrote.

Said 'I do': 'Marrying my best friend today,' actor Chris Chalk wrote alongside this photo of himself and Kimberly Dalton Mitchell that he posted to his Instagram on Saturday

His bride also shared a snap to Instagram, showing cup cakes iced with the image of her new husband.

'I get to have my cake and eat it too. #MyHusbandToday #WeddingDay #Love,' she wrote.

The happy couple said their 'I dos' in front of 135 guests at the North Carolina Arboretum, according to UsWeekly.

'#WeddingDay': The new Mrs. Chalk also shared a photo to her Instagram showing cup cakes iced with her husband's image. 'I get to have my cake and eat it too,' she wrote

So in love: The couple got engaged in September. They're shown in a photo shared by Chalk on social media

The magazine reported that the newlyweds and their guests traveled on yellow school buses to the reception held at Asheville's Grand Bohemian Hotel.

The wedding party feasted on shrimp, duck, salmon, steak and waffles before enjoying a disco.

'We told our DJ, 'Pretend you're DJ-ing for the club,'' the bride told USWeekly. 'That's what we want. Just trying to throw the ultimate dance party.'
Amber Heard has seemingly confirmed her relationship with billionaire Elon Musk with a fun Instagram picture of them at dinner in Australia with her lipstick on his cheek.

She drew attention to the lip-marking in the photo by captioning it: 'Cheeky.'

It seemed to be an intimate affair as they sat at a dinner table alongside each other while Amber placed her hand on the shoulder of the 45-year-old Tesla inventor and entrepreneur.

'Cheeky': Amber Heard has seemingly confirmed her relationship with Elon Musk on Instagram Sunday, as the 35-year-old star's dark red lipstick could be seen on the billionaire's cheek

Getting serious: The 45-year-old Tesla billionaire also posted a similar snap

She rocked a clinging white strapless dress and accessorized with plenty of jewelry including multiple bracelets, rings, and large dangling earrings.

Her blonde locks were worn down into waves flowing over her shoulders as she posed with her mouth agape to show off the dark red lipstick which was also on Elon's face.

The SpaceX founder and CEO was dressed comfortably in a black T-shirt as his hair was elegantly disheveled.

Elon shared a similar photo with the caption: 'Having moo moo at Moo Moo Gold Coast with @AmberHeard, @CreepyPuppet and @CowanFilms.'

Fun and games: Earlier in the day, the pair were spotted putting on a loved up display at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary as they even zip-lined together

PDA: They were even spotted walking hand-in-hand around the park

Earlier in the day, the pair were spotted putting on a loved up display at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary as they even zip-lined together.

The two made their way through the park hand-in-hand while accompanied by a few of his six sons.

Musk is worth a reported $14.9 billion according to Forbes.

Amber was first linked to the entrepreneur last summer, after the pair were spotted together on several occasions both in London and Miami.

In the swing of things: Amber had a big smile on her face as she rode down the attraction

What a rush! Musk looked pleased while zipping down

Getting cozy: They wrapped their arms around one another as they made their way around the adventure park

Musk reportedly 'became infatuated' with Amber after the two appeared in the 2013 film Machete Kills, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Although the pair did not get a chance to meet on set, he is said to have emailed director Robert Rodriguez repeatedly in the hope that he could set up a meeting between himself and the actress - despite the fact that she was still with Johnny Depp at the time.

Last month it was reported that Amber would be headed back to Australia for the first time since causing an uproar after illegally bringing her pet dogs in with ex-husband Depp in 2015.

She's back! It was Heard's first time back in the country since her and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via private jet

As Musk was planning a business visit, Amber was set to join him The Daily Telegraph reported last month.

Amber and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via their private jet in 2015.

No doubt the Magic Mike XXL star is undoubtedly hoping for a smoother trip with Elon this time, who she's been rumoured to have been dating since separating from Johnny.

Tough: Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores

Amber's last visit was when she accompanied Johnny in April last year to appear in a Gold Coast court over the dog smuggling charges.

A video of the duo saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was presented before a magistrate gave Heard with a one-month good behavior bond and a $1,000 fine over the incident.

In May last year, news emerged Johnny and Amber had called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage.

The actress was granted a restraining order after accusing him of domestic abuse.

Apologising: A video of the duo saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was then presented

Amber alleged Johnny threw a phone at her during an argument and insisted there were other occasions where he had been violent towards her, which the Pirates Of The Caribbean star had denied at the time.

Heard later filed court papers to dismiss her domestic violence case against him once they agreed on a reported $7 million divorce settlement.

Amber publicly pledged to donate her settlement to charity.

The former couple, who met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011, were married in 2014 and separated in 2016.

Former flame: Elon is also recently out of a relationship as he was granted his second divorce from Talulah Riley in November of last year, the two are pictured together at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March 2014

Elon is also recently out of a relationship as he was granted his second divorce from Talulah Riley in November of last year.

It was their second split: they were married for two years before divorcing in 2012.

They remarried in 2013 and were together for a year before Musk, the founder of Tesla and Space Exploration Corp., filed divorce papers.

He retracted them six months later but Riley refiled in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Musk has six sons with his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, as they were married from 2000 to 2008.
She has seemingly confirmed her relationship with billionaire Elon Musk, 45, on Instagram by posting a very cheeky picture of the pair.

And it seems love is well and truly in the air for Johnny Depp's ex Amber Heard, with the actress going zip-lining with her new man in Australia on Sunday after she caused an uproar for bringing her dogs into the country in 2015.

The 31-year-old American star was spotted packing on the PDA with Elon at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, showing off her natural beauty going makeup free.

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Love is in the air! American actress Amber Heard packed on the PDA with billionaire Elon Musk as the pair went zip-lining on the Gold Coast, Australia, on Sunday

Sweet: The pair held hands as they enjoyed up their time together

The pair were seen walking around the sanctuary arm-in-arm, and appeared in high spirits as they completed a ropes course among the trees.

They were also seen holding hands at one point, looking relaxed and carefree.

Wearing tight black jeans and a white T-shirt, Amber teamed her casual look with shiny leather brogues and a black studded belt.

'Cheeky': Amber thrilled her fans when she seemingly confirmed her relationship with billionaire Elon Musk with this Instagram snap on Sunday, with her lipstick on his cheek

Flawless: The star showed off her natural beauty going makeup free during the romantic outing

Close: Elon placed protective arm around Amber as they walked and the pair also held hands

Family affair: Elon's two son also joined the pair during the outdoor outing

She carried a black leather bag and layers of chunky bracelets, with her short blonde and pink locks out and over shoulders.

Elon, 45, who is the co-founder of Tesla, wore a black T-shirt and blue jeans, and appeared to have a red mark on his right eye.

Elon's two sons also joined the pair during the outdoor outing.

Later on Sunday, Amber appeared to confirm their romance on Instagram, sharing a sweet snap of herself with her man at dinner.

Going strong: It's believed the pair have been dating for almost a year

Adventure time: The pair enjoyed time together at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Family man: South African-born Elon has six children

Having fun: Amber made a playful expression as she hooked herself onto a link

Going for it! Amber confidently walked along the ropes while completing the course

Just hanging out: The beauty was seen chilling out on a mid-air podium during the challenge

In the snap Amber's dark red lipstick could be seen on his cheek.

She drew attention to the lip-marking in the photo by captioning it: 'Cheeky.'

It seemed to be an intimate affair as they sat at a dinner table alongside each other while Amber placed her hand on the shoulder of the inventor and entrepreneur.

Elon also shared a snap of the pair at dinner on the same evening, with Amber looking affectionately at him in the image.

Relaxed: Amber had her short blonde and pink locks out and over shoulders

Musk is worth a reported $14.9 billion according to Forbes.

Amber was first linked to the entrepreneur last summer, after the pair were spotted together on several occasions both in London and Miami.

Musk reportedly 'became infatuated' with Amber after the two appeared in the 2013 film Machete Kills, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Although the pair did not get a chance to meet on set, he is said to have emailed director Robert Rodriguez repeatedly in the hope that he could set up a meeting between himself and the actress - despite the fact that she was still with Johnny Depp at the time.

Concentrating: The pair were seen standing together at one point, as they climbed around the trees

Going for it: Elon maneuvered the course as one of his sons looked on

Amber has been filming Aquaman on the Gold Coast, which also stars the likes of Jason Momoa and Nicole Kidman.

The Daily Telegraph also recently reported that Amber would be accompanying Elon on a business visit Down Under.

It's Amber's first time back in Australia, since appearing in court with ex-husband Johnny Depp on the Gold Coast, over dog smuggling charges.

Soaking up time together: The Daily Telegraph also recently reported that Amber would be accompanying Elon on a business visit Down Under

Familiar face: Amber has appeared in films including Magic Mike XXL, The Danish Girl and will soon appear in Justice League

The pair caused an uproar after illegally bringing her pet dogs into the country in 2015.

Amber and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via their private jet.

During the debacle, Australian politician Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the former couple's dogs euthanised if they failed to take them out of the country.

Don't lean too much! The obstacle course featured a mix of bridges and activities and is a popular attraction at the sanctuary for tourists

Shake it out: After working up a sweat, Amber ran her hands through her hair

Up it goes! Amber tied her hair up at one point

'If we start letting movie stars  even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice  to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?' Joyce said at the time.

'It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States,' he continued.

Watch your step! Skipping the sneakers, Amber wore leather brogues

Happy: The personality was seen smiling throughout the outing

A video of the duo saying they are 'truly sorry' for sneaking their Yorkshire terriers into Australia was presented before a magistrate gave Heard with a one-month good behavior bond and a $1,000 fine over the incident.

In May last year, news emerged Johnny and Amber had called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage.

The actress was granted a restraining order after accusing him of domestic abuse.

Amber alleged Johnny threw a phone at her during an argument and insisted there were other occasions where he had been violent towards her, which the Pirates Of The Caribbean star had denied at the time.

She's back! It's Amber's first time back in Australia,since appearing in court with ex-husband Johnny Depp on the Gold Coast, over dog smuggling charges

Smuggled: Amber and Johnny, who was filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, smuggled their terriers Pistol and Boo into the state via their private jet

Heard later filed court papers to dismiss her domestic violence case against him once they agreed on a reported $7 million divorce settlement.

Amber publicly pledged to donate her settlement to charity.

The former couple, who met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011, were married in 2014 and separated in 2016.

In January 2017 the pair were officially divorced with Depp ordered to pay the $6.8million.

Split: In May last year, news emerged Johnny and Amber had called time on their relationship after 15 months of marriage

Domestic abuse: The actress was granted a restraining order after accusing him of domestic abuse

Divorce settlement: The couple reached a divorce settlement in August 2016, with the actress requesting $6.8million, which she said she was donating to charity

Elon is also recently out of a relationship as he was granted his second divorce from Talulah Riley in November of last year.

It was their second split: they were married for two years before divorcing in 2012.

First wife: Musk has six sons with his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, as they were married from 2000 to 2008

They remarried in 2013 and were together for a year before Musk, the founder of Tesla and Space Exploration Corp., filed divorce papers.

He retracted them six months later but Riley refiled in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Musk has six sons with his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, as they were married from 2000 to 2008.
She made her mark on season one of The Bachelor.

But fast-forward a few years later and Anna Heinrich looked noticeably different while attending the Logies in Melbourne on Sunday.

The 30-year-old showcased a slightly slimmer jawline, highlighted cheek bones and taut skin as she posed for snaps alongside her former Bachelor star beau Tim Robards.

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New look? Anna Heinrich, 30, looked noticeably different while attending the Logies in Melbourne on Sunday. Pictured in 2014 (R) and on Sunday (L)

While her new look could be attributed to professional lighting or heavy contouring, Anna previously acknowledged that she has lost weight since appearing on the Channel Ten reality show in 2013.

'I think I've lost a bit of weight since the show, but it's just because I'm constantly doing things, not because I'm spending hours in the gym', she told Pop Sugar.

The former Bachelor star stepped out in a dazzling Steven Khalil gown that showed off her slender frame.

Contouring? While her new look could be attributed to professional lighting or heavy contouring, Anna previously acknowledged that she has lost weight since appearing on the Channel Ten reality show in 2013

Beaming beauty: She made her reality TV debut on The Bachelor in 2013

Throwback: Anna is pictured here in 2015

She paired the elegant look with a glamorous gold clutch and silver stilettos.

Her makeup consisted of foundation, blush, mascara and nude lipstick which gave her a natural-yet-glam look.

The Sydney socialite's boyfriend of four years Tim looked dapper in a black and white tux paired with black formal shoes.

All ok? At one point, the couple raised eyebrows as they arrived at the star-studded event, with Anna looking nervous and Tim seeming uncomfortable

Glamorous couple: However, they later appeared more relaxed while holding hands at a VIP Logies after party

At one point, the couple raised eyebrows as they arrived at the star-studded event, with Anna looking nervous and Tim seeming uncomfortable.

However, they later appeared more relaxed while holding hands at a VIP Logies after party.

Tim previously revealed that an engagement could soon be on the cards for the happy couple.
Tom Cruise was spotted back on the Mission Impossible 6 set in Paris, on Sunday, just days after the terror attack close-by earlier this week.

The 54-year-old looked relaxed and ready for action, alongside co-star Henry Cavill, 33.

Production on the spy movie continued just hours after the attack on Thursday, which was under a mile away from the set.

Filming: Tom Cruise was spotted back on the Mission Impossible 6 set in Paris, on Sunday, just days after the terror attack close-by earlier this week

The film's director, Christopher McQuarrie, posted a picture of filming at the Grand Palais in the city of light, which is located around a 4 minute drive from the site of the shooting near a Marks & Spencer store on the famed Champs-Elysees.

'The production was not affected,' a spokesperson for Paramount told People on Friday, adding: 'The production's thoughts, like all of ours, are with the people of Paris.'

Henry Cavill also posted a picture to Instagram of himself on the Grand Palais set less than half an hour before the attack, commenting on the moustache that took the Internet by storm.

Hands-on: The 54-year-old looked relaxed and ready for action as he checked out gadgets on the set

Tom Cruise has been seen on the set of the sixth installment of the spy franchise, but it's not known whether he was present at the time of the deadly shooting.

The 54-year-old is reprising his lead role as special agent Ethan Hunt - and was spotted on set in the city once again, on Sunday.

The actor appears to have slipped back into the role effortlessly after a grueling year of training.

Action heroes: Tom was spotted alongside co-star Henry Cavill, 33

Driving force: Henry and Tom were also spotted behind the wheel of a truck on the set

It has been 21 years since the first Mission Impossible film hit cinemas but Tom has maintained his youthful appearance and his happy-go-lucky charm.

A local source told People that following Thursday's attack, production appeared to resume less than an hour later, as lights from inside the set were illuminated.

The film's director posted the picture at 6 in the morning, local time, on Friday - around 9 hours after the attack - suggesting that filming had continued overnight.

Close: The film's director, Christopher McQuarrie, posted a picture of filming at the Grand Palais in the city of light, earlier in the week

Nearby: Henry Cavill also posted a picture to Instagram of himself on the Grand Palais set less than half an hour before the attack

In the city: McQuarrie also posted a picture of the Arc de Triomphe, which is at the top of the Champs-Elysees

Super man: Henry Cavill also shared images around the city, including this one by the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background

Police officer Xavier Jugele, 37, suffering a fatal head wound in the shooting on Thursday night.

On Thursday night, terrorist Karim Cheurfi, 39 was killed by police after he got out of his Audi and opened fire at police who had stopped at a red light on Champs Elysees.

Two more were critically wounded and a tourist was injured in the crossfire.

Location: They were filming at the Grand Palais in the city of light on Thursday, which is located around a 4 minute drive from the site of the shooting near a Marks & Spencer store on the famed Champs-Elysees

Alec Baldwin, Superman star Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg and The Crown's Vanessa Kirby also join Cruise for the latest in the Mission Impossible franchise.

While eagle-eyed onlookers have caught sneaky glimpses of the filming, the team have been tight-lipped about the details of the plot.

Skydance Media CEO David Ellison told Collider: 'What Tom is doing in this movie I believe will top anything that's come before.

'It is absolutely unbelievablehe's been training for a year.

'It is going to be, I believe, the most impressive and unbelievable thing that Tom Cruise has done in a movie, and he has been working on it since right after Rogue Nation came out [in 2015]. It's gonna be mind-blowing.'

The latest installment of the film is set to hit cinemas for release in July 2018.
Sara Sampaio brought her Victoria's Secret Angel lingerie look to the premiere of her film The Clapper on Sunday.

The Portuguese model showed up for the screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in a skimpy off-the-shoulder black bustier.

The semi sheer lace number revealed plenty of skin as she posed on the red carpet.

Sex appeal: Sara Sampaio brought her Victoria's Secret Angel lingerie look to the premiere of the film The Clapper on Sunday at the Tribeca Film festival in NYC

Sampaio, 25, paired her sexy midriff-baring top with tight black leather pants and black boots.

She wore her brunette locks loose around her shoulders and accessorized with a black choker and a couple of thin gold chains with diamonds from Carbon & Hyde.

She sported smoky eye shadow and mascara along with rosy blush and dark pink lip color.

Brought her A-game: Sampaio, 25, paired her sexy midriff-baring top with tight black leather pants and black boots

Red carpet ready: The Portuguese beauty wore her brunette locks loose around her shoulders and accessorized with a black choker and a couple of thin gold chains with diamonds

The Victoria's Secret star is trying to break into Hollywood, and her small role in the big screen comedy is her second acting gig.

She has also appeared in an episode of the TV series Billions.

Sampaio and Mark Cuban, who like her also has a cameo in the movie, joined the film's stars Ed Helms, Tracy Morgan and Russell Peters for the premiere.

Gang's all here: Sampaio joined the film's stars Ed Helms, Tracy Morgan and Russell Peters for the premiere of the big screen comedy

His biggest fan: Morgan, in a multicolored jacket over a white t-shirt with white pants and colorful sneakers, was accompanied to the screening by his wife Megan Wollover

Loved up: Wollover was equally colorful in an eye-catching bright red dress with ruffles and an asymmetrical hem that she paired with shiny gold heels
She is currently working on new music.

And it appears Kesha is also making sure to keep up with the diva beauty routines.

The 30-year-old posted a racy snap from a glam session on Sunday as she posed entirely nude with just a towel and her hand to protect her modesty.

Getting work: Kesha posted a racy snap from a glam session on Sunday as she posed entirely nude with just a towel and her hand to protect her modesty

The songstress captioned the image, which showed a makeup artist dabbing gloss on her lip, 'pre-show'.

Just the day before Kesha was spotted 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

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.

Together: Kesha travelled with her boyfriend of three years, Brad Ashenfelte

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.
Actress Mindy Kaling was the headliner at a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Luncheon on Sunday.

The Mindy Project star, 37, looked lovely in a powder blue mini dress with matching cropped jacket.

She wore her dark hair loose around her shoulders and splashed dark red shiny color across her lips.

Headliner: Mindy Kaling, 37, looked lovely in a powder blue mini dress with matching cropped jacket at a Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon in Los Angeles on Sunday

Her pretty frock flattered her bust with a high waist and the A-line skirt fell to just above her knees.

A dark red manicure matched her lipstick and she accessorized with a thin neck chain.

She completed her look with a pair of white pointed toe heels.

Baby blues: Her pretty frock flattered her bust with a high waist and the A-line skirt fell to just above her knees. She completed her look with a pair of white pointed toe heels

Stunner: Model and actress Amber Valetta, 43, also attended the charity event wearing a stunning beige frock that clung to her curves and featured a body suit decal

Fashionable: The long-sleeved dress had a flounce hem in contrasting white and Amber added contrasting black sandal heels

Joining Mindy at the charity luncheon was model and actress Amber Valetta, 43.

Amber wore a stunning beige frock that clung to her curves and featured a body suit decal.

The long-sleeved dress had a flounce hem in contrasting white and she added contrasting black sandal heels.

Model figure: The stylish frock hugged her slim curves
There are not many people who have a famous actor acting as their chauffeur.

So no wonder was staring so lovingly at her older lover Joaquin Phoenix as he took her for a ride in Los Angeles at the weekend.

The dynamic duo looked like they were having a thrilling time as they tackled the joys of city traffic in the upmarket Los Feliz area.

Struck by Cupid's arrow: Rooney Mara stared lovingly at Joaquin Phoenix as he took her for a ride in Los Angeles on Saturday

Perhaps they had opted to go for a drive following one of the highly trained martial artist's karate lessons.

Last week jolly Joaquin, 42, looked every inch the miniature Chuck Norris as he ambled around without shoes on following a chopping and kicking session.

It seems he is quite the karate exponent, for he was seen carrying a brown belt, the last rank before earning the fabled black.

No doubt 32-year-old Rooney is very impressed by the fact her man is a lethal weapon off the screen.

Are you not entertained? The Gladiator seemed to be having a great time cruising

Her outdoors: She looked like she was enjoying the sweltering California sunshine

Loving the banter: Joaquin looked like he was hanging on every word

It had been reported the pair fell for one another while filming the biblical epic Mary Magdalene.

Rooney is featured as the titular character in the upcoming film, while Joaquin plays the role of Jesus.

The much-anticipated new movie was shot in Italy and during filming breaks, Joaquin and Rooney were spotted hanging out together, including one time when they were seen smoking on the balcony of their hotel room

The two movie stars previously worked together on the Spike Jonze-directed Her.

In 2018, Mara will work with Joaquin again in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot directed by Gus Van Sant.
She delightedly announced the arrival of her second child in February.

And Natalie Portman proved she is taking to life with an expanded family swimmingly as she returned to work two months later while posing for a stunning photoshoot in Beverly Hills on Sunday where she flaunted her stunning figure.

The 35-year-old Black Swan star looked phenomenal in a Fifties look complete with a strapless prom-style skirt before slipping on a pair of funky sunglasses and being coiffed and preened by helpful aides.

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Funky in Fifties: Natalie Portman proved she is taking to life with an expanded family swimmingly as she returned to work two months later while posing for a stunning photoshoot in Beverly Hills where she flaunted her stunning figure

Natalie and her dancer husband Benjamin Millepied, who are already parents to five-year-old son Aleph, announced the arrival of baby daughter Amalia as they revealed: 'Mother and baby are happy and healthy.'

Proving there is no rest even for the creme de la creme of Hollywood, the Jerusalem-born was back in front of the camera just two months later as she wowed in her stunning dress which nipped in at her tiny waist.

The gown was not only figure-accentuating but also trendy due to its statement volumunious skirt and intricate hand beading extending the length of the body.

Ensuring she was designer-clad, the exquisite gown was designed by Christian Dior, with the detailing synonymous with the fashion house's trademarks.

Dazzling: The 35-year-old Black Swan star looked phenomenal in a Fifties-style look complete with a strapless prom-style skirt before slipping on a pair of funky sunglasses and being coiffed and preened by helpful aides

Natalie wore her bouncy brunette locks in a flicked out style which was carefully styled by a helpful hairdresser equipped with a huge bottle of hairspray.

Her perfectly made-up face was shielded partially behind her funky sunglasses which slotted in with her Fifties style to perfection.

Not so fitting with the look was her flip-flops although it seems the shoes were a temporary addition between takes.

Bumping along nicely: Last year, Natalie reflected on life as a working mum as she told The New York Times: 'When Im not working, Im pretty much exclusively with my family, so my rituals have to do with school, meal preparation, playdates, bedtime

Last year, Natalie reflected on life as a working mum as she told The New York Times: 'When Im not working, Im pretty much exclusively with my family, so my rituals have to do with school, meal preparation, playdates, bedtime.

'I do the whole weeks laundry, which I love because its a task with a clear beginning and end.

'And then we spend the weekend together as a family  usually somewhere in nature, often with friends who have children. Lots of cooking.'
They sent the rumour mill into overdrive during their recent sunny break.

And Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley looked in good spirits as they arrived at JFK airport in New York on Sunday.

The Australian actress, 26, put on a summery display as she arrived with her British husband of four months.

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Loved up: Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley looked in good spirits as they arrived at JFK airport in New York on Sunday

The Wolf Of Wall Street actress looked pretty in a thigh-skimming green floral dress, with her hair in tousled beach waves.

Showing off her natural beauty under minimal make-up, she completed her ensemble with a weaved bag and backless loafers as she leaned into her flame.

Tom put on a casual display in a classic white T-shirt and denim jacket, wearing his hair in a man bun.

Floral: The Australian actress, 26, put on a summery display as she arrived with her British husband of four months

Their appearance comes after they are rumoured to be expecting their first child, less than six month after tying the knot last year.

And Margot and Tom did little to quell the swirling whispers this week, with the latter sharing a photo of himself kicking back on a tropical beach on Tuesday.

Leaving some fans speculating as to whether he and his actress wife are enjoying a babymoon, Tom was seen perched at the top of a beach-side palm tree.

Fun in the sun! Margot shared a snap of herself jumping in the air against the beautiful backdrop of a beach on Sunday after sparking rumours of a pregnancy

Babymoon? Margot and Tom did little to quell the swirling pregnancy whispers this week, with the latter sharing a photo of himself kicking back on a tropical beach on Tuesday

'Pretending that I haven't just managed to get stuck up a tree,' he wrote in the caption.

Margot appears to be holidaying with her beau, having shared a similarly tropical-looking Instagram snap last week.

It comes amid claims that the pair are may have been 'pregnant at their wedding', which took place in December last year.

Getaway: Margot appears to be holidaying with her beau, having shared a similarly tropical-looking Instagram snap last week

Maybe baby? This week, reports surfaced claiming that Margot is 'expecting her first child' and may have been 'pregnant at the wedding'

According to NW magazine an insider told the publication: 'It's so exciting - although she's not really showing yet, so not many people have cottoned onto the news.'

'Given how far along we think she is, there's definitely a chance she was [pregnant] at the wedding. We're expecting an announcement any day now.'

In the past, The Wolf of Wolf Street actress has been very open of her love for children admitting: 'I want tons of children. I grew up in a family of four [kids], so that sounds like a good number.

Pregnant at the wedding? An insider said: 'Given how far along we think she is, there's definitely a chance she was [pregnant] at the wedding. We're expecting an announcement any day now.'

And according to the insider, Margot is very clucky.

They added: 'Margot's always going on about how cute Tom's nieces and nephews are and she hates having to to give them back. She's totally clucky and beyond ready [for her own].'

Daily Mail Australia have contacted her management for comment on the claims.

Clucky: They added: 'Margot's always going on about how cute Tom's nieces and nephews are and she hates having to to give them back. She's totally clucky and beyond ready [for her own].'

The Critics Choice award-winner has completely thrown herself into work since marrying boyfriend of two years Tom in Byron Bay late last year, working on I Tonya - a biopic about disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding.

The role saw her wear around 9kg of padding, which would easily hide any signs of pregnancy.

The smitten couple first met in 2013 on set of Suite Francaise and have been together ever since.

She previously shared her plans to relocate back Down Under when the couple have children.

'He loves Australia ... he says, 'I don't know why anyone leaves Australia,'' she told The Project last year.
She reportedly enjoyed a brief dalliance with Justin Bieber and the pair famously went skinny dipping together in the tranquil waters of Hawaii last summer.

And Sahara Ray, 23, proved she still has a passion for nudity as she posed completely naked in a provocative snap on Sunday while he was pictured leaving Hillsong Church in New York after a service.

The budding model showed off her incredible figure and considerable body confidence as she lay naked on a rumpled double bed in the image which she shared with her 1.2 million Instagram followers.

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That's one way to get attention: Model Sahara Ray, who once went skinny dipping with Justin Bieber, stretched out naked in a saucy snap on Sunday

The Australian model shot the camera a sleepy, sexy look as she showed off her all-over tan and pert derriere in the bold picture.

While Sahara was busy posing in the buff, her ex Justin, 23, was pursuing an altogether more wholesome activity as he attended a church service in Manhattan.

The Sorry hit-maker was clearly determined to make the service as he flew into New York to attend the ceremony before immediately hopping on a private jet which whisked him off to Costa Rica for the next step of his tour.

Church-goer: Justin Bieber jetted into New York to attend the service at Hillsong Church before flying onto Costa Rica for the next step in his wildly successful tour

Display of affection: The What Do You Mean star wrapped his arms around Pastor Rich Wilkerson and planted a kiss on his cheek as he left the church

The Canadian superstar steered clear of a traditional church-going outfit and instead donned cargo shorts and trendy Van sneakers with white sport socks.

He completed his ensemble with a black bomber jacket and showed off his large Jesus tattoo on his calf.

As he left the service at the popular evangelical church, the What Do You Mean star wrapped his arms around Pastor Rich Wilkerson and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Former flames? While neither Sahara nor Justin officially confirmed or denied their dalliance, the photogenic duo did whip off their clothes and indulged in a skinny dipping session while they holidayed with friends in a 5.54 million cliffside house in Hawaii last summer

Sahara and Justin's rumoured dalliance remains a mystery as neither star officially confirmed or denied whether they were in fact dating.

But the photogenic duo did decide to whip off their clothes and indulge in a skinny dipping session while they holidayed with friends in a 5.54 million cliffside house in Hawaii last summer.

Sahara offered her Instagram followers a glimpse into her raunchy holiday when she filmed herself and Justin cuddling in a pool before she started a bikini water fight.

Exotic beauty: Sahara perched on a rock by a picturesque waterfall wearing nothing but white bikini bottoms and flowers in her hair

Impromptu photo shoot: The Australian beauty looked every inch the beach babe with flowing golden locks and a glowing tan

In one snippet, she posed topless beside a waterfall clad in nothing but a pair of high-cut bikini bottoms and a flower garland in her hair.

Justin also doffed his threads and got in on the skinny dipping action, sharing a snapshot which showed him lounging on a flamingo float.

While the pair happily splashed around in the picturesque pool naked, they apparently decided that what happens in Hawaii, stays in Hawaii.

Party time: Justin jetted into Hawaii last summer with a group of incredibly attractive female friends

Just a couple of weeks later, Justin was spotted looking cosy with Sofia Richie.

Sahara, whose father is Aussie surfing legend Tony Ray, went on to be linked to Gigi Hadids ex-boyfriend Cody Simpson and is now close to male model Jordan Barrett.

Indeed Sahara and Jordan recently teamed up for a steamy snap which showed the lithe model straddling Jordan on a bed clad in a pair of minuscule Daisy Dukes and patterned cowboy boots.

'Sex sells': The model clearly has a penchant for flashing her flesh as she relaxed on yet another bed in just a minuscule white thong and cheekily captioned the image: 'Sex sells'
Earlier in the week a bizarre and sexually explicit rap video emerged of Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham.

And now, new footage has appeared of the 28-year-old acting in a strange new sci-fi film about teenage suicide.

Opening up about her battle with alcoholism and cyber bullying to The Daily Telegraph, the reality star revealed how her history made her want to help others.

Actress: Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham has appeared in a strange new sci-fi film about teenage suicide

The YouTube project, called We Need To Talk, sees the blonde beauty play an teacher who instructs her class on Australia and its animals.

But the video then digresses, cutting to a girl in front a space background who asks 'what are people doing' in relation to youth suicide.

Speaking about her involvement with the piece, Kaitlyn told the publication that her own experiences with cyber-bullying and depression were motivating factors.

Lesson: The YouTube project, called We Need To Talk, sees the blonde beauty play an teacher who instructs her class on Australia and its animals

Giving back: Speaking about her involvement with the piece, Kaitlyn told the publication that her own experiences with cyber-bullying and depression were motivating factors

The star opened up about her life growing up in the US and the bullying she herself suffered while at school.

'I remember mean girls getting on AOL (online forums) and saying kill yourself you fat b***h,' she said.

Kaitlyn continued: 'I've been bullied online very badly in the past... it's hard when people are telling you you're better off dead'.

Thank God I'm a strong person because if this was to happen to other people they wouldn't be as strong as me and it could result in something very bad' she said.

Personal experiences: The star opened up about her life growing up in the US and the bullying she herself suffered while at school

The Florida-born starlet recently spoke about her subsequent battles with alcohol addiction to New Idea magazine, citing her brother's death following a tragic motorcycle accident as the catalyst for her wild behaviour.

'I would black out, go on benders for weeks, I would wake up in unknown places and I hooked up with a lot of guys,' she explained.

'Every time I drank I had either done something stupid, woken up in a scary place, gotten into a fight - I was just going down a really dangerous road,' she added.

Kaitlyn is currently appearing on Channel Seven's controversial show Seven Year Switch with her boyfriend Mark, to try and fix their broken relationship.
They're the Hollywood power couple who live between their luxury homes in Australia and the United States.

And now, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are reportedly adding another residence to their multi-million dollar property portfolio.

According to New Idea, Keith is purchasing the Hawaiian home that Nicole Kidman lived in as a child.

An emotional investment: According to New Idea, Keith Urban has reportedly purchased Nicole Kidman's childhood home in Hawaii as a sentimental gift for his wife

Hello Hawaii! Keith reportedly snapped up Nicole's childhood home

The publication quotes real estate sources in Oahu who claim that a besotted Keith 'made the current owners an offer they couldn't refuse', laying down millions for the beach-side property.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Keith's publicist for comment.

Nicole was born in Honolulu to Australian parents, and lived there until she was four years old, as her father Anthony pursued a PhD at the University of Hawaii.

Anthony tragically passed away in 2014, and New Idea states that 'when Nicole thinks of Hawaii she thinks of her dad'.

Keith reportedly made a snap decision to purchase Nicole's childhood home, as a sentimental gift because it holds fond memories of her father.

The apparent purchase comes just months ahead of Nicole's milestone 50th birthday this coming June.

Upcoming celebrations: Oscar winning Nicole will celebrate her 50th birthday in June

'When Nicole thinks of Hawaii she thinks of her Dad': Keith and Nicole have apparently expanded their property portfolio

An insider close to Keith told the magazine that Nicole is 'getting harder and harder to surprise with presents'.

However, it appears that Keith's lavish new gift could be a winner, with the insider also saying, 'It was an impulse decision, but he knew it would make Nicole so happy'.

The gift of love! A source close to Keith told the magazine that the purchase of the home 'would make Nicole so happy'

The couple primarily live in Nashville, but also have properties in Los Angeles and Australia, including a sprawling multi-million dollar homestead in the Southern Highlands.

Nicole also owned a residence in Sydney's ritzy Darling Point, which she sold in 2008 for a staggering $13 million.
He was a nominee for this year's coveted Gold Logie for Best Television Personality.

And while Grant Denyer didn't walk away with top honours, he uploaded a cheeky photo that proved he's still very much a winner.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the Family Feud host shared a snap from then Logies red carpet with his stunning wife, Chezzi.

That's an eyeful! A cheeky Grant Denyer took to Instagram Monday to upload this snap of he and wife Chezzie from the 2017 Logie Awards

'My most important role of the night. Making sure Chezzi Denyer's puppies didn't leave the kennel' Grant humorously captioned the snap as he stared excitedly at his wife's chest.

Chezzi's ample assets were barely contained by her yellow patterned frock that featured a plunging neckline.

The wife of the television personality sizzled in the sultry frock, as she styled her blonde hair into an up-do for TV's night of nights.

Loved up: Grant posted a gushing tribute to Chezzi, crediting her with helping him get back on his feet after a horror crash last month

Meanwhile, Grant looked dapper in a white suit that featured a black lapel and matching black bow tie.

The star is clearly besotted with his gorgeous wife, with whom he shares two children, Sailor and Scout.

He also uploaded a selfie that showed he and Chezzi inside the awards ceremony cosying up together.

Couple goals: Grant and Chezzi share two children, Sailor and Scout

In a gushing tribute, Grant captioned, 'I don't know how I deserve u but I'm so lucky to have u in my life. I couldn't have made the Logies without u'.

Indeed, Chezzi has been a strong support for Grant who suffered a rally racing car crash last month.

The motor racing enthusiast spent five days in hospital receiving treatment for a broken coccyx, broken finger, and severe bruising to his back and groin.
She's been loved-up with Sam Prince since he burst onto Made In Chelsea scenes.

Yet Georgia Toffolo's relationship could potentially be in jeopardy if her co-star Mark-Francis Vandelli is to be believed after she posted a saucy lingerie-clad selfie.

The 21-year-old reality starlet was smouldering in the snap, yet the comments were particularly eye-catching as show stalwart Mark-Francis commented under the photo: 'Guessing it didn't work out with Sam then...'

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Hmm... Georgia Toffolo's relationship could potentially be in jeopardy is her co-star Mark-Francis Vandelli is to be believed after she posted a saucy lingerie-clad selfie

Georgia, more commonly known as Toff, looked nothing short of sensational in the snap as she stripped down to a purple lingerie set.

The push-up bra helped highlight her perky cleavage while also showing off her incredibly taut stomach complete with sculpted abs.

She wore a pair of silk short knickers which sat low on her hips while she raised one leg to best show off her incredibly slender pins.

Her make-up was flawlessly applied with a smouldering smokey eye adding to the sexy feel while her blonde tresses were tousled into a sex kitten style.

Oops! The 21-year-old reality starlet was smouldering in the snap, yet the comments were particularly eye-catching as show stalwart Mark-Francis commented under the photo: 'Guessing it didn't work out with Sam then...'

Pals: The crypic detail no doubt confused followers as Sam and Toff were seen out last Friday looking cool and poised in each other's company

While she added a simple caption on the snap writing: 'Hi my name is toff', Mark-Francis' comment was the shocker as he said: 'Guessing it didn't work out with Sam then?'

The crypic detail no doubt confused followers as Sam and Toff were seen out last Friday looking cool and poised in each other's company.

It's looking at becoming a date night favourite for the newly formed duo, who, thus far on the current 13th season of Made in Chelsea , have yet to cross paths.

Sam arrived on the scene two weeks ago, where he was brought in to Jamie Laing's company, Candy Kittens, as an intern. Aside from arranging a party for Jamie and Oliver Proudlock, Sam's appearance was limited to a few brief words and a bit of bragging about his party lifestyle.

Her beau: Georgia, more commonly known as Toff, looked nothing short of sensational in the snap as she stripped down to a purple lingerie set

But this week, the 19-year-old threw himself right into the drama by inexplicably involving himself in a row between Jamie and Sam Thompson.

The argument resulted in Sam [Thompson] throwing a drink at Jamie, while Sam [Prince] looked on in sheer delight.

It's unclear what the precise status of Toff and Sam's relationship is, but they have been spotted a few times together now, holding hands and enjoying each other's company.

Toff even jumped to Sam's defense on Twitter this week, when an embittered troll took aim at him. '@SamPrince_uk definition of a side dish. Get off Jamie's d**k #MadeInChelsea [sic]' wrote the nasty tweeter.

Happy couple: But this week, the 19-year-old threw himself right into the drama by inexplicably involving himself in a row between Jamie and Sam Thompson

'As charming as your sleeve and topless photo is............#butters [sic],' Toff bit back in defense. Sam is said to be the ex-boyfriend of Lottie Moss.

According to The Sun , the half-sister of Kate Moss rekindled her romance with Sam - after the pair broke things off two years ago when he supposedly strayed away.

A source told the newspaper: 'Lottie and Sam have history but it's not overly positive. They dated two years ago but Sam wasn't faithful. They have recently rekindled their relationship and although it's early days, Lottie's hoping Sam will behave himself.'

However, Lottie quickly moved onto MIC's Alex Mytton - with who she was spotted having an explosive argument with few weeks ago.
Australian television's night of nights went off a bang on Sunday.

But it seems it was the Logies after-parties that really got tongues wagging, as the stars cut loose and caused a scene.

According to The Daily Telegraph, among the bevy of celebrities caught in precarious situations was Wentworth actress Danielle Cormack, Neighbours star Stefan Dennis and The Block judge Darren Palmer.

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Hitting the after-parties: Among the bevy of celebrities said to be caught in precarious situations on Logies night was Wentworth actress Danielle Cormack (pictured), Neighbours star Stefan Dennis and The Block judge Darren Palmer

The publication reports that Danielle was involved in an altercation in the hallways of Melbourne's Crown Towers, where she yelled 'you don't tell me what to do, I tell you what to do.'

While those closest to the New-Zealand born star allegedly hit back at reports of an outburst, revellers were said to overhear the yelling.

Her minders were supposedly trying to entice her back to her room when the situation took place.

'I tell you what to do': Danielle was reportedly involved in an altercation in the hallways of Melbourne's Crown Towers, where she yelled 'you don't tell me what to do'

Worse for wear: According to the Daily Telegraph, Intern Pete saw Stefan Dennis stumble out of a party before vomiting in the gutter

Also among the celebrities enjoying themselves a little too much was Logies veteran Stefan Dennis, who was spotted out by the the Gold Logie-dressed intern from KIIS FM.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Intern Pete saw the actor stumble out of an after-party looking worse for wear.

Once outside, the Neighbours star reportedly then vomited in the gutter.

Arguments: Darren Palmer allegedly had to enjoy his night alone after his boyfriend was denied entry into the Crown building

The day after: The star was all smile the following morning though, as he fronted up at the Post Logies Recovery Brunch

Darren Palmer, one of the judges on the Logie winning show The Block also used the after-parties to commend their victory.

But the star had to do it solo, after his boyfriend was reportedly denied entry into the Crown building.

After getting into an argument when staff said his partner could not enter, The Daily Telegraph claim the interior designer went on alone.

The star was all smile the following morning though, as he fronted up at the Post Logies Recovery Brunch.

Good company: Also hitting the party circuit hard was Channel Nine star Richard Wilkins, who was spotted out with Delta Goodrem and co-star Sylvia Jeffreys

Also hitting the party circuit hard was Channel Nine star Richard Wilkins, who was spotted out with Delta Goodrem and co-star Sylvia Jeffreys.

And while he managed to make it to work the following day, even starring in a joke segment alongside Karl Stefanovic, the publication reports that he was missing at the start of filming.

They claim that he was running late and wasn't present at Today went to air.


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Kourtney Kardashian has spoken openly about getting a boob job in college, and it seems she is still enjoying the perks two decades on.

The mother-of-three showed off her incredible bikini body while on holiday in Tulum, Mexico with sister Kim Kardashian and friends on Friday.

The 38-year-old reality star chose a revealing red bikini that barely covered her chest.

But she seemed more than proud to put her bust on show while posing with her pals in the surf.

In 2010, Kourtney said it was 'not a secret' that she'd had her boobs enhanced. It is likely she has undergone revisions since her first surgery; implants usually need to be replaced every 10 years.

A size too small: Kourtney Kardashian seemed proud of her very tiny bikini - despite the fact it barely covered her chest - while posed with Stephanie Shepard (l) and a friend (right)

Feeling great at 38: The mother-of-three seems more confident than ever and dared to bare in her red two piece from Triangl

In good fun: The swimsuit did little to contain her cleavage as she splashed in the ocean with her friends and family

Babewatch! Kourtney was not in the least bit shy showing off her amazing figure in the tiny suit; pictured with Larsa Pippen

She's a showstopper: Kourtney chose a simple string bikini that complemented the beauty's tan and fit frame; pictured with Larsa Pippen

Oh my: The 38-year-old reality star chose a red two-piece for her beach day with sister Kim Kardashian and friends during their holiday in Tulum, Mexico

So happy: (from l to r) Larsa Pippen, Stephanie Shepherd, Kourtney Kardashian, a friend, and Hrush Achemyan

Kourtney has often talked about her boob job on Keeping Up With The Kardashians; she was 22 when she underwent the enhancement.

The eldest Kardashian seems more body confident than ever and even shared a nude photo of herself in honor of her 38th birthday last week.

On Sunday, the dark haired beauty later swapped out the red look for a pink velvet two-piece from Triangl.

Kourtney chose a simple string bikini that complemented the her tan and fit frame.

She kept her beach look simple, adding gold reflective sunglasses and a matching Cartier bracelets.

Kourtney is mom to three children: Mason, seven; Penelope, four; and Reign, two, with ex Scott Disick.

Eyeful: The star complemented her bold look with gold Cartier bracelets and studded earrings

Quite the look: The crimson number displayed her underboob, as well as her flat stomach and sculpted legs; pictured with Larsa

Sculpted body on display: Later in the day, the dark haired beauty swapped out the red look for a pink two-piece from Triangl

She maintains her fit form by doing grueling workouts with a personal trainer; the star often shares clips of her sessions to her Snapchat account.

In addition, the E! starlet follows a gluten free and dairy free diet, as seen on previous episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

She has spoken out about keeping her household stocked with items like coconut and almond milk as substitutes for dairy.

Kourtney also avoids sugar, specifically refined, and has divulged that she prefers organic and non-GMO groceries.

Off to take a dip: Kourtney chose a simple string bikini that complemented the beauty's tan and fit frame

Having so much fun! The stunner appeared to having a blast on her holiday while rocking the bright string bikini

Getting an even tan! Kourtney took to Snapchat to show off her backside during her holiday getaway

Selfie time: Kourtney snapped while spending time with their family makeup artist, Joyce Bonelli

Paradise: Kourtney posed in front of a yacht later in the day

Posing up a storm: While on the boat, she lounged besides her bikini clad friends

Yacht club: Kourtney gave her Snapchat followers a view of her bikini body

Good times: Kourtney beamed besides her friends as they tanned on the top of a luxury boat

Hourglass: Kourtney's sister Kim Kardashian wowed in her patterned bathing suit during their Mexico holiday
She took to This Morning on Monday following a tumultuous year, to announce she was back with the father of her three-month-old son.

But despite appearing to turn things around with Jeremy McConnell, who has entered rehab following a year of public spats with Stephanie Davis, she still had some things to get off her chest.

Speaking on the show the 24-year-old Hollyoaks actress confronted presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, accusing them of not sticking up for her during an interview with 27-year-old reality star Jeremy earlier this year.

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Getting it off her chest: Stephanie Davis confronted presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning on Monday

Explaining to viewers that she had issued Jeremy with a legal letter asking him not to discuss the DNA test, which later revealed he was indeed the father of little Caben Albi, Stephanie branded the interview 'biased'.

Addressing the issue, Phillip admitted: 'I know you were cross with me about the letter.'

Opening up, Stephanie replied: 'I'm saying this honestly but I thought you were a bit biased with what happened in that interview.'

Revealing that she was left screaming at the TV after Phillip advised Jeremy on TV not to sign the letter, she explained: 'It was out of order, but you've gotta think I had a newborn baby, I had the worst pregnancy in the world, my son was in the special care unit'.

Breaking mum code? She accused Holly of not sticking up for her during an interview with 27-year-old reality star Jeremy earlier this year

'I was dealing with this myself as I was sick of everything going on. [In hindsight] no one would sign that. But at the time I was so angry', she added as Holly looked on.

She then addressed Holly, adding: 'You know what it's like to be a mum and I felt like there was no one sticking up for me.'

Not getting pulled into the debacle, Holly, replied: 'But it was the catalyst to get you talking again.'

Steph admitted: 'I called him the next day even though I was screaming at the TV, 'Phil!'

'You know what it's like to be a mum and I felt like there was no one sticking up for me.' she slammed Holy

Meanwhile after months of publicly going back and forth over their seemingly broken romance, Stephanie went on to reveal that she's back together with Jeremy McConnell.

The actress made the admission during an appearance as she also revealed that she's proud of her back on beau for seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

'I'm really proud of him, it's been a long time coming, it's hard for everyone to listen to but I love him and when you love someone and you're in a relationship, obviously it's on a different scale because were in the public eye and we haven't helped ourselves.

Rekindled romance: Stephanie Davis revealedon Monday's broadcast of ITV's This Morning that she's back together with Jeremy McConnell. She's seen with their baby son Caben-Albi

'Jeremy has finally admitted he needed help and I cried for hours because it was a weight off my shoulders. I was watching the man I loved slowly kill himself and there was nothing I can do. I'm really really proud he's sorting his life out.'

Speaking of the public's exasperation with their previous public mudslinging, she conceded: 'We've not helped ourselves and I've not been perfect.'

Heartthrob Jeremy, 27, agreed to seek professional help for his drug and alcohol addiction at the beginning of April for six weeks, which has left Stephanie elated.

Speaking out: The former Hollyoaks star made the appearance to 'set the record straight'

Opening up: She spoke candidly with show hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby

Upbeat: The screen star cut an upbeat figure during her appearance on the daytime TV show

Emotional moments: At times, she got emotional as she spoke about her boyfriend's struggles

The couple met when they both competed on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2016 but, following a series of blazing rows over infidelity, they split five months later.

Actress Stephanie, 24, then found out she was pregnant but Jeremy refused to believe the baby - who is now three months old - belonged to him until he was born.

After months of tit-for-tat, it was finally revealed - three weeks after the baby was born in January this year - that Jeremy is actually little Caben-Albi's biological father.

Baby: During the broadcast, she brought out the couple's three-month-old son, Caben-Albi

Pride and joy: The mother-of-one proudly gushed over the boy as he sat quietly in the studio

Smart lad: The newborn looked stylish in a black-and-white check outfit as he sat with his mum

Daddy's boy: Stephanie gushed during the interview that little Caben-Albi 'loves his daddy'

One day at a time: While Stephanie revealed that she's back together with Jeremy, she cautiously added that the lovebirds are 'taking it day by day'

Bravery: She also praised Jeremy, who she said had 'guts' for trying to tackle his problems

The couple then decided to give their relationship another go for the sake of the tiny tot and, although she doesn't know what the future will hold, Stephanie believes Jeremy is the love of her life and she will continue to stand by his side.

She explained: 'We are together. I can't sit here and say it's gonna happen in a year's time, five years, 10 years, but right now we're taking it day by day. He wants to be a good dad and put the wrongs right.

'I love Jez, I think that's plain to see. I'm proud of him and I take my hat off to him because to admit you've got a problem and do something, that takes guts

'Plain to see': The brunette beauty said that 'it's plain to see' that she's in love with Jeremy

More tumultuous times: As well as his childhood losses, Jeremy lost his father last month and aunt shortly afterwards

Stephanie admitted that the pair had not handled their relationship in the best way in the past

No grey area: She revealed that part of the challenge of being in a relationship with an addict is that she's endured extreme highs or extreme lows with Jeremy - no in-betweens

Living in denial: She initially struggled to get Jeremy to seek help, because he insisted that everything was fine in his life

More babies: During the interview, she also revealed that she wants more babies with Jeremy

You only live once: She stepped out wearing a pair of strappy heels, in which she displayed her foot tattoo which read, 'You only live once'

'Already, speaking to him is such a difference. It breaks my heart too, because the drug addiction was just the tip of the iceberg.

'All that stuff that happened had to get broken down and built back up but he wants to be a good dad to Caben and I love him, everyone deserves a second chance.'

Stephanie believes Jeremy's problems stemmed from his childhood - during which time he lost his mother, brother and sister in the space of 15 months - and then losing his father last month and aunt shortly afterwards was the tip of the iceberg.

She said: 'I think what people don't understand with addiction, it's really really hard, people with addiction, it's either everything is great or I can't deal with this, there's no grey area.

Form-fitting ensemble: The actress looked stylish in a form-fitting all-black ensemble

Post-baby body: Showing off her sensational post-baby body, she wore a skintight catsuit

Neckline: The head-turning number boasted an off-shoulder feature with layered neckline

Shades: As she left ITV's London studios after the interview, she threw on a pair of sunglasses

Miles of smiles: She flashed a broad grin for photographers gathered outside the studios

'Jez was like, 'I've not got a problem, I know what the problem is.' You can't help someone until they want to help themselves, it was a vicious circle.'

As the revealing interview came to an end, Stephanie's adorable offspring was brought out before cameras, as the actress gushed that he 'loves his daddy'.

While Jeremy is battling his demons in rehab, Stephanie has continued to show her support for him.

She recently shared a sweet throwback snap of their son and 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'.

Beauty: Her natural beauty was enhanced with the application of naturally-hued makeup

Hitting the road: The screen star later made her way into a waiting chauffeur-driven car

Keeping it casual: Earlier, she was seen arriving at the studios, looking a little more casual

Tragic losses: The mother-of-one has revealed that she's been standing by Jeremy throughout his struggles, which she has said stems from devastating deaths in his family as a child

Exasperation: During her appearance on this show, Stephanie admitted that she understood why the public was exasperated with her and Jeremy's tumultuous relationship

The photogenic pair 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.'

Active: In the months since giving birth, Stephanie has remained active on social media

'Pride and joy': Clearly feeling in a reflective mood, Stephanie recently reminisced over the first time she laid eyes on Caben-Albi in a throwback snap of him as a newborn

Supportive: Admitting the pair were back on good terms after a fraught few weeks, she wrote beside the snap, 'Missing my best friend. Can't wait till he's home. New lease of life, fresh start'

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.

Better days: It was recently claimed that Stephanie wants to tie the knot with hunky Jeremy

Confusion: Fans have been left confused over the state of their relationship, as they've gone from publicly warring to gushing about each other

Fuelling speculation: Stephanie had got fans talking after sharing a photo of a diamond ring on her finger

Last month, Stephanie deined 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'

Earlier this month, 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.

'I am not engaged': She recently denied rumours she and Jeremy are set to wed on Twitter

Adorable: She recently 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

The stunning star also 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

Our little bundle of joy: The couple adorable son Caben-Albi who was born in January

'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.

'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.'

Supportive: Stephanie has insisted she is 'proud' of Jeremy for seeking treatment - his rehab stay came after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting her

'I just never handled fame': Jeremy shared a lengthy statement addressing his decision to check into rehab
She enjoyed her sixth getaway of the year in Monaco last week.

But Millie Mackintosh was reunited with beau Hugo Taylor on Monday after returning to London over the weekend.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, looked stylish as ever in a leopard print jacket as she walked hand in hand with Hugo, 30.

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Loved up: Millie Mackintosh was reunited with beau Hugo Taylor on Monday after returning to London over the weekend

The brunette beauty off-set the statement jacket with a pair of black trousers, which flared out at the bottom.

She accessorised the chic look with a black structured handbag, while draping a scarf over her arm.

Wearing her brunette tresses down in a centre parting, she covered her pretty features with a pair of shades, adding a nude lipstick to finish.

Stylish duo: The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, looked chic as always in a leopard print jacket as she walked hand in hand with Hugo, 30

Hugo meanwhile opted for a double-denim look, layering a white cable knit cardigan on top.

The sunglasses entrepreneur, who also sporting a pair of shades, was seen carrying a gift bag as he enjoyed the day out with his girlfriend.

Millie jetted off to Monaco last Wednesday, announcing her arrival with an Instagram shot of herself in a glamorous ivory halterneck satin gown ahead of a glitzy bash.

Jetsetter: Millie jetted off to Monaco last Wednesday, announcing her arrival with an Instagram shot of herself in a glamorous ivory halterneck satin gown ahead of a glitzy bash

The reality star, who runs her own eponymous fashion line, posed with her hands on her hips as she posed before a breathtaking Mediterranean backdrop.

With her sleeveless gown sweeping the floor of a sprawling deck, her brown tresses were swept back into a sleek style, while gold hoop earrings and a glittering rings served as her minimal accessories.

And she kept her fans informed of every step of her glamorising process, as she shared an Instagram story of herself getting a facial, compliments of cosmetics giant Lancome, whose glittering bash Millie attended.

Progress: As she prepared for the night, she took to Instagram to share a story of her progress

Getting ready: After her facial, the reality star showed herself getting her makeup applied

Stunner: She finally showed off her finished look - complete with gold hoop earrings

Stepping out: She also uploaded a black-and-white image of the back of her stunning dress

Millie's trip to Monaco came weeks after her surprise visit to join Hugo during his working trip to Dubai, shortly after visiting South Africa, two trips to Paris and a stay in Los Angeles.

In January she kicked off the year with a trip to South Africa, before heading to Paris in both February and March.

March was a particularly fruitful time for the starlet, with Millie not just jetting to the French capital but also to Los Angeles and Dubai.

It appears she is now on track to rival her record of taking a whopping 18 trips abroad in 2016.

Enjoying the view: She also shared a series of snapshots of her breathtaking surroundings

A room with a view: The brunette beauty's room looked out over the Mediterranean

Going swimmingly: She also shared an image of a glistening swimming pool nestled in the hills

Holiday lover: Millie recently joined Hugo during his work trip to Dubai, shortly after visiting South Africa, two trips to Paris and a stay in Los Angeles

Getaway: She surprised Hugo while he was in the United Arab Emirates to work on his sunglasses brand Taylor Morris

Giggling in an Instagram Stories video recently, the model uploaded the moment she caught her businessman boyfriend off-guard at the Jumeirah Al Naseem hotel as she arrived to surprise him in the United Arab Emirates.

Enticingly, Millie was dressed in just a silk robe when she waited patiently on his balcony, overlooking the famous landmark Burj al Arab.

Hugo was in Dubai to showcase his newest Taylor Morris collection as part of the #TaylorMorrisTravels series, which recently took him to Beachcomber's luxury Trou Aux Biches resort in Mauritius.

Living it up: March was a particularly fruitful time for the starlet, jetting not just to the French capital but Los Angeles and Dubai

Cosying up: She appears to be on track to rival her record of taking a whopping 18 trips abroad in 2016
He's the star of this spring's surprise hit Boss Baby.

And it looked like the film's title was an apt description of Alec Baldwin's home life, as he headed out for a morning stroll with wife Hilaria and their son Leonardo on Monday.

The 59-year-old actor was feeling protective of his family, gently clasping his wife's hand as he checked for traffic before the trio crossed the street.

But of the three it was their seven-month-old infant who seemed most awake - the bright-eyed boy looking around with unmistakable interest as he took in the street scene from the safety of his mother's chest.

Family time: Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin took an early morning walk with their son Leonardo on Monday

Hilaria, 33, looked calm and comfortable as she walked, Leonardo safely ensconed in an Ergo 360 carrier.

The mother-of-three hid her toned physique behind her baby boy and her sweatpants.

Pick me up: The 59-year-old actor looked a little worse for wear as he clung on to his hands wife and also his coffee

Chilled morning: Hilaria was dressed down in sweatpants and flip flops

But the fitness advocate has a killer body underneath, which is no doubt down to all the exercise she does that she regularly shares with her fans on social media.

On Sunday she posted a video with the caption: 'Sorry it's been a few days since I posted. We lost a friend and I needed to disconnect a little.

'Here is a few exercises strung together to make up for it. Sending love and gratitude to all of you. 10 of each exercise #thelivingclearlymethod #foundmomentworkout.'

Cute: Hilaria looked calm and comfortable holding her seven-month-old baby in a pouch across her chest

In the video the brunette beauty performs some ab exercises for her 241k followers.

Meanwhile Alec and Hilaria are set to wed again after Alec popped the question at the same cathedral he wed his beloved wife, the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral last Wednesday.

They previously tied the knot in July 2012.

Au naturel: She added a pair of designer sunglasses to her laid back look as she let her hair fall down naturally
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She has recently turned her attention from modelling to acting - and is currently in the midst of filming Life In A Year, which sees her play a dying woman.

But in order to fully get into character, Cara Delevingne has sacrificed her famously glossy locks for the flick - and debuted her new, completely bald style on Monday.

The 24-year-old gave fans a glimpse of her starkly different shaven head for the first time as she arrived on set in Toronto, ahead of another busy day shooting the emotional but romantic drama with co-star Jaden Smith.

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New woman: In order to fully get into her dying character for new film Life In A Year, Cara Delevingne has sacrificed her famously glossy locks - and debuted her new, completely bald style on set on on Monday

Unrecognisable: Cara, who shot to supermodel status in 2011, looked starkly different from her usual glamorous self as she emerged on set with a head free of all hair

Having concealed her short style in a cap last week, Cara now displayed her bald head in all its glory as she embarked on another undoubtedly tense scene for the film.

Portraying a dying teenager in the flick, the beauty looked worlds away from her famous model self as she stripped her entire head of hair - to fully immerse herself into her role.

Proving her natural beauty as one of the generation's top supermodels however, Cara's striking features and trademark strong brows were still clear for all to see without her locks, as she arrived for another day of shooting.

Clad in nothing but a thin yellow robe alongside her shaven head, the Suicide Squad star appeared to be dressed for a hospital scene - implying her character's illness worsens as the film goes on.

Emotional: Having concealed her short style in a cap last week, Cara now displayed her bald head in all its glory as she embarked on another undoubtedly tense scene for the film

Heartbreaking: Clad in nothing but a thin yellow robe alongside her shaven head, the Suicide Squad star appeared to be dressed for a hospital scene - implying her character's illness worsens as the film goes on

Big step: Carrying a chunky quilted coat in her arms however, the Hammersmith native cut a somewhat tired and strained figure as she emerged from her car for her day - following her drastic transformation

Keeping warm in the chilly Canada weather however, Cara layered a comfy green hoodie atop her costume and stepped out of her car in cosy black Ugg boots as she returned to set with her co-stars.

Carrying a chunky quilted coat in her arms however, the Hammersmith native cut a somewhat tired and strained figure as she emerged from her car for her day - following her drastic transformation.

The former Model Of The Year had been spotted concealing new, shorter locks under a peaked cap on Friday, as she headed out in Toronto to film the new flick.

After styling her hair into a bob, the blonde had gone on to admit to USA Today that she was preparing to take her hair transformation a step further and shave her head completely - although it had not been known how soon this was to take place.

Drastic: The supermodel shocked fans with her dramatically different style as she was seen heading home again after the shoot

Casual: Later on Cara was seen dressed in an over-sized black varsity jacket as she shot further scenes for the film - pulling the hood above her head to conceal her new style

Busy: The British star had been spotted concealing shorter locks under a peaked cap on Friday, as she headed out in Toronto to film the new flick

The model had looked a long way from the catwalk as she covered up her incredible figure in a large navy coat and tapered jogging bottoms.

She completed her incognito look with a chunky pair of black suede converse and a comfy scarf, which the model wore draped over her one shoulder, proving that even in leisurewear she can add a touch of elegance.

The talented London native sported a pair of on-trend aviators she has taken to wearing in recent social media posts - including one where she revealed her new 'do.

Dressed down: Cara completed her incognito look with a chunky pair of black suede converse and a comfy scarf, which the model wore draped over her one shoulder, proving that even in leisurewear she can add a touch of elegance

Cara, who unleashed her new pink-tinged crop on Instagram last week, revealed the reasoning behind her abandoning of her trademark silky bob to USA Today.

The model explained: 'I have to shave my head for my next part, so I have to do something different.

'So I dyed it. Just for fun. Just to change it up.'

Model looks! Cara ditched her long trademark icy blonde locks for a pink-tinged crop in preparation for a more drastic hair look

Life in a Year, penned by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, follows 17-year-old Daryn (Smith) who learns his girlfriend (Delevigne) is dying and sets out to give her their entire life together, in the year she has left.

It appears Cara has embarked on the method acting route in full dedication to the role, by ridding herself of hair altogether, despite her flourishing modelling career.

Jaden parallels Cara in his willingness to change his appearance for the prized part, and let his famous dad Will personally trim off his dreadlocks.

Shattering plot line: The movie, penned by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, follows 17-year-old Daryn (Smith) who learns his girlfriend (Delevigne) is dying and sets out to give her their entire life together, in the year she has left

And Cara appeared to be enjoying life in the chilly Canadian capital of culture.

She posed for pictures with fans earlier this week, looking elfin in her aviators and proudly displaying her iconic dark, thick brows.

Going make-up free for the day, the model flaunted her flawless complexion with a make-up free face.

In it together: Jaden parallels Cara in his willingness to change his appearance for the prized part, and let his famous dad Will personally trim off his dreadlocks

Queen! The blonde beauty (pictured at unite4humanity gala in Los Angeles in April 2017) is known for her model looks and trademark icy locks as she strutted her stuff on the catwalk

Battle: The starlet (pictured at unite4humanity gala in Los Angeles in April 2017) showed half the battle for taking on a new drama was looking the part as she showed she was going to slip into her character with ease

The catwalk queen will be appearing on a silver screen near you long before 2018.

Cara will soon be making an appearance in anticipated sci-fi thriller Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets.

The star, who landed her first acting role as Princess Sorokina in 2012 flick Anna Karenina opposite Keira Knightley, will give another role-model making performance as a fiesty young fighter in the film.
Gigi Hadid was flying high on a helicopter ride for her birthday on Sunday.

And the 22-year-old supermodel came back to earth with a bang as she stepped out in a sexy all black ensemble in New York on Monday.

The leggy blonde warded off post birthday blues by donning a chic jacket over tight ripped jeans as she headed out for a big day in the Big Apple.

Post party: Gigi Hadid, 22, stepped out in all black in New York on Monday a day after celebrating her birthday

The catwalk star rocked a velvet black hooded jacket that cut just above her slim waist and kept her warm in the chilly spring air.

She wore a neon lettered shirt that tucked into her tight ripped black denim pants.

The Victoria Secret's model strutted in tall black combat boots.

She kept her golden tresses back in a tight high ponytail and sported retro style shades that framed her young face perfectly.

Strut: The catwalk star rocked a velvet black hooded jacket that cut just above her slim waist and kept her warm in the chilly spring air

Rocker chic: She wore a neon lettered shirt that tucked into her tight ripped black denim pants

Gigi celebrated her birthday with boyfriend Zayn Malik, her mom Yolanda Hadid and her sister Bella Hadid.

The American born model was also joined by some friends including fellow model Karlie Kloss.

The party goers enjoyed a wonderful time exchanging gifts and wishing the birthday girl a wonderful day.

Leggy: The Victoria Secret's model strutted in tall black combat boots

The model posted a very sweet picture of herself and Zayn kissing as she held up a cake which he presumably organised for her.

But the cake was just the beginning, with the model showered in gifts.

The star Snapchatted some of her birthday bounty which included stuffed toys, a pinata and a box of Venus Et Fleur roses which last a year but cost close to $600.

Loved up: The 22-year-old was given a cake and a kiss by her boyfriend Zayn Malik

Lucky lady: The star Snapchatted some of her birthday bounty which included stuffed toys, a pinata and a box of Venus Et Fleur roses which last a year but cost close to $600

Soon the revelers headed off to a luxury helicopter ride around the city.

Meanwhile, sister Bella posted throwback snaps of the two growing up.

And she captioned the upload: 'Happy birthday to my best friend FOR F**king LIFE!!!!!!!! My role model! My person. I feel so lucky every day to call you my sister. I didn't know anyone could be so generous, smart, funny, talented, hard working, artistic, loving, respectful AND beautiful all at the same damn time!!!'

Flying high: Gigi and her party crew took a birthday helicopter ride
She confessed that she was feeling 'a little bit nervous' ahead of returning to The One Show.

But Alex Jones looked at ease and thrilled as she joined her co-host Matt Baker on the BBC show for her first day back after giving birth to son Edward Alun Burrell Thomson.

The 40-year-old host looked incredibly chic as she was greeted by her co-host, 39, in a warm embrace after her three and a half months break.

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Back on TV! Alex Jones, 40, looked thrilled as she joined her co-host Matt Baker on the BBC show for her first day back after giving birth to son Edward Alun Burrell Thomson

'Look whos back! Its Alex! Hooray, hooray, hooray. You look beautiful,' Matt announced excitedly - to which Alex responded: 'Its lovely to be back. Its so strange!'

Ever the glowing mother, Alex responded to compliments about her looks with: 'There's a lot of dark colours that will be going on for the next few months. All mothers will understand that.'

And despite having her hands full with her little one, Alex confessed that it didn't feel like she'd taken much time off.

'It's been strange. In a way, today, after being in for half an hour it felt like I'd never been away,' she revealed, before joking that being at work was easier that being a mum.

Exciting times: The TV host looked incredibly chic as she was greeted by her co-host, 39, in a warm embrace after her three and a half months break

'Look whos back!' Matt couldn't help but be excited over the Alex's return

'Its lovely to be back. Its so strange!' Alex looked sensational as she spoke of how she was feeling during her return post maternity leave

'Its been much easier! I've had a cup of tea with two hands!,' she joked.

Last week, Alex revealed that despite being excited to slip back to her role on screen, she will no doubt be a bit nervous'.

On Friday, the Welsh native looked fresh faced as she appeared in a video link carrying little Teddy.

Announcing her return, Alex said: '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.'

'I've had a cup of tea with two hands!' She joked that being at work was easier that being a mum

'I'm nervous': On Friday, the Welsh native looked fresh faced as she appeared in a video link carrying little Teddy where she spoke of her nerves ahead of returning to The One Show

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.

'So yeah, I'll be back on Monday - two days to begin with. We'll see how we go!'

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

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

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.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses The World Jewish Congress on April 23, 2017 in New York

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sought to reassure international Jewish community leaders on Sunday that he would stand up against any perceptions of anti-Israel bias at the world organization.

Guterres spoke amid a deepening row over alleged bias within the UN following US pressure, exacerbated last month when a UN rights expert issued a blistering criticism of Israel's policies.

Guterres said he would "guarantee" that those working under him would abide by principles that he considers right.

"As secretary general of the United Nations I consider that the state of Israel needs to be treated as any other state," he said to applause at the World Jewish Congress in New York.

"I have already had the opportunity to show that I'm ready to abide by that principle even when that forces me to take some decisions that create some uncomfortable situations," he added.

Former UN official and Jordanian national Rima Khalaf last month said Guterres asked her to withdraw a report in which she accused Israel of being an "apartheid state" and subsequently resigned.

The UN chief nonetheless qualified: "That does not mean that I will always be in agreement with all the decisions that are taken at any moment by any government that exists in Israel."

Guterres promised that he would be "in the frontline" in the struggle against anti-Semitism, which he warned was on the rise in Europe and America, and called "absolutely unacceptable."

He promised to "make sure that the United Nations is able to conduct all possible actions for anti-Semitism to be condemned, and if possible eradicated from the face of the earth."

His 15-minute speech was interrupted by applause at least 11 times. The former Portuguese prime minister was also given a standing ovation.

It was the first time that a UN secretary general has addressed an international gathering of Jewish leaders.

Israel last month announced a $2 million cut in its contribution to the UN budget because of constant criticism by the UN Human Rights Council of its policies towards the Palestinians.

Israel had already cut $6 million from its $11.7 million contribution after a Security Council resolution passed in December condemned Israel's settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

On Monday, UN Security Council ambassadors are scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump and US lawmakers for talks likely to include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and US cuts to UN funding.
US President Donald Trump pays tribute to Israel and Jewish perseverance in a message to mark the country's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day

President Donald Trump vowed to wipe out anti-Semitism in a message to mark Israel's annual Holocaust Remembrance Day after his administration was criticized for past statements about the genocide.

In a four-minute taped video played to the World Jewish Congress in New York, the US leader called the Holocaust "the darkest chapter of human history" and pledged "never again" would such horror occur.

"Six million Jews, two-thirds of the Jews in Europe, murdered by the Nazi genocide. They were murdered by an evil that words cannot describe, and that the human heart cannot bear," he said.

The Republican commander-in-chief went on to pay tribute to Israel and Jewish perseverance, condemning anti-Semitism.

"We must stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism everywhere it is found. We must defeat terrorism, and we must not ignore the threats of a regime that talks openly of Israel's destruction," he said.

"We cannot let that ever even be thought of," he said, adding "America stands strong with the State of Israel."

The White House raised eyebrows on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January by issuing a statement that made no mention of the six million Jews killed in the Nazi genocide.

In February, Trump drew fire for remaining silent for several days over a spate of anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers, before condemning them as "horrible" and "painful."

When asked by an Orthodox Jewish reporter at a White House news conference about the post-election surge in anti-Semitic incidents, Trump reacted defensively, telling his questioner to "sit down."

Earlier this month, White House spokesman Sean Spicer sparked outrage around the world after minimizing the atrocities of Adolf Hitler in comments on Syria.

Critics and political opponents in the United States say Trump's rise to the White House has emboldened extreme right, neo-Nazi groups.

One of Trump's closest advisors is son-in-law Jared Kushner, the Orthodox Jewish grandson of Holocaust survivors.

His daughter Ivanka, who is also an unpaid White House advisor, converted to Judaism in 2009.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is believed to have tightened border controls since he came to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011

China should immediately reveal the whereabouts of eight North Koreans it detained last month, Human Rights Watch said Monday, adding they risk severe torture if they were returned to the North.

Most North Korean refugees begin their escape by crossing into China and then try to make it to third countries -- often in Southeast Asia -- where they seek asylum in the South.

If caught and returned to the North they can face severe punishment.

China regularly labels North Koreans as illegal "economic migrants" and repatriates them based on a border protocol adopted in 1986.

"By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong-Un's administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

The group it highlighted -- which includes at least four women -- was detained by Chinese officials in mid-March after they were stopped for a random check in Shenyang, in northeastern China.

Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director

Human Rights Watch said that on the basis of information from sources it considers usually reliable, the group was still believed to be jailed in China. But it feared they may soon be returned to the North since "most repatriations happen two months after detention".

"There is no way to sugar coat this: if this group is forced back to North Korea, their lives and safety will be at risk," Robertson said.

Seoul's foreign ministry did not confirm the HRW account, saying its protocol was not to publicly comment on individual refugee cases for their own safety and to protect diplomatic relations.

"But we closely coordinate with a nation involved when a problem involving North Korean refugees arises," it said in a statement, and was in general "doing our best to ensure the safety and safe transfer of those who wish to come to the South".

More than 40 North Koreans, including children and pregnant women, have been held by China over the past nine months, Human Rights Watch said, and at least nine forcibly returned to the North.

Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, more than 30,000 North Koreans have escaped -- most after a deadly famine in the mid-90s -- and settled in the South.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is believed to have tightened border controls since he came to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011.

The number of refugees arriving in South Korea plunged nearly 50 percent to 1,417 last year.
Twenty-three year old Islam Maytat from Morocco comforts one of her two children, Maria, during an interview in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northern Syria, after she escaped from Islamic State (IS) group territory

Islam Maytat thought marrying an Afghan-British businessman was her ticket to a new life as a fashionista in London. Instead she became a widow living under jihadist rule in Syria.

At just 23, the young Moroccan spent three traumatic years in northern Syria under the Islamic State group's so-called "caliphate".

Tens of thousands of foreigners have joined jihadist groups in Syria, including women who are encouraged to marry and raise the children of IS fighters.

Some, like Maytat, have been lured unknowingly into marriages with would-be jihadists.

Maytat spoke to AFP after fleeing IS's northern stronghold of Raqa to territory controlled by a US-backed alliance fighting the extremist group.

Now safe in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, Maytat holds her gurgling 10-month-old daughter Maria in her lap as she tells her story.

"Meeting my husband was one of the things that motivated me to study fashion design in Europe, but I had no luck. Everything went wrong," she said.

She first met Khalil Ahmed -- an Afghan-British trader who worked in Dubai -- online in early 2014, and they married two months later.

He flew to Morocco to marry her and they then went to Dubai, stepping into a complex web of lies and journeys across the Middle East that would eventually take her to Syria.

- 'Going to the caliphate' -

Ahmed proved to be a strict, controlling husband who did not allow her to wear makeup or bright clothes.

After a brief trip to Afghanistan to meet his family, Maytat was eager to get to London and start working as a stylist.

Ahmed proposed travelling to Istanbul, convincing a reluctant Maytat that it would be easier to move to London from there.

Tens of thousands of foreigners have joined jihadist groups in Syria, including women who are encouraged to marry and raise the children of IS fighters

But as soon as they landed in Turkey, Ahmed immediately drove her to the southeastern city of Gaziantep near the border with Syria.

Ankara has long been accused of turning a blind eye to IS fighters using the porous Syrian-Turkish border to transport people, goods, and funds -- allegations it vehemently denies.

In Gaziantep, Maytat and Ahmed moved into a large house full of ecstatic couples from countries including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and France.

"I asked them 'Why are you here?' And they told me they were there to migrate to the caliphate in Syria," Maytat recalls.

In June 2014, IS declared a self-styled "caliphate" across Syria and Iraq, where it implemented its literal interpretation of Islamic law.

"I began to cry. It was two weeks after the caliphate was declared and the women kept saying 'We're going to the land of the caliphate, the land of the Muslims', and they were all happy," Maytat says.

In August, Ahmed and Maytat made their own journey across the border into war-ravaged northern Syria.

- 'I had no choice' -

They settled in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, where Ahmed's brother was already living with his family.

"I said to my husband 'Why did you destroy my life like this? You should have told me from the beginning that this is what we were going to do'," Maytat recalls.

"And he said 'You're my wife -- you have to listen to what I say'."

Tears welling, Maytat says she had felt powerless to resist Ahmed, her only link to her previous life.

By September, she was pregnant with her first child -- Abdullah -- and Ahmed was sent to a month-long military training before deploying to IS's front in Kobane.

On October 8, 2014, Ahmed's brother told Maytat her husband had been killed in combat.

"I became more depressed. I said to myself, this is the only person I knew in this foreign land, and now I'm alone here," she tells AFP.

Pregnant and alone, Maytat moved into a shared "guest house" for widows of jihadists, mostly Uzbeks and Russians.

This is when the military training started.

"When they forced us to do weapons training I was pregnant, but I had no choice," she says.

Unable to communicate with many other widows, Maytat was allowed to move into a building housing other Arabic-speakers.

"There were French, Tunisians, Moroccans and Algerians. I stayed there until I gave birth to Abdullah."

- 'Secret route' to safety -

Displaced Syrian women walk at the al-Mabrouka camp in the village of Ras al-Ain on the Syria-Turkey border, where many Syrians who fled from territory held by the Islamic State (IS) group in Deir Ezzor and Raqa are taking shelter

Less than a year after her first husband died, Maytat remarried in order to escape the shelter.

Her second husband, an Afghan known as Abu Abdullah, took her to Raqa, the de facto capital of IS's caliphate.

"I couldn't deal with life there -- he wouldn't let me leave the house -- so I asked him for a divorce two months later," she says.

She then married for the third time in three years, this time to an Indian fighter in Raqa known as Abu Talha al-Hindi.

That 18-month marriage produced her daughter, Maria.

When Maytat learned Abu Talha had been killed battling the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, she joined up with another jihadist widow, a Yazidi woman.

They escaped IS territory via "a secret route" that she refused to divulge.

Traumatised by her past, Maytat is now also worried about her future and that of her two young children.

"I still don't know what to do with my life.

"I hope to return to Morocco with both of my children, but I don't know if I'll have a future or not there."
A man who accidentally snorkeled headfirst into a crocodile in northern Australia escaped with minor injuries as wildlife officers Monday worked to track down the reptile.

The crocodile, measuring up to two metres (6.5 feet), 'reacted defensively' when the swimmer 'inadvertently' swum into it on Sunday near popular Lizard Island in Queensland.

'The man suffered minor cuts and abrasions to his head and was treated for his non-life threatening injuries on the island,' a department of environment spokesperson said.

A man who accidentally snorkeled headfirst into a crocodile on Lizard Island, Queensland, on Sunday has escaped with minor injuries (stock image)

'Wildlife officers are travelling to the area and will search the area for the crocodile responsible.'

The waters surrounding Lizard Island are a known hotspot for crocs with signs in the area cautioning swimmers of the threat.

In a separate incident Sunday, a crocodile was found decapitated near Innisfail in Queensland, prompting authorities to warn it was illegal to kill the reptiles.

'Based on an initial inspection, the four metre animal appears to have been deceased for some time,' the department spokesperson said.

The crocodile, measuring up to two metres, 'reacted defensively' when the swimmer 'inadvertently' swum into it (pictured is Lizard Island)

'[The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection] would like to remind the public that it is illegal to deliberately interfere with, harm or kill crocodiles without authorisation.'

Last month a fisherman was killed by a crocodile near Innisfail while a teenager was lucky to escape with only two broken bones when a crocodile latched onto his arm after he jumped into a river in the area.

Repeated attacks have lead to calls from some parts of the community for a cull of the animals, but the state government has so far resisted, saying it would have little effect on the animals' behaviour and give people a false sense of security.

People can be fined up to $27,425 for killing a crocodile, which are protected.
Gabriele Del Grande is co-author and co-documentary on Syrian and Palestinian refugees "Io Sto Con La Sposa" ("On the Bride's Side")

An Italian journalist arrested in Turkey while researching refugees near the Syrian border has been freed after two weeks in detention, Italy's foreign ministry said Monday.

Gabriele Del Grande, 34, was expected to arrive at Bologna airport in Italy Monday and be met by his parents and Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano.

"I spoke to him just now and he's on his way back to Italy. I had the great joy of telling his family. We are waiting for him," Alfano said.

Del Grande was handcuffed by Turkish police on April 9 as he was interviewing people who had fled the war-torn neighbouring country for a book he is writing on the conflict and the birth of the Islamic State group.

The blogger, writer and human rights activist began a hunger strike last week after claiming he had no access to a lawyer and had been "interrogated" on the content of his research.

Del Grande, who comes from Lucca in Tuscany, was a co-author and co-director of a documentary on Syrian and Palestinian refugees, "Io sto con la sposa" ("On the Bride's Side"), that was presented at the Venice Film Festival in 2014.
Samsung is preparing to roll out a software update for its new Galaxy S8 model just days after its release.

Customers who received Samsung's new flagship phone were less than happy to find that their devices displayed a peculiar red tinge.

Selected consumers who pre-ordered the Galaxy S8 were the first to get their hands on the phone - and were quick to raise the alarm about the unusual glitch.

Customers in Samsung's native South Korea thought they were in for an early treat when their Galaxy S8 handsets began to arrive earlier this month. But their excitement quickly turned sour after they discovered that the screens displayed an unusual red tinge (pictured)

THE PROBLEM South Korean customers were the first to get their hands on the Galaxy S8. Some have found that their devices displayed a peculiar red tinge. The fault is believed to be the result of the design of the Super AMOLED screens. Samsung says that the problem can be easily corrected, by switching off automated colour balance and adjusting this manually. It is not yet clear whether this solution has worked for everyone affected. Advertisement

Now electronics giant Samsung will this week offer an unusually early software update.

The launch of the device is a key step for the South Korean tech firm as it seeks to move on from last year's humiliating withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 over exploding batteries - a controversy that hammered the firm's once-stellar reputation.

The Galaxy S8 started over-the-counter sales in the US and its home market but South Korean users who pre-ordered the phones complained their screens displayed a reddish hue.

Online images of their phones went viral on social media but Samsung denied a hardware flaw and maintained that users could manually adjust the colour range according to their preferences.

As more users voiced doubts, Samsung said Monday that a software update would fix the problem by allowing them to readjust colours over a wider range than normal.

'Samsung... has decided to release a software update starting from this week which will provide consumers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the colour setting to their preference,' the company said in a statement.

The fault is believed to be the result of the design of the Super AMOLED screens.

They use two types of joint pixels, red-green and blue-green - according to reports in Endgaget.

Samsung is now preparing to roll out a software update for its new Galaxy S8 model just days after its release to fix the red tint issue

SAMSUNG DISASTER TIMELINE August 2, 2016 - Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note 7 at a New York media event. August 19, 2016 - Samsung starts Galaxy Note 7 sales in 10 markets including United States and South Korea. August 24, 2016 - Report of a Note 7 explosion surfaces in South Korea. September 2, 2016 - Samsung announces global recall of 2.5 million Note 7 phones, citing faulty batteries. September 8, 2016 - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration advises passengers to not turn on or charge Note 7 smartphones aboard aircraft or stow them in plane cargo. September 9, 2016 - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urges Galaxy Note 7 users to stop using their phone. September 15, 2016 - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission formally announces recall of about 1 million Note 7 phones. October 6, 2016 - A Southwest Airlines plane in the United States evacuated due to smoke from a Note 7 device on board. October 10, 2016 - Samsung says it is adjusting Note 7 shipments for inspections, quality control due to more phones catching fire. October 11, 2016 - Samsung asks customers to stop using all Note 7 smartphones, halts production, sales and exchanges of the device globally. April 12, 2017 - Samsung delayed the launch of its Bixby voice assistant with the roll out of the Galaxy S8 April 18, 2017 - Samsung ships Galaxy S8 to customers in South Korea with faulty screens, which display a peculiar red tinge. Advertisement

Because both contain an element of green, Samsung strengthened the red component in an attempt to balance the colour out.

But it seems that they may have overcompensated, with the red colour shining through more strongly.

Disgruntled fans quickly took to social media to vent their frustration, with 'Samsung red screen' quickly becoming a trending topic.

Twitter user thaqiphilosophy said: 'I wasn't a big fan of Samsung until they released Samsung S8.

'But then there are complaints about red hue screen.'

'User Kris added: 'I am gonna stick with my iPhone for now, samsung has been having lots of problems.'

Samsung - the world's largest maker of smartphones - has pinned its hopes on the Galaxy S8 to compete against arch-rival Apple's iPhone after last year's Note 7 disaster.

The recall debacle cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global credibility, forcing it to apologise to consumers and postpone the S8 launch.
US President Donald Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" over North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump Monday, as Japan joined exercises with an American supercarrier heading to the Korean peninsula.

The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North's sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

North Korea's Kim dynasty

Trump also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test a day after the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now focused on Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of its military.

- 'China can do more' -

North Korea has long been seeking to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead

US Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan -- "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts after Trump earlier indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The North's ruling party newspaper on Monday called the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said, using the country's official name.

South Korean Marines take position on a beach as amphibious assault vehicles fire smoke shells during a joint landing operation by US and South Korean Marines in the southeastern port of Pohang on April 2, 2017

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said the dispatch of the Carl Vinson signalled "that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day".

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

Pyongyang has also detained a US citizen -- Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the university said Monday.

Two other US citizens -- college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul -- are currently being held in the North after sentenced to long prison terms.

North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens in the past decade, often releasing them only after high-profile visits by current or former US officials or former US presidents.

The new US president has indicated he will not allow North Korea to achieve its goal of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States.

Pyongyang insists it needs a powerful arsenal -- including atomic weapons -- to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of invasion by hostile US forces.
People stop and stand in silence in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on April 24, 2017

Israelis stood silent and sirens rang out for two minutes on Monday as the country held its annual remembrance of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

Drivers exited their cars and buses ground to a halt, while students at schools marked the two minutes of silence that began at 10:00 am (0700 GMT).

Israeli radio and television stations have aired testimony, documentaries and films on the genocide carried out by the Nazis since Sunday night.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to destroy those who call for the destruction of Israel in a speech at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial to mark the start of commemorations on Sunday night.

"Iran and the Islamic State want to destroy us, and a hatred for Jews is being directed towards the Jewish state today," he said.

"From being defenceless people, we have become a state with a defensive capacity that is among the strongest in the world," he said.

He also said that "in our world, the strong survive and the weak are erased."

"We learned that in our bones with the Holocaust and it is always present in our minds."

Six Holocaust survivors lit torches at the memorial on Sunday night in memory of the six million Jews massacred by the Nazis during World War II.

The state of Israel was created in 1948 in the wake of the Holocaust as the national home for the Jewish people.

More than 213,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel today, many of them below the poverty line, according to survivors' groups.
The conflict in Nigeria has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009 and displaced more than 2.6 million from their homes

Four people were killed in two separate suicide attacks in northeast Nigeria on Monday, local militia members said, in the latest violence blamed on Boko Haram Islamists.

Babakura Kolo, who assists the military with security against the jihadist insurgents, said the first incident occurred in Mammanti village, 15 kilometres (10 miles) east of Maiduguri.

"Three female suicide bombers were intercepted by the vigilantes while trying to sneak into the village around 5:00 am (0400 GMT), just as the morning prayers were about to start," he told AFP.

"Two of the bombers blew themselves up while the third was shot dead by a soldier before her explosives detonated. One vigilante was killed and another injured," he said.

Another member of the civilian joint task force, who did not want to be named, said there was a second attack in Mainari, 10 kilometres west of the city at about 8:30 am.

"A male suicide bomber approached the village but some vigilantes got suspicious of his movements and accosted him," he said.

"Suddenly, he blew himself up among the vigilantes, killing three and injuring two."

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of Boko Haram, has been repeatedly targeted in the bloody, eight-year insurgency, even as the military regains control of the region.

Suicide attacks on "soft" civilian targets, as well as security checkpoints have increased after the militants were pushed out of captured territory since early 2015.

The conflict has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009 and displaced more than 2.6 million from their homes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned a suspected Maoist attack in Chhattisgargh which killed 24 paramilitary commandos and wounded six.

The soldiers came under heavy fire as they guarded road workers in the Sukma district, a hotbed of insurgent violence, in what was one of the deadliest attacks of a long-running internal conflict.

Anand Chhabra, a senior police officer, said: 'We have recovered 23 bodies from the spot and one jawan (soldier) died in Raipur during treatment.'

The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 states of India but are most active in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra

He said six other commandos from the Central Reserve Police Force were critically injured and had been evacuated for treatment.

Another police officer, Sunil Tiwari, said that Indian security forces were looking for 'some CRPF jawans who are missing', adding that the rebels snatched weapons during the ambush.

After news of the attack broke, Modi took to Twitter to condemn the attack and offered condolences to the families of the deceased, saying the sacrifice of their loved ones would not be in vain.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans came under fire in Sukma district on Monday

'Attack on @CRPFIndia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely,' he wrote.

'We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families,' he went on in another tweet.

He then added: 'May those injured in today's attack in Chhattisgarg recover at the earliest.'

Fatal attacks by insurgents on security forces in central and eastern India are frequent, but Monday's assault was among the deadliest in years.

Injured soldiers get treatment in an army helicopter after the attack in Sukma district

Television footage showed injured commandos in their army fatigues being stretchered from ambulances into hospitals for treatment.

One soldier who survived the attack, Sher Mohammed, told reporters from his hospital bed that 'almost 300 of them attacked us'.

Top Ministry of Home Affairs sources told Mail Today: 'The CRPF party had left their camp around 5.30am. While patrolling the road they took a break around 10.30am.

An injured CRPF jawan taken to Raipur for treatment on Monday following the attack

'That's the time they noticed some villagers approach them. The villagers had cattle with them and soon moved away.

'It now appears they were a Maoist patrolling party to assess the number of CRPF personnel and their weapons.'

Sources said the group then struck when half of the soldiers were on their break, and those remaining on patrol came under fire from two directions - using villagers as human shields.

Constable Sher Bahadur, an injured CRPF jawan, told Mail Today: 'The Maoists were dressed in all-black and very well-armed. We could not open fire immediately because they were using villagers as a human shield. By the time we took cover and opened fire, there was an attack from two sides.'

As the soldiers retaliated, a second wave of Maoists came and began firing at the security forces. The paramilitary soldiers claim several women cadre from the suspected Maoists were also involved in the attack.

'There were about 300 Maoists in all and they came from two sides in three waves. We were outnumbered and outgunned,' Sher Bahadur added.

Modi took to Twitter to condemn the attack and said sacrifice of soldiers 'would not be in vain'

The Times of India reported that the 'Maoists' were being informed about the movements of the soldiers by some local villagers.

One of the injured jawans Sheikh Mohammad was quoted as saying: 'Usually they use villagers as human shield, but this time, the villagers were sent to trace our location and movement. They kept updating the Maoists.

'The rebels then ambushed and opened indiscriminate fire on us. We also retaliated and our counter fire could have killed about a dozen rebels also, but we suffered a major loss.'

State chief minister Raman Singh said Sukma was a stronghold for Maoists waging a guerilla war from their jungle bases.

The Maoists opposed efforts to build new roads and infrastructure in the remote area because it undermined their long-running campaign against India's security forces, he added.

Modi said he was 'proud of the valour' of the CRPF personnel in Chhattishgarh

'In future we will need to take more precautions,' said Singh, who called an emergency meeting and rushed back from New Delhi after the attack.

He also visited injured soldiers in hospital and tweeted a picture of himself at one of their bedsides, saying he was 'praying for the speedy recovery' of those targeted.

But the attack comes amid criticism aimed at the state government that the Border Security Force has been without a leader for two months.

Former BSF director general Prakash Singh said: 'Why is a force of 300,000 personnel headless for two months? Where is the leadership for the force? When this government took over, (home minister) Rajnath Singh made a grand announcement about a policy to deal with the situation. Three years later, where is that policy?'

Chief Minister Raman Singh visited the injured in hospital

The Maoist insurgency started as a peasant uprising in 1967, and since then has cost thousands of lives in the rebel-dominated 'red corridor' stretching through central and eastern India.

Tit-for-tat jungle skirmishes often result in heavy casualties on both sides.

Last month 11 paramilitary policemen were killed when their convoy was ambushed in Chhattisgarh, while at least 20 troops died in a separate attack in 2015.

In 2010 Maoists killed 76 police in the worst-ever massacre of security forces by the insurgents. The incident shook the country and led to pressure on the government to rethink its tactics.

Critics believe attempts to end the revolt through tough security offensives are doomed to fail, saying the real solution is better governance and development of the region.

The guerrillas, who say they are fighting for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers, often collect funds through extortion.

Modi had been seeking to stem the insurgency by earmarking development funds for revolt-hit areas and improving policing. In 2015 he urged Maoists to put down their guns and take up ploughs, saying 'violence has no future'.
Defective switches in General Motors cars have been linked to more than 100 deaths and hundreds of serious injuries

The US Supreme Court on Monday turned away an appeal by auto giant General Motors of potentially billions of dollars in consumer claims over faulty ignition switches.

The top court without comment refused to hear GM's appeal against a decision handed down last year by a federal appeals court. The lower court rejected GM's claims that its 2009 bankruptcy should protect it from lawsuits related to the faulty switches.

The defective switches would sometimes shut off unexpectedly during driving, and have been linked to more than 100 deaths and hundreds of serious injuries.

GM claimed the 2009 bankruptcy sale -- in which government-backed "New GM" bought nearly all of the company's assets -- shielded the carmaker from the legal liabilities of its predecessor.

But plaintiffs argued the company should be liable for the conduct of "Old GM" because that company knew about the defect long before the bankruptcy.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York in July ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying consumer complaints were lodged as early as 2002.

GM's position effectively asked the court to reward debtors who concealed claims against potential creditors, the court found.

After the decision, the carmaker stood by its position disputing the lower court ruling.

"The Supreme Courts decision was not a decision on the merits and its likely that the issues we raised will have to be addressed in the future in other venues" the company said in a statement.

It said the appeals court's decision "departed substantially from well-settled bankruptcy law."

GM added that consumers in the lawsuit "must still establish their right to assert successor liability claims. From there, they still have to prove those claims have merit."
No license needed in the US for the all-electric "personal flying machine," as long as it's used in uncongested areas. The final design will look different to this prototype.

A Silicon Valley "flying car" startup, Kitty Hawk, reportedly backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, released a video Monday of its airborne prototype and announced plans for deliveries of a "personal flying machine" this year.

"Our mission is to make the dream of personal flight a reality. We believe when everyone has access to personal flight, a new, limitless world of opportunity will open up to them," said a statement on the website of the Kitty Hawk company, based in Google's home town of Mountain View, California.

"Today we're announcing our first prototype of The Flyer, a personal flying machine that will become available for sale by the end of 2017."

The video showed the single-seat aircraft -- with two pontoons and a spider web-like platform -- taking off from a lake at an undisclosed location and hovering above the water, where it is meant to be used.

The craft, propelled by eight rotors, takes off and lands vertically, like a helicopter. It is said to weigh about 220 pounds (100 kilograms) and fly at speeds up to 25 miles per hour (40 kph). and can hover at 15 feet (4.5 meters) high.

The company describes the Flyer as "a new, all-electric aircraft," which is "safe, tested and legal to operate in the United States in uncongested areas" under US federal regulations for ultralight aircraft. No pilot's license is required, and two hours' training is said to be all that is needed.

The website offered few details about the company, but several reports in recent months have said Page has poured millions of dollars into Kitty Hawk and another electric car startup.

Kitty Hawk president Sebastian Thrun, a Stanford University computer science professor who has been called the father of Google's self-driving car, tweeted: "Changing the future of personal transportation. Join us @kittyhawkcorp to get information about #theFlyer prototype."

The company announced it was offering three-year "memberships" for $100 to be placed on a waiting list and to get a discount on the price of the new transporter. The price is to be announced later this year.

- Limited details -

The startup offered only limited details about the company.

An email response to an AFP query said the lead engineers were Cameron Robertson and Todd Reichert, who created a startup called Aerovelo which aims to produce the fastest human-powered vehicle.

Kitty Hawk said the flyer going on sale later this year will have a different design than the prototype.

A blog post by writer Cimeron Morrissey, who took the flyer for a test run, offered some clues on how it feels.

"The prototype looks and feels a lot like a flying motorcycle. You mount the seat and lean forward, just like you would on a bike," she wrote.

"I feel light and ecstatic and utterly free. This is just like my flying dreams!"

Several other companies, including European conglomerate Airbus, have been working on similar flying machines.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley (L) and China's Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi (2R) listens while US President Donald Trump (2L) speaks before a working lunch with UN Security Council member nations in the White House April 24, 2017

The UN Security Council must be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling the status quo "unacceptable."

The comments are sure to ratchet up tensions again as North Korea pushes ahead with its ballistic missile program.

It is also believed to be preparing a sixth nuclear weapons test and recently detained a US citizen, the third held in the country.

"This is a real threat to the world," Trump said while hosting United Nations Security Council ambassadors at the White House. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve."

"The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," he added.

The United States has ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific near North Korea. The group is due to arrive by the end of April.

The Pentagon said its leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to US senators on Wednesday at the White House, rather than in the usual secure rooms at the Capitol.

Meanwhile, US Vice President Mike Pence is heading back to Washington after visits to Asia and Australia, where North Korea headlined talks.

- China urges 'restraint' -

Trump has intimated that he is willing to ramp up US military pressure on North Korea while simultaneously encouraging China to use its influence on its ally and reject bilateral diplomacy with Pyongyang.

"People have put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem," he said.

The US leader spoke about North Korea in telephone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, the White House said in a statement.

In the call with Xi, "the two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," it added.

Xi urged "restraint" on North Korea in the call, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

After a compromise with Russia, the UN Security Council last Thursday unanimously and strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile test and demanded it conduct no more. The text, drafted by the United States, specifically mentioned the threat of more sanctions.

The council has already imposed six sets of sanctions on North Korea -- two adopted last year -- to significantly ramp up punitive measures and deny Kim Jong-Un's regime hard currency revenue.

Pyongyang is seeking to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.

- Kim Jong-Un 'flailing' -

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday called the latest detention of the US citizen by North Korea a display of muscle-flexing by the country's "flailing" leader Kim Jong-Un.

Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested Saturday at Pyongyang's airport as he was about to leave the country after a teaching stint at a university founded by evangelical Christians.

"We have said, for quite a while now, that the United States is not looking for a fight," Haley told CBS television. "So North Korea doesn't need to give us a reason to have one. And I think that they're panicking right now."
A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces, made up of US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters, stands guard near the village of Bir Fawaz, in February 2017

A US-backed alliance of Arab-Kurdish forces entered the key jihadist-held town of Tabqa on Monday as they pursued their campaign against the Islamic State group in northern Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces have set their sights on Tabqa and the adjacent dam as part of their broader offensive for the city of Raqa, the Syrian heart of the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate" since 2014.

Supported by US-led coalition air strikes and special forces advisers, the SDF surrounded Tabqa in early April.

On Monday, they entered it for the first time, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

"They seized control of several points in the town's south and were advancing on its western edges," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

The US-led coalition warplanes carried out "intense" strikes in support of the offensive, he said, adding that one raid had killed seven children and four women trying to flee Tabqa.

In an online statement, the SDF said it had captured IS-held positions in west Tabqa, including a roundabout, and part of a southern district.

"There are now clearing operations in the liberated positions," the SDF said.

- 'Real battle begins now'-

Tabqa sits on a key supply route about 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of Raqa, and served as an important IS command base, housing the group's main prison.

Tabqa Dam

According to the Syrian Economic Task Force, a Dubai-based think tank, Tabqa is home to 85,000 people including IS fighters from other areas.

The assault on Tabqa began in late March when SDF forces and their US-led coalition allies were airlifted behind IS lines.

The ensuing fight has been intense, with IS dispatching suicide bombers daily to try to slow the offensive and coalition warplanes intensifying their raids.

"The real battle begins now," Abdel Rahman said on Monday, adding that IS fighters had "no way" out of the town.

For months, the SDF has been advancing on Raqa, hoping to encircle it before a final attack.

The city was home to around 240,000 residents before 2011, and more than 80,000 people have fled to it from other parts of the country.

Syria's war has left more than 320,000 people dead since it began with protests in 2011 that were brutally repressed by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Regional and international powers have since been drawn into the complex conflict, in which internationally prohibited weapons such as cluster bombs and toxic gas have been used.

On April 4, a suspected chemical attack killed 88 civilians, including many children, in the northwestern rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

- US sanctions over sarin -

Much of the international community blamed the Syrian regime, and three days later 59 US cruise missiles targeted the airbase from where the attack was launched.

Assad ally Moscow protested the US action and consistently sought to deflect blame from Damascus over the incident.

A boy looks on as displaced Syrians from Tabqa and Raqa wait for aid parcels near the northern Syrian village of Jarniyah, on April 6, 2017

Air raids on Khan Sheikhun have continued, with seven people killed in strikes on the town market on Monday, the Observatory said.

It came as Russia's defence ministry said the Syrian army would halt fire around Khan Sheikhun if experts were allowed in to conduct a probe.

The ministry said Damascus was "ready to declare a complete moratorium on the activities of its troops, aviation and artillery in the area" if investigators were sent in.

Syria's government has not commented on the offer.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said last week that "incontrovertible" test results showed sarin gas or a similar substance had been used in Khan Sheikhun.

The US Treasury on Monday ordered a freeze on all assets in the United States belonging to 271 employees of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, and blocked any American person or business from dealing with them.

The SSRC was responsible for producing the chemical weapons Washington believes were used in the attack and the means to deliver them, a Treasury statement said.
Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, once the head of Libya's security agency under late dictator Moamer Kadhafi, was allegedly arrested in Cairo in April 2012, but was released again as there was no warrant against him

International judges on Monday unsealed an arrest warrant for Libya's former security chief, accusing him of carrying out war crimes in 2011 to quash opposition to late dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

The warrant, first issued in 2013 by the International Criminal Court (ICC), charges Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, once head of Libya's internal security agency, with three charges of war crimes and four crimes against humanity.

The announcement comes as the court is still in a legal tug-of-war with Libyan authorities to transfer Kadhafi's jailed son Seif al-Islam to the tribunal in The Hague to face trial for crimes against humanity.

The warrant against Khaled says that between February and August 2011, the military, intelligence and security agencies carried out attacks on the civilian population "in furtherance of a policy designed by the Libyan state to quash the political opposition to the Kadhafi regime by any means".

That included "lethal force and by arresting, detaining, torturing and abusing perceived political opponents".

Prisoners across Libya "were subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including severe beatings, electrocution, acts of sexual violence and rape, solitary confinement" as well as mock executions.

As head of the agency from February to August 2011, Khaled "had the authority to implement Kadhafi's orders," it added.

The prosecutor's office asked for the warrant to be made public as it "may facilitate (his) arrest and surrender as all states will then be aware of its existence," the court said.

Born in the Janzour area of Libya, west of Tripoli, in 1942, Khaled was known by several aliases, and had "at least 10 different passports, some issued under other identities," the warrant says.

According to Libyan media, he was arrested in Cairo in April 2012, but was released again as there was no warrant against him. Since then he is believed to have dropped out of sight.

The warrant appeals to the authorities in Egypt to co-operate with the court's request for his arrest and surrender.

Although Libya is not a party to the Rome Statute which underpins the ICC, the UN Security Council unanimously mandated the tribunal to investigate abuses in the country in February 2011.

It was then still under the rule of longtime leader Kadhafi, who was killed months later by rebels in a NATO-backed uprising.

- No-one in the dock -

An arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity issued in June 2011 is still outstanding for his son, Seif al-Islam, said to be behind bars in Zintan, a town southwest of Tripoli that opposes the unity government based in the capital.

The new unity UN-backed government in Tripoli still faces dogged resistance from jihadist holdouts, as well as a rival administration in the east.

A bid by chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to have the ICC warrant served on the battalion commander in charge in Zintan, to compel him to turn over Islam to the court, was turned down by the trial chamber in November.

So far no-one has stood trial for atrocities in Libya, as the case against Kadhafi's former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi was dropped, after it was declared inadmissible in October 2013.

But Bensouda has vowed her office would keep up its investigations, and said last year new arrest warrants could perhaps follow in 2017.

She vowed to make Libya a priority for her office, and told the UN Security Council in November she would seek to expand investigations to "potentially include alleged crimes committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.

It would be the first such moves by the court -- set up in The Hague in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes -- to target IS jihadists who swept to power across a swathe of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
Mussallam al-Barrak was freed from jail on April 21, 2017 in Kuwait City, after serving a two-year sentence for insulting the emir of Kuwait in public, a charge he had denied

Prominent Kuwaiti opposition leader Mussallam al-Barrak called on Monday for national reconciliation to rescue the oil-rich Gulf state just days after his release from jail.

Barrak, 61, was freed from prison on Friday after serving a two-year sentence for insulting the emir of Kuwait in public, a charge he had denied.

The former lawmaker told thousands of supporters at a rally Monday that the emirate had reached "the lowest point in its modern history".

"Kuwait is headed to catastrophe in all fields... It is so close to becoming a failed state," Barrak said.

He called on the government led by the ruling Al-Sabah family to initiate talks to achieve compromise in the Gulf state which has suffered of bitter political disputes in the past decade.

"If the government makes a serious step towards political reforms, we are ready to make many steps," Barrak said.

He said that no one in the opposition was trying to overthrow the regime.

"No one disputes the constitutional legality of the Al-Sabah family," he said.

But Barrak said that for reconciliation to succeed, the government must reinstate revoked citizenships of opposition figures and scrap all freedom-curbing legislation issued in the past few years.

He also demanded amnesty for all activists, that the judiciary should be allowed to handle citizenship cases and called for cleaning security agencies of "corrupt" elements.

As a result of lingering political disputes between the government and opposition groups, parliament has been dissolved seven times since 2006, the last of which was in October.

Between 2011 and 2014, Kuwait witnessed violent street protests led by the opposition, demanding democratic reforms and an elected government.

Under Kuwait's political system, the prime minister has always been a senior member of the ruling family appointed by the emir regardless of the outcome of an election.

Dozens of opposition activists are either in jail or are facing trial for insulting the emir, including via social media.

The emirate is widely viewed as a pioneer in operating a parliamentary system among the Gulf monarchies.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given a five-year jail term in September for participating in anti-regime protests in 2009

A British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran after being accused of sedition has seen her appeal rejected by the country's supreme court, her family said on Monday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given a five-year jail term in September for participating in anti-regime protests in 2009.

After losing an initial appeal in January, Iran's Supreme Court upheld her sentence and Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family said they have been told there are no further legal avenues.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said he will now seek a political solution to end the detention of his wife, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation which coordinates training programmes for journalists worldwide.

"We've had a year, the legal process is finished, so I think the (British) Government needs to step up, find a way to visit her, say that she's innocent and call for her release publicly," he told the Press Association.

The Foundation's CEO Monique Villa said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was not allowed to participate in her appeals, with the Supreme Court hearing held by a panel of judges.

"This extinguishes the last hope we have had of legally overturning a punishment where the crime remains a mystery," Villa said in a statement, explaining the exact charges remain unknown.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016, after visiting family in Iran with her British-born daughter Gabriella.

Iran, which does not recognise dual-citizenship, confiscated the British passport of the two-year-old girl, who has been living with her grandparents in Iran since her mother's arrest.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband said she was feeling "angry" but "determined" after losing her final appeal and is hoping for intervention from the UK.

Britain's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned" by reports the Supreme Court had upheld the sentence and said Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had raised the case with their Iranian counterparts.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (R) was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016, after visiting family in Iran with her British-born daughter Gabriella

"We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested," a spokesman said.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards accused Zaghari-Ratcliffe of having taken part in the "sedition movement" of widespread protests that followed the 2009 re-election of former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, charges which she denies.

During her detention Zaghari-Ratcliffe has suffered health problems and in November her husband said she had reached "breaking point", writing a suicide letter to him and her family.

After being held in solitary confinement, she was moved to the women's ward of Tehran's Evin prison on December 26 and has since received visits from her daughter.
The US Treasury ordered a freeze on all assets in the United States belonging to 271 employees of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center

The US government put 271 Syrian chemists and other officials on its financial blacklist Monday, punishing them for their presumed role in the deadly chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in early April.

In one of its largest-ever sanctions announcements, the Treasury Department took aim at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), which it said was responsible for developing the alleged sarin gas weapon used in the April 4 attack.

The attack left 87 dead, including many children, in the town of Khan Sheikhun, provoking outrage in the West, which accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of being responsible.

The sanctions will freeze all assets in the United States belonging to the 271 individuals on the blacklist, and block any American person or business from dealing with them.

- Syria's science hub targeted -

According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington-based think tank, the SSRC is Syria's leading scientific reasearch center, with close links to the country's military.

The center was the subject of two earlier sanctions declarations, in 2005 and 2007, due to its alleged role in developing weapons of mass destruction.

The Treasury asserted in a statement Monday that the SSRC is behind the Syrian government's efforts to develop chemical weapons and the means to deliver them.

The 271 either have scientific expertise for the program or have been involved in it since 2012, the statement said.

"These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women and children," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"These sanctions are intended to hold the Assad regime and those who support it -- directly or indirectly -- accountable for the regime's blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118," he said.

Assad has said the attack was a "fabrication" by the West.

But the US military quickly responded on April 7, firing 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield to punish the government and send a warning against any further chemical weapons attacks.

An effort at the United Nations to add pressure on Damascus failed, however, when Assad's close ally Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution on April 12 demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the attack.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson welcomed the US sanctions, saying they send a warning to those who would use chemical weapons.

"The abhorrent attack on Khan Sheikhun is a stark reminder that the international community must work together to deter the future use of chemical weapons in any circumstances," he said in a statement.

"We will continue our efforts to hold accountable those responsible for chemical attacks, including through the UN and EU, and to energize international support for the UN-led political process," he said.

"Only a political settlement will bring an end to the war in Syria."
An Australian soldier walks with his horse in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney on April 25, 2017

Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders, many braving heavy rain, turned out Tuesday to mark the Gallipoli landing and to pay tribute to soldiers in current conflict zones in moving ceremonies.

Ceremonies are held annually on the April 25 anniversary of the ill-fated 1915 landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in modern-day Turkey during World War I, known as Anzac Day.

More than 10,000 New Zealand and Australian servicemen died in the failed eight-month campaign, and Gallipoli became a defining symbol of courage and comradeship for the two countries.

Dawn services also acknowledged the contributions of troops currently serving in the Middle East, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited camps in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Like your forebears, 100 years ago, the Anzacs of the First World War, you are here in the Middle East as the Anzacs were," Turnbull told soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq.

"This time (it's) the fight against terrorism and you're on the front line here and I want to thank you... for your service."

The Gallipoli campaign

The Australian leader also met with his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi and pledged an additional Aus$110 million (US$83 million) in funding to combat the Islamic State group.

In Afghanistan, he met with President Ashraf Ghani, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Australian personnel in Qargha outside Kabul.

There are some 270 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed in Afghanistan and another 780 in the Middle East including Iraq.

Forty-two Australians have died while on military service in Afghanistan and two in Iraq since 2002.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid tribute to the war dead in an Anzac Day message.

People sleep out before a dawn service marking Anzac Day in Gallipoli on April 25, 2017

"We will not forget that by the time the American Expeditionary Forces were organised in 1917, the Anzac had already been fighting for over two years," he said.

"The tenacity and sacrifice of your brave servicemen and women represent to this day the determination of the people of Australia and New Zealand to defend democracy and freedom."

- 'Lest we forget' -

In Canberra, indigenous veterans -- who had to fight to be recognised for their sacrifices -- led the national march for the first time.

Drawing attention to the current batch of troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, Curtis McGrath spoke of how his friends fought to save him in 2012 after an explosion blew off his legs.

A young girl looks at a war veteran taking part in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney on April 25, 2017

The Afghanistan veteran called for "a mighty dust-off" for returning service personnel, using a military term for emergency evacuation which stands for "dedicated unhesitating service to our fighting forces".

"May we, as a nation, continue to provide those men and women who have served us with the care they need, dedicated, unhesitating service to our fighting forces, a mighty Australian 'dust-off'. Lest we forget," McGrath, now a Paralympian, told the Canberra dawn service.

Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith also called on Australians to support returning troops.

"We understand a great deal more now about what happens for our veterans when they make their transition back into civilian life," he told the dawn service in Melbourne.

An Australian military band prepares to march in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney on April 25, 2017

"It can be very tough on their mental, emotional and physical well being, on their relationships, kids, families and friends."

In Wellington, Governor-General Patsy Reddy remembered that a century ago New Zealand experienced the most costly year in terms of lives as the Western Front campaign ground on.

"For the bereaved, an Anzac Day service was the nearest thing to a funeral that their loved ones would ever have," she told a service attended by New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English.
The Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation accused the university of seeking to silence conservative viewpoints and stifle political discourse after canceling an appearance by the firebrand pundit Ann Coulter

Two conservative groups filed a lawsuit against the University of California at Berkeley claiming that a decision to cancel an appearance by the firebrand pundit Ann Coulter violated their right to free speech.

The Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation, which had invited Coulter to speak on April 27, accused the university of seeking to silence conservative viewpoints and stifle political discourse at the famously progressive campus by imposing unreasonable demands on campus events involving certain "high-profile" speakers.

"Defendants' discriminatory imposition of curfew and venue restrictions has resulted in the cancellation of two speaking engagements featuring prominent conservative speakers in the month of April, 2017," read the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco.

University officials said last week that Coulter's scheduled appearance at Berkeley to discuss illegal immigration was scrapped because of security concerns after several recent protests in the city turned violent.

Following a firestorm over the decision, the school offered a new venue and date -- May 2 -- which were rejected by the right-wing commentator as well as the student group.

The lawsuit said that the new proposed date falls during a period known as a "dead week," when no classes are held and fewer students are on campus due to final exams the following week.

It added that while heavy restrictions were being imposed on conservative speakers, liberal figures addressing the same contentious topic as Coulter had freely spoken at the school in recent weeks.

They include former Mexican leader Vincente Fox and Maria Echaveste, a former advisor to ex-president Bill Clinton.

"It is unfortunate that the very school that is considered the 'birthplace of the Free Speech Movement' is now leading the charge to censor thoughts, ideas, and debate," said Ron Robinson, president of Young America's Foundation.

A spokesman for the university, a public institution, said a response to the suit would be issued later Monday.

The decision to shelve Coulter's appearance at the campus came days after opponents and supporters of President Donald Trump clashed in the city.

It also follows a similar cancellation in February of a planned speech at the university by right-wing provocateur and former Brietbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, following violent protests.

University officials said they had learned that some of the groups that took part in recent clashes planned to target Coulter's appearance.

They said security concerns mounted last week after posters appeared on the walls of campus buildings threatening disruptions.
PARIS (AP) - 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.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Ten microfilm Bibles once launched hundreds of thousands of miles into space sit landlocked today inside an Oklahoma courthouse while a legal battle rages in two states over who is the rightful owner of the celestial keepsakes.

Eight of the 10 tiny holy books in dispute landed on the surface of the moon during NASA's 1971 Apollo 14 mission, carried in a pouch by astronaut Edgar Mitchell. Each isn't much larger than a postage stamp and contains all 1,245 pages of the King James Bible. Etched onto each strip of film at such a small size, its words must be viewed through a microscope, save for two: "HOLY BIBLE" at the very top of the slide.

Shooting the scriptures into the heavens was the brainchild of the Apollo Prayer League, formed in the late 1960s to pray for the success of the space program. A novel idea at the time, flying a Bible into space led to the trend of sending other souvenirs spaceward: pocket change, LEGO figurines, and even a lightsaber wielded by the "Star Wars" movies' Luke Skywalker.

In this Tuesday, April 18, 2017 photo, Carol Mersch holds a copy of a microfilm Bible that flew in orbit around the moon on Apollo 13 during an interview in her home in Tulsa, Okla. Behind her are some of the photographs and space program memorabilia she has collected. Ten microfilm Bibles once launched hundreds of thousands of miles into space are today landlocked inside an Oklahoma court vault while a legal battle rages in two states over their rightful owner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

An ongoing slog in Texas and Oklahoma courts encapsulates the complexity of what to do with space relics: Connecting with the cosmos seems cool, but figuring out what to do with them can get costly and contentious back on Earth.

Co-founded by the late NASA chaplain John M. Stout, the prayer league took its mission statement from Mark 16:15 literally: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." After the Apollo 14 mission, Stout gave many of his valuable artifacts away to family or friends, squirreling away the rest in his tiny Texas apartment.

Now, these "first lunar Bibles" are stored at the Tulsa County courthouse, awaiting a May 3 hearing over who owns them - Texas or Tulsa author and businesswoman Carol Mersch, who befriended Stout in 2009 while working on a book about attempts to land a Bible on the moon. Mersch claims the late chaplain gave her the Bibles while she wrote the book, and she keeps a certificate of authenticity signed by Stout and Mitchell as proof.

But that hasn't been good enough for Texas, whose attorneys argue that Stout and his wife became wards of the state in their twilight years after their son, Jonathan, raised concerns about his parents' deteriorating mental and physical well-being. She died in 2014; he passed away in December.

In the view of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, as represented by the state attorney general, that means the Jonathan Stout should inherit the Bibles. Estate-related legal wrangling has locked Texas and Mersch in the six-year fight.

Jonathan Stout didn't reply to numerous messages and emails seeking comment on the case. Spokeswomen for the Texas disability services agency and the attorney general's office declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit.

Texas' attorneys have accused Mersch of cheating Stout out of the Bibles. Mersch, who estimates she's racked up $500,000 in legal fees so far, said in a recent interview that the thought she would "steal an elderly couple's priceless artifacts for personal gain is unconscionable."

Mersch recently spoke to The Associated Press in the study of her home, surrounded by walls lined with framed pictures of astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong. Other pictures are autographed by Mitchell, who took the miniature Bibles to space, and Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon. Mersch said if she wins, she'll donate some of the Bibles to museums or seminaries around the world, per the chaplain's wishes. She wants the Tulsa Air and Space Museum to get one.

"The idea of America taking the Bibles to the moon, it was an incredible adventure," said Mersch, a NASA buff who sold her internet and technology companies for millions before writing "The Apostles of Apollo," published in 2013. "It's a little-known story that needs to be told, and putting them in museums is a way to preserve their legacy."

The author isn't the only one who believes the Bibles are valuable.

Since the Apollo missions, some have found their way to noted auction houses. Hobby Lobby president Steve Green paid more than $56,000 for one at Sotheby's in 2012 for his family's traveling Bible collection, according to published reports. Others - some with dubious provenance - have fetched from $20,000 to $75,000 or more at auction. A copy from the Apollo 14 mission was recently advertised on Ebay for $10,000.

Bobby Livingston, the executive vice president at Boston-based RR Auction, which has sold $20 million in NASA-related merchandise since 2011, said collectors clamor for such memorabilia because the feats of the early space program "captured the imagination" of a generation.

"That's why we collect these things and why these things are memorable; you and I will never know what it's like to stand on that lunar surface and look back," Livingston said. "It's like the greatest achievement of mankind in the second half of the 20th Century."

In this Tuesday, April 18, 2017 photo, Carol Mersch holds a copy of a microfilm Bible that flew in orbit around the moon on Apollo 13 during an interview in her home in Tulsa, Okla. Ten microfilm Bibles once launched hundreds of thousands of miles into space are today landlocked inside an Oklahoma court vault while a legal battle rages in two states over their rightful owner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

In this Tuesday, April 18, 2017 photo, Carol Mersch talks during an interview in her home in Tulsa, Okla. Behind her are some of the photographs and space program memorabilia she has collected. Ten microfilm Bibles once launched hundreds of thousands of miles into space are today landlocked inside an Oklahoma court vault while a legal battle rages in two states over their rightful owner. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
PARIS (AP) - Whatever the result of France's presidential election, the choice will resonate far beyond France's borders, from Syrian battlefields to Hong Kong trading floors and the halls of the U.N. Security Council.

The future of Europe is at stake as this country chooses a president in an election unlike any other, one that may reshape France's post-war identity and indicate whether global populism is ascendant or on the decline.

As untested centrist Emmanuel Macron and nationalist Marine Le Pen head into a May 7 runoff after dominating Sunday's first-round vote, here are a few reasons why this race matters:

A man picks a ballot paper before voting for the first-round presidential election at a polling station in Paris, Sunday, April 23, 2017. French voters are casting ballots for their next president in an unusually close first-round election Sunday, after a campaign dominated by concerns about jobs and immigration and clouded by security fears following a recent attack on police guarding the Champs-Elysees in Paris. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

RISK OF A FREXIT

Le Pen hopes to pull France out of the European Union and its shared euro currency - a blow that would be far worse than Britain's exit and could spell death for the EU, the euro and the whole idea of European unity borne from the blood of World War II. France is a founding member of the EU, and its main driver along with former rival Germany.

Most of the 11 candidates in the first round campaigned against the EU, blamed for myriad economic and security woes, and Le Pen will carry their banner proudly into the runoff.

Financial markets expressed relief at Macron's lead in the first round, but they've been jittery over a possible Frexit, fearing controls on money transfers, capital flight, a plague of defaults and lawsuits on bonds and contracts. Le Pen's team downplays apocalyptic scenarios, arguing that the euro is headed for a breakup eventually anyway.

Le Pen also blames free trade pacts for killing French jobs and wants to renegotiate them, which would cause a financial tangle for the rest of the EU and France's trade partners.

___

TRUMP AND POPULISM

If Le Pen wins, that would be a resounding victory for the populist wave reflected by the votes for President Donald Trump and Brexit. Many French workers who have lost out because of globalization are similarly fed up with establishment parties and especially attracted by promises of ditching the status quo.

Polls currently suggest Le Pen will have a difficult time convincing enough voters to join her in the second round. But she could pull in support from supporters of far left Jean-Luc Melenchon who share her anger at the global financial system and the global elite.

Macron called for hope in Europe in his victory speech, and mainstream conservative and Socialist parties that threw their weight behind him are committed to European unity. Macron has framed himself as a bulwark against Trump's protectionism.

___

ASSAD'S SYRIA AND PUTIN'S RUSSIA

A nuclear power with a seat on the U.N. Security Council and tens of thousands of troops around the world, France is a key U.S. ally in the campaign against the Islamic State group and a major diplomatic player.

If elected, Macron would likely keep up the French operations against extremists in Iraq and Syria and Africa's Sahel region - and keep up pressure on Russia over Ukraine and its actions to bolster Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Le Pen, on the other hand, firmly backs Assad and distanced herself from Trump over recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Assad's regime.

Le Pen also met recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would push for lifting sanctions against Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.

French centrist presidential election candidate Emmanuel Macron, left, casts his ballot next to his wife Brigitte, in the first round of the presidential election in Le Touquet, northern France, Sunday April 23, 2017. (Philippe Wojazer, Pool photo via AP)

Far-right leader and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election Marine Le Pen exits a polling booth before voting for the first-round presidential election in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, Sunday, April 23, 2017. French voters are casting ballots for their next president in an unusually close first-round election Sunday, after a campaign dominated by concerns about jobs and immigration and clouded by security fears following a recent attack on police guarding the Champs-Elysees in Paris. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

French conservative presidential election candidate Francois Fillon casts his ballot in the first round of the presidential elections in Paris, Sunday, April 23, 2017. (Christophe Archambault, Pool via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says the New York Police Department has developed "some of the best" policing techniques ever and should be studied, just days after the Justice Department chastised New York City for a "soft on crime" stance.

The Republican Sessions said Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that the Justice Department statement was in reference to the city's so-called sanctuary city policy that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but praised the city's law enforcement for efforts to make the city safer.

City officials had strongly criticized the statement, with NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill saying that it was "absolutely ludicrous" and noting that violent crime is continuing to fall and the number of shootings last year was the lowest since records began being kept.
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Christian Benteke endured a miserable one-season stay at Anfield before being sold by Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp in August.

The Belgium striker had a much happier time on his return with new club Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Benteke scored twice as Palace came from behind to win 2-1 for a potentially defining result in its fight for survival in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace's Christian Benteke celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game against Liverpool with Mamadou Sakho, right, during the English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday April 23, 2017. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

"Christian is an outstandingly good striker," Klopp said of a player who didn't fit Liverpool's high-energy style of play and was sold for 27 million pounds (now $34.6 million). "If you leave him alone like we did, I don't think he needs all his skills.

"We left him alone. Makes no sense."

Liverpool's defending, especially from set pieces, has been its biggest weakness this season and the problem struck again against Palace.

The defense was left embarrassingly exposed for Palace's 42nd-minute equalizer, as Yohan Cabaye ran onto a long ball over the top and crossed for Benteke to sidefoot high into the net.

Worse was to come for Liverpool. Jason Puncheon's inswinging corner from the right was low and poor and should have been cleared by Roberto Firmino at the near post. Firmino only got a glancing touch to the ball, which popped up in the middle of the six-yard box for the stooping Benteke to head home.

"On corners, Liverpool are pretty weak," Palace manager Sam Allardyce said. "They've conceded six off corners (this season). It's now seven."

Allardyce lapped up a victory that moved Palace seven points clear of the relegation zone and should ensure he has masterminded another late-season escape.

"With our limited possession, we exposed Liverpool's weaknesses time and time again," Allardyce said.

"If I could have had a bet," he added, with a grin, about Benteke, "I would have betted on him to score."

It is now five goals in his last five games for Benteke, who is is proving the ideal striker for Palace in its late run to safety.

Palace has now won its last three games at Anfield - the first team to achieve that since Chelsea in 2005 - and has beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool in its last five games. Palace even achieved victory at Anfield without star defender Mamadou Sakho, who is on loan from Liverpool and wasn't allowed to play against his former club.

"The results we are getting," Allardyce said, "nobody would have expected."

For Liverpool, though, this defeat came as no surprise, with all six of its losses coming against teams from the bottom half of the standings.

Philippe Coutinho put Liverpool ahead in the 24th minute with a curling free kick from 25 meters (yards), and the Brazil playmaker spurned a number of opportunities early in the second half before Benteke struck for the second time.

Liverpool stayed in third place as it seeks a top-four finish to qualify for the Champions League, but is only two points clear of Manchester City and three ahead of Manchester United. Both City and United have two games in hand over Liverpool, which has four matches left.

"A lot of people around think, 'Oh my God, the Champions League slips through our fingers again. Only if we let it slip," Klopp said. "We have to try everything. Our job is to squeeze everything out of this season. Obviously it won't be easy for us."

Liverpool's remaining games are against Watford, Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough, so it's a fairly benign run-in - on paper, at least.

Klopp's players have a habit of making things hard for themselves, though. Their fate could well be decided on the final weekend.

___

Steve Douglas is at www.twitter.com/sdouglas80

Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, left, celebrates scoring ahead of the English Premier League soccer match against Crystal Palace at Anfield, Liverpool, Sunday April 23, 2017. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp watches the English Premier League soccer match against Crystal Palace at Anfield, Liverpool, Sunday April 23, 2017. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
POMONA, Calif. (AP) - Family, friends and the public packed a California church for the funeral of a teacher who was shot and killed along with a student in her elementary school classroom in San Bernardino.

Hundreds remembered Karen Elaine Smith on Saturday as devoted to her students, her family and her church.

Los Angeles news station KABC-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2pTNUgS ) that Smith's brother played the saxophone and one of her sons played the guitar during the four-hour service in Pomona.

The 53-year-old teacher and 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez were killed April 10 when Smith's estranged husband walked into the classroom and opened fire. A 9-year-old student also was wounded and is recovering.

Police say Cedric Anderson had been unsuccessfully trying to persuade Smith to get back together after they broke up just weeks into their marriage.
BEIJING (AP) - President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with President Donald Trump, Chinese state media reported Monday.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are "on the table" to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came amid speculation that Pyongyang could hold a sixth nuclear test this week.

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability, and South Korean officials say there's a chance the country will conduct a nuclear test or a major missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

Trump also spoke Monday with and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.
Trump's 100-days promises: A long way to go on most of them

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sure enough, the big trans-Pacific trade deal is toast, climate change action is on the ropes and various regulations from the Obama era have been scrapped. It's also a safe bet President Donald Trump hasn't raced a bicycle since Jan. 20, keeping that vow.

Add a Supreme Court justice - no small feat - and call these promises kept.

But where's that wall? Or the promised trade punishment against China - will the Chinese get off scot-free from "the greatest theft in the history of the world"? What about that "easy" replacement for Obamacare? How about the trillion-dollar infrastructure plan and huge tax cut that were supposed to be in motion by now?

Trump's road to the White House, paved in big, sometimes impossible pledges, has detoured onto a byway of promises deferred or left behind, an AP analysis found.

Of 38 specific promises Trump made in his 100-day "contract" with voters - "This is my pledge to you" - he's accomplished 10, mostly through executive orders that don't require legislation, such as withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

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Trump backs away from demand for border wall money

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump appears to be stepping back from demanding a down payment for his border wall, which could remove a major obstacle to a bipartisan deal on must-pass spending legislation just days ahead of a government shutdown deadline.

Trump told a gathering of around 20 conservative media reporters Monday evening that he would be willing to return to the funding issue in September.

The border wall money is fiercely opposed by Democrats, whose votes are needed to pass the legislation. They are equally incensed over Trump's threat to deprive former President Barack Obama's health care law of key funds to help poor people.

The wall is also unpopular with many Republicans, and GOP negotiators on Capitol Hill were uneasy about the clash over the wall potentially sparking a government shutdown.

Those were the most pressing issues confronting lawmakers as they returned from a two-week spring recess to face a critical deadline. Congress must pass a $1 trillion catch-all spending bill to pay for all agencies of government by midnight Friday or trigger a partial shutdown the next day, which happens to coincide with the 100th day of Trump's presidency.

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Arkansas executes Jones; plans 2nd lethal injection of night

VARNER, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas executed inmate Jack Jones Monday night and prepared for another lethal injection in what would be the nation's first double-execution since 2000.

Jones was pronounced dead at 7:20 Monday night, 14 minutes after the procedure began at the state's Cummins Unit in southeast Arkansas. There were no apparent complications, and Jones' chest stopped moving two minutes after officials checked for consciousness.

Jones, who'd argued that his health conditions could lead to a painful death, gave a lengthy last statement. His final words were: "I'm sorry."

"I hope over time you can learn who I really am and I am not a monster," he said in the roughly 2-minute statement.

Inmate Marcel Williams was scheduled to be executed at 8:15 p.m. Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeals.

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Old-guard rallies around newcomer Macron for French runoff

PARIS (AP) - France's established parties are rallying around the man who helped shut them out of the presidential runoff, maverick centrist Emmanuel Macron - an alliance of convenience aimed at keeping far-right Marine Le Pen out of the Elysee Palace.

Support for Macron also poured in Monday from the seat of the European Union, as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Jewish and Muslim groups troubled by Le Pen's nationalist vision.

European stock markets surged, and France's main index hit its highest level since early 2008, as investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world - and its associated unpredictability in policymaking - may have peaked.

For all the paeans to Macron's unifying vision in divided times, it is now up to French voters to decide whether to entrust him with this nuclear-armed nation in the May 7 presidential runoff. Polls consider him the front-runner but that's no guarantee that the French will come together to stop Le Pen the way they stopped her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from reaching the presidency in 2002.

France's divided political mainstream, rejected by an angry electorate, united Monday to urge voters to back Macron and reject Le Pen's far-right agenda.

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State Department removes promotion of Trump's Mar-a-Lago

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. State Department has removed its promotional posting about President Donald Trump's Florida resort, after a storm of ethics criticism Monday.

In an April 4 blog post that was republished by several U.S. embassies abroad, Mar-a-Lago was described as "Trump's Florida estate," where he has hosted foreign leaders. "By visiting this 'winter White House,' Trump is belatedly fulfilling the dream of Mar-a-Lago's original owner and designer," the post said.

Left unsaid: Mar-a-Lago is part of Trump's business empire. After his election, the resort doubled its membership fee to $200,000. As president, Trump has visited the property seven times, and its restaurant fills up when he's in town.

The State Department said late Monday that its intention was "to inform the public about where the president has been hosting world leaders" and that it regrets "any misperception." That statement now appears in place of the original blog post.

The White House did not respond to questions about whether it had any involvement in the original posting or the decision to take it down.

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In call to Trump, Chinese leader urges restraint over NKorea

WASHINGTON (AP) - As the world braces for a possible North Korean nuclear test, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged restraint in a call to President Donald Trump. America's U.N. envoy warned of a strike if Pyongyang attacks a U.S. military base or tests an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Xi's phone call with Trump came amid signs Pyongyang could soon conduct its sixth nuclear test explosion since 2006, or the latest in a rapid series of missile tests, further advancing its ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

In Washington, the Trump administration invited the entire 100-member Senate for a briefing Wednesday on the escalating crisis. Adding to the atmosphere of animosity, officials said North Korea has detained a third U.S. citizen.

Trump told ambassadors from U.N. Security Council members that the status quo in North Korea is "unacceptable" and the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions.

"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem, and it's a problem we have to finally solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem," he said at the White House.

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Pence thanks US military members during stop in Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence ended his trip to Asia on Monday with a thanks to U.S. service members based in Hawaii and promises of robust military spending under President Donald Trump.

Pence sat with troops for lunch at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii and noted the president's push for increased military spending at a time when the U.S. faces threats in the Asia-Pacific posed by North Korea.

The vice president said he wanted to assure military members that "in these uncertain times, people who serve here at U.S. Pacific Command will know that in your commander-in-chief, you have a president who is going to fight to rebuild our military."

Pence wrapped up a 10-day trip to Asia that included a visit to the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, consultations with leaders in South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia, and a quick stop to see troops in American Samoa.

The United States' efforts to curb North Korea's nuclear and weapons programs dominated the trip, which put Pence in Asia shortly after Kim Jong Un's regime unsuccessfully launched a ballistic missile.

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Astronaut breaks US space record, gets call from Trump

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Astronaut Peggy Whitson broke the U.S. record Monday for most time in space and talked up Mars during a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump.

The International Space Station's commander surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in space by an American.

"This is a very special day in the glorious history of American spaceflight," Trump said. His daughter and close adviser, Ivanka Trump, also offered congratulations to Whitson from the Oval Office.

Whitson said it's "a huge honor" to break such a record. "It's an exciting time" as NASA prepares for human expeditions to Mars in the 2030s, included in new legislation signed by Trump last month. She called the space station "a key bridge" between living on Earth and traveling into deep space, and she singled out the station's recycling system that transforms astronauts' urine into drinking water.

"It's really not as bad as it sounds," she assured the president.

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Farmers fear deportation of workers could hurt livelihood

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants.

From tending the plants to harvesting the grapes, it takes skill and a strong work ethic to produce the winery's pinot noir and chardonnay, and native-born Americans just aren't willing to work that hard, Patricia Dudley said as a cold rain drenched the vineyard in the hills of Oregon.

"Who's going to come out here and do this work when they deport them all?" she asked.

President Donald Trump's hard line against immigrants in the U.S. illegally has sent a chill through the nation's agricultural industry, which fears a crackdown will deprive it of the labor it needs to plant, grow and pick the crops that feed the country.

Fruit and vegetable growers, dairy and cattle farmers and owners of plant nurseries and vineyards have begun lobbying politicians at home and in Washington to get them to deal with immigration in a way that minimizes the harm to their livelihoods.

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O'Reilly surprised by Fox exit, says truth will come out

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Five days after being fired from his top-rated Fox News Channel perch, Bill O'Reilly used a podcast to express his dismay and vowed that "the truth will come out."

"I am sad that I'm not on television anymore," he said in an episode Monday of his personal website's "No Spin News" podcast, available only to subscribers after this week's free window. "I was very surprised how it all turned out."

O'Reilly, who exited Fox News amid sexual harassment allegations that he has denied, said he couldn't add much more "because there's much stuff going on right now."

"But I can tell you that I'm very confident the truth will come out and when it does, I don't know if you're going to be surprised, but I think you're going to be shaken, as I am," said O'Reilly, who was Fox's most popular and most lucrative personality.

He declined to expand on that, he said, "because I just don't want to influence the flow of the information. I don't want the media to take what i say and misconstrue it."
HONOLULU (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence ended his trip to Asia on Monday with a thanks to U.S. service members based in Hawaii and promises of robust military spending under President Donald Trump.

Pence sat with troops for lunch at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii and noted the president's push for increased military spending at a time when the U.S. faces threats in the Asia-Pacific posed by North Korea.

The vice president said he wanted to assure military members that "in these uncertain times, people who serve here at U.S. Pacific Command will know that in your commander-in-chief, you have a president who is going to fight to rebuild our military."

Vice President Mike Pence stands with his wife Karen as they pose for a photo with officials and U.S. service members during a refueling stop in Pago Pago, American Samoa, Monday, April 24, 2017. Pence stopped in American Samoa after leaving Australia en route to Hawaii. (AP Photo/Ken Thomas)

Pence wrapped up a 10-day trip to Asia that included a visit to the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, consultations with leaders in South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia, and a quick stop to see troops in American Samoa.

The United States' efforts to curb North Korea's nuclear and weapons programs dominated the trip, which put Pence in Asia shortly after Kim Jong Un's regime unsuccessfully launched a ballistic missile.

For Pence, the trip offered evidence that the former governor has become one of President Donald Trump's chief emissaries on the world stage, patching up relations, reassuring allies still wondering what to expect from Trump and diving into international crises like North Korea.

During the trip, Pence delivered North Korea a stern warning: that "all options are on the table" when it comes to curbing the North's nuclear ambitions. He told foreign leaders the Trump administration would seek support from its allies to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Pence's early foreign travel schedule has contrasted sharply with a mostly homebound Trump, who is not scheduled to travel overseas until late May for NATO meetings in Belgium and a gathering of the Group of Seven major industrial nations in Italy. Pence partly covered that ground when he visited Germany and Belgium in February.

Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, had visited nine countries by late April 2009, his first three months in office, checking in with allies such as Canada, Britain and Germany. The last first-term president to wait until May to take his first foreign trip was Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Pence postponed a visit to the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor on Tuesday to return to Washington for what's expected to be a busy week on Capitol Hill with the threat of a government shutdown if there's no agreement on spending priorities.

Trump has pushed for a large increase in military spending and Pence noted during the lunch that he would be returning to Washington to work on a supplemental Pentagon funding package. The plan, while still subject to negotiations, could top $15 billion.

"The president truly believes that the time has come for us to rebuild this military," Pence said.

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On Twitter follow Ken Thomas at https://twitter.com/KThomasDC

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, chats with New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian during a cruise on the harbor in Sydney, Sunday, April 23, 2017. Pence is on the last part of his four-country trip to Asia and Australia. (Peter Parks/Pool via AP)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, his wife Karen, right, and New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, right, wave during a cruise on the harbor in Sydney, Sunday, April 23, 2017. Pence is on the last part of his four-country trip to Asia and Australia. (Peter Parks/Pool via AP)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, center, his wife Karen, right, and New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian wave during a cruise on the harbor in Sydney, Sunday, April 23, 2017. Pence is on the last part of his four-country trip to Asia and Australia. (Peter Parks/Pool via AP)
LATRUN, Israel (AP) - Two years after Israel's prime minister vowed to complete the establishment of a museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, funds have dried up and an abandoned construction site is all that remains of the grand project.

The story of the 1.5 million Jews who fought the Nazis - and the 250,000 who died in battle - has long been lost in Israel amid the larger tragedy of the Holocaust and the Nazi genocide of Europe's Jews. The museum aims to rectify that oversight, but the remaining warriors, thought to number no more than 5,000, worry they won't live long enough to see it materialize and accuse the government of stalling because of petty political considerations.

"The picture is not complete if we don't understand that together with the 6 million victims, the Jewish people also had a decisive role in defeating the Nazis," said Yitzhak Arad, a 90-year-old former Soviet partisan fighter who blew up 16 German supply trains as a teenager during the war. "I hope to see this museum before I leave this world and that is the wish of the fighters who are still alive."

This Tuesday, April 18, 2017 photo, shows the unfinished museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, in Latrun, Israel. Two years after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to complete the establishment of a museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, funds have dried up and an abandoned construction site is all that remains of the project. The story of the 1.5 million Jews who fought the Nazis -- and the 250,000 who died in battle -- has long been lost in Israel amid the larger tragedy of the Holocaust. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

With the backing of then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Israeli government first committed to the museum in 2002 and vowed to match any funds raised from donors. Successive governments have renewed the pledge and roughly $6 million already poured into the project has gone toward collecting artifacts and testimonies and to erect a 2,200 square-meter (23,500-square-foot) structure in Latrun, near the site of one on the most significant battles in Israel's 1948 war of independence.

Two years ago, after more than a decade of bureaucratic stalemate, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin attended the official ceremony marking 70 years since Victory Day in Europe and acknowledged that the contributions of Jewish veterans who fought with the U.S., British, Soviet and other country's militaries have often been overlooked.

They vowed to find the remaining $10 million needed to complete the museum.

But later that year, Netanyahu transferred responsibility for the project to Cabinet Minister Zeev Elkin's office, and the government did not renew its matching funds commitment. Repeated pleas from aging veterans for Netanyahu to keep his word have gone unanswered, and critics accuse Elkin - who was born in Ukraine - of stalling because he favors securing funds from oligarchs who want to disproportionately recognize the actions of Jews in the former Soviet Union.

Elkin denied the accusations and said that as a grandson of a veteran himself he has a great incentive to see the museum come to fruition. He said the association tasked with establishing the museum had failed in its mission and the government's hands were legally tied. He called on the association to either quickly find a donor or step aside and let the government handle the project instead.

"They got on a track that is stuck and they keep hoping that someone will bail them out," he told The Associated Press. "That is not going to happen."

The prime minister's office declined several requests for comment.

Chaim Erez, a retired military general and chairman of the association, believes Jewish organizations abroad should participate in the financing, but ultimately it was up to the government to make it happen. "This is a national project that the state has to establish and has to take pride in," he said.

The bad blood has put a damper on efforts to correct the historically distorted narrative of Jews being mere victims of the Nazis who sheepishly marched to their death.

On Monday, Israel marked its annual memorial day. Officially, the day is called "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day." But over the years the emphasis has turned almost exclusively toward the Holocaust part rather than the heroism.

The 550,000 Jewish-American soldiers who fought with the Allies, for instance, are often overlooked, including those who were among the first to liberate the Nazi death camps, often comforting the dazed, emaciated prisoners in Yiddish.

"The way that the Jewish people are remembered today from the Second World War is, of course, the Holocaust and doubtless this is the main chapter of our history," said Arad, a former director of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, who lost his parents and 40 close relatives in the war. "But still, parallel to this, we should emphasize that we participated in the war. We did our part in the victory and we paid heavily."

There are no museums devoted solely to Jews who fought the Nazis. Individual memorials exist in Israel, and a dwindling population of Soviet veterans still struts out on Victory Day, their medals pinned on old uniforms. The Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem also has exhibits devoted to the partisans and rebels in the various ghettos.

But veterans say these are just snippets, and the museum in Latrun will be the one place that will serve as their legacy.

"This is also the story of the Jews. We participated massively," said Peter Arton, 95, a Czech navigator in Britain's Royal Air Force, who said a third of his squadron was Jewish.

Currently, the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II stands as a white elephant facing American, British and Soviet tank models used in the war. The vacant interior is silent but for flapping wings of pigeons that have taken shelter inside.

Baruch Shub, who headed the Organization of Partisans until it shut down last year due to lack of funding, said the museum's status was indicative of the Israeli government's approach. He accused the government of diverting away Holocaust compensation funds and neglecting survivors, veterans and projects aimed at benefiting and memorializing the victims.

"They cheated us," said Shub, 93. "I look in the mirror and say 'what would my friends who died in the forest say about the behavior of the state of Israel that we fought to establish?'"

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Follow Aron Heller on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aronhellerap .
MIAMI (AP) - A former Haitian coup leader and recently elected senator in that country pleaded guilty Monday to a U.S. drug money-laundering charge under a deal that should allow him to avoid a potential sentence of life in prison for cocaine trafficking.

Under the plea deal, the recommended prison sentence for Guy Philippe is nine years and the drug trafficking charge would be dropped. He also faces a $1.5 million fine at a sentencing hearing July 5.

"You understand I am under no obligation to impose that sentence?" asked U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, noting that the maximum potential sentence is 20 years.

"Yes, your honor," said Philippe.

Philippe, 49, led a 2004 Haitian uprising that ousted then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and was indicted along with several others on U.S. drug charges in 2005. He managed to elude capture for more than a decade, including at least 10 attempts to arrest him in Haiti that involved a military operation and a foot chase through the countryside.

Philippe was elected to the Haitian Senate in November but was arrested while giving a radio interview in the capital of Port-au-Prince in January and whisked immediately to the U.S. Altonaga rejected his claim of immunity as an elected Haitian official. The judge noted even if immunity applied, Philippe had not yet been officially sworn in.

He admitted Monday in court that, as a high-ranking Haitian police commander in the city of Cap-Haitien, he accepted between $1.5 million and $3.5 million from drug smugglers from 1999 to 2003. Prosecutors say Philippe and other police officers took the money in exchange for ensuring safe passage for cocaine shipments from Colombia and other countries that went through Haiti on their way to Miami and other U.S. destinations.

"Philippe cast aside his duty to protect and serve the people of Haiti," said Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg. "Instead, he abused his position of authority as a high-ranking Haitian National Police officer to safeguard drug shipments and launder illicit trafficking proceeds."

Philippe attorney Zeljka Bozanic said taking the potential life sentence off the table was the key to the plea agreement, especially considering there are few witnesses and documents available to mount a credible defense.

"We're happy that's going to be the result," she said. "Hopefully he'll still be a relatively young person walking out of there."

About $376,000 of the illicit cash was wired to a Miami bank account from Haiti and Ecuador and used by Philippe to purchase a house in the Fort Lauderdale area, according to court documents.

There was a series of protests in Haiti when Philippe was arrested in January, with some supporters calling it an illegal kidnapping. Several dozen people demonstrated outside the Miami courthouse at one of his earlier appearances, but there was no such show of support Monday.

"It is important that Philippe accepted responsibility for his criminal offenses against the United States and the people of Haiti," said Adolphus Wright, chief of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Miami office.

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Follow Curt Anderson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan's army chief and defense minister resigned on Monday, following a Taliban attack over the weekend that struck a northern army base, killing more than 100 military and other personnel, officials said.

The attack - the biggest ever by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan - involved multiple gunmen and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday, killing and wounding scores.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which according to some estimates killed over 130 people.

Afghanistan's Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi, right, and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim give a press conference, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 24, 2017. Habibi and Shahim resigned on Monday, following a Taliban attack over the weekend that struck a northern army base, killing more than 100 military and other personnel. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Also on Monday, a police official said at least four security guards were killed when a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of the army chief of staff and the country's defense minister, according to a statement from the president's office. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

The authorities have not released definitive numbers for the casualty tolls but Afzel Hadid, the head of the provincial council in Balkh, told The Associated Press that at least 130 people were killed and 80 were wounded.

A senior American military official in Kabul on Monday gave the latest Afghan estimate as standing at 144 Afghan soldiers killed and said it was likely to rise further.

The official said it appears likely the attack was either carried out by or planned by a Pakistan-based Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network, which is a U.S. government-designated terrorist organization. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence matters, added the assault likely took four to six months to plan and that it was also likely the attackers had help in advance from Afghan troops on the base.

Also on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Kabul to assess what has become America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending in more U.S. troops to help the Afghans fight the insurgency.

Ghani traveled to the base in Balkh on Saturday from where he strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace. Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning on Sunday, with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-staff on government buildings and offices.

In the Taliban's detailed statement on the attack, posted on the militant group's website, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that four of the 10 attackers were disguised as soldiers.

The statement said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of the Taliban shadow governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, and threatened more violence against the army and police, saying "this year's operations will be painful."

The attackers managed to pass through two checkpoints at the base, driving in two military vehicles. When security guards stopped them at a third gate, the attackers opened fire and two suicide bombers blew themselves up.

The military's 209th corps is located in the Dihdadi district of Balkh. It is one of seven corps of the country's Ministry of Defense, which is responsible for providing security for Afghanistan's northern and northeastern provinces.

The attack in Balkh raises serious questions about the Afghan military's capability to stand on its own in the battle against the insurgency following the withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014. The American and other foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan are now mostly acting in an advisory and training role, with some combat assistance.

In March, an attack on a military hospital in Kabul killed 50 people. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which has emerged and gained a foothold in Afghanistan over the past years.

Gen. Faizullah Ghyrat, a provincial police chief in Khost province, said at least four security guards were killed after a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan on Monday. He said six other security guards were wounded in the attack.

The suicide bomber used a mini-van and targeted the guards, who were providing security for a U.S. military base near the city of Khost, said Ghyrat. No group claimed immediate responsivity for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active in the area.

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AP National Security Correspondent Robert Burns in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.

In this Feb. 18, 2017 photo, Afghan Army Chief of Staff, General Qadam Shah Shahim, speaks during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghan officials said the country's army chief and the defense minister have resigned following the weekend Taliban attack at a northern army base that killed more than 100 military and other personnel. The officials said that President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday, April 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Afghanistan's Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi speaks during a press conference, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 24, 2017. Habibi and Afghanistan's army chief both resigned following a Taliban attack over the weekend that struck a northern army base, killing more than 100 military and other personnel, officials said. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

An injured soldier recovers in a hospital after Friday's attack at a military compound in Mazar-e-Sharif province north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, April 22, 2017. Gunmen wearing army uniforms stormed a military compound in the Balkh province, killing at least eight soldiers and wounding 11 others, an Afghan government official said Friday. (AP Photo)

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, center, boards a helicopter to fly from Hamid Karzai International Airport to Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan Monday, April 24, 2017. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)

Afghan soldiers stand guard at the gate of a military compound after an attack by gunmen in Mazar-e- Sharif province north of kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, April 21, 2017. Gunmen wearing army uniforms stormed a military compound in the Balkh province, killing at least eight soldiers and wounding 11 others, an Afghan government official said Friday. (AP Photo/Mirwais Najand)
BERLIN (AP) - A German court said Monday that 10 people indicted over a deadly mass panic at the Love Parade techno music festival in 2010 must stand trial, overturning a lower court's decision last year.

Twenty-one people died on July 24, 2010, in a crush in a packed tunnel that was the sole access point to the music event in Duisburg, in western Germany.

More than 500 people were also injured. The victims included people from Spain, Australia, Italy, Bosnia, China and the Netherlands.

FILE - In This Aug. 23, 2010 file photo candles sit near the site where 21 people died and some 500 were injured in a stampede during the Love Parade in Duisburg, western Germany. German judges have ruled that 10 people indicted over a deadly mass panic at the Love Parade techno music festival in 2010 must stand trial, overturning a lower court's decision. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Prosecutors indicted four employees of the event's organizers and six city workers on charges including involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm. They were accused of serious planning failures and failing to monitor security properly.

Last year, the Duisburg state court concluded there wasn't a sufficiently strong case to bring to trial.

However, an appeals court in Duesseldorf said Monday there is a "sufficient probability" of convictions. It said the lower court had set "overly high demands" of the chances of conviction in making its decision.

The Duesseldorf ordered a trial by a different panel of judges in Duisburg. It will be up to the Duisburg court to set dates for the proceedings.
BEIJING (AP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping called for restraint in dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese state media reported Monday, amid speculation that the North could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test.

State broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to stop North Korea from developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. However, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that a military response isn't likely. Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increasing pressure on North Korea with the help of China.

FILE - In this Friday, April 7, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pause for photographs at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability, and South Korean officials say there's a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday, April 25. Trump spoke by phone with both the Japanese and Chinese leaders Monday, April 24. China's official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program and hoped "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

"Only if all sides bear the responsibilities they're supposed to bear and come together, can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible," Xi told Trump, according to CCTV.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure on North Korea, given China's status as the country's economic lifeline and sole major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

In an interview Friday at the Oval Office, Trump told the AP that he declined to label China a currency manipulator mostly because he needed Xi's help with the North Korean crisis.

"They are working with us on North Korea. Now maybe that'll work out or maybe it won't," Trump said, adding that he had a "great relationship" with the Chinese president.

Trump also spoke Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - A South African man accused of murdering three members of his family with an ax pleaded not guilty on Monday, saying he fought with a laughing attacker during the slaughter at their upscale home.

The trial of Henri van Breda began in Cape Town, more than two years after his parents and older brother were killed in nearby Stellenbosch, a scenic wine-growing region. Van Breda also is charged with attempting to murder his sister during the killing spree on Jan. 27, 2015. Marli, then 16, suffered severe injuries and is reported to be unable to remember the incident.

The case, which shocked many people in a country that already has a high rate of violent crime, also has attracted international attention. The family had emigrated to Australia but returned several years ago. Martin van Breda, his wife, Teresa, and their eldest son, Rudi, were killed.

Henri Van Breda arrives at the High Court in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, April 24, 2017. He is accused of murder of his parents and older brother in 2015. Breda pleaded not guilty to murder and to the attempted murder of his sister with an axe. (AP Photo)

Defense lawyer Pieter Botha read Henri van Breda's account in the Western Cape High Court, detailing a normal family evening that included dinner and a "Star Trek" movie that the suspect said he watched with his father and brother.

Van Breda said he went to the bathroom later that night, heard banging sounds and opened a door to see someone attacking his brother with an ax. He shouted for help and his father entered the room and accosted the attacker, who was wearing a ski mask, according to van Breda's account.

"The attacker was laughing," van Breda said in his account. "I heard my mother's voice saying, 'What is going on?'"

He said there may have been at least two attackers, and that he suffered minor injuries while wrestling with one of them. He called emergency responders several hours later, according to South African media reports.

Van Breda, who also has been charged with tampering with the crime scene, was found by police sitting outside the house after the killings, his clothing stained with the blood of the victims, according to media reports. Investigators found a bloodstained ax and kitchen knife in the house.

Van Breda was later released into the care of an uncle, and was barred from contacting his sister.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The CEO of one of the Middle East's largest carriers said Monday passenger numbers to the United States have dipped slightly over fears by some Muslim passengers that their visas may be rejected upon arrival, but expressed confidence in President Donald Trump as a "very good businessman."

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker said uncertainty about travel to the United States is "affecting the business, but to a very small extent."

"We didn't have massive decline like other carriers so we still have robust loads to the United States and we will continue our commitment to our passengers in the United States," al-Baker said.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker speaks at a press conference during the Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, April 24, 2017. Al-Baker said Monday that passenger numbers to the United States have dipped slightly over fears by some Muslim passengers that their visas may be rejected upon arrival. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, slashed its flights to the United States by 20 percent last week.

Dubai, where Emirates is based, and Doha, Qatar Airways' main hub, were among the 10 cities in Muslim-majority countries affected by a ban on laptops and other personal electronics in carry-on luggage aboard U.S.-bound flights.

"Qatar Airways does not plan and will not reduce frequencies to in the United States," he said. "I am sure that these uncertainties that passengers have soon could be resolved by statements from the United States' government."

Al-Baker also expressed hope that Trump would resist pressure from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to block aggressive expansion into the U.S. market by Gulf-based carriers.

"I have repeatedly mentioned that President Trump is a very wise individual and a very good businessman, and I don't think that he will buy into bullying by the three American carriers," he said.

Speaking to reporters at the Arabian Travel Market convention in Dubai, al-Baker said Qatar Airways is planning to launch a new route to Las Vegas possibly as early as next year. The airline currently flies to more than a dozen U.S. cities.

He said Qatar Airways has plans to expand to 26 new global destinations, adding: "The United States is not the entire world."

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker, center, shows a mock-up of Qatar Airway's new Q Suite, during the Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, April 24, 2017. Al-Baker, said Monday that passenger numbers to the United States have dipped slightly over fears by some Muslim passengers that their visas may be rejected upon arrival. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
BEIJING (AP) - A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves:

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a weekly look at the latest developments in the South China Sea, home to several territorial conflicts that have raised tensions in the region.

FILE - In this Friday, April 21, 2017, file photo, an airstrip, structures and buildings on China's man-made Subi Reef in the Spratly chain of islands in the South China Sea are seen from a Philippine Air Force C-130 transport plane of the Philippine Air Force. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Ano flew to the island of Pag-asa in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a protest from China, which also claims the remote territory. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

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PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS VISIT ISLAND, IRKING CHINA

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano flew to the island of Pag-asa in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a protest from China, which also claims the remote territory.

The Philippine government reiterated its claim to the island, where Filipino troops and villagers have lived for decades in a tiny community amid islands claimed by multiple countries.

The public argument came amid a thaw in once-frosty relations between the neighbors after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office last June. Duterte has moved to rekindle Manila's friendship with Beijing and court Chinese state-sponsored investment for railways and other much-needed investment projects.

The two Philippine officials traveled with dozens of journalists to inspect an eroded airstrip that the Philippine government plans to reinforce and lengthen. The government plans to build a dock starting next month to accommodate ships with construction materials, Lorenzana said.

About 1.6 billion pesos ($32 million) has been earmarked for the construction work, including a fishing port, solar power generators, a water desalination plant, improved housing for soldiers and facilities for marine research and tourism.

Pag-asa is internationally known as Thitu island and is called Zhongye island by China. It's the second-largest island in the South China Sea's hotly contested Spratlys archipelago.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China was "gravely concerned about and dissatisfied" by the island visit, adding that China "has lodged representations with the Philippine side."

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and has aggressively tried to fortify its foothold by transforming seven mostly submerged reefs into island outposts.

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CHINA TO HOST PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, OTHERS AT SUMMIT

China will host Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and 27 other world leaders at a summit next month showcasing President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative. Only a few heads of state from Western industrialized democracies will attend, however.

Vladimir Putin of Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Spain's Mariano Rajoy are among those slated to appear at the summit, which aims to consolidate support for Xi's "One Belt, One Road" program to stitch together the Eurasian continent with infrastructure investment.

That includes a push to draw Southeast Asian nations further into China's economic and political order, despite territorial feuding over the South China Sea.

The May 14-15 summit is seen as a measure of China's international prestige at a time when Xi has positioned China as a rising outward-looking regional power. That has drawn particular attention because of questions over President Donald Trump's "America first" push to remove the U.S. from trade agreements and other international entanglements.

China has sought to frame Xi's vision for the China-led development program as an inclusive, mutually beneficial project rather than a statement of geopolitical ambitions that should arouse Western suspicions. The program aims to build roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure along the ancient Silk Road's maritime and overland routes with close to $100 billion in funding.

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USS CARL VINSON, S. KOREA NAVY TO HOLD EXERCISES

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported Monday that South Korean naval ships will conduct training exercises with the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson, as tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula continue to eclipse those in the South China Sea.

North Korea marks the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday, and South Korea and its allies are bracing for the possibility that it could conduct another nuclear test or launch an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It so far has conducted five nuclear tests.

Trump spoke by phone with both the Japanese and Chinese leaders Monday. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted China's president, Xi Jinping, as telling Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation."

The Carl Vinson had been visiting Singapore when U.S. officials earlier this month announced it had been dispatched to waters off the Korean Peninsula in an apparent show of force in response to North Korean moves.

It has been making its way to the Sea of Japan since then, making stops in Asia along the way.

While the U.S. has dispatched what Trump called an "armada" of ships to the region, including the aircraft carrier, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that the administration doesn't intend to militarily respond to a North Korean nuclear or missile test.

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Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show that Lorenzana visited Pag-asa on Friday, not Saturday.

FILE - In this Friday, April 21, 2017, file photo, Philippine troopers raise the Philippine flag during a ceremony upon the arrival of Philippine Defense Secretray Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Ano and other officials on the Philippine-claimed island of Pag-asa, also know as Thitu, off the disputed Spratlys chain of islands in the South China Sea. Lorenzana and Ano flew to the island in the South China Sea, drawing a protest from China, which also claims the remote territory. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

FILE - In this Friday, April 21, 2017, file photo, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana tours the Philippine-claimed island of Pag-asa, also known as Thitu, during his visit to the Spratlys chain of islands in the disputed South China Sea. Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Ano flew to the island in the South China Sea, drawing a protest from China, which also claims the remote territory. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Thousands of people from around the world, many of them young Israelis, paid homage Monday to the millions who perished in the Holocaust at the former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz.

The event, the March of the Living, is a somber memorial march of about three kilometers (two miles) from the original Auschwitz camp to Birkenau, a much larger death camp where Jews and Roma were murdered in gas chambers in German-occupied Poland.

Participants gathered under and near the main gate with the infamous sign "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Will Set You Free). The blowing of a shofar, a ram's horn used for religious purposes, was the signal for the large group to begin marching in silence down the main street of Oswiecim, past fields and along the historic train tracks that once brought people to their deaths at Birkenau.

Participants of the yearly March of the Living place memory plaques on the rails in the former German Nazi Death Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Brzezinka, Poland, Monday, April 24, 2017. Jews from Israel and around the world marched the 3km route from Auschwitz to Birkenau commemorating the Holocaust victims. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Many carried little wooden plaques with messages of remembrance that they placed on the railway tracks.

The yearly march is also aimed at instilling a desire in Israeli youth to protect the Jewish state, and many people carried Israeli flags.

The Germans originally set up Auschwitz as a concentration camp for Polish political prisoners. As World War II went on, the Germans expanded the complex, building gas chambers and crematoria at Birkenau where Jews from across Europe, as well as Roma, Soviet POWs and others, were slain. Nearly 1.1 million people perished there.

Also Monday, a new study was released that looked at how far Eastern European countries have come in restituting the property plundered and stolen from Jews during the war.

The study looks at whether ex-communist countries of Eastern Europe have complied with a pledge made in 2009, known as the Terezin Declaration, to make efforts to restitute the lost property.

Carried out by the European Shoah Legacy Institute, the study found that while some Eastern European states have "substantially" complied with their pledges, others have done too little. The study faulted Poland and Bosnia in particular for failing to enact any legislation to address the problem.

Countries in Western Europe began taking steps soon after the war to address the injustice of stolen property, but the takeover by communists across Eastern Europe complicated matters. In some cases, property that was restituted early on was then confiscated by communist regimes.

Participants of the yearly March of the Living place memory plaques on the rails in the former German Nazi Death Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Brzezinka, Poland, Monday, April 24, 2017. Jews from Israel and around the world marched the 3km route from Auschwitz to Birkenau commemorating the Holocaust victims. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Participants of the yearly March of the Living wave Israeli flags as they walk in the former German Nazi Death Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Oswiecim, Poland, Monday, April 24, 2017. Jews from Israel and around the world marched the 3km route from Auschwitz to Birkenau commemorating the Holocaust victims. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Two suspects were killed by security agencies after the shooting of Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann, Kenya's Internal Security Minister Joseph Nkaissery said Monday.

A gun was recovered after Sunday's attack and was being examined to see if it was used to shoot Gallmann in the stomach, Nkaissery told The Associated Press. Other suspects are in custody, he said.

Gallmann was shot while patrolling her ranch, which recently was targeted by arsonists amid tensions with herders seeking pasture as Kenya's drought worsens. She was reported to be in stable condition after surgery.

In this image from a video footage taken on May 3, 2000 in New York, the Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann speaks during an interview. Gallmann was shot at her Kenyan ranch and airlifted for treatment after herders invaded in search of pasture to save their animals from drought, officials said Sunday, April 23, 2017. (AP Photo)

The local farmers' association has said suspicion over the attack has fallen on herders who have invaded Gallmann's ranch several times.

Nkaissery blamed the shooting on "isolated banditry activity."

Kenya's drought affects roughly half the country and has been declared a national disaster More than 30 people have died in conflicts over grazing land as herders try to save their animals and livelihoods.

The U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Godec, condemned Sunday's attack, saying that "violence is never the answer."

Both the herders and large-scale farmers in parts of Kenya's Rift Valley have been desperately waiting for seasonal rains that were to start last month to ease the drought.

Kenya's military and police have been working to disarm and drive the hundreds of herders and their animals out of ranches they've invaded, but their actions appear to have escalated the violence. When herders are driven from one ranch they move into another, the Laikipia Farmers Association has said.

The association has accused politicians campaigning for the August elections of inciting herders to invade the ranches, saying the owners' leases have come to an end and that herders can take over the land and distribute it among themselves. Kenya's government has not responded to the accusation.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Dozens of global clothing companies are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago, a rights group said Monday.

Only 29 out of 72 recently contacted companies are releasing information about how they source their products in Bangladesh, and "many brands have held out completely," New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report.

That makes it impossible to hold them accountable for ensuring safe conditions at factories they work with, the group said.

FILE - In this April 25, 2013, file photo, Bangladeshi people gather as rescuers look for survivors and victims at the site of a building that collapsed a day earlier, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. An international rights group says dozens of global clothing companies are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago. (AP Photo/A.M.Ahad, File)

Bangladesh's garment industry has invested more than $1 billion in safety improvements since April 24, 2013, when the Rana Plaza garment factory complex collapsed outside Dhaka, killing more than 1,130 workers and injuring 2,500.

The collapse highlighted grim conditions in the country's garment industry, the second largest in the world with about 4,000 factories employing about 4 million workers and earning $25 billion a year from exports, mainly to the United States and Europe.

Only 17 companies are now meeting the minimum disclosure standard, while some others are starting to move in the right direction, the report said.

"But the industry still has a long way to go," the group said in a statement. It said the 72 clothing and footwear companies were contacted in the past year by a coalition of labor and human rights organizations that endorsed a Transparency Pledge, which urged the companies to adhere to a minimum standard for publishing supply chain information. They said the minimum standard reflects corporate disclosure practices and aims to foster a level playing field in the industry.

Following the 2013 disaster, global clothing companies joined U.N. agencies and the Bangladesh government in promising to improve safety standards.

Representatives from North American and European brands have visited the country's garment factories to suggest improvements or sever ties with factories that failed to improve.

The government has also hired more than 350 new factory inspectors and passed legislation setting up a workers' welfare fund and allowing stronger union representation.

The companies say the efforts are paying off.

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a group of 29 North American brands, lauded the industry's progress over the last four years. The group has 775 factories in its network.

"Our comprehensive programs have begun to transform an industry once repeatedly touched by tragedy," it said in a statement Monday.

"Most importantly, our efforts have directly translated into lives saved: Not a single garment worker has perished in an Alliance factory since our remediation work began," it said.

Low wages in the South Asian country have attracted global apparel brands and retailers.
WASHINGTON (AP) - As the world braces for a possible North Korean nuclear test, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged restraint in a call to President Donald Trump. America's U.N. envoy warned of a strike if Pyongyang attacks a U.S. military base or tests an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Xi's phone call with Trump came amid signs Pyongyang could soon conduct its sixth nuclear test explosion since 2006, or the latest in a rapid series of missile tests, further advancing its ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

In Washington, the Trump administration invited the entire 100-member Senate for a briefing Wednesday on the escalating crisis. Adding to the atmosphere of animosity, officials said North Korea has detained a third U.S. citizen.

FILE - In this Friday, April 7, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pause for photographs at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability, and South Korean officials say there's a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday, April 25. Trump spoke by phone with both the Japanese and Chinese leaders Monday, April 24. China's official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program and hoped "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Trump told ambassadors from U.N. Security Council members that the status quo in North Korea is "unacceptable" and the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions.

"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem, and it's a problem we have to finally solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem," he said at the White House.

North Korea poses one the sternest national security challenges facing the 3-month-old Trump administration. The administration has settled on a strategy emphasizing increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, rather than trying to overthrow Kim Jong Un's isolated government or use military force. But senior officials have repeatedly said that "all options" remain on the table.

China is a traditional ally of North Korea and fought on its side in the 1950-53 Korean War. Those ties have frayed, but Beijing remains the North's economic lifeline. The Xi-Trump call on Monday morning Beijing time was the second time the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

Xi told Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula, China's official broadcaster CCTV said.

A White House readout of the call said Trump criticized North Korea's "continued belligerence" and the leaders "reaffirmed the urgency of the threat." They committed to strengthening coordination to denuclearize North Korea, a statement said.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and ships in the strike group accompanying it are continuing to move toward the South Korea region, after completing a short naval exercise with Japanese ships in the Philippine Sea. But the ships are probably several days from arriving in the region.

In addition to the Carl Vinson, the USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered, guided-missile submarine, is due to arrive Tuesday on a routine port visit at Busan, South Korea, a U.S. defense official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the ship movement publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity.

Tuesday marks the founding anniversary of North Korea's armed forces. It has marked such dates in the past with displays of its military capabilities.

Commercial satellite imagery suggests the North has been readying for weeks for an underground atomic explosion, and could conduct one at any time. Alternatively, a long-range missile test could show North Korean progress toward being able to fire a weapon at America. But any decision by Trump to resort to military action would be highly risky, principally because the capital of close ally South Korea lies within range of North Korea artillery and rockets.

Nikki Haley, Trump's U.N. ambassador, said Monday the U.S. wasn't looking for a fight with Kim and wouldn't attack North Korea "unless he gives us reason to do something." She praised China's increased pressure on North Korea.

Asked about the threshold for U.S. action, Haley told NBC's "Today" that "if you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that."

But asked what would happen if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, Haley said, "I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the briefing to senators will be delivered by four top administration officials: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford.

The latest American held in North Korea is Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name Kim Sang-duk. The 58-year old taught accounting for a month at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, the university chancellor. No details on why Kim was detained have been released.

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Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - A Romanian court has rejected an appeal by the ruling party's leader to quash his sentence for vote rigging during a 2012 referendum, striking a blow to his ambition to become prime minister.

The High Court for Cassation and Justice on Monday rejected an appeal by Liviu Dragnea, who heads the Social Democratic Party, to overturn a two-year suspended prison sentence he received in April 2016 for inflating voter numbers in a referendum to impeach ex-President Traian Basescu. The ruling is final.

The conviction means Dragnea can't become prime minister, something he calls unfair. In February, he launched a legal bid to get it overturned.

The Social Democrats won the December parliamentary election, and Dragnea was expected to be appointed prime minister.

The referendum failed because turnout was too low.
VENICE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida mother of seven children has donated one of her kidneys to her Lowe's co-worker.

Christine Higbee donated her kidney to co-worker Zac Pacyna last December.

The co-workers have known each other for seven years and were friendly because Pacyna worked for Higbee's boyfriend on the overnight shift at the store.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2pWd6jU ) that the 45-year-old Higbee says donating her kidney to the 26-year-old Pacyna was no big deal.

She jokes that if she ever needs another kidney, she can borrow one from one of her seven kids.

Pacyna has a genetic kidney disease known as Alport syndrome.

Both employees have since returned to work.

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Information from: Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune, http://www.heraldtribune.com
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Steady downpours are saturating much of Haiti, triggering flooding in low-lying areas and causing at least two deaths in the southwest region that was slammed by Hurricane Matthew last year.

Interior Ministry spokesman Guillaume Albert Moleon says a 19-year-old man in Camp Perrin was swept away when he tried to cross a rising river with his motorbike. He said Monday the other death was an elderly resident of Port Salut whose shack was destroyed by a torrent of water.

Even moderate rain in Haiti can lead to flash floods carrying mud and debris and authorities are urging people near surging rivers to be vigilant.

A trough of wet weather has drenched swaths of the Caribbean in recent days, with flooding reported in the neighboring Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local):

5:45 p.m.

Syrian activists say eight family members, including five children, have been killed in an airstrike apparently carried out by the U.S.-led coalition as they fled the Islamic State-held town of Tabqa.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the family was fleeing in a car from fighting between U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces and Islamic State militants on Monday.

It says the children were between six months and 15 years old.

The activist-run Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently also reported the airstrike, saying a family was killed.

The US.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which also include Arab fighters, have surrounded Tabqa, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State group. They aim to expel the militants from Tabqa before attacking Raqqa.

The Observatory said the U.S.-backed fighters entered Tabqa on Monday but the town remains largely under IS control.

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12:05 p.m.

Al-Qaida's leader has urged his followers and all militants in Syria to unite ranks and prepare for protracted jihad, or holy war.

Ayman al-Zawahri tells the jihadis to remain steadfast and change tactics to a guerrilla war. His remarks came in an audio message released on Monday by al-Qaida's media arm As-Sahab.

Al-Zawahri says an "international satanic alliance" will never accept Islam's rule in Syria. He says the war isn't an exclusively nationalist Syrian cause but a campaign by the entire Muslim nation that seeks to establish divine rule.

Al-Qaida's Syria branch - formerly the Nusra Front but now known as the Fatah al-Sham Front - has come under increasing attack from the U.S.-led coalition in recent months and some of its most senior leaders have been killed in airstrikes.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a Houston man shot in the back by police during a traffic stop, prompting Justice Sonia Sotomayor to complain of a "disturbing trend" in how the high court deals with cases alleging police misconduct.

In a dissent, Sotomayor said the justices "have not hesitated" to reverse lower courts that rule against police officers in cases that involve claims of excessive force. But she said the court "rarely" intervenes when lower courts "wrongly" find that police are immune from charges of misconduct.

Her dissent, joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, drew a response from Justice Samuel Alito, who insisted the court applies "uniform standards" when deciding to review all such cases.

FILE - In this March 9, 2017 file photo, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor speaks at the University of California at Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif. The Supreme Court on Monday, April 24, 2017, rejected an appeal from a Houston man shot in the back by police during a traffic stop, prompting Justice Sonia Sotomayor to complain of a "disturbing trend" in how the high court deals with cases alleging police misconduct. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

Sotomayor has criticized the court before for siding with police in excessive force cases. In a 2015 dissent, she said the court was sanctioning a "'shoot first, think later' approach to policing" when it sided with a Texas state trooper who fatally shot a man fleeing from police.

Her latest comments come as law enforcement agencies face increasing scrutiny over officer-involved shootings or use of deadly force incidents. The high court heard arguments last month in a Los Angeles case where sheriff's deputies mistakenly shot a couple during their search for a wanted man.

The case on Monday began in 2010 when police said Ricardo Salazar-Limon resisted arrest during a stop for suspected drunken driving. Salazar-Limon walked away after a brief struggle and was ordered to stop. The officer said he saw Salazar-Limon turn and reach toward his waistband, and then shot him in the lower back. The injury left him partially paralyzed.

Salazar-Limon alleged the officer fired either immediately or just seconds before he turned around. He filed a claim of excessive force against the officer and the city of Houston.

A federal judge sided with the officer without sending the case to a jury. The judge said Salazar-Limon did not deny reaching for his waistband.

Sotomayor said the case should have been tried before a jury because there were still too many facts in dispute.

"Only Thompson and Salazar-Limon know what happened on that overpass on October 29, 2010," Sotomayor said. "It is possible that Salazar-Limon did something that Thompson reasonably found threatening; it is also possible that Thompson shot an unarmed man in the back without justification. What is clear is that our legal system does not entrust the resolution of this dispute to a judge faced with competing affidavits."

Sotomayor noted five similar cases in the past few years in which the justices reversed lower courts that refused to find police immune from charges of misconduct. She also pointed to newspaper stories noting "the increasing frequency of incidents in which unarmed men allegedly reach for empty waistbands when facing armed officers."

"That these cases are increasingly common makes it even more important for lower courts - confronted with such inconsistencies - to let the jury exercise its role as the arbiter of credibility disputes," she said.

Alito said the lower courts acted "responsibly and attempted faithfully to apply the correct legal rule to what is at best a marginal set of facts."

"The dissent has not identified a single case in which we failed to grant a similar petition filed by an alleged victim of unconstitutional police misconduct," he said in comments joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on new U.S. sanctions against Syria (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

The United States has issued 271 sanctions in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons. It's one of the largest sanction actions in U.S. history.

The Trump administration said Monday that it issued sanctions against 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center, the Syrian government agency responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons.

The action was announced in a statement by the Treasury Department, and Treasury Security Steve Mnuchin simultaneously briefed reporters at the White House.

The new sanctions are the latest U.S. response to Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons, most recently in rebel-held northern Idlib, in an attack that killed more than 80 civilians.

The U.S. retaliated earlier this month by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield.

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11:07 a.m.

The Trump administration will issue new sanctions against Syria as early as Monday as part of its ongoing crackdown on the Syrian government and those who support it.

Three U.S. officials said that the sanctions are part of a broader effort to cut off funding and other support to Syria's President Bashar Assad and his government amid the country's escalating civil war. The U.S. blames Assad for a recent chemical attack on Syrian civilians, and responded earlier this month by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield.

One official said the sanctions will primarily target weapons manufacturers believed to aid Assad's use of chemical weapons.

The officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly.

Trump has called Assad "evil" and said his use of chemical weapons "crossed a lot of lines."

The U.S. has gradually been expanding its sanctions program against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanctions targeting Syria for a range of offenses, including its support of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon, efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

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MILFORD, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a survivalist who ambushed two troopers at a state police barracks (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

The mother of a survivalist who ambushed two Pennsylvania State Police troopers has begged a jury to spare her son's life.

FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2015, file photo, Eric Frein is led away by Pennsylvania State Police Troopers at the Pike County Courthouse after his preliminary hearing in Milford, Pa. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Frein, who they said targeted state police because he was trying to foment an uprising against the government. Frein's lawyers want the jury to sentence him to life without parole. (Butch Comegys/The Times & Tribune via AP, File)

Deborah Frein (freen) testified Monday during the penalty phase of her son's capital murder trial.

She said: "I don't want my son on death row." She told a prosecutor: "You made him out to be a monster and that's not who he is at all."

Eric Frein killed Bryon Dickson II and left a second trooper with debilitating injuries when he opened fire outside the Blooming Grove state police barracks in 2014.

He was convicted last week and faces a potential death sentence.

Frein's lawyer has said his client tried to emulate his successful father but could never measure up.

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2:40 p.m.

The father of a survivalist who ambushed two Pennsylvania State Police troopers says he failed his son by not pushing him harder to grow up.

Eugene Michael Frein (freen) testified Monday during the penalty phase of his son's trial.

Thirty-three-year-old Eric Frein was convicted of capital murder last week in the 2014 attack that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and wounded a second trooper. He faces a potential death sentence.

His father says he should have pushed Frein harder to enter the military and finish college.

The retired Army major also admitted lying to his son about his military exploits, falsely telling him he'd been a tank commander in Vietnam and a sniper when he never saw combat.

The defense says Eric Frein tried to emulate his dad but couldn't measure up.

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12:10 p.m.

A judge has rejected a request for an emergency competency hearing after a survivalist convicted of ambushing two Pennsylvania State Police troopers refused to communicate with his lawyers.

Eric Frein (freen) was convicted of capital murder last week in the 2014 attack that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and injured a second trooper. He faces a potential death sentence.

The penalty phase of Frein's trial was delayed Monday morning. His lawyer told the judge that Frein would not walk or talk and was "staring off into space." Lawyer Michael Weinstein requested that Frein's mental competency be evaluated.

But prosecutors played a recording of a phone call that Frein placed to his mother over the weekend in which he appeared to be talking normally. The judge denied Frein a competency hearing.

District Attorney Ray Tonkin told reporters he believes Frein is acting.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire woman who was stabbed to death near Paris was attacked at random by a homeless man who was deemed unfit to stand trial, her husband said Monday.

John McDonough, of Rye, recently returned with his wife's remains and possessions after meeting with French authorities and U.S. Embassy representatives. Cathleen McDonough, 52, was fatally stabbed from behind on April 6 as she was taking photos of street art in a suburb of Paris. She was in France visiting her daughter, who works for a foundation.

John McDonough said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that police told him the man apparently was angry that she was taking photos. He was told the man who attacked his wife was about 55, was from Gambia, had no identification or passport, and was found wandering near her with a knife in his hand.

This undated photo provided by the family shows Cathleen McDonough of Rye, N.H. McDonough, who was stabbed to death near Paris, was attacked at random by a homeless man who was deemed unfit to stand trial, her husband said Monday, April 24, 2017. McDonough was fatally stabbed from behind on April 6 as she was taking photos of street art in a suburb of Paris. She was in France visiting her daughter. (Randy Walker via AP)

A prosecutor said at the time that the man was arrested without incident and taken to a psychiatric hospital. The prosecutor's office Monday would not discuss the case in detail, but said investigators have not found any sign of terrorism or premeditation.

McDonough said he found remnants of a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles where his wife was killed in Montreuil.

Cathleen McDonough, an avid photographer who was just starting to sell her work, was taking photos of a spray-painted image on an old, abandoned shell of a building that had some steel artwork on the top.

"She had hundreds of photos of street art, and most of it was really neat graffiti, bright-colored images and names. She loved doing that stuff," he said.

McDonough said the street itself was in a quiet neighborhood "with moms with kids in strollers," he said. "It actually was a very pretty area."

He said French police told him what happened was a random act of violence.

"We just have to deal with the loss," he said. "I don't have any room in my heart to be angry. I'm just sad. She was a really, really, wonderful person."

McDonough, 54, a marine surveyor, said they had been married for 27 years. He proposed to her within the first hour of meeting her, she accepted, and they were officially husband and wife two weeks later. They also have a son.

Cathleen McDonough enjoyed traveling and belonged to a 200-member women's singing group based in Portsmouth, "Voices from the Heart," that visited Cuba in 2012.

"She got us up every morning to explore Cuba as it was waking up, and we didn't miss an opportunity to talk with people and immerse ourselves in the culture," a friend and "Voices" member Erika Mantz said in a reading at the group's first rehearsal following McDonough's death. "She opened my eyes."

The group sang at the rehearsal in her honor.

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Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this story.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is warning that the forced movement of civilians in Syria may be a war crime, as one of the largest population transfers in the country's six-year civil war is taking place.

Guterres said in a report to the Security Council circulated Monday that the U.N. has repeatedly expressed concern at local evacuation agreements that follow the decimation of an area and result in forced displacement of civilians.

He reminded Syria's government and opposition groups who reach such agreements that forced displacement of civilians is "permissible solely in order to guarantee their security or for imperative military necessity." Otherwise, forced movements are prohibited and may be war crimes, he said.

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian opposition fighters head to a bus with their families as they leave the last rebel-held neighborhood of al-Waer in Homs province, Syria, Monday, April 24, 2017. (SANA via AP)

Thousands of Syrians are currently being evacuated from four besieged towns and the opposition-held al-Waer neighborhood in Homs.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The death of a colleague's son spurred the governor in the often anti-regulation Kansas to toughen the state's inspection requirements for amusement parks on Monday.

A new law signed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback strengthens the state's amusement park regulations, which currently allow parks to inspect their own rides. That policy drew scrutiny when Republican Rep. Scott Schwab's son, Caleb, died last summer at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Despite concern from some lawmakers that carnival ride operators would struggle to comply, both chambers approved the bill earlier this month. The House passed it 124-1, and the Senate passed it 35-2.

The law, researched and championed in part by GOP Rep. John Barker, requires that amusement park rides be inspected annually by an inspector certified by one of several national boards; a certified engineer with two years of experience in the amusement park field, at least one of those in inspections; or someone with five years of experience in the amusement park field, two of those in inspections. It also requires parks to report injuries. Barker described Kansas' current amusement park regulations some of the loosest in the country.

FILE - In this July 9, 2014 file photo, riders are propelled by jets of water as they go over a hump while riding a water slide called "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kan. A new law signed by Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback strengthens the state's amusement park regulations, which currently allow parks to inspect their own rides. That policy drew scrutiny when Republican Rep. Scott Schwab's son, Caleb, died last summer at the water park. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Brownback had promised to follow Schwab's lead. Schwab didn't comment on the bill until he gave an emotional speech in support of it last month in the House. He told fellow House members that he didn't come to the Legislature to increase regulations and he wouldn't hold it against anyone who didn't vote for the bill.

"But I will never deny government has a role," he said. "And you can get to a point where there's just not enough."

Schwab told lawmakers the bill wasn't about Caleb, but rather for "the next kid who goes some place in Kansas for a fun weekend."

The law goes into effect July 1, about 11 months after Caleb died riding the 168-foot slide, dubbed the world's tallest. Its name, "Verruckt," is German for "insane."

The Verruckt slide had passed a private inspection earlier in the summer. But the ride's opening was delayed multiple times, and during early testing, sand bags flew off, so engineers partially tore it down and rebuilt it. After Caleb's death, other previous riders said the straps that held them to the raft came loose during the ride.

Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said there is no other ride like the Verruckt slide in the Schlitterbahn system, making it difficult to review practices and make potential safety changes to other rides. She said the company would review the bill after Brownback signed it and that the park supports increased safety regulations.

The Schwab family has reached settlements with the park's owner, the manufacturer of the raft that carried riders down the slide, a general contractor and a company that consulted on the ride. Two women who were injured when they rode the slide with Caleb have settled with the park's owner .

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Monday that his office is still reviewing the case. Prosapio has said the park will tear down the slide, but it has to wait for permission following the investigation.
Greek yogurt giant Chobani is suing right-wing radio host Alex Jones, accusing the conspiracy theorist of publishing false information about the company.

Chobani alleges that Jones and his InfoWars website posted fabricated stories earlier this month that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children.

The complaint says InfoWars released a video on April 11 falsely claiming that Chobani was 'importing migrant rapists,' with the goal of causing customers to boycott its products.

Chobani alleges that Jones and his InfoWars website posted fabricated stories earlier this month that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children

Alex Jones, a well-known Austin-based broadcaster and provocateur, arrives for a child custody trial at the Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas

'[Jones] is no stranger to spurious statements. He has claimed that the U.S. government orchestrated the 9/11 attacks and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut,' Chobani's attorneys wrote, according to Bloomberg News. 'Mr. Jones has now taken aim at Chobani and the Twin Falls community.'

During the video, an Info Wars reporter, David Knight, republished statements that claimed the Chobani plant brought 'crime and tuberculosis' to Twin Falls, something originally published on Breitbart.com, since it opened the plant five years ago.

It also pointed out previous reports of the company's supposed willingness to hire refugees in Twin Falls, which has a refugee resettlement center, according to the outlet.

An Info Wars reporter republished statements that claimed the Chobani plant brought 'crime and tuberculosis' to Twin Falls, something originally published on Breitbart.com

Maine Gov. Paul LePage, right, and Chobani Founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, center, listen as Hampton Products International Chairman and CEO H. Kim Kelley answers a question during a panel discussion in Orlando April 24, 2017

The video was called 'Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists.'

Despite the incendiary headline, the accusation never appeared in the video or was backed up by any facts, says Chobani lawyers.

The video mentioned Ulukaya's supposed support of refugees in Twin Falls, and then linked that to a story about three Twin Falls refugee boys who admitted to charges involved in the assault of a five-year-old girl at an apartment complex.

Chobani's attorneys say Jones has ignored requests to remove the inaccurate coverage.

Containers of Chobani yogurt are shown at the Chobani yogurt bar in the Soho neighborhood of New York. Chobani is suing right-wing radio host Alex Jones, accusing the conspiracy theorist of publishing false information about the company

Chobani filed the lawsuit Monday in Idaho District Court in Twin Falls, where the company operates its largest yogurt plant in the world. It's seeking at least $10,000 in damages.

InfoWars didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jones has been in the news for his contentious child custody battle with his ex-wife, Kelly Jones, over their three children, ages nine to 14.
Arkansas on Monday became the first state since 2000 to carry out a double execution. Two convicted murderers, Jack Jones and Marcel Williams, were put to death as part of an accelerated schedule because one of the state's lethal injection drugs expires at the end of April. A look at the procedures of multiple executions and their history in the U.S.:

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HOW DID IT WORK?

FILE - This combination of undated file photos provided by the Arkansas Department of Correction shows death-row inmates Jack Jones, left, and Marcel Williams. The two Arkansas inmates scheduled to be put to death Monday, April 24, 2017, in what could be the nation's first double execution in more than 16 years have asked an appeals court to halt their lethal injections because of poor health. (Arkansas Department of Correction via AP, File)

Jones and Williams were scheduled to be executed 75 minutes apart Monday evening at the Cummins Unit prison at Varner, Arkansas, about 80 miles southeast of Little Rock.

Jones was executed on schedule, shortly after 7 p.m. Attorneys for the Williams persuaded a federal judge minutes later to briefly delay his execution over concerns about how the earlier one was carried out, claiming Jones "was moving his lips and gulping for air," an account the state's attorney general denied. The judge lifted her stay about an hour later and Williams was pronounced dead at 10:33 p.m.

Two double-executions were scheduled last week, but only a single inmate, Ledell Lee, was put to death. The other lethal injections were called off because of legal appeals.

Arkansas was the first state to do a double execution and the only state to do a triple execution following the 1976 Supreme Court decision that allowed the death penalty to resume.

In Arkansas' most recent triple execution, in 1997, only 51 minutes elapsed between the first two executions. The third came one hour and 50 minutes later.

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WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF MULTIPLE EXECUTIONS?

The last state to put more than one inmate to death on the same day was Texas, which executed two killers in August 2000. Arkansas' last double execution occurred in 1999.

Oklahoma tried to conduct a double execution in 2014, but it was halted after the first prisoner writhed and moaned on the gurney during the botched attempt. The inmate, Clayton Lockett, died 43 minutes later of a heart attack.

There was a time when executing more than one prisoner on a single day was common. Records show at least seven states carried out multiple single-day executions in 1951.

In Texas, the nation's most active death penalty state, multiple executions were conducted 28 times starting in 1924, according to records.

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WHY WOULD STATES DO IT THIS WAY?

Some attorneys and anti-death penalty groups have questioned whether stacking executions risks inflicting extra stress on prison staff and inviting mistakes.

But in court documents filed earlier this month, Wendy Kelley, director of the Arkansas Department of Correction, said having multiple executions on one night is better than setting separate dates "because the stress is more associated with an execution night than with a specific number of executions."

Jim Willett, the warden who helped carry out Texas' last multiple execution on the same day in 2000, said "if you can do it right once, why can't you do it twice the same day?"
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Police said a shooting involving gang members left three people dead early Monday inside a home in Savannah, ending the longest streak in two years that the city had experienced no killings.

Savannah-Chatham County police responded to a home about 1:15 a.m. Monday and found three bodies inside. Police Lt. Racine Chaney said at a news conference "the homicide involved gang members," but declined to release many details about the crime and those who were killed.

The triple slaying ended 49 straight days without a homicide in Savannah, the longest break in killing that Georgia's oldest city had seen in more than two years, Chaney said. Savannah and unincorporated portions of Chatham County had 50 slayings last year and 53 homicides in 2015, which was the bloodiest year here since 1991.

Police identified the victims as 31-year-old Courtney German, 24-year-old William Mullins and 18-year-old Shayla Curtis.

Keith Lamont Marrow Jr., 27, was charged with three counts of murder in the Savannah slayings, police said in a statement Monday night. He was arrested on unrelated traffic charges in nearby Jasper County, South Carolina, after the shootings.

"At this point, releasing any more specifics would directly threaten this investigation," Chaney told reporters.

He declined to say which of the victims, if any, police consider to be gang members or which gangs were involved. Chaney also declined to comment when asked if any of the victims were related.

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Information from: WTOC-TV, http://www.wtoctv.com/
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to cancel an upcoming meeting with Germany's foreign minister unless the visiting diplomat cancels an appointment with two groups critical of Israel's actions in the West Bank.

A senior Israeli official confirmed that the prime minister issued an ultimatum to Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel that he would scrap their meeting scheduled for Tuesday if Gabriel met with members of non-governmental organizations Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem.

Gabriel arrived in Israel on Monday evening following a visit to Jordan.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli Foreign Ministry as to whether the German government has responded.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont biologists say they've rescued several year-old bear cubs found starving this spring after a shortage of wild food in the state last fall.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife says biologists and game wardens have picked up malnourished bear cubs from as far apart as opposite ends of the state. The cubs were sent to a bear rehabilitator in New Hampshire who will care for the cubs until they can be returned to the wild.

In one case, a Wardsboro homeowner found a cub near death beneath her porch.

Biologist Forrest Hammond says wildlife usually should be left in their natural environment, but in rare cases bear cubs can be helped.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Gov. John Kasich's new book, "Two Paths: America Divided or United," provides a rare, and sometimes raw, behind-the-scenes look at being a 2016 presidential candidate.

The book, released Tuesday by Thomas Dunne Books, is roughly equal parts campaign-trail memoir, political biography and Kasich's own self-help therapy session for living in a post-Donald Trump world.

Kasich, 64, expresses clear disappointment that his decades as a state legislator, congressman, business executive and governor failed to earn him the Republican Party's nomination - especially over populist billionaire Donald Trump.

FILE- In this April 4, 2017 file photo, Ohio Gov. John Kasich delivers his State of the State address at the Sandusky State Theatre in Sandusky, Ohio. Kasich's "Two Paths: America Divided or United" is being published Tuesday, April 25. The book reflects on Kasich's career, his run for the presidency and his views on a wide range of issues, from media coverage of politics to voting rights. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)

Competing in the crowded and fractious field felt at times like "walking up a down escalator," he wrote.

"I was astounded that politicians could say the kinds of things they were saying - crass, negative - and get away with it," Kasich said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. "I think everybody who has observed politics was stunned by it."

Yet, in an open letter to his twin 17-year-old daughters that concludes the book, Kasich urges them not to be disheartened but to "expect more" of future candidates. He sidesteps whether he will be one again in 2020.

Kasich was Trump's longest-lasting competitor in last year's Republican primary and, since declining to endorse Trump, has remained one of the GOP's most vocal Trump detractors. In the book, he repeats his claim that he was offered - and declined - a chance to be Trump's vice president, an assertion the Trump camp has dismissed.

Kasich won just one primary - in his home state of Ohio - and 154 delegates, but his campaign drew attention as a compassionate conservative alternative amid an unusually rancorous Republican primary and an equally vitriolic general election battle between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The two paths of the book's title seemingly diverged on Election Day, when - based on the choice Kasich laid out in an April 12, 2016, speech of the same name - Americans chose "the path to darkness" stoked by negativity and fear over "the higher path" of working together for a common purpose.

"The fear turned out to be the driving emotion of the 2016 presidential campaign, and the front-runner tailored his message to stoke that fear," he writes. "In response, the American people elected a strongman who they believed could help them address that fear and get control of their lives once again. Hopefully, that's how it will work out."

Kasich likens his own struggles as a candidate to those of everyday Americans'. He does that primarily by detailing moments on the campaign trail in which he felt he got out of his own head and the bubble of his campaign and lifted up someone who needed it or encouraged people to connect.

Kasich quotes a David Bowie song - "We can be heroes, just for one day" - adding, "Something to think about as we rediscover our shared moral compass after the craziest, most directionless presidential election of anyone's memory."

He concludes that a crisis of what he dubs "followship" played a key role in the election and in a new "post-truth" world. By that, he means an environment of "siloed" media personalized to one's individual beliefs; disjointed, often conflicting messages; and fractured communities that make it difficult to keep one's bearings.

"We can't pick and choose among half-truths and utter falsehoods and grab only at the ones that reinforce our preconceived notions or stoke our shared fears," he writes. "We can't live in our own reality - not if we hope to come together and attempt to solve the very real problems facing this great country."

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This story has been corrected to show a quote from the book refers to walking up an escalator, not elevator.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's technology czar has contracted to spend $208,000 in tax dollars for two professional memberships even though the state is without a budget and is billions of dollars in debt, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Hardik Bhatt, the $145,000-a-year secretary of the Department of Innovation and Technology, has had a $50,000 annual membership in the Chief Information Officer Leadership Council of the Virginia-based executive-assistance organization CEB Inc. since 2015. He's also approved a $29,000 subscription and annual renewal for his agency, known as DoIT, with CEB's Risk Leadership Council.

DoIT, an agency created by executive order shortly after Republican Rauner took office in January 2015, is responsible for upgrading Illinois' digital technology infrastructure, providing statewide computer and telecommunications and oversight, improving cyber security, more precise management of the state's $1 billion investment portfolio, and making services for taxpayers easier to access.

FILE - In this March 30, 2016 file photo, Illinois secretary of the Department of Innovation and Technology Hardik Bhatt speaks to reporters in Springfield, Ill. Bhatt has spent $208,000 in tax dollars for two professional memberships despite the states budget crisis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman File)

DoIT spokeswoman Jennifer Schultz said the membership and subscription are "strategic investments" to help the state improve on an "outdated, inefficient" and unsafe system.

"These groups provide guidance and research to states and Fortune 500 companies," Schultz said in a prepared statement. "The benefit to Illinois is to learn and implement best practices in organization design, cyber-security, IT governance and other areas to help us avoid making the same mistakes the state has made previously in IT."

But the expenditures frustrated Rep. Fred Crespo, chairman of the House Appropriations-General Services Committee, which is scheduled to hear testimony about DoIT's budget Tuesday. The Hoffman Estates Democrat blamed it partly on the fact that DoIT was created by Rauner and is not subject to legislative oversight.

Crespo said he's troubled that money is spent on these services when the two-year budget stalemate between Rauner and Democrats controlling the General Assembly has meant millions of dollars in cuts to human-service providers and higher education.

"We're trying to connect the dots, figure out how much money is being spent" by DoIT, Crespo said. "These social service providers, universities that are dying, why are spending money on new computers at the expense of all these families, all these students, all people hurting. Tell me how that makes sense?"

A spokeswoman for CEB Inc. did not respond to a request for comment. The contract for the risk leadership council says membership provides "proven best practices, research and insight, peer benchmarks, decision and diagnostic tools, executive networking, advisory support and live and online learning events."

Although the state had chief information officers prior to DoIT's birth, there is no evidence of membership or subscription payments to CEB for several years prior to 2015.

Crespo noted that after GOP Comptroller Leslie Munger was defeated in a special election in November, she transferred $71 million from general revenue funds to specially earmarked accounts that in large part benefited DoIT. The membership money is out of one of them, a fund for "data processing and informational services."

Bhatt's $50,000 leadership council memberships were paid for 2016 and 2017, as was one year of the risk-group membership. But Munger's replacement, Democrat Susana Mendoza, who has sparred with Rauner over spending, particularly for DoIT, has not paid one year of each membership, totaling $79,000. Mendoza has held up payment while seeking answers general questions from DoIT on its initiatives. But the state is ultimately obligated to pay it because Bhatt signed contracts.

"This type of waste of tax dollars is why I will always demand accountability and transparency from every state agency," Mendoza said in a statement released to the AP Monday. "Right now we could use an extra $200,000 for services for children, seniors and people who need help,"

Rep. David Harris of Arlington Heights, the Republican spokesman on the House general services appropriations panel, said the CEB benefits sound like they'd be helpful to technology chiefs for Fortune 500 companies or other large corporations but wondered whether there are many public-sector members.

"It's a significant amount of money and it begs the question, is there a significant amount of benefit?" Harris asked. "Are there benefits being provided that are available in more public forums that don't cost $50,000?"

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Contact Political Writer John O'Connor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/john-oconnor.
The Chicago aviation officer who dragged United passenger Dr David Dao off of a plane in Chicago this month claims that he was verbally and physically abusive, and that he fell and struck his mouth on an armrest.

The city's Department of Aviation released the officer's report of the incident Monday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by The Associated Press.

The report reveals for the first time the officer's version of what happened aboard the plane at O'Hare International Airport on April 9.

Scroll down for video

The incident - which was videotaped by other passengers and widely shared online - became an international embarrassment for both the airlines and the city's aviation department

Long said he approached Dr. David Dao (pictured) to ask the 69-year-old physician to get off the plane. He also claimed that Dao flung himself into the armrest, and that he had to be dragged off because he would not move

The incident - which was videotaped by other passengers and widely shared online - became an international embarrassment for both the airlines and the city's aviation department.

The report also includes the name of the officer, James Long, who authorities initially declined to identify.

In the report, Long said he boarded the United Express flight after being called in response to a disturbance involving two people regarding a refusal to leave the aircraft.

United has said four passengers had been ordered off the airplane to make room for four employees to fly to Louisville, Kentucky.

Long said he approached Dr. David Dao to ask the 69-year-old physician to get off the plane.

Long said Dao refused and 'folded his arms tightly.' Long said he reached out to 'hold' Dao and was able to pull him away from his window seat on the aircraft and move toward the aisle.

'But suddenly the subject started flailing and fighting,' Long wrote.

Dao then knocked Long's hand off his arm, causing the struggling Dao to fall and strike his mouth on an arm rest on the other side of the aisle, according to the report. He claims that he then dragged Dao because due to the Doctor's refusal to stand up.

Long has said he wrote the report and gave his version of events only because he faced losing his job.

The video taken by a passenger shows lots of screaming coming from behind the seats, then Dao being dragged by his arms down the aisle of the plane as the other passengers react in horror.

In a separate report released Monday, labeled a 'Hospitalization Case Report,' the Chicago Police Department said Dao was observed striking his face against an armrest as aviation officers 'attempted to escort' him from the flight.

Neither report details Dao's injuries, but at a news conference days after the incident, Dao's attorney said the doctor suffered a broken nose and a concussion, and lost two front teeth.

Neither report details Dao's injuries, but at a news conference days after the incident, Dao's attorney said the doctor suffered a broken nose and a concussion, and lost two front teeth

Long said he was able to remove Dao from the airplane, and that once off the plane and in the walkway back to the gate, Dao said he was a diabetic, but then got up off the floor and ran back onto the aircraft

Long said he was able to remove Dao from the airplane, and that once off the plane and in the walkway back to the gate, Dao said he was a diabetic, but then got up off the floor and ran back onto the aircraft.

Long alleges Dao, while running back to the plane, said that they'd have to kill him.

He was one of three aviation officers who were subsequently placed on leave by the department.

The report jibes with comments that United CEO Oscar Munoz made in the aftermath of the incident, in which he called Dao belligerent.

Munoz later offered a more emphatic mea culpa, saying: 'No one should ever be mistreated this way.' The aviation department has also profusely apologized and vowed an investigation

United CEO Oscar Munoz (pictured in 2016) initially said that Dao was belligerent, but later offered a more empathetic mea culpa saying: 'No one should ever be mistreated this way'

Dao's attorney, Thomas Demetrio, told NBC's 'Today' show on Monday that he intended to file a lawsuit.

The aviation department also released its use of force policy, which was sent to all officers after the incident.

It says aviation security personnel should use force only when 'reasonably necessary to defend a human life, effect an arrest or control a person,' and that the force used 'shall only be that which is necessary to overcome the resistance being offered by an offender and to effect lawful objectives.'
Fifteen traffickers have been indicted for selling more than 100 protected eagles and their body parts in a cruel crime ring.

The number of the birds of prey could yet double as the case is brought against those involved in operations described as chop-shops for eagles.

Traffickers are accused of killing the birds before hacking them to pieces, throwing them into garbage bags and selling them to enthusiasts.

It is thought the sellers would receive up to $1,200 for a whole carcass and around $250 for a golden eagle head.

South Dakota US Attorney Randy Seiler discusses the details of indictments in an eagle trafficking case in Rapid City, South Dakota

Federal officials in South Dakota said Monday 15 people have been indicted after a two-year undercover operation potentially involving hundreds of birds.

US Attorney Randy Seiler said officials expect significant additional federal charges in the case, which focused on trafficking of eagles and eagle parts and feathers for profit.

Authorities said the case involves more than 100 eagles, a number that could climb as high as 250.

Seiler described one operation as basically a 'chop-shop for eagles' in which birds were stuffed into garbage bags.

He said it was clear that it was a moneymaking operation and that the feathers and eagle parts such as talons and beaks were treated as merchandise.

'There was no cultural sensitivity. There was no spirituality,' Seiler said.

'There was no tradition in the manner in which these defendants handled these birds.'

He said the investigation involved confidential informants, a multi-state area and the purchase of regalia items such as ceremonial fans.

It is thought the head of a golden eagle (pictured) would fetch up to $250 for traffickers while a whole carcass would see them pocket $1,200

A spokeswoman for the US attorney's office said in an email that there are a variety of reasons why people buy eagle parts, and a collectors market plays a role.

Dan Rolince, US Fish and Wildlife Service assistant special agent in charge of law enforcement for the region, said that some of those accused used code words to avoid detection by describing the eagle and other bird parts for sale using the names of animals or even car parts.

He said the eagles were primarily shot.

'At the end of this process, I have full confidence that it will be one of the largest cases of this nature we've ever worked,' he said.

Three Rapid City men charged in the case are involved with Buffalo Dreamers, which performs Native American dance programs.

Owner Troy Fairbanks has been charged with conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking and violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Lacey Act.

A spokeswoman for US attorney's office said in an email there are a variety of reasons why people buy the parts of an eagle (pictured), and a collectors market plays a role

Fairbanks, 54, allegedly sold or traded eagle parts to an informant including a golden eagle head for $250, a trade involving about $5,400 of legal merchandise for eagle parts and selling two sets of eagle wings for $900.

Rolince said that a whole eagle carcass would generally sell for between $1,000 and $1,200.

The indictment says Fairbanks in 2015 claimed he could acquire between 30 and 40 eagles by February 2016.

Fairbanks also said in 2015 that he had 19 people in the Los Angeles area who wanted to buy 'eagle feathers or parts' from him, according to the document.

It wasn't immediately clear if Fairbanks has an attorney, and he didn't immediately return an email.

A telephone number for Buffalo Dreamers went directly to voicemail.

According to another indictment, Juan Mesteth sold fans and eagle feathers to an informant.

The document says Mesteth in 2015 discussed having connections in Wyoming who could get whole carcass eagles and would take the informant hunting for eagles.

It wasn't immediately clear if the 39-year-old Mesteth, of Pine Ridge, had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Those accused in the case include people from Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Authorities didn't immediately disclose how much the defendants are thought to have profited in the case, and Seiler said some of the 15 defendants are unconnected to each other.
Kevin Chappell celebrated his first PGA Tour title after winning the Valero Texas Open.

The 30-year-old American, who has six runners-up finishes to his name, finally went one better with a one-shot victory over compatriot Brooks Koepka in San Antonio.

Chappell, the overnight leader, got the job done as he birdied the final hole to card a four-under-par 68 and avoid a play-off with Koepka.

Kevin Chappell gets a hug from his caddy, Joe Greiner (Tom Reel/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

180 starts.

1 win. 



The wait is FINALLY over. pic.twitter.com/8hFSX6zDp5  PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 23, 2017

He told the pgatour.com: I am excited that I dont have to answer that question of, What do I have to do to win again. There is some excitement and a lot of joy right now.

I was really calm all day, I never freaked out. Playing the last hole was simple, make a four and I win the tournament.

Koepka had fired himself into contention with an impressive 65, which included eight birdies and one bogey.

Kevin Tway and Tony Finau were a shot further back on nine-under, with Australian Aaron Baddeley on eight under.
A senior Cabinet minister has suggested the Conservatives may scrap their pledge not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance  a move that would leave the door open to tax rises if the party wins the general election.

Sir Michael Fallon insisted the Tories are the party of lower taxes but admitted it does not want to commit to too many prescriptive targets in its manifesto, indicating that the tax lock pledge from the 2015 general election could be dropped.

Chancellor Philip Hammond was forced into a humiliating U-turn shortly after last months Budget when a revolt from backbench Tory MPs forced him to ditch planned national insurance changes for the self-employed.

Sir Michael Fallon said the party does not want to commit to too many 'prescriptive' targets (Yui Mok/PA)

Theresa May has so far refused to repeat the tax lock pledge, while Mr Hammond said he needed more flexibility in managing the economy, prompting Labour to claim the Conservatives are planning a tax bombshell should they retain power after the general election.

Sir Michael said a review of the rights of self-employed workers would continue if the Tories win the general election, and echoed the Chancellors call for flexibility.

He told ITVs Good Morning Britain: I think what he (Mr Hammond) said is he doesnt want too many targets inside the manifesto that are too prescriptive, that dont allow you, as the situation develops over the lifetime of the Parliament, that dont allow you the flexibility.

Asked if the Tories would recommit to not raising income tax, VAT or national insurance, Sir Michael said: The manifesto will certainly make clear which side of this argument were on  its Labour governments that increase tax, its Conservative governments that take the lower paid, in particular, out of tax.

Sir Michael Fallon suggested the Conservatives may scrap their pledge not to raise taxes (Yui Mok/PA)

The Defence Secretary said the Tories are not planning to freeze energy prices. Sir Michael said a freeze was very different to a cap and that the party would set out detailed proposals on the energy market later in the election campaign.

He told BBC Radio Fours Today programme: Youll find when the manifesto is published in a couple of weeks we are not proposing a freeze. A freeze is very different to a cap.

Sir Michael denied the Government was being hypocritical after it attacked former Labour leader Ed Milibands policy of energy price controls in the 2015 general election.

We didnt introduce a freeze because a freeze would have stopped you taking advantage of prices when they dropped.

Fallon, of course, talking garbage...2015 manifesto:"Labour will freeze energy bills until 2017, ensuring that bills can fall but not rise" https://t.co/OZHwrjpbwm  Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) April 24, 2017

Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green has said the Tory manifesto will include proposals to cap energy bills.

Newspaper reports have suggested the Conservatives will try to reduce energy costs by around 100-a-year for an average family by capping gas and electricity bills for households paying standard variable tariffs.
French president Francois Hollande has urged voters to choose centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 presidential run-off to keep out far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Speaking from the Elysee palace, Mr Hollande said Ms Le Pens platform of pulling out of the euro would devastate the countrys economy and threaten French liberty.

He said the far-right would deeply divide France at a time when the terror threat requires solidarity and cohesion.

Mr Macron was Mr Hollandes top adviser on economic issues from 2012 to 2014, then economy minister in his Socialist government for two years.

In April 2016, he launched his own political movement, En Marche! (In Motion!) to prepare his presidential bid as an independent centrist candidate. He quit the government a few months later.

Mr Hollandes intervention came as Frances defeated political mainstream united to urge voters to back Mr Macron.

Politicians on the moderate left and right, including the Socialist and Republicans party losers in Sundays first-round vote, sought to block Ms Le Pens path to power.

(PA graphic)

The mainstream parties were shut out of the presidency after the first round, which narrowed the presidential field from 11 to two.

This election is widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave which last year prompted the UK to vote to leave the European Union and led to Donald Trump being elected US president.

The defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Mr Macron, and Ms Le Pens National Front is hoping to do the once-unthinkable and gain the support of voters historically opposed to a party long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

National Front vice president Steeve Brios said: The voters who voted for Mr Melenchon are angry voters. They can be in agreement with us.

Macron and his wife Brigitte (Christophe Ena/AP)

He said that these voters can express a choice outside the system.

Choosing from inside the system is no longer an option, as voters rejected the two mainstream parties which have alternated power for decades in favour of Ms Le Pen and the untested Mr Macron, who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year.

Turnout was 78%, down slightly from 79% in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, received just 6% of the vote. Socialist president Francois Hollande, the most unpopular in modern French record-keeping, did not seek re-election.

Marine Le Pen, surrounded by bodyguards, celebrates with supporters (Michel Spingler/AP)

Former Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls said: We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction.

Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservative Republicans candidate, fared marginally better, coming in third with just shy of 20% of the vote.

Both centre-right and centre-left fell in behind Mr Macron, whose optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast to Ms Le Pens darker, inward-looking French-first platform, which calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the euro to return to the French franc.

French president Francois Hollande casts his ballot in the first round of the presidential election in Tulle (Georges Gobet, Pool/AP)

Ms Le Pen went on the offensive against Macron in her first public comments on Monday. She said: He is a hysterical, radical Europeanist. He is for total open borders. He says there is no such thing as French culture. There is not one domain that he shows one ounce of patriotism.

Mr Macrons party spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, said that Ms Le Pen is hardly a vector of change.

Shes been in the political system for 30 years. She inherited her fathers party and we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running for the next 20 years, because after we had the father, we have the daughter and we will doubtless have the niece, he said, referring to Marion Marechal-Le Pen.
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez led the tributes to Lionel Messi after the Argentinian scored the 500th goal of his career to give Luis Enriques side a last-gasp 3-2 win over 10-man Real Madrid.

Messi struck twice in a dramatic victory to take Barcelona to the top of LaLiga.

Ivan Rakitic was also on target for Barcelona, while Casemiro and James Rodriguez  the Colombian having equalised in the 85th minute  scored for hosts Real, who had captain Sergio Ramos sent off for the 22nd time in his Madrid career in the final quarter.

Ramos received an El Clasico red card for the second successive season 13 minutes from time. Messi was fortunate that the Spaniards two-footed challenge did not make contact with him and that he avoided serious injury.

Former Liverpool forward Suarez was quoted on Barcelonas official website as saying: Its time to enjoy beating a direct opponent, Madrid. Its time to enjoy the best player in the world and of all time.

He keeps showing that in the most important games, which is when you really see him. Its admirable. Our destiny still isnt in our hands, but theyre under pressure to win every game, because we aim to do the same.

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta echoed the sentiments of Suarez, adding: The great thing about Leo is that he never stops surprising you. After so many years he continues to be the difference. For us it is an honour and a blessing for the club.

It was a match with a bit of everything, stages where we were in control, others where we were in too much of a hurry to attack. These games are difficult here and there were chances for both teams, but in the end we got the winner in added time to leave very happy, it couldnt be any other way.

We have achieved our objective, we have a chance and we have to take it.

Lionel Messi, right, celebrates with Andres Iniesta, left

These matches are brilliant for the fans, chances for both teams. We are very happy because it was not easy after being knocked out [of the Champions League] the other day. It wasnt easy to be back for this kind of fixture, but we did it.

Defender Gerard Pique felt that Barcelona were worth the victory that sees them top the league on goal difference from Real, although Los Blancos have a game in hand.

Pique said: I believe the result was deserved, because winning at the Bernabeu is very difficult. Even though you might play well, you might not end up winning. I have fantastic memories at this ground.

Tonight we were the better team. We witnessed a great spectacle, where we were superior and we have gone top (of LaLiga).

Leos 500th goal had to be a special moment, as is he. I hope he retires in many years.
The former boyfriend of reality TV star Ferne McCann and father of her unborn child has appeared in court charged in connection with an acid attack at an east London nightclub.

The incident on Easter Monday left two revellers partially blinded and others disfigured.

Arthur Collins is charged with 14 counts of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent against four men and 10 women, and one count of throwing an acidic liquid with intent to do GBH to multiple people.

Clubbers were doused with a corrosive substance at the Mangle nightclub (Jack Hardy/PA)

The 24-year-old, wearing a green jacket over a grey hooded top and walking with crutches, spoke only to confirm his name and address when he appeared at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday.

In a statement released earlier McCann, best known for her appearances on The Only Way Is Essex and Im A Celebrity  Get Me Out Of Here! said her thoughts are with the victims of what she described as the horrific nightclub attack.

Clubbers were doused with a corrosive substance at the Mangle nightclub in Dalston on April 17.

Confirming the pregnancy McCanns agent said: Ferne is grateful for the sympathetic way news of her pregnancy has been covered and peoples support and obviously her first concern is for her childs health.

Ferne McCann (Ian West/PA)

She added that McCann, who has a presenting role on daytime television show This Morning, is under immense strain.

The agent said: Ferne is in no way seeking sympathy for her situation and is determined to do all she can to have a happy and healthy child and face the challenges of being a single parent with all her energy.

Andre Phoenix, of Clyde Road, Tottenham, appeared alongside Collins, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Phoenix, 21, is charged with seven counts of throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to do GBH to three men and four women.

Prosecutor Ciro DAlessio told the court there was a third unidentified suspect at large. Both defendants, who had family members looking on from the public gallery, were remanded in custody to appear at Wood Green Crown Court on May 22.
A British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran for allegedly plotting to topple the government has lost the final stage of her appeal against the sentence, her family said.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran Airport on April 3 while visiting family in Iran with daughter Gabriella.

The 38-year-old was imprisoned for five years last September and lost an appeal against her sentence in January but maintains her innocence.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with daughter Gabriella. Her fate rests in the hands of politicians. Gabriella is in the care of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's parents who live in Tehran

Her husband is putting pressure of the UK Government to work to get her freed

She appealed to Iran's Supreme Court where her sentence was upheld, and has been told there are no more legal avenues available, her husband Richard Ratcliffe said.

Speaking from the UK, Mr Ratcliffe vowed to continue putting pressure on the British Government, saying: 'The solution now is political.'

Mr Ratcliffe, of Hampstead in north London, told the Press Association: 'If we got to a year and she wasn't out I was going to start pushing again.

'We've had a year, the legal process is finished, so I think the Government needs to step up, find a way to visit her, say that she's innocent and call for her release publicly.'

He added in a separate statement: 'As her husband, I can say Nazanin is innocent until I am blue in the face. I have spent a year doing it. But it makes a clear difference that the government hasn't. It indulges the whispers.'

Following a spell in solitary confinement Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was moved to the women's ward of Evin prison in Tehran on Boxing Day, her husband said.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with daughter Gabriella, was kept in solitary confinement

There she is able to chat and eat with fellow prisoners, and also been receiving visits from her daughter - recently as frequently as twice a week - he added.

But she has ongoing problems with her neck, shoulder and back, and a neurologist she was allowed to see in February recommended she be hospitalised to prevent any permanent damage being caused.

She has also been prescribed medication to help her sleep which has helped with the panic attacks she had been experiencing, he said.

The 42-year-old said the family were not surprised that the appeal had failed and that his wife was feeling 'angry' but 'determined'.

She was informed of the Supreme Court decision by her family, after discovering the results of her first appeal from the media.

Mr Radcliffe, pictured with his mother (right) and MP Tulip Siddiq at Downing Street last year, is now putting pressure on British politicians to do more to have his wife freed

It is believed her lawyer has seen a copy of the charges against her but that Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe has not.

Iranian news agencies have said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of plotting the 'soft toppling' of Iran's government.

The charity worker is now seeking a meeting with the British Ambassador who she wants to deliver a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.
Second-row Donncha OCallaghan has agreed a new one-year contract with Worcester Warriors.

The 38-year-old lock, who toured New Zealand with the British & Irish Lions in 2005 and South Africa four years later, has made 19 appearances for the Warriors in the Aviva Premiership this season and was appointed captain by new director of rugby Gary Gold.

The former Ireland international arrived at Sixways in September 2015 following a 17-year spell with Munster.

 BREAKING NEWS 



He's staying put! The legend that is @docallaghan4 has signed a new Warriors deal! #HereToStay



 https://t.co/hHNJRmiICV pic.twitter.com/dofll5AkwH  Worcester Warriors (@WorcsWarriors) April 24, 2017

OCallaghan said: Our recent form has been reasonably encouraging and that provides us with a decent platform for next season.

People often talk about what Warriors can become but it really is time we started to deliver consistent success on the field. Nothing else is acceptable.

I believe we have the staff and the squad to compete next season, and I am really excited by the challenge."

Donncha O'Callaghan in action for Ireland in 2013

Gold added: Donncha is a phenomenon. He must be one of the most professional rugby players in the world and the manner in which he prepares for matches, mentally and physically, is an outstanding example for any young player.

We are delighted he has agreed to remain with the club next season.
A British woman attacked by a shark while swimming off the beach of an island in the South Atlantic has been named locally as Frankie Gonsalves.

The woman, who works for the government of Saint Helena, was attacked while swimming off Ascension Island, a government spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said she believes the woman had been living on Saint Helena island, part of the same British overseas territory, with her husband and children.

The victim is being treated at a nearby hospital, she added.

(David Cheskin/PA)

A representative from Ascension Island Government said Ms Gonsalves is in a stable condition in hospital on the island and recovering well. She is due to be flown to the UK this week.

A source told the Times newspaper the woman was bitten in the leg and that her husband punched the shark in a bid to protect her.

The attack is thought to have happened on the afternoon of Friday April 21, and the island government issued a public warning to swimmers.

It read: A shark incident was reported at 4pm involving a swimmer snorkelling in English Bay. Swimming in the area is to be undertaken at your own risk.

Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha are a trio of remote islands between South America and Africa and together form one of Britains overseas territories.

Travel to and from Ascension Island is via the RAFs Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire, according to UK Government travel advice.
Ukip has been accused of descending into full-throttled Islamophobia after an integration policy launch which included horrifically heavy handed plans to force girls at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) to undergo regular medical checks.

The party was charged with trying to outdo French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and a desperate attempt to stay relevant after achieving Brexit as it launched a string of policies aimed almost entirely at Muslims.

Its leader Paul Nuttall, who is refusing to say if he will stand in the general election, said the plans  which also include a public burka ban, banning sharia law, and a moratorium on the creation of new Islamic faith schools  were not designed to sow division. But after a 35-minute integration agenda launch which focused almost exclusively on policies which would affect Muslims, the party was widely criticised.

(Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Former Home Office minister Baroness Featherstone, who helped guide coalition government legislation on FGM through Parliament, focused on Ukips proposal to make at-risk girls undergo a medical examination every year, and when they return from holiday.

The Liberal Democrat peer said: Ukips approach is horrifically heavy handed and will alienate the very communities we are trying to reach out to.

We should be training our teachers and other providers such as community experts to identify those at risk and teaching children themselves that FGM is wrong and to come forward if they fear for themselves or a friend.

Read our bold new integration agenda which aims to bring communities together https://t.co/49KwMyOS4j  UK Independence Party (@UKIP) April 24, 2017

In coalition, we put a statutory duty on frontline workers to report concerns of FGM  we need them to have the confidence to do so, and this means better training.

Research shows that school teachers are still too scared to talk about FGM, honour-based violence and forced marriage, let alone report it. This is where we should concentrate our efforts, not forcing girls to undergo invasive medical examinations. Ukip seem to try and outdo Le Pen with right-wing policies that are insensitive and frankly outrageous.

Nimko Ali, co-founder of FGM charity Daughters of Eve, said the knicker checking policy was stupid and offensive, but pointed out that Labours Diane Abbott, who she described as a nut, had put forward similar plans in 2014, before she was in the shadow cabinet.

Forcing girls at risk of #FGM to have medical checks in an abuse of their human rights. #Ukip are not just wrong but offensive as well.  Nimco Ali (OBE)  (@NimkoAli) April 24, 2017

Ms Ali tweeted: Forcing girls at risk of #FGM to have medical checks in an abuse of their human rights. #Ukip are not just wrong but offensive as well.

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas attacked Ukips entire programme, which also included plans to make grooming a hate crime if the victim is of another ethnic or religious background, and to make it harder to obtain a postal vote to try to prevent electoral fraud.

She said: Ukips integration agenda is an assault on multiculturalism and an attack on Muslims. Its full-throttled Islamophobia. Now that the referendum has passed, Nuttalls party is desperately scrabbling around for relevance and seem to have settled upon attacks on Muslims and fringe far-right politics as their new home.

This is full throttled Islamaphobia and UKIP should be utterly shamed. @TheGreenParty will always fight the politics of hate. https://t.co/ueEv12qy1w  Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) April 24, 2017

But Mr Nuttall said he believed Ukip was 10 years ahead of our time on these issues, predicting the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems will be where we are today at some point in the 2020s.

Opening the launch of Ukips integration policy in Westminster, Mr Nuttall said: Todays message will be a message of positivity, it will not be about negativity. What we will say today is not designed to sow the seeds of division.

It is about promoting integration in British society.
The US ambassador to the United Nations is not ruling out an American strike on North Korea if Pyongyang tests another nuclear device.

Nikki Haley spoke on several television networks, praising Chinas involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing.

She also criticised the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, as unstable and paranoid.

United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (Mary Altaffer/AP)

Ms Haley told NBCs Today Show that we are not going to do something unless he gives us reason to do something  such as attacking a US military base or using an intercontinental ballistic missile.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests another missile or nuclear device, Ms Haley told NBC: I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen.

The Trump administration has been working to rally support behind its efforts to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear ambitions and ceasing all aggression.

President Donald Trump spoke again to the leaders of China and Japan to discuss the matter on Sunday.

The White House said Mr Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea.

Mr Trump has repeatedly promised that China will earn a better trade deal with the US if it helps to exert pressure on its allied neighbouring nation.

North Korea has been aggressively pursuing a decades-long goal of putting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, capable of reaching the US mainland.

North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year alone, which would have improved its knowledge on making nuclear weapons small enough to fit on long-range missiles.

South Korean officials say there is a chance the country will conduct its sixth nuclear test or its maiden test launch of an ICBM some time close to the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Ms Haley said the US is working with China to pressure North Korea on the missile and nuclear testing and other issues, including the detention over the weekend of a US citizen, bringing to three the number of Americans now being held there.

Ms Haley said the detentions are North Koreas effort to have a bargaining chip for talks with the US.

What were dealing with is a leader who is flailing right now and hes trying to show his citizens he has muscle, she told CBS This Morning.
Commuters were warned to expect major disruption at Britains busiest railway station during the Monday evening rush hour after a man was killed by a train.

All lines to and from London Waterloo were blocked after the incident at Queenstown Road station, Battersea, at around 3pm.

Some services resumed later but delays and cancellations were expected for the rest of the day. An average of more than 270,000 passengers use London Waterloo each day.

Waterloo station

Major disruption to services to/from London Waterloo following an earlier incident at Queenstown Road https://t.co/BRsft7XvbX  London Waterloo (@LondonWaterloo) April 24, 2017

Passengers were advised to consider alternative routes or to take a later train. Services to the station from the west of England were terminating at Basingstoke, Hampshire.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said the man who was hit by a train was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

The disruption came hours after a signalling problem affected services at London Waterloo during the morning peak.
By Manolo Serapio Jr and Muyu Xu

MANILA/BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's first shot across China's bow over its steel exports, escalating a years-long brawl over trade between the world's top two economies, may not pull up Beijing.

China exported 620,000 tonnes of steel direct to the United States last year, a fraction of the 800 million tonnes it produces each year, equal to about half of world output.

Repeated allegations that the world's top steelmaker is dumping excess output on world markets may hit harder closer to home - in Japan and South Korea where steel sectors have borne the brunt of China's rampant sales abroad.

Speaking in the U.S. capitol at IMF and World Bank meetings after Trump launched a trade probe against China and other exporters of cheap steel, Japan's finance minister Taro Aso laid the blame squarely on China, saying its vast exports are hurting U.S., Indian and Japanese steel industries.

China's steel exports hit a record 112.4 million tonnes in 2015, then dropped slightly to 108.49 million tonnes last year, as mills have been chastened by threats of a trade dispute and better demand at home, experts said.

Exports fell to a three-year low of 5.75 million tonnes in February, recovering slightly to 7.56 million tonnes in March.

Still Trump's salvo will renew concerns that China may retaliate, with U.S. farmers fearing they would be in the crosshairs of any dispute.

"Trump will do what's best for America, but China will do what's best for China," said Roberto Cola, vice president of the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council.

If Trump slaps new tariffs on steel exports from China and elsewhere, that will trigger anti-dumping and countervailing measures from these countries, said Cola.

"It seems we're going back to the protectionist era."

SCALE AND SOPHISTICATION

Two events this week illustrated the challenge and complexity in trying to force China to curb excess steel capacity and cheap exports, an issue which also plagued Trump's predecessor for years.

Customs data showed on Monday that Chinese mills in March churned out a record 72 million tonnes of crude steel, mainly used in construction and infrastructure.

Then, underscoring the scale and sophistication of China's vast export machine, the government on Wednesday published a roadmap outlining its plan to triple its export from almost 80 industries, including steel.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Friday the country needed to ascertain the direction of any U.S. investigation before it could make a judgment.

Chinese steel executives repeated their mantra that overcapacity is not just China's problem and it needs global coordination to resolve it, but also said it would be tough to rein in the sector.

"The Chinese government will not set export limits for the steel mills and could not keep track of every mill," said Li Xinchuang, vice chairman of the China Iron and Steel Association.

"It will not be a good thing for U.S. steel industry and consumers if Trump decides to adopt protectionism."

About a third of China's steel exports flow into ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which last year reached 34.3 million tonnes, based on data compiled by UK-based consultancy MEPS, which has been tracking China's steel industry since the late 1990s.

South Korea is the top market for Chinese exports where 12.3 million tonnes were shipped last year, followed by Vietnam.

GAMING THE SYSTEM

China's massive steel industry, with an army of millions and largely subsidised by the state, is unlikely to be deterred by Trump's attempt to probe into its cheap exports, as Beijing begins its global campaign to boost overall export shipments.

For years, Chinese steel exporters have been gaming the nation's tax system to pump ever greater amounts of surplus steel into world markets, crafting slightly different alloys to ensure their products sidestep Beijing's cutbacks to trade subsidies.

In China, a rebate system to reward exporters selling more value-added steel has been exploited for years, allowing even shipments that contain just tiny amounts of alloy elements to be given rebates.

The rebates which range between 9 and 13 percent are "in addition to subsidies for state-owned enterprises, which many of China's steel mills are," said Cola.

The rebates are helping many Chinese steel mills deeply undercut rivals overseas although some domestic producers say exports have dropped as demand at home strengthened.

Still, an early-year surge in Chinese steel prices has lifted prices of its export products and China has lost its competitiveness with rivals like India and Russia, said Kevin Bai from CRU consultancy.

"But domestic prices have since dropped quite significantly and close to cost and mills have started to carry out maintenance to try to control output and maintain prices," said Bai, adding that mills could boost exports if demand at home does not pick up.

"The government doesn't want to see higher exports, but I think that's debatable."

(Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr in MANILA and Muyu Xu in BEIJING; Additional reporting by Leika Kihara in WASHINGTON DC and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Tom Hogue)
TOKYO, April 24 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed to maintain close contact over North Korea, while demanding Pyongyang show restraint as tensions in the region rise.

Abe told reporters after a telephone call with Trump that he appreciated the U.S. leader's stance of showing that all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea.

Tensions have risen sharply over North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programmes. The United States has ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula, prompting Pyongyang to say it was ready to sink the carrier.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the U.S. carrier group in a show of solidarity. (Reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Editing by Paul Tait)
By Roberta Rampton

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, April 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has cut short the final leg of his Asia trip to race back to Washington, where the Trump administration faces a critical week on tax reform and a funding plan to keep the government running, an aide said on Sunday.

Pence, who has been traveling in Asia to reassure allies and partners about President Donald Trump's commitment to the region, had originally planned to spend two nights in Honolulu at the end of a trip that took him to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia.

While he spoke with business leaders in each country, Pence's trip was overshadowed by rising tensions in North Korea, where it is feared another nuclear test could be conducted soon in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Pence will now spend one night in Hawaii and is slated to be back in Washington on Tuesday morning, his aide told reporters before Air Force Two landed at Pago Pago in American Samoa for refueling.

Trump has a busy week ahead. Funding appropriated by Congress to run the government runs out on Friday, so he and lawmakers must agree on new legislation or the government will shut down on Saturday.

Saturday is also Trump's 100th day in office, a benchmark used by pundits to assess the initial accomplishments and shortfalls of his young presidency.

Trump plans to outline principles for tax reform on Wednesday, a top brief for Pence.

While in Honolulu, Pence will meet leaders of the U.S. Pacific Command and is also slated to speak to U.S. troops and their families, the aide said.

Pence had planned to tour the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor but will no longer do that, the aide said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Paul Tait)
By Joseph Ax

April 24 (Reuters) - The state of Arkansas plans to execute two inmates on Monday evening, which would make it the first U.S. state in 17 years to put a pair of convicts to death on the same day.

A flurry of last-minute legal appeals at both the state and federal level are expected, though their likelihood of success may have diminished with the recent appointment of conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

The high court cleared the way last week for Arkansas to hold its first execution in 12 years and the state carried out the death penalty on convicted murderer Ledell Lee.

Jack Jones, sentenced in 1996 for raping and strangling Mary Phillips and attempting to murder her 11-year-old daughter, is scheduled to be put to death at 7 p.m. (0000 GMT Tuesday) at the Cummins Unit prison, about 75 miles southeast of the state capital of Little Rock. Jones was also convicted of rape and murder in Florida.

At 8:15 p.m., the state is tentatively scheduled to execute Marcel Williams, who was sentenced to death in 1997 for kidnapping, raping and murdering Stacy Errickson. He also abducted and raped two other women.

The last time a state executed two inmates on the same day was 2000 in Texas.

The condemned pair were among eight inmates that Arkansas had initially planned to execute in the span of 11 days, a compressed schedule prompted by the impending expiration date of supplies of a sedative used as part of the three-drug lethal injection process.

The drug in question, midazolam, was employed in flawed executions in Oklahoma and Arizona, where witnesses said the inmates writhed in apparent pain on the gurney. No problems were reported in Lee's execution on Thursday.

Four of the planned executions have already been placed on hold by court order.

The unprecedented schedule generated a wave of criticism and legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the company that distributes one of the drugs. The company claimed that the state obtained its supplies under false pretenses, but the state's Supreme Court threw out that lawsuit last week.

On Friday, a federal judge in Little Rock rejected an appeal from Jones and Williams that obesity and related conditions made it more likely that midazolam would fail to render them unconscious.

More court challenges are a virtual certainty as the hour of execution approaches. (Additional reporting by Steve Barnes in Little Rock, Arkansas; Editing by David Gregorio)
ANKARA, April 24 (Reuters) - Here are news, reports and events that may affect Turkish financial markets on Monday.

The lira stood at 3.6150 against the U.S. dollar at 0523 GMT, firming from Friday's close at 3.6400.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond was at 10.71 percent in spot trade on Friday.

The main BIST 100 share index stood at 92,423.93 points at Friday's close.

GLOBAL MARKETS

The euro briefly vaulted to five-month peaks on Monday after the market's favoured candidate won through the first round of the French election, reducing the risk of a Brexit-like shock and sparking a mass unwinding of safe-haven trades.

REFERENDUM APPEALS

Turkey's main opposition party said it filed a court appeal on Friday against a decision by electoral authorities to accept unstamped ballot papers in the tightly contested referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers.

CAPACITY UTILISATION

The central bank will announce capacity utilisation data for April at 1430 (1130 GMT).

CONFIDENCE INDEX

Turkey's central bank will release its real sector confidence index for April at 1430 (1130 GMT).

For other related news, double click on:

Turkish politics <TR-POL>

Turkish equities <TR-E>

Turkish money <TR-M>

Turkish debt <TR-D>

Turkish hot stocks <TR-HOT>

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Istanbul National-100 stock index, interbank lira trading, lira bond trading (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu)
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

PLAY

The owners of Poland's mobile operator P4, which operates under the Play brand, are considering initial public offering, the business daily Parkiet reported on Saturday, citing a statement issued by P4.

JSW

Coal output at Polish coking coal miner JSW fell to 3.98 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2017 from 4.32 million a year earlier, Rzeczpospolita daily said.

PZU

Polish state-run insurer PZU plans to invest in retirement homes in Poland, Puls Biznesu daily said quoting the company's representatives.

BONDS

Poland had considered issuing bonds denominated in Australian dollar, but for the time being their price would not be attractive, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily said quoting deputy finance minister Piotr Nowak.

Nowak also said that Poland's debt to GDP ratio will be at its peak in 2017 and will fall in coming years.

DIPLOMACY

Poland's Foreign Affairs Minister Witold Waszczykowski will likely be dismissed to become Polish ambassador at the United Nations later this year, Rzeczpospolita said quoting unnamed government sources.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau)
By Josh Smith

KABUL, April 24 (Reuters) - Torture and mistreatment of detainees by Afghan security forces is as widespread as ever, according to a U.N. report released on Monday, despite promises by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and new laws enacted by the government.

At least 39 percent of the conflict-related detainees interviewed by U.N. investigators "gave credible and reliable accounts" of being tortured or experiencing other mistreatment at the hands of Afghan police, intelligence, or military personnel while in custody.

That compares with 35 percent of interviewees who reported such ill treatment in the last U.N. report, released in 2015.

In response to allegations in the past, the Afghan government has acknowledged that some problems could be caused by individuals but not as any national policy.

"The government of Afghanistan is committed to eliminating torture and ill-treatment," the government said in a statement.

The U.N. report comes as senior Afghan officials prepare to appear before the U.N. Committee Against Torture in Geneva this week to face a review of Afghanistan's record of implementing anti-torture laws.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague is conducting a separate review of torture in Afghanistan.

"Notwithstanding the governments efforts to implement its national plan ... the present report documents continued and consistent reports of torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees, mainly during interrogation, and highlights a lack of accountability for such acts," U.N. officials concluded.

Over the past two years, investigators interviewed 469 detainees in 62 detention centers across Afghanistan.

The report's authors noted an alarming 14-percent spike in reports of torture by Afghan National Police, at 45 percent of those interviewed.

More than a quarter of the 77 detainees who reported being tortured by the police were boys under the age of 18, according to the United Nations.

A force known as the Afghan Local Police severely beat almost 60 percent of their detainees, according to the interviews carried out by U.N. investigators.

Nearly 30 percent of interviewees held by Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, said they had faced torture or mistreatment.

Afghan National Army soldiers were also accused of mistreating some detainees, but the prisoners held by the army usually fall in categories less vulnerable to torture, the United Nations noted.

The majority of detainees who were tortured said it was to elicit a confession, and the ill treatment stopped once they signed a written confession, which in many cases, they could not read.

"Torture does not enhance security," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in a statement. "Confessions produced as a result of torture are totally unreliable. People will say anything to stop the pain."

Among the methods described in the report were severe beatings to the body and soles of the feet with sticks, plastic pipes or cables, electric shocks, including to the genitals, prolonged suspension by the arms, and suffocation. (Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Robert Birsel)
SHANGHAI, April 24 (Reuters) - China stocks tumbled more than 1 percent on Monday in their worst day this year amid signs that Beijing will tolerate further market volatility as regulators increasingly clamp down on shadow banking and speculative trading.

Market confidence also has been hit by an expected flood of initial public offerings which will pump more supply into the weakening market, and by worries that the world's second-largest economy will start to lose steam in coming months.

Recent signs of stability in China's economy "have provided a good external environment and a window of opportunity to reduce leverage in the financial system, strengthen supervision and ward off risks," the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

"Over the past week, interbank rates trended higher, bond and capital markets suffered from sustained corrections and some institutions faced liquidity pressure. But these have little impact to the stability of the broader environment."

The Xinhua comments quashed lingering hopes that the government will step in to stem a further stock market slide, as it did during a crash in mid-2015.

"You cannot count on the National Team for rescue this time," said Shen Weizheng, fund manager at Ivy Capital, referring to a group of government-backed investors.

Chinese stocks have been on a downward trajectory since mid-April and have lost nearly 3 percent this month, wiping out a good chunk of their gains so far this year.

The Shanghai Composite Index slumped 1.4 percent to 3,129.53 points -- its worst one-day loss in four months -- after suffering its biggest weekly decline of 2017 last week.

The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 1.0 percent to 3,431.26.

Daily declines of more than 1 percent in the indexes have been rare for notoriously volatile Chinese markets this year, though some highly speculative small cap shares have seen wild swings as first speculators, then regulators piled in.

"Even the better-than-expected Q1 data could not boost the market, as investors are concerned about regulatory risks," wrote Larry Hu, an analyst at Macquarie Capital Ltd, referring to stronger-than-expected 6.9 percent economic growth early in the year.

He added that "the last thing policy makers want to see amid the Party Congress this fall is a market crash like that in summer 2015. And the outstanding economic performance in Q1 gives them more room to tighten."

In the latest of a flurry of regulatory measures in recent weeks, China's insurance regulator said on Sunday it will ramp up its supervision of insurance companies to make sure they comply with tighter risk controls.

It also threatened to investigate executives who flout rules aimed at rooting out risk-taking.

The banking regulator said late on Friday that growth in Chinese wealth management products (WMPs) and interbank liabilities eased in the first quarter, suggesting authorities are making some headway in containing financial risks built up by years of debt-fuelled stimulus.

But while the clampdown is expected to continue, most analysts believe the moves will be cautious to avoid hitting economic growth, and some sceptics believe authorities will continue to put off deeper and more painful reforms.

Investors are already concerned that the economy could lose momentum in coming months as local governments launch ever more stringent measures in a battle to cool heated property prices.

"Market risk appetite could continue to decline if financial regulation keeps tightening," said Gao Ting, Head of China Strategy at UBS Securities.

"Investors seem to mostly be responding by adjusting their positions, particularly by rotating into high-quality blue-chips."

Another big concern for investors has been the pace of new IPOs.

Up to 500 IPOs are expected to be approved to raise no more than 300 billion yuan ($43.57 billion) in 2017, an official with Shanghai Stock Exchange was quoted as saying.

Dozens of newly-listed stocks had lost more than 30 percent over the past weeks amid tougher regulation and expectations of more equity supply.

On Monday, 2,620 stocks fell, while only 390 plays rose.

Main sectors fell across the board, led by infrastructure stocks, which dived more than 3 percent.

Bearish sentiment spread to major investment themes, including Beijing's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure plan to eventually connect China to European markets, and the high-profile new Xiongan Economic Zone near Beijing.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange said it would pay special attention to excessive speculation in stocks related to the Xiongan concept, and would take more stringent regulatory measures if needed to contain abnormal speculative activities that disturb the market.

($1 = 6.8861 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Samuel Shen, Luoyan Liu and John Ruwitch; Editing by Kim Coghill)
SEOUL, April 24 (Reuters) - Eight North Korean defectors in China face involuntary repatriation after being detained by Chinese police last month, the Human Rights Watch group and a pastor who has been assisting them said on Monday.

Human Rights Watch said Chinese government authorities detained the eight North Koreans in mid-March during what appeared to be a random road check in northeastern China.

The detention of North Korean defectors in China comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has pressured China to do more to rein in North Korea amid heightened tension over its nuclear and missile programmes.

"By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong Un's administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea after departing illegally, and subjecting them to torture, sexual violence, forced labour - and even worse," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement, referring to the North's leader.

Robertson called on China not to deport the would-be defectors.

The United Nations has said China is required under international law not to return defectors to North Korea, where they could face persecution, torture and possibly death.

China says North Korean defectors are illegal migrants who flee their country for economic reasons. North Korea calls them criminals and describes those who try to bring them to South Korea as kidnappers.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he was not aware of the report and was unaware of the specific situation.

"Some North Korean citizens, due to economic reasons, illegally crossed China's border. This violates Chinese law," Geng told a daily news briefing.

"China consistently handles this kind of issue prudently and appropriately according to domestic and international law, and humanitarian principles," he added, without elaborating.

The eight North Koreans were in the city of Shenyang, where traffic police stopped their vehicle and took them to a police station because they did not have valid documentation, Human Rights Watch said.

A Christian pastor helping North Korean defectors in China, who declined to be identified, said they had sent him a video clip asking U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping for help.

The video shows North Korean defectors waiting in a vehicle outside a Chinese police station.

"President Trump and Chinese President, please save us. If we go back to North Korea we will be dead," said a woman whose face was blurred for security reasons.

Another woman sitting next to her put her hands together and pleaded for help.

Scores of North Koreans attempt to flee their country every year, often first crossing into China and then making their way to Southeast Asia. Some countries in the region have worked with South Korea to send them to South Korea.

About 30,000 have made their way to South Korea, many with the help of South Korean human rights groups, religious organisations or commercial brokers. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel)
HANOVER, Germany, April 24 (Reuters) - Germany's telecommunications and IT industry association said on Monday it expects sales of software, hardware and IT solutions to rise by more than a fifth both this year and next year.

Industry association Bitkom presented forecasts at the Hanover industrial technology trade fair which forecast turnover will rise by 21 percent to 5.9 billion euros ($6.41 billion) this year and a further 22 percent to 7 billion euros in 2018.

"Digitalisation of industrial production is the growth driver par excellence," said Bitkom board member Winfrid Holz. "The figures and the full order books of industrial firms show the potential of digitalisation in the factories."

Bitkom represents companies employing a total of 1 million people, more than any other sector in Germany, bar engineering. Major employers include SAP, Deutsche Telekom and United Internet. ($1 = 0.9205 euros) (Reporting by Jan Schwartz, writing by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Paul Carrel)
OSLO, April 24 (Reuters) - Norway should impose regulation ensuring that owners of mobile telephone networks are able to fully operate installations domestically, without relying on staff or technical systems located abroad, the country's telecoms regulator said on Monday.

Such autonomy in electronic communications is key to helping authorities protect national security during emergencies, it added in a proposal to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

"If the necessary resources to ensure key communication services can't be brought under national legislation and control in case of an emergency or war, it could have very serious consequences for the ability to govern," it wrote.

The requirement could take two years to implement and would be imposed on existing fourth-generation (4G) mobile phone systems and the data networks they rely on, as well as for subsequent technologies such as 5G.

Norway currently has two nationwide 4G networks operated by state-controlled Telenor and Swedish telecom firm Telia , while Ice.Net is developing a third.

Chief Executive Eivind Helgaker at Ice told Reuters the company was building its network in accordance with the expected regulation.

Telenor said on Twitter it was already meeting all demands, while Telia told financial daily Dagens Naeringsliv it was prepared to move some technical systems to Norway. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche)
MOSCOW, April 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine has launched an investigation into the death of an American working for the European security watchdog OSCE, whose vehicle hit a landmine in the country's conflict-hit east, the general prosecutor's office (GPU) said on Monday.

The paramedic was on an OSCE monitoring mission patrol near the village of Pryshybin, controlled by pro-Russian separatists, in the Luhansk region when the blast occurred. The United States called for a transparent, timely investigation.

Regional prosecutors in the government-controlled part of Luhansk will handle the probe. The GPU said Ukraine was treating the incident, which wounded two others, as a "terrorist act".

Sunday's killing was the first death of a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Ukraine, where over 700 observers report on the three-year-old conflict that has strained ties between Russia and the West.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also called for a careful investigation into the incident, saying those guilty should be brought to justice.

The OSCE mission's ambassador, Ertugrul Apakan, who traveled to the site of the explosion on Monday, said both sides needed to respect the much-violated 2015 Minsk peace agreement.

"I reiterate my call for sustainable cease-fire, withdrawal of weapons, full demining and real commitment to peace. And I ask that those responsible for placing mines are held accountable," he said in a statement. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs, Denis Dyomkin in Moscow; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Richard Lough)
By Terje Solsvik

OSLO, April 24 (Reuters) - Norway should require owners of mobile telephone networks to be able to operate in an emergency without the help of foreign-based staff or systems, the country's telecoms regulator said on Monday.

If it takes effect, the proposed regulation would be likely to have the greatest impact on Swedish telecoms firm Telia , which operates one of Norway's two nationwide 4G networks and relies partly on systems in Sweden.

Telia said in a statement to Reuters it has already conducted a survey of its systems and drawn up a list of which parts must be moved to Norway.

"For the most part, Telia Norway's infrastructure is operated in Norway, but we have some elements in Sweden. We're outlining the consequences and how to handle those," it added, without specifying the cost of the changes.

Norway's telecoms operator, the Norwegian Communications Authority (NKOM), wrote to the Ministry of Transport and Communications proposing the new regulation, saying independent mobile phone networks were key to helping authorities protect national security.

"National autonomy means that providers of electronic communications networks and services ... should be able to operate and maintain services with staff and technical solutions that are based on Norwegian territory," it said.

"If the necessary resources to ensure key communication services can't be brought under national legislation and control in case of an emergency or war, it could have very serious consequences for the ability to govern," it wrote.

Norway's second 4G network is operated by state-controlled Telenor while Ice.Net is developing a third network.

Telenor said on Twitter it was already meeting all demands and Ice Chief Executive Eivind Helgaker told Reuters the company was building its network in accordance with the expected regulation.

Ice.Net is ultimately controlled by Access Industries, founded by Len Blavatnik, a Ukraine-born U.S. citizen.

Details of the regulations have not been finalised, and would be subject to hearings on how best to ensure an acceptable outcome and limit costs, the head of NKOM's network unit, Einar Lunde, told Reuters.

"Although there will be costs involved, what we don't want to do is to impede the desire to invest, as modern technology in itself represents a safety measure," he said.

Requirements could take two years to implement and would be imposed on existing fourth-generation (4G) mobile phone systems and the data networks they rely on, as well as for subsequent technologies such as 5G.

Concerns were raised in Norway earlier this year when a separate state-owned communications network for police, fire and ambulance services gave unauthorised access to Indian systems operators via a Norwegian subcontractor.

There were no reports that the Indian operators did anything wrong, but allowing them access was a breach of protocol.

Increased Russian military activity in the Arctic region has also raised concern in NATO member Norway. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche and Adrian Croft)
By Vladimir Soldatkin

MOSCOW, April 24 (Reuters) - Russian oil output could climb to its highest rate in 30 years if OPEC and non-OPEC producers do not extend a supply reduction deal beyond June 30, according to comments by Russian officials and details of investment plans released by oil firms.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, along with Russia and other non-OPEC producers, pledged to cut 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in output in the first half of 2017.

With global inventories still bulging, Gulf and other producers have shown increasing willingness to extend the pact to the end of 2017. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait signalled last week they were ready to prolong cuts.

Russia, whose contribution to the cuts was 300,000 bpd, has yet to state publicly whether it wants cuts to run beyond June, although Moscow was represented on a panel monitoring the pact that on Friday recommended an extension.

But Russian officials have also indicated that local oil companies were ready to push up output once the pact runs out.

"According to investment programmes of (Russian) companies, it is possible Russian oil production will increase once the deal expires," Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said, adding firms had been held back while the deal was in place.

"If there are no restrictions, they will decide not to hold back," he said, speaking at the weekend on the sidelines of an economic conference in the East Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

He did not give figures, but Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Reuters in March that output could reach 548 million-551 million tonnes a year in 2017, equivalent to 11.01 million-11.07 million bpd, the highest average since 1987.

In 2016, Russia produced about 547.5 million tonnes, or an average of 10.96 million bpd.

Under the deal with OPEC, Russia was to cut production to 10.947 million bpd from 11.247 million bpd, the level achieved in October 2016 that was the highest in the post-Soviet era.

NEW OILFIELDS

Although Russia has not said publicly it wanted cuts extended, Novak has said he would meet Russian oil companies this month to discuss the issue. He also said an extension would be discussed with OPEC on May 24.

Without an extension, Raiffeisenbank analyst Andrey Polishchyuk forecast Russian output rising about 2 percent in the second half of 2017 to a peak of about 11 million bpd.

"That's because we have new oilfields," he said.

Projects and statements by Russian firms also indicate they are ready to increase output once restraints are lifted.

Russia's biggest oil producer Rosneft has said it plans to boost output this year thanks to newly acquired oilfields, including Kondaneft group of fields in Western Siberia, the heartland of Russian production.

The company had targeted 2 percent annual output growth in 2015-2017. Without any acquisitions, that would push 2017 production to more than 214 million tonnes, or 4.3 million bpd.

Lukoil, the country's second-largest producer, has said it sees its oil output rising slightly if the global deal is not extended and could restore production to its pre-deal level in three to four months.

Mid-sized producer Tatneft said it expected to increase 2017 output by 0.5 million tonnes a year, or about 10,000 bpd, if the global production pact lapsed. (Additional reporting by Olesya Astakhova in Moscow and Polina Nikolskaya in Krasnoyarsk; Editing by Edmund Blair)
NAIROBI, April 24 (Reuters) - Safaricom, Kenya's biggest telecoms network operator, said on Monday most of its services had been restored after a network failure earlier in the day.

The firm, which is 40 percent owned by Britain's Vodafone , operates the M-Pesa mobile money transfer service, used for transactions worth billions of shillings daily by retail customers, businesses and banks.

Safaricom said its network suffered an outage at 0930 local time (0630 GMT) and the situation was fully resolved at 4.30 pm local time (1330 GMT).

"Most voice, data, SMS, M-Pesa and enterprise services are available," Safaricom said in a statement.

Services, such as calling and text messaging, were being restarted by noon local time. The company attributed the outage to a "failure" on the core network but did not give any details.

"Our businesses suffered because our customers couldn't reach us," said Peter Njoroge, a taxi driver in downtown Nairobi.

The company last suffered a major outage two years ago when the network went down in Nairobi, a source at the company said, declining to say when it last had a nationwide failure.

Safaricom, Kenya's biggest listed company, has 27.7 million subscribers, or 71.2 percent of the market.

Safaricom's shares closed trading on Monday at 19.10 shillings, down from Friday's closing price of 19.15 shillings. ($1 = 103.2000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Duncan Miriri and George Obulutsa; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
By Shihar Aneez

COLOMBO, April 24 (Reuters) - Thousands of Sri Lankan motorists were queuing for fuel on Monday after workers at the state-run oil firm went on strike, demanding the government scrap a deal which they say would give India too much influence over fuel prices.

Unions said the strike was to stop a deal that puts 99 oil tanks in the island nation's eastern port city in the hands of Lanka IOC, a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation .

Sri Lanka has agreed with India to jointly develop and operate all oil tanks in the oil storage facility located in the port town of Trincomalee near the world's second deepest natural harbour.

Union leaders said there was speculation the deal could be finalised either when Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visits New Delhi on Tuesday or Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to Sri Lanka on May 11.

Lanka IOC already operates 15 of the oil tanks; the rest have not been used for decades.

For its part, IOC has agreed to build a second refinery with a capacity of at least 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) in Sri Lanka, while Modi in 2015 pledged to establish a petroleum hub in Trincomalee.

The unions at state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said handing the tanks to Lanka IOC would give it too much influence over fuel stations.

"If they are given, they will have the control to decide the market prices," D. J. Rajakaruna, a CPC union leader told Reuters.

A top CPC official said fuel stations could run out of supplies later on Tuesday if the strike continued, though the island nation's 50,000 barrel-per-day capacity refinery is still in operation.

"We have enough stocks, but we can't supply as workers in the distribution unit have gone on strike," the official said, asking not to be named.

State Enterprise Minister Kabir Hashim said the unions were given false information, as India and Sri Lanka had agreed to hand over 10 tanks to CPC while 74 were expected to be developed under a joint venture between CPC and Lanka IOC.

"It will be signed between the governments of India and Sri Lanka," he told reporters in Colombo.

A Lanka IOC official told Reuters that due to trade union pressure CPC would be allowed to use 10 of the 84 tanks earmarked for the joint venture between the two companies. (Additional reporting by Nidhi Verma in New Delhi; Editing by Mark Potter)
BRASILIA, April 24 (Reuters) - The governments of Spain and Brazil on Monday reinforced their commitment to completing a trade pact between the European Union and South American trade bloc Mercosur despite protectionist sentiments.

On a two-day visit to Brazil, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he agreed with Brazilian President Michel Temer about the need to wrap up a trade deal that has taken more than 15 years to negotiate.

Rajoy also called for elections as the only way to reach a negotiated solution to the political crisis in Venezuela, expressing "deep concern" over the volatile situation in the neighboring country.

"We agree that given the degree of confrontation and the volatility of the situation, a negotiated solution is needed, and it must inevitably involve giving back to the Venezuelan people their voice," he said.

Rajoy is heading a large delegation of Spanish businessmen who are looking for investment opportunities in Brazilian banking, energy, water and infrastructure sectors.

Brazil is the third-most important market for Spanish investors, who account for the second largest stock of foreign investment in the South American nation after the United States.

Spain is one of the strongest backers of an accord to lower trade barriers between the European Union and Mercosur members Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Negotiations have been delayed for years by the reluctance of European farmers and Mercosur manufacturers to face competition.

"Spain has always been and will continue to be a firm supporter of the agreement," Rajoy said after meeting Temer.

"In these moments in which some feel protectionist temptations, we both agree on the importance of free trade."

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, who is hoping to clinch the EU-Mercosur deal by the end of the year, said external reasons would help advance it.

Malcorra said the retreat of the United States from trade talks had opened a window for the European Union to become a strong player in multilateral, region-to-region accords.

"Our view is that (the EU-Mercosur accord) is not only an economic agreement," she said in Geneva on Monday. "It's more than that, a political agreement." (Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Alonso Soto; additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva and Jesus Aguado in Madrid; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

ABUJA, April 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Nigerian farmer Agnes Ochai's first pregnancy exacerbated a rare skin disease, she suffered from rashes, itching and strange patterns forming across her body. Then her husband left her.

Pregnant and abandoned, Ochai travelled hundreds of miles across Nigeria to seek medical treatment in her home state for her 'leopard skin' - a symptom of onchocerciasis, a condition which can affect the skin and the eyes, leading to blindness.

After safely giving birth, Ochai felt inspired to help distribute free medication to other people with her disease.

More than 25 years after she started giving out the drugs, 53-year-old Ochai last week received the first ever Women in Focus Community Champion Award, celebrating the role women play in the global fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

"After I started taking the medication, people saw me and were shocked by how much my skin had improved," Ochai said.

"They asked me how it happened and I told them about the medicine I had taken," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Geneva, where governments and private donors pledged more than $800 million to accelerate progress in wiping out NTDs.

Some 1.5 billion people, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, are infected with one of 18 neglected tropical diseases - debilitating and sometimes fatal illnesses, the WHO says. One billion of them are receiving treatment, half of them children.

Onchocerciasis is spread to humans by the bite of an infected black fly common in river areas, and affects the skin or eyes. The eye disease is also known as river blindness.

While not working on her farm, Ochai travels from village to village, house to house, in her state of Enugu in southeast Nigeria, giving out free drugs donated by foreign aid agencies to people in remote areas.

Unable to read or write, Ochai is accompanied by her son, who keeps records and ensures people receive the correct doses.

Her drive is fuelled by the fact that those with onchocercal skin disease require treatment throughout their lives as long as they are in areas where the black fly-borne parasite is present.

"People from my village gathered in my house when they heard that I had been nominated for an award and would be travelling abroad," said the mother of eight, whose husband returned to her and fathered seven more children before his death in 2009.

"I wish I could return with more medicine for them. That is what I want," added Ochai, who said she goes by the nickname 'Madam CDD (community drug distributor)' wherever she travels. (Reporting By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Editing by Kieran Guilbert and Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)
By Corina Pons

CARACAS, April 24 (Reuters) - General Motors' Venezuelan subsidiary has sent a message to almost 2,700 staff informing them that they are no longer employed by the company and had received severance pay in their bank accounts, according to two employees.

A Venezuelan court last week ordered the seizure of the company's Valencia plant, ruling in favor of two dealers that had filed a case in 2000 against the subsidiary on grounds they had not complied with an agreed sale of 10,000 vehicles.

Workers say that before the seizure was announced, GM had been dismantling the plant, which has not produced a car since the beginning of 2016 because of shortages of parts and strict currency controls in the OPEC nation.

The seizure, which GM called "illegal," comes amid a deepening economic and social crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many U.S. companies.

"We all received a payment and a text message," said a worker who had worked for the company for more than a decade, adding that his corporate email account had been deactivated over the weekend.

"Our former bosses told us the executives left and we were all fired. There is no longer anyone in the country," added another employee who received the same message on his personal cell phone and a payment to his account. He had been at GM for five years.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the layoffs or the worker allegations it had already been dismantling the plant.

GM said last week that it was halting operations and laying off workers due to the "illegal judicial seizure of its assets."

'SHOW YOUR FACE'

The leftist government of Nicolas Maduro says it is not seeking to expropriate the plant, which has been operating for 35 years, and has called on GM to come back.

"To the current General Motors president of Venezuela, Jose Cavaileri: You come here, show your face and share with us the options to restore normality," said Labor Minister Francisco Torrealba said Monday.

GM is not the first company to fire Venezuela employees by text message. Clorox did the same two years ago when announcing its exit from the crisis-struck country, after which workers took over the plant.

GM's plant closure comes after Venezuela's automobile production fell in 2016 to a record low of eight cars per day, according to a local automotive group.

Two union spokespeople said they had no official company information on the layoffs, but said that most workers received the messages along with a bank deposit.

Neither employee would reveal the amount they received but union leaders said it was too low. (Writing by Girish Gupta; Editing by Alexandra Ulmer and Nick Zieminski)
YAOUNDE, April 24 (Reuters) - A Cameroonian military tribunal on Monday sentenced a journalist to 10 years in prison on terrorism charges, including for failing to report acts of terrorism to authorities, in a trial that has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups.

The court had been told that evidence was found in Ahmed Abba's computer showing he had been in contact with Boko Haram Islamist militants and that they had communicated information to him about future attacks.

Abba, a Cameroonian journalist for Radio France International, could have faced the death penalty on the charges.

Since his arrest in July 2015 Abba has denied the charges, brought against him under an anti-terrorism law passed the year before.

Judge Edou Mewoutou also ordered him to pay a fine of 55 million CFA Francs ($90,000) and barred him from speaking to the media about the trial.

"Ahmed Abba's conviction, after torture and an unfair trial, is clear evidence that Cameroon's military courts are not competent to try civilians and should not have jurisdiction in these cases," said Amnesty International's Ilaria Allegrozzi.

A lawyer for Abba said he would appeal the sentence.

The central African country's veteran ruler Paul Biya has faced international censure for alleged human rights violations in recent months, including during the suppression of protests in Cameroon's two western English-speaking regions.

Organisers of those protests are currently on trial charged under the same anti-terrorism law used against Abba. (Reporting by Sylvain Andzongo; Writing by Emma Farge; Editing by Andrew Roche)
The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) said today it would complain to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on the use of state funds by Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne to publish advertisements on SAITM.

GMOA Secretary Navin de Zoysa said the two ministers were publishing advertisements favourable to SAITM which was a private institution.

He said it was unethical for the ministers to protect a fraudulent private institution by spending state funds.

Dr. de Zoysa said it was a matter of surprise to find the government misusing public resources when such action by the previous government was under investigation.

We feel that the government has aggravated the SAITM issue through pro-SAITM proposals mentioned in the advertisements, he said.

Dr. de Zoysa said what the two ministers should do was not to publish advertisements on behalf of the SAITM but to publish advertisements with their own money apologizing for the people for failing to reveal correct information in courts.

He said the GMOA hoped that the President would pay attention to the misuse of state funds. (Ajith Siriwardana)
If I was British, I would vote resolutely remain because its in the U.K.s interest

- Emmanuel Macron

Emmanel Macron

If Marine Le Pen feared something worrisome in a run off, it could not have been any worse than this. A dashing 39-year-old centralist, a la Bill Clinton with a proven track record is the last thing the far right wing Le Pen would have wanted as her rival at the second round of the French presidential elections on May 7.

The run off no doubt will sharply polarize the nation as never before. The suave, sophisticated third way politician Emmanuel Macron is everything that Le Pen, who cloaked herself in soft nationalist garb for polls, is not.

However theres no denying the fact that the Nationalist Party candidate has virtually pulled a coup of sorts by emerging second in the preliminary round. She well deserves the accolades for this feat. However her achievement on Sunday has already rung alarm bells across the country as a move towards turning the otherwise liberal French nation into a right wing fortress. The result -- supporters of the nine other preliminary round candidates are now vowing to put their weight behind young Macron.

France that way is a lot different from many other global powers. While self-interest remains the key concern in several first world nations, the citizens of France, the home of liberalism, often think they have a duty towards the greater good of humanity even at polls. Although theres a plethora of reasons that would tempt the French to elect a right wing President given the domestic compulsions including rising terrorism, the French are unlikely to do so. Chances are that they would rise above parochial interests to uphold the principles that the land is better known for.

As a result, a Macron who stands for the greater good of Europe and the world stands a strong chance of clinching victory over a right wing Le Pen. A replication of the Trump victory in France therefore is quite remote as things stand, at least for the time being. On the other hand the British Prime Minister Theresa May must be congratulating herself for hosting Macron at Downing Street in February despite her knowledge of his anti-Brexit stand. She refused to offer Le Pen the same honour.

As Macron is gearing to be the youngest President ever in French history, one cannot help but draw a few parallels between former US President Bill Clinton and the young French presidential candidate. The charismatic Clinton who became President at the age of 46 brought home the need to reconcile the left with the right from his first election campaign, though it was peppered with a few nationalist slogans too. His globalist yet practical slogans are found echoed and re-echoed in Macrons campaign. Besides, Macrons attack on the status quo as regards non-delivery of promises by politicians reminds one of Clintons apathy towards politicians of the day irrespective of party affiliations.

No wonder Americans hate politics when, year in and year out, they hear politicians make promises that wont come true because they dont even mean them -- campaign fantasies that win elections but dont get nations moving again Clinton said during his maiden election campaign. Toeing the line Macron insists that, When politics is no longer a mission but a profession, politicians become more self-serving than public servants.

Though many analysts have likened Macron to Tony Blair with both being centrist political parachutes, it is however evident that Macron has got more to do with Clinton than Blair ideologically. On the other hand Tony Blair who is hitting rock bottom of popularity for his gaffes these days on Brexit and many other subjects may at least be right on one account. I think its too soon to say the centre has been defeated. Ultimately, I dont think it will, Blair was quoted as saying last year.

While the British general elections on June 8 will give a verdict on this on British soil, the results of the French presidential elections on May 7 are likely to make Tony Blair more optimistic.
SYDNEY AFP April23, 2017-

Australia and New Zealand stiffened their rhetoric against North Korea Sunday after the isolated state threatened Canberra with a nuclear strike, urging it to think twice before blindly and zealously toeing the US line.



The move comes as US Vice President Mike Pence wraps up an Asia tour, which has included visits to South Korea, Japan and Australia partly to reassure allies amid fears that Pyongyang may be readying for a sixth nuclear test.



If Australia persists in following the US moves to isolate and stifle North Korea... this will be a suicidal act, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said after Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called the hermit state a serious threat.



The spokesman, speaking to the Norths official KCNA news agency, warned Bishop to think twice about the consequences.



Australias close ally New Zealand has since accused North Korea of having evil intent. Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee told Television New Zealand Sunday people knew little about Kim Jong-Uns regime but you would assume that underneath him there is a very big machinery of people who have equally evil intent.
One of the key issues is land, as the military is occupying large chunks of land in the region

The current constitution of Sri Lanka does not contain judicially enforceable, economic, social and cultural rights, though they are very much a part of daily life. With the onset of the debate for a new constitution, the discourse for the inclusion of Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) rights in the constitution has taken center stage. ESC rights include the right to education, housing and health. Though these rights are not constitutionalised people in the country have access to free healthcare and education, which signifies that the state recognizes ESC rights. Hence the question emerges as to why constitutionalising ESC rights is so important and why certain groups oppose the constitutionalizing of these rights. Proponents of constitutionalizing these rights firmly maintain that ESC rights are equally important as their civil and political counterparts. In a panel discussion held recently on this theme the panel, which mainly included the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, the Secretary General of Amnesty International and the Executive Director of the Law and Society Trust, countered the arguments against constitutionalizing ESC rights, and highlighted the importance of guaranteeing these rights through the constitution and providing judicial remedy when they are breached.

The PRC received so many submissions asking for socio-economic rights to be constitutionalized.

Dr. Harini Amarasuriya - Former member of the Public Representations Committee (PRC)

Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, a former member of the Public Representation Committee (PRC), a senior lecturer at the Open University and the moderator for the day set the discussion in its context pointing out how despite the submissions to the PRC on ECS rights there was an ongoing debate on their inclusion. Its really interesting that the Public Representation Committee(PRC) received so many submissions asking for socio-economic rights to be constitutionalised, and equally interesting is the huge debate taking place after the report came out on this very issue. In a way, Sri Lanka has had a history of having socio-economic welfare systems in place, without it being necessarily in the constitution. So why in that context is there such a big demand coming up for the constitutionalising of socio-economic rights? she said adding that the debate reflected the state of socio-economic well-being in our society. She further remarked that the response by the groups against the inclusion of socio-economic rights in the constitution reflected the huge divide within society on the very issue.

Sri Lanka can become a model for a new way of looking at incorporating

ESC rights.

Salil Shetty- Secretary General of Amnesty International

Stating that the divide between civil political rights, and economic social rights was very artificial Salil Shetty, the Secretary General of Amnesty international said that from a global perspective the justiciability of ESC rights was fundamental in the effective implementation of the International Covenant Sri Lanka has ratified. In the case of Sri Lanka you dont have a just and equitable country, where no one is left behind, which is a mantra of the Sustainable development goals, he said.

Commenting further on justiciability he pointed out that through the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and other covenants there has been much reinforcement of juticiability over the years.

The constitution reform process here is really a great opportunity for ESC rights to be enforecable in a lasting and plural way. Internationally there are more and more constitutions integrating ESC rights into them. Nepal is a shining example of a constitution that is centered on guaranteeing the possibility of citizens seeking judicial redress, he said.

Emphasizing on the necessity of a universal approach and enforceability he stressed on the importance of judicial remedy. Citing Right to Information he pointed out that there were instances where functioning institutions were essential to define minimum core obligations and state delivery.

Commenting on delivering mechanisms he said, You can have all these judicial mechanisms in the constitution. But if you have totally ineffective delivery mechanisms and communities themselves dont have any kind of control on the delivery, then they dont have a voice.

"The constitution reform process here is really a great opportunity for ESC rights to be enforecable in a lasting and plural way"



Remarking on resourcing on a sarcastic note he indicated how when the defence expenditure increased, resources appeared magically. Its also the same with capacity building. If the government doesnt want to do something theyd say that they dont have the technical capacity. Resource and capacity is as you can see very flexible concepts, he added.

Shetty had just returned from spending few days in the North where he had visited several places such as Kilinochchi and Jaffna. He observed that people were still getting over the trauma of what took place during the last stages of the war. One thing that struck me was that this conversation here cant be disconnected with that discussion because most of the people we met were suffering from a range of issues. One of the key issues is land as the military is occupying large chunks of land in the region, he pointed out.

He further pointed out that though transitional justice was a hard core civil and political rights question, for most of the people their main demand was less on transitional justice and more about land. Their demands are about health, education and the basic economic, social and cultural rights. This proves the artificiality of this discussion and the meaningless of trying to separate these two kinds of rights. I hope Sri Lanka can become a model for a new way of looking at incorporating ESC rights into the transitional justice question as well, he said.

Guaranteeing ESC rights in the constitution is no longer an optionPeople want it.

Dinushika Dissanayake - Executive Director of the Law & Society Trust

Dinushika Dissanayake, the Executive Director of the Law and Society Trust stressed that both the PRC report and the Subcommittee report showed how people across Sri Lanka from the North, South, East and West - wanted economic, social and cultural rights guaranteed. Guaranteeing ESC rights in the constitution is no longer an option. This is a false debate we are having. People want it. They very clearly ask for it, she said.

Elaborating further she referred to the life experience of a boy from Giradurukotte who had spoken at the launch of a briefing paper on CKDU by the Law and Society Trust the previous day. He was a beneficiary of public education and entered the university. His father was a farmer and contracted CKDU. They couldnt pay for his boarding in Colombo and his mother now works for a mono cropped plantation in the area done by a multinational company. His mother is also exposed to different types of chemicals. For me, this raised all types of complex issues about socio economic rights and where we place it.

She pointed out that ESC rights could be included not only in the Bill of rights but also in other parts of the constitution, including the sharing of sovereignty and decision making over natural and national resources. Sri Lanka has a rich history of provisioning for human rights and especially for economic and social rights since the 1940s, be it education or health. This has led to where we are today, in terms of the indexes and life expectancy, she said.

Sri Lanka is also a democratic, socialist republic and this is not by accident. The thinking of the leftist government of 1972 and the fact that it was not removed in 1978 says a lot about the political ideology about our people and the country, she added.

"Constitutions around the world have already moved on, have already guaranteed these rights. So why we need to talk about this is also inexplicable. ESC rights cannot be compromised despite the popular theory that it can be compromised. Human dignity means just like the right not to be tortured we have the right to live"



Speaking about the dangers of providing these rights without guaranteeing them, as is the case currently, Dissanayake pointed out that the systematic nature of these rights could be taken away at anytime. LST and many other organizations were part of drafting a joint civil society shadow report. Some of the discussion around this was about how budget cuts on education and healthcare affects people. This is a lived reality of our people. In the 2017 budget Rs. 100 billion has been cut from education. Rs. 13 million has been cut from health. The Defence budget has gone up, she said.

When rights are only guaranteed through provisioning there are also disparities in how resources are allocated. For example, the National Education commissions report in 2014 tells us that 16% of primary schools in Sri Lanka didnt have access to water. It also says that in terms of unsanitary facilities only 0.5% of schools did not have sanitation. But when you look deeper it shows that Colombo didnt have 0.5%. while Mullaithivu did not have 37%. Speaking about shared sovereignty she once again referred to the boy from Girandurukotte. The land in that area has been given to a mono cropping Plantation Company. Some of these plantation companies leave without notice. Sometimes people are not paid salaries. This is frightening in terms of poverty indicators. What happens to women who are exposed to large doses of chemicals without any of the covering facilities that should be used when using these chemicals? What happens to them when they fall ill? We do have public health care. But how far does it go when you keep cutting the budget on health care?

She added, If you talk about absolute poverty in Sri Lanka it has reduced. In 2012 it was 6.7%. The joint shadow report discusses what is meant by absolute poverty. Is it Rs.135 per person a day? Can you live on Rs. 135? In 2016 the World Bank told us that 40% of Sri Lankans live on less than Rs. 225 a day. So when it comes to human dignity, our commitments on zero hunger and zero poverty where do we stand when the day of reckoning comes after years in terms of the Sustainable

Development Goals.

"When rights are only guaranteed through provisioning there are also disparities in how resources are allocated"



The women in Mullikulam, Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi are sitting on the streets with children sleeping on their laps asking for economic justice. And many of us are only concerned with certain parts of transitional justice, she said.

An independent judiciary that is capable of finding and directing on civil and political rights is also perfectly capable of finding and directing on economic, social and cultural rights. We have seen how restraint, independent judiciaries in South Africa, India and other places have not overburdened the state, she said.

Constitutions around the world have already moved on, have already guaranteed these rights. So why do we need to talk about this is also inexplicable. ESC rights cannot be compromised despite the popular theory that it can be compromised. Human dignity means just like the right not to be tortured we have the right to live, she stressed.

Could we have a dignified life without the right to healthcare and right to education?

Deepika Udugama - Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission (HRC)

Deepika Udugama, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) said that ESC rights should be included in the constitution.This is the third constitution we are living under since independence. It is not a secret that the constitutions of this country have not been a major part of our lives. We dont appeal to the constitution of the country as our saviour, as our protector. It is to a very great extent a very peripheral document. Lawyers do take cases before the Supreme Court on fundamental rights. Human Rights Advocates refer to constitutional provisions of rights which champion rights of all of us. But in terms of the public imagination the constitution is not a central part of our life. I think the constitution building process is about making the constitution part of our public imagination. This is what is very important, she said adding that the actual challenge laid in making the constitution a living part of public life.

Referring to the three generations of rights she said they were a product of cold war debates and discussions. The first, second and third generation of rights are considered to be universally recognized human rights, although their development could have seen in the various generations emerge. I think what we need to recognize is not just the theoretical debates that took place in the United Nations and the world over, at a local level. I think there is nothing more important than analyzing these guarantees from our own life experiences.

Would it be possible for someone to argue that the right to food security and the right to clean drinking water are less important than the right to be free from arbitrary arrest? Could we have a dignified life without the right to healthcare and right to education? she quizzed.

Stressing that ESC rights was about life experiences she pointed out that the PRC report clearly showed the aspirations of the people in relation to the various dimensions of rights. She argued that people did not want only their civil and political rights protected, but they also wanted other rights such as the access to healthcare, education, a clean environment etc ensured.

You need to tag this debate to life experiences than the technicalities, because the technicalities can be painfully theoretical and really dont do justice to life itself. After all, human rights are about life. Why do we need human rights? To live a good, dignified and free life. Often we are chided for being theoretical, too conceptual and conceptually vague and so on, she said.

Technicality also has a very practical dimension. Sri Lanka has recognized at an International level that economic and social rights are very important rights by ratifying the International Covenant on civil and political rights. That is also about good faith obligations- an obligation which recognizes that Sri Lanka is legally bound and that we should discharge our legal obligations in good faith, she added.

"You need to tag this debate to life experiences than the technicalities, because the technicalities can be painfully theoretical and really dont do justice to life itself. After all, human rights are about life. Why do we need human rights? To live a good, dignified and free life. Often we are chided for being theoretical, too conceptual and conceptually vague and so on"



She further pointed out that Sri Lanka is required to present the legal status of ESC rights at the United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee in November in Sri Lankas fifth periodic report.

Highlighting that this was the ideal opportunity to get a balanced bill of rights she said that as sovereignty lay in the people and as human rights were part of sovereignty of the people, all these rights must be protected in a democracy. We also know that both sets of rights-if you categorize them as civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights- entail positive and negative obligations. For example, we are told, how could the judiciary require the state to provide a certain type of education to the public because that is going to entail a great degree of public expenditure, and that is not the role of the judiciary. In dealing with torture are we going to say that the obligation of the state is merely negative, that is to say, that the state should not torture and to stop at that?

She added that the most important dimension in this respect was to practically provide training to the police about modern methods of investigation and provide the technology to engage in investigations without torture. This sounds very simplistic, but its fundamentally a very important dimension of the fight against torture. This costs a lot of money, she said.

"If you look at so many cases involving equality there are huge resource implications for the state. Does it mean to say that the state does not then provide interpretation for the equality clause on the basis that there are resource implications? That really is not the case. So this is about an ideological divide that has nothing to do with the arguments raised about resource implications or the role of the judiciary,"



If you look at so many cases involving equality there are huge resource implications for the state. Does it mean to say that the state does not then provide interpretation for the equality clause on the basis that there are resource implications? That really is not the case. So this is about an ideological divide that has nothing to do with the arguments raised about resource implications or the role of the judiciary, she said.

Speaking on the role of the judiciary and countering the argument of critics of justiciable ESC rights as to whether unelected judges can make decisions she pointed out how the common law tradition built bodies of jurisprudence through the judgments of unelected judges. In the United States constitution there is judicial review of legislation through interpretation. In India the secular nature of the state was pronounced upon by the judiciary. This is the tradition in the common law system. So there is nothing new about it.

If Sri Lanka goes into the history books at this point as the country that turned its back on all these decades of development in the human rights field, I think its impact is going to be very serious. All the changes that the people of this country worked for will remain unfinished, she remarked.

Pics by Waruna Wanniarachchi
The indefinite strike launched by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Unions collective has been called off following a written assurance given by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that no agreement will be signed regarding the China Bay Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee during his Indian tour, the Trade Unions Collective said this evening.

The assurance was made during a discussion between Trade Union representatives and the Prime Minister, together with Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama, Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody and several other government representatives at Temple Trees.

A countrywide protest held by the CPC unions collective yesterday leading to a fuel shortage across the country demanding to halt the government moves to sign the agreement on leasing the China Bay Oil Tank Farm to Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC).

Speaking to the Daily Mirror Union Spokesman Bandula Saman Kumara said the unions have stopped their trade union action following a written assurance given by the Premier that no agreement would be signed regarding the China Bay Oil Tank Farm during his Indian tour.

Earlier, the striking petroleum workers insisted on a written assurance from President Maithripala Sirisena that the Trincomalee oil farm would not be leased to the Lanka India Oil Company if they were to call off the strike.

Earlier in the evening, TU representatives held talks with Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody. Later the President had responded to the union request, saying that he could not meet the union members at that time but would give a date to discuss the matter later and requested to call off the strike until then.

As the striking petroleum workers insisted that the trade union action would not be suspended, a meeting was arranged with the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister's office sources said that the Premier had agreed to discuss the Trincomalee oil tank issue with Indian authorities only after talking to relevant trade unions. It has also been agreed that trade unions will get the opportunity of discussing the issue with the cabinet sub committee on the Hambantota Port development.

In addition Petroleum Resources Minister Chandima Weerakkody will submit a report on the development of the Trincomalee oil tank to the cabinet committee on financial committee.

The people were inconvenienced during the strike and long vehicle queues were seen at several filling stations.

Saman Kumara said during the strike period 650 to 700 of the 1,300 filling stations ran out of fuel. (Yohan Perera and Thilanka Kanakaratne)

Video by RM
Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC (DPL), Sri Lankas premier manufacturer of Porcelain products announced that the company was adjudged winner of the bronze award in the catering products/table top specialties category at the prestigious European Product Design Awards (ePDA) 2017.

Awarded by the European Union, this accolade is one of many that the company has won over its 34 years of rich heritage and plating of gastronomy in Sri Lanka and over the world.

The winning entry at the ePDA awards 2017 is an in-glaze design which is produced especially for the UK market. The special technique used is called the embossed reactive process which gives the product an embossed effect and at the same time, it has the same texture as a hand feel product.

This special product, manufactured and designed by Dakotuwa Procelain is safe for all aspects of dining as the raw materials used are lead and cadmium safe. The company maintains high product quality standards; as a result Dankotuwa Porcelain  renown for pure white ware products, can be used in a microwave or a dishwasher.

Commenting on their achievement Wasaba Jayasekara, Chief Executive Officer  Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC stated, It is with great pride that we acknowledge this accolade. Over the years, Dankotuwa Porcelain has designed, developed and mastered the art of producing innovative world-class table-wear. It is our sense of creativity, the design techniques used and developing a quality product with exquisite designs that has given us the opportunity to enjoy a diverse customer base from various parts of the world. This feat is testament to our dedication, passion and attention to detail and the reason as to why Dankotuwa Porcelain is the market leader and a leading exporter of table-wear in Sri Lanka.

Voted as one of Sri Lankas super brands, recipient of the Presidential Export Awards and nominated as Most Outstanding Exporter (NCE) on a number of occasions, the elegance, sophistication and superiority of Dankotuwa Porcelain has earned for the company a reputation for being the best in Asia, Europe and the US. As such, the company continues to have the pleasure of manufacturing customized products for global giants such as Oneida, Macys, Country Road, Lenox, John Lewis, Crate & Barrel, Megros, Jasanmal, Ralph Lauren, the Walt Disney Company and Dilmah.

Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC., a subsidiary ofLanka Century Investments PLC commenced its commercial operations in 1984. From superior glazing technologies to decal prints, personalized designs and endless options, Dankotuwa Porcelain continues to create timeless and modern collection of porcelain wear that expresses exclusive dining experience for

every occasion.
Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister John Seneviratne during the Meet the Minister interactive session hosted by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka

Pic by Nisal Baduge

By Zahara Zuhair

A group of private sector employers recently requested the government to provide further relief to them with regard to the budgetary relief allowance, which is making a massive impact on their businesses.

The government tabled a bill for the payment of a budgetary relief allowance up to Rs.2, 500 to each private sector employee who draws a salary less than Rs.40, 000 a month, which came into effect last year.

We were unhappy with the consultancy process that took place with regard to the budgetary relief allowance; it could have been better.

If you look at the Hansard, the Finance Minister in February 2015 recommended that Rs.2500 increase can be linked to the productivity-related basis, Employers Federation of Ceylon Director General/CEO Kanishka Weerasinghe said.

I sincerely expect that the Labour Department will take your directions and give us further relief. Because of it, the impact has been severe; our confidence to give an increase has been impacted, Weerasinghe told Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister John Seneviratne, during the Meet the Minister programme, an interactive session with the business community, hosted by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL).

Meanwhile, with regard to the national minimum wage, which came into effect from January 1, 2016, which set the national minimum monthly wage for all workers in any industry or service at Rs.10,000 and national minimum daily wage for a worker at Rs.400, the employers said as they extended their support towards it, there should be a mechanism for it.

They proposed to have a national pay commission and link it to the national minimum wage mechanism to give directions to the minimum wage setting mechanism.

The employers also voiced their concerns over the negative impacts certain implemented legislations have caused to their businesses, causing tension between the employees and employers, which hampers the goodwill, ability to pay bonuses and worker productivity.

However, responding to it, the minister said that these legislations were implemented as election promises and the government has to honour them.
A house, several kilometres away from the Peradeniya University, where students were ragged

It is a familiar cycle. An incident of ragging makes national headlines. Reactions of shock and horror follow: How could this happen? Arent these the educated in our society? and so on. There are calls for legal action. And then it ends. Ragging goes on, the cycle continues, and the question remains: why cant we end ragging in our universities?

There are many reasons. Ragging is a deep-seated social practice. It is found in State universities, vocational training institutes, certain elite schools and, to my knowledge, at least one private educational institute. Ending it requires the kind of creative, long-term hard work that is behind any permanent social change. In particular, our approach must be holistic and strategic. It must be holistic in the sense that it addresses the different facets of the practice; it must be strategic in that it must address the root causes behind the practice.



Human Dignity and the University

A holistic response recognises that ragging is wrong because it violates the human dignity and worth of students. From dress codes and verbal abuse to regular beatings, sleep deprivation and even sexual abuse, they are treated as objects of amusement and domination. It is one of the most serious problems they face. However, a holistic response will recognise that there are also other serious problems students face. Such a response requires us to be concerned about any violation of their dignity and worth, not just one.

For example, are students not oppressed if they have low quality food at canteens and cannot afford anything else? Are students not humiliated if they are forced by their financial situation to live in unhygienic, overcrowded university hostels? Is not their worth and potential jeopardised if English teaching programs at university do not enable them to access the international community of learning? Are they not harmed when orientation programs do not prepare them for the leap between secondary and tertiary education, handicapping them throughout their degree program? Is it not a violation of their worth if they are crippled intellectually by a system of education that does not help them learn how to think? Is their worth not violated if they are kept in poverty by the slow neglect of State education which reduces the relative value of their degrees?

Let me suggest that these all violate the dignity and worth of students in some way, and can mar their prospects permanently. Yet many who are vocal about ragging have little to say about them. This is partly a matter of blind spots  wealth, connections and English knowledge can mean that these other problems are not seen. When those who oppose ragging are silent about these other violations of dignity, their efforts are easy to delegitimise. Raggers are quick to ask: If they oppose ragging because they care about the students, then why dont they speak about these other issues? Why dont they even know about these problems that so many students face?

Any response to ragging starts with a concern for the dignity and worth of students. We cannot fight every battle, but we can raise these issues and stand with those who are fighting them. This is the first step towards a holistic response.



Ragging 2.0

A holistic response also recognises that ragging is often an off-campus phenomenon. Many students are ragged long before they step into university  in some cases, as soon as their A-Level results are released. Their contact details are passed on by an area-based network of university seniors, and they soon receive a call from a senior at their prospective university. They are required to call their seniors several times a week (at their own cost) and complete various assignments. This is known as phone ragging and it is where the indoctrination begins. Sometimes seniors take things further. They summon groups of prospective freshers from their area to different places near their hometowns and rag them there. As a result, by the time freshers enter they already know they must submit to their seniors. Of course, the ragging continues once they join  either in the hostels or in rented out rooms. The long-term violence (lasting from a month to two years), submission, and indoctrination eventually turns vibrant freshers into the willing servants of seniors, and then into raggers themselves.

Such displaced ragging is hard to detect and even harder to stop. Perhaps a better feedback loop and the use of technology is part of the answer  say, a smartphone app that discreetly records and alerts authorities to ragging at private locations. Whatever we do, it is an aspect of the problem that must be cracked if we are to succeed.

Students attached to the Agriculture Faculty of the Peradeniya University who were recently arrested for ragging.



Self-Esteem vs Structural Dependence

Some argue that the answer to all this is for students to simply say no  that they just need to summon up the courage and self-esteem to do this. Frankly, this is a naive view. A holistic response will realise that the real reason students cannot say no is not because of a lack of self-esteem. It is because of structural dependence on their seniors.

For instance, a freshers ability to live and study in a hostel often depends on the goodwill of their seniors, who can make life miserable if they do not submit. Students who are new to the locality of the university are extremely vulnerable. They rely on seniors for where to buy food cheaply, where to get photocopies at a low price, even for which bus to take to get to their rooms. Seniors guide them through notes and kuppi classes (revision classes that cover the syllabus). There are hidden dependencies as well. For instance, when I was a law student my friends told me that a failure to follow the instructions of the seniors from their areas would result in difficulties for them when they eventually began their legal practice there.

How can students summon up the courage to say no when the result will be a loss of support, ostracism from their batch and even physical violence? Only those who have the money, the accommodation, the language skills and the connections can afford to risk this.

To end ragging in Sri Lanka we need creative methods that fatally undermine this structural dependence. Already, students around the country have taken the lead. Some have prepared a booklet with key information freshers need  bus routes, train schedules, cheap places to eat and cheap lodging. Others have developed a coordinated effort to secure cheap accommodation for freshers so that they do not have to stay in hostels. Still others make notes and past papers freely available to all freshers to undermine any control seniors might have here (though ideally we need to move beyond notes-based education altogether). These are the sorts of ideas that we need to develop if our response is to really address ragging.



Indifference and Incentives

Finally, a holistic response will fight indifference among university staff. Though I have had the honour of being taught by, and now of working with, lecturers and administrators who are committed to ending ragging, there are many in our universities who could not care less. Some actively support the practice. In the Indian state of Kerala a failure to respond to complaints of ragging in a university can result in legal liability for the head of the institution (see section 7 of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act No 10 of 1998). Perhaps indifference to complaints of ragging should attract some form of legal liability here as well? Maybe promotion schemes should be structured to reward effective responses to ragging? Whatever we do, there must be a system of incentives in place to stir the university staff to action.



Zero-Tolerance

A holistic response, therefore, involves a zero-tolerance policy against ragging  but against ragging in all its manifestations. This alone, however, would be to merely fight the symptoms and ignore the causes. Our response must also be strategic, reaching for the roots of the problem and promoting an effective alternative.

[1] LLB, Attorney-at-Law. The writer read for a Bachelor of Laws degree at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. He is now a Lecturer at the Department of Law of the Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna.
From left: NEC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Managing Director and Deputy CEO ASEAN Sub-Region Kok Quee Lim, Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd General Manager Ruwan Bandara, NEC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Server and Network Business Unit Vice President David Ooi and Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd Head of Enterprise Solutions Shashika Edirisinghe

Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Limited was crowned as the Best Master Commercial Reseller in the Asia Pacific Region for marketing the diverse range of internationally-acclaimed NEC products, including NEC computers and NEC servers, high availability and disaster recovery solutions and other NEC Smart Enterprise Platform Solutions manufactured by NEC Corporation of Japan.

At a glittering ceremony held under the auspices of the NEC ITPF Partner Conference recently in Kathmandu, Nepal, Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd clinched the honours as the Best Master Commercial Reseller in the Asia Pacific Region.

Expressing his views on the singular achievement of bagging this coveted award, Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Limited General Manager Ruwan Bandara said, NEC Asia Pacific, the Asian wing of NEC Corporation of Japan, handpicks, recognizes and awards the Best Master Commercial Reseller in the Asia Pacific Region on an annual basis. With this years award, we have won this accolade for the 15 successive time.

Our loyal customers are our biggest asset and our respect and regard for them is boundless. We always give top priority to our customers because without their support and patronage, we wouldnt have been able to win this historic award.

With a professional, competent and well experienced team of dedicated solutions specialists and engineers, we assure customers of an excellent pre-sales and after- sales service until they satisfying with the proposed solution for their existing pain points. In the course of our operational history, we have developed a service and support network that extends throughout Sri Lanka to deliver our customers timely and professional support services, said Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd Head of Enterprise Solutions Shashika Edirisinghe.

In addition, Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Limited also won nine other awards of excellence at this event amongst countries in the Asia Pacific region.

FINCO Technologies (Pvt.) Limited is the sole sales and authorized service agent for NEC desktops, notebooks, NEC servers, storage and other NEC smart enterprise platform solutions. NEC stands out as Japans No. 1 computer system, while in Asian and European countries, NEC products and solutions are widely recognized and used. NEC has been acclaimed as a computer system manufactured on par with international quality standards by the International Standards Organisation.

In addition to being Master commercial distributor for NEC Smart Enterprise Platform Solutions in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Finco Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd owns another several significant authorized distributorships for ProgeCAD computer aided design software, NETGEAR network products, TRENDnet network products, PLANET network products and KIPOR generators too.

Also Finco technologies extended its strength in IT security and system integration market in Sri Lanka by recognizing as certified authorized Silver partner for Symantec core security and Enterprise security solutions, NSE 4-certified partner for Fortinet security solutions, professional solution provider for VMware and playing a major role in Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, Red Hat license software reselling business segment in Sri Lanka.
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The suspect in the capital murder of a Latimer man was extradited to Jackson County Friday and made his initial appearance in Jackson County court Monday morning.

Judge T. Larry Wilson read the charges against 40-year-old Thomas Elliot Stafford -- accused of murdering 65-year-old Jerry Floyd Kirkendall and stuffing his body in a freezer inside the Latimer rental home the two men had once shared.

U.S. Marshals conducted a nationwide search for Stafford, leading to his arrest in Portland, Ore., on March 25. Stafford waived an extradition hearing and was brought back to Jackson County Friday.

Stafford is additionally accused of stealing Kirkendall's 2001 Cadillac, leading to the the capital murder charge -- which is levied when a murder is committed in the course of another crime. Investigators learned Stafford sold the car to a cousin in Alabama in exchange for cash and a handgun before fleeing to Oregon.

Stafford is due back in court June 12 for a preliminary hearing.
The first-ever direct partnering effort by Group of Fifteen (G15) global grouping with Sri Lanka will commence today in Colombo.

Experts from the G15 grouping - the focused country group that works along with G77, which is the largest coalition of developing countries in UN - will conduct their intense sessions in Colombo today and tomorrow, focusing on intellectual property (IP) rights of traditional knowledge.

Todays Colombo session is a follow up to G15s 2016 Algeria session on protection of IP rights of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is scheduled to unveil todays session joined by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Assistant Director General Minelik Alemu Getahun.

Also on the cards at Colombo session is the review of the historic ten-point plan, unveiled by Bathiudeen and the WIPO Director General Dr. Francis Gurry in November 2013

in Colombo.

The pioneering 10 point plan, during Dr. Gurrys visit to Sri Lanka in 2013, included proposals around the Madrid Agreement helping Sri Lankas innovations base-securing international trademark rights creating the framework for a knowledge-based economy.

The G15 is a grouping of developing countries representing Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The G15 and WIPO have worked in collaboration in recent years to enhance capacities and transfer expertise among the member countries, especially in the realm on IP rights associated with traditional knowledge.

Sri Lanka is the current Chair of G15.
The mega forum, Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation: Making Cross - Border Trade Easier for Sri Lankan Business, organised by the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL), will be inaugurated under the aegis of Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on April 26, 2017, at Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

The event, facilitated by the ICCSL with the representatives from the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, is designed to bring together business leaders, key implementing agencies and international experts.

The forum will include short, traderelated speeches  one on Private Sectors Role in Trade Facilitation and another on Sri Lankas Potential to Boost Trade with Private Sector Leadership  by two eminent foreign speakers with experience from the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and from the private sector.

The speech on Private Sectors Role in Trade Facilitation will be delivered by Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation Trade Expert and Senior Advisor Eric T. Miller.

Bathiudeen will deliver the keynote speech at the forum.

Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation Vice President and ICC Head Customs and Trade Facilitation Donia Hammami will grace the event as the guest of honour.

ICCSL Chairman Keerthi Gunawardane, who will moderate the panel discussion and open forum, said the attending business experts will highlight on the unique opportunities of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which will bring in all relevant stakeholders together for effective and commercially meaningful trade facilitation reforms.

Swift implementation of the TFA will make it hassle free and less costly for the members of the Sri Lankan business community to engage in crossborder trade leading to inclusive growth, sustainable development and increased government revenue, Gunawardane elaborated.

The TFA of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) provides a unique opportunity to promote inclusive growth by making cross-border trade easier, quicker and less costly for businesses of all sizes.

The speakers at the forum will provide perspectives on the importance of TFA implementation to support economic growth, investment and the empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, which is co-organising the event, is an innovative publicprivate partnership between the World Economic Forum, International Chamber of Commerce, Centre for International Private Enterprise and Governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and United States.

It aims to advance effective implementation of the TFA with the objective of creating opportunities for broadbased economic growth.

The forum will be commenced at the Cinnamon Grand Oak Room, at 9:30 a.m. The registration will commence at 9:15 a.m. with a networking session.

ICCSL Chairman Keerthi Gunawardane requested the members of the business community and all those who are interested in taking part in this inclusive and informative forum on TFA to contact the organisers at earliest.

There will be a few seats available for the public who are interested in trade to participate in the forum. However, they will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis due to high demand and limited seating, Gunawardane added.
Video by Ranjith Karunaweera

An elephant that went on rampage had destroyed four glass windows of a bus near Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya in Hambantota on Saturday. One of the pilgrims who was inside the bus had fainted in fear. However, a boy who was also inside the bus had captured the incident on his mobile phone. It was reported the elephant had damaged the vehicle in search of food.
Long queues can be seen outside fuel stations as motorists wait to top up their tanks at stations. A petrol and diesel shortage was reported from several areas in Colombo after workers of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) launched an indefinite strike as a protest against the lease of oil tanks in Trincomalee to India. Pix by Nisal Baduge
The Leprosy Hospital in wattala : A safe refuge for the isolated victims of leprosy

Leprosy was considered a curse in the past and as there was no cure, patients were treated as outcasts and kept in Leper Asylums. Many countries around the world have eradicated leprosy. It was believed to have been eradicated in Sri Lanka as well. Yet, reports show that the disease is on the rise. The importance of making the public aware of the disease led us to the Leprosy hospital in Hendala. Chief Medical Officer of the Hendala Leprosy hospital, Dr. Jayalath Chandrasiri and Director of the Anti-Leprosy Campaign Dr. Priyantha Karunarathna commented on the spread of the disease.

A lack of attention paid to changes in the skin is the root cause for the infection worsening. Once treated, patients can no longer spread the disease. The government aims to eradicate leprosy from Sri Lanka by 2020, emphasized Chief Medical Officer of Hendala Leprosy Hospital, Dr. Jayalath Chandrasiri.

Leprosy is a slow-spreading airborne communicable disease, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. It is a pathogenic bacteria that infects the peripheral nerves. It shares similar features with the tuberculosis bacteria, explained Dr. Priyantha Karunarathna.

Leprosy Hospital in Hendala, One of the oldest in Asia

There are two leprosy hospitals in Sri Lanka, situated in Hendala and Maanthivu island (close to Batticaloa). The latter has only one inmate. It is said that a Dutch captain who had leprosy travelled to the present hospital premises which was a shrub-land at the time and settled there secretly. He was brought food from the other bank and relatives built a small structure there for him.

The Dutch VOC hospital opened in 1701 and construction of the buildings was completed in 1708. The inauguration symbol still can be seen there. Since its inception, many leprosy patients were admitted here. The hospital itself is considered an archaeological site and is 309-years- old. The leprosy hospital has the oldest washing machine which was made in England and brought to Sri Lanka in 1938. Most buildings in the hospital premises are in ruins and renovation does not take place since it was declared an archaeological site in 2015. Nobody has the permission to renovate the site except the Archaeological Department.



Present condition

The Hendala Leprosy hospital is home to 29 leprosy patients living in four wards. They cannot transmit the disease, yet their deformities are clearly visible. They have been neglected by their families. Some of them who are skilled in craft-making are helped by the hospital. A 40- member staff is engaged in looking after the patients along with three doctors. In the past, they had 32 acres of land but this has now been reduced to seven and a half acres. The hospital is maintained by the Health Ministry and warmly welcomes helpless patients who have nowhere else to turn.

Current Trends of the Disease

Stating the statistics of leprosy in the country, he said, Last year the number of patients recorded was 1,863 and the majority of cases were reported from the Western Province, with the total patients recorded being 917. In 2015, there were nearly 2,000 reported cases. Usually we do not get patients below the age of 3 as it takes some time for the disease to develop. Patients are usually above the age of 3 and even above the age of 70. The bulk of patients are between the ages of 25 and 45. Last year the number of children (below the age of 15) recorded was 155.

We are worried about three parts of the country which are considered highly endemic areas. The Western Province, the Eastern Province (Kalmunai, Ampara and Puttalam) and the Southern Province. The majority of patients are in Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha. In these districts we have observed that it is found mostly among underprivileged families, those in slum areas and the fishing community. The highest number of cases are reported from the Moratuwa area.

Speaking of public awareness on the disease Dr. Karunarathna said, We want to spread the message to these areas that if they notice anything resembling this disease, they should seek medical help. The message is not being passed properly. In addition to this, there is a stigma attached to this disease so people dont speak about it and some even hide it from their family members and do not go for treatment.

The Disease Risk factors

The strength of ones immune system is the main determinant in contracting the disease.The weaker the immune system, the higher the chance of getting the disease. The strength of our immune system depends on many things such as genetics, nutrition, general health, the environment, housing, ventillation, congestion and economic status. Thus the lifestyle people lead can determine whether or not they will contract the disease.



Transmission

The transmission of the disease occurs through respiration, when the bacteria enters the victims nose. The bacterium must enter the persons body for them to contract the disease. Some epidemiological studies have shown that there is a predominance for the disease in males rather than females but anyone can be affected by the bacterium. A leprosy patient can transmit the disease after a few months to those around him through respiration, sneezing and coughing, where the bacterium is released into the environment. Those around the patient can get the disease this way. It does not spread through contact but mainly through airborne transmission.

A person could inhale the bacteria spread by a patient, however 95% of the time healthy people remain unaffected due to a good immune system and other factors such as genetics and nutrition. Only 5% or 10% of people may get the disease. Factors leading to this includes spending a lot of time with the patient or a weak immune system.



Action of the Bacteria

The leprosy bacteria is very peculiar. Once it enters the body, it gradually travels to the nervous system and reaches out to the relatively cooler parts of the body, such as the hands, feet and face. Once they have started replicating, patches will start to appear on the skin and are the earliest sign of infiltration.

Then they invade the sensory nerves closer to the skin and the patient complains about the patch and the anaesthetic feeling around the patch. This might spread all over the body.



Symptoms

Its crucial to know about the early stages in order to get treatment as soon as possible. The most common symptoms are the patches appearing on the face, hands and feet. The colours of the patches are lighter than the other parts of the skin and may vary from copper to gold. If observed carefully, the sensation of the area having the patch will be less compared to other areas. Identification is done by pricking the spot with a needle.

There may be other variations in the early stages. Sometimes it may appear as a thickened nerve. Patients may feel a lump under the skin on their face, hands or feet, due to the nerve involvement. If such signs persist for more than two to three months, this could be a sign of leprosy. If someone has suspicions about the disease he/she should seek the advice of a dermatologist. Neglecting medical treatment in the early stages will lead to complications.

If early stages are ignored, the bacteria can infiltrate the nerves. Sensory nerves and motor nerves connected to muscles can be affected and patients will complain about numbness in their feet and hands. Gradual nerve involvement will lead to deformities. The nerves stop working and the limbs become thick and unmovable.

With the progression of the disease, injuries too will take place. People might get cut or badly burnt because they lose their sense of touch. When the ulcers and injuries do not heal naturally, the bodys reaction is to expel the limbs, fingers or toes, causing these parts to

drop off.



Treatments

It is important for people to know that treatment is available for leprosy and that it is 100% curable. Usually, if someone has contracted leprosy it is diagnosed by a dermatologist. Leprosy treatments are only available in the government sector, throughout the country in any hospital with a dermatologist. We have ensured that there are no difficulties or barriers to access these services. Private sector dermatologists will direct patients to a government clinic.

Some will have to take this treatment for six months and others for one year. It is a combination of drugs which patients will be directed to use.

Edward Alwis from Dehiwala

We are told he is the oldest inmate on the premises. He was admitted on April 6, 1943 at age 18. He detected two patches on his face and was later registered at the hospital. There were 800-900 patients and 22 wards at the time I came. There was a drop in patients after 1956. Edward says some of them were even sent to jail, as fights would break out for better meals to be introduced. All my siblings are married but I couldnt get married because of this disease. People dont come and visit because they think they will get the disease but we have all been cured, so it wont spread, he added

Anonymous speaker

The waste management in this place should be properly disposed of, assuring health safety. They just dump the bandages and other waste into a garbage dump and burn it. This is not healthy. Some employees dont have identification cards even though they have worked here for two years. The buildings are very old and have not been preserved. Many are falling to the ground.

Heen Banda from Kandy

I first detected a numbness in my feet in 2002. I misunderstood it for another disease and got treatment for two years. It was at the government hospital that I realised I had leprosy. Heen Banda says the wounds caused by leprosy should be well cared for, otherwise the disease would worsen.

Ananda from Moratuwa

Ananda is very skilled in woodwork and was admitted at the age of 18 when he detected scars on his body. He has his own wood workshop, where he takes orders to make wardrobes and other furniture. He also makes special sandals to meet the needs of his fellow patients.

P.B. Doratiyawa from Kegalle

He spoke about the lack of facilities there and especially the poor meals. Im a vegetarian but they gave me the same thing they gave everyone else. He was admitted to the hospital in his forties.

An inmate who wanted to remain anonymous

All these buildings are falling apart. Some wards are door-less and dogs come in at night. We have issues with the quality of food we are given here. Even though we are entitled to quality meals, what comes to our plates lacks quality.

Kamala Gunathilaka from Bandaragama

I was admitted in 2001. First I was diagnosed with diabetes and my leg was amputated. I was then taken to the skin clinic where the disease was recognized. She had been manufacturing envelopes while warded and had to be satisfied with the Rs.500 allowance.

Peter Hettiarachchi from Kahawatta

I came here in 1950, when I was 10-years-old. We were sent back home in 1960 after being told we could not spread the leprosy germ after being given the DDS tablet. We demanded an allowance from them because we had been there for years and thats how we got the Rs.500 monthly donation.

Most inmates are in their 70s and 80s and wish for company above all.

Anyone interested can donate clothes, food and other provisions.

Even a kind word to them will go a long way.
A prominent Maldivian blogger, who was critical of Islamist extremism and government corruption, was stabbed to death on Sunday, police said, and the main opposition party demanded an international probe into the killing.

Social media activist Yameen Rasheed was stabbed 14 times in the chest and once each in the neck and face, local media reported.

"He was stabbed to death early in the morning and we are investigating the matter," police spokesman Ahmed Shifan said.

The government in a statement condemned the killing and said President Abdulla Yameen had instructed state agencies to bring the perpetrators of "this heinous act to justice".

Significant numbers of radicalized Maldives youths have enlisted to fight for Islamic State in the Middle East. Three Western diplomats told Reuters that moderate Islamists have been threatened via social media for their "anti-Islamic" views.

Rasheed had received death threats, mainly after he posted criticism of radical Islam, his close friends told Reuters.

The 29-year-old blogger worked as a computer programmer and software developer at the Maldives Stock Exchange and identified himself as "disobedient writer" in social media. He ran a website called The Daily Panic.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), in a statement, called for an international investigation into Rasheed's death as the incident followed a "spate of similar stabbings of prominent politicians and political commentators".

"The MDP strongly believes that the Maldivian police service does not possess the capacity, credibility or political impartiality to conduct such a high-profile investigation on its own."(Reuters)
Mastercard recently hosted 50 senior electronic payments industry representatives at its Risk Management workshop in Colombo. The event is part of an ongoing series of knowledge-sharing sessions organized by Mastercard to share global learnings and gain local insights frommarket partners.

The day-long workshop saw Rajeev Kumar, Customer Fraud Management, South Asia, Mastercard and Christopher Lian, Customer Delivery, Asia Pacific, Mastercard,share updateson customer fraud management and system releases for the upcoming quarter.Mr. Kumar started his session with a review of the fraud landscape,as well as an outline of Mastercards safety and security roadmap. He also shared updates on fraud attack vectors and revised standards of the Global Risk Management Program and for Acquirer Fraud Loss Control Programs. Mr. Liantook the audience through upcoming changes to mandatory release, product code and interchange programs, as well as Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) and optional release services.

Sri Lankas financial services industry is keen to adopt and roll out localized electronic payment technologies and solutions. At Mastercard, we support their commitment to innovation and have been working closely with them for about 30 yearsto bringworld-class, secure electronic payment solutions to market, said R. B. Santosh Kumar, Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Mastercard.

He further added, Such informative forumsenable us to collaborate with key government and industry partners through sharing our global learnings and gaining their insights into the local market. Two of our renowned experts shed light on key payment security issues, vulnerabilities and innovative techniques to mitigate fraudat this recent risk management workshop.

Appreciating the insights shared by the Mastercard representatives, participants apprised them of market specific ground realities with regards to managing risk.
From left: Tourism Development, Land and Christian Affairs Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa and Minister John Amaratunga during a recent press briefing in Colombo

Pic by Kithsiri De Mel

Sri Lanka will require an extensive study on the countrys tourism carrying capacity, a top government official told Mirror Business recently, amid the ongoing government plans to attract higher volumes of tourists to the country.

We will require a big study. Not only Beruwala but also Sigiriya is overcapacity and Yala is overcapacity, Tourism Development, Land and Christian Affairs Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa said, when asked how the government will deal with Beruwala and southwestern areas overcrowded with tourists.

Reports of elephant attacks on tourists and safari jeeps running over animals in Yala have highlighted the dismal situation prevailing over the countrys most popular national park.

Although the private sector in the past had speculated that the countrys carrying capacity could range between 4.5 and seven million tourists, academics have warned that given the current level of development in Sri Lanka, the carrying capacity may have already been exceeded.

According to the World Tourism Organisation, the tourism carrying capacity of a country takes into account the number of tourists a country can accommodate without causing harm to its physical, economic and socio-cultural environment and also without reducing the quality of satisfaction of a visitor.

While the countrys main tourism zone ranging across the south and west coasts is now saturated with hotelsclaiming over 70 percent of the countrys established hotelsinnovations such as Airbnb have expanded the carrying capacity physically, while putting greater pressure on the socio-cultural environment.

Spreading tourism development into less popular areas could increase the countrys carrying capacity, although success would hinge on the ability of Sri Lanka to create and market new or existing minor tourism attractions more successfully.

Sugathadasa said that a study could result in a major change in Sri Lankas tourism policies.

In the study, if we find that our carrying capacity is 1.5 million, then we will have to see how we can attract 1.5 million high-spending tourists,

he said.

The government is hoping to attract around 4.5 million tourists by 2020 compared to 2.05 million the country attracted in 2016, although a slowdown in hotel construction recorded in the latest available figures of 2015 is pointing towards the private sector working with estimates which are somewhat lower.

Sri Lanka has to conduct a study and make its decision soon, since according to research, it is more difficult to convert a highly entrenched mass-tourism destination into a high-spending premium destination, compared to developing a destination from the ground-up as a premium destination.

Some industry experts have been advocating Sri Lanka to follow the example of Bhutan and limit the entrance of tourists to the country based on the expenditure they are guaranteed to make in the country, while others have pointed out the long-term adverse impacts to Sri Lankas national image if the youth and budget segments are alienated.

The effects of alienating certain tourist segments are fresh in the minds of Sri Lankans, since the hotels and restaurants in some popular tourist areas either refuse to or are reluctant to serve the locals.

The government has recently been seen taking nascent steps to promote sustainable practiceswhich could increase the carrying capacity for Sri Lankaalthough a more firm commitment by the state is yet to be seen.
Labour Minister W.D. J. Seneviratne today proposed a price reduction on a bottle of special arrack despite a decrease in government revenue by way of taxes.

He said this at Ratnapura District Coordinating Committee meeting which was held today.

This proposal was supported by Ratanapura District UNP Parliamentarian A. A. Wijetunga and UNP Provincial Councillor Siripala Kiriella.

The minister said a large number of people engaged in manual labour consume this brand of arrack.

With the price of a bottle of arrack rising to Rs.1,500, they are compelled to find cheap alternatives such as Kassippu or other illicit liquor, he said.

He said many estate workers, men and women are known to be addicted to 'kassippu' and added that his proposal might arouse much discussions among the people but whatever said and done we have to face reality. (Ajithlal Shantha Udaya)
The government has allocated Rs. 30 million this year - a three-fold increase compared to last year - for the prevention of Malaria in the country ,Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.

Despite Sri Lanka being a Malaria-free country now, the Minister recalled the catastrophe it caused when the epidemic broke out in 1934 losing the lives of 80,000 people.

He said recently a Malaria patient was reported at the Kalubowila Teaching hospital where a migrant who was infected with the disease was identified as a positive Malaria case.

Minister Senaratne said the Health Ministry had identified several possible diseases that could be transmitted through migrants coming down from vulnerable countries.

However, the Minister said health officials and doctors were capable of identifying the disease and treating them successfully. He asked Lankans to be vigilant when travelling to Malaria endemic countries and seek medical assistance when necessary. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A man lost a leg and is in ICU at the University of South Alabama Medical Center after the motorcycle he was riding struck the rear of a truck early Friday morning.

According to Ocean Springs Police Capt. Chuck Jackson, the crash occurred about 5:45 a.m. Friday in the westbound lane of U.S. 90 in front of Grace Independent Baptist Church.

The names of the individuals involved have not been released, but investigators learned a Ford F-150 was traveling in the right lane of U.S. 90 when hit was struck in the rear by the Harley-Davidson motorcycle as it attempted to pass the truck on the right side.

The impact threw the motorcycle rider some 200 feet before he landed on the side of the highway, Jackson said. Officers arriving on the scene discovered the man had his left leg severed in the crash. He was taken to Ocean Springs Hospital with multiple severe injuries, and later airlifted to USA Medical Center, where he is in ICU.

The occupants of the F-150 were not injured and Jackson said the crash remains under investigation.
The American Chamber of Commerce has agreed to further expand investment in Sri Lanka due to the countrys economic transparency, a Finance Ministry statement said yesterday, quoting Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

Karunanayake was given an opportunity to address the American Chamber of Commerce during his visit to Washington D.C. to take part in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) semi-annual conference.

An opportunity to address the American Chamber of Commerce is a privilege for Sri Lanka and such an opportunity will pave the way to attract more investments to the country, Karunanayake was quoted as saying in the statement.

According to the Finance Ministry statement, Karunanayake had conveyed to the American Chamber of Commerce about the available potential business opportunities in the sectors of infrastructure development, agro processing, health, export-based manufacturing and tourism.

Sri Lanka has become the gateway to Asia due to its business-friendly policies, Karunanayake was quoted as saying. The United States remains Sri Lankas largest export market with the latest bilateral trade value between the two countries reaching almost US $ 3 billion. At the same time, 28 percent of Sri Lankas exports in 2016 were absorbed by the United States.

A previous Finance Ministry communique stated quoting Karunanayake that Sri Lankas economic performance was hailed by the IMF and WB during the semi-annual conference.

The minister was said to have held separate discussions with the participating heads of the IMF and WB during the conference.

Karunanayake returned to Sri Lanka Sunday afternoon.
TP Senkumar has done a Mahendra Singh Dhoni by finishing his game against Kerala's ruling LDF government in style, with two months to spare (he is due to retire in June 2017). CM Pinarayi Vijayan has been forced to eat humble pie and has no option but to reinstate Senkumar as the Kerala state police chief.

The top cop was removed from his post of DGP as soon as LDF came to power in May and Senkumar took the legal route to get justice.

Senkumar's argument was that the police chief is appointed for a fixed tenure of two years and when he was shunted out, he had not finished his term in the DGP's post. He was sent to head the Kerala Police Housing Construction Corporation, infamous as a loopline posting in police circles.

The implication that Senkumar was inefficient was a worse slur for an officer who took pride in his career achievements.

The manner of investigation into the Puttingal temple fireworks tragedy in Kollam in April last year, in which 110 people died, and the Jisha rape and murder case in Ernakulam were held against the DGP.

During the election campaign, Vijayan himself had criticised the DGP for the shoddy handling of the Jisha case. Jisha was a law student who was raped and killed in Ernakulam district in April last year.

The appointment of additional DGP B Sandhya to head the probe team soon after Vijayan took over was an indication to Senkumar that his time was up because all this while, the DGP had maintained that the "investigation team was doing good professional work".

That Senkumar wasn't going to go down without a fight was obvious in the farewell note he put out on the State Police Chief's official Facebook page soon after he was removed. He pointed to his credentials as an officer with honesty and integrity and that he did nothing wrong in his 35-year-long career.

He also attempted to hit his successor Loknath Behra for a helicopter shot with a jibe  "I still have all my vertebras intact" - an apparent reference to how he did not bend before anyone to get a plum post.

Senkumar's usage of Facebook as a means of communication had been the butt of ridicule for dyed-in-the-wool Marxists. Just three months before the DGP was removed, former chief minister VS Achuthanandan had taken Senkumar to the cleaners, criticising the law and order situation. "When goons go berserk all over Kerala, the DGP is playing with his Facebook page. Is it for this that he is hanging his IPS badge?"

Initially, Pinarayi Vijayan was seen backing Thomas, an upright officer, much to the chagrin of the IAS lobby but finally seemed to have succumbed to pressure. Photo: India Today

He sarcastically suggested that Senkumar's designation ought to be changed to DGP (Facebook) instead of DGP (Law and Order). Ironically, two months later, VS launched himself on social media and promoted himself aggressively in the online space.

Why Supreme Court's verdict reinstating Senkumar is significant is because it comes after the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the Kerala High Court had ruled in the government's favour.

The apex court ruled that the transfer was "arbitrary", which meant it was in concurrence with Senkumar's contention that he was being punished for undertaking probes against the CPM leadership in the past. The SC verdict has, by implication, shown the Vijayan regime as vengeful.

The setback to the Kerala government comes at a time when one of its senior ministers is embroiled in an ugly row with an IAS officer. Last week, electricity minister MM Mani used despicable language against Devikulam sub-collector V Sriram because a cross was removed from encroached land during an anti-encroachment drive in Munnar.

"Lock him up in a mental asylum for razing down a Christian cross," he said about the young IAS officer, charging him with being an RSS henchman and comparing the removal of the cross with the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

Opposition politicians too have not spared an effort to bully the bureaucracy. Kozhikode MP MK Raghavan of the Congress threatened to sue the then district collector last July. This was after collector Prasanth Nair told the MP, who had barged into the Collectorate and threatened the staff, that political pressure and threats won't work. When the MP asked for an apology, Nair cheekily put up on his Facebook page a map (maapu in Malayalam means apology) of a town in Thrissur district.

It is not just politicians versus bureaucrats. That all is not well within the Kerala bureaucracy was obvious when the entire IAS machinery decided to go on an unprecedented strike for a day in January. Their angst was directed against senior IPS officer Jacob Thomas, who was Kerala vigilance chief until recently and had been pursuing corruption cases against IAS officers.

Initially, Vijayan was seen backing Thomas, an upright officer, much to the chagrin of the IAS lobby but finally seemed to have succumbed to pressure and moved him out this month.

The next two months are bound to witness an uncomfortable working relationship between the LDF political establishment and Senkumar. That's certain to affect the morale of the force.
Injuries can be defining moments, even more so if resulting from criminal assault: that one moment when someone chooses to push you and clobber your head in a hate- or love-induced haze.

Why me? I asked the doctor.

Lucky you, said the anaesthetist to my sister. My sister who had, hours earlier, spared the terrified nurse by hacking away with a pair of scissors at her siblings blood and vomit-soaked clothes to prepare for the neurosurgery.

She has come out of the operation breathing on her own, said the anaesthetist, And she is responding to pain. Both are very good signs.

I might be held personally brave, but courage had little to do with it. My sister made quick decisions urged by anxiety written on a young doctors face at the government hospital to which a surprisingly-efficient Delhi Police carted me. I had gone to a public park for an evening stroll when I was pushed to the ground and attacked. The sound, and the feeling, and the taste of continuous bleeding and retching has stayed with me.

A sea of vomit, and blood. And, through that fear, repeatedly reciting my sisters mobile number.

A shortage of ambulances

The Police Control Room (PCR) van took me from the park to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, where a capable-but-anxious Dr Amit did what he could, but impressed upon by my sister and cousin brother, who arrived soon, that his hospital did not have the neurosurgery skills or infrastructure needed to save my life. Dr Amits sense of urgency increased when I began vomiting blood.

His main aim was to prevent me from going into shock, which leads to coma.

The young doctor then asked the police to find an ambulance; the family decision having been made within seconds  as a result of a phone call to my doctor brother-in-law boarding a flight  to shift my bleeding body to Fortis. Those vehicles with red beams that tail-gait your car in Delhi, who you  a tad nastily  dont make way for, are not so easy to find at night. Not a single ambulance, government or private, was to be found.

Delhi Police came to our rescue and shifted me in another PCR van, with the drivers seat positioned as close to the windshield as possible to make way for the stretcher at the back. Dr Amit, bless his noble heart, accompanied my inert, mumbling, by now seriously-losing-blood self. An ambulance met us half way.

Nosy and noisy concern

The private hospitals expert neurosurgeon, Dr PK Sachdeva, cut me open and sewed me up. He shaved through my short hair, drained blood, and picked out skull bones and displayed them to my sister on the vigil outside, after a surgery that lasted hours.

By then my lawyer uncle had arrived with suitable food and nourishment for her.

My stay at the intensive care unit was short, buoyed by the capable Malayali nurses that form the backbone of our healthcare industry. But I didnt get off a second too lightly; around me, a mother was angry with her son, enacting an Ekta Kapoor-like drama, whereupon the son marched into the ICU to feed her. An old patient on the bed opposite summoned my sibling and asked her to take me away this instant as I had spent a restless night.

Two doctors, not realising I was conscious, and awake, strolled by. Sar ke cheethre ure huye the jab paunchi thi. (Her skull was in shreds when we operated).

Pipes went in and pipes came out. Of my body.

But the pain didnt take the cake. What took the cake were members of my fraternity.

When kindness and urgency and capability were needed, Delhi gave me all of that. Photo: Aparna Kalra

Journalists arrived in droves. A few came because of genuine warmth and concern. They were circumspect, and respectful of my family and the stress it was going through.

Some wormed their way into the ICU and demanded, yes, demanded that they see me. No amount of persuasion could convince them that doctors considered visitors a jeopardy to my health. My head was vulnerable, would take days to heal and till then I risked getting infected from any or each visitor.

They wanted to wave to me from a distance, and accused my sister of not giving access, or of not being kind enough to feed the conspiracy theories that they had come up with.

What, no one requested for a selfie? wise-cracked a friend later.

Mindgames

Now I am healing at home, slowly regaining a lost sense of balance. The spinning room terrified me at night. But with strong medication, of late, it has stopped spinning. A sense of loss of control over my future, of being the recipient of mindless violence, which upended my normal life, and threatened my existence, fills me with dread, especially at night.

He attacked me during the twilight hours and now I am afraid of the dark. Afraid of stepping outside the safety of my home.

The bruises on my face are subsiding. My half-closed left eye opens. The stitches came off this week. A new doctor, bending over me while the nurse held my hand, reacted: How many stitches do you have?

I will need reconstructive surgery, and a titanium plate in my head, later. My sister assisted me during my first shampoo because I half-joked it would seep through my damaged skull. Caked blood came off with soap.

Meanwhile, the entire family has used its ingenuity to stave off visitors driven by morbid curiosity in the crime. Kya hua? was the refrain. A handful of friends close to me have made the effort to help me get a grip on my mental struggle and trauma.

Doctors are keen for me to get back to work as quickly as possible. And resume "normal life". All my prayers are filled with gratitude. That Delhis emergency services worked to keep me alive: from the constables in the PCR vans to the cop who slung me on his shoulder to those who allowed Dr Amit to convert the PCR van into an ambulance, to the expert team at the government hospital that did not allow my body to slip into shock, to the nurses and care, and the midnight surgery of Fortis.

To the Delhi Police's woman DCP who ultimately recorded my statement. To her police team who went without sleep to comb the park for the assailant. When kindness and urgency and capability were needed, Delhi gave me all of that.

The city hid its warts and welts to let me heal mine.
Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure.

WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more.
Our new video blows the lid off of a dirty secret, that America's iconic mountain lions are being killed at unsustainably high numbers for nothing more than trophies. This level of killing is not sound wildlife management and will wreak havoc on mountain lion populations. We are working with native carnivore researchers to provide the best available science to wildlife decision makers, science that strengthens the case against the trophy hunting of mountain lions. Photo by Alamy

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Imagine the terror. Without warning, a lion hears chaotic barking from a pack of dogs. The barking gets louder as the dogs close in on her. She runs in the opposite direction. The barking continues. Winded, she uses her extraordinary muscles and claws to climb a tree as nimbly and effortlessly as a squirrel, and rests on a tree limb 50 feet off the ground.

The dogs follow the scent, tracking her to her location, looking up to the canopy, and baying at the tree. Shes nervous, but seemingly safe, with the dogs unable to scale the tree.

Yet, little does she know that humans are following her too, tracking the hounds location with a directional antenna that is synced with radio collars around the dogs necks.

The hunter arrives, led there by a guide with tracking equipment. The guide gives the go-ahead. The hunter takes aim with his rifle, and the crack of the shot can be heard for miles around. The lion holds on even though a bullet has pierced her side. Her pursuer assumes a shooting stance for a second time, and this time his shot knocks her out of the tree. She falls 50 feet with a thud, and the dogs pounce on her, squeezing out any little life that remains.

Its an American trophy hunt. And it happens with unnerving regularity in a majority of Western states and even some Midwestern states.

According to an HSUS report released today, American trophy hunters over the last three decades have shot and killed more than 78,000 mountain lions.

The report, created with support from the Summerlee Foundation, provides an extensive review of the status of mountain lions in America, including their natural history, current plans for state management, population size, and the major threats these animals face, like poisoning, disease, vehicle collisions, and starvation. The overwhelming threat to the survival of these animals, however, comes from trophy hunting and habitat loss.

Hunting groups like Safari Club International have, in recent years, promoted the killing of mountain lions for trophies, by offering awards, certificates, and killing contests to reward and encourage trophy hunters. SCIs award categories like the North American 29, Cats of the World and Trophy Animals of North America include mountain lions.

The HSUS report finds that trophy hunters often flout laws, regulations, and quotas in states that permit hunting them. The methods used to kill are among the cruelest: most mountain lions are killed either with the aid of hounds or by trapping with cruel steel-jawed leghold traps and wire neck or leg snares. Of the 14 states that allow the trophy hunting of mountain lions, 12 permit hounding, which involves chasing the animal by packs of trailing dogs, enabling the trophy hunter to shoot the cat at close range.

Research shows that the magnitude of the killing is unsustainable. Three long-term studies of trophy hunting of mountain lions in the West and Midwest have recommended a hunting quota between eight and 14 percent, but in most states the quotas far exceed those numbers. For instance, Colorado, ignoring its own long-term study of the effects of trophy hunting on a mountain lion population, permits trophy hunters to kill up to 28 percent of the population in some management units. In 2015, Utah approved a management plan permitting 20 to 30 percent offtake of its estimated entire statewide lion population despite biologists suggestion to use a more conservative approach, and in 2016 it actually proposed to increase offtake further. In 2015, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks suggested that over 32 percent of its mountain lion population could be hunted.

There is also no reliable data detailing the size and trends of mountain lion populations within the states where mountain lions reside. Understanding the size of a states mountain lion population is essential for wildlife managers to properly conserve the species and prevent mountain lions from being overhunted and exploited. On the other hand, unreliable data can lead to wildlife agencies permitting the over-hunting of mountain lions, by setting annual hunting quotas that are too high to conserve the species.

The report advances key strategies for addressing the challenges faced by mountain lions, including protected species designation for the lions, state wildlife agency reforms, and improved habitat protection. The HSUS has worked to outlaw any trophy hunting of lions in California, and banned hounding in Oregon and Washington. We have also initiated a litigation campaign challenging New Mexicos decision to open the state  including public lands  to recreational mountain-lion trapping using steel-jawed leghold traps and snares.

Mountain lions pose a minimal risk to humans and, in fact, coexist well with human communities. Recent research indicates that the majority of Americans hold positive attitudes toward mountain lions, and a variety of studies suggest that Americans oppose the trophy hunting of Americas big cats.

Killing mountain lions benefits no one except a handful of trophy hunters eager to display animal body parts in their living rooms. Nobody eats the cats, so its trophy hunting in its purest form.

We were all rightly outraged about the killing of Cecil in 2015 by an American trophy hunter in Zimbabwe. We should be just as outraged about American trophy hunters doing the same thing here, mainly on our public lands in the United States.

Click here to read the full report State of the Mountain Lion: A Call to End Trophy Hunting of Americas Lion.
The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.
CRH plc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes building materials. It operates in three segments: Americas Materials, Europe Materials, and Building Products. The company manufactures and supplies cement, lime, aggregates, precast, ready mixed concrete, and asphalt products; concrete masonry and hardscape products comprising pavers, blocks and kerbs, retaining walls, and related patio products; and glass and glazing products, including architectural glass, custom-engineered curtain and window walls, architectural windows, storefront systems, doors, skylights, and architectural hardware. It also offers precast concrete and polymer-based products, such as underground vaults, drainage pipes and structures, utility enclosures, and modular precast structures to the water, energy, communication, transportation, and building structures markets; and construction accessories, such as anchoring, fixing, and connection solutions, as well as lifting systems, formwork accessories, and other accessories used in construction applications. In addition, the company offers network access products, which include composite access chambers, covers, passive safety systems, retention sockets, sealants, and meter boxes; and paving and construction services. Further, it provides building and civil engineering contracting, contract surfacing, operates logistics and owned railway infrastructure; sells and distributes cement; and supplies access chambers and ducting products. It serves governments, contractors, homebuilders, homeowners, and sub-contractors. The company operates primarily in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe, the United States, and internationally. CRH plc was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. 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Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.

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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It also develops, manufactures, and sells active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, it focuses on the central nervous system, pain, respiratory, and oncology areas. Its products in the central nervous system include Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine; and AUSTEDO for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease. The company's products in the respiratory market comprise ProAir, QVAR, ProAir Digihaler, AirDuo Digihaler, and ArmonAir Digihaler, BRALTUS, CINQAIR/CINQAERO, DuoResp Spiromax, and AirDuo RespiClick/ArmonAir RespiClick for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its products in the oncology market include Bendeka, Treanda, Granix, Trisenox, Lonquex, and Tevagrastim/Ratiograstim. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has a collaboration MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products, a risperidone suspension for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
The Calafate is a small bush with yellow flowers and dark blue berries that you can find very commonly in the Argentinian portion of Patagonia, but it is also the name of a small town in the southwest corner of Santa Cruz Province. Over the years, El Calafate has become an important tourist destination for hiking and sightseeing beautiful landscapes, especially Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Chalten, and Cerro Torre.

For anyone traveling to Argentina and looking to explore Patagonia and Argentinas famed glaciers, El Calafate is your gateway.

How to get there?

Landlocked and miles away from other major cities, youll need to take a domestic flight to El Calafates airport, Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE). The main airliner offering daily flights to this region is Airlines Argentinas departing from Buenos Aires, Bariloche and Ushuaia. You can also board flights every other day with LAN from the same cities and LADE from Bariloche. There are also charter flights departing from Puerto Natales, which crosses the Andes, and is operated by DAP.

Getting Around

Upon arrival, youre just a short shuttle right into town, or if youre booked an El Calafate tour you can enjoy convenient airport pick-up with your package. There is no need for car rental, as there are plenty of local buses for exploring the area and the main bus station is located right on the main street. Most of the hotels offer invaluable information for visiting the surrounded areas, contacting local guides, and learning about the hiking routes.

Things to Do in El Calafate

The most visited spot is the Perito Moreno Glacier at 80km or 50mi away from El Calafate, in Los Glaciares National Park. You can stay only one day at the park and there is no camping allowed, as the park closes around 10:00pm. You can easily hop aboard a Perito Moreno Glacier tour, with options to board a boat to go right up to the glacier, hike across its surface, or view it fro the surrounding walkway.

The glacier is enormous and, from the conditioned viewing wooden platforms, you can even hear the cracking sounds of the ice as chunks break off into Lago Argentino, a truly unique experience. For sure you can spend some time sitting on a bench and just relax yourself on nature.

If youre up for the challenge and physically fit, you can grab a pair of crapons to hike out over the glaciers. Mini trekking excursion to the glaciers consists of a morning trip to the observation boardwalks, boat ride across the lake, and then an hour and a half with crampons walking around on the Glacier. This tour runs until late May.

The more extensive ice trekking option consists of a much longer hikes with the possibility to access ice caves, but these are only open until late April. It is recommended to bring a rain jacket, warm pants, gloves, and trekking shoes or boots.

Another spot to visit is Onelli Bay, which is well know for it romantic sites. Pack a picnic lunch, a bottle of champagne, and chill with your partner beside the lake.

Surrounded by nature, there are numerous enchanting spots to visit, including El Canadon or at Laguna Nimez, where you can see all kind of Patagonic birds.

There are also excursions up into the mountainous area surrounding El Calafate. These provide stunning views of Lake Argentino, and, on a clear day, the top of Fitz Roy as well as the Torres del Paine national park in Chile.

If youre looking to learn about local culture and the cowboys of Argentina, youll love a day trip to an estancia (ranch) such as El Galpon del Glaciar Ranch, Nibepo Aike Ranch, Rincon Ranch, and Alta Vista Ranch. Here you can tour the estancia by horseback, learn about Gauchos (cowboys), and enjoy a delicious meal.

With the wealth of trekking opportunities, scenic landscapes, and enchanting encounters, a trip to El Calafate is a ust for any adventure traveler looking to visit Argentina and South America. trekking around their national parks, staying around their lakes or sailing to the glaciers is a whole experience that you cannot missed at all.

The best time to visit Calafate will be between the months of November to March, with some excursions operating until late May.

If you are looking to visit El Calafate you can enjoy the beauty of the country with a variety of El Calafate tours and Argentina tours or learn all the tips and tricks to planning your next vacation, please subscribe to our Tours4fun Newsletter below for exclusive deals.
In Revelation 14, John sees the long waited sight of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, God's dwelling place, with His 144,000 faithful followers. Is the "Mount Zion" on earth or in heaven? Opinions vary, but clearly, the grace and power of the Lamb are displayed. The Lord Jesus is central. Where He is, His people follow. Who are the 144,000? Is this a literal number or symbolic one? Opinions also vary, but clearly, they are all God's people. I personally take it as a literal number. They have the Lamb's name and His Father's name written on their foreheads. People are all marked, either they are marked by the beast, or they are sealed by the Spirit. God's seal protects, but Satan's mark exposes his followers to God's terrible judgment. The mark reveals each person's heart and allegiance.

As "a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder, like that of harps" plays as live music accompaniment, the heavenly choir of those 144,000 sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is a new song that not even angels may sing, because angels never experienced salvation. The new song of the redeemed is the profound unending gratitude for the price Jesus paid to rescue and restore them.

The redeemed also live a certain life style, not like those who simply follow the patterns of their own society. The redeemed chose to deny themselves instead defile themselves, to keep themselves pure. "They follow the Lamb wherever he goes." They are wholeheartedly devoted to their Redeemer. "They were purchased from among men and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb." And "no lie was found in their mouths." God's people have integrity. But above and beyond that, God's people speak truth about their Savior. They refuse to deny Christ, especially in the face of those who use their words to deceive. "They are blameless." Blameless is a scary word, I am not blameless at all in my own eye or other people's eye. But my blamelessness, like theirs, is in God's sight. Our blamelessness is God's gift finished wrapping on the cross. We stand before God covered with our Savior's righteousness. Blamelessness is not something we live up to, but is something we live out. We live out the Savior's life gifted to us.

Then John saw three angels who proclaim God's response to martyrdom of His people. The first angel proclaimed the eternal gospel to those who live on the earth. Since those are only described as "live on the earth, not "the inhabitants of the earth." They still have the opportunity to change their address to heaven if they response to eternal gospel in the right way. The gospel is the good news of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on behalf of believers. The gospel proclaims that all people are born as sinners and separated by their sin from Holy God. The wide gulf of sin that separates human beings and their Creator has been, and can only be, bridged by Jesus Christ because His death paid the penalty for people's sin. All who believe in the resurrected Christ and trust Him for eternal life are brought by Him into eternal life with God. Despite the seemingly inescapable power of the beast who "was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies," the message of eternal gospel cannot be silenced. It calls for every nation, tribe, language and people to "Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come." I like the following sentence we use to teach our children. "Everyone who worships anything else other than God will be punished." This makes things much simple and clear to see.

"The second angel followed and said, 'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries." Here "drinking wine" means participation in the life style. To what this Fallen Babylon refers? Opinions also vary. I think it speaks of the collective murderous evil power under Satan's control and the collapse of civilizations built in all ages without reference to God. Everything that poisons human life with materialistic and self-seeking ways will fall. History is pened with proof that individuals and entire nations that chose to turn their backs on God corrupt. False belief promotes corrupt behavior. Seduced by any figurative Babylon, the human race betrays its loving Creator. This is spiritual adultery.

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice, If anyone worships the beast ...will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath." This is the cup that the Lord Jesus Christ took from His Father's hand and drank. He did this on behalf of all believers. Now all who chose to reject Him have to drink the same cup as Jesus did. Their dreadful choice brings on them the full measure of God's undiluted wrath. They "will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image." Their suffering is eternal torment without any hope of relief. The Bible uses symbolic language to describe both heaven and hell because ordinary words fail to describe both. We don't have the words to tell. The symbols and pictures used in Bible do not portray a lesser reality, but a far greater reality than our minds can comprehend. The reality of heaven is unimaginably more wonderful and the reality of hell is unimaginably far too horrible.

So let us remove the sugar coating from world's prospective of hell. It is definitely not a place for you to party with your like minded friends. You would not have friends there. Hell is a solitary confinement, is darkness and anguish. All common grace of God will be gone. All God's goodness is gone in hell. The reality of conscious, unending judgment prompts objections like "God would never condemn sincere people who have done so much good." "Nobody is perfect, how a God of love would punish people in this way?" "Won't God's great love reach into hell to give people a second chance?" "How come there is hell? Why does God do this to people?" We all have the temptation to agree with those who say God is Love and, therefore, will not punish people so terribly. But the only question everyone needs to ask is "How could anyone reject God's salvation offered by Christ on His cross?" Either we believe Christ bore our deserved eternal punishment on the cross on our behalf or we bear the eternal punishment of our sins ourselves. The offer of salvation extended by Christ on His cross is our second chance, the only chance, because we all lost our first chance when Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Right now, while you are reading this, I want to tell you "Now is the day of salvation." At this moment, God in mercy calls you to repent, to accept Christ as your Savior.

No one who grasps the horror of eternal judgment can behave indifferently or speak of it lightly. "This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus." We need constant encouragement from God to persevere. And God gives us the encouragement we exactly need. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. They will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." Unlike those who follow the beast will suffer, we will find rest. We all crave for rest, which means life and peace in the presence of God forever. The desire to rest is God given. And everything Christ did through us will have eternal value, which means everything we accomplished through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit has eternal worth. On the other hand, the greatest work we do in our own strength will not last to eternity. It is beneficial that we ask ourselves "what deeds will follow us when our life is over?"

In the last part of this chapter, John saw Jesus again. This time Jesus, the Son of man, appears as the Harvester "with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand." The Bible uses the harvest as a picture of God gathering His people as well as of the final separation of the wicked for judgment. The harvest time for God's justice has arrived. The angel "came out of the temple" brings the signal for the final harvest to Jesus. The signal is from His Father. So Jesus "who seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested." "Seated on the cloud" points to Jesus' heavenly position but also shows that He is ready to act on earth. Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds described how God's people, the wheat, will be harvested first and gathered into barn. Then He promised to "weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil."

Once witnessed the harvest of the grain on earth John saw the harvest of grapes. This time the harvester is another angel from the temple in heaven, carrying a sharp sickle. The one who delivered the harvest signal to him is an angel who had charge of the fire, referring to the altar fire of the heavenly temple. Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." Those grapes represent people, ripe with fully developed evil. We have to notice God's restraint in this. He waited until the grapes are fully ripened. His judgment is neither arbitrary, nor random in timing. When wickedness and evil reach God's preset limit, it is time for action. His patience and grace extended right up to the tipping point where evil must be eradicated. "The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city." Jesus was killed on the cross outside the city too. Those who reject Him are being trampled outside of the city now. The believers are inside the city, being spared to watch the horror.

The final dreadful picture describes mass death. Not wine, but "blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia." Those are bad grapes. Can you imagine five foot (1.5 meter) high waves of blood flow out of the winepress for a distance of about 180 miles (290 kilometers). This blood is the sign of the death of those who despised the blood of Jesus. It is their turn to shed blood. After being trampled, their souls will suffer the inescapable eternal torment in hell, the place of lonely despair.

With whom shall we speak of the truth of Christ' power to save and of His power to judge? Ask God to soften our heart so we may speak of judgment with true sorrow, with sincere tears.
UPDATE

Have you been waiting for President Donald Trump to work with the Republican-controlled Congress and get rolling on a big K-12 education initiative? If so, you might be getting a little bit antsy. But is that unusual during the first 100 days or so of a presidential administration?

Heres a quick sketch of some of the bigger things the Trump administration has gotten done so far on public school policy after nearly 100 days in office:

 The president and Congress overturned accountability rules for the Every Student Succeeds Act . These rules were finalized late last year by the Obama administration.

 The president and Congress overturned rules governing teacher-preparation programs in higher education. These rules also were finalized late last year by the Obama administration.

 The Trump administration rescinded Obama-era guidance designed to ensure transgender students could access restrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.

 The U.S. Department of Education released a new template states could use for describing their ESSA plans , which have started to roll in.

 On April 26, the president signed an executive order designed to address federal overreach in education , although what exactly it will change is unclear.

For his first 100 days in office, Trump pledged to work with Congress to enact a major expansion in school choice and end the Common Core State Standards. That major choice expansion hasnt happened. The Trump administration will hit the 100-day mark on April 29.

Part of your perspective on this question might depend on how you frame what Trump and the GOP Congress have done.

The move to overturn the Obama-era ESSA accountability regulations isnt the same as passing a signature K-12 policy bill. But Trumps decision to toss those rules overboard, after GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and GOP Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana pushed the measure to overturn them through Congress, could have a huge impact on how states approach the main federal law governing public schools. And it adheres to a conservative principle of limiting Washingtons role in state and local decisions about K-12. (That last point could also be said about rescinding the transgender guidance.) So politically, from a GOP perspective, ditching the ESSA rules is a significant accomplishment.

However, that still leaves us with this conclusion: Trump and Congress havent wrapped up, or even done major work on, a signature K-12 policy bill. Trump has talked a fair bit about expanding school choice. And there are placeholders for it in his preliminary fiscal 2018 budget. Those could eventually turn into significant voucher or tax-credit proposals. But so far, no school choice legislation in Congress has gotten any real traction, including a high-profile voucher bill from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa .

So how does this level of activity by Trump and Congress compare to Trumps two most immediate predecessors and the respective lawmakers Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush had to work with? Lets explore.

The Early Barack Obama Days

There are two words you need to know when considering early K-12 accomplishments under Obama: the stimulus.

Formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and signed by Obama in February 2009, the legislation designed to help pull the nation out of the Great Recession contained a goody bagor, if you prefer, a Pandoras boxfull of education initiatives that came to be closely identified with Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Race to the Top was included in the stimulus. School Improvement Grants and Investing in Innovation (i3) grants, along with money to boost state longitudinal data systems for education, were either launched or expanded through the stimulus. Another signature Obama initiative, Promise Neighborhoods, was part of the 2009 stimulus package. The stimulus also expanded the Teacher Incentive Fund , which was created in 2006 and backed performance-based teacher and principal compensation.

In short, ARRA shelled out billions of dollars directed at various education initiatives. The No Child Left Behind Act (more on that in a minute) was already overdue for reauthorization in 2009, and in the early going, the Obama administration had some hopes for getting a reauthorization of federal K-12 law done. But absent that reauthorization, Obama still got a significant amount done on K-12 inside of 100 days.

The Early George W. Bush Days

There are four words you need to know when considering early K-12 accomplishments under Bush: No Child Left Behind.

Its important to note up front that Bush didnt actually sign the No Child Left Behind Act until early 2002. However, that belies the early progress the Bush administration made on the legislation. Bush had talked about education as a top priority during the 2000 campaign. (Compared with 2016, believe it or not, 2000 was a cornucopia of K-12 talk from the White House hopefuls.) And the bones of the proposal that became the 2002 law were publicly laid out within roughly a week of Bush coming to the White House, recalled Sandy Kress, who worked on the legislation as Bushs education adviseralthough not all those bones made it into the final body that became NCLB, such as vouchers.

By mid-March 2001, the Senate education committee had passed a K-12 overhaul bill that embraced many of Bushs priorities. Later that month, the GOP-controlled House introduced its own education legislation .

We were moving hard and fast, Kress said.

Things slowed down a bit heading into the summer. Passage in the Senate proved difficult at points . But Congress eventually enacted what became the NCLB law in late 2001. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, had led to a desire in Congress for lawmakers to work together and approve a major bill like NCLB, Kress noted.

Different Context

Obviously, these comparisons come with caveats.

The times are different. For example, would any powerful Democratic lawmaker work with Trump on a big education initiative, as Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., did with the Bush administration on NCLB? And since ESSA was just signed in late 2015, the timings not right for the current president to push for a new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA is the latest iteration of that law). As for Obama, he faced a national economic crisis in 2009 that compelled immediate action, and he had a Democratic Congress to work with to shift large amounts of money into education initiatives, among other priorities.

And even though its not directly about K-12 policy like ESSA and NCLB, Trumps ultimate plan for DREAMers is being closely watched by those in the education community.

So did we leave out any major accomplishments from any of the three administrations we looked at? Let us know in the comments section.

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
UPDATED

A Florida principal who raised eyebrows when she said that white students should be in the same class in a predominantly black school has apologized for her poor judgment, but could still face disciplinary action, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Christine Hoffman, an elementary school principal in the Pinellas County school system, emailed staff at Campbell Park Elementary School last week with instructions for creating class lists for the next school year, the paper reported.

Some of her directions included having the same number of boys and girls, students who read at different levels, and a maximum of two students who regularly misbehaved in the same class, the paper reported.

But it was the line that white students should be in the same class that raised eyebrows. That drew a rebuke from the local chapter of the NAACP and others.

Forty-nine of the schools 606 students are white, the paper noted. The school also has 20 Hispanic students, 18 multi-racial students, and three Asians, and the email did not mention those students, according to the paper.

The paper reported that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights is investigating allegations that the district disproportionately disciplines black students and that black students lacked the same access to quality teachers, curriculum and other resources. Campbell Park, one of the five neighborhood elementary schools that were the focus of the Tampa Bay Times award-winning investigation Failure Factories, was among the schools listed in the federal review, according to WFLA.

The district is also working through state and federal lawsuits alleging district discrimination against black students.

Hoffman, who is white, is an experienced administrator in Pinellas but is new to Campbell Park. The school has struggled academically for years, the paper said. She served as an assistant principal in another predominantly black school before moving to Campbell Park.

She said in an email apology that she was using the incident as an opportunity to learn. Hoffman said she was not asking for a class in which all the white students would be together, but that there not be a class with one white student, the paper reported.

I was not asking that all white student in each grade be clustered, as that is not our practice in creating class lists, she wrote, according to the paper. I understand how racially insensitive the guideline was.

[UPDATE (04/25): The Tampa Bay Times reported that Hoffman asked the district for a transfer and she will not return to Campbell Park. The district is also conducting a review, the paper reported.]
New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is adding a wrinkle to the Trump administrations efforts to fill sub-Cabinet posts, including some in the U.S. Department of Education.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos earlier this month announced a slate of appointees for key positions in her department, giving several key aides more permanent political positions than the initial beachhead posts filled early during the administration of President Donald Trump.

But when it comes to the Education Departments 13 posts under DeVos that require presidential appointment and Senate confirmation positions, Trump has made only one nomination. Thats Carlos G. Muniz to be the departments general counsel.

And DeVos has designated only three appointees to serve as acting holders of positions that require presidential appointment and Senate confirmation. (These are known as PAS posts, at least to some inside-the-Beltway wonks.)

Those are: James Manning, as acting under secretary; Jason Botel, as acting assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education; and Candice E. Jackson, as acting assistant secretary for civil rights. (DeVos also appointed all three to positions just below the undersecretary or assistant secretary jobs that dont require presidential appointment or Senate confirmation.)

The presidents slow pace of filling key political positions as he approaches the 100-day mark of his tenure is by no means limited to the Education Department. The Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit organization in Washington, says that as of April 23, Trump had yet to put forth a nominee for 473 of 554 PAS positions .

One factor the Trump administration must contend with is the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that interprets a federal statute about filling vacancies that need official appointment and confirmation.

The upshot of the rather complicated March 21 decision in National Labor Relations Board v. SW General Inc. is that a provision of the law called the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 bars a person who has been nominated to fill a vacant PAS office from performing the duties of that office in an acting capacity.

Both Republican and Democratic administrations were skirting earlier versions of the law when it came to filling positions requiring confirmation, and the provision was aimed at keeping the president from going around the Senate confirmation process by putting certain officials into those positions on an acting basis.

(The U.S. solicitor generals office had identified seven senior officials of the Education Department, under the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, whose acting service would have been unlawful under the Supreme Courts recent interpretation of the FVRA.)

The Supreme Court decision wouldnt bar the president from nominating, say, Candice E. Jackson as the full-fledged assistant secretary for civil rights in the Education Department.

But in that circumstance, the ruling likely means that Jackson would have to give up the position of acting civil rights chief of the department. She could not serve as the acting holder of a position that requires Senate confirmation and be nominated for that office as well.

The federal vacancies-reform law also prescribes that any function or duty of a vacant office performed by an official not properly serving under the statute shall have no force or effect.

The Supreme Court left it for lower courts in the NLRB v. SW General case to decide whether certain actions of the labor board were invalid because the agencys acting general counsel was not properly serving under the FVRA.

The Supreme Court decision has already influenced one relatively major personnel decision of the Trump administration. When Trump took office, Noel J. Francisco was named as acting U.S. solicitor general, the federal governments chief lawyer before the high court. After several weeks of considering other candidates for the post full-time, the president decided to nominate Francisco for the job. But under the high courts decision, that meant Francisco had to move out of the position of acting solicitor general while the Senate considers his nomination.

So, again, the president has pretty wide latitude to choose the people he wants for the many vacant PAS positions, when he gets around to it. And if he wants to nominate Manning, Botel, or Jackson for the Education Department jobs they are currently filling in an acting status, he could do so. But they would then have to give up their acting positions.
A man suspected of killing one man and wounding two bystanders as he sprayed the Downtown Mall with bullets has been arrested in Tennessee, po
Updated at 8:30 p.m.

A 75-year-old Charlottesville man will pay a $100 fine after being found guilty of reckless driving Monday in an Aug. 21 crash that killed a high-level businesswoman at the Shops at Stonefield.

Franklin Pollock Reider told police his foot accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake that day when 57-year-old Bonnie Baha, of San Marino, California, and her family tried to cross District Avenue in the shopping center. Police said Reider was attempting to make a left turn from Bond Street onto District Avenue when he hit Baha, her husband and her daughter.

Baha, a top executive with a California investment management firm, was visiting Charlottesville with her family to drop off her son, a first-year student, at the University of Virginia.

She died at the UVa Medical Center. Her husband and daughter were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

In court Monday, Albemarle County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Darby Lowe argued that though Reider may have accidentally stepped on the accelerator when he meant to hit the brake, it is still the drivers responsibility to operate a vehicle in a safe manner. Even if it was not an intentional act, because Reider hit and killed someone, she said, he was displaying reckless behavior.

The prosecutions first witness was Albemarle County police Officer Kasey Flippen, the first officer to respond to the scene of the crash. When he arrived, Flippen said there was a crowd of people surrounding the scene, but he could see a woman lying in the road in a puddle of blood and, next to her, a man lying in the road.

Flippen said he spoke to the driver of the grey 2010 Toyota, identified as Reider, who said he went to brake when he saw the pedestrians enter the crosswalk, but he may have accidentally hit the gas instead.

Michael Lacey was waiting to take his turn through the same intersection when he saw Reiders vehicle begin to make a left turn before it suddenly accelerated.

I saw bodies flying, Lacey said in court.

After the impact, Lacey said he immediately grabbed his phone to call 911. He said Reider looked visibly shaken.

Albemarle Traffic Officer Randy Jamerson then went on the stand to talk about the crash reconstruction and examination of the cars internal computer system. All newer cars have a box that wakes up when the car is jolted and records vital data, such as how fast the car was going seconds before the impact, if the brake was applied and whether the passengers were wearing seatbelts.

From that data, Jamerson said police determined what time the car accelerated and the speed it was going at the time it hit Baha and her family members. Four seconds before the crash, the car was traveling about 8 mph and accelerated to 19 mph at the time of the crash. Based on the data, Jamerson said the brakes were never applied.

Jay Malone Jr., from Brown Toyota, then came forward to talk about the inspection done on Reiders vehicle following the crash. Two Toyota safety recalls were in question, both of which could have affected the accelerator, if they were not completed in Reiders car. One recall replaced the software in the gas pedal to stop it from ever overriding the brake. The other replaced the accelerator bar, which keeps the gas pedal from going down to the floor.

But both recalls had been done on Reiders car in 2010  six years prior to the crash, Malone said.

The defense elected not to present evidence and maintained that the crash was a complete accident. Reiders attorney, Francis Lawrence, said his client should not be convicted of reckless driving because it was not an intentional act.

It was the furthest thing from his mind to put anyone at risk, Lawrence said. Recklessness involves some level of consciousness.

A judge found Reider guilty of reckless driving, but postponed his decision to take Reiders license until he can be retested by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Reider also will pay a $100 fine.
The Charlottesville City Council last week allocated $10,000 to assist the Legal Aid Justice Centers efforts to represent local immigrant families.

The move is part of a larger resolution updating a commitment that the council made in 2015 to create a welcoming community for its immigrant residents.

The money will assist the centers programs that represent and help local immigrant families.

Following Mayor Mike Signers declaration earlier this year that Charlottesville is a Capital of the Resistance against the current White House administrations policies, the City Council passed the new resolution Monday, citing a growing climate of fear in the community and across the country.

In the past, weve seen people get involved in the immigration system when theyre somehow involved with the criminal justice system  that can be because of a traffic incident, said Mary Bauer, executive director of the Legal Aid Justice Center.

But now, were seeing a much higher level of concern from immigrants who are just living their lives and who have not been caught up in the system, she said. The fear is that even the most minor thing can get them in the system and destroy their family.

In a report to the city, Legal Aid officials said local census data show about 18,000 foreign-born residents living in Charlottesville and the surrounding area. The majority of those residents are from Mexico as well as Central American countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

The money for Legal Aid will go toward legal representation for about a dozen immigrants who are in the process of being deported. The funding also will support Know Your Rights seminars and emergency preparedness workshops, where families prepare legal documents to confirm who will care for their children or manage their personal property if they are deported.

Bauer said Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have not been widespread in Charlottesville, but the immigrant community here is still afraid.

In Charlottesville, we havent seen ICE raids like that, she said. Its not that it wont happen; its happening elsewhere [in Virginia.]

* * *

Initially, Signer was interested in seeing what the local government could do to make Charlottesville a so-called sanctuary city, but he pulled back on using the term before holding a large rally outside of City Hall on Jan. 31.

Nonetheless, he and other city officials have agreed to promote a progressive message about the citys stance on refugees and immigrants in Charlottesville.

The single biggest policy initiative out of that was that we wanted to craft a policy, that weve been advised on by our city manager and stakeholders, on what we could say about immigration issues in our community, Signer said during Mondays meeting.

Throughout the course of his election campaign, President Donald Trump promised to take a strong stance against illegal immigration and the acceptance of Muslim refugees into the country.

Following Trumps election, Signer and other local officials met with local agencies and faith community leaders that serve large segments of the local Latino and Muslim communities in Charlottesville.

They need this kind of reassurance  they need to know where we are as a policy-making body, Signer said of the new immigration resolution.

I believe this will also provide them the reassurance that they need from this community where they have moved, where they are raising their families and where they came to fleeing tyranny, he added.

There are families being affected locally by the Trump administrations policies and recent executive orders banning refugees from Syria and immigrants from several Muslim-majority countries, said Karim Ginena.

Ginena, a member of the Islamic Society of Central Virginia and a doctoral candidate at the University of Virginias Darden School of Business, spoke at Signers Jan. 31 rally, two days after the mayor visited the centers mosque.

I would say people here are mostly welcoming, and theres a supportive atmosphere, whether its local officials or citizens, Ginena said of the council resolution and public activism that has sprung up in recent months. That doesnt mean there are people with other views. But I think the broader community supports the sense of solidarity.

* * *

On Sunset Avenue Extended in Albemarle County, Susan McCulleys yard is one of many with a tri-colored sign that reads, No matter where you are from, were glad youre our neighbor in English, Spanish and Arabic.

For me, what's important in the measure of a person, community or country is how we treat the most vulnerable, she said.

McCulley, a personal fitness and wellness instructor, said shes probably ordered more than 100 of the signs for her friends and neighbors after they expressed interest in the one in her yard.

McCulley said she did not think about how divided the community might be over federal immigration policy prior to the election. Since [then], I felt like its really important to make it clear what I think about how to treat people, she said.

Ive never even put up a political sign up in my yard before, she added.

Dan Katz, a spokesman for Creciendo Juntos, a community agency that connects Latino families with bilingual health and social service providers, said the signs and the councils resolution are well-intentioned but that people should do more to assist the areas immigrant communities.

In certain liberal, progressive circles, theres reassuring dialogue happening. And in certain neighborhoods you see those signs  but thats not translating to a family in Southwood that might have an undocumented parent and two children that are citizens, he said.

I dont think you put out a press release or a policy and that makes families feel safe. Theres a lot of distrust and fear. You dont overcome that with words. You do it with action and dialogue, he said.

Katz said hes generally encouraged by the response of the community to political rhetoric and policies that affect immigrant communities.

I see its happening, and Im encouraged by it, but I see it as a beginning to a response, he said, adding that he feels responsible to do more to foster better connections between the disparate communities and between local authorities and immigrants.

Katz noted that he has felt reassured that local authorities in Charlottesville and Albemarle County said they will not seek to identify and arrest people on the suspicion that they might be illegal residents.

* * *

Although the good-will and neighborly signs  which originated at a Mennonite church in Harrisonburg  have become ubiquitous throughout Charlottesville and parts of Central Virginia, the message does not resonate with everyone.

Nationally and locally, conservative media pundits and commentators have pointed to crimes committed by Hispanic immigrants, coupling those police reports with calls for tighter restrictions on immigration and a crackdown on those residing here illegally.

Signer alluded to those concerns Monday, pointing to a section of the resolution that says the city defers to the considered judgment of our law enforcement and public safety professionals in regards to the policies they use.

This is the wisdom weve received from our police, our jails and our prosecutor, Signer said. We trust them to keep our community safe, and thats reflected in our ordinance.

Erich Reimer, the recently elected chairman of the Charlottesville Republican committee, offered a tempered, but critical, impression of the councils resolution.

In an interview Wednesday, the day after he was elected to lead the citys Republican committee, the 26-year-old UVa law student said he would like to change the public perception of the Republican Party and improve its appeal to minority communities in the area.

I think a lot of the general sentiments expressed in the original Welcoming City resolution and the updated version reflect many of our shared American values, he said in an email Thursday. However, I worry that the update continues a worrying trend by the City Council to at times drag divisive national issues unnecessarily into local affairs.

Reimer said peoples constitutional and legal rights should be respected, but he took aim at the councils $10,000 contribution to the Legal Aid Justice Center.

We should also be careful with how we spend limited taxpayer money, especially when both the city budget and property assessments, and the consequent tax burdens, are increasing, and when there are so many groups out there that are in need of assistance, he said.
Counsel for the Central Virginia Regional Jail is asking a federal judge to have the Supreme Court of Virginia weigh in on an essential question in a wrongful death allegation against the Orange facility.

Earlier this month, attorney Helen E. Phillips filed a motion asking for the states highest court to consider whether the jail and its employees, as arms of the state government, are entitled to immunity from lawsuits over violations of state law.

Phillips argues the answer to that question would help resolve a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed in June 2015 by Sherry Thornhill, the mother of former CVRJ inmate Shawn Christopher Berry. On August 7, 2014, Berry was arrested on outstanding warrants and brought to the CVRJ, where he died two days later from the effects of alcohol and heroin.

While Berrys death was ruled an accident, Thornhill filed a $22.5 million wrongful death suit against the jail; its then-superintendent, Glenn Aylor; and several other jail staffers for the deliberate torture and killing of her son. She alleged that the staffers were aware of the withdrawals Berry would be suffering, but acted with indifference to his pain.

The original complaint, which detailed Berrys deterioration over the two-day span, accused Aylor of creating a culture of deliberate indifference to the medical needs of inmates, and alleged that his retirement in June 2015 was actually an ousting.

Last year, a judge ruled that the case could not be considered a class-action suit, and that six jail employees, including five non-medical officers, should be excluded as defendants. The rest of the suit was allowed to go forward, with the judge finding sufficient factual allegations to support the claim that the jail operated with a policy of deliberate indifference.

In her April 4 filing, Phillips argues that the wrongful death claim could be resolved by the Virginia Supreme Courts determination of whether the defendants are entitled to sovereign or governmental immunity under the laws of the state.

The filing states that neither the states Supreme Court nor its appellate court has affirmed whether those protections apply to jail authorities, and that there is disagreement between the eastern and western districts of Virginia as to whether regional jails should get immunity as municipal corporations.

In a motion filed last Tuesday, Thornhills counsel countered that the question did not present an unresolved question of law and that it rested on findings of fact that have not yet been made, and asked the court to deny Phillips motion.

The plaintiffs motion goes on to assert that, as entities created by counties, cities or towns, regional jail authorities are not government agencies. The motion continues that even if the individual defendants were entitled to sovereign immunity for simple negligence, they would not enjoy that immunity if their conduct was intentional or grossly negligent  a question of fact that hasnt yet been answered in the litigation.

Thornhill has alleged, and will prove at trial, that the individual defendants were deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of Shawn Christopher Berry, it reads. In doing so, Thornhill will necessarily prove gross negligence sufficient to defeat sovereign immunity.

The question of whether the individual defendants were grossly negligent is a fact-laden inquiry inappropriate for decision until the jury has ruled, or at least until the summary judgment stage, it continues.

Thornhills counsel further rejects the notion that Phillips question of law is unresolved. Citing the states appellate case law and rulings from the majority of federal district courts, the attorneys say that regional jail authorities fail to meet the necessary criteria to receive immunity.

A judge has not yet weighed in on the latest round of motions. A jury trial in the matter is set for Nov. 6 in federal court in Charlottesville.
Years of threats from state supreme courts in Kansas and Washington have bought those states perennial school funding battles to a head this year, and legislatures in both states have considered special sessions to get the justices off their backs.

State courts have had an increasingly difficult time in recent years forcing legislatures to increase funding for school districts.

What would they do if the legislature says no? You cant jail legislators, because they have legislative immunity, Richard E. Levy, a legal scholar at the University of Kansas who studies constitutional law, told me last year for a story I wrote on such scenarios playing themselves out across the country.

Washingtons supreme court in 2012 ruled the states funding formula unconstitutional for relying too heavily on local tax dollars to pay for public schools. The legislature responded by increasing funding for all-day kindergarten, smaller class sizes, and transportation. But they have yet to come up with a way to boost teacher salaries, estimated to cost the state $3.5 billion every two years.

After a lot of huffing and puffing, but no action, the supreme court last year began fining the legislature $100,000 a day for every day the lawmakers were in session and failed to come up with a solution. That bill has climbed to more than $40 million now, and the court said in October last year that if the legislature doesnt come up with a solution the court would ramp up sanctions, as suggested by outgoing state Superintendent Randy Dorn.

Under Democratic Gov. Jay Inslees orders, the states legislature went into special session this week to come up with a solution.

Both sides are going to have to move fairly dramatically in order to reach an agreement here, Inslee said, according to the Associated Press. Im doing everything I can humanly imagine to doyou know, short of waterboardingto get these folks to negotiate.

The House, controlled by Democrats, has passed a bill that would raise several taxes across the state, including on capital gains and on high-earning businesses. It would raise more than $3 billion in revenue over the next two years.

The states Senate, controlled by Republicans, has proposed creating a new statewide property tax and eliminating local school district property taxes for one year. In 2020, local districts could start raising local property taxes again, but at more modest levels. That plan would raise $1.5 billion over the next two years.

Kansas problems are a little more complicated. Because the state has operated on a block grant funding formula thats set to expire this year, legislators must come up with an entirely new funding formula.

That states supreme court said earlier this year that the funding formula is inadequate, but acknowledged that how the legislature distributes any new funding matters as much as the amount they distribute.

That set off a debate over how the state wants to bring more than a quarter of Kansas students up to basic learning standards. The states superintendents want more than $779 million in new spending on, among other things, teacher pay, counselors, and preschool.

The states conservative legislators want to ramp up the states accountability system, provide vouchers to students trapped at underperforming schools, and more tightly control district spending. They propose adding just $75 million to state education spending, a number plaintiffs lawyers in the Gannon v. Kansas decision say will not satisy the court.

Last year, the Kansas high court threatened to shut down the entire school system unless the legislature came up with a more equitable funding formula. The legislature, at the last minute reshuffled money between its districts, and the court backed off.

Several conservative organizations in the state attempted to recall those justices during last Novembers election, but that effort failed, a clear signal to legislators, school funding advocates said, that Kansans want more money for the states schools.

Meanwhile, after Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012 and 2013 cut the states income taxes, the state now faces budget shortfalls totaling $889 million through June 2019, according to the Associated Press.

The House and Senate ways and means committee plan to meet this week to discuss ways to close that shortfall and come up with a way to spend more on the states public schools.

The legislature comes back from its recess on May 1. Some watchers say a special session is likely.

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
Are Zero Tolerance Policies at Schools Harmful?

School safety can be a controversial subject. Although everyone agrees that safe schools are important and essential in every community, not everyone agrees on how to achieve safe schools. Zero tolerance policies began emerging in the 1980s and 90s in response to the increased efforts in the government's war on drugs, as well as part of the Gun Free Schools Act.

Over time, many schools expanded their zero tolerance policies to include other behaviors including fighting, or possessing drugs or alcohol, and even less serious offenses. After the tragic Columbine shooting in 1999, many more schools started instituting zero tolerance policies for students caught carrying weapons. However, now that there is decades of data for researchers to review and analyze, zero tolerance policies have come under the microscope.

A Snowball's Chance in Detention

A criticism of zero tolerance policies involves the application of the rigid policies to normal childhood behavior. For example, a few years back, a Chicago teen was expelled for hitting a school employee with a snowball, despite the fact that there were no injuries. Further, students across the country have been expelled for fighting, or simply just watching a fight and not getting help.

Researchers now believe that zero tolerance policies have the opposite effect and lead to an increase in repeat offenses and student dropout rates. Additionally, suspension and expulsions, particularly for minor offenses, have been found to not result in a safer school climate.

Discriminatory Impact of Zero Tolerance Policies

In addition to the problem of zero tolerance policies not achieving the desired results, multiple studies have shown that there is a disproportionate impact on African-American and Hispanic students. While the policies may be facially neutral, studies show that African American and Hispanic students are disciplined for violations that white students routinely get away with, such as being disruptive, or insubordinate.

To remedy this, in 2014, the Department of Education issued a warning to public schools across the country to review their discipline policies and practices for discriminatory impact, and remedy any inequalities, or face a potential federal civil rights enforcement action.

Related Resources:
A Reva man convicted in a major drug distribution ring has been sentenced to 88 months in federal prison.

Robert B. Apperson, 35, was arrested August 24 at his home on Cottonwood Trail in the town of Culpeper and pleaded guilty to January in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. to a charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine.

He is among 14 people charged with federal crimes following an investigation of a narcotics trafficking ring that operated out of New York, Washington, D.C. and Virginia, according to a news release from the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

The entire investigation led the seizure of 2.8 kilograms of powder cocaine, 248 grams of crack cocaine, 700 grams of heroin, more than $100,000 cash and a gun.

Upon completion of his prison term, Apperson will have four years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $130,000 in a forfeiture money judgment.

In June and July, confidential sources for the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force made three controlled buys of heroin in this area. Appersons arrest soon followed.

According to court records, Apperson and another Culpeper man were dealing in large quantities. When he was arrested, Apperson had $40,000 in cash on him, according to a search warrant.

According to court records, Apperson and the other man pooled their money to purchase bulk quantities of cocaine and heroin for distribution in Culpeper. In arguing in September that he not be released prior to trial, the government proffered that he had significant cash on hand as demonstrated by the fact that Apperson had recently purchased a luxury car with $16,200 in cash, mostly $100 bills and noted that he would pay the rest of the loan within two months.
Next Steps for Trump's Travel Ban

Last week, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that he was "amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order" halting President Donald's Trump ban on immigration from six Muslim-majority countries. Despite Sessions' newfound wonder at the concept of judicial review and checks and balances in the federal government (not to mention the vast geographical limits of the country), several courts have found Trump's travel ban unconstitutional, both in its initial iteration in February and its revamped version in March.

Two federal circuit courts have put temporary injunctions in place, prohibiting the federal government from enforcing Trump's "Executive Order Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States." So when will those reviews happen, and what could happen next?

Ninth Lives

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has been particularly unkind to Trump's travel ban. In February, perhaps much to Sessions' dismay, the court unanimously held "it is beyond question that the federal judiciary retains the authority to adjudicate constitutional challenges to executive action" when it struck down the first travel ban. And it just so happens that the latest injunction from Hawaii's U.S. District Judge Derek Watson -- whom Sessions voted to the federal bench as a senator -- will again be reviewed by the Ninth Circuit.

There was an appeal to have the case heard by an 11-judge panel (known as "en banc") but it lacked the necessary votes. So three judges from the Ninth Circuit will hear the government's appeal on May 15. After that, it may go to an en banc review in the Ninth and possibly to the Supreme Court after.

Fourth Time's a Charm?

Another judge sitting in the Old Line State on the Atlantic also blocked Trump's travel ban. U.S. District Judge Theodore David Chuang in Maryland found Trump's "history of public statements continues to provide a convincing case that the purpose of the Second Executive Order remains the realization of the long-envisioned Muslim ban."

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the government's appeal of the Chuang's ruling en banc (with as many as 15 judges) on May 8. Depending on how each case is decided they could both end up in the Supreme Court before long.

Related Resources:
Baby Boom is one of those few comedies from the 1980's which retains its wit, charm and social relevance today, despite being an obvious cultural product of its time. The movie stars the lovely Diane Keaton who is the heart and soul of this movie, and the main reason why we root for the main character. She leads a cast of other familiar, but unappreciated talents, including Pat Hingle (who played the original Comissioner Gordon from the first four Batman movies), Sam Wanamaker (a longtime actor who also has superhero roots from Superman IV: The Quest for Peace), and James Spader (yet another participant in the nefarious Baby Boom/superhero conspiracy with his role as Ultron in the second Avengers movie). Spader steals just about every scene he's in, with a performance which is only slightly broader than his white-bread portrayal as a Yuppie lawyer in Wall Street, but more tongue-in-cheek.

The movie introduces us to Keaton's character, J.C. Wiatt, who is the embodiment of corporate climbing ambition and wholehearted Yuppiness. (Her name alone demands to be wrapped in a power tie.) She is trying to climb the corporate ladder and embraces her Manhattan lifestyle (pun intended). Viewers get a capsule look at her superficial practices, including robotic sexual practices, a dry relationship with boyfriend Steven Buchner (played by Harold Ramis), and her generally self-serious demeanor for the first ten minutes of the movie and the results are fun if not stereotypical. J.C.'s life changes drastically when she is given the responsibility of raising her young and recently orphaned niece Elizabeth (played by twins Kristina and Michelle Kennedy at age one), which adversely affects her relationship and her work. In short order, her boyfriend leaves her and she feels pushed away by her male-dominated company because of her sudden motherhood.

Looking for a change, she retreats to Vermont (directly bypassing a stay over at Bob Newhart's Stratford Inn) and purchases a large home surrounded by acres of clean land. She makes earnest efforts to adjusting to small-town life, including cooking and canning an endless harvest of apples, but a series of unfortunate events show up and uproot her new life. Freezing winters, bad pipes, dry wells, and general homesickness make her long for the cultural sophistication of city life. Her fish-out-of-water mishaps, which would seem tiresome and cliche in another movie, works well thanks to Ms. Keaton's talents. When J.C.'s money pit of a house causes her to breakdown in front of a stanger, and then further expose her vulnerability to a doctor (a veterinarian played by Sam Shepherd), her performance is funny, touching and convincing without making her character look weak.

Soon, our heroine begins to recover from her funk by making and then distributing her homemade supply of applesauce (charmingly marketed as "Country Baby" brand), which soon becomes a hit locally and beyond. Her entrepreneurial ways re-open doors back to city life, where her old office offers the business partnership she once coveted. In the end she is left with a decision to return to her old life, or continue with her new one.

Despite my enthusiasm for this movie, it should be noted that neither the direction by Charles Shyer, nor the script co-written by his wife Nancy Myers are particularly remarkable (although I prefer this film over their other collaborations like Private Benjamin, Father of the Bride, and Irreconciiable Differences). The overall humor is at the level of a good 1980's network sitcom, but supporting characters rarely exhibit more than two dimensions. Keaton's breakup with her boyfriend is done so suddently and dismissively that it makes his shallow character all the more disagreeable (though it's difficult to dislike Dr. Egon Spengler (Ghostbusters) himself). When Keaton considers putting the baby up for adoption, the potential parents are stereotyped as your typical hicks from Duluth, and the jokes against them are shallow and obvious. Potential babysitters are characterized by their ethnic background with the exception of Victoria Jackson (remember her from the godawful 1980's SNL period?) who resorts naturally to playing the dumb blonde bimbo. When it comes to the kid's behavior, the movie predictably relies on slapstick comedy (the baby is able to throw a handful of spaghetti at Keaton with deadly accuracy, and completely mangle a pair of glasses worn by Ramis) which would be right at home in movies like Three Men and a Baby or Mr. Mom. Surprisingly, the young child (or baby stunt double) is sometimes handled rather roughly to get a few laughs though I am sure no harm was done to the toddlers portrayed in this movie. For anyone who has seen Chevy Chase's underrated Funny Farm (which came out one year later), there are distinctive similarites shared by Baby Boom both in theme and broadly caricaturized portrayals of small-town life, and watching the two movies back to back maybe worth an experiment.

The movie is somewhat dated by all the mid-tempo pop songs which could have been sung anonymously by Christopher Cross, Carly Simon, James Taylor as written by Marvin Hamlisch or Burt Bacharach. A saxophone melody which may have been "borrowed" from St. Elmo's Fire, makes a frequent appearance on the score as writen by Bill Conti, whose work for The Right Stuff is one of my favorites.

Still, this movie is Diane Keaton's main event all the way, and the evolution of her character conveys the themes and messages of the screenplay (the merits of Yuppie-dom, working moms, traditional values versus modern life and other social observations) without being strident or political. At its most ambitious, it's a statement on the conflicts facing women of the eighties (and presently). At the very least, it's an enjoyable comedy featuring one woman and a baby.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray:

Baby Boom is delivered to your home from MGM Studios and 20th Century Fox by the good people at Twilight Time, a company which brings neglected classics back to life with their special catalog of titles, with emphasis on outstanding scores and soundtracks. This title is limited to 3000 copies. The 50 GB disc contains both movie and supplements, encased in a Blu-ray keep case with dual-sided cover art plastered with full-color pictures and text. The insert features the original VHS and DVD boxcover photo, and features an essay by Julie Kirgo accompanied by stills.
Genres : Comedy, Crime, Horror

Starring : Frank Geraci, Tim Sheldon, Kate Shaffmaster, William Lane

Director : Ralph Hirshorn

Plot Synopsis

After a daring jewel heist, a trio of thieves hold up in an old dark house inhabited by a motley bunch of restless ghosts that only want to dispatch their new guests in the most horrible manner possible - that is if they can get to them before the spirits of an unruly group of dismembered corpses from the nearby cemetery! Shot in Philadelphia in 1962, this low-budget obscurity claws its way out of the cinematic grave to debut on home video for the very first time courtesy of a new HD Blu-ray from Garagehouse Pictures. Directed by Ralph S. Hirshorn, THE DISMEMBERED is an offbeat ghosts-and-gangsters satire that plays like a cross between Roger Corman and Casper the Friendly Ghost, and the evokes the spirit of American International Pictures and the drive-in B movie. Featuring homicidal ghosts, creeping severed limbs, cobwebbed sets, graveyard atmosphere and weird musical improvisations by the Main Street Ghouls, THE DISMEMBERED is one strange little movie with lots of ghoulish charm.


California criminal defense attorney Rick Horowitz had a juvenile client, he was shocked when the prosecutor in the case told him that to see the evidence against his client, he'd have to log in to evidence.com, run by Taser International (now rebranded as Axon).

This is radioactively illegal, violating all the vital rules of confidentiality in juvenile cases. What's more, evidence.com has already been implicated in police evidence-tampering.

But most damning is evidence.com's sweeping license agreement, which requires criminal attorneys to surrender their rights and the rights of their clients in order to engage in the normal discovery process, without which no defense is possible.

Set that aside, as I said. The fact of the matter remains that nothing in the laws of the State of California allows for Axon to have juvenile court records provided to it by the police. This is problematic not just because it means that law enforcement officers, and complicit District Attorney Officesand, by the way, defense attorneys who signed up for the service, and thereby not only acquiesced, but agreed to give up certain rights regarding their clients' data, toohave ignored the law. It is also problematic because, so far as I know, the courts are unaware of this. At least, I hope the courts are unaware of this, because if they are aware of this, that means that the courts have also sanctioned ignoring the laws of the State of California as pertains to juveniles. Why does this matter? After all, WIC 827.1 already allows a city, county, or city and county, to set up a database for exchange of (arguably) this type of data. Why can't the city, county, or city and county outsource that task to a corporation, like Axonthe people who support law enforcement's war on its citizens? It matters just because Axon is a private corporation. Set asidemy god! let's set aside every bit of the law!the fact that WIC 827.1 expressly states that the city, county, or city and county should be in charge of this data, and should be responsible for who is given access to it. The decision as to who is granted access to the system should come from the city, county, or city and county: not from Axon. But in the case of Evidence.com, such access does come from Axon. In fact, I have so far been prevented from obtaining the discovery in my juvenile case. Why? Because I refused to sign the license agreement with Axon to obtain access to theirnot the city, county, or city and county's, but Axon'swebsite.

The Nerve of Law Enforcement

[Rick Horowitz/RH Defense]

(Thanks, Bruce!)


The Intercept publishes a previously-unseen set of Snowden docs detailing more than $500,000,000 worth of secret payments by the Japanese government to the NSA, in exchange for access to the NSA's specialized surveillance capabilities, in likely contravention of Japanese privacy law (the secrecy of the program means that the legality was never debated, so no one is sure whether it broke the law).



Japan was never fully integrated into NSA's Pacific-region surveillance partnerships, though. That's because Japan's intelligence apparatus is, in the NSA's internal estimation, stuck in an old-fashioned Cold War mode of excessive secrecy and siloing, which prevented it from fully collaborating.

But Japan still hosts at least three NSA facilities, including a massive surveillance-gear servicing hub where broken spy gadgets from around the world are shipped for repair.





The Japanese spies' cooperation with the NSA was also compromised by conflicts between the two countries' leadership, especially on whaling: the NSA actively spied on Japan's whaling negotiators during the 59th International Whaling Commission, which ended in strict limits on whaling that humiliated and enraged Japan on a global scale.

About 1,200 miles southwest of Yokota is the NSA's most remote Japanese spying station, located on the island of Okinawa at a large U.S. Marine Corps base called Camp Hansen. It, too, has greatly benefited from a massive injection of Japanese money. In the early 2000s, NSA constructed a state-of-the-art surveillance facility on the island, paid for in full by Japan at a cost of some $500 million, according to the agency's documents. The site was carved out of a "dense, hilly area" called Landing Zone Ostrich that the Marines had previously used for jungle training. The facility, built to include an "antenna field" for its spying missions, was designed to be low-profile, blending in with the landscape. It replaced a previous spy hub NSA had maintained on Okinawa that the island's Japanese residents had complained was unsightly. The role of the remote eavesdropping station is to collect high-frequency communications signals as part of a mission called STAKECLAIM. The NSA does not appear to have a large number of employees stationed on the island; instead, it remotely operates the Okinawa facility from a "24-hour collection operations center" in Hawaii. Hiroshi Miyashita, a former Japanese government data protection official, told The Intercept that Japan's funding of U.S. intelligence activities is withheld from public disclosure under a state secrecy law, which he criticized. "It's our money  Japanese taxpayers' money," he said. "We should know how much was spent for intelligence activities in Japan." Miyashita, now an associate professor at Chuo University in Tokyo, said it was his understanding that NSA operates in the country outside Japan's legal jurisdiction due to an agreement that grants U.S. military facilities in Japan extraterritoriality. "There is no oversight mechanism," Miyashita said. "There is limited knowledge of activities within the bases."



JAPAN MADE SECRET DEALS WITH THE NSA THAT EXPANDED GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE [Ryan Gallagher/The Intercept]
Mumbai: Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran today welcomed the NCLT dismissing the Mistry camp's petitions saying the verdict is an endorsement of the values and principles of the group.

"The Tata group, led by Tata Sons, has always been committed to the highest ethical standards and principles of governance. We welcome the NCLT order, which is an endorsement of these values and principles," Chandra said in a statement.

He further said, "Tata Sons and the operating companies are focused on growth to deliver value to our shareholders, and we thank all stakeholders for their continued support.

" The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had on April 17 dismissed the petitions filed by two Cyrus Mistry family controlled companies that alleged suppression of minority shareholders by the group and sought an exception to the 10 per cent mandated shareholding to be considered a minority shareholders.

The tribunal said the petitioners failed to establish a case of mismanagement and oppression of minority shareholders and also failed to present any evidence in support of their allegations.

"The tribunal did not see a prima facie triable case to take forward. The order of the NCLT vindicates the position of Tata Sons, the Tata Trusts and Ratan N. Tata," the overUSD103 billion group said.

Following the dismissal of his petitions, the Mistry camp late last week moved the National Company Lawboard Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) challenging the tribunal order.
TCS did not provide details of the geographies where hiring was done.

New Delhi: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recruited over 11,500 people outside India during 2016-17, including graduates from engineering and B-schools in the US, as it ramps up local hiring in offshore markets to tackle visa-related challenges.

The country's largest software services firm added 79,000 employees (gross) and 33,380 employees (net), taking its employee base to 3.87 lakh at the end of March. Hiring locals in overseas markets often pushes up operational costs for IT outsourcing companies.

However, with the governments in markets like the US, Australia and New Zealand tightening their work visa norms, Indian IT companies are hiring more local talents in offshore markets to ensure compliance with rules.

"Our local hiring programmes in various geographies are progressing well. In FY'17, we recruited over 11,500 employees outside India, including some engineering campuses and the top-10 business schools in the US," TCS CEO and Managing Director Rajesh Gopinathan told investors.

TCS did not provide details of the geographies where hiring was done. However, the 11,500 number is lower than TCS' hiring from international markets in 2015-16. According to the company's annual report, it had inducted 16,173 people from international markets into its workforce in fiscal 2016.

America accounted for over 55 per cent of TCS' USD 4.4 billion revenue in the January-March 2017 quarter, while over 25 per cent revenue came from Europe. Companies like TCS and Infosys use work permits like H-1B visa (in the US) to send engineers to work on client sites.

However, over the past few weeks, the US and other countries like Australia have taken steps to tighten their visa regime. This, in turn, has forced companies to adjust their business models to reduce their dependence on visas and hire more locals overseas instead.

The development comes at a time when the over USD 140 billion Indian IT industry is grappling with challenges like fluctuating currency movement and technology changes at a fast pace.

New technologies like automation and artificial intelligence are also making a number of jobs redundant that in turn is impacting hiring at IT firms. TCS added about 79,000 employees in 2016-17 as compared to 90,000 gross hires in the preceding financial year.

"...going forward, we have said directionally it is going to come down and the total net intake also will be lower than what we have done this year," TCS Head of Global Human Resources Ajoy Mukherjee said.
Mumbai: Vodafone today launched a new international roaming pack offering unlimited roaming for travellers to the US, the UAE and Singapore.

Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged additionally for calls and data while roaming in these countries, the second largest telco said in a statement.

There is no cap on the number of calls or amount of high speed data that can be used. Also, calls include all incoming calls and outgoing calls anywhere in the world.

This means customers travelling in the US can even make calls to Hong Kong at no extra charges.
New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said the government has taken up the H-1B visa issue with the US but it is not discussing the problems of individual IT companies.

"We are certainly talking with the US administration on H-1B visas. However, I am not talking on each of these firms," she told reporters here. She was responding to a query about the US accusations that top Indian IT firms including TCS and Infosys were unfairly cornering the lion's share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which the Trump administration wants to replace with a more merit-based immigration policy.

The minister said India has raised the issue of change in the H-1B visa policy and "not on specific companies". As regards H-1B, after due discussions, an understanding was reached between India and US on issuance of these visas and India is raising the issue of proposed changes announced by America.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already raised the issue of restrictions on H-1B visa twice with the US as India fears the curb would impact the movement of Indian IT professionals to America.

President Donald Trump has 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.

The Indian IT industry has expressed serious concerns over this as these visas are mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields.

Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals. India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.
240417MASIU PRESENTS IN PARLIAMENT

By Aloysius Laukai

South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu last week Wednesday gave a verbal account of how he distributed the District Support Improvement Program (DSIP) fund during his seven months in office.

In his report tabled to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Parliament, MR. MASIU said he had endeavoured to failry distribute the fund to the four districts in his electorate.

Mr. Masiu said I believe that it is in the best interest of open and accountable leadership that I report on how I as the custodian of this government funding, have used it to address the development needs of the people of South Bougainville.

He told the ABG parliament, the report is the highlight of development achivements through the use of the DSIP, stressing that the DSIP is a direct intervention by the national government which goes direct to the districts or electorates to ensure the people in the rural villages see,feel and appreciate efforts by their elected leaders to bring development to their doorsteps.

As the Manager of the DSIP I have endeavoured in the last seven months to equitably distribute the fund to the four districts of Buin,Siwai,Bana and Torokina. This report is therefore the highlight of the development achievements through the use of the DSIP.

He said this was the last ABG Parliament meeting for him and his colleague national parliamentarians before they face the people at elections, and as a first time parliamentarian, he has found the job very challenging but rewarding as well.

I feel satisfied with my achievements in the seven months in office and despite achieving much progress, Iam confident of doing more for my people if Iam given a full parliamentary term.

I have enjoyed working with and alongside members of the ABG especially those from South Bougainville as well as the President.

I have endeavoured to work closely with you, our government and our public servants and all stakeholders like churches,NGOs,Youths,Women and the Ex combatants and other likeminded Bougainvilleans.

I also salute all our aid partners and other agencies like the European Union,and AusAid for lending us much needed help.

I will continue to look outside the box and embark on creating a network with willing partners to bring about change and progress to South Bougainville and Bougainville as a whole.

I have done as much as I could within the short time in office and I thank the Chiefs, Elders,and all stakeholders including the public service in the four districts in my electorate, service providers, the private sector and the people of South Bougainville for standing by me and working with me to achieve the changes that we are witnessing in this short time.

On that note Iam confident that I have done enough to secure the peoples vote of approval to return me for a full term in office, Mr. Masiu said.


The Council, which includes all Chief Ministers, Niti Aayog's members and special invitees.

New Delhi: The third meeting of Niti Aayog's Governing Council began today with the main agenda of deliberating on the 15-year Vision Document to accelerate the country's economic development.

"#NowOn: Third Meeting of Niti Aayog's Governing Council begins with Prime Minister @narendramodi and Team India!," the government think-tank said in a tweet.

"#TeamIndia, headed by PM @narendramodi, with Niti Aayog and all CMs, begin their deliberations to take India forward #CooperativeFederalism," it said in another tweet.

The day-long meeting of the Council is being held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 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 seven-year strategy paper and a three-year action plan, an official statement had said yesterday.

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 of the 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 had said.
New Delhi: Niti Aayog today came out with 300 specific action points for accelerating the economic growth of the country at its Governing Council meet here. These action points formed part of a presentation made by Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya at the third meeting of the council held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, no specific details about the action plan were available. The action points are part of the presentation on a 15- year long-term vision accompanied by a 7-year strategy and a 3-year action agenda, an official statement said. Panagariya, the statement said, "gave an outline of the draft action agenda circulated at the meeting, which had been prepared with inputs from the states."

He noted that there were over 300 specific action points that had been identified, covering a whole gamut of sectors. The period of the 'action agenda' coincides with the period of the 14th Finance Commission's award and will give stability to the funding estimates of both the Centre and states.

Panagariya also solicited the inputs and support of the states in taking the vision forward. Speaking on the occasion, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant apprised the gathering of the work done by the think tank for transforming the economy and cooperation with states in the sectors of education, health, infrastructure etc.

He also spoke about the work done by the sub-groups of chief ministers on rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes, Swachh Bharat and skill development.

Kant outlined initiatives taken in areas such as agriculture, poverty elimination, health, education, digital payments, disinvestment, coastal zone and island development etc. He said that Niti will work with states to improve basic services and infrastructure, in districts and regions which require specific attention.

Reiterating the Niti's resolve to facilitate partnership with the states for transforming India under the framework of cooperative and competitive federalism, Kant said the states should treat Niti Aayog as their outpost in Delhi.

The Aayog, the statement said, is working on a platform for sharing best practices to strengthen the learning ecosystem. It has partnered with a large number of top ranking institutions for knowledge sharing and ideation to nurture evidence-based policy making, the statement added.

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, who made a presentation on GST, urged the chief ministers to expedite the enactment of State GST Act. Also speaking on the occasion, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan touched upon areas such as irrigation, technology generation and dissemination, policy and market reforms, e-NAM, livestock productivity etc.

Niti Aayog member-agriculture Ramesh Chand elaborated on some of the steps needed for doubling farmers' income.
Mumbai: Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said fair price public distribution shops (PDS) must put on display at their outlets boards indicating subsidy on foodgrains that both the Centre and states provide.

"States should display at PDS shops the foodgrains subsidy borne by Centre and states," Paswan said. The recent directive from Food Ministry aims to do away with confusion among the populace and promote transparency in disbursal of subsidy amount.

In the Union Budget 2017, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley projected a 3 per cent increase in total subsidy outgo of the government. The subsidy for food, petroleum and fertilisers was, according to revised estimate, at Rs2,40,338.6 crore for 2017-18 fiscal.

"The government has earmarked Rs 1,45,338.60 crore for food subsidy in the next fiscal as against Rs 1,35,172.96 crore in the revised estimate of this fiscal," a PTI report earlier said.

To put an end to pilferage of foodgrains, kerosene, LPG and delivery of subsidy money directly to the needy, government made Aadhaar compulsory for most of the welfare schemes it started.

The government has also started a Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for timely and accurate delivery of subsidy amount. On government's request, over 1 crore LPG subscribers gave up their subsidy as a result adding thousands of crores of rupees to government coffers.
Dozens of global clothing firms are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago, a rights group said Monday. (Representational image)

Dhaka: Dozens of global clothing firms are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago, a rights group said Monday. Only 29 out of 72 recently contacted firms are releasing information about how they source their products in Bangladesh, and many brands have held out completely, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report.

That makes it impossible to hold them accountable for ensuring safe conditions at factories they work with, the group said. Bangladeshs garment industry has invested more than $1 billion in safety improvements since April 24, 2013, when the Rana Plaza garment factory complex collapsed outside Dhaka, killing more than 1,130 workers and injuring 2,500. The collapse highlighted grim conditions in the countrys garment industry, the second largest in the world with about 4,000 factories employing about 4 million workers and earning $25 billion a year from exports, mainly to the US and Europe.

Only 17 companies are now meeting the minimum disclosure standard, while some others are starting to move in the right direction, the report said. But the industry still has a long way to go, the group said. It said the 72 clothing and footwear companies were contacted in the past year by a coalition of labor and human rights organisations that endorsed a Transparency Pledge, which urged the companies to adhere to a minimum standard for publishing supply chain information. They said the minimum standard reflects corporate disclosure practices and aims to foster a level playing field in the industry.

Following the 2013 disaster, global clothing companies joined UN agencies and the Bangladesh government in promising to improve safety standards. Representatives from North American and European brands have visited the countrys garment factories to suggest improvements or sever ties with factories that failed to improve. The government has also hired more than 350 new factory inspectors and passed legislation setting up a workers welfare fund and allowing stronger union representation. The companies say the efforts are paying off.

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a group of 29 North American brands, lauded the industrys progress over the last four years. The group has 775 factories in its network. Our comprehensive programs have begun to transform an industry once repeatedly touched by tragedy, it said.
The government think tank NITI Aayog has envisaged a new India in which all citizens in 15 years will have houses with toilets, two-wheelers or cars, power, air conditioners and digital connectivity.

New Delhi: The government think tank NITI Aayog has envisaged a new India in which all citizens in 15 years will have houses with toilets, two-wheelers or cars, power, air conditioners and digital connectivity. This is a glimpse of Vision 2031-32 presented by the NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya to the bodys governing council, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a meeting held on Sunday in the presence of chief ministers.

The India 2031-32: Vision, Strategy and Action agenda also visualises a fully literate society with universal access to health care. It also calls for having a much larger and modern network of roads, railways, waterways and air connectivity and a clean India where citizens would have access to quality air and water. It is envisions that per capita income would increase three fold to Rs 3.14 lakh in 2031-32 from Rs 1.06 lakh in 2015-16.

Besides, it states that the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) or economy would rise to Rs 469 lakh crore in 2031-32 from the Rs 137 lakh crore level in 2015-16. The vision says that the central and state expenditure will rise by Rs 92 lakh crore in 2031-32 to Rs 130 lakh crore, from Rs 38 lakh crore in 2015-16. The work on the Fifteen Year Vision and Seven Year Strategy document spanning 2017-18 to 2031-32 is in progress.

The three-year action agenda covering 2017-18 to 2019-20 was circulated to the governing council members on Sunday and would be finalised shortly. According to the vision presentation, all efforts had to be made to realise the vision of a vibrant India by 2031-32. We must transform India into a prosperous, healthy, secure, corruption-free, energy abundant, environmentally clean and globally influential nation, the presentation added. In an unrelated development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the performance of seven infrastructure sectors including roads, transport and railways at a meeting on Tuesday with the officials of the ministries concerned.

Other areas to be reviewed are Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), ports, airport and coal. Officials of Niti Aayog will also attend the meeting, sources said. They said Mr Modi will review the performance of sectors such as energy, housing, petroleum, power and renewables at another meeting to be held on May 8. The review is expected to focus on identifying the problems and clearing the bottlenecks that have been hampering development of the infra sector. Infra sector is a major focus area for the NDA government, a senior official said, adding that in 2016-17, many of the infrastructure sectors have performed well but there are areas that needed to be addressed.
Hyderabad: The director who changed the face of Telugu cinema, Kasinathuni Viswanath, popularly known as Kalathapasvi Viswanath, has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2016. The government announced the award on Monday. This is the highest award in the field of cinema. His film Shankarabharanam changed Telugu cinema and took it into the international arena.

Viswanath started his career as a sound recordist with Vahini Pictures. Akkineni Nageswara Rao spotted his talent and asked him to join Annapurna Pictures. Viswanath worked as assistant director to Adurthi Subba Rao and debuted as director with Atma Goura-vam in 1965, with Nageswara Rao in the lead. He never looked back since then. Though he directed many stars, he always believed in his style of storytelling and the content of his film for success.

There are no vulgar, double entendre dialogues in his films, which are pleasant, steeped in the local ethos, and with music, dance and traditional art forms. His film Swathi Muthyam not only won a National Award, but was also Indias official entry to the 59th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category. His other films Sirivennela, Saptapadi, Sutradharulu, Sruthi-layalu, Swathikiranam, Su-bha Sankalpam, Swayam Krushi and Swarna Kamalam won national and state awards.

Viswanath chooses a simple and uncomplicated story and gives film lovers a pleasant treat. Most of his stories are related to the common man and what is happening in such homes or with their neighbours.
Bengaluru: A casual trip to the Bannerghatta National Park turned Parisara Manju into a crusader for environment. I went to the Park years ago when I was an MSW student to take photos and admire nature, but I felt moved when I heard that birds and animals were dying at the nature park," says 30-year-old Manju, who along with his PUC friends founded the NGO, Miditha Foundation, five years ago to fight for the cause that is close to their heart.

That trip made him speak to numerous environmentalists and activists. It also made him realise that Bengalureans had to be made more aware of their environment. The city lacks empathy for environment. Only if they are made aware of sensitive issues, they would start thinking of helping the environment, said the founder president of Miditha.

He and his team of nature lovers are constantly on the move to help trees and animals. This March, he went to the Bannerghatta National Park with 100 kg of sugarcane for the elephants and 100 water bowls for the birds.

On Monday, the foundation is celebrating the birth anniversary of late Dr Rajkumar, the iconic actor of the Kannada film industry, by distributing 1,000 saplings around K.R. Puram. We will plant some 500 saplings around government school and colleges in K.R. Puram and distribute 500 plants to people and students who will be there to celebrate the birth anniversary, he said.

Last year, Manju won the Saalumarada Thimmakka National Bravery Award for his conservation efforts.

On the NGO, Manju said, Miditha means heartbeat. Our heart does beat for animals and plants and trees. Just the thought was the motivating factor for us to do something for the environment."

Last month, his team rescued a monkey that was injured after coming in contact with a live wire. The monkey had sustained severe burns. We took it to a rehabilitation centre, treated it and released it later at the same spot where it was rescued from. We keep getting calls to rescue stray dogs that are either hurt or dying. We reach the spot and give the dead animals a proper burial. We also plant a sapling at the burial spots, as a mark of respect for these strays, he said.

The Foundation runs camps and campaigns in government schools and colleges to make youngsters aware of their environment. We recently had an awareness camp on snakes, where we taught them about different poisonous and non-poisonous ones," he said.

His team now has nine key members and nearly 2,000 volunteers who participate in all the camps and awareness drives run by the foundation.

We try and conserve trees too by removing advertisement boards and nails from them. Some boards have contact numbers and we call them and tell them not to nail the trees. We have already conserved some 3,000 trees on main roads in the city," he said. The team runs awareness camps and holds street plays on conversation, plants, animals, snakes and forest fires. Our plays are well received, he said.

The foundation currently runs on funds donated by the team members and is supported by 10 NGOs. On its future, he said, We are planning to open a veterinary hospital which will be run free of cost and will also have ambulance and a call centre for the rescue and welfare of stray dogs. We are thinking of opening a shelter for stray cows too." His team is in talks with NGOs, activists and politicians for help.
Police officials are always on the lookout for people possessing illegal drugs and all they need is a law-abiding citizen to inform them. However, officers in Wyoming recent got the most unexpected call when a husband called them to say that his wife had drugs in her purse.

According to a media report, the Wyoming Police wrote on their Twitter account about a man who called them to complain about his wife. The complaint was quite usual but surprising because the man claimed that he had seen drugs in his wifes purse.

Interestingly, when the police paid a visit it was just a broken cocktail umbrella that was in her bag which he didnt care to ask her about before.
Contraband goods like narcotics and precious metals as well as exotic animals have been recovered from smugglers in the past, but as times change and new demand emerges, the materials being trafficked are also replaced.

Border police in Thailand apprehended a man with six vials of frozen human semen. Nithinon Srithaniyanan was arrested by customs official as he was carrying the sperm in a nitrogen tank.

The 25-year-old revealed that the semen was to be delivered to a fertility clinic in Vietnam and said that he had carried semen tubes to a hospital in Laos around 12 times as well as to Cambodia 13 times in the past year.

The man made close to Rs 10000 for every trip and was released later on payment of Rs 3.74 lakh as penalty. Although he allegedly produced certificates of the semen coming from Chinese and Vietnamese men, he was booked for violating Thai surrogacy laws.

Thailand banned surrogacy in 2015 and has also outlawed technology-assisted fertilisation as export of human sperm and eggs is also illegal. Cambodia also followed with similar laws in 2016.
Mr Achyuta Rao, a child rights activist, had submitted a video to the police, purportedly showing some girls cleaning drainage at the hostel run by Ambassadors of Goodwill for AIDS Patients Everywhere. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The police has registered a case against two women officials of AGAPE orphanage for HIV-positive patients for allegedly forcing five minor girl inmates to clean a drainage.

Mr Achyuta Rao, a child rights activist, had submitted a video to the police, purportedly showing some girls cleaning drainage at the hostel run by Ambassadors of Goodwill for AIDS Patients Everywhere.

Police had on Friday arrested hostel warden V. Prajavathi and supervisor G. Elavarasan. Both women were released on bail after they were produced in the court, said inspector Narasimha Reddy.

A case under Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act (subjecting children to cruelty) has been registered against them.

On Sunday. the NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham, wrote to the National Commission for The Protection of Child Rights, Delhi, to initiate action on the AGAPE Orphanage.

Even the Supreme Court has banned manual scavenging. We have made the principal secretary of women and child welfare and Rachakonda commissioner of police as respondents in the case. said sangham president Anuradha Rao.

The sangham demanded the closure of Agape orphanage and merging it with the government-run home as the management had failed to give care and protection to its inmates.
Hyderabad: An Army Majors wife who worked as a radio jockey with Radio Charminar, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her house in Bollarum. Though the incident took place a week ago, it came to light only after family members from Ghaziabad approached the police alleging that it was a case of murder. Police believe that it was a suicide.

Sandhya Singh, a 28-year-old native of Ghaziabad, had been living with her husband at Bollarum. Since their house is located within an army area, her death was not brought to the notice of the local police.

According to Sandhyas colleagues, she hosted a Sufi Night at Ashiana in Banjara Hills on Sunday and was in a cheerful mood that day. She came to the office on Monday, but left early. She appeared depressed, said Abdul Samad, a member of the Radio Charminar staff.

She had told a female colleague that she was fed up with her life, said Abdul Samad, a member of the Radio Charminar staff. She did not come to office from Tuesday. We tried to contact her, but her phone was off. We did not know what happened until her sister filed a complaint this week, Mr Samad added.

Sandhyas sister Ramya Singh lodged a complaint alleging that Sandhyas husband, Vishal Vaibhav, an Army Major posted with 54th Infantry in Secunderabad, had been harassing Sandhya. Inspector S. Maheswar said, We received a complaint from the victims family. It looks like a suicide. We have booked a case against her husband under Section 304B for dowry death. The police said that Sandhya had hung herself.

Sandhya and Vishal got married in September 2015. As it was a love marriage, Vishal had demanded a huge dowry.

A drama unfolded when the police went to question the husband, Major Vishal Vaibhav. The major fled from his house and got admitted at the Army Hospital, claiming chest pain. Police said they are not allowed on Army premises without permission.
Injured CRPF being brought to Raipur for treatment on Monday follwing a Maoist attack at Burkapal near Chintagufa in Bastar. (Photo: PTI)

Raipur: A gang of nearly 300 Naxals attacked a CRPF battalion guarding a road construction site in Sukma, Chhatisgarh on Monday afternoon, killing at least 25 jawans, including their commander, and injuring several more.

Injured CRPF jawan Sher Mohammed told television journalists that Naxals first sent villagers to sniff out their location and then came armed for the bloody attack. Mohammed said the 150-member CRPF team fired in retaliation at Naxals and claimed many of theirs were dead too.

The Maoists fired from the top of hills at the paramilitary soldiers who were guarding workers building roads in a forested area of Sukma district, police officer Jitendra Shukla told AP. He said the injured were taken by helicopter to the hospital.

The jawans were from the 74th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), including an Inspector-rank officer.

Reinforcement parties from the nearest CRPF camp were also rushed in, the officer added.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh cut short his visit to New Delhi and rushed to Raipur. He has called an emergency meeting. Minister of State, Home, Hansraj Ahir will also visit Raipur later on Monday.

Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families, he added.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes to the martyred jawans and offered condolences to their families. Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma, he added.

Calling the Naxals attack a classic case of mindless killing, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, Deeply pained, their sacrifice should not go in vainno place for such things in democracy.

Sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma. We salute sacrifice and courage of our bravehearts, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said.

The encounter took place around 12:25 pm in the Burkapal-Chintagufa area of the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

"The Naxals fired at a patrolling party of the CRPF near Burkapal village leaving six personnel injured," Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) of Chhattisgarh Police, D M Awasthi told PTI.

Twelve jawans of the CRPF were killed in the same district early this year in a deadly Naxal ambush.

The government has said these rebels are India's biggest internal security threat. According to the Home Ministry, they operate in 20 of 29 states and are most active in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
The police officials said that the livestock was recovered during police raids and has since been restored to the Bakerwal or goatherds family. (Photo: Representational Image)

Srinagar: 11 people have been arrested after five members of a nomad family including a 9-year-old girl were brutally attacked by cow vigilantes in Kashmirs Reasi last week.

The hooligans attacked the family with iron rods and sticks in Reasis Talwara area during the intervening night of April 20 and 21.

Meanwhile, a video on NDTV of the horrific incident shows the family pleading for mercy even as attackers go on a rampage, breaking and burning their sheds and chanting slogans.

Police in Jammu said that the accused are members of a self-styled group of cow vigilantes 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 the 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 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.
Chennai: Flaying DMK leader MK Stalin's remarks that the Palanisamy government was a 'proxy regime' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ruling AIADMK faction on Sunday said he was making such remarks only for political mileage.

"It is a wrong statement. He is making such statements only to make political gains," Finance Minister D Jayakumar told reporters.

He said various issues plaguing the state like the Cauvery water dispute or that related to the ceding of Katchatheevu islet could have been permanently solved, had the DMK taken steps during their 17-year alliance with the UPA government at the Centre, but they did nothing.

"When they were in the UPA alliance for 17 years, they could have got permanent solutions for several issues concerning the state like Cauvery water dispute and ceding of Katchatheevu islet. But they did not do anything," he said.

Jayakumar was responding to a question on comments by DMK working president Stalin, who had dubbed the Palanisamy government as Modi's "proxy regime," and claimed it was not fighting to secure the Tamil Nadu's rights.

Earlier on Sunday, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had slammed the DMK for terming the AIADMK regime a 'benami' government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking if it was right to call the DMK 'benami' of Congress when it was holding office under the UPA regime.

"Some say it (the AIADMK government) is a benami of the Centre. Was the earlier DMK government a benami of the Congress (during UPA regime)?" Naidu had asked.

On merger talks between the two rival factions in the AIADMK, Jayakumar said the doors for holding the talks were always open as the leaders were ready to discuss the issue "across the table".

"Even if they come for holding the talks tomorrow at the party office, we are ready to discuss. We hope they will come", he said.

On reported remarks that former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam would seek the finance portfolio, now held by him, in case the two factions merge, Jayakumar said he was ready to give up all portfolios after getting the nod from Chief Minister K Palanisamy.

"I am willing to give up all portfolios held by me for the betterment of the party and for the party's unity, after getting the approval of Chief Minister Palanisamy," he said.

Jayakumar currently holds the portfolios of fisheries, finance, personnel and administrative reforms.

On senior DMK Leader Durai Murugan's comment that the AIADMK government would dissolve in six months, he said the DMK would not be able to come to power in the state "even after 60 years."

"Forget six months... even after 60 years, the DMK will not be able to form the government. After completion of four year rule, we will face the elections again and form the government", he said to a query.

On whether the party was ready to give the post of general secretary, held by V K Sasikala, now in a jail in Bengaluru after being convicted in a disproportionate assets case, to Panneerselvam, he said, "let them (rival faction) first come for discussions".
The BWSSB is drawing up a plan to divert the sewage running from the storm water drains into the lake and is expediting the work on Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP).

Bengaluru: Following directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), principal bench, Delhi, the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) is gearing up to adhere to the orders and has planned to install CCTV cameras to curb indiscriminate dumping of debris and garbage into the Bellandur lake.

BDA engineer-member P.N. Nayak told Deccan Chronicle that CCTC cameras will be installed around the lake, especially the locations that are more prone to dumping. Different agencies, like the BWSSB, BDA and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), brain stormed on the implementation of the NGT directions to get the polluted lake cleaned.

The BDA said that tender documents will be opened on Monday to finalise the lowest bidder to clear the weed and debris from the lake. After shortlisting the lowest bidders, the authority will go through the financial and technical bids to evaluate their technical abilities in cleaning up the lake within the deadline fixed by the NGT, sources said.

The BWSSB is drawing up a plan to divert the sewage running from the storm water drains into the lake and is expediting the work on Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP).

The KSPCB has formed a committee to identify the polluting industries and asked the state government to form a joint committee as mandated by the NGT to allow non-polluting industries to operate, the sources said.

However, all the three agencies, including the state government, are waiting for the official NGT order to look into the mandates fixed by the tribunal.
Police in action students who were throwing brick bats on them during clashes in the vicinity of Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: One person was injured when the security forces opened fire reportedly after being attacked by militants in a village of Jammu and Kashmirs southern Shopian district on Monday evening.

While the locals alleged that the troops opened fire without any provocation hitting a resident Shabir Ahmed Teli in the leg, the police said that they had come under heavy firing from militants in Shopians Manloo village village and that they only retaliation to it.

The soldiers Armys 44 Rashtriya Rifles along with the members of the J&K polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) were on way to a neighbouring the area to conduct searches for militants, the officials said. The police officials said that the militants fled after the security forces retaliated to their firing. The injured civilian who is a resident of Zawoora village of Shopian is being treated in hospital and his condition is stated to be stable.

Earlier during the day on Monday, a group of youth pelted stone on an Army convoy at Chadoora outside Srinagar on Monday following which the normal life was disrupted in the area. The Army was reportedly on way to Chrawani village of Chadoora for a cordon-and-search operation, the reports said.
New Delhi: In a bid to avail better protection of cows and prohibition of smuggling of cattle across India and Bangladesh border, the Centre on Monday in its report to the Supreme Court said each cow and its progeny across India should get a Unique Identification Number (UID).

The Centre told the apex court that a committee headed by Joint Secretary and Home Ministry was formed, which has given certain recommendations on the issue.

With an aim to stop cow smuggling, the committee said the responsibility of safety and care of abandoned animals is mainly of the state government.

"Every district should have a shelter home of the capacity of at least 500 animals for abandoned animals. This will help reduce the smuggling of abandoned animals," it added.

The committee also recommended that special care should be given to cattle beyond the age of milking, adding the animals that stop milking are mainly smuggled outside India.

"Scheme should be launched for farmers in distress so that they do not sell animals that are beyond milking age. Funding of shelter homes should be done by the State Government. The existing shelter homes lack facility and human resources," it stated.

Another recommendation by the Centre said each cow and its progeny across India should get a Unique Identification Number so that their tracking can be done.

"The UID number should have age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body, color, horn type, tail switch and special marks details of the animal. The UID for cow and its progeny should be made mandatory across India," the Centre asserted.

Emphasising on the prohibition of smuggling of animals across Bangladesh, the Centre said that active support and cooperation should be sought from the public.

"People should be asked to give information related to movements of animals on roads through toll free helpline numbers," the Centre's report added.

The recommendations come in the backdrop of various incidents of cow vigilantism being reported across the nation.
Indian students aspiring for higher education in the US are worried about the employment scenario and potential changes by the Donald Trump administration in the near future.

Hyderabad: The non-welcoming climate in the US, benefits and restrictions around visas, ability to travel freely in that country, political instability, economic issues are the major worries for prospective international students.

For students from West Asia, Latin America, Europe and even China, employability in the US is not really much of a concern.

Indian students aspiring for higher education in the US are worried about the employment scenario and potential changes by the Donald Trump administration in the near future.

Interestingly, students hailing from West Asia, Latin America, Europe and even China are not losing sleep over employment as they are more worried about general hostility, political instability, and economic issues.

About 40 per cent of Indian students have worries over employment, while not even 10 per cent of students from other parts of the world are bothered about it. For Indian students, this is the second big concern.

Employment concerns revolved around the Optical Practical Training (OPT), the H-1B process and apprehensions that employment benefits of student visas no longer exist.

National Institute of Technology-Warangal registrar Dr Y.N. Reddy said that a majority of US-bound Indian students dream about settling into a job soon after education and the survey figures are reflective of that trend.

There is consensus among prospective international students over the biggest issue that is bothering them. Which is, immigration policies and proposed reforms by the new US government. Indians are no exception. They echoed the same views.
Om Bahadur, 51, was found hacked to death, while another person, Krishna Bahadur, sustained serious injuries after he was restrained and assaulted. (Photo: AP/ File)

Chennai: A security guard at late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas Kodanad Estate was found murdered in the wee hours on Monday.

According to reports, Om Bahadur, 51, was found hacked to death, while another person, Krishna Bahadur, sustained serious injuries after he was restrained and assaulted.

The survivor told the police that a gang of 10 people forced their way into the premises and made the attacks, said reports.

The incident took place at Gate No 10 of Kodanad estate.

5 police teams have been formed to investigate the incident, reported ANI.
Thiruvananthapuram/ New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Kerala government to reinstate former Director General of Police (DGP) TP Senkumar, saying he was transferred from the post "arbitrarily".

The apex court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court that had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision that had not found fault with the state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

"We direct reinstatement of DGP TP Senkumar," a bench comprising Justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

Senkumar had challenged in the apex court his transfer by the LDF government. He had alleged that the Pinarayi Vijayan government removed him from the post of DGP as political vengeance for the probe into the murders of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) founder TP Chandrasekharan and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth activist Abdul Shukoor, in which Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders were involved.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the HC had earlier rejected Senkumars petitions challenging LDF governments decision.

According to Senkumar, the probe had caused the CPM leadership in Kerala to turn against him and he was removed in violation of the norms that the state police chief should have a fixed tenure of two years.

In a special leave petition filed in the Supreme Court challenging a High Court order, Senkumar also cited the frequent transfers of IPS officers in Kerala after the LDF came to power.

Senkumar said the transfers were made without following the norms mooted by the Surpeme Court and prescribed in the Police Act. About 40 such illegal transfers were made by the LDF government in nine months, he claimed.

Senkumar also cited that with the CAT and HC rejecting his pleas, none of the IPS officers were approaching the court.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected "erring" police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The state government had told the court that Senkumar's transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to the April 10, 2016 incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.

On April 10 last year, when Senkumar was Kerala's DGP, there was an explosion leading to a blaze after a fireworks display went awry at Puttingal Temple in Kollam district. 110 people had died while over 300 were injured in the incident.
News / National

by Staff reporter

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe yesterday reportedly stopped five top Zanu-PF officials, tasked by President Robert Mugabe to investigate the party's beleaguered political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, from travelling to Bindura, amid reports that rival factions had bussed hundreds of their supporters to the venue to disrupt the meeting.Party sources said Grace called the head of the delegation, Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo on Saturday, ordering him to call off the meeting after some politburo members and legislators from the province threatened to disrupt the hearing accusing him of being sympathetic to Kasukuwere."MPs from the province raised issues with the First Lady. (Kenneth) Musanhi has direct contact with Grace, so he advised her that the province does not trust Chombo. Grace had to instruct Chombo to call off the meeting," a source said.Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Martin Dinha yesterday confirmed cancellation of the meeting, saying the directive had come from Chombo."The meeting has been postponed to Wednesday. We just received a message from Chombo that the meeting should be postponed and we have communicated that to the people. We were told some of the people, who were supposed to come here, are occupied somewhere," he said.Efforts to get a comment from Chombo were fruitless, as his mobile phone went unanswered, while Kasukuwere refused to comment on the issue.Mugabe last week tasked a high-powered Zanu-PF delegation comprising of Chombo, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, State Security minister Kembo Mohadi, women's league commissar, Marble Chinomona and Senate President Edna Madzongwe to travel to Bindura and investigate circumstances that triggered the initial vote-of-no-confidence on Kasukuwere.Zanu-PF Mashonaland central province was the first to pass a vote-of-no-confidence in Kasukuwere, before the bug spread to several other provinces amid allegations that the party's commissar had set up parallel structures to topple Mugabe ahead of next year's general elections.The anti-Kasukuwere crusade in Mashonaland Central province is being led by self-proclaimed provincial chairperson, Kazembe, who claims to have "booted out" Dickson Mafios.As early as 7am, hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters comprising of Kasukuwere's sympathisers and rivals had swarmed the small mining town of Bindura to witness the proceedings, despite the fact that only provincial members had been invited to give evidence.Shortly after Dinha announced the postponement of the meeting, armed police immediately sealed off the venue, Bindura Country Club, forcing the rival Zanu-PF groups to regroup at separate venues in the town to ponder their next move.Kasukuwere's sympathisers regrouped at Mayfair Lodge, while the Kazembe-led team, which included Nicholas Goche and Lazarus Dokora met at Musanhi's house.Musanhi, who is Zanu-PF legislator for Bindura North was unreachable for comment, as his mobile phone went unanswered.Both Dinha and Kazembe reportedly urged their members to stick to their resolution to have Kasukuwere and Mafios expelled.Dinha said there was no going back on the anti-Kasukuwere resolution, adding people had turned up in their numbers to ensure their resolution was not manipulated."We know money was changing hands to try and overturn the resolution. They are now making frantic efforts to save their skin, but that G40 cabal will not prevail," Dinha said."I have persistently told him (Kasukuwere) to just throw in the towel just like (former women's league treasurer) Sarah Mahoka and (the league's ex-deputy secretary) Eunice Sandi Moyo did. There is no way that he can continue as the party's mobiliser, when he is so disgraced like this and when all the provinces have rejected him."What (Phillip) Chiyangwa said about his character is so revealing. It is in his best interest to throw in the towel now and seek for redeployment or just leave politics and try farming or teaching."But, Mafios remained defiant, dismissing Dinha's claims as "childish"."That is childish. I didn't think we can reach to that stage, but anyway people have their democratic right to express themselves, but where do we get that money from," he said."We don't have that financial backup to buy people and to do that. Those are fabrications and he must tell us a single person, who has received that money."Mafios said Zanu-PF supporters had voluntarily come in their numbers to witness the proceedings. He also blasted police for their show of force at the meeting."People had to comply, but eventually there was heavy police presence with dogs, guns and teargas, but it is not normal in Zanu-PF to see such kind of insult to the leadership taking place," he said."How can we have police officers with dogs and guns as if the rally is illegal? This was just a surprise to us."Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF Harare provincial leadership yesterday nullified the alleged suspension of political commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe.Provincial chairperson, Charles Tavengwa confirmed the development, saying the executive had nullified both the suspension and prohibition order announced last week by provincial secretary for administration, George Mashavave."We had a fruitful meeting and he (Mashayamombe) was present. All those issues were declared null and void," he said.
Hubballi: Sixteen-year old teenage student Mallesh Nagar, who completed his matriculation exam last week, has deserted his native hamlet of Murudi in drought-hit Mundaragi taluk of Gadag district along with five other classmates to work in the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. They are planning to make money during the vacation so that they can continue their education as their parents cannot afford to bear the expenses of their college studies.

These teenagers get employment in the building sector, paddy fields and coffee estates in Chikkamagaluru for a daily wage of Rs 350. With their parents in chronic poverty after losing crops for two consecutive years, they hardly have an option. Murudi is a small hamlet having 800 people, including 28 students studying SSLC in the village school. Several students have left the village soon after their exams and the migration has become a common phenomena in rural areas which have been witnessing a severe drought. These youths are more sought after in the coastal region and Goa as they are strong enough to work in the construction sector. My father owns an acre of land and has taken another four acres on contract basis. But, the failure of rains has led to loss of the jowar and maize crop. He has suffered Rs 30,000 loss and is finding it difficult to repay Rs 1 lakh loan taken for the marriage of my sister. Therefore, I am going to Mangaluru to earn some money until college starts, Mallesh Nagar said. Though officials maintain that enough jobs are being provided under MGNREGS to stop migration, the drought-hit are unemployed. The wages and work offered remain only on paper. The villagers complained about inordinate delay in payment of wages under the scheme, forcing them to migrate.

We have prepared an action plan to generate 12,000 man-days of employment this financial year under MGNREGS. Various works, including de-silting of lakes and construction of check-dams, are to be taken up. Delay in settlement of wages is only due to technical reasons, Murudi PDO Siddappa Yalavatti said.
Several students and security personnel have been injured. (Photo: DC)

Srinagar: Intense clashes broke out between groups of students and security forces outside a Srinagar school on Monday morning and later spread to citys commercial hub Lal Chowk (Red Square) and its neighbourhood.

Several students and security personnel have been injured. Police have arrested about half a dozen protesting students, witnesses said.

Groups of youth from neighbouring localities joined the stone-pelting mobs and security forces faced tough time controlling the situation.

The entire area was filled with acrid smell of tear and pepper gas as the policemen fired dozens of canisters to disperse the stone-throwing mobs of students along Moulana Azad Road, Residency Road, Regal Chowk and Lal Chowk areas of uptown Srinagar.

This has caused severe eye, respiratory and skin irritation among the passers-by, traders and shoppers in these areas and they can be seen fleeing towards backstreets of Maisuma, Aabi Guzzar and Sheikh Bagh.

The clashes erupted after police intercepted students when they came out of Sri Pratap Higher Secondary Institution along Moulana Azad Road, chanting slogans against police and the government.

Students said they wanted to protest against the atrocities inflicted on them allegedly by police during the recent student unrest in the Valley.

Police and CRPF, however, did not allow them to take on the Moulana Azad Road and fired teargas in order to push them back into the campus. Students retorted by hurling stones at security personnel, triggering clashes.

The schools and colleges had earlier in the morning reopened after remaining shut for about one week. The authorities had ordered closure of the Valleys educational institutions as a precautionary measure in view of protests inflamed by the alleged police atrocities on students of a degree college in southern Pulwama town on April 15.

While over 50 students, including females, had been injured in Pulwama, about 150 more students and over two dozen security personnel were injured in subsequent incidents elsewhere in the Valley.

The protests continued even after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the people to help restore peace and normalcy in the Valley to ensure smooth academic, economic and tourism activities.

Kashmir already witnessed tragic human, educational and economic loss and it cant afford be pushed into perpetual disempowerment and darkness," she said.

Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) called upon the student community to resume their classes after what it said a successful display of resistance, unity and valour. It was the KUSU which had earlier called for protests on April 17 against the Pulwama.
Hyderabad: After a long wait, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. He is expected to seek clearance of files pending with the Centre. The PM had earlier cancelled his appointment with Mr Rao due to Uttar Pradesh polls.

According to sources, the Chief Minister would seek an early introduction of a Bill to increase the existing Assembly seats in Telangana as proposed in the AP Reorganisation Act.

As per Section 26 of the Act, there shall be an increase of Assembly seats from the existing 119 to 153 in Telangana and from existing 175 to 225 in AP. This, however, comes with a rider that any increase is subject to Article 170 of the Constitution, which has already put a cap on fresh delimitation of Asse-mbly segments till 2026.

The Chief Minister feels that instead of bringing an amendment to Article 170, it would be better to bring a simple amendment to Section 26 of the AP Reorganisation Act, so that it could be passed in Parliament by a simple majority.

Besides this, the Chief Minister would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister requesting the Centre to release outstanding funds for various schemes in the state.

Sources said Mr Rao will also request Mr Modi to take steps for clearance of the Land Acquisition Bill that was passed by the Telangana Legislature modifying the 2013 Central Act. He will also submit a brief note on the issue. However, since it is going to be a one-on-one meeting, both the leaders are expected to exchange opinions on the overall political situation in the country.

Sources said Mr Rao will also assure the Prime Minister that the TRS would back the BJPs candidates for both President and Vice-President posts, as it is the TRS policy is to support the Central government on all issues in the interest of the development of Telangana.

The TRS has been supporting all the Bills introduced by the NDA during the last three years. Mr Rao will also try to convince the Prime Minister that the TRS is not for confrontation with the Centre but at the same time the Centre also needs to be receptive towards Telangana in approving new schemes and releasing funds.
Hashim Sofi, a Kashmiri researcher at BITS Pilani left for his hometown in Bandipora on Sunday after allegedly facing harassment. (Photo: Facebook)

Pilani, (Rajasthan): A Kashmiri researcher, Hashim Sofi (27), left BITS Pilani for his hometown in Bandipora, Kashmir on Sunday after allegedly facing harassment.

Sofi, who was working as a research project staff at the institute in Rajasthan, also wrote about the episode on Facebook.

According to India Today, the victim reported to the chief warden of his hostel on April 20 that he had found offensive comments on two of his t-shirts left for drying in the balcony. The door to his room also had objectionable remarks.

According to the scholars report, the incident took place on the intervening night of April 20 and 21.

"The Chief Warden met and assured all assistance and help to the concerned project fellow. He made arrangements to shift him from the hostel to residential quarters. The Chief Warden got in touch with the Associate Dean, Students' Welfare and they inquired the matter from the hostel Superintendent and the Warden, got in touch with the Chief Security Officer and called a meeting of all the people. They didn't find any other such incident from any other research scholar or student from Jammu and Kashmir. Exactly what has happened is yet to be ascertained. The enquiry report of the Chief Warden was submitted to the Associate Dean, SWD," the BITS Pilani report on the incident said.

The Pilani report also said that on Monday, April 23, Hashim Sofi was not to be found in his quarters and had left the institute premises without intimating either his Project Investigator or any of the concerned authorities. Sofi could not be contacted on phone, said the report.

On April 19, a group of Kashmiri students in Mewar University, in Chittorgarh district were allegedly thrashed. Kashmiri students at the university demanded security after the incident.

Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, conveyed his concern about the safety and security of Kashmiri students all across the country. Singh also requested the state governments to do the needful in order to ensure safety of students.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Central Government and the Army after hearing a PIL filed by a journalist, who alleged that 'sahayaks' and other lower rank staff in the Army were allegedly forced to do domestic and menial chores for the seniors.

The journalist shot a sting video in which Lance Naik Roy Mathew criticised the 'sahayak system' in the Army.

Following the release of the sting video, Lance Naik Mathew allegedly committed suicide, following the journalist sought a probe into his death.

The journalist was booked by the Nasik police under sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and those relating to criminal trespass and abetment to suicide under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Challenging the FIR, the journalist urged the apex court to issue suitable guidelines to prevent abuse of the OSA, which not only impinges upon fundamental rights, but also journalistic freedom.

The journalist also sought directions for an appropriate inquiry into the alleged misuse of the ' sahayak system' in the Army.

The petition said a fair probe was being scuttled by invoking the OSA and the move would send out the message that exposure of misdeeds of delinquent Army officers would be visited with consequences so draconian that no one should dare to do so.

Retired Army jawan Deep Chand, who ran the Army canteen in Nashik where the sting video was shot, is the co-petitioner with the journalist.
In a deadly attack by as many as 300 Naxals, at least 26 CRPF jawans were killed on Monday in Sukma, Chhatisgarh. This was the deadliest attack since May 2013, when 27 people, including Congress leaders and security personnel were killed.

Below is a chronology of major Naxal assaults over the past 10 years at a glance.

July 19, 2016: 10 died. CRPF commandos were suddenly attacked by Naxals in the jungles of Aurangabad district, Bihar with an IED blast. The ambush was followed by an encounter that claimed the lives of 10 CRPF jawans.

July 20, 2015: 2 SUVs, 1 tractor and 1 motorcycle set ablaze. Scroe of Naxals attacked a construction site in Banka district injuring several construction workers.

June 14, 2014: 3 passengers were killed while 6 were wounded. 500 Naxals attacked and hijacked the Dhanbad-Patna express train in Jamui district, fired gunshots and also detonated bombs.

April 10, 2014: 2 died, 6 were injured. A CRPF jeep was blown up during the Lok Sabha elections.

March 11, 2014: 15 security officials were killed in Sukhma district.

February 28, 2014: 6 policemen, including an SHO, were killed. The incident took place in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

July 2, 2013: The Superintendent of Police and 5 other personnel of Pakur were killed in a maoist attack in Dumka, Jharkhand.

May 25, 2013: 27 dead. Former Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and former state minister Mahendra Karma were killed along with several other Congress leaders, security personnel and villagers, in a Naxal attack in Darbha valley.

October 18, 2012: 6 died, 8 were injured. Gun battle and landmine blasts incapacitated a deputy commandant while injuring 7 other security personnel. The incident occurred in Gaya.

June 29, 2010: 26 killed. CRPF Jawans died in an ambush near Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.

May 8, 2010: 8 died. Naxals blew up a bullet-proof car in Bijapur district of Chhattisgar, killing 8 CRPF jawans.

April 6, 2010: 76 dead. A Chhattisgarh police official and 75 CRPF jawans were brutally killed in an ambush in Dantewada.

April 4, 2010: 11 died. The Koraput district of Odisha witnessed the death of 11 officials from the elite anti-Naxal force Special Operations Group.

Feb 15, 2010: 24 died. Security personnel belonging to the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed by Maoists inside their camp in Silda, West Midnapore.

Oct 8, 2009: 17 died. Police personnel killed in an attack at Laheri police station in Maharashtra. The incident occurred in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.

Sep 26, 2009: BJP MPs sons were killed. Baliram Kashyaps sons were killed in a maoist attack at Pairaguda village in Jagdalpur.

Sep 4, 2009: 4 villagers were killed in a forest in Aaded village, Chhattisgarh.

July 27, 2009: 6 were killed. A landmine blast in Datewada, triggered by Naxals, had claimed 6 lives.

July 18, 2009: 1 villager killed and 1 construction vehicle torched. A villager from Bastar district was killed by Naxalites while in another episode in Bijapur, a road construction vehicle was burnt down.

June 23, 2009: Naxals opened fire on Lakhisarai district court premises in Bihar to free four of their comrades. The freed comrades included the self-style Zonal Commander of Ranchi.

June 16, 2009: 11 police officers killed in a landmine and physical attack. In a different incident 4 police personnel were killed, while two were wounded in an ambush triggered by Maoists at Bundelkhand in Palamau district.

June 13, 2009: 10 killed, several others injured. In a small town close to Bokaro Naxals instigated two consecutive landmine and bomb attacks.

June 10, 2009: 9 police personnel along with CRPF troops were trapped and injured by Maoists during a scheduled patrol. The incident occurred in Saranda jungles of Jharkhand.

May 22, 2009: 16 policemen dead. Maoists instigated the killings of security troops and officers in the jungles of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

April 22, 2009: Train hijacked with 300 passengers on board. Maoists had forced its route from Jharkhand to Latehar where they finally escaped.

April 13, 2009: An attack on the bauxite mines of Koraput district in eastern Odisha led to the killings of 10 paramilitary troops.

July 16, 2008: 21 dead. Policemen die as a police van was blown up in a landmine blast. The incident was reported to have occurred in the Malkangiri district of Odisha.

June 29, 2008: 38 troops killed in ambush. Maoists launched an attack on a boat on Balimela reservoir in Odisha that was carrying 4 policemen and 60 Greyhound commandos.
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasised that dialogue was the only way to prevent the situation from deteriorating in the Valley.

She invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's policy on Kashmir, and said the thread should be picked up from where he had left off -- an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.

"How long can you have confrontation... There is no option but to talk," Mehbooba said. "However, an atmposphere needs to be created for a dialogue," she said.

During the 20-minute meeting at Modi's residence here, Mehbooba briefed the prime minister on the situation, particularly in the increase in violence since the April 9 by-poll for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Recent tensions in the PDP-BJP alliance over the handling of the security situation in Kashmir also came up at the meeting.

Referring to the increase in stone-pelting incidents, she said there were some young people who were "disillusioned" while some were being "instigated", including through the use of social media sites such as Facebook and Whatsapp.

The path of dialogue undertaken by Vajpayee is the only way out to resolve the Kashmir crisis, she said.

She also raised the Indus water treaty issue, saying it was causing a huge loss to the state.

Mehbooba said the prime minister assured her that efforts would be made to see how the state would be compensated for this.
He said the government's policy of suspending internet services appeared to be showing positive results in curbing stone-pelting during encounters and cited the case of Saturday's encounter in Budgam district. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: Nearly 300 WhatsApp groups were being used to mobilise stone-pelters in Kashmir to disrupt security forces' operations at encounter sites, of which 90 per cent have been shut down, a police official said on Sunday.

Each of these 300 WhatsApp groups had around 250 members, the official said while explaining how determined attempts were being made to disrupt the operations of the security forces by mobilising stone-pelting mobs at the encounter sites.

"We identified the groups and the group administrators, who were called in by police for counselling. We have had a good response to this initiative," he said on the condition of anonymity.

In the last three weeks, more than 90 per cent of these WhatsApp groups have been shut down, the official said.

He said the government's policy of suspending internet services appeared to be showing positive results in curbing stone-pelting during encounters and cited the case of yesterday's encounter in Budgam district.

Just a few youth gathered to hurl stones after two militants were gunned down in the encounter on Saturday.

This was in sharp contrast to an encounter in Durbugh village in the same area on March 28, when a large number of stone-pelters had assembled and three of them were killed in firing by security forces.

"With no internet services, the mobilisation of mobs has almost become impossible. Earlier, we would see youth from as far as 10 kilometres from the encounter sites joining the protesters to pelt stones at security forces to disrupt the anti-militancy operations.

"That did not happen yesterday during or after the encounter in the absence of internet on mobiles," the official said.

He said some of the youth listed personal issues like alleged harassment by security forces as reasons for taking to stone-pelting.

"Most of them get carried away momentarily," he said, adding authorities are also looking at further sensitising the personnel on the need to adopt a humane approach while dealing with the youth.

"With the internet facility withdrawn, the activity on these social networking groups and other sites like Facebook has come down drastically," he added.

Stone-pelting on security forces near the encounter sites has been causing major operational problems for the law enforcing agencies over the past one year. More than half a dozen youth have been killed in such incidents in the first quarter of this year.

However, the common people especially those from the business community say they are facing hardships, because of the inability to stay connected online.

"Today, the business depends on internet for communication. I am into stock markets and I have had no business since the mobile internet services were withdrawn on Monday," Mudasir Bhat said.

Bhat said most of the people had done away with landlines and broadband internet services as mobile internet facility gave them more freedom and were also cheaper.
Chennai: The O Panneerselvam faction of the AIADMK on Monday said that there could be no talks with the Edappadi K Palanisamy faction until party general secretary VK Sasikala Natarajan and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran were expelled from the party.

The Panneerselvam camp also reiterated its demand for a probe into late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas death, as a precondition for talks on an AIADMK merger, reports said.

For two days, it had appeared as if the Panneerselvam and Palanisamy camps would on Monday begin talks.

But two events  one on Sunday and the other on Monday  triggered the hardening of stance by the Panneerselvam faction. First, Tamil Nadu finance minister D Jayakumar said that he would resign and give his portfolios to the OPS camp. Implicit in this offer was the assertion that E Palanisamy would remain the CM in the event of an AIADMK merger, thus scuttling Panneerselvams chances.

Secondly, AIADMK (Amma) official newspaper Namadhu MGR carried an article in Monday's edition which said general secretary VK Sasikala and deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran would be supported by people and party cadre.

Responding to this, the OPS group claimed that Sasikala Natarajan was still in control of the party. "The headline on page 1 of the paper clearly states that Sasikala is still in control of the party. It states that Dhinakaran and Sasikala will be supported. This proves our doubt that the party is still in their hands," KP Munusamy, member of OPS' negotiations committee and former minister, was quoted as saying in a report.

Munusamy said there was a lot of confusion in the rival camp, with different statements being made. He said that while some members of the EPS camp claimed that a committee had been formed for talks, others said it was yet to be formed. Munusamy also said AIADMK (Amma) leaders were making irresponsible statements like that of D Jayakumar.

"We are not ready to get into the argument on the position for our leader. We have no other demands than the two raised previously. If these are fulfilled, we will participate in the talks unconditionally as all other issues can be thrashed out in talks," Munusamy was quoted as saying.
New Delhi: AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran was on Sunday grilled by the police for 11 hours over his alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the 'two leaves' party symbol and the related money trail.

Dhinakaran, who was quizzed for the second consecutive day, had reached the Crime Branch Inter State Cell office in Chanakyapuri around 2 PM, while the questioning came to an end only around 1 AM, police officials said.

Yesterday, he was quizzed for close to seven hours.

In a gruelling session, the police on Sunday confronted Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed AIADMK chief Sasikala, with the evidence.

The leader had come under scanner after the arrest of alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekar. Dhinakaran, however, has maintained that he does not know Sukesh and has never met him.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been summoned 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 the Sasikala-Dhinakaran leadership.

The development came after Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded ouster 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 serving a four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case.
News / Press Release

by Wilbert Mukori, ZSD Secretary General

The following is a press statement by Zimbabwe Social Democrats in respond to some opposition parties coalescing into a coalition. Whilst we have nothing against the coalition(s) per se we strongly condemn the moves by the opposition to drag the nation into another flawed election, discarding their own "No reform, no election!" stance, under the pretext that the coalition will stop the vote rigging.The people were misled into believing that the 2013 elections would be free, fair and credible and would deliver the democratic political the nation has been dying for since the late 1990s. These elections should have never proceeded without first implementing the democratic reforms necessary to stop the vote rigging.Since the rigged July 2013 elections, not even one reform was implemented and already the nation is once again being dragged into yet another election on false pretence that the elections will produced the desired democratic change. The same people who misled the people in 2013 are doing so again.Zimbabwe cannot afford yet another rigged election and we, in the Zimbabwe Social Democrats (ZSD), are resolved to do everything in our power to ensure the reforms are implemented BEFORE the next elections. We are resolved that the people of Zimbabwe must be informed of current attempt by the opposition and Zanu PF agents to mislead them into participating in the flawed elections.Following the 2008 elections, marred by blatant vote rigging and wanton violence, SADC spelt out the raft of democratic reforms that the GNU was tasked to implement to ensure future elections are free, fair and credible and not a repeat of the 2008. Sadly, not even one reform was implemented. Not one!Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends misled the nation into believing that the 2013 elections would be free and fair although it is now clearly that even they know this was a lie. The MDC politicians contested the flawed 2013 elections for the sake of the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away to help with its legitimacy challenges as David Coltart, MDC-N Senator and Minister in the GNU, has admitted."The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious  withdraw from the elections," explained Senator Coltart in his recent book, The Struggle Continues 50 Years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe."The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."The consequences of the July 2013 rigged elections are there for all to see. Today the country's economy is in total meltdown, unemployment has soared to 90%. Basic health and education services have all but collapsed. Corruption has now reached nauseating heights; last year President Mugabe has admitted that $15 billions of diamonds revenue were "swindled". No one has ever been arrested and not one dollar recovered. And so the list goes on.On the political front, the country is in political paralysis because the totalitarian and tyrannical political system continues to stifle debate and democratic competition. It is impossible for quality leaders with even common sense to emerge in such a poisoned political environment.Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis has pushed the people beyond human endurance; today we stand on the edge of the precipice. We need free and fair elections as the pre-requisite for an orderly resolution of the crisis; another rigged election will push the nation over as it will trigger social unrest or worst in protest of the economic suffering and hopelessness.Political leaders like Tsvangirai, Biti and Ncube know that the opposition coalition they are proposing will not stop Zanu PF rigging the vote. The coalition will, at best, help them share out the few seats Zanu PF gives away.SADC argued MDC not to contest the 2013 elections without implementing the reforms first; since no reforms have been implemented since the warning is still valid to today. MDC leaders themselves came up with the resolution "No reform, no elections!" We in ZSD demand that the Zimbabwe's opposition parties honour their resolutions and not dragged the nation into yet another flawed election.It is sheer madness to contest yet another flawed election and expect a different result; to accept Zanu PF will rig the vote and expect the regime to lose the election. ZSD is resolved to put an end to the madness and stop those set on pushing the nation over the precipice for selfish political greed!We in ZSD condemn the contesting the next elections until reforms to ensure free and fair elections are in place. Nothing of substance was accomplished by contesting flawed 2013 elections.The people of Zimbabwe have been denied their basic freedoms and human rights all their lives. The right to free, fair and credible elections is a deliverable one, given the political will, there is no reason why the next should not be the country's first free and democratic election. The only people stopping free and fair elections are the Zanu PF ruling elite and the opposition politicians who are giving the cloak of democratic acceptance by participating in flawed elections for the sake of scraps President Mugabe throws at them.SignedWilbert MukoriZSD Secretary General.
New Delhi: Strongly condemning the killing of 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the attack is cowardly and deplorable, adding that the sacrifice of the slain jawans won't go in vain.

"Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister wished for speedy recovery of the injured jawans.

President Pranab Mukherjee also condemned the attack and offered condolences to the families of deceased.

Expressing his pain over the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid his tributes to the slain jawans.

"Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families. Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," Singh tweeted.

Resonating similar views, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said he is deeply pained, adding that the slain jawans' sacrifice should not go in vain.

"It is a classic case of mindless killing. There is no place for such things in democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiu said, it was a very sad incident, adding that it was a big tragedy.

The Congress Party also expressed its thoughts and prayers for the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in the encounter.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said, "My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma. We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts."

As many as 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six others injured in the encounter with Naxals that took place in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

A message was received by the Indian Air Force's Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of the CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift three casualties.

Immediately, two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal.

One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role.

On landing at the venue of ambush it was learnt that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties.

Immediately, the casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur.

More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the slain jawans.

The mortal remains of six personnel have reached the Burkapal camp.

The six injured CRPF personnel have been shifted to a hospital in Raipur.

As many as 90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by the Naxals.

The weapons of the jawans have also been looted Chhattisgarh.

Director General of the CRPF and senior officials are reaching Raipur and further to Sukma tomorrow morning.

Bastar Inspector General Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have left for Sukma.

MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today.

The attack took place on personnel of the 74th Battalion of the CRPF as they were assisting the local population in road building activity in the district.

The Congress Party has described the encounter killing of 12 CRPF personnel by Naxals as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media here, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack."
Mumbai: In light of the gruesome Naxal attack on CRPF jawans on the afternoon of April 24 in Chhattisgarhs Sukma  one of the hotbeds of Naxalism  that claimed 25 lives, the lack of information and pre-emptive caution on part of security personnel is alarming indeed.

The ambush occurred on a road link under construction, the completion of which could have incapacitated insurgent groups, as anticipated by the government. Police troops were posted on the stretch between Burkapal to Chintagufa area to ensure the security of construction workers.

However, the paramilitary personnel could not gauge a looming ambush and were killed brutally by suspected Naxals in south Sukma region of Chhattisgarh.

Five Naxal militants were reported dead in the counter-military attack charged by the CRPF. A rescue team was rushed to the spot and combing went on till late in the night. Five Maoists were also killed in the counter attack by the CRPF, Deputy Inspector General of Dantewada, P Sunderraj told Hindustan Times.

Mondays onslaught in Sukma, can be dubbed as the worst Naxal attack since 2010.

The Pathankot ambush too speaks of inadequate planning on part of the Force. Despite an advance alert the paramilitary troops were not geared up to counter insurgent groups that managed to contravene into a high-security airbase at Pathankot in January 2016.

The storming of the army base in Uri, Kashmir by suspected militants from Pakistan based JeM on September 18, 2016 had killed 17 jawans of the Indian Army. The episode is recent enough to have warned the Indian Army and the Government about an urgent need for proactivity.

In hindsight, the instance of a BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadavs complaint about poor quality of food served to troopers on social media in January, 2017 and his subsequent dismissal should also be noted.

The series of ghastly attacks in a year's time on Indian security personnel makes one think of what exactly ails the Armed Forces.
Hyderabad Schools Parents Association took up this campaign few months ago and it received requests written by parents written in Telugu, English, Hindi and even in Urdu. Scores of parents and children assembled at General Post Office, Abids, to mail the post-cards to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: A section of parents took a vow to vote against the TRS government in the 2019 elections if it failed to stop the fee loot by private schools. Ms Saritha from LB Nagar wrote on a post-card that parents will stop voting for the ruling part if it did not stop the private schools from fleecing parents.

Another parent, Mr Mohammed Sharif from Shalibanda, vented his ire in Hyderabadi slang: KG to PG free mein padhaate bolke, school feesan itni badhaana. Yeich hai Bangaru Telangana? (After promising free KG to PG, why has school fee gone up so much? Is this Bangaru Telangana?), he wrote on a postcard. Over 2,000 such post-cards hand written by parents from across the city were posted to Chief Ministers address on Sunday.

Hyderabad Schools Parents Association took up this campaign few months ago and it received requests written by parents written in Telugu, English, Hindi and even in Urdu. Scores of parents and children assembled at General Post Office, Abids, to mail the post-cards to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday.

We started a missed call campaign to stop fee hike and recieved more than 2 lakh calls. But we could not get an audience with CM to brief him about the issue. We are hoping that CM will give us appointment and hear about our grievances after he receives postcards directly at his doorstep, Ramanjeet Singh of HSPA said. When states like Gujarat, UP and Punjab are regulating school fees, one fails to understand why Telangana is reluctant to do the same, asked a parent.

To ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modi took note of parents concerns, HSPA mailed a few postcards to him. The slogan used by parents read School fee loot rokne ko  Ek postcard CM ko, Ek postcard PM ko (To stop school fee loot, one postcard for CM and one for PM.
The e-transactions are being tracked by the Union ministry of electronics and information technology to assess the extent of cashless transactions after demonetisation.

Hyderabad: The two Telugu states are leading the country in e-transactions post demonetisation. According to a report released by the Centre, both Telangana and AP have clocked 39 crore e-transactions till date since November 9, 2016, when demonetisation was announced. TS recorded Rs 20crore in e-transactions during the period.

The report says that the initiatives being taken up by governments in TS and AP to encourage cashless transactions post demonetisation have paid off. Even in e-transactions per 1,000 population, TS and AP stood at the top in the country.

The e-transactions are being tracked by the Union ministry of electronics and information technology to assess the extent of cashless transactions after demonetisation. While Telanganas total population is 3,51,93,978, the total e-transactions recorded since November 9 were 20,04,11,513. The e-transactions per 1,000 population was highest in the country at 5,694.

In AP, the total population is 4,94,71,55. The total e-transactions recorded were 19,16,17,298. The e-transactions per 1,000 population was the second highest in the country at 3,873.

Though Gujarat recorded the highest e-transactions in the country at 20,13,09,614, it was put in the third place, since its population is more than that of the Telugu states. Gujarats population is 6,03,83,628 and the e-transactions per 1,000 population was 3,333, the third highest in the country.

The other states which recorded higher e-transactions include Uttar Pradesh (14,78,64,658) and Tamil Nadu (13,53,98,453). However, their e-transactions per 1,000 population was 740 and 1,876. IT minister K.T. Rama Rao expressed his happiness over Telangana topping thecountry in terms of e-transactions per 1,000 population.

We have conducted programmes in all districts to create awareness among the people on adopting e-transactions following demonetisation. All payments to beneficiaries of welfare schemes have been made online. The public distribution system is also being made cashless with the introduction of swiping machines. All major government services are being offered in online mode. All these measures paid off, encouraging cashless transactions, Mr Rao said.

E-transcations tracked in 6 categories
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D Jayakumar on Sunday offered to resign so that his portfolios can be allocated to the Panneerselvam camp, in what is being seen as a goodwill gesture by the Edappadi K Palanisamy faction.

"If someone has to sacrifice for the welfare of the party, let it be me. I am ready to forego my portfolios for them," Jayakumar said on Sunday, perhaps in an indication that Palanisamy's Chief Ministerial post will not be negotiable.

The warring factions of the AIADMK are expected to begin merger talks on Monday evening.

"The majority Edappadi K Palaniswamy government will complete its full term," minister DC Sreenivasan was quoted as saying by NDTV.

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. Palanisamy 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 was quoted as saying by Indian Express on Saturday. However, the fresh developments contradicted Saturdays report.

Both the E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam factions have each appointed a 7-member committee to begin talks. While the Panneerselvam camp has demanded the resignation of AIADMK (Amma) chief VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, the Palanisamy camp has said it has no preconditions for talks.

Dhinkaran however, stated last week that he would only resign after speaking to Sasikala, who is lodged in a Bengaluru jail. The AIADMK deputy general secretary is being interrogated by the Delhi Police for allegedly trying to bribe Election Commission officials for ownership of the Two Leaves symbol of the party.
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, who was being wooed by the Congress to join it, has said that the TRS would remain in power in Telangana for the next 20 years.

Speaking to media at Singur guest house in Sangareddy district on Sunday, the minister  who is the nephew of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao  said the minds of Congr-ess leaders have bec-ome blank after the announcement of free fertilisers scheme by the Chief Minister.

It will take another five years for the TRS government to undo all injustices done to Telangana by the previous Congress and TD governments, he said.

Giving an example, he said that for the first time the TRS government provided irrigation facility to 40,000 acres under the Ghanpur ayacut and 30,000 acres under the Singur canal to areas in erstwhile Medak district. Farmers, who have grown crops for the first time during the last 60 years, are the happiest lot now, he said.

The minister toured three Assembly segments on Sunday and held meetings with local TRS leaders, asking them to mobilise people for the TRS public meeting in Warangal on April 27.

The minister said that lakhs of people would attend the meeting from Medak district alone and make the meeting unprecedented in the history on Telangana.
Injured CRPF being brought to Raipur for treatment on Monday follwing a Maoist attack at Burkapal near Chintagufa in Bastar. (Photo: PTI)

Bhopal/New Delhi: Around 300 Maoists, armed with sophisticated weapons, on Monday mounted a deadly attack on a CRPF patrol party guarding road workers in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, leaving 25 jawans dead and a dozen others wounded.

This was the biggest strike on security forces by Maoists in Bastar  one of the worst-hit regions by Left-wing extremism in the country  since April 6, 2010 when 76 CRPF personnel were massacred in Sukma.

At least eight CRPF personnel, including a commander-rank officer, were missing in Mondays attack that took place at Burkapal village in Dornapal block of the district at 12.55 pm.

Bastar DIG P. Sunder Raj said, We are still awaiting detailed report (of the encounter).

A CRPF spokesman at Raipur told this newspaper that the Maoists also looted some weapons of the slain jawans.

The 12 injured jawans  four of them critical  were evacuated from the encounter site by choppers and brought to Raipur for treatment.

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, officials said.

The CRPF jawans of the 74th battalion were conducting an area domination operation to provide security to workers engaged in the construction of a seven-km road when the Maoists ambushed them.
New Delhi: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Monday that in order to tackle illegal smuggling of cows and other cattle, it had accepted the recommendation of an expert group to provide a tamper-proof unique identification number, (UIN) using poly-urethane tags, for the animals.

The Centre gave this response before a bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that was hearing a PIL filed by Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh seeking appropriate steps to protect cows and prevent smuggling of cattle into Bangladesh.

The petitioner claimed that there was rampant smuggling of live cattle across the border to Bangladesh, which had led to depletion of the countrys cattle wealth.

Each animal would be tagged with an UIN, with proper record of identification details (age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body colour, horn type, tail switch, etc).

Also, a state-level database may be uploaded on a website that would be linked with a national online database.

State governments bordering Bangladesh may ban livestock markets within 20 km from the international border, the Centre said.

Enforcement agencies working in areas near the India-Bangladesh border must lay emphasis on intelligence and information on smuggling of animals, so that steps could be taken to prevent cattle smuggling, the Centre added.
New Delhi: The Centre wants the Jammu and Kashmir government to play a more proactive role in maintaining law and order across the Valley, which has been seeing a spate of violent incidents, including stone-pelting by locals. The Centres concern was conveyed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during her meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday.

Sources said that the general assessment was that there was need for tougher action by the J&K police which was not able to handle the agitations as a professional force and relied too much on the Central forces in the Valley.

Speaking to the media after her meeting with the PM, Ms Mufti said though he was amenable to holding talks with all stakeholders in the Valley, this was possible only after the situation turned normal. She again floated the idea of following former PM Atal Behari Vajpayees strategy of holding talks with the separatists.
Operation on to rescue Kaveri who fell into a borewell at Junjarwad village in Belagavi district. (Photo: KPN)

Hubballi: Six-year-old Kaveri, who fell into a borewell in Junjarwad village of Belagavi district on Saturday evening, was pulled out dead after a rescue operation which lasted for more than 54 hours.

The girl was stuck at a depth of 24 feet in the borewell and efforts to reach her were hampered by rocks.

The foul smell emanating from the borewell since Monday evening had led to doubts about her surviving the mishap.

All through the rescue exercise, oxygen was supplied to the girl through a tube under the supervision of health department officials.

The staff of National Disaster Relief Force from Pune, Hatti Gold Mines and the fire brigade worked round-the-clock in the rescue operation. The family members of the girl have appealed to the government to ensure refilling of all defunct borewells and create awareness to prevent such tragedies.

Meanwhile, the Belagavi district administration has decided to file a criminal case against Shankrappa Hipparagi the owner of the farm land for his failure to refill the defunct borewell. He fled the village after the tragedy occurred.

Even as Kaveri battled for her life, there was a huge outpouring of sympathy for her parents, twenty-eight-year-old Dalit farm labourer Ajit Madar and wife Savita, who are daily wagers struggling to make both ends meet.

It was during their search for firewood that Kaveri fell into the borewell while playing in the barren farmland.

The couple and their children live in a thatched hut built at the rehabilitation centre on the outskirts of Junjarwad village which was partially submerged in the backwaters of Almatti dam under Upper Krishna Project nearly two decades ago. They get `150 per day for working in the sugarcane fields and had nurtured the dream of providing good education to their two daughters and son despite chronic poverty. They want to get Kaveri admitted to first standard next month in the government primary school in the village but an air of uncertainty now prevails with the condition of the girl still unknown.

My wife had gone to the adjacent farm land in search of firewood to prepare meals as we cannot afford an LPG connection. Ensuring two square meals a day is a challenging task as the drought has rendered us jobless. Still, we had never allowed poverty to come in the way of providing education and food to our three children, said her father Ajit Madar.

People of Junjarwad and surrounding villages had thronged the site to witness the rescue operation.

The incident sent shock waves in the region with many of them offering prayers in temples for the well-being of the child.
Opinion / Columnist

Speech by Honourable Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushohwe at the official launch of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Montrose Studios news bulletins in nine languages.Salutations!Pamusoroi vanoremekedzwa Chief Hwange neMadzimambo ese ari pano,Honourable Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mathuthu, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Charamba, acting chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Mr Patrick Mavhura, the chief executive officer of Transmedia Mai Sigudu-Matambo, Heads of Government Departments here present;Vice Chancellors here present, officials from the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, senior management of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, representative of the National Arts Council, independent producers, staff of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen!Today is a historic day indeed as the ZBC acting chief executive officer Mr Mavhura has said.It is not a day of celebration for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation or my ministry alone, but an important day for all Zimbabweans as we are putting the final nail in the coffin of colonialism.Language is an effective tool for colonisation, which is why we were forced to learn to speak the language of the colonialist, for a language comes with the culture of a people.So when we address each other in a certain language, we are also exchanging its cultural values.By finally accepting our own languages and putting them on national television, we are proudly saying as Zimbabweans we can communicate in our own languages.We can hear each other in our national languages and proudly share our Zimbabwean cultures.This makes it a great day indeed.We are here for the launch of television News Bulletins in nine national languages.In other words we are today introducing nine languages on television, languages that were formerly marginalised.With this occasion we are giving such languages the respect they deserve as Zimbabwean languages, and also fulfilling the dictates of our Constitution, which recognises 16 national languages.Of these nine languages, four were introduced on television in 2016, while five will be introduced today.Last year in September ZBC introduced television bulletins in the following languages:Indebo-NambyaDitaba-SothoMakani-TongaMafhungu-VendaThese were the pioneer bulletins in the promotion of all our national languages on television.Today we are proudly launching the following news bulletins:Nkani-ChewaMashoko-NdauNdebo-KalangaIndaba-XhosaThis marks nine the number of "new'' bulletins introduced on television news.The above bulletins join the already existing news bulletins in Ndebele, Shona, English and Sign Language, which are already broadcast on ZBC television.The remaining languages to be brought in on television are:ChibarweTswanaKhoisanChisochaAnd as the minister responsible, l want to assure our chiefs that bulletins in the remaining three languages will be on air soon as the ZBC acting chief executive officer has promised.Let me however, point out that these languages are already being broadcast on radio on National FM.However, l cannot sit down without reflecting on the theme of this launch which l find very appropriate for such an event.Celebrating Cultural diversity through broadcasting. United in Diversity!!A language is an important element of a people's culture. By introducing on television news bulletins in languages that were previously not broadcast, as a national broadcaster ZBC is promoting the cultures associated with these languages.In other words, the introduction of these languages is synonymous with the introduction or exposure of the cultures associated with the languages to the nation.Zimbabweans should be aware and proud of their languages and culture.Therefore with the introduction of each news bulletin on television, the nation is indeed celebrating the cultures of Zimbabwe.While our cultures are diverse, the people of Zimbabwe remain united against common causes like protecting our sovereignty, developing the economy and against our enemies like neo-colonialists, hunger, corruption and other vices, which threaten the nation.So while there is diversity - it has not divided us as a nation, thus the phrase we are indeed united in diversity.And let me, therefore, remind the national broadcaster that one of its important mandates is to bring together and unite the people of Zimbabwe regardless of their diverse cultures.Our independence and sovereignty, the peace that we have and the unity brought by our fathers, the late Umdala Joshua Nkomo and our President Robert Mugabe should never be taken for granted.The national broadcaster, and any broadcaster in Zimbabwe for that matter, should fight through its programming to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of Zimbabwe, and one such way is through the promotion of languages and cultures of this nation.This launch, Mr Mavhura and your team, is the beginning.As you have already said, we expect to see Montrose Studios being expanded now to accommodate more programmes in the 16 languages of Zimbabwe.We want to see Current Affairs Programmes, dramas, comedies and much more in the languages of the bulletins we are launching today.Independent producers must take up this challenge as I have said before.Let us see and celebrate our languages and cultures on radio and national television.Having said this, it is my singular honour and privilege to declare the Television National News bulletins, also known as the Montrose Studio Bulletins, officially launched.Madzimambo edu, ladies and gentlemen and viewers at home and listeners on radio, allow me to introduce the first two bulletins which will run for the first time on television.Mashoko - which is a bulletin in Ndau and iNdaba - which is a bulletin in Xhosa.I thank you!
Chennai: The starting blocks for the merger negotiation between the two warring factions of the AIADMK are drawing closer with former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Friday announcing his seven-member committee to hold talks with the Edappadi group. The latter had already formed a seven-member negotiation team under Lok Sabha member R. Vaithilingam.

This development is seen as a move forward, albeit snail-paced, as the OPS group has been cold so far as responding to the EPS camp forming its talk team goes. Nevertheless, the signs and sounds pointing to persisting grey spots were in full flow during the day.

Making his announcement before a large gathering of journalists outside his residence in the evening, OPS said the two teams would begin talks soon. It would not be proper to speak of pre-conditions when we are preparing for the talks, he replied when reminded about his earlier stand that there was no scope for negotiations until the EPS camp fulfilled his three conditions announce the expulsion of party general secretary Sasikala and deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran citing anti-party activities and warn party members against having anything to do with the duo; state government to request the Centre to institute CBI probe into the treatment and death of Jayalalithaa; and, withdrawal of affidavit filed by EPS group with the Election Commission claiming the two-leaves symbol.



Earlier in the day, OPS spokesman and former minister Mafoi Pandiarajan, emerging from a long meeting with the leader, told reporters there was no change in their stand that negotiations can begin only after the three conditions are met. Obviously the camp scaled down a bit and made its next substantial move by constituting the negotiation team under its cannon commander K. P. Munusamy.

The former minister had been spitting fire and brimstone during the last couple of days but was calm and composed when he came before the TV cameras in the morning and revealed the decision to constitute its negotiation team.

There was some hardening in the EPS camp with minister Kadambur Raju insisting that TTV Dhinakaran remained the party deputy general secretary. He had voluntarily stepped aside to facilitate merger talks and did not quit the party and the post, Raju argued. If that statement went against OPS' three-point charter of demands, the former CM did not seem upset, at least for now, as he went ahead forming his seven-member negotiation team.

Sources said that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been keen on getting the two warring AIADMK factions merge so that the party's Two Leaves symbol got restored and the government improved its chances of surviving for the remaining four years of its term.

Though some state BJP leaders denied their party was involved in the patch-up work, the saffron pressures were pretty clear to everyone out on the hot turf.
Chennai: Dubbing DMK's call for a state-wide bandh on April 25 condemning the attitude of the Union and State Governments towards farmers as a "political stunt", the PMK on Sunday said the problems of the farming community could have been solved much earlier if the erstwhile DMK government had implemented policies suggested by it.

In a statement, party founder S Ramadoss also tore into the DMK for adopting "different standards" on calling for a bandh while being in the government and functioning as principal opposition party. He cited the letter by the then Chief Secretary KS Sripathi "almost threatening" political parties not to hold a bandh on February 4, 2009 against the killing of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka.

"The form of protest chosen by the DMK will cause hardships to the people since transport will be affected and shops will be shut. The bandh would cause severe inconvenience to lakhs of people belonging to all sections of the society. Moreover, at a time when the Supreme Court has banned bandhs, how can we knock at the doors of the apex court seeking the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board when we go against its own judgment?" Mr Ramadoss asked.

Contending that the PMK supports all demands put forth by the DMK while calling for a day-long bandh, Mr Ramadoss said the party, which was in power in Tamil Nadu for a very long time, had never taken any "progressive steps" to uplift farmers and ignored every suggestion put forth by the PMK in its "Agriculture Budget" being released for the past ten years.

Having done nothing to help farmers for the past couple of years, PMK is at loss to understand the logic behind DMK's call for a bandh, Mr Ramadoss said. Holding DMK responsible for the Cauvery issue with Karnataka, the PMK founder sought to know what was the contribution of DMK, which was part of the UPA I and II, in implementing the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal that came in February 2007.

"PMK supports the peaceful protests by farmers on their demands but denounces any move by any political party calling for a bandh. Any such move is only an attempt to rally political forces which would not help the cause of the farmers," Ramadoss said.
Hyderabad: The YSR Congress is likely to rope in the services of political strategist Prashant Kishor, the 2019 general elections in Andhra Pradesh, to help it script new campaign initiatives for the party.

Mr Kishor, who came here on Saturday, had been the guest of YSR Congress Rajya Sabha MP V. Vijay Sai Reddy in the city and left for Delhi on Sunday evening.

Mr Kishor shot to popularity after his Citizens for Accoun-table Governance (CAG), an election-campaign group that he conceptualised, helped the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win a majority in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Later, he worked closely with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in the formation of a grand alliance for the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls, which completely routed the BJP.

When contacted, Mr Vijay Sai Reddy said Mr Kishor has been his good friend for the last few years and he came to meet him on his personal invitation.

We have discussed several issues but we have not taken any decision to use his services for the coming elections as of now, Mr Reddy said.

Claiming Mr Kishors visit as purely personal, Mr Reddy said, We may take a decision (on using services) only after consulting the party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, who is not in the city now. But sources said Mr Kishor is not meeting the YSRC MP for not the first time as both of them had met in Delhi earlier.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has called a special meeting of the KPCC leaders in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss organisational matters, including the election of a new PCC president. Apart from acting PCC president M. M. Hassan and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, all the 14 DCC presidents will attend the meeting. The AICC has decided to consult the leaders following the demand made by former PCC president V. M. Sudheeran and former chief minister Oommen Chandy for the election of a new PCC chief on the basis of a consensus.

AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and secretary in charge of the state Dipak Babaria will participate in the talks. Mr Chennithala and Mr Chandy want Mr Hassan to continue in the post till the organisational elections are held. Mr Chandy has ruled himself out of the race. The Congress leaders have expressed different views on Mr Rahuls decision to hold the meeting. The AICC wants to consult the leaders ever since the DCC presidents were appointed after talks with more than 100-plus leaders in the state. Such talks are needed to revive the party in the state and elsewhere in the country, a Congress MLA told DC.

However, a senior KPCC general secretary criticised the move saying the central leadership was inordinately delaying the process. It shows the ineptitude of the AICC leadership in zeroing in on a party president. A decision has to come from the central leadership and the state counterparts will have to abide by it. When Sudheeran stepped down, it took more than a month for the AICC to find a replacement, he said.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allot the Secunderabad Parade Grounds to the TS government to build the Secretariat complex.

Mr Rao requested the PM to exempt farm-related and agriculture dependant trades from Income Tax.

Mr Rao wanted an Act be passed in this regard. The entire income generated through agriculture is exempted from I-T now. There are several other professions; trades that solely depend on the agriculture sector in the hinterlands. Several backward communities survive through these professions. Sheep-rearers, fishermen, weavers, washermen, hairdressers etc. virtually eke out a living from their hereditary professions. They are doing highly laborious work and some of them are also in artistic work. Taxing their income from such professions is not justified, Mr Rao explained.

He also briefed the PM in detail the recent passage of increased reservation for STs and Backward Muslims by the TS Legislature. Mr Rao sought early clearance from Centre to keep the quota under Schedule 9 of the Constitution.

He also requested the PM to give more weightage to states to decide the quantum of reservations to various communities.

The CM also requested the PM to take measures to increase the number of Legislative Assembly constituencies in TS, based on the AP Reorganisation Act. He also wanted the bifurcation of the High Court to be expedited, release of Rs 1,400 crore of CAMPA funds from the Centre, recognition of Kaleswaram project as a National Project and release of funds accordingly.

Meanwhile, Mr Rao, who met Union Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, requested him to get approval for the new Land Acquisition Act passed by the TS Assembly. The CM said the oustees will get major benefits quickly under the new Act and construction of projects will also be expedited. To this, Mr Prasad said that his ministry has already accorded approval.
With Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan due in India in five days, I am reminded of the gem-studded Mughal throne in Istanbuls Topkapi Palace that symbolises the failure of religion as an instrument of diplomacy. Nadir Shah had seized the throne in Delhi from Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor whom he defeated and dispossessed, and presented it to Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I. When the Ottomans and Persians fell out, Muhammad Shah gladly rallied to Mahmuds cause. Two Muslim potentates, the Mughal and Ottoman emperors, united against a third, the Shah of Persia. Their obsession with religion is not the only commonalty between Narendra Modi and his guest. Both share with Donald Trump, who called to congratulate Mr Erdogan on his April 16 referendum victory, a somewhat flimsy democratic fig-leaf that covers the exercise of tremendous personal power. While Hillary Clintons 65,844,610 votes (48.2 per cent) was the third highest of any presidential candidate in American history, Mr Trump trailed behind with only 62,979,636 votes (46.1 per cent). The contrast between vote and result was most glaring in Mr Modis case too. Despite his exuberant self-confidence, the BJP won only 31 per cent of the votes in 2014 although it captured 283 Lok Sabha seats. That was the lowest-ever voteshare for a single party to win a Lok Sabha majority. In contrast, Indira Gandhis Congress, which held the previous record for the lowest voteshare for a single party, won a similar 283 seats in 1967 but with 40.8 per cent of the votes cast.

Mr Erdogan did indeed obtain popular endorsement of his ambition to become an all-powerful executive President. But the desperately close margin of his victory indicates rampant discontent in a bitterly divided nation. With only 51.5 per cent of voters approving his ambition, and 48.5 per cent opposing it, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its major ally, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), have obviously slipped in the popularity stakes since the last general election in 2015, when their combined share of the vote was 62 per cent. Although this may not come up in their discussions, Mr Modi and Mr Erdogan also share the distinction of leading governments that are trying to bestow a religious identity on the nations they rule. In the former case, every move seems to be towards a thinly veiled form of a Hindu Rashtra which mixes puja with politics, exalts the cow, bans beef, promotes vegetarianism, treats religious lore as history and temples as national monuments, foists Hindi on the populace and tacitly supports bands of marauding thugs who attack everything their half-baked perception tells them is not desi. Turkeys transition was apparent when our guide in Istanbul two years ago said his wife had started wearing the hijab because, otherwise, she might not be promoted in her government job.

Mr Erdogan, who was Prime Minister for 11 years and is in his third year as President, is as coy about admitting to Islamist ambitions as Mr Modi is about Hindutva. But as the mayor of Istanbul, he was sentenced in 1998 to 10 months in jail for inciting religious hatred after reading out verses by an Ottoman Islamist poet at a public event. Turkeys constitutional court banned his Welfare Party on the grounds that it was threatening the Kemalist nature of Turkey, specially [its] secularity. Once out of jail, he started mobilising supporters on an Islamist agenda, and in two years co-founded the AKP, the vehicle of his rise to power. Although many Turks still revere Kemal Ataturk as the first Asian modernist, the April 16 referendum empowers Mr Erdogan to dismantle the secular democratic Kemalist order he was accused of threatening 19 years ago and lay the foundations of a personal regime with expanded powers that could continue till 2029. While Turkeys domestic polity does not concern India, its value as an ally may be questioned. The referendum took place at a time Turkey faces huge security challenges. Last years multiple terror attacks were mostly the handiwork of the so-called Islamic State and rebellious Kurds against whom the Turkish military is waging a brutal war.

The massive purge in government and private institutions that followed last Julys abortive coup meant the dismissal and imprisonment of thousands of Turks, including judges, academics, top generals and senior security personnel. Over 100 journalists are said to be behind bars and 15 universities, 1,000 schools, 28 TV channels, 66 newspapers, 19 magazines, 36 radio stations, 26 publishing houses and five news agencies have been shut down. The leading Kurdish Opposition politician is also in jail, while the country is still reeling under emergency rule. Mr Erdogans position on the war in neighbouring Syria and Bashar al-Assads future is as ambivalent as the European Unions on his pending application. Turkeys once buoyant economy has been badly rattled by the resultant instability. Mr Erdogan probably hopes a visit to India  his first foreign trip since the referendum  might help to regain some of the international respect he once enjoyed. But he must resist the temptation  common in political adversity  of pandering to extremists to gain popularity. Even apart from Kemal Ataturk, his countrys ancient history offers some splendid instances of rewarding ecumenism. Despite being Caliph of Islam, the Ottoman sultan sent a fleet of ships to rescue Jews whom Catholic Spain expelled after Moorish Granada capitulated in 1492. That demonstration of secular enlightenment, which helped Turkeys commerce and arts, occurred a full 150 years before Britain, which had expelled Jews in 1290, allowed them back again. Mr Erdogan can gain from applying that liberal precedent to Turkeys ethnic and other minorities and by not using the referendum verdict to trample on secular democracy.
Tamil Nadus farmers have suspended their month-long protest in New Delhi, but their agitation is a ticking time bomb if the Tamil Nadu and Central governments cant offer something substantial so that they can overcome the worst drought in 140 years. The farmers have been pushed to utter despair, that is quite evident in the record number of farmer suicides this harvest season. New Delhi seemed hardly aware of their plight till the farmers took their protest to New Delhi and to the doorstep of the Prime Ministers Office, using bizarre tactics with live snakes and rats to make their point and capture attention.

The Centre may regard issues like loan waivers as a state subject, but in Tamil Nadus case its a lot bigger, and to do with the sharing of Cauvery waters. By deferring implementation of a Supreme Court decision to form the Cauvery Management Board, successive governments have shown where their southern priorities lie. The alacrity with which the BJP acted on loan waivers for Uttar Pradesh farmers has also opened a Pandoras box. All agricultural states are now clamouring for not only the waiving of crop loans but also those of nationalised banks. While the risk to the banking system in waiving loans is clear, despite clever strategies like raising bonds, its clear much more must be done for farmers, specially those of the Cauvery delta who produce a fair proportion of rice for the nation. By meeting the farmers, Tamil Nadus chief minister has bought time. The question is where real relief lies -- as solutions need political will.
Apple is keen to meet the Union Minister to discuss its plans to make the iPhone in India.

India would welcome Apple to make its iconic iPhones in the country where a lot of big firms were already making mobile phones, said Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday.

A lot of big mobile phone manufacturing companies have come, and if Apple comes fine, they are welcome, he told reporters at the margins of an IT event here.

Noting that he would soon be meeting top officials of the US-based firm to discuss its plans to make its mobile phones in India, Prasad said as India was a huge market, making in India for the domestic and export markets was important.

They (Apple) are very keen. Its executives are going to meet me in a couple of days though I need not share with you what they are going to discuss with me, quipped Prasad after an interactive meet with captains of the IT industry, organised by the state-run Software Technology Parks of India here.

Noting that 72 global telecom firms have started production in the country over the last two years, the Minister said 42 of them were making handsets while others (30) were manufacturing components like batteries and other parts.

Though we (India) missed the industrial revolution and the entrepreneur revolution, we dont want to miss the digital revolution. We want to become the leader in that, which is our fundamental philosophy, he said.

Asserting that India was on the cusp of a digital revolution, he said the countrys digital economy would be a trillion dollar market, for its stakeholders, including IT/ITeS, e-commerce, digital payments and communications.

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Microsoft is all set to host a special software and hardware event on May 2, and while details are not clear yet, reports of a new leak have emerged. The Redmond-based giant is looking to unveil its Windows 10 Cloud software  a more metered down OS targeted at students made to compete with Googles Chrome OS. Also, Microsoft is now also expected to launch a device running on previously rumoured Windows 10 Cloud platform, in a race to beat Chromebooks at its own game.

Windows Central has already leaked a screenshot of minimum specifications needed for a device running on Windows 10 Cloud, and they have been compared with Chromebook specifications as well. This demonstrates the ability to compete with Googles education-focused laptops which will be launching on May 2.

Photo credits: Windowscentral.com

The minimum specification requirements include a quad-core Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32/64GB of storage. Optional pen or touch support is also included. The table also hints that Microsoft is looking to include all-day battery life in the mix so as to attract students.

Early leaks suggest that Windows 10 cloud will only work with Universal Windows Platform apps from the Windows Store, and not all of them. The early build of the simplified and cheaper version of Windows 10 suggested that the new OS did not allow users to install Win32 apps available on the Windows Store through Microsofts own Desktop App Converter. However, this are leaks which havent been confirmed which Microsoft will put to rest in their event in New York City on May 2.

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The enhancements, which will be available this summer, will require Microsoft Dynamics customers to also be LinkedIn customers.

Microsoft Corp is rolling out upgrades to its sales software that integrates data from LinkedIn, an initiative that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told Reuters was central to the company's long-term strategy for building specialized business software.

The improvements to Dynamics 365, as Microsoft's sales software is called, are a challenge to market leader Salesforce.com and represent the first major product initiative to spring from Microsoft's $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn, the business-focused social network.

The new features will comb through a salesperson's email, calendar and LinkedIn relationships to help gauge how warm their relationship is with a potential customer. The system will recommend ways to save an at-risk deal, like calling in a co-worker who is connected to the potential customer on LinkedIn.

The enhancements, which will be available this summer, will require Microsoft Dynamics customers to also be LinkedIn customers.

The artificial intelligence, or AI, capabilities of the software would be central, Nadella said. "I want to be able to democratize AI so that any customer using these products is able to, in fact, take their own data and load it into AI for themselves," he said.

While Microsoft is a behemoth in the market for operating systems and productivity software like Office, it is a small player in sales software. The company ranks fourth - far behind Salesforce.com and other rivals Oracle Corp and SAP - with just 4.3 percent of the market in 2015, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to research firm Gartner.

Salesforce declined to comment on Microsoft's competing software.

But Nadella said specialized applications in fields like sales and finance are critical to the company's future. He bills them as Microsoft's "third cloud," the first two being Office 365 for general productivity like email and Azure for computing and databases.

Nadella's bigger vision is to have all products take advantage of a common set of business data that can be mined for new insights with artificial intelligence.

"I think that's the only way to long-term change this game, because if all we did was replace somebody else's (sales), or (finance) application, that's of no value, quite frankly," he said.

Microsoft pointed to Visa as a success story. Earlier this year Visa was in the process of choosing a cloud-based sales software system and picked Microsoft's over Salesforce. Rajat Taneja, executive vice president of technology at Visa, said Nadella's three-cloud strategy was the deciding factor.

But Microsoft has a long way to go. The company has never released a revenue figure for Dynamics, though the former head of Dynamics said publicly in 2015 that it was a $2 billion business unit.

That compares with Salesforce revenue of $8.3 billion overall and $3 billion for its sales software specifically. Dynamics also grew more slowly than Salesforce last year - Dynamics revenue grew just 4 percent versus 26 percent for Salesforce, which already has artificial intelligence features similar to the ones Microsoft will introduce.

Nadella is under pressure to show that the pricey LinkedIn acquisition in mid-2016 was worthwhile. R "Ray" Wang, founder of analyst firm Constellation Research, said LinkedIn-powered features, combined with popular programs like Office and Skype, could help.

"Microsoft is putting together the contextual business data people need to be more efficient and build better relationships," Wang said.

Nadella said Microsoft will also continue offering certain LinkedIn data to other companies, including Salesforce, as LinkedIn did before its acquisition. Salesforce had urged European regulators to probe the Microsft-LinkedIn deal, which they ultimately declined to do.

"That ecosystem approach is something that we will absolutely maintain and, in fact, if anything keep continuing to evangelize," Nadella said.

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- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
Users can type an address or the name of a location, and visit it with a 3D headset system

A new Google Earth Virtual Reality (VR) feature allows users to visit any address in the world and fly over it in 3D with the help of a headset system, according to the company.

Using a new updated feature on Google Earth VR, people can choose their own destinations, as long as they know the address or name of the location.

"People want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it is a childhood home or favourite vacation spot," Joanna Kim, a product manager at Google Earth VR said in a blog post.

Users can type an address or the name of a location, and visit it with a 3D headset system, Kim said.

Sightseers can also visit 27 handpicked locations that are now available on Google Earth VR, including Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty", Table Mountain in South Africa and the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.

"When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying," said Kim.

"You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you did not even know existed," Kim added.

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The predefined phrases are translated into logical sequences of emojis and are divided into six main categories including: everyday life, eating and drinking, feelings, help, recreational activities, and anniversaries and celebrations.

Samsung Electronics Italia earlier this month launched Samsung Wemogee, the first emoji-based chat application designed to enable people with aphasia and other language disorders to more effectively express their ideas and emotions.

Currently, there are more than three million people worldwide living with aphasia, a disorder that causes the loss of language capabilities. Aphasia is often the result of an injury to the parts of the brain that are responsible for speaking, reading, writing and understanding others.

Recent studies show that emojis, which are predicted to become a universal visual language of the future, can help people with language disorders like aphasia better express themselves.

Developed in collaboration with a team of speech therapists, Samsung Wemogee functions as a kind of translator between text and emojis. The app includes a library of more than 140 phrases related to basic needs and emotional expressions. The predefined phrases are translated into logical sequences of emojis and are divided into six main categories including: everyday life, eating and drinking, feelings, help, recreational activities, and anniversaries and celebrations.

Through the interface, aphasic patients identify what they want to communicate through a panel of visual options, sending the chosen sequence of emojis to the non-aphasic recipient. The non-aphasic user will receive the message in text form and can then reply using pre-set textual phrases. Wemogee also works as a home practicing tool, enhancing the effectiveness of traditional rehabilitation treatment of aphasia.

The Android-compatible application will be available for free download on Google Play beginning April 28 and supports English and Italian languages.

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Samsung has partnered with Google to make Google Play Music app its default music app in all of its smartphones. Moreover, the two companies are working together in order to add unique features to the app.

The recently-launched Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will also be consisting Google Play Music to be their default music app.

Samsung users will now upload and stream up to 1,00,000 songs via Google Play Music app, for free. Previously, Samsung users didnt have so many options.

Separately, Samsung smartphones and tablets will also be coming with a 3-month free trial period of Google Play Music subscription along with access to YouTube Red, when it launches.

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Xiaomi revealed its flagship for 2017 at an event in Beijing last week. The Mi 6 will be showcasing the best of what Xiaomi has to offer to the masses around the world this year. While the phone flaunted all the flagship specifications, one aspect that has irked the Xiaomi fans is the absence of the 3.5 mm headphone jack from the top or bottom of the phone.

While the move is reminiscent of Apples move to ditch the headphone jack in favour of adopting wireless technology for the common smartphone user, Xiaomis reason for following the suit is slightly different.

The company claims that removing the headphone jack released more space inside for adding in other components. Xiaomi state that the smartphone is a very complicated device with multiple integrated components and parting with the headphone jack led them to put in other undisclosed components.

Now it could be wrong but the obvious reason for getting that additional space inside the phones chassis could be to accommodate the dual-lens camera module. A dual-lens sensor is quite big and needs some space to fit inside a smartphone. Apple could only fit the dual-lens module in the iPhone 7 Plus as it had additional real estate as compared to its smaller brother  the iPhone 7. Since Xiaomi wanted to squeeze the dual-lens camera into a device with a 5.15-inch screen, it had to get rid of something from the last years Mi 5 form factor. The headphone jack sat on top with the camera module on the Mi 5, so the only way they could have put the camera was by striking off the headphone jack.

However, this decision could affect the purchase decision of a buyer while considering the Mi 6. Having a single port for listening to music, charging and transferring data could hamper the multitasking ability of the modern smartphone easily. Though it can be avoided if you prefer to the wireless way or Xiaomi decides to pack in adapters to let you use your existing headphones with the phone.

Now thats an amusing reason to state as a phone manufacturer if you want to indicate  you didnt copy the latest iPhone, you just got "inspired".

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Youth tied up to an Army jeep in Jammu and Kashmir (Photo: video grab)

New York: In an unusually harsh editorial, The New York Times has described Indias security crackdown in Kashmir as brutal and cautioned that it will feed more militancy.

The editorial which was published on Saturday said the Indian government must ensure that human rights are protected in Kashmir.

The New York Times editorial boards comments came days after a video showing a civilian tied to a military vehicle as a human shield in Kashmir went viral.

The editorial commented that members of Indias armed forces reached a new low in the long history of alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir when they beat and tied 24-year-old shawl weaver Farooq Ahmad Dar to the front of a jeep using him as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds.

The incident, which came to light when a video spread on social meda, provides a gauge of an insurgency that has waxed and waned over nearly three decades in Kashmir, the editorial titled Cruelty and Cowardice in Kashmir said.

It added that following the incident, Indias army chief General Bipin Rawat vowed action against those responsible for tying Dar to the jeep. But he also warned that Kashmirs stone-throwing youth and separatist militants may survive today, but we will get them tomorrow. Our relentless operations will continue.

The editorial said, such posturing will only doom Kashmir to a deadly spiral, where more brutal military tactics will feed more despair and more militancy.

The editorial said the Narendra Modi government would do well if it follows the recommendations by a report presented to him by a group of citizens in January that cited strong feelings of discrimination and a complete lack of faith by Kashmiris in government promises.

The report had pleaded for improved human rights and a multi-party dialogue aimed at a durable political solution.

The editorial also warned that Indian democracy will lose its credibility if Kashmiris are robbed of a chance to dream, along with the rest of India, of a peaceful, prosperous future if the recommendations of the report are not implemented.

The group that visited the Valley twice last year on a fact-finding mission has recommended multi-dimensional dialogue that includes talks with Hurriyat should be initiated at the earliest and has asked the government to improve human rights situation and resuscitate democratic linkages between with people and allow Kashmiris to assemble and meet to hold discussions.
New York: Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said the unprovoked gesture of a Pakistani military court to sentence Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death through a "kangaroo court" will not help the cause of peace in the region.

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank, the finance minister blamed Pakistan for the strained Indo-Pak ties.

Jaitley, who is also holding the portfolio of defence minister, said India made many efforts to improve the ties with Pakistan over the last few years but every time there was a negative reaction.

"Now we have this unprovoked gesture of a military court sentencing an Indian to death through a kangaroo court process," said Jaitley, adding that such acts will help the cause of peace in the region at all.

Jadhav, 46, was tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and was awarded the death sentence. Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa later confirmed the death sentence.

Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. It also claimed that he was "a serving officer in the Indian Navy."

The Pakistan Army had also released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest. India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

The Jadhav episode could further strain the India-Pakistan ties which were hit after attacks in Pathankot and Uri by Pakistan-based terrorists last year.
Beijing: A 27-year-old Chinese man has been detained for making derogatory remarks against Muslims in the comments' section of an online video that allegedly showed Muslim residents vandalising a restaurant in China's northern Hebei Province.

The man, surnamed Chen, will be detained for 15 days and fined 1,000 yuan (USD 145). He has been accused of making derogatory comments against Muslims, police in Baoding's Baigou township said on Sunday.

Local officials said in a statement that the restaurant, Zaizai Music and Barbecue Bar, was using the "halal" chopsticks and had pork on the menu. The video posted online showed some people attacking the restaurant and one person throwing a chair at the restaurant's window, state-run Global Times reported today.

Few netizens posted photos of the chopsticks online and these were "maliciously" used by some people whose comments hurt the feelings of Muslims and incited conflicts between people from different ethnic groups, the report said.

The photos and comments have led to aggressive behaviour among some residents, the report quoted the statement as saying.

The restaurant is non-halal and has been asked to suspend business for rectification. Officials did not say when the restaurant was attacked or if the perpetrators have also been detained. Xiong Kunxin, a professor of ethnic studies at Beijing's Minzu University of China, said that public products and services should not be differentiated in accordance with religion as long as they do not violate Islamic doctrines.

He gave the example of the Anhui University of Science and Technology, which set up shower facilities exclusively for Muslim students in September, 2016.

The university, however, reversed the decision after encountering a flood of criticism online. China has over 21 million Muslims accounting for over 1.6 per cent of total population. Half of Muslims Turkik speaking Uighurs in the restive Xinjiang province.

They are of Turkik origin and the province has witnessed widespread violent attacks in the last few years. The Uygurs were restive over the large-scale settlements of Hans from other provinces.

China says most domestic acts of terrorism were planned and perpetrated by separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), an al-Qaeda backed militant outfit fighting for separation of Xinjiang from China.

Besides Uighurs, China has substantial population of Madarin speaking Hui Muslims who are natives of Ningxia province.
Mattis was visiting just days after a bloody Taliban attack that killed more than 100 Afghans on a base in the country's north. (Photo: AP/File)

Kabul: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Afghanistan on Monday to assess America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending more troops.

Kabul was the final stop on a six-nation, weeklong tour Mattis said was intended to bolster relations with allies and partners and to get an update on the stalemated conflict in Afghanistan. He is the first member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to visit Afghanistan.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top American commander in Kabul, recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

As part of the administration's review of Afghan policy, Trump's national security adviser, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul last week to consult with Nicholson and with Afghan officials.

McMaster said in a TV interview after returning to Washington that the US in recent years has scaled back its military effort against the Taliban. "Our enemy sensed that and they have redoubled their efforts, and it's time for us, alongside our Afghan partners, to respond," he said.

Among the questions facing the administration is how to maintain pressure on a resilient Taliban and keep up counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan without prolonging a stalemate that is costing US taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

The war began in October 2001. The US has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014 but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.

Mattis was visiting just days after a bloody Taliban attack that killed more than 100 Afghans on a base in the country's north. The Taliban also controls key parts of Helmand province in the south. Officials say nearly a dozen of the attackers wore army uniforms and rode in military vehicles, raising concerns of help from inside the compound.

Afghan officials said earlier that the country's army chief and the defence minister resigned following the weekend Taliban attack. The officials said that President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The president's official Twitter account also confirmed the resignations.

In addition to the Taliban insurgency, Afghanistan also is fighting to extinguish a small but troublesome presence in Nangarhar province of militants affiliated with the Islamic State group.

Two weeks ago, Nicholson created a stir by ordering an attack on an IS stronghold in Nangarhar using the military's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, the so-called "mother of all bombs."

Mattis has declined to disclose details of damage done by that bombing, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called an "atrocity."
With Macron topping the first round of the French presidential election, projections show that he is set to face Front National's Marine Le Pen in a race that has knocked France's traditional political parties out of the running. (Photo: AP/File)

Moscow: Following the victory of French independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the French presidential election, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert expressed his satisfaction with the result.

"It is good that Emmanuel Macron with his focus on strong EU + social market economy has success. Good luck for the next two weeks," Seibert tweeted.

The first results from the Interior Ministry, after the processing of about 70 percent of the ballots cast in the first round, put him in the first place. Far-right Marine Le Pen is expected to come second.

With Macron topping the first round of the French presidential election, projections show that he is set to face Front National's Marine Le Pen in a race that has knocked France's traditional political parties out of the running.

"In one year we have changed the face of French political life." He said he represented "optimism and hope," Macron said in front of an ecstatic and raucous crowd in Paris, adding a dig at Le Pen by saying he would be a president of "patriots" against the "nationalist threat".

However, it was also a success for Le Pen, who has spent years attempting to rid the Front National of the toxic legacy of her father. "It is time to free French people from arrogant elites ... I am the people's candidate," she announced.

The first round of the French polls was held under tight security in the wake of the terror attack in Paris on Thursday night, which disrupted the final day of campaigning on Friday.
It also claims that "jokes drawing attention to someone's differences" and "not speaking directly to people" are potential forms of "everyday racism". (File Photo)

London: Oxford University students who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism, according to the prestigious varsity's latest guidance.

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit has advised undergraduate students that "not speaking directly to people" could be deemed a "racial micro-aggression" which can lead to "mental ill-health", The Telegraph reported.

Issued at the start of the Trinity term, the third term at the university, the newsletter claims that asking someone where they are "originally" from implies they are a foreigner. It also claims that "jokes drawing attention to someone's

differences" and "not speaking directly to people" are potential forms of "everyday racism".

The university's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in the newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence."

"But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong," it

states. However, some critics slammed the newsletter, saying it would make the students over sensitive.

Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at the University of Kent, said the guidance was "completely ridiculous" and will make students "hyper-sensitive" about how they interact with one another.

"Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime. They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking," she said.

Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University's guidance was "overstepping the mark" by telling students "how they should feel and think".

Tom Slater, co-coordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking project that highlights censorship on university campuses, called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.

"This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students," he told The Times.

An Oxford University spokesman was quoted as saying that, "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," he said. Last year, Oxford law students were told they could skip

lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too "distressing".

Earlier this year, it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as "right-hand man" and "gentleman's agreement" under its code of practice on inclusive language.
Westcon-Comstor System Improves Contact Centers

A recent move from Westcon-Comstor should be welcome news for anyone looking to turn a contact center from a giant room full of phones and equipment into a much simpler hosted environment. More specifically, the company is adding Servion's ServCloud system, and that's a measure that will ultimately go a long way toward making the contact center even better and easier to work with.

Servion's ServCloud is a complete hosted contact-center-as-a-service (CCaaS) tool that offers not only a marketplace of tools of its own, but also a slate of analytics and other mechanisms geared toward giving the contact center a leg up in easier operations. By extension, easier operations generally mean lower-cost operations, which is commonly a welcome addition to most anyone's lineup.

The ServCloud system itself is built around the Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution, reports note, and represents the only CCaaS tool that's geared toward the enterprise user and offers complete end-to-end operations across not only voice operations, but also multi-channel interactions.

Given that the cloud-based contact center market is expected to reach $15.67 billion in total market just by 2021, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.6 percent, it's clear that having a dog in this hunt will be vital going forward. With ServCloud's system now in Westcon-Comstor's marketplace, the company now has a great way to address issues of major growth markets with a system that should be just as valuable today as it will be tomorrow.

Westcon-Comstor's senior director of cloud, Matt Karst, commented Businesses are moving towards more omnichannel communications by engaging customers in a variety of waysvoice, email, chat, social media and more. Its the perfect time for solution providers to talk to customers about better managing all the incoming data and analyzing the customer journey. As a hosted solution, ServCloud allows solution providers to enter the CCaaS space with minimal investment and ramp-up time.

When Westcon-Comstor can augment its marketplace sufficiently to take on a major new line of business just by adding one company's product line, it would almost be an inconceivably bad idea to not bring it in. We've seen how the cloud-based contact center market is on the rise, and we've seen what the ServCloud system can do, so to incorporate these systems into current operations just makes sense. Throw in the impressive value proposition that Westcon-Comstor can deliver to its end users and it's easy to see why Westcon-Comstor brought it in play.

The contact center is going to be a major front for customer contact for the foreseeable future, and bringing in better tools to keep such a system running at its peak will be vital to success going forward.
The Islamic State group later in the day took responsibility for the attack. (File Photo)

Baghdad: Militants in Iraq ambushed a convoy of off-duty soldiers near a town in the country's sprawling western desert, killing at least 10 and wounding 20, officials said on Monday.

Iraqi Maj. Emad al-Dulaimi said the attack took place the night before near the town of Rutba. The militants were armed with assault rifles and rockets. Al-Dulaimi said he blamed the Islamic State group.

The Islamic State group later in the day took responsibility for the attack. A statement on the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency claimed 18 were killed in the

ambush, including two officers.

IS has carried out many similar attacks targeting Iraqi forces in the past months to detract from the ongoing battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul.

Rutba lies about 390 kilometers west of Baghdad in the country's vast Anbar province. It's the last sizable town on the way to the border with Jordan.

Iraqi forces launched a wide-scale military operation last October to retake Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city from Islamic State militants.

The eastern half of the city, separated in two by the Tigris River, was declared completely free of IS in January and now Iraqi forces are fighting to rout IS from all of the western, more densely populated half of the city.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said last week that 493,000 people have been displaced from the city and that as many as 500,000 others remain in IS-controlled parts of western Mosul.
Kabul: The Afghan defence minister and his army chief resigned Monday, days after a Taliban attack at a military base in northern Afghanistan killed or wounded more than 100 soldiers, a presidential statement said.

"President Ashraf Ghani has accepted the resignation of the defence minister and army chief of staff," the statement from Ghani's office said.

Furious Afghans had called for resignations of minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem after the assault outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

The attack is believed to be the deadliest-ever by the Taliban on a military base.

Ten gunmen dressed in soldiers' uniforms and armed with suicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops at close range in the mosque and dining hall.

The exact toll from the assault remains unclear. Afghan officials have so far ignored calls to break down the toll it has given of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded. Some local officials have put the number of dead alone as high as 130.

Many Afghans slammed the government for its inability to counter the attack, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults, including one on the country's largest military hospital in Kabul in March that left dozens dead.

Twelve army officers, including two generals, were sacked for negligence over that attack.
Islamabad: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead.

"I don't think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we don't call him a terrorist," 73-year-old Musharraf said.

Referring to Saeed's house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, "Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States."

"They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi they don't talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him," he said, while talking about the Mumbai attacks.

In January this year, 68-year-old Saeed was placed under under a 90-day house arrest. There were reports that Pakistan was immense pressure from new the Trump administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations.

Saeed carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. His organisation JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26, 2008, which was masterminded by Saeed.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.

Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, "If the current prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesn?t want it."

The former dictator also said that he would like to contest the 2018 general elections. "Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel.

Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan. "I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," said the former president.

"There are many good people who can run Pakistan," he said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good."

Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism.

"It didn't come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way."

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.
A 40-year-old security guard posted at a bungalow, frequently visited by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa in Kodanad near here, was found murdered, police said today. Another security personnel, who was on duty at the bungalow, was also injured in the attack by an unidentified gang, which allegedly broke into the bungalow to steal valuables and some documents, they said.



It was not immediately known whether the bungalow was owned by Jayalalithaa. The incident came to light this morning when workers at the tea estate noticed the security guards Om Bahadur and Kishore Bahadur lying in a pool of blood with their hands and legs bound and informed the police.



Superintendent of Police, Murali Ramba, and other high ranking officials visited the spot and held inquiry, they said. Kishore Bahadur was shifted to a hospital, police said. Quoting villagers, police said a 10-member gang in two vehicles was seen entering the area in the early hours. All check posts in the Nilgiris district, connecting Karnataka and Kerala have been alerted, they said, adding investigation is on.
India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian ocean and more on its economic development, Chinese official media said today. "New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers," an article in the state-run Global Times said.



"In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development," it said. "New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy," it said. China yesterday celebrated 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet.



A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. "With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the country's overseas interests," a report in the same daily said.



As a consequence, China's military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said. As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of former Soviet ship has finished its blue sea training, he said. While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new "logistic" based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.



"As the world's second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development," an article in the Global Times said. "The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions," the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.



"India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers," it said. Unlike China, India operated the aircraft carrier since 1961. INS Vikrant which was purchased as an incomplete carrier in 1957 played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of the East Pakistan in 1971 before it was decommissioned in 1997.



Its successor INS Virat that was commissioned in 1987 has just been decommissioned this month after an eventful four decades of service. It was succeeded by INS Vikramaditya, a modified version of Russian ship Admiral Gorshikov, which became operational in 2013. The second INS Vikrant being built in Cochin Shipyard is expected to be ready by 2018.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and others on a plea by a woman journalist, challenging use of buddy system in Indian Army.



A bench of Justice J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer decided to seek the reply from Maharashtra government also on her petition challenging the criminal case lodged against her in view of death of a 'Sahayak' after her sting operation.



The petitioner also sought direction to issue guidelines to restrict the "abuse" of the Official Secrets Act.



Delhi-based journalist Poonam Agarwal, working with a news portal, had entered the camp at Nasik and carried out the sting operation on the alleged abuse of the "buddy" system in the army by videographing 33-year-old Roy Mathew, a Lance Naik from Kerala, who was found dead on March 2.



The court agreed with senior advocate Gopal Subromanaium, representing her that the matter required examination.



Nasik police lodged an FIR against Agarwal and retired army official Deep Chand, who allegedly helped the journalist to enter the camp, under IPC provisions and Sections 3 (spying) and 7 (interfering with officers of police or members of the armed forces of the Union) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA).



In a writ petition filed through advocate Prashant Kumar, the journalist and Deep Chand sought a court-monitored probe into the death of Mathew and compensation to the victim's family. They also sought probe into misuse of Sahayak/Buddy system.



They sought issuance of suitable guidelines/directions giving a strict and controlling interpretation to the provisions of Official Secret Act, 1923 to prevent its abuse and bring them in line with the scheme of the Constitution, particularly Articles enshrined in Part III - Fundamental Rights of the Constitution of India.



Their petition claimed the issue was related to "manipulation" of evidence, "hushing up" of criminal offences, the cause of "journalistic freedom" and the "right to freedom of speech and expression".



"The immediate provocation for invoking of the draconian provisions under the OSA against the petitioners is to scuttle and prevent a fair investigation into unnatural death of one of the jawans who figured in the broadcast clip aired on February 24, 2017 with all faces blurred, the petitioners claimed.




The top security brass of the country today reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir amid continued unrest in the Kashmir Valley. Home Minister Rajnath Singh was given a detailed presentation on the latest ground situation in the state in the wake of violence since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, official sources said.



They discussed the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the Valley, which has witnessed many protests and stone- pelting incidents in the recent past. Singh discussed increased infiltration bids from across the border with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the top officials of the Home ministry, the paramilitary forces and the chiefs of the intelligence agencies.



The home minister directed the officials to ensure intensified vigil along the International Border and the Line of Control to foil attempts by the militants to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir during the summer, the sources said.



A possible strategy to deal with the challenges arising out of the increasing incidents of stone pelting on the security personnel was also discussed at the meeting, they said. The home minister and the top officials also reviewed the security situation across the country, particularly along the western border -- from Punjab to Gujarat.


Union minister Upendra Kushwaha was today granted bail by a Bihar court in connection with a case relating to violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ravi Kumar granted bail to Kushwaha on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 soon after the minister surrendered.



However, the judge took exception to the presence of security guards and other people with the Union Minister of State for HRD when he appeared before him in court. The guards and the others were asked to leave the room.



A case was registered at Town police station at Katihar in 2009 by polling officials against Kushwaha after his posters were found at the counting venue. The case was filed under the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.



Speaking to reporters later, Kushwaha demanded a CBI probe into the allegations levelled by senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his family members. "There must be a probe into the charges that the RJD supremo and his family members have amassed immovable property beyond their known sources of income," he said.
Former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was today granted interim anticipatory bail in the illegal mining scam being probed by the Special Investigation Team of the state Crime Branch. He also appeared before the SIT for questioning in connection with the case. Kamat was summoned for the second time by the Goa Crime Branch this afternoon.



Prior to his visit to the Crime Branch, the former chief minister moved an anticipatory bail plea before the district court here this morning. The court granted him interim bail and fixed the next hearing for May 2.

While granting the relief, the court ordered Kamat to furnish a bail bond of Rs one lakh and a surety in like amount. "I have experience in the past about such cases. That is why I moved for anticipatory bail," Kamat told reporters outside the court.



He then went to the Crime Branch where SIT began questioning him in connection with the case. The veteran Congressman, who is named in the FIR filed by the Crime Branch in the case, was summoned last week 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.


India emerged as the world's 5th biggest military spender, ahead of its arch rival Pakistan, says a new report from a European think tank.



Three out of the top five military spenders are from Asia, suggesting how military conflicts are spreading across the subcontinent. While India was beaten by China and Saudi Arabia, the list of world's top 15 military spenders doesn't include Pakistan.



With a spending of $611 billion and a year-on-year growth of 1.7%, the USA remains the top most military spender in the world followed by China with a spending of $245 billion and a growth of 5.4%.



However, by the Chinese standard, the growth rate is lower than what the communist country achieved in the past.



Russia comes third on the list with a spending of $69.2 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia. The Arab nation was the third largest spender in 2015 but dropped to fourth position in 2016 as its spending dropped by 30% in 2016 to touch $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.



Indias military expenditure grew by 8.5% in 2016 to touch an overall spending of $55.9 billion, making it the fifth largest spender, says the latest report from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.



The SIPRI report, titled Trends in World's Military Expenditure, 2016, represents a period when former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, cleared military projects worth Rs 400,714 crores spanning over two fiscals. As many as 141 contracts with total value of approximately Rs 2,00,010 crore were signed in the same period.



India moved from 7th to 5th place after its largest annual spending increase since 2009. Between 2007 and 2016, China has seen the biggest growth in military spending, with an increase of 118%, followed by Russia (87%) and India (54%).



Notably, five of the top 15 global spenders are in Asia and Oceania: China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia.



China had by far the highest military spending in the region: an estimated $215 billion, or 48 per cent of regional spending. This amount is almost four times that of Indias total, which is the second largest in the region at $55.9 billion, the report said



World military expenditure rose for a second consecutive year to $ 1686 billion in 2016 the first consecutive annual increase since 2011 when spending reached its peak of $ 1699 billion.



The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.


Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated. Though the CM did not specify who the talks would be with, she had earlier invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's policy on Kashmir at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.



"I understand that the coming 2-3 months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated," she said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh here. She said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.



During the meeting, at which BJP's general secretary incharge of the state, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mehbooba briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.



The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir. Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governor's rule in the state, Mehbooba said only the central government could comment on that. The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.



Mehbooba also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Singh told Mehbooba that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.



He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday. At a meeting of the NITI Aayog yesterday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their "own children".


An official North Korean website warned today that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States if Washington starts a war on the peninsula, the latest tit- for-tat sabre-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in the region.



The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in waters off the Korean peninsula "in a matter of days", Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, amid reports the North could be preparing a sixth nuclear test.



Pyongyang is still believed to be far from reaching its aim of building a missile capable of reaching the US mainland, but the secretive nation has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks and has carried out two rocket tests this month alone.



In a series of editorials the Rodong Sinmun newspaper -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party -- said the North's forces were undeterred and called the US strike group's imminent arrival "undisguised military blackmail".



"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said today, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



A day earlier it said the North's revolutionary forces were "combat-ready to sink the US nuclear aircraft carrier with a single strike".



Pyongyang's rhetoric intensifies every spring when the US and South Korea hold joint exercises it sees as rehearsals for an attack on the North.



A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri today claimed that the dispatching of the Carl Vinson signalled a war: "It is proof that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day."



The editorial, described as being written by an army officer, said it was a "big miscalculation" for Washington to compare the North to Syria, which did not launch an "immediate counterattack" after a US cruise missile strike earlier this month.

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."



There is speculation the North may conduct another test to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of its Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday.



But it has never tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with sufficient range to reach the continental United States -- although it has ambitions to develop one -- nor is it known to have miniaturised atomic technology sufficiently to be able to fit a nuclear warhead on a rocket.



US officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table" to curb the North's weapons ambitions, including military strikes.
The Supreme Court on Monday sent a 23-year-old matter pertaining to cleaning up of river Yamuna for consideration before the National Green Tribunal.



After noting that the green panel was already hearing a similar plea, a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said, "we don't to have a parallel jurisdiction on the same issue."



The bench, however, said if any constitutional issue arises before the panel, Amicus curiae Ranjit Kumar may approach the apex court for direction. The matter relating to monitoring of steps to clean Yamuna river was being heard by the apex court since 1994.



It was all started as the apex court took suo motu cognisance of a news report in 1994. Notably, the apex court had already sent similar matter filed by environmental activist M C Mehta on Ganga pollution before the NGT for examination and passing appropriate directions.



During the hearing, Kumar said, "I must express my anguish that 23 years have gone by. Thousand of crores spent but the condition of river has gone from bad to worse." He urged the court to seek audit of the works undertaken to clean up the river. Kumar said the money was being spent by the central as well state governments of Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh on it.



The bench, however, said, "we are satisfied that the NGT is dealing with the matter effectively. We think it appropriate to send the writ petition before the NGT." In 2012, the court had expressed concern over the zero result achieved in nearly two decades while noting that over Rs 1,000 crore had been spent but the river was dirtier than before.
State governments should display at PDS shops the foodgrain subsidy borne by both the Centre and states that will prevent the latter from hijacking the credit for selling highly-subsidised grains to the poor, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today.



Wheat and rice are being sold through PDS (public distribution system) shops, also known as fair price or ration shops, at a highly-subsidised rate of Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg, respectively, as per the Food Security Law.



"It is unfortunate that most states are taking credit for this even though the entire PDS foodgrain subsidy is borne by the central government. So, we have asked states to display the details at PDS shops," Paswan told reporters.



The Centre bears a subsidy of Rs 22 on wheat and Rs 29.64 per kg on rice. "Except for one or two states like Tamil Nadu that are further subsidising it and selling it free of cost, others are not shelling out (anything) from their pocket," he said.



Paswan further said the states have been asked to prominently display the foodgrains subsidy on a board at all ration shops for public awareness.



"More public awareness is required on this issue because for instance in Bihar the poor think that Nitish Kumar is giving foodgrains at Rs 2-3 per kg. People were not aware that the Centre was providing it," he added. The central government's annual food subsidy bill is over Rs 1 lakh crore.
Gangster Chhota Rajan and three retired public servants were today held guilty by a special court here in a fake passport case.



Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal convicted Rajan for offences including forgery of valuable security under the IPC which entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.



Besides him, the other persons who have been convicted are three retired government servants -- Jayashree Dattatray Rahate, Deepak Natvarlal Shah and Lalitha Lakshmanan.



Rajan is lodged in Tihar Jail here. The other three persons, who were out on bail, were taken into custody after the verdict was announced. The court will tomorrow hear arguments on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to the convicts.



The court had on March 28 reserved its judgement in the case in which Rajan allegedly procured a fake passport in the name of Mohan Kumar with the help of the three government officials.



Lakshmanan had approached the high court to transfer to Bengaluru her trial in the case but the petition was rejected on January 9 on the ground that a district court here could also hear the matter.



During the pendency of the plea, the high court had ordered a stay on the pronouncement of verdict in the case by the trial court. However, the high court later rejected the plea.



All the four persons have been convicted of offences under sections 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 467(forgery of valuable security or will), 419(cheating by impersonation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 12 (offences and penalties) of the Passport Act.



Deported after being on the run for 27 years, the 55-year old gangster, once a close aide of fugitive terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai. Rajan was deported to India after his arrest in Bali in October 2015.
Rajasthan government is likely to pass state goods and services tax (SGST) Bill on Tuesday. With the passage of the Bill, Rajasthan will become the third state after Telangana and Bihar to do so.



On Monday, the first day of the special session of legislative assembly the Rajasthan State Goods and Services Bill 2017 was tabled. However the Bill will be placed for discussion on Tuesday to seek the floor's approval before passing it. Clearing of the State GST Bill by respective states is necessary for nationwide rollout of the State Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1.



The proposed legislation, introduced on the instruction of the GST Council, would provide powers to the state to levy tax on all inter-state supplies of goods or services except for liquor and petroleum products.



Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday said, " I request for consideration of putting marble, Kota stone, sandstone and granite in lower slab of 5%. Earlier, Desert state of Rajasthan was the last state in ratifying the Constitution Amendment Bill on GST passed by the Parliament.
As higher educational institutions reopened after a week in Kashmir on Monday, fresh clashes erupted between students and police.



Scores of students and policemen, including senior superintendent of police Imtiyaz Ismail, superintendent of police Sheikh Faisal and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Imran Farooq, were injured in the day-long clashes.



The students of S P College and Womens College on M A Road clashed with the police after these institutions re-opened on Monday after a five-day shutdown.



Refusing to join classes, the students came out on busy M A Road and tried to block traffic. However, police fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesting students, who retaliated by throwing stones.

Witnesses said the protesting students brought down a wall inside the S P College campus and used the bricks to attack the police.



In the ding-dong battles, scores of students and more than a dozen policemen were injured. Due to the clashes the markets in the neighbouring Residency Road and Lal Chowk were shut.



Police said six students were detained after they pelted police with stones outside S P College. The detained students were lodged in Kothibagh police station.



Authorities had opened universities, colleges and higher secondary schools in Kashmir after a week on Monday. The educational institutions were closed after massive clashes erupted between the students and security forces on April 15.



Rajnath reviews J&K situation

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir even as authorities said they were gearing up for a step-up in terrorist attacks during summer, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

Singh discussed ways to check infiltration bids from across the border with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and top officials of his ministry, paramilitary forces and chiefs of intelligence agencies. Officials gave Singh a detailed presentation on the ground situation in the Valley since the outbreak of violence during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar LS constituency. Singh is understood to have discussed with the officials what a top army commander in Kashmir had said.


India's participation was very important for China's silk road initiative because its attitude will affect the decision of some of the countries to join the multi-billion dollar project, a state-run newspaper said today.



"India's participation is very important to the Belt and Road initiative. It's not only because of India's population, labour resource and market size, but also India's political influence on countries in South Asia and the Indian Ocean," an article in the Global Times said.



Written by Liu Zongyi, senior fellow of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, the article said India's attitude toward the Belt and Road initiative will affect these countries' decisions on whether to participate in the initiative. China requires India's cooperation on anti-terrorism, regional stability and security in building the Belt and Road venture, it said.



"India's attitude toward the initiative is clear: supporting some part of the Belt and Road, opposing and hedging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Maritime Silk Route, and delaying and replacing the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor," the article said.



Three years have passed since the Belt and Road project was formally proposed by China and has improved the infrastructure construction and economic development in South Asia, while also stimulating the South Asian regional connectivity, it said.



"Indian government's stance on the initiative has changed slightly. India will hold the third BCIM working group meeting soon, which has been postponed for more than three years, and some Indian experts said they would like to see some concrete progress and put forward some concrete projects," it said.



China is set to hold the One Belt One Road summit next month in which leaders of 28 countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, will take part. The meeting will be held from May 14-15. India is yet to announce its participation in the meeting.
After Abbott, another major multinational medical devices maker Medtronic has decided to withdraw its latest stents from India following drug price regulator NPPA's move to cap their prices. Besides, Boston Scientific has said it too may follow suit.



"We have submitted an application for withdrawal of Resolute Onyx under the provisions of Drug Price Control Order," Medtronic said in a statement.



The company said it will continue to supply Resolute Onyx till "we get the required permissions from the authorities. Our decision to withdraw or introduce products is made only after taking into consideration all guidelines and norms set by the government".



Medtronic said it will continue to work towards "increasing access of cardiovascular therapy to patients in India and cater to different needs of patients and physicians while providing them with a choice of clinically-proven and globally-certified stents like Resolute and Resolute Integrity".



Boston Scientific said while its other drug eluting stents will continue to be available it may take a decision to discontinue its next generation stents Synergy and Promous Premier.



"Since the Price control order in February 2017, Boston Scientific has been in a constant dialogue with the government bodies under various legal provisions. We have sought the possible reliefs available under the law and also submitted details on the superior clinical attributes of our stents Synergy and Promus Premier," a Boston Scientific India spokesperson said in a statement.



Any decision to discontinue these next generation stents may be taken as a part of the 'corporate sustainability review', it added. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had slashed prices of stents by up to 85 per cent in February.



The company said that "other drug eluting stents shall continue to remain available in India as per guidelines and norms set by the law".



Last week, Abbott said it was seeking to withdraw two types of its latest stents technologies -- the Alpine drug eluting stent and the 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.



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. Presently, only a very small percentage of patients in India receive Alpine and Absorb," the spokesperson said.



The company however has said it would continue to make available all other XIENCE coronary stent products within the ceiling price set by the NPPA.



In February, NPPA had said that all manufacturers and importers were under "legal obligation to maintain smooth production and supply of coronary stents of all brands which were available in the country before price cap".



The government had included coronary stents in the national list of essential medicines (NLEM), 2015, in July 2016 and in the first Schedule of the Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013, in December 2016.
The BITS Pilani Institute has initiated talks with the family of the Kashmiri researcher who left the campus on Friday and returned to his home after facing abuses and threats.



College has assured security to 27 year old Hashim Sofi and requested him to return and pursue his ongoing research.



This welcoming move from the institute authorities comes a day after the pictures and post of Boy's shirt printed with abuses on the campus went viral on social media sites. College has also released a statement in which they have condemned the act and assured that a fair investigation will take place. Giridhar Kunkur, Media Relations Head at BITS Pilani told DH, "Administration and Committee members want young researcher to return to campus and pursue his research. Senior Faculty members are in talks with his parents. Institute willingly wants to have him back and assure his security. Earlier also when he made a written complaint , he was immediately allotted a new quarter."



Institute constitutes a high level committee



Meanwhile, the institute has also constituted a high level committee to probe into the matter. Six member committee comprises of Vice Chancellor of BITS , Director of BITS Pilan, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, Dean Student Welfare, Chief Warden and Chief Security Officer. Institute further asserts that his return to campus will make investigation smoother. "When the boy is back in the campus, the ongoing investigation will be carried in his presence and it will be fair and smooth. We assure security to him. This has been first such incident and besides him we have around 30 Kashmiri students studying in other branches and no such report has been lodged", Kunkar added.



Hashim, who went back to his home town Bandipora was unavailable for comment. However, on his last interaction with Deccan Herald on Sunday over phone, Hashim's parents showed reluctance in sending their son back to the campus.



Two incidents of assault against Kashmiri youth in Rajasthan in one week



This is the second such incident of badgering against Kashmiri youth studying in Rajasthan in last one week. The incident took place on the same day when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in a statement appealed to all states to make sure safety of Kashmiris and released a 24X7 helpline number for Kashmiris living outside Jammu and Kashmir.



Hours after his statement Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje also wrote on her twitter handle that Kashmiri students are our children. Police have taken prompt action & apprehended the culprits.



Both statements came in the wake of Mewar University incident, where 8 Kashmiri students were thrashed by the locals outside the campus. Rajasthan police has so far arrested two locals in connection to this thrashing incident.
Average retail gasoline prices in Chattanooga have fallen 1.4 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.11 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 170 gas outlets in Chattanooga. This compares with the national average that has increased one cent per gallon in the last week to $2.42 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Chattanooga during the past week, prices on Sunday were 18.7 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 12.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on April 24 in Chattanooga have ranged widely over the last five years:

$1.92 per gallon in 2016, $2.33 in 2015, $3.53 in 2014, $3.22 in 2013 and $3.68 in 2012.

Areas near Chattanooga and their current gas price climate:

Knoxville- $2.17, down 1 cent per gallon from last week's $2.18.

State of Tennessee- $2.16, down 0.9 cents per gallon from last week's $2.17.

Huntsville- $2.18, down 0.3 cents per gallon from last week's $2.18.

"Gasoline prices saw another weekly lift, yet have begun to slow their ascent in recent days," said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. "Since mid-February, average gasoline prices have risen 17 cents- a far cry from the 41 cent gain during the same time a year ago. While the annual spring spike remains subdued, prices do remain 28 cents higher than a year ago, though the gap has narrowed."

"Overall, I would be surprised if we see the national average rise substantially more since the deadline for refiners to switch over to summer gasoline is nearly here. In addition, U.S. oil production numbers are up, keeping pressure on oil prices, while gasoline inventories remain very healthy. While we may see the national average rise to the low side of our previous predictions of $2.51-$2.83/gal for May, we're unlikely to see anything higher, which is certainly good news for motorists."
Pakistan today rejected India's assertion that it is violating a bilateral pact by not giving access to retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court there.



India has made 15 requests for consular access to 46- year-old Jadhav, who has been convicted of "espionage and sabotage" by a Pakistan army court.



Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit told PTI in an interview that as per the bilateral pact on consular access, cases pertaining to political and security issues will be decided on merit, indicating that consular access cannot be taken for granted.



Categorically dismissing the charge that Jadhav was a spy, India has maintained that he was kidnapped by Pakistani authorities from Iran where he had legitimate business interest.



Rejecting India's stand that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, Basit said he was caught in Balochistan and tried for "espionage and sabotage". He also alleged that the Indian national had been travelling to Pakistan for several years and was carrying two Indian passports, including a fake one.



On India's position that the whole trial against was "farcical and done in a hush-hush manner", the Pakistani envoy asserted he was tried in a military court because it was not possible to try him in a civilian court.



On repeated requests for consular access to Jadhav by India, which has also accused Pakistan of violating the bilateral pact on the issue, Basit said, "We have a bilateral agreement under which it is clearly said that in matters relating to political and security issues, those cases should be decided on merit.



"So, we have so far taken a decision strictly in accordance with the law of the land and as per the bilateral agreement of 2008 (with India). We have not breached anything. We are proceeding as per our laws as well as bilateral obligation and commitment."



The high commissioner also referred to the appeal process in Pakistan, saying Jadhav can always go to an appellate court and if the verdict is upheld then he can file a mercy petition to the Pakistan army chief and the Pakistan prime minister.



On whether his family can meet him, Basit said it was "too premature" to comment on how the case is going to proceed.



Asked about media reports of retired Pakistani Lt Col Mohammad Habib being abducted by Indian authorities near the Indo-Nepal border, the Pakistan envoy said his government is in touch with the Nepalese government on whereabouts of the missing Pakistani national.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal termed as "wrong" Lt Governor Anil Baijal's order to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP for allegedly spending on the advertisements and said it will be challenged in the court.



The chief minister's remark came after Baijal had last month directed Chief Secretary M M Kutty to recover Rs 97 crore from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that was allegedly "splurged" by the Delhi government on advertisements in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines.



"The Lt Governor's order to pay Rs 97 crore is totally wrong. We will challenge the order in the court," Kejriwal told PTI. He also sought reasons behind "targeting" of the AAP government.



The LG had also ordered an inquiry into the spendings on the advertisements projecting Kejriwal and his party, and asked the the chief secretary to fix responsibility.



"The first logic (behind the LG's order) was that my government gave advertisements outside Delhi. Several state governments - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - give advertisements in newspapers in Delhi. "Why no such an order for them? Why only my government is being targeted?" Kejriwal said.



The Delhi chief minister said that the second reason given in the LG's order was that the advertisements carried his photos in violation of the rules.



"Photos of chief minister are given in advertisements of a state government, which is not the violation of the Supreme Court's order," Kejriwal asserted.



Last year on the direction of the Supreme Court, the Information and Broadcasting ministry had formed a three-member committee, headed by former Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon, to address issues related to content regulation in government advertising.



In its report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had said that the AAP government had spent Rs 29 crore in releasing advertisements outside Delhi which was "beyond" its responsibility. The report, tabled in Delhi Assembly on March 10, also said that advertisements worth Rs 24 crore were released by the AAP government in violation of the financial propriety and the Supreme Court regulations.



The AAP government had rejected the report.



Asked if the LG office would clear the Delhi government's proposal to pay Rs 3.42 crore fee to noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, he said if the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) asks the LG, the file would be cleared and the fee paid.



A controversy had erupted recently over the government's proposal to pay the lawyer's fee from the public exchequer. The BJP and the Congress had slammed Kejriwal on the issue, saying he should pay the lawyer's fee in his individual capacity.



Jethmalani has been representing Kejriwal in a defamation case filed against him by Union Minister Arun Jaitley.
Three Indian Navy ships on Monday began the first phase of the Varuna series of joint exercise with the French Navy in the Mediterranean while a fourth warship is on its way to the UK to take part in another drill with the Royal Navy next month.



Guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS Trishul and fleet tanker INS Aditya have entered Toulon, France for the overseas deployment, while stealth frigate INS Tarkash is on its way to Plymouth for Konkon 2017 exercise with the Royal Navy.



On their way back, the ships would stop at Israel and Egypt- the two nations likely to be visited by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year.



Started around 2000, the two exercises grew into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies. The last Varuna exercise was held off the Indian coast. Similarly, the previous Konkon exercise occurred off Mumbai and Goa in December 2016.



In France, the Indian side is led by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, who would visit the French frigate FNS Auvergne, a French nuclear submarine and an underwater weapons facility.




The US has accused top Indian IT firms TCS and Infosys of "unfairly" cornering the lion's share of the H-1B work visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system. Indian technology firms use H-1B visas to send their employees to work at customer sites in the US, which is the largest market for the over USD 110 billion Indian IT export industry.





Over the past few weeks, there is a growing sentiment of protectionism across various markets, including the US, that are seeking to safeguard jobs for locals and raise the bar for foreign workers.





"NASSCOM would like to clarify on the statements made by the White House on Indian companies getting the lion's share of H-1B visas and highlight that in 2014-15, only six of the top 20 H-1B recipients were Indian companies," it said in a statement.





TCS and Infosys together received 7,504 approved H-1B visas in 2014-15, which is only 8.8 per cent of the total approved H-1B visas, it added. While the two software exporters have not issued a formal statement on the issue, they have stated that they ensure compliance with norms in the markets that they operate in.





Every year, the US grants 65,000 H-1B visas while another 20,000 are set aside for those with US advanced degrees.

In the US, the Trump administration wants to replace the current lottery system with a more merit-based immigration policy.





Any change in visa norms can affect the movement of labour as well as spike operational costs for IT players.





NASSCOM highlighted that "every reputable data source" in the US has documented a growing shortfall between the supply and demand for computer science majors in the US workforce. This is especially true in advanced fields like cloud, big data and mobile computing, it said.





"All Indian IT companies cumulatively account for less than 20 per cent of the total approved H-1B visas although Indian nationals get about 71 per cent of the H-1B visas," NASSCOM said. It added that this is a testimony to the high skill levels of India-origin professionals.





The annual number of Indian IT specialists working on temporary visas for Indian IT service companies is about 0.009 per cent of the 158-million-member US workforce, it said.





Critics believe that the prevailing visa regime allows companies to bring in "cheap" labour from countries like India, which adversely impacts local employment opportunities. NASSCOM contended that the average wage for visa holders is over USD 82,000, apart from a fixed cost of about USD 15,000 incurred for each visa issued (including visa cost and related expenses). This is over 35 per cent higher than the minimum prescribed exempt wage of USD 60,000, NASSCOM said.





The industry body said companies tend to bridge the skills gap by bringing in highly skilled professionals to temporarily work in the US on H-1B and other visas.





"Indian IT Industry is a 'net creator' of jobs in the US and supports nearly half a million jobs directly and indirectly," it pointed out. Also, domestic companies are beginning to tweak their business models to reduce their dependence on visas by hiring more locals.

IT industry body NASSCOM today came out in defence of its members TCS and Infosys, saying the two accounted for only 7,504 -- 8.8 per cent -- of the approved H-1B visas in 2014-15.
BJP chief Amit Shah will tomorrow kick-off his party's expansion drive from Naxalbari, a West Bengal village from where the left-wing extremism had started in the late 1960s.



The Trinamool Congress-ruled state is among the five states, including Odisha and Telangana, where he will spend three-day each as he looks to strengthen the party in the states where it has been traditionally weak, with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.



Announcing this at a press conference here, Union Minister Smriti Irani also used the occasion to take a dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.



The workers of a party going through a crisis are looking for their leader, she said targeting Rahul, while the president of another party, which has won one election after another, is not resting on his laurels and working hard to strengthen it.



"This is the biggest difference between the BJP and the Congress," she said, adding that the saffron party's leaders believe in leading by example.



She referred to Amethi, a Gandhi family pocket borough where she had lost to him in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, as her constituency, as she has been "serving" it for the last three years.



Shah had entrusted her with electoral responsibility in all five assembly seats in Amethi during the recent Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the BJP won four of them while the Congress none, she said.



The textile minister regularly visits Amethi and has taken up welfare work there. The buzz in the BJP is that she will be pitted again from there in 2019 after putting up a strong fight against Gandhi in the last polls.



By starting his drive from Naxalbari, Shah will give a message of solidarity to BJP workers, who have "suffered" violence there, Irani said. The party has accused the ruling TMC of unleashing violence on its workers in the state.



He will also take Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message of "development for all" to a place where a violent movement to uproot Indian state had started, she said.



Besides Shah, top party leaders, including almost every union minister, have been roped in to drive the campaign at booth-level to boost the organisation's prospects.



Kerala and Tamil Nadu, two states where it has always been a marginal force, are two other important states in this campaign, she said.



In the birth centenary year of its ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, the BJP had asked its volunteers to work full-time for the party while its government at the Centre launched several schemes, declaring it to be 'garibkalyanvarsh' (year of poor's welfare).



Over 3.68 lakh workers will work for the party across the country for 15 days and over 4,000 for anywhere between six months and a year, she said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the government has taken as a "challenge" the killing of CRPF personnel by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh.



"We have taken the attack as a challenge," he told reporters here.



Singh described the incident as "sad and unfortunate". "It is a very sad and unfortunate incident. I will talk to Chief Minister Raman Singh for more details," he said.



Earlier, Singh asked Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir to travel to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. "Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Singh tweeted.



At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.
Tamil Nadu is bracing for a bandh called by DMK-led opposition parties tomorrow in support of drought-hit farmers even as the state government asserted that normalcy will not be affected.



Police said all steps have been taken including deployment of adequate personnel across the state to ensure maintenance of law and order.



DMK, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, IUML and a host of trade unions affiliated to the opposition parties, farmers bodies, the film fraternity and other organisations including a lorry operators association have pledged support to the general shutdown. Also, associations of local vegetable markets, groceries, several trade unions of auto-drivers are among those who support the bandh.



State government sources, however, said essential services will not be affected and claimed that the bandh will not have any impact since all necessary measures have been taken to see to it that people were not inconvenienced.



Local, long-distance buses of the state-run transport corporations and trains will ply as usual and essential services including milk and electricity supply will be normal, they said.



Ruling AIADMK (Amma) and the BJP have hit out at the bandh call terming it politically motivated.



On April 16, a meeting of parties including Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, IUML chaired by DMK working president M K Stalin gave the bandh call.



According to DMK, the bandh is to urge the central and state governments to fulfil the demands of farmers and farm labourers which includes adequate relief and setting up of Cauvery Management Board. Other demands include remunerative price for paddy, sugarcane, immediate disbursal of cane arrears to the farmers, increasing the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 152 ft and cancelling Methane and Hydrocarbon projects.



Waiver of crop loans given by nationalised banks, adequate monetary compensation to farmers affected by drought are among the demands of a group of ryots who protested in Delhi and in other parts of Tamil Nadu.
Majority of the school examination boards on Monday agreed to do away with the system of moderation of the Class XII board marks of the students from the current academic session.



A resolution to end the practice was also passed here at a meeting of all school boards, one of the board officials who attended the meeting told DH. The school education department of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry had convened the meeting.



Moderation of board marks, which is done to bring parity in the scores of the students in view of the subjectivity involved in the evaluation of their papers, was a matter of concern as some of the students were getting as high as 100% marks in their board examinations due to the system.



The governing board of the central board of secondary education (CBSE) had last year recommended that the Ministry should persuade all the school boards to end the moderation of marks system as the school boards were competing with each other to give inflated marks to safeguard the interests of their students against any disadvantage.



Almost all of us realised that this system was not appropriate and hence should be ended in the best interest of students. There was a common consensus at the meeting that moderation of board marks system should be put to an end from this year itself, another school board official said.





Though the meeting resolved to do away with the moderation of board examination marks system, the system of giving grace marks to students, whose score is slightly below the minimum pass mark in a subject, will continue. For such cases, however, the Ministry proposed that mark-sheet of the students should reflect the grace marks given to them in order to declare in pass in a subject.



Many of the states agreed to this proposal while some expressed their reservations. They felt that mentioning in a students certificate that he or she passed with a grace marks would not appropriate. It will be like stigma that such students will have to carry all through their life. We will go back and decide whether we should be doing it or not, an official from Punjab said.



At the meeting, the Ministry also proposed for evaluating the students performance in academics and extracurricular activities separately as has been adopted by the CBSE in its revised framework for uniform assessment of the students of its schools.



The Ministry advised for grading the students performance in extracurricular activities separately so that there is clarity on the students performance in academics and extracurricular activities. Most of the state school boards agreed to this at the meeting but the actual implementation will depend on the decision of the respective state governments, an official said.



Majority of the School Boards also agreed to the Ministrys proposal for adopting the Science and Mathematics textbooks of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for classes IX to XII, he added.
Senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar today said Muslims themselves do not want a mosque to be built on the land where the Babri Masjid stood before its demolition in 1992, as it will be "unholy" and "against islam".



He said construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya was in "national interest".



"Muslims will never accept such a mosque which is in the name of a person. All those who believe in Islam say such a mosque is unholy (napak) and we will never accept it," Kumar, who is the patron of RSS affiliate 'Muslim Rashtriya Manch', told a seminar on 'Myth and realities on triple talaq, Ram janmabhoomi and freedom of speech'.



The mosque was named after Mughal emperor Babur and was built after demolishing a holy place (temple) belonging to another religion, he claimed.



"The mosque was named after Babur. So, according to Islam, it is immoral, illegal, unconstitutional, and against Islam. Even namaz was not offered there," he said.



Kumar, seeking to strike a chord with Muslims said," Khuda is Ram and Ram is Khuda".



He said all should help build a Ram temple there as "it will be in the nation's interest and important for its secular fabric."



The seminar was organised by the Forum for Awareness on National Security.



Claiming that a "revolution" has started for the construction of Ram temple, Kumar said all those who support peace, harmony, truth, and are nationalists, will favour such a shrine at the disputed site in Ayodhya.



The Ram temple issue had resurfaced in a significant way just ahead of the assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, after lying dormant for quite some time due to the BJP's compulsion of running a coalition. After the party won a majority on its own in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, several leaders, including ministers, started making noises about construction of Ram temple.



It was back in news recently when the Supreme Court resurrected criminal conspiracy charge against BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti in the Babri mosque demolition case.




Rejecting the charge that it was seeking to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking States, the Centre on Monday said it was former Home Minister P Chidambaram led Parliamentary Committee which had recommended that all those occupying high political offices may be requested to give speeches in Hindi.



Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said all that the present government has done was to notify this recommendation of committee on March 31.



Chidambaram, however, said that he could do little to stop the panel from making the recommendation as he did not have a veto. He said he could not overrule the views of the overwhelming majority in the panel.

The row over Hindi speech by those occupying high political offices including President of India kicked off with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) acting chief MK Stalin accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking States.



I was pained to read in a section of the press wherein Stalin has been quoted alleging imposition of Hindi by the Central Government. Government of India has no intention of imposing any language on anyone, Naidu said



The Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, headed by the then Home Minister (Chidambaram), recommended that all those occupying high political offices and who can speak and read Hindi language may be requested to give their speeches or statements in Hindi.



President and all Ministers come in this category, Naidu quoted the committee as saying in its report.



The suggestion of the committee was only recommendatory and not mandatory



It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an Ordinance was passed in this regard. It may be recalled that DMK was a member of the Government of India in 2011 when this recommendation was made and forwarded by the Parliamentary Committee to the President, Naidu added.



Reacting to the row, Chidambaram said in statement he was an ex-officio chairman of the committee as he was the then Home Minister while Congress MP Satyavrat Charurvedi was its deputy chairman.



Out of the 30 members of the Committee, 28 belonged to Hindi speaking or Hindi knowing states. As can be expected, all of them were protagonists of Hindi. They were distributed among three sub-committees, he said.



The evidence and drafting sub-committee was chaired by Chaturvedi, he said.



The report was prepared by that sub-committee and adopted, after discussion, by the Committee. If the overwhelming majority of the Committee adopted a report, there is little that the ex-officio Chairman can do. The Chairman does not have a veto and he cannot overrule the views of the overwhelming majority, Chidambaram maintained.




Husband and wife duo Carlous and Janelle share music Video for their song "Good News," released from their debut album, Jesus Christ. The video can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com /CarlousandJanelle/videos/1320 573674656972/

The video was filmed in downtown Chattanooga and the message is resonating locally and worldwide. The video has been viewed more than 15,000 times since it was posted Friday evening with a reach spanning as far as Zimbabwe.



The duo has been married five years and started their music ministry four years ago. Their goal? To reach the masses in Jesus' name. They want to use their medium, music, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ all over the world.


Turkeys slide to authoritarian rule has been hastened with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scoring a victory in the just-concluded constitutional referendum. A draft constitution that will transform Turkeys parliamentary democracy to a presidential system has been approved in the referendum. It vests in the presidency enormous powers. The president will be the head of the executive and the state, and have the power to appoint ministers, declare emergency and dismiss parliament. The victory in the referendum paves the way for Erdogan to entrench himself in power; he can potentially rule the country until 2029.



Turkeys nascent democracy is in peril. For decades, the country has struggled to shake itself free of the military. Sadly, it is a democratically elected government that has acted to deal a death blow to democracy. The executive presidency envisaged by the draft constitution is hardly democratic. There are no checks and balances. The prime ministers post will cease to exist, parliament reduced to a rubber stamp and the independence of the judiciary compromised as most of its judges will be appointed by the president.



The opposition has alleged irregularities in the vote. The no campaign had little access to the media and opposition politicians were subjected to intimidation by ruling party members with backing from the police. Despite this, the yes campaign won by a narrow margin only; it secured just over 51% of the votes. That 48.7% of Turkish voters opposed the draft constitution indicates deep polarisation of Turkeys polity. The no campaign dominated Turkeys main cities, including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Thus, a sizeable number of voters are opposed to Erdogans power grab. Should they turn out on the streets, they could create trouble for the Erdogan government.



Erdogans victory in the referendum signals the demise of not just Turkeys democracy but its secularism as well. Erdogan is unlikely to have emerged confident from the referendum; his wafer-thin win despite manipulation of the vote is sure to have unsettled him. Insecure autocrats often use religion to justify their actions and the Islamist Erdogan, a master at mixing religion with politics, can be expected to accelerate the Islamist agenda. Over the past 16 years, his Justice and Development Party has brought religion into every aspect of public life. Such efforts will gain momentum now. But he is playing with fire.



Neighbouring Syria is wracked in civil war and the Islamic State (IS) group is said to have put in strong roots in Turkish soil. Turkeys Islamisation could provide a shot in the arm to the puritanical version espoused by the IS. A modern secular democracy, Turkey under an all-powerful Erdogan is heading down a perilous road.
Chamarajanagar MP R Dhruvanarayan, on Monday, expressed displeasure over the dismal record of fund utilisation under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in the district.



During the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DDCMC) meeting held at the Zilla Panchayat auditorium here, he said, the district is in the sixth place in the state while Belagavi and Ramanagaram districts stand first and second respectively.



According to the authorities, the district has spent Rs 104.58 crore. While Mysuru taluk has spent only Rs 6.48 crore with the last place in the district, HD Kote tops the list by spending Rs 29.03 crore.



However, Mysuru taluk officials claim that they could not spend more funds as 12 Gram Panchayats come under the city limits.



The MP said, in the prevailing drought situation, the authorities can easily spend a minimum of Rs 50 lakh in every GP. Mysuru district has 235 panchayats. So, the officials should utilise the funds to take up works like lake desilting, road development and works related to drought relief, he said.



MLA Chikkamadu said, social impact auditors have been creating problems for panchayat development officers in spending funds under MNREGA.



The authorities have issued job cards to 2,01,678 people for a total number of 23,136 works. Of them, 14,959 works have been completed, 3,873 are under progress and the remaining are yet to be taken up, he said.



Highlighting the importance of drinking water projects, Dhruvanarayan directed the officials to complete the projects without any delay. The MP lamented that not even a single project is up to the mark and a majority of the completed projects are not functioning. The officials should ensure quality works, he said.



MLA Chikkamadu urged the district administration to allow the contractors to utilise the sand available locally. At present, lifting of sand, for any purpose, is not allowed in the district and the contractors depend on manufactured-sand (M-Sand) or sand from neighbouring districts.



Influential eyeing tribal land

MP Pratap Simha said, a few people at Pakshirajapur in Hunsur taluk are trying the grab the lands alloted to the tribals there. The tribal people are cultivating the land and have also settled there, but, a few influential are claiming that the government has alloted the lands that belong to private people. The officials claimed that the assistant commissioner has visited the spot to take measures to resolve the problem.



Sansad Adarsh Grama

Pratap Simha urged the state government to sanction funds for the Sansad Adarsh Grama Yojana (Adarsh Grama), which has been initiated by the Union government to bring the MPs of all political parties under the same umbrella while taking the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in villages and turn them into model villages.



Simha had taken up Karimuddanahalli in Hunsur taluk for development. MP Dhruvanarayan said, as the project is of the Centre, the state government could not fund it.



Simha took severe exception to the officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for not developing the road near Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram as per the norms.



The authorities failed to acquire the necessary lands and did not lay a service road. Due to the lapses, accident in the area is rampant, he said.



Dhruvanarayan asked the authorities to organise for a detailed inspection, in which MPs, DC, and NHAI Chief Engineer would be present.



No nomination

As per the agenda of the meeting, it was planned to nominate Dr Yatheendra, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as member of the committee (DDCMC) but, the nomination was not taken up for discussion. Dr Yatheendra was supposed to replace one Kalasuru Shivappa.



Speaking to reporters, Dhruvanarayan said, Dr Yatheendra would be made a member of the Karnataka Development Programmes committee for the quarterly district progress review meetings, chaired by District in-charge Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa.


Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Monday, said that the visitors to Shravanabelagola during the Bahubali Mahamastakabhisheka, scheduled for February 2018, will not be inconvenienced as the government has released sufficient funds to augment civic amenities at the Jain pilgrim centre.



Addressing the gathering after launching several development works, at an estimated cost of Rs 72 crore, at Bahubali Engineering College Grounds here, he said, more than 1.5 crore people are expected to attend the festival. In the last Mahamastakabhisheka, in 2006, one crore people had visited Shravanabelagola.



Siddaramaiah said, he has directed District in-charge Minister A Manju to take necessary measures to celebrate the festival in a grand and meaningful manner.



Besides allocating Rs 175 crore funds for the festival, Rs 274 crore has been sanctioned to the PWD for laying of roads connecting Shravanabelagola and other development works. The government has also written to the Centre, seeking additional funds, he said.



He said that the dream of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda for the Hassan-Bengaluru rail service was finally realised. Siddaramaiah, however, regretted the delay due to various reasons.



Pressure should be exerted on the Centre seeking additional rail services in the state, he said.



Siddaramaiah said, he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking more funds for the Mahamastakabhisheka.



My wish is to make Hassan airport functional and give impetus for export of agricul-

tural produce to foreign countries, he said.



Jain mutt seer Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami, writer Hampa Nagarajaiah, Mahotsava committee president Saritha M K Jain, Ministers A Manju and Dr G Parameshwara were present.






The High Court of Karnataka on Monday stayed the lower court proceedings against MLA Anil Lad. Lad had approached the court seeking quashing of proceedings initiated against him by the lower court.



He was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for abuse of power. He and his company VSL Mining Company were named in the CBI report on illegal mining and export of 50,000 tonnes of iron ore that was seized by the CBI at Belekeri port in 2012. It is alleged that his company sold 14,343 tonnes of iron ore without permission to Mallikarjuna Shipping Company. Justice Anand Byrareddy granted stay and ordered notice to CBI.



Fundamental duties

The state government on Monday informed the high court that it has included the list of fundamental duties in textbooks prescribed for the state syllabus for Classes I to X.



The government counsel said that the government, for the next academic year, has included topics like the environment, natural resources, public property and fundamental rights and duties in the textbooks.



Justice A N Venugopala Gowda is hearing a petition and is monitoring how the state and the Centre are creating awareness on the fundamental duties among the citizens of the country.




The government is planning to construct subways at busy junctions, in an effort to decongest them.



Bengaluru Development Minister K J George, on Monday, held talks with ISA West Coast Consortium of Bulgaria in this regard. The consortium claims to have an expertise in building subways. A six-member delegation from the consortium inspected the busy Goraguntepalya junction in Peenya. It was discussed to build a subway there to ease traffic. Based on the success, it was decided to build similar subways at other busy junctions.



The minister discussed a proposal with the consortium members, to construct a six-km subway from Hebbal to the city.



George is also said to have discussed the 82.7-km-long elevated corridor project with the delegation. Mayor G Padmavathi, deputy mayor Anand, additional chief secretary (urban development) Mahendra Jain, BMRCL managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola and BDA engineer member P N Nayak were present at the meeting.


Four unidentified men robbed a homemaker of her gold chain in front of her house in Peenya. The incident occurred around 11 am when the victim, Ratna, a resident of Nelagedaranahalli, was standing outside her house.



The suspects came in a car and stopped it right in front of her. Two women and two men got down from the car and struck up a conversation with her. They were pretending to ask for the location of a house in the area. When she was pointing out the directions, the suspects threw some white powder on her face.



Ratna fell down and became unconscious. She regained consciousness after a while and realised that the gold chain was missing. She approached the police and lodged a complaint,said a police officer.



The suspects were aged between 25 and 30 years and were speaking in Kannada and Hindi. The police have obtained CCTV footage from nearby areas to ascertain the identity of the suspects.


Police, who have launched a manhunt for V Nagaraj, a history-sheeter from Srirampuram, are analysing the video that he released to media and its source to ascertain his whereabouts.



The police believe he is holed up in Tamil Nadu. Nagaraj's house and office in Srirampuram were raided by the police on April 15 where they recovered Rs 14.8 cr in demonetised notes.



The police, who are analysing the video with the help of experts, claim that the recording was done on a boat. The bedsheet used as a backdrop while Nagaraj was speaking in the video footage are commonly used on boats, the police said. In the video, Nagaraj was seen saying he left his house on the eve of the raid on his house and office and he came this side. The side he refers to in all probability is Tamil Nadu, the police suspect.



The police have informed their counterparts in Tamil Nadu about the case and the suspect. An officer from the special team assigned the task of arresting Nagaraj has informed a senior police officer in the city that the history-sheeter's arrest is imminent. The police team is also aware that Nagaraj had some friends who operated boats in Tamil Nadu. He is not using a mobile and this is making difficult for the police to track him.



Meanwhile, Nagaraj's anticipatory bail that came up for hearing at a local court in the city on Monday, was adjourned to April 27. Public prosecutor Kembhavi objected to his bail plea stating the suspect has over 44 criminal cases against him and some of them are being investigated.



He gave the police a slip when they conducted raids and he later released a video to the media in which he stated he had bribed a judge, which is contempt of court.



He has also installed 35 CCTV cameras at his house and office to escape from the police. All of these were mentioned to the court by the prosecutor who objected to his bail plea.


With just a week left for a mammoth convention planned by United Muslim Front demanding justice for Ahmed Qureshi, a victim of alleged police atrocity, on May 2 at Nehru Maidan here, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader on Monday defended the neutral stand of Congress as the CID is probing the case.



Reacting to media queries in this regard, Khader said the party is not opposed to any conventions for fostering bonds and unity in the society. But the party is equally opposed to any conventions being organised on behalf of anti-social elements. In the case of Qureshi, a rather complicated issue, the CID sleuths are already probing into the issue. Moreover, the probe into his criminal antecedents, if any or his involvement in the attempt to murder case of Prakash Poojary, is on. If the innocents are troubled, action will be initiated, he added.



On the involvement of former mayor K Ashraf, a Congress leader in organising the convention under the banner of the front, Khader shrugged it off as an addition to the list of many such organisations which ceased soon after its formation in no time, in the past.



To another query on Ashraf quitting the party again, this time for joining Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Khader said, I would rack my brain only if a party worker in my constituency quits the

organisation, but not any leader.



The party higher-ups are also seized of the developments and have sought a report from Dakshina Kannada District Congress committee in this regard, he said.



Denied

On the much touted political development in his family, with his brother Dr U T Iftiqar set to join BJP, Khader denied any such development.



Moreover, there is no question of joining any other party other than Congress, as the family is indebted to the organisation by giving ticket to contest elections for subsequent terms.



Khader said If such situation arises, we will stay aloof from politics, but will not join any other party.



New software

Khader said the Food and Civil Supplies Department will add a new software to speed up verification of new applications received for below poverty line (BPL) ration cards.



Khader told media persons, the new software expected to be launched from May 3, will further simplify the existing process for the benefit of 10 lakh applicants. In the existing system, the new applications will be routed through Revenue Department to other departments for verification.



In the meantime, the applicants had to face agonising moments thus delaying the benefits.



PDOs responsible

Saying that there were also complaints of delays at Gram Panchayat level in receiving the applications, Khader said the authorities at Panchayats have been warned against it.



In case of any delays, the PDOs will be held responsible, he added.






Bhutan has blocked an initiative that New Delhi piloted to isolate spoilsport Pakistan and facilitate hassle-free movement of vehicles within India and some of its other South Asian neighbours.



The Government of Bhutan is set to withdraw a Bill it had introduced in the country's Parliament last year to ratify the BBIN (Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal) Agreement for Regulation of Passenger and Cargo Vehicular Traffic. The agreement was inked by the governments of Bhutan, Bangladesh India and Nepal in June 2015. and was aimed at easing movement of vehicles within the four nations.



Ritu Raj Chhetri, a member of lower House of Bhutan's bicameral Parliament, told the DH on Monday that the Government of the tiny Himalayan nation had decided to withdraw the Bill as it had decided to take more time to convince people of the country about the benefits of the BBIN motor vehicle agreement.



Chhetri is the chairman of the joint committee that was constituted with members of both Houses of Bhutan's Parliament to study the Bill to ratify the quadrilateral agreement. We had two rounds of discussions, but we couldn't come to a conclusion. There is a deadlock, he said over phone from Thimphu.



The next session of Bhutanese Parliament would commence on May 3. The Bill would possibly be withdrawn on May 8, unless something extraordinary happens by then. Chhetri, a parliamentarian of the ruling People's Democratic Party of Bhutan, said.



Bhutan's decision has come as a strategic setback for India, which has been keen to implement the four-nation agreement to push for sub-regional connectivity even as Pakistan has been persistently playing spoilsport in South Asian nations pursuit for greater regional connectivity. The BBIN motor vehicle pact was conceived after a similar agreement within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was blocked by Pakistan in November 2014. Once ratified by all the four nations, the BBIN agreement would have made it possible for vehicles registered in one country to move into or transit though the other three nations without hassles.



The lower House of Bhutan's Parliament, National Assembly, ratified the BBIN agreement in June last year. The upper House, National Council, however, declined to approve the Bill to ratify the pact, with several members arguing that it would adversely affect the unique culture, tradition, environment, religion and economy of Bhutan. The National Council finally rejected the Bill in November, raising as many as 15 objections. New Delhi of late learnt that Bhutan Government could not muster the support of enough MPs to get the Bill passed even in a joint session of both the Houses.



Chhetri said that it appeared to be difficult to get the BBIN agreement ratified by Bhutanese Parliament, unless it was amended to address concerns of members of the National Assembly and National Council. There are misconceptions about the agreement among people in our country, he told the DH.



Bhutan, which was an absolute monarchy, turned into a democracy with the first parliamentary elections held in December 2007 and March 2008. The King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, continues to be the Head of the State, with Prime Minister Tsering Tobgay being the elected Head of the Government.



The Constitution of the new-born democracy requires its Government to get all the agreements it inks with other nations passed by both Houses of its Parliament.



The BBIN connectivity move faltered in Bhutan at a time when India, itself, is opposing the ambitious One-Belt-One-Road initiative of China. New Delhi is particularly opposed to the OBOR's China-Pakistan Economic Corridor component. The CPEC is proposed to pass through the areas India claims as its own and accuses Pakistan of illegally occupying. New Delhi views the proposed CPEC as a move to infringe upon the sovereignty of India.



China has been trying to expand its strategic footprints in almost all the neighbours of India; but it could not get much success in Bhutan, ostensibly because New Delhi traditionally had a special relationship with Thimphu. Bhutan and China do not even have formal diplomatic relations. Beijing, however, over the past few months started reaching out to Bhutanese Government. China's envoy to India, Luo Zhaohui, visited Thimphu in January. He also met Bhutan's ambassador to India, Vetsop Namgyel, in New Delhi in February. China in August 2016 also had the 24th round of negotiations with Bhutan for resolving the boundary dispute.
Another CRPF personnel, who was injured in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on Monday, said the patrol came under sudden fire from the guerrillas.



The CRPF trooper has been identified as Sourav Malik.



CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the Maoists was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district, where 12 personnel lost their lives.



An officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened. It is also said the Maoists looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the CRPF officer said.



All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force deployed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.



Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured, the president said in a tweet.



Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families, Singh tweeted.



Ahir will be accompanied by Praveen Vashisht, Joint Secretary (Naxal Management) in the Home Ministry, and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.




With more than 300 terrorists in the Kashmir valley, security agencies are sensing more trouble, unless a political process sets in immediately.



While the number of foreign terrorists crossed 100 months ago, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa Zakir Musa, the successor of Burhan Wani, was recently seen with top commanders from Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in photographs.



Musa succeeded Wani, killed in July last year, triggering a wave of unrest in the Valley.



Last month, he posted a video on social media urging stone-pelters to continue their activities in the name of Islam.



If the number of foreign terrorists crossed the 500 mark, it will be very difficult to control the situation in the Valley. The situation is worsening every day and the dialogue process has to take off as early as possible, a defence ministry source told DH.



As the snow melts in the higher reaches, the cross-border movement will also rise, triggering more unrest by June-end.



The number of stone-pelters also will increase after the results of class X and class XII boards are out. The anti-India elements are likely to target those who fail the exams.



In a clear signature to the heightened tension between India and Pakistan, as many as 59 ceasefire violations were recorded along the Line of Control (LoC) in the first three and half months of 2017.



These firings are often intended to provide cover for infiltrators.



In comparison, 228 ceasefire violations were recorded across the LoC in 2016 in addition to 221 such incidents along the international border manned by the BSF. Anticipating troubles, the army has strengthened the counter-terrorism grid and adopted new strategies to control crowd.




The government has asked stent manufacturers to maintain uninterrupted supply of coronary stents by invoking emergency clause in public interest.



The move comes in the wake of various multinationals, including Abbott Healthcare and India Medtronic, seeking permission to withdraw some of their products from India following price control.



The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has invoked an emergency clause of the Drug Price Control Order, 2013, in public interest to ensure the companies complied with its direction.



The government took action after receiving reports of shortage of stents in the market and hospitals. The government has directed the companies manufacturing coronary stents in the country to maintain production, import, supply of the coronary stents and submit a weekly report on coronary stents produced and distributed.



They will also submit a weekly production plan for the next week to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), DoP said in a notice, which has already been sent to Abbott and Medtronic, asking the companies to maintain uninterrupted supply of stents. The government also asked the firms to ensure compliance of the price cap of the coronary stents, along with maintaining its uninterrupted supply.



The government has empowered the NPPA and the DCGI to extend these directions to any other producer of coronary stents in India in the next three months.



The order to maintain uninterrupted supply of coronary stents will be valid for the next six months and the NPPA and the DCGI will recommend withdrawal or extension as the case may be.
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the custodian of Varthur lake on Monday finally stepped in to save the dying water body from encroachments.



On Monday, revenue and BDA officials inspected the spot following a recent video on encroachment that was doing the rounds on social media since Sunday. The BDA lodged a complaint at Thubarahalli police station and informed the police to alert them in case of fresh encroachments.



BDA engineer member P N Nayak told DH, Our officials tried to hunt down the people who were grabbing the lake area. They were claiming that the area belongs to them. However, they fled when we tried to question them further.



The two-minute video shot by a local resident shows heaps of mud dumped on the lake bed and JCBs pushing the mud into the lake bed.



Survey to start soon

BDA engineer Veera Singh Naik who was at the spot said they plan to carry out a survey of the lake at the earliest with the support of the revenue department and have written to the revenue department about it on Monday.



"After this, we will get to know the extent of encroachment and take action against violators accordingly. The mud heaps and JCBs were found in survey numbers 43 and 53 in the lake area. After the survey, the lake will be fenced. Meanwhile, if we find anyone trying to encroach the lake before the survey is completed, we will fine them Rs 5 lakh and hand them over to police," he added.



24 acres encroached

One of the officials from the survey department told DH that they had earlier carried out a survey of Varthur lake where around 24 acres were found to be encroached. We had even issued notices against the erring individuals. However, it is the duty of the BDA to take stringent action against violators and put an end to encroachment. The encroachment has been taking place for the past two years and Sundays incident was not new," the official said.



BDA, however, said they were not informed about the survey and encroachment details. And hence could not take any action in the past, they maintained.



The resident who shot the video had stated in the video that around 100 trucks had entered the lake bed on April 22 and the following day. Two JCBs were seen pushing in the mud into the lake and levelling it.



Whitefield Rising (WR), a citizens movement that has been campaigning against lake encroachment and a host of civic issues in its survey report has maintained that a buffer zone of 75 metres from Varthur lake has not been maintained and the rajakaluve has been encroached upon.


Even as work on weeding Bellandur lake has started, the government has entrusted the minor irrigation department with the task to flow the treated sewage water from Bellandur lake to Kolar and Chikkaballapur.



Work on this has already started. BWSSB will complete the installation of a 60-MLD STP by the end of April and a 90 MLD STP by July. We are also laying pipelines. Once the STPs are completed and pipelines laid, work on pumping treated water from Bellandur lake to Kolar and Chikkaballapur via Narasapura tank will start. The whole project will be commissioned by 2018, a department engineer said.



The department will lay 124-km pipelines to supply treated sewage. The project costs Rs 1,340 crore. But, members of the lake expert committee are not happy with the proposal.



The idea of supplying water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur is to recharge groundwater there. What about Bengaluru? The groundwater level in Bengaluru too has depleted. Treated water should be used to meet the drinking water needs of surrounding areas, said a member.



Another member said the government could instead create another tank at half the cost, instead of pumping the water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur.


The state government is organising Organics and Millets 2017, a three-day national trade fair from April 28 at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru with an aim of promoting organic food and millets.



Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters on Monday that the fair will be a forum for organic farmers and companies selling organic food products to interact with one another and market their products. Retailers including Big Bazaar, Reliance, Metro, ITC and SPAR Hypermarket will take part in the fair, he added.



The government has created 14 organic farmers federations to encourage farmers to market their produce. These federations will hold direct talks with the representatives of various retail companies to promote their business. Currently, organic farming is carried out in about 1.85 lakh hectares in the state.
Citizens passing by Bellandur lake on Monday were delighted to see weeding in progress.

Many agencies are scrambling to clean up the citys largest lake, notorious for its toxic froth, in the wake of the National Green Tribunal setting a months deadline.



The Bangalore Development Authority started removing weeds four days after the tribunal called for an urgent clean-up of the 919-acre water body.



On the first day, workers cleared a 50-metre stretch on the Yamalur side. The weeding will pick up pace from Tuesday, according to BDA officials.



JCBs are working on the banks now. From Tuesday, a special floating machine will get into the lake and start clearing the growth, BDA engineer Veersingh Nayak said.



Members of an expert committee have asked the BDA to slow down the entry of sewage into the lake by building ramps at the inlets. They believe this will help control the frothing to some extent.

The suggestion first came from the committee when the lake had caught fire in February.



The BDA has agreed and said it had called for an expression of interest to execute the work. The ramps and the fence are expected to stop froth from flying out. We are putting up close to 900 metres of a chain link fence and 30 metres of mesh around the lake, Nayak said.



Members of Whitefield Rising and citizens around Whitefield are happy work has finally begun.



The challenge is to sustain it. Weeds grow back quickly. Another challenge is to remove the stench from the lake, said Sharachchandra Lele, Senior Fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment and member of the lake expert committee.



The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board on Monday closed three polluting industries in the vicinity of the Bellandur lake. Board chairman Lakshman said three small-scale silk dyeing units had been told to stop functioning. The area has 488 industries and 159 apartment complexes.



We have formed a 30-member committee to inspect each and every industry and apartment complex, he said. Three units were closed on Monday and 10 more will follow suit on Tuesday, he told DH. We have identified 13 industries, which will have to pay Rs 5 lakh each as penalty, Lakshman said. The board started identifying polluting industries and apartment complexes following the National Green Tribunals order last Wednesday. Lakshman said the closure orders can be revoked. If the industries set up treatment plants and stop polluting the lake, the committee can allow them to open again. The committee has shortlisted 97 water-based industries and 15 apartment complexes to close down and penalise.




Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday found Prime Minister Narendra Modi amenable to a dialogue with separatists in the state, but agreed that it cant happen amid stone-throwing and bullets.



The prime minister has an intention of holding talks after the situation becomes normal, Mehbooba told reporters, after a 20-minute meeting with Modi at his residence.



The meeting comes amid growing unrest in the Valley and severe strains between her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and alliance partner, the BJP.



Mehbooba, who is under pressure from her party to review the coalition arrangement with the BJP, said an atmosphere needs to be created for a dialogue. Talks cannot happen amid stone-pelting and firing of bullets, she said.



Her remark is seen as an agreement with the Centre on the timing to resume talks with separatists, including the Hurriyat factions.



She reminded the Centre again that the Vajpayee Doctrine could save the Valley. According to her, the Vajpayee doctrine had won the support from all segments, including the extremist elements in the Valley.



There was dialogue when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister and L K Advani his deputy. They even held dialogue with the Hurriyat and others. We must pick up where Vajpayee left off, she said.

The chief minister said, Modi has repeatedly said he would follow in Vajpayees footsteps, whose policy is of reconciliation, not confrontation.



Mehbooba also called on Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the situation in the Valley, expressing hope that things would get better in two or three months.



Giving her perception of violence, which has increased in the run-up to the election to Srinagar parliamentary seat on April 9, she pressed for a healing touch by the Centre to douse the anger among the youth.



In her talks with Modi, the PDP chief is understood to have stressed on improving relations with Pakistan  a key factor for political stability in the Valley.



Though the BJP has differed with the PDP on the cause of violence, she said that some young people were disillusioned, while some are being instigated, including by those who use social media.



After the meeting, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav played down the reports of a rift between the BJP and the PDP. There was a communication gap, he said referring to the rift over the MLC election issue.



Mehbooba said she also raised with Modi the Indus waters treaty issue saying it was causing a huge loss to the state. The treaty requires India and Pakistan to share waters of Indus, Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum rivers.






Defense Spending Increases in West, Drops In Oil-Exporting Countries



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Some residents of San Diego North County may recognize the name of Evy Silk who is a neighbor in Cardiff and has practiced as a nurse practitioner with Dr. Warren Pleskow in Encinitas. They will not be surprised to learn of the accolades recently bestowed upon her.

On the occasion of National Nurse Practitioner Week in November 2016, the North County chapter of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners awarded her their Nurse Practitioner of Excellence Award. She went on to receive two more awards.

On March 21 at its annual educational conference, the California Association of Nurse Practitioners honored her with the Nurse Practitioner Bridging Health Care Needs Award.

In June when the American Association of Nurse Practitioners meets for its annual conference, in Philadelphia, Silk will be among the nurse practitioners from each state recognized with the AANP State Award for Excellence.

She has had a very diverse clinical career and has been instrumental in the development of the role of nurse practitioner through her advocacy and leadership.

Since the beginning of her career, she has sought to provide care to the poor who are without any healthcare. She found her calling to nursing when she studied abroad as a psychology student at UCLA and observed the desperately poor in Brazil living in wretched conditions without medical care. Upon returning, she went to get her advanced degree in nursing, also at UCLA. Long before many people became aware of nurse practitioners she saw the value of their contribution and participated in a federal grant which developed curriculum for health care providers serving the underserved.

Her experiences in Encinitas as a Family Nurse Practitioner serve as the foundation for the innovative care she would provide to farm workers, sometimes in the fields. She returns annually to Brazil at her own expense, as well as transporting crates of medical supplies to the desperately poor island nation of Fiji where she provides care in small, austere clinics, patients huts or at times under palm trees.

As an advance practice nurse, she has provided clinical education to prepare nurse practitioners as well as UC Irvine medical students.

To enhance the systems of care that serve the underserved, she has performed research to determine the best quality and most efficient care for this population, particularly women and children.

Nurse practitioners are nurses with postgraduate degrees educated to provide high quality, comprehensive, patient centered care in every aspect of healthcare. They are becoming a significant provider of primary and specialty care as demand grows due to increasing numbers of insured Californians. They are also found providing care to patients in many hospital departments.  Press release
Chicago Police Recover Old-Timey Gun; Hilarious Pillorying Ensues

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 20, 2017 7:15PM



Twitter / Chicago Police Department

It scans like a three-week-post-dated April Fool's joke, but apparently it's legit. The Chicago Police Department's Twitter feed was a deeply uncharacteristic barrel of laughs on Thursday morning when the account posted the above photo, proclaiming that "great intel" prompted the recovery of (perhaps, down the line, legal?) bag of weed and an antique gun that looks like it's seen more time in the Smithsonian than on a street corner. From the internet that brought you #OtherRahmRequirements and #BetterSoxStadiumNames, a quick and steady outpouring of gleeful mockery did flow.

It looks like the photo was was actually first sent out by the 10th District of the Chicago Police Department's account yesterday, but it landed on our radar when Waldo Jaquith took a shot on Thursday morning, as it were, when the official CPD feed threw it out there. You can check out his and other select digs below, and laugh along at DNAinfo too, which also noticed the viral WTF-ery.
How To Watch Obama's First Post-White House Public Speech Today

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 24, 2017 2:18PM

Updated: You can read our recap and watch the panel discussion here.

Barack Obama makes his return to the public spotlight on Monday morning in a homecoming appearance at the University of Chicagowhere he once served as senior lecturer, on the South Side where he also cut his teeth as a community organizer.

The former president will address a crowd of a couple hundred college students and young people before leading a conversation on civic engagement. (Probably don't expect any explicit Trump rebukes to be delivered.)

The ticket allotment was delivered to audience members ahead of the event's announcement, but you can still watch Obama's address and town hall-esque discussion live. C-SPAN will have a livestream enabled, which you can find here. UChicago will also have a broadcast up, which you can access here.

Obama spent Sunday in Chicago, also. He spoke with at-risk young men and boys about violence, gangs and jobs through the Chicago CRED program, at the invitation of Arne Duncan, Obama's former Secretary of Education, according to the Tribune. He also hosted a private dinner for his Obama Presidential Center, the Sun-Times reports.

Monday's appearance will be Obama's first public event in Chicago since he delivered his stirring farewell address on Jan. 10 at McCormick Place. According to the New York Times, the Chicago talk will be something of a springboard back into the public eye after having spent months away. The conversation "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," the Times reports.
17 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week



Image via Bin 36's website.

Have your wine and drink it, too. There are a bunch of wine and cocktail tastings among our usual mix of favorite events this week.

MONDAY APRIL 24

PING PONG BALLS: SPiN hosts a ping pong tournament to benefit Movember Foundation from 7 to 10 p.m. The Know Thy Nuts Paddle Battle will feature 32 local barbers and stylists battling it out in the name of Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. There also be a live DJ and silent auction. Tickets are $10.

THE REVOLUTION: One year later we're still reeling from the sudden loss of Prince. The core members of his early '80s band The Revolution has reunited to help both themselves and fans work through the grief with a celebration of the music Prince made during that time, including their work together on the classic Purple Rain. The Revolution plays Monday night at The Metro.



TUESDAY APRIL 25



Image via SAUCED's Facebook page.

SAUCED MARKET: Food and retail night market SAUCED returns to Emporium Logan Square from 6 to 11 p.m. Theyll have more than 25 vendors from Powers Handcrafted jewelry to Natalys Nectar. The pop-up market will have a benefit pop-up bar on the Branca side with food from chef Won Kim of Kimski and drinks from Matt Peaches Frederick of EZ Inn. Free.

ROSE ALL DAY: BIN 36 is hosting bi-monthly wine classes and this Tuesdays focuses on the pink drink, Rose. Sample unique varieties not from France, but places like Australia and Washington State at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.

There's No Magic Left in This World by Sonny Falls

UP-AND-COMING ROCKERS: We stumbled across Sonny Falls in an opening slot at a recent show and walked out fans. Their debut There's No Magic Left in This World knocks out six tunes laced with big hooks, hard hitting drums and a slight Southern swagger. The EP was mostly a one man affair, with bandleader Ryan Ensley handling every instrument save the swinging drumming supplied by Calvin Schaller. Live, the band fills out to include Matthew Rogoski and Jeff Pearlman, creating an infectious squall of sound that still manages to convey Ensley's more nuanced songwriting twists. Sonny Falls plays a free show at Crown Liquors Tuesday night, so get out of the house and see if they don't convert you into a fan as well.

MEZCAL CLASS: Learn the ins and outs of Mezcal during a cocktail class at Nacional 27s Tallboy Taco. Sombra Mezcalon will lead the interactive class from 7:30 to 9 p.m. which will also include a selection of small bites and mini tacos. Tickets are $25. To reserve a spot, call 312-664-2727.

SPRING IN SPAIN: Sample a selection of Spanish spring wines at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!s bodega wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. Enjoy pintxos and tapas from Executive Chef Matt Holmes while chatting with local distributors about the line up of 30 wines. Select bottles will be available for purchase. Tickets are $35. Call 773-935-5000 for tickets.



WEDNESDAY APRIL 26



Photo by Roger Mastroianni courtesy of The Cleveland Orchestra.

BALLET VISIONARIES: Joffrey Ballets spring program will re-acquaint us with some amazing choreographers viewed as Global Visionaries. See a World Premiere from the bombastic Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman and a Chicago Premiere by San Francisco Ballet Resident Choreographer Yuri Possokhov that was created specifically for Joffrey dancers. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa will also reprise Mammatus. Program runs through May 7. Tickets start at $34.

FRUNCHROOM ANNIVERSARY: The South Side reading series Frunchroom turns two and theyre celebrating with not one, but two nights of stories at Beverly Woods Restaurant. Writers, readers, artists and performers come either from the south side or tell personal stories about the south side. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. $5 suggested donation.

RED CROSS WINE TASTING: Texas de Brazil hosts a wine tasting to benefit the American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces at 6:30 p.m. Theyll team with Bodegas Salentein for the annual event at select restaurants across the country. Tickets are $35 with the majority going toward support military, veterans and their families.

MISS SPOKEN: The all-lady, non-dude live lit show Miss Spoken returns to The Gallery Cabaret at 7 p.m. Hear from four speakers plus hosts Rosamund Lannin & Jasmine Davila on the theme of Letters. Entry is a $5 donation.



THURSDAY APRIL 27



Image courtesy of Music Box Theatre.

DAVID LYNCH RETROSPECTIVE: If youve ever wanted to see Lynchs entire body of work on the big screen, heres your chance. Music Box Theatre hosts David Lynch: A Complete Retrospective that will show all of his film, television, music shorts and other surprises. Daniel Knox will also present a celebration of Twin Peaks in anticipation of the upcoming third season of Fire Walk With Me. The retrospective closes with a David Lynch documentary on May 5.

WINE STROLL: Get to know Lincoln Square and Ravenswood businesses during the Annual Wine Stroll from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. There are five routes to choose from that will pair samples with hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants. Tickets are $40.



FRIDAY APRIL 28



Image courtesy of The One of a Kind Show.

THE ONE OF A KIND SPRING SHOW: The One Of a Kind shopping experience is back, this time for its annual spring show and sale all weekend at the Merchandise Mart. The showcase and shopping event features hands-on crafts and cooking demonstrations as well as accessories, home goods, paintings and much more for sale. Be sure to check out the Emerging Market highlighting more than 30 first-time exhibitors and artists. Tickets are $10.

SPARK JOY: If youve heard of the KonMari method, you know Marie Kondo. Shell appear at Harris Theater as part of Chicago Humanities Festival Springfest at 7:30 p.m. Her best-selling book Spark Joy teaches us how to properly declutter our homes with a focus on items that bring joy. Tickets are $20.

Why Love Now by Pissed Jeans

#EB25: The Empty Bottle continues to celebrate their 25th anniversary with this show headlined by Philadelphias Pissed Jeans. The band recently released the hard-charging heavy riff- and thundering tom-based Why Love Now, a caustic collection guaranteed to explode into a full-blown punk freakout on stage. The bill recreates their first Empty Bottle appearance in 2008 with support from STNNNG and Chicago surf-punk outfit The Catburglers. Friday's show will also feature tickets at the low, low, 2008 price of $10.

CEREBRAL SORCERY: Magician, storyteller and former Chicagoan David London brings his show Cerebral Sorcery back to the city after premiering here 15 years ago. He'll perform with fellow magician Francis Menotti at Chicago Dramatists all weekend. The duo will take visitors on a "philosophical journey into the human mind" as they solve riddles and puzzles. Tickets are $40. Visit the ticketing site for showtimes.
Tour These Frank Lloyd Wright Landmarks For Free In Celebration Of His 150th Birthday

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 24, 2017 7:37PM

Mark your calendars now, architecture disciples. In celebration of Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th birthday, the modernist pioneer's trust is opening up the doors to three of his most iconic designs free of charge.

On Thursday, June 8, free open houses will be available at three nearby famous buildings designed by the Prairie master.

The three sites are spread across the Chicago areawhich of course boasts more of Wright's work than any other localeon the far North Side, in Hyde Park and in Oak Park. They structures and tour times are:

- The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio (951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park). 6 to 8 p.m.

- The Frederick C. Robie House (757 S. Woodlawn Ave.) 6-8 p.m.

- Emil Bach House (7415 N. Sheridan Rd.) 4-7 p.m.

As architecture buffs can attest, that's quite a selection. The landmark Robie House (1908-10) in particular is recognized as one of Wright's quintessential late Prairie achievements; and the transitional Bach House (1915), in Rogers Park, bridges the gap between Prairie and the expressionist lane he'd soon traffic.

The tours are free, but registration is required. Follow the links above for RSVP info. Post-tour refreshments will also be available.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust is offering additional events to mark the 150th anniversary, including the Wright Around Chicago bus tours and the Pedal Oak Park guided bicycle tour. You can track additional events and updates at the Trust's website. It should be quite the sesquicentennial.
An article from The New York Times claims that Uber was fingerprinting iPhones, making them traceable even after the Uber app and its data was deleted.

These past few months have not been very great for ride-hailing company Uber and its Founder & CEO, Travis Kalanick. The company has been reeling under multiple scandals lately - illegally evading authorities, tracking customers without permission, creating fake accounts on competing cab-hailing services, stealing confidential data from Alphabets self-driving car project, mistreating employees and then some.

Now, in a shocking new revelation, The New York Times has reported that Ubers bad business practices did not even spare the worlds most valuable company - Apple. According to the publication, Uber had been secretly identifying and tagging iPhones even after its app had been deleted and the devices erased  a fraud detection maneuver that violated Apples privacy guidelines.

The practice called fingerprinting was and is against Apples regulations, and to hide the practice from the company, Uber had geofenced Apples Cupertino HQ, thereby creating a digital fence around the area so that Apples employees could not see what Uber was up to. As per NYT, Uber would then obfuscate its code for people within that geofenced area, essentially drawing a digital lasso around those it wanted to keep in the dark. Apple employees at its headquarters were unable to see Ubers fingerprinting.

However, Ubers trickery would not remain hidden for long. Apparently, Apple CEO, Tim Cook, had a meeting with Kalanick at the time, confronting him for breaking Apples rules. Cook had reportedly even threatened to remove Ubers app from the App Store. This would have been a huge disadvantage to the service, which would have ended up losing a large chunk of its iPhone consumer base.

The article goes on to describe how Kalanick has openly disregarded many rules and norms, flouted transportation and safety regulations, bucked against entrenched competitors and capitalized on legal loopholes and grey areas to gain a business advantage.

Reacting to the article, an Uber spokesperson said, We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if theyve deleted the app. As the New York Times story notes towards the very end, this is a typical way to prevent fraudsters from loading Uber onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phoneover and over again. Similar techniques are also used for detecting and blocking suspicious logins to protect our users' accounts. Being able to recognize known bad actors when they try to get back onto our network is an important security measure for both Uber and our users.
The Vodafone i-RoamFREE pack is available at different price points. The 30-day pack is priced at Rs. 5,000, 10-day pack at Rs. 3,500, 7-day pack for Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 500 for every 24-hours

Vodafone India has announced new a new international roaming pack for travellers to the USA, UAE, and Singapore. Called the Vodafone i-RoamFREE, the pack offers unlimited calling and data while roaming in these three countries. The pack is available at different price points. The 30-day pack is priced at Rs. 5,000, 10-day pack at Rs. 3,500, 7-day pack for Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 500 for every 24-hours.

Read the complete press release below

International Roaming has never been so convenient! Vodafone India now introduces a first-time-ever truly unlimited international roaming proposition for travelers to USA, UAE and Singapore in its popular international roaming pack, Vodafone i-RoamFREE. Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged a single additional rupee for calls and data while roaming in these 3 countries.



In case you were wondering, this offer comes with zero riders or hidden costs. There is no cap on the number of calls or amount of high speed data that can be used. Also, calls include all incoming calls and outgoing calls anywhere in the world. This means customers traveling in USA can even make calls to Hong Kong at no extra charges!



Whats more, this pack is available at very affordable price points with options at Rs 5,000 for 30-days, Rs. 3,500 for 10-days, Rs 2,500 for 7-days and just Rs. 500 for every 24-hours. Customers in need of International Roaming service can opt for the duration that best meets their travel timeline and benefit from unmatched value, convenience and huge savings.



For frequent business travelers and those with last-minute changing itineraries, a new flexible option is available wherein one can activate this pack once and automatically get the benefits whenever they travel to any of the 47 countries at Rs. 500 for every 24-hour window of usage.



Launching the UNLIMITED international roaming proposition, Sandeep Kataria, Director  Commercial, Vodafone India, said, This is the first time ever UNLIMITED international roaming proposition and we are very excited to introduce it for our top 3 travel destinations  USA, Singapore and UAE. We are making calls and data, both incoming and outgoing, while traveling in these countries completely free. This completely eliminates the need and hassle of changing SIM cards when traveling abroad and customers can now freely use their local number seamlessly without worrying about any bill shocks or expensive charges. They can remain confidently connected on their existing Vodafone number when they travel, and be assured the best of voice and data services.

Vodafone i-RoamFREE is an international roaming pack which offers home-like tariffs while roaming in 47 countries of the globe. While roaming in USA, UAE and Singapore, all calls and data is now free and unlimited, Benefits on international roaming in other countries include all incoming calls free, and data plus outgoing calls being nominally charged at Re. 1/MB and Rs. 1/minute respectively.
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Asian investment in Toronto reportedly picked up after Vancouver introduced its foreign buyer tax last summer.



By ROB GILLIES

Associated Press

TORONTO  Foreign nationals who don't live in the properties they own in Toronto and its surrounding communities will pay an additional 15 percent tax on those homes under legislation proposed by the Ontario government.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne made the announcement Thursday in an effort to cool a hot housing market in Canada's largest city.





. . .
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SEATTLE  A site at 517 Aloha St. has sold for $3.6 million, according to King County records. The seller was Earth Punched LLC, whose governor, Ron Henry, runs the photography supply company BlackRapid at that address. The property last sold in 2014 for $3 million.

The buyer was PRH LLC, whose governors include members of the Goff family, which runs Pacific Ridge Homes. That company, which was acquired by D.R. Horton two years ago for $72 million, is an active builder of multifamily and single-family homes.





. . .
Australian regulator approves takeover of Duet Group by Cheung Kong Infrastructure

The Australian regulator yesterday approved the takeover of gas pipeline operator and power distributor Duet Group by a consortium led by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd (CKI).

The approval comes six months after the Australian government rejected a A$10-billion bid by CKI for a controlling stake of state-owned energy grid Ausgrid, citing security concerns. (See: Australian government blocks Chinese investment in electricity network)

Chinese state-owned State Grid Corporation and Hong Kong-based CKI had been in the race for a 99-year lease for the 50.4-per cent stake in Sydney electricity grid Ausgrid, in a deal where the Australian government would have netted around $10 billion.

Some analysts opine that if Ausgrid came to be under Chinese control, it could be vulnerable to cyberattacks from hackers from Russia, who in December hacked the Ukraine electricity grid.

The CKI-led consortium, which also includes Cheung Kong Property Holdings and Power Asset Holdings, had in December 2016 tabled a A$7.3-billion ($5.4 billion) cash bid for Duet Group.

In January, the Australian government formed a new body called Critical Infrastructure Centre to access whether any investment by overseas companies in critical infrastructure assets could raise national security concerns.

Duet chairman Doug Halley said that CKI has informed that the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) had approved the deal and shareholders would now be able to vote on the deal on Friday.

The Duet deal would be Li's biggest acquisition in Australia, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Duet's assets include the Dampier Bunbury natural-gas pipeline, which connects gas reserves on Western Australia State's offshore North West Shelf and gas and electricity distribution networks in the southeast around Melbourne.

CKI owns stakes in Australian assets including SA Power Networks, Powercor Australia and Australian Gas Networks.

The Duet deal would be Li's biggest acquisition in the nation, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

CKI has diversified investments in energy, transportation, water infrastructure, waste management, waste-to-energy and infrastructure related businesses.

Its investments and operations span Hong Kong, mainland China, the UK, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.


Mourners at the funeral of Dylan Crawford, who died suddenly in Manchester earlier this month, have been told that he was a kind-hearted young man who trusted everybody.

Mr Crawford, from Crossroads, Killygordon, was found unconscious in the early hours of April 12th and was declared dead at Manchester Royal Infirmary shortly afterwards.

The 20-year-old was laid to rest following Requiem Mass at St. Patrick's Church, Crossroads, this morning.

Dylan is survived by his parents, Austin and Andriana, and sister Aleesha.

Fr Francis Lynch told the gathered mourners that the death of a such a young person was a great tragedy.

Fr Lynch said Dylan was fanatical about flying. He loved to fly and to travel and especially with Ryanair.

Places Dylan had travelled to included New York, Paris, Spain, Italy, Scotland and London, he said.

Dylan achieved a lot in a short 20 years, he said. He was bubbly, adventurous and outgoing. He was kind-hearted and he saw the good in everybody. He never returned from any holiday empty-handed. There were always presents.

He was never contained or restrained in any way. Dylan Crawford was allowed to blossom as a human person, he said.

He was a very kind-hearted young man. And he trusted everybody. His death is beyond our comprehension. The death of a youth in many respects is also our death. It is one of the deaths of what should be our future generation.

Fr Lynch also thanked the community on behalf of the Crawford family for their support since Dylans death.

Dylans family would like to express their sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone who has shown them so much care and kindness since his sudden passing. They would like to thank everyone who reached out to them as they anxiously waited for Dylan to come home from Manchester.

Fr Lynch told Dylans parents that to carry the coffin of their son was a very difficult thing to do.

All we can do as a Christian community, here in this church and the community who lives here, is to pray for you because it is incomprehensible that your son has passed away.

Gifts offered included a photograph of Dylan with his family, a model Ryanair plane and a cuddly Mickey Mouse toy.

Two men arrested in Manchester during the investigation of the death of the 20-year-old have appeared in court on theft and fraud charges.

A post-mortem has proved inclusive and police have released CCTV images of a third man they want to speak to in connection to the death.
The generosity of the late Sean McEniff to his family, his community and his county was one of the main themes of local parish priest Canon Ramon Munster's eulogy at Mr McEniff's funeral mass at the Star of the Sea Church in Bundoran.

"Sean served his town and his county with an unselfish attitude, he certainly gave that others might receive and prosper," Canon Munster stated.

There were well over one thousand people in attendance at the funeral mass, among them his boyhood friend, Bishop-Emeritus of Clogher, Liam McDaid, who paid a personal tribute to him for his contribution to his community and county.

Several guards of honour were formed along the route from the family home on Church Road to the Church, among them guards of honour from Magh Ene College, the local GAA club and by members and officials of Donegal County Council past and present.

The longest serving county councillor in Ireland, winning his first election in 1967, and being returned on every occasion thereafter, Sean McEniff's contribution to Bundoran, Donegal and the north west in particular, were underlined by Canon Munster.

Canon Munster said Mr McEniff had been very supportive of the parish in Bundoran and never sought any recognition for that. He said it was his hope that, in due course, the people of Bundoran would recognise the remarkable contribution he had made to their community and to the commerce of the town.

"It might be a suitable gesture by the people of the town to register their appreciation of his life-long loyalty to the town. I'm sure that will be something to think about in the days to come; I'm sure many of you are considering that," he said.

Reflecting on Mr McEniff's illness over the past six months he added: "It was with great sadness that he did not have the chance to live on into a much older age, in the words of songwriter Phil Coulter, in the town he loved so well.

"The imprint of his hand has been on Bundoran for many years and its success in the years to come will continue to be associated with the initiatives and the generosity of Sean McEniff," Canon Munster said.

Politicians from all political groupings were in attendance, among them the leader of Fianna Fail, Micheal Martin TD, while representatives of the hotel, tourism, health and business sectors from across the country were all in attendance.
Sheephaven Search and Recovery (SAR) team held an underwater search and recovery training session at Portnablagh this past cold Sunday morning.

Air temperature was 7 degrees, and sea temperature was 9 degrees.

To be included on the national SAR register, all those wishing to be available to be called upon must be current CFT (Comhairle Fo Thuinn)  Irish Underwater Council club members and conduct two SAR training days per annum.

There was a great turnout for the process of locating and recovering underwater objects that had been lost by two Sheephaven SAC members last weekend. Sea was calm but low tide and poor visibility made the search more difficult. Nonetheless, due to the fantastic, well-trained SAR team at Sheephaven SAC, all three objects were found!

The search and recovery training was held at Portnablagh.

Swim-line search pattern

There are a number of search patterns that can be used. The aim of the swim-line pattern used for Sunday's search was to be accurate and completely cover the search area that was given to the team without missing any area. Overlap is needed to compensate for inaccuracy.

A swim-line search pattern is where a team of divers spreads out along a length of rope at spacing suited to the visibility, terrain and size of the target. The team leader is usually at one end of the rope on the surface. Each diver must ensure that he does not get ahead of or lag behind the diver to his side who is closer to the leader, and that the rope is kept taut. In this way, an evenly spaced line of divers swims a straight sweep with a width equal to the length of the swim line.

It requires concentration and practice, as all the divers are diligently searching for the target. The swim line method can also be applied to a circular pattern. Line signals, which are discussed at brief beforehand, are used to communicate with each other.

Well done to everyone involved  great team work!

Sheephaven Search & Recovery Unit now have a tube (outside Tesco Letterkenny) and are collecting blue tokens, so if you are out in Letterkenny over the next few weeks, Sheephaven Search & Recovery Unit would be grateful if you would add your blue tokens to their tube for this worthy cause. Thank you.
Everything became clearer after Alice Kincey received her first set of hearing aids last year.

The 88-year-old Henry County resident could hear sounds that she didnt know she was missing. She could hear her name when it was called and the voices of the children at Abbeville Elementary School where she volunteers as a foster grandparent.

It was just opening up and clearer, Kincey said. It was a good feeling. I didnt have to have my TV up loud like I was used to using it. I could go to church and hear better.

Kincey was one of four people who received hearing devices during last years hearing aid contest held by Physicians Hearing Center at ENTcare in Dothan and the Dothan Eagle. Short essays are submitted to nominate Wiregrass residents who need hearing devices. A free hearing evaluation determines the severity of hearing loss and need of the nominees.

The 2017 contest is underway. The deadline to nominate someone is Wednesday, April 26. Essays can be emailed to aussery@dothaneagle.com, hand-delivered to the Dothan Eagle, or postmarked and mailed by April 26.

Some contestants nominate themselves while others are nominated by family, friends and neighbors.

Kincey was nominated by her granddaughter Jamella Johnson.

When it comes to her grandkids and her kids, shes big on doing whatever it takes, Johnson said of Kincey. Shes 88 years old, but she pretty much never misses Bible study. She works every day as a foster grandparent. Shes very active in church.

And while her hearing loss didnt slow Kincey down, Johnson said she could see her grandmothers frustration when she couldnt hear what was being said.

Her presence is important, but for her to actually hear whats going on and be able to hear it clearly and not muffled and to hear when somebody is calling her, for me thats very important, Johnson said.

The hearing aid contest has been going on for about 17 years. Winners are announced in May, which is Better Speech and Hearing Month. Winners receive a set of free digital hearing aids.

Contestants have varied in age in the past, from their 20s to their 80s. The causes of hearing loss have also varied from age-related loss and hereditary conditions to hearing loss from past illnesses and repeated exposure to loud noises. Some winners had already had experience with hearing aids but their devices were outdated and no longer helped them.

Todays digital devices can cost anywhere from $2,000 for a basic set up to $7,000 for more advanced devices. But even todays basic sets are advanced compared to older analog hearing aids.

Cost has always been a big factor for why people do not get hearing aids. Most people dont have hearing coverage as part of their insurance, although that is slowly changing. Veterans may be eligible for coverage through the Veterans Administration, and federal employees are eligible through the federal Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. Children have access to hearing devices through Alabamas Childrens Rehabilitation Services, and the states Vocational Rehabilitation Services will assist those who need hearing aids in order to work.

When she nominated her grandmother, Johnson said she was concerned for Kinceys safety and wellbeing. Plus, she just wanted her grandmother to enjoy life.

I felt like she deserved the opportunity to be able to hear things, Johnson said.
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Dance drama about legendary Austrian queen set to launch this year's Meet in Beijing Arts Festival.

The dance drama Sissi by ExperiDance Production will make its debut in Beijing this week.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The Austrian film Sissi, based on the legendary life of Empress Elisabeth, became popular in China after it was screened here in the 1980s.

The 1955 film, directed by Ernst Marischka, has Romy Schneider in the lead role as the beautiful yet sad queen.

Her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1854 made her the empress of Austria at age 16. She eventually also became the queen of Hungary.

A dance drama titled Sissi, which is adapted from her life story, will make its debut in Beijing soon. It premiered in Budapest in 2013.

As the opening performance of the 17th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, which begins on Thursday, the dance drama will be staged by Hungary's ExperiDance Production.

It focuses on the queen's connection with Hungary and her romance with Gyula Andrassy, a Hungarian official.
When Zhao Yongbin began to study musicals as a major at the Beijing-based Central Academy of Drama in 1995, he did not know what musicals were.

The Chinese version of Japanese musical The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man will tour the country this summer.[Photo provided to China Daily]

For the 30 students in Zhao's class, which was the first one to major in musicals in the country, musicals were a new art form.

In 1996, along with his classmates, Zhao had his first experience of performing in a musical, the Chinese version of The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man, one of the most popular musicals of Japan's Shiki Theatre Company.

Artists of the established Japanese company visited Beijing to help the students rehearse.

The musical, based on a children's novel of the same title by the late American writer Lloyd Chudley Alexander, was staged more than 40 times in 1996 at the Central Academy of Drama. The troupe also visited Japan later that year for three shows at the Shiki Theatre Company.

"For us, the musical was an art form that we had never seen in Chinese theaters then," recalls Zhao.

"The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man opened our eyes and helped us understand the art form. It laid a solid foundation for us - the first group learning and performing musicals in China."

Now, two decades or so later, the Chinese version of the musical will be reproduced and will kick off a national tour from Beijing in June.

Zhao, a teacher at the Central Academy of Drama and a director, in 1996 performed the lead character of Lionel, a cat who becomes a man with the help of a magician. He will direct the new production.

The musical will feature actors who performed in the 1996 version as well as young Chinese musical talents.
World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Jin Liqun (L) attends the Development Committee Meeting during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual Spring Meetings in Washington DC, April 16, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Under the MOU, both sides agreed to cooperate on areas, including development financing, staff exchanges, and analytical and sector work.

"It paves the way for the two institutions to further enhance coordination at the regional and country levels," said the World Bank in a statement on Sunday.

The two institutions have already signed a co-financing framework agreement last April. Since then, they have co-financed five projects, namely supporting power generation in Pakistan, a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, and slum upgrading, dam safety, and regional infrastructure development in Indonesia.

World Bank and AIIB are discussing more projects to be co-financed in 2017 and 2018, said the statement.

"Signing this memorandum of understanding fits into our vision of a new kind of internationalism," said Jin Liqun, president of AIIB. "We place a high value on our partnerships because by working together, we greatly increase our potential for positive outcomes in Asia," the statement quoted Jin as said.

"Collaboration between development institutions is essential to make the best use of scarce resources, crow in the private sector, and meet the rising aspirations of the people we serve," said Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank.

Top multilateral development banks (MDBs), including World Bank, AIIB, New Development Bank, recently have agreed to deepen collaboration to encourage private sector investment in infrastructure to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the world.

These MDBs pledged not only to leverage their resources by joining forces to co-finance projects, but also help generate interest among private sector investors in public-private partnerships and the development of infrastructure.
Situated in China's southern Jiangxi Province, Wuyuan enjoys a widespread reputation as "the most charming village in China" for its well-preserved ancient towns and original buildings dating from a long time ago. Walking through the village, rape flowers bloom among the Hui-style cottages. It feels like walking back into the old times, or a Chinese ink painting. [China.org.cn]

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Samsung on Wednesday said that Bixby Voice will not be operational when its Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones hit the market.

Some Bixby features  Vision, Home and Reminder  will be active when the phones become available on April 21, Samsung said, but the Bixby Voice capability wont show up until later this spring.

The delay may be due to a weakness in Bixbys English language chops, according to some reports. Its voice recognition in English apparently lags its Korean language capabilities substantially. That mismatch might be worrisome to Samsung, as it could cast its new artificial intelligence assistant in a negative light.

Its also possible that Samsung wants to round up more third-party apps to support Bixby Voice before it makes its debut.

Slow and Easy Wins the Race

Whatever the reason underlying it, Samsungs decision to delay the feature likely is prudent.

The S8 and S8+ are make-or-break products for Samsung to successfully rebound from BatteryGate, said Cliff Raskind, a research director at Strategy Analytics.

The S8 offers a lot of industry firsts. Everything, including Bixby, has to be perfect on this rollout, he told TechNewsWorld. A launch date slip for Bixby would, in the final analysis, be more palatable than a sub-par experience.

Voice recognition requires an immense orchestration of software and services, said Ramon Llamas, a research manager at IDC.

Bixby is generation one, was built from the ground up by Samsung, and doesnt extend beyond its walls, he told TechNewsWorld. Im OK with their giving it a pass until its ready for prime time instead of ending up with egg on their face.

Its important for Samsung to ensure that Bixby works correctly, noted Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst at IHS Markit.

Samsung is already behind, and a sloppy launch would have a negative effect, he told TechNewsWorld, but a delayed start  not so much.

However, the longer Samsung delays in pushing out Bixby Voice, the more this will erode consumer confidence, IDCs Llamas cautioned. The S8 runs on Android Nougat, which has Google Assistant built in as standard. Google Assistant does a lot of things very well.

More Than a Voice

Bixby is a contextual service, not just a voice assistant, and even if the Voice component isnt there yet, Bixby can still learn about you with Bixby Home and Bixby Vision, Llamas noted. Theres value in that, because Bixby has to build up a library of experiences in order to make the contextual connections.

Bixby is very much a new wave of opportunity for Samsung, observed Jeff Orr, a senior practice director at ABI Research.

Its not a point solution  having a certain set of features and functionality for a particular audience at a particular price point, he told TechNewsWorld.

The concept underlying Bixby is to make intelligent machines learn and adapt to humans, instead of having humans learn how machines interact with the world, explained Samsung EVP InJong Rhee, when announcing the new service last month.

With Bixby, Samsung is positioned in the interaction layer which is used to engage with other services, noted IHS Markits Schneeman.

If Samsungs successful with its execution and broadens Bixbys scope as announced, itll be an engagement tool for a broad range of devices, regardless of the operating system they run, he added.

This concept of Bixby being able to interact with the environment around you just using your voice is a powerful thing that other brands havent even begun to articulate, ABIs Orr pointed out. Its very bold and a major undertaking.
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 Flash

Representatives from China and Iran sign the first commercial contract to redesign Iran's Arak heavy water reactor in Vienna, Austria, on April 23, 2017. Redesigning the Arak heavy water reactor is a core aspect of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program. (Xinhua/Wang Tengfei)

China and Iran on Sunday agreed to carry out more cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative as foreign ministers of the two countries met here.

The consensus came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif ahead of the Ancient Civilization Forum which is to open Monday.

The forum, a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer, is attended by both China and Iran as well as other countries representing major ancient civilizations throughout the world. The other participants include Bolivia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and Peru.

Wang said that the Sino-Iranian comprehensive strategic partnership has been developing in a steady fashion as the bilateral cooperation in areas including economic and trade, investment and people-to-people exchange is deepening.

He said China stands ready to expand cooperation with Iran under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Zarif, on his part, said that Iran welcomes and supports the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the Chinese side and is willing to promote its development through the Ancient Civilization Forum so as to achieve common development.
A massive iceberg is towering over a Newfoundland town, as climate change continues to cause dramatic and spectacular events.

The giant iceberg near Ferryland, Canada has created quite a stir and even caused traffic jams as locals stop to take pictures.

Icebergs commonly appear off the coast of Ferrylandin fact, this area called Iceberg Alley is famous for iceberg tours that start in May. However, this particular iceberg is unusual for its mammoth size and early appearance.

The Canadian Ice Service classified the iceberg as large, their second largest category that includes heights of 151-240 feet and lengths of 401-670 feet.

According to Gabrielle McGrath, commander of the United States Coast Guard International Ice Patrol, 616 icebergs have already moved down the North Atlantic this year, while last year, 687 were counted by late September.

When you look at the iceberg chart, its truly incredible, Rebecca Acton-Bond, acting superintendent of ice operations with the Canadian Coast Guard, told CBC News.

Usually, you dont see these numbers until the end of May or June. So the amount of icebergs that were seeing right now, it really is quite something.

Acton-Bond said that the high number of icebergs is evidence that a major calving event has happened in Greenland. Ice calving is the process of ice chunks breaking loose from the edge of a glacier.

This rare climate event is only one of several reported this month. Scientists discovered a giant waterfall forming in Antarctica and an entire river in Canadas Yukon territory suddenly and unexpectedly changing direction.
A busted pipeline spilled crude oil into a Strathcona County creek in Alberta, Canada on Saturday. The amount spilled is currently unclear.

The unnamed creek, near 17th Street and Baseline Road, flows directly into the North Saskatchewan River but Alberta Energy Regulator spokesperson Monica Hermary told CBC News that crews managed to contain the leak before it reached the river.

Four Canadian energy companies including Imperial OilExxon Mobil Corp.s Canadian unitcould be responsible for the spill, Hermary said. The companiesImperial Oil, Gibson Energy, Inter Pipeline and Pembina Pipelinehave since shut in and de-pressurized their pipelines after the spill was reported and are helping with cleanup.

A team of Imperial Oil workers discovered the leak during routine maintenance. A company spokesperson said the crude oil did not match Imperial Oil products when tested but is leading the response to the incident.

The current process, in addition to obviously recovering the oil, is determining where the source of the crude is, the spokesperson said. In other words, who the responsible party is. Then we would transition the recovery efforts to that company.

CBC reported that the spill occurred along a pipeline right-of-way near the boundary between Strathcona County and Sherwood Park, a strip of industrial land where a number of pipelines operate.

Alberta Environment and Parks as well as Environment Canada are involved and overseeing the recovery efforts to ensure safety and environmental requirements are met, CBC reported.
By Andy Rowell

April 21, 2017, will go down as a significant day in the dying days of the fossil fuel era. For the first time since the renewable revolution in 1882, Britain went a full day without using dirty coal to generate electricity.

The UKs energy provider, the National Grid, called it a watershed moment and it is seen as a significant step towards the UK Governments plans to phase out coal generating power plants by 2025.

Just two years ago, the fossil fuel accounted for 23 percent of the UKs electricity generation, and last year it was six percent.

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, said Cordi OHara of the National Grid.

National Grid

The move was welcomed by environmentalists. A decade ago, a day without coal would have been unimaginable and in 10 years time our energy system will have radically transformed again, said Hannah Martin of Greenpeace UK. The direction of travel is that both in the UK and globally we are already moving towards a low carbon economy.

And further evidence that the UK is helping push the growth of renewables globally has been documented by a new report from Renewables UK, which estimated that the value of the UK renewables products and services exported to some countries in 2016 was a whopping 2 billion.

Even Big Oil now expects renewables to be the fastest-growing sector over the next 20 years, with BP believing renewables will increase by seven percent per year.

Britain is not alone in phasing out coal, either. Earlier this month, a coalition of European energy companies announced that there would be no new coal plants built throughout the European Union after 2020.

The power sector is determined to lead the energy transition and back our commitment to the low carbon economy with concrete action said Antonio Mexia, president of Eurelectric, which represents some 3,500 utilities across Europe.

The one person trying to stop the surge in renewables is, of course, President Donald Trump, whom I have labeled the King Canute of Coal, named after the misguided Medieval King Canute, who believed he could hold back the incoming tide.

Trump wants to resurrect Americas dying coal industry, but as Bloomberg reported, For all Donald Trumps efforts to revive coal, market forces and some of his own supporters are vying to write their own version of Americas energy future.

Bloomberg added: Trump may be resolutely committed to fossil fuels, but the economic reality is renewables are now among the cheapest sources of electricity.

The climate deniers are still trying to persuade Trump to hold back the clean energy tide. On Tuesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will speak at a Bloomberg New Energy Finance gathering in New York, alongside long-term climate denier Myron Ebell, who headed Trumps U.S. Environmental Protection Agency transition team.

Unbelievably, Ebell is still trying to argue that the renewable energy revolution is over.

This large-scale effort to move the grid to solar and wind is a dead end, Ebell told Bloomberg. The wind and solar industries have peaked. Ebell should check on the numbers as he continues to twist the truth: Wind and solar now employ almost 475,000 people in the U.S., three times that of coal.

He should also go down to Kentucky, where a former huge strip mine could be converted into  a solar farm. In Eastern Kentucky, a coal mining company plans what has been called the states largest solar farm on a reclaimed mountaintop coal strip mine, promising jobs for redundant coal miners. It would be the first large-scale solar project in the coal country of Appalachia.

I grew up with coal, said Ryan Johns, an executive with Berkeley Energy Group who are working with EDF Renewable Energy to explore developing the old coal site as a solar farm. Our company has been in the coal business for 30 years. We are not looking at this as trying to replace coal, but we have already extracted the coal from this area.

A project of this magnitude has never been proposed in Appalachia, added Doug Copeland, EDF development manager. Doing so will require every bit of innovation, experience and skill weve developed.

They are not the only ones beginning to reimagine what the U.S. coal belt could look like. As West Virginia solar entrepreneur Dan Conant argued, Our people have given sweat, blood, tears and lives to help build and power America. Reimagining ourselves not as a coal state, but as an energy stateincluding solar and windis critical if we are going to continue powering America.
(Photo:  Peter Kenny)Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew speak at the World Council of Churches on April 24, 2017 on why humanity has a duty to protect the environment which is sacred.

GENEVA - The Ecumenical Patriarch, who is the first among equals among the heads of several Eastern Orthodox churches, has made an impassioned plea for the protection of the environment laying strong emphasis on "life-giving" water.

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is also known as the "Green Patriarch" for the decades he has given to supporting environmental protection was speaking at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

"Among several environmental issues, water is a very important one since water is as life-giving and sacred as the blood that runs through our body," said who is based in Istanbul.

Pope Francis, on a journey to the Egyptian capital Cairo, is to visit the prestigious al-Azhar center of Islamic studies at the end of the week and the Ecumenical Patriarch is expected to join the pontiff there, alongside the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, Vatican Radio reported.

Bartholomew's April 24 April speech was part of his official visit to Switzerland for the 25th anniversary of his enthronement as Ecumenical Patriarch and the 50th anniversary of the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy in Geneva.

He noted that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been a pioneer in engaging in dialogue with modern science with regards to environmental problems.

"We are glad that the WCC has followed our path, not only by implementing this annual day of prayer, but also in taking seriously the commitment of the churches in resolving the environmental crisis.

"We Orthodox were reminded by our Holy and Great Council that "the roots of the ecological crisis are spiritual and ethical, inhering within the heart of each man," (Encyclical, 14) he said.

'TRANSFORMATION OF GOD'S ENTIRE CREATIOON'

Bartholomew said, "On several occasions, we underlined that the Church cannot be solely interested in the salvation of the soul, but is deeply concerned with the transformation of God's entire creation.

"This is why our Churches need to have constant vigilance, information and education in order to understand clearly the relationship between today's ecological crisis and our human passions of greed, materialism, self-centeredness and rapacity, which result in and lead to the current crisis that we face."

For this reason he noted that a threat to nature is "also a threat to humankind; just as what is for the preservation of the planet is for the salvation of the whole world."

"For this reason," said the Ecumenical Patriarch, "we invite everyone to mobilize their resources, and in particular their prayers, in the struggle for the protection of the environment."

The general secretary of the WCC, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, said after the speech, "Being accountable to God the creator of all and of all things means that we have to pay attention to where our common life as humanity and our creation is under threat.

"It is well deserved that Your Holiness has been granted the title "The Green Patriarch", and you have given many church leaders and faithful Christians a new perspective on the Christian call to care for Creation."

At the same gathering the WCC's Associate General Secretary, Dr. Isabel Apawo Phiri, noted that the World Council of Churches had on Oct. 25, 2016 become a Blue Community, at a public event held at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva.

In line with the WCC's commitment toward a Blue Community, we have now personalized glass water bottles for the WCC staff and visitors. Therefore, we do not promote bottled water in the WCC premises, because tap water is safe to drink," said Phiri, a Malawian.

In 2015, the WCC's Ecumenical Water Network had issued an appeal in which it urged its churches to eliminate the use of bottled water in North America and Europe, where tap water is safe to drink.

In a statement it said, "The EWN strongly believes that among many impediments of realization of human right to water are the 'bottled water' industries." It then went on to list some of the following compelling reasons to shun bottled water.

Among these were that "Bottled water" industries are involved in "land grabbing" and "water grabbing" to expand at the cost of barring the poor to access safe drinking water, said Phiri.

"Many times governments shun their responsibilities to provide safe drinking water to the poor through their water distribution system, because people have the alternative of 'bottled water.'

"The availability of 'bottled water' allows the elites to ignore governments' failures to provide the necessary infrastructure to provide safe drinking water."
Liu Qibao and Andre Azoulay unveil the picture exhibition. [Photo by Duan Wei/Chinese Pictorial]

On April 21, a picture exhibition opened in the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco in the capital city of Rabat to showcase cultures of China and Morocco.

Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Andre Azoulay, a senior adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco and others had attend the opening ceremony. Zhang Fuhai, the director of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), gave a speech at the opening ceremony.

Zhang said that this exhibition was based on the background of the "Belt and Road" initiative, adding that this exhibition showed the Sino-Morocco cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.

Themed "Beautiful China, Beautiful Morocco," the exhibition has drawn those who are interested in various facets of the beauty of the two countries through hundreds of pictures depicting nature, monuments, people and traditions.

At the opening ceremony, CIPG presented more than 100 Arabic and French books to the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco.




China agrees to resume live crab imports from Ireland

China is poised to resume importation of live crabs from Ireland following the adoption by both countries of a methodology designed to resolve the issue of certification of Irish live crab exports.

The agreement of an export certificate to accompany Irish live crabs was reached during the recent visit to Ireland by a Chinese delegation from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Irish Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said the export certificate would permit the resumption of Irish crab exports to the Chinese market.

Based on the Xinhua report, the agreement is built around the implementation of a national monitoring program of live crab intended for export to China. Ireland's Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) will implement the monitoring program and will liaise with the Irish industry to apprise seafood exporters of specific requirements to restart live-crab trade with China.

.

China's AQSIQ, on the other hand, will monitor consignments arriving in China.

Ireland secured market access in China for live crab through bilateral cooperation in 2010. In 2015, however, China claimed that the levels of the heavy metal cadmium in live crabs coming from Ireland exceeded Chinese limits.
Cargill launches joint venture oilseeds processing plant in Heibei, China



Cargill, New Hope Group and Hebei Bohai Investment Group have launched a US$100 million oilseeds processing plant with an annual processing capacity of 1.32 million tonnes in Huanghua, Cangzhou in Hebei Province.

The plant will help meet the growing demand for high quality food products in Northern China, drive the development of the local economy, and facilitate its integration into the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The plant, Hebei Jiahao Grain & Oil Co Ltd, covers 21,000 square meters in the Bohai New Development Area, which is the largest national economic development zone along China's east coast. Finished products will include high quality oil and animal feed which will be marketed in northern China, including in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The investment in the plant is in line with China's strategy to drive more coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. China aims to enhance synergies within the region and enable economic growth in the relatively less-developed Hebei province.

Cargill chairman and chief executive officer David MacLennan and New Hope Group board member and chairwoman of New Hope Liuhe Angelia Liu inaugurated the plant at an opening ceremony.

Also announced is the opening of Hebei Jihai Port Co, Ltd (Jihai Port), which manages a bulk and general cargo berth with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes.

Jihai Port will serve the transportation and storage needs of the new plant for both domestic and international trade. It will connect Huanghua and Cangzhou to the global grain and food trade. Total investments in the Jihai Port have exceeded US$100 million.

"These investments in the new oilseeds plant and Jihai Port reinforce Cargill's strong commitment to China, a strategic market for us," said MacLennan. "They will also help in the coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin and Hebei regions which is of great significance to China. We are incredibly grateful for the strong support we have received from the government during the construction and from our customers during the trial period."

"As one of China's largest food and modern agriculture enterprises, New Hope has been closely watching the market trends. With the consumption upgrading in China, we hope to meet the market demand for quality and nutritious food by leveraging our integrated supply chain that comprises both agriculture and animal husbandry," said Liu. "We are pleased to enter into cooperation with Cargill, and we regard highly Cargill's resources and advantages in food and agriculture. With shared visions and combined advantages of all the parties, we believe this project will lead to deeper cooperation and will contribute to the development of local economies and related industries."

Cargill already has three oilseeds processing plants in China, which are all situated in Southern China and the Yangtze River delta.

The new plant in Huanghua will enhance Cargill's oilseed processing capabilities and help it to better meet the growing demands of customers in China, many of whom are expanding their national presence.

The investment will also function as the doorway for Cargill to serve a market of 300 million people in Northern China.

- Cargill
A presidential election in France is not usually the sort of thing that I would tell you to pay attention to. After all, it's hard enough to convince people that they should pay attention to elections in this country.

But, even before the latest terror attack in the country earlier this week, the race to be the next leader of France was one with implications not only for the rest of the world.

The reason is the presence of Marine Le Pen in the race. Le Pen, who most polls suggest will finish first or second when the first round of voting concludes Sunday night in France, is an avowed nationalist who has taken a hard-line approach on immigration and Islamic terrorism.

In the wake of the shootings on the Champs Elysees Thursday that left a police officer dead, Le Pen called for the closing of all "Islamist" mosques in the country and the immediate expulsion of those on France's equivalent of a terror watch list. That episode is widely speculated as likely to aid Le Pen in the final hours of the campaign, reinforcing the dangers posed by terrorism. (ISIS has claimed credit for the attack.) President Trump joined that speculation in an interview with the Associated Press Friday in which he said the latest attack will "probably help" Le Pen.

"[Le Pen] is strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France," Trump said.

Trump's comments about Le Pen came just a day after former President Barack Obama called Emmanuel Macron, the center-left candidate seen as Le Pen's sturdiest challenger.

"The main message that I have is to wish you all the best in the coming days," Obama can be heard telling Macron in a recording of the video the candidate posted on Twitter Thursday. "Make sure you that, as you said, you work hard all the way through. Because, you never know -- it might be that last day of campaigning that makes all the difference."

A runoff between the top two vote-getters would be on May 7. If, and this looks likely if the polls are to be believed, that runoff features Le Pen against Macron, you can expect to hear a lot more about the French election and what it all means for the global populist movement that delivered Donald Trump to the White House in the coming weeks.
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Manxman drowns during holiday in Thailand



Mr Townsend died after entering the sea at Patong Beach in Phuket.

A Manxman has drowned while on holiday in Thailand.

38-year-old Scott Robert Townsend was seen entering the water along a beach in Phuket on Friday morning according to reports in Thailand.

Lifeguards and police were called out after Mr Townsend entered the sea, finding his body around 20 minutes later.

Mr Townsend had been in Thailand for a week and was due to leave the following day.

Local police are investigating the incident and the British Consul has been contacted.
An "accidental overdose" cost the life of the Hell Kitchen chef, however, Paulie Giganti has kept dark secrets from the public that are more scandalous.

Giganti was described by fans as one of the funniest chefs in the reality show. He also displays high energy, however, reports claim that he is hiding something shady from the public eyes.

According to RadarOnline, the 36-year-old kitchen star was involved in DUIs, drug abuse, terroristic threats, and many other criminal charges.

Apparently, Giganti was arrested in June 2008. In the court papers acquired by the Court of Common Pleas of Alleghent County, the chef was charged with driving under influence. However, the criminal accusation didn't stop there.

He was also detained for improper stop and driving without a license. With this, he was charged guilty and received a sentence for one year and 6 months in jail.

In Feb. 2014, he was arrested "for the possession of an instrument of crime with intent, terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person," as stated in the court papers from the Municipal Court of Philadelphia.

However, he was found not guilty on the charges of assault and the possession of an instrument of crime with intent. He was also cleared of the other charges.

Meanwhile, he was also charged with the illegal possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Giganti pleads guilty this time and he was asked for a single year of probation plus a $300 fine.

Giganti was found dead at the age of 36 in his Philadelphia home because of "accidental death by intoxication." His body was recovered by the Philadelphia Media Examiner's office.

He was one of the chef's who competed on Hell's Kitchen, one of Fox's reality competition shows and was eliminated after Chef Kimberly.
A 10-year-old boy with autism has been arrested at a school in Florida after he allegedly assaulted his paraprofessional. John Haygood, a student in Okeechobee Achievement Academy has been recorded being handcuffed and escorted to the police car's back seat. The said video, who was recorded by his mother, shows how confused the young boy was.

"I don't know what's going on. I don't understand," John said. On the other hand, Luanne, the child's mother has asked the police if they could present any paperwork regarding the arrest.

The paraprofessional who has filed charges against the child with autism was left with marks and scratches after the incident in October. Apparently, it happened when John was troublesome in class. After hitting his classmates and throwing paper balls, the paraprofessional asked the child with autism to go out. However, John declined the request and when the aid assistant removed him, John attacked.

Allegedly, the child with autism had also threatened to kill the paraprofessional and that made him/her pursue criminal charges against the child, as CNN reported. The report said that they "had been given plenty of opportunities to change his behavior and has not."

John was expelled from the institution in October and since then, he has completed his tasks from school at home. However, he has returned to the school last week for a standardized test but he refused taking it.

Although the charges were dropped, State prosecutor Ashley Albright has pursued the charges for another reason. "The goal is to get the Department of Juvenile Justice and the state of Florida to provide some additional assistance and counseling for him," Albright insisted.

As far as many are concerned, autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that includes difficulty with socializing and communicating with other people. The majority of those who have autism "dislike being touched."
The body of a man who fled police in October 2016 has been recovered from the Chippewa River, according to a press release Monday from Chippewa County Sheriff James Kowalczyk.

The Eau Claire Police Department responded about 7 p.m. Sunday to a call from a boater on the Chippewa River near the North Crossing who said a body was in the water. The body was recovered and had a wallet with the drivers license of Brandon Reitan.

An autopsy Monday morning found Reitan died from drowning.

Early on Oct. 22, 2016, the Chippewa Falls Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle suspected to be driven by Reitan. The vehicle eluded the officers in the pursuit, traveling west out of Chippewa Falls into the town of Wheaton.

The vehicle was soon found in Wheaton, south of county highway X near the Chippewa River. A search of the area was conducted later that morning and continued for a number of days, with police failing to locate Reitan.

Assisting the sheriffs department in the search were the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the K-9 Emergency Respond Team from southern Wisconsin, Chippewa Area Fire District Dive Team and Mayo 1 out of Eau Claire.
Green energy poverty week By Paul Driessen

April 22 was Earth Day, the March for Science and Lenins birthday (which many say is appropriate, since environmentalism is now green on the outside and red, anti-free enterprise on the inside). April 29 will feature the Peoples Climate March and the usual Climate change is real inanity. The Climate March website says these forces of The Resistance intend to show President Trump they will fight his hated energy agenda every step of the way. Science March organizers say they wont tolerate anyone who tries to skew, ignore, misuse or interfere with science. After eight years of government policies that killed jobs and economic growth  and skewed, ignored, misused, obstructed, vilified and persecuted science and scientists that strayed from alarmist talking points, to advance a climate chaos, anti-fossil fuel, anti-growth agenda  that piety is arrogant hypocrisy. But their theater of the absurd gets worse. Some March for Science leaders were outraged that the recent MOAB bomb dropped on ISIS terrorists shows how science is weaponized against marginal people. The rhetoric also recalls the annual Earth Hour, when people in rich countries are supposed to turn off their lights for 60 minutes, to repent for the sin of using fossil fuel, nuclear and hydroelectric power to electrify our homes, businesses, schools and hospitals. I personally promote Human Achievement Hour, by turning on extra lights, to celebrate humanitys incredible innovations and advancements these past 150 years, our modern living standards, and the right of all people to improve their lives and life spans. I was a campus organizer for the very first Earth Day, in 1970, when we had serious pollution problems. But since then weve cleaned up our act, air and water. Environmentalist groups, modelers and Obama regulators ignore these advances, real climate science and the Real-World climate outside their windows. Far worse, while claiming to care deeply about the poorest among us, they ignore the harm their policies inflict: soaring electricity prices, fewer jobs, lower living standards in the West  and perpetual poverty, disease, malnutrition and premature death in developing countries. We pay more and more each year for de minimis further improvements in environmental quality, combined with ever-expanding government and activist control of our lives, and steadfast opposition to reliable, affordable energy in the Third World. Thats why some folks who actually care about poor, minority, elderly, working class and developing country families again designated April 17-23 as Green Energy Poverty Week. For industrialized nations, green energy poverty refers to households in which 10% or more of family incomes is spent on natural gas and electricity costs  due to policies that compel utilities to provide ever increasing amounts of expensive, less affordable, politically preferred green energy. Its a regressive tax that disproportionately affects low and fixed income families which have little money to spend beyond energy, food, clothing, rent and other basic needs. Every energy price increase hammers them harder. Beyond our borders, the concept underscores the lot of families that enjoy none of the living standards we take for granted. They have no electricity or get it a few hours a week at random times, burn wood and dung for cooking and heating, and spend hours every day collecting fuel and hauling filthy water from miles away. Corrupt, incompetent governments and constant pressure from callous environmentalist pressure groups in rich countries perpetuate the misery, joblessness, disease, starvation and early death. In the United States, green energy policies affect the poorest households three times more than the richest households. In fact, rising electricity prices affect all goods and services, for all electricity users: homes, offices, hospitals, schools, malls, farms and factories. With 37 million American families earning less than $24,000 per year after taxes, and 22 million households taking home less than $16,000 post-tax, its pretty obvious why wind and solar mandates are unfair, unsustainable and inhumane. Unbelievably, one million mild-weather California households now live in green energy poverty, the Manhattan Institute reports. In fact, the once-Golden State now has the USAs highest poverty rate, thanks largely to government requirements that one-third of the states electricity must come from renewable sources by 2020, and one-half by 2030. No wonder Californias rising rates are already nearly double those in Kentucky and other states that use coal and natural gas to generate electricity. Tesla electric cars also reward wealthy buyers: with free charging stations, access to HOV lanes, and up to $10,000 in combined tax rebates. They require batteries made from lithium dug out under horrendous or nonexistent environmental, health, safety and child labor rules in Africa. The batteries cost $325 per kilowatt-hour  equal to $350 per barrel for oil (seven times the April 2017 $50.40-a-barrel price). Spreading California policies across the United States would send the cost of heat, lights, AC, internet, and all goods and services soaring. Jobs would disappear, living standards decline, depression rates increase, drug and alcohol abuse climb, and more people die from poor health, drugs and suicide. Over in Europe, electricity prices are double Californias current rates: 30-45 cents per kWh! Green energy policies are hammering jobs, industries, healthcare, family budgets and future prospects. British families pay a whopping 54% more for electricity than average Americans. Nearly 40% of UK households are cutting back on food and other essentials, to pay for electricity. One in three UK families struggles to pay energy bills. Up to 24,000 elderly Brits die from illness and hypothermia each winter, because they cannot afford proper heat; many are forced to choose between heating and eating. In Germany, 330,000 families had their electricity cut off in 2015, because they could not pay soaring bills. In Bulgaria, 50% of average household income is spent on energy. Greeks are cutting down trees in protected forests because they cannot afford heating oil; hundreds of thousands of acres are being destroyed across Europe for the same reason. A tenth of all EU families are now in green energy poverty. Its infinitely worse for billions of parents and children in Earths poorest regions. In Africa, India and other impoverished regions, more than two billion people still burn firewood, charcoal and dung for cooking. Millions die from lung infections caused by pollution from these open fires, millions more from intestinal diseases caused by bacteria-infested food and water, more millions because medicines are spoiled and healthcare is primitive in clinics that dont have electricity, refrigeration or window screens. In Uganda, entrepreneurs burned a village down, killing a sick child in his home, to turn the area into new forest so that the country could claim carbon credits to prevent climate change. Chads government banned charcoal, the mainstay for cooking in that nation, out of absurd concerns about climate change. Africas desperate families hunt and cook anything that walks, crawls, flies or swims, endangered or not. They have cut down trees and brush for miles around cities and villages  turning cheetah and chimpanzee habitats into firewood and charcoal. Poverty is undeniably the worst environmental pollutant. For the wealthy and increasingly powerful radical environmentalist movement, it is no longer about addressing real pollution problems, protecting the environment or improving human health. As UN climate officials have proudly proclaimed, its really about ending fossil fuel use and capitalism, redistributing the worlds wealth, and controlling peoples livelihoods, living standards and liberties. Of course, its all meant to save people and planet  from exaggerated or fabricated climate cataclysms and resource depletions. But ponder the Real-World consequences during Green Energy Poverty Week. Environmentalists profess to care deeply about Americas and the worlds poor and middle classes. But their policies and actions too often speak far more loudly than their words. We might be forgiven for asking, With friends and protectors like these, do the worlds poor really need enemies? Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power - Black death. Home
The civic-nationalist counterpunch: More winning

By Daniel M. Ryan



You may have heard that Richard Spencer delivered a speech at Auburn University last Tuesday, which made the national news. Perhaps because Auburn hosts the venerable Ludwig von Mises Institute, Mr. Spencer made a big deal about he not being a libertarian. [L]ibertarian bull----?, [i]ndividualism is for fags?, I am a collectivist.? If you think Im pulling a drive-by hit-piece jobbie, feel free to watch his entire speech and the Q-&As. Youll find, amongst other gems, he deploying the quote: [T]he strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.?

Mr. Spencer does have a fair claim to be radical. As Jeffrey Tucker has explained, Mr. Spencers political vision draws on a strain of political philosophy that has been dormant for decades. But in his activism, his tactics, Mr. Spencer is the opposite of radical. These days, the radical option is Rod Drehers Benedict Option, perhaps retooled: forming a small tight-knit community well under the radar, in a small town or the proverbial woods, that acts as a reverse quarantine against a disease-ridden culture.

Evidently, the radical tactic is the most unpopular tactic.

Instead of heading to the proverbial hills, the New Right is instead fighting back. In Mr. Spencers case, he teamed up with lawyer Sam Dickson; they got a judge to issue an injunction against Auburns cancellation of Spencers already-arranged speech. Ann Coulters own speech at Berkeley was cancelled on the same day Mr. Spencers was; two days after he sued and won, Ms. Coulter was offered a slot for a later day - albeit under restrictive conditions.

More famously, Saturday-before-lasts Battle of Berkeley saw New Rightists and free-speech supporters go up against antifa  and win. The antifaers ran away, routed. April 15ths protest, organized by Liberty Revival Alliance's Rich Black, was flooded with New-Right types. Lauren Southern was there, just like she promised on Youtube. And of course, so was Based Stick Man.

Some old-school conservatives are squeamish about the New Rights vigour, as it does go against the old-standard Dont fall to their level.? Unfortunately, in an increasingly partisanized time wherein leftists are becoming violent, the civic-nationalist option becomes more and more attractive.

Falling To Their Level  And Winning

In a nutshell, the civic-nationalist option is to fight back using all the legal tools you can get ahold of; it eschews apparently principled daintiness. Instead of disdaining the hate-crime laws as illegitimate, this option means pushing hard to get racist blacks charged with hate crimes against whites when the evidence is overwhelming. If their side doxxes the likes of us, instead of decrying doxxing we dox them. (The identity of the professor who used a bike lock to assault four free-speechers, Eric Clanton, was unearthed by a 4Chan /pol/ack dox squad.) If Obama uses his pen and phone, President Trump uses his own.

In a nutshell, the civic-nationalist option makes the progs eat their own cooking.

True: its not as granular as (say) obliging uber-lib suburbs to take in some vibrant diversity, or obliging city councillors who vote for low income housing to have some built in their own wards, but it does go there. Theres a fitting, if rough, Wrath of the Awakened Saxon? justice to it.

Theres increasing evidence that its working.

Auntie Fascist?: Genuine Bully

You may have heard of a certain character whom its dangerous to laugh at in his presence. This type of fellow, especially when drunk, has a tendency to react to lulz in his face with a haymaker or chair to the skull. Antifa  Auntie Fascist  does share that...characteristic. As Gateway Pundit explains, they became violent after they became laughingstocks.

Bullies do not let loose unless theyre sure some authority has their backs. We all know that the Mean Girl is one of the popular girls: popular amongst the teachers and administrators, too. As the above-referenced article explains, the authorities in question are left-wing professors. Its not confined to them. The otherwise-odd stand-down of the Berkeley police force becomes quite comprehensible when you learn that the Mayor of Berkeley is a member of By All Means Necessary? Facebook group. Contrast Auntie Fascists militancy in Berkeley with the much more muted response in Auburn. In the latter, there were only three arrests  for disorderly conduct. Thats a lot better assaults with deadly weapons.

Do you see why Auntie Fascist being routed was not just pleasing but vital?

Fighting Back Works

Outside of street rumbles, the civic-nationalist fight-back option works just as well: works in places that may surprise, even shock. Through vigorous and skilled lawfare, True the Vote defeated an IRS motion to quash discovery in True the Vote v. IRS. They won a favourable ruling from Judge Reggie Walton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. This victory gives True the Vote access to potentially revealing  very revealing - IRS internal docs and communications.

More blessedly, and surprisingly, Drexel University has slammed down on its notorious professor George Ciccariello-Maher. We know how it usually works: the uni issues a smoothly-crafted non-apology, combined with the term academic freedom,? and the miscreant gets off scot-free. Given this usual routine, its not surprising why Auntie Fascist acts with impunity in those safe spaces.

But with the case of Prof. Ciccariello-Maher, the script lurched into a different outcome. After Prof. Tenure-Lifetime sent out a tweet encouraging violence against Charles Murray, Drexel started investigating him:

In his most recent letter, [Drexel's Provost Brian] Blake asserts that while social media communications are "protected speech" under the university's academic freedom policy, the policy also imposes a "special obligation" on professors to "act responsibly, particularly where the speech has the potential to affect community safety and the right of all our community members to live, work, and learn in an environment free of undue harassment, hostility, or danger."



Ciccariello-Mahers failure to abide by that obligation in his tweets, Blake explained, has resulted in "significant negative feedback" for Drexel, even driving away students and donors. [Emphasis added.]



"Numerous prospective students whom the university has admitted have written to the university stating that they will not attend," Blake wrote, adding that "at least two potential significant donors to the university have withheld previously promised donations."



Indeed, Blake asserted that "the nearly unmanageable volume of venomous calls" that the administration received in the wake of the professors latest tweets even forced the school to "consider turning off its phones" for several days.

And not just at Drexel. Mizzou, the former employer of Melissa Click, has had to shutter seven dorms because first-year-student enrolment has gone down twenty-five percent. True, these two consequences are only minor cracks in the wall of impunity. But it wasnt all that long ago when the wall of impunity was adamantine.

Seriously: when was the last decade that you read a provost saying that the [academic-freedom] policy also imposes a "special obligation" on professors to "act responsibly, particularly where the speech has the potential to affect community safety... when a left-wing professor crossed the line? Have you ever?

Although its not that easy a pill to swallow, the heartening results from full-bore stand-up to Auntie Fascist does show that standing-up-and-toughing-through does work. The following is risible when applied to ideologies, but the facts do show that conservatives standing up failed because it hadnt really been tried: its only been tried half-heartedly. One of the depressing implications of the hard-pill is that conservative half-heartedness has not been reasonable or civil: its been placatory.

True, there are good reasons not to go full-bore. Some people cant stand being slandered all over the place; thats true. Moreover, the Auntie Fascist goons have cost people their jobs. The latest shaftee was Marius Roodt, the fellow who got the better of the Huffington Post by writing as Shelley Garland.? If you cant afford the risk, it is foolhardy to join in.

But if we cant afford the risk, it threatens nothing but our vanities to stand aside and let the ones who can take the risk do their thing. Theyre the ones who are showing that stand-fast does work. There is a place for high principle, but the place is not on the field. In the arena, there is a blurred line between being principled and being a ball hog.

Daniel M. Ryan, as Nxtblg, is shepherding the independently-run Open Audi Initiative Prediction Market Shadowing Project. He has stubbornly assumed all the responsibility and blame for the workings and outcome of the project.
The self-reliance of North Koreas desperate leaders By Jack Phillips and Leo Timm

Brandishing nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles, North Korea has topped news headlines for the last decade as it has menaced its more prosperous neighbors. Even its closest ally and benefactor, China, has begun to entertain military options as a means of resolving the crisis. Unlike socialist states that either collapsed or enacted limited reforms, North Korea, under the quasi-dynastic rule of the Kim regime, has changed remarkably little in its nearly 70 years in power. While no longer officially following Marxist ideology, Pyongyang has retained a style of totalitarian leadership that resembles past communist regimes at their most inhumane. Communism by another name In the 1940s, the Soviet Union sent specialists to help Kim Il Sung consolidate power and establish a communist regime. They also trained and sent thousands of agents to destabilize the U.S.-friendly South Korean government. Like other communist dictators, Kim used the formula of persecuting intellectuals, landowners, and anyone suspected of opposing the regime. In North Korea, this was called the Concentrated Guidance Campaign. Millions of North Koreans fled to the south, and the state labeled the remaining family members of individuals who fled to South Korea as counter-revolutionaries. In the 1980s, an ideology called juche was fleshed out as a creative application of Marxism-Leninism under the name of dictator Kim Il Sung. When the Soviet Union collapsed, juche became the primary ideology. By the 2000s, North Korea had removed all references to communism and Karl Marx from its constitution. In place of Marxism, juche prescribes a program of extreme nationalism, self-reliance in defence, a state-run command economy meant to be autonomous, and a cult of personality that justifies the dictatorship of the Kims. Juche is a Chinese-derived term that is usually translated as self-reliance. In practice, self-reliance has translated into economic backwardness and isolationNorth Korea is often referred to as the Hermit Kingdom. In reality, there is little about juche that differentiates it from virtually any other brand of communism, except its use as a tool to further entrench the Kims rule and deepen the political cult. By 1994, when Kim Il Sung died, he had installed his son Kim Jong Il as Dear Leader. With the latters death in 2011, the Kim dynasty entered its third generation. North Korea is now run by Kim Il Sungs grandson, 33-year-old Kim Jong Un. Little scholarship can be conducted on North Korea, but the Kim regimes are believed to have murdered between 710,000 and 3.5 million people, according to researchers, while experts estimate that some 150,000 to 200,000 North Koreans are currently imprisoned in a system of labor camps similar to the Soviet gulag. Prisoners in the camps are subjected to forced labor, starvation, forced abortions, mass executions, torture, beatings, and more. Children born to parents in the camps remain there for the rest of their lives, as part of the the lowest caste in a system that ranks each North Korean citizen as a supporter or opponent of the regime. Some 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are believed to be held in the camps. Their beliefs get in the way of the regimes propaganda campaign, which has effectively proclaimed each of the Kims as a living god. Juche promotes bizarre forms of ethnic nationalism, describing the Kim family as saviors of the Korean race. Hwang Jang-yeop, the scholar who created juche, was so disillusioned with the disastrous effects of his work that he defected to South Korea in 1997. His family suffered greatly, with his wife driven to suicide following his escape. Marxism-Leninism to the end Andrei Lankov, a Russian scholar who has authored several books on North Korea and writes for NK News, a Washington-based news site, has described the Kims rule as the last purely communist regime in existence. North Korea might be the only place on the face of the earth where these basic principles, once developed by Joseph Stalin around 1930, are still implemented consistently. Admittedly, the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism has been replaced by the same truth of juche, and many elements of the system have been redesigned. Nonetheless, this is still the closest approximation to the once common model, a living fossil of a sort. Daily NK, a South Korean online newspaper writes: The Kim dynasty is much more than just an authoritarian political regime. It holds itself to be the ultimate source of power, virtue, spiritual wisdom, and truth for its citizens. In The Real North Korea: Life and Politics in the Failed Stalinist Utopia, Lankov argues that the North Korean elite might have no choice but to continue its repressive policies in order to ensure the regimes survival. The weakening of communism in North Korea, Lankov writes, could see it reunified with the South in what he terms collective political suicide for the some 10,000 people who make up Pyongyangs leadership. They are not merely afraid to lose power and access to material privileges, Lankov wrote. They are afraid of being slaughtered or sent to prisons, of suffering the same fate they have bestowed on their enemies for decades. Jack Phillips is a senior reporter and columnist with The Epoch Times. Leo Timm is a reporter specializing in the topics of Chinese current events, history, and traditional culture. He works for the Epoch Times in New York where this essay originally appeared. Home
Solar ovens and sustained poverty for Africa By Steven Lyazi

Solar technology in Africa, including my country of Uganda, would bring good news to millions of people who today must use firewood, charcoal and dung for cooking. Millions of Africans die from lung infections caused by breathing fumes from these fires, millions more from eating spoiled food, drinking contaminated water and having spoiled medicines, because we dont have electricity, sanitation or refrigeration. What we do have in abundance is extensive, sustained poverty. Solar technologies could help Africa, because this multi-purpose energy can cook food, light homes, charge cell phones and even power tiny refrigerators. Even simple solar ovens can help reduce our deadly traditional ways of cooking. Renewable energy from wind turbines can deliver even more electricity to billions around the world who still dont have this amazing, essential energy. Those are huge benefits, and I applaud them. In addition, we can install little wind and solar systems faster than we can build big power plants and transmission lines to remote areas. However, we must not look at wind and solar as anything more than short-term solutions to fix serious, immediate problems. They do not equal real economic development or really improved living standards. Our cities need abundant, reliable electricity, and for faraway villages wind and solar must be only temporary, to meet basic needs until they can be connected to transmission lines and a grid. Only in that way can we have modern homes, heating, lighting, cooking, refrigeration, offices, factories, schools, shops and hospitals  so that we can enjoy the same living standards people in industrialized countries do (and think is their right). We deserve the same rights and lives. That is why I react strongly to people and organizations that think wind and solar electricity and solar ovens should be enough, or the end of our progress, and everyone should be happy that their lives have improved a little. I do not accept that. But I see it all the time. At least a dozen companies are selling solar ovens and other solar technologies in Uganda. Theres Blazing Tube Solar from Hawaii and Home Energy Africa, which sells Dutch products. Green Energy Africa is registered in Kenya. It says its renewable energy systems provide electricity without depleting the earths limited resources. (Of course, those systems generate very limited electricity and require raw materials that are limited in quantity and must be dug out of the earth and turned into products using fossil fuels. But were not supposed to think about that.) Theres also Solar point Uganda Limited, Energy Made in Uganda, New Age Solar Technologies Ltd, New Sun Limited, Solar Assembly Plant for African Villages, and other companies. Some just want to make money, and leave. Others plan to stay for years. They can help solve some of our electricity, cooking and indoor air pollution problems. But these are all just short-term solutions. We need real energy, real electricity  a lot of it, reliable and affordable. What we are offered is very different. I watched a Blazing Tube Solar demonstration and asked some questions. Their system has a long shiny metal trough that holds a tube filled with vegetable oil. The hot oil heats up a small oven at the top, to bake bread and cook other food. It has handles and wheels, so it can be moved easily. The cooker is mostly metal, so it should last a long time. But it can take 45 minutes to boil some eggs, and it costs $260. Most African village families live on a couple dollars a day and can hardly afford food for their children. They cannot afford $260, or even $100 for some other systems. So they watch the sales presentations and admire the cookers. But they are frustrated or angry that they cannot afford them. I saw this when I traveled to the northern, eastern and central parts of Uganda. Another problem is the sunlight. Even in Uganda, which is on the equator, the best sun comes from October through February. Other times of the year, its not as good because of clouds and rains. So the solar companies mostly come around when the sun is best and their ovens perform the best. When its cloudy for several days, families cannot cook at all, unless they have solar cookers that actually run on electricity from photovoltaic panels on their homes. But those systems are even more expensive, and the battery power only lasts a couple days. Then families have to go back to wood, charcoal and dung. (Small diesel generators would be a huge improvement, but they too are unaffordable for most.) Parents are very aware of the deadly respiratory diseases. But they have no choice. And many just prefer the cheaper traditional means of cooking and surviving than the fancy, expensive solar innovations. A major local preacher for solar energy stoves is a Ugandan native who now resides in Chicago, Mr. Ron Mutebi. He used part of the $100,000 he won at the African Diaspora Marketplace competition at an Africa Infrastructure Conference in Washington. The conference was sponsored by the Corporate Council on Africa, Western Union, USAID and President Obamas Forum with Young African Leaders. Mr. Obama often said Africans should use wind, solar and biofuel energy instead of fossil fuels. But I worry that Mr. Mutebi has forgotten how many people are starving, have no money, try to earn a living by digging metal ores with their hands, and almost have to feed their children with grass and dirt. Ugandas New Vision newspaper recently reported that over 10 million Ugandans in seven districts are starving and many animals are dying of hunger. This sustained poverty and starvation cannot continue. Many people also dont know that Africa has some big dreams. One is a Trans East Africa railway that will link Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Horn of Africa countries. This will be a first of its kind electric railway, some 750 kilometers (466 miles) long, and it will need tremendous amounts of energy that cannot come from wind turbines and solar panels. It will have to come from nuclear power plants  or coal or natural gas generating plants. Africa has these resources in great abundance. But so far we are barely developing or using them, except maybe to export oil to wealthy nations. We should use them. Right now, most of our natural gas from oil fields is just burned and wasted right there. Why not build gas pipelines to power plants to generate electricity for millions? Why not build nuclear and coal plants, and hydroelectric projects like the Bujagali and Karuma Dams on the Nile River in Uganda? Mostly because powerful environmentalist groups oppose these projects. They care more about plants, animals and their own power, than about African people. What is an extra degree, or even two degrees, of warming in places like Africa? Its already incredibly hot here, and people are used to it. What we Africans worry about and need to fix are malnutrition and starvation, the absence of electricity, and killer diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, sleeping sickness and HIV/AIDS. Climate changes and droughts have been part of our history forever, and modern energy and technology would help us cope with them better in the future. We must stop focusing on climate change. African governments are not doing enough to build the energy, transportation and communication systems we desperately need. They are not standing up to Europeans, global banks or environmentalists who oppose big power plants in Africa. They need to do better at helping their people. Our leaders also need to remember that Europe and the United States did not have a World Bank or other outside help when they modernized and industrialized. They did it themselves. National and local governments, groups of citizens and businesses, and various banks and investors did it. They invented things, financed big projects, and built their cities and countries. China and India have figured this out. Now Africa needs to do the same thing  and stop relying on outsiders, bowing to their demands, and letting them dictate our future. We have the energy and other natural resources, and the smart, talented, hardworking people to get the job done. We just need to be set free to do it. Steven Lyazi is a student and worker in Kampala, Uganda. He served as special assistant to Congress of Racial Equality-Uganda director Cyril Boynes, until Mr. Boynes death in January 2015. He plans to attend college and help his country and Africa get the energy and living standards they need and deserve. Home
Revisiting Stalins Great Purge: A period of extreme repression and terror By Jim Liao

The Great Purge, a period of political persecution in Russia initiated by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin between 1936-1938, is regarded as one of the largest mass killings in human history. Under the purge, anyone suspected of being an anti-Soviet element was executed or sent to a labor camp, where many died of starvation, overwork, or disease. Stalin did not care if he killed those aligned with his cause, or other innocent lives. Rather he held that innocents must be sacrificed in order to ensure that real enemies were eliminated. Every communist is a possible hidden enemy. And because it is not easy to recognize the enemy, the goal is achieved even if only 5 percent of those killed are truly enemies, Stalin proclaimed. Thus, top targets for purging included those born in foreign countries, those who had previously been affiliated with non-communist political parties, and rich farmers that had their property rights taken away by revolution. Stalins extreme paranoia combined with communisms demand for ideological purity led him to kill countless members of his own party.

Kliment Voroshilov, Vyacheslav Molotov, Stalin and Nikolai Yezhov at the shore of the Moscow-Volga canal. After Yezhov was tried and executed he vanished between 1939-1991 from this image. (Wikipedia Commons) The murder of Sergey Kirov, a communist party leader and loyal supporter of Stalin, is often regarded as the start of the purge. Some historians suspect Stalin ordered Kirovs killing due to fear of Kirovs increasing popularity within the party. Whether true or not, Stalin went on to use Kirovs murder as a premise to eliminate all threats to his power. While propagating conspiracies that anti-Stalinists in the party were plotting to assassinate him and other Soviet leaders, Stalin accused hundreds of political opponents in Soviet government and intelligence agencies of plotting Kirovs murder. The defendants were tried in seven separate trials that became the first of the show trials, public trials where defendants were coerced, often through the use of physical and psychological torture, into falsely confessing their guilt. The trials in turn served the dual purpose of fabricating evidence for Stalins anti-Stalinist claims and providing warning for other potential dissidents. Stalin next turned his attention to the Red Army after he became convinced that red army generals were secretly plotting a coup against him. Consequently, 30,000 members (7 percent) of the army was executed, including three out of the five Marshals, 13 of 15 army commanders, 8 of 9 admirals, and 154 out of 186 division commanders. In the last stage of internal purging, Stalin thought that senior members of the NKVDthe Soviet Secret Police organization that carried his previous purgesknew too much, and that this information could later be used against him. Stalin appointed Lavrenti Beria as the new head of the Secret Police, who implemented the execution of NKVD members under the pretext that they were fascists who had caused the deaths of many innocent civilians. Many who held senior positions in the NKVD were executed or sent to labor camps, including three former chiefs. At the end of the purge, roughly a third of the Communist Partys three million members were eliminated. It is hard to estimate the total death count of Stalins purges. NKVD archives recovered years later say 681,692 people were executed during the 1937-1938 period, though these numbers may be low due to the NKVDs deceptive nature. Robert Conquest cites a figure of 1,750,000 executions given both by the Head of the Russian Archives and a spokesman for the Security Ministry. Most historians estimate the number of unnatural deaths brought by the purge to be 1-2 million. In any case, the purge shows clearly the extreme obsession Communist governments have with maintaining power, and the pervasive tactics of mass killing, deceit, and creation of terror that are used in order to create a false appearance of stability. Jim Liao is a writer for Epoch Times where this originally appeared. Home
Treason and patriotism in Canada and the current-day world (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski

It is by no means the case that only the claims to loyalty by totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are subject to question. It may be noted that some liberal democratic regimes in late modernity have evolved away from what was once the residual traditional content of their culture. There has emerged, therefore, the problem of "a tyranny from another direction", not from the far right or far left, but perhaps from "the center." Around 1998 in the United States, there erupted a debate around a symposium sponsored by the journal First Things, edited by Richard Neuhaus. Father Neuhaus (at that time a Roman Catholic priest, formerly a Lutheran minister) had once been a close aide of Martin Luther King, Jr. However, as the U.S. situation soured over the decades, Neuhaus became increasingly rightward-leaning. The main theme of the symposium was the criticism of so-called "judicial usurpation", i.e. that the various decisions of the U.S. Courts were driving the country in a direction undesired by the majority of the population. Laws supported by enormous majorities in the country were struck down by activist Courts, whereas any popular initiatives to change the direction of the country, were also being immediately declared unconstitutional. In the flush of debate, some of the symposium's participants suggested that, if the popular will continued to be so manifestly blocked, perhaps armed insurrection was not out of the question. The responses of the so-called neoconservative wing of the U.S. Right to these ideas were unreserved and ferocious. The symposium participants were accused of an "anti-Americanism" comparable to that of the Sixties' Far Left. It seemed to have escaped the notice of the neoconservatives that pointing out the apparently illiberal and undemocratic nature of the current U.S. system has been a staple of conservative ideas in the U.S. since at least the 1960s. From a traditionalist and/or conservative standpoint, there is precious little democracy or popular will left in a regime dominated by the managerial-therapeutic system of mass-media, mass-education, mass-bureaucracy, juridical legalism, etc., which seems to be exerting all efforts to make any kind of conservatism virtually impossible. Must then even the most patriotic American offer support to this system? In the 1990s, the burgeoning so-called Patriot Militia movement might have suggested the direction where the most patriotic-minded Americans were conceptually migrating. And it may be noted that left-liberals were not unwilling to deploy the sharp coercive arm of the state (elements of the FBI, BATF, etc.) against those they considered their enemies. Ironically, when the former "Sixties' rebels" (i.e., mostly Baby Boomers), more-or-less achieved control of the government in the 1990s, including its coercive instrumentalities, far less attention was paid to "CIA/FBI wrongdoing" in that time. Today, it could be argued that President Obama combined the continuation of George W. Bushs War on Terror abroad  in order to pacify neoconservative criticism  while pursuing an increasingly radical domestic agenda. No matter how many drone strikes and bombings he ordered abroad (to the applause of the neocons), the Left also cheered him on, because it got what it wanted at home. Among Obamas highly questionable actions in domestic policy was the choosing of and continuing support for a highly egregious Attorney-General; the enactment of what amounted to an administrative amnesty for illegal immigrants  in a flaunting of Congresss unwillingness to bring in such measures through legislation; and the nomination of very divisive figures to the Supreme Court. So one may indeed be arriving at a stage in history when one may well begin to question the legitimacy of the U.S. regime, despite its apparently emphatically democratic nature. Would the rejection of and resistance to the current U.S. regime necessarily be considered as treasonous by American patriots? What kinds of rejection and resistance may be seen as legitimate, and which as illegitimate? To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin is saying aloha to bowlers this week.

The organizations annual fundraising event, Bowl For Kids Sake, is returning to Chippewa Falls at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at Falls Bowl, 9 W. Columbia St.

This years theme is Aloha Lanes, and associate fund development director Teri-Gene Conlin said its going to be a silly, fun night.

The theme lends itself to what should be a fun costume contest, Conlin said. Its not often as an adult you can act like a kid again. The fundraising is important, but I want to see everyone having a good time.

Individuals, businesses and other organizations formed teams of 4-6 people earlier this year and raised funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin.

So far, 28 teams have signed up for the Chippewa Falls location, with 32 in Menomonie and 109 in Eau Claire.

The funds raised in Bowl For Kids Sake contribute to one-third of BBSNWs annual operating budget. The organization, which is completely self-funded, relies on this fundraiser.

All of these funds stay local, and all the money raised will go to our programs for our Bigs and Littles, Conlin said. The more available funds we have, the more kids we can serve, which is why we exist.

A total of five cities, including Hudson and New Richmond, host events.

Its a big commitment, and it deserves a big celebration, which is where Bowl For Kids Sake comes in.

The teams turn in their funds at the bowling alley, and the party begins. In addition to two games of bowling, there is a costume contest as well as other contests such as limbo and a hula hoop pass.

Each of the three locations have their own committee to plan the event, and Conlin will oversee all of the Chippewa Valley events starting with Chippewa Falls on Thursday.

If you still want to join, its not too late. People can sign up to fundraise until Wednesday for the Chippewa Falls location.

We understand that raising funds will be difficult on the short time span, but everyone is more than welcome to join us, Conlin said.

A link to online registration is available on the website, www.bbbsnw.org. As of late Monday, there are 12 open lanes for the 8 p.m. event on Thursday.

Spectators are also welcome to show up during the event and may participate in the raffles. Families and friends of those bowling are encouraged to come cheer them on.

You can also join in the fun by volunteering. Contact Conlin at 715-835-0161 to see how you can volunteer during the event.
Written by ACM

*Strasbourg/Prefectoral Palace/Angelo Marcopolo/- The often Unpredictable French People, (as also the American People, recently), may reserve More Surprizes in the forthcoming, 2nd and Final Round of the 2017 Presidential Elections, crucial for all Europe, and even the World (which is eagerly Watching what is going on in France, just before the German Elections of September 2017), and, at any case, has already indicated, Today, indirectly but clealy, that the Main Power Game will be, exceptionaly, played, this Time, around the Next Elections, of June 2017, for the New French Parliament, necessary in order to Give a Legislative and Budget Majority to the President who will be Elected on May.



Despite a Relentless Harassment of all Top Politicians of the Right (initialy the Popular former President Sarkozy of the Center-Right, followed by his former Prime Minister Fillon, as well as the Rightist Marine Le Pen), by various Judges and Prosecutors (See: ....+...), added to Etablishment's Medias, etc, of the Out-Going Socialist regime of President Hollande, (who was obliged to Decide to Withdraw from the race, even before it starts), and Nonobstant a Good Showing by his "Baby", Macron, (a Socialist-Liberal appointed Counselor and afterwards Minister, before Chosing to become Candidate to the Presidency, even without Party), nevertheless, France still remains, with the Results of the 1st Round of the 2017 Presidential Elections Today, a Country almost Equaly Divided between the Right and the Left :



- The Governing Socialist Party practicaly Broke Down, its Representative, former Minister and MEP Hamon, receiving Only about 6% of the Votes, while, on the Center-Left, Macron gathered about 23,5%, and at the Left, Melenchon Surprized by Growing up to 19,5%. Some 1,5% was shared between 2 Small Leftist Groups.



- On the Contrary, the Mainstream Opposition Party of the Center-Right, the ChristianDemocrats/EPP of the "Republicans", (Created by Sarkozy on 2015, as a Successor of the former "UMP" Governing Party during Chirac's and Sarkozy's Presidencies : 1997-2012), Despite being Exceptionaly Excluded from the 2nd Round of these 2017 Presidential Elections just for a Tiny Difference of about 1%, Nevertheless, Succeeded to Keep intact its main Strength, Gathering around 20% of the Votes with Fillon. But it was OutNumbered, (for the 1st Time in History), as Foreseen by Polls, by Marine Le Pen's Rightist "FN" Party, which reached almost 22%, being Qualified for the 2nd Round.

To this was Added a Good Performance also by Independent Right's Neo-Gaullist Candidate Dupond-Aignan, with almost 5%, together with some 2,5% Shared by 3 Small Center-Right Candidates.



So that it all Resulted at another Cut in Half of the Overall Electorate, again in 2 Parts of approximatively 50 - 50 % Each, between the Right and the Left Side of the Political Spectrum, while Macron and Marine Le Pen will Fight, at the Beginning of May, for the Final and Decisive 2nd Round, which will Determine the New French President for the Next Period of 5 Years (2017-2022).



But the Point, notoriously, is that Le Pen's Family, (already since her Father and Founder of the "FN" Party), has been systematicaly "Diabolized", in the Past, as a so-called "Extreme Right" tendency, from which Marine herself has done a lot Recently, in order to Alleviate, if not Completely Change such an Old Characterisation, which is Systematicaly Abused by the Socialist Party, in order to Divide the Right, and Govern Often even with a Minority against a Majority of People, already since the 1980ies and 1990ies, up to 2012 Presidentials included, (as well as, in the Meantime, also at a Local, Municipal Council's level, f.ex. Strasbourg City included on 2014, etc).



So that Macron's Qualification to the 2nd Round, Facing Marine Le Pen, was routinely seen as Inevitably triggering an Obligation for All Other, Big and Small, Political Parties of the Left and of the Right, to Vote, Both in the Presidentials and in the subsequent Parliamentary Elections, always in favor Whom has managed to Challenge "FN"s Rightists, almost without any Dicussion on that matter. So that Everything would have been Played, already from that Preliminary Stege, withOut any Other, Alternative Choice allowed for the People in the 2nd and Decisive Round of the Elections.



But, Recently in Europe, such a "Taboo" has been practicaly Broken, and Starts to Look at least Partly OutDated, as the Various Contrary Examples, Nowadays Spreading throughout Countries such as, f.ex., Norway, Denmark and Switzerand, had been Partialy Tested in the Netherlands in the Past, is currently approaching in Finland, and, perhaps, even soon in Sweden and/or Austria, already Now in Bulgaria, etc., where several other Mainstream Center-Right Parties have Started, for the 1st Time, to Make various kinds of Governing Coalitions with former so-called "Rightist" Parties, apparently withOut so serious problems, at least until now, (Comp., f.ex., also the relevant Reply given to "Eurofora"s Question by the President of the Norwegian Parliament, at : ....).



It's True that, anOther Important Controversial Issue, in this regard, is the reported, Traditionaly Critical Stance of the "FN" Rightists against some Key Parts of the current EU Institutions, (such as the Shenghen System, uroZone, etc), to which is Often Added also a quite Popular Denonciation of "Bureaucracy", some so-called "Anti-Democratis" Slipery slopes' Drifts, etc., (which, in Fact, are, regarding Many among them, also Criticized by certain ...Real Pro-Europeans, precisely in the Name of a more Healthy, more Democratic and Efficient Functioning of Europe in the foreseeable Future)...



However, Marine Le Pen promissed, recently, that she would First Ask the French People with a Referendum, (in case it might become necessary, because of possible Disagreements between Paris and Brussels), whether they want f.ex. to get out of the uro Currency, and/or Other EU Standards, and, If the Reply "No", then, she will be Obliged to Make one or another Compromise, (which looks very Probable, since a Majority of French People reportedly Prefers to Stay inside the uroZone, use Shenghen's Freedom of Movement, etc). Moreover, at least Some among "FN"s recent Politicians, (including, f.ex., MEP Schafhauser from Strasbourg, etc), have Declares themselves in Favour of an Alternative Construction of Europe, instead of being 100% "Anti-Europeans", as some Persist to Claim, probably Exagerating the Real Dimension of such Issues.



And, Nowadays, from the Other Side of the Coin, Center-Left's Macron, despite his alleged Charming Public Relations capacities, (notoriously Supported by a Big Part of the Establishement, from Paris to London and/or former US President Obama, etc), nevertheless, canNot Hide the Fact that he Personaly is a pure Creation of the Out-Going Socialist President Hollande, (to whom he owed, until now, all his Political Top Jobs, in which he had Appointed him), to the point that he has, notoriously, been often called by the Press even as his ..."Baby" (given also his Exceptioaly Young Age) ! So that it's, obviously, Difficult for him to be Presented as a kind of really "New" Politician, who would realy "Change" the overall Situation and/or Policy radicaly, or as a real and profound "Alternative" to the Establishment, (even if Macron tried to speak a lot against the Traditional Parties).



Moreover, concerning the Key Issue, Nowadays, of the Fight against Deadly Islamist Terrorism, who Often Targets even Innocent Civilian People, Macron has just Committed, may be unintentionaly, what looks for Many People to be quite an unexpected Blunder : At the Eve of this Presidential Election, he said, at an Important TV Debate for all 11 Candidates, reacting to the Latest Deadly Attack by an ISIS' supporter, that People would have to be prepared to Live "for a Long Time ["durablement"] With that Terrorism" (sic !). This Started to be Immediately Exploited by Critics, First of all Marine Le Pen herself, but Even pro-Trump USA NewsMedia "Breitbart" (whose former Chief Editor, Steve Bannon, is currently the White House's "Strategy" Counselor for the New US President), etc., who, naturaly, Launched Vibrant Calls to Urgently Act in order to put a Full Stop to ISIS and other Deadly Islamisty Terrorism the soonest.



But, the Most Important, probably is Elsewhere : Today, indeed, Various Converging Indications clearly Accumulated towards One and Same Main Direction : In Fact, it seems that Much More French People than previously Expected, mostly from the Right but Also from the Left sides of the Political Forum, do Not realy Want for Macron to be so Easily Imposed, already from this Controversial (Comp. Supra + Infra) 1st Round, with Full and UnShared Powers, over All the Country's Political Life, Extending, in practice, for at least 5 Years, the UnGloriously Ending Mandate of his Mentor, the Out-Going President Hollande and his "Socialist" Party, hastily refurbished and almost disguished into a makeshift "Let's Go" ("en Marche") allegedly Citizens' Movement, at the Last Minute, but still Gathering around it the Vast Majority of Socialist Politicians and Apparatchiks, etc... On the Contrary it seems that More French People than initialy Expected, still Wish for a Real Political Alternative, in Substantial Issues, and not just an, at least Partly, only Verbal one...



This Challenge clearly Started to Emerge ToNight, much More Energeticaly than what had been Expected, in Various Ways, Setting in Motion Dynamics moving from Different Directions :



- F.ex., among several other Concrete Examples, when Fillon Decided to Immediately Call his Supporters to "Vote for Macron" at the 2nd Round, in order to Block the Rightists of Marine Le Pen's "FN" Party, deemed to be opposed to so-called "Republical Values", then, Suddenly, his own Twitter/Facebook Web-Pages, where he had Published that Controversial Speech, were Immediately Submerged by a Fast-Growing, Huge Mass of Individual Persons, mainly Supporters of the Center-Right, ChristianDemocrat/EPP "Republican" Party, 99% out of 100 of whom, (while Most Expressing Sympathy for Fillon), Clearly and Repeatedly REFUSED to "Vote Macron".... Creating an Impressive Giant Flow full of Angry People, willing to Fight a real Political Battle with a real Democratic Debate, and not merely obey to a stiched-in result, largely pushed by Establishment's Medias with the Outgoing Socialist Government's Judges and/or Prosecutors, etc. who had Targetted First Sarkozy and afterwards Fillon himself (See, f.ex. Infra)...



+ Moreover, already, BioEthical NGO "Sens Commun" (Common Sense), which had Worked recently to Help Fillon, clearly Stated that its Supporters would Not Back the former Socialist Minister Macron, and such a move was also Extended by a Small Chrtiandemocrat Party.

Various Other Top Politicians of the Center-Right have Not yet pronounced themselves on that Controversial matter, (remaining curiousyly Silent ToNight), so that More seems Possible to Comme in the Next Few Days...



++ To this was Added, in Parallel, also a kind of a Compromise Call, Launched Now by Top Politician Laurent Wauquiez, an Important former Minister and currently President of Region, (who is also, rightfuly considered to Stand very Close to former President Sarkozy's own positions), Proposing, on the Contrary, WithOut necessarily Voting for Macron himself, at least to just Refuse Voting for Marine Le Pen herself. This practicaly Means that People would preferably Abstain from the 2nd Round, or Vote "Blanc", cast an Invalid Vote (f.ex. many Suggested to put again Fillon's Name, even if he has been Excluded from the 2nd Round, (etc). On the Contrary, Wauquiez Urged to Focus on the Subsequent, Parliamentary Elections of June 2017, and Struggle for a Majority of MPs from the Center-Right.



Indeed, in such a case, Macron (even if he had managed, meanwhile, to get the Presidential Job), would be Obliged to Broker a Political Compromise, to strike a Deal with such MPs from the Center-Right "Republican" Party, because, Otherwise, he would be Unable to Pass New Legislation, and/or to Adopt the Yearly Budget, etc., Not even to Have a fully-fledged Government, since, according to the French Constitution, any Government must be Supported by a Majority of MPs at the National Assembly. Otherwise, New Elections have to be Organized, and this May Result f.ex. to Political Changes, and/or to a "Co-Habitation" of Differend, even Opposed Political Parties, (as it has already happened in the Past, during the 1990ies), i.e. something which had notoriously Obliged the Experienced, former Long-Time President Chirac, even to ... Shorten his own Presidential Mandate for - 2 Years Less (from 7, initialy, Down to just 5), in an Attempt to Avoid Other such "Co-Habitations" and their problems... One can Easily Guess, Today, what Problems would have any French President who might Try to Govern the Country withOut having a Stable Parliamentary Majority, "a fortiori", when we see all those Obstacles that Faces even the New US President Don Trump, in order Start Implementing the Program for which he was Elected, in several "Hot" Key Issues, while Facing a Harsh Opposition inside the State's Institutional machinery, from Judges up to Senators, etc., - even if in USA the President can, at least, Chose, Appoint and Keep all his Top Government Officials, (the Equivalent to European "Ministers", etc), by his own decisions, something that in France and other EU Countries is Not Possible without a Parliamentary Majority.



But, meanwhile, several Other Fillon's Supporters, ostensibly Started either to Insinuate, indirectly but Clearly, or even to Openly Urge to "Vote Marine Le Pen" (alias Nicknamed : "MLP"), i.e. for the Rightist "FN" Party, in the Crucial, forthcoming, 2nd and Final Round of these Exceptional, 2017 French Presidential Elections...



Echoing and Stimulating such Moves among Parts of the People of the Mainstream Right, Marine Le Pen herself Launched a Vibrant Call, stressing that, as she said : -"At Last, the Time has Come, to Let the People Free !" (i.e. to Vote for whoever they might want).



+ In Addition, it's also the Independent Candidate of the Right, Dupont - Aignan, (almost 5% of the Votes), who Refused to Call immediately his Supporters to Vote for Macron, at the forthcoming, 2nd Round of the Presidential Elections, but Prefered, instead, to Consult, previously, his Movement's Instances, Next Week. Meanwhile, he also Revealed a Probable Wish to Get some MPs Elected at the French Parliament on June, for his own Political Movement. And Observers have Not even Excluded the Possibility for Dupond-Aignan to, eventualy, Prefer to Support Marine Le Pen's Rightists, instead of Macron's post-Socialist Center-Left...



- But, perhaps, the Most Dangerous for Macron, might be ... Leftist Melenchon's supporters' stance, (who represent about 19,5%). Instead of being considered, as in the Past, an already Given and pre-Determined Support for the Center-Left, on the Contrary, this Time, Melenchon, Exceptionaly, Decided to Abstain from Calling to Vote Macron, but, instead, to Raise that Issue to his "450.000" Supporters, who should "Vote" First, what they Wish to Do : I.e. Vote Macron, or Vote Marine Le Pen, Abstain, or Vote Each one according to his Conscience, etc. An Interesting, and New Phenomenon was the Fact that, Suddenly, his Supporters became Enthousiastic about that Idea, and Loudly Applauded a Smiling Melenchon for having made such a Choice ! Here, once again, the Political Leader of a Revived Left, spoke in a way which gave a clear Impression that he may Intend to Present, for the 1st Time, his own Candidate MPs at the French Natonal Assembly, next June : - "Stay Grouped", he Urged his Supporters, Stressing that his Political "Movement has just Started, like a Bright Morning"...



Melenchon Succeeded Today even to Arrive 1st, among All, in several Areas, including, f.ex. the Socio-Politicaly Interesting City area of Grenoble, (where an Original, Leftist, Ecologic and BioEthical Popular Movement has already Started to Emerge during Recent Years, (and about which "Eurofora" had Spoken with Melenchon himself, on the sidelines of EU Parliament's Sessions Earlier in Strasbourg), and was, also, Initialy Arriving 1st at Strasbourg City's "European Capital", according to the First Estimations, before, Finaly getting an Important 2nd Place, i.e. OutNumbering Both Hamon, Fillon, and Marine Le Pen, (but Tackled finaly by Macron, at the Last Minute, with a Small Difference) !



The Risk for Macron, obviously is that Melenchon might, eventualy, be convinced by his Supporters (Comp. Supra), to Refuse to Vote, Neither for Marine le Pen, Nor for Macron... Indeed, he clearly stressed, meanwhile, that "Both" these 2 Competitors from the Left and Right side of the Political Spectrum, equaly Opposed his Views for Institutional Reforms in order to Boost Citizens' Monitoring on their Politician's Work, Ecology and Social Acquis.



Such a "Nor - "Neither" Attitude, vis a vis Macron and Marine Le Pen, was Clearly Adopted, ToNight, by Leftist Politician Poutou, (who's got about 1,2%), calling, repeatedly, Both of them "Corrupted Lackeys of Capitalism" (sic !), and Explicitly Refusing to Support (in the 2nd Round) Anyone among them...



Nobody should Under-Estimate such Critical Moves from Nowadays Leftists in France (and, Maybe, also Elsewhere) : Another Symptom was also the Unprecedented Fact that All the 11 Posters arboring the Candidates' Photo, Name and Short Mention of their Main Political Credo, routinely Placed out of Each Voting Station, were Found Grossly Vandalized, in an Exceptionaly Negative Spectacle, right Out of Strasbourg's Historic City Hall, (near the Prefectoral Palace and the Opera), there where CoE had been Created by Europe's Foreign Ministers, Back on 1949 (See relevant, Original Photo by "Eurofora") :

Macron, Marine Le Pen and Fillon were particularly Targeted, but also Hamon, Dupont-Aignan, and Even Small Candidates' Posters, such as Lassale, Asselinau, Charade, (2,4% all), Even Leftist Nathalie Arthaud, etc.,With the Only, perhaps, Exception of Melenchon himself, (which was, However, also Tagged, even if with a Friendly : - "Good Guy : Don't Forget to Change the Institutions !", while Other Gross Graffitis Urged to "Demonstrate at the Streets !", Put an "End (to) this Comedy of Pseudo-Elections !", etc.



+ Almost at the Same Time, in anOther Socialist-held City of France : Nantes, (Local Political Headquarters of former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Out-Going Socialist Government, Ayraud), quasi-Violent Troubles or Riots broke out, between Various Groups of Often Masked Youngters and the Police, Holding Big Protest Posters with Inscriptios of the kind : - "No Banquers, Neither Racists !", with Huge Photos of Macron and Marine Le Pen, respectively, which Made a Tour All Over the World, since Even North American Medias published them !



In the Middle of such an Exceptional, UnPrecedented Context in France, Marine Le Pen Extended her Calls (comp. Supra) to Join her at the 2nd Round, 2 Weeks Later on May, to "All Patriots, who Love their Fatherland", as she said, Directing her Invitations even towards the Left Side of the Political Spectrum... Including even Melenchon's Leftists (formerly "Communists")... To what, Melenchon appeared to, somehow, indirectly, Echoe the Move, by curiously Adding, at the Conclusion of his Short but Sharp Speech, several Unusual Mentions of the Fact that f.ex. he "Love(s) our beautiful Fatherland", etc., (Bis), which inevitably raised some Eyebrows... To the point that Macron Reacted, almost Immediately, choosing to Launch, even himself, an Opposite Call, for all real "Patriots" to Join HIM, instead, trying to Distinguish and Distance them from the (Supposed Extremist) "Nationalists" of Marine Le Pen's "FN"...



But, "Marine 2017"'s potential to Attract also herself a Greater Number of People than Expected, if not so much in the Presidentials of May, at least in the subsequent Parliamentary Elections of June, should Not be Under-Estimated.



Already, f.ex., throughout the "Great East" Region of Strasbourg, (HeadQuarters of EU Parliament's full weekly Plenary Sessions, EU Ombudman, the CoE, ECHR, EuroCorps, Shengen System's Secretariat, etc), Marine Le Pen succeeded Today to Arrive Widely 1st, Scoring almost 28 % of the Votes, Followed (at a Distance) by Macron with Only about 20,5%. For the rest, at the Right Side of the Political Forum stands Fillon with almost 20%, and Dupont-Aignan with some 6,2%, as well as 3 Smaller Center-Right Candidates with about 2,5%. While, at the Left Side, stands Melenchon with nearly 16,5%, Followed by Hamon with Only 5%, and Two Small Leftist Candidates with a Slightly More than 2%. I.e. a Total which theoreticaly Gives a Big Absolute Majority to the Right, with More than 56 % against Only 44% to the Left ! And this is a Phenomenon also witnessed in Other Key, Big Regions, (as, f.ex., the South-East PACA around Marseille-Cannes-Nice, etc).



It's True that, in the Smaller Area of Strasbourg City itself, it's almost ...the Contrary which happened : Macron, Finaly, managed, at the Last Minute, to OutNumber a Strong Competition by ...Melenchon (initialy 1st in Earlier Estimations), with Nearly 28%, compared to almost 24,5%, completing the Left side of the Political spectrum also with Hamon's 9,5%, and 2 Small Leftist Candidates with almist 1,5%. While on the Right, Fillon Scored 20%, Followed by Marine Le Pen with 12,2% and Dupont-Aignan with just 3%, added to 3 Small Center-Right Candidates with about 2,3%. I.e. Totaling something like about a 60% - 40% Majority for the Left DownTown.



However, in Fact, the Reality may be quite Different : Indeed, well Informed Local Strasbourg Sources and Medias alerted "Eurofora" about a Strange, Recently Massive Phenomenon of Many People Complaining for having been allegedly "Arbitrarily Stroken Out if the Roll", i.e. Erased from the List of Voters, under various Fallacious or Abusive Pretexts, to the point that they eve Lodged Applications to the Courts : They'd Total "at least 17.000 People", i.e. a Number which represents about 13 % of the Votes : Something which Might Change a Lot of things If it has Reversed... Last, but not least, Strasbourg's main City has Recently experienced a Spectacular, Massive "Pupulation Replacement", in several Key Quarters and/or Suburbs, where almost all its Autochton, French-Origin and/or Socio-Culturaly well Integrated Peuple were Incited and/or pushed to go Away, at the Same Time that these Sale Urban Areas were Rapidly Inundated and almost Taken over by Other Populations, Not Only from Out of France, but even from Outside of Europe, and/or Not Western Civilisations, Massively Parked in what risks to become soon a series of "Ghettos" even Worse than those which were notoriously Linked with Islamist Terrorism even in Brussels... So that, this City has notoriously become Atypical of All the Rest of France, (and a kind of Small "Island" of the Left, lost amidst an "Ocean" of the Right, in almost All the Surrounding Areas...



+ In Addition, as far as All France is concerned, anOther Important Phenomenon of this 2017 Presidential Election, is that the Number of Registered Voters who did NOT Express themselves at all, (either by Abstention, or by "Blanc" and/or "Non Void" Votes, etc), Grew Today Up to about 24% ! I.e., - 3,5% More "Abstention/Blanc Votes" than what had been the case Back on 2012 (about 79,5% of Participation), and, Even More Important : About - 8% More "Abstention/Blanc Votes" than what was the case during the Previous 2007 Presidential Election in the Past (84% of Participation)...



>>> In this regard too, the Historically Exceptional and UnParalleled yet, Record High Popular Participation, Back in those landmark 2007 Presidential Elections, as well as the also Record-High score Marked then by the mainstream Center-Right, ChristianDemocrat/EPP frontrunner Candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, right from the 1st Round : More than 31%, still Remain obviously Out of Reach for all Nowadays Competitors !



So that, more Widely, Today Sarkozy's Shadow looms even Deeper inside what really Happened in these 2017 Tricky French Presidential Elections' 1st Round, as Many People have Started to Realize, and even Denounce at the Web (f.ex. in Reaction to Fillon's above mentioned Call to Vote Macron at the 2nd Round : Comp. Supra and See Infra) : Nobody Understood, indeed, why the Experienced and Active former President of France, who had just Created the New "Republican" Party, and even largely Won its Presidency in a 2015 Election, suddenly, was Obliged to submit even to a Second Electoral Test on 2016 among his peers, which was even "Open" to Anyone who paid 2 uros (sic !), so that, Inevitably, Many , in fact, Leftist or Rightist Fans, who had Nothing to do with the Center-Left, ChristianDemocrat/EPP "Republicans", could Easily Vote, even Massively, in order to Negatively Influence and Seriously Alter the Choice of the Candidate that would represent the France's Main Opposition Party... In the USA, f.ex., both GOP's and Dems' "Primaries" are Generaly Conducted just and Only Among duly attested Members or Supporters of the Party, (any eventual, f.ex. Partial interference, here or there, by a Number of Other, External People, coming from the Outside, withOut being yet Fans and/or Members of the Party inside which they to Interfere, being generaly Strictly Limited to an Anodynous Minimum, only in some Loal Exceptions, usualy Small and almost Negligeable Tiny Number, in a Few Rare and Exceptional Cases... But, curiously, in France's 2016 case, such a Gross Blunder was openly Committed, with Millions of apparently ill-meaning Individuals Abusing of such a Unique Opportunity to Slyly Undermine the Leading Candidate of France's Main Opposition Party, (as several People have Started to Realize, even more Tonight)...So that, at least a Part of that Bigger Abstention Today, could, most probably, be due also to the Bitterness felt by a Part of Sarkozy's supporters, (despite his Repeated, and crystal-clear Calls to Support Fillon now).



Fillon notoriously thought that he could offer an unquestionable Alternative, Not yet affected then (Back on 2016) by the Socialist Establishment Medias' Relentless slandering and some Controversial Judges/Prosecutors' Eagerness to Harass and/or Pursue Sarkozy, (Comp. f.ex.: ...), but, Finaly, on 2017, he Obviously Fell himself, suddenly, Victim of a Same and even Worse, Last Minute Harassment, (Comp., f.ex.: ...). But things could, very Probably, be quite Differend Today, if Nicolas Sarkozy had been let Free to participate in a Fair Political Competition for the 2017 Presidential Election, many People start to Realize now.



As for Macron, Despite his Qualities, he certainly is Not ... Jacques Chirac, in order to Play so Easily a ReMake of Chirac's 2002 Win versus "FN"' Jean Marie Le Pen (Marine's Father), since de doesn't yet have his Long Political Experience and Authority, and even Less a well Prepared, Rock -Solid Party, like the former "RPR" of Chirac then... (Comp. Supra). And 2017 is Not 2002 in nowadays European and Global Context.



=> The Overall Trend, more or less Common to almost All of these Various but Converging Critical Reactions, Both from the Right and the Left Side of the Political Spectrum, is that a Wide-Spread Popular Rejection of Establishment's notorious Plans to Impose a Macron-led Government in France, fueled also by the Young Politician's personal Talent and Declared Wish to Attract and "Gather", around him, for a Modern "Transformation" of France "towards the Future", a lot of various People, "Independently of their Political Origins", as he Stressed, (Comp. also his Favorite Moto : "A Chance for All !",; which, by a Coincidence, repeats almost Precisely a characteristic Expression that Macron had Chosen to use, Initialy, at his Reply to an absolutely Different Question previously raised by "Eurofora" during a Ministerial Visit in Strasbourg that he had paid in the Recent Past : See f.ex, Mutatis-Mutandis, also : ...), Might Not Work as perfectly as some wish..., or even BackFire, in one way, or another !



At any case, the Ambiant Feeling from Tonights' Events is that, in Fact, Nothing should be Taken as Granded, from Advance, and Nobody should Under-Estimate the possible Reactions of French Peuple, who really seem, at least as things stand Now, to kind of ...Extend an Exceptionaly "Hot" Spring of 2017, towards a, perhaps even "Hotter", Summer-Time, (particularly around June's forthcoming Parliamentary Elections, which risk to become, Nowadays, More Important and Crucial than Ever, inter alia, also because of the notorious Fact that Macron has Not Yet set up any Real and Solid Political Party of his own, Experienced and Able to Take over the National Assembly, and guide it along what seems well to be a Longer and more Bumpy Way that some had initialy planified...

(.../...)



---------------------------------------

(NDLR : Part of Peuple's Messages at Fillon's Facebook page where he published his Declaration after Presidental Election's 1st Round)

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Adelaide de Bonnefamille

Merci, Monsieur Fillon. Vous avez essaye, mais trop de monde s'est acharne sur vous. Dommage. Mais ils s'en mordront les doigts bientot.

1,499  7 hours ago

170 replies



Vero de Bolto

Je suis de droite et je resterai de droite mais ne me demandais pas de voter Macron cela m'est IMPOSSIBLE !!

1,294  7 hours ago

168 replies



Frederick Condette

Macron, jamais e la vie ! Macron ce n'est pas un pays libre mais la dictature des banques qui continue

836  7 hours ago

63 replies



Andres Pedro Gonzalez

Sans les medias destructeurs (copain de Macron) il serait au deuxieme tour

Edited  896  7 hours ago

72 replies



Patricia Bellaiche Lellouche

Hollande est plus fort que Mitterand

Il a trompe les Francais en faisant croire que Macron n'etait pas de son camp et les francais sont tombes dans le panneau...

973  7 hours ago

108 replies



Benoit de Crevoisier

Je ne voterai pas pour Micron a cote de Cohn Bendit, BHL, Berge et Bayrou. Jamais !

900  7 hours ago

89 replies



Silvia De Fos Molina

ces elections sont une enorme tromperie, mais le danger ce n'est pas l'extremisme de droite ... c'est l'incompetence qu'on a par ailleurs subie pendant 5 ans deja ... pas d'accord pour voter Macron

753  7 hours ago

65 replies



Yolande Mellare

Desole m. FILLON. Je ne voterai pas Macron 5 ans de decadence c'est deja trop alors encore 5 ans non. En plus je refuse d'entrer dans la magouille qu'a orchestre m. Hollande.

547  7 hours ago

30 replies



Carole Fozzi

Je suis extremement decue mais je ne voterai pas Macron. Je me mobilise pour les legislatives!

640  7 hours ago

18 replies



Catherine Darrot

Merci M. Fillon. Ce sont les medias qui vous ont assassine et mis la France dans Ce bourbier. Vivement les legislatives..

414  7 hours ago

50 replies



Kate Lynn

Nous sommes ecoeures, nous ne voulons pas de la gauche (Macron est de gauche).

Edited  359  7 hours ago

44 replies



Sophie Denoulet

On etait avec vous mais on ne votera pas a gauche, jamais!!

Edited  260  1 hour ago

16 replies



Juliette Tabert

Moi je ne voterai pas pour Macron !!! J'irai voter mais pas pour un parti poubelle de communistes, de verts, de gauchos !

270  7 hours ago

16 replies



Noelle Archambault

Quelle deception !!!! J'y croyais tellement. Je ne voterai jamais Macron

(../..)

(NDLR : There are about 3.000 more, of a similar kind)

(../..)

Noelle Archambault

Quelle deception !!!! J'y croyais tellement. Je ne voterai jamais Macron
Sixty years ago, in Rome, France stood side by side with its neighbours to establish the European Economic Community in what was one of the most significant steps forward for the European project. Sixty years later, France is playing host to what many believe to be an existential vote on the European Union, causing understandable anxiety amongst other member states.

After the first round of voting on 23rd April, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are heading to the final run-off, which will be held on 7th May. The significance of this should not be understated: a far-right candidate has made it to the final round, the ruling Socialist Party has collapsed and, for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, there will be no mainstream right-wing candidate in the second round.

French voters will decide between two clashing visions of France and of Europe. Europeans are correct to worry about a Le Pen presidency, and are perhaps also right to be optimistic about Emmanuel Macron. But some commentators are wrong to overstate either candidates ability to immediately implement their visions should they emerge victorious in the second round. It is very unlikely that either Macron or Le Pen will have control of Parliament, meaning that onlookers anxiety will continue after the presidential election.

The French election cycle comes with a second hurdle: on 11th and 18th June, all 577 seats to the National Assembly will be contested in a two-round election. The result of this legislative election, although less glamourous and clear-cut from the outside, will decide whether or not the symbolic choice in May can deliver any major reform.

Both candidates promise to revolutionise French politics but, even in a political system dominated by an executive President, one needs to win control over Parliament to pass reforms and govern effectively. Although the newly-elected president is usually fairly sure to secure a parliamentary majority, events could play out differently in June. On 23rd April French voters de facto rejected the two mainstream parties which means that, no matter who gets elected president, they almost certainly wont be backed by an already-established parliamentary majority in the lower house. While 289 MPs are needed for a majority, Le Pens Front National currently has two sitting parliamentarians and Macrons En Marche! has none.

Before the votes in June, Le Pen would most likely approach independent nationalist candidates as well as the right wing of Les Republicains. But even with them on board, winning a parliamentary majority would be near impossible. On top of having a very limited number of MPs and almost no possible alliance with the mainstream parties, the anxiety over her election might lead voters to rush to the voting booth in order to limit her ability to govern. The Front National would likely come in third, after Les Republicains and the Socialist Party.

Although Macron has announced that En Marche! will present candidates in all 577 constituencies, he would most likely have to build a governing coalition as his one-year-old party has no realistic chance of winning 289 seats at once. To prepare for such a scenario, Macron has been meeting with Les Republicains MPs, as well as with liberal democrats from the Socialist Party who are already considering joining his presidential majority. Although he would be able to unite moderate MPs from both right and left into temporary majorities to pass specific bills, a stable parliamentary majority would still be hard to achieve.

The newly-elected president will thus most likely fail to obtain a majority in the lower house and may have to choose a prime minister (and cabinet) acceptable to the ruling majority in Parliament  although the lower house may then be too fragmented for a clear opposing majority to function. Such acohabitation scenario, which has occurred three times in the history of the Fifth Republic, means that the presidents powers are reduced and mainly focused on foreign and defence policies, while an opposing prime minister and cabinet are in charge of domestic affairs and can block presidential reforms.

The real question Europeans should pay attention to is thus not so much who will be elected president, but how they will run the country. A Le Pen presidency would realistically be a series of institutional crises and paralysis, from winning a parliamentary majority to forming a government and staffing the administration. She would most likely rule by presidential decree while trying to obtain a majority or end up dissolving the lower house. Macron, although not part of a mainstream party, would be able more easily to form a cross-party cabinet and attract civil servants, thus reaching a higher chance of positivecohabitation.

Why is it important for Europeans to keep these institutional considerations in mind? As some European politicians have already expressed their relief to the first-round victory of Macron, it will be imperative not to fall into the trap of simplified and emotional doomed/saved EU narratives on 7th May. Neither a Macron nor a Le Pen presidency will be a smooth ride and each will have a hard time delivering on their European promises.

Whoever gets elected will impact European security, with a choice between staying in NATO and drastically reducing Frances participation in the Alliance. But, most symbolically, the two candidates offer mutually exclusive projects for the European Union: whereas Le Pen wants a historic break from the EU, Macron believes in its essential existence and wishes to reform it.

A Macron victory would buy more time for the EU to try and reform but would not guarantee its success. The pro-EU liberal candidate, committed to the formation of a European Security Council and to maintaining open internal borders, will have to negotiate his programme with his parliamentary coalition. Moreover, to reform the union, Macron will need to deal with EU partners in the midst of a European-wide crisis of confidence.

Just as a Macron presidency cannot guarantee the EUs salvation, a Le Pen victory would be a serious blow for the EU but would not immediately sign its death warrant. She would need to win the legislative election and, if it comes to pass, win the referendum on France leaving the EU that she wants to organise within six months or a year of her election. In the meantime, many factors could push French public opinion  which, although dissatisfied with the EU, still supports remaining part of the union  even further away from a Frexit: with whom and how she governs, whether she can pass reforms faced with a hostile Parliament, how the Brexit negotiations are developing, etc. If a referendum is conducted, a remain victory would constitute a huge blow to her project and presidency  she vows she would quit  and mark a strong defeat for Europhobes.

The presidential election result will have enough symbolic power to send shockwaves across the continent and, for many, redeem or condemn the 60-year-old European project France has helped to build. But looking at election night wont suffice. Europeans should watch the French legislative election just as closely as the presidential one as the fate of France  and Europe  may still hang in the balance on 8th May.

The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time.
To be honest, no one knows. The US Consulate makes an estimate of how many Americans are resident in France, but it's based on those who register with the consulate (and many of us avoid doing so), how many passport renewal applications they process through the consulate, and then it's a matter of sheer guesstimate.



I've seen an estimate of something like 165,000 Americans in France in total, though that seems enormously high to me. (And I think that includes exchange students, too.) For some reason, all the US expat groups seem to believe that "most" Americans in France belong to one of the US expat groups, subscribe to the International Herald Tribune or otherwise are part of what they call "the American community" in France. Then, there are those of us actively avoiding that sort of thing. <bg>



Not sure where you could get an more accurate estimate. There is no "check-out" process when you leave the US (since you're still liable for US income taxes no matter where you are), and at no point in the visa process does anyone actually ask if you're planning on staying past your immediate goal (student, visitor, etc.). They tried to see if they might count Americans overseas as part of the US census, but the test count they tried in a few countries (including France) was a miserable failure. Only way anyone would have known about it was if they happened to belong to one of the Paris based expat groups.



You might have a look at the INSEE census data, as I believe they do ask for country of origin or country of birth in the census questionnaire here.

Cheers,

Bev
Hi Jhon,

The piece of news is true, you can check that online.

I don't know that part of Sicily, but there are many things to see even in the surroundings of the city. The rest of Sicily is not involved with the G7, so you can visit the beautiful mosaics of Piazza Armerina or cities as Catania, but you need a car and enough time. Or there are attractions near Taormina, like these( I can't put links because I'm new in the forum)

Check online, there are many list in English.

About security, if you mean black blocks or things like that, I don't know, but I'm sure the crew of the cruise or the police of Taormina can tell you where you can go and feel safe.

Have a nice stay!
Lipsticklover said: I have about 40k saved up to now and speak okay Spanish enough to have conversations and manage to get by, I am looking for somewhere near a beach but don't mind living inland I like the look of Malaga but the tourist scene puts me off, is it all like that? I would pefer something which is real Spain.



Thanks x Click to expand...

Hmmm, real Spain, what's that exactly?If you mean a place where the majority of people are Spanish and where the community serves Spaniards over foreigners (ie no British breakfasts, pub quizzes, menus in German, Norwegian newspapers and rugby and Man City matches on tv) there are quite a few places to cross off your list.If you want to be near a beach and have a good nightlife perhaps Malaga could fit the bill? Barcelona? I can't see why a city wouldn't match your requirements as you asked for a community feel and Madrid and Barcelona for example are often made up of old "barrios" that have a community feel to them.Hope you have work sorted out as there is very high unemployment in your age bracket, over 50% in Andalucia.
As a survivor of sexual assault, UW-Stout junior Courtney Wagner knows how important it is to know what resources are available. And on her campus?

She doesnt think there are enough.

Wagner, a psychology major from Jim Falls, created a research project titled Sexual Assault and Dating Violence: Survey on a Rural College Campus, which she was invited to share during the UW Systems annual Research in the Rotunda.

The annual event welcomes 125 students and more than 50 faculty mentors to the state Capitol, where state legislators and UW System leaders meet with students to hear more about their projects.

I had a lot of people interested in (my project), Wagner said. A lot of people were surprised at my results, at what the numbers were showing.

To get her results, Wagner sent a survey on the climate of sexual assault and violence on campus to 511 undergraduate students on campus, both by sending a mass email to students as well as speaking about her project in various classrooms.

Many of the respondents were females, but the survey was open to all genders.

She got her questions from the American Association of Universities, which developed a 90-question survey about sexual assault on campuses, and narrowed it down to around 60 questions.

I was very pleased with how responsive everyone was, she said. It sounds like a lot of students are wanting more resources, education and awareness.

Wagners faculty adviser, social work professor Crystal Aschenbrener, was impressed at the advocacy piece behind Wagners project.

She didnt just want to show data and results of a survey, she wanted it to have some kind of value, Aschenbrener said. She wanted to focus on providing a level of service and getting awareness out there, not just seeing it as a problem.

Following the survey, Wagner provided resources, including UW-Stouts counseling services and other community resources such as the Bridge to Hope, Student Health Services, Dunn Countys Witness and Victim Assistance Program and others.

The biggest concern she got from the survey, and one she predicted going in, was a lack of resources on campus.

For example, Stout is one of very few schools in the area that doesnt have the emergency touch light poles, Wagner said.

The poles, which trigger a call to the police when activated, would be a huge resource for students. College campuses such as UW-Eau Claire utilize the poles.

In addition, around 22 percent of respondents did not know where to go get help or make a report if sexual assault or misconduct occurred.

About 50 percent believed they were not prone to experience a sexual assault or related misconduct while attending college.

Wagner also believes alcohol is a contributing factor in a lot of sexual assault and violence incidents, especially on a college campus.

In a question that asked if they since you have been a student at UW-Stout have you seen a drunk person heading off for what looked like a sexual encounter? 55.9 percent of respondents said yes.

Half of those students have seen that before, which shows alcohol is still a prevailing factor, Wagner said.

With all of this in mind, it is also important campus officials, law enforcement and others take seriously and fully process any reports of sexual assault or misconduct they receive.

We, speaking in terms of every individual that makes up a community, need to let people know that sexual assaults and related misconducts are not acceptable, she said. We need to let victims know that we encourage and support them. Victims should not have to deal with the aftermath alone.

Wagner, who was sexually assaulted when she was a child, is not shy about making her voice heard. She knows first hand how difficult it is to speak up, and thats what inspires her to help others.

Though she didnt know much about sex at the time of her assault, she knew what happened was wrong and was able to share it with her parents, though it was never reported to authorities.

I remember how hard it was to get over that experience, and there are still days I have a hard time dealing with it, she said. That drives me to help others because there are people who arent able to cope with that experience and it negatively affects them, especially college students.

She hopes her research, which she was able to share with the campus counseling services as well as the administration, opens their eyes to all the ways in which Stout still needs to improve its response to sexual assault and violence.

But mostly, she just wants to help.

I hope it encourages people to not be afraid to tell somebody and get help, she said. Its a really tough thing to deal with and you should not have to deal with it alone.

Wagner has presented her research at conferences in California and Texas, and heads to Tennessee for another in July.
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.
As of last week, your income taxes are all filed. Congrats!

Or, like me, you got an extension. Boo!

In either case, its a good week to think about what our tax money bought this year. And since weve all been promised federal tax reform this spring or summer from unified legislative and executive branches, its also good to reflect on how the federal government spends our tax dollars, and how it might spend them in the future.

A simple way to understand federal spending is to compare it to a household.

To keep it simple, lets say Uncle Sam has $100,000 to spend every year. Heres where all the money goes, based on the federal governments actual spending in 2015 and rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.

Roughly $33,200 of that $100,000 is spent on Social Security, unemployment payments, food assistance, housing assistance, welfare, and salary and benefits for federal employees. All of these are considered mandatory services in the sense that Americans are entitled to basic services. They are also known as entitlements. Congress doesnt get to vote on entitlement spending as part of its annual budget process.

We dished out $27,400 on Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care costs each year. This is also considered mandatory spending that falls outside the annual budget process. The bill just comes in the mail and we pay it, no questions asked.

The federal government spends about $15,800 on our military every year. This is considered discretionary spending, or optional spending, and requires congressional approval every year.

Roughly $6,000 goes toward paying interest on the countrys debt. Thats basically like paying the interest on our credit cards without paying down any of the balance.

Everything else cost $17,500 in 2015, including veterans benefits, transportation, education, energy, environmental projects and foreign aid. All of that spending is optional, like paying for your kids college is optional, but covering the cost to fix a broken bone isnt.

So  what do we think of that? If you were in Congress looking to rein in spending as the majority party, what would you cut?

Democrats dont want to give up Social Security or Medicare, while President Donald Trump and other Republicans want to boost  not cut  military spending.

Ok, sure, we all want security from foreign threats, security from catastrophic medical expenses, and security from eating cat food in our old age.

But since entitlement reform (Social Security, Medicare, and food, unemployment and housing subsidies) and defense spending have become sacred cows, all budgetary discussion becomes really stoopid, really fast. Elected officials dont want to turn off half the electorate by promising to actually get serious about spending cuts, so they talk about stoopid stuff instead.

Its stoopid to focus on some bad art you dont agree with thats funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Its stoopid to complain about pointy-headed liberals getting PBS funding. Its stoopid to focus on waste, fraud and abuse as a real source of cost savings in the federal government.

If youre not willing to discuss cutting both entitlements spending AND defense spending, then I dont know what to tell you except youre not invited to my birthday party and your ideas about fiscal responsibility are stoopid too.

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.

Having gotten that off my chest, let me say one or two sentences about why each of the three biggest sacred cows  Social Security, Medicare and defense  should be targets for cost-cutting at the federal level. I honestly dont know the best way to do it. Im just saying we could spend less on all three.

Social Security: When this was first enacted in 1935, the average lifespan in the U.S. was just under 62 years with the average Social Security recipient living until 74. (So once they made it to 65, they generally lived for another nine years, on average.) The average Social Security recipient today lives until 82. While thats good news, it also means the program is far more generous for far longer than originally intended. Sorry, folks, we need to raise the eligibility age; 80 might be a good place to start.

Medicare: We spend 30 percent more than Switzerland, the second-highest-spending country per capita, and typically about double what rich countries such as Canada, France and Japan spend on health care overall. Strangely, we have notably worse outcomes in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality and other major chronic problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. I dont pretend to know how to cut spending and improve the outcome. And anyway, who knew health care policy could be so complicated, right? But surely we could learn a thing or two from other countries about how to bring down costs while improving health outcomes.

Defense: We not only pay more for defense than any other country  and three times more than No. 2 spender China  we pay more than the next eight countries combined. Paying too much for ones military to enforce global peace is how empires always fall. Just ask the Romans, the Spanish and the English.

No more sacred cows. No more avoiding. Do the real cost-cutting if you want to be taken seriously and face the political consequences. Everything else you say about federal government cost-cutting is a joke and were not stoopid.

Michael Taylor is a former Goldman Sachs bond salesman and writes the Bankers-Anonymous.com finance blog. Send questions to michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com

@Michael_Taylor

This column was updated to correct three numbers in Michaels calculations.
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The parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is in negotiations with local officials to build a new distribution center on San Antonios South Side that would bring at least 1,000 jobs here, according to three city officials and one local business executive briefed on the project.

The Massachusetts-based off-price retailer has already won some tax incentives from the Southside Independent School District, according to the four people briefed on the talks. The school board approved a tax exemption for an unnamed company at its April 6 meeting.

Sergio Chico Rodriguez, Bexar County Precinct 1 commissioner, and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff both said they knew of the project, but not the name of the company. District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran said the city has been in negotiations with a company regarding a project on the South Side, but she wouldnt disclose the name, citing ongoing negotiations and confidentiality agreements.

RELATED: Hulu posts job openings days after announcing San Antonio expansion

San Antonio Economic Development Foundation spokeswoman Jamie Bloodsworth declined to comment on the same grounds.

Rodriguez said the city is competing with Arkansas and a couple of other states for the new facility, adding that the company hasnt requested incentive funds or tax breaks from Bexar County.

The distribution center would employ at least 1,000 people and would be located on the citys South Side, near the intersection of U.S. 281 and Loop 410, said the officials briefed on the project, who wish to remain anonymous because negotiations havent been made public. Its unclear whether the company has purchased the land required for the project.

If there is an opportunity to bring a thousand jobs to San Antonio and a thousand jobs to the southern sector of San Antonio, were always happy to talk to these companies, Viagran said.\

RELATED: Rue21 closing 400 stores, including several in the San Antonio metro area

TJX Cos.  the retailers parent company based in Framingham, Massachusetts  did not return requests for comment.

Off-price brands such as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack have fared well as shoppers forgo traditional apparel chains in favor of bargain retailers and online giant Amazon.

T.J. Maxx has four stores in San Antonio and one in New Braunfels, according to the companys store locator. Marshalls has six locations in the San Antonio area and one in San Marcos, according to the retailers website.

The proposed distribution center would join several others operated by major retailers in the San Antonio area.

RELATED: Texas manufacturers continue to see bright business environment

In June, Dollar General opened a $100 million, 1-million-square-foot distribution center in East Bexar County. In December 2014, Bexar County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a property tax abatement agreement for the center.

Amazon opened a distribution center in San Marcos last summer after San Marcos City Council members approved an incentive package in July 2015 that would refund the company 85 percent of personal property taxes and 40 percent of real property taxes for a decade with a possible five-year extension.

In 2012, the company received $7.6 million in direct tax incentives from Schertz, Guadalupe County and the Schertz Economic Development Corp. for a separate 1.25-million-square-foot center there. The building, which opened in September 2013, cost about $150 million to build.

Amazon also operates a sortation center on the citys West Side and another center on the citys Northeast Side that fulfills orders for the Seattle-based retailers two-day delivery subscription service Prime Now.

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.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports

Staff writer Alia Malik contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  Military leaders have long warned that the U.S. nearly 4,000 nuclear warheads are getting dangerously old and in need of an overhaul, the scale of which the nation hasnt attempted in decades.

Now, a quarter century after the Cold War ended and the U.S. halted production of nuclear weapons, the task of bringing into the modern age the countrys nuclear arsenal and the laboratories and facilities that maintain it will fall on the shoulders of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, a former Texas governor.

At a time when tensions with North Korea are rising over its nuclear weapons program, Perry will be charged with setting into motion a decades-long project to refurbish and modernize the warheads, a critical element in a larger upgrade of the U.S. nuclear weapons complex that will mean new bombers, submarines and other infrastructure that is estimated to cost upward of $1 trillion.

The U.S. hasnt done anything like this since the Cold War,  said Kingston Reif, a director at the Arms Control Association, a nonprofit that advocates for reductions in nuclear weapons. And the big ramp-up will be over the course of the next decade.

New to Washington after a two-year hiatus from government service, Perry is quickly being brought up to speed on a project that has been years in the making.

Developed by the Pentagon during the Obama administration, the plans to modernize the nuclear weapons are under review by Defense Secretary James Mattis. Energy secretaries typically let their counterpart in the Defense Department take the lead, but Perry will be expected to offer a clear-eyed picture of his departments capability to produce, restore and deliver warheads on schedule, said Steven Koonin, a former department undersecretary for science during the Obama administration.

These are complex industrial operations with extraordinary safety and security requirements he said. Its not like youre building toasters.

Perrys biggest challenge will be building consensus and political support across Congress, the White House and the Defense Department for a plan that will require congressional funding for decades, Koonin said. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is signaling that he wants to increase spending on nuclear weapons.

Asked how Perry was approaching the overhaul, an Energy Department spokeswoman said the secretary planned to increase spending on the existing modernization program by 11 percent, consistent with the presidents budget blueprint. She added that Perry is taking regular briefings on the program and is now fully engaged in the larger review of the nations strategy.

Traditionally, the topic of nuclear security draws little debate in Congress. But with the estimated $1 trillion price tag, the proposal is attracting questions from both sides of the aisle of whether the military is taking the modernization program too far.

Last year, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, questioned what has been a cornerstone of U.S. nuclear security policy going back decades, the so-called triad strategy of maintaining the capability to deliver warheads from missile silos, submarines and bombers. He called it very, very, very expensive.

Its very easy to be scared into a passive acceptance of what the Pentagon requests., said Rep. Beto ORourke, D-El Paso, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Youre spending vast sums of money today to maintain the nuclear triad, and youre being asked to add to that hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years, when you already have the ability to annihilate the enemy in triplicate.

Perry, a former cargo plane pilot in the Air Force and four-term governor, has long maintained and cultivated the reputation of a consummate politician who, while lacking in book smarts, knows how to lead and bring opposing sides together on a compromise. Speaking to Energy Department employees on his first day in the job, Perry quipped how despite hopes of becoming a veterinarian, organic chemistry made a pilot out of me.

What if any points of view Perry has on the countrys nuclear weapons arsenal are difficult to parse. Despite two presidential runs and two books  and a stint on Dancing with the Stars  he has revealed little publicly about his thoughts on nuclear weapons and national security, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

He has never had to speak to those kinds of issues, Jillson said, but to the extent he has, its been in Reagan-esque terms of strong national security and national defense being critical to maintaining Americas place in the world.

The Energys Department role in nuclear security has long been considered more technical than strategic. Koonin described the Defense Department as the client, essentially ordering the Energy Department to design and manufacture the warheads the Pentagon needs.

But Perry faces a technical task that no energy secretary has faced since the height of the Cold War. Under the 2010 Pentagon plan, the Energy Department is required to shrink the current arsenal of 12 types of nuclear warheads and bombs to five  part of a nonproliferation strategy that a spokesman for the department said officials hope will one day yield cost savings in terms of efficiencies and reduced maintenance.

That Perry, whose academic career has been the source of many a joke, by none more so than the secretary himself, will lead such a complex and potentially dangerous scientific effort has prompted behind-the-scenes questioning among analysts and other observers of whether hes up to the task.

Perry is not the first energy secretary without an advanced scientific degree, but political savvy and managerial expertise can be just as important as scientific knowledge, said Koonin, who served in the Energy Department under Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu. Chu was often criticized on his ability to reassure Congress never living up to his scientific prowess.

With the nuclear strategy review underway, Perry will need to adapt the governing style he honed in battles over education and health care while in Austin to national security. The critical question the White House will put to Perry, Koonin said, will be what can the department deliver and if we decide to go direction A, B or C, how will the department be impacted?

I expect he will not be able to answer that himself, Koonin said, and I can only hope he will turn to the right people.

James.osborne@chron.com

Twitter.com/osborneja
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It may be Fiesta, but at least 750 people had something other than partying on their minds Sunday  the candidates running for San Antonio mayor and City Council.

As it has for the past 40 years, COPS/Metro  Communities Organized for Public Service and the Metro Alliance  played host to San Antonios mayoral and council candidates for an annual accountability assembly.

The event, held at St. Henry Catholic Church Parish Hall in Southtown, is for residents to question candidates on issues important to the community, such as immigration, housing and economic security, and to allow the politicians to state where they stand.

This event is important because it is not just the candidates coming and presenting to us what they say they are going to do, said Melissa Cessac, assembly chair. We meet regularly with folks, we meet individually, we meet in house meetings to learn what the issues are that people are really facing.

After months of meetings with San Antonio residents, COPS/Metro organizers came up with an agenda for mayoral and City Council candidates to address at the assembly, Cessac said.

Thats where the questioning came from, she said.

Before the questions began, three speakers shared personal stories about immigration, housing and workforce development.

Then, the candidates were then each given a turn to respond yes or no to three questions regarding those issues.

The first question asked whether the candidate would commit to increase the citys investment in Community Development Block Grants/HOME funds.

The second question revolved around whether the candidate would commit to create a citywide ID for all San Antonio residents, and a legal defense fund for citizen children who have lost their immigrant parents to deportation.

A third question asked whether the candidate would commit to raising the citys minimum wage for city workers to $14.75 per hour; $9.50 per hour for contract workers; and raise the citys investment in Project Quest, a work-training program, to $2.5 million.

Of the mayoral candidates present, Ron Nirenberg and Manuel Medina responded yes to each question when given their turn. They each were then given two minutes to elaborate on their answer.

Mayor Ivy Taylor was invited to the event and committed to attend, but did not, organizers said.

All council candidates from Districts 1-8 responded yes to each question and were given 30 seconds to elaborate. The large audience was passionate, but professional.

COPS/Metro, a coalition of churches, schools and unions, has held the accountability sessions for more than 40 years and organizers say its been helpful.

Ask any politician who has been elected in San Antonio, and it is something that they probably remember, said Jorge Montiel, a lead organizer for COPS/Metro Alliance.

Montiel said there may be one more accountability assembly for this election if there is a mayoral runoff.

This is a part of our political culture in San Antonio and I think that our political process is stronger because of it, said Father Brian Christopher of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

nbautista@express-news.net

Twitter: @_NBautista
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In early March, 34-year-old inmate Thomas Trevino was attempting to escape from the Bexar County Jail by climbing into the air vents from his cell in the jails infirmary.

But with a ladder, members of the jails Special Emergency Response Team mounted a swift response, climbing into the vents themselves to corner the inmate.

Trevino surrendered without a fight.

He knew he couldnt go any further, said sheriffs Sgt. Andrae Motayne, noting that vents are sectioned off by barrier walls. Youre not going anywhere unless you have a jackhammer.

The teams response to the attempted escape is an example of the many crises that SERT handles in the jail and annex of the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.

Active since 1990, SERT comprises 91 detention officers  plus supervisors and reserve deputies  divided into multiple shifts of six-person teams that are on standby around the clock and constantly training for any situation that may arise.

While extreme incidents of violence are as uncommon as the recent conviction of a Bexar County jailer for excessive use of force, trouble erupts when inmates feel they have nothing to lose, Capt. Ramiro Balarin said.

More Information So, you want to join SERT? To be on the team, you must be in top physical condition. Within eight minutes you must: Clean and press 50 pounds. 20 times. Perform 20 burpees Perform 20 regular pushups (no knees) Perform 20 situps Sprint a quarter of a mile Put on a self-contained breathing apparatus Run from the basement of the jail up to the seventh floor and back down Drag a 150-pound dummy 50 feet Source: Bexar County Sheriff's Office See More Collapse

Theres 5 percent (of inmates) that come back after a big sentence. Theyre pissed off at the judge, theyve lost half their life to prison already, they dont care, theyre going to prison anyways, said Balarin, a former SERT member.

Standing in the main armory of the jail, Motayne, a team leader for the unit, is surrounded by handcuffs, heavy-duty batons, body vests and other equipment used by members of SERT.

These and other items including a stun gun, flashlight and pepper spray are the arsenal they have at their disposal to bring inmates who are out of control back into compliance.

Were here to outsmart the inmate by utilizing our tactics that were trained on, Motayne said.

He said there are several steps before SERT is even called into action.

First, the detention officers dealing with a troublesome inmate try to defuse the situation. If that fails, an officer then calls the floor supervisor, who is a sergeant, to talk it out with the inmate.

If that fails, he calls SERT, Motayne said.

When an incident arises, the entire team gathers in one spot to coordinate and gather any extra gear they need to mount their response. The six-person team handling the situation already has their orders planned out among themselves.

Upon arrival to any situation, the SERT team leader tries once more to verbally persuade the inmate to comply, getting that person to put his hands through the food slot to be handcuffed.

One person does much of the talking with the inmate, while four other members handle any physical restraints necessary for the situation.

Motayne said that if any sort of physical force is used, every team member must file a report as to what they saw. The report is then sent up the chain of command.

The conviction last year of former SERT member Avery Lemarcus Lawrence was an extreme outcome of what occurs when dealing with inmates inside the jail.

We cant just run in a cell and start pounding on someone because its not justified, Motayne said.

On Nov. 21, a jury found Lawrence, 32, guilty of official oppression, assault by a public servant and violating the civil rights of a person in custody. He later received a one-year jail sentence.

At Lawrences trial, testimony revealed that he punched or pushed inmate John Corey Garcia on July 13, 2014. Garcia, whom Lawrence accused of trying to incite other inmates, had to be hospitalized. During the trials punishment phase, more examples of excessive force by Lawrence came to light.

The incident between Lawrence and Garcia was out of the well-established procedures that govern the teams actions.

Theres always allegations of excessive force in this type of field, Motayne said. We always have some type of video to go and review to see if theres any truth to the allegation.

The sixth person on each team is designated as a videographer who records interactions between the team and inmates. The videos are then downloaded and reviewed at the end of each shift.

The policy has been in place since the teams formation in 1990, back when video cameras were bulky and recorded footage was on VHS tapes. Today, the team uses a handheld Sony camcorder that saves recordings to 64-gigabyte SD cards.

Theyre looking for any deviation from policy or procedures, Motayne said of a team member who reviews the footage.

Data is saved as far back as five years. Even if there is a day without incident, Cpl. Joseph Rodriguez said, theres always at least one video of a deputy logging in, and one of the same deputy signing off.

Sometimes well stay late and review the footage, Rod

riguez said, noting that they put in for the overtime it takes to file paperwork for accountability.

Any infractions are documented and reported, and any instances where a team member is using excessive force are taken very seriously.

For example, a Taser deployment requires a letter making sure that there is no deviation from policy.

Even if its something as minimal as seeing a SERT officer respond to an emergency code without a helmet, Motayne said. Well address it in training and say, Why were you responding to an emergency code without your protective gear?

Deputy Jacinto Davila, a 15-year veteran of the force, said even the teams gear has come a long way since he began working in the early 2000s.

We had just a vest which you couldnt put any pouches on, Davila recalled. It was just sheet metal. A shank-resistant sheet metal.

Today, the team wears knife-proof protection with MOLLE webbing vests, gear that allows them to attach their arsenal in easy-to-reach spots.

When I first started, we were actually sharing vests, Davila said. We constantly would get into situations where we would get their sweaty vests and their sweaty helmets.

Every procedure and even the structure of the building is designed to work against the inmates, Motayne said.

Standing in an armory on one of the middle floors of the building, Rodriguez and Deputy Mark Vidal stand on both sides of a large battering ram as they hold it up.

Its rectangular front end was made specifically to fit into the food tray of an inmates cell. That way if an inmate places a bed to block the tray, the team can ram it out of the way.

Once the way is clear and the ram is in the cell, there is a nozzle at the end of it, through which a chemical agent similar to pepper spray can be sprayed into the cell.

The inmate wants to leave that cell after that, Motayne said.

He said that as the jail continues to expand its inventory, he hopes to add bulletproof protection to allow teams to respond to more incidents outside the buildings themselves in the future.

When the team members are not responding to a call, the deputies are in different parts of the jail filling in for the understaffed facility.

Deputy Daniel Pollard was patting down inmates as they walked past his station in one of the upper floors, prior to their leaving the area.

SERT team members said anything can set off inmates, such as a slow response from the elevator or even the program deputies choose to display on a television.

In any given case, part of what works for the team is the show of force.

In one incident, Davila recalled how a suspect managed to overpower a detective interviewing him in a different part of the building. The suspect then stole the investigators handgun.

SERT immediately responded, and upon seeing the six-person team, the suspect surrendered, the deputy recalled.

The possibility of any given call at any time in a seven-story building means the members of the team must stay both in top physical shape and be proficient in tactics.

Potential recruits must pass a rigorous eight-minute physical agility test, with no modifications based on gender. If he or she passes, the person undergoes 90 hours of training and has to pass a written exam on Sheriffs Office policies and procedures.

The officers even pepper spray themselves so they can learn to handle the pain and keep going.

The inmate isnt just going to spray you and walk away, hes going to assault you next, Motayne said.

SERT officers are even trained as firefighters.

Much of the time if theres smoke, the team will clear it out. Bigger problems require them to spring into action until local firefighters arrive.

After passing an interview board, officers are on probation with SERT for six months.

Training never stops. The officers are certified in every piece of equipment they use. Various courses from the usage of pepper spray to how to deploy a Taser are required at least three times a month.

We always have to be training in our skills, Motayne said. In this place, complacency kills.

jbeltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @JBfromSA
During his time as governor for the Mexican state of Aguascalientes from 2004 to 2010, Luis Armando Reynoso Femat transferred $5.5 million in stolen money to the U.S., most of which was sunk into San Antonio real estate, according to recently unsealed court documents.

Federal prosecutors filed an asset forfeiture lawsuit in 2014 against four far North Side homes, two empty lots west of town and one commercial property near the Vineyard that prosecutors allege Reynoso Femat purchased through nominees.

The allegations in that case remained sealed until last week, when a redacted version was filed in federal court in San Antonio.

Reynoso Femat, whom a judge in Mexico this month sentenced to nearly three years in prison, transferred money stolen from the state to U.S. banks, then purchased San Antonio real estate that was kept in the name of his son, Luis Armando Reynoso Lopez, according to the U.S. government.

Beginning in 2008, Reynoso Femat and his son, Reynoso Lopez, conspired together, and with others, to divert monies illegally derived from the Mexican state of Aguascalientes through financial institutions in Mexico, to bank accounts they established in the U.S., the lawsuit alleges.

Reynoso Lopezs attorney, David Dilley, did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Neither father nor son has been charged in the U.S., and according to a motion Dilley filed this month, he was told that prosecutors have closed their investigation into Reynoso Lopez.

The two empty lots, which make up a combined 66 acres, and the commercial building on West Blanco Road are still in Reynoso Lopezs name, property records show. The four houses, former model homes in the Campanas at Cibolo Canyons gated subdivision off TPC Parkway, were transferred to a limited liability company run by Reynoso Lopez in 2012.

The lawsuit repeats charges made by state prosecutors in Aguascalientes that Reynoso Femat stole millions from the state through an unfulfilled contract for medical equipment and the sale of state-owned real estate, although some segments about those allegations are blacked out.

The money used to buy the San Antonio real estate was wired from Reynoso Femats bank in Cancun, Mexico, and an account at Inter National Bank in McAllen to BBVA Compass accounts in the U.S., according to court documents.

Reynoso Femats alleged connection to Inter National came up during the January plea hearing of a South Texas businessman accused of helping corrupt Mexican governors launder money in the U.S. Luis Carlos Castillo Cervantes, a minority owner in the bank, admitted using the U.S. banking system to pay bribes to former Mexican officials in exchange for road paving contracts his company received in Mexico. Castillo Cervantes helped Reynoso Femat set up an account at Inter National, prosecutors allege.

For the most part, Castillo Cervantes worked with members of Mexicos ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, according to prosecutors. Reynoso Femat is the only member of the opposition National Action Party whom the U.S. has accused Castillo of bribing.

Reynoso Femat is one of several former Mexican governors under investigation by authorities in South Texas. Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, the former governor of the border state of Tamaulipas who was arrested this month in Italy and faces federal charges in Brownsville, is accused of laundering bribe money through real estate purchases in Kyle, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley.

Castillo Cervantes also admitted to paying bribes to Eugenio Hernandez, another Tamaulipas governor who faces charges in Corpus Christi and is a fugitive; Jorge Juan Torres Lopez, the former interim governor of the border state of Coahuila whos also charged in Corpus Christi and is a fugitive; and Humberto Moreira, Torres predecessor in Coahuila who has not been charged. But U.S. prosecutors allege in court documents that Moreira stole hundreds of millions of dollars from the state and laundered tens of millions of it in San Antonio and elsewhere in Texas. All four have denied wrongdoing.

Facing pressure from the public to deal with corruption, Mexicos government in recent months revived long-ignored charges against Yarrington filed in that country and charged Javier Duarte, the former governor of the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz who was arrested a week ago in Guatemala, and Cesar Duarte, a former governor of Chihuahua state, which borders West Texas.

jbuch@express-news.net

Twitter: @jlbuch
The real news about Bill O'Reillys behavior at Fox News wasnt so much that he was finally fired, as have a steady tick of powerful men at the top of their pyramids. The real story is that Fox executives attempted to pay off and silence his victims to keep him in front of viewers, even though that put the company at risk.

Such are the levels of corporate tolerance for sexual harassment, sexism and other inappropriate behavior.

The real news, too, is that so many women, and some men  in small offices and large workforces, in the military, churches, clinics, libraries and law offices  continue to experience sexual harassment where someone, usually a man, holds power over another, usually a woman.

It wasnt that hard to find women in San Antonio whod share their stories, usually about experiences in the past involving long ago bosses, co-workers, teachers or clients.

For the Rev. Katheryn Barlow-Williams, senior pastor of Oak Hills Presbyterian Church, it was when she was a young seminary intern house-sitting for a pastor while he and his family were at the beach. The pastor suddenly returned wearing only a towel. He asked her to rub lotion on his back.

During college, photographer Melissa Vela-Williamson was working at the front desk of a local gym. Co-workers and clients told her explicit things and asked explicit things, she said. One customer licked her hand once. She complained and was told to smile more while at the desk.

Two other San Antonio women preferred not to be identified. One went to an office party for a local radio station where she worked. It was the late 1970s and an older male co-worker asked to borrow her camera during the party. He went to the restroom and took a photo of his penis. For months afterward, he pestered her about whether the film had been developed.

Another woman, a local attorney, worked in a bar at an upscale hotel the summer before law school. She endured overt, unwanted sexual advances. One patron wanted to guess her bra cup size if he could apply his cup tester, that is, his cupped hand. After dropping a pen, another asked if I would also be dropping my panties, she said.

Gloria Almaraz, a retired senior compliance officer with the Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, investigated sexual harassment complaints, either filed or identified, for more than 25 years.

She said women dont report such behavior because they fear losing their jobs or other retaliation, and because they fear no one will believe them. She described two egregious cases.

One was at a meat-packing company where women on an assembly line worked for a male supervisor whod walk the line and brush himself against them.

Another case involved an older female employee on a night shift harassed by a younger male co-worker. Hed follow her to the restroom and wait outside the stall. One night, he tried to rape her.

Neither woman complained to their supervisors or Human Resources offices. The older woman didnt report it because, among other things, she thought no one would believe a younger man would be interested in her.

Even women who arent cornered for sexual favors suffer the behavior of bosses who hold power over them. Theyre judged by their appearance as if it were part of job performance or level of intelligence.

Such insidious supervisors hire, fire and promote as if casting a TV drama. They mistreat, conspire against or ignore female employees, males too, who dont fit a corporate image in his or her mind. Such workers are deemed less competent or unworthy of promotion or a raise in another form of discrimination the business world has yet to acknowledge, let alone tackle.

As retired city employee Beth Graham puts it, Apparently for a lot of people women are either beddable or invisible.

Barlow-Williams wishes things were different for young women today, especially after witnessing her teen daughter walk past a group of men who whistled and made obscene gestures. The clergywoman quickly caught up and asked if she was OK.

As Barlow-Williams recalls, her daughter said, Oh my gosh, mom, if you thought that was bad, you should walk down the hall at our high school.

The school doesnt allow girls to wear leggings or skirts more than a couple of inches above the knee. One administrator had the audacity to tell an assembly that girls who break dress codes distract male teachers and students.

OReilly knew thats how society works. He took advantage of the power Fox and his audience afforded him. So did Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who was finally ousted, too.

Barlow-Williams wisdom offers us hope  that when we have a society in which male teachers and students learn to respect women and girls and are held responsible for their own behavior, women and girls wont have to bravely walk past a salacious group of men or work up the courage to report them.

eayala@express-news.net
The image of Robert Godwin Sr. raising his arm and a flimsy plastic bag to shield himself from a gunshot was both terrifying and heartbreaking.

That image was also the bulk of the safe-for-TV edit of the images Godwins attacker, Steve Stephens, livestreamed on Facebook.

Stephens posted the random, fatal shooting of Godwin, and it was reported to have been on Facebook for more than two hours until Stephens account was disabled.

So, for two hours, Godwins killing was on Facebook for anybody who stumbled upon it to click and watch.

To question its authenticity. To share. To comment. To assign a weeping or angry emoticon. Whatever; it took a little more than two hours to flag and shut down the video of a grandfathers execution.

Just a little more than two hours.

The minds behind Facebook acknowledged that the organization needs to do more to avoid this kind of thing after criticism was tossed their way. They say theyre working on it.

This isnt just a case of springing out of the front porch swing after hearing the horse bolt from the barn; social media has been The New Thing for so long that its not really that new anymore, and that includes Facebook. Remember Friendster? Ask a high school student if he or she remembers Friendster.

And its not as if random violence is a product of the internet. Humans have been dehumanizing each other forever, although hours of analysis and spin did come along with the 24-hour news cycle.

Even livestreaming has been around awhile now.

So it stands to reason that the enterprising minds who gave us the power to livestream a giraffes live birth might have seen the possibility of something as terrible as Godwins execution coming before they gave everybody that power.

Its hard to think about the idea of those images being played over and over by random members of the Facebook community for more than two hours without thinking of Godwins sons and daughters and grandchildren. And the random Facebookers who reported the content as offensive. And the random gatekeeper on duty Easter Sunday who made the decision to shut it down.

For something as precise as a social media platform engineered to bring together a global community of millions, theres a lot of random going on.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook chairman and co-founder, has said that the aim of Facebook is to build community. In that spirit, the organization relies on the millions of pairs of eyes participating to police it by reporting what doesnt seem right. But thats not enough; that kind of reliance on the general public is what resulted in that window that lasted a little more than two hours.

If this seems like a tragedy that happened far away to a family in Ohio, it isnt; if you have a Facebook account, this happened to you. It happened to everyone with Instagram, Snapchat, whatever. It happened to all of us.

And if you understand why live TV broadcasts worked with a seven-second delay, you know that it wasnt random. We  and by we, I mean Americans who have been around long enough to remember Justin and Janet at the Super Bowl, and a streak at the Oscars  knew it could happen. Live broadcasts are unpredictable, and unpredictable can be very, very bad.

The minds behind Facebook are working on it, or so they say.

And theyll figure it out, even if what they learn is that they cant control the power that theyve given everyone, knowing full well that everyone cant control it. They might figure out they dont have a prayer of catching that horse. Theyll figure that out, eventually. After all, early man figured out ways to control fire without the help of a search engine.

But what is also certain is that a lot of us are going to get burned.
Kafie 1901 Cigars has announced that its first shipment from its new factory, Tabacalera G. Kafie y Cia has made it to the United states.

The company says it is awaiting FDA clearance before the cigars will be heading to its Brick and Mortar retailers. This month, plans are to distribute the Don Fernando Maduro and Kafie 1901 Connecticut. In June, the company will ship the Kafie 1901 Sumatra and Kafie 1901 San Andres.

Over the past 6 months we have been working diligently to build and assemble our new boutique cigar factory in Danli, Honduras. With the looming FDA regulations in place, and with a knot in my stomach we are coming out swinging. From the very first day back in July of 2013 that we founded Kafie 1901 Cigars, our dream and goal has always been to create Boutique Cigars which capture the attention of premium cigar connoisseurs. We have also stayed true to our mission to be loyal to brick and mortar establishments across the United States and abroad, commented company owner Dr Gaby Kafie in a press release.

The company also remains committed to supporting Cigar Rights of America through its Kafie 1901 Coffee line where it donates a portion of the proceeds to that organization.

It was back in February when Dr. Kafie announced the opening of his own factory, Tabacalera G. Kafie y Cia. The factory is located in Danli, Honduras.
Last week, we chose the type of fencing and material best suited to your farming needs. This week, we have safety guidelines for those of you that selected electric fencing.

10 safety tips for installing electric fences

1. Connect only one energizer to a fence.

2. Under unusual fault conditions, electric fences can produce sparks, so keep fences away from combustible materials. When droughts and other conditions create a high risk of wildfires, operate energizers on low power if they are equipped with that option, or turn energizers off.

3. Grounds for energizers should be at least 65 feet from utility grounding fields.

4. Avoid running fences parallel to power lines, and try to install fences so that they cross power lines at right angles.

If you cant avoid parallel electric fences and power lines, offset the fences at least 30 feet from the power lines, and make sure the top fence wires are no more than 6 feet high.

5. Do not attach fence wires to utility poles.

6. Landowners are responsible for preventing audible interference with telephone lines. Avoid installing electric fences under telephone wires, and minimize the distance that electric fence wires run parallel to underground telephone cables.

7. Keep electric fences as far away from radio antennas as possible.

8. Dont touch fences with your head or mouth. People with pacemakers or other heart problems also should consult their doctors before working with or near electric fences. No humans or animals have died from electric, grazing-system fences without becoming entangled in them, however, some precautions are necessary.

9. Never use barbed wire for electric fence wire because people or animals could more easily become entangled in it.

10. Post warning signs at least every 300 feet where the public has access to electric fences, such as along roads.

(Farm and Dairy is featuring a series of 101 columns throughout the year to help young and beginning farmers master farm living. From finances to management to machinery repair and animal care, farmers do it all.)

More Farming 101 columns:
More Information

To donate to the Mount Pleasant Baptist Churchs rebuilding fund, visit gofundme.com/q3be24 or call 703-754-4685 for more information.

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church invites the community to a Unity Through Partnership community town hall event at noon on Saturday, April 29 at 14019 Glenkirk Road in Gainesville. The fourth annual event will include discussions with local, county and state representatives.
"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth."



Plato





"This country has shed more blood for the freedom of other people than all the other nations in the history of the world combined, and I'm tired of people feeling like they've got to apologize for America."

Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN)







In a time of universal deceit  telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

George Orwell, the author of 1984







"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.""Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.""A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example."Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.
Charlotte Gainsbourg's sister told her not to cover up the dark circles under her eyes.

Charlotte Gainsbourg

The 45-year-old actress has admitted she always used to use concealer to hide the darker area on her face, but her sibling Kate Barry, encouraged her to ditch the make-up to embrace her natural beauty because she thought she looked more "handsome" showing off her true aesthetic.

Speaking about her insecurities and the person who encouraged her to change her ways to Elle magazine: "I used to hide my dark under-eye circle, but my sister changed that. She told me they were handsome on a woman."

Although the star's family always told her she was beautiful she never believed it herself, however, she has since grown into her skin and feels "more comfortable" about her appearance.

She explained: "My relationship with beauty has changed over the years. Growing up, I didn't think of myself as beautiful, but now I'm much more comfortable in my own skin."

And the 'La Piscine' star has revealed she follows the same beauty routine as her mother Jane Birkin, 70, and relies on Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre to remove her make-up.

She said: "My skincare routine is made up of French pharmacy brands - simple and great quality. I love Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, which my mother has used as a make-up remover since I was a child; the smell is so familiar.

"I also use Avene Tolerance Extreme Cream and Biologique Recherche [lotion]."

Charlotte has also teamed up with cosmetics company NARS on a new lip tint product, and the star has admitted she felt "flattered" to be asked to collaborate with the prestigious label.

She explained: "I was so flattered when [make-up artist] Francois Nars asked me to create a collection for NARS. I wanted to explore things that felt true to me, and he championed the NARS Charlotte Gainsbourg Lip Tint in Ephelide."
With plenty of bank holidays around the corner and summer on the horizon, many of us will be setting off across the UK for mini-breaks and trips to see relatives. One of the best parts of a trip is dining out, but it can be frustrating to find limited vegan options in an area youre not familiar with. Thankfully, the number of restaurants with vegan menus is growing across the country and many make for fantastic visits for eager British travellers. Here we speak to easyCar.coms Morgan Young, to find out his favourite city destinations with vibrant vegan restaurants.

Vegan on Female First

Brighton

Brighton is known for being one the most veggie-friendly towns in Britain, and rest assured you will have various restaurants to choose from, including Terre a Terre, a restaurant with a as one of the best in the UK. The restaurant is incredibly accommodating with a huge range of vegan options and the ability to substitute many dishes, as well as an extensive vegan wine list.

Iydea is a counter service vegetarian restaurant where you can build your perfect plate or box of food from all the vegan offers of the day. Half of the main courses offered are vegan, with typical offerings including sweet potato lasagna, Thai curry or nutty vegetable crumble. This is a must-visit when stopping in town.

London

Of course, the capital is bound to offer more options than anywhere else and with around 50 exclusively vegan restaurants throughout the city, London has more vegan establishments than anywhere else in the UK.

One of the best places to go is Vantra Vitao on Oxford Street, almost next door to Tottenham Court Road tube station. It offers raw and cooked vegan dishes, and a buffet in a small and cosy plant-filled cafe.

If you are with a group of friends who are not vegans themselves, SAGAR would be an ideal choice. SAGAR is a branch of four vegetarian South Indian restaurants all over London and have a large separate a la carte vegan menu. The portions are decently sized and they even sell various types of vegan wine.

If you are looking for an option a little way from the hustle and bustle of the main city, head to Hackney to find the Black Cat Cafe, which offers vibrant well-proportioned and great-looking vegan dishes, from dirty vegan burgers with sweet potato chips to fantastic soy milkshakes, curries and cakes. Additionally, you can find a large assortment of vegan ingredients to buy and use at home.

Manchester

Manchester is proud of its vegan credentials and is home to some brilliant restaurants offering great tasting food, like the The Allotment, a restaurant that prides itself on bringing veganism into your life without sacrificing taste. The options are endless at this establishment and the ambiance is perfect for a night out eating and drinking with friends.

In addition to the The Allotment, Bistro 1847 offers various delicious options for vegans and makes dining out an easier and enjoyable experience. Its a great place to visit with a group of friends and has sister restaurants across the country in Birmingham, Bristol and Brighton.

Glasgow

Glasgow certainly has more vegan eateries than most cities and leads the way in Scotland.

One of the best places to go in Glasgow is Mono, a multi-functional vegan restaurant that not only offers a variety of vegan delights, but also hosts several events and exhibitions.

Cosily tucked away into Renefield Lane in Glasgows city centre is Stereo, a fantastic vegan restaurant, with plenty of delicious options, doubling as a late-night bar and club venue with regular DJ hosts.
Actress Kangana Ranaut said 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.



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.



Kangana will also be seen in Hansal Mehta's 'Simran' which is scheduled to release later this year.
Thomas D'Innocenzi, founder of Nova Advisors, has entered into an agreement to represent VT Group to US outdoor apparel and sportswear brands. VT Group with multiple manufacturing locations in Myanmar and Thailand is based in Bangkok and has a 35-year history providing OEM and ODM manufacturing in outdoor and sportswear apparel to top labels worldwide.

"The needs of the US consumer in outdoor and sportswear apparel that is durable and leading-edge in functionality and style requires an OEM/ODM manufacturer with proven capability in excellent manufacturing technology and rapid response to keep their brand buyer profitable," explained principal consultant Thomas D'Innocenzi.

"The management of VT Group is founded on the principals of sustainability. These principals are based on customer satisfaction, high quality, high social commitment and operational profitability. With multiple locations throughout Southeast Asia they are providing real value to their customers. They have the capability and capacity to take on more contracts, and Nova Advisors will make US brands and buyers aware of this unique opportunity," Thomas D'Innocenzi said.

Thomas D'Innocenzi, founder of Nova Advisors, has entered into an agreement to represent VT Group to US outdoor apparel and sportswear brands. VT Group with multiple manufacturing locations in Myanmar and Thailand is based in Bangkok and has a 35-year history providing OEM and ODM manufacturing in outdoor and sportswear apparel to top labels worldwide.#

Chalumpon Lotharukpong, managing director of VT Group explained "VT Group has made significant investments in operations and the quality of staff to provide apparel customers the very best value globally. In addition, manufacturing facilities have been expanded in Southeast Asia to provide best value. VT Group partners with customers to provide full capability in apparel design and manufacturing. The success of VT Group is based on strict adherence and certifications in sustainability and social responsibility coupled with continued investment in technology and lean manufacturing. VT Group strives to be the world class partner of choice for outdoor and sportswear apparel design and manufacturing."

VT Group specialises in outerwear and sportswear ranging from jackets, functional clothes, to jogging suits, shorts, and vests. Its current capacity is over 182,000 pieces per month. All production is in-house including welding, laser cutting, embroidery and screen printing. VT Group handles a variety of fabrics from knit to woven to fleece to softshell with technical features.

Thomas D'Innocenzi of Nova Advisors serves as a global marketing and branding advisor to VT Group providing support in Thailand and the United States. In addition, Nova Advisors assists VT Group in market research, sustainability, sourcing and supply chain optimisation. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) shows the strength and resolve of the federal structure. Consensus on GST will go down in history as a great illustration of cooperative federalism and the tax reform reflects the spirit of 'One nation, One aspiration, One determination', added the Prime Minister.

PM Modi said this while delivering the opening remarks at the third meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog. He also gave credit to all Chief Ministers for coming on one platform for this cause, keeping aside ideological and political differences.

The Prime Minister also reiterated that the legislative arrangements at the state-level for GST should be put in place without delay.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) shows the strength and resolve of the federal structure. Consensus on GST will go down in history as a great illustration of cooperative federalism and the tax reform reflects the spirit of 'One nation, One aspiration, One determination', added the Prime Minister.#

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia made a presentation on GST at the meeting, explaining the benefits of the system and the way forward. He urged the Chief Ministers to expedite the enactment of State GST Acts. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Indian and Kazakhstan are deliberating upon increasing cooperation in textiles sector and exploring export of raw cotton from South Kazakhstan to India for processing in Indian enterprises. The issues were discussed by the Kazakh-Indian Joint Working Group for cooperation in textiles during April 20-21, 2017 in the southern Kazakhstan city of Shymkent.

It was the fourth meeting of the joint working group on textile. The talks were organised with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in India and the Mayors office of the South Kazakhstan region, according to an agency report.

The two sides also exchanged views on the possibility of Indias participation in strengthening and development of light industry in the region. The Indian delegation also interacted with businessmen of the South Kazakhstan region, the report said.

Indian and Kazakhstan are deliberating upon increasing cooperation in textiles sector and exploring export of raw cotton from South Kazakhstan to India for processing in Indian enterprises. The issues were discussed by the Kazakh-Indian Joint Working Group for cooperation in textiles during April 20-21, 2017 in the southern Kazakhstan city of Shymkent.#

The five-member Indian delegation was led by Subrata Gupta, joint secretary in the ministry of textiles and co-chair of the JWG. The 11-member Kazakh side was led by B Jamalov, deputy Akim (governor) of the South Kazakhstan region, and co-chairman of the JWG. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
During his address at the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalitions (CPLC) High-Level Assembly, Fijian Attorney-General and Minister Responsible for Climate Change, Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, urged priority be given to climate change adaptation for small states as opposed to the adoption of carbon pricing, given their negligible carbon footprints.



The CPLC Assembly took place as part of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. The CPLC was founded in December 2015 and includes more than 200 partners, including 27 governments and 132 companies. The Coalition is designed to bring together leaders from across Government, the private sector and civil society to share experiences working with carbon pricing and to expand the evidence base for the most effective carbon pricing systems and policies.



At the Assembly, Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum said that climate adaptation and access to climate finance would be key parts of Fiji's agenda for its upcoming presidency of the United Nations negotiations on climate change (COP 23).



The Fijian presidency of COP 23 will work together with all parties involved to drive action on increasing access to climate adaptation finance, and work to change the current permutation of mitigation and adaptation finance. We need to re-look at climate finance architecture and re-evaluate the onerous and often impractical conditions of accessing climate finance, he said.



Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum assured the Fijian Presidencys commitment to expedite work on the Rulebook of the Paris Agreement and the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue, and move the Global Climate Action Agenda forward together with all state parties including civil society and the private sector.



Given the current uncertain dynamics in the climate change political discourse, it is incumbent on the Fijian Presidency to galvanise everyone to ensure the success of the Paris Agreement, which marks an unprecedented political recognition of the risks of climate change, he said



This years CPLC Assembly evaluated global progress on implementing carbon pricing, launched the CPLC Strategy for 2017 and identified new strategic issues for the global community  such as the link between carbon pricing, fiscal policy and climate risk.



Following the CPLC Assembly, Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum met with the French Minister of the Environment, Energy and Marine Affairs, responsible for Climate Relations, Ms Segolene Royal, who played a leading role in the finalisation of the Paris Agreement as the President of COP 21.
I Am Speaking As A Co-Artiste

"I speak not as a father but as a co-artiste. And while I am supposedly a great actor, she has proved she can do things I never could. I can happily say Sonakshi Sinha has managed to make a very difficult part look easy."

It's Not Easy To Play Someone So Sloppy

''It's not easy to play someone so sloppy and so full of herself," said Shatrughan, confessing that he watched his daughter's performance nervously.

I Thought She Would Slip Up

Directed by Sunhil Sippy, Noor is based on Saba Imtiaz's novel ''Karachi, You're Killing Me!". "As I watched her performance I thought she would slip up and stumble.But Sonakshi kept the character going on an even graph even when the character was making one mistake after another. I applaud Sonakshi's performance because as an actor I know how difficult her role is," said the proud father.

Does He See A Growth In Her Performance?

"Oh yes! The kind of roles. To bring so much dignity into the role of such a clumsy character is not easy. I think this is Sonakshi's best performance since Lootera. I had been bowled over by my daughter in Lootera. Again, I am impressed by what she has done in Noor."

It Was Salman Khan Who Had Predicted Sonakshi's Stardom.

"During Dabangg, Salman had said Sonakshi will be such a big star that every girl in the audience would want to be like her. Now in Noor, she plays such an aspirational character. She portrays the uncertainties of a young city girl trying to find her bearings with such sensitivity. Every working girl would identify with her."
Rajat Tokas was recently in news for his link-up rumours with his on-screen pair Tanu Khan, who plays Chandragupta's consort Helena on the show Chandra Nandini.

It was said that Rajat and Tanu are inseparable and they spent time in each other's vanity vans and even leave the sets together after pack-up. There were also rumours which stated the actor spent a night out with his on-screen love. Rajat has squashed the rumours and lashed out at media for false news. He wrote a series of tweets....

Rajat Tokas Responds To The Rumours Of His Link-up "To me, there's no such thing as cyber bullying as if someone's hurting anyone's sentiment by being negative, then just simply avoid that." Rajat Tokas Lashes Out At Media "Journalism lately: I breathe air; Media: " Breaking news! Rajat tokas high on oxygen !! " Great job guys hahah." Rajat Says He Can Even File A Defamation Case! "I can easily react and have a nice defamation case filed but then again. It's all pointless as they'll be happy knowing that they've hurt me." Rajat Is Here To Stay "Of which, now since am calm and in my peace, no one has power to do so. Nothing can or ever will stop me from doing my work. Am here to stay." Rajat Annoyed With Rumours "Worst part of these fake allegations and rumours is people don't remember a person proving his innocence but only the gossip and drama. Sad." Rajats Recent Tweet "Creating a landmark. Making a statement. Battling their way to the top and surviving their post. Bringing something new to the table."

His tweets clearly say that Rajat is upset and annoyed with the rumours.

Rajat married his long-term girlfriend Srishti Nayyar in 2015, in a private ceremony. Shrishti is a theatre artiste and was earlier dating actor Arya Babbar, the two had called it quits a few months after announcing marriage.

Shrishti was often spotted with Rajat during shooting on the sets of Jodha Akbar.

The actor is shy and stays away from media and fans. He had said, "I want the world to recall me by my various characters. No one knows Rajat Tokas and he is not important enough to be remembered. But each of my character should leave a mark on my audience's mind. And that is what I intend to do. This is the reason why I choose to stay away from interacting with media and my viewers."

Rajat Tokas became household name with his role of Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar/Akbar from the show Jodha Akbar. He was previously seen in Naagin Season 1 as Nevla/Kabir, which was a negative role.


WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen AG (VKW.L, VLKAF.PK, VOW.BE) was sentenced in federal court in Detroit today after pleading guilty on March 10, 2017, to three felony counts of: conspiracy to defraud the United States, engage in wire fraud, and violate the Clean Air Act; obstruction of justice; and importation of merchandise by means of false statements. During the sentencing hearing, the court accepted the parties' plea agreement, which requires VW to pay a $2.8 billion penalty stemming from the company's decade-long scheme to sell diesel vehicles containing software designed to cheat on U.S. emissions tests.



The U.S.Department of Justice said that U.S. District Judge Sean F. Cox of the Eastern District of Michigan accepted the plea agreement, resulting in VW's conviction on three felony charges. VW was convicted, first, of participating in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and its U.S. customers and to violate the Clean Air Act by lying and misleading the EPA and U.S. customers about whether certain VW, Audi and Porsche branded diesel vehicles complied with U.S. emissions standards. Moreover, the company used cheating software to circumvent the U.S. testing process, and concealed material facts about its cheating from U.S. regulators. Second, VW was convicted of obstruction of justice for destroying documents related to the scheme. And third, VW was convicted of importing these cars into the United States by means of false statements about the vehicles' compliance with emissions limits.



As part of the plea agreement, VW will pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty to the U.S. and fully cooperate in the government's ongoing investigation and prosecution of individuals responsible for these crimes. The parties also announced that the government had selected Larry D. Thompson as an independent corporate compliance monitor who will oversee the company during its three-year term of probation. Thompson is a former Deputy U.S. Attorney General. His team includes experts in automotive regulatory compliance, as well as the corporate monitors for Deutsche Bank in the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) manipulation prosecution and Duke Energy in the coal ash environmental prosecution.



Along with the January 2017 plea agreement, the United States also announced separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and financial claims, in which VW agreed to pay an additional $1.5 billion to settle EPA's claim for civil penalties in connection with the importation and sale of these cars, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) claims for customs fraud. In addition, that agreement requires injunctive relief to prevent future violations. The agreements also resolved alleged violations of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA).



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Galantas Gold Corporation ("Galantas" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GAL)(AIM: GAL) has received notification that the Police Service of Northern Ireland ("PSNI") will not provide its required anti-terrorism cover in regard to blasting operations required for mine development at the Omagh Gold Mine.

The PSNI requires that it supervises transportation and use of certain rock breaking materials and explosives at the Omagh Gold Mine. This is due to the potential terrorist use of those materials and is a requirement of PSNI specific to Northern Ireland. The PSNI provide anti-terrorist cover for the transportation and use of blasting materials throughout Northern Ireland. Explosives are widely used in quarries and one other operating underground mine. The Company understands that no charges are made to the quarries or the other operating underground mine in Northern Ireland for PSNI anti-terrorism cover.

The Company has been told that, due to PSNI resource constraints and competing priorities, PSNI is currently only prepared to provide anti-terrorism cover for a maximum of a 2 hour period, 2 days per week. It will also require a cost recovery agreement. Two, 2 hour periods per week is insufficient to sustain the development or operation of the Omagh Gold Mine.

The Company disagreed with the principle of costs recovery for anti-terrorism policing but advised PSNI that the Company was prepared to enter into a costs recovery agreement, without prejudice to its legal remedies in that respect, for a 2 hour period, 5 days per week. Although PSNI provided the costs analysis for the 5 day and 2 hour period anti-terrorism cover, which was agreed without prejudice, the PSNI has refused to provide the cover, citing competing priorities. The Company has been advised that others have recently been provided in excess of this amount of anti-terrorism cover and without a cost recovery agreement. The Company has sought to discuss the issue at the highest levels of command in PSNI and the Northern Ireland Office but engagement has so far been declined.

The Company whole-heartedly supports PSNI and its officers in its laudable objective of maintaining peace, law and order in Northern Ireland in difficult circumstances. However, the Company believes it is improper of PSNI to act in a discriminatory manner against a lawful business. The Company has been given no alternative other than to pursue its legal options, which may include seeking substantial compensation for the costs of delays.

The Omagh Gold Mine has an operational processing plant and tailings facility with an excellent environmental record. The plant uses a non-toxic, froth flotation process, without the use of cyanide or mercury and produces a gold concentrate which is exported for smelting. The remaining tailing sands are clean and free from acid drainage. The plant is on stand-by awaiting ore from underground development. The underground mine development expected to create 130 jobs plus others in service industries associated with the development.

Discussions, in regard to potential redundancies, with mine personnel recently hired for the development, are taking place. New hiring and the current investment program has been deferred.

Roland Phelps, President & CEO, Galantas Gold Corporation said, "The PSNI's decision is clearly a blow to any proposed mine development in Northern Ireland and negatively affects the livelihoods of our employees and their families. The Company pays full UK taxes, royalties and mineral license fees. A cost benefit analysis of PSNI providing the required anti-terrorism cover required by PSNI is hugely to the state's benefit - not that this is any reason to allow a potential terrorist threat to interfere with any citizen's lawful rights or business."

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

Contacts:

Enquiries: Galantas Gold Corporation

L. Jack Gunter P.Eng

Chairman

(UK) +44 (0) 2882 241100



Galantas Gold Corporation

Roland Phelps C.Eng

President & CEO

(UK) +44 (0) 2882 241100

info@galantas.com

www.galantas.com



Grant Thornton UK LLP (Nomad)

Philip Secrett, Richard Tonthat

+44(0)20 7383 5100



Whitman Howard Ltd (Broker & Corporate Adviser)

Nick Lovering, Grant Barker

+44(0)20 7659 1234






CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro strengthened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, as investors reacted positively to the outcome of the first round of the French presidential elections that came in on expected lines erasing fears that the country may leave the European union.



Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen have won the first round of the French presidential election, triggering a runoff on May 7, according to projections by polling agencies and official partial results.



Last Friday, the euro had fallen 0.11 percent against the pound, 0.09 percent against the U.S. dollar, 0.21 percent against the franc and 0.23 percent against the yen.



In the Asian trading, the euro rose to 6-day high of 0.8499 against the pound and nearly a 4-week high of 120.33 against the yen, from last week's closing quotes of 0.8373 and 116.87, respectively. If the euro extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 0.86 against the pound and 122.00 against the yen.



The euro advanced to nearly a 1-1/2-month high of 1.0825 against the Swiss franc and a 3-1/2-month high of 1.4438 against the Australian dollar, from Friday's closing quotes of 1.0679 and 1.4204, respectively. The euro may test resistance near 1.09 against the franc and 1.47 against the aussie.



Against the U.S., the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the euro climbed to 5-1/2-month highs of 1.0918, 1.5494 and 1.4689 from last week's closing quotes of 1.0725, 1.5235 and 1.4465, respectively. On the upside, 1.13 against the greenback, against the kiwi and against the loonie are seen as the next resistance levels for the euro.



Looking ahead, German IFO business climate index for April is due to be released at 4:00 am ET.



In the New York session, Canada wholesale sales data for February and China Conference Board 's leading economic index are slated for release.



At 11:30 am ET, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari is expected to speak at the University of California, in Los Angeles.



Subsequently, Fed's Kashkari is expected to speak at Claremont McKenna College at 3:15 pm ET.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Polyphor announces two oral and six poster presentations plus a press conference at the 27th ECCMID Congress, Vienna

EQS Group-News: Polyphor AG / Schlagwort(e): Konferenz Polyphor announces two oral and six poster presentations plus a press conference at the 27th ECCMID Congress, Vienna 20.04.2017 / 13:33

Polyphor announces two oral and six poster presentations plus a press conference at the 27th ECCMID Congress, Vienna

Allschwil, Switzerland, 20 April, 2017. Polyphor announces today its presence at ECCMID with two oral and six poster presentations on Murepavadin (POL7080) and POL7001 as well as a press conference.

Dr Glenn Dale, Head of Early Development, Antimicrobials, Polyphor, and Dr Anouk Muller, Medical Microbiology, Medisch Centrum Haaglanden, The Hague, will give two oral presentations illustrating new data for Murepavadin (POL7080), a novel Pseudomonas specific antibiotic being developed for nosocomial pneumonia.

- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Murepavadin (POL7080) in neutropenic lung infection models

- Population pharmacokinetics of Murepavadin (POL7080) and Monte Carlo simulations to develop clinical dosing regimens, including the renally impaired

The presentations will take place during the session OS201: PK/PD: "What you need to learn from new and old-revived antibiotics" on Tuesday 25th April, at 13.30-15.30 CET in Hall K.

In addition, five poster presentations on Murepavadin (POL7080) and one on POL7001 will take place on Monday 24th April at 12.30- 13.30 CET, sessions PO063 and PO068.

- In vitro drug transporter interaction studies with the outer membrane protein targeting antibiotic Murepavadin (POL7080): Poster 2822

- Catabolism and Excretion of the Anti-Pseudomonal Peptidomimetic Murepavadin (POL7080) in Humans: Poster 2748

- Population pharmacokinetics modeling of Murepavadin (POL7080) and simulation of target attainment in a population with ventilator-associated pneumonia due to infection with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: Poster 2729

- Pharmacokinetic and efficacy analysis of Murepavadin (POL7080) co-administered with standard-of-care (SoC) in a phase II study in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due to suspected or documented Pseudomonas Aeruginosa infection: Poster 2720

- Pharmacokinetics of Murepavadin (POL7080) and amikacin in a drugdrug interaction study in healthy subjects: Poster 2670

- POL7001 is highly efficacious in the murine neutropenic lung infection model: Poster 2708

In addition, Polyphor will hold, a press conference, 'New hope in the battle against antibiotic resistance - addressing a healthcare emergency', on Monday 24th April, 18:15-19:15 CET at Room Krieau 2, Courtyard by Marriott Vienna Prater/Messe, Trabrennstrae 4, 1020, Vienna.

Dr. Glenn Dale stated "We are pleased to have a significant presence at ECCMID, a prestigious congress. We look forward to sharing new data with our colleagues from across the globe and to demonstrate our commitment to addressing pseudomonas infections and antibiotic resistance, one of the most serious health threats of our time."

About Polyphor

Polyphor is a clinical stage, privately held Swiss specialty pharma company, focused on the development of macrocycle drugs that address antibiotic resistance and severe respiratory diseases. The company's lead drug candidates include:

- Murepavadin (POL7080, in Phase II entering Phase III / Pivotal registration program), a precision Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotic (OMPTA) against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.

- POL6014 (in Phase Ib), an inhaled inhibitor of neutrophil elastase for the treatment of cystic fibrosis and other severe lung diseases.

- Balixafortide (POL6326, in Phase Ib), an antagonist of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 for combination treatment in oncology.

Polyphor has discovered the OMPTA class and is further developing it, including a broad-spectrum preclinical candidate, to address infections caused by difficult-to-treat, resistant Gram-negative pathogens - one of the most pressing emerging medical needs. The OMPTA represent the first new class of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria reaching advanced clinical stage in the last 40 years.

In addition, Polyphor has an important activity of discovery technology partnerships to assist pharma companies in research programs addressing difficult targets through its proprietary macrocycle technology platform.

Polyphor has several industry partnerships with and financing from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Taisho and the Wellcome Trust.

Contact:

Catherine Hof Jo Hewitt Corporate Communications Director

Polyphor Ltd HAVAS Just:: Tel: +41 61 567 16 00 Tel: +44 208 877 8421

Email: [1]PR@polyphor.com Email: [1]jo@justhealthcomms.com

1. mailto:jo@justhealthcomms.com 1. mailto:jo@justhealthcomms.com

Zusatzmaterial zur Meldung:

Dokument: http://n.eqs.com/c/fncls.ssp?u=KTEEAJNCMN Dokumenttitel: Poyphor_ECCM Congress

Ende der Medienmitteilung

565917 20.04.2017

AXC0130 2017-04-20/13:34
One of the world's largest B2B trade platforms is officially available on the Google Play Store

BizVibe, the world's smartest B2B marketplace, today announced that their B2B trade marketplace platform is now officially available for Android. This comes on the heels of their iOS launch which was announced on April 11, 2017. Users can now search and connect with over seven million companies, from over 70 countries, in over 700 industries on both operating systems.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170424006510/en/

BizVibe is now available for download on the Google Play Store (Graphic: Business Wire)

BizVibe is excited to deliver cutting edge technology and unique features to Android users that will help businesses connect and enable trade. The advanced search algorithm capabilities rolled out in this app connects like-minded business with each other, enabling users to generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly. This feature is engaging and easily allows users to search, connect, and chat with others in real time, getting rid of the uncertainty usually felt when finding a potential new trade partner.

With a single-minded focus of making networking easier, the BizVibe mobile app for Android users includes:

Company Profile: Create a customized company profile and provide information about your business, making it easier for BizVibe to connect you with the right company. Your company profile will also boost organic traffic to your company website.

Create a customized company profile and provide information about your business, making it easier for BizVibe to connect you with the right company. Your company profile will also boost organic traffic to your company website. Search: BizVibe's advanced match making search algorithm employs cutting edge technology and provides a full set of inbuilt tools that will continue to be developed in order to make your business life easier.

BizVibe's employs cutting edge technology and provides a full set of inbuilt tools that will continue to be developed in order to make your business life easier. BizScore: Search 7 million+ global businesses and 700+ categories sorted using our proprietary scoring system algorithm that takes several factors like revenue, employees, activity, responsiveness and more to arrive at a simple rating system.

Search 7 million+ global businesses and 700+ categories sorted using our proprietary scoring system algorithm that takes several factors like revenue, employees, activity, responsiveness and more to arrive at a simple rating system. BizStream: Create targeted lists, pin companies and download data using a customized newsfeed catered to your profile, industry and category.

Create targeted lists, pin companies and download data using a customized newsfeed catered to your profile, industry and category. BizSource: Buy and sell within a global b2b community using a full set of sourcing and prospecting tools that combine research, posting quotations and receiving quotes, as well as contacting buyers and sellers around the world.

This new and free app from BizVibe is now available on the Google Play Store and requires Android 4.1 and up.

The BizVibe app is now available at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bizvibe.app

About BizVibe

BizVibe is home to over 7 million+ company profiles across 700+ categories. The single-minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto, and has offices in London, Bangalore and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170424006510/en/

Contacts:

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

BizVibe Media Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.com
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (CSE: TBP) (OTCQB: GRPOF), today announced that it has accelerated its sales strategy by entering into an employment agreement with Denis Courchesne as Vice President, Sales, effective Monday, May 1, 2017.

Mr. Courchesne has over 25 years' sales and management experience in the retail environment working for various companies such as Evian Spring Water (Danone) and Pfizer Canada.

In the last 15 years, he has been working in both the pharmacy and health food channels where he successfully held positions in Quebec as National Sales Manager. In his previous companies, he rapidly reorganized the sales forces enabling the teams to outperform their sales and profit objectives. Since 2010 Mr. Courchesne has been working as an independent consultant helping various brands in many aspects of their business such as marketing, strategy and goal establishment while enabling them to solidify their presence at store level.

"We are most pleased to welcome Mr. Courchesne to the team as we are focused on building Tetra as a leading bio-pharmaceutical organization," said Andre Rancourt, CEO of Tetra Bio-Pharma. "Mr. Courchesne has repeatedly demonstrated his skills as a natural leader that will allow Tetra to build our Agro Tek natural health division and drive strong revenue growth for the organization. The great relations he has successfully built over his career specifically in Canadian pharmacies will allow Tetra to accelerate placement of our products and ultimately drive stronger sales moving forward."

About Tetra Bio Pharma:

Tetra Bio Pharma is a multi subsidiary publicly traded company (CSE: TBP) (OTCQB: GRPOF) engaged in the development of Bio Pharmaceuticals and Natural Health Products containing Cannabis and other medicinal plant based elements.

Tetra Bio Pharma is focused on combining the traditional methods of medicinal cannabis use with the supporting scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators physicians and insurance companies. More information is available about the company at: www.tetrabiopharma.com.

The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") has not reviewed this news release and does not accept responsibility for its adequacy or accuracy.

Forward-looking statements

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential acquisitions and financings) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., to obtain a licence for the production of medical marijuana; failure to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company's business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

Contacts:

Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.

Edward Miller

Vice President, IR & Corporate Communications

edward@tetrabiopharma.com

(343) 689-0714




SUDBURY, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Northern Superior Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Northern Superior") (TSX VENTURE: SUP) is pleased to announce the addition of Mr. David Beilhartz to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Beilhartz was nominated by 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a company controlled by Eric Sprott, in accordance with the terms of his $2 million investment in Northern Superior completed March 2nd, 2017 (see Northern Superior press release, March 2nd, 2017).

Dr. T.F. Morris, President and CEO of Northern Superior states: "I could not be more pleased to have someone with Mr. Beilhartz's geological expertise and knowledge joining this Board. Having known Mr. Beilhartz for a very long time, I am very familiar with his work and many accomplishments, and I look forward to his input into all our programs. The placement of Mr. Beilhartz onto the Board further adds to the tremendous strength and breadth of experience of the Company's new Board of Directors (see Northern Superior press release, November 22, 2016)."

The Company has also revised the way in which it compensates independent directors. Each director will now be paid a fee of $20,000 per annum. In addition, the Chairman of the Board and the Chairman of the Audit Committee will each receive an additional sum of $5,000 and all fees will be paid quarterly, in arrears. Subject to exchange approval, one-half of the independent directors' fees will be paid in common shares of the Company and if so approved, the number of shares issuable will be determined based on the closing price of the Company's shares on the date such fees are payable.

Northern Superior also announces the granting of 9,600,000 incentive stock options to directors and officers of the company. Each option is exercisable at a price of $0.065 per share for a period of five years, subject to regulatory approval.

About Northern Superior

Northern Superior is a reporting issuer in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol SUP.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Northern Superior Resources Inc.

Thomas F. Morris PGeo., PhD., FGAC

President and CEO

(705) 525-0992

(705) 525-7701 (FAX)

info@nsuperior.com

www.nsuperior.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) congratulates the Ontario New Democratic Party on its recent announcement to create the province's first universal Pharma Care program if elected in 2018. According to the plan, all Ontarians, including the 2.2 million people that are currently without prescription drug coverage in the province, are expected to have prescription drug coverage by 2020.

"Progress requires bold vision," said OFL President Chris Buckley. "If we truly want to create an Ontario that is decent, fair, and equitable, then we must ensure that everyone has access to essential medications - regardless of where they work and how much they earn. With the decline in full-time and permanent work, and the corresponding increase in insecure work, fewer Ontarians have access to workplace benefits, including prescription drug coverage."

According to the Wellesley Institute, 27 per cent of part-time workers in Canada had employer provided medical benefits relative to 73 per cent of full-time workers. One in three workers in Ontario do not receive employer-provided medical or dental benefits, and workers with low earnings are far less likely to receive benefits than those with higher earnings.

"More than 80 per cent of insecure jobs in Ontario do not receive any benefits including vision, dental, and prescription drug coverage. Workers and families are forced to delay - or bypass - essential health and dental care. This is simply unacceptable. The reality of Ontario's working class requires immediate action," said Buckley.

The OFL called for an expansion of universal social programs and public services, including child care, housing, pharma care, post-secondary education, social and community services, and public pensions, as recently as its 2017 pre-budget submission.

The OFL's www.MakeItFair.ca campaign takes on issues of inequality in the workforce, and coincides with the province's "Changing Workplaces Review." The campaign gives voice to unions' demands for across-the-board changes to the Employment Standards Act and the Labour Relations Act that would improve standards for every worker and make it easier for them to join a union.

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit http://www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter

Contacts:

OFL Acting Director of Government Relations and

Liaison to the President

Rob Halpin

(cell) 416-707-9014

rhalpin@ofl.ca




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/25/17 -- (TSX: CMR) (TSX: CMR.A) -

BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited ("BlackRock Canada"), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final May 2017 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on May 26, 2017 will receive cash distributions payable on May 31, 2017.

Details regarding the final "per unit" distribution amounts are as follows:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash Distribution Fund Name Fund Ticker Per Unit ($) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR 0.02084 ---------------------------------------- CMR.A 0.00908 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at www.blackrock.com/ca.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a global leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients. At March 31, 2017, BlackRock's AUM was US$5.4 trillion. BlackRock helps clients around the world meet their goals and overcome challenges with a range of products that include separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares (exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions. As of March 31, 2017, the firm had approximately 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries and a major presence in global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com/ca / Twitter: @BlackRockCA / Blog: www.blackrockblog.com/can

About iShares ETFs

iShares is a global leader in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with more than a decade of expertise and commitment to individual and institutional investors of all sizes. With over 700 funds globally across multiple asset classes and strategies and more than US$1.4 trillion in assets under management as of March 31, 2017, iShares helps clients around the world build the core of their portfolios, meet specific investment goals and implement market views. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock, trusted to manage more money than any other investment firm(1).

(1) Based on US$5.4 trillion in AUM as of 3/31/17

iShares ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Contacts:

Contact for Media:

Maeve Hannigan

T - 416-643-4058

Email: Maeve.Hannigan@blackrock.com




OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/02/17 -- Today, Don Head, the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), made the following statement on the tabling of the Correctional Investigator of Canada's report, Fatal Response: An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines.

"On behalf of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), I want to express our deepest and sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Matthew Hines on the tragic loss of their loved one. I also want to apologize to Mr. Hines' family for the inaccurate information that was shared with them at the time of his death. Our thoughts continue to be with them as we work to create meaningful change in response to the issues that contributed to Mr. Hines' death.

We recognize there were significant areas of concern with respect to the use of force against Mr. Hines and with the overall response to his medical distress situation that concluded with his death. Mr. Hines' death, as with any other death in custody, was an unfortunate tragedy and in this case possibly could have been prevented if there had been a series of different responses on May 26, 2015. We want to assure Mr. Hines' family and friends, and all Canadians, that CSC takes every death in custody seriously, and we are committed to making sure the important lessons learned from his death are engrained in our response to similar situations in the future.

The Correctional Investigator's report provides additional insight and recommendations that will build on our ongoing action plan and the corrective measures we have already taken following our Board of Investigation report into Mr. Hines' death. On behalf of CSC, I am accepting the recommendations put forward by the OCI. Our response reflects our commitment to learn from Mr. Hines' death and continually work to improve our response to individuals in medical distress.

My senior management team and I continue to collaborate at the national, regional and institutional levels to meet the commitments identified in our action plan on Mr. Hines' death. For example, we have updated our policies and enhanced our training programs, including new simulation exercises based on the specific factors of this case. We know that work remains to prevent deaths in custody. Our response to the OCI's report will ensure, at the end of the day, that any medical distress situation results in a more timely and appropriate response with the primary focus of preserving life. CSC will continue to work diligently and deliberately to make the necessary improvements and ensure that all existing and new staff fully understand their legislative and policy obligations."

Related links:

Response of the Correctional Service of Canada to Fatal Response: An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines

Fatal Response: An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines

CSC Flickr Account - Dorchester Penitentiary

Follow the Correctional Service of Canada (@CSC_SCC_en) on Twitter. For more information, please visit the website www.csc-scc.gc.ca.

Contacts:

Media Relations

Correctional Service Canada

(613) 992-7711

media@csc-scc.gc.ca

www.csc-scc.gc.ca




voxeljet AG (NYSE:VJET) (the "Company" or "voxeljet"), a leading provider of high-speed, large-format 3D printers and on-demand parts services to industrial and commercial customers, today announced that it will release its financial results for the first quarter 2017 after the closing of the financial markets on Thursday, May 11th

The company will host a conference call and webcast to review the results for the first quarter on Friday, May 12th at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Participants from voxeljet will include its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ingo Ederer, and its Chief Financial Officer, Rudolf Franz, who will provide a general business update and respond to investor questions.

Interested parties may access the live audio broadcast by dialing 1-877-705-6003 in the United States/Canada, or 1-201-493-6725 for international, Conference Title "voxeljet AG First Quarter 2017 Financial Results Conference Call". Investors are requested to access the call at least five minutes before the scheduled start time in order to complete a brief registration. An audio replay will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call at 1-844-512-2921 or 1-412-317-6671, Replay Conference ID number 13660484. The recording will be available for replay through May 19th, 2017. A live webcast of the call will also be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website. Please go to the website https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1144863 at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A replay will also be available as a webcast on the investor relations section of the Company's website.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170427006211/en/

Contacts:

voxeljet AG

Investors and Media

Johannes Pesch

Director, Investor Relations and Business Development

johannes.pesch@voxeljet.de

+49-821-7483-172
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Essential Energy Services Ltd. (TSX: ESN) ("Essential") intends to release its 2017 first quarter financial results on May 9, 2017 and has scheduled a conference call and webcast at 10:00 am MT (12:00 pm ET) on May 10, 2017.

The conference call dial in numbers are 416-340-2217 or 800-898-3989, passcode 1833709.

An archived recording of the conference call will be available approximately one hour after completion of the call until May 24, 2017 by dialing 905-694-9451 or 800-408-3053, passcode 6187672.

A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible on Essential's website at www.essentialenergy.ca by selecting "Investors" and "Events and Presentations". Shortly after the live webcast, an archived version will be available for approximately 30 days.

ABOUT ESSENTIAL

Essential provides oilfield services to oil and natural gas producers, primarily in western Canada. Essential offers completion, production and abandonment services to a diverse customer base. Services are offered with coil tubing, fluid and nitrogen pumping and the sale and rental of downhole tools and equipment. Essential offers the largest coil tubing fleet in Canada. Further information can be found at www.essentialenergy.ca.

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Contacts:

Essential Energy Services Ltd.

Garnet K. Amundson

President and CEO

(403) 513-7272

service@essentialenergy.ca



Essential Energy Services Ltd.

Karen Perasalo

Investor Relations

(403) 513-7272

service@essentialenergy.ca

www.essentialenergy.ca




DUBLIN, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Connected Home Security System Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

The global connected home security system market to grow at a CAGR of 27.12% during the period 2017-2021.

The report, Global Connected Home Security System Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



One trend in market is high growth potential of home-based cloud solutions. Home-based cloud solutions provide ubiquitous and collaborative benefits, despite data management concerns. The home-based cloud consists of three types of digital data, namely content (video, music, and pictures), productivity (e-mail, documents, and contacts), and sensors (data collected via smart meters, e-health devices, and other smart home devices). Increasing amount of data, mainly video, is responsible for the pressing need for remote storage and access.

Home-based cloud solution companies provide a vast array of offers such as interactivity, service personalization, and use across multiple screens. For instance, Hulu and Spotify deliver multi-screen services, whereas Boxee integrates all sorts of locally stored online content, which helps users to share their preferences and content with friends on the social network. OTT players, such as Apple and Google, also provide multi-device and cloud-based solutions for personal information management. With the increasing adoption of smart home systems worldwide, the home-based cloud technology market has been witnessing an upsurge in its value that is close to 50% growth every year.

Key vendors



ADT

AT&T

Comcast

Tyco Security Products



Key Topics Covered:

PART 01: Executive summary



PART 02: Scope of the report



PART 03: Research Methodology



PART 04: Introduction



PART 05: Market landscape



PART 06: Five forces analysis



PART 07: Market segmentation by product



PART 08: Market segmentation by service



PART 09: Market segmentation by geography



PART 10: Decision framework



PART 11: Drivers and challenges



PART 12: Market trends



PART 13: Vendor landscape



PART 14: Appendix

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dp34q6/global_connected

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Intermark Capital Corporation ("Intermark"), a private holding company wholly-owned by David Wolfin, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gray Rock Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: GRK) ("Gray Rock"), acquired 700,000 common shares of Gray Rock, through the exercise of 700,000 previously issued share purchase warrants at a price of $0.05 per share. The shares are not subject to any resale restrictions, other than those applicable to the holdings of a control person.

As a result of the acquisition, Intermark and its joint actor, David Wolfin, now hold, directly and indirectly, 5,885,000 common shares of Gray Rock, representing approximately 26.42% of the total issued and outstanding common shares of Gray Rock, as of the date hereof, on a non-diluted basis. The common shares of Gray Rock are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.

An Early Warning Report respecting this acquisition has been filed by Intermark on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Review, and can be viewed at www.sedar.com under Gray Rock's profile.

Intermark and its joint actor acquired the common shares referred to above for investment purposes only. The investment will be reviewed on a continuous basis, and Intermark's and its joint actor's holdings may be increased or decreased in the future, depending upon economic or market conditions or matters relating to Gray Rock.

INTERMARK CAPITAL CORPORATION

David Wolfin

President & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Gray Rock Resources Ltd.

David Wolfin

President & CEO

Ph: (604) 682-3701

(604) 682-3600 (FAX)

ir@grayrockresources.com

www.grayrockresources.com




DUBROVNIK, Croatia, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

On 4 May in Dubrovnik, Croatia, 132 finalists from 34 countries will be hoping to be named a winner at the Grand Final of Europe's largest and most prestigious business competition, the European Business Awards, sponsored by RSM.

The businesses reached the final following a year-long journey, which began when the competition engaged with over 33,000 companies at entry stage last year.

On the night, 11 category winners will be named alongside a 'European Public Champion'; the winner of a public vote that generates around 250,000 votes from across the globe.

The event includes a Growth Conference during the day where businesses leaders will debate and identify ways to further grow their companies, followed by the Gala Dinner when the winners will be announced.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: "This grand final presents a powerful opportunity for businesses to meet peers, do business and celebrate phenomenal success. I wish all our finalists the best of luck."

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM International, the sixth largest global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, and long-term sponsors of the awards, said: "The European Business Awards are an ideal platform to recognise and celebrate business excellence across Europe and beyond. Through our engagement with these awards it is evident that there is a thriving European business community who are hungry for further growth and success despite the uncertain times ahead. I wish them all the best of luck in the final."

Alongside the successful finalists in attendance there will also be VIPs including leading academics, politicians, ambassadors, and business leaders from the most successful organisations in Europe, many of whom acted as judges for the Awards.

RSM, with a presence in 42 European countries, has been a sponsor of the European Business Awards since its inception. The competition's primary purpose is to celebrate and promote business excellence, and support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. Additional sponsors and partners of the Awards include ELITE and PR Newswire.

For further information about the finalists of the European Business Awards, and RSM, please go to http://www.businessawardseurope.com or http://www.rsm.global and follow us on twitter at @rsmEBA

To vote for the European Public Champion go to http://www.businessawardseurope.com

About the European Business Awards:

The European Business Awards' primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. For all citizens of Europe, prosperity, social and healthcare systems are reliant on businesses creating an even stronger, more innovative, successful, international and ethical business community - one that forms the beating heart of an increasingly globalised economy.

The European Business Awards programme serves the European business community in three ways:

It celebrates and endorses individuals' and organisations' success

It provides and promotes examples of excellence for the business community to aspire to

It engages with the European business community to create debate on key issues

The European Business Awards is now in its 10th year. This year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Last year's public vote generated over 227,000 votes from across Europe. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE and PR Newswire. http://www.businessawardseurope.com.

About RSM

RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 793 offices and more than 41,200 people internationally. The network's total fee income is US$4.8 billion.

RSM is the lead sponsor and corporate champion of the European Business Awards promoting commercial excellence and recognition of entrepreneurial brilliance.

RSM is a member of the Forum of Firms, with the shared objective to promote consistent and high quality standards of financial and auditing practices worldwide.

RSM is the brand used by a network of independent accounting and advisory firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International Limited does not itself provide any accounting and advisory services. Member firms are driven by a common vision of providing high quality professional services, both in their domestic markets and in serving the international professional service needs of their client base. http://www.rsm.global

About ELITE:

ELITE is a full-service programme designed to share best practice and increase growth opportunities for fast growing companies, with a focus on understanding the capital markets. ELITE is an innovative programme based on exclusive training and a tutorship model, supported by access to the business and financial community. Its aim is to prepare companies for their next stage of growth and investment.

For further information on the programme, companies and the full list of partners, please go to:

http://www.elite-growth.com

About PR Newswire:

PR Newswire is the leading global provider of PR and corporate communications tools that enable clients to distribute news and rich content. We distribute our client's content across traditional, digital and social media channels in real time with fully actionable reporting and monitoring.

Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information on PR Newswire please visit http://www.prnewswire.co.uk
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/24/17 -- Senator Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SNR)(OTC: SNRAF)(FRANKFURT: T1KA) ("Senator" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a letter of intent with Gunnar Minerals Corp. pursuant to which it proposes to acquire a controlling interest in the Carter Lake Uranium Project, located in the south-western corner of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The project covers approximately 1113 hectares on the Carter Lake Corridor, an exploration zone adjacent to the prolific Patterson Lake Corridor, which hosts two of the most significant uranium deposits in the basin: Nexgen's Arrow Deposit and Fission's Patterson Lake South Deposit.

The Carter Lake Uranium Project lies near the eastern edge of the Clearwater Domain, approximately 21 kilometres northeast of the Patterson Lake property, which has a reported resource estimate of total of 2,011,000 tonnes of 1.83% U3O8 containing 81,111,000 pounds of U3O8 including the R780E High Grade Zone estimated to contain 45,079,000 pounds U3O8 @ 18.22% U3O81 and an inferred Mineral Resources are estimated to total 785,000 tonnes @ 1.57% U3O8 containing 27,157,000 pounds of U3O8 including the R780E High Grade Zone estimated to contain 13,898,000 pounds U3O8 @ 25.06% U3O81. (Fission Uranium Corp. PEA September 14, 2015). Nexgen Energy Ltd. has reported (March 31, 2017) that the Arrow Deposit's Mineral Resource comprises an Indicated Mineral Resource of 179.5 M lbs of U3O8 within 1.18M tonnes grading 6.88% U3O8, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 122.1 M lbs of U3O8 contained within 4.25 M tonnes grading 1.30% U3O8.

The Carter Lake Uranium Project, which borders Purepoint/Cameco/AREVA's Hook Lake Project to the east, has basement depths estimated at between 400-500 metres, within the general discovery range of the McArthur River mine. The principal exploration target at Carter Lake is approximately 4.7 kilometres of subsurface conductive anomalies, identified in a 2006 MegaTEM survey and a 2008 VTEM survey, both completed by ESO Uranium Corp. The anomalies are interpreted as a conductive horizon, at or above the unconformity and which may be indicative of hydrothermal enrichment.

About the acquisition, Tim Fernback, President and CEO, commented, "With the world-class discoveries made by Nexgen and Fission, the board of Senator is very excited about giving its shareholders exposure to this opportunity on the west side of the basin."

Completion of the acquisition remains subject to due diligence and negotiation of definitive documentation. Readers are cautioned that there can be no assurance that the acquisition will be completed in a timely fashion or at all.

Peter Born, P.Geo., a Qualified Person, has reviewed and approved the disclosure of technical information within this news release.

Tim Fernback, President & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Statements in this release that are forward-looking information are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks Factors" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Contacts:

Senator Minerals Inc.

Tim Fernback

President & CEO

604-340-3774




BELFAST, Northern Ireland, April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Munich Airport was announced as the overall winner of the Routes Europe 2017 Marketing Awards at a ceremony 24 April in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO )



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493736/Routes_Europe_2017_Marketing_Awards.jpg )



The annual Routes Europe Marketing Awards are highly regarded in the aviation industry because they are voted for by airlines. They recognise the outstanding marketing services that have supported the launch of new air routes or the development of existing services.

Munich Airport's network includes 173 European destinations - more than any other airport in the world. Last year the airport gained 70 new routes operated by 20 airlines, taking its passenger numbers to 42.3 million (an increase of 1.3 million or 3% compared to 2015).

This remarkable growth was driven by low-cost traffic which increased by 44%. Further expansion is expected this year when around 7,000 flights are added to the summer 2017 schedule.

Oliver Dersch, vice president traffic development, Munich Airport said: "It's amazing to win this award - big thanks to the airline industry. The award belongs to the entire aviation market as well as the airport because our success is due to close cooperation with the airlines."

Munich's other accolades include being voted Best Airport in Europe in 2017 for the tenth time, and its Terminal 2 winning the World's Best Airport Terminal (Skytrax World Airport Awards).

In addition to the overall winner, the awards are judged in five categories. Munich Airport topped the 'Over 20 Million Passengers' category; Birmingham Airport won the '4 to 20 Million Passengers' category; Shannon Airport scooped the 'Under 4 Million Passengers' category; and Canary Islands Tourist Board - Promotur was honoured in the 'Destination' category.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Warsaw Chopin Airport, Nuremberg Airport and Madeira Promotion Bureau were highly commended in each category respectively.

Steven Small, brand director of Routes said: "Munich Airport has enjoyed a record year thanks to its partnership approach to working with the airlines, increasing passenger demand through the expansion of its route network."

As overall winner of tonight's awards, Munich Airport will be automatically shortlisted for the World Routes Marketing Awards in Barcelona on 25 September 2017.

More information about Routes can be found at routesonline.com

Notes to Editors:



The awards were judged by a panel of senior airline execuitves:



Jochen Schnadt, Chief Commercial Officer, bmi regional

Rikke Munk Christensen, Vice President Traffic Planning, Finnair

Michael Ambs, Head of Regional Marketing Development, Norwegian

Martin Saxton, Chief Commercial Officer, Stobart Air

Jeroen Erdman, Head of Network Planning, Transavia



The full list of shortlisted companies:



Overall Winner: Munich Airport



Over 20 million passengers

Winner: Munich Airport

Highly commended: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol



4 - 20 million passengers

Winner: Birmingham Airport

Highly commended: Warsaw Chopin Airport



Under 4 million passengers

Winner: Shannon Airport

Highly commended: Nuremberg Airport



Destination

Winner: Canary Islands Tourist Board - Promotur

Highly commended: Madeira Promotion Bureau



About Routes:

Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. They revolve around pre-scheduled meetings, an exhibition and a conference. Four 'regional' route development forums are held between February and June in the Americas, Asia , Europe and Africa , with the flagship World Routes event taking place in September.

Routes events are organised by UBM plc.UBM is the largest B2B event organiser in the world.Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors.Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed.Please visithttp://www.ubm.comfor the latest news and information about UBM.

For further information contact:



Karen Reeves

Communications & Content Marketing Manager

Routes, UBM EMEA

T: +44 (0)161 234 2721

M: +44 (0)796 6405 105

E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com


Hemovent GmbH, an Aachen, Germany-based venture backed medical device company, received a grant totaling $810k from the German Government.

The company intends to use the funds accelerate development of its novel and portable artificial lung technologies, designed for a wide range of applications from Extracorporeal CO2 Removal to ExtraCorporeal Life Support.

Led by Christof Lenz, co-founder and CEO, and Oliver Marseille, Ph.D., co-founder and CTO, Hemovent has developed small and self-contained fully portable artificial lungs for Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) / ExtraCorporeal Life Support (ECLS) applications designed to support or replace heart and lung function in the event of cardiac and/or respiratory failure.

The company is backed by KfW Bank, MIG Verwaltungs, NRW.BANK.Venture Fonds, PB Beteiligung- und Vermoegensverwaltung, Seed Fond Aachen II, and WCTI Partners.

FinSMEs

24/04/2017
Washington: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has raised the issue of tightening of the H-1B visa regime with his US counterpart Steven Mnuchin during their first meeting and highlighted the contribution of Indian companies and professionals to the American economy.

This was the second time Jaitley raised the H-1B visa issue with the American side during his visit here to attend the annual Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He had also raised the issue with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross earlier.

During their meeting, Jaitley and Mnuchin discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, in addition to the international cooperation against terror financing.

Jaitley highlighted the notable progress made in the India-US relations over the last few years and India's ambitious reform agenda which was creating new opportunities towards a deeper economic engagement between the two countries, a Finance Ministry statement said.

"Critical economic issues like India-US investment initiative, infrastructure collaboration and NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund), collaboration with the US for Smart Cities Development were deliberated upon during the meeting," it said.

Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B visas for skilled professionals from India and highlighted the contribution which Indian companies and professionals are making to the US economy, the statement said.

US President Donald Trump last 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.

The Indian IT industry expressed serious concerns over this as these visas were mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations.

The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals.

India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.

Last month, Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar had said that the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

"Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market," he had said.

Issues related to terror funding were also discussed during Jaitley's meeting with the US treasury secretary, who appreciated India's role, including the India-US cooperation in Financial Action Task Force.

Jaitley also held bilateral meetings with the finance ministers of Sweden, France and Bangladesh. The discussions covered a wide spectrum of bilateral collaboration to strengthen the cross-country relationships.
To say that Indian IT majors would deliberately cheat the US with regard to H-1B visa applications is stretching the truth, said industry experts to Firstpost. The Indian companies that apply for large numbers of H-1B visa under the US lottery system do so because of their size and scale. It is not cheating, said an IT analyst.

The Trump administration came down harshly on top Indian information technology (IT) companies Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and Infosys Ltd of unfairly cornering the lions share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which it wants to replace with a more merit-based immigration policy.

At a White House briefing last week, an official in the Trump administration said a small number of big outsourcing firms flood the system with applications which naturally ups their chances of success in the lottery draw.

You may know their names well, but like the top recipients of the H-1B visa are companies like Tata (TCS), Infosys, Cognizantthey 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, the senior official said, according to transcript of the briefing posted on the White House website.

Tightening H-1B visa norms

The Trump administration has been tightening norms for H-1B visa since Donald Trump became president. Trump has a poll promise to keep up to: To create more local jobs. Ever since he was elected to office, Trump has been reiterating his campaign promise of focusing on American manufacturing. "Our goal as a nation must be to rely less on imports and more on products made here in the USA," Trump had said that when he visited Boeings South Carolina plant in February.

Earlier in January, Trump threatened to impose 35 percent tariff on imported vehicles. He called the three US auto majors -- General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Ford Motors Mark Fields and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Sergio Marchionne - to the White House and told them he wanted to see more auto plants in the United States.

Most of what Trump administration is putting out is smoke and mirrors and the truth of these statements is not known, said an industry veteran. Remember what Trump said about China during his campaign days and how it all changed when China came visiting to the White house?

Trump was indeed scathing in his speeches and also some of his tweets against China. Consider this tweet: "We cant continue to allow China to rape our country and thats what theyre doing. Its the greatest theft in the history of the world. After meeting with the Chinese president Xi Jingping, Trump softened his stance against China.

What can Indian companies do?

Trumps style is to threaten and then get statements from the companies concerned. That is what he is hoping to by his administration naming the Indian IT firms during a briefing on the presidents executive order issued last week, said an IT analyst. Remember how he threatened Toyota with a big border tax if they were to go ahead with the plan to build a plant in Mexico, he said.

Harish HV, Partner, India Leadership Team, Grant Thornton India LLP, is of the opinion that India should adopt a wait-and-watch policy with regard to the Trump administration. Every one of the Indian IT firms that work in the US contribute to the US economy. They have a substantial hand in making the US what it is today, he pointed out.

Another way of combating what Trump administration' s statements that go against Indian IT firms is for the latter to make the right noises with those who matter in that administration. Meeting with Steve Mnuchin, US Treasury Secretary, may not be the right route for India to take. Instead, "Indian IT companies should meet Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump  senior advisor and special assistant to Trump respectively -- who have Donald Trumps ear", suggests Kris Laxmikanth, founder CEO & MD, The Head Hunters India, Bangalore and visiting faculty, Institute of Management, Ranchi.

Most of the first world heads of state starting with UKs Theresa May, Japans Shinzo Abe, Chinas Xi Jingping to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others have met Trump since he took office in mid-January. PM Modi is meeting Trump much later either in May or July. It would have helped the Indian IT companies cause if both heads of state had met earlier, says Laxmikanth.

One way out for the Indian IT firms would be to lobby on their own with the Trump administration independent of Nasscom, says Laxmikanth, which is what the IT majors will do, he says. Another way for the IT companies would be to create jobs for locals in the US to show that they are following through what they have been saying, he says.

The Indian technology companies have to get used to the change in visa policies and have strategies to deal with the changed political environment, says Laxmikanth.
Patanjali Ayurved, the FMCG company promoted by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, is facing restraint yet again after the retailing platform for India's defence forces, The canteen stores department (CSD), stopped selling its amla juice through its retail outlets.

The decision to discontinue sale of amla juice was taken following unfavorable state-laboratory test report on the product, The Economic Times report said.

This is not the first time the company is facing backlash with regards to its products.

The Rs 5,000 crore Patanjali Ayurved was pulled up by the regulators for selling noodles and pasta without proper licences. The company also faced the ire of FSSAI which directed its Central Licensing Authority to issue a showcause notice to Patanjali for its alleged misleading edible-oil advertisements.

In the fresh case pertaining to suspension of its amla juice product, the CSD has directed all its depots to return the product.

"The batch was tested at the Central Food Lab in Kolkata and was declared unfit for consumption. Patanjali has withdrawn amla juice from all army canteens," The ET report said quoting officials.

Last year, Patanjali advertisement for its honey products was contested by Dabur. Patanjali through its advertisements laid claim to its honey as being 'Purity ki Double Guarantee'. However, Dabur, which has a dominant share of the Rs 600 crore branded honey market, filed a case against the firm's advertising claims to the ASCI. Acting upon the complaint, the ASCI directed Patanjali to either 'withdraw or modify its advertisement.

The controversies surrounding Patanjali's advertisements is nothing new. The ASCI had pulled up the firm in July last year for running "misleading" ad campaigns that disparages competitors products.

The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) found that Patanjalis claim for its Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil that rival makers are selling mustard oil "adulterated with oil made by solvent extraction process with neurotoxin containing Hexane", was not substantiated. "Also, the claim is grossly misleading by exaggeration," the ad regulator said in its list for the month of April, 2016, in which it upheld 67 complaints against several companies.

Besides, Patanjali also failed to substantiate its claims for Patanjali Fruit Juice, where it had claimed rival brands as "expensive juices containing less pulp".

Similarly, it also failed to substantiate its claims in the ad for cattle feed Patanjali Dugdhamrut as "other companies mix 3 to 4 per cent urea and other non-edible things in their cattle feed."

In May 2016, ASCI had rapped Patanjali Ayurved for "false and misleading" claims in its various advertisements, including its hair oil and washing powder brands.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the states should make legislative arrangements "without delay" for GST rollout from July 1.

Delivering the closing remarks at the third meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog, he also urged states, local governments and NGOs to decide goals for 2022 and work in mission mode towards achieving them.

"The Prime Minister reiterated that the legislative arrangements at the state-level for GST should be put in place without delay," an official statement said.

The consensus on Goods and Services Tax (GST) reflects the spirit of 'one nation, one aspiration, one determination', Modi earlier said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

The GST, which will subsume central excise, service tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and other local levies, is scheduled to be rolled out from July 1.

Parliament has already passed the supporting GST bills and the states are also required to pass their separate legislations for smooth implementation of the new tax regime.

The prime minister also called upon states to use the Government e-Marketplace portal for procurement of goods and services as it would help in reducing corruption and increase transparency in the government procurement.

He said the use of technologies such as BHIM and Aadhaar would result in significant savings for the states.

Observing that funds such as district mineral, CAMPA and the construction workers welfare would provide significant boost to the resources of the state, he asked Niti Aayog to come up with a roadmap for better utilisation of such funds by the states.

Referring to the change in the budget dates, he said in a country where agricultural income is exceedingly important, budgets should be prepared immediately after the receipt of agricultural incomes for the year.

He added that there have been suggestions to follow January to December as financial year.

"He urged states to take the initiative in this regard," it added.
When you got to go, you got to go.

Amy Schumer has repaid a store clerk's generosity with a very impressive thank you gift. The 35-year-old star reportedly bought a retail worker a $2000 mattress in Chicago last Thursday, 20 April, according to WGN.

Mattress Firm clerk Sagine Lazarre says she did not think twice about letting a female jogger use the bathroom at her Portage Park store. And her decision to help the stranger certainly paid off with Amy, who the retail assistant did not recognise her at the time, generously buying the clerk a $2000 mattress.

"She comes out of the bathroom and asks me which one of these (mattresses) is my favorite. I told her  She told me she wanted to buy it for me. And I was was so shocked!"

Lazarre says she thought she was being set up. But the woman told her she wanted to thank her for letting her use the bathroom and mentioned that she was an actress and comedian. And when she went to pay for the mattress, Lazarre saw the name 'Amy Schumer' on the credit card.

She said she knows who Schumer is and has watched her stand-up comedy, but was shocked when the whole thing was happening. She said, "After she left, I Googled her name. The lady that was right there talking to me was Amy Schumer. It was amazing. Unbelievable."

This isn't the first time Schumer has helped out a helpful employee: Last year, she tipped the bartenders at New York City's Richard Rodgers Theatre (where Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton runs) $1,000 on a $77 bill. "I've been there," she told the staff, referencing her days as a waitress.

Schumer will be seen next with Goldie Hawn in the film Snatched.
Caitlyn Jenner  the transgender inspiration and also ex retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Bruce Jenner  and Pennywise the clown, a surreal antagonist played by Bill Skarsgard in the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King's horror masterpiece It, rarely cross paths in the news.

But thanks to Hollywood-based street artist Sabo, Jenner and Pennywise are finally gracing the same pages.

Caitlyn Jenner will be appearing on Tucker Carlson's Tonight Show, the first installment to replace the time-slot of now-ex-anchor Bill O'Reilly on 24 April. In anticipation for the show, Sabo has defaced ads of It appearing on bus benches for the upcoming film near Fox Studios (where Carlson's show is filmed).

In one of them, Jenner is seen peeking out of a sewer drain, where the clown from It dwells, trying to lure unsuspecting children into his lair. 'Tonight on Tucker Carlson: IT,' reads the text. 'Based on a novel reality.'

A conservative street artist has appropriated Stephen Kings story It, only in this version, Caitlyn Jenner is portrayed as the evil clown. pic.twitter.com/00cL2i3T08  Amalia Diaz (@AmaliaDiaz93) April 23, 2017

In another fake ad, behind glass at several bus stops, the scary clown's body has Jenner's head on it with the text 'IT on Tucker Carlson Tonight,' an indication that the artist expects his work to remain there for a least the next 24 hours.

Caitlyn Jenner spoofed as It clown in new ads https://t.co/D98FptQIEe via @AIIAmericanGirI pic.twitter.com/E8ow1hKHYQ  Caitlyn Jenner News (@CaitlynJennrNws) April 24, 2017

Sabo, a street artist known for chastising Hollywood, created the phony posters knowing he'd probably be verbally attacked for the politically incorrect nature of his most recent work.

He talked to The Hollywood Reporter about his Caitlyn Jenner artwork. "I converted to the Muslim faith and I joined ISIS, so what's going on with Bruce Jenner goes against my new-found faith." Sabo said, "If any progressives have a problem with this poster, then Ill just have to label them 'Islamophobic.'"

"This poster pales in comparison to throwing Bruce off a building or hanging him the way we Muslims do in many countries, and progressives don't seem to have a problem when we do that," Sabo added.

Sabo has been busy since November's presidential election. The street artist has taken aim at Hollywood, with a series of fake realtor posters skewering celebrities who vowed to leave the country if Donald Trump were elected, and a series of posters mocking the film industry's 'unwatchable movies.'

Earlier this month, Sabo poked fun at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with a series of fake advertisements for a line of barbeque called 'Trump's North Korean BBQ,' which featured the head of the dictator imposed onto the body of a roasted pig.

The remake of It hits theatres September 8, with Bill Skarsgard set to play the clown Pennywise.
Mumbai: The makers of actor Prabhas' next film announced on Sunday that the film has been titled Saaho, and it will be made in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi.

In an official statement, UV Creations, the makers, announced that after playing the title role in the Baahubali franchise, Prabhas' next will be an ambitious high-tech action drama titled Saaho.

The film's director Sujeeth also shared the title on his Twitter page on Sunday.

Very happy to share that my next film is #SAAHO, directed by @sujeethsign and produced by my friends ( @UV_Creations - #Prabhas via FB pic.twitter.com/cwoqQLiT7y  Prabhas (@PrabhasRaju) April 23, 2017

Talking to IANS earlier this week, Sujeeth said that a major chunk of the film's budget will be used on action sequences. "The scale on which it is being made, a major budget will be spent on some extravagant action scenes. Although it will be a commercial outing, we are attempting something new and I would like to keep that as a surprise element," Sujeeth said.

International stuntman Kenny Bates, popular for his work on films such as Die Hard and Transformers, has been brought on board. "Kenny will be supervising the action scenes. We have already finalised locations in Abu Dhabi and some places in Europe where shooting will be done extensively. We go on the floors from the end of May," he said.

The makers also confirmed that a special teaser of Saaho will be attached to Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.

The movie has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. While Sabu Cyril will take care of production design, Madhie will crank the camera. "We wanted the music to have a national appeal. We roped in Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy because they understand north as well southern sensibilities when it comes to composing music. They have also worked in the south," Sujeeth had said.
Kabul: Afghanistan's defence minister and army chief of staff resigned on Monday after the deadliest Taliban attack on a military base, and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he was "under no illusions" about the problems facing the country.

Mattis, visiting as the United States looks to craft a new Afghanistan strategy, held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, officials and US commanders, who want more troops."2017 is going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops who have stood, and will continue to stand, shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan against terrorism," Mattis said.

General John Nicholson, the head of US and international forces in Afghanistan, said he was "not refuting" reports that Russia was providing support, including arms, to the Taliban. A senior US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that intelligence showed Russia was providing money and machine guns to the Taliban.

Russia has previously denied providing any material or financial aid to the insurgent group, but has said it maintains ties with Taliban officials in order to push for peace talks. Moscow has been critical of the United States over its handling of the war in Afghanistan.

Mattis arrived in Kabul just days after a Taliban assault on a major army base in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in which more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed. Afghan officials said the final death toll was likely to be higher.

Earlier, Ghani's office announced in a post on its Twitter account that Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim "stepped down with immediate effect." Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Friday's attack. Habibi and Shahim told reporters their resignations were voluntary. Despite his resignation, Habibi  who had come under pressure from Afghan lawmakers last month following an Islamic State attack on a Kabul military hospital  attended a meeting with Mattis at the headquarters of the Nato-led military coalition in the Afghan capital.

Deadly attack

In a serious security failure on Friday, 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 soldiers and recruits eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials. Ghani's office also announced the replacement of four army corps commanders in response to the attack, and defence officials said as many as eight army personnel had been arrested.

A senior US official said, based on intelligence and the types of tactics used, the Taliban-linked Haqqani network likely played a role. "This is very typical Haqqani network tactics, techniques and procedures," said the official, adding the United States believed it took 4-6 months to plan the attack. Ghani declared a day of mourning on Sunday.

The attack came a little more than a week after the United States dropped a 22,000 pound bomb, known as the "mother of all bombs", against a series of Islamic State caves and tunnels near the border with Pakistan. US officials say they were surprised by the level of attention that particular bomb received, since it did little to change the situation on the ground, where the Taliban, not Islamic State, remains the bigger threat.

More troops

US officials acknowledge that Afghanistan has rarely in recent years been considered a priority by decision makers, who have instead been consumed by Syria, Iraq and, increasingly, North Korea. But there are signs that the Trump administration is making progress in crafting a policy for Afghanistan. US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser HR McMaster visited Afghanistan earlier this month, the first senior official from the new administration to do so.

US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there was an ongoing inter-agency review to determine the goals and milestones for the United States in Afghanistan.Meanwhile, the Afghan army is preparing for what is expected to be a year of hard fighting against Taliban militants, who now control or contest more than 40 percent of the country.

Nearly 9,000 US troops remain in Afghanistan, in addition to thousands of international coalition forces. Nicholson recently told a Congressional hearing he needed several thousand more international troops in order to break a stalemate in the long war with Taliban insurgents.

US officials say Nicholson's request was making its way through the chain of command. Conversations, however, according to current and former officials, were revolving around 3,000 to 5,000 additional troops. One official said there was an emphasis on creating a strategy that was not tied to artificial deadlines.

Former President Barack Obama had wanted to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan before he left office.While Mattis is no stranger to Afghanistan - he served there and was also the head of U.S. Central Command  there are questions about what a few thousand additional US troops can achieve."Let's face it, no matter how many troops you may send to Afghanistan, it's going to be very difficult to end the war. We had 100,000 troops fighting in Afghanistan during the height of the surge and we didn't end the war," said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson Center.
New York: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said that most acts of terrorism across the world will have some links to Pakistan and blamed Islamabad for the strained Indo-Pak ties.

"Obviously our problem comes from our Western neighbour. It's clear what's happening," Jaitley said, referring to Pakistan. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank, the minister said that most acts of terrorism across the world will have some footprint or the other as far as our neighbour is concerned.

Jaitley was referring to a number of terror attacks which are linked to Pakistan. Afghanistan often blames Pakistan-based terror groups for carrying out attacks in the war-torn country. There have been instances when Pakistani origin people were involved in terror attacks abroad such as the 2015 San Bernardino attack in the US in which a Pakistani-origin man and his wife killed 14 people.

Jaitley said India made many efforts to improve the ties with Pakistan over the last few years but every time there was a negative reaction.

"The prime minister (Narendra Modi) went there (Pakistan) and it was immediately followed up by an attack in Pathankot air base in India and then on the Uri military camp and now we have this unprovoked gesture of a military court sentencing an Indian to death through a kangaroo court process," said Jaitley, who is also holding the portfolio of defence minister.

"I think that doesn't help the cause of peace in the region at all," he added. The minister said India's relationship with all its smaller neighbours has significantly improved. "Whether it's Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar or Nepal, we have an excellent relationship (with them). We have been cooperating with them. We have been a part of their economic growth story. We have made a conscious effort in that direction," he said.
Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Monday held a protest rally here against China's move to "standardise" official names of six places in the northeastern state.

The students, carrying placards and banners, shouted 'anti-China' slogans and burnt the effigy of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Arunachal Pradesh has never been a part of China and Arunachalees hold the strongest patriotism for India.

"Arunachal is an integral part of India and if we go by history, people of the state had participated in the country's freedom movement. People here have never been under the Chinese rule," AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said.

He also criticised the state government for remaining silent over the issue, adding that the matter needs to be taken seriously.

China had announced standardised official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh, days after it lodged strong protests with India over the Dalai Lama's visit to the frontier state.
In one of the most shocking and gruesome ambush by the Maoist, 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and more than half a dozen seriously injured in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

This was the second big incidence in Sukma within a span of one month. The last Maoist attack took place on 11 March, where 12 CRPF jawans were killed.

According to official CRPF sources, in a fierce encounter between 74 Battalion of the CRPF and Naxals, 26 jawans were killed. Out of 26, three personnel succumbed to injuries in a hospital in Raipur. The CRPF battalion was providing security to road construction work near Chintagufa in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

The ambush took place at around 12.30 pm on Monday.

The bodies of the personnel killed in the ambush have been taken to CRPF camp at Burkapal. The injured jawans have been evacuated by helicopter and shifted to hospitals in Jagdalpur and Raipur.

"CRPF DG and other senior officials are reaching Raipur and by tomorrow morning, they will be in Sukma," a CRPF official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet has said that the sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

The ambush spot

The CRPF personnel were attacked at Kala Patthar near Chintagufa in Sukma district. The ambush spot is inside a deep forest, due to which communication has become difficult.

Who is behind the ambush

According to sources, the ambush was launched by the military wing of the banned CPI (Maoist). Equipped with sophisticated weapons like AK 47, Indian Small Arms System (Insas) rifles, hand grenades, etc, nearly 300 Naxals attacked CRPF jawans. It is the same wing that unleashed the 11 March attack.

How the ambush happened

A team of CRPF jawans of the 74 battalion (reportedly 99), a part of the road opening party left camp in the morning for providing security to a road construction work in the area.

Our party was deployed for road opening to provide security to road construction activities in the area, when the ambush happened, a CRPF official said.

At around 12.30 pm, in an ambush nearly 300 Maoist launched a surprise attack on the CRPF jawans from all sides. A fierce gun battle took place that resulted into the deaths of the jawans. No information is yet available on casualty at Maoists end.

The CoBRA teams of the CRPF have reached as reinforcements and are carrying on the search operation.

Sources from Sukma said that the Maoist snatched weapons not only from the CRPF personnel who either got killed or were injured, but also from those fighting against them.

Injured so far

According to CRPF sources, the injured personnel who have been admitted in hospital include head constable Ram Mehar, constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammad and Latoo Oraon.
A six-year-old girl, who fell into a borewell in Karnataka's Belagavi district on Saturday evening, is yet to be rescued 24 hours after the incident. The girl, Kaveri, was playing with her friends when she slipped into the 400-foot borewell on Saturday evening at Jhunjharwadi village, a National Disaster Response Force member said.

The official, who did not wish to be named, said rescue operations are challenging due to the hard soil and rocks around the borewell. "We have dug a 10-feet tunnel so far and efforts are on to dig 20 feet more to reach Kaveri and pull her out of the borewell at the earliest," he said.

The rescue team earlier made a vain attempt to pull her out with hooks and ropes, he said.

"The team also attempted to pull out Kaveri with hooks and ropes from the narrow and dark hole but did not succeed," the official added.

A report by The Hindu said NDRF personnel and Hatti Gold Mine are relentlessly working to bring Kaveri out. They have drilled a vertical trench, and are now drilling a horizontal tunnel to get to the girl.

According to The Times of India, the girl's movements are being monitored through a camera inside the well. Sources said the borewell was located on a farm owned by one Shankar Hipparagi, at a time when Kaveri was out collecting firewood with her mother.

The girl's mother, who fainted on learning about the incident, has been hospitalised, officials said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said strict action would be initiated against the land owner and borewell contractor for the incident. "It is the responsibility of the landowner and borewell contractor to inform the gram panchayat about the borewell being open without covering or fencing it," he said in Bengaluru.

In a related development, Bharatiya Janata Party state unit president BS Yeddyurappa urged the state government to take steps to prevent children becoming victims of such open borewells.

"Such a tragedy can be averted if the authorities covered or shut down the borewell, which dried up due to severe drought and scorching summer in the region," said Yeddyurappa in Bengaluru.

With inputs from agencies
The recent decision of a Pakistani military court to award death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav has not only strained the already thinned relations between India and Pakistan but also made things difficult for prisoners lodged in jails, including those who have been cleared for deportation. According to sources, 10 Pakistani prisoners were to be released from Indian jails, but the process has halted.

Chairman of the India-Pakistan Prisoners Committee, Bhim Singh, who has filed a petition seeking the release of Jadhav, from the custody of Pakistani authorities, said that the deportation of prisoners from the Pakistani and Indian sides have been delayed.

Singh, who is also the chief patron of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, however, said with the help of a senior advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan, he will press for the release of Jadhav.

Caught in the crossfire?

Pakistani resident Mohammad Zubair Arami who is charged with carrying out militant attacks in Srinagar has been lodged at Central jail in Srinagar for over five years. Sporting a long black beard, Arami blames the police for framing him in a false case and is among the many Pakistani nationals whose trials have been delayed by years.

Syed Sajid Ali Bukhari, a resident of Sadian Kotli of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), was acquitted in a militant attack case after 19 years. But he remains in custody even after being exonerated, in 2005, of the murder charges which were levelled against him. He has been lodged at district jail Sangroor in Punjab. Bukharis counsel Mir Shafaqat Hussain, said that he has recently filed a petition before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the government for his illegal detention. In the petition, Shafaqat said, he has also sought early deportation of Bukhari to his hometown in Sadian.

Hussain said that there are at least 20 cases, which he is currently handling, in which either the Pakistani nationals have served the conviction or they have been acquitted in different cases, but their deportation is not being cleared by the state and the central government.

Zubair said that he has been framed in three cases including two militant attacks at Hyderpora and Bemina in Srinagar and another case of illegal border crossing. My family is in Multan, Pakistan, and I have my relatives in Azad Kashmir and I had come to meet them. One day when I went for hunting I was apprehended by the Indian Army near the border. I am innocent and am not involved in any of the cases. I have been framed and am being dubbed as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant," he said.

Zubair said that he was working as an electrician with a private company in Pakistan and had no connection with militancy.

Another LeT militant, Wakas Manzoor of Abbotabad, Pakistan, said that he has been framed in a case of recovery of arms. "I was arrested near the border from Kupwara side and I have been falsely implicated in a militancy case," he said, adding that he was working as a driver in Pakistan.

Hussain said that though Wakas was arrested in Kupwara, police have shown that the arms were recovered in Batmaloo, Srinagar, which is several kilometres away from Kupwara. Zubair said that he has not been able to speak to his family members in Pakistan for many months. We are taken to Amritsar, where our family members talk to us on the telephone, which is being arranged by the Pakistani High Commission officials. But that happens after months," he said.

Strained relations halt prisoner exchange talks

However, the decision of a Pakistani military court to award death sentence to Jadhav has only made Zubair more wary of his release. "The case has only made things difficult for us. Some 10 Pakistani prisoners were to be released, but that has been halted now," he said.

Even as both India and Pakistan constituted an India-Pakistan judicial committee on prisoners in 2008, consisting of retired judges from the higher judiciary of both countries, to recommend measures to ensure humane treatment and expeditious release of fishermen and prisoners, who have completed their prison term, the visit of the committee has not been held on a regular basis due to the strained relations between the two countries. As per government data by July 2016 there were 270 Pakistani civil prisoners and 37 Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails. Whereas, there are 516 Indian fishermen and 57 civil prisoners in Pakistani jails.

Singh said that in a recent petition filed for the deportation of the prisoners from both sides, the government has recently disclosed that there are 55 Pakistani prisoners detained in different prisons while 250 Indian prisoners are lodged in Pakistan. "There were many cases which were earlier cleared for deportation by the Indian government, but that has been put on halt due to the row over Yadav," he said.

In the case of Bukhari, in the order issued in 2015, 1st Additional Sessions Judge Jammu, MS Parihar, observed that he was of the opinion that there was no evidence that the accused committed the offence for which he was charge-sheeted. "I am of the opinion that there is no evidence that the accused committed the offences and accordingly the accused is acquitted of the charge framed in terms of Section 273 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) and the challan is dismissed," read the order.

Bukhari was earlier charged with carrying out a militant attack on a jeep of NHPC officials on 5 September 1995 while it was going from Uri to Srinagar, in which one person was injured and another was killed, but his involvement was not supported by the evidence.
Three men, who were allegedly roughed up by members of an animal rights group in Kalkaji area Saturday night for transporting buffaloes in a truck, were arrested for inhumane transportation of animals. The trio was later released on bail, while those who had attacked them have been asked to join the probe, police said.

Following the incident, two FIRs were filed  one against the three men transporting the cattle and another against those who assaulted them, police said. The trio has been booked for mischief by killing or maiming cattle and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act as they were carrying more number of animals in a truck than rules permit. However, the men had legal transit papers for transporting the animals.

Mohammad Rizwan, one of the men who sustained injuries, told The Times of India, afraid that he might get lynched by cow vigilantes  like what had happened in Alwar  he decided to play dead for a few minutes. He claimed that a mob of 20-30 people had gathered around his truck and tried to pull him out.

"We were carrying legal trading receipts, but they were torn and thrown away by the mob. They (mob) also took away some of our sales proceeds," Rizwan told The Times of India.

"This was the first time that we were stopped by anyone. If we had been doing something illegal, we wouldn't have been allowed inside the city in the first place," Mohammad Ashfaq, who would usually accompany the three men, told The Times of India.

The second case of voluntarily causing hurt and wrongful restraint was registered against unidentified members of the People For Animals (PFA), according to police officers. As per the complaint filed by those transporting the cattle, the unidentified assailants were members of the PFA  an NGO founded and chaired by Union minister Maneka Gandhi. However, the animal rights body has denied any association with the incident.

According to the police, they received a PCR call last night from Gaurav Gupta, an animal rights activist and member of the PFA, claiming that the buffaloes were being transported illegally to Ghazipur. Later, a few animal rights activists arrived in three cars with PFA stickers and intercepted the truck, police sources added.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the three men were roughed up in front of the police officials. Khadija Faruqi, one of the eyewitness, told DNA, "I was coming back after a dinner gathering when I spotted some men beating up the truck drivers mercilessly. I informed the police as well but they were of no help. They were more interested in clearing the traffic than saving those three men."

Also, family members of the three men said that the police did not allow them to see them. Taiyab, Kamil's father told DNA, "My son was badly beaten up by the agitated mob. We were not allowed to see him."

Ehtesham Hashmi, the lawyer fighting their case, too alleged that the three were beaten up by over 30-40 persons in the presence of the police. He added that the sections under which the case was registered are weak sections and that the police officers who are handling the case are protecting the animal activists, according to DNA.

Sources also said that Gaurav had also roughed up some 10-12 truck drivers transporting cattle near Kotla Mubarakpur but no complaint was filed in that matter. These activists, led by Gupta, then allegedly roughed up the occupants of the truck.

The men transporting the animals had been identified as Pataudi residents Rizwan (25) and Kamil (25), and Ashu (28) from Mathura, DCP (southeast) Romil Baaniya told The Indian Express.

One of them, Ashu, said that they were taking the animals to a slaughterhouse in Ghazipur mandi when four cars intercepted them. We had just crossed the Nehru Place traffic signal when we saw some people in cars abusing us and asking us to stop. We were scared they intercepted our tempo about 10 metres from Kalkaji temple. The cars had PFA stickers on them. About 12-15 people came out and started abusing us, asking us to get out of our vehicle. They started beating us; they didnt want to hear anything we had to say. They punched and kicked us for about 10 minutes," Ashu told The Indian Express.

A medical examination of the injured was carried out and the truck carrying buffaloes was seized by the police. While the police dismissed the injuries sustained by the three men as being extremely minor, The Quint reported that Ashu, one of the men who sustained injuries, had a bleeding cut under his left eye.

Gaurav's brother, Saurabh Gupta, who was also at the spot, said, "One of our PFA colleagues, Vandana Sharma, saw the truck carrying buffaloes and intercepted it. After which my brother, Gaurav, called the police control room to inform them about it. We reached the spot much later."

"There was already a huge crowd and some people beat up the trio," he said, denying their involvement in the assault.

"Is there any visual evidence that we assaulted anyone?" Saurabh asked. He said he has been associated with the PFA for nearly 12 years, but the NGO can't be held accountable for his actions.

"If there is any wrongdoing on my part, I will take full responsibility for that. The PFA cannot be held accountable for that," he said.

Union minister Gandhi's office, too, sought to deny any link between the incident and the PFA's activities.

"We have no PFA unit in Delhi. We have 10,000 volunteers across the country. Whoever acted did so in his individual capacity," Gandhi's office said. It also shared a letter from the PFA issued last year to Gaurav warning him against taking law and order in his hand in cases of animals being treated cruelly. The letter also says that Gupta is not authorised to "trespass" or "seize animals/goods" from any individual.

"Any acts committed by you in contravention of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act will be deemed to have been done in your personal capacity," the letter written by Gauri Maulekhi, a trustee of the PFA, said, after several similar incidents in the past.

Maulekhi told PTI: "The PFA does not issue any vehicle sticker. Also, the two brothers have a propensity and history of such acts from which we completely disassociate ourselves. We can't be moral guardians of lakhs of people who pay Rs 100 and become members of the PFA. If they have done anything illegal, they should be penalised."

Meanwhile, police have also been informed that Gaurav's membership had ended with the PFA. The NGO later in the day disabled it website wherein the brothers were mentioned as members of its Delhi unit.

With inputs from agencies
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi amid the deteriorating security situation in the state and strains in the PDP-BJP coalition.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mehbooba said that she discussed with the Prime Minister the steps that should be taken to improve the situation in the Valley. Though Mufti emphasised on the importance of holding dialogue, she said that the current atmosphere of mistrust and attacks wasn't conducive for such discussion. She said that she told Modi that the government's priority should be to disperse tension in the Valley.

Pehle humein situation ko sambhaalne dijiye, kyunki pattharbaazi aur goli ke mahaul mein baat nahin ho sakti: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/6QjnF0IkXG  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

"There is no option but to talk," Mehbooba said. Mehbooba also expressed faith in Modi's commitment to follow the footsteps of former prime minister AB Vajpayee. She said that going the Vajpayee way  building trust through dialogue  was the only way forward, but the immediate priority was to disperse friction between the civilians and security forces.

Jahan par Vajpayee ji chhor gaye the, wahin se issko aage le jaana padega nahin toh J&K ki haalat sudharne ka koi chance nahin hai: J&K CM  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Vajpayee is remembered for his significant contribution in forwarding dialogue on Kashmir issue. The former BJP prime minister had even brought separatist hardliner Hurriyat Conference to the dialogue table.

The Jammu Kashmir chief minister also urged Modi to consider the losses being borne by the state because of the Indus water treaty. She said the state had no control over its water resources which was resulting in losses to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore per year. Mehbooba, who is under mounting attack in the face of fresh spurt in violence in Kashmir, briefed Modi on the prevailing situation in the state and the way forward.

She pressed the Centre for some political initiatives which would address the alienation felt among the people of Kashmir, especially, the youth, which is being reflected in increasing incidents of stone-pelting. She said that some of the youth were disillusioned by the state but a large majority was being systematically incited against the establishment.

There are some youths who are disillusioned, others are being incited. Will work out something in Unified command meet tomorrow: J&K CM pic.twitter.com/zRQ4N5L3ei  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Mehbooba's meeting with the Prime Minister also came against the backdrop of recent Srinagar bypoll for the Lok Sabha constituency which witnessed large scale violence and the lowest turnout ever.

In the bypoll, PDP also lost the seat to National Conference, in just three years after the 2014 general election.

PDP and BJP, which are running the coalition government in the troubled state, are not on the same page on the issue of dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting and this has led to friction between them. A BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga recently advocated strong action, saying "traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets".

This comment drew the ire of the PDP, which said there was a "conspiracy" to keep trouble brewing in the Valley. "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 had said in a statement later.

Against the backdrop of the strains, BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir Ram Madhav on Friday last held a meeting with senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu in Jammu. Madhav then met Ganga, who later expressed regret for his controversial comment.
New Delhi: Animal welfare group PETA India on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "ban" all meat products from menus at all government meetings and events.

Taking a cue from reports that Germany's environment minister had recently banned meat from being served at meetings and events, PETA India asked Modi to "lead" India in a similar direction.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the move will help in curbing greenhouse gas and tackle the issue of climate change.

Noting that as a vegetarian, Modi is a role model of "compassionate, healthy, and environmentally friendly" eating, PETA said that it is time the entire Indian government should follow his lead and protect the environment by eliminating animal-derived foods from its meals.

The letter notes that Germany's ministry went meat-free because meat production is one of the leading contributors to climate change, which is causing people throughout India to suffer severe droughts and heatwaves.

In addition to producing an estimated 51 per cent of worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions, meat production also uses a massive amount of water, land, and food resources, it said.

"I am writing to ask for India to take a cue from the German environment minister who banned meat from being served at her ministry's meetings and events because meat production is one of the leading causes of climate change.

"I hope you will agree that India should also set a good example where environmental conservation is concerned by eliminating animal-derived foods from the menus of all government or government-sponsored meetings and functions," the letter written by Nikunj Sharma, Lead Public Policy, PETA said.

Animal-derived foods include those that come from animal sources such as meat, milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt.

Sharma later told PTI that although the body first wants the prime minister to "eliminate" meat from menus, on a larger note, the organisation has sought a ban on food derived from animals.

"The meat industry is heating up the planet and gobbling up our natural resources, but we can fight climate change by starting with what's on our plates.

"PETA is calling on Prime Minister Modi to set a global example by ensuring that exclusively healthy, humane, and environmentally-friendly vegan meals are served at all government functions," Sharma said.

While more than 194 million people in India are undernourished, 60 percent of the world's grain supply is used to feed farmed animals, as it takes 10 kilograms of grain to produce just 1 kilogram of meat, the body said.

According to the United Nations, a global shift towards a vegan lifestyle is vital in order to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty, and the worst effects of climate change.

"As a vegetarian, you are a role model of compassionate, healthy, and environmentally-friendly eating. It's time for the entire Indian government to follow your lead and protect the environment by eliminating animal-derived foods from its meals.

"Will you please ensure that animal-derived foods are not served at government functions?" the letter asked.

Noting that India is home to more than 280 million cows and 200 million other ruminant animals such as goats and buffaloes, it said they are bred predominantly to be used for meat or dairy production.

According to satellite data from our space programme, these animals transfer almost 12 million tonnes of methane which traps 25 times as much heat as carbon dioxide does into the atmosphere via flatulence every year.

In fact, a widely publicised report published by the Worldwatch Institute in 2009 estimated that 51 percent of worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions may be attributable to agriculture, specifically to businesses that raise cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, camels, and pigs for food, PETA said.

"Animal welfare is also a growing concern because of today's industrialised meat and dairy industries.

"Citizens are concerned that many chickens' throats are cut while they are still conscious, that fish typically suffocate or are cut open while they are still alive, that pigs are often stabbed in the heart as they scream in pain, and that calves are usually torn away from their mothers within hours of birth," the body said.

It said that at slaughterhouses, animals are often killed in full view of one another and dismembered while they are still conscious while eating animals also wreaks havoc on human health and leads to increased risk of suffering from heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
New Delhi: A man was arrested on Sunday in connection with the alleged assault of three persons transporting buffaloes in a truck by members of an animal rights group in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji area on Saturday night.

Police said that 32-year-old Shashhank Sharma, a resident of Rohini who rents out vehicles, was arrested this morning.

Sharma claimed to be a member of the People For Animals (PFA), an NGO founded and chaired by Union minister Maneka Gandhi.

The other persons, who were allegedly involved in the attack, have been asked to join the probe.

The three assaulted men  Rizwan, Ashu and Kamil  were arrested yesterday and later released on bail.

Following the incident, two FIRs were filed  one against the three men for inhumane transportation of the cattle and another against those who assaulted them.

The trio were booked for mischief by killing or maiming cattle and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act as they were carrying more number of animals in a truck than rules permit.

The men had legal transit papers for transporting the animals.

The second case of voluntarily causing hurt and wrongful restraint was registered against unidentified members of the PFA, according to police officers.

The PFA had denied any association with the incident.

Police were verifying whether the assailants had any link with the animal rights body.

Read a full account of the incident that took place on Saturday here.
In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Kerala government to re-instate former DGP of Kerala Police TP Senkumar, a year after he was ousted by the Pinarayi Vijayan government, reported The Hindu.

While reading out the order, the apex court bench,comprising of Justices Madan B Lokur and Dipak Gupta, also observed that Senkumar was transferred "arbitarily" and that police officers cannot be made "scapegoats by politicians," the report added.

While ordering his re-instatement, the apex court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision backing state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

The Kerala government had on 11 April defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected "erring" police officials in the April 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The state government had told the court that Senkumar's transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to the 10 April 2016 incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.

According to Livemint, Senkumar, on the other hand, claimed that the real reason behind the action against him was his investigation into several political murders in the state in which the ruling party members were allegedly involved.

The report also added that Prashant Bhushan and Dushyant Dave, while defending Senkumar, argued that the transfer violated the 2006 Supreme Court ruling that serving DGPs cannot be arbitrarily transferred before the end of their tenure.

After being moved to the Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation as its managing director, Senkumar had moved Kerala High Court challenging his removal stating that a police chief's tenure is fixed at two years.

The 1983-batch IPS officer had been appointed DGP of Kerala Police by the previous Congress-led UDF government under Oomen Chandy in May 2015. Senkumar was due to leave the post only in 2017.

With inputs from PTI
While a majority of the states are struggling to mitigate the economic losses from the Supreme Courts ruling to shift bars and liquor retail outlets 500 meters away from national highways, Kerala is facing yet another fear.

It is a fear peculiar to the state, because Kerala, with its high density of population and limited space, will have no option but to shut down its entire liquor industry rather than shift it to the heart of the population.

The state government said that while the Supreme Court judgment, along with the ongoing phased prohibition in the state, will mean a sudden end to an industry, it will open up a Pandoras Box  a parallel industry that will thrive on drugs and illicit liquor.

That the state is serious about its concerns is reflected in the contents of the affidavit filed by it in the Supreme Court, asking for a three months exemption to the judgment.

"See, 500 meters away from the highway for us is right in the heart of the city. So, where do we take the shops? We will have no option but to shut it down and then where do u think all these regular drinkers will go. Its a terrible scenario and we are saying this because we have the figures on hand," Keralas finance minister Thomas Isaac told Firstpost.

The government certainly has the figures on their side. It was in the year 2013-14 that the former UDF government brought in its new liquor policy whereby, apart from five-star bars, all other watering holes were shut down and a phased prohibition was put in motion by closing a number of retail outlets each year.

From 2014 to 2017, the cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) in the state jumped a whopping four times. What was 960 in 2013-24 before the liquor policy was unleashed on the tipplers in the state, now stands in excess of 3,600 for the last ten months.

The State Excise Commissioner and top cop Rishiraj Singh, who is spearheading the anti-drug drive in the state, said that the situation is certainly going from bad to worse. He said that going by the present trend, the use of drugs in the state is likely to grow at an exponential rate and there is little that can be done to stop it apart from the usual enforcement measures. Singh made it clear that the more the liquor starts disappearing from the state, more is the growing demand for other substitutes.

"The more the use, more the substance that is going to come in. We will surely catch more but that will only be a partial percentage of what actually comes in. Everything cannot be caught. There is no age group also. School kids are asking for it so are the grownups and even the migrant labour community that is fast growing," Singh told Firstpost.

In an earlier report, Firstpost had exposed the fast growing drug culture in Kochi.

The lid was blown last year, when close to 300 kg of marijuana was caught in the city in three months. The State Excise and Prohibition Department headed by Singh had also caught 50,000 kg of various narcotic and drug related substances during the same period.

The total figure of the last ten months shows that what happened in Kochi was not an aberration but rather a worrying trend. More than 300 tonnes of narcotic substances have been recovered from various parts of the state and Singh said that it doesnt seem to be ending fast, especially with an ever growing migrant work population  who are easy carriers for the drugs from other parts of the country.

Will the hooch tragedy return?

Perhaps an old evil is lurking around the corner and with the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) making way, it could easily sneak in to fill the vacuum. Enforcement officials at the Excise department fear that a hooch tragedy is just around the corner for the state.

According to the state governments figures, 3.4 lakh litres of contraband liquor has been seized by the state in the last ten months, thrice the amount compared to recent years. While 47,500 litres of country made IMFL topped the list, other prominent high-givers include 29,000 litres of Arishtam, 18,000 litres of toddy,14,000 litres of illicit liquor, 5,000 litres of Arrack and many others, all under the desi daru category.

The state is certainly sitting on a volcano waiting to go off at any moment and all prominent festivals, including Onam and Christmas, are high stake periods. In the same period, the number of cases filed under the Kerala Abkari Act, that prohibits illicit liquor, was a staggering 25,000.

For a state that has seen umpteen number of hooch tragedies between the introduction of IMFL and banning of the arrack, the local variant of the former, officials say the times ahead would be tougher.

Singh said that his team is working overnight to prevent a hooch tragedy in the state but, like elsewhere in the country, he fears that an entire clamp down on liquor will finally drive the state to that end only.

"Let me tell you, a hooch tragedy is waiting to hit Kerala. Prohibition is there in Bihar and Gujarat and hooch tragedies are common there. But because of other circumstances, it is not highlighted. In Kerala, all hell will break lose once one such a tragedy hits us. Till then we will go on with such faulty policies," added Singh.

Ban or no ban, Malayalees will find their drink

A lesson in history is also before the state. It was in 1996 that the then chief minister AK Antony had banned arrack in the state. From then on, the growth of the illicit industry had been so rampant in the state that in 2002, Antony himself admitted in public that the decision was a flop and that Malayalees had found a way to get around the prohibition unabashedly.

Hooch in polyethene bags, cans, cheap bottles and pouches had become the order of the day with tragedies striking the state with alarming regularity during those times. Since the new Supreme Court order, out of 306 odd retail shops runs in the state, 143 have been shut, along with most of the bars in five-star hotels.

Since then, the serpentine queues before the remaining outlets and the law and order problem that it has created at many places only points to the fact that the issue will get out of hand anytime soon. Psychologists who have studied the pattern of tipplers in the state say that a complete non-availability of liquor could send an entire population into chaos.

"See in Kerala, a complete ban or non-availability can cause huge social implications. Obviously, people who have been regularly drinking will look for other means to get high; and drugs, let me tell you, is much more difficult to contain than alcohol once it becomes a habit. This is a terrible situation that is staring at us," Dr KS David, Director of Central Institute of Behavioural Science, told Firstpost.

David also goes on to add that the increasing number of sexual crimes against women and children in the state is a direct fallout of the heavy drug use. The police reports over the last one year, when such crimes were at its highest in the state, also point to this worrying pattern.

But there are others who say that the state can survive with a total ban or non-availability of liquor and that the proliferation of drugs cannot be made a reason not to ban something like alcohol.

"See, even if you agree for argument sake that yes drugs have increased because of alcohol prohibition, we need to ask the state what it is doing to tackle it. It is not as if drugs just came into the picture because liquor went out. They have always been out there. If only we had tackled the menace on time, it would not have prevailed to take over the space alcohol will leave," said CR Neelaknadan, a civil rights activist.
Editor's note: Firstpost will cover various aspects of the near-calamitous situation in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This is the third article from a nine-part series of ground reports on the ongoing water crisis in south India. In this piece, the author writes about how the Dalits in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu are forced to migrate because of the acute water crisis and no land rights.

Sixty-year-old Mathivanan, one of the many land labourers in Keezhvalur taluk, Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, looks on at the temple tank, adjusts the cloth around his jutting pelvic bone and ignores his wife's call for lunch. "There's no work to do, but it always seems like we need to get more work done," he says, massaging the blisters in his hand from the singe of heat. The temple tank bleeds viscous liquid because of the sewage mixed in.

Nagapattinam is one of the few districts that has a large number of temple lands, Thanjavur and Tirunelveli having the most. Devoid of water, labourers have taken to odd jobs like fixing doors, painting houses and repairing shoes. But even those jobs are now running dry as the worst drought of the century sets in the southern state.

Nadugarinathar Devasthanam, which owns the local Kannapur Koil (temple), bought over 100 hectares of land 40 years ago, and its heirs are carrying the burden of subcontracts, and with it, the debt trap. The complex politics of the temple land is omniscient across Tamil Nadu. Why is this important in the context of drought?

Land Ownership

Land ownership becomes pertinent in the case of claiming insurance. Low crop productivity in the time of drought hits both the tenants and the labourers. At least 70 percent of the temple land owners are from the dominant Kallar caste and only about 30 percent of Dalits own land, according to the Cauvery Farmers Association. Most Dalits are engaged in farm labour. In Keezhvalur taluk, 80 percent of the land is temple land and 60 percent of this is actively cultivated.

When it comes to temple lands, especially in districts like Nagapattinam, the issue is complicated. Although the owner of the land is the temple management itself, it is leased and subleased to tenant farmers down the line. The issues of this sub-leasing are mired in caste, with a disadvantage to Dalit labourers.

To claim insurance in times of drought, the direct tenant, usually belonging to the dominant Kallar caste in the area, who has been awarded land directly from the owner, must claim rights from the owner through a no objection certificate granted by the owner.

In almost all cases, the direct tenant needing money for immediate expenditure, may lease it out to another person in return for cash or kind. This person is the indirect tenant, largely Dalits, who may be the real cultivators in most cases, taking care of the land full time.

The catch, however, is that when the land changes hands from a direct tenant to an indirect tenant, this is not recorded. Why is this important in terms of land ownership?

The Record of Tenancy Rights (RTR), as per the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Lands Act, 1969, states the any person cultivating land not owned by him (in this case, the indirect tenant), has to register his tenancy right with the taluk office concerned.

This registration entitles him the security of tenancy (against arbitrary eviction), fair rent and even a right to buy the land on priority, if the land is offered for sale. However, most direct tenants would prefer oral lease or other forms of arrangements (such as hypothecation for loans, advances from the owner) to transfer the tenancy rights to the indirect tenant.

But in the RTR, the land will remain in the direct tenant's name or that of his ancestors. The records are not updated regularly in most cases.

In the absence of a no objection certificate and a clear record, an eviction notice is sent to the direct tenant due to non-payment of money to the owner in times of drought or in a year of low productivity, even though he is not the real cultivator. Hence, both direct tenants and indirect tenants are at the mercy of land owners. And the return of land to the temple puts both tenants and labourers out of work.

"This is usually done by temples when the land is found to be uncultivable and barren due to low fertility for a year or two. Land is taken away as a result, with little concern for the tenancy and labourers," says Sivaprakasam S, an associate professor in Madras University, whose thesis and years of study revolved around temple land ownership politics.

In Manivannan's home, a faded green shawl lies on the cot, and he closes the shutters at the mention of the 5 acres of temple land Manivannan has in his name. "The owner might be listening," he says. Manivannan, a direct tenant belonging to the dominant Kallar caste, enthusiastically calls for a boycott of the revenue courts, where the cases against the tenants by the owners lay. "How is it that in the time of no productivity or in the case of drought, we are sent eviction notices? There is no crop to even pay the owners back. They should be a little sensitive to farmers," he says.

A case has been filed against him and 50 other tenants. All direct tenants. "We pay our men wages on time. We have a good relationship with them. The only problem is low productivity. What can we do if there is no water for any cultivation. They have to waive the money," Kanappan, a tenant belonging to the Dalit caste, says, joining Manivannan for a glass of Rasna, drinking almost furiously in fear of someone catching him.

Kanappan will most likely have to give up his land to the owner of the temple land. "The problem is the temple never understands the ground reality," says Sivaprakasam S. "Temples have a fair amount of income from other sources. Sometimes the lessees may owe them money for two years, but they must assess why. Just by lodging cases against the lessees will not solve anything," he explains.

Distress Migration

Clinging onto her father, 15-year-old Alima asks her father never to let her go. Forty-year-old Babu mulls over leaving Keezhvalur to work in Tirupur. The thought stings him. Their neighbours Jeeva and Mani had left for work in Erode and Trichy as hotel waiters and construction labourers, leaving their wives with the burden of taking care of livestock and the household and the children. Jana, Manis wife, half-heartedly takes the goats grazing, child on hip, and stops in her tracks. Today, theyll have to graze in the dead, wilting crops, she says.

Women are fearful of being left alone to take care of their families and livestock because of the shoddily implemented MGNREGA programme. "We haven't gotten our money for three months of work that we did last year. How can we send our husbands out for work if we can't even make basic money to fend for ourselves?" says Jana, herding her goats. The women have no water for their livestock or children. But Selvi is different. "I am readying my husband to go out and look for work. He doesn't want to. But I want to be independent enough to take care of everything. Instead of cribbing, we should fight," she says.

Nagapattinam, on the coast, is cut off from the districts offering work, and more importantly, suffers from the boom of migrant workers from Odisha and Bihar. Vetrivel returned to the taluk after a long and failed search for jobs in Chennai. I think we should just stay home and starve, he says, hanging his head. The lack of information and opportunities is a huge handicap for the Dalit families in the area. People from the subordinate castes are relatively well off in terms of job opportunities. This is also due to a certain adaptability and open mindedness that the subordinate castes have. Those from the Dalit community fear at the prospect of moving to the city. We dont know how the world will be, we already suffer here. We prefer this pain to another pain. Farming is all we know, says Babu.

Another major reason for them hesitating to move to work in cities is land holdings. Kavitha owns 2 acres of land while Babu owns 3. At least 60 percent of the Dalits in the area own land and prefer to cultivate that land instead of moving for new work. "They have faith in the MGNREGA's 100 days work programme, they feel they can make it somehow, and they want to hold on to the land for fear that if the men leave, the land will be snatched away by the dominant castes due to their wives not having ownership of the land," says G Ramadoss, President of the Cauvery Farmers Association.

Twenty-five-year-old Anandi peers through the door, a fat book with yellowing pages in hand and face lapped in turmeric paste. She runs through her educational qualifications, leaving her father in a tizzy. I did my BA in Economics from Thiru Vi Ka college, MA in Economics from Annamalai University and my bachelors in Library Sciences from Annamalai as well, she lists. I am now studying for the teacher training course. Anandi works at her fathers petty shop, she says revealing a hint of shame in her voice. I have dreams. I want to go to Chennai and be a librarian, she says. Women cant do that. How shameful would it be if you leave, and the men here dont even leave, is her father's immediate response.

Anandi's friend, Bhama, comes to her rescue. Bhama did her BA and MA in Zoology at Thiru Vi Ka college, and faces the same fate as Anandi. We can earn more than the men in this village. What is your problem? she challenges. Sometimes, I just want to run away and take a train to Chennai, she jokes. Keep crying for water. Farming is dead, appa (father). Move on, she shoots back, going back to her hut in a huff.

With the advantage of sending money home, the women going out to work is more a matter of aspiration and breaking away from the cocoon of farmers in their taluk, who prefer to keep to themselves. The family expects she will send money back, but Anandi is equally intent on seeing the world outside.

"You can see the agricultural labour force is important to them. They still haven't accepted the idea of mechanisation and the dominance of the service sector. Where physical labour is there they can go, but they do have land holdings. It's a kattipota thozhil (an occupation they are chained to)," says Sivasumbramaniyan P, a professor at the Madras Institute for Development Studies.

Chinnappan jaywalks in a tattered banian, swinging a wooden stick and stops at Kavitha's house for a cup of water. It spills over onto the mud and the women collaborate in a cacophony of chiding and curses as he stares down at the water, caught in a trance. He cups his hands and prostrates in front of them, muttering an apology. Nothing is more precious to them now than those few drops.

Part 1: Five states face severe water crisis made worse by the onset of summer

Part 2: Chennai slum dwellers forced to beg for water, authorities remain helpless

Part 4: Water crisis in Tamil Nadu is a manifestation of climate change, say experts

Part 5: As Karnataka reels under severe water crisis, residents brace unofficial rationing
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Twenty four CRPF troops were killed and half a dozen injured when 300 Maoists ambushed them in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. Sacrifice of martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and rushed to Raipur where he will hold an emergency meeting, ANI reports

CNN-News 18 reports that all the CRPF soldiers have been accounted for.

"This was a cold-blooded murder by Maoists," he said.

"25 CRPF personnel have lost their lives...Their sacrifice will not go in vain," said the home minister, adding that the government was going to "revise and renew" it strategy in May.

"They (Maoists) do not want development for adivasis and backward areas," said Home Minister Rajnath Singh. "They are the biggest enemies of adivasis."

Naxal guerillas fired upon a CRPF convoy and killed 25 personnel on Monday, but firing continued for over 90 minutes. This happened after the Maoists gheraoed the CRPF battalion and started firing, reveals Vivekanand Sinha, inspector general of Bastar.

"KK Das was only 27, and got married recently. We will stand beside them", she said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the house of CRPF jawan KK Das, who was killed in a Naxal attack at Sukma in Chhatisgarh, and said that the state government would give Rs 5 lakh to the family of the slain jawan. "Of the 25 CRPF jawans killed in the attack, three hailed from West Bengal. Two were from Cooch Behar and another was from Nadia district. We have decided to give Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the three slain jawans. We will also provide jobs to them," she told reporters.

The area is controlled by the Maoist insurgents, and the government believes the way to regain control is by having infrastructure like roads in place. Monday's attack only reinforces the theory that the Maoists and the state government both believe infrastructural development could be the first step towards gaining control of the areas.

Three key roads are at the heart of battle for Chhattisgarh's forests

Bihar: Family members mourn the demise of CRPF jawan Krishna Kumar Pandey in Rohtas, who lost his life in Sukma naxal attack yesterday. pic.twitter.com/HmMEUbvW88

. @rajnathsingh ji & I enquired about the health of injured CRPF jawans. Doctors assured us that they will recover soon.All prayers with them pic.twitter.com/PkMrQNwhyl

Naxal guerillas fired upon a CRPF convoy and killed 25 personnel on Monday, but firing continued for over 90 minutes. This happened after the Maoists gheraoed the CRPF battalion and started firing, reveals Vivekanand Sinha, inspector general of Bastar.

Visuals from the Sukma Naxal attack site in Chhattisgarh, in which 25 CRPF personnel lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/BtBdLZXUSd

Visuals from the Sukma Naxal attack site in Chhattisgarh, in which 25 CRPF personnel lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/ssw7vMBYZ2

Visuals from the Sukma Naxal attack site in Chhattisgarh, in which 25 CRPF personnel lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/MPtYJH1Mxs

"KK Das was only 27, and got married recently. We will stand beside them", she said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the house of CRPF jawan KK Das, who was killed in a Naxal attack at Sukma in Chhatisgarh, and said that the state government would give Rs 5 lakh to the family of the slain jawan. "Of the 25 CRPF jawans killed in the attack, three hailed from West Bengal. Two were from Cooch Behar and another was from Nadia district. We have decided to give Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the three slain jawans. We will also provide jobs to them," she told reporters.

The area is controlled by the Maoist insurgents, and the government believes the way to regain control is by having infrastructure like roads in place. Monday's attack only reinforces the theory that the Maoists and the state government both believe infrastructural development could be the first step towards gaining control of the areas.

Three key roads are at the heart of battle for Chhattisgarh's forests

He also criticised Naxalites for using tribal villagers as human shields. "The sacrifices of our brave jawans will not go in vain," he said, adding that the "Naxals are frustrated with the development of roads in Bastar region". The home minister said that Naxalites were the "biggest enemies" of tribal and poor people in the area and were against any development. "But they will not succeed in their evil designs," he said, asserting that the Centre and the state would work together to fight them.

Home minister Rajnath Singh described the Naxalite attack on a CRPF patrol that killed 25 men in Chattisgarh as "cold blooded murder" and a "cowardly attack". "This is an act of desperation. We have accepted this as a challenge. We will review our Left-wing extremism strategy and revise it, if required," he said.

Twenty-six CRPF troopers were killed and half a dozen injured when 300 Maoists ambushed them in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

#UPDATE CRPF personnel death toll in Sukma Naxal attack rises to 24. #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/psiof4dwFA  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many: CRPF's Sher Mohammed pic.twitter.com/myrI62i959  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened fire upon the members of the Central Reserve Police Force's 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa around 1:30 pm.

A police officer said the troopers, who formed a 99-member Road Opening Party, were readying for lunch when they came under a volley of gunfire. The Maoists also hurled hand grenades.

Eleven men were killed instantly and another critically wounded trooper succumbed to his injuries in a Raipur hospital. The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The wounded, who have been warded in hospitals include assistant sub-inspector RP Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon. Oraon is in critical condition while the others were said to be out of danger. "The injured were evacuated by helicopter," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

Jawans injured in CRPF-Naxals encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma shifted to hospital in Raipur. pic.twitter.com/6x5zZKANVy  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Sukma Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla confirmed the deaths.

At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year. The incident occurred in the dense forests near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station, around 450 kilometres away from the state capital, when 112 personnel of CRPF's 219th battalion were out for a road opening task. The Bhejji area in south Bastar region of the state is notorious for Naxal attacks and many security personnel have been killed here in the past.

In 2010, a similar attack in Sukma district left 76 CRPF troopers dead.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur. Singh was in the national capital to attend some programmes and was scheduled to leave for Raipur tomorrow.

"The chief minister has curtailed his stay in Delhi and gone back. He will hold a meeting with senior officials from the police and the administration on the Naxal attack there," a state government official said.

Chhattisgarh: Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj leave for Sukma  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Sukma attack: Chhattisgarh CM has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

With inputs from agencies
Devanik Saha

With 72 security personnel killed in Maoist-related violence in 2017, it is already the deadliest year in the past seven years for Indian security forces, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of data from South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP).

On April 24, 2017, 26 Central Reserve Paramilitary Force (CRPF) jawans were killed in an ambush by Maoists in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district. The encounter with 74 battalion of CRPF occurred at Kala Pathar near Chintagufa in Sukma, the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

Maoist outfits cause the most terror deaths in India, IndiaSpend reported on 19 November 2015.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

Maoists are left-wing communist radicals attempting to overthrow Indias government through force. The regions most affected by Maoist violence lie in a wide swath of mineral-rich, forested tribal lands, from Maharashtra to West Bengal. Tribals account for a third of the 21 million people displaced by development projects, as IndiaSpend reported on June 17, 2014, fuelling a resentment that the Naxals exploit.

April 2017: Deadliest month in past seven years

With 49 deaths, April 2017 is the deadliest month for CRPF in Chhattisgarh in the past seven years. The deadliest month in the past decade was April 2010, when 76 security personnel died in Dantewada, the most fatal Maoist ambush ever.

More security forces have died in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Chhattisgarh (235) than in any other state between 2011 and 2015, IndiaSpend reported on April 14, 2015.

The author is an MA Gender and Development student at Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.

Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit
At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district Monday, the deadliest attack by Maoists targeting security forces this year.

According to CRPF sources, 25 jawans were killed in a fierce encounter between the CRPF's 74 Battalion and Maoists. The CRPF battalion was providing security to road construction work near Chintagufa in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists mounted the assault around 12:25 pm in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country. The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

"The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles," the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10 to 12 rebels were killed in he "befitting" retaliation by the CRPF contingent. Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed. The rebels were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

The bodies of the personnel killed in the ambush have been taken to CRPF camp at Burkapal. The injured jawans have been evacuated by helicopter and shifted to hospitals in Jagdalpur and Raipur.

This was the second such incident in Sukma within a span of one month. The last Maoist attack took place on 11 March, where 12 CRPF jawans were killed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet has said that the sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."

"Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation," he tweeted.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy".

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on 28 February.

75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official were killed in the deadliest naxal attack in adjoining Dantewada district on 6 April, 2010.

With inputs from PTI

Editor's note: This copy has been updated to reflect the corrected figure of CRPF troops that were killed by Maoists. CRPF sources initally pegged the number at 26.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the killing of 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists as "cowardly and deplorable". The prime minister tweeted:

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personne. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," Modi tweeted while offering his condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in the attack. "May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest," he added.

The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killing of 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh on Monday. Singh also said the government has taken as a "challenge" the killing of CRPF personnel by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh. "We have taken the attack as a challenge," he told reporters here.

"Extremely pained to know about the killings of CRPF personnel in Sukma (district). My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Rajnath Singh tweeted. He said he had spoken to Chhattisgarh Home Minister Hansraj Ahir, who "will take stock of the situation".

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday said he was "extremely distressed" over the Naxal attack in his state that killed at at least 26 CRPF personnel, and cut short his Delhi visit.

Singh was in the national capital to attend some programmes and was scheduled to leave for Raipur on Tuesday. "I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting," he wrote on Twitter.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the Naxalite attack on CRPF personnel at Sukma in Chhatisgarh. "Saddened at the tragic death of CRPF jawans in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. Strongly condemn violence. My sympathies with the bereaved families," she tweeted.

Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Union minister of Urban development Vekaiah Naidu also condoled the attack.

Sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma.We salute sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts:R Gandhi pic.twitter.com/epMvtUSFzF  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Deeply pained,their sacrifice should not go in vain.Classic case of mindless killing, no place for such things in democracy: V Naidu #Sukma pic.twitter.com/UNMWtVlCgo  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

President Pranab Mukherjee also condemned the attack and said, "Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured (sic)," the President said in a tweet.

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi said such "thoughtless violence" will never succeed in weakening the resolve to fight extremist forces. The party also demanded that the Narendra Modi government take immediate and strong action against the forces behind the incident.

Describing the attack as "mindless and ruthless strike on our security forces", Sonia Gandhi said the sacrifice of 24 brave men was a big loss to the nation. "Such attacks will never deter the fight against extremism," she said.

The Congress president also expressed solidarity with friends and families of the martyrs and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

AICC in-charge of communications department Randeep Singh Surjewala said this was the second dastardly attack by Naxalites in recent times in the state. He said on 11 March this year, 11 paramilitary commandos had sacrificed themselves in a brutal Naxalite attack.

"Did BJP-led Chattisgarh government learn any lesson? Is it not a clear case of Intelligence failure on part of Central and state government? How does the present government propose to tackle Naxalites?

"The Prime Minister should take decisive action against anti-national forces, who are directly challenging the might of the nation," he said.

"Our salute to the brave soldiers and condolences to their families," Surjewala said.

Hundreds of Maoists on Monday ambushed and massacred at least 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

The CRPF said the deadly ambush took place at 12.30 pm when its 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa.

CRPF's Deputy Inspector General M Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

A trooper who survived the horror said about 300 Maoists surprised the paramilitary personnel when they were readying for lunch.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed hand grenades too, taking the CRPF by surprise.

The CRPF personnel were helping a Road Opening Party when they came under attack.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

With inputs from agencies
The Centre has approached the Supreme Court on Monday to provide unique identification numbers similar to Aadhaar for cows in the country, says media reports. The move is part of the central government's plans of tagging and tracking cattle to ensure they get vaccines on time, which can improve their breeding and milk production, and double the industry's income by 2022.

Centre in its report to Supreme court says "each cow and its progeny across India should get a Unique Identification Number for tracking"  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

The Central government has also recommended special care for cattle beyond the age of milking, ANI tweeted.

According to The Times of India, the centre also brought up the issue of cow protection and cattle smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border.

A report in The Economic Times in January said that nearly one lakh technicians are fanning out across the country since 1 January, and will affix a tag containing a 12-digit unique identification number inside the ear of every single cow and buffalo in the country  all 88 million of them.

The ambitious project will be concluded by the end of this year and comes at a cost of Rs 148 crore.

These "animal Aadhaar cards" will contain the breed and age of the cattle, as well as information about the owner, location and also details about its vaccination. This move comes about a year after Jharkhand embarked upon a similar mission, to trace and tag the 42 lakh cattle it had.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, Jharkhand animal husbandry officials were asked to undergo the exercise to monitor and check the illegal trade of cattle.

The committee, set up in pursuance of the court order, has recommended having tamper-proof identification of cattle by using polyurethane tags and a state-level data base may be uploaded at a website which may be linked with a national online database. The recommendations were placed before a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud which listed the PIL filed by Akhil Bharat Krishi Gosewa Sangh for Tuesday for passing directions by considering these recommendations.

The issue before the apex court also included concern over smuggling of cattle to Nepal for being sacrificed at the Gadhimai festival, held once in five years, and a petition relating to it filed before the festival in 2014. The instant petition concerning trafficking of cattle to Bangladesh was filed by Akhil Bharat Krishi Gosewa Sangh. A similar plea was filed by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, seeking directions to the Centre and states like Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, which share the border with Nepal.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Centre, informed the court that the government has considered recommendations of the committee and the court may now pass directions based on them to states as the issue fell in the state list of the Constitution. The panel, in its recommendations, said, "The committee

recommends that Chief Secretary of respective states to regularly monitor the performance of various departments of the state governments, including RTO, state police and animal husbandry department and ensure prevention of cattle smuggling /illegal transportation of cattle by way of periodic reports.

"At the central level, monitoring could be done by Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)/Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF)."

"Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, has devised a method of tamper-proof identification of cattle using polyurethane tags with a unique identification number sequence. This may be made mandatory for all cows and their progeny throughout India for all cattle that is owned. Already mass tagging of cattle for insurance purpose is being done by livestock development boards and animals husbandry department of state governments," it suggested.

It said the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act read with Export-Import Policy (Exim policy) of India mandates that cattle can only be exported from the country with a valid licence from the regional licensing authority. "In order to check the smuggling of livestock across India's borders, there may be strict enforcement of the EXIM policy by the relevant customs authorities, transport department, police and border guarding forces as per the law," it recommended.

The panel said even where animals are travelling with a licence across the border, care may be taken to check the manner in which they are being transported to prevent cruelty to them. It advocated seeking of cooperation from public to give information on the movement of animals for the purpose of smuggling through helpline numbers of BSF and state police.

Regarding compliance of the July last year's order of Himachal Pradesh banning cow slaughter in the country and imposing prohibitions on import and export of cow and sale of beef, the report said that an effective curb on illegal interstate transportation of cattle was "difficult" because of the varied legal provisions from state to state. "The compliance of the order would entail making a uniform act for cow preservation and protection in India. This will certainly help in reducing grey areas and ensuring implementation to a better extent," it said.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will commence a 15-day "Vistaar Yatra" (party expansion tour) from Tuesday from Naxalbari in West Bengal, the party announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that Shah would commence his yatra from Naxalbari booth number 93, and would touch base with party workers, people from all sections of society, panchayat representatives and the local intelligentsia.

"Our party President is of the opinion that when we do any organisational work and put forth our expectation of workers, it is incumbent upon the leadership to lead by example," Irani said.

Apart from Bengal, Shah will cover the states of Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat and Lakshadweep during his 15-day tour.

She said that 3.68 lakh BJP workers across the country had volunteered to take part in the "Deen Dayal Vistaar Yojana" for 15 days, "leaving all your political and personal obligations behind and dedicate full time to organisational activities and expansion".

"Our party chief is carrying the Prime Minister's message of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and the message of 'garib kalyan' (welfare of poor) to a booth historically known to ask through violence uprooting of the Indian state and Constitution," Irani said.

On the reason for choosing Bengal to commence the expansion tour, Irani said that in Bengal, the "BJP workers are facing violence and hardship and he (Shah) wants to stand up with them".

She said that besides Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the other areas of focus for the party's expansion.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Irani said on the one hand there is a party "going through a crisis whose workers are looking out for its leader, while on the other hand, there is a party (BJP) which is winning election after election but not relying on its past glories and paving its way for future".

"And to pave the way for future, our party President is connecting with the party workers at the booth level to expand the party's base," she said.
A cross seems to have come on the way of saving a hill town in Kerala, called a "heaven on the earth", from an ecological disaster.

A drive by the state Revenue Department to liberate the ecologically fragile Munnar in Idukki district from real estate mafia has been stopped by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after Revenue department officials pulled down a 200-iron foot cross erected atop a hill allegedly encroached by a Christian evangelical group based at Thrissur.

Though the Church did not object to the removal of the cross from the encroached land, Vijayan termed demolition of the 200-foot iron cross erected atop a hill at Pappathichola in Chinnakkanal village as a sacrilegious act and ordered the Revenue Department to hold the drive till an all-party meeting discussed the matter.

Bishops and Church leaders belonging to various denominations maintained that the cross erected on the encroached land had no sanctity. Many of them considered it as a misuse of the cross, which is revered by Christians as symbol of salvation, for material gains.

Media persons at Munnar say that the actual intention of the evangelical group, known as "Spirit in Jesus", in establishing the prayer group in the tourism hotspot was not spiritual upliftment but spiritual tourism. PB Jaishankar, a former journalist in Idukki, told Firstpost that the group head Tom Zachariah and his family members had grabbed hundreds of acres of land in various parts of the larger Munnar region and built resorts.

It has been trying to attract spiritual tourists from across the world saying Pappathichola was a holy site where God showers miracles. The group has been circulating a video showing a rainbow around the sun over the hills saying it was a celestial sign of God approving Zachariah and his ministry.

However, the mainstream Church in the state does not subscribe to the groups claims and teachings. Thrissur Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath said that the teachings and ways of worship of the group, Spirit in Jesus, did not match with those of the Church. The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), an apex body of bishops of all the three Catholic rites in the state, had in 2001 even banned the group from conducting retreats or other programmes in Catholic parishes, he said.

The non-Catholic churches in the state also do not approve of the Spirit in Jesus. Kerala Council of Churches president Gevarghese Mar Coorilos, Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church, termed the erection of the cross at Pappathichola as a clear case of misuse of the cross.

Jesus Christ must have been the happiest one to see the removal of the cross from the encroached land, the Metropolitan said in his Facebook post.

However, the chief minister has stuck to his stand even after the Church disowned the prayer group. He summoned the Idukki district collector, Munnar sub-collector and other senior district officials to Thiruvananthapuram and censored them. He also directed them not to use earthmovers in demolishing illegally constructed structures and consult Power Minister MM Mani, who belongs to Munnar, when eviction resumes in future.

Environmentalists view this as a strong signal to end the eviction drive. They say no eviction anywhere in Idukki will be possible with the consultation of Mani since he has been opposing it from the very beginning. He had even threatened to chop off the legs of those entering Munnar with the intention of evicting encroachers when former chief minister VS Achuthanandan launched an eviction drive in 2007.

After the chief ministers direction, Mani made his stand clear by saying that Munnar sub-collector Sreeram Venkataraman, who heads the eviction drive, should be sent to Oolampara, a famous mental hospital at Thiruvananthapuram. He accused the young IAS officer of implementing the RSS ideology.

Other senior leaders of his party in Idukki are also against eviction. The district unit of the party had come out openly against the current eviction by launching an agitation and blocking officials from evicting the encroachers. Party veteran Achuthanandan called Devikulam MLA S Rajendran, who led the agitation, as a "man of land" mafia.

Interestingly, Rajendran tried to shield the Spirit in Jesus saying there was ambiguity on the status of the land where they erected the cross. Rajendran, who himself has built a house on the alleged encroached land at Munnar, has been maintaining that the Revenue Departments reports about encroachments were exaggerated.

There have been numerous reports regarding encroachments in Munnar. But the reports submitted by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Rajan Madhekar in 2004 and Revenue Principal Secretary Nivedita P Haran in 2007 have revealed not only large-scale encroachment of revenue and forest lands in Munnar but also illegal construction and mining activities by the real estate mafia in connivance with politicians and revenue officials.

An Assembly committee that looked into the matter endorsed all the major findings of the two committees and recommended a temporary ban on all non-domestic construction activities in Munnar in its report tabled in the House in March this year. It also sought establishment of a Munnar Environmental Protection and Development Authority within six months to regulate the activities in future.

All the three reports have warned of the unhindered activities of the land mafia in Munnar that attracts tourists from all over the world because of its unique geographical position and rich biodiversity. The reports say that the hill station situated at about 5,200 feet above the mean sea level will disappear from the tourism map if the illegal activities are allowed to continue unhindered.

Environmentalists said the eviction drives in Munnar were fizzling out because of opposition from political parties. Noted environmentalist and state convenor of Aam Aadmi Party CR Neelakandan says that local leaders of the parties have been resisting eviction either because they themselves were in possession of encroached land or are hand-in-glove with the land mafia.

The much trumpeted eviction drive of the Achuthanandan government in 2007 failed after it targeted the local office of the Communist Party of India (CPI), a prominent constituent of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Though the CPI is fully backing the current drive led by minister E Chandrashekharan, the CPM that heads the LDF is playing the villain.

Neelakandan believes that the chief minister and his party raised the issue of cross to bring an end to the current eviction drive. He termed the chief ministers defence of the cross as an insult to the people of Kerala.

Vijayan is bearing the cross that the faithful do not want. If Pope Francis knew that the cross was erected on an encroached land in an ecologically fragile region, I am sure he himself would have removed it. Its unfortunate that the chief minister is defending the cross even after Christians share the Popes concern on environment, the statement said.

IAS officer Suresh Kumar, who was handpicked by Achuthanandan to head a task force to evict the encroachers from Munnar in 2007, said the chief ministers action had given respectability to the encroacher, who used the religious symbol to encroach land.

The encroacher should not be seen as part of a religious group. They are one of the many criminal gangs trying to grab land in Munnar. They would use cross and other religious symbols to justify their action, he added.

Kumar, who was shunted out from the task following CPM intervention, does not believe that the eviction drive in Munnar will succeed without breaking the thriving alliance among real estate businessmen, land dealers, corrupt government officials and politicians. He considers it as an impossible task.
The polling for the 2017 MCD elections concluded on Sunday and the results will be announced on Wednesday. The voter turnout recorded was poor (53.6 percent), despite Sunday being a holiday. This is in line with the trend in metro cities, where low voter turnout is a regular feature. Though the turnout was marginally higher than the 2012 MCD elections, it was significantly lower (14 percent) than the state Assembly elections in 2015.

Early voter trends suggest that AAP, the ruling party in Delhi, is in for a rout:

Voter Turnout

A low voter turnout is usually good news for the incumbent government/party. It suggests that there isn't a strong movement or wave against the party. A high turnout indicates that people are unhappy with the current dispensation and hence come out in large numbers to overthrow them. This has clearly not happened in the MCD polls, despite the corruption and incompetency allegations against BJP, who had been in power for 10 years.

Disparity in voting between state and municipal elections

An interesting trend emerges on comparing the voter turnout in Vidhan Sabha elections with the civic elections. Whenever the MCD turnout is lower than the Vidhan Sabha turnout, the main opposition in state Assembly wins the MCD polls. This was seen in 2007 and 2012.

Turnout was lower for the MCD polls in both 2007 and 2012, while the Congress party was in power in Delhi, and the opposition BJP won the MCD polls. This is likely to repeat in 2017. Since the turnout was lower, with AAP in power in Delhi, it is likely to lose as per this trend.

Exit Polls

Exit polls predict a massive victory for BJP. Exit polls generally are more accurate than opinion polls and portray an underlying voter trend. The trend, this time, clearly favours the BJP. AAP and Congress are locked in a close battle for second place.

ABP News predicted that BJP will get 218 seats out of 272 seats. Aam Aadmi Party, which runs the state government in Delhi, was predicted to get 24 seats, while the Congress party was pegged to get 22 seats. Meanwhile, an India Today-Axis poll gave the BJP a lead between 202 and 220 seats.

In both the polls, BJP is seen getting almost four times the number of combined seats of AAP and Congress put together. If the voting trends hold true, it becomes clear that BJP has managed to buck the anti-incumbency trend.

AAP is seen losing a massive vote share (30 percent) compared to the Vidhan Sabha elections. BJP is gaining 10 percent, Congress 13 percent and Others seven percent, all at the expense of AAP.

To sum up, the exit polls portray a bad picture for AAP. This raises a few pertinent question: Can AAP survive this onslaught from BJP in Delhi? Will it lead to a change of strategy for the party? Is the aam aadmi dream dead? Only time will tell.

Follow all the live updates here
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wave sweeping across the country is set to continue, with the party expected to clinch the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections as well, if exit polls are to be believed. Elections to the capital's civic body took place on Sunday, and votes will be counted on Wednesday. Exit polls reveal that the saffron party will clinch over 200 of the 272 wards in MCD.

An exit poll conducted by ABP News predicted that BJP will get 218 seats out of 272 seats. Aam Aadmi Party, which runs the state government in Delhi, was predicted to get 24 seats, while the Congress party was pegged to get 22 seats, said the exit poll survey.

The MCD is split into three parts  North, South and East  and the breakdown of how each part voted suggests that BJP's dominance was uniform, with the AAP and Congress having been routed convincingly everywhere.

In the 101-seat North Delhi Municipal Corporation, BJP was predicted to clinch 88 seats, while AAP and Congress brought up the rear with six and seven respectively.

In south Delhi, BJP is expected to win 83 seats, while AAP and Congress could win nine seats apiece. In the East, which is a smaller corporation with just 62 seats, BJP is still ahead of its rivals, with 47 seats, while AAP and Congress get nine and six respectively.

Meanwhile, the India Today-Axis poll gave the BJP a lead of between 202 and 220 seats. It said BJP would clinch between 78 to 84 seats in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, while 79-85 in the south, and 45-51 in the east. It also put AAP and Congress neck and neck for second place, with the former just about inching ahead with 23-35 seats as against 19-31 for the latter.

The results are a clear indication that the BJP wave, which helped the party form governments in four states earlier this year, is far from ending. It would also confirm that this wave is not confined to national and state level elections, but extends to civic polls as well.

BJP Delhi president Manoj Tiwari expressed satisfaction with the results, and attributed it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Exit poll results are according to our expectations," BJP president Manoj Tiwari told India Today. "Modi has won the hearts of people from sections of society. The BJP has taken all its decisions for the welfare of India while the AAP has looted citizens of Delhi."

Congress leaders avoided drawing conclusions based on these surveys, instead advising patience till 26 April, when votes will be counted. "These (polls) violate moral code of conduct. The results will come on 26 April. Let us wait till then," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said.

With inputs from PTI

Follow all the live updates here
If there is one chief minister who is consciously shaking things up, it's Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath. From banning illegal slaughterhouses, introducing anti-Romeo squads, striking at security cover for over 100 VIPs in the state, pushing open Yoga centres in all districts, and inking a 24x7 power supply deal with the Centre, Adityanath, the saffron-clad chief minister, has been changing the way things work. He has now put in place a biometric attendance system in offices up to the block level.

The chief minister's move is to ensure that all government employees reach work on time. Adityanath's instructions came during a meeting with officials from the rural development department late on Saturday night.

According to www.attendance.gov.in, a central government initiative that tracks attendance in government offices using the Aadhar biometric shows up some statistics about in-times of government officials. The biometric system was launched in 2014 in all central government offices in New Delhi. According to a government official quoted in a Mail Online report, the average time the registered employees were present in office has risen by 20 minutes per day.

Jharkhand already has an attendance tracking system in place. It was launched in January 2014 and tracks 34,000 employees across 69 departments and 24 districts.

In Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath has said, "Efforts should be made to ensure that a biometric system of attendance is installed upto the block level. Apart from this, a board be put up at every village panchayat, which will have information about contact details of the village pradhan and details of the ongoing works."

The chief minister said that the targets of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana should be achieved. All works pertaining to registration, uploading of photographs and approval of housing units for 5.73 lakh families eligible under this scheme must be completed at the earliest. "The Centre will be requested to incorporate eligible families, which have been left out," he said.

Emphasising on transparency in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MNREGS), Adityanath said that active workers should be linked with Aadhaar-based payment system. The chief minister also sought information about the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, the World Bank-aided 'Neer Nirmal' and Rajya Grameen Payjal Yojana among other schemes.

"Apart from Bundelkhand, piped water supply schemes should be implemented in other parts of the state. To address the problems of drinking water scarcity in Bundelkhand, repair works pertaining to hand-pumps along with re-boring should be done," Adityanath said.

He also said that 160 piped water supply schemes in 31 districts should be completed to ensure water supply. "Installation of new hand-pumps and re-boring of existing hand-pumps under the quota of MLAs and MLCs should be completed after taking their consent," he said. He also directed that Samagra Gram Vikas Department be merged with Rural Development department.
Kabul: Afghanistan's army chief and defence minister resigned on Monday, following a Taliban attack over the weekend that struck a northern army base, killing more than 100 military and other personnel, officials said.

The attack  the biggest ever by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan  involved multiple gunmen and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday, killing and wounding scores.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which according to some estimates killed over 130 people.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of the army chief of staff and the country's defence minister, according to a statement from the president's office.

It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi & Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect.   (@ARG_AFG) April 24, 2017

The authorities have not released definitive numbers for the casualty tolls but Afzel Hadid, the head of the provincial council in Balkh, told The Associated Press that at least 130 people were killed and 80 were wounded.

Also on Monday, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Kabul to assess what has become America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending in more US troops to help the Afghans fight the insurgency.

Ghani on Saturday travelled to the base in Balkh from where he strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace. And on Sunday, Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning, with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-staff on government buildings and offices across the country.

In the Taliban's detailed statement on the attack, posted on the militant group's website, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that four of the 10 attackers were disguised as soldiers.

The statement said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of the Taliban shadow governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, and threatened more violence against the army and police, saying "this year's operations will be painful."

The attackers managed to pass through two checkpoints at the base, driving in two military vehicles. When security guards stopped them at a third gate, the attackers opened fire and two suicide bombers blew themselves up.

The military's 209th corps is located in the Dihdadi district of Balkh. It is one of seven corps of the country's Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for providing security for Afghanistan's northern and northeastern provinces.

The attack in Balkh raises serious questions about the Afghan military's capability to stand on its own in the battle against the insurgency following the withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014. The American and other foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan are now mostly acting in an advisory and training role, with some combat assistance.

In March, an attack on a military hospital in Kabul killed 50 people. Responsibility for that attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which has emerged and gained a foothold in Afghanistan over the past years.
Beirut: The leader of Al-Qaida urged his followers and other militants in Syria to unite ranks and prepare for protracted jihad, or holy war, in a recording released Sunday night. Ayman al-Zawahri told the jihadis, who control Syria's northwestern Idlib province and other territory, to remain steadfast and change tactics in order to wage guerrilla war.

Al-Qaida began fighting alongside Syria's rebels early in the civil war and won allies among the opposition because of its military prowess. Al-Qaida's official branch, the Nusra Front, changed its name to the Fatah al-Sham Front and formally cut ties with Al-Qaida last year, but is still widely seen as being linked to the global terror network.

In Sunday's message, released through Al-Qaida's As-Sahab media arm, al-Zawahiri cast the Syrian conflict as part of a wider struggle aimed at imposing Islamic rule on the region and beyond. The local leaders of the Fatah al-Sham Front have tended to portray its struggle as being confined to Syria.

Al-Zawahri said an "international satanic alliance" would never accept Islamic rule in Syria, apparently referring to the Syrian government, its ally Russia, and the United States, all of which are actively targeting the group.

The Fatah al-Sham Front is perhaps the most powerful rebel-aligned faction, but dozens of other factions  both hard-line Islamists and more mainstream groups  are also battling Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

Zawahri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the global leader of Al-Qaida after he was killed in a U.S. raid in 2011, made his last public broadcast in May 2016, when he issued an audio message calling for unity among fighters in Syria.

Meanwhile, authorities began a sixth round of evacuations on Monday for civilians and fighters from the opposition-held neighbourhood of al-Waer in Homs, Syria's third largest city, activists and Syrian state media reported.

Government forces have besieged the neighbourhood since 2013, according to the Washington-based monitoring group Siege Watch. Rebels, opposition activists and their families agreed to vacate the district in an agreement signed in March in exchange for the end of hostilities. The government will retake control of the neighbourhood after the last of twelve rounds of evacuations are complete, in an expected three to four weeks, according to local media activist Osama Abou Zeid.

He said about 16,000 people are expected to leave the neighbourhood, instead of reconciling themselves with the government's notorious security services. Siege Watch estimates there have been 60,000 people trapped under the siege.

An estimated 1,800 people, including some 500 fighters, left on Monday, said Abou Zeid. They are being taken to Jarablus, a town on the Turkish border that is under the control of Turkish and Syrian opposition forces.

Areas all over Syria have surrendered to the government in exchange for relief from its sieges. Rebels and dissidents are offered exile to rebel-held areas in northern Syria, if they do not want to reconcile with the authorities. Tens of thousands have accepted to leave from areas around Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo, Syria's largest city. Another 8,000 people have left two pro-government towns in northern Syria, besieged by rebels, in recent weeks.

Critics say the population transfers are redrawing Syria's map along sectarian and political lines.

In northern Syria, warplanes struck the town where a chemical attack killed scores of people earlier this month.

The airstrikes in the opposition-held northern town of Khan Sheikhoun, where nearly 90 people were killed in the chemical attack, killed at least four people and wounded 10 others, according to the activist-run Thiqa News Agency and Edlib Media Center. It was not immediately clear who carried out the strike.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five people, including a child, were killed in the attack on a vegetable market in the area.

Conflicting casualty figures are common in the Syrian war.

This is not the first time that warplanes have targeted Khan Sheikhoun in the aftermath of the gas attack. Warplanes targeted the rebel-held district four days after the attack, killing one woman and wounding her son.
By Barbara Goldberg

| NEW YORK

NEW YORK Anti-Semitic incidents, from bomb threats and cemetery desecration to assaults and bullying, have surged in the United States since the election of President Donald Trump, and a "heightened political atmosphere" played a role in the rise, the Anti-Defamation League said on Monday.A sharp increase in the harassment of American Jews, including double the incidents of bullying of schoolchildren and vandalism at non-denominational grade schools, was cited in the ADL's "Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents."Overall, the number of acts targeting Jews and Jewish institutions rose 34 percent in 2016 to 1,266 in 2016 and jumped 86 percent in the first quarter of 2017, the ADL said."The 2016 presidential election and the heightened political atmosphere played a role in the increase," the ADL concluded in its report.White House spokesman Michael Short said Trump consistently called for an end to anti-Semitism, as recently as Sunday in a speech on Yom HaShoah, Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day.

"We must stamp out prejudice and anti-Semitism everywhere it is found," Trump told the World Jewish Congress Plenary Assembly in New York.Trump had been criticized for waiting until late February to deliver his first public condemnation of anti-Semitic incidents, previously speaking more generally about his hope of making the nation less "divided." He later called such incidents "horrible ... and a very sad reminder" of the work needed to root out hate, prejudice and evil.

The majority of anti-Semitic incidents were not carried out by organized extremists and should be seen in the context of a general resurgence of U.S. white supremacist activity, said Oren Segal, director of the League's Center on Extremism."Anti-Semitism is not the sole domain of any one group, and needs to be challenged wherever and whenever it arises," Segal said in a statement.

Among 34 election-linked incidents cited by the ADL was graffiti posted in Denver in May 2016 that exhorted readers to "Kill the Jews, Vote Trump."The League also noted an incident from November when an assailant told a victim in St. Petersburg, Florida: "Trump is going to finish what Hitler started." Technology that makes it easier to conduct harassment anonymously contributed to the rising numbers, the ADL said.Michael Ron David Kadar, an 18-year-old Israeli-American, has been charged with making dozens of bomb threats to Jewish community centers in the United States earlier this year. (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Lisa Von Ahn)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Beijing: India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian Ocean and more on its economic development, Chinese official media said on Monday.

"New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers," an article in the state-run Global Times said.

"In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development," it said.

"New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy," it said.

China on Sunday celebrated the 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet. A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

"With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the country's overseas interests," a report in the same daily said. As a consequence, China's military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said.

As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of a former Soviet ship has finished its blue sea training, he said.

While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new "logistic" based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.

"As the world's second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development," an article in the Global Times said.

"The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions," the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.

"India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers," it said.

Unlike China, India operated the aircraft carrier since 1961. INS Vikrant which was purchased as an incomplete carrier in 1957 played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of the East Pakistan in 1971 before it was decommissioned in 1997. Its successor INS Virat that was commissioned in 1987 has just been decommissioned this month after an eventful four decades of service.

It was succeeded by INS Vikramaditya, a modified version of Russian ship Admiral Gorshikov, which became operational in 2013. The second INS Vikrant being built in Cochin Shipyard is expected to be ready by 2018.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call on Monday with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula.

The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month.

Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice President Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days".

The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.

Confusion has clouded the carrier group's whereabouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia.

Pence also renewed calls for Beijing  Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner  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."

In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea  a crucial earner for Pyongyang  for the rest of the year.

China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action.

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents.

Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"I told him that we highly appraise US words and actions that show all options are on the table," Abe told reporters following the call.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions.
Paris: Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have emerged as winners of the first round presidential vote in France.

The result clears the way for a straight two-way fight between the pair in a run-off on 7 May, with opinion polls flagging Macron as the favourite.

Here are some of the international reactions to Sunday's vote:

European Union

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated the pro-EU Macron and wished him "good luck" in the run-off, Juncker's spokesman tweeted.

"To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it's the hope and future of our generation," tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Voir les drapeaux de la #France et de l'#UE saluer le resultat de @emmanuelmacron, c'est l'espoir et le futur de notre generation  Federica Mogherini (@FedericaMog) April 23, 2017

Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns Le Pen could lead France away from the bloc.

"Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on 7 May. France must remain European," the Frenchman tweeted.

Patriote et europeen, je ferai confiance le 7 mai a Emmanuel Macron. La France doit rester europeenne !  Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) April 23, 2017

Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "respects" the result, and is "in favour of building good and mutually beneficial relations".

Russia has appeared as a keen backer of Le Pen, who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise visit to Moscow ahead of the vote.

Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks".

"It's good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy," Steffen Seibert said in a tweet.

Gut, dass @EmmanuelMacron mit seinem Kurs fur eine starke EU + soziale Marktwirtschaft Erfolg hatte. Alles Gute fur die nachsten 2 Wochen.  Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecher) April 23, 2017

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed confidence that the 39-year-old would be France's next president.

"I'm sure he will sweep away the far-right, rightwing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round," Social Democrat Gabriel said in a video posted on Twitter during a trip to Amman.

Writing on Twitter, he added: "I'm glad that @EmmanuelMacron is leading the field. He was the only truly pro-European candidate."

Austria

The head of the Austrian far-right FPOe, Heinz-Christian Strache, congratulated Le Pen on her "historic success".

"Europe's patriotic spring can celebrate another success and step forward... The old established parties and their discredited representatives will gradually disappear into insignificance all across Europe. They have been ruining Europe for years!" he said on Facebook.

Strache said that because "established French parties" were backing Macron, it would be a "wonder" if Le Pen won the second round.

"But the system, like in Austria, is on the brink. It is just a question of time. More and more citizens have had enough of the system politicians responsible for the current disaster."

Britain

Former Conservative finance minister George Osborne, the recently appointed editor of London's Evening Standard newspaper, hailed a good result for the centre.

"Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs," he tweeted.

Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs  George Osborne (@George_Osborne) April 23, 2017

Denmark

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed cautious optimism that former banker Macron would emerge victorious over Le Pen.

"Congratulations @EmmanuelMacron. We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reform oriented France => Good luck!"

Congratulations @EmmanuelMacron. We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reformoriented France => Good luck!  Lars Lkke Rasmussen (@larsloekke) April 23, 2017

Norway

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, whose country is not a member of the European Union, tweeted: "We need more not less cooperation in #Europe."

We need more not less cooperation in #Europe. Positive that @EmmanuelMacron is projected to win first round of #franceelections.  Brge Brende (@borgebrende) April 23, 2017

The Netherlands

Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the anti-Islam anti-immigrant Freedom Party, swung behind Le Pen, welcoming the result as a "bright day for patriots in France and elsewhere who want more national sovereignty and less EU and immigration.

"I have just sent her my sincere congratulations. Now on the way to a vigorous second round, I am hoping for a President Le Pen."

Congratulations sent to Marine Le Pen.

A day of celebration for all Patriots in Europe.

On to the 2nd round and the Presidency! pic.twitter.com/bpZoKU2xvZ  Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) April 23, 2017

With inputs from AFP
Paris: Six people, including three security personnel, were injured during protests against the result of the first round of French presidential elections, police said on Monday.

At least 29 people remained in police custody following the demonstrations in which leftist activists came out to voice their opposition to independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, both of whom are set to battle it out at the runoff Elysee Palace on 7 May, the police told Efe news.

Anti-fascist and anti-capitalist demonstrators gathered at Place de la Bastille and Place de la Republique, in the heart of Paris, two hours before polling stations for the first round of voting closed on Sunday night at 8 pm.

Initially, protestors built barricades in the squares, but as exit poll data started to filter through pointing to a victory for both Macron and Le Pen, the demonstrations became more violent.

Several people threw firecrackers, causing damage to nearby vehicles and shop windows.

Activists in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble also staged protests that turned violent.
On a cold spring morning, 46 million French people voted in an election the likes of which they have not seen not seen since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958. Back then, France saw a musical chair of governments, with shifting party coalitions  much like our aaya ram, gaya ram governments of the nineties. General de Gaulle put an end to this by establishing a presidential form of government.

In the current presidential elections, two fundamental issues are at stake: Democratic order at home and the future of the European Union (EU). Both were challenged by a party, the National Front, headed by a young, dynamic and shifty woman, Marine Le Pen. She is strongly against some eight million Muslims living in France and wants an end to immigration from Muslim countries. She also wants to drastically limit Frances relationship with the EU; which, incidentally, France had helped found alongside Germany.

Both these issues are at the heart of this closely fought election. All four principle contestants for the presidency had sharply opposing views on them. Le Pen was opposed to immigration, wanted tighter surveillance against eight million Muslims living in France (including limiting their constitutional rights as citizens) and of course against the EU; she wanted to break up the euro, which she described as a knife in the ribs of France. In short, she threatened the values on which the French Republic was founded by the Revolution of 1789.

Her opponents' political ideology leant towards the centre-right, extreme left and centrist liberalism. The centre-right, led by Francist Fillion, is for staying in the EU but harsh on immigration; the extreme left is for withdrawal from the EU and NATO and supports radical equality at home. It is the centrist liberals, led a young man of 37 years, Emanuel Macron, who embodies modern liberalism. He wants to deepen Frances economic and political ties with the EU and is for equal rights for all living in France  a clear reference to French Muslims.

In the first round of this election, the liberal Macron and illiberal Le Pen emerged as the two winners; the former got 23.8 percent votes and the latter 21.5 percent. The two will battle for the presidency of France in the second round and whoever breaches the 50 percent mark will become the president. The two round system is designed to eliminate the mixed verdict the first-past-the-post parliamentary system often throws up. India is all too familiar with it, and the French system could serve as a possible cure.

So, what will be the outcome of the second round? Early trends suggest that Macron will win against Le Pen. It seems that the French have an understanding among themselves that anyone who threatens the core values of the republic must be eliminated, albeit democratically. Le Pens racist remarks and her rejection of European unity deeply hurt the values of the French Republic, as per most French people. So, all those, from extreme left and right, who did not vote for the liberal Macron will vote in the second round for him, just to keep Le Pen from the presidency.

In many ways, the contest between Le Pen and Macron is much like the fierce contest one witnessed between US President Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton last November: Trump stood for 'America first' and was against NATO, globalisation and immigration, whereas Hillary stood for a liberal world order and equal citizens rights for all Americans. Hillary won the popular vote but lost by electoral college votes. This may not happen in France as a majority of French see Le Pen as a threat to democracy. The extreme left and the centre-right parties have already told their voters to shift their votes to liberal Macron.

The future of the EU looks more optimistic than it did at the time of Brexit last summer, when Britons voted to exit from the EU. Le Pen had expressed her happiness at the results of the Brexit vote and the US presidential election. She must have thought that her moment had come at last, and that she would now become president and pull off a "Frexit"  Fraance's exit from the EU. If Macron wins, which is most likely, and if the German election  due in September  produces a strong pro-EU candidate, the EU will receive a strong fillip.

Trumps America is now isolated from Europe. Trump had openly sided with Le Pen and had come out against NATO, EU, globalisation, immigration and against a liberal world order. He has been defeated on all counts by the American Congress, the courts and from inside, by his own Republican Party.

The French peoples verdict in the second round of the elections, in that sense, can save liberal democracy.

The author has lived and studied in France and written extensively on international affairs in newspapers and journals in India and abroad.
New Delhi: Pakistan on Monday rejected India's assertion that it is violating a bilateral pact by not giving access to retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court there.

India has made 15 requests for consular access to 46- year-old Jadhav, who has been convicted of "espionage and sabotage" by a Pakistan army court.

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said in an interview that as per the bilateral pact on consular access, cases pertaining to political and security issues, will be decided on merit, indicating that consular access cannot be taken for granted.

Categorically dismissing the charge that Jadhav was a spy, India has maintained that he was kidnapped by Pakistani authorities from Iran where he had legitimate business interest.

Rejecting India's stand that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, Basit said he was caught in Balochistan and tried for "espionage and sabotage".

He also alleged that the Indian national had been travelling to Pakistan for several years and was carrying two Indian passports, including a fake one.

On India's position that the whole trial against was "farcical and done in a hush-hush manner", the Pakistani envoy asserted he was tried in a military court because it was not possible to try him in a civilian court.

On repeated requests for consular access to Jadhav by India, which has also accused Pakistan of violating the bilateral pact on the issue, Basit said, "We have a bilateral agreement under which it is clearly said that in matters relating to political and security issues, those cases should be decided on merit.

"So, we have so far taken a decision strictly in accordance with the law of the land and as per the bilateral agreement of 2008 (with India). We have not breached anything.

We are proceeding as per our laws as well as bilateral obligation and commitment."

The high commissioner also referred to the appeal process in Pakistan, saying Jadhav can always go to an appellate court and if the verdict is upheld then he can file a mercy petition to the Pakistan army chief and the Pakistan prime minister.

On whether his family can meet him, Basit said it was "too premature" to comment on how the case is going to proceed.

Asked about media reports of retired Pakistani Lt Col Mohammad Habib being abducted by Indian authorities near Indo-Nepal border, the Pakistan envoy said his government is in touch with the Nepalese government on whereabouts of the missing Pakistani national.
By Alana Wise

| NEW YORK

NEW YORK The lawyer representing Dr. David Dao, who was dragged from a United Airlines plane, said he will also represent a woman whose clash with an American Airlines flight attendant went viral over the weekend. Thomas Demetrio told CNBC on Monday that he will represent both passengers whose recent confrontations with airline and airport employees sparked global outrage and prompted a nationwide conversation over U.S. carriers' treatment of passengers. "Her tale is compelling. The video is a microcosm of what's wrong with the airline industry today," Demetrio said in an interview with CNBC.In a video posted on Facebook on Friday by a bystander aboard the American Airlines flight, the woman is seen in tears and holding a young child after a male flight attendant had apparently wrested a baby stroller from her.

Demetrio said the woman from that incident, which happened before takeoff on Flight 591 from San Francisco to Dallas, had reached out to seek his counsel. American Airlines spokeswoman Leslie Scott said on Monday that the carrier had been direct contact with the woman throughout the weekend. 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.

The video showed an unidentified man standing and yelling at the flight attendant: "You do that to me and I'll knock you flat." The crew member then points his finger and challenges the passenger to hit him and the man eventually returns to his seat.American Airlines suspended the flight attendant and apologized to the woman and her family. The carrier said on Saturday that it was investigating the incident.

This was the second high-profile incident in less than a month involving a physical escalation of conflict between airlines employees and passengers. Two weeks ago, 69-year-old Dao was dragged from his seat aboard United Flight 3411 before takeoff by airport security to make room for employees. Demetrio said in the CNBC interview a settlement had not yet been discussed with United over the incident in which Dao lost two front teeth, broke his nose and suffered a concussion. (Reporting by Alana Wise, Timothy Mclaughlin and Barbara Goldberg)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
On Sunday, the people of France and voters of Delhi made diametrically opposite decisions about men who could have once been separated at birth. While the people of Delhi rejected Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP, the French put Emmanuel Macron, a man who represents the kind of change Kejriwal once promised, at the front of the presidential race.

Ironically, while the Kejriwal era in Indian politics may have ended in India on 23 March, the politics of another aam aadmi, a rank outsider, may have just begun in France. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, emerged on top after the first round of polls in France featuring 11 candidates. He will now compete with far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was second in the run-off, in the next round. The contest is being billed as an election that may define the future of not just France but of entire Europe.

Macron has, like Kejriwal once upon a time, emerged as a symbol of rejection of established politicians and the two main political groups  the Socialists and the Republicans--without whose support it was considered impossible to win an election in France. Like the incumbent Congress government in Delhi was wiped out in 2013, the Socialist candidate trailed in the fifth position in the first round.

Six months ago, when Macron launched his campaign, pollsters were not willing to give him even an outside chance. Macron, a former banker, had never held an elected office prior to jumping in the fray for the top job in France. But, his political movement En Marche! (On the Move), slowly caught the fancy of the French voters, pitting him against Le Pen, who represents everything that Macron seems to reject exit from Eurozone, Donald Trump-like restrictions on immigrants, xenophobia and virulent nationalism.

Like the AAP, Macron's rise began with a massive movement to reach out to people disillusioned by established parties and ideologies. Before he announced his candidature, Macron reached out to thousands of voters to find out what policies and politics they wanted. Sounds familiar, no? Reminds us of the rise of the AAP from the Lokpal movement, Delhi dialogue and the disenchantment with archetypical politics? Unfortunately, its pioneer in India is staring at the end of his political road.

Exit poll after Sunday's municipal elections for Delhi indicates Kejriwal's AAP may be wiped out. Some pollsters suggest it will trail in the third place with just about ten percent seats in the three municipalities. It will be a dramatic reversal of fortunes from 2014 when the AAP won 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. Why did Kejriwal fail on a day the French expressed their faith in a brand of politics AAP once promised? The answer is simple: Kejriwal failed to live up to expectations. Now, in deference to the idea that hell hath no fury like a voter scorned, people are seeking revenge.

He promised a style of politics that was to be different from the conventions set by the BJP and the Congress. Ultimately, he became a poor replica of them with his dictatorial politics of opportunism defined by two events: The ouster of colleagues like Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav and his shocking embrace of hardliners in the Punjab elections. Kejriwal promised to clean up not just Delhi but the entire "gutter of politics by stepping into it." Today, he seems part of it, his image stained by unbridled ambition and lack of commitment to the very people who elected him.

It is difficult to be optimistic about Kejriwal's future. Now that he is in free fall, it is likely he will crash to the bottom. After the projected rout in the municipal elections, he will find it difficult to save his government in Delhi. Aware that he has lost popular mandate, the BJP will try everything to dislodge him through every means available to it.

The AAP's strength was its ability to fight on the streets, enlist the common man for its cause. But, the will to protect its last bastion will just evaporate when it realises people have turned against it. Expect a huge flight of workers, activists and established leaders from the AAP if results are close to the projections made by pollsters.

Once he is done and dusted, Kejriwal might look at the events in France wistfully. He may realise how France is doing today what people of Delhi had done a few springs ago  choosing an outsider to take on the incumbent as well as the threat of far right. In the rise of Macron, Kejriwal would see both the triumph of the idea he once represented and his failure to live up to it. From the turn of events in Delhi, it seems Kejriwal will have all the time in the world to rue his own downfall. Like Macron, he too is on the move, but towards oblivion.
Pago Pago, American Samoa: US Vice President Mike Pence has thanked US service members based in America Samoa, citing "challenging times" for the military in the Asia-Pacific.

Completing a visit to the region and en route back to the United States, Pence addressed some 200 soldiers during a refuelling stop in Pago Pago. He told the troops the Trump administration was seeking a large increase in military funding.

During his stop, Pence also dedicated a sign that will greet visitors at a veterans clinic. He met with American Samoan officials and troops on his way to Hawaii at the end of his tour that included a visit to the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

The trip offered evidence that Pence has become one of President Donald Trump's chief emissaries on the world stage, patching up relations, reassuring allies still wondering what to expect from Trump and diving into international crises like North Korea.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the vice president was to shorten his visit to Hawaii ahead of a busy week for the administration in Washington.

Pence's office said he would depart Hawaii on Monday afternoon after meeting with U.S. Pacific Command leaders and troops stationed in Honolulu. Plans for a Tuesday visit to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbour have been postponed, Pence's office said.

Pence's trip to Asia was planned weeks ago. But it dropped him in South Korea just in time to deliver North Korea a stern warning from the U.S.: that "all options are on the table" when it comes to curbing the North's nuclear ambitions, and that the Trump administration will seek support from its allies to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

His foray into the DMZ and his meetings with South Korean and Japanese leaders allowed Pence to shape a key American foreign policy issue, presenting a new challenge for a politician whose prior foreign policy experience was limited to trips to the Middle East as a congressman and trade missions to Japan, China, Israel and Europe as Indiana's governor.

Pence's early foreign travel schedule contrasts sharply with a mostly homebound Trump, who is not scheduled to travel overseas until late May for NATO meetings in Belgium and a gathering of the Group of Seven major industrial nations in Italy. Pence partly covered that ground when he visited Germany and Belgium in February.

Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, had visited nine countries by late April 2009, his first three months in office, checking in with allies such as Canada, Britain and Germany. The last first-term president to wait until May to take his first foreign trip was Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Enter Pence, whose still-evolving diplomatic playbook includes several components, all steeped in humility, personal ties and his religious faith.

In some ways, Pence is the advance team: His earlier trip to Europe and his Asia trip that ends Tuesday are partly laying the foundation for journeys being planned for Trump. In other ways, Pence is the face of reassurance, offering in-person outreach to world leaders Trump has clashed with or who have doubted Trump's commitment to them at the start of his presidency.

In meetings with his counterparts, Pence frequently passed along "greetings" from Trump and told his hosts how much America valued their alliance, language that's commonplace in diplomacy but understated compared to the more free-wheeling Trump.

On Thursday, for example, Pence told Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo how "proud" he and Trump were to partner with him and spoke of their hopes of working together.
Seoul: An official North Korean website warned on Monday that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States if Washington starts a war on the peninsula, the latest tit-for-tat sabre-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in the region. The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in waters off the Korean peninsula "in a matter of days", Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, amid reports the North could be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

Pyongyang is still believed to be far from reaching its aim of building a missile capable of reaching the US mainland, but the secretive nation has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks and has carried out two rocket tests this month alone.

In a series of editorials the Rodong Sinmun newspaper -- the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party -- said the North's forces were undeterred and called the US strike group's imminent arrival "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said today, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. A day earlier it said the North's revolutionary forces were "combat-ready to sink the US nuclear aircraft carrier with a single strike". Pyongyang's rhetoric intensifies every spring, when the US and South Korea hold joint exercises it sees as rehearsals for an attack on the North.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri Monday claimed that the dispatching of the Carl Vinson signalled a war: "It is proof that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day." The editorial, described as being written by an army officer, said it was a "big miscalculation" for Washington to compare the North to Syria, which did not launch an "immediate counterattack" after a US cruise missile strike earlier this month.

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth." There is speculation the North may conduct another test to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of its Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday.

But it has never tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with sufficient range to reach the continental United States -- although it has ambitions to develop one -- nor is it known to have miniaturised atomic technology sufficiently to be able to fit a nuclear warhead on a rocket. US officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table" to curb the North's weapons ambitions, including military strikes.
Back-to-back decline in remittances for the first time in 30 years will continue in 2017 as well, with Middle East countries still struggling with low oil prices and the United States adopting more job protection measures for their citizens, say experts.

"Not only the oil price crisis in Gulf countries, but also (US President) Donald Trump's moves to tighten the job visa issuance for foreigners is going to affect the remittance inflow in India," Jose Chacko, a Muscat-based Indian finance expert, told Firstpost.

The World Bank said on Friday that India saw an 8.9 percent drop in money sent back by its citizens from other countries in 2016, a sharp decline compared to the 1 percent dip the previous year. India saw $69.6 billion in remittance from 2014, which dipped to $68.9 billion in 2015, before falling to $62.7 billion last year.

The World Bank report says that the back-to-back decline is the first time it's happened in three decades. "Since mid-2014, global oil prices started to slip from $120 per barrel, and at a time, it even tanked to $20 per barrel, putting oil producing countries in the Gulf in trouble. Delays and cuts in wages for migrant workers and increased cost of living due to subsidy cuts further decreased the amount that migrants could remit," said Chacko, adding that this would continue in 2017 as well, since conditions have not improved.

World Bank statistics reveal that around 50 percent of remittances to India come from Gulf migrant workers and remittances amount to 3.2 percent of the GDP. Among Gulf countries, United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands first with 38 percent, and Saudi Arabia is second with approximately 30 percent.

The World Bank report states that remittances to the South Asia region declined by an estimated 6.4 percent to be at $110 billion in 2016 due to lower oil prices and fiscal tightening in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Suresh Prabhu, an Indian accountant in Oman, said that he is remitting only half of what he used to two years ago. "Citing economic crisis, my company has limited medical insurance coverage by a certain amount. If medical bills exceed, then we have to pay from our own pocket. I live with my family and medical bills drain my pocket. So, to balance my budget, I eventually remit less," Prabhu said.

Meanwhile, Ganapathy Rao, an Andhra-based mason from Saudi Arabia, said he was left in the lurch by his company nine months ago, and has still not remitted a single penny home. "I'm not getting any salary for the last nine months. The company has left us in the lurch citing economy problems. Now we have registered for Amnesty (government pardon system for migrant workers to leave country without paying any fine or facing any legal action) and will most probably return empty-handed," Rao said.

Thousands of Indian workers in Saudi Arabia were laid off by companies due to oil price crisis and they are returning home in phases through Amnesty. A study by Asif Nawaz from Jamia Milia Islamia University shows that Gulf countries are changing their preferences in recruiting Indian workers have also affected the remittance inflow.

Nawaz's study, titled 'Pakistan, Bangladesh's Surgical Strike on India's GDP', which was conducted in India, confirms that emigration from Bangladesh and Pakistan is going up and will lead to dip of remittances.

The Indian government's official data reveals that in comparison to 2015, the number of Indians migrating to six Gulf countries was short by 2.5 lakh in 2016. The World Bank report also confirms that Pakistan saw a modest growth of 2.8 percent in remittance.

In the second week of April, Moody's Investors Service had said that lower remittances from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies, which have been hit hard by the slump in oil prices, will reduce the benefits of cheaper oil imports for several Asia Pacific countries.

"Generally, weaker remittances will immediately impact the recipient countries' credit profiles via their balance of payment positions. A prolonged fall would also hurt economic growth, given the importance of remittances to household incomes," Moody's report said.

To cushion the impact, the report advises India to have diversified locations and vocations of their overseas workers to reduce the fall in remittances overall. The report finds that in sovereigns that are already facing external pressures, or where growth is weakening or anaemic, a slowdown in remittances will worsen such challenges.

Anchan CK, an international investment adviser based in Muscat, said that Donald Trump tightening immigration rules in the US will affect India's remittance inflow significantly. "The US administration is tightening immigration rules. Entry level techies will find it hard to get a US job and those who are already employed are on the verge of losing them. So, eventually, less jobs and less remittances," Anchan said.

Recently, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has tightened the H-1B work visa rules and Australia has also abolished the 457 visa programme, a migrant worker scheme very popular among Indians looking to move to Australia.

"These moves are going to affect remittances in 2017 also," Anchan said. "In the previous years, remittances were sometimes double and triple of India's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In 2015, FDI was $31 billion. At that time, remittances were $68 billion. These remittances play a vital role in the Indian economy and if a dip is witnessed, the government should look into it seriously," Anchan added.

World Bank estimates that officially recorded remittances to developing countries amounted to $429 billion in 2016, a decline of 2.4 percent over $440 billion in 2015. Global remittances, which include flows to high-income countries, contracted by 1.2 percent to $575 billion in 2016, from $582 billion in 2015.
WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump criticized North Korea's "continued belligerence" and said its actions were destabilizing in a telephone call on Sunday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said.

The leaders agreed on the urgency of the threat posed by the North's missile and nuclear programs and committed to coordinate their efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, it said in a statement on Monday.

"President Trump criticized North Korea's continued belligerence and emphasized that Pyongyang's actions are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula," the White House said. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Steve Holland and Ben Blanchard

| WASHINGTON/BEIJING

WASHINGTON/BEIJING U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the U.N. Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea, amid escalating tensions over its missile and nuclear programs, saying people had acted as if "blindfolded" for decades on a big problem that finally needed to be solved."The status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable," Trump told a meeting of U.N. Security Council ambassadors at the White House, held at a time of mounting concern that North Korea may be preparing a sixth nuclear bomb test."The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," Trump said. "This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem and it's a problem that we have to finally solve," he said. People put blindfolds on for decades and now its time to solve the problem.Trump gave no indication as to when new sanctions should be imposed on North Korea. U.S. officials say his administration has been debating whether they should be held as response to any new North Korean missile or nuclear test, or imposed as soon as they can be agreed.Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier called for all sides to exercise restraint in a telephone call about North Korea with Trump, as Japan conducted exercises with a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea, which has carried on nuclear and missile tests in defiance of successive rounds of U.N. sanctions, said on Monday the deployment was "an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade"."The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act," Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary on Monday.Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.Worry that North Korea could be preparing to conduct another nuclear test or launch more ballistic missiles has increased as it prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.China is North Korea's sole major ally but it has been angered by its nuclear and missile programmes and is frustrated by its belligerence.China has repeatedly called for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and is worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated, impoverished neighbour.Trump, in his phone call with Xi, criticised North Koreas "continued belligerence" and emphasised that its actions "are destabilising the Korean peninsula", the White House said."The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programmes, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said.Xi told Trump China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. resolutions, China's foreign ministry said.

China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation", the Chinese ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi.The call between the presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for their countries and the world, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.'FULLY READY'

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, speaking on NBC's "Today" programme, said the United States and the international community were maintaining pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but were "not trying to pick a fight with him".Asked whether a preemptive strike was under consideration, she said: "We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something.""If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that. But right now, we're saying 'don't test, don't use nuclear missiles, don't try and do any more actions', and I think he's understanding that. And China's helping really put that pressure on him."

Trump also spoke by telephone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe."We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe later told reporters. "We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly."Envoys on the North Korean nuclear issue from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is but U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days".South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun gave no details about plans to join the U.S. carrier group for exercises, but said Seoul was holding discussions with the U.S. Navy."The South Korean and U.S. militaries are fully ready for North Korea's nuclear test," Moon said.South Korean and U.S. officials have feared for some time that North Korea's sixth nuclear test could be imminent.Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week.However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations.Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick, Susan Heavey and David Brunnstrom in Washington, Takashi Umekawa and Linda Sieg in Tokyo, James Pearson in Seoul, and Philip Wen, Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Robert Birsel and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Ben Blanchard and Ju-min Park

| BEIJING/SEOUL

BEIJING/SEOUL Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all sides to exercise restraint on Monday in a telephone call about North Korea with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Japan conducted exercises with a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.Trump sent the carrier group for exercises in waters off the Korean peninsula as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea said on Monday the deployment was "an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade"."The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act," Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary on Monday."What's only laid for aggressors is dead bodies," the newspaper said.Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.Worry that North Korea could be preparing to conduct another nuclear test or launch more ballistic missiles has increased as it prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday. It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.China is North Korea's sole major ally but has been angered by its nuclear and missile programmes and is frustrated by its belligerence.China, which has repeatedly called for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, is worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated, impoverished neighbour.

Trump, in his phone call with Xi, criticised North Koreas "continued belligerence" and emphasised that its actions "are destabilising the Korean peninsula", the White House said."The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programmes, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," it said.Xi told Trump China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, China's foreign ministry said.China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation", the Chinese ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi.The call between the presidents was the latest manifestation of their close communication, which was good for their countries and the world, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

'FULLY READY'

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, speaking on NBC's "Today" programme, said the United States and the international community were maintaining pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but were "not trying to pick a fight with him".Asked whether a preemptive strike was under consideration, she said: "We are not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something.""If you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that. But right now, we're saying 'don't test, don't use nuclear missiles, don't try and do any more actions', and I think he's understanding that. And China's helping really put that pressure on him."Trump also spoke by telephone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe."We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe later told reporters. "We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly."

A Japanese official said the phone call between Trump and Abe was not prompted by any specific change in the situation.Envoys on the North Korean nuclear issue from the United States, South Korea and Japan are due to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is but U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days".South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun gave no details about the South's plan to join the U.S. carrier group for exercises, apart from saying Seoul was holding discussions with the U.S. Navy."The South Korean and U.S. militaries are fully ready for North Korea's nuclear test," Moon said.South Korean and U.S. officials have feared for some time that North Korea's sixth nuclear test could be imminent.Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week.However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations.Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country. (Additional reporting by Takashi Umekawa and Linda Sieg in TOKYO, James Pearson in SEOUL, Philip Wen and Michael Martina in BEIJING, and Steve Holland, Susan Heavey in WASHINGTON; Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
On Saturday, the US government may shut down. In essence, the US government runs out of money to pay for all its programmes at midnight 28 April, unless Congress, which controls the purse strings, passes a spending bill.

At first glance, this shouldn't be a difficult proposition. No one wants a government shutdown, especially the Republicans, who control every lever of power. A shutdown would reflect poorly on their ability to govern.

As for president Trump, the consequences of a shutdown could be disastrous  29 April is his 100th day in office  the new president is already battling fierce headwinds with his approval rating at a historic low of 42 percent.

The optics of the government shutdown coinciding with his 100th day in office could be a body blow to his image. And yet, as of Monday, a government shutdown is looking more and more likely. But let's first look at what that entails.

Lights out? More like lights dimmed

Let's assume that Congress is unable to pass a funding bill or even pass a continuing resolution, which temporarily keeps the lights on and kicks the can of passing a funding bill down the road. What then? The government would not, in fact, completely shut down.

Government employees who provide essential services: social security, medicare and the US post office, would continue to work. However, the government would stop providing to the public all services deemed "non-essential".

According to a report in The Guardian, there are between around 800,000 and 1 million government employees who are categorised as "non-essential". These range from people working in the Environmental Protection Agency, civilian employees in the Department of Defence to scientists working at Nasa. These employees would be furloughed, absent pay.

The real trouble would begin when the government begins to reach closer to the debt limit. This is a fixed amount, also set by Congress, which specifies how much the US government can borrow. Think of it as the limit on your credit card. However, the failure to raise the debt limit is no game. The prospect of a US default is unthinkable: it could send markets around the world crashing and even affect the rating of US bonds. Thankfully, this battle is months away.

Why is the government shutdown likely?

The Republicans in Congress are eager to reach an agreement with the Democrats because they can't pass the funding bill through the US House and the Senate themselves. They simply don't have the votes.

However, the White House is causing all sorts of problems. President Trump reportedly wants the funding bill to include a provision to pay for one of the president's signature campaign promises: a border wall with Mexico. Ironically, this would violate Trump's promise that Mexico would pay for the wall. However, the US president still insists that Mexico will "eventually" pay for the wall in "some form or the other".

To get their way, the White House is threatening to withhold Obamacare subsidies to lower income individuals. Paying for the wall is a non-starter for Democrats. Add to that, the White House threat of withholding subsidies has their base enraged. Even if they were inclined to help the president, which they are not, given the president's unpopularity, the Democrats' base won't let them.

What the White House has failed to grasp is that they have absolutely no leverage in this fight and that the fallout from a shutdown would be, politically, much worse for them than the Democrats, who are the opposition. The only way the shutdown can be averted is if the White House stages an orderly retreat and gives in on the demand for funding for the wall.

Has a government shutdown happened before?

On multiple occasions. Most recently, in October 2013, under then president Barack Obama. The reason for the shutdown was a fight over Obamacare. The Republicans, who controlled the House, attempted to defund Obamacare. President Obama and the Democrats, who controlled the Senate, rejected their proposal. No agreement could be reached.

The government shutdown lasted 16 days and ended with a victory for the Democrats after the House and Senate voted to fund the government and extend the debt limit. Only minor changes were made to Obamacare, mandating income verification for those receiving Obamacare subsidies. Obama signed the bill on 17 October, ending the shutdown. While a different president is in office, it seems that history is likely to repeat itself.
New Delhi: Vice-president Hamid Ansari is expected to discuss India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during an upcoming visit to Poland.

Ansari, who left on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland on Monday, will hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

The vice-president, who will be in Armenia till 26 April, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on 26 April and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president s honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them, MEA Secretary (east) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.

So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the vice president with an opportunity to thank Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums," she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan.

The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University. The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

"It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the vice president on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw, an MEA Official said.

The ambassador of India will host a reception where the vice president is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

"As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 percent in just one year, the official said.
COLUMBUS  The smile on Reece Gausmans face grew wider as he was the center of attention at Sunday's Playground Palooza.

The event at Platte County Agricultural Park served as a fundraiser for an inclusive playground at Lost Creek Elementary School.

It was also the perfect setting for Make-A-Wish to fulfill Reeces dream by presenting the 10-year-old and his family with a $10,000 check to support the project.

We are so excited to be part of Reeces very generous wish. This is something that is just amazing and will not only bring him joy, but his friends and the entire community as well, said Brigette Young, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Nebraska.

The playground costs $265,000, a goal that was reached during the second annual Playground Palooza event where the Columbus Area Community Foundation Fund also provided a matching grant of up to $30,000. Columbus Public Schools previously committed $100,000 to the project.

Money raised beyond the project's cost will be used to purchase additional playground equipment.

The inclusive playground is specially designed for children with disabilities. It will have ramps and a padded surface to accommodate those who use wheelchairs or walkers. The playground equipment includes therapeutic swings and a merry-go-round that can be used while sitting or standing. The Make-A-Wish donation will be used to buy a handicapped-accessible ship, with a plaque added to recognize Reece.

Reeces parents, Stuart and Kristen Gausman, said they wanted to support the playground project for the benefit of their youngest child and the community as a whole.

He likes being able to play outside and be with his friends. A playground like this is just awesome for Reece, kids like Reece and all kids. It will be something that is not just for him and the kids now, but it will be here for a long, long time to come, Stuart said.

Reece was a micro preemie, weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces when he was born at 24 1/2 weeks. He has short bowel syndrome, was born with spina bifida and is blind. He eats through a feeding tube.

When the Gausman family, which also includes daughter Reagan, 16, and son Riley, 12, goes to the park, Kristen said they often spend time on walking trails because it's difficult to get Reeces wheelchair onto a playground. The inclusive playground will give Reece the opportunity to play with other children.

Plans are to install the playground, created by Omaha-based Crouch Recreation, this summer to have it ready for the next school year. Lost Creek Elementary was selected for the project because the district's high-needs special education program is there. Teachers at the elementary school came up with the idea for the inclusive playground.

Currently, there is only one handicapped-accessible swing at the Lost Creek playground, said Amber Furby, a paraeducator at the school.

And it is surrounded by gravel. For Reece, for instance, you have to take his feeding bag, his tube and him and carry him about 20 feet so he can get to the swing, said Furby, who is also part of a team of volunteers who supported the project.

Another supporter, Tammy Augustine, said the community deserves recognition for embracing the project. She hopes everyone will use the playground, including parents and grandparents with disabilities.

Anybody who has issues getting on a normal playground, this will be accessible to them, she said.
Sennheiser has partnered with Samsung to make its smart audio earbuds for Android devices. The German audio technology maker will work with Samsung on the AMBEO smart headset which with embedded microphones capable of recording 3D audio.

Andreas Sennheiser told The Korea Herald at the IFA Global Press Conference,

We are working with Samsung on the AMBEO smart headset to make it available for Android devices. Because a dominant layer of the smartphone market is Android-based phones.

It must be noted that Sennheiser already makes AMBEO headsets with Lightning connectors for iPhones. Announced at CES this year, AMBEO earbuds boasts of a 3-D audio technology involving a proprietary algorithm that makes games and movies sound more realistic. It offers a pair of binaural audio-recording headphones.

It is a bit interesting to see Samsung team up with another audio maker as it already worked with Harman for Galaxy S8.

Source
Vodafone has launched new i-RoamFREE international roaming packs that lets you make unlimited calls anywhere in the world and use unlimited high speed data while traveling in USA, UAE and Singapore atRs. 2,500 for 7-days.

Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged a single additional rupee for calls and data while roaming in these 3 countries. This offer comes with zero riders or hidden costs. There is no cap on the number of calls or amount of high speed data that can be used. Also, calls include all incoming calls and outgoing calls anywhere in the world. This means customers traveling in USA can even make calls to Hong Kong at no extra charges, said Vodafone.

It also comes with different validity and price points with options at Rs 5,000 for 30-days, Rs. 3,500 for 10-days, Rs 2,500 for 7-days and Rs. 500 for every 24-hours. The pack also offers home-like tariffs while roaming in 47 countries of the globe. Benefits on international roaming in other countries include all incoming calls free, and data plus outgoing calls charged at Re. 1/MB and Rs. 1/minute respectively.

You can head to Vodafones International Roaming page to find out more details and activate the pack.

For frequent business travelers and those with last-minute changing itineraries, a new flexible option is available wherein one can activate this pack once and automatically get the benefits whenever they travel to any of the 47 countries at Rs. 500 for every 24-hour window of usage, said the company.

Commenting on the launch, Sandeep Kataria, Director  Commercial, Vodafone India, said:

This is the first time ever UNLIMITED international roaming proposition and we are very excited to introduce it for our top 3 travel destinations  USA, Singapore and UAE. We are making calls and data, both incoming and outgoing, while traveling in these countries completely free. This completely eliminates the need and hassle of changing SIM cards when traveling abroad and customers can now freely use their local number seamlessly without worrying about any bill shocks or expensive charges. They can remain confidently connected on their existing Vodafone number when they travel, and be assured the best of voice and data services.
Avion Tequila is a leader in the spirit industry, but founder and chairman Ken Austin said that wasnt always the case, especially because the premium luxury item launched in the midst of a recession.

Everybody said it wasnt going to work, Austin tells FOX Business. Everybody said it couldnt be worse timing to launch something thats $49 plus on a shelf, and everyone said, you dont have enough money to compete with the big guys.

In 2010, Avion rolled out in just two states. It hit the ground running and later became a household name thanks to the HBO hit show Entourage after being featured for multiple episodes as part of the shows subplot. It is now the number three brand in the super-premium tequila space.

What made it happen? It really is the people, it really is the never say die attitude, and it sounds like a cliche but its so true, says Austin.

Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com

Today, Avion continues to compete in the cutthroat $2.4 billion a year tequila industry, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The super-premium tequila sector has seen a massive boom in the past 15 years. In 2016, over 2.9 million 9-liter cases of tequila were sold, reports DISCUS. Avion alone has sold over 150,000 cases this year.

We should not be by all accounts in the spirit industry, going to number two, and maybe even one day, going to number one There is a side of me that wants to quit all the time but the other side, on the other shoulder, says you are never going to quit, says Austin.

A self-proclaimed B-student, Austin harnesses his passion and drive to push through the pitfalls.

Any entrepreneur that tells you they basically never think about quitting, they are full of it. You think about it, it just never happens because you wont allow yourself to fail.

Be sure to watch Ken Austins full interview above.

This is part of FOXBusiness.coms The Emotional Side of Small Business series that taps into the human side of building a business  the part that doubts, questions, regrets, and celebrates.
Japan Iron and Steel Federation chairman Kosei Shindo said on Monday he has strong concerns over "protectionism" by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We will carefully observe the U.S. trade probe against imported steel," Shindo, who is also president of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp <5401.T>, told a news conference. 5401.T>

Trump on Thursday launched a trade probe against China and other exporters of cheap steel into the U.S. market, raising the possibility of new tariffs.

Shindo also said he expects coking coal prices to gradually fall as rail lines resume operations in cyclone-hit Australia.

The price of coking coal - a key steel-making ingredient - has jumped since Cyclone Debbie disrupted rail lines in Australia late last month.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Richard Pullin)
President Trump is closing in on the 100-day mark in the Oval Office, and if he's learned one thing about working in Washington, it's that legislation doesn't come easy. Though he's been among the most active presidents with regard to signing executive orders, Trump has yet to sign and see passed what would be construed as any major legislation in Congress.

In March, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was unveiled to a mixed audience as a replacement for the disliked Affordable Care Act (ACA), which many people refer to as Obamacare. With Republicans holding a majority in the House and Senate, it was widely expected that the AHCA would easily displace Obamacare, but that wasn't the case. Some Republicans within the House felt the AHCA went too far in removing ACA funding to low-income individuals and families, while others believed that the AHCA was just "Obamacare Lite," and that a full repeal was necessary of Obamacare's Title 1 laws (e.g., insurance industry mandates) before they'd support it. Long story short, the AHCA never even made it to vote.

Image source: Donald J. Trump's official Facebook page. Photo by Shealah Craighead.

The AHCA's failure causes Republicans to rethink tax reform

Just weeks later, the Trump administration announced that it was also going back to the drawing board with its tax plan. The passage of the AHCA was expected to reduce the federal deficit by $337 billion over a decade (mainly a result of lower Medicaid payouts to states), and so without these savings Republicans had to rethink a number of aspects of their tax proposal.

For those who may not recall, Trump had been campaigning on essentially mirroring the House Republicans' individual tax plan. This would have shrunk the number of ordinary income tax brackets from seven (10% minimum and 39.6% maximum) down to three (12%, 25%, and 33%), and according to Trump it would have led to a considerably simpler U.S. tax code. On the corporate side of the equation, as a candidate, The Donald had trumpeted lowering the corporate tax rate to 15% from 35%, as well as providing a special repatriation-holiday tax rate to encourage businesses to bring international income back to the United States.

However, we can probably take what we thought we knew about the Republican proposal and safely toss it out the window. Some pundits have suggested we may not even see a clear tax plan until early 2018, while President Trump has assured Americans that a plan will be presented with haste.

Here's what you can count on with Trump's new tax plan

While it's impossible to know the finer points of a plan that's still being developed, I'd opine that there are three things you can just about count on with Trump's new tax plan when it is unveiled.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Trump is going to fight tooth and nail for a corporate tax rate of 20% or less

Though some might view Trump's tax plans to cut individual and corporate tax rates as equally important, Trump is first and foremost a businessman, so he, in my opinion, is far more likely to fight tooth and nail for as much of a corporate tax cut as possible. He campaigned for a 15% corporate tax rate last year, but given the failure of the AHCA to pass, 20% would probably be more likely.

Why focus on lowering the corporate tax rate? For one, Trump believes that if businesses have more income left over after taxes, they'll put it to work by hiring American workers and expanding their domestic operations. Since our economy is so driven by consumption, these added jobs and the income generated by these workers should flow right back into the U.S. economy.

A lower corporate tax rate would also likely stem the appeal of tax inversion deals. Tax inversion is a practice in which s U.S. company and a foreign company in a country with a notably lower maximum corporate tax rate, like Ireland, merge, allowing the U.S. company to relocate its headquarters to the foreign location to take advantage of the lower tax rate.

The other important aspect of a lower tax rate is that it makes investing in the U.S. far more attractive to foreign businesses. It's possible that a lower corporate tax rate could bring foreign investment dollars into the U.S.

Image source: Getty Images.

2. There will be a significantly more simplified U.S. tax code for individual taxpayers

Second, it seems highly likely that Trump and Republicans will place more focus on simplifying the individual tax code than on the actual tax cuts themselves. Don't get me wrong: The full expectation is that middle-class Americans will be paying a lower ordinary income tax rate than they're paying under the current tax schedule. However, the magnitude of cuts might not be anywhere near as aggressive as Trump's first proposal (0%, 10%, 20%, 25%) or his second proposal, which is the aforementioned adopted House suggestion of three brackets (12%, 25%, and 33%).

Trump's focus on deregulating the energy and banking industries, as well as the nature of his executive order requiring that two federal regulations be removed for each new federal regulation put into law, provides all the evidence we need that he's serious about simplifying the U.S. tax code. A tax code, mind you, that's ballooned to more than 10 million words!

During his campaign, Trump touted that the charitable giving deduction and mortgage interest deduction would be saved, and that taxpayers would see a more than doubling in their standard deduction. In turn, nearly all other deductions and credits would disappear. It's tough to say if the new tax plan would take a similar tone, but I would count on it removing a number of deductions and credits in favor of a more simplified standard-deduction approach.

Image source: Getty Images.

3. The overall plan will be revenue-neutral

Last, following the failure of the AHCA even with the odds stacked in the GOP's favor, you can almost count on Trump's new tax plan to be revenue-neutral over a 10-year period.

What's the purpose behind a revenue-neutral plan? It allows the Republicans to make changes that impact the federal budget (i.e., taxes) through the reconciliation process. Reconciliation only requires a majority vote, meaning 51 votes in the Senate as opposed to 60. A revenue-neutral tax plan wouldn't have to garner a single vote by a Democrat in the House or Senate if all Republicans were to stick to the party line.

However, this means that Republicans are going to need to find a way to generate revenue after cutting individual and corporate taxes. Therein lies the great question mark for the time being. One idea that's purportedly been floated around is a value-added tax, or VAT. A VAT is a tax that's placed on different stages of the production or distribution of a product, and it's a common tax passed along in Europe. A VAT may be able to raise enough revenue to offset the cut in individual and corporate taxes, but it may also make goods more expensive for consumers and families.

How Republicans will increase revenue still remains to be seen, but there's a nearly 100% chance, in my opinion, that we see a revenue-neutral tax plan from Trump and GOP legislators.

The next step at this point is to merely watch and wait for the tax plan to be unveiled.

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Oil prices slipped nearly 1 percent on Monday, extending last week's decline, on lack of confirmation that OPEC will extend output cuts until the end of 2017 and as Russia indicated it can lift output if the deal on curbs lapses.

Russian oil output could climb to its highest rate in 30 years if the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers do not extend a six-month supply reduction deal beyond June 30, according to comments by Russian officials and details of investment plans released by oil companies.

"We think an extension is highly likely, with a growing OPEC consensus in support of that policy, but the market seems to be attributing last week's decline to the lack of a firm agreement," Tim Evans, Citi Futures' energy futures specialist, said in a note.

"In our view, the drop had more to do with correcting the prior excess optimism and speculative excess, than with any shift in the underlying fundamental scenario, but those requiring a fundamental explanation ... will focus on OPEC or U.S. production growth instead."

Last week, prices plummeted about 7 percent partly on signs that rising U.S. shale production offset efforts by OPEC and other producers to cut output by almost 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of the year.

Brent crude futures ended the session 36 cents lower at $51.60 per barrel after hitting a session high of $52.57 a barrel.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures dropped 39 cents to settle at $49.23 a barrel, after reaching a high of $50.22 a barrel earlier in the day.

"From a technical perspective, the June WTI contract has now broken another key Fibonacci level, specifically the 61.8 percent retracement of the rally from March 22 to April 12," said David Thompson, executive vice president at Powerhouse, an energy-specialized commodities broker in Washington.

"In addition we are close to breaking a long-term uptrend line that has been in force since early August of last year."

Traders and brokers also noted that crude markets were lower despite a relief rally over the French election, with the U.S. dollar noticeably weaker. This reflects the prevailing bearish market sentiment, they said.

U.S. gasoline futures fell about 1.4 percent, leading the energy complex lower, as refiners ramp up production after seasonal maintenance and on demand worries, traders said.

Rising U.S. drilling and production have dampened any oil price rally. Investors cut bullish bets on rising ICE Brent crude futures and options by 9,811 contracts to 427,433 lots in the week to April 18.

In the week to April 21, U.S. drillers added oil rigs for a 14th week in a row, to 688 rigs, extending an 11-month recovery that is expected to boost U.S. shale production in May by the biggest monthly increase in more than two years.

U.S. crude production is at 9.3 million bpd <C-OUT-T-EIA>, up almost 10 percent since mid-2016, approaching the level of OPEC's top exporter, Saudi Arabia.

(By Devika Krishna Kumar; Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London, Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Steve Orlofsky)
A few years back, New Oriental Education (NYSE: EDU) made a key decision. Instead of focusing on test prep for high school students taking English tests to attend university in America, the company would hone in on after-school tutoring for younger Chinese kids.

It wasn't a cheap transition. For a long time, enrollment in the after-school programs was robust, but so was spending on infrastructure and teacher salaries. Therefore, while revenue was booming, earnings simply couldn't keep up the pace.

But that's beginning to change. When the company announced earnings on Monday for its third quarter, it was clear that the profit levers were finally working in its favor.

Image source: Pixabay.

New Oriental Education: The raw numbers

Before we get into the nuts and bolts, let's check out how the company performed on the headline numbers.

Metric Q3 2016 Q3 2017 Growth Revenue $347 million $438 million 26% Non-GAAP EPS $0.34 $0.48 43% Enrollment 755,100 799,700 5.9%

Data source: New Oriental investor relations.

This is more or less a 180 from previous quarters, which saw blazing growth of enrollments but muted growth for earnings. Revenue growth would have actually come in at 33% in constant currencies, which is an important distinction.

At the same time, selling, marketing, general, and administrative costs all grew at a slower pace than revenue, which helped juice the company's results.

What management had to say

According to founder and Executive Chairman Michael Yu:

Yu's comment about 32% growth for the combined second and third quarters is important. He's pointing out that one of the reasons for the slower enrollment growth in the most recent quarter was that the composition of the 2017 calendar pushed much of the enrollment toward the end of the previous quarter -- which helps explain the 56% jump three months ago.

What else happened?

Here's a rundown of other important information from the company's release:

Over the past three quarters, revenue from K-12 tutoring -- the key growth driver -- is up 49% in constant currencies.

The company's online learning platform -- Koolearn.com -- had a surge of 92% in paid users and 19% in revenue.

The total count of schools and learning centers climbed from 727 across China one year ago to 803 today.

Beginning in March, New Oriental's online learning platform was listed on the Chinese stock market. Results will continue to be consolidated with the parent company.

Looking ahead

For the next fiscal quarter, management expects revenue to come in between $465 million and $480 million. That represents growth of 18% to 22% in U.S. dollars and 25% to 29% in constant currencies.

Perhaps the most important takeaway is that the company's attempt to pull students into the ecosystem appears to be working. Deep discounts were given at the start in hopes that the students would stay, and that appears to be happening.

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Brian Stoffel has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends New Oriental Education & Technology Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
President Donald Trump is taking aim at China over the countrys practice of steel dumping.

U.S. steelmakers rallied Monday on hopes that Trump and the U.S. Commerce Department will take more aggressive action against China, whose cheap steel imports have driven domestic prices lower.

Through an executive order signed by the president last week, the U.S. launched an investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 into whether foreign imports of steel threaten national security. Trump also said more details about the administrations plans for the North American Free Trade Agreement will come in a matter of weeks.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the review will determine whether domestic manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet U.S. demand, particularly for the military.

U.S. Steel (NYSE:X) climbed 3.8% in afternoon trading. The Market Vectors Steel ETF (NYSE:SLX), which tracks steel makers, was up 2%.

Imports account for more than a quarter of the entire steel marketplace in the U.S., and China controls roughly half of global steel capacityalthough Trump said his executive order addresses all steel imports, not just Chinese steel.

One potential outcome is the Commerce Department could recommend a tariff. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act authorizes the federal government to limit steel imports for national security reasons.

Without a broad tax on Chinese steel, its unlikely the administration can do enough to turn around the struggling U.S. steel industry, analysts say.

U.S. mills would certainly prefer that purchasers behave in a more patriotic mannerby eschewing imports. However, it is unrealistic to expect steel buyers to sacrifice margin in the name of buying American unless more-stringent legislation compels them to do so, Morningstar wrote in a research report published Monday.

Chinas state-run newspaper responded Monday with an editorial, suggesting that protectionist measures by the U.S. could lead to a tit-for-tat trade war with other countries.

The executive order coincides with a broader effort by the Trump administration to pressure China into cutting off economic ties with North Korea, which relies heavily on trade with its neighboring country.

Trump has called on China to squeeze North Korean trade as a means of reigning in the Kim regimes nuclear program.

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, Trump wrote on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) is ordinarily one of the best-performing banks each quarter when it comes to earnings, but the first three months of this year stand as an exception. While bottom lines surged at JPMorgan Chaseand Citigroup, Wells Fargo's net income fell last quarter on a year-over-year basis.

In this segment of Industry Focus: Financials, The Motley Fool's Gaby Lapera and contributor John Maxfield explain the factors behind Wells Fargo's performance.

A full transcript follows the video.

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This video was recorded on April 17, 2017.

Gaby Lapera: The other bank I wanted to talk about is what used to be America's sweetheart of a bank, which is Wells Fargo. They're probably going to be the only big bank to see its earnings decline on a year-over-year basis. Do you think that's related to the account scandal?

John Maxfield: I think that it is. Michael Douglass, who is an editor at The Motley Fool, he describes Wells Fargo as "the fallen angel," and I think that's the perfect way to describe it. If you go back 150 years, Wells Fargo has one of the best reputations, and one of the best brands in the bank industry in the United States for a long, long time -- back since the Gold Rush in the late 1840s and 1850s, when it was established. But because of that fake-account scandal that was revealed last September -- thousands of Wells Fargo employees, in an effort to meet sales quotas, in terms of selling additional credit cards, selling additional checking accounts, selling additional savings accounts, they opened up fake accounts for customers that customers either didn't need, didn't approve of, or didn't even know were being opened. So that has really tarnished Wells Fargo's reputation. And if you look at Wells Fargo's numbers from the most recent quarter, it isn't strikingly obvious. It isn't like the revenue fell by 10% as a result of this, or their expenses went up by 20%. It's a much more marginal impact. But what we're seeing is a continued erosion in a number of key metrics at Wells Fargo. The efficiency ratio is a perfect example. It has long been one of the most efficient banks in the country. But because of potential revenue pressure as a result of what happened, the reputational damage it suffered, and that sales scandal last year, combined with the potential that they're going to have to increase their compliance costs, their regulatory costs to deal with that, it's slowly eroding its bottom line at this point.

Lapera: Yeah. And that's something you're just going to have to look out for long-term. The thing with Wells Fargo is that basically all things have been held equal except for the reputational damage that we mentioned from the account scandal. As a result of the account scandal, they changed some of their internal practices for selling, as one might expect, to encourage their employees to stop creating these fraudulent accounts, which means that some of their numbers don't look as good anymore for account openings. Because there's fewer fraudulent accounts. So when you throw all that into the mix, we'll see whether or not Wells Fargo pulls out of it. It's not quite a nosedive yet, but it's definitely something to keep your eye on.

Maxfield: To that point, Gaby, if you listen to Wells Fargo's executives prior to the crisis, for years, they stressed the cross-sell ratio. That is the number of financial products -- so, checking accounts, credit cards, mortgages, all those types of financial products and services -- the number of those that the average customer at Wells Fargo used. And they always trended two times, three times the industry average in terms of the number of products that each of their customers used. Then, if you listened to the way their executives talk about getting those large cross-sell numbers, what they would do is go after primary checking accounts for a customer, which is the principal banking product, and then build on top of that -- and now, we're seeing new checking account numbers falling on a year-over-year basis by 30%, 40%, new credit card applications at Wells Fargo falling by 40%-plus on a year over year basis -- in the short term, that's not going to have a big impact on their numbers. Because it's not like a bank makes a whole bunch of money when a credit card application is submitted, or any money, quite frankly, or when a new checking account is opened. But it's that deepening of the relationship where the profitability comes from. So the question is, when they announced that they were getting rid of their sales quotas in their branches as a result of the scandal, what is that going to look like over the long term for Wells Fargo, given that its model has been predicated on cross-selling for all of these years?

Lapera: Yeah, definitely. It's an interesting story, and one that we will definitely continue to cover on Industry Focus.

Gaby Lapera owns shares of JPMorgan Chase. John Maxfield owns shares of Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
PARIS (AP)  Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen advanced Sunday to a runoff in France's presidential election, remaking the country's political landscape and setting up a showdown over its participation in the European Union.

French politicians on the left and right immediately urged voters to block Le Pen's path to power in the May 7 runoff, saying her virulently nationalist anti-EU and anti-immigration politics would spell disaster for France.

"Extremism can only bring unhappiness and division to France," defeated conservative candidate Francois Fillon said. "As such, there is no other choice than to vote against the extreme right."

The selection of Le Pen and Macron presented voters with the starkest possible choice between two diametrically opposed visions of the EU's future and France's place in it. It set up a battle between Macron's optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders against Le Pen's darker, inward-looking platform that called for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

With Le Pen wanting France to leave the EU and Macron wanting even closer cooperation between the bloc's 28 nations, Sunday's outcome meant the May 7 runoff will have undertones of a referendum on France's EU membership.

The absence in the runoff of candidates from either the mainstream left Socialists or the right-wing Republicans party  the two main political groups that have governed post-war France  also marked a seismic shift in French politics. Macron, a 39-year-old investment banker, made the runoff on the back of a grassroots campaign without the support of a major political party.

With 75 percent of the vote counted, the Interior Ministry said Macron had just over 23 percent of the vote with Le Pen slightly behind with just under 23 percent. Fillon had just under 20 percent support and the far-left's Jean-Luc Melenchon had just under 19 percent.

The euro jumped 2 percent to over $1.09 after the initial results were announced because Macron has vowed to reinforce France's commitments to the EU and euro.

With a wink at his cheering, flag-waving supporters who yelled "We will win!" in his election day headquarters in Paris, Macron promised to be a president "who protects, who transforms and builds" if elected.

"You are the faces of French hope," he said. His wife, Brigitte, joined him on stage before his speech  the only couple among the leading candidates to do so on Sunday night.

Le Pen, in a chest-thumping speech to cheering supporters, declared that she embodies "the great alternative" for French voters. She portrayed her duel with Macron as a battle between "patriots" and "wild deregulation"  warning of job losses overseas, mass migration straining resources at home and "the free circulation of terrorists."

"The time has come to free the French people," she said at her election day headquarters in the northern French town of Henin-Beaumont, adding that nothing short of "the survival of France" will be at stake in the presidential runoff.

Her supporters burst into a rendition of the French national anthem, chanted "We will win!" and waved French flags and blue flags with "Marine President" on them.

France is now steaming into unchartered territory, because whoever wins on May 7 cannot count on the backing of France's political mainstream parties. Even under a constitution that concentrates power in the president's hands, both Macron and Le Pen will need legislators in parliament to pass laws and implement much of their programs.

France's legislative election in June now takes on a vital importance, with huge questions about whether Le Pen and even the more moderate Macron will be able to rally sufficient lawmakers to their causes.

In Paris, protesters angry at Le Pen's advance  some from anarchist and anti-fascist groups  scuffled with police. Officers fired tear gas to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Macron supporters at his Paris election day HQ went wild as polling agency projections showed the ex-finance minister making the runoff, cheering, singing "La Marseillaise" anthem, waving French tricolor and European flags and shouting "Macron, president!"

Mathilde Jullien, 23, said she is convinced Macron will beat Le Pen.

"He represents France's future, a future within Europe," she said. "He will win because he is able to unite people from the right and the left against the threat of the National Front and he proposes real solutions for France's economy."

Fillon said he would vote for Macron on May 7 because Le Pen's program "would bankrupt France" and throw the EU into chaos. He also cited the history of "violence and intolerance" of Le Pen's far-right National Front party, founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was trounced in the presidential runoff in 2002.

In a defiant speech to supporters, Melenchon refused to cede defeat before the official count confirmed pollsters' projections and did not say how he would vote in the next round.

In a brief televised message, Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve urged voters to back Macron to defeat the National Front's "funereal project of regression for France and of division of the French."

Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon, who was far behind in Sunday's results, quickly conceded defeat. Declaring "the left is not dead!" he also urged supporters to back Macron.

Voting took place amid heightened security in the first election under France's state of emergency, which has been in place since gun-and-bomb attacks in Paris in 2015.

___

Elaine Ganley and Alex Turnbull in Henin-Beaumont, Chris den Hond in Le Touquet, Angela Charlton, Raphael Satter, Samuel Petrequin, Nicolas Vaux-Montagny, Sylvie Corbet, Nadine Achoui-Lesage and Philippe Sotto in Paris and Brian Rohan in Cairo contributed to this report.
The Trump administrationas proposed border wall, ever the source of controversy on Capitol Hill, could force a government shutdown Friday if Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on whether to include funding for it in their spending bill.

The deadline for Congress to pass a bill to keep the government financed is Friday, and while Trumpas proposed wall along the southern border has been unpopular among Democrats and even some Republicans, the president and his cabinet doubled down Monday on the push for its inclusion in the upcoming funding bill.

The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)! If  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 24, 2017

On Monday during a conference call among congressional Democrats, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) claimed both parties were working together on a bill until the Trump administration began pushing funding for the border wall.

aOur appropriators were well on a path to resolving their differences until the White House intervened [with the] immoral, unwise and ineffective proposal for a wall,a Pelosi said.

Throughout this week there will likely be some negotiating within Congress to reach an agreement, and if Democrats stand strong in their opposition to financing the border wall, it could be eliminated from this spending measure entirely, Doug Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, told FOX Business.

aThe only public point of contention is inclusion of border wall funding. My expectation is that this will drop out, and that they bill will be signed by the president. The worst-case scenario is that they require a one-week extension while they come to this conclusion,a he said.

Regardless of Democratic opposition, former Republican presidential candidate and Tea Party activist Herman Cain told FOX Business the Trump administration should aabsolutelya keep funding for the wall in the spending bill and it is up to Republicans in Congress to stick together to get the measure passed.

aYouave got some Republicans who have come out against it. And thatas why Pelosi and [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer feel empowered aThey know Republicans can get squishy,a he said.

However, if no agreement is reached in time and the government does shut down, Democrats will be the ones taking the blame if history is any indication, Dr. Art Laffer, former economic advisor for President Ronald Reagan, told FOX Business.

aIf [the Democrats] all vote unanimously for a shut down and a couple of Republicans go with them, I donat see how it wonat hurt the Democrats,a he said.

When the government shut down under President Obama in 2013, it was Republicans who received the ill will of the public, Laffer noted.

While President Trump could become the first commander-in-chief to have funds run out during his first 100 days, Cain said that would be less of a reflection on him and more of a make or break moment afor Congress.a

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions seemed to second that notion, saying on Monday that the border wall is an important way to reduce both crime and the flow of drugs throughout the country. He called out Democrats for their refusal to support the administrationas effort to bolster national security.

aIt will be the Democrats who shut this government down to block the funding of the wall. Thatas what the question is. Are they going to shut the government down?a he asked during an interview with Fox & Friends.

While it is unlikely a Republican-controlled government will let funding run out, if it does the American public might not even notice, Dr. Laffer said.

aThe administration has the ability to selectively shut down different things. What Obama did is shut off all of the funds to the most popular programs imaginableathe Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument-- they did that deliberately a I would expect the exact reverse to occur with this administration,a he said.
As Republicans renew efforts to repeal and replace ObamaCare, President Trump is expected to outline his plan for tax reform, the next step in the Republican agenda. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), said its essential that tax reform move to the top of the administration's agenda.

Were going back obviously tomorrow and the rest of this week, we have to deal with the government resolution, the continuing resolution for government funding, tackle health care. But tax reform has to happen because we know jobs are created primarily by those small business owners, Huizenga told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney.

Huizenga says lawmakers are returning to Washington, D.C. with an increased willingness to reach a compromise on tax reform. "(They) have come back saying, you know what, we have to set aside some of these other things and adopt what Ronald Reagan had said, which is someone agrees with me 80% of the time, theyre my friend, not my enemy.

Huizenga, who wrote an op-ed on Dodd-Frank in the Detroit News, discussed why supports efforts to replace the financial regulation. We all know that Dodd-Frank is an agenda waiting for a crisis.

Huizenga sees the financial regulation as hurting American consumers.

Its just made it more difficult for hard-working taxpayers to go have the banking system work for them, not against them.
President Donald Trump has advised his administration to put deficit concerns on the backburner and work on a plan to slash the corporate tax rate to 15 percent, according to a report Monday from The Wall Street Journal.

President Trump told his staff he wants to deliver on his promise of significant tax reform even if it means the nation loses revenue at the outset, The Journal said.

While Trump has used 15 percent as the baseline for his corporate tax cut pledge, the House GOP leadership initially suggested using 20 percent as the starting point for negotiations. The current business tax rate is 35 percent.

The president and members of his cabinet argue tax reform (i.e. tax cuts) will pay for itself through the economic growth they expect it will create. However, a severe decrease in the corporate rate would add to the deficitat least at the beginningwithout the introduction of any off-setting measures. If Trump plans on passing his tax plan through budget reconciliation that is likely to deliver complications. Reconciliation requires only a simple majority of votes, but the legislation cannot increase the deficit over a ten year period. The administration has tried to repeal and replace ObamaCare first because the tax cut from the proposed health care blueprint wouldve provided a more favorable baseline upon which to enact a revenue neutral tax reform plan.

The White House will release a broad overview of its tax reform plan as early as Wednesday, according to administration officials. GOP leadership, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will meet with cabinet members Tuesday night to discuss details of the impending plan that is expected to include tax cuts for individuals and corporations, as well as a simplification of the tax code.
An 11-year-old kart racing driver was killed in an accident at a track owned by Formula One champion Fernando Alonso.

Gonzalo Basurto Movila was injured during a private practice session at the Circuito Fernando Alonso in the Asturias region of Spain, according to the Spanish racing federation.

The Associated Press reports that Movia's kart flipped and landed on top of him. Racing karts typically do not have seat belts or rollover protection.

TEEN RACE CAR DRIVER HAS LEGS AMPUTATED AFTER F4 CRASH

The young driver survived the incident, but succumed to his injuries at a hospital the following day. The federation has launched an investigation into the incident.

Two-time Formula One champion Alonso, who was in the United States being fitted for the IndyCar he will be driving for in this year's Indy 500, tweeted his condoences Movila's family, saying it "one of the saddest days."
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has found time in his busy schedule to travel halfway around the world to hang out with Amber Heard.

The thrice-married father of five visted the actress in Australia where she is currently filiming "Aquaman."

Heard posted a "cheeky" photo of the pair to her social media as they dined with "Aquaman" director James Wan, which Musk reposted. It was the first time they have publically acknowledged there is some type of relationship between them.

Paparazzi also captured several images of the two holding hands and ziplining on the country's Gold Coast.

The 45-year-old Musk and 31-year-old Heard have been rumored to be a couple since they were seen together in Miami last summer, several weeks after Heard filed for divorce from then-husband Johnny Depp.

Heard's father recdently claimed the two were planning to get married and have a family.

Musk has reportedly been interested in the "Magic Mike XXL" star since the two appeared in the Robert Rodriguez film "Machete Kills" in 2013.

According to the The Hollywood Reporter, Musk allegedly asked the director at the time if he could introduce him to Heard, who was then dating Depp, because he heard she was a fan of "George Orwell and Ayn Rand...most unusual."

"Am not angling for a date. I know she is in a long-term relationship, but...Amber just seems like an interesting person to meet," Musk is said to have written in a note to Rodriguez.
An autopsy has revealed that Erin Moran likely succumbed to complications of stage 4 cancer.

A joint investigation into Mrs. Morans death was conducted by the Harrison County Sheriffs Department and the Harrison County Coroners Office. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Mrs. Moran likely succumbed to complications of stage 4 cancer, Sheriff Rod Seelye said in a statement sent to Fox News.

Toxicology results are pending but no illegal narcotics were discovered at Morans Indiana residence, the statement revealed.

Moran, 56, was found dead Saturday by emergency responders after a dispatcher for the Harrison County sheriff's department received a 911 call.

The final days of Morans life were plagued with instability as the star shuffled around various locations in Harrison County while her fellow former child actors tried in vain to get her the help she needed.

ERIN MORAN FOUND DEAD AT 56

According to the Indianapolis Star archives, the actress who played Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days was last known to be living at a Holiday Inn Express in Corydon, where she was spotted in September 2012.

Before that, it was reported the star had been staying in a trailer park with her husband Steve Fleischmann and his sick mother. The couple first settled in Indiana in 2011, the local paper reports.

Her distance from her California support system of former child stars may have contributed to her struggles, according to Paul Petersen, of the child-actor advocacy group A Minor Consideration.

She was so far away in Indiana, Petersen lamented in a Facebook post early Sunday morning. The help she ran from was right here, as close as a call.

THEN & NOW: THE CAST OF 'HAPPY DAYS'

Petersen, himself a former child star on The Donna Reed Show, said the group did its best for Moran.

I am proud of our efforts over the years to help Erin Moran whose troubles were many and complex. Dont doubt for a moment that we triedsincerely tried through time and treasureto give comfort to one of our own.

At least a half-dozen [former child stars] were actively reaching out to Erin in the last week of her life... From Paris to London, from New York to LA, our members were in there pitching, doing what they could to help. Do not doubt that for a minute."

Moran admitted in past interviews that she struggled after Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi came to an end.

Still, she said in 2009 she had fond memories of her time on the shows and she seemed to harbor no ill feelings toward her famous cast mates.

"What happened with all of us was like we were this family," Moran told Xfinity in 2009. "It was so surreal with all the cast members. ... They were my family, get it?"

In 2011, she and former "Happy Days" stars Marion Ross, Anson Williams and Donnie Most sued CBS, saying they were owed money for merchandising related to the show. The lawsuit was settled the following year.

DON'T MISS 'TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT' AT 8 p.m. ET, FOLLOWED AT 9 p.m. BY 'THE FIVE'

Moran told Xfinity that she had been working on a memoir, called "Happy Days, Depressing Nights."

"OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth," co-star Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie, tweeted Saturday. "Rest In It serenely now.. too soon."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Long gone are the days when Eugene Simon met a brutal demise in HBOs hit series Game of Thrones. His latest challenge? Transforming into Albert Einsteins second son Eduard, who suffered from schizophrenia and died in a Swiss mental institution at age 55 in 1965.

The role is for National Geographics new film series Genius, which stars Geoffrey Rush as the iconic physicist and was produced by Gigi Pritzer, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

The 24-year-old was eager to tackle the tormented Eduard, whose mental illness wasnt fully understood during his time. Working alongside one of his idols was a perk, too.

RON HOWARD LOVED MAKING 'MARS' BUT HE'D NEVER GO

Eduard is someone I was fascinated to play, Simon told Fox News. The more I read about him, the more I became very interested in how his future developed and then when I discovered that it would be Geoffrey Rush no less to play my father  this is an actor Ive looked up to my entire life. Hes [one of] the top five, if not the top three, actors I most admired. Filming with Geoffrey was a real dream. I had to pinch myself at times.

The role took a lot of prep, he explained.

When I was getting ready for the role of Eduard, I had to discover the ideas and differences between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, split personality disorder and how all of these things affect different people, he said.

The timing for the debut of Genius seems coincidental. The film shows the patriarch trying to flee Nazi Germany, but facing tough U.S. immigration policies. Today, America's immigration policies have become a hot-button issue.

RON HOWARD: I DO NOT HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MIND FOR CLASSIC MOVIE LINES

Einstein was first and foremost a scientist. But we also forget how much of a social activist he was, explained Simon. He was a committed pacifist He adamentaly fought against the wars and defended his Jewish community against the rise of Nazism. He wanted so much to better humanity as well as forging the frontier of science.

But one thing that will shock viewers is how much Albert Einstein was a ladies man when he wasnt advocating for peace.



He had quite of, what people in California [now] call, a polyamorous lifestyle, said Simon. He got his first wife pregnant out of wedlock, and then they got married. He then divorced his first wife and married his second wife, who was also his cousin. And during that time he was a promiscuous man He was highly eccentric, to put it mildly. And I think he broke the norm even then.

With the biopic already garnering buzz, its no wonder Simon is easily moving on from his more violent days on that other series.

This is Game of Thrones. Everybody dies, says Simon. Any actor, even if for a minute, [who] thinks theyre not going to die is living in a realm of naivete that I cant even get into. I have a theory that everyone is going to die. and the truth is that I got a lovely death.

Lancel is incinerated by wildfire after he was stabbed in the spine.

My most vivid memory would be dragging my half paralyzed body across the floor covered in bat s--t while having blood bursting out of my back and literally having to carry my own body weight for the entire day, said Simon. It was a tough call having me push to get that scene done. Also, when the flames went off in front of me eyes we actually had petroleum on the floor amongst the green goo. And I think, for about three seconds, I might have smelled my burned eyebrows as the fire went off within millimeters of my face.

When you smell your burned eyebrows for the first time, it tends to stick with you, he added.

Needless to say, things have slowed down for Simon in becoming Eduard, but he wouldnt have it any other way.

When I was filming with Geoffrey, he was playing the violin as Albert Einstein, explained Simon. And when we came to the end of the scene and the director yelled cut, Geoffrey took the book off the violin hed been playing, looked at me and just pat my knee twice with the bow and winked at me. It was just this wonderful way of him to say, I enjoyed that. That was a fun thing for us to do.

"Genius" premieres Tuesday, April 25th on National Geographic.
In Italy, celebrity chef Gino Sorbillos pizza has been blessed by the pope and gobbled up by Mayor de Blasio.

In fact, after Sorbillo refused to pay the mobs so-called pizzo tax, one of his pizzerias was even burned down.

Now Sorbillo, an Italian TV personality with pizzerias in Naples and Milan, is bringing his pizza fritta  fried Neapolitan dough  to Little Italy, where he has just opened Zia Esterina, a 1,000 square foot eatery named after one of his fathers 20 siblings.

Sorbillo is also opening an 1,800 square foot eat-in pizzeria at 334 Bowery, which is the former home of Forcella Pizza Di Napoli.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Sorbillo is one of the latest foreign chefs to open in New York. Side Dish earlier reported that the Turkish Salt Bae chef, Nusret Gokce, who became an internet meme, will be opening an eatery at the CBS Building on West 53rd Street.

Whats more, an old school-style underground Italian supper club, The Producers Club, just opened at 145-147 Mulberry St. The 20-seat spot will feature jazz on Mondays and Italian film nights on Tuesdays  from the owners of Capri Ristorante upstairs.
As warmer weather approaches and mosquito seasons take flight, health professionals are warning that a Zika outbreak in the Rio Grande Valley at the southernmost tip on the Texas border with Mexico is just a matter of time.

The area, home to 1.3 million people, many living in poverty, has many houses without sufficient air-conditioning and window screens.

ZIKA BIRTH DEFECTS FOUND IN 1 IN 10 INFECTED US PREGNANT WOMEN

You have a lot of these families who dont even have money to get rid of their garbage, Patricia Pena, who works with the community nonprofit La Frontera Ministries to educate locals on the virus, told the Guardian newspaper. And their houses are infested with all kinds of creatures, including mosquitoes.

Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health, also expressed concern that the disease is going to hit the poorest people.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is currently urging pregnant woman and symptomatic individuals in the lower Rio Grande Valley to promptly get tested.

US ZIKA VACCINE BEGINS SECOND PHASE OF TESTING

But making matters worse, the number of people without health insurance in the region is one of the highest in the U.S, and there is no public hospital. Furthermore, 80 percent of Zika cases do not show symptoms  but the local-mosquito-borne virus comes with serious consequences from severe birth defects to neurological problems.

And while much of the nations attention has been on the spread of the disease in Florida, Texas has already had to contend with some ten documented cases this year.

The state reported its first case in late November, in the border town of Brownsville, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to designate it a cautionary area that pregnant women should avoid.
Could shining bright lights on comatose patients to encourage their natural circadian rhythms help them awaken? A small study from Austria says yes.

The body's ability to awaken from a coma after severe brain injury is tied to its maintenance of its natural circadian rhythms, according to the study, which included 18 patients in various unconscious states.

The scientists found that the chances of regaining consciousness may improve once the body falls back into its natural, healthy cycle of rising and falling body temperatures throughout the day.

The scientists also found that, in a subset of eight patients, two showed increased levels of consciousness after a treatment with carefully timed bright lights that were intended to trigger circadian rhythm activity and natural daily body-temperature fluctuations.

"[T]he closer the body-temperature patterns of a severely brain-injured person are to those of a healthy person's circadian rhythm, the better they scored on tests of recovery from coma ," said study leader Christine Blume, a postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory for Sleep & Consciousness Research at the University of Salzburg in Austria.

The new findings are very preliminary, but they suggest that monitoring circadian rhythms may one day serve as a diagnostic tool to monitor a comatose patient's chance for recovery, the researchers said. In addition, therapies aimed at tweaking those rhythms may ease patients into a more aware state , the research team wrote, in their study, published today (April 19) in the journal Neurology.

Circadian rhythms are daily cycles that tell the body when to eat, sleep or wake. They are set by environmental cues , such as daylight and nightfall. In healthy people, these rhythms include small changes in body temperature. Generally, body temperature increases during the day, with a peak at about 4 p.m., and decreases during the night, with the low point occurring at about 4 a.m., Blume said.

For the new study, the researchers monitored 18 people with severe brain injuries. Some were diagnosed with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, also called a vegetative state. People in this state have awakened from a coma (which is a state of complete unconsciousness), and may open their eyes and have periods of sleep but otherwise remain unresponsive. Other patients in the study were in a minimally conscious state , meaning that they showed some signs of awareness.

For one week, the researchers continually monitored the body temperatures of these study participants with external skin sensors. They also evaluated the level of consciousness for each person with the Coma Recovery Scale, measuring things such as their responses to sound and their ability to open their eyes with or without stimulation. They found that the patients who scored better on that scale also had body temperature patterns that more closely aligned with a healthy 24-hour rhythm .

Then, the researchers tried to nudge eight of the patients back into a more natural temperature cycle. The researchers exposed these patients to cyclical periods of bright light stimulation over the course of a week. Two participants responded positively to this therapy, expressing increased signs of consciousness.

Blume cautioned, however, that her team's study sample, comprising only eight patients, was too small to show whether the light stimulation is a beneficial therapeutic tool to help patients with brain injuries regain alertness and awareness.

"This is promising, but preliminary, and should be investigated in a larger cohort," Blume told Live Science.

"We indeed hope we can encourage the cycle to return," Blume added. "We therefore encourage doctors to create an environment in the hospital that mimics the natural cycle of light during the day and darkness during the night  especially, daylight lamps may be helpful."
Civil and criminal justice experts are expressing concern over stealthing, in which straight and gay men are removing their condoms during sex without their partners consent.

A new study published this month in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law explores the disturbing new trend, which involves online communities of men  straight and gay  encouraging one another to carry out the rape-adjacent act.

MODEL SAYS HER UBER DRIVER FAT-SHAMED HER

For the study, author Alexandra Brodsky interviewed victims of stealthing, as well as those online communities, where men promote their peers to spread their seed and "root their support [for the practice] in an ideology of male supremacy in which violence is a mans natural right, Brodsky told The Huffington Post. Brodsky is a legal fellow for National Womens Law Center but wrote the paper independently from her job.

The Huffington Post reported that Brodskys study cites comment strings from such forums, in which men exchange tips, best practices, advice and support for tactfully removing a condom during sex without a partners knowledge.

MILLENNIALS CONTINUE TO FAIL AT RELATIONSHIPS WITH 'CUSHIONING'

Though stealthing hasnt been legally defined as rape in the United States, Switzerlands high court recently saw such a case, and a man who carried out this very act was convicted of rape, Broadly reported.

Indeed, Brodsky writes in her paper, stealthing can expose victims to similar consequences as rape, including feelings of shame, violation, loss of dignity and autonomy after the act, as well as an increased risk of pregnancy, and exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and AIDS.

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In her study, she encourages victims of stealthing to come forward and seek justice in the absence of a legal statute that officially defines stealthing as sexual assault. Yet, she argued to the Huffington Post that theres still room for improvement in the justice system, as many of the myths and assumptions and forms of skepticism that we see from judges approaching rape victims and other kinds of sexual assault victims are likely to be present in stealthing cases.

The law isnt the answer for everyone, and it cant fix every problem every time, Brodsky continued. One of my goals with the article, and in proposing a new statute, is to provide a vocabulary and create ways for people to talk about what is a really common experience that just is too often dismissed as just bad sex instead of violence.
Did France just plug the dike on the crumbling European Union, or will it now crack wide open? It depends on who you think won Sundays first round of presidential elections.

Emmanuel Macron, a former minister in the current Socialist government who calls himself an outsider, formed his own movement and took almost 24 percent of the vote on vague promises about a brighter future. Much of Macrons backing came not from rabid supporters but sworn enemies of the woman he will face in a run-off next month.

Declaring her 22 percent of the vote to be historic for France, Marine Le Pen of the right-wing National Front must now convince French citizens that her strident calls for tighter border security and less reliance on the E.U. are not a threat to their pampered social welfare net and generous government benefits. That wont be easy.

But Le Pen can also claim  with justification  that she, and not Macron, represents the radical change that millions of Frenchmen say their country needs.

For the rest of Europe, the stakes could not be higher. A Macron victory on May 7 would be an immense relief to the European Union, which is in the process of getting divorced from Great Britain.

The E.U. has also become the punching bag of an insurgent party in Italy that is calling for increased national sovereignty instead of centralized decision-making in Brussels.

Like the Americans who voted to make Donald Trump president last November, a largely overlooked part of France wants to dethrone the traditional political system that has remained entrenched in power for decades.

While most political commentators expect Macron to win the run-off, they may be overlooking the anger that native-born, working class French voters harbor against the system.

The poor showing of Francois Fillon, a right-of-center veteran politician who droned on about traditional French values, while trying to defend himself against corruption charges, bared the growing dissatisfaction Frenchmen feel with their leaders.

Likewise, Socialist Benoit Hamon came up short, with his same-old, same-old pledge to keep France a vibrant member of the E.U., and keep the government subsidies flowing. Embarrassing the Socialists to boot.

Le Pen, far more than Macron, tapped into French fury with the status quo. Her tough stand against continued mass immigration, especially Muslims who now make up 11 percent of the population, resonated with citizens who have been traumatized by repeated Islamist terrorist attacks over the past two years.

Le Pens opponents will now circle the wagons and throw their support behind Macron. That might be enough to send him to the Elysee Palace. Then again, Le Pen supporters, like those of Trump, have demonstrated a loyalty and enthusiasm that none of the other candidates can claim.

If enough of them turn out a second time, she may pull off an even bigger surprise than the Tweeter in Chief. Yuge, in fact.
A gunman opens fire in Paris, killing one police officer and wounding two. Islamic State quickly claims responsibility, naming the gunman as a soldier of the caliphate.

The savage attack is the latest of many in Paris, understandably sparking widespread fears of terrorism. But some Parisians desperately seek convenient explanations that will let them avoid the necessary conflict.

Is it because weve joined forces and joined a coalition in Iraq and Syria against Islamic State? one businessman asked on Paris television.

Ah, a perfectly French reaction. If only the country had been nicer to Islamic State, it wouldnt have this problem. Right, and if only the French had been nicer to Herr Hitler, he would have left them alone.

Yet the habit of ducking a fight with evil is not limited to the French, with some Americans also infected. Appeasement here is expressed as fears that Frances unwashed masses might actually vote to do something about terrorism in Sundays presidential election.

To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column, click here.
Editor's note: The following column originally appeared on the website US Defense Watch.

University of Virginia student, Otto Warmbier, is a prisoner somewhere in the Orwellian hell hole known as North Korea. Otto Warmbier may be suffering a fate tantamount to an inmate of Dachau. At this very moment, Otto Warmbier may be starving, performing slave labor, being beaten or in fact, he may very well be dead.

The tragic fate of Otto Warmbier, is the tragic fate of the millions of North Koreans living in the Gulag Archipelago of Kim Jong Uns totalitarian nightmare world.

Warmbier, 23, was convicted of conducting hostile acts against the DPRK."

Mr. Warmbier was not an intelligence officer working for the CIA and his hostile act was not sabotage or espionage.

The so-called hostile act against North Korea committed by college student Warmbier, (who was travelling with a tour group called Young Pioneer Tours), was purloining a propaganda poster off the wall of the Yanggakdo Hotel in Pyongyang with the inscription, Lets arm ourselves strongly with Kim Jong-ils patriotism!

If you are a religious person, you might want to say a prayer for Otto Warmbier.

Stealing or harming a poster or other items with the name or image of one of North Koreas past or present lunatic asylum leaders is considered a serious crime against the state.

On January 2, Warmbier was arrested while in the process of departing North Korea from the Pyongyang airport. The other guests in his tour group all left the country without incident. On February 29, 2016, he confessed to stealing a piece of North Korean propaganda to take back to the United States as a trophy for someone from his home-town church who offered to pay him for it with the gift of a car worth $10,000.

On March 16, 2016, Otto Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for committing what Warmbier thought was a harmless college prank that could provide him with a new car.

Warmbier was allowed to speak to the kangaroo court that sentenced him. He stated, obviously under emotional and perhaps physical duress:

I never, never should have allowed myself to be lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country, I wish that the United States administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries. I entirely beg you, the people and government of the DPRK, for your forgiveness. Please! I made the worst mistake of my life.

As tensions with North Korea rise and the war drums beat, the State Department continuesto make efforts to one, find out Warmbiers current location in North Korea, two, meet with him and three, to secure his release with the assistance of the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang.

The State Department released the following statement today:

The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the State Department. The Embassy of Sweden continues to request information on the exact location of Mr. Warmbier, and to request access for consular visits with him. However, representatives from the Swedish Embassy have not been granted consular access to Mr. Warmbier since the visit on March 2, 2016. The Department believes Mr. Warmbiers sentence of 15 years hard labor is unduly harsh for the actions Mr. Warmbier allegedly took. Despite official claims that U.S. citizens arrested in the DPRK are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear from its very public treatment of these cases that the DPRK does just that. Mr. Warmbier has gone through the criminal process and has been detained for more than a year. We continue to urge the DPRK to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release on humanitarian grounds.

The question remains: where is Otto Warmbier? Most distressingly, it is likely Warmbier is being incarcerated in one of North Koreas penal labor camps for political prisoners known as the Kwalliso.

The internment camps are located in central and northeastern North Korea. They comprise many prison labor colonies in secluded mountain valleys, completely isolated from the outside world. The total number of prisoners is estimated to be 150,000 to 200,000. Yodok camp and Bukchang camp are separated into two sections: One section for political prisoners in lifelong detention, another part similar to re-education camps with prisoners sentenced to long-term imprisonment with the vague hope of eventual release.

The prisoners are forced to perform hard and dangerous slave work with primitive means in mining and agriculture. The food rations are very small, so that the prisoners are constantly on the brink of starvation. In combination with the hard work this leads to huge numbers of prisoners dying. An estimated 40% of prisoners die from malnutrition.

Moreover, many prisoners are crippled from work accidents, frostbite or torture. There is a rigid punishment in the camp. Prisoners who work too slowly or do not obey an order are beaten or tortured. In cases of stealing food or attempting to escape, the prisoners are publicly executed.

As inprisonment in North Koreas gulag archipelago is life threatening, it is imperative that the State Department continues to lobby for Warmbiers release, even as tensions continue to rise on the Korean Peninsula.

If you are a religious person, you might want to say a prayer for Otto Warmbier, who at this very moment may be suffering a fate worse than most can imagine.
America has endured for generations because our Constitutional framework and our collective commitment to liberty protects us against the inevitable failures of our government and its leadership. Yet, when it comes to the current debate over health care, GOP leaders are abandoning these safeguards and risking not just our access to quality health care but something far greater.

To be sure, most tangibly for the many Americans for whom rising health care costs and diminishing access to quality care is a very real, daily concern, the decisions we make will have lasting and very serious consequences. These are the reasons to fully repeal ObamaCare immediately and to then respect the states and the free market to give us the options to get the best health care possible.

Yet, incomprehensibly, Congressional leaders are choosing not to do so and have abandoned their constituents in a series of negotiations  most recently for state waivers and other crumbs of liberty  that have little actual hope of meaningfully honoring their campaign commitments to fully repeal ObamaCare and reform health care markets. Unfortunately, there are much larger implications to their lack of boldness.

First, Congress is turning away from the free market. Republicans talk a big game about believing in free enterprise and capitalism. But the grassroots out in real America see their actions as more cronyism than principle. Whether its subsidizing big corporations through the Export-Import Bank or the more recent $100 billion insurer slush fund included in the American Health Care Act, the grassroots understandably consider Congress actions to be political pay-offs and more of Washington picking winners and losers rather than the free market at work.

So when those who claim to promote freedom refuse to legislatively repeal market-constricting regulations and then replace ObamaCare subsidies with new -- and arguably more expansive -- subsidies in the form of refundable tax credits, it makes one wonder. Which party is for less government intervention?

Second, Congress is continuing the trend of ceding its Article I legislating powers to others, in particular the administrative state. The Legislative Branch  hiding behind the intricacies of Senate rules and the Budget Act  has been selling repeal in a future second phase at the hands of the Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary Tom Prices ability to repeal ObamaCare administratively. Setting aside the fact little meaningful repeal can be accomplished administratively beyond tinkering at the margins, the more troubling concern is why our elected leaders refuse to just do what they have the power and duty to do and have repeatedly promised to do.

This is a pattern. Congress frequently punts. Take President Obamas illegal Executive Amnesty. The Congressional GOP could have used its Article I powers to stop funding any implementation of that executive action. But it didnt even entertain that idea, choosing instead to leave it to states like Texas to fight in the courts. Moreover, during the 2013 defund fight, Republican Congressional leaders hid behind not having 50 votes in the Senate and not having a GOP-controlled White House. The conservative grassroots being skeptical of their position questioned their sincerity. And here we are. Since the repeal effort stalled, a possible deal is being floated to permit Governors to seek waivers. The simple truth is Republicans seemingly would rather hide behind conjecture and procedural theory while punting responsibility.

Third, the health care debate today centers almost entirely on the word repeal, and while it has been a rallying cry for conservatives, it is too much now an end to itself. Its just a word. And its a word that is all about process and politics, not really substance. Congressional leadership is so wrapped up in the idea of repeal, that it has become a political box-checking exercise rather than a commitment to ensure Americans actually receive better health care at more affordable costs.

Worse, this exercise is not actually checking the box! If one aims to repeal ObamaCare  a law built upon subsidies, regulations and Medicaid expansion  how can one honestly look at your constituents and claim to have repealed it with a new law built upon subsidies, regulations and continued, albeit slightly limited, Medicaid expansion? Even if they allow a theoretical waiver for states, it defies common sense to claim this is repeal.

Finally and most importantly, GOP leaders are missing their chance to win the minds and hearts of the American people. They are denying a new generation of Americans the ability to understand and embrace constitutionally limited government, federalism, free markets and the opportunities those ideals create.

The Republican Party has been afforded a historic moment in time to transform Americas health care system to one that offers the best we could dream of  plenty of doctors, low cost insurance options, affordable medicine - all while maximizing the number of individuals receiving the care they need.

Instead, Congressional leaders are defining the debate in terms of tax reductions and supposed out-year cost savings instead of how to increase the supply of high quality health care that is available and affordable to actual human beings.

This fight over health care reform will come and go, but the lasting impact of how it is fought will be significant.

If Congress is nothing more than a box-checking regime that will overstate its own actions to claim success while further ceding its own Constitutional powers and abandoning the free market  then America will completely lose its identity.

This is what is at stake.

Congress has a choice  and it ought to choose the principles that made this country great and that they claim to believe in, not the failed Washington-centric policies that have been the problem all along.
With just a few exceptions  the Teamsters being one of them  organized labor is almost uniformly Democratic in its politics. The question of union political influence is usually just one of how much help they can be to Democrats.

In the 2016 election, the AFL-CIO was 100 percent behind Hillary Clinton in the general election. Its president, Richard Trumka, denounced Trump as a "bigot," and had quite a few other things to say about him.

"Trump's been very, very anti-union," he told Soledad O'Brien's YouTube channel Matter of Fact. "Donald Trump's policies and his bigotry and his outrageousness are going to derail Donald Trump," he predicted. He called Trump's agenda "more bigoted than bold, and more condescending than comprehensive."

And now...well, his tone is suddenly a little different. Not only has he been praising Donald Trump's second-choice nominee for the Department of Labor, he's also offering qualified praise for his infrastructure plan on television this morning:

"A trillion dollars is the right magnitude to be talking about," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said on Fox Business Network the day after Trump called for the spending package in his first address to Congress. "We think it's more. The Society of American Civil Engineers think it's more like $3 trillion."

"He's talking in the right ballpark," Trumka added. "Infrastructure, it's a three or four-time winner for all of us."

Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com
Congress returns to Washington this week to take on the now-familiar task of passing an 11th-hour spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with President Trumps promised border wall emerging this time as the big sticking point between Democrats and Republicans.

Trump tweeted several times about the issue Sunday, with one tweet saying Democrats don't want budget money paying for the wall "despite the fact it will stop drugs and very bad MS-13 gang members."

The deadline to avert a shutdown is Saturday, Trump's 100th day in office, which has increased pressure on the GOP-controlled Congress to also pass an ObamaCare repeal and replacement plan after failing to do so in March.

Congress OKs Planned Parenthood funding crackdown, as Pence breaks tie

In exchange for funding Trump's planned wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, congressional Democrats want any ObamaCare overhaul bill to continue to include subsides for health insurance companies that helped low-income people afford health policies.

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.

Though Republicans have control of Congress, they have yet to send the GOP president a single major bill, such as an ObamaCare overhaul.

In addition to the wall, Trump also hopes to use the $1 trillion catchall spending bill to salvage victories on a multibillion-dollar down payment on a Pentagon buildup and perhaps a crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement by federal authorities.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has indicated that his priority is avoiding a politically unpopular shutdown, like the one in fall 2013 over ObamaCare funding, for which voters largely blamed Republicans.

I dont think anyone thinks a shutdown is desirable, Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told Fox News Sunday.

Rank-and-file Republicans received few answers Saturday on conference call by top House GOP leaders, who said deals remained elusive on both health care and the spending measure, with no votes scheduled yet.

A temporary measure could be needed to prevent a shutdown and buy time for more talks.

Democratic support will be needed to pass the spending measure, as Republicans fear taking the blame again if the government shuts down on their watch.

"We have the leverage and they have the exposure," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California, told fellow Democrats on Thursday on a conference call, 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. Democrats are also 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.

Mulvaney also told Fox News on Sunday: We are offering to give Democrats some of their priorities. They made it very clear that they want these cost-sharing reduction payments as part of ObamaCare. We don't like those very much, but we have offered to open the discussions to give the Democrats something they want in order to get something we want.

The White House and Democrats each 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.

GOP leaders have shown no desire to revisit ObamaCare until they're assured they have enough votes to succeed, a point Ryan 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.

Two leaders of the House GOP's warring moderate and conservative factions devised a compromise during the recess to let states get federal waivers to ignore some requirements of the health law. Those include one that now requires 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Army Sgt. George Wilmots Humvee flipped down the side of a mountain when he tried to escape a burst of small-arms fire, while serving in Iraq in 2009. He sustained numerous injuries  including traumatic brain and nerve damage  and later was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Wilmot's wife Jennifer had been taking care of her husband since his active-duty retirement in 2013, enrolled as a family caregiver with the Department of Veterans Affairs for two years. That was, until the department stripped Jennifer of her status, abruptly declaring George didnt need a caregiver anymore. The decision, made even though Sgt. Wilmot is considered 100 percent disabled by the VA, cost the family just over $1,200 per month in lost caregiver benefits.

Jennifer Wilmot is one of thousands of caregivers who have seen benefits evaporate in this way, following VA decisions to revoke their status under the Family Caregiver Program. Some describe the decisions as totally unexpected.

A member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., says hes now demanding a hearing.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's unacceptable," Bilirakis told Fox News. "We should always err on the side of the veteran. They are true American heroes."

He said he was initially unaware of the revocations. Amid an internal review at the VA, the House committee plans on hosting a roundtable with veterans to discuss their concerns in the next few weeks.

In Jennifer Wilmots case, she appealed the VA decision and was denied again in July 2016.

But she describes a continuing struggle at home in Richmond Hill, Ga.

"He has memory issues, short-term memory. He will forget that he turned something on. He's left the stove on and the kids would say, Hey Dad, you left something on, Jennifer said, adding that his nerve damage affects his ability to walk or even stand for extended periods.

All of a sudden he will just lose all feeling in his legs and just fall and you dont know when thats going to happen," Jennifer said.

Fox News reached out to the Charleston VA, which declined to comment on the Wilmots case, citing HIPPA laws, even though Fox News had written permission from the Wilmots to obtain the information.

According to the VA, 35,236 family caregivers nationally have participated in the program since it began in 2011. As of April 6, a total of 13,362 were removed since its inception. Forty-two percent of veterans removed were deemed to no longer meet clinical eligibility for Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.

Navy veteran Lauren Price, whose husband was dropped as a caregiver and who started the Facebook group Veteran Warriors, says the number is much higher based on surveys her group has conducted.

Veterans from all over the U.S. sent Fox News letters describing how they got into the program and were unexpectedly cut. In almost every instance, they received letters stating the veteran no longer needed assistance.

One such veteran is Army Staff Sgt. Brandon Sanford, a military policeman who, according to medical records, is now considered 100 percent disabled due to multiple injuries including a traumatic brain injury sustained from IED explosions in Iraq in 2008.

His mother, Rebecca Sanford, told Fox News in a letter that her son spent a year at the Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation Hospital in El Paso, Texas, before being medically retired at 100 percent disability. Then in 2016, he was deemed to no longer need caregiver services -- though his mother says Brandon had no significant improvements from 2012 to 2015.

Mrs. Sanford believes incorrect information was accepted by the Review Board. For example, she wrote, the letter they received referenced a Mr. Hernandez, a different veteran.

"I am APPALLED and infuriated at the treatment our qualified Veterans are now receiving through the culling of the Program. Harassment. Intimidation. Falsification of information, his mother wrote.

Another veteran, Army Staff Sgt. John Daniel Shannon, was shot in the head during a gunfight in 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. In December 2007, the Army medically discharged him, lumping his injuries under the category of PTSD and not traumatic brain injury.

Shannon is receiving some care from the VA, but his wife Torrey says its not enough. Within the last year, Torrey has traveled to outside health care facilities for diagnoses and care. According to primary care Nurse Practitioner Rosemary Jones, Staff Sgt. Shannon needs constant supervision due to his injuries. She states in medical documents that due to the gunshot wound to his left brain, he is unable to remember how to [bathe] properly, eat regularly, and perform normal daily activities.

Torrey Shannon has been fighting the VAs assessment and is submitting a second appeal to the Caregiver Program. She also stated anytime she put pressure on the VA, they faced multiple forms of retribution.

"They were funneling people over to them, discrediting me, and basically did not do anything of measure to help the situation," Shannon wrote. She said she personally brought up cases with Margaret Kabat, the director of the program, and she blew us all off after a feigned level of concern.

Fox News reached out to Kabat and got no direct response but did receive a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs saying, effective April 17, it has suspended revocations initiated by VA medical centers based on eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) for three weeks.

According to the VA website, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David J. Shulkin is planning an internal review to evaluate consistency of revocations in the program and standardize communication with Veterans and caregivers nationwide.

Bilirakis brought his concerns to the House VA Committee, and Chairman Phil Roe, R-Tenn., is planning discussion to look into it.

"The long-term implications of this younger generation of post 9/11 military caregivers are still largely unknown, which is exactly why the committee is planning a round table to dig into ways we can better support the men and women who dedicate their lives to caring for our nation's heroes," Roe said in an email.
The entire U.S. Senate has been invited to the White House for a briefing Wednesday on the North Korea situation, amid escalating tensions over the countrys missile tests and bellicose rhetoric.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed the upcoming briefing, for all 100 senators, on Monday.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats plan to provide the update to lawmakers.

It is rare for the entire Senate to be invited to such a briefing.

Spicer clarified that while the event will take place on the White House campus, it is technically a Senate briefing and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is the one who convened it.

The briefing, first reported by Reuters, was confirmed after President Trump earlier spoke to the leaders of both China and Japan.

Trump spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Xi told Trump that China strongly opposed North Koreas nuclear weapons program and hoped all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation, according to Chinese broadcaster CCTV. Trump hopes China could increase pressure on its isolated ally instead of using military options or trying to overthrow Kim Jong Uns regime.

Trump and Abe agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions.

Meanwhile, U.S. commercial satellite images indicated increased activity around North Koreas nuclear test site, while Kim has said that the countrys preparation for an ICBM launch is in its final stage.

South Koreas Defense Ministry has said the North appears ready to conduct such "strategic provocations" at any time. South Korean Acting Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has instructed his military to strengthen its "immediate response posture" in case North Korea does something significant on the April 25 anniversary of its military. North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying military capability.

On Monday, Trump also had lunch with ambassadors of countries on the U.N. Security Council. Ahead of the meeting, Trump called for big reforms at the U.N. and criticizing its handling of recent events in Syria and North Korea  but said it has tremendous potential.

"You just don't see the United Nations, like, solving conflicts. I think that's going to start happening now," he said.

Fox News Mike Emanuel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Obamas controversial release last year of seven prisoners with ties to Iran was presented as a good will gesture linked to the larger nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic, but a new report claims some of those released were deemed threats to national security.

The agreement which freed the U.S. prisoners was part of a flurry of related deals that unfroze more than $100 billion in Iranian assets and brought home five Americans held by Tehran. But Politico, in an exhaustive report, claims there was more to what President Obama presented as a one-time gesture of releasing prisoners described as businessmen convicted of or awaiting trial for mere sanctions-related offenses, violations of the trade embargo.

In reality, some of them were accused by Obamas own Justice Department of posing threats to national security, Politico reported.

Three of those released by the U.S. allegedly helped supply Iran with U.S.-made technology used in surface-to-air and cruise missiles, Politico reported. Another freed by the Obama administration was an aerospace engineer serving an eight-year term for conspiring to supply Iran with satellite technology. As part of the deal, U.S. prosecutors dropped their demand for $10 million he received from Tehran, the publication reported.

The Obama Justice Department also quietly dropped charges against 14 other Iranian fugitives, saying it had determined extradition would be unlikely, Politico reported. Some were linked to Hezbollah, another was charged with trying to buy thousands of assault rifles to illegally import to Iran and still others were suspected of providing Iran with high-tech components for IEDs used to kill Americans in Iraq and equipment used to enrich uranium.

They didnt just dismiss a bunch of innocent business guys, one former federal law enforcement supervisor told Politco. And then they didnt give a full story of it.

Of course it pissed people off, but its more significant that these guys were freed, and that people were killed because of the actions of one of them, the supervisor added.

The solicitous attitude toward Iran is not likely to continue under the Trump administration. Last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said alarming and ongoing provocations that export terror and violence, destabilizing more than one country at a time have prompted a government-wide review of policy regarding Iran. Trump himself said of Iran and the deal Obama made with it, they are not living up to the spirit of it, I can tell you that. And were analyzing it very, very carefully, and well have something to say about that in the not-too-distant future.

The report also charged that federal prosecutors and investigators who had worked for years on the sensitive national security cases were not told the subjects of the investigations were being used as bargaining chips.

This has erased literally years  many years  of hard work, and important cases that can be used to build toward other cases and even bigger players in Irans nuclear and conventional weapons programs, said former Justice Department counterproliferation prosecutor David Locke Hall. Even though these mens crimes posed a direct threat to U.S. national security, the [Obama] administration has essentially told them their efforts have produced nothing more than political capital that can be traded away when politically expedient.
Lawmakers on the House oversight committee were invited Monday to view classified documents related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn's foreign contacts.

Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said the documents available for viewing Tuesday would be provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency, which Flynn headed from July 2012 to August 2014.

Flynn resigned as national security adviser in February after the White House said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about the extent of his contacts with Russia's ambassador to Washington during the presidential transition.

Flynn's resignation led to an outcry over the so-called "unmasking" of American citizens in contact with foreign officials being monitored by the intelligence community.

Last month, Flynn and his lobbying firm registered with the Justice Department as foreign agents for lobbying work conducted on behalf of a company owned by a Turkish businessman.

It was not clear how many of the committee's 41 members would be able to view the documents, as many lawmakers are not returning to Washington from their Easter recess until Tuesday afternoon.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Throughout the long history of what is now the Republic of Iraq the nation has been routinely invaded, occupied and battle-torn by both foreigners and its own despotic regimes, the most recent being ISIS. But once the Muslim extremists are driven from the country  which is likely to be the case in a few months or less  will the nation be ready to finally stand on its own? Or is a continued U.S. military presence a security necessity?

"We are here at the request of the government of Iraq to aid in the defeat of ISIS," a U.S. military spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve, the official name of the mission to defeat ISIS, told Fox News. "Future operations will be dependent upon the needs of the government of Iraq."

However, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis took a more affirmative stance last month when he testified before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, stating that it would be an error to cite victory and simply leave, as was the case in 2011, and then "find the same lesson." Similarly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has voiced the importance of retaining U.S. troops to avoid an ISIS-type re-emergence.

While these U.S. voices are in agreement, the matter deeply divides the Iraqi people themselves.

Nseeif Al-Khattabi, governor of the Holy Karbala Province Council, told Fox News that he is for political and diplomatic relations with the U.S. rather than a military one.

Let us pick our destiny, he said, noting that it would be better for Iraq not to have outside interference.

Muoaed al Bahadely, a 30-year-old from Baghdad, said that he is against the U.S. presence because it is a clear game to create terrorist groups that say they are Muslim, but it is orchestrated to destroy Islam  citing the American creation of the 1970s Mujahedeen to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan.

However, the majority of Iraqis that Fox News spoke to across the country seemed to be in favor of the U.S. remaining for the longer haul.

If America had stayed after 2011, nothing like ISIS coming in would have happened, lamented Baghdad native Ahmed Naeem. Lets stop the cheap talk and agree that the American withdrawal cost us heavily, and the blood of our kids.

Moreover, Mazan Obedi, a 28-year-old from Baghdad, advocated for U.S. troops remaining in the style of Japan, Germany and Korea after WWll and Korean war, respectively, not only so ISIS cannot come back but also to put pressure on Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar to not sponsor terrorists. Masereen Saed also said those who tried to sell heroism against America  like Cuba  ultimately fared far less well than the likes of other countries that aligned with the U.S.

And Yahiya Akbar, a 24-year-old college student, cited monetary reasons for supporting the U.S staying.

Without America, we will suffer economically, he stressed. We should use America to train our soldiers and our army.

Others, such as Marwa Alzede, 25, a recent university graduate who studied geography, supported the U.S. military lingering on  but not in a continuous, forever way  just until their own army is truly strong and unified enough to answer to all the challenges that surround the country.

We dont want to be part of the threats that come to America from our neighboring countries, she explained. Then we have to pay the price.

On a visit to the U.S. in late March, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that he too supports keeping a U.S. foothold for the longer term.

"The fight against ISIS presence in the country will require a longer-term, sustained effort that goes beyond the major combat operations currently underway," Tom Basile, political commentator and author of "Tough Sell: Fighting the Media War in Iraq" concurred. "We need a sustained, supportive presence in the country to protect the Iraqis and our interests in the region."

One high-ranking Iraqi intelligence official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, pointed out that even if the U.S. does stay, it's uncertain what the role will be.

We want a strong DOD strategy to help the Iraqi Army, said the source, adding that Iraqi officials also want assistance with a greater emotional impact, such as assistance with hospitals.

As it stands, the U.S. government gave $58.8 million to Iraq last year, designated to assist with everything from peace and security to humanitarian and social services to education and governance.



ISLAMIC STATE ATTACKS IRAQ POLICE BASE, 1 KILLED



LIFE INSIDE ISIS CAPITAL RAQQA: IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE, IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAVE



Nonetheless, a continued American military presence could come with a high price for U.S. military personnel.

One young professional named al-Haidery who identifies himself as a "technocrat" aligned with the movement championed by prominent Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, warned that U.S. troops will "of course" face steep violent resistance.

"America is interested only in oil and control of the region. It considers Iraq as a barrel of oil and strategic location to build its military bases," the technocrat said. "The great danger facing U.S. forces in Iraq if it remains is the armed groups supported by Iran. These groups have evolved a lot."

They have evolved, al-Haidery said, from even the post-2003 war days, in which the Tehran-backed militias were responsible for some 500 U.S. service member casualties.

Danger from Iranian-sponsored militias is recognized by people outside al-Sadrs circle.

"Troops should stay," Loag Husain, author of the Iraqi political history book "Dozens of Years of Chaos" said. "But how can they deal with Iranian militia in Iraq? That will be the question."
The Senate on Monday confirmed former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to be agriculture secretary in President Donald Trump's administration as the farming industry looks to Washington for help amid a downturn in the market.



Perdue won confirmation on a strong bipartisan vote of 87-11, as several Democrats backed a Trump nominee after razor-thin outcomes for his choices earlier this year. Perdue's cousin, Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., voted "present" but presided over the vote and announced the final tally.



The son of a farmer from Bonaire, Ga., Sonny Perdue will be the first Southerner in the post in more than two decades. He has owned several agricultural businesses, but isn't related to or affiliated with the food company Perdue or the poultry producer Perdue Farms.



At his confirmation hearing in March, Perdue assured nervous farm-state senators that he will advocate for rural America, even as Trump has proposed deep cuts to some farm programs. He also promised to reach out to Democrats.



Still, Perdue, 70, is getting a late start on the job. Trump nominated him just two days before his inauguration, and then the nomination was delayed for weeks as the administration prepared his ethics paperwork. Perdue eventually said he would step down from several companies bearing his name to avoid conflicts of interest.



As agriculture secretary, he'll be in charge of around 100,000 employees and the nation's food and farm programs, including agricultural subsidies, conservation efforts, rural development programs, food safety and nutrition programs such as food stamps and federally-subsidized school meal,



Perdue will take office as farm prices have been down for several years in a row and some parts of the industry, including cotton and dairy farmers, say they need the department and Congress to rewrite agricultural policy to help revive their business.



Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Perdue will help facilitate recovery in small American towns.



"I know he will put the needs of farmers, ranchers and others in rural America first," Roberts said.



Perdue's main task over the coming year will be working with Congress and coordinating his department's input on the next five-year farm bill. Current farm policy expires next year, and lawmakers on the House and Senate agriculture committees will have to find a way to push it through Congress amid heightened partisan tensions and concerns over spending.



At his hearing, he pledged to help senators sustain popular crop insurance programs and fix problems with government dairy programs.



Perdue may also find himself in the uncomfortable position of defending agriculture in an administration that has so far given the issue limited attention, despite Trump's strong support in rural areas. Trump has proposed a 21 percent cut in USDA programs and has harshly criticized some international trade deals, saying they have killed American jobs. But farmers who produce more than they can sell in the United States have heavily profited from some of those deals, and are hoping his anti-trade policies will include some exceptions for agriculture.



At the hearing, Perdue said, "Food is a noble thing to trade."

Perdue will also be part of the administration's response to a dispute with Canada's dairy industry, which has a new lower-priced classification of milk product that Trump says is harming

U.S. producers in dairy states like Wisconsin and New York. Canada changed its policy on pricing domestic milk to cover more dairy ingredients, leading to lower prices for Canadian products that compete with U.S. milk.



Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, voted for Perdue and encouraged him to come to Wisconsin to talk to affected farmers.



"I stand as a willing partner to work with Secretary Perdue and President Trump to address this urgent issue," Baldwin said.



Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also talked to Trump about the dairy issue last week in a rare phone call between the two men.



Trump has reached out to farmers on regulation, saying the government has too many rules that negatively affect farm country. That issue is expected to come up on Perdue's first day in office Tuesday, when the president holds hold a round table discussion with farmers and sign an executive order "to provide relief for rural America," according to the White House.



The White House hasn't said when Perdue will be sworn in, but he is scheduled to speak to USDA staff Tuesday morning.



After Perdue, remaining nominees for Trump's administration to be confirmed are Robert Lighthizer for U.S. trade representative and Alexander Acosta for labor secretary.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended his Hawaii remark from earlier in the week, saying nobody has a sense of humor anymore.

Sessions criticized a federal judges ruling in Hawaii on Tuesday that blocked the Trump administrations immigration ban.

"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, Sessions told radio host Mark Levin.

Sessions said in an interview on ABC's "This Week" why he didn't just refer to Hawaii by its name. His response: "Nobody has a sense of humor anymore."

Hawaii Democratic Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz slammed Sessions' remarks about the state in Twitter posts Thursday.

Hey Jeff Sessions, this #IslandinthePacific has been the 50th state for going on 58 years. And we wont succumb to your dog whistle politics  Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) April 20, 2017

Mr. Attorney General: You voted for that judge. And that island is called Oahu. It's my home. Have some respect. https://t.co/sW9z3vqBqG  Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) April 20, 2017

When asked about the comment on Fox News' "The First 100 Days," Sessions said Hawaii was "a beautiful island" before adding, "Weve got about 800 federal judges. One, protected perhaps by the 9th Circuit [Court of Appeals] has stopped an executive order by the President of the United States that I believe is constitutional and that I believe is explicitly approved by statutory law, so the process will go forward [and] appeals will be held."

Sessions added Sunday that the administration was appealing the Hawaii judges ruling.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Texas state lawmaker is going days without food to protest an anti-sanctuary cities bill and urging others to join her.

Rep. Victoria Neave reportedly began her fast after attending church on Sunday and plans to refrain from eating until Wednesday, when the bill will be up for debate in the Texas House. The bill aims to ban cities, counties and universities from claiming sanctuary policies that prevent local law enforcement from asking about an individuals immigration status or hamper enforcement of immigration law.

I want people to know how terrible this law is, Neave said, according to The Dallas Morning News.

She has since taken to Twitter to encourage others to #FastAgainstSB4.

The house is hearing #SB4 on Wednesday - join @Victoria4Texas and #FastAgainstSB4 in solidarity. Together, we can stop this hateful bill. pic.twitter.com/Zg908O4cbz  IndivisibleDFW (@DFWIndivisible) April 24, 2017

Neaves efforts come amid a federal crackdown on sanctuary cities, with the Justice Department contacting nine cities to warn that they will lose federal funding if they refuse to comply with immigration enforcement.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke to Customs and Border Protection workers at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona on April 11 to elaborate on the dangers of sanctuary cities. He said gangs like MS-13 and the cartels flood our country with drugs and leave death and violence in their wake.

Thank you @Victoria4Texas for leading the #FastAgainstSB4!

Don't forget to wear black when you head to ATX on Wed. to #FillTheGallery! pic.twitter.com/sqha3drTc0  Texas Young Dems (@TexasYDs) April 24, 2017

Neave, the daughter of an immigrant, warned the Texas bill would have a chilling effect on immigrants, making them too scared to report crimes or testify in court. In a video message that she retweeted, she acknowledged her side doesnt have the votes right now to defeat the measure, calling the fast one last call, one last push to garner support.
President Trump has dismissed the end of his first 100 days in office as an artificial marker, but hes packed the final stretch with a burst of executive orders and lofty legislative goals covering health care, tax reform and more.

Before Saturdays deadline, Trump plans to sign at least four executive orders -- including one aimed at easing regulations on offshore oil and gas exploration and another to protect whistleblowers at the Department of Veterans Affairs, under a microscope for failing to provide adequate patient care.

Another would direct the Interior Department to review prior national monument designations.

A senior White House official confirmed the orders to Fox News.

Axios, which first flagged the executive actions, also reported that Trump could pursue three additional orders this week related to trade.

Taken together, this would put the first 100 days executive order tally at over three-dozen, the most of any modern presidency.

Hes gotten a lot of things done, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday on Fox & Friends. Overall, hes done very well.

Gingrich also argued that Trump has done exceptionally well for having never held public office and taking a political path that is very different for the country.

While the president is packing in the executive orders, his 100 days report card is still missing a major legislative achievement.

Trump at least wants to make progress toward tax reform, and is scheduled Wednesday to release a blueprint for that proposal.

The president has touted the plan as a massive tax cut for individuals and corporations. But White House budget director Mick Mulvaney cautioned on Fox News Sunday that voters should expect only proposed tax rates and that a final plan wont be ready until at least June.

Max Stier, president of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, declined Tuesday to grade Trumps first 100 days.

However, Stier argued that continuing success of failure will depend on how soon Trump can fully staff his administration, considering just 22 of his 50 nominations have been confirmed (with two withdrawn.)

Its vital to have your team in place, said Stier, whose group includes the Center for Presidential Transition. The beginning days are extremely important because thats the time when presidents drive their agenda, lays their foundation for later.  If Trump doesnt do it now, hell have trouble catching up later.

Trumps biggest and most pressing concerns now appear to be on Capitol Hill, where he wants a vote soon on ObamaCare and where his insistence that money for his border wall be included in a critical spending bill is complicating negotiations.

If neither side budges, it could force a government shutdown by midnight Friday.

Democrats in the GOP-controlled Congress also are demanding continued federal subsidies to insurance companies under ObamaCare in exchange for their votes on the stopgap spending bill.

The White House on Sunday appeared to send a mixed message on whether Trump would relent or allow a politically unpopular shutdown.

We dont know yet, Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told Fox News Sunday.

Mulvaney also said Republicans have offered to give Democrats some of their priorities to get something we want.

However, he conceded nobody likely thinks a shutdown is desirable, while Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told CNN that Trump will likely insist the spending bill include a down payment on his proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Fox & Friends that if funding dries up after Friday amid a dispute over the border wall, it will be the Democrats that shut this government down.

Trump, meanwhile, wants to restart movement on health care after a plan to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act -- which he vowed as a candidate to replace -- failed last month in the House without a final vote.

The White House apparently is pushing lawmakers to try again and a new document has been circulating, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has made clear in recent days that his priority is averting a shutdown.

The failed attempt in March was considered a major defeat for Trump, along with federal courts holding up his executive orders to ban travel from several majority Muslim nations.

However, supporters argue Trump has had several early successes -- including picking a respected Cabinet and getting Judge Neil Gorsuch confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Gingrich called the appointment of former Army Lt. Gen. John Kelly to lead the Department of Homeland Security a world-class pick.

Trump this week also plans to dine with Supreme Court justices, meet with the president of Argentina, go to Atlanta for a National Rifle Association event and hold a rally Saturday in Harrisburg, Pa.

Fox News Jennifer Bowman contributed to this report.
Julian Assange may soon be facing criminal charges.

But that would most likely be a theoretical exercise.

The founder of WikiLeaks remains holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, shielded from sexual assault allegations in Sweden.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, in response to a question about Assange, that going after leakers, and putting them in jail, is a priority. CNN and others have reported that the Justice Department is already preparing charges against Assange.

So while Donald Trump may have declared during the campaign that I love WikiLeaks, his administration is far less enamored of the group.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said last week, Its time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia.

But with Ecuadors new socialist president indicating that Assange will continue to receive asylum, the Australian seems safe from future prosecution.

In the court of public opinion, though, views of Assange seem to vary depending on the nature of his targets.

When WikiLeaks was spewing out hacked emails from the DNC and the Hillary Clinton campaign last year, it wasnt just Trump who applauded. Some Republicans and conservatives who had been highly critical of Assange in the past now welcomed his work.

It was a very different situation in 2010, when WikiLeaks was dumping classified information obtained by the Army intelligence officer now known as Chelsea Manning. Many on the right ripped the group for jeopardizing U.S. national security.

Assange markets himself as a media watchdog exposing wrongdoing. "Quite simply, our motive is identical to that claimed by the New York Times and The Post -- to publish newsworthy content," he wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.

In fact, a complicating issue when the Obama administration looked at bringing charges is that the Times and other papers had also published classified data from the Manning leaks.

The reality is that he actively looks for ways to undermine the United States -- and, in the case of the last campaign, help Trump by damaging Clinton, perhaps in collusion with Russian hackers.

WikiLeaks tweaked Trump over the weekend by retweeting his earlier declaration of love for the organization.

Whether Assange broke the law would probably be difficult to prove -- and in any event, its doubtful he will ever be brought to trial.
Its early March and 2,000 screaming, raucous protesters, many of them Hispanic, line 82nd Avenue along Miamis Tropical Park. It seems like almost every passing driver honks their horn, apparently in support. A local news reporter makes his way along the rowdy rally and asks a handful why they are there.

The people need to know this is the president we wanted for our country," Maite Bueno, of Hialeah, offers. "Hes not only going to make America great again, hes for everybody. People need to wake up!

At the time, President Donald Trumps disapproval rating was hovering at 50 percent, a historic high for a president in his first 100 days in office. His approval rating was at just 43 percent.

Lucy Reyes, speaking with a strong Cuban accent, had a message for the half who disapproved: Hes not the person that people think he is. Hes a good president.

"The American public wanted a different kind of president. And there's no question Donald Trump is a different kind of president."  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

That was Day 44 of the Trump administration, which to no ones surprise who followed the campaign had already been marked by extreme acrimony between Trump and Democrats, Trump and Republicans, Trump and the FBI, Trump and federal agencies like the EPA, Trump and foreign leaders and, especially, Trump and the media.

Days before, Trump had tweeted out, FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesnt tell the truth! A great danger to our country!

The president was trying to redirect attention away from allegations of collusion with Russia to influence the electorate, or otherwise steal the election from Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The real story, Trump tweeted, is all of the illegal leaks of classified or other information. It is a total witch hunt!

The Washington establishment hadnt seen anything like this before.

"The American public wanted a different kind of president. And there's no question Donald Trump is a different kind of president," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Often fed by anonymous sources from the DC establishment, the media struck back with juicy reports of constant infighting and incompetence.

Thousands of jobs went unfilled in the executive branch. There was a botched effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare, after the Republican-led Congress had voted 62 times on such bills while President Barack Obama was in office. Charges of nepotism as he elevated his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner to important White House posts. Top White House strategist Steve Bannon reportedly clashed with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

In late March, a Washington Post headline blared: Trumps first 100 days: A big failure, and a new low in the polls.

But supporters Fox News has kept in touch with since the campaign were unwavering as Trump approached the 100 day mark of April 29. And this week, the Washington Post's own survey showed that Trump would still best Clinton if a new election were held today.

That may surprise the same critics who predicted he would lose Nov. 8, but it doesn't shock his supporters.

I think hes doing really good, said Bob Holmes, who was featured in global coverage after he offered free Trump tattoos ahead of the New Hampshire primary in February 2016.

Holmes had never voted before Trump came along, because he saw in the billionaire real estate developer a candidate who spoke directly to ordinary Americans. Holmes says he has kept an eye on developments over the first 100 days of Trumps presidency.

A few things hes gotten knocked down," Holmes said. "Hes fighting the fight. The major thing I saw, before he was even sworn in, he was saving thousands of jobs.

Other supporters were equally patient, even after the failure to repeal and replace ObamaCare. In late March, a woman told a local news reporter at a Trump rally in Lansing, Mich., I think hes going to totally repeal it. The press has gotten it wrong all along. And theyve gotten it wrong again because he knows exactly what hes doing.

Such faith is unsurprising with his most ardent backers. But as Trump closed in on the benchmark, there has also been a surprising, albeit tepid, shift in support among mainstream academics and political observers, and even some of his harshest critics in Congress.

In May 2016, as Trump clinched the nomination, Charles Kesler, professor of government at Claremont-McKenna College in Southern California, predicted what a Trump administration would look like.

It is not the overbearing executive so much as the haphazard one, adrift much of the time, that is the risk," Kesler wrote. "Think Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, or Jesse the Body Ventura in Minnesota Trump is likely to prove less involved than Silvio Berlusconi in Italy, also a billionaire media personality with a brand.

But nearly a year later, Kesler has upgraded his assessment.

I'd say Ive shifted my view to the upside, said Kesler. There's more consistency in his fundamental issue positions than I feared at one point there might be. He's working immigration, trade, deregulation, all the things he has been consistently pushing for many years. There are Trump positions and he's making steady progress and I'm encouraged by that. It's possible he could be a successful and even much-admired president.

Speaking on MSNBC before the election, Harvard historian Niall Ferguson painted a grim picture of the alternatives confronting the American electorate.

The choice in 2016 is between SNAFU," he said, applying the acronym for situation normal all fouled up to a Clinton victory, "or FUBAR," he continued, using another acronym loosely translated as 'fouled up beyond all recognition.'

"A lot of people are attracted to FUBAR, because they just can't stand any more SNAFU, Ferguson said.

Fergusons pessimistic prognosis changed in early April, after the Trump administration ordered two Navy destroyers to fire 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield, from which Syrian President Bashar Assad was said to have launched his sarin nerve gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, killing 87 people a week before.

I think we can now discern the beginning of the improvement in U.S. foreign policy we have been waiting for ever since President Obama packed his bags," he wrote. "A new sheriff is in town and he doesnt fire blanks.

Even Trump's two most vocal Republican critics on Capitol Hill praised the president after his unamiguous message to Syria was sent.

Unlike the previous administration, President Trump confronted a pivotal moment in Syria and took action, Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain said in a joint statement. Building on this credible first step, we must finally learn the lessons of history and ensure that tactical success leads to strategic progress.

Some experts are optimistic President Trump will do just that.

I think hes had more success than the media gives him credit for, said Arthur Herman, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. What we have is an American president who I think now gets that you have to act with force sparingly and judiciously, but in ways that send a message.

The Syrian airstrikes led some critics to argue Trump was selling out on key campaign messages regarding the use of force abroad and nation-building. Herman disagrees.

There is a fallacy among pundits, foreign policy experts and the media that military action and diplomatic action are somehow separate tracks," Herman said. "The idea that what Trump is doing is reversing himself by getting involved is incorrect. This was clearly a message about the use of weapons of mass destruction, and making it clear that, unlike his predecessor, he is not afraid to use military muscle to force the diplomatic track forward.

As for Holmes, the tattoo artist and Trump supporter, the messages from Syria and North Korea are clear.

Syria was the right move," he said. "Maybe the rest of the world is pissed off, but maybe thats the point. The rest of the world didnt respect or fear us. Nobody is stepping up and stopping North Korea. We shouldnt have to put up with the short little fat dude [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un]. He needs to be put in his place.

"Thats why Trump was voted in," Holmes said. "Hes showing everybody were not going to take it anymore.

Yet, with Trump's muscular foreign policy manifested in tough talk directed at Syria and North Korea, some critics fear his administration could be leading us into World War III. Not so, says Kesler.

"Hes got sober, scholarly, not militant generals who he is listening to, a lot. They dont want to get into a war over Syria or North Korea, said Kesler.

There is another concern about Trump that has recently taken hold among some supporters who were initially drawn to his pledge to "drain the swamp," and take on Washington's establishment. Bannon, the face of Trump's populist broadside at the clubby culture of Capitol Hill insiders, has reportedly clashed of late with Kushner and Trump's chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn.

Kushner and Cohn are seen by critics as globalists out to undermine the message and platform that propelled Trump to the White House. If they and not Bannon have the commander-in-chief's ear, some fear, the Trump administration could take a leftward turn.

Holmes and other long-time supporters, like Jack Morgan, a Trump campaigner from southwestern Virginia, dont buy it.

I can honestly say I'm only seeing it on social media and TV, Morgan said. His actual base, the ones that really were behind him, and not just came along for the ride, are still solidly behind him, at least in SWVA. He's already begun cutting EPA regulations for the coal industry and jobs are coming back so people are happy with that. I feel sure the ones complaining were never his base.

Kesler sees Trump as adjusting pragmatically to the position.

He started out as a complete Washington amateur, and he has come to rely on people who have been there before more than he thought he would do, said Kesler. But hes still being pretty selective about who he admits into his administration.

Herman dismissed claims the administration's early growing pains are tantamount to chaos.

For big, complex issues its taken more effort than Trump realized, but he has patience to put the deal together, said Herman. The media narrative that things are going haywire completely misses the mark.

Kesler sees something deeper going on with Trump, also missed by the mainstream media narrative.

He's got to rely on the broader conservative movement more than he did during the campaign," Kesler said. "I'm impressed more and more by how he's taking the Republican Party back to its former self, back before the Cold War and before the modern conservative movement from the '50s and '60s, to the Republican Party that peaked in the 1920s.

That GOP pushed high protective tariffs, restricted immigration and called for assimilation. The pre-Cold War Republicans also pushed internal infrastructure projects, and appointed judges who were activist in defending the Constitution, and resisted foreign entanglements.

Anti-Communism changed conservative foreign policy, said Kesler. And libertarianism changed Republican affection for high tariffs. He is fusing the Republican Party with some elements of the conservative movement, and he might change the movement more than it changes him.

In doing so, Trump is proving he is the outsider some supporters had hoped for, said Herman.

Trump is not a politician. He was not born and bred in the Washington cabbage patch, said Herman. What we may find as time goes on with ObamaCare, tax cuts, the question of the Mexico border wall, that in all these kinds of questions Trump has a better idea of how to put together a deal than Republicans and Democrats.
Gambling and playing the lottery could be more accessible for Pennsylvania residents if the state passes proposals for an online expansion.

Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey are states that currently allow online gambling, while online lotteries are permitted in Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois and Michigan. Pennsylvania would be the first state to allow both casinos and the lottery online if legislation passes.

Republican State Representative Scott Petri says the legislature is considering three different proposals tied to the expansion of casinos into online platforms.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Lottery Spokesperson Gary Miller says proposals for online lotteries are circulating for the Department of Revenues budget for the next fiscal year set to start in July.

NEVADA CONGRESSWOMAN URGES TRUMP TO OPPOSE CALL FOR ONLINE GAMBLING BAN

The main reason lotteries are considering this is because they need to be where their players already are, Miller told Fox News.

Miller noted that the lottery benefits older populations in Pennsylvania by generating $1 billion per year toward programs for the elderly.

With a growing number of senior citizens needing this, we need more options, Miller said.

Online casinos are also up for debate. Petri says some Pennsylvania casinos oppose online gambling because they argue itll take money away from brick-and-mortar casinos.

WITH TWITTER STREAMING DEAL, PROFESSIONAL VIDEO GAMING GETS MORE SOCIAL

One proposal offers a mini casino option, which some stakeholders say will allow for small local shares in the industry, according to Petri.

Amid financial challenges, Petri says communities are also worried about what a shift to online platforms means for current casino employees future jobs.

A debate has also ensued on whether tax rates should be the same for online platforms as brick-and-mortar casinos.

The online gambling industry says it shouldnt be, according to Petri.

FOR THE LATEST TECH FEATURES FOLLOW FOX NEWS TECH ON FACEBOOK

"The entire [online] industry thinks it should be 15 percent but not more than 20 percent, Petri told Fox News. Thats in contrast with the 54 percent brick-and-mortar slots rate, Petri said.

Petri added that brick and mortar casinos argue that they incur more costs, so online platforms should not be given the benefit of a better tax rate.

Petri says he will try to bring the parties together toward a solution in the coming days.

"As chairman of the committee, I think its important that I be an honest broker, Petri told Fox News.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The case against a Michigan doctor accused of circumcising two 7-year-old girls highlights how the practice is alive and well in parts of the Western world where its adherents have migrated and formed communities.

The practice that is common for girls in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East is also called female genital mutilation or cutting and has been condemned by the United Nations and outlawed in the U.S.

Dr. Jumana Nagarwala is accused of performing the procedure on two Minnesota girls from her Shiite Muslim sect, the Dawoodi Bohra. Her lawyer says Nagarwala conducted a benign religious ritual that involved no mutilation.

Zehra Patwa, a 46-year-old Bohra from Connecticut who campaigns against the centuries-old practice, says she only learned in recent years that it was done to her at age 7 during a family trip to India.
Police in Southern California on Sunday finished their search of a park where the passed-out father of a missing 5-year-old boy was found over the weekend and are asking for anyone with information to come forward.

South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said that investigators have had a difficult time getting answers from the boy's father, Aramazd Andressian Sr., who was arrested Saturday on child endangerment and child abduction after paramedics found him passed out in South Pasadena's Arroyo Park.

Investigators don't know why the man was unconscious, Miller said, adding that there is no evidence he was attacked.

Andressian's statements have been "convoluted and contradictory," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Chris Bergner said. The department is helping with the investigation.

The mother of Aramazd Andressian Jr. reported Saturday that her estranged husband had failed to drop the boy off at a pre-arranged meeting place. The parents are divorcing and share custody.

The boy was last seen by his mother on Tuesday when the two spoke through a video call. The boy was supposed to speak to his mother via video call again on Thursday but that did not happen, officials said.

Miller asked the public to report if they had recently spotted the father's car, described as a silver four-door 2004 BMW. The car was seen early Friday morning in Orange County.

"There's got to be someone out there that knows the whereabouts of Aramazd Andressian," Miller said. "I'm asking you as a law enforcement official and as a parent, if you know anything, please contact us."

Andressian's bail was initially set at $100,000, but detectives later went back to a judge to explain the boy is still missing and provide additional information about the circumstances. The judge then upped Andressian's bail to $10 million, Miller said.
The father of a missing 5-year-old California boy is in jail Monday on $10 million bail days after he was spotted unresponsive in a park -- and his son was nowhere to be found.

HUNT ON FOR MISSING 5-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA BOY, FATHER ARRESTED

South Pasadena police and Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept. homicide investigators have said they dont know what happened to Aramazd Andressian Jr., who was last seen by his mother last week.

The child was visiting with his father and was scheduled to be returned to his mother on Saturday. But when the boy didn't return, the mother called police.

OFF-DUTY TENNESSEE POLICE OFFICER ROBBED, SHOOTS AT SUSPECTS, COPS SAY

The childs father, 35-year-old Aramazd Andressian Jr., was found unresponsive in the citys Arroyo Park without his son. Investigators said they were trying to determine whether the boy was with his father at the location but Andressian Sr. has failed to help in the search.

Instead, he's given confusing and contradictory statements to investigators, sheriffs homicide Capt. Chris Bergner told KTLA.

Hes not with his mother and hes not with his father. Hes with somebody and were pleading to that somebody to let us bring him home, said Bergner.

The child was last seen by his mother, who is undergoing divorce proceedings with the father, in person on April 15. She saw him again via a Skype conversation on April 18.

South Pasadena police and the Sheriffs Department Homicide Bureau are working on the case together.
Authorities in Southern California are searching for a missing 5-year-old boy whose father was arrested after being found passed out at a park.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Lisa Jansen says searchers will fan out again Monday to try and find Aramazd Andressian Jr. Investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward.

The child's father, Aramazd Andressian Sr., was arrested Saturday on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction after paramedics found him unconscious. It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney.

South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said Sunday that investigators have had a difficult time getting answers from the father, who is divorcing the boy's mother.

The mother says her estranged husband had failed to drop the boy off at a pre-arranged meeting place.
Cases of anti-Semitic intimidation and vandalism increased last year, according to data released by the Anti-Defamation League Monday.

The group found 1,266 cases of anti-Semitic harassment last year, compared to 941 in 2015 and 912 in 2014. The sharp increase continued into the first three months of 2017, with reports of 541 incidents compared to 291 in the same period just last year.

The early 2017 numbers include a wave of more than 150 bomb threats that started in January against Jewish community centers and day schools. The ADL insists those threats should still be considered anti-Semitic since Jews were the target. During the same period, a former journalist in St. Louis was also charged with threatening Jewish organizations as part of a bizarre campaign to intimidate his former girlfriend. However, authorities believe an Israel hacker was primarily responsible for the harassment.

Even without those bomb threats, the number of anti-Jewish incidents this January, February and March in the report would be higher than the year before.

The ADL report linked 34 cases last year to the presidential election, including graffiti found in Denver last May that said Kill the Jews, Vote Trump. On college campuses last year, the number of reports of anti-Semitic incidents remained about the same compared to the previous year, the ADL said. Many of the schools have been roiled in recent years by protests over Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

The ADL tally includes a much broader array of incidents, such as distribution of hateful materials, threats, slurs, intimidation and vandalism, along with physical assaults. The organization said its researchers evaluate reports from individuals, community leaders and law enforcement.

This latest compilation includes only a few cases of online harassment  incidents that led to "on the ground" intimidation  so that the organization can continue making year-to-year comparisons of ADL data going back to the group's first report in 1979, before the internet and social media were so broadly used, according to Oren Segal, director of the ADL Center on Extremism.

Anti-Semitic harassment in the U.S. has been at historic lows in recent years, according to the organization. In some prior years, the number of incidents surpassed 1,500 or 2,000, Segal said. But the recent uptick has fueled anxiety among American Jews during a period of emboldened expressions of white-supremacism and white-nationalism during the presidential election.

"I think the pace in which the incidents are happening, the speed at which the spike is occurring, I think the historic low is a thing of the past," Segal said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two dogs missing from western Colorado were found decapitated on railroad tracks a few miles from home, the Daily Sentinel reported.

The owner, Christin Ormond, reported B.B. and Calypso missing on Monday night on a Facebook page for lost and missing pets in Mesa County. Ormond told the Daily Sentinel she thought they jumped the back fence and ran off.

UTAH WOMAN DROWNS AFTER RESCUING HER 2 DOGS

A couple out for a walk reportedly found the mutilated pit bulls on Wednesday evening. Ormand told the paper it appeared B.B.s legs had been burned and Calypso had deep puncture wounds.

Theres someone (out there) that is really sick in the head, the paper quoted Ormand as saying.

What happened to the dogs is still a mystery. The Mesa County Sheriffs Office said there is no evidence the dogs were intentionally killed and there is no direct evidence the dogs were tied down, the Daily Sentinel reported.

On Facebook, Ormond thanked everyone who helped find her dogs.

(A)nd the ones who actually came out to the site and helped me retrieved them, a very special thank you to you three, Ormond wrote. I could not have done it myself.

Click for more from Fox 31.
A Tennessee local official has been arrested after police said he choked his girlfriend at a fast food restaurant.

Memphis police said Monday that Shelby County Commissioner Justin Ford has been charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment.

Police said Ford's girlfriend told officers he physically assaulted and choked her during an argument at a Church's Chicken on Sunday.

Ford did not immediately return an email Monday from The Associated Press. A woman who answered the phone at the commission's office said she was referring calls for comment on Ford's arrest to commission Chairman Melvin Burgess. He did immediately return the call.

Ford was elected to the commission in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.
Dallas police said a man has fatally shot his boss and killed himself inside an office building Monday.

The shooting unfolded on the seventh floor of the tower, located by the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Fox 4 reported.

SHOOTING SCENE- Office bdlg..LBJ Frwy near Coit. Window busted out on 7th floor. Police, fire all around. pic.twitter.com/3BPsR7AW1L  Dionne Anglin (@DAnglinFox4) April 24, 2017

Officers told Fox 4 that they had to use a shotgun to get through the glass door in the office where the shooting was located. Inside they found a man and a woman dead.

Workers evacuated the building as SWAT team officers responded, the news station added. The building was later deemed safe by police but an officer was injured by debris, the Dallas Police Dept. said.

SWAT team has arrived at the scene. 8390 LBJ Freeway; reports of 2 shot https://t.co/8pUoS3ERJQ pic.twitter.com/K0qIojzoFr  FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) April 24, 2017

"I was on the phone with a customer, we heard shots," a woman who was working in the building told Fox 4. "My boss directed everybody to get in a corner and get down low."

ARKANSAS PREPARES FOR FIRST DOUBLE EXECUTION IN US SINCE 2000

The worker said "people started screaming" and a SWAT team burst into the office, telling everyone to get out.

"They had guns pointed and everybody had to come out of the office with our hands up," she said.

Assistant Police Chief Randy Blankenbaker said that they won't release the identities of those who died until relatives are notified. He said they also are not yet saying what kind of office they worked in.

Blankenbaker said that the man was a current worker in the office. He says that there were witnesses to the shooting who were not injured.

At least one window at the tower was broken.

Two ambulances rushed to the tower, KTVT reported.

Click for more from Fox 4.
Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, isn't ruling out a U.S. strike against North Korea if Pyongyang tests another nuclear missile.

Haley spoke on several television networks Monday morning, praising China's involvement in trying to pressure North Korea to cease missile testing and criticized its leader, Kim Jong Un, as unstable and paranoid.

Haley told NBC's "Today Show" that "we are not going to do something unless he gives us reason to do something," such as attacking a U.S. military base or using an intercontinental ballistic missile.

When asked what would happen if North Korea tests another missile, Haley told NBC: "I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen."
A judge on Monday denied a request for an emergency competency hearing after a survivalist convicted of ambushing two Pennsylvania State Police troopers refused to communicate with his lawyers during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial.

Eric Frein's lawyers made the request after learning from jail officials that "he would not walk, would not talk, was staring off into space and had to be brought here in a wheelchair," defense attorney Michael Weinstein told the judge.

He said Frein "never responded to any of our questions or discussion" when his lawyers tried to talk to him at the courthouse Monday morning.

The district attorney accused Frein of faking it, and Pike County Judge Gregory Chelak denied the request. The defense was to continue putting on its case at the penalty phase of Frein's trial later Monday.

Frein, 33, was convicted of capital murder last week in the 2014 attack that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and injured a second trooper. He faces a potential death sentence.

The gunman appeared disheveled and unsteady on his feet Monday and had to be helped into the courtroom by two sheriff's deputies. Weinstein told the judge his client had been placed under a suicide watch at the jail, and was consequently monitored 24 hours a day with the lights on.

He said Frein had not slept since Wednesday, denounced his treatment as "torture," and said Frein could not assist his lawyers. Weinstein said Frein wrote a single word Monday  "Bible"  and one was brought to him. A clergyman also visited Frein at the courthouse.

Prosecutors said Frein was malingering.

They played a recording of a phone call that Frein placed to his mother on Saturday in which he could be heard talking normally. Frein complained to his mother that Weinstein had been ineffective at the trial.

Weinstein "just completely surrendered," Frein said.

At another point, Frein told his mother he "didn't sleep" and, apparently referring to the suicide watch, added: "Talked to the psych this morning, and nobody knows who put me on this or why and nobody knows how to get off of it."

Outside court, Tonkin said Frein's behavior Monday was a stalling tactic.

"It's our belief that he understands perfectly well what's going on, and that's really the test for competency," he said. "I believe he's acting."

Weinstein disagreed.

"I think Eric's at the end," he told reporters. "He's scared."
The Latest on the trial of a survivalist who ambushed two troopers at a state police barracks (all times local):

2:40 p.m.

The father of a survivalist who ambushed two Pennsylvania State Police troopers says he failed his son by not pushing him harder to grow up.

Eugene Michael Frein (freen) testified Monday during the penalty phase of his son's trial.

Thirty-three-year-old Eric Frein was convicted of capital murder last week in the 2014 attack that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and wounded a second trooper. He faces a potential death sentence.

His father says he should have pushed Frein harder to enter the military and finish college.

The retired Army major also admitted lying to his son about his military exploits, falsely telling him he'd been a tank commander in Vietnam and a sniper when he never saw combat.

The defense says Eric Frein tried to emulate his dad but couldn't measure up.

___

12:10 p.m.

A judge has rejected a request for an emergency competency hearing after a survivalist convicted of ambushing two Pennsylvania State Police troopers refused to communicate with his lawyers.

Eric Frein (freen) was convicted of capital murder last week in the 2014 attack that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and injured a second trooper. He faces a potential death sentence.

The penalty phase of Frein's trial was delayed Monday morning. His lawyer told the judge that Frein would not walk or talk and was "staring off into space." Lawyer Michael Weinstein requested that Frein's mental competency be evaluated.

But prosecutors played a recording of a phone call that Frein placed to his mother over the weekend in which he appeared to be talking normally. The judge denied Frein a competency hearing.

District Attorney Ray Tonkin told reporters he believes Frein is acting.
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A 58-year-old man has pleaded no contest to igniting a huge inferno in downtown Los Angeles that destroyed a block of apartments under construction and heavily damaged nearby office buildings.

Dawud Abdulwali entered the plea Monday to a charge of arson of a structure, and he was immediately sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Deputy District Attorney Joy Roberts says the plea was negotiated.

The December 2014, blaze gutted the seven-story Da Vinci apartment complex and blew out windows in adjacent towers. Damage was estimated at $100 million.

A witness testified at a preliminary hearing that a week later, Abdulwali said he set the fire because he was angry about the August 2014 killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
TRUMP TALKS NORTH KOREA WITH CHINA, JAPAN

President Trump talked to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe early Monday to discuss a strategy in dealing with North Korea. Xi told Trump that China strongly opposed North Koreas nuclear weapons program and hoped all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation. Abe called North Koreas nuclear and missile problem an extremely serious threat. Both leaders agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from provocative actions.

NORTH KOREA DETAINS US CITIZEN; 3RD AMERICAN BEING HELD THERE

VIDEO: NORTH KOREA THREATENS TO REDUCE US TO ASHES

BRAND NEW PRIMETIME LINEUP DEBUTS ON THE FOX NEWS CHANNEL MONDAY

Fox News Channel debuts a brand new primetime lineup Monday night. Tucker Carlson Tonight moves to 8 p.m. ET and The Five will shift to the 9 p.m. slot. Tucker promised to continue bringing viewers "the most honest hour we can do" and to remain "the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness and groupthink." For his first show in his new timeslot on Monday, Tucker has a cable exclusive interview lined up with Caitlyn Jenner. Martha MacCallum will also debut a new show on May 1 called The Story with Martha MacCallum. Hannity will remain in the 10 p.m. slot.

TUCKERS KICKOFF: CAITLYN JENNER, MIKE ROWE AMONG MONDAYS GUESTS

THE GREG GUTFELD SHOW: GUTFELD JABS DEMS FOR CELEBRATING GA ELECTION LOSS

CONGRESS RETURNS TO WASHINGTON WITH LAUNDRY LIST OF TASKS TO COMPLETE

Congress returns to Washington this week to take on the now-familiar task of passing an 11th-hour spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with President Trumps promised border wall emerging this time as the big sticking point between Democrats and Republicans. The deadline to avert a shutdown is Saturday, Trump's 100th day in office, which has increased pressure on the GOP-controlled Congress to also pass an ObamaCare repeal and replacement plan after failing to do so in March.

TRUMP 100 DAYS: PRESIDENT ADDS TAX REFORM IN KEY WEEK

VIDEO: MULVANEY ON LOOMING BUDGET DEADLINE, OBAMACARE REPEAL

FRENCH ELECTION: CAN LE PEN FINISH THE JOB?

Did France just plug the dike on the crumbling European Union, or will it now crack wide open? It depends on who you think won Sundays first round of presidential elections. Like the Americans who voted to make Donald Trump president last November, a largely overlooked part of France wants to dethrone the traditional political system that has remained entrenched in power for decades.

LE PEN, MACRON WIN FIRST ROUND TO ADVANCE TO RUNOFF

LE PEN, TOOK FRENCH PARTY FROM PARIAH TO SPOTLIGHT  AND NOW?

ADL: CASES OF ANTI-SEMITISM ROSE LAST YEAR

Cases of anti-Semitic intimidation and vandalism increased last year, according to data released by the Anti-Defamation League Monday. The group found 1,266 cases of anti-Semitic harassment last year, compared to 941 in 2015 and 912 in 2014. The sharp increase continued into the first three months of 2017, with reports of 541 incidents compared to 291 in the same period just last year. The ADL report linked 34 cases last year to the presidential election, including graffiti found in Denver last May that said Kill the Jews, Vote Trump.

COMING UP ON FNC

12:00 p.m. ET: A smoke-in will be held on the steps to the Capitol in an effort to support ending the Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017. Watch live on FoxNews.com.

12:00 p.m. ET: Former President Obama will speak for the first time since his presidency at an event at the University of Chicago. Watch live on FoxNews.com.

1:30 p.m. ET: Press Secretary Sean Spicer holds a press briefing. Watch live on Fox News and FoxNews.com.

3:00 p.m. ET: Senate meets to resume consideration of the nomination of Sonny Perdue to be the secretary of Agriculture. Complete coverage on Fox News and FoxNews.com.

3:15 p.m. ET: Attorney General Sessions speaks to the Ethics and Compliance Initiative conference in Washington. Watch live on FoxNews.com.

FOX BUSINESS COVERAGE

US STOCK FUTURES RALLY ON FIRST ROUND FRENCH ELECTION RESULTS

U.S. stock index futures rose sharply on Sunday on relief that centrist Emmanuel Macron took the first round of voting in the French presidential election.FOXBusiness.com will follow the markets throughout the day.

BECTON DICKINSON TO ACQUIRE BARD FOR $24 BILLION

U.S. medical equipment supplier Becton Dickinson will acquire C R Bard, in a $24 billion cash-and-stock deal.

COMING UP ON FBN

7:00 a.m. ET: Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., will appear on Mornings with Maria.

12:00 p.m. ET: Amie Parnes, author of "Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign," will be a guest on Cavuto: Coast to Coast.
Dakota Kilburn was just 23-years-old when a dose of heroin claimed his life. The young father was found unresponsive in his parent's Manchester, Vermont home on November 18th, 2015.

His heartbroken parents remember a young man filled with potential until addiction took hold.

"He said 'till you do it you'll never understand. It gets you, it holds onto you and all you ever do is want it," said Daniel Kilburn, Dakota's father.

"He loved being outside, he loved singing loud, he loved playing with little kids," said Maisie, Dakota's mother. "He just enjoyed life. He really did."

DRUG DEALERS WOULD FACE MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES FOR OPIOID OVERDOSES UNDER PROPOSED FLORIDA LAW

Intent on finding Dakota's supplier, police followed the clues to neighboring New Hampshire where two men were charged under a statute that aims to hold those who sell drugs with a 'death resulting' responsible for the loss of life.

Francis Mayhle, 25, a childhood friend, was sentenced to a year in prison. Daniel Fogg, 27, who sold Mayhle the fatal drug, which he provided to Dakota, got 6 1/2 to 14 years.

"They are literally selling poison, killing people with that poison and for them, they need to face a punishment," said Ben Agati, a senior assistant attorney general in New Hampshire. "They need to face some measure of justice."

The previously little used-charge carries up to life in prison.

"We were dealing with just an influx of overdoses, overdose deaths, misery," laments Jon DeLena, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration, Manchester District.

DRUG DEALER CONVICTED OF MURDER IN FATAL FENTANYL SALE



Facing a rising death toll, hit hard by the opioid crisis wracking the nation, the DEA and the Attorney General's office in New Hampshire and law-enforcement across the state have launched a collaborative program that trains officers and prosecutors to treat overdoses as crime scenes.

"The syringe has become the murder weapon," DeLena said.

The approach is emerging as model for other efforts nationwide. It aims to ensure the right evidence is gathered, streamlines investigations and targets dealers whose actions claim so many lives.

"The first step is to try to figure out where this drug came from that killed this person and how do we quickly identify the source and take them off the street," DeLena said.

A strike force was created to respond 24 hours a day, packed with experts, including a prosecutor and homicide detective.

"The homicide detective looks at this a little differently and slows things down, maybe would observe things differently than we would," DeLena said.

Police officers on the scene of an overdose can call for advice or request additional manpower.

"We're able to help advise them about what's going to be usable at trial and what's not," Agati said.

A database helps to connect the dots.

"From a tragic overdose death scene to maybe two or three different cities in New Hampshire down into Massachusetts to a supplier down there," said DeLena of the trail they often follow. "We're able to arrest everybody that was involved along the chain that led to that person's death."

The approach has led to roughly a dozen "death resulting" prosecutions but some critics say aggressive arrests won't curb the crisis.

"It's going to end up saving absolutely no lives and result in millions or tens of millions of dollars being spent locking up drug dealers who will simply be replaced by other dealers," argues Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York based non-profit focused on reform efforts.

But the Granite State program is gaining nationwide attention from fellow prosecutors and investigators say they've heard, through cases they're working, that traffickers are keenly aware of the efforts and are trying to avoid the Granite State.

"The abilities that we now have to investigate and hold people accountable are tremendous," Agati said.

Daniel Kilburn, Dakotas father, wants dealers to know they will face consequences.

"Too many of them, Kilburn said, are let go way too easily or with a slap on the wrist."


Weld County, Colo., District Attorney Michael Rourke announced Monday that he was dismissing charges against Marine veteran Cory Hixson in a theft case.

Hixson, who has a traumatic brain injury, disappeared from Broomfield in mid-March but was found a few days later in jail in Greeley after allegedly stealing a sweater and some food.

ARMY VET ACQUITTED AFTER FACING CHARGES FOR HANGING FLAG AT VA SITE

Hixson has agreed to enter a diversion program to give him access to additional resources, the Weld County District Attorneys Office said.

Cory made it clear from the first time we spoke that he wanted to take responsibility and correct his wrong, Rourke said. Diversion will afford him the opportunity to get him the help he needs and make amends through community service.

Hixson will perform 10 hours of community service at the victims home, participate in a safety plan to prepare him for possible future post-traumatic stress disorder events and have monthly check-ins with diversion officers.

The father of two was badly wounded and lost an eye during two tours in Iraq. His family said he had a breakdown and left the home without a coat or shoes.

Hixsons family shared the struggles he has faced getting treatment from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Since that time, two congressmen have said they want an investigation into VA care for Hixson.

Click for more from Fox 31.
An off-duty police shot at multiple suspects after they robbed him at gunpoint. At least two suspects are on the run. The Memphis Police officer was not hurt.

It happened near the airport, at the Mapco gas station on intersection of Airways and Winchester.

The off-duty officer is in his late sixties and a captain with the department, according to friends.

He was leaving the gas station, heading to his car parked on the side of the building when police say two young men, armed with a gun, came up and robbed him.

During the robbery, the officer got his pistol and fired a shot at the two suspects who then took off running.

Quit robbing people in the neighborhood. It's stupid!, said Marshall Chism, owns Yep! car wash.

As detectives looked for clues and gathered evidence, next door business owner Marshall Chism watched and thought about the officer who he says is a regular in the area.

I'm glad he was able to defend himself, and I know he has a good man, he is a friend of mine. He comes here every day," said Chism.

Read more from FOX 13 Memphis.
A 10-year-old boy is facing charges after Middletown police said he intentionally set fire inside a business that caused $200,000 worth of damage.

Police were dispatched to the fire inside a Family Dollar on Roosevelt Boulevard, at around 1 p.m.

The Middletown Fire Department arrived, extinguish the fire and cleared the large amount of smoke from the business, police said.

Approximately 10 people were inside the business at the time of the fire. No injures were reported.

While investigating the fire, police said evidence was located indicating the fire was intentionally set.

During the initial investigation by the Middletown Fire Investigation Task Force, the suspect was identified but could not be located at his home. Police were unable to successfully interview the suspect's father and older brother.

The suspect's mother arrived and cooperated fully with police in locating her son, police said.

The boy was taken into custody at the intersection of Greenview and Bonita drives, at around 3:15 p.m.

Read more from FOX 19.
Police in Savannah are investigating an early morning shooting in which three people died.

WTOC-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2oD3CIN ) that Savannah-Chatham Metro Police responded to a home about 2 p.m. Monday.

Police say they found three bodies inside the home, all with apparent gunshot wounds.

Police have cordoned off the area and have obtained a search warrant for the home and are interviewing witnesses.

___

Information from: WTOC-TV, http://www.wtoctv.com/
The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a long shot request to reconsider the appeal of an Alabama inmate scheduled to be executed by lethal injection next month.

Justices on Monday refused the rehearing request by Tommy Arthur, who has had seven execution dates postponed.

The court in November stayed Arthur's execution to consider whether to hear the appeal centered on a requirement that condemned inmates challenging their method of execution name a feasible alternate method. The court in February ruled it would not hear the case and maintained the decision.

Arthur is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on May 25 for the 1982 slaying of Troy Wicker. He has a pending a civil suit against the state arguing Alabama is improperly secretive about its execution protocol.
A woman trying to rescue her own dogs from a raging creek in Utah ended up drowning.

It happened around 6:30 p.m. Sunday where Parleys Creek flows into Tanner Park in Milcreek.

FIVE DEAD, INCLUDING THREE CHILDREN, IN NEW YORK CITY HOUSE FIRE

Police say the 58-year-old victim, identified as Liudmilla Feldman of Salt Lake City, and her husband were walking their dogs at the time.

"The dogs went into the water and got caught in the current, she went in to rescue the dogs, she got caught up in the current," said Lt. Dan McConkey with the Unified Police Department. "It doesn't take much to lose your balance and fall into this water and be swept down."

GEORGIA MOM'S REMAINS FOUND 6 MONTHS AFTER SHE VANISHED

The husband then went in after his wife, according to police. It was an alarming sight for witnesses in the area.

"So I was coming down walking my dog and I saw a lady getting carried down by the rapids going around and around," said witness Giovanni Bardelli.

Bardelli said what happened next was all instinct.

"I jumped in the water and went after her, the current pulled me around like two times too, but finally I grabbed onto her foot and I pulled her out of the water and took her into shore," Bardelli said.

That's when a couple other complete strangers, who also happened to be walking their dogs, performed CPR.

"By the time I got there she was completely passed out, she was starting to look purple," said witness Jared Gonzalez. "It really is scary seeing somebody lying there not breathing. It really is an experience you can't put into words."

Police said the woman was underwater for more than 90 seconds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This creek runs quick, with the runoff it's starting to run really fast," McConkey said.

The woman's husband did survive. The dogs are also expected to be OK.

Click for more from Fox 13.
Jericka Northness said she is terrified to close her eyes at night, knowing she might wake up to the same eyes staring back at her.

We wake up in the middle of the night and adrenaline is going, even though nothing is wrong, said her boyfriend, Brian McCartney. The young couple said it was in the early hours of Thursday morning in Mason County, Wash., when Jericka woke up to a man a few feet away from the edge of her bed, looking at her with his cell phone out.

GEORGIA TEENS WHO KILLED GRANDPARENTS PLANNED ON KILLING MORE, POLICE SAY

Somethings not right, this cant be my boyfriend, she said. Thoughts started to race through her mind, when she realized Brian was fast asleep next to her, she said she panicked.

I started hitting him like, Wake up! Wake up! and he started to wake up and at that point, he started to walk away, she said.

DALLAS GUNMAN TARGETS BOSS BEFORE KILLING HIMSELF

The man walked out of their house the same way he walked in, through the back door which was unlocked. It seemed like all he was interested in was just watching us sleep, she said.

Brian said as soon as he realized what was going on, they both heard the back door snap shut. They called 911 and police came to the home to investigate.

I cant help but wonder if he was in our house before the incident. Maybe checking everything before when we're gone, said McCartney. Quite often weve not locked the front door, but we usually leave the back door locked and yet that was his point of entry and his point of exit.

Mason County Sheriffs Office along with the Shelton Police Department are investigating the case. Since Thursday, detectives have discovered six similar cases in the county where a man described as approximately 5 10- 6 ft. tall, medium to thin build, dark shaggy hair, wearing dark clothing and a zip up hoodie sweatshirt entered through unlocked doors in the early morning hours.

Northness said she believes the man was white and in his mid-20s to 30s.

Hes definitely not someone I recognized or have seen before, she said. Detectives are trying to discover how the suspect is choosing his victims. At this point, they said all the women have multiple things in common. They work in the service industry, like fast food restaurants, theyre between the ages of 17 and 22, they live with someone else and post actively to social media, especially Facebook.

Click for more from Q13 Fox.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for restraint in dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese state media reported Monday, amid speculation that the North could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test.

State broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to stop North Korea from developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. However, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that a military response isn't likely. Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increasing pressure on North Korea with the help of China.

"Only if all sides bear the responsibilities they're supposed to bear and come together, can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible," Xi told Trump, according to CCTV.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure on North Korea, given China's status as the country's economic lifeline and sole major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

In an interview Friday at the Oval Office, Trump told the AP that he declined to label China a currency manipulator mostly because he needed Xi's help with the North Korean crisis.

"They are working with us on North Korea. Now maybe that'll work out or maybe it won't," Trump said, adding that he had a "great relationship" with the Chinese president.

Trump also spoke Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.
Police in the Russian republic of Dagestan say at least one person has been killed and 11 injured in a live grenade accident at a high school.

The police said in a statement on Monday that they detained a teenager who brought the grenade to school in the rural area in Russia's North Caucasus. At least three teenagers are in intensive care. The police in Dagestan called it an accident but the circumstances of the explosion were not immediately clear.

Following two separatist wars in neighboring Chechnya, an Islamic insurgency spread to Dagestan where shootouts between the militants and police are almost routine occurrences and the illegal ownership of weapons is high.
Afghan officials say the country's army chief and the defense minister have resigned following the weekend Taliban attack at a northern army base that killed more than 100 military and other personnel.

The officials say President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The president's official Twitter account also confirmed the resignations.

In Friday's attack, gunmen and suicide bombers wearing army uniforms struck the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province, killing and wounding scores. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault.
Amid dire predictions of mass starvation, the United Nations is calling on the developed world to pour billions of dollars into humanitarian relief in Africa, starting with Yemen, where a two-year civil war and drought have displaced more than 3 million people.

The question is, will the world provide it?

At a pledging conference in Geneva this week, the U.N.s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, is asking for $2.07 billion in emergency relief for Yemen, of which only $324.5 million, or 15.7 per cent, has so far been pledged.

The U.N. describes Yemen as the worlds largest food insecurity humanitarian crisis, with drought atop the escalating two-year civil war that has left not only some 3.1 million refugees but 14 million people overall that the U.N. nebulously calls food insecure, including 6.8 million who are severely so. Among those are 2 million acutely malnourished children.

Whether Yemen--population 24 million-- can take title of worst crisis away from Syria--population 22.9 million-- is an open question. The war by the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime has killed at least 400,000 people, caused some 5 million people to flee abroad, and another 6.3 million to be internally displaced, according to OCHA. Due to the viciousness of the conflict, which includes deliberately inflicted starvation, the full extent of Syrias food insecurity is not known.

The Yemen funding event is the first in a new wave of money requests, backed by dire predictions of starvation, that U.N. officials led by Secretary General Antonio Guterres began issuing last February. At the time, those officials called for $4.4 billion in new donations for four highlighted countries: Yemen, Somalia, northern Nigeria and in Somalia, where outbreaks of famine were then being declared.

Said Guterres at the time: We are facing a tragedy; we must avoid it becoming a catastrophe.

Nor is starvation the only adversary. During a famine, death does not necessarily come from starvation, but often from disease as weakened people succumb, says Russell Geekie, an OCHA spokesman in New York. The World Health Organization is asking for $126 million as part of the Yemen response alone, to cope with maladies like cholera and measles.

Whether the U.N. will get all of the requested money despite the dramatic warnings, however, is doubtful. The fact is that the world has become accustomed to U.N. calls for ever-increasing amounts of emergency aidand almost never meets them.

Last year, for example, the U.N. called for $1.6 billion in humanitarian donations for Yemen, and got only about $1 billion. Overall, its $4.4 billion emergency humanitarian target for the four stricken African countries, only $1.13 billion, or 26 per cent, has come in so far.

OCHA spokesman Geekie nonetheless told Fox News, The risks are increasing, but there is still time to avert the worst.

That may be so. But after years of seemingly endless strife and conflict, and of failure to return millions of refugees to their homelands for years and even decades, there is an enormous amount of donor fatigue around the world, observes Brett Schaefer, an expert on U.N. finances at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

That fatigue is demonstrated by the tendency for the UN to receive only about half of the funds it says is necessary to address various crises, he noted, and exacerbated by the increasingly protracted nature of the disasters that the U.N. is asking for money to mitigate.

Part of it is that appeals are couched as if every emergency is temporary, Schaefer told Fox News. But these are increasingly not short-term crises.

Whatever aid money does flow in, the problems are just beginning for those on the ground who have to make sure that it gets to where it is most desperately needed.

In South Sudan, for example, says Deepmala Mahla, South Sudan country director for the U.S.-based humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, notes that there are only 60 miles of paved roads, and food supplies and other aid will have to be flown in whenand ifseasonal rains make ground travel difficult to impossible.

Some parts of Nigeria where famine has broken out are described in the U.N.s own documents as inaccessible. That can mean remote geographically, but it also refers to the sometimes dramatic impossibility of delivering aid in the midst of the ongoing civil wars that characterize all four of the spotlighted nations.

In the case of Somalia, for example, a civil war has been ongoing sporadically since the 1980s. A variety of U.N. peacekeeping missions fizzled in the 199002, but major aid operations, largely directed from neighboring Kenya, have continued since.

South Sudan has also been rent by civil war since 2013; as in Yemen, the government itself is at war with large segments of its population, while northern Nigeria is the scene of ferocious attacks by the Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram.

At a briefing of the U.N. General Assembly two weeks ago, the U.N.s top emergency relief coordinator, Stephen OBrien, warned that an estimated 700,000 people remain beyond reach for humanitarian actors, living in what are feared to be desperate conditions.

Says Michael Bowers, a Mercy Corps vice president for global emergency operations: Aid does not happen in a vacuum. To agree on a humanitarian solution for these countries involves political will.

These crises are often very complex, observes Schaefer. The United Nations is often not capable of resolving these problems, but the major powers also have little appetite for directly intervening in situations that are not top foreign policy priorities. He sums up: It is immensely unsatisfying.

The challenge is particularly acute for the U.S., traditionally the worlds most generous humanitarian donor, but also deeply embroiled in contentious budget discussionsand a desire on the part of the Trump Administration to cut back on U.N.-related spending. Whether that will include humanitarian assistance is unclear, as key Republican legislators in Congresswhere budgets are actually passedhave restated their commitment to U.S. aid.

For now, however, the U.S. remains deeply concerned, in the words of a U.S. government official, about the threatening food security situation in the headlined countries, and will continue to work with the international community and other international donors to provide humanitarian assistance to avert famine and support the most vulnerable people.

Last year, according to OCHAs Financial tracking Service, that included $343 million for Yemen, about $549 million for South Sudan, $139.2 million for Somalia and $45.6 million for Nigeria.

Out of the money actually donated by all donor countries for those emergency appeals last year, the U.S. giving amounted to 34 per cent of the total for Yemen, nearly 46 per cent of the South Sudan tally, more than 28 per cent of the international total for Somalia, 17 per cent of the Nigeria tally, and about 17 per cent of the donations for Nigeria..

Where those percentages will end up this year is still subject to another drawn-out conflict on Capitol Hill.

George Russell is Editor-at-Large of Fox News. He is reachable on Twitter at @GeorgeRussell and on Facebook at Facebook.com/George.Russell
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When France last put a Le Pen onto the threshold of the presidential Elysee Palace, one step from power, it could write off the 2002 election shock as a mere accident.

Jean-Marie Le Pen squeezed into the winner-takes-all runoff against Jacques Chirac with just 17 percent of the vote, a record low. Ashamed and stunned by the ultra-right leader's breakthrough, French voters of all political persuasions regrouped for round two, filling the streets in protest and rallying at the ballot box to hand Le Pen a humiliating defeat from which his sulfurous political career never recovered.

This time, the presidential election success of another Le Pen, Jean-Marie's daughter, Marine, was anything but accidental.

Voters propelled her Sunday into the decisive May 7 duel against Emmanuel Macron with their eyes wide open. The entire political establishment and every poll had forewarned and foretold of Le Pen's first-round breakthrough.

That voters pulled the trigger anyway  giving her 1.2 million more votes than in 2012 and, with 21.5 percent of the total, the best score in a presidential race for a Le Pen  showed how ingrained her brand of anti-establishment "French-first" nationalism has become in areas most bruised by and fearful of globalization's blows.

A less divisive and more polished politician than her father, the mother of three has made voting for the National Front party that Jean-Marie founded in 1972 more socially acceptable than ever. Many of his voters kept their far-right political sympathies to themselves, afraid of being labelled racists and anti-Semites by association with the ex-Foreign Legionnaire convicted for describing Nazi gas chambers as a "detail of history."

Marine Le Pen's backers are far less inhibited. Although older voters on the left still sniff that the National Front remains a redoubt of "fachos"  or fascists  she has partially punctured that argument by sidelining much of the party's old guard, including her father in 2015.

By consistently hammering on her populist themes that the European Union is straightjacketing and impoverishing France, that open borders are open doors for job-taking migrants and murderous Islamic extremism, and that the French political elite is guilty in all this and more, Marine Le Pen is more on-message than her father.

Sharp-tongued like him, she also jumps the tracks of respectability from time to time  for instance, with her denial earlier this month that France was responsible for rounding up more than 13,000 Jews at a Paris cycle track to be sent to Nazi death camps during the Holocaust. Overall, however, she is better packaged and more media- savvy than the cantankerous Jean-Marie ever was.

Macron quickly agreed to share the stage with Le Pen in the traditional televised debate between rounds one and two. That showed how she and her expanding electorate are becoming an increasingly unavoidable force and feature on the landscape, however unsavory that reality is to mainstream politicians who immediately appealed for a repeat of the "all against Le Pen" second-round unity of 2002.

By refusing to debate Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002, Chirac cast his opponent as a pariah and himself as a champion of French democracy. That Macron couldn't do likewise without looking undemocratic is another measure of how Marine Le Pen is fighting her way into France's political inner circle. By stopping both the mainstream right and left from reaching the second round  a first for modern France  Le Pen and the centrist, pro-EU Macron are redrawing the contours of that circle and taking the country into unchartered territory.

Fifteen years ago, Jean-Marie Le Pen's qualification to the runoff provoked massive street protests  voters' way of making amends for not turning out in sufficient numbers to keep him out in round one. There were scattered protests in Paris on Sunday night, with police reporting 29 arrests. But it appears less likely this time that more than 1 million people will take to streets across France on Monday's May Day holiday as they did against Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002.

With slow but sure gains at the ballot box since she assumed leadership of the National Front in 2011, Le Pen is planting ever-deeper roots into a broader spectrum of voters  including 18- to 24-year-olds hit hardest by chronic unemployment and, despite her plans to roll back some of their rights, among gays. Those groups largely wouldn't have been seen dead voting for her father.

Sunday's outcome shows a France split almost down the middle. Le Pen outperformed Macron in National Front strongholds along the Mediterranean coast, on the front lines of Europe's efforts to control migration from Africa and the Middle East that she rails against, and in the east and northeast, with rust-belt pockets of despairing working-class voters who see succor in "French first" economic and social protectionism. Le Pen is their whip to sanction the French and EU political establishment  even among some voters who don't otherwise share her politics.

As in 2002, voters probably will come together in sufficient numbers to keep a Le Pen from power. After election setbacks for right-wing populists in the Netherlands and Austria, a Le Pen defeat will signal a halting  at least for now  of the populist wave that crashed over the EU with Britain's Brexit vote last year to leave the bloc and, across the Atlantic, helped put Donald Trump in the White House.

But polls suggest Le Pen won't suffer a beating as severe as that endured by her father. At 48, she still has time and, with each passing vote, perhaps a little bit more of France on her side.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE: John Leicester has reported from France for The Associated Press since 2002.
Tens of thousands of people have marched to a hilltop memorial complex in Armenia's capital to lay flowers in commemoration of the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians a century ago by Ottoman Turks.

The massacre that began 102 years ago is viewed by Armenians and many historians as genocide. This is vehemently rejected by Turkey, the successor to the Ottoman Empire.

President Serzh Sargsyan said Monday's commemoration was the "march of a resurrected nation, which has not forgotten what it left behind but looks to the future with confidence."

On Sunday evening, people marched to the memorial with torches and burned a Turkish flag.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday described the massacre as "one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century," but stopped short of calling it genocide.
Horst Seehofer, the leader of one of Germany's governing parties and Chancellor Angela Merkel's most prominent domestic critic during the migrant crisis, says he plans to stay on beyond 2018  reversing previous statements that he would step down.

The 67-year-old Seehofer has been Bavaria's governor and leader of the Christian Social Union since 2008. The CSU is the Bavaria-only sister to Merkel's Christian Democratic Union. It's an important source of conservative votes but an often-awkward ally.

Seehofer once threatened Merkel's federal government with a lawsuit over the migrant influx and has pushed for a cap on the number of asylum-seekers that Germany accepts. But he has since thrown his weight behind Merkel's quest for a fourth term.

Seehofer said Monday he will seek new terms as governor and CSU leader.
Congo's government has obtained a five-minute cell phone video that shows the gruesome murders of two United Nations experts who were killed last month while investigating human rights abuses.

In the video shown to journalists on Monday, a group of young men identify themselves as members of the Kamwina Nsapu militia.

American Michael Sharp, Swedish national Zaida Catalan and their interpreter Betu Tshintela went missing March 12 in central Congo and their bodies were found two weeks later. Three others working with the team remain missing.

Congo's government has vowed justice for the victims and arrested two suspects, though one escaped custody.

More than 400 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since government troops killed the militia's leader in August, according to the U.N.
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Diplomats representing ancient civilizations have met in the Greek capital for the first time as part of a new 10-member international club.

The Ancient Civilizations Forum held its inaugural session in Athens on Monday, attended by foreign ministers or senior diplomats from China, India, Italy, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Mexico, Bolivia and Peru.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told attendees that their cultures share a heritage of "positive power, the strength of knowledge, education (and) progress." He voiced hopes that the 10 countries could benefit from cooperation in areas ranging from the economy to culture.

The new club is defined by history, rather than geography or clout, with each of its members having been a top global player at some  often distant  point in the past 4,000 years.
Emirati and Malaysian officials say they've reached a deal over the indebted and troubled Malaysian investment fund 1MDB, with the UAE set to receive $1.2 billion over this year.

A filing on Monday on the London Stock Exchange says Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co. will receive half the money by July 31 and the other half by Dec. 31.

The filing says Malaysian officials also have agreed to cover all payments on two $1.75 billion bonds. The filing says the settlement is contingent on the approval of an arbitration tribunal in London.

The 1MDB fund has been the focus of worldwide investigations over embezzlement and money-laundering allegations.

The U.S. Justice Department says people close to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak stole at least $3.5 billion from 1MDB.
Many European nations behind the former Iron Curtain have failed to return property taken from Jews before and during World War II, according to a report released Monday, which also is Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The report, entitled The Holocaust (Shoah) Immovable Property Restitution Study, is the first comprehensive study of which national signatories to a 2009 declaration on the treatment of immovable property restitution for Holocaust-era assets have made good on their commitments.

Known as the Terezin Declaration, it was drafted eight years ago to deal with the looting and property theft of Jews during WWII. A total of 47 countries signed the declaration and committed to resolving Holocaust property issues that remained for decades after the end of the war.

One of the key findings of the report, co-authored by the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) and the European Shoah Legacy Institute, is that a high number of Eastern European countries have only complied partially with their commitments. Some -- like Poland and Bosnia  have done nothing to honor their commitments.

Most Western European nations were found to have complied with the Terezin Declaration.

[S]ome countries, particularly Poland, have not yet addressed the legacy of property looted during the Holocaust, Gideon Taylor, WJRO's chair of operations, said to Fox News. It is urgent that countries provide restitution or compensation now, while the remaining survivors are alive to benefit.

Taylor says that Poland  where Nazi forces killed nearly 90 percent of the Jews  is the only major country in the former Soviet bloc to not pass any comprehensive law to return property that was confiscated by the Nazis or nationalized by Communist forces.

Other countries, like Latvia and Croatia, have not completed their returns of Jewish communal properties such as synagogues and hospitals.

Nations also on the list because they had not complied with the declaration are Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro and Slovenia, according to the report.

Heirless property is the category of property least likely to have been addressed by countries, Taylor said. This is important because the widespread murder of Jews meant that in many countries most property became heirless  and the Terezin Declaration provides that heirless property should be used to help Holocaust survivors instead of remaining in the possession of the state.

The report offers a possible reason for the lack of inaction in some Eastern European nations.

In many of the former Eastern European states that were part of the Soviet Union, both Jewish and non-Jewish communal property was either nationalized or never returned to the proper ethnic and religious groups that had them before the war. When the Iron Curtain fell, many of these nations passed laws to reverse this and hand the property back to its rightful owners. However, many of them have been slow to implement these laws.

Some countries have blocked Jewish groups from reclaiming seized property because their current names differ from the groups names during the Holocaust era. Some countries also have blocked Jewish groups from reclaiming seized property because those properties, like schools and hospitals, did not have a strictly religious function.

In Latvia, there are still ownership disputes of former Jewish communal properties and none are subject to current restitution laws.

In Croatia, restitution laws drafted in the early 1990s only cover Communist era property confiscations and do not include properties taken during the Holocaust.

The WJROs Taylor says that this issue can no longer be ignored by Eastern Europe and the world at large.

It is urgent that countries provide restitution or compensation now, while the remaining survivors are alive to benefit, he said.

The reports release Monday was timed to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day we honor the memory of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, said in statement to Fox News.

At the same time, our mission is to make sure those who survived the atrocities are cared for and can live out their remaining days with the dignity robbed of them in their childhood.
Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, the two candidates now headed to a May 7 runoff vote in Frances presidential election, have risen from unusual backgrounds to oust establishment politicians from the race.

Macron, 39, who led Le Pen with 23 percent of Sundays vote, is the centrist former French Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry.

If he wins in May, he would become the youngest president in French history. He would also be the first president in Frances current republican system of government to enter office not belonging to a major party, according to the BBC. Macron, who earned 8.4 million votes during the weekend, was the economy minister for current President Francois Hollande before leaving to form the liberal En Marche party.

Considered to be the front-runner to become Frances next president, Macron is married to a woman 24 years his senior. In 2007 he married Brigitte Trogneux, his former high school teacher. Macron met his future wife when he was attending the same Catholic school where Trogneux taught.

FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: LE PEN, MACRON WIN FIRST ROUND TO ADVANCE TO RUNOFF

Despite initial opposition from Macrons parents, Trogneux and Macron continued their relationship and married after Trogneux divorced her husband. Macron is a stepfather to Trogneux's three children and a step-grandfather to her seven grandchildren.

"Nobody would call it unusual if the age difference was reversed," Macron has said, according to Reuters. "People find it difficult to accept something that is sincere and unique, he stated.

FRENCH ELECTION: CAN LE PEN FINISH THE JOB?

Le Pens familial ties have also been a topic of discussion, albeit for different reasons, as she's sought to distance herself from her controversial father.

Le Pen, the 48-year-old head of Frances far-right National Front party, earned 21 percent of the vote.

Her father, Jean-Marie, founded the party in 1972 before his daughter took control in 2011. She secured 7.6 million votes on Sunday, marking the strongest result ever for a candidate in the party. Her tally was 2.8 million more than Jean-Marie earned when he ran on the partys platform in 2002.

Jean-Marie Le Pen ignited backlash with a series of inflammatory comments during his career. He previously called the Holocaust a "detail of history" and told French newspaper Le Monde, "You can't dispute the inequality of the races."

His daughter said in 2015 -- the same year he was booted from the party -- that his Holocaust comments were an attempt to "rescue himself from obscurity."

Growing up with a high-profile parent put Marine Le Pen in focus from an early age and in 1976 a bomb blast ripped apart the apartment building she was living in with her father and family in Paris. No one was killed in the attack, which targeted her father, but it may have been the spark to form her own worldview.

"She traces her worldview actually, about how violent the world is, back to this event that was so traumatizing," said Cecile Alduy, who wrote a book about Le Pen.

"I'm a French woman, a mother and a candidate for the presidency, Le Pen stated in a recent debate, according to NPR.

For me, she said, this election is about a choice of civilizations. Our country is overrun by insecurity, economic and social disorder and Islamist terrorism. Our values and identity are under threat.
Police detained 29 people in Paris on Sunday after anti-fascist demonstrators became violent  hurling glass bottles and firecrackers and setting cars ablaze.

FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: LE PEN, MACRON WIN FIRST ROUND TO ADVANCE TO RUNOFF

Six officers and three demonstrators were injured during the protests at the Place de la Bastille. Several businesses sustained damage, Agence-France Presse reported. At least three people were arrested.

Many of the left-wing protesters said they were angry at the first-round results of the presidential election in which centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen emerged as the two top vote getters.

FRENCH ELECTION: CAN LE PEN FINISH THE JOB?

"We have come here to protest against the pantomime of this election," a protester told AFP.

After the results came in, protesters who gathered at the square waved red flags and sang No Marine and No Macron! among other chants, The Telegraph reported. Nearby, about 300 peaceful demonstrators gathered at Place de la Republique to condemn the election results. Several danced around bonfires.

Macron and Le Pen will both square off in a runoff scheduled for May 7. On Monday, President Francois Hollande of the Socialist party urged voters to back Macron.

Le Pen, the leader of the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam National Front party, has accused her rival of being weak in the fight against Islamic terrorism. She has pledged to put back France in order.

A senior French Muslim leader has called on the country's nearly 5 million Muslims to "vote massively" to make Macron president.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Germany, still reeling from its first large-scale radical Islamist terrorist attack, is now embroiled in a heated debate over the failures of its system of national security and the effectiveness of its counterterrorism measures.

This debate could impact the German national elections in September.

On December 19, Anis Amri, a Tunisian, drove a trailer truck into a crowded Berlin Christmas market in a terrorist attack that killed 12 people and wounded 53. Amri, a supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS), had been on a terrorist watch list in North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW), the most populous of Germanys 16 states, but was removed when officials found no proof he was planning an attack.

GERMAN NATIONALISTS ELECT TOP DUO FOR GENERAL ELECTION

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized NRW for its ineffective security controls and a reluctance to introduce laws that allow for stop and search. She has also pointed out that some states like NRW and Berlin dont have laws allowing authorities to monitor potential threats.

The states do not have uniform anti-terror laws, and each state has its own interior minister and intelligence service. Communication is fragmented among the states and between the states and the federal government. The federal government now criticizes NRW for not keeping a closer watch on Amri and not warning Berlin that he was headed there.

There was no communication between NRW and federal authorities regarding Amri until the day of the attack. NRW blames the federal government for not having deported Amri, while the federal government says it was waiting for Tunisia to confirm his citizenship, something that did not happen until two weeks after the terrorist attack, according to Richard Herzinger, editorial writer for Die Welt, a right-wing national newspaper.

The federal legal system has to be totally overhauled because it does not work, said Herzinger in a phone interview.

MERKEL PARTY WINS STATE VOTE AS ELECTION YEAR STARTS IN GERMANY

Herzinger echoes Guido Steinberg, one of Germanys prominent terrorism experts, who wrote in a recent article on the need for intelligence reform in Germany that the complacency of politicians in Berlin and in the most powerful states  with the notable exception of Bavaria  indicates that they do not seem to have grasped that the system must be completely overhauled if Germany is to be saved from the twin dangers of right-wing populism and jihadist terrorism.

The arrival in Germany of nearly a million Muslim refugees from Middle East war zones in 2015, many not properly vetted, adds fuel to the fire in the debate about the flaws in the nations security system.

Nobody knows how many of the refugees who came here in 2015 were coming to infiltrate as terrorists, said Malte Lehming, opinion writer for Der Tagesspiegel, a large centrist paper in Berlin.

Merkels 2015 open-door policy has been criticized by fellow members of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Merkel continues to defend her position on humanitarian grounds, but vows this kind of influx will not happen again, acknowledging the security dangers it posed.

Germanys dark past, with deeply etched memories of the oppressive and murderous Nazi Gestapo and the Stasi Communist secret police in East Germany, makes Germans extremely reluctant to give a central government too much surveillance power.

Critics say this culture undermines counterterrorism efforts. These critics feel Germany needs to loosen its current restrictions on wiretapping in order to wage a more aggressive campaign against ISIS.

Now investigators must show proof of an imminent threat to win approval to tap phones, said Lehming. This must change.

In a recent news report, a leading member of Merkels ruling CDU, Deputy Finance Minister Jens Spahn, expressed concern over Germanys growing Muslim population, now 4.5 million.

Asserting that Germans should know whats happening in mosques, Spahn suggested there be mosque registries and that Muslim religious services be conducted in German instead of Arabic, or Turkish, for greater transparency, something critics consider a slippery slope.

Merkels refugee policy was designed to make 21st century Germany a beacon of tolerance because of its dark past, said European security expert Peter Kreko, noting that Merkels 2015 open-door policy is likely to hurt her in the September elections.

Whether that will help or hurt the country remains to be seen.
Representatives of Greece's international creditors are due in Athens to restart talks on further cutbacks required under the country's bailout deal.

A European Commission spokesman says that the officials are returning to Athens on Monday, and will aim to reach a preliminary deal "as soon as possible."

Margaritis Schinas said that the negotiations are expected to start Tuesday, and should last several days.

Greece has already agreed to further slash pensions in 2019, and drastically expand the tax base in 2020 by reducing the current tax-free threshold. The talks are expected to focus on the final details of these measures, which will be worth about 3.6 billion euros ($3.85 billion) combined.

Conclusion of the talks will clear the way for further negotiations on easing Greece's debt burden.
The family of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is launching a fresh effort to posthumously clear his name.

Lawyer Aamer Anwar will be handing a dossier of evidence to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission as soon as this week. The commission will decide whether to hand the case to an appeals court.

Al-Megrahi was convicted of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie on Dec. 21, 1988.

The bomb shattered the New York-bound Boeing 747, killing all 259 people aboard and 11 on the ground. Many victims were American college students flying home for Christmas.

Al-Megrahi lost one appeal and abandoned another before being freed in 2009 on compassionate grounds. He died of cancer in 2012, still protesting his innocence.
British police say the suspect in a nightclub acid attack that injured many people has been charged with multiple crimes.

Police say Arthur Collins was charged late Sunday with 14 counts of wounding with intent to do severe bodily harm and one count of throwing corrosive fluid on a person with intent to cause harm.

The April 17 attack at the Mangle nightclub left two people partially blinded and others with serious burns. Police say the fluid was thrown after a dispute developed between two groups in the east London club.

Collins is the boyfriend of reality TV performer Ferne McCann, who had urged him to turn himself in to authorities.

He is scheduled to appear in Thames Magistrates Court on Monday. Another suspect has also been charged.
Emmanuel Macron spent Sunday evening dining at a Left Bank restaurant once frequented by the likes of Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

While the French centrist presidential candidate enjoyed a meal after claiming victory in the European nations first-round presidential election, he was also reveling in the new wave of support he received from an unlikely source: his former presidential rivals from France's traditional political parties.

Following Macrons win on Sunday  and the second place finish by far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen -- many of the defeated presidential contenders threw their voice behind the centrist front-runner ahead of the May 7 run-off.

The conservative former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon  once the favored candidate to win the presidency  conceded on Sunday night after pulling in just less than 20 percent of the vote. In a speech to his supporters, Fillon announced that he was supporting Macrons bid for president because there is "no other option but to vote against the far right."

France's Fillon concedes defeat, endorses Macron, says there is "no other option but to vote against the far right" pic.twitter.com/vvXBTwKGMs  AFP news agency (@AFP) April 23, 2017

Certainly not a ringing endorsement of Macron or his polices, but a definite sting to Le Pen as she and Fillon share a similar anti-European Union ideology and conservative credos.

Socialist leader Benoit Hamon  the candidate from the other side of Frances political establishment  echoed Fillions words in a speech he gave, saying that while the independent Macron is not a man of the left the socialists supporters should still vote for him.

"There is a distinction between a political adversary and the enemy of the Republic, Hamon said.

The support for Macron from Frances political establishment is eerily reminiscent of the presidential race in 2002, where Le Pens father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was running against then-incumbent President Jacques Chirac.

When Le Pen and the conservative Chirac finished in the top two in the first round of elections, Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin  who was also running for president  dropped out of the race and threw his support behind Jospin. Soon after, numerous leftist politicians began backing Jospin, who eventually won 82 percent of the vote in a landslide victory.

The younger Le Pen has tried to distance herself from her fathers anti-Semitic and xenophobic persona and soften the image of the National Front  and in doing so finding broad appeal among the countrys younger voters attracted to her anti-establishment and pro-French-worker stances. Still, she has been vilified for her anti-immigrant and anti-globalist proposals.

Both the center-right and center-left on Sunday fell in behind Macron, whose optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast to Le Pen's darker, inward-looking "French-first" platform that calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

Macron came in first in Sunday's vote, with 24 percent; Le Pen had 21.3 percent; Fillon had 20 percent and Melenchon had 19.6 percent. Fillon bested the former Trotskyist by 152,912 votes.

Whoever wins in the May 7 second-round election, one thing is clear: the French public is tired of the political establishment.

French voters rejected the two mainstream parties that have alternated power for decades in favor of Le Pen and the untested Macron, who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year.

Socialist candidate Manuel Valls, whose party holds a majority in the legislature and whose President Francois Hollande is the most unpopular in modern French record-keeping, got just 6 percent.

"We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction," said Valls. "We didn't do the work  intellectual, ideological and political  on what the left is, and we paid the price."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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French voters shut out the political mainstream from the presidency for the first time in modern history, and on Monday found themselves being courted for the runoff election between populist Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron.

French politicians on the moderate left and right, including the Socialist and Republicans party losers in Sunday's vote, immediately urged voters to block Le Pen's path to power in the May 7 contest.

Voters narrowed the presidential field from 11 to two. Both that vote and the May 7 runoff are widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave that last year prompted Britain to vote to leave the European Union and America to elect Donald Trump president.

The defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Macron, and Le Pen's National Front is hoping to do the once unthinkable and peel away voters historically opposed to a party long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

"The voters who voted for Mr. Melenchon are angry voters. They can be in agreement with us," Steeve Brios, a vice president of Le Pen's National Front party, told The Associated Press. He said they express a choice "outside the system."

Choosing from inside the system is no longer an option. Voters rejected the two mainstream parties that have alternated power for decades, in favor of Le Pen and the untested Macron , who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year. Turnout was 78 percent, down slightly from 79 percent in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, got just 6 percent. Socialist President Francois Hollande is the most unpopular in modern French record-keeping. He did not seek re-election.

"We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction," said former Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls. "We didn't do the work  intellectual, ideological and political  on what the left is, and we paid the price."

Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservative Republicans candidate, fared marginally better, coming in third with just shy of 20 percent of the vote.

Both center-right and center-left fell in behind Macron, whose optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast to Le Pen's darker, inward-looking "French-first" platform that calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc. Le Pen on Monday called her opponent "weak" against Islamic terrorism.

European stock markets surged as investors welcomed the first-round results, with Macron favored to win. German Chancellor Angela Merkel wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks."

Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that "the result for Emmanuel Macron shows: France AND Europe can win together! The center is stronger than the populists think!"

Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, made it to the second round against Jacques Chirac in 2002 and was crushed in the runoff. Many commentators expect the same fate for his daughter, but she has already drawn far more support than he ever did and she has transformed the party's once-pariah image.

Chirac refused to debate Jean-Marie Le Pen on principle; Macron has already agreed to share a stage with his daughter.

Le Pen offers an alternative for anyone skeptical of the European Union and France's role in it, said Louis Aliot, the vice president of the National Front party.

"I'm not convinced that the French are willing to sign a blank check to Mr. Macron," he said.

But Macron's party spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, said the far-right candidate is hardly a vector of change.

"She's been in the political system for 30 years. She inherited her father's party and we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running for the next 20 years, because after we had the father, we have the daughter and we will doubtless have the niece," he said. "So she is in a truly bad position to be talking about the elites and the people."

Macron came in first in Sunday's vote, with just over 23 percent; Le Pen had 21 percent; Melenchon and Fillon each had 19 percent. Fillon, a former prime minister, bested the former Trotskyist Melenchon by just 94,998 votes.

Protesters overnight burned cars, danced around bonfires and dodged riot police at the Place de la Bastille and Republique. Twenty-nine people were detained at the Bastille, where protesters waved red flags and sang "No Marine and No Macron!" in anger at the results.

___

Ganley reported from Henin-Beaumont. Lori Hinnant and Thomas Adamson contributed from Paris.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the Socialist candidate was Benoit Hamon.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has tacitly criticized a popular opposition leader whose efforts to expose official corruption fueled nationwide protests last month.

Putin didn't name Alexei Navalny, but the reference was clear. The president said Monday that it was important to differentiate between those who truly want to fight corruption and "strengthen the state" and those "who try to use it as a tool in their own political fight."

A month ago, Navalny organized the largest protests in years. He has announced plans to run for president in 2018, when Putin is widely expected to seek a fourth term.

Putin pointed to Ukraine, where protesters calling for an end to corruption ousted the president in 2014. Putin claimed corruption in Ukraine has only worsened under the new Western-aligned government.
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An international rights group says dozens of global clothing companies are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago.

Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday that only 29 out of 72 recently contacted companies are releasing information about how they source their products in Bangladesh. It said many brands have held out completely.

Bangladesh's garment industry has invested more than $1 billion in safety improvements since April 24, 2013, when the Rana Plaza garment factory complex collapsed outside Dhaka, killing more than 1,130 workers and injuring 2,500.

The collapse highlighted grim conditions in the country's garment industry, the second largest in the world with about 4,000 factories employing about 4 million workers.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has vowed to use Moscow's influence to get Ukraine's separatist rebels to comply with a cease-fire deal.

Lavrov made the promise at a news conference Monday with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini after talks in Moscow.

An American member of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe's monitoring mission was killed and two others wounded Sunday in eastern Ukraine's separatist-controlled Luhansk region when their vehicle hit a mine.

The U.S. State Department has called on Russia to use its influence on the rebels to improve security in eastern Ukraine.

Both the Russia-backed rebels and the Ukrainian government blamed each other for laying the mine. Fighting in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,900 people since it began in 2014.
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Kenyan authorities say some suspects have been arrested in the shooting of author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann after tensions with herders seeking pasture amid the country's drought.

Interior security cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery said Monday a gun has been recovered and is being examined to see if it was used to shoot Gallmann in the stomach.

The Italian-born Gallmann was shot Sunday while patrolling her ranch, which recently was targeted by arsonists. She is reported to be in stable condition.

The local farmers' association says suspicion has fallen on herders who have invaded Gallmann's ranch several times.

Nkaissery blames the shooting on "isolated banditry activity."

Kenya's drought affects roughly half the country. More than 30 people have died in conflicts over grazing land as herders try to save their animals.
A second person who may have been involved in the truck attack that killed four people and injured 15 others in Stockholm is under arrest, Swedish police announced on Monday.

The unnamed second suspect arrested Sunday is male, police spokesman Simon Bynert said without elaborating.

AFGHAN ARMY CHIEF, DEFENSE MINISTER RESIGN FOLLOWING ATTACK

Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man, has pleaded guilty to a terrorist crime after ramming the truck into a crowd outside a main pedestrian shopping street in the Swedish capital on April 7. Police have not disclosed a motive for the attack and no extremist group has claimed responsibility for it, although investigators said he'd expressed sympathy for terror groups include the Islamic State.

Akilov's Swedish residency application was rejected last year but police said there was nothing to indicate he might have planned an attack.

Prosecutors have until Wednesday to decide whether to remand the second suspect in custody, The Local reports.

The attack stunned many Swedes who have prided themselves on their open-door policies toward migrants and refugees, and many expressed fears that something had gone badly wrong. In 2015, a record 163,000 asylum-seekers arrived in the country  the highest per capita rate in Europe. The government responded by tightening border controls and curtailing some immigrant rights.

The four people killed were two Swedes, a Belgian woman and a British man.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Thousands of people from around the world, many of them young Israelis, have gathered at the former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz to pay homage to the millions who perished in the Holocaust.

Many carried Israeli flags Monday as they joined the March of the Living, a somber memorial march of about three kilometers (two miles) from the original Auschwitz camp to Birkenau, a much larger death camp where Jews and Roma were murdered in gas chambers.

Many also carried little wooden plaques with messages to place along railway tracks that carried people to their deaths at the camp operated by Germany in occupied Poland during World War II.

The yearly march is also aimed at instilling a desire in Israeli youth to protect the Jewish state.
British police have seized three high end supercars that were racing on a major motorway.

Police said Monday they have seized a Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren after they were being raced on the M1 highway.

The expensive cars had been rented. Police warned others using similar tactics to race on highways will have their cars impounded.

The three drivers are accused of driving very slowly on the highway so traffic backed up behind them, then racing at top speeds when they had enough open road ahead.

Other drivers reported them to police and their tactics were captured by closed circuit cameras.
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Britain's anti-EU U.K. Independence Party says it will promote social integration by banning face-covering veils and barring the opening of new Islamic schools.

The right-wing party on Monday unveiled what it calls an "integration agenda" ahead of Britain's June 8 election.

It includes bans on Sharia law and on wearing face-covering veils in public, and a call for prosecution of parents of girls subjected to female genital mutilation.

Green Party lawmaker Caroline Lucas accused UKIP of "full-throttled Islamophobia."

UKIP played a major role in Britain's decision last year to leave the EU but is struggling to remain relevant now that it has achieved its main goal.

UKIP's only lawmaker in the House of Commons recently quit the party. Leader Paul Nuttall has not said whether he will run for Parliament.
Saudi Arabia was recently elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, provoking backlash from human rights organizations.

The Gulf state became the 45th country to sit on the UN panel tasked with promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women across the globe. UN Watch, a nongovernmental watchdog that monitors the United Nations, called the election "absurd."

"Every Saudi woman must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a womans life from her birth until death," Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said in a statement released Saturday. "Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars."

"Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief," Neuer continued.

The election took place through a secret ballot during the UN's Economic and Social Council, the Hill reported. Neuer said at least five members of the European Union voted for the Saudis to serve four years on the commission.

Click to read more from The Washington Free Beacon.
North Korea has put another American behind bars, bringing to three the number of U.S. citizens imprisoned in the rogue regime's infamous gulags even as tensions on the peninsula threaten to spiral out of control.

Tony Kim, a 58-year-old Korean-American professor, was detained at Pyongyang International Airport after teaching accounting for a month at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology and working on aid and relief programs to North Korea.

In the past, North Korea has generally quickly released any American citizens it detained  waiting at most for a U.S. official or statesman to come and to personally bail out detainees. But that appears to be changing.

Kims arrest makes him the third American citizen currently detained in North Korea, and while activists and U.S. government officials have lobbied for the release of these prisoners, little progress has been made as relations between Washington and Pyongyang deteriorate amid the latters continued missile tests and refinement of nuclear weapons.

Here is a look at the three American citizens being held in North Korea.

Tony Kim (also goes by his Korean name, Kim Sang-duk)

Kim was detained in North Korea on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, the chancellor of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, as he was trying to leave with his wife on a flight to China.

The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang said Sunday it was aware of a Korean-American citizen being detained recently but could not comment further. The embassy looks after consular affairs for the United States in North Korea because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.

The State Department also said it was aware of the report about a U.S. citizen being detained, but declined further comment "due to privacy considerations."

Park said he was informed that the detention had "nothing to do" with Kim's work at the university but did not know any further details.

Kim previously taught Korean at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanji, China, not far from the North Korea border, said the school's Communist Party committee secretary.

As of Monday morning, North Korea's official media had not reported on the detention and there so far have been no details on why Kim was detained.

Otto Warmbier

The 21-year-old University of Virginia undergraduate student from Ohio was detained on January 2, 2016, at Pyongyang International Airport, while visiting the country as a tourist with Young Pioneer Tour.

Warmbier was charged with stealing a political sign from a staff-only floor in the Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang and committing crimes against the state. He was given a one-hour trial last March at which the government presented fingerprints, CCTV footage and pictures of a political banner to make its case against the American student.

I beg that you see how I am only human, Warmbier said at his trial. And how I have made the biggest mistake of my life.

Despite his pleas, the college student was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. In a post-trial video released to the world, Warmbier, under obvious duress, praised his captors for his treatment and for handling of the case fair and square."

Little is known about Warmbiers current condition, but his parents have pleaded with both the Obama and Trump administrations to help free their son.

President Trump, I ask you: Bring my son home. You can make a difference here, Fred Warmbier said during an appearance on Fox News Tucker Carlson earlier this month.

Julia Mason, a State Department spokeswoman, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the U.S. government continues to actively work to secure his earliest possible release. Mason added, however, that U.S. emissaries in North Korea have not been able to visit Warmbier for more than a year.

A representative from the Swedish Embassy  last visited Mr. Warmbier on March 2, 2016, Mason said. We are in regular, close coordination with representatives of the Embassy of Sweden.

Kim Dong Chul

The plight of the Korean-American businessman is probably the most hazy case of all the Americans being held in North Korea.

A former resident of Virginia, Kim was living in China with his wife and operating a business in a special economic zone of North Korea when he was detained in October 2015 while in the city of Rason. His detainment was not made public until North Korean officials introduced him to a visiting news crew and allowed him to be interviewed through an interpreter.

It was later revealed that Kim had been detained on suspicion of engaging in spying and stealing state secrets. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor after a brief trial in Pyongyang. North Korea's Supreme Court found Kim guilty of espionage and subversion under Articles 60 and 64 of the North's criminal code.

When he was paraded before the media in Pyongyang last March, Kim said he had collaborated with and spied for South Korean intelligence authorities in a plot to bring down the North's leadership and had tried to spread religion among North Koreans before his arrest.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service, the country's main spy agency, has said Kim's case wasn't related to the organization in any way.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bryan Brown and Meineke of Louisville, Kentucky Receive Franchisee of the Year Award at 2017 Meineke Convention

April 24, 2017 // Franchising.com // LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bryan Brown, franchisee owner of 11 Meineke Car Care Center locations in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana, was honored for the third time as Franchisee of the Year during this years Meineke Convention in the Bahamas. Meineke Car Care Centers, the leader in automotive maintenance and repair, recognized the top owners and operators in its system at the 2017 Meineke Convention.

Brown also received a Territory Award for his Kentucky stores and six of his shops were recognized for top performing centers. Brown began his franchise partnership with Meineke Car Care Centers 20 years ago, and is Meinekes first three-time winner of the prestigious award (2008, 2012 and 2016).

We are proud of Bryan for his leadership and his accomplishments in 2016, said Danny Rivera, President, Meineke Car Care Centers. When we talk about One Team. One Dream, he is a role model for our entire network. His commitment to high-quality operations, excellent customer service, trusted, reliable repairs and profitable performance is exemplary.

Brown, along with his wife Carla, instill and demonstrate the values of family and hard work among their employees, which has led to their success in the Meineke business system. They have developed a high degree of trust and loyalty among their staff that creates customer- friendly shops led by top car care professionals.

Themed One Team. One Dream, the 2017 Meineke Conference hosted Meineke franchisees, vendors, industry leaders and guest speakers to share best practices, outline the growth plan for the year ahead, participate in educational seminars, build and strengthen relationships, celebrate awards for top performers and enjoy time with colleagues, friends and family.

About Meineke

Meineke Car Care Centers, LLC., is a division of Driven Brands, Inc., and the leading automotive aftermarket franchisor in the world. Founded in 1972, Meineke has more than 930 centers that service approximately three million cars a year. Over the years, Meineke has expanded its product offerings to better meet the demands of its customers and a changing marketplace. Meineke continues to be ranked as one of the best franchise opportunities in the country and has recently won top franchise rankings from Forbes, Franchise Times and Entrepreneur Magazine. For more information, please visit meineke.com.

Media Contact:

Debby Robinson

drobinson@vmg1.com

SOURCE Meineke

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New Fast & Casual Restaurant Concept, Hurricane BTW, Sells 7 More Franchise Locations In New Jersey And South Florida

Hurricane BTW Now Has 56 BTWs Sold and Planned for Throughout the US in Next 42 Months

April 24, 2017 // Franchising.com // West Palm Beach, FL - Hurricane BTW, a new fast and casual restaurant concept developed by the national Hurricane Grill & Wings brand, announced today it has sold seven new franchise locations: one location in New Jersey and a six-pack in East Broward County, Florida. The New Jersey location (specific city to be announced) will be under the development of J&H Management of New Jersey and Jigar Tailor and Darshana Patel, both of whom reside in Clifton, New Jersey and own WOW Cafe in New Jersey. The six Hurricane BTW locations planned for East Broward County, meanwhile, will be developed by Francisco and Rafael Rivera of Castle Food of Florida, LLC.

These seven new locations are on top of the 49 new BTW locations announced last month and scheduled to open in the next 42 months, bringing the total to 56. The first Hurricane BTW prototype location will open in Skokie, IL in late May and eight to ten more will follow by the end of the year. The brands lab store opened in April of 2016 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where it still resides.

The high level of interest shown by business owners from around the country proves we are onto something very appealing and exciting with our Hurricane BTW brand, said Brooksy Smith, Chief Brand Officer for Hurricane AMT (Hurricane Grill & Wings, Hurricane BTW and Hurricane Dockside). We feel very confident with the product we are offering and are motivated by the early success. We look forward to continuing to introduce our fast & casual concept to more potential franchisees.

Hurricane BTW offers fast and casual service, high design aesthetic in-store, high-quality food and drinks, all at a competitive price point. Menu offerings include: burgers, tacos, chicken wings, chicken tenders, salads, ice cream shakes, beer (draft, bottle, and local craft), and more.

Smith is charged with leading the growth and expansion of BTW. Fast-casual is the way we will serve our food at Hurricane BTW, but with a broader menu and better value for our customers, he said.

While the restaurant industry, specifically fast-casual, is down as of late, we have seen two trends: single entree menus have driven brands (i.e. burgers, pizza, wings), and there is an overall drive for higher quality and higher average tickets, added Smith. At BTW, we are focusing on the three most popular single entree items other than pizza and including them on our menu, and we are pricing our average ticket at $10. We feel that now is the right time for a broad menu with a value proposition in a casual market. And thats why we are confident BTW will excel.

The Hurricane BTW prototype will feature improved food, service and design elements from the restaurants lab location. Features include:

Approximately 2,000 square feet

Sophisticated and high-design esthetic in-store with inexpensive yet durable finishes

New and improved burger, taco, chicken wing and tender recipes

Ice Cream Shakes with mix-ins

Expanded sauce bar

Pepsi Spire digital fountain

The Crowler: 32 oz sealable can meant for draft beer (in those locations where permitted)

Weve learned that our guests expect high quality food at a fair price, Smith added. And they want to be able customize everything to their individual needs. Weve made that possible with every item on the Hurricane BTW menu, from the sauces to the soft drink machine to the ice cream shakes.

Hurricane BTW is in the process of seeking out experience franchise owners. The estimated expenditures to build a BTW are $225k  $464k. For more information, call 561-932-1075 or visit www.hurricaneBTW.com Follow Hurricane BTW on Facebook www.facebook.com/hurricanebtw.

For Franchising Opportunities, visit our website at http://www.hurricanefranchising.com/.

About Hurricane BTW

Hurricane BTW is a fast and casual restaurant concept offering burgers, tacos, wings and more. The concept falls under the highly successful Hurricane Grill & Wings brand, and features the franchises best-selling menu items with a fast casual service model and a fun, energetic restaurant design. The first Hurricane BTW location opened in April 2016 in Ft. Lauderdale; the prototype location will open in Skokie, IL in April 2017; 49 locations are in development to open in the next 42 months. Learn more at www.hurricanebtw.com.

About Hurricane Grill & Wings

With more than 70 restaurants open or under construction in 15 states and 4 European countries that include Austria, Germany, Poland and Switzerland, Florida-based Hurricane Grill & Wings is known for its jumbo, fresh wings, more than 35 signature sauces and rubs and tropical, laid-back vibe. Named by USA Today as one of 10 Great Places to Wing It, selected as one of the Future 50 by Restaurant Business and as one of Franchise Times Top 40 Fast and Serious, Hurricane Grill & Wings menu includes crave-able Hurricanes Garlic & Parm fries, tasty salads, seafood entrees and fresh 1/2 pound burgers. The original Hurricane Grill & Wings opened in Fort Pierce, Fla., in 1995 and has expanded to locations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, with additional restaurants planned both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit www.hurricanewings.com.

Media Contact:

Melissa Perlman

BlueIvy Communications

P: 561-310-9921

E: Melissa@BlueIvyCommunications.com

SOURCE Hurricane Grill & Wings

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Pieology Pizzeria Expands To Phoenix, Arizona

Award-Winning Franchise Brings Hand-Crafted Pizzas to Phoenix Residents

PHOENIX, ARIZ. (PRWEB) April 21, 2017 - Pieology, the creator of personally-inspired pizzas, announces the opening of its newest location in Moon Valley located at 903 E. Bell Road #102 in Phoenix, AZ.

Join the local Phoenix community as it officially welcomes Pieology to the neighborhood on Monday, April 24. As the restaurant opens its doors on the corner of Bell Road and 9th Street, guests can expect delicious handmade personal pizzas crafted with only the freshest ingredients and signature sauces. Boasting a variety of menu options as well as the ability to create your own personalized pie, Pieology delivers limitless pizza combinations, all of which are stone oven fired in five minutes or less.*

Were excited to bring our newest location to Phoenix as we continue to grow our community of Pieology lovers in Arizona, says Carl Chang, Founder and CEO of Pieology Pizzeria. We set out with a promise to deliver creative and delicious personally-inspired pizzas and we are committed to that promise as we expand Pieology both within Arizona and nationwide.

Award-winning Pieology has been dishing out delicious hand-crafted pizzas since 2011, growing from a simple idea to bring creativity back to pizza that now encompasses 139 stores across the nation and 70 more scheduled to open this year. This new veteran-owned location, owned by Amir Siddiqi and Kristopher Olson, offers dine-in, carry out and online ordering options. In addition to Pieologys original thin crust and new PieRise thick crust pizzas, guests can make custom salads as well. Even dairy-free diners can rejoice, as this location will offer Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese.

In addition to serving up delicious pizza, Pieology is committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves by hosting fundraising events to support local causes such as the humane society, Foster Care Initiatives and Wounded Warrior Project. Our other Arizona locations have performed well in their communities, and were confident our new Phoenix guests will love the Pieology experience as well, said franchise partner Kristopher Olson. The ability for guests to create their own customized pizza coupled with unbeatable customer service has made Pieology a favorite among Arizona pizza fans, and were excited to bring that great flavor and service to the Phoenix community.

Pieology Phoenix will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Guests can stay up to date on the latest offerings and get special access to deals by joining Pie Life, Pieologys community of friends and flavor pioneers. To learn more about Pieology, visit http://www.pieology.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

*PieRise may take slightly longer depending on location

About Pieology Pizzeria

Using only the freshest ingredients along with signature sauces and crusts, award-winning Pieology offers hand-crafted, personally-inspired pizzas in unlimited flavor combinations that are stone oven fired in less than three minutes. Founded in 2011 by Carl Chang, Pieology was created from the simple idea to turn Americas most craveable food into an affordable and interactive experience. Pieologys mission is to inspire individual creativity in a positive atmosphere where guests can gather with family and friends, while enjoying their delicious pizza creations. Along with providing great food and a memorable dining experience, Pieology is committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, one pie at a time. Recently named the #1 Fastest Growing Chain by Technomic, Pieology is steadily expanding its U.S. footprint, with commitments throughout the country in various stages of development. For more information, visit http://www.pieology.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact:

Marcy Massura

Pieology

+1 312-374-8534

SOURCE Pieology Pizzeria

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Tony Romas Laredo, Texas Restaurant Undergoes Exciting Transformation

Remodeled Location Reflects Tony Romas New Global Prototype Restaurant Design

April 24, 2017 // Franchising.com // ORLANDO, Fla. - Romacorp, Inc., the parent company of Tony Romas, announces the reopening of its restaurant in Laredo, Texas, located in the Mall del Norte, after an extensive remodel. The restaurant, owned and operated by franchisee Costillas Limited, offers a fresh new look at the iconic brand and is the first restaurant remodel in the US following the launch of Tony Romas new global prototype restaurant in Orlando, Florida in October 2016. Following extensive consumer research, the new global prototype is a brand transformation for Tony Romas and includes a complete overhaul of the restaurant environment, service approach and food and beverage offerings to meet the demands of todays consumer.

As the Laredo Tony Romas heads into its 21st year of serving guests in the community, its exciting to see the restaurant transform along with the Tony Romas brand as we celebrate our 45th anniversary as the worlds largest casual dining concept specializing in ribs, said Stephen K. Judge, President and Chief Executive Officer of Romacorp, Inc. Our global prototype in Orlando has seen great success since opening, and the result has been incredible excitement among both new and existing franchisees for the transformed concept.

The Laredo restaurant has a new modern interior with flexible dining spaces to satisfy a variety of guest occasions, whether its family dining, couples date nights, business meetings or relaxing with friends after a long day. The remodel includes a new menu, plate ware, glassware, chairs, barstools and more as the transformation builds on the brands strong heritage while allowing guests to enjoy a fun, contemporary atmosphere. Laredo is the latest Tony Romas to utilize the new prototype restaurant design, which was also used in the McAllen, Texas and Orlando, Florida remodels and the new restaurant in Thunder Bay, Canada.

Its been a great two decades here in Laredo, and with this gorgeous renovation, we are looking forward to many more on the horizon, said Rick Guerra, Chief Executive Officer of Costillas Limited. This remodel not only shows that we are dedicated to the Laredo community, but also to the Tony Romas brand as it celebrates 45 years of bringing mouthwatering, world-famous ribs to fans around the globe.

This announcement is the latest in a string of landmark growth announcements for Tony Romas as it celebrates its 45th birthday, an incredible milestone unmatched by any American casual dining restaurant chain. Romacorp recently announced renewed US growth with Tony Romas development and franchise agreements in Tennessee and West Palm Beach, Florida. Romacorp also recently announced the signing of a development agreement that will bring Tony Romas world famous ribs to Nicaragua for the first time. Additional new domestic and international agreements are in the works and will be announced in the near future.

About Romacorp, Inc.

Romacorp, Inc., is the parent company of Tony Romas restaurants, the worlds largest casual dining concept specializing in ribs. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Romacorp, Inc. has more than 150 restaurant locations in more than 30 countries and is one of the most globally recognizable names in the industry. The first Tony Romas restaurant opened 45 years ago in North Miami, Florida. Tony Romas is also proud to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation (www.cnfl.wish.org), one of the worlds leading childrens charities, in an effort to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses across Central and Northern Florida. For more information about Romacorp, Inc. and Tony Romas, visit www.tonyromas.com.

Please visit www.tonyromasfranchise.com or call (866) 981-0586 for information about Tony Romas franchising opportunities.

Media Contacts:

Esther Mcilvain

321-236-0102 ext. 230

emcilvain@uproarpr.com

SOURCE Romacorp, Inc.

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As we approach the end of an academic year, many soon-to-be college graduates are entering the job market. After numerous conversations with students in the past couple of weeks, one theme has emerged.

Many students consider salary as the end-all, be-all. And while salary is important, it may not be the most important aspect of an offer to consider. The organizations culture is important, plus the benefits package can make or break the deal. Due to space constraints, let's focus only on salary and benefits, not culture.

So how does your organizations compensation package stack up? Are you competitive?

I hope you benchmark salaries against others in your industry. Its especially important to know what local competitors are offering. Some jobs provide straight salaries while the other end of the spectrum is straight commission. Then theres the salary plus bonus or commission option, which provides the employee with some amount of money each paycheck, but gives them a financial incentive to do more.

Most jobs in our area are paid via a straight salary. If this is your organization, is your salary competitive? Or do you believe that your fabulous location or culture allows you to offer less than the market rate? I have a friend in Florida who says they pay less at his university because employees get paid in sunshine. Maybe thats important to some employees, but Ive never seen a mortgage lender who will take sunshine as payment.

What about your benefits? While health care is certainly important, there are numerous other benefits routinely offered by most organizations. If the company does not offer benefits, I would look elsewhere.

Time off is an interesting benefit. Some organizations offer a certain number of personal days each year. These are days off for any reasonpersonal sickness, kids sicknesses, vacation, or a "mental health day." Many split the time off into buckets with a specific number of hours or days allowed for each. Generally, we call them sick leave and vacation buckets. Sometimes employees are able to carry unused balances for sick leave and/or vacation into the next year. In the last year or so, several companies have made the news because they are not specifying how many days away employees get. Folks are just told to take time off when they want or need to.

What? Wont people take advantage of this and take too much time off? Early tracking suggests otherwise. Perhaps because the company trusts them, they are not abusing it. Would your organization consider doing something like this? It could be a benefit that differentiates you from your competitors, especially if your salary is not as competitive as youd like it to be.

Students rave when they hear that an organization has an onsite gym or the company will pay for a gym membership. Does this make sense for your company? Perhaps if you tied it to trying to improve your employees health it might make sense.

One of my favorite things to emphasize to students is retirement. I know, they are not thinking about it at 22, but they should. So if you can offer a 401K or some type of retirement option, those I speak with are going to find it quite attractive.

What Im essentially suggesting that you do is complete a compensation audit for your firm. Are you competitive? If youre not, this might just explain why you continue to lose your top choices in job searches. Good people will have options, so you want to ensure that you provide a good one.
Landscaping and tree service workers were plenty busy on Monday in Colonial Beach cleaning up the damage caused by the Friday evening storm that blasted through the town and King George County.

More than 3,000 Dominion Virginia Power customers who lost power in Westmoreland all have electricity back, according to the power company.

But the cleanup looks like it will take some time.

While trucks have steadily hauled out felled trees and brush, many streets on the south side of Colonial Beach remained littered with debris Monday.

Yeah, weve been slammed, said James Kirtley with Groundwork Landscaping.

He said it may take a couple of weeks to clear out the bulk of the debris.

At The Boathouse Marina, crews were picking apart the collapsed boat shelter, which fell on top of numerous boats. About four people had to be helped from the collapsed shelter, said Vernon Hopkins, who lives across the street from the marina.

He saw the shelter collapse and helped get the people out. He said it appeared all the people were OK.

The 57-year-old was still amazed by the power of the storm. The wind and pouring rain roared, he said, adding that the hail covering the ground was about 2 feet deep. A tree fell into his front yard, nearly hitting the house.

The house shook. It felt like an earthquake, he said while watching crews remove parts of the boat shelter. It was unreal.

Bill Bowman, who owns The Boathouse Marina said they had recently finished some renovation and were completing more when the storm hit.

We got hammered pretty good, said Bowman, who bought the business four years ago. Im planning on rebuilding everything I can.

Just prior to the storm, he had realized they were close to completing the renovations.

I could see a light at the end of the tunnel, he said. Didnt know it was a train.

Five homes in King George were so badly damaged in Friday nights storm that they have been condemned by county officials.

There was widespread damagetrees toppled, power lines pulled down and carports, boats and vehicles flippedfrom high winds that moved through the region starting about 7 p.m. Friday. The most concentrated damage in King George was in the Chestnut Hill area, off U.S. 301 in the Dahlgren District, said Chief David Moody with King George Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services.

Three of the structures declared unsafe are on Chestnut Drive, in an area that contains a mix of mobile homes and single-family dwellings, Moody said. The fourth condemned home was off Dutch Court in Shiloh District, and the fifth was off U.S. 301.

County officials worked with the American Red Cross to find temporary shelter for three families. Residents may be able to return to the homes after repairs are made, Moody said.

Other King George homes sustained damage, particularly from falling branches, but not to a point they were unsafe for occupancy, Moody said.

Fire and rescue officials reported initially that the damage looked like it was caused by a tornado, the way trees were ripped off and blown over into the homes and power lines everywhere, Moody said.

The National Weather Service later reported the storm that blew from King George into Colonial Beach had straight-line winds of 70 to 75 mph, with heavy rain and hail. There was no evidence of a tornado, according to the weather service, but these kind of winds can cause as much damage as tornadoes.

In King George, where about 770 homes and businesses were without electricity, the first report of high winds came from Northern Neck Transfer, on State Road and 301. The wind was so strong, it knocked over a tractortrailer in the parking lot, pinning the driver inside. Rescue officials were able to get him out through the windshield.

Another alarming call came from State Road, about a resident who was having difficulty breathing.

The roadway was completely blocked by trees and downed power lines, according to reports Moody sent county officials. Power crews hadnt arrived by then, and fire and rescue officials said they werent about to cut trees with power lines running through them.

First-responders did the only thing they could. They carried the patient out in a rescue chairfor about half a mile.
Whether winds are rotating in a tornado or blasting from a storm in a straight line, a 75 mph velocity can be quite destructive for anything caught in the path.

A severe storm battered Colonial Beach with violent gusts and hail on Friday evening - but there were no indications of a tornado, according to the National Weather Service in Wakefield.

After surveying the damage on Saturday, Warning Coordination Meteorologist Bill Sammler determined that winds blew out of the thunderstorm in a straight line at 70 to 75 mph.

At first glance, damage from intense straight-line winds can be indistinguishable from an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado, like the one that hit Irvington on April 6.

"A single gust, or series of gusts blowing out of the same direction can produce substantial damage, like a relatively weak tornado," Sammler said.

"The trees that fell were oriented either from west to east or west-northwest to east-southeast," he observed. Trees uprooted and snapped by a tornado would have had a more convergent or chaotic pattern. "That unidirectional or divergent pattern is pretty standard."

Another clue showed that the wind didn't behave like a tornado: there was no well-defined path.

"The breadth of the damage was really wide and it was not in the concentrated area like a tornado will typically produce," Sammler said.

In addition to the powerful gusts, quarter to half dollar-sized hail pelted the town at the height of the storm and plastered the town with leaves.

That storm was a supercell - a discrete storm with a defined structure and propensity for severe weather. Like many supercells, this storm exhibited some rotation on radar, but not in the right amount or the right place to clearly indicate that a tornado occurred.

While it was over Colonial Beach, the storm was about 55 miles away from the nearest NWS Doppler radar site in Loudoun County. Because of the curvature of the Earth, the lowest portion of the storm the radar beam could examine was about 4,000 feet above the ground.

At that level, the storm had some relatively weak rotation several miles south of Colonial Beach along State Route 3, but there was no strong radar evidence for a tornado, or one over the town itself.

About 45 minutes after the storm hit Colonial Beach, NWS Wakefield issued a tornado warning for eastern Westmoreland County and northern Northumberland County based on Doppler radar. There is no indication that a tornado occurred in that area, however.

Saturday's storms also spared Virginia from tornado destruction

A rotating thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon also prompted tornado warnings along the U.S. Highway 58 corridor from Clarksville to Emporia.

The storm did not produce a tornado, but a funnel cloud was photographed near South Hill. Law enforcement reported many trees fell across Mecklenburg County and Brunswick County.

On Sunday, another survey team from NWS Wakefield went to the Lawrenceville vicinity, but that tree damage was very sparse and there was no conclusive evidence of a tornado path.

Severe storms are unlikely to hit Virginia during the upcoming week, but Sammler cautions that the peak severe weather season is typically still ahead of us, in late spring.

When storms return, he encourages the public to share reports and pictures of storm damage on the NWS Wakefield Facebook page or to email akq-report@noaa.gov.

"Those are two really good ways to get us information because we're monitoring both the inbox and Facebook page during severe weather events," Sammler said.
UPDATE: The boil-water advisory has been lifted for all areas except Commonwealth Drive and Onyx Court off U.S. 1 in the Massaponax area. Due to the location of repairs, restoration of water service was delayed to that area. Results of additional testing for that area will be released Monday morning.

Spotsylvania continues to tell many residents to boil their water before using it, after a U.S. 1 water main break Friday.

Utilities staff is flushing the distribution system to eliminate issues from the water main break.

County officials issued a boil-water advisory because water pressure dropped after the break, increasing the possibility of contamination. Residents can take baths or showers, but should take care not to swallow the water.

The voluntary notice will stay in effect until officials get results from two consecutive bacteriological samples, each spanning 24 hours, a spokeswoman said Saturday. They expect to issue an update Sunday evening.

The break near the Cosners Corner shopping center temporarily cut off water to homes and businesses along the U.S. 1 corridor, from the FredericksburgSpotsylvania line to Thornburg.

The county said residents outside the posted area whose water is discolored should run cold water for 15 minutes to let it clear. If it doesnt clear, email the Utilities Department at utilities@spotsylvania.va.us or call 507-3700, extension 1. The impacted area extends from Kingswood subdivision in the north to Lancaster Gate in the south and includes big developments such as Lees Hill and Lees Parke.

Workers are continuing to make repairs.

The break occurred at 7:30 a.m., but crews quickly restored water everywhere except an industrial building on Commonwealth Drive, just south of Cosners Corner.

Deputy County Administrator Ed Petrovitch said rising temperatures could have caused the break, though he could not confirm that.

from staff reports
A Chesterfield County man found fatally stabbed in his apartment Friday afternoon was an early advocate of gay and lesbian rights in Virginia and a registered lobbyist for the movement in 1981 at the Virginia General Assembly.

Bruce M. Garnett, 67, had been dead for several weeks when police were called Friday to check on his welfare and found him deceased inside his residence in the 700 block of Chinaberry Drive, Bill Garnett, the victim's older brother, said in a phone call from Malaysia, where he lives.

Bill Garnett said police advised his family that his brother had been fatally stabbed.

Chesterfield police on Monday afternoon confirmed the victim's name and cause of death. His death is being investigated as a homicide, police said.

"We don't have any idea (what happened)," Garnett said. "He was retired and he just got his first social security check in February. He was looking forward to doing some things that he'd never been able to do."

Garnett said his brother, who was gay, was an early pioneer for gay rights in Virginia and helped form the Gay Rights Association in Richmond in 1977.

"He was an activist in a time when it would be very difficult to be an activist," Garnett said. "Things have changed a lot in four decades. I think when he was doing that it took a lot of courage."

According to a February 1978 newsletter by the Richmond Gay Rights Association, Garnett was the "first openly gay man to lobby the General Assembly."

In an April 5, 1978, story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Garnett spoke before the Richmond Commission on Human Rights, saying that if the rights of homosexuals were not protected, "they would have to remain in the closet, and that's a damned place to be."

He argued that homosexuality isn't illegal, and the then illegal act of sodomy applied to some heterosexuals as well as homosexual acts. "A heterosexual isn't known to commit sodomy any more than a heterosexual is known to commit rape," he said.

Garnett's remarks came as the Human Rights Commission was considering whether to include sexual orientation in an anti-discrimination proposal it was considering. Three Baptist ministers, who also spoke at the proceeding, said homosexuality is sinful and immoral, and therefore homosexuals should not be included in the anti-discrimination measure.

"He spoke on behalf of gay and lesbian rights as far back as 1977," Bill Garnett said, "and was a registered lobbyist for that movement in 1981 at the Virginia General Assembly.

"Four decades ago his passion, courage and energy helped the cause of gay rights to come out of the closet."

Garnett said his brother had worked a number of jobs, including as a computer programmer and an employee of Reynolds Metals. His last position was with Kroger, where he worked the night shift, Garnett said.

"He had over the years become rather solitary and suffered medical problems," said Garnett, who has lived in Malaysia for the past eight years and last had contact with his brother in February.

"Bruce was a good person," Garnett said. "He was an Eagle Scout and he once received from the Governor of Virginia a commendation for saving a boy's life."

Garnett was one of two Scouts who on July 9, 1968, was presented the Certificate of Heroism by then-Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. for rescuing two young boys from drowning in the Falling Creek Reservoir, according to a story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The award was Scouting's second highest honor for heroic deeds.

Garnett, then 18 and a member of Sea Explorer Ship 863, pulled an unconscious boy from 25 feet of water on July 28, 1967, after he heard the youngster screaming for help, according to news accounts.
Residents of Colonial Beach and surrounding areas continue to clean up the mess caused by Friday evenings powerful storm burst, but electricity had been restored to all customers by Sunday, according to Dominion Virginia Power.

Dominion crews piled into the little town and surrounding areas to restore power for more than 3,000 customers who lost electricity in the storm.

The restrictions to closed streets in Colonial Beach have been lifted, according to the Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Departments website. Most streets on the southern end of Colonial Beach were closed off through Saturday because of downed trees and power lines.

Although things are returning to normal, Colonial Beach public schools are scheduled to be closed today.

The National Weather Service reported that the storm hit the Colonial Beach area around 7:30 p.m. and had straight-line winds of 70-75 mph, heavy rain and hail. The Weather Service also said there was no evidence that a tornado touched down, but added that strong straight-line winds can cause as much damage as tornadoes.

The Weather Service noted that the most significant damage happened in and just east of Colonial Beach, with downed trees, collapsed boat shelters and roofing material blown off a large building.

The storm also plowed into the Monroe Bay Campground just across Monroe Creek from Colonial Beach. Dozens of trees were toppled and several campers were knocked over. Trees fell onto a few campers and at least one truck at the campground.

Not far from the campground, the wooden facade of Halls grocery store was blown off and lay in the parking lot Saturday.

We were gonna take it off anyway, co-owner Emily Hall said Saturday afternoon. Mother Nature did it for us.

She said the storm didnt last long but that it was a terror.

There were no deaths or major injuries cause by the storm.
Implications for screening guidelines

The new study, which involved investigators from Fred Hutch, the University of Michigan and Erasmus University, comes as experts are re-evaluating the value of the prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, blood test in the general population, which in recent years has become somewhat controversial since the vast majority of cancers it uncovers are very slow-growing.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued new recommendations for the PSA tests use in the general public. The new recommendation backtracked from the previous one, which stated that men should not be screened for prostate cancer. Although the old recommendation was meant to apply to men at average risk of prostate cancer, it meant fewer black men received screening even though they were at higher-than-average risk. In the update, the USPSTF recommended that men between the ages of 55 and 69 should talk to their doctors about getting a PSA test. African-American men should talk to their clinician about their increased risk of developing and dying of prostate cancer and men with a family history of the disease should also talk to their doctor about the potential benefits and harms of screening.

Etzioni, whose research specifically focuses on the effectiveness of screening for both prostate and breast cancers, believes more guidance may be in order.

If we know that the cancer is more aggressive in African-American men, it suggests that they should be screened more often, she said. And maybe we want to start screening them at a younger age.

How much younger?

Etzioni and her colleagues said their new findings suggest that black men should have their baseline PSA tested at least three and up to nine years earlier than men in the general population.

Etzionis recommendations make a lot of sense to Battle, who hopes research like hers will spotlight the higher risk of deadly prostate cancers among African-Americans. Still, he realizes getting more men screened sooner may be a struggle. In general, he said, men tend to be squeamish about anyone messing around down there for any reason.

His own case is a good example of how men tend to have a head-in-the-sand attitude toward prostate cancer, he said. Even with nine cases of the cancer in his extended family  four of which resulted in death  Battle said he didnt want to believe he could be next. None of his older brothers had developed the disease, he said, so cancer wasnt an issue in his mind until his fateful PSA test.

Now, though, he gives talks to men underscoring the importance of vigilance, telling them This is not one of those things that you should be thinking, If I ignore it, it will go away.

Linda Carroll is a longtime health and science writer. She is co-author of "The Concussion Crisis: Anatomy of a Silent Epidemic."
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More than half of all farmers who are challenging fines imposed for overdue TB tests in Wales have lost their appeals.

Since January 2015, farmers in Wales who have failed to meet TB testing requirements have faced losing some of their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) subsidy.

New figures from the Welsh government show that, since the introduction of this policy, 112 appeals have been lodged against financial penalties.

See also: Photos: How to badgerproof your farm

To date, 81 of these appeals have been completed and only 19 were successful. Sixty-two appeals failed and one of the appellants withdrew the action.

European legislation allows the government some discretion to remove cross-compliance penalties if overdue tests are due to exceptional circumstances.

Thirty of the 112 appeals are still being investigated.

Health and safety

The government declined to detail the circumstances of the appeals, but it is known that at least eight of the late tests were related to health and safety concerns.

Under the regulations, all tests that are overdue by more than 31 days are subject to a 5% penalty, with this failure categorised as a severe breach of cross-compliance.

The size of the penalty depends on the number of days a test is late  for tests overdue between one and 10 days there is a 1% penalty and for 11 to 30 days 3% is deducted from a farmers BPS.

Farmers who refuse a subsequent enforced test arranged by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) stand to lose all their BPS money.

NFU Cymru president Stephen James cautioned all cattle farmers in Wales to comply with the annual TB test, but added: Unforeseen, genuine circumstances do occasionally occur as to why the test cannot be completed on time.

Therefore, any Basic Payment Scheme penalty system by the Welsh government needs to be proportionate and fairly take into account these exceptional events.
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Festival in Duisdorf : Bengalis celebrate the start of the year 1424

Bengalis from all over Germany celebrated in Duisdorf on Saturday Foto: Florijn

Duisdorf Bengalis from across Germany celebrated the start of the new year 1424 on Saturday with singing and dancing.

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Wearing traditional costumes, they brought a bit of local flavour to Duisdorf in the colourfully decorated hall. Amaresh Gupta was the special guest  the native-born Indian has been living in Germany for 50 years and has worked among other things as a Professor at Bonn University. It is great that such events take place. Of course, we miss our home country and this is a good opportunity to return to our culture for a little while, says Gupta.

Several hundred people gather together every year to celebrate, eat and marvel at the traditional dancing. Amaresh Gupta would like to see more German guests, as he believes festivals such as this are a way of building cultural bridges. The President of the Bangladesh Academy in Bonn is pleased with the celebrations - like every year, the rush was enormous and the guests were delighted with the colourful and traditional program.
Rail noise : Vocal against noise pollution

Rhein Sieg Country An action group run by Gerd Kirchhoff and Stephan Martin is fighting against the noise caused by goods trains.

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Exactly 21 metres away from Stephan Martins house it is rush hour, day and night. The 50-year-old lives in Konigswinter-Niederdollendorf with his family, directly on the railway line on the right hand side of the river Rhine. In 24 hours over 200 goods trains travel past his house, he explains during a conversation in his living room  while a train is going past. And around half of these during the night, he adds  as another train rolls by. Goods trains make a lot of noise and this is unacceptable to the architect. Martin is deputy Chairman of the Citizen Action Group against Rail Noise (Burger Initiativen Netzwerks (BIN) gegen Bahnlarm). He has been involved in the Group since 2013 and fights against rail noise together with his co-campaigners  and not just on the international action day against noise which was last Wednesday.

The non-party BIN group was founded in 2012 by Bad Honnef resident Gerd Kirchhoff with the objective of taking action against the increasing amount of rail noise in the Rhine valley. According to Kirchhoff, there are now around 70 supporters from Remagen through to Bonn and up to Troisdorf. The issue affects many people in the region and is always a discussion point: in Bornheim, where the Deutsche Bahn wants to put up noise barriers, or in Siegtal, where the federal government is planning to expand the line with a double track.

Rail noise is caused by the rolling noise between the rough wheels and the rough tracks, says Kirchhoff. The cast iron brakes cause the wheels to become rough. The brakes pads made of gray cast iron grind grooves into the wheels. The noise of the wagons is particularly loud when they are also travelling on rough tracks. Martin explains that many of the wagons as well as large parts of the tracks in Germany are neglected and not maintained.

Rail noise causes stress and makes people ill, says Martin. The noise disrupts sleep and reduces concentration abilities and people who are already ill are particularly affected. Furthermore, the buildings near to the railway lines shake and property value is reduced. Martin has some figures at the ready. Rail noise costs the German property market at least five billion Euro per year, he says. Add the health costs and you come to a sum of around 20 billion Euro per year.

The Martin family has been living near to the railway line for five years. At the time of buying the house, he was not aware of the issue of rail noise, he says. As the noise became a problem, he started to do some research and came across Gerd Kirchhoff. The family also thought about selling the house, but then decided to wait until 2020 to see if there were any improvements.

The year 2020 is an important one. The federal governments coalition agreement in 2013 stipulated that half of the wagons travelling in Germany should be fitted with lighter brakes by the end of 2016. It is unclear whether this target has been met. A recent law passed by parliament states that by 2020 no more loud goods trains will be allowed to travel in Germany. This should be passed by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) in May. But due to the interests of other countries the EU wants to wait until 2022, says Kirchhoff. We are trying to support the federal government in this, adds the 75-year-old, who devotes most of his voluntary work to the fight against rail noise  whether it be at home on his computer or by taking part in discussions and talks at national and EU level.

By his own account Kirchhoff also founded a parliamentary group Bahnlarm (rail noise) in the Bundestag. Due to his efforts, around 130 members of parliament are now part of the non-party group. The up and coming legislation is the first step, say Kirchhoff and Martin. So far peak levels of up to 100 decibels per train have been recorded on the building fronts, says Martin: Now we have the prospect to come down to 90 decibels by the end of the decade. In any case the World Health Organisation sets a limit of 40 decibels during the night, says Stephan Martin: With 40 decibels measured on the building front, you have 25 decibels on your pillow. An expert attested to him that it would be possible to manufacture trains this quiet.

What about the technology? As Kirchhoff explains, the modification of wagon brakes would cost, depending on the type, between 1500 to 1800 Euro or between 5000 and 8000 Euro. Kirchhoff says that the modifications would be subsidised by the state. But the expensive brake model is cheaper than fighting against the consequences of rail noise. Whats more, Martin finds that the governments voluntary measures for noise protection are a hundred times undersized. He refers to the example of a mere two-meter-high sheet metal panel in front of his house. According to Kirchhoff, around 500 goods and passenger trains travel on both sides of the river Rhine in a 24-hour period.

Kirchhoff thinks that an alternative route between Sankt Augustin and Mainz-Bischofsheim must be found, in order to improve life for local residents and encourage tourism in the Rhine valley. This is however not part of the urgent requirement section of the current Plan for Federal Traffic Routes. The government sees the two-track extension of the Siegtal route as more urgent. Goods trains will benefit from this as they currently use the route to a lesser extent. More goods trains mean more noise and this is the fear for this route. Therefore, the CDU and Green Party have spoken out against the extension in Rhine-Sieg-County. The SPD and FDP see more positives from the expansion  also with a view to the noise pollution. Both parties qualify the significance of the route for international goods traffic.

There are many aspects to the issue of rail noise. Martin refers not only to health issues but also to the construction and property markets. He and Kirchhoff continue with their fight against the noise. Martin hopes that people can curtail the noise from the railway: just like the river Rhine was cleaned up. In the meantime, countless trains have gone past his house.
Exhibition at Villa Friede : Works by young Chinese artists on show in Mehlem

Mehlem Pictures and works by Chinese artists Zhang Zheyi and Chi Qun are on show at the art room in Villa Friede until 28th May.

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The bicycle on the first floor of the art room in Villa Friede is delectable in every sense. The work has caused the artist Zhang Zheyi (born in 1975) a lot of stress. I have made millions of tiny lego blocks into a cake on the luggage rack of the bike, says art room owner Ren Rong as she translates the words of the Chinese artist.

His work entitled Cake is part of the exhibition Still (quiet) which opened on Sunday in Mehlem. It has a political meaning as well as a playful element, as it remembers the Muslim minority group the Uyghurs who sell their speciality products from their bicycles. After they were beaten by the local tradesmen, they went to court and received compensation, explains Zheyi. This is a sensational achievement for a minority group.

The artist, who lives in Peking, is exhibiting at the art room together with Chi Qun (born in 1981). Both belong to the Chinese federation Art Nova 100 which supports young artists. Our organisation is not funded by the state, but people are open towards us emphasises the female curator Peng Wei. Also Zheyi says that he can work freely. He is an allrounder, explains the curator, he paints, makes films and installations. He is famous in China for his calligraphy. He does not use tradition rice paper but draws the characters on a canvas. His work Exploring Spring is a good example - he lyrically portrayed the death of his dog at the edge of the picture. The picture itself shows at first sight flower buds opening but on closer inspection you can see finely sketched astronauts; it is all an expression of longing.

The art work by Chi Qun, the second person in the group, is by no means objective. The Chinese women who was unable to attend the opening, has devoted herself to abstract lines. She partly uses bamboo to draw up to ten layers of colour on to the canvas. In doing so, she expresses different voices which are always under control, says curator Wei. The mostly large-size works follow an internal order which presupposes an external order  namely the artist herself. The geometry is set against the colour, as can be seen in her work Bright Blue. In the cobalt blue oil painting, three lines are painted like mountains behind which a soft purple shimmers. This smooths the sharp lines of the aggressive looking points, says Ren Rong, explaining how he perceives it. Art Nova representative Wei classes the female artist from Peking as an important representative of abstract art in China.

With the title Still, Rong and the curator have translated the Chinese characters which give the exhibition its name. All works have something meditative about them and they invite the visitors to concentrate on the artists, says Rong. In the case of the watermelon by Zheyi, which is also made a tiny lego blocks, the mind is certainly distracted.

The exhibition Still is on until 28th May every Thursday and Friday from 4pm  7pm and on Saturdays from 11am  4pm at the art room in Villa Friede, Mainzer Strae 141.
Xiaomi 3-Axis shooting stabilizer launched for better photography News oi -Chandrika Now you can shoot videos like a pro

Want to take pictures and shoot videos like a pro? Well, we have a good news for you. Xiaomi has just introduced a gimbal kind of smartphone accessory called the Three-Axis Shooting Stabilizer, which comes with a price tag of RMB 799 ( roughly Rs 7,500).

Coming from MIJIA, Xiaomi's crowdfunding project, the device offers three-axis stabilization. It is teamed with a high precision acceleration, which detects the position of the smartphone. You can take pictures and shoot videos using any one of the four different shooting modes: horizontal movement, Omni-directional movement, locking direction, and vertical mode.

Xiaomi Mi 6 Silver variant won't be released anytime soon

It comes with a brushless motor holding that can rotate from 9-degrees to 30-degrees for a 270-degree rotation.

This will let the users take both slow motion videos and fast-paced videos with negligible distortion.

Apart from taking handheld videos, the shooting stabilizer can be used as a selfie stick as well. It can also be placed on a tripod.

The Three-axis shooting stabilizer packs a 1050mAh battery inside, which is claimed by the company to last up to four hours. It is made of ABS and fibre glass materials. The device measures 266x53x43mm and it weighs approximately 450 grams.

DGI's OSMO Mobile has similar kind of devices which are built on the same three-axis technology, but they come in a bit higher range of price.

As of now, Xiaomi has launched the 3-axis shooting stabilizer only in China. It is available for sale on Xiaomi's Mi Home Crowdfunding platform. The company is yet to announce a global release of the accessory.

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Qualcomm grants Smartron a royalty-bearing 3G and 4G patent license News oi -Chandrika One more step towards Digital India

Qualcomm Incorporated and Smartron India Private Limited recently announced they have signed a 3G and 4G patent license agreement. As per the terms of the agreement, Qualcomm has granted Smartron a royalty-bearing patent license to develop, manufacture and sell WCDMA, CDMA2000, and 4G LTE complete devices. Smartron is not the first Indian OEM, which has gained the direct access to Qualcomm's technology.

"We are pleased to enable Smartron to create compelling products with our industry leading mobile technologies," said, John Han, senior vice president, Qualcomm Incorporated and general manager, Qualcomm Technology Licensing. "It is exciting to see inventions created by our dedicated R&D investment transform people's lives through mobile devices created by OEMs like Smartron," he further added.

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Jim Cathey senior vice president & president, Asia Pacific & India, Qualcomm International, Inc. said that they are "thrilled to enable Smartron in its mission to create technologies that advance the mobile industry."

This collaboration will also help both the companies to get early technology access and advertisements in RF, camera testing and tuning and other important calibrations essential for smart devices.

Smartron will definitely get benefited from this agreement as it will be able to offer better experiences to its end users in terms of technology.

Commenting on the collaboration, said Mahesh Lingareddy, Founder and Chairman, Smartron India Pvt Ltd said, "We are excited to collaborate with a global technology leader like Qualcomm to bring new and powerful products that delight our customers. As India's first premier technology OEM and IoT brand, we are committed to developing next generation of smart devices based on our tronX platform to deliver intelligent experiences to our customers".

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Afghanistan Mourns Victims of Deadly Taliban Assault on Army Base

By Ayaz Gul April 23, 2017

Afghanistan observed a national day of mourning Sunday after a Taliban suicide assault killed scores of soldiers in the deadliest insurgent raid on an military base in 16 years.

Friday's coordinated attack on the regional headquarters of the Afghan National Army in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of the northern Balkh province, has reportedly left at least 140 soldiers dead and many more wounded.

But the Afghan government has not yet officially released the number of casualties as it investigates the incident.

"Afghan president has ordered a full and technical investigation with regards to the attack on the military base. In order that the result of the investigation must be acceptable to the president and the people of Afghanistan," Shah Hussain Murtazawi told a news conference in Kabul.

Death toll

Unnamed security officials and politicians in Balkh have told local reporters the death toll could be as high as at least 180 and that Afghan special forces were also among the victims.

Afghan lawmakers, during heated debates in parliament, harshly criticized authorities for withholding the official death toll. They also demanded top security officials be summoned to parliament to explain their failure to prevent the attack.

Ten heavily armed Taliban suicide bombers disguised as soldiers and riding Afghan military vehicles stormed the 209th Shaheen Corps headquarters and made their way into the center of the heavily fortified facility.

One group of 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, according to witnesses.

At least four attackers had been serving at the base as soldiers and played a key role in executing the deadly raid, the Taliban asserted while claiming responsibility for the violence.

Survivors also told reporters they believed without "inside help" it would not have been possible for Taliban insurgents to make their way deep into the heavily fortified military base.

US Embassy's statement

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, in a statement Sunday, strongly condemned the attack as a "despicable" act and extended its "heartfelt" condolences to the families, friends, and co-workers of the victims.

"This vicious attack only strengthens America's resolve to stand by our brave and courageous Afghan allies. The U.S. commitment is as strong as the hardest steel, and the barbarism of the enemy only hardens our resolve," it said.

Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid released details of the attack on Saturday along with a picture of the purported bombers. He claimed the siege lasted for ten hours and "up to 500 enemy soldiers were killed and wounded, including key officers."

Mujahid 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 Friday's attack on the army base is "a message for all the enemy soldiers, police, intelligence operatives and relevant [Afghan] institutions that this year's [Taliban] operations will be more brutal and painful for them."

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.

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Pentagon Chief Visits Djibouti, Sole US Base in Africa

By Carla Babb April 23, 2017

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has visited Djibouti, the tiny east African nation that is home to the United States' only military base on the continent, in his sweeping tour of the Middle East and Horn of Africa.

Mattis called Djibouti, located on the Bab el-Maned strait, an "important geographic crossroads." Dozens of commercial and military ships travel through the strategic strip of water every day, and the deep Djiboutian port on the strait is used by the U.S. and French navies and about 10 other nations, according to a U.S. official.

In addition to speaking with French and U.S. troops at Camp Lemonnier on Sunday, Mattis met with the Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Minister of Defense Ali Hasan Bahdon.

The base is critical for U.S. exercises and operations on the continent, and U.S. special forces use the facility to conduct counter-terror operations against al-Shabab in neighboring Somalia, according to officials.

Broader powers

Mattis' visit to Djibouti comes less than a month after the White House approved a Pentagon proposal to allow the head of Africa Command to launch offensive attacks against al-Shabab militants in Somalia in support of partner forces.

In a briefing with Mattis Sunday, U.S. Africa Command chief General Thomas Waldhauser said he had not exercised those new authorities, but looked forward to using those "at the appropriate time."

"We continue to develop intelligence and develop targets, and when we have the opportunity, we will use those," Waldhauser said.

The general said the United States maintains a "high bar for certainty" on strikes, stressing the importance of gaining a better sense of the battlefield as large numbers of people are moving around in Somalia as a result of a devastating drought and famine.

The new directive clears the way for an enhanced U.S. presence and more leeway for U.S. strikes against the militant group. Before, U.S. forces were targeting al-Shabab in what they called "self-defense" operations, which the military said protected U.S. advisers operating on the ground with Somali and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces.

Officials say the new mandate is representative of the president's and the defense secretary's desire to "empower" combatant commanders with "more flexibility."

"It's just that now Washington doesn't have to approve every strike there," one official said.

Chinese presence

The United States will soon see another military neighbor in Djibouti, when China completes construction of its first overseas military base.

General Waldhauser recently said it will be the closest facility that a "peer competitor" has ever had to a U.S. base, which he said raises some "security concerns."

Another U.S. official told reporters the U.S. concerns include the "standard counter-intelligence kind" that come anytime you have forces operating within close proximity.

Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy DeLeon told VOA the Chinese base is a bid to increase Beijing's "heavy presence" in the Horn of Africa due to its "clear interest in the resources" there.

While many of the people in the region are poor, the lands and coastal sea floors are rich with minerals, petroleum, gold and natural gas.

DeLeon said Chinese interest in developing some of the poorest areas in the region could be "constructive," especially as the areas are battling a destructive drought.

Mattis, without calling out China by name, urged countries new to the region abide by the rule of law in international waters.

"International law is critical to keeping the waterways open, and it's very important that we maintain the same degree of cooperation in that regard in the future as other countries come in," Mattis said.

Piracy

The Chinese have said the new base will help them play a greater role in maritime security in the area.

After nearly five years without piracy problems in the region, the waters off the coast of Somalia have seen about a half-dozen piracy incidents in the past two months.

Waldhauser told reporters the new incidents appear to be a result of the famine and drought in Somalia.

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North Korea arrests another US citizen, report says

Iran Press TV

Sun Apr 23, 2017 10:4PM

North Korea has reportedly arrested a US citizen as he was trying to fly out of the country, making him the third American national incarcerated in the country over the past year.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited sources as saying on Sunday that the man, identified only by his surname Kim, was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on Friday while he was leaving the country.

Kim, aged in his late 50s, was a former professor at China's Yanbian University of Science and Technology and was in North Korea for about a month to discuss relief activities, Yonhap said.

The reason for the arrest is still unclear, with the US State Department saying there was no official confirmation of the arrest.

"We are aware of reports that a US citizen was detained in North Korea," a State Department official said.

"In cases where US citizens are reported to be detained in North Korea, we work with the Swedish embassy, which serves as the United States' Protecting Power in North Korea. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," the official said.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service as well as the unification and foreign ministries said they could not confirm the report.

However, the director of a group called the World North Korea Research Center in Seoul said his sources in Pyongyang had confirmed the arrest.

The news comes at a tense time in relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

US President Donald Trump has urged China to pressure North Korea to curb its nuclear and missile programs.

Last week, US Vice President Mike Pence warned that "all options are on the table" to curb Pyongyang 's nuclear programs amid speculations that the North may be planning a new atomic test.

Pyongyang continues to pursue its military nuclear program, which it says acts as deterrence against a potential invasion by its adversaries, the US in particular.

Washington, for its part, maintains permanent US bases in allied countries Japan and South Korea, regularly holding joint military exercises with their forces.

At present, two other US citizens -- college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul -- are detained in North Korea after they were served long jail terms.

Last year, the pastor Kim was sentenced last year to 10 years of hard labor for spying and Warmbier was jailed for 15 years for stealing a propaganda sign and for "crimes against the state."

Over the past decade, North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens and later released them following high-profile visits by current or former US officials.

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3 Syrian forces killed in fresh Israeli attack on military camp

Iran Press TV

Sun Apr 23, 2017 7:11AM

Three Syrian forces have been killed in a fresh Israeli attack on a military camp near the southwestern city of Quneitra, a military official says.

The attack hit the al-Fawwar camp on Sunday, wounding two others, the unnamed official told the French news agency AFP.

It was not clear whether the assault was an airstrike or shelling. The attack comes after Israel struck a Syrian army position in the province of Quneitra on the Golan plateau on Friday, "causing damage."

A Syrian military source told the official SANA news agency that the Israeli aggression came after an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate military positions in Quneitra was foiled and the assailants suffered heavy losses.

The Israeli military confirmed the raid in a statement, saying it was conducted shortly after three mortar shells allegedly fired from Syria hit an open area in the northern occupied Golan Heights.

The Tel Aviv regime regularly hits positions held by the Syrian army in the Golan Heights, claiming that the attacks are retaliatory. Syria says the raids aim to help Takfiri militants fighting against government forces.

In the past, the Syrian army has confiscated Israeli-made arms and military equipment from terrorists fighting the government forces. There are also reports that Tel Aviv has been treating the extremists wounded in Syria.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria after the 1967 Six-Day War and later occupied it in a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

The regime has built tens of illegal settlements in the area ever since and used the region to carry out military operations against the Syrian government.

Army advances against militants

Separately on Sunday, Syrian forces recaptured Halfaya town in the west-central Hama Province, the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen TV channel reported.

Meanwhile, pro-opposition media reported fierce clashes between the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) militants and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northern countryside of Hama.

US defense officials also told Fox News that the Daesh terrorist group is now centered in the city of Dayr al-Zawr, some 144 kilometers southeast of Raqqah, the Takfiri outfit's de facto capital in Syria.

They said that US military drones have watched hundreds of Daesh "bureaucrats" or administrators, leaving Raqqah in the past two months.

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U.S. 'Shocked' By OSCE Member Death In Ukraine, Urges Russia To Aid Probe

RFE/RL April 23, 2017

The U.S. State Department has said it was "shocked" over the death of an American citizen serving as an international monitor in separatist-controlled Ukraine and called on Russia to use its influence to allow a full investigation.

The comments came on April 23 after the Organization for Security and Cooperaion in Europe (OSCE) said a member of its monitoring staff was killed and two more were injured after their vehicle hit a mine in eastern Ukraine in an area controlled by Russia-backed separatists.

The OSCE said the two injured members were sent to the hospital for threatment.

A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official confirmed the fatality to RFE/RL and said the person killed in the blast was an American paramedic.

In its statement released late on April 23, the State Department said it was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the death of the American citizen "when his vehicle struck an explosive in separatist-controlled territory."

"This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these couageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats, and harassment," the statement said. "The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent, and timely investigation."

It did not identify the U.S. citizen.

It was the first reported death among OSCE staff members, who were first deployed to the region in 2014 to monitor the cease-fires between the Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces in a conflict that has killed at least 9,940 people.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the incident was a "reminder of the urgent need for progress on a peaceful resolution of the conflict."

A spokesman for Austria's Foreign Ministry said one of the injured was a German woman. The other injured is a Czech citizen, the OSCE said in a press conference held hours after the incident.

An OSCE official told RFE/RL that the names of those involved would be released after their families had been notified.

The OSCE members were on patrol in the separatist-held village of Pryshyb in the Luhansk region when the vehicle is believed to have struck a mine and exploded, the official told RFE/RL.

The Ukrainian military said the incident took place at 10:17 a.m. local time (0717 GMT).

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE in Europe, called for an investigation into the incident and, in a tweet, said he had spoken to the mission's ambassador, Ertugrul Apakan.

"Need thorough investigation; those responsible will be held accountable," he said on Twitter.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a similar call.

"The federal government expects that the parties to the conflict immediately do everything possible to ascertain how we reached this tragic point and who holds responsibility for it," she said.

She also noted it was time for all sides to start honoring a long-promised cease-fire, but noted that the Russian-backed rebels bore the greater responsibility to make sure that happened.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed concern about the killing. "Someone who just wanted to help create peace and put an end to the fighting has lost his life today," he said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko instructed Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin to keep the OSCE informed of Kiev's investigation into the blast.

"This crime must be investigated and those responsible must be punished," Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

"Ukraine condemns all forms of constant resistance by the rebels to the OSCE SMM's work," he added.

A statement issued by the Russia-backed separatists in Luhansk on their website claimed that the OSCE team had veered off the main road and was traveling along an unsafe route.

"We know that this patrol team deviated from the main route and was moving along secondary roads, which is prohibited by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate," the separatist statement said.

Eduard Basurin, a senior separatist figure, said the OSCE vehicle "deviated from its main route and moved onto backroads" when it struck what he said was an antitank mine.

The separatists' claim could not be confirmed.

The unarmed, civilian OSCE mission, with more than 700 international observers, seeks to reduce tensions and report on the situation on the ground in Ukraine.

In March, the 57 member states of the OSCE, which include Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, decided by consensus to extend the mandate of the mission for another year, its third extension since it was first deployed in Ukraine in 2014.

Western nations have imposed sanctions on Moscow for its illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and its support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

With reporting by RFE/RL's correspondent Christopher Miller, AFP, Reuters and DPA

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Christopher Miller, AFP, and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-osce-member- killed-mine-blast/28447060.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia's support for E Ukraine 'obstacle' in Washington-Moscow ties

Iran Press TV

Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:20AM

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Russia's "actions" in eastern Ukraine serve as an "obstacle" in ties between the administration of US President Donald Trump and the Kremlin.

Tillerson, who recently visited Russia, made the comments during a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday, according to acting spokesman Mark Toner.

"Secretary Tillerson phoned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko today to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to the Russian leadership that, although the United States is interested in improving relations with Russia, Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle," Toner said.

He added that the former ExxonMobil CEO also accepted the Ukrainian president's "condolences" in regard to the Sunday death of an American monitor with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, who hit a landmine in eastern Ukraine.

Toner further reiterated Washington's "firm commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and confirmed that sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements," adding that Tillerson also "emphasized the importance of Ukraine's continued progress on reform and combating corruption."

Crimea declared independence from Ukraine on March 17, 2014 and formally applied to become part of Russia following a referendum, in which 96.8 percent of participants voted in favor of the move.

After Crimea rejoined Russia, an armed conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine when Kiev launched military operations to quell similar pro-Russia sentiments there. Ukraine accuses Moscow of involvement in the conflict, a charge Russia has denied.

Trump, who has called for better relations between the Kremlin and the White House, said prior to his election victory that "The people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were."

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A 60-year-old woman was tragically killed in a collision with a train in the early hours of this morning.

Police were called to the Morris Hill level crossing at 3.40am to reports of the incident on the line towards Gloucester, across Swindon Lane.

Gloucestershire Police officers attended with their colleagues from the British Transport Police and they were at the scene until 5.44am.

News of the tragic death sent shockwaves through the local community.

From a council point of view we wish to send our condolences to the womans family, said John Payne, chairman of Prestbury Parish Council.

Its an absolute tragedy. Rail companies do make strenuous efforts to ensure safety on these crossings.

It is particularly sad someone has been killed.

The incident caused delays on CrossCounty, Arriva Trains Wales and Great Western Railway services of up to 30 minutes. There were also some cancellations.

At 6.35am, Great Western Railway reported the line had reopened but they advised that some services may be affected.

As news of the tragedy filtered through to people living in the county, some chose to pay their respects on our Facebook page.

How awful, rip, thoughts go out to her loved ones x, Rebecca Baldwin wrote.

And Laura Bellamy said: Very sad and thoughts go to her family.
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A former firefighter narrowly avoided jail for having extreme child abuse images on his computer after magistrates heard he had turned to Tumblr because he was traumatised by finding a friend dead in a car accident while answering a 999 call.

Jake Elsmore-Mann, of Abbey Street, Cinderford had pleaded guilty to four sex charges during a previous hearing at Cheltenham Magistrates Court.

But today (Monday April 24) magistrates gave him a one year sentence suspended for two years after being told the 25-year-old had struggled with his sexuality and was the victim of failed mental health services.

Defence solicitor Will Rose said struggling to come out as gay sparked his depression and being unable to save his friend in the car accident compounded his mental health problems.

Elsmore-Mann turned to the internet photo site Tumblr to try and block out his problems but police raided his home on November 1 2016 after finding out that his computer IP address had been used to access child pornography.

During police interviews he admitted that between December 3, 2014 and November 1, 2016 he made 57 indecent images of children  videos and stills  of Category A, the worst kind, 69 indecent images of Category B and 246 of Category C.

The fourth charge relates to possession of five extreme pornographic images depicting a dog.

Mental health issues are pivotal in this case, said defence solicitor Mr Rose when bearded Elsmore-Mann appeared in the dock in Cheltenham for sentencing.

Like so many cases going through the criminal justice system, Mr Elsmore-Mann has been failed by the mental health system.

As a young man he struggled with his sexuality and, as anyone can imagine, c

oming out can be daunting, if not petrifying.

He said his client admitted he was gay at the age of 15, started taking anti-depressant medication at the age of 19 and developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after being first on the scene of fatal road accident involving a close friend a few year later.

Because of this he began to withdraw from face-to-face social situations and spend more and more time in the Tumblr chat rooms, the court heard.

He had no desire or intention to commit these offences, it was to meet people he could make legal and meaningful relationships with, said Mr Rose.

But some of these contacts were all too willing to share illegal material. Mr Elsmore-Mann was not searching for or googling images of child abuse, rather they were sent to him while he was on a chat site.

The solicitor said it did not make it right because the 25-year-old had looked at the images, saved them and admitted to police that they provided some sort of release from his mental struggles.

But he said the Cinderford butcher had tried and failed to access mental health services for many years and the medication had failed to address the root cause of his problems which he was now tackling with the help of the Together Trust.

Arguing for a non-custodial sentence he said Elsmore-Mann accepted he had to be punished but that mental health intervention would be better than putting somebody of previous good character behind bars.

He pointed out that previous magistrates had decided not to refer the case to crown court because the former fire cadet was of previous good character, there were no aggravating factors and his mental health issues were clear.

Magistrates warned Elsmore Mann downloading 47 category A images, which included ten videos, clearly passed the custody threshold and they had seriously considered putting him behind bars.

But in the end they decided the 12 month sentence should be suspended for two years because he was finally getting help. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years, undertake 40 sessions with the probation service and 20 days on a rehabilitation course and pay 85 costs with a 140 victim surcharge. His computer will be destroyed.

Magistrates turned down a prosecution request for a sexual prevention order which would have banned him from having contact with anybody under 16 because they did not believe it was necessary.

Addressing the public gallery, magistrates said it was rare to see parents in court for such cases and praised Elsmore-Manns family for giving him the help and ongoing support he needed to address the mental health issues that had led to the court appearance.

Stewart Edgar, chief fire officer at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, previously said he resigned from the fire service on December 2, 2016, a month after police raided his home.
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It's all go for Winchcombe rock band Erica which have returned from London after winning their second national competition in two years.

Having already opened V Fest in Chelmsford in 2015 after winning a National Battle of the Bands they can now add playing Primo Maggio in Rome to their gig list.

This is due to winning the London event hosted by 1M Europe.

It was held at Cargo London, and saw each band performing a 15 minute set to a panel of judges which included producer and songwriter Andy Wright, who has worked with the likes of Simply Red, The Eurythmics and Annie Lennox.

The band consists of Dalton Woodward on vocal and guitar, Jason Burger on bass and Will Hall on drums.

They performed a mix of songs from both of their albums, Son of the Highland and Hollow Moon.

And now, thanks to their success in the competition, Erica will follow in the footsteps of Oasis and Led Zeppelin when they perform at Primo Maggio held on May 1.

It's Italy's biggest free live concert celebrating "Labor Day" which draws a crowd between 80,000 to 100,000.

It will be broadcast live on RAI Italy's national TV with viewing figures of over 8 million.

Erica's manager Jez Sprigg said: "On behalf of all at Erica we are thrilled to have won the Primo Maggio Festival appearance on May 1, and are looking forward to taking our music to Italy. Thank you to everyone for their continued support as we make our move on the rock music world."

Later this year Erica will also be performing at both CarFest events hosted by Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans for Children In Need.

You can also catch closer to home Erica at Eastnor Castle when they return to play the main stage at Lakefest on 12 August .

You can find out more about Erica by visiting their website.
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Yes, you read that headline right.

And no, if you even remotely lack self-confidence, this is not for you.

Butlers in the Buff are hiring, and they are after prime specimens to carry out the role all over the country - including Gloucestershire.

As a teaser, they've told the story of one of their top butlers, Floris Schatz, whose rear end is insured for an eye-watering $1million.

Floris said: The women who hire us expect the very best, so any injury that affects the way we look can really impact on the service were able to provide, in turn affecting our income. Its always better to be safe than sorry so I decided to insure my bum.

Male strippers and naked butlers have been in huge demand over recent years, especially since the release of Magic Mike starring Channing Tatum.

Women up and down the country are queueing up to get a piece of the action, creating some fantastic career opportunities for body conscious, confident men with a good sense of humour.

The companys founder and seasoned butler Dan Harley says hes on the lookout for new recruits, so if the idea of spending your evenings and weekends being adored by red blooded women floats your boat nows your chance.

There are opportunities throughout the whole of the UK and full training is provided, with new recruits learning the ropes from more experienced butlers before taking on any individual assignments.

Were looking for good looking, sexy, muscular men aged between 23 and 40 to join the team at Butlers with Bums and our parent company Adonis Cabaret. If youve got a great body youre happy to show off and an outgoing personality, get in touch, said Dan.

To find out more, visit here.
A gap in health care coverage that long has left Medicaid recipients in addiction treatment programs vulnerable is being closed.

Motivated by the opioid epidemic, Virginia began reimbursing agencies for providing substance use disorder treatments like inpatient detoxification and medication-assisted opioid treatment to Medicaid recipients April 1.

In the past, Medicaid patients had community detox and then they would have to go into an outpatient program, and oftentimes, people with long-term addictions would not succeed in their recovery because they needed sort of a step-down, and they didnt have it, Damien Cabezas, CEO of Horizon Behavioral Health, said last month as Horizon prepared to double the number of beds in its downtown crisis stabilization and detox programs.

Those beds are the stepping stones individuals need as they fight addiction. More are being opened because of the reimbursements.

In other states, where those services were provided, you saw a higher rate of successful recovery, so were thrilled were able to offer this in Virginia. It will save a lot of lives, Cabezas said.

The money comes from the $16 million Virginia Medicaid Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) benefit allocation and marks the first time providers have been able to get reimbursed by Medicaid for a host of addiction services. It also increases reimbursement rates for some services.

According to Karen Kimsey, deputy director of complex care services at Virginias Department of Medical Assistance Services, which administers the benefits through Medicaid and the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), the benefit was funded in the 2016 Appropriations Act because of the opioid epidemic and the number of Medicaid recipients without access to the services.

Theres a desperate need for these services to support individuals in our community, Kimsey said.

According to a January 2016 policy brief for the state Senate prepared by Virginia Commonwealth University, at least 40,000 adults in the commonwealths Medicaid program have a substance abuse disorder.

Eight million dollars now will be used from Virginias general fund annually to support the effort. For every 50 cents the state spends, the federal government will match it, Kimsey said.

We are very excited about it, Kimsey said, adding the state already has attracted robust provider participation.

Medicaid participants now have coverage for in-patient hospital detoxification for 15 days, community-based residential detoxification for another 15 days, residential substance abuse treatment for an average of 30 days, out-patient programs and more.

Horizon, one of about 40 community service boards in Virginia, provides mental health and developmental services to Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell. As one of the 14 agencies approved to participate in ARTS in the Lynchburg area, Horizon hopes to be the one locals turn to for care. Cabezas said the new reimbursement will cover the cost of services for the most part.

The Lynchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center, a private company that provides medication assisted treatment (MAT) to individuals trying to break their addiction to opioids, aims to begin accepting Medicaid patients by June 1.

David Cassise, clinic director of Lynchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center, said in an email last month while demand at his Lynchburg clinic has remained constant since its March 2015 opening, the biggest problem is not the need for MAT services but the fact that individuals needing those services are not aware of what is out there.

Medicaid will certainly help those that are already aware but cant afford it, Cassise said. The Lynchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center serves about 300 patients annually with methadone, Subutex, Vivitrol or Suboxone, which treat individuals with opioid use disorder.

After closing its Suboxone clinic in 2016 due to a lack of funding, Horizon reopened it in March to four clients as an outpatient service with a waivered physician specifically licensed to provide the treatment, according to a spokesperson. Horizon is in the process of getting a license from the state to offer MAT under ARTS.

Cabezas said Horizon hopes to be able to provide MAT to 20 clients in May and is looking for a full-time physician to support the expansion.

Another a medication-assisted treatment program in Lynchburg, Addiction Allies, LLC, will work with ARTS benefits to help Medicaid recipients overcome substance use disorders. It has formed a partnership with the Madeline Centre, LLC a behavioral health treatment provider in Lynchburg and Danville. According to its website, Addiction Allies prescribes medications such as Suboxone and Vivitrol for opiate addiction.

In an email, Dr. Christopher von Elten said Addiction Allies will offer physician assessment and medication treatment, individual and group counseling, case management and an Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) program.

Outpatient treatment with medication increases success rates and is the most cost effective treatment available, von Elten said.

This massive increase in access is in response to the opioid epidemic, which claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Virginians in 2016, according to the Virginia Medical Examiners Office. Virginia saw just 515 fatal opioid overdoses in 2007.

After seeing the number of fatal drug overdoses in Virginia increase by 35 percent in the first half of 2016, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared opioid addiction a public health emergency.

This week, Jim Sikkema, chairman of Horizons board of directors, said, I think that given the real challenges that not just Virginia but the entire country is facing with a broad array of alcohol and drug abuse, with the opioid crisis in Virginia, this is what started waking people up; the problem has already been there.

The opioid crisis in Virginia is really what caused the current action, he said.

Over the past nine years, Southwest Virginia has been hit hardest.

The opioid overdose death rate from 2007 to 2016 in Russell and Tazewell counties now stands at 25 percent and is even higher in Wise and Dickenson counties, at 26 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Cabezas said Northern Virginia and Richmond also have seen significant losses.

Here in Central Virginia, weve been fortunate, Cabezas said. We have not seen those alarming increases, but we are seeing increases in Bedford, Amherst, [and] Campbell with significant increases in Appomattox, [it is] not to the extent that we are seeing in other parts of the state but enough that [it] is concerning us, Cabezas said.

According to the state medical examiners office, in the past five years there have been 41 fatal opioid overdoses in Danville and 32 in Pittsylvania County.

All those numbers could climb, though, as 60 cases from 2016 remain open at the state medical examiners office awaiting additional reports to certify cause and manner of death.

Theres really [not] a family that hasnt been touched by this, Kimsey said.

Sikkema, a licensed clinical social worker, began his career helping those with substance abuse issues.

Funding and residential treatment are essential, he said.

Residential [treatment] is so critical because it provides the stabilization and the integration for whats essential [for clients] to maintain sobriety and stay clean, Sikkema said.

Because there previously was no money for these services, there now is a pent-up demand, he said.

He calls the funding heartening and said Horizon can expand based on demand.

Its finally happening in Virginia, he said.

Horizons crisis stabilization unit served 595 patients, and its detoxification unit served 470 patients from January 2016 to December 2016, according to Cabezas.

He said Horizon has seen a 10 percent increase in patients in each of those programs every year for the past three years.

In anticipation of more growth because of ARTS funds, Horizon separated its detox and crisis stabilization units onto separate floors at the Horizon Wellness Center at Court Street facility and expanded each. The detox unit now can accommodate 16 patients, up from six, and the crisis stabilization unit now has 16 beds, up from 10.

Horizon also is hiring 25 additional staff.

Theres a huge job creation in terms of this, Cabezas said.

Horizon also plans to open the doors of its six-person recovery residence for women with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues on Denver Avenue in Lynchburg on May 1. The residential treatment house, which will cost about $150,000 annually to operate, was supposed to open in December 2015 and be funded by the agencys nonprofit and state money. It never opened because of a lack of funding, according to Cabezas.

Previously, Medicaid didnt provide a reimbursement for recovery residences like the Denver Avenue house.

As providers and patients begin making use of the ARTS benefits, Kimsey said the state will be monitoring health outcomes closely to demonstrate the value of the benefits.

We anticipate seeing an improvement in their health outcomes, Kimsey said, explaining DMAS expects the funding to translate into better access to health care, fewer emergency department visits, fewer hospitalizations, reduction in overdoses, and coordinated health care for Medicaid recipients.

DMAS has a contract with VCU to evaluate access to care, outcomes, program expenditures and determine if the benefits help decrease patients overall health care costs. It will provide a report to the legislature once there are measureable results.

Which still leaves us the problem of the uninsured, Cabezas said.

According to the 2015 American Community Survey released in September of 2016, approximately 746,000 Virginians remain uninsured, down from 1 million in 2010.

Cabezas said about 300,000 uninsured Virginians have mental health or substance abuse issues.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - Anfield Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ARY) (OTCQB: ANLDF) (FRANKFURT: 0AD) ("Anfield" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it will be attending the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle conference in Toronto, located at the Delta Hotel on April 25-27, 2017. The conference will allow Anfield to meet with entities representing various parts of the nuclear cycle, including uranium production, uranium procurement, uranium trading, and uranium conversion.

About the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle conference

Organized by the Nuclear Energy Institute and the World Nuclear Association, the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2017 provides a top-level international forum for senior industry leaders to discuss the issues affecting the commercial nuclear fuel cycle today, with a focus on enhancing the economic competitiveness of the nuclear energy industry.

About Anfield

Anfield is an energy metals exploration, development and near-term production company that is committed to becoming a top-tier energy-related fuels supplier by creating value through sustainable, efficient growth in its energy metals assets. Anfield is a publicly-traded corporation listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (ARY-V), the OTCQB Marketplace (ANLDF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (0AD). Anfield is focused on two production centres, as summarized below:

Arizona/Colorado/Utah - Shootaring Canyon Mill

A key asset in Anfield's existing conventional uranium portfolio is the Shootaring Canyon Mill in Garfield County, Utah. The Shootaring Canyon Mill is strategically located within one of the historically most prolific uranium production areas in the United States, and is one of only three licensed uranium mills in the United States.

Anfield's conventional uranium assets consist of mining claims and state leases in southeastern Utah, Colorado and Arizona, targeting areas where past uranium mining or prospecting occurred. Anfield's conventional uranium assets include the Velvet-Wood Project, the Frank M Uranium Project, as well as the Findlay Tank breccia pipe. All conventional uranium assets are situated within a 125-mile radius of the Shootaring Mill.

Wyoming - Irigaray ISR Processing Plant (Resin Processing Agreement)

Anfield has also signed a Resin Processing Agreement with Uranium One wherein Anfield would process up to 500,000 pounds per annum of its mined material at Uranium One's Irigaray processing plant in Wyoming. In addition, should Anfield sign uranium sales contracts, the Company can both buy and borrow uranium from Uranium One in order to fulfill some or all of its contracts.

Anfield's ISR mining projects are located in the Black Hills, Powder River Basin, Great Divide Basin, Laramie Basin, Shirley Basin and Wind River Basin areas in Wyoming.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Anfield Resources Inc.

Corey Dias, Chief Executive Officer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Safe Harbor Statement

THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS". STATEMENTS IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THAT ARE NOT PURELY HISTORICAL ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INCLUDE ANY STATEMENTS REGARDING BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE.

EXCEPT FOR THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN, MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS, INCLUDING STATEMENTS THAT ARE PRECEDED BY, FOLLOWED BY, OR THAT INCLUDE SUCH WORDS AS "ESTIMATE," "ANTICIPATE," "BELIEVE," "PLAN" OR "EXPECT" OR SIMILAR STATEMENTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES FOR THE COMPANY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MINERAL EXPLORATION AND FUNDING AS WELL AS THE RISKS SHOWN IN THE COMPANY'S MOST RECENT ANNUAL AND QUARTERLY REPORTS AND FROM TIME-TO-TIME IN OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPANY. OTHER RISKS INCLUDE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SEEKING THE CAPITAL NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THE REGULATORY APPROVAL PROCESS, COMPETITIVE COMPANIES, FUTURE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND THE COMPANY'S ABILITY AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR ITS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE COMPANY WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THAT THE COMPANY'S EXPLORATION EFFORTS WILL SUCCEED OR THE COMPANY WILL ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, AND THE COMPANY ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, OR TO UPDATE THE REASONS WHY ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY BELIEVES THAT THE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS AND INTENTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE ARE REASONABLE, THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THOSE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN AND SHOULD ALSO REFER TO THE RISK FACTORS DISCLOSED IN THE COMPANY'S PERIODIC REPORTS FILED FROM TIME-TO-TIME.

THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS.
TSX.V: CPO

VANCOUVER, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Cobalt Power Group Inc. (the "Company") (TSX.V: CPO) is pleased to announce that plans for its Phase 1 drill program on the Smith Cobalt project have been finalized. Ground and airborne geophysics, along with historical mapping data and 3D modeling, were used to delineate the targets that will be tested during the 4 to 6 week program. The approximately 1800 meter (5900 ft.) campaign, focusing on the northwestern section of the property, will be carried out by G4 Drilling, based out of Val-d'Or, Quebec.

The objectives of the drill program are to expand the Company's knowledge of the geological setting of the known veins that extend from the nearby Deer Horn Mine onto the Smith Cobalt property, to extend the strike length of those veins from the historic Smith Cobalt underground workings toward the southeast, and to confirm the values deduced from the muck pile sampling (see news release dated January 9th, 2017) and make initial determinations of grade and thickness.

This phase of drilling will be carried out entirely on patented land. The Company is also initiating the permitting process for exploration work on its unpatented claims.

Dr. Andreas Rompel, President & CEO, states, "We are excited to be moving forward into this next stage of development on the Smith Cobalt asset with the assistance of a well-renowned drilling company. Our objective is to maintain our exploration momentum and be the first exploration company in the Cobalt, Ontario region to begin drilling in 2017."

In late April, management will be on the Smith Cobalt property to complete preliminary preparations for the program. The campaign will begin once weather conditions permit.

About the Smith Cobalt Project

The Smith Cobalt project is underlain by a sequence of Archaean volcanics which are uncomformably overlain by Huronian sediments. These formations have been intruded by the Proterozoic-age Nipissing diabase sill. Faulting, on both a regional and local scale, has been found by surface mapping and in drill cores. Polymetallic veining, and especially pinkish-white carbonate veins, has also been reported. Thus, all the necessary geological components of accepted mineralization models for cobalt-silver have been identified on the properties.

About Cobalt Power Group Inc.

Cobalt Power Group Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (TSX-V: CPO) focused on cobalt exploration and development.

The Company has made a series of strategic property acquisitions over the past year, seeking cobalt mineralization near Cobalt, Ontario - a region with a long history of silver and associated cobalt production. Property holdings total 826.4 hectares (2042 acres) in contiguous and strategic claim blocks. There are several historic mining operations on the properties that are potentially accessible, including the Smith Cobalt shaft and its underground workings.

Chris M. Healey, P. Geo, VP Exploration and Director of Cobalt Power Group is the qualified person responsible for the technical content of this release, and consents to its dissemination.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Andreas Rompel"

_________________

Dr. Andreas Rompel, President and CEO

Cobalt Power Group Inc.

www.cobaltpowergroup.com

We seek safe harbor.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Forward Looking Information

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this News Release. WARNING: The Company relies on litigation protection for "forward looking" statements. Actual results could differ materially from those described in the news release as a result of numerous factors, some of which are outside the control of the Company. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

SOURCE Cobalt Power Group Inc.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) -

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Sama Resources Inc./Ressources Sama Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SME) ("Sama" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the first tranche of its previously announced increased non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") by issuing 13,807,161 units (the "Units) at a price of CAN$0.15 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $2,071,074.95.

Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereto to purchase for a period of sixty (60) months one additional Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price per Warrant Share of CAN$0.20 provided that in the event that the closing price of the Corporation's common shares on any stock exchange is CAD$0.30 or greater per common share during a 20 consecutive trading day period at any time after the Closing Date (as defined herein), the Warrants will expire, at the sole discretion of the Corporation, 30 days after the date on which the Corporation provides notice of such fact to the holders thereof.

The Corporation paid a cash commission of $80,766 and issued 538,400 broker warrants to purchase Common Shares exercisable at a price of $0.20 per Common Share for a period of 60 months in connection with the closing of the Private Placement.

Net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for the advancement of the Company's exploration and development programs and for general working capital purposes related thereto.

The Private Placement is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issuable pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

Sama is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company with projects in West Africa. For more information about Sama, please visit Sama's website at www.samaresources.com.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains forward looking statements. More particularly, this release contains statements concerning the anticipated Private Placement. Although Sama believes that the expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Sama can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The closing of the Private Placement could be delayed if Sama is not able to obtain the necessary regulatory and stock exchange approvals on the timelines it has planned. The Private Placement will not be completed at all if these approvals are not obtained or some other condition to the closing is not satisfied. Accordingly, there is a risk that the Private Placement will not be completely sold, completed within the anticipated time or at all. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Sama's operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com).
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 24, 2017) - Asian Mineral Resources Ltd. ("AMR" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ASN) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a net smelter royalty return agreement (the "NSR Agreement") with Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. ("Cobalt 27") related to the sale of cobalt by AMR from its Ta Khoa concession in Vietnam.

Under the terms of the NSR Agreement, AMR will receive C$300,000 equivalent in common shares of Cobalt 27 in exchange for granting Cobalt 27 a 3% net smelter return on sales of cobalt from the Ta Khoa concession. The price per common share will be equal to the price per common share offered by Cobalt 27 pursuant to its offering of common shares (the "Cobalt 27 Offering") under its preliminary prospectus dated April 21, 2017. Receipt of the common shares from Cobalt 27 as payment and the effectiveness of the NSR Agreement is dependent on certain matters being completed, including the receipt of material third party consents and the closing of the Cobalt 27 Offering, on or before September 30, 2017.

ABOUT AMR

AMR owns and operates one of the world's few sources of nickel sulphide ore, and is exploring for additional high-grade nickel assets in Vietnam. AMR commenced commercial production from its 90%- owned Ban Phuc Nickel Mine in Vietnam in mid-2013. As of 30 June 2016, the Ban Phuc Nickel Mine has produced a total of c. 20,000 tonnes of nickel and c. 10,000 tonnes of copper contained in concentrate, plus a cobalt by-product since the beginning of its mine life. Mining and processing operations at Ban Phuc were suspended in September 2016 and operations were transitioned to a care and maintenance scenario. In addition to in and near-mine expansion projects, Ban Phuc provides a platform from which AMR can continue to focus on developing a new nickel camp within its 150km2 of concessions located throughout the highly-prolific Song Da rift zone, where AMR has a number of advanced-stage nickel exploration targets.

For further details on AMR, please refer to the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report - Ban Phuc Nickel Project" dated February 15, 2013 available on SEDAR or the AMR website www.asianmineralres.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, the completion of conditions precedent under the NSR Agreement, completion of the Cobalt 27 financing and receipt of payment under the NSR Agreement, potential mineralization and reserve and resource estimates, exploration results and future plans and objectives of AMR are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of AMR to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from AMR's expectations are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in AMR's Annual Information Form, and elsewhere in AMR's documents filed from time-to-time with the TSX Venture Exchange and other regulatory authorities. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including: that contracted parties provide goods and/or services on the agreed timeframes; that parties are able to complete financings on agreeable terms; that third parties provide required consents acting reasonably; that on-going contractual negotiations will be successful and progress and/or be completed in a timely manner; that application for permits and licences will be granted/obtained in a timely manner; that no unusual geological or technical problems occur; that plant and equipment work as anticipated and that there is no material adverse change in the price of applicable minerals and metals. Although AMR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release. AMR disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) -

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS AGENCIES

Asante Gold Corp. (CSE:ASE)(CSE:ASE.CN)(FRANKFURT:1A9)(OTC:ASGOF) ("Asante" or the "Company") has received final assay results from the first drilling program in the historical MEM shaft/showing area on our Keyhole Option property, Asankrangwa gold belt, Ghana.

The program was designed as the first modern drill test of bedrock for gold mineralization in a structurally favourable area where extensive alluvial mining has been ongoing over the last 30 years.

The program consisted of 1,151m of diamond drilling in twelve holes, surface sampling and ground geophysics and has confirmed that the MEM showing is part of a northeast trending gold mineralized shear that is in excess of 250m in length, 120m in depth, and is open to extension in all directions.

Based on the success of this initial program, an expanded program to further test and extend the zone and outline other potential mineralized zones is being planned.

Five holes were spotted in the MEM area where recent grab samples of sulfidic and vuggy quartz reef dump material from artisanal shafts averaged 15.5g/t gold, and historical underground sampling results to 8m widths grading 25g/t gold were reported by Junner, Gold Coast Geological Survey, 1933.

Drillhole MEM17-001B was spotted to test directly under the old MEM shaft area and intersected 13.12g/t gold over 3.0m at a down hole depth of 139m. The intersection was vertically ~120m below the showing in a graphitic shear zone hosted in meta-greywacke/argillite, with quartz, sulfide mineralization and with minor visible gold noted. Core orientation data suggest that the shear zone is sub-parallel to the regional foliation at azimuth 030 to 046 degrees with a moderate to steep dip to the northwest. A photo of the mineralization is at: http://www.asantegold.com/assets/docs/pdf/nr/MEM17-001b 140.3m.pdf.

Drillhole MEM17-002 was drilled 85m to the southwest of the MEM showing, and intersected two shear zones grading 3.43g/t over 3.0m and 3.46g/t over 1.5m at down hole depths of 64.5 and 75.0m respectively. Drillhole MEM17-010B tested the structure 60m to the northeast of the MEM showing intersecting a narrow shear zone that graded 2.0g/t gold over 0.3m. Two of the five drillholes had to be abandoned - one in heavily fractured ground/shear zone and the other in brecciated quartz/greywacke and mud filled underground workings.

In addition, twenty five surface grab/channel samples over ~1.0m widths were taken in recently exposed saprolite in an area ~120m to the northeast of the MEM showing, with the best section grading 1.89g/t over 3m.

The balance of the drillholes were collared to test anomalous IP and interpreted structural targets from a recent ground geophysical orientation program. Regional scale-fracture controlled pyrite mineralization was intersected, accounting for many of the noted IP responses. Areas with interpreted high resistivities appear related to thicker sections of greywacke interbedded with the argillaceous phyllite host.

A map showing the MEM area drill collars and significant gold intersections is available at: http://www.asantegold.com/assets/docs/pdf/nr/MEMdrillPlan.pdf. Recent pictures from the drill program are available at: http://www.asantegold.com/projects/keyhole-option.

The Keyhole Option covers a 6km long section of the Ankobra River and is strategically located at the intersection of three major regional gold mineralized trends:

the Asankrangwa Gold Belt which hosts ~11 million ounces* of gold resources at the Asanko Gold Mine (formerly known as PMI Gold Corp.'s Obotan Mine), and Esaase gold projects located 36km and 60km respectively to the northeast;





a major continental scale basement structure noted on regional aeromagnetic surveys which is spatially related to the 66 million ounce* AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine and the 7.6 million ounce* Newmont Akyem Mine, located 57km and 130km to the east northeast; and





the north trending Ankobra River lineament and its extensions which connects 90km to the south the +60 million ounces total resource* gold mines at Bogosu, Prestea and Tarkwa operated by GoldenStar, AngloGold Ashanti, and Goldfields, with Newmont's 15.3 million ounce* Ahafo Mine 100km to the north. (*past production plus current resources).





Keyhole, under option from Sikasante Mining Company Limited, adjoins Asante's Ashanti II Gold project: http://www.asantegold.com/news/asante-gold-acquires-kubi-mining-leases-and-eight-prospecting-licenses-in-ghana and map at http://www.asantegold.com/assets/img/goldentristruckeyhole.jpg. Asante can earn up to 100% in the Keyhole Gold Project by completing $500,000 in work over four years, issuing 1.25 million shares, and reserving for Sikasante a 2% net smelter return royalty.

Douglas MacQuarrie, President & CEO commented: "These drill results are highly encouraging and reinforce our confidence in the potential for finding further gold mineralization at Keyhole. An expanded program will look at extending the mineralized zones as well as test further areas within the property with gold potential."

On behalf of the Board,

"Douglas R. MacQuarrie"

President and CEO

Significant assays >=0.50g/t Au are noted in the table below:

Drill Hole From (metres) To (metres) Intercept (metres) Estimated True Width (metres) Wt. Average

g/t Au, uncut MEM17-001 42.00 43.00 1.00 NA 0.76 MEM17-001B 40.50 42.00 1.50 NA 0.79 137.00 138.00 1.00 NA 0.50 139.00 140.00 1.00 NA 0.62 140.00 141.00 1.00 NA 27.50 141.00 142.00 1.00 NA 11.25 MEM17-002 64.50 67.50 3.00 NA 3.43 75.00 76.50 1.50 NA 3.46 MEM17-006 43.50 43.95 0.45 NA 0.65 MEM17-010 58.00 58.50 0.50 NA 0.84 MEM17-010B 84.20 84.50 0.30 NA 1.99 84.50 85.50 1.00 NA 0.65

Table One: Significant Drill Hole Assay Results

Drill Hole WGS84E WGS84N Dip (deg) Azimuth (deg) Length (m) MEM17-001 588272 672281 -45 315 45 MEM17-001B 588272 672278 -60 315 156 MEM17-002 588157 672298 -50 153 110 MEM17-003 588470 672380 -60 315 77 MEM17-004 587948 673135 -50 135 113 MEM17-005 588101 672994 -45 135 98 MEM17-006 587871 672938 -45 135 92 MEM17-007 587728 672924 -45 135 94 MEM17-008 587719 672657 -45 135 92 MEM17-009 588060 672622 -45 135 91 MEM17-010 588237 672387 -55 139 75 MEM17-010B 588239 672385 -60 139 108

Table Two: Drill Collar data

Scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Douglas R. MacQuarrie, P.Geo. (B.C.) Geology & Geophysics, the President and CEO of the Company, who is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. Field work, core logging and sampling was supervised by Donald G. Allen, MASc. P.Eng. (B.C.) who is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. HQ and NQ core was logged, sawn and sampled at our core logging facility in Dunkwa, with half core samples sent to ALS Ghana Limited laboratory in Kumasi, and analyzed for gold by fire assay-AA on a 50 gram sample charge. Laboratory QC consisted of inserting both blanks and standards into the sample stream and multiple re-assays of selected anomalous samples. Results from the QC program suggest that the reported results are accurate. Intercept lengths reported are core lengths, as true widths cannot be accurately determined at this stage in the exploration.

About Asante Gold Corporation

Asante and BXC Company Ghana Limited have agreed to form a 50:50 Joint Venture to develop the Kubi Mining Lease in Ghana as a potential near term underground mine; and Asante is exploring the Keyhole, Fahiakoba and Betenase concessions, all adjoining or along strike of major gold mines near the centre of Ghana's Golden Triangle.

Additional information is available on our web site at: www.asantegold.com

This news release contains statements of forward-looking information (or "FLI") including those in respect of future exploration, joint venture, development, permitting and mining at Kubi and the other properties in which the Company has an interest, financings, requisite shareholder approvals and timing for closing of the options. FLI involves risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to vary from the FLI. The risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the risk of failure to obtain sufficient financing; the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineralization; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in production and operations; the availability and costs of suitable toll milling facilities; fluctuating prices of metals and other commodities; currency fluctuations; the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability and the lack of any assurance that the Company will receive all of the necessary governmental title and approvals to proceed with the development of its projects. The material factors and assumptions on which the FLI is based include the extensive Kubi drilling database and current mineral resource estimate, the previously successful permitting, mining, trucking and milling operations at Kubi, the local availability of skilled labor, plant and machinery, and the positive results from previous metallurgical tests on the Kubi Main deposit mineralization. The Company undertakes no obligation to update FLI except as required by applicable law. Such information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on FLI.

Neither IIROC nor any stock exchange or other securities regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 24, 2017) - KWG Resources Inc. (CSE:KWG)(CSE:KWG.CN)(FRANKFURT:KW6) ("KWG" or the "Company") announces that on Friday, April 21, 2017 the Company held a special shareholders' meeting, the shareholders voting in favour of two of the items tabled at the meeting, namely approval of the amendment to the stock option plan and setting the number of directors (between the minimum and maximum prescribed by the Company's articles) at six (6). Given the extensive distribution of shares and the tight timing of mailing of meeting materials, the shareholders adjourned the meeting to allow additional votes to be received with respect to the third item tabled at meeting, namely a special resolution intended to create a new class of shares.

The special meeting of shareholders of KWG will, therefore, reconvene at 11:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on May 12, 2017 at 199 Bay Street, Suite 2200, Toronto, Ontario.

About KWG:

KWG is the Operator of the Black Horse Joint Venture after acquiring a vested 50% interest through Bold Ventures Inc. which is carried for 10% (20% of KWG's equity in the JV) by KWG funding all exploration expenditures. KWG also owns 100% of CCC which has staked claims and conducted a surveying and soil testing program, originally for the engineering and construction of a railroad to the Ring of Fire from Aroland, Ontario. KWG subsequently acquired intellectual property interests, including a method for the direct reduction of chromite to metalized iron and chrome using natural gas. KWG subsidiary Muketi Metallurgical LP is prosecuting two chromite-refining patent applications in Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and USA. The filings have been receipted in each of those jurisdictions.

Forward-Looking Statements: Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release
Boise, Idaho (FSCwire) - Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. (the Company or Thunder Mountain) (TSX-V: THM; OTCQB: THMG) announced today that they have selected SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc. (SRK) to complete the Company`s South Mountain Preliminary Economic Analysis (PEA, or the Study).

The PEA will be prepared pursuant to NI 43-101 requirements suitable for submittal to TSX/OSC. SRK will help develop data gaps and provide guidance on the ongoing resource development work planned to start this field season. The Study will be equally weighted on the development of a new resource model and an optimized mine plan. Depending on the level of design detail associated with the proposed mill facility, SRK will either develop a PEA-level process flow sheet, or review and comment on designs by others. Facilities will have proposed locations on the Company`s private land holdings with sensitivity to any potential environmental issues. SRK will prepare the economics to a PEA-level of accuracy.

Once the development commences this spring, plans are for the Sonneman Level drift to be extended to the historic Texas ore zone, a distance of about 350 feet. Two core rigs are planned for extending the South Mountain resource, and testing extensions of the high-priority zones. One will begin on the DMEA 2 zone to complete the drilling initiated, but not completed, in 2013. A second core drill will focus primarily on the Texas zone to extend resources at depth beyond the current inferred resource area. In Addition, bulk samples will be collected for metallurgical test work, which will be orchestrated in part by SRK.

Were very encouraged with drill results at South Mountain completed in 2013, said Mr. Collord, Thunder Mountain Chief Operating Officer. Now that the underground has been safely and securely opened up, it shows tremendous down dip potential of these high grade zinc, silver, gold, copper, and lead zones. These high grade zones will be incorporated into the early years of the South Mountain mine plan. Given the associated economic upside of such a scenario, we plan to aggressively delineate the near-term economic extent of the mineralization at South Mountain, and we are glad to have SRK on board.

Strategic Discussions Continuing with Potential Partners

Commenting on the appointment of SRK, Thunder Mountain Gold President and CEO Eric T. Jones said, We are very pleased to have SRK engaged to assist us in the advancement of the South Mountain Project. Resource modeling and delineation work will start immediately, followed by the planned underground core drilling and additional drift rehabilitation once we have secured the required funding. We are actively working to secure the necessary capital to fully fund the PEA and associated development activities, and are currently in discussions with potential new investors and/or strategic partners.

Based on the work we have done to date at South Mountain, we already have the ability to move underground core drill rigs to identified exploration targets that are outlined in our model. We believe there is excellent geological potential to not only expand these major zones down-dip, but to also make additional South Mountain-type discoveries in the area, Mr. Jones added.

SRK Consulting was formed in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1974 as Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten. Today, SRK provides focused advice and solutions for clients requiring specialized services, mainly in the fields of mining, surface and underground geotechnics, water, waste materials, process engineering, the environment and mineral economics. The Group employs more than 1,400 professionals internationally and has over 45 permanently staffed offices in 20 countries on six continents. SRKs staff in North America includes over 200 engineers, geologists, scientists and support staff. A broad range of internationally recognized associate consultants complement this staff. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for them to call on their international offices for expertise, insuring our clients are provided with the best project team. By combining the talents of our international staff and associates, SRK has successfully undertaken the most challenging assignments.

SRK is a focused mining consulting group with approximately 90% of their businesses sourced from the international mining sector. SRK has completed projects globally for a variety of clients, including mining companies, financial institutions, securities commissions, private industry, government departments, utilities corporations and attorneys.

Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc, is a U.S.  based exploration company founded in 1935, with direct ownership interest in two U.S. precious and base metal projects. The Companys principal asset is The South Mountain Project  a zinc-silver-gold project with copper and lead, formerly producing in the 1940`s, and located in southern Idaho`s Owyhee County. The Company`s Trout Creek Project is a grass roots gold target, drill ready, and located in the Eureka-Battle Mountain trend of central Nevada. For more information on Thunder Mountain Gold, please visit the Companys website at www.Thundermountaingold.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. The forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, which could change materially in the future. By their nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

Cautionary Note to Investors

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce.

For further information, please contact:

Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc.

Eric Jones Jim Collord President and Chief Executive Officer Chief Operating Officer eric@thundermountaingold.com jim@thundermountaingold.com Tel: (208) 658-1037 Tel: (208) 658-1037

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/ThunderMountain04242017.pdfSource: Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. (TSX Venture:THM, OTCQB:THMG)

To follow Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. on your favorite social media platform or financial websites, please click on the icons below.

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - Senator Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SNR)(OTC:SNRAF)(FRANKFURT:T1KA) ("Senator" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a letter of intent with Gunnar Minerals Corp. pursuant to which it proposes to acquire a controlling interest in the Carter Lake Uranium Project, located in the south-western corner of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The project covers approximately 1113 hectares on the Carter Lake Corridor, an exploration zone adjacent to the prolific Patterson Lake Corridor, which hosts two of the most significant uranium deposits in the basin: Nexgen's Arrow Deposit and Fission's Patterson Lake South Deposit.

The Carter Lake Uranium Project lies near the eastern edge of the Clearwater Domain, approximately 21 kilometres northeast of the Patterson Lake property, which has a reported resource estimate of total of 2,011,000 tonnes of 1.83% U3O8 containing 81,111,000 pounds of U3O8 including the R780E High Grade Zone estimated to contain 45,079,000 pounds U3O8 @ 18.22% U3O81 and an inferred Mineral Resources are estimated to total 785,000 tonnes @ 1.57% U3O8 containing 27,157,000 pounds of U3O8 including the R780E High Grade Zone estimated to contain 13,898,000 pounds U3O8 @ 25.06% U3O81. (Fission Uranium Corp. PEA September 14, 2015). NexGen Energy Ltd. has reported (March 31, 2017) that the Arrow Deposit's Mineral Resource comprises an Indicated Mineral Resource of 179.5 M lbs of U3O8 within 1.18M tonnes grading 6.88% U3O8, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 122.1 M lbs of U3O8 contained within 4.25 M tonnes grading 1.30% U3O8.

The Carter Lake Uranium Project, which borders Purepoint/Cameco/AREVA's Hook Lake Project to the east, has basement depths estimated at between 400-500 metres, within the general discovery range of the McArthur River mine. The principal exploration target at Carter Lake is approximately 4.7 kilometres of subsurface conductive anomalies, identified in a 2006 MegaTEM survey and a 2008 VTEM survey, both completed by ESO Uranium Corp. The anomalies are interpreted as a conductive horizon, at or above the unconformity and which may be indicative of hydrothermal enrichment.

About the acquisition, Tim Fernback, President and CEO, commented, "With the world-class discoveries made by Nexgen and Fission, the board of Senator is very excited about giving its shareholders exposure to this opportunity on the west side of the basin."

Completion of the acquisition remains subject to due diligence and negotiation of definitive documentation. Readers are cautioned that there can be no assurance that the acquisition will be completed in a timely fashion or at all.

Peter Born, P.Geo., a Qualified Person, has reviewed and approved the disclosure of technical information within this news release.

Tim Fernback, President & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Statements in this release that are forward-looking information are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks Factors" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.
Beyond Ban the Box

A Second Chance

BALTIMORE  Collie Thomas sat in the courtyard outside the Johns Hopkins Hospital and marveled at her luck. She works as an orderly in one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country. She was promoted about a year ago. She just moved into a snug new row house.I stayed 10 years in prison, and I worked hard in prison for like a dollar, dollar fifty  for so little, said Thomas, 51, her bedazzled pink smartphone glinting in the April sunshine. So when you get these kinds of jobs here, you work your best.With unemployment falling and workers hard to find, a growing number of health care employers are following Johns Hopkins lead and giving people with criminal records a second chance  hiring them mainly into entry-level jobs in food service, janitorial services and housekeeping. Studies show that employees with records stay in their jobs longer and are no more likely to commit workplace crimes than hires without them.This year, Illinois began allowing people with some forcible felony convictions to petition for professional licenses in health care. In 2015, Pennsylvanias Supreme Court struck down a decades-old law that had prohibited people with certain offenses  from theft to murder  from working in long-term care facilities, home care agencies or adult day centers.But health care isnt quite like any other business. Hospitals, nursing homes and doctors offices care for people in the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Citing public safety concerns, some states have gone in the opposite direction, passing laws to keep people with criminal records out of clinical jobs.For instance, a bill in Colorado would require doctors, nurses, dentists and other health care professionals to submit a fingerprint-based background check before they can be licensed, and permits the relevant licensing boards to disqualify applicants who have been convicted of unlawful sexual behavior or diversion of controlled substances. A 2016 Indiana law expanded background checks for people who work at home health agencies. Existing state law already bars home health agencies from hiring people who have been convicted of certain crimes, such as theft or rape.But about one in four U.S. residents has a criminal record. As the health care sector continues to add jobs, state lawmakers and health care employers will have to decide whether ex-offenders will be allowed to fill them.Johns Hopkins willingness to hire ex-offenders dates to the late 1990s. At that time, the economy was booming and the hospital was desperate for workers, said Michele Sedney, senior director for central recruitment services at the health system.Thats also around the time that we started doing background checks and we started to find, Gee, theres lots of people that have backgrounds. And if were going to exclude all of them  then how are we ever going to staff the hospital?  she said.Today the Johns Hopkins health system doesnt run a background check until after a conditional offer of employment is made. If theres a problem, a former Baltimore police officer who works in the human resources department will review the applicants record. HR will consider mitigating factors, such as how long ago the offense took place.Sedney says that in the four years shes been in her role at the health system, there has been no theft, drug diversion or other criminal incident involving an employee with a criminal record. In a five-year study of almost 500 ex-offender employees, the Johns Hopkins hospital found that ex-offenders were more likely to stay in their jobs for more than three years than non-offenders.Other research supports the idea that people with criminal records are reliable workers. A Northwestern study of tens of thousands of hires into low-skill white collar jobs found that hires with records stayed in their jobs longer and were no more likely to get fired than hires without records.This evidence taken together suggests that employees with a criminal background are in fact a better pool for employers, the study said.The federal government put pressure on all employers to consider applicants with a criminal record in 2012, when a federal board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), warned that employers that exclude applicants because of their records may violate anti-discrimination laws. Some states and cities, including Baltimore, ban employers from asking about arrest and conviction records until late in the hiring process.Thats not to say that hiring an ex-offender doesnt pose risks. Employers are wary of opening themselves up to negligent hiring lawsuits. And the public blowback when someone with a criminal record commits a crime can be huge. Colorados proposed background check law was proposed after the Denver Post exposed the large number of nurses with criminal records working in the state.But now that workers are once again hard to find, more health care systems are becoming open to hiring people with arrest and conviction records. Johns Hopkins has hired people with records for hard-to-fill positions such as a night shift job cleaning emergency department floors.The Safer Foundation, a Chicago nonprofit that focuses on prisoner re-entry, is about to launch a vocational training initiative that will prepare ex-offenders for jobs in healthcare, construction and other high-demand industries. This week the foundation, along with the National Employment Law Project, is releasing a guide for health care employers looking to hire people with arrest or conviction records.Since it began piloting the program last year, Safer has placed 35 clients in health care jobs in the Chicago area. Safer staff members address clients legal problems by filing paperwork to get records expunged or securing certificates of good conduct. They also connect clients with training and advise employers on how to hire and manage ex-offenders.Emily Brown, a retention specialist at Unity Point Health in Des Moines, Iowa, said that her hospital system follows the EEOC guidance and has hired people with criminal records when the record is unrelated to the job  such as hiring people charged with driving under the influence into positions that dont involve driving.She says that in her experience, the employers attitude presents more of a barrier to hiring people with a criminal history than the law does.Thomas, the Johns Hopkins employee, is warm and chatty and dresses up her beige uniform with purple lipstick and glittery gold nail polish. She has worked in the health care industry most of her life, as a nurses aide and housekeeper. In her current role, she makes sure patients rooms are stocked with the right supplies and helps out with other non-clinical tasks like moving patients and delivering medical records.She doesnt seem like someone who has been to prison  least of all for murder.Heres what happened, as Thomas tells it. In the early 2000s, during a fight at home with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, she grabbed a knife and waved it at him. She wanted to scare him into leaving her alone. Instead, he rushed at her. By the time the scuffle was over, a table was broken and her boyfriend had a stab wound in his chest.I never thought the man was going to die, Thomas said. But later, in the hospital, he did. Her knife had punctured his lung. When she found out, she was at the police station explaining what had happened. She didnt think to call a lawyer.After her sentencing, Thomas requested to be sent to a prison that specialized in inmates with mental illness, because she knew she needed therapy. My life was just shattered, she recalled. She had struggled with drug use. One of her sons had been killed less than two years earlier. In prison, shed be locked away from her 12-year-old daughter and college-age son.When Thomas was released a few years ago, her daughter advised her to join a re-entry program shed seen on Facebook, Turnaround Tuesday.Employers often feel more comfortable hiring felons who have been vetted by a community organization or workforce intermediary. The Safer Foundation plays that role in Chicago, and Turnaround Tuesday does so in Baltimore.Turnaround Tuesday is a nonprofit initiative that operates out of two church basements on opposite sides of the city (both groups meet on Tuesdays). Its open to anyone whos struggling to find work, but about two-thirds of participants have a criminal history, says Melvin Wilson, one of the program directors.Turnaround Tuesday has a reputation for actually getting people jobs, thanks to its strong relationship with Baltimore employers. Participants learn to manage conflict, set boundaries, advocate for themselves and others, and tell their story in a way that emphasizes personal growth. They can keep showing up to the meetings for as long as they want.After Freddie Gray died from injuries sustained while in police custody in April 2015, sparking riots that rocked Baltimore, area hospitals approached the state with a plan to increase hiring from high-poverty communities. Maryland approved $10 million in 2015 to support job creation, including over 200 jobs across four Baltimore-area health systems, including Johns Hopkins.Turnaround Tuesday is one of the nonprofits recruiting people for jobs as community health workers, peer outreach specialists and nurses aides. Wilson said the great thing about the partnership is that it trains workers for jobs that are available, rather than just giving them some kind of certification and wishing them luck.In the end, Thomas said, her incarceration made me a much better person. In prison, she gained new job skills and worked through the trauma of her past. At Turnaround Tuesday, she learned how to conduct herself professionally. She still goes to the meetings when she can.Thomas is grateful for her job and plans to work hard to keep it. The truth about ex-cons, she said, leaning forward conspiratorially, is that employers can get more work out of them. Thats why you should always give them a chance, she said.
Most states now are run by Republicans. Virtually all big cities, by contrast, have Democratic mayors. That has led to a lot of conflict and a considerable number of state laws preempting local initiatives. But while many Democratic mayors are struggling to get a hearing from Republican legislators, a fair number have been able to forge working partnerships with GOP governors.Maybe this isnt so surprising. More often than legislators, mayors and governors tend to be pragmatists by nature. Given the importance of major cities to the economic health of their states, governors share a common interest in promoting development. That has led to some productive partnerships, including one between Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to convince General Electric to move its headquarters to Boston. GE said the fact that the Democratic mayor and his staff and the Republican governor and his staff were in this together gave them a really strong sense that there was a culture of focus on the work here, and not the partisanship, says Baker.In Georgia, Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed get along so famously that when theres a policy disagreement between them, the press frames it as a rare schism between two BFFs. Here too, the desire to work together has been rooted in economic development. Democrat Reed was able to use his contacts in the Obama administration to help secure federal funding for a $700 million dredging and expansion of Savannahs harbor. Kasim Reed has had a good relationship with Nathan Deal, says Charles Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia. That mostly would fall under the heading of promoting development.Governors and mayors share more than an interest in economic vitality. They share constituents. Unlike legislators, many of whom represent districts far from major population centers, governors have to run statewide. A Republican like Deal isnt going to carry Atlanta, but he doesnt want to get blown out there, either. If youre going to be successful in Georgia state politics, you dont have to win the Atlanta vote, but you have to do reasonably well there, Bullock says.In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a liberal Democrat, have both expressed dismay over legislative efforts to regulate transgender bathroom use, efforts that have drawn opposition from corporations. Barry has become a cheerleader for Haslams transportation package, which includes a provision to allow local referenda on tax increases to pay for mass transit -- something Barry desperately wants. Since Haslams package includes broader tax increases, support from Nashvilles political and civic leadership could help him find some needed votes from the legislatures urban delegations.Democratic mayors and Republican governors wont always be able to see eye-to-eye, particularly on contentious issues such as immigration and refugee policy. But when it comes to the economy and infrastructure, pragmatism is the glue that binds them. Both the governor and the mayor are really in some sense problem solvers, says John Geer, a political scientist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Theyre willing to work together because they recognize its in their shared interest to get things done.
Just months before his resignation Friday, Florida state Sen. Frank Artiles unseated Democrat Dwight Bullard with an aggressive $1 million campaign in a district that favored Democrats.But the long list of expenditures filed with the Florida Division of Elections by Artiles' political committee, Veterans for Conservative Principles, also raised some questions. Why did the committee hire a former Hooters "calendar girl" and a Playboy model with no political experience as "consultants?" Were the payments related to a trip to the Kentucky Derby or a fishing tournament in Key West? What was the more than $51,000 in reimbursements to Artiles for?Heather Thomas, the a former Hooters calendar girl and waitress at 101, a restaurant and bar in Tallahassee, was paid $2,000 between March and June of last year. The expense report lists the purpose as "consultant." Her friend, Brittney Singletary, is a waitress at Stetsons on the Moon in Tallahassee. She was paid $1,500 with three checks covering three of the same dates and listing the same purpose.Artiles' political consultant David Custin refused to comment on why they listed the expenditures as "consultants.""You don't have a leg to stand on to be asking these questions. There's nothing there," he said. He referred questions to the committee's treasurer, Tallahassee lobbyist Dave Ramba, who did not respond to requests for comment. He noted that Artiles, the chair of the political committee, would not be commenting.Artiles, a Republican, entered the race for the southwest Miami-Dade County district after it was redrawn last year following a bitter redistricting battle. His race became the second-most expensive legislative campaign in the state.It was a brief victory.Artiles resigned Friday after charges that he violated Senate conduct rules with a profanity-laced tirade at a Tallahassee bar this week in which he used racial slurs. The complaint was filed by Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, who was with Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville. Artiles referred to Gibson as a "bitch," and a "girl" and made reference to some white Republican senators as "niggas." Thurston withdrew the complaint Friday after Artiles' resignation.State law does not require the Florida Division of Elections to validate whether candidates are accurately reporting or identifying their political committee expense reports."We are just an administerial filing agency," said Mark Ard, division spokesman.According to Thomas' October 2015 job application with former state Rep. Irv Slosberg, Thomas had no previous political experience. Slosberg, a Delray Beach Democrat who retired from the House last year, said he hired her to work as a legislative aide because I needed somebody for a week or two" until he could find a full-time aide.After two weeks, Slosberg wrote a note to House personnel saying he had found a replacement for Thomas. He said was not aware that Artiles had hired her six months later. Thomas declined a request for comment.Thomas graduated in 2010 from Cazenovia College in New York with a degree in fashion merchandising. She listed her experience as having worked as a bartender at Recess, a Tallahassee bar, and as a waitress at 101.Her Facebook page indicates she is the owner of Hot Cheeks Bikini, and also lists previous experience as a Hooters waitress, where she was chosen to be one of the 2012 "calendar girls."Singletary, a Tallahassee resident, listed her occupation as a bartender at Stetsons on the Moon on her Facebook page and highlights her selection as a Playboy "Miss Social" model.According to the spending reports at the Florida Division of Elections, Artiles' committee paid $17,672 to Churchill Downs on March 17 to reserve a box for a "fundraiser" at the Kentucky Derby. It also made a payment of $4,236 to Louisville's Galt House Hotel.On April 11, the committee paid $2,693 at the Marriott Key West Beachside for a fundraiser. Two days later, the committee paid Thomas and Singletary each $600.Singletary said in an email that she "did fundraising for PC but never attended any Key West fundraiser."Two days after the May 7 Kentucky Derby, Thomas and Singletary each received checks for $600 for "consulting." Both declined to comment. It's not known whether either attended the Derby.Artiles held seven fundraisers around the state, according to his committee's campaign reports, and spent at least $80,000 on fundraising expenses, including reimbursing himself at least $51,000.One of the Key West trips included Taylor M. Lockwood, a former FSU student and Hooters waitress. The Florida House confirmed Thursday that Lockwood has worked as an unpaid intern in the office of Republican state Rep. Bryan Avila,.
California cities are mobilizing to fight the Trump administration's effort to strip federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities, which do not enforce federal immigration policy.Even as the Justice Department on Friday advised eight local governments and the state of California that they were at risk of losing federal dollars if they don't cooperate, several cities had already directed their lobbyists to oppose such efforts.Oakland, San Francisco and Pasadena have identified the sanctuary city funding cutoff as a lobbying priority in Washington, federal records show."While Pasadena is not a sanctuary city, the city does not believe others should be penalized," said William Boyer, a spokesman for the city. The city council has declared it will "oppose efforts to deny federal funding to so-called 'sanctuary cities,' or communities that may not have the resources to enforce federal immigration laws."The letters Friday were the most overt measure the administration has taken to date to pull funding, though Trump's budget director, Mick Mulvaney, has also asked lawmakers to include language curtailing money for sanctuary cities in a must-pass budget bill.White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Friday that "greater latitude to deny federal grants to sanctuary cities" was a priority for the administration in the budget bill, along with money for a border wall. Congressional Democrats oppose both provisions.Spicer would not say whether Trump would refuse to sign a spending bill _ and possibly trigger a government shutdown _ if Congress does not include the measures in legislation that must pass by next Friday, when the legislation that is now funding the government expires."We're working with members on both sides of the aisle in both chambers to find a way forward," Spicer said. "I think we feel confident that that will happen, that we will avoid a shutdown."Trump, too, sounded optimistic in the Oval Office, saying to questions about negotiations aimed at avoiding a shutdown that "I think we're in good shape."In California, Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a strong rebuke to the demand letter from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' department."California has a right to determine how it will provide for the safety and general welfare of its residents and to safeguard their constitutional rights," Becerra said in a statement. "Fear-mongering and falsehoods will not intimidate our state into compromising our values. 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 administration's unsound deportation plan are reckless and jeopardize public safety."Statewide, roughly $20 million in federal law enforcement grant funding is at risk this year, according to Tracie Cone, a spokeswoman for the Board of State and Community Corrections.The same letter from the Justice Department was sent to officials in Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and Cook County, Ill.The lobbying effort by local communities against the measure is long-standing. Nearly a dozen municipalities have opposed a bill routinely introduced by former Sen. David Vitter, R-La., that would have stripped some federal funding from cities that shield workers who are in the U.S. illegally from federal immigration officials.Cities warn that their full cooperation with federal immigration authorities could dissuade immigrants in their communities from reporting crimes and cooperating with the police.Reno, Nev., also authorized its federal lobbyist to oppose mandates on police to enforce federal immigration law."The city of Reno strongly believes that immigrants strengthen the community economically and culturally, and welcomes their contributions to society," said Lauren Ball, a spokeswoman for the city.Other cities have gone further: Seattle has filed a lawsuit challenging a Trump administration executive order that threatens to withhold federal grants from the so-called sanctuary cities. In Maryland, the city of Hyattsville voted Monday to declare itself an official "sanctuary."But Miami-Dade County, which got one of the Department of Justice letters, in February pre-emptively sided with the Trump administration, approving a resolution pledging that its Corrections Department would honor detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The Department of Justice cited the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, which helps states and localities with criminal justice needs, in its letter. It estimates that the state of California could risk as much as $18 million, Clark County, Nev., as much as $975,604 and Miami-Dade $481,347.
On Friday, in the morning, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC received Ms Kathy Hermosilla-Silva, Dean, Consular Corps of Queensland.

In the afternoon, at Government House, the Governor received Mr Philip Flood AO, National President, Order of Australia Association, and Mr John Harden AM, Chairman, Order of Australia Association (Queensland Division), before hosting a reception, with Mrs Kaye de Jersey, in support of the 2017 National Conference of the Order of Australia Association where His Excellency addressed guests.

In the evening, at the Anglican Church Grammar School, Brisbane, the Governor, with Mrs de Jersey, officially opened the Centenary Library and addressed guests.
Eyes in the sky

A valuable tool

Drones and public safety

Going out to bid

(TNS)  With drones, government officials can zoom through rugged canyons in search of missing hikers, hover over charred landscapes to assess wildfire damage and float above roads and bridges for inspection.Like many other public agencies across the country, El Paso County is moving forward with plans to use drones to save time and money on government work. County officials aren't sure exactly what roles the devices will play, although they have a myriad options. Local governments in Colorado are using drones for an array of purposes, from making sure stormwater drainage systems are properly functioning to digitally preserving crime scenes.Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or unmanned aircraft, are remotely piloted, often equipped with cameras, that can be as small as hummingbirds or as large as a commercial jets. The technology has been used to drop missiles on suspected terrorists in the Middle East, assess the health of waterways and wildlife and even deliver purchases to Amazon customers.The county is expected to choose a contractor for "unmanned aircraft services" late this month or early May, said Commissioner Stan VanderWerf, who has helped spearhead the effort to make drones available to the county.According to the county's request for proposals, which closed March 27, the government has considered using drones to photograph construction site progress, inspect infrastructure and survey land more efficiently and assist law enforcement agencies and emergency responders."This is a process to save money by using a new technology," said VanderWerf, owner of defense industry consulting firm Advanced Capitol LLC, which has worked with unmanned aircraft companies. He is not involved in the contractor selection process.How much money the county will spend or save by hiring a contractor is uncertain. Drones vary in flight capabilities, battery life and camera quality. Some are equipped with sophisticated features such as heat sensors and radar technology. And because the unmanned aircraft services industry is in its infancy, price points are still evolving."That's kind of like asking what a car costs," said Ken Hanes, co-owner of locally-based AGL Drone Services. "The next question is, do you want a Ferrari, or do you want a Volkswagen Beetle?"Boulder County Parks and Open space found rates for drone services vary extensively. In March, the department asked for two hours of raw video footage and 100 high resolution photos of a flood-damaged public recreation area. Proposed bids ranged from $1,400 to $14,000, said department project coordinator Barry Shook.The decision to begin using drones will land El Paso County alongside other public agencies in Colorado and across the country that have made the same choice: in the midst of a national debate weighing the value of the aircraft to local governments and the privacy rights of the citizens they serve.The Federal Aviation Administration, which governs the use of drones in the United States, does not require government agencies obtain public approval or give notice before they begin using the machines.A few government entities in Colorado have created policies that stipulate how their agencies can use drones and which officials must sign off on projects before the aircraft can take flight, but many that are using the technology have not. La Plata County, which will soon begin using drones for disaster and emergency response, has an extensive approval policy that requires proposals for government use describe how data is collected and if it is shared or retained.El Paso County has no plans to create any sort of regulatory framework, VanderWerf said. He emphasized that privacy laws always apply, regardless of what technologies governments are using.Federal privacy law protects individuals on private property from being photographed or spied on without their permission, and law enforcement typically has to obtain a search warrant before searching someone's home under the Fourth Amendment. But there are no privacy safeguards at the national level specifically created to dictate how local governments can use drones or the data they capture with them.Critics say existing privacy laws aren't enough to protect citizens from the surveillance potential of the emerging technology. States have created laws related to unmanned aircraft use aimed at protecting citizens' privacy rights, although the Colorado General Assembly has yet to pass such a bill, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Last month, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, introduced a bill that would require public agencies to disclose to the FAA how they plan to collect, use and share data obtained by drones before they are allowed to fly the aircraft. The so-called Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act would also mandate that law enforcement agencies have a search warrant for drone surveillance, although the legislation provides an exception for extreme circumstances.The county's contract will also make it easier for public agencies in the region to begin using drones. Colorado Springs and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, for example, will have the option to piggyback on the agreement, using the same terms to hire the company or companies chosen instead of having to devise their own contract.The Gazette is not aware of any other public agencies with definitive plans to use the contract, although the El Paso County Sheriff's Office is interested in using drones for investigations and fighting wildfires.Fire Warden John Padgett called the technology a "force-multiplier" that would allow the department to more quickly and efficiently map wildfires and monitor their activity.The vantage points provided by a drone would help crews ascertain what properties should be evacuated and what equipment is needed to battle a blaze, Padgett said.In Denver, the drones purchased by the city's public works department have saved Operations Engineer Kevin Lewis at least 100 hours a year in time spent inspecting the dozens of large flood-control detention ponds in the area.Lewis said he can use his iPad to stream video from the camera and complete the evaluations from afar, instead of having to put his waders on to examine the ponds' dams, spillways, inlets and outlets."I can hover over the water and get the vantage point I need and actually see a lot better and do a better inspection," he said. "It takes a lot of the work and a lot of the risk out of it."Less than a year ago, government entities had to jump through regulatory hoops if they wanted to fly drones.But the FAA implemented new rules last August allowing drones to be used for non-recreational purposes if they weigh less than 55 pounds, are flown less than 400 feet above the ground and meet several other requirements. Before the regulations changed, public agencies could only use the aircraft by obtaining special permission from the FAA, known as a certificate of authorization.Several counties in Colorado have the certificates, which allow for larger drones and higher-altitude flights. Alamosa and Chaffee counties have obtained the authorizations in the hopes of attracting unmanned aircraft companies, which can contract with the governments to operate with the greater freedom allowed by the certificates.Colorado is home to one of the first law enforcement agencies in the country to begin using drones.The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has used its two unmanned aircraft more than 100 times since 2008 for firefighting and crime scene photography, said Megan Terlecky, a spokeswoman for the agency.With drone footage, the agency can electronically record crime scenes following shootings and homicides, allowing investigators to revisit software-generated 3-D renderings of the sites exactly as they appeared after the violent offenses were committed.The Sheriff's Office spends less than $25,000 on the equipment and estimates operational costs amount to about $25 an hour, while hiring manned aircraft can costs hundreds or thousands of dollars an hour."It has definitely opened up a wealth of opportunities and resources for us," Terlecky said.Drones have also become a helpful apparatus in search and rescue missions.Since 2014, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office has contracted with a local nonprofit, Boulder Emergency Squad, for unmanned aircraft services, primarily for search and rescue purposes, said Stephan Meer, the deputy in charge of the agency's aircraft program. Drones have not only saved the Sheriff's Office overtime pay for employees and costs of fuel and vehicle maintenance, but they've also made missions safer for crew members."You can very quickly cover an area that would be very difficult or dangerous for individuals on foot to cover," Meer said. "There's multiple ways that it pays for itself."The purposes drones serve now is just the tip of an iceberg for local governments, said Tim Haynie, owner of Springs-based data analytics company Spectrabotics, which offers data processing services for drone users."We're just now learning what the utility is. We never had this level of information before this fast," he said, adding that El Paso County's decision to contract with a company for unmanned aircraft services is "a great step."While other public agencies have opted to purchase drones, El Paso County officials say they turned toward the private sector to have constant access to the latest technology and the knowledge of how best to use it."This gives us a way to contract with people who are already in the business that are experts in the field and take advantage of their expertise without trying to become experts ourselves," said County Administrator Henry Yankowski.David Couch, owner of Springs-based aircraft consultation and services company Red Scarf Enterprises LLC, advised county officials to go through the competitive bid process when they first began contemplating using drones."This technology is going to be just like a computer. Next year, what the latest and greatest is this year, people won't even be talking about," said Couch, who also serves as legislative affairs director for nonprofit business league Unmanned Aircraft Systems Colorado. "It keeps El Paso County on the leading edge of it because their contractors are going to have to be."
FIRE HISTORY

CLIMATE CHANGE

RESTORE AND MAINTAIN LANDSCAPES

RECOVERY

The forest fire burned for four days last November. On the fires second day, crews of federal, state and local firefighters boarded buses beyond the fires farthest reach. There, they created a fire line, using hand tools, leaf blowers and blowtorches, a local newspaper reported. At one point, authorities considered bringing in helicopters to dump water on the fire.By the time the fire was contained, 329 acres had been scorched. That may be small in comparison to the half-million acres that burned in the 2007 California wildfires, or the half-million acres burned in Arizonas Wallow fire in 2011. But what was surprising about this fire was that it happened in northern New Hampshire, where the climate is generally cold and wet, and wildland fires of more than 100 acres are rare.The Covered Bridge fire was the largest fire in the 100-year history of the White Mountain National Forest and was more than twice the size of the next-largest fire.Two weeks later, the mayor of Gatlinburg, Tenn., declared that the fire burning there, which killed 14 people, and destroyed 2,013 homes and 53 commercial structures, is unlike anything weve ever seen. Typically, high humidity and frequent fog keep the areas fire risk low.Wildland fires can happen anywhere under the right conditions. Communities in even the coldest, wettest and swampiest parts of the country are preparing for wildland fire, and experts urge every community to adapt to resist wildland fire, restore and maintain their natural landscapes to prevent fire, and plan their response.Three long-term trends  decades of fire suppression, climate change and development in the wildland-urban interface  are changing the risks even in places where large wildland fires are rare.History repeats itself, said Michael Stambaugh, associate research professor at the University of Missouri. The places that burned will burn again. Though the nation was surprised by the Gatlinburg fire, Stambaugh was not. He knew that fires had once been much more frequent in Tennessee, and that the conditions at the end of 2016 were right for it.Fire is a chemical reaction, Stambaugh said. In the natural world, the recipe is fuel, in the form of vegetation, and a lack of moisture, including dry air. A high temperature speeds the reaction. Deserts are hot and dry, but dont burn because there isnt much vegetation. A Mississippi swamp has plenty of vegetation, but its usually too wet to burn. Ecosystems with frequent fires manage to mix abundant vegetation with dry conditions.We live in these fire-prone locations, Stambaugh said, such as south-facing slopes that dry out quickly. Often, though, we dont know where fire was common in the past. We dont realize it until the conditions support the supreme event.Stambaugh and his colleagues at the University of Missouri have studied thousands of fire scars on hundreds of trees from across the eastern half of the United States. They found that wildland fires were once much more common than they are now, even before European settlement. Historically, the East had more frequent fires than the West.For the past 100 years, the policy has been to put out wildland fires quickly, so today, forests contain more fuel. When fires do come to the forest, they can be much more intense, with consequences for human lives and property.History is where it all starts, and then we get to the idea that history is changing, said Erin Lane, North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service. One of the two major changes altering historical fire frequencies is the change in the global climate.How these global changes play out locally varies by region, and Lane has focused on the Northeast in her work, so she offers that as an example. Shes quick to qualify her comments. The climate models for the Northeast have enough variation that matching cause and effect when it comes to fire is imperfect, she said.However, one of the 12 key messages from the National Climate Assessment is that heavy downpours are increasing nationwide, but especially in the Midwest and Northeast.Its an easy assumption that these downpours would reduce wildland fire risks, but, Lane said, The details matter. There are more big storms and fewer little showers in between. That means that some parts of the country, such as the Northeast, are swinging between droughts and deluges. Those drought periods increase the likelihood of fire.Probably the most well-known aspect of global climate change is higher temperatures. Warmer springs in the Northeast mean that the snow melts sooner, but leaves appear on the trees earlier. Since one of the Northeasts fire seasons is in the spring between snow melt and leaf out, exactly how those two effects interact is yet to be seen, said Lane.But in at least one state in the Northeast, Vermont, the spring fire season seems to be increasing in length as the snow melts much earlier than it did decades ago, while the leaves emerge only a little bit earlier.The second big change influencing fire risk is development in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the place where developed property, like suburban housing developments or a hunting lodge, meets a forested landscape. Between 1990 and 2008, 60 percent of the new homes in the United States were built in the WUI, according to information from an International Code Council report, The Blue Ribbon Panel Report on the Wildland Urban Interface Fire. There are 46 million homes in the WUI, meaning that 40 percent of the single-family homes in the United States are found there.The report also said that the remaining undeveloped land in the WUI is being built on at a rate of 4,300 acres per day, or about 2 million acres per year. Every region of the country has thousands of communities in the WUI and therefore are at risk in wildland fires, the report said.How can communities that havent traditionally faced wildland fire protect themselves? The same resources and strategies that are used in fire-prone parts of the country can be used anywhere to prepare for wildland fires and reduce their damage, said Erik Litzenberg, chief of the Santa Fe, N.M., Fire Department and chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Wildland Fire Policy Committee. The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy outlines three steps for this: restore and maintain landscapes, fire-adapted communities and response to fire. Litzenberg just calls it the Cohesive Strategy.The landscape in the Cohesive Strategy is the natural landscape in and around a community, whether that is forest, grassland or something else. The goal is to restore landscapes so that they burn with the frequency and intensity that the ecosystem is adapted to. These less intense fires are easier to control.Restoring a natural landscape may mean removing non-native species and restoring native plants. Most typically, it means removing decades of fallen leaves and limbs that quick fire suppression has allowed to build up to unnatural levels. The most natural way to do this is through prescribed fire, which is a deliberately set and carefully controlled burn conducted by people who receive certification after extensive training.For years, it was a big no-no to put fire on the ground, said Dave Celino, chief fire warden for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Massachusetts got serious about doing prescribed burns in state forests for fuel management in 2009, he said. Still, local communities dont always welcome prescribed fire nearby, with smoke being a major complaint that Celino works hard to prevent.Thomas Rullo, fire chief of the Mashpee, Mass., Fire and Rescue Department, said there was no conversion moment. Before returning to Massachusetts, he was a firefighter in a fire-prone region of Florida. There, prescribed fire and fire-adapted communities were everyday tools. He brought that mindset home with him.Rullo said the prescribed burns have had an unintended benefit. Mashpee firefighters get wildland fire training from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (in other states, the forest department provides this training), but hes noticed they learn best when they accompany the state prescribed fire team on a burn. They get to see how the fire behaves firsthand.Firewise, a program of the National Fire Protection Association, creates the fire-adapted communities that are the second of the three principles described in the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.Firewise is one of the best blessings this small town has had, said Ophelia Mitchell, mayor of Ethel, Miss., population 500. Mississippi may conjure up swampy images of bayous and trees dripping with moss, but Mitchells husband, George, served on the towns volunteer fire department for decades, so she knew how frequently the department was called out for wildland fires. Ive even driven the fire truck once or twice, she said.Mitchell enrolled her community in Firewise as soon as she heard about it.Firewise is active in 42 states, said Cathy Prudhomme, the Firewise USA program manager. There is a liaison in each states forestry department. Several states have similar programs, and Canada has FireSmart.While Firewise is directed at community leaders and individual residents, the International Association of Fire Chiefs Ready, Set, Go! program approaches fire-adapted communities from a fire departments perspective. The two programs work together, with Firewise filling the community engagement role within Ready, Set, Go!The Cohesive Strategy doesnt have a recovery step, but the plans made for a communitys recovery after a wildland fire and the steps it takes during recovery close the loop on wildland fire planning.All disasters start and end at the local level, said Paul Hannemann, incident response department head for the Texas A&M Forest Service. After you get the wet stuff on the red stuff, its a business operation. The Incident Command System functions in place during the fire can roll over into the recovery, he said, with finance and administration being particularly important.While a community may be relieved when a wildland fire is out, a high risk of erosion (think mudslides and reservoirs filled with mud and ash) and flooding will follow, Hannemann said. Otherwise, recovering from a wildland fire is much like recovering from any other natural disaster.Houses and developments that are rebuilt to prevent wildland fires from spreading to structures, with water access and evacuation routes, will reduce the effect of the next wildland fire on the community.Since planning ahead prevents tragedies, the aftermath of a wildland fire is the best opportunity to introduce a prevention strategy. The common denominator among the communities who address their wildland fire risk seems to be that theyve seen it firsthand, Litzenberg said. But with planning and preparation, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Slow down

Robots in action

(TNS)  James Hardy pictures a raindrop plopping on Main Street.As it passes a traffic signal that hasnt been installed yet, a sensor measures the space and time between it and the next raindrop. Then, with some slick computing, data flows into an algorithm with other bits of information detected by switches in sewer pipes and bobbers floating in water storage basins.Within seconds, the machines predict rainfall and decide when to divert or drain water from a network of underground tubes before the whole system spills into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.Thats the vision. One little raindrop, said Hardy, who is in New York City Friday explaining how Akron will use a $200,000 award from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to deploy such smart technology.Hardy, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigans chief of staff, will join colleagues from Boston, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, and San Jose to accept $1.2 million in funding to take a step back and develop a strategic plan for safely and effectively implementing the Internet of Things (IoT).Smart technology is everywhere. IoT is in smart watches and TVs. It feeds on an ever-connecting world where cell phone apps that guide motorists also relay traffic patterns, the weather and road conditions to a remote server.Sitting on a trove of big data from utility bills, speeding tickets and every contact between taxpayers and the services they buy, city managers across America are looking to engineer solutions to societys oldest problems.In Chicago, civic analysts make the most of health inspectors by sending them to restaurants where meaningful data like previous code violations and other information like the weather (when its hot, food rots) predict problems.In Louisville, Ky., 1,000 asthma patients carry inhalers that track and send pollution levels to a mapping system operated by a private company and shared with municipal leaders charged with safeguarding the public.Kansas City, Akrons partner, is a leading-edge city as it relates to IoT development, Hardy said. There, newly installed traffic lights help motorists find empty parking spots. Robots hanging on the lights can even track moving feet, which might be useful for investors in the market for empty storefronts where lots of potential customers walk by each day.A decade of possibilities have become endlessly overwhelming.The issue now is that they are coming out almost weekly, said Hardy. The city is approached regularly by numerous vendors looking to sell the newest and shiniest thing, he said.That could be a problem. Whats bought today may not work with whats available tomorrow. And digging, say, a sewer system to refit it can be costly.So the Knight Foundation grants are designed to give pause so cities can plan strategically into a future.For us, these are tools that arent coming around the corner. Theyre being implemented now, said John Bracken, vice president of Technology Innovation at the Knight Foundation.The question becomes, how do we make sure they are being implemented effectively while doing no harm, Bracken said.Collecting and parsing big data will require sensitive systems that balance personal privacy with access to public records. Cloud computing already has cut the cost of data storage. How cities create public-access portals to host the big data they collect could help Akron learn from the mistakes.The solution is open input, hence the NetGain IoT Conference on Friday in New York.Its not enough to just leave that in the hands of the city IT department, said Bracken, speaking by phone on a plane before taking off from Chicago to New York. We need to make sure we are going into this with eyes wide open.Technologists are looking to fit Silicon Valley-sized solutions in middle America.It has to work in Akron if its going to work across the globe, Hardy said. It cant just work in Singapore and Dubai.As a Knight IoT grant recipient, Akron will share strategic plans and pilot projects with its five peers.In the spirit of cooperation, Akrons planners recently traveled to South Bend, Ind., to see Smart Sewers in action. The Knight IoT grant will be used in part to pilot some of the cutting-edge sewer technology learned in Indiana when the city completes a $14.5 million renovation of Main Street.And so a raindrop could carry its weight in asphalt when redesigning downtown.Why would I want my city doing that? If we would track that raindrop to that level of precision then we could build infrastructure more effectively, Hardy said.Basically, smarter sewers mean smaller sewers. And smaller sewer means avoiding some of the $1 billion in court-ordered repairs. In the end, its less that we would have to borrow to build. We can go back to through the EPAs integrated planning process and say we dont need to build as much.From there, Hardy said the city could take on public WiFi (that actually works) or a citywide smart phone app that, among other things, lets residents photograph and tag the locations of pesky potholes.Thats the vision, he repeated. One little raindrop.
Why Are We Dragging Our Feet When More Automation in Health Care Will Save Lives?
(TNS) -- Bloomington's high-speed broadband future is in the air after the city announced its partnership with Canada-based fiber infrastructure investor Axia has dissolved.The break in the partnership came Thursday afternoon, and Mayor John Hamilton said he thinks there is disappointment on both sides.The negotiations made clear that Axia as the operating company was very bullish on Bloomington, on their model and their match, Hamilton said. But their private equity partners, which joined in the last year or so to support the U.S. expansion, could not pull the trigger to invest the tens of millions of dollars that Axia felt were appropriate to invest.Axia CEO Art Price said in a Thursday telephone interview that the proposed Bloomington model didn't fit its parent company's return/risk/reward profile, and that projects of this kind have to raise shareholder's capital. Partners Group is a global private markets investment manager that acquired Axia NetMedia in March 2016.While the open access model approach proposed for Bloomington has been accomplished internationally, it would have been the first time the company would embark on this kind of model in the United States. Open access would allow any company to locate on Axias physical fiber infrastructure for a fee.While Axias management team strongly believes in the merits of our open access model, our business case does not deliver financial returns required by our owners to compensate for the risks inherent in being the first company to offer this unique model in the United States, Price wrote in a letter addressed to Hamilton and dated Thursday.In December 2016, city officials and Axia executives announced the partnership and signed a letter of intent to develop a citywide, open, gigabit-class fiber optic broadband service across Bloomington.Axia was scheduled to provide its engineering feasibility report by Friday, after the city granted a three-week extension of the original deadline. Price said the results of that report will be made available to Hamilton and the city.The report may include a final cost and more details about whether the company could create Bloomingtons infrastructure. A citywide network could cost $50 million or more, according to Axia executives. Price complimented Hamilton on his "bold move" to implement such a system, adding the partnership's dissolution is a reflection of Axia's United States business model and not Bloomington.While Hamilton said the dissolution is disappointing, he remains undaunted and is still committed to creating a citywide fiber network, which was part of his platform as a mayoral candidate.Now, finding another partner who can make that vision a reality is the next step. But the search may be easier this time around, Hamilton said.Price said the U.S. cable and telecommunications market is much more active than in international markets. He added the choice to dissolve the partnership happened, in part, because of the way capital investments are deployed in the United States versus Axia's more concentrated markets."Its not all minus and pluses, but it is different," Price said. "The U.S. has a regulatory and a capital market framework that is different, and thats primarily because its so big. I think the mayor is on the right path, and the community is on the right path  its just that our unique business model couldnt quite make it to the goal line."Hamilton said he had always expressed interest in working with other companies if Axia was unable to meet the citys fiber goals. His administration has a lengthy list of potential replacements. When the city sent out requests for information about providing a citywide infrastructure, 12 providers responded, including Smithville Fiber and AT&T.In addition, the providers who weren't picked but were still considered front-runners were notified back in December and told that just because their companies weren't selected didn't necessarily mean they were out of the running.The reason (Axia) kind of ended up at the front of the line was that they hit all three of our characteristics: no public investment, open-access design and ubiquitous build, Hamilton said. We are going to go back to others and see how close they can get to those three goals.Even though the partnership is over between Axia and the city of Bloomington, Hamilton said the process yielded valuable information and led to more discussion of fiber in the community.Smithville Fiber declined to comment on the announcement, and representatives from AT&T did not respond to a request for comment before the print edition deadline. Comcast, however, emailed a statement expressing its willingness to consider Bloomington's technological advancement."This news does not impact our commitment to investing in technology across the state, as exemplified by our recent launch of 1-(gigabit) service here in Bloomington and across our Indiana coverage area," Mike Wilson, public relations director for Comcast in Indiana, wrote in an email. "We've always valued our relationship with the mayor and the people of Bloomington. We remain amenable to sitting down with the mayor and his team to collaborate on furthering technology for Bloomington residents."Since the citys announcement of its intention to partner with Axia, Hamilton said, providers such as AT&T, Comcast and Smithville Fiber have marketed the launch of new or expanded fiber service, which he said is good for the city and its residents.
A new way of learning

Pressure on policymakers

(TNS)  Earlier this month in Lawrenceville, roboticists sat alongside executives of some of the largest manufacturing companies in the country, as hundreds gathered to start a $260 million national initiative headquartered in Pittsburgh.The matchmaking effort aims to dramatically increase robots and automation on U.S. production lines. But a second piece of the initiatives mission involves a very different kind of engineering challenge: keeping and growing human jobs along the way.We are trying to create jobs because of the new technology and the new skills that will be needed, said Rebecca Hartley, director of operations for the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development in South Carolina.We have to do this by the numbers, she added. How many credentials do we create? How many students do we have enrolled in those programs? How many students do we have enrolled in apprenticeships? How many students are getting jobs? How many incumbent workers are getting new jobs because of new training?Its a tall order for Ms. Hartley, who was brought on as the chief workforce officer for the Advanced Robotics in Manufacturing Institute, a nonprofit affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University that in January won a $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.Questions loom over the effects automation has had on the American workforce  a topic that for years has been the subject of debate among economists and policymakers. While machines have allowed workers to become more productive and companies to lower their costs, the technology has also made some jobs obsolete.Occupations across the spectrum are seeing increasing automation, but manufacturing is especially exposed to non-human help  and vulnerable to job losses. One recent study found that as the average U.S. manufacturing worker churned out 68 percent more products from 2000 to 2010, employers eliminated 8.2 million jobs that economists had expected to exist.Companies and proponents of automation partly blame any job losses on what they call a persistent skills gap, and they look to training and education programs to prepare a new generation of workers.By tracking workforce needs on a national scale, Ms. Hartley and others hope the new ARM Institute can prove that improved efficiency can breathe life into manufacturing.We believe robots and automation technology are going to save and create jobs, said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based trade group of robotics developers.A study this month from the group showed manufacturing jobs have grown by 900,000  even as a record number of robots were shipped. Mr. Burnstein said he likes to flip the script on the notion that robots are killing jobs: What would happen if we didnt automate? How many jobs would be lost?Ms. Hartley hails from South Carolina, a state that decades ago was home to a thriving textile industry. Like the steel industry collapse in Pittsburgh, she said, textile mills in the southern state shuttered amid an industry collapse beginning in the 1970s.Memories of lost jobs and tough factory conditions have stuck with older residents, she said, and people tend to steer their children away from goods-producing industry.They dont want anything to do with manufacturing because it reminds them of something thats not sustainable, she said. So its a perception issue to really show them what advanced manufacturing is.She has been doing that in her job with Clemson University, which, with funding from the National Science Foundation, has worked to design educational materials for two-year colleges and companies in the advanced manufacturing industry. Among other programs, the group has developed virtual reality courses that give students a perspective into how new machines and equipment works.At the ARM Institute, she said early talks with industry has revealed a desire to break down negative stereotypes and to show students the future of manufacturing is a wide open field.Over the next five years, the institute plans to develop short-term certifications or credentials in robotics and automation  something that does not yet exist and that companies have sought for years, Ms. Hartley said.A similar plan using so-called stackable credentials was developed for the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania at ShaleNet, a training program founded in 2010.Thats something a student can build on, Ms. Hartley said.Ms. Hartley acknowledged that job creation, particularly this early in the endeavor, is a moving target. Jackie Erickson, a spokeswoman for the ARM Institute, said she couldnt provide exact numbers but workforce development is very high priority for the Defense Department. The institute plans to recruit military veterans returning to civilian life who have technical skills.At the gathering this month at the schools National Robotics Engineering Center, ARM Institute leaders began recruiting private sector partners to become members  and get at least the $173 million in contributions required as part of the federal grant.When the institute garnered more than 200 commitment letters for its grant application, many were from colleges, universities and other nonprofits in education and workforce development.Education partners so far have agreed to spend $88 million to the manufacturing companies $41 million, according to numbers shared during the meeting by Gary Fedder, the institutes CEO.Economists and academic researchers who pin job losses on automation are encouraged by the institutes endeavor.Michael J. Hicks, an economic professor at Ball State University, found nearly nine in 10 manufacturing jobs evaporated between 2000 and 2010 as factories became more efficient and automated.Just one in 10 jobs were lost because of trade policy, according to his study, which was published in 2015 and has received national attention amid the push to bring back manufacturing jobs.Thats not to say he discounts robotics from eventually bringing a new wave of jobs, When early manufacturing first sprung into the Midwestern states in the late 1800s, it drew in workers from predominantly simpler, agricultural jobs.The same thing could happen in some other sector, he said. Were going to have automation, but we dont know what that next big sector is going to be.The ARM Institute also has the potential to create central sources of workforce information for government, suggested Tom Mitchell, a professor of machine learning at CMU. This month, Mr. Mitchell released a study claiming that policymakers are flying blind as robotics disrupts the workplace.You can imagine a scenario where they add up to more manufacturing jobs in the U.S., but you can also imagine a scenario where they dont, he said. The situation is not so straightforward to me, because now I can see all these different forces at work.We have some choices, there are policies that can make a difference.
(TNS)  A prolific Russian hacker who raked in at least $170 million by stealing more than 2 million credit-card numbers and selling them on the black market was sentenced Friday morning to 27 years in prison in U.S. District Court in Seattle.For years, Roman Seleznev was one of the worlds leading providers of stolen credit card data, according to federal prosecutors. He used the proceeds of his illegal operation to fund a lavish lifestyle and fuel his fondness for American-made muscle cars.A prosecutor likened Seleznev as a Tony Soprano-style mob boss during the Friday sentencing hearing. The government had sought a 30-year sentence for Seleznev, characterizing his operation as unprecedented.Never before has a criminal engaged in computer fraud of this magnitude been identified, captured and convicted by an American jury, prosecutors wrote.Seleznev apologized in court, blaming his difficult upbringing in Russia Seleznev, 32, the son of a prominent member of Russian parliament , hacked into thousands of business computers to steal the credit-card numbers. Many of the businesses were Washington state restaurants, including the former Broadway Grill on Capitol Hill, Grand Central Bakery, Mad Pizza locations in Seattle and Tukwila, Village Pizza in Anacortes and the Casa Mia Italian Restaurant in Yelm, Thurston County.He was identified as a suspect in the hacks in 2010 after a Secret Service task force linked computer intrusions at restaurants in Washington and Idaho to a mysterious email address and website in Russia.The Vladivostok man was indicted in 2011 by a federal grand jury in Seattle on charges involving more than 30 computer-fraud-related counts. The indictment grew to 40 counts by the end of 2014. He was arrested in 2014 in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. While the U.S. did not have a treaty with the Maldives, officials there agreed to let U.S. agents arrest Seleznev, which drew official protests from Russian authorities who claimed he had been kidnapped.According to the prosecutors, Seleznevs laptop computer, seized during his arrest, contained 1.7 million stolen credit-card numbers.Seleznev was convicted last August following a nine-day jury trial on 38 computer-fraud-related charges Seleznev is also facing charges in separate indictments in Nevada and Georgia.
Pirelli is not keen on a proposal to fully liberalise the way teams use tyres in formula one.

Currently, there are tight restrictions on how teams can select and race the compounds brought to races by Pirelli.

But F1 legend and Renault advisor Alain Prost thinks giving them more freedom would be an easy way to spice up the show.

Pirelli F1 chief Mario Isola doesn't think so.

"If you just picked the hardest tyre, you could maybe do the whole race without stopping," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

"And if that is possible, most would head in that direction."

And he also rejected Prost's idea that drivers be able to make up a tyre 'set' from multiple compounds.

"This might work on a GT car, but formula one cars are too sensitive," Isola insisted.

(GMM)
The project, supported by Transport for London, features a 12-month pilot of 20 new Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid vans that reduce local emissions by running solely on electric power for the majority of inner-city trips. Equipped with range extenders, the fleet is not limited by battery range, making them capable of the longer journeys that may be required by businesses and police and emergency vehicle services.

Ford announced five fleets that will participate in the Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybrid van pilot program in London, starting this fall. ( Earlier post .) The pilot program is designed to explore how lower-emission plug-in hybrid electric vans could support cleaner air targets, while boosting productivity for operators in urban conditions.

The participating fleets represent a cross-section of city-based businesses that will integrate the vans into their day-to-day operations including the Metropolitan Police with two Transit Custom plug-in hybrid electric vans: one marked for second response to traffic accidents and one un-marked as a forensic support unit. In addition, Transport for London will use three of the vans for freight duties. The five confirmed fleets:

Transport for London

Metropolitan police

Clancy Plant

Addison Lee

British Gas

Using a Ford telematics system, each electric plug-in hybrid van will collect data on the vehicles financial, operational and environmental performance to help understand how the benefits of electric vehicles could be maximized.

Ford will launch the project this fall, working with Transport for London and supported by the UK Government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre. The multi-million dollar project is part of a $4.5-billion Ford investment along with the introduction of 13 new electrified vehicles globally in the next five years.

Ford is the UKs best-selling commercial vehicle brand, with more than 50-years of CV leadership. The Transit Custom plug-in hybrid van is planned for commercial introduction in 2019.
The sugar-derived ethyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether (ETE), another cyclic ether, conversely, performed markedly worse than the reference fuel on both setups. ETE this may be a more appropriate fuel additive for compression ignition engines, the authors suggest in an open-access paper published in the journal Fuel .

A team from The Netherlands and the US reports that the sugar-derived levulinic esters methyl levulinate (ML) and ethyl levulinate (EL) and the sugar-derived cyclic ether (furfuryl ethyl ether (FEE) demonstrate superior anti-knock quality (in 10% blends) to a reference Euro95 gasoline.

All the selected bio-compounds are either side products or derivatives formed in the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA)a building block for renewable polyesters from sugar. When FDCA is successfully used, the potential of using levulinate as well as furan derivatives for fuel applications is highly relevant, the authors suggest.

Furfuryl ethyl ether (FEE) and ethyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether (ETE) have reportedly the potential to curb soot emissions in compression ignition engines. Similar tests conducted for EL showed an equally promising soot reduction potential. ML and EL have a very low derived cetane number (DCN) (<10). Considering the inversely linear relationship between cetane number (CN) and research octane number (RON), both levulinic fuels are expected to have a high RON and might therefore be attractive candidates for use as bio-octane boosters in spark-ignition (SI) engines. In order to test the potential of aforementioned compounds as octane boosters, the anti-knock quality of the neat oxygenates blended with gasoline was evaluated in an SI engine, and ignition delay times were measured over a range of temperature in a modified ignition quality tester (IQT). Tian et al.

Engine experiments used a Volvo T5 turbocharged port fuel injected 5-cylinder SI engine. Because SI engines tend to be more knock prone at low speeds, the researchers selected 1500 rpm as the reference point. They chose to use only the full load or wide open throttle (WOT), as other work has shown that the anti-knock quality of various fuels is quite similar at part-load and full-load.

They used the signal energy of pressure oscillation (SEPO)the signal energy of the band pass filtered pressure over a certain knock windowto determine the knock intensity (KI), whereby the pressure signal is filtered by a 625 kHz band pass filter from 10 to 40 CA after top dead center (aTDC). The KI threshold is defined by the sharp increase of SEPO that occurs at a different crank angle for different fuels as the spark timing is advanced.

The main reason for the distinctions in anti-knock quality can be found in the molecular structure of the neat biofuels. ML and EL are levulinic esters, with a carbonyl group and an ester group on the carbon chain. They can readily produce stable intermediates during the auto-ignition process, thereby slowing down the overall reaction rate.

The furanic cyclic ether (FEE) has very strong ring CH bonds. However, the saturated cyclic ether (ETE) has weak ring CH bonds, which facilitate more readily ring opening reactions. Long side chains on the cyclic ethers further accelerate the reaction rate. Tian et al.

Resources
Net Impact, a global community of students and professionals who aspire to be effective drivers of social and environmental change, and Toyota announced the 3 finalists of the Next Generation Mobility Challenge. Launched in 2015, the Next Generation Mobility Challenge is a national competition from Toyota, the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Net Impact to inspire millennials to develop solutions for critical mobility needs in local communities and around the world.

The finalists were selected based on project design, feasibility and social impact by a panel of judges from the two organizations.
Our president's fragile ego took over his Twitter account again Sunday, tweeting about "very good" poll numbers that weren't and implying once more that he really won the popular vote in November:

"New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative. Would still beat Hillary in .....popular vote. ABC News/Washington Post Poll (wrong big on election) said almost all stand by their vote on me & 53% said strong leader."

To be clear, the polls are terrible.

The Washington Post-ABC poll shows President Trump's overall approval rating is 42 percent. On some particulars, the numbers are worse than that. He gets a slim majority who think he's a strong leader, but that's apparently for better or worse. Russia's Putin and China's Xi are strong leaders.

For Trump to write he would "still beat Hillary in popular vote" shows he either really does not believe the popular vote count that put him 3 million behind Hillary Clinton or that he wants his followers to believe a lie through frequent repetition of it. It's hard to know what Trump thinks about the truth, which he so often misrepresents.

One question is whether his approval rating has already reached its peak. As more information is revealed about his profiteering in office, if nothing else, it should sink.

Just consider China. Its government recently granted the Trump organization dozens of trademarks.

Ivanka Trump was granted three trademarks on the very day that she dined with President Xi at Mar-a-Lago, which must have been a pleasant point of conversation.

These would be lucrative developments for any American business. But it's not just any American business. It's the business of the first family.

Ivanka's Chinese-made merchandise is going great guns.

For his part, President Trump has been effusive in his praise of Xi as a swell guy and declared that China isn't a currency manipulator after all. So it seems U.S. foreign policy can be friendlier toward China as long as China is friendly toward the Trump family's business interests.

That's a normal practice in China and other corrupt countries, where business deals are often used to curry favor with powerful people, but it's unprecedented for an American president. The American people shouldn't be happy with it.

Nor should many of the Chinese people, who don't see Xi as a swell guy but as a communist dictator.

At the same time, the Trump organization continues to sell real estate.

USA Today last week published a list of some Trump properties worth a total of $250 million  or much, much more.

"The volume of real estate creates an extraordinary and unprecedented potential for people, corporations or foreign interests to try to influence a president," according to the report. "Anyone who wanted to court favor with the president could snap up multiple properties or purposefully overpay. They could buy in the name of a shell company, making it impossible for the public to know who was behind the sales."

And:

"Since Election Day, records show Trump companies have sold at least 14 luxury condos and home-building lots for about $23 million. Half were sold to limited liability companies. No names were listed in deeds, obscuring buyers identities."

Want to bribe someone legally? Pay more than fair market value for something he's selling. Better yet, set up a dummy corporation to buy the property on your behalf so that no one can tell who's really buying.

And how about that $107 million raised for the inauguration? Big-money folks are always eager to give to a president, and there may be more opportunities now than ever before.

How will that poll?
State Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Eden) is backing a revamped version of the HB 13 class size compromise bill, according to a news release his office just sent out. Just to be clear, as leader of Republicans in the Senate his backing often is critical to whether something passes. The Senate's education committee will start discussing in a few minutes.

Here's the text of the release in full:

Compromise Proposal Would Lower K-3 Class Sizes, Address

Local School Concerns

Bill would also increase accountability to ensure tax dollars intended to reduce

class size are used for that purpose

Raleigh, N.C.  Tonight at its 6 p.m. meeting, the Senate Education/Higher Education Committee will discuss a House Bill 13 compromise that would preserve the Senates longstanding goal of reducing kindergarten, first, second and third grade class sizes and address local schools concerns about unintended potential consequences of implementation. The proposal would also strengthen accountability measures to ensure state tax dollars intended to reduce class size are used for that purpose.

The changes to House Bill 13, proposed by Sens. Chad Barefoot (R-Wake), David Curtis (R-Lincoln) and Michael Lee (R-New Hanover), would phase in implementation of class size reductions over the next two school years by:

 Requiring local school districts to achieve a district-wide average class size of 20 students in grades K-3 and a single class maximum of 23 students in the 2017-18 school year; and

 Requiring local school districts to achieve a district-wide average class size in grades K-3 that is equal to the teacher-to-student ratio currently in law and being funded by the state (either 18, 16 or 17 students, depending on the grade level) and a single class maximum of three above that number in the 2018-19 school year.

The phase-in is supported by authors of the original House bill and the N.C. Association of School Administrators.

The current K-3 class size requirements have been on the books for years, and the General Assembly has appropriated tens of millions of dollars to fund them. Since 2014, local school districts across the state have received a total of $152 million to lower class sizes  and every year, they are guaranteed about $70 million in recurring dollars. However, not all school systems have used the extra funding to reduce class sizes, and many systems could not or would not provide data on how they spent the money  choices that led to the concerns about implementation, fears that special subject-area teachers could be fired and the need for a legislative resolution. Legislators have committed to continuing to study and work on funding issues surrounding enhancement teachers in subject areas like art, music, drama and P.E. to ensure a smooth transition to smaller class sizes.

And to ensure state tax dollars intended to reduce class size are actually used for that purpose, the bill would strengthen accountability measures for local school districts, including:

 Directing superintendents to submit regular reports on class sizes, total numbers of classroom and special subject-area teachers and corresponding funding sources, and authorizing the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct periodic audits to ensure accuracy; and

 Requiring superintendents to affirm the accuracy of their reports. Those who knowingly submit inaccurate information could be subject to penalties.

For years, one of the Senates top priorities has been lowering class sizes in the early grades  because the research shows it leads to improved academic outcomes for our students, said Barefoot. Weve been working on this issue for months, and I am pleased weve arrived at a solution that gives administrators, teachers, parents and students certainty about what will happen next school year, while making sure the taxpayers are getting the smaller class sizes theyve paid for.

The workforce needs of our state demand the skills that are developed and learned in our program enhancement classes such as art, music and foreign language, and by protecting the teachers that teach these skills, we are protecting our competitive advantage, said Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R-Wilkes), an elementary school art teacher and primary sponsor of House Bill 13.

The North Carolina Association of School Administrators and our school leader members thank the Senate and House for working with us to identify the most conducive way to lower class sizes in Grades K-3," said Katherine Joyce, NCASA's Executive Director. "The current proposal provides a reasonable timeline for further reducing class sizes, and the additional funding that the General Assembly leadership has pledged to provide for enhancement teachers in art, music and PE will be extremely helpful and appreciated. This is a compromise we are proud to support."
GREENSBORO  David M. Powell, the former Triad economic development executive and Wilmington businessman who was accused of embezzling more than $240,000 from the Piedmont Triad Partnership, took his own life Saturday.

Powell, 52, was found dead in his parents home Saturday morning in Kure Beach.

Powell, who went by the name Finley Powell in Wilmington, lived there during the past year as he managed a theater and pursued other business interests.

Powell was charged in January 2016 with two counts each of embezzling and obtaining more than $240,000 by false pretense from the partnership, which is the Triads main economic development agency.

Locke Clifford, the Greensboro attorney who had represented Powell, said in a statement Sunday night that his client killed himself. Clifford declined to say how Powell died but said he suffered from depression.

The tragic story of (the) demise of David Powells career, driven by a mental illness commonly called depression, has come to an even more tragic end. David took his own life yesterday, Clifford said in the release.

His family is devastated. As Davids criminal defense lawyer for the last two years, David, his family and I have worked hard to seek a fair resolution with the PTP lawyers and with the state and federal prosecutors. Sadly it has been to no avail.

Powells state case had been put on hold as prosecutors awaited completion of a parallel investigation by an undisclosed federal agency.

Clifford said Powells death should bring attention to mental illness.

Good mental health is ones most valuable asset, Clifford wrote.

I am afraid we, as a community, spend much time on physical well-being issues and tend to minimize the equally important aspects of good mental health, without which, we have nothing.

Powell was living with his elderly parents in Kure Beach after leaving the Triad.

The News & Record reported Sunday he had changed his name to Finley Powell and told the media he was the owner of the Throne Theater, a popular concert venue in downtown Wilmington.

But there, as in the Triad, Powell had built an illusion of success that turned into trouble.

David Powells father bought the theater for him to manage. And nobody in Wilmington knew Finley Powells past as the chief executive of the Triads top economic development agency, where he worked for the most prominent business and civic leaders in the region.

Powell had an impressive resume of economic development and business experience when the partnerships board of top business leaders recruited him in 2010. The partnership promotes the Triads economy worldwide and recruits business and industry to cities in the region.

During his tenure, Powell worked aggressively to assemble 1,500 acres in Randolph County for a megasite designed to recruit a car manufacturer or other major industry to the region.

But, police said, Powell was also embezzling money from the group while being paid a salary of more than $300,000 a year.

Powells fall came abruptly.

In January 2015, after five years at the partnership, Powell made a surprise announcement that he would resign.

The agency announced three months later that it had turned over records to the Greensboro police for investigation of financial irregularities.

In January 2016, Powell was arrested and charged.

His father, Orville W. Powell, said a week ago that he bought the theater in mid-2016 to help his son earn a living for his wife and three children in Greensboro after the criminal charges were filed.

But Orville Powell sold the theater last fall to a Carolina Beach cardiologist, and David Powell virtually disappeared from public view.
WASHINGTON (AP)  As the world braces for a possible North Korean nuclear test, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged restraint in a call to President Donald Trump. American's U.N. envoy warned of a strike if Pyongyang attacks a U.S. military base or tests an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Xi's phone call with Trump came amid signs Pyongyang could soon conduct its sixth nuclear test explosion since 2006, or the latest in a rapid series of missile tests, further advancing its ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland.

In Washington, the Trump administration invited the entire 100-member Senate for a briefing Wednesday on the escalating crisis. Adding to the atmosphere of animosity, officials said North Korea has detained a third U.S. citizen.

Trump told ambassadors from U.N. Security Council members that the status quo in North Korea is "unacceptable" and the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions.

"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem, and it's a problem we have to finally solve. People have put blindfolds on for decades, and now it's time to solve the problem," he said at the White House.

North Korea poses one the sternest national security challenges facing the 3-month-old Trump administration. The administration has settled on a strategy emphasizing increased pressure on North Korea with the help of China, rather than trying to overthrow Kim Jong Un's isolated government or use military force. But senior officials have repeatedly said that "all options" remain on the table.

China is a traditional ally of North Korea and fought on its side in the 1950-53 Korean War. Those ties have frayed, but Beijing remains the North's economic lifeline. The Xi-Trump call on Monday morning Beijing time was the second time the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

Xi told Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula, China's official broadcaster CCTV said.

A White House readout of the call said Trump criticized North Korea's "continued belligerence" and the leaders "reaffirmed the urgency of the threat." They committed to strengthening coordination to denuclearize North Korea, a statement said.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and ships in the strike group accompanying it are continuing to move toward the South Korea region, after completing a short naval exercise with Japanese ships in the Philippine Sea. But the ships are probably several days from arriving in the region.

In addition to the Carl Vinson, the USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered, guided-missile submarine, is due to arrive Tuesday on a routine port visit at Busan, South Korea, a U.S. defense official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the ship movement publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity.

Tuesday marks the founding anniversary of North Korea's armed forces. It has marked such dates in the past with displays of its military capabilities.

Commercial satellite imagery suggests the North has been readying for weeks for an underground atomic explosion, and could conduct one at any time. Alternatively, a long-range missile test could show North Korean progress toward being able to fire a weapon at America. But any decision by Trump to resort to military action would be highly risky, principally because the capital of close ally South Korea lies within range of North Korea artillery and rockets.

Nikki Haley, Trump's U.N. ambassador, said Monday the U.S. wasn't looking for a fight with Kim and wouldn't attack North Korea "unless he gives us reason to do something." She praised China's increased pressure on North Korea.

Asked about the threshold for U.S. action, Haley told NBC's "Today" that "if you see him attack a military base, if you see some sort of intercontinental ballistic missile, then obviously we're going to do that."

But asked what would happen if North Korea tests an intercontinental missile or nuclear device, Haley said, "I think then the president steps in and decides what's going to happen."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the briefing to senators will be delivered by four top administration officials: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford.

The latest American held in North Korea is Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name Kim Sang-duk. The 58-year old taught accounting for a month at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He was detained on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, the university chancellor. No details on why Kim was detained have been released.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY  These days, you can breathe easier in the Triad.

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.

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.
On Saturday, April 29  this weekend!!!  Ill be joining Senior Editor Michael Bakich for a star party and series of talks in southwestern New Mexico. At Americas Darkest Sky Star Party, well celebrate the best sky you can observe from in the Continental United States.

You can find out about the event and register here:

http://darkskynewmexico.com/blog/index.php/2017/02/23/dark-sky-hosts-star-party/

Michael and I will each give two talks, on subjects from the latest discoveries in astronomy and planetary science to this years big eclipse to challenging and weird deep-sky targets for observing.

If youre in the area between Tucson, El Paso, and Las Cruces  or even in Phoenix or Albuquerque, join us!! Well see you there for a great day of astronomy!
Lmnopis TaKaiya Blaney mural, as it appears without permission in the ad. Illustration: Lmnopi

McDonalds has a new campaign that a group of artists say co-opts their work without permission. A documentary-style video in the Netherlands highlights the Vibe of Bushwick NY, and the problem is that said video features the work of street artists who say they never consented to its use in the ad (which happens to be for a product called the New York Bagel Supreme). Six Brooklyn street artists  Don Rimx, Beau Stanton, Virus, NDA, Atomik, and Himbad  have sent McDonalds a letter, promising to sue if the chain doesnt pull the campaign.

The chain did legitimately (if surprisingly) partner with the Bushwick Collective, a set of Brooklyn street artists, for the ads. It flew a half-dozen of them to Holland to do bagel-y murals, but a film crew also shot footage of their work in the neighborhood of Bushwick for additional ads:

Here's the full advertisement that McDonald's created with The Bushwick Collective, featuring murals by many artists who... Posted by Vandalog on Tuesday, March 14, 2017

However, McDonalds didnt approach every artist whose work appears in the video. Im not interested in doing free work for a giant, multi-national corporation, NDA tells the Daily Beast. If youre going to use our work to bolster your street cred, you should at least ask for permission.

McDonalds hasnt issued any sort of statement yet, but the videos have been pulled off the internet. The Daily Beast also notes that the artists have a beef with how McDonalds portrays their neighborhood as poor and relatively untouched by gentrification. Even if that were true, they argue, then McDonalds, which has multiple locations in the area, is partly responsible for perpetuating the food-desert problem.

This is also the second time McDonalds has faced a lawsuit for using a street artists work without permission. Last time, an edgy redesign of a London store that featured what seemed to be a pretty blatant Dash Snow ripoff prompted a lawsuit by his estate.
Cazuelas include the zarzuela seafood stew with red prawns, mussels, calamari, fideos, and marcona-almond picada. Photo: Liz Clayman

Philadelphia chef Jose Garces does not want to be a one-hit wonder in New York. Today, the Food Network personality will open Ortzi, his second restaurant here, in the Luma Hotel in Times Square. Unlike his New York debut Amada, a branch of one of his Philadelphia restaurants, its a new concept and will focus on Basque cuisine. More specifically, Garces and his chef de cuisine Michael Han, who worked at Bouley and A Voce, will put the spotlight on dishes cooked in cazuelas, Spains traditional clay cooking vessels. These come in eight varieties, ranging from braised oxtail with tomato-and-fennel sofrito to a seafood stew with marcona-almond picada. The menu will be rounded out by crudos and conservas, like cockles with chorizo; and griddled dishes, including lamb chops with garlic; plus bocadillos for breakfast (potato hash and egg) and lunch (five varieties, including hanger steak). Along with cocktails and mostly Spanish ciders, the drinks menu includes a txakolina and cider-style beer served using the porron, a Spanish wine pitcher with an elongated spout.

Cider house txuleta: a 24-ounce, dry-aged bone-in rib eye with green chile and potato. Photo: Liz Clayman

The costillas de cerdo cazuela comes with pork ribs, alubias de tolosa, black-bean stew, and guindilla peppers. Photo: Liz Clayman

The polluelo cazuela comes with wood-roasted poussin, nora chili grits, and quail egg. Photo: Liz Clayman

The Biscay bocadillo with hanger steak, La Peral cheese, caramelized onions, and tomato. Photo: Liz Clayman

The Donostia Cooler with Gin Mare, Emile Pernot Liqueur Sapin, and Mario Vermut de Res Extra Seco. Photo: Liz Clayman

Ortzi, 120 W. 41st St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-730-8900
Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+ are shaping up to become the company's most successful flagships in a while. The duo has already broken records in Samsung's home country of South Korea. Over there, people pre-ordered more than one million units in total, and that amount is more than what Korea has seen for any other flagship smartphone release.

The S8 and S8+ have been well received in the US as well. This has been revealed today by Samsung Electronics America president and COO Tim Baxter. He says that pre-orders for the devices in the US were the "best ever" for Samsung, breaking records at the company. The S8 duo saw 30% more pre-orders than the S7 and S7 edge did last year.

While that's clearly a noteworthy achievement, Samsung has stayed mum on exactly how many units were pre-ordered stateside. This leads us to think that the actual number would still pale in comparison to Apple's records in this area, which is why the Korean company is choosing not to reveal it.

Samsung has also reiterated that it's working on a software update which will fix the infamous 'red tint' issue that some S8 owners are seeing on their screens. This update should roll out before the end of this week, apparently. Additionally, another update will go out to South Korean units only to fix some Wi-Fi connectivity problems.

Source
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The Xperia XA1 mid-ranger that Sony unveiled at MWC in February alongside the higher-end XZs and XZ Premium has already gone on sale in Hong Kong, and now it's almost ready to land in the US as well.

The company has revealed the official pricing and release date for the US market. You'll be able to pick up an XA1 starting on May 1. It will cost $299.99, unlocked.

The device will be available at many retailers, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, BrandsMart, and Fry's among them. It will be offered in white, black, pink, and gold.

The Xperia XA1 is the successor to the XA from last year. It comes with a 5-inch 720p touchscreen with minimal lateral bezels, and a 23 MP f/2.0 main camera with phase detection and laser autofocus, and a LED flash. For selfies it has an 8 MP f/2.0 snapper, and the phone is powered by MediaTek's Helio P20 chipset - with a 2.3 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU. The XA1 features 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, and a 2,300 mAh battery. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat.

Source
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Construction could begin in May on an addition that would more than double the floor space of the weight room in the David R. Swartz building of Carlisle High School.

Carlisle Area School Board recently approved a $488,517 contract to build a 3,720-square-foot cinder block and brick addition onto the far right front of the building.

We can start the project while the students are still here, said Shawn Farr, district director of finance. Its not disruptive.

The work will involve the demolition of the exterior wall of the weight room before construction of the expansion into the adjoining parking lot.

The design includes modifications to the buildings heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system to account for an expanded weight room totaling 5,012 square feet.

The expansion will result in the loss of seven parking spaces along with modifications to the turnaround area used by trucks to deliver food to the cafeteria, Farr said. He added there is a plan for fiscal year 2018-19 to redo the Swartz parking lot.

Bids

The board approved a $323,800 general construction contract with eciConstruction of Dillsburg. It also accepted two bids from Shannon A. Smith Inc. of Myerstown, Lebanon County  $95,950 for electrical work and $68,767 for mechanical and plumbing.

We hope to have it done in 90 to 120 days, Farr said. Thats what we are shooting for.

The contracts total $488,517, but there are additional project costs including permits and fees for the architect and engineer. The board Feb. 16 approved a capital reserve budget of $500,000 for the project.

In related business, the board recently approved two change orders associated with Phase II of the Hamilton Elementary School project. Scheduled to be done over the summer, Phase II involves a redesign and buildout of parking, lighting and traffic flow in front of the building and on the north side.

The change order for general construction from Lobar Inc. is $408,232. It will pay for excavation, grading, curbs, concrete work and paving in front of the school at 735 Clay St.

Project designs call for the development of a bus loop along with work to redo and add parking and to install an underground storage tank for stormwater run-off, Farr said. He said the entrance off Clay Street will be widened and the curbs and sidewalk in front of the building will be replaced.

The change order for electrical work with Lobar Electrical is $126,724 and will involve the installation of light poles for the parking lot. The total of the two change orders comes out to $534,956.

On Oct. 20, 2016, the board approved a budget of $390,000 for Phase II construction. This was an estimate at the time, which proved to be too low, Farr wrote in an April 7 memo to school board property committee. The district is working with the contractors to reduce the cost of the work. The board has designated enough funding for the overall project to cover the additional cost.

Phase I of the Hamilton project involved the addition of classrooms, a new library, a new cafeteria and a new kitchen along with the development of a more secured entrance. Phase 1A was the renovation and build-out of the old kitchen space into small group instruction rooms.

Work on Phase II will begin in early June after students are dismissed for the summer, Farr said. He said contractors may move equipment to the project site in late May. The goal is to have the project completed before school resumes on Aug. 21.
Immediately following the announcement of the category 5 Hurricane IRMA and the expected effects on various departments Food For The Poor Haiti has taken steps to help communities at risk of being affected by the disaster...
A Perry County couple was indicted last week on charges of production of child pornography, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Monday.

The April 19 indictment was unsealed on April 21, and Betty Jo Eckenberger, 32, was arraigned April 20, and James David Eckenberger, 43, was arraigned Monday.

U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler said the couple is alleged to have sexually assaulted a minor between 2008 and 2011, and taken photographs of the assault. The four-count indictment charges the two with conspiracy to use a minor to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of all electronic equipment used to take the images.

The case was brought to court as part of Project Safe Childhood from the Department of Justice.




Haiti - Security : Chilean battalion pack up





Sandra Honore, the head of the UN Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (Minustah), presided last week the ceremony marking the end of operations of the Chilean battalion based in Cap Haitien.



The battalion of 340 Chilean, 47 Honduran, 44 Salvadoran and 3 Mexican soldiers officially ceased operations on 15 April and will proceed during the next few weeks to the move of its military bases and removal of its troops and equipment to the countries of origin.



Present in Haiti since the summer of 2004, the battalion was deployed during operations in Cite Soleil as well as other areas of Port-au-Prince during the first years of the mission. During its 13 years of service within the Minustah, the battalion also conducted operations in the north of Haiti, providing security and logistical support during 10 elections between 2006 and 2017. It also provided humanitarian support to respond to the various natural disasters experienced by Haiti, including the devastating 2010 earthquake and Matthew hurricane in October 2016.



The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Haiti, Sandra Honore, saluted the dedication, professionalism and above all the discipline displayed by this battalion throughout its deployment in Haiti. She called on the audience to pay tribute to all the peacekeepers who lost their lives in Haiti in the exercise of their duties, in particular to the nurse Sergeant Rodrigo Andres Sanhueza Soto (35 years) of the Chilean naval corps, shot dead in April 2015 Haiti during an administrative task https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13621-haiti-social-last-tribute-to-the-chilean-peacekeeper-killed-in-ouanaminthe.html



This ceremony was also an opportunity for the ambassadors of the countries composing this battalion to thank the government of Haiti for having accepted the services of their soldiers who served the local population under the aegis of the United Nations.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Kat Jamieson is an author and tastemaker who has been sharing her passion for lifestyle topics such as fashion, decor, travel, and cooking since 2011 on her blog: With Love From Kat. Her first book, Blended, was recently released in October. In this book, Kat shares a seasonally inspired and holistic approach to cooking, as well as her take on entertaining and living well. She shares more than 125 recipes that have helped her to feel energized, vibrant, and balanced. Aside from these nourishing recipes, Kat also discusses how she has obtained a truly balanced and...
Three people are dead, including a 3-year-old girl, after a murder-suicide in York County late Sunday evening.

Northern York County Regional Police said Tammy June Williams, 50; Frankie Thomas Williams, 21; and Kelly June Williams, 3, were found dead in a residence in the 700 block of Greenbriar Road in Manchester Township at 10:57 p.m. Sunday.

Police said they went to the residence for a welfare check after a North Carolina woman reported that she was supposed to have met with the residents in Virginia on Saturday for a child custody exchange.

When police went to the home, police saw from the outside a woman lying on the couch inside with obvious injuries. Police forced entry into the home and found Tammy Williams dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

Police then located the toddler dead in a bedroom of the home with a gunshot wound to the head.

Police found Frankie Williams dead in the rear bedroom with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Police said information at the scene indicated this was a planned act or pact between Tammy Williams and her son, Frankie Williams. The mother of Kelly Williams had recently filed for full custody, according to police.

Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 717-292-3647.
Hawai'i Free Press Current Articles | Archives Monday, April 24, 2017 Vice President Mike Pence Visits Am Samoa

By News Release @ 11:22 AM :: 8413 Views :: Military Vice President Pence Visits American Samoa News Release from Rep Amua Amata (R-AS) April 24, 2017 Pago Pago, AS Monday, at the request of Congresswoman Amata, Vice President Pence and the Second Lady stopped in American Samoa Sunday on their way back to Washington, D.C. from the V.P.s tour of Asia, where he met with strategic partners in the region to bolster economic and military cooperation. After the Vice President asked me to be a part of the transition team, which I was honored to serve on, I felt it was an opportune time invite him to visit our beautiful home here in the South Pacific, said Amata. I wanted him to see first-hand, the love our people have for this great nation, as well as help us dedicate the newly named Eni F.H. Faleomavaega Veterans clinic, continued Amata. The local VA clinic was renamed after legislation introduced by the Congresswoman was signed into law last month by President Trump. Congresswoman Amata, Vice President Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence wave to the crowd gathered at Pago Pago Intl Airport before departing for Honolulu on Air Force II Upon his arrival, Vice President Pence was welcomed by Governor Lolo Moliga and the First Lady, Lt. Governor Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, the Speaker of the House Savali, Chief Justice Kruse, the Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga, Congresswoman Amata and other local dignitaries at Pago Pago Intl Airport. The Governor then led a traditional welcoming ceremony for the Vice President and his family. The Vice President also helped dedicate the renaming of the local VA clinic to the Eni F.H. Faleomavaega Veterans clinic, during which time he addressed the soldiers from the 100th Infantry Battalion stationed in American Samoa. Vice President Pence spoke on the challenges the United States faces in the Pacific; and thanked them for their dedicated service. Vice President Pence is now only the 6th White House dignitary to visit the Territory. The Vice Presidents trip was a massive success, stated Amata. I want to thank Governor Lolo and the Lt. Governor for their hard work in helping us welcome the Vice President and Second Lady to our beautiful home without a hitchit truly was a historic day for American Samoa, said the Congresswoman. I was honored that he accepted my invitation to visit the territory on his way back to Washington, DC, after his trip to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. His visit has brought great exposure of American Samoa, and our conversations on Air Force II were very productive and hope inspiring. The Vice- President and President Trump are demonstrating with their actions that they truly care about the people in the Pacific territories, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to see that our people are given the same opportunities and resources as those in the states, continued the Congresswoman. Vice President Pences dedication of the Eni F.H. Faleomavaega clinic brought tears to my eyes. He and Eni were colleagues together in the House of Representatives, which made it that much more significant the Vice President could lead the dedication, and we are all truly honored and grateful, concluded Amata. * * * * * Vice President Mike Pence to Travel to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Hawaii News Release from The White House, April 6, 2017 WASHINGTON, DC - Vice President Mike Pence will travel to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Hawaii from April 15-25, 2017. This trip will serve as the Vice Presidents first official travel to the Asia-Pacific region. During his trip, the Vice President will emphasize President Trumps continued commitment to U.S. alliances and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region, highlight the Administrations economic agenda, and underscore Americas unwavering support for our troops at home and abroad. The Vice President on April 16 will arrive in Seoul, Republic of Korea, where he will spend Easter Sunday with United States and Republic of Korea troops and their families. During the remainder of the visit, he will participate in a bilateral meeting with Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and meet with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun. Vice President Pence will also participate in a listening session with local business leaders and give remarks to the business community. On April 18, the Vice President will travel to Tokyo, Japan, where he will meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and lead the inaugural U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso. The Vice President will participate in a listening session followed by remarks to the U.S. and Japanese business community. Continuing the Administrations commitment to rebuilding the U.S. military and to our alliances in the region, the Vice President will tour the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and give remarks to U.S. and Japanese service members. The Vice President will then travel to Jakarta, Indonesia on April 20 to meet with President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla. Noting the 40th Anniversary of US-ASEAN relations, Vice President Pence will meet with the ASEAN Secretary General and ASEAN Permanent Representatives. Among other events, the Vice President will participate in a listening session with U.S. and Indonesian business leaders and give remarks to the business community. On April 22, the Vice President will visit Sydney, Australia, where he will meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Vice President Pence will also meet with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten along with U.S. and Australian service members. Focusing again on American businesses, jobs, and the economy Vice President Pence will join a listening session and give remarks to the U.S. and Australian business community. The Vice President will conclude his trip with a visit to Honolulu, Hawaii on April 24. Vice President Pence will meet with senior leadership from the Pacific Command and pay honor to those who fought and perished during the attack on Pearl Harbor by visiting the USS Arizona Memorial. Finally, the Vice President will meet with U.S. troops and their families before returning to Washington, DC. Note: The Vice President will travel with the Second Lady of the United States, Karen Pence, and his two daughters. Mrs. Pence will release a more detailed schedule of her meetings and cultural visits in the coming days. * * * * * Second Lady Karen Pence to travel to the Asia-Pacific Region to Highlight Art Therapy and Recognize Military Service Members News Release from The White House WASHINGTON, DC  Second Lady Karen Pence will travel to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Hawaii from April 15-25, 2017 with the Vice President. During the trip, Mrs. Pence will highlight her initiative, art therapy, meet with military service members and spouses, and participate in cultural activities. Mrs. Pence will arrive in Seoul, Republic of Korea on April 16, where she will spend Easter Sunday with United States and Republic of Korea troops and their families. During the remainder of the visit, she will observe an art therapy program and participate in a roundtable discussion with art therapists. On April 18, the Second Lady will travel to Tokyo, Japan, where she will meet with Mrs. Chikako Aso, wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, Taro Aso. During the visit in Japan, Mrs. Pence will tour the USS Ronald Reagan and visit with U.S. and Japanese service members and military spouses. She will also observe an art therapy program for children at a local hospital and participate in a roundtable discussion. Mrs. Pence will then travel to Jakarta, Indonesia on April 20 and participate in a cultural event with First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo. Focusing again on art therapy, she will participate in a roundtable discussion with art therapists. On April 22, the Second Lady will visit Sydney, Australia where she will visit with U.S. and Australian military members, tour iconic cultural sites, and participate in an art therapy roundtable discussion. Mrs. Pence will conclude her trip with a visit to Honolulu, Hawaii on April 24. The Second Lady will visit Schofield Barracks to see how the base is integrating their behavioral health unit to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While shes there, she will pay honor to those who fought and perished during the attack on Pearl Harbor by visiting the USS Arizona. And before returning to Washington, DC, Mrs. Pence will meet with U.S. troops and their families.
By one measure, there are two billion hectares of degraded land around the globe. Restoring it to arable conditions could not only help put food on the table, it could create twice as many jobs as smokestack industries.

and its potency may be rooted in rising inequalities. Nowhere is the urban-rural divide more acute than on the issue of jobs. While agriculture has been the traditional mainstay of rural employment, it became less viable in the 20th century as industries and cities expanded and urban opportunities beckoned.

That tide may be turning.

Sustainably feeding the 9.6 billion people projected to inhabit Earth by 2030 will require meeting some very urgent needs. According to research by World Resources Institute, we will also have to close a gap of 60 percent between the amount of food available today and that which will be required by 2050. The increased demand for food creates economic and employment opportunities for agriculture, but is likely to put more pressure on land and cause more environmental damage.

Environmentally sustainable agriculture provides livelihoods even in some of the worlds harshest environments. However, as demand increases, farmers may move to cultivate larger areas and encroach on precious forested lands. Using degraded land for agricultural expansion, people living in rural communities can prevent deforestation, preserve resources, curb climate change and create jobs. In Indonesia, for example, more than 14 million hectares of low-carbon degraded lands  instead of forests  in Kalimantan could be used for oil palm development. This kind of deforestation-free commodity agriculture, along with a reduction in food waste, are some of the most efficient ways to slow the degradation of agricultural land, according to the Global Commission on Economy and the Climate, which I had the honor to chair.

One of the most important options for better land use is to restore the two billion hectares of degraded landscapes around the globe  an area larger than the entire continent of South America. Worldwide, a staggering one-third of agricultural landscapes are now degraded, and 12 million hectares of degraded land are added annually, costing as much as an estimated $100 billion per year.

Landscape restoration efforts - those plans and policies aimed at nurturing and healing degraded lands - can boost productivity and unlock economic opportunities. Land restoration strategies will also help us preserve our forests, which are essential for a healthy ecosystem and whose products generate around $1 trillion per year. In Latin America and the Caribbean, large scale restoration initiatives could yield about $23 billion over a 50-year period. Promoting a sustainable expansion of agriculture while improving livelihoods is a global imperative for the years to come, with a substantial impact in the developing world.

Conservative U.S. estimates shows that landscape restoration employed more than 126,000 people in 2014  more than the logging, coal mining, iron and steel sectors combined. The number of jobs created with every $1 million investment in restoration, known as labor intensity, is comparable to and often higher than traditional smokestack industries: Landscape restoration in the U.S. creates between 10 to 39 jobs per $1 million invested, nearly twice as effective at creating jobs as the oil and gas sector, which has a labor intensity of 5 jobs per $1 million invested.

In developing countries, there is solid evidence on the positive impact of sustainable industries on employment, suggesting landscape restoration will create even more jobs in the coming decades. An initial estimate derived from studies in the Brazilian Amazon indicates that the labor intensity from restoration projects in this region is between 8 to 22 jobs per $1 million invested. The results appear to be comparable to reports from the World Bank, which show that biomass-based energy production  the conversion of plant sources into fuel  can generate the highest labor intensity of 17 jobs per $1 million invested as compared to fossil fuel-based energy production.

Restoration of degraded lands is a more economically efficient job creator than traditional industries. To realize the economic and employment benefits of land restoration, governments need to support policies and raise public awareness instead of staying on the traditional, unsustainable path of landscape degradation.

A partnership between World Resources Institute and The Nature Conservancy is developing evidence to support a New Restoration Economy with country-level analysis to determine the employment and economic benefits generated through landscape restoration. This will inform governments and help create policies that are for the good of the people and the planet, creating high-quality jobs and a better environment.

If governments do not seize this restoration opportunity, they will have few alternatives to boost employment in rural areas, potentially increasing the depth of the urban-rural divide, leading it to becoming a stronger  and polarizing  political force that could threaten a better and more sustainable future for us all.

Felipe Calderon Hinojosa is the former President of Mexico. Under his leadership, Mexico's National Forestry Commission protected, restored and reforested nearly 10,580 sq. miles (2.74 million hectares) of forest between 2007 and 2011. He is chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate and a member of the Global Restoration Council.
The automotive manufacturer is planning on hiring roughly one thousand new employees for its assembly line, knit line, paint shop and internal logistics operations during the course of the spring, after announcing a new manufacturing agreement with Daimler in March .

Valmet Automotive is recruiting immigrants at a high level for a variety of jobs at its assembly plant in Uusikaupunki, Finland.

Immigrants will make up a considerable share of the new employees, Mikael Maki, the communications director at the automotive manufacturer, says in an interview with Uusi Suomi.

Valmet Automotive is one of the participants in a social impact bond (SIB) programme launched to facilitate the entry of immigrants to the labour market. SIBs are bonds where the repayment and return on investment are contingent upon the achievement of one or more pre-determined social outcomes.

The bonds were first adopted in the United Kingdom in 2010 to raise funding for the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Maki reveals that the assembly plant hired its first immigrant employees years ago and has currently dozens of employees of immigrant backgrounds. In fact, well be interviewing dozens of immigrant [applicants] today, he added on Friday.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) voiced his delight with the recruitment approach adopted by the automotive maker in the Finnish Parliament on Friday.

Yesterday, I paid a visit to the assembly plant in Uusikaupunki, and I was delighted to learn that theyre interviewing a number of immigrants and have already recruited them. So, its something that has been put to practical use there, he said.

Maki underscored that immigrants are recruited for the same positions as native-born applicants and that neither group of applicants is preferred over the other, as the recruitment decisions are made solely based on whether or not the applicants satisfiy the general requirements.

A level of Finnish proficiency and, of course, the right attitude to work, he listed.

The interest seems to be mutual. Maki revealed that the automotive manufacturer has organised recruitment events targeted specifically at immigrants, which have had a good turnout, and has largely positive experiences of immigrant employees.

Our experiences of people of immigrant backgrounds are and have been very positive. Thats why we see no reason why we shouldnt hire more of them, he said.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Vesa Moilanen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
The term news media can mean a lot of different things these days, but at the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, the news media that we work with are Pennsylvanias newspapers and online-only news publications.

There are 77 daily newspapers in Pennsylvania, more than 175 non-daily publications, including college newspapers, and a significant number of online-only news sites. The number of Pennsylvanias print-based publications has not changed much in the last 10 years, and even in this era of media consolidation, Pennsylvania continues to have more family-owned newspapers than any other state in the country. We also enjoy very strong readership, with 82 percent of all Pennsylvania adults reading a newspaper, in print or online, each week.

Ill never forget the first time I toured a newspaper building and production facility. They call the newspaper a daily miracle for a reason. The idea that a relatively small group of people can gather news, write and edit content, sell advertising, lay out pages and sections, print them all, and deliver a newspaper each day (or each week), is nothing short of amazing. To see it in person only highlights how incredible it is.

Because I work where I do, I often hear from friends and family about errors or perceived bias by the news media, and my response is always the same. I can only speak to my experiences with Pennsylvanias newspapers and news sites, and that experience is overwhelmingly positive. Are they perfect every time? No. But I can assure you that they work hard every day to get the facts right and to ensure that their news products are as error-free as possible. I have never worked with a community of people who are more passionate about their mission, or who engage in such open, thoughtful discussions about how to handle difficult issues or topics.

Next month, news editors across Pennsylvania will meet in Lancaster to discuss ethics, how to ensure accuracy in the demand for immediate news, how fact-based news organizations should respond to the fake news phenomenon, and more. At PNA, we offer members a legal hotline and receive almost 2,000 calls each year, from reporters and editors who are working to get it right. We are also working with members to host community meetings across the state, on Trust, Transparency and the News, and Real Journalism in the Era of Fake News. More than 200 people joined us at Elizabethtown College in March, and on May 8, we are holding an event at Harrisburg Area Community College. We have more in the works, and I hope that you will join us if we come to your community.

Youll see an ad in this weeks newspaper or online, highlighting the importance of demanding facts and supporting real news. At PNA, we work with our members to help them in their continuing efforts to inform and engage their communities with real facts and real news. If you are already a subscriber of or advertiser in your local newspaper or online news site, thank you. If you arent, I hope that you will Demand Facts and Support Real News in your community, by engaging with your local news media in some way. Thank you for your time, and I would love to hear from you at terih@pa-news.org.
HENLEY MP John Howell visited a childrens wellness charity.

Inside Out is based at Checkendon Equestrian Centre and offers primary school children activities designed to increase their confidence and find focus so they are happy inside and out.

This year the charity expects to work with 1,500 pupils from 100 schools in Berkshire and Oxfordshire. During Mr Howells visit he was joined by youngsters from Hagbourne Primary School in Didcot.

The childrens magical day out was split into three parts.

In an indoor mindfulness session led by Sarah Salmon, they were taken through breathing exercises to help them stay calm and learn how to express and accept different feelings.

Then Jude Haste, the charitys outdoor expert, led the children on a nature session through the woods near the equestrian centre.

For the third part, the children were given a riding lesson and stable management session.

Mr Howell said: I found it fascinating. The children did a lot of work on mindfulness in the morning. We tried eating in a more relaxed fashion with our eyes closed and when I tasted a strawberry it was much more intense.

The outdoor session was great fun but there was a serious purpose to it. It gave the children a chance to experience each other in different circumstances.

Stephanie Weissman, who founded the charity in 2013, said she aimed to provide the children with life skills they could use every day to reduce stress, find focus and increase confidence so they felt better and learned better.

Happiness fuels success, not the other way around, she said. Mental health issues among young children in the UK have become a massive problem and were meeting a global call to action to prioritise childrens wellbeing in schools.

For more information, visit www.theinsideout.org.uk
PRIME Minister Theresa May visited residents of a care home at a party in Charvil village hall.

The Maidenhead MP attended the event with her husband Phillip. She drank tea and ate cake with residents of the Sunrise care home in Sonning as well as dancing to an Elvis Presley tribute act.

She had been invited by resident Margaret Wright, who has a keen interest in politics, as part of the homes Wish Upon A Star programme, where staff try to fulfil the requests of residents.

The visit came just weeks after actor and fellow Sonning resident George Clooney surprised Sunrise resident Pat Adams on her 87th birthday.

Georgina Williams, the homes activities and volunteers co-ordinator, said: After the surprise visit of George Clooney, we were delighted when the Prime Minister turned up at the village party.

Who knows which famous face will arrive on our doorstep next?
WORK to clear an overgrown island in the River Thames in Henley cannot begin as the town council doesnt know who owns it.

East Eyot is a narrow strip of land covered in trees near Mill Meadows also known as Bird Island because Canada geese nest there.

The council wants to tidy up the island but needs the permission of the current owner and has not been able to trace them. The Environment Agency has been unable to help.

The council owned the island until 1907 when it sold the plots. At that time it was known as Corporation Island.
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A new freight train connects Russia with China

Published: April 24, 2017

A freight train connecting Russia with China arrived in Ganzhou an inland city in Jiangxi province, carrying goods from Moscow. The freight train travelled more than 7,000 km, before reaching Ganzhou in eastern China.

Significance for China

Jiangxi province is the former revolutionary heartland of the Communist Party. This freight train connecting Russia and China is expected to bring resources from Europe and boost local development. Ganzhou is an inland area with a complex landscape and was a hot bed of revolutionary activities owing to its remote mountain ranges. However, its complex landscape has become a stumbling block in development. Even though, the Chinese government tried to push regional development in the past few decades, Ganzhou could not fetch any major projects due to its geography, making many people to live in poverty.

Rail freight is cheap and costs only half that of air freight and half the time of sea freight. In order to boost its export revenues, China is already operating train services to several cities in Europe. In January 2017, it inaugurated a new train service to London traversing over 12,000 kilometres across 18 days. China is set to gain heavily from opening the ancient trade routes and strengthen connectivity with Europe. It would also enhance regional cooperation in countries that lie along the Silk Road.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2017

Topics: China  Europe  London  Russia  Silk Route

Latest E-Books
India becomes worlds fifth largest military spender

Published: April 24, 2017

According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), India has become worlds fifth-largest military spender spending at $55.9 billion in 2016. The US remains the worlds largest military followed by China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The other prominent spenders in the top 15 include Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

Global trends

Global military spending amounted to 2.2% of the worldwide GDP. Military spending as a share of GDP, was highest in the Middle East and lowest in the Americas. In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure increased by 4.6% in 2016 spurned by many tensions in the region such claims of territorial rights made by various countries in the South China Sea.

The US is the top spender whose military expenditure grew 1.7% between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion. The growth in US military expenditure suggests the end o the trend of decreases in spending that resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Even now the expenditure of US remains 20% lower than its peak in 2010.

China spent $215 billion. Russia spent $69.2 billion making it this editions third largest spender. Saudi Arabia which was the third largest spender in 2015 is ranked at 4th position in 2016 with a spending of $63.7 billion. Pakistan did not figure in the list of top 15 spenders and it spent $9.93 billion.

Military expenditure in Western Europe has increased for the second consecutive year. Falling oil revenue forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending.

SIPRI

SIPRI was established in 1966 as independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. The organization provides data, analysis and recommendations to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2017

Topics: China  Defence  International  Russia  Saudi Arabia  US

Latest E-Books
22/04/2017. Citizens Assembly. Pictured Chairperson Ms. Justice Mary Laffoy, in the Grand Hotel in Malahide where the Citizens Assembly have voted in Ballot 1 on the consideration of the first item referred to it by the Dail Resolution, the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. The Citizens Assembly recommendation on Irelands future abortion laws will be determined by up to four votes over the next two days. The process concludes deliberations on the issue of the Eighth Amendment before chair Justice Mary Laffoy prepares a report for the Oireachtas. The assembly meets this morning and the first vote at 11.05am may conclude the weekends programme. If not, up to three more votes will take place. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Campaigners are pushing for a referendum on abortion to be held as soon as possible after the Citizens' Assembly voted overwhelmingly for change.

With two-thirds of the Assembly voting for terminations without restrictions, the door was opened to full abortion for the first time in our history.

However, 48pc of members felt this should be an option only up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.

One of the most startling votes showed that 72pc felt socio-economic factors should be allowed as a reason for abortion. In this case, 50pc said a termination could take place up to 22 weeks into pregnancy.

A stotal of 89pc voted for abortions to be permitted if a foetal abnormality was likely to result in death before or after birth. In this case, 69pc said there should be no restriction on the age of the foetus.

72pc said there should be no distinction between mental and physical health when it comes to abortion rights.

Repeal

In the first ballot on Saturday, 87pc of members voted that the Eighth Amendment of the constitution should not be retained in full.

In the second, 56pc said it should be amended or replaced, as opposed to a repeal.

In the third, 57pc recommended that it be replaced with a constitutional provision authorising the Oireachtas to address termination. In other words, it would be a matter for the Oireachtas to decide how to legislate on these issues.

Deirdre Duffy, from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, welcomed the result.

"The Assembly did us proud today," she said.

Orla O'Connor, from the Women's Council, said the Assembly had signalled a "very clear mandate for Government to hold a referendum".

Campaigners believe a referendum could come by spring next year.

Ailbhe Smyth, convenor of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, thanked Assembly chair Ms Justice Laffoy and the members for their "dedication and commitment".

"It's very clear from the outcome that there is a huge appetite for progressive change."

Dr Ross Kelly, from Doctors For Choice, said the group was hopeful a referendum would be organised "without delay" to help improve the lives of women "failed" by the Eighth Amendment.

Ms Justice Laffoy said she hoped to finalise the report on the Assembly recommendations to the Oireachtas by June.

This Assembly's recommendations pave the way for a referendum and will see campaigners push for a definitive change in the law to give Irish women the right to abortion.

However, a number of other groups were crictial of the outcome.

Cora Sherlock, of the Pro-Life Campaign, said: "There is nothing liberal or progressive about the Assembly recommending a referendum to strip unborn babies of their right to life in law and also ignoring the negative consequences of abortion for women.

Credible

"The writing was on the wall for weeks after the Assembly invited groups like BPAS [the British Pregnancy Advisory Service], Britain's largest abortion provider, to address them but never... extended a single invitation to groups representing parents who say they owe the life of their child to the Eighth Amendment.

"This one-sided approach is typical of how the Assembly conducted its business from the get-go. It cannot be left unchallenged.

"If the next phase of the process is to have any credibility, the first thing the new Oireachtas Committee charged with looking at theissue must do is examine how the Citizens' Assembly was allowed to operate in such a one-sided and chaotic way.

"One only has to look at today's proceedings to see the muddled and confused farce the Assembly has become."

During his homily at Knock, Archbishop Eamon Martin spoke of Christians being slaughtered in Egypt and massacres in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He then referred to the "continued attempt to convince us that there's nothing wrong with undermining the right to life of the unborn child".

"Demands to quash and abolish this amendment go against the Good News that the life of every person is sacred and inviolable, irrespective of the stage or state of that life - from the first moment of conception until the moment of natural death."
Councillor Ed OBrien of Fianna Fail said the hackers demanded sizeable sums of money

A garda investigation is under way after a Fianna Fail politician told how he was being blackmailed by Facebook hackers who threatened to post "lewd doctored" images to his account.

Councillor Ed O'Brien took to his social media page to announce that, due to hacking of his account and illegal activity, he was temporarily taking it down.

"Threats to put doctored lewd images on my page unless I pay sizeable sums of money to an account have forced this action," the South Dublin county councillor wrote.

"The matter is being investigated by the local gardai and I thank them for their assistance."

Vigilant

Mr O'Brien also advised social media users to be vigilant over accepting friend requests from people they did not know, even if they had shared contacts.

He noted in the post that he looked forward to engaging with his Facebook friends again once he had created a new page.

Fianna Fail said it could not comment on the matter as it was under garda investigation, and Mr O'Brien was not available for comment last night.

Fianna Fail insiders said he had not been discussing the matter with them over the weekend, and the first they heard about it was when they read it on Independent.ie.

"Once gardai are aware of it, I'm sure they will get to the bottom of it, but Ed seems to be unaffected. He hasn't mentioned it in normal conversation, as far as I'm aware," said a source.

Appointed as a Fianna Fail councillor in 2013, Mr O'Brien serves the Lucan and Palmerstown area on South Dublin County Council.

He also works as a solicitor and is respected in the locality and in Fianna Fail.

It is not known how the alleged hackers made contact with Mr O'Brien, or how much money they were trying to extort from him.

The nature of the pictures and their origin was not known.

A garda spokesperson said they could not comment on individual investigations.

It is not known if Facebook will co-operate with the garda investigation in a bid to identify the alleged blackmailers.

Facebook has faced a slew of negative publicity in recent months.

The social networking giant has come in for criticism for failing to identify and remove "fake news" articles on its platform, which critics say has influenced voters in the Brexit referendum and US elections.

Last week, a man randomly shot a 74-year-old man dead in Ohio and live-streamed the killing to Facebook.

The video remained online for almost three hours before it was removed. Gunman Steve Stephens took his own life 48 hours later.

In Sweden, a woman was seen being raped on Facebook Live, while in Chicago last January four people live-streamed footage of themselves physically assaulting an 18-year-old with special needs.

policing

The controversies have led many to question whether Facebook takes seriously the issue of policing objectionable content.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, speaking at a Silicon Valley conference last week, briefly addressed the Ohio case, saying Facebook had "a lot of work to do" and "we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this".

At the start of this month the company said it had introduced a number of tools to help tackle the rise of "revenge porn" in which people post sexually explicit images of their partner on the platform after their relationship breaks down.
The son of a cleaner who became the first member of his family to go to university is hoping to one day help stop Alzheimer's in its tracks.

Science student Raymond Moran (27), from Dublin's North Circular Road, grew up on an estate where "it just wasn't part of the culture to go to university".

However, he became inspired by a new science teacher just as he was about to leave St Paul's CBS in Smithfield and decided to give third-level a shot.

"Where I'm from, it's a cultural thing, no one really goes on to third-level and no one in my family went to university, so it just wasn't something I thought of doing," he said.

Hooked

"I was doing like everyone in my area did, preparing to get a job after school, but then this teacher in fifth year started to inspire me, get me into science.

"It wasn't something I was expecting, but I liked a challenge so that was me hooked."

There was a stumbling block, though.

Raymond and his two brothers, Andy and Daithi, were being brought up in a lone-parent household, living on a lower than average wage.

However, the DCU Access Scheme, which makes it possible for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to go to university, visited Raymond's school and showed him there was a solution.

"I didn't have anyone to look up to who went to college, I didn't get how it worked," he said. "But the access support gave me confidence to work it all out.

"My whole attitude was changed by the access opportunity and university and, right now, I want to be the best in the world at what I do.

"I want to be able to help improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's.

"I think something can be done in my field by using genetics to help patients suffering the condition."

The young scientist noticed, however, that it is still apparent who has come from a disadvantage area, because "they're always the people in class asking can they use the toilet".

"I guess people like me just didn't have the culture to know how to transition from school to third-level," he said.

"But access teaches you it doesn't matter what background you're from, it's irrelevant."

Raymond went on to gain a 2.1 BA Honours degree in genetics and cell biology at DCU and jumped ahead, skipping studying for a Masters, by gaining computer experience in his field with several companies.

He won a place on the PhD in molecular evolution course, the study of DNA and other principles of evolutionary biology.

"Before I went to university I didn't even know what a PhD was and now I'm coming to the end of my course," said Raymond.

"The access facilitators helped me believe I could do this, that it was OK I was different because most people in university are from more middle-class backgrounds.

"But it was important for me to know there were other people like me in the same boat and that stops you pitying yourself.

Knowledge

"I want to help use genetics and medicine with technology to diagnose people in a more personal way. In Ireland we aren't doing that right now.

"If you go to hospital right now, you might be told you have an illness, but if I look at your genome I know you have a gene which will react to a certain drug, using basic DNA. I think my knowledge could really help to change things medically."

Despite his academic success, Raymond still does not have the full approval of the woman who is most important in his life - his mother, Joan.

"Mam doesn't really see the difference in what I'm doing now to what I was doing at Leaving Cert," he said.

"She just wasn't from that university culture, but she does say she just wants me to be happy. That's good enough for me."

For more information on the DCU Access Scheme, visit dcu.ie/access/dcu-access-entry-route.shtml
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Early numbers: Trone leads Parrott; Grossman ahead of Thiam

Need help looking up candidates? Here's a breakdown of the critical seats across the state of Maryland.
Fredericktown received a visit from Missouri Governor Eric Greitens on Saturday when he attended and participated in the Chris Parsons SEMO SWAT Challenge.

Greitens spoke to officers and competed in the obstacle course event alongside a team from the St. Louis County Police Department.

Weve been here in Fredericktown before, and were really happy to be back for the SEMO SWAT Challenge, Greitens said.

He said the reason for coming out was to show support for Missouri law enforcement, and to encourage others to show the same support.

I have tremendous respect for them, and I want everybody around the state to support our law enforcement officers, Greitens said. And I thought it was a great idea to get down here and be on the front lines with these guys and do some training, but also demonstrate to the people of Missouri the tremendous commitment that all these men and women have every day to keep all of us safe.

Greitens said events like the SEMO SWAT Challenge are particularly important, because they provide additional training for officers as well as opportunities for departments to communicate and build relationships.

This training is incredibly important, Greitens said. Because all of these men and women do exceptional training in tactics, techniques and procedures to keep themselves and their fellow citizens safe. What we also have to do is create opportunities for different SWAT teams to work together. When they work together it ensures that if we ever have a major incident in the State of Missouri, theyre going to be ready.

Greitens, a former U.S. Navy Seal, negotiated multiple obstacles alongside the St. Louis County officers. Officer Dusty Schmidt, of the St. Louis County Police Department team, said the governor showed he hadnt lost his edge since taking office.

It was great that the governor actually came out and got one-on-one with us, Schmidt said. And then he ran the obstacle course with our team and he didnt slow us down at all. Actually, we had to pick up our pace to keep up with him. Hes got our back, and I think thats what he was trying to convey by coming out here.

Fredericktown Police Chief Eric Hovis said on Sunday afternoon that the weekends event went over very successfully overall, despite the nasty weather on Friday and Saturday.

It started off slow with the rain, he said. But, if it aint rainin, you aint trainin. Thats what some of our old sergeants have told us going up through law enforcement.

But the guys did just tremendous, Hovis added. Everybody stayed safe, we had a lot of networking and a lot of sharing with the debriefings and training all over town.

Hovis said when he asked the visiting competitors how their weekend was going, they consistently mentioned how much they love Fredericktown.

Ill say, Hows it going? And they say, I love your town. I love your community. And they wont even talk about the event. They just love everybody here. So its just been a blessing and I couldnt be happier.
Leadington Police Officer John Washburn was named 2017s First Quarter Acclaimed Ambassador by members of the Park Hills  Leadington Chamber of Commerce during their monthly investor meeting on April 18 at Cafe Redux in Park Hills.

Washburn earned the Acclaimed Ambassador title by devoting some of his time to serving as a chamber ambassador. Ambassadors are recruited annually to help promote and assist the chamber in the community and at chamber events and meetings. Ambassadors earn points for attending events and meetings, recruiting and mentoring new investors and providing the chamber board and directors with assistance in other duties as needed.

Washburn earned the title by attending and volunteering his time during various events and meetings, promoting the chamber by checking in and sharing chamber news and events on Facebook, recruiting new chamber investors and inviting potential new investors to attend chamber meetings.

The announcement was made during the chambers April investor meeting so Washburn could be honored with special recognition and awarded a certificate and huge bag of goodies compliments of ambassador program sponsors. Ambassador Club Chairwoman and Chamber Board Member Rita Martin presented him with the award and gifts.

We can't thank John enough for his dedication and hard work, said Executive Director Tammi Coleman. And as a side note, as recognition of his dedication, he attended Tuesday's luncheon and helped work the registration table on his day off  and it was his birthday  and he did it without even knowing he had won the award. Dedication at its finest! We hope you had a great birthday, John. We sure do appreciate you!

The mission of the Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Program is to promote member commitment and retention by raising awareness of chamber activities and benefits; to inform and encourage involvement of new members to promote a strong chamber; to encourage meaningful and beneficial participation in the chambers programs; and to serve as a liaison for the chamber and its membership.

If anyone is interested in being an ambassador its a great way to get your face and name out to the public, said Rita Martin, chairperson of the chambers ambassador program. Its a great networking opportunity.

Martin and Coleman also wanted to give special thanks to the chambers ambassador sponsors for supporting the program and providing our much deserving champions with some incredible gifts.

C.Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Homes, Culligan of Leadington, Domino's Pizza, First Bank, First State Community Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Heart & Soul Hospice - Farmington, Isagenix, the Lemonade Stand Boutique and Serenity HospiceCare all serve as chamber ambassador sponsors.

This is a highly sought after award because the ambassadors work hard to promote the chamber, said Martin. Were very excited to be able to have something cool for them to win for all the points theyve been working for.

To find out more about the ambassador program or the Park Hills-Leadington Chamber of Commerce, visit their website at www.phlcoc.net.
A Caledonia teenager was injured in a one-car accident that took place at 5:50 p.m. Saturday on Highway 21, near Millpond Road in Washington County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a northbound 1998 Ford Ranger driven by Trent A. McClain, 17, of Caledonia, traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned when the driver failed to make a right curve in the highway and overcorrected.

McClain, who was reportedly wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, was transported by Washington County Ambulance to Washington County Memorial Hospital in Potosi where he was treated for moderate injuries.
HICKORY  District 10 voters made their way to Union Square in Hickory despite rainy, chilly weather Sunday to share their views at an Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley open forum.

The three talking points for the event centered on health care  preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA), protecting the environment, and gerrymandering.

The Indivisible movement is community-based and was started by former congressional staffers after the election of President Donald Trump, according to indivisbleguide.com.

Of course this is an open event. Anybody is welcome to come and talk because Indivisible tries to be an inclusive group for both parties, member April Herron said. Its about the issues. Not really about party.

U.S. House of Representatives congressman Patrick McHenry (Republican) of District 10 also was invited to the event, however, he was not able to attend.

The issues for discussion were chosen collectively by the group.

We all have our own interests at heart and all of these affect all of us in some way, member Kendra Quinlan said.

For Herron, health care is an issue that hit close to home because of her sister, who has long-term illnesses. Herron is worried about her losing coverage due to pre-existing conditions if changes are made to the ACA.

Pat Travis traveled from Granite Falls to be part of the conversation as well. A key concern for him was protecting the environment.

I want my grandchildren to be able to breathe clean air. I want my grandchildren to be able to drink clean water, Travis said.

He also was concerned with protecting the arts in schools.

Ive never been active before until after this last election, Travis said. Im just shocked into having to do somethingthats the wonderful thing about this country, being able to speak about different issues.

Merle Bumgarner, of Hickory, also was new to being part of a political movement but was happy to lend his point of view to the discussion at Sundays event.

I like to hear what other people are saying, and Im very much interested in good, clean water for the future, Bumgarner. If you want to make change, be part of the change.

Kris Kramer drove more than an hour to Hickory from Black Mountain with gerrymandering on her mind.

Black Mountain used to be part of District 11 because they split Buncombe County, Kramer said.

She described driving through District 11 to get back into District 10 just to be part of Sundays discussion.

I understand sometimes thats the nature of things, but gerrymandering is a big issue of mine, Kramer said. The idea of someone who lives in west Asheville is in the same district out here as Hickory and yet someone who lives in Old Fort is in a different district, is just not right.

Kramer said she welcomes everyones voice in the discussion, but it needs to be an informed point of view. Voters should be educated on the issues and should look for hard data.

Make sure you know what youre talking about and look at everything you hear and question it, Kramer said.

Jenny Marshall, a candidate running for the U.S. House of Representatives seat for the fifth district, also showed up to the Indivisible event.

We have three precincts in Catawba County so we do have people in the fifth district, and when our congress people just dont legislate for their district, they legislate for the entire state, its important to step up where you need to and hold them accountable, Marshall said.

For more information about the Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley, email indivisibleccv.twitter@gmail.com or look for the group on Facebook.
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Bhopal: Though known for courting controversies, Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Gaurishankar Bisen has announced that after his death, his body should be donated for a medical education and research.

This is perhaps for the first time in Madhya Pradesh when any minister has opted for a body donation.

Speaking to HT, Bisen said a recent incident involving the relative of a party leader inspired him to donate his body after his death.

One Shailendra Katare, who hails from Lal Barra area of Balaghat district met with a road accident in Chhindwara district on Sunday, in which his hand was severed. Efforts were made to rejoin the severed hand at Nagpur, but somehow it couldnt be done due to the time factor. Then I told his family members that the severed hand of Katare should be donated for a medical research and they readily agreed, he said.

Bisen said he was inspired by the incident to offer his own body after his death for a medical education and research.

I thought if a family agreed to my request for the donation, why I should not come forward and donate my body after my death?, he added.

At a public function in Balaghat on Sunday evening, I announced that my body should not be cremated but it should be donated to a medical college after my death so that its helps them in medical education and research, he said.

Notably, member of parliament from Bhopal Alok Sanjar announced in April 2016 donating his body after his death for a medical research and education. He even filled a form at AIIMS, Bhopal.

Bhopal organ donation society has been encouraging people to donate their bodies after their death to medical colleges. In July last year, the society organised a rally from Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal to 6 no. market to create awareness among people for body donation.
Actor Esha Deol is expecting her first child with husband, businessman Bharat Takhtani later this year. The two got married on June 29, 2012 at Iskon temple in Juhu, Mumbai and wanted some time before starting a family.

Though the Deol family is yet to confirm the news , Mumbai Mirror quoted Deols close friend, Ram Kamal Mukherjee (who is writing a second book about Hema MaliniBeyond the Dream Girl), as saying, Yes, Esha is pregnant and everyone in the family is delighted. After Ahanas son  Darein, Hemaji and Dharamji are eagerly waiting to be grandparents again. When Eshas younger sister, Ahana, was pregnant last year, it was Esha who did all the planning and shopping for the mommy-to-be and the baby.

Happy 2017 ! Stay happy & healthy !love Esha & Bharat  pic.twitter.com/0W1z5UXqxk  Esha Deol (@Esha_Deol) January 1, 2017

According to the report, mommy-to-be Esha is now staying with her mother, Hema Malini in her Juhu bungalow and visits her in-laws in Bandra regularly. An excited Hemaji is already planning how to make her (Esha) room more child-friendly. The baby should arrive towards the year-end, the report quoted a source as saying.

Esha and Bharat were school-time buddies but they again got to meet each other on the sets of Hema Malinis directorial Tell Me O Kkhuda (2011), where they fell in love and tied the knot the next year.

Last week, actors Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu had confirmed that they are expecting their first child later this year. Looks like Bollywood will welcome quite a few winter babies this year.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today urged the NITI Aayog for a one-time waiver of the states Rs 1.82 lakh crore debt and sought a special financial package from the Centre to promote industries.

The chief ministers appeal for the central assistance was taken on record in the form of a speech at the third Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog. Singh could not attend the meeting.

Lauding the central governments Smart City initiative, the chief minister mooted the establishment of Smart Villages on the same lines for the development of Punjabs rural infrastructure. He urged the central government to launch a mission for this purpose, with adequate funding to upgrade rural infrastructure and bring the benefits of technology and markets to the states rural areas.

In his speech, Singh chronicled the urgent and crucial challenges confronting the people of Punjab.

The Punjab government is confronted with the task of bringing the state out of its present financial distress, stagnating agriculture and industry, rising unemployment, collapsing urban infrastructure, declining agricultural income and consequent rural distress, he said.

Citing the massive Rs 1,82,000 crore financial debt inherited by his government, he requested the central government to consider a one-time debt waiver and debt swap as a special dispensation for the state to enable it to come out of financial difficulties.

Referring to the state governments plan to promote employment and micro-enterprises in its endeavour to fulfil its promise of Ghar-Ghar Mein Naukari (employment to every household), Singh urged the Centre to provide direct subsidy of Rs 100,000 to the youths seeking to engage themselves in self-employment after skill development.

The chief minister also sought from the Modi government a one-time infrastructural development package for the border areas of Punjab, which has a 553 km long sensitive border with Pakistan. These areas should be given the same level of tax incentives and promotional schemes as provided to the hilly and north-eastern states, he said.

Singh called for inclusion of Punjab as a category A State for financial assistance on the pattern of Jammu and Kashmir and eight north-east states under the Modernisation of State Police Forces scheme, with central funding on 90:10 basis.

This, he stressed, was necessary for the upgradation of the police in the border-sensitive state of Punjab.

Seeking comprehensive policy initiatives from the central government for the development of agriculture in the state, he sought the NITI Aayogs support in setting up a Deficiency Price Payment Support system to provide farmers with crop remuneration at par with MSP for all other crops in addition to wheat and paddy.

This, he observed, would encourage the farmers to shift to cultivation of alternate crops like maize, soyabean, oilseeds and pulses, helping make agriculture more sustainable and leading to better earnings for the beleaguered farmers of the state.

Punjab would also welcome the NITI Aayogs support in planning and implementing micro irrigation systems in agriculture to enhance the water productivity in the state, Singh said, while seeking the Centres and the Aayogs support in encouraging the setting up of agro food parks.

Recalling the prime ministers promise to double farmers incomes, the chief minister sought technical support from the NITI Aayog in preparing a roadmap for ensuring the same in Punjab.

Underlining the criticality of industrial development, Singh stressed the importance of promoting micro, small and medium enterprises in Punjab, with special incentives to the border areas and the sub-mountainous area, along the hilly tracts, to promote employment and bring buoyancy in the tax revenue of the state. This, he said, was necessary to ensure balanced regional development.

On the border areas, the chief minister once again urged the central government to acquire lands that lie beyond the border fence and, till that is done, pay enhanced compensation to the farmers.

The chief minister also urged the Centre to ensure that the flow of funds to the states is not adversely impacted till the GST regime stabilises.
India may export mangoes that meet biosecurity standards to Australia for the first time following revision of protocols to allow them in the Australian economy.

Robert Gray from Australian Mango Industry Association, said the Indian mangoes would be for sale outside of the Australian mango season.

However, the fruit has to meet biosecurity standards including irradiation before they are exported, he said.

Our position is that, as part of the global trade, if we want access to other countries around the world [to export Australian mangoes], then providing the protocol is safe and not bringing in any pests or diseases, then were supportive of other countries having access into our market, he said, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Mexico, the Philippines and Pakistan have previously exported mangoes to Australia over the years.

He said India had started exporting mangoes to the US as well, but it was hard to know what type of volumes would be sent to Australia.

While India is a huge mango-growing country, their export business is a bit like ours, he said.

[India will be] targeting affluent markets, markets where they can place small quantities of very high-value product, Gray said.

The report quoted Kaushal Khakhar, chief executive of Kay Bee Exports, as saying that all shipments to Australia would be sent by air, and the company would initially focus on exporting the Alphonso and Kesar varieties of mango.

Alphonso is slightly tricky but handled well it is one of the best varieties in India, he said.

Kesar is the best commercial variety because it has a good price, good flavour, and it handles very well, Khakhar said.

He said the opportunity to export mangoes to Australia first opened up several years ago, but the revised protocol has made it a more viable option.

The Indian mango season runs from March until the end of July.

Indian mango exports are likely to surpass last years level and touch 50,000 tonne mark in the ongoing fiscal, buoyed by strong demand and supply of export quality fruit, Indias Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority ( APEDA) had earlier said.
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The Jet Airways management is likely to hold talks on Wednesday with its domestic pilots union, which has threatened to boycott foreign commanders, in a bid to resolve the issue.

The airlines local pilots body, National Aviators Guild (NAG), had on April 15 issued a directive to its around 1,000 members, asking them not to fly with the expat pilots from May 1 after one of the foreign pilots allegedly assaulted a trainer in Bengaluru early this month.

The Jet Airways management and Guild representatives are meeting in Mumbai on April 26. The pilot body is firm on its decision not to fly with the expat commanders from May 1 and the issue is to be resolved before that, a source in the airline said.

According to the source, if the pilots stick to their boycott call, the airline operations could be affected due to unavailability of the first officers.

The carrier has around 60 expat commanders who mainly operate its Boeing 737 and ATR fleet.

In a statement last week, the guild had alleged that the airlines management has for a very long time treated the Indian employees, including the pilots, in a step-motherly manner, a charge that the airline has rebutted.

The Jet Airways management has disregarded the legitimate expectations of its employees to be treated fairly, reasonably and in a just manner, the guild had alleged.

In a strongly-worded statement, NAG had also said that disparaging, inappropriate and racist comments allegedly made by certain expat pilots cannot be taken lightly.

This is in addition to the verbal and physical abuse of a senior trainer by an expat pilot employed by the airline, the NAG claimed.

It has also sought removal of all expat pilots from the airline.

Denying any step motherly treatment to the Indian pilots vis-a-vis foreign pilots in the airline, Jet Airways had said that as a part of the airlines open door policy, it encourages all employee groups to engage in consultative processes and arrive at amicable solutions.

As an Indian airline operating internationally, all employees, regardless of nationality, are governed by a strict and common code of conduct, the spokesperson said.

The airline spokesperson had in a statement on March 19 also said there are robust HR processes to ensure that instances of contradictory nature are duly investigated and appropriate actions taken as per the companys policy.
LafargeHolcim Chief Executive Eric Olsen will leave the company in July, the worlds largest cement maker said on Monday, in the wake of an investigation into allegations the company paid armed groups in Syria to keep a plant operating.

The company admitted in March that its plant in Jallabiya probably paid protection money to keep running in the war-torn country.

Olsens resignation follows the conclusion of an internal investigation and highlights the dilemmas companies face when working in conflict zones.

The company said on Monday that its internal investigation found that payments had indeed been made, which it said was not in line with its policies.

It said a number of measures taken to continue safe operations at the plant were unacceptable, and significant errors of judgment were made that contravened the applicable code of conduct.

French prosecutors are also investigating the cement groups activities in Syria. Olsen was formerly an executive at French industrial group Lafarge, which completed its merger with Swiss group Holcim in 2015.

LafargeHolcims investigation found that though these measures were instigated by local and regional management, some members of group management were aware of the situation, indicating Lafarges code of business conduct had been violated.

But it cleared Olsen, who has led the combined company since 2015, of wrongdoing.

Following an in-depth review, the board has concluded that Eric Olsen was not responsible for, nor thought to be aware of, any wrongdoings that have been identified as part of its review, the company said.

Still, Olsen said he was resigning from the company, effective from July 15.

While I was absolutely not involved in, nor even aware of, any wrongdoing I believe my departure will contribute to bringing back serenity to a company that has been exposed for months on this case, he said.
The health department is planning to initiate real-time tracking of routine vaccination drives to improve falling immunisation rates among the states children, an official said on Monday.

The system will be implemented on a pilot basis in Haridwar district. After analysing its success, the real-time tracking will be replicated in other districts.

The health department is working to boost immunisation levels of children after the National Family Health Survey-4 found a decline in immunisation rates.

According to the survey, the extent of immunisation of children aged between 12-23 months was over 60% in 2005-06, which fell to 57.7% in 2015-16.

Incidentally, the extent of children fully immunised for BCG (immunization against tuberculosis), measles and 3 doses each of polio and DPT (a combined vaccination for 3 diseases) was found to be relatively lesser in urban areas (56.5%) as compared to that in rural areas (58.2%).

Health department officials said Haridwar was identified as the district has one of the highest floating/migratory population in the hill state.

Under the system, which is being launched for the first time, five ANMs (health workers) will send day-to-day updates of immunisation done by them to a designated nodal officer through WhatsApp (mobile messenger), who will further relay the compiled report to the block level officer, Dr DK Chakrapani, the state immunisation officer, told HT.

He will then forward the reports to the district immunization officer who will in turn send the aggregate reports of the district to the state-level officials, Chakrapani said.

The system will help in ensuring quick data transmission and transparency in the existing Health Management Information System database, under which immunisation details are updated using registers submitted manually by the health workers - which at times takes several days to be updated.

We will be able to keep a close eye on progress of the immunisation programme, identify gaps in the process and cover the left-out children in a sustained, timely manner. The real-time updates will also be verified with the manual registers on a monthly basis to ensure that there is no discrepancy in data, he said.

The department is also taking other measures for increasing efficiency of the immunisation programme which include developing alternate plans/arranging health workers from nearby centres where theyre not available, taking head counts of left-out children or those with partial/incomplete immunization and providing training to cold chain handlers for maintaining quality of vaccine administered to children.

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About half a dozen bulldozers worked overnight on Sunday at Pragati Maidan to pull down five iconic buildings  Hall of Nations and Industry. Next to come under the hammer is Nehru Pavilion.

Indian trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) razed the structures two days after their architect Raj Rewal lost the case in Delhi high court on April 20. Conservationists are perplexed as the demolition took place as one petition by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to save these structures is still being heard in the same court with next hearing slated for May 1.

ITPO is setting up a world-class Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) with project value of Rs2,254 crore. The complex will have hotel, mall/multi-level food court, water bodies display, helipad and other tourist attractions.

Read more: Pragati Maidan makeover mired in legal trouble, could miss deadline

The five structures  one of Hall of Nations and four of Hall of Industries  were commissioned in 1972 and the architect claims that these were the worlds first pillar less concrete frame structures.

AGK Menon, former convener, Delhi Chapter INTACH said, Its all over now. As the ITPO did not wait for the court to pronounce its decision, we have lost all hope. Hall of Nations was demolished quietly on Sunday night when the entire world slept. As these iconic buildings no more exist, we cannot move the apex court.

The Hall of Nations was the venue of Asia 1972  the third Asian International Trade Fair coinciding with the Indias silver jubilee year of Independence.

The Hall of Nations was constructed in 1972. (Handout)

In a joint statement by architect Raj Rewal, structural engineer Mahendra Raj, former convener of INTACH, Delhi Chapter AGK Menon and president, Indian Institute of Architects Divya Kush said, We consider the demolition of the Hall of Nations at Pragati Maidan an act of outrage. The case was being heard in the Delhi high court and the hearings were scheduled on April 27 and May 1, 2017.

In fact as an answer to our letter to the Prime Minister, the ministry of commerce indicated to us to find an amicable resolution with the trade fair authority. But obviously somebody in the ITPO had other motives, the statement said.

In a written statement, ITPO CMD LC Goyal said the execution of IECC requires dismantling of Hall No. 1 to 6, 14 to 20 and state pavilions, including Hall of Nations, Nehru Pavilion and Hall of Industry  which he claimed are not classified as heritage buildings.

Earlier a PIL and two writ petitions filed by India Institute of Architects in Court of Delhi were dismissed. Presently, a writ petition filed by INTACH is pending in the high court of Delhi. The high court on April 20, 2017, has dismissed another writ petition filed by Raj Rewal seeking to declare and preserve Hall of Nations, Hall of Industry and Nehru Pavilion as work of art of national importance. An appeal has been filed against the dismissal, but there is no stay granted by the court in any of the writ petitions against demolition of structures envisaged in the re-development of Pragati Maidan, Goyal said.

Goyal said the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) has maintained that only those buildings which are at least 60 years old can be considered for inclusion in the heritage list.
Exit polls have predicted that the BJP will retain Delhis three municipal corporations, voting for which was held on Sunday. The counting for the 270 wards across the three civic bodies is on April 26 for the election billed by rivals as a referendum on two years of the Arvind Kerjriwal government.

Five things about Delhis civic polls that have generated a lot of interest:

BJP sweep predicted

Exit polls have predicted a huge BJP win. An exit poll by India Today gives about 80 seats each to the party in north and south corporations and 50 in the east corporation. The AAP is predicted to be far behind in the second place in all three corporations, marginally ahead of the Congress.

ABP News, too, has forecast a big victory for BJP, with AAP a distant second. It gives the BJP 88 of 104 seats in the north, 83 of 104 in the south and 47 of 64 in the east. In total, the poll gives BJP 218 seats, AAP 24 and Congress 22.

Election was cancelled in Maujpur in the east and Sarai Pipal Thala in the north because of the death of a candidate in each of the two wards. Voting in these two areas would be held in May, state election commission officials have said.

Glass half full?

Almost half of Delhis voters stayed away from polling, with the city recording a turnout of 53.6%  a notch higher than the 2012 civic election. After a slow start, voting picked up later in the day, especially in the evening. When the polls closed, more than half of the citys 13.2 million voters had exercised their franchise.

Going by civic poll turnouts since 1997, Sundays was the highest. In 2012, 53.23% of the electorate cast their vote. Of the three corporations, the east recorded the highest turnout of 55%, followed by the norths 54% and the souths 50%.

We were targeting a turnout of 60%. We made all efforts to encourage the voters, but the heat seems to have pulled down the numbers. But even 54% is a good turnout, state election commissioner SK Srivastava said.

Poll stakes

The MCD election goes beyond choosing municipal councillors who will look into Delhis civic problems.

The BJP sought votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision for Delhi, an indication of how important the election is for the saffron party.

If results do match exit polls, it will not only give the BJP fresh ammunition to take on archrival AAP but will also help the party put behind the assembly poll humiliation.

For the Congress, which stunned Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, the election is an opportunity to make a comeback in the city it governed for 15 straight years before being relegated to the margins.

The AAP, which is still to recover from the poll loss in Punjab where it started as the favourite, a drubbing in the civic election half way into its term will be a big blow, a sign of drop in the popularity of the party that came to power with a historic mandate.

EVM trouble

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal kept up his anti-EVM tirade on the polling day as well, questioning the state election commission over reports of machines malfunctioning in parts of the city.

The poll panel, however, said it received 18 complaints of glitches, which was normal, and those were rectified immediately.

Of the 18 complaints, five were received from north Delhi, eight from the south and five from the east, state election commissioner SK Srivastava said.

Kejriwal alleged that people with voter slips were turned away from polling booths. Reports from all over Delhi of EVM malfunction, people with voter slips not allowed to vote. What is State EC doing? tweeted Kejriwal.

What people want

Delhi residents expectations are not too high. They want the civic bodies to get the basics right. Sanitation is a big concern and garbage collection continues to be a problem. Lack of dustbins, irregular cleaning of roads and dumping of waste are some of the voters complaints.

Poor quality of roads is another grouse.

With dengue and chikungunya outbreaks getting more frequent and deadlier, residents blame the civic authorities for failing to check mosquito breeding. Voters are also unanimous in saying that the civic bodies had failed to create adequate parking facilities in the city, which has the highest density of vehicles in the country.
After slacking till the afternoon on a sunny Sunday, 53.6% Delhi voters saved the day by casting their ballot in the municipal election. Though the turnout was much lower than the assembly polls in 2015, Delhi didnt do too badly, if the trend in civic polls is anything to go by.

Five years ago, voters in Delhi had conjured a breathtaking feat by recording the highest turnout of 15 years at 53.2%. Like always, senior citizens came out in droves - some on wheelchairs or wobbling with a stick, others came with friends and still others queued up early after a round of morning walk.

There are also first-time voters to thank. They came out for experience and to do their bit for the country as fresh adults.

Here are their voting moments put together from across the city.

(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

Nageshwar Mishra, 76 years old, is a resident of Madanpur Khadar in south Delhi. Walking with a stick, he came alone to vote. He could not walk but managed to reach the polling booth on a rickshaw as he thinks voting is crucial for the success of a democracy. I came here even though I have difficulty in walking but I had to vote. How could I miss it? he said. He took a minute to rest after the process was over.

(Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO)

A group of nuns came out to vote at St Xaviers School at Raj Niwas Marg near Civil Lines in north Delhi. Lietenant-Governor Anil Baijals official residence is a few steps away from the 57-year-old school. Though the area houses the L-G and even Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal at Flagstaff Road, broken roads, garbage collection, encroachment and unkempt parks are major concerns of the voters there.

(Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)

Villagers of Ladpur in northwest Delhi were happy to show their inked fingers this time. They together went out to vote and sat discussing the outcome over a round of hookah in this village, about 16 kilometres away from Rohini. Frustrated with civic problems in their area, the villagers had boycotted the municipal election in 2012. Five years have passed since. But roads are still muddy, water is scarce and sewage remains difficult to manage here.

(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

First-time voters Ayusha Naaz and Namra Mahak were thrilled to vote on Sunday in southeast Delhis Jamia Nagar. Delhi State Election Commission said nearly 1.10 lakh first-time voters were registered in the high-stakes municipal polls in Delhi. More than 24,000 of them had recently turned 18. Many of them said they had done enough research on every candidate contesting their area to make an informed choice. Family influence was not working here.

(Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Another group of first-time voters - Mohd Azharuddin, Mohd Shaqib and Ghazen - at a polling booth in northeast Delhis Brahmpuri was as excited though they were angry with the continued neglect of their area by both the municipal corporation and the Delhi government.

(Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

In west Delhis Karol Bagh, women voters said they was no way they were missing out on voting. It was their right and they wanted to vote for cleanliness, decongestion, better parking facilities and improved schools at primary level. One of them said her family had decided to vote for a particular party, but she made her own decision. Thats another benefit of secret ballot! she laughed.

(Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Mohd Aash visited a polling booth at Jamia Nagar in southeast Delhi along with his wife Afsana, who helped him cast his vote. A large number of voters in his area said they voted for improving sanitation as the place was a hotbed of dengue and chikungunya cases last year. Though the official figure for dengue and chikungunya deaths in Jamia Nagar, according to MCD records, is less than 10, there were over 70 suspected deaths here.
Once merely a shadow of the popular Hauz Khas Village, Shahpur Jat has made quite a name for itself due to the burgeoning number of fashion boutiques, eateries and murals in the area. However, the popular urban village recently found itself in the news, when designer Jenjum Gadi in his Facebook post termed one of its lanes, Dada Jungi House, as the most racist place in Delhi. His friend Jimmy Golmei, a 32-year-old Manipuri man, was allegedly harassed by residents in the area.

My friend Jimmy had come to meet me and as I was not at the studio, he decided to wait at an outlet in the Dada Jungi lane. When he came out of the cafe, a guard rushed towards him and humiliated him. The guard told him he wasnt welcome there and that he should leave immediately. These people are very rude and very racist and it is not only Jimmy, I have myself experienced such behaviour quite a few times, said Gadi, whose studio is near the lane. The incident impelled us to do a reality check at the allegedly racist Dada Jungi lane. Heres what we found:

NORTH EAST = CHINA?:

Theyve come from China, and when we have banned all Chinese goods, so a lane banning a few Chinese people shouldnt be such an issue.

We met a young resident who lives near Dada Jungi lane. When we asked him whether the residents disliked people from the Northeast, he seemed bemused and hesitated to answer at first. On probing further, he said, Yeh log China se aa gaye hai, aur jab China ka maal India mein ban hai toh in logon ko ek lane mein jaane ko naa mile to ismein kya badi baat hai? Despite our efforts to enlighten him that people from the Northeast are very much Indians, he stuck to his claim and asked us to not trouble him.

WERE DOING OUR JOB:

We have been instructed by the landlord to keep bad elements out and we are just doing our job.

Once at the lane, we questioned one of the security guards there, who denied any such incident outright and claimed that it was his job to keep the wrong people out. Yeh aam raasta nahi hai, private property hai. Yahaan ya toh customer aate hain yaa dukaan waale, baaki hum kisi ko bhi allow nahi karte. Humein yahaan ke landlord ne saaf bol rakha hai ki jo galat lage, usey andar matt aane dena, toh hum wahi karte hain, he said. He then asked us to go talk to Pradhaanji, the landlord, if we needed any further clarification about the lane policy.

PRIVATE PROPERTY:

This street is famous and often people visit to take a look at the designs here and replicate them outside for cheap. That is something we cannot allow.

When we were looking for the landlord, a guard of the lane stopped us. We told him that we were journalists and he was quick to guide us to the Pradhaan. The landlord also said he had no knowledge of such an incident. He added that the lane was private property, meant only for a select few: Jo humein sahi nahi lagta woh iss lane mein nahi aa sakta. Thoroughfare allowed nahi hai iss lane mein aur humne do guard isiliye rakhein hain. Baaki agar dukaan se kuchh khareedna hai toh hum kuchh nahi kehte. Yahaan Northeast ke staff bhi kaam karta hai, unse poocho kabhi problem hui hai!A few of his friends standing beside him also joined the discussion and supported his claims. Dada Jungi House ka kaafi naam hai Dilli mein, toh agar koi bhi iska naam Facebook par uchhaal raha hai, ismein unka khud ka bhi toh koi fayda ho sakta hai na, added his friend who wished to remain anonymous.

FAULT OF THE LOCALS:

A rule that was initially made with a good intention has eventually become a bit of a problem for a select few. I would not comment much about the issue or choose to be named because the locals here stand united and I do not wish to get into trouble.

Vriddhi Jain, a shopper in the lane, said, This is the oddest incident, but then the locals here are known to be rowdy at times. Any educated person would not do such a thing. I guess what happened with Golmei was clearly due to ignorant locals. My friends have stores here and they do not share the same ideology. A designer from the lane who wished not to be named added, Since we own stores here, were no strangers to such behaviour by people. A rule that was initially made with a good intention has eventually become a bit of a problem for a select few. I would not comment much about the issue or choose to be named because the locals here stand united and I do not wish to get into trouble.

Follow @HTCity for more.

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With the exit polls predicting a clean sweep by the BJP in MCD elections, the party on Monday said they will win at least 215 of the 272 wards. The Congress, on the other hand, claimed it was sure of improving its seat tally in the three municipal corporations.

The votes will be counted on Wednesday.

The Axis India-Today exit poll predicted about 80 seats for BJP in North and South corporations and 50 seats in East corporation. AAP is predicted to be far behind in the second place in all three corporations, according to the poll, just ahead of the Congress.

Rajiv Babbar, vice-president, Delhi BJP said, After assessing all survey reports and findings submitted by independent observers, who are party leaders from outside Delhi, we have reached a conclusion that we will get more than 215 seats.

All members of the core committee of the party had met on Sunday night to review the polling in which all seven Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi and district in charges were also present.

The meeting was headed by Jitendra Singh, union minister, who was appointed one of the supervisors to look after municipal polls, by the BJP central leadership. We discussed the exit polls, which are predicting massive victory for us. We have been saying this from day one. We are confident, Babbar said.

The Congress leaders will meet on Monday evening to take stock of the situation. A senior party functionary said all surveys and exit polls are biased and the party has successfully managed to revive its lost support to a large extent.

In the last assembly elections, the vote share of the party dipped to 9%. An initial analysis of voting trends on Sunday shows that we will get 28-29 % votes, which is certainly a great relief, he said.

Referring to the surveys or exit polls, he said the party is not worried and it will certainly do better.

Even if the BJP fares better than us, it has nothing to do with the performance of its councillors but the effect of the election results in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modis image, he said.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said he has no doubt about partys victory in municipal election.

All the 14 district presidents and observers are meeting on Monday. It is a routine exercise done after every election. We will be reviewing the polling and our assessment. All these surveys are biased and wrong. What they are predicting is impossible, he said.

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Voters on Delhis outskirts were more likely to cast ballots in the citys municipal corporation elections than their inner-city counterparts, according to HTs analysis of voter turnout data.

This is not at all surprising, said Sanjay Kumar, director at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a leading think tank. Kumars studies of voting patterns have found that, across the country, rural voters tend to turn up to vote in higher percentages than residents of crowded metro areas.

Voters in the citys posh south Delhi wards were the least likely to vote. But thats not because rich and middle-class people dont vote, Kumar said.

Another possible explanation? Poor urban voters, many of whom work in industries that service the wealthy, dont get time off from work  even on Sundays, the day the election was held.

All kinds of people dont get leave, Kumar said. They actually have to take a formal leave, for which their salary would be cut. This is a big reason for lower turnout of the poor.

The Election Commission has formally declared that all voters are entitled to election day holidays so that they can make it to the polls.

The voter turnout in the posh neighbourhoods of the national capital remained low during Sundays municipal corporation elections even as the numbers were better than the 2012 municipal elections.

South Delhis Greater Kailash-I, which in the last polls had seen the lowest turnout (37.3%), gained by more than five percentage points this time with the ward registering 42.44% votes.

Despite the sweltering heat, people in other posh colonies too stepped out of their homes to vote. Vasant Kunj, for example, also set a positive example by casting 45.18% votes compared to 39.43% in 2012.

Back in the 2007 civic polls, the ward had seen only 25% voter turnout.

Vasant Vihar also saw an increase of 3.38 percentage points with 43.3% people coming out to vote. While all these constituencies probably have seen the highest ever turnout, they still remained way below the city average of 54-55% during the last two civic polls.

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A survey by a Delhi University research centre has predicted a clean sweep for Bharatiya Janata Party with 214 seats in the municipal election. It puts Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party far in the second place with the Congress tottering behind.

DUs Developing Countries Research Center (DCRC) conducted a survey of 39,147 voters across 272 wards between April 14 and 21 to predict BJPs landslide victory in all three municipal corporations. It says the BJP is likely to get 50 seats in the east, 78 in north and 86 in south municipal corporation.

AAP is a distant second with 29 seats in total  seven in east, 13 in north and nine in south. Congress is likely to win 24 seats  five in east, 12 in north and seven in south. The results for the election will be declared on April 26.

Students from DU colleges went to different areas before the election to collect information from voters. Data was obtained from voters on a single-page questionnaire.

The results were complied and trends analysed by a research team at DCRC. A team of 305 members, including 272 students surveyed all the wards, said Kumar Raajesh, media coordinator and a fellow at DCRC.

Kumar said this was probably the first and only survey for a municipal election conducted in any state in which all wards were covered.

Voting in the municipal election in Delhi ended on Sunday at 5.30pm with exit polls predicting a huge win for BJP in all three corporations.

What the Axis India-Today exit poll predicts Corporation BJP AAP Congress North 78-84 8-12 8-12 South 79-85 9-13 7-11 East 45-51 6-10 4-8 What the ABP News C-Voter exit poll predicts Corporation BJP AAP Congress North 88 6 7 South 83 9 9 East 47 9 6

Exit poll by ABP News gave the BJP 88 out of 104 seats in north, 83 out of 104 in south and 47 out of 64 in east. In the overall tally, the ABP News poll gave BJP 218 seats out of 272 seats, 24 to AAP and 22 to Congress.

Another exit poll by Aaj Tak and India Today TV also predicted around 80 seats for BJP in north and south corporations and around 50 seats in east corporation. AAP is far behind in second place in all three corporations, according to the poll, just ahead of the Congress.
Within 10 days, there were two security breaches at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). In both the cases, the persons who had illegally entered the airside, entered the area out of curiosity.

On Sunday morning, an alarm was generated by the Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) and security forces rushed to the point from where a man scaled the boundary wall and jumped towards the runway.

The man scaled the perimeter wall where the Terminal 2 is located. Our staff immediately rushed and caught him before he could move any further. He had come all the way from Narela and was handed over to the police, said a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official.

The four-layered PIDS, with physical and covert detection systems  including taut wire, buried cable, CCTV cameras and radars  has been installed around the existing perimeter wall of the airport. There is a patrolling track all along the perimeter wall and it generates alarm whenever someone tries to scale the boundary wall.

But 10 days before this, a man entered the runway side from the technical gate, which is now considered as a potential threat. The boundary walls are not properly covered on that side and the issue became more sensitive when on April 13, a 30-year-old from Pilibhit, UP, started walking towards runway 27, before he was caught by the IAF.

Investigations revealed that the man had entered directly from technical area of IGIA and a portion of the area is not covered by concrete wall. A joint interrogation was also conducted but nothing suspicious was found.

Two days before the incident, the issue was raised at a meeting and the CISF had asked the airport operator to install high-quality night vision camera.

CISF raised this point during a review meeting held on April 11, 2017. Since the technical area is in the defence zone, matter would have to be decided by the defence and civil aviation ministries, said a spokesperson of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), airport operator.

CISF said that CCTV would help them in monitoring the movement as someone can come to the main runway side from the technical area.

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It is ironic that a technological solution that could have plugged Indias porous welfare delivery system  and saved the State huge amount of funds  is itself proving to be extremely leaky. On Saturday, thanks to a programming error, names, addresses, Aadhaar numbers and bank account details of a million beneficiaries of Jharkhands old age pension scheme  or digital identities  surfaced on a government website. When HT reporters logged onto the site, they could drill down to get transaction-level data on pension paid into scores of pension accounts. This major privacy breach comes at a time when the Supreme Court, cyber-security experts and opposition politicians have questioned the Modi governments policy to make Aadhaar mandatory to get benefits of a variety of government schemes and services.

The purpose of Aadhar when it was mooted is laudable. It had and has great transformative potential, it could if implemented in the right way lessen corruption and put each Indian on the official map when it come to rights and benefits. But, the breach reminds us that the security of our information is in the hands of authorities who dont know how to secure it. In an interview to HT, AB Pandey, CEO, UIDAI, indicated the scale of challenge that Aadhaar faces: For security inside Aadhaar, yes, I would say it is securebut the nature of security threats keep changing. So we have to show absolute vigilance and take every possible measure to constantly assess the threats. This constant assessment of threats obviously did not happen in Jharkhand (the situation could be similar in other states as well) because certain basic challenges were not addressed before embarking on the Aadhaar seeding process: User education does not match the rate at which security-related risks are growing; departments that hold this information are ill-equipped to maintain and safeguard these sensitive databases; and, while the UIDAIs servers are impervious to attack, there are thousands of insecure computers at block-level government offices. In Jharkhand, for instance, cyber security experts had long warned that many websites maintained by the state government were insecure. Moreover, this multiplicity of software solutions and private service providers makes it enormously difficult to implement nationwide fixes once vulnerability had been discovered in one state.

Despite such critical data privacy issues, there are no legal safeguards for citizens in case of a data breach. Cyber security expert Pranesh Prakash mentioned in a recent HT piece that the Aadhaar Act and Rules dont limit the information that can be gathered by the enrolling agency; it doesnt limit how Aadhaar can be used by third parties if they havent gathered their data from UIDAI; it doesnt require your consent before third parties use your Aadhaar number to collate records about you. But if and when identity theft is committed, individuals may never come to know as the law does not require the UDIAI to inform citizens about a data breach.

What India requires today is a strong data-protection law. It should have preceded the Aaadhar roll-out but unfortunately it did not. Such a law can also ensure that data are not misused by private companies. Recently, the UIDAI filed FIRs against eight unauthorised websites for promising Aadhaar-related services, and illegally collecting Aadhaar number and enrolment details from people.

Aaadhar, however, requires greater scrutiny because of its scale, because it is mandatory, and because so many who are registered have neither the knowledge nor the means to protect themselves, or get recourse in case something goes wrong.
On Sunday, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami met the farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and assured them that their demands would be met in a months time. But by convincing the protesting farmers to suspend their agitation, Mr Palaniswami has not addressed the problem  he has only managed to avert what could have soon become a political crisis for both the Centre and state. In the protest that went on for 41 days, the farmers, to highlight their plight, adopted several extreme measures, which included biting into dead mice and snakes, eating grass, and even threatening to drink urine and eat human faeces. In a harrowing protest, farmers hung human skulls, which they claimed were of dead farmers, around their necks.

Though it has now been suspended, the protest highlights the agrarian crisis in Tamil Nadu and many other parts of the country. It is a pity and reflects poorly on the nation when its farmers are pushed to such disturbing, even macabre, means to attract the attention of authorities towards what should be treated as nothing short of a national crisis. If corrective measures are not taken now, it could lead to more farmer suicides and protests.

With an increasing unpredictability in weather patterns, the demand for water is only set to increase. Unless awareness is created on how to judiciously use existing resources and replenish reserves, the requirement for water cannot be met satisfactorily. Also, with supply far below demand, water-related tensions will increase in frequency. The issue of inequality in water availability is set to raise tensions between states, as is seen between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the Cauvery water dispute.

The Centre, along with the states, needs to come up with a solution to address such riparian tensions, and set a template that can be used in the future. But precious little has been done. Basic steps, such as rainwater harvesting, which increases groundwater reserves, have not been made mandatory for every building in urban India.

The farmers protests should be a reminder to the government, both at the Centre and states, to focus on addressing the problems faced by them and ensure that farmers are not forced to turn to such measures in the future.
The Central Board of Secondary Education, the countrys biggest school board, has decided that extra marks given to Class 12 students to help clear a paper will be mentioned on mark-sheets.

Known as grace marks, these are given in cases where a students score narrowly misses the passing-mark.

The decision was part of proposals discussed by top officials of the education ministry and counterparts in the state.

They included a move to do away with moderation  the practice of revising marks upwards  which could result in lower cut-offs in university entrances, such as the Delhi University.

States have also agreed to do away with the policy of moderation, and several of them may follow CBSE in declaring the grace marks as well.

HT had first reported about states planning to do away with moderation on April 12.

CBSE has decided it will not spike marks at all. This will be implemented for this years board exam itself. It will award grace marks which will also be reflected in the mark sheet and the website will also clearly mention the mechanism used to give grace marks and to what extent, said a senior official. Officials said as CBSE has decided to lead by example it will put pressure on other boards to follow.

Some states are already doing it. This will bring greater transparency and it will provide a level playing field, the official said.

This could lead to slight dip in cut-off but it is difficult to quantify. Also, CBSE is not the only Board as we have many students from state Boards who apply to DU, said a Delhi University official who did not want to be named.

There were a few states that expressed apprehension over mark-sheets reflecting the grace marks, saying it could be seen as a stigma but others argued that it will be unfair for those who pass without the extra marks.

States have also said they will continue with their own policy for grace marks. The lower the marks, the higher are the benefits of moderation. So it is unfair for those who work hard. Many states have been doing this to ensure their pass percentage remains intact. However, this unnecessarily increases the cut-offs, said a senior official.

In the past, the CBSE and state boards have awarded up to 10% to 15% cent extra marks in various subjects such as mathematics and physics. However, these extra marks are subject to the ceiling of 95%, as far as CBSE is concerned.

The CBSE also decided that instead of the current All India Senior Secondary Examination, Rest of the World and a separate exam for Delhi, CBSE will have only one exam across the country to ensure difficulty levels are uniform.

It has also been decided not to include the marks awarded for extracurricular activities (ECA) in the final tally of marks. They would be reflected separately on the mark sheet, preferably in the shape of grades.

To ensure students who participate in ECA are given benefits it has been decided that a credit system will be evolved in consultation with the higher education department so that universities give them preference over those who have got the same marks, said a senior HRD official.

Kerala will not be able to do away with the practice of moderation from this year as the final marks that it awards include the extracurricular activities too and it will not be able to change the marking system.

To ensure greater parity in examination and syllabus, it has also been decided that states can progressively adopt NCERT syllabus for core subjects such as mathematics, science, and they can continue with their regional variations.

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Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday the Centre will set up a central university for students with a disability.

We will try to establish one central university that will not only cater quality higher education but will also facilitate divyang students to get jobs so that they may contribute to the mainstream society, Javadekar said at the third convocation of Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University in Lucknow.

Javadekar said the Union government is sensitive towards the interest of disabled students and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that such students should be addressed as divyang. The PM has also ordered to set up ramps and elevators in educational institutions so to make it barrier-free for disabled children, he added.

The Union minister appreciated the inclusive education policy followed by Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University where both disabled and normal students study under one roof. It is not only beneficial for special students but normal students also get to learn many things from specially-abled students, he said.

Javadekar said he was pleased to see that the university has done away with the western academic gown and has replaced it with indigenous attire for convocation. The universitys decision to name its auditorium after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also lauded by the HRD minister.

He also assured to financial assistance to the university for installing a Braille Press for printing books and study material for the benefit of visually impaired students not only for this university but also for students of other universities.

Governor Ram Naik on a lighter note asked the boys to gear up because out of 53 medals that were distributed among 37 students, 28 were girls and 9 boys. He said 76% medals were won by girls and it is time for boys to gear up.

Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University established by the Uttar Pradesh governments Viklang Kalyaan Vibhaag came up through an ordinance dated August 29, 2008. It is the first university of its kind that also provides accessible and quality higher education to disabled students, in a completely barrier-free environment.

We are unique, much different from others. Our mandate is primarily to serve the differently-abled segment of the society for which a horizontal reservation of 50% seats in all courses of the university has been provided, in addition to the normal reservation policy, vice-chancellor NK Rai said in his address.

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Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has declared the results of Higher Secondary (Class 12) annual 2016 (regular) Kashmir division, held in March 2017 (under notification no. 050), on its official website.

Candidates can check their results on boards official website.

Steps to check the results:

1) Go to the official website of JKBOSE

2) Click on the link Result of Class 12th, Annual 2016 (Regular) Kashmir Div held in March 2017 under Notification No. 050 in the latest results section on the right. Click on link for a location.

3) Key in your roll number and click on submit

4) The result will be displayed on the screen

5) Take a print-out

Or click here to directly go to the login page for results.

The state school education board had in March declared the results of higher secondary (Class 12) part two annual 2016 (W/Z) and bi-annual-2016 (S/Z) private exam for Jammu division candidates.

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As the educational institutes in the city take firm steps to enforce the minimum 75% attendance that is required in an academic year, students are becoming discontent with the mandatory attendance policy.

Last week, students from the reputed Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, made headlines when they creatively exploited loopholes in the institutes biometric attendance system to mark themselves present even when they didnt attend classes.

Some lecturers are terrible teachers. They simply read from a presentation, instead of teaching proactively. Theres no point attending a lecture if one doesnt learn anything, said a BTech student from ICT.

Not amused, the ICT authorities decided to punish around 200 students by cutting two credit points from their final score. Justifying the institutes action, its vice-chancellor GD Yadav had said, We are very strict with attendance. In the past, we have rusticated students who couldnt meet the minimum attendance mark.

Mumbai colleges say they are strict about attendence rates because there are rules that make it mandatory for every student to meet a minimum standard. While the colleges insist that the policy is indispensable for learning, students argue that forcing them to sit through uninteresting lectures is counterproductive.

Sachin Pawar, a student from New Law College and president of Students Law Council, a city-based students group, suggests that when most of the colleges dont have sufficient number of qualified, full-time teachers, expecting students to attend lectures is unfair. Instead of making attendance compulsory, why dont the colleges fulfil the needs of the students? he said.

Principals feel that many students use the poor lecture argument as an excuse to miss classes. There are very few students who dont attend the lectures for genuine reasons. Majority of students who are against mandatory attendance dont even bother to sit through lectures. The complaint about poor lectures is such a casual remark, said Madhavi Pethe, principal Dahanukar College, Vile Parle.

Nevertheless, principals concede that mandatory attendance should go with more engaging lectures. I see some sense when students ask why should they be forced to sit through dull lectures. If you are making attendance compulsory the delivery of lecture has to be meaningful. If we are strict with students, we will have to be strict with teachers as well, said Lily Bhushan, principal, Shroff College.

She said that the college has taken efforts to make lectures more engaging. The teachers need to practise hands-on teaching, making use of both traditional chalk-and-board and modern tools of presentation.

Despite these measures, some students said that making students sit for lectures out of the fear of attendance is not the correct approach. Biometric system is not conducive to academic environment of the campus. Plenty of research papers indicate that forcing students to attend lectures doesnt work, said a member of ICT student body.

However, Pethe believes that, in the context of Mumbai, the issue of mandatory attendance is more complicated and is influenced by many factors. I am not in favour of compulsory education, per se. Students at this age are supposed to take care of their responsibilities. But there exists a tremendous peer pressure on the students here, which pulls them down and weans them away from their career. In such a scenario, if the students are forced to spend time in an academic environment, they might learn something. Its an administrative dilemma, she said.

Principal of a college from western suburbs said that MUs 75% attendance rule has given birth to an unhealthy competition among colleges. Many students prefer the colleges which are lenient on attendance. As a result, the colleges which strictly follow the rule are made to suffer, she said.

Some academicians have suggested the ways to incentivise students to go for lectures, without making attendance mandatory. I conduct surprise quizes to ensure that students are present, said Soumyo Mukherjee, dean, academic affairs at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B).

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Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday said he had raised the demand for a five year exemption from NEET for the Union Territory, at the Niti Aayog meeting held in New Delhi.

Since students from both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu did not appear for CBSE exams, there were difficulties for them in clearing the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET), he told reporters at the airport in Chennai.

Referring to Tamil Nadu Assembly adopting two bills seeking exemption from the test and now awaiting Presidential assent, Narayanasamy said Puducherry had also earlier taken up the matter with the Centre.

Prime Minster Modi should personally intervene in this matter and give a five-year exemption for Puducherry from NEET, he said.

This was one of the issues raised at the Niti Aayog meet in Delhi yesterday, the Chief Minister said, adding, others included farmers welfare and development schemes for the Union Territory (UT).

Like Tamil Nadu, farmers in the UT were also suffering due to drought and his government had, therefore, waived cooperative loans, the chief minister said.

Similarly, loans in banks should also be waived, he said and sought Centres intervention in this matter.
Monograms of the worlds most coveted labels have long been a part of their products. For instance, a Louis Vuitton or a Gucci bag has the interlocking LV or GG all over it. Fashionistas not only live with it, but they love it, in fact. But when actor Alia Bhatt recently showed up at an awards function in a red dress, with Dior printed prominently on her white bra straps, did it cross the line between tasteful branding and in-your-face crassness? Designer Amit GT thought so.

He posted on social media: French houses have gone so low on their design aesthetics that they now resort to showing monogrammed straps. Show some good designs. Not happy with this trend.

Commenting on the post, designer Rina Dhaka tells us, I dont find anything distasteful about the elastic strap. Only sometime back, there was a trend of flashing underwear strap. And people want to wear logos. If theyve spent money on something, theyd want to flaunt it, and these brands go by that philosophy.

Fashion blogger Anchal Sukhija would choose design aesthetics over loud branding. She says, Its the name that sells. These brands are so prized because owning them is supposed to be a status symbol. But Ive never, ever been in favour of loud branding  I always go for clothes and accessories that are high on fashion, not on the name.

Adding to the debate, designer Gaurav Khanijo says, Since fashion is moving so fast, these brands have to come up with something new that does the talking for them. Its just being loud about your brand. Its the name of these brands that sell in the market, therefore, they try to make it as showy as possible. I think its cool to do so.

Designer Nikhil Mehra, who owns a label with brother Shantanu, has never made clothes with branding, but he understands that this may be necessary. Ive never been a fan of loud branding, personally. But the name is what sells in the market. And the louder, the better, he says.

In a marketplace crowded with big-ticket logos, it seems labels have to do more  and do it loudly  to stand out. [The logo] was a common trend in bags earlier, and people used to buy those products only because they had a GG or LV written on it. Now, since all the international brands have brought this into their clothes, I guess its only a matter of time before this fades away. But as long as its a trend, people will wear logos. I, personally, wouldnt opt for loud labels just because its on trend, says blogger Shaurya Mohan.

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Residents have strongly objected to the land earmarked by the Huda (Haryana urban development authority) for the shifting of a 500-year-old crematorium off NH-8 at Sector 29, near Iffco Chowk.

The locals at Sukhrali village have already made their misgivings known about the plot near Atul Kataria Chowk, which has been identified by the Huda for the shifting of the crematorium. They have even proposed an alternative location for the shifting.

The Huda should consider shifting the crematorium towards Leisure Valley in Sector 29. We dont want it relocated to a plot which belongs to a neighbouring village. This crematorium goes back more than 500 years and is one of the prominent landmarks of Sukhrali village. The land near Atul Kataria Chowk, which has been earmarked for the shifting, belongs to the Gurgaon village. Whereas, the land in Sector 29 on which the crematorium stands presently, belongs to Sukhrali village. The elderly residents of our village are happy with the place identified for the relocation, Anup Bhambru, local councillor, said.

The Huda has been asked to shift the crematorium in order to enable construction of a flyover in the area by the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).

Read I Gurgaon: 500-year-old crematorium to be shifted near Sukhrali pond for construction of flyover

Shifting the crematorium to the right of NH-8 (if one is heading to Jaipur from Delhi) could pose problems for the residents of condominiums in the New Gurgaon area such as South City, Essel Tower and DLF among others. The crematorium records a high footfall and is used mostly by residents in areas to the left of NH-8, Bhambru said, reiterating that the Sukhrali residents will not allow the crematorium to be moved to Atul Kataria Chowk.

Following a meeting between MCG and Huda officials on April 13, the urban authority began searching for an alternative location for the shifting.

We had zeroed in on the land near Atul Kataria Chowk for shifting the crematorium and had even informed the MCG about it. But, we have since received a memorandum from the area councillor suggesting some other sites for the relocation. We are actively considering these sites, Yashpal Yadav, administrator, Huda, said.

MCG commissioner V Umashankar said, We are ready to float tenders for shifting the crematorium. It is essential to enable construction of the flyover.

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Commuters heading from New Delhi to Manesar took more than 30 minutes to clear Hero Honda Chowk on Monday afternoon, as a portion of the road near the chowk caved in while officials were engaged in shifting the water pipeline to pave way for the underpass coming up on the stretch. The incident threw traffic out of gear and left thousands of commuters stranded for five hours.

Officials of the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) barricaded the portion of road which caved in and workers were also deployed on the main road for shifting the pipeline, thereby reducing the road space significantly and forcing vehicles to just about squeeze through a very narrow portion of the stretch.

The NHAI officials confirmed that the situation will persist on Tuesday as work on shifting the utilities is yet to be completed.

Only two of the three lanes were accessible for traffic, leading to snarls and creating an artificial backlog that stretched till Rajiv Chowk.

Compounding the woes for commuters, only one carriageway of the Hero Honda Chowk flyover is open to traffic heading from Manesar towards New Delhi. Vehicles heading from Manesar to New Delhi will not be able to take the carriageway till June.

Read I Gurgaon: New DLF Phase 2 underpass adds to traffic chaos at Cyber City

Normal traffic movement on the stretch could only be restored after traffic police reached the spot at around 3.30 pm.

NHAI officials said the pipelines were proving to be a hindrance to the construction of the underpass and, hence, had to be shifted.

We were hoping to complete the shifting of pipelines today. However, the water supply from the Chandu Budhera treatment plant stopped later than expected. This has partially delayed the shifting, but we are hopeful of finishing the job by Tuesday morning, a senior NHAI official said.

However, the NHAI officials couldnt say how soon the caved-in portion of the road will be fixed and will open to traffic.

Many commuters voiced misgivings over the scheduling of the shifting job. This couldnt have been timed any worse as most of the meetings are scheduled on Mondays. This should have been done on Sunday when most offices stay closed and the volume of traffic remains low. It took me more than 90 minutes to reach Manesar. I missed my meeting with a client, Abhishek Dayal, a resident of Nirvana Country, said.

For some motorists, passing the chowk was a nightmare on the day.

I reached Rajiv Chowk at around 2.30 pm and cleared Hero Honda Chowk at 3.20 pm. I could not spot traffic officers anywhere. There was complete chaos and the vehicles started veering into the wrong lane, leading to chaos, Shilpi Mohan, a resident of DLF Phase 3, said.
A wall blocking the main access road, connecting a service lane of Delhi-Gurgaon expressway (NH-8) and the Sector 29 market, went down on Monday morning, the day 15 pubs and bars in the area got excise departments nod to restart operations.

The demolition of the two-and-a-half feet wall came after Harman Singh Sidhu, the Chandigarh resident who was behind the petition that led to liquor ban on highways, wrote to Gurgaon commissioner of police and Haryana Urban Development Authorities (Huda) on April 21, seeking action against those who erected it.

The wall was removed near Leisure Valley Park, Sector 29 on Monday, the day 15 pubs and bars in the area got excise departments nod to restart operations. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

An email from Huda head office in Panchkula, to the authoritys Gurgaon administrator, sought to take action to remove the unauthorised encroachments (on road) as pointed out by the complainant.

The wall was erected with jersey barriers and bricks only two days before the authorities measured the distance of pubs and bars in Sector 29 market from the edge of the NH-8 service lane. The measuring was done on April 13.

The wall blocked the main access road to the Sector 29 market. Authorities measured the distance from two other routes, while overlooking the blocked road.

The wall was erected to make a one-way for decongesting Sector 29 market. The staff removed the wall on Monday after directions from the head office, said Yashpal Yadav, Huda administrator in Gurgaon.

Sidhu said he might approach the court in the matter. I cannot stand the Supreme Court order being violated just 20 kms away (in Gurgaon). It would be for the respect and dignity of the SC order, he said.

The excise department on Monday gave clearance to 30 pubs and bars, including 15 in Sector 29 and 11 in Ambience Mall, to start operations as they were found to be beyond distance of 500 metres from the NH-8. The outlets were closed since April 1.

The Supreme Court had banned the sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways after the high fatality rate in road accidents and the menace of drink driving was brought to the courts notice.

Meanwhile, HC Dahiya, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (west) said, We received the email from our headquarters on Monday evening to renew liquor licenses as per the policy guidelines. They (pubs) can start serving the liquor.

The committee members had already given the green signal for these outlets on April 21 and Gurgaon deputy commissioner Hardeep Singh had emailed the report to the excise and taxation commissioner.
The Maoist hotbed of Jharkhand has another killer  marauding bands of wild elephants making a savage statement to assert their right to space and food.

Government records show elephants mauled to death 66 people in 2015-16, while armed Maoist insurgents killed 57. The kings of the jungle were more compassionate the following year, accounting for 42 lives till this February, compared to the guerilla tally of 61.

Jharkhand is among a dozen states fighting a four-decade-old Maoist insurgency that is considered the countrys biggest internal security threat. They usually target police and bureaucrats, but dont flinch before shooting dead people they suspect to be defying their diktat and as government informers.

Coordinated counter-insurgency measures have brought down Maoist violence drastically in the past three years.

Development activities in remote, rural Jharkhand, police reach, the states surrender policy for insurgents, and awareness programmes in villages have helped reduce civilian casualties and weaken the left-wing extremism, Jharkhand police spokesperson Ashish Batra said.

But human fatalities in man-elephant conflicts have not reduced across the countryside in the mineral-rich state that has a sizeable population of tribes living in jungles  a habitat they share with Maoists and wild animals alike.

The insurgents say they are fighting for the rights of peasants and landless labourers, the very people who become their target and that of a larger brute force: elephants. Jharkhand has 688 elephants, according to the last census.

Elephants killed about 59 people every year in the past decade. The highest casualty was in 2010-11 when 69 men and women died in the conflict.

The scarcity of food such as bamboo, kajhi and khair in Jharkhands forests has forced the animals into villages, said DS Srivastava, a former steering committee member of project elephant.

Elephant herds panic when people chase them with ear-piercing sounds, firecrackers and blinding light. Confused elephants trample crops and destroy houses.

Man-elephant conflict has become a jumbo-sized headache in a state where forests are shrinking to make way for homes, farms and mines. The large animals, which need roughly 140kg of food every day, rampage through villages and standing crops  killing men, women and children that come in their way.

The fragile ecosystem has been disturbed as human settlements, highways, train tracks, and mines have sprung up along corridors that elephants had been using for centuries to move from one forest to another. The usually gentle animals consider these as obstacles and threats, wildlife experts said.

Their search for food is bringing them closer to towns as well.

Jharkhands principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), LR Singh, said a committee comprising five neighbouring states has been set up to find ways to bring down man-elephant conflicts.

Srivastava suggested an action plan with more forest staff and detailed study of elephant routes to reduce the conflict  a lasting battle that can never end unless forests get real protection from mans activities.

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Days after the two factions of the AIADMK announced panels for the merger talks, the move hit yet another roadblock on Monday as both sides blamed each other for the delay in taking the proposal forward.

The O Panneerselvam-led faction said the rival camp headed by Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami was in a state of confusion, adding that some unseen hand was controlling it.

Rejecting the charges, the ruling camp asserted there was no confusion and it had already sent the invite for talks.

Meanwhile, the Panneerselvam camp has stuck to its demands of a CBI probe into the death of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the expulsion of general secretary VK Sasikala, her nephew and deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran and other family members from the AIADMK as a pre-condition for talks.

If these demands are met, there will be no other condition from us, said KP Munusamy, a key aide of former chief minister Panneerselvam.

He said confusing statements were coming from various leaders of the CMs camp even on the issue of forming the panel to hold the merger talks.

However, Palaniswami camp leader and Rajya Sabha member R Vaithilingam, who is heading the panel set up by the faction, said there was no confusion on their side.

The party had named senior ministers D Jayakumar, C Srinivasan, KA Sengottaiyan, P Thangamani, SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam as members of the panel, he said at a press meet at the AIADMK headquarters shortly after Munusamy met the media.

In signs of thaw on the AIADMK merger move last week, the two sides had announced formation of committees for holding talks, but no headway was made in the last two days.

Finance minister D Jayakumar on Sunday said he was prepared to vacate his ministry in favour of Panneerselvam if that would help forge unity of the party.

He had also said the doors for holding the merger talks were always open as the leaders were ready to discuss the issue across the table.

I am willing to give up all portfolios held by me for the betterment of the party and for the partys unity, after getting the approval of chief minister Palaniswami, he said.

He was replying to a question on reports that Panneerselvam may seek the finance portfolio.

Munusamy on Monday said although the opposition camp had announced setting up a panel for the purpose of merger talks, some in the faction were contradicting it.

He said his camp thus expected the Palaniswami faction to invite them for talks since they were the ones who announced the formation of the panel first.

But confusing statements are coming from different leaders there. One leader says a panel had been formed, while some other says it has not been so, Munusamy said.

We believe they are confused and are not in a position to take decisions. Somebody else is directing them, he said without naming anybody.

Munuswamy said Sasikala was capable of destroying the party, while making clear their demand for her expulsion.

He also objected to an article in AIADMK mouthpiece Dr Namathu MGR which he claimed had mentioned that the party was with Sasikala and Dhinakaran.

This is coming from somewhere. This is not required, he said.

Countering the stand, Vaithilingam said, We have sent messages to them, including to Munusamy but they have not contacted us. We have contacted Manoj Pandian (of the Panneerselvam camp) who said they have set conditions and are not ready to come, he said.

On the key demands of rival camp, he said Panneerselvam was the chief minister for 60 days after Jayalalithaas death and he himself could have recommended the CBI probe into the leaders death.

Now there is a court case in this regard. If court says so, we are ready (to recommend a CBI probe), he said.

Further, the Election Commission is looking into Sasikalas elevation as the party chief, Vaithilingam said, adding, We will ensure unity in the party on the basis of what it (EC) says.

The Panneerselvam camp has moved the EC challenging the appointment of Sasikala as the partys general secretary succeeding Jayalalithaa, contending that it was done in violation of party rules.

On the merger talks, Vaithilingam added his side was ready to discuss any concrete suggestion for the betterment of AIADMK.
AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran who is being questioned by the Delhi Police for his alleged role in an attempt to bribe middle man Sukesh Chandrasekar to secure the disputed party symbol of two leaves  has admitted to knowing Chandrasekar, police said on Monday.

Until Sunday, Dinakaran had both publically and during his initial questioning by the Delhi Police crime branch denied knowing Chandrasekar.

An FIR was registered against Dinakaran, the AIADMK deputy general secretary, on April 16 after Chandrasekar was arrested from a five-star hotel in Delhi and Rs 1.3 crore and two luxury cars recovered from him.

Chandrasekar had allegedly promised to use his contacts in Election Commission of India (ECI) to get the disputed symbol for his faction.

The factional war in the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu following the death of chief minister J Jayalalithaa saw the party split into two  AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK Puratchi Thalavi Amma. The poll panel is to decide which faction will get the AIADMKs two leaves symbol.

Dinakaran, nephew of VK Sasikala who is serving a jail term in a corruption case, is the partys RK Nagar candidate.

Dinakaran was questioned for almost 11 hours on Sunday and seven hours on Saturday. The investigators grilled him about his association with Chandrasekar and the money trail.

His questioning entered the third day on Monday during which he purportedly confessed to knowing Chandrasekar. He was being questioned till the filing of this report.

The AIADMK leaders confession, an investigator said, came after the police confronted him with a recorded telephonic conversation between him and Chandrasekar almost 20 hours before the latter was arrested on April 16.
A law against torture as per the UN convention of which India is a signatory was in the countrys national interest, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

India faces problems in extradition of criminals from foreign countries because of this (having no law against torture). Its in our own national interest to have such a law, a bench of Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud said.

The court made the comments while it was hearing a PIL filed by former law minister Ashwini Kumar. The petitioner wants a direction to the government to have a legal framework in terms of the International Convention against Torture which India signed in 1997. In September 2016, the SC had issued notice to the Centre on the PIL.

Kumar also wants proper guidelines to prevent torture, cruelty, inhuman or degrading treatment of jail inmates. There should be a scheme to rehabilitate, provide relief and compensation for victims of custodial violence and torture, he has said.

Kumar said the matter was of sublime importance. Out of the 161 countries that signed the 1997 convention, India is among nine countries which have not ratified it.

According to home ministry data published in 2015, the number of unnatural deaths of prisoners increased from 126 in 2012 to 195 in 2014.

Kumar has cited another home ministry data of June 2016 to show that percentage of deaths of children aged 0-14 in police custody in proportion to total deaths in custody during 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 (up to November 30, 2015) were 7%, 35%, 26% and 21% respectively.

Kumars submission was supported by senior advocate Colin Gonsalves who is assisting the court in the matter. He submitted even the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stressed on the need to have a standalone law in India.

The court gave 10 days to the government to prepare its response after solicitor general Ranjit Kumar told the bench that attorney general Mukul Rohatgi would be in Geneva between May 2 and 9 for a conference on the same issue. He said the matter would be discussed with home ministry and law ministry officials.

So many matters are pending before the Law Commission. It should be taken up as a matter which requires extreme urgency, the court said in response to the solicitor generals statement that the Law Commission was examining the issue.
The Canteen Stores Department (CSD), the retailing entity selling consumer goods to the armed forces, has suspended the sale of a batch of Patanjali Ayurvedas amla juice after it failed to clear a laboratory test.

The Haridwar-based ayurveda firm, promoted by yoga guru Ramdev, however, blamed an Uttarakhand government department for the fiasco.

Defence ministry sources said a show cause notice has been served on the company after the juice failed the test carried out at West Bengal Public Health Laboratory in Kolkata.

The sources said that as per procedure, the CSD has immediately suspended the sale of the particular batch and sent a show cause notice to the company to examine the deviations and explain them.

They said further action will be taken on receipt of reply from the firm.

The CSD had sent samples of Amla Juice having index no. 85417 and batch No. GH1502 to the laboratory in Kolkata, they said.

Patanjali in a statement said Uttarakhands Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) department had certified the Amla juice in 2009  one of the top selling products.

It said the amla juice is an ayurvedic medicine and not a food product and it should be taken on advice of qualified practitioners.

Amla juice is an Ayurvedic proprietary medicine and department should have conducted examination under prescribed (Ayurveda) category and not under food category an official note of the company said, blaming the AYUSH department.

The states Bharatiya Janata Patrty government, which reportedly enjoys a cordial relation with the yoga guru, said if required it will conduct a thorough quality check of all Patanjali products.

AYUSH minister Harak Singh Rawat told HT it was wrong on the part of Patanjali to blame licensing authority for a negative lab report some other agency gave.

I object raising questions on us. We are licensing authority. Patanjali should have taken care of the quality of the juice. Now, if required, we will conduct quality check (of Patanjali products) Rawat said.

Established by Ramdev in 2006, with Ayurveda products, the company now has array of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) on its portfolio.

Of late many of its products have also been getting adverse feedback from consumers and retailers, prompting the company to form two internal committees earlier this year to address the problem.

The company also faced the ire of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for misbranding.

Babajis (Ramdev) brand image is associated with the Patanjali products. There is no question of our products being inferior in quality, SK Tijarawala, the spokesperson of the Patanjali, told the HT recently on quality concerns.

(With inputs from PTI)

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As the state capital Shimla prepares for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit on April 27, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who has been camping in New Delhi for the past five days, is all set to make a dash for Keralas Palakkad district, which is known for its ancient temples.

The CM, who is in the midst of a money laundering case, is expected to fly to Coimbatore on Monday wife Pratibha Singh and a physician, as per sources. The chief ministers office (CMO) has described his tour as a private visit even though the Kerala government has already declared him a state guest.

After reaching Coimbatore, Virbhadra Singh will travel to Palakkad town. The town which is located close to the interstate border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is known for its ancient temples. Puthur Sri Thirupurakkal Bhagavathi Temple is one of the most famous temples in Palakad. The temple is considered to be one of the most powerful temples of Shakthi in the entire Malabar. The 100-year-old temple is only two kilometres away from Palakad town. Another popular temple in the district is Thiruvalathur Randu Moorthy temple, known for its grand architecture and sculptures. The temple is believed to have been discovered by legendary sage Parsurama. The temple is dedicated to two goddessesMahishasuramardhini and Annapurnneswari. Virbhadra is an ardent devotee of Bhadrakali.

The CMO is, however, keeping the details of the tour under wraps. I think the chief minister is going to attend a wedding function, said an official of the police. Another official said that the CM is going for an ayurveda treatment.

Virbhadra Singh is expected to return to Delhi on April 25. He had left Shimla on April 18 to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with his money laundering case. The ED had grilled him for over nine hours. The ED action comes close on the heels of a CBI chargesheet against the CM, his wife and seven others for allegedly amassing assets worth around 10 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Meanwhile, back home the opposition BJP is intensifying its campaign against the CM and demanding for his resignation on moral grounds. The BJP had launched a campaign Mafia Hatao Pradesh Bachao targeting his ministers. The saffron party has hardened its posture against the Congress after it won the Bhoranj bypoll held earlier this month.

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Both the houses of Bihar legislature, at a special sitting on Monday, passed the Bihar goods and service tax bill, 2017 and the Bihar taxation (amendment) bill, 2017, both by a voice vote, paving the way for a possible July 1 roll out of the GST, in the state.

As such, Bihar became the second state, after Telangana, to ratify the legal framework for the roll out of the GST (goods and services tax), the single tax regime to replace multiple tax structure of states and Centre.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar was present in the assembly when commercial taxes minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav moved two GST-related bills. In post-lunch session, the two bills were taken up in the state legislative council and passed unanimously, there as well.

Kumar said despite change of guard at the Centre, by way of coming into office of the BJP-led Narendra Modi government, his government had remained unwavering in its support for the GST.

This was exactly why we had not prorogued the two houses of the Bihar legislature, even after the conclusion of its budget session. We realized the matter was in Parliament and the states were required to ratify it. I thank all parties for supporting GST, he added.

The credit for GST goes not to any individual or party, but to all, including previous governments. It was at the CMs initiative that I had accepted the post of chairman of the Empowered Committee of State FMs (2011-13), which spearheaded the implementation of GST, said BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

He said the state should also strive to bring petroleum products, natural gas, alcohol, real estate etc. into the GST fold. Bihar will be the biggest beneficiary of the measure, while tax evasion would become difficult, he added.

Modi said: There may be some confusion initially, like it happened with VAT. But ultimately small businessmen will gain. It is the beginning of one nation-one tax and one market environment, which will help lead to increase in GDP by 1-2%.

However, during the debate in the assembly on the GST-related bills, Congress and BJP members seemed to be trying to give credit to their respective parties for the GST, considered the biggest tax reform in independent India.

Commercial taxes minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, who moved the bills, said it was refreshing to see all parties joining hands to build national consensus on a pro-poor issue.

Praising chief minister Nitish Kumar for backing GST from the very outset, he said: A statesman looks at the next generation, a politician looks at the next election. We are proud of our CM, who saw the benefits of GST and never deviated from his stand.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Prem Kumar (BJP) thanked the Prime Minister for the historic decision on GST. Congress leader Sadanand Singh, however, credited GST to a 2006 Congress initiative, stalled by the BJP, then in the opposition at the centre.

Yadav said the reality was that talks over a uniform tax structure in this country were on since pre-independence days.

Truth cannot be negated with rhetoric. It is on record how BJP ruled states like Gujarat, Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh had opposed it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was then the Gujarat CM. But I am happy that today, all have come on board. As it is a new system of taxation, there will be initial problems. But all in all it will benefit the poor, as their interest has been taken into account, he added.
Thirteen chief ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states took a 12-point test before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who pitched for a fresh push to welfare schemes and better coordination between the party and its government on Sunday.

These CMs gave separate presentations of 15 minutes each before the PM and BJP president Amit Shah, elaborating on each of the 12 questions they were asked at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Deputy chief ministers of three states were also present in the meeting also attended by Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari.

The CMs were asked questions such as development initiatives in their states, mechanism for party-government coordination, social media initiatives, promotion of digital programmes, pro-poor initiatives among others.

A similar drill was conducted in Delhi in August 2016, where the BJP chief ministers were given specific targets on issues of governance and their promotion. The PM also reviewed implementation of those targets.

The dinner meeting, which started close to 7pm, lasted nearly five hours. The exercise, just a month before the third anniversary of the Modi government, is seen as preparation for the next general election in 2019.

Modi is cautious about election victories leading to complacency. The meeting is to keep the party and the government on toes, a BJP leader privy to deliberations told HT.

Sources said Modi sought to know from the chief minister if their governments were coordinating with the Prime Ministers Office through its resident commissioners here on development projects. He also asked about the plan, if any, the CMs have for a positive projection in the media on issues related to politics and governance.

The CMs briefed the Prime Minister and Shah on the their social media set up and how schemes of the state and the Centre were being publicised online.

The PM also asked if the ministers in the state were given any responsibility, other than their departments, to achieve the targets of the government and the organisation. Modi is walking extra mile to ensure that each and every person in the party and the government were working in the same direction to achieve a common goal, another BJP leader said.

The CMs also explained how concepts such as lok durbar were being implemented to resolve issues flagged by BJP workers and the core group of the party in the states were functioning.

States participation in Pragati  an initiative by Modi to resolve pending projects  and BJP governments pro-poor efforts were also discussed at the meeting.

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In an unusually harsh editorial, The New York Times has described Indias security crackdown in Kashmir as brutal and cautioned that it will feed more militancy.

The editorial which was published on Saturday said the Indian government must ensure that human rights are protected in Kashmir.

The New York Times editorial boards comments came days after a video showing a civilian tied to a military vehicle as a human shield in Kashmir went viral.

Shawl weaver Farooq Ahmad Dar tied to an army jeep as a human shield against stone pelters. (Video grab)

The editorial commented that members of Indias armed forces reached a new low in the long history of alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir when they beat and tied 24-year-old shawl weaver Farooq Ahmad Dar to the front of a jeep using him as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds.

The incident, which came to light when a video spread on social media, provides a gauge of an insurgency that has waxed and waned over nearly three decades in Kashmir, the editorial titled Cruelty and Cowardice in Kashmir said.

Here's the video as well. A warning can be heard saying stone pelters will meet this fate. This requires an urgent inquiry & follow up NOW!! pic.twitter.com/qj1rnCVazn  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 14, 2017

It added that following the incident, Indias army chief General Bipin Rawat vowed action against those responsible for tying Dar to the jeep. But he also warned that Kashmirs stone-throwing youth and separatist militants may survive today, but we will get them tomorrow. Our relentless operations will continue.

The editorial said, such posturing will only doom Kashmir to a deadly spiral, where more brutal military tactics will feed more despair and more militancy.

The editorial said the Narendra Modi government would do well if it follows the recommendations by a report presented to him by a group of citizens in January that cited strong feelings of discrimination and a complete lack of faith by Kashmiris in government promises.

The report had pleaded for improved human rights and a multi-party dialogue aimed at a durable political solution.

The editorial also warned that Indian democracy will lose its credibility if Kashmiris are robbed of a chance to dream, along with the rest of India, of a peaceful, prosperous future if the recommendations of the report are not implemented.

The group that visited the Valley twice last year on a fact-finding mission has recommended multi-dimensional dialogue that includes talks with Hurriyat should be initiated at the earliest and has asked the government to improve human rights situation and resuscitate democratic linkages between with people and allow Kashmiris to assemble and meet to hold discussions.
Clashes broke out on Monday between protesting students and security forces at SP College in Srinagar, police said.

No casualties were reported in the incident.

A group of students tried to take out a protest march from SP College on Maulana Azad Road in Srinagar but were prevented by the police, a police official said.

He said some students were pelting stones following which the cops and other security forces used batons to chase them away.

Colleges opened in Kashmir on Monday after a gap of five days as authorities shut higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of student protests last Monday against alleged high-handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15.

Forces used tear smoke shells to disperse students who were protesting close to the Lal Chowk city centre in Kashmir last week.

A group of Kashmiri students at a private university in Rajasthan were allegedly called terrorists and beaten up by locals, upset over soldiers being targeted by stone-throwers in the strife-torn border state last week .

(With PTI inputs)
The Prime Ministers Office has started directly monitoring development projects in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency.

The PMO has instructed divisional commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarn to give a day-to-day report about the progress of the projects. A copy of the report will also be sent to the Uttar Pradesh chief ministers office. The step has been taken to ensure timely completion of the projects.

Gokarn held a meeting with the district magistrate, the joint development commissioner, the municipal commissioner, the chief development officer and the regional tourism officer on Sunday.

He instructed heads of various departments to mail the daily progress report about the projects associated with their respective departments to district magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra and the joint development commissioner by noon daily. The aim is to ensure the combined progress report reaches him on time so that he can forward it to the chief ministers office and the PMO daily.

The progress report will be sent to the PMO and the CM office daily, Gokarn said.

He instructed the officials to complete ongoing works under HRIDAY (Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana) and Namami Gange schemes here.

HRIDAY is an ambitious scheme launched by the centre to ensure development in 12 heritage cities, including Varanasi.

Under the scheme, infrastructure development has to be carried out at 84 heritage locations in Varanasi.

Development work is already underway at many of these locations. Murals of noted figures, ghats and the heritage of Kashi have been made on boundary walls of buildings along roads at 10 locations, including Lahurabeer and Kabeer Chaura, in Varanasi. Murals will be made at 14 more locations.

Thematic development of 34 roads is also part of the project wherein images of icons connected with Varanasi will be put up at prominent crossings.

Lights with a heritage look will be installed along these roads. The scheme has already been implemented in Kabir Nagar. Similarly, Townhall will be redeveloped as a heritage centre.

Under Namami Gange, construction of a 140 MLD (million litres daily) sewage treatment plant at Dinapur is already underway. The process for construction of a 50 MLD sewage treatment plant at Ramana with an estimated cost of Rs 120 crore has started. The tender for the same has been floated. The Centre has given its in-principle approval for funds for the project.

An awareness drive among locals in villages along the Ganga for afforestation is also part of the scheme. Gokarn has asked the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) authorities to speed up implementation so that the project can be completed on time.

Namami Gange is a flagship programme launched by the centre to clean the Ganga and enhance biodiversity by motivating locals to plant more saplings along the river bank.

Read more: Varanasi heritage app in the pipeline for tourists

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Days after Hindustan Times reported a data breach of over a million Aadhaar numbers from a Jharkhand government website, at least four more instances of similar leaks on other government websites have come to light.

These breaches come at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing a set of petitions challenging a controversial government decision to make it mandatory to seed Permanent Account Numbers (PAN) with Aadhaar numbers for filing income tax returns.

We have taken the Jharkhand incident very seriously, said Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), noting that publishing UID numbers was illegal, Appropriate action will be taken against those responsible under the Aadhaar act.

The unsecure websites investigated by HT include a scholarship database in Uttar Pradesh, a public distribution system website in Chandigarh, a pensioners dashboard in Kerala and a Swach Bharat Mission website maintained by the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, which cumulatively compromise the digital identities of thousands of citizens.

Some of these websites were taken down after HT reporters approached the relevant authorities for comment, but in other cases, the confidential information is still online and available for all to see.

I just do not understand why and how this is happening, said Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader who has been critical of the Aadhaar rollout, The only word I can use to describe this is atrocious.

In Jharkhand, the UIDAI moved swiftly to shut down the website. On Monday, state officials sought to implement an additional layer of security to protect those whose identities have been compromised by the leak.

You cannot see the Aadhaar numbers anymore on the website. We are working on a One-Time Password (OTP) system for added security, said Jharkhand social welfare secretary MS Bhatia, explaining that Aadhaar holders seeking to access the website will now get an OTP prior to logging in.

The leakage instances show that the technical readiness of the government is just not in place to tackle a project of this scale, said Apar Gupta, a Supreme Court lawyer and a petitioner in the Aadhaar cases, This has been happening across state governments and departments.

Gupta explained that central government notifications to seed discreet databases with Aadhaar numbers had created sensitive aggregations of citizen data at the state-level. But these notifications have no guidance whatsoever about the data security protocols that need to be followed, Gupta said.

In the absence of central guidance, each state department has created its own unique way of storing the data, often with the help of private software companies.

Pandey, the UIDAI CEO, said the ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has written to all state governments and the ministries asking them not to display such information. If they do, they will have to face action, he said.

Yet activists noted that in each data breach, the UIDAI and state authorities acted after user identities had already been compromised, and provisions in the Aadhar Act mean that citizens have no legal recourse to this intrusion.

A person by himself does not have any recourse to ensure that leak is closed and for legal action for improper disclosure of personal information, explained Gupta, the lawyer, Only the UIDAI authorities can register a case.

The UID numbers leaked in Jharkhand could be used for the next fraud based on identity-theft, said Sunil Abraham, Executive Director of the Centre for Internet and Society, noting that authorities are investigating the use of Jan-Dhan accounts for money laundering during demonetisation. At a bare minimum, the UIDAI should issue new ID numbers to protect those affected by the data breach.

Pandey, however, said issuing new UIDs was not an option.

Our track record has no case of identity of theft or financial loss and if anything comes, we have the ability to track the culprit, Pandey said.

When asked if this unblemished track-record had ever been independently audited, Pandey demurred.

Whosoever is supposed to audit us is auditing us, Pandey said, But the names cant be disclosed due to security reasons.
Over 3,000 civilians and security personnel have been killed by Maoists in various left-wing extremism affected states in India. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal are some of the worst affected states. Here is a look at the recent attacks by rebels at different places.

April 6, 2010: Maoists killed 75 CRPF personnel and a state police official in an attack in a convoy of security forces in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

March 15, 2007: Over 500 Naxalites attacked a police outpost in Chattisgarhs Rani Bodi village, killing 55 policemen. 24 of the deceased belonged to the state police, while 31 others were Special Police Officers (SPOs). Most of these policemen were asleep when this attack was carried out with lobbed grenades and bombs.

June 29, 2008: Maoists carried out an attack at a boat. The attack takes place at Odishas Balimela reservoir. The boat was carrying four police officials and 60 greyhound commandoes. 38 troops were killed in the ambush.

June 29, 2010: 26 CRPF jawan killed in Maoist ambush attack in Chhattisgarhs Narayanpur district. Attack was part of a string of large attacks in the year which was one of the bloodiest in terms of naxal killings.

May 25, 2013: Twenty five leaders from the Congress party were killed including former state minister Mahendra Karma in attack of Maoists. Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel was also killed in a Maoist attack in Darbha valley in Chhattisgarh.

February 15, 2010: At least 24 personnel of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) were shot dead by Maoists when they attacked their camp in Sealdah in West Bengals West Midnapore district.

July 16, 2008: Naxals killed 21 policemen after they blew up a police van with a landmine. The attack takes place in Odishas Malkangiri district.

October 8, 2009: Maoists attack Laheri police station in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district. The ambush kills 17 policemen and leaves several injured.

October 27, 2007: Former Jharkand CM Babulal Marandis son Anup and 17 others were killed in a Naxal attack at the Chilkhadia village in Giridh district of Jharkhand. The Naxals opened indiscriminate fire and exploded bombs when a cultural programme was being held.

May 22, 2009: Police personnel are attacked by Maoists in jungles in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district. At least 16 police officials were killed in the attack.

March 11, 2014: 15 security personnel were reported killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district.

March 12, 2017: 12 CRPF jawans were killed in a Maoist attack in insurgency-hit Sukma district in Chhattisgarh about 250 kms from capital city of Raipur.
An application was filed on behalf of Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singhs wife Pratibha Singh alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) didnt follow proper procedure while filing the chargesheet in connection with the disproportionate assets case the former is involved with.

Pratibhas counsel argued whether witnesses and documents that were collected during the investigation could be a part of the chargesheet and if the court could read them for the purpose of taking cognizance.

The counsel also moved an application seeking consideration of these terms, while also requesting to not take cognizance of the chargesheet. The court has now issued a notice to the CBI and deferred the hearing to May 1.

The date for hearing the argument on charges against LIC agent Anand Chauhan is fixed to be May 17.

A CBI special court was to take cognizance of the chargesheet filed against Virbhadra Singh in the DA case on Monday.

A day after being booked by the CBI special court, the CM accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring against him and asserted that all charges levelled against him were fabricated.

The fight has just begun and I know the truth will prevail. All cases against me are fabricated. This is a conspiracy against me stitched by some BJP leaders like Prem Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur. The BJP is misusing its power. Theres no truth in it, said Singh.

He also said the case against him is a political vendetta and he was ready to face the charges registered against him. This is a political vendetta. I am not afraid of it. I am ready to face the case, Singh told ANI.
The Supreme Court reinstated TP Senkumar as the Kerala police chief on Monday in a major embarassment to the Pinarayi government, which had allegedly punished the officer for booking several ruling CPM leader in a murder case.

The government had replaced Senkumar with former NIA official Loknath Behra, shortly after it came to power last year.

The top court, however, said Senkumar was transferred arbitrarily and set aside an order of the Kerala high court. The HC had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which had not found fault with the state governments decision.

We direct reinstatement of DGP TP Senkumar, a bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The Kerala government had defended its decision, saying Senkumar had protected errant police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed. More than 300 people were also injured in the incident when a fireworks display went awry at the temple in Kollam district.

The government had also cited alleged his mishandling of the Jisha murder case. The law student was murdered in her home in Kochi last year.

Challenging his transfer in court, Senkumar said he was punished for carrying out an impartial probe into the 2012 murder of Marixist renegade TP Chandrasekharan in which police booked many CPI (M) leaders.

Several CPI (M) leaders are in jail in the case.

Senkumar will assume his post with immediate effect and he will be there in service till June 30.

Reacting to the judgment, Senkumar said it was a good news for the police force. This will help many officers who face similar problem, he said.

It is a major setback for chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan who had criticised Senkumar on several occasions. He even accused the police officer of canvassing for a plum post in Delhi.

(With agency inputs)

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Tell farmers about the Maharashtra governments policies for them -- this is the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) counter to the Oppositions Sangharsh Yatra to demand loan waiver.

In the core committee meeting held at chief minister Devendra Fadnaviss residence Varsha last week, the leadership decided to reach out to farmers with government schemes and initiatives.

At the state executive, which will be held in Pimpri-Chinchwad on April 26 and 27, BJP workers will be given a programme on how to spread the message effectively.

The drive is part of the BJPs national-level Sampark Abhiyaan from May 26 to June 10 to mark the completion of three years of the Modi government.

The emphasis will be on the governments endeavour to solve the agrarian crisis and ensure sustainable development. Party workers will be asked to make the farmers aware of the governments stand, said Sudhir Mungantiwar, finance minister and a member of the state BJP s core committee.

After the national executive of the party in Bhubaneshwar last week, the Maharashtra and Mumbai units are focussing on the agenda for 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The city unit too will continue to pitch itself as watchdog for the welfare of the city. At a meeting at Sion in Mumbai on Monday evening, the party will decide the line they will take to demand civic amenities including water supply, roads and transparency in administration.

The decision to be vocal on farmers crisis was taken in the backdrop of the Sangharsh Yatra by the Opposition. Six opposition parties tried to galvanise support on the demand for loan waiver.

The Opposition had stalled the house proceedings and boycotted the Assembly proceedings for three weeks during the budget session.

We believe that the government has done a lot for the farmers and has comprehensive plans to bring about sustainable development in the field of agriculture. By taking them to farmers effectively, we want to garner their support, said a BJP leader.

In Mumbai, the city unit led by MLA Ashish Shelar will pass resolutions stating their demands and expectations from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the state government. The stress will be on good and transparent governance in the BMC. We want to leave our impression in the city in the next two years, ahead of the general elections, to ensure maximum support. Similarly, as decided in the national executive, the Mumbai office of the party will have e-library, data collection centre among other facilities to make the office up to the mark. Partys national general secretary V Satish and city chief Ashish Shelar will address the leaders, said a leader from city unit.

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With 72 security personnel killed in Maoist-related violence in 2017, it is already the deadliest year in the past seven years for CRPF, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of data from South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP).

On April 24, 2017, 26 Central Reserve Paramilitary Force (CRPF) jawans were killed in an ambush by Maoists in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district. The encounter with 74 battalion of CRPF occurred at Kala Pathar near Chintagufa in Sukma, the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

Deaths Due To Maoist Violence In Chhattisgarh, 2011-17 Year Civilians Security Forces Terrorists Total 2011 39 67 70 176 2012 26 36 46 108 2013 48 45 35 128 2014 25 55 33 113 2015 34 41 45 120 2016 38 36 133 207 2017 20 72* 70 162

Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal

*The SATP portal has updated data only till April 16, 2017. We have added deaths of jawans on April 24, 2017, as well in our analysis.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

Maoist outfits cause the most terror deaths in India, IndiaSpend reported on November 19, 2015.

Maoists are left-wing communist radicals attempting to overthrow Indias government through force. The regions most affected by Maoist violence lie in a wide swath of mineral-rich, forested tribal lands, from Maharashtra to West Bengal. Tribals account for a third of the 21 million people displaced by development projects, as IndiaSpend reported on June 17, 2014, fuelling a resentment that the Naxals exploit.

April 2017: Deadliest month in past seven years

With 49 deaths, April 2017 is the deadliest month for CRPF in Chhattisgarh in the past seven years. The deadliest month in the past decade was April 2010, when 76 security personnel died in Dantewada, the most fatal Maoist ambush ever.

More security forces have died in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Chhattisgarh (235) than in any other state between 2011 and 2015, IndiaSpend reported on April 14, 2015.

Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal

*The SATP portal has updated data only till April 16, 2017. We have added deaths of jawans on April 24, 2017, as well in our analysis.
A middle-aged couple and their two daughters were found murdered inside their house in a remote part of the district, police said here on Monday.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (trans- Ganga) Munna Lal, the incident took place late last night in a village falling under Nawabganj police station, about 50 kms from the city.

Makkhan Lal, his wife and two daughters aged 22 and 17, were found murdered inside their house with their throats slit open, the Additional SP said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and further investigations were on.
The administration of the tribal Bharmour sub-division in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh has launched a probe into the alleged fraudulent transfer of 36 bighas of tribal land in the name of a private hydropower company in revenue records. The company, GMR Group, has refuted the allegations.

GMR, which is executing the 180 megawatt Holi-Bajoli power project in the area, has allegedly also raised a loan of Rs 1,405 crore from banks by mortgaging the land.

Vijay Sain, the general manager of GMR for the Holi-Bajoli project, refuted the allegation of the companys involvement, terming it a mistake of the revenue department. He said the company will submit an appropriate reply to the administration on the issue.

Being a tribal area, no one from outside the state can purchase land in Bharmour sub-division. The land can, however, be leased out for various purposes.

Villagers had leased out their land to the company.

Bharmours additional district magistrate (ADM) Vinay Dhiman said revenue records related to the land have been seized and will be sent to higher authorities.

A probe is being conducted and we have also interrogated company officials, said Dhiman.

The land fraud came to the fore when some residents of Holi village went to banks to raise loan by mortgaging their land. However, there they learnt that the land was registered in the name of GMR and that the company had already raised a loan in 2012 by mortgaging the land.

Surjeet Bharmouri, a local resident and national secretary of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), who is taking up the issue with the authorities, alleged that 226 families from over half a dozen villages have become victims of the fraud by the hydropower company.

He said they also suspect connivance of revenue officials and influential political leaders in the scam.

I have submitted a complaint to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) and the hearing in the matter is slated for April 27. Besides, a team from the NCST is likely to visit the area to probe the matter, said Bharmouri.

The student leader said he has also sent a copy of the complaint to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

The PMO has taken note of the complaint and has asked me to submit whatever documentary evidence of the scam I have, he said.

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Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday accused the opposition of political gimmicks and said the Congress should prevent Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh from stopping water flow to Haryana through the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) canal.

Khattar has been under fire from the opposition first for not arranging a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the SYL issue and later for meeting him without taking opposition leaders along.

Khattar said the Congress, including former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, should approach (party President) Sonia Gandhi and urge her to prevent Amarinder Singh from acting on his repeated assertion that he would not let the water flow to Haryana.

Taking a strong exception to the cheap political gimmicks of the opposition, Khattar said that the opposition earlier criticised me for not meeting the Prime Minister on the vital issues of the SYL canal, GST and the issues of farmers.

Now, when I have discussed all these issues with the Prime Minister, they are accusing me of not taking them along.

He said that by not trusting the chief minister, the opposition has insulted the 2.5 crore people of Haryana.

Questioning the opposition on the controversy over getting waters through the SYL canal, Khattar said: The Supreme Court has already delivered its verdict in favour of Haryana and another decision is still awaited. Thereafter, no one would be able to stop construction of SYL Canal.

Haryana and Punjab are locked in a bitter battle over water sharing through the SYL canal. Punjab has claimed that it does not have any water to share with Haryana.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday morning amid a deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The renewed violence has also strained relations between the ruling PDP-BJP coalition, leading to a growing clamour for governors rule in the state.

What prompted the meeting and what is expected:

Stop the alienation

The chief minister is likely to discuss confidence-building measures with Modi. She is likely to press for some political initiative from the Centre to address growing alienation of the people of Kashmir, particularly the youth, which she believes is the reason for increasing incidents of stone-pelting at security forces. Besides her meeting with the Prime Minister, Mufti will also meet home minister Rajnath Singh.

Take care of Kashmiri students

On Sunday, the Prime Minister urged all chief ministers to take care of students from Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states, a remark that assumes significance in view of some recent incidents targeting Kashmiri youth. Modis advice came after Mehbooba Mufti raised the issue following assault of six Kashmiri students of Mewar University in Rajasthan by some locals. Last week, hoardings were also put up in Meerut by a right-wing group, asking Kashmiris to leave Uttar Pradesh. The Prime Minister also took note of the invitation extended by Mehbooba to various state governments to organise events in her state.

#WATCH: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, Delhi pic.twitter.com/QX5LQ6NRX9  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Video troubles

The meeting also comes in the backdrop several video clips surfacing in recent times, purportedly showing human rights abuses by security forces. One incident of a Kashmiri man being tied to a jeep and used as a human shield by soldiers has particularly fanned anger in the Valley, which saw months of street protests last year following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. Mehbooba Mufti is likely to ask Modi for restrained from security forces.

Alliance under strain

The PDP and the BJP are not on the same page on the issue of dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting and this has led to friction between them. BJP minister Chander Prakash Gangas recent comments that traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets faced criticism and ire of the PDP, which said there was a conspiracy to keep trouble brewing in the Valley. The PDP also lost the recent bypolls to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency to the National Conference, barely three years after the 2014 general elections. BJP state chief Sat Sharma, however, said in Jammu on Sunday there were no differences between the coalition partners and the state government was working well.

Impose governors rule

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who won the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency bypoll, has demanded governors rule as the state government has allegedly failed to ensure a peaceful election. Former chief minister and NC working president Omar Abdullah has also questioned the handling of students protests. Stone pelting incidents have increased manifold in the valley since the BJP-PDP government came to power in 2015. More than 400 incidents of stone-pelting have been reported in Kashmir from October, 2016 to March, 2017. Eight people were also killed in clashes during the by-election in Anantnag last week.

(With agency inputs)
The East Champaran district police on Saturday gave a clean chit to a two-year old child who had earlier been implicated in a case pertaining to molestation of a 35-year old woman at Bela Baiju village under Patahi police station.

The police declared as false two cases filed against the child and its parents, in a swift reaction following the publication of a report in Hindustan Times, saying a two-year old child had been named in a case of molestation. It also decided to arrest the village head Sunil Kumar Shah and his co-accused, in a case filed by Ramnarayan Baitha, grandfather of the two year old accused,

READ: Two-year-old boy booked for molestation in Bihar

In its story carried on the Hindustan Times portal, Friday, HT had reported that a two-year-old had been implicated in a molestation case filed by one Mina Devi to save the village head, who was accused in a case filed by Ramnarayan Baitha, grandfather of the two-year old.

A police officer said that the village head and others had tied Ramnarayan and others, who belonged to the Dalit community, with rope and given them a severe thrashing. They were again beaten up when they tried to go to the police station to lodge a complaint.

He said the minors family was under persistent pressure from station house officer (SHO) Narendra Kumar and inspector Kanaiya Prasad to withdraw the case against the village head, and the molestation case was lodged to pressurise the family. Inspector general of police (weaker sections) Anil Kishore Yadav had directed the superintendent of police (SP), Motihari, to arrest all the culprits, but instead of arresting them, the victims and the two year-old were implicated in a false case.

The local additional SP personally met the two-year old and exonerated him and the adult members of the family. He also ordered the arrest of the mukhiya (village head) and his cohorts. SHO Narendra Kumar said that the mukhiya was evading arrest. We are conducting raids to arrest all the accused, he said.

Family members of the two-year old said he was scared whenever he spotted men in uniform. He has been stigmatised by the police at a very tender age, said the childs grandfather.
The administration in tribal Bharmour sub-division of Chamba district has launched a probe into the 36 bighas of tribal land fraudulently transferred in the name of a private hydro-power company in revenue record.

The company, GMR Group, which is executing 180 megawatt Holi-Bajoli power project in the area, has reportedly also raised a loan of 1,405 crore from the banks by mortgaging the land.

It is worth mentioning that being a tribal area, no one from outside the state can purchase land in Bharmour sub-division. The land can be, however, leased out for various purposes.

Villagers had leased out their land to the company.

Additional district magistrate (ADM), Bharmour, Vinay Dhiman said that the revenue records related to the land has been taken into custody and will be sent to higher authorities. Probe is being conducted and we have also interrogated the company officials, said Dhiman.

The land fraud came to fore when some residents of Holi village went to banks to raise loan by mortgaging their land. However, there they learnt that the land was registered in the name of GMR Company and that the company had already raised a loan in 2012 by mortgaging the land.

A local resident and National Secretary of National Students Union of India (NSUI) Surjeet Bharmouri who is vigorously taking up the issue with the authorities alleged that a total 226 families of over half a dozen villages have become victim of the fraud done by the hydro-power company.

He also suspects connivance of revenue official and some influential political leaders of the area in the entire episode in the scam. I have also submitted a complaint to the National Commission for Schedule Tribe (NCST) and hearing in the matter is slated for April 27. Besides, a team of NCST will likely visit the area to probe into the matter, said Bharmouri.

The student leader said that he had also sent a copy of the complaint to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

PMO has also taken note of the complaint and has sought me to submit whatever documentary evidences of the scam I have, he said. Meanwhile, general manager of the GMR at Holi-Bajoli project Vijay Sain has refuted the allegation of companys involvement terming it a mistake of revenue department. He said that the company will submit an appropriate reply to the administration on the issue.

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India and the US are all set to conduct naval exercise Malabar in the Bay of Bengal in July, the first major military drill after Donald Trump took over as President.

Japans Maritime Self-Defense Force will also participate in the naval drill that will be bigger and more complex than all previous editions.

Indian Navy sources said a planning conference would be held soon in the US to firm up the dates and warships that will take part in the exercise. This will be followed by a final planning conference in India where the scenarios to be simulated during the exercise to boost the abilities of the participating navies for joint operations will be finalised.

China has been suspicious of the trilateral engagement and has even lodged protests over Japans participation. Beijing is expected to closely monitor the exercise at a time when the Chinese navy is expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean region.

An Indian Navy officer said the drills could see the participation of aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines and frontline warships. He said the P-8I and the P-8A submarine hunter planes of the Indian and US navies would also be involved in the drills, simulating anti-submarine warfare missions.

The two simultaneously inducted the P-8 platforma military derivative of Boeing's 737-800 commercial aircraft and christened P-8A for the US Navyfour years ago.

The exact composition of the participating units will be known after the final planning conference is over. But the drills will be more complex than any previous engagement, he added.

In 2015, India and the US renewed a significant pact to deepen bilateral defence cooperation in several security-related areas. The US-India Defence Framework Agreement aims to strengthen military-to-military engagements, improve technical cooperation and bolster overall strategic partnership till 2025.

India and the US are in the final stages of operationalising the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that sets down the guidelines for the two militaries to share each others assets and facilities for repair, maintenance, supplies and training on an equal-value exchange basis.

The US has already submitted its list of logistics points of contacts and is waiting for India to reciprocate. Defence ministry sources said India had prepared a list and would share it with the US soon to operationalise the pact signed last year.
Appreciating that Indo-Israel ties were more visible after the Modi government has come to power, Israel said on Sunday that Indias policy of not having a zero-sum game while dealing with the Jewish nation and the Arab countries has sent a strong message.

Ahead of first prime ministerial visit from India, expected to take place in July, Israeli Ambassador here Daniel Carmon also strongly pitched for deeper cooperation in strategic ties, spread over wide-ranging sectors, including, defence, security, agriculture, education and culture.

There is a lot of visibility in Indo-Israel relations after Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come to power and the Jewish nation respects that change, Carmon told PTI in an interview.

Indias policy of not having a zero-sum game while dealing with Israel and the Arab nations has sent a positive message.

Read more | Mega defence deals expected during PM Narendra Modis big visit to Israel

The relations between India and Israel did not start in 2014, but what has changed is the visibility of things that we are doing together. What has changed is the very important and very much respected in Israel, Carmon said.

The Israeli Ambassador also said that there may be a change in the declaration and policy of India after the Modi- led government has came to power.

The current NDA dispensation has been very open about its relations with Israel as compared to the Manmohan Singh government, which was cautious in openly flaunting Indias ties with Israel.

As India and Israel celebrate 25 years of their diplomatic relations this year, Modi is expected to visit the Middle Eastern country in July during which the two sides are expected to finalise pacts in key sectors.

In relation to the past, we are at the peak, but this is not the peak. The peak will never happen because we will continue to try for more and more and I think we are in a very good period of time. We are looking back at 25 years of relations we are celebrating. We are very satisfied with what we have achieved, he said.

Carmon said Israel is fine with India having relations with it as well the Arab countries and noted that the scenario in the Middle East has changed.

Thank you, my friend, for your kind holiday greeting. The people of Israel eagerly await your historic visit. https://t.co/Is1NmfWiMF  Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) April 11, 2017

Nowadays, things have changed in the Middle East and Israel has good relations with a few Arab countries. We (Israel and some Arab states) have joint-interests with many others. We see eye to eye on danger coming out of Iran, he said.

He also asserted that Israel respects Indias policy that this is not a zero-sum game and that it can have a good relations with Israelis and good relations with the Arabs.

I have not heard too much protest from the Arabs (on this), which means there is coexistence. This is very important and positive message from India which is well accepted in Israel, Carmon said.

Read more | India, Israel seal $2 billion missile deals: What it means for New Delhi?
Controversial televangelist Zakir Naik , who is wanted by Indian security agencies for making inflammatory speeches and for the money dealings of his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, was spotted in Malaysia last week. He was apparently presented an award by Malaysian group Perkasa for his contributions to the cause of Islam. The group put up photographs and videos online of the function.

The local media has quoted government officials to say Naik was given permanent resident status in Malaysia five years ago. Indian security experts, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they suspected that Naik was now holed up in Malaysia.

The Mumbai enforcement directorate, which recently got a non-bailable warrant against Naik, said the visit was under the scanner. We are looking into it, said a high-ranking Enforcement Directorate officer.

India has signed MLAT (mutual legal assistance treaty) with 38 other countries, including Malaysia. The authorities said they are exploring the options under the treaty. Efforts to bring him back will continue, said an officer.

The treaty, however, does not cover execution of arrest warrants.

Malaysian officials have already hinted they would cooperate with India on the investigations.

The treaty defines assistance as taking evidence or statements of people, making arrangements for people to give evidence or to assist in criminal investigation, including the transfer of people in custody, executing searches and seizures, examining objects and sites, providing relevant documents and records, including bank, financial, corporate or business records, providing objects, among others.

A special national investigation agency (NIA) court and a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court has issued two separate non-bailable warrants against Naik.

After the ban of Islamic Research foundation (IRF), in November 2016, the NIA registered a case against Naik and others for allegedly radicalising youth.

The ED then registered a case against IRF and others for money laundering.

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A helicopter carrying Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah suffered a bird hit and made an emergency landing at the HAL Airport in Bengaluru on Monday shortly after take-off, a police official said.

Siddaramaiah and four others, including home minister G Parameshwara who were also on board, were safe, assistant commissioner of police P Nagesha Kumar told PTI.

The chopper did not suffer any damage in the bird hit, he said.

He said the chief minister and others left for Shravanabelogala in Hassan district as scheduled by the same helicopter a few minutes later after clearance, adding, they landed at the destination.

Siddaramaiah was on an official visit to Shravanabelogala to launch developmental schemes for Mahamasthakabhisheka, a once in a 12-year event at the Jain pilgrimage centre scheduled for February next year.

Mahamasthakabhisheka is the anointment of the 57-foot high monolithic statue of Jain deity Lord Gommateshwara, also known as Bahubali, located on Vindyagiri at Shravanabelogala.
Militants shot dead Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Gani Dar on Monday amid mounting tension and clashes between civilians and security forces in Kashmir.

Pulwama superintendent of police Rayees Mohammad Bhat told HT Dar -- Pulwama unit president of the states ruling party -- was travelling in a car when motorcyle-borne militants opened fire on him and escaped.

The critically injured leader was shifted to Srinagars SMHS hospital and died on the way.

Medical superintendent of SMHS hospital, Dr Nazir Chowdary, said, The person was brought dead. He is no more.

He was hit with multiple bullets in his chest, a source said.

Condemn in strongest of terms the attack on @jkpdp Pulwama District President. Our prayers for his recovery. A very sad State of affairs! tweeted National Conference spokesperson Junaid Mattu.

The attack came just hours after Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pressed for a dialogue with separatists in the state.

Mufti, who is under pressure in the face of fresh street protests in Kashmir, briefed Modi on the prevailing situation and the way forward.

Earlier this month, advocate Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan, who was associated wit the National Conference, was shot dead at Pinjoora in Shopian district of South Kashmir.

Moreover, last week, a grainy short video had emerged showing Wali Mohammed Bhat, a supporter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), apologising profusely and shouting anti-India slogans at gunpoint.

Kashmir has been rocked by massive street protests in recent months, especially after eight people were killed during an assembly election bypoll in Srinagar that saw the lowest turnout in decades.

Several leaders of the PDP have expressed fear that their base in Kashmir is fast eroding because of the partys alliance with BJP and its stance on the protests.

The attack on the PDP leader came on the day fresh clashes broke out between protesters and security forces at SP College in Srinagar, police said. No casualties were reported in the incident.

Police said some students indulged in stone-pelting, and police and security forces used batons to chase them away.

Colleges opened in Kashmir on Monday after a gap of five days as authorities shut higher education institutes in the wake of Valley-wide student protests last Monday against alleged high-handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama.

(With agency inputs)
I am amused at Barkha Dutts declaration that online abuse (is) a modern-day weapon to silence women. This sounds bizarre coming from a woman who is hyperactive on social media, who writes regular columns for leading national and international dailies, has been the prima donna of TV journalism for decades, is invited to speak at countless Lit fests and other high-profile public events on a regular basis. If this is proof of her silencing, one wonders how much more talking she wants to do! This is not to justify or condone rape threats or obscene posts that Barkha has been receiving. But she and others of her persuasion do not care one bit when those who oppose her brand of journalism receive such threats or are victims of real murderous attacks as I have been.

Ironically, those who have occupied the highest seats of power in the domain of journalism and have therefore enjoyed total monopoly over the political and social narrative in mainstream media (MSM) by shutting out and demeaning all voices and opinions that didnt echo their own, have taken deep fright at the emergence of social media which, in my opinion, is a truly democratic platform.

Today, thanks to social media (SM), even the humblest of citizens can speak truth to power, including the many tsars and tsarinas of mainstream media. It holds a mirror to the erstwhile stars of MSM as well as powerful politicians. Since the image they see in that mirror is rather ugly, the libtards and sickularists (L&S Gang) have manufactured a phobic narrative that social media is infested with right-wing trolls hired by BJP and allies to harass these bleeding-heart guardians of liberalism, secularism and human rights in India.

This is factually incorrect. All of us who have a presence on social media  irrespective of ideology and political affiliation, including non-affiliated independent voices -- get critiqued and trolled. In fact, none among the influential voices whore giving anxiety fits to L&S Gang, owe allegiance to the BJP or RSS.

The few who are hired by the BJP, Congress or other parties dont carry a fraction of the influence that non-aligned social media activists do. And those who carry real influence on social media may be sharp and pungent in their critiques but are never abusive.

Sadly for them, the L&S Gang are bitten by the bug of deriding everyone who differs with them as a Sanghi or a right-winger and naively think that once they stick this label on to someone, they dont have to answer the questions being raised about their own credentials!

The main reason for their sense of persecution vis-a-vis social media is that they were used to one-way communication. They also got addicted to adulation since those who disagreed with their version of events and devious representation of issues were not given space in MSM. Therefore, they could get away with lies, distortions, partisan agendas, paid news and rabid demonisation of those they disliked. For instance, several papers and TV channels controlled by the L&S Gang had blacklisted me.

Today, they go berserk at the slightest hint of criticism and challenge to their deviously crafted narrative. The feminists among them are particularly prone to playing victim and rant that theyre vulnerable because they are women.

As someone who has a reasonably large following on social media, I too get trolled, critiqued and abused oftenthat too from all sides because I dont owe allegiance to any political party nor am I enslaved to any ideology. Therefore, each time I post an article or tweet, sometimes it is the right-wingers who get outraged sometimes the leftists, at other times independents and sometimes all of them together. But I dont play victim because I believe that women, who wish to be in public life at par with men, shouldnt play the hapless woman card when faced with criticism or abuse. It is not as if men dont get abuses when what they say falls foul of popular perceptionright or wrong.

If you are such a chhui-muuyi, then cover yourself with a veil and stay inside chardiwari under the protective care of whomsoever you can trust. But if you want to take on political battles, criticise the high and mighty, engage with contentious issues, then better be prepared to take the rough and tumble of politico-public sphere.

For me as a woman, social media has been enormously empowering despite the flood of abuse that comes with it every now and then. After drifting away from leftists circles, I was finding it very difficult to get published in mainstream papers and journals because almost all are guarded by L&S Gang. Even for my well-researched book on Narendra Modi, I couldnt get a publisher and had to invest own money to publish it.

For daring to write this book that exposed the lies and distortions of professional Modi baiters, I was abused and defamed no end by the L&S Gang including my ultra-progressive colleagues at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). However, no mainstream paper condescended to write a proper review of the book. But for social media, my book would have died without a trace. Its social media, which allowed it to travel far and wide.

The libtards who get hysterical at getting abusive tweets showed zero concern when a Srinagar court issued patently illegal non-bailable warrants against me in a criminal defamation suit filed by one of the L&S Gang members, Shujaat Bukhari, on the basis of three factual, non-abusive, non-threatening tweets. Not a single mainstream paper carried even three-line mention of it. Had one of L&S Gang received such warrants, they would have raised hell. Once again social media came to my rescue and gave me strength to challenge the illegal arrest warrant. Otherwise I could have rotted in a Srinagar jail for the rest of my life.

My strategy for braving out SM attacks is to sift between legitimate criticism and malicious attacks. It makes sense to get hurt if someone with impeccable integrity thought ill of me. Why bother about the opinion of people who attack me out of malice and/or ignorance?

However, when someone points to an error of judgment on my part or some factual mistake Ive made inadvertently, I thank that person and acknowledge my mistake publicly. This way many of those who were once hostile turned into friends.

I celebrate social media for giving voice to crores of ordinary citizens by providing many vibrant platforms with equal access to all where we are judged on merit, not on the basis of our political clout or social connections!

Madhu Kishwar is a professor of ICSSR at Maulana Azad National and founder human rights, womens rights organisation, MANUSHI

This piece is part of HTs new campaign, Lets Talk About Trolls, which focuses sharp attention on online abuse and bullying. Share your views with us at letstalkabouttrolls@hindustantimes.com or @htTweets with #LetsTalkAboutTrolls
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and pressed for a dialogue with separatists in the state, where unrest is growing and the ruling coalition is under strain.

Mufti, who is under pressure in the face of fresh street protests in Kashmir, briefed Modi on the prevailing situation and the way forward.

There is no option but to talk, but it cant happen amid stone-throwing, bullets, said the chief minister whose Peoples Democratic Party is running the government in the border state with Modis BJP.

Even as Mufti discussed the way forward with PM Modi, clashes broke out in the Valley where schools and colleges reopened after remaining suspended for five days in the wake of student demonstrations against the alleged high-handedness of security forces.

Students of SP College assembled on Srinagars Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in the city.

After the meeting, Mufti, referring to former PM AB Vajpayees Kashmir peace push, told mediapersons: Modi ji has repeatedly said he would follow Vajpayee jis footsteps, whose policy is of reconciliation not confrontation.

She also sought to remind the coalition partner that the BJP-led government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee held talks with the Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella organisation of separatist outfits.

 LK Advani deputy PM the Hurriyat ke saath baat hui hai, doosron se baat hui hai (When LK Advani was the deputy PM, talks were held with the Hurriyat and others) she said.

Violence increased in the state in the run-up to the election to Srinagar parliamentary seat on April 9. Eight people were killed on the voting day, with only seven per cent of the electorate casting their vote.

The allies are not on the same page on the issue of stone-pelting mobs targeting security forces and crowding encounter sites.

The chief minister on Monday seemed to draw a distinction between stone-pelters. She said there were some young people who were disillusioned while some were being instigated, including through the use of social media sites.

A BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga recently advocated strong action, saying traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets.

The remark upset the PDP, which said there was a conspiracy to keep trouble brewing in the Valley.

Opposition National Conference is demanding imposition governors rule, alleging the state government has failed to ensure peace in the state. Partys working president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah has also questioned the handling of student protests.

More than 400 incidents of stone-pelting have been reported in Kashmir from October, 2016 to March, 2017.

Mufti also raised with Modi the Indus waters treaty saying it was causing a huge loss to the state. The agreement with Pakistan requires the two neighbours to share waters of Indus, Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi was amenable to talks with all stakeholders to restore peace in the region but that no dialogue was possible in the face of bullets and stones.

Mufti made the comments after meeting Modi in New Delhi on a day violence spiralled in Kashmir. A local leader of Muftis Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was shot dead by suspected militants and students clashed with security forces in Srinagars Lal Chowk.

At her meeting, Mufti referred to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees more moderate vision for Kashmir, and said Modi too believed in that approach to peace.

Modiji has repeatedly said he will follow in the footsteps of Vajpayeeji, whose policy was of reconciliation not confrontation, Mufti told reporters after the meeting.

There is no option but to talk, but it cant happen amid stone-throwing, bullets.

Vajpayees government was the first to hold talks with Kashmiri separatists in 2004. Asked if Modi was prepared to talk to the separatists, Mufti said, We need to pick up from where Vajpayeeji left, otherwise the situation will never improve.

There was no immediate confirmation of this from the Prime Ministers Office.

Kashmir has remained largely paralysed since July when government forces shot dead a young militant leader, Burhan Wani, touching off months of deadly street protests. The government responded with force, leaving more than 100 people dead.

Violence spiked again this month after eight people were killed during an assembly by-election in Srinagar. Since then, several video clips purportedly showing alleged human rights abuses by security forces have also added to public anger, often manifested in large throngs of stone-throwing crowds taking small groups of well-armed security forces.

Mufti also met Union home minister Rajnath Singh. After the meeting she said the situation in Kashmir would improve in 2-3 months but did not spell out how.

The PDP became hugely unpopular after forming a governing alliance with the BJP in 2015, and much of Muftis rule has been spent trying to douse the violence. The chief minister has pushed the Centre for talks with the separatists in the hope of assuaging popular anger.

Because of talks, many things had happened. These led to the opening of Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot roads, a ceasefire was announced on (the India-Pakistan) border, talks were held with the Hurriyat, she said, referring to Vajpayees outreach to an umbrella organisation of Kashmiris separatists.

Modiji has repeatedly said that he will follow Vajpayees footsteps. Modiji has always agreed with Vajpayees policy of talking to our own people but for that a conducive atmosphere needs to be created.

She also appeared to draw a distinction between stone-pelters -- some young people who were disillusioned and others who were instigated, including through the use of social media sites.

Mufti said a meeting of the militarys unified command on Tuesday will discuss how to counter propaganda on social media.

(Additional reporting by Abhishek Saha in Srinagar)

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A senior RSS leader on Monday sparked a fresh controversy over the Islamic practice of triple talaq, claiming the All India Muslim Personal Law Boards stand on the emotive issue has no relevance since its an unconstitutional body without any religious sanction.

National executive member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Indresh Kumar even went on to demand that Indian Muslims should question the locus standi of the board.

The board was constituted in 1973 to protect and uphold Shariat or Islamic laws in India.

Triple talaq  under which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by uttering talaq thrice  has been thrust under the national spotlight after a number of women approached the Supreme Court to ban the ritual.

The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre in its affidavit in the apex court opposed the continuation of the social practice.

The law board is against a blanket ban on triple talaq and contested the Centres affidavit in the court.

It has, however, called for a social boycott of those who misuse it by repeating talaq, the Arabic word for divorce, thrice in one sitting.

It also opposed questionnaire prepared by the Law Commission on Uniform Civil Code.

We should salute the Muslim women who went to court (against the practice) this is the best opportunity for India to remove fundamentalism and cruelty (to women), Kumar said.

Kumar is also the patron of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of the RSS.

He claimed the board came into existence to politically support the Congress and does not have legal or religious sanction to speak on issues related to the community.

The board was set up by the Congress, after its (Muslim) vote bank drifted to regional parties. The party propelled Muslims leaders, who were fundamentalists and gave them money to float the board, Kumar said at a seminar in the national capital.

He went to the extent of asserting that supporting the views of the board on triple talaq would be a sin and a crime.

Commenting on the campaign against Triple Talaq, the RSS functionary said a movement has begun in the country to end fundamentalism in Islam.

It cannot be stopped with guns or stones. It has to be changed or it will perish, he said.

Kumar, who served in Kashmir for long, said fundamentalism in the Valley that wants to divide India needs to be weeded out.

He, however, at the same time tried to reach out to larger Muslim population using the allegory of demon king Ravana, whose siblings despite sharing his lineage were not as evil as him.

He also made references to Rana Pratap who was aided by a Muslim general Hakim Khan Suri and also Capt Abid Hassan, a close aide of Netaji Subas Chandra Bose, to buttress the differences between Indian Muslims and the radicalised groups.

On the issue of Ram Temple, the RSS leader said as per Islam a mosque should not be built on a disputed site or where another religious structure once stood, implying that Muslims should give up the claims on the disputed land.

The RSS leader also took pot shots at Pakistan.

I have seen its birth chart, its decline will begin when it hits its 70th year and by 2025, it will be over, Kumar claimed.

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Indias eighth longest cave in Meghalaya has revealed one of its closely guarded secrets. Researchers have stumbled up an almost blind, albino crab that had to date remained hidden in the darkest corners of the 7.3 km long cave.

Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India, after preliminary inspection and discussions with international experts, claimed that it was a new species, unknown to scientists so far. This is the first cave dwelling crab discovered from India.

It is definitely a new species. This is the first cave crab from India. Its physical features are quite different from the crabs we see around or from other cave crabs discovered earlier in Asia, said Santanu Mitra a ZSI scientist researching on crabs who inspected the specimens.

It is estimated that around 8.7 million species of plants and animals live on the earth out of which only around 1.2 million have been discovered. More than 80% species are yet to be identified by scientists. Around 97,000 animal species have been identified from India so far.

I am in touch with Mitra and have seen the pictures. It may well be a new species. There is nothing like it I know from all of India or the countries around it, Peter Ng Kee Lin a world renowned field biologist from University of Singapore and an expert on fresh water crabs, told HT over email.

Albino crab in upside down position.

ZSI scientists after discussing with international experts claimed that it belongs to the Teretamon genus. This is the third species of the genus. While the first one was discovered from Myanmar several decades ago, the second one was discovered from Mizoram by Mitra in 2016. The first two were however not cave dwelling.

The discovery was made by Parveen Farzana Absar, 29, who is pursuing her masters in wildlife sciences from Aligarh Muslim University. The researcher was inspecting various caves of east-Jaintia hills in Meghalaya over the past two months for her dissertation paper on cave biology.

I would like to name it Teretamon absarum after my parents  Ahsan Absar and Farzana Absar  as a tribute to them. It would also a tribute to Prashant Chaudhari who motivated me, said Parveen.

On March 29 she stumbled upon the crab family around 200 m from the mouth of the cave. It was brought to the notice of Illona J Kharkongor a ZSI scientist in Meghalaya specialising in cave biology. Kharkongor in turn got in touch with crab experts in the ZSI headquarters in Kolkata for further details.

Unlike other crabs, which come in various colours such as red, blue and olive green and sizes, these crabs are albino with small bodies measuring less than 2 cm. While other crabs have well developed claws often larger than their bodies, these cave crabs have short and slender legs with hairs on them.

The albino crab which was discovered in Philippines. (Photo: Adrenaline Romance)

They are perfectly adapted to cave-life and live in dark zones under pitch black darkness, where temperatures remain almost constant. Because there is no light they have no colouring pigments and hence albino and blind, said Mitra.

Blind albino caves crabs have been earlier reported from some Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Scientists, however, claimed that the Meghalaya-crab is different from other cave crabs discovered in other countries

While this one has a large eye socket but a retina smaller than a poppy seed the former ones have smaller sockets. In others, the body is serrated (like a saw) on the sides and do not have hairy legs. This has a smooth body with hairs on its legs. The other cave crabs had larger bodies sometimes reaching up to even 2 inches, but this one has much smaller body. Even the shape of the penis of the newly discovered one is different from its predecessors, said Mitra.

The researcher is now preparing it to publish her findings in some peer reviewed journal, scientists from ZSI said that the latest finding would also find a place in the list of Animal Discoveries  an annual publication of ZSI  as a new species not known to scientists till date.

There havent been enough studies on biospeleology (cave biology) in India. Describing a new species requires years of expertise and a depth of knowledge. I congratulate both the ZSI scientist and the student who discovered the species, said K Venkataraman former ZSI director.

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Kerala power minister and senior CPI(M) leader MM Mani, whose remarks against women plantation workers triggered a row, said on Monday he was prepared to resign if asked by the party.

Only if my party asks, will I resign, he told reporters at Kunchithanni, a day after opposition parties and activists demanded his resignation and an apology.

Mani was slammed for remarks that allegedly questioned the character of women activists of a plantation workers outfit in the district and some of his own party colleagues.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said, If any offensive statement was made against them (the women), it was improper.

The 70-year old minister had on Sunday expressed regret for his remarks against the women workers, who have launched an agitation demanding his ouster.

He had also claimed his remarks were wrongly interpreted by the media and that he had not made any offensive remarks against the women workers.

Mani also said that Vijayan and party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had called him over phone and sought his explanation.

Mani, who has been embroiled in controversies, refused to apologise, saying, Let them sit there and agitate.

He said the chapter was closed and he had nothing more to add while and would not visit the agitating workers.

Protesting the remarks, some of the women workers had launched an agitation on Sunday. The protest continued on Monday.

Meanwhile, vehicles kept off roads and shops remained closed in the hilly district in view of a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the NDA.

The opposition Congress led UDF is also lending support to the womens agitation by observing a black day.

Mani had also accused an IAS officer of plotting with the RSS to pull down a cross on an encroached piece of land in Munnar.

The CPI(M) leader had stirred up a controversy few years ago by openly stating that the party had eliminated political rivals in his home district, Idukki.
A parliamentary panel has recommended lifting of a ban on the trade in shahtoosh shawls, woven from the fur of an endangered Tibetan antelope, to provide livelihood opportunities to many in conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir.

The shahtoosh trade was banned globally in 1975 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which India is a signatory.

The antelope is listed in Schedule I of the Indias Wildlife (Protection) Act, granting it the highest level of protection.

The Jammu and Kashmir government, which was initially reluctant to impose the ban on the ground that thousands of families were depended on the trade for their living, eventually extended the restriction in 2000 after a drastic fall in the number of antelopes, locally called chiru.

Shahtoosh, which literally means king of wools in Persian, is woven from the underfur of a chiru and is considered one of the finest wools because it is light yet warm.

The weaving of Shahtoosh is a skill that is traditionally unique to Kashmiris.

The parliamentary committee headed by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury suggested that the environment ministry should conserve and breed the chiru goats on vast tracts of land and give the antelopes to weavers for collecting wool.

The rationale is that regulated farming of the animals will not only revive the industry but also the chiru population.

Traders in the valley welcomed the proposal, but it drew flak from environmentalists and animal rights activists, who fear the move would promote the hunting of the endangered species, leading to its complete extinction.

It will be good if the ban is reversed because a large section of people was dependent on the industry, said Sajjad Gul, spokesperson for the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF).

On the concerns raised by the conservationists, Gul claimed its not necessary to kill the animal to extract its fur for the wool. But he admitted that poachers do kill chirus for wool.

PETA Indias chief executive officer Poorva Joshipura, however, rubbished the claim that animals need not be killed to collect fur.

Those who peddle shahtoosh have long been attempting to fool consumers into believing that the animals are not killed, Joshipura said.

Three to four chirus are killed to make a shawl that is allegedly sold for $1000 to $5000 and sometimes even up to $20,000 in the international market, according to research. There are other similar estimates too.

The animal is classified as near threatened under the IUCNs red list as its population has dwindled to about 75,000 in recent years.

They are found mostly in the Tibetan plateau, all over China, and in smaller numbers in north-eastern Ladakh. They have disappeared from Nepal, where they were earlier found.

Their underfur allows them to keep themselves warm in the chilly upper reaches of the Himalayas in India.

Environmentalists argue that even if it was possible to extract the wool without actually killing the animals, snatching their protective cover amounts to cruelty.

Using chirus for the very product that have made them endangered is cruelty, not conservation, Joshipura said.

Kashmiri traders said it was part of their traditions for centuries, sustaining many families who are now left in the lurch because of the ban.

The parliamentary panel echoed this view in its report.

The committee feels that Jammu and Kashmir has been the conflict region for long and many women there are unable to leave their homes and go out for livelihoods, it said.

Livelihood opportunities are very low for the people of Jammu and Kashmir because of the extreme climatic conditions there and shawl making contributes a lot towards sustainable livelihoods of these people, the report added.

Many in the state even viewed the ban as an anti-Kashmir move.

Some people have an anti- Kashmir agenda and they spread this kind of propaganda about the animal being killed to take out fur without any basis, said the KTMF spokesperson.

He said locals recognise the need to save the depleting chiru population. But its the government that should ensure there is no illegal hunting, he added in the same breath. An ordinary Kashmiri cannot guarantee that, he pointed out.

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Two students drowned in Khadakwasla lake, while two others drowned in Pavana dam in Pune, fire brigade officials said on Monday.

Wajid Hujurali Sayyed, 18, and Firoz Tajuddin Nadaf, 19, had gone to Khadakwasala lake,a popular destination among youngsters during vacation, along with friends on Sunday.

Wajid and Firoz didnt know how to swim. They lost balance as sand started to shift under their feet. Their friends made attempts to pull them out of the water, in vain, said a fire brigade official.

While Wajid took Class 10 exams this year, his friend had written his Class 12 test.

Their bodies were fished out by evening.

In the second incident, Jitesh Pagar, 19, and Aniket Kadam, 20, had gone to Pavana dam, around 50km from Pune.

Jitesh and Aniket went into deep waters , said officials.

Despite search operations, their bodies could not be recovered till Monday morning.

Read more: Murud beach drowning: Angry, anxious kin throng Pune college campus

Water released in drought-hit Pune, two kids drown

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A group of men hacked to death early on Monday morning a middle-aged security guard and seriously injured another at a sprawling estate in Tamil Nadus Kodanad, owned by former state chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Police said the murder by unknown assailants took place between 11.30pm on Sunday and 1.30am on Monday. No missing property complaints were filed but local police said the gang of eight men were after some important documents.

The dead guard was identified as Om Bahadur while the injured staff, Krishna Bahadur, is being treated at a local hospital.Police are questioning several people, including employees at the Kodanad estate.

No fire arms were used in the attack , according to police sources. No CCTV footage was available.

The estate, spread over 900 acres, was a retreat often used by Jayalalithaa for rest and treatment, and a place that she visited regularly, especially during the sultry summer months.

The sprawling property on the Nilgiris first came into the public spotlight in the 90s as part of allegations of disproportionate assets against the then AIADMK chief.

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Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated.

Mufti said this after a meeting with meeting Union home minister Rajnath Singh amid growing unrest in Kashmir, which has put the PDP-BJP coalition under strain.

The chief minister did not specify who the talks would be with, but, during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi she had invoked former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayees policy on Kashmir in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.

I understand that the coming two-three months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated, she said.

Mufti said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.

During her meeting with the home minister, where BJPs general secretary incharge of Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mufti briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.

The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir.

Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governors rule in the state, Mufti said only the central government could comment on that.

The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.

Mufti also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Singh told the chief minister that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.

He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday.

At a meeting of the NITI Aayog on Sunday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their own children.
Violence involving right wing Hindu organisations from various parts of Uttar Pradesh is proving to be an embarrassment for the Yogi Adityanath government.

The volatile situation even forced chief minister Yogi Adityanath to send a clear message of zero tolerance on law and order front.

The Saharanpur violence on Friday was latest in the series of incidents that have rocked the state after the BJP formed the government in U.P.

Led by local MP Raghav Lakhanpal, BJP workers took out a shobha yatra in Sadak Dudhli village on April 20 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar without seeking permission from the district administration.

Violence broke out after members of the Muslim community pelted the procession with stones. BJP workers retaliated by setting shops on fire, damaged the divisional commissioners car and also attacked the residence-cum-camp office of Saharanpur senior superintendent of police, Luv Kumar.

After the CM took a tough stand on the issue, an FIR was lodged against BJP workers and eight people were arrested on Monday.

A controversy erupted in Agra last week when international models visiting Taj Mahal were asked to remove their saffron stoles before entering the monument.

The activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a demonstration at the eastern gate of Taj Mahal on April 22.

The union government, however, denied any ban on religious symbols at the monument.

There is no restriction on colour, religious design or inscriptions on the scarves or dresses of visitors coming to see the Taj Mahal, said Union minister for culture and tourism Mahesh Sharma.

On April 22, VHP and Bajrang Dal activists manhandled a circle officer at Fatehpur Sikri, 36 kilometres from Agra. Later in the evening, the protestors attacked the Sadar police station.

The agitators also torched the motorcycle of sub-inspector Santosh Kumar at Pratappura crossing. The incident was the fallout of a local dispute involving members of two communities.

In another incident in Mathura on April 22, a delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), led by Meghshyam Gautam who runs a car parking lot, met SSP Mohit Gupta to complain against the misbehaviour of sub-inspector Pawan Agnihotri.

However, the meeting took an ugly turn after a heated exchange of words and a BJYM activist was arrested.

In Meerut, a youth was assaulted by alleged activists of Hindu Yuva Vahini (HVY) on April 13 when he was going to drop his fiance at her home.

On April 12, HYV activists barged into a house in Shastri Nagar locality of Meerut and dragged out a couple  a Muslim man and a Hindu girl  and reportedly roughed them up.

State convenor of HYV PK Mall, however, denied involvement of the organisation in any of the incidents.

No member of the Hindu Yuva Vahini is involved in any act of violence. It is a deliberate attempt to defame the organisation. All of a sudden everyone is claiming to be a member of the Vahini, especially those who are breaking the law. It is a conspiracy and police must look into it, said Mall.

The HYV was set up Adityanath in 2002.

Last week, UPs new director general of police, Sulkhan Singh had said that no vigilantism in the name of cow slaughter and harassment of girls would be tolerated.

Manoj Dixit, head of department of public administration, Lucknow University, said the BJP government needs to check rowdy elements breaking the law in the name of cow vigilantism and social policing.

If the government fails of check acts of violence, what will be the difference left between previous Samajwadi Party government and the present Yogi regime? The SP governments failure on law and order front was one of the reasons that led to its defeat in the assembly election, he added.

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At least three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in a suspected Maoist attack in the Daltonganj area in Jharkhand on Monday.

According to preliminary reports, the three injured personnel belonged to the Jharkhand-based Jaguar Commandoes.

They attacked took place in Pipardhaba area in Jharkhands Daltonganj.

An MI-17 has been dispatched from Ranchi to bring the injured paramilitary personnel back from the encounter spot. Further details are awaited.

The incident was reported shortly after 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a separate encounter in neighbouring Chhattisgarhs Sukma district by suspected Maoist militants.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh is on his way to Raipur to preside over an emergency meeting of officials to determine counter-strategies and a review of the law and order situation in the state.

The incident in Chhattisgarh has been widely condemned by the political leadership, irrespective of party affiliation. Minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir is heading to Raipur on Tuesday to pay his respects to the dead and review the overall security situation with the state government.

The Centre is also monitoring the developments post the tragic incident with chief minister Raman Singh.
In an attempt to stem its slide ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Congress is deploying a team of party leaders in poll-bound states to re-establish connect with the ground and reach out to voters.

Seven states  Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh (November-December), Meghalaya (February) Karnataka (April-May next year), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan (all September-October 2018)  will go to polls before the next Lok Sabha elections.

The party has been unable to stop the tide of reversals that began in 2013 with a string of defeats in state elections followed by a drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

One of the reasons identified for these debacles was a failure to connect with the masses.

Having realised that the partys comeback at the national level largely depends on its revival in states, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has started meeting leaders from across the country. Two such meetings in batches of 40-50 leaders have already been held and four more are lined up.

The idea is to form teams of party volunteers who will be deployed in poll-bound states. These volunteers will be asked to assess the ground situation, suggest steps to strengthen the partys footprint at the grassroots level and take the partys programmes to the masses.

In the last two meetings  on April 18 and April 21  the emphasis was also on decentralisation of power and allowing regional leaders to grow. The exercise has also kicked off the partys preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Gandhi will open his Gujarat campaign with a tribal rally at Dediapada in Narmada district on May 1, the foundation day of the BJP-ruled state. Gujarat and Maharashtra were carved out of the State of Mumbai in 1960.

Out of power in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shahs home state from the past 22 years, the Congress is struggling to dethrone the ruling party.

Chhabildas Mehta was the last Congress CM in the state from 1994-1995. From 1998, the BJP has been in power in the state for the past 19 years, of which Modi ruled for 12.

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Amidst slogans like Gau rakshak nahi nar bhakshak hain (They are not cow protectors but man-eaters), speakers at a dharna organised in front of the Rajasthan Assembly criticised the Rajasthan government for giving cow vigilantes a free run in the state.

We have gathered here to demand justice for Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh, who was lynched by a group of gau rakshaks at Behror, Rajasthan, when he was returning with four others, including his two sons. While five people have been arrested, the six who were named in the FIRs are being protected by the police. We have been told that the main accused are not being arrested as they are a part of the Bajrang Dal, VHP and RSS. We demand their immediate arrest. It is also unfortunate that the Rajasthan chief minister has not cared to open her mouth on this serious crime in the state even after 18 days, Kavita Srivastava of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said.

A number of activists from Left parties, PUCL and labour organisations among others took part in the dharna. The three-day dharna outside the Vidhan Sabha will end on April 26.

The state home minister who spoke to the media soon after the death of Pehlu Khan, glorified the gau rakshaks instead of assuring a fair investigation. He said that the gau rakshaks have done a good job except that they should not have been so brutal with Pehlu Khan and not taken the law in their hands, she added.

Addressing the dharna, Prof V S Vyas warned of the harmful effects of cow vigilantism on the rural economy with the movement of cattle, including bullocks, being hit after an increase in the number of cases of gau rakshaks intercepting vehicles ferrying cattle on the highways.

MLA and CPI (ML) leader Rajkumar Yavav alleged that the BJP and its associated parties were trying to divide the country on the basis of religion. Look at what is happening in Uttar Pradesh. An increasing number of people are becoming unemployed due to the closure of slaughterhouses. The government needs a course correction and think about all sections of the society, he said.

Speakers said that the lynching of Pehlu Khan was not the first case in Rajasthan. In Bharloki, Nagaur, Abdul Gaffar Qureshi was lynched on May 30, 2016, following rumours that Muslims had consumed beef after slaughtering cows. However, evidence showed that it was completely wrong. Similarly, in Rajsamand, in October 2016, Banjaras were beaten up by gau rakshaks despite having required documents. It took public protests to get the guilty arrested.
Ruling party MLAs cornered their own minister in the assembly on Monday over privatisation of electricity distribution in Kota.

Maximum power consumption was recorded in June last year, and revenue assessment was 59.34 crore; minimum consumption was there in November, but then the revenue assessment was 67 crore, which should had been 20% less, BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal said during the question hour.

The ongoing assembly session, an extension of the budget meet, was called mainly to clear GST (goods and service tax) and other bills.

The private firm that got the franchise of electricity distribution has not recruited staff properly, does not take meter reading, and sends inflated bills leading to resentment among people, Gunjal said.

Bhawani Singh Rajawat, BJP MLA from Laadpura (Kota), also raised objections to privatisation of power distribution.

We had urged the government not to privatise it. There are places in the state where transmission and distribution (T&D) losses are 80%; Kota was generating good revenue but it is unfortunate that after power distribution was handed over to the private company, people are left to be looted, Rajawat said.

The situation is worrisome; if a poor man even lights two bulbs, the bill is coming up to 10,000; and power cut is there for six hours.

Rajawat said, We were told that T&D losses will decrease, thefts will be curbed; and 24X7 power supply will be ensured, but nothing of the sort happened.

He added, When the management was with Vidyut Vitran Nigam, we used to call executive engineers to set right faults. Who is now responsible in this company; whom should we call? People are resented and Kota is frequently plunging into darkness.

He demanded that the decision be reconsidered and management be given to Nigam.

Replying to charges, state energy minister Pushpendra Singh Ranawat said T&D losses decreased and revenue increased after the management was given to the private firm.

He said the franchise was given in September last year, and the regulatory commission approved 9% tariff hike, the result of which was seen in bills.

In Kota city, T&D losses were 29% last year, which has come down to 14%. A billing of 70 crore was done from which 59.34 crore was generated; it is estimated that the state will receive 915 crore profit in 20 years.

Ranawat assured the House that government has control over the firm, which is working in India for last 100 years. If complaints of increased tariff are received, they will be addressed.

In another question, Jagdish Narayan, BJP MLA from Jamwa Ramgarh, expressed his dissatisfaction over industry minister Rajpal Singhs reply on setting up of industries in his constituency. The MLA asked, Does the government intend to set up industries to deal with increasing unemployment? Singh said, The government does not set up industries, but provides positive environment through policies.

House adjourned over Ambedkar remarks

Congress and ruling party MLAs opposed BJP MLA Vijay Bansals alleged remark that Bhim Rao Ambedkar was not the architect of the constitution, and demanded an apology.

Looking to the MLAs resentment, parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore apologised. Not satisfied, opposition members entered the well, and the House was adjourned for 15 minutes. The opposition continued protest after the House resumed. The speaker directed Rathore to take action if anything wrong has been said against Ambedkar.

GST Bill tabled

The goods and service tax (GST) bill and a dozen others related to universities were tabled in the House. A special workshop on GST was also conducted for members.

New MLA takes oath

Shobha Rani Khushwa, newly elected BJP MLA from Dholpur, took oath. She was elected in the recent by-poll. Before entering the assembly, she performed puja at the stairs.
The Central University of Rajasthan expelled nine postgraduate students on Monday, mere minutes before their fourth semester exam began.

The expulsion, officials said, was over a clash between them and the staff of a canteen on March 24 over bad food. The issue had at the time snowballed into a larger student protest, defused only after the administration officials stepped in and promised students to act against staffers who took part in the brawl.

The university proctor handed down the expulsion letters to us 10 minutes before the exam was to start today, said Gaurav Sharma, one of the expelled students, who was supposed to take his MSc semester-IV exam.

Sharma said the administration took the decision unilaterally, and did not hear their side of the story.

They have ruined our lives, he said, as the eight others with him sat on an indefinite dharna outside the vice chancellors office.

The March 24 clashes took place when students complained of sub-standard food.

After the brawl in the canteen, students went on a hunger strike to press for action against the staffers who assaulted them. On March 27, the officials promised to look into the matter and the stir was called off.

Subham Sharma, Bhawar Singh, Gaurav and Hansaraj Bagariya were permanently expelled from the varsity, while Mahendra Jat, Sunil Chopra, Nitesh Choudhary, Pawan and Sandeep Choudhary were expelled for a year.

The expelled students come from a very humble background as fathers of all of them, except Pawan Kumars who is a school teacher, work as famers. We all are from very poor background, we had come here to make our future but see what our teachers have done to us, said Bhanwar Singh.

University proctor Laxmi Kant Sharma told HT that the action was on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee of five senior professors.

When questioned if the quantum of punishment given to students was justified, Sharma disconnected the phone and did not respond to further calls.
Former Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) militants have sought an appointment with the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. They want to inform her about the problems surrendered KLO militants are facing and also try to impress upon her the need to bring back Jeevan Singha, the leader of the banned outfit, into the mainstream. Singha is believed to be hiding in Myanmar.

The surrendered militants said they will help the government in getting Singha back.

Read: 40 KLO activists had visited Myanmar for arms training

There are about 160 surrendered militants in different arts of north Bengal.

Tom Adhikary after his arrest in 2014. (HT Photo)

KLO has been demanding a separate state of Kamtapur constituting a few districts of North Bengal and lower Assam. It is responsible for many subversive activities including killings, kidnappings and extortions. Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts were the areas most affected by the KLO activities.

Among the acts of violence associated with KLO are, a bomb explosion in Jalpaiguri district on December 26, 2013 that killed six, seven persons losing their lives to another explosion in Belakoba in the same district on November 20, 2006 and eight persons being killed by a bomb that went off at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station in 1999 when the Kargil conflict was at its peak.

Read: KLO, NDFB involved in cattle smuggling, Centre tells Bengal government

On Saturday, six former senior KLO leaders and members sent a letter through Cooch Behar district magistrate P Ulganathan seeking an appointment with the chief minister. Mamata Banerjee is coming on a north Bengal tour to Cooch Behar and Alipurduar on Monday.

Significantly, the Bengal chief minister would attend a public meeting of the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) at Raash Mela ground in Cooch Behars Raash Mela ground on Tuesday. The KPP, a democratic party, is also demanding recognition of Kamtapuri language and creation of a separate Kamtapur state.

A section of the crowd in a public meeting by KLO. (HT Photo)

Though our earlier request for a meeting with the chief minister was rejected, we are hopeful she would meet us this time, Milton Barma, alias Mihir Das, former commander-in-chief of the KLO who is among the six to sign the letter told HT.

If the chief minister meets us, we will apprise her about the problems faced by former KLO militants. We will also try to impress upon her to bring Jeevan Singha, the KLO chief, back to the mainstream. Singha who is still in hiding is believed to be in Myanmar.

Read: KLO rising again, warn central intelligence agencies

Milton Barma, Harshabardhan Barma alias Bardawan Das, former KLO vice chairman Tom Adhikary alias Joydeb Roy the former deputy commander in chief and many others were arrested during the Operation Flush Out inside Bhutan jungles in December 2003 and were in jails for years.

The former militants alleged the state government has failed to implement the rehabilitation package for them.

Immediately after the Trinamool Congress formed the government in Bengal in 2011, the former militants advocated dialogue between the state government, Centre and the KLO. They also assured the state government that they will work to bring back the KLO chief and other KLO members back to the mainstream.

KLO was suspected to be involved in a number of bomb explosions in north Bengal, especially in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling district, where a number of people lost their lives. (HT Photo)

However, the state government thought otherwise and many former KLO leaders and members including Tom Adhikary and Manchalal Singha (who later became the finance secretary of the organisation) again went underground. They were arrested in February 2014 from Nepal and released by the court five days ago.

The genesis of the KLO movement goes back to mid nineties when the Kamtapur Peoples Party (KPP) started its democratic movement for the recognition of Kamtapur language and creation of separate Kamtapur state.

Read: Rebels underline racism in Northeast with quit notice

The KPP movement was able to rope in a large section of Rajbonsis in north Bengal. However, it failed after 1999 when the state government arrested a large number of its leaders. The formation of the KLO by former leaders of All Kamtapuri Students Union (AKSU) to pursue the same demands through armed movement resulted in many killings, kidnappings and extortions. Many innocent Rajbonshi youths also lost their lives.

The KLO that was assisted by ULFA and NDFB had many camps inside Bhutan jungles that were destroyed during Operation Flush Out in December 2003 by Royal Bhutan Army.

Milton said the path of violence and bloodshed should end, but quickly added, The government must come forward and try to understand why the Rajbonshi youths took up arms.

A senior police officer with experience of dealing with the KLO movement told HT, In 2011 as the state government was besieged with two burning problems of Maoism and Darjeeling hills. Perhaps it did not have the opportunity to start another dialogue.

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The IPS association in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has sought a meeting with chief minister Yogi Adityanath to raise the issue of recent attacks on cops by Hindu outfits, including by BJP leaders in some cases.

He (Adityanath) was away for Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi, but is back now. As soon as he is free, we intend to meet him soon, Prakash D, secretary of the IPS Association, told HT.

The officers plan to apprise the CM about incidents in Saharanpur, Agra and other places where mobs of Hindu hardliners and local BJP leaders targeted police officers.

Adityanath has at different meetings told the officers to act tough against those trying to disrupt law and order.

The CM was apprised about the vandalism at Saharanpur SSPs residence by BJP supporters led by MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma on Thursday. Once the CM ordered action, FIR was registered against the MP, two BJP MLAs as well as local leaders, a senior police officer said.

Police also registered a case against those who pelted stones at the procession to mark birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar in the district, he said.

Police officers were also directed to take action against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader who slapped a deputy superintendent of police in Agra while organising a demonstration near Taj Mahal on Saturday.

Officers were told to register a case against the Bajrang Dal activists who attacked a policeman at Fatehpur Sikri police station and set his motorcycle afire.

BJP workers were booked following a clash with SP workers in Nath Nagar area of Sant Kabir Nagar district on Friday.

A home department official said the CM had directed action against all those who indulged in violence, irrespective of their party affiliation.

The state police have come under attack for taking action against activists of various hardline Hindu outfits, including BJP, who have been indulging in vigilantism against minority communities, particularly in the name of gau raksha (cow protection), ever since BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh and Adityanath, considered a Hindu hardliner, took charge as chief minister.

Newly-appointed DGP Sulkhan Singh promised not to spare such vigilantes, saying, I have the backing of the CM.

Stay in line: Adityanath tells workers

Adityanath has also pulled up party workers and cadre of Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV), which he founded and heads, not to indulge in violence and hit the streets to register a protest. Instead, he told them to focus on implementation of governments schemes and projects.

The HYV has decided to conduct proper scrutiny before inducting a person into the outfit.
La Martiniere College, which has a chapel and a mosque on its premises, has opened a Shiva temple now.

For routine prayers and even during festivals like Navratri and Mahashivratri, the boarders and staffers had to visit temples outside the college premises, said principal Carlyle McFarland.

The pran pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of the Shivling was attended by the students, teachers and principal.

Principle Carlyle McFarland at the temple. (Handout)

The rudrabhishek (ritual bath) on Sunday was followed by havan and bhandara (feasting) in which the senior boys took special care of the younger ones and displayed a good example of brotherhood and care, the principal said.

Established in 1845 in accordance with the Will of its founder Major General Claude Martin, the college has a huge chapel where prayer service takes place on special occasions.

Besides the beautifully decorated chapel, the tomb of Boulone, also known as Gori Bibi, the founders favourite lady companion, exists on the La Martiniere estate.

The principal himself celebrates Holi, Diwali and Eid with the students. Only recently, the college earned applause for introducing Urdu and establishing the Alliance Francaise Centre (French learning centre) on its premises.

This initiative of establishing a Shiv temple will help the boarders offer prayers with ease, said Joyanto Mukherjee, who passed out of the college in 1978.

At a time when communal strife is tearing the social fabric at many places in the country and the world, La Martiniere College now stands out as an oasis of religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, said a teacher.

The nearly century-old Lucknow University has two Shiv temples, a mosque near the dilapidated Lal Baradari, two mazars (graves) and the grave of Sir Maharaj Singh  son of Maharaja Kapoorthala  who converted to Christianity. After his death, he was buried at a spot which is close to the present day geology department.

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Countrys renowned heart surgeon, Dr Naresh Trehan, has developed a new technique that gives a ray of hope to those cardiac patients having 20-25% functioning hearts. In Allahabad to address a conference on heart disease by Vatsalya Hospital and Rotary Allahabad North, the Padma Bhushan awardee spoke exclusively to Hindustan Times on issues related to heart diseases.

What important developments have taken place in the treatment of cardiac ailments?

The biggest development is that now patients with only 20-25% functioning hearts can also live. I have combined four techniques namely PET scan, balloon, beating heart and robotic to operate the patients who are otherwise very risky to be operated upon. The results are very encouraging. The idea is to operate the inoperable. Medical therapies have also improved. We can now even save the life of 85-90- year-old patients with aortic valve problems. The usual treatment is open heart valve surgery. However, open heart surgery may be considered too risky for them. So we started transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure in which aortic valve is implanted using a long narrow tube called a catheter. It is minimally invasive procedure. But again the cost comes around Rs 20-25 lakh. So, all patients may not be able to afford it.

Are there any new medicines for heart failure patients?

New medicines like Vymada have arrived in the market that is very effective for heart failure patients. The number of heart transplants has also increased due to which we are able to save more lives.

What was the idea behind setting up the integrative medicine department at Medanta and how will it benefit patients?

If we really want to save more people dying of cardiac, cancer and other chronic diseases, we have to combine the benefits of ayurveda, unani and allopathy. With the same goal, we decided to set up this department. The results are overwhelming. We found that herbs like Ashwagandha which has anti-inflammatory property when combined with Arjunchaal, Guglu (both lowers cholesterol and lipid) and allopathic medicines gave very good results for cardiac patients. The herbs strengthen the body while allopathy is good in many other cases. We also managed to bring down the side effects after chemotherapy in cancer patients by combining the ancient and modern medicines. We are on way to clinically proving these medicines. I have also talked to yoga guru Baba Ramdev for formulating new medicines to provide effective cure for chronic diseases.

In the years to come, what is going to be your most significant contribution to address the problems of poor patients?

My first effort is not allowing people to fall sick. Chronic health problems like cardiac diseases, diabetes and even osteoporosis develop over the years. If we check people in pre-diabetic or in a stage when diseases could be reversed, we can save more number of lives and cost of treatment. At Medanta, we are concentrating on preventive aspect of diseases. Likewise, we also work on cross-subsidy basis. The patients who can afford to pay the treatment cost and those who cant get the subsidy. We also have to strengthen the insurance schemes in our country.
Three Naxal-hit and poverty-ridden districts of Vindhyachal/Purvanchal in eastern UP may be clubbed with the seven backward districts of Bundelkhand, making them eligible for all the benefits that are made available to the water scarce region under the Centres Bundelkhand package and the states other schemes.

The state government has already put a demand to the Centre in this regard. The Centre is said to be favourably inclined to the idea.

The three Vindhyachal districts Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Chandauli that have been sought to be clubbed are said to have geographic, topographical and economic conditions similar to ones that prevail in UPs Bundelkhand region comprising seven districts.

Making a presentation to the Niti Ayog in Delhi a few days back, we demanded that Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Chandauli in Vindhyanchal should also be put on a par with the seven districts of Bundelkhand for the purpose of giving them benefits of the special Bundelkhand package, revealed a senior official, claiming, The Niti Ayog agreed in principle to the demand.

During a meeting of chief ministers at Niti Ayog in Delhi on Sunday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is also learnt to have demanded maximum fund release for Bundelkhand, incorporating the three districts of Vindhyanchal.

Sources said that various state government departments were asked to prepare projects for Bundelkhand as well as for the three districts of Vindhyanchal before the funds were sought from the Centre for the projects. The Centre will finance the schemes under the ongoing Bundelkhand package.

Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Chandauli are among the states poorest and most backward districts, almost like Bundelkhands seven backward districts: Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Banda, Lalitpur, Hampirpur and Jalaun.

The Congress-led UPA government had in 2009 announced a special Rs7,466 crore Bundelkhand drought mitigation package for implementation of projects to minimize the effect of drought and backwardness in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The allocation for UP was Rs 3606 crore initially.

An amount of Rs 1,005.51 crore was released as additional central assistance to UP during the Eleventh Plan and Rs 25515.50 crore budgetary support was earmarked during the 12th plan making the total allocation Rs 3,521.01 crore.

Sources said the Yogi Adityanath government also demanded release of funds that were allocated to various departments for Bundelkhand but the money lapsed as it could not be used due to model code of conduct that come into effect in the state in December.

Incorporation of the three backward districts of Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Chandauli in the Bundelkhand package will give political leverage to the BJP, which has been quite vocal about development of Purvanchal, said sources.

Read more: Six-lane Bundelkhand-Delhi highway soon, says Yogi

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In a first for Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has offered a support price for potato and promised to procure 1 lakh metric tons of this vegetable at Rs 487 per quintal as a lifeline for farmers.

Realising the challenge of managing a bumper crop of potatoes in a state where prices fluctuate greatly between different bulk markets or mandis, the UP government has come up with a unique plan of inter-market fine-balancing of potato supply to keep the price within the acceptable range.

The potato crop is sown between September and December and is ready in three months with the last lot being harvested in March.

The state government has ordered district magistrates and horticulture officers to keep a close watch on price fluctuations of potato this summer and undertake the juggling act to ensure supply of potato in adequate amount from low-priced districts to high-priced ones where the 19 bulk markets of the state exist.

POTATO CULTIVATION HUBS Agra, Firozabad, Hathras, Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Aligarh, Badaun, Etawah, Mathura, Mainpuri and Barabanki districts produce about 64% of the total crop of the state, said Dina Nath Shukla, an agriculture expert and professor of botany at Allahabad University. He has done a wide-ranging research on potato and the diseases affecting it. He said Uttar Pradesh was the biggest producer of potatoes in the country amounting, to 29-35% of the total national production. Ground reports said 2016-17 saw potato cultivation in an area of 6.14 lakh hectare across the state with an expected production of 155 to 160 lakh metric ton.

With the BJP having made huge promises to farmers during assembly polls, handling of the potato harvest will be the first true test of the Yogi government, especially in light of UP being the largest producer of potatoes in the country where lakhs of farmers cultivate this cash crop. Last year, thousands of potato farmers were forced to dump their crop, leaving it to rot owing to very poor price being offered for their produce in the market.

To ensure that all promises are kept, the state government, based on recommendations of an expert committee, has come up with a market intervention strategy to handle the potato harvest in the state.

Based on it, the principal secretary (horticulture) Sudhir Garg has shared that a scrutiny of the 19 bulk markets or mandis of the state has shown that on April 10, 2017, the bulk price of potatoes varied between Rs 290 and Rs 690 per quintal.

Garg has communicated this information through a government order sent to director (horticulture and food processing department).

Potato sold at Rs 290 per quintal, the lowest in the state, in Farrukhabad and at Rs 680 per quintal, the highest, in Lucknow.

Further scrutiny of the markets has shown that in districts like Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Moradabad, Allahabad, Kanpur, Farrukhabad, Meerut and Saharanpur the bulk price of potato was Rs 400 or less per quintal on April 3, 2017. Its price was Rs 500 or above in districts like Gonda, Faizabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Mirzapur and Varanasi.

The order says that the government believes that timely and adequate supply of potato from low-priced markets to high priced ones can help achieve a balance in pricing that benefits both farmers and consumers.

The government wants the district magistrates and the district horticulture officers to not just get the potato prices printed in local dailies but also through coordination with their counterparts of other districts facilitate flow of potato from low priced districts to markets in high- priced ones.

The state government also plans to send potato to other states with support of their agriculture ministers via respective distribution agencies and marketing federations and tapping the e-NAM or e-national agriculture market.

Welcome step but support price too low: Expert

Experts believe that extending support price for potato, which is the most important cash crop of UP, is a welcome step. However, they say the support price of Rs 487 per quintal is too low, especially as a bulk of the potato farmers are small scale cultivators.

Out of the states total production, around 75 lakh metric ton is consumed by the people and around 7 lakh metric ton is used for processed food. Another 20 lakh metric ton is used as seed. The surplus is exported to other states and even abroad, including Nepal, said prof Pradeep Bhargava, a noted development economist.

Uttar Pradesh has 1708 private and government cold storages at present with storage capacity of 130.26 lakh metric ton, amounting to 81% of the expected produce.

The state government has said that till March 31, 2017, 96.49 lakh metric ton of potatoes, 74% of the storage capacity, had already been achieved.

When there is a bumper harvest, the governments move will enable farmers to get at least the minimum support price. This is a welcome step. However, the support price should have been much higher so as to ensure a decent minimum earning for small-scale farmers who farm on 1 to 5 bigha land so that it justifies their investments and helps make enough money to promote farming and also support their livelihood, he added.

Prof Bhargava says that on the face of it, the fact that cost of production on average is Rs 28,000 per hectare and the return is Rs 84,000 per hectare seems impressive. However, when the farmer is small scale and sells potato at a price of Rs 4.87 per kilogram earning hardly Rs 8,400 per bigha, he ends up with hardly enough to justify his investments and labour of three-four months. A better support price therefore is needed, he added.

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The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Customs arrested three men on Sunday, including two international airport staffers, for their alleged involvement in smuggling 16 gold bars worth Rs56 lakh. The haul comes within a week after the officials found gold jewellery and gold bars worth Rs70 lakh abandoned in one of the mens washroom.

The gold bars were recovered after AIU officials followed Ashraf Melparamba Amu, 29, upon finding his flight details suspicious. Amu hails from Kasaragod district in Kerala and had flown in from Dubai. He works as a salesman in a shoe shop at Sharjah.

He had hidden two packets in the washroom near the international transit. Our officers, who were on his trail, found the packets and recovered 16 gold bars worth Rs56 lakh from them. Each of the bars weighs 10 grams, said a senior AIU official. While one of the officers took the packets in his custody, the other followed Amu for a while before detaining him.

During questioning, Amu told the authorities that someone was supposed to collect the packets from the washroom. Accordingly, a trap was laid and a cleaner was taken into custody after he was found moving suspiciously near the washroom. He was identified as Aakash Magar, 25, a resident of Goregaon.

Magar was detained before he could flee the area after spotting AIU officials. He had no reason to be near this particular washroom. Upon questioning, he said he wanted to visit the washroom to relieve himself. However, he had no answer as to why he didnt use any of the two washrooms that fell on the way to the area he was found loitering in, said an AIU official.

During questioning, Magar revealed involvement of his supervisor Sumit Dalal, 27, a Vikhroli resident. Both Magar and Dalal work the private firm hired for maintaining artwork at the airport, said another official. Probe revealed that the smugglers had hired the duo to sneak out the gold bars from the airport. Authorities are investigating whether the two were involved in similar crimes in the past.

Also read: Smuggled gold bars, jewellery worth 70 lakh found in Mumbai airport washroom

Two Sri Lankan traders smuggle 25 gold bars in rectum, held at Mumbai airport
In an apparent case of suicide, a couple and their teenage daughter were found hanging in their rented home at Kamothe on Sunday morning.

The woman was identified as Jasmine Patel, 45, an MBBS doctor who ran a clinic near her home in sector 36. Her daughter, Oshin,15, had completed her Class 10, but had discontinued studies. The man was identified as Indrajit Dutta, who neighbours said never went to work though he claimed to be an engineer.

All three left notes giving different reasons for ending their lives. The doctor said she had lost interest in life because of prolonged illness and that she did not want to leave her daughter behind. She also said their bodies should be donated to KEM hospital for students to use.

The girl said she was depressed and frustrated because the couple used to fight frequently and that she had discontinued her studies.

The man said that after he saw the two dead, he lost his will to live and so was hanging himself too.

Read more: Mumbai family suicide: Couple couldnt pay house, clinic rent, teens school fees, say cops

The family had left the key of their house in a plastic bag outside the door. Their maid opened the door with that key on Sunday morning and found the husband hanging in the hall and the mother and daughter in one of the bedrooms. She then raised an alarm and the neighbours called the police.

Hemant Nagrale, police commissioner of Navi Mumbai said, the family used nylon ropes to hang themselves.

Ashok Naik, senior police inspector of Kamothe police station said the man was apparently drinking in the living room when the mother and daughter committed suicide. He realised what happened when the effect of the alcohol wore off and brought down the bodies. He must have then killed himself, Naik said.

Naik said, From the notes we understand that the woman had severe back pain and she was unable to walk properly. We have recovered walking sticks from the house. We have sent the suicide notes to handwriting experts to verify if they were really written by different persons. The police have ruled out the murder angle for now.

The family was from Madhya Pradesh and police were trying to trace their family members. In his suicide note, the man described the girl as her daughter, so police suspect he was not the father.

One of the neighbours on condition of anonymity said, The family did not socialise much. They came out only for essential tasks such as buying milk and vegetables and returned home.

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In a rare case, three of five people convicted for rioting and assaulting a director of Bombay Hospital, were asked by a metropolitan magistrate to do community service for two months instead of any jail time.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate BU Chaudhari convicted Susil Dicholkar, 45, Jitendra Pawar 46, Ankush Roke, 66, Preeti Mane, 56 and Edueppa Bajrang, 46, of various charges under Indian Penal Code for rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, mischief causing damage, intentionally insulting a person and criminal intimidation. Most of the charges attract up to two years in jail or a fine, whereas punishment for criminal intimidation is up to seven years or a fine. The judge, however, declined to send the five to jail considering their advanced ages. Chaudhari said, Instead of sentencing the accused, they are released on due admonition that they shall not repeat any act of criminal nature and shall render social services of suitable nature at their workplace for an hour in a week after their working hours till June 18, 2017.

According to public prosecutor Rajendra Suryavanshi, the court exempted Roke and Mane owing to their health problems. Roke suffers from a serious heart ailment while Mane is undergoing treatment for cancer, Suryavanshi added.

According to a case registered with the Azad Maidan police station, the incident took place in a meeting called to discuss several demands of the union with the management of the hospital on September 5, 2007. The five were employed with the laundry department of the Bombay Hospital and were associated with a union  Maharashtra Samarth Kamgar, which the prosecution claimed was not registered. The meeting was attended by around 125 employees and members of the management  director, human resource department, Ramesh Bhatt, Dhananjay Bhalerao, Nitin Waikar, Gangadhar Satam and others. During the meeting, the management refused to accept some demands of the union leading to heated arguments. The accused, along with some other members, attacked the members of the management. In the attack, the convicts tore Bhatts clothes and broke his gold chain. Immediately, a case was registered and the five people were arrested.

The prosecution was based on the statements of the members of the management. Suryavanshi examined four witnesses, of which only Bhatt  the complainant  and MJ Patankar  investigating officer  supported the prosecution.

Read more: Vikram Chatwal gets 5-day community service in dogs-torching incident

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Days after Shifu Sunkriti cult leader Sunil Kulkarni was arrested, the Mumbai crime branch has sent a team to Delhi to investigate further.

Mumbai police said they found a sex clip in Kulkarnis phone and pen drive when they searched his Bandra apartment. They suspect that the man and woman in the clip are residents of Delhi, where Kulkarni lived for a while. They have sent the phone and other seized material to the state forensic laboratory in Kalina.

Searches conducted at Mumbai had led the police to find several medicines, which Kulkarni allegedly gave the women who joined his cult.

What we know about the cult The cult operated from a Facebook page. Joining it was as easy as leaving your number on the forum, said the parents of two women who are members of Shifu Sunkriti. Kulkarni would call those who had left their numbers and brief them about his organisation The cults Facebook page contains provocative and sexually explicit messages. Public prosecutor RY Suryavanshi said Kulkarni would prescribe sedatives to his followers, mostly between 18 to 25 years of age, on the pretext of treating them. He would then influence the youth to agree to sexual activities, Suryavanshi said. Several of the youth who were living with Kulkarni are now untraceable, he added.

So far, Kulkarni has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in Delhi. He was later granted bail.

Police said they will search his Delhi residence to gather evidence against him. They will also speak to the Delhi police to find out more.

Police will also record the statements of the Malad sisters aged 21 and 23 years, whose parents filed a petition in the Bombay high court, saying Kulkarni had entrapped their daughters. The couple claimed their daughters behaviour changed drastically after attending the activities of the cult.

They abandoned their studies and threatened to commit suicide when the parents thought of approaching the police. They even lodged a complaint against their parents, alleging domestic abuse and wrongful confinement, states the plea.

The Mumbai police have filed a case under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit an offence), 370 (trafficking), 292 (sale of obscene books act), 420 (cheating) Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Information Technology Act at the Malad police station.
A defunct office of the principal commissioner of custom excise (general) in Mahim (West) has become a den of drug addicts in Mumbai. The Anti-narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police raided the place last week and arrested 11 drug addicts. The accused were caught red-handed consuming ganja. They were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and were remanded in judicial custody after being produced in court.

ANC chief DCP Shivdeep Lande had ordered the crackdown after receiving complaints from residents about the nuisance created by the addicts in the area. The residents had earlier approached police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Irfan Machiwala, one of the residents who had written to the police and the CM said, The addicts created a lot of nuisance in the area. Though we are happy with the action taken by the ANC, there are several others who are yet to be nabbed.

Read more: Mumbai cops put 27 young drug addicts on path to rehabilitation

Drug dealers turning teens into addicts, then sellers: NCB
Parents of those studying in Terna Orchids, The International School, in Koparkhairne on the outskirts of Mumbai have managed a small victory. Taking note of their complaint, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has ordered the school to roll back its fee hike.

The parents, in their complaint, said the school has asked parents to pay Rs10,000 (for Class 6 and 7) and Rs15,000 (for Class 8) for the upcoming academic year (2017-18) under the Orchids Careers Foundation Programme (OCFP), in addition to their regular fees. The programme included special lessons in mathematics and science by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professionals, increasing the fees from Rs89,000 to Rs1, 02,000 a year.

The parents also claimed that the school had hiked the fees by 10% last year (2016-17).

In its order issued on April 5, the NMMC said under the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Collection of Fee) Regulation Act, 2011, schools cannot charge any amount in addition to the school fees .

The school has waived the extra charges.While the authorities are yet to announce the decision, an email sent by principal Pratibha Mishra to Rakesh Mundhra, a parent, on Friday, read: This is to inform you that OCFP fees have been waived.

Parents alleged the school had planned the hike without their consent. The school had given us a written assurance that they would not hike the fees , said Mundhra. Teaching is the responsibility of the school. They cant charge separate fees for faculty.

Despite repeated calls, Mishra was unavailable for comment. Vice-principal Anupama Rao said, We have sent the notice to the management. We are awaiting a word from them. May be, the principal has already heard from them.

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Sunil Kulkarniwho? was the response of a Nagpur-based cop when asked about the man who heads Shifu Sunkriti, as news broke that the cult stood accused of being a drug and sex ring that preys on young women.

This is not surprising as even days after Kulkarnis arrest, little is known about the innocuous-looking man who claimed to have a doctorate in psychology from an institute in Nagpur. His name is not on its records or those of the local branch of the Indian Medical Association.

Nagpur appears key to unravelling the web of lies that surround 54-year-old Kulkarni who claims to hail from the place. His Twitter profile shows him against the background of a large photograph of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is from Nagpur. On social media platforms, Kulkarni projected himself as a medical psychiatrist, clinical & organisational psychologist, corporate, motivational & positive health trainer.

He has been arrested on charges of trafficking and pushing girls into drug abuse. And police are focussing on three cities  Nagpur, Mumbai and Delhi  in their bid to nail Kulkarni, who came up against the law after parents of two young women in the Mumbai suburb of Malad moved the Bombay high court saying he had lured their daughters into a sex and drugs racket.

The police are looking for these two young women, who have gone into hiding, to find out whats going on in the cult. The police say Kulkarni, who is in custody, is denying any wrong-doing and telling them that the two women will vouch for him.

The police are, however, exploring various angles. Sex clips found on Kulkarnis phone and a pen drive has led the Mumbai crime branch to Delhi. Police suspect Kulkarni operates several firms there under different names.

Kulkarnis world began to crumble on April 18, a couple from Malad who had approached the Bombay high court in December last year with a plea that the police trace Kulkarni, who they accused of luring their daughters, aged 21 and 23, into a sex and drugs cult through social media. Last Wednesday, two more couples from the city approached the HC with similar allegations. Kulkarni almost got away as the Mumbai police found nothing to corroborate the claims, but the HC put its foot down and ordered the police to file a FIR.

Facebook and Twitter appear to be Kulkarnis preferred hunting ground. On Twitter, he invited young women to be part of the fashion industry. On May 23, 2016, Kulkarni tweeted through his personal account, We are launching a new promising television channel IFTV Indian Fashion Television. We invite support (sic).

MAAD FINISHING SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL.

GIRLS INVITED TO JOIN MENTIONING PROGRAMME FOR MISS INDIA. MISS DIVA. MEGA MOhttps://t.co/6ZOFdRDKtP  Dr.Sunil Kulkarni (@twitkulcon) February 16, 2017

Kulkarni did his best to not leave behind an address. The Facebook page of Shifu Sunkriti has no address or contact details and whoever wishes to join the campaign is required to leave his or her phone number. Thereafter, he or she is contacted by Kulkarni. According to the plea in court, the Facebook page contains provocative posts and sexually explicit messages such as Experience your naked body and naked emotions.

Once one is into the group, one is administered drugs, is hypnotised, and is made to have physical relations with Kulkarni himself, and with several others, the plea in the HC claims. The plea also claims that Kulkarni has criminal antecedents and has various cases registered against him both in Mumbai and Delhi.

Though not much has come to the fore on his personal life, what police know is that while he is married and has two children, he does not stay with his wife.
A blog about life under, and resisting, a dictatorship
The Anti-narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police arrested a Nigerian national from Lokhandwala area in Andheri for allegedly peddling 44 grams of cocaine worth Rs2.20 lakh on Monday. The accused, Peter Ubadi, is a resident of Karishma building in Nalasopara.

Acting on a tip-off received by ANC chief Shivdeep Lande, a team from ANCs Bandra unit laid a trap and arrested Ubadi from near New Link Palace Building. He was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Around 15 Nigerians nationals have been arrested for peddling drugs since January this year.

On April 8, the ANC had arrested two Nigerians in Wadibunder for allegedly peddling cocaine and mephedrone (MD) worth Rs8.1 lakh. On February 7, five Nigerians were arrested for selling 82 grams of MD. Similarly, the ANC held seven Nigerians on January 29 for peddling 100 grams of MD worth Rs2 lakh.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has decided to get rid of red beacons on the officials cars of ministers, bureaucrats and other officials. The decision deserves to be applauded.

For long, the red beacon or lal batti has had special meaning in political circles. The fight for a lal-batti car was synonymous with the intense tussle to grab power. In fact, many political leaders achieved career satisfaction when they became part of the power set-up, with an office and staff, a red-beacon car and a government bungalow. Obtaining and then retaining these symbols has been an important part of their political life. Now, it seems as though red-beacon cars will be history from May 1.

While the move is being welcomed, the obvious question being asked is: Will the VIP (very important person) culture in our political and government system end when the red beacons go? The VIP culture goes beyond the red beacons. It is characteristic of our political class. Most politicians are still unaware that common citizens do not approve of this show of power and sometimes, even the arrogance that comes with this VIP culture.

In their everyday life, they come across instances which remind them that they are minions compared to the VIPs. They are asked to get out of the way when a VIP cavalcade is passing through. It doesnt matter if they are delayed when a road or a signal is blocked for VIP movement. It doesnt matter if they are made to pay at a toll plaza for using a particular road or bridge, while a VIP zooms past the same place with half a dozen cars in tow.

Now that the PM has done away with red beacons, citizens will surely raise questions about VIP culture.

Why should traffic be stopped for the VIPs?

Though people understand that such a step is needed to ensure the security of certain top people, is it really required for every other person in power? While such disturbances are limited in a city such as Mumbai, they are common in other cities. And yes, there need to be restrictions on the use of sirens.

Why there should be a posse of policemen protecting VIPs? Do all ministers and officials need so many policemen? Or are they just a status symbol? Policemen are trained to maintain law and order, and detect crime. Why should such trained manpower be wasted on VIPs instead of protecting the common man? Why cant the government depute guards such as the industrial security force for VIP protection and spare the policemen for crime prevention and detection?

Till a few years ago, police constables even worked as telephone operators at the bungalows of ministers and orderlies in the houses of senior police officers. Hopefully, they have been sent back to where they are needed the most.

In a state such as Maharashtra, the privileges enjoyed by VIPs go beyond this. For instance, they may get land to set up educational or charitable institutes at throwaway prices.

It is unlikely that all of these privileges will be revoked immediately as our politicians are much too used to them.

The good thing is that politicians are slowly realising that people dont like their attitude anymore. Chief ministers such as Arvind Kejriwal, UPs Yogi Adityanath and Punjabs Amarinder Singh have taken or are taking steps to cut down on the VIP culture.

Lets hope the removal of red beacons marks the beginning of the end of the notorious VIP culture.

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The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) squashed the request of two leading international stent manufacturers  Abbott and Medtronics  to withdraw their latest generation of stents from the Indian market. The government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India cited the notification released on February 21 which stated that production, import and supply of the coronary stents needed to be maintained for six months.

The NPPA is also examining stent manufacturing company Boston Scientifics request to let them sell stents in India at special prices higher than Rs 30,000. Although the authority had, in February, capped the prices of coronary stents, section 11B of the Drug Price Control Act, allows companies to seek special category status.

NPPA chairman Dr Bhupendra Singh said that a letter was issued to both the companies on February 21 to ensure compliance of the price capping of coronary stents along with maintaining its uninterrupted supply. This order will be valid for the next six months. But NPPA and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) may recommend withdrawals or extensions two weeks before the validity expires, the letter sent by Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers Department of Pharmaceuticals stated.

Absorb, a bio-absorbable stent, was launched in 2016 and it was in the process of building market share. Secondly, using Xience Alpine  a drug eluting stent  needs a lot of special training and its not very popular in the country, said an official from Abbott. Absorb and Xience Alpine were worth Rs1.9 lakh and Rs1.5 lakh respectively before their prices were slashed.

Another stent manufacturing company Medtronics too has written to the NPPA, asking permission to withdraw its drug eluting stent Resolute Onyx. We have submitted an application for withdrawal of Resolute Onyx (latest generation drug eluting stent) under the provisions of Drug Price Control Order. We will continue to supply Resolute Onyx till we get the required permissions from the authorities, said an official from Medtronics.

On February 15, the government slashed stent prices in the country by nearly 75%. While the bare metal stents were capped at Rs7,260 per unit, the price of drug eluting stents and biodegradable stents has been fixed at Rs29,600 per unit. The government made the move after learning that patients were grossly overcharged for stents, with hospitals earning huge profits.

The move had upset international stent manufacturers who said it was not commercially viable for them to sell the stents in India at the restricted prices.

However, the February 15 notification also stated that the government would have six months to respond to such requests by the stent companies. During this period, the government could review the market share and volume of the stents.
Contrary to expectations, the 48-hour dry weekend in Delhi due to municipal elections on April 23 does not seem to have increased liquor sales in neighbouring Noida. More business was expected at liquor vends and bars in Noida falling outside the one-kilometre red zone from Delhi-UP border.

Closure of liquor shops in Delhi due to MCD elections did not increase liquor sales in Noida, Kuldeep Yadav, district excise officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, said on Monday.

The Delhi liquor shop located at New Ashok Nagar falls in Delhi while the road outside the shop falls in Noidas Sector 1. As liquor in Delhi is cheaper than in Uttar Pradesh, Noida residents often buy liquor from the shop. The excise department was expecting that such residents would buy liquor from shops in Noida that remained open during the two dry days.

During the MCD elections in Delhi, 14 liquor shops and one restaurant-bar in Noida within one kilometre of the Delhi-UP border were closed. They suffered loss of sale due to the two dry days, said Yadav.

Excise inspector Upinder Singh said, Only one liquor shop at Naya Bans in Sector 15 and two bars in Noida reported a marginal increase in sales on Saturday night. 

While both liquor sales and smuggling usually record an increase during assembly and Parliamentary elections, in the recently concluded MCD polls only one liquor smuggling case was detected on the Delhi-Noida border.

Normally, liquor mafia smuggle liquor from Haryana to Noida and even transport it to Delhi areas bordering Noida as liquor in Haryana is cheaper than in both Delhi and UP, said Yadav.

Recently, in one search it was found that liquor smugglers had removed Haryana labels and pasted UP labels. Their questioning revealed they had links in Delhi too. They were also planning to smuggle liquor from Haryana to Delhi during the MCD elections, he added.
A phone call in December 2014 and a fax letter nearly two months later changed the lives of two sisters in a way they did not imagine. Both were given talaq by their husbands working in Saudi Arabia. Imrana, 28, and her younger sister, Mehrana, 25, have now written to chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his help and have joined those demanding an end to the practice of triple talaq.

Daughters of Syed Ahmad, a cab driver from Loni, the sisters got married in 2010 to brothers Zafar and Danish. The brothers later went to Saudi Arabia for work.

Zafar is working with a private company and Danish as an electrician. A couple of years after their marriage, the women returned to their parents house and claimed that they were being harassed by in-laws for dowry.

They harassed my daughter for dowry and also beat them up. One of my elder daughter returned home five years ago while the other returned a couple of months after her. For the last five years, we have been taking care of them and their children. My elder daughter was given triple talaq over phone. Zafar called my husband from Saudi and asked him to hand over the phone to Imrana, said Sanjeeda, their mother.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders taking up the issue of triple talaq during UP assembly elections, the sisters decided to write to Yogi Adityanath for help. (Sakib Ali /HT Photo)

Once Zafar was done, Danish demanded that he wanted to speak to Mehrana but we did not hand her the phone. Later, they sent a talaq by fax which our in-laws showed to us at the police station. Both my daughters have a son each  aged six and five years respectively  and we are now burdened with their upbringing. The situation is such that most of the times we end up paying school fee late, she added.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders taking up the issue of triple talaq during UP assembly elections, the sisters decided to write to Yogi Adityanath for help.

We wrote to the chief minister last week. The practice of triple talaq and the misery and sufferings it heaps on women must end. We are hopeful that the CM will listen to our problems. We are left with no source of earning and are not in a position to contest the court case we have filed, said Mehrana, the younger daughter of Sanjeeda.

Their father, a heart patient, said he has not been keeping well since the time his daughters came home.

Mehrana was beaten up and a relative of her husbands once tried to molest her. We even tried sending some mediators to sort out the issue but it did not work out, Ahmad said.

Both Imrana and Mehrana have a son each .

We have complained to womens police station about the harassment and demands of dowry. There, our in-laws showed us the talaq letter. We want justice from Yogi ji as our lives are spoiled now. This practice must end as it is only the women who end up suffering. Only my father and brother are supporting us, Mehrana said.

Arti Soni, station house officer of women police station at Ghaziabad, said they filed a chargesheet against the in-laws around 7-8 months ago and the matter is now in court.

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Giving a ray of hope to over 850 flat allottees of Amrapali Platinum housing project in Sector 119, the Amrapali group head has assured to take steps to resolve the complaints of flat buyers in 15 days. The issues include non-registry of flats, inadequate lifts and fire safety measures and deviation from the approved layout plan. The builder on Monday said he will put the status of the project on the companys website.

Over 50 homebuyers from Amrapali Platinum took part in a face-to-face with the builder in the presence of officials of group housing, planning and finance department at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra, Sector 6 on Monday. Additional chief executive officer (ACEO), Noida authority, Shishir Singh chaired the meeting.

Anil Sharma, chairman-cum-managing director, Amrapali group, was present at the meeting.

Ravi Prakash, an aggrieved allottee, said the builder is yet to get registry of flats done despite a delay of over five years and there are various maintenance issues. The builder has not cleared dues pending to Noida authority. They are also not paying their maintenance staff and some lifts that were to be provided as per the layout plan are yet to be installed. There were some deviations from the layout plan of the club and some additional flats and shops have come up in the housing complex, he said.

The ACEO said after a detailed discussion, it was decided that the builder will submit a tower-wise completion schedule to the authority by May 10. This schedule will be communicated to flat buyers. The builder will give a detailed list of sold-out flats name-wise and the amount received from buyer for each unit so that an audit can be done, Singh said.

He said the builder will give a detailed financial plan of how he would complete the towers with his resources. He will tell us how much money he has taken, tower wise, from buyers and how much he has used until now for construction. This will help ascertain the allegation of buyers that funds of the project were diverted elsewhere, the ACEO said.

Singh said as for the allegations of buyers about poor quality of construction, the Noida authority officials will inspect the project and report on the construction quality. The builder has not submitted a completion report for any of the towers, he added.

The ACEO said as demanded by buyers, the builder will now put the information on the official website.

As agreed at the meeting, the builder will also have to submit his annual/six monthly statement of accounts, giving details of the number of flats booked, the money received and the work completed.

The ACEO said the illegal constructions against the sanctioned plan, if any, will be checked by the Noida authority staff on Tuesday.

The builder did not complete the formalities and completion certificate is yet to be granted. Sharma admitted that there was a delay in the project and assured to make payments of lifts in the next seven days and finish the completion formalities in 30 days.

Buyers were hopeful after the meeting.

If the deliberations of Mondays tripartite meeting of the builder, the homebuyers and Noida authority officials are to be followed in letter and spirit, it seems to be a win-win situation for all parties. While the homebuyers will get relief in respect of registration of their flats and maintenance issues, the Noida authority will get its dues from the builder and the Amrapali group will regain its lost goodwill, said Rakesh Kumar, an allottee of Amrapali Platinum, who attended the meeting.

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Mehbooba Mufti, chief minister of the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir, finally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday and urged him to start a dialogue, but there is no assurance that the Modi-led NDA government will pursue negotiations. Apart from posting a photograph of their meeting on Twitter, the PM has made no comment that offers any hope that he will walk the talk.

Last summer, the wounded Valley witnessed its worst summer after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani and there are no signs that the cycle of violence will be broken soon. A district-level functionary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party was, in fact, killed within hours of the Mehbooba-Modi meeting.

The politics of silence will not break the cycle of violence that has the Valley in a vice-like grip. Both Modi and army chief General Bipin Rawat have been silent since the disturbing video of a Kashmiri man tied to the bonnet of an official jeep was made public last week. Some retired generals have made it clear that the image would haunt the Army but Gen. Rawat has not sent out an unambiguous message against the use of civilians as human shields.

A few days earlier, another video went viral of CRPF jawans being heckled and kicked by local Kashmiris. It is a no-brainer to condemn both but unfortunately reason has been drowned out in the nationalistic cacophony that celebrates one while vociferously condemning the other.

What Mehbooba ought to have vociferously put across to the PM we dont know if she did  is the fact that a dialogue is necessary because Kashmir is essentially a political dialogue and no solution can ever flow from the might of a military gun.

The videos are stark reminders that the common Kashmiri and the men in uniform are tired of each other. Kashmiris bristle at the sight of uniform because for over two decades they have lived under a tight security blanket. The state has seen several elections but the alienation has not been addressed. The PDP and the BJP have an agenda of alliance that includes the need for a dialogue and the promise of re-looking at the armed forces special powers Act, but neither has been given any attention in the last over two years that they have been sharing power.

The army soldier and the paramilitary jawans do not deserve to be pelted with stones; Kashmiris too dont deserve to be blinded by pellets or killed by bullets. The rupture between the two groups has brought the Valley to a dangerous tipping point. India and its perceived apathy are riling the Kashmiris as much as the security forces are being riled by the stone pelters. India is making its presence felt only through brute force and it would not be wrong to say that New Delhi is doing a great disservice to its own military and paramilitary by abandoning its own responsibility and making them the face of the Indian State.

The politicians, in fact, are guilty of using its security forces as human shields. They are the ones missing in action and it is important that they stand between stone pelters and pellet guns. The jingoistic narrative that favours those who wield the pellet guns is blurring the line between stone pelters and terrorists and the government  through its silence  is signalling that while it thinks Kashmir (the territory), it is not thinking, Kashmiri (the people).

Mehbooba wants Modi to be like former BJP prime minister, Atal Bihar Vajpayee, but forgets that her father, Mufti Mohammad Saeed died, asking for the same. Vajpayee made a serious difference when, on a visit to Srinagar, he promised a dialogue within the ambit of insaniyat (humanity).

Modi must step in  with insaniyat  and reach out to the wounded Valley. His government cannot send out a message that it stands by an Army that is legally and morally wrong in using civilians as human shields. What will the Army or the CRPF do the next time when soldiers come face-to-face with an angry crowd?

Thats a reality it will face sooner rather than later.

shammy.baweja@hindustantimes.com

@shammybaweja

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The Lokpal bill has generated much hype and hope in recent times. It is being seen as a big tool in eliminating corruption. But it will do no such thing. The Lokpals jurisdiction is restricted to cases of disproportionate assets amassed by public figures. The Act is redundant as the Prevention of Corruption Act is adequate to serve the same purpose. Lokpal does not cover day-to-day corruption.

The provision in the Lokpal Act fixing the age of retirement at 70 has the potential for misuse. It could prove to be too tempting a prize for some retiring members of the higher judiciary to resist, as the appointment of the Lokpal will be in the hands of the executive.

The Lokpal will be some kind of a super cop, a member of the executive. He will be selected by a committee comprising, inter alia, the Chief Justice of India. It will be essentially an administrative committee, a part of the executive. In other words, members of the higher judiciary are being proposed for executive duties. This will be a violation of the basic structure of the Constitution.

Separation of powers is one of the most important among the features of the basic structure. Just as the executive cannot encroach on the judicial domain, similarly the judiciary should not be inducted into executive functioning. Article 50 of the Directive Principles of State Policy casts a moral responsibility on the State to separate the judiciary from the executive.

If judges of the Supreme Court were to be members of administrative committees, a very anomalous situation may arise. Suppose a candidate for the post of Lokpal were to be rejected by the selection committee. He can always exercise his fundamental right to move the High Court under its writ jurisdiction to challenge the committees functioning as biased and motivated. Will the High Court summon Supreme Court judges or pass orders on their functioning?

The Lokpal will be basically an investigation agency, a super CBI. It will have benches comprising Supreme and High Court judges who will superintend investigation by the Lokpal police. The investigation will continue to be done under the Criminal Procedure Code 1860, the oldest law in the statute book. Under the Code, the judiciary has absolutely no role as investigation is the exclusive prerogative of the executive. The investigation report will be submitted in the court of a special judge who will be a member of the subordinate judiciary. If investigation were to be monitored by Supreme Court and High Court judges, the accused may be hard pressed to get justice before a subordinate judge. It will be a travesty of criminal justice. It is settled law that the judiciary has no role in the investigation of offences. Under the Code, the High Court can pass any order in the interest of justice. But the Supreme Court itself has ruled that one exception is non-interference during investigation.

The Lokpal, during the course of investigation, can ask for the suspension of any class 1 officer. And the government shall normally comply. In case the government differs, it shall explain the reasons for it. This is a very anomalous provision, as the appointing authority is the disciplinary authority in law. And the appointing authority of class 1 officers is the President of India. The provision implies that the President shall have to justify his action before the super cop! The Lokpal has been granted unlimited discretion to delegate his powers, which include raids, search and seizure to any officer or employee. Such a provision is in violation of administrative law whereby a power delegated cannot be sub-delegated. He will be authorised to attach proceeds of corruption, an expression which is vague and undefined. It is bad in law to empower an executive authority to do so, which is the lawful function of an independent court of law, after examining all evidence. The whole Lokpal issue warrants a serious rethink.

Ashok Kapur is a retired civil servant and director general, Institute of Directors

The views expressed are personal
Junior doctors across some of the nine government-run medical colleges in the state abstained from duty on Monday as part of their 48-hour token strike to protest, what they called, attack on doctors in Muzaffarpur last Thursday. They are seeking protection of doctors and action against the guilty, among two other demands.

READ: Bihar medicos go on rampage, set 10 vehicles afire as police cane mob

Patient care was partially affected across some government- run medical colleges, including the premier Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) and the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) in Patna. Senior doctors had to double up for junior doctors. Around 22 doctors were deputed to the NMCH and another 15 to the PMCH from the peripheries to ensure that healthcare was not disrupted.

Even as hospital administration of the PMCH, NMCH and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) claimed that healthcare was largely unaffected, patients had to wait for their turn in long queues at the outdoor patient department (OPD) at each of the medical colleges.

Patients at these health facilities complained that senior doctors were not available. Senior doctors made notional rounds of the wards in the morning and thereafter the patients were left at the mercy of nurses, said Binod Kumar Mandal, whose uncle was admitted at the Hathwa ward of the PMCH.

Sudama Kumar Singh, 30, from Kaimur, and Kamta Singh of Phulwarisharif who had brought her five-year-old daughter Sakshi Kumari to the OPD of the skin and venereal diseases claimed that they had to wait for nearly three four hours for their turn to consult a specialist at the PMCH.

Apart from security, junior doctors are demanding that the government decision to impose Rs 15 lakh financial penalty on those opting out of a postgraduate medical course and Rs 25 lakh on those not willing to serve for three years in rural areas, after completion of postgraduation, should not be extended to students who are already enrolled. Besides, the PG students also want a hike in their monthly stipend, which is now between Rs 45,000 and Rs 52,000.

Members of the Junior Doctors Association (JDA), who met the principal secretary on Monday evening, claimed that the government sought time to act on their demands.

The doctors also took out a march to express solidarity with their brethren at the Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH). PMCH JDA secretary Dr Binay Kumar said the strike would continue on Tuesday. We will continue with emergency services, while boycotting duty at OPD and wards, he said.

However, SKMCH superintendent Dr G K Thakur claimed that junior doctors had withdrawn their agitation and resumed work there from 1.30pm. He admitted that OPD and in-patient care was partially affected, as only 150 OPD patients, against an average daily patient footfall of 2,000, could get medical consultation on Monday.

Government authorities claimed that outside Patna, excluding Muzaffarpur, the strike had negligible effect.

Named FIRs had been lodged against 22 junior doctors of the SKMCH, Muzaffarpur, for the ugly clash between doctors and local residents, who supported attendants of a woman patient, denied admission last Thursday. The doctors had claimed that they were roughed up by the patients attendants over delay in admission.

The following day, doctors resorted to arson, setting on fire 10 vehicles, including four private ambulances, while thrashing their drivers, prompting action by the district administration.

(With inputs from Ajay Kumar in Muzaffarpur)

HIGHLIGHTS

Doctors demands Adequate security for doctors on duty Exemption from penalty for students already enrolled in PG courses Revision in monthly stipend of PG medicos. They get between Rs 45,000 and Rs 52,000

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The crisis at Banur-based Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital reached its tipping point on Monday as hundreds of investors staged a protest against the colleges takeover by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swarn Salaria. They blocked Chandigarh-Patiala highway at 10 am, forcing the police to divert traffic through Mohali and Ambala.

The investors were duped by the Rs 45,000-crore scam-hit Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL), whose main founder Nirmal Singh Bhangoo set up the college.

President of Insaaf Di Awaaz organisation (a body representing duped investors from the region) said every brick of the college was funded by the PACL and hence, they will not let the college be taken over by any third party.

He said Supreme Court in August last year ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to attach all properties of the PACL and transfer it to justice RM Lodha-led committee so that it could liquidate them and pay back lakhs of innocent investors.

However, several of Bhangoos properties including the college were not yet attached, despite the fact that there were several evidences to prove that the college was set up from PACL funds. It was later handed over to a charitable trust, whose chairman was Bhangoos son and later to his daughters, he said.

How can Bhangoos family claim that the colleges huge 100 acre campus came up on peoples donation? This is our own money. We request Punjab government to help in attaching the college properties to justice Lodha committee along with other unaccounted properties so that investors can be compensated, said forums general secretary Mandeep Singh.

Legal advisor Chander Shekhar said valuation of the PACL properties laying so far with Lodha committee is not more than 11,000 crore, which is not sufficient to compensate over 25 lakh investors. The investigating agencies probing the matter seemed to have deliberately left several properties owned by Bhangoos close aides and family members in violation of the SC orders, and we will not let it happen, he said.

He said valuation of the college property is not less than Rs 1,000 crore. We will not allow anyone to take over the college. As far as students are concerned, Punjab government should shift them to other colleges at the earliest, said Shekhar.

Punjab govt sleeping over the matter

Over a week after a high-level meeting convened under chief minister Amarinder Singh decided to shut down the college, the government is yet to trigger the process by issuing a show cause notice, even as faculty and students are waiting for a possible solution to the prevailing crisis.

Sources said the governments possible delay in triggering closure hinted that the management under Salaria might revive the college. But he has failed to improve the situation at any level, despite his promise to clear part of pending dues of faculty before April 23, which did not happen.

The situation is turning more tense now as college principal Dr Krishan Vij and senior faculty Dr AS Grover, Dr Jai Krishan and Dr Gurvinder Pal resigned from their post on Sunday.

The revival has become even difficult now after the investors began their agitation over the colleges takeover.

A faculty said the institution can only be saved if the government takes over the college as it is now almost impossible to be run under private management in the light of PACL investors starting their own movement for the attachment of college properties.

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Assuring all support to farmers whose crop was gutted in Rajasansi late on Friday night, local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday announced Rs 24-lakh compensation to them out of his own pocket.

The minister, who reached Othian, one of the affected villages, said as the fire broke out in the fields due to short circuit, the power corporation will be paying Rs 8,000 per acre to the affected farmers, taking the total relief to Rs 24 lakh as around 300-acre crop was gutted.

I understand this is not enough, and this is the reason I have come here today. To further compensate the farmers as I feel their pain, I will give the same amount out of my own pocket, said the minister, adding that it was his duty to held the people of Rajasansi segment who had always supported him.

Also Read | 300 acres of harvested wheat crop gutted in Amritsar district

I do television. I earn money. So there is no harm in compensating the farmers, he said.

Sidhu, who visited the charred fields, said he would urge chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to increase the compensation for crop loss. He also asked Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha to take up the matter with electricity department and ensure that high-tension wires hanging over fields are removed or rectified.

In the past, too, Sidhu had given Rs 1 crore for the Go Green, Go Clean campaign in Amritsar. He was the Amritsar MP at that time.

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A month into power, the Captain Amarinder Singh government seems to be at its wits end with the parting gift of former deputy CM Sukhbir Badal  power-suplus Punjab!

According to state power minister Rana Gurjit Singh, the state has surplus power to the tune of over 3,000 MW from the three private power plants set up by his predeccesor Sukhbir.

But it has no one to buy it. Worse still, the previous government has left an unenviable legacy of debt and empty coffers. Yet the cash-starved state has to pay fixed costs of these three plants out of its own pocket even when it could buy cheaper power from private producers outside the state.

When Amarinder went to woo industry honchos to Mumbai last month, Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group head Anil Ambani pointed to huge losses incurred by Punjab due to purchase of power at high cost and offered power to the state at 1.75 per unit. To much embarrassment of the Punjab delegation led by the CM, the state was trying to woo the industry with 5 per unit, as promised in the partys poll manifesto.

The per unit fixed cost being borne by the state as per the power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the three private plants at Rajpura, Talwandi Sabo and Goindwal Sahib is almost what Ambani was offering to charge the state for power!

Looking beyond borders

With no takers for its surplus power, Amarinder, like Sukhbir, decided to look beyond borders. The CM met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek permission to supply power to Pakistan and Nepal.

The possibility to do so seems far-fetched for now while the states concerns are urgent. Other than the fixed costs of the three private plants, it has no money to foot the subsidy bill for free power to farmers and poor families. The government has been already defaulting in payment of subsidy to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and even a part of the subsidy for 2015-16 fiscal remains unpaid.

So the new government is finding itself in a rather piquant situation. The state has surplus power for nearly eight months when the demand plummets to 3,500 MW. But it still has to bear the fixed costs of these plants. For remaining four months, it faces a shortage as the power demand peaks to 12,000 MW due to paddy-sowing and summer heat forcing it to buy power from outside the state at high rates.

Caught in the web of Sukhbirs making, the Amarinder government has realised 5 per unit power is a poor bait to woo big industry. We are obliged to buy power from the private plants under the purchase agreements. So we have to create demand for power. For this, we need more industry. The CM also met PM Modi to allow us to export power to Pakistan, Rana Gurjit said.

Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal too sees industry as the way out of the financial crisis as it will help create jobs and revenue for the state where agriculture sector too is showing no growth. The industry will also help Punjab pay its bills for power surplus tag.

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At least 8 persons were killed and more than 25 were injured, some of them critically, following a head-on collision between a bus and a van near Sikni village in Jharkhands Latehar district late Monday evening.

Both vehicles were carrying passengers returning after attending wedding ceremonies. Sikni is nearly 90 km from state capital Ranchi.

Witnesses said the van, which was overcrowded with people returning from a wedding function in Balumath, lost control while negotiating a turn and collided head-on with the bus coming from the opposite direction.

Police said the number of casualties could increase as rescue work with the help of locals continued late into the night.

The scene at the accident site was gory as bodies of passengers lay in pools of blood while the injured were screaming in pain.

Relief came late since it was dark and traffic generally decreases due to fear of Maoists along the route.

Thanks to the local people, some of the critically injured patients could be rushed to hospital before they collapsed due to profuse bleeding.

The patients were initially rushed to the Latehar Sadar hospital from where the critically injured were taken to Ranchis RIMS hospital.

Latehar police station officer in-charge Ramesh Prasad Singh and sub-divisional magistrate Varun Ranjan supervised the rescue operation.
Government school teachers in Jharkhands Dhanbad are baffled by an order to check the quality of eggs before serving them to students for mid-day meals.

The directive was given three days ago to check fears of plastic eggs making their way onto students plates but teachers say they are now faced with a bigger problem: How to find out an eggs quality without breaking it?

Teachers wrote back to the district superintendent of education (DSE), which issued an advisory to first boil the egg and then break it to check if it was genuine.

But teachers say this is an even bigger problem because they dont know what a plastic egg looks like.

We are in a fix and want the department to train us on identifying a natural egg and a plastic egg, said a principal, requesting not to be identified.

There are average 250 to 300 children in an usual government primary school across Dhanbad district. If teachers boil the egg and then start breaking it one by one to check their quality, it will take hours. Worse, children may not like broken eggs served to them.

Whether an egg is original or plastic can only be identified after breaking it and that would not be possible for us to do in such a short lunch hour. There are 310 students in our school and it would be an uphill task to distribute eggs among them after testing each piece, another school principal added.

But the government says teachers are complaining for no reason and has ruled out any training sessions.

The teachers will have to apply their common sense by gently hitting and seeing through the eggs to verify their quality, DSE Vinit Kumar said. This is not a big task. I think there should not be a debate or confusion on a task assigned to them.

The fears of plastic eggs started after scores of such artificial eggs were seized from Kolkata last month. Due to its proximity to Bengal, Jharkhand too is a vulnerable market for the entry of these eggs, officials think.

As per rules laid down in the state government education department charter, students have to be given boiled egg in mid-day meal on at least three days a week i.e. Monday, Wednesday and Friday in week along with other prescribed nutritious food items.

After reports of the presence of suspected plastic eggs in the market, the education department swung in to action to ensure foul eggs do not make it to the launch plates of the children.

On Wednesday, a Dhanbad based consumer Md Irshad lodged a complaint wit- the district health department that boiled plastic egg was served to him in a road side eatery.

The department immediately sized samples of eggs from various shops and sent them for tests at the state food laboratory in Ranchi on Thursday. Raids were also carried out in different areas of district to identify sources of supply.
He was the first superstar of Kannada filmdom. On his 88th birthday on Monday, late superstar Rajkumar got a rare honour in the form of Google doodle. Considering not many southern stars get such an honour, this was considered rare and special. The doodle features Rajkumar staring into audiences from a movie screen.

With over 200 films to his credit from a career spanning over four decades, Rajkumar was popular for acting as well as singing capabilities. Unlike any other actor, he holds a record for singing over 300 songs in his highly successful career. Born in 1929 as Ambrish Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju, he was rechristened as Rajkumar for his on screen avatar. In 1954, he made his acting debut with Kannada film Bedara Kannappa, and he went on to star in the films Telugu remake as well. Having acted in a variety of films across genres, some of his best movies include Ranadheera Kanteerava, Kaviratna Kalidasa, Jedara Bale and Gowri among others.

A recipient of Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke Award, Rajkumars sons Shivrajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar are also popular Kannada actors.

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The team of Baahubali was in Kochi on Sunday as part of their promotional tour. While addressing fans and thanking them for their love and support, actor Prabhas expressed his desire to share screen space with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. Reacting to a comment made by Kamal R Khan who felt Prabhas would be the ideal choice to play Bhima instead of Mohanlal in upcoming magnum opus The Mahabharata, Prabhas said that hed be more than happy to act alongside the legendary actor.

He is already playing the character (Bhima). If the makers have chosen him, its for a reason. I would love to share screen space with him provided I get an opportunity. Im a huge fan of his work, said Prabhas, whose response was received by full applause by audiences. In Kerala, where Baahubali 2 releases in Malayalam and Tamil, it will be open in around 300 screens and will have nearly 1500 shows on the first day.

Theres unprecedented craze for the film in Kerala where the first part of the franchise made a killing at the box-office. Trade pundits believe the movie will easily mint around Rs 5 crore gross from the first day in the state.

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A luxury cruise ship destined specifically for the Chinese market will feature the industrys first Ferrari-branded racetrack at sea. When the Norwegian Joy lifts anchor for the first time this summer, the ship will introduce a two-level race car track on the top deck, where up to 10 guests will be able to take a spin in electric go-carts at a time.

Its the latest over-the-top feature to make its debut in the ever-competitive cruise market, which is constantly tripping over itself to debut activities like indoor skydiving, surf water parks, robot bartenders and flying trapeze lessons at sea.

The Norwegian Joy can accommodate 3,850 passengers and is Norwegians first purpose-built ship for the Chinese market. (AFP)

While the racetrack may be a first in the industry, Royal Caribbean debuted bumper cars on its ship Quantum of the Seas in 2014. The bumper car ring also doubles as a skating rink.

The Norwegian Joy can accommodate 3,850 passengers and is Norwegians first purpose-built ship for the Chinese market. The ship will home port in Shanghai and Tianjin and make its maiden voyage this summer.

Watch: Norwegian Joy

Pitched as a first-class experience at sea, other features include casinos, open-air laser tag course, simulator thrill rides, hover craft bumper cars, multi-story waterslides, open space park, and Norwegians largest upscale shopping district with luxury brands. The ship will be christened June 27.

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Kylie Jenner was heckled by anti-fur activists, forcing her to hastily leave a media event for the opening of a restaurant in Las Vegas.

Kylie was on the red carpet when the protestors started to raise slogans against her.

In a video obtained by TMZ, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star was seen posing for the media when the protestors arrived, holding posters of tortured animals.

Kylie Jenner, you have blood on your hands, they shouted.

Anti-fur activists protest an appearance by television personality Kylie Jenner (not pictured) as she arrives at Sugar Factory American Brasserie at the Fashion Show mall on April 22, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AFP)

The Kylie Cosmetics founder ignored the protestors and quickly walked away from the red carpet toward the restaurant.

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India was at fifth place on the list of the worlds highest spenders on defence in 2016 as global military expenditure rose for a second consecutive year to $1,686 billion, according to a new report.

New Delhis military expenditure grew by 8.5% last year to $55.9 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institutes annual report on defence spending.

The United States remained at the top of the list, with its military spending growing by 1.7% between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion. Military expenditure by China, the second largest spender, increased by 5.4% to $215 billion, a much lower rate of growth than in previous years, the report said.

The 15 largest spenders on military account for $1,360 billion, or 81%, of total global military spending. #SIPRIFacts #Milex #Arms pic.twitter.com/0XZ1JfQCKK  SIPRI (@SIPRIorg) April 24, 2017

Russia hiked its spending by 5.9% to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender. Saudi Arabia was the third largest spender in 2015 but dropped to fourth position in 2016 as its spending fell by 30% to $63.7 billion despite its involvement in regional conflicts.

Total global military expenditure in 2016 rose by 0.4% over 2015 in real terms, according to the new figures from SIPRI.

In February, India hiked its allocation for defence in 2017-18 by 6% to Rs 2.74 lakh crore, including Rs 86,488 crore for modernisation. However, experts said the modest increase could hurt the militarys modernisation plans, crucial to keeping up with Chinas expanding might.

Indias military spending has averaged an annual increase of 10% during the past three years, much to the disappointment of the military that is struggling to scale up its capabilities.

The armed forces are currently negotiating several big-ticket deals for Rafale fighter jets, Apache, Chinook and Kamov helicopters and the M-777 lightweight howitzers.

The SIPRI report also said military spending in North America saw its first annual increase since 2010, while spending in Western Europe grew for the second consecutive year.

Global military expenditure rose for a second consecutive year to a total of $1686 billion, marking the first consecutive annual increase since 2011, when spending reached a peak of $1,699 billion.

The report said spending continued to grow in Asia and Oceania, Central and Eastern Europe and North Africa. By contrast, spending fell in Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, South America and sub-Saharan Africa.

The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, the report said.

US spending last year remained 20% lower than its peak in 2010. Despite continuing legal restraints on the overall US budget, increases in military spending were agreed upon by Congress, said Aude Fleurant, director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) programme.

Military expenditure in Western Europe rose by 2.6% in 2016 and experts said this was linked to growing threat perceptions. There were spending increases in all but three countries in the region. Italy recorded the highest increase, with spending rising by 11%.

The growth in spending by many countries in Central Europe can be partly attributed to the perception of Russia posing a greater threat, said Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI AMEX programme.

In Asia and Oceania, military spending rose by 4.6% in 2016. Spending levels are related to the many tensions in region. #Milex pic.twitter.com/hcOEaHatz8  SIPRI (@SIPRIorg) April 24, 2017

There were also large falls in military spending by many oil-exporting countries. Falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending, said Nan Tian, a researcher with SIPRI. For example, between 2015 and 2016, Saudi Arabia had the biggest absolute decrease in spending of $25.8 billion.

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Pakistans former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead.

I dont think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we dont call him a terrorist, the 73-year-old Musharraf said.

Referring to Saeeds house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States.

They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi... they dont talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him, he said, while talking about the Mumbai attacks.

In January this year, the 68-year-old Saeed was placed under under a 90-day house arrest. There were reports that Pakistan was under immense pressure from the Donald Trump administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations.

Saeed carries a reward of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

His organisation JuD was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26, 2008, which was masterminded by Saeed.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.

Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, If the current Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi) wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesnt want it.

The former leader also said he would like to contest the 2018 general elections.

Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel.

Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next Prime Minister, said the former president.

There are many good people who can run Pakistan, he said. I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good.

Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism.

It didnt come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way.

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.
Former US President Barack Obama returned to public life on Monday, speaking at an interactive panel discussion with young people at the University of Chicago with a politically loaded question: So what's been going on while I was gone?

A lot has happened since. But the former president left that question unanswered. And did not comment on President Trump at all, on his actions and remarks, as his aides had said he wont, at a much anticipated first public appearance and remarks after leaving office.

Obama looked relaxed and rested after a vacation with family and friends and seemed ready for a new role. Whats the most important thing I can do for my next job?... Prepare the next generation of leadership to pick up the baton.

The panel comprised students, one of whom, Harish Patel, was of Indian descent who said he had come to the US with his parents when he was 14. To him Obama said, jokingly, at one point: There are more Patels in India than Obamas.

Obama visited India twice as president  a record for a US president  once each during the tenures of Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi. He was the first US president to attend the Republic Day parade, in 2015.
First mooted and abandoned over a decade ago, the plan to raise a Sikh regiment in the British army was revived before the 2015 election, considered by the chief of army staff, and has again been dropped, official sources told Hindustan Times.

The demand for a Sikh regiment to honour the contribution of Sikh soldiers in the two world wars was raised by some organisations at the recent Vaisakhi celebrations in London, but defence secretary Michael Fallon is a little wary of military units based on religion.

A ministry of defence spokesperson said, The army is considering a range of options to better recognise the historical contribution of Sikh soldiers, whilst ensuring that we continue to adhere to current anti-discrimination legislation.

In 2007, the proposal was abandoned after the Commission for Racial Equality argued that a separate Sikh regiment would be divisive and amount to segregation. But it was revived by former armed forces minister Mark Francois in February 2015.

During a debate in the House of Commons on diversity in Britains armed forces, Francois said several MPs had raised the issue, and added: We have passed the proposal on to the Chief of the General Staff, who is now considering the issue, and we are awaiting the CGSs (chief of general staff) comments. The idea might well have merit.

Sikh groups were surprised at the proposals pre-election revival, but had welcomed it. There are nearly 160 Sikhs in Britains armed forces. A British Armed Forces Sikh Association was formed in 2014.

The spokesperson added: We have an extensive programme of engagement activity with the Sikh community, including an annual Saragarhi Day celebration. Much of this engagement activity is conducted in conjunction with the British Armed Forces Sikh Association, a thriving network for our serving Sikh personnel.

We are developing ways to better engage with and recruit more successfully from the Sikh community.

Rami Ranger, president of the British Sikh Association, said last week: We have been advocating for years to resurrect a Sikh regiment within the British army to keep alive the bravery of those who defended the Empire with their lives.

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Suspected Taliban insurgents on Monday attacked a US-operated base in Afghanistans eastern province of Khost, officials said, but gave few immediate details of an assault that coincided with a visit to Kabul by US secretary of defense James Mattis.

The attackers had detonated a car bomb at an entrance to Camp Chapman, a secretive facility manned by U.S. forces and private military contractors, said Mubarez Mohammad Zadran, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

But he had little immediate information on any damage or casualties.

I am aware of a car bomb attack at one of the gates in the US base, but we are not allowed there to get more details, the spokesman said.

A spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Captain William Salvin, confirmed the car bomb attack. He said there appeared to be a number of Afghan casualties but none among US or coalition personnel at the base.

The attack came just three days after more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed in an attack on their base by Taliban fighters disguised in military uniforms.
US defence secretary Jim Mattis, making an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday, described the Taliban as a barbaric enemy days after an attack by the group on an army camp killed more than 140 people.

Mattis flew into Kabul hours after his Afghan counterpart Abdullah Habibi and Afghan Army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem resigned over the deadly attack that triggered anger and left the embattled army in disarray. He met high-ranking officials including US forces commander Gen John Nicholson.

What they (Taliban) do, makes it clear to me why we stand together to defeat them, he told a news conference he addressed along with Nicholson. We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for the future of this country, he added.

Mattis also said the Taliban will have to renounce violence and reject terrorism to join the political process. He added that a majority of Afghans reject the Taliban and do not want to see them returning to power.

He referred to the use of the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb to target the Islamic State in Nangarhar about a fortnight ago and said the attack was meant to send a very clear message to ISIS. If they come to Afghanistan they will be destroyed.

We are going to keep going until ISIS-Khorasan is defeated in 2017. There is no space for ISIS-K in Afghanistan, he said.

Mattis, making his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, also met President Ashraf Ghani. He arrived as Afghan security forces, already paying a heavy price against the resurgent Taliban ahead of the spring fighting season, faced chaos with the resignations of the defence minister and army chief.

Shortly after Mattis landed, militants carried out a suicide attack on a joint US-Afghan military base in southeastern Khost province. There was no news on casualties after the bomber detonated at an Afghan-guarded checkpoint close to Camp Chapman, provincial police chief Faizullah Ghairat told AFP.

The resignations, along with reshuffle of corps commanders, followed fury over Fridays Taliban assault on the army base in Mazar-e-Sharif. Gunmen in soldiers uniforms and armed with suicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops in a mosque and a dining hall in one of the deadliest-ever Taliban attacks on an Afghan military target.

The attack, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults, underscores the insurgents growing strength more than 15 years since they were ousted from power by the US invasion of 2001.

Up to ten army personnel have been arrested and are being questioned as suspects, a military spokesman attached to the base told AFP, amid fears it could have been an insider attack.
The Trump administration issued sanctions Monday on 271 people linked to the Syrian agency responsible for producing non-conventional weapons, part of an ongoing US crackdown on Syrian President Bashar Assads alleged use of chemical weapons.

The sanctions target employees of Syrias Scientific Studies and Research Center, which the US says partly enables the use of chemical weapons. The US has blamed Assad for an attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 civilians in rebel-held northern Idlib.

The United States is sending a strong message with this action: That we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor, treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House Monday. He said it was one of the largest such sanctions actions in US history.

President Donald Trump has called Assad evil and said his use of chemical weapons crossed a lot of lines.

Assad has strongly denied he was behind the attack, in which sarin gas was allegedly used.

As a result of Mondays action, any property or interest in property of the individuals sanctioned must be blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

As Trump dined this month with Chinas President Xi Jinping during their highly anticipated summit at Trumps Florida resort, word emerged that Trump took action against Assad by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield. The retaliation was seen as somewhat unexpected for a president that vowed to stay out of lingering wars and conflicts overseas.

This month, Russia vetoed a Western-backed UN resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and demanded a speedy investigation into the attack. China abstained for the first time, a move the White House billed a win for their efforts to isolate Russia.

On Syria, the Council failed again this month to respond to Syrias use of chemical weapons, Trump said Monday at a White House meeting of UN ambassadors from countries on the Security Council. A great disappointment. I was very disappointed by that.

The US has gradually been expanding its sanctions program against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanctions targeting Syria for a range of offences, including its support of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon, efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

More recently, sanctions were expanded in connection with its civil war, now in its sixth year, to target offenses linked to the ongoing violence and human rights abuses.

The U.S. has also issued sanctions for foreign individuals or companies that support Assads government. A number of Iranian entities have been penalized for supporting the Syrian government or fighters working to undermine peace in Syria.

While Moscow and Washington are continuously at odds over Syria, the U.S. has not imposed any Syria-related sanctions on Russia.
I n travel Zone 6, Orpington just squeezes into Oyster card territory and is recapturing the allure it had in the Fifties, when an aspiring post-war generation moved from the bombed-out inner-city to the neat, leafy avenues of this swathe of suburban south-east London.

A new generation is discovering the value-for-money homes and fast rail links that attracted bank clerks, factory managers, civil servants and shop workers more than half a century ago. The town offers frequent trains and 18-minute journeys to London Bridge, and peak-time services have been increased to meet the extra demand. Property prices have jumped 20 per cent during the last three years and are still nudging up.

Brunswick Square is being built on the site of the former Orpington police station and is part of an ambitious town centre makeover that is raising the quality of the local restaurant and retail scene.

The 83 flats, priced from 335,000, are a step up in quality for the area. Call Berkeley Homes on 01689 669066 for more information.
The HTMIC 2017, which is taking place over two days, with more than 300 professionals from the tourism and

hospitality industry from different countries attending the conference. The HTMIC 2017 aims to attract the most influential leaders in the hotel and tourism sector, including representatives of international hotel chains, leading hotel and hospitality managers, government agencies, investors and Of hotel owners.HTMIC aims to provide participants with exclusive information and opportunities for all those currently operating in the hospitality and tourism industry

This event is organized by Bestkom

For more information please contact Kamel Bouaouina

+213 (0) 38 70 62 10
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Former Silversea Cruises boss and One&Only marketing director Mike Bonner has recruited by Rosewood London. Bonner has returned from a stint in Dubai to take up his new position as sales and marketing director for the London property. In his role he will lead the strategic direction of the sales and marketing team. Bonner has 23 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, most recently as vice president of global marketing for One&Only. He also spent five years with the Maybourne Hotel Group as the director of marketing and director of sales and marketing and 10 years at Silver Cruises where he was general manager for the UK and Ireland.
Were not celebrities, declares Andrew Fletcher of Depeche Mode, speaking in a strong Sarf London accent. We lead totally normal lives. We can go the cinema, go the pubs. We very seldom get recognised by people, but when they do theyre always very nice. People know the name Depeche Mode, but the average person on the street doesnt know what a member of Depeche Mode looks like. Its a great situation.

Casually dressed in a black sweatshirt, blue jeans and trainers, the bespectacled, sandy-haired and charmingly laid back Fletcher  better known to millions of DM fans as Fletch  probably isnt exaggerating their capacity for anonymity. Or his own, at least. We might be meeting in a luxury suite in Browns Hotel, an exclusive five-star establishment deep in the heart of Mayfair, but the 55-year-old keyboardist/bassist looks as though hed be far more at home supping pints of lager in a quiet corner of a child-friendly Essex pub. Nothing about him even remotely whispers rock star.

However innocuous he looks, though, the reality is that Fletch is a founding member of one of the worlds biggest rock bands. Since first forming in their native Basildon in 1981, synth warriors Depeche Mode  currently a trio with Dave Gahan and Martin Gore  have sold well over 100 million studio albums in their lengthy career. Were meeting on this balmy London afternoon to discuss their 14th studio release, Spirit, but well get around to that shortly.
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Six years ago, Houston oilman Floyd Wilson struck it rich with the blockbuster sale of Petrohawk Energy, making billions for investors and earning a reputation as a farseeing wildcatter.

His next venture, Halcon Resources Corp., fell prey to the oil bust. The company slashed more than a third of its workforce, wrote down billions in assets and filed for bankruptcy, almost completely wiping out shareholders.

But when the Houston company finished a six-week trek through bankruptcy court in September, Wilson emerged enriched again, with new shares in the reorganized company that would push the value of his annual compensation package up to $24.1 million, a figure that dwarfed his pay packages in previous years, worth $3.4 million on average, according to regulatory filings.

In the teeth of a merciless downturn that lasted two years, oil companies laid off thousands of workers and investors lost billions as scores of drillers and service firms went bankrupt. But in recent months, several of these same firms are emerging from bankruptcy as reorganized companies and carving out hefty pools of restricted stock and options for executives and top employees who were in charge when things went south.

The practice, ostensibly aimed at keeping experienced management teams in place during turbulent times, appears to reward executives who take companies into bankruptcy rather than disciplining them - even as shareholders lose their investments, corporate governance experts said. There's a fine line, they said, between keeping executives involved in the company and over-enriching them.

"You've had some deals struck where the company goes bankrupt and the executives do very well, and that's wrong," said Dennis McCuistion, executive director of the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance at the University of Texas at Dallas. "That doesn't pass the smell test at all."

Halcon and Wilson declined to comment.

In bankruptcy proceedings, shareholders typically lose their investments when the company's original shares are canceled, and creditors become major stock owners when the company emerges from bankruptcy and issues new shares.

Several U.S. oil producers and service companies have negotiated with creditors incentive plans that set aside between 5 percent and 10 percent of a reorganized company's new shares, with some of it doled out to executives and top employees soon after bankruptcy, and other shares held in reserve for the future for employee awards.

Bankruptcy courts typically must approve incentive plans that reward executives once a company emerges from bankruptcy.

More Information Management incentive plans Reorganized company, shares or units reserved for executives and employees after bankruptcy Basic Energy Services, 10 percent C&J Energy Services, 10 percent Goodrich Petroleum, 8 percent Memorial Production Partners, 8.5 percent Midstates Petroleum, 10 percent Sabine Oil & Gas Corp., 10 percent Samson Resources, 10 percent SandRidge Energy, 10 percent Stone Energy, 10 percent Vanguard Natural Resources, 10 percent Source: Court records and documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission By the numbers $24.1 million Annual compensation package for Halcon's CEO post-bankruptcy 10 Companies reserving 5-10% of new equity for top execs after bankruptcy See More Collapse

Chief executives inevitably get the lion's shares of the new stock awards, often ending up with lofty pay packages that, to some extent, replace the original shares they had accumulated for years and lost overnight in bankruptcy. Their base salaries, however, may stay flat or even decline.

Golden handcuffs

A review of regulatory and bankruptcy filings by the Houston Chronicle Companies identified at least 10 companies with management incentive plans that have promised to reserve 5 percent to 10 percent of new equity to reward top executives, including Basic Energy Services, C&J Energy Services, Goodrich Petroleum, Memorial Production Partners, Midstates Petroleum, Sabine Oil & Gas Corp., Samson Resources, SandRidge Energy, Stone Energy Corp. and Vanguard Natural Resources. Some of these companies are still in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, and some have already emerged.

These plans are usually set up as part of an effort by creditors to retain top brass with so-called golden handcuffs, so they don't leave during troubled times and don't get snatched up with promises of more cash.

"They're betting on management to recoup their investment and see it grow," said James D'Agostino, who had served as a member of the board of directors at Basic Energy Services of Fort Worth before the company filed for bankruptcy in October. "It is important that management be incentivized to stay with the company to manage it through a very difficult period."

But corporate governance experts said the practice removes incentives for oil industry executives to avoid the risky, debt-fueled drilling strategies that pulled the companies into bankruptcy when oil prices crashed. Handing out large stock awards, they argued, insulates executives from the consequences of their decisions and the financial fallout that costs shareholders dearly.

"The people who came out ahead were the ones who drove them toward bankruptcy," said Praveen Kumar, executive director of the Gutierrez Energy Management Institute at the University of Houston and a corporate governance specialist. "What have they learned? Not much."

Emerging on top

Last year, Wilson, Halcon's CEO, received a $3.3 million cash bonus, $8.6 million in restricted shares that vest over time and $11.5 million in options that are currently underwater, meaning the options are worthless at the company's share price of $7.01 on Friday.

Ultimately, Wilson's eventual payout could be higher or lower than $24.1 million, depending on how the company's stock performs in coming months and years. With the newly awarded shares, Wilson's stake in the company was 1.2 percent in March, regulatory filings show.

Still, Wilson has worked to earn his pay in the six months since the company emerged from bankruptcy. Halcon has raised $400 million in new equity, a sign stock market investors are optimistic about the company's prospects. It also has acquired about 35,000 net acres in the Delaware Basin in West Texas, sold off assets in the Eagle Ford Shale to the south for $500 million and refinanced $700 million in debt. With its recent acquisitions, its workforce has begun to grow again.

Houston-based Linn Energy filed one of the largest bankruptcies of the oil busts last year after struggling to keep pace with large debts incurred during the boom.

When it emerged in late February, the company issued a so-called emergence pool of 2.4 million restricted shares worth $64.8 million for the management team. Nearly a quarter of that - about 595,000 restricted shares worth $16 million - went to CEO Mark Ellis.

All told, Linn Energy, which did not respond to requests for comment, has set aside 7 percent of the reorganized company's shares - a pool worth $173 million - to reward managers in the future.

Roe Patterson, the chief executive of Basic Energy Services in Fort Worth, personally lost hundreds of thousands of shares when he took the company into bankruptcy in October. When the company emerged in December, it set his annual compensation at $13.2 million, although that includes stock options worth $2.1 million at the time. The options are currently underwater.

It also included $9.2 million in restricted shares that vest over time but have since declined in value. In 2015, his total pay package was valued at $3.1 million, regulatory filings show.

At Goodrich Petroleum, which filed for bankruptcy last April and emerged six months later, the value of Chairman and CEO Walter Goodrich's total pay package last year more than tripled to $4.1 million, boosted by stock awards worth $3.6 million at the time.

Basic Energy declined to comment. Goodrich Petroleum did not respond to requests for comment.

The point of these packages, though, isn't to compensate executives for what they lost but to drive them to create value in the future, said Bruce Ruzinsky, a partner at Texas law firm Jackson Walker.

"How valuable are the people they want to keep?" Ruzinsky said.

Justifying payouts

That question points to one of the main ways that companies justify large payouts. They say they want to keep executives rather than see them leave to a competitor for higher pay. But executive recruiters remember 2016 as the worst year in decades for hiring in the energy industry.

While few C-level job openings arose, "We got besieged with resumes of very senior people who were the victims of layoffs," said David Deaton, managing partner and energy headhunter at Allen Austin in Houston.

There are plenty of good reasons to keep top executives on board, said John Coffee, director of the Center on Corporate Governance at Columbia University's law school. They know far more about the company and its assets than outsiders do, and they usually have key people who would follow them to other companies, for example.

"The question is, how much danger is there he's going to run someplace else?" Coffee said. "You haven't been seeing a lot of movement in an industry that's under a great deal of pressure. It's not looking to hire high-priced executive talent."
Chechnya is a world away from Texas.

But for LGBT Houstonians, Chechnya has seemed terrifyingly close, as a stream of news reports over the last two months has flowed out of the country about a vicious pogrom targeting gay men.

The country is very socially conservative and extremely homophobic. During the pogrom, Chechen police and security officials have disappeared some 200 gay men, beating and torturing them, and using electroshock on some victims, according to Amnesty International. At least three have been murdered.

"They want to exterminate us," one gay Chechen who fled the country told the BBC.

Under the leadership of Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechen authorities are demanding that gay men who have been abducted disclose the names of their gay friends, whom are then targeted for detention and abuse. After detaining the men from one day to several weeks, security officials have returned them to their families and deliberately disclosed their sexual orientations in a region in which "honor killings" of those who have brought shame upon the family are still practiced.

When the crusading Russian newspaper Novaya Gazetta broke the story on April 1, Kadyrov's spokesperson first dismissed it as an April Fool's joke, and then told Interfax, "You cannot arrest or repress people who just don't exist in the republic. If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, since their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return."

On April 3, when questioned about this violence, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that he could not confirm or deny the reports and said that investigations were not a priority for the Kremlin. He instructed those who had been victims of abuse to file a complaint or go to court.

This is a deeply cynical response given the pervasive climate of fear in Chechnya. To register a complaint about security forces would almost certainly invite lethal retaliation.

Fortunately, Western governments have begun to respond. The U.S. State Department issued a strong statement calling for a thorough investigation of the allegations. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, condemned the purge. A group of United Nations experts demanded that Chechnya halt the abduction, beating and killing of gay men. Within Russia, a group of volunteers in the LGBT Network has been organizing to get gay men out of Chechnya and Russia.

Nevertheless, there are ominous signs on the horizon. Elena Milashina, the courageous reporter who broke the story for Novaya Gazetta and won an International Woman of Courage Award from the U.S. State Department in 2013, has been forced to flee Russia because of threats. (Her colleague at the paper, journalist Anna Politkovskaya, was murdered in her apartment building in 2006.)

"There's a second wave of violence happening in Chechnya and people are terrified. Men suspected of being gay are being hunted down and arrested again," says Igor Kochetkov of the Russian LGBT Network. "My group has evacuated 25 men to safety and provided them with lifesaving resources. But another 30 men are still waiting to leave, and we're getting requests from about 5 new people a day, asking for help escaping."

The most urgent challenge now is to get gay men out of Chechnya and Russia, and for governments across the world to help them secure visas and refugee resettlement.

What can be done to help?

1) People of conscience who care about human rights can sign a petition and make a donation to the Russian LGBTQ Network to assist with its work of spiriting gay men out of Chechnya.

2) German chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Germany May 2 to meet with Vladimir Putin. She is the most powerful leader in Europe, and she has a history of speaking out against human rights abuses. She must press Putin, to his face, about ending the pogrom against gay man in Chechnya.

3) Closer to home, the current presidential administration must re-evaluate its policies on accepting refugees.

"Governments need to understand this is a humanitarian emergency," says Kyle Knight, a researcher in the LGBT program at Human Rights Watch. "For a country like the U.S., which is imposing pretty drastic limitations on our refugee policy and allowing people in, it needs to be seen in a comprehensive light.

"It needs to be seen that the government should understand that these things are connected, that there are people facing persecution like this all over the world. We need to take seriously our obligations and our burden sharing to make these people safe."

Andrew Edmonson has served as chair of the Houston Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and on the board of the American Marketing Association's Houston chapter.





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Five magnificent Bur oaks planted along Buffalo Bayou west of downtown in Eleanor Tinsley Park will be dedicated on Tuesday in memory of Terese Tarlton "Terry" Hershey.

Hershey died in January at 94, leaving behind a legacy of conservation and activism as towering as this beautiful stand of Bur oaks. The trees will grow to shade the souls and inspire the spirits of bayou lovers for decades, if not centuries to come.

She would likely be pleased. The oaks are well-placed, just above a wide swath of the bayou she fought so hard to preserve in a natural state  or as natural a state as decades of some well-intentioned, but misguided flood-control efforts would allow.

That was one of the critical missions of her storied life, to see Buffalo Bayou preserved as a shimmering ribbon of life and hope.

HERSHEY BELIEVED in the bayou. She believed that if left bare of concrete and properly planted and maintained, its success in controlling floodwaters, providing wildlife habitat and giving pleasure would be increased.

The goal was to preserve the bayou's meandering path through prairies, neighborhoods and city parks. Though its banks would swell beyond capacity, it would be without the turbidity of faster-flowing cement channels.

Many understood that when Hershey believed in something that she knew to be correct in its science and in its history, she fought to the finish. She spearheaded smaller local projects as well as Texas-wide and national conservation projects.

She collected powerful allies in governors and countless other elected officials including a president. As President George H.W. Bush dubbed her, Terry Hershey was a "force of nature for nature." She joined a Texan First Lady to found the internationally celebrated Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

We have to appreciate the irony that the species of oak planted in her name is a Bur oak, as Hershey was often a burr in the saddle of those who did not share her mission or who sought shortcuts to more stable, long-term ways to protect a wetland, a naturally occurring native grass species or the winding course of a bayou.

There were battles large and small, victories as they came her way, but there was never any diminishment of her determination. She could be as demure and disarming as the debutante of her hometown of Fort Worth that she was as a young woman, or as curt-tongued and deliberate as a sergeant.

She could sit patiently watching bayou wildlife at her home on the banks of Buffalo Bayou or be jumping to attention to make a point during the battle of the moment. When it came to her beloved bayou, it was full-steam-ahead, take-no-prisoners.

So it was fortunate that Terry lived long enough to hear many say that the revitalization of Buffalo Bayou and its banks from downtown west to Shepherd Drive was beyond expectations.

Michael Paulsen/Staff

Now, every day, the banks of the bayou host longtimers and newcomers savoring this gift, especially in the hugely popular Terry Hershey Park in west Houston.

Dedication Ceremony When: Tuesday, April 25, 10:30 a.m., at Eleanor Tinsley Park opposite

the Federal Reserve Bank Who: Remarks from Mayor Sylvester Turner; former Houston Parks and Recreation Director Joe Turner; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director Carter Smith, former TPWD

Executive Director Andrew Sansom and representatives from the Jacob and Terry Hershey Foundation and organizations supporting Buffalo Bayou See More Collapse

THERE IS still work to be done. We wish the water would turn less brown. We want the trash to stay where it belongs. We hope for more Bur oak groves to shade us from the heat.

But as these oaks are planted and tended, we can say our thanks to Hershey and those she has inspired.

One of America's most popular naturalist writers, Donald Culross Peattie, once commented, "No child who ever played beneath a Bur oak will forget it."

The newly planted Bur oaks and a small monument nearby will help us remember who, how and why a bayou is allowed to be among us just as it was intended to be: Sometimes gentle, sometimes forceful, just as Hershey was, the bayou champion we honor on Tuesday.

Andrew Sansom is the former executive director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Nature Conservancy and is currently Research Professor of Geography and Executive Director of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University.





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The impact of a great teacher can last a lifetime. That might be especially true for black male students. A new study reveals that the impact of a black teacher on a black male student can mean the difference between graduating high school or dropping out.

The paper, published by the German economic research group Institute of Labor Economics last month, builds on a body of evidence that documents the effect on students of having teachers of the same race. Having a teacher who shares a student's background can help that student's test scores, behavior and attendance. Long-term benefits were less well-documented, the study's authors note.

The authors, affiliated with American University; University of California, Davis and Johns Hopkins University, looked at black public school students in North Carolina who entered third grade between 2001 and 2005. They also examined data from students in Tennessee from another study. They found that exposure to at least one black teacher in third, fourth or fifth grade has significant outcomes for black males.

"On average," the study found, "having had at least one black teacher in grades 3-5 reduces (black) males' dropout probability by about eight percentage points, effectively halving the ... rate."

And for low-income black male students, the study concludes, "conservative estimates suggest that exposure to a black teacher in primary school cuts high school dropout rates 39 percent" in addition to increasing the likelihood that the student will take a college entrance exam and plan to attend college.

"Our results suggest that efforts to match black students with at least one black teacher in primary school could begin immediately by thoughtfully matching students to current teachers," the authors argue, saying that persistent attainment gaps between student groups "are not impervious to policy changes."

There are different explanations for why teacher matching can come with positive effects for some. Some researchers say a black teacher could be more likely than a white teacher to have higher expectations of a black student.

And others have shown, for example, that when a black student has a black teacher, that teacher is less likely to interpret the student's behavior negatively, presumably resulting in fewer suspensions that put children at risk of dropping out.

But in some areas, black students may find themselves underrepresented in the teacher population. And in the Houston area's five largest school districts, the composition of black students and black teachers varies considerably.

In Houston Independent School District, for example, more than a third of teachers are black, compared to a quarter of students. But in suburban Katy ISD, where 10 percent of students are black, just 6 percent of teachers are black.

Across those districts, however, there is always a higher percentage of Hispanic students than Hispanic teachers. And the percentage of white teachers always exceeds the percentage of white students.

In light of what the authors describe as "mounting evidence of teacher-student demographic match effects on short-run, immediate outcomes such as test scores, attendance and suspensions," this appears to be a significant mismatch.

While the research for Hispanic students is less clear, suggesting a need to better understand the context in which matching is or isn't happening, the lack of representation has been a concern in recent years as the country's Hispanic population grows. In fact, some of the states with the highest number of Hispanic students  California and Texas, included  have the biggest gaps between the percentage of Hispanic students and teachers.

"Teachers of color serve as role models and cultural liaisons for their students," states a document on Hispanic teacher recruitment from the Department of Education. "The number of Hispanic teachers is not increasing at a rate commensurate with the growth of Hispanic students," notes the document, adding, "the Hispanic student-teacher gap is likely to continue without more effort to close it."

Leah Binkovitz (@leahbink), formerly of the Houston Chronicle, is now a staff writer for Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. This story first appeared on the Kinder Institute's blog, The Urban Edge.





Bookmark Gray Matters. Long-term benefits are less well-documented.


Residents will gather Monday to take stock of the damage and start repairs after a vandal flattened gravestones and road signs early Sunday at a historic black cemetery in Crosby.

A resident heard a vehicle roaring through the semi-rural wooded area about 2 a.m. Sunday, said Melody Fontenot, who leads the nonprofit that maintains Barrett Station Evergreen Cemetery.
A Houston man who plotted to blow up a makeshift apartment to "send a message" to the man living there has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison.

Cary Lee Ogborn told U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt Monday that he regretted all of it  his frenzied exchanges with an online vendor on an encrypted website, his purchase of what he thought were bomb-making materials.

He was stupid, he told the judge, to have engaged in any of it.

In the end, the 50-year-old boat repairman discovered he had been exchanging messages with an undercover FBI agent who used Ogborn's admissions about his plan to arrest and convict him.

Hoyt ordered Ogborn to spend 30 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The judge agreed to Ogborn's request to recommend he serve time at a federal facility in Memphis, near his family.

Attorney Joshua Lake, of the Federal Public Defender's Office, told the judge that Ogborn had arranged to work for his parents' business and to take care of rental properties upon his release.

Ogborn pleaded guilty in November to knowingly transporting materials across state lines that were powerful enough to maim and kill people and destroy buildings.

COLD CASE: A 41-year-old murder mystery is solved

He was arrested in September after retrieving a package he had ordered on a massive online marketplace called AlphaBay, a sort of underground eBay that encrypts visitors' identities, providing anonymity.

Ogborn believed the package contained dynamite, a grenade and a remote detonator.

According to court documents, Ogborn accessed through site through The Onion Router or TOR, which provides access to the dark web by bouncing a user from router to router, making it difficult to trace a person's identity.

Ogborn sent a private message Aug. 21 to a vendor on AlphaBay using the handle boatsmanstv. He wrote that he needed a detonator to set a five-gallon drum of gasoline on fire from a distance.

Over the next month, boatsmanstv traded messages about various tools he might purchase to cause an explosion in a 20- by 40-foot wooden shed that was being used as a living space.

DETAINED: High bail for teen charged with shooting pregnant ex-girlfriend

According to court documents, the buyer said he might use dynamite, gasoline or diesel fuel and pressure spray the entire building "to help the burn."

He responded to specific questions from the vendor that appear to be aimed at designing the appropriate kind of bomb.

"Dont know exactly whats inside but person using for apartment," boatsmanstv wrote, skipping apostrophes, on Aug. 27. "Person will not be there when set off. Dont want to kill just send message."

By Sept. 11, the plan boatsmanstv had evolved a bit, as had the plotters breathless, typo-ridden messages.

"The idea we have for this person is while he sleeping we put grenade in back of truck and run to our car 20 to 30 meters away, he heres truck blow up and come outside while he outside we blow up house. Tell me about grenade please. how far do we need to be away?"

The vendor promised to send the customer the supplies for $600. In all, boatsmanstv spent more than $15,000 in the underground currency Bitcoin, officials said.

Ogborn went to a post office box to retrieve the package. He brought it to his home address, a large work shed in the 6300 block of Mayfair in southeast Houston.

Ogborn already had a lengthy rap sheet in the Houston area. In 2013, he pleaded guilty in Harris County to knowingly possessing illegal metal knuckles and served a 30-day jail sentence. The same year he pleaded guilty and served time in Montgomery County for illegal possession of a firearm.

Before that, Ogborn was convicted for driving with a suspended license and committing insurance fraud in 2004, and lying about a stolen car in 1996. He served time for 1989 convictions for auto theft, and possession of cocaine and marijuana.
Body-snatching images flashed across Dr. Tom Oliverson's mind when he first heard of a case last year in which a Harris County judge allowed an unidentified man's organs to be harvested after attempts to find relatives who could provide donor consent proved futile.

The Cypress anesthesiologist has served on numerous teams that have harvested and transplanted hearts, lungs, kidneys and livers, but they'd always had permission from the individual or loved ones. He'd never heard of what some critics call involuntary organ donation.

"Reading about it, I was quite disturbed," said Oliverson, who was then a recent victor in the Republican primary and is now a freshman in the Texas House. "It sounded like a police state. I wondered, 'Is this the new norm, where human beings are treated like commodities, where organ donation decisions are made without knowing the individual's beliefs, wishes?'"

Oliverson wasted little time before sponsoring legislation to stop the legal but little-known practice, which occurs not just in Texas but around the nation. The bill is opening a window on the gulf between those who believe that informed consent and patient autonomy are absolute and those who believe the most humane response in such cases is to use salvageable organs to save lives.

The 2016 Houston case involved a judge, but in most such John and Jane Doe cases, a hospital administrator grants permission.

"The current law allows trusted officials who are most knowledgeable about the medical, legal and ethical responsibilities involved to consider how to best honor the needs of the living and value the most likely wishes of the dead and their family members," LifeGift, Houston's organ procurement organization, said in a statement. "Denying a person the right to leave a legacy because they died alone is not an ethical solution when it also means turning one death into many."

Despite opposition from LifeGift and sister organizations, Oliverson's bill is gaining traction in the Legislature.

So-called involuntary organ donation is rare - so much so that many doctors and bioethicists contacted by the Chronicle weren't aware of it - but not as rare as many assumed last year. Oliverson's subsequent research found that organs were removed from individuals in Texas without their or their loved ones' consent on 13 occasions the last five years. Only the one involved a judge's ruling.

Current law allows hospital administrators and anyone else with corpse-disposing responsibilities to harvest a deceased individual's organs whose wishes aren't known after failed attempts to track down family. Oliverson's bill would strip those agents of such authority and require permission only be granted by a family member, a caregiver not affiliated with the hospital or a person acting as guardian at the time of death. It says an organ procurement organization may not petition a court to "become the decedent's guardian or otherwise be authorized to make an anatomical gift of the decedent's body or part."

Oliverson expressed concern that cases in which organs are removed without permission tend to play out among society's "vulnerable people" - the underclass, immigrants.The bill is endorsed by the state's organizations of doctors and hospitals. A spokesman for the Texas Hospital Association said the group supports the law because many of its member institutions have enacted policies forbidding its administrators from making such decisions.

Still, most Texas hospitals allow administrators to make such decisions, say organ procurement officials.

"Generally, administrators at hospitals are reasonably comfortable making these calls," said Kevin Myer, CEO of LifeGift. "In the absence of loved ones or a guardian, they're accustomed to making decisions about how to dispose of bodies. It's not an out-of-left-field process."

Among those hospitals that don't grant organ-harvesting permission is Memorial Hermann, where a man was airlifted for emergency treatment in March 2016 after collapsing in a parking lot. By the next morning, he was close enough to death that the Texas Medical Center hospital notified LifeGift - they had a potential donor with a seemingly healthy heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas.

When LifeGift couldn't identify the man nor locate family members, it turned to the rarest of options - filing an emergency petition in Harris County Civil Court, citing the need to harvest the man's organs within 24 hours. It marked the first time in the organization's 30-year existence it had sought such an emergency petition in a John Doe case.

The request was granted by Judge Erin Lunceford, who's no longer on the bench. A LifeGift lawyer said she asked a lot of questions and "really thought about the issue," but acknowledged that no lawyer was appointed to represent the deceased individual. The hearing took less than a half hour.

A day later, LifeGift officials were able to track down the man's family in El Salvador and got their permission to donate the organs. They ultimately transplanted the heart and two kidneys, "saving three lives," they said. They added that without the judge's ruling, the family's permission would have come too late, after the man's organs were no longer usable.

But Oliverson, a Baylor College of Medicine graduate who's been in practice in Houston the last 14 years, wonders why LifeGift couldn't have simply asked Memorial Hermann to keep the man, brain dead, on mechanical support a little longer, keeping his organs functioning while the search continued. Procurement organization officials stressed the "time-sensitive" nature of harvesting, but Oliverson noted that with adequate blood flow, organs wouldn't degrade in such a short time.

Mostly, though, supporters of Oliverson's bill complain that involuntary organ donation is a contradiction.

"Taking organs without consent is a violation of an individual's personal autonomy, a key component of moral philosophy," said William Winslade, a Houston-area medical ethicist who testified in support of Oliverson's bill at a hearing of the House public health committee in March. "Organ donation is a choice, an altruistic gift that individuals make on the basis of their personal autonomy. A gift can't be 'taken' by a stranger."

Procurement officials argue that people lose notions of autonomy and consent after death. Noting that most people want to donate - more than 80 percent in surveys, from 60 percent to 70 percent in practice - they also say that harvesting organs is more likely to align with an unidentified person's wishes than burial with all their organs intact. They say they have never found a family, after the fact, who complained about their decision to remove an organ without consent.

They also noted that only 1 percent of all deaths in hospitals make for organ donor candidates, so each one is valuable.

All of which might seem to suggest procurement organizations favor automatically making donors of the newly deceased unless they "opt out," a policy common in many European countries and the linchpin of another Texas bill, which hasn't made it out of committee. But that bill, too, is opposed by LifeGift and sister organizations, fearful it'd cause a backlash.

They note that support for organ donation is growing, from roughly 10 percent of the state's population 10 years ago to 47 percent today. More than 9.3 million Texans are now registered, and more than 1 million new people join the registry each year. They prefer to continue building support for the opt-in strategy.

So is there any compromise in John Doe cases? Art Caplan, director of medical ethics at New York University, said that if consent requirements are going to be bent, the process needs to be made more transparent, permission no longer quietly given by hospital administrators. He says that there should be judicial involvement and the post-death appointment of an emergency guardian.

In any event, the fate of Oliverson's bill is far from clear. It enjoys bipartisan support, he said, and it passed the House public health committee 7-2. But procurement organizations represent a powerful lobby and the companion bill, sponsored in the Senate by Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway, also a doctor, was only just presented in a Senate committee hearing last week. No vote was taken.

"I want to emphasize organ donation is very important to me personally, something I consider a wonderful last act that saves lives," said Oliverson, noting his uncle is a two-time recipient. "I just feel strongly that these are anatomical gifts. That implies permission from the giver."
One spring morning nearly 41 years ago, the nude body of a New Orleans native was found around 6 a.m. by an oil field worker.

The dead man, identified as 28-year-old Rene Anthony Guillotte, had been stabbed several times and had lacerations on his torso, head and neck, according to Harris County sheriffs deputies.

COLD CASES: Texas sheriff turning to retired detectives to solve cold cases

Now, a 61-year-old Humble man has been charged in the May 11, 1976 slaying of Guillotte, whose body was found near the 3000 block of Atascoita.

According to the criminal complaint against him filed last week, David Lee Edds name was linked to the slaying from the beginning. His drivers license was found at the spot where Guillottes body was discovered. It was apparently not enough evidence to file charges against him at the time.

Now, the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitives Task Force is leading the effort to track down Edds. Authorities say he has denied any involvement with the case.

CASH FOR SLEUTHS: $16,000 reward offered in 2007 Fredcksburg murder cold case

At the time of his death, Guillotte had been living in Houston with friends for several months. He was unemployed but had worked as a hotel bell man and clothing store clerk.

Harris County sheriffs detectives determined he was last seen about 1 a.m. at a bar along Westheimer and Peckham in Montrose. Detectives canvassed the Montrose area and conducted several interviews with possible witnesses.

At the time, they believed robbery might have been a motive. But, the case eventually grew cold after what Harris County Sheriffs officials said was exhaustive work on the part of homicide investigators.

It lay dormant until 2014 when detectives with the sheriffs Cold Case Unit reviewed the files and were able to link evidence found at the scene directly to Edds, authorities said Monday.

Edds had an extensive criminal record in the years after Guillottes murder. In 1978, he was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of Corrections for manslaughter after stabbing a man with a knife outside a bar in Montrose. Edds served about half the time and continued on with further convictions in Harris County for crimes ranging from resisting arrest to drug possession, according to court records.

Harris County medical examiners took oral, anal and penile smears of Guillotte during the autopsy.

Following the cases reopening, the Cold Case Unit detectives entered the biological evidence into the Combined DNA Index System - or CODIS. CODIS had a match for a person named David Edds, the same David Edds whose drivers license was found near the body, the criminal complaint stated.

Edds last known residence in Humble was about five miles from where the body was discovered.

He was interviewed earlier this year by the Cold Case Unit detectives. He denied any involvement in the slaying, authorities said.

He had no explanation for how his DNA was at the scene, said Sheriffs deputy Thomas Gilliland, a HCSO spokesman.

Edds, who remains at large, has bail already set at $100,000 in the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
A 19-year-old Houston man facing capital murder charges after being accused of gunning down his pregnant ex-girlfriend during a mid-day car chase will remain in the Harris County jail in lieu of $800,000 bail, a judge ruled Monday.

Jeffree Burks was arrested March 4 in the Feb. 22 death of Amber Flores who was shot in the back as she rode in a car on Houston's southeast side, according to court records.

Killing a pregnant woman is a capital crime, if the suspect is aware of the pregnancy. Police said Burks admitted knowing that Flores was pregnant, court records show.

Burks appeared before visiting judge Mike Wilkinson after prosecutors filed a second charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, alleging that he also shot and wounded Flores' boyfriend, Dejaven Pratt.

Pratt was driving the couple to his home around noon on Feb. 22 and almost hit a light-colored sport utility vehicle southbound on Calhoun.

DESTRUCTION: Vandals flatten gravestones, damage historic cemetery

He told police the driver of the SUV flashed a pistol, and he tried to drive away while the SUV gave chase.

As the SUV trailed the couple, Pratt saw a man he knew as Flores' ex-boyfriend lean out of the back passenger window and fire a rifle at them, hitting their car several times, according the arrest affidavit.

Flores, 19, lowered herself onto the floor on the front passenger's side but both she and Pratt were shot in the back.

Pratt's car crashed into a fence and stopped as it hit a tree in the 5000 block of Van Fleet.

Pratt later identified Burks as the shooter from a group of photos showed to him by police, the affidavit states. Pratt knew Burks by his nickname, Greedy, and was familiar with his Instagram profile.

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Using that information, detectives found a photo of Burks wearing a Sterling High School shirt and consulted Houston school district officials, who knew Burks.

On March 3, police found him and arrested him. His bail was set at $700,000 and on Monday, Wilkinson raised that another $100,000.

If convicted of capital murder, Burks could face a sentence of life in prison without parole. Prosecutors could also seek the death penalty. The decision about whether to seek death is generally made months after an arrest.

The judge declined a request from defense attorney Brad Loper to reduce the bail to $50,000.




NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico - Sewage gushing into the Rio Grande offers a pungent reminder of problems that could worsen under the Trump administration's plan to reduce the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget by nearly a third and eliminate dozens of anti-pollution programs.

Joint U.S.-Mexico spending under the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement - including $650 million in EPA funding for water projects - has helped stop release of millions of gallons daily of Nuevo Laredo wastewater into the river. Despite those investments, an estimated 6 million gallons of untreated sewage flows daily into the river from Nuevo Laredo.

"A lot of people who eat fruits and vegetables from farmland downriver might prefer that they not be irrigated with sewage water," said Tom Vaughn, a retired Texas A&M International University biologist and co-founder of the Rio Grande International Study Center, a Laredo-based advocacy group.

No agency in the government would suffer more than the EPA, which Trump is targeting for a 31 percent budget cut and removal of one-fourth of its staff. That is the opening shot in a "Back-to-Basics" overhaul of the EPA by an administration determined to cancel long-established federal commitments or shift them to states and localities.

An EPA memo circulating among regional administrators and top staff asserts flatly that U.S.-Mexico border activities will be "eliminated" starting next fall. Border spending of more than $10 million a year is among more than 50 programs the administration intends to scrap.

They include the nearly $3 million EPA Gulf of Mexico program, which distributes grants for water testing, habitat repair and environmental restoration in the five Gulf states. Among projects last year were restoration of Brownsville wetlands and efforts to protect the waters of Galveston Bay.

That would end, along with programs to restore other water bodies, including the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay.

"The agency's work will center on our core legal requirements, federal-only and national efforts, providing support to states in implementing environmental laws and easing regulatory burden," says the memo, written last month by the EPA's acting chief budget officer, David Bloom.

Fear on both sides of river

Border interests have allies in Congress. But the new budget is shaping up as a pitiless exercise given a White House demand to finance a $54 billion military buildup this year with domestic cuts.

With so much percolating along the border - reopening NAFTA, building a multibillion-dollar wall between the countries and inflamed emotions from Trump's immigration policies - there's fear on both sides of the river that the environment could be a loser in recast relations with Mexico.

Beginning with an initial $100 million outlay in the mid-1990s, the EPA has financed dozens of projects from San Diego to Brownsville. By design, EPA money flows to projects within 62 miles of the U.S. border and three times farther into Mexico. No other federal program is allowed by law to spend directly in Mexico; grants must have direct benefit to Americans.

Getting people drinking water and sewage disposal has been a priority. The Border Water Infrastructure Program has provided first-time water hook-ups to nearly 66,000 homes and initial sewage treatment to 626,000 homes, the EPA calculated last fall. According to an EPA internal assessment, an additional $300 million is needed for "highest priority" water and sewer improvements along the border.

The EPA declined requests to make officials available to talk about U.S.-Mexico programs and other priorities. But EPA employees in Texas and elsewhere described an agency in turmoil with disheartened staff uncertain about the near future, let alone the years ahead.

If the White House succeeds, no longer will the EPA pay for public health initiatives like the arsenic removal that started last month at Tornillo in El Paso County. The solar project begun at a children's cancer center in Tijuana last November could be the last of its kind.

Maria Elena Giner, general manager of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, said the end of EPA border programs "would dramatically slow down investment in border communities." Mexico's environmental spending well might be redirected away from the border, she said.

"Our work is not yet done," she said.

Sewage worries

In Nuevo Laredo, Rodolfo Gonzalez, who heads the water utility COMAPA, pointed toward untreated sewage flowing into the Rio Grande just 100 yards from his office. He lamented leaking 60-year-old sewer pipes and his inability to find money to make repairs.

Gonzalez praised the United States for its system of checks and balances which, he added, Mexico often lacks. But news out of Washington makes him wonder about the ability of the two countries to work together.

"In the end, we have to hope that reason will prevail," he said.

In a year's time, according to plans, the EPA staff, which numbered 18,000 in the late 1990s, would be reduced to 12,000. An EPA memo sent to regional administrators last week said the agency would begin an "early out/buy out" program.

Slashing grants

Lesser-known are plans to cut EPA enforcement by over half and slash grants used by states and Indian tribes to clean up water and air pollution by more than 40 percent. The Public Water Supervision Grant Program, used by Texas and other states to monitor drinking water, would be pared by a third to $71 million, EPA internal documents show.

David Goldston, who heads government affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, contended that the administration's plan "is an effort to undermine the EPA's ability to carry out its mission."

He added, "They talk about states picking up the slack while at the same time they're cutting funding to states."

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, an Appropriations Committee member who has been instrumental in securing border environment monies, expects a fight in Congress.

"Pollution doesn't stop at an imaginary line in the middle of the river," he said. "We're talking here about border communities that have poor quality drinking water and sanitation problems that cause disease."
WASHINGTON - 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."

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.
The biggest annual event for the Texas County Republicans is Saturday night.

Lincoln Day is 6 p.m. inside the Licking High School gymnasium. Social hour starts at 5 p.m. The theme is Faith, Family, Freedom.

The featured presentation will be by Darren and Tammy Myers of Freedom Focus, the couple largely responsible for the non-partisan and successful Patriot Days held in Rolla, Missouri. Their program is not only educational, but entertaining, said Republican chairman Diane Krantz.

Along with local elected officials, attendees for the event will include Rep. Jason Smith, Senator Mike Cunningham and Rep. Robert Ross. District; and Robert Ross, State Representative for the 142nd District will also be there. A popular Abraham Lincoln impersonator, Mark Rehagan, will be in period character.

Bruce Sheets will be the auctioneer for items brought by the elected officials and others. Artwork by Jon McNaughton from Utah will also be auctioned. The flyers and newspaper advertisements featured one of his pieces called Mending the Nation.

Susan Bushong of Spiceberry Gifts Flowers and Catering will provide an Italian dinner with spaghetti sauce and meatballs from scratch.

The cost for the event is $20 for adults and $10 for students. Arrangements to attend can still be made by calling 417-967-4699 or 573-674-2115.
The following are excerpts from reports generated by the Houston Police Department:

Dennis J.E. Oberle, 21, of 8205 Northview Lane, Lot 31, in Houston, was cited on April 17 for operating a vehicle with expired license plates.

Ryon G. Brown, 29, of 5358 Big Creek Road at Yukon, was issued a citation for stealing under $500 after allegedly shoplifting from Walmart on March 29.

Cassandra A. Boyle, 26, of 10145 Buck Hollow Road at Licking, was cited on April 3 for failure to register a motor vehicle.

Brandon M. Conklin, 20, of 328 Rogers St. in Licking, was issued a citation on April 19 for minor in possession of alcohol by consumption.

An officer issued the citation after being dispatched at about 6:45 p.m. regarding a report of a man walking down the middle of South Sam Houston Blvd. near Caseys General Store. Upon arrival, the officer observed a man walking in a southbound lane.

When the officer pulled into Caseys, the man reportedly walked toward the patrol car and yelled take me to jail! and then continued to yell while waving his arms. The officer placed the man in handcuffs for his own safety and the officers. The officer smelled alcohol and a portable breath test was conducted.

Conklin was taken to jail for a 12-hour hold period.
Rep. Robert Ross will work with a newly-created task force to shrink the size of boards and commissions in Missouri.

Ross was appointed by House Speaker Todd Richardson to serve as a member of Gov. Eric Greitens Boards and Commissions Task Force. Greitens formed the new task force to determine the effectiveness of each board and commission currently in existence in the state. The group will work together to identify opportunities to eliminate, consolidate or modify their structures wherever possible.

Government is too big, too slow and works too poorly, Greitens said. This task force will shrink government and make it work better for the people.

The executive order creating the task force noted that Missouri has more than 200 different boards and commissions to issue licenses to Missourians seeking to make a living, regulate various occupations and professions, oversee different functions of governments, and address specific issues. It also said eliminating, consolidating or restructuring some boards and commissions could save taxpayer dollars and reduce the size and scope of government.

I want to thank the governor for giving me the opportunity to work on an issue that is extremely important to me and to the people of my district, said Ross, R-Yukon. Its in the best interest of all taxpayers to make government smaller and more efficient, and I am confident we can further streamline our boards and commissions to achieve that goal.

The 12-member task force will report recommendations for comprehensive executive and legislative reforms to the governor by Oct. 31.
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loyers in Taiwan are required to grant their migrant workers paid leave after one year of service and other conditions are met, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced last Tuesday.Those who refuse will be fined NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 and have their permit to hire migrant workers revoked said the ministry, as reported by Taiwan News.Paid leaves include those for marriage, bereavement, and personal matters in accordance with the Labor Standard Law, the Labor Contract Law and the Act of Gender Equality in Employment, which now cover such workers.In the event of an urgent work situation  such as when a large number of orders need to be filled or a replacement cannot be found  employers may negotiate with migrant workers to move the leave to a mutually agreed upon period.If a mutually acceptable period cannot be reached during such events, the foreign worker has the right to obtain leave for the required period.There were 639,326 foreign workers in Taiwan at the end of March 2017, according to figures from MOL.
Lots of employees are going to be calling sick for just Monday which means you cant require the employee to go and get a medical note at their own cost, explains Scampion.

However, an amendment to the Holidays Act says that an employer can require proof from the employee within those three consecutive days if they meet two requirements.

According to Scampion, if an employer wants proof of sickness within three consecutive calendar days, they must inform the employee at the earliest possible opportunity that proof is required and they must also agree to meet the employees expenses in obtaining the proof.

That sometimes is a disincentive to the employer because they will need for to pay for the employee to visit the GP and obtain a certificate but it can also be a disincentive to the employee because they have to go to the bother of seeing a GP, says Scampion.

The Auckland-based employment expert also warns that most GPs will take the word of their patients, so organisations shouldnt rely on such a visit to expose any insincere ailments.
The Central/South America region's hotels reported year-over-year performance declines in the first quarter of 2017. Occupancy fell 1.6% to 55.3%, ADR dropped 6.1% to $101.60 and RevPAR decreased 7.6% to $56.16.

The hotel industry in the Central/South America region reported negative results in the three key performance metrics during the first quarter of 2017, according to data from STR.

U.S. dollar constant currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Central/South America

Occupancy: -1.6% to 55.3%

Average daily rate (ADR): -6.1% to US$101.60

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -7.6% to US$56.16

Local currency, Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016

Brazil

Occupancy: -5.4% to 50.7%

ADR: -13.2% to BRL281.41

RevPAR: -17.9% to BRL142.59

Despite overall declines for the quarter, March marked Brazils first month of demand growth (+2.9%) since August 2016. Supply for the quarter was up 4.5% compared with Q1 2016, placing pressure on both occupancy and ADR levels. At the market level, Sao Paulo benefited from Lollapalooza (25-26 March), as major headliners like The Strokes, The Weeknd and Metallica helped boost occupancy 102.8% on the 26th.

Chile

Occupancy: +7.5% to 69.2%

ADR: -8.2% to CLP80,753.79

RevPAR: -1.3% to CLP55,913.17

While a decline in ADR drove down Chiles overall Q1 performance, the country recorded its highest actual occupancy level (71.4%) for a March since 2014. Because of the ADR decreases, the Providencia area in Santiago was the only of the countrys submarkets that experienced an increase in RevPAR (+9.6%) in March.

Panama

Occupancy: +9.1% to 58.7%

ADR: -6.6% to PAB96.70

RevPAR: +1.9% to PAB56.72

In March, Panama recorded a 28.4% year-over-year increase in occupancy to 66.3%, marking the countrys highest actual occupancy level for the month since 2012. Panama Citys occupancy increased 107.2% on Wednesday 22 March, when the city hosted the CABSEC defense conference and Expocomer 2017 international trade exhibition.

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 2022 Hospitality Trends
Keri and Royce Young may have had to say "hello" and "goodbye" to their baby girl, Eva Grace Young, on Monday, April, 17, but thanks to their selfless act she will live on in the lives of others.

The Oklahoma City couple went viral online in December when they announced on social media that Keri intended to carry their terminally ill child to term so they could donate her organs.

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The Youngs discovered their unborn child had anencephaly  a birth defect that results in an underdeveloped brain and an incomplete skull  when Keri was 19 weeks pregnant.

"This is our daughter's perfect heart. She has perfect feet and perfect hands. She has perfect kidneys, perfect lungs and a perfect liver. Sadly, she doesn't have a perfect brain," Keri wrote on her Instagram page after the diagnosis. "For the next 20 weeks I will feel her kick, have the hiccups and we'll be able to hear her perfect heart beating all while knowing we'll only get a few short hours with her when she's born."

The couple, who are parents to a young boy named Harrison, said despite their devastation by the diagnosis, they were committed to focusing on the positive and being "grateful for the impact she will have on the world in the short amount of time she'll spend in it."

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We said hello and goodbye to our sweet Eva yesterday. She was so perfect in her own little way. I'll be sharing more about her incredible story later. A post shared by Keri Young (@keriyoung) on Apr 18, 2017 at 7:00am PDT

Just three weeks before giving birth to Eva, Keri updated her followers on her condition and also addressed concerns about whether or not Eva would even be a candidate for organ donation. "Organ donation for transplant is no guarantee for her and we knew that from the beginning but I won't lie, we want her to continue living in some way," she wrote.

On April 18, the day after Eva's birth  and death  Keri posted a photo of the family together in hospital before Eva passed away.
The experts are getting louder in their warnings that a housing bubble has formed in some parts of Canada, but Canadians dont seem worried.

In fact, confidence in the housing market hit a record high in the latest weekly Bloomberg-Nanos index  even as respondents turned negative on their own personal finances.

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The survey found 48.5 per cent of Canadians expect house prices to rise in the next six months, the highest level recorded in the survey since 2008. Fewer than 11 per cent expect to see house prices decrease.

"Bullish sentiment on real estate in Canada continues to drive consumer confidence, pollster Nik Nanos said in a statement.

"Household expectations have improved by roughly 10 per cent since the start of the year as the effects of the oil price shock have stabilized and the focus has moved toward rising property values, Bloomberg economist Robert Lawrie said.

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In recent weeks, however, consumer sentiment regarding personal finances began drifting lower, with extended household balance sheets perhaps the next focus of concern for policymakers.

High debt levels are precisely why many market observers are growing concerned about Canadas priciest housing markets, namely the Toronto and Vancouver regions.

House prices in Toronto jumped 33 per cent in March from a year earlier, to an average of $916,567. While Vancouvers house prices have moderated over the past six months, they remain elevated, with the benchmark price at $919,300 in March.

National Bank of Canada, which co-publishes the Teranet house price index, warned recently that "irrational exuberance" may be setting into some Canadian housing markets, noting that more than half of Canada's regional markets are seeing price growth above 10 per cent annually.

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With mortgages ballooning, Canadian household debt has repeatedly hit record highs in recent years, and now stands at $1.67 of debt for every dollar of disposable income.

Those elevated debt levels are the main reason one why the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a Geneva-based central bank of central banks, warned recently that Canada has the second-highest risk of a financial crisis, behind only China.

The survey of 1,000 Canadians took place in four waves up to April 21, the same day that Ontarios new housing rules were introduced, including a 15-per-cent foreign speculators tax.

Many in the real estate industry say it will do little to cool Torontos housing market, as foreign speculators are believed to have played a relatively small role in Torontos market.

The Bloomberg-Nanos survey found the mood surrounding personal finance has soured this year. The average score for 2017 so far has been 16.97, below the long-run average of 18.28. It was 18.04 in the latest survey.

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This means that some 18 per cent of Canadians see their financial situation as improving. More than 28 per cent said their finances are worsening, while some 52 per cent said they see no change.

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Thinking about giving birth at home? You might want to make sure you're not at risk.

According to a new study published in Birth journal, home births are safe for many women, but not all.

Researchers at Oregon State University found that women who have risk factors such as a breech baby (when the feet come out first) and some cases of attempting a vaginal birth after a cesarean section may not fare as well if they give birth at home or at a baby centre, as opposed to a hospital.

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However, the study did have good news  researchers noted that some women who have pregnancy risks, such as being over 35, being overweight or having already had a vaginal birth after a c-section, are still likely to have good outcomes if they give birth at home.

According to the study, about two per cent of all births in the United States happen at home or at a birth centre  a "regulated, community-based health care facility that offers pregnant people a safe, comfortable, family-centred place to give birth," according to the Toronto Birth Centre, and the stats are similar in Canada.

Health providers are in general agreement that women who are considered "low risk" are good candidates for at-home or baby centre births, however there is little agreement on what should be considered low- or high-risk, and some women choose to have out-of-hospital births despite the risks, notes Marit Bovbjerg, lead author of the study and clinical assistant professor of epidemiology at Oregon State University.

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The study's authors also note that women are allowed to decide where they want to give birth, which is why research into pregnancy risks and their outcomes are so important.

"There's a middle or gray area, in terms of risk, where the risk associated with community birth is only slightly elevated relative to a completely low-risk sample," Melissa Cheyney, a medical anthropologist, said. "We're trying to get more information about births that fall in that middle zone so that clinicians and pregnant women can have the best evidence available when deciding where to give birth."

On the flip side, it's also important to know that there are risks associated with hospital births, such as increased interventions, meaning that there's not always a simple answer to knowing where one should give birth.

A 2015 Ontario study found that babies delivered at home with a midwife are at no greater risk of harm than those born in hospital with a midwife's assistance, if the mothers are considered low-risk, echoing the findings of a 2009 report.

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Some major retailers still haven't figured out that women come in sizes bigger than 12, but one woman is putting a Canadian label on blast for their sizeism.

Adrian Wood, a North Carolina mom who writes the blog Tales of an Educated Debutante, wrote an open letter to Lululemon on Facebook asking them why they didn't carry clothing bigger than a size 12 in stores.

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You only have one size 12 in everything, Wood recently wrote on the blog's Facebook page after she visited one of the retailer's locations in Miami. One, it has usually vamoosed by the time I make the trek to the big city. Two, cant you have more than just one size 12? Three, why nothing above a size 12? Modern day shaming for folks that may be a touch rounder than your employees.

Wood also aired a few more grievances she had with the store, such as their 30-day return policy and their expensive prices, before returning to her main concern: lack of a variety of sizes.

"Consider your audience. There are more of us than there are of you. You know, women who have had a few kids, eaten one too many bologna sandwiches and feel a slight push to exercise again. We need proper signage, bigger sizes, and 90 days for returns," she wrote.

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Her in-store experience shows the yoga label didn't listen to the criticism it received after its founder and then-CEO Chip Wilson stated that "some women's bodies" weren't meant to wear their popular pants after it was found that their stretchiness could cause them to become see-through.

When asked what was behind Lululemon's problems with their pants, Wilson said, "The thing is that women will wear seatbelts that dont work [with the pants], or theyll wear a purse that doesnt work, or quite frankly some womens bodies just actually dont work for it.

And in 2013, it was reported that Lululemon stores purposely kept their larger sizes understocked and often hidden in the back, apparently in an attempt to equate fitness with skinniness.

Considering the idea behind selling fitness clothing is supposedly to encourage people to get into shape, it's particularly poignant that this type of behaviour is demoralizing for women who just want to find some good workout clothes but fit into larger sizes.

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I could be thinner, but I think I look pretty good, Wood told Yahoo. It was like, after [size] 12 youre just not allowed to come in here?

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Conservative MP Michelle Rempel is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to speak out against the election of Saudi Arabia to a United Nations commission dedicated to womens equality.

Rempel took to Facebook Sunday with a video responding to the news that Saudi Arabia was one of 13 countries to win a four-year term on the 45-member UN Commission on the Status of Women in a secret vote last week.

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Thats crazy, Rempel said in the clip. This is a country where women cant drive. I dont understand how this happened.

Rempel, her partys critic for immigration, said the vote calls into question the credibility of the UN as a whole.

My hope is that the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, will come out and be equally as incredulous as I am over this decision because Justin Trudeau is a feminist, she said, using air quotes.

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Rempel also criticized the UN for its absolute inability to deal with the ongoing atrocities in Syria and suggested it is time for Canadians to ask why they want to support the organization. The Calgary Nose Hill MP asked followers to write Trudeau and their local MPs to voice their displeasure.

If were not doing it at this point, over this issue, Im really not sure when were going to do it, she said.

'If you really are a feminist...'

Rempel ended with a message to the prime minister, who is focused on Canada winning a seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2021 and has pledged to send troops on a peacekeeping mission.

If you really are a feminist, if you purport to stand up for womens rights, that means all women around the world.

UN Watch, a Geneva-based group critical of the organization, released a statement condemning that the worlds most misogynistic regime will serve on the UNs womens rights commission, starting in 2018.

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Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief, Hillel Neuer, executive director of the group, said in a press release.

Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief.https://t.co/Q0HASTQwfJ  Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) April 23, 2017

Neuer noted that in addition to the ban on driving, every Saudi woman must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a womans life from her birth until death.

Tory leadership contenders Lisa Raitt and Kellie Leitch also took to Twitter to weigh in.

The members of the UN who voted to elect Saudi Arabia to the UN womens rights commission must be insane, Leitch wrote.

The members of the UN who voted to elect Saudi Arabia to the UN women's rights commission must be insane. https://t.co/z5ZjuHKGiO#cpcldr  Kellie Leitch (@KellieLeitch) April 23, 2017

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Raitt similarly called on the prime minister  who she referred to only as Justin  to act.

Some think that its ok for guys to 'mansplain' womens equality. I dont. Heres a chance to really step up Justin. Condemn the UN for this, she said online.

I tweeted the report on Saudi Arabia being elected to the UN's Women's Rights Commission 10 hrs ago. 15 of these countries voted in favour. pic.twitter.com/UDKmMZD5cD  Lisa Raitt (@lraitt) April 24, 2017

Some think that it's ok for guys to "mansplain" women's equality. I don't. Here's a chance to really step up Justin. Condemn the UN for this  Lisa Raitt (@lraitt) April 24, 2017

The UN Commission on the Status of Women, a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, is dedicated to promoting womens rights, documenting the reality of womens lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women," according to its website.

A 2015 report from the World Economic Forum ranked Saudi Arabia 134 out of 145 nations on gender equality. Canada ranked 30th.

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Alex Lawrence, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, told The Huffington Post Canada in an email: "Our government is clear: we will never hesitate to defend human rights  including women's rights  and promote gender equality around the world."

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There's no cutoff date for falling in love, and two octogenarians in Mississippi just proved it once again.

Robert Holler, 84, and Doris Ladner, 89, tied the knot last weekend at the Woodland Village Nursing Center in Diamondhead, MS, reports WLOX.

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The couple has been by each other's sides since the moment Ladner registered there, with Holler the first person to greet her at her new home. Staff say they're always holding hands, and Holler brings Ladner coffee every morning, according to Yahoo.

Robert Holler(84) and Doris Ladner(89) found love in the nursing home. Today, they were married with friends and family in attendance pic.twitter.com/gaRM9DdzIU  Dave Ryan (@DaveRyanWLOX) April 22, 2017

While it may be unconventional to marry so late in life  Woodland administrator Holly Ford says this is the first wedding at the centre  they're going into it with eyes wide open, as Holler has been married twice before, and Ladner once.

It's relatively common for people in retirement homes to develop romantic feelings for each other, though circumstances can make it more complicated.

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In 2017, retired Supreme Court judge Sandra Day O'Connor gave her blessing to her husband, who was suffering from Alzheimer's, and his new girlfriend who he'd met at his nursing home, to continue on with their relationship.

"For Mom to visit when he's happy  with his girlfriend, sitting on the porch-swing holding hands  Mom was thrilled," their son Scott O'Connor told Phoenix television station KPNX.

Ford at Woodland Village notes the "beautiful irony of the situation" for Holler and Ladner, as many people think of nursing homes as the end of the line.
When it comes to net neutrality  the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all the content on their networks equally  Canada and the U.S. are rapidly moving in opposite directions.

An advisor to President Donald Trump has criticized Canadas telecom watchdog for declaring that ISPs can't favour traffic from one source over traffic from another source.

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Sorry Canada, now you're in the class with backward India, tweeted Roslyn Layton, whom Trump hired as part of the transition team for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S.s telecom regulator.

US, EU, Slovenia and now Netherlands say zero rating is ok. What gives @CRTCeng? Sorry Canada, now you're in the class with backward India.  Roslyn Layton, PhD (@RoslynLayton) April 21, 2017

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled last week that Internet providers cant discriminate between different types of traffic in order to promote their own preferred services.

Consumer advocates worldwide hailed the move as a significant victory for net neutrality, especially given that, in the U.S., the FCC has indicated it will be moving in the opposite direction.

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The U.S. telecom regulator is expected to announce on Wednesday a roll-back of net neutrality rules put in place during the Obama administration, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In a submission to the CRTC last fall, Layton argued that net neutrality is being pushed by an international lobby, and that net neutrality rules could harm innovation in Canadian mobile products.

She doubled down on this argument in a tweet asserting that the U.S. will dominate innovation, thanks to the Canadian ruling.

Amer internet innovation assured preeminence as Canada restricts zero rating. Sad for their small providers and poor https://t.co/hF9tCbxKmK  Roslyn Layton, PhD (@RoslynLayton) April 20, 2017

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Supporters of net neutrality say the opposite  that allowing ISPs to discriminate in favour of some content and against others could disadvantage startup companies offering new products, and damage online innovation.

The CRTC sided with that argument in its ruling.

The case involved Quebec wireless operator Videotron, which had an Unlimited Music mobile package that offered streaming from Apple Music, Google Play, Spotify and a handful of other services.

Any music streamed from those services, and only those services, was exempt from Videotrons data caps  a practice known as zero rating.

"A free and open Internet gives everyone a fair chance to innovate and for a vast array of content to be discovered by consumers."

In its ruling, the CRTC concluded Videotrons offers violates its telecom rules. In doing so, it broadened and more clearly defined net neutrality principles in Canada.

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A free and open Internet gives everyone a fair chance to innovate and for a vast array of content to be discovered by consumers, CRTC chair Jean-Pierre Blais said in a statement.

Rather than offering its subscribers selected content at different data usage prices, Internet service providers should be offering more data at lower prices. That way, subscribers can choose for themselves what content they want to consume.

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The beloved Sesame Street gang wants to do their part to help Syrian refugees by embarking on a new mission to provide educational programming for children in refugee camps.

Ever since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, millions of men, women and children have had to flee to refugee camps in several other countries.

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While aid organizations have been providing food and shelter, children's education has been somewhat overlooked, and that's becoming increasingly important.

Its been reported that the Islamic State has been recruiting their next generation of fighters by providing them with their own programs to teach math, grammar and English, as well as their ideologies.

According to Foreign Policy, there are about two million children in these camps, which is why the people behind Sesame Street have joined forces with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to bring special educational programming to children in camps.

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When speaking at Foreign Policys CultureSummit in Abu Dhabi, Sherrie Rollins Westin, executive vice president of the Sesame Streets nonprofit arm, said that if there are major issues that have an impact on children, we look for where we can make a difference.

In a piece that she published on Medium in February, Westin highlighted the effect that the Sesame Street has had over the years when it came to providing early childhood education to children across the world.

Throughout our history, Sesame Street has been helping kids here and around the world grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. That includes children who are refugees, she writes.

Since it started in 1969, Sesame Street has spread to more than 150 countries and has worked with several of these countries to create region-specific programs and international versions of their original program.

Just last year, they introduced a new puppet to their program from Afghanistan named Zari. They hoped she would help promote education, while also helping teach about female empowerment to kids who might not have learned about it elsewhere.

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The new programs for refugee children will be adapted from existing Sesame products and will be offered in a number of different formats, such as for preschool classrooms, PSA videos and instructionals with parents and caregivers, according to Mashable.

Teaming up with the IRC gives Sesame another huge boost, as theyve been implementing educational programs across the world for many years now. When speaking with Mashable, Sarah Smith, senior director for education at the IRC, said theyve successfully been implementing programs to prevent and respond to violence against young children, and to educate them in places from Afghanistan to West Africa to the Syrian refugees coming into Lebanon.

The program, which theyve been testing since early 2016, will reportedly be ready to launch in the next couple of years if all goes well, according to Foreign Policy. Smith admitted that the program is taking longer than planned because of a lack of research and funding. I think this initiative will likely be affected by those challenges, but I also think it has the potential to demonstrate what good looks like, she told Mashable.

Heres hoping that Elmo and the gang will be able to succeed in their new mission and educate these refugees who are in need.

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Imagine having sex with a man, agreeing beforehand to use protection, only to find out that he removed the condom during intercourse.

That's what a dangerous new sex trend called "stealthing" is all about. And not only does it put partners at risk for STIs and pregnancy it's also a lesser-known form of assault.

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Skadden Fellow Alexandra Brodsky recently sat down with The Huffington Post to discuss a study she conducted for the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law around the act and how it affects survivors. She said was inspired to research the topic after she says her women friends were "struggling with forms of mistreatment by sexual partners that weren't considered part of the recognized repertoire of gender based violence."

The researcher also made note that while the law should compensate survivors after assault as they experience "emotional, financial and physical" harm, this route doesn't always provide people with what they need. Especially for acts like stealthing, where people often question if they were "actually" violated.

"We know that the law doesn't work for gender violence survivors," she told HuffPost. "Many of the myths and assumptions and forms of skepticism that we see from judges approaching rape victims and other kinds of sexual assault victims are likely to be present in stealthing cases."

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One woman, who chose to remain anonymous, recalls her experience with stealthing in the study where she said her assailant dismissed her claims of any wrongdoing.

"I'd been seeing this guy for a couple weeks," she remembers. "We'd been sort of dating and we were hooking up at his house and he was like, 'Oh, I wanna have sex without a condom.' And I was like, I'm really not OK with that, I'm currently not on birth control. My exact words were, 'That's not negotiable.' [I told him,] 'If that's a problem with you that's fine. I'll leave.'"

Nonetheless, the man removed the condom midway through sex without any consent, she said, which left her "obviously upset."

The woman, who works as a political staffer in New York, said she later tried to have a conversation with her partner after it happened. But he simply brushed it off and told her not to "worry about it."

"We know that the law doesn't work for gender violence survivors."  Alexandra Brodsky

"That stuck with me because [he'd] literally proven [himself] to be unworthy of [my] trust," she told Brodsky. "There is no situation in which this is something I agreed to do. Obviously the part that really freaked me out ... was that it was such a blatant violation of what we'd agreed to. I set a boundary. I was very explicit."

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But while some men may see this act as no big deal, others have been convicted of sex crimes for this risky move.

In mid-January, a 47-year-old man in Switzerland was charged with rape after he took his condom off without his partner knowing, Glamour reported.

And in the U.K., it's a clear sexual offense.

"This comes down to a discussion about 'conditional consent,'" Dr. Sinead Ring of the University of Kent told Broadly when the Swiss case took place.

"If it's proved the woman consented to sex with a condom and he changed the circumstances under which she'd consented, it's quite possible he'd be convicted of rape."

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However, Ring shared similar thoughts to Brodsky about the law, saying that a conviction ultimately comes down to whether or not the jury has a clear understanding of rape and doesn't give in to false myths around the topic.

In Canada, Dalhousie law professor Elaine Craig recently said in a draft paper for the Canadian Bar Review that Judge Gregory Lenehan, who in March acquitted Halifax cab driver Bassam Al-Rawi of sexual assault, unfairly stereotyped the complainant as a "promiscuous party girl."

"Judge Lenehan's speculation, implausible conclusions and legally incorrect reasoning were informed by the stereotype that unchaste women, or promiscuous party girls, will consent to sex with anyone,'' Craig wrote in the legal paper.. "How could such a pornographic, hypersexualized account of human female behaviour arise in a legal proceeding in 2017?''

"The logic of this stereotype turns on the assumption that drunk women will have sex with anyone, anywhere, any time,'' she later added.

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The educator has also called for mandatory sexual assault training for judges.

The Crown has responded by saying it will consider appealing the case if it can be proven that Lenehan made multiple mistakes in his ruling.

Thankfully, with women like Craig and Brodsky having no qualms about speaking up, the hope is that more and more people will become aware of violating acts like stealthing, let go of the stereotypes and taboos around sexual assault and become more empathetic and understanding of survivors.

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Zerbor via Getty Images Man putting a ballot into a voting box - Turkey

The results of the recent Turkish referendum reveal a lot about the success of different countries' immigration and integration policies. Although the referendum itself had nothing to do with immigration or integration, in Turkey or elsewhere, it provides an interesting frame for understanding how Turkish immigrants to western societies are or are not adopting western values.

The Turkish referendum, held on April 16th of this year, was about proposed changes to the Turkish constitution. The changes will give the Turkish president significantly more power. They will also completely defang any mediating democratic institutions, dramatically turning Turkey in an authoritarian direction. Sunday's "Yes" result (narrowly achieved and through a highly suspect voting process) signals the effective end to Turkish democracy as we know it.

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In this referendum, Turkish expats abroad were eligible to vote. One would think that, in a referendum which more or less pitted western-looking secular republican democracy against authoritarianism, Turkish expats in the West would favour the former. The domestic debate inside Turkey has been so heavily manipulated by Turkey's already fairly authoritarian government -- so one would certainly expect the authoritarian side (the 'Yes' side) to do much better inside Turkey than in the secular democratic west.

Strikingly, the results were completely opposite to that reasonable expectation. Inside Turkey, the Yes side was declared victorious by a margin of about 51 to 49 per cent. Eligible voters outside Turkey, however, delivered a margin of about 60 to 40 per cent for the 'Yes' side. Turks living in the free democratic west were more likely to vote for the full imposition of authoritarianism than were Turks actually living in Turkey, in spite of all the institutional advantages which the Yes side had in Turkey on the ground.

You can see a map and full results here, or in English on the wikipedia page here.

When we discuss immigration policy, the hope is obviously that people who come to the West will adopt western values. But if taken at face value, the results of the Turkish referendum suggest that some immigrants to the West can actually become less western in their outlook, or at least that some countries in the West are doing a relatively poor job selecting for those who have a more western outlook.

While the overall trend is troubling, it is interesting to note the wide variations in referendum results across different western countries, evident in the results linked to above. In the United States, 83.8 per cent of voters voted 'No.' This would seem to suggest a pretty overwhelming adoption of western democratic values in that country. In Canada, we were close behind, with about 72 per cent voting 'No.' Other strong 'No' results were seen in Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Finland, Italy, and the United Kingdom -- in all of these cases, at least 60 per cent of voters said no.

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Other European countries in particular showed dramatically different results. In Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, over 70 per cent of voters cast a 'Yes' vote. The 'Yes' side received over 60 per cent of the vote in Denmark, France, Germany, and Luxembourg. In Germany, over four hundred thousand votes were cast in favour of subjecting Turkey to this new authoritarianism.

It seems from this information that rates of adoption of western values vary quite widely across different countries. A range of factors might account for small variations, but it's worth digging into these wide gaps between referendum results coming out of different countries. What is Italy doing so differently from Austria, Spain from France, and the United States from Germany?

These distinctions merit some detailed study, but a few takeaways are obvious. First of all, the success of a country's immigration and integration policy is not principally about the national origin of those who come. The wide variation among countries where voters had the same national origin makes that obvious. Secondly, radical or authoritarian views are not just things that newcomers can bring with them -- they are things that both newcomers and longstanding residents can develop on their own -- evidenced by the fact that Turkish expats in Germany were more likely to support the authoritarian 'Yes' side than people in Turkey itself. Thirdly, it is not a slam dunk that immigrants embrace western values or do not embrace western values -- some do, and some don't -- and whether or not they do seems to be significantly shaped by the environment created by the country in which they find themselves.

In modern western discussions about immigration and integration, we often get sucked into simplistic binary debates between those who think immigration is invariably positive and those who think immigration is invariably negative. In reality, immigration contains both opportunities and risks. It has generally served Canada very well -- not because we have had open borders, but because we have had well managed immigration and we have encouraged newcomers to feel welcome and to integrate. But we need to also learn the right lessons from Europe's experience with immigration, and ensure that we are managing our immigration system in a way that continues to set us up for long term success.

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When public health officials see a rise in infections, finding the cause is one of the first priorities. In some cases, such as a foodborne outbreak, the process is relatively straightforward. The item or location is identified, a recall or closure is enacted, and the situation eventually is brought under control. But sometimes, the search can be tricky at best, especially when the problem is behavioural in nature.

One of the most delicate dilemmas happens to be sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. In Canada and many other countries around the world, the period between 2010 and 2013 saw a significant spike in the number of cases. Figuring out why familiar names such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis continue to rise has presented a rather difficult burden. After all, exploring the most intimate aspects of an individual's life is by no means easy.

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Perhaps for this reason, one popular theory for the troubles has focused not on individuals, but on their phones. Several apps, such as Tinder and Grindr, have gained popularity over the last few years. They are designed to facilitate meeting of individuals with similar characteristics. Yet, many utilize the programs to find casual sexual partners. This specific purpose has led some researchers to believe digital dating may be the underlying reason for the rise in cases.

This allegation, while reasonable in appearance, does not come without criticism. Just last year, a study exploring over 26,000 individuals revealed those most likely to use these apps -- millennials -- are less sexually active than people from older generations. Not to mention that officials examining pockets of diseases have revealed the situation is more complex than a simple swipe on the phone. Yet, without some concrete evidence, there can be no official verdict on the accusation.

The dating app may not be as guilty as one might expect.

That may soon change thanks to a group of U.K. researchers hoping to find out whether online dating is the reason for the rise in STIs. Their work provides a population-based examination of sexual activities in the digital era. The results suggest a link between online human connections and infection may exist, but the dating app may not be as guilty as one might expect.

The team took advantage of a national survey conducted between 2010 and 2012 called Natsal, or the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. Over 15,000 people participated in this assessment of sexual behaviour, giving this particular effort significant statistical strength. Although many of the questions were irrelevant for the authors of the current study, one very important question acted as the base for their work: "Have you used the Internet to find a sexual partner in the past 12 months?"

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The responses were rather surprising. Even at this early stage in digital dating popularity, nearly one in five men and one in 10 women had used the Internet for casual sex. Even more revealing was the age of the majority of users. They were not millennials, but rather Generation X.

At this point, the authors began to look deeper to find out if risky behaviour could be linked to online romance. As expected, people who used the Internet were more likely to have multiple partners. In addition, many of these individuals were less likely to use barrier protection. Finally, and to some extent ironically, these individuals had concerns about acquiring an infection as a result of their activities.

This rather strange combination of unsafe sex and worry led the researchers to wonder whether online dating led to more visits to sexual health clinics. However, only HIV testing was sought out more frequently. There appeared to be less concern for the other diseases.

While the likelihood of an STI may not be greater, the risk is ever present.

The final stage involved examining whether there was any connection between Internet connections and the appearance of an STI. Although the numbers of individuals with STI tests were much smaller in terms of the overall population -- about one-tenth of the total survey -- there was a slight increase in the number of STIs seen. However, this was only in men; women had an equal chance of infection whether they used the Internet or not.

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Overall, the results show Internet dating may have contributed slightly to the rise in STIs. But they cannot explain the significant rise in infections over the same time period. Other risk factors certainly are involved. Unfortunately, this means having to go even deeper into behaviour to find out what is really leading to the spread.

There is, however, one very strong recommendation this study offers to people choosing to use Tinder or other dating apps to find sexual encounters. Always have barrier protection on hand. While the likelihood of an STI may not be greater, the risk is ever present. Besides, being cautious even when you're being casual can ensure you won't need to remove your profile while you deal with an unwanted microbial mate.

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Along with everyone else, I have to admire Prince Harry for opening up about the impact that his mother's sudden and tragic death had on him, but I fear that his talk about mental-health issues and trauma will have a negative rather than a positive impact on our views of mental illness.

Losing a parent at an early age is traumatic and I can fully understand what he went through, as I lost my own father when I was but 10 years old. Like Prince Harry, it had a profound effect on me that lasted for years. No breakdown, but to this day I still harbour hostility to a certain hospital in Toronto. When I tried to visit my father after he suffered a heart attack, I was thrown out because visitors had to be over 16. I was forced to stand on the median strip of University Avenue to try to spot him waving to me from his window.

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And while losing a parent in the public eye as a royal with the Queen for your grandmother may be doubly difficult, it is just as difficult when your family is poor, your mom has to go work as a school crossing guard and you become a sales clerk in the local Kresge store. I prepared supper every night from an early age.

Many children lose parents early, and that is always tragic, but it does not result in a mental illness. I differentiate mental-health issues from mental illness. I'm not sure if those who read and/or heard of Harry's issues make that differentiation, but it is an important one. It is like saying I have stomach issues because of heartburn versus having stomach cancer.

Hamilton psychiatrist David Laing Dawson wrote not too long ago that he had an issue with the word "issue." He pointed out that the dictionary definition is "an important topic or problem for debate or discussion" -- the operative portion of that definition being "for debate or discussion." He said that euphemisms like "'mental-health issues' often creep into our vocabulary to hide the truth, or to reduce the sting of truth." And that "by calling mental illness an 'issue' we are placating the deniers of mental illness and we are reducing it to an abstraction, a topic for discussion and debate, rather than a reality in our midst."

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Mental illness -- and by that I mean conditions like severe depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia -- are very painful realities. Prince Harry does not talk about them. He only talks of distress and his childhood trauma, and so he is not helping to demystify those real and painful conditions. In fact, by simply talking about his "issue" and the trauma of his childhood, he is helping those who deny the existence of true mental illness as being anything other than the result of childhood trauma. That does not help, but it may be a start if he goes on from that.

What he now needs to do, if he is to be effective, is to embrace the mental illnesses that do cause so much distress and are independent of loss of parent but are simply the luck (or bad luck) of the draw. Mental illnesses that can and do strike people of all classes and ethnicities are no-fault maladies that deserve our compassion, understanding and proper treatment.

U.S. advocate, DJ Jaffe writing in The Hill has no doubts that celebrities like Prince Harry "are speaking out for all the right reasons." "None (of them)have schizophrenia, perhaps the most devastating disorder, nor severe bipolar that is resistant to treatment. That is where we should be focusing our policies." Writer Brendan O'Neill considers celebrities like the Prince talking about mental health to be examples of the transformation of mental illness into a fashion accessory.

Prince Harry and William want to shatter the stigma around mental health, but there is no stigma since so many people already talk about their supposed mental health issues like normal stress, grief and so on. It has become fashionable. All this mental-health issues talk simply "distracts the attention of doctors away from those who are genuinely in need: the clinically depressed, the schizophrenic, the suicidal." Those sufferers tend to get ignored and what many believe is stigma is downright discrimination in that the sickest of the sick do not get the services they need from society like hospital beds, proper medical care, community supports and so on. That is the real tragedy that we continually ignore.

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Now that you've started, Harry, it is time to push on and do more. You should be pointing out that those with mental illness often go untreated or inadequately treated, as I've pointed out here numerous times, and that they are often homeless or incarcerated and live in poverty. If you were to do that, you would be doing a great service.

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"I'll watch you for a while. I know you like that." Pop quiz -- who said that? Was it the guy on the other end of the phone in a campy, urban legend horror flick? Donald Trump backstage at a Miss America pageant? Sting and the Police, circa 1983?

Alas, no. That was John Horgan, a career politician running to be premier, in the first Leaders' Debate of the campaign speaking to one of his opponents, his only woman opponent -- our current premier, Christy Clark.

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I recoiled slightly as those words were spoken, as I imagine many women did who were tuning in that morning. I wasn't the one being patronized, but I still felt it. Women everywhere have at one point or another endured condescending, dismissive, creepy remarks designed to "put us in our place."

I hoped during the course of the debate Mr. Horgan would remember basic human decency and return to a battle of ideas rather than baseless insults, but my hope was sadly misplaced. I lost count of the times he interrupted or spoke over the premier, to the point the moderator had to interject several times to remind him of the principles of decorum and ask him to wait his turn.

We've seen this behaviour from other world leaders. It shouldn't happen here.

The current pop culture term for this behaviour is appropriately titled "mansplaining." Definition -- when a man explains something (usually to a woman) in a manner regarded as patronizing or condescending. It's painful to watch, even worse to endure, and it has no place in 2017, especially from a man hoping to occupy the highest political office in the province.

Watching the premier -- the longest serving female in this role in Canadian history -- be told to "take a few minutes and read something" (yes, that also happened) definitely made my blood boil in real time, but I realized over the course of the day, disappointment had overtaken anger.

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Disappointment because I know Mr. Horgan wouldn't even dream of saying that to the other candidate running for premier in this election, Andrew Weaver. Disappointment that he didn't think twice about repeatedly cutting the premier down, calling his behaviour "passionate" rather than the word it deserved, which is "sexist." Disappointment that a leadership candidate had to resort to insulting his opponents because his plan for our province isn't good enough to stand on its own.

Leadership commands respect, but it also demands it from those who wish to occupy public office. A big part of that is giving respect back to others, despite how you may personally feel about them.

Mr. Horgan has not demonstrated that, in this election or in the legislature as the Leader of the Opposition. In the last two years alone, he has called the premier of British Columbia a cheerleader, all gloss and no go, jolly but incoherent, and all style but no substance. He has suggested she looks "spectacular" in her outfits when touring mills, accused her of being secretly in love with Justin Trudeau and stated she is someone he needs to "bring up to speed on what's actually going on."

We've seen this behaviour from other world leaders. It shouldn't happen here.

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This blog originally appeared on HypeFoodie.

This week I had the honour of providing a public deputation for Toronto City Council alongside Food Allergy Canada in support of Councillor James Pasternak's motion to investigate mandatory stock epinephrine at Toronto restaurants. The summary of the motion states:

Given that the City of Toronto is home to over 8,000 restaurants and hundreds other public facilities, it is worthwhile to investigate if the mandatory provision for epinephrine auto-injectors in restaurants and public facilities would enhance the safety of residents and visitors to our City.

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Going into it, I knew we were facing an uphill battle with the idea of mandatory epinephrine, but the motion was to investigate the issue. My optimism (and naivete) led me to believe that the investigation could lead to discussions with various stakeholders across the city, and whether or not the mandatory stock epinephrine motion would be eventually tabled, food allergies would be discussed as a growing public health concern.

I am utterly disappointed that the Licensing and Standards Committee voted to "defer indefinitely" the motion to investigate mandatory epinephrine in Toronto eateries and other public facilities. The conversation ended before it even begun.

The councillors seemed to be making advance judgement based on personal bias on the appetite for mandatory stock epinephrine in Toronto restaurants, and not interested in undergoing at true investigation. Unfortunately, the supporting document for the motion was a simple one-pager that did not contain many supporting facts to help push this forward. Despite the huge outpouring of public support letters in favour of the motion, there were two very strongly opposed positions coming from the hospitality industry, which councillors seemed to give more weight to. It's obvious that if a motion like this has any chance to move forward in the future, there needs to be a champion from the industry backing it and explaining why it makes sense operationally.

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The most important takeaway from this experience is that, as a community, we haven't even scratched the surface when it comes to educating the public about food allergies and epinephrine. The city councillor comments and the information they used to come to their final decision were based on assumptions, miseducated testimony and untruths. I am compelled to set the record straight.

Untruth #1: Epinephrine is not the only appropriate drug to use in an allergic reaction

Councilor Jim Karygiannis stated, "I have severe allergies. I choose not to use an EpiPen and I choose to use Atarax. Atarax might not have the same effect immediately, but it's a slower process, because I choose not to go to the hospital if I shoot myself with an EpiPen in 20 minutes, because I might not be able to get there."

Antihistamines like Benadryl or Atarax are commonly used for treating hives or other skin symptoms, but they do not treat the lifethreatening symptoms of anaphylaxis. "Epinephrine is the only drug that can reverse symptoms of anaphylaxis. Canadian allergists advise that an epinephrine auto-injector is the first line of treatment for anaphylaxis and should be used first, before asthma puffers or any other medications," according to Food Allergy Canada.

An EpiPen is actually much easier to use than some may realize.

Epinephrine acts on a number of receptors in the body to exert its effects. It causes constriction, or tightening, of the blood vessels, which decreases swelling and also helps to increase blood pressure. It also increases the heart's contraction and heart rate, which can help to prevent or reverse cardiovascular collapse. Epinephrine relaxes the muscles around the airways in the lungs, helping the airways to open up. Finally, it prevents the release of additional allergic chemicals, which aids in stopping further progression of the reaction. No other medicine acts on so many body systems, which is why epinephrine is the drug of choice for anaphylaxis.

Untruth #2: EpiPens could cause fatal harm

Councillor Jim Karygiannis asked, "So, this could have a reverse effect that somebody thinks they're having an allergic reaction, hits somebody, and that might cause them fatal harm?" Commander Bikram Chawla with Toronto Paramedic Services responded, "Theoretically, there is that potential."

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Common side-effects of epinephrine include fast, irregular or "pounding" heartbeat, sweating, nausea or vomiting, breathing problems, paleness, dizziness, weakness, shakiness, headache, feelings of over excitement, nervousness or anxiety. These side-effects usually go away quickly if you lie down and rest.

The minimum lethal human dose by subcutaneous injection is estimated at 4mg. EpiPens come in two standard doses of 0.15mg and 0.3mg of epinephrine, which is significantly lower than a dangerous dose. To put things into perspective, you would need 26 simultaneous shots from an EpiPen Jr. to receive a dangerous dose.

Untruth #3: Food allergy and auto-injector training is too difficult

Councilor Frances Nunziata shared, "I do have an EpiPen. I have allergies. I've had to use mine many times. But I would not feel comfortable being in a restaurant or any establishment and having someone stab me with an EpiPen not knowing how long they've had that EpiPen... So to have establishments and restaurants like Tim Horton's and McDonald's be trained, I think we're in really muddy waters."

An EpiPen is actually much easier to use than some may realize. The instructions are illustrated on the device in three simple steps. Practice EpiPens also help make training easier and more effective.

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It has huge benefits for the safety of the general public and increases public awareness of food allergies.

Assumptions that every single staff member in the restaurant would need to be educated like a paramedic so they could recognize symptoms of allergic reactions and administer EpiPens made this motion difficult for council to support. They did not recognize that like AEDs that are available at public places, EpiPens would be available as life-saving devices to the people who need them and know how to use them.

A stock epinephrine and mandatory food allergy education program for the hospitality industry in the City of Toronto is the right thing to do. It has huge benefits for the safety of the general public and increases public awareness of food allergies. Restaurant staff are currently trained at different capacities on how to keep customers safe by minimizing risks of bacterial food poisoning, and it is equally as important that they are trained on food allergies and how to minimize cross-contamination risks.

There is still a lot of work to be done. As a food allergy advocate and someone invested in the City of Toronto, I'm grateful to Councillor Pasternak for bringing the motion forward and to the Licensing and Standards Committee for discussing the possibility. As a community we will move onwards and upwards from this and continue to educate others and correct untruths.

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Crying and alone, she straddled one baby on her hip while her other infant sat in a car seat at her feet. She was on an airplane, presumably on a trip to a happy place; at least it was just that when she booked the flight. Now, she wasn't so sure.

So many of us saw the images and the video of that fragile-looking mom, in tears, holding her baby while trying to get all three of her family members settled on the flight. She was likely already very stressed; after all -- travelling with kids is no easy feat. Try doing it with two babies or toddlers, as so many of us twin parents have, and then get back to me about what stress and anxiety really feels like.

Nevertheless, she had apparently been trying to load her double stroller -- a must-have staple when you're the parent of young twins -- into a spot on the plane. According to witnesses, an American Airlines employee, in an effort of trying to stop this mom from storing her stroller, "violently" took the stroller from the frazzled woman, hitting her in the head with the item in the process. Tears, not surprisingly, ensued and, perhaps even less surprising to us all, the entire exchange (following the alleged hit in the head) was captured on video, ready to be shared with the masses.

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And that it was.

A very angry American Airlines flight attendant wasn't done with the situation yet, oh, no -- he was ready for battle, if the video of the incident is to be believed. After a disgusted passenger who had witnessed the incident complained, this thoroughly professional AA attendant threatened fisticuffs to a paying customer. Yes, really.

All the while, the mom of twins continued crying while she held her baby on her hip.

This scenario hit a particular nerve with me, as I've been where she's been and under no circumstances was her treatment OK.

Travelling with twin babies is a task in and of itself, and anyone who manages to get their babies onto the plane, let alone singlehandedly wrangle their double-stroller while holding on to one of the said twins (while the other languished in their car seat at their mom's feet) should be not only be supported but lauded for their tenacity, physical and emotional strength, and multitasking skills.

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It's a terrifying thing, the prospect of boarding a plane with two babies or toddlers, while you are the person who must endure the daggers being stared at you by other travellers who are anticipating mayhem. Two babies (or toddlers) and a non-stop flight to a not-so-local destination do not a perfect scenario make.

But back to the situation at hand.

On a more basic level, flight attendants and anyone in particular who works in a customer-service capacity should never lead a paying customer to tears, under any circumstances.

Yet, this is what appears to have happened.

Which leads one to ask: whatever happened to the kindness of strangers? The reliance on the knowledge that regardless of what your particular situation is at any given time, the humanity residing in the person beside you would make itself known, if needed?

Whatever happened to the perspective that we're all in this together, and, gee willikers, we're going to get through it together too? Especially when there are not one but two babies involved?

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Apparently these benchmarks of basic common decency have disappeared along with what is now perceived to be a more simple and forgotten time when basic common decency was not only supported but heralded as well.

Perhaps this is a simplistic world view from a bygone era, but I, for one, wish it would return. No -- not everything from past times is better; certainly we've made strides in terms of so much, technologically and otherwise. But it's those little things, those niceties such as basic human decency, kindness and caring for our fellow man, woman and child -- or two -- that used to be the norm, not the exception.

That poor, poor woman and her sweet, sweet babies. I wish I were there to give her a hug and put myself between the horrific man who sunk low enough to upset a woman travelling with twin babies.

For shame.

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Chris Wattie / Reuters Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks about the U.S. air strikes in Syria during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, April 7, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

The Trudeau government has tackled several key pieces of its criminal law reform strategy but it's long past time to decriminalize sex work.

Being elected to lead our country involves more than easy victories and politically expedient "people-pleasing" issues. The Trudeau government has a moral obligation to address the public health and safety of all its citizen. The weight of the Liberal majority needs to be put behind the health and safety of all people in Canada, including sex workers.

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In 2017, sex workers in Canada continue to live and work in unsafe conditions, face predatory and state violence, immigration raids, deportation, surveillance and arrest as well as see their human rights violated. The failure to address it so far suggests that this human rights issue is intentionally being left off the legislative agenda, which is a serious concern.

Meaningful sex work law reform in Canada is long due. Among those concerned, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health has condemned the criminalization, full or asymmetrical, of sex work as a violation of the right to health by creating barriers to sex worker's access to health services.

Governments have an obligation to show due diligence in the protection of sex workers' human rights, including their right to health and to freedom from violence. Laws and policies must be evidence-based and address the intersecting and layered systems of oppression impacting sex workers' experiences. This can only start with our government taking the necessary steps toward the decriminalization of sex work in Canada.

In December 2013, a victory was almost within reach. The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously struck down harmful laws that stood in the way of effectively protecting sex workers and the broader community.

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The move toward decriminalization was backed by thousands of pages of evidence and expert testimony as well as decades of government sponsored commission reports and research, topped with relentless activism from grassroots organizations.

The Supreme Court's Bedford decision marked a huge step in recognizing sex workers' rights specifically, and human rights in Canada more generally. For more than thirty years, sex workers had been calling on Canada to repeal laws that target them, their clients and the people they work with, pointing to the harm in criminalizing elements of sex work and the inability of criminal prostitution laws to protect them from violence. Many lives were lost waiting for this victory.

Almost immediately, the Harper government communicated their intention to introduce new laws. A shift toward a discourse that conflated sex work and human trafficking soon kicked into high gear and introduced the idea of sex workers as victims to justify the continued aggressive regulation of sex work and sex workers. In December 2014, bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, became law.

Like the laws struck down in 2013, this new regulatory regime fails to comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the requirements outlined by the Supreme Court of Canada in its Bedford decision.

This turn of events dealt a serious blow to those directly impacted by the criminalization of sex work, some of whom had spent decades fighting for their rights and were being told to wait once more. The social science evidence from Canada and throughout the world clearly indicates that criminalization of the sex industry - whether clients, third parties or sex workers - continues to send the sex industry into the shadows, restrict sex workers' access to important safety mechanisms and has significant and profound negative consequences on sex workers' health, security, equality and human rights.

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The Liberal Party of Canada, then an opposition party, clearly denounced the new law. They took a clear stance and expressed serious concerns about the new legislation failing to adequately protect the health and safety of vulnerable people, particularly women.

During the electoral campaign in 2015, then-Liberal health critic Hedy Fry told an all-candidates women's equality forum that her party maintained its staunch opposition to bill C-36 and planned to scrap it. When the Liberal party won its majority government, they pledged real change and branded Canada's new prime minister as a feminist. Where's the change?

Once elected, the Trudeau government took the unprecedented step of publicly releasing all ministerial mandate letters. These documents provide a framework for what Ministers are expected to accomplish, including specific policy objectives and challenges to be addressed. The public mandate letter received by newly minted Attorney General of Canada and Justice Minister, the Honorable Jody Wilson-Raybould, did not mention sex work; a timeline to address the criminalization of sex work was not included.

The Trudeau government has touted itself as one that promotes, respects and fights for Charter rights; yet, their response to sex workers' Charter rights is dismal to date - a year and a half later, we wait.

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould needs to promptly begin a process of sex work law reform that culminates in the decriminalization of sex work as part of this government's criminal law reform strategy. The time is now. In fact, the time was long ago.

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Recently, Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins introduced Bill 87, a.k.a. the Protecting Patients Act. Its goal is one that no right-thinking person could disagree with, namely to identify and punish health-care professionals who sexually abuse patients. The problem is that it is sloppily written, hastily put together to deflect from other health-care stories and will have significant unintended consequences that will harm patients.

My colleague Dr. Nadia Alam wrote an exceptional piece on how Bill 87 is flawed. She detailed how it breeds a culture of fear, will negatively affect practice patterns and abandons the principle of "innocent until proven guilty."

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Predictably, some of the people who commented on her column felt that she was off base. One even argued that the provisions in the bill that supercede tenants of jurisprudence dating back to the Magna Carta were "common sense." A feeling that doctors are criticizing this bill to protect their own interests certainly permeates the media.

Except, of course, it turns out that the critics of Bill 87 are right. Last week the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, an independent non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of all Canadians, came out with a strong critique of the bill.

Concerns listed include:

Setting a dangerous precedent for ALL regulated professions

Open-ended provisions that allow a health minister too wide discretion

NO explicit limitation of the type of personal information to be collected

Information collection to be done solely at the discretion of one person (health minister)

What we see yet again, therefore, is another sure-to-fail piece of legislation by minister Hoskins. Frankly, to this somewhat cynical eye, this legislation is a continuation of his incompetent style of running the health ministry. The pattern all along from this minister has been to act unilaterally on issues, refuse to accept input from front-line health-care workers and, when things get "politically hot," deflect by having press conferences on unrelated items to try and shift media attention away from just how much health care has crumbled under his watch.

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The fact that all his previous unilateral actions have been failures seems lost on him.

For example, three years ago, Ontario had a significant budget deficit. In light of this, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) offered a four-year wage freeze for physicians. In return, they asked for a co-operative, bilateral committee to identify efficiencies in the health-care system. Not good enough for Unilateral Eric, he instead implemented a series of reckless unilateral cuts that have significantly damaged the health-care system.

How reckless? Remember how he recently announced more funding to deal with the opioid-addiction crisis and mental-health issues? Did he bother to tell you that he cut funding for addiction services the year before? And that he admitted that he "found it challenging" to understand how cutting funding to a service would result in loss of that service? Economics clearly isn't his strong point.

Or how about the ridiculous Bill 41, the Patients First Act? He was warned repeatedly by both front-line physicians and the OMA that this act would NOT help patients and would only increase the bureaucracy.

Didn't stop Unilateral Eric. Rather than work co-operatively with others to improve the bill, he did it his own way. The result? Even the Toronto Star, which Kelly McParland states lives to promote eternal Liberal rule, was forced to admit that the supposed savings from Bill 41 may not come to pass. (My two cents -- I've never, ever, ever seen taxpayers save money when governments increase bureaucracy).

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Worse yet, his approach to dealing with any negative publicity has been to deflect by targeting physicians. Stories in the press about long wait times for joint replacement surgery? Hold a press conference and accuse an ophthalmologist of bilking the health-care system by "overbilling." The fact that wait times for cataract surgery are growing exponentially get ignored.

Now, most recently, we are hearing about some wait times for assisted living called a "50-year wait," and even delays in cancer surgery. How does he deal with that? Unilateral Eric hurriedly launches this flawed bill and shuts down debate to allow broader input. Attempts by the OMA to suggest amendments that will strengthen this bill are ignored.

Unilateral Eric barges ahead anyway. The fact that all his previous unilateral actions have been failures seems lost on him, and reports of patients suffering from gaps in care seem to be neglected. In fact, it is likely because these stories are in the press that he is rushing ahead with this bill to make it look like he is actually doing something positive.

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The completely unacceptable part in my opinion is that it is going to be the real victims of abuse who suffer. The first time someone is charged under this law, the unconstitutionality of it will be challenged, resulting in a strong possibility that a perpetrator could get off on a technicality. Can you imagine the impact this will have on a victim? To see someone who harmed them so egregiously walk away without punishment?

The government of Ontario's Premier Kathleen Wynne is in a lot of trouble. She is woefully unpopular. Her party is badly lagging in the polls. Senior members of her Liberal party have publicly asked her to resign. She has, at best, one cabinet shuffle left to try and reverse her fortunes.

Wynne may very well owe Unilateral Eric big for making her premier. It was his backstabbing of Sandra Pupatello at the Liberal leadership convention that gave her the leadership, after all. But if Wynne is serious about governing the province properly, her next step must be to shuffle the most disastrous health minister Ontario has had in recent memory out of his portfolio. She needs to replace him with a competent minister, who will at least attempt to work co-operatively with front-line health care workers. Only then can we begin to reverse the damage done to the health-care system.

It's time for Unilateral Eric to go.

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"Get away from the window and put this on!" My colleague shouted at me as she threw a flak jacket across the hallway. What we first believed to be fireworks were in fact bullets being sprayed over our compound.

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Libya is a beautiful country, but my welcome to it was anything but. I had been in Tripoli less than a week and already my parents' worst nightmare was coming true. Our compound, which was home to most UN agencies and several embassies including Canada's, was under attack.

As I huddled with my colleague in the middle of our house (which doubled as our office due to safety concerns), we waited for security to say something -- anything -- over our handheld radios. I grabbed my cell and checked Twitter on the off chance that someone was posting updates. Amazingly, a colleague from UN OCHA just a few houses down was live-tweeting the whole thing.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, we got the all clear; the attackers had been subdued and taken away. The bullet holes in the concrete of our house, however, remained an ever-present reminder.

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A few short weeks later, as a group of 10 to 15 of us from different UN agencies took part in a training in the same compound, we heard the sounds of several men shouting in Arabic.

As the voices got closer, we looked at each other in shock, wondering what was happening. Before we knew it, masked men waving rifles in the air appeared at the doorway. Within seconds, I was facing the wall with a black bag over my head and my wrists tied behind my back. I remember thinking one thing: breathe. If you don't breathe, you'll panic. And if you panic, you're already dead.

One after another, we were ushered into the next room, stumbling as we walked, and lined up shoulder to shoulder. Every few minutes, one of the men would pass me and shout something so close I could feel his saliva on my face. I stood there wondering how this was going to end.

Then, a woman started to cry uncontrollably. Almost immediately, the tie around my wrists was cut and in perfect English, a man said, "Please remove the bags over your heads."

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To our shock, it had all been training set up by our security team. By living through a hostage scenario, they said, you'll be better prepared for the real thing. I was simultaneously livid and overwhelmed with relief, but the experienced served to reinforce the fact that nobody expected what happened during my first week to be an isolated incident.

It's an unfortunate reality that in today's world, humanitarian workers continue to operate under tremendous threat. The number of direct attacks on UN vehicles and compounds rose from 80 in 2014 to 299 in 2015. Twenty-three UN workers were killed in 2015 and 1,819 were affected by security incidents. In 2016, at least 32 UN staff were killed in the line of duty. Just last month, two UN workers were kidnapped and killed in the DRC, not far from where I was also once stationed.

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While violence isn't limited to UN workers, the statistics point to the ever-dangerous world in which all humanitarian partners operate. Locally recruited personnel continue to face the highest risks of all. In 2015, national staff accounted for 64 per cent of incidents against UN staff.

From Syria to Nigeria to Central African Republic, the world is experiencing unprecedented levels of crisis. Civilian suffering has reached catastrophic heights. Until political solutions to conflicts can be reached, those who strive to bring relief need the resources, protection and support -- both mental and physical -- to do so before they, too, become indefensible casualties of war.

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In just a few weeks, the world will witness a remarkable and sobering milestone. By June 2017, Israel will have been a military occupying power in the Palestinian territories for 50 years.

Given the West's blase attitude, you might think this anniversary were inconsequential but for millions in the Middle East, their hope and future depend on a shift from the status quo.

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Some Canadians take a fatalistic attitude to the occupation and associated strife, making comments like "the conflict will never end" or "they've been fighting for thousands of years." Neither of which is true.

But regardless of the myths and the cynicism, 50 years of military occupation is far too long, and international players -- including Canada -- need to get serious about bringing it to an end. This crippling standoff between Israelis and Palestinians represents a ongoing failure in international diplomacy, and remains a source of ongoing strife in the broader Middle East.

Some Israelis have suggested that this Palestinian territory -- the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza - is theirs, won through a war with Jordan and Egypt in 1967. But the UN Charter and international law do not recognize the acquisition of territory by force, and the land was never Jordan's nor Egypt's to "lose."

Israel's military occupation is not benign, and it has been widely condemned by legal experts. It comes with soldiers, guns, walls, checkpoints, sniper towers, arrests, searches, land confiscations, house demolitions and more.

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Every day, Palestinian civilians live with its reality: waiting at checkpoints to get to work; tolerating humiliating searches; farmers blocked from accessing their olive groves; patients blocked from getting treatment at health facilities; families fearing the loss of their homes.

After 50 years, we should not be surprised when some of them lose hope and turn to violence to vent their frustration.

The occupation is also destructive for Israel. One book released by the Israeli Political Science Association concludes that Israel's occupation has severely undermined core societal values and institutions. The authors argue that suspicion and distrust within the occupying Israeli society transform themselves into contempt and humiliation of the occupied Palestinians.

These changes, the book argues, cause the fragmentation of Israel's moral texture. Human rights journalist Gideon Levy is more blunt: "[Israel] is a state whose sense of direction has been lost, its ability to distinguish good from evil impaired."

There is no reason the Palestinians shouldn't have their own state. It was the intent of the UN Partition Plan of 1947, and the right to self-determination of all peoples is enshrined in international law. For years, the Palestinians have satisfied the three criteria normally set out for peoples demanding the right to self-determine.

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First, the Palestinians exist as a distinct people with a distinct identity. Next, the borders of the Palestinian state are clear, and would mirror that of the 1949 armistice (Green) line. Finally, the Palestinians have a recognized government, the Palestinian Authority, established via the 1993 Oslo Accords.

The vast majority of the world is ready to welcome Palestine as a member of the UN community of nations. In 2012, the UN General Assembly voted 138-9 in support of "Non-Member Observer State" for Palestine. There is no reason that the cultural, economic and societal aspirations of the Palestinians should continue to be held hostage to an intrusive and brutal Israeli occupation.

It is true that there would be logistical challenges to the establishment of a free Palestine today. Indeed, Israel has worked hard over 50 years to create "facts on the ground" as a deterrent to Palestinian self-determination.

Most notably, Israel has illegally moved 600,000 Jewish-Israeli civilians into Palestinian territory, in direct violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention's prohibition against the colonization of occupied land.

But these and other obstacles could be overcome if the West had the honest desire to do so. The Geneva Initiative of 2003 is one of several independent initiatives between Israeli and Palestinian civilians which demonstrates that a mutually agreeable deal for both Israelis and Palestinians is possible. For much of the world, the western governments' lack of resolve on Israel-Palestine makes a mockery of all our talk about human rights.

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Middle powers like Canada may feel like they don't have much of a role to play, but this is untrue. Both Israelis and Palestinians crave legitimacy, and abhor talk of their human rights abuses. Just as the Security Council condemnation of settlements riled Israel in December, ongoing condemnation of human rights violations by Canada and others would similarly create pressure for an end to the impasse.

The world would not have tolerated US occupation soldiers in Germany 50 years after World War II. In the same way, the world should not tolerate Israeli soldiers in the West Bank 50 years after the 1967 war.

But unless something galvanizes Trudeau, Trump and other Western leaders to action, we may soon observe another sad anniversary of Israel's ongoing military occupation. If so, Israelis, and especially Palestinian civilians, will continue to pay a heavy price for our indifference.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this blog referred to a 1947 armistice (Green) line, when it was actually a 1949 armistice line.

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By Yona Lunsky and Rob Balogh

With the recent federal commitment to increase mental health funding across Canada, we need to turn our attention toward a group of individuals who are currently invisible within Canada's mental health system -- a group that has some of the greatest needs for mental health services and supports, yet is rarely acknowledged or targeted in mental health efforts.

Those with developmental disabilities, which includes Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and autism are rarely recognized in mental health statistics, policy priorities, education and training or even clinical practice.

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Their health needs are often not adequately addressed -- and our inability to "see" this population is costing the health system enormously.

There was a time when this population was not "seen" within mainstream mental health initiatives because they received their care in a separate system, primarily through institutional care. But with the closure of institutions and an emphasis on community inclusion over the last several decades, those with developmental disabilities are expected to access physical and mental health care, like everyone else, in their home communities.

Unfortunately, their health needs are often not adequately addressed -- and our inability to "see" this population is costing the health system enormously.

In August of 2016, the Ontario Ombudsman released "Nowhere to Turn," a disturbing report following a four-year investigation about the care and treatment of adults with developmental disabilities. The report found frequent emergency department use and lengthy hospitalizations as well as homelessness, incarceration, family burnout and cases of abuse and neglect.

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Although mental health was not the focus of the investigation, it was clear that poorly addressed mental health issues led to many of the social and health problems highlighted in the report.

Similarly, recent research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto shows that 45 percent of Ontario adults with developmental disabilities are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and at least six per cent have an addiction.

Perhaps because of the complexity of their health needs -- both physical and mental health problems are prevalent -- this group is more likely to have repeat emergency department visits and to be re-hospitalized than other individuals. This is a sign that the connection between community and hospital-based care for those with developmental disabilities is not what it should be.

A national study of hospitalizations, published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, found that psychiatric hospitalizations accounted for almost half of developmental disability hospital admissions.

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Sadly this complex and vulnerable population is also often treated by mental health and general health providers who are unfamiliar with their disabilities and frequently do not feel comfortable working with them

The majority of those with developmental disabilities hospitalized for psychiatric issues were youth and young adults, in stark contrast to what was observed in those without these disabilities whose psychiatric hospitalizations tended to occur later in life.

Sadly this complex and vulnerable population is also often treated by mental health and general health providers who are unfamiliar with their disabilities and frequently do not feel comfortable working with them. Indeed, the training of health care providers on the mental health needs of this group is very limited in Canada.

So what needs to be done to help policy makers finally "see" this invisible population and to support the mental health system address their needs?

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As a start, since we know that adults with developmental disabilities are prone to mental illness and addictions, our mental health promotion efforts need to include them.

We should be investing in screening for mental health issues and early intervention in this population and we should play an active role in helping those with developmental disabilities obtain an accurate diagnosis and receive accessible evidence-informed treatments and supports. This would also mean that all mental health care providers require some basic skills and knowledge to support those with developmental disabilities.

Repeated emergency visits and lengthy hospitalizations could be reduced or avoided if we delivered more extensive outpatient-based mental health care to those in need. Across the country, mental health and social service sectors must work together, especially once someone in this population is hospitalized, to plan for safe discharges with the appropriate mental health supports in place.

Since we know that adults with developmental disabilities are prone to mental illness and addictions, our mental health promotion efforts need to include them.

Finally, the phrase "nothing about us without us," should be kept in mind.

A quality patient oriented solution means those with developmental disabilities and their families need to be at the table alongside other groups with mental health or addiction expertise.

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It makes good policy and good economic sense to ensure individuals with developmental disabilities are included in mental health plans, strategies and funding going forward.

It's time their needs were seen -- and met.

Dual diagnosis resources for patients, families and clinicians can be found at https://www.porticonetwork.ca/treatments/disorders-qr/dual-diagnosis

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The five things you need to know on Monday, April 24

1) PARIS SPRING

The French Presidential election is showing that 2017 could turn out to be just as disruptive as 2016, but with its own peculiar twists. Yes, the two main parties in France have no candidate in the final round of the contest. But the run-off is a clear choice between someone on the hard right and a globalist centrist moderniser.

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And (as in the US, though many forget it), the polls were bang on. Emmanuel Macron came first, Marine le Pen second. And those same polls forecast that Macron will have a huge 20% lead in the final race. That doesnt mean that everyone can relax, as Macron will still need to mobilise his voters and those of defeated candidates, while Le Pen voters have been mobilised (in every sence of being war-ready) for years.

George Osborne was quick to Tweet he had met and liked Macron as fellow finance ministers. Ed Miliband, now the gagmeister of Twitter, replied: Do not panic too much about this tweet. I guess @EmmunelMacron has many friends. I also met him once

Still, there was a telling reaction from some on the Left, in France and here, to the result. The Daily Mail got a kicking for its French Revolution splash, as it wrongly talked of a Le Pen surge and almost gloried in her rise and her backing for Frexit. But while the paper seemed to flirt with a my enemys [the EU] enemy is my friend approach, so too did the Left. Defeated leftist Melonchon refused to endorse Macron. And some Corbyn supporters here said the French race was now just between an investment banker and a fascist, as if somehow those words were equivalent. That was itself an echo of Edward Snowdens infamous line that the US election was a choice between Donald Trump and Goldman Sachs.

If France does indeed get its youngest leader since Napoleon, he will fight hard for the EU interests and not Mays. Yet like Macron, her election challenge is to try to portray herself as an anti-establishment (on business, on energy prices, on globalisation) centrist. Some in the UK this morning may wish we had the same system as the French: a first round to decide who you want, then a second to decide who you definitely dont. Whether that would lead to more centrism in the UK, or less, is unclear.

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2) JEZ BE FRIENDS

Jeremy Corbyn is in Scotland today, pushing among other things a demand to set up an inquiry into Scottish police conduct in the miners strike. Theres little brand new in his policy list other than a demand to force all firms with public contracts to recognise unions. Both show hes sticking to his plan not to play by the rules in this election.

Its unlikely Corbyn would ever quote Macron, but Scottish Labours Kezia Dugdale may be tempted to cite the Frenchmans line last night that he wants to be a President of patriots not a President of nationalists. The SNP hate being called nationalists, despite the word national in their very name.

Yet the cold weather front thats hitting Britain this week is perhaps an apt metaphor for Labour MPs fates. The chill has already hit Scotland and is forecast to spread south through the day and week. And just as the SNP all but wiped out Labour in 2015, there are plenty of Labour seats with majorities of up to even 7,000 - like Scotland, long neglected by their MP - which could flip dramatically to the Tories in June. By contrast, seats with tighter majorities where the MP (like Wes Streeting) is on the doorstep relentlessly, could be unchanged.

In a sign of the way the Tories are treating this campaign, CCHQ deliberately held back any policy announcements today because they expected Corbyn to bomb on Marr. And he lived down to their expectations by gifting them lines to fit their chaos narrative. The key bit of his answer on Trident was not his tacit anti-nuclear principles but his refusal to say what order he would give in the event of an attack.

And the Tories think Corbyns refusal to agree drone strikes on an ISIS leader has even more cut through with voters. As with his line on demilitarising Nato-Russia borders, Corbyn instead kept saying he wants everyone to get round the negotiating table and try to be friends. On all this (as well as Labour HQ having to correct its leader that Trident renewal would be in the manifesto), just watch campaign chief Andrew Gwynne struggle on Good Morning Britain today. He was left gasping like a salmon on the riverbank.

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Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon didnt hesitate to tell Today: This is somebody who would certainly put the security of our country at risk. The criticism from Labour MPs is harsher in private. On foreign policy, Corbyn wants diplomatic compromise with Putin, ISIS, Assad; but on domestic policy, he is committed to no compromise with the British electorate, some mutter.

3) MARXISM TO MAY

We are in the curious situation where Theresa May could adopt a Miliband manifesto on things like energy prices and other curbs on business. What was dubbed Marxist by the Tories just a couple of years ago is now part of their land-grab of the political landscape.

Nick Robinson nicely skewered Michael Fallon on the Today prog with his own words comparing energy bill intervention with 1970s bread price controls. Fallon said a cap on prices was not the same as a Labours freeze plan but for many voters it may be a distinction without a difference. Energy has always been regulated the ex-energy minister was reduced to saying. Meanwhile, hedge fund boss Stephe Clapham of Fenician Capital told the BBC: I dont really understand what Theresa May is trying to do here. It seems like protection for people too lazy to shop around.

But energy prices are small beer compared to the way the Tories could now adopt Ballsonomics on the deficit, slowing the repayment of the nations debt through tax rises and not just spending cuts. The PM on Saturday refused to rule out tax hikes after Philip Hammonds Friday night drop, when he signalled he wanted to end Osbornes triple lock pledge not to put up VAT, national insurance or income tax.

Given all the grief over NI, and the rhetoric on cutting the 50p rate, it seems VAT could be the main safety valve. But could May pull off a real Marxist surprise and hike income tax on the super-rich at some point? Cutting high earner pension tax relief is another Treasury target dont forget too. Its just that we may not find out until after the election. Still, Tory chairman Patrick McLoughlin generated the Telegraph Tory split story over the tax hikes, with his Sunday Politics line stressing the whole Cabinet, not just Hammond, would decide.

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And as with Miliband, the Tories know that popular policies only work when allied to credible leaders. Thats why the extra bank holiday idea (if it was one each nation, not four for all) could fly, but when attacked to Corbyn it may not. That wider lesson of leadership being intrinsically linked to policy has certainly been learned.

BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR

Watch this young Macron supporter dance like no one can see them.

4) LOYAL BLAIR FORCE

On Radio 4 yesterday, Tony Blair said he didnt want the stories to be about him urging tactical voting in the election to stop a hard Brexit, but as an old pro he must have known that was inevitable. His words in fact speak for themselves. Asked if he was saying vote Lib Dem in some areas to stop Euroscep Tories, he replied that it may mean that, but it could mean voting Labour or Tory too.

Blair (who suggested May would still be PM on June 9) was careful not to fall foul of party rules forbidding advocacy of rival candidates . But people like Chuka Umunna were swift to say TB was wrong and that no voter could turn a blind eye to Lib Dem support for the Tories in the Coalition.

Yet in Vauxhall, Labour Remainers are sorely tempted to back the Libs to get rid of arch Brexiteer Kate Hoey. Lib Dem candidate George Turner is joined by Tim Farron there today as his party confirmed this morning that its membership had passed the magic 100,000 mark and is on course to pass its previous all time high of 101k in 1994. Some 12,000 people have joined in the past week, raising half a million quid. Paul Nuttalls line on Marr that UKIP may not stand against Hoey was invaluable PR.

Although Farron ruled out coalitions or even confidence and supply deals yesterday, at local level all sorts of stuff could happen. Zoe Williams, who claims that Corbyn doesnt want to be PM, essentially endorses the Blair approach in her column in the Guardian today urging a progressive alliance in individual seats.

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5) ER, QUALITY

Today has the only significant diary item that looked problematic once Theresa May had secured the June 8 election date last week. Yes, Monday 24 April was always the deadline set by the courts for the Government to produce an air quality action plan to cut illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide in the UKs most polluted areas.

But in a classic move to bury the bad news, or at least delay it, ministers lodged papers on Friday night at 6.30pm, after the courts had closed. They argue for a postponement in the court action to comply with pre-election propriety rules. And even if the courts today reject that, Defra looks like it will appeal anyway to get the delay. Ministers dont just want to err on the side of caution, theyre really saying er, lets just delay to the other side of the election. Andrea Leadsom is certain to either make a Commons statement or face an Urgent Question.

But this isnt some metrosexual hobby horse. Legal limits have been breached in 16 areas including London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow, with fears that children are breathing damaging fumes by the roadside as they walk to school. Lawyers for Sadiq Khan and Client Earth will challenge strongly. The Times has a neat line: Cabinet office guidelines allow for purdah rules to be lifted where public health is at risk.

SUNDAY SHOWS ROUND-UP

We watch all the Sunday political shows so you dont have to. Read Owen Bennetts handy summary, complete with video clips, HERE.

Meanwhile, Trump has done another stream of consciousness interview, this time with AP. Read it in full HERE. On Angela Merkel, he says: 'I guess somebody shouted out, "Shake her hand, shake her hand," you know. But I never heard it. But I had already shaken her hand four times. You know, because we were together for a long time.'

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At the Eastern Counties Vintage show, rows of lovingly-restored tractors show the changing face of British agriculture. There is of course nostalgia for these simpler, slower machines and the farming traditions of past decades. But there is also a real concern about how farmers will cope with the challenges of Brexit and the uncertainties ahead.

This may not feature much in the election campaign, but it is the biggest concern for many voters at this gathering at the Norfolk showground. Many of the exhibitors represent businesses dependent on farming: truckers, feed manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and clothing. Many of those who have come for a day out are from farming communities.

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Agriculture accounts for just over 1% of GDP, but almost three quarters of land in the UK is used for farming, providing more than half of the food we eat.

There are 142,000 farm businesses across the country. Their stewardship of the countryside is also vital for the tourist industry.

British farmers currently receive around 3 billion in subsidies under the EU Common Agricultural Policy and the Chancellor has pledged to maintain current levels of funding until 2020.

But not one of the political parties has said what it would do after that date. Many farmers, and firms dependent on them, are already having to take decisions which will affect their businesses well beyond the end of the decade.

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"Without the EU payments, lots of farmers will go bust" is the verdict of one who runs a West Norfolk family farm. He does not like the word "subsidy" but says that without the CAP funds he currently receives, his business would not be profitable.

Many local growers rely heavily on seasonal labour, mainly from Eastern Europe. They have no idea what will happen when free movement of people from the EU comes to an end. They worry too about the future trading relationship with Europe, our biggest export market.

Despite this, it is hard to find anyone here who wants to stay in the European Union. Norfolk, apart from the cathedral city of Norwich, voted for Brexit - as did most rural parts of Britain.

Those I spoke to have a long list of complaints about the rules and regulations emanating from Brussels. There are many echoes of the slogans from the Leave campaign, as people talk of "taking back control of our country".

There is a readiness to adapt to new circumstances and a surprising confidence that the government will step in to support farmers.

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"This country cannot afford to live without its own grain and livestock" a tall young farmer in a designer sweatshirt told me. "The government won't have to give all that money to Brussels, so it can spend it at home".

The former Environment Secretary and leading Brexit campaigner Owen Paterson has said Brexit is an opportunity to tailor new policies which will work for UK farmers, consumers, environmentalists and the wider rural economy.

So far there are few clues of what will emerge. Environmental campaigners are already concerned about what will Brexit will mean for targets on pollution, environmental standards and protection for wildlife.
In 1761, a businessman opened shop in a modest address in London. Nobody noticed; after all, modest businesses open all the time. There's no blue plaque on the site and most of us have never heard of him.

But we should. Because when Joseph Johnson - a publisher originally from Liverpool - opened his press for the first time, he was precipitating a publishing revolution whose echoes would sound down through the ages.

The late Enlightenment was a time that saw an unprecedented rise in literary output, most of it from what would now be considered small presses and home publishing. With the big-money and specialized industries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries still to emerge, a publisher might also be printer, book-seller, distributor, advertiser, agent and many other things beside (Johnson also sold patent medicine as a sideline). His concern for authors is almost unheard of today. As scholar Leslie Chard explains, Johnson not only fed and often housed his authors, but "served as banker, postal clerk and packager, literary agent and editor, social chairman, and psychiatrist."

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It was this nurturing that saw some of the most important publications of the Enlightenment see their day. Johnson would go on to publish Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Thomas Malthus, as well as feminist economist Priscilla Wakefield and religious dissenters such as Joseph Priestley; he would have also published Thomas Paine's manuscript of Rights of Man were it not for government intervention.

So a single publisher ended up helping to bring about feminism, secularism, Malthusian economics, and one of the most important political earthquakes in history. And yet he did it all from a modest series of addresses, on a modest income, with often modest returns. He did it, in a manner of speaking, because he took the time to care about his authors.

I mention Johnson because I've just heard that an indie publisher from Liverpool, Dead Ink, is currently appealing for crowdfunding help. Because this represents a kind of hybrid between the digital and analogue worlds, I'd like to take a moment this time to discuss the implications of this.

Dead Ink is part of a vibrant underground literary scene currently bubbling up in the North and Scotland, a scene which includes small presses like Tilted Axis, Peepal Tree, Blue Moose, Saraband and 404 Ink as well as short story outlets like Comma. Like many of those houses, Dead Ink describes itself as a platform "to develop the careers of emerging authors" and has commenced valuable projects such as the compendium of working class voices "Know Your Place", anti-elitist "Landscape Punk", as well as publishing award winning authors like Naomi Booth.

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Here's the thing though. There's a difference between the publishers above and something like Bloomsbury or Random House. The outfits above don't make money.

I don't mean that that they fail to make money. They never expect to. These kind of publishers operate for the most part on non-market models. The fact is that niche publishing in the age of the web can only usually expect to sell a few hundred copies of a title. Books that actually recoup costs and make serious money are thin on the ground. Instead we have a whole universe of fascinating indie, experimental literature that can only exist because people care - take Eimear McBride's A Girl is a Half Formed Thing, a leftfield work that went on to win major prizes but only happened in the first place because a small indie publisher recognized her talent. Someone, in other words, had just enough resources to take a risk.

A generation ago, arts councils with healthy budgets could afford to patronize presses like Dead Ink. But seven years into a government that sees creativity as a loss to GDP, indie outlets are struggling for grants. The same will be even worse in the US under Trump.

And hence the crowdfunding. I've written in these pages about some of the problems of Kickstarter and its relation to creativity; certainly there are concerns about drawing on fans for donations (a couple of years ago prize-winning author Julian Gough offered to sell his own blood to fund a book.)

But I also recognize that this is the new reality. Back in Johnson's day, there was no indie market and your books swam or sunk according to the whims of the general public. Today many authors will simply not get a voice if some kind of funding outside of the market is found.

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"We're hoping to give a platform to authors that we feel aren't represented in the mainstream," Nathan Connolly, publishing director of Dead Ink, told me. These include stories about anarchist squatters, green politics; they want to publish female accounts of toxic masculinity and the dangers of city bankers indulging in woolly lifestyle tourism. Urgent subjects for urgent times.

As a writer myself, I think it's sad that crowdfunding rather than state patronage or book sales are the new normal for supporting leftfield literature. But I also think it's better to do it this way than not do it at all. We live at a time when incisive social commentary is more important than ever and yet harder and harder to monetize - hence the major newspapers we see now appealing for donations.

"I wanted to work in publishing, but I couldn't afford to do an unpaid internship in London. So I started Dead Ink," Connolly told me. His aim - like many loosely grouping themselves into what they're calling the "Northern Fiction Alliance" - is to shake up a London-centric publishing industry, to beat a path from places like Liverpool to the heart of the nation's cultural consciousness.
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No party but the Conservatives stand a chance at winning a majority of seats on June 8th.

I'm not stating this because I'm a Conservative or even because I think Theresa May is a strong leader (I'm actually a card-carrying Labour supporter) - I'm saying this because it's the unavoidable truth.

Labour are in big trouble, their leader is popular with the party membership but not the wider electorate, they are woefully behind in the polls for an opposition party, and they have lost Scotland with no hope of getting it back. Not only this, but they are facing the near-impossible task of appealing to two very different groups of voters - on the one hand, to have any hopes of gaining seats they must convince the largely liberal, pro-Europe youth vote to turn out at the polls, but on the other they must attempt to win back the largely pro-Brexit, working-class North that was once their main basis of guaranteed support. None of this even accounts for Middle England who, whether Corbyn supporters want to admit it or not, also must be won over if there's any hope of Labour gaining seats back from the Tories.

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It goes without saying that under the current political climate, the path to a majority government for Labour is paved with insurmountable obstacles. This isn't being anti-Corbyn, it's just being realistic. And now, faced with very poor odds, all those who align themselves as left-of-centre (or even just those who want to prevent a hard Brexit) must get their heads out of the sand and admit to themselves that the only way to prevent a Conservative government with an increased majority is through an electoral pact between all left-of-centre parties.

A few days ago, both the Green Party and the SNP made the responsible decision to announce that they would agree to an electoral pact with Labour and the Liberal Democrats as long as it stopped another Tory government. Suffice it to say, the SNP did not need to make this offer, they will almost certainly win the majority of Scotland's seats on June 8th, and another Conservative government pushing a hard Brexit would only solidify the case for another independence referendum. However, Nicola Sturgeon - unlike what Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron are currently doing - rose above her own political ambitions to do what is best for the UK as a whole: stop the Tories.

In ruling out a progressive alliance between the Greens, SNP, Lib Dems and Labour, both Corbyn and Farron have doomed the UK to another Conservative government. The only plausible way to stop the Conservatives on June 8th - and potentially overthrow the archaic two-party system in the process - is for parties of the left-of-centre to accept that the only viable way they can help the people they hope to serve is to agree to an electoral pact.

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Since Theresa May announced a snap election, I've seen countless members of the public claim on the news that they feel they have no option but to vote Conservative, and it's probably because those without their own strong party biases have observed the obvious - that Labour under Corbyn will never win a majority, that the Lib Dems are still damaged from going into coalition with the Tories, that voting Green under first past the post usually amounts to a wasted vote, and that the SNP can't help block damaging Tory policies if no other progressive parties win in England and Wales.

However, if these four progressive parties agreed to an electoral pact, made this known to voters and then urged them to vote tactically, then those who want to stop the Conservatives will know they have an option. Despite what the leaders, or even the supporters of each party might claim, all four of these parties have strong uniting factors that are crucial in battling a divisive and harmful right-wing government. All four parties, for example, are pro-Europe, all are anti-trident, all want to actually make substantial efforts to protect our environment, all want to help asylum seekers from Syria and are pro-human rights, and all parties want to halt the Tory cuts that are destroying our public services.

Despite all their differences - and there may be many - at least all of these parties support the basic principles of tolerance, equality and diversity. The same cannot be said for the Conservatives.

Unless Tim Farron and Jeremy Corbyn accept that the only way to stop the Conservatives is an electoral pact, the UK are facing a more divisive, elitist and right-wing government than anything we have faced since Thatcher. Our public sector is crumbling and its workers are under unsustainable stress. The NHS is being dismantled bit-by-bit and the mentally ill are waiting months for potentially live-saving treatment. More and more families are struggling to make ends meet whilst the rich are only getting richer. Young people are having more opportunities snatched from them each day, from maintenance loan cuts to the re-introduction of selective schools. People in war-torn countries are dying because the Conservatives don't have the heart to let them into our country for refuge.

Under our current political climate, voting with your heart and your head are synonymous with one another. If you care at all about the young, the vulnerable or even just not being driven off a hard-Brexit cliff, then voting tactically to stop the Tories is the only viable option. It shouldn't be, but that's the way it is.

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Labour plans for four new saints' day bank holidays break new ground. It's an England-only policy (because the devolved administrations decide their own bank holidays). It's not just an English holiday for St George's Day; everyone in England would get to celebrate all the other British saints' days too. This would probably make England the first nation to have more national holidays for other nations than for its own.

The underlying assumption may be that identities stemming from the other UK nations are so strong that a purely English holiday would be too divisive. But how true is that? New research from the Centre for English Identity and Politics, and Prof Richard Webber of Newcastle University sheds some intriguing light on what happens to the Welsh, Scottish and Irish when they move to England. By matching nearly 6,000 responses to a YouGov poll to a data base of 25,000 surnames, it's possible to see how the 'national identity' of English residents varies according to their nation of origin. The results will surprise a lot of people.

The survey confirms that increasing tendency to be more English than British. 34% of all respondents are 'predominantly English' and only 19% predominantly British. (38% say they are equally English and British). Celebrating England's national day would be in line with the national mood.

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Not surprisingly, the most strongly English are those with English surnames whose family names originated in the same part of England where they now live. (If you're called Webber, for example, your family almost certainly lived in Devon or a neighbouring county at the time of the 1881 census). 38% of these less mobile families say they are predominantly English. Others with English surnames are also strongly English (36% predominantly English).

It's the Celts who are threw up the most surprisingly responses. Those with Welsh, Scottish and Irish heritage are somewhat less likely to say they are English, but not as much as you might think. And, like the English in England, they are much more likely to say they are English than British. Those with Scottish heritage surnames are 34% predominantly English and only 20% predominantly British. The Welsh are 31% English and 22% British, and the Irish are more English (30%) than British (18%). (To be fair, one in seven of those with Irish surnames don't identify with British or English, much more than the rest of England's population.)

We need to be cautious about drawing too many firm conclusions. It's a reasonable assumption, though, that over time the influence of those around you has a stronger impact on your family's sense of identity than your own origins and history. The limited data on much newer migrants goes in the same direction. British dominates amongst BAME groups but, even here, over 60% share some level of English identity.

By bending over backwards to reflect the identity of all the different UK 'tribes' living in England, Labour may have underestimated the extent to which English is now the most widely shared identity.

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Given that only 12% of our sample of British surnames were Scottish, 8% Welsh and 5% Irish, and given how English they feel, it is worth asking whether these minority identities justify an English bank holiday.

Still, it would be wrong to be curmudgeonly. Most people have multiple identities. It's highly likely that Celtic migrants combine their heritage with their English or British identity. What most English people want is not that everyone should just be English, but that Englishness should be accorded the same respect as other identities.

Labour has often seemed uncomfortable acknowledging English identity. Gordon Brown strongly resisted ministers like me who wanted to argue for a St George's Day holiday. Ed Miliband dipped in, and out, of Englishness. This may be changing. On St George's Day Mayor Sadiq Khan declared he was 'proud to be a Londoner, proud to be English', a symbolic statement in what some assume is only a cosmopolitan British city. Putting England up there with the other UK nations is a real step forward.
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British Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to call a snap general election bears all the hallmarks of a government in the throes of a ongoing political crisis in the wake of last year's referendum result to rip the UK out of the EU.

The Prime Minister's reasoning for calling an early general election, which is set to be held on the 8th of June, is to give her the mandate required to take Britain into the protracted period of negotiations with Brussels on the terms of the UK's exit from the European Union. Theresa May, it should be pointed out, was selected by Conservative Party as its leader, and as such Prime Minister, in the wake of the EU referendum and is yet to receive a democratic mandate from the British electorate.

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This being said, it is impossible to negate the whiff of opportunism when it comes May's decision to go for an early election. In so doing she clearly believes it will serve to derail any last vestige of post-referendum opposition to Brexit, thus paving the way for the imposition of a 'hard Brexit' - i.e. one that comes without any trade deal or arrangement being negotiated with Brussels. The potential impact on the British economy in such a scenario is grim indeed, which is why Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has been demanding a second referendum on Scottish independence. As such the SNP's vote in the upcoming UK general election will act as a barometer of support for indyref2, support for which recent opinion polls suggest is currently lacking.

Rather than clarify Britain's constitutional position vis-a-vis Europe, Brexit only succeeded in kicking over a constitutional hornet's nest when it comes to Scotland's status within the UK. In this regard, what opponents of Scottish independence fail to grasp is the extent to which the first referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 awakened a national consciousness that is not going back to sleep anytime soon. It means that politics in Scotland is now viewed through a national prism, much to the detriment of a Labour Party that for decades was the dominant political party in the country, but which in the wake of the first Scottish independence referendum has been reduced to one solitary Scottish MP in the UK's Westminster Parliament. It is Labour's comeuppance for the years it spent being more Catholic than the Pope in implementing Tory economic and social policies north of the border, culminating in the disastrous if not surprising decision to campaign with Thatcher's party against Scottish independence in 2014.

Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader of the Labour Party in September 2015, his supporters in Scotland believed, would result in the vertiginuous collapse in Labour's fortunes in Scotland arrested. However, 18 months on, there is no evidence of it being reversed anytime soon. Indeed, rather than learn salient lessons from Labour's collaboration with the Tories in opposing independence first time round, Corbyn has now followed the Tories through the House of Commons voting lobby twice in succession, first over the triggering of Article 50 and secondly and most recently in support of Theresa May's call for an early general election.

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This upcoming general election is in essence a second referendum on Brexit, which is where Theresa May is pursuing a clever strategy in calling it. With the Labour Party still mired in a fractious inner-party squabble over Corbyn's leadership, and with the latest opinion polls revealing a lack of support for another referendum on Scottish independence, the Prime Minister believes there is no better time to isolate the opposition and forge ahead with the aforementioned so-called hard Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon's unionist detractors have extended themselves in alleging that her call for a second referendum on Scottish independence is needlessly divisive and disruptive at a time when the priority should be bringing the country back together in the wake of the EU referendum last June. However this argument is both tendentious and disingenuous, considering that 62% of people in Scotland voted to remain in the EU, and that many who voted against Scottish independence in 2014 (myself included) did so on the basis of the UK being part of the EU.

Moreover, in the wake of Brexit, Scotland's First Minister has gone out of her way to broker a compromise arrangement with Theresa May's government, one in which Scotland could retain membership of the European single market while a the same time remaining part of a UK that sits outside the EU. In this regard Sturgeon has been crystal clear: single market access is vital to the health of the Scottish economy in terms of employment, investment, and the role that migrants have played in filling a skills gap.

Unfortunately, the Scottish First Minister's attempts to arrive any such compromise deal with the Britain's Prime Minister have been unceremoniously rebuffed, sacrificed to the interests of the toxic anti-Europe wing of her own party, along with a feral EU-hating right wing media in London. It is a rebuttal that has posed the question of whether Scotland is a partner nation or whether merely a region of the United Kingdom? No leader of the Scottish National Party, much less one who also happens to be the First Minister of the devolved Scottish Parliament, could possibly countenance acceptance of the latter status contained within that question.

Locating this issue in a broader context, we are living through an age of constitutional crises, what with centrifugal forces within the EU gaining increasing political momentum over the past few years. This growing momentum is, however, a symptom of a deeper malaise within neoliberalism, which at time of writing is over in all but name. A variant of capitalism premised on the primacy of economics over politics and national sovereignty, neoliberalism has crashed against the rocks of the tremendous inequality it has sown, dividing the world between a tiny superrich elite and everybody else.

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In the immortal words WB Yeats:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Last week the BBC covered the landlord advertisements which offer accommodation in exchange for sex with young women. Although charities have described the adverts as exploitative, this is not considered an illegal act in the UK. While there have been several good pieces published over the past few days on this problem which rightfully attack the usurpation of women's bodies, the central issue of class largely remains peripheral to such critiques. Indeed, inasmuch as these are women's bodies being exploited, these are nonetheless poor women's bodies and feminist critiques must take account of class issues hand in hand with sex-based discrimination.

In a country where council housing has been all but demolished since the Thatcher years, housing is at Britain's most precarious state with homelessness augmenting visibly week by week throughout parts of London, like Hackney and Tower Hamlets. The legal loopholes through which rent is extracted from humans has taken on perverse proportions from Airbnb where hosts can command extortionately high rents thus driving up the local rent threshold as has been critiqued in cities like New York and Berlin which have recently taken action against such practices, to landlords who make homes out of unsafe office spaces and warehouses where roommates do not even know each other as the landlord plops in strange figures without the household's consent And more recently the sex-for-rent deals which have been featured over 100 times on Craigslist this past year have made a media splash.

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As Poppy Noor details the legal autonomy of the individual is held up under British law with the one exception of late-term abortion, she argues that sex-for-rent "can't work in this manner because their very legality rests on ambiguity. The adverts rely on covert language and sexual innuendo to remain legal, and so a number of them commit to ironing out the further detail in person." So attacking the legality of these forms of advertisement would depend upon controlling the language of ambiguity which is essentially impossible, legally speaking.

There lies the question of bodily autonomy, an issue that comes up over and over again in the debate between prostitution abolitionists and pro-sex work advocates. How can you negotiate your autonomy while the other holds control over the contract and your safety?

Although women are the primary victims targeted by these adverts, this form of exploitation is not new. I remember in December 1987 when looking over Village Voice adverts from Washington D.C., on my way to New York City and I found an apartment share whose rent was a bit cheaper than the rest. But when I called up the telephone number to arrange a viewing of the room, the man on the other end of the line said, "I should let you know that if after the first month we have not established a sexual relationship, I will have to ask you to move out." I was quite young and shocked. I just let out a "Ewww" and hung up.

But the reality today is that the most vulnerable individuals in search of housing in our society are women and homeless youths and it is not enough to claim that sexism is at the base of this problem alone. Indeed, there are men who are also exploited by these adverts and neither the left nor feminists should be surprised at this practice of rental exploitation. It's been around in various forms from marriage, to indentured servitude, to the increasing numbers of land owners in the United Kingdom.

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While living London, I noticed the incrementally precarious nature of renting. While what is called the "buy-to-let" sector has been under relentless criticism over the years in the UK, it has until very recently been the driving force behind untenable rents in London and around much of the country. Different from years past when landlords were expected to earn money only after years of renting, today's market maintains a quick pay-off mentality as the kinds of mortgages that buy-to-let landlords have prohibit them from renting to the most disenfranchised and have hiked rents up to the degree that most Londoners are living as Ross, Phoebe and Chandler well until retirement. Across the country, Brits are spending half their income on renting, so it should come as no surprise that women will be the most exploited of renters.

Meanwhile, in London Bloomsbury has been turned into international student housing as the UK education system has been angling for international students, primarily from China, in order to get them to fill the coffers of graduate programs and overpriced housing. Foreign students study at major British universities while others take certificates at acting and music schools in the area. But the UK is not alone in this as the US has long been offering video game design courses, encouraging Chinese immigration for study in higher education, and even setting down American campuses in China to begin this recruitment process.

The brute reality is that while the usual victims of the housing crisis will inevitably tend to be women, the one commonality across the board is that the perpetrator is inevitably greed. In the big scheme of things, when a woman is given the choice between homelessness or housing, how she "pays" for her survival is incidental to the wealth of the "lordship" to whom she is indentured. What sex-for-rent establishes is yet another way in which neoliberal capitalism and patriarchy work together to market housing options as "free choice" when today they are a postmodern form of slavery.

The larger question that we must ourselves as a society is why so many walk into our friend's second, third, or fourth home, gasping in awe and admiration. Why do we value that which hurts so many of our brothers and sisters?

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Taking the first question at PMQs last Wednesday Alberto Costa, the Conservative MP for South Leicestershire, entirely understandably and I'm sure entirely intentionally posed the Prime Minister a question designed to set the General Election campaign off with a set of themes that the Conservatives will run with consistently until June 8th.

Costa asked Mrs May "Strong countries need strong economies. Strong countries need strong defences. Strong countries need strong leaders. As the nation prepares to go to the polls, who else in this House, apart from my right hon. Friend, can provide the leadership that is needed at this time?"

Strong economies, strong defences and strong leaders: very intentionally three strands of one argument that the Tories will be making continually to prove a point that Jeremy Corbyn is not fit to govern; Theresa May is.

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Traditionally it's those three themes that pollsters tell us are central to the way we determine who we vote for.

It's those three themes that Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party know that they must be working on incessantly to reduce and eradicate large Tory leads in each area before the first week of June.

So Corbyn's Sunday appearance on the BBC's Marr show, particularly when asked about entirely reasonable hypothetical questions on defence, must have had Labour strategists weeping into their Chai Lattes.

Asked about letters of last resort the Labour leader declined to say that he would authorise use of nuclear weapons. Asked about renewal of Trident he shilly shallied, calling for defence reviews. Pressed on airstrikes and whether he would authorise drone attacks on ISIS figureheads he prevaricated offering no real answer.

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As every voter, every Britain, knows the first priority of any Prime Minister must be that of the defence of our nation.

I'm certain that the Conservatives, and for that matter Tory supporting media, have long been producing a folder of stories designed to bring Mr Corbyn's fitness to protect the country into question.

They will have the stories of Corbyn supporting unilateralism; of his historic closeness with members of the IRA; recordings of him calling terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah friends; photographs of him lining up to shake hands with Bashar al-Hassad.

Those sort of things all raise legitimate questions in the minds of ordinary people.

Perhaps the most telling quote from Jeremy Corbyn's interview on Marr was "I'm no supporter or defender of ISIS in any way."

When an aspiring Prime Minister even has to clarify such a point on national television, to say that he is not a sleeper for those wanting harm to us all, it's certainly not unreasonable to have concerns about his capacity to put Britain's security first.

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Five years is a long time in the life of a small business. In five years the whole world can have changed - staff gone, new team, new office, growth, sometimes decline, changing markets, and not to forget that 40% of small businesses don't make it to five years.... It is this more than anything else that sits at the heart of Small Business Saturday. If we can stop more businesses failing, that can mean huge benefits to communities and the economy as a whole.

How do we stop small businesses failing? Ah, it's an age-old question. Is there an inevitability to business failure? We just do not accept that to be the case. With support at start up, getting small businesses engaging with digital, help to grow and manage costs, help with marketing and eventually export, small businesses have so much opportunity to help themselves now that outstrips anything available in the past.

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Small Business Saturday was started in the US by American Express as a response to the financial crisis, with the ultimate goal of supporting small businesses through that. It has continued in the UK in the same spirit and over the last five years has achieved that and much much more.

Small Business Saturday is a moment in time to discover, connect and re-connect with small businesses in your community, and customers have done that in their droves. Every year on the first Saturday in December since 2013, customers and traders have got out to give a bit of extra love to their local small businesses - both in their towns and online. The cumulative impact on small business success has been profound. Small businesses that make the most of the day have reported crowds of extra customers, enthusiasm and support from their neighbours and customers, and in many cases increased revenues year on year, not just coming from a Christmas rush.

It is not just a day for shopping - in fact it is no longer just a day. Small Business Saturday is a movement to encourage engagement with and support of small businesses all year round. Whether it is the Inspire series events, regional activities, streamed content or online help and advice, the spirit of Small Business Saturday lives all year. And for customers, it is not enough just to go out on the one day - the small business community needs year round support. And that is what we have seen growing every year. Customers discover small businesses on the day and then go back time and time again. Small businesses meet customers, suppliers and ultimately friends through the campaign, which is as much as anything an excuse for a community to come together and support each other.

If Small Business Saturday means anything, it means community. The small business community that can help, support and guide each other to avoid the year 5 cliff fall; the local community of customers who pop in, or click on, and develop a relationship with the business over time; the infrastructure of a community that comes out to support and help small businesses - with over 80% of local councils now supporting the campaign, there is something for you wherever you are in the UK.

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The strength of the campaign is the strength of small businesses - supporting, serving, employing, caring - small businesses sit at the heart of communities. Go to any town fair or village fete and small businesses are at the centre of them. Go to any school or hospital and local businesses are leading the fundraising and events. Look for those hiring apprentices, supporting those with mental health problems, hiring and training the homeless, reducing food wastage and cutting carbon emissions - small businesses are right there in the beating heart of it.

Over the last five years of Small Business Saturday, we have felt this heart beating stronger and stronger, and for our fifth year we will be celebrating this spirit of community up and down the country with birthday parties, bus tours, events and celebrations. Be a part of this incredible movement and get involved right now www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com
Vaccinating children in sandstorms

Measles is a highly contagious, horrific disease. If left untreated it can lead to death. There's no specific treatment. All us medics can do is isolate the sufferer, give them vitamin A, and hope for the best.

In high-income countries like the UK most people infected with the disease recover in a couple of weeks. Very few die. But in developing countries it kills up to one in five. As we mark World Immunisation Week (April 24-30), we must ensure children everywhere have access to vaccinations that families in the UK take for granted.

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A safe and cost-effective vaccine to protect children from measles does exist. But families in remote areas, in countries with weak health systems, struggle to access it and other essential vaccinations that can protect them from preventable diseases.

An emergency unfolds

Mayom County, in rural northern South Sudan, is one such place. A remote population in a country crippled by civil war, no children have received routine vaccinations here for over two years. In early 2016 a few suspected cases of measles appeared, dotted around the main town. In less than two months, the county was in the grip of a full-blown outbreak.

Nearly three quarters of the cases were children. Tens of thousands of children were at risk.

Previously in situations like this, we would have to spend time pulling together teams of specialists and supplies - a delay that costs lives. But now Save the Children has revolutionised the way we get medical care to children in emergencies.

Our Emergency Health Unit is made up of fully-formed teams of medics and specialists on standby all over the world, ready to deploy within hours - complete with equipment, supplies, and logistics specialists like myself, with the skills to get everything where it's needed quickly.

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The problem

While 86% of children around the world now receive the most basic vaccinations, protecting them from such diseases as pneumonia, measles and hepatitis B, many are still left behind.

19.4 million children under the age of one are still missing out. That's 1 in 7 children around the world missing out on life-saving immunisations. We've been fighting to achieve universal immunisation coverage for children, working around the world to try and give all children a healthy start in life.

Children from the poorest households, certain ethnic groups, living in neglected areas, and affected by conflict and emergencies are more likely to be excluded from access to immunisations. Two-thirds of children living in a country affected by conflict are not immunised.

A medal of honour

As soon as we heard about the measles outbreak in South Sudan, my team was mobilised. Within two weeks of the outbreak being announced, we were on the ground vaccinating children in 18 clinics and 24 mobile outreach centres.

The infrastructure in Mayom is poor - it's difficult to reach this part of South Sudan, and many NGOs are reluctant to attempt healthcare here. We used any means possible to reach the most remote communities, including motorbikes and canoes. We travelled across rough, rugged terrain and collapsed bridges, and vaccinated children in the middle of sandstorms.

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We hurried, carrying life-saving vaccines in Mayom's 40-degree heat in precious cool-boxes. All while wearing what one of my colleagues described as the 'Mayom suit': covered head-to-toe in dust.

In one rural cattle ranch our team leader, Koki, was spat on by an elderly man on our arrival. "Hey, what's this?" Koki said, wiping the slime from his forehead. It turned out this was a sign of appreciation from the old man, who in his lifetime had never seen any NGO reach his remote community. ''Being spat on by an old man signifies immense blessings bestowed upon Save the Children!'' a local health official told us.

And this salivary medal of honour felt truly earned. In this most inhospitable of environments, we did whatever it took to protect the vulnerable children in this isolated part of the world. In just three weeks, 44,447 children were permanently saved from a potentially deadly fate. A catastrophe was averted.

British aid saves lives

Immunisation saves lives. Fact. It's one of the most cost-effective ways we have of preventing illness, with an economic return of around 44 for every 1 invested. Over the past 25 years, British aid has transformed the lives of children in the world's poorest countries. Throughout that time, we've shown the world our nation's commitment, compassion and generosity. This year, six million fewer children will die needlessly than in 1990.

Immunisation is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Britain's investment in immunising children globally through UK aid in the past five years has meant that 67.1 million children - more than the entire population of Britain - have been protected against preventable diseases. The impact of this work is undeniable: UK aid saves lives. It helps the world's poorest stand on their own two feet.

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3 months old Mogua in his mother's arms after being screened and getting his second polio booster vaccine at the Emergency Health Unit's mobile clinic in Bidi Bidi camp, Uganda
muratsenel via Getty Images

For many of us, our morning coffee is often accompanied by a seemingly endless stream of headlines about how our pending robot overlords will be the downfall of our economy. In aggregate they make the case that 'people having jobs' is soon to be part of history, rather than our daily lives. Issues related to AI and bots are also swirling through the zeitgeist in films such as Her, TV programmes like Black Mirror and Westworld, and books like The Circle.

To justify our fears, we often turn to real-world evidence such as factories with only a handful of workers or Netflix automating away Blockbuster. This only helps ratchet up the anxiety, and now 'robots stealing our jobs' is a fear felt across workers in many industries. Insurance underwriters, lawyers, delivery drivers, doctors, bankers, and factory workers all over the world are all wondering about what they will do when machines do more and more of nearly everything. If machines can do more, how are we to make a living?

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Part of the debate is already over. We cannot get away from the fact that machines are getting more productive every day. Over the next few years, AI will continue to change our lives and our work. It is just a fact that new machines will replace some occupations and make some current skills irrelevant.

That is the dark side of the story. However, when you look at how businesses are currently using AI as the next generation of productivity improvement tools, the story becomes demystified and much less scary. The reality is that for those who learn to build and wield our new AI tools and business models properly, the Fourth Industrial Revolution can usher in an era of business growth, better employee engagement and job satisfaction, and lower costs.

Technology has changed the way we work throughout history and AI will certainly automate away some jobs. But, the more common scenario is that AI will take over the more boring, routine, lower value tasks that many of us face, often grudgingly, in our daily work - so, think of machines as our new helpful colleagues.

After looking at real world examples of AI impacting business, helping improve productivity - often without displacing massive amounts of workers - we are not facing a jobless robot dystopia where bots replace teachers, doctors, police officers, consultants, and composers. Instead, new technologies will take over many of the more mundane tasks most of us would happily offload. This is the critical point about the future of human-machine collaboration explored in our new book, What to Do When Machines Do Everything.

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In fact, this is already happening, but you probably have not noticed it. We all use AI GPS systems to get around, and many of us gladly welcome the shopping support that Amazon's algorithms provide us. Tablets, smartphones, sensors, and the cloud already make our jobs - and personal lives - easier, but we are just getting started. With AI enhancement comes more efficiency, more productivity, and ultimately, more opportunity for people to do higher-value work with higher-value skills. This is the route to protecting jobs and creating new ones, not destroying them.

So, what are we to do to win in this new era? Employers need to identify the types of work, roles, processes, systems, and experiences that should be automated now, while also deciding what sort of work should stay firmly with people and enhanced through new technologies.

For a banker, this means better fiscal health for customers based on being able to interpret customer data and knowing instantly what is needed. For a doctor, it means better patient care based on accessing patient's health data from a wearable device (with permission) before someone even enters the waiting room. For a farmer, it means higher crop yields because every part of the field is sensor enabled.
Migration is likely to be a first-order issue in this election campaign. It is also going to be the most contentious. Speculation on the Tories' likely strategy is running rife. So what are the options available?

The first option, which has been implicit in the Prime Minister's comments so far, is to stick to business as usual. Under this scenario, the manifesto would simply re-state the Conservative's commitment to bringing down net migration to below 100,000 (after all, this strategy served them well in the last two elections). While not setting out any clear plans for future arrangements on free movement, greater controls of some form will be pledged so the commitment would carry greater credibility than in 2015. Should a compromise on international students be reached in advance of the campaign (as has been reported in The Times), this would make the target more tenable. Despite recent falls in overall numbers, students remain the largest migrant category. This is the safest option and plays into the Tory focus on strong and stable leadership.

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The second option is to pivot the strategy on getting the best deal out of the Brexit negotiations - offering concessions on EU citizens in the UK aimed at appeasing EU counterparts (by for example offering deemed leave, as argued by IPPR) and leaving options open for the arrangements for future EU migration. While restating its commitment for greater control over EU migration, the Government would avoid any level of detail on its exact plan on the basis that this would risk limiting its options once it sits down round the negotiating table following the election. This option leaves unanswered the question of what to do about non-EU migration. But the reality is that any reforms for non-EU will be conditional on what is delivered on EU migration anyway. Given that so much hinges on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, this would be the most honest option.

There is a third option. The strategy here would be to send out a clear message that the UK will play hard ball round the negotiating table, while staying open for business with the rest of the world. To counteract a commitment to end EU free movement (as suggested by the Prime Minister and reported in the Daily Mail), the manifesto would seek to instrumentalise migration as a tool in its pursuit of the national interest in the post-Brexit reality. This could include measures that are actively designed to let in (even attract?) migrants which are lucrative (investors and international students) and to actively use the promise of visas and work permits to help Britain pursue its economic interests beyond the EU (for example, in its pursuit of favourable trade deals with powerhouses like India and China). Surveys suggest that handled carefully this strategy could play well with voters (particularly voters from some BME commuities) and Universities. But given high levels of dependence on EU workers, employers are likely to think otherwise.

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The lack of time means that what we see in a couple of weeks is more likely to be a statement of purpose with little by way of detailed policy. This is probably intentional, a carefully designed obfuscation strategy aimed at achieving the impossible: reassure the public that Britain will have more control over its borders, avoid hurried campaign promises which could spook EU counterparts, raise the prospects of labour shortages and lead to a punishing trade deal, while still sending out the message that we're open for business loud and clear.
Brexit dominated the political agenda long before Theresa May called the snap general election. But news that the UK will head to the polls on June 8 - less than a year after the EU referendum - threatens to blow any other election issue but Brexit out of the water.

There are well-documented concerns over how Brexit will lead to employment gaps as EU nationals leave the country. National debate about potential job gaps includes, for example, the Chartered Institute for Personal Development's research suggesting a loss of EU nationals working in the UK is contributing to staff shortages. Some industries are already beginning to make plans to secure their workforce - such as Pret offering work experience to young people to head off future recruitment challenges.

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But there is little specific focus on how the essential EU workforce supply impacts on social care. There are, however, some 90,000 EU nationals working in social care across England, around 7% of the country's social care workforce.

This might sound like a small proportion, but it is shortsighted to dismiss it as such, not least because the number of EU workers is higher in some geographical areas, and also varies by services across the country. Prior to the EU referendum the numbers of jobs held by people with a non-UK EU nationality had been increasing, but now that trend has stopped. Yet the contribution of EU nationals in social care is vital given the sector's perennial problems with recruitment and retention.

But there are few headlines about how the loss of non-UK EU nationals would make it harder for social care providers to deliver sustainable services, or about how future immigration policy is likely to discourage overseas workers to the UK to replace those leaving post-Brexit. This comes at a time that social care providers are already operating in an extremely difficult financial climate with a growing need for services but dwindling resources.

The care crisis has, in addition, been largely ignored in the country's fiscal strategy. While the spring budget offered 2bn over three years for social care, it still fails to offer a sustainable future for the sector.

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A recent National Audit Office report suggests that Brexit is already a burden on civil servants; the risk is that policy makers are so focused on the logistics of leaving the EU, there is no time for attention to specific detail on social care.

With a Brexit-driven election looming, how can we ensure that domestic social care policy does not become Brexit's poor relation?

VODG has already done much to highlight this overlooked area and we support the views of organisations such as the King's Fund, which also argues that Brexit's impact on health and social care should not be forgotten.

With this in mind, we have embarked on work with our members to assess the risks, issues and opportunities facing the sector as Britain leaves the EU. The primary responsibility of VODG members is the delivery of high quality, safe and sustainable care and support to disabled people, and all parts of the independent and voluntary sector must respond to the challenges together.

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The first challenge is an obvious one of workforce, and this involves not just numbers, but tackling the declining staff morale as non-UK EU nationals return to their home countries. VODG has already set out arguments on retention and future supply in previous reports. And of course social care leaders have long been sensitive of the need to develop stronger recruitment and retention strategies.

The impacts of Brexit come at a time that we already need to increase workforce supply. With the expected 21% increase of people aged 65 and over to 2025, the adult social care workforce will need to rise by 18% to 1.83m jobs, according to Skills for Care. While think tank IPPR, suggest the government will need to boost standards in quality, training and working conditions to attract more British workers to replace their EU counterparts. Action to respond to the workforce challenge could include staff surveys to assess morale, or revisiting HR strategies to place more stress on personal development.

Another significant issue is funding, commissioning and investment. For example, will Brexit lead to a downturn that adversely affects social care funding? And while UK charities received over 200 million from EU funding in 2014, Brexit means they will no longer have access to this money. This is a significant challenge ahead and there is an urgent need to lobby government to replace lost EU funding.

There are also wider repercussions for equality issues that will affect social care organisations. Countries joining the EU are signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights, but Brexit could means human rights and community cohesion, leading to a harsher climate of opinion in relation to disabled people. It is vital that providers raise awareness and promote a positive message here, highlighting the contribution to society of people supported.

Meanwhile, whether we leave the EU with a "hard" or "soft" Brexit - how close a relationship the UK retains with the EU and its access to the single market - will affect the sector. A hard Brexit would restrict the free movement of people and result in a growing shortage of workers, for example.

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It is imperative that the social care sector responds to such challenges. One way forward is through our backing of the Cavendish Coalition campaign, the group of health and social care organisations aiming to influence and lobby on Brexit issues. Its work includes a focus on making sure the UK still attracts people with the right skills from Europe and around the world to work in health and social care.
The first to die was pretty little Isse Salat, eight. She was followed by her siblings Noor, 12, Sangabo, nine and Alio, just five. Their parents endured the unimaginable ordeal of seeing all four children dehydrated and destroyed by cholera in the space of four days.

"The only medicine I had for them was anti-worm tablets," whispered their father, Mohamed, his face gaunt with grief. "There was nothing I could do at any stage. It was their destiny but it was terrible for us."

Mohamed and his wife, who were 30km from a clinic but had no way of getting there, resolved to save their four surviving children, aged nine to 18, from a similar fate. They walked 80km in seven days to Baidoa, Somalia's second city, where they now occupy a tent within yards of a clinic run by Save the Children.

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Thousands of people driven from their homes by the worst drought in living memory are arriving in Baidoa every day. Old men, pregnant teenagers and couples who have carried small children 100km or more are descending on bleak stretches of stony wasteland on the outskirts of the city.

More than 150,000 in all have abandoned villages that have run out of food and made the perilous journey to the city, only to find that there is not enough water for them there. The only shelter they have been offered from the near-40C heat is a few sheets of plastic held up by sticks.

Many of these patient, dignified people have buried loved ones who succumbed to cholera or starvation at home. Some have watched malnourished toddlers perish en route, and had to dig their graves by the roadside.

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Somali families fleeing drought and malnutrition in rural areas converge on this IDP camp and clinic in Mogadishu, Somalia

(Photo credit: Sean Ryan/Save the Children)

Across Somalia, the country worst affected by the Horn of Africa's escalating food crisis, more than half a million people are on the move in epic scenes that show not only the desperate urgency of fundraising appeals but also, sadly, the limits of the aid agencies' reach.

Hassan Noor Saadi, Save the Children's director in Somalia, estimates that 200,000 lives will be saved by the generosity of donors ranging from the UK's Department for International Development, which pledged 110million for the country, to schoolchildren who raised a few pounds for last month's 50million Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for East Africa.

However, more than 60,000 starving people may yet die, Saadi believes, mainly in villages to which western charities and the United Nations have little or no access. This is because the rural areas are largely controlled by the Islamic militant group, Al-Shabaab.

As the cholera spreads, claiming far more lives than official figures suggest, and spiralling deaths from starvation prompt warnings of a full-scale famine within two months, President Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed has warned Al-Shabaab to lay down its weapons in 60 days or face 'war'.

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The newly elected president, who wrote a thesis on 'US strategic interest in Somalia' for his master's in political science at the University of Buffalo, is reflecting the muscular military stance of Donald Trump, but the timing of his statement has caused concern among aid agencies.

Saadi, of Save the Children, said: "We are on the brink of a massive catastrophe in Somalia, with the death of three-quarters of the livestock, a rapid increase of children suffering extreme malnutrition and the depletion of water stories in dozens of communities."

The 'catastrophe' is summed up by the poignant story of Adnan Muktar, a softly spoken, 36-year-old farmer. When drought killed his three cattle he decided the best chance for his family lay in a 90km journey to Baidoa by donkey and cart. But the donkey died and the family's water soon ran out. Adnan watched the life drain from his two-year-old; then, five days later, from a second child, aged three.

"I buried them by the side of the road," he said, flinching at the memory.

His wife Fiday, 24, who was eight months pregnant, somehow walked to the camp just in time to give birth last week. The couple are left with three other children as well as the new baby. "It is God's will," Adam said.

One of the deadly consequences of the exodus from the countryside has been a steady stream of new cholera cases in Baidoa. Of 1,800 people carried into Save the Children's cholera treatment centre since it was set up in February, 19 have died. Almost all came from outside the city and arrived too late to be saved. Two children - one of them under five - were dead before they could even be examined.

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Last week, the lucky ones were lying on canvas 'cholera beds', groaning wide-eyed at parents who fanned them with cardboard as drips delivered the fluids and antibiotics they needed. Mobile health teams have saved another 750.

The doctors stress that cholera can kill within hours of the first signs of vomiting and diarrhoea. It is especially lethal in children who are malnourished - and the numbers identified with 'severe acute malnutrition' are rocketing at Bay Regional Hospital in Baidoa.

Among them is five-year-old Hakima Lam, who weighed only 8.3kg when she arrived. Her mother, Fardosa, who already has three children at the age of 18, has seen her gain 3kg but she still looks emaciated and her eyesight may have been permanently damaged by measles.

Cholera also appears to be taking hold in Mogor and Manyo camp, one of 155 for displaced people dotted around the city. Here, 7,000 souls have arrived in a month. The UN is delivering water, but only enough for half of them. They are crammed into stifling little makeshift tents with nothing to eat. There are no latrines. The first suspected cases of the disease are already being reported.

Even the rains due this month will provide little immediate relief. Crops will take months to grow, cows will take up to a year to produce milk and human waste contaminating water supplies will give the cholera precisely the conditions it needs to thrive.

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Families fleeing drought and malnutrition have set up improvised IDP camps in Baidoa, Somalia

(Photo credit: Sean Ryan/Save the Children)

More than two million are thought to be beyond western help in Al-Shabaab territory. Nobody is counting the bodies in these rural areas, but the number of cholera victims is thought to be several times higher than the official toll of around 500, and the signs are that the deaths linked to malnutrition are rising fast.

Thirty people gathered around an aid official at Mogor and Manyo camp, including a heavily pregnant woman who had not eaten for three days. When they were asked who had lost a member of their family, every hand shot up.

To make a donation to Save the Children's East Africa appeal please click here.

*All children's names have been changed to protect their identity.

A girl receives treatment for malnutrition at Bay Regional Hospital, Baidoa, Somalia
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing quickly. Research into AI in the field of music is broadly regarded as being in its infancy but the foundations were of course laid years ago.

Patrik Tamm / www.patriktamm.com

In 1954 Elvis Presley recorded a song with Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis and started a revolution in popular music. The same year, at Princeton University, Nils Aall Barnicelli was developing genetic computing methods. Alan Turing had already published his work 'Computer Machinery and Intelligence' in 1950. And by 1956, Lejaren Hiller had developed 'The Illiac Suite for String Quartet', now recognised as being the first piece of music to be composed by a computer.

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I'm in Estonia, attending Tallinn Music Week 2017. At a panel discussion, entitled 'Introducing New Music - Human Curation in the AI Age', Berk Vaher, a music critic and DJ, asks the panel: "Do you feel threatened by AI?" It's a big opening question. And It is perhaps a question we should all be asking.

A guest panellist answers with a confident "No. AI is just a point of differentiation." suggesting that AI is simply a kind of tool that we can employ to navigate masses of new musical content we encounter. But I can't help feel that this statement, coming from someone who makes a living curating playlists, may be wishful thinking!

Another panellist comments that AI could never make human-like choices because "AI has no soul", and, "AI can't throw curve balls".

With these two comments, it feels as if Veher's question is answered. Do you feel threatened by AI? Not yet - because we just don't fully understand it!

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And in fairness to the guest speakers, nobody really knows what the reality of AI in the music world is going to be, how to cope with it etc. But judging by the large attendance at this particular panel event, it is becoming a matter of real and pertinent interest in the music industry.

AI is beginning to open up a range of new possibilities for music creation and curation. Genetic algorithms use the principles of evolution in order to create adaptive software that mimics biological processes, such as natural selection. The algorithms will test their own output and mutate in order to become increasingly robust and effective.

It is reasonable to assume that, when these processes are applied to the type of tests that music creators and curators are using to measure the effectiveness of their own creative choices, they could perform at least as well as human beings, and may even surpass them eventually.

Recommendations based on previous content choices, powered by machine learning, are already commonplace. In time, the recommendations may no longer be solely based on search history and taste, but could be determined by other metrics such as the emotion or mood of the listener at a particular moment in time and being aware of their context.

Throughout the discussion, indefinable qualities like "soul", "genius", and "quirkiness" are referred to as characteristics that will continue to separate us from AI. The problem with these arguments is that those definitions are unlikely to survive the rigours of scientific research and discovery.

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For example, a key question when considering music and art that has been created by artificial intelligence is: how do we decide if a creation sounds, or looks, "human"?

Turing-like tests, to find ways to arrive at a statistical conclusion are one approach, but those types of methods present their own sets of problems. The original Turing test, created in 1950, was based on a Victorian parlour game called 'The Imitation Game'. Alan Turing proposed that a machine and a human being could both be asked questions by a participant. Based on the responses given by the human and the machine, neither of which would be audible or visible to the participant and with each of their responses being passed to the participant via written notes, a decision could be reached as to which was machine or human.

In terms of music creation or the curation of a music playlist, is one person's opinion of how"human" something seems, more accurate than another person's opinion? If one person is convinced that human intelligence is present, but another isn't, what does that mean for the result? Does the ability to convince a large group of people make a result more accurate?

Essentially, if a large group of individuals can be convinced that AI is displaying the characteristics of a human being, it is not difficult to imagine that obscure qualities such as "soul", "genius", and "quirkiness" could be convincingly imitated.

As this kind of research continues, and the definitions of some of these human characteristics are becoming more clearly understood, the line between imitation and reality could become completely obscured.

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I finished Tallinn Music Week by watching a performance by Polish electronic music duo Coals. At one point during the set, vocalist Katarzyna Kowalczyk repeatedly sings the line "I am a lone dancer", as if she were a machine stuck in some hypnotic infinite feedback loop.
AFP via Getty Images

Two years ago today, I found myself caught up in one of the world's most devastating natural disasters, the Nepal earthquakes.

On this morning, in 2015, I was visiting one of Plan International UK's projects in Eastern Nepal when the building we were in started to shake. Before I knew what was happening, we had taken shelter as people ran from buildings screaming. Later, I discovered that Nepal had been hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, and three weeks later would experience another one a similar size. In 30 years of development work, I've never seen anything like it.

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My thoughts are still very much with those whose lives changed forever as a result of the earthquakes. In total, close to 9,000 people died and nearly 900,000 homes were destroyed. The disaster led to a collapse in infrastructure, pushing 700,000 people below the poverty line and devastating Nepal's education system.

In a matter of minutes, one million children had their education disrupted, with 8,000 schools destroyed or damaged. In the time since the earthquake, Plan International has provided a way back into education for 35,000 children through temporary schools set up straight after the disaster and state-of-the-art permanent schools which are safe, earthquake-proof and disabled-friendly.

The recovery is progressing well but faced with a challenging terrain which makes it difficult to transport building materials, only a few hundred permanent schools have been reinstated.

Along with building schools, Plan International has helped nearly 300,000 people by rebuilding water points, supporting the construction of safer shelters and providing families, particularly women, with access to longer-term employment, but we still have a long way to go. The road to recovery is a long one, especially after a disaster of this scale and that's why it's so important that the international community continues to support efforts to get Nepal back on its feet.

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I've followed Nepal's progress carefully over the past two years, feeling a personal connection to the country and its people. Seeing the smiling faces of children as they attend their new schools, built by Plan International, is incredibly heart-warming.

One girl who's benefiting from a new, safe, earthquake-resistant school is 14-year-old Manju from Dolakha in Nepal. For the past two years she's been attending a temporary school.

Manju said: "If we were not in school, we would be just like our parents, who can hardly write their names. We would just be working on the farm, and doing traditional work.

"In the old school, if there was an earthquake, we didn't have safe, open spaces for us to go to. Now, with the new school, it will be much bigger and so if the shaking starts, we can all come together."

As much as it is about providing opportunities for these students, it's also about making them feel safe and protected against any future emergencies.

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Experiencing the earthquake first-hand and seeing people lose their livelihoods and homes was heart-breaking, but with the amazing support of the British public, families in Nepal are starting to get their lives back on track.
Hutchinson woman accused indecent liberties with four underage teens

Woman and her husband claim she was set up by teens colluding against her
Neil Young Announces Xsteam Adaptive Streaming Music Service

Neil Young is pivoting his hi-res and high cost Pono Music download service to streaming. The as yet unlaunched subscription service will be called Xstream.

_________________________

Neil Young is pivoting his efforts to bring higher quality audio to the masses from downloads to streaming. In a post to users of his Pono Music service, Young announced a new partnership with Singapore based technology company Orastream to launch Xstream, an "adaptive" high resolution streaming music service.

To deliver the best quality audio possible, Young says that Xstream's music streams will "adapt" up or down depending on available bandwidth.

Young did not share when the new service will launch or what it will cost. Tidal offers higher quality streaming at $20 per month and there are signs that Spotify is planning a similar offering. But Young says that Xstream will be different.

"complete high resolution playback"

"Finding a way to deliver the quality music without the expense and to bring it to a larger audience has been our goal," wrote Young. "That effort has led to a technology developed by Orastream, a small company in Singapore that weve been working with."

Xstream "is absolutely amazing because it is capable of complete high resolution playback," according to Young. "Unlike all other streaming services that are limited to playing at a single low or moderate resolution, Xstream plays at the highest quality your network condition allows at that moment and adapts as the network conditions change. Its a single high resolution bit-perfect file that essentially compresses as needed to never stop playing."

"todays broken music industry continues to make major mistakes"

Young has been meeting with labels, mobile carriers and investors, but admits that it's been a hard sell. "There are already streaming services, some doing well and others not," said Young. "While theres nothing as good as Xstream, or as flexible and adaptive, its still proven a difficult sell for companies to invest in."

"So, in my experience," he continued, "todays broken music industry continues to make major mistakes, but we are still trying."

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We are witnessing one of the most interesting power struggles between major players from the old and the new, digital world. Plus, the industry is a great case study into the business models which define each world - and into the dynamics of that transition.

To that end, I asked myself the following question: Why can we still buy music? Depending on where youre coming from, the idea that we could one day be living in a world where music cannot be bought but only accessed, might sound either crazy or consequential. I think its reasonable to ask.

From Bill Rosenblatt on Forbes:

For over 20 years, people have envisioned a future in which you dont need to own music, where a vast library music is available everywhere from a celestial jukebox. Although that vision became reality several years ago through services like Spotify, today its more than a vision: its the majority of the music industry. The most recent data shows that listeners get more music, and the industry makes more money from it, through access models than through ownership. This is a major tipping point in musics digital transformation, and its happening now.

The RIAA publishes detailed summaries of recorded music revenue by sourcetwice a year. The 2016 annual numbers brought some good news for the music industry  that it has returned to growth after five years of stagnation. But more importantly, streaming services are now the majority source of recorded music revenue, bigger than downloads, CDs and vinyl combined.

The largest chunk of that revenue comes from on-demand streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited and TIDAL, which let users pick the exact music they want to hear. In this crucial sense, they are directly comparable to ownership models, which include physical products as well as downloads.

Rosenblatt goes on to dig into the numbers. His finding is not surprising if your follow the music industry closely, but its interesting nonetheless: The access model  the term summarizes streaming and radio  is about to take over the ownership model (physical + downloads) in terms of the labels revenue from recorded music. That holds true even if you exclude free, ad-supported access from the equation. Consumers are willing to pay for access to music.

______________________________
Patrick Muraca, seen in this file photo, is the former CEO of Nuclea Biotechnologies. He has now purchased the assets of his former company.

Muraca Buys Nuclea Assets, Starts New Company

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Patrick Muraca is picking up where he left off with Nuclea Biotechnologies.

The former CEO has started a new company and purchased the assets of the bankrupt Nuclea. NanoMolecular DX is now based out of Lee and is entering the commercial field with products developed under Nuclea, with many of the same investors, and some of the same employees.

"Now we are moving forward with where Nuclea left off," Muraca said on Friday.

Muraca left Nuclea in 2015, though he was still a shareholder in the company, and attempted to start NanoDX but failed to get it off the ground. About a month later, Nuclea left Pittsfield as part of a reorganization and, in August 2016, filed for bankruptcy.

As part of those proceedings, Nuclea's intellectual assets went to auction in January. Muraca said he placed a bid on them then but it wasn't accepted. Shortly afterward the auctioneers, Heritage Global Partners, reached out to Muraca for a bid. Muraca paid $330,000 for the assets.

"That became available almost a year later from when I left," Muraca said. "I was able to get all of the Nuclea assets back."

Concurrently, Muraca had been purchasing other former Nuclea assets that had been sold to other entities. That gives Muraca and NanoMolecular DX the patents to products he had previously looked to take to the commercial market while still at Nuclea.

"I wanted to move forward with some of the things I left a Nuclea," Muraca said.

Particularly, the Her2/neu kits are of value for Muraca. That was something Nuclea had acquired when the company purchased Wilex DX to give it manufacturing space and products in Cambridge. Wilex DX is one of the largest entities owed in the bankruptcy case.

"The assets were extremely valuable. We spent 11 years developing products," Muraca said.

NanoMolecular opened space on Park Street in Lee, has an office on Elm Street in Pittsfield, and a laboratory at the State University of New York's Poly Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany. Muraca said there are currently five employees, all former Nuclea workers, employed and he expects three more to be added soon.

The company isn't exactly the same as Nuclea, which was mostly a research and development startup before the Wilex DX purchase. Muraca said the new company wouldn't be looking to acquire manufacturing space like it did before but instead will be using third parties to manufacture and sell products. NanoMolecular DX will be doing all of the testing for the products.

"We'll do all of the validation in our laboratory," Muraca said.

The products are kits for medical diagnostics. The focus is to continue with the commercialization of products that Nuclea had ready to take to market.

As for Nuclea, that company had left a trail of unpaid bills in its wake and the bankruptcy filing is still ongoing. Muraca said he doesn't know what happened with Nuclea after he left, believing the company was in a good position when he did. He said he wasn't kept informed about its inner workings.

"I was a shareholder but I have no idea what happened with Nuclea," Muraca said.
Norman Rockwell Museum Receives Donation from Chubb Following Return of a Stolen Painting

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass.  Norman Rockwell Museum received a contribution earlier this month from an unexpected source: Chubb Insurance presented the museum with a $15,000 check that was the returned claims payment resulting from the discovery and return of a stolen Norman Rockwell painting.



Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company with operations in 54 countries.



The painting, "Boy Asleep with Hoe," had been stolen from a family home in Cherry Hill, N.J., in 1976. It was one of Rockwell's earliest Saturday Evening Post cover paintings, completed in 1919. At the time of the theft, the family submitted a claim to Chubb, and following a claim payment, Chubb acquired the painting's title.



The theft remained unsolved for four decades. But with renewed efforts by the family and the FBI Art Crime Division in Philadelphia, the painting was finally found.



During their search, the FBI had contacted Norman Rockwell Museum, and museum curators provided key background and other information about the painting to assist FBI agents in their recovery efforts.




iciHaiti - Politics : Minister Fleurant wishes to collaborate with UNOPS





Aviol Fleurant, the Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, recently received a visit from Michel Bonenfant, the Director of the UN Office for Project Services in Haiti (UNOPS). They spoke on the main lines of action of this UN agency: supervision in the public procurement process, technical assistance in project management and interventions in the field of infrastructure (roads, bridges, public markets, health center, etc...)



Michel Bonenfant took the opportunity to present to Minister Fleurant the main advantages of preferential prices that could benefit the Haitian State by using the expertise of the institution he directs for the acquisition of vehicles, agricultural equipment and equipment among others. He also explained to the Minister that UNOPS can accompany the Ministry of Planning in the implementation of a major institutional strengthening project for all ministries with a view to achieving an efficient and effective public administration.



Minister Fleurant proposed the creation of a Joint Committee (MPCE - UNOPS) whose mandate would be to explore opportunities for cooperation. He also sought technical support from the UN agency for the establishment in the major urban centers of the country, of a model of Community Technology Centers.



The Director of UNOPS was very pleased with his visit and promised to instruct his team quickly to meet the expectations of the Minister of Planning.



IH/ iciHaiti


















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Governor Brown Announces Appointments

Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Thursday announced the following appointments:

Michelle Banonis, 40, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant chief deputy director at the California Department of Water Resources. Banonis has been area manager for the Bay Delta Office at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation since 2016, where she has served in several positions since 2009, including, special assistant to the regional director, California WaterFix program manager, restoration goal supervisor for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program and natural resources specialist. Banonis served in several positions at the Pierce County Department of Public Works and Utilities from 2000 to 2009, including environmental permitting supervisor, environmental biologist and engineering technician. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $139,656. Banonis is a registered without party preference.



Bryce Lundberg, 56, of Chico, has been reappointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where he has served since 2013. Lundberg has been vice president of agriculture at the Lundberg Family Farms since 2000 and partner and owner at B&E Lundberg since 1984. Lundberg is a member of the California Certified Organic Farmers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lundberg is a Democrat.



David Lafferty, 62, of Hanford, has been reappointed to the 24a District Agricultural Association, Kings Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2005. Lafferty has been owner at the J and D Painting Company since 2007 and was a project manager at the J and D Painting and Drywall Company from 1973 to 2007. Lafferty is a lifetime charter member of the Hanford High School Future Farmers of America, an advisor to the Kings Junior Fair Board and a member of the Kings Fair Boosters and the Kings County 4-H. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lafferty is a Republican.



Samuel Rodriguez, 43, of Hanford, has been reappointed to the 24a District Agricultural Association, Kings Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2008. Rodriguez has been an agriculture business instructor at Reedley College and at Madera Community College Center since 2016. He was an agriculture teacher and chair of the Agriculture Department for the Hanford Joint Union High School District from 2005 to 2016. Rodriguez was an agriculture teacher for the Corcoran Joint Union School District from 1995 to 2005. He is treasurer for the California Agriculture Teachers Association, San Joaquin Region and a member of the Professional Latin American Association of Kings County, Kings County Farm Bureau, Elbow Creek Grange and the State Center Federation of Teachers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rodriguez is registered without a party preference.



Lori Gallo, 42, of Merced, has been reappointed to the 35th District Agricultural Association, Merced County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2013. Gallo has been an assistant in the Human Resources Department at Joseph Gallo Farms, maker of Joseph Farms Cheese, since 2008. She was a realtor for Century 21 Salvadori Realty from 2002 to 2008. Gallo is a diplomat for the University of California, Merced University Friends Circle and a member of the University of California, Merced Early Childhood Education Center Advisory Council, California Women for Agriculture, Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Merced County Chamber of Commerce, Italian Catholic Federation and the Merced Theatre Foundation. She was co-chair for the Merced Downtown Christmas Parade from 1999 to 2009. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gallo is a Republican.



Carol Sartori-Silva, 66, of Atwater, has been reappointed to the 35th District Agricultural Association, Merced County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 1998. Sartori-Silva served as a fiscal supervisor for the Merced County Welfare to Work Department from 1982 to 2001 and a civil assistant in the Merced County Marshals Office from 1979 to 1982. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Sartori-Silva is a Republican.



Randy Jones, 55, of Gaviota, has been reappointed to the 37th District Agricultural Association, Santa Maria Fairpark Board of Directors, where he has served since 2014. Jones has been president at Hometown Insurance Services Inc. since 2007 and owner at the Pork Palace since 1994. He was an agent at the Jones Organization Insurance Services from 1996 to 2007 and a construction supervisor at Garnet Homes from 1987 to 1994. Jones is a community leader at the Lucky Clover 4-H and a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley Board of Directors and the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum Board of Directors. Jones earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Jones is a Republican.



Kevin Merrill, 61, of Santa Maria, has been reappointed to the 37th District Agricultural Association, Santa Maria Fairpark Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Merrill has been a vineyard manager at Mesa Vineyard Management since 1998. He was a crop manager at Salyer American from 1985 to 1998. He is president of the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau and was president of the Central Coast Wine Growers Association from 2002 to 2008. Merrill is a member of the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Futures Alliance. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Merrill is a Republican.
Vice President Mike Pence's Meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Indonesian Cabinet Ministers

Washington, DC - Friday, Vice President Mike Pence met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Indonesian Cabinet Ministers in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Vice President reaffirmed the United States' strong, enduring commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and the Strategic Partnership with Indonesia.

Vice President Pence expressed appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for its commitment to tolerance and peace. The two agreed to strengthen cooperation across a range of bilateral and regional issues, including bilateral trade and investment.
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Queens of the Stone Age appear to have finished the mixing on their forthcoming new album, the band have confirmed.

A photo posted on Facebook showed Josh Homme's band in the studio at Lurssen Mastering in Burbank, California, where they have been working on their seventh studio album.

The caption reads: "Something new brewing. Queens of The Stone Age."

A following Instagram post by Arthur Devereaux of Left Front Door Records, a label launched after the attack on the Bataclan in Paris in 2015, said: "An album just got mixed."

This follows Homme's comments last month that the band had "just finished" recording their new album, having also revealed that the new record will not feature any special guests, and that a single will be out before the band tours Australia in July.

Their last album ...Like Clockwork was released in May 2013 to mostly positive reviews.

Queens of the Stone Age are scheduled to play the following tour dates:

22-25 June  Montebello, QC @ Amnesia Rockfest

13 July  Auckland, NZ @ Logan Campbell

16 July  Darwin, AU @ Convention Center

19 July  Sydney, AU @ Horden Pavilion

20 July  Melbourne, AU @ Festival Hall

22 July  Byron Bay, AU @ Splendour in the Grass

28-30 July  Naeba, JP @ Fuji Rock Festival

11-13 August  San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival

15-17 September  Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
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The ethics of a 2 trillion fast and cheap fashion industry are under the spotlight this week as shoppers updating their spring wardrobes are being asked to look beyond the labels and think about whos making their clothes

Six of the worlds top 20 richest people are in retail  including billionaires Amancio Ortega from Zara, and Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LMVH (which owns Louis Vuitton).

At the other end of the scale, 90 per cent of the 75 million people who work in fashion and textiles across the globe have no possibility of negotiating their wages or conditions, according to IndustriALL Global Union.

Who made my clothes?

The Wests insatiable demand for cheaper clothing undoubtedly played a part in the Rana Plaza collapse (AP)

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment building in Bangladesh, which killed 1,134 factory workers and injured a further 2,500 people.

Its also the start of Fashion Revolution Week, a movement that began in the UK and has built up an incredible presence in almost 100 countries since the tragedy.

Fashion Revolutions head of policy Sarah Ditty says there have been a couple of moments of progress since Rana Plaza.

Passed in 2015, the Modern Slavery Act requires UK companies that turnover 36m to publish an annual report on the steps they are taking to root out forced labour. More companies are also starting to publish their supplier lists.

Greek fashion designer Athena Korda ends her collection with the slogan who made my clothes

Not much has improved for the workers in the factories yet, but this transparency gives brands greater accountability  and that leads to change, says Ditty.

The Transparency Index

Campaigning for more openness, the non-for-profit organisation today released a review of 100 of the biggest global fashion brands and retailers, from Topshop and Urban Outfitters to Michael Kors and Prada.

The complexity and fragmentation of the fashion supply chain was brought home to me after the Rana Plaza factory collapse, when campaigners had to physically search through the rubble for clothing labels to prove which brands were producing in there, says Carry Somers, Fashion Revolutions founder and global operations director.

The cut and sew team at Iris Textiles - a textile mill operating since 1956. It recently launched a new eco-textiles project named 'The New Denim Project' - creating upcycled natural fabrics using pre-consumer denim waste as our main raw material (The New Denim Project)

The Transparency Index, compiled between January and March this year, ranks companies according to how much they disclose about their social, environmental policies, practices and impact.

On average brands scored just 20 per cent transparency, and none scored above 50 per cent. Adidas and Reebok came out on top with 121.5 out of 250 points, closely followed by Marks & Spencer and H&M. Three brands, including luxury fashion brand Dior, scored zero as they disclose no information at all.

Thats not to say these brands are necessarily doing anything wrong (or right), just that theyre not publicly accountable for the conditions of workers at each stage of the manufacturing process.

People have the right to know that their money is not supporting exploitation, human rights abuses and environmental destruction, says Somers. There is no way to hold companies and governments to account if we cant see what is truly happening behind the scenes. This is why transparency is so essential.

Conscious shopping

Sites such as Project Just and the newly-launched Not My Style app are attempting to unravel complex supply chains and provide shoppers with practical advice about how to shop more ethically.

Theres even a spoof Amazon-style online shop called Follow the Things that examines the journey of popular products, from factory to wardrobe.

The influence of fashion week on the industry makes it all the more important to drive the sustainability agenda (Rachel Manns)

Thanks to increased consumer awareness, ethical and sustainable brands with online shops, such as People Tree and Reformation, are gaining traction, especially with women in their late teens to early thirties.

These brands prioritise aesthetics but refuse to be a slave to ever-changing trends. This means fashion lovers dont have to make the choice between looking stylish and feeling good about what they buy. While clothes are typically more expensive than high-street brands, they have longevity.

I think the model of fast fashion is unsustainable. A non-throwaway product offer, more sustainable design, and timing and production management is the only way to be sure that workers are being treated well and environmental laws are being respected, says People Tree founder Safia Minney.

Minneys advice for people with smaller budgets is to swap clothes with friends and shop for second-hand items, because at least this means garments are being re-used rather than going to landfill.

But for those that just cant break the high-street habit? Fairtrade and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) are two labels to look out for when buying cotton. Also, follow in Emma Watsons footsteps and only buy something if you can be sure youll wear it 30 times to help you buy less, and slow the fast-fashion cycle.

This week all shoppers are also being asked to take a picture of their labels and tweet or Instragram the brand asking #whomademyclothes?

During last years Fashion Revolution Week the #whomademyclothes hashtag reached 129 million people through 70,000 social media posts. Around 1,200 brands responded, some with an opaque link to their CSR policy, others with detailed information and even photos of the garment workers.

As celebrated fashion designer and co-founder of Fashion Revolution Orsola de Castro explains: Transparency encourages scrutiny, vigilance and accountability. Its like opening ones front door and allowing others to look inside. And of course, the more doors are open, the more the picture becomes clearer, the better we can understand and ameliorate supply chain workers lives and the environment.
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Not one to mince his words, Anthony Bourdain  a veteran chef of numerous professional kitchens, author and TV host  says if you see kobe beef sliders on a menu, you should leave immediately.

There is no food crime worse  in fact the very epicentre of douchedom is the kobe slider, he said.

If you see kobe slider on a menu at a restaurant that youve walked into, turn on your heels and leave. No good will come of this, it will just be a sea of high-fiving hedge funders and people you do not want anywhere near you.

Talking about some of todays most popular food trends, the chef also characteristically gave his blunt opinion on everything from brunch to juice bars and cronuts.

He also weighed in on the trendy millennial ingredient truffle oil calling it horrible.

Its not even food. Its about as edible as Astroglide and made from the same stuff, Bourdain declared.

Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan naked chicken chalupa Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Easy vegan brownie bites Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Maple peach pecan overnight oats Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Macaroni skillet Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Cauliflower buffalo wings Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan animal style fries Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Cheese Brussels sprouts tots Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan beer and cheddar bread bowl dip Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan s'more tacos Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan chicken ceasar wraps Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Caramelised onion dip Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Tortilla soup and cheesy taquitos Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Easy vegan chilli Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Vegan chocolate hazenlut tarts Creative vegan dishes from YouTubers - In pictures Cassava bacon

The same goes for brunch too. A dish that has become a weekend custom for many, the top TV chef says its nothing but a horrible, cynical way of unloading leftovers and charging three times as much as you ordinarily charge for breakfast.

Fans of the cronut - a croissant-doughnut hybrid - can breathe easy though, because they get a big thumbs up from Bourdain who says, Im all for pastry mashups. I dont eat a lot of pastry but those Cronuts are damn good.
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Uber secretly tagged its users' phones even after they deleted its app, according to a new report.

The invasive tracking led Apple to call the company for a special meeting where boss Tim Cook threatened to kick it out of the App Store and so off people's iPhones, according to the New York Times.

The tracking referred specifically to a tool that allowed Uber to watch for when people deleted the app and then find them again when it was re-installed. Uber claims that the tool was necessary to fight against fraud and that it is a common practice  but it was in contravention of Apple's privacy laws and was kept completely secret from the users being tracked.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The trick relied on a special tool called "fingerprinting" that allowed Uber to identify the phones that downloaded its app. When someone then deleted it again, it kept that "fingerprint" and watched for it downloading the Uber app over again  allowing the company to know if it had been re-installed on the same phone.

The company said that it needed to do that so that it could ensure if a phone had been flagged for fraudulent activity, a user couldn't simply delete the app and start over again.

When Apple engineers found that secret trick, Mr Cook called Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in for a meeting, according to the New York Times report. He said Ive heard youve been breaking some of our rules, according to the report, and threatened to remove the app from the App Store  a move that would likely kill of the multi-billion dollar app in one quick move.

Uber said that after the telling off it changed the fingerprinting so that it complies with Apple's rules. That means that it likely continues to track those phones.

We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if theyve deleted the app," an Uber spokesperson said. "As the New York Times story notes towards the very end, this is a typical way to prevent fraudsters from loading Uber onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phoneover and over again.

"Similar techniques are also used for detecting and blocking suspicious logins to protect our users' accounts. Being able to recognise known bad actors when they try to get back onto our network is an important security measure for both Uber and our users.

Since the controversial tracking tool, Uber has actually added a feature to its app that does in fact allow it to track people when they've closed the app down. Last year, it added the feature and stressed that it will only track people for five minutes after their journey  a move that it said was being done to keep its users safe.

The same New York Times report also claimed that Uber was buying receipts from customers who were using Lyft, a rival taxi app. It then studied those receipts  bought from normal users  to understand how to better take on its rival, the report claimed.

The claims come soon after Uber was criticised for a range of its business practises, including allegations of sexual assault and the "Delete Uber" movement that arose after it appeared to try and break the protests against Donald Trump's muslim ban.
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29-year-old Belgian model Hanne Gaby Odiele hit the front pages a few months ago with her public announcement that she was intersex.

In her video, she also called for an end to the traumatising surgeries that are still forced on intersex children to try and change their gender. And shes now explained why she decided to make the video and what it was like growing up intersex in a quiet village in Belgium.

Most people dont know we exist, she said.

Recommended Vogue model Hanne Gaby Odiele comes out as intersex

Odiele was born with androgen insensitivity syndrome, which means she is genetically male (so has XY chromosomes), neither uterus nor ovaries, and internal testes.

However her body is resistant to male hormones and she appeared like any other baby girl - her parents thought they had a daughter.

Like many intersex children, Odiele was forced to undergo an operation to make her female (intersex children are usually made female because its easier to remove than to add body parts).

They did more tests and theyre like, Oh, dont worry, we can just change [her] by surgery, shell never even know. Its all going to be OK,  Odiele told The Times.

But its, like, those surgeries were never explained to me. They didnt tell the full story, like the harm that could happen. They always said I was the only one, which is not the truth.

In fact, in her video announcement, Odiele says nearly two per cent of the worlds population are intersex, which is the same as the number of redheads.

As a child, Odiele and her parents told no one she was intersex - not her friends, grandparents or even older brother knew the truth. It was kept secret. She was, in her own words, a very timid and shy child.

Aged nine, doctors told Odiele she needed to have her internal testes removed or else they might become cancerous, a claim she now believes is a lie.

Odiele in 2015 (Getty Images)

There was no medical evidence that I was going to get cancer, she says. Women dont get their breasts taken out because they might get breast cancer... A normal cis male doesnt get their testicles cut off either, because they might get prostate cancer or whatever.

Every few months, Odiele paid a visit to the doctor for scary treatments: Id go into a room and then my parents were kindly asked to leave. Then all of a sudden four more students come into the room and they all look at my genitals, and they put a blanket over my eyes.

Recommended First intersex birth certificate issued in the US

I feel them touch me and look at me and call me by numbers, like, This is subject blah blah blah. They always said I had a bladder problem, and I was like, Mmm, theres something more. 

Then she had the operation.

They take away my testicles and from that moment on, its kind of like Im in menopause, she says. Since then, Ive been on hormone replacement therapy, which is messed up.

The reason she needs HRT is because her internal testes were producing testosterone, but her body rejects it. So my testosterone is automatically transformed to oestrogen, she says.

At 18 - after shed started modelling - Hanne underwent an operation for vaginal reconstruction, which she says can have extreme consequences: Like they cut away sensitive parts that may lead to my having no feeling after Sex becomes very difficult, even the idea in your mind. Also, incontinency - no bladder control.

Odiele has now modeled for top designers including Chanel, Prada and Balenciaga, and shes using her high-profile position to raise awareness about the arbitrary operations intersex children are often subjected to.

Transgender in Pakistan Show all 16 1 /16 Transgender in Pakistan Transgender in Pakistan Dancing at Shakeela's party, an event to celebrate a transgender life in middle-age Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Venue staff members watch people dance at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Security searches guests as people arrive at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Members of the transgender community dance at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Shakeela, a member of the transgender community, works in the kitchen at home in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan 'It's the first time a transgender party has been held openly,' says activist Farzana Jan Transgender in Pakistan Farzana Jan, a member of the transgender community, poses for a photographer ahead of Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Guests at Shakeela's party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Money thrown by the guests is used by people to help them start a new business or project Transgender in Pakistan Rani smiles from behind her make-up as she prepares for the party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Shakeela resting at her home in Peshawar Reuters Transgender in Pakistan A photo hangs on the wall in the home of members of the transgender community in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Make up lies on the floor as members of the transgender community prepare for Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan A guest counts money she plans to throw at Shakeela's party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Bubbly helps Shakeela with her dress as members of her own family watch on Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Chahat, a member of the transgender community, prepares for Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters

I know people, intersex people, with the same condition as me who didnt have the surgery, and they live happy, healthy lives, she says.

Even if they struggle psychologically with being intersex, Odiele believes people who dont have the operations have fewer psychological traumas because of the surgeries: They still feel more complete. I feel like something has been taken away from me for no reason.

Last summer, Odiele married her boyfriend, John Swiatek, also a model, in a field in upstate New York.

My identity is female and the energy that I carry myself is mostly female, she says. Energy. Thats how I think I see gender. As, like, an energy level almost.

But again, its like, I will never know how it is to bear a child, never know how to have a period or to talk about many of the things that females think, or think is important to them. Im like, I dont really get that, but then I dont pee standing up either. Like, Ive never wanted to be a man.

Its like, Im very happy and comfortable being the sex I am and not wanting to change it for anything, actually, in the world, especially now that I live my truth. The past three months, its like the most amazing thing that Ive done for myself actually.
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Hillary Clintons former advisor says men and women should split maternity leave because a year is too long out of the workplace"

Anne-Marie Slaughter, who served as the Director of Policy Planning for the US State Department from 2009 to 2011 under then Secretary of State Ms Clinton, says shared care leave should replace traditional maternity leave.

My ideal would be the woman takes six months and the man takes six, and they divide that however they want, she told The Times. Both parents need to bond with the child and both parents need to understand what it takes to be parents and to be workers.

You can really fall behind in a year. Its too long out of the workplace.

Women at work around the world Show all 25 1 /25 Women at work around the world Women at work around the world Coventry, United Kingdom Cilene Connolly, 32, a Royal Mail postwoman, poses for a portrait during her postal round. "Fortunately, I haven't been faced with gender inequalities in my role as a postwoman," Connolly said. "I've had a great response from my customers for being a female delivering their post, women in particular are always pleasantly surprised to see a female face." Reuters Women at work around the world Los Angeles, California Tara McCannel, 44, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Ophthalmic Oncology Center at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). "Knowledge, in abilities, in how the clinical practices go, in appearance," McCannel said."Women just can't be themselves or just think: 'Oh I'm just going to do my work,' and focus on the job. There are these other things that need to be considered because it's not completely equal even though things are getting better. Reuters Women at work around the world Almaty, Kazakhstan Julia Argunova, 36, a mountaineering instructor, poses at 3,200 meters (10,499 feet) above sea level in the Tien Shan mountains. "Physical strength benefits male colleagues in some situations on harder routes. But, women are more concentrated and meticulous. In general, women are better at teaching. My main professional task is to teach safe mountaineering." Reuters Women at work around the world Moscow, Russia Pilot Maria Uvarovskaya poses for a photograph in the A320 flight simulator at the Aeroflot training centre at Sheremetyevo airport. "Much more can be done by the women themselves to solve such problems (gender inequality)," said Uvarovskaya. Reuters Women at work around the world Santiago, Chile Claudia Concha Parraguez, 45, a pole dancing instructor, poses for a photograph in a gym. "Some students with low self-esteem smile more and feel beautiful after training. But because of the poor mentality of their husbands, who do not see this activity as a sport and associate it with something sexual, they stop attending classes," Parraguez said. Reuters Women at work around the world Seoul, South Korea Jeung Un, 27, a freelance photographer, poses for a portrait at a site which protesters have occupied. "Most news outlets prefer to employ male photographers. I feel strongly about gender inequality. When I cover violent scenes, sometimes I am harassed and hear sexually-biased remarks," Reuters Women at work around the world Nice, France Merylee, 26, a soldier does her rounds on the sea-front. The parity in the army already exists, it is the uniform that takes precedence over gender," Merylee said. Reuters Women at work around the world Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Lina Maria da Silva, 62, a babysitter, poses for a photograph with the children she takes care of at her home in the Cantagalo slum. "I've never suffered mistreatment at work. I have always felt a lot of affection from the families I have worked with," Silva said. Reuters Women at work around the world Nairobi, Kenya Christine Akoth, 38, a metal painter: "I have experienced gender bias at my work where sometimes I'm denied contracts because of who I am and maybe my marital status. Some female colleagues have been treated unfairly because of their sex and even exploited," Reuters Women at work around the world London, United Kingdom Dr Catherine Reynolds, 37, a scientific researcher at Imperial College: "Women are very well represented at junior levels in Biological Sciences research. At a senior level it is still true that there are fewer female professors in science, but the gap is slowly closing," Reynolds said. "More policies that promote flexible working and that support staff in taking career breaks (both men and women) are an essential way in which it is possible for employees, especially those with young families, to realise their full potential in the workplace." Reuters Women at work around the world Amman, Jordan Khawla Sheikh, 54, a plumber and a certified trainer, poses at her home's basement, where she gives plumbing training courses to other women. "Housewives are more comfortable to have a woman plumber in their house in the absence of their husbands," said Sheikh. "To tackle gender inequality, I think that all operating sectors must provide equal opportunities for men and women in all fields and each woman must believe in her capabilities and skills that she has in order to convince the others." Reuters Women at work around the world West London, United Kingdom Sarah Hunter, 31, England women's rugby captain and RFU University Rugby Development Officer for the South West, poses for a photograph at The Stoop rugby ground. "I think that if weire the right person for the right job in the workplace then so be it and the same for men," Hunter said. "Iive worked for the RFU, and being what is deemed as a male sport perhaps in the past, I was welcomed into that environment and I personally havenit experienced gender inequality in the workplace, so I think that Iive been very fortunate in the career that Iive had and in the jobs that Iive had that Iive been seen for the person that I am and not for the gender that I am." Reuters Women at work around the world Agusan del Sur, Philippines Filipina Grace Ocol, 40, is a backhoe operator. Ocol, a mother of three, said, "There are a few female workers that can drive big trucks and backhoe. If men can do it, why can't women do it? I'm better than the men, they can only drive trucks here but I can drive both." Reuters Women at work around the world Hasaka, Syria Laila Sterk, 22, is a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) female fighter: "Before becoming a fighter, I was suffering from inequality in society. But after joining the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), I didn't encounter that anymore," said Sterk. "This is due to the fact that when men want to join the SDF they attend educational courses about women fighting alongside them. Therefore the woman fighter leads the military campaigns just like any man." Reuters Women at work around the world Andernos, France Valerie Perron, 53, an oyster farmer, poses for a photograph on her boat. "It must not be forgotten that it is women, moms, who raise the boys. It is therefore up to us to change the mentalities by raising the boys at their youngest age, in a spirit of parity and equality with the woman. We must change the mentalities of early childhood education. A boy can play with dolls and a little girl with small cars," Perron said. Reuters Women at work around the world Kathmandu, Nepal Januka Shrestha, 25, a Tuk Tuk driver, poses for a picture. There is no difference in a vehicle driven by a woman and man. While driving on the road people sometimes try to dominate a vehicle especially when they see a woman driving it. People have even used foul language toward me. When this happens I keep quiet and work even harder to prove that we are as capable as men," Shrestha said. Reuters Women at work around the world Hanoi, Vietnam Phung Thi Hai, 54, carries bricks at a factory. Hai is among a group of 25 women working at a brick factory where she has to move 3,000 bricks a day to the kiln. "How unfair that a 54-year-old woman like me has to work and take care of the whole family. With the same work male labourers can get a better income. Not only me, all women in the village work very hard with no education, no insurance and no future," Hai said. Reuters Women at work around the world Mexico City, Mexico Jauna Diaz, 43, a street sweeper, poses for a photograph as she woks on the street. "In my previous job my boss gave preference to male colleagues and women always were paid later. Thats why I changed jobs," Diaz said. "To tackle gender inequality I think there needs to be more communication and information about women's rights in the work place." Reuters Women at work around the world Istanbul, Turkey Serpil Cigdem, 44, an engine driver, poses for a photograph at Yenikapi station. "When I applied for a job 23 years ago as an engine driver, I was told that it is a profession for men. I knew that during the written examination even if I got the same results with a male candidate, he would have been chosen. Thatis why I worked hard to pass the exam with a very good result ahead of the male candidates. In my opinion, gender inequality starts in our minds saying itis a male profession or itis a men job," said Cigdem. Reuters Women at work around the world Beijing, China Deng Qiyan, 47, a mother of three and a decoration worker at contraction sites, poses for a photograph at an apartment building under construction. "Sometimes (gender inequality) happens. But we cannot do anything about that. After all, you have to digest all those unhappy things and carry on," Qiyan said. Reuters Women at work around the world Lima, Peru Rocio Larranaga, 53, a surfer and surf instructor, poses for a photograph at Redondo beach. "I am the first woman to represent my country in national and international competitions since 1977," said Larranaga. "In 1995 I became a surf teacher. Lots of women surf and they are very good at it. I hope that in the future women have the same quota as men in professional competitions." Reuters Women at work around the world Tunis, Tunisia Chrifa Nimri, 69, a fisherwoman, arranges a net after returning from fishing at the seaport Sidi Bou Said. "At the beginning of my fishing career all the world told me that the trade was for men but now all my colleagues respect and call me captain," Chrifa said. Reuters Women at work around the world La Paz, Bolivia Elizabeth Mamani, 36, a reporter at Radio Union, poses inside Bolivia's national congress building. "When I started in this job, I did feel discrimination (from officials who controlled the access of members of the press to events). To counter discrimination in this profession, we as women, must excel, we must prepare ourselves in every field," Mamani said Reuters Women at work around the world Karachi, Pakistan Mehwish Ekhlaque, 26, a bike rider and trainer, poses for a photograph with her bike. "When I planned a Pakistan Bike Tour many of my male colleagues gave me a piece of advice not to do it as it's neither safe nor easy for a woman. But I did it," Ekhlaque said. Reuters Women at work around the world Tokyo, Japan Shinto priest Tomoe Ichino, 40, poses for a photograph at the Imado Shrine. In general, people think being a Shinto priest is a man's profession. If you're a woman, they think you're a shrine maiden, or a supplementary priestess. People don't know women Shinto priests exist, so they think we can't perform rituals. Once, after I finished performing jiichinsai (ground-breaking ceremony), I was asked, 'So, when is the priest coming?'," Ichino said. "When I first began working as a Shinto priest, because I was young and female, some people felt the blessing was different. They thought: 'I would have preferred your grandfather.' At first, I wore my grandfather's light green garment because I thought it's better to look like a man. But after a while I decided to be proud of the fact that I am a female priest and I began wearing a pink robe, like today. I thought I can be more confident if I stop thinking too much (about my gender)." Reuters

Recommended Why women need to drop the ball and expect more of their male partners

Ms Slaughter, who is the current President and CEO of the non-partisan think tank New America, previously wrote an opinion piece in The Atlantic entitled Why Women Still Cant Have It All. In the article, she explained how she struggled balancing her high-profile job with being a mother to two teenage boys. However, she was keen to stress that women can have it all but that the current system and environment need to change in order to do this and clarified this position again with the newspaper.

What I was saying is we still cant have it all because we havent made enough changes, she said. The message was Here are the changes we need to make whereas many people interpreted me as saying: Women should just accept that theyre never going to be equal. No! Not in the least. Of course women can be equal, but only if men are more equal in the area of traditional womens work.

Ms Slaughter ended up resigning from her post in the government to focus on her family after she became worried about the behaviour and attitudes of one of her sons.

She says she absolutely regrets her decision: It was my dream job. I would have loved to have been on the front-lines negotiating with Iran or at the UN but on the other hand there are trade-offs in life.
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A 42-year-old woman from Essex has been left shocked after finding a cigarette packet featuring a picture which she believes is of her late father in hospital.

Mother-of-two Jodi Charles, who lives in Purfleet, says she is 110 per cent sure the man in the warning picture is her father, David Ross, who died in 2015.

Both the EU Commission and Basildon University Hospital, where Ross was on life support in intensive care, however, deny the claim.

SWNS (SWNS)

Any similarity is purely coincidental, the Commission have said, and the hospital have said their staff would never have taken such a photo.

The warning image - one of 42 used on cigarette packets to discourage smoking - shows a man unconscious in a hospital bed with a breathing tube in his mouth.

Ross died aged 66 after suffering from bone marrow problems, septicaemia and lymphoma - he was a smoker, but his death wasnt related. He spent ten months in the hospital and Charles believes that was when the photo must have been taken.

Had she been asked, Charles says theres no way shed have given her permission for the photo to be used.

My friend who smokes tobacco came round on Tuesday and my 14-year-old daughter picked up the wrapper, Charles said. She ran into the room and said, Look, its granddad!

When I saw that photo, I just said, Oh my God. I just knew without any doubt that it was dad. I was horrified.

(South West News Service)

Charles showed the packet to her mother - Rosss wife - who also believes its him.

I cut my dads hair for 20 years, I know exactly how his hairline was, exactly where it sticks up a little, Charles told consumer website A Spokesman Said. I also cut his eyebrows and know all the tiny details of his face.

The whole picture looks exactly like him. His eyes were puffed up when he was in intensive care and they are in the photo too.

I am 110 per cent sure it is him and that there is no way he gave permission for such a terrible picture to be used. Its terribly upsetting.

This has been a horrendous time for us. Dad being ill took up my whole life and I am still grieving now  I will be forevermore.

As time goes on you learn to deal with it, but this has brought it all back. Im distraught again.

In response, the EU said it cannot give out further information on their identity in order to protect the rights of the individuals depicted.

Charles and her father (South West News Service)

A European Commission spokesman said: We are very sorry for the distress caused to this young lady who believes that her father is depicted in this health warning.

However, having checked the details of her father against the identity of the person depicted, we can categorically state that the person in this picture is not David Ross.

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May we take this opportunity to emphasise that all individuals depicted in the library of picture warnings were informed and gave their consent. Any similarity with other individuals is purely coincidental.

A hospital spokeswoman added: There are only two departments which take photos  communications, for charity events and that sort of thing, and medical photography.

Neither of those departments have forwarded any photos to the photo library.

Bu Charles is adamant that the photo is her late father: If it isnt him, I want proof of that, and of the fact that he signed to say that they could do this.

If they dont give me that, Im going to sue them. It is horrific to see my dad who has just passed away on a fag packet. It is morally wrong and extremely distressing for the whole family.
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Shares in British Gas owner Centrica and energy provider SSE dropped on Monday after the Conservative Party made clear that energy price controls would be one of the key consumer pledges in its upcoming manifesto.

Centrica was the worst performer on the FTSE 100, ending the session 3.5 per cent lower. SSE shares fell close to 2 per cent.

Damian Green, the Work and Pensions Secretary, confirmed on Sunday that the Government would cap energy prices if it wins the general election in June. According to The Sunday Times, the plans could cut gas and electricity costs by 100 a year for 17 million families.

Some people feel the energy companies have taken advantage of them, Mr Green told ITV.

However, the plan has drawn criticism from the industry. Keith Anderson, chief corporate officer of Scottish Power, on Monday told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that price controls tend to lead to less competition and could damage customers in the long run.

Iain Conn, the chief executive of Centrica, on Sunday told The Telegraph that price regulation will result in reduced competition and choice, stifle innovation and potentially impact customer service.

Ministers have hardened their stance on energy companies after five of the big six energy providers imposed price increases of up to 10 per cent.

Theresa May last month vowed to crack down on spiralling energy prices saying that "the market is not working as it should".

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

In a speech in Cardiff in March, the Prime Minister said that prices had soared by 158 per cent over the past 15 years, with the poorest hit by the highest tariffs. She did not spell out how she planned to keep prices capped but the pledge revived memories of Ed Milibands plans to intervene in the energy market  condemned by the Tories at the time.

On Sunday Mr Miliband tweeted: Where were these people for the last four years since I proposed cap? Defending a broken energy marketed that ripped people off.

Labour warned the Conservatives' claims on energy bills should be treated with a pinch of salt as they had repeatedly broken promises to deal with the issue in the past.

Hannah Maundrell, editor in chief of money.co.uk, said capping prices wasn't necessarily the answer.

Ms Maundrell said: By ignoring the competition watchdogs recommendations and taking matters into their own hands the Conservatives actually run the risk that people will end up paying more in the long run. An energy cap could lull people into a false sense of security and actually reduce switching; not to mention knock out incentives for energy companies to compete with cheaper prices.

The key is getting the 17 million households on standard tariffs switching. Scrapping standard variable tariffs altogether is one option they should look at instead as compulsory renewals could help to drive up switching rates  like car insurance. Its vital that any interventions have mechanisms to provide more help for vulnerable groups that will struggle to switch and save themselves.

Its so important people take matters into their own hands and switch right now, waiting for government action will waste your money. You can compare energy deals and switch in minutes  with savings of hundreds of pounds a year on average its definitely worth doing.
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Sales of nuclear shelters and radiation-blocking air purifiers have surged in Japan in recent weeks as North Korea has pressed ahead with missile tests in defiance of UN sanctions.

A small company that specialises in building nuclear shelters, generally under people's houses, has received eight orders in April alone compared with six orders during a typical year.

The company, Oribe Seiki Seisakusho, based in Kobe, western Japan, also has sold out of 50 Swiss-made air purifiers, which are said to keep out radiation and poisonous gas, and is trying to get more, said Nobuko Oribe, the company's director.

Recommended US could strike North Korea if it conducts another nuclear test

A purifier designed for six people sells for 620,000 yen (4,390) and one designed for 13 people and usually installed in a family-use shelter costs 1.7 million yen.

Concerns about a possible gas attack have grown in Japan after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliament session this month that North Korea may have the capacity to deliver missiles equipped with sarin nerve gas.

It takes time and money to build a shelter. But all we hear these days, in this tense atmosphere, is that they want one now, Oribe said. They ask us to come right away and give them an estimate.

Another small company, Earth Shift, based in Shizuoka prefecture, has seen a tenfold increase in inquiries and quotes for its underground shelters, Akira Shiga, a sales manager at the company said. The inquiries began gradually increasing in February and have come from all over Japan, he said.

North Korean missiles have fired with increasing frequency. Last month, three fell into waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone, some 300-350 kilometres off the coast of northern Akita prefecture.

The Japanese government on Friday urged local governments to hold evacuation drills in case of a possible missile attack, heightening a sense of urgency among the public.

Some orders for the shelters were placed by owners of small-sized companies for their employees, and others by families, Oribe said. A nuclear shelter for up to 13 people costs about 25 million yen ($227,210) and takes about four months to build, he said.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

The shelter his company offers is a reinforced, air-tight basement with an air purifier that can block radiation as well as poisonous gas. The room is designed to withstand a blast even when a Hiroshima-class nuclear bomb exploded just 660 meters away, Oribe said.

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a US aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension in the region.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the reclusive state's nuclear and missile programmes.

In Japan's previous experience with sarin gas in 1995, members of a doomsday cult killed 12 people and made thousands ill in attacks on Tokyo subways.

Reuters
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The National Union of Students (NUS) is embroiled in a fresh anti-Semitism row after three candidates holding or running for positions on its executive committee were revealed to have made offensive comments.

In online posts seen by The Independent, one current member of the unions National Executive Council shared a video mocking Jews as having big noses and being tight with money, while another publicly suggested Jewish people are tight-fisted and said he wanted to destroy Israel.

A third, who is seeking a position on the unions executive in elections being held this week, wrote an offensive Twitter message referring to Jews and using the phrase Heil Hitler.

The Independent can also reveal that, during her time as a student at the University of Birmingham, Malia Bouattia, the current NUS president, was involved in hosting a play called Seven Jewish Children that has been widely criticised as anti-Semitic.

Ms Bouattia, who is seeking re-election, was last year accused of outright racism by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee over comments she made relating to Israel. She had claimed the University of Birmingham was a Zionist outpost and criticised Zionist-led media outlets.

The revelations come amid mounting concern about levels of anti-Semitism on university campuses. A survey by the NUS last month found a quarter of Jewish students in the UK live in fear of an anti-Semitic attack, while two thirds who had been the victim of crime at their place of study said they were targeted because of their faith.

The NUS annual conference, where it will elect its national officers for the coming year, begins in Brighton on Tuesday. Despite the deepening worries about anti-Semitism, a number of candidates seeking office have a history of making anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli comments.

Ali Milani, who is currently a member of the unions National Executive and is running to be its Vice President for Union Development, was accused of deeply anti-Semitic remarks after tweets emerged from 2012 and 2013 in which he said Israel has no right to exist and is a land built on ethnic cleansing and colonialism.

Mr Milani, who is also president of Brunel University students union, also made a comment about Jews and money, tweeting: Nah u wont mate, itll cost you a pound #Jew.

Mr Milani also appeared to defend the terrorist group Hamas firing rockets into Israel, writing: Oh fuck off! Hamas firing into southern Israel was a retaliation!

And he threatened violence against supporters of Israel, writing: Just heard someone say Palestine. Its what they used to call Israel. Is a punch in the throat justified?

Another candidate running for a place on the NUS National Executive Council, Sean ONeill, posted on Twitter in 2012 using the hashtags heilhitler and fuckslutskilljews  apparently in an attempt at humour.

Meanwhile, another current NUS officer, LGBT+ Officer Noorulann Shahid, who uses the pronouns they/them, posted a link on Twitter to a comedy video that includes a number of anti-Semitic tropes and said they had laughed out loud at the clip.

The video, titled Black and Jewish, is a parody of rapper Wiz Khalifas song Black and Yellow and makes jokes about Jews having big noses and being stingy. It features two black women dressing up in traditional Jewish attire and singing lyrics including my ass and nose, theyre both big and dont spend no money but you know Im rich. The tweet dates from 2012.

Mr Milani, Mr O Neill and Shahid, who are all part of a left-wing grouping that includes Ms Bouattia, have apologised for their comments.

But Josh Nagli, campaigns director at the Union of Jewish Students, said he was appalled by these absolutely disgraceful comments, all of which are extremely offensive to Jewish students.

The regularity of anti-Semitic comments being made by candidates is exceptionally worrisome and shows complete disregard for the welfare of Jewish students, as well as for the anti-racist, anti-fascist values that NUS and many of these individuals claim to uphold  particularly when those comments invoke the memory of the Holocaust, he said.

These candidates should do the right thing now and step down from their elections.

These comments should not be seen in isolation; they are reflective of a wider culture of wilful tolerance towards anti-Semitism from members of the far left of the student movement that has been present for a number of years.

A year on from her election, Jewish students are still waiting for an adequate apology from the current NUS President. From her and from others in the movement, there is complete disdain shown towards anti-Semitism, with many questioning its very existence on campus and in society, undermining Jewish students right to define what they deem anti-Semitic.

The NUS says that, under the leadership of Ms Bouattia, it is has made tackling all forms of hate crime a priority. The organisation has run a series of events to highlight issues including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and says it is currently campaigning and encouraging students unions to become hate crime reporting centres.

Ms Bouattia last year denied her language was anti-Semitic but apologised for any offence she had caused, saying she was truly sorry that the language I used in the past was interpreted as anti-Semitic and that she had no intention to offend Jewish students or make them feel unsafe.

An internal investigation by an independent complaint manager appointed by the NUS found Ms Bouattia had unintentionally used language that could be reasonably capable of being interpreted as anti-Semitic in one instance, but dismissed claims her remarks had been anti-Semitic on three other occasions.

The Independent can now also reveal that, during her time as a student, Ms Bouattia was involved in hosting a play called Seven Jewish Children that has been widely criticised as anti-Semitic. At the time, she posted about the play on Facebook saying she was directing this with my friend. She now claims she merely helped to promote it and was not its co-director. Another student contact The Independent to support this.

The "Seven Jewish Children" production was organised as part of Israel Apartheid Week events in 2010. In a Facebook post, the now NUS president called the play powerful and very relevant.

The play, by Caryl Churchill, was written as a response to the Israeli attack on Gaza in January 2009. It does not include the words Israel, Israelis, Zionism or Zionist but several mentions, including in the title, of Jews.

After viewing Seven Jewish Children at an earlier showing at the Royal Court Theatre, the Jewish Chronicles theatre critic, John Nathan, wrote: "For the first time in my career as a critic, I am moved to say about a work at a major production house that this is an anti-Semitic play."

The play is accused of perpetuating the centuries-old, anti-Semitic blood libel that suggests Jews enjoy killing innocent people, particularly children.

Ms Churchill has denied her play is anti-Semitic, saying it is about Israel rather than Jews.

 Malia Bouattia interview

After being contacted by The Independent, Mr Milani said: I have apologised unreservedly for these comments before and I do so again. They do not reflect how I see the world today. These tweets are from an incredibly long time ago - when I was 16 to 17 years old.

Mr Milani said his language had been unacceptable but that going to university had given him the political education he needed to understand he was wrong.

Mr O Neill, a student at Oxford University, said: "I was absolutely horrified to see this tweet. It flies in the face of my commitment to anti-fascism and anti-sexism.

It was five years ago, and I have no recollection of writing it. I can only assume it was an incredibly distasteful inside joke, or a reference to something someone else said the night before.

"I wholly, unreservedly apologise for having ever associated myself with these truly vile hashtags. I am ashamed, and reach out to all groups affected to say sorry."

Shahid said: What I said was not acceptable. I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to Jewish students for the video I shared and comments I made on Twitter. I wrote the tweet a long time ago when I had a limited amount of political education and understanding, and Id never make such comments again as I am committed to unlearning all types of offensive and oppressive language.

I am particularly ashamed for sharing the parody video which perpetuates anti-Semitic stereotypes and I cannot apologise enough for doing this. I apologise to anyone who was hurt by my tweet.
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Scientists across the world have demonstrated against Donald Trump. Including in its most inhospitable and deadly climates. Researchers at the Neumayer-Station in Antarctica lent their support to the March for Science demonstrations, which call on governments across the world  but particularly Donald Trump's  to embrace evidence-based policy and facts like climate change.

The scientists stood outside in the dangerous Antarctic tundra to lend their support to the huge protests taking place across the globe.They carried a board that made clear the researchers supported the march and carried a quotation from Marie Curie.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood, it read. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Among other work, the German research station studies meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, tracking the vast changes that global warming has brought to the Antarctic.

They were just one group of thousands that marched across the world, including in Washington DC, in the March for Science. The organisers of the march said that they weren't partisan. But many of the signs focused on Mr Trump and the organisers said that the decision to cut federal funding for climate research and other anti-scientific policies were among those being protested.

Mr Trump posted a tweet that appeared to be a response to those protests, arguing that he would work to preserve the environment so long as it didn't hurt jobs.

My Administration is committed to keeping our air and water clean, to preserving our forests, lakes, and open spaces, and to protecting endangered species, he said in a statement released to mark Earth Day, on which the protests took place. He said that rigorous science is central to his administration.

The Antarctics response to Donald Trump has been hostile, with women marching against him there at the very beginning of his presidency.
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A 17-year-old cyclist has been hacked to death by a masked gang in London, witnesses have said.

The boy was stabbed multiple times with large knives and left sprawled on a car bonnet near a housing estate in Ingrave Street, Battersea, according to reports.

Neighbours said they called for help after being woken shortly before 1.30am on Sunday morning to screams of "help me, I'm dying," The Evening Standard reported.

Recommended Man stabbed in Westfield London shopping centre

The victim was taken to a south London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2.50am, police said.

A 45-year-old neighbour told the newspaper he saw six people jump out of a car and chase the teenager.

"He was on his bike but they caught up with him and stabbed him.

Someone shouted police are coming which stopped the others from finishing him off and they got in the car and sped off," the neighbour said.

The victim was the eighth teenager to be killed in the capital so far this year, five of whom were stabbed to death.

Formal identification has yet to take place, although the police said they believed they had established the identity of the victim and had informed his next of kin.

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 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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

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating, but said they had yet to make any arrests.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to call the incident room at Lewisham via 101.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or give information via the https://crimestoppers-uk.org website
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A British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran for allegedly plotting to topple the government has lost the final stage of her appeal.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards at Tehran Airport on 3 April while visiting family in Iran with her two-year-old daughter.

Iranian media have said she was convicted of plotting the "soft overthrow" of Iran's clerical establishment, a claim she has denied.

She was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in September and lost an appeal against her sentence in January.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with husband Richard and daughter Gabriella (Change.org)

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said the appeal to the Supreme Court was her last legal opportunity to challenge the sentence.

"As her husband, I can say Nazanin is innocent until I am blue in the face," he said in a statement.

"I have spent a year doing it. But it makes a clear difference that the Government hasn't. It indulges the whispers."

While the Foreign Office has previously expressed "deep concern" over Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sentence, it has stopped short of calling for her release.

Both Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have raised her case with their counterparts in Iran.

Richard Ratcliffe, husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe holds a '#Free Nazanin' sign and candle during a vigil for the British-Iranian mother (Getty)

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are deeply concerned by reports that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's Supreme Court appeal has been rejected, while Iran continues to refuse the UK access to her.

"The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both raised Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case with their counterparts in Iran. The minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, has spoken to his opposite number repeatedly to express our concern.

"We have been supporting Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family since we were first made aware of her arrest. Mr Ellwood has met her husband in London and her family in Tehran to assure them that we will continue to do all we can for her.

"We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested."

Supporters hold a photo of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe during a vigil (Getty)

Iran does not recognise dual nationalities, meaning those detained cannot receive consular assistance.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter, Gabriela, is being looked after by family members in Iran after her passport was seized.

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

Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said the decision was "bitterly disappointing" for Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

She said: "Lest we forget, Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience who shouldn't be behind bars at all, never mind for five years.

"It's now vitally important that the UK Government start doing far more on Nazanin's case.

"Ministers have got to step up and demand that Nazanin is released.

"Pending her release, Nazanin should also be given much-needed medical treatment outside the prison she's being kept in."
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Parisians overwhelmingly rejected a Marine Le Pen presidency on Sunday as votes were cast in the first round of France's presidential election.

The National Front leader received just 4.99 per cent of the vote in the capital, putting her fifth overall - well behind leader Emmanuel Macron's 34.83 per cent.

However, her far-right party made unprecedented gains in the five regions that surround Paris.

Grand Est, Hauts-de-France, Normandie, Centre-Val de Loire and Bourgogne-Franche-Comte each put Ms Le Pen top.

"The first step... has been taken," Ms Le Pen said after the first round of voting. "This result is historic."

National results saw independent centrist Emmanuel Macron gain 23.8 per cent of the vote, with Ms Le Pen receiving 21.6 per cent, taking them both through to the second round of voting on 7 May.

However, regional results pointed to political fracturing between the big cities and more rural areas that have historically suffered problems like poverty, unemployment and poor provision of public services.

In Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes and Lyon, Mr Macron received more than 30 per cent of the vote.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election SAA/ French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

However in les Ardennes, la Haute-Saone, la Haute-Marne, le Pas-de-Calais and la Somme, Ms Le Pen received unwavering support.

In Paris, where 35 per cent of citizens voted Macron, violence broke out as anti-fascist protesters clashed with police.

Crowds of anarchists and anti-fascist demonstrators took to the streets as the first results emerged showing Ms Le Pen would make it into the final round in the race to the Elysee.

Demonstrators clash with French riot police after partial results in the first round of 2017 French presidential election, in Paris. (REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pellisier)

Police fired tear gas to disperse several hundred demonstrators, and officers in riot gear surrounded the Place de la Bastille.

One of the organisers reportedly told the crowd to protest against Marine and against Macron and added: Whatever the results are, we will not recognise them."

The vote marks the end of a political era in France dominated by the two major parties, the Socialists and centre-right Les Republicains.

Neither was able to cut through and both were eliminated in the first round.
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Asylum seekers have been warned by private security company G4S to behave in their accommodation or risk being "detained and deported", in what lawyers have said is a misrepresentation of the company's powers and a potential breach of their duty of care.

A letter from G4S warns that people living in asylum-seeker housing managed by the company may be detained and deported away from the UK if they show unacceptable behaviour while residing in the accommodation.

(John Grayson (John Grayson)

Lawyers have criticised the company for over-stating their powers, describing the letter as even worse than the security companys widely criticised move to paint the doors of asylum housing in Middlesbrough red last year.

The letter, which is dated November 2016 but was only brought to the attention of an individual case worker last month, begins by thanking the majority of tenants who respect G4S staff, then goes on to state: There are, however, a few who do not respect the officers allocated to look after them.

It reports a brutal and cowardly attack by an asylum tenant on a G4S officer in Birmingham, which resulted in the officer being hospitalised and the asylum seeker being arrested and forcibly deported back to his country of origin.

G4S then warns that tenants who are abusive and aggressive will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Police and may be deported away from the UK.

It states: Your accommodation, utilities, welfare and all support is provided at no charge to you by the UK Government. But those who are abusive and aggressive will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Police and may be deported away from the UK.

It is against the law in the UK to physically or verbally attack anyone, including one of your housemates or a Welfare Officer. Unacceptable behaviour is always reported to the Police and Home Office and kept on their records while your application is being considered.

Those who threaten or attack (with words of actions) may be detained and deported away from the UK.

When contacted about the letter, G4S conceded that the language used in the letter is emotive and imprecise and that future communications with asylum seekers will be expressed more clearly  adding that the number of asylum seekers who are violent or abusive was small.

Frances Webber, retired immigration barrister and vice-chair of the Institute of Race Relations, told The Independent G4S had breached their duty of care towards asylum seekers under their charge by issuing such a threat, warning that it could have "horrendous consequences" on vulnerable people's wellbeing.

G4S hasnt been given the job of deciding who gets deported. Its a terrible threat. A lot of asylum seekers who have killed themselves in recent years are those who have been threatened with deportation. It has horrendous consequences, and you can see these security employees of G4S don't have a clue, uttering such threats," said Ms Webber.

Its in breach of the common law duty of care, which they have as owners of managers of asylum property. Its definitely in breach of a duty of care that they would have to the people in the charge and in their care.

They are perfectly entitled, as would anybody running asylum property, to say if you break the rules or if you commit a criminal offence, you will be reported to the police. What theyre not entitled to do is to go on and say you might be deported. Thats absolutely, completely out of order.

Using the word deportation is emotive. It causes huge anxiety unnecessarily and improperly, and if somebody in receipt of that self-harmed, I would imagine that they would be liable. If I was advising somebody as a lawyer who was adversely affected by a notice like that, then I would say there is a common law duty of care in that situation, which they are in breach of."

Ms Webber went on to say the threats were even worse than the scandal when the company painted the doors of asylum seeker housing red, because it was the potential harm was more direct.

They are behaving like security guards, and if they want to branch out into this care provision, which they have begun to do, they need to recognise that that is a different role. Its not supposed to be penal, she said.

This is similar to the case where G4S painted asylum seekers doors red, but its even worse in a way because its more direct. Its very direct harm.

Immigration lawyers from the firm Duncan Lewis, meanwhile, said they were "very concerned" by the the threats, saying it was "entirely wrong" to issue such warnings based on the actions of one individual and accusing the company of "misrepresenting their powers".

Jamie Bell, of the public law department at Duncan Lewis, said: "G4S do not have the right to recommend deportation and have no involvement in the immigration cases of anyone who lives in their properties. It is a misrepresentation of their powers.

Recommended Thousands of asylum seekers and migrants wrongly denied NHS healthcare

"It is entirely wrong for G4S to threaten innocent people with deportation based on the actions of one individual. Individuals who are being provided accommodation by G4S are often extremely vulnerable individuals who have undergone harrowing incidents in their home countries, causing them to flee and seek refuge in United Kingdom. Making empty threats like these can be potentially psychologically damaging to those who have acute fear of return.

"This recent news comes within a continued climate of ill-treatment towards refugees by the Home Office including recent instances of deaths in Immigration Removal Centres, the lengthy detention of vulnerable individuals and the treatment of those subjected to forced removal. We would urge the Home Office to treat these men and women with the respect that they deserve."

John Grayson, the independent case worker who discovered the letter pinned on a notice board at an asylum seeker house in Sheffield before writing about it on the openDemocracy website, described the letter as "brutal".

I see loads of notices up in the G4S houses, but this one was particularly brutal. It was stark and brutal. The threat to actually deport people without any question of the criminal justice system," said Mr Grayson.

"If someone assaults a G4S officer, they might have to go to prison, but thats a decision for the independent judiciary and should not affect their immigration status, nor should it be decided by G4S telling the Home Office to send them down and then deport them.

For years Ive denied the idea that G4S collaborates or actively supports this deportation without any kind of recourse to the legal processes. But this letter effectively says they do. Its very much part of the hostile environment in the UK asylum system."

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 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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

When asked about the letter, a G4S spokesman said: We acknowledge that the language used in this letter was unhelpful and imprecise, however it followed a serious attack on one of our welfare officers that left them badly injured and fearful of returning to work.

"Our teams have no influence on the course of an asylum seeker's application and will ensure our future communications are clearer. We have a responsibility to remind the small number of asylum seekers who are violent or abusive that their conduct will be referred to the Home Office and the police.

"This fulfils our duty of care to the safety of our colleagues and we also believe that it is what the public would expect."
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Madeleine McCann may have been kidnapped by slave traders and sold to a rich family, an ex-Scotland Yard detective has claimed.

The theory suggests Madeleine, who went missing in 2007, may have been smuggled to Africa via a ferry.

Gangs who operate in Mauritania, West Africa, reportedly sell children to rich Middle Eastern families.

The Mauritania line is certainly a possibility and needs to be looked at, Colin Sutton told the Mirror.

If someone wanted to get a three-year-old child into Africa its the obvious route. The infrastructure and contacts for people smuggling are clearly there.

Private detectives hired by the McCann family apparently think there is strong reason to believe Madeleine was taken to Morocco - a route into Mauritania.

Lagos, where boats depart for Africa, is very close to Praia da Luz, where Madeleine went missing, and it has been estimated it would have taken kidnappers no more than five hours to take her to North Africa.

Mari Olli and British husband Ray Pollard had not heard of Madeleines disappearance when they saw the girl they believe was her in Marrakech.

I saw the girl inside the shop. She was wearing clear blue pyjamas. Some pattern on the top, trousers little darker. Dont think the trousers had any pattern, Ms Olli wrote to Leicestershire police.

She was very small. Under one metre. She was with a man. She was standing alone, the man about a metre from her.

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

I looked back at her, she was very sweet. It was a strange situation because the man didnt look like her father.

And it was very strange to see a blonde small girl standing alone in Marrakech, she added.
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Mental health charities have seen a surge in the number of people contacting them after Prince Harry revealed his personal struggles over the death of his mother.

The Prince spoke about the difficulties he faced dealing with the incident in an interview with The Daily Telegraph and revealed he had sought professional help.

Charities have since reported an increase in the number of people using their services, which Prince Harry said was the reason behind his decision to speak out.

The Mix, a charity which supports under 25s, said there had been a 43 per cent rise in people using their online services.

CALM, a mental health charity aimed at men, saw website traffic double following Prince Harry's remarks.

And Mind, another mental health charity, said the number of calls it received on its information line had increased 38 per cent, according to the Telegraph.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said ordinary members of the public were more likely to reach out if famous people spoke about their own problems.

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

Its inspiring to see Prince Harry speaking out about his experiences. It shows how far we have come in changing public attitudes to mental health that someone so high-profile can open up about something so difficult and personal, he told the Telegraph.

"We know that this has had a huge impact on people who are still struggling in silence with their mental health. Every time someone in the public eye speaks up we know that it encourages ordinary members of the public to do the same.
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A Government minister insisted deaths from toxic air are not an emergency, as anger grew over a bid to delay a long-awaited improvement plan.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom was dragged to the Commons chamber to defend her decision to use pre-election "purdah" rules to try to slam the brakes on the proposals.

The move drew widespread criticism, with one MP accusing Ms Leadsom of condemning more people to an early death from illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide, largely blamed on diesel emissions.

Labour insisted she was wrong to claim her hands were tied, because the purdah restrictions can be lifted in exceptional circumstances, including to protect public health.

In reply, Ms Leadsom acknowledged that safeguarding public health was set out in Cabinet Office guidelines as a possible exception to purdah rules.

But she insisted: This would generally only apply if there was an unexpected public health emergency, such as for example contaminated food, which needed to be dealt with urgently. So this doesnt fall within that category for exception.

Ms Leadsom was then asked if that meant she did not consider toxic air to be an emergency  despite it being blamed for up to 40,000 early deaths every year.

In reply, the minister acknowledged only that it was a very significant and urgent concern, refusing to use the word emergency.

Fiona Mactaggart, Labour MP for Slough, said: At the present rate, there will be seven more dead people in Slough by the time she publishes this air quality plan.

Isnt this an urgent health issue and what is she going to say to the families of those seven people who will die before she even publishes?

A court had given ministers until 4pm on Monday to set out draft measures to cut deaths from toxic air, which would probably require unpopular higher levies on diesel vehicles in cities.

But, very late last Friday, the Government lodged a fresh application with the High Court to postpone publication until after the June 8 election.

In the Commons, Ms Leadsom pointed to pre-election sensitivity as the reason for delay, but insisted there would be no hold up to implementation of the measures planned.

At one point, she claimed those plans were ready to go, telling MPs: Clean air is a top priority for this Government. We have been working on new proposals for the last five months.

The Government still intended to publish a draft plan by June 30 and a final plan by September 15, she said.

Lawyers for Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, and ClientEarth, a campaign group, are opposing the Government's application for delay, with a decision expected as early as Tuesday.

James Thornton, of Client-Earth, said: This is a question of public health, not politics. The government has had five months to draft this plan and it should be published.

And Caroline Lucas MP, co-leader of the Green Party, said: "The Government has utterly failed to get a grip with the air pollution crisis and is now attempting to stitch up judges and cajole them into submission. Such blatant bullying is simply unacceptable."
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The campaign to leave the European Union was mostly funded by five of the UKs richest businessmen, a new study has revealed.

The five donors  including Leave.EUs Arron Banks, Crystal Palace co-owner Jeremy Hosking, investment billionaire Peter Hargreaves, motoring entrepreneur Robert Edmiston and hedge fund manager Crispin Odey  contributed 14.9m out of the total 24.1m in donations and loans given to the leave campaigns in the five months leading up to the referendum.

According to analysis of the soon-to be published Sunday Times rich list, 71 per cent of funding for campaigns on both sides of the argument came from the UKs richest people.

Mr Banks was the biggest anti-EU donor having given a 6m loan to Leave.EU, a group focusing on immigration controls that he helped found with Nigel Farage.

He gave a further 2.1m to Grassroots Out, a separate group, through his Better For The Country Ltd campaigning firm and was one of Ukips biggest individual donors until earlier this year.

Mr Hargreaves gave 3.2m to Leave.EU while Mr Hosking give 1.69m to Vote Leave.

Mr Odey donated 873,323 to get the UK out of the EU but was out of pocket for far more when his hedge fund lost half its value in six months after he predicted the decision would trigger a recession.

The largest donor to the Remain side was Lord Sainsbury of Turville, giving 4.23m to several pro-EU groups.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA

The revelation comes as the Electoral Commission announced it was investigating Leave.EUs spending.

The commission said it was looking into whether the Brexit-supporting campaign had taken impermissible donations and that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that potential offences may have been committed by the campaign.

But Mr Banks rejected the allegations, saying: The Electoral Commission allowed the Government to spend 11m on a pack of Remain lies. We will be vigorously defending ourselves against their allegations.

Since the referendum Mr Banks has declared war on his former party and said he intended to stand against them in June in Clacton  the only seat they won in the 2015 general election.

Recommended Arron Banks reveals plans to unseat Douglas Carswell

In an interview with The Independent last month, he said he thought Ukip leader Paul Nuttall was weak and running the party like a squash club.

He said he wanted to run in Clacton to unseat the incumbent MP Douglas Carswell who later left the party to sit as an independent having previously defected from the Conservatives and triggered a by-election in 2014.

However, Mr Carswell announced last week that he would not be standing again in the general election on 8 June.
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Theresa May will have a face-to-face meeting this week with Jean-Claude Juncker and the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, The Independent can reveal.

The Prime Minister will meet the European Commission President and Mr Barnier at Downing Street in what is being described by European officials as a flying visit on Wednesday.

It comes ahead of the crucial summit this weekend at which European leaders will formally adopt draft Brexit negotiating guidelines, that remain largely unchanged since they were first proposed in March.

The visit to the UK by the two top EU figures will also be the first time the Prime Minister meets Mr Juncker and his head negotiator since setting the UK on course for a general election to be fought along Brexit battle lines.

The Independent understands Mr Juncker and Mr Barnier will not do a press conference with the PM when they come to No 10, but will only hold private talks with Ms May during a closed-meeting in the evening.

An EU source told The Independent: At the meeting they will discuss the guidelines ahead of the summit.

But the purpose will also be to present Mr Barnier in person as the head man to be dealt with in Brexit negotiations.

Saturdays special Brexit summit of EU leaders, excluding Ms May, will be when they formally approve the negotiating guidelines that were put forward by European Council President at the end of last month.

 Theresa May's Easter message: People are uniting after Brexit

The inclusion of an article in the guidelines, which effectively gives Spain a veto over any deal affecting the status of Gibraltar, caused consternation among some in the UK  in particular ex-Tory leader Michael Howard, who said Ms May would go to war with Spain to uphold the territorys British status.

On Monday in Brussels, however, a preparatory meeting of sherpas agreed that the guidelines would be put to EU leaders without any substantial changes to the proposed approach put forward by Mr Tusk.

Sources said discussions were consensual and resulted in only a few technical adjustments.

Another EU insider said: Gibraltar is still in there. The exclusion of sectoral deals on the single market is in there. It is largely unchanged.

After the EU 27 formally adopt the Brexit guidelines, officials at the Commission will begin to flesh them out, with an eye on shaping more intricate and detailed negotiating directives to be approved at the end of May ahead of formal Brexit talks, which will then start after the UKs general election.

Ms May is widely expected to make several Brexit-based pledges as part of her bid to secure a more workable majority in the House of Commons, including guarantees that she will end free movement, end the jurisdiction of the European Court in the UK and pull out of the EU single market.

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

But the solidity of each pledge is already under question  with Ms May and Brexit Secretary David Davis both already signalling, for example, that free movement may continue for a period after the UK leaves the EU.

The guidelines to be approved by EU leaders on Saturday also rule out the kind of sector-by-sector access to the single market that Ms Mays allies have suggested could provide the basis for an agreement.

Meanwhile, her promise to end the European Courts jurisdiction in the UK hit a block after it emerged the EU will push for the bodys power in the UK to be upheld after Brexit, in particular when it comes to preserving EU citizens rights in Britain.
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One of the first acts of a Labour government will be to repeal the vicious trade union legislation introduced last year, Jeremy Corbyn is set to announce as he unapologetically celebrates the partys relationship with Britains unions.

In his first visit to Scotland during the 2017 general election, the Labour leader will also attempt to entice Scots back to his party, which suffered a catastrophic defeat at the last general election, losing 40 of its 41 seats in the region.

In a speech at the Scottish Trade Union Congress he will say that Labour will never, ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement. Addressing delegates directly, he will say: You are our family.

Mr Corbyn will add: That is why one of the very first things we will do when forming our Labour government will be to repeal the vicious Tory Trade Union Act. Giving people the rights to collectively organise and make their lives better, safer and more content.

The legislation, brought in by David Camerons administration, introduced a threshold for workers voting in strike ballots for action to be legal. Among other measures it also requires strikers to give employers a minimum of 14 days notice before industrial action, rather than seven.

The Labour leader will also pledge that his party is campaigning to win every seat across the whole country. Should Mr Corbyn become Prime Minister, he will add, a Labour government would also carry out an inquiry into the practice of blacklisting, and into the Battle of Orgreave in the miners strike.

Speaking in Aviemore, he will add: While the timing of the election was unexpected, the choice is clear and the stakes are high. Let no-one be in any doubt  we are in this election to win it and we will fight for every seat in every corner of these isles.

The choice facing the country is clear. Its the people versus the powerful. Labour will challenge the rigged system that is holding our country back. And just like trade unions, we will stand for the many not the few.

But the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Mr Corbyn couldnt be bothered to campaign during the independence referendum in Scotland in 2014 and has said he would do a deal with the SNP.

She added: And the last time he was in Scotland he said he was absolutely fine with a second referendum. On top of that, theres no way he could get a good deal from the other European leaders.

Only the Conservatives can bring the SNPs nationalist caravan to a halt and provide the leadership we need to get the best possible deal out of Europe.
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A Labour government would scrap the Conservatives Brexit white paper and draw up new negotiating priorities for taking Britain out of the EU, the party will announce on Tuesday.

Labours shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer will spell out his partys plan to retain the benefits of the Single Market and the Customs Union, which the party says will be key to preventing job losses and economic malaise after leaving.

In a speech aimed at clarifying the partys position on Brexit Mr Starmer will pledge an immediate and unconditional rights for EU nationals to remain on the basis that they should not be used as bargaining chips.

Labour would also scrap the Governments Great Repeal Bill and replace it with an EU Rights and Protections Bill that would make sure that all EU-derived laws  including workplace laws, consumer rights and environmental protections  are fully protected without qualifications, limitations or sunset clauses.

Despite its name, the Great Repeal Bill in fact enshrines all EU statute into UK law before Britain leaves. Ministers say rules can be repealed on a case-by-case basis after Brexit.

Recent polls have suggested Labours Brexit stance has confused even a large proportion of its own supporters as the party struggles to communicate its views to the electorate.

Mr Starmer will say in his speech at One St Georges Street in London: A Labour Government will set out a new Brexit strategy.

We will scrap the Governments Brexit White Paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that reflect Labour values and our six tests.

The White Paper will have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the Single Market and the Customs Union as Labour know that is vital to protecting jobs and the economy.

And we will approach negotiations in a completely different way to a Tory Brexit: negotiating for the many, not the few.

Where Theresa May wants to shut down scrutiny and challenge, Labour will welcome it. We will work with Parliament, not against it. Because on an issue of this importance the Government cant hide from the public or Parliament.

A Labour approach to Brexit means legislating to guarantee that Parliament has a truly meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal.

What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you  that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the  judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up  and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty

Labours attempt to communicate its position comes as a new YouGov poll shows that an increasing proportion of the public believe Brexit is a bad idea. The proportions in favour and against are 44 per cent apiece, the survey found.

Previous polls in the same series by the firm have all showed leads for people believing Brexit is a good idea.
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The Green Party has accused the Conservatives of fanaticism after the Defence Secretary admitted that Theresa May could start a nuclear war.

Michael Fallon had said the Prime Minister could launch a nuclear attack against another country, even if the UK was not under nuclear attack, in the most extreme circumstances.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, branded the position immoral because it would lead to the deaths of countless civilians.

He also criticised Jeremy Corbyn, whose party says it will renew Trident despite its leaders clear statement that he would not use the weapon of mass destruction. Mr Bartley branded Labours approach to the multi-billion pound missile system HMS Pointless.

Speaking at St Georges Hospital in Tooting on Monday the Green co-leader pledged spend the cost of the weapon on the NHS.

Voters are being offered a choice between Tory first strike fanaticisms and Labours HMS Pointless. What could be more immoral than considering a first use of nuclear weapons, knowing full well that it would lead to the death of countless civilians? he said.

And what could be more illogical that pledging to renew a multi-billion pound nuclear weapons system that will never be used? With people struggling to get by in Britain its inexcusable to be ploughing peoples money into this cold war relic.

Instead of replacing this nuclear monstrosity the Green Party would give the NHS an emergency kiss of life. People are being treated in corridors while we flush money away on nuclear weapons. Cancelling Trident would give our NHS more than 3bn per year  which must be added to additional funding from raising taxes.

Real security means having a world class health service, not locking ourselves into replacing these weapons well never use. Imagine the impact on our NHS of employing 85,000 more nurses, midwives and health professionals  thats what is at stake here.

Speaking on Sunday Labour leader Mr Corbyn said he would try to de-escalate a nuclear war and said that any use of nuclear weapons is a disaster for the whole world. His party however says it is committed to maintaining a nuclear deterrent and would renew Trident.

Jonathan Bartley (PA Images) (PA)

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning Mr Fallon, Ms Mays defence secretary, said: In the most extreme circumstances, we have made it very clear that you cant rule out the use of nuclear weapons as a first strike.

Asked in what circumstances, he replied: They are better not specified or described, which would only give comfort to our enemies and make the deterrent less credible.

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 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. 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The highest estimate of the cost of replacing Trident is 205 billion over its lifetime, according to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. One estimate collated from ministerial statement by Crispin Blunt, the Tory MP who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, pegged the cost at 167 billion.

The independent Trident Commission, which reported in 2014, pegged the cost at closer to 100 billion.
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Theresa May would fire Britains nuclear weapons as a first strike if necessary, the Defence Secretary has said.

Michael Fallon said the Prime Minister was prepared to launch Trident in the most extreme circumstances, even if Britain itself was not under nuclear attack.

The statement came as the Conservatives continued to exploit Labour divisions on the retention of the Trident deterrent, to warn of the very dangerous chaos if Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister.

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Yesterday, the Labour leader suggested Trident renewal might not be in Labours election manifesto  only to be corrected within hours by party colleagues.

Speaking to BBC Radio Fours Today programme, Mr Fallon said voters tempted by Labour had been left completely unsure as to what would actually happen to our nuclear deterrent.

But he went further, marking out a clear divide between the parties when asked if Ms May was ready to use Trident as a pre-emptive initial strike.

In the most extreme circumstances, we have made it very clear that you cant rule out the use of nuclear weapons as a first strike, Mr Fallon said.

Asked in what circumstances, he replied: They are better not specified or described, which would only give comfort to our enemies and make the deterrent less credible.

The whole point about the deterrent is that you have got to leave uncertainty in the mind of anyone who might be thinking of using weapons against this country.

Mr Fallon also insisted that critics of Trident  including senior military figures who have ridiculed the idea that it is an effective deterrent  were absolutely wrong.

It deters day and night every single day of every single year, the Defence Secretary insisted.

Mr Corbyn sparked fresh Labour despair when, asked if Trident renewal would be in Labours manifesto, he replied: We havent completed work on the manifesto yet.

Last year, the Labour leader had appeared to abandon attempts to persuade his party to back unilateral disarmament, after a conference vote in favour of Trident.

Mr Corbyn also refused to say whether he would order the captains of the UKs nuclear submarines to launch their missiles if the Government had been wiped out by a nuclear strike.

Today, Labours general election chief, Andrew Gwynne, insisted renewing Trident will not be part of Labours defence review if it wins the general election.

We are committed to renewing the Trident system, said Mr Gwynne  rejecting Mr Corbyns statement that all aspects of defence policy were up for grabs.

The Labour party is very clear we are committed to a credible nuclear credibility at the minimum end of the scale. That is Labour party policy and it will be in the manifesto, Mr Gwynne said.

But he appeared to rule out a first strike, adding: We would not be in a position where the first choice would be to press that red button. It is a deterrent because we have them.

We believe in multilateralism, we believe in negotiating away our nuclear weapons system to create a nuclear weapon free world.

But Mr Fallon said, of Mr Corbyn: Hes against the nuclear deterrent, would stop building the submarines which we have already started building, he wouldnt control our borders  and, earlier, he has even questioned our Nato deployment.
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The Conservatives could beat Labour in Wales for the first time in nearly a century, according to a shock new poll.

The YouGov Welsh political barometer shows the Conservatives on 40 per cent in the country, up 12 per cent since January. Labour are down three per cent on 30 per cent.

The results, if replicated at the general election on June 8, would see the Tories pick up the most votes in Wales for the first time since 1922.

Recommended Jeremy Corbyn says Labour will introduce four new bank holidays

The poll has Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru on 13 per cent, unchanged, the Lib Dems on 8 per cent, down 1 per cent, and Ukip on 6 per cent, down 7 per cent.

Labour won the most votes in Wales for the first time in the 1922 general election and has dominated politics there ever since.

In 2016 it won the Welsh Assembly elections with 29 seats and 35 per cent of the vote, just short of a majority.

The party picked up 25 seats in Wales at the 2015 general election, with the Tories winning 11. Plaid Cymru won 3 and the Liberal Democrats 1.

This weekend Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones backed his party's plan to borrow 500 billion to invest in capital.

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 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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 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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. 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"In 1945, a Labour government came in after the war when things were much, much worse than they are now, when the UK was in a far more difficult state," Mr Jones told BBC Sunday Politics Wales.

"Yet, it created the NHS, it made sure the economy was rebuilt, it built houses. All these things were done at a far more difficult time.

"If they could do it - there is no reason why a Labour government can't do it after June."
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Ukip has insisted beekeepers will be exempt from a controversial proposal to ban the wearing of face coverings in public places in Britain.

It came as the party unveiled a string of predominately Islam-focused policies as part of Paul Nuttalls integration agenda platform for the general election in six weeks time.

Introducing the event at the Marriott County Hall, Mr Nuttall said: Todays message will be a message of positivity, it will not be about negativity.

What we will say today is not designed to sow the seeds of division. It is about promoting integration in British society, he added.

But when quizzed on the partys proposal to pass a law against the wearing of face coverings in public places and whether it would apply to beekeepers, the partys deputy leader Peter Whittle said it was a ridiculous suggestion and confirmed it would be focused on the burqa.

Face coverings are a deliberate barrier to integration and, in many contexts, a security risk too. The time has come to outlaw them. People should show their face in a public place, the partys literature on face coverings adds.

Other proposals included implementing school-based medical checks on girls from groups at high risk of suffering from the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Britain. The party suggests the examinations should take place annually and whenever they return from trips overseas.

Women and equalities spokeswoman Margot Parker said medical practitioners should be required to report cases of FGM. A failure to report FGM would also be a criminal offence for any adult who knows it has taken place

"All these measures to combat this despicable crime are already law in France, a country that has a far, far better record than us on FGM," Ms Parker said.

"Not only have they proven effective both in protecting girls in France from FGM, they also help provide essential evidence to mount prosecutions where FGM has taken place. It is time the United Kingdom caught up."

 Ukip pledges to ban the burka

Ms Parker also said victims of "grooming gangs" who are from a different ethnic or religious background to the perpetrators should be treated as having suffered a hate crime.

Another proposal, which the party aims to place in their election manifesto, included a moratorium on new Islamic faith schools until substantial progress has been demonstrated in integrating Muslims into mainstream British society.

Islamophobia, an assault on multiculturalism and an attack on Muslims in the UK.

Key Faces of UKIP Show all 11 1 /11 Key Faces of UKIP Key Faces of UKIP Nigel Farage Getty Key Faces of UKIP United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Migration spokesman Steven Woolfe addresses supporters and media personnel in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP Robert Kilroy-Silk, former television presenter and newly elected member of the European Parliament for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), shows a placard against the European Constitution in front of the Houses of Parliament Getty Key Faces of UKIP Mark Reckless, Director of Policy Development addresses party members during the UK Independence Party annual conference at Doncaster Racecourse Getty Key Faces of UKIP Gerard Batten MEP poses with protesters outside parliament Creative Commons Key Faces of UKIP Diane James gives an address at the UKIP Autumn Conference in Bournemouth Getty Key Faces of UKIP Douglas Carswell MP speaks to party members and supporters during the UK Independence Party annual conference Getty Key Faces of UKIP Suzanne Evans, Deputy Party Chairman of UK Independence Party (UKIP) speaks during the launch of UKIP's election manifesto Getty Key Faces of UKIP Peter Whittle, the UK Independence Party Member of the London Assembly, is interviewed in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP MEP Mike Hookem during a visit to Concept Metal Products & Co Ltd Getty Key Faces of UKIP Paul Nuttall, Deputy Leader of the UK Independence Party speaks at a Say NO, Believe in Britain debate at Carn Brea Leisure Centre in Pool near Redruthon Getty

Mr Whittle, however, rejected suggestions that the party was attempting to capitalise on the BNP vote and that the suggested policies were racist.

Following the event Mr Nuttall, who failed in his bid to be elected as Stoke-on-Trent Centrals MP earlier this year, also evaded reporters questions on whether he would be standing again in the upcoming election, adding it would be decided by the partys national executive committee later this week.

When he eventually emerged from a room inside the Marriott County Hall in central London, the party leader jokingly added that Ukip leaders have done quite well outside Parliament  an apparent reference to his predecessor Nigel Farage and his failed attempts to be elected as an MP.

When asked on Sunday whether he would be standing, Mr Nuttall said he would be having conversations with branches about his potential candidacy.
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Ukip has announced plans for mandatory annual medical checks for girls in "at-risk minority" groups in a bid to stop female genital mutilation in Britain.

The partys policy announcement on FGM, which is illegal in the UK, comes after the party pledged to ban the burqa from being worn in public in its general election manifesto for Junes vote.

Pledging to launch an "integration agenda", party leader Paul Nuttall, who failed to win a parliamentary seat earlier this year, said the burqa and niqab were barriers to social harmony.

And the partys education spokesperson David Kurten said that until there was "better integration" in Britain "there should be a moratorium on new Islamic schools".

The latest initiative, which would see girls given medical examinations in schools, comes after Mr Nuttall called on Sunday for a ban on wearing burkas in public.

"I don't believe you can integrate fully and enjoy the fruits of British society if you can't see people's faces," he said.

He also said Sharia law should be banned in the UK to prevent the development of a "parallel legal system".

Mr Nuttall said the launch of Ukip's "integration" policies was a "message of positivity" and "not designed to sow the seeds of division".

According to the policy, if voted into power Ukip would "implement school-based medical checks on girls from groups at high risk of suffering FGM. These should take place annually and whenever they return from trips overseas".

In addition, it would "make failure to report an instance of FGM by someone who has knowledge that it has taken place a criminal offence itself".
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Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has barricaded himself in a room while refusing to answer whether he would stand as an MP in the next general election.

In scenes reminiscent of Ken Livingstones failed attempt to escape inquisitive reporters by hiding in disabled toilets on the ground floor of the BBC studios last year, the Ukip leader took refuge in the Queen Mary room at the Marriot County Hall.

No one was allowed in to the room while the politician was in there although a bottle of water was smuggled in at one point.

Recommended Ukip leader Paul Nuttall may not stand at general election

It came during a news conference to announce new party policies to assembled journalists.

When he eventually emerged 10 minutes later Mr Nuttall, who failed in his attempt to become Stoke-on-Trent Centrals MP earlier this year, said the partys national executive committee would decide at the end of this whether or not he will stand.

But before making a hasty approach via a black cab parked outside, he jokingly added that Ukip leaders have done quite well outside Parliament  an apparent reference to his predecessor Nigel Farage and his failed attempts to be elected as an MP.

It came as the party announced a string of policy ideas aimed almost entirely at Muslims, including a ban on the burka in public and a moratorium on the creation of new Islamic faith schools in Britain. Introducing the event in central London, Mr Nuttall said: Todays message will be a message of positivity, it will not be about negativity.

What we will say today is not designed to sow the seed of division. It is about promoting integration in British society, he added.
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A British woman was saved from a shark attack when her husband punched the fish to scare it away.

The woman was snorkelling near the remote Ascension Island, in the British territory of St Helena, when the shark bit her leg.

A source told The Times that her husband punched the shark. A witness said the shark then also attacked her husband, but this report is unconfirmed.

The mother of two, named by locals as Frankie Gonsalves who works for the government of St Helena, was treated at local Georgetown Hospital and then airlifted to the UK.

The extent of her injuries are unclear. The type of shark that attacked her is also not known.

The Government has warned that people enter the water at their own risk.

A statement from St Helena government read: SHG can confirm that a member of staff has been involved in an incident on Ascension Island.

 Great white shark discovered trapped on beach

The person concerned was swimming near the shore and her injuries were attended to at the Georgetown Hospital.

The island from where the woman was airlifted lies more than 1,100 miles off the west coast of Africa.

Ascension Island, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are situated between Africa and South America, and form one section of a mostly self-governing British territory.

Their combined population stands at less than 6,000 people.
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DNA tests on the carcass of three crocodiles shot dead in Zimbabwe have confirmed they ate a missing South African hunter.

Scott Van Zyl disappeared during a hunting safari near the banks of the Limpopo river last week and is now believed to have been killed by the crocodiles.

Sakkie Louwrens, the director of South African anti-poaching NGO Heritage Protection Group, said Mr Van Zyl had gone on a hunting trip on the Zimbabwean-South African border with a local tracker and a pack of dogs but the pair had separated when they went in different directions to search for crocodiles.

The alarm was raised when the dogs returned to their camp without him, the BBC reported.

Mr Van Zyls footprints were subsequently traced back to the river bank where his discarded rucksack was found.

The Professional Hunters' Association of South Africa told The Independent the remains of Mr Van Zyl were found in two of the three crocodiles shot and traces of a material similar to that of the CAT books he was wearing where found in the third.

He was said to be an experienced hunter and had taken foreign clients on hunting trips.

Mr Louwrens said: "Permission was given for three Nile crocodiles in the area to be shot, and one of them contained Mr Van Zyl's remains.

"Subsequent DNA tests have proved the remains to be those of Mr Van Zyl."

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 death of Mr Van Zyl, who was married with two children, is the fourth fatal attack by a crocodile so far this year.

Nile crocodiles are renowned for their long powerful jaws from which few animals are able to escape  not even large animals like buffalo and wildebeest.

They tend to lurk almost totally submerged in rivers and lakes while they wait for prey to appear and then pounce out of the water to drag it under.

The species is considered the most dangerous type of crocodile and is common over much of Africa, where they are responsible for several hundred human deaths every year.

Last year it was revealed that they had appeared in Florida despite not being indigenous to the area.

A hatchling was discovered in Miami in 2009 and two of the beasts were subsequently found elsewhere in the state.

No one knows exactly how they ended up in the US but experts say it is probable they were smuggled into the country illegally and subsequently either escaped or were set free.
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A man who stood up to a flight attendant who purportedly hit a mother of-two in the face with a baby's buggy while violently taking it from her has spoken publicly about the incident for the first time.

Insurance executive Tony Fierro was dubbed a hero after footage of him confronting the flight attendant was widely circulated online.

A baby almost got hurt, Mr Fierro told Texan TV channel WFAA-TV. That's what just fired me up, so that was it. I don't want to make a big deal about it.

Recommended American Airlines suspends flight attendant for confronting passenger

The 46-year old Dallas resident is reportedly a deacon and founder of a community church, while also working as president of an insurance company.

The incident has attracted attention in the wake of the forcible removal of a doctor from a United Airlines flight earlier this month.

American Airlines has apologised and suspended the flight attendant involved.

Surain Adyanthaya, a passenger on the plane, uploaded the footage to Facebook, writing 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.

 United Airlines passenger is dragged off plane because airline overbooked

In the footage, the mother is seen standing in the crew area holding a baby, crying and asking for her stroller back.

Mr Fierro 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. He then 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.

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

American Airlines responded to the footage 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.

The airline said the employee has been removed from duty pending an investigation.

American Airlines is keen to avoid creating a public relations catastrophe like that experienced by United Airlines, which initially blamed its passenger, Dr David Dao, for a violent scuffle, before finally apologising.

The statement from American Airlines 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.

It said the woman who was filmed crying during the confrontation had been placed on a different flight where she would be upgraded to first class.
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Donald Trump boasted that his ratings were higher than broadcasts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in an interview about his first 100 days in the White House.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the President railed against the fake media, former rival Hillary Clinton and the election during which he lost the popular vote.

When asked if he thought he had changed how people vote, Mr Trump pointed to his very high ratings, claiming they increased by two or three times when he appeared on the Sunday morning shows.

He highlighted Chris Wallaces Fox News show.

It had 9.2 million people. Its the highest theyve ever had. On any, on air, [CBS John] Dickerson had 5.2 million people, he said.

Its the highest for Face the Nation or as I call it, Deface the Nation. Its the highest for Deface the Nation since the World Trade Center. Since the World Trade Center came down. Its a tremendous advantage.

Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Show all 22 1 /22 Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Several hours after the attacks on 11 September 2001, during which almost 3,000 people died, Mr Trump was interviewed on radio and claimed that since the Towers came down, he now owned the tallest building in Manhattan. He was also condemned for claiming around $150,000 of government funds for small businesses to get back on their feet after the attacks.

The President also falsely claimed that he saw Muslims clapping and cheering as they watched the Towers fall, which could have contributed to an anti-Muslim rhetoric that led to a 65 per cent spike in hate crimes against Muslims in 2015, as found by the FBI.

In the AP interview, the President also claimed that Democratic representative Elijah Cummings told him he would be the greatest President in history. Mr Cummings has repeatedly called for an investigation into the President and his campaign teams dealings with Russia, and has criticised Mr Trumps health care proposals.

Theres going to come a time when Trump isnt going to be in office, he said last week. The question is what's going to be left after the storm.

Mr Trump claimed that Fox News was the most accurate network, and he had stopped watching CNN and MSNBC to avoid 'negativity' before work.

He also insisted the press treated him so badly when he claimed last week there might have been a terrorist attack in France before the police had released details.

I said it may be a terrorist attack and MSNBC, I heard, went crazy, He called it a terrorist attack. They thought it was a bank robbery, he said.

 Donald Trump responds to Paris shooting: 'It looks like another terrorist attack'

By the way, I'm 10-0 for that. I've called every one of them [attacks]. Every time they said I called it way too early and then it turns out I'm ... Whatever. Whatever. In the meantime, I'm here and they're not.

The President has had a contentious relationship with the press since he announced his candidacy for President in June 2015, and has attacked most mainstream publications from The Washington Post to The New York Times for publishing "inaccurate" stories about him.
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After assembling circuit boards for Carrier furnaces at a factory here for 21 years, Jim Sholle, 56, walked out of the plant for the final time last month. But he still finds himself waking up every morning at 4:30, ready to work the 6am-to-2pm shift.

Im a routine guy, and Im not boohooing, he said. But I feel used up.

Pat Saylors, 57, is still employed, but her days here are numbered, as they are for more than 700 other blue-collar workers. Production is set to end by late December at the plant, this towns largest private employer, and each month several dozen of them are being let go.

I loved my job, said Saylors, who earns $17.31 an hour as a materials specialist, readying parts for the workers on the assembly line. She joined the company 40 years ago, when the plant was in tiny Converse, and then followed her job to Huntington when the factory here opened in 1990.

Saylors is typical of the factorys workforce, which is mostly female, with an average age around 50. She joined a few months after graduating from high school, as did her daughter Amanda, who is 33.

Its all Ive ever known, she said.

Recommended Trump to announce deal with Carrier to keep jobs in US

During Trumps campaign, the fate of more than 2,000 Carrier jobs that the company wanted to move to Mexico from Indiana, including those in Huntington, were Exhibit A in his attacks on the free-trade policies of his predecessors, both Democratic and Republican.

So when President-elect Trump announced on Thanksgiving that he was near a deal with Carriers corporate parent, United Technologies, to save them, Sholle and Saylors thought they were among the lucky ones.

It was not to be. Thanks to public pressure from Trump and a generous package of tax breaks negotiated by Governor Mike Pence, now the vice president, Carrier did agree to keep making some of its furnaces in Indianapolis, preserving roughly 800 of 1,400 jobs there.

But the plant in Huntington operated by United Technologies Electronic Controls, or UTEC, was not part of that deal  nor would it be helped by the buy American mandate for federal infrastructure projects Trump promised in Wisconsin last week. And by early next year, the components used for furnaces still assembled in Indianapolis will come instead from Monterrey, Mexico, where it takes a day to earn what workers here make in about an hour.

The economy in Huntington, a town of 17,000 in rural northeast Indiana, is quite different from what workers in Indianapolis face, however, as is the culture. Despite some notable closings, many factories remain, with 21 percent of local workers employed in manufacturing, a higher proportion than in more than 90 percent of the other counties in the country.

And as Sholles reluctance to complain suggests, the anger about the economy and about Washington that was so evident in Indianapolis and other parts of the Midwest that Trump carried is more muted here. Not that its absent  more than 70 percent of Huntington County voters supported Trump  but the pain is further below the surface.

For the most part, the workers do not fault Trump for failing to preserve their jobs, even as he took credit for keeping the Indianapolis plant open.

I support him 100 percent, said Tami Barnett, a 27-year veteran who left at the end of March. I was very pleased he saved the jobs in Indianapolis. Do I wish he could have saved mine? Absolutely. But he did his best.

Susan Cropper, 55, who works in the plant with her sister, Sandy VanDiver, 58, said she did not regret voting for Trump in November, either.

Im glad he stepped in, but its a letdown, she said, adding that most of her fury was reserved for Carrier and its executives.

Asked about the failure to keep the Huntington plant open, a White House spokesman said last week that Trump was incredibly proud to work with United Technologies to save nearly 1,000 jobs in Indiana and will continue to work with major companies to ensure he is doing all he can to increase American manufacturing, job creation and economic growth.

Huntingtons mayor, Brooks Fetters, admits when pressed to being frustrated that he never heard back from Pences office after he called late last year to find out why Huntington was not helped.

Right or wrong, thats where we are, said Fetters, a moderate Republican. Were not in panic mode.

And in any case, he said, German stoicism runs deep in northern Indiana, and you take your lumps.

Huntington has managed to adapt by luring new metalworking and automotive suppliers in recent years, according to Mark Wickersham, director of economic development for Huntington County.

We are not a dying town, he said, citing the $1.4 million expansion last fall of a learning center opposite the high school, where teenagers as well as adults can earn certificates in fields like advanced manufacturing and health care.

Although retraining offers only modest hope for workers in their mid- to late 50s who possess only a high school diploma, Fetters insists the UTEC workers do not have to face a dismal economic future if they can learn new skills.

At 4 percent unemployment, if youre not working, theres a reason and its not a good one, Fetters said. As mayor, I dont have jobs for people who can just use a rake and a shovel. I do have jobs for equipment operators.

The mayor is right  up to a point. It is true that local auto parts suppliers, machine tool makers and other industrial companies are hiring. But only a few positions are available at any time.

Not far from the soon-to-be-shuttered UTEC plant, with its parking lot full of late-model SUVs and pickups, Ecolab is hiring. The hourly wage is equal to what UTEC paid, but only four jobs are open at the plant, which makes soaps and sanitizers, with two of them offered to United Technologies employees.

Beyond that, Ecolabs 100-strong workforce is not expected to rise significantly, according to Tracey Hartman, the companys human resources manager in Huntington.

Like other longtime workers, Sholle received a severance package, including a $17,700 payment in his case. But he worries that he is not healthy enough to start over at another factory, and after he paid out $10,000 to cover taxes and medical expenses, the severance does not buy him that much time. His health insurance runs only through September.

More than a means to a paycheck, working in the UTEC factory was a way of life, with female workers especially developing the kind of deep bonds more common in small towns than big cities.

We werent blood family, but we were family, said Barnett, who worked in aftermarket sales and service. When she had a heart attack and needed quadruple bypass surgery in 2007, colleagues held bake sales and donated close to $2,500 to help her offset the loss of income during her 14-week recovery.

Thats a lot of money to me, and I was overwhelmed by the caring and compassion, Barnett said.

The decision last year to close the plant came as a shock, she added. We made the company billions in profits. Its a slap in the face.

Workers like Barnett and Saylors might have been surprised, but outsourcing factory jobs was hardly a secret on Wall Street.

To improve earnings amid slow growth in recent years, a key strategy of United Technologies executives has been to shrink the companys manufacturing footprint and move production to countries where labor is cheap.

At a meeting with analysts last month to discuss the outlook for 2017, the head of the division that includes Carrier, Robert J. McDonough, boasted that profit margins had doubled over the past five years.

Part of it has been moving factories to lower-cost locations, there is no question about that, he said. I think everybody knows thats been part of the formula for us.

Why was Trump more successful in Indianapolis than in Huntington? We were the redheaded, bucktoothed stepchild, Sholle said bitterly. We never even got mentioned in the coverage.

There is some truth to the latter part of Sholles assessment. More than two hours north of Indianapolis and some distance from the nearest Interstate, Huntington, like other rural corners of the country, rarely gets much attention from outsiders.

At the same time, true to the spirit of its understated residents, Huntingtons political and union leaders shied away from the spotlight that their counterparts in Indianapolis sought out. Some feared that criticising United Technologies publicly would undercut negotiations to save jobs.

About 100 jobs in sales, marketing and engineering will remain in Huntington after manufacturing ceases, and the company has been adding to its white-collar staff here. Unfortunately, most of the workers on the assembly lines would never be considered for these jobs because they lack college degrees and other credentials, like engineering experience.

While it is too late for the likes of Jim Sholle and Pat Saylors, even United Technologies chief executive, Greg Hayes, suggested recently that the years of cost-cutting at Carrier, the furnace and air-conditioner maker, had gone too far, putting short-term profits ahead of long-term growth.

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 need to stay competitive was the reason the company gave for moving the jobs from Indiana to Mexico, but Carriers market share actually eroded slightly last year. So Carrier is making a course correction.

We need to make investments, as I said before, in the sales force, Hayes told analysts on Wall Street in December. We need to get more feet on the street.

Bob is focused on it, Hayes added, referring to McDonoughs new marching orders to invest, in what sounded like a mix of goal and threat. Bobs senior leadership team is focused on it, and weve got to get everybody in the organization focused on it equally, so more work to do there.

The New York Times
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Donald Trump claimed he did not watch CNN anymore to avoid negativity, but the journalist interviewing him was ready to counter his claim.

In a most recent interview with the Associated Press in which the President railed against fake news and his unfair treatment by the media, he claimed he no longer watched CNN.

Journalist Julie Pace responded: You just said you did, referring back to an off-the-record exchange which had been cut from the transcript.

The President replied: No. No, I, if Im passing it, what did I just say?

When Ms Pace tried to tell him what he said, Mr Trump asked, Where? Where?

She replied: Two minutes ago.

Mr Trump instead went on to accuse the mainstream media of publishing fake stories about him, and said Fox News was the most accurate.

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

He also said he no longer watched MSNBC, but his team told him the network went crazy when he speculated that a terrorist had carried out the most recent attack in France.

He added that he had a tremendous advantage with high viewing figures when he appeared on television, and claimed he received higher ratings that broadcasts of the 9/11 attacks.

The on-the-record sections of the interview were supposed to be about his first 100 days in office, but were mostly focused on Mr Trumps election campaign, his former rival Hillary Clinton and his relationship with the media.

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

The AP interview included other worrying elements, including Mr Trump dodging responsibility for any negativity about his administration.

He said his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, was doing an excellent job in a very tough environment, not caused necessarily by me.

He also insisted that Elijah Cummings, a Democrat and ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, told him during a meeting that he was the greatest President in history.

Mr Cummings has repeatedly pushed the committee to investigate Mr Trump.

Lines of investigation include alleged ties to Russia, his involvement of his family within the administration, his potential conflicts of interest and the possible security breach of using his Mar-a-Lago estate as a Winter White House.

In another possible false report in the same AP interview, the President claimed that he had saved more than $600 million when buying about 90 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets. The number has been disputed.
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President Donald Trump has claimed that he would still beat Hillary Clinton in the popular vote for the US election despite losing it by more than 2.8 million votes to the Democratic candidate.

Mr Trumps claim comes after fresh approval ratings show he is heading for the title of the least-popular president since 1945 as he nears his first 100 days in office.

No post-war president has polled as low as Mr Trump in the first three months of office. Despite this, Mr Trump tweeted: New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is fake and almost always negative. Would still beat Hillary in popular vote. ABC News/Washington Post Poll (wrong big on election) said almost all stand by their vote on me & 53% said strong leader.

Recommended Trump has worst approval rating than any President since 1945

Final polls showed that Mr Trump lost the US election popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million votes. It marks the biggest margin recorded for any candidate to have lost the popular vote but won the election.

According to the ABC News/Washington Post poll, Mr Trumps approval rating is just 42 per cent. In comparison, former President Barack Obamas was 69 per cent as he approached his first 100 days in office in 2009. No peacetime presidents approval rating has dipped below 50 per cent at or around the 100 day mark apart from Gerald Ford, who polled at 47 per cent after he succeeded - and pardoned  Richard Nixon.

The poll, which was conducted over three days in April from a sample of 1,004 adults, showed that 53 per cent of people see Mr Trump as a strong leader, though this is significantly lower than his predecessor  77 per cent of people polled found Mr Obama to be a strong leader around his 100 days.

 US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

Despite Mr Trumps record-low ratings, 96 per cent of his supporters said they would vote for him again today. Only 85 per cent of Mrs Clintons supporters said they would back her again, with most self-reported voters who supported the Democrat claiming they would either vote for a third-party candidate or simply not vote.

Were an election be held today, the 46-44 Clinton to Trump split of the popular vote would become 40-43 in the presidents favour, though the Washington Post reported this kind of drop off for a losing candidate is not hugely surprising.
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Donald Trump is narcissistic, xenophobic, paranoid, vindictive and thin-skinned  and even more so than former President Richard Nixon, according to a former US Labour Secretary.

Robert Reich, who served under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997, wrote a blistering essay about the Republican tycoon on his Facebook page, blasting his failure to accomplish little or any of his agenda in his first 100 days.

We have before had presidents such as Richard Nixon whose personality defects harmed their presidencies and tainted the office of the president, he wrote.

Recommended Xi Jinping urges Donald Trump not to inflame North Korea feud

But Donald Trump is in a different league altogether. He exhibits the opposite of every civic virtue ever encouraged in our school rooms, town halls, and churches.

Mr Reich, a consistent and vocal opponent of the President who also worked under Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, accused Mr Trump of degrading the Presidency and of causing vast harm to the US. His words come days before government funding expires and threatens a shutdown due to growing rifts between Republicans and Democrats.

He claimed Mr Trump was a vulgar person who invited members of the Tea Party to the White House, a chronic liar who made Americans suspicious of each other and fuelled racism.

 New England Patriots players refuse to attend White House ceremony with Trump

Prior presidents have embellished the truth or, occasionally, lied about a particular important thing, such as the existence of weapons of mass destruction, he wrote. But before Trump we have never before had a president who chronically lies, whose lies have become an integral part of his presidency even in his first 100 days.

Mr Reich did not fail to mention Mr Trumps alleged conflicts of interest between his family businesses and his White House duties, his cruelty towards refugees and his attacks of the judiciary and journalists who disagree with him.

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

The former Labour Secretary has previously accused the President of behaving like a sociopath and threatening the core institutions of American society.

The latest survey from ABC News / The Washington Post found that the President has the worst approval ratings at 100 days in office than any President since 1945, but that 96 per cent of his supporters would vote for him again today.

Mr Trump picked up on the news, tweeting that the same survey was wrong on the 2016 election and that 53 per cent of those surveyed believed he was a strong leader.

New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative. Would still beat Hillary in popular vote, he tweeted.


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Officials preparing for Donald Trump to visit the UK have reportedly been considering how to keep the US President away from flights of stairs and slopes, after hearing claims he has a phobia of them.

Organisers intended to hold events on the ground floor and plan routes without steps, although it was impossible for the leader to avoid them entirely during his visit to Buckingham Palace, an official said.

Ive heard this discussed in meetings about the state visit, an official told The Sunday Times. "Trump wont be able to avoid the stairs at the Palace but they can plan things to minimise it.

According to aides, Mr Trump avoids using handrails because of a dislike of germs.

The President's fear of stairs  called "bathophobia"  has been widely reported, although there is little publicly available evidence to support the claim and the White House said it is "absurd".

Mr Trump has, however, previously described himself as a "germophobe". That was in response to an unverified intelligence dossier alleging he took part in "perverted sexual acts" in a Moscow hotel.

Mr Trump was invited to visit the UK by Theresa May in January, though a date for the visit was not set, leading to a great deal of speculation online and in the media.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Trump's trip seems unlikely to take place at least until the autumn, after Buckingham Palace announced the King of Spain's June visit was postponed to July so as not to clash with the general election. Some suggested the trip will be moved as late in the year as possible, in the hope of minimising widespread protests.
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Two more people have been charged in connection with the female genital mutilation (FGM) of two seven-year-olds in the first ever federal case in the US.

The defendants are part of a religious and cultural community called Dawoodi Bohra, an Islamic sect based in India, which is alleged to practise FGM.

The procedure has been condemned by the United Nations and is banned in the US.

Detroit Physician Jumana Nagarwala, 44, has been accused of cutting two Minnesota girls, leaving them with scars and lacerations.

Ms Nagarwala is in jail awaiting trial after a federal judge deemed her a flight risk and threat to the community.

Two more people, Dr Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, were arrested at their medical office in Livonia, west of Detroit, Michigan, where the alleged procedures were performed in February.

They were charged with conspiracy, female genital mutilation and aiding and abetting.

Investigators saw the two girls and their mothers arrive at the Burhani Medical Clinic with Dr Attar, his wife and Ms Nagarwala already inside, CNN reported.

According to court documents, the girls said they were told they were going to Detroit for a special girls' trip. One of the girls said that after the procedure she could barely walk, and that she felt pain all the way down to her ankle.

The girls said their parents told them not to talk about what happened and one couple described it as a "cleansing" of extra skin.

Dr Attar told investigators Ms Nagarwala saw patients in his clinic five to six times a year and said he believed he had done nothing to violate the law.

Ms Nagarwalas attorney, Shannon Smith, said the procedure did not involve mutilation but was a benign religious ritual.

She also said the clinic was used to keep the procedure sterile, CNN reported.

According to The Detroit News, members of the Dawoodi Bohra group in the area belong to the Anjuman-e-Najmi mosque, the only Dawoodi Bohra mosque in the area.

Leaders of the mosque released a statement saying they were offering assistance to investigators.

Any violation of US law is counter to instructions to our community members. It does not reflect the everyday lives of the Dawoodi Bohras in America," the statement said.

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. We remind our members regularly of their obligations.

No charges have been filed against the parents of the girls.

FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Show all 12 1 /12 FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot girl cries after being circumcised REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM The traditional practice of circumcision within the Pokot tribe is a rite of passage that marks the transition to womanhood and is a requirement for all girls before they marry Reuters FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, walks to a place where she will rest after being circumcised in a tribal ritual in a village about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM Pokot girls, draped in animal skins, sit on rocks during their circumcision ceremony REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot girl is smeared with a white paint after being circumcised REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data REUTERS FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, walks to a place where she will rest after being circumcised Reuters FGM tribal circumcision ceremony in Baringo County Kenya FGM Pokot girls covered with animal skins squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite in a village about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County REUTERS

There are no medical, health or hygienic reasons for FGM. Instead, it is linked to beliefs about honour, womens sexuality and marriage and is seen as a rite of passage into adulthood.

In 2016, Unicef estimated 200 million women in 30 countries had undergone the painful procedure.

Critics say FGM can cause complications during childbirth, make intercourse painful and eliminate any pleasure a woman can derive from sex.

In 2012, a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that roughly 513,000 women and girls in the United States were at risk of undergoing FGM, which was more than twice an earlier estimate based on 1990 data.
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A mother is grieving the loss of her daughter who was shot and killed in her car nearly 20 years after her 10-year-old girl was kidnapped from outside her Kansas home.

Casey Eaton, 34, of Kansas City, was shot and killed in her car on Wednesday. She was found by police at around 11pm following reports of shots being fired, KSHB reported.

Kansas City police issued a public appeal for information on the suspected killer, Emenencio C Lansdown, who was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm in relation to Ms Eatons death.

He was arrested by police on Sunday morning following a five-hour standoff in which he fired at officers several times, WIBW reports.

Ms Eaton was the older sister of Pamela Butler, who was kidnapped and murdered at the age of 10 in 1999.

Ms Eaton, who was 16 at the time, saw her sister being grabbed from the street near their familys house and pulled into the cab of a truck. She screamed and gave chase but Pamela was later found beaten and strangled to death in nearby Missouri.

I cant believe this has happened to me again, mother Cherry West said. You kind of sit back and you wonder what have you done in life for something like this to be done to you, she told Fox4News.

Ms Eatons daughter has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for the funeral. It has raised more than $4,500 (3,530) in four days.

My mother was murdered last night, the page reads. She was murdered after she got off work in front of the house that she was staying at. My family needs help to pay for her funeral expenses. She left behind two sons and two daughters, a grandbaby, a mother, a father, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We appreciate anything that you can help with.

I am just totally lost. It truly has to be a nightmare, Ms West told KBMC. She said she hopes her daughters wrap your arms around each other and fly high.
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Donald Trump has criticised North Koreas belligerence in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, amid escalating tensions between the US and the North.

Mr Trump told Mr Xi that North Koreas actions are destabilising the Korean Peninsula, according to a White House readout of the call. The White House says both leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat in North Korea, and pledged to strengthen their coordination on this issue.

A Chinese state media report on the call, however, said Mr Xi urged restraint and asked Mr Trump to refrain from taking any action that will aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Recommended US could strike North Korea if it conducts another nuclear test

Mr Trump has spoken out aggressively against North Korea in recent weeks, calling the country a problem that will be taken care of. He recently deployed a fleet of four warships to the Sea of Japan as a show of force in response to North Korean missile tests. He told United Nations Security Council ambassadors on Monday that the UN must be prepared to impose stronger sanctions on the country.

"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem and it's a problem that we have to finally solve," he said. People put blindfolds on for decades and now its time to solve the problem.

North Korea has responded in kind, marching new ballistic missiles through the streets of Pyongyang during a recent celebration of the birth of the country's founder and proclaiming that they will respond without the slightest hesitation to US aggression. The government recently detained a third US citizen who was visiting the country, according to the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang.

North Korean officials have previously said that Mr Trumps hostile rhetoric is escalating tensions between the countries.

Trump is always making provocations with his aggressive words, North Korea Vice Minister Han Song Ryol said earlier this month. Its not the [Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea] but the US and Trump that makes trouble.

China, meanwhile, has urged a measured approach to the conflict. Officials have asked the US to suspend military exercises with South Korea. Mr Xi is vocally opposed to the anti-missile system that the Trump administration has started installing there.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman urged all sides to stay calm and restrained, and dont take any actions that could escalate tensions. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said in a press conference on Monday that China had been "very, very helpful" in dealing with North Korea.

Mr Trump also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday. The White House said only that they addressed a range of regional and global issues of mutual concern."

Vice President Mike Pence returned early from a diplomatic trip to the Asia-Pacific on Monday, citing a busy week in Washington.
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Angela Merkel was forced to explain the fundamentals of EU trade to Donald Trump 11 times after he repeatedly asked to do a deal directly with Germany, a senior German official has claimed.

The US President reportedly exposed "very basic misunderstandings" of how EU trade works during a meeting with the German chancellor last month.

Ten times Trump asked [Ms Merkel] if he could negotiate a trade deal with Germany. Every time she replied, 'You cant do a trade deal with Germany, only the EU,'" the official told The Times.

"On the eleventh refusal, Trump finally got the message, 'Oh, well do a deal with Europe then.'"

According to Washington officials, the former real estate mogul has softened his stance on negotiating a deal with Europe after his attempts to secure agreements with individual European countries were rejected.

Ms Merkel was reportedly able to convince the Republican leader that a US-EU deal would be easy to implement, sources told The Times.

Britain has reportedly been pushed to the back of the queue for a post-Brexit trade deal with the US following the meeting.

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 unwelcome news echoed comments by former President Barack Obama during the Brexit referendum campaign, when he suggested a vote to leave would put Britain at the "back of the queue" for trade talks.

Speaking months later at the G20 summit, Mr Obama said the countries would have to do "everything we can to make sure that the consequences of the [Brexit] decision don't end up unravelling what is already a very strong and robust economic relationship".
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Donald Trump has demanded congress provide funds to build his controversial border wall with Mexico - apparently willing to threaten Democrats even if he risks a government shutdown.

The president is embarking on a flurry of activity as he looks to ratchet up achievements ahead the anniversary of his first 100 days in office. He will sign executive orders on energy and rural policies, meet the president of Argentina, outline a new tax reform plan and visit a National Rifle Association event in Atlanta.

Mr Trump is also seeking to persuade Democrats to fund the border wall, while avoiding a looming shutdown of the federal government.

The wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)! If ... the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be, he said on Twitter.

The president, whose approval rating are the lowest of any commander-in-chief for more than 70 years, is desperate to score a big legislative victory in the first three months, considered to be the salad days of any administration.

But his plan to repeal and replace the President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, failed to gather full party support and imploded last month. It never even came to a vote.

 Jeff Sessions: Congress will pay for the wall

If no deal is agreed on spending, parts of the federal government will shut down at 12.01am on Saturday. Mr Trump is demanding that congress include funds for the construction of the wall, which he made a key theme of his 2016 presidential campaign and which he says will stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the United States.

The funding bill will need 60 votes to clear the 100-member Senate, where Republicans hold 52 seats, meaning at least some Democrats will have to get behind the bill, Reuters said.

Aides stressed over the weekend that funding for a border wall and a vote on an effort to repeal and replace Obamacare were immediate priorities. They asserted that both still could be accomplished in the coming week.

I dont think anyone foresees or expects or would want a shutdown, budget director Mick Mulvaney told Fox News.

Mr Trump has claimed Mexico will repay the United States for the wall if Congress funds it first. But the Mexican government is adamant it will not finance a wall and Mr Trump has not laid out a plan to compel Mexico to pay. Department of Homeland Security internal estimates have placed the total cost of a border barrier at about $21.6bn.

One senior Republican congressional aide told the Associated Press said that if not enough progress is made by Thursday, Congress would likely have to try to push forward a stop-gap spending bill to keep the government operating while negotiations continue. Leading Democrats have said they would support such a measure only if there was progress in the private talks.

But Democrats want the narrative that they dealt him a loss on the wall, the aide said.

It is unclear whether Mr Trump would sign a deal that did not include money for the wall.

On Sunday, he appeared to dangle the prospect of funding some elements of Obamacare in exchange for Democrats support in the spending talks. He tweeted that the 2010 healthcare restructuring, which was Mr Obama's signature domestic achievement and which enabled millions more Americans to secure healthcare coverage, could fail sooner than thought without an infusion.
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The United States has blacklisted 271 employees of a Syrian government agency it said was responsible for developing chemical weapons, weeks after a gas attack killed scores of people in a rebel-held province in Syria.

The US Treasury Department sanctioned 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), an agency that Washington says develops chemical weapons for the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Some of the people blacklisted had worked on Syria's chemical weapons programme for more than five years, the Treasury Department said. The sanction orders US banks to freeze the assets of any employees named, and bans American companies from conducting business with them.

Those designated were highly educated individuals likely to be able to travel outside of Syria and use the international financial system even if they may not have assets abroad, administration officials said.

These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support centre for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

US authorities, he said, would relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

The sanctions listings are the latest action taken by the Trump Administration in response to the 4 April chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun that US authorities say killed nearly 90 people, including children. The United States says Mr Assad's forces carried out the attack, while Mr Assad has said the attack is a fabrication.

Earlier this month, the United States launched dozens of missiles against a Syrian air base the Pentagon says was used to launch the chemical attack.

President George W Bush first placed sanctions against the SSRC in 2005, accusing it of producing weapons of mass destruction.

Although the Syrian government promotes the SSRC as a civilian research centre, its activities focus substantively on the development of biological and chemical weapons, U.S. officials said.

During the Obama administration - in July 2016 - the United States sanctioned people and companies for supporting the SSRC, and on 12 January the US Treasury sanctioned six SSRC officials it said were linked to SSRC branches affiliated with chemical weapons logistics or research.

Reuters
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North Korea could destroy the entire world with just "three or four" thermonuclear bombs, according to a man who styles himself as an international representative of the regime.

"No one will touch North Koreaif they touch it the people will defend it with guns and missiles," Alejandro Cao de Benos, a Spaniard who says he is a "special delegate" of the reclusive dictatorship, has claimed.

"Korea is perfectly prepared with nuclear and thermonuclear weapons. We have the H-bomb," he said in an interview with the Argentinian website Infobae.

 North Korean TV shows animation of a nuclear bomb hitting a US city and rows of graves

The IT consultant has made a name for himself defending the North's dictatorial regime and organising tourist visits in the country.

He told The Independent in 2012: "There's no one person that decides everything and can do whatever he wants."

Mr Cao de Benos has also claimed North Korea's prison camps, where Human Rights Watch said people "perform forced labour in dangerous and sometimes life-threatening conditions", are in fact "re-education" camps.

"We believe not in punishment but in rehabilitation. It's a kind of psychological therapy," he said.

In his latest comments, Mr Cao de Benos said that while the US "has many more missiles than Korea", it was "not a question of quantity but of the potency of the detonation. One thermonuclear bomb is 100 times more powerful than a nuclear one.

"Three or four of those is sufficient to end the entire world."

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

His comments come at a time of heightened tension as Washington and Pyongyang trade rhetoric over the Kim regime's programme of missile tests.

Donald Trump has attempted to strike a tough tone, threatening to "properly deal" with the regime if China is unable to rein in its ally and sending what he described as an "armada" of warships to the region.

But Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday: "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.

"We are encouraged by the steps that China has taken so far."
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President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with President Donald Trump, Chinese state media reported Monday, amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland. However, US officials have told The Associated Press that the military response isn't likely. Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasises increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China.

Only if all sides bear the responsibilities they're supposed to bear and come together, can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible, Xi told Trump, according to CCTV.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that the North will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

In a Friday interview at the Oval Office, Trump told the AP that he declined to label China a currency manipulator mostly because he needed Xi's help with the North Korean crisis.

They are working with us on North Korea. Now maybe that'll work out or maybe it won't, Trump said, adding that he had a great relationship with the Chinese president.

In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Show all 16 1 /16 In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean women soldiers take part in a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A huge military parade in Pyongyang marks the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves during a military parade on 15 April 2017 AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean soldiers carry flags and a photo of Kim Il-sung during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun What military experts say appears to be a North Korean KN-08 inter-continental ballistic missile is paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Women wearing traditional Korean dress wave flowers and shout slogans as they pass Kim Jong-Un during a parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean female soldiers march during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on 15 April EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Military vehicles carry missiles with characters reading 'Pukkuksong' during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Attendees carry sheets in the colours of North Korea's national flag during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A soldier salutes from atop an armoured vehicle during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A North Korean woman cries as she looks towards Kim Jong-un during a parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun University students carry the national flag and two bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves from a balcony during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters

Trump also spoke Monday with and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.

Associated Press
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Five years ago they walked hand-in-hand into a victory rally, embraced and kissed on stage.

Emmanuel Macron, winner of the first round of his first French presidential election, and his elegant blonde wife Brigitte.

At the lectern, the man who would go on to beat Marine Le Pen to the presidency twice made sure to thank all those who had helped him get so astonishingly far.

Then he turned, smiled at her and thanked the most steadfast supporter of them all, his wife Brigitte: always there, and whats more, without whom I wouldnt be me.

The watching crowd chanted its approval. Her name echoed around the hall: Brigitte! Brigitte! Brigitte!

It was to any English observer who knew the back story, a charming reminder that Mr Macron would continue the fine French presidential tradition of having a love life to boggle and amuse stolid Anglo-Saxon minds.

Five years later in 2022, and Ms Macron joined her husband for his victory speech on Sunday 24 April, having been forecast to defeat his far-right rival and secure a second term as president.

Now aged 69, Ms Macron is a grandmother-of-seven and 25 years her fresh-faced 44-year-old husbands senior.

Even better, perhaps, they met when he was 15 and she was his married, private school teacher - with a daughter of the same age, in the same class.

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte in 2017 (Getty)

It is said that Brigittes family, the Trogneux, respected chocolatiers in the northern French town of Amiens  (coincidentally now specialising in macarons)  did not immediately approve of the relationship with Mr Macron.

At one point, according to a local journalist with a long memory, the love affair created a pure scandal.

Impressive, by English standards, but it has to be said that the rather less racy reality  as presented by the Macrons and those close to them  is perhaps far too monogamous, and probably a little too Mills and Boon to qualify Mr Macron for the Pantheon of French presidential greats.

So far, Macron would struggle to beat even the Elysees current occupant, Francois Hollande, whose policies were hardly a roaring success but who added greatly to the jollity of the nation by being photographed, face hidden behind his scooter helmet, visiting the apartment of an actress 17 years his junior.

French President Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet

The resulting end of his relationship with official partner Valerie Trierweiler (nicknamed the rottweiler) did at least mean the short, bespectacled Mr Hollande dared appoint to his cabinet Segolene Royal, the mother of his four children, whom he had left for Mme Trierweiler.

And yet the French nicknamed him Monsieur Normal  probably fairly, because Hollandes reputation as a ladies man is nothing compared to that of Valerie Giscard dEstaing, who shortly after being elected in 1974 was involved in a dawn collision with a milk float while driving home a woman who wasnt his wife.

Valery Giscard dEstaing (Reuters)

(Giscard DEstaings poll ratings soared, possibly because female as well as male voters warmed to the chivalry of a French president who would give his mistress a lift home.)

Then, of course, there is the great Francois Mitterand, who for most of his 14-year presidency concealed the fact that he spent most evenings with his mistress and their secret daughter, Mazarine.

Anne Pingeot, an art historian, had a child with Francois Mitterand in 1974 (Getty Images; Corbis)

The socialist Mitterand was succeeded in 1995 by right-winger Jacques Chirac, whose brisk efficiency earned him the nickname amongst his entourage of cinq minutes, douche comprise [five minutes, shower included].

Set against such luminaries, the romance of Mr and Mrs Macron starts to appear the model of domestic mundanity, however unusually it began.

They met because of La Providence, the imposing private school founded by devout Jesuits in Amiens. She was the extrovert latin, French and theatre teacher, blonde-hair in the style of Brigitte Bardot according to a later Paris Match account, married since the age of 20 to a local banker.

He was 15, already steeped in the writings of French literary giants like Andre Gide - a teenage prodigy. It has been said that Laurence, the daughter of Mme Auziere (as Brigitte then was), returned home from school one day raving about the talents of a classmate who was a crazy boy who knows everything about everything.

The teacher herself met him when the 15-year-old Macron played the lead role in a school play Jacques and his Master, by the deeply philosophical Czech emigre writer Milan Kundera.

The couple when she was his married, private school teacher (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

Without any apparent bashfulness, he asked the mother-of-three if together they could re-write sections of the play The Art of Comedy by Eduardo De Filippo, to expand it to include 15 new roles.

To that end, they started seeing each other every Friday. There was no question, ever, of the pupil-teacher relationship exceeding any limits set down by French law, which defines the age of sexual consent as 18 in cases where one person has authority over the other.

But Brigitte has subsequently admitted: Little by little, I was won over by his intelligence. I still havent measured all its depths.

There was an electricity between them, long walks along the canals.

I felt myself falling, she told Paris Match, Him too.

It was, by the accounts given in the French magazines, a love that had to conquer all. The married teacher told the teenager he had to leave her, and Amiens, to finish his schooling at the elite Henri IV lycee in Paris.

But - Brigitte confided in Paris Match last year - At 17, Emmanuel told me Whatever you do, I will marry you!

Love carried everything with it, she added, and led me to divorce.

 French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

In October 2007, 21 months after she divorced the banker Andre Louis Auziere, the 54-year-old Brigitte and the 29-year-old Macron married in the upmarket town of Le Touquet, where they have a home.

Emmanuel said Were going to shut people up, a smiling Brigitte is reported to have recalled.

She wore a white dress as short as what she wears in town, according to LIllustre magazine, which added that Macron, by now approved of by Brigittes family of bourgeois chocolatiers, made sure to thank his new wifes children in his wedding speech, for loving us as we are.

He apparently spoke too of a love that was not altogether common, [between] a couple not completely normal, even if I hate that adjective, but [between] a couple who exist.

He echoed the sentiment in his book Revolution, published in November, in which he described the wedding as official consecration of a love that was at first clandestine, often hidden and misunderstood by many.

The truth, it seems, is that this is an enduring partnership, a conversation that is continuing 25 years after their first meeting, - as some accounts have put it - between two intellectuals.

Her friend the writer Philippe Besson has told journalists that Brigitte would be a first lady steeped in literary references. Invitees to her salons are said to have included the author Michel Houellebecq, the actor Pierre Arditi, and the actress and Aids activist Line Renaud.

But the admiration for her husband seems undimmed. She described him to Paris Match as a character from another planet, who mixes rare intelligence with extraordinary humanity; a philosopher who became a banker and politician.

For his part, he clearly values her opinion. When he was a minister, she sat in on some of his meetings.

In the run up to his first presidency Mr Macron confirmed Brigitte would not  and had not  played a mere, passive supportive wife of the candidate role.

His wife would never just be behind him, he told supporters at the time: If I'm elected - no, sorry, when we are elected - she will be there, with a role and a place.

 French Presidential Debate: Le Pen and Macron clash over immigration and burkini policy

Brigitte  who gave up teaching in 2015 to support her husband, then the French economy minister - has already been credited with bringing out a more extrovert side to the former Rothschild investment banker.

She has also had the foresight to warn those around her that they would hear true and false remarks about her husband. There have already been false rumours of a gay affair with Radio France chief executive Mathieu Gallet, wittily scotched by Macron, who revealed how close he remained to his wife.

Its unpleasant for Brigitte, he told a campaign rally in February, Who wonders how I could physically do it. She shares my life from morning to night. I cant split myself in two. If over dinners in town you are told I have a double life with Mathieu Gallet, its my hologram that has escaped, because its not me!

Those close to the Macrons say the truth is what Tiphaine, the 38-year-old youngest daughter of Brigitte, was quoted as saying: I know few couples so happy.

The relationship between the president and his wife might be a little outside customary French political tradition.

Despite their age gap almost exactly matching that between male grandfather President Donald Trump, 75, and wife Melania, 51, it might for some reason require more explaining  as when the French current affairs magazine LExpress took the trouble to clarify, using the French for grandchildren (petits-enfants): When he [Macron] talks about going to see his petits-enfants at the weekend, the 30-something is not talking about his little children but his [step]-grandchildren.

But it seems that for the man who has gone to become a two-time French president and his wife, it works.
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President Francois Hollande has urged French voters to back centrist Emmanuel Macron and reject far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a contest to choose his successor.

Speaking from the Elysee palace, Mr Hollande said Ms Le Pen's platform of pulling out of the euro would devastate the country's economy and threaten French liberty.

He said the far-right would "deeply divide France" at a time when the terror threat requires "solidarity" and "cohesion".

Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen, leader of the National Front, will go head-to-head on 7 May after taking the top two places in the first round.

 French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

Opinion polls indicate Mr Macron, who has never held elected office, will take at least 61 per cent of the vote against Ms Le Pen after two defeated rivals pledged to back him to thwart her eurosceptic, anti-immigrant platform.

Mr Hollande, a Socialist nearing the end of five years of unpopular rule, threw his weight behind his former economy minister in a televised address, saying Ms Le Pen's policies were divisive and stigmatised sections of the population.

"The presence of the far-right in the second round is a risk for the country," he said. "What is at stake is France's make-up, its unity, its membership of Europe and its place in the world."

Global markets reacted with relief to Sunday's vote, which broke the dominance of established parties of the centre-left and centre-right but still left the most market-friendly and internationally-minded of the remaining contenders in pole position to become France's next leader.

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Opening the battle for second-round votes, Ms Le Pen highlighted the continuing threat of Islamist militancy, which has claimed more than 230 lives in France since 2015, saying Mr Macron was "to say the least, weak" on the issue.

Ms Le Pen has promised to suspend the EU's open-border agreement on France's frontiers and expel foreigners who are on the watch lists of intelligence services.

Mr Macron's internal security programme calls for 10,000 more police officers, and 15,000 new prison places, and he has recruited a number of security experts to his entourage.

However, opinion polls over the course of the campaign have consistently found voters to be more concerned about the economy and the trustworthiness of politicians.

Whichever candidate wins on 7 May will need to try to build a majority six weeks later in a parliament where the National Front currently has only two seats and Mr Macron's year-old En Marche! (Onwards!) movement has none.

Mr Macron has already enlisted some 50 sitting Socialist MPs to his cause, as well as a number of centrist party grandees.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Emmanuel Macron will blow Marine Le Pen out of the water as the French presidential elections head to a second round of voting, leading politics experts believe.

The centrist made historic gains in the first round, with his independent En Marche! campaign receiving 23.8 per cent of the vote, closely followed by the National Front candidate on 21.5 per cent.

However, despite the tight margin, experts believe there are very few scenarios that could put the brakes on Mr Macron's charge to the Elysee Palace.

French politics expert Dr Rainbow Murray, from Queen Mary University of London, told The Independent Mr Macron is set to "blow Le Pen out of the water" and said it would take a scandal of "significant proportion" to ruin his chances.

The presidency is Macrons for the taking. Le Pen is too divisive and she does not have the majority of the electorate that she would need, she said.

An unprecedented scandal is the only scenario, as I see it, that could halt Macrons chances, even another terrorist attack I think wouldn't change the outcome.

Emmanuel Macron has consistently polled above 60 per cent in the second round of voting (Statista)

The chart above, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, shows Mr Macron polling at 63.1 per cent on average in the second round, versus Ms Le Pens 36.9 per cent score.

French politics expert and fellow at Frances National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) Dr Joseph Downing said all the signs point to a Macron presidency being a safe bet.

I think he is going to do a good enough job of reaching out to voters of other parties so I dont think it will be tight in the second round at all, he told The Independent.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election SAA/ French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

I think he will take between 65 and 75 of the final vote, which is good, but at the same time the National Front have only got into the second round twice in living memory.

It is historic and unprecedented that two people in the second round do not represent established parties, the fact that Macron can do well really does show the fragility of the system.

Recommended A Macron presidency will present France with a new start

While Mr Macron remains the clear favourite to triumph in the second round, Dr Murray says his success in office, and ability to satisfy the electorate, will hinge on his parliamentary majority.

The big issue is whether he has a Parliament that supports him. Otherwise there will be gridlock, and if there is gridlock, that plays to Le Pens advantage in 2022, which I think is the main target for her, she said. If he doesn't deliver then voters are going to be really fed up.

Sundays vote marks the end of a political era in France dominated by the two major parties.

Candidates from Les Republicains and Parti Socialiste, Francois Fillon and Benoit Hamon, were unable to cut through and both suffered defeat, polling in third and fifth place respectively.

However, both have since urged voters to rally round Mr Macron in the second round of voting on 7 May.

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who polled in fourth place on 19.6 per cent, refused to endorse another candidate.
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Marine Le Pens Front National secured its greatest ever election performance on Sunday, taking 7.6 million votes  or 21.4 per cent of the electorate.

That was the picture drawn for the TV cameras yesterday at the partys headquarters in Henin-Beaumont: champagne flowing, banners declaring Marine for President, music and a party into the night.

But after their leader's speech, once the standing ovation was over, some confided their disappointment that Ms Le Pen had failed to finish ahead of Emmanuel Macron (who took 24 per cent) in the first round. One activist told The Independent: "I know our next President will be Macron. Raising a glass, he added: It's still good that she made it to the second round  so let's celebrate anyway.

The score is extremely disappointing, very far from what had been forecast in the polls of recent months, said Jean-Yves Camus, analyst and president of the observatory of radicalism at the Jean-Jaures foundation, pointing to surveys which at one point had Ms Le Pen miles ahead on 29 per cent.

The polls had predicted for weeks that she would be ahead after the first lap  its proof that something went wrong. When analysing the causes of what he calls Ms Le Pens failure, Mr Camus suggested the party needed to get back to the fundamentals if it wants to break through.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the former Front National (FN) leader, criticised his daughter on French radio station Europe 1 for abandoning the partys routes. While he praised her for making the second round, he said he would have wanted a more dynamic, more aggressive, more French campaign, with less desire to detoxify.

In the end, while detoxification might have seemed the obvious route for Ms Le Pen to the Elysee Palace, Mr Camus said she was caught between two paths. On the final stretch, she returned to her areas of predilection - security, immigration - but it was not enough [either].

Stephane Wahnich, a political analyst who has written two books about the FN leader, said Ms Le Pens passage into the second round was not really a victory. He said she was carried through by the partys strong voter base and mainly thanks to Fillon, to voters disgusted by the fake jobs allegations [against him].

She had more difficulties than expected  the detoxification shows its limits, he said, adding that supporters hoped she might climb up from the mid-twenties to 30 per cent of the vote  not down to 21.

If the polls are right now, sitting around 22 points behind with two weeks to go, Ms Le Pen has virtually no chance of being elected in the second round. To compound matters, public figures from across the political spectrum have rallied round to offer Mr Macron their support, with only the far-lefts Jean-Luc Melenchon refusing to pick a favourite.

President Francois Hollande spoke on Monday afternoon, saying that "the presence of the extreme right is once again posing a risk to our country", putting what little political weight he has left behind his former economics minister.

Ms Le Pen did not ignore these pronouncements. Instead, during a rally in Rouvray, in the Pas-de-Calais, she lambasted the fact that "the old, rotten Republican front, which no one wants any more, that the French have rejected with a rare violence, is trying to get together with Mr Macron. I almost want to say so much the better! she added.

Here in Paris, Ms Le Pen won only 5 per cent of the vote. Like never before, the capital has shown itself to be a political singularity.

Xavier Paquet, 32, who works in marketing, told The Independent he was not surprised by the score of the FN in major cities, especially in Paris and Lyon, where he grew up.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election SAA/ French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

Historically these cities vote less for FN because there are more top professions and valued jobs and more access to information and culture, he said.

Isabelle, a psychologist, voted for Macron and for her, the result of this first round showed that there was a split between a part of the population that aspires to a profound change because they are disappointed, frustrated and deeply dissatisfied with their present situation, and another part more optimistic about the same situation.

She said she felt good about French society but recognises that she speaks from a middle class position with a better quality of life.

Guillaume, a Parisian lawyer, voted for Francois Fillon but was "disappointed that Macron is in the lead" and regretted "not to have voted for Marine in the first round". He assured The Independent that in two weeks, I will cast a patriotic vote".

Jerome, a 42-year-old photographer, was afraid that Ms Le Pen would be in the second round "and that's what happened". He said he voted for Mr Macron out of pragmatism to keep Francois Fillon out of the second round, on the basis he had a chance. "I did not vote against Le Pen because I knew she had no chance of being elected in the second round," he said, though he rejects both of them as much [as each other]. His Macron vote is not a vote felt from the heart, he added. It does not bother me that he's young but what he wants to do is blurry.

 French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

For Mr Macron, the next two weeks are not just about winning the presidency. He must also persuade the public to back his start-up En Marche! party in National Assembly elections in June  or else he will fail to secure the parliamentary majority required to push through legislative changes.

Perhaps with that in mind, he will subject himself to a TV debate against Ms Le Pen between the two rounds, his team confirmed on Monday. Jacques Chirac refused such a debate when he was similarly ahead against Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002.

Mr Camus said there was still time for the presidential favourite to build a functioning government, even without the backing of the old parties. If someone who has his age, his background, his profile, finds himself in the second round, it is because something is happening, because there is a deep desire for change in our society.

But the election is not yet over, Mr Wahnich said, warning most pundits were too quick to give Mr Macron the victory. Ms Le Pen could yet outperform the polls, with the potential for voter fatigue to kick in. People go too fast in parliamentary elections, and there is a risk of heavy demobilisation, he said.

En Marche! has ballooned out of nothing in what has been an extraordinary 12 months in French politics. The concern is that it might just deflate, in a matter of as many days.
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A French mayor whose town voted for Front National candidate Marine Le Pen said he may resign as he does not want to dedicate his life to pricks.

Daniel Delomez called the result in Annezin in northern France catastrophic, after 38 per cent of the electorate voted for the far-right candidate.

It is catastrophic. Its possible that I will step down as I do not want to dedicate my life to arseholes, he told French publication LAvenir de lArtois.

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon was the towns second choice, receiving 19.25 per cent of the vote.

The mayor has been hailed a hero, with users quick to take to social media to praise his candour.

He is my idol, one wrote. Another said: Well done, he makes me feel better about humanity.

It came as the latest results put Ms Le Pen through to the second round of France's presidential election with 21.53 per cent of the vote.

The far-right eurosceptic was more than two percentage points behind independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, on 23.74 per cent - the clear favourite to triumph in the second round.

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

Defeated candidates from the mainstream Republican and Socialist parties, Francois Fillon and Benoit Hamon, both urged voters to rally round Mr Macron to propel him to the Elysee palace on 7 May.

Mr Melenchon declined to endorse another candidate and said voters must examine their own consciences.
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The results of the first round of the French election have been widely portrayed as a rejection of traditional politics with two anti-establishment outsiders coming out on top. This is true up to an extent, but the most important fact to emerge from the outcome is that it is a rebuttal of claims that a right-wing populist wave is sweeping through Europe.

Marine Le Pens support was meant to surge at this time with a rising antipathy towards the EU; huge concern about flow of refugees and murderous Islamist terrorism. The voting took place just a few days after a terrorist attack in the centre of Paris which, according to some reports, further added to her support.

But Ms Le Pen came second. She got 21.4 per cent of the vote. Emmanuel Macron, the centrist pro-EU candidate, beat her with 23.9 per cent. To put his in context, in 2002 Marine Le Pens father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, got 17.9 per cent of the vote in the first round while Jacques Chirac came top with 19.8 per cent. And this was at a time when Mr Le Pen did not have anything like the level of fear factor his daughter now has to exploit.

Recommended Macron and Trump may share the same political fates

Mr Le Pens success at the time was described as a shocking show of political disenchantment and an implosion of establishment politics in France and, inevitably, something that will ensure things will never be the same again. In the event, come the second round, Mr Chirac romped home with 82.2 per cent of the vote, with Mr Le Pen dropping to 17.2 per cent.

Marine Le Pen may well do better than her father in 2002, but, it seems, only just. The first opinion poll since yesterdays round had Mr Macron beating her by 61 per cent to 39 per cent. The conservative Francois Fillon, who managed to get 19.9 per cent of the vote despite being mired in financial scandal, and Benoit Hamon, the Socialist, with 6.9 per cent have both asked their supporters to swing behind Mr Macron. Some of the 19.6 per cent of Jean-Luc Melenchon may go to Ms Le Pen, but his populism from the left remains different from the hard-right Front National.

The fact remains that the right-wing wave which was supposed to sweep through Europe after Brexit and the coming of Donald Trump has not happened. Norbert Hofer and Geert Wilders both fared worse than expected in Austria and the Netherlands before the French first round results.

The EU was very much an issue in Austria and Netherlands as it is in France. It was a delicious irony in the Austrian election that the intervention of Nigel Farage played a key role in Mr Hofers loss in Austria. The inability of the garrulous pub landlord of British politics to keep quiet cost the Freedom Party victory.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election SAA/ French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

That was certainly the view of the Austrian right-wingers. Mr Farage had taken it upon himself to declare that Mr Hofer would hold a referendum on leaving the European Union after he had won. That did not help us, it hindered us, was the angry complaint by Anton Mahdalik, a senior party member. We were very aware that a majority of Austrians support EU membership.

Mr Hofer described Mr Farages unsolicited intervention as a crass misjudgement. He was so worried by the pronouncements of the Ukip man that he put out a statement on the eve of the poll saying, I would ask him not to interfere in Austrias internal affairs. It doesnt fill me with joy when someone meddles from outside. His country, he pointed out, had no desire to emulate Brexit. It is not something I want. We need to build a stronger union.

The EU, and those who support it, are of course, delighted by the French election result. Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, wished Mr Macron well in the second round of the French presidential election, and celebrated the rallying of forces against those seeking the Unions destruction. Angela Merkels spokesman, Steffen Seibert, declared: Good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy.

 French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

In Britain the Labour party sent Mr Macron its congratulations. But more important for it are the low numbers for Mr Melenchon, despite the late surge. Mr Corbyn campaigning as a populist of the left may not work here either.

The Tories and Downing Street said they would remain neutral between the progressive liberal Mr Macron and the racist, crypto-fascist Ms Le Pen. Mr Macron has already warned that the UK can expect no concessions in Brexit negotiations if he is elected, vowing to take a rigid line on access to the EUs single market and the powers of the European Court.

Mr Macrons victory came at the same time as it emerged that Donald Trump is about to change directions yet again, in yet another aspect of his foreign policy. A trade deal with the EU, says the White House, is now much more of a priority than a trade deal with Britain.

The expected arrival of Mr Macron at the Elysee will expose the holes in Theresa May's boast that Britain somehow holds the whip hand in the divorce from the European Union. It is Brexit UK which is swimming against the tide in Europe and the price for this rises by the day.
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A "substantial amount" of property confiscated from European Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust has not been returned, a study claims.

More than 70 years after the end of the Second World War, many states have only partially complied with a law to return or provide compensation for land and businesses confiscated from Jewish communities during the Holocaust.

The Holocaust (Shoah) Immovable Property Restitution Study found several former Communist states in Eastern Europe have not yet fulfilled their obligations under the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets.

The study investigated unresolved issues around private and communal immovable property illegitimately seized from Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

 Watch the moment MPs applaud Holocaust survivor marking 90th birthday

The Terezin Declaration said no state should benefit from heirless property and special funds should instead be allocated to needy Holocaust survivors, but the study found property that became heirless as a result of the Holocaust often reverted to the state and has not been returned.

There are approximately 500,000 Holocaust survivors alive today and up to half are estimated to live in poverty.

It also found both Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina have failed to enact any comprehensive legislation covering property taken from Jews during the Holocaust and Communist eras.

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It said the largest percentage of heirless property was likely to be found in the Baltic States and Poland, where the overwhelming majority of Jews did not survive the Holocaust.

Poland had the largest Jewish population in pre-war Europe, as many as 90 per cent did not survive the Second World War.

"What amounts to the largest theft in history has not been adequately dealt with," the World Jewish Restitution Organization said in a statement.

The property includes both pre-war Jewish private property, now currently in the hands of the state and private individuals, and Jewish religious and communal buildings such as synagogues and social organisations that were never returned to the local Jewish community.

Over six million European Jews were killed by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany and Nazi collaborators in the deadliest genocide in history.

Gideon Taylor, Chair of Operations at the World Jewish Restitution Organisation, welcomed the report, saying: This report shines a light on the failure of some countries to address the past and to return that which was taken.

Progress has been made in recent years on returning and compensating for looted property but, as survivors pass away, Europe must ensure that all countries live up to their international commitments.
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An Italian prosecutor has said that he has evidence that charities helping refugees and migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe safely are colluding with people smugglers.

Speaking to Italys La Stampa, Sicily-based Carmelo Zuccaro told the paper: We have evidence that there are direct contacts between certain NGOs and people traffickers in Libya.

Charities were making telephone calls to Libya, helping to guide smugglers ships in Libyan as well as international waters and advising them to turn off transponders to avoid detection, he added.

 The British volunteers risking their lives to help refugees across the Mediterranean

Mr Zuccaro did not say whether he would open a criminal investigation.

Several NGOs working in the Mediterranean previously told The Independent such claims were baseless.

Mr Zuccaros task force began to investigate alleged links between charities and Libyan smugglers  ruthless criminals who prey on the desperate and whose business fuels Libyas civil war  in 2016.

As recently as last week he admitted he had no proof for allegations that NGOs were advising refugees not to cooperate with the Italian authorities, although the Italian parliament has also launched a fact-finding mission into the issue.

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

We have seen the aftermath of what smugglers do, leaving families for dead in icy waters or giving them a dinghy knowingly with a broken engine, Jude Bennett, co-founder of volunteer search and rescue team Refugee Rescue said, calling the claims ridiculous.

Refugee Rescue and other humanitarians are pawns in a larger political game. We are there to save lives at sea, simple.

The prosecutors comments come amid escalating criticism from right-wing European politicians and agencies over the role of charities doing frontline rescue work in the Mediterranean refugee crisis.

More than 1,000 people have already died making the crossing between Libya to Italy so far this year, and 37,000 people have been rescued  an increase of more than 40 per cent on 2016, the UNs refugee agency says.

A controversial 2016 deal between Turkey and the EU that means refugees crossing the Aegean Sea to Greece are returned has succeeded in cutting the the number of people making that journey  but travel across the much larger stretch of the Mediterranean between Libya and Italy has increased in the same time period.

While charities search and rescue efforts were initially welcomed by EU authorities, a Frontex border agency February report claimed that charities operating near the Libyan coast unintentionally help criminals achieve their objectives at minimum cost, strengthen their business model by increasing the chances of success.

Frontex has previously said that NGOs work was tantamount to providing a taxi service to Europe.

Stefano Argenziano, operations manager for migration at Medecins Sans Frontieres, told The Independent that the medical charity rejected all allegations it was abetting smugglers.

Its a ludicrous accusation thats diverting attention from the real problem, he said, adding that Europe has so far failed to provide other routes to safety for those fleeing instability and conflict on the African continent.

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 stop the migration flowa deadly deterrent, he continued.

Search and rescue is not the problem, but it is not the solution either. It is a necessity to save lives unless politicians can produce a safe and legal alternative.
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Refugees sleeping rough in and around the Calais area are subject to endemic levels of police brutality on a daily basis, an alarming report has revealed, amid concerns that the region is on police lockdown in efforts to deter refugees from the area.

Research published exclusively by The Independent shows that displaced people, including scores of unaccompanied children, are experiencing routine violence, with some reporting having limbs dislocated as a result of police beatings, while others had tear gas sprayed directly in their faces.

One 22-year old Palestinian male said police had sprayed tear gas directly into his face, broken his glasses and injured one of his eyes. A 17-year-old boy recalled being beaten by police in the middle of the night when he was alone, while another, aged 16, said he had been sleeping with some others in the woods when police ordered them to move, and began hitting his legs with batons when they obeyed.

In the largest independent study to be conducted in Calais since the demolition of the Jungle migrant camp, the Refugee Rights Data Project surveyed about 53 per cent of the refugees in the area, and found that authorities were taking a heavy-handed approach against displaced people, warning the situation was particularly harmful for children.

The local authority in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region has responded by saying the allegations of police brutality  which it said officers in the area are regularly accused of  are unfounded.

There are an estimated 400 refugees and displaced people residing on the streets of Calais and the surrounding areas at present, with half of them said to be underage. The numbers have increased in recent months, as unaccompanied minors have been returning to the area after accommodation centres they were transported to after the Jungle demolition started to close.

The vast majority of respondents (89 per cent) said they had experienced police violence during their time in Calais and the surrounding region, with 82 per cent describing police treatment in France as bad or very bad. Of these, 84 per cent had experienced tear gas, 53 per cent other forms of physical violence and 28 per cent verbal abuse.

One respondent reported that his shoulder was dislocated by the police, while another explained that his fingers had been dislocated in a similar fashion on a separate occasion. Among female refugees, who make up about eight per cent of the displaced people in the region, a 27-year old Eritrean woman said she had been beaten by the police when she was trying to board a bus, while a 22-year old Ethiopian woman told researchers: [The police] pushed me to the floor and beat me.

Ninety-seven per cent of the 89 children surveyed said they had experienced police violence in the area, with 79 per cent reporting being targeted with tear gas, 57 per cent with physical abuse and 21 per cent with verbal abuse. Such attacks were reported to be fairly routine, with two in every 10 children saying they were attacked with tear gas every day, and 41 per cent saying it occurred many times a week.

The report found that while a significant proportion of the police violence is targeted at children as they try to go to the UK, there was also an alarming number of instances of unprovoked police violence  notably unaccompanied youngsters being woken up from where they are sleeping and told to move. Ninety-two per cent of respondents said this had happened to them, with 77 per cent of these describing it as a violent incident and 55 per cent saying they felt scared when it happened.

An Eritrean boy, aged 17, told researchers: Once in the middle of the night they threw tear gas on us, while we were sleeping under the bridge. Another time in the middle of the night, two police officers chased me and beat me with a baton and kicked me.

Similarly, a 17-year old Sudanese boy reported: France police beat me in the middle night when I was alone, while another said: [The police] recognise me by my hair and they always come after me. They beat me up almost every day. I have had tear gas sprayed on me several times.

The report also found that in a recent development, police are reported to be using tasers on refugees. One 16-year old respondent from Eritrea reported that he had been tasered when the police found him in the port area, while another boy explained that when he came out of a lorry voluntarily, police gave him an electric shock.

Temporary detention of unaccompanied minors also emerged as a routine occurrence, with three quarters (75.3 per cent) of children having been arrested or detained in the area. One Eritrean teenage boy told researchers how he used to have a paper that proved that he was under 18, but the police ripped it and detained him for more than 12 hours without letting him go to the bathroom, and then beat him.

As well as violence from the authorities, researchers also found that children were experiencing violence and abuse from local citizens. More than half (59 per cent) said this was the case, which is a higher figure than in Feb 2016 when 49 per cent of residents in the Jungle had experienced it. Of these, 66 per cent described it as verbal abuse, while 56 per cent said they had experienced physical violence.

A number of respondents separately reported that members of far-right groups (referred to by many respondents as the fascists) circulate in the Calais area and seize opportunities to attack individuals who are alone.

An Afghan respondent explained: Its dangerous to be on your own, because fascists beat you up, while another reported: My friend was hit by a black car with loud music, hit from behind, he had his shoulder broken and then the driver escaped and no one mentioned anything. Citizens are also known to follow refugees around with video cameras and flashlights.

The findings have been backed up by testimonies heard by The Independent of people working closely with refugees in the area. Sue Clayton, who has spent time in Calais recently, said police were on lockdown in the area, and told of police raids being carried out during the day in an apparent attempt to identity and detain refugees.

Calais is in police lockdown. I went recently to talk to some unaccompanied minors that I support, who have nowhere to sleep after recently coming back to Calais after the centres where the French temporarily housed them closed, Ms Clayton said.

I arranged to meet them in a cafe in Calais town known to be sympathetic to refugees, to find it being raided by police  at ten in the morning. We ran off down a backstreet but could see more police patrolling at the next junction, so we bundled into a corner store.

The shopkeeper immediately picked up what was going on. Its like an occupied town, he said. Theres nowhere to go as the police ruling is that refugees can walk the streets, but cannot 'sinstaller'  meaning install themselves. The police policy of arresting them and taking them to the holding centre for up to four days solves nothing.

Now that neighbouring Dunkirk has gone too, there is literally nowhere, nothing for these children  for whom the UK and French governments jointly and publicly professed responsibility as they faced the worlds press last year in the smoking ruins of the Jungle.

A separate report published on the same day by the Refugee Youth Service (RYS) states that instances of police brutality are common, particularly at night, with children reporting being beaten and sprayed in the face with pepper spray to RYS staff members on a regular basis.

The study, called Somebodys Child and based on research by the charity during 2016, cites twisted ankles, broken limbs, facial injuries and severe bruising being typical injuries resulting from childrens interactions with the police after they were caught attempting to make informal border crossings to the UK.

Cases were largely under-reported, it states, due to fear of reprisal or the perception of a negative affect on any pending legal processes for asylum, while the lack of an independent reporting system meant that police officers were generally not held accountable for violent actions.

It also cites a failure by police to facilitate access to protection for unaccompanied minors on other dangers they face, such as cases of sexual exploitation, trafficking and issues around missing children  in some cases refusing to take reports of missing children or take a report about potential grooming of a child by phone.

Recommended Surge in child refugees in Calais creates terrifying new market

Nearly half (42 per cent) of the children interviewed said they had family in the UK, suggesting they may be eligible for reunification under the Dublin regulation. But three per cent of the children who applied to join their family under this legal mechanism were refused, while 19 per cent did not receive any result, and the rest are yet to access the system, the report showed.

In light of the findings, Marta Welander, director of Refugee Rights Data Project, said: The well-known camps in Calais and Dunkirk are gone. However, our latest research findings show that hundreds of children remain in the area  many alone, scared, and facing life-threatening dangers on a daily basis.

Its time for the UK government to stop trying to conceal this problem with fences and barbed wire, and adhere to its moral and legal obligations to protect these vulnerable children.

Michael McHugh, Refugee Youth Service France coordination and child protection officer, said the report shows a critical child protection failure has taken place in the Calais area, urging for courage and leadership.

The research findings highlight a critical child protection failure on European soil. Without access to family reunification processes or support to access French and European protections systems vulnerable young people will end up staying in unsuitable conditions for lengthy periods and remain at risk of violence, exploitation or sadly being lost from the system, he said.

Whichever side of the asylum discussion or political spectrum one sits, it is sadly apparent that our existing asylum systems are not fit for purpose. Courage and leadership are needed to review and strengthen our existing child protection systems to respond to this border crisis.

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

Every child is of equal worth and deserving of protection. Sadly across Europe at present, those of us working on the front line with these young people see that this does not translate into practice or policy.

A Nord-Pas-de-Calais local authority spokesperson told The Independent: The accusations of violence towards migrants, of which the national police are regularly accused of, are unfounded. There have been no recent complaints or referrals to the General Inspectorate of the National Police.

Legal remedies exist and have been used in the past, systematically investigating under the authority of the judge.
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Activists campaigning to get Lebanon to abolish an old law that allows rapists to escape punishment for their crimes as long as they marry the survivor have staged a powerful protest on Beiruts Corniche.

Thirty-one wedding dresses representing each day of the month in which women could be subject to further abuse by attackers who marry them were strung up on the Lebanese capitals famous seafront to draw attention to Article 522 of the law addressing rape, assault and forced marriage.

Swaying in the breeze between the palms, they looked like corpses. Abaad  a Lebanese charity focused on womens rights and helping domestic abuse survivors  staged a similar protest last December, in which women wearing wedding dresses and bandages splattered with red paint demonstrated outside parliament.

Article 522 is a statute from the 1940s. Under current laws rape is punishable by up to seven years in prison. The penalty for raping a minor or someone with mental or physical disabilities is higher  but the article under scrutiny creates a loophole that allows criminal prosecution to be suspended if the two people involved get married.

Lebanons diverse Christian and Muslim political representatives were somewhat energised by the election of a president in November 2016 after a more than two-year-long paralysis, which meant legislation could not be passed.

In February, a parliamentary committee voted to scrap Article 522, and activists remain hopeful representatives will abolish it in an upcoming vote on 15 May.

 Women in Lebanon protest law allowing rapists to marry their victims to escape punishment

Lebanons newly-appointed Minister for Womens Affairs, Jean Oghassabian, was present at the protest. He described the current law as stone age.

Similar marriage clauses are present in the law regarding sexual consent in many modern Muslim states. They are usually hangovers from interpretations of sharia, or religious law.

In recent years, such loopholes have come under under intensified scrutiny, with protests aimed at getting the law changed in several countries across the Middle East  although Turkey abandoned attempts last year to pass a law that would have allowed men who had sex with underage children to be pardoned if they married the victim after the proposed legislation caused outrage both within the country and internationally.

Morocco, Egypt and Ethiopia have closed similar legislative loopholes in the last few years, and changes to the law are pending in Jordan and Bahrain.

Rape and sexual abuse affect nearly one billion women and girls over their lifetimes, UN data says.
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Saudi Arabia has been elected to the UN womens rights commission, prompting outrage from human rights groups.

The kingdom is now one of 45 countries sitting on a panel promoting womens rights, documenting the reality of womens lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women," according to the UN.

The ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom has a state policy of gender segregation between men and women who are not related.

"Every Saudi woman must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a womans life from her birth until death," said Hillel Neuer, director of UN Watch. "Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars.

 Saudi women conduct silent walking protest over right to drive

"Electing Saudi Arabia to protect womens rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief," Mr Neuer said. "Its absurd."

At least five EU states voted in a secret ballot for the Saudis to serve a four-year term on the commission, according to Mr Neuer.

Helen Clark, former administrator of the UN Development Programme and prime minister of New Zealand, said in response to news of the election of the Saudis to the commission: It's important to support those in the country who are working for change for women. Things are changing, but slowly.

In March Saudi Arabia launched its first ever girls' council meeting with publicity photos showing 13 men on stage and no women. Organisers said women were involved in the launch event, but that they were obliged to sit in a separate room.

The countries with anti-women laws Show all 5 1 /5 The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws

The World Economic Forums 2015 Global Gender Gap report ranked Saudi Arabia 134 out of 145 countries for gender equality. It is the only country in the world where women are prohibited from driving and are unable to obtain a driving licence.

Saudi Arabia, the country to which the UK exports most weapons, already sits on the UN Human Rights Council.
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Prince Khaled bin Salman has been named as Saudi Arabias new ambassador to the United States, as part of a raft of new royal decrees issued by the House of Saud.

The young prince, younger brother to current deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a former F-15 pilot who trained with the US airforce in Mississippi.

In 2014, he took part in sorties and bombing raids against Isis as part of the US-led international coalition against the militants. He also served in Yemen.

 United Nations elects Saudi Arabia to women's rights body

Prince Khaled, who currently works as an advisor to the Saudi embassy in DC, will take up the prestigious post as soon as possible, the official Saudi news agency reported on Monday.

The prince is a very organised personality, savvy, youthful, and active, the AFP quoted Salman al-Ansari, a Saudi-US relations expert and political analyst as saying.

Earlier this year Simon Henderson, Director of the Gulf & Energy Policy Programme at the Washington Institute in DC, wrote that Khaled is being seen as a modern-day version of Bandar bin Sultan, who also trained as a fighter pilot before dominating the US-Saudi relationship for more than two decades as ambassador in Washington.

 Saudi foreign minister: Donald Trump 'is a friend to everybody'

Bin Sultan was a close friend of George W. Bushs administration before relations between the kingdom and the US frayed somewhat under Barack Obama, who was critical of the country's human rights record.

The prince, believed to be in his late 20s, replaces Prince Abdullah bin Faisal, who had served in the post since October 2015.

The ambassadorial shake-up comes amid signs the relationship between Riyadh and new US President Donald Trumps administration is warmer than under his predecessor.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

Khaleds brother, Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defence Mohammed bin Salman, met with the president in Washington DC last month.

The Saudis hailed the meeting as a historic turning point in which the two countries discussed their common foe of Iran and cooperation in the fight against Isis.

Also on Monday, King Salman reinstated bonuses for Saudi Arabias civil servants and military - the first since public sector pay was cut by 20 per cent and other allowances taken away last September in response to falling oil prices.

The move proved deeply unpopular in the kingdom, where around two-thirds of working people are government employees.

Oil has since risen to around $52 (41) a barrel, although salaries and housing and car allowances still pose a massive problem to the authorities. In 2015, they formed 45 per cent total government spending, when the kingdoms budget deficit grew to a record $98bn.

Mondays far-reaching royal decrees also included two months extra salary for frontline military personnel fighting in Yemen, the creation of a new national security centre, and the firing of the civil service minister, who is under investigation for abuse of office.
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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 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 untrammelled 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

Shipwreck Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Zakynthos, Greece (Rex) (Rex Features)

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.

Youve done Saint Barth Now try Sint Eustatius

The lush island of Sint Eustatius (Michael Runkel/Robert Harding/Rex) (Michael Runkel/Robert Harding/REX)

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

Sunset on the beach in Mancora, Peru (Michael DeFreitas/Rex/Shutterstock)

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.

Youve done the Maldives Now try India's Andamans

An untouched beach on Havelock Island, Andaman Islands (Michael Runkel/Rex/Shutterstock)

Youll see nobody else on the beaches of Indias Andaman Islands, said Black Tomato co-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

Strand bei Odeceixe, an Atlantic-facing beach that's popular with Portuguese locals (Konrad Wothe/Rex/Shutterstock)

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 specialises 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 well 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

Three baobab trees grace a hillside on Likoma Island, Lake Malawi (WestEnd61/Rex/Shutterstock)

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.

Bloomberg
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Cardiff will be one stop from Australia, Bali and New Zealand from next year. Qatar Airways has announced the Welsh airport will be its sole new UK departure point for 2018.

The airlines chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, revealed the new route between Cardiff and Doha along with 11 other destinations for 2018, including Utapao in Thailand, Chittagong in Bangladesh and the Kenyan coastal city Mombasa.

Deb Barber, the airports chief executive, said: I am immensely proud that Qatar Airways has chosen Cardiff Airport to operate its new service to Doha.

"It is fantastic that we will now be able to offer our customers more choice of travel with a world-class airline providing easy connections to destinations across the world.

The key details of the service  including the start date, the frequency and the aircraft type  are still not known. But it is likely to begin with a narrow-bodied Airbus A320 for the seven-hour flight to Doha. Cardiff airport says the service will be frequent, but past experience suggests it may be four days a week.

At Doha, passengers will be able to connect to 150 destinations, with the major Australian cities expected to be popular routes.

Qatar Airways also operates the worlds longest flight, connecting Doha non-stop with Auckland  a distance of more than 9,000 miles.

Cardiff airport, awkwardly located south-west of the Welsh capital at Rhoose, has struggled financially for years. It was controversially bought by the Welsh Government four years ago for 52m.

The claim by Cardiff of the first regular direct long-haul flight linking Wales and south-west England to a major global hub in the Gulf will infuriate Bristol airport, just seven minutes flying time to the east.

Bristol calls itself a world-leading regional airport serving the South-west and Wales, and claims it handles more Welsh people than Cardiff airport. It has been actively seeking a Gulf-based airline, and is likely now to redouble its efforts to attract Emirates of Dubai or Etihad of Abu Dhabi.

A link to Istanbul has long been on the cards, but a downturn in demand has dented Turkish Airlines expansion plans.
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Last Thursday, I left for work at 6.40am in order to get to the office in Central London for 9.30am. What a commute, you might say, thinking I must live a bus ride away from the end of the Metropolitan line. And it is. But thats because I live in Cornwall.

Under three hours to travel 250 miles door-to-door isnt bad at all  and the main reason why commuting for me and my ilk is so doable is Newquay Airport.

In February, Newquay  or Cornwall Airport Newquay, as it's officially (and confusingly) named  was announced as the fastest growing airport in the UK. Last week, as I was making my way to Gatwick, it hit the local news. Figures just released for the financial year showed a 50 per cent year-on-year boost in passengers; the first eight weeks of 2017 were up 37 per cent on 2016. Newquay might just clinch the fastest growing title two years running  the airport predicts 435,000 passengers will fly this financial year.

Last month, Newquay launched two brand new routes: Ryanair to Faro and Aer Lingus to Cork. Flybe, which has stood with the airport through thick and thin, has doubled its Manchester flights to two a day, and is adding more capacity to Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast and Glasgow.

A codeshare with Aer Lingus saw the start of transatlantic routes via Dublin, where customers will clear US Customs in Ireland, meaning that on arrival in the US theyll be treated like domestic passengers, instead of having to brave the notorious American immigration lines.

So what has made Newquays growth so stratospheric, and what can other airports learn from it? As a regular commuter, heres where I think it excels. And I'm not just talking about its location, perched on the top of the Cornish cliffs, which (not that I'm biased) makes for one of the most spectacular approaches in Europe.

Handy access

There are two car parks at Newquay, flanking the terminal. While this is swiftly becoming a problem (I got what appeared to be the last spot on Thursday), it means that no parking space is more than a three-minute walk from check-in or arrivals. The car parks are outdoors and single level, so theres no navigating the one-way system in a dark multi-storey.

You used to have to pay to park for any longer than 15 minutes, which meant cars would pull in on verges, around nearby laybys and clog the immediate roads in order to dodge the charges when dropping off or picking up. Nowadays, everyone gets 60 minutes free parking, so theres none of the constantly circling, engine-running gridlock of airports that charge for parking. A loss of income for the airport, but a win for the all-important passenger experience.

Every airport can learn from Newquay, says Julia (Newquay Cornwall Airport)

Public transport is limited, as a local news story warned last week, but there are buses hanging around for most of the flights, and competition keeps taxi prices relatively reasonable.

User-friendly terminal

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Yes Newquays small, but that doesnt always correspond with being user-friendly  just look at Exeter or London City Airport, which both suffer from scrums and pile-ups at the gate. Maybe its thanks to the 5 airport development fee which was charged on departing flights until last March, but the airy terminal with high ceilings (a fancy version of a giant barn), plenty of seating and a clear route through security to the gate mean its easy to get around. Even better, theres no duty free gauntlet to run, unlike at larger airports like Gatwick or Manchester. You check in, go through security, and sit at the gate. Theres food, drink and magazines to buy: sorted.

Equally, that means customers behave better, because theres nowhere to get lost. You rarely hear passengers being summoned over the tannoy at Newquay, because theres no bar for them to be holed up at, changing room for them to be stuck in, or perfume section to be dazzled by. Boarding tends to be so quick and organised, its almost Teutonic.

Newquay has gone from a tiny airport to the fastest growing in Britain (Newquay Cornwall Airport)

Speedy service

Check-in for a Flybe domestic flight closes 20 minutes before the plane leaves. That means for my 7.30am flight to Gatwick, turning up at 7am gives me plenty of time. Compare that with the two hours genuinely needed at Gatwick, and you have a winner. Obviously the larger the airport, the more chaotic it is and the more time you should leave  but much of the time it takes to reach the plane at, say, Gatwick South Terminal, for the return flight to Newquay, is down to winding through the maze of duty free post-security and queuing for the inadequate number of toilets.

Arriving at Newquay? This is one place you wont mind having checked in your bags. Theyre normally on the belt before the last person is off the plane. Its amazingly organised.

Service with a smile

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Newquay staff are efficient, as lots of airport staff are; but theyre also kind, as many arent. And they go the extra mile. When I was off work for two years, crippled by a chronic pain condition, the special assistance staff at Newquay were genuinely my link to the outside world. I wasnt well enough to sit for four-plus hours on the train, or to face rail staff who treated me like cargo, but these guys made it possible for me to travel.

All airports are legally obliged to provide special assistance to disabled passengers, of course, but Newquay staff go beyond their legal obligations and try to make your flight actively pleasurable. With me, they used to fiddle with the seatmap to allocate the most comfortable seat for my needs (as opposed to where the computer dumps disabled passengers) and would help me onboard with such kindness that it made it possible to travel. Im not the only one they help  they have held open days for people with fear of flying and all kinds of disabilities, to try and show them what the airport experience is actually like. And they were the first in the country to order Aviramps, ramps which make the boarding process for wheelchair users easier and more dignified than hi-lifts or manual carry-ons.

Staff are kind to passengers with special needs - whether those in wheelchairs or families (Newquay Cornwall Airport)

Ive seen staff be kind to elderly passengers, as well as families struggling with babies and buggies  but their general niceness extends to everyone, and rubs off on people too, so that theres none of the normal sense of airport stress at Newquay. The only equivalent experience Ive felt is flying Air New Zealand to LA  they have the same boutique feel, which means youre less harried, less stressed, and less fearful about the flight.

Newquay isnt perfect  for starters, its newfound popularity means that the car parks are perilously close to full as the summer season starts (theyre adding 91 spaces imminently), and last week I had to queue for the (three) toilets for the first time in five years. But in a month where weve seen passengers being forcibly dragged off planes, endure extra security measures and get hit by flight attendants, the smooth operators at Newquay are a beacon of hope in the increasingly fraught world of aviation.
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All-inclusive holidays to Spain for British holidaymakers could be scrapped by hoteliers due to the high number of fraudulent sickness claims, according to a Madrid-based law firm.

Rogers & Co, a law firm that acts on behalf of the insurance industry, said Spanish hotels may increase the price of these traditionally low-cost holidays for Brits or do away with them completely after claims that they were being held hostage by UK visitors.

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British tour operators have backed up these assertions; travel insiders told The Independent they have already noticed a number of hotels in the Canaries taking all-inclusive holidays off the market for Brits, and instead offering half-board.

The issue first made headlines in November 2016 after reports of a rise in insurance companies targeting Brits in Spanish resorts and encouraging them to make false sickness claims. The Foreign Office even amended its Spain travel advice to highlight the problem. It says: There have been reports of an increase in holidaymakers being encouraged to submit a claim for personal injury if they have experienced gastric illness during their stay. You should only consider pursuing a complaint or claim if you have genuinely suffered from injury or illness. If you make a false or fraudulent claim, you may face legal proceedings in the UK or Spain.

Travel agent and tour operator association ABTA also got involved, calling for a change in the law to reduce fraudulent claims.

Chief executive Mark Tanzer said: We have already taken steps to address this issue, raising it with the Ministry of Justice and speaking to the Spanish authorities. We are now asking the government to change the law that allows these firms to profit disproportionately from such claims.

In response to the latest comments from Rogers & Co, an ABTA spokesperson told The Independent: "This is yet a further indication of just how important the issue of bogus holiday illness claims is to the industry both here and overseas."

The issue has now come to the fore again, as Rogers & Cos David Diez Ramos told Travel Weekly: Sooner or later Spanish hotels will increase the price or stop selling all-inclusive to Britons.

British citizens are paying less than 1,000 for a two-week all-inclusive holiday, receiving 2,000 to 3,000 for a claim and you can add 5,000 in lawyers fees. Hoteliers will move from this sort of holiday.

All-inclusive beach holidays to Spain could be pulled due to fake sickness claims (Getty Images/iStockphoto) (Getty/iStock)

He added: Ten claims of this kind a month would hit hoteliers profits. They have to transfer the risk to the consumer [or] hotels might be forced to move away from all-inclusive. Spanish insurance companies are going to increase the premiums or the excess or not insure this risk. We have no options.

Ramos said one hotel in Benidorm had already stopped selling all-inclusive holidays to Brits because of the increase in false gastric illness claims.

British tour operators have also warned against these fraudulent claims, saying it could jeopardise the UK's access to great-value package holidays.

Thomas Cook CEO Peter Fankhauser said: These food poisoning claims come at a time when levels of customer satisfaction are rising. We face the risk that Spanish hoteliers running some of our most popular hotels could soon stop taking British people. In a deeply worrying trend, it would seem many of the claims are questionable to say the least, with holidaymakers seduced into making them by rogue companies which promise payouts of several thousand pounds.

If left unchecked, the actions of a minority will have a significant impact on the majority  honest people who save hard for their annual break. Companies have to recover the cost of these claims somehow. Sadly, that could mean the price of holidays going up."

Fankhauser echoed ABTA's call for a legal crackdown, saying: It is time the Government looked to change the law in this area. Action needs to be taken against the rogue claims companies. Some couldn't be more brazen, sitting outside Spanish hotels in 'ambulances' and promising holidaymakers payouts. This must stop.

The Rogers & Co law firm gets zero claims from other nationalities, according to Ramos  all the sickness claims come from Britons, some of whom have allegedly been encouraged to lie to make a quick buck.

The problem is not the claimants or the lawyers, he said. "It is a system which allows people to bring claims without any risk and in which lawyers earn more than the claimants.
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Travellers heading west from the UK to New Zealand may soon be able to avoid the onerous requirement to clear US border control during the refuelling stop at Los Angeles airport (LAX).

Unlike almost every other country in the world, the US insists on a full immigration check even for travellers who simply intend to re-board their plane to continue onwards to a foreign destination.

Air New Zealand, which flies daily from Heathrow via Los Angeles to Auckland, says there are currently strict requirements for travellers in transit at LAX.

Through passengers to Auckland on flight NZ1 or Heathrow on NZ2 must apply in advance for an ESTA (online visa) even though they have no intention of staying in the US. They also have to undergo screening by the Transportation Security Administration.

But at a pop-up Air New Zealand event in Soho, central London, the airlines spokesperson Chris Allison told The Independent that talks have been taking place aimed at allowing transit passengers to wait in a secure lounge in the Tom Bradley terminal at LAX airport.

Were petitioning really hard. Christopher Luxon, our CEO, met with the Department of Homeland Security several weeks ago to discuss that very issue. Its something very close to our heart around how we can make it more efficient for our customers.

The easing of restrictions would also benefit passengers heading for Tahiti on flights from Paris to French Polynesia via Los Angeles. But initially it is understood that only same plane passengers would be exempt from the normal controls, but airlines hope that secure transit lounges will eventually be set upon key hubs such as LAX, San Francisco, Miami and New Yorks international airports.

Air New Zealand has taken over an art gallery at 147 Wardour Street on Tuesday and Wednesday, 25-26 April, to showcase its on-board product to prospective travellers to New Zealand.
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Well, its now Trumps moment of masculinity. Will he  or will he not  have the guts to call the 1915 Armenian genocide a genocide? A small matter for a guy whos shooting from the hip across the Muslim world, you may say. But he congratulated the Caliph Erdogan on winning his dictatorial referendum and I doubt that Trump has the courage to offend him this month by telling the truth about the slaughter of one and a half million Armenian Christians during the First World War.

After all, Bill Clinton didnt call it a genocide. Nor did George Bush. Nor did Obama. They all promised they would before they were elected. But my guess is that Donald Trump will be as cowardly as them, bowing towards the sensitivities of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wretched generals, those of them who still have jobs after Erdogans post-attempted-coup purge of the last nine months.

Yet the deliberate mass slaughter of the Christians of the Turkish Ottoman Empire  the victims had their throats cut, Isis-style, or were shot or tied together and thrown into rivers  was the first industrial holocaust of the 20th century. The women were raped or sold into slavery or starved to death. There were thousands of eyewitness testimonies to these atrocities, including the burning of babies by Turkish gendarmes. And Trump, as we all know, cares very much about beautiful babies.

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But under no circumstances will the President of the United States, I suspect, have the honour to admit that the Armenian Holocaust  and Israelis use this same word in Hebrew for the Armenian genocide, even though their government does not acknowledge it  was a fact of history. Indeed, it even taught Hitler how to commit the Jewish Holocaust. And quite by chance this April, when the Armenians commemorate the start of their genocide  a word coined by the Polish Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin after the Second World War for the Armenian massacres  up comes more fool-proof evidence of the atrocities committed by Erdogans Turkish predecessors in the Ottoman Empire which he admires so much.

A copy of the original Turkish pamphlet on the genocide presented to the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919  when the Turkish state and parliament actually acknowledged the massacres  has been unearthed by Armenian researcher Missak Kelechian, whose earlier work disclosed the existence of a Turkish orphanage for Armenian children in Beirut who were Turkified and forced to adopt the Muslim religion after the 1915 massacres. The text of the 1919 document proves beyond a shadow of doubt that the genocide happened, calling it a great crime committed at a time when by the operation of war the laws of humanity in their general acceptance were suspended.

The same document, sent to Versailles by the Turkish government of the time, refers contemptuously to the Committee of Union and Progress which ruled Turkey during the First World War and declared itself an ally of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire during the conflict, as the Unionist organisation and states that the guilt of the three pashas who ran the committee is obvious because it conceived and deliberately carried out this internal policy of extermination and robbery

Rare images of Armenian genocide survivors on show in Italy

The paper even admits that the Muslim population of Turkey joined in the extermination of the Armenians with savagery, adding that those officials responsible for the massacres had been arrested. Alas, most were later freed and when Turkey declared itself independent under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923 all thought of punishing the murderers of the centurys first holocaust disappeared. But the 1919 document, when the Allied powers still controlled Constantinople (now Istanbul) shows clearly that the Turks of that period knew and fully admitted the terrible crimes which had been committed under Ottoman Turkish rule.

At one point in the text, the Turkish government actually refers to these manifestations of human wickedness surpassing in horror the worst that has been committed in Turkey still fresh in the minds of all. In another passage the document says that true it is contended that Musulman [sic] population joined on its own account the massacre of Armenians collectively or individually and therefore that the Turkish people is responsible for the terrible tragedy conjointly with the Unionist organisations and this not only indirectly and materially but directly and morally.

Turkish and Armenian scholars have referred in the past to the 1919 booklet but with no specific references to the text  which led the Polish-Jewish lawyer Lemkin to his creation of the word genocide. But alas again, an American president who doesnt read books cannot be expected to weep over the million and a half Armenian men, women, children and beautiful babies murdered in that 102-year old genocide  a mass slaughter carried out in some of the lands which Isis currently controls. So will Trump have the courage to use the word genocide? Like most bullyboys, I think he is a coward. So I have my doubts.
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The months of denial about French politics have now to come to an end. In too many British papers, the only story has been Marine Le Pen. It was underlined on Radio 4s Today when there was an interminable interview with a spokesman for Marine Le Pen going on and on like a Tory Brexit minister about the evil of immigration and the need to take back control.

The media has consistently presented the National Front as a rising force  but thats all wrong. It has slumped from 28 per cent in regional elections in 2015 or 25 per cent in European Parliament elections in 2014 to just 22 per cent today. Every mainstream right-wing leader in France plus the socialists are now urging a Macron second round victory. As The Independent reported three months ago, Marine Le Pen was never going to be president of France and this morning only the elderly Trotskyist candidate Jean Luc Melenchon is refusing to endorse Macron.

It is clear now that the Brexit-Trump axis of nationalist populist politics will not sweep over Europe. First in Austria, then in the Netherlands, and now in France, it has been the defenders of Europe who have won. Britain under its hardline anti-EU government and its opposition leader who is incoherent on Europe is now ever more isolated from its former partners and allies across the Channel.

Last week, President Trump told Chancellor Merkel he would prefer to start on a US-EU free trade deal. His promises to Nigel Farage and Theresa May that Brexit Britain would get preferential treatment in Washington have been deleted  as with so many other Trump utterances that instantly become inoperative.

 French Presidential Debate: Le Pen and Macron clash over immigration and burkini policy

Macron is now designated as an independent centrist. Not quite. He is pretty much Francois Hollandes political son, selected, promoted and groomed by the outgoing president and able to do and say the politics that Hollande believed in but was too constrained by the straitjacket of French party rigidities to utter or put into operation.

De Gaulle founded the Fifth Republic in 1958 to put to an end to what he called regime of parties that ran the Fourth Republic between 1945 and 1958. In effect, Macron is an updated De Gaulle, and will shape a ministry of all the talents. That is why so many serious politicians  from Manuel Valls on the left to Michel Barnier, the centre-right grandee who is the EU negotiator for Brexit  came out and endorsed Macron.

Like De Gaulle, he has to find a majority in the National Assembly but in all past elections, French voters have always given the man they put in the Elysee a majority in parliament. Hollande had a majority of 86 over his centre-right opponents, though it did him little good as a big majority allows room for rebellions and the Corbyn wing of the French socialists headed by Benoit Hamon made Hollandes life a legislative misery.

Napoleon always asked when nominating a general: Is he lucky? Macron is lucky to arrive in power just as Europe leaves behind the lost decade after the 2007-09 crash. As economic commentators like Hamish McRae and Ed Conway of Sky have noted, EU economies are beginning to grow solidly: 500,000 jobs will be created in Spain this year and 200,000 in France. Productivity is 20 per cent lower in the UK than in France or Germany. The euro is turning out to be an oasis of stability as the pound and dollar oscillate wildly.

There are still major problems, not least the handling the flow of asylum seekers from the Middle East and Libya thanks to the US-UK invasion of Iraq, the Anglo-French initiated toppling of Gaddafi and the Western-supported uprising against Assad in Syria.

Macron at least comes in without preconceptions. If, after her return to Downing Street, Theresa May could turn away from the super-hard Brexit desired by Ukip sympathisers currently in her Government and party, she could forge a defence and security relationship with Macron and put Britain back into play as a European power.

 French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

Macron has already had major meetings with Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz and Berlin is looking to re-energise the Franco-German motor industry which has always made Europe work when it starts to turn. There remain major difference on deficit financing, which will be exacerbated if Britain completely stops funding any EU work. That in turn, however, means Britain losing EU collaboration and cash which will damage UK universities and new economic research. Many foreign big pharma firms who came to Britain because the EU Medicines Agency was located here will follow it to its new home once forced out of Brexit London.

President Macron will enter the Elysee and prepare for National Assembly elections at the same time as Theresa May heads for her election victory in early June. Can she temper her language and can Labour find words on Europe which make sense? France has now opted for grown-up politics. Britain should do the same.

Denis MacShane is a former Labour minister for Europe and author of 'Brexit: How Britain Left Europe' (IB Tauris)
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Not, perhaps, the best of results for France and Europe, but by no means the worst either. The far-right National Front candidate, Marine Le Pen, appears not to have topped the first-round poll, as some had hoped and many others had feared, but she does appear to have taken second place, which takes her into the run-off in two weeks time. There, she will face Emmanuel Macron, of the movement, En Marche, which he founded as a vehicle for his presidential run. Macron came first with an estimated 23.7 per cent of the vote; Le Pen took an estimated 21.9.

Looking ahead to 7 May, the likelihood is that the conventional left, right and centre join forces to oppose Le Pen, and Macron is swept to the Elysee Palace, without any formal party to back him, at the tender age of 39. Marine Le Pen thus faces a similar fate to the one that befell her father, after he unexpectedly pipped the Socialist, Lionel Jospin, to reach the run-off in 2002. Jacques Chirac, until then an unpopular incumbent, easily clinched a second term thanks to an electorate shocked by the first-round result.

In fact, for all her attempts to modernise and detoxify her party, Marine Le Pen received only a couple of percentage points more than her father before her  which suggests that the far-right constituency in France remains circumscribed, at less than 25 per cent of those who turn out to vote. The pattern in the Netherlands general election earlier this year, where a sharp increase in the far-right vote had also been widely expected, was similar.

 Marine Le Pen pledges to expel 'foreign extremists'

In many ways, this result simplifies the second-round choice for French voters. Had the populist left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, made the cut to face Le Pen, moderates of whatever persuasion, would have been faced with a devils choice. That might have given Le Pen the best prospects of the presidency, if a majority regarded Melenchons brand of leftism as the greater of two evils.

As it is, Le Pen faces the mainstream candidate who represents the starkest alternative to her own positions. Macron campaigned on a passionately pro-Europe platform. He is a centrist, with a bias to the free market, while being progressive on social policy. This is a combination that Frances traditional parties have been unable to embrace, which left them looking hidebound and impossible to reform.

And it made Macron at once the modern and the anti-establishment candidate. Could there be a danger that, with all the endorsements from establishment figures  which had started to crowd in even before his victory  Macron loses this particular selling point? Of course, but there is establishment and establishment, and some ballast from traditionalists could also be an advantage when the opponent is Marine Le Pen.

It should also be noted, perhaps, that whatever the effect of the terrorist attack on the Champs-Elysees just three days before the election, it was not enough to hand Le Pen first place, for all that security had been a feature of her campaign. The conclusion must be that either it had little effect or that it gave her second place, where she might otherwise have come third. What it did not do  to the credit of French voters, who turned out in as great a number as five years ago  was keep voters at home or distort the vote to any significant extent.

The presidency is now Emmanuel Macrons to lose. If he does win on 7 May (and it still has to be an if, though less of an if than it seemed 24 hours earlier) this could have several unanticipated  and beneficial  effects. It could presage a complete restructuring of French politics and bring the countrys awkwardly old-fashioned politics into the modern age. It would be a change of the sort that has been spoken of here in the UK, following the referendum last year, but will not be achieved before the next election.

After the first-round results became clear this evening, it was the demise of the old left and right political parties, as represented by the outgoing Socialist President, Francois Hollande, and the Republican, Francois Fillon, that became a dominant theme. One of the striking aspects of the early stages of this French election was how many would-be candidates had been in the upper echelons of French politics for two decades or more. A Macron presidency would represent a new start.

What he might do with that power is a different matter. The actual power of a French president can be exaggerated. The constraints on his  so far still his  power are not as institutionalised as they are in the United States, but the National Assembly, which faces re-election in June, curbs his freedom to act. At the same time, the President appoints the government  the prime minister is a far lesser figure than in the UK  and, almost more important, he sets the tone for the nation. The image of a bright, young President of France will revive the countrys image of itself, but also make an immediate mark on the international map.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election SAA/ French Presidential Election REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

For France to have a president who not only projects a modern, progressive, image, but argues as an ardent pro-European, would be excellent news for the European Union, at a time when it faces pressure not only from Brexit, but from a growing scepticism among some of the erstwhile enthusiastic new Europeans.

Macron, though, will have to present his European case over the next two weeks, against the anti-federalist arguments forcefully put forward by Le Pen. The question then is how many additional votes Le Pen might be able to pick up from those French voters for whom disenchantment with the EU is more compelling than their possible distaste for other aspects of the National Front.
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On 15 December 2014, Sebastian Chenu  a French gay rights activist  took to a press conference podium in Paris. Standing shoulder to shoulder with far right Front National leader Marine Le Pen, he announced to the assembled press pack his plans for the year to come.

I am joining Marine Le Pen because of her consistent views on Europe and social issues, he giddily told the crowd of reporters. He claimed to be alarmed at how quickly the then President  Nicholas Sarkozy  had become out of touch with the LGBT issues of the day.

It seemed a strange decision from one of the founders of the French GayLib to join a far right political party brimming with homophobia and hate.

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But as both France and the United Kingdom head into volatile general elections  Marine Le Pens place confirmed on the Presidential ballot after the first round of voting  it seems that Chenu is anything but an exception. On both sides of the Channel gay men are lining up to throw their support behind right wing party leaders; a fabulous army of far-right warriors is preparing for battle. Youd be right in thinking this seems odd.

Take Theresa May  until 8 June our countrys unelected leader  who now happily states shes an ally of anyone defining as LGBT.

Just a quick search through her voting record shows this is anything but. It wasnt long ago that she passed through the lobby to say no to same-sex adoption and she refused to support the equalising of the age of consent. It was in 2003  in most of our lifetimes  that she voted against repealing Section 28, legislation that banned local authorities from promoting homosexuality too.

Across the Channel, things arent much better. The Front National is a party steeped in vile prejudice and hate. Just check what the partys founder Jean-Marie back in 1984 said on national TV  he argued that homosexuality was a biological and social anomaly and just two years later he argued for AIDs-atoriums for those living with HIV.

 Marine Le Pen pledges to expel 'foreign extremists'

These may well have just been the views of the current Le Pens father, but the partys current manifesto speaks for itself. It pledges to bring to an end the rights of same sex couples to marry and state support for gay couples to have children would also come to an end.

Le Pen remained silent as her partner  and a fellow FN leader  argued against the Paris Pride march taking place in the city, labelling it an exhibitionist and anti-FN symbol of militant communitarianism to boot. The countrys youngest MP  another in the Le Pen clan  also jumping in on the gay-bashing fun.

One hopes that all their gay voters come from a place of ignorance; that those men now lining up to support these two hate-fuelling parties have no idea what their leaders have done, voted for or intend on doing. But frankly thats just not whats happening  these gay men know exactly whats going on. Both May and Le Pen have redirected their rhetoric, and now Muslims and immigrants have become the focus of hate.

In both France and in Britain the right have long attempted to pit white gay men against these other marginalised identities; those Muslims want to kill you theyll gleefully and wrongly say.

One doesnt need to scratch far beneath the surface to see this in action. Its the no Blacks, no Asians profiles that adorn Grindr daily and those who wave their rainbow flags as part of the LGBT division of the EDL.

And so gay men take up this position, supporting the homophobic and xenophobic far-right. In Britain some throw those with less status under the bus to cling onto their new found privilege  in France it seems rampant Islamophobia trumps gay men wanting to keep their own civil rights.

Of course its vital not to tarnish the entire queer community with this brush of selfish prejudice, as for so many the time to support these bigoted parties will of course never come. Transpeople, younger queers and people of colour still have dignity  the statistics quite clearly show the right take the votes of often married, older white gay men.

When it comes to the centre, Im no fan of Tim Farrons dangerous rhetoric when it comes to same sex relationships; its the subtle yet prescient homophobia thats been so damaging for generations. But Farrons voting record at the very least has been supportive of civil liberties and freedoms  hes supported progressive legislation time after time.

Recommended Le Pen wins just 5 per cent of Paris vote as rural support surges

Le Pen and Theresa May on the other hand dont use Jesus for protection  and their homophobic voting records dont suggest theyll be changing their minds anytime soon.

The French hopeful might well clam this election is about whether France can still be a free nation, but its only freedom for those she dictates.

The white gay men now turning to support her are nothing short of cowardly; desperate to cling on to new found freedom that for so long we as an oppressed minority fought for  or simply obsessed with their Muslim-bashing ways. Either way, its an utter disgrace.
Ireland could benefit from British Prime Minister Theresa May's bid to get a stronger mandate in the June 8 general election, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has said.

The former Fine Gael stalwart also paid a warm tribute to Enda Kenny - but said he believed he will soon step down as Taoiseach.

Mr Hogan said that there were "more encouraging messages" emerging from Mrs May and her British government colleagues in recent weeks.

He noted that she had not mentioned leaving the EU customs union in her letter late last month triggering the Article 50 Brexit process, and her language in 2016 about "a hard Brexit" had been toned down of late.

"This is a completely different journey now from the rhetoric that went on during the referendum campaign.

"I also hope that the prime minister can see the error of suggesting that the United Kingdom leave the customs union," Mr Hogan told the Irish Independent.

The Agriculture Commissioner said the forthcoming British general election could benefit Ireland's efforts to mitigate the effects of Britain leaving the European Union. "If she gets a stronger majority, she may have more flexibility to do a better deal from the EU's perspective, and in Britain's own interests, and of benefit also to Ireland," Mr Hogan said.

The EU Commissioner acknowledged Irish farmers faced big challenges from Brexit. But he said that even as it leaves the EU, Britain has far bigger trade there than with anyone else.

He downplayed the likelihood of Britain opening markets to cheaper beef from South America.

He said future UK-EU trade relations would have a focus on food safety and quality to protect Irish farmers.
With the office-building boom apparent in Dublin, the rarer sight of cranes being used in a residential development in the city. Photo: Bloomberg

While it may be comforting to some to read that there were 70 construction cranes visible over the centre of Dublin from the seventh floor of The Irish Times building on Tara Street on April 1 last; one would hope that the figure set off alarm bells in Government Buildings.

With nearly every one of those cranes being used for the construction of new offices in anticipation of a post-Brexit exodus of bankers from London and in expectation of the more usual flow of FDI arrivals, the burning question is not one of 'do we have enough office space to meet demand?'

The real and more important issue at this point is 'if they come, where are the workers going to live?'

The gravity of the situation, if it wasn't clear already to Housing Minister Simon Coveney and his Cabinet colleagues was certainly driven home last Thursday with the publication by the CSO of the housing data from the 2016 census.

Leaving aside the shocking yet entirely unsurprising finding that Ireland's total housing stock increased by just 0.4pc (8,800 units) since 2011 compared to the 12.7pc increase recorded between 2006 and 2011, the CSO's analysis of the availability and profile of residential accommodation in the capital is worrying.

In a note on the subject, agents Knight Frank drew attention to the fact that the vacancy rates in south Dublin and Fingal sit at an incredibly low 13 and 17 housing units per 1,000 respectively. In terms of the type of housing Dubliners are living in, Knight Frank noted 79.6pc are in houses compared to the European average of 57.4pc.

But if we're to deal with the specific accommodation problem a potential post-Brexit influx of financial services professionals or the continuing stream of FDI entrants poses for Dublin's CBD and docklands, it's clear that the Government and Dublin City Council need to get over what Knight Frank refer to as the "ideological opposition" to building height, to allow for accommodation of sufficient scale to be built in the areas where it is needed most.

Referring to the impact the growing deficit in housing supply in Dublin's docklands has had to date, Knight Frank noted that rents in the south and north docklands saw average increases of 30.8pc and 29.1pc respectively between 2011 and 2016.

While IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan recently sought to assuage concerns expressed by Hibernia Reit CEO Kevin Nowlan in relation to the housing crisis, telling the annual conference of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) that "Ireland has not lost out on any FDI due to the shortage of residential accommodation", it would appear that Nowlan and many others within the property industry are not convinced.

Certainly, if opportunities to attract FDI and post-Brexit relocators haven't been lost or otherwise foregone, the deepening housing crisis that CBRE's Head of Research Marie Hunt has said is already being used by other European competitor cities to 'spin' against Ireland will damage our prospects in the very near future.

Given the immediacy of the specific challenge to provide accomodation for those foreign and Irish personnel who may come to work in the offices now under construction in Dublin docklands, the Government should give renewed consideration to easing current limitations on the height and density of residential accommodation there and in other key locations in the capital. The provision of such accommodation, as a matter of urgency, should not be considered as a case of favouring financial services professionals employed in these new offices over others in need of housing.

Rather, it should be seen as a national economic imperative to attract the required number of occupants for the office space being delivered.
Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan has said that he hopes Theresa May will secure a "big majority" after the UK general election.

He made the comments at the official launch FarmIreland.ie at an event in Dublin this evening.

Hogan said last October he predicated that a 17-seat majority for the conservative government wasnt enough to withstand what he said were "some lunatics" on the right of the Tory party.

He said these elements were going to be difficult no matter what negotiations were going on and no matter what deal Theresa May secured for the UK.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Margaret Donnelly, Farm Ireland Editor, Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, Eu Commissioner, and Stephen Rae, Group Editor-in-Chief, Independent News & Media at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers EU Commissioner, Phil Hogan, and Brendan O'Connor, Sunday Independent, at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Mary Newman. Photo: Damien Eagers Tomas O'Se, Irish Independent columnist, Eu Commissioner, Phil Hogan and Stephen Rae, Group Editor-in-Chief, Independent News & Media at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Alison Canavan at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Theresa newman, Maria Bailey, TD, and Kate O'Connell, TD at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Stephen Rae, Group Editor-in-Chief, Independent News & Media, Brendan O'Connor, Sunday Independent, Phil Hogan, EU commissioner and Barry Egan, Sunday Independent at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Joe Healy, President Irish Farmers association, Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner, and Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Mary Delaney, ASA and Glanbia, left and Grainne Dwyer, Animal health Ireland at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Suzanne Campbell, RTE, Damien O'Reilly, RTE and Roz O'Shaughnessy, Corporate Communications Manager Bord Bia at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Tomas O'Se, Irish Independent columnist, Margaret Donnelly, Farm Ireland Editor, Phil Hogan, Eu Commissioner, and Stephen Rae, Group Editor-in-Chief, Independent News & Media at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Suzanne Campbell, RTE, Damien O'Reilly, RTE and Roz O'Shaughnessy, Corporate Communications Manager Bord Bia at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers Joe Healy, President of the IFA, EU Commissioner, Phil Hogan, Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture and Kevin Doyle, Group Political Editor at Independent News & Media at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook

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Whatsapp Margaret Donnelly, Farm Ireland Editor, Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, Eu Commissioner, and Stephen Rae, Group Editor-in-Chief, Independent News & Media at the launch of Farm Ireland. Photo: Damien Eagers

I am very happy that she has called this election and I hope she gets a big majority because that should give more flexibility and certainly less excuses for the UK government to arrive at compromise with the EU, he said.

On farm payments, Hogan said he could give farmers "absolutely no assurances" on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy at this stage.

He said that because we dont know what the budget is ... its up to the member states and the prime ministers to decide the budget and that will be done next year.

Only when the budget is decided will we know what budget is available to divvy out, Hogan cautioned.

Also speaking at the event, Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed said the critical issue for Ireland in the Brexit negotiations is that we retain tariff free market access to the UK.

Its the market for 40pc of our food exports, 50pc of our beef and its the highest paying market.

We must ensure that the value of that market is maintained and that we are not competing with product that is produced to a lesser standard.

There must be some handbrake on the EU to do trade deals with third countries, the Minister warned.

Both the Minister and the Commissioner were at attending an event which saw Independent News and Media (INM) officially launch its online farming news offering FarmIreland.ie.

It is already Irelands most popular farming news website with 575,000 unique users in March, and growing. The FarmIreland.ie website and dedicated app went live less than six months ago and is headed up by experienced and well-known agricultural journalist Margaret Donnelly.

It brings together the experience and expertise of Independent.ie to create informative agricultural news and analysis.

INM Editor-in-Chief Stephen Rae said the agricultural and business community had embraced FarmIreland.ie, making the app the number one digital product in agri-news.

Thats a magnificent achievement in a short space of time and proves the quality of journalism produced by the FarmIreland team, he said.
Besides the obvious (wear a helmet), there are some other steps you can take to improve safety while driving an ATV.

1 Understand the accident risks

Non-fatal accidents are not well reported. The underlying causes are usually one or more of the following:

Lack of structured training and/or experience;

Excessive speed;

Carrying a passenger or an unbalanced load;

Tipping on a bank, ditch, rut or bump;

A steep slope combined with other factors, e.g. ground or load conditions;

Towing excessive loads with un-braked equipment.

2 Training

Training is vital and is literally a matter of life and death. ATVs should only be ridden by users over the age of 16 and who have received appropriate training in their safe use, including the use of any towed equipment or attachments.

Don't give in to pressure from children to operate ATVs. Educate them about the countless injuries ATVS have caused on Irish farms.

3 Protective clothing

More than half of all ATV riders have been thrown off at some time. There is no roll bar, so your only protection is what you wear.

Head protection is vital. At present a motorcycle helmet is recommended.

Wear clothing which is strong and covers your arms and legs.

Gloves are useful for protection and to keep hands warm in cold weather for good control of the ATV.

Wear wellingtons that are strong and have good grips.

4 Passengers

Never carry a passenger on an ATV. The long seat is for operators to shift their body weight backwards and forwards for different slope conditions, not for carrying passengers.

You should not carry a passenger in a trailer behind an ATV, as any movement will make the machine unstable.

5 Maintenance

Off-road riding is hard on an ATV so it is essential to carry out maintenance according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Tyre pressures should be check daily as only a one-psi difference in pressure can cause vehicle control problems.

Check that the brakes give a safe straight stop and that the throttle operates smoothly in all steering positions.

6 Safe driving methods

When cornering, weight should be transferred to the inside of the turn. When riding across a slope, keep your weight on the uphill side of the ATV. When going downhill, slide your weight backwards and select a low gear, reducing the need to use the brakes.

When going uphill, move your weight forwards and maintain a steady speed.

Avoid sudden increases in speed, as this is a common cause of rearward overturning accidents, even from a standing start on flat ground where there is good grip.

7 Route Planning

Over rough terrain, get to know your own ground and stick to planned routes where possible. Walk new routes if necessary to check for hidden obstructions. When selecting routes, allow for changes to the surface and weather conditions and for any loads and attachments.

8 Loads

Ensure all riders know the manufacturer's recommended towing capacity and drawbar loading limit. Remember that your ability to control the ATV by your body movements will be considerably reduced when carrying a load or towing a trailer.

9 Using sprayers

You are more likely to be exposed to spray drift on an ATV than on a tractor, so a tractor should be used whenever possible.

Where an ATV is used, then attention to safety features is especially important when buying a sprayer and when spraying, particularly with mounted sprayers where the boom is close to you and contamination more likely.

When buying a sprayer, look for a low centre of gravity and internal baffles to reduce liquid surge which will improve stability when turning on slopes.

10 Road use

Manufacturers of certain ATVs may indicate that their ATVs are not suitable for use on the public roadway. You should therefore establish that your ATV is suitable for road use before taking it out onto the public road.

Should an ATV go onto a public roadway, it will be deemed to be a non-agricultural tractor and subject to road tax.

It will also have to comply with the structural requirements of a non-agricultural tractor, i.e. rollover protection, tractor mudguards, horn, braking and lighting requirements.
A total of 72pc of farmers with guns would use them to defend themselves and their property if they had to, an exclusive FarmIreland.ie survey has revealed.

The survey of over 1,000 farmers found while 91pc say they feel safe in their home, 63pc said they would try defend themselves rather than calling the Gardai and of the 40pc who keep a gun in their house 72pc said they would use it to defend themselves.

Respondents who said they would try defend themselves said they would use hurleys; slash hooks; pokers in the event of an intruder breaking in. Some respondents claimed to have used a firearm in previous incidents on their property.

Recent figures show that two-thirds of farmers have been the victims of crime and the FarmIreland.ie survey shows that farmers in the West and North West are more likely to not feel safe in their own home than those in the rest of the country.

The poll result comes some 13 years since the infamous case of farmer Padraig Nally who shot dead John Ward for trespassing on his land in Mayo.

Today, many farmers told the survey authors that they only feel safe because they have a gun in the house, keep dogs or have electronic gates or even camera systems in place.

Expand Close Padraig Nally during his trial for the manslaughter of John Ward in October 2004. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Padraig Nally during his trial for the manslaughter of John Ward in October 2004.

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There are over 200,000 legally held firearms in Ireland and estimates put the number of unregistered firearms at 150,000 and of the 40pc who said they keep a gun, older farmers are more likely to have a gun in the house.

Older farmers are more likely to feel unsafe, the survey found, with 18pc of those over 65 years of age saying they dont feel safe in their home. In contrast, just 1pc of those 18-34 years of age said they feel unsafe.

They were also more likely to try defend themselves than younger farmers  47pc of 18-34 year olds said they would call the Gardai.

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He would not be walking out, one respondent said, while another was more tempered and said theyd Use the gun as a last resort. However, most were of the Point the gun and shoot. Ask questions later attitude.

A numbers of farmers said they had experience of using their gun during an incident of farm theft on their property.

The sentiment among respondents was most apparent among older respondents, with At my age I couldnt do much, being a common response.

Others said their proximity to Garda stations was another issue. I am 10 miles from a Garda stationwould the intruder wait?

And others called for the re-establishment of rural Garda Stations  Rural Gardai should be brought back, while another said (I have) No faith in Gardai at the moment.

ICMSA President John Comer said people living in rural areas simply dont accept that the Gardai are in a position to offer them protection as fast as the situation might warrant.

"There are massive areas of the state where even if you ring the Gardai to report suspicious activity or an actual robbery happening there and then, theyre just not in a position to get out to you for 30 or 40 minutes or longer. What are people meant to do in those circumstances?"

Politics

The survey also found that 78pc of respondents said everyone should pay for water, with Fianna Fail farmer supporters also in favour of water charges.

Fine Gaels support among farmers is still strong, with 32pc saying they would vote for Enda Kennys party. Fianna Fail also garner strong support among the farming community, with 25pc of the vote, however 22pc of those interviewed said they did not know how they would vote if a general election was held.

However, there is a stark contrast between different age groups, with 55pc of 18-34 year olds saying they do not go to mass/church every week, compared to 81pc of those over 65 years old who say they do.

Fine Gael voters were more likely to go (67pc) than Fianna Fail (60pc) voters.

Farmers overwhelmingly back water charges new poll shows

Farmers' views are increasingly at odds with developments on water charging as they overwhelmingly believe that everyone should have to pay for water.

An exclusive survey of over 1,000 farmers comes following months of debates in Leinster house on the issue, leading finally to a deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail on the issue that should see 92pc of households pay nothing for water.

Of the respondents, 78pc said that everybody should pay for water, while 20pc said that people should not have to pay for water and 2pc were undecided.

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Regionally, 84pc of farmers in the South said that everyone should have to pay for water compared to 74pc in the rest of the country.

Politically, 85pc of those who voted for Fine Gael said everyone should pay for water, while 72pc of Fianna Fail supporters agreed everyone should pay for water.

However, sentiment around water charges was very strong. Were paying all our lives. Its like putting petrol in a car, said one farmer who supported water charges.

However, another said: Water comes from God, so we should not have to pay for it and another agreed: It falls from the sky, so it should be free.
This year marks 20 years since divorce was legalised in Ireland and its impact continues to be contentious with a new poll showing the majority of farmers agree that pre-nuptial agreements should be legally binding.

Ireland continues to record the lowest divorce rate in Europe, at 0.6 per 1,000 population, but concerns over the possible fall out on land ownership continues to worry those in the farming community.

Research from Macra na Feirme shows that even within families, decisions on land transfer are generally addressed quietly or indeed not addressed until totally necessary or forced due to a family crisis.

Currently prenuptial agreements do not have a legal standing in Ireland, but common law gives strong rights to couples who have lived together . Any couple that has lived together for five years have substantial family law rights.

Respondents to the FarmIreland.ie survey conducted at livestock marts throughout Ireland in recent weeks showed overwhelming support of pre-nuptial agreements with 72pc saying they should have a legal standing in Ireland.

Just 15pc said they should not have legal standing, and 13pc were unsure.

Of the over 1,000 respondents to the survey a total of 67pc of people over 65 years of age agreed that they should have a legal standing, while 83pc of 18-34 year old did.

Fine Gael voters reflected the national average sentiment on pre-nuptials, with 71pc supporting them, while 74pc of Fianna Fail supporters agreed pre-nuptial agreements should have a legal standing.

Mass

The FarmIreland.ie survey also asked interviewees whether they go to mass/church every week or not and 60pc of respondents said they go to mass or church every week, while 40pc said they did not go every week.

However, there is a stark contrast between different age groups, with 55pc of 18-34 year olds saying they do not go to mass/church every week, compared to 81pc of those over 65 years old who say they do.

Fine Gael voters were more likely to go (67pc) than Fianna Fail (60pc) voters.

The sentiment recorded around mass/church going reflected a fall off in faith in the institutions, rather than religion. I used to go but the institution of the Catholic Church has had too many scandals, one said.

Recently published data from the CSO census shows that while Ireland remains a predominantly Catholic country, the percentage of the population who identified as Catholic on the census has fallen sharply from 84.2pc in 2011 to 78.3pc in 2016.

There has been a corresponding rise in the number with no religion which grew by 73.6pc from 269,800 to 468,400, an increase of 198,600.
The European Commission is set to debate the re-authorisation of the worlds most commonly used herbicide, glyphosate the key ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup product, for up to 15 years.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan told Agra Europe that the College of Commissioners will meet on Wednesday, where they will debate the potential re-authorisation for glyphosate.

In recent weeks the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) said that there is not enough evidence to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, paving the way for the chemical's re-authorisation.

While its Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) agreed to maintain the current harmonised classification of glyphosate as a substance causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, it concluded that the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or as toxic for reproduction.

Glyphosate is most commonly known as the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller and this week's debate comes after months of wrangling over whether Europe would curtail the availability of glyphosate. Last July the EU temporally extended by 18 months the availability of glyphosate.

Farmers are highly reliant on the use of glyphosate for weed control and a decision to re-authorise will come as a major relief for those in the tillage sector.

However, any such move will face vocal opposition. Reacting to the news, that there is not enough evidence to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, Greenpeace said the ECHA sweeps glyphosate cancer evidence under the carpet.

Copa-Cogeca, the European farming organisation, welcomed the decision, saying that glyphosate is "an essential part of the farmer's toolkit".

The adopted opinion on the harmonised classification for glyphosate will be taken into account when the Commission and Member States consider whether to renew the approval to use glyphosate as an active substance in pesticides, later this year.

RAC provides an independent scientific opinion on the hazard classification of the substance. The classification is based solely on the hazardous properties of the substance.

It does not take into account the likelihood of exposure to the substance and therefore does not address the risks of exposure. The risks posed by exposure are considered, for example, when deciding whether to renew the approval of glyphosate as a pesticide in accordance with the EUs Plant Protection Product Regulation.
Helicopter group CHC will provide transport services to Irish oil and gas explorer Providence Resourcess offshore drilling operations under a new contract.

CHC has the separate 500m contract to operate the Irish Coast Guards search and rescue services. Last month, personnel at the firm were plunged into grief following the crash of Rescue 116 off the Co Mayo coast with the loss of four crew.

Rescue 116 crashed seventeen kilometres off Blacksod Bay, killing Captain Dara Fitzpatrick and Captain Mark Duffy. Two other crew members, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciaran Smith have yet to be found despite extensive searches of the surrounding area.

Recordings from the aircrafts black box which was found following an examination of the wreckage showed the helicopters navigation system did not include mapping of Blackrock Island. The crew only became aware of the islands proximity seconds before impact.

CHC will provide transport serving Providences Druid/Drombeg exploration well, which is located 215 kilometres off the south west coast.

Providence will use CHCs Sikorsky S-92 to fly to the well from Cork Airport beginning this June.

With our extensive experience transporting offshore workers in the oil and gas industry, dedication to safety, and reputation for the highest quality service, we look forward to building on our relationship with the Providence team in Ireland, said Mark Abbey, CHC regional director for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Shares in Providence fell by 2.3pc on Dublins Iseq index yesterday.
Irish med tech firm Diaceutics has announced a five-year multi-million euro partnership with US-based BioReference Laboratories.

The partnership will see Diaceutics acquire real-time testing data from BioReference, allowing it to help pharmaceutical companies achieve faster rollouts of new drugs through a better understanding of the US diagnostics market.

"Diagnostic data from laboratories like BioReference helps pharmaceutical companies better understand the testing journey that patients go on in the often difficult search for a targeted therapy," Peter Keeling, Diaceutics's chief executive, said. "That information allows pharma to pinpoint patients that need to be on a specific - and often life-changing - drug, accelerate speed to market for new drugs and improve patient outcomes."

It comes as United Drug announces a 40m investment in technology and innovation at its Dublin headquarters. The move will increase distribution by almost two-thirds, with plans for further expansion over the next three years.

Meanwhile, medtech investors and start-ups will gather in Dublin this week at the Medtech Strategist Innovation Summit at the Shelbourne. Hotel.
Almost 70pc of Irish workers would like to work in a small to medium size enterprise (SME) or a start-up, research by One4all has found.

The research also shows that 70pc of respondents believe that start-ups and SMEs offer the best office culture.

The ever-growing millennial workforce are also following this trend, with close to half of those aged under 25 preferring to work in an SME, and a further 20pc saying they would like to work in a start-up.

Almost half of those surveyed stated that they would be more motivated to give up their free time and work longer hours for a smaller company  this rises to over half (52pc) among those aged 18-24.

The research, which aims to explore Irish employees attitudes towards office culture, wellness, and perks also found that 39pc of those polled disagree with the statement that providing office perks, such as breakfast or snacks in the office, puts pressure on employees to work longer hours.

Just 8pc strongly agreeing with this statement.

While salary is the most important factor for most people when looking for a job, a friendly work environment was deemed the next most important thing for Irish jobseekers.

Whats interesting is a high number of workers feel motivated to work longer hours for a smaller company. People are happier to give up their hard-earned free time to help a smaller business flourish, which is a very positive thing for growing Irish companies, and for the Irish economy in general, Michael Dawson, ceo, One4all said.
Almost 33,500 mortgages on family homes are in arrears of more than two years, with outstanding debts totalling 7.5bn. Stock picture

Homeowners and landlords unable to pay their mortgages could see the negative equity portion of their loans written off to help restore the property market to normality, under proposals outlined by the head of the Government's Housing Agency.

John O'Connor said banks needed to "get real" and write off billions of euro of debt for homeowners and buy-to-let landlords, instead of waiting for prices to rise or selling non-performing loans to vulture funds.

He warned that house prices and rents were unlikely to stabilise for another three years - and then only if the banks took radical action to reduce debt burdens.

Part of this would require loans on development land to be written down to reflect the market price of the site today. This would help boost housing output, by reducing the cost of land needed to build homes.

However, Mr O'Connor's comments will cause fury among mortgage holders who have struggled in recent years to repay loans, and not fallen into arrears. It will also fuel concerns about moral hazard - where those in arrears who refuse to engage with their lenders could be seen to benefit from any such arrangement.

Almost 33,500 mortgages on family homes are in arrears of more than two years, with outstanding debts totalling 7.5bn. Another 14,000 buy-to-let loans were also in arrears of more than two years, totalling 4.1bn.

In addition, thousands of restructured mortgages were not performing. But few are repossessed. The most recent figures show that the number of legal proceedings issued by banks to repossess homes has halved in the last two years. Some 3,665 proceedings were issued last year, according to the Courts Service.

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In an interview with the Irish Independent, Mr O'Connor said the priority had to be dealing with loan arrears to help tackle the housing crisis. Only in cases where it was proved debtors could not pay should any write-down be considered.

He said for homeowners struggling to repay their mortgages, the debt should be written down to a sustainable level. This would avoid families being evicted.

For landlords in arrears, the loan should also be written down but instead of the properties being sold to private investors, they should instead be sold on the open market, boosting supply to first-time buyers and others hoping to trade up.

"We can't have a situation where people (banks) are waiting for land prices or house prices to go up before moving," he said.

"We need to address the mortgage arrears. In a lot of cases, people can afford to repay a mortgage based on the current value of the house. Leaving aside the moral hazard, banks just have to write off the residual debt.

"Why sell a loan to an investor when the family in the house can afford to repay the value of the mortgage you're selling?

"On the buy-to-let properties, writing off the residual debt is more difficult.

"In these cases, the properties need to be sold. It's better they're sold on the open market.

"People talk about the lack of supply.

"Sell the vacant properties. The market needs housing."

Mr O'Connor's call to lance the boil and deal with the arrears crisis once and for all comes as the European Central Bank is piling pressure on banks across the eurozone to deal with non-performing loans.

"The banks have provisioned for the debt.

"The European Central Bank is pushing them to address the non-performing loans. They're in the process of taking the hit. But just move and take it now," he added.

The ongoing housing crisis and lack of new units being delivered is fuelling price hikes, which rose 11pc in the last year.
'In 2011, the Central Bank told 11 financial firms to review sales of the product and pay back premiums and compensation.' (Stock photo)

Thousands more people could be in line for refunds after being mis-sold insurance. So far some 77,000 people have been repaid close to 70m over the mis-selling of insurance, which is supposed to pay out when people lose their jobs.

There are now calls for the reopening of a redress scheme which has already seen thousands of people refunded money over the mis-selling of payment protection insurance.

Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty has written to Central Bank Governor Philip Lane seeking the widening of the redress scheme after a High Court ruling, the Irish Independent has learned.

His letter to the Central Bank identifies policies sold by GE Money, Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank where he says more cases should be examined.

Payment protection insurance pays a policyholder's loan or credit card repayment if they become ill or unemployed.

But the insurance was sold to thousands of people who were ineligible - who would be unable to claim under the policies.

In 2011, the Central Bank told 11 financial firms to review sales of the product and pay back premiums and compensation.

Now Mr Doherty has written to the Central Bank pointing out that its review has missed out on thousands more policies.

The sellers of the policies failed to disclose they partly or fully owned the underwriters of the policies, something that was not captured in the original Central Bank review.

The issue arose when GE Money lost a High Court case where the judge ruled its failure to disclose the ownership of the underwriter was capable of amounting to misleading commercial practice.

Mr Doherty has asked for a full Central Bank investigation.

"I ask the Central Bank to open a full investigation into this matter with the aim of shifting the onus to act from the individual consumers who may not know about the importance and effect of this ruling onto the lenders in question so they can put in place a redress scheme where appropriate," he wrote.

A Central Bank spokeswoman said: "The Consumer Protection Code, 2012, provides protections and mechanisms for consumers who wish to make a complaint in respect of a product or service purchased from a regulated financial entity, with further recourse available to consumers through the Financial Services Ombudsman if required."

It claimed it was prohibited from commenting on any named firm under section 33AK of the Central Bank Act 1942. Ulster Bank had no comment.

GE Money said: "Following discussions with the Central Bank of Ireland in 2013 we wrote to all live customers in line with what we had agreed with the CBI. We would like to stress that customers did not suffer any loss in relation to the matter."

Permanent TSB said: "We have no reason to believe that the appropriate information was not provided to customers at the point of sale in line with the relevant regulations that applied at the time."

It said it has no reason to believe that the appropriate information was not provided to customers at the point of sale.
Retail Excellence Ireland is to host its sixth annual expo at Croke Park next month.

The body, which represents around 1,600 members from across Ireland, will provide attendees with tips on a diverse range of topics relating to best practice in the retail industry.

Matt Shea, president and CEO of the worlds largest retail association, the US-based National Retail Federation, is scheduled to be one of the keynote speakers at the event.

The event will take place on May 10 and will also be attended by retail futurist Howard Saunders, Ryanairs chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs, along with academic researcher and lecturer David Meade.

The event will specifically focus on the areas of online retailing, combatting online fraud and how to turn customers into fans.

The ongoing changes occurring in the sale and marketing of food will also be explored.

The significance of retail to the Irish economy cannot be understated with 282,000 workers employed in the industry, said Lorraine Higgins, head of public affairs and communication with Retail Excellence Ireland.

This is why the development of top class retail standards and skills, the promotion of vibrancy and competitiveness are essential to its future, Ms Higgins added.
The recent sale of developer Sean Dunne's former Shrewsbury Road mansion, Ouragh, is just the latest in a number of transactions changing the face of Dublin 4's most exclusive thoroughfare, but the property's new owner could be facing a potential headache.

The Sunday Independent can reveal that lawyers for Dunne's wife, Gayle Killilea, have written to the receivers appointed by the Bank of Scotland to handle the house's sale demanding the return of the property's four fireplaces to her. The fireplaces are understood to have a combined value of over 120,000.

In a letter sent to receivers HWBC on December 20 last and prior to the house's sale, Killilea's solicitors, MacCarthy Johnston said: "It is our client's intention to remove the fireplaces unless she is compensated for same. We await hearing from you with proposals in this regard and if agreement cannot be reached please confirm that our client will be allowed immediate access to the property to remove her property (to include the fireplaces)."

Warning of the steps Killilea intended to take in absence of an agreement being reached on the matter, the letter added: "Our client will have no choice but to consider taking court injunctive proceedings against you and any potential purchaser to protect her property rights."

While the legal threat was made several months ago, it is understood the receivers have yet to issue a response to it. It is further understood that Killilea has in recent weeks instructed her solicitors to write once more to HWBC, to inform the company of her intention to initiate legal proceedings with the aim of recovering the fireplaces, or receiving full compensation for them. HWBC were unavailable for comment on the matter.

Elsewhere in their letter, Killilea's solicitors informed HWBC that the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) had already been advised of her claim to certain of Ouragh's contents as part of her husband's bankruptcy proceedings.

Killilea said she was claiming a number of artworks and pieces of furniture both under the terms of an agreement she had drawn up in 2010 with Sean Dunne, and on the basis that certain other items had already been owned by her in her own right.

While a limited-edition marble chess set designed by leading Irish artist Graham Knuttel and Viscount David Linley was included in that 2010 agreement, it was not specified in the schedule of items provided by Killilea to the Insolvency Service in December 2015, a copy of which has been seen by this newspaper.

Among the items included in the schedule were: a Markey Robinson painting purchased by Killilea from the late Hugh Charleton at the Apollo Gallery; a painting received as a gift from the artist, 'Rasher'; a large timber-carved Indian elephant received as a wedding gift; and a Tall Man bronze sculpture by the acclaimed sculptor Patrick O'Reilly given to her by Sean Dunne as a birthday gift in 2005 or 2006.

The Sunday Independent understands the Insolvency Service made arrangements with Killilea through her solicitors on March 27 last for her to collect the items specified by her in the schedule from Wilsons Auctions in Dublin.
Exactly 100 years ago this month the Communist icon Lenin was actively planning his return to Russia to put the final polish on the Bolshevik revolution. By all accounts he was a man of strong convictions which, a century later, people still discuss.

However one thing is certain, if one of his lieutenants had been inspired enough to inform him that 'outsourcing' was going to be the next international businesses' big invention, it would surely have steeled his relentless drive for world revolution!

Attitudes to outsourcing reveal, more than most other things, which side of the divide one is on. To a dedicated trade unionist, it is the 'Devil's work' and a major source of job insecurity.

But for some employers it generates cost savings, increased productivity, facilitates a smaller workforce, mitigates skills shortages and allows firms to focus on 'core competencies'.

What is indisputably true is outsourcing concerns have become big businesses, like the one we are examining today, the London-listed Capita plc.

A biased view is that outsourcing is what you would get from a gang of hyperactive accountants left to their own devices. So it may be no surprise that Capita emerged from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy. In 1987 it was backed by the venture capitalist 3i, and prospered. Today it employs some 70,000 people and generates an income of 4.7bn (5.6bn), equally from the private and public sector and mainly from the UK.

It is nearly four years since this column last examined Capita. It noted the industry's rise following the election of the David Cameron government in the UK which accepted the privatisation model for the state sector particularly in areas like IT and HR.

If elected it will be interesting to see what policy the Tory government under Theresa May will adopt. In this environment Capita started mopping up companies but at cost, its net debt today is a significant 1.9bn. It did the same thing in Ireland. The international service business of AIB and a contract to service Anglo Irish Bank loans on behalf of Nama were acquired.

Today things are not good for Capita. Two profit warnings and the Brexit vote has not helped. Four years ago it was obvious the company had a broad range of contracts like managing the Criminal Records Bureau and a recruitment programme for the British military. But it had a propensity for cock-ups. A contract for the UK Border Agency involving migrants and deportations was one which went horribly wrong. Another IT contract for Transport for London is the latest to get bogged down.

But the hectic pace of its acquisitions programme (47 in a short time) has unsettled Capita. Though helping revenue it also brought the problems of acquisition costs, impairment charges, disposal costs and management. So it is no surprise the company plans to reduce the number of divisions from 11 to six.

We fancied in this column that organic growth was needed. In 2016 it was only 1pc. The last time we looked Capita's share price was trading at 10.18. Today it is half that level and the stock is trading on an earnings multiple of 10 times.

The market value of the company has plunged from 6.5bn to 3.7bn. It was also turfed out of the prestigious FTSE 100, leaving long-term investors very unhappy.

It is a shock to go back to a sector which looked promising and see how the mood has turned so sour.

Conglomerates like Capita have gone out of favour. Meanwhile, Brexit may be thought by some to be heralding a new Elizabethan age of trade expansion, but clearly not everyone agrees.

Given the profit warnings and the poor trading patterns, it is no surprise that the CEO Andy Parker has been given the big elbow.

His successor is confronted with the task of shrinking the company, reducing the debt and injecting a higher quality 'core' to the company.

I am negative on these shares at the moment and if I had shares I would offload them, not out of concern about the ghost of Lenin, but because the sector may have seen its best days.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit to buy any of the shares mentioned.
Donald Trump took power in January pledging to overhaul a global order that he said cheated middle-class Americans with a promise to tear up trade agreements and impose tariffs on China and Mexico.

Some of Mr Trump's policy advisers named allies like Germany and Japan as possible targets for economic retaliation.

Fast-forward almost 100 days into Mr Trump's presidency and the world's most powerful finance officials, gathered in Washington for the International Monetary Fund spring meetings, have found an administration that is far from the disruptive force Mr Trump promised.

Although he did act on his campaign promise to tear up a 12-nation Pacific trade pact that had been the cornerstone of former president Barack Obama's Asian pivot, he has taken a much softer stance on other issues. He has refrained from pulling out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), did not carry out a pledge to label China a currency cheat, and his administration has signalled the US may stay in the Paris climate accord.

Constraints being put on Mr Trump by Congress and the courts on issues ranging from healthcare to immigration that would have filtered into the economy and the slow pace with which he is filling key administration jobs have played a role. Some foreign policy makers say they are still not sure who their counterparts are in the Trump administration.

"Many of the top jobs are still vacant," said one European diplomat who was attending the IMF meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Nobody outside the US really knows who is the most powerful or influential one at the moment," the official said.

But these policy makers said that important initial decisions have been far more centrist than might have been expected. The European Union's commissioner for economic and financial affairs, Pierre Moscovici, summed up a widely shared sentiment as he highlighted how two people at the top of Mr Trump's economic team - Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council - have curbed the worst fears over the young US presidency.

"We have the feeling that Mr Mnuchin and Mr Cohn are sensible people with whom we can discuss things, who are conscious of what an open economy requires," Mr Moscovici told Reuters in an interview.

Mexico's finance undersecretary Vanessa Rubio Marquez said discussions with the Trump administration so far have become "anchored" around a handful of issues "that Mexico would be able to deal with".

"There is still a lot of uncertainty," she said. But "dialogue has been more structured, more constant".

What Mr Trump might mean for the US and world economies has preoccupied central bankers, investors and analysts since the new president took office promising a virtual revolution in the way the United States relates to the rest of the world.

Though much about Mr Trump's policies remains unformed as the administration approaches the 100-day mark, the more extreme risks seem to have receded. (Reuters)
The Army bomb squad were forced to carry out a controlled explosion this afternoon after an antique grenade was discovered during the renovation of a house.

Independent.ie has learned that gardai were initially called to the home in Monkstown, South Dublin after a member of the public found the Mills 36 hand grenade.

Gardai then contacted then requested the assistance of an Army Bomb Disposal Team who attended the scene at 3pm.

The device was moved to a safe location, believed to be a beach, where a controlled explosion was carried out.

The scene was declared safe at 3.20pm.

Mills 36 hand grenades were regularly used throughout the War of Independence and World War Two. They were patented and developed by the British Army in 1915 and continued to be manufactured up until the 1980s.

A Defence Forces spokeswoman said: "Historic munitions from conflicts in the early 20th century can be encountered from time to time. Should members of the public find such munitions they are advised to maintain a safe distance, inform An Garda Siochana, who in turn will request Defence Forces assistance."
Alice Warnock (54) of Rathbeale Court, Swords, Co Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample counts of stealing from bank branches on Talbot Street and Malahide Road, Coolock, between November 2004 and March 2012. (Picture: Collins Courts)

A former Bank of Ireland worker who stole 144,089 from the bank to put in her own accounts and those of family members has been jailed for a year.

Alice Warnock (55) told gardai she was sorry and felt like a fool after the six year fraud was uncovered while she was on sick leave in 2012. The court heard that Warnock's family had been unaware she had lodged money into their accounts.

The mother-of-two of Rathbeale Court, Swords, Co Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample counts of stealing from bank branches on Talbot Street and Malahide Road, Coolock, between November 2004 and March 2012. She has no previous convictions.

Judge Melanie Greally had adjourned the case having heard evidence in March last year.

She said today that Warnock had been in a position of considerable responsibility and noted that she hadn't confessed to the crime before it was detected.

Judge Greally accepted that evidence of a psychological upset in Warnock's life provided some insight into her actions.

She further accepted she has since made full restitution and was responsible towards her elderly parents.

She has suffered loss of reputation and the loss of her livelihood, Judge Greally said before she took into account the fact that the case was heavily reported by the media.

The offences were not committed in relation to a financial predicament, they were carried out to enhance her lifestyle, Judge Greally concluded before she imposed a 12 month sentence on the various counts to run concurrently.

Detective Garda Siobhan Moore told the sentence hearing last year that Warnock, who had been employed with Bank of Ireland since 1980, took amounts ranging from 600 to 5,000 out of the bank's internal administration account.

The detective told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Warnock imputed narratives to make the transactions appear genuine.

She said the bank began an investigation in May 2012 while Warnock was on sick leave and got details of all her accounts where misappropriated amounts were seen as lodgements.

Warnock told gardai the offending had all got out of hand and that her family had not been aware of what she was doing.

Det Gda Moore said Warnock, who had since been fired, co-operated and took full responsibility.

The detective agreed with Lorcan Staines BL, defending, that she had family support and was a full time carer for her sick, elderly parents.

She agreed Warnock had 7,000 in court and would undertake to pay 3,500 per quarter to eventually compensate the bank in full.

Today Mr Staines confirmed the bank has now been fully compensated.

Counsel said the family was downsizing their home to also help with the repayment.

Mr Staines handed testimonials and documentation to Judge Greally.
A man who tied up and raped a woman into a hotel meeting room during a busy gaming convention will be sentenced later this year.

Keith Hearne (28) told the woman, he could "break your neck" during the ordeal and threatened her with a knife.

A prop knife was found in a bag alongside other items.

Hearne of Allenton Drive, Tallaght, Dublin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of falsely imprisoning the woman at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Blanchardstown on July 4, 2015.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned the sentence to June 19 to get further medical reports.

Defence barrister Michael Bowman SC told the court that Hearne has mental health issues and suffers from a bipolar disorder. He had not taken his medication for some time around the time of the attack.

Garda Lisa Lawler told prosecuting counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, that the now 24-year-old woman was volunteering at the ArcadeCon gaming convention in the hotel on the day in question.

The woman was preparing a presentation in a meeting room when Hearne entered the room and sat at the back. The woman became uneasy and moved to leave the room but Hearne locked the door and threw her to the ground.

The attack stopped only when another conference worker entered the room using a hotel key card. Gardai were called and Hearne was arrested at the scene.

He told gardai he had gone to the convention in the hopes of getting with another woman. When that woman rejected him he said he had anger flowing through him and he then entered the meeting room and attacked his victim.

The woman took the stand and described how she woke up every night crying for months after the attack, thinking he had come back to finish the job.

Before this, I wouldn't call myself an angry person, she said. But now I punch walls, scream and walk out on conversations. I don't know what to do with this anger.

The woman described how she has struggled with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harming and suicidal thoughts since she was raped. People see me smiling and laughing. They don't see me curled up under a blanket on my sofa, she said.

She described how she has had numerous piercings and tattoos since the attack just so I can feel like my body is my own and not something he touched.

He may go to prison, but I'm already there because of what he did, she said.

Mr Bowman said his client engaged in absolute opportunism and exploitation of his victim and that there was no excuse for what he did. It was an unspeakable intrusion and violation of her person, he added.

However, he submitted Hearne has no previous convictions and suffers from a range of conditions, including Aspergers Syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and bi-polar disorder.

He is now back on his medication and is remorseful in the extreme, Mr Bowman said.
A woman who was 39 weeks pregnant collapsed and died from an extremely rare condition for which no cause is known, an inquest heard.

Shannon Burke (20) from School Street Flats in Dublin 8 was found unresponsive in bed by her partner on January 14 2014. She and her baby boy died following a cascade of events believed to have been triggered by amniotic fluid entering the blood stream.

Miss Burke went to the Coombe Hospital around noon the day before her death complaining of stomach pains, Dublin Coroners Court heard.

The woman, whod had an emergency Caesarean-section on her first child, was admitted and fully examined. The babys heart rate was reassuring and she was discharged, the court heard.

In the early hours of January 14, the womans partner Patrick Davis found her unresponsive in their bed and he called emergency services.

Paramedics began resuscitation and Miss Burke was rushed in cardiac arrest directly to the operating theatre at the Coombe Hospital. There was no obvious cause for her collapse, there was no obvious rupture of her previous scar or bleeding into the uterus, the court heard.

Her baby boy was resuscitated at birth but later died. Miss Burke was haemorrhaging and was transferred to St Jamess Hospital where a laparotomy was performed in a bid to identify the source of bleeding but no cause was found.

CPR was continued throughout but Miss Burke died despite all medical efforts to save her life.

The cause of death was cardiac respiratory collapse and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy due to amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) syndrome at 39 weeks plus three days gestation, an autopsy found.

Pathologist Dr Siobhan Nicholson said amniotic fluid had escaped into the blood stream triggering disseminated intervascular coagulopathy or the widespread activation of blood clotting.

Dr Nicholson identified a small defect at the site of the previous C-section scar which may have been where the amniotic fluid entered the blood stream but Dr Nicholson said that was not definitive.

She identified fetal squamous cells at site of the old scar, in the pelvic region and in the lung.

This cascade of events best supports a diagnosis of AFE. It is an extraordinarily rare, catastrophic and unpredictable event for which there is no definitive cause, Dr Nicholson said. Its likely to have been something very sudden that happened in the middle of the night, she said.

Consultant Obstetrician at the Coombe Hospital Dr Tom Darcy said he had never experienced AFE before.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of death due to natural causes and sympathised with the womans mother, brother and aunt who were present in court.

Its very difficult for you. That was such a tragic occurrence for the family, to lose a young girl in those circumstances. I hope in some way the facts have been clarified for you through this process, Dr Cullinane said.
The father and son found dead in a Sligo flat following a fire over the weekend were found hugging each other by fire crews.

Sonny Harte (63) and his son Sean (34) died when a fire ripped through an apartment building on Market Street on Saturday.

It is understood that Sonny had been helping Sean to move out of the flat just days before the fire.

Sean's brother Michael said they were more like "great brothers than father and son".

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"One would be lost without the other," he told the Irish Independent.

"We still don't know what caused the fire. We heard it started in a vacant flat below them but we don't know for sure yet.

"When the fire brigade went in my dad was hugging Sean. It's an awful tragedy because dad had been helping Sean shift his stuff to his house earlier. Sean was going to move out of the flat," he added.

"We're all heartbroken. The town is in shock. Both dad and Sean were very well known in the town."

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Post-mortem examinations have been carried out on the bodies at Sligo Regional Hospital and the results will be forwarded to the county coroner.

However, early indications suggest that they died from the effects of smoke inhalation from the fire that broke out at Sean's flat above a shop on Market Street near the centre of the town.

Locals who smelled smoke raised the alarm and the building was evacuated by gardai and the fire brigade.

Sonny, who was also known as Christopher, and Sean were rushed to Sligo hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Michael has posted a photograph of the two men on his Facebook page as a tribute to them.

Sean had been out socialising earlier in the night, while Sonny had stayed in the flat.

Both men were regulars in their local pub, The Snug, in Sligo town.

"We are all devastated. We would see them in here often, sometimes for a pint or sometimes for a cup of tea. They were well known and loved," said Alan Banks.

"It's a very difficult situation to get your head around. Sonny and Sean had become great friends with everyone in the Snug over the years and it's very hard to believe we won't be filling a pint or boiling the kettle for either of these two great people again. The only comfort anyone can take, it's that they were always like two peas in a pod and thankfully they are both still together."

Gardai sealed off the scene of the fire for a technical examination, but the cause of the blaze is not believed to be suspicious.

Local councillor Gino O'Boyle said the deaths were a tragedy.
Tracey Gilligan loads fencing into the new Gilligan 'Bolthole'

John Gilligan, the pint-sized crime boss who ordered the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, is moving to Roscommon - and taking his fence and gate with him.

The convicted drug dealer (64) was spotted preparing to move from his home in Jessbrook, Co Kildare.

The property will be seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in the coming weeks following a 21-year legal battle that culminated in the Supreme Court ordering Gilligan to surrender it.

The house is next to the former equestrian centre once owned by Gilligan and also seized by CAB.

Earlier this year, Gilligan approached Fingal County Council with a request to be housed, saying he faced homelessness following the court's ruling.

Gilligan has been photographed clearing out his belongings from Jessbrook.

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Far from being homeless, it appears he and his family have rented a house from an unsuspecting landlord in Co Roscommon.

Gilligan's daughter Tracey was seen at the property, taking delivery of items from Jessbrook.

Pictures of Gilligan at Jessbrook show him removing fencing, which technically belongs to the State.

He was also seen pulling stakes from the ground and removing a gate from the per- imeter.

Tracey was then seen accepting delivery of the same fencing and stakes at the address in Roscommon.

It is not clear why the Gilligans feel they need these items as the house in Roscommon is surrounded by fields and farmland.

Gilligan is believed to have raked in millions during the 1990s when he was flooding the country with drugs.

He spent 17 years in prison for trafficking and is believed to have ordered the murder of Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.

In February, the Supreme Court refused to hear an app-eal by Brian Meehan over the rejection of his claim that his conviction for the murder was a miscarriage of justice.

In a published determination, a three-judge Supreme Court ruled that Meehan (48), from Crumlin, Dublin, had not met the criteria for an appeal to the court.

Meehan sought an appeal against the Court of Appeal's April 2016 judgment rejecting his claim that his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

He was convicted in 1999 of the murder of Ms Guerin after the Special Criminal Court found he was the driver of a motorcycle that pulled up alongside her car on June 26, 1996.

She died after the pillion passenger shot her.
Health Minister Simon Harris has called for "cool heads" in the row over giving ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital to the Sisters of Charity.

He is right - although he himself must take some of the blame for indirectly adding to the public outcry last week.

While St Vincent's Healthcare Group is unlikely to withdraw its offer of a site for the hospital at its Dublin 4 campus when it meets on Thursday, the risk remains that the current plan could still collapse.

The reality is that this will set back the building of a new maternity hospital - currently housed in a cramped outdated building in Holles Street - by several years.

The failure to publish the agreement on the workings of the new hospital has helped fuel suspicion and whip up speculation.

The proposal to ask Kieran Mulvey, who mediated the deal between the boards of Holles Street and St Vincent's, to come before the Oireachtas health committee to be quizzed on it by a cross party group of TDs and Senators, seems the most sensible course.

Mr Mulvey is on record as saying the agreement allows for the hospital to have clinical and operational independence.

A rational discussion and dispassionate examination of what this complex agreement means in practical terms is badly needed at this point. It is also important to demonstrate that it is robust and has been subjected to legal test.

A leaked copy of the 25-page agreement appears to confirm the autonomy of the new hospital, stating that it will be protected by its own independent company.

It will be given reserved powers which will allow it to provide services which are without religious, ethic or other distinction. The aim is also to protect the State's investment of 300m and it will not be possible to use the building as a means of getting a loan for a private facility, for instance.

The Sisters of Charity's gift of a free site to the maternity hospital in a part of the city which has some of the most expensive land in the country should also be acknowledged.

There is a long way to go yet. The outcome of the planning application is many months away. Then work on securing building and other contracts begins, and that is a lengthy process.

There is plenty of time yet to iron out any tangles in the agreement and provide clarifications. Time for all sides to be more composed and tolerant.
St Vincents Hospital Healthcare Group meets this week to review the offer of a free site for the new national maternity hospital at its Dublin 4 campus.

The board of St Vincents - which is providing the site to build the much needed new maternity hospital - is angry at the public comments about the decision to allow the Sisters of Charity own the new hospital.

The Sisters of Charity own the public and private St Vincent's Hospitals.

If it pulls the plug on its involvement, it will mean another delay of years to find a new site for the 300m maternity hospital which is currently housed in an outdated building in Holles St.

A leaked copy of the 25-page agreement, worked out between the boards of Holles St and St Vincents appears to confirm reassurances about the autonomy of the new hospital, stating that it will be protected by its own independent company.

It will be given reserved powers which will allow it to provide services which are without religious, ethic or other distinction.

The aim is also to protect the States investment of 300m and it will not be possible to use the building as a means of getting a loan for a private facility, for instance.

Kieran Mulvey, the former industrial relations troubleshooter, who mediated the deal between the two hospitals is to be asked to appear before the Oireachtas health committee to be quizzed on the details of the agreement.

Health Minister Simon Harris has called for cool heads as the debate of the ownership of the hospital intensified.

He said believes that all legal procedures can be carried out at the hospital and this is underpinned by the agreement.

The minister is to ask the HSE to provide more clarity to ensure that the agreement is watertight before the State invests its funding, he added.

The Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran said he believed that the religious order would have to obey the rules of the Catholic Church if they become owners of the hospital.

The Bishop was at the centre of controversy in recent years after he resigned from the board of the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

He resigned from the hospitals board after it confirmed it would comply with Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.It means a termination of pregnancy could be carried out at the hospital in event of a womans life being at risk.

Speaking at the time of his resignation in October 2013, he said :I have resigned because I cant reconcile my own conscience personally with the statement, largely because I feel a Catholic hospital has to bear witness.

Its about bearing witness to Gospel values alongside providing excellent care
When a person has uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, they may project these onto other people, assigning the thoughts or feelings that they need to repress to a convenient alternative target.



Projection may also happen to obliterate attributes of other people with which we are uncomfortable. We assume that they are like us, and in doing so we allow ourselves to ignore those attributes they have with which we are uncomfortable.



Neurotic projection is perceiving others as operating in ways one unconsciously finds objectionable in yourself.

Complementary projection is assuming that others do, think and feel in the same way as you.

Complimentary projection is assuming that others can do things as well as you.

Projection also appears where we see our own traits in other people, as in the false consensus effect. Thus we see our friends as being more like us than they really are.
Derek (26) is lucky to be alive after suffering an unprovoked "one-punch attack" while living in Australia

An Irish model has revealed how her brother Derek (26) is lucky to be alive after suffering an unprovoked "one-punch attack" while living in Australia.

Tia Duffy (29) from Finglas, Co Dublin has spoken about the heart-stopping moment when she received a call from his friends to say he had been rushed to hospital with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

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The incident happened in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, April 18 when he was out having a meal with a group of friends.

"Hes been living in Darwin for the last three years and he was out with friends for some food. They were celebrating finding a new apartment," she said.

"Someone just randomly attacked him from behind. They punched him in the head and he fell backwards and he hit his head on the pavement. Thats the last thing he remembers."

The model, whos based in Toronto, said his attackers companion also physically assaulted two of his female friends before fleeing the scene.

Police were able to use CCTV footage taken from the scene, which was on the outskirts of Darwin, which they are hoping to use to help identify his attackers.

They are investigating what Tia described as a "completely unprovoked attack" on her restaurant manager brother.

"He would never be in any kind of argument. Hes not that type of guy at all. Im just trying to understand why someone would do this.

"To be honest, Im just livid about the whole thing. Every time I think about it, I just think, How can someone do that. I wanted to raise awareness that if you throw just one punch at someone, you can kill them. I feel like hes lucky to be alive. Im just shell-shocked by the whole thing," she said.

Derek spent a week in ICU being monitored every hour but has now been moved to a separate unit. He still has bleeding on the brain.

Tia said they wont know the long-term impact of the attack for a while but she hopes to fly out there with her family once his condition stabilises.

His friends Lauren and Lisa have set up a fundraising page to help pay his medical bills.

To donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/derek-duffy/
Local police sources said the man was struck by a car and dragged more than 10 metres. (Stock picture)

A man from Northern Ireland has died after being hit by a suspected drunk driver in Magaluf on the Spanish island of Majorca.

The man, who was named only as 'A O'Bryan' by local police, was struck by a car on the Calle Pinada, off the Calle Punta Ballena, at about 3am yesterday. Police arrested a Spanish citizen who has reportedly tested positive for alcohol and drugs, according to the 'Majorca Daily Bulletin' news website.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and paramedics spent about 30 minutes attending to the 40-year-old man. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 3.30am.

Local police sources said the man was struck by a car and dragged more than 10 metres. Medics from the 061 emergency service were on the scene rapidly. It is believed that the man arrived on Saturday with a group of people to spend the weekend there.

A spokeswoman for Calvia Council said the driver of the vehicle involved, who is Spanish and comes from the island capital Palma, has been arrested for manslaughter and for driving under the influence of alcohol.

"He failed both drink and drugs tests," she said.

"The vehicle was apparently seen being driven aggressively through the streets of Magaluf just beforehand."

She said the dead man was from Northern Ireland.

A taxi-driver witnessed what happened and called the police.

The Guardia Civil have confirmed that the car, a Ford Focus, was the same one which was being driven erratically in the area prior to the incident.
Scene where an Irishman collapsed and died in London (Photo: Facebook/Fatos Mit-oglu)

Scene where an Irishman collapsed and died in London (Photo: Facebook/Fatos Mit-oglu)

The man collapsed in Moselle Avenue, north London and died in hospital a short time later

An Irish man has collapsed and died after allegedly having an argument with two teenagers.

Police are probing the death of Joseph Kelly (62) after he was found unconscious in Moselle Avenue in Wood Green, north London on April 12.

Mr Kelly was brought to hospital but sadly died a short time later.

Mr Kelly is understood to be from Tullamore, Co Offaly and had worked all over Europe as a fitter and welder before settling in London.

He was unmarried and had no children but police say he had a close circle of friends.

A post-mortem was carried out on April 13 but it did not establish a definitive cause of death.

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It did refer to Mr Kelly's generally poor health and officers area waiting the results of further tests.

Detectives from Haringey CID are investigating and nobody has been arrested in connection to the case yet.

Detectives have said they are keen to talk to two teens who they believe had a verbal argument with Mr Kelly before he died.

DCI Luke Marks said: "The death is not being treated as a homicide, however a police investigation into the circumstances of the death continues.

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"I am very keen to trace anyone who saw Mr Kelly in Moselle Avenue, and in particular I wish to speak with two teenagers who had argued with him shortly before he collapsed. I would urge those young men to get in touch and simply tell me what happened."

Anyone with information is asked to call Haringey CID on 020 3276 3071. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Anti-abortion protesters at the Citizens Assembly in Dublin at the weekend. Photo: John McElroy

Campaigners are pushing for a referendum after the Citizens' Assembly voted for Irish women to be given the right to legal abortion with "no restrictions".

A majority of 64pc voted that there should be no restriction on women having a termination - opening the door to full abortion rights for Irish women for the first time in history.

Of the members who backed the proposal, 48pc said it should only be available up to 12 weeks' gestation, while fewer said 22 weeks' should be the cut-off.

Another vote showed 72pc of the Assembly felt socio-economic reasons should allow a woman to have an abortion.

During the course of the day, the Assembly approved 13 grounds for legal terminations.

If the Oireachtas accepts the advice, a referendum would be needed to bring in the reform, given the current constraints on abortion enshrined in the Constitution.

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Some 89pc voted for Irish women to be legally permitted abortions in cases of a foetal abnormality likely to result in death before or after birth, while 69pc voted there should be no restriction on the gestational age of the foetus in this regard. Some 80pc voted there should be no restriction on termination regarding a significant foetal abnormality not likely to result in death shortly before or after birth.

Meanwhile, 72pc voted there should be no distinction made between mental and physical health when it comes to abortion rights - signalling a societal transition on mental health issues.

Assembly Chair Justice Mary Laffoy thanked the members of the Assembly for their determination and resolve which would cause "a change to the status quo".

Ms Laffoy stated a constitutional referendum would now be sparked and there was no reason this should be delayed.

Campaigners are now set to push for a referendum date they believe could come by spring next year.

Deirdre Duffy, from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, welcomed the "historic" result.

"The Assembly did us proud, we are at a turning point," she said. "The responsibility passes to our elected representatives to take up the mantle now and push forward with haste with the calling of a referendum."

Orla O'Connor, from the Women's Council, said it was "a day for women's rights and equality".

Ailbhe Smyth, convenor of the Coalition to repeal the Eighth Amendment, said: "It's very clear from the outcome that there is a huge appetite for progressive change."

But speaking in a homily in Knock, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, said: "Demands to quash and abolish this amendment go against the 'good news' that the life of every person is sacred and inviolable, irrespective of the stage or state of that life - from the first moment of conception until the moment of natural death."

Cora Sherlock, of the Pro-Life Campaign, said: "There is nothing liberal or progressive about the Assembly recommending a referendum to strip unborn babies of their right to life in law and also ignoring the negative consequences of abortion for women."

Referring to a possible referendum in the future that takes away protections from the unborn child, Ms Sherlock said: "It's far from certain that it would pass.

"According to polls, support for dismantling the Eighth Amendment is extremely soft."

Q&A: Inside the Assembly

What has the Citizens' Assembly recommended happen to the abortion law in Ireland?

Overwhelmingly, the 87 representatives of the public voted for abortion rights for Irish women as recommendations to the Oireachtas.

The Assembly first voted to change the abortion law - which currently lies under article 40.3.3 of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. It voted not to scrap this article by repealing it but to reform it under law via the Houses of the Oireachtas.

This means that the recommendations the Assembly have made will now be passed on to the Oireachtas to decide on a referendum.

What were the key votes during the Assembly?

A staggering 89pc voted for women to be legally permitted abortions if there is likely to be a foetal abnormality likely to result in death before or after birth.

Does the Government have to pass a law to approve abortion if a referendum is passed?

In practical terms, it's difficult to see a referendum not followed by legislation.

When will the recommendations of the Assembly be sent to the Oireachtas?

Assembly chair Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said she would supply the Oireachtas with the information by the end of June.

When is a referendum on abortion likely?

There is nothing to stop a referendum taking place as soon as possible.
The latest figures to the end of March, when almost 3,000 people were penalised, suggest that more than 12,000 unemployed people face welfare cuts in 2017. Stock image

There has been a huge increase in the number of unemployed people who had their dole cut for failing to take offers of work or training.

Despite the huge decline in unemployment, the number of penalties for dole claimants failing to take recommended jobs or training courses has increased by more than 2,000pc during the past five years.

The latest figures to the end of March, when almost 3,000 people were penalised, suggest that more than 12,000 unemployed people face welfare cuts in 2017. This compares with just 359 people in 2011, which was the first full year of the scheme's operation.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has strongly defended the penalty measures. But Fianna Fail welfare spokesman Willie O'Dea, who sought the data, warned that the penalties were a "crude implement" and a "sword of Damocles" hanging over unemployed people.

Mr O'Dea said people who were unemployed through no fault of their own were being forced to take low-paid jobs where they were worse off. Some people were also being obliged to join training courses that were unsuitable or of very questionable value.

"While there must be sanctions, there surely must be some controls to ensure that people are not forced, for the benefit of employers, into low-paid jobs or into education and training courses that are not suitable for them. An unemployment activation scheme is very desirable - but it must not become a sanctions scheme," Mr O'Dea told the Irish Independent.

But speaking in the Dail just before the Easter break, Mr Varadkar defended the scheme as a part of the overall measures to tackle unemployment. He said the scheme was introduced in 2010 by Mr O'Dea's party colleague, Eamon O Cuiv, and at any given time only affected a very small proportion of the people unemployed.

Penalties

"Even at a time of relatively low unemployment, there are still 300,000 people who come on and off the live register in a given year. Of those, perhaps 10,000 might be subjected to reduced payments. It is a very small percentage of people who have their payments reduced," Mr Varadkar said.

The minister said there were no plans to expand the numbers affected beyond 12,000 people. He said the increase in numbers of people affected was partly due to greater one-to-one engagement with people by the welfare services.

Mr O'Dea said that in 2011, 359 people were subject to penalties for non-engagement, which trebled to 1,519 in 2012, and it had risen to 10,428 last year. "That is an increase of 2,300pc in five years. All of this has happened while unemployment has been falling," Mr O'Dea said.

The Fianna Fail welfare spokesman said he had offered detailed changes to the scheme to make it fairer and more humane. He said it was important not to succumb to stereotypes about unemployed people's desire to get meaningful work.

But Mr Varadkar said there were already a number of safeguards. Payments were temporarily reduced, not stopped, and payments for dependants were never touched.
Sophie Jalby from Tarbes queues to cast her vote at the French Embassy in Dublin. Pic: Tony Gavin

French people living in Ireland queued to cast their vote in the first round of the presidential election - with a strong preference for pro-European Emmanuel Macron emerging.

There are 8,200 French residents living in Ireland who were eligible to vote yesterday and queues of more than 100 people formed at the French Embassy in Dublin from 8am and in Cork for the first time.

As well as ballot voting there was also the opportunity for proxy voting where residents could vote on behalf of someone unable to attend the voting centre.

Sophie Jalby (24), originally from Turbes, near Lourdes, said she voted for independent centrist Mr Macron in what she described as "tactical voting".

"I went with Macron because he has the biggest chance to be elected in reality," the student told the Irish Independent.

"I have no idea how French living in Ireland will vote otherwise but I am hoping people stay away from Marine Le Pen."

Another Mr Macron supporter, Diane Kennedy (50), originally from Paris, has been living in Dublin for 25 years. She said that she voted for the former economy minister "quite simply for Europe".

Ms Kennedy said she "followed the heart" when choosing between the candidates.

Worried

She said France "has a strong left" but she was worried that the right would pick up "some energy" in the wake of last week's Champs-Elysees attack.

Franck Cappelli (53), originally from Paris, "considered voting for Le Pen" but went for scandal-hit conservative Francois Fillon in the end.

"I know all about the controversy but to be honest it is the best of a bad situation we are in," he said.

"Young people have been targeted by Macron but for me he is just the same as Hollande's government.

"Anything is better than five years of Hollande. In the second round I will decide my vote tactically for sure."
The Web Summit looks set to hire a new team member - to negotiate with the Irish Government and State Agencies.

The summit which moved to Lisbon amid harsh criticisms of the Irish Government is advertising for a so-called Irish Government Affairs Manager.

In a tongue in cheek advertisement on Facebook the team posted the job spec alongside the following comment:

"Good at building relationships with Irish politicians? Great because were not, so were hiring. Trinity degree not essential. Wifi works (in office, mostly)."

Founder Paddy Cosgrave and his team developed a factitious relationship with the Government during the four years the tech summit took place in Dublin.

Mr Cosgrave criticised the Government for their lack of interest in the event and described state money that the company received from the IDA and Enterprise Ireland as "hush money".

The summit was critical of the event-planning that took place in the capital around the event, as well as a perceived lack of interest among Irish politicians to meet with delegates and capitalise on the business opportunities presented by the summit.

The ad also makes a thinly-veiled reference to WiFi issues which proved to be among the most prevalent teething problems of the Summit.

At the 2014 Web Summit the Wifi collapsed leading to a dispute between the organisers and the RDS where the event was held.

Now, however the team are looking for someone experienced to act as a go-between for the company and Irish agencies.

The job description for the role reads:

"The Irish Government Affairs Manager will liaise with the Irish Government and State agencies. You will work within a global team focused on interfacing with cities and countries bidding to host Web Summit and related events in the future."

The ideal candidate will have eight years experience as "a Government relations practitioner", who is well versed in the "inner workings of the Irish legislative and political landscape".

"Youll promote the values of Web Summit to the Irish Government through direct engagement with policy-makers and government agencies," the ad reads.

"Youll interpret the political horizon, identifying opportunities and challenges that impact Web Summit, our events, our innovations & global reach."

A spokeswoman for the Web Summit declined to comment when contacted by Independent.ie
Coping with a rare illness has its own challenges, writes Maurice Gueret, as he takes a look at the unusual disease that claimed the life of Martin McGuinness

Rarest disease

The sudden death of Martin McGuinness serves as a sharp reminder of just how unpredictable health can be. He came third in our most recent Presidential election, looking, then, like a sprightly 61-year-old in the rudest of good health. Indeed, it was the fitness of the much older Michael D with his gammy knee that came under media scrutiny. Martin McGuinness looked like he had many more Aras runs left in him to build on that quarter-of-a million votes. It may be that a disease he had probably never even heard of had already taken hold. Within just a few weeks of his recent diagnosis being made public, a suddenly frail McGuinness was gone. Much of the media coverage said that he had a rare heart disease. The truth of the matter is that he had a very rare disease, but one that defies a single organ diagnosis. While it may affect the heart, amyloidosis is not a primary disease of the heart.

Between stools

So what is amyloidosis? Well, it's a rare enough condition where clumps of a waxy protein get deposited in various organs of the body. There are less than a handful of cases in Ireland every year. Dr Stanley Jagoe, physician at the old Royal City of Dublin Hospital on Baggot Street had a terrific knowledge of rare medical conditions, and I remember him discussing amyloidosis during a packed bedside tutorial in the medical wing of the hospital. The word 'amyloid' means 'starch-like'. When the condition was first identified, it was mistakenly thought that the stuff being deposited was starch. It's usually quite late in the disease when it is diagnosed, and the damage is progressive and has often been done at that point. There are some parts of the body where amyloid can happily get deposited without symptoms. But when it gets into the kidneys, the heart, the bowel and the brain, serious complications arise. Patients with such rare diseases can easily be caught between stools. As doctors specialise more and more on single target organs, diseases that don't have a single-organ focus can lose out on both research and expertise. Amyloidosis merits just two mentions in the current edition of the Irish Medical Directory. It must a lonely disease to have.

No-bounce zone

Trampolines are in the danger zone. News has emerged that one trampoline park in the UK is summoning an ambulance to its doors at least once a week. The NHS now logs hundreds of calls each year to trampoline parks. Fractured limbs, back sprains, spinal and head injuries all feature, and the injury toll has led one orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in the area to say that he does not allow his own four children to either own a trampoline, or to visit specialist bouncing parks. Standards for the burgeoning industry have just been issued, but for the Southampton surgeon, it's still a waiver too far. His concern is that the bouncing environment needs constant supervision, just as you would get in an equestrian class. He has particular concerns about young children under the age of five, whose heads are proportionally bigger than the rest of their bodies and who have not gained the muscular control of older children. I'm guessing that trauma surgeon won't be appearing in a Christmas advertisement for John Lewis any time soon.

Improving Service

I'm always on the lookout for ways that we healthcare folk might learn a thing or two from other countries, or, indeed, from other unrelated sectors. Before email took over from fax, the grandchild of a doctor in the UK was once admitted to a hospital in Singapore as an emergency case. Within a few hours, a fax was sent across the world to medical grandpa in England, detailing the child's full medical examination, all the clinical test results, a care plan and treatments. He was stunned at the level of service, and asked why the NHS could not compete with what was an everyday service in the Far East. Well I dropped my car up to Mooney's garage on the Long Mile Road the other morning. Before midday, I had a text on my smartphone with a link to click that gave me the complete low-down on my vehicle. There were four lovely photographs. I was briefed on the 50 things that were right with it and the 10 things that needed action - all marked urgent or not, and priced individually. Minister Harris is visiting an awful lot of hospitals these days to see how they are functioning. I wonder if his car needs servicing?
The first students have arrived at the new Grangegorman campus in Dublin 7  but where will they all be accommodated?

A couple of weeks ago, Dublin City Council sent back two planning applications for student accommodation near the new DIT Grangegorman campus in Dublin 7. Combined, the two private developments would have added about 1,000 new purpose-built student units.

In justifying its decision, the council made two interesting - ok, baffling - points. The first was that it feared an 'overconcentration of student accommodation' in the area. It is as if, when agreeing to locate DIT on one site, nobody thought that these 20,000 students would need somewhere to live.

That is, to me, baffling enough. But follow this logic through. Economists are obsessed (rightly so, in my view) with the concept of opportunity cost: what happens if you don't do something is as important as what happens if you do something.

This is particularly important if we think about the fear of displacement. I should point out that I'm a local resident myself and neither I, nor anyone I've talked to, is worried about this if student accommodation is allowed to go ahead.

However, some local residents, according to media reports at the time of the decisions, fear the area will become overwhelmed with students. Again, this fate was largely sealed once it was decided to locate DIT on the site.

I studied the dynamics of the purpose-built student accommodation sector closely last summer and part of that work involved understanding how students currently live. It seems reasonable, based on the evidence, to allow for about one-third of Irish students living at home with their parents - this is about twice the UK fraction.

But the important stuff is what happens with the other two-thirds, not the ones who stay at home with Mammy. Currently, the typical student lives in a three- or four-bedroom house with a number of other students. Each has a budget of 500 a month - closer to 600 in Dublin.

This means that, once DIT is ready to go, a group of four students will have a budget of between 2,000 and 2,500 a month to rent a family home. How many 1-income or 1.5-income households could compete with that?

In short, I can't think of a way to displace local residents from Dublin 7 more rapidly than to put DIT there and not allow student accommodation to be built.

It gets worse, though. The council goes on to question the need for student accommodation. It asks the developers to justify why they are building student accommodation at all, "rather than standard residential accommodation".

Before we get into the numbers, think about that for a second. A private company does its market research. It is fully aware that DIT itself plans to provide student accommodation and it is acutely aware that competitors are also at work building homes for students.

Nonetheless, developers crunch the numbers and are happy that they will easily fill 500 new units. Not only this, they go off and raise capital to do the same. Raising capital means convincing quantities of people, probably in London or New York, that they are not going to back a loser. This will include articulating the need.

After all that process, the company have their funds, happy that not only have they vetted their own numbers, but that they have people who are putting savings on the line. Then, after all that, the council turns around and questions why are they doing this in the first place.

We need to stop questioning the motives of those who want to develop. These are pretty obvious: they spot a need and want to meet that need, in doing so making a profit. It doesn't really get any more or less sinister than that.

But Dublin City Council's response makes even less sense when you look at the numbers. The city is already grossly understocked when it comes to purpose-built student accommodation. In 2016, there were roughly 76,000 students in the city, of which 42,000 were 'non-local' (from outside the city).

Only 11,000 of these students could be accommodated in purpose-built student accommodation, however. The other 30,000 'non-locals' (including many international students) had to find homes in the private rental market. This means three- and four-bed houses which could have accommodated families on lower incomes.

So, even in 2015, Dublin - and Ireland as a whole - desperately needed new student units. But the picture looks far worse as we scroll forward. Basic demographics tell us that the 18-22 year-old population will rise by 60pc between 2014 and 2029.

On top this, you need to add in net migration, rising enrolment rates and a growing share of international students. Taking these into account, the total number of third-level students in Ireland is set to rise from 168,000 in 2014 to between 250,000 and 300,000 by 2024.

Focussing just on Dublin, and allowing for the fraction living at home with their parents - and even allowing for half of all students to still live in the wider rental sector - Dublin needs at least 30,000 new purpose-built student units in the next few years.

That's 60 blocks similar to the ones the council has just sent back to developers. And we wonder why rents in Dublin 7 have risen by 75pc in recent years.

It's particularly concerning to hear the council talk about 'standard residential' vs student homes. Dublin has in recent years had a chronic shortage of each of the following: office space, hotel rooms, student accommodation and apartments.

Starting with office space, and now spreading to hotel rooms, these problems have been righting themselves. This is what a smart city does: it harnesses developers, and the capital they have access to, to meet its needs.

If there is a problem when it comes to the viability of building apartments in Ireland - and there definitely is - then this needs to be tackled directly. Holding up much-needed student homes as hostage definitely won't solve the problem.

In fact, it will make it worse. Rents in Dublin 7 will rise even further and locals will feel more displaced.

Ronan Lyons is assistant professor of economics at Trinity College, and author of the Daft.ie Reports
Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche! celebrates with supporters after the first round of 2017 French presidential election. Photo: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters

It was uncertain right up to the close of polling stations all across France. But now we know that in a fortnight's time French voters will pick from two remaining contenders, as Emmanuel Macron faces off against the Front National's Marine Le Pen.

The outcome of that run-off vote on May 7 will shape the destiny of 500 million people across the European Union.

It has special importance for Ireland whose 44-year membership of the various manifestations of the EU have brought many benefits.

The EU is very far from perfect. But France, alongside its erstwhile German enemy-turned-ally, has been a foundation cornerstone of this construction for all of its 60 years in being.

The centrist Mr Macron was the only heavy-hitting candidate in this contest who championed the cause of Europe. He argued eloquently that in an uncertain but interlinked world, workers' futures could only be secured by more Europe-wide co-operation, as he rejected the global trend of countries turning in on themselves. His message has been one of hope for France, all of Europe, and especially Ireland.

Ms Le Pen struck a markedly different note. She ran a skilful campaign, considerably softening the stance of her father's hard-right party, and speaking to French voters' concerns about national identity, immigration, border controls and security.

Ms Le Pen has shown that there is an avid audience for her message in all sectors of French life. Her success must be a wake-up call for political leaders in France and all of the EU capitals.

The European Union must recalibrate and redirect towards citizens' interests.

Concerns for the future of rural communities

Ireland's farm families have been hit by a number of shocks in the past year. The world dairy market has been in turmoil as farmers adjust to the end of EU milk quotas. Then there has been the shock of the Brexit referendum last June hitting sterling immediately.

Against this background, a major survey for the Irish Independents agri-website, Farmireland, today opens a window on contemporary life in our rural communities.

Our survey shows that Irish farmers links with the land remain strong. More than eight out of 10 farmers say they would never consider selling the farm. But another key question, on encouraging their children to go farming, drew a very mixed response with an almost half-and-half divide on the issue. Some 53pc would encourage their children to farm, while 47pc would not.

This focuses on the vital concern for the future of Irish farming, and by extension the future of rural communities. It is clear that farmers would be more confident of guiding their sons and daughters towards continuing the farm enterprise if there was more certainty about farmers livelihoods.

Yet Irish farmers remain positive about the European Union, with 80pc believing Ireland should continue its membership in spite of Brexit and the reliance on Britain for Irish food exports.

And urban criminals tempted to venture into the countryside should beware. Six out of 10 farmers are ready to defend themselves.
Thalia Heffernan pictured to celebrate Bank of Irelands sponsorship of the 2017 Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture competition

Thalia Heffernan pictured to celebrate Bank of Irelands sponsorship of the 2017 Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture competition

Thalia Heffernan pictured to celebrate Bank of Irelands sponsorship of the 2017 Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture competition,

Thalia Heffernan, winner of the Most Stylish at The Marker at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Thalia Heffernan at the launch of the Brown Thomas Beauty Lounge. Picture: Photocall Ireland

Model Thalia waltzed away with a fashion accolade at the weekend for her see-through dress at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards.

But the model revealed that her head-turning look was all thanks to her Dancing With The Stars boyfriend Ryan McShane, who helped design her unique ensemble.

Thalia (22) picked up the award for Best Look of the Night, as voted for by the 250 well-heeled attendees at the event in the Marker Hotel.

"The dress was hand-made for me by James Moorecraft in Birmingham - he's one of Ryan's best friends," she said. "I feel so glamorous in it.

Expand Close Thalia Heffernan, at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2017. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook

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"There's about 20,000 rhinestones on it, all hand-glued. It's incredible to wear it.

"It's not like me at all. Usually, I'm in my tracksuit bottoms. So I feel special.

"It's actually incredibly comfortable, because the fabric is stretchy."

Moorecraft designs mostly dance gear for professionals, and Thalia said that her multi-talented other half helped come up with the concept for her black mesh outfit.

Expand Close Models Sinead Noonan, Thalia Heffernan and Kerri Nicole Blanc at the Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2017. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook

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"He's a dancer by nature. He's got this in his blood," she said. "He pretty much made this dress for me. It's pretty amazing."

McShane (31), who is the British Latin champion, matched her ensemble with an all-black suit and accompanied her down the red carpet as he made his debut at the event.

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The loved-up pair, who met while filming the RTE show, will jet off this week for a holiday in Tuscany as their romance continues apace.

She said they were happy to take advantage of the fact that they had nothing in their busy schedules to head for a romantic trip together.

The model said they were manoeuvring the long-distance relationship very nicely.

"He's full-time in England, but it's fine," she said.

"We go back and forth a lot. We make it work.

"It's never going to be easy, but once you have a happy relationship, you can do whatever you want, so we're getting on with it."

Speaking about the annual Style Awards, she described it as "such a fun event" that always had a great vibe.

"Everyone always looks amazing. You rock up and the style is impeccable," she said.
Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann was being treated in a Nairobi hospital yesterday after being shot in the stomach near her lodge in Kenya.

Ms Gallmann (73), who wrote the bestselling novel 'I Dreamed of Africa', was driving in her vehicle when she was ambushed.

She was rushed to the Nanyuki County Hospital for emergency treatment before being flown to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi for specialised treatment yesterday morning, her daughter, Sveva Makena (26) said. She was in a "stable condition" last night.

Ms Makena said earlier this month the Laikipia Plateau was under pressure from "noxious politics and drought".

"We remain positive that this wave of terror and mayhem will pass once elections and the rains have come and that the government are doing what they can to restore law and order one step at a time," she said.

Nomadic cattle herders have been carrying out raids against Kenya's wildlife conservancies and farms in the drought-stricken Laikipia region. ( Daily Telegraph London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
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...****???
Al Qaida's leader has urged his followers and all militants in Syria to unite ranks and prepare for protracted jihad.

Ayman al-Zawahri told the jihadis to remain steadfast and change tactics to guerrilla warfare.

His remarks came in an audio message released on Monday by al Qaida's media arm, As-Sahab.

Al-Zawahri said an "international satanic alliance" will never accept Islam's rule in Syria.

He said the war is not an exclusively nationalist Syrian cause, but a campaign by the entire "Muslim nation" which seeks to establish divine rule.

Al Qaida's Syrian branch - formerly the Nusra Front, but now known as the Fatah al-Sham Front - has come under increasing attack from the US-led coalition in recent months and some of its most senior leaders have been killed in air strikes.
The new president will be voted in on Sunday May 7.

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen have both renewed their presidential campaigns with vigour after successfully making it into the second round of voting for the French election.

Centrist candidate Macron won the first round with 23.9% of the vote, knocking National Front leader Le Pen into second place with 21.4%.

The two potential presidents sit on opposite sides of the political spectrum  Macron is pro-Europe and pro-business with an optimistic vision of a tolerant France with open borders, while Le Pen has called for economic protectionism, tougher security, a Frexit referendum and less immigration.

Macron set up his own movement  En Marche!  in order to contest the election, meaning that the two candidates in the run-off are not from the traditional Socialist or Republican parties, a highly unusual event.

Macron is widely tipped to win the second round, with polls projecting that he will beat Le Pen by 20 to 30 percentage points.

After the first round politicians rallied round Macron, calling on their supporters to vote for him, including defeated Republican Francois Fillon and Socialist Benoit Hamon.

Far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who finished in tied third place with Fillon, did not endorse either candidate for the run-off.

Le Pen, whose father Jean-Marie stunned voters by qualifying for the run-off in 2002 before losing heavily to incumbent Jacques Chirac, told voters: You have the choice of an alternative, a true one.

What I propose to you is a big alternative, the fundamental alternative that will put other faces in power.

After his first-round victory, Macron said: I will be the president of all the people of France, the president of the patriots against the nationalists threat.

The vote to decide between the pair will take place on Sunday May 7.
US politicians finish speeches with God bless America, the French often end with Long live the Republic, long live France  what do we have?

After a radio host and journalist tweeted to ask what British politicians should end their speeches with, Twitters imagination went wild.

Julia Hartley-Brewer made the observation that when US politicians end speeches they say God Bless America, while French politicians often end with Long live the Republic, long live France.

So, she asked what the British equivalent is, and a real diverse range of suggestions came flooding in, from the very well-mannered

to the more outlandish and hilarious.

Then there were suggestions that were so typically British it hurts.

Obviously, tea got a mention too.

As did the great British institution that is EastEnders.

Well played, Twitter. Well played.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with President Donald Trump, Chinese state media has reported amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Mr Xi as telling Mr Trump that China strongly opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, which is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hopes "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland.

However, US officials have told the Associated Press that a military response is unlikely.

Mr Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy which emphasises increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China.

"Only if all sides bear the responsibilities they're supposed to bear and come together, can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible," Mr Xi told Mr Trump, according to CCTV.

The phone call, which took place on Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that the North will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Mr Trump has pressed Mr Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

In a interview at the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump told AP that he declined to label China a currency manipulator mostly because he needed Mr Xi's help with the North Korean crisis.

"They are working with us on North Korea. Now maybe that'll work out or maybe it won't," Mr Trump said, adding that he had a "great relationship" with the Chinese president.

Mr Trump also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Mr Abe called provocative actions.

AP
Sealed with a kiss: Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte celebrate in Paris (AP)

French far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen leaves her campaign headquarters in Paris (AP)

French president Francois Hollande has urged voters to choose centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 presidential run-off to keep out far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Speaking from the Elysee palace, Mr Hollande said Ms Le Pen's platform of pulling out of the euro would devastate the country's economy and threaten French liberty.

He said the far-right would "deeply divide France" at a time when the terror threat requires solidarity and cohesion.

Mr Macron was Mr Hollande's top adviser on economic issues from 2012 to 2014, then economy minister in his Socialist government for two years.

In April 2016, he launched his own political movement, En Marche! (In Motion!) to prepare his presidential bid as an independent centrist candidate. He quit the government a few months later.

Mr Hollande's intervention came as France's defeated political mainstream united to urge voters to back Mr Macron.

Politicians on the moderate left and right, including the Socialist and Republicans party losers in Sunday's first-round vote, sought to block Ms Le Pen's path to power.

The mainstream parties were shut out of the presidency after the first round, which narrowed the presidential field from 11 to two.

This election is widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave which last year prompted the UK to vote to leave the European Union and led to Donald Trump being elected US president.

The defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Mr Macron, and Ms Le Pen's National Front is hoping to do the once-unthinkable and gain the support of voters historically opposed to a party long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

National Front vice president Steeve Brios said: "The voters who voted for Mr Melenchon are angry voters. They can be in agreement with us."

He said that these voters can express a choice "outside the system".

Choosing from inside the system is no longer an option, as voters rejected the two mainstream parties which have alternated power for decades in favour of Ms Le Pen and the untested Mr Macron, who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year.

Turnout was 78%, down slightly from 79% in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, received just 6% of the vote. Socialist president Francois Hollande, the most unpopular in modern French record-keeping, did not seek re-election.

Former Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls said: "We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction.

"We didn't do the work - intellectual, ideological and political - on what the left is, and we paid the price."

Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservative Republicans candidate, fared marginally better, coming in third with just shy of 20% of the vote.

Both centre-right and centre-left fell in behind Mr Macron, whose optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast to Ms Le Pen's darker, inward-looking "French-first" platform, which calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the euro to return to the French franc.

Ms Le Pen went on the offensive against Macron in her first public comments on Monday.

She said: "He is a hysterical, radical 'Europeanist'. He is for total open borders. He says there is no such thing as French culture. There is not one domain that he shows one ounce of patriotism."

Mr Macron's party spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, said that Ms Le Pen is hardly a vector of change.

"She's been in the political system for 30 years," he said.

"She inherited her father's party and we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running for the next 20 years, because after we had the father, we have the daughter and we will doubtless have the niece," he said, referring to Marion Marechal-Le Pen.

"So she is in a truly bad position to be talking about the elites and the people."

Mr Macron came in first in Sunday's vote, with just over 23%; Marine Le Pen had 21%; Mr Melenchon and Mr Fillon each had 19%. Mr Fillon, a former prime minister, bested the former Trotskyist Mr Melenchon by just 94,998 votes.

European stock markets surged, and France's main index hit its highest level since early 2008, as investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world - and the associated potential unpredictability in policy-making - may have peaked.

German chancellor Angela Merkel also wished Mr Macron "all the best for the next two weeks".

AP
St Patrick's Day would become a bank holiday in Britain under new proposals announced by Jeremy Corbyn.

Under the plan, 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).

The UK Labour leader said the move would bring together England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while giving workers a well-deserved break.

"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," Mr Corbyn said.

"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."

Corbyn added: "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."

At the moment workers in Northern Ireland get a day off for St Patrick's Day, as do Scottish people for St Andrew's Day.

Welsh people don't get a public holiday for St David's Day and neither do English people for St George's Day, unless it falls on a Sunday.

In most parts of the UK the four national holidays are treated as regular working days.

The UK has the least amount of Bank Holidays in Europe, eight, while we enjoy nine each year.

Corbyn made the proposal ahead of the snap election on June 8.

Prime Minister Theresa May called the shock election last week to happen in the fallout of Brexit.
Emmanuel Macron salutes supporters after he delivered a speech at the Parc des Expositions hall in Paris. Photo: Reuters

Unknown to the public until two years ago and initially ruled out as a serious contender, Emmanuel Macron now stands on the threshold of the French presidency.

Thousands of his supporters and campaigners exploded with joy at a hall in western Paris, waving French flags and singing the national anthem, 'La Marseillaise', when the first partial results were announced.

Reacting to the partial results, Mr Macron said: "This is a historic moment for France."

He added: "We are clearly turning a page in French political life. The French people have expressed their desire for renewal."

If Mr Macron goes on to win the May 7 run-off against Marine Le Pen of the Front National, as predicted by the polls, the fresh-faced 39-year-old political novice will be France's first president from outside an established party in nearly a century.

An independent centrist who formed his own movement only a year ago, Mr Macron's lightning ascent has belied doubts about his ability to win over "la France profonde", the French heartlands.

He casts himself as an outsider who will shake up France's bipartisan politics, but uphold democratic and civilised values against the "extremism" and "xenophobia" of Ms Le Pen.

In contrast to Ms Le Pen's anti-EU stance, Mr Macron defines himself as "progressive and pro-Europe".

A former Rothschild banker who has never before been elected or even stood for office, his opponents have questioned his ability to govern without the backing of an established party apparatus.

Married to his former drama teacher who is 24 years his senior, Mr Macron has been forced to deny rumours that he is gay.

In an election campaign that focused more on candidates' personalities than policies, his "neither left nor right" manifesto offered few bold initiatives.

He called for a loosening of regulations to make France more business-friendly, but stopped short of the Thatcherite reforms and drastic cuts proposed by the scandal-tainted centre-right candidate, Francois Fillon.

He has promised to invest 50bn in public services, reduce council tax and cut France's generous unemployment benefits.

Born in the red-brick industrial northern town of Amiens, in the Somme, Mr Macron is fond of describing himself as "a child of provincial France" but is often viewed as an elitist intellectual.

He is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, the most prestigious of France's "grandes ecoles", which has trained generations of politicians and senior civil servants.

Economically liberal and pro-business, he eschews the term "centrist". He argues that the traditional left-right political divide is obsolete.
Specifically. Somalis.



Today is the 1st day in the last 7 that I was not almost hit while driving by a Somalian. At first I thought that maybe the ninja outfit was limiting their peripheral vision as they were unsingnaled lane changes, but the last one was a male so there went that theory.



Maybe they all had a blinding fever from the measles.
Afghanistan's Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi (R) and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim attend a news conference after their resignation

Afghanistan's army chief and defence minister have resigned after a Taliban attack on a northern army base which left more than 100 military and other personnel dead, officials said.

The attack, the biggest by the Taliban on a military base in Afghanistan, involved multiple gunmen and suicide bombers in army uniforms who penetrated the compound of the 209th Corps of the Afghan National Army in northern Balkh province on Friday, killing and wounding scores.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which according to some estimates killed more than 130 people.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of the army chief of staff and the country's defence minister, according to a statement from the president's office.

It was not clear who would replace Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

The authorities have not released definitive numbers for the casualty tolls but Afzel Hadid, the head of the provincial council in Balkh, told The Associated Press that at least 130 people were killed and 80 were wounded.

Also on Monday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Kabul to assess what has become America's longest war, as the Trump administration weighs sending in more US troops to help the Afghans fight the insurgency.

Ghani on Saturday travelled to the base in Balkh from where he strongly condemned the attack, according to a tweet from the official Twitter account of the presidential palace.

Expand Close U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (3rd R) is greeted by U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major David Clark (L) and General Christopher Haas (2nd R) as he arrives at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul / Facebook

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Whatsapp U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (3rd R) is greeted by U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major David Clark (L) and General Christopher Haas (2nd R) as he arrives at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul

On Sunday, Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning, with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-mast on government buildings and offices across the country.

In the Taliban's detailed statement on the attack, posted on the militant group's website, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that four of the 10 attackers were disguised as soldiers.

The statement said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of the Taliban shadow governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund, and threatened more violence against the army and police, saying "this year's operations will be painful".

The attackers managed to pass through two checkpoints at the base, driving in two military vehicles.

When security guards stopped them at a third gate, the attackers opened fire and two suicide bombers blew themselves up.

The military's 209th corps is in the Dihdadi district of Balkh. It is one of seven corps of the country's Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for providing security for Afghanistan's northern and north-eastern provinces.

The attack in Balkh raises serious questions about the Afghan military's ability to stand on its own in the battle against the insurgency following the withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014.
Coffins containing the bodies of Afghan national Army (ANA) soldiers killed in April 21's attack on an army headquarters are lined up in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. Photo: REUTERS

Afghan families buried their dead and the country observed a national day of mourning yesterday following the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on a military base that prompted angry calls for ministers and army chiefs to resign.

Flags flew at half-mast throughout the country and prayers were said for the dead.

The exact toll from Friday's assault in the northern province of Balkh remained unclear, with some local officials putting the number of dead as high as 140.

Authorities on Saturday raised the casualty toll to 100 in the attack on a military compound by gunmen and suicide bombers wearing army uniforms.

General Mohammad Radmanish, deputy spokesman for the Defence Ministry, said the militants entered the base using two military vehicles and attacked army personnel inside the compound's mosque.

"Two suicide bombers detonated their vests full of explosive inside the mosque while everyone was busy with Friday prayers," he said.

General Daulat Waziri said there were 10 attackers, including the two who carried out the suicide attacks. Eight others were killed in a gun battle.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the assault.

One survivor, Afghan army soldier Mohammad Hussain, who was wounded and transported to a hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, said: "I don't 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."

The Taliban said the attack was retaliation for the killing of the Taliban governor of Kunduz province, Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund.
Trump with White House Senior Adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, left, in the Oval Office in Washington. Photo: AP

US President Donald Trump has told Democrats that Obamacare will "die sooner" without money the White House has offered in exchange for an agreement to fund a wall on the Mexico border.

The White House also accused Democrats of "holding national security hostage" by refusing to allow $1.5bn (1.37bn) funding for the wall.

It came as Republicans and Democrats had until midnight on Friday to agree a spending bill and avoid a shutdown of the government.

Mr Trump's White House has offered to include $7bn in Obamacare subsidies to help those on low incomes pay for health insurance if Democrats in return for the wall funding.

Mr Trump said on Twitter: "Obamacare is in serious trouble. The Democrats need big money to keep it going - otherwise it dies far sooner than anyone would have thought.

"The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS-13 gang members."

Expand Close US Vice President Mike Pence pats a red kangaroo on a visit to Taronga Park Zoo yesterday in Sydney, Australia. Mr Pence is visiting Australia on a three-day official tour during which he is holding talks with high officials on bilateral and international issues. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook

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Whatsapp US Vice President Mike Pence pats a red kangaroo on a visit to Taronga Park Zoo yesterday in Sydney, Australia. Mr Pence is visiting Australia on a three-day official tour during which he is holding talks with high officials on bilateral and international issues. Photo: REUTERS

He added: "Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying in some form, for the badly needed border wall."

During the election campaign, Mr Trump said that Mexico would pay for the building of the nearly 3,200km wall. There was uncertainty whether Mr Trump would sign a spending bill which did not include the funding for the wall.

Homeland Security secretary John Kelly told CNN: "He will do the right thing for sure but I suspect he will be insistent on the funding."

Democrats accused Mr Trump of making "poison pill" demands and said he should "back off".

Nancy Pelosi, Democrat leader in the House of Representatives, told NBC: "The wall is, in my view, immoral, expensive, unwise. Democrats do not support the wall. Republicans on the border states do not support the wall. The burden to keep it (the government) open is on the Republicans."

Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said: "To think he would consider shutting down the government over this outlandish proposal of a wall, that would be the height of irresponsibility."

But Reince Priebus, Mr Trump's chief of staff, said: "I'm pretty confident we're going to get something that's satisfactory to the president in regard to border security within the current negotiations.

"It'll be enough in the negotiation to move forward either with construction or the planning, to get going on the border wall and border security."

Meanwhile, vice president Mike Pence, his wife Karen, and their two adult daughters, Charlotte and Audrey, saw some of the sights of Sydney, investing time in soft diplomacy on the last leg of a 10-day Asia tour that has been rich with symbolism about shoring up US economic ties and security co-operation. Mr Pence is the first senior member of the Trump administration to travel to Australia. The visit took on new emphasis after an acrimonious phone call early in Trump's term with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull about refugees.
Kim Jong-un has ramped up tension with the US. Photo: Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following a signing ceremony with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin at the Treasury Department in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

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 US.

That is just one of the latest statements from North Koreas interior ministry as tensions continue to rise over its continued missile tests and nuclear weapons programme. while today the ruling Workers' Party newspaper said the country's forces were "combat-read to sink a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier with a single strike". The editorial further likened USS Carl Vinson to a "gross animal".

From sending new intercontinental ballistic missiles rolling through Pyongyang in a huge parade to threatening an annihilating strike on its American enemies, theres little sign of Kim Jong-uns government responding to international pressure.

Donald Trump has attempted to strike a tough tone, threatening to properly deal with North Korea if China is unable to rein in its ally and sending what he described as an armada of warships to the region.

His orders to destroy a cave system used by Isis militants in Afghanistan using the mother of all bombs  which had never before been deployed  and attack a government air base in Syria were seen as warning signals to Pyongyang.

But the attacks have raised questions over whether the President would be prepared to take the same step in North Korea and risk all-out nuclear war.

Expand Close Trump with White House Senior Adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, left, in the Oval Office in Washington. Photo: AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp Trump with White House Senior Adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, left, in the Oval Office in Washington. Photo: AP

David S Maxwell, a retired US army special forces colonel who served in Korea and Japan, said an even more powerful bomb known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (Mop) had been developed for American forces with North Koreas underground facilities in mind.

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There are many targets in the world buried deeply underground and the Mop was developed for that, he told The Independent. But I think you have to ask the question: Can a military action against North Korea not result in a catastrophic response by the North?

Expand Close President Donald Trump in the Oval Office ahead of his 100-day milestone (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp President Donald Trump in the Oval Office ahead of his 100-day milestone (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Mr Maxwell, who is now the associate director at the Centre for Security Studies at Georgetown University, warned that if Pyongyang felt the existence of its regime was threatened it could launch a nuclear attack.

They would not win a war with South Korea and the US, but they might believe thats their only option, he added.

Expand Close Kim Jong-un has ramped up tension with the US. Photo: Reuters / Facebook

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Even if its a pre-emptive strike to take out missile and nuclear capabilities, North Korea may feel it has to respond. This is the dilemma that strategists and policymakers face.

The decorated former Special Operations Command Korea policy director warned that even an isolated air strike could trigger a catastrophic response, necessitating the evacuation of large parts of South Korea and deployment of American forces in preparation of a ground war.

Dr John Nilsson-Wright, a senior research fellow in the Asia programme at Chatham House, believes the probability of military intervention by the US is very low.

The risk of provoking a conventional conflict or worse with huge casualties in South Korea militates against such a course of action, he told The Independent. Washington cannot risk alienating Seoul and Tokyo, and Trump himself appears more interested in using the bully pulpit of calculated ambiguity and rhetorical provocation than any serious commitment to full blown military action.

Mr Trump dialled down his rhetoric on Friday, calling China the economic lifeline to North Korea after discussing the issue with Xi Jinping. While nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will, the President added.

His tweet came after defence sources repeatedly briefed journalists that the US was not considering a military strike, with Mike Pence insisting a peaceful resolution was 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, the Vice President said on Saturday.

We are encouraged by the steps that China has taken so far.

Mr Pence insisted a strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson, which had been completing a training exercise with the Australian navy when Mr Trump made his announcement, would arrive in waters off the Korean peninsula within days.

Like the strikes in Syria and Afghanistan, the move could merely harden North Korean resolve to increase its military capabilities, Mr Maxwell warned.

He said the real wildcard was Kim himself, who has brutally purged challengers from his inner circle in his six years of power, adding: There is not an intelligence service in the world that can tell us what he will do.

South Korea is on heightened alert for potential new weapons tests as the 85th anniversary of the Korean Peoples Army approaches on Tuesday, with a large concentration of military hardware massed on both sides of the border.

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Joseph Yun, the US special representative for North Korea policy, will be in Tokyo on the day for meetings with Japanese and South Korean representatives.

North Korea has previously launched missiles or conducted nuclear experiments to mark key dates, while next week also coincides with the conclusion of its winter military drills and huge joint exercises conducted by the US and South Korea.

Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based monitoring group, found activity underway at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, but it was unclear whether the site was in a tactical pause before another test or was carrying out normal operations.

Dr Nilsson-Wright said that while there have been calls for the US to destroy North Koreas weapons of mass destruction, its stockpiles would be difficult to pinpoint and heavily reinforced, with sites dispersed across the secretive country.He argued that the only way the US can hope to solve the crisis is via coordinated pressure with allies  and a willingness to negotiate.

Possible measures could include economic sanctions from China, offering political concessions in exchange for a freeze on testing and peace talks involving regional actors.

Mr Maxwell agreed, saying that although Kims government had learned to get around international banking after previous crackdowns, financial action was still the most effective. He urged the US to mitigate uncertainty and lower tensions by refusing to rise to every missile test and every military movement with rhetoric.

Kim acts like a terrorist and one of the things terrorists want is notoriety, Mr Maxwell added.

The world should instead focus on North Koreas appalling human rights record, he said, which has largely fallen off the radar since a UN investigation revealed unspeakable atrocities in 2014. When we talk about human rights, it undermines the legitimacy of the regime, Mr Maxwell said. There is a moral and strategic value to informing the North Korean people that we know they are suffering.
U.S. citizens Otto Warmbier, left, and Kim Dong Chul are escorted by Military police in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea has detained U.S. citizen, Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name Kim Sang-duk. He is the third US citizen to be held by the regime since 2016. Photo: AP

A former Korean-American professor has been detained in North Korea, becoming the third US citizen to be held by the regime since 2016.

Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, in his late 50s, was reportedly prevented from leaving the country on Saturday when he tried to board a flight at Pyongyang International Airport.

His detention will further complicate relations between Washington and Pyongyang at a time of already heightened tension.

Yesterday, the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson began joint exercises with Japan, in another show of force against the North Korean regime, which may be on the brink of a sixth nuclear bomb test.

The NK News website reported that Mr Kim was on his way back to China where he worked as a professor at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanji, a city close to the North Korean border.

He had been teaching a class in International Finance and Management at Pyongyang's University of Science and Technology (PUST).

"Professor Kim Sang-duk was arrested on the way out of the country," Chan-mo Park, chancellor of PUST told NK News by email. "From what I heard, he is being investigated for the matters that are not tied to the PUST."

The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang confirmed that an American citizen had been detained but could not give further details. Sweden represents US interests in North Korea as Washington does not have direct diplomatic relations with the country.

"He was prevented from getting on the flight out of Pyongyang," Martina Aberg, deputy chief of mission told CNN. "We don't comment further than this."

Devastating

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported the man being held was a former professor of Yanbian University in China, and that he had been involved in aid and relief programmes in North Korea.

He is believed to have been there for about one month. Although little is known about his aid activities, the north of the country suffered devastating floods last September that killed hundreds of people and left an estimated 100,000 homeless.

At least two other Americans are currently being held by the North Korean regime. Last year, Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia student from suburban Cincinnati, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour after he confessed to trying to steal a propaganda banner.

A short time later, businessman Kim Dong Chul (62), who was born in South Korea but is also believed to have US citizenship, was arrested on charges of alleged espionage and sentenced to 10 years.

Since 2013, at least two other US citizens have been detained as they were about to fly out of the country. Merril Newman, a Korean war veteran, and Jeffrey Fowle, accused of leaving a bible at a club for foreign sailors, were allowed to leave after a few months.

Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary sentenced to 15 years hard labour, was freed in 2014 after the intervention of James Clapper, then director of national intelligence.

The US has previously accused Pyongyang of using its citizens as diplomatic pawns, a charge which the North Koreans deny.

However, North Korea has used the tactic of holding foreign nationals as a bargaining chip in the recent past.

In March, nine Malaysian diplomats and their families were allowed to return home from Pyongyang in exchange for the body of dictator Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam, who had been assassinated in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. ( Daily Telegraph London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Officials described the blast as an accident

At least one person has died and 11 were injured in a live grenade accident at a high school in the Russian republic of Dagestan.

The police said they detained a teenager who brought the grenade to school in the rural area in Russia's North Caucasus.

At least three teenagers are in intensive care.

Police in Dagestan called the blast an accident, but the circumstances are not immediately clear.

Following two separatist wars in neighbouring Chechnya, an Islamic insurgency spread to Dagestan where shoot-outs between the militants and police are almost routine occurrences and the illegal ownership of weapons is high.
FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA
The writer's ranch has been targeted before by arsonists

British High Commissioner Nic Hailey, left addresses the media, with Laikipia County commissioner Onesmus Musyoki, right, in Nanyuki, Kenya (AP)

Two suspects have been killed by Kenyan security officials after the shooting of Italian-born author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann, authorities said.

Kenya's internal security minister Joseph Nkaissery said a gun was recovered after Sunday's attack and is being examined to see if it was used to shoot Ms Gallmann in the stomach.

He added that other suspects are in custody after Ms Gallmann was attacked while patrolling her ranch. She is said to be in a stable condition following surgery.

Her property had rece ntly been targeted by arsonists amid tensions with herders seeking pasture as Kenya's drought worsens.

The local farmers' association said suspicion over the attack has fallen on herders who have invaded Ms Gallmann's ranch several times.

Mr Nkaissery blamed the shooting on "isolated banditry activity".

Kenya's drought affects roughly half the country and has been declared a national disaster.

More than 30 people have died in conflicts over grazing land as herders try to save their animals and livelihoods.

The US ambassador to Kenya, Robert F Godec, condemned the attack, saying that "violence is never the answer".

Both the herders and large-scale farmers in parts of Kenya's Rift Valley have been desperately waiting for seasonal rains which were due to start last month to ease the drought.

Kenya's military and police have been working to disarm and drive the hundreds of herders and their animals out of ranches they've invaded, but their actions appear to have escalated the violence.

When herders are driven from one ranch they move into another, the Laikipia Farmers' Association said.

The association has accused politicians campaigning for the August elections of inciting herders to invade the ranches, saying the owners' leases have come to an end and that herders can take over the land and distribute it among themselves.

Kenya's government has not responded to the accusation.

AP
The US has issued sanctions against 271 people linked to the Syrian agency responsible for producing non-conventional weapons as part of an ongoing crackdown on Syrian president Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons.

The sanctions target employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which the US says partly enables the use of chemical weapons.

The US has blamed Mr Assad for an attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 civilians in rebel-held northern Idlib.

"The United States is sending a strong message with this action: That we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by any actor," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House on Monday.

He said it was one of the largest such sanctions actions in US history.

President Donald Trump has called Mr Assad "evil" and said his use of chemical weapons "crossed a lot of lines".

Mr Assad has strongly denied he was behind the attack, in which sarin gas was allegedly used.

As a result of Monday's action, any property or interest in property of the individuals' sanctioned must be blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

As Mr Trump dined this month with Chinese president Xi Jinping during their highly anticipated summit at Trump's Florida resort, word emerged that he took action against Mr Assad by launching missiles against a Syrian airfield.

The retaliation was seen as somewhat unexpected for a president that vowed to stay out of lingering wars and conflicts overseas.

This month, Russia vetoed a Western-backed UN resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and demanded a speedy investigation into the attack.

China abstained for the first time, a move the White House billed a win for their efforts to isolate Russia.

"On Syria, the Council failed again this month to respond to Syria's use of chemical weapons," Mr Trump said at a White House meeting of UN ambassadors from countries on the Security Council on Monday.

"A great disappointment. I was very disappointed by that."

The US has gradually been expanding its sanctions programme against Syria since 2004, when it issued sanctions targeting Syria for a range of offences, including its support of terrorism, as well as its occupation of Lebanon, efforts to undermine stability in Iraq and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

More recently, sanctions were expanded in connection with its civil war, now in its sixth year, to target offences linked to the ongoing violence and human rights abuses.

The US has also issued sanctions against foreign individuals or companies that support Mr Assad's government.

A number of Iranian entities have been penalised for supporting the Syrian government or fighters working to undermine peace in Syria.

While Moscow and Washington are continuously at odds over Syria, the US has not imposed any Syria-related sanctions on Russia.

AP
TV footage showed a heavy police presence at the building at the height of the incident

An office building in Dallas has been declared safe after an incident in which a man shot his female supervisor dead before turning the gun on himself.

Assistant Police Chief Randy Blankenbaker said the names of those involved will not be released until relatives have been informed.

It is not known what kind of business operates in the office, which is in a multi-story building in the northern part of the city.

Mr Blankenbaker said the man was a current worker in the office, and there were witnesses to the shooting who were not injured.

At the height of the incident, television footage showed a heavy police response, including a Swat team, at the building.

A broken window could be seen on one of the upper floors of the mirrored tower.

Mr Blankenbaker said a police officer had to shoot a glass entry door to access the office where the shooting occurred, but no other shots were fired by police.

An officer suffered minor injuries from broken glass during the entry.

Witness Bailee Christian told KXAS-TV that she heard two gunshots - one while she was in the building and the other after her office had been evacuated.

She said: "It was very intense in the moment, very scary."

AP
CONCORD- Do you know what an E.D.I.T.H plan is? What is the difference between a Class A and Class C fire extinguisher? What items should go in your first aid kit? What should you do if a fire occurs in your hotel room and you cant get out?

Fourth and fifth grade students, from around the region, learn about fire and life safety throughout the school year and put their knowledge to the test at local Fire & Life Safety Bowls held in March 2017. The following teams will move onto the State competition on April 27th in Cabarrus County:

Cabarrus County:

1st Place- Bethel Elementary

2nd Place- Beverly Hills Elementary Team #1

3rd Place- Shady Brook Elementary School

Catawba County:

1st Place  Mountain View Elementary

2nd Place  Tri-City Christian School

3rd Place  Sherrills Ford Elementary

Forsyth County:

1st Place- Old Richmond Elementary School

2nd Place- Vienna Elementary School

Iredell County:

1st Place  American Renaissance School Team #1

2nd Place  Woodland Heights Elementary School Team #2

3rd Place  Central Elementary School Team #2

Mecklenburg County:

1st Place  Barringer Academic Center

2nd Place  Bain Elementary School

3rd Place  Community Charter School

The competitions are made possible because of donations from the NC Firemens Burn Childrens Fund, the Volunteer Firemens Insurance Services, NC Fire Marshals Association, and many other local contributors.
Neurologist joins

Corvallis Clinic

Andrew J. Rice recently joined The Corvallis Clinics Neurology Department.

Rice comes to the clinic from First Choice Physician Partners in Templeton, California, where he practiced from 2014 to last year. He also practiced at Beaver Medical Group in Highland, California, from 2013 to 2014; and at Carson Tahoe Physicians Clinic in Carson City, Nevada, in 2011 and 2012. In addition, he was an assistant professor of neurology at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California in 2012 and 2013.

He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Rice completed a residency in neurology at Loma Linda University Medical Center in 2011 and earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington in 2006. He also earned a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, in 2002.

He is accepting new patients by referral at 541-754-1274.

Bank announces

branch manager

Citizens Bank recently announced the appointment of Loren Roth as vice president and branch manager at its Albany West Branch.

Born and raised in Oregon, Roth grew up on a farm northeast of Albany. Early in his banking career, he graduated from Agricultural Lending School, sponsored by the Oregon and Washington Bankers Association. He worked for Citizens Bank for 21 years in a variety of capacities, including commercial lending and branch management, with an overall career in banking of 38 years.

Roth can be reached at the Albany West Branch of Citizens Bank, 2230 Pacific Blvd. SW, at 541-812-6178 or lrot@citizensebank.com.

Farm begins

selling eggs

More than a dozen Rhode Island Red hens can be found pecking away at the damp ground, searching for bugs and other nibbles from their coop at Red Hen Farm, a micro farm located just outside of the city limits of Brownsville at 35445 Highway 228.

Chickens are a new addition to the farm, which is owned by Bob Thibedeau. Thibedeau has lived in Brownsville for more than 25 years and for decades has operated a hay-baling business, working on his own land and the property of others throughout Linn, Benton and Lane counties.

But the addition of chickens was his wifes idea. Tammie Thibedeau looks after the flock of hens, feeding, tending to and daily collecting their eggs.

Buyers are encouraged to bring their own used egg cartons. Eggs also can be purchased in bulk. To inquire about the availability of eggs, buyers are encouraged to send an email to hello.redhenfarm@gmail.com.

More information can be found at http://helloredhenfarm.wixsite.com/redhenfarm or Facebook.
Russia is sending weapons to Taliban, top US general confirms

KABUL, Afghanistan - The general in charge of U.S. forces in Afghanistan appeared to confirm Monday that Russia is sending weapons to the Taliban, an intervention that will likely further complicate the 15-year-old war here and the Kremlin's relations with the United States.

When asked by reporters, Gen. John Nicholson did not refute claims that the Taliban are receiving weapons and other supplies from the Russians.

"We continue to get reports of this assistance," Nicholson said speaking to reporters alongside Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. "We support anyone who wants to help us advance the reconciliation process, but anyone who arms belligerents who perpetuate attacks like the one we saw two days ago in Mazar-e Sharif is not the best way forward to a peaceful reconciliation."

A senior U.S. military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence on the issue, said the Russians have increased their supply of equipment and small arms to the Taliban over the past 18 months. The official said that the Russians have been sending weapons, including medium and heavy machine guns, to the Taliban under the guise that the material would be used to fight the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan. Instead, the official said, the weapons were showing up in some of Afghanistan's southern provinces including Helmand and Kandahar - both areas with little Islamic State presence.

"Any weapons being funneled here from a foreign country would be a violation of international law unless they were coming to the government of Afghanistan," Mattis said, speaking during his first visit to Afghanistan as defense secretary. He added that it would have to be dealt with as such.

In the past, Nicholson has criticized Russia's contact with the Taliban, saying that it has given "legitimacy" to a group that has undermined the elected government in Kabul.

In the 1980s, Russia fought its own war in Afghanistan, losing thousands of troops to insurgents supplied with advanced U.S. weaponry, such as shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

In March, when the commander of U.S. forces in Europe, Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, told lawmakers that Russia was providing support to the Taliban, the Russian foreign ministry dismissed the allegations as "a lie" and said the charge was being promulgated to disguise Washington's own policy failures in Afghanistan.

Mattis and Nicholson's remarks come just days after the Taliban pulled off the single-most deadly attack against Afghan security forces since the beginning of the war.

On Friday, roughly a dozen militants infiltrated a sprawling Afghan base near the city of Mazar-e Sharif. Using suicide vests and small arms, the militants - disguised as Afghan soldiers - wreaked havoc at the installation and, according to some reports, killed at least 140 Afghans and wounded 60.

The six-hour assault began as Afghan soldiers were leaving their weekly prayers or ambling to the base's dining facility. The Taliban fighters were eventually killed by a response force led by Afghan commandos. Nicholson praised the elite but overworked unit's response for bringing the "atrocity to an end."

It is unclear what the attack will do to Afghan forces' recruitment efforts, already strained by high casualties and low retention rates among the ranks. The Taliban has pledged that the attack is just the beginning of its annual spring offensive. However, since U.S. combat troops mostly withdrew in 2014, the pace of Taliban attacks has remained consistent across the country year-round.

Currently, there are 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan split between performing two roles. One contingent helps advise the Afghan security forces while the other carries out unilateral and partnered counterterrorism operations against groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida. In addition to the U.S. troops, there are roughly 5,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan split between various areas of responsibility.

Nicholson and the chief of U.S. Central Command, Army, Gen. Joseph Votel, have both agreed that roughly 3,000 additional troops are needed to help prop up the Afghan security forces and break what top U.S. officials have called a "stalemate" in the country. At the height of the war there were more than 100,000 troops in the country.

Mattis said Monday that he is still deciding whether he'll ask President Trump to send more troops.

russia-taliban

Washington Post News Service (DC)

4/24/2017 12:11:44 PM Central Daylight Time
Trump says his base 'really wants' a border wall. Polls show most Americans don't.

With a looming budgetary tug-of-war -- White House officials demanding funding for a border wall on one side and Democrats flatly resisting it on the other -- President Donald Trump and his aides renewed calls for the need to fulfill his key campaign promise.

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Trump said: "People want the border. My base really wants the border. My base really wants it."

Yet polls have consistently shown that a majority of Americans, including those who live near the U.S.-Mexico border and the lawmakers who represent them, don't want it. Many also don't believe that building a wall would have a significant impact on illegal immigration.

Here are the numbers:

Washington Post-ABC News:

Sixty percent of adults oppose building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, while 37 percent support it. Of these respondents, 47 percent are strongly against it. It is worth noting that 76 percent of Trump voters support it, while 91 percent of Hillary Clinton voters don't. But what the January poll also found is that even among those who supported neither of the candidates, the consensus (69 percent vs. 27 percent) is against building the wall.

Pew Research Center:

The nonpartisan organization's findings from a survey in February had almost similar results: 62 percent oppose the wall, while 35 are in favor of it. The poll also found that only 29 percent believe the wall would lead to a "major reduction" in illegal immigration. An additional 25 percent believe it'll lead to a "minor reduction," while 43 percent don't think it'll have much impact. Another key finding: A huge majority of Americans, 70 percent, believe the United States would ultimately foot the bill, even though Trump had insisted that Mexico would pay "for the badly needed" wall "at a later date." In the survey, 16 percent believe Mexico will pay for the wall, although Mexico's president has said his country won't.

Gallup:

A January poll found that a majority of Americans would rather see other campaign promises fulfilled. Sixty-nine percent think Trump should renew the country's infrastructure. More than half want the president to reduce income taxes, establish tariffs on imports and deport illegal immigrants with criminal records. Forty-six percent want Obamacare repealed and replaced. Only 26 percent say building a wall should be a priority.

Quinnipiac University:

Five separate polls conducted over the past months show that an increasing number of voters oppose building the wall, and that support for it has been waning. In November, 55 percent were opposed, while 42 percent were in support. By March and April, 64 percent said they were opposed, while 33 percent said they were in favor. The shifting numbers were the results of surveys conducted on more than 1,000 registered voters nationwide.

Polls among those who live near the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as interviews with lawmakers who represent border states, have shown similar results.

Texas Lyceum:

An April survey by the nonprofit found that a majority of Texans, 61 percent, oppose Trump's wall proposal, while 35 percent support it. And while Texans believe that immigration is the main issue affecting the state, many of them, 62 percent, also say that immigration helps the country more than it hurts it. Also, 62 percent is the number of respondents who said they don't want Trump to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Furthermore, 58 percent said they disapprove of the way the president is handling immigration and border security. Sixty percent say they disapprove of the way congressional Republicans are handling the same issues.

Wall Street Journal:

A recent survey by the paper found that not one member of the House or the Senate -- Democrat or Republican -- has expressed support for Trump's funding request of $1.4 billion to starting building the wall. The Wall Street Journal spoke with nine House members and eight senators representing Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Most were opposed; others have unanswered questions. A few gave no clear indication of whether they support it.

Trump and his aides spent the past weekend pressuring congressional Republicans to win funding for the border wall. But Democrats have long rejected the idea and insisted that they won't vote for any spending bill that allots money for it. Meanwhile, Mick Mulvaney, Trump's budget director, had suggested that the president might not sign a spending bill that does not have what he wants.

That leaves GOP leaders, as The Washington Post's Amber Phillips wrote, in a no-win situation. Whether they yield to Trump's demands, a government shutdown could be unavoidable.

wall-polls

Washington Post News Service (DC)

4/24/2017 12:11:47 PM Central Daylight Time
RALEIGH  The Performance Learning Center will benefit from a SAVE grant.

The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), a national nonprofit committed to promoting anti-violence initiatives in schools, is receiving a $75,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation.

As part of the grant, 20 elementary, middle and high schools across the Carolinas will receive aid for their SAVE chapters to further its mission to encourage and empower students to keep their schools safe from bullying, crime, violence and reckless driving.

As part of the Allstate Foundation grant, which SAVE has been awarded every year since 2005, each of the 20 selected chapters from North and South Carolina will receive free affiliation and mini grant funds, educational materials, training for school and community activities, ongoing support and technical assistance for SAVEs youth safety efforts and opportunities to partner with local Allstate agents to further the cause. Through these efforts, thousands of students across the Carolinas will be educated and directly engaged in SAVE chapter activities.

The 20 Carolina chapters selected by SAVE and The Allstate Foundation include:

Chapel Hill High School (Chapel Hill)

Performance Learning Center (Concord)

Early College High School (Lumberton)

East Chapel Hill High School (Chapel Hill)

Fairmont High School (Fairmont)

Garner Magnet High School (Garner)

Highland School of Technology (Gastonia)

Hunters Creek Elementary School (Jacksonville)

Hunters Creek Middle School (Jacksonville)

Jack Britt High School (Fayetteville)

Laney High School (Wilmington)

Lumberton High School (Lumberton)

Optimism Preventative Services, Inc. (Georgetown)

Parkwood High School (Monroe)

Pinecrest High School (Southern Pines)

Swansboro High School (Swansboro)

Vernon Malone College and Career Academy (Raleigh)

West Clayton Elementary School (Clayton)

White Oak High School (Jacksonville)

We want to do what we can to make a positive impact on students and their environments at school, said Thomas Walters, Allstate agent with Walters Insurance Agency. By partnering with SAVE, we are able to support programs that not only educate students on ways to prevent violence, but encourage and empower them to share this information with their peers. Were proud to support a student-led organization that teaches them so many life skills.

The partnerships primary focus is youth empowerment. SAVE chapters at participating schools are led by students for students, which gives members the opportunity to lead the planning and execution of youth safety campaigns for their peers.

The students plan activities surrounding conflict management, bullying and violence prevention, diversity, teen safe driving, social media safety, peer mentoring to younger students and more. Chapter initiatives will also promote various national observances and events throughout the year, including Americas Safe Schools Week in October, the National SAVE Youth Summit in April, National Youth Violence Prevention Week in April and National Teen Safe Driving Month in May.

We are so thankful for the partnership with the Allstate Foundation that gives schools resources they need to spread such an important message and implement non-violence and safe driving programs for students, said Carleen Wray, executive director of SAVE. Our main goal is to make sure students feel safe every day at school. We cannot thank the Allstate Foundation enough for being a huge part of these efforts for years.

Since its inception in 1989, SAVE has grown from one school group to more than 2,100 chapters located in seven countries and 48 states. The organization mentors and provides resources, confidence and support to empower student leadership to help prevent school shootings, eliminate bullying and make their schools and communities safer for everyone.
Indian businesses now cleared for cross-border mergers

In a major push to attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI), the federal government has greenlit cross-border mergers in India if they are approved by the Reserve Bank of India. This means that Indian business entities can now negotiate mergers with foreign companies, after meeting select criteria. The policy shift opens up the merger and acquisitions (M&A) landscape in the country and incentivizes foreign companies to enter the Indian market more aggressively.

Such outbound mergers will, however, be subject to certain requirements. The most important among these is that the foreign company must be incorporated in a jurisdiction that is compliant with the standards as established by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)  the international body responsible for policing money laundering and funding of terrorism-related activities. Additionally, the M&A deal must be compliant with specified international statutory financial requirements.

Find Your Next M&A Opportunity Search now on

Aadhaar mandatory for expats staying beyond 182 days

From July 1, expatriates living and working in India for a period longer than six months will be mandatorily required to submit Aadhaar identification when filing their tax returns.

The income tax department has clarified that if an expatriate has stayed in India for at least 182 days in India a year before July 1, 2017, the individual will need to apply for Aadhaar if he/she is filing tax returns in India. Alternately, as a short-term measure, the person can file returns before June 30.

RELATED: India Regulatory Brief: Aadhaar Mandatory for Tax Returns, CBDT Waives Interest Liability in Retrospective Tax Disputes

Dormant companies in India to get dissolved

Around 250 million companies across India face closure for not commencing business operations within one year of their incorporation or not reporting any business activity in the immediate preceding two financial years. These entities have been notified by the Registrar of Companies (RoC) as they have not obtained dormant company status under the Companies Act, 2013.

The development comes after the corporate affairs ministry notified the Companies (Removal of Names of Companies from the Register of Companies) Rules, 2016 in December 2016, and issued the Amendment Rules 2017 and Forms STK-1 to STK-7.

Form STK-5 (Public Notice), in particular, enables the RoC to remove/strike off the companys name from its records unless adequate cause is shown within thirty days from the date of issuance. Over the past two weeks, regional offices of the RoC has issued such public notices, naming entities in Mumbai (71,000), Delhi (53,000), Hyderabad (40,000), and Bengaluru (22,000).

RELATED: Corporate Establishment Advisory

RBI to set up cyber-security unit for financial sector

Indias central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will soon be setting up a cyber-security unit. Named the Computer Emergency Response Team for the Financial Sector (CERT-Fin), the primary responsibility of the response unit is to ensure the countrys financial stability, in the backdrop of increasing global attacks on sovereign financial systems.

The RBI already has a specialized cell called C-SITE, which conducts a detailed IT examination of banks cyber-security preparedness, to identify security gaps and monitor the progress of remedial measures. As of 2016-17, more than 30 major banks are covered by this IT surveillance by the RBI, while all banks are set to be covered by 2017-18.

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.
New York, Apr 22(Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency is shipping tents, mosquito nets and other essential relief items to Angola, where some 9,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have fled this month alone.

Refugees reported fleeing attacks from militia groups, who are targeting police, military officials, and civilians who they believe are supporting or representing the Government, Babar Baloch, spokesperson at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters at the UN's Geneva Office.

The civilians arrive mainly in Dundo, the capital of Angola's north-eastern Luanda Norte Province.

UNHCR is sending an additional emergency team to the town tomorrow, to support relief efforts.

There are concerns that the situation will worsen as Angola's wet season peaks in April, further complicating living conditions and the health of refugees, particularly women, children, the elderly and the disabled.

The refugees are fleeing from the Kasai region, a formerly peaceful area that turned violent in mid-2016, after a traditional leader, Kamuina Nsapu, was killed in fighting with security forces. Since then, the fighting has displaced more than one million civilians.

The new arrivals are terrified and still fear for their lives and mentioned they do not have any immediate plans to return home, Baloch said. Some parents have reportedly sent their children across the border, worrying they would be forcibly recruited by the militias if they had stayed in the DRC.

Children being killed or injured

There is particular concern about the situation of children in Kasai. An estimated 2,000 children were being used by the militias in the affected region and were yet to return to their homes, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

These children were being killed or injured in the fighting, and were often arrested and imprisoned, UNICEF spokesperson Christophe Boulierac said in Geneva.

More than 4,000 children had been separated from their families and at least 300 seriously injured, according to the UN agency.

Those children should be safe in their homes, schools and playgrounds, not forced to fight on the battlefield or wounded or killed in the violence, Boulierac added.

The violence in the region had also had a devastating impact on education and health systems in the region. More than 350 schools had been destroyed in the provinces of Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental, and one out of three health centres no longer function.

The UN refugee agency echoed this concern, saying many of the children arriving in Angola are malnourished and sick suffering from diarrhoea, fever and malaria.

Photo: Joseph Mankamba/OCHA-DRC

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Apr 24(Just Earth News): A record number of people detained by Afghan police say that have been tortured or ill-treated in the past year, according to a new United Nations report, which notes however that the Afghan Government has committed to eliminating torture and ill-treatment in national detention facilities.

"The continuing torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees is a matter of serious concern, but we acknowledge the genuine commitment and the efforts of the Government to deal with this issue," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General Special Representative for Afghanistan.

The report, Treatment of Conflict-Related Detainees: Implementation of Afghanistan fs National Plan on the Elimination of Torture, is produced by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The findings are based on interviews with 469 conflict-related detainees conducted from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016 in 62 detention facilities administered by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghan National Police (ANP) and other Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) across the country.

Some 45 per cent of the people interviewed said that they were tortured or ill-treated, according to UNAMA and OHCHR.

The figure represents the highest level documented since UNAMA began its current monitoring programme in 2010, according to the UN political mission.

Among other findings, the UN reported that about 45 per cent of the child detainees  38 out of 85 children interviewed  gave credible accounts of being tortured or ill-treated.

The torture appears to be linked to forcing confessions, according to the report, and stopped once detainees signed a confession  even in cases when the interviewed detainees did not understand or could not read what was written in the confession.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Rafad Al Hussein, has spoken out against torture of detainees, saying that confessions produced in this matter are totally unreliable.

People will say anything to stop the pain, Zeid said.

He called for proper monitoring of detention facilities in Afghanistan and meaningful investigations to ensure that those accused of torture are brought to trial and held accountable.

Ensuring accountability for such acts sends a strong message and helps to prevent future violations, he added.

The report does commend the Government, however, for implementing its National Plan on the Elimination of Torture.

If the proposed legislative changes are adopted, Afghanistan would formally recognize the UN Committee against Torture to conduct in-country visits to detention centres and establish an independent monitoring body to visit the sites, according to the report.

Among other recommendations, the report urges Afghan authorities to provide access for victims of torture to effective legal remedy and reparation for harm suffered.

Photo: IRIN

Source: www.justearthnews.com
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From a Punjabi singing sensation to Bollywood's most loved and adored debutant, Diljit Dosanjh has surely come a long way. Diljit entered Bollywood with Udta Punjab and there has been no looking back since then. Diljit was last seen in Anushka Sharma's Phillauri and the audience could not help but fall in love with him.

Diljit was recently in the news when he posted about his latest possession-his private jet. His fans kept showering him with love and best wishes and why not? His hard work and journey deserve every bit of bragging.

I'll be there... A post shared by Diljit Dosanjh (@diljitdosanjh) on Apr 21, 2017 at 8:46pm PDT

And now Diljit is back to winning the internet. Diljit Dosanjh was honored by Canada's Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan on the sets of Rising Star, where he received the coin of honour.

It's such an Honor and am deeply humbled that Honorable Harjit Singh Sajjan ji defense minister of Canada presented me with his Personal Minister of National Defense Coin of Honor given for excellence, I will keep this with respect and pride and hope am able to live up to such Respect  Baut Kush Sikhan Nu Mileya Guru Maharaj Aap Hee Kirpa Karn Te Sidhe Rahe Paun @harjitsajjan His Journey is an Inspiration to our Youth. We Have So Much to Learn from him Anything can be Achieved with Dedication, Convection & Pure Intentions  SHUKAR SHUKAR  A post shared by Diljit Dosanjh (@diljitdosanjh) on Apr 22, 2017 at 8:41pm PDT

Diljit took to his social media accounts to share this great news.

In case you're wondering how Diljit would have felt after receiving the big honour, here are the pictures that he shared that shows his priceless emotions after receiving the honor. On the work front, Diljit will also fly to Canada for a concert, Dream Tour and just to give you a hint of his popularity, the tickets have already been sold out.

He took to Facebook to express his gratitude for such an honor.

FB/Diljit Dosanjh

FB/Diljit Dosanjh

FB/Diljit Dosanjh
TV actor Parth Samthaan's problems seem to be never-ending. The actor who was last seen as the lead actor in, Kaisi yeh Yaariyan was earlier accused by his producer Vikas Gupta for touching him inappropriately on December 7, 2013 and then a model filed a FIR against him for the same reason.

And now the actor is in legal trouble, yet again. Parth was been accused by a 20-year-old model of molestation at Bangur Nagar police station in Mumbai.

The TV actor was booked under Section 8 and 12 of POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act in the complaint which was filed on April 23.

"After returning from a party in an alcoholic state, Parth misbehaved with me. After which I stopped contact with him for some time and he really apologised and as we have been friends for years, I decided to forgive him for the behaviour but soon after that, I started getting insulting and shameful calls from boys who would want favours from me," she reportedly stated in the FIR.

The hearing is likely to be heard tomorrow. As of now, no official statement has come from Parth or his spokesperson but we hope problems for him solve soon.
A new food trend on Instagram is making the foodies around the world go crazy. Miami-based food stylist Adeline Waugh has inspired people to eat healthily and cheerfully. "My goal is to take healthy food and make it fun and exciting, brightening it up with a few (or many) pops of colour, Waugh told Vogue.

How is she doing it?

All she does is mixes cream cheese with spirulina powder for blue and chlorophyll drops and you get a good-looking breakfast! You can also make different coloured toast by using beet juice for pink, turmeric root for yellow and orange or freeze-dried blueberry powder for purple. For more ideas, you can go on her Instagram account. She also a had a very beautiful thought to share on Instagram which says I don't know about you, but with everything going on in the world today, sometimes I just want to look at some colourful food." Truth.
Very soon, the ISS wont be the only noteworthy home for space-faring humans. A Chinese space station will join the ranks in as little as five years.

Long March 7 Rocket - REUTERS

Thats right. On Thursday, China took the first big step towards realizing its goal of putting together the largest space station in Earths orbit by 2022.

China successfully launched its first unmanned cargo spacecraft on a mission to dock with the country's space station, boosting the ambitions of the Chinese space program.

Blasting off Chinas spiffy new rocket launch site, Wenchang, situated in the Hainan province, the cutting-edge Long March 7 rocket took Tianzhou 1 above the earths atmosphere, as reported by mission control and the projects administrators situated in a control room outside of Beijing.

REUTERS

In the course of the next two months, the Tianzhou 1 spacecraft will try to dock with Tiangong 2 space station, which is a smaller prototype of a larger station China plans to build in the next 10 years. Once thats done, Tianzhou-1 will separate from the Tiangong 2 station and perform numerous experiments before blowing up as it falls back into Earths atmosphere.

Chinas space ambition grows

Not just content with opening a large space station in Earths orbit, China also has plans to continue exploring the Moon with the help of a robotic spacecraft. To realise that dream, the country has already begun developing a heavy lift rocket that should enable human landings on moon by around 2030. The Long March-9, a super-heavy lift rocket in the class of the Apollo programs Saturn V rocket, remains about 15 years from its debut.

REUTERS

According to reports, the two-stage Long March 7 rocket is critical to China's space ambitions, and it also boasts of using a fuel combination that is safer and more environmentally friendly. On the back of Long March rockets, China has undertaken six crewed missions in the recent past and the rockets remain central to the countrys dream of assembling and expanding the Tiangong 2 space station.
Most coffee lovers hate to start their day without a perfectly brewed cup of hot coffee. As its aromatic smell gives the much-needed punch in the morning, it flawlessly calms all your qualms, even before you start your day.

Because when you fall in love with coffee, there is no turning back.

This deep concoction that was meant to heal your soul and wake up your tired mind has now found a place on Indian postcards.

Yes, at an event organised by the India Post, commerce and industry minister Nirmala Seetharaman and telecom minister Manoj Sinha released the coffee scented stamps at the General Post Office in Bengaluru on Sunday.

#CoffeeFlavouredStamp unveiled! People queue up to get this unique stamp, what are you waiting for? Buy it here https://t.co/v4v6nvvsEg pic.twitter.com/YQLVKD3mgw  Coffee Board (@CoffeeboardI) April 23, 2017

1.

The launch of Coffee Scented Stamp is going to be really very exciting #CoffeeFlavouredStamp@nsitharaman @CoffeeBoardI  Anushree (@AnushreeSays_) April 23, 2017

2.

Calling everyone coffee lovers Scented Stamp @CoffeeboardI #CoffeeFlavouredStamp @nsitharaman Is Going 2 Launch Today !  badmash ladki (@vandanathegreat) April 23, 2017

3.

4.

@CoffeeboardI @sickularhunter Yeah sure we will log in and get our #coffeeflavouredstamp ! Idea of coffee flavour stamp is brilliant !  Commendable ! Thank u  Queen Crab  (@98Kelkar) April 23, 2017

5.

Innovation begins at home.. An amazing idea of a #CoffeeFlavouredStamp is very exciting @CoffeeboardI @IndiaPostOffice Coffee Scented Stamp pic.twitter.com/yOo3AsxVCz  Achal Jain (@iamachaljain) April 23, 2017

6.

Wow..innovative idea..but it will b a stamp that will never b posted..only collected!#CoffeeFlavouredStamp  Rukmani Varma (@pointponder) April 23, 2017

These coffee flavoured stamps, which are being printed at the India Security Press, will be priced at Rs 100.

More than one lakh stamps have been printed for sale to collectors.

Coffee fanatics can buy them at the Philately Bureau, Bangalore General Post Office, and all other head post offices.

This is not the first in India, and certainly not the first in the world. Back in 2006, India introduced its first aromatic sandalwood-scented stamps priced at Rs. 15 and sold close to 30 lakh stamps.

my-philately.blogspot

Followed by its success, it then released rose-scented stamps, in four varieties of flower- Jawahar, Neelam, Delhi Princess and Bhim, in 2006.

However, Bhutan was the first country to release aromatic stamps, back in 1973. It was then followed by countries like New Zealand, Thailand and Switzerland.

*sniffs some coffee*
India Today

A 27-year-old scholar from Kashmir was forced to return to the valley after he reported receiving alleged threats by some unidentified persons, barely three weeks after joining the institute. Read more

Here is other top news of the day:

1) Kerala Minister MM Mani Under Fire For Calling IAS Officer 'Mad', Insulting Women Tea Plantation Workers

BCCL

Kerala power minister MM Mani is under fire for making derogatory remarks about activists of Pengal Otrumai (women tea plantation workers) in Munnar. The opposition is creating pressure on CM Pinarayi Vijayan to fire him. Read more





2) Woman Tortured And Forced To Have Sexual Relations With Her Father-In-Law, Finally Given Triple Talaq Over WhatsApp

Representational Image

Sumaina Sharfi received a message from her husband Owais Talib, Talaq Talaq Talaq on November 28 last year, signifying that her marriage to him is now over. This is just another case surfacing at the time of raging debate over Triple Talaq and the rights of Muslim women. Read more

3) Tigers Continue To Die In Madhya Pradesh, Three Deaths In 48 Hours Take Toll To 40 In 14 Months

BCCL/Representational Image

Two tiger cubs died in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district after being infected by the deadly parvovirus. Another three-year-old tiger was shot dead on Saturday, bringing the toll to three in the last 48 hours. Read more

4) Cheaper Tickets, LCD Screens, Bio-Toilets And Vending Machines On The Upcoming Utkrisht Double-Decker AC Yatri Trains

BCCL

The Indian Railways is gearing up to launch the Utkrisht Double-Decker AC Yatri (Uday) Express, a special class service for overnight journey that will ply on high-demand routes in July. Read more

5) If Centre Has Its Way, Cows May Soon Get Aadhaar-Like Unique Identification Numbers

BCCL/Representational Image

The central government has, amid debate over vigilantism, on Monday proposed to the Supreme court for providing aadhaar-like unique identification number to cows in India, ANI reported. Read more
There was a time when Nokia was the mobile phone king, and now its bringing back the model that made it all happen. The iconic Nokia 3310 is coming back on sale soon, in an all new avatar.

Nokia 3310 and Snake - REUTERS

A revamped version of the meme-worthy mobile phone will be available for pre-order later this month on April 28, according to listings leaked from Germany and Austria. However, rumours of a 3G version of the dumbphone have been dismissed as a hoax.

The Nokia 3310 (2017) will be reportedly available for EUR 56 (approximately Rs 3900) in at least those two countries, according to NokiaPowerUser, higher than the companys recommended EUR 49 (approximately Rs 3400).

REUTERS

"What makes these listings appear genuine is the fact that they have article numbers for Nokia 3310 models valid across other retailers," NPU states in its report. Retailers who have posted the pre-order listings include Comstern, Allstechnik, and E-Tec.

HMD Global, the company that owns the manufacturing right to Nokia devices, confirmed to NPU that pre-order listings for a 3G Nokia 3310 (2017) were fake, and the device will only support 2G connections, as previously indicated.

However, we can likely expect the device in India very soon, if the companys schedule is on track. All products will be available in Q2, 2017 in APAC, India, Middle East, Africa, and Europe, the company had stated at the Mobile World Congress launch event.

REUTERS

The revamped Nokia 3310 has 22 hours of continuous talk time, and 1 month standby battery time. The Nokia 3310s running on Nokias Series 30+ OS, sporting a 2.4-inch QVGA display and a 2MP camera, and a microSD slot. Not to mention it also comes preloaded with a new version of the classic Nokia game, Snake.

Whether or not the nostalgia factor is enough to entice users to pay close to Rs 4,000 for a dumb phone is something we wont know until sales begin, but we can likely count on at least moderate sales for the device. Even marketing it as your second / backup phone could net Nokia higher sales numbers than their previous smartphone endeavours.
Up to 16 bodies have been recovered off the eastern Aegean island of(Mytilene) on Monday morning, as authorities blamed the drowning deaths on the sinking of a smuggler's vessel ferrying irregular migrants from the opposite Turkish coast to the island
iPhones Are iSpies  Wikileaks Vault 7 Revelations Continue To Terrify





Most of us carry smartphones and watch web-enabled TVs without much thought. But the revelations found in Wikileaks Vault 7 release warn that we should consider the sinister capabilities that such devices could lend to those who might abuse them.



By Roqayah Chamseddine

April 23, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Mint Press " - Since launching in 2006, Wikileaks has reportedly released over 10 million documents, including controversial disclosures that have helped unravel war crimes , uncover corporate secrets and even brought to light explosive revelations stemming from Hillary Clintons most recent presidential run.

Despite facing widespread international denunciation, Wikileaks has remained faithful in blowing the whistle on information that would have remained hidden from the public. These secrets have helped to expose many layers of the global state security apparatus and aided in shaping the discourse surrounding government and corporate transparency.

On April 7, Wikileaks released 27 documents from the CIAs Grasshopper framework , a platform used by the agency to infect electronic devices such as phones, computers, and televisions for surveillance purposes. This information dump was part of a series known as Vault 7, which targets the agencys covert hacking program. This extraordinary collection, Wikileaks writes, which amounts to more than several hundred million lines of code, gives its possessor the entire hacking capacity of the CIA.

According to the documents provided by Wikileaks, knowledge of the CIAs invasive surveillance tools wasnt confined to the agency, or even the National Security Agency. In fact, the details of these exploits were bought and shared by Britains Government Communications Headquarters, as well as other intelligence agencies.

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So what tools does the CIA have in its surveillance arsenal? Over 8,000 documents found in the Vault 7 series reveal weaponized malware, trojans and viruses that could be used to spy on both domestic and foreign entities, impacting a variety of seemingly harmless household devices. Apple iPhones, Windows PCs and even Samsung TV sets can be used to conduct surveillance on anyone the CIA chooses to spy on. For example, one program named Weeping Angel details methods that can be used to hijack a Samsung F8000 TV in order to make it appear to be off when it is actually powered on.

The claim that your TV could be used to spy on you is no longer one of conspiracy. It is now our reality. By hiding these security flaws from manufacturers like Apple and Google, the CIA ensures that it can hack everyone, at the expense of leaving everyone hackable, WikiLeaks says. And these, by all accounts, are just the tip of the iceberg.

The Vault 7 series, which has been described as being the largest leak of its kind targeting the CIA, originated from an  isolated, high-security network within the CIAs Center for Cyber Intelligence . The documents it contains were revealed to Wikileaks by way of an undisclosed source, though theyve noted that their source could be a former U.S. government hacker or CIA contractor.

After the Vault 7 series was first published, Trump administration spokesman Sean Spicer revealed the White House was concerned , and that [a]nybody who leaks classified information will be held to the highest degree of law. Despite these threats, WikiLeaks continues to release classified documents, showing us at least some of the secrets behind the CIAs curtain.
Psychiatrists at Yale Just Warned There Is Something Seriously Wrong with Trump

By Anti-Media

April 23, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Ive worked with murderers and rapists. I can recognize 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.



Those words came from the mouth of James Gilligan, psychiatrist and professor at New York University. The man he is speaking of is the president of the United States.



Gilligans comments were one of many from a group of psychiatrists who gathered at Yales School of Medicine on Thursday. The message presented was that Donald Trump is mentally unfit to be in the White House.



Dr. John Gartner, practicing psychiatrist and founding member of Duty to Warn, a group of several dozen mental health professionals who feel its their obligation to inform the public about the presidents mental state, says the warning signs have been there from the beginning.



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, Dr. Gartner said.

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Earlier in the year, claiming Trump is psychologically incapable of competently discharging the duties of President, Dr. Gartner started a petition calling for Trump to be removed from office. So far, that petition has received nearly 43,000 signatures.



Dr. Bandy Lee, who chaired the conference and is an assistant clinical professor in Yales department of psychology, thinks Trumps mental state is an issue people are beginning to become concerned about:



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.

This article was first published by Anti-Media
Former Israeli Defense Minister Confirms Israeli Collaboration With ISIS In Syria

By Richard Silverstein

April 23, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - In the midst of complaining about the Islamist threat to Israel and the world, Bibi Netanyahu conveniently forgets that his own country enjoys a tacit alliance with ISIS in Syria. It is an alliance of convenience to be sure and one thats not boasted about by either party. But is not terribly different from one than Israel enjoys with its other Muslim allies like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States.

Bogie Yaalon served as defence minister in the current government till he had a falling out with Netanyahu. Now Yaalon plans to form his own party and run against his former boss. Unfortunately for him, hes not polling well and doesnt appear to be much of a political threat.

So Yaalon enjoys the position of having little to lose. He can speak more candidly than the average politician. In this context, he spoke at length on security matters at a public event in Afula. There is always much that I disagree with whenever I read Yaalons views. For example, while warning about the danger of favoring too heavily one side over the other, he essentially justifies Israels interventionist approach, which largely has favored Assads opponents. Nor do I like his choice of political alliesfrom Pam Geller to Meir Kahanes grandson .

But he did reveal how closely tied Israel is to ISIS in Syria. Ive documented, along with other journalists, Israeli collaboration with al-Nusra, an affiliate of al-Qaeda. But no Israeli till now has admitted it has forged an alliance with ISIS as well. Below Yaalon implicitly confirms this below:

Within Syria there are many factions: the regime, Iran, the Russians, and even al-Qaeda and ISIS. In such circumstances, one must develop a responsible, carefully-balanced policy by which you protect your own interests on the one hand, and on the other hand you dont intervene. Because if Israel does intervene on behalf of one side, it will serve the interests of the other; which is why weve established red lines. Anyone who violates our sovereignty will immediately feel the full weight of our power. On most occasions, firing comes from regions under the control of the regime. But once the firing came from ISIS positionsand it immediately apologized.

The attack he refers to was never reported in Israeli media. Either the information was placed under gag order or under military censorship. It was suppressed most certainly because both the firing by an Israeli Islamist ally on Israeli territory and ISIS apology would embarrass both Israel and the Islamists.

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Keep in mind, this is the same ISIS which beheaded a Jewish-American whod lived in Israel: Steven Sotloff. The same ISIS which raped Yazidi women and threw gay men off buildings. The same ISIS which has rampaged through the Middle East sowing havoc and rivers of blood wherever it goes. The same ISIS which Netanyahu routinely excoriates as being the root of all evil in the world.

Its common knowledge that Israeli foreign policy going back to the days of Ben Gurion has been exceedingly opportunistic and amoral. So I suppose one shouldnt be surprised at this new development. But still it does momentarily take ones breath away to contemplate just how sleazy Israels motives can be.

Tikun Olam (Hebrew:   tikkun olam, "repairing the world") is a Seattle-based political blog that regularly reports on Israeli security matters. The blog was created in 2003 by Richard Silverstein and covers the ArabIsraeli conflict. Silverstein describes it as a "liberal Jewish blog" that "focuses on exposing the excesses of the Israeli national security state".

This article was first published by Tikun Olam .

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

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The Voyage of the Good Ship Carl Vinson

By Ken Meyercord

What I believe to be the true significance of the mix-up over the wanderings of the USS Carl Vinson has been entirely missed, even by the alternative media. I think it provides an intriguing insight into the machinations of the nefarious, secretive  some say nonexistent  Deep State.

On April 8th Pacific Command announced that the Vinson (previously famous for being the carrier from which Osama bin Ladens body was unceremoniously dumped in the presence of only a few top officers) was headed for Korea, a show of resolve lauded by the ever trigger-happy corporate media. On April 12th, in an interview on Fox, President Trump confirmed an armada was headed for the war-zone (were still technically at war with North Korea), a claim repeated later that day by administration spokesman, Sean Spicer. Then, on April 17th it was revealed that the Good Ship Lollygag was actually meandering around the Indian Ocean on its way to maneuvers with the Australian navy.

Was the announcement of the Vinsons departure for Korea a ruse, meant to frighten the North Koreans and disrupt their military-hardware-boasting celebration of the 105th birthday of the states founder (on April 15th)? Was President Trump in on the joke, or did he really not know where one of the aircraft carrier battlegroups he commands was headed (only 3 of our 10 carriers were in theater at the time; seems like even he could keep track)?

If Trump didnt know what the Vinsons course was, it speaks volumes about who is actually in charge of our foreign policy. Who made the decision to send, or pretend to send, the Vinson to the Sea of Japan? This is no minor foreign policy decision as things go, considering the present chest-beating over North Korea. If Trump didnt make it, who did? The admiral in charge of the Pacific fleet? Possibly, but the militarys role is to execute policy, not make it, especially at that level. If not him, who  some unknown personages deep within the bowels of the National Security Council? Were even these powerful troglodytes taking orders from some more profound puppeteers?

Those who would attribute the confusion over the Vinson to a simple misunderstanding between two branches of our government argue that the President simply misspoke, as is his wont. Or that he and the Pacific Command were misunderstood in that they, like a cable repairman who promises to be at your house on Tuesday between 10 and 2 but doesnt specify what week, meant that the Vinson would someday be stationed off the coast of North Korea, which is true enough as the ship is now belatedly headed that way.

That the Vinsons deployment has just now been extended by a month suggests the decision to send it north was only made after its much ballyhooed appearance on the frontlines failed to materialize. When its absence became public knowledge, the South Koreans went apoplectic, as they saw it as a bluff the North Koreans called and won. They question whether our commitment to come to their defense in case of attack is also a bluff. In light of our allys nervous reaction, we had little choice but to have the Vinson make an appearance, no matter how tardy, off their shore.

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Questions about a Deep State raised by the soggy saga of the Vinson echo similar questions raised by another potentially revealing episode: the Stuxnet incident. This ingenious software implanted in Iranian nuclear controls caused hundreds of their centrifuges to explode. Who made the decision to carry out the sabotage, and who knew about it before Stuxnets malicious success was announced by the Iranians in 2010? Did Secretary of State Clinton know as she negotiated with the Iranians over their nuclear program, or was she oblivious as to why the Iranians were so hostile, they knowing but not yet revealing what she didnt know: that the US had committed an act of war against them?

Trumps ignorance concerning the whereabouts of the Vinson suggests even a President can be out of the loop when it comes to foreign policy (maybe Obamas memoir will shed some light on this; if so, his $65-million advance will be money well spent.) Even without postulating a Deep State, what responsible member of our national security apparatus would entrust our deepest secrets to a buffoon who is likely to post them in a tweet (@realDonaldTrump: Just told nuclear launch code. So obvious! Only four letters and rhymes with tire.).

Obviously, the evidence backing up my speculations is thin (thats what deep implies), but a world turned murky by mirrored machines belching smoke, curtains shut tight against the light, and suspicious shadows lurking in the dark legitimizes  in fact, demands  speculation, so long as we keep it wide-eyed, but not wild-eyed.

Ken Meyercord is a retiree living in the Washington, DC area, where he haunts think-tank events by asking impertinent questions of the pompous, the hypocritical, and the dishonest. He recently published his memoir of the Vietnam War years, Draft-Dodging Odyssey (under the penname Ken Kiask). He can be reached at: kiaskfm@verizon.net . Read other articles by Ken .

This article was first published by Dissident Voice
Five persons have been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for the abduction and murder of one Rosemary Jacob and two others.

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Donald Awunah,the offense was committed seven years ago but it took the police lots of investigation to get hold of the perpetrators of the offence on March 15, 2017.

The five suspected murderers are Friday Obonoh, Edidiong Boniface (aka Tunde); Anietie Donatus (akaTea Boy); Ubong Obonoh and Godwin Etim.

It was learnt that Obonoh was a former councillor in Oruk Anam Local Government Area and also a former personal assistant to the Peoples Democratic Party secretary, Mr. Ibanga Akpabio.

Awunah said the police received a report that one Rosemary Jacob was on 29 July, 2010 abducted alongside two other men on Abak Road, Uyo by a gang of seven men over an alleged failed land transaction.

He stated that the abducted persons were taken to a house within Ewet Housing Estate being the residence of Friday Obonoh, where they were tortured to death and their remains and vehicle disposed of.

Painstaking intelligence led investigation to the arrest of the mastermind and perpetrators of this heinous crime on the 15th day of March, 2017 and they have all confessed to the various roles they played in the commission of the dastardly crime.

The arrests illustrate that cases of this nature are not allowed to go cold in the Nigeria Police Force under the watch of the current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.

It is a strong message that no matter how long it takes, if you commit a crime, be assured that the long arms of the law will eventually catch up with you wherever you may be and whatever your status in life, he said.

Meanwhile, the family of the village head of Ikot Ese in Oruk Anam LGA has petitioned the CP over the whereabouts of their husband and father, Chief Aniekan Obonoh.

The 50-year-old-man is said to have been taken away by his nephew, one Friday Obonoh, a former councillor in Oruk Anam Local Government Area and one-time aide to the former PDP secretary in the state.

A daughter to the village head, Emem Obonoh, in a petition to the CP titled, Arrest of one Hon Friday Obonoh  An appeal to release my father, Chief Aniekan Obonoh, pleaded with the CP to ask Friday Obonoh, who we learnt is in your custody to release our husband, father, uncle, cousin and brother, Chief Aniekan Obonoh, aged 50 years.

The petition reads, Chief Aniekan Obonoh is Hon. Friday Obonohs uncle. He had a slight malaria attack sometimes in 2013 and we were happy when Friday Obonoh, his nephew, came to the village and offered to take him to the hospital for treatment.

One of the children wanted to follow him, but he, Friday, objected with the argument that he (our father) was in safe hands. But sir, since then till today, we have not heard anything about our husband and father.

Our mother (75 years) has been having sleepless nights resulting in several medical complications that have eaten deep into the familys lean finances. On many occasions, when we ask Hon. Friday Obonoh of the health condition and or whereabouts of our husband and father, he will always tell us that he is fine.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Federal government has announced that it will be renovating 22 Airports across the country, as the previous administration could not fix the airports, this present government intends to replicate the facelift currently ongoing at .the Lagos airport terminal in other airports across the country.

Following the completion of the repairs of the runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the ongoing facelift of the terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Government plans fresh remodelling of all airport terminals in the country.

It was learnt that after the completion of the Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu airport terminals facelift, the next in line would be the remodelling of terminals in all the 22 airports across the country.

Areas expected to be fixed are chillers, travellators and escalators, conveyor belts that are out of use, check-in counters and toilets, among others.

It was gathered that engineers had already been mobilised to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu to commence work on the terminal, while two terminals were being constructed at the Port Harcourt International Airport; one by the immediate past government and another one to cater to the needs of passengers presently being attended to under a tent.

The Federal Government, through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, recently commenced the refurbishment of the MMIA, Lagos after Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo visited the airport some weeks ago and complained about the state of its facilities.

In the 2017 appropriation bill, the Federal Government sets aside over N31bn for the construction and repair of federal airports across the nation.

The Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said there would be total remodelling of all the airports.

She explained, The last regime started construction of new terminals in most airports and work is ongoing on most of them, so that aspect of remodelling is going on. In Enugu, Port Harcourt and Jos airports, the remodelling is ongoing and new terminals being built through private partnership are coming up.

We intend to take it up from there. In Lagos, for instance, the construction of a new terminal is ongoing and remodelling is also ongoing at the old terminal, which is the same thing that will happen in the other airports.

The former Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, had invested massively in the remodelling of airport terminals across the country before she left office.

However, her successor, Mr. Osita Chidoka, in 2014, stopped the remodelling projects, saying that the resources of the ministry should be channelled towards boosting safety and security of airports rather than remodelling them.

Globally, airport renewal, remodelling, facelift and growth are a continuous exercise as demand increases. It is a welcome development and one will only hope that short, medium and long-term development plans are well articulated and measured periodically in the national development plan for implementation by subsequent governments, the President, Aviation Roundtable, Mr. Gbenga Olowo, said.

He said such facelift must be done without hardship to airport users, while passenger processing should remain seamless.

Ordinarily, some of our terminal buildings should be shut down for complete overhaul; but in the absence of near alternatives during such periods, it becomes necessary to do the facelift while the facilities are in use, with minimal discomfort to users, Olowo added.

Aviation safety consultant and the Chief Executive Officer, Centurium Aviation Security, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (retd.), however, stated that a fresh remodelling project was not necessary as it would disrupt the proposed concession of some airports to private investors.

He said the government should rather invest more funds in securing the airports.

Ojikutu stated, The government should not use public money for any terminal building, especially when they are talking of concession; they should concentrate on safety and security infrastructure for all our airports, which are currently lacking.

They know how much they spent on the Instrument Landing System at the Kaduna airport recently. Most of our airports do not have perimeter fence and those that have, dont have security fence; the ones with perimeter fence should be enhanced with security fence.

According to him, there are a lot of things to do with money at the airports rather than giving the terminals a facelift.

Everywhere I know, terminals are given out to the private sector because they are mere shopping malls; they are not different from Shoprite. Terminal buildings are not in any annexes of the International Civil Aviation Organisation; they only talk about runway, navigational aids and safety, among other issues; from annex one to 19, there is nothing like air conditioner, conveyor belt and that is why we want the government to release these things to individuals and face where they have signed documents with international organisations, Ojikutu said.

He advised the government to focus on providing good runways, taxiways, the ILS, radar and meteorological infrastructure, and not terminal buildings.

They can replicate what they have done in Abuja and Lagos in other airports across the country but through concession, which is what happens everywhere else in the world, he added.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed the N100m claims filed by the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Obanikoro, his wives, Fati and Moroophat, and his sons, Gbolahon and Babajide, had sued the anti-graft agency for what they termed an unlawful invasion of their houses and seizure of some of their properties.

They had, through their lawyer, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), urged the court to declare as null and void the items seized from their houses on June 14, 2016 by the EFCC.

They also prayed the court to award N100m damages against the EFCC in their favour for the violation of their rights to privacy.

But in a ruling on Monday , Justice Abdulaziz Anka struck out Obanikoros suit for being incompetent.

The judge upheld the preliminary objection by the EFCC lawyer, E.E. Iheanacho, who contended that since the main claim of the applicants was founded on tort, their principal reliefs are not maintainable under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.

The judge noted that the applicants houses were searched by the EFCC based on search warrants secured by the anti-graft agency from the Lagos State Magistrates Court.

Justice Anka said he could not declare the recovered items as null and void, so as not to foreclose the possibility of the EFCC tendering them as exhibits in imminent criminal case against the Obanikoros.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Parents who gave birth to quintuplets at the National Hospital Abuja have been offered jobs by the Civil Service, this was disclosed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita , she also promised to give a house to the couple.

Oyo-Ita made the promise while visiting the children on Saturday in Abuja.

She said that the house will be given under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Scheme.

She also promised Mr Imudia Uduehi, father of the quintuplets who is a graduate from the University of Ilorin, Kwara state a job with the Federal Civil Service.

Uduehi, at the moment is unemployed.

She described the children as great blessings given to the couple by God on a platter of gold. She said the job offer to Uduehi would enable him cater for the children.

I am very happy for you and I am standing here this afternoon representing the entire civil service of Nigeria. Today is a day of joy for all of us.

Indeed you are a couple that has been so blessed by God. You have been married for just two years and God has blessed you with five children at once.

I want to tell you that the Federal Integrated Staff Housing programme will be made available to you, we will give you a house that can accommodate you, your husband and your five children.

Oyo-Ita also presented cash gifts and diapers to them, thanking the doctors for their efforts in ensuring the babies and mother are alive.

She applauded the medical team for taking care of the mother through the period of pregnancy and delivery.

Mrs Oluwakemi Uduehi, mother of the children who spoke on behalf of her family thanked the Head Of Service for her kind gesture.

She is a staff of the National Population Commission.

Dr Bunmi Ladipo who delivered the babies said they were delivered through caesarean section and there was no complication.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called on government to spend money on generating employment to increase peoples purchasing power for the country to come out of the recession.

The ICAN President, Mr. Titus Alao Soetan, made this known in an interview with The Guardian in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, during his three-day official visit to the state.

Soetan, who said he was in Akwa Ibom to see how ICAN members are faring and how they can contribute their quota towards the development of the state where they are working either in the private sector or civil service, said that getting out of recession is a process where all hands must be on deck.

He, however, warned that if more money is injected into the system without blocking leakages, governments efforts would be futile. He said, among others: I believed a journey took us into this recession. It was a process and a process will take us out. The government has started; it is not a matter for the government to say during recession, we are not going to spend money. Government should spend money on generating employment that will improve peoples purchasing power, which will bring us out of recession.

But all hands must be on deck because if we have more money than we had and leakages are still there, we are not going anywhere. Government must check leakages and be bold. There should be provision of infrastructure. Our electricity, we are not there at all, and epileptic power supply in this country had impeded the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Government is on the right track and we only need to support them.

The fight against corruption is a big one fight and all of us have roles to play. At the family level, what are the values we teach and preach to our children? When we talk about corruption, those involved in corrupt practices belong to families. I believed right values and good morals should be taught in churches, schools and homes which will go a long way in helping to fight corruption.

Government should be focused. There should not be distraction because if you set a goal, definitely some people will criticise it no matter whatever. Government should be focused in doing things that are in the interest of the public and at the end of the day, people who criticise you will praise you when they see the results, he added.

Source: Guardian
Two suspected armed thugs have been arrested by the Nigerian Army and men from the Department of State Service (DSS), some arms, ammunition and other items in Anambra.

According to the Deputy Director Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Col. Sagir Musa,who made the disclosure in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Onitsha.

Following intelligence report, Operatives of the DSS, Anambra Command and a patrol team from 302 General Support Regiment Onitsha, successfully carried out a Cordon and Search Operation on three identified locations.

The locations are in Amansi  Umuru, Orukabia and Graceland Housing Estate, Nteje general area, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra.

The operation was conducted in the early hours of Sunday April 23, 2017 at about 06:00 a.m.

In the three areas that were searched, specifically, in building number 8, Chukwunonso Ndulue Street in Graceland Housing Estate, Nsugbe near Onitsha, two suspects were arrested, he said.

Musa said items such as seven pump action guns, 44 Cartridges, one hunter knife and two cutlasses were recovered from the suspects.

According to him, the three mentioned communities have been engaged in hostile land and chieftaincy dispute which led to the gruesome murder of three civilians allegedly by suspected thugs.

Musa explained that the areas had been under security surveillance for sometime now and that was the basis for the Cordon and Search operation in the localities.

He said the suspects and exhibits would be handed over to the police for further investigation.

The deputy director urged members of the public, especially in the affected communities, to continue to give useful information and report any suspicious movement of person or object to security agencies.

Source: ( NAN)
The Nigeria Army in Abuja have been accused of assaulting the residents of Sauka , Airport road, Abuja for resisting the demolition of their houses on Friday.

A resident, George Paul, alleged that the soldiers, who were attached to the Department of Development Control, were at the community to carry out an illegal demolition of residential houses.

He added that the residents on learning that the officials and soldiers were in the village to pull down structures, mobilised and blocked the streets to prevent them from carrying out the exercise.

According to him, in the course of the stand-off, a number of residents were assaulted including a housewife, Mrs. Ruth Zakaria, who sustained injuries.

Paul stressed that the officials were on illegal duty, noting that the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Muhammad Bello, had earlier directed that only houses built outside the perimeter fence and structures close to the road should be demolished.

He said, The soldiers and the FCDA officials came to carry out illegal demolitions; they were selecting houses they planned to demolish.

The initial arrangement was that they would demolish houses built outside the perimeter fence, that was what the FCT minister directed when he visited the area last Wednesday with the ministers of transport and aviation.

But the FCDA officials and the soldiers later went into the village and demolished about 18 houses, including churches. So, we said enough is enough and we stood up to them and prevented them from further pulling down houses.

The soldiers fired some gunshots into the air and they beat up a Gbagi woman with wood. They injured her and we demanded that they should take her to the hospital, but the matter was later resolved.

Ruth explained that she was attacked by the soldier for leading the women to resist the demolition of their houses.

She alleged that a soldier knocked her down with a used tyre and hit her on the hand with a plank, adding that the operative also attacked her husband.

We saw the officials entering the village with a caterpillar and so we mobilised our men and blocked the road. I was holding leaves and saying this demolition must stop. One soldier then hit me with a tyre and I fell; he also hit me with a plank and I was injured in the hand. He also hit my husband in the leg and his back, the housewife narrated.

Asked if the assault was reported to the police, the mother of three said it was not reported, adding that the issue was later resolved.

Her husband, Diouf, described the demolition as illegal, noting that the residents were not pre-informed about the exercise by the Federal Capital Development Authority.

He said, They (FCDA officials) were supposed to notify us before carrying out the demolition, but there was no marking on the houses, no notification letter ; we just saw them with a caterpillar last Friday and we resisted the attempt to pull down our houses.

The officials claimed that the demolition directive came from the minister, but we didnt believe it because some police officers came from the Commissioner of Police over the issue and they asked the FCT officials why they did not inform the police about the demolition exercise, but they could not answer.

Diouf added, It was like a war; They beat our women and injured about four of them. My wifes injuries was serious, she was admitted to a hospital.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper
The disagreement between the Joint Admission Examination Board, JAMB, and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has continued as the University union has called for the scrap of UTME examination and the performance of Ishaq Oloyede, a professor, as Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Deji Omole, the University of Ibadan Chapter chairman of ASUU argued that JAMB has outlived its usefulness.

JAMB has outlived its usefulness, it is time that we scrapped it, the professor said. The body is a problem to the Nigerian educational sector and also a problem to the university system

Mr. Omole then attacked Mr. Oloyede on the non-conduct of the mock examination initially scheduled to be held before this years UTME examination.

Basically, it is wrong for a man who says he has high integrity to collect money from people to hold mock examination but not hold it, he said. Will he return the money, he wont and that is how he has been enriching himself so far.

The university don then argued that the new policy by JAMB for candidates on selection of higher institutions was improper.

No student can really say the process he will go through next session for admission. The JAMB Registrar has found a way to introduce a process that enables you to pick one public university only so that he can enrich the private universities.

If he did not have the opportunity of attending public schools would he have been educated. He came from a humble background, his actions are only done to embezzle money, he is corrupt and is showing it here.

Mr. Omole restated his stance that the JAMB Registrar should resign or be sacked, but said his call was not personally against Mr. Oloyede, but the institution he heads.

Why will one individual be the one to dictate tune of our education, he argued. The universities should be allowed to conduct their own examination and determine who to admit, the Post UTME should be reintroduced.

JAMB had earlier provided reasons for its actions including the decision to allow candidates choose only one public university unlike in the past when there was a second choice of public universities.

According to the spokesperson of the agency, Fabian Benjamin, if candidates select a public university as their degree awarding choice, they are allowed to select a private university as a second choice.

Mr. Benjamin said the restrictions do not involve polytechnics or colleges of education.

He said JAMB discovered it was of no use choosing a public university as a second choice.

The spokesperson also indicated that candidates who paid the N700 for the cancelled mock examination will have their money refunded, although the agency, on its website, appears to be making plans to conduct the mock examination.

In its reaction to the stance of ASUU, a group, the Joint Action Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, accused the lecturers of benefitting from the decayed educational system.

The group accused ASUU of working against the reforms of both JAMB and the Minister of Education, Adamu.

The group said, We further pass a vote of confidence on the leadership of Professor Oloyede whilst calling on stakeholders to support and embrace ICT as the strategic tool to deal with corruption in the educational sector.

We also warn ASUU to stay within its area of remit and not frustrate Nigerian youths. ASUU should rather be apologizing for its various acts that have crippled the Nigerian educational sector. We urge Nigerians to resist and reject the attempt by ASUU to extend its war against the educational sector.
One of the worlds foremost philanthropists, Mr. Bill Gates, accompanied by his wife, Melinda, as head of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has lent his voice to the need for youth empowerment across Europe.

They were invited to headline an event in Paris organised by one of Frances largest social development NGOs  Printemps Solidaire. Earlier, the NGO brought more than 500,000 youths to the Champs Elysees, to celebrate the power of youths in making social issues a priority for their respective governments.

As a young film maker and girl education advocate, Zuriel Oduwole was invited to share her experiences as a youth working on projects and initiatives typically considered for adults, as head of her DUSUSU Foundation.

Also speaking was Ndaba Mandela  the grandson of the South African icon, Nelson Mandela  who talked as head of the Africa Rising Foundation, about the importance of not just creating a good legacy, but a great legacy  having come from one himself as a Mandela.

Mrs. Gates commended Zuriel for finding her passion and working to make a difference in the lives of girls across the globe.

Zuriel shared her idea of building an e-school platform for rural girls in West Africa, a similar platform on which she has successfully used e-learning for her full time home school, since she was just four years old.

In her speech to the audience, Zuriel encouraged the youths to follow their passions strongly, explaining her experience of balancing being a youth, with her interests such as in girl education advocacy and film making.

In January 2017, she was honoured by the then US Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry, for her work in teaching unemployed youths across several African countries and film making skills as part of her foundations skills transfer project.

Source: Thisday
The Delta States Executive Secretary, Micro Small Scale and Medium Enterprises Development, Mrs. Shimite Bello, has condemned the delay in implementing the homegrown school-feeding programme in the state.

She told journalists in Asaba that the Federal Government programme that was earlier scheduled to start in February had again been shifted.Bello explained that the state was committed to the programme and had sensitised all the relevant ministries, adding that 1754 caterers out of 1,800 had so far been cleared for the takeoff.

The secretary stressed that the delay in the programmes commencement was also partly attributed to the challenges faced by the selected caterers in the harmonisation of their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).

Meanwhile, oil communities in the Niger Delta have faulted the alleged planned payment of 13 per cent derivation to the governors in the Niger Delta region. A Niger Delta activist, Elvis Mulade, made the condemnation when he spoke with journalists in Asaba on behalf of the host communities flow stations/wells.

Lamenting the inadequate presence of federal and state governments projects in the oil and gas-producing areas, he said the proposed derivation funds might be another conduit pipe to short-change the communities.

Mulade urged the Federal Government to rather channel the resources to the building of the planned modular refineries to end the illegal bunkering and protect the environment.

Also, the state Civil Service Commission has raised the alarm about the encroachment of unidentified persons on its land.The Chairman of the commission, Nkem Okwuofu, said the occupant had erected a residential building on the land without the permission of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Lands and Surveys, Chika Ossai said on Friday that past efforts to stop the illegal occupation were unsuccessful. Okwuofu urged the lands and surveys ministry to intervene to stop further work on the land.

In addition, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has promised to begin town hall meetings across the 25 local council areas next month.He disclosed this at the weekend in Warri while addressing stakeholders meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the south senatorial district in the state.

Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan hosted the meeting, which was attended by party leaders and top government functionaries.In Ovwian-Aladja, the hope of the resuscitation of the Delta Steel Company has been brightened by the restoration of electricity supply to the company.

The General Manager of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, German Victor revealed this yesterday. He urged the community to support them to enable production to begin in the company.

In another development, residents of Asaba have urged the state government to address the dumping of refuge along the roads and streets.Some residents who spoke with The Guardian said the habit was causing flooding and creating poor environmental sanitation in the state

Source: Guardian
The Edo State Government has announced a donation of N1m to the Uduehi family, who recently gave birth to quintuplets.

It also promised to provide financial support to cover the medical bills and care for the babies.

The state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, disclosed this when he paid a surprise visit to the family, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, John Mayaki, on Sunday.

The quintuplets mother, Oluwakemi Fumilayo, who is an employee of the National Population Commission, Abuja, was delivered of the babies at the National Hospital on April 12, 2017.

The birth of the children was said to have occurred less than a year after the couple got married.

Her husband, Imudia, who hails from Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area of the state, had expressed joy over the blessing.

He had, however, called on well-meaning Nigerians to provide financial aids to assist him with the huge responsibility of taking care of the children.

I am delighted and I thank God to have blessed us with these healthy children. I know it is a huge responsibility because it is not easy to raise even one child, Uduehi was quoted to have said.

The governor, who was represented by an official of the Edo State Liaison Office in Abuja, Mr. Festus Osaigbovo, said, When he (governor) heard of the quintuplets delivered at the Abuja Hospital, he immediately put together this team from the liaison office to bring warm greetings to you (the family) and this hospital.

He (Obaseki) has assured that he will settle all the bills that may arise from the care of these children. The governor will personally visit the family and the quintuplets, he added.

While appreciating the governor, the family said the children had been named Ainose, Esose, Osejade, Obehi and Omose.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Nigerian music producer, Samklef joined numerous Nigerians in suggesting a lasting solution to the crisis battling the economy of the country.

Samklef in his tweet suggests federal government should legalize medicinal weed as it will grow the economy very well.

See the tweet below:

What do you think guys?
The Peace Hunters Association of Kaduna State has said it could end the killings in Southern Kaduna if given adequate recognition by the state government, warning that the attacks on innocent lives by suspected terrorists in the area need to be checked.

The association made this known during a press briefing at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Council in Kaduna. It said the objective of the organisation is to restore peace in Southern Kaduna, Birnin Gwari and other other crises-ridden areas.

The treasurer of the association, Mr. Usman Muhammad, maintained that the state government should borrow a leaf from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Maiduguri, which has achieved success in combating insurgency in Borno State.

He said hunters in Kaduna were ready to play their role in the security of lives and property, citing the recent establishment of vigilance groups by the residents of Kaduna North, Igabi and Kaduna South, as an example of such development.

Some communities engage the services of Katu-Dagora, a vigilance group established to secure lives and property. We want all other societies in Kaduna to borrow such a laudable idea.

Chairman of NUJ in the state, Adamu Yusuf, lauded the efforts of the hunters at maintaining peaceful coexistence and securing lives and property of Kaduna residents. He assured that NUJ was ready to partner with any organisation that could bring lasting peace to the state.

Source: Guardian
Katanu Kay is the 19-year old Kenyan artist who flooded social media with her paintings a month ago and everyone who saw them rightfully praised her unique style that incorporated the African cotton fabric, Kitenge, into her art.

On Her Driving Force

I often do portraits of people of colour because its something I dont see around often. My use of kitenge fabrics in my work first started when I was doing an art assignment for my class work.

We were given the scenario: A lodge in masaai mara would like you, the artist, to design wall hangings for the lobby. So, I thought to myself, lions are animals often associated with african culture and so are kitenge fabrics.

I then merged the two and saw that it was amazing  and everyone seemed to like the idea. Afterwards I moved on to mixing kitenge with other paintings.
The Lagos State Government said it has sacked 42 health workers since Governor Akinwunmi Ambode resumption in office for various offenses relating to medical negligence. Dr Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, said this at the 2017 ministerial pressbriefing of the Ministry of Health to commemorate Ambodes two years in office at Alausa, Lagos.

Idris said that the issue of negligence by health workers was being taken seriously by the ministry to protect lives of citizens in the state.He said: We have established standards to address the issue of negligence, we have also employed civil society organisations who have been going round our health facilities to monitor and detect any form of negligence by our staff. In the last one year, the Health Service Commission has sanctioned and sacked about 42 health workers for various offences relating to negligence. We welcome criticisms and we will continue to do our best to protect, promote and restore the health of residents as well as ensure unfettered access to quality healthcare,  he said.

Idris lamented the over congestion of health facilities inspite of governments efforts to cater for the health needs of residents.We plead with our people to understand our constraints. The reality of our health facilities is that they are over stretched with many people from other states coming to use our facilities, especially when there are outbreaks of diseases in other states.

This is why we are usually at risks inspite of governments huge investments on health in the state. We have become a victim of our success.We will not relent in our efforts which is why we have started the renovation of our general hospitals and Primary health centres to meet the health need of the people, he said.

Idris said that in the last one year, the Ministry recorded a lot of achievements as additional 117 Tuberculosis Treatment Centres were established to bring the total DOT centres in the state to 578 centres.

He also stated that Ambode procured 10 new Mobile Intensive Care Ambulances to expand the state s ambulance fleet from 23 to 33.In the last one year, 126 illegal pharmaceutical outlets were sealed out of the 268 inspected and raided. We also registered a total number of 325 traditional birth attendant practitioners in the state, he said.

Source: Guardian
Bombings might begin again anytime soon in the Niger Delta, as the militant groups have threatened to resume attacks on oil installations in the region over alleged unfulfilled promises by the Federal Govern

ment to the people of the oil rich region.

The militant groups, under the aegis of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, said in a statement sent via email to our correspondent on Sunday that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, was not sincere in resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta.

The statement was signed by the leader of Niger Delta Watchdog, General John Duku; General Ekpo Ekpo of the Niger Delta Volunteers, Commander Henry Etete of the Niger Delta Peoples Fighters and Commander Asuquo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters.

Duku, who also signed as the leader of the coalition, recalled in the statement that nothing had happened since the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum met with the President in November 2016.

He added that PANDEF persuaded them (militants) to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue.

The statement said, There is no more time; the Federal Government must act now and show seriousness and commitment to the plight of Niger Delta or we will be forced to resume attacks.

We must make sure we liberate our people from the slavery of the Nigerian state. We believe that the Federal Government will not be surprised to see another crisis in the Niger Delta and they should not blame anyone if such happens.

The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is not sincere in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.

They described the visit to the Niger Delta region of the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was the acting President then, as a camouflage and tactics of the Federal Government to achieve its normal crude oil production in the area.

The statement added, We know very well that the visit of the Vice-President (then Acting President) to oil producing states was a big scam, camouflage, deceit and delay tactics by the Federal Government to achieve its normal daily crude oil production.

We want to state here clearly that we are tired of all unfulfilled promises; we are tired of developing Niger Delta in the media, we are tired of the Vice-Presidents unending meetings without follow-up actions.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Nigerian government on Monday said the number of days required for registration of new businesses in Nigeria has been reduced from 10 to 2, courtesy of a reform agenda of Buhari administration.

Also, prospective business owners can now search on Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) portal (www.cac.gov.ng) to avoid duplication of names and prevent selection of prohibited names, while company registration no longer requires lawyers as it is now optional for SMEs to hire lawyers to prepare registration documents.

These are among highlights of a report presented at a Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, at the Presidential Villa, marking the end of the 60-day Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria reforms.

The Council established by President Muhammadu Buhari is chaired by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

However, Tuesdays meeting was chaired by Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi.

Others in attendance were Foreign Affairs Ministers Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State for Industry Trade & Investment Aisha Abubakar, and her counterpart in Budget & National Planning Zainab Ahmed. Other government dignataries at the meeting included the Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and several heads of MDAs.

The report was presented by Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Trade & Investment.

According to the report, CAC has introduced single incorporation form (CAC1.1) to save time and reduce costs while the agency has introduced document upload interface on its website to enable e-submission of registration documents.

Other aspects of the reforms now actualized in the last 60 days include the Integrated FIRS e-payment solution into CAC portal to enable e-stamping while the reform empowers CAC internal lawyers to certify company incorporation forms and conduct statutory declaration of compliance for a fixed fee of N500.

According to the report, the PEBEC listed Dealing with construction permits, Getting electricity, Registering Property, Getting Credit and Paying Taxes, as some of the areas where the council has recorded progress in the past 60 days.

The report also highlighted the completed reforms on the Entry and Exit of People, indicator which includes Simplified Visa-on-Arrival process, Infrastructural improvements at the Abuja airport, and the new Immigration Regulation 2017.

It also indicated that the completed reforms are being closely monitored to ensure diligent implementation with minimal disruption while pending reforms are being escalated to ensure completion in the coming weeks.

Source: Dailypost
The cases of violence in Ikorodu area of Lagos has been on the rise , and the police have accused traditional rulers and chiefs in the area of collaborating with criminals to unleash terror on residents.

There are Baales (village heads) that are informants and sponsors of criminals in this area, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said on Sunday at a meeting with the traditional rulers.

They allow militants to build houses harbouring criminals in the creeks.

I want the royal fathers to call their chiefs to order. This meeting is convened to tell them that we will no longer tolerate silent conspiracy.

Traditional rulers cannot tell me they dont know who is who in their domain; all communities are advised to organise their local vigilantes, Owoseni said.

According to him, most kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes in Lagos State takes place in Ikorodu area and urged community to be part of the security management.

In the community, there are hunters and farmers; they cant say they dont know criminals in their communities.

There is conspiracy of silence on criminal activities and this conspiracy must stop.

Traditional rulers and religious leaders must unmask the criminals in their communities.

We have begun operations at Isawo; we need intelligence reports from the traditional rulers.

Killing for rituals must stop and with your support, we can stop those killings.

Let us take ownership of our areas and expose the hoodlums amongst you.

Some of the Baales and chiefs supply foods to these militants; many of them are spies to these vandals and militants, said the police commissioner.

Owoseni warned traditional rulers in Ikorodu area against harbouring criminals who were unleashing terror on their subjects.

The police boss expressed sadness over incessant kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, robbery, cultism and killings of innocent persons in the area.

Four policemen, an army captain and a civilian were on killed by suspected militants in Isawo area of Ikorodu on April 9.

Owoseni told the royal fathers that the police would no longer tolerate people being killed and maimed under the watchful eyes of traditional rulers.

He urged the traditional rulers to join hands with the police so that hoodlums would have no place to hide or operate in their domains.

Responding, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi, assured the police that the traditional institution would partner with security operatives in curbing crimes in the area.

Shotobi said that the royal fathers were investigating the recent killings and other crimes in Ikorodu area so as to expose the hoodlums.

Also speaking, Oba Ajibade Agoro of Imota, noted that increasing crime in the area was due to massive urban-rural migration.

No traditional ruler would be happy for his community to be known for criminality during his reign.

Cultism is our problem in Imota. Few days ago, someone was shot while another person was also shot yesterday.

Our challenge is that when we give information and the police arrest these criminals, after few weeks, the suspects are released, Agoro said.

Source: ( NAN )
Nigerian musician, Runtown, on Friday, 14th April 2017 gave out a total sum of one million Naira to fans who participated in a dance competition at his One Night Only concert which held at Landmark Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Though the event occurred a week ago, the reports of his act surfaced recently.

During the performance of his hit song Bend Down Pause at the concert, Runtown and one of the hosts of the show MTV Bases Ehiz called six female fans up to the stage to engage in a dance contest.

The ladies were asked to dance to the popular dancehall jam and the audience chose the winner by roaring a Yes or No and at the end of the competition, Runtown surprised everyone by giving out N500,000 to the winner and N100,000 each to the rest.
The burial rites of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, has been postponed by the family members, which was earlier scheduled for 4:pm on Sunday.

Adeleke, a former civilian governor of Osun, died in the earlier hours of Sunday at Biket Hospital in Osogbo.

Adelekes corpse, which was brought to his residence in Ede at 1:10 pm in preparation for the Islamic burial rites, was returned back to Ladoke Akintola Hospital in Osogbo for autopsy.

The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the younger brother of the late politician, Deji, ordered for autopsy to be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.

Deji was also said to have directed that the burial ceremony be postponed till Monday.

Friends and sympathisers, who were waiting for the burial ceremony, were told around 5:30 pm that the event had been postponed.

A family source said the burial had been fixed for 10: am on Monday, pending the outcome of the autopsy.

Giving a picture of the developments leading to the demise of the late flamboyant politician, one of the domestic staff said that Adeleke had attended a meeting till around 2: am on Sunday before he went to bed.

The staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Adeleke also attended burial and wedding ceremonies in Guta and Iwo on Saturday.

The source further explained that early in the morning on Sunday, Adeleke complained of leg pain and his private doctor was called in to attend to him.

According to the staff, the doctor gave him an injection and he left, only to be called back after the senator complained of stomach ache.

 He was later rushed to Biket Hospital where he was finally confirmed dead, the source said.

The news of the death had resulted in protests by youths in Ede, with many of them barricading the busy Osogbo-Ibadan road and setting bonfires which disrupted the free flow of traffic.

NAN.
Why has Slack won when other group messaging plays lost? By keeping it simple. Thanks to Slacks sensible chat room design, everything seems one click away. Private channels, easy integration, and effortless file sharing havent hurt, either.

The ongoing triumph, however, is behind the scenes. Throughout Slacks three-year growth from zero to 5 million daily active users, Slack has managed to keep its service reliable and responsiveand has been commendably transparent about the outages and incidents that do occur. Slack has also attracted more than 100,000 external developers who have built 900 third-party apps at last count.

[ Office 365 vs. Google G Suite: Productivity smackdown  Collaboration smackdown  Management smackdown. | Cut to the key news in technology trends and IT breakthroughs with the InfoWorld Daily newsletter, our summary of the top tech happenings. ]

The stakes keep getting higher, though, because Slack has come out of nowhere to become an essential application for more and more organizations. Large companiesIBM, Capital Onethey run their business on Slack, Julia Grace, Slacks head of infrastructure engineering, told me in an interview last week. We cant go down. We need to be incredibly fast all of the time.

Since Grace joined Slack in October 2015, the number of Slack users has doubled. Keeping up with that growth would have been much harder had Slacks founders not decided to build Slack on the public cloud from the start. Interestingly, that decision was made in 2009, when Slack was a game company called Tiny Speck, with a browser-based, massively multiplayer online game called Glitch.

Building on a game foundation

When they started working on Glitch there werent a lot of other [cloud] competitors in the space, especially when you build a business where you need high reliability, high uptime, Grace says. AWS was the only reasonable choice.

As it turns out, not only cloud scalability, but also Glitchs game architecture have been critical to Slacks success. In an InfoQ presentation last December, Slack chief architect Keith Adams noted that the original game design persists today:

The actual architecture of Slack resembles the architecture of a massively multiplayer online game. So you kind of have your world that you operate in, which is your team, and in order to kind of make that world seem both persistent and interactively mutable with other things in the world, you end up making a pretty thick cache of whats going on in that world. And then youve got a way of getting the latency updates for the changes in that world. So that mental paradigm of oh, its kind of like an online game actually explains a lot about Slack.

Adams describes Slacks house style as conservative. In simplified terms, he says that Slack is a very competently executed LAMP stack that has had to scale out. Its memcache wrapped around MySQL. The choice of database was primarily due to the collective history of the universe of the thousands of server years of operating MySQL without it losing data.

Slack has also eschewed fancy microservices architecture, at least so far. The core application is a PHP monolith that uses the Facebooks HipHop virtual machine and just-in-time compiler (Adams was formerly a Facebook engineer).

At a high level, Slack is fundamentally a big web application wedded to a messaging bus, the latter written from scratch in Java. Adams offers a classic build-versus-buy explanation for why the bus is home grown: The effort ... that goes into getting an off-the-shelf piece of software to do exactly what you want it to do sometimes is better spent telling the computer what you want it to do in the programming language of your choice.

Proceeding with caution

On the infrastructure side, Grace shares Adams affinity for keeping it simple. We have a preference for foundational services, such as S3, EC2 and CloudFront [AWSs content distribution network], said Grace at her AWS Summit keynote last week.

But Slack is also evolving, albeit carefully. Grace told me that we are slowly taking parts out and creating services, creating more isolated things that we can run, build, deploy, scale up, etc. So what my team runs is a lot of the services that our monolithic architecture connects to and we're slowly breaking other things out.

From the start, Slack has used Apache Solr for search and EMR for crunching log data to yield infrastructure insights. At the AWS Summit, Grace also spoke about Slacks adoption of Amazon Lex, a new set of APIs and an SDK for tapping AWSs advanced AI and machine learning capabilities. With Lex, building conversational bots is going to be so much simpler, she says, alluding to one of Slack's differentiating features.

Moreover, Slacks community of third-party developers has been instrumental in showing the company where it needs to go. We're seeing usage patterns in what external developers are doing and the API calls that theyre makingand understanding over time how people have built on our platform and how that has changed. Thats really critical input for how we think about what we need to build in the future.

Grace sees another critical decision in her immediate future: Should she diversify cloud providers for failover purposes? The burning question:

Can we get the reliability and the speed we need out of Amazon ordo we need to also look to diversify because we need to ensure that, should anything happenthe S3 outage, for examplewe keep our customers running? How do we isolate them from having to worry about events in US West?

Duplicating Slack on, say, Google Cloud would be a gargantuan undertaking, particularly if Slack wanted to mirror traffic. You have to gain experience operating things at scale to understand and have confidence in a failover scenario that you are actually able to fail over gracefully, says Grace. So if something did happen, we would feel incredibly comfortable switching over or rerouting traffic or something along those lines.

Every startupor enterprise initiative, for that mattermust deal with decisions made before the first release. With a real-time messaging system like Slack thats dominated an important market in record time, those decisions loom ever larger, because changes to those fundamentals amount to the proverbial engine replacement as a car roars down the highway. It will be fascinating to see how Slack navigates its future.
Industry-led Meat Technology Ireland launched

Meat Technology Ireland (MTI), a strategic research and innovation base in beef and sheep meat processing in Ireland, has launched with significant funding from Enterprise Ireland.

Meat Technology Ireland (MTI), a strategic research and innovation base in beef and sheep meat processing in Ireland, has launched. It is described as a new industry-led initiative with significant funding from Enterprise Ireland that will create a one-stop shop for meat processing research and technology.

MTI is an 8.1 million five-year research and innovation programme, developed by industry and co-funded by Enterprise Ireland and a consortium of nine beef- and sheep meat processing companies. It is hosted by Teagasc at its Ashtown Food Research Facility in Dublin with Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Dublin City University (DCU), University College Cork (UCC) and the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF) involved as research providers. The companies behind the initiative are ABP Ireland, Ashbourne Meat Processors, Dawn Meats Group, Dunbia (Ireland), Hilton Foods Ireland, Irish Country Meats, Kepak Group, Liffey Meats, and Slaney Foods International.

Meat Technology Ireland emerged from a five-year research vision from IBECs Meat Industry Ireland industry group which was presented to Enterprise Ireland. John Malone was appointed as Chairman of Meat Technology Ireland last October and Dr. John Colreavy was appointed as Director.

Innovation 2020, the Government's strategy for research and development, science and technology, recognises the importance of innovation for the agri-food sector, said Mary Mitchell O Connor TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Establishing Meat Technology Ireland, through Enterprise Ireland is one of the key initiatives under the Action Plan for Jobs, and will help to build a competitive advantage in the food sector, through investment in research and innovation capability. Its importance is to introduce companies to the expertise in research institutions with the aim of generating innovative technologies leading to job creation.

Meat Technology Ireland has the potential to build on the success of our beef, and sheep sectors, said Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD. By providing consumer focused research that can best inform processors and farmers, Meat Technology Ireland can be a driver for Irelands meat industry as it seeks to meet Food Wise 2025 targets, and mitigate the potential impacts of Brexit.

Enterprise Irelands strategy is to support Irish businesses to build scale and expand their reach into international markets and we are delighted to back the establishment of Meat Technology Ireland which will directly support innovation in the agri-food sector and ultimately contribute to export growth, said CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon. The need for greater levels of innovation among Irish companies as part of their response to Brexit is crucial and the launch of Meat Technology Ireland today is well timed, pooling the innovative talents of all the stakeholders involved to compete internationally offering best in class and further leveraging our strong international reputation in the provision of quality meat products.

Teagasc is delighted to be working with Enterprise Ireland, industry partners and other academic research organisations, to harness the collective information and research expertise available to the Irish meat industry, and to seek out new knowledge, to create innovative solutions for the commercial sector to exploit, for the betterment of all involved in the livestock sectors in Ireland, said Prof Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc. Meat Technology Ireland, hosted at Teagasc Ashtown, will serve as a hub to co-ordinate all beef and sheep meat processing research needs.

The output of Meat Technology Ireland (MTI) will be an important enabler for further developing Irish beef and sheepmeat exports, meeting marketplace requirements and growing value, said IBECs Meat Industry Ireland Chairman, Phillip Carroll. The involvement of nine major beef and sheepmeat processing companies in this industry-led collaborative innovation initiative is a clear demonstration of the Industrys commitment to delivering on the growth potential of our sector and its strategic role in economic regional development.
Vault: A room or compartment for the safekeeping of valuables

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

At Pacific Highway Storage in San Diego, we have a separate storage area we call the Vault. It comprises 2,051 square feet of rentable space behind an eight-foot steel door. It includes units ranging in size from 1.5-by-4 to 8-by-14, and all units have ceiling heights of approximately 8.5 feet and carpeted floors. The entire area is always air-conditioned at an average of 65 degrees, which is perfect for items that cant take the stress of temperature fluctuations.

One of the hallmarks of the Vault is its security. To access his unit, a tenant must walk through the office and enter an eight-digit code to open the reinforced Vault door. Then we use a double-keyed system like a bank does for safety-deposit boxes. We follow the tenant to his unit and unlock our own lock on his individual door, and then he unlocks his own lock to open the space.

This unique storage area is great for storing specialty items such as art, collectables, documents, photos or negatives, weapons, and anything that needs high security or cool, stable temperatures.

Document Storage

The Vaults multi-layer security makes it attractive to doctor and dentist offices, but other businesses can also benefit. Many companies have years of records they'd rather not store onsite. Ten years of documents can fill a lot of boxes!

While there are companies that specialize in document storage and offer pickup, delivery and shredding services, this option can be expensive for a small business. A secure, climate-controlled storage unit is a more cost-effective solution.

Art Storage

Oil and acrylic paintings are fragile and must be stored in the right conditions. Heat can soften the paint and cause it to separate from the canvas or stick to whatever it touches. This could ruin or completely devalue a piece of art. Keeping it in a stable, air-conditioned unit keeps it secure and intact.

Weapons Storage

The security and consistent temperatures of a Vault unit are great for weapon collectors. If you've ever had guns, you know theyll rust if kept in the wrong conditions.

We remind tenants to always clean and lubricate the exterior of any weapon before storing it. Also, they should never store guns in fabric or leather cases, or in the original cardboard box. These elements will attract moisture, which causes rust. Rather, guns should be stored in a case that allows for plenty of air circulation. Its important to note that ammunition is prohibited from being stored in the unit.

Photo Storage

For many people, the words photo storage are synonymous with the cloud. For those of us who are of a certain age, however, the term has a very different meaning! As a genealogist, I've dealt with many old and crumbling photos that are so fragile that I worry theyll disintegrate in my hands. It's a byproduct of being stored in old wooden trunks, cardboard boxes and overheated attics for 50 or more years.

If customers are storing old photos or negatives, they should first organize and label them with archival, acid-free labels. Photos should also be placed in archival, acid-free boxes (after scanning them to the cloud for posterity, of course).

Collectibles

Vault storage is also great for personal collections, such as action figures, antique toys, books, paper ephemera and anything else that warrants specialized care. These items dont need to be part of an expensive or expansive collection, either. Our renters store items in the Vault because they believe their regular household items are worth protecting, and theyre willing to pay more to keep them safe.

More Benefits

Vault storage can be a valuable addition to your self-storage facility. Because we charge more for these spaces, we attract tenants with disposable income who want to protect their precious items. The service also draws businesses looking to store documents in a convenient, secure setting. Both types of tenants are long-term, less troublesome and more likely to be on autopay, which eliminates the need for monthly collection calls.

Plus, this add-on service opens new marketing avenues. I market our facility to gun stores, lawyers, medical professionals and more. Once you get them in the door for one type of storage, they automatically think of you for traditional storage as well.

I've only touched on a few benefits of vault-style storage. Youre only limited by your imagination of what can be stored in this secure, stable, air-conditioned environment.

Kris Fetter is the operations manager for Pacific Highway Storage in San Diego. A California native, she served in the U.S. Navy and has worn many customer-service-related hats, including those of military police, vendor, dry-cleaner, security guard, administrative assistant and assistant teacher. She entered the self-storage industry four years ago. To reach her, e-mail [email protected]; visit www.selfstoragesd.com.
Banner Hosford Storage LLC, a division of Banner Real Estate Group, has purchased land in Portland, Ore., on which it plans to build a four-story self-storage facility. The company paid $5 million for the 1.29-acre site in the Central Eastside Industrial District, a 681-acre area containing 1,122 businesses. The property at 627 S.E. Division Place will comprise 126,820 square feet of storage space. Permits have already been submitted to the city, according to the source.

Even though there are multiple projects in the Portland area, it is still considered a strong market for self-storage development due to continued and projected population growth, coupled with the reduction of living space as Portland pushes for higher density, said Cara Nolan, first vice president of commercial real estate firm CBRE, and an adviser to Banner Hosford on the deal.

In a September report, CBRE ranked Portland No. 6 on a list of undersupplied self-storage markets in the United States, the source reported. Nolan has represented developers in eight separate deals in the past year that are expected to bring five new storage facilities to the city.

Based in Northbrook, Ill., Banner Real Estate Group focuses on the acquisition, development and management of multi-family properties as well as the development of self-storage facilities nationwide.
April 24, 2017 // Toronto, Ontario, Canada- Celebrating 25 years on the air, The Raceline Radio Network, Canadas first and only nationally syndicated motorsport radio program and Canadas national radio motorsport authority, is very pleased to announce The Elite Brand of Aftermarket Products from Continental has re-joined the Network as a sponsor and broadcast partner for their 2017 spring/early summer campaign.

The campaign focuses on Continentals Elite Premium Poly-V Serpentine Belts, designed to meet or exceed all O.E standards for road and race track applications.

Rey Koop, Aftermarket Sales Manager at ContiTech Canada stated, Our team at ContiTech Canada are extremely proud to promote our Continental Elite brand of aftermarket products through Canadas weekly voice of racing, Raceline Radio. Todays highly engineered engines, both on the track and off, demand the best in aftermarket parts and Canadians everywhere can count on Elite from Continental to deliver.

Raceline Radio Network co-founder, anchor and producer Erik Tomas is again excited to have Elite by Continental back on the program.

Race fans are very loyal and very knowledgeable consumers when it comes to automotive aftermarket parts and products. Every day motorists are just as vital as race teams and sanctioning bodies in the marketing and sale of these products. Continentals Elite Premium Poly-V belts consistently live up to the highest standards and demands of both consumer groups. We are delighted to have Continental with us again this season as a Raceline Radio Network partner, as we deliver their message to motorsport fans and race teams across Canada!

The Elite Brand of Aftermarket Products from Continental joins a long-standing roster of Raceline Radio Network broadcast partners that includes National Presenting Partner Subaru Canada Incorporated, along with Tissot Swiss Watches, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and other seasonal motorsport-related facilities, attractions and events.

Co-flagshipped on Sportsnet 590 The FAN Toronto and AM 900 CHML Hamilton, The Raceline Radio Network currently comprises 16 major and medium market broadcast affiliates from Halifax to Vancouver, scheduling 18 airings of the program weekly, year-round.

For more information about The Raceline Radio Network:

Erik Tomas, Anchor/Producer/Affiliate Relations

O: 905-892-0411 C: 289-407-4410

TOMASERIK@aol.com Erik@racelineradio.ca

About The Raceline Radio Network: Canadas first national motorsport radio show has been recognized as Canadas national radio motorsport authority for the past 25 years. The award-winning program, a presentation of Subaru Canada Inc., covers all forms of auto racing, featuring local, regional, national and international racing series including NASCAR, Formula One and IndyCar, with special emphasis on road rallying and Canadian drivers through timely interviews with the sports biggest stars and newsmakers. Raceline Radio is anchored and produced by Canadian broadcast veteran Erik Tomas and is networked across Canada through 16 major and medium market affiliates, and is aired 18 times weekly, year round. The Raceline Radio Network is flag-shipped across Canada from AM 900 CHML Radio Hamilton and Sportsnet 590 The FAN Toronto, and is distributed and marketed by Rogers Communications.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/racelineradionetwork Twitter: @ETRaceline Instagram: @racelineradionetwork

Raceline Radio Podcasts: http://www.sportsnet.ca/590/raceline-radio/

For more information on Elite by Continental:

Rey Koop, Aftermarket Sales Manager at ContiTech Canada

Phone: 403-932-0790

About The Elite Brand of Aftermarket Products from Continental:

The Elite by Continental line offers a full range of premium belts, hose and accessories engineered for perfect OE form, fit and function on all makes and models.
There may be no one who thinks more about the needs of developing Asia than Takehiko Nakao, the former Japanese Finance vice minister who now heads the Asian Development Bank. President of the multilateral lender since 2013, Nakao is known as a man who is extremely courteous and speaks English softly and fluently. He also is known as someone who moves quickly and methodically, and backs up his words with action.

The bank has been positioning itself to meet the increasing development demands of its neighbors. On February 28, ADB issued a landmark report at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Hong Kong, announcing that the region needs $26 trillion in infrastructure investments by 2030  more than double the banks 2009 estimate. In January, Nakao and his team completed the merger of two ADB funds, Ordinary Capital Resources and the Asian Development Fund; the move will increase the banks lending by 50 percent, to $20 billion a year by 2020, with much of the financing geared toward infrastructure. Moreover, ADB is expanding its credit guarantee program to encourage the private sector to make infrastructure investments.

Nakao, who helped set yen exchange policy at Japans Ministry of Finance in the 2000s, is steering ADB to strengthen regional political stability and economic growth while at the same time gearing up for competition. The start of Chinas own multilateral lending program last year  the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing and the New Development Bank in Shanghai  is the impetus pushing the 50-year-old bank to invest more money in a region that is already seeing the worlds fastest growth.

When ADB was established, Asia was poor, food was in short supply, and it lacked resources to finance development, Nakao said at a February 21 cocktail gathering at the banks Manila headquarters. The event, held to celebrate ADBs 50th birthday, was attended by 400 dignitaries, including the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte.

One of the priorities for ADB was to give technical assistance and loans to agriculture, and half a century later, Asias amazing growth and successful poverty reduction have exceeded the most optimistic forecasts, Nakao said at the gathering, noting that Asia has evolved into a dynamic market whose gross domestic product accounts for one third of the global economy and more than half of the worlds growth.

ADB has ramped up lending under Nakaos leadership, assisting countries that remain economically vulnerable and politically volatile. Last year the bank issued a record $31.5 billion in loans, grants, co-financing, and financial technical assistance, up 16 percent over 2015. The accelerating pace of lending, which included an unprecedented $17.5 billion in loans and grants, compares with the $267 billion in loans and grants that ADB has handed out across the region since its founding in 1966.

Nakao says he often tells his team members that his job today is far more diverse than his previous position as the Ministry of Finances vice minister for international affairs, and that he enjoys representing the interest of all 67 members of ADB. The banks membership includes 19 nations that are not in Asia, chief among them the U.S. and Canada.

Although ADB is being reinvigorated partly as a result of rising competition from Chinas multilateral financing, the regions need for investment is much larger than what the rival programs can provide.

Competition is always good, and hopefully competition among the two new banks based in China will stimulate the Asian Development Bank to speed up its activities and particularly emphasize more privatization of infrastructure projects so the work can proceed more expeditiously, says Mark Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group, one of the worlds largest funds focused on emerging markets, with $21.6 billion in assets under management.

The need for infrastructure spending in developing Asia will be in the trillions of dollars over the next few decades, far exceeding what ADB, Chinas new multilaterals, and the World Bank together can meet, according to Wei Shang-Jin, ADBs chief economist from 2014 to 2016 and now a professor of finance and economics at Columbia Business School. He also points to rising demand from developing countries like Cambodia, Fiji, and China for policy advice to aid their reforms.

Many of the development challenges are complex, Wei says. No development bank will have a monopoly over best ideas. So developing countries benefit from having more banks looking into their challenges and proposing possible solutions.

Nakao is taking a collaborative approach to developing the regions infrastructure. ADB signed agreements last year with AIIB to co-finance two projects, a 64-kilometer (40-mile) stretch of national highway in Pakistan that requires more than $230 million to develop and a $453 million natural-gas facility in Bangladesh to which ADB contributed $167 million and AIIB $60 million.

ADB, which always has been led by a Japanese president, has come a long way in being recognized as a serious lender. As recently as the early 1990s, many Asian business leaders and executives rarely mentioned the bank in any of their conversations. When they did, two phrases often came up: Taj Mahal and white elephant. For much of the 1970s and 1980s, ADB was known for its extravagance and largesse, recall several of its former consultants.

One retired senior banker, who asked not to be identified, says the bank was famous for being a place where investment bankers or lawyers could retire  where they dont need to work very hard and still get a huge pay package, including a car; a driver; a young, attractive secretary; and a villa in the center of town with a large swimming pool.

That image, however, has changed dramatically in the past two decades, since the 1997 Asian financial crisis and particularly under the leadership of ADBs three last presidents: Tadao Chino, who served from 1999 to 2005; Haruhiko Kuroda, who served from 2005 to 2013, before becoming governor of the Bank of Japan; and current leader Nakao, who was named to the post in 2013.

Under Chino, ADB became a significant advocate of Asia in global multilateral circles, much to the chagrin of officials in Washington, especially those at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which took hard-line approaches to the region during the Asian financial crisis. They pushed for nations hit by the crisis to immediately implement monetary austerity; the ADB initially supported this, but only half-heartedly, and later it resisted the harsh measures.

Were a key partner in Asias development, says Stephen Groff, an American and ADBs vice president in charge of operations. We certainly wouldnt go as far as to claim credit solely, but we have been a key partner with many of the nations in the region in helping them to achieve their development objectives. He recalls that ADBs first president, Takeshi Watanabe, described the bank as the family doctor of the region  a role suggesting intimacy and trust. Groff says ADBs local presence gave it the perspective and closeness needed to become a key partner for many nations in those decades.

The banks previous president, Kuroda, helped ADB recognize the rising importance of China and other emerging markets by promoting their nationals into the organizations senior ranks. Now, under Nakaos leadership, ADB is cementing its transformation into a strong regional partner by launching what will be the most aggressive infrastructure finance program in the five decades it has existed.

ADBs success in promoting development and rapid growth in Asia is primarily because of employees who resisted efforts by officials in Washington to impose the policies of the so-called Washington Consensus, notes Laurence Brahm, a Beijing-based American lawyer and a former ADB consultant. Such policies, crafted by bureaucrats in the U.S. capital, often took a cookie-cutter approach to economic development in Asia. Today the U.S. owns a 15.5 percent equity stake in ADB, just behind Japans 15.6 percent, and it has the right to post an American to one of the banks vice president positions.

The actual implementation of projects under ADB very much depends on the views of the officers overseeing the project, says Brahm, who as a consultant was seconded by ADB in the early 1990s to become an adviser to the central banks of Vietnam and Laos, and to what then was known as Chinas State Planning Commission. While in Vietnam and Laos, Brahm helped central bankers adopt market reforms, including the establishment of stock exchanges. In China he assisted officials in creating a strategy to restructure the nations state-owned enterprises, including converting policy banks into commercial lenders, which later went public and helped propel the countrys capital markets.

Ideologically, ADB was advancing Washington Consensus views during the 1990s, Brahm says. However, many officers implementing projects had their own independent views and cared more about the national interest, and were sensitive to these needs.

ADBs success is tied in part to its strategy of welcoming China in 1986, according to Groff. By including China as a member and making it a 6.5 percent shareholder in the bank, ADB became an economic adviser and financial lender to the worlds most populous nation. The rise of the Peoples Republic of China and its becoming a member of ADB in 1986 have been significant for the bank, Groff says. Until that time, China had been outside, and by becoming a member it made the institution really a bank for half of the world.

Each ADB member controls and is responsible for its own development, Groff says, adding, What we provide is a platform in which they can learn from the success and failures of others, and push for development strategies that suit their needs.

With Nakao at the helm, the bank has been systematically devolving power, delegating more independent decision making to the heads of its missions and lower-level officials in the field. We are fine-tuning the bank, Nakao said to Institutional Investor in 2015, when he began an initiative to give more power to the heads of each of the banks 48 missions across Asia. He also led the banks plan to boost lending by merging its Asian Development Fund, ADBs below-market-rate lending window for poor countries, with Ordinary Capital Resources, its lending window for middle-income countries. The deal nearly tripled the banks equity base, to $53 billion.

We are trying to increase our lending capacity dramatically, and we are also trying to reform ourselves a lot, Nakao told II in 2015. Instead of preaching to countries to reform, we should also reform ourselves. It is the responsibility of the management, especially the chief executive, to promote continuous reform and innovation.

The larger equity base means ADB has a greater capacity to leverage its balance sheet and provide more loans to governments, helping them fund a wide range of projects, from schools and hospitals to highways and subway systems.

Under Nakao, ADB has shifted a lot of attention not only to infrastructure but also to the least developed parts of the region, particularly Central Asia. Last year the bank provided $100 million for the electrification of a 140-kilometer railway track between the cities of Samarkand and Karshi in the south of Uzbekistan. ADB also approved a $198 million loan to help upgrade and widen 77 kilometers of the Karshi-Shakhrisabz-Kitab highway in Kashkadarya province, in southeast Uzbekistan, to improve tourism and mobility, as well as domestic and international trade. And in Kyrgyzstan, ADB last year provided a $95.1 million loan to rehabilitate a section of the North-South Alternate Road Corridor.

The lender also has been forging ties with its members and potential financial partners through its global meetings. ADB held its 2014 general meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, and its 2015 general meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan. Last year its annual summit was in Frankfurt, and in May it will be in Yokohama, Japan.

We should continue to promote inclusive growth in the Asia and Pacific region, Nakao has said he tells his team members. To do that, we should continue to promote economic development, and for that we need investments in infrastructure, education, and health. We also need good macroeconomic and structural policies.

Nakao earned a bachelors degree in economics from the University of Tokyo before joining the Ministry of Finance in 1978. During his 35 years at the ministry, he earned an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and published a book in 2008 titled Americas Economic Policy: Can It Sustain Its Strength?

His move to reform and strengthen ADB is one of many bold moves Nakao has made over the course of his career. As the MoFs vice minister for international affairs  the most senior civil-service appointment within the ministry  Nakao won the respect of his peers for his steady-handed approach to overseeing the Japanese governments largest-ever currency market intervention, after the yens sharp appreciation in 2011.

The yen and the Swiss franc soared to record levels that year as investors sought haven from Europes sovereign debt crisis. Nakao responded by buying dollars and helping Japan sell tens of billions of yen to drive down the currencys price. The yen strengthened to a 2011 peak of 75.32 per U.S. dollar on October 31. As the Japanese government intervened to stem the yens rise against the dollar, Nakao worked first with Finance minister Yoshihiko Noda and then with Jun Azumi, who replaced Noda when he became prime minister in September 2011.

Since then the yen has weakened significantly, trading at 113 per dollar on March 17, a level thats agreeable today for a nation relying on exports to power growth.

When I was vice minister, I was guided by the minister, Nakao says he tells his team members. I was guided by Japanese national interest. But today I am the head of an institution that represents many nations. I must closely consider the different interests and perspectives of countries, and coordinate those interests. So my job is very different.

Nakao, who was endorsed for a second term last August, notes that his goal is to make ADB a force of stability and Asias primary development partner for the long term.

He sees the regions political stability as a basis for its economic development, confirming what he told II in 2015: It is crucial for the quality of life of the people. Nakao knows well that the regions development is a massive work in progress and that hes in a position to influence peaceful relations and a stronger economy in areas of the world, such as Central Asia, that are still struggling with basic infrastructure needs. As an important partner in Asia, ADB wants to help promote the idea of regional cooperation, friendship, and stability, he told II two years ago. Today his actions show that belief is as strong as ever.

See sidebar stories: ADB Seeks Private Sector Help for Infrastructure Projects; China's Consumers Power Ahead; and Asia's Ballooning Bond Market.
What are my chances of having a successful pregnancy?

Answered by: Dr Geeta Chadha | Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology,

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital,

New Delhi



Q: My 21 years old wife underwent a D&C after miscarriage for partial vesicular mole. The doctor told us that it was a missed abortion as a result of partial vesicular mole. They took week by week blood test for beta HCG. First week result was 49,699 and last weeks result was 39.48. I am confused. Please explain. What are the chances of having a successful pregnancy?

A:It is important to ensure that HCG levels come down to Zero. It is recommended that close follow up be done for a year after that in cases where pregnancy is urgently needed, then six months after the levels touch zero, but only with a go ahead of your doctor. And yes, chance of having a normal pregnancy next time is quite high.
UK-based multinational insurance group Aviva has acquired its partners entire stake in its Vietnam joint venture, making the firm a wholly owned subsidiary.Aviva bought VietinBanks 50% stake in VietinBank Aviva Life Insurance, renaming it Aviva Vietnam, as part of its thrust to grow the business in all distribution channels, according to the companys press release.The transaction, which is still subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, will also simplify Avivas operating structure in the market.Aviva and VietinBank have not fully terminated their relationship, as Aviva Vietnam entered a distribution agreement with the bank to sell its products across the countrys second-largest branch network, with over 1,100 branches and offices.With Avivas insurance and digital expertise and a strong partnership with a leading bank, we are optimistic about our growth prospects in Vietnam, said Chris Wei, executive chairman of Aviva Asia and global chairman of Aviva Digital. We have developed a deep and successful relationship with VietinBank and will continue to build on our strong foundations.
Florida lawmakers might sit out on legislative remedies to the mounting problem of costly claims abuses in the state yet again, with just two weeks left in this years session.As legislators straddle the fence on the contentious assignment of benefits issue, more insurers are opting out of the tri-county region in South Florida by refusing to take on new customers, according to Corey G. Matthews, chief executive and executive vice president of an insurance trade group.Unfortunately, from what were hearing, its already happening. Im hearing from agents who say they submitted (a new policy) in a zip code they wrote (a policy in) last week, and the insurer is saying Sorry, were closed in that zip code, Matthews told theAs a result, state insurer Citizens said it expects to absorb 50,000 policyholders from the South Florida area, after it transferred more than one million of its subscribers to the private market following an active depopulation plan, as mandated by the state government.Citizens and other carriers have been lobbying with lawmakers to enact a measure that will help contain issues arising from the increase in litigation caused by South Florida contractors and about a dozen law firms. The industry has observed that contractors often convince policyholders to sign over the benefits they stand to gain on their coverage in exchange for expediting a water damage restoration job. These contractors then quickly file suit if insurers refuse to pay inflated claims, thereported.Attorneys are motivated by a law that shields policyholders from paying their insurers legal fees if they sue a company in a claim dispute and lose, but lets them collect legal fees if the insurer loses or agrees to pay more than originally offered, the report noted.Contractors have learned to secure an assignment of benefits to assert the same right, and that encourages them to file a large numbers of suits with little risk, insurers say.This is the fifth year that the insurance industry has asked lawmakers to address the issue. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee has yet to bring it up for debate.
Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Ted Nickel likes to hunt.When hes not overseeing the regulatory insurance environment for his state  as well as presiding over the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)  his favorite pastimes involve guns and reels.Hes so fond of hunting, in fact, that when Insurance Business spoke with him, Nickel was sitting in a Wisconsin blind hunting turkeys.My passion in life is fishing, he said. I love to fish. Anywhere, any kind of fish, it doesnt matter, I love to fish. And just the outdoors in general is a passion of mine. And I love to hunt.But the 51-year-old doesnt have as much free time for the outdoors as he might have had in the past. In addition to his official state role, as president of the NAIC Nickel serves on the Executive Committee, the Cybersecurity Task Force, the Government Relations Leadership Council, the International Insurance Relations Leadership Group, and the Internal Administration Subcommittee, and is a member of the NAIC American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee, and also chairs the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Working Group.One of my problems is I dont say no very often, he explained. So when people are looking for a hand or looking for an assist, particularly in my NAIC role, over the last seven years I have volunteered for a lot.Im just sort of curious by nature and wanted to explore and understand different parts of the insurance markets.He was appointed Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin on January 03, 2011, by Governor Scott Walker. In December last year, he was elected as president of the NAIC.So, yes, hes a busy man. But then again, insurance is kind of in his blood.Ive come from an insurance family. My dad ran Church Mutual, a commercial lines P&C company, located here in Wisconsin for about 30 years. So I grew up around it and I loved the area where the company was located  my hometown  and decided that insurance paid the bills, very nicely, and it allowed me to live in a place where I could pursue my avocations, like I was doing this morning [hunting turkey].Though he may have started out in his fathers P&C business, Nickels interest and expertise has steadily become focussed on regulatory processes.My first job in insurance was sort of a compliance-type person and also I took on a significant government affairs role. Ive always been interested in public policy  in good public policy. I worked for quite a while with state legislature, I was a part of a national trade association, and I really enjoyed the insurance side  what insurance does and means  but also that public policy side of it.Prior to his state appointment, Nickel also served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance, the Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund, and the Oklahoma Property Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, and also served as a member of the Legal and Government Affairs Committee of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.But back to his Thursday morning turkey shoot. How did the Commissioner get on?Im sitting in my turkey blind right now, he said. The wind just picked up and they started coming to me and I just shot my bird. Its about 20-pounds, a nice adult turkey.Its a very limited season and I dont have much time, so when they showed up I wanted to make it count. Now Im about to get squared away and then head into the office.
The flood insurance market is ripe for renewed private participation, what with the federal program deep in debt and homeowners spoiling for more options.Louisiana is one area that largely stands to benefit if Congress makes private participation attractive as it reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) after it expires in September this year, it has been suggested.Louisiana is a major beneficiary of the NFIP, accounting for nearly half of the almost 60,000 claims filed and $2.4 billion of the $3.7 billion in payouts made last year.If a private market emerges, I anticipate that 400,000 of those 500,000 (policyholders in Louisiana) will get better coverage at cheaper rates than offered by the National Flood Insurance Program, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon told The Advocate. The other 100,000, mostly in coastal areas, will not.Donelon explained that private participation would allow the federal government to shed low risk properties from its pool, which account for 25% of the NFIPs annual losses.However, the presence of low risk properties helps spread flood risk and keeps the overall cost of coverage at manageable levels. Therefore, taking them from the risk pool could set off higher rates in the states coastal parishes, the report explained.US congressman Garret Graves is also in favor of allowing private firms to participate in flood insurance to increase competition and lower the cost of coverage. Still, he believes their entry into the market should be managed.If you just flat out allow private insurers to come in and cherry pick the market, youre going to have the high-risk pool largely comprised of folks in south Louisiana, Graves observed.The Advocate author Ted Griggs, surmised: One way to avoid that is requiring private insurers to take on a certain percentage of higher-risk properties. Another possibility is to let private insurers come in with no conditions, but require the federal government to subsidize premiums in the areas where federal government activities have increased the likelihood of flooding.Meanwhile, Joe Pigg, senior vice president of mortgage financing at the American Bankers Association, stated that the industry group thinks the entry of private insurers in the flood market will not lead to its pure privatization.We think the NFIP will be the default (coverage) as it has been, but private policies will be available to drive competition and lead to better prices, Pigg emphasized.
The New York State Senate in April passed its $153 billion 2017-2018 state budget that includes reforms to workers compensation in the state. These reforms serve to help businesses, local governments and not-for-profits save money while also enhancing protections for injured workers.

It is anticipated that the measures will make it more affordable to do business in New York. This is because employers are expected to see savings this year in the form of rebates and hundreds of millions of dollars in ongoing annual savings on premium costs once the reforms are implemented, according to a press release issued by the New York State Senate.

With this budget, New York is once again leading the nation and showing what responsible government can achieve, Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. The result is a budget that advances the core progressive principles that built New York: investing in the middle class, strengthening the economy and creating opportunity for all.

The reforms include a number of measures for injured workers receiving permanent or temporary benefits. They ensure significantly injured workers have the right to be considered for lifetime benefits, create a formulary for prescription drugs and provide relief for first responders exposed to a traumatic event at work, according to a press release issued by Governor Cuomos office.

While the 2007 workers compensation reforms capped the number of years an injured employee could be eligible for permanent benefits, injured workers are currently eligible to receive temporary benefits over several years, the New York State Senate press release stated.

The new budget institutes a two-and-a-half year period for an employee to claim temporary benefits, subject to a safety valve that allows an injured worker to keep benefits if needed. This means that if an injured worker can demonstrate a continued need for temporary benefits, the budget would allow them to apply to the state Workers Compensation Board (WCB) to continue those benefits.

Currently, only workers determined to be more than 80 percent injured qualify to apply for extended permanent benefits once the original benefits expire. However, this budget increases eligibility by including workers determined to be more than 75 percent injured.

As a result, employer contributions are expected to be reduced by approximately $350 million each year, the New York State Senate press release added.

Additionally, the budget requires the WCB to issue new medical impairment guidelines by the end of this year, which are expected to save employers hundreds of millions of dollars each year, according to the New York State Senate press release. The guidelines would also be updated  for the first time in decades for some injuries  to reflect advances in modern medicine that enhance healing and result in better outcomes for patients, the release stated.

Since employers have already begun paying premiums based on 2017s workers compensation premium estimates, businesses will receive a rebate at the end of the year once administrators calculate final year-end savings.

This budget continues the progress we have achieved to improve the lives of New Yorkers and build a stronger, better Empire State that truly lives up to its motto: Excelsior, Governor Cuomo said in a statement.

Topics Workers' Compensation New York
Eduardo Elsztain, the Argentine real estate developer who controls Israeli conglomerate IDB Development Corp., said he has at least two bidders for the companys insurance unit, Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd.

Elsztain is fighting a sale of the company in the public market after facing a court order to divest. Selling equity on the stock exchange would inflict a 40 percent loss on shareholders because the company is trading below book value, he said Friday. IDB has more than two interested parties willing to pay a much higher price than Clals market value, he said.

For us to be forced to sell in the market is very negative, Elsztain said in an interview at Bloombergs New York headquarters. Let us sell with time and peace. He said that under the anti-concentration law the deadline for a sale will be 2019. He didnt elaborate on how he plans to respond to the recent court ruling.

The Argentine businessman, who wrested control of a distressed IDB from Israeli tycoon Nochi Dankner in 2014, has lobbied Israeli regulators unsuccessfully to keep his share of the insurer. On April 5, a Tel Aviv court ordered the trustee managing IDBs holdings in Clal to sell the first of 5 percent tranches of the insurers shares on the stock exchange within 30 days, in line with the directions from Israels finance ministry. Regulators had given Elsztain until January 2016 to find a buyer for his entire stake, before he would have to begin unloading the stock.

IDB owns 55 percent of Clal Insurance, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. IDB hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. to advise on the sale of Clal. The floated shares have lost 6.4 percent in trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since the April court order.

The regulators are concerned about keeping Clal under IDB control because it exposes the company to the conglomerates heavy debt load and contributes to the concentration of corporate ownership in Israel, hurting competition. On the other hand, the government has driven off bidders from China, who were willing to pay a premium to IDB but couldnt allay concerns of finance ministry officials.

Clal controls 15 percent of Israels long-term savings market, according to the company website.

[Editors note: Clals website says it has three insurance divisions for non-life insurance, long-term savings and health. Its general insurance division has a 15 percent market share, offering coverage to private and corporate customers including automotive, property, liability, marine insurance and personal accident.]

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Chairman Jack Ma said society should prepare for decades of pain as the internet disrupts the economy.

The world must change education systems and establish how to work with robots to help soften the blow caused by automation and the internet economy, Ma said in a speech to an entrepreneurship conference in Zhengzhou, China.

In the next 30 years, the world will see much more pain than happiness, Ma said of job disruptions caused by the internet. Social conflicts in the next three decades will have an impact on all sorts of industries and walks of life.

It was an unusual speech for the Alibaba co-founder, who tends to embrace his role as visionary and extol the promise of the future. He explained at the event that he had tried to warn people in the early days of e-commerce it would disrupt traditional retailers and the like, but few listened. This time, he wants to warn against the impact of new technologies so no one will be surprised.

Fifteen years ago I gave speeches 200 or 300 times reminding everyone the Internet will impact all industries, but people didnt listen because I was a nobody, he said.

Ma made the comments as Alibaba, Chinas largest e-commerce operator, spends billions of dollars to move into new businesses from film production and video streaming to finance and cloud computing. The Hangzhou-based company, considered a barometer of Chinese consumer sentiment, is looking to expand abroad since buying control of Lazada Group SA to establish a foothold in Southeast Asia, potentially setting up a clash with the likes of Amazon.com Inc.

Ma, 52, was also critical of the traditional banking industry, saying that lending must be available to more members of society. The lack of a robust credit system drives up the costs for everyone, he said.

The China Entrepreneur Club event is host to many of the countrys startup founders, but even here Ma got a celebritys reception. As he took the stage, the crowd surged closer and snapped selfies with Ma in the background. During a Q&A session, people jumped up and down to get attention and then often used the time with a microphone to marvel at the opportunity to talk with him.

Ma was at times brutal in his criticism of companies that wont adapt. At one point, he said cloud computing and artificial intelligence are essential for business  and if leaders dont get that, they should find young people in their companies to explain it to them. Another time, he called for traditional industries to stop complaining about the internets effects on the economy. He said Alibaba critics ignore that Taobao, its main online marketplace, has created millions of jobs.

Alibaba shares have outperformed this year on expectations it can withstand efforts by rivals such as Tencent Holdings Ltd. to capture digital ad spending and muscle in on its turf. The company is moving into untapped rural markets and investing in new sources of income, such as online media and cloud computing  one of its fastest-growing businesses in 2016.

He also warned that longer lifespans and better artificial intelligence were likely to lead to both aging labor forces and fewer jobs. Machines should only do what humans cannot, he said. Only in this way can we have the opportunities to keep machines as working partners with humans, rather than as replacements.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics InsurTech China
Hamilton Re, the Bermuda-based platform of Hamilton Insurance Group, announced it has agreed to acquire the renewal rights to Canopius Underwriting Bermuda Ltd.s excess casualty insurance book of business.

The transaction is expected to close mid-year.

In addition, Sompo Canopius underwriters Stephen Hartwig and Jeremy Wright will join Hamilton Re in the positions of chief underwriting officer, Casualty Insurance, and senior vice president, Casualty Insurance, respectively. Hartwig will report to Hamilton Re CEO Kathleen Reardon.

Bermuda has long been recognized as a strong excess casualty market, so were pleased to be able to establish an important presence with underwriters of Steve and Jeremys caliber and with the esteemed roster of clients they have developed, said Reardon.

Its also been a real pleasure to work with the management team at Sompo Canopius as weve developed the terms of this transaction, she added. The agreement includes ongoing collaboration designed to ensure a smooth transition of the business so that the needs of longstanding Sompo Canopius clients and brokers are met efficiently and effectively.

Reardon noted that the acquisition of these renewal rights continues the diversification of Hamilton Res portfolio. This new initiative will run in parallel with our joint venture with Iron-Starr, which was established shortly after our market launch in 2014, a partnership that remains strong, she said.

The property D&F [direct and facultative] insurance team we added in 2016 has made significant inroads into the market. Taken together, this expanded offering gives Hamilton Re the ability to provide tailored solutions and exceptional service which are part of our core values, Reardon went on to say.

We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Hamilton Re, which provides a great long-term home for the business, especially taking on the knowledge, expertise and relationships of Stephen Hartwig and Jeremy Wright, commented Mike Duffy, Sompo Canopius group chief underwriting officer.

We remain committed to our property catastrophe business that is also written out of our Bermuda office, and look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Bermuda, particularly Hamilton, Duffy said.

Hartwig has nearly 25 years of insurance industry experience, which includes underwriting and management roles based in the U.S., Europe and Bermuda.

Prior to joining Hamilton Re, Hartwig spent nine years with Sompo Canopius in Bermuda, most recently as CEO of the Bermuda office and group head of casualty. Previously, Hartwig was employed by ACE Bermuda (now Chubb Bermuda), Starr Excess (AIG CAT Excess) and Employers Re/Frankona. He began his insurance career at the Travelers in Hartford, Conn.

Hartwig completed his masters of business administration coursework at the Copenhagen Business School, Frederiksberg, Denmark. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo, New York.

Wright has over 16 years of experience in the insurance industry. Before joining Hamilton Re, Wright held the position of senior vice president and head of Excess Casualty at Sompo Canopius. Prior to that, Wright was assistant vice president at ACE Bermuda (now Chubb Bermuda), underwriting Fortune 1,000 excess liability clients on a broad selection of forms employed in the Bermuda market.

Wright holds a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation from The Institutes and an Associate in Reinsurance (ARe) designation from the Insurance Institute of America.

Source: Hamilton Re

Related:

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Excess Surplus Underwriting Casualty
Aviva plc has acquired VietinBanks entire 50 percent shareholding in its life insurance joint venture VietinBank Aviva Life Insurance Ltd.

Aviva also has signed a new distribution agreement with VietinBank to sell life and health insurance products through VietinBanks network of over 1,100 branches, the second largest in the market.

As a result of the transaction, Aviva Vietnam is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva with a key focus on growing the business across all key distribution channels. This move also simplifies Avivas operating structure in the region. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals.

Aviva Vietnam was founded in 2011 and has since built a strong presence in the market, becoming a top 10 life insurer by premium.

Vietnam is an attractive insurance market with double digit life premium growth in the past three years and one of the worlds lowest life insurance penetration levels, at less than 1 percent of GDP, said Aviva, quoting January 2017 statistics from Swiss Re.

The country is projected to obtain GDP growth of more than 6 percent annually over the next three years, which will benefit the insurance industry, Aviva continued. (These statistics come from the World Banks Global Economic Prospects, published in January).

Chris Wei, executive chairman of Aviva Asia and global chairman of Aviva Digital, said:

With Avivas insurance and digital expertise and a strong partnership with a leading bank, we are optimistic about our growth prospects in Vietnam. We have developed a deep and successful relationship with VietinBank and will continue to build on our strong foundations.

Source: Aviva

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions
Renewable power investments will need to rapidly grow in the coming two decades to be in line with the Paris Agreement climate goals, according to the Allianz Climate & Energy Monitor Deep Dive, which aims to inform investors and policymakers on the scale of investments needed to comply with the Paris targets.

To stay under the 2C global warming threshold, emissions will need to peak in the coming years and be cut to zero by 2050, said Allianz, noting that China, India and the U.S. play a key role in achieving this target because they together emit over 50 percent of the global CO2 emissions and the largest markets for renewable energies.

Renewable investments in China and the U.S. need to roughly double, while India may require a tripling of investments, to remain within the Paris Agreement warming limit, Allianz said.

The good news, said Allianz, is that China and India are currently well on track to achieve climate targets set by the Paris Agreement.

The bad news is that the climate policies of new U.S. administration may constrain the investment climate for renewables, indicated Allianz, noting, however, that there remain good investment prospects in progressive states.

A mature market, attractive state-level policies, and a very good general investment climate still attract high amounts of renewable energy investments in the US in progressive states

With policy retrenchment beginning to take shape under an America first energy blueprint, we expect China and India to outcompete the U.S.  for the second-consecutive year  in providing an effective and reliable green policy environment, says Ritika Tewari, Climate Policy Analyst at NewClimate Institute, one of the reports authors. The NewClimate Institute is a Berlin-based research institute generating ideas on climate change and driving their implementation.

Exiting Coal Power

China and India are looking to exit coal-based power generation, Allianz confirmed. China is canceling plans to build fossil-based power plants and is decommissioning existing coal power plants, while India is considering plans to stop building new coal power plants after 2022, said the report.

China aims to increase its renewable energy capacity by 38 percent in 2020 compared to 2015 levels, equaling 680 gigawatt (GW) of installed capacities with investments of US$361 billion in renewable energies, Allianz said.

For the purposes of comparison, the Allianz report said, Germany, which ranked first in the Allianz Climate & Energy Monitor 2016 for its renewable energy policies, currently has roughly 100 GW renewables installed.

India is also developing its renewable energy capacity at a rapid pace, said the report, noting that in 2016, solar and wind installations exceeded the annual goal by 43 percent and 116 percent, respectively.

By 2022, India is planning 175 GW of installed renewables and as a result is expected to comfortably achieve its climate targets, Allianz said.

Combined investments in renewable electricity in China, India and the U.S. amounted to US$134 billion, which accounted for over half of the global investments in electricity supply in 2016, said the Allianz report, quoting the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).

Renewables Supported at U.S. State Level

Despite the climate policies of the Trump Administration, renewables are still booming with more than 16 GW of wind and solar capacities installed in 2016, accounting for 60 percent of all new capacity (27 GW), said Allianz.

This has been driven by ambitious Renewable Portfolio Standards in various U.S. states and tax credit schemes on federal level as well as the decline in costs for renewables, the report explained.

Rapidly falling technology costs for renewables and strong investment conditions at the state level continue to make the U.S. attractive for institutional investors like Allianz, despite a constraining outlook on support from the federal level from 2020 onwards, said Thomas Liesch, senior project manager at Allianz Climate Solutions.

However, if the U.S. drops out of the renewable triad mid-term, the EU could emerge as the third global pillar.

The EU could replace the USA and take the economic chances explained Jan Burck (Germanwatch), co-author of the study. With the current G20-presidency Germany plays additional a crucial role: The German government needs to convince the other G20-states to set up own climate protection plans.

Germanwatch is an independent development and environmental organization that advocates for global equity and preservation of livelihood.

Source: Allianz Climate Solutions, Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute for Climate Policy and Global Sustainability

Related:

Topics USA Energy China Allianz India
I am a retired newspaperman. I am 69 and live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 45 years, Lou Ann. We grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.

More on who I am is here.

Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com
Acrisure LLC, a national retail consulting and insurance broker based in Caledonia, Mich., has named D. Michael Sherman as president.

Sherman joined Acrisure in January as a strategic advisor, bringing more than 40 years of experience in the insurance industry to the company.

Sherman will continue to report directly to Greg Williams, Acrisures chief executive officer. Williams, who previously held the additional title of president, will continue to be responsible for the overall oversight of Acrisure.

Sherman began his career at insurance brokerage Dawson Insurance Inc. in 1978, ultimately serving as chief executive officer beginning in 1986. He continued as Dawson Platform chairman and CEO, following its sale to AssuredPartners in 2012, as well as serving as vice chairman of AssuredPartners Inc.

Source: Acrisure

Topics Michigan
More than 25,000 turkeys have been killed in separate fires at farms in Iowa and South Dakota

A fire at a turkey farm south of Wapello, Iowa, killed about 10,700 juvenile turkeys and caused about $300,000 in damages to the building.

The Hawk Eye reports that the fire occurred on April 20, when Wapello firefighters were called to Gentle Bens Turkey Farm. Authorities say a large turkey barn, about 40-foot x 250-foot, was completely consumed by fire by the time firefighters arrived and the building had already collapsed.

Authorities say the fire burned rapidly because of high winds and a heavy covering of sawdust bedding. The cause of this fire has not been determined, but officials say its not considered suspicious.

No people were injured in the blaze.

Some 15,000 turkeys died late on April 21 when a fire destroyed their barn in southeastern South Dakota.

The Montrose Fire Department was called to the Orland Hutterite Colony near Montrose just after 11 p.m. Friday in McCook County. The roof of the barn had already collapsed by the time crews arrived.

KELO-TV reports the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Montrose is about 30 miles west of Sioux Falls.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Iowa
Global insurance broker and consultant Willis Towers Watson has named Joe Peiser as head of Broking, North America.

Peiser will be responsible for the companys broking strategy in North America, working with the insurance carriers to obtain the best markets, price and terms for clients. He will also maintain his current role as head of Casualty Broking, where he oversees the companys casualty portfolio of workers compensation, primary and excess casualty, product recall, and international casualty business.

New York-based Peiser joined Willis Towers Watson in 2014, bringing 30 years of insurance industry expertise. Before joining the company, he served as president of Wright Specialty Insurance Agency, a full-service managing general agency. From 1986 to 2005, Peiser held various leadership roles at Marsh and one of its predecessor companies, Johnson & Higgins.

Topics Willis Towers Watson
Treating cyber risk as a standalone insurance market holds the promise of unlocking the potential for meaningful coverage for both insurers and buyers, according to a new report by JLT Re and JLT Specialty Limited.

According to the report released at the annual RIMS Conference that is getting underway in Philadelphia, buyers are clamoring for better cyber products to address the growing and complex risks of cyber, while underwriters are being cautious over concerns around unquantified cyber exposures potentially buried in traditional policies.

JLT said it believes considering cyber as a standalone line of business rather than a peril will result in more resilience to cyber risk in the (re)insurance market and this shift will benefit insurance buyers in the form of greater certainty, expertise, capacity and stability from the (re)insurance market in a complex and growing risk area.

Cyber exposures have grown considerably for companies of all sizes and domiciles in recent years, causing business costs to rise sharply, said David Flandro, global head of Analytics, JLT Re. Companies face challenges in understanding their exposures and the type of insurance cover needed as the underlying drivers of cyber risks frequently change, requiring insurers and brokers to explain and quantify these exposures as clearly as possible. Increased coordination and collaboration between key markets will be crucial in meeting evolving demands and unlocking the huge potential associated with cyber for the benefit of companies and carriers alike.

Standalone policies would help eliminate the risk of silent exposures and, ultimately, make the market more resilient.

JLT notes that insurance approaches for cyber risk can differ considerably from one company to the next, a reflection of the view that cyber can either be considered a peril that falls within traditional property/casualty products or a line of coverage in its own right.

JLT views a standalone cyber market as a way to address both buyers changing needs and insurers uncertainty.

As more premiums flow into the standalone market, carriers will be able to evaluate and price risks more accurately as good-quality claims data and sophisticated modelling tools become increasingly accessible, said Sarah Stephens, head of Cyber, Technology and Media E&O for JLT.

This, in turn, will help ensure the market is better placed to trade through future systemic losses by encouraging innovative reinsurance and insurance-linked securities (ILS) structures. 

Stephens said governmental support is also likely to be needed in back-stopping some of the more catastrophic loss scenarios.

She said a more robust cyber market, with comprehensive, standalone policies at its core, would also help eliminate the risk of silent exposures and, ultimately, make the market more resilient to future catastrophic cyber losses.

She said given the strong likelihood of a major cyber event in future, the market needs to prevent a situation where (re)insurance buyers are faced with a dearth of capacity as happened in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Given the complexity of cyber risks, access to reinsurance capital is essential in alleviating the primary markets aggregation burden and supporting the innovative cover needed for future cyber risks, according to JLT.

There is sufficient reinsurance capacity for the current cyber insurance market and increased reinsurer appetite for cyber risk bodes well for long-term growth prospects, according to Chris Bennett, partner, London Market and International Non-Marine, Cyber Treaty for JLT Re. New approaches have emerged in recent years as competition between reinsurance companies has stiffened, making non-proportional structures such as excess-of-loss, stop-loss and aggregate covers as commonplace today as the more traditional quota share arrangements.

The report notes that cyber risk has changed since the first policy was underwritten around the turn of the century and it claims the market now needs to respond decisively to the changing scale and scope of cyber risk. For example, data breaches have become more frequent in the last five years, with the number of reported data breaches globally rising by more than 300 percent.

The report also cites considerable concern over the scalability of the risk, where one cyber event is capable of triggering multiple claims under different policies at national, or even global, levels. As technologies become further embedded in the operations and strategies of organizations across all geographies and sectors, malicious actors will increasingly look to exploit the vulnerabilities associated with innovations such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, machine automation and connected devices.

Market participants have begun to explore how catastrophic cyber risks such as systemic cloud service provider failures or targeted cyber attacks on power grids could impact businesses and risk carriers, said Flandro. These efforts have highlighted the real potential for multi-billion dollar (re)insured pay-outs. Products designed to mitigate such systemic cyber risk accumulations are less readily available, but considerable progress can be achieved by drawing on the expertise that exists in the standalone cyber market.

Topics Cyber Reinsurance Market
Matthew Smith has been named a director within the national sales and marketing team in the Houston office of the national insurance brokerage firm, Crystal & Company. He is responsible for business development and expanding client relationships.

Smith previously served as global account manager for strategic corporate accounts at Nalco Champion, an Ecolab company.

Source: Crystal & Company
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is just about to complete his first full year in the position since taking over for Kevin McCarty last May, and there hasnt been a dull moment since he took the post.

Altmaier, 35, is one of the youngest insurance regulators in the country but his experience with the industry began more than 10 years ago as a young agent with Peggy Browning Insurance Agency in Tallahassee. He began working at OIR in 2008 as an examiner in the property/casualty oversight unit and quickly rose through the ranks to become chief analyst for that department in 2012 and director in 2014. In March, 2015 he was named OIRs deputy commissioner for P/C.

Even with his experience at OIR and as an agent, filling the shoes of McCarty who served 13 years in the position was no easy task, and from workers compensation court rulings to rate increases to the states first hurricanes in 11 years, not to mention assignment of benefits abuse, Altmaiers first full year has been a busy one.

In his first interview with Insurance Journal, conducted at the Florida Chamber of Commerces Insurance Summit in February, Altmaier discussed how he hopes to work with the insurance industry, and how his experience starting off as a young agent in the business prepared him for his current role.

Insurance Journal (IJ): Youve almost completed your first full year as insurance commissioner, though you already worked at OIR so you had experience with the various hot topics. But now, as head of the department, what are some of your priorities?

David Altmaier: I have a view that our insurance consumers should have a marketplace that makes reliable insurance products available to them at affordable prices. My priority, throughout the course of our daytoday regulatory activities, is looking for things that could potentially challenge that notion and determining what we can do to remove that challenge from the market so that consumers can still have access to those productsthats what were trying to accomplish.

IJ: As a former insurance agent who worked for an insurance agency, youre familiar with how the industry works. Have you found that useful in your new role and in working with consumers?

Altmaier: I would go further than useful. I would say that its been invaluable experience in my career as a regulator. The interesting part about working in the insurance agents office is that was my first taste of the insurance industry. My first lessons learned about insurance were learned through the perspective of the consumer. Everything from buying new insurance, whether itd be auto, or home, or life, or longterm care, to filing claims, to paying premiums, to questions about why the rates are going up; all of those things I gained familiarity with through the lens of how a consumer deals with [it].

Thats really framed my perception of our regulatory activities. I always keep in mind while, at the end of the day, its a brief period of time on my resume, its such a critical experience in my opinion, for me to have that perspective as we go through our daytoday activities.

IJ: Do you find yourself now that you are on the consumer side, having to be more protective of the consumers or looking at the industry a little bit more suspiciously?

Altmaier: I dont think that theres a suspicion per se because I think the insurance industry  they have a goal to take care of their consumers. The important thing is to make sure that we maintain a balance between consumer protections and market stability. Obviously, at the end of the day, were going to make the decisions that we believe are in the best interest of the consumers.

We just have to be careful that we dont sacrifice long term consumer protections for short term consumer protectionsWe dont want to cause insurance products to become less reliable, or less available, or less affordable in the long run because of decisions that we make that might have some perceived short term advantage for consumers.

IJ: You said the insurance industrys goal is to take care of consumers. That is a point that is very important and often lost on those outside the industry. How could the industry could do better at making that point known?

Altmaier: Its a good question. I think the best thing that they could do is just make sure that as they operate, especially on the claims side, is to make sure that they are putting their best foot forward.

A saying that we like to banter around in the office is that youre only as good as your worst claim. You have to take care of every single claim that comes in the door because thats why consumers buy insurance products. Its a promise to them that when they have a claim, the companys going to be there to indemnify them for that loss. To make sure that that experience is positive for the consumer, I think, is the most important thing a company can do to demonstrate to its policyholders that they are there to take care of them in their time of need.

IJ: Now that youre in the position of regulator, how do you think that the industry and regulators can be more effective in working together?

Altmaier: We have a very fine balance that we walk. At the end of the day, were a regulator. Its our job to enforce compliance with Florida law. Its our job to make sure consumers are treated fairly. Insurance is just such a different business than others because companies are selling a promise to their consumers. Thats a much different product than you might buy at any other kind of retail store. Its incumbent upon us to make sure that the companies operating in our state are able to make good on those promises when that day comes.

That being said, there are opportunities that even as a regulator, we can partner with the industry to make sure that we understand the challenges that they face in meting out those promises. For example, we can understand a little bit better about what theyre seeing on the claims side, what theyre seeing on the premiums side, on the competition side, and things of that nature.

Ive always believed that as regulators, we make our best decisions when we consider as many different perspectives on those issues as we can so that the decisions we ultimately make are as informed as they can possibly be. That means liaising with the industry. It also means spending a lot of time talking with consumer groups, consumer advocacy groups, agency groups

We spend a lot of time working with the industry, but we also spend a lot of time working with all of the other industry stakeholders. Because even though we only directly regulate the insurance companies, the decisions we make with respect to them impact so many other people that might not necessarily be in our jurisdiction.

I do think theres opportunities for us to partner with the industry to better understand the challenges that they face. Thats also true for the various other stakeholders that are in our marketplace.

IJ: Do you think that the industry unfairly gets a bad reputation?

Altmaier: Sometimes its unfair, and sometimes its fair. At the end of the day, they make for an easy boogeyman. Thats unfortunate, because I know a lot of people in the industry. I know that they all have very good intentions. They all are interested in servicing their consumers and making sure that they have the best experience possible.

Any time you have a bad experience with your claim or things of that nature, its easy to point to the insurance company and say, Theyre just trying to lowball that so that they can make more money at the end of the year. Thats unfortunate.

We, as regulators, strive to do our best to make sure that if theres a perception that thats happening, that we are implementing as many of our resources as we can to make sure that were either addressing it if it is happening or telling the story if its not happening.

Listen to the Podcast Interview with Florida Insurance Commissioner Altmaier

IJ: Im sure you are aware of the insurance industrys talent crisis. What would be your advice to the industry as a young person who started out as an agent and moved on to a different role? What was your experience? What advice would you give them in improving that ability to attract?

Altmaier: I think that giving opportunities to your midlevel, entrylevel positions goes a long way in making them feel part of the team and giving them the appetite to further professionally develop.

I had a lot of opportunities when I joined [OIR] to work on various projects that made me really feel as if I were part of the team and that I was making a difference, not only in our organization but in our state, as a whole. That gave me a sense of drive to continue to develop professionally and to look for the next step and to determine how I could be of better use to the state and to [OIR].

Ive kept that in mind as we have projects that come up at [OIR] in looking for our talented midlevel and entrylevel employees and making sure that they dont feel as if theyre just going through the daytoday operations of reviews and analysis and things of that nature. But giving them challenging work and meaningful work so that they stay engaged.

We spend time at the local universities, introducing folks to insurance. Florida State has a great risk management and insurance program. We get a lot of great talent from FAMU, the other local university. Tapping into that can go a long way in introducing folks into the insurance industry.

I know that before I became involved with the insurance industry, I didnt realize how complex the industry was. I didnt realize all the various ways you can be involved in the insurance industry. Theres legal professionals, accounting professionals, actuarial professionals, government professionals, media professionals, all involved in the insurance industry. Theres so much opportunity. Making sure that message gets out is extraordinarily important.

Topics Florida Legislation Agencies Market
The quibbling continues over how much a South Carolina stripper should be compensated after being shot while on the job, with the states highest court on Wednesday ordering a new hearing in the womans case.

The decision comes two years after Supreme Court justices ruled that LeAndra Lewis was an employee of the club, not an independent contractor, a determination that meant she was entitled to workers compensation benefits.

Lewis was working as an exotic dancer at the Boom Boom Room Studio 54 in Columbia in 2008 when a stray bullet struck her in the abdomen during a fight. According to court records, Lewis suffered internal injuries, resulting in the loss of a kidney.

The club had argued Lewis was simply a contractor and wasnt on its books as an employee. But, the court found in its initial ruling, the club chose Lewis dance music, required her to perform dances for certain customers, and barred Lewis from leaving work early without risk of a fine.

In that 2015 ruling, the high court left it to the Workers Compensation Commission to determine how much of a benefit Lewis should receive, an award ultimately set at $75 a week. The panel, according to justices, provided no documentation for how it arrived at that amount.

The court pointed out it wasnt saying the amount had been too low or too high but rather that the commissions order was devoid of any specific and detailed findings of fact to substantiate the award.

A phone listing for the clubs owners could not be found, and an attorney for the workers compensation panel didnt immediately return a phone message seeking comment on the case.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Workers' Compensation Talent South Carolina
Brush fires are threatening more than 2,000 homes in southwest Florida, and the Florida National Guard is helping to evacuate residents.

Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement Friday that he deployed the guard and five UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters to help fight 100-foot flames in Collier County. Officials said one brush fire had grown to nearly 5,000 acres and was 10 percent contained as of Friday. Roughly 100 deputies went door to door Friday.

Florida Forest Services Clark Ryals said the fire was moving northwest up Inez Road, where it had caught three homes. The News-Press reported an exotic animal sanctuary was also in danger.

Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said he saw propane tanks exploding and buildings burning where the fire affected a nursery, chemical warehouse and sod company.

Topics Florida
West Virginia will receive $5.9 million from the federal government to help fight drug addiction.

U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin announced the grant Thursday from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The funding is aimed at preventing prescription drug addiction and improving access to treatment and recovery services.

A total of $485 million in grants are being awarded to all 50 states. Its the first of two rounds of funding made possible by the 21st Century Cures Act, which Congress passed in December.

Funds were awarded based on rates of overdose deaths and unmet needs for opioid addiction treatment. West Virginia has the nations highest drug overdose death rate by far, with 41.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2015, the latest year available.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Virginia Drugs
To reduce the risks of wildfires, federal officials this spring are planning to conduct controlled burns on more than 9,000 acres of land in Washington state forests.

The Seattle Times reported the fires planned in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is part of a broader effort to step up the pace of intentionally set fires. Such burns can reduce the amount of wood and other materials that can ignite.

This spring, the U.S. Forest Service wants to do 22 controlled burns. The sites range from a 300-acre tract about 30 miles west of Yakima to a 1,600-acre tract 25 miles east of Tonasket, Okanogan County.

Prescribed burns are widely backed by scientists as an important tool for keeping forests healthier and less susceptible to devastating blazes. But the burns can be controversial, in part, because the smoke they emit may impair air quality.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Washington
"We don't want a unified Korean peninsula ... We [also] don't want the North Koreans to cause more trouble than the system can absorb."

Hillary Clinton, 2013, speech to Goldman Sachs

MR. BLANKFEIN: The Japanese -- I was more surprised that it wasn't like that when you think of -- all these different things. It's such a part of who they are, their response to Japan. If you bump into the Filipino fishing boats, then I think you really -- while we're in the neighborhood [i.e., discussing Asia], the Chinese is going to help us or help themselves -- what is helping themselves? North Korea? On the one hand they [the Chinese] wouldn't want -- they don't want to unify Korea, but they can't really like a nutty nuclear power on their border. What is their interests and what are they going to help us do?

MS. CLINTON: Well, I think [Chinese] traditional policy has been close to what you've described. We don't want a unified Korean peninsula, because if there were one South Korea would be dominant for the obvious economic and political reasons.



We [also] don't want the North Koreans to cause more trouble than the system can absorb. So we've got a pretty good thing going with the previous North Korean leaders [Kim Il-sung and Kim Jung-il]. And then along comes the new young leader [Kim Jung-un], and he proceeds to insult the Chinese. He refuses to accept delegations coming from them. He engages in all kinds of both public and private rhetoric, which seems to suggest that he is preparing himself to stand against not only the South Koreans and the Japanese and the Americans, but also the Chinese.

The U.S. prefers that Korea stay divided. If Korea were to unite, South Korea would be in charge, and we don't want South Korea to become any more powerful than it already is.



We also don't want the trouble North Korea causes South Korea to extend beyond the region. We want it to stay within previously defined bounds.



Our arrangement with the two previous North Korean leaders met both of those objectives. North Korea's new leader, Kim Jung-un, is threatening that arrangement.

So the new [Chinese] leadership basically calls him [Kim Jung-un] on the carpet. And a high ranking North Korean military official has just finished a visit in Beijing and basically told [him, as a message from the Chinese]: Cut it out. Just stop it. Who do you think you are? And you are dependent on us [the Chinese], and you know it. And we expect you to demonstrate the respect that your father and your grandfather [Kim Jung-il, Kim Il-sung] showed toward us, and there will be a price to pay if you do not.



Now, that looks back to an important connection of what I said before. The biggest supporters of a provocative North Korea has been the PLA [the Chinese People's Liberation Army]. The deep connections between the military leadership in China and in North Korea has really been the mainstay of the relationship. So now all of a sudden new leadership with Xi and his team, and they're saying to the North Koreans -- and by extension to the PLA -- no. It is not acceptable. We don't need this [trouble] right now. We've got other things going on. So you're going to have to pull back from your provocative actions, start talking to South Koreans again about the free trade zones, the business zones on the border, and get back to regular order and do it quickly.



Now, we don't care if you occasionally shoot off a missile. That's good. That upsets the Americans and causes them heartburn, but you can't keep going down a path that is unpredictable. We don't like that. That is not acceptable to us.



So I think they're trying to reign Kim Jong in. I think they're trying to send a clear message to the North Korean military. They also have a very significant trade relationship with Seoul and they're trying to reassure Seoul that, you know, we're now on the case.

From the U.S. standpoint, the current problem is now on the Chinese to fix.

So they want to keep North Korea within their orbit. They want to keep it predictable in their view. They have made some rather significant statements recently that they would very much like to see the North Koreans pull back from their nuclear program. Because I and everybody else -- and I know you had Leon Panetta here this morning. You know, we all have told the Chinese if they continue to develop this missile program and they get an ICBM that has the capacity to carry a small nuclear weapon on it, which is what they're aiming to do, we cannot abide that. Because they could not only do damage to our treaty allies, namely Japan and South Korea, but they could actually reach Hawaii and the west coast theoretically, and we're going to ring China with missile defense. We're going to put more of our fleet in the area.



So China, come on. You either control them or we're going to have to defend against them.

Why South Korea Will Be The Next Global Hub For Tech Startups



American business has long led the way in high tech density or the proportion of businesses that engage in activities such as Internet software and services, hardware and semiconductors. The US is fertile ground for tech start-ups with access to capital and a culture that celebrates risk taking. Other countries have made their mark on the world stage, competing to be prominent tech and innovation hubs. Israel has been lauded as a start-up nation with several hundred companies getting funded by venture capital each year. A number of these companies are now being acquired by the likes of Apple, Facebook and Google. Finland and Sweden have attracted notice by bringing us Angry Birds and Spotify among others. But a new start-up powerhouse is on the horizon  South Korea. [...]

It's been suggested in comments (initially here ) that Clinton's "we" in her answer to Blankfein's question was a reference to China's policy, not our own. I'm doubtful that's true, but it's an interpretation worth considering. Even so, the U.S. and Chinese policies toward the two Koreas are certainly aligned, and, as Clinton says, "for the obvious economic and political reasons." (That argument was also expressed in comments here .) I therefore think the thrust of the piece below is valid under either interpretation of Clinton's use of "we." GP]Our policy toward North Korea is not what most people think it is. We don't want the North Koreans to go away. In fact, we like them doing what they're doing; we just want less of it than they've been doing lately. If this sounds confusing, it's because this policy is unlike what the public has been led to assume. Thanks to something uncovered by WikiLeaks, the American public has a chance to be unconfused about what's really going on with respect to our policies in Korea.This piece isn't intended to criticize that policy; it may be an excellent one. I just want to help us understand it better.Our source for the U.S. government's actual Korean policy  going back decades really  is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She resigned that position in February 2013 , and on June 4, 2013 she gave a speech at Goldman Sachs with Lloyd Blankfein present (perhaps on stage with her) in which she discussed in what sounds like a very frank manner, among many other things, the U.S. policy toward the two Korea and the relationship of that policy to China.That speech and two others were sent by Tony Carrk of the Clinton campaign to a number of others in the campaign, including John Podesta. WikiLeaks subsequently released that email as part of its release of other Podesta emails (source email with attachments here ). In that speech, Clinton spoke confidentially and, I believe, honestly. What she said in that speech, I take her as meaning truthfully. There's certainly no reason for her to lie to her peers, and in some cases her betters, at Goldman Sachs. The entire speech reads like elites talking with elites in a space reserved just for them.I'm not trying to impugn Clinton or WikiLeaks by writing this  that's not my intention at all. I just want to learn from what she has to say  from a position of knowledge  about the real U.S. policy toward North Korea. After all, if Goldman Sachs executives can be told this, it can't be that big a secret. We should be able to know it as well.The WikiLeaks tweet is above. The entire speech, contained in the attachment to the email, is here . I've reprinted some of the relevant portions below, first quoting Ms. Clinton with some interspersed comments from me. Then, adding some thoughts about what this seems to imply about our approach to and relations with South Korea.The Korea section of the Goldman Sachs speech starts with a discussion of China, and then Blankfein pivots to Korea. Blankfein's whole question that leads to the Clinton quote tweeted by WikiLeaks above (my emphasis throughout):Clinton's whole answer is reprinted in the WikiLeaks tweet attachment (click through to the tweet and expand the embedded image to read it all). The relevant portions, for my purposes, are printed below. From the rest of her remarks, the context of Blankfein's question and Clinton's answer is the threat posed by a North Korean ICBM, not unlike the situation our government faces today.Translation  three points:It appears that China has the same interest in keeping this situation as-is that we do. That is, they want South Korea (and us) to have a Korean adversary, but they don't want the adversary acting out of acceptable bounds  coloring outside the lines laid down by the Chinese (and the U.S.), as it were. Clinton:Clinton ends with a fourth point:Clinton:The four bullets above (three, and then one) give a very clear definition of longstanding U.S. policy toward the two Koreas. I think the only surprise in this, for us civilians, is that the U.S. doesn't want the Korean peninsula unified. So two questions: Why not? And, do the South Koreans know this? I'll offer brief answers below.South Korea is one of the great emerging nations in East Asia, one of the "Asian tigers," a manufacturing and economic powerhouse that's lately been turning into a technological and innovative powerhouse as well.For example, one of just many, from Forbes In other words, South Korea has leaped beyond being a country that keeps U.S. tech CEOs wealthy  it's now taking steps that threaten that wealth itself. And not just in electronics; the biological research field  think cloning  is an area the South Koreans are trying to take a lead in as well.It's easy to understand Ms. Clinton's  and the business-captured American government's  interest in making sure that the U.S. CEO class isn't further threatened by a potential doubling of the capacity of the South Korean government and economy. Let them (the Koreans) manufacture to their heart's content, our policy seems to say; but to threaten our lead in billionaire-producing entrepreneurship ... that's a bridge too far.Again, this is Clinton speaking, I'm absolutely certain, on behalf of U.S. government policy makers and the elites they serve:As to whether the South Koreans know that this is our policy, I'd have to say, very likely yes. After all, if Clinton is saying this to meetings of Goldman Sachs executives, it can't be that big a secret. It's just that the South Korea leadership knows better than the North Korean leader how to handle it.GP

Labels: China, Gaius Publius, Hillary Clinton, North Korea, South Korea, wikileaks
Atlanta, GA, April 24, 2017  Breckenridge Insurance Services announced insurance executive Thomas Elder, AU, ASLI, has joined the company as senior vice president/senior broker. Eldera 17-year veteran of the specialized residential and commercial property investor, real estate owned (REO) and lender-placed risk management industrywill help further the strategic offerings of the organization as a key team member.

Tom is highly regarded for his sound industry insights and proven relationship building skills. He understands the complexities surrounding property transactions and compliance issues and draws from his lending experience to achieve results, stated Michael Eichhorn, president of the brokerage division.

Prior to Breckenridge, Elder successfully led the REO/lender-placed Insurance program at All Risks Ltd. as program manager. His background also includes having built three successful companies with multiple branches serving the traditional and reverse mortgage markets from loan origination to strategic development of new products and services. He began in the industry as a mortgage broker and quickly rose to manager and has earned several career accolades for top sales and team leadership throughout his career.

Breckenridge Insurance Group CEO Tracey Carragher added, The depth and range of knowledge Tom has in this industry is impressive. We are pleased he will be collaborating with our entire team to help support our valued agent partners, property investors, lenders and servicers.

Elder commented, Im excited to be a part of Breckenridge as its a dynamic company and culture with talented team members. To help drive its growth and create new offerings to serve clients better in the near future is an attractive opportunity indeed and Im glad to be here.

Elder can be reached at telder@breckis.com or 443.903.0010.

About Breckenridge Insurance Services:

Breckenridge Insurance Services is a national wholesale commercial insurance brokerage firm with more than three decades of experience in supporting agents and their clients. Focused on building long-term partnerships, the experienced brokerage group and its Breckenridge Elevation Authorities contract binding team offers competitive coverage and consultation for a variety of standard and hard-to-place specialty risks. Breckenridge Insurance Services has eleven offices across the United States and continues to strategically expand its team and presence with more than 100 top-rated domestic and international carrier partners.

About Breckenridge Insurance Group:

Breckenridge Insurance Group, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is an international specialty wholesale insurance broker, program manager, managing general agent (MGA) and insurance services provider. The company offers access to diverse range of commercial insurance and financial services products to businesses and professional services firms in a variety of industries. The company serves independent insurance agents, brokers, and legal and financial institutions throughout North America by way of Blue River Underwriters, OSC, Breckenridge Insurance Services, Breckenridge Elevation Authorities contract binding group and InSpecialty innovative insurance solutions. For more information, please visit www.breckgrp.com or call 855.728.8822. CA Insurance License #0G13592

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LIstat ha rivisto al rialzo la crescita del primo trimestre del 2017, con il Pil che balza allo 0,4% sui precedenti tre mesi e all1,2% su base annua. Le prime indicazioni dellIstituto, diffuse a meta maggio, davano il Prodotto interno lordo a +0,2% a livello congiunturale e a +0,8% in termini tendenziali. La revisione, a sorpresa, e dovuta, spiegano dallIstat, allintegrazione nei dati della buona performance dei servizi.

LIstat rileva che il primo trimestre del 2017 ha avuto due giornate lavorative in piu sia rispetto al trimestre precedente, sia rispetto al primo trimestre del 2016. La variazione acquisita per il 2017 e pari a 0,9%.

Rispetto al trimestre precedente, i principali aggregati della domanda nazionale hanno registrato una crescita dello 0,5% dei consumi finali nazionali e un calo dello 0,8% gli investimenti fissi lordi. Le importazioni sono aumentate dell1,6% e le esportazioni dello 0,7%. La domanda nazionale al netto delle scorte ha contribuito per 0,3 punti percentuali alla crescita del pil (0,3 i consumi delle famiglie e delle Istituzioni Sociali Private (Isp), 0,1 la spesa della pubblica amministrazione (Pa) e -0,1 gli investimenti fissi lordi).

Anche la variazione delle scorte ha contribuito positivamente alla variazione del Pil (0,4 punti percentuali), mentre lapporto della domanda estera netta e stato negativo per 0,2 punti percentuali. Si registrano andamenti congiunturali positivi per il valore aggiunto di agricoltura (+4,2%) e servizi (+0,6%), mentre quello dellindustria risulta negativo (-0,3%).

#Istat Riviste al rialzo le stime per il 2017. LItalia cresce piu del previsto e limpegno continua ha commentato su Twitter il premier Paolo Gentiloni.

Per Matteo Renzi i dati di ieri e di oggi dellIstat dimostrano che con la flessibilita ottenuta nei Mille Giorni e con le riforme fatte, leconomia riprende fiato. Sulla sua pagina Fb il segretario del Pd parla di risultati figli degli anni di lavoro serio e rigoroso che abbiamo alle spalle.

Con la revisione delle stime sul Pil lItalia recupera anche a livello europeo. Il +0,4% congiunturale e il +1,2% tendenziale non vedono piu lItalia isolata, fanalino di coda. LIstat infatti, diffondendo i conti trimestrali, riporta anche i dati relativi agli altri Paesi. Svetta la Germania (+0,6% e +2,9% su anno), ma la Francia fa come noi a livello congiunturale (+0,4%) e peggio su base annua (+1,0%). Restiamo pero sotto la media dellEurozona (+0,5% e +1,7% annuo).
Point Roberts, WA - April 24, 2017 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a global news source covering the tech sector, releases a sector close up on tracking devices and GPS stocks.

ABI Research forecasts that the GPS tracking device market will surpass $3.5 billion by 2019 but with new technology and applications coming to market, that number may be on the rise.

From tracking your cars, your phones, your pets, loved ones and the things you love -- the tracking device market is changing lives.

Recent tracking device companies in the news include Gopher Protocol (GOPH), Semtech Corporation (quote) and Globalstar, Inc. (quote).

In a recent interview, Danny Rittman CTO of Gopher Protocol Inc. (GOPH), a development-stage company specializing in real-time, heuristic-based, mobile technologies, talked about how their technology can potentially save lives.

Their tracking technology is now at the core of two products about to come to market: Guardian Patch and Guardian Orb Pet Tracker.

On April 11th the Company announced a successful field test in the Bay area with the Guardian Orb Pet Tracker.

Here is the interview: http://www.investorideas.com/Audio/Podcasts/040417-GOPH.mp3

On April 19th Semtech Corporation (quote), a leading supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, announced that Maxtrack, a leader in vehicle tracker manufacturing has chosen Semtech's LoRa devices and wireless RF technology as the main platform for its tracking solution that helps recover stolen vehicles and cargo.

The tracking system has been introduced in metropolitan areas of Brazil where LoRaWAN networks are currently being deployed. The aftermarket tracking solution is currently a preferred technology for insurance companies to recover vehicles as they plan implementation in mid-2017.

SPOT, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. (quote) and a leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, just announced that its SPOT family of products has surpassed a milestone of initiating 5,000 rescues around the world since its launch in 2007. These rescues have taken place on six continents and in over 89 countries.

Recent rescue Connor Gallagher was solo hiking in Colorado at an elevation of 11,000' and activated the S.O.S. button on his SPOT Gen3 device when he began to see the early signs of hypothermia.

"Without the SPOT Gen3, I'm not sure if I would be here today and I am extremely thankful for the West Elk Mountain Rescue team that helped me," said Connor Gallagher. "I highly recommend SPOT to anyone who is planning to head out on a long trail. I am forever thankful for the little orange block that saved my life."

Investors can follow other GPS and tracking device stocks by creating a personal list to watch at: Directory of GPS Stocks: http://www.investorideas.com/TSS/stock_list.asp#gps

About Guardian Pet Tracker http://www.guardianpettracker.com/

The Guardian Pet Tracker (Sphere Internal name - the "Sphere") system is a derivative technology of Gopher's Guardian Patch technology. The Sphere is designed to provide its users with local tracking capability using a re-chargeable/replaceable battery source. The objective of Gopher's current efforts, is to deliver for testing in a pre-designated area, a few mobile units of the Guardian pet devices along with a base station, test results and eventual manufacturing capability for both the mobile and the base unit.

About Guardian Patch

The Guardian Patch (the "Patch"), potentially arriving in consumer markets in 2017, is a unique location technology that works with or without GPS. The Patch is a "stick-on" device that provides its users with the capability to protect and track objects, a loved-one or even a pet, through a mobile application. Download the Patch app, register your Patch, and track anything that you own on your mobile device or on our designated website. Register the Patches of your family members and friends to receive alerts in the event of an emergency. Peel the Patch off and the Patch acts as a beacon, sending out a signal and notifying anyone who has registered the user's Patch.

About Gopher Protocol Inc.

Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB: GOPH) ("Gopher" and the "Company") (http://gopherprotocol.com) is a development-stage company developing a real-time, heuristic-based mobile technology. Upon development, the technology will consist of a smart microchip, mobile application software and supporting software that will run on a server. The system contemplates the creation of a global network. Gopher believes this will be the first system that is developed using a human, heuristic-based analysis engine. Since the core of the system will be its advanced microchip technology that will be capable of being installed in any mobile device worldwide, Gopher expects that this will result in an internal, private network between all mobile devices utilizing the microchip by providing mobile technology for computing power enhancement, advanced mobile database management/sharing and other additional mobile features.

Corporate Site: http://gopherprotocol.com

Press page/ press kit - http://gopherprotocol.com/?page_id=228

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Cleantech and Climate Change Podcast  Interview with Founder and CEO of Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Discussing Recent Acquisitions, Rollout and Manufacturing of EV Line of Products

Vancouver, Kelowna, Delta, BC - November 7, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a global news source and leading investor resource covering cleantech and renewable energy stocks issues a new edition of the Cleantech and Climate Change Podcast, featuring an interview with Mr. David Michery, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Electric Vehicle Company, Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN).

Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea

Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication

San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application.

Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea

Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer

NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents.

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Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures $3.8M Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA from Italy

CAVE CREEK, Az. - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-based, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured a new $3.8 million USD order for its newly acquired, non-nicotine based vape product, HYLA from customers in Italy.

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A founder of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland has died aged 82.

Fred Heatley was beaten and arrested as a march was stopped by police on Duke Street in Derry in October 1968.

A few months later he suffered abuse as protesters were ambushed by a mob armed with rocks at Burntollet.

He was one of a number of people who parted ways from the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) in 1969 when it appeared that the organisation was getting too close to those wishing to pursue an armed struggle and shifting from its non-sectarian origins, a family notice said.

It added: "As a pacifist, Fred was not willing to condone the use of violence."

Mr Heatley, as secretary of an interim group, issued invitations to a meeting in Belfast in 1967 which saw the foundation of NICRA.

This meeting was attended by representatives from a wide range of political parties, the trade union movement, residents' groups and civil liberty groups.

Those present included Austin Currie and the late Gerry Fitt.

Mr Heatley became treasurer of the NICRA and sat on its steering committee along with a group including former Stormont MP Paddy Devlin.

His contribution, and the achievement of "one man, one vote" for the people of Northern Ireland was recognised by then Irish president Mary McAleese when he was invited to Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin in 2009.

As a writer his most noted publications were the histories of St Joseph's and St Patrick's churches in Belfast and a biography of United Irishman Henry Joy McCracken.

A founder of the West Belfast Historical Society he was also instrumental in the establishment of guided bus tours of Belfast, acting as guide on the very first tours during the 1990s.

As a former professional boxer he wrote extensively on the sport over many decades.

He is survived by his sister, three daughters, two sons, twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Roselawn Crematorium on Tuesday.
As expected, members of the movements main representative body  the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU)  voted in favour of the move at its annual meeting at the weekend in CityWest in Dublin.

Members have voted to make funding available for a centralised support structure, which would take the administrative burden associated with mortgage lending. The ILCU has been working on a mortgage lending model that meets Central Bank approval for some time and the new support structure is expected to be in place by the end of this year.
His Republic of Work facility finally opened officially this month, years after he first had a vision of what the future of workspace should be.

Along with Dave Ronayne, in partnership with Bank of Ireland, Mr Cahalane opened the 15,500 sq ft facility on Corks South Mall, which consists of an airport lounge-style business centre for casual meetings and networking, a state-of-the-art meetings and events space, as well as a co-working space with 160 desks available on a 30 days no-contract basis.

People pay a monthly fee for membership and all the overheads  like electricity, connectivity, and photocopying  are taken care of.

There are boardrooms, seminar rooms, teamwork and brainstorming rooms  all designed for small, medium and large business to get work done. From the entrepreneurs to the self-employed contractor to the team from the multinational, DC Cahalane wants everyone in on his vision for the future of work.

My family background is in architecture and I always had the feeling that physical space can drive business. I asked myself what kind of environment would be most productive for the most people at one time.

"Youve seen it in Google and the like  if you give people nice environments, they work harder. Im not talking about just pool tables and that kind of thing, its more about staff getting the sense that owners care about them. Its the environment, said Mr Cahalane.

I thought of creating an office space where you get big and small companies in here, folks working for themselves. People from different businesses all working alongside each other with facilities that suited everyone. Tradespeople, the beauty industry, banking, insurance, IT, retail, you name it. Thats the giant experiment.

DC Cahalane as Republic of Work business innovation hub officially opened in Cork city centre.

Cork is on the cusp of something very special, Mr Cahalane insists. The fusion of IT, business, retail and social life is on the brink of coming together in the next decade if done with thought and precision from all stakeholders in the city, from business and political leaders to the general public.

He cites old friend and work colleague Pat Phelan, the Cork founder of Trustev who sold the business to American giant TransUnion for tens of millions of dollars, as evidence.

People like Pat Phelan will come and want to help Cork succeed. That man has lived in the greatest city in the world, New York, yet he wants to come home to Cork. That tells you something, he said.

Mr Cahalane has worked with countless companies and start-ups for more than a decade, a highly coveted gun-for-hire that helped transform the fortunes of those he has joined. Trustev and the much heralded Teamwork.com in Blackpool, Cork, are two of the entities he helped take to the next level. It was time he focused on his own vision of the modern workspace, he said.

I had worked for myself as a consultant in various industries and its lonely, its very hard to get offices, and involves a lot of working from your kitchen table. I contacted Pat Phelan years ago because I had googled co-working spaces in Cork. Thats how we became friends.

"I was feeling the effects of working on my own. There was no camaraderie, no Christmas parties, as soon as the contract was over you were out of there. So thats what the Republic of Work is  a physical space to help businesses get better, as well as a feelgood place to work. The connections, the networking, assisting others.

"It can be a carpenter who wants to utilise IT, it can be a multinational who wants a sales team in the city centre. It can be anyone. Yes, we are a commercial entity who wants to make it financially successful but it is bigger than that. Its about putting Cork at the forefront of the changes we are seeing.

Republic of Work will run start-your-own-business courses, host media training seminars, host the Built In Cork monthly events where speakers like Dan and Linda Kiely of Voxpro and Colm Lyons of Realex will share what they have learned as they built their businesses.

He is looking forward to sharing the vision at it@corks Tech Summit in City Hall on Thursday, May 4.

Ill be chairing a panel on the future of work and there will be some formidable visionaries speaking. it@cork has come on leaps and bounds since its inception and it is remarkable that it is run by volunteers who all share the same passion for Cork and what it can be.

"The Tech Summit is the best put-on event in Cork, in my opinion. I still dont think the people of Cork fully grasp just how big we can be in IT. The worlds biggest companies are here to stay. If we get the next five to 10 years right, the possibilities are endless, he said.
The timing of the upswing is fortuitous for the thousands of Irish businesses who rely heavily on the UK market and can expect to see disruption to their customer base as the Brexit process grinds its way to a conclusion.

The statistics tend to lag the reality and hence the upswing is most likely already well on its way. As regards the outlook for exports, the latest available sentiment indicators show continued strong growth in international markets  the Purchasing Managers Index for the manufacturing and services sectors both point to a pronounced expansion in new export orders during the first two months of 2017.

As was evident over the past few years, Irish export growth is expected to exceed that of global demand in 2017 and 2018. The basis of the over-achieving on world markets, according to the ESRI  Irelands economic think tank  is the strong specialised position of Irelands goods exporters, both food and non-food, in fast growth sectors, as well as the increasing success of services exporters in the most dynamic social media and cloud software sectors.

The volume of services exports from Ireland has grown rapidly over the past decade, moving Ireland into the top-10 globally, according to the WTO, which places the country as a major-league player.

The fact that demand for services tends to be far less volatile on international markets than manufacturing and agricultural product demand will also be a welcome stabilising influence as we try to counter the fall-out from the Brexit negotiations.

However, the ESRI warns that switching from the UK market to other markets will not be easy. Its report points to the enormity of the task of shifting a significant portion of the current 49% of food exports and 42% of non-food exports currently sold to the UK, into a new market.

Perhaps the most crucial finding in the report is the indication that one-in-four companies usually fail to succeed when entering into a new market and of the companies that succeed in staying in the new market, one third of them have to drop existing product lines and introduce new products.

The think-tank advises that critical to the success of Irish exporters in moving away from the UK market will be their ability to handle continuous churning of products and markets, and the cost associated with this process.

The freedom with which services exports move across borders globally should enable a continued uninterrupted flow of the services from Ireland to the UK regardless of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

As services exports have been the fastest growing sector of our international trade for the past decade, the low likelihood of being impacted by disruption in supplying the UK after Brexit is important for both companies trading in the sector as well as the economy as a whole.

However, the ESRI report points to very low export participation rates amongst services businesses, with a miniscule 1.5% of Irish-owned services businesses actually exporting. The success of the sector primarily comes from the large foreign-owned sector and a few superstars in the Irish-owned sector.

There are many lessons for both Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia  the states primary trade promoting agencies  in the ESRI report which demonstrates the risky nature of exporting, particularly when it comes to entering a new market.

Of particular note is the ESRI comment that even for experienced exporters, the probability of a new product becoming established in a new market is not very high.

From the Governments perspective, the need for substantial financial support to assist Irish-owned businesses currently locked into the UK market, to move into new markets and to develop new products essential to succeeding in these new markets, is crucial if we are to avoid a major shock to the economy in the wake of Brexit.
Britains Prime Minister, Theresa May, has moved with lightning speed to call a General Election less than two years after her predecessor David Cameron defied pundits and pollsters by securing an overall majority for the Tories in the House of Commons.

According to the conventional wisdom, the Conservative Party is on course to win a much larger majority.

It is the view of many in the financial markets that Mrs May will then have the authority to negotiate a deal with the EU that takes proper account of economic realities.

As The Economist put it: A bigger majority would leave Mrs May free to strike sensible compromises.

The alternative is really too hard to contemplate. We reach the March 2019 deadline with no deal in place and a breakdown in talks.

The economies of both Britain and the remaining EU 27  and Ireland above all - face being crippled.

A new transitional regime must clearly be put in place to allow time for a new relationship to evolve.

The assumption is that with a substantial majority, the prime minister will face down the europhobes and Union Jack wavers, but what if her majority is extremely large and her parliamentary party has a much larger contingent of nationalists, many of them elected in constituencies in the North of England and the Midlands?

In 1977, Jack Lynch won a big majority only to be gradually undermined by restive and under-employed backbench TDs.

Sterling has strengthened considerably, to the relief of many in business with currency and commercial exposures.

Certainly, the prime minister is seeking her own mandate while the going appears good, hoping to secure the locks on No 10 Downing Street until 2022, by which stage she qualifies for a bus pass.

The British economy has outperformed expectations since the June 23 referendum vote, but there are signs of a downturn.

Headline retail sales have dropped by 1.4% in the first three months of 2017 and by almost 2% in the month of March alone. The mood music has altered.

Perhaps, this in turn will be followed by a more sober approach to the Brexit talks as gung-ho attitudes gradually moderate in the face of dawning economic realities.

Writing just ahead of the results of the first round of Frances presidential election, one is acutely aware of just how high the stakes now are just across the water.

The Daily Express once produced a famous headline; Fog in Channel. Continent cut off.

But just how cut off is mainland Europe these days? Political events in France could set off tremors across the eurozone.

Alternatively, they could have a calming effect, at least temporarily. But few would bet on stability.

Membership of the eurozone brought catastrophe to Ireland, but in recent years we have experienced stability as a result of low interest rates.

A renewed existential crisis in the zone would be accompanied by raised interest rates as question marks about peripheral countries with huge levels of borrowing  sovereign, corporate and personal  are raised.

The centrist and centre right candidates promise a degree of certainty, but are committed to reform.

A populist victory in the second round of the election could trigger meltdown in financial markets, but people should be aware that the traditional parties could score strongly in upcoming legislative elections.

All of which leaves investors rather puzzled right now.

The rolling elections have had the effect of stifling serious comment on the future of the EU, but such discussion must be had.

The French centrist candidate, Emmanuel Macron, has suggested that such a debate on the EUs future needs to take place quickly as Brexit imposes a calendar on us.

He is calling for a public consultation across the union on its future and indicates that he favours establishing a separate finance ministry and budget for the eurozone.

Any such move would require deep-seated reforms within France.

Macron has been cultivating German political contacts but knows that the Germans remain reluctant to commit to any arrangement that involves pooled funding, largely at the Germans own expense.

In an address last week in memory of Michael Sweetman, the man who led the campaign for Irish entry into the European Community in 1972, Education and Skills Minister, Richard Bruton, warned that the EUs future could no longer be taken for granted .. Peoples faith has weakened.

The EUs origins lie in a desire on the part of people after World War Two to turn swords into ploughshares.

However, this idea had lost traction, in todays world. We now had a new precariat, people living exposed lives and there is a swing to authoritarian values.

In his view, there are flaws in the democratic design of the EU. He also questioned the focus on fiscal rectitude evident in recent years. We have spent the past five years projecting the EU as a model of austerity.

However, technological change sweeping across the continent has altered the ground rules. One result is the gig economy with eroded worker rights. Another is the development of echo chambers of populism.

In Richard Brutons view, there is a need for systems of solidarity and for an easing in the rules that prevent a country like Ireland from committing adequate resources to investment projects likely to address the countrys long-term needs.

It will be interesting to see whether space is allowed for such serious debate to take place, or whether events will simply gather a momentum of their own, imposing a new reality, altogether different than that envisaged by the centrist backers of the European project.
In an historic move that has far-reaching consequences for the State, 64% of assembly members yesterday voted for terminations without restriction to be made lawful  and said TDs and senators should now legislate for the change.

The randomly selected group of 99 people, who were chaired by Supreme Court judge Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, had on Saturday recommended amending the eighth amendment instead of repealing it entirely.

However, in subsequent votes on yesterday almost two-thirds said abortions should be decriminalised, with almost half (48%) recommending the right to terminate pregnancy without restriction in the first three months of pregnancy, and 44% saying this should be extended to 22 weeks.

The assembly members also voted to legalise terminations for 13 separate reasons  including rape, foetal abnormalities, and socio-economic issues  with almost three quarters of members (72%) saying there should be no distinction between the physical and mental health of the pregnant woman.

Their findings will be included in a report which will also include dissenting voices due to be submitted to the Dail by late June, with Ms Justice Laffoy saying the recommendations have at a minimum called for a change to the status quo.

Should the Dail and Seanad accept the recommendations, a constitutional referendum will be needed as soon as early next year.

In the first ballot on Saturday, 87% of members said Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution, known as the Eighth Amendment, should not be retained in full, with 56% later saying the amendment should be changed or replaced.

In a third ballot, 57% voted to replace it with a provision authorising the Oireachtas to address abortion and any rights of the unborn and pregnant women.

78% voted to allow abortion where there was a risk to the physical health of the woman, with 89% saying this should happen in cases of rape and fatal foetal abnormality.

Senior Government officials said last night the political earthquake caused by the Citizens Assembly means an abortion referendum is almost certain early next year.

Before this happens, Ms Justice Laffoys report will be examined by a specially convened 20-member Oireachtas committee, which will propose legislative changes by autumn.

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will allow a free vote on decisions. Fine Gael chief whip, Regina Doherty said it would be unwise for the committee to ignore the Citizens Assembly.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin confirmed that Fianna Fail members would have a free vote: Lets see whats possible and not possible, and then decide subsequently then on any referendums that emerge.

Responding, the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Eamon Martin, said deliberately and intentionally taking the life of an innocent person, whatever their state or stage of life, was always gravely morally wrong.

The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment said the assembly members had told politicians what they should have known all along.

Coalition convenor Ailbhe Smyth said the recommendations represented a real step towards ending the abortion ban and that politicians had to act quickly.
The EU agriculture commissioner said he expects Taoiseach Enda Kenny to step down very soon despite criticising his opponents for failing to recognise his statesman status.

Speaking on RTE Radios This Week programme weeks after the Dail deal on Irish Water Mr Hogan defended the record of the utility which was set up while he was environment minister.
She has also campaigned to have April 26 ratified as an official Chernobyl Day.

The date, she suggests, should be honoured and commemorated.

She said it would be a day of renewal and recommitment to discover new means, new initiatives to alleviate further, the suffering of the people in the affected stricken lands.

Within hours of the catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 31 people died.

But the effects of the explosion, which released eight tonnes of radioactive material into the atmosphere, are still being felt today in Ukraine.

Last year, Ms Roche, who had set up a Cork charity to aid the victims of Chernobyl, addressed a special session of the United Nations General Assembly.

As a result of her representations, the UN, in December last, designed this Wednesday as Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

This week, on the 31st anniversary of the accident, the global community will be welcomed to come together, for the first time, by the UN, to commemorate the disaster and remember the generations of victims who have been, and will be, affected for years to come.

As initiators of the day of commemoration, the Cork-based charity  the only UN-recognised NGO working in the Chernobyl affected regions  is co-organising a photo exhibition and round-table discussion at the United Nations headquarters in New York which is due to be attended by the United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres.

Meanwhile, Ms Roche called on Irish families and children to take a moment of remembrance on this weeks historic, inaugural remembrance day.

She has emphasised: Sadly, the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident that weve witnessed since 1986 is not something that has gone away.

While the accident itself is a thing of the past, Chernobyl remains an unfolding tragedy that will affect the stricken regions for generations to come.

Chernobyl is forever, she said.

There has always been a special place in Irelands heart for the children of Chernobyl and Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is our legacy to the victims of the accident.

Also on Wednesday, President Higgins is expected to release a statement supporting the Irish-initiated Day of Remembrance.

Figures from the Irish music industry such as Paul Noonan, Gavin Class and Maria Doyle Kennedy are gathering for a once-off special concert in Kilkenny to mark the disaster and raise vital funds for Chernobyl Children Internationals programmes in Belarus and Ukraine.
LIMERICK State solicitor Michael Murray refers to his office on OConnell St as his panic room.

Behind the large desk where he sits, the large window is made of bullet proof glass.

Two stainless steel doors separate his office from the reception area.

Over the years criminal gangs have targeted both him and his office as he is seen as the enemy by highly dangerous and volatile individuals.

Rigorous security measures had to be put in place for him, his office and his home.

In his role as State solicitor, he has played a central part in putting many dangerous members of Limericks notorious feuding gangs behind bars, where they are serving long sentences.

As he prepares to retire on Friday, Mr Murray warns of a handful of dangerous people who have been involved in the feud and have managed to keep themselves one remove from the law.

An undercurrent still remains, he says, and it would only take a spark to re-ignite the whole nightmare.

Michael Murray, who turns 70 next month, was appointed State Solicitor for Limerick City in 1980.

Since then, every garda file on major investigations in the city which require directions from the DPP has been sent to his office first for final inspection before being sent on to Dublin.

He and his office have been the targets of some of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

A member of the Garda ERU holds an MP7 at a special sitting of Limerick court in 2008. Picture: Press 22

The first attack involved the firebombing of his office.

That was in 1994 and the damage was so bad, I had to relocate to another office for 12 months while the repairs were carried out.

Two years later, another fire bomb attack was contained due to new security measures put in place after the earlier incident.

Moving around the streets of a city where he is well known, meant he was an easy target.

I have been assaulted on the street twice, he said.

Once I was punched in the stomach and another time, a person set on me in a very nasty way. My car was vandalised on numerous occasions.

"I had to alter my social life as there were some places I could not go at night, places I used to frequent to meet rugby friends.

One area I used to go regularly just became too problematic. Verbal attacks have been directed at me too many times to remember.

In the late 1990s when the feud began to escalate, he recalls the edgy tensions in the city which began to impact on his life.

At that time due to security concerns, special arrangements with regard my residence were put in place and I would have been visited up to four times each night by garda patrol cars which would drive by and check that everything was ok.

Special security arrangements were also put in place at my office. The big window behind me is bullet proof and the two doors leading into my office are made of steel. Essentially my office is a panic room.

If somebody came with the intention of attacking me, they would not be able to get in. I had to change routines and I was basically subject to a security regime for a number years. I had to be security conscious.

The Moose bar, Cathedral Place, Limerick, where Eddie Ryan was shot dead in November 2000. The killing sparked a vicious spiralling of the feud between rival gangs in the city. Picture: Kieran Clancy

Recalling the spiralling of the feud following the murder of Eddie Ryan in the Moose Bar in November 2000, Mr Murray said: The situation became extremely serious. The level of savagery was hard to fathom. As well as what was being done by the gangs, it impacted on the image of the city.

"In the late 1990s, there was a change in the character of the violence that was used and it became a lot more vicious and there was a greater willingness to take life.

With each atrocity, it was followed by something that was more outrageous. There was no limit and there seemed to be no depths these gangs would not be prepared to go to maim, disfigure and kill.

There are still five or six very dangerous figures, he warns, some who were deeply involved in the feud, who are still involved in major crime at a national and international level.

They have the ability to still conduct their business so they are one remove from the action, and very hard to catch. Some were central figures in the feud, he said.

In the courts, he said a big turning point was the change in the law which allowed statements given to gardai to be allowed in evidence.

This move by the government came when notorious gang criminal, Liam Keane walked free from the Central Criminal Court giving a V sign to photographers after his trial for the murder of a young man collapsed.

A number of State witnesses who gave statements to gardai refused to back these up when they went into the witness box. It led to the trial judge Mr Justice Paul Carney referring to their collective amnesia and sparked public outrage.

Mr Murray said: At the time, I was a bit sceptical about how effective this legislation would be, but I was proved wrong and it has proved to be a very useful tool, particularly where there has been corroborative evidence.

While relative peace has returned to Limerick, he warns an undercurrent still exists.

It wouldnt take much of a spark to kick it off again. There is an absolute necessity for the gardai to have the resources and for vigilance. The gardai in Limerick have proved that given the resources they are well able to combat whatever is out there and that will continue to be the case.

Mr Murray said great credit must go to the gardai of the Limerick division in making sure they kept pace and kept on top of major very challenging investigations, which resulted in successful prosecutions and long sentences.

Between the gardai, the State Solicitors office, the State prosecutors, we managed to get all the ducks in a row ensuring people were brought to trial in an expedient manner. But there can be no room for complacency and the minister for justice is fully aware of that.

His job was greatly helped by the meticulous way garda investigations in Limerick are carried out and the thorough files handed to him for evaluation.

Files of a very high standard. Remarkably, we never have had a complaint about garda misbehaviour through all of these very difficult times.

The performance by gardai in major investigations has been first class and this has been recognised within the garda force. A stint in Limerick is viewed as a very positive inclusion in a CV when it comes to promotion.

He said the State prosecutors in Limerick have also been a key part of the fight against serious crime in the city.

They include his brother, John who later went on to become chief justice, Gerry Tynan, Michael McMahon, the late Brendan Nix and the current prosecutor, John OSullivan.

Mr Murray said: It has been a great team.

Looking back on his years as the highest profile, most threatened State solicitor in the land, he remarked: I did not sign up for what I got. But it has been interesting to say the least.

"I would like to think that I, along with many others, have played a part in the peaceful prosperity we now see today in my native city.

Mr Murray will continue in private practice.
In an exclusive interview with the Irish Examiner ahead of his retirement, Limerick State Solicitor Michael Murray said there is no room for complacency and gardai need to be resourced to contain potential gang violence.

There are still five or six very dangerous figures, some who were deeply involved in the feud and who are now involved in major crime at national and international level. They have the ability to still conduct their business. They are one remove from the action and very hard to catch, he said.

An undercurrent from the era of gang warfare still exists, he said.

It wouldnt take much of a spark to kick it off again. There is an absolute necessity for the gardai [in Limerick] to have the resources and for vigilance.

"The gardai in Limerick have proved that given the resources they are well able to combat whatever is out there and that continues to be the case, he said.

Due to fears for his safety arising from the citys murderous gang feud, gardai had bullet-proof windows and steel doors placed in his office. He refers to the structurally reinforced office as the panic room.

Mr Murray was to the fore of the successful prosecutions which led to most of the leading gang members being handed down long sentences  many were put away for life.

As a result he became a hate figure among feared criminals and his private practice office where he works from on OConnell Street was firebombed twice.

He was subjected to personal assaults, his car was frequently vandalised, and Garda patrol cars visited the area where he resides up to four times each night.

Mr Murray said in the 1990s there was a dramatic change in the kind of violence that engulfed the city.

The situation became extremely serious. The level of savagery was hard to fathom with a greater willingness to take life. With each atrocity, it was followed by something that was more outrageous. There was no limit and there seemed to be no depths those gangs would not be prepared to go to maim, disfigure and kill.

As he prepares to retire after 27 years later this week as state solicitor, Mr Murray said: I did not sign up for what I got. But it has been an interesting experience, to say the least. I would like to think that I, along with others, played a part in the peaceful prosperity we now see today in my native city.
Cash is a hard habit to break. Last November, Indias prime minister, Narendra Modi, introduced a surprise ban on the countrys largest currency bills, 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, worth 7.15 and 14.30, respectively.

Modi was elected on an anti-corruption platform, and this shock measure was intended to counter a range of illegal activities, including counterfeiting, corruption, terrorism, and primarily tax dodging, which is rife in India.

Its estimated that for every 100 paid in tax, another 200 is owed.

The government hoped that by removing 86% of the cash in the economy, they could draw huge swathes of the black economy out into the light.

On the stroke of midnight on November 7, those 500 and 1,000 rupee notes lost their legal tender status. To replace them, people had to go to the bank. But heres the kicker.

If you turned up with more than 250,000 rupees (about 3,550) you had to say why you had so much, and prove youd paid tax on it.

If you couldnt, you would have had to stump up twice the outstanding tax liability.

While its not yet clear whether or not the measure has worked, it has thrown the domestic economy into turmoil.

India is wholly dependent on cash just to tick. Between 90% and 98% of transactions are cash-based. The equivalent figure in Ireland is 63%, in Western Europe its 68%.

As soon as the measure was announced, huge, snaking queues formed outside banks.

People rushed to convert their cash holdings. ATMs ran out of money, and the resulting cashflow crisis brought sections of society to a halt.

There have been reports of people being unable to buy food, while farmers havent been able to complete planting, because they cannot access the cash to buy seeds.

Weddings  frequently as elaborate as they are expensive in India  had to be postponed as there was no cash to pay for them. When the figures are eventually released, growth in the last quarter of 2016 will likely have taken a big hit.

While few administrations will have the stomach for the kind of shock tactics that India imposed, theres little doubt that were all witnessing the slow retreat from cash in everyday life.

According to the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), the value of card payments here increased by 16.2% in the first 10 months of 2016, driven primarily by the use of debit cards.

And when a little pressure and encouragement are applied, those figures soar. Last years Cork Cashes Out campaign is a case in point.

This three-month pilot promoted Cork as Irelands first cash-free city. While the campaign didnt achieve that, it did increase the number of contactless payments by 522%.

Once, regular trips to the ATM were needed to keep the show on the road. Nowadays, fewer and fewer transactions require cash.

Ok, some shops will stipulate a minimum spend before youre allowed to use your card, or theyll hit you with a surcharge if its less than a fiver, and these surcharges can vary significantly.

For transactions under 30, you can now tap the card  holding it against the screen of the terminal, without having to plug it into the machine or put in your PIN.

Contactless payments, as theyre known, mean small transactions can be undertaken without cash.

Press the card against the screen, wait for the beep, and off you go with your crisps, coffee, or paper.

The big societal advantage of cashless is the one identified by Indias PM. Its difficult to sustain a black market, or avoid tax, if every transaction leaves a trail, as all electronic transactions do.

A wide range of criminal activities become considerably more challenging in a cashless society. You might have a briefcase full of unmarked bills, but if you cant spend them anywhere, what good are they?

In his book, The Curse of Cash, Harvard professor, Kenneth Rogoff, argues that all paper money needs to be phased out. He says that in the late 1990s, some 60% of US cash was held in hundred-dollar bills, a remarkably high proportion, given how rarely they surface in everyday life.

By the time the book appeared last year, he estimated that percentage had risen to 80%, or in excess of $1.34 trillion, held, well, God knows where.

The only thing that can be said with certainty about this cash is that its not in banks.

Rogoff says that the dollar still tends to be the go-to store of value, and medium of exchange, in economies where faith in the domestic currency is shaky, and argues that much of this cash is financing drug- and human-trafficking, terrorism, and other criminal activities.

He also says, as an aside, that since the wages of illegal immigrants are invariably paid in cash, a cashless economy would be a more effective deterrent than any wall.

Open up a map of the world, stick a pin in it, and youll find evidence of the march from cash. In South Korea, only 20% of transactions are cash-based.

The plan there is to remove all coins from circulation by 2020. The government is urging consumers to put their small change onto T-Money cards  electronic travel passes that can also be used in convenience stores.

All central banks would like to see the end of coins. For one thing, theyre bad value for money. The small denominations cost more to make than theyre actually worth.

Here in Ireland, the rounding initiative introduced towards the end of 2015 hoovered up 126m in unused coins and saved the central bank a packet in minting costs.

In Europe, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway have been at the forefront of the cashless society, but Sweden has made by far the most progress.

Since 2009, when the Swedish Central Bank eliminated its highest denomination bill, the value of cash in circulation has dropped precipitously, such that 80% of transactions no longer require it.

You cant use cash on buses and trains. Most bars and restaurants will refuse it. About half of all banks dont take deposits or give withdrawals.

Even street vendors and farmers markets take cards. Signs on shop doors, saying We dont take cash, are increasingly common in a country where even children use debit cards.

Mobile payment platforms have had a central role in Swedens triumph over cash. Swish is a direct payment app, a collaboration between a collection of Swedish and Danish banks.

It allows consumers to make electronic payments in real time, without the need for cards.

Elsewhere, of course, the rise of Apple Pay and Android Pay has opened up the world of mobile payments to a much wider audience.

For the consumer, the argument runs that a cashless society is a safer society. In Amsterdam, a couple of summers ago, I tried to pay for a coffee with a fiver. The guy behind the counter waved it away.

Cards only, he said, indicating the tablet on the counter. Only then I noticed the lack of a cash register.

All of the cafes around here are card-only, he said. We dont get robbed anymore.

Its hard to find evidence of any great decline in street crime as a result of cashlessness.

We may be carrying less cash, but cards are still valuable items, as are phones. And its not as if criminals simply give up, and decide to go straight, when one avenue is closed to them.

Using your card does, however, get you automatic protection against fraud, and grants you consumer protection that you dont get with cash.

Dermott Jewell, of the Consumers Association, is ambivalent about the rise of cashlessness.

He says that the piecemeal introduction of cards, contactless payments, mobile payments, and even rounding has been all about changing the mindsets and habits of consumers.

Consumers have, in most cases, had a choice in how they spend their money, but this is changing and is not necessarily always in their best interests, or of particular benefit.

"Service providers require consumers to pay by direct debit, in order to avail of discounts on their energy, telecom, and other bills.

However, these require monitoring, as the discounts cease after a period of time and must be renegotiated.

Mr Jewell says that while some of the changes may benefit the consumer, theres little question but that they all benefit traders, service providers, and finance houses.

The banks are all for cashlessness. Whats not to love? It mechanises processes, has no reliance on branch banking, and ends the need to transport cash.

You would think that they would be incentivising the use of debit cards. However, both AIB and Bank of Ireland charge you 20c and 10c, respectively, to use your debit card to make purchases. None of the other banks do, and all of the banks allow free contactless payments.

Governments, for reasons already explored, are even more enthusiastic about electronic payments. The last budget saw the imposition of a 12c stamp duty on all ATM withdrawals, in part, no doubt, as a means of nudging us all away from cash.

So, if both banks and governments are urging cashlessness, its hard not to be suspicious.

Spending cash has become a deliciously anti-establishment thing to do.

You buy something with cash and no-one knows anything about it. Buy it with a card or mobile payment app and an indelible record is left behind, a footprint that never fades.

In a world of spies and hackers and big data, where is the guarantee that this data will remain forever secret, forever protected?

Cash is a bearer instrument. Once you have it, you can spend it wherever you like. But if were relying on Visa and MasterCard to mediate what we do with our money, is there a risk we will not be allowed to spend without their imprimatur?

Back in 2010, both companies blocked all donations to Wikileaks. Three years ago, they reportedly blocked payments to a number of anonymisation and virtual private network (VPN) services.

Not everyone is marching happily down the road to cashlessness. In Sweden, a loose coalition of interests, calling itself Kontantupproret, or Cash Uprising, is putting up a spirited resistance.

The group is made up of a number of vested interests  the ATM and cash-transportation industries, in particular  as well as some small business owners, immigrants, and pensioners.

Last summer, the Swedish deputy finance minister took delivery of a petition signed by 136,000 pensioners asking the government to safeguard the use of cash. They argued not everyone has access to a bank account, and citizens have a right to decide how they pay for what they need.

And you have to ask, in a world where theres no longer any spare change, how do charity collectors or beggars or street artists get by?

Financial writer, Dominick Frisby, says that, as we shrug off cash, we risk disempowering sections of society that will find it difficult to embrace new technologies.

The danger, he says, is that governments force it and get their regulation wrong, which is likely. Money is tech. It needs to evolve organically.

"If governments make cash illegal, the need for cash will not disappear. They will just create a black market. Thus, like the war on drugs, for example, they will create much bigger problems than they originally had.

These concerns go to the heart of the cash versus cashless debate. Worldwide, 2.5bn people dont have access to any kind of financial institution account. Moreover, not all of these unbanked  as theyre known  are in developing countries.

In an address to the Mobile World Congress, last year, MasterCard CEO, Ajay Banga, said that nearly 70m Americans are either unbanked or underbanked  this last term meaning that they have poor access to retail banking. He said that the figure in Western Europe is 100m.

Enter the GSMA, the world trade association of mobile operators. It has the underbanked firmly in its sights, believing that mobile technologies can bring the joys of cashlessness to a much wider audience.

GSMAs report, Mobile Financial Services for the Unbanked, says that many of those without access to retail banking can, instead, use their mobiles to provide low-cost access to financial services.

Like M-Pesa, for example.

Introduced by telcos in Kenya and Tanzania, in 2007, this platform allows users to store and send money within their mobile accounts, without the need for a bank account.

Its now one of the leading mobile money systems in the world, and allows millions of users both to store money digitally and to transfer it to each other via text message. The service has since been expanded to South Africa, Albania, Romania, and India, where, its hoped, it can ease the liquidity crisis brought about by the countrys recent demonetisation.

Time will tell whether or not innovations like these will be sufficient to replace cold, hard cash, which has been around for some time.

The earliest coins were discovered in what was once the province of Lydia, on the coast of Asia Minor (now modern-day Turkey), in 700BC. And, of course, Turkey is one of the latest countries to decommission its coins.

A card-payment system  called Troy  named for the ancient city, is being rolled out to all point-of-sale terminals, with the aim that all cash be completely removed from the economy by 2023.

If it goes according to plan, a system that functioned continuously for 2,700 years will vanish in less than a decade.

Tapping for money becomes commonplace for consumers

The days of jingling pockets are coming to an end. The rounding initiative begun two years ago has already seen the beginning of the end of 1c and 2c coins.

The rest of them are not far behind, and once theyre gone, notes are likely to follow soon after. And as the cashless society takes hold, you can bid goodbye too to your credit and debit cards.

The only thing youll need when you leave the house will be your keys and your phone.

Just last month, Apple Pay arrived in Ireland. Its main rival, Android Pay preceded it by about three months.

These are known in the trade as Near-field communication, or NFC payment platforms. In a nutshell, they allow you to use your device like a debit or credit card.

You download the wallet app to your device and enter your card details into it.

If you wish to make a payment in one of the participating stores, you hold your phone or tablet or smart watch up to the terminal.

In most cases, you dont even have to wake the device up.

The sensor picks up the proximity of the terminal and completes the transaction automatically. You walk out with your purchase and the relevant amount is automatically deducted from your card account.

Ulster Bank has launched Apple Pay in Ireland as part of its customer-centric innovation, transforming mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay thats fast and convenient.

Apple Pay was first rolled out in the States more than two and a half years ago. In the first three months of its life, the company reported that over one million cards were registered on the app.

Here in Ireland, two banks are currently embracing the platform. You can use Apple Pay with KBC and Ulster Bank debit and credit cards.

The technology works with an iPhone 6 or later, an iPhone SE, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 or later and an Apple Watch paired to an iPhone 5 or later.

Set up Touch ID, Apples fingerprint sensor, and you can use Apple Pay to shop in participating websites and apps, without the bother of having to fill out lengthy account forms or shipping and billing info.

Two banks have also taken on Android Pay  KBC again, as well as AIB. Android works with Android phones and tablets with Android 4.4 or later. As with Apple Pay, you just install the app and enter your card details.

As well as point of sale transactions, you can use the technology on the range of participating websites and apps  which are of course growing in number all the time.

So the big question. Is it safe?

Yes, says Jillian Heffernan of the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI).

With both Apple Pay and Android Pay, the card number and identity of the cardholder arent shared with the retailer, she says, and actual card numbers are not stored on your device or on Apple/Google servers. Also, in the event that the cardholder loses their device, they can temporarily suspend or completely delete the ability to use Apple or Android Pay from the device.

While the cut-off point for contactless payments is 30, its possible to use Apple Pay and Android Pay for higher value transactions with a number of participating merchants  and there is an extra layer of security in that event.

Youve got to unlock your device and hold the back of it to the contactless payment terminal until you see a checkmark. The phone will beep and/or vibrate to confirm that the payment has been made.

Jillian Heffernan says that while cash is still king, the old methods of payment are slowly ceding ground to the new.

While figures show that cash is still the most popular form of payment at point of sale  particularly for lower-value items  consumers are increasingly using debit cards, contactless and other electronic payment options in preference to cash for the greater convenience and security they provide.

"These latest initiatives, and others likely to follow from across the banking sector, will further bolster the use of non-cash payment options.

While the banks rush to reassure you that all of these methods are secure, its worth pointing out that the consumer also has a role to play here.

Only download mobile apps from official app stores. These include the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Blackberry App World. Always keep your mobile phones operating system updated with the latest upgrades.

Older software may have vulnerabilities and weaknesses that could expose you to security and fraud risks.

The BPFI also recommends you do what very few people do, which is to use a reputable brand of anti-virus software on your mobile phone.

Dont share or give your mobile banking security details, including your passcode, to anyone and never store these on your phone.

Finally, remember that public wifi hotspots arent always secure.

Only access online/mobile banking on safe networks.

Its a Bit harder to trace online currency, but not impossible

Pity Welshman James Howells. Back in 2009, when Bitcoin was in its infancy, the IT worker mined 7,500 Bitcoins on his home computer.

They were so cheap as to be almost worthless at the time, but by November 2013, their value had risen to more than $1,200 each.

By then however, Howells had done some spring cleaning and had inadvertently dumped the hard drive on which all that value had been stored.

When he discovered his mistake, he embarked on a frantic search through his computer files for a backup, and when that proved fruitless, he dashed down to his local landfill only to be confronted by acres of mountainous waste.

This missing hard drive with its $9m was gone forever.

Bitcoin is whats called a cryptocurrency, and is only the most successful of a number of these that have appeared in the past eight years.

It is a digital asset, designed to operate like a conventional currency as a store of wealth and a medium of exchange.

The prefix crypto signifies that cryptography is used both to create new units of Bitcoin and to secure transactions in the currency.

Thats the theory. Beyond that, it gets complicated.

Bitcoin

Conventional currencies are created by a national or supranational monetary authority. The big differentiator with Bitcoin is that there is no equivalent centralised system of creation or control.

Bitcoins are mined by individuals like the unfortunate Mr Howells by solving mathematical problems using special software.

Effectively, these individuals or pools of individuals offer their computing power to record Bitcoin transactions and are rewarded with transaction fees and newly minted Bitcoins.

These are then stored digitally and can be used to buy and sell goods and services, or they can be converted into conventional currencies.

While Bitcoin is accepted in an increasing number of online markets, you dont find too many retailers in Ireland that are happy to take them.

Marvin.ie however is one notable exception. This is an online takeaway business which allows customers to order from one of hundreds of takeaways around the country.

In addition to accepting all the usual methods of payment, you can also pay for your curry or your pizza or your chips using Bitcoin.

Co-founder and MD James Galvin says that the company decided to accept Bitcoin in order to offer customers as many payment options as possible, and to give the business a competitive edge.

We knew Bitcoin was growing hugely in popularity and we felt as it wasnt too hard to integrate, and the fraud risks were minimal, unlike credit card systems. It was an easy decision to make.

The company works with a payment merchant called Coinify which handles the bitcoin payments side of the business.

It acts for all intents and purposes like any other online payment system, not dissimilar to Paypal. Bitcoin is still only around 5% of our total orders. Its slowly growing, but what I find interesting is that weve never had one recorded issue of fraud.

One of the key advantages of Bitcoin, its proponents argue, is the fact that transaction fees are really low.

Its possible to move large sums of money internationally by paying only a fraction of the fee you would pay for transferring an equivalent sum denominated in a conventional currency.

As a store of value, the currency is subject to the vagaries of any asset.

Recent times have seen huge swings in its fortunes. Over 2016, the price of Bitcoin rose from $400 to $1,000.

By January of this year, it was trading near all-time highs at around $1,150. Then it lost 20% of its value overnight following developments in the Chinese economy (around 95% of Bitcoin transactions happen in China, which makes developments there hugely influential).

Then theres the whole anonymity thing. While all Bitcoin transactions are stored publically and permanently, the identity of the user behind an address remains unknown.

Privacy advocates naturally love this, but the secrecy element is causing headaches elsewhere.

Law enforcement agencies have expressed concern over Bitcoins use in criminal activity.

In fact, more than one commentator has asserted that if it wasnt for its use in the trade of illegal goods and services, Bitcoin would never have taken off. Finding definitive evidence of this however not easy.

The now defunct Silk Road  which specialised in the online trade of a wide variety of illicit goods and services  dealt in Bitcoin, while there are any number of reports of the use of Bitcoin in the trade of everything from child pornography to arms.

That doesnt necessarily make the medium of exchange inherently wrong of course.

Its also worth pointing out that while the cryptography and peer-to-peer architecture on which Bitcoin is based make it more difficult to identify who sold what to whom, these are electronic transactions.

By their nature they leave a trail.

Ross Ulbricht, who ran Silk Road, is currently serving a life sentence for facilitating the sale of drugs.

There have been several successful convictions of individuals who used the currency for illegal activity, proving that while it may be difficult to trace transactions, it can be done.
Is there anything more tempting when finishing a long night shift than heading straight to a five-star hotel and sinking into a restful sleep in a luxurious bed? Thats exactly what I did one Friday night a few weeks ago.

Despite the late hour, it took just 15 minutes to drive from the Irish Examiner offices in Blackpool to Fota Island Resort, a relaxing haven nestled beside Fota Wildlife Park.

I had been to Fota Island before, but usually for work-related events. Truthfully, because it is so near to home it was beyond my radar for relaxing getaways.

However, when I mentioned to family and friends where I was going, I was regaled with glowing tales of afternoon teas, and spa days galore. Clearly, I had been missing out.

The 780-acre estate is home to three championship golf courses, mature woodlands, and a world-class destination spa, and the night I checked in the reception was buzzing with partygoers attending a function and hotel guests making the most of the midnight atmosphere.

Despite the busyness, the reception staff swiftly checked me in and sent me on my way with a welcoming smile. Ascending through the hotel, I noticed the party atmosphere soon changed to one of relaxation.

My room  one of 123 the hotel offers  was huge. With a deep bathtub, a spacious shower, views of the beautiful grounds, and a bed that was wider than long, it has everything you need for a relaxing escape from the outside world.

Eight-or-so hours later, I emerged and went downstairs once more for breakfast. Fota Island offers hot food and a continental buffet. A chef will also prepare some alternative dishes beside the buffet table. At his table, I helped myself to freshly- made pancakes which were delicious.

Following a post-breakfast stroll through the woodlands on a rare sunny spring day, we went exploring through the hotel. Our first stop was the pool, where we enjoyed some leisurely lengths as the sun shone through the nearby windows.

After about an hour there, we dried off and stopped by the Amber Lounge for a quick snack.

Although the restaurant was full of young families, the serving staff were focused and welcoming, and our food appeared very quickly.

I enjoyed a classic vegetable soup with homemade brown soda bread. Across the table were some delicious-looking grilled satay chicken skewers with Ajay relish.

Fota Island and the surrounding area spoil families with a variety of activities, we learned, as those around us planned their days.

For sports fans, the renowned golf courses were a tempting lure. The nearby Fota Wildlife Park, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, was an attractive option for most, while others, drawn to the history and beauty of Fota House and Gardens, were drawn there. Plenty of frazzled parents were also looking forward to their own down-time, either around the grounds or in the spa.

Stomach satisfied once more I headed straight for the spa myself while my other half made the most of the thermal and hydrotherapy suites.

Fota Island Spa is spread over 1600sq m and offers over 60 treatments, from facials to pregnancy treatments and everything in between. I spent 70 minutes unwinding with the chakra balancing massage (100).

This massage is a new treatment at Fota Island, and it promotes holistic relaxation and wellbeing and promises to bring the body and mind into perfect harmony by allowing energy to flow through the chakra centres of the body. This technique results in renewed balance and re-energisation.

My masseuse began by placing gentle pressure on specific points on my body, such as the stomach and forehead.

After 10 minutes of zen, she moved onto a more traditional full-body massage, pummelling away the stresses of the week.

While Im still not entirely sure where my chakras are, I can confirm that I left the spa feeling both relaxed in body and calm in mind.

I returned to my room after the spa experience to bask in my newfound mellowness for a few hours before dinner. Thankfully a chilled-out body naturally works up an appetite; otherwise, I would have struggled with the delights of the Fota restaurant, a family-friendly all-day dining venue.

The chef uses locally-sourced produce combined with natural ingredients, and the results are mouth-wateringly good. There is also an outdoor terrace to dine on  ideal for dinner on lazy summer evenings.

I started with an Irish camembert cheese plate and followed up with one of the best beef dishes I have ever tasted: a wild mushroom puree, mini fondant and vegetables accompanied the succulent fillet of Irish Hereford beef.

For dessert, I indulged with a dark chocolate fondant, with peanut butter ice-cream and chocolate crumble on top.

Needless to say, I nearly had to be rolled out of the room after dinner.

We returned to the Amber Lounge for some after-dinner drinks, and, as it was a Saturday night, the atmosphere there was great. We settled into some comfortable couches and spent our evening chatting and people-watching.

When the last call came and went, we returned to the lobby area and pulled up some armchairs by the fire while we finished our drinks, before retiring for the night and falling into a deep, contented sleep.

An overnight stay with breakfast the following morning, dinner in Fota restaurant, and complimentary access to thermal and hydrotherapy suites costs from 240 per room for two adults.
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone will receive a previously unannounced software update this week following reports of South Korean consumers complaining about red-tinted screens, as noted by The Hindu Business Line.

A number of South Korean users who pre-ordered the smartphone reported an unusually reddish hue appearing in the display screen of the device, and uploaded images of said screens to social media.
The political party is dying and independents now rule among voters around the globe. France has emerged as the leader of this movement, and the first confirmation of its depth and likely permanence has come with the French vote in the first round of their presidential election.

We know something is serious when a comic takes it up as a cause. Earlier this week the comedian-pundit John Oliver told his viewers that the election of National Front candidate Marine Le Pen would destroy Europe.

Yet of the three leading candidates, Le Pen is the most traditional.

Compared to her two main challengers, Jean-Luc Melenchon and Emmanuel Macron, Le Pen is still rooted in a party with a history and tradition. The National Front was founded in 1972 and dominated by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who soon became its leader. It was an heir to the less radical Poujadisme movement of the 1950s, which united small traders and farmers against the forces of modernity.

The elder Le Pen made the party overtly racist and especially anti- Semitic. His daughter has dropped much of the anti-Semitism in favour of strong opposition to Muslim immigration, and still stronger attacks on globalisation and the European Union, seen as the major factors in a betrayal of the working and lower middle classes.

Her opponents present themselves as self-made men and, less convincingly, outsiders. Melenchon has been a politician for decades: a Trotskyist, he joined the Socialist Party, was briefly a junior minister, then found it too tame and went back to the far left.

In the 2012 presidential election he received 11% of the vote. He now receives between 17 and 20% in the polls, putting him in third place, and rising.

Melenchons movement, France Insoumise (Unsubmissive France), was created last year. He wants a 100bn economic stimulus plan, a 35-hour work week and a high earner tax of 90%.

Hes sceptical of the European Union (though not entirely against it) and wants to bring the European Central Bank under political control. Some of his economic programme is close to Le Pens: His popularity, and hers, reflects the continuing support for a strong, interventionist state whose job is to advance social justice.

Yet Melenchon now rejects the tags of far left or even left in favour of being called a populist.

Macron has a greater claim to outsider status, at least in politics. His programme is vague, but in most ways the opposite of Melenchons and Le Pens. He welcomes globalisation and claims the French can benefit from it. He supports immigration for the same reason and wants the French to understand, rather than be suspicious of, Muslim citizens.

He chooses policies from the left and right, seeing the old division which originated in the French Revolution  as no longer valid. His division is between those who want France to be closed  Melenchon and Le Pen  or open: Him.

Macrons popularity, especially among the young middle class, is worrying his opponents. Its also drawing attention from Moscow, which is being accused of taking an active, propagandist part in the election.

The Russians, who have flirted with Le Pen, now appear to prefer Francois Fillon, the candidate for the Republican Party. He is friendly towards Russia, seeing it as an ally rather than an opponent. He had been the favourite to win, but a scandal of payments to his family for allegedly fictitious work is now being investigated, and has relegated him to fourth place in most polls.

This is an election which means more to the future of Europe than any other this year, regardless of who wins. Macron will try to take France deeper into a globalised world, hoping he can overcome deep distrust on the left and right.

Melenchon and Le Pen will play into that distrust, by seeking distance from the EU and protection for workers, small business owners and companies in trouble.

The self-made men candidates represent a new sort of politics  as did US President Donald Trump, in a very different vein. They stand for an individual pledge and programme, not those that come from a party.

Parties asked the people to trust them because they were created by activist groups to further their social and economic interests. The new individual candidates ask people to trust them because they are not of a party, will not further party interests but devote themselves to the public, unencumbered.
Monday, April 24th, 2017 (1:10 pm) - Score 707

Fibre optic network builder Cityfibre has appointed BTs former Head of Local Business, Jatinder Sispal, to become their new Head of Carrier and National Providers. Jtinder has been in the technology and telecoms sector for 22 years, also holding senior roles at Telstra and Colt.

Jatinder said that he is thrilled to join the company and looks forward to driving forward the construction of full-fibre infrastructure across the United Kingdom. No doubt Cityfibre are pleased to have a former head from arch rival BT on board, which should help them to target some new customers and grow their business.

Rob Hamlin, Commercial Director of CityFibre, said: Jatinder brings decades of invaluable experience to his new role at CityFibre and is fully aligned with our vision to transform the UKs digital infrastructure. The team is already benefitting from his insights and energy for the task at hand. With continued investment from full-fibre challengers like CityFibre, and the talented and experienced team we have in place, the UK has a bright digital future ahead.

End.
Monday, April 24th, 2017 (3:03 pm) - Score 1,185

The Governments Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has today put out three new job offers for directors to help oversee the implementation of their telecoms, broadband Local Full Fibre Networks (FTTH/P) and future 5G mobile strategy for the United Kingdom.

At this point we recommend a quick read of our Budget 2017 report from March, which summarises all of the Governments recently announced broadband and mobile / telecoms related investment programmes and policies (here).

The most recent focus has been on their on-going Broadband Delivery UK project and its effort to make fixed line superfast broadband (24Mbps+) speeds available to 97% of the UK by 2019, as well as a commitment of around 600m towards fostering full fibre (FTTP/H) broadband networks and some additional money for future 5G mobile services / trials.

BDUK originally handled most of this but that umbrella organisation is about to lose its CEO, Christopher Townsend, who will be stepping down at the end of this month (here) and that means its time for another overhaul.

In keeping with that DCMS has put out a call for an overall director of UK telecoms delivery (125k salary), as well as a director for their full fibre plans (100k salary) and another for their 5G testbeds and trials (100k salary). The latter two are 37 hour full-time jobs on a 2 year term with the strong possibility of extension.

Director, Telecoms Delivery UK  Job description * Do you have hands-on experience of delivering against multi-million pound contracts?

* Do you combine strategic leadership with the ability to make things happen?

* Do you want to help make Britain the most digitally connected country in the world? If so, you may be our new Director for Telecoms Delivery UK (TDUK)  a key member of the senior leadership team of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As the new Director for TDUK you will be responsible for setting the overall vision and direction for TDUK, ensuring the successful delivery of three major projects  making sure 97% of premises in the UK have access to Superfast Broadband by December 2017; clearing the 700MHz spectrum band of existing users by mid-2020, making it available for mobile broadband use; and leading the 200million new Local Full Fibre Network programme to incentivize investment in full fibre networks. For this critical role, we are seeking an individual with an outstanding record of achieving commercial and strategic objectives. You will need to have commercial acumen, with experience of successfully negotiating and driving commercial relationships on multi-million pound contracts, combined with strong evidence-based economic and analytical skills. You will need to have the gravitas and resilience to engage with and influence those at the most senior levels, including Ministers and a wide range of other stakeholders.

The other two positions largely mirror the same spin as above, as well as reiterating some of what they said last year: We must act now so our digital infrastructure is fit for the future. The Government, along with local-body partners, is supporting commercial investment in full fibre broadband networks  the gold standard for broadband.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 22nd May 2017.
Steven Pruden has some impressive tech experience under his belt. Hes been a lead architect at Intel; worked as a Web developer, integration project manager, and director of IT at other large corporations; and served in VP roles heading up operations from CRM to mobility and crowdsourcing at Appirio, an Indianapolis-based cloud services provider that was acquired by the Indian IT consulting giant Wipro last year. Today, hes Appirios SVP of human resources.

I recently spoke with Pruden and asked him how somebody with that background ends up as the HR guy. He laughed and said, I ask myself the same thing every day. He explained it this way:

Youre right, it is definitely not a well-worn path that Ive taken to the HR world. My background has really been in technology, everything from software development to project and program management. When I joined Appirio, and for most of my time here, I was running our Salesforce.com consulting practice, which is our largest consulting practice. I took a few turns along the way, just to round out my experience, with crowdsourcing and mobility, partnering with Apple, and some strategic partnerships with Amazon. I also did some corporate strategy work, which led to Appirio being acquired by Wipro.

Pruden went on to cite the need for Appirio to have someone heading up HR who was already entrenched in the company:

As that acquisition happened, we were looking for an HR leader who had a history with Appirio, with the DNA that we have built over the last 10 years and an appreciation for the different groups inside of Appirio, not only on the revenue-generating side, like our consulting business, but also in G&A. I knew how to network inside the executive team at Appirio, and was deeply involved in the integration of Wipro and Appirio. One of the things I had been doing before taking over HR was helping to lead our integration office between the two entities. If you combine all of that, and if you think about what Appirio does as its business, which is bill hours, the revenue-generating engine of the company is our people, and its also what differentiates us in the marketplace. Who better to lead all those people functions than somebody who has the background to get things done inside of Appirio, and who has also networked well inside of our parent company? So all of those things came together, and thats the path that Ive taken and why Im in this role now.

Pruden had highlighted some of the advantages of having someone with a tech background in the top HR role, so I asked him what some of the disadvantages are. He said its more a matter of risks than disadvantages:

Maybe I can talk about how were mitigating some of those risks. I am not an HR practitioner by trade, especially when it comes to complex international matters. And as Appirio continues to expand internationally, theres a changing regulatory landscape, youve got cultural differences, you have workstyle preference differences. HR practitioners have very tried and true ways of tackling those things. I definitely do not have that background, so that adds a lot of risk to what were doing here. The way that we mitigate that risk is we have kept a very strong HR leadership team here. We have these HR practitioners that are my direct reports, who know this stuff inside and out, probably some of the best in the industry. So if I can provide stable leadership of that team, were going to be in really good shape. Thats how were mitigating against the risks of having a non-HR practitioner coming in to lead the team right now.

I wrapped up the conversation by asking Pruden how the culture of Appirio has changed since it was acquired by Wipro. He said the short answer is it hasnt changed much at all, which is by design:

We define corporate culture as how the company works  how we do our day job, how we work with our customers, how we work with our peers and other consultants. How we get that work done has not changed for what I would say is the vast majority of legacy Appirians  the 1,300 folks who were Appirio employees before the acquisition. Their work hasnt changed much. But we know it is going to change over time  thats inevitable. There will be ways that work changes as Appirio becomes more global and gets to take advantage of shared services inside of Wipro  that will probably change the way we get some work done. The jurys still out on exactly what those changes are, but it hasnt changed much at all yet.

A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.
Last August a Baltimore substance abuse treatment facility had its database hacked. Patient records subsequently found their way onto the Dark Web, according to DataBreaches.net. The group noticed such things as dates of admission, whether the patients are on methadone, their doctors and counselors, and dosing information.

In the DataBreaches.net blog, the hacker Return, who they think is Russian, described how he compromised the Man Alive clinic: With the help of the social engineer, applied to one of the employees. Word file with malicious code was downloaded.

The sample provided by Return consisted of 727 pages of unredacted patient profiles containing personal and treatment information on 633 patients, Databreaches wrote.

Flashpoint s Director of Research Vitali Kremez said healthcare records have historically been a key economic driver of the Dark Web economy for many years due to the fact that they are such a rich source of very specific and in some cases immutable personal information that can be used to initiate many types of fraud  from insurance, to identity and tax fraud. These types of fraud cost taxpayers billions of dollars annually according to the FTC.

Kremez said the initial attack vector appears to be a vulnerable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) server belonging to the Baltimore clinic. In this case, Flashpoint saw complete patient information stolen from a clinic in Baltimore, over 43,000 records, offered at a price of $300  or less than one cent per record.

The Identity Theft Resource Center reported that there were 355 breaches in 2016 affecting 15 million records. 2016 was a record year for US Healthcare breaches  affecting hospitals, dental clinics, and senior care facilities, among others -- with the top 10 breaches netting criminals in excess of 13 million records, and the Dark Web literally flooded with "fullz" (full packages of personally identifiable information) as well as patient insurance information.

Flashpoint

So much so was the glut that extensive Flashpoint Dark Web research saw fullz actually commoditizing and the value of individual fullz decreasing. While Flashpoint has observed actors offering medical data for a bulk price of $7 per record, the industry standard for the value of an individual record is now at $0.50-$1, Kremez said.

He said information like birthdates, Social Security numbers and drivers license information are used to fill out, submit and validate any number of fraudulent accounts or transactions  such as income tax filing, financial aid applications or insurance claims. Marital status or emergency contact and employment information can also be used to guess security validation or password reset questions. And email addresses or phone numbers can be used to evade anti-fraud mechanisms such as PIN systems or multifactor authentication.

Flashpoint has also seen the emergence of Health Savings Account (HSA) fraud. While not new, HSA fraud has evolved substantially in credibility, complexity, and frequency since 2016. They are harder to detect as HSA accounts typically have less subscriber and institutional oversight, Kremez reported. In fact, recent estimates suggest that there are more than 20 million existing HSA accounts that hold nearly $37 billion in assets, which represents a year-over-year increase of 22 percent for HSA assets and 20 percent for accounts.

The healthcare sector remains a highly targeted industry as it offers rich, bundled resources of financial, personal, and medical information that can be exploited and often sold within the Deep and Dark Web (DDW), he said. Common exploitation vectors remain vulnerable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) servers, web application vulnerabilities, and FTP servers belonging to healthcare organizations.

HIPAA compliance

And, of course, whenever you talk about healthcare records, you have to pay attention to compliance.

Full understanding and support from the highest levels of management are absolutely critical to the success of any security program, wrote Tracy Reed, CEO of Copolitco, a professionally managed, secure server hosting company that helps companies adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Every employee who will interact with the security program must understand the importance of security and adhering to policy.

In addition, the majority of software developers and system administrators are not accustomed to working in an environment containing federally regulated information such as ePHI, Copolitco wrote. Security controls may chafe developers as they have to adjust how they do things.

All companies who have a compliance obligation must remember that the point of HIPAA compliance is to impose a certain level of security, said Reed. Security is the ultimate goal, not necessarily compliance. Compliance comes as a result of having a good security program. Being compliant does not mean you are secure; it merely means you have 'checked the boxes.'

An HHS Office for Civil Rights official stated at the recent HIMSS and Healthcare IT News Privacy & Security Forum in Boston that the organization will be conducting on-site audits of hospitals in 2017 and that OCR is engaged in over 200 audits at the moment. One hundred and sixth-seven are looking at providers, and it sent out 48 to business associates, according to OCR senior adviser Linda Sanches.

Sanches further states that they will be involved in some on-site audits in 2017 and that the goal is to find vulnerabilities that the government is not currently aware of. She pointed out the lack of risk analysis and management as serious issues among covered entities and business associates.

All companies with a compliance obligation must remember that the point of compliance is to impose a certain level of security. Compliance comes as a result of having a good security program. Thus, being compliant does not mean you are secure, Copolitco wrote in its report. There are many things that could still result in a compromise such as an employee accidentally leaking a passphrase by getting his computer infected with malware or a bug in a web application exposed directly to the internet.

When thinking about risk, risk analysis and mitigation as it relates to HIPAA compliance, business owners often wonder why they have to worry about security, said Reed. Often, their attitude is, Who would want to harm us? We are small and have nothing that would be useful or of value to anyone else.

She said aside from the threat of federal enforcement action via civil and criminal penalties, healthcare data is often valued for unexpected reasons, including extortion, reputational damage, competitive advantage and more.

Both compliance and security are ongoing efforts. There are always new vulnerabilities discovered, new versions of software coming out, and advances in the state of the art in terms of attacking and defending.

Prevention, detection and response are the three main components of a sound HIPAA compliance program, said Reed. Using secure passwords, keeping systems patched up, and even employee background checks are considered prevention. But since there is no such thing as 100 percent security, we must also plan to detect problems such as intrusions or situations which could lead to intrusion and limit damage. Finally, a plan must be in place to respond to an intrusion to prevent the situation from getting worse and to ultimately resolve the issue.

The HIPAA Security Rule breaks down into three main areas (some of these procedures fall under the responsibility of the client, others to the HIPAA vendor):

Administrative Safeguards: These encompass a number of approaches including:

A designated privacy officer

Executive sign-off on policies and procedures

Procedures to clearly identify which employees should have access to PHI

Ongoing training program

Procedures for third-party outsourcing

Contingency plan for responding to emergencies

Internal audits

Procedures for addressing and responding to security breaches.

Physical Safeguards: These encompass a number of approaches including:

Controls to govern the introduction and removal of hardware and software from the network

Controlling and monitoring access to equipment containing health information

Facility security plans, maintenance records, and visitor sign-in and escorts

Policies to address proper workstation use

Training contractors or agents on their physical access responsibilities

Technical safeguards

The technological safeguards are somewhat more intricate and detailed. These include a number of approaches, such as:

Linux Host Hardening : A solid Linux host hardening program is based on the NSA Linux Hardening Guide also known as the NSA Systems Network Attack Center (SNAC) hardening guide.

: A solid Linux host hardening program is based on the NSA Linux Hardening Guide also known as the NSA Systems Network Attack Center (SNAC) hardening guide. Xen Hardening : When virtualization is used the hypervisor is hardened per the Xen CIS Benchmarks to the greatest extent possible, as well as per NIST SP-800-125.

: When virtualization is used the hypervisor is hardened per the Xen CIS Benchmarks to the greatest extent possible, as well as per NIST SP-800-125. MySQL Hardening : MySQL databases are hardened per the MySQL CIS Benchmarks wherever practical.

: MySQL databases are hardened per the MySQL CIS Benchmarks wherever practical. Encryption : When information flows over open networks encryption must be utilized: A reputable hosted-services company will use SSH for administrative functions, GPG for email, and SSL for webserving of ePHI. Standard Linux whole disk encryption is sometimes available although generally only recommended for mobile devices such as laptops.

: When information flows over open networks encryption must be utilized: A reputable hosted-services company will use SSH for administrative functions, GPG for email, and SSL for webserving of ePHI. Standard Linux whole disk encryption is sometimes available although generally only recommended for mobile devices such as laptops. Network segmentation : The clients environment should be maintained on its own private network separated from non-client systems via firewalls using VLANs. Web application servers, database servers, and development servers should all reside in their own separate VLANs and be protected from each other to the greatest practical extent.

: The clients environment should be maintained on its own private network separated from non-client systems via firewalls using VLANs. Web application servers, database servers, and development servers should all reside in their own separate VLANs and be protected from each other to the greatest practical extent. Firewalls: Firewalls must be configured with both ingress and egress filtering per NIST SP-800-41. Most are familiar with the idea of firewalls blocking inbound connections but blocking unusual outbound connections is necessary.

Firewalls must be configured with both ingress and egress filtering per NIST SP-800-41. Most are familiar with the idea of firewalls blocking inbound connections but blocking unusual outbound connections is necessary. Auditing : Regular analysis of system log files is an important means of detecting intrusions, intrusion attempts, software misconfigurations, among other things.

Regular analysis of system log files is an important means of detecting intrusions, intrusion attempts, software misconfigurations, among other things. Intrusion Detection Systems : NIST SP-800-53 calls for intrusion detection systems for information system monitoring, near real-time alerting of issues, etc. A great way to monitor network activity and detect network attacks is a Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS).

NIST SP-800-53 calls for intrusion detection systems for information system monitoring, near real-time alerting of issues, etc. A great way to monitor network activity and detect network attacks is a Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS). Backups : All CEs, including medical practices and BAs, must securely back up retrievable exact copies of electronic protected health information (164.308(7)(ii)(A)). The data must be recoverable such that you can fully restore any loss of data (164.308(7)(ii)(B). Backups must also be tested, and data must be backed up frequently (164.308(a)(1)).

All CEs, including medical practices and BAs, must securely back up retrievable exact copies of electronic protected health information (164.308(7)(ii)(A)). The data must be recoverable such that you can fully restore any loss of data (164.308(7)(ii)(B). Backups must also be tested, and data must be backed up frequently (164.308(a)(1)). Breach notification: The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule ("BNR") did not exist prior to the HITECH Act. Section 13402 of the HITECH Act requires a CE to provide notification to affected individuals and to the Secretary of HHS following a discovery of a breach of unsecured Protected Health Information. BAs are also required to notify the CE.

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Data packets travel to and from numbered network ports associated with particular IP addresses and endpoints, using the TCP or UDP transport layer protocols. All ports are potentially at risk of attack. No port is natively secure.

Each port and underlying service has its risks. The risk comes from the version of the service, whether someone has configured it correctly, and, if there are passwords for the service, whether these are strong? There are many more factors that determine whether a port or service is safe, explains Kurt Muhl, lead security consultant at RedTeam Security. Other factors include whether the port is simply one that attackers have selected to slip their attacks and malware through and whether you leave the port open.

CSO examines risky network ports based on related applications, vulnerabilities, and attacks, providing approaches to protect the enterprise from malicious hackers who misuse these openings.

What makes these ports risky?

There is a total of 65,535 TCP ports and another 65,535 UDP ports; well look at some of the diciest ones. TCP port 21 connects FTP servers to the internet. FTP servers carry numerous vulnerabilities such as anonymous authentication capabilities, directory traversals, and cross-site scripting, making port 21 an ideal target.

While some vulnerable services have continuing utility, legacy services such as Telnet on TCP port 23 were fundamentally unsafe from the start. Though its bandwidth is tiny at a few bytes at a time, Telnet sends data completely unmasked in clear text. Attackers can listen in, watch for credentials, inject commands via [man-in-the-middle] attacks, and ultimately perform Remote Code Executions (RCE), says Austin Norby, computer scientist at the U.S. Department of Defense (comments are his own and dont represent the views of any employer).

While some network ports make good entry points for attackers, others make good escape routes. TCP/UDP port 53 for DNS offers an exit strategy. Once criminal hackers inside the network have their prize, all they need to do to get it out the door is use readily available software that turns data into DNS traffic. DNS is rarely monitored and even more rarely filtered, says Norby. Once the attackers safely escort the data beyond the enterprise, they simply send it through their DNS server, which they have uniquely designed to translate it back into its original form.

The more commonly used a port is, the easier it can be to sneak attacks in with all the other packets. TCP port 80 for HTTP supports the web traffic that web browsers receive. According to Norby, attacks on web clients that travel over port 80 include SQL injections, cross-site request forgeries, cross-site scripting, and buffer overruns.

Cyber criminals will set up their services on individual ports. Attackers use TCP port 1080, which the industry has designated for socket secure SOCKS proxies, in support of malicious software and activity. Trojan horses and worms such as Mydoom and Bugbear have historically used port 1080 in attacks. If a network admin did not set up the SOCKS proxy, its existence might indicate malicious activity, says Norby.

When hackers get lackadaisical, they use port numbers they can easily remember, such as sequences of numbers like 234 or 6789, or the same number repeatedly, such as 666 or 8888. Some backdoor and Trojan horse software opens and uses TCP port 4444 to listen in, communicate, forward malicious traffic from the outside, and send malicious payloads. Some malicious software that has used this port includes Prosiak, Swift Remote, and CrackDown.

Web traffic doesnt use port 80 alone. HTTP traffic also uses TCP ports 8080, 8088, and 8888. The servers attached to these ports are largely legacy boxes that have been left unmanaged and unprotected, gathering increasing vulnerabilities over time. Servers on these ports can also be HTTP proxies, which, if network administrators did not install them, could represent a security concern within the system, says Norby.

Supposedly elite attackers have used TCP and UDP ports 31337 for the famed Back Orifice backdoor and some other malicious software programs. On the TCP port, these include Sockdmini, Back Fire, icmp_pipe.c, Back Orifice Russian, Freak88, Baron Night, and BO client to name several; examples on the UDP port include Deep BO. In "leetspeak", which uses letters and numbers, 31337 spells "eleet," meaning elite.

Weak passwords can make SSH and port 22 easy targets. Port 22, the designated Secure Shell port that enables access to remote shells on physical server hardware is vulnerable where the credentials include default or easily guessed user names and passwords, according to David Widen, systems engineer at BoxBoat Technologies. Short passwords of less than eight characters using a familiar phrase together with a sequence of numbers are far too easy for attackers to guess.

Criminal hackers are still attacking IRC, which runs on ports 6660 through 6669. There have been many IRC vulnerabilities, such as Unreal IRCD that allow for trivial remote execution by attackers, says Widen.

Some ports and protocols can give attackers a lot of reach. Case in point, UDP port 161 is enticing to attackers because the SNMP protocol, which is useful for managing networked machines and polling information, sends traffic through this port. SNMP allows you to query the server for usernames, network shares, and other information. SNMP often comes with default strings that act like passwords, explains Muhl.

Securing ports, and services and vulnerabilities

The enterprise can protect SSH by using SSH public key authentication, disabling logins as root, and moving SSH to a higher port number so that attackers wont easily find it, says Widen. If a user connects to SSH on a high port number like 25,000, it will be harder for the attackers to locate the attack surface for the SSH service, says Widen.

If your enterprise runs IRC, keep it behind the firewall. Dont allow any traffic to the IRC service that came from outside the network. Have users VPN into the network to use IRC, says Widen.

Repeated port numbers and especially long sequences of numbers rarely represent a legitimate use of ports. When you see these ports in use, make sure they are genuine, says Norby. Monitor and filter DNS to avoid exfiltration. And stop using Telnet and close port 23.

Security across all network ports should include defense-in-depth. Close any ports you dont use, use host-based firewalls on every host, run a network-based next-generation firewall, and monitor and filter port traffic, says Norby. Do regular port scans as part of pen tests to ensure there are no unchecked vulnerabilities on any port. Pay particular attention to SOCKS proxies or any other service you did not set up. Patch and harden any device, software, or service connected to the port until there are no dents in your networked assets armor. Be proactive as new vulnerabilities appear in old and new software that attackers can reach via network ports.

Use the latest version of any service you support, configure it appropriately, and use strong passwords; access control lists can help you to limit who can connect to ports and services, says Muhl. Test your ports and services often. When you have services such as HTTP and HTTPS that you can customize a lot, it is easy to misconfigure the service and accidentally introduce a vulnerability, explains Muhl; and change those default SNMP strings.

Safe harbor for risky ports

Experts publish different lists of ports that carry significant risk based on varying criteria such as the type or severity of the threats attached to each port or the degree of vulnerability of the services on the given ports. No one list is a catch-all. For further investigation, you can start with lists from SANS.org, the internet SpeedGuide, and GaryKessler.net.

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A Senate bill modifying the states two economic-incentive programs has cleared the first of three legislative committee steps.

The Committee on Commerce and Insurance recommended Senate Bill 660 on Thursday, which now goes to the Finance committee for a 1 p.m. Tuesday hearing, and if recommended then to the Committee on Rules and Operations.

The bill limits the most prosperous counties to a combined 50 percent of annual program funding.

The bill was introduced by Sens. Harry Brown, R-Onslow, Danny Britt Jr., R-Robeson, and Michael Lee, R-New Hanover. Sen. Erica Smith-Ingram, D-Edgecombe, is a co-sponsor.

State law requires the Commerce Department to annually rank the economic health of all 100 counties. The law calls for ranking the 40 most distressed counties as Tier 1, the next 40 counties as Tier 2 and the 20 most prosperous counties as Tier 3.

Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Wake have been Tier 3 counties each year since the rankings began in 2007.

However, Guilford dropped in tier ranking from Tier 3 to Tier 2 for 2017.

The bill maintains the state economic-incentive funding at $20 million annually in a year without a high-yield project and $35 million in a year with such a project, such as an automobile manufacturer.

To qualify as a high-yield project, companies would have to commit to creating at least 2,000 jobs and making a capital investment of at least $750 million.

According to the bill, no more than 50 percent may be awarded for projects located in whole or in part in development Tier 3 areas. The limitation does not apply to a grant awarded to a high-yield project.

Incentive funding also could not exceed 80 percent of the total just for Tier 1 counties and not exceed 60 percent of the total just for Tier 2 counties.

If a project crosses county lines to include two different tiers, the funding would be at the higher tier level.

There has been intense philosophical, ideological and often personal debate about the economic tiers.

There has been discussion, both within the General Assembly and among economists and analysts, about the bulk of current Job Development Investment Grant incentives going to Durham, Mecklenburg and Wake counties, while only 9 percent goes to rural counties.

Some legislators want incentives tied tightly to local job creation, or prorated based on how many employees are brought into North Carolina with a relocation or expansion project.

Research shows (economic tiers) are important but are trumped by such basic factors as education and training of the workforce, the transportation network, land and construction costs, and the location of supportive cluster firms, said Michael Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State.

Tier rankings are based primarily on an assessment of each countys unemployment rate, median household income, population growth and assessed property valuation per capita.

The bill would adjust the tiers so that counties would be ranked first to 100 based on those categories.

Any county with a performance greater than the four benchmarks would be considered as an attainment area by the state Commerce secretary.

When it comes to matching funding levels, the state would continue to provide $3 for every $1 in local funding in Tier 1 counties, $2 for every $1 local in Tier 2 counties, and a $1 for $1 match in Tier 3 counties.

For attainment area projects, local governments would have to provide $4 for every $1 in state funding.

The bill would not allow companies to include job positions filled by a foreign worker with an H-1B visa or with H-1B status to count toward its full-time job commitment pledge for incentive packages.

The One North Carolina Fund is considered as the lesser of the states two main performance-based economic-incentive tools. It does not require a minimum threshold for job creation and retention or capital investment.

However, projects typically are required to meet or exceed a local wage level, and the One North Carolina Fund typically requires a local match of state money. Recipients rarely get more than $1 million.

By comparison, the Job Development Investment Grant, or JDIG, program can provide up to hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives, typically tax credits received by the company after meeting capital investment and employment goals.
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 ...
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
04/24/2017





JSUs Dr. Janet Bavonese, assistant professor of elementary and reading education and department head for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, was appointed as co-chair of the Alabama State Department of Education Strategic Planning Committee on Reading by the State Superintendent of Education, Michael Sentance.

This committee will evaluate core issues relate to Alabamas student achievement challenges, examine current content expectations for teachers, plan for the recruitment of talented reading teachers, compare Alabamas content standards for students against those of the most educationally advanced nations, research promising models to raise student achievement, and develop a plan to promote excellence in the teaching and learning of reading in Alabama.

JSU would like to congratulate Bavonese on this prestigious appointment and wish her the best as she serves the state of Alabama in this capacity.
04/24/2017





By Heather Greene

For any college student, graduation day is among the biggest days of ones life. But for Sydney Reed Jones, her college graduation will take place on her 22nd birthday, April 28, making it all the more special.

A native of Alabaster, Ala., Jones will cross the stage to receive a Bachelors of Arts in Communication with a minor in English.

I chose JSU initially because of the fact that they have one of the only accredited communication departments, she explained. I definitely did broadcasting all throughout high school, so I wanted to come to a school that would allow me to do that here. Also, I was looking to get involved in the Greek life, and I received a scholarship as well. So I just knew all those things were going to be available for me on campus verses a bigger university.

Jones explains that she has greatly enjoyed the opportunities to get involved at JSU, which is perhaps an understatement considering she has jumped into various student organizations since she came on campus in 2013. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, where she has served as historian, vice president of programs and vice president of membership. Additionally, Jones has been involved with Freshman Forum, the Public Relations Student Society of America, Campus Outreach, the Student Activities Council, and the programs within the Department of Communications.

Jones just completed an internship with the JSU Office of Public Relations and is currently the marketing manager at Pump It Up in Birmingham. In the future, she would love to work in corporate public relations.

In her spare time, which is a rarity in her life, Jones enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and Netflix. I just dont like to sit still, she said. My hobby is always having something to do. I like to be very busy.

Regarding her graduation birthday gift of a diploma, Jones stated, I think its so exciting! When I found out that graduation was going to be on my birthday, it just made it even more of a goal.

Jones is the daughter of Brandy and David Barr and Sean and Gina Jones. Following graduation, she is looking forward to celebrating with the 40 or more family members who are coming to watch this milestone in her life.

Jones will be among the more than 700 candidates who will receive their degrees on April 28 in the Pete Mathews Coliseum. Ceremony times will be:

10 a.m. - School of Business and Industry and School of Health Professions and Wellness

2 p.m. - School of Human Services and Social Sciences and School of Science

6 p.m. - School of Education and School of Arts and Humanities

The bell ringers for the ceremonies will be Michael Brett Langston (10 a.m.), Alec Young (2 p.m.), and Ashley Marie Toney (6 p.m.). Alumni speakers will be Susan Pinkard (10 a.m.), Wayne Barger (2 p.m.), and Autumn Brown (6 p.m.).

Ample seating, including accessible seating, is available at the coliseum for family and guests of the graduates. Accessible parking is available in the parking lots on the north and south sides of the building. Captioning services for the deaf and hard of hearing will be available at the north end of the coliseum, while ASL interpreting will be provided on stage.

For guests who cannot attend the ceremonies, commencement will be televised live on WEAC-TV24 (local Cable One Channel 9). Companies with TV 24 include Cable One (Anniston, Oxford, Munford, Pell City and Jacksonville); Charter (Piedmont, Southside and Heflin); Leesburg Cable; Collinsville Cable; Lookout Cable (Gaylesville); and Cherokee Co. Cable (Centre). Family and friends can also view the graduation ceremony live from their home computers here.

Photo: Sydney Jones (Jenn Davis courtesy).
The Supreme Court of Iran [official website] upheld the conviction and five-year prison sentence of a British-Iranian woman on Monday, but did not disclose the crime she is accused of committing. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested [Al Jazeera report] at an airport last summer after visiting her Iranian parents and introducing them to their granddaughter, according to statements from her husband. Zaghari-Ratcliffes daughter remains in Iran, with her grandparents. Although no specific charges were disclosed when she was indicted by the Revolutionary Court in Iran last September, Irans top prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said she was involved in a plot seeking the soft-toppling of the Iranian government. According to a statement [text, PDF] from Thomas Reuter Foundations CEO [advocacy website], Zaghari-Ratcliffe was employed by the London-based charity, and had no dealings with Iran that would have lead to criminal charges.

The fact that the Supreme Court has rejected Nazanins final appeal to overturn her sentence is a huge blow. I would like to reiterate that I am entirely convinced of Nazanins innocence. She is not a spy but an innocent mother who travelled to Iran only to show her baby to her parents. I stand united with [her husband] Richard in calling for her immediate release.

The human rights conditions of journalists and others in Iran have continued to be an matter of concern worldwide. In January Iran agreed [JURIST report] to release four US citizens in exchange for seven Iranians being held in the US for violating sanctions against Iran. In November UN rights experts stated that authorities in Iran [JURIST report] should cease arresting, prosecuting and harassing journalists and online activists and the country should provide a safe space for freedom of expression. In October the UN released a report stating that Irans human rights situation remains alarming despite the signing [JURIST reports] of the nuclear deal earlier in October. In May UN human rights experts condemned [JURIST report] the growing number of executions in Iran in recent years. According to the Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in Iran and on extrajudicial executions, Iran had executed approximately six people per day between April 9 and April 26 and 350 total up to that point.
[JURIST] The Jordanian Cabinet [official website] on Sunday revoked Article 308 [penal code text, in Arabic], a provision of Jordans penal code which opponents said would allow rapists to avoid a jail term in return for marrying their victim for at least three years. Although the statute was amended [BBC report] in 2016 to only apply to women and girls between the ages of 15 to 18 where the interaction was believed to be consensual, womens right groups intensified [Jordan Times report] their efforts to have the law repealed. According to a report [text, PDF] by Equality Now [official website], an international womens rights activist group, similar laws still exist in Lebanon, Iraq, the Philippines, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bahrain.

Movements to change these laws are being organized all over the world. Equality Now is currently advancing its Global Rape Epidemic campaign [official webstie] to bring attention to laws like the one in Jordan and many other laws which limit womens rights. On Saturday, activists in Lebanon protested against the nations rape loophole law by hanging wedding dresses from nooses [BBC report] along the Beruit shore. Lebanese activists are hoping to have the law repealed during the Lebanese parliaments next session.
Sicilian prosecutor Carmelo Zuccaro stated to reporters on Sunday that an investigation has revealed evidence of direct contacts between some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human traffickers in Libya. It is suspected [La Stampa report, in Italian] that NGO migrant rescue ships have been colluding with Libya-based human smugglers. While some Italian politicians have criticized the work of these NGOs for running taxi services for migrants, some of which could say could be criminals, human rights and humanitarian groups such as Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] have applauded the NGOs for saving countless lives. Some NGOs involved in the migrant rescues include Doctors Without Borders, SOS Mediterranee, Save the Children and Malta-based Mobile Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) [advocacy websites], though all have denied these accusations. Though it is common for Italys coast guard to call upon private vessels to assist in rescuing migrants in the rescue zone in the waters between Italy and Libya, Zuccaro has called into question the propriety of the new NGOs dedicated to this task, as well as the policy of relying upon established NGOs to intervene in the Mediterranean.

Protection of migrants from Libya, including a call by UNICEF [JURIST report] last month for the protection of migrant women and children traveling through the Mediterranean, has been a significant issue due to instability within Libya. Libya has remained politically unstable since the 2011 deposition of Muammar Gaddafi [JURIST backgrounder] and subsequent civil war. In September the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore spoke on the deteriorating human rights situation [JURIST report] in Libya and called for accountability and reform. Earlier last year the UN released a report detailing a litany of violations and abuses being committed by both state and non-state actors in Libya that may amount to war crimes [JURIST report].
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Chickpea puffs brand Hippeas, launched a year ago as the first product developed by US-based start-up Green Park Brands, has already made notable inroads both in its domestic market and in the UK. Dean Best met Craig Hughes, Green Parks European sales director, at the IFE industry expo in London to discuss Hippeas performance in the UK and the companys plans for the brand in the market and in Europe. just-food: Have you been with the business since it started?

Craig Hughes: I have. My background is ex-European foodservice director for Heinz. Ive been with Hippeas from the start of the journey. I bumped into Livio [Bisterzo, the CEO and founder of Green Park Brands] in a pub in west London. We shared the same ideology around execution, health and wellness, start-ups and passion for doing something different in the marketplace. When he introduced to me that he had an idea on a chickpea-based alternative snack, I took an opportunity to leave Heinz. It was when 3G [Capital, now Kraft Heinzs private-equity owner] were going through their kind of consolidation phase. It was a perfect window and opportunity for me to effectively take a redundancy and invest that in something that I was 100% passionate about. A small, start-up business offering something new and different.

I had a funny bone for start-up businesses for a long time. In previous years, Ive tried to set up an experience-a-celebrity website, offering celebrity experiences. I was very close to securing a licence with Jamie Oliver to go into Italian coffee. Ive always had that need and that desire to work for a small start-up, and this is the perfect vehicle.

just-food: Are there any other minority investors within the business? Hughes: The company is basically split across a number of different shareholders. We have shareholders in the US that are serial investors in food start-up companies, and we have investment in the UK from, again, serial investors. Chris Britton is one of our senior team. Hes chairman of Green Park Brands. Pretty much most of the executive team have all made personal investments in the company, as well. Thats both in the US and the UK, so its a pretty tight structure. Hippeas is project number one under Green Park Brands.

just-food: Okay. For a business only formed in 2015, youve managed to make inroads quite quickly. Hughes: One of the most telling stats that weve got is that, I think in the last eight months, weve gone from a zero distribution base to 20,000 distribution points in two continents, in less than eight months. If you look at what some of our other competitor brands are doing, weve managed to achieve a greater level of distribution in six months than they have in five years. just-food: Whats been driving that growth? Hughes: Firstly, were one of the very few start-ups thats launched in two continents at the same time. Its kind of the holy grail. By launching into the US market, weve given ourselves a massive increase in distribution. Our first customer was Starbucks. We presented the concept early last May to Starbucks in the US. They were so blown away by what we were delivering, both from a branding proposition and a health-and-wellness platform, they decided to enlist us immediately in basically the whole of estate across the US. Thats probably one of the biggest reasons weve got 20,000 distribution points. From a UK perspective, weve gone from strength to strength. We started back in April, May last year in about 25 WH Smith stores. We quickly went to 250. In Boots, we started off in May last year in 250 distribution points, we went straight to 500, because of the strength of the proposition, the rate of sale that weve got, and also the support were putting behind the brand.

just-food: What kind of marketing tactics have you used? Hughes: The product itself is a very taste-led platform. So, to get a real sense of what Hippeas is about, its all about the taste. So, weve been sampling at tube stations, at major city-centre locations across the UK. Weve been using sampling as the vehicle to activate the brand in front of consumers. The branding and the packaging are pretty stand-out, so immediately attract peoples attention. When we set up the company, we got a partnership with JKR, one of the best advertising agencies in London. They have an equity stake in the company and that provides us with a huge advantage over other start-ups because weve got great marketing.

We have had to tweak the proposition. Weve recently just made some changes to the on-pack. Well be showing puffs on-pack, so its immediately clear what the proposition is.

Our current UK distribution is in Boots, Holland & Barrett, WH Smith, Waitrose front-store, back-store, in share bag and single bag format. Were in Planet Organic, Natural Kitchen, Whole Foods. We are also in in excess of 350 health stores in London. And then from a foodservice perspective, were in all of the major foodservice groups  Compass, Elior, Sodexo, ISS.Were accessing what I would call typical millennial markets in the London area. So, if youre a consumer at lunchtime working for Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Barclays, our products would be available in those kinds of outlets, corporate, in-house catering.

just-food: What are your plans for the next phase of growth in the UK? Hughes: We need to consolidate our existing distribution base. We have a high level of distribution that we need to make work. We need to engage with consumers through those distribution points to drive the rate of sale to the next level. Were going to be bringing some more mainstream flavours into the category. Were not trying to be clever on the flavours that we bring. Were going to make some tweaks, as I mentioned, on some of our packaging, make our claims really clear [and] boost our protein levels as well within the product. Protein is a big selling point on the product. Typically, were offering double the amount of protein versus standard crisps. Were going to be looking at ways to boost the protein level to have a bigger claim on-pack around protein. Forty-three per cent of consumers are interested in protein-based snacks. Meanwhile, pulse-based snacks, in the last two years, have grown 145%, from a small base, but growing incredibly quickly. Also, were in conversations with all four multiples. Theyre all very interested in what Hippeas is bringing to the market. Were offering something from a nutritional standpoint that currently is very different in the marketplace with protein, fibre, and less than 100 calories and low sugar.

just-food: By the end of the year, do you think there could be deals signed with the multiples in the UK? Hughes: One hundred per cent. We have a listing with Waitrose that goes live in May front-of-store. We need to make sure from a rate-of-sale perspective that that works, and that allows us then to have discussions with the Asda, the Tesco  weve got confirmation from Sainsburys that they are interested in the product; were just waiting for a ranging slot.

just-food: You have some presence in Ireland.

Hughes: Weve just signed a new contract with a company called Richmond Marketing, one of the premier distributors of premium brands. Their original expertise has been predominantly in on-trade, but in more recent years, theyve expanded their portfolio into core grocery offerings. They have some products within their portfolio that are strong in protein, so we have a strong partner now in Ireland to push on and drive us to the next level.

just-food: Okay. Where else, geographically, could be next? Hughes: Europe is a market that is of interest to us. I think we need to make sure that we consolidate our UK position. We established Hippeas as a credible snack brand, within the mainstream categories within all of the UK channels. When we have established Hippeas as the credible alternative to snacks within the UK market, then well look at Europe. If we was to look at Europe right now, it would be a dilution on our resource.

just-food: Have you got any ideas of what markets you could target? Hughes: Well, Germany is a big vegan market, so, that would definitely be of interest. The Nordic markets  because of the interest in organic propositions  would be very strong. Then, probably Belgium and the Netherlands would be probably more Westernised and more appropriate for a Hippeas-type offering within that space.
YORK  Sydney Thieszen, who at the age of 14 killed his 12-year-sister, Sacha, at their Henderson-area home, has been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Hes been in prison nearly 30 years.

But because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, saying juvenile defenders sentenced to life must be given the chance of parole, he was resentenced in the same courtroom where he was convicted in the first place.

On Friday, York County District Judge James Stecker pronounced Thieszens new sentence  70 years to life. That means that after good time calculations (in which his credit for time already served is determined), Thieszen could be eligible for parole in five years, as he must serve at least 35 years before being considered.

It should be noted that Thieszen is also serving a consecutive sentence for use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. That sentence, which was handed down in 1996, remains and was not considered by Judge Stecker. The department of corrections will determine how that sentence affects Thieszens parole eligibility, in terms of time served.

After Thieszen and 25 other Miller defendants (who had been sentenced to life as juveniles) were identified for resentencing in Nebraska, these types of proceedings have been taking place in district courtrooms across the state.

And Friday, in the courtroom in York County, dozens of people were on hand to hear allocution by the state and the defense . . . and witness Judge Stecker proclaim the sentence.

This crime was violent, brutal and utterly senseless, Judge Stecker said to Thieszen. In execution style, you shot her in the back of the head, put her in the tub and with precision shot her twice more, once in the head and once in the chest. You robbed her of the rest of her life, you took away her teenage years, her time in high school and college, you took away her opportunity to have a profession, to marry and have children. You left her with no escape, no way for her to be saved.

Prior to sentencing, Sharon Hanke, the adopted sister of Sydney and Sacha, read a victim impact statement.

My sister, Sacha, at the age of 12, was brutally murdered, Hanke said, with the courtroom audience becoming emotional. Violent crime such as a murder changes who you are, it changes how you see life, it changes how you live life. Nothing is ever the same again. This is a case where everything and everyone failed. His biological mother abused him. HHS put him with a family who was completely inadequate to care for such a child that had been so abused.

And in the end, he chose murder, Hanke continued. I will never believe he killed her for trying to stop him from running away. He planned this for months, it was carefully planned and calculated. Hed already decided which weapon he wanted to kill everyone with. Hes never shown remorse for what hes done to our family. He begged and pleaded to be adopted (at the age of nine, after living with them for five years), and then he says now that he never wanted to be adopted by our family. We loved him like a brother and we all felt he fit with our family. How can a person even wrap their head around such betrayal by someone you loved for years? My parents are in hiding, my siblings lives are in shambles, my lifes been forever changed and not for the good. I was the one who cleaned up Sachas blood  do you know what that does to a person?

When Ms. Hanke took the stand . . . as lawyers, we get immersed in books and the law and arguments and we forget about people, said Corey OBrien, an attorney with the Nebraska Attorney Generals office. We forget about people, emotions and loss. Ive been doing this 20 years, Ive handled many homicide cases and these Miller cases. The seriousness of it all is staggering. What this victims family had to endure . . . This dates back to 1987, as they dealt with the shock and awe because a family member committed a brutal murder of another family member. To deal with that tragedy  a brother who committed murder and a sister who was killed. It is mind blowing. The family began the long road to healing, but was delivered another jolt in 1996 when his conviction was reversed because some words were missing from a statute. And then they had to go through a jury trial, day after day of gut wrenching testimony. I feel for them. I realize the court system is an insensitive beast not designed for victims where defendants have more rights than they do. There was another conviction and this family was able to say they would never have to worry about this again. Then came the Miller decision which was another blow and now they have to go through this.

I dont have all the answers, but I do have an obligation to do whats right for this state, for the law, this family, this community and for the defendant, OBrien said. I do question if hes genuine in what hes told us, if he has accepted responsibility, if he does have the tools to live a law abiding life.

Thieszen also addressed the court, on his own behalf.

Last night, I was working on this, Thieszen said, becoming emotional. I couldnt find the words. It all just falls short. Sacha was a beautiful, innocent 12-year-old girl. She was a daughter, a sister and a friend. She had a lifetime of potential ahead of her. Theres not a day in my life that I dont feel sorry and remorse for what I did . . . I took the precious life of that little girl. She died alone and afraid at the hands of her brother, a person she loved and trusted. What I did was unfathomable. And the family and the community suffered as well. What is proven here today is that time does nothing to diminish this crime. It is nothing less than heartbreaking. It will never leave me, even after all this time. I wake up with it in the morning, I go to bed with it at night. The only relief I ever find are in the moments when I am giving of myself to others. My search for penance and atonement are sincere and never ending.

Jeffrey Pickens, Thieszens attorney, told the court, the murder of Sacha was tragic and senseless. Sacha was the victim, the family was a victim and he was a victim, too. He lost his family, they abandoned him before he was even sentenced. At 15, he went to prison without any support from the outside. At that age, he was placed in the general population of a maximum security prison. It is hard for me to imagine  that wouldnt happen today. We are not excusing kids who murder. No one is making excuses. They just cant be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, they cant be thrown away. He said that not a day goes by that he doesnt think about what he did. In his letter he said, I ended the life of a little girl and altered many lives. The ripple effect is immeasurable and Ill never forget it. The Supreme Court described this case as a tragedy in which she lost her life and his life (as it was) ended.

Prior to sentencing, Judge Stecker reviewed facts from the case as presented by both the prosecution and defense.

The psychological evaluations showed that you were immature and impetuous at the age of 14, Judge Stecker said to Thieszen. Your biological mother clearly abused you until the age of four. Then the Thieszens brought you up in a structure environment  it appears they were a loving family and they disciplined to fix your behavior. You did not modify your behavior. When you were younger, a relationship had developed (between him and the family), and at 12 your behaviors began to manifest themselves. In 1986, you sexually assaulted a foster child in the home. There were incidents at school in which you harassed girls in a sexual manner. I also have to note that your gun had been taken away due to you shooting at property and chickens, you stole money from your parents, you were peeking at your sisters and there was the sexual assault of a foster sister. At the time of the offense, you indicated no remorse  I do note that now you have remorse and regret for your actions. You indicated to your classmates that you wanted to kill your parents and a sister, although you hadnt specified which sister.

Judge Stecker also noted that during Thieszens time in prison, he has had more than 200 discipline reports, including one for threatening to kill an inmate, one for inappropriate touching of a female, multiple for testing positive for marijuana use and several for destroying property.

OBrien had argued for a substantial sentence so Thieszen will have time to acquire the skills to transition, to achieve a full realization of wrong, to protect society and send the message to other children that murder, not matter the age, is not acceptable. Its important the court sends a message that it is not acceptable to commit homicide, at any age, and society will not accept it.

Following sentencing, Thieszen was returned to the maximum security prison facility at Tecumseh where he will continue to serve his sentence.
KEARNEY  Leta Rose (Taubenheim) Jobman, 79, of Kearney died Saturday, April 22, 2017, at CHI Health Good Samaritan.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church with the Rev. Sylvia Karlsson officiating. Burial will be at Kearney Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. today at OBrien Straatmann Funeral Home.



She was born July 16, 1937, near Riverdale to Otto and Telma (Beers) Taubenheim. She was educated in Buffalo County and attended Kearney State College and Central Community College. She married Donald. D. Jobman in Kearney on April 23, 1961. They lived their entire married life in Kearney.

She worked for Bahr-Schall Music Co. in Kearney. After her daughters entered school, she worked with Kearney Public Schools as an elementary school librarian at Northeast Elementary School for 25 years. Leta was awarded the Education Support Staff of the Year Award in 1998. After retirement, she enjoyed working as a convention hostess for Kearney Visitors Bureau.

Leta was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Kearney. She served as Sunday school secretary, church council secretary, Naomi Circle secretary and chairman, WELCA president and was active in Bible school, evangelism committee, H.A.T.S. visitations, Bible studies and adult Bible school.

She was an active member in DOES, AS chapter of PEO, a past board member of Friends of the Library, past president of Kearney Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary and past board member of Senior College. She loved reading the Hubs Annies Mailbox column for the visually impaired.

She enjoyed playing bonco and bridge, reading and traveling, especially with their special travel friends, Marv and Jill Franzen, and the fellowship of the mission trips with First Lutheran groups. Her legacy was to live, love and laugh. Her friends were her greatest treasure. A special pastime for her was to write notes and take gifts to people during illness or difficult times of their lives.

Survivors include her husband, Don of Kearney; two daughters, Janna Burton and her husband, Troy, and Jill Jobman, all of Kearney; sister, Venia Whitesel of Broken Bow; two brothers, Gerald of Broken Bow and Maurice of Grand Island; two grandsons, Blake Swartwood of Overton and Bo Burton of Highland, Calif.; one granddaughter, Jenna Swartwood of Brownwood, Texas; two great-granddaughters; one stepgrandson, Jared Burton of Highland; sister-in-law, Velma Taubenheim of Broken Bow; and hosts of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers.

Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Visit www.osrfh.com to share online condolences.
Gov. Pete Ricketts has only a few days to decide whether the state of Nebraska wants to declare a corrections emergency or be sued. ACLU Nebraska pledged it would file a federal lawsuit against the state Department of Correctional Services if Ricketts stands pat.

Earlier legislative efforts identified and analyzed many of the concerns the ACLU letter cites about the prison system, including inadequate staffing, inadequate safety and inadequate inmate access to health care and counseling.

The state is taking steps that are expected, in the long term, to improve prison staffing, safety, counseling and health care. Officials also appear to be following through on pledges to improve the prison systems rehabilitation efforts rather than simply warehousing inmates.

Ricketts two-year budget proposes spending another $20.1 million on prisons and staffing. He proposes spending $75 million over multiple years to add prison space for older inmates and those with mental illness. Those plans, if approved by the Legislature, would help set up the states prison system to succeed.

But improvements on that scale will take years. The state needs to outline what more it can do in the short term to address prison crowding and staffing problems.

The recent inmate unrest and a fire at Lincolns Diagnostic and Evaluation Center brought another reminder of urgency. That follows previous trouble at Tecumseh, which has seen two deadly upheavals since Ricketts took office.

Progress has been slow in resolving such problems, as well as in hiring and retaining staff, despite efforts by the Legislature, the governor and court system.

Nebraskas prisons remain troublingly crowded. They hold about 2,000 more inmates than they were designed to house, above the 140-percent threshold that has triggered federal lawsuits in other states.

One area worth probing: short-term options to buy the state time. What might ease crowding now? Could the state make more use of county jails? Does the Parole Board need to parole more inmates who are eligible but might pose moderate risk? Are there other steps that could bring relief quickly?

The state needs to find some answers for corrections quickly. The clock is ticking.

Omaha World-Herald
BERTRAND  Frank and Pam Snyder have more than 50 years combined experience working in radio, but they traded in their microphones for burgers and steaks.

Frank was the news director at KRVN in Lexington for 35 years, and Pam was the promotions director and announcer for 28 years before the couple purchased the Blue Moose Bar and Grill in Bertrand.

We just thought maybe it would be a good opportunity for when we were done with radio, and it has been, Pam said.

The couple has owned the bar and grill for eight years, and business is booming at the only restaurant in town.

At lunchtime on a recent Wednesday afternoon, tables filled up quickly as customers dined on that days lunch special of homemade fried chicken and on items off the menu such as the Blue Moose Burger, a burger served with blue cheese and Swiss cheese.

Pam was the sole waitress. She had some help busing tables from her 5-year-old grandson, Ryan, who took plenty of time to chat with customers, snack on French fries and crack jokes.

Before taking over the restaurant, Pam had no experience in the industry.

We had no restaurant experience. I never  even in high school and college  I never waitressed. I never worked in a bar and restaurant. So isnt that weird? she said.

When the previous owner decided to sell the business, the Snyders didnt want to see Bertrand go without an eatery.

We just love the community and wanted to make sure this business, that (the town) was still able to have a restaurant, she said.

After purchasing the business, the couple changed the name to Blue Moose, paying homage to Franks home state of Minnesota. They decked out the bar area in Husker memorabilia and also changed the decor in the dining room and party room. The Snyders updated the menu, and the restaurant has become known for its steaks, Pam said.

At night, weve really become a steakhouse. We have great steaks, she said.

The Blue Moose has specials at lunch and dinner, and Thursday nights are one of the busiest nights because of a special on sirloin steaks. To-go orders, especially during harvest season, are a popular option.

The popularity of the restaurant brings in customers from around the region, and it recently broke its record for most meals served in one evening.

Last Saturday night, we had a record number of meals served. (There were) 237 meals served for supper.  Our record had been 234, Pam said.

While the Blue Moose has many regular customers, business picks up in the summer with many new people trying out the dining fare.

Summer is busiest for lunch. There is a lot of construction. Guys get done planting, irrigating, just seems like there is a lot more action in the summer. Our lunch can be packed, and Ill even have to open the dining room, Pam said.

The bar and grill also features a dining room that is open Fridays and Saturdays and a party room that is available for rent.

We have Christmas parties, birthday parties. We do rehearsal dinners, seed corn dinners, seed corn meetings, anything. We can get about 70-75 people in here, Pam said about the party room.

The business has been a family affair from the beginning for the Snyders. While Pam often works during lunch, her son, Jarrod Hird, is the kitchen manager and head cook. Many of their customers and staff members have become like family to the Snyders.

We have met, I mean, our best friends. ... We wouldnt have met them if we didnt have this place, Pam said. Ive got the best staff. Our staff is the reason why we are successful.

The Snyders plan to make a few changes to the menu and to continue business as normal.

This is a tough business. You got to do a lot of things right, because a lot of restaurant/bars do not make it, so we must have done something right, Pam said.
Nadine Larche, right, and Rachael Ross head to court in Moncton, N.B. on Monday, April 24, 2017. Their husbands, Constables Doug Larche and Dave Ross along with Const. Fabrice Gevaudan were killed by a gunman on June 4, 2014. The RCMP's trial on violating four charges of the Canada Labour Code, related to the shooting that claimed the lives of the three officers, is expected to last two months. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
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FILE - In this Sunday April 23, 2017 file photo, French centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron waves before addressing his supporters at his election day headquarters in Paris. They could hardly be more different: Pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron is facing anti-immigration, anti-EU Marine Le Pen in FranceAos presidential runoff May 7. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, file)
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis , right, and U.S. Army General John Nicholson, left, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, hold a news conference at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 24, 2017. Mattis arrived unannounced in Afghanistan to assess America's longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending more U.S. troops. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
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Before I started my residency program at Boston Medical Center (BMC), I had no idea that residents were unionized at 60 hospitals across the country. I actually didnt know much about unions or the labor movement until I got involved in contract negotiations between my own union, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), and Boston Medical Center administration. Through this process, I now know what it is like to really be part of a union and I am proud to say I am a union member. Heres why:

Unions have collective power culminating in one voice.

That means the more members we have in our union, the more power we have to negotiate for better contracts and working conditions. The administration will not listen to a few of us, but they will listen to all of us. I saw this first-hand when I was on the bargaining committee, and we negotiated our 2016-2019 contract.

With the strength of our collective voice, we negotiated a competitive yearly food stipend, providing us with easy access to meals during our long shifts in the hospital. Without our union bargaining power and staff support, BMC could have mandated a much smaller stipend for house staff or none at all.

Because we are CIR, we are supported. BMC residents have been unionized with CIR since 1993 (see image, inset), when they merged with CIR to be part of the nationwide housestaff union. However, BMCs resident union actually formed in 1915, pre-dating CIR (which started in NY in 1957), when they were called Boston City Hospital. Our 1915 predecessors were unpaid and had to live in the hospital. They decided to organize in an effort to negotiate with the mayor of Boston for compensation and better living conditions.

Residents before us established a high bar for our contract; from improved working conditions for residents to higher salaries and benefits, to methods for improving patient care. Our predecessor-residents paved the way for residents like me and our future co-residents. But we must not take this for granted.

Our union is unique because we are only members for two to six years. That means our member turnover is very high compared to the nurses unions or Teamsters, where members are twenty, thirty-year, even life-long members. We must constantly organize and make sure that new residents are involved with the union to remain strong, and a part of this is making sure that everyone is a member. For resident physicians within CIR hospitals, it is vital to become a member and pay dues. Otherwise, hospital administration would see that we are not all standing together and our union would become weak, and our bargaining power would diminish.

With a weak union, the administration could easily take advantage of us; we could potentially end up going backward rather than forward. Can you imagine going back to the days of 100-hour work weeks and 36-hour shifts on roughly $10,000 a year? Or worse, working without pay and mandatory housing on the hospital campus? Poor treatment of resident physicians is bad medicine for all. Its bad for our own well-being and horrible for patient care and patient safety. I have heard stories from my attendings on the wards, who trained 30 years ago when residency culture was vastly different. They would be on call every other day, staying in the hospital all night with minimal support. We know that it is because of our union that we have made so many gains and we must protect them.

With the newly appointed Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, and his anti-labor record, I am worried that he will try to further weaken unions, already an agenda of the Trump administration and Republican party. He and the Republican party will try to dismantle unions by creating a right to work country where people who benefit from a union contract would not be required to become members and pay dues. To some, this may sound pretty good  a few extra bucks in the white coat pocket, but to me, this outcome is worrisome.

CIR (like all unions and professional associations) operates on dues collected from union members. CIR employs professional staff, such as organizers who help us with contract negotiations, and lawyers who read the fine print and assist with contract language. CIR is our union, but CIR staff is our backbone. Because residents are so busy, we would not be able to do the full-time jobs of CIR staff and lawyers, which is why we pay dues. Without dues, our union could not function.

Our dues ensure that we have CIR staff who are experts in contract negotiations, research, and lawyers that advocate on our behalf while we focus on patient care. Dues are a small amount to pay compared to the value our union adds each year, including peace of mind regarding our contracts and allowing us to focus on what we do best: care for our patients.

I hope future residents appreciate the groundwork that their predecessors  including myself  have created in making sure residents and patients are taken care of by maintaining a stable and strong union. Having a CIR contract tips the scales in favor of residents and patients rather than insurance companies and the hospitals bottom line. Lets keep it this way.

Amir Meiri is an internal medicine resident and a member, Committee of Interns and Residents.

Image credit: Amir Meiri
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Recently, I heard from a student in her third year of medical school. To date, she has borrowed more than $100,000 to fund her education. She is in the top 10% of her class, with honors in all of her subjects and high scores on her national exams. She would be a valued resident in the most competitive specialty training programs. Her goal is to become a primary care physician and offer her expertise to a diverse set of patients, leveraging the multiple languages she speaks fluently. But because she was born in a Middle Eastern country, she has a problem.

She wrote to me that she suddenly faces uncertainty about her status in the U.S. and about the possibility she will be forced to leave without completing her final year of medical school. Were that to happen, she would have wasted the time and the money she has already had invested. She accepted the reality that as someone from another nation, she would need to be exceptional to fulfill her dream. But now she worries that she could be required to leave no matter how well she performs.

And the same is true for nurses, laboratory technicians and doctors born in other countries but already established in practice in the U.S. The rules they will need to live by in the future are unclear and ever-changing. Which countries will be impacted? Will the requirements to leave apply to individuals on student visas and green cards and even to naturalized citizens?

Imagine how you would feel going to sleep at night worried about what you will read in the newspaper the next morning. Everything you value is at risk, including your health.

How anxiety is eclipsing fear

Fear and anxiety are closely related emotions, but they are distinct from each other. Increasingly, we are seeing individuals in our nation suffering from both.

Fear is caused by the anticipation and awareness of a specific danger or threat. Anxiety is an overwhelming sense of dread and apprehension, often without a specific cause. The result of either emotion is an erosion of a persons confidence in their ability to cope with the threat. If youre afraid of heights, you stand at the edge of a cliff and look down, overcome with fear. But once you walk away, the fear fades. In contrast, the generalized sense of uneasiness associated with anxiety stays with you, no matter what you do. It permeates your psyche, encroaching on everything no matter what you try.

Physicians deal with fear on a daily basis. We address the fear of a patient with a mass who is worried about cancer, or of a pregnant mother concerned about the health of her unborn child. In contrast to fear, anxiety in medical practice tends to originate from internal rather than external causes. And, as the well-documented relationship between anxiety and health shows, it expresses itself in vague physical symptoms such as insomnia or lack of appetite. People with high levels of anxiety are more prone to depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. In addition, chronic anxiety also impacts their children and other family members. Like a chronic physical irritation, persistent anxiety eats away at self-confidence and a persons sense of well-being. Left unaddressed, it produces deep psychological wounds and long-term damage.

Even physicians are feeling the anxiety

Many of the physicians practicing in the U.S. today  27 percent, to be exact  were born in countries outside the U.S. Most came to the United States for training, often after completing medical school and residency in their home countries. And many have remained in the U.S. throughout their professional lives, becoming U.S. citizens and providing outstanding medical care for patients in underserved communities, including inner cities and rural areas.

But those born in other countries and currently pursuing training in the U.S.  even if theyve worked hard and are at the top of their classes  can no longer be sure they will find jobs or even be matched in the training programs they desire. Academic achievement alone may be insufficient.

I recently heard from physicians worried that someone will turn on them, simply because of their ethnicity, their surname or the color of their skin. One doctor I know came to the United States as a child 35 years ago and became an American citizen as a teenager. If you ask him to identify his nationality, his answer is American. But he is plagued by a growing sense that people are looking at him and labeling him as something other. He told me about taunts his daughter had received at school, with her classmates telling her 

even though she was born in California  to go back to where she had come from.

The impact on peoples lives and health

I worry that under these circumstances, the only choice people will have is to narrow their social network and pull back from their local community  and, for that matter, their whole world. All of us who have walked down dark alleys or deserted city streets have felt the surge of adrenaline when danger seems near. Dealing with such heightened fear and anxiety day in and day out is emotionally exhausting and physically debilitating.

Patients tell me theyre worried, too. Some feel anxiety that their medical care will be compromised based on their appearance or religious beliefs. Others are anxious about what might happen to friends and families in other countries and the possibility they will never see them again. Still, others have described the sensation of feeling cut off from their past and their loved ones and of the emptiness it has created for them and their children. One patient wrote to me that his dad tried to visit here but was blocked from entering through customs.

In the United States today, this anxiety is growing, and growing fast. And again, unlike the anxiety clinicians are used to addressing, the cause for these patients is external, not internal. But the impact is the same. And as a physician, I worry about the long-term consequences for the health of individuals and society.

Why attention must be paid

Fear of attack from enemies around the globe who are jealous of our freedom and democratic values must be addressed to preserve the security of our country and its people. At the same time, we need to guard against taking actions that will generate anxiety that will destroy people, tear apart our cohesion as communities and degrade the health of our nation. The core values of the medical profession require physicians to treat every patient equally, with the same level of care and diligence. The best physicians are those that provide every individual with the same respect, care and compassion they would want for themselves and their families.

Our immune system recognizes that all parts of our body belong to the whole. When our immune system becomes dysfunctional, it begins to identify important parts of ourselves as foreign and attacks them as though they were invading organisms. The result is a debilitating autoimmune disease that saps our strength and produces pain and dysfunction. Anxiety at the societal level creates that same pain. It keeps people awake at night and harms the heart and soul of our country and our people. The remedy, for those giving care as well as for those receiving it, is compassion, respect and inclusiveness.

Wait too long to treat an immune disease, and the prognosis becomes much worse. The same is true for the recently created anxiety now growing right in front of our eyes. If it persists, we risk inflicting long-lasting and widespread damage not only on certain individuals but also on the entire country.

My grandparents set off by ship from Europe as teenagers seeking to find a better life in the United States. They arrived in the U.S. knowing they would never see their parents again. But they were nonetheless filled with optimism and hope that they would have a better life here, and that their children and grandchildren would, too.

What people are experiencing now is altogether different, and extremely unhealthy. My grandparents came face to face with very real fears when they set sail across the Atlantic to a new country. Today, were seeing a new phenomenon, a growing anxiety pervading and destroying individuals and families who already live here.

Robert Pearl is a physician and CEO, Permanente Medical Groups. This article originally appeared in Forbes.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Over 1 million virtual doctor visits were reported in 2015. Telehealth companies have long asserted that increased access to physicians via video or phone conferencing saves money by reducing office visits and Emergency Department care. But a new study calls this cost savings into question. Increased convenience can increase utilization, which may improve access, but not reduce costs.

The study has some obvious limitations. First of all, it followed patients who used one particular telehealth service for one specific cluster of disease (respiratory illness) and narrowed the cost measure to spending on that condition only. Strep throat, coughs, and sinusitis are not drivers of potentially expensive care, to begin with, so major cost savings (by avoiding the ER or hospitalization) would not be expected with the use of telehealth services for most of these concerns.

Secondly, the patients whose data were scrutinized had commercial insurance (i.e., a generally healthier and younger population than Medicare beneficiaries, for example), and it is possible that the use of telehealth would differ among people with government insurance, high-deductible plans or no insurance at all.

Thirdly, the study did not look at different ways that virtual doctor visits are currently being incorporated into health care delivery systems. For example, I was part of a direct primary care practice in Virginia (DocTalker Family Medicine) that offered virtual visits for those patients who had previously been examined in-person by their physician. The familiarity significantly reduced liability concerns and the tendency for over-testing. Since the doctor on the other side of the phone or video knew the patient, the differential diagnosis shrank dramatically, allowing for personalized real-time treatment options.

Ive also been answering questions for eDocAmerica for over 10 years. This service offers employers a very low cost per member per month rate to provide access to board-certified physicians who answer patient questions 24/7 via email. eDocs do not treat patients (no ordering of tests or writing prescriptions), but can provide sound suggestions for next steps, second opinions, clarifying guidance on test results, and identify red flag symptoms that likely require urgent attention.

For telehealth applications outside the direct influence of health insurance (such as DocTalker and eDocAmerica), cost savings are being reaped directly by patients and employers. The average DocTalker patient saves thousands a year on health insurance premiums (purchasing high-deductible, catastrophic plans) and using health savings account (HSA) funds for their primary care needs. They might spend $300 per year on office or virtual visits and low-cost lab and radiology testing (pre-negotiated by DocTalker with local vendors). As for eDocAmerica, employers pay less than a dollar per month for their employees to have unlimited access to physician-driven information.

The universe of telehealth applications is larger than we think (including mobile health, remote patient monitoring, and asynchronous data sharing), and already extends outside of the traditional commercial health insurance model. Technology and market demand are fueling a revolution in how we access outpatient health care (which represents ~40 percent of total health care costs), making it more convenient and affordable. As these solutions become more commonplace, I have hope that we can indeed dramatically reduce costs and improve access to basic care.

Keeping people well and out of the hospital should be health cares prime directive. When those efforts fail, safety net strategies are necessary to protect patients from devastating costs. How best to provide that medical safety net is one of the greatest dilemmas of our time. For now, we may have to settle for solving the lower hanging fruit of outpatient medicine, beginning with expanding innovative uses of telehealth services.

Val Jones is physiatrist and founder and CEO, Better Health.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Biggest dog is 7ft and weighs the same as a baby elephant



A seven-foot Great Dane who weighs the same as a baby elephant could be Britain's heaviest dog. The huge hound, called Balthazar, tipped the scales at 15st 6lbs during a recent trip to the vets. And he measures a whopping 3ft 3in from his paw to his shoulder but is 7ft from his nose to his tail.



Balthazar the Blue Great Dane with his owner Vinnie Monte-Irvine. Now his owners Vinnie, 46, and Dixie Monte-Irvine, 39, from Nottingham, say they are shocked at how big their five-year-old pooch has become.

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Kilkenny Castle is lighting up green from 27th April to 1st May to get people talking about mental health in Kilkenny as part of See Changes 5th national Green Ribbon campaign.

See Change ran a survey amongst 977 people throughout the country, results from their survey show that people in Leinster, excluding Dublin, are the least likely to conceal a mental health difficulty from family, friends or colleagues. Just 24% of people surveyed in Leinster said they wouldnt want others to know they had a mental health difficulty, which is 14% lower than the national average of 38%.

The Green Ribbon campaign aims to change minds about mental health by prompting hundreds of events and thousands of conversations all over Ireland during the month of May each year. Between now and the end of May 500,000 ribbons will be distributed to communities, workplaces, schools and colleges all over Ireland to encourage people to talk about mental health.

Speaking about the light up, Director of See Change, John Saunders says, Its wonderful to see local initiatives encouraging positive conversations about mental health in their own county . Theres no health without mental health, so its very important that we all play our part to end the silence around mental health issues.

The Green Ribbon will be available for free at the following locations in Kilkenny:

Boots, 36-38 High Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny

Boots, Unit 1-3, MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, Dublin Rd, Co. Kilkenny

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Thomastown is famous for its community spirit and the number of community groups active in the town.

It's therefore a little surprising that there hasnt been a Mens Shed established there. That is until now.

Bob Wymses, Chairman of the newly formed Thomastown Mens Shed explained: Weve established the Shed to provide somewhere for men in the community to get together and work together, he said.

 By following the well-established Mens Shed model we want to help to improve the social lives of local men and their mental well-being, he added.

The Shed will enable local men to gather, share skills, work on various projects or just have a chat and a cup of tea, he said.

The Thomastown Mens Shed is affiliated with the Irish Mens Shed Association (IMSA) which was formed in January 2011.

It came about when it was realised that there was little encouragement for men to take an interest in their own health and well-being.

Francis Nesbitt, PRO of the new group is a big fan of the Shed model.

Mens Sheds emphasise that good health is based on many factors including feeling good about yourself, being productive, connecting to your community, making friends and maintaining an active mind, he said.

We hope that the Thomastown Shed can achieve that for the men of the area, he added.

A committee has been formed to secure a permanent home for the Shed, which meets in the Thomastown Community Centre. Bob Wymses is keen to point out though that the Shed is run by the members of the Shed, not by a committee. The Shed members will decide what activities we undertake, when we meet, etc. The Shed will be run by the members, for the members, he added.

The Shed has 24 members and is keen for more men to get involved.

You dont have to live in the town of Thomastown to get involved, explained Peter Hynes, Membership Officer. We have members from the areas around Thomastown and all are welcome.

Into the future, the group plans to work on various projects. Sheds around the country do everything from restoring old tractors to furniture making, to boat building. We will see what the men around here want to do and then well help each other do it, said Wymses.

The enthusiasm of the group is clear and their aim to allow men to pass on skills or learn new ones deserves encouragement. More importantly though, the work of all Mens Sheds, in providing somewhere for men to meet is combatting the scourge of isolation and has already accomplished a great deal throughout Ireland.

Fundraising will be a challenge and the group would welcome the donation of any tools and materials. The Thomastown Mens Shed will be meeting in the Community Centre on the 2nd of May at 7.30.

Further details can be had from group members or on the groups Facebook page Facebook.com/TTMensShed
There is growing concern that control of a chunk of south Kilkenny could yet be handed over to Waterford, despite a ministerial announcement earlier this month ruling out a change to the county boundary.

At a meeting this afternoon, local councillors were furious that the issue appears to still be on the table, following recent statements made by Waterford City and County Council chief executive Michael Walsh. They say there is no way that administration of a portion of Kilkenny could be allowed to be transferred to Waterford, and have called on Minister Simon Coveney to meet them and provide clarity on the matter as quickly as possible.

Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council Colette Byrne said there appeared to be different interpretations of Minister Coveneys statement ruling out change, and further confusion following subsequent coverage in Waterford media referring to change to the administrative boundary.

Ms Byrne said that the statutory notice of the original review referred to 'the adminstrative boundary between Waterford City and County Council and Kilkenny County Council', and did not mention a 'county boundary'. She said that rejecting the committees report would thus appear to reject any change to the administrative area.

To be clear, to-date a local authority's administrative structure boundary corresponds to its county boundary, she said.

It is one and the same thing. There is no difference.

Chairman of the Piltown Municipal District Ger Frisby said it was 'absolutely crazy' that this issue was still on the table costing time, money and resources.

It's not helpful at the moment that this is filtering around and this statement has been made, he said.

Administrative responsibility  a boundary is a boundary.

For more, see this week's Kilkenny People.
Gwendolyn Fellows of Spring Creek has been awarded a scholarship for the 2017-18 academic year and will join a group of 50 American high school students sponsored by ASSE International Student Exchange Programs who will live with a host family and attend high school in Germany for one academic year.

Since 1983, the U.S. Department of State and the German government have co-sponsored the prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship Program to help prepare ambitious young people for a global future. The CBYX program has enabled more than 23,000 students to expand their global perspectives and make new friends.

Congress-Bundestag students are youth ambassadors of the United States, sharing their life and culture with their German hostsand building greater understanding of the United States and its diversity.

As a Congress-Bundestag scholarship recipient,Gwendolyn will experience German life firsthand. She will live with a carefully selected host family while becoming a member of her German host community, attending school, participating in community life and learning more than she ever imagined about another country and culture, about the world and its diversity and about herself.

When Gwendolyn leaves for Germany, a group of German scholarship students will be arriving to live with American host families while attending high school in the USA.

Students and families interested in receiving more information about hosting a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship winner from Germany or other ASSE International Student Exchange Programs should call 1-800-733-2773 or visit ASSEs website at host.asse.com.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Mostly clear early then increasing cloudiness after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear early then increasing cloudiness after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
(Updates to close)

April 24 (Reuters) - Australian shares ended slightly higher on Monday as investors unwound their defensive positions following Emmanuel Macron's victory in the first round of French presidential elections.

The S&P/ASX 200 index ended up 0.3 percent, or 17.66 points, at 5,871.8.

Macron's win, ahead of a May 7 runoff vote, reduces the risk of a French-exit from the European Union, as opposed to far-right leader, Marine Le Pen's staunch separatist stance on the issue.

Financials accounted for more than half of the benchmark's gain, with the sector index up as much as 1.1 percent on a rally in the 'Big Four' Aussie banks and insurers.

Industrials and energy stocks also helped prop up the index after oil companies jumped on a price rally. Metal stocks, in particular gold and iron miners, fell after prices slipped.

Gold prices fell on a broad safe-haven sell-off after stocks shone, while China's most active iron-ore slipped 1.5 percent.

BHP Billiton , Fortescue Metals and Rio Tinto were the biggest drags on the index.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose 0.4 percent, or 25.72 points, to finish at 7,222.94, underpinned by materials and consumer discretionary stocks.

The country's biggest listed construction company, Fletcher Building led gains, followed by telecom company Chorus Ltd , which ended 3.2 percent higher.

(Reporting by Aparajita Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill)
By Alexander Cornwell

DUBAI, April 24 (Reuters) - State-owned budget airline flydubai will increase capacity to Russia by up to 50 percent from September partly in response to a new visa system for Russian citizens travelling to the United Arab Emirates.

flydubai had carved out a niche connecting Dubai to destinations in Russia and former Soviet states that previously had limited or no direct air links with the city state.

But flydubai and other airlines cut flights to Russia in the past few years as the country's economy was hit by low oil prices and the impact of Ukraine sanctions.

"We're trying to get back the same volume we used to be before," flydubai chief executive Ghaith al-Ghaith told Reuters in an interview in Dubai on Monday.

Flydubai currently operates 29 weekly flights to seven Russian destinations, an airline spokeswoman later said. The increase will be compared to 2016, the spokeswoman said without providing further details.

Al-Ghaith said demand on Russian routes was increasing following recent visa changes by the United Arab Emirates for Russian citizens.

Russian visitors to Dubai rose 106 percent in the first three months of 2017 after the UAE said in January it would grant Russians visas on arrival. "I think you will see next year this will be a big market for Dubai," al-Ghaith said.

Flydubai's profit fell 68 percent in 2016. In March last year, one of its aircraft crashed in southern Russia killing all 62 on board. ($1 = 3.6726 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell. Editing by Jane Merriman)
A strong performance by Emmanuel Macron during the first round of the French presidential election Sunday wiped away much of gold's risk premium during early-Monday Asian trading, says MKS (Switzerland) S.A. The yellow metal opened well offered to collapse nearly $15 within the first 15 minutes of trade, as we saw close to 25,000 lots pass through Comex in the first hour, says Sam Laughlin, senior precious-metals trader with MKS. Still, since a number of geopolitical concerns persist, and the metal saw solid bids around $1,270, he says. As of 7:52 a.m. EDT, spot gold was down $14 to $1,270.05, bouncing from a low of $1,265.65. As the dust settles following yesterday's election, short-term focus once again turns to North Korea, with an eye on Trump's 'massive tax cut' announcement and the implications of the potential U.S. government shutdown on Friday, Laughlin says. He puts initial technical-chart support around the February high near $1,264, then $1,250 to $1,255, an area that contains the 200-day moving average that currently just above $1,253. On the top side, the downtrend from the all-time high comes in toward $1,290, Laughlin adds.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

BBH: Capital Markets Show Dramatic Response To French Election

The outcome of the first round of voting in the French presidential election Sunday has spurred a dramatic response in capital markets, says Brown Brothers Harriman.  European stocks are sharply higher, the S&P 500 futures are signaling a stronger opening in the U.S., and the euro has risen more than 1% against the U.S. dollar. Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and Far Right populist Marine Le Pen advanced to the second round of voting in early May, but polls suggest Macron will win the second round by over twenty percentage points, BBH says. Our thesis, that there is no populist-nationalist wave sweeping the world, is supported by the previous results in Austria, the Netherlands, and now France, BBH says. The AfD in Germany (is) wilting in the polls, and there too the center will hold. The populist-nationalist wave seems a result of the Anglo-American two-party system in which the center-right party adopted part of the populist-nationalist platform. While there was, of course, a certain amount of anxiety, especially given the electoral surprises over the past year, the investment community seemed not to be overly worried. Large speculators in the currency futures have been amassing what Bloomberg calculates as a record large long euro position. The premium that investors demand over Germany is elevated but has not accelerated as the election drew near.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

SP Angel: Safe-Haven Assets Retreat After French Voting

Commodities brokerage SP Angel reports that safe-haven assets have retreated on the back of the first round of presidential-election results in France as centrist Emmanuel Macron beat other contenders and emerged as the favorite. A snap poll from Ipsos says Macron is set to secure 62% support in the second round due May 7, versus 38% for Marine Le Pen. The euro climbed two cents against the U.S. dollar while the spread between German and French 10-year bond yields narrowed to the lowest since late January, SP Angel says. U.S. Treasuries were down, with gold and (the Japanese) yen both down around 1% this morning.
 Agnico Eagle Mines

Nunavut, Canadas northernmost territory, is entering the most prosperous period in its history due to surging mining development and exploration, this according to the territorial government's senior economist.

Over the next four years, we are going to have growth in mine exploration, production, and capital investment, including mine development and construction, Francois Picotte said in a telephone interview with Kitco News. By 2020, the production of minerals here in Nunavut will most likely have doubled if not more. Here, we are talking of gold and iron ore mainly.

Picotte estimates that the yearly growth in Nunavut will likely be well above the 5% mark for the next 4 years.

The biggest driver for the resource industrys advance is the opening of a new mine in Nunavut  Agnico Eagle's Meliadine, which is set to become operational in late 2019. It will be a fourth mine in operation and it will give a strong boost to production, noted the senior economist.

Agnico Eagle is also opening up its satellite deposit of the existing Meadowbank mine, known as Amaruq.

The Canadian-based gold producer has already committed to invest U.S. $1.2 billion into mine development in Nunavut over the next two-and-a-half years. Three quarters of that will be invested in Meliadine and about a quarter in developing Amaruq, which will be connected to Meadowbank via a 64-kilometre road.

That is very intense investment for us. Nunavut is a large territory, but has a small population and a rather small economy. So, this kind of influx of financial resources will increase the investment in Nunavut in a very significant manner and that will boost capital investment and mine development, Picotte said.

Production will also ramp up in the next few years at Baffinlands existing Mary River mine on Baffin Island and at TMAC Resources new Hope Bay mine located in the Kitikmeot region, the senior economist added.

According to Picotte, mineral exploration is also looking up in the territory, mainly due to better prices and existing mines looking to extend their life cycles.

A lot of the exploration is carried out by mining companies around the periphery of their existing mines because they want to make sure their mine life could be extended as much as possible in order to reduce relative cost of initial investment, Picotte explained. There is also a bit more optimism in the mining sector, as metal prices have gone up as well.

Nunavut has policymakers to thank for such prosperous conditions. We can salute and commend the decisions that were made to foster the right climate for the development of these resources over the last 5-10 years, he said.

 Agnico Eagle Mines: Amaruq exploration camp

Picotte added that the northern territory has been the fastest growing region since 2000 out of all Canadian jurisdictions.

Since the establishment of Nunavut, if we compare to all other provinces and territories, it is the fastest growing by far. Since 1999, Nunavuts GDP has grown over 100% in real terms or over 200% in current dollars. That is much faster than the average growth in Canada, he said.

Nunavut saw its largest capital investment in the mining sector in 2008, which exceeded $1 billion. We havent had a number like this up to now. Over the next three years, we foresee it exceeding the $1 billion mark on average.

Mining is estimated to grow faster than the rest of the economy in the next few years and is projected to have a positive impact on other sectors of the economy.

Mining companies and the people they employ contribute to the greater economy by buying goods and services, art, tourist products, using local transportation, and eating local food. Certainly, we are trying to diversify as much as possible. We will continue to use this growth in one sector to help the other sectors develop, Picotte said.
By Sudip Roy and Davide Barbuscia

DUBAI, April 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian water and power project developer ACWA Power plans to issue a $600 million senior secured bond and a U.S. dollar-denominated sukuk, a document produced by one of the lead banks showed.

The company's management will be available for calls with investors from Monday until Friday (April 28) ahead of the potential bond launch, the document said.

The company mandated banks last November before embarking on a series of meetings with fixed income investors ahead of a potential U.S dollar-denominated debt sale.

It then decided to postpone the issue because of "timing constraints and requests from investors for more time to evaluate the proposed offering", according to a document issued by the banks leading the deal at the time. A company spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

The bond will be "a continuation" of the trade the company started marketing last year, and it will keep the same structure, said one banker familiar with the matter.

The proposed amortising bond would mostly be repaid with the cash coming from projects in Saudi Arabia, bankers told Reuters when the deal was marketed. ACWA was the first Saudi corporate to seek to tap international debt investors after the kingdom's first international bond in October last year.

Jefferies and Citi are the global coordinators, joined by CCB Singapore, Mizuho, NCB Capital and Standard Chartered as joint bookrunners.

The potential 144 A, Regulation S bond and the senior secured Regulation S sukuk are expected to be rated Baa3 by Moody's and BBB- by S&P, the document said.

(Editing by Mark Potter)
BRATISLAVA, April 24 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Monday.

ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hour) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================

Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: ============================NEWS================================

U.S.STEEL: The United States Steel Corp could sell its Slovak unit U.S. Steel Kosice to Hesteel Group of China within days, the Austrian ORF radio said.

Story: Related stories: For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets:

Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474

E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com

(Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
HANOI, April 24 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0402 GMT.

April 24 USD/VND mid-point 22,339 USD/VND interbank 22,710/22,720 USD/VND unofficial 22,710/22,730 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.58/36.80

Interbank offered rates Overnight 4.6-5.2

1 week 4.7-5.2

1 month 4.8-5.2

3 months 4.9-5.3

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016, the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
JOHANNESBURG, April 24 (Reuters) - South African wine and spirits maker Distell Group said on Monday it would buy a 75 percent stake in the Cruz Vodka brand from Blue Sky Brand Company.

Distell, which makes Savanna cider and Amarula cream liqueur, said Blue Sky would retain 25 percent of the brand and remain involved in it.

"The transaction strengthens Distell's portfolio in the premium vodka category, one of the fastest growing spirits categories in South Africa and which is expected to continue exhibiting strong growth in the future," the company said in a statement.

Distell, majority-owned by South African investment firm Remgro , did not provide financial details.

Blue Sky Brand Company, which was established in 2011, is a 100 percent family owned liquor company.

Its brands include Cruz Vodka, Pravda vodka, Magnum cream liqueur and Glendronach whisky.

(Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Jason Neely)
* U.S. bond yields hit 2-week highs

* Bond prices retrace some losses in afternoon session

(Adds comment, updates prices)

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

NEW YORK, April 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on Monday after centrist Emmanuel Macron's victory in the first round of France's presidential race bolstered expectations the country would stay in the European Union and preserve the euro.

That fueled a selloff of safe-haven assets such as Treasuries. Overall Treasuries yields, which move inversely to prices, rose to two-week highs following Macron's win.

In afternoon trading, however, bond prices recouped some of their losses due to short-covering and dip-buying especially from European investors who value the nice pick-up in yield on long-dated U.S. government debt.

The French election result, meanwhile, was viewed as positive for Europe, reducing the risk of an anti-establishment scare similar in scale to that of Britain's vote to quit the EU and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president in November.

Ahead of Sunday's election, Treasury prices had rallied as investors sought protection against a potentially destabilizing outcome.

"We saw a strong risk-on sell-off in Treasuries as there was no real surprise in the French election," said Kim Rupert, managing director of global fixed income at Action Economics in San Francisco.

In late trading, U.S. 10-year notes were down 11/32 in price to yield 2.276 percent, from 2.236 percent on Friday. Yields hit a two-week peak of 2.325 percent earlier in the aftermath of the French election outcome.

The 10-year yield briefly dipped to 2.165 percent last week, the lowest since Nov. 10. The notes had struggled to hold below strong technical resistance at yields of around 2.19 percent.

U.S. 30-year bond prices were down 23/32, yielding 2.930 percent , up from Friday's 2.894 percent. Thirty-year yields earlier touched a two-week peak of 2.964 percent.

On the front-end, U.S. two-year yields were also up at 1.233 percent , from 1.184 percent last Friday.

Treasury supply is also in focus this week, with the auction of $88 billion in two-year, five-year and seven-year notes.

Investors are also awaiting Trump's tax plan on Wednesday. Last week, Trump promised a "big announcement" on overhauling the U.S. tax code, a top campaign pledge. An administration official said over the weekend the announcement will consist of "broad principles and priorities." "The fact that the Trump administration is working on tax reform sooner than they thought, especially after the healthcare defeat, might keep stocks buoyant and Treasuries a bit on the defensive," said Action Economics' Rupert.

"But then again, investors like the yield on the 10s and 30s so they may not sell off too hard."

(Editing by Bernadette Baum and Chris Reese)

Price US T BONDS JUN7 153-12/32 -0-25/32 10YR TNotes JUN7 125-200/256 -0-72/256

Price Current Yield % Net Change (bps) Three-month bills 0.78 0.7923 0.007 Six-month bills 0.9375 0.9549 0.036 Two-year note 100-8/256 1.2334 0.049 Three-year note 100-46/256 1.438 0.043 Five-year note 100-84/256 1.8051 0.045 Seven-year note 100-68/256 2.0835 0.036 10-year note 99-196/256 2.2766 0.041 30-year bond 101-92/256 2.9312 0.037

DOLLAR SWAP SPREADS

Last (bps) Net Change (bps) U.S. 2-year dollar swap spread 33.25 -0.50 U.S. 3-year dollar swap spread 27.50 -0.25 U.S. 5-year dollar swap spread 12.75 0.25 U.S. 10-year dollar swap spread -2.75 0.75 U.S. 30-year dollar swap spread -43.00 1.25 )) Keywords: USA BONDS/
(Adds quote, details)

LUANDA, April 24 (Reuters) - Angola's Council of the Republic, a presidential group that consults on national decisions, has proposed Aug. 23 for a national election, state radio reported on Monday, a decision which hangs on President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' approval.

Dos Santos, 74, will step down as president after 38 years at the helm but will retain control of the powerful ruling MPLA party. He is Africa's second longest-ruling leader and said in February he will not run in this year's presidential election. The MPLA chose Defence Minister Joao Lourenco, 63, as its presidential candidate last December.

Dos Santos, a communist-trained oil engineer and a veteran of the guerrilla war against Portuguese rule, will remain president of the MPLA, retaining sweeping powers over what has become Africa's No. 2 crude producer and third largest economy.

His inscrutable public demeanour belies his tight control of Angola, where he has overseen an oil-backed economic boom and the reconstruction of infrastructure devastated by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002.

Despite its oil wealth, most of Angola's 22 million people live in grinding poverty and they have become increasingly frustrated in recent years as low crude prices hammered growth.

(Reporting by Herculano Coroado; Writing by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia and Louise Ireland)
(Adds central bank statement)

LAGOS, April 24 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank offered $150 million in currency forwards at an auction on Monday, it said in a statement, part of its efforts to narrow the spread between official and black market exchange rates and improve foreign exchange liquidity.

Traders, citing a notice from the central bank, said settlement will be between one week and 45 days. The sale will be via a wholesale auction to meet forex demand from businesses.

The central bank has been intervening on the official market to try to narrow the spread between the two markets since intervention began in February and has sold about $4 billion, analysts say, a pace they doubt it can sustain.

The central bank also said on Monday it offered $52 million to small and medium enterprises to help them access foreign currency, needed for imports, and $44.2 million for travel and medical fees, among other services.

In a circular cited by Reuters on Monday, the bank also said it will now allow investors to engage in foreign exchange trading at rates the buyers and sellers set, a move it hopes will increase the amount of dollars available. The president of Nigeria's association of bureaus de change said its group has already started consultations with some foreign investors with a view to increase dollar supply on the parallel segment of the market.

Aminu Gwadabe said retail currency bureaus are trying to attract more foreign capital with the cooperation of the central bank, to boost dollar liquidity and provide support for the local currency.

On the official market, the currency was quoted at 306 per dollar, and at 381 per dollar on the black market.

(Reporting by Oludare Mayowa; Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in Abuja; Editing by Larry King)
SUBLETT, Idaho  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 Friday in Cassia County Magistrate Court on two counts of aggravated battery.

Police say the incident happened about 7:30 a.m. Thursday 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.
* PPG's bid is 50 pct premium to Akzo's shares before first offer

* Akzo says it will consider bid according to its legal duty

* Company's boards will face questions from shareholders Tuesday

(Updates with details, quotes.)

By Toby Sterling

AMSTERDAM, April 24 (Reuters) - PPG Industries , the U.S. paintmaker that is pursuing a takeover of Dutch peer Akzo Nobel , on Monday increased its proposed cash and share offer to 26.9 billion euros ($28.8 billion, from around 24.6 billion euros.

The move comes a day before Akzo, which has declined two previous approaches from PPG, faces a group of unhappy shareholders at its annual meeting. Akzo shares jumped 6 percent to a record high of 82.86 euros by 1130 GMT.

The shareholders, led by hedge fund Elliott Advisors, say Akzo should at least open exploratory talks with PPG to more closely examine their proposal. "We are extending this one last invitation to you and the AkzoNobel boards to reconsider your stance and to engage with us," PPG Chief Executive Michael McGarry said in a statement on Monday.

"Our revised proposal represents a second increase in price along with significant and highly-specific commitments that we are confident AkzoNobel's stakeholders will find compelling," added McGarry.

Akzo Nobel confirmed it had received a "third unsolicited proposal" from PPG but was non-committal in its response.

"The Board of Management and Supervisory Board of AkzoNobel will carefully review and consider this proposal," said Akzo, whose brands include Dulux paint.

A spokesman for Elliott said the fund was examining PPG's latest proposal and could not immediately comment.

PPG said its bid represented an increased price of 96.75 euros, including dividend, per AkzoNobel share -- comprised of 61.50 euros in cash and 0.357 shares of PPG common stock.

That is a 50 percent premium from Akzo Nobel's closing price of 64.42 on March 8, the day before PPG confirmed it had made a proposal to buy Akzo at 80 euros per share.

A second bid worth 90 euros per share on March 20 was rejected within 48 hours, with Akzo arguing that it substantially undervalued the company and would be bad for other stakeholders, such as employees and customers.

Last week, Akzo presented its case for remaining independent, offering shareholders 1.6 billion euros in extra dividends and detailing plans to sell or float its chemicals arm, representing a third of company sales and profits, within one year. Both moves, if completed, would make Akzo a less attractive target for PPG, although the Pittsburgh-based company has said the primary reason for the merger would be synergies of $750 million between the companies' paints and coatings businesses.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling. Additional reporting by Maya Keidan. Editing by Keith Weir/Jason Neely)
Advocates say Missouri is lagging behind other states when it comes to solar energy. (sierraclub.org)
^pSALT LAKE CITY (AP)  What began as a Sunday evening walk in a Salt Lake City park turned tragic when a woman drowned while trying to save her two dogs after they jumped into the fast-moving, icy waters of a creek, police said.

While out with her husband, Liudmilla Feldman, 58, plunged into the high water full of snow runoff, but the swift current that had overtaken her pets pulled her underwater, Unified Police spokesman Brian Lohrke said Monday.

She was underwater for one to two minutes and had already drowned by the time a man trying to help reached Feldman and grabbed her ankle to pull her out of the creek, Lohrke said.

They called 911, but efforts to revive her were unsuccessful.

The dogs survived the ordeal at Tanner Park after they were able to climb out of the creek themselves, Lohrke said.

Authorities didnt release the name of Feldmans husband, and Lohrke said he didnt have any more information about the dogs condition.

Calling it a tragic accident, Lohrke said people should be cautious about jumping into creeks and rivers swelled in the spring months by snowmelt.^p

People need to be careful around bodies of water, especially this time of year when the waters are high and the current swift, he said.
New York towns, cities follow AGs order to adopt illegal alien sanctuary laws





WASHINGTON  Weeks after the chief law enforcement official in New York State issued legal guidance to help municipalities provide sanctuary for illegal immigrants, nearly a dozen have followed through with the attorney generals order to skirt federal law. The goal, according to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, is to provide local governments with a tool to protect their immigrant communities, regardless of new federal enforcement practices. Those that have followed Schneidermans directive range from sleepy towns like Newburgh to larger cities such as Rochester as well as Albany, the state capital.



Schneiderman issued the decree in response to the Trump administrations proposed immigration enforcement policies. The document states that its purpose it to describe the legal landscape governing the participation of local authorities in immigration enforcement and to assist local authorities that wish to become sanctuary jurisdictions by offering model language that can be used to enact local laws or policies that limit participation in immigration enforcement activities. Utilizing so-called model language has become a key tool for sanctuary cities, counties and states that want to avoid losing federal funds under new Trump administration measures that punish local governments for not cooperating with federal authorities. Just last month Judicial Watch reported on a California town that found a creative way to implement a stealth sanctuary policy with model language that avoids using certain trigger words.



New York stands out because its the only state in which the top law enforcement authority, a veteran elected official, is actively encouraging and assisting local governments to violate the law. Some have faced resistance from citizens, though the majority have passed stealth sanctuary measures with little opposition since Schneiderman launched his campaign to protect illegal aliens in the Empire State. In the upscale town of Irvington, situated about 20 miles from Manhattan, the Board of Trustees issued a Statement of Tolerance days after the 2016 presidential election to guarantee that people of all races, religions, orientations and countries of origin are safe within its boundaries. It seems there are many in our nation who are not currently feeling welcome nor safe, the statement reads. We want everyone to know that the Irvington Board of Trustees will never tolerate discrimination of any kind in our Village. The city lists a phone number of the local police and encourage anyone who witnesses any form of discrimination or intimidation to call immediately.



Last month Irvington unanimously passed a resolution making it a sanctuary city and lawmakers credit the attorney generals legal guidance. Now the mayor and several trustees are used as propaganda by the attorney generals office to promote more illegal alien sanctuaries in the state. In a statement issued by the attorney general, Irvington Mayor Brian Smith says this: We relied on the guidance of the AGs office in crafting the wording of the resolution, which has the complete support of our police department. Irvington proudly stands as the first Westchester municipality to pass such a resolution and looks forward to having others step forward. Under the new measure, which reportedly will soon be adapted by other communities in the county, Irvington will not honor detainer requests from federal immigration enforcement agencies.



One Irvington resident who continues challenging the sanctuary measure is an attorney who argues that the village is protecting criminals and endangering the lives of citizens. Her name is Lauri Regan and she reminds Irvington lawmakers in writing about a recent Maryland case in which two illegal immigrants raped a 14-year-old girl in a high school bathroom. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had issued a detainer for one of the rapists but, because Montgomery County offers illegal immigrants sanctuary, it was ignored. Regan fears the same will occur in her hometown of Irvington. In one electronic mail Irvington Mayor Brian Smith tells Regan that he fails to see a link between the Maryland case and the new Irvington policy and in another he writes that we do not want undocumented immigrants to fear interacting with our police department.



Source: Judicial Watch Published April 24, 2017










WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  Authorities say a hunter accidentally shot his brother and a friend after mistaking them for wild turkeys in southeast Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says the victims were shot in the face and body on April 12.

Crawford County Sheriff Dean Peak says the shooting was ruled an accident. Peak says the victims were hit by shotgun pellets and are expected to survive. The victims are at the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Fayetteville, which isn't releasing their conditions.

The wildlife department's game warden, Jim Bussone, tells the Wichita Eagle the three men were hiding behind preserved turkey tail fans, which are used to disguise hunters, but ended up hunting each other while making turkey calls to lure the animals.

Bussone says the shooter broke several hunting safety rules, including shooting at movement.
Hyundai Motor workers hardly leave while SK wary of high turnover rates



By Park Jae-hyuk



Four out of 100 Samsung employees left the country's top conglomerate in 2015, according to the latest data available. By contrast, the turnover rate amounted to 8.8 percent for SK Group units, according to a survey by Campus Job & Joy, a monthly magazine for college students, Monday.



The local magazine showed that Hyundai Motor Group had a turnover rate of 2.6 percent headed by 0.11 percent for the country's leading carmaker Hyundai Motor and 1 percent for its sister company Kia Motors.



But the figure of Hyundai Motor only factored in those who transferred to other jobs, excluding those who were dismissed or quit the company without getting new jobs.



The figure for LG Group amounted to 3.86 percent. It disclosed details of seven companies like LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Display and LG International. Among them, LG International suffered the highest turnover rate of 7.9 percent.



Likewise, other groups saw large gaps in turnover rates of their subsidiaries.



SK Group's units of SK Telecom and SK hynix respectively had 16.8 percent and 2.1 percent in turnover. Both of the mobile carrier and the chipmaker included non-regular workers when calculating the figure, which may result in higher turnover rates.



However, the rate of permanent positions of the latter reached 99.6 percent in 2015. Also, SK hynix raised the budget for employees' welfare from 280.7 billion won ($247 million) in 2013 to 377.8 billion won in 2015, while cutting the annual average working hours from 2,119 hours to 2,028 hours during the same period.



Details on SK Telecom were not available.



Doosan Group also had differences in its subsidiaries' turnover rates. Doosan Engineering & Construction's turnover rates topped 14 percent in 2015, but those of Doosan Engine and the head office stood at 1.97 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.



Doosan Infracore, which demanded voluntary resignation of its employees in 2015, showed a 31.8 percent turnover rate. Unlike other Doosan firms, however, the figure included non-regular workers so Doosan officials said an apples-to-apples comparison is impossible.



GS Group's GS Caltex and GS Construction, both of which included non-regular workers in turnover rates, showed 8.3 percent and 3.7 percent in 2015, respectively.



Subsidiaries of Lotte Group and POSCO had relatively lower turnover rates as well. But the 80 companies that responded to the magazine's survey applied different standards in calculation, so simple comparison of the figures is impossible.



According to Statistics Korea (KOSTAT), the average turnover rate of Korea's overall companies was 4.3 percent last year  the lowest figure since 2010  due to a long-lasting economic slump that hinders workers from transferring to other positions.



Korea Employers Federation (KEF) data, however, showed that the average turnover rate of new employees has continued rising to reach 27.7 percent last year.



New employees are known to resign from their positions especially in small and medium-sized companies, rather than in big firms, but conglomerates have also remained reluctant to disclose their new employees' turnover rates.




By Nam Hyun-woo





Chung Kyu-shik, senior manager of Kyobo Life Insurance's fintech taskforce / Courtesy of Kyobo Life

Applying blockchain technology to the insurance business will significantly improve customer convenience, said Chung Kyu-shik, senior manager of Kyobo Life Insurance's fintech taskforce.



Last week, the insurer became one of four operators of blockchain pilot projects supported by the government. Blockchain refers to a decentralized electronic ledger technology which gained fame as it underpins the digital currency of Bitcoin.



Organized last July, Chung's team was the only one with a financial background. They applied the state-of-the-art technology to the process of insurance claims. Kyobo says it will be the first in the world to use the futuristic technology in the insurance industry.



"There will be much room to apply blockchain to insurance," Chung told The Korea Times, Monday. "The technology is expected to accelerate and streamline the whole process of making a claim and receiving insurance money.



"Though it is in its infant stage, we believe we can commercialize the service soon to upgrade Kyobo's services to a new level."



Instead of the conventional idea of having a trusted entity to keep track of any transactions, blockchain allows all participants or entities to record all transactions continuously and sequentially. By doing so, involved entities will have common authority on the records and save costs required for keeping the record uncompromised.



Chung explained the nature of the technology will shorten the process of making a claim.



Currently, clients seeking insurance coverage for their injuries or sickness have to follow a complicated and annoying claims process. First, a policyholder needs to pay medical costs to the hospital and then receives proving documentation from the hospital. Then, they have to contact the insurer to make a claim and get insurance money.



Policyholders have to go through such hassles because medical data is off-limits to insurance companies due to concerns of data leaks. Chung believes blockchain can make things much easier without compromising data security.



By building a blockchain network between the insurer and the hospital, the policyholder can receive benefits by just telling hospital clerks they hold a policy. The hospital clerk can check the policyholder's insurance information through the ledger held by the insurance firm.



Upon the agreement of the policyholder, the system will automatically send proving documentation to the insurer. Then, the insurer is required to check the ledger and pay insurance money to the policyholder.



"The whole process is finished in five seconds after the policyholder agrees," Chung said.



Through checking the ledger, the insurer can know whether the policyholder actually paid the medical costs to the hospital or made double claims on a single case.



"Currently, the system will require policyholders to remember which policies they hold," Chung said. "But we believe we can address that too so policyholders would not have to remember which policies they hold and their details."



According to the firm, it plans to sign deals with major hospitals in Seoul and adjacent areas to start the project by the end of this year. It will cover cases whose insurance money is less than 300,000 won. After testing, the insurer plans to expand the system to large hospitals across the country and all of its policyholders.
By Kim Keuk-soo





Spring is in the air for the global economy. After nine hard years of winter, signs of recovery are sprouting across the world. With the United States leading the way, Europe's recession appears to be on the verge of ending and good news is also coming from Asia, Russia and Latin American countries, including Brazil.



In addition to recovery being witnessed most notably in the manufacturing sector, purchasing managers index (PMI) numbers across the U.S., China and the Eurozone are showing improvement, and machinery and equipment expenditure is picking up. The U.S. has also begun importing more capital goods to increase investment amid growing expectations for deregulation and lower taxes with the election of President Trump. Furthermore, exports of major economies including China, Japan, India and Brazil are regaining traction.



Things are looking up for the Korean economy as well. Exports, a key economic indicator, have been growing at a steady pace for the last five consecutive months. Korea's exports grew by 14.9 percent between January and March 2017, and recovery is continuing for semiconductors and machinery, as well as exports of new industries such as electric vehicle batteries. The Bank of Korea, Korea Development Institute and the International Monetary Fund have recently raised their 2017 growth forecasts for Korea to 2.6 to 2.7 percent. And although it was only increased by a small margin, the upward adjustment appears to reflect positive trends in the economy.



Korea has previously struggled with job creation and low growth as a result of poor export performance in 2015 and 2016. So now that the global economy is about to turn the corner, how can Korea make the most of this opportunity? Before answering this question, there are many circumstantial factors that must also be taken into consideration. They are the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the need for market diversification in response to mounting tensions with China over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Air Defense battery here, and the strengthening of industrial competitiveness in shipbuilding and petrochemicals.



But the reality is that Korean businesses are still reluctant to make a bold move. Political strife that ensued throughout the second half of last year has driven greater uncertainty and investment decisions have been put on hold due to potential commercial law revisions, a possible corporate tax hike, unfavorable trading conditions, and lingering geopolitical risks. I also noticed during my recent participation in the Boao Forum how there were many Japanese companies present, but barely any from Korea. It struck me that not many Korean firms were capitalizing on opportunities to network and explore new business prospects.



In about three weeks, Korea will be welcoming a new president and revitalizing the private sector must be the top priority of the incoming administration. Only then will Korea ride on the wave of the global economic recovery, break out of the low-growth trap and remedy its youth employment issues. Above all, the government has to create an environment where competitive firms can conduct business freely. Outdated regulations need to be eliminated in order to develop new convergence industries and economic stimulus policies must be put in place to foster services and the quaternary sector.



It is also important to restore industrial competitiveness and implement trade reform. Korea needs to redirect its focus from quantitative to qualitative growth by achieving maximum added value. To this end, Korean companies must think more long term to develop top-grade products while utilizing e-commerce channels and the global value chain.



Finally, business leaders must shed the passive attitude they have developed during this prolonged period of uncertainty and sluggish growth, and put the entrepreneurial spirit back into their companies. This is because innovative thinking and ambitious action are the only way businesses will be able to survive the potentially destructive impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



Going forward, global economic recovery is likely to be more pronounced. A number of risk factors still remain including President Trump's economic nationalism and trade protectionism, high local government debt levels in China, and political unrest in Europe. However, these issues are far from new and can be effectively managed. As the global economic climate continues to show sunny prospects, it is my hope that the Korean economy will reach new heights in the years ahead through robust private-sector growth.



Kim Keuk-soo is executive managing director of the Korea International Trade Association.
Paro Lake / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization



By Jung Min-ho

The DMZ Peace Tour will give tourists a more intimate portrait of Korea's division, starting in June.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Monday, the program will guide tourists through key spots in South Korean cities close to the North.

Tourists will begin their journey at Chuncheon Station. Once they reach the Seven Star Observatory in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, a bus will take them around other spots, including Paro Lake that runs through Hwacheon and Yanggu.

Much of the area used to be part of North Korea before the Korean War (1950-53). The program may be interesting to those who want to learn about the violent confrontation between the South and North.

The KTO expects the program to promote the value of peace and draw more tourists to the area in the coming years.

The KTO plans to promote the program by inviting journalists, tour agents and international students to take the tour between May 3 and 13.
South Korea's unification ministry said Monday that there has been no unusual movement in North Korea as Pyongyang is set to mark the 85th anniversary of the creation of its military this week.

North Korea will celebrate the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday amid speculation that it may conduct its sixth nuclear test or launch a long-range missile.

"When it comes to the anniversary, there has been no unusual signs in North Korea," Lee Duk-haeng, ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.

North Korea's state media called for showing allegiance to its leader Kim Jong-un ahead of the KPA anniversary. The country usually holds big military events or parades on anniversaries in which their final numbers end in a five or a zero.

Tensions between the United States and North Korea have heightened as Pyongyang has vowed to respond to Washington's possible preemptive strike with nuclear attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly had phone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Abe on Monday amid growing tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.



"In today's telephone conversation, (we) completely shared the opinion that (the U.S. and Japan) will continue to demand North Korea refrain from provocative behaviors," Abe told reporters.



Trump also spoke with Xi over the phone, Xinhua news agency said later in the day.



The talks came as North Korea is alleged to be preparing a nuclear test or long-range missile launch to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army on Tuesday.



Meanwhile, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with Trump, according to Chinese state media CCTV on Monday.



The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped ''all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation'' on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)




Longtime historian Kang Man-gil, emeritus professor at Korea University's department of Korean history, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, April 11. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Renowned historian backs peace treaty with NK

By Choi Ha-young

Kang Man-gil, emeritus professor in Korea University's department of Korean history, has led the study of the nation's history after liberation from Japanese rule (1910-1945).

The historian, 83, has seen the ups and downs of Korean modern history, observing its progressions and regressions. After holding a chair at the university in 1967 when ex-President Park Chung-hee was consolidating his iron-fist rule, Kang was expelled from the school in 1980 during ex-President Chun Doo-hwan's reign, as part of government efforts to "purify" Korean society.

Initially, he majored in the germination of capitalism here but later established the history of division  how the two Koreas have evolved based on hostility since they were divided in 1945 and experienced a three-year war. As a public intellectual, he headed a project to look into the truth of pro-Japanese collaborators' activities, recruited by former President Roh Moo-hyun.

Facing yet another inflection point in the nation's evolution  this year's May 9 presidential election after the peaceful street rallies that led to scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye's removal  the scholar urges the next president to break through the deadlock in inter-Korean relations.

"Above all, security in the right direction is possible under reconciliation between the South and North," he said in an interview with The Korea Times at an office in central Seoul. "For peace, the two parties should open channels, including more industrial complexes in Haeju and Wonsan, in addition to the one in Gaeseong. Unification should begin with frequent exchanges such as tourism and train connections."

This remark came amid swirling military tensions around the Korean Peninsula. A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery is being deployed here citing North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence implied a possible pre-emptive attack against North Korea by saying "all options are on the table" during his recent Seoul visit.

In sharp contrast, inter-Korean exchanges and unification plans were not on the table during the television debates between presidential candidates. Instead, they quarreled over whether the North is the "main enemy" of the South or not.

Kang, as a historian who observed the bitter ideological confrontation after liberation, has agonized over ways to heal the historical trauma. He led a group of colleagues in an excavation at Gaeseong to discover relics of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). And he was the sole historian at the inter-Korean summit in 2000 between former President Kim Dae-jung and former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

"We can invite North Korean students to explore cultural relics in Gyeongju, the capital of Silla (B.C. 57-935 A.D.), and Buyeo, the capital of Baekje (B.C. 18-660 A.D.)," Kang said. "Why don't our students visit the ancient tombs of Goguryeo (B.C. 37-668 A.D.) in the northern region?"

The veteran historian is now interested in publishing a joint history textbook, like the divided Germany did. He believes the two Koreas' joint moves will enrich their shared culture. "South Korean historians used to hand materials to the North to help them redeem cultural assets sacked by the Japanese during the occupation," Kang said.

For Kang, the division of the peninsula is a fundamental reason for the endless confrontation. While liberal parties and over 80 percent of citizens were in favor of the scandal-hit president's ouster over her massive corruption, some older people are still flocking to the streets calling for her reinstatement.

"Even including things that evidently violated laws, people are polarized: liberal versus conservative," Kang said. "Because of the ideological battle between two systems and their exclusion against each other, Koreans tend not to tolerate opponents. To leap to the next step, Koreans should dispel the divided system."

As a practical measure, Kang advocates a peace treaty to reinstate Pyongyang in international society. "If North Korea recovers its relationship with the U.S. and Japan, it will drop its nuclear ambition," Kang said. "Seoul should facilitate the process."

Regional alliance

Seoul has been cornered by Beijing's economic retaliation over the THAAD deployment and Tokyo's outrage over the "comfort woman" statue in front of the Japanese Consulate here.

Studying the modern history of the peninsula, where superpowers intersect, Kang has envisioned a regional alliance like the European Union and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) among Northeast Asian countries: Two Koreas, China and Japan.

"If Japan allies with the United States, it necessarily locks horns with China," he said. "Asian countries need to gather together. Lately, more and more Japanese scholars are pushing for joining hands with Asian countries out of the nation's diplomatic tendency leaning to the U.S."

The idea is looming, leaving behind the dwindling Cold War and 20th century imperialism. "Down the road, the world will aim at co-prosperity, and peaceful inter-Korean relationship is our priority," Kang said. "Japan has committed atrocities during its imperialism, but from now on, we should not put forward hostility against each other."

In a final word, Kang had a suggestion for foreign journalists and experts flocking here to cover the regional instability and unprecedented political events. "The confrontation of the two Koreas is a division of Asia and a division of the world," he said. "As a contribution for peace, please shed light on ways to promote peace on the peninsula, rather than confrontations and rising tensions."
By Jun Ji-hye

North Korea is unlikely to conduct a nuclear test or launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) immediately on mounting pressure from the United States and China, officials said Monday.

South Korean military officials said that it would be hard for Pyongyang to conduct any provocations at this time as it has been driven into a corner by Washington's warnings of military action, and Beijing's threat of reducing its oil supply to the North.

"Every situation going forward is unfavorable to North Korea," said a source, asking not to be named. "The question is whether the North is still able to conduct large-scale provocations in this environment."

While not actually conducting any major provocation, Pyongyang is ratcheting up its harsh rhetoric against U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, warning of war in response to any hostile action by the U.S.

Another source cited Seoul and Washington's ongoing Foal Eagle exercise as a reason behind this.

"U.S. troops and their weapons are currently here for the exercise. It would be difficult for Kim Jong-un to push ahead with provocations," the source said.

He noted that there is greater possibility for the North to take a wait-and-see attitude at least for this month, waiting for U.S. troops and weapons here for the exercise to leave after it is wrapped up.

The comments came amid concerns that the North may conduct provocative actions on and around today when it celebrates the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army.
By Jun Ji-hye

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) plans to conduct an evacuation drill in June to train soldiers to transport U.S. civilians living in South Korea to safety in the event of a contingency on the Korean Peninsula, sources said Sunday.

The drill could take place in a realistic way in which soldiers would evacuate their family members and other civilians to places such as Japan by transport planes. Computer-simulated training could also be conducted instead of a realistic exercise, sources noted.

The drill will be carried out as tension increases on the peninsula following the U.S.' strong warnings against North Korea's provocations and Pyongyang's pledges of counterattacks against any U.S. use of military force.

"The regular Courageous Channel, which practices operations for a safe exit of USFK family members and other American civilians living here, is expected to take place sometime in June," a source said on condition of anonymity, noting that the drill is part of Washington's Non-Combatant Evacuation.

About 230,000 Americans live in South Korea including 28,500 servicemen.












South Korea announced Monday it has developed an advanced artillery-locating radar to help counter North Korea's rocket threats more effectively.



The mobile radar system, called "counter-artillery detection radar-II," will be operational starting in 2018, according to the country's arms procurement agency.



"In recent tests it met all of the required operational capabilities of the military. It has been assessed to be fit for combat use," the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement.



Developed over six years and worth around 54 billion won ($47.7 million), the new system would add to the Army's existing ARTHUR-K radar imported from Sweden.



The counter-battery radar developed by South Korea can find the location of the enemy's artillery forces more than 60 kilometers further away, versus around 40km by the ARTHUR-K, said the DAPA.



It can operate for around eight hours in a row, some two more hours than the Swedish radar, it added.



The North has a vast array of artillery deployed near the inter-Korean border that can reach Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province with a population of roughly 20 million. (Yonhap)




By Jun Ji-hye

North Korea has yet to master its ability of intercepting missiles from South Korea and the United States although it has been making efforts to enhance its air defense systems under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, a report showed Monday.

The report released by the Institute for Far East Studies of Kyungnam University said the North currently possesses 179 SA-2s, 133 SA-3s and 38 SA-5s, surface-to-air missiles.

The SA-2 is to shoot missiles down at an altitude range of three to 22 kilometers, the SA-3 at an altitude of 10 to 100 kilometers and the SA-5 at an altitude of 20 to 300 kilometers.

The North has deployed the SA-2s and the SA-5s in its western and eastern areas, while the SA-2s and SA-3s are in Pyongyang.












Officials from the National Forensic Service photograph objects presumed to be bone fragments in front of the salvaged Sewol ferry at Mokpo New Port, Monday. / Yonhap



By Kim Bo-eun

The search for the remains of nine unaccounted for passengers inside the salvaged ferry Sewol is continuing at Mokpo New Port in the southwestern city, a week after it began, April 18.

The search team has secured access to locations on the third and fourth decks. The team is comprised of officials from the Coast Guard, Fire Department, National Forensic Service and Korea Salvage, a local contractor hired by the maritime ministry for the search.

The fourth deck is where Danwon High School boys were located, and expectations are that remains of the missing students and teachers will be found there. There are four students and two teachers of Danwon High School, and three other passengers unaccounted for. Danwon lost 250 students and 11 teachers in the deadly tragedy, which occurred on a school trip to Jeju Island, April 16, 2014.

Search workers are removing mud and other obstructive matter at the secured entrances, using small trowels in order to prevent the breaking of human bones.

At the same time, the team is working to make more openings.

Meanwhile, searches of the seabed where the sunken Sewol lay near Jindo, South Jeolla Province, are also ongoing  27 zones out of 40 have been searched.

Searches of two special zones where the stern lay will begin once searches of the other zones are complete.

A total of 216 objects were recovered during the salvaging from the vessel and the seabed, and 16 of them have been handed over to the surviving passengers or bereaved family members.

Among them was a suitcase and wallet of a Danwon High School student Baek Seung-hyun, whose body was retrieved 20 days after the sinking occurred.

A Sewol search volunteer uploaded a photo of Baek's belongings to facebook. The photo showed his student ID card, five 10,000 won bills and packs of contact lenses.

"Seung-hyun's travel suitcase has been retrieved from the ferry Sewol 1,103 days after he left on the school excursion," the post said.

"In it were his uniform, clothes, and wallet, which held 50,000 won appearing to be pocket money, which he did not get a chance to spend."

Along with the objects, a total of 146 bone fragments were also found, but are presumed to be animal bones.






Tourists in Seoul's Bukcheon Hanok Village. / Korea Times file



By Eom Da-sol

Seoul city will boost its hanok homestay service this year to attract more tourists.

Hanok refers to Korean traditional houses. Two of Korea's main six hanok villages, Bukcheon Village and Namsangol Village, are in the heart of Seoul. Every year, a growing number of foreign tourists visit the villages to feel the calm atmosphere and appreciate the older architecture.

According to Seoul city, the hanok homestay business has been developing noticeably over the last few years.

"Hanok owners can be civil diplomats for the tourists," a Seoul city official said. "The owners can introduce our culture and traditions while letting the visitors stay in their houses."

As part of the plan to boost the hanok service, an information session for aspiring owners will be held at Seoul Museum of History on Apr. 24. Seoul city officials will provide basic information about how the service operate.



Professional consultations will be available to 200 people interested in starting a hanok business. The city plans to offer accounting lectures, security training, a marketing consultation service and financial assistance to new homestay hosts. A Seoul guidebook and map for tourists will be distributed to about 900 hanok homestay hosts.

"From this year, the city will support hanok hosts to offer tourists a bigger and better choice," said Kim Jae-yong from the Seoul City Hall tourism administration department.
South Korea's presidential campaign turned nasty Sunday as candidates focused on attacking rivals during their third TV debate over alleged wrongdoings, from kowtowing to North Korea to assisting in an attempted rape and fanning malicious rumors.



The five candidates met in a joint debate hosted by the National Election Commission to discuss issues related to foreign policy, national security and political reforms.



But they spent much of the two-hour discussion at the KBS broadcasting station on political and ideological offensives and the disclosure of past scandals involving opponents.



The prime target at the outset was Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party whose past confession of his role in a friend's attempted rape 45 years ago got fresh attention ahead of the May 9 election.



Sim Sang-jeung, the nominee of the minor progressive Justice Party, opened fire by declaring she would not engage in a debate with Hong.



"I cannot recognize a candidate who was an accomplice in a sex crime as a rival candidate," she said. "It would be natural for Hong to resign in consideration of the shame felt by the people and national prestige."



Hong, a former prosecutor and provincial governor, wrote in an autobiographical essay in 2005 that he provided an animal aphrodisiac powder to a friend who wanted to rape a coed while he was a law student at Seoul's Korea University.



The candidate apologized again, saying he feels responsible for not stopping his friend. But he also expressed frustration that the issue was being brought up again even after his "confession."



Front-runner Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party was pressured to clarify allegations the government of then-President Roh Moo-hyun consulted North Korea before abstaining from a U.N. vote on a North Korean human rights resolution in 2007. Moon served as Roh's chief of staff at the time.



Moon reaffirmed the Roh administration decided to abstain before notifying the North of the decision.



Yoo Seong-min of the splinter conservative Bareun Party asked Moon whether he would quit the race if his remarks turn out to be a lie.



Earlier in the day, Moon's campaign unveiled former presidential aides' memos to counter the claim. The documents indicated Roh had decided on Nov. 16 that year not to join the vote in consideration of improving inter-Korean ties, and notified Pyongyang of the decision on Nov. 19.



But Song Min-soon, the then-foreign minister who first raised the allegation in his memoir in October, countered that the decision was only provisional and the discussion continued until Nov. 20 just before the vote was conducted the following day.



Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-left People's Party continued to skewer Moon in what appeared to be an aggressive push to beat his rival in their second matchup in five years.



The two candidates competed for liberal votes in the 2012 presidential race before Ahn dropped out in support of Moon.



Ahn, who is now the runner-up in opinion surveys, criticized Moon for employing negative tactics including branding him as an "avatar of MB."



MB is the initials of former conservative President Lee Myung-bak who was in office from 2008-2013.



"In the previous election, I yielded my candidacy. That was because I was determined that the Lee Myung-bak administration should not be extended," Ahn said. "(You) told me something similar back then as well. Am I still an avatar of MB?"'



Moon dodged answering directly, saying he had heard such talk but had nothing to say in response to rumors.



"If it's not true, explain why it isn't true," he said. "Don't look toward me but look toward the people. Are you in politics (simply) to oppose me?"



He later said that he doesn't agree with the "MB avatar" accusation.



Hong chimed in, scolding them for quarreling over petty issues.



"Watching the two of you, I can't tell if it's an emotional fight between elementary school children or a presidential debate," he derided.



The election watchdog is scheduled to hold two more debates on economic and social issues before the election. (Yonhap)




The five main presidential candidates hold hands ahead of their third televised debate at the KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday. Citizens showed disappointment at the debate as the candidates focused on smear campaigns against rivals rather than presenting policy ideas. / Yonhap



By Kim Rahn

The presidential candidates have so far failed to live up to voters' expectations in nationally televised debates as they have focused on smear campaigns against their rivals rather than presenting how they would run the country if elected.

Citizens say their performances and attitudes have been substandard, adding the three remaining debates before the May 9 election may be unnecessary if they keep up exchanging such low-quality barbs.

In the third TV debate Sunday night, four of the five candidates attacked Liberty Korea Party contender Hong Joon-pyo's involvement in an attempted rape as a college student featured in his 2005 memoir.

Right after the debate began, Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung mentioned the issue and demanded Hong withdraw from the race because he was unqualified to become president. "I apologize to the people in advance. I can't accept a person, who plotted a sexual crime, as a presidential candidate," she said. "So I'll not talk with Hong today."

Agreeing that Hong was unqualified to run, Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor liberal People's Party did not look at Hong when answering his questions. "I'll answer without looking at you. Instead I'll look at the camera, look at the people."

A disgruntled Hong then said, "You should look at me when answering my questions. People will think you are small-minded."

Frontrunner Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea, and runner-up Ahn were busy trying to hurt each other rather than present their blueprints about how they would lead the country if elected.

Ahn suggested that National Assembly committees should investigate two allegations surrounding Moon and himself  Moon's alleged influence-peddling to help his son land a job at a state-run company; and the alleged improper employment of Ahn's wife at Seoul National University  indicating he was confident that the one against Moon was true while his was not.












Supporters of Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, take his photos near Chonbuk National University in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, last week. All major candidate are competing fiercely to win voters' hearts on social media. / Yonhap



Moon leads pack in attracting followers

By Jung Min-ho

Donald Trump received almost no major newspaper endorsements and still managed to win the U.S. presidency, thanks to his Twitter feed that galvanized supporters and amplified his messages without relying on traditional media.

For a presidential election in one of the world's most wired countries, the impact of social media may be even bigger. All major candidates are now competing fiercely to win voters' hearts on Facebook, Twitter and Kakao Talk, the most popular messaging app in the country, as the race comes down to the wire.

Left-leaning Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Moon Jae-in, the frontrunner in the race, is outperforming the others in the battle.

As of Monday, more than 500,000 people "liked" his Facebook page, which has been posting his pledges and videos of his campaign rallies with greater frequency than other candidates. Moon, who ran for the presidency against Park Geun-hye in 2012, took advantage of his experience and has never stopped communicating with his followers through the channel ever since.

Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party, Moon's most serious challenger this time, has garnered a little more than 115,000 "likes" on his Facebook page, which is less than the Justice Party's Sim Sang-jung with 225,000.












In the left photo, People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo responds to supporters during a campaign speech in front of Mokpo Station in South Jeolla Province, Monday. Democratic Party of Korea candidate Moon Jae-in, in the right photo, unveils his pledges concerning the housing market during a press conference at the party's office on Yeouido, southern Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap



By Kim Hyo-jin



All presidential candidates have agreed that presidential power should be limited and public authoritative bodies be reformed, heralding a shakeup of the power structure in the next administration.



They shared the need to reform the current "imperial presidential system" but differed on the details of the measures in the third televised debate, Sunday.



Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said the role of prime minister should be strengthened, indicating that the current system hinges too much on the will of the next president.



"We should decentralize presidential power while the prime minister should shoulder bigger responsibility and hold more rights," he said, referring to the reality where the prime minister's authority remains titular.



The Constitution states that a prime minister has the authority to suggest the appointment and dismissal of Cabinet members but this has ended up as a mere procedural right.



Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party has been more vocal on the need to revise the Constitution. He said, "Too much authority given to the president should be minimized and kept in check through a constitutional revision."



Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party said he would reduce the size of the presidential office. "I will not have senior presidential secretaries and be only served by secretaries," he said.













Sim Sang-jung of the progressive Justice Party stressed the need to improve transparency in the state management system, saying, "I think the people want to know what the president and Cheong Wa Dae does."



Over the reform of the prosecution and the intelligence agency, candidates agreed on this.



Moon suggested an independent investigative body to look into corruption cases involving senior government officials to better monitor the prosecution.



This is aligned with his party's move to pass a bill that would enable a new supervisory force to investigate high-level public officials, including prosecutors, judges, lawmakers and civil servants with vice minister-level or higher ranks, at the request of a parliamentary negotiating bloc.



Moon vowed to allow the police independent investigative rights. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, the police can start and proceed with an investigation but cannot pursue it to a conclusion without the prosecution's permission. Only prosecutors can seek court warrants for physical detention, search and seizures and arrests, causing a decades-long turf war between the prosecution and police.



The leading candidate vowed to redistribute investigative and prosecutorial powers so the prosecution is only in charge of indictments and the police can exert full power of investigation.



Ahn and Sim echoed opinions similar to Moon's. They also agreed with Moon on limiting the scope of the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) domestic activities though Ahn did not clarify his plans to abolish the agency's domestic department.



Moon said, "I plan to abolish its department for domestic intelligence and restructure the agency as an intelligence-gathering body only in charge of foreign security affairs," while Ahn did not go further than saying, "Its intervention in domestic politics should be banned."



Hong and Yoo remained poles apart with the liberal candidates on restructuring the NIS. Yoo claimed the NIS should be allowed to collect domestic intelligence but its activities should be limited to spies and potential terrorists. Meanwhile, Hong expanded on this argument, saying, "It should rather strengthen investigations in the country to root out North Korea followers."



Hong opposed the plan to set up an independent investigative body targeting prosecutors, saying he will instead support independence of the prosecution by appointing a figure from outside the body as its head. He stood against the remaining contenders over separating investigative power, saying sharing it between the prosecution and the police will enable them to hold each other in check.
By Ranjit Kumar Dhawan





Human beings are an important asset for any country. But for a country like Korea where there is a lack of natural resources which are required for the industrial development, human resources are the most important asset. It was due to the efforts of the hard-working people that Korea was able to transform from a poor agrarian economy to an industrial giant.

In contrast to several developing countries of the world where human beings are often regarded as a liability and a burden on the economy, Korea recognized its human resource as a comparative advantage. As a result, well-trained and diligent human resources were pivotal in creating the "Miracle on the Han River." However, in Korea human beings were also regarded as a means to the goal of economic development and not as "an end in themselves."

In historical times the Korean social system was based on the Confucian hierarchical order in which the individual was subordinated to the family and community. In this system an individual was not regarded as autonomous but an integral part of society. Independent thinking and the development of rational temperament were discouraged.

In the modern period the goal of economic development became the top most priority of the Korean "developmental state" in order to "catch-up" with advanced Western countries. In this project the Korean people were mobilized but their democratic rights were severely repressed. Any movement by the people was regarded as a Communist uprising and a threat to the national security.

Also, the education system which was built during the period of rapid economic development mainly focused on the creation of workers for labor intensive industries. Instead of developing creative thinking among students, the emphasis was more on rote learning and conformity to the authoritarian regime in the country.

The disciplining and creation of a docile workforce was important to the rapid economic transformation of Korea but now the country is facing new challenges due to changes in production technology and the emergence of cheaper manufacturing hubs in other parts of the world.

In this fast changing technological paradigm, mental labor and creative thinking have taken precedence over physical labor. With the introduction of automation and advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Korea's competitive edge in terms of low wage labor and intensive manufacturing has become obsolete. This is reflected in the gradual decline in exports from the country and a rising trade deficit.

On the other hand, there has been a heavy concentration of the country's wealth in a few chaebol in recent years. This shows that these big conglomerates have benefitted more from the policies of democratic governments in Korea. But the common people are increasingly facing problems which are visible in Korea's high suicide and low birth rates. Unemployment among the youth population in Korea is also very high.

In Korea the political parties are divided along conservative and progressive ideologies. The smooth transition of power between the regimes belonging to different ideologies had been testimony to the successful democratic consolidation in Korea. But the focus of presidents of conservative and progressive ideology had been on economic growth. Ironically, the welfare of the people has remained a low priority for Korean politicians of different ideologies.

In contrast to Korea several Scandinavian countries fare much better in terms of economic development and welfare of the people. Therefore, Korean leaders need to learn from the experience of these nations to establish not only a democratic government but a "people's government" in the country.





The author is assistant professor at the Department of East Asian Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Delhi, India. His e-mail address is rkdhawan13@hotmail.com
By Doug Bandow



Give President Donald Trump credit. He put North Korea front and center in talks with China. In doing so, he's created an opportunity for the two nations to cooperate to more effectively press the North to freeze if not end its nuclear program.



But the Trump administration must do more than dramatically wave its military sticks. It should take the initiative and offer more carrots as well.



Over the last quarter century the U.S. has failed to dissuade North Korea from building nuclear weapons and longer-range missiles. Neither engagement nor isolation has diverted Pyongyang from its confrontational course.



Now the small, impoverished nation appears to be closing in on its objective to create an intercontinental missile capable of hitting America. There is no evidence that Kim Jong-un is suicidal. But that's still cold comfort, knowing that a mistake or error by Kimor President Trumpcould lead to the destruction of an American city or two.



Despite the president's bluster that the U.S. will "solve" the North Korea problem with orwithout China's help, Washington has few options. Military strikes would risk triggering the second Korean War.



Sanctions could be further strengthened, but targeting North Korea won't have dramatic effect without Beijing's support. Hitting Chinese firms and banks doing business with the North would antagonize the People's Republic of China without necessarily forcing Pyongyang to abandon its efforts.



Gaining the PRC's cooperation remains the most obvious and effective means to apply increased pressure on Pyongyang. If China stepped on North Korea's economic windpipe, Kim & Co. would notice.



The Trump administration has made an unsubtle attempt to browbeat Beijing, threatening to take military action against the DPRK. President Trump also added a bit of equally crude bribery, offering better trade terms with Beijing if the latter acts as desired. However, these actions aren't likely to convince the PRC to apply the sort of bone-crunching sanctions that almost certainly would be necessary to have much chance of changing North Korean policy.



The first problem is that the administration has made an unconvincing threat combined with an ambiguous offer, with a request that Beijing do something not detailed in return. To abandon its traditional ally and strengthen America's geopolitical position in return for a promise of unspecified future benefits would be foolish if not foolhardy.



Equally problematic, the Trump administration has not addressed the PRC's greatest concerns. Applying extraordinary economic pressure on the North could result in a messy national implosion, followed by a unified Korea allied with America and hosting U.S. troopsa historic and geopolitical nightmare for China.



In fact, these concerns explain why Beijing has not acted previously, despite rising irritation with the North's confrontational, even reckless behavior. For the PRC stability is paramount.



Moreover, China views the U.S. as being primarily responsible for the impasse, having implemented a "hostile" policy toward the DPRK, which encouraged the latter to pursue nuclear weapons. After all, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Serbia all demonstrated that small states cannot easily resist U.S. military action.



For years U.S. officials have seemed bewildered that the residents of Zhongnanhai didn'trush to fulfill U.S. demands and hand China's sole military ally over to America. The Trump administration appeared to start down the same road, when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson testified at his confirmation hearing that the U.S. needed to "compel" China to apply UN sanctions against the North.



However, President Trump's trade initiative suggests greater administration flexibility. Economic benefits, as proposed by the president, are useful, but China's leadership isn't likely to sacrifice core security interests for better trade terms alone. Indeed, the People's Liberation Army has an outsize interest in the North's survival.



Instead of attempting to coerce Beijing, Washington should play "let's make a deal."Propose talks with Pyongyang over general security and political issues. Offer to assist the PRC should the North collapse and create a humanitarian crisis.



Respect China's economic investments in North Korea. Withdraw U.S. forces in the event of Korean reunification. Neutralize the peninsula militarily. Include the Republic of Korea and Japan in a broader agreement.



Even with Beijing's aid the U.S. might not be able to bring North Korea to heel. But the possibility of success is a good enough reason to give negotiation a try. It is imperative to preserve peace on the peninsula.





Doug Bandow is a senior fellow atthe Cato Institute.




By Griselda Molemans





During the occupation of Southeast Asia by the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy, many women and girls became victims of rape and forced prostitution. Seventy-two years after World War II, new evidence proves that the number of nationalities involved was much higher than previously assumed. And that the Burma-Thailand Railway and the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) form blind spots in international research.

The infamous Burma-Thailand Railway, a connection of over 415 kilometers between Thanbyuzayat and Ban Pong, was built by a work force of allied POWs and indigenous slave laborers. On Oct. 17, 1943, the Burmese and Thai part of the railway was joined at Konkoita. The first train to ride on the single track was a brothel train. As part of the festivities, all the Japanese guards were allowed to visit the women and girls aboard the train: at every station, the train stopped for 48 hours.

From the very start of the construction of the Burma-Thailand Railway on Sept. 16, 1942, female victims of forced prostitution were detained along the tracks. In Kanchanaburi, Korean and Taiwanese girls, kidnapped from their native countries, were housed in rows of small huts.

In the Japanese army camp at Hindato, a brothel was set up. After the completion of the railway, a group of British POWs received the unusual order to clean the barracks of the Japanese officers and soldiers. One day, they were confronted with a group of young women, who were housed in special barracks. The British mistook the women for "army whores" instead of victims of forced prostitution.

Several Dutch POWs were in the know of the secret system. Willy Welcker, a Eurasian POW from the Dutch East Indies, spotted two Malaysian girls when he was cleaning the barracks at the Hindato camp. The girls were put to work in a bamboo hut. "They had to work non-stop until they were falling down. Japanese soldiers from nearby camps were queuing up in front of the hut with their trousers unbuttoned." Early on, during his stay at the Burmese labor camp Payatonzu, Welcker also saw Malaysian girls being put to work as "comfort girls." "They couldn't have been older than 15."

Dutch POW Gerhardus van der Schuyt managed to talk to a Chinese "comfort girl" in the wood loggers camp, Linson. On top of the hill near the POW camp, a Japanese officers' camp was installed to hospitalize wounded officers from the Burma battlefront. When Van der Schuyt was ordered to chop wood and clean the camp barracks he saw a group of young girls passing by. And he struck up a conversation with one of them.

"She worked in the kitchen and told me that the Japs had forcibly taken young women from British Malaysia, Thailand, French Indochine and other regions. She herself was 'lucky' to remain in Linson, but other women and girls were sent to the Burma battlefront. There were some 20 comfort girls' in Linson of whom the majority was Chinese."

Near camp Kinsayok another brothel was installed, where one day a group of beautiful Thai girls arrived. Several British POWs tried to approach the girls, but were rejected. A day later, it became clear why: one of the Thai girls whispered to the men that all the young women had contracted an STD. "Which is good for the Japanese. But not for the British, you see?"

Hardly any woman who worked along the Burma Railway was safe from the Japanese occupier. Tamil women who stayed in the labor camps with their husbands were regularly raped by a group of Japanese soldiers, led by major Hikosaku Kudo. Burmese women, working as sales women or cooks, were victims of rape as well.

Elsewhere in the Dutch East Indies archipelago, American victims were drugged and sexually abused during their captivity in brothels on the island of New Guinea.

On Aug. 18, 1944, American marine J. Copple testified in New Orleans before the Military Intelligence Division that he had seen a fellow countrywoman in Hollandia in April 1944, who had been kidnapped from the Philippines in May 1942. The subject of Copple's confidential report is "Jap Prostitution of Nurses Captured at Corregidor."

Copple was told by American army officers that the nurse "was forced to submit to and accompany Japanese Army officers after her capture. They carried her with them from place to place in New Guinea until her rescue by the American forces at Hollandia. She told the American officers that 19 more American nurses were with the Jap forces around Hollandia, all in the same plight."

His statement in the National Archives at College Park, Maryland, corroborates with a diary fragment from American pilot Al Blum. On May 29, 1944, Blum wrote that "two American nurses, presumably from the Philippines, were found at a Japanese brothel in Hollandia. They were nearly crazy from drugs and dope."

Despite this evidence, no investigation of the fate of American victims has ever taken place. Other governments, among others the Burmese, Thai, Malaysian and Indian, never stood up for their female nationals after the war either, preferring trade relations with Japan over human rights.





Griselda Molemans is a Dutch investigative reporter and documentary maker. During research for the book publication "A Lifetime of War," due out in 2018, she discovered that the system of Japanese forced prostitution claimed victims of at least 26 nationalities.
Candidates count on wishful-thinking on nuke issue solution

Presidential candidates displayed a weak grasp on a key national security issue _ how to solve North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship_ during their televised debate Sunday night.

Frontrunner Moon Jae-in got the facts wrong and mixed his imagination with history when he said, "In the past we had come to an agreement to completely dismantle North Korea's nuclear program through an inclusive solution reached by multilateral diplomacy."

If the candidate of the largest Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) referred to the 1994 Agreed Framework, Moon should do some fact-checking because that agreement was signed by the United States and the North. So it is wrong to say "we" because it sounds as if South Korea had actively got involved in the process or was a signatory in the agreement. Then-President Kim Young-sam boycotted the process and later was sidelined, relegating Korea to a bystander that begged the U.S. to gain knowledge of the U.S.-North Korea meetings.

Moon's argument for the use of multilateral diplomacy would only stand to reason when the bilateral Geneva Agreement deals with how to reward the North for its freeze _ the establishment of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) to supply the North with light water reactors and fuel oil. South Korea and Japan were members to pick up much of the tab to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.












Korean students are nearly at the bottom of the world in life satisfaction, according to a new study published last week.



In a survey of 540,000 15-year-olds in 72 countries, including OECD countries, on life satisfaction, Korean students gave an average mark of 6.36 on a scale from zero to 10. The figure is far lower than the OECD average of 7.31. Turkey was the only OECD member country that scored lower than Korea.



Only half of Korean students _ exactly 53 percent _ are "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with life, compared with the OECD average of 71 percent. In contrast, 22 percent of them answered four or lower.



Not surprisingly, long study hours and stress about grades are largely to blame for Korean students feeling unhappy. In fact, the study showed 75 percent of them are worried about doing poorly on tests.



Their huge academic burden is nothing new. While adults make it a principle to work 40 hours over five days a week, students in Korea are under constant pressure to study all through the week. This has resulted in 23 percent studying 60 hours or more a week. Private education is also prevalent, with 68 percent of elementary, middle and high school students taking private lessons.



It is a pity that our students are exhausted with the heavy burden of study, driven by excessive competition to enter universities. What's more pathetic is that many of them find it increasingly difficult to get a job after graduation.



Presidential candidates are rushing to pledge education reform, including the abolition of the education ministry. But it is doubtful if such half-baked pledges will help normalize our public education as many parents and students hope.



Finding out why our students are not happy is long overdue. Education reform should begin with viable and realistic measures that will make them happy and satisfied.








By Andrew Salmon





One leads a hyperpower suffering from eroded confidence, the other a basket case that is increasingly strident in global politics. One is derided as a dunce with minimal political experience, the other as a monarch crowned before his time. But both have their fingers on potentially devastating power buttons and neither is ignored for long by global news media (or political satirists).

So how is the duel between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shaping up?

Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama warned his successor that his most pressing foreign policy challenge would be North Korea. Now, the new administration's policy review is complete. Sparks have been flying ever since. Is Trump's policy of "no more strategic patience" winning traction?

China holds the key to the North Korean conundrum. Some 80-plus percent of North Korean trade crosses its China frontier, and the cross-border pipeline of commerce, food and fuel is critical to North Korea's viability as a state. The problem is that China has for centuries been ultra-sensitive about its northeast frontier. It seeks to maintain a buffer there against the perceived threat from democratic Americans, South Koreans and Japanese.

The Great Wall begins in China's northeast. This is where the Manchu conquest originated in the 17th century, where the Japanese invaded from in the 1930s, and where the Americans approached in autumn 1950. The latter advance prompted China's entry into the Korean War, where she routed U.S.-led U.N. forces in the peninsula's north and re-established Pyongyang's sovereignty.

Granted, there were signs that China's patience with her volatile client state was wearing thin before the Donald TrumpXi Jinping summit (where, reportedly, the two leaders hit it off): Beijing had returned a large shipment of North Korean coal, a key Pyongyang export. But post-summit, there were surprise developments.
A model poses with KT's electric vehicles and charger at its headquarters in Seoul. Courtesy of KT



By Kang Seung-woo

KT plans to begin replacing 10 percent of its company cars with electric vehicles (EVs) later this year, the firm said Monday.

The nation's largest fixed-line telecom player currently has 10,000 company cars and is considering switching out some of those cars with EVs starting next year.

"The EV replacement will help mitigate air pollution such as fine dust and carbon monoxide, while reducing vehicle maintenance costs," KT said in a press release.

In line with the envisaged plan to increase the number of EVs, it is also set to install more than 300 chargers at KT's 182 affiliates. Currently, 22 subsidiaries with EVs have 27 chargers.

"Visitors as well as KT employees will be able to use the chargers," the company said.

In March, KT was picked as one of five players to take charge of installing and operating chargers for 9,700 EVs that belong to private citizens.

KT said it remotely controls the EV infrastructure around the clock through KT-MEG, its artificial intelligence-based smart energy platform, which quickly responds to technical glitches and offers differentiated services.

According to KT, KT-MEG is the world's first integrated energy management platform, managing multi-regional energy facilities from an individual building to citywide coverage and providing integrated monitoring and control of energy generation, consumption and trading.

"As the government has stepped up efforts to support EVs and people have higher interest in them, KT expects this year will serve as momentum to expand EVs," said Kim Young-myoung, senior vice president in charge of KT's smart energy business.

"Conforming to the government's eco-friendly policies, KT will work hard to promote them."
By Kang Seung-woo

People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo's waning popularity is also noticeable on Google as fewer people are searching his name on the search engine.

According to Google Trends, Monday, Ahn's overall index is at 47, lower than the Democratic Party of Korea candidate Moon Jae-in's 77. The election is slated for May 9.

Google Trends is a real-time dataset launched in 2006 that shows the search frequency of certain keywords, with 100 as the maximum Google index and zero as the lowest.

It does not show which candidate is doing better in the presidential race, but provides a glimpse of what is on voters' minds.

Ahn was a laggard in the presidential race until March, but the software mogul-turned-politician surged past Moon in terms of search frequency following his nomination, April 4.

However, since Ahn last outnumbered Moon, April 18  87 to 68  voters have searched the latter more frequently than the former, with the gap becoming 100 against 66 as of April 19.
The Spanish royals will finally visit the United Kingdom between July 12 and 14, one month and four days later than the original planned dates. The state visit had to be rescheduled after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced a snap election for June 8, right when Felipe VI and Letizia were planning to be in London.

Felipe VI and Letizia will visit the UK in July. Juan Carlos Hidalgo (EFE)

The Spanish Foreign Ministrys Diplomatic Information Office issued a note on Friday announcing the new dates, as agreed by both governments.

Relations between both countries have been strained since the Brexit referendum

This is the second time that the visit by the Spanish royals has had to be pushed to a later date. An earlier trip planned for 2015 was placed on hold due to the political stalemate in Spain, which had an interim government for 10 months. After settling on June 6 to 8 of this year, the decision to hold a snap election in Britain forced both royal houses to find a new window of time.

Diplomatic sources pointed out that Felipe VI had been planning to address parliament in Westminster, mirroring a speech made decades earlier by his own father Juan Carlos. But that would not be possible during a June 6-8 visit, as parliament will be dissolved because of the election.

The British Royal House sent out a message on Twitter explaining that Queen Elizabeth and King Felipe VI had agreed to postpone the visit due to the election.

The visit will serve to reflect, at the highest possible level, the excellence and intensity of the ties and bilateral relations between Spain and the United Kingdom, and the commitment to preserve them for the benefit of citizens from both countries, according to the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

The fact that a Spanish head of state has not been on a state visit to Britain in 31 years, coupled with the UKs decision to leave the EU, makes this visit particularly relevant.

Relations between both countries have been strained since the Brexit referendum, particularly over the future of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is also uncertain how the decision to leave Europe will affect the more than 250,000 British residents in Spain, and the approximately 200,000 Spaniards who live in the UK.

English version by Susana Urra.
Seen above is the house previously owned by former President Park Geun-hye, located in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The ousted head of state sold the house to Mario Outlet Chairman Hong Seong-yeol for 6.75 billion won ($5.97 million) last month. / Yonhap





Mario Outlet chief acquires Park's house

By Kang Seung-woo





Mario Outlet Chairman

Hong Seong-yeol

The ousted former President Park Geun-hye sold her house in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, late last month to free up money for her legal expenses. The imprisoned ex-state head will take part in the first hearing in her trial on bribery charges on May 2, which involves her close aide Choi Soon-sil, also behind bars.

There were many news articles that Park sold the house which she moved to in 1990 after Choi's mother paid 6.75 billion won for the property but few reported who snapped it up.

It was Mario Outlet Chairman Hong Seong-yeol, who told reporters he bought the two-story Samseong-dong house because it is relatively cheap for its good location.

"Because I don't have a house or land in Gangnam, I've strived to buy properties there. And one of my acquaintances let me know that the Samseong-dong house was up for sale," he said.

"I'm thinking of moving in sooner than later. But I heard its heating system broke down. I would have to check everything before making any decisions."

Gangnam is a posh neighborhood in southern Seoul. It gained worldwide recognition thanks to "Gangnam Style," the 2012 mega-hit song by Korean rapper Psy.

Some raised suspicions the 63-year-old Hong is acquainted with ex-President Park's younger brother Park Ji-man, chairman of the small steelmaker EG. But Hong flatly denied this claim.

Of note is that this is not first time for Hong to snap up properties related to former presidents.

In December 2015, Hong paid 11.8 billion won for a herb farm in Yeoncheon County, north of Seoul, which was owned by the eldest son of former President Chun Doo-hwan.

Back then, the prosecution tried to sell the 57,000-square meter farm to enforce a long-overdue court verdict ordering him to forfeit tens of billions of won. The court also convicted him of treason, bribery and tax evasion the former president committed during his 1980-1988 term.

This means prosecutors regarded the farm as an asset of former President Chun, according to legal experts.

In early 2015, Hong grabbed headlines for other reasons when Sogang University decided to award an honorary doctorate to him "for his contribution to the economy."

At the time, Hong was embroiled in disputes over Mario's practices from the previous year.

The outlet hired a contractor to manage facility maintenance in March 2014, while sending existing maintenance crews to accept early retirement programs. Some resisted and Mario suspended them from working and cut their wages.

"We believe Hong doesn't deserve it," protesters claimed in 2015. "Those who have made social and academic achievements should get the recognition. Hong kicked out his employees and didn't pay their wages on time."

Established in 2001, Mario Outlet is the country's first fashion outlet mall. Over the following years, Mario Outlet expanded fast to feature more than 300 global and domestic fashion brands in three different sections.

The Seoul-based outlet, an unlisted company of which shares are 100 percent owned by Chairman Hong, also accommodates various convenience and dining facilities.

Last year, Mario Outlet chalked up sales of 56.4 billion won for an operating profit of 15.6 billion won.
By Kang Seung-woo





The Galaxy S8 Plus

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S8's larger sibling -- the S8 Plus -- is expected to gain more attention than the standard model thanks to growing demand for wider displays, a report showed, Monday.

The Korean tech giant's latest flagship smartphone comes in two models: a standard-size model with a 5.8-inch display and a larger S8 Plus with a 6.2-inch screen.

Lee Jae-yoon, an analyst from Yuanta Securities, forecast in his report that the sales volume of Galaxy S8 smartphones for this year is expected to reach 50.4 million, with the S8 Plus taking up 27.1 million, or 53.9 percent of sales.

After unveiling the high-end phone in late March, Samsung received preorders for the handsets from April 7 to 17 and the S8 Plus model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage sold out only five days after the company began accepting preorders.

According to industry watchers, the greater popularity for the S8 Plus model is attributable to the increasing number of people using smartphones for mobiles games and video content.

With large screens emerging as a selling point in new smartphones, the S8 has a bezel-less, edge-to-edge design with an unusual 18.5:9 display, considered essential by those watching videos or playing games.

Considering such a trend, LG Electronics also adopted a near all-screen strategy with its latest flagship phone, the G6, in February and Apple's new iPhone, expected to hit stores in September, are highly likely to follow suit.

For Samsung, it would not be the first time for larger variants of its flagship smartphones to gain more attention from consumers, according to the report.

The edge version of the Galaxy S6 and S7 accounted for 51.3 percent and 51.9 percent of combined sales. Samsung implemented dual-curved sides to the edge models.

The higher demand for the S8 Plus models would help Samsung's earnings thanks to their higher price.

The standard S8 is available at 935,000 won, while the S8 Plus costs 990,000, according to Samsung. The S8 Plus with a bigger memory and storage compared to the standard model, only available in China and Korea, costs 1.15 million won.

However, the report warned that the Galaxy S8 smartphones take some consumers of the Galaxy Note 8, a jumbo smartphone expected to hit shelves in the second half of the year.
By Jhoo Dong-chan



Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun is heading to China for a market inspection, a measure believed to aim at studying the carmaker's sales loss after the Chinese government carried out trade retaliation against Korea over the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.



According to a Hyundai Motor official, Monday, Chung is scheduled to visit the headquarters and production plants of the carmaker's local joint venture, Beijing Hyundai Motor Company.



Chung's move is considered a follow-up measure to examine the on-site market atmosphere and motivate local employees in China amid contrived anti-Korean sentiment.



He previously visited the carmaker's overseas production plants in Alabama and Georgia as well as its sales unit in the United States to inspect its sales performance there. Chung then joined the carmaker's showcase for its new models at the 2017 New York International Auto Show.



He missed the 2017 Shanghai International Motor Show, but industry observers say his visit to China this time has significant implications for Hyundai Motor's future sales operations in the country since the carmaker's performance nosedived, which has been attributed to the Chinese government's trade retaliation and anti-Korean sentiment among consumers.



According to data, Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors sold 72,032 cars in China last month, down 52.2 percent from a year ago. Hyundai Motor sold 56,026, down 44.3 percent, and Kia Motors 16,006, down 68 percent.



This was the first time that the two carmakers' monthly sales in the world's most populous country have fallen below 100,000 since February 2016.



Protesting the Korean government's decision to deploy the U.S. anti-missile system, Chinese consumers have boycotted Korean products while some of its competitors have provoked nationalism among the Chinese people to rack up their own sales.



"It is a critical moment for Hyundai Motor," the official said.



"Hyundai Motor is expected to open its fifth production plant soon in the country in Chongqing. A series of Chung's visits to the company's two largest markets will help review its future overseas business operation."



China is currently Hyundai Motor's largest overseas market with its global sales share of 23.5 percent while the ratio stands at 21.5 percent for Kia Motors.



As a part of its efforts to ease Chinese consumers' anti-Korean sentiment, Hyundai Motor unveiled three vehicle models sold exclusively in the country during this year's Shanghai Motor Show.



In order to decrease its sales dependency on China, the nation's carmaker's duo is also diversifying its overseas business operation.



Kia Motors said it will build its first production plant in India, aiming to offset its poor sales performance in China while Hyundai Motor is enhancing its promotion operation in other markets like Europe and Russia.



According to sources, Hyundai Motor sold 57,710 cars in the European market last month, up by 8 percent compared to the same period last year. It was also a monthly record in the market.








By Jhoo Dong-chan

The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Korea will hold a special coffee meeting with presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo on Wednesday at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, an AMCHAM official said Monday.

James Kim, chairman of AMCHAM and GM Korea CEO, will attend the meeting with former AMCHAM Chairman Jeffrey Jones, while The Korea Times Chief Editorial Writer Oh Young-jin will participate as the discussion panel.

Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo is the Liberty Korea Party candidate of Korea's 19th presidential election slated for May 9.

Hong and AMCHAM officials are expected to discuss a wide range of the nation's economic issues and the trade imbalance between Korea and the United States. The possible revision of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is also expected to be discussed.

The conservative candidate criticized the nation's labor unions during a meeting with the Korea International Trade Association last week, claiming they are labor aristocrats representing only 3 percent of the nation's workers.

He also said rampant trade protectionism across the world would not influence trade ties between Korea and the U.S. if they continue discussing the issue.
Lotte's duty free shop license may be cancelled





Korea Customs Service Commissioner Chun Hong-uk Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin

By Park Jae-hyuk

Criticism has risen over the Korea Customs Service's (KCS) recent announcement that the agency will cancel Lotte Group's license to operate a duty free store in Lotte World Tower in southeastern Seoul, if its Chairman Shin Dong-bin is convicted of bribery charges.

The chairman was indicted without detention last week over allegations he gave 7 billion won ($6 million) to former President Park Geun-hye to receive favors in a bid for a license to operate a new duty free shop, and other business projects.

A KCS spokesman said Monday, "As we said before the selection of new downtown duty free shop operators late last year, Lotte will lose its license to operate its store in Jamsil if the court finds Shin guilty."

His remark, however, raises suspicions that the customs agency is trying to avoid the blame for having gone ahead with the selection despite the prosecutors' investigation of the scandal involving Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

After the National Assembly passed the impeachment of Park on Dec. 9 to wait for the final verdict of the Constitutional Court, the KCS ignored the demands of opposition parties and civic groups to delay the selection.

Lawmakers of opposition parties at that time said the bribery charges related to duty free operators' licenses typically involve collusive links between the government and businesses and insisted the KCS give out licenses after the investigation ended.

They pointed out the agency has a right to halt the selection, citing a Supreme Court verdict.

However, the KCS forged ahead with its initial schedule, saying, "We need to select licensees as planned to remove market uncertainties and create investments and jobs amid the long-term slump."

On Dec. 17, Lotte obtained a duty free store license by getting a perfect score in terms of observance of the law.

If Lotte Word Tower's duty free branch shuts down, the retail giant would lose 1 trillion won in annual sales. It is already faltering due to the decreased influx of Chinese shoppers after Beijing's ban on group tours to Korea as a retaliatory measure against the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here.

The chairman will also face setbacks in his plan to tighten his control of the group, as Lotte is likely to face difficulties in listing Hotel Lotte, which highly depends on income from duty free businesses.

Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate has continued to claim Shin's innocence, denying the selection of duty free operators had any links to a private meeting between Shin and the ousted ex-President Park.

But Lotte is also suspected of having pressured the government for the duty free license by mobilizing its staff members. Last year, Lotte employees held rallies in front of the National Assembly to complain about job instability. Also, the group's public relations officials got special promotions for their efforts to get the license.
China's first domestically built carrier, known only as the Type 001A, at its berth in Dalian city in Liaoning province



As PLA Navy marks 68th anniversary of its founding, preparations are made to send off the still-unnamed sister ship to the Ukraine-built Liaoning



By Minnie Chan

China was making final preparations to launch its first domestically built aircraft carrier as it marked the 68th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy on Sunday.

The scaffolding around the ship, temporarily named the Type 001A, was removed and the deck was cleared, Shanghai-based news portal thepaper.cn reported, suggesting that the launch date was getting close.

However, experts said tidal conditions yesterday were not conducive for a launch to mark the navy's birthday, and expected a ceremony to take place in the next few days.

Enthusiasts flocked to the pier in Dalian, Liaoning province and pictures online showed naval officers having rehearsals for the launch ceremony.

The new carrier, with a displacement of 70,000 tonnes, is 315 metres long, 75 metres wide and has a cruising speed of 31 knots.

It is slightly larger than the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, which was refurbished from the semi-completed Soviet carrier Varyag, which Beijing bought from a Ukrainian shipyard in 1998.

From the successful refitting of the Liaoning in 2011 and its commission a year later, China spent just five years to produce the 001A. Even though its layout is almost the same, the new carrier features the latest equipment, including a bigger hangar to carry more J-15 fighters and more space on deck for helicopters and other aircraft.

Commentaries published by party mouthpiece People's Daily on the PLA Navy anniversary yesterday said a strong maritime force was crucial.

"Facing the increasingly complicated maritime security and sovereignty struggle, a strong navy is necessary to protect national sovereignty and maritime rights, overseas interests and take part in international cooperation," one of the opinion pieces said.

Another commentary said the nation's aircraft carrier fleet had participated in training in the western Pacific last year, and that the launch of a new carrier was a sign that China was mastering naval technology.

But military observers said the launch of the new carrier represented only modest progress in China's military modernisation, given the technological gap between the PLA Navy and its most powerful rival in the Asia-Pacific region, the US Navy.

The Pentagon claimed it would shift 60 per cent of US naval assets to the Asia-Pacific region by 2020 under the so-called pivot to Asia under the administration of former US president Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, so far has not repudiated that strategy, and has even proposed a 10 per cent increase in defence spending this year, with a long-term goal of adding 60,000 troops to the army and expanding the US Navy to 350 ships from 272 today.

Hong Kong-based military analyst Liang Guoliang said that with the launch of the Type 001A, China would still only have two carriers, with the new ship requiring two or three years before it was put into full service. He noted that the US has 10 carrier strike groups, with at least four deployed in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The US navy has 9.5 million tonnes of shipping, while China has just 400,000 tonnes, or 4 per cent of the US capability. The US also has different kinds of carrier-based fighters, including its advanced carrier variants of the F-35 fighter ... while China just has the J-15," Liang said.

"Meanwhile, the US has more than 200,000 marines, while China is just trying to expand its force to 100,000.

"I think the Chinese military should realise that there are still huge gaps in both hardware and software between the two countries' maritime capabilities."
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit China in the second half of this year, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai was quoted as saying.



Cui made the remark during a film screening event held at his embassy on Friday, saying the envisioned visit by Trump will be the most important event in relations between the two countries in the second half, according to the China Daily.



The envoy did not mention any specific dates.



Trump agreed to visit China later this year when Chinese President Xi Jinping invited him during their first summit talks in Florida earlier this month.



Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported that Japan and the U.S. are looking into the possibility of Trump visiting Tokyo when he travels to the Philippines for the East Asia Summit in November.



U.S. Vice President Mike Pence revealed Trump's travel plans when he visited the secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.



During the Asia trip, Trump will also visit Vietnam for an annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Pence said.



The EAS is scheduled for Nov. 13-14, while the APEC summit is set for Nov. 11-12.



The announcement has raised speculation that Trump could also visit other Asian nations as part of the trip, such as China, Japan and South Korea. (Yonhap)




By Lee Han-soo



France's presidential election has advanced to a run-off between pro-Europe centrist Emmanuel Macron vowing to battle the "threat of nationalism" and far-right populist Marine Le Pen vowing to "liberate the French People."



The candidates want two drastically different futures for France, with Macron wanting closer ties with the EU and Le Pen wanting to leave it. The election outcome could change France's relationship with the EU in years to come.



Macron, 39, an investment banker, is in the lead with 23 to 24 percent support, while National Front Party president Le Pen, 48, enters the runoff as underdog with 21 to 23 percent support, according to a local poll agency.



The presidential election also signals a major change in France's political landscape as the candidates are not from the two major parties -- Socialists and the Republicans -- that have governed France since World War II.



Defeated candidates Francois Fillon, Bernard Cazeneuve and Benoit Hamon urged their supporters to back Macron.



"Le pen's program will bankrupt France and throw the EU into chaos," said Fillion, the republican candidate, who was third runner-up. "Le Pen's far-right National Front Party also has a long history of violence and intolerance."



Meanwhile, Le Pen -- portraying the run-off as a duel between "patriots" and "wild deregulations" -- has dubbed the runoff as for the survival of France. She claims that if she loses there will be major job losses overseas and a mass immigration problem that could lead to freely roaming "terrorists."



The final round of the election will be on May. 7.




Is KBS going to shift its attention to developing "Moonlight Drawn By Clouds" Season 2? Pending delays in the production of its planned second season to its megahit drama "Descendants of the Sun", there is a huge clamor online for a sequel to the Park Bo Gum and Kim You Jung starrer given the strong chemistry of the two lead stars in the historical romance drama.

It can be recalled that KBS immediately considered the development of "Descendants of the Sun" Season 2 after the huge success of the drama not only in Korea but in other countries that have syndicated the drama. At one point, it was even reported that Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha was also a fan of the series, Kpopstarz reported. However, delays caused by different factors may compel KBS' focus on potential hit sequels like "Moonlight Drawn By Clouds" 2.

Like Descendants of the Sun, "Moonlight Drawn By Clouds" consistently topped ratings in its timeslot for its 18 episode run. Lead stars Park Bo Gum and Kim You Jung who played Crown Prince Lee Young and eunuch-in-disguise Hong Raon also rose to superstardom after the drama and are now being groomed to be next Song Song couple Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo.

"Descendants of the Sun" Season 2 reportedly hit some snags when the schedule of lead stars Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo became too busy to accommodate the required time needed to film a sequel. This would not be a problem if KBS pushes through with "Moonlight Drawn By Clouds" 2 since Park Bo Gum and Kim You Jung have not yet signed on for their next drama projects just yet, Korea Portal reported.

After Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, Park Bo Gum has appeared in variety shows like Running Man and Infinite Challenge and locked several major endorsement deals for Coca Cola and Domino's Pizza. Kim You Jung, for her part, is busy preparing for her first fan meeting outside of Korea when she ineracts with fans in Singapore this May.
More information El sueno cinematografico de El Chapo se materializa en la television

Joaquin Guzman Loera, a notorious Mexican drug lord better known as El Chapo, had long dreamed of seeing a movie made about his own life. But these plans seemed to hit a wall after the leader of the Sinaloa cartel was captured a third time in January 2016, sent to a maximum security prison, then extradited to the United States, where he awaits the thing he fears the most: being tried by a US court.

But as the dreaded day approaches, El Chapo can take comfort in the fact that his plans to see his story appear on screen, at least, are working out. The US-based Hispanic network Univision and the streaming media distributor Netflix have joined forces to create a miniseries about the rise and fall of the man who was once the most powerful and wanted kingpin of the drug world.

The Mexican actor Marco de la O had mixed feelings when he got the call about playing the part of El Chapo in the miniseries. I hadnt realized that I looked like him, either a little or a lot, he explains.

We just want to tell the most truthful story possible, and for people to make their own judgment

Marco de la O, actor

The actor called his wife and explained about the audition. Yes, you do look like him, she confirmed. So he shaved his beard, left the mustache, and put on a colorful shirt of the type favored by the drug lord. The character was starting to take shape. De la O, who has made a name for himself in theater and in television soap operas, accepted the challenge of embodying an individual who triggered passionate reactions wherever he went, both good and bad.

The nine-episode production premiered this past Sunday on Univision, and will be available on Netflix in a month. Directed by the Mexicans Jose Manuel Craviotto and Ernesto Contreras, it will try to explain how a Mexican boy from a humble family ended up heading a criminal organization that handles close to $8 billion a year.

Actress Kate del Castillo came under investigation for her ties to Guzman. AP

The scenes were shot in Colombia because of security concerns in Mexico. And there was such a degree of secrecy around the shoot that it was deliberately misnamed Dolores de amor (or, Love woes), a title suggesting a soap opera, in order to divert attention from the real subject of the story, said De la O in a telephone conversation.

The lead actor said that it was difficult to act out the first few years of Guzmans life because there was no audiovisual material from this period to work with. And El Chapo himself has always been quite secretive about his private life.

We had to create a more personal character in which the accent, the voice and the gait were very particular, very personal. We didnt make a documentary-style Chapo Guzman because there is no material for that, said De la O.

Hollywood enthralled

The research and development of the series began three years ago, aided by work by a group of Univision journalists, US Drug Enforcement Administration reports, El Chapos psychological profiles conducted in prison, and assorted bibliography.

It is not reality, but it is the closest thing to the facts that took place in Mexico in connection with this drug-trafficking issue, said De la O.

The actor underscores that the TV series does not constitute praise for Guzman, and that viewers are not encouraged to admire the characters in the story, as that would be immoral and irresponsible.

I hadnt realized that I looked like him, either a little or a lot

Marco de la O, actor

We are not a soap opera, we are a series, thats the big difference. We dont want heroes or villains, we just want to tell the most truthful story possible, and for people to pass their own judgment, he added.

It is not just audiences that have shown an interest in stories based on drug traffickers. So has Hollywood, which was fascinated with the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar before becoming similarly enthralled by El Chapo. Sony is already in talks with Michael Bay, the producer in charge of the Transformers franchise, to make a movie based on a bestselling book about El Chapos capture.

Fox is also working on its own story about Guzman; the same that will be told in The Cartel, directed by Ridley Scott. And Mexican actress Kate del Castillo has told Access Hollywood Live that she still wants to push forward with her own project about Guzman, despite being under investigation for her earlier meetings with the drug lord.

While producers everywhere are busy cooking up various versions of Guzmans life, the man himself remains locked up inside a narrow cell with a turned-off TV set, unable to see on screen how his ambitions of cinematic grandeur led to his own downfall.

English version by Susana Urra.
"Hwarang" actor Park Seo Joon and "Descendants of the Sun" star Kim Ji Won are all set for their new fighter drama "Fight for My Way" which is set for a May premiere. The KBS drama marks the first pairing of the two actors who are coming off the success of their recent drama appearances.

Park Seo Joon got busy and booked the "Fight for My Way" quickly after he topbilled the historical drama "Hwarang" along with K-pop idols Park Hyung Sik from ZE:A, SHINee's Choi Minho, BTS's V in his first role in a drama, a well as Do Ji Han. Kim Ji Won returns to drama after being paired with Jin Goo in Descendants of the Sun where she played the role of military lieutenant Yoon Myeong Joo. Talks of "Descendants of the Sun" Season 2 are still pending amid the hectic schedules of its lead cast.

According to a report by All K-pop, "Fight for My Way" will be a drama centered on the characters of Ko Dong Man (Park Seo Joon) and Choi Ae Ra (Kim Ji Won) who are constantly fighting when its just two of them but are fiercely loyal to each other once a third party gets in their way. The romantic comedy is expected to employ the friends to lovers formula that KBS has perfected throughout the years.

Aside from Park Sae Joon and Kim Ji Won, also cast in "Fight for My Way" are Ahn Jae-Hong, Song Ha Yoon, Kim Sung Oh, and Pyo Ye Jin. Choi Woo Sik is also expected to make an appearance while viewers should watch out for cameos from Kwak Dong-Yeon who will play Ae Ra's ex-boyfriend and Hwang Bo Ra will will do a cameo for a surprise role.

The first script reading for "Fight for my Way" was held last March 24, which was said to be full of positive energy from the cast, reported Soompi. The show is scheduled to air on KBS starting May 8 replacing the timeslot of Ms. Perfect at 10 pm every Monday and Tuesday.
Lee Min Ho is heading to military camp soon. Fans will surely miss his performance in TV. But, 'Legends of The Blue Sea' actor feels grateful that he's finally able to fulfill his duty as a part of nation's citizen although he may be considered as late to be enlisted in his late 20s.

Other than the fact Lee Min Ho military enlistment leads to another break-up rumor between the actor and girlfriend Suzy Bae, it also marks the turning point of Lee Min Ho's career, considering he's enlisted when he's on the top of his career as an actor. On a recent interview with star1, Korea Boo reported, Lee Min Ho shared how he feels about the upcoming enlistment. The actor revealed that he's glad to be enlisted now when he's almost 30 years old. Had he enlisted earlier, he wouldn't be able to gain immense success from "Boys Over Flowers", the drama that brought him to stardom.

Lee Min Ho stated that he got nothing to regret even if his military enlistment would cost his relationship with Suzy Bae. The "City Hunter" actor and miss A member were reportedly getting more serious in their relationship that they're even rumored to tie the knot soon.

Unfortunately, Lee Min Ho and Suzy Bae are not the kinds of people who are willing to expose their personal affair to public, so the rumor remains a mystery. However, a recent report from Korea Portal revealed that Suzy Bae might not be pretty excited about his boyfriend's enlistment that resulted in the "Dream High" actress having separation anxiety.

Even though Lee Min Ho couldn't hide his nervous face when asked about his military enlistment, he's still excited to serve as a social service worker in Gangnam, starting May 12. Meanwhile, Lee Min Ho's girlfriend, Suzy Bae, is in the middle of filming her upcoming drama with Lee Jong Suk.
We can agree that Park Bo Gum is the cutest actor in the industry at the moment. But, do you know that the "Reply 1988" has that kind of personality that makes everybody couldn't help but to love him even more? On the recent episode of "Infinite Challenge", Park Bo Gum breaks down some factors why he deserves the title as the most caring celebrities in the industry.

Long before people know Park Bo Gum as the sweetheart in the showbiz, the "Reply 1988" actor has stolen everyone's hearts for his kind and affectionate personality. "Infinite Challenge" episode April 22 is another proof that Park Bo Gum deserves to be loved by everyone. While everyone forgot about Jung Joon Ha's birthday due to their busy schedules, Park Bo Gum came to save the day by surprising him with birthday cake, Soompi reported. Jung Joon Ha wept a little as he saying that Park Bo Gum is indeed generous and warm-hearted, just like what everybody says about him.

Jung Joon Ha was incredibly moved by Park Bo Gum's warm gesture towards him. As if thanking him in person isn't enough, the "Infinite Challenge" member took it to his Instagram to show the world how lucky he is to have a friend like Park Bo Gum. In his Instagram post, Jun Joon Ha wrote: "Park Bo Gum is seriously so nice! He's so cool and lovable. Although he's younger than me, I have a lot to learn from him."

Park Bo Gum has long been known as the real gentlemen for everyone close to him. Recently, "Love in The Moonlight" actor displayed his fun bromance vacation to Jeju Island with BTS' V as the BTS idol returns from his North America tour. The two have been friends for a long time. They even spend their spare times together to just go to amusement or simply attend a concert.
Immigration lawyers are calling for Spanish authorities to overturn their decision to separate a 19-year-old from his mother and Spanish-born brother and deport him to Paraguay despite him having lived in Spain for most of his life.

The Museum of the National Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay. EFE

More information Un gallego perdido en Paraguay

Daniel Martinez Vera was arrested and deported from Spain in November last year because he had been unable to find work since turning 18, according to authorities. His deportation came despite the fact that he had lived continuously in Spain since he was five years old and had no strong family connections in Paraguay.

At the time of his deportation  carried out just days after he was arrested  Spanish authorities said they were following legal procedure, but the case of Martinez has attracted the attention of migrant associations in Spain, concerned by the story of a young man who had lived most of his life in the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spains northwestern Galicia region, but now found himself 9,000 kilometers away in a country where he knows almost no one.

Martinez was placed in state care when his mother was diagnosed with cancer five years ago

I miss my mother and my brother a lot and Im not in a good situation. I am not working and I dont have any support, Martinez told EL PAIS recently from the small village some 35 kilometers from the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

I need to be where I grew up and not here, where I dont feel good, he said from the house where he is living with poor relatives of his father, a man he doesnt know.

According to Spanish law, Martinez is now barred from returning to Spain within the next years but lawyers with the Paraguayan migrant group in Spain Paraguay Resiste (Paraguay Resists) on April 19 lodged a legal challenge against his deportation, noting that legislation in Spain allows for residency to be granted to foreigners who have been in Spain for a minimum of three years and who have a work contract of at least one year in duration.

I want to come back. I have a job offer. Im sure Ill be able to keep working, said Martinez referring to a job offer with a Peruvian music firm in Barcelona. Jose Luis Zagazeta, the administrator of a digital music distributor, has offered the 19-year-old a job so that he can return and legalize his situation.

I need to be where I grew up and not here, where I dont feel good Daniel Martinez Vera

Martinez arrived in Spain with his mother when he was five years old. His mother, who came to Spain to work as a cleaner and who was diagnosed with cancer five years ago, only recently obtained Spanish residency.

I need to go back to be with [my mother] and help my brother, who deserves to enjoy his childhood, said Martinez of his younger sibling, who was born in Spain.

When his mother fell ill five years ago, she was forced to place Martinez in state care where he stayed until he was 18. The regional authorities in Galicia have said they did not have the power to apply for Spanish nationality on his behalf.

Martinez says he and his mother exchange messages, but it is not enough. Shes in a bad way; she isnt working and she doesnt know what to do. She tells me she is fine but I dont know if that is the whole truth, he explains.

Meanwhile, the young mans lawyers argue that Martinez has family roots in Spain but not in Paraguay. He doesnt have any sort of relationship with his father because his father stopped having anything to do with him many years ago, his lawyers said.

Martinez has not had any contact with his father for many years

[Martinez] finds himself in a situation of complete social exclusion because his closest relatives, like his mother and his brother, live in Spain. His family, academic and cultural links are all in Spain where he wants to return to be with his family again, lawyers told the court in Galicia.

The NGO Galician Immigration Forum and the parliamentary opposition in Galicia have called on the authorities to intercede with Madrid to scrap current immigration legislation and call off deportation campaigns, which they say are racist and contravene human rights.

English version by George Mills.
Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom

Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
A woman from Republic pleaded guilty on Monday morning for murdering a man from Marshfield nearly three years ago. Gabriella Shields' plea agreement came just before jury selection was set to start in her trial in Christian County Circuit Court.

Shields is one of three people charged in September 2015 with shooting Christopher Younes in June 2014. One of the other three, Albert Romero, accepted a plea agreement last Wednesday. The third defendant, Timothy Murray, apparently opted to go forward with his trial this week. Romero, Murray and Shields were going to be tried together for first-degree murder before Romero and Shields agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Circuit Judge Craig Carter of Mansfield set Shields' sentencing hearing for July 17. Carter last week gave Romero a life prison sentence with possibility of parole.

Relatives of Younes made victim impact statements before Romero was sentenced. Theyre not happy that hell have a chance for parole in about 24 years.

Romero received a life prison sentence with possibility of parole for second-degree murder and a 10-year prison sentence for armed criminal action. Those sentences will be served concurrently with a 20-year federal prison sentence that Romero received in June 2015 for a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County.

Investigators said Romero, 41, Murray, 29, and Shields, 28, murdered Younes in a remote area of Christian County near Chadwick because they believed the 35-year-old man was telling police about their drug crimes.

-----------------

Background, from report on Sept. 17, 2015:

Three people are accused of murdering a man in the Mark Twain National Forest in June 2014. Albert Romero, 40; Timothy Murray, 28; and Gabriella Shields, 27, were each charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal on Thursday for the shooting death of Christopher Younes, 35, of Marshfield. The charges follow a joint investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Christian County Sheriff's Department.

Younes body turned up near Chadwick on June 6, 2014. Investigators believe Shields told a friend that Younes was telling police about drug crimes by her and Romero and had to be dealt with, according to the probable cause statement used as the basis of the charges. At the time, a Missouri State Highway Patrol detective wrote, Shields and Romero were "the target of a large drug investigation being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration."

Investigators found text messages between Romero, Murray and Shields that helped them in their investigation. They believe Shields and Younes went into the national forest while Murray and Romero followed them. When they got there, Younes was shot, but his body also had stab wounds.

A home owner near the crime scene told detectives that he heard four or five gun shots near his home about 4 a.m. on June 6, 2014, according to the probable cause statement.

The text messages found by detectives include one at 2:04 a.m. on June 6 in which Romero asked Shields if she was ready and then told her to "Pick him up and meet us" at a restaurant. Shields replied, "Hes already been with me and has been this whole night."

Detectives found surveillance video of Shields' car stopping at a convenience store in east Springfield and Younes going inside to buy something. The video showed a pickup nearby in the parking lot with Murray and Romero inside, but they didn't talk to Shields or Younes during that stop.

The text messages between Shields and Romero continued until 4:17 a.m. They included messages about driving into eastern Christian County off Missouri 125 and Highway Y. They included messages about a flashlight being left somewhere, about Younes having a knife, and about the two of them being in love with each other.

Investigators also found text messages between Murray and another person that indicated he also was in the Sparta area early on June 6. That other person told detectives that Murray, Romero and Shields arrived at her/his home about 4 a.m. on June 6, about 2.5 miles from the crime scene.

The witness told detectives that Murrary had a backpack that had ammunition in it, and likely had a handgun also.

A week later, the witness found a large knife in the air conditioner, and called police, who came and got the knife. Detectives say that knife matched a knife sheath that was on Younes' body.

Another witness told detectives last November that Romero admitted during a pickup ride that he and Shields planned the murder of Younes because Shields believed Younes was a police informant, according to the probable cause statement. In that conversation, the witness said, Romero said he rode to the murder site near Chadwick with someone named Tim.

The witness said "Romero stated that he, Tim and Shields all had to do a different part. Romero told the witness that he believes Shields was a liar and that he should have seen paperwork about Younes being a police informant. Romero told the witness that Younes did not die from the original gunshot and had to be shot again," the Highway Patrol detective wrote.

The witness said Shields had also once talked about taking Younes to the forest.

"Shields advised that Younes realized something was wrong and after Younes had his hand cut asked her 'Why?' Shields told the witness that she responded by saying 'Goodbye.' Shields told the witness that she was amazed how clean she and her car had remained after the homicide and that the weapon used to kill Younes was in possession of a person in Springfield, Missouri," the probable cause statement says.

Younes' dad and stepmother were at a news conference in Ozark on Thursday afternoon, but didn't want to speak to reporters on camera. They said their son was a good man who had fallen in with the wrong crowd, and said they've been anxiously awaiting justice for his death for 15 long months.

"I don't want to speak for the family, but I think they're at a point where, they don't necessarily have closure to this, but they're moving forward, and they're happy the investigation has moved forward," said Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole.

Romero is in a federal prison in Victorville, Calif., serving a 20-year sentence, after pleading guilty last November for a conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced in June.

----
Cecilia Alvear, a retired NBC News producer who was a founding member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, died on Friday at home in Santa Monica after a recurrence of breast cancer. She was first diagnosed with the disease 23 years earlier. Her passing was announced by her longtime partner, George Lewis, the retired NBC News correspondent in Los Angeles. Alvear was 77 years old.

Born in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, Alvear was hired as the first Latino news assistant at KNBC in 1971. In 1982, NBC News sent Alvera to run its Mexico City bureau and head up war coverage in Central America. After returning to Los Angeles, she was a producer in NBC's bureau here. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in 1988-89 and president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, a group she helped to found, from 2000 to 2002. She retired from NBC in 2007.

Here are obits by NBC News, the Los Angeles Times, and in Spanish by Pilar Marrero at LA Opinion and in People Espanol. Here's a video tribune from KNBC's Mekahlo Medina.





"Cecilia was a pioneer who helped open the door for many Latina journalists," writes California journalist Veronica Villafane, also a former president of NAHJ, at her website Media Moves. "When NBC News hired Cecilia to run its bureau in Mexico City in 1982, she became the first Latina news producer at any of the three major TV networks, covering wars in Central America, unrest in Chile, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia, and earthquakes in Mexico City, El Salvador and Ecuador. She also produced interviews with Fidel Castro in Cuba. Cecilia was also the first Latina selected for a Nieman fellowship at Harvard University in 1988."

Cecilia frequently returned to the Galapagos Islands to help out the elementary school founded by her father as the first public school on the archipelago. She started the schools first computer lab and helped local women create a business cooperative that bears her name.

She also hosted workshops for journalists in the islands and began a blog about news from Galapagos... There arent enough words to express how fortunate I was to know Cecilia. Throughout the almost 20 years of friendship, Ive witnessed her kindness, generosity, help and support  not just to me, but to many others.



Former LA Times Latin America reporter Anne-Marie OConnor said in the LAT story that Alvear was 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.

Brandon Benavides, the current NAHJ president, wrote to members that "Cecilia touched the lives of many aspiring journalists and journalists making their way up the career ladder.:

Sunday night's NBC Nightly News show ended in memory of Alvear.




PRESS RELEASE

Lavrov and Tillerson Talk by Phone on Syria, Russia-U.S. Relations

April 22, 2017 (EIRNS)Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a telephone conversation yesterday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

"During the discussion of international problems Lavrov expressed regret over the U.S. opposition to Russias initiative in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW] to dispatch inspectors to Syria for verifying the reports on the use of sarin nerve gas in the town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 and the presence of poison chemicals on the Shairat airbase,"

the ministry said.

"Lavrov and Tillerson agreed to issue instructions for pondering a possibility to organize an independent investigation of the incident under the aegis of the OPCW."

They also discussed bilateral relations, with Lavrov bringing up Russias demand "to return the Russian diplomatic properties in the U.S., which the Obama Administration confiscated unlawfully."

"Lavrov and Tillerson also agreed on kick-starting the work of a joint expert group at the level of deputy foreign ministers to tap the ways of eliminating the irritants from bilateral relations,"

the report said.

Acting State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said in a statement said tjat the telephone discussion was a "follow-up on bilateral issues discussed during [Secretary Tillersons] April 11-12 visit to Moscow."

"The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed a range of other topics, including the OPCW investigation into Syrias use of chemical weapons on April 4. The Secretary reiterated his support for the OPCWs existing investigative mechanism,"

the statement saidi.e., no need to send anyone to the scene, just accept the word of the Brits.
PRESS RELEASE

New York Times Hysteria over Glass-Steagall Momentum

April 22, 2017 (EIRNS)Under the headline, "Bring Back Glass-Steagall?Goldman Sachs Would Love That," New York Times journalist William Cohan yesterday wrote that

"Among the many silly ideas floating around Washington these days about how to re-regulate Wall Street is that old chestnut about separating investment banking from commercial banking."

While repeating the tired line that the 2008 crash had nothing to do with the takedown of Glass-Steagall, Cohan reaches deep into the fantasy world to come up with another excuse, declaring the whole thing to be a Goldman Sachs plot. After all, he notes, the investment banks that were "saved" by the Wall Street "too big to fail" banksBear Stearns by JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch by Bank of Americawould have to spend billions to unwind their investment banking from their commercial banking under a Glass-Steagall regime, but Goldman never merged with any commercial bank and would get off without any pain.

Referencing Gary Cohn (the head of Trumps National Economic Council and former CEO of Goldman) who responded positively to Sen. Elizabeth Warrens question regarding the Trump administrations support for Glass-Steagall, Cohan writes:

"What better way for Mr. Cohn to repay his former colleagues than by endorsing a plan that would virtually eliminate Goldmans remaining competitors and cause them to spend years, and billions of dollars, going down the rabbit hole of separating their commercial and investment banking businesses? Goldman Sachs would love nothing more than a return to a form of Glass-Steagall."

Cohan admits that the problem on Wall Street is that "people are rewarded for taking big risks with other peoples money," but pretends Glass-Steagall wouldnt affect that, while arguing that "the big Wall Street banks are global leaders and the envy of competitorsespecially in Western Europe and in Asia."

The conclusion of this foolish diatribe: "The crafty Mr. Cohn is playing the senior senator from Massachusetts for the fool."
PRESS RELEASE

UN Commission on Syria Has Reached No Conclusions on Alleged Gas Attack

April 22, 2017 (EIRNS)The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, reported on April 21 that it was the "consensus" that some sort of nerve gas was released in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria on April 4 (i.e., without proof). The commission has neither been able to confirm who exactly was behind the alleged chemical attack, nor "what Air Forces were able to do that" as regards to the airstrikes, reported RT. "We are not in a position to reach a conclusion," said the commissions chair, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.

"The commission still has not ruled out any version concerning the causes of the release of this nerve agent and continues to follow different leads."

The UN commission suffers from the same crippling fault that is hindering the investigation by the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Warfare. It has not been on the ground in Syria, the difference being that Pinheiro admits it. The UN commission, therefore, is relying on information shared by "several countries," sources in the rebel-held Syrian town as well as photographic and video evidence.
V. Karapetyan: Mediators are in touch also with Turkey (video)

During the recent months Armenia and Turkey are engaged in their inner issues, and in terms of development of relations there has been no time for progress. According to the words of Vladimir Karapetyan, Chairman of External Relations Standing Committee of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), Constitutional changes in Turkey and strengthening of Erdogans positions will make the chances for future development of relations more complicated. He says that development should be awaited only if there are drastic changes in Artsakh issue. Alas, these two issues are interconnected. The reality is that the mediators are also in touch with Turkey and there are agreements over this issue. Touching upon Armenian-Turkish protocols, he noted that the authorities of Armenia, in fact, agreed to the establishment of subcommittee of historians. Turkey will not yield to reconfirm that fact. Even if the Armenian side doesnt want to be consistent in the establishment of the committee of historians, the Turkish side will impose it. These protocols will not change anything, vice versa, Turkey will toughen its stance. Having this important achievement, Turkey will bring forward additional preconditions for establishing neighborly relations.
PRESS RELEASE

Helga Zepp-LaRouche Launches BuSo Election Campaign in Berlin: How Germany Can Join the New Paradigm

April 23, 2017 (EIRNS)Helga Zepp-LaRouche gave a keynote address yesterday in Germanys capital Berlin, to launch the Federal election campaign of the Civil Rights Movement Solidarity (BuSo), the party she founded in 1992. Bringing Germany into the New Silk Road paradigm will be the leading theme of the campaign, as Zepp-LaRouche is leading the Berlin slate of eleven candidates into the Sept. 24 general election. Germanys destiny will not be determined by interior forces, but by putting on the table the only available option for a strategic change, which is so urgently needed in Germany, she said.

Having freshly returned from the strategically important conference in New York City, Zepp-LaRouche gave a timeline of how the British war faction has temporarily captured President Trump, who had previously stated his opposition to the regime change wars of his two predecessors. This development is gravely dangerous, she emphasized, but there can be a swing-back, which will see a cooperation between Trump, Putin and Xi, outflanking the British war drive. The Germans have yet to overcome a profound mental block, failing to see the still positive potential of the Trump Presidency.

Zepp-LaRouche gave an extensive historical tour of the international LaRouche networks. The entire world dynamic is set to realize the win-win cooperation model of the new Silk Road Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which cannot be pushed back or swept under the rug. She challenged the participants to join with the BuSo to change Germanys strategic orientation, away from the British wars, towards the Belt and Road Initiative. "I firmly believe this can be achieved," she said.

There are no "values" in the West anymoreto accomplish our objective, we have to become truth-seekers, and embrace the ideas of Schiller, Nikolaus of Cusa, and Confucius, who all agreed on the principle of becoming wise by the ennoblement of the soul. The power of the BuSo ideas will be a decisive force in the German election, as we can expect sudden and unforeseen changes.

Mrs. Zepp-LaRouche was followed by special guest Harley Schlanger, who spoke of how Trump has shocked the trans-Atlantic elites with his election victory. Since his election, he has talked about defending labor, by getting back to the American System, reinstalling Glass-Steagall, ending the regime change wars, and getting back to a science-based outlook. This is why the British have attacked him so viciously, and why they set a trap for him in Syria. The British can see the shadow of LaRouche in these ideas, and are desperate to prevent their realizationbut they are also bankrupt! LaRouche has called for Trump to meet immediately with Putin, while Helga Zepp-LaRouche has emphasized also the importance of Trump attending the summit in Beijing. We must bring in LaRouches policies, to shape a positive agenda for Trump, and for GermanyWe need powerful ideas presented with passion to wake up the Germans from their hibernation, he concluded.

The event was opened by two Bach chorales, performed beautifully by a quartet of BuSo activist singers. There were also presentations by candidates of the party slate for Berlin, including Leona Meyer Kasai, Stefan Ossenkopp, Jonathan Thron, who reported on his work in the Jacques Cheminade Presidential campaign in France, and Wolfgang Lillge.
Top corporate bosses who failed to change a flawed system before it went out of control. Mid-level executives who pushed workers too far. Bank regulators who for years were blind to warning signs.

Over the past few months, theres been plenty of blame to go around for the widespread misdeeds of Wells Fargo & Co., where workers, driven by onerous sales goals, opened as many as 2.1 million bank and credit card accounts for customers without authorization, moved customers money around without permission and forged signatures along the way.

This week, yet more blame may be assigned.

On Tuesday, the San Francisco financial giant will hold its annual shareholder meeting, its first since a $185-million regulatory settlement last September thrust the banks unethical practices into the national spotlight. The results of a shareholder vote at the conclave, to be held at a resort hotel near Jacksonville, Fla., will show the extent to which Wells Fargo investors believe the companys board members are responsible for the scandal.

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Shareholder votes are often rubber-stamp affairs, but Wells Fargos could prove more dramatic. All 15 of the companys directors are up for election, and two firms that advise mutual fund managers and other major shareholders on how to vote have recommended casting ballots against many of the board members for failing to properly oversee the bank.

Advisory firm Glass Lewis recommended voting against six directors  four because of the accounts scandal and two others because the firm believes they serve on too many other corporate boards. Institutional Shareholder Services went further, recommending votes against 12 board members, including Chairman Stephen Sanger, saying their lax oversight has led to untold reputational harm at Wells Fargo.

The firm recommended voting for the other three directors, who all joined the board after the scandal become public. That includes current Chief Executive Timothy Sloan.

Wells Fargo board members called the ISS recommendation extreme and unprecedented, and said the firm had not taken into account all of the boards actions over the past several months. That includes firing several regional executives and revoking compensation from former bank Chairman and Chief Executive John Stumpf and from Carrie Tolstedt, who led the Wells Fargo community banking division thats at the heart of the accounts scandal. Stumpf resigned and Tolstedt was fired last year.

The board and management are working tirelessly to rebuild the trust of customers, employees and investors, and are making substantial progress in strengthening Wells Fargo, the directors said in a statement.

In an interview with Bloomberg News, Sloan called the ISS recommendation crazy and said he hopes shareholders cast their ballots for all board members.

The banks current board members are the only names on the ballot, so shareholders cant vote for anyone else. Directors need a majority of votes cast to win election, though they may be able to remain on the board even if a majority of shareholders vote against them, according to the banks public filings.

Even so, voting against board members is a way for investors to express dissatisfaction with the boards actions. And some big investors are likely to do just that. The New York State Common Retirement Fund, a pension fund that manages $186 billion in assets and owns more than 13 million Wells Fargo shares, plans to vote against all but the banks two newest board members  Karen Peetz and Ronald Sargent, who joined the board this year.

The systemic breakdown that allowed these abuses to take place demands new leadership, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement.

California Treasurer John Chiang, who sits on the boards of the California State Teachers Retirement System and the California Public Employees Retirement System, said last week that he was pushing the pension funds to vote against seven board members, including Sanger, who took over as chair after Stumpf resigned.

In a statement Friday, CalSTRS, which owns nearly 10 million Wells Fargo shares, said it had voted against nine board members, including Sanger.

Wells Fargos annual meeting begins Tuesday at 7 a.m. Pacific time. The bank is providing a live audio feed. In years past, the bank has provided a brief update on shareholder voting on the day of the meeting. Full results may not be available until a few days later.

Heres how ISS and Glass Lewis recommended shareholders vote at this years Wells Fargo meeting:

John D. Baker (chairman of FRP Holdings Inc.)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

John S. Chen (CEO of BlackBerry Ltd.)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

Lloyd H. Dean (CEO of Dignity Health)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

Elizabeth A. Duke, vice chair of Wells Fargo

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

Enrique Hernandez Jr. (CEO of Inter-Con Security Systems Inc.)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

Donald M. James (former CEO of Vulcan Materials Co.)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

Cynthia H. Milligan (former dean of University of Nebraska business school)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

Karen B. Peetz (former president of Bank of New York Mellon Corp.)

ISS: For

Glass Lewis: For

Federico F. Pena (former U.S. secretary of Transportation)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

James H. Quigley (former CEO of Deloitte)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

Stephen W. Sanger, chairman of Wells Fargo

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

Ronald L. Sargent (former CEO of Staples Inc.)

ISS: For

Glass Lewis: For

Timothy J. Sloan, CEO of Wells Fargo

ISS: For

Glass Lewis: For

Susan G. Swenson (CEO of Inseego Corp.)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: Against

Suzanne M. Vautrinot (retired U.S. Air Force major general)

ISS: Against

Glass Lewis: For

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren

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As Wells Fargo & Co. prepares for a high-stakes annual meeting that could reshuffle its board, regulators on Monday gave the beleaguered bank a rare piece of good news, signing off on the companys so-called living will and lifting restrictions in place since last year.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Federal Reserve had said in December that the bank did not have an adequate plan to ensure it could be quickly dismantled and sold off  but continue operating  in the event of a bankruptcy.

Regulators specifically said the banks living will did not simplify the companys legal structure and address how the different businesses could independently operate if the parent corporation was not able to provide support services.

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In a letter to the company Monday, regulators said the revised plan submitted last last month addressed those concerns and that restrictions placed on the bank in December will now be lifted.

That includes a prohibition on establishing new international banking businesses or buying nonbank subsidiaries, such as wealth management firms. Had the banks revised plan failed to get the OK from regulators, the bank could have faced additional sanctions, including caps on the size of certain businesses.

The bank must submit another update to its living will in a few months. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act requires banks to submit these plans in the hopes that they will allow institutions to wind down in an orderly way  and without the need for taxpayer-funded bailouts.

We are pleased with the agencies findings and remain committed to sound resolution planning and preparedness as we finalize our July 2017 submission, the bank said in a statement.

Wells Fargo has faced increased regulatory scrutiny since September, when it agreed to pay $185 million to regulators over its practice of opening accounts for customers without their authorization.

In a research note Monday afternoon, analysts R. Scott Siefers and Brendan Nosal at investment bank Sandler ONeill said the approval of the living will addresses one of several questions looming over the bank.

At the least, this announcement checks off one box on the to do list for both the company and its investors, they wrote. While it may not have a big impact on the stock, it does eliminate what had become a company-specific uncertainty at a time when [Wells Fargo] was already dealing with the aftermath of last years account opening scandal.

Still, other questions remain.

The bank remains under investigation by a handful of state and federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the California attorney generals office, over unauthorized accounts. The bank has offered to pay $142 million to settle nearly a dozen consumer lawsuits related to those practices, though attorneys for some customers have dismissed that sum as far too small and say they plan to keep trying to fight the bank in court.

One remaining question  which should be answered at Tuesdays shareholder meeting  is the extent to which Wells Fargo investors blame the companys board of directors for the accounts scandal.

Investment advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have recommended that shareholders vote against several Wells Fargo board members, saying they failed to properly oversee the bank. ISS recommended voting against 12 of 15 board members, a move the board called extreme an unprecedented.

It is a rare recommendation, but one that some investors are following, at least in part.

Both of Californias major public pension funds, the California State Teachers Retirement System and the California Public Employees Retirement System, voted against nine board members. The two pension funds collectively own about 22 million shares, though that represents less than half of 1% of the banks shares.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund, which owns more than 13 million Wells Fargo shares, also plans to vote against all but the banks two newest board members  Karen Peetz and Ronald Sargent, who joined the board this year.

The systemic breakdown that allowed these abuses to take place demands new leadership, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement.

Not all shareholders are voting to oust the board, though. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway, which is the companys largest shareholder and owns about 10% of the stock, has voted in favor of all 15 board members, his assistant confirmed.

Wells Fargo shares rose 65 cents Monday, or about 1.2%, to $53.65.

The announcement about the banks living will came after markets closed. Shares climbed an additional 20 cents, or 0.4%, in after-hours trading.

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren

UPDATES:

4:50 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from analysts at Sander ONeill and details about shareholder votes at the companys annual meeting on Tuesday.

This article was originally published at 2:30 p.m.
I voted for Donald Trump because he promised to pursue a new foreign policy. As he said in December, We will stop looking to topple regimes and overthrow governments. Our goal is stability, not chaos, because we want to rebuild our country. He vowed to appoint those with new approaches, and practical ideas, rather than surrounding myself with those who have perfect resumes but very little to brag about except responsibility for a long history of failed policies.

After decades of disastrous interventions, Trump inspired me. But less than 100 days into his administration, Im feeling the sting of betrayal. In recent weeks, Trump and his surrogates have abandoned virtually every foreign policy stance he took during the campaign.

He launched missiles against the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad  mere months after telling the New York Times: I thought the approach of fighting Assad and [Islamic State] simultaneously was madness, and idiocy. Now Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is saying Assad must go, a clear indication that the Trump administration is looking to topple regimes and overthrow governments.

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In another interview with the New York Times, Trump declared NATO obsolete, explaining, When NATO was formed many decades ago we were a different country. There was a different threat. Now we are told that NATO is no longer obsolete. Stay tuned for the Trump administrations campaign to bring back Betamax.

Wouldnt it be nice, Trump often said, if we could get along with Russia? This was music to my ears: finally a Republican candidate who wasnt locked into a Cold War mentality. Yet, Trumps appointees are now echoing the Washington policy wonks who want to start a new Cold War.

H.R. McMaster, Trumps national security advisor, claims the Russians are engaged in a campaign of global subversion. Tillerson, during his recent visit to Moscow, denounced Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election  an echo of the Democrats unproved claim that the Kremlin colluded with his boss.

As Trump threatens to go to war with North Korea  which would spell doom for the 38,000 American troops stationed on the Korean peninsula  I am reminded of his comments on our military commitments in the region: There is going to be a point at which we just cant do this anymore . At some point, we cannot be the policeman of the world . [I]f we are attacked, [Japan doesnt] have to do anything. If theyre attacked, we have to go out with full force . Thats a pretty one-sided agreement.

Im not alone in feeling betrayed.

President Donald Trump poses for a portrait in the Oval Office in Washington, Friday, April 21, 2017. With his tweets and his bravado, Trump is putting his mark on the presidency in his first 100 days in office. (Andrew Harnik / AP)

Ann Coulter, author of In Trump We Trust: E Pluribus Awesome, wrote recently that Trumps Syrian misadventure is immoral, violates every promise he ran on, and could sink his presidency. At Breitbart News, the online headquarters of the Trump insurgency, a piece about the Syria attacks attracted more than 50,000 ferociously negative comments. Pat Buchanan, the ideological godfather of Trumpism, despaired that the promise of a Trump presidency  appears, not 100 days in, to have been a mirage. Will more wars make America great again? A baffled Laura Ingraham tweeted, Missiles flying. Rubios happy. McCain ecstatic. Hillarys on board. A complete policy change in 48 hrs. Talk radio host Michael Savage complains that People in Trumps own sphere are turning him toward the beating war drums. Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit forces in Britain who campaigned for Trump in the U.S., opined that the presidents supporters will be scratching their heads at these foreign policy reversals.

Its the same sad story on the domestic front. Instead of repealing Obamacare, Trump pushed what the House Freedom Caucus dubbed Obamacare lite. Trump the campaigner denounced both Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz as pawns of Goldman Sachs; as president, hes appointed several Goldman Sachs executives to top spots in his administration. Not long ago, he told Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen  whose visage was featured in a negative ad that ran in the last week of the campaign  that she should be ashamed of herself, accusing her of politicizing the Fed and creating a very false economy. Now he says hes open to reappointing her.

The liberal media are thrilled by Trumps transformation: The chorus of gushing praise on CNN and MSNBC as bombs fell on Syria was loud and practically unanimous. And Trump is reciprocating: Last week at a White House event honoring first responders, he characterized the media as honorable people. Remember when he called them out as the worlds most dishonest people? Ah, those were the good old days!

And while Trump praises his enemies, he denigrates his loyal friends, openly downgrading Steve Bannon, the architect of his victory, as just someone who works for me.

As the elites rush to embrace the president, those of us who supported him are horrified, angry and increasingly convinced that instead of draining the swamp, Trump has jumped headlong into it.

Justin Raimondo is editorial director of Antiwar.com and author of Reclaiming the American Right: The Lost Legacy of the Conservative Movement.

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Caitlyn Jenner memoirs version of life with Kris Jenner creates a new rift in the family

(Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images)

As Caitlyn Jenners just-published memoir The Secrets of My Life pulls back the curtain on her gender transition and her life among the Kardashians, not everybody is taking it well.

Especially not Kris Jenner.

Details about the Olympian-turned-reality-stars decision to transition in 2015 from Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn Jenner and confirmation that she had her final gender reassignment surgery are all in the book, but some dishy material about the Kardashian matriarch is reverberating with fans and upsetting the reigning first family of reality TV.

The memoir, co-written by Buzz Bissinger, who penned the Vanity Fair article that introduced Caitlyn Jenner to the masses, has some kind words for the momager, including admiration for Kris connections, her business acumen and her ability to perfectly apply lip liner without a mirror.

However, Caitlyn also said in the book that she told Kris about her gender issues before they got married and said Kris knew that for 4 years before they met, Caitlyn had been on hormones. Additionally, Caitlyn wrote that she told Kris about her gender problems before they would make love.

I told her there had been a woman inside me all my life, she wrote.

The couple announced their split in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2014. During their decades-long union, Caitlyn cross-dressed in front of her ex but was asked by Kris to do it only while traveling, so that their children wouldnt get wind of it. It was something Caitlyn grew to resent, she said, and she would steal her wifes gowns and purses to wear while traveling. (Their differing takes on their marital woes have been a topic of discussion for years.)

In a recent episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kris fumed with anger about passages in The Secrets of My Life that claimed she knew Caitlyn was transgender before they wed.

None of it makes sense,Kris said to daughters Khloe and Kim Kardashian. I read it and basically the only nice thing she had to say was that I was great socially at a party one time. ... Everything she says is all made up. Why does everything have to be that Kris is such a bitch?

She added: Ive never been so angry and disappointed in somebody in my whole life.

In response, the Olympic gold medalist said on Good Morning America that the book is extraordinarily honest.

It is my perspective, and obviously when you do a book like that, there are different opinions. I have a lot of friends that know the truth and know what Ive been through and know the whole situation, Caitlyn said.

She told Andy Cohen that in the wake of publishing, Kris said she didnt want to talk to Caitlyn ever again. (Caitlyn also elaborated on her claims that she was a punching bag on the show and a revelation that Kris had been in charge of her finances.)

Honestly, I never had a low point [while doing the show], actually, until the other day when Kris said some of that stuff. It was the first time I was really upset, she said. I had some of the best conversations with my children on that show. ... It forces you to deal with issues. ... It forces you to sit down with your kids and deal with a lot of things.

Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenners second-born child with the late Robert Kardashian, shared her thoughts on the feud on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in an episode that aired Thursday.

My heart breaks for my mom, you know, because I feel like shes been through so much and [Caitlyn is] promoting this book and shes saying all these things, Kardashian said. I just dont think its necessary and I just feel like its unfair. Things arent truthful.

Kardashian said Caitlyn was dishonest with certain things about Kris in the book.

I feel like its taken [Caitlyn] a really long time to be honest with herself, so I dont expect her to be honest about my mom now. But its just so hurtful, she said. I wish her all the success in the world, but not at our expense.

Kardashian said she and husband Kanye West have been avid supporters of Caitlyn Jenners transition and wanted to remain respectful of her, but thought there was no need to bash the family. She said she was hurt by her stepfather, whos dad to her half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and hasnt spoken to Caitlyn in a few weeks.

Kendall and Kylie, thats their dad and I think my moms been so respectful for so long and always wanting Caitlyn around and always wanting to have a great relationship with Caitlyn, Kardashian said. But that doesnt appear to be the case for the rest of the Kardashian brood.

Ill always love her. That was my stepdad for so many years. She taught me about character and so much growing up and I just feel like I dont respect the character that shes showing now.

Kim Kardashians younger sister, Khloe Kardashian, is also taking it a little tough, Caitlyn said at a book signing, according to RadarOnline. Everyone on the Jenner side is fine. All this stuff tends to work itself out!

Someone call Ryan Murphy, because this needs to be turned into a Feud series, stat.

------------

FOR THE RECORD

April 27, 3:31 p.m.: An earlier version of this article said Bruce Jenner and Kris Jenner finalized their divorce in 2013. They divorced in 2014.

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Karl Lagerfeld  one of the worlds most famous, prolific and admired designers  is to receive the 2017 John B. Fairchild Honor at the WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit here on Oct. 24.

Named after WWDs late chairman and editorial director and chosen by its current editors, the honor was introduced in 2016 as part of an annual celebration of creative vision, performance and leadership in the fashion industry. Ralph Lauren was the first recipient.

The recognition for Lagerfeld comes as the multitasking designer readies Chanels cruise collection for a Paris runway on May 3  and amidst an illustrious career that has spanned more than 60 years.

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The German designer is most closely associated with Chanel, where he has been its couturier since 1983. He is also the creative force behind the furs and ready-to-wear at Fendi, which he has designed since 1965, and his signature fashion house, now best known for handbags in the burgeoning affordable luxury segment.

More than a designer, Lagerfeld is something of a fashion mastermind, adroit at all aspects of image making and public relations, and a business maverick who ignited the so-called masstige movement in 2004 by teaming with Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M for a one-off collection that inspired scores of other low-cost players.

He is also an accomplished photographer, shooting ad campaigns for the Chanel, Fendi and Karl brands, plus a diverse roster of outside clients. He also does editorial shoots for many fashion magazines and has recently taken on a host of interior design projects, including condominium lobbies and hotels.

Sketches by Karl Lagerfeld decorate the walls throughout the Fendi boutique on Rodeo Drive.

Practically allergic to backward glances, Lagerfeld said he never fails to be fascinated and energized by his chosen metier.

I dont have any archive. Im not a museum person. Im only interested in what Im doing now and what I will do, he told WWD between fittings for a Fendi pre-collection. Look at the recent evolution with the Internet and all that. Its like the beginning of a new world in fashion.

Lagerfeld is a Commander in the French Legion of Honor merit system, and he has also been honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Fashion Group International, the Gordon Parks Foundation and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

No one is more deserving of this award than Karl, whose dazzling creativity and outsize personality keeps him at the forefront of our industry, said Miles Socha, editor in chief of WWD. He set a gold standard for long-term influence and relevance, and for house reinvention. With his wit, culture and showmanship, he makes the fashion world more fascinating, more spectacular  and more fun.

In addition to receiving the award from WWD on Oct. 24, Lagerfeld is to take to the stage and share a conversation with WWD executive editor Bridget Foley during the summits dinner programming.

The John B. Fairchild Honor is one of five awards to be handed out at WWDs summit, scheduled over two days at The Pierre hotel here. The recipients of other honors  including ones for outstanding company performance large and small market capitalization, executive leadership and social responsibility  are to be revealed at a later date.

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Yorkshire Square Brewery, the latest beer destination in the South Bays vibrant community of craft breweries, looks to traditional British beer styles and techniques to stand out in a crowded market. The brewery opened in Torrance on Wednesday.

The beer isnt flat, and it certainly isnt warm, but the brewery is dedicated to serving proper pints  the type of beer youre likely to find at a local pub in Britain. Known as real ale in England, the beer is matured in metal casks and allowed to naturally carbonate instead of being kegged under pressure. The cask ale is delivered to the glass via a hand pump on the bar, instead of being pushed from a tap by CO2. Its served at a cool 50-ish degrees (instead of the sub-40 degrees that keg beer is usually served at).

Classic English ale styles  the bitter, the mild, the stout  shine when properly cask-conditioned. The softer carbonation and rich and creamy head showcase the distinctive English ingredients, and the warmer serving temperature and lower alcohol content allows the subtle flavors of the ales to stand out.

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Its a tradition that brought founder Gary Croft and brewmaster Andy Black together in Torrance. Black is obsessed with English brewing tradition. In addition to working as brewmaster for L.A.s other cask-focused brewery, MacLeods Ale Brewing Co. in Van Nuys, Black learned the brewers craft interning at breweries in England. Croft emigrated from England in the 80s and just wanted a place to drink his beloved British beer. He decided to open his own place and asked Black, who was working as a brewer at El Segundo Brewing Co. and planning to move back east, to help find the perfect person to handle actually making the beer.

We talked about his vision for beer, and it was my vision, Croft says. He knew Black would make the beer that he wanted to drink, and while it took some cajoling, Croft persuaded Black to come to Yorkshire Square. The pair worked together for nearly a year to develop beer concepts and strategize how best to shepherd beer drinkers into the British beer tradition.

But turning drinkers onto the charms of real ale isnt difficult, once you get them over the warm and flat thing. Real ale is eminently approachable and endlessly drinkable. Theres none of the aggressive flavor assault that characterizes so many American styles. Instead of shouting, British beers enunciate each delicate flavor. Theyre restrained, but as complex as any Belgian brew with malt, hops, yeast and even the subtleties of water are deftly balanced.

The essence of British beer is drinkability, Black says. The goal is to turn flavorful ingredients into beer that wont fatigue the palate. The key is the distinctive English barley that provides the backbone to Yorkshire Squares brews. British malts are known for a richness and depth of flavor, and the first beers brewed at Yorkshire Square demonstrate the impact of British malt.

The pub bitter Early Doors shows off the graham cracker flavors of Golden Promise barley, but the finish is round and, despite the nomenclature, only bitter enough to offset the malts fullness on the palate. A notch stronger is the Tenant, a Yorkshire-style pale ale that hits 4.2% alcohol (the bitter is just 3.6% alcohol) and tastes of honey-on-bread with the herbaceous zip of English hops poking through the end. Wuthering Stout (4.8% alcohol) is made with oats, along with six other malts, and its nutty and sweet with a creamy texture and a balancing roasted bitterness in the finish. Its easy to have a pint of each.

The tap room of the brewery and restaurant attempt an Anglo atmosphere with a stone slab hearth, dart board, and pub games, but the long and shaded patio adds some Southern California vibes. While the kitchen remains dark for now, Croft hopes to begin serving food later this year and says the menu, like the decor, will nod towards British pub favorites but lean on fresh and local ingredients for further inspiration.

Yorkshire Square is in a soft-open phase now; the grand-opening celebration is set for Saturday. 1109 Van Ness Ave., Torrance, (424) 376-5115, yorkshiresquarebrewery.com.

food@latimes.com

@latimesfood

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New classrooms under construction at a charter school in Pacoima mark a moment of truce  even mutual respect  in a hot and cold war between charters and the Los Angeles Unified School District.

On Friday, people gathered to celebrate the innovative project at Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, which will replace 40-year-old portable classrooms with buildings made from shipping containers. L.A. Unified is paying for half of it.

But the battle continues over how much money the district will spend on charter-school construction projects in the future. Just last week, L.A. Unified won a court case focused on that issue  and it could have enormous consequences.

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The school district won the right to spend $200 million less on charter-school construction than it originally had pledged to do.

The 50-50 arrangement at Vaughn was negotiated by Yvonne Chan, who worked at the district for 17 years and was Vaughns principal in 1993 when the school became an independent charter.

Semi-retired, she now answers to chief visionary officer, but shes been a real estate wheeler dealer all along.

Over a span of more than 25 years, she started with an overcrowded elementary school campus and built four additional campuses to serve neighborhood students from preschool through high school. In the process, enrollment in the charter schools nearly tripled.

She doesnt do it by bullying, but with persistence and by developing the right partnerships, said Mark Hovatter, head of facilities for L.A. Unified.

Yvonne Chan, longtime leader of the Vaughn charter complex, guides students through a dramatization of a new construction project. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

The latest project will result in 14 1,600-square-foot pods, each about 67% larger than a standard classroom.

These are permanent classrooms that look and feel like a classroom and its a low-maintenance classroom, Hovatter said.

Chan plans to put two teachers in many of them.

Encourage teacher teaming. No one should teach alone, especially newbies, she said, listing ideas in her sometimes elliptical style that has become something of a trademark. Better serve English learner students and students with disabilities in team and flexible grouping environments.

We have many male teachers, she added. And having more than one adult in a classroom is a way to avoid potential allegation of sexual misconduct.

The $11.5 million construction project, already under way, is supposed to take six months from beginning to end, at much less than half the cost of traditional classroom construction.

Hovatter said the school district hopes to learn from the venture.

It can take four or five years to build a classroom from the time that we identify the need, Hovatter said. If we want to start a new program, its because the need exists today. We dont want to tell someone to come back in five years.

Setting up opportunities to experiment and to learn from was a central goal when California lawmakers authorized the first charters in 1992.

Since then, a cadre of philanthropists and powerful foundations have made the rapid growth of charters, most of them non-union, their central strategy for improving the nations education system. Union leaders and other critics are just as committed to slowing down the growth of these privately operated public schools. They characterize charters as part of an unhealthy effort to make schools too much like corporations and turn education into a profit center.

L.A. Unified has more charters than any other school system, enrolling about 16% of district students.

For all the muscle behind them though, charters often struggle to find classroom space, partly because they lack some of the funding sources and the legal authority over land use available to traditional school systems.

More education news 

So it was a big deal for charters in 2008 when L.A. Unified officials pledged $450 million for charters in a $7 billion bond measure. Charter leaders then threw their support behind Measure Q. That support was helpful, but what probably mattered most was the large liberal turnout that came out to elect Barack Obama as president.

Fast-forward several years: District officials realized that the Measure Q money wasnt nearly enough to meet their needs, and they decided to set aside less for charters. One factor was the unanticipated legal pressure they were under to make their own buildings more accessible to the disabled.

The California Charter Schools Assn. sued in January 2016, saying charter schools were due the money promised.

But on Tuesday, L.A. Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel dismissed the suit, saying that the formal language of the bond measure included no guarantees for charter schools, despite any unofficial public indications to the contrary.

Were very disappointed in the ruling, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the California Charter Schools Assn. The districts actions undermine any trust the charter school community can have in commitments from the district for bond funding.

District officials counter that since 2002, L.A. Unified has allocated $380 million for charter school construction from various bond measures. About $180 million of that has been committed to specific projects, many of them completed.

The district also is obligated, under state law, to share existing classroom space with charters. It has done so, but not without disputes. The litigation on this front goes back seven years, and the issues are still unresolved.

howard.blume@latimes.com

@howardblume

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Anna Nenedzhyan and her 10-year-old son, John Nenedzhyan, were both eager to begin the 1.4-mile walk to the Turkish consulate.

As they stood underneath a tree to shield their faces from the sun, John gripped an Armenian flag and wore a black shirt with a message calling for justice.

I enjoy being out here because it shows the world that people are recognizing the Armenian genocide, the boy said.

They were among tens of thousands of protesters who marched to the Turkish consulate on Wilshire Boulevard on Monday afternoon to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

As the sea of protesters began arriving outside the Turkish consulate, the energy grew.

Fight, fight till the end, some shouted in Armenian.

Shame on Turkey, others said.

Young children sat atop their parents shoulders as they listened to speeches from California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and L.A. Unified President Steve Zimmer.

People from across generations showed up, many noting that this years protest felt more emotional than previous years because of the political debate over immigration.

Throughout the day some called for reparations, while others sought acknowledgment that a crime was committed. The Turkish government disputes that a genocide took place.

Until justice is served we will continue marching, said Nora Hovsepian, chair of the Western Region of the Armenian National Committee of America.

The peaceful demonstration was briefly disrupted when participants were confronted by a small group of counter-protesters who came holding a Turkish flag.

Five people were arrested by late afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Earlier Monday, President Trump made headlines when he, like his predecessors in the White House, declined to call the mass killings of Armenians a genocide.

At a time when Christians and minority communities continue to be in imminent danger and under constant attack, the presidents statement fails to stand up for human rights, Armenian Assembly co-chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian said in a statement.

Experts say part of the reason the White House has historically avoided labeling the killings as a genocide is because of the United States close alliance with Turkey  a strategic partner in the fight against the militant group Islamic State .

President Trump declines to use the word 'genocide' in describing Armenian deaths 

California, however, has been at the forefront of formally recognizing the event as a genocide and asking Congress to condemn it as such.

Schiff and U.S. Rep. Dave Trott (R-Michigan) introduced a resolution last month asking Congress to formally recognize the genocide.

And in 2015, Glendale Unified became the first school district in the country to dedicate a day in remembrance of the Armenian genocide.

We are very proud of our state for taking this position and we will continue to work with our elected officials, Hovsepian said.

For 77-year-old Peter Gebeshian, commemorating the Armenian genocide is a deeply personal moment  one that he doesnt try to politicize.

His father fled what is now Turkey in 1915, eventually settling in Egypt. The retired aerospace mechanic said his father rarely spoke of the atrocities he faced.

Gebeshian now participates in the Armenian genocide march every year with his son, also named Peter Gebeshian.

Coming here with my father every year helps build bridges across generations, the 42-year-old English teacher at Glendale High School said.

A march and rally outside the Turkish Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard on Monday to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

He feels thankful, he added, to live in a community that allows him to embrace his culture.

Southern California  particularly Los Angeles County  is home to the largest Armenian community outside Armenia. According to U.S. census data, more than 200,000 people of Armenian descent live in the Los Angeles area.

Though many factors played a role in the 1915 genocide that killed 1.5 million Armenians, historians typically cite the collapse of the Ottoman Empire as the main factor.

Turkey has said the killings were not premeditated and were a part of a messy global upheaval during World War I.

"Over 100 years ago, the Ottoman Empire undertook a brutal campaign of murder, rape and displacement against the Armenian people that took the lives of 1.5 million men, women and children in the first genocide of the 20th century," Schiff said in a statement.

"Genocide is not a historic relic  even today hundreds of thousands of religious minorities face existential threat from ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It is therefore all the more pressing that the Congress recognize the historical fact of the Armenian genocide and stand against modern-day genocide and crimes against humanity."

Anna Nenedzhyan, who brought her children to Mondays march, said she hopes that the tragedy of their familial past can be a lesson in empathy and compassion.

This history is part of [our family] and I want future generations to know about it, she said.

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UPDATES:

7:55 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with quotes from marchers.

11:30 a.m.: This article was updated with information about a march beginning.

This article was originally published at 3:35 p.m. on April 23.
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A man charged with setting a roaring blaze at the partially built Da Vinci apartment complex in Los Angeles that caused millions of dollars in damage, melted freeway signs and shrouded downtown in smoke was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Dawud Abdulwali  who prosecutors allege set the fire in anger over fatal police shootings of African Americans in Ferguson, Mo., and other cities  pleaded no contest to one count of arson and admitted to using an accelerant to start the blaze, according to a statement issued by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Abdulwali, who had also been charged with aggravated arson, could have faced life in prison, prosecutors said.

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No one was injured in the fire, which destroyed the half-built structure and shattered windows at the nearby headquarters of the citys Department of Water and Power. The blaze caused between $20 million and $30 million in damage to the Da Vinci complex and an additional $50 million in damage to the DWP building, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The apartment complexs owner also suffered approximately $100 million in lost potential revenue as a result of the fire, according to a probation report filed with the court.

Deputy Public Defender Lowynn Young said Abdulwali was offered the plea deal Thursday and  although he was hoping for less time  decided he was comfortable with the terms when he considered the risk of facing the maximum punishment after a trial.

Anyone faced with a life sentence  when youre presented with an opportunity not to risk it  I think thats something worth considering, Young said.

In earlier court hearings, several people who knew Abdulwali, 58, testified that the blaze was a response to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer. Browns death touched off protests across the country and jump-started a national conversation about police use of force against minorities.

Cops kill my people. We should go do this, we should go burn some [expletive] down.... We should go break some windows, Abdulwali once said, according to testimony delivered last year by his former roommate, Edwyn Gomez.

1 / 39 More than 200 firefighters work to control a massive fire as it destroys a seven-story building under construction in downtown Los Angeles. (MARIANA ROSALES / EPA) 2 / 39 A staircase to nowhere sits by itself after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles early Dec. 8 leveled an apartment tower under construction. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 39 Arson investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on scene to conduct an investigation into Decembers Da Vinci apartment complex fire. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 39 An elevated view of all that is left of the 1.3 million-square-foot Da Vinci apartment complex that was destroyed by fire in December. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 39 Traffic flows along the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles next to the remains of what was to be the Da Vinci apartment complex that was destroyed by fire in December. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 39 A massive fire engulfs a apartment building construction site near downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Nancy Yuille / Associated Press) 7 / 39 A crane begins to tear down the seven-story Da Vinci apartment complex. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 39 The smoldering ruins of the Da Vinici building. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 39 Work crews walk past a still-smoldering construction site after it was destroyed in an early morning fire. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 39 Investigators outside a building that was partially destroyed in an early morning fire next to the 110 Freeway. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 39 Arson investigators survey the scene after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 39 Caltrans workers remove signs over the 110 Freeway after a massive fire at a nearby apartment complex project on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 13 / 39 A firefighter hoses down hot spots after battling a massive fire at the Da Vinci apartment complex under construction on Temple Street and Fremont Avenue in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 14 / 39 Arson investigators and an ATF agent, center, walk along the 110 Freeway near the site of the blaze on Dec. 8. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 39 Firefighters spray water on hot spots after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles in December. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 39 The extreme heat from the fire melted a nearby parking sign. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 39 Firefighters look out from the shattered windows of a nearby office building damaged by the morning blaze. The huge L.A. fire that engulfed an apartment tower over an area the size of a city block is being treated as a criminal fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 39 A firefighter looks at the twisted metal that used to be scaffolding surrounding an apartment complex under construction brought down by a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles early Dec. 8. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 39 A burnt palm tree is all that if left standing after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles in December. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 39 As freeway traffic passes by, smoke rises from the scene of a massive fire at the Da Vinci apartment complex project in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 21 / 39 Blown-out windows are seen on the Lewis Brisbois Building on Dec. 8 as smoke lingers after a massive fire at a nearby apartment complex project in downtown Los Angeles. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 22 / 39 Firefighters stand on the 110 Freeway on Dec. 8 after battling a massive fire at the nearby Da Vinci apartment complex under construction on Temple Street and Fremont Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 23 / 39 Firefighters tackle the remnants of a massive fire at the Da Vinci apartment complex project downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 24 / 39 A stairwell is all that remains standing Dec. 8 as firefighters work on subduing a blaze at an apartment complex project in downtown Los Angeles. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 25 / 39 Firefighters battle a blaze at a construction site on 7th street near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 26 / 39 Firefighters tackle a fire at a construction site on 7th street near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) 27 / 39 CalTrans crews begin the clean up process on the 110 Freeway after a massive fire that engulfed an apartment tower under construction left freeways signs damaged and debris scattered across lanes. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 39 Parts of scaffolding are all that is left standing after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 39 Parts of scaffolding are all that is left standing after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles engulfed an apartment tower under construction. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 39 Firefighters hose down hot spots after battling a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 39 Smoke lingers on Dec. 8 after a massive fire in downtown Los Angeles engulfed an apartment tower under construction. (Patrick T. Fallon / For the Times) 32 / 39 Firefighters spray water on the remnants of a structure fire in downtown Los Angeles. The building was completely destroyed and the intense heat heavily damaged two nearby buildings while also forcing the closure of Interstate 110. (PAUL BUCK / EPA) 33 / 39 Los Angeles County firefighters battle a fire at an apartment building under construction next to the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 34 / 39 Los Angeles County firefighters battle a fire at an apartment building under construction next to the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 35 / 39 Los Angeles County firefighters battle a fire at an apartment building under construction next to the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 36 / 39 Los Angeles County firefighters battle a fire at an apartment building under construction next to the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 37 / 39 Firefighters work to put out flames at an apartment complex under construction in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 39 A fire lights the night sky near the 110 and 101 freeways in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 39 / 39 Firefighters deal with heavy smokes as they battle a blaze in the 900 block of Fremont Avenue in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 8. (Patrick J. Fallon / Los Angeles Times)

Abdulwali, who was living in South L.A. at the time of the fire, also bragged about burning the complex down at a Hollywood hotel party a few days later, according to witness testimony.

Prosecutors alleged that Abdulwali worked as a bandit taxicab driver, and surveillance video from the area showed a man hopping out of a cab near the complex on the night of the blaze.

The man then climbed a fence and disappeared into the structure. A few minutes later, there was a flash of light inside the apartment complex.

An arson investigator testified he found a Facebook profile associated with Abdulwali hosting pictures of the same cab shown in the video. The Facebook profile also contained posts rife with derogatory remarks about police officers and comments about high-profile police killings of African Americans.

How many buildings have to be burned to the ground for the killings to stop? read one post, LAFD arson investigator Robert McLoud testified.

In a report to the court, a probation officer said the crime suggested planning, sophistication or professionalism, caused millions of dollars in damage and had a lasting impact on the community.

Abdulwali had a lengthy criminal history spanning more than three decades, according to the report.

He spent much of the 1980s on probation following convictions for receiving stolen property and grand theft auto, as well as a drug offense. He tried to elude authorities by giving fake names to officers and changing a vehicles identification number, according to the report.

In 1993, he was sentenced to 100 days in jail and three years of probation for possessing a firearm as a felon and for importing wild animals without a permit. A year later, he was convicted of grand theft and sentenced to 16 months behind bars. Not long after his release, he was arrested again and convicted of felony vehicle theft. Again, he was sentenced to 16 months in state prison.

In September 2012, Los Angeles prosecutors filed charges of sexual assault against Abdulwali, accusing him of raping and imprisoning a woman, records show. But the charges were dropped about a month later.

At the time of the 2014 fire, he was on probation for a misdemeanor battery conviction, the report said. Abdulwali, who is originally from Boston and had previously worked as a club promoter, photographer and driver, told authorities he was unemployed at the time of his arrest in connection with the fire. He will now have to register as an arson offender.

The fire was powerful enough to ignite fronds on nearby palm trees and melt computers and cubicles in neighboring office buildings. The complex is near the Harbor Freeway, and the heat from the flames was so intense that it damaged fiber-optic cables near the roadway and melted one of the signs. Homeless people sleeping blocks away said they were roused from their sleep by the inferno.

One woman, who was sleeping under a 110 Freeway underpass that night, said she was awoken by the feeling of her bare feet baking. Residents in nearby apartment buildings and lofts were forced to evacuate, and the flames also forced the closure of some sections of adjacent freeways, paralyzing rush-hour traffic the following morning.

The fire led the city to file a $20-million lawsuit against the complexs developer, Geoffrey H. Palmer, and his company, G.H. Palmer Associates, claiming their negligence allowed the blaze to spread to other buildings and damage city property. According to the suit, the complex did not have firewalls or an adequate water supply to battle a potential blaze. The suit also contends Palmer Associates did not hire adequate security to prevent break-ins like the one that allowed Abdulwali to set the fire.

The citys claims board approved a settlement in that lawsuit on Monday, according to Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for the city attorneys office. Wilcox declined to provide specifics of the settlement, which he said will be forwarded to the City Council for approval.

Calls and emails seeking comment from G.H. Palmer Associates were not immediately returned.

james.queally@latimes.com

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more breaking crime news in California, follow @JamesQueallyLAT and @marisagerber on Twitter.

UPDATES:

5:45 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Abdulwalis public defender and the Los Angeles city attorneys office.

12:45 p.m.: This story was updated with additional background about the case and details from a probation report.

This story was first published at 10:50 a.m.
Victor Rios, a sociology professor at UC Santa Barbara, believes that positive change in the criminal justice system is possible only when authority figures stop placing labels on youth from underprivileged neighborhoods and show more empathy.

We shouldnt label them as being at risk, we should label them as being at promise, said Rios, author of Human Targets: Schools, Police, and the Criminalization of Latino Youth. We should try to help them see themselves as productive citizens.

Rios was one of several writers and editors who participated in a panel discussion titled Police, Prisons and Justice on the second and final day of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC. It was one of multiple discussions, lectures and workshops on everything from politics to poetry that took place throughout the day.

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More than 150,000 people from California and across the country attended the two-day book festival  the largest in the nation  under clear skies and temperatures that fluctuated from a scorching 90 degrees in downtown L.A. on Saturday to the high 70s Sunday.

Sandi Latimer, 73, flew in from Columbus, Ohio, for the festival and attended the panel discussion on criminal justice. She said she found it compelling because of her passion for investigations.

My last husband said I missed my calling, she joked.

The Writing Across Genres: Humanizing Conflict panel discussion included Ben Ehrenreich, a reporter who spent a year living in the Palestinian territories; Amy Wilentz, a journalist and author whose memoir is based on her time in Haiti; and Maximilian Uriarte, a Marine Corps veteran who recounted his war experiences in Iraq.

The panelists read excerpts from their books and discussed the dangers of holding preconceived notions when writing about other cultures.

I wrote The White Donkey to combat a lot of war story stereotypes...I want to be honest about my experience, its not action-packed, Uriarte said.

His motivation, he said, was to show the mundane aspects of the war in Iraq through the lens of the Marine Corps.

For Ehrenreich, embedding himself in the West Bank for a year to write The Way to the Spring was a different approach to humanizing people who live in conflict zones.

Part of his motivation, he explained, was to shatter the dominant narrative in the West about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Most Americans have their minds made up, we cant talk about it at dinner, he said. Its a painful discussion on both sides.

Referring to Israels separation barrier with the West Bank, Ehrenreich said his job as a journalist is to metaphorically smash walls, so people on both sides can see each other.

For those looking to engage in thought-provoking discourse without sitting in on lectures, many booths on science, art and religion were stationed throughout campus.

At the Atheists United table, 28-year-old author David McAfee chatted with curious festival-goers about his beliefs. This was McAfees fourth year participating at the Festival of Books, an experience he said was enriching.

I get to interact with different people, some who disapprove and others who dont, he said.

The big hit at the Why Islam? table was the option for women to try on the hijab  a headscarf traditionally worn by some Muslim women.

Cynthia Sance, 25, sat on the chair inside the booth while a female visitor covered her hair with a pink and black hijab. It was her first time wearing one.

Afterward, Sance posed for a picture and was told she could keep the headscarf.

Im going to keep it on during the festival, she said. It feels different, yet fresh.

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

Twitter: @melissaetehad
A former Mrs. Orange County pleaded guilty Friday to possessing child pornography and lewd acts with a minor, authorities said.

Meghan Breanna Alt, 27, was sentenced to three years probation and 300 days in county jail, according to the Orange County district attorneys office. She was ordered to perform 15 days of community service and must complete a Child Abusers Treatment Program.

Alt, who is not in custody, must report to the Orange County jail on Friday to complete her sentence, according to the district attorneys office.

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According to prosecutors, Alt took sexually explicit photos of a 4-year-old female relative and used her cellphone to distribute the pictures in exchange for money and gifts. The photos were taken between Jan. 1, 2015, and Oct. 7, 2015, prosecutors said.

She was accused of sending the photos to a Marine stationed in Southern California, according to the Sheriffs Department.

She was arrested in October 2015 after the Naval Criminal Investigative Service learned about the images and alerted authorities, according to the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

Alt, an Irvine resident, was crowned Mrs. Orange County in 2014 and went on to compete in Mrs. California the same year.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA
A man who struck and killed a teenager while fleeing Los Angeles police at speeds approaching 90 miles per hour was sentenced Monday to more than 27 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Paul Brumfield Jr., 50, was convicted of second-degree murder, car theft and negligent manslaughter last month in connection with the death of 15-year-old Jack Phoenix, who was hit by a stolen car Brumfield was driving through Palms in November 2015, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

The vehicle struck Phoenix with such force that the teen was decapitated. Brumfield escaped but was arrested the next day on suspicion of an unrelated car burglary. Prosecutors said DNA and witness statements linked him to the teenagers death.

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Several days after the arrest, police found the stolen vehicle with the victims severed head inside, prosecutors said.

Los Angeles police began following Brumfield, who was driving a stolen Buick LeSabre, in Mid-City and tailed him into Palms, according to testimony delivered at a preliminary hearing in Brumfields case. One officer testified that she called for backup and a police helicopter to aid in Brumfields capture but continued to follow him along a stretch of the 10 Freeway and back onto city streets, where she trailed the car at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour without turning on the cruisers lights or sirens.

The officers did not attempt to stop Brumfield as he sped along Venice Boulevard, the officer testified. Phoenix was crossing the street at Venice Boulevard and Hughes Avenue when Brumfield struck him.

The teens family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the L.A. Police Department last year, claiming the city failed to follow its vehicle pursuit guidelines during the incident. LAPD officials told The Times last year that the department does not consider the incident a police pursuit because officers did not attempt to stop the vehicle. State laws make it very difficult for civilians to sue police over pursuits.

The department does not generally comment on pending litigation. The LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

In 2015, the year Phoenix was killed, 78 bystanders were injured during LAPD chases. The number marked the most bystanders hurt in LAPD pursuits in at least a decade, eclipsing the previous highest tally of 61 in 2005, according to a Times review of pursuit data reported to the California Highway Patrol.

LAPD chases in 2015 injured bystanders at four times the rate of police pursuits in the rest of the state, according to the data. From 2006 to 2014, 334 bystanders were injured during LAPD pursuits one for every 10 car chases, according to a separate Times review of pursuit data.

The departments pursuit policy, regarded by experts as one of the most permissive in the state, has been undergoing revisions since 2015, but officials have yet to make any proposed changes public.

At least nine bystanders have been killed during LAPD pursuits since 2005, though officials do not count Phoenixs death among the tally because they did not classify the incident that led to his death as a pursuit.

The victims father, Nick Phoenix, said Monday that though he was satisfied with the sentence, he still holds city police officers partially responsible for his sons death.

I feel like justice was done. They did a good job with the courts and the prosecutor and the investigators and the judge and everyone  Were pleased with the outcome, I guess, he said. But there is another dark side to this case, and it concerns what the LAPD did.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
The search for a 5-year-old boy who vanished from a South Pasadena park continued Monday after police announced his father had been arrested in connection with his disappearance.

Officers from the South Pasadena, San Marino and Los Angeles police departments, along with the L.A. County Sheriffs Department, searched Arroyo Park and neighboring areas Sunday for the boy, Aramazd Andressian Jr., but found no signs of him. Meanwhile, authorities have called on the public for help in finding the boy.

Theres got to be someone out there that knows the whereabouts of Aramazd Andressian, South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller told reporters Sunday. Theres got to be someone out there that knows where he is at. I am asking as a law enforcement official and as a parent if you know anything, please contact us.

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The boy was last seen about 8 a.m. on April 15, when his mother had handed him off to his father in Baldwin Park. The mother told detectives she last saw her son Tuesday during a Skype video conversation. The couple are in the process of getting a divorce, but share custody of their child, Miller said.

She reported her son missing about 8:30 a.m. Saturday after the childs father never showed up to drop off their son in San Marino, the chief said.

The woman gave officers a description of her estranged husbands vehicle, a 2004 gray BMW. Police discovered the car had been impounded earlier that morning in South Pasadena.

The boys father, Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, had been found alone and unconscious about 6:30 a.m. outside his car in Arroyo Park. He was hospitalized.

The boy was nowhere to be found.

We [dont] know if he crawled out of the car himself, if he walked away, if he was abducted  we have no idea, the chief said.

Police interviewed the father, but his story was all over the place, the chief told reporters. Miller told reporters that investigators dont know why the boys father was unconscious, but he said theres no evidence suggesting the man was attacked.

We dont really know what he truly knows, Miller said.

South Pasadena police said Andressian was arrested late Saturday on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction. Andressians bail was set at $10 million, far higher than the $100,000 originally planned due to the seriousness of the case.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Capt. Chris Bergner said Andressian had given convoluted and not consistent statements.

We are working to get to the truth, he said.

Investigators said that Andressians BMW had previously been seen early Friday morning in Orange County. They urged anyone with any information about the car to contact police.

San Marino Police Chief John Incontro said the boys mother was concerned and upset, but she didnt express directly to us that she felt the father was going to do the child any harm.

Police said Aramazd is 3 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs about 55 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes, as well as a small mole on his right shoulder, authorities said. Aramazd was last seen wearing a turquoise shirt and plaid shorts.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA
Authorities said it happened in 30 seconds: A throng of up to 60 juveniles mobbed a Bay Area Rapid Transit train Saturday in Oakland and mugged passengers. At least two people were injured and required medical attention.

The youngsters were spotted by witnesses hastily jumping over fare gates before boarding a Dublin-bound train just after 9:20 p.m. at the Coliseum Station on San Leandro Street, according the BART Police Department.

Once the minors entered the train, police said, they swarmed passengers and robbed six people by force. Another passenger was robbed on the railway platform. Authorities said a purse, duffel bag and five cellphones were taken during the robberies. At least two passengers were treated by paramedics for face and head injuries, police said.

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It all happened pretty quickly  it was about 30 seconds, BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said.

After robbing passengers, police said, the juveniles ran into the surrounding neighborhoods before officers could arrive at the scene. The train remained at the station for 15 minutes as officers investigated the robberies.

On Monday, the Police Department was gathering surveillance video of the train robberies, Trost said. The video footage will be shared with Oakland Police Department, Oakland Unified School District and Oakland Housing Authority to help identify the minors, she said. Photographs of the suspects will not be released because they are minors, Trost said.

We have had success with sharing images of juveniles with this group and identifying and making arrests in the past, Trost said.

Authorities have arrested groups of teens for similar robberies at train stations in the past, she said. But those groups were not as large as Saturdays, Trost said.

The 40 to 60 is definitely a lot of people, she said. We dont usually see that.

Its unclear if the BART crowd was a so-called flash mob group and organized through social media.

In 2013, a similar fast-moving group of mostly young people menaced the streets of Hollywood. At the time, police said, the group ran in and out of traffic, knocked pedestrians over and snatched belongings along Hollywood Boulevard. Some stole tchotchkes and food as they moved along the famous thoroughfare.

More than 100 officers descended on Hollywood and searched for hours for the young people, many of whom arrived in Hollywood by subway, police said. Eventually, police arrested 11 juveniles and an 18-year-old man on suspicion of robbery.

To read the article en Spanish, click here

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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Pasadena police detectives Monday released a sketch of a man wanted in connection with three homicides.

The release comes three months after the shooting deaths of two men who were at a vigil held for another man who had been killed in December.

Investigators say they have tied the gunman of last years murder to the shooting deaths of the two men who were at the vigil.

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The first shooting occurred at 9:47 p.m. Dec. 22 in the 1200 block of North Fair Oaks Avenue. Police officers who arrived at the scene discovered 25-year-old Brandon Douglas on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Douglas died at a hospital.

As detectives continued to investigate Douglas slaying, a curb-side vigil was held for him at 100 West Claremont St. During the vigil, someone shot at the group and killed two people. Witnesses from that shooting provided descriptions of the gunman who detectives now believe is also the gunman who killed Douglas.

The man wanted in connection with the three homicides is described as a black man between 33 and 35 years old, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing between 185 to 200 pounds.

Anyone who may know the whereabouts or identity of the man is asked to contact Pasadena police at (626) 744-4511.

ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.
When Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled his proposed budget last week, he called a $176-million effort to battle homelessness his top priority, highlighted a $35-million plan to mend broken streets and promised $2 million to clean up graffiti.

He did not mention the expenditure that dwarfs all of those combined: more than $1.1 billion to pay for city employees pensions and healthcare after they retire.



For the record: A previous version of this article referred to Jack Humphreville as a member of the North Wilshire Neighborhood Council. It is the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council.

The cost of retiree benefits amounts to nearly 20% of the citys general fund, which pays for basic city services. In 2002, the figure was less than 5%.

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Every municipal government is feeling this pain, said Joe Nation, a former Democratic state legislator who teaches at Stanfords Institute for Economic Policy Research.

But 20% is a pretty big number to be spending on pensions, he added.

Garcetti, like most civic leaders in California, inherited crippling pension promises made by his predecessors, and theres little he can do to lower that cost in the near future.

Without major reform in Sacramento, or a groundbreaking win in the courts, the annual billion-dollar pension bill is something Angelenos have to live with, like bad traffic and the threat of earthquakes. And it keeps climbing  up nearly $18 million since last year.

Pension costs for government employees are high across the country, but theyre particularly burdensome in California, where in the early 2000s political leaders guaranteed public sector workers early and generous retirements and promised that stock market gains  not taxpayers  would pay for it all.

The plan was for governments to invest relatively small sums in what were then booming financial markets and the money would grow fast enough to cover big pension payments by the time the employees retired.

The investment gains didnt materialize  they were wiped out by the bursting of the dot-com bubble and the collapse of the housing market. Now taxpayers, most of whom have little set aside for their own retirements, are on the hook for their public servants guaranteed pensions.

In most of California, including Los Angeles, civilian employees were promised they could retire at 55 with more than half of their salary guaranteed for life. Police and firefighters were promised they could retire at 50 with up to 90% of their highest salary guaranteed.

Garcetti spokesman Alex Comisar noted that, in his first term, Garcetti negotiated a three-year freeze on raises for city employees. Because the size of a pension check is based on the employees final salary, that helped slow the growth of pensions costs.

But the freeze ends this year, and the upcoming raises will drive the pension bill still higher.

Other reforms enacted by the city in 2011 and 2012, which included lowering pensions for new employees and requiring workers to contribute more of their salaries toward their retirements, have at best slowed the growth of the citys pension costs.

Real savings wont show up until those new employees start to retire.

That strategy works if your objective is to solve this problem in 30 years, Nation said.

Major change that could have an immediate impact, like such as reducing pensions for most current employees or switching them to far less expensive 401(k) plans, is legally fraught.

A body of court decisions known as the California rule prohibits employers in the state from making any reduction to the retirement promises offered on an employees first day of work.

Appeals courts have recently ruled in favor of two California government agencies that challenged the rule.

Marin County tried to stop late-career pension spiking by refusing to count toward pensions extra pay workers receive for various on-call duties and for declining health insurance.

The unions sued and lost.

On appeal, the three-judge panel unanimously agreed that pension benefits can be reduced.

While a public employee does have a vested right to a pension, that right is only to a reasonable pension  not an immutable entitlement to the most optimal formula of calculating the pension, Justice James A. Richman, of Californias 1st District Court of Appeal, wrote last August.

The case is now before the state Supreme Court. A ruling in Marin Countys favor would give governments across the state much more room to negotiate with employee unions.

In the meantime, Garcetti used his State of the City speech on Thursday to highlight the millions hes planning to spend to clean up neighborhoods while ignoring the billion-dollar elephant in the room.

Its such an important issue, said Jack Humphreville, a blogger and member of the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, who attended the speech. I dont know why he doesnt talk about it.

Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.

jack.dolan@latimes.com

Twitter: @JackDolanLAT

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UPDATES:

12:30 p.m.: This article was updated to include the percentage of the general fund taken up by retiree costs in 2002.

This article was originally published at 6 a.m.
Renowned sculptor and fiber artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, Polands leading visual artist whose work can be seen across the United States, has died at the age of 86.

Abakanowiczs work was notable for her larger-than-life headless human figures, arranged in crowds in open spaces.

She primarily used thick fibers, hardened with synthetic resins. But she also worked with metals, stone and wood. Her pieces were disturbing and fascinating at the same time.

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Abakanowicz drew from the human lot of the 20th century, the lot of a man destroyed by the disasters of that century, a man who wants to be born anew, said Andrzej Szczerski, head of the National Museum in Krakow.

Her works include War Games, featuring trunks of old trees turned into shapes evoking regret. They also include 20 Walking Figures in bronze, Space of Stone made of granite boulders and the Unrecognized, a group of 112 cast iron figures. At Chicagos Grant Park, 106 cast iron figures  each about 9 feet tall and depicting people from the waist down frozen in mid-step  became part of the citys landscape in 2006.

Adam Myjak, rector of the Fine Arts Academy in Warsaw, told Polish PAP agency that Abakanowicz had died, and the academy confirmed that to the Associated Press.

She began her artistic career as a painter, but soon moved to making three-dimensional pieces from soft fabrics and fibers, works now known as Abakans. That led her to larger firm sculpture forms to be arranged in natural surroundings.

Abakanowicz said it fascinated her to explore new techniques and to develop new forms.

She showed that sculpture does not need to be in one block, that it can be a situation in space and that it can be made of fabrics, art critic Monika Branicka said.

Her works were shown around the world, including at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Tate Modern in London.

Culture Minister Piotr Glinski said her death was sad news for Polands culture.

Abakanowicz was born June 20, 1930, in Falenty, near Warsaw. After World War II, she studied at art schools and academies in Gdansk and then in Warsaw, where she settled for life. She was a visiting professor at UCLA in 1984, according to her biography. She died Friday.

A Los Angeles Times staff writer contributed to this report.
Erdogan sends message to Armenian community in connection with April 24

Message Sent by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey, to the Religious Ceremony Held in the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul on 24 April 2017 Reverend Patriarch Aram Atesyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, My distinguished Armenian citizens, I salute you with love and respect. This year, I once again pay our respects to the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives under the harsh conditions of the First World War and convey my condolences to their descendants. Turks and Armenians, as two ancient nations of this region, have shared a common history and culture in this geography, where they lived side by side for a thousand years. The Armenian community has made great contributions to the Ottoman Empire, as well as to our Republic, which is nearing its centennial, through the valuable generations it has raised. Armenians, as equal and free citizens, have important roles in the social, political and commercial life of our country today, as they did in the past. It is our common objective for these two peoples, who have shared the grief and happiness of centuries, to heal the wounds of the past and strengthen people to people ties. We have taken many steps in this direction in the past 14 years and launched historic reforms. We are determined to advance our efforts and preserve the memory of the Ottoman Armenians and the Armenian cultural heritage in the future. On this occasion, I would like to emphasize that the peace, security and happiness of our Armenian community are of special importance to us. We have no tolerance for the alienation and exclusion of our Armenian citizens and for a single Armenian citizen to feel second-class. I convey my hope for the speedy conclusion of the election of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey and wish you success in this endeavour. With these thoughts, I once again pay tribute to the memories of the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the beginning of the 20th century. May millions of Ottoman citizens deceased under the difficult conditions of the First World War rest in peace.
In the nearly five years it took Robert Pirsig to sell Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 121 publishers rejected the rambling novel.

The 122nd gently warned Pirsig, a former rhetoric professor who had a job writing technical manuals, not to expect more than his $3,000 advance.

The book is not, as I think you now realize from your correspondence with other publishers, a marketing mans dream, the editor at William Morrow wrote in a congratulatory note before its 1974 publication.

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He was wrong. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values sold 50,000 copies in three months and more than 5 million in the decades since. The dense tome has been translated into at least 27 languages. A reviewer for the New Yorker likened its author to Herman Melville. Its popularity made Pirsig probably the most widely read philosopher alive, a British journalist wrote in 2006.

Pirsig, a perfectionist who published only one major work after Zen but inspired college classes, academic conferences and a legion of Pirsig pilgrims who retrace the anguished, cross-country motorcycle trip at the heart of his novel, died Monday at his home in South Berwick, Maine, the Associated Press confirmed. He was 88 and had been in failing health.

Zen and Pirsigs less successful 1991 novel, Lila, are not easy reads. In both, he develops what he calls the Metaphysics of Quality, a philosophy that attempts to unite and transcend the mysticism of the East and the reason of the West.

Robert Pirsig working on a motorcycle in 1975. (William Morrow/AP)

Zen is the account of a 1968 motorcycle trip that Pirsig, his 11-year-old son Chris and two friends made from Minneapolis through the West. A fifth traveler was sensed but unseen: Phaedrus, Pirsigs alter ego, brilliant, uncompromising and obsessed with the search for truth. Like the real-life Pirsig, the ghost-like Phaedrus had an IQ of 170, entered a university at 15 and, as a young man, was committed to mental hospitals where he underwent electroconvulsive therapy.

He was dead, Pirsigs narrator writes in Zen. Destroyed by order of the court, enforced by the transmission of high-voltage alternating current through the lobes of his brain.

On the trip, though, the dead Phaedrus was all too active, a real but intangible force vying for the soul of the emotionally unstable Chris. Chris is spared in the novel, but Pirsigs actual son Chris struggled with drug addiction and, at 22, was stabbed to death during a 1979 mugging in San Francisco. It was at a bus stop near the Zen Buddhism center where he lived.

While the book has a more or less happy ending, Zen is filled with unanswered and, perhaps, unanswerable questions. Pirsig, who weathered schizophrenia but was devastated by its treatment, doubts everything: reality, sanity  and himself.

What I am, he writes, is a heretic whos recanted and thereby in everyones eyes saved his soul. Everyones eyes but one, who knows deep down inside that all he has saved is his skin.

Born Sept. 6, 1928, in Minneapolis, Robert Maynard Pirsig was the son of Harriet and Maynard Pirsig. His father was a law professor and dean of the University of Minnesota Law School.

Stammering and inattentive, Pirsig flunked out of the university at 17, two years after he entered.

Enlisting in the Army, he served in Korea and returned to Minnesota, receiving his bachelors degree in 1950.

Over the next eight years, he married fellow student Nancy Ann James, studied Eastern religions in India, lived in a Mexican seaside town, wrote advertising for mortuary cosmetics and, returning again to Minnesota, earned his masters degree in journalism in 1958.

In 1960, he taught English composition at what was then Montana State College, where he refused, for philosophical reasons, to issue grades. He once disrupted a speech by the institutions president, shouting, This school has no quality!

Two years later, he was teaching at the University of Illinois-Chicago when he was hospitalized for an emotional collapse.

This is described in the psychiatric canon as catatonic schizophrenia. It is cited in the Buddhist canon as hard enlightenment, he told Britains Observer newspaper in 2006.

Still struggling with his illness, he set out to write what he thought would be a short essay about the journey he and his son made to San Francisco on his 1964 Honda Superhawk. The resulting manuscript turned into Zen, which, unedited, was nearly 30% longer than War and Peace.

In addition to fleshing out a tortured father-son relationship and sketching out a philosophy, Zen defended technology even as surging environmental awareness was giving it a bad name.

In his traveling friends refusal to learn basic engine maintenance, Pirsig saw a clash of cultures.

The Buddha, the Godhead, resides quite as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain or in the petals of a flower, he wrote. To think otherwise is to demean the Buddhawhich is to demean oneself.

Pirsigs unexpected success with Zen made it no easier for him to write Lila: An Inquiry into Morals. He started plotting out the fictional account of sailing down the Hudson River with an over-the-hill former prostitute 17 years before it was published.

To get a line that is exactly right, you sometimes have to sacrifice everything, he told the Washington Post in 1991. That goes for being a celebrity, for interaction with people, personal comfort, everything.

After a long separation, Pirsig was divorced from his first wife in 1978. Several months later, he married Wendy Kimball, a writer he met while sailing off the Florida coast. They crossed the Atlantic and lived aboard his boat in England, the Netherlands and Sweden before returning to the U.S. in 1985.

Rarely giving interviews or making public appearances, the writer dubbed New Englands second most reclusive novelist (J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye and a virtual hermit until his death in 2010, was no doubt the first) published no other books. In 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Montana State University but could not attend the ceremony because of poor health.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by son Ted and daughter Nell.

In 1984, his daughter, then 4, provided the last line to his afterword of Zens 10-year anniversary edition. It was: ooolo99ikl;i.,pyknulmmmmmmmmm 111.

She reached around the corner of the machine and banged on the keys and then watched with the same gleam Chris used to have, Pirsig wrote in one of his few light moments. If the editors preserve it, it will be her first published work.
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. skyrocketed by 86% in the first three months of the year, according to a new report released Monday by a prominent Jewish civil rights organization.

The Anti-Defamation Leagues audit of anti-Semitic events counted 541 anti-Semitic attacks and threats against Americans in the first quarter of the year, a dramatic increase over the same period last year.

The incidents followed an overall 34% increase in anti-Semitic assaults, vandalism and harassment last year when compared with 2015, according to the report.

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The surge in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States came against an overall drop in such incidents worldwide, according to a report issued Sunday by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University.

The Kantor report, which surveyed approximately 40 countries, said incidents of anti-Semitism dropped 12% globally. In France, home to Europes largest Jewish community, reports of anti-Semitic acts dropped 61%. However, the English-speaking world in general bucked the trend, with increases in Britain, Australia and, especially, the United States. The report noted that anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. college campuses rose by 45%.

While the trend line was down overall worldwide, the report pointed with alarm to a continuation of the widespread increase, sometimes dramatic, in verbal and visual anti-Semitism on social media and during demonstrations  that cannot be quantified.

According to the ADL report, this years numbers in the U.S. were part of an uptick that began before the new year. Close to one-third of the 1,266 incidents logged last year happened in November and December.

Its really incredibly alarming, said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the New York-based civil rights group, which pulls data from law enforcement, victims and local Jewish organizations to compile its annual audit. Whats most concerning is the fact that the numbers have accelerated over the past five months.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, center, a New York Democrat and member of Congress bipartisan task force on anti-Semitism, speaks at the Park East Synagogue in New York in March after a news conference to address threats against Jewish organizations and vandalism at Jewish cemeteries. (Bebeto Matthews / Associated Press)

Greenblatt attributed the increases to several factors.

Part of this years growth, he said, was the 161 hoax bomb threats against Jewish community centers and other Jewish institutions, including the ADL itself. Two men  an American in St. Louis and a dual citizen Israeli American teen in Israel  have been arrested and charged separately with committing the crimes. But those threats, which began in January, count for less than a third of the incidents this year.

Greenblatt also said the increases were due to the presidential election and a rise in activity among white supremacists.

His group found 34 instances last year that were related to the election. Among them: graffiti discovered in Denver in May that said, Kill the Jews, Vote Trump, and an incident in November in which a St. Petersburg, Fla., man was accosted by someone who told him, Trump is going to finish what Hitler started.

Civil rights groups, including the ADL, had criticized President Trump during his campaign for retweeting white supremacists and using anti-Semitic imagery, which they said emboldened anti-Semites.

Jewish organizations also called out the Trump administration after his inauguration for a series of stumbles and missed opportunities when it came to the Jewish community. These included the White House intentionally leaving out the mention of Jews in a statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Trump waiting six weeks before denouncing dozens of hoax bomb threats that had put U.S. Jewish institutions on edge, and the president berating an Orthodox Jewish reporter who asked him about anti-Semitism during a February news conference.

In another instance this month, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized after he was criticized for saying Hitler did not use chemical weapons on his own people  a statement that ignored the use of gas chambers to kill millions of Jews and other people deemed undesirable, many of them Germans. Spicer also incorrectly referred to concentration camps as Holocaust centers.

Trump is scheduled to speak Tuesday at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for the museums annual Days of Remembrance ceremony.

Amanda Susskind, a Los Angeles-based regional director for the civil rights group, said she thought politicians were partly responsible for the uptick. She included Trump among them for his initial hesitancy to denounce anti-Semitism.

When leadership doesnt speak out against it, that creates a petri dish of an environment where there is no sense that there is anything wrong with anti-Semitism, Susskind said. Yet, she saw a general normalization of hate, whether in social media or online or through incidents that are reported, she said.

California, which has a significant Jewish population, had 211 anti-Semitic incidents last year, the highest number for a U.S. state and a year-to-year increase of 21%. There were 87 anti-Semitic incidents in the state in the first three months of this year.

Jews were also frequently targeted in other states with large Jewish populations, including New York and Florida.

Although ADL leaders said they were worried about an increase in violence and threats against Jews, they noted that anti-Semitic acts have been decreasing overall since the group began tracking incidents in 1979.

Its count reached an all-time high in 1994. That year, the ADL found 2,066 incidents.

We see anti-Semitism typically increase in times when there is political uncertainty or economic downturn or when Israel makes headlines, Greenblatt said. In 1994, several deadly clashes between Israelis and Palestinians made international news, and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty was signed.

Since that year, the audit has found little variation in the number of anti-Semitic events. A more recent peak was in 2005, when the group found 1,757 incidents.

In addition to the recent growth in anti-Semitic threats, attacks and vandalism, the civil rights group found in survey results released this month that there has also been a slight rise in anti-Semitic attitudes. The survey found that 14% of Americans hold anti-Semitic views, compared with 12% in a similar poll in 2013. But this years poll also found that a majority of Americans say they were worried about violence against Jews in the U.S.

Clearly, we have work to do and need to bring more urgency to the fight, Greenblatt said. But we also need more leaders to speak out against this cancer of hate and more action at all levels to counter anti-Semitism.

jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com

Jaweed Kaleem is The Times national race and justice correspondent. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Monday, April 24, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Reality check

The twin border cities of Calexico and Mexicali offer a reality check about how much of a fortress the border can actually be. There, it is more like a doorway, with the economics, politics, culture and family ties of both cities bound in profound ways. Los Angeles Times

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Wine war

Forget Napa. Some Chinese investors are betting that the oft-dismissed wine region of Temecula is poised to break out as a far bigger destination for oenophiles and tourists, given its proximity to Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Los Angeles Times

Spoken words

One day in the locker room I overheard an Asian gent tell someone he learned English by listening to the radio as a kid. Namely, he tuned in to the late Chick Hearn calling Laker games and Vin Scully calling Dodger games.  Steve Lopez on the many ways language is learned in L.A. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Valley boy: Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick is perhaps the most controversial CEO in America. A look at how he became such a confrontational force, including growing up in the San Fernando Valley and dealing with bullies. New York Times

A candle burns: At Marshall High, a mothers dedication keeps her daughters memory alive. Los Angeles Times

Winners: Granada Hills Charter High School has won the national Academic Decathlon for the third year in a row. Los Angeles Times

Ripped from the headlines: Not surprisingly, Donald Trump was the topic of much discussion at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Winners of the L.A. Times Book Awards. Los Angeles Times

And: Times Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Davan Maharaj speaks about journalism and writing in the Trump era. Los Angeles Times

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Border fence follies: Before the wall, there were border fencing projects, and not all of them turned out well. Los Angeles Times

Anti-sanctuary: Kern Countys outspoken sheriff wants to declare his community a law and order county and not a sanctuary county. Specifically, he wants to ensure that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers can continue to identify felony detainees in Kern County jails who are in the country illegally so that they can be deported upon release. Los Angeles Times

Dreamers deferred? President Trump as well as some of his top aides have suggested in the last few days that his administration wont be targeting Dreamers. CNN

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Money shot: Over the last week, California collected about $8 billion in state income taxes  more money in just a handful of days than New Mexicos general fund receives in an entire year. Yet the sobering reality is that we need a lot more. Los Angeles Times

Powerful center: Many have tried to kill Californias powerful tax board. Heres why no one has succeeded. Sacramento Bee

Cashless: San Francisco is poised to stop accepting cash on its famous, historic cable cars. San Francisco Chronicle

Caltrain woes: On paper, a major expansion and upgrade of the wildly popular Caltrain in the Bay Area would be perfect for Trumps infrastructure agenda. In political reality. Washington Post

Bumpy rides: Trying to improve the rider experience for those who use mass transit in L.A. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Missing boy: Scent-tracking dogs scoured South Pasadena in search of a 5-year-old boy reported missing after paramedics found his father passed out in a park Saturday morning. Los Angeles Times

SEAL charged: Authorities allege 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. Los Angeles Times

ENVIRONMENT

Park amid wasteland: Californias newest state park, situated on a former rail yard with a stunning view of the Los Angeles skyline, opened this week. Its a testament to turning an environmental nightmare into an asset. Los Angeles Times

Salad tax: The end of Californias drought comes at a price  for your salad. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

L.A. then and now: I was first here in the 1980s, as a student. And when I came back in 2007, one of the first things I noticed is that everyone uses chopsticks now. Nobody did before. And so many Japanese phrases have entered English  omakase menu, daikon radish. The city has become much more cosmopolitan.  Hitoshi Abe, an architect from Sendai, Japan. Los Angeles Times

Not a big surprise: L.A. is said to be the epicenter of the luxury childrens closet movement. More children are getting boutique-style shoe racks, designer wallpaper and velvet-lined jewelry drawers, as well as practical accessories like baskets for superhero storage and rods to hang clothes for playing dress-up. Wall Street Journal

Retro Disney: Big changes are coming to Space Mountain. Disneyland says the Star Wars theme is out and the ride will return to its classic look. Orange County Register

Strike talk: With a possible writers strike looming, TV networks and studios have been scrambling to come up with contingency plans, including delaying the premieres of scripted shows they planned to roll out in the summer months and brushing up scripts for movies nearing production. Los Angeles Times

Final verse: Some final thoughts from Californias outgoing U.S. poet laureate. Fresno Bee

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: Cooling trend after a hot weekend, with highs in the 70s. San Diego: Partly cloudy and in the 70s. Bay Area: Chance of rain on Monday with highs around 60. Sacramento: Cloudy and in the 60s. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This weeks birthdays for those who made a mark in California: chef

Alice Waters (April 28, 1944) and comedian Jay Leno (April 28, 1950).

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Seldom has an effort to alter Los Angeles governing blueprint been as clever and underhanded as Charter Amendment C, a little-noticed measure on the little-noticed May 16 city ballot that would change how police officers are disciplined for misconduct. Seldom have city officials been so sly in their effort to slip something so noxious past L.A. voters.

After the November presidential election, the March city election and an April special election to fill a key congressional seat, Los Angeles is election-weary, and voters may be prone to let this one go by (and that was surely the City Councils point in scheduling this vote when it did). But its important. Voters should request their vote-by-mail ballots or plan to show up at the polls in three weeks and vote No on Charter Amendment C.



For the record: The original version of this editorial said the only things on the May 16 ballot besides Charter Amendment C would be runoff elections in two City Council districts. In fact, two school board districts will also have runoffs.

The subject matter is the three-member panels, called Boards of Rights, that determine whether LAPD officers have committed serious misconduct and ought to be fired or otherwise disciplined. A little down in the weeds at first blush, perhaps, but the structure of those panels goes to the heart of how police should be held accountable for dishonesty, bad shootings or other improper behavior  a subject of nationwide interest with a particularly difficult history in Los Angeles.

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There is precious little evidence that there is anything wrong with the current discipline process, other than that officers and their union dont like it.

Since voters adopted landmark reforms 25 years ago  following the videotaped LAPD beating of Rodney King and the resulting Christopher Commission hearings and recommendations  those panels have consisted of two LAPD command staff of the rank of captain or above, and one civilian picked from a pool assembled by the Police Commissions executive director.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the police officers union, once strongly resisted civilian participation. What do outsiders know of the dangers that officers face in the field? But the union quickly discovered that civilians ruled in favor of accused officers more often than did their captains and commanders, and now it wants officers to be able to choose between traditional boards and all-civilian boards. In fact, last year, it sued the city in an effort to win that change.

With the suit (and elections for half the City Council) pending, the council voted to put Charter Amendment C on the ballot. In a laughably upside-down approach, Council President Herb Wesson promised a series of hearings on police discipline  after the measure passed.

Thats a little like taking your algebra finals and then studying for them afterward. Its a lot like  in fact, it is exactly like  amending the Constitution, and then asking whether it needed to be changed in the first place, and if so, how.

In fact, there is precious little evidence that there is anything wrong with the current discipline process, other than that officers and their union dont like it. The union argues that the chief might pressure his captains and commanders to be tougher on officers he has accused of misconduct, but voters should require actual findings that those commanders suffered retaliation before being asked to overhaul the discipline system.

The charter amendment would leave the selection of civilians  who is eligible, how the pool is chosen  to the City Council. Will the pool be stocked with retired police officers? We dont know. Will it be filled by police reformers or critics from Black Lives Matter? We dont know  although the police union seems confident that the council will craft the selection process to its satisfaction.

Thats why, despite assertions in campaign brochures that Charter Amendment C would create a civilian review board, implying that it would operate like those in other cities and which reform advocates here have long sought, it would do no such thing. Thats why most reform advocates strongly oppose the measure. They see it for what it is: a sleight of hand that gives the appearance of civilian oversight while actually giving the union just what it wants.

But the sneakiest part of the measure is the May 16 ballot itself. There are runoffs in two council districts and two school board districts, but otherwise Charter Amendment C is the only thing on the ballot, so few voters  other than those rallied by the Police Protective League and city politicians that crave the unions support  are expected to bother. Voters can, and should, resist that cynical tactic and the ill-considered change in police discipline by voting No.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
In case youve been confused by the last few days of punditry, let me say outright that France is not America.

We recently concluded a presidential election in the United States in which many argued that it was imperative to smash the final glass ceiling by electing a female president. One doesnt hear that kind of talk in France about Marine Le Pen, who just came in second in a runoff election. If she wins the final round against Emmanuel Macron on May 7, she would be Frances first female president.

Why is there no ready for Marine rhetoric? Because Le Pen would also be the first far-right president. Identity politics has its limits.

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And so does the term far-right.

Indeed, the terms left and right rank among the worst of Frances exports. Their inspiration wasnt ideology, but a seating chart. Supporters of the monarchy sat on the right in the General Assembly while radicals, revolutionaries, republicans and other foes and critics of the Ancien Regime sat on the left. (In Britain, by contrast, members of Parliament switch sides according to whichever party is in power).

Le Pen rejects the far right label, preferring a third-way approach that has a long intellectual history among nationalists and fascists.

Thus champions of free markets and limited government were every bit as leftist as the Jacobin totalitarians who would usher in the Reign of Terror. To this day, a liberal in France is closer to what many call a right-winger in America, at least on economic issues.

As for what constitutes far right, that has come to be defined as a grab bag of bigotry, nativism and all the bad kinds of nationalism. Le Pen, the youngest daughter of the even more far right anti-Semitic politician, Jean-Marie Le Pen, until recently led the National Front party (FN), which was founded in 1972 by, among others, veterans of the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy government.

How far the apple fell from the tree is hotly debated, but what is clear is that Marine Le Pen is a smarter, more opportunistic and more inclusive politician. She even defenestrated her father from the FN in an effort to un-demonize the party.

One of the main reasons she has come so close to being the next president of France has been her ability to sap support from former strongholds of the French Communist Party in the North. This is less shocking than it may sound, once you account for the fact that the French Communist Party has its own history of racially tinged attacks on immigration. Nearly a third of FN voters said their second choice in the runoff was the doctrinaire socialist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, the French Bernie Sanders.

Le Pen rejects the far right label, preferring a third-way approach that has a long intellectual history among nationalists and fascists. She says that the symbiotic issues of immigration and globalization (specifically relating to the European Union) yielded a new politics that no longer put the right and left in opposition, but patriots and globalists. She has downplayed social issues, highlighting the fact that shes a twice-divorced single mother who champions womens rights. Shes vowed to leave abortion laws alone.

Her economic patriotism  a melange of anti-immigration, protectionism, support for civil service protections and entitlements (at least for the native-born French)  is an updated variant of old-fashioned national-socialism.

In other words, those looking to cherry-pick easy comparisons to American politics have their work cut out for them.

Except in one regard.

For decades, critics of Americas mass immigration have argued that the social upheaval such policies produce are dangerous and destabilizing. But the topic became radioactive for reasonable politicians, creating an opening for unreasonable ones among the working-class constituencies most affected by immigration.

This is precisely what has happened in France. Interviews with Le Pen voters tell this story over and over again. They bemoan the great replacement of workers but also customs, traditions and lifestyles brought by waves of immigrants.

These resentments are perhaps more acute in France than elsewhere, a country where national identity precedes political and ideological orientations and assimilation is narrowly defined. But the same dynamic is playing itself out across Europe and America.

Le Pen will probably lose but the problem will endure long past May 7.

jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
It has become commonplace to the point of cliche for pundits to explain in worried tones that smartphones can be addictive.

In a recent 60 Minutes segment, Anderson Cooper interviewed Tristan Harris, a former product manager at Google, who compared smartphones to slot machines because both have a built-in reward system that we find hard to resist  the thrill of pulling a lever and making money versus pushing a button and getting a notification. Cooper suggested that tech companies, by getting us hooked on mobile apps, are hijacking our brains.

This argument seems inarguably correct to those whove seen comScore reports suggesting that Americans spend more than 70 hours a month on average using smartphone apps, and that the number is growing each year. But lost in the narrative that weve become too dependent on smartphones  a word that pops up all the time in addiction punditry  is that not all usage is frivolous, or even strictly voluntary. Like many disabled people, I depend on my phone for survival.

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At 28, I have been bedridden for more than two years with a severe case of myalgic encephalomyelitis (or chronic fatigue syndrome), a multi-system disease that severely impairs the bodys metabolic features, and has left me unable to speak, eat solid food or properly hydrate my body for months at a time.

The whole concept of smartphone addiction, or an unhealthy reliance on any technology, is unfair when applied indiscriminately to the population as a whole.

For the last year and a half I have relied on a paid caregiver to help me get through each day. She arrives early in the morning and clocks in using a timekeeping app on my smartphone. Because my speech is limited, I type out instructions for her to read or I have my smartphone read them to her using the devices speech function. This continues throughout my caregivers seven-hour shift as I use various templates saved on my phone: Please fill my water glass or I would like to brush my teeth.

Besides providing food and water, my caregiver also helps me bathe, changes my sheets, brings me new clothes to wear, and even empties and cleans my bedside bathroom, all of which I prompt using my smartphone.

This type of communication with my caregiver is especially important on days when my routine has been altered. Occasionally my medications change and I use my phone to tell her how to properly administer the new regimen.

It is not uncommon for something to go wrong. When I woke up the other day, my house was empty: My caregiver hadnt shown up for work. I felt absolutely terrified as I realized I had no way to eat or drink. After a few minutes of sheer panic, I grabbed my smartphone to notify a family member via text message. Within two hours I had someone at my house to help me. Without a smartphone I would have remained alone, hungry and afraid, until someone happened to come check on me.

My smartphone is also the main way I communicate with my doctors and nurses. I frequently send them emails and text messages with updates about my blood pressure, heart rate, and other vital health metrics I track using various apps. Beyond health care, I use my smartphone to buy food online, as Im unable to drive to the grocery store.

People with disabilities such as mine arent the only ones who rely heavily on smartphones for reasons that have nothing to do with addiction. Some people, particularly those in lower income households, simply cannot afford high-speed internet access beyond their smartphones data plan. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, 10% of all Americans have no other source of high-speed internet in their home other than their smartphone.

Refugees separated by war use their smartphones to keep in contact with family and access the Internet to read news relevant to their situation or tell their story on social media.

And of course there are many people who have little choice but to use their smartphones all day because their employers expect constant contact.

The whole concept of smartphone addiction, or an unhealthy reliance on any technology, is unfair when applied indiscriminately to the population as a whole. It reeks of luxury and entitlement and ignorance of the basic fact that smartphones are just a portal  some people use that portal to obsessively check Twitter, sure, but others use it for basic necessities. I use my smartphone constantly not to get my fix, but to stay alive.

Jamison Hill is a writer currently working on a memoir based on his blog, Jamison Writes, which covers his experiences with chronic illness.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
To the editor: Did Justin Raimondo and other anti-war voters who supported the president truly believe that Donald Trump had deeply held, well considered views on the use of force in Syria or the relative virtues of incentives and regulation in our healthcare system? (I voted for Trump. After Syria, I feel betrayed, Opinion, April 21)

Trumps only demonstrated skill is ruthless self promotion. He spent his life stiffing investors and walking away from romantic and business commitments. It is alarming that otherwise smart people could be fooled into disregarding character flaws that were so easy to detect. I guess we should be thankful that many Trump voters are now expressing regret  better late than never.

Disillusioned Trump voters should examine why they were fooled so they can better guard against the next trickster who vies for high office. For that matter, I hope they will not be fooled by Trump again.

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James Clark, La Canada Flintridge

..

To the editor: About Trumps newfound interventionism and other flip-flops, Raimondo writes, The liberal media are thrilled by Trumps transformation.

What transformation? The liberal media and all of the rest of us that still have the ability to reason knew exactly what we were getting. Trump failed the litmus test many years ago when he joined the birther club. He has failed other litmus tests too numerous to even mention anymore.

There has been no transformation. The only thing we libtards dont understand is why his voters fell for it, and we are not now, nor have ever been, shocked by his behavior.

Robert Rosenblum, Woodland Hills

..

To the editor: Really? How on Earth could anyone look at Trump and listen to what he said, and take any of it seriously?

I truly would like to know what the more rational of the Trump voters saw in this vacuous man and how they thought he would be good for the country.

The majority of voters were disgusted by and saw through his reality show. They dont feel disappointed, they feel scared.

Jane Peters, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: My advice to Raimondo and other Trump supporters disappointed by the president is simple: Too bad, it is time to move on.

Millions of us held our noses and voted for Hillary Clinton. She lost, and we have moved on to defeating Trump in 2020.

Robert Matthews, San Clemente

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
University of California administration is paying excessive salaries and mishandling funds, state audit says

UCLA campus (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The administration of the University of California system pays top workers salaries and benefits significantly higher than that of similar state employees, and failed to disclose to the Board of Regents and the public that it had $175 million in budget reserve funds while it was seeking to raise tuition, a state audit found Tuesday.

The audit triggered a dispute with UC President Janet Napolitano, who said charges of hidden funds were false, while two members of the UC Board of Regents charged recommendations to give the Legislature budget authority over the Office of the President encroached on UCs constitutional powers.

Among the sticking points, the auditors believe the regents should contract with an independent third party that can assist the regents in monitoring a three-year corrective action plan.

The audit of the Office of the President also found that it failed to satisfactorily justify its spending on system-wide initiatives and inappropriately screened surveys submitted by auditors to campus officials.

Our report concludes that the Office of the President has amassed substantial reserve funds, used misleading budgeting practices, provided its employees with generous salaries and atypical benefits, and failed to satisfactorily justify its spending on systemwide initiatives, State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote to Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature.

Furthermore, when we sought independent perspective from campuses about the quality and cost of the services and programs the Office of the President provides to them, the Office of the President intentionally interfered with our audit process, Howle wrote.

The auditor said that because of recent tuition hikes, she recommends the Office of the President should refund available funds in the reserves by returning them to the campuses for the benefit of students.

Ralph Washington Jr. president of the U.C. Students Assn. said if any reserve money is found it should go to help students, possibly by killing the tuition increase or helping students who are starving or homeless, but he is concerned legislators may use the audit to say the U.C. doesnt need so much general fund money.

Students definitely dont want their tuition to go up, he said.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), who serves on the board of regents, said the audit requires more inquiry.

The audit of the UC Office of the President appears to have uncovered the same kind of budgetary misrepresentations and executive excess that weve seen before with the State Parks Department and the Public Utilities Commission, Rendon said in a statement. There are many questions that need to be answeredand answered honestly.

The audit was requested by legislators concerned about high tuition and complaints of a bloated administration overseeing the UC systems 10 campuses.

The reserve included $32 million in unspent funds it received from an annual charge levied on the campusesfunds that campuses could have spent on students, the audit said.

Auditors said salaries paid to those in the presidents office are much higher than the pay of comparable positions in other state government jobs.

President Napolitano agreed with the vast majority of recommendations for improving budget processes and spending, but denied that $175 million was hidden from the UC Board of Regents.

In a letter to Howle, the president said changes were already underway.

The recommendations to [the UC presidents office] are helpful, Napolitano wrote. We welcome this constructive input, which aligns with our proactive efforts to continually improve UCOPs operations, and UCOP intends to implement the recommendations.

However, Board of Regents Chair Monica Lozano and Regent Charlene Zettel asked Howle to remove recommendations that they feel encroach on the constitutional autonomy of the university system, including proposals to have the Legislature approve the Office of the Presidents budget.

As written, we believe these recommendations threaten the Universitys standing as a constitutionally autonomous entity, and the Board of Regents itself, the regents wrote.

Administrative salaries amounted to $2.5 million more than the maximum annual salary ranges for comparable state employees, auditors found.

For instance, an accounting managers maximum annual salary is $169,000 at UC compared to $156,000 for other state employees.

An information system manager can make $258,000 with UC, but $150,000 with other state agencies.

The audit said: 10 executives in the Office of the President whose compensation we analyzed were paid a total of $3.7 million in fiscal year 2014-15  over $700,000 more than the combined salaries of their highest paid state employee counterparts.

On benefits, the Office of the President provided a regular retirement plan but also offered its executives a retirement savings account into which the office contributes up to 5% of the executives salariesabout $2.5 million over the past five years, the audit found.

The Office of the President also spent more than $2 million for its staffs business meetings and entertainment expenses over the past five yearsa benefit that the State does not offer to its employees except in limited circumstances, the audit said..

The audit also said the Office of the President reimbursed questionable travel expenses, including a ticket for a theater performance and limousine services. One person spent $350 per night on hotel rooms, which is above the allowable standard for other state agencies.

The audit said the Office of the President has not managed its own budget  which amounted to $747 million in fiscal year 201516  in a fiscally prudent or transparent way.

Napolitano said the audit was in error in claiming her office failed to publicly disclose tens of millions in surplus funds.

In fact, UCOPs budget and financial approaches reflect strategic, deliberate and transparent spending and investment in UC and state priorities, said a statement by the Office of the President.

Howle disagreed.

Significant reforms are necessary to strengthen the publics trust in the Office of the President, the audit concluded.

Read the audit here.
Former President Barack Obama returns to the public stage Monday morning at the University of Chicago, a homecoming that is expected to serve as a warmup for more visibility in the coming weeks.

The 55-year-old Obama has kept a low profile in the three months following his departure from the White House. He arrived in Chicago on Sunday for his first major visit to the city since he gave his farewell speech at McCormick Place.

Mondays event comes as President Donald Trumps administration rolls out its own 100-day narrative, with Saturday marking that milestone since the presidency changed hands.

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The 11 a.m. discussion with six Chicago-area students is billed as a Conversation on Civic Engagement and will be followed by a handful of national and international events.

Obama is to receive a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in Boston on May 7. Then he flies to Milan for the Global Innovation Food Summit. In Italy, hell be with Sam Kass, a good friend and former personal chef both in Chicago and the White House. On May 25, Obama is slated to appear in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

His memoirs are a work in progress too. He always thinking about his book, Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said.

Nowadays, the former president has a staff of 20 and an office not far from the White House. Aides handle a deluge of mail and invitations, Lewis said. Friend and former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett has an office in the same building.

Obama is set to make paid, closed-to-the-public speeches here and abroad arranged by the Harry Walker Agency, Lewis said.

And former first lady Michelle Obama is set to elevate her profile soon, planning a speech in Washington on May 12 at an anti-obesity summit hosted by the Partnership for a Healthier America.

In Chicago on Monday, Obama will not give a formal speech, Lewis said. He plans to make opening remarks and moderate a discussion with young people about civic engagement and community organizing.

More than 300 students have been invited, and the conversation is expected to last an hour or so. No tickets were being given to the general public, but a university spokesman said the school plans to stream the event online.

If the weeks past are a prologue, chances appear slim that Obama will launch an all-out attack on Trump on Monday. But Obama might not be shy about stating differences on policy such as climate change and immigration, especially when trying to pass the political baton to young people.

He sees young people as vital to craft real progressive change, Lewis said.

Trumps pugilistic style is in contrast to Obamas. The former constitutional law professor has so far said little about the new presidents criticism of his administration.

Ex-presidents tend to keep quiet about their successors to let them establish themselves and make their own mistakes, but theres no ironclad tradition of staying at arms length, Princeton University presidential historian Julian Zelizer said. Democrats Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton criticized Republican George W. Bush over the Iraq war, for example.

Zelizer predicts that as the public sees more and more of Obama, Trump will continue his condemnations.

Trump launched his political career in part by falsely accusing the Democrat of being born overseas and has made a career of attacking Obama, his antithesis in policy and personality, Zelizer said. That he persists is an attempt to shore up support from Republicans who might not embrace Trump but really dislike Obamas policies, he said.

Those policies are a persistent concern for Obama, as Republicans look to replace his Affordable Care Act, Lewis said. Obamas team wanted the two major parties to work jointly on improvements.

Hes worried about the people who could potentially lose their health care, and hes heartened by folks at the town halls who are engaging and voicing their opinions on why they want to keep it, Lewis said.

Despite those worries, Obama has taken time to decompress after eight years in the White House and his earlier years in the Illinois Senate and U.S. Senate.

Since he handed Trump the White House keys, the former leader of the free world has been splashed in the papers while on sun-and-sea adventures.

He and his wife have sailed in French Polynesia with Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks. For a time he reportedly got away from it all in Tetiaroa, a French Polynesian island once owned by Marlon Brando. Obama also kiteboarded near the British Virgin Islands in a competition against his host, business titan Richard Branson.

Despite all that, Citizen Obama quietly dropped in on Chicago on Feb. 15 to meet with community leaders about the future presidential center, which is to open in 2021 in Jackson Park on the South Side. Both the center and the nonprofit foundation raising money to build it are a major focus for Obama.

Obamas spokesman said the former president might return to Chicago soon after Mondays visit.

Its like coming home, Lewis said.

Skiba writes for the Chicago Tribune.

kskiba@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @KatherineSkiba
Its an open secret on Capitol Hill: President Trump wants a big, beautiful border wall, but few in Congress are willing to pay for it.

The standoff, between the White House and lawmakers  Republicans and Democrats -- has escalated tensions toward a possible government shutdown at midnight Friday as Congress races to meet a deadline to fund federal offices and operations.

Cooler heads will likely prevail. Talks are underway for a stopgap measure to keep the government running for another week or so while negotiations continue.

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But the stalemate over Trumps signature campaign promise  that he would build a wall along the border to deter illegal immigration and that Mexico would pay for it  remains a political divide.

Its not that Trumps Republican allies in Congress, who are the majority, dont support the notions underpinning a border wall. Most of them do.

They just disagree with Trumps approach for a physical barrier when other deterrents may prove more effective at stopping illegal crossings. And they dont view the huge expenditure  as much as $70 billion by the latest estimate  a top priority right now.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, has called the wall a metaphor for border security  saying its one tool, among many, to protect the nearly 2,000-mile frontier.

Border state Republican Reps. Will Hurd (R-Texas) and Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) recently asked the Department of Homeland Security for more information about the wall project, saying they have a number of questions.

Building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border, Hurd, a former CIA officer whose district includes 800 miles along the border, more than any other lawmaker, said earlier this year. There is no question that we must secure our border, but we need an intelligence-led approach.

And the most conservative Republicans in the House and Senate  namely deficit hawks  oppose any new federal spending, even on national security, which has long been a GOP priority, unless it is offset with budget cuts elsewhere.

People are pretty clear-eyed, said one Republican aide on Capitol Hill, granted anonymity to discuss the situation. Its an all-of-the-above solution, not necessarily a bricks-and-mortar wall from Brownsville [Texas] to San Diego.

For Democrats, the wall is a nonstarter in budget talks, and an expenditure they would largely support in a broader immigration overhaul to provide deportation relief for up to 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.

That leaves Trump issuing an ultimatum for the wall that Congress may simply choose to ignore as talks continue toward a deal.

Instead of risking government shutdown by shoving this wall down Congress and American peoples throats, the president ought to just let us come to an agreement, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on a conference call Monday with Democratic leaders.

Were happy to debate this wall in regular order down the road once he has a plan, Schumer said, referring to Trump. Theres no plan now, [he] just says build it.

On Edge in Trumps America: Coverage of immigration, the border and more 

Congress had been heading toward Fridays deadline hoping to bypass the kind of shutdown drama that has bedeviled Republicans since they took the majority in the House and Senate.

Republicans have been trying to accomplish other priorities  healthcare overhaul, tax reform  and dont want to get mired in a budget battle.

Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) believe they have leverage over Republicans in budget talks because of the dissent within the GOP over how much to spend on government operations. Republicans almost always need to rely on Democratic votes to pass funding bills and avert shutdowns, and talks were underway to achieve a deal.

Trump had made a request last month for supplemental spending  $34 billion extra for the military, plus $5 billion for the border wall and officers. But it largely landed with a thud on Capitol Hill.

Democrats panned beefing up defense expenditures without funding for other domestic needs, and the most conservative Republicans largely opposed any extra spending that wasnt offset by cuts elsewhere.

Instead, bipartisan leaders were aiming for a deal that would give both defense and nondefense accounts a smaller, but equal, boost for the remainder of the 2017 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

On a weekend conference call with lawmakers, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) told them the priority would be dispatching with the funding bill, according to someone familiar with the remarks.

Trump, however, apparently sensed his own leverage and started demanding that Congress agree to tack on $5 billion for the border wall.

The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)! the president tweeted Monday morning as lawmakers returned to Washington after a two-week break. Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall.

The administration is approaching its 100-day mark on Saturday, and showing progress on the border wall  perhaps Trumps most heavily repeated campaign promise -- would be a notable accomplishment for an otherwise slim record of legislative success.

To sweeten the deal for Democrats, the White House has proposed a $1-for-$1 swap for healthcare funds to ensure lower-income Americans dont lose their subsidies to help pay for insurance costs through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

But that offer put the presidents Republican allies in the uncomfortable position of fighting for the border wall they only mildly want  and they doubt Mexico will ever pay for  while agreeing to prop up the Affordable Care Act that is a priority for Democrats.

For Democrats, it provides an easy argument that Trump is willing to gamble away Americans healthcare for what Pelosi calls the rhetorical monstrosity of the wall.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer tamped down shutdown fears Monday, insisting that talks would produce a workable solution.

We feel very confident they understand the presidents priorities and will come to agreement by Friday, he said.

But asked if he could guarantee the shutdown threat was off the table, Spicer said he could not.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

ALSO

Trump seeks symbolic win this week as 100-day milestone nears

Trumps election has mobilized a resistance like no other, but will Democrats answer to the tea party divide the ranks?

Q&A: Filibuster, cloture and what the nuclear option means for Gorsuch nomination and future of the Senate

More coverage of Congress

More coverage of politics and the White House
Though he now calls the traditional 100-days-in-office benchmark ridiculous, its apparent that President Trump wants to notch a big win before it hits this week.

The White House wants lawmakers to make progress this week on a high-profile issue such as healthcare or tax reform  or at least avoid the disruption and embarrassment of a federal government shutdown Friday, the day before Trumps 100th day.

Im Sarah D. Wire, and I cover the California delegation in Congress. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics.

The House and Senate return today after a two-week recess and are facing a deadline to pass a bill to fund the government before much of it shuts down Friday.

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Trump has demanded the spending measure include $5 billion to begin building a massive wall along the border with Mexico and expand enforcement of immigration laws, but administration officials gave seemingly contradictory opinions Sunday on whether hell really insist that funding be included.

Trump also tried to pressure House and Senate Democrats into complying with the GOP on a healthcare bill by renewing a threat to withhold the insurance subsidies millions of Americans use to help pay for insurance. Noam N. Levey has the story on why a healthcare compromise, even within the Republican Party, is unlikely this week.

Get the latest about the Trump administration on Essential Washington and follow @latimespolitics. Keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for California political news.

ATTORNEY GENERAL VS. ATTORNEY GENERAL

U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions on Sunday knocked down criticism from California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra that a federal immigration crackdown is reckless, and accused state officials of jeopardizing public safety with so-called sanctuary city policies that restrict local authorities from enforcing federal immigration laws.

Sessions and Becerra appeared separately on ABCs This Week Sunday after Becerra said federal threats to withhold funds from those states and cities undermine public safety.

The states top law enforcement official wasnt the only one swinging back at the threat: California Senate leader Kevin de Leon said Trumps law enforcement policy is based on principles of white supremacy.

Meanwhile, Joseph Tanfani examined the difficulties that go into increasing deportation of immigrants here illegally, including hiring and paying for the thousands of new immigration officials the president wants.

WHOS RUNNING THE RUSSIA PROBE?

If confirmed by the Senate tonight, Rod J. Rosenstein is will take over the FBI inquiry into whether President Trumps current or former aides colluded with Russian intelligence to interfere with last years election.

Tanfani has the story on Rosenstein, would-be deputy to an attorney general whos recused himself from the investigation, and will ultimately decide whether to file criminal charges, drop the case entirely, or to hand it off to an independent counsel.

RESISTANCE FERVOR

Trumps election has mobilized thousands of first-time activists in a do-it-yourself movement like nothing seen on the political left in years.

Lisa Mascaro takes a look at the grass-roots movement whose bountiful energy and early successes stunned even Democratic Party officials, drawing comparisons to the tea party movement that transformed the GOP after President Obamas election.

THE SCIENCE MARCH

Scientists and their supporters took to the streets of Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and other cities around the world Saturday to voice their worries that fact-based research will be diminished under the Trump administration.

Waving signs with slogans like Science is Real and Ask for Evidence! the marchers in the nations capital gathered under drizzly skies at the base of the Washington Monument, a short distance from the White House.

Thousands joined the Los Angeles march and there were more than 40 science marches in California alone.

WAITING ON FEINSTEIN

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday that she is waiting for some family health issues to be resolved before she announces whether shell run for another term in 2018, but she indicated that an answer could be coming soon.

The time is coming, be assured. Ive had reasons for waiting, and so once those problems are solved, Ill let you know, Feinstein said.

ALL ABOUT THE 34TH DISTRICT RUNOFF

In case youve forgotten, theres a runoff for L.A.'s 34th Congressional District in just six weeks. Christine Mai-Duc has a primer with everything you need to know on the race.

In the crowded April 4 primary, the 24 candidates spent an average of $68 per vote. Most of that money was spent in a mad dash during the last three weeks of the campaign. Taxpayers paid about $1.3 million to hold the election in which less than 43,000 people voted.

THE TAX MAN COMETH

In Sacramento, all eyes this month have been on the daily reports of income taxes paid by millions of Californians  a precursor to next months big state budget negotiations.

In his column, John Myers looks at how the final tally might lead lawmakers to rethink government spending over the long haul. And theres this fun fact: Californians paid more in income taxes last week than the state of New Mexico spends in an entire year from its general fund.

TOWN HALL UPDATE

Dozens of members of Californias congressional delegation held town halls across the Golden State during the final week of the April recess.

Feinstein faced a largely friendly San Francisco and Los Angeles crowd at two town halls last week, though the crowd in Los Angeles kept trying to push her to a more progressive stance.

Feinstein managed to keep her typical pragmatic, centrist poise though, telling the at-times rambunctious crowd she opposes the president but will work with Republicans when possible.

Fellow Democrat Sen. Kamala Harris held her first town hall Friday and the states junior senator faced a largely friendly crowd.

Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro) also faced a gentler crowd while Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) trolled the president on Twitter about his crowd.

And this weeks California Politics Podcast looks at the political impact of the town halls.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

 Will environmental activist and mega political donor Tom Steyer make a run for governor? Keep waiting for that answer.

 Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who came in second in the race for the GOP presidential nomination last year, was raising money and courting prominent Republicans in Orange County last week.

 The state Fair Political Practices Commission launched a new database that makes it easier to see which California elected state officials are asking special interests to donate millions of dollars a year to their favorite charities.

 The California Legislature is considering a creative way to fund early childhood education: imposing a tax on companies that do business with Californias prison systems.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

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Californians already carry the nations heaviest state income tax burden by far. Thats especially true for the wealthy. But President Trump and Congress could make it a lot more onerous.

Theyre mulling the notion of eliminating the ability to deduct state and local taxes on federal 1040s. Its a plan hatched by House Republicans. Trump is drafting his own tax reform after indicating while running for election that hed keep those deductions.

But the president is eager for any big congressional victory, especially after the Obamacare embarrassment. And no one seems to know precisely what policy hes committed to beyond blocking immigrants from the Middle East and building a Mexican border wall.

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Scrapping the state income tax deduction would particularly torment some blue states that voted for Hillary Clinton and rely heavily on the levy  places such as New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maryland and California.

In California, the ability to deduct state and local taxes saved federal taxpayers $101 billion in 2014, the latest year for which there are data, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

Californias state income tax is very high and progressive, with rates ranging from 1% to 13.3%. The state with the second-highest rate, 9.9%, is Oregon. But unlike California, Oregon doesnt also impose a state sales tax.

Californians are projected to fork over roughly $83 billion in state income taxes this year, supplying 69% of the general fund. Imagine the howls if we could no longer deduct that hefty levy on our federal returns.

This came to mind last week as I glanced at the latest report of who pays what in California state income tax. We really like socking the rich.

The Franchise Tax Board reported that for 2015, the latest year analyzed, the top 1% paid nearly half  47.6%  of the total state income tax. These people earned 24% of the taxable income. They represented only about 161,000 tax returns out of a total 16.1 million.

On the lower end, the bottom 60% supplied just 2.2% of the tax take while earning 16.8% of the income.

California is a Bernie Sanders dream. He ran for president preaching that the wealthiest 1% should pay much more. They provided 37.8% of the federal tax in 2013, significantly less than one-percenters sent to Sacramento.

Leaning heavily on the rich to finance state government may or may not be fair. Thats not the issue. The problem, as Ive written many times, is that its a dangerously volatile fiscal strategy. It invariably jeopardizes vital programs such as education, healthcare and public safety.

Californias state tax system is a rickety relic of the mid-20th century. And its long past time to lift it into the 21st. The revenue stream has become unreliable because it depends too much on high-income earners, especially their capital gains. During an inevitable recession, capital gains go bust and the revenue slows to a trickle, creating massive budget deficits.

Example: During the recession in 2008, a 3.7% decline in the California economy resulted in a 23% plunge in state revenue.

Whats sorely needed is a more reliable tax system that doesnt resemble a yo-yo. That means perhaps reducing the top income tax rate at least a couple of points, taxing capital gains at a lower rate (as the feds do) and easing the sales tax rate while extending it to services, like other states do.

California taxes sales of retail goods, but not services. Certainly not lawyer and accountant services, let alone Dodgers tickets. And Californias economy now is reliant mainly on services.

Neither Gov. Jerry Brown nor either party in the Legislature has a stomach for seriously addressing this dilemma. Raising some taxes, even while lowering others, would be highly controversial. Thered be winners and losers. And it would be fought to the death by special interests.

But thats where the possibility of the feds killing state and local tax deductions comes into play. If state income taxes cant be deducted, that might provide a new incentive to lower them while extending the sales tax to services. The sales tax already basically isnt deductible for Californians.

Wed be protecting California from Trump, says state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), who has been on a crusade to make state taxes less volatile but hasnt found many followers. Since all the Washington talk, however, some lawmakers have started showing interest, he says.

Updates from Sacramento 

State Controller Betty T. Yee has been a tax reform advocate. But, she says, Ive kind of pulled back a little bit, waiting to see what Trump is going to do.

Trump should scrub the state and local tax deductions. Why should the federal government subsidize Californias high taxes by reducing their pain?

President Reagan tried to do it.

I dont believe that we can justify a system that forces taxpayers in low-tax states to subsidize the big-spending policies of a few high-tax states, Reagan said, speaking not only as president but a former California governor. That really is taxation without representation.

Reagan succeeded only in dumping the sales tax deduction. Then states with no income tax to deduct complained. One was Texas. And when Texan George W. Bush was elected president, taxpayers were given an option to deduct either the state income or sales tax.

Reagan was right. Eliminate them all. Lower the federal rates. And inspire weak-kneed Sacramento politicians to bring state taxes up to speed.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter

ALSO

Was Gov. Brown wrong to make side deals to push through the gas tax hike? No, thats democracy

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Why are California legislators getting decent approval ratings? Theyre getting things done
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.
Two employees from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and two from the Ocean View School District are competing to be among the state Classified School Employees of the Year.

The California Department of Education is scheduled to announce the winners this month and honor them with a luncheon in Sacramento during Classified School Employee Week from May 15 to 19.

Clare Shweyk and Alicia Helm from Ocean View and Karen Allison and Ilse Taborga of Newport-Mesa are among the finalists.

Shweyk is the library specialist at Hope View Elementary School in Huntington Beach and has been with the Ocean View district for 11 years.

Helm has worked for Ocean View for 26 years and is currently a bus driver.

Allison has worked for Newport-Mesa for 12 years and is currently in charge of the cafeteria at Adams Elementary School in Costa Mesa.

Taborga has worked as a school community facilitator for 14 years, serving as a liaison between families and the school district and schools. She is currently at Adams Elementary and at Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach.

Nominees must be rank-and-file classified (non-faculty) employees in a California public school with at least five years service in one of the six nomination categories: child nutrition; office and technical; maintenance, operations and facilities; transportation; support services and security; and para-educator and instructional assistance.

The nominations, made with school district help, are submitted by county offices of education for state consideration.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

@vegapriscella
The day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president, millions around the globe marched in protest. When asked why I didnt participate in any demonstration, my answer was simple: I intend to register my complaints in writing, not in steps.

Thinking that was the end of it, I began focusing my attention on my keyboard. Over the last 100 days, I have written half a dozen pieces about Trump and his cohorts. But I guess that wasnt enough for some of my friends. They still want to know why Im not actively protesting.

Ah, yes, protesting. I made the trek north to Berkeley from Los Angeles to march in two Peoples Park demonstrations when I was an undergrad at USC. I attended the first Earth Day rally in L.A. in 1970.

And, 45 years ago this spring, when President Richard Nixon ordered the mining of Haiphong Harbor as well as other harbors and inland waterways in North Vietnam, I was among numerous lawmakers and a thousand others who gathered on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to protest the escalation of the war in Vietnam.

Years later, I was protesting the Reagan administration. In August 1985, I was retained by the cities of San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach to coordinate the fight against offshore drilling in Orange County. Even the county Board of Supervisors and the mayors of other cities joined forces with us. Our collective opposition prevailed, and, as Ive told my three children, this was the most significant political accomplishment of my career.

I realize that just because I marched and protested decades ago it doesnt excuse me from ever doing it again. Maybe I will. But for now, I hope my friends will appreciate how Im protesting in 2017: Quietly but, hopefully, effectively. Even though I wont be with you in the streets, I am with you in spirit. I hear your voices every time I sit down to write a piece.

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

Dont donate to colleges with outspoken professors

A Fresno State professor recently tweeted President Trump must hang. We had an Orange Coast College professor call Trump a terrorist, and receive a teacher of the year award, no less. A spokeswoman from Washington, D.C., public schools wants to get rid of white men. We had a Drexel University Professor tweet all he wants for Christmas is for white genocide.

The pattern of intolerant, radical comments from professors, who have become, for lack of a better word, unhinged, should give pause to any parent and donor spending thousands of dollars toward these colleges. Conservative speakers have been essentially banned from some college campuses because it makes some students feel unsafe.

Disagreeing with a president goes back to our founding fathers. Today, the level of hate and intolerance from professors and educators throughout our country has reached a boiling point. Until donations stop hitting these colleges and colleges start condemning this behavior, it can only get worse.

Trumps promise to control illegal immigration is no excuse for this barbaric, inexcusable behavior from those we count on to educate our kids. The only way this message will be felt is through the almighty dollar, and by those of us who can control where we send our kids to school. Differing points of few are critical in a democracy; the behavior exhibited by a number of college professors is troubling and inexcusable.

Juli Hayden

Newport Beach

How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.
Question: My wife and I are planning a trip to Europe this summer. I recently read that the European Union may not allow visa-free travel for U.S. citizens. Does this mean well need to get visas for the countries we plan to visit?

Murray Zichlinsky

Anaheim

Answer: At this point, the answer is a definite maybe. There is no clear-cut response to Zichlinskys question  not yet anyway. Which is annoying, but then almost everything about a visa is.

As with anything involving international borders, there are issues beyond the issues. Lets look at them and see whether the tangle of who is doing what to whom might become, if not clearer, at least less perplexing.

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OK, so what is a visa?

Its permission to enter a country, and its usually recorded as a stamp or sticker in your passport. Sometimes you must apply well in advance, and sometimes it costs you a pretty penny.

Do you always need a visa to visit a foreign country?

No, not always, especially if youre a tourist. For instance, many Western European countries essentially just wave in U.S. citizens. Or at least they have been doing that.

What are some countries that do require visas?

Brazil, China, India and Russia require visas for U.S. visitors. The good news is that more than 170 countries do not require U.S. citizens to have a visa.

How do I know if I need one?

You go to the State Departments website and search for the country or countries youre going to visit.

What if I do need a visa?

Depending on the country, you may need to go to the embassy or consulate (or mail your passport to that embassy or consulate or use an online application) or ask a visa service to handle the matter for you.

But why does, say, China make me get a visa?

The short answer is visa reciprocity.

Heres how the State Departments website explains it: When a foreign government imposes fees on U.S. citizens for certain types of visas, the United States will impose a reciprocal fee on citizens of that country/area of authority for similar types of visas.

Its a smaller variation on eye for an eye, appropriate because visa comes from the Latin for vision.

OK, so up until now, Americans didnt have to have a visa to travel to France, for instance. Could that change?

It could. Whether it will depends a bit on whether the U.S. and Europe can come to an agreement.

Whats that about?

The crux of the situation is this: Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Poland and Cyprus let U.S. tourists visit their countries without a visa. But the U.S. asks that citizens from those countries obtain a visa before visiting the U.S.

Isnt that a little unfair?

Depends on whom you ask. The U.S. State Department says those five countries have not met the standards for visa-free travel. Those standards are set by law.

But the European Union says that despite prodding, the U.S. has not made progress in lifting the visa requirement. The U.S. wasnt the only country that blocked those five, but Australia, Japan and Brunei have backed off. Canada in December will allow travelers from those five countries in without a visa, according to European Parliament News.

But the U.S. is holding strong or stubborn, again depending on your point of view, although talks, according to both sides, are continuing.

If this isnt resolved, Id have to get a visa for Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Croatia and Cyprus?

Yes. But wait. Theres more. In early March, the European Union Parliament voted to make Americans get visas for travel to its countries. The vote, according to NBC News, was non-binding.

But it was alarming. If the U.S. does not change its policy concerning those five countries, the European Union may change its mind about allowing U.S. citizens to move freely  that is, without a visa  among its 28 countries. (Britain is still a member but leaves in 2019. Not every European nation is an EU member; Switzerland and Norway, for instance, are not members.)

Saber-rattling? Could be. But as the EU points out, this has been dragging on for three years.

Some movement is expected by the end of June as both sides try to avert what could be a huge blow to summer vacation travel as Americans take advantage of a weak euro and reasonable airfares.

Now what?

Proceed apace. There is little you can do to affect the outcome. But meanwhile, if Europe is on your vacation radar, this might be the time to make friends with a visa service just in case you need an instant ally.

Have a travel dilemma? Write to travel@latimes.com. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
The CIA is planning to close its satellite bases in Afghanistan and pull all its personnel back to Kabul by early summer, an unexpectedly abrupt withdrawal that the U.S. military fears will deprive it of vital intelligence while thousands of American troops remain in the country, U.S. officials said.

CIA Director John Brennan informed U.S. military commanders in March that his agency would shutter operations outside Kabul, removing CIA case officers and analysts as well as National Security Agency specialists responsible for intercepting insurgent phone calls and other communications, a rich source of daily intelligence, the officials said.

Pentagon officials warn that the CIA drawdown after 12 years of war is coming just as insurgent attacks are normally at their peak. As a result, the CIA withdrawal has strained relations between the agency and military commanders in Kabul, the officials said.

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They are beginning their own retrograde and they kind of sprung it on the military, which is raising concern, a senior military official, using the military term for retreat, said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss classified CIA plans.

Intelligence officials confirmed the drawdown, but said the pace is still uncertain. They linked the CIA move to the steady pullout of U.S. military forces who normally provide protection and logistical support for the network of intelligence-gathering outposts, which often are hidden inside U.S. military bases. Hundreds of those forward operating bases have now closed, although dozens are still operating.

There is no stomach in the building for going out there on our own, said a former CIA operator who has spoken to current officers about the pullback. We are not putting our people out there without U.S. forces.

The CIA also plans this summer to stop paying the salaries of Afghan paramilitary forces that it has armed and trained for more than a decade to help fight the Taliban-led insurgency in eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. Its unclear what will happen to the militias.

The Pentagon is seeking to persuade the CIA to slow its withdrawal, arguing that keeping CIA and NSA operators in the field as long as possible will help prevent a surge in insurgent attacks before the end of 2014, when most U.S. troops are due to leave.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top commander in Afghanistan, has offered to help the CIA close its intelligence-gathering installations and remove its equipment later this year. By taking on that task, he hopes to persuade the CIA to remain in the field at least until October, one of the officials said.

Pentagon officials are also exploring whether the military can take over paying the salaries of the CIA-backed militias, in order to keep the Afghan fighters from leaving the fight or switching sides, officials said. Some of the front-line units already have been disbanded, according to a report in the Daily Beast.

Brennan told military officials that the CIA would be able to continue gathering intelligence and targeting militants, even after pulling back to Kabul and Bagram and withdrawing many of its personnel, one official said.

The spy service already has sharply cut back the pace of lethal drone strikes in neighboring Pakistan, but one official said the agency was making plans to continue operating the armed drones on a much smaller scale from Bagram.

Al Qaeda commanders, including the terrorist networks leader, Ayman Zawahiri, are still are believed to be hiding in northwest Pakistan. The tribal belt also serves as a base for fighters from the Haqqani network, which is allied with the Taliban and launched numerous attacks against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Brennan told the military that CIA faced other priorities outside Afghanistan and Pakistan that were compelling it to pull many if its people out, the official said.

The agency is increasingly active in Yemen and parts of Africa, for example, as Al Qaeda has morphed into regional affiliates and wannabe groups.

Inside the CIA, the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic and CIA compounds in Benghazi, Libya, which was considered far less dangerous than the war zone in Afghanistan, highlighted the risk of operating with local security and a light footprint. That attack killed four Americans, including two ex-Navy SEALs working for the CIA.

The agency suffered one of its worst losses ever, however, when a suicide bomber got into a CIA facility inside a U.S. military camp near Khost in eastern Afghanistan on Dec. 30, 2009. The explosion killed seven American CIA officers and contractors, as well as a Jordanian intelligence officer and an Afghan working for the CIA.

Col. Jane Crichton, Dunfords spokeswoman, declined to comment Thursday.

The dispute has arisen as the Obama administration is nearing a final decision on the size and mission of the force that the U.S. hopes will remain in Afghanistan after this year.

Afghanistans outgoing president, Hamid Karzai, a harsh critic of U.S. policy in his country, has refused for months to sign a bilateral security agreement that his government had negotiated with Washington to permit a residual U.S. military force to remain beyond 2014.

U.S. officials hope Karzais successor will sign the pact. Elections were held in April, and the two leading contenders, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and former World Bank executive Ashraf Ghani, will face a runoff in June.

Some White House officials have renewed a push to keep the mission limited to going after the remnants of Al Qaeda and its supporters. These officials favor abandoning plans to continue training and advising Afghan troops after 2014, arguing that little more will be accomplished by a wider mission, officials said.

The CIAs abrupt withdrawal plan may be an indication of growing support within Obamas inner circle for a small U.S. footprint centered on Kabul and at Bagram air base north of the capital, where the CIA would shift its drone operations, one of the officials said.

Dunford is continuing to push for keeping more than 10,000 American troops to continue training and advising Afghan military and police, as well as for counter-terrorism operations, officials said.

Military officials hope to persuade the CIA to keep a presence in Afghanistans south and east after this year if the White House approves Dunfords troop plan. It calls for keeping small numbers of advisors, trainers and special operations troops at a handful of locations outside Kabul.

But some in the White House believe there will be minimal results from continued training, because the mission is only scheduled for a year or two more. For that reason, they are urging Obama to keep any remaining U.S. force focused on going after Al Qaeda remnants, the officials said.

A senior U.S. official said military officials are pressing the White House for a decision soon on post-2014 troop levels, in order to give them time to remove forces and equipment by the year-end deadline or to put in place the force that will stay behind.

The military is reaching a point where we need a decision, one way or another, said one of the officials. Weve given the White House multiple options.

Staff writer Ken Dilanian in Washington contributed to this report.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday implored President Trump to show restraint toward North Korea, repeating a plea for patience amid signs the isolated nation is preparing for another nuclear test.

The two spoke by phone for the second time this month, and following a face-to-face meeting in Florida. Trump has urged Xi to exert more pressure on North Korea, which depends largely on its neighbor for economic survival. China insists Washington should do its part to defuse tension over the Norths nuclear ambitions by embracing talks.

China is firmly opposed to any violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, Xi said, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement, and is willing to work with the United States.

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He also emphasized hope that all sides exercise restraint and avoid intensifying the situation on the peninsula. Only when each side takes responsibility and works together, can we solve the nuclear issue.

Theres no such thing as a failed missile launch: Lessons from North Korea, the post-truth capital of the world 

The White House issued a statement confirming the two leaders spoke about North Korea, but mentioned nothing about Xi cautioning restraint.

President Trump criticized North Koreas continued belligerence and emphasized that Pyongyangs actions are destabilizing the Korean peninsula, the statement said. It added that Trump and Xi committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including military action, are on the table should Pyongyang attempt its sixth nuclear test. North Korea celebrates the 85th anniversary of its armys founding Tuesday and likes to mark such occasions with displays of its power.

Trump also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday as Japanese destroyers began naval drills with the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson.

We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint, Abe told reporters.

A White House statement said only that the two leaders addressed a range of regional and global issues of mutual concern.

U.S. officials earlier said the aircraft carrier was headed toward the Korean peninsula, when it was actually going in the opposite direction. Now  according to Vice President Mike Pence, who visited Japan last week  its headed the right way.

China is increasingly worried the standoff between the U.S. and North Korea could spiral out of control, resulting in a cascade of refugees on its border and the collapse of a buffer region between it and a democratic South Korea.

The fact that the two leaders communicated at this point is important, said Zhang Liangui, a North Korea expert at the Communist Partys Central Party School in Beijing. It seems that the view from China and the U.S. on the Korean peninsula is getting closer.

North Korea ratcheted up tensions Sunday when it reportedly detained a third American citizen, a teacher at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. The state-run media declared the nation ready to sink the U.S. aircraft carrier.

Analysts had predicted a nuclear test in mid-April to coincide with the birthday of the nations late founder, Kim Il Sung. His grandson, current leader Kim Jong Un, instead flubbed a missile launch.

But Washington and South Korea believe the North is inching closer toward creating an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the United States. Even China, which has long sought to balance its North Korean alliance with global demands to act, has taken a more defiant tone.

China suspended coal imports this year, and a Communist Party-run newspaper has warned the country might cut off oil shipments should the North conduct a nuclear test.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday implied that China was dancing to the tune of the United States. Chinas Global Times newspaper, a Communist Party mouthpiece, shot back.

North Koreas nuclear program has severely impacted peace and stability in northeast Asia, jeopardizing Chinas major national interests, the paper said Monday in an unusually fierce attack.

Preventing Pyongyang from continuing to develop nuclear weapons has already become Beijings priority in northeast Asian policies.

Nicole Liu in The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

Meyers is a special correspondent.

Twitter: @jessicameyers

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A Filipino lawyer filed a complaint Monday with the International Criminal Court accusing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of crimes against humanity and mass murder  charges stemming from his war on drugs, which has left thousands dead.

The complaint, filed with the court in The Hague, blames Duterte for a terrifying, gruesome and disastrous commission of extra-judicial killings, beginning when he was mayor of Davao city in the southern Philippines and continuing during his term as president.

Duterte, who ran for president on a tough-on-crime platform, has encouraged the killings of thousands of suspected drug dealers and has boasted of personally killing three people when he was mayor of Davao.

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses army troops at Ft. Bonifacio in suburban Taguig city on April 4. (Bullit Marquez / Associated Press)

Attorney Jude Sabio, in his filing, charges that Duterte was responsible for more than 1,000 murders at the hands of the Davao Death Squad when he was mayor for two decades before being elected president last year, and has broadened the practice since then to include an additional 7,000 deaths nationally.

Immediately after taking his oath as president, he launched a virulent and brutal national campaign against illegal drugs, more popularly called war on drugs, that has resulted in a national bloodbath in a scale never seen before in recent history, the complaint states.

A lawyer for Duterte dismissed the complaint as false and politically motivated.

The allegations that Durerte oversaw a vigilante death squad as mayor, along with impeachment complaints filed last month and dipping popularity ratings, suggest that he may be paying a political price for his crackdown on illegal drugs.

It is not clear, however, whether the International Criminal Court filing will lead to an indictment, and the court has a modest record of actually bringing leaders to justice. Its reach is limited to countries that signed and ratified the Rome statute that created the court in 1998 and have not since rescinded their approval. Among the countries not covered by the court are the United States, Russia, China and Israel.

African countries have complained that they are singled out by the court, and have agreed to a plan for a mass withdrawal.

Dutertes opposition is determined to hold the president accountable in some way, and many Filipinos say the prospects for impeachment are dim because Duterte has the support of a majority of Congress.

Duterte is an abomination to the presidency. How can you have a president who is killing his own people? Sabio said in an interview before filing the case.

Sabio is the lawyer of Edgar Matobato, who confessed to being a hitman for the Davao Death Squad last September during a Philippine Senate probe into the extrajudicial killings. Suspected drug dealers as well as users  mostly poor young men in urban slums  have been gunned down with impunity by police and, in some cases, private citizens.

In testimony filled with gruesome details, including a description of cutting up victims and throwing them into a river to be eaten by crocodiles, the 57-year-old Matobato named Duterte as the mastermind of the death squad and implicated Davao police officer Arturo Lascanas as one of ringleaders.

According to Sabio, his clients testimony is critical to the ICC case. We can now establish a pattern to show that when he was mayor of Davao city, President Duterte used the Davao Death Squad as a system to eliminate criminals and control crime, he said.

When first summoned by the Senate committee in October, Lascanas categorically denied the existence of the death squad. He recanted his statement and made a public confession four months later after he had retired from the police force.

According to Lascanas, the squad eliminated petty criminals and drug users but later expanded to killing political rivals, including journalists who were critical of Duterte. He also claimed that Duterte issued kill orders, and supplied cash to buy unregistered firearms and issue rewards for each kill. Senior members such as Lascanas enjoyed perks, including a monthly cash allowance of $2,000.

We were run like a Mafia family, Lascanas said.

Matobato and Lascanas have been under protective custody since their public confessions. Lascanas fled to Singapore in April 2016, saying that there were increased threats to his security.

The potential ICC case follows the impeachment complaints filed by Congressman Gary Alejano, based in part on what the complaint says was Dutertes failure to defend the countrys territorial rights in the South China Sea.

Chinas sweeping territorial claims over the South China Sea have made for hostile relations between the two countries. Last year, the Philippines elevated a territorial dispute with China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which ruled in favor of the Philippines.

Duterte, however, set aside the ruling and chose to extend friendly overtures to China, turning his back on the United States, with which the Philippines has a long and complicated history.

Good relations should not be at the expense of national interest, Alejano said. As president, he should be the first to defend Philippine sovereignty. Duterte is acting like Chinas spokesperson.

Chief presidential counsel Salvador Panelo dismissed the impeachment complaints, corruption charges and ICC complaint.

This is just a rehash of the complaints made during the campaign period. This is nothing but political harassment, he said.

Panelo said he doubted that the ICC complaint would be successful because most of the drug-related killings were routine homicides and not state-initiated.

On the presidents pronouncements to kill criminals and reward police for doing so, Panelo said: Those statements are hyperbole, meant to serve as a dramatic warning to criminals. It is never a crime to say, I will kill you.

Antonio La Vina, an international lawyer and former dean of the Ateneo School of Government in the Philippines, expressed concerns about the implications of bringing a case before the ICC, saying that before that step is taken, domestic remedies should be exhausted.

A finding that no remedy now exists in the country is a finding that rule of law is dead here, La Vina said.

Santos is a special correspondent.

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During a phone conversation intercepted by Italian police, one prison inmates wife told her husband in no uncertain terms how incarceration was changing him for the worse.

You are hanging around with stupid people! Caterina Hmidi told her husband, Saber, who was at Romes Regina Coeli Jail. You are doing stupid things and you dont listen to your wifes advice.

The 2014 recording of the couples conversation, Italian police say, came from their surveillance of Saber Hmidi, a 34-year-old Tunisian who raised concerns by recruiting other inmates to become Islamic extremists and by threatening to decapitate prison guards.

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Hmidi, who is serving three years and eight months for threatening police with a pistol, apparently plans to join the Islamic State militant group and seek martyrdom in Syria upon his release this year, police said.

Authorities say although Italy has not seen the terrorism experienced elsewhere in Europe or around the world, the countrys incarceration facilities could be incubators for people at least considering extremism.

The problem, authorities say, exists at jails and prisons around the world. In response, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime recently announced it had launched its first handbook on managing violent extremist prisoners and preventing radicalization to violence in prisons.

These are fragile people who hate everyone and often two or three words are enough to convince them that an extreme act can give sense to their lives.  Izzedin Elzir, Italy-based Palestinian imam

Overcrowding, poor prison conditions and infrastructure, insufficient prison management capacity as well as corruption, for example, are all factors which will poison attempts to effectively prevent and counter violent extremism in prisons, said Aldo Lale-Demoz, deputy executive director for UNODC.

The U.N. says it is impossible to know exactly how many violent extremists are in prison custody around the world, but some countries may have only a few while others may have hundreds or thousands.

The handbook, which looks at the phenomenon in Europe, Africa and the U.S., focuses on better training for guards to spot extremists who prey on, and recruit, weak and disoriented fellow prisoners.

French officials said a man who attacked a soldier at Orly Airport last month before being shot dead by the soldiers colleagues was flagged to the countrys intelligence services as a possible Islamist extremist after he was radicalized in prison.

The number of extremists who commit attacks in France after serving time has led to French jails being dubbed finishing schools for terrorists.

In Italy, Justice Minister Andrea Orlando said recently that the countrys jails had become hotbeds for radicalization. The nation has about 55,000 inmates.

Public alarm about Islamists has grown in Italy as the number of migrants sailing from North Africa has soared, with 500,000 arriving in the last three years. Italy has a population of about 60 million, including an estimated 1.2 million to 1.4 million Muslims.

As extremists have set off alarm bells about terrorism, the government has moved to round up and expel potential terrorism suspects who are not citizens. More than 160 have been thrown out of the country since January 2015, often after surveillance of social media found them praising Islamic State extremists, threatening to mount attacks or contacting known terrorists, officials said.

The paths to radicalization are above all on the Web and in jails, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said recently.

As part of the effort to tackle extremism in prisons, a number of changes are being made in cooperation with the Union of Italian Islamic Communities, a lobby group.

Imams are training prison guards on how to accommodate the needs of Muslim inmates, and a new group of 13 imams is making twice weekly visits to six key jails, said Izzedin Elzir, an Italy-based Palestinian imam who heads the group.

Italian jails are full of young Muslims who do time for petty crimes but emerge radicalized, said Stefano Dambruoso, a centrist member of Parliament and former magistrate who supports moderate imams preaching in jails.

Hmidi, a former holiday camp entertainer in Tunisia, married an Italian and had a daughter when he migrated to Italy, but he fell into drug dealing and was put in jail in Velletri in 2011.

He was released after a while profoundly changed by extreme Islamist indoctrination, police said, and was arrested again in 2014 for pulling a pistol on two police officers. He was shuttled between six different jails, using the opportunity to preach and organize groups of prisoners who would violently assault anyone complaining of their loud praying.

In another case, officials have said they think Anis Amri, who drove a truck into a market in Germany in December, killing 12 people, was also radicalized in Italian jails. Amri fled Germany but was shot dead by police in a suburb of Milan, Italy.

He had gone to Italy from Tunisia in 2011 and reportedly torched a migrant center in Sicily, then committed to radical Islam during four years spent shuttling among Sicilian jails, where he threatened to behead a Christian inmate who refused to convert to Islam.

Like Hmidi, Amri was moved repeatedly from jail to jail in Italy when he caused trouble, allowing him to push his brand of militant Islam to a growing and changing audience, authorities said.

These are fragile people who hate everyone and often two or three words are enough to convince them that an extreme act can give sense to their lives, Elzir said.

Patrizio Gonnella, the head of Antigone, a charity that campaigns for prisoners rights, said many priests visit prisons and many facilities have chapels because of a 1929 deal between the Vatican and the Italian state. Fewer representatives of other religions go to the prisons, he said.

Several activists said part of the challenge they face is helping prisoners at risk of radicalization to see violence as a wrongful act against humanity.

Understanding that is the first step to convince them they are on the wrong path, Elzir said. Its a civil, religious and moral duty.

Kington is a special correspondent.

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Afghanistans defense minister and army chief stepped down Monday amid growing outrage over the deaths of more than 100 soldiers in one of the deadliest Taliban attacks of the 16-year war.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Qadam Shah Shaheem, the chief of army staff, in a meeting at the presidential palace, according to a government statement.

Ghani also approved an order to replace the commander of the 209th Corps, the army unit based at the military installation in the northern province of Balkh that was attacked Friday, as well as three other units.

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A small group of protesters gathered in Kabul on Monday to criticize the government following the Taliban raid, in which 10 militants wearing army uniforms infiltrated the base and opened fire on soldiers as they were concluding prayers or having lunch. Unconfirmed reports from provincial military officials said more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed.

About 30 U.S.-led military coalition troops were on the base at the time but were not harmed, a Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, said Monday.

Some of the Afghan demonstrators frustration centered around Ghanis appointment of Habibi, who is 65 and was thought by some to be too old for the job. At a news conference he said he resigned for the good of the country and said we should give a chance to our young, energetic and educated people.

The resignations came as Defense Secretary James N. Mattis arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit, becoming the second senior Trump administration official in as many weeks to visit the site of the U.S.s longest war.

Defense Secretary James Mattis, center, and Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, second from left, meet with Afghanistans National Security Director Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, right, in Kabul, Afghanistan on April 24, 2017. (JONATHAN ERNST / AP)

Mattis met with Ghani and U.S. military officials as President Trump considers whether to increase the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan for the first time since President Obamas 2010 surge of tens of thousands of troops.

Speaking with reporters in Kabul, Mattis said he was under no illusions about the challenges in Afghanistan and that 2017 is going to be another tough year for Afghan forces and their international allies.

Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has said he wants a few thousand more troops to add to the 8,400 U.S. forces stationed in the country. Nicholson told reporters Monday that he was not refuting reports that Russia is providing arms to the Taliban, which U.S. officials say is creating new challenges for coalition forces.

Russia has denied providing weapons, saying only that it maintains contact with the Taliban and aims to encourage peace talks.

Last week, Trumps national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, indicated following a visit to Afghanistan that he would support a U.S. troop increase, saying that we have reduced considerably the degree and scope of our effort.

The U.S. mission focuses on advising Afghan forces, conducting counterterrorism operations and carrying out a growing number of airstrikes against Taliban and Islamic State militants.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. military dropped its most powerful nonnuclear bomb, called the Massive Ordnance Air Blast, or MOAB, and nicknamed the mother of all bombs, on a network of tunnels in eastern Afghanistan that was used by fighters loyal to Islamic State. Afghan officials said that dozens of militants were killed by what the Pentagon refers to as the mother of all bombs, but the reports have not been independently confirmed.

Trump has hardly spoken about Afghanistan and failed to articulate a policy for the conflict, but the scale of the bombing suggested that he had given Pentagon commanders freer reign.

While U.S. military officials voice concern about several hundred Islamic State loyalists  many believed to have come from neighboring Pakistan  the far bigger challenge to the Afghan government comes from the Taliban.

The Afghan militant group controls more than 40% of Afghan territory, according to U.S. military estimates, more than at any point since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, and has inflicted huge numbers of casualties against Afghan forces.

Afghan officials have called on the Trump administration to take action against Pakistan, which they believe provides the Taliban leadership with a haven. A Pakistan-led effort to host peace talks with the Taliban collapsed last year while the militant group continued to gather territory.

Last weeks attack illustrated the need for the Trump administration to increase pressure on Pakistan, Afghan officials said.

These arent village Taliban, said Daoud Sultanzoy, a former independent lawmaker. These are well-orchestrated and well-organized attacks and being directed by very sophisticated command and control organizations on the other side of the border.

Also Monday, a car bomb exploded at an Afghan checkpoint outside a U.S. military facility in the eastern province of Khost. Provincial police chief Faizullah Ghairat said four members of the Afghan security forces were killed and several people wounded.

The base, known as Camp Chapman, was the site of one of the most infamous incidents of the U.S. war, in 2009, when a Jordanian man blew himself up outside a CIA facility on the base and killed seven agency officers and contractors.

Special correspondent Faizy reported from Kabul and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India. Times staff writer W.J. Hennigan in Washington contributed to this report.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia

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UPDATES:

11:55 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from U.S. officials.

This article was originally published at 10:35 a.m.
French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has announced that she is stepping down as head of the far right National Front party.

Mondays move appears to be a way for Le Pen to embrace a wide range of potential voters ahead of the May 7 runoff between herself and Emmanuel Macron, the independent centrist who came in first in Sundays first round.

Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the presidential candidate, she said on French public television news.

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Le Pen has said that she is not a candidate of her party, and made that point when she rolled out her platform in February, saying the measures she was espousing were not her partys, but her own.
A land mine blew up a vehicle carrying an OSCE monitoring team in the separatist Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine on Sunday, killing an American observer and wounding two European members of the mission, officials reported.

The missions deputy head, Alexander Hug, said the member killed was from the United States and the two wounded are from Germany and the Czech Republic.

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, called for an investigation into the blast and said on Twitter that those responsible will be held accountable.

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In Washington, the State Department expressed shock and sadness and extended condolences to family and friends of the victim, who was not identified.

Spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. again calls upon Russia to use its influence with the separatists to take the first step toward peace to eastern Ukraine and ensure a visible, verifiable and irreversible improvement in the security situation.

This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats and harassment. The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent and timely investigation.

In a separate statement, the State Department said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson phoned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to Russian officials that Moscows actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle to improved relations with the U.S.

Tillerson accepted Poroshenkos condolences on the OSCE observers death and the two leaders agreed that this tragic incident makes clear the need for all sides  and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces  to implement their commitments under the Minsk Agreements immediately, the department said.

The self-proclaimed security ministry for the Russia-backed separatist rebels in Luhansk said the mine had been laid by Ukrainian forces. The rebels and the Ukrainian government have been fighting in eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a war that has killed more than 9,900 people.

The monitoring mission assesses compliance with the 2-year-old Minsk peace deal that was to bring a cease-fire and heavy weapons pullback to the region. It also conducts work on human rights and civil society issues as well as mine-awareness programs.

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The thump of the bass drum reverberated through the neighborhood.

It was the cue for the dozens of young scouts in two-tone uniforms to take their positions in a procession through Beiruts Christian quarter to the Patriarchate of the Armenian Catholic Church.

The solemn march Monday afternoon marked the 102nd anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide, which began in 1915 and resulted in the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Armenians.

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Turkey has long disputed that a genocide took place, arguing that the killings cant be separated from the historical context of global upheaval during World War I, and that many Turks also were killed. But most historians outside Turkey describe an orchestrated effort of ethnic cleansing by the Ottoman Turkish government that meets the definition of genocide.

Once the procession reached the church, the scouts set wreaths of red and white flowers around an ornate column topped by a cross that stood at the center of a courtyard as a monument to the genocide.

Nearby, a few of the hardier boys raised poles with the Armenian blue, orange and red flag fluttering alongside Lebanons flag. Some of their classmates faces turned a shade of scarlet as they blew trumpets raised to the sky.

 Armenians gather in Beirut to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide.

Wherever there are Armenians, there will be this ceremony. Its a duty. They come show respect and appreciation, said Aram Karadaghlian, 31, one of the events organizers.

The stick on his jacket lapel featured an infinity sign around the number 102 underlined by a phrase in elegant Armenian script which declared: On the verge of the new century, but with the same commitment as the previous one.

It was a reference to the continuing struggle to keep the memory of the genocide alive, he said. Its about remembrance, because we dont forget.

His sentiment was echoed by Mehran Najarian, a 44-year old businessman who had brought his family to the ceremony.

In this country we have the privilege to be able to express ourselves, he said. Each community does this here.

Im the third generation of Armenians here. And as you can see the fourth is standing in front of you, he said, turning to his 10-year-old son, Sarkis.

Although there were commemorations for this event all over the world, said Samvel Mkrtchyan, Armenias ambassador to Lebanon, the Armenian community in Lebanon is the most important.

Lebanons more than 100,000 Armenians are the descendants of those who perished in the beginning of the 20th century, he said.

Those orphans and impoverished families found refuge in Lebanon and they grew from the ashes and rebuilt their lives and became one its most important communities.

Later, as night fell on the city, thousands descended on the downtown district to Martyrs Square, which had been named to remember Lebanese who had been executed there during Ottoman rule in 1931.

Rows of plastic chairs had been laid out before a stage ringed by powerful lights and a large screen displaying 100+2.

Danny Dervishian, head of the Armenia Brigade Motorcycle Club, one of the many groups taking part in Beiruts commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. (Nabih Bulos / Los Angeles Times)

Looking on were a dozen or so leather-clad members of the Armenian Brigade Motorcycle Club.

They would soon provide a high-revving escort for the march, tailing the marches out of the square with the motorcycles that now stood arrayed in a neat row to the side, their chrome gleaming from the spotlights.

Today its a duty on every Armenian to join this event for the recognition for the Armenian genocide, said the leader of the club, Danny Dervishian, whose nickname, The Godfather, was stitched on his vest

Lebanese Armenian officials and politicians addressed the crowd.

One official, Annie Yepremian, gave a defiant speech in Armenian remarking on the global nature of the proceedings.

The anniversary was being marked from Beirut to Paris, from Aleppo to New York, from Tehran to London, said Yepremian.

A representative of Michel Aoun, the countrys newly appointed president, described the day as both sad and brilliant.

It is sad because of the genocide against an alive, great, free people, the Armenians of Lebanon and the world, he said.

But it was brilliant because of the achievements of the Lebanese Armenians in the country.

A salute from the president, he told the crowd to polite applause.

French President Francois Hollande carries a wreath during a ceremony on April 24, 2017, in Paris marking the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. (CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON / AFP/Getty Images)

Bulos is a special correspondent.
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After facing the issue about the fiasco of Samsung Note 7, the Samsung company has been trying to deliver a device that will stand out from the rest. Arguably, Samsung Galaxy S8 will be the best-improved smartphone and most stunning design that will make a better step forward of an all-screen phone.

Forbes learned that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 will be wearing a jaw-dropping compact and durable designs. The screen will have a long and narrow 5.8-inch QHD with infinity screen that produces a clearest, sharpest, and lovely colors that make the movie a beautiful to watch.

The Samsung Galaxy S8's body will have a 68.1mm wide with a much-improved battery life to boot and the most tactile phone to date. The Samsung's Home button is replaced with a software navigation keys that acts both software and hardware button in one.

According to Tech Radar, the main issue of Samsung Galaxy S8 is the biometrics that takes the time to unlock the phone and a little bit confusing. To compare with the other phones, Samsung Galaxy S8 is absolutely fast phone with a snappy performance specifically when loading such large amounts of data.

There will be no more camera wedge-shaped to protect the lens and the most interesting part is that camera of Samsung Galaxy S8, which will carry a 12MP in rear camera with iOS and 8MP in front-facing. Moreover, the phone will carry the fresh Bixby, a Samsung's newly acquired digital assistant technology, however, Bixby will not support the voice commands at the releasing date.

Samsung Galaxy S8 is also a water resistant with a deep of 1.5m for 30 minutes and hopefully a scratch resistant as it used a Corning's Gorilla Glass 5. The Samsung Galaxy S8 is simply beautiful but surprisingly rich in brightness range with excellent viewing angles. The wireless charging also worked well with a 5W pad and a quick charging via USB-C cable.
Fans of "Deadpool" will be delighted to know that 20th Century Fox has formally announced the release date of the "Deadpool 2" on June 1, 2018. The sequel which is expected to star Ryan Reynolds once more has found the cast for the mutants Cable and Domino.

The announcement by 20th Century Fox was made over the weekend. "Deadpool 2" will see the return of Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson as the titular character. The Independent reports that Josh Brolin ("Hail, Caesar") has been cast as Cable while Zazie Beetz ("Wolves") will play the role of Domino. Brianna Hildebrand who plays Negasonic Teenage Warhead is expected to be back in the sequel.

Rolling Stone reports that Josh Brolin is not a newcomer in Marvel movies. The actor has played Thanos in the "Avengers" franchise. "Deadpool 2" will be directed by David Leitch with a script co-written by Ryan Reynolds.

Ryan Reynolds has been vocal and active about making the first "Deadpool" movie which was released in February last year. The actor has been adamant about making a standalone film for the "Merc with the Mouth" that was even R-rated.

His efforts have paid off because "Deadpool" has exceeded expectations and went on to be so popular among fans and non-fans. "Deadpool 2" which was announced to star Cable and Domino is expected to have an R rating as well. However, there has been no confirmation yet from 20th Century Fox. The plot for the sequel is currently unknown as well.

In addition to the news for "Deadpool 2," 20th Century Fox also announced the release dates of other Marvel films. "Dark Phoenix" is expected to come out in November 2, 2018 while "New Mutants" will be out on April 13, 2018.

Are you excited for Ryan Reynolds to come back on screen as Deadpool with Cable and Domino in the "Deadpool 2" sequel? Watch the HD teaser of the movie below.
Donald Trump didnt use the word 'genocide' (video)

Statement by President Donald J. Trump on Armenian Remembrance Day 2017 Today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many. As we reflect on this dark chapter of human history, we also recognize the resilience of the Armenian people. Many built new lives in the United States and made indelible contributions to our country, while cherishing memories of the historic homeland in which their ancestors established one of the great civilizations of antiquity. We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again. We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future.
The defense security of UK Michael Fallon stated that Prime Minister Theresa May would fire Britain's nuclear weapons at a first strike if necessary. Even if Britain is not under any nuclear attack, May is all set to launch Trident in the most extreme situations.

The statement was mentioned as Conservatives continued to exploit Labor divisions on the retention of the Trident deterrent. Apparently, there will be a very dangerous chaos if Jeremy Corbyn becomes the Prime Minister. The Trident renewal might not be in labor's election but it will be corrected within hours by party colleagues as per the Independent.

Michael Fallon further stated that the extreme situations are better not described, as this will only bring comfort to their enemies and make the deterrent less credible. The entire position of the deterrent is to leave an uncertainty in the minds of anyone who thinks of using weapons against the country.

According to the Politics Home, it is clear that Theresa May would be willing to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against anyone who thinks of attacking the UK. Mr. Fallon also said that it cannot be sure that nobody will threaten to use a weapon against the country.

The UK is committed to renewing the Trident System and the Labor Party is clear to a credible nuclear credibility at the minimum end scale. It turns out that the country might not be in a position where the first choice will be to press the red button. They believe is negotiating away the nuclear weapons system to create a nuclear weapon free world.

Mr. Fallon believes that Jeremy Corbyn is against the nuclear deterrent and he will stop building submarines, which they already had started. He said that Corbyn would not be able to control the country's borders and he has also questioned Britain's Nato deployment earlier.
Apr 24, 2017, 10:08am ET

Tesla Model X owner sues over falcon doors in fiery crash

The rear-seat occupants claim to have barely escaped by scrambling out the front doors before the crossover caught fire after a highway accident.

A Model X owner in China has sued Tesla over a crash that caused panic for rear-seat passengers when the vehicle's infamous falcon wing doors allegedly failed to open before its battery pack caught fire.

Lee Tada claims to have been riding in the back seat with another passenger when her chauffeur struck a concrete barrier at less than 50 mph, according to a WeChat post spotted by Electrek. The Model X then spun and was struck head-on by a Ford Focus traveling the same direction.

The falcon-wing doors allegedly failed to open for the rear-seat occupants, requiring them to scramble to the front row and exit the vehicle before its battery pack caught fire.

There is an emergency release latch for the roof-hinged doors, though it is designed for first responders and hidden behind the speaker cover in the lower corner of each door.

Tada says she received several injuries, including a broken nose and a laceration to her lower lip, as shown in the graphic video embedded below. Her driver was allegedly hospitalized for more than a month with more serious injuries.

The lawsuit seeks the equivalent of around $1 million USD. Tesla has already fired back, however, arguing that traffic police place responsibility on the driver. The company's VP of the Asia-Pacific region, Robin Ren, describes the lawsuit as a "blackmail" attempt because the insurance company refused to compensate the owner.

Lithium-ion batteries are prone to thermal runaway when damaged, leading to particularly violent catastrophic fires in some cases. First responders are trained to use defensive tactics in most cases if an EV's battery catches fire and the occupants have already been extracted, allowing the fire to "burn itself out." Videos of such incidents tend to attract more attention than other car fires, prompting Tesla to regularly defend the safety record of its vehicles.

"The distribution of the debris at the site and the damage all indicate that this was a high-speed crash - in this case, not just electric cars, but any vehicle can catch on fire," the company reiterated in a statement related to the China lawsuit. "In fact, another car involved in the accident (a fuel-powered vehicle) also caught on fire. Fuel tank fire incidents happen much more often than the electric car fires."
This year's edition of the biennial Shanghai Auto Show opened its doors last week. We trekked all the way out to China to bring you live images of every electric, high-riding debut -- and the BMW M4 CS, which completely bucked this year's trends.

However, major introductions like the aforementioned M4 CS, the Mercedes-Benz Concept A Sedan , and the Volkswagen I.D. Crozz only tell part of the story.

China has more auto-makers than any country in the world by a long shot, so saying that oddities and curiosities were plentiful in Shanghai is a gross understatement. We've compiled a gallery of the good, the bad, and the completely absurd we spotted while walking the show floor.

The good

Hongqi -- a name that literally translates to "red flag" -- is China's oldest car brand. It used to be the most prestigious, too, but it embarked on a free-fall during the 1990s. It went from building what was essentially a Chinese Rolls-Royce for privileged heads of states to haphazardly assembling badge-engineered variants of the Audi 5000, the Toyota Crown, and even the Lincoln Continental.

Hongqi wants to return to its former glory, and parent company FAW is pumping a serious amount of money into the company to make it happen.
For the third time in four years, Allentown welcomed a new chief to lead its police department.

On Monday, Glen Dorney was sworn in as interim police chief, replacing Keith Morris to lead the force.

Last month, Morris announced he was leaving the city's force to be police chief at Penn State University. Dorney, who is also a Penn State grad, was immediately named interim chief, but Morris' retirement wasn't official until April 21.

Dorney's annual salary is $123,162.

Bill Reinik has been promoted from captain to interim assistant police chief to replace Dorney.

The changes in leadership over the past few years are not lost on Dorney. He said he plans to stay in the job for at least five years, longer if the city will have him.

"My heart and soul are in this profession," the 45-year-old Dorney said. "I've seen the positives that come out of good leadership. I want to be a good leader."

Dorney joined the department in 1997, and celebrated his 20th year in February.

It has been a seamless transition as Dorney has taken on the interim role since the beginning of the month, and he said he's ready to hit the ground running on new plans.

That includes a new use-of-force simulator and a driving simulator, outfitting officers with body cameras, and getting more officers on staff. Dorney said the department is down 11 officers right now, and the department has struggled to reach a full compliment since the mass retirements of more than 70, back in 2005.

It may also include technology to help police respond faster to gunshots in the city. Dorney is looking at a program called ShotSpotter, which uses sound sensors to not only detect gunshots but pinpoint where the shots occurred. Cities, including New York City, currently use the program.

Dorney's parents and his girlfriend were at Monday's ceremony in city council's chambers, but his brother, Forks Township Police Chief Greg Dorney, couldn't make it -- he had a new officer to show around.

Mayor Ed Pawlowski said he plans to keep Dorney in the interim position for about a year, before sending the appointment to city council for approval.

"He's assured me he'll stay for awhile," the mayor said.

Pawlowski, who first promoted Dorney to captain in 2012 and then assistant chief of operations in January 2016, lauded Dorney's work with residents and community groups.

"He relates to the community well," the mayor said.

As chief, Dorney plans to continue that outreach with a new program for the department to engage with residents, details of which will be announced later, Pawlowski said.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A second person has been found, arrested and jailed in a summer attack of three Lehigh University students on the first day of school.

Christopher Navarrette, left, and Jesse Lee Watson, right (Courtesy photos)

Charged is Jesse Lee Watson, 29, of Ooltewah, Tenn. Police previously charged his accomplice, Christopher Navarrette, 30, of Cleveland, Tenn.

City officers just before 1:30 a.m. Aug. 28 were called to the 500 block of East Fifth Street for three students reportedly assaulted. One man had a broken nose, a skull fracture and cut on his face. Another victim suffered a skull fracture, a concussion and left eardrum damage. The third victim received a facial cut, police said.

A witness reported the attacks happened in a neighborhood of student housing after the three students and occupants of a passing car exchanged words. Two males later identified as Watson and Navarrette emerged from a white Ford Focus with one of them allegedly saying, "You talk smack, you get hit."

Watson and Navarrette then allegedly began throwing punches at the three students.

Investigators obtained video surveillance footage connecting the pair to the crime.

Navarrette was identified with help from investigators at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem. Police said Navarrette and Watson had been at the Sands just before the beatings.

Navarrette was arrested Aug. 30 in the parking lot of Extended Stay America, 3050 Schoenersville Road, in Bethlehem. Navarrette allegedly admitted punching the students, but said Watson struck the other two victims.

Navarrette told investigators Watson had fled the night before back to Tennessee. Police then obtained a warrant for Watson's arrest.

Watson is charged with aggravated assault (two counts), simple assault (two counts) and harassment (two counts). Navarrette previously was arraigned on the same charges.

Watson was arraigned Saturday before District Judge Patricia Broscius, who set bail at $75,000. In lieu of bail, he was sent to Northampton County Prison.

Online records show Navarrette has since posted bail and no longer remains incarcerated.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The man who blamed Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem for his alcohol-fueled beating of his ex-fiancee is back in prison for consuming alcohol, drugs or both.

Nicholas Mullins admitted in 2012 that he attacked his ex-fiancee Caitlin Shields in the casino hotel during a dispute over gambling losses. Shields suffered a brain injury from the attack. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped an attempted homicide charge.

In 2016, Mullins blamed the casino for serving him 15 free double Jamisons, which he said led to the fight. Trial attorney Stuart M. Niemtzow blamed Sands for not keeping Shields away from Mullins' hotel room and said Shields instigated the fight.

Northampton County Judge Paula A. Roscioli threw the case out of court on the second day of testimony, saying Niemtzow failed to make an argument that could convince a jury of the casino's blame.

Mullins filed papers this month to appeal Roscioli's decision to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Mullins recently violated his probation by consuming alcohol, drugs or both, according to a court document filed by his state probation officer on March 23.

Mullins served four years in state prison, according to state prison spokeswoman Amy Worden. He was released Jan. 25, 2016, at which time he started serving four years of probation.

He applied for entry into the county's drug court program but was rejected Thursday. He has a court date coming up May 26 at which time Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta can revoke his probation and send him back to state prison. For now, Mullins is in Northampton County Prison.

Mullins' criminal defense attorney, Philip Lauer, wasn't sure what Mullins did specifically to prompt the allegation by his probation officer. He isn't sure what will happen next.

"We're just trying to find some meaningful way to resolve his issues," Lauer said.

Mullins said he received death threats after his case went to trial in 2016. The case brought him unexpected notoriety over the internet.

After the civil case was thrown out, Mullins said he planned to move out of the area and start fresh. He adopted a dog the week before the civil case went to trial.

"The Sands casino has painted me as an evil person. If we can just show the other side, the good side, when I'm not blacked out drunk, it would mean a lot," Mullins said in 2016.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Two men who picked up a shipment of high-grade marijuana in the Lehigh Valley had different conclusions to their cases on Monday.

Jason Ho, of New York City, did not cooperate with prosecutors.

The 32-year-old Ho was sentenced Monday to nine to 23 months in Lehigh County Jail, followed by three years of probation, for possession with intent to deliver marijuana and conspiracy charges by Judge Robert Steinberg.

Jason Ho, left, of New York City, and Nirup Reddy, right, of Flemington, New Jersey. (Photos courtesy the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office)

Prosecutors said Nirup Reddy, of Flemington, New Jersey, cooperated with their investigation from the beginning.

The 23-year-old Reddy was sentenced Monday to five years of probation for the same charges as Ho.

"These two weren't the top" of the drug-dealing organization, said Deputy District Attorney Kevin McCloskey.

McCloskey declined to name a third person involved in the deal, who was referenced in Monday's hearings.

Steinberg said Ho and Reddy were part of a larger drug dealing conspiracy with "some people (Reddy) didn't even know."

Ho was more involved with the unindicted co-conspirator, the judge said. Reddy told the judge he was paid $1,000 to drive a rented truck that day.

"There's no easy money," the judge said to Reddy.

Reddy said he met people involved in the deal through Rutgers University, though he is not a student there, and Reddy's attorney said plans were for the pot to be distributed at the university.

Reddy said he has learned "to choose who I'm involved with very carefully."

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office said agents were tipped off about a suspicious freight shipment in August traveling from Sparks, Nevada, to South Whitehall Township.

On Aug. 12, authorities from the attorney general's office, Homeland Security, the Lehigh County Drug Task Force and the South Whitehall Township Police Department set up surveillance at a business in the 1900 block of Route 309.

About 10 a.m., Reddy drove up in a rented box tuck and Ho arrived in a Lexus, police said.

The pair emptied a portable storage container that was filled with a few boxes, lamps, some furniture, and 83.5 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $500,000.

The pair was stopped on Walbert Avenue and arrested. Ho has been free on 10 percent of $250,000 bail, while Reddy has been free on $1 million bail.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A Nazareth woman brandished an airsoft gun during a custody dispute with her ex over the couple's three juvenile children, borough police said.

Charged is Anna Volino, 31, of the 100 block of Spring Street.

Officers just after 10 p.m. Sunday were called to a home in the 100 block of Spring Street. A male victim told police he currently is separated from Volino and arrived to pick up the couple's three children in a custody exchange.

The victim reported Volino took two of the children from his car into the house and placed the third child on the grass. Volino then allegedly questioned the victim if he claimed the children on his 2017 federal income tax return.

When he said he did, the victim reported Volino punched him in the temporal area of his face. The victim then tried to leave, but Volino followed and struck him again -- the time causing him to fall to the ground, police said.

Police said Volino then brandished the airsoft gun from her waistband, pointed it directly at the victim's face and stated, "You stupid mother f----- you are going to die" and "I'm going to kill you."

At that point, the victim's father, who was in the car, emerged. Police said Volino continued to waive the gun at both males. Both victims believed the airsoft gun was a real pistol and told police they were in fear of their lives.

One of the children was present and screaming during the dispute for Volino to stop, according to the victim. Police seized the airsoft gun for evidence.

Volino is charged with making terroristic threats, simple assault (two counts), disorderly conduct and harassment. She was arraigned Monday before District Judge Patricia Broscius, who set bail at $1,500.

In lieu of bail, Volino was sent to Northampton County Prison.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A small earthquake struck Sunday afternoon near Millersville in Lancaster County, the USGS reports.

The quake of 2.3 magnitude was about 3 miles deep at 4:49 p.m., the USGS said. It was centered on Route 741, north of New Danville, lancasteronline.com reports, and about 2 miles east-southeast of Millersville, the USGS added.

The quake of 2.3 magnitude was about 3 miles deep at 4:49 p.m., the USGS said. It was centered on Route 741, north of New Danville, and about 2 miles east-southeast of Millersville.

Residents reported a boom rather than a rumble, the news website said. The county's 911 center got more than 500 calls on the quake within 30 minutes, lancasteronline said.

It was initially measured at 2.7 magnitude, but was revised down to 2.3, the news website said.

"We had people scared we were at war, wondering if North Korea had attacked us," Randy Gockley, head of county emergency management, told the news website. "And they sounded like very serious concerns. It was no joke."

USGS has revised their info on today's minor #earthquake...to magnitude 2.3 centered 3km ESE of @millersvilleu. pic.twitter.com/0j6CsHJiwk  E. Horst, MU WIC (@MUweather) April 23, 2017

It took 15 to 20 minutes to determine there had been an earthquake, he said.

There was no damage and no injuries, authorities told lancasteronline.com

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Laois TD Brian Stanley has welcomed Bord na Monas plans to develop data centres on their lands at Cuil na Mona outside Portlaoise, saying that the news could signal an important jobs boost for Laois.

This is great news for the entire county which has been badly hit by unemployment in recent years, he said.

Deputy Stanley said he had met with Bord na Mona management, and the CEO Mike Quinn, a number of time regarding the development of Cuil na Mona and its strategic location, impressing on them the need to have the 1,450 hectares in the Cuil na Mona group of bogs utilised for job creation.

Bord na Mona has now brought forward ambitious plans for a portion of the area they own to be developed.

The site comprises two separate adjoining plots of cutaway bog of 37 hectares and 97 hectares, with Bord na Mona offering a partnership opportunity to developers planning to construct new data centre complexes.

The Cuil na Mona site meets their evaluation criteria - close proximity to high voltage power; proximity to dark fibre connectivity; direct access to motorway network; land banks of sufficient scale and proximity to urban environments and associated talent pools, explained Deputy Stanley.

They have now brought the IDA on board to market this. This plan has massive job creation potential for Laois where jobs are badly needed. There is a lot of unemployment in the county and thousands commute daily to Dublin to work, he continued, adding that Bord na Mona has stated its intention to continue harvesting horticultural peat at Cuil na Mona up to 2030 and beyond.

Deputy Stanley concluded: These are ambitious plans and I urge the IDA to market them vigorously to progress the project as quickly as possible.
Gardai in Kildare are warning builders to be vigilant with their security after five new boilers were stolen from homes under construction in Newbridge and Suncroft last week.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to two separate incidents which they believe may be linked in which brand new boilers were taken from sites.

One raid took place between Thursday April 20 at 5.30pm and Friday 21 at 8.30am from four houses under construction in Roseberry in Newbridge. Raiders broke into each of the houses via the patio after they managed to break the locks and took the brand new boilers from inside the four houses.

Gardai are appealing for anyone to come forward with any informaiton on the raids. Meanwhile, in what gardai believed may be linked, a boiler was also taken from a house under construction in Hawthorn in Suncroft between Saturday, April 15 and Wednesday, April 19. Some houses in the estate are built and some are still under construction. The new boiler was taken from a house still under construction.

What we are saying to people is make provisions for onsite security of new builds, said Sgt John Flatherty of Kildare town garda station.
The 28th running of the - Please Carry an Organ Donor Card - Punchestown Charity Race takes place on Saturday 29th April at The Punchestown Festival.

Traditionally the final race of the week it provides a fitting finale to the Festival.

This years Charity Race will have a strong Kildare interest in the 25 jockeys taking part as there will be Maria Kelly from Sallins, Richie Walsh from Naas and Kilcullen local favourite Siobhan O' Sullivan. All 25 Jockeys participating have passed their fitness assessments at RACE over the past month in order to be qualified to participate and all must raise 1,250 for The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund - in order to take part.

The Punchestown Charity Race was established in 1990 by Kilcullen Butcher, James Nolan, and has raised over 1.4 million to date.

In September 2017 The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund looks forward to the opening of a brand new Renal Ward in Temple Street Children's Hospital for sick children suffering from kidney disease.

This has been one of the main projects for the PKRF over the past two years and it will be exciting to see the new Renal Ward open. It will be a major benefit to all the children, doctors, nurses and families that attend Temple Street Childrens Hospital.

As always the PKRF tries to create Organ Donor Awareness through the running of the Charity Race and James Nolan politely asks people to consider carrying an Organ Donor Card. He suggests that people pick one up in any Chemist Shop and read the information leaflet inside the card.

Have a chat about the Donor Card at home and feel free to make your own mind up and let your family know your wishes. I was so lucky to receive a kidney transplant from my sister, Catherine, back in 1987 and I can promise everyone it is the greatest gift I have received in my lifetime. Catherine gave me the Gift of Life when she donated one of her kidneys to me  and 30 years on, both Catherine and I are both very healthy.
It will come as no surprise to any Leinster Leader readers to learn that Punchestown Festival is a great economic boon for the immediate and surrounding areas.

A number of studies have been carried out and published that attempt to quantify that benefit - covering areas such as travel, spend inside the racecourse, spending outside the racecourse and spending on attire.

The most recent report, compiled in 2012, suggested that that amounted to a spend of 59.8 million, by 95,000 festival goers.

A similar survey in 2005 concluded that it was worth 43 million per annum.

And theres no reason to think it would have not grown in the past five years since then.

Incidentally both surveys were carried out by academics in Maynooth University.

However, by virtue of the fact that Punchestown is situated in the middle of the thoroughbred county, it attracts plenty of locals to the events.

So, obviously a certain chunk of that 59.8 million must surely come from the local population.

It would be interesting to see how much of a tourism draw is the Punchestown Festival? How many of those who attend are coming from outside the area, and indeed the country?

And to what degree is the Festival a tourism product as well as (or instead of) being a horseracing event?

Does the Festival draw tourists who may not have considered coming to the Naas or Kildare area?

And is there a spinoff benefit for other nearby Kildare tourist attractions?

The 2012 survey found that 75% of racegoers were from outside Kildare.

However, 80% of them were only visiting Kildare to go to the Festival.

Just over 20% of racegoers had come from outside Ireland - this is consistent with the findings of the 2005 survey.

The vast majority of that 20% were from the UK. France, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Germany all had a handful there. 12.6% flew to Ireland, and 2.6% got a ferry.

The 2005 survey also found that the average racegoer spent 750 in the course of their visit and that 35% of racegoers were coming to Kildare for the first time.

A little over 10% of the spend by Festival goers, 6.6 million was on travel according to the 2012 survey. (Incidentally, thats a little short of what was spent on female attire!)

That 6.6 million is obviously part of the 24.8 million spent outside the racecourse - which also includes expenditure items such as

A little over nine percent of racegoers attended with business partners. The rest either travelled alone (6.6%) or with family, spouses, partners or friends.

A third of those who attended were there for the first time. Half of them went every year.

Both of those figures are good from a business point of view - they suggest a loyalty to a quality product, and growth.

On the other hand, 63% of all attendees only went one day, 16% went for two days, 8.6% three days, 4.2 for four days and 7.1% for all five days.

It can reasonably inferred that the 63% who attended only one day were probably locals. If youve travelled far, youll be more inclined to get more from your visit than one day. 36% attended on multiple days.

Many people made a holiday out of their visit. Their average stay in the area was three nights. Nearly a quarter stayed for three nights, another quarter or so stayed for two nights and about 17% stayed for just one night. A significant 9% or so stayed six nights or more, the report noted.

The hotels appeared to do well out of the Festival, apparently better than the B&Bs.

Of those who travelled almost three out of four of them stayed in hotels, and 17.7% in B&Bs.

Airbnb had not taken off in 2012 to the same degree, so it would be interesting to see what, if any impact it has had on the accommodation sector.
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RESIDENTS IN Leixlip are organising a public protest against a proposed road being built through St Catherines Park in Leixlip.

Protesters, who plan to walk from Glendale Meadows into St Catherines Park at 12 noon on Sunday, May 7, sas that Kildare County Council and Fingal County Council are jointly planning to build a big new road through St.

Catherine's Park.

Urging people to protest against these plans, Valerie Colton said:

We refuse to allow a big new road through any part of St. Catherine's

Park. Fingal Council want a new road from the M3 to the M4 at Leixlip

and Kildare's planners know this. Without saying so, they are relying

on Fingal's planned road to give access to 1,500 houses proposed for

Confey in the new Leixlip Local Area Plan.

The park, used by people from Leixlip, Lucan,

Celbridge, Ongar, Blanchardstown, Maynooth, would be destroyed by a big, four-lane road going through it, they say.

They want Fingal councillors to scrap any plans for a road

through the Park and for Kildare councillors to reject the Confey

masterplan, which depends on this road being built.

The protest walk will take place at midday, Sunday May 7, starting at

the Glendale Meadows gate into St. Catherine's Park.

Cllr Brendan Young said he was opposed to the Confey and Fingal plans. Instead of spending 50 million and more on new roads, money should go into public transport to reduce car-commuting, traffic jams and the carbon emissions that are causing climate change.

Cllr Young said that for housing in Leixlip, Collinstown is much better. It is on the railway and busses could also serve Easton Rd. Road links would cost

much less; construction would be quicker and cheaper. Land to the west

along the railway could be zoned for jobs. HP is likely to be gone in

2020 so their 190 acre site will be available for inward investment, he said.
2009 Leitrim Rose, Mary Heslin from Mohill, put the final touches to a fairytale romance recently when she married 2009 Rose Escort, Oran Boyle from Castlemaine Co. Kerry.

Lough Rynn was the spectacular venue for Mary's special day and the half Kerry half Mohill crowd celebrated in style.

Mary met Oran during the Rose of Tralee Festival in 2009.

As she passed on her crown on the stage in Lough Rynn for the 2010 Leitrim Rose selection, she said, "I will pass on my sash, but I think I'll keep my escort".... and 7 years later she was true to her word as she married her escort in the same venue.

Leitrim Rose Coordinator, Brendan Galvin, said, "The Rose of Tralee offers so many fabulous experiences for all roses and there has been many marriages over the years between Roses and Rose Escorts."

"We are still taking applications for this year's Leitrim Rose which is on in The Bush Hotel on May 6."
Toyota Ireland has donated a Toyota Prius Hybrid to the Irish Cancer Society. The vehicle will be used to help in developing the essential Volunteer Driver Service.

The Irish Cancer Society has developed a very successful Volunteer Driver Service that provides transport for cancer patients to and from their chemotherapy treatments in partner hospitals. Launched in 2008, more than 3,300 patients around Ireland have benefited from the service to date.

The donation of the Toyota Prius to the Volunteer Driver Service represents Toyotas first step in its involvement with the programme, which it is helping to evolve in line with its own Built for a Better World brand purpose. Hybrid epitomises Toyotas inventive spirt and is a perfect fit to help the Irish Cancer Societys Volunteer Driver Service support patients and their families across Ireland.

Gail Flinter, Patient Travel and Financial Support Manager with the Irish Cancer Society commented; We are truly thankful to Toyota for the generous donation of a Prius Hybrid to the Society. The vehicle will help us to build on the success of the Volunteer Driver Service to date. We are now available in 21 hospitals nationwide and have over 1,200 drivers, who covered over 1.1 million kilometres in 2016 alone. It really is a remarkable service, led by the enthusiasm, dedication and commitment of our volunteers.

Commenting on the donation, Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director at Toyota Ireland commented; Toyota truly believes in making a difference to the lives of people in Ireland and we couldnt be more pleased to support this important service. We hope that this small step will help to build on the incredible work done by the Irish Cancer Society to date.
Lib Dem Newbies co-founder Daisy Benson has stood down as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Yeovil for personal reasons.

From ITV:

She appeared on The West Country debate less than a week ago but will not appear on ballot papers in Junes snap election because shes in the process of completing purchasing a house within the constituency.

With regret Ive decided not to put myself forward to stand for the Liberal Democrats in Yeovil in the upcoming snap General Election.

Although Ive been preparing for the past year, this election unfortunately comes at precisely the wrong time for me. Im just in the process of completing purchasing a house within the constituency.

It would be unfair to constituents and the local party not to be able to devote 100% of my time to campaigning in this election but plan to play as a full part as I can in the coming weeks to ensure Yeovil returns a Liberal Democrat MP.

Paddy Ashdown wrote to Yeovil members:

You will have seen the very sad news that Daisy Benson has, for personal reasons withdrawn as our candidate for the General Election on 8th June 2017.

Daisy has helped to energise the Constituency during her time as our PPC, and, I am very glad to tell you, has offered to continue to campaign for the upcoming County Council Elections in the time available to her, given her house move. This will be very welcome news to all for whom she has campaigned so energetically.

I know you will join me in thanking Daisy for her tremendous efforts, and wish her every success for the future.
The Liberal Democrat membership surge is about to take the party to a landmark 100,000 members  thanks to a staggering 12,500 joining since Theresa May announced the snap General Election last Tuesday.

Reaching six figures makes the party bigger than it has been since the mid-1990s and puts it on course to reach its highest membership ever within days. The biggest the party has been since its formation is 101,768 in 1994.

It means that more than 50,000 members have joined since last years European referendum and more than 67,500 since the 2015 General Election.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron pledged to build the party to 100,000 members by the end of the parliament as a key pledge during his 2015 leadership campaign  but at that point everyone expected the end of the parliament to be 2020.

Tim Farron commented:
General Election campaigning has got off to a flying start across the country and it is exhilarating to be back in the saddle. Oxford West and Abingdon was hard fought at the last election and it looks like it will be again. Like many seats, the Tory incumbent increased her majority here in 2015, yet this still feels like a marginal, and we are campaigning to win.

We were knocking on doors yesterday and what struck me was just how different this election feels compared to 2015. The political sands continue to shift beneath our feet but the wind is very definitely no longer against us. This constituency voted strongly to remain, yet the local MP flip-flopped and is now totally behind a Hard Brexit. This, combined with a weak Labour party nationally, has meant that local Labour and Green voters are more open than ever to lending us their vote to beat the Tory this time. And we are going to need them to do it.

Nationally, our party has fought some breathtaking campaigns in the last year. From the huge swing in Witney locally to the ensuing win in Richmond Park. But we could not have achieved this alone. In both these elections we asked voters who classically support other parties to help us, and they did. Moreover, in Richmond Park, Caroline Lucas bravely stood down the Green candidate despite local opposition. This was one of the more memorable moments of that campaign in terms of headlines and gave a clear signal to Green but also Labour voters to do the right thing. The large numbers who did as a result certainly contributed to our win. In OxWAb, and in all other marginal seats we need the same thing to happen in this General Election.

So how could we move to replicate this in this General Election context? Working with Labour is complicated, not least because of the national stance of Brexit but also they would have to defy their national Party. For the Greens however, I believe there is a case to do something at the national level and for us to stand down in their winnable seats where we are not in contention. I admit, that is not a long list, possibly one or two, but to do this would be a statement of principle. We already offer a lot to their voters with our strong environmental credentials, opposition to Brexit and a say on the final deal. But I believe we should do more.

Us standing down would not just return the favour for Richmond, but it is in our more immediate interest as it would send a clear signal to all voters in Lib Dem/Tory fights across the country and even in Lib Dem/Labour marginals like Cambridge, that we are able to lead from the front on a Progressive, anti-Brexit Alliance.

In a more ordinary election, as much as they exist, I would not countenance such a measure. People should be able to have their say and vote with their hearts if they want to. Lord knows, one day when we achieve PR we wont have to ask them. But in our broken electoral system it is a necessity.

In this election, as a party we have one clear aim: to win as many MPs who are opposed to Brexit as possible and create the strong opposition this country desperately needs. A progressive alliance of any flavour would undoubtedly help our cause.

These are extraordinary times and this is already an extraordinary election. I urge the Party to be brave and reach out. We and the country benefitted from this once, lets do everything we can to do so again.

* Layla Moran is the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon
The Liberal Democrats have proposed increasing income tax by 1 penny which would raise just 4.6 billion pounds annually. There is a better alternative, called the Property Uplift Recovery Tax which is being proposed by Liberal Democrat ALTER. The tax would be paid annually by all that own housing in the UK and are either:

British citizens who are have non-domiciled tax status

Foreign citizens (or British citizens non-resident for over 15 years) who are not taxed in the UK, or

Corporate entities registered offshore.

The tax would be levied annually on the property price uplift in the local area, and would aim to recover 50% of the long term increase. The tax would raise about 8.5 billion pounds per year (see fully referenced article ).

Taxes need a compelling story which resonates with the electorate, and this tax has one. We are rightly proud to live in a country with a strong economy, a stable government and respect for the rule of law. Housing in the UK is a safe haven for overseas investors, and 10% of housing is now owned by foreign investors. They often leave properties empty, indeed some residential developments in Britain have been likened to towers of safe-deposit boxes. In England 216,000 homes have been empty for over six months.

Average house prices rise largely due to investment in infrastructure, such as Crossrail, which is largely paid for by the UK taxpayer. Any upside of rising UK housing prices should not go to overseas investors, but should circulate around the UK economy. Britain has no duty to allow its housing to be used as a free safe deposit box service for non-UK taxpayers who do not fully contribute to our economy or society, while making housing unaffordable for UK workers and families.

It would be necessary to base the tax on averaged prices over several years to provide stability and predictability. Data sources for local house price trends could include internet sites such as Zoopla. The tax would be offset against some already existing taxes. In particular rent to offshore homeowners who do let out their property rather then leaving them empty is currently paid net of UK tax. Offsetting this payment would provide overseas owners with a strong incentive to make currently empty properties available for occupancy.

Promoting this tax would send a strong signal that the Liberal Democrats stand behind working and families who contribute to our society and our economy. There would be three possible outcomes from introducing this tax. First, offshore investors might hold on to their properties and pay the tax, so it acts as a source of revenue. Second, investors might hang on but be motivated to rent out their properties, in which case the housing rental stock increases. Last offshore investors might sell out, in which the revenue will be lower than calculated, but a large number of empty homes would come onto the market at more affordable prices. The UK would win, win or win.

* David Cooper is a member and constituency treasurer of the Newbury Liberal Democrats and has been a party activist for over a decade. He is also secretary of Libdem ALTER (Action for Land Taxation & Economic Reform). The views expressed are his own.
When Tim Farron set his 100,000 members by 2020 target during his leadership campaign in 2015, it seemed pretty ambitious. Since Brexit, though, around 30,000 members have signed up to our party. A warm welcome to every single one of you.

Around half of those 30,000 have joined in the 6 days since Theresa May made her announcement about the General Election. This afternoon, Tim Farron was able to announce that we had reached that ambitious 100,000 target at a rally in Vauxhall.

I wouldnt celebrate for too long, though. Tim is not one to rest on his laurels. Im sure an even more ambitious target will be set fairly soon!

Every so often I roll out this post, which is basically a rehash of an article that I first wrote in May 2015 when many joined the party in the wake of the General Election result in the hope that it might be useful to tell you a little bit about how our party works and give you a bit of an idea of the opportunities open to you. If you are not yet a member, read it and if you think it sounds appealing, sign up here.

What do we believe?

Before we get into the nitty gritty of organisation, the best statement of who we are and what were about can be found in the Preamble to our Constitution which underlines how we believe in freedom, opportunity, diversity, decentralisation and internationalism. Heres a snippet:

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives. We look forward to a world in which all people share the same basic rights, in which they live together in peace and in which their different cultures will be able to develop freely. We believe that each generation is responsible for the fate of our planet and, by safeguarding the balance of nature and the environment, for the long term continuity of life in all its forms. Upholding these values of individual and social justice, we reject allprejudice and discrimination based upon race, colour, religion, age, disability, sex or sexual orientation and oppose all forms of entrenched privilege and inequality.

We have a fierce respect for individuality, with no expectation that fellow Liberal Democrats will agree with us on every issue. We expect our views to be challenged and feel free to challenge others without rancour. We can have a robust debate and head to the pub afterwards, the very best of friends.

Your rights as a member

The Liberal Democrats gives its members a great deal of say. You will have a vote to elect the leader and party president. You will also have the right to a say in choosing your local party office bearers. You can vote at our Conference and for party committees.

Conference

Any member can attend our UK-wide, Scottish, Welsh or regional conferences. We have two UK wide events a year, a weekend in March and a four day event in September. This years Spring Conference was held in York and Autumn Conference takes place in Bournemouth from 16th-19th September. Our last few Conferences have been blessed with the attendance of many Newbies, who have been a fantastic addition. Some newbies are now councillors, parliamentary candidates and one is even an MP.

We have proper debates and members decide the policy of the party. MPs and ordinary members are on the same level, each with a vote on every issue. Many of the motions come from local parties and are amended by others.

Attending Conference is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the party and meet people. There are usually about 5 things you want to do in every time slot throughout the day whether its debating in the hall, attending fringe meetings or training. You might find my annually updated guide to the craziness of conference useful to read. And there is absolutely no standing on ceremony. You can find yourself queueing up for things and chatting away with anybody from a senior councillor to a member of the House of Lords or Nick Clegg.

Conference can be an expensive business but there are ways to do it on the cheap. One such way is to volunteer to be a steward as our Paul Walter has done. He says:

You dont have to pay for registration, they refund you for a certain amount of travel and accommodation and you get paid a small subsistence amount for each half day you steward for.

Join one of the party interest groups

There are very many groups representing every topic and interest imaginable. All would be very happy to have you as a member. Some have special status in the party.

If you want to get involved in campaigning, membership of ALDC (the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners) is pretty essential. Its a brave person who faces the electorate without their advice and support  and figures show that ALDC members are more likely to be elected.

Liberal Democrat Women aims to ensure that our policy reflects womens views and needs and to ensure higher representation at all levels of the party and government.

The amazing Liberal Youth have made fantastic contributions on policy and to campaigning over the years. They are a fair bit better behaved than they were in my day, however.

LGBT+ Lib Dems played a huge role in the campaign for same sex marriage and are there to ensure that our policy has a liberal approach to LGBTQI people and engage with LGBTQI groups outside the party.

Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats represents the interests of and tries to increase the representation of BAME Liberal Democrats.

Outside these five there is a huge array of interest groups from Green Lib Dems to Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats to the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum to friends of various countries to campaign groups for electoral reform and land value taxation. Theres also not entirely serious carbohydrate-laden rivalry as Lib Dem Friends of Biscuit engage in a highly amusing turf war with Lib Dem Friends of Cake. There truly is something for everybody.

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has put his whisky where his mouth is and set up Lib Dem Friends of Whisky which is holding events throughout this year across the country and at our conferences. There is now a rival Lib Dem Friends of Gin set up by Dawn Barnes, our prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hornsey and Wood Green.

Our little quirks

I would never wish to enslave anyone by conformity but the party certainly has more than its fair share of Doctor Who fans. Theres something about that slightly socially awkward guy who spreads a message of live and let live and peace throughout time and space that seems to appeal to us.

We tend to like beer, too, especially if its real ale produced by some small, independent micro brewery.

Its fair to say that we have more constitutional and electoral systems geeks than are probably necessary, but we love them anyway.

Getting involved locally

Your first resource is the party website. As a member, you can sign up to the members only section which has all sorts of information about the way the party works. If you want to find details of the local party in your area, you can do so here. The local party is the first building block in the structure of the party and is usually based on a parliamentary constituency but it can be a council area or a number of constituencies. In England you then have 9 regions. They look after things like candidate selection. The state parties of England, Wales and Scotland are responsible for, among other things, membership and policy affecting each state. They are autonomous. We are not hierarchical  the Federal Party does not tell states and regions what to do.

There may not be an active local party, in which case you will find details of your regional or state party contacts. Those regions and state parties should be making efforts to get you involved in your area  but that might take time, so bear with them.

Online opportunities

As a member, you can take part in our members Forum which is private. Sign up here, but it can take a while for your membership to be confirmed so bear with us.

There are numerous Facebook groups you can get involved in. One of the most popular for new members is Lib Dem Newbies UK which, for the past year, has been a fantastic resource and is a very positive place for discussion about all aspects of Lib Demmery. Hot off the press is their guide advising people how to help in the General Election.

If you have a blog, why not add it to the Lib Dem Blogs aggregator which is run by our technical wizard, Ryan?

Some essential Twitter follows include the sassy Lib Dem Press Office, Alex Cole-Hamilton, our MSP for Edinburgh Western who admits to things like dancing round his living room on occasion, Jennie Rigg for good old Yorkshire common sense and funny, practical liberalism. And cute doggies.

This has been a very quick whistle-stop tour round the party. Its barely scratched the surface but I dont want to overload you with too much information. I hope it has been useful.

What else would you like to know?

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
The Independent reports:

Tony Blair has advised those going to the polls to consider voting for the Conservatives or Liberal Democrats in order to weaken the Prime Ministers mandate for a hard Brexit.

The former Prime Minister said it was important to vote for candidates who had an open mind on the final deal and that people should not limit their votes to just Labour because the issue was bigger than party allegiance.

Speaking on Sunday on the BBCs The World This Weekend programme he said: The absolutely central question at this general election is less who is the prime minister on 9 June, and more what is the nature of the mandate.

Otherwise frankly this is a steamroller election  is it possible that we can return as many members of parliament as possible to parliament that are going to keep an open mind on this Brexit negotiation until we see the final terms.

Asked whether this political approach could mean voting Liberal Democrat, Mr Blair replied: What Im advocating may mean that. It may mean voting Labour. It may mean, by the way, that they vote Tory, for candidates who are prepared to give this commitment.

This is something thats bigger than party allegiance, in this particular election.

The former Prime Minister said candidates should be asked whether they backed Brexit at any cost or whether they were prepared to say any final deal was not in the interests of the country.
HOUSING Minister Simon Coveney is to meet families facing eviction from their city apartments this Monday.

It comes after pressure was put on the Cork TD from three local politicians to intervene with residents in Fisherman's Quay, Grove Island who were given notice to quit as their new landlord wants to sell.

Residents met on Sunday lunchtime, and received communication that Mr Coveney  who is on an official visit to the city  will meet a delegation of the tenants ordered to "vacate possession" of their properties across the summer months.

We need the state to step in like they did in Tyrellstown to buy the apartments and keep the tenants in situ. We also need the government to close the loophole which allows funds be able to evict tenants in order to sell units at a higher price, Cllr Cian Prendiville said.

Separately, residents from the Strand Apartments  who Mr Coveney stepped in to help save from eviction  have also pledged their full backing to the latest tenants set to lose their homes.

Jan OSullivan plus Cllrs Prendiville and John Gilligan have all called on Mr Coveney to bring forward legislation which would prevent them being evicted. Cllr Gilligan  who will bring a motion to the next council meeting  said by not asking, the minister is adding to misery.

I know the depth of crisis there is. Im dealing with people living with parents, couchsurfing, and staying with friends, as they have no roof over their heads. Yet we allow this to happen. Its downright immoral, he said.

The offer of help of the residents of the Strand Apartments who faced eviction by a vulture fund in January is significant. Their eviction notices were withdrawn after a high-profile campaign, which saw Mr Coveney write to the property owners.

One of the residents, Tara Robinson said: There is no appetite for this from the general public. Everyone knows someone who is in some kind of woe with housing, whether youre a distressed mortgage holder or a tenant. I really do not think the general populace want to see this happen.

Grove Island resident Alan McCarthy said: Its encouraging and nice to realise people care and are putting themselves in our position. They will have to drag me out kicking and screaming from there because im not leaving without a fight.

Mr McCarthy, who has lived in Fishermans Quay for three years, clashed with Kersten Mehl of property management firm KMPM which sent the eviction letters on the behalf of Munster Pensioner Trustees Ltd.

During a debate on Live 95FM's Limerick Today show, he said, in reference to the fact that he received the letter on Good Friday: Youre running the risk of being compared to a famous Roman governor named Pontius Pilate. Have you no heart?

In response, Mr Mehl said: Ill tell you where I was over Easter. On Easter Sunday, I was in the Dachau Concentration Camp.

That would make you think of a crisis.
FOR THE first time in half a century locals in Doon wont be able to buy their milk, newspaper or messages on the site of Annes shop on Main Street.

Pakie OBrien, who bought the store with his wife Anne in 2006, said it was like a wake on Easter Thursday, their final day of trading.

All our customers made it their business to be here and they were genuinely sad. They presented the girls with flowers, chocolates, bottles of wine and whiskey. We had a very loyal trade and I have to thank each and every one.

We were known as people who talked to the customers. There was often a good argument about hurling and especially if Limerick and Tipperary were playing  It would be hotly debated, said Pakie. As Anne is a sister of Eamon Grimes, they knew what they were talking about.

Id often say to the customers that if they went to a big supermarket they could do their shopping in peace! joked Pakie.

Their daughter, Mary English, took over the lease five years ago but Pakie and Anne continued to work there. The good news is that unlike many businesses in rural Ireland, their hands werent forced and the premises wont be left empty.

We have sold it to local hairdresser Lisa Shanahan. It was still very profitable but the opportunity came up to sell it. On behalf of the OBrien family, I want to wish Lisa the very best in the future, said Pakie, who also thanked long term staff  Pauline Reale and Trish McLoughlin for their years behind the till.

The closure leaves just one grocery shop. Not so long ago there was also Peggy Lysaght's, Martin's and Annes. It follows the closure of their garda station, library, AIB and convent. Pakie can trace a shop at their old location on Main Street back to the late fifties.

The first one I remember was Annie Darcy and her brother Mike. They were the first people to have ice cream cones in the area. When Annie Darcy died she gave it to her niece Betty Rainsford. Then Betty sold it to Pat and Bridget Bray who sold it on to Mr Kiely. When we retired from farming we bought the shop in 2006, said Pakie. Despite their agricultural background they were well schooled in shop-keeping. Pakies brother Mick has a Spar in Borrisokane and Anne worked in Tom OCallaghans Centra on William Street.

Anne always said she would like a shop. Tom and John encouraged her to buy it and put her name over the door, said Pakie. After a great 11 years they go back to helping out on the farm. It was long hours but a wonderful time. In the boom we would open at 6 and there would be lorry drivers waiting to get breakfast rolls.
A SMALL County Limerick primary school is one of just two in Europe that will take part in an online international science conference with actor Alan Alda.

Students from Banogue National School will join Alda and children from around the world as judges for The Flame Challenge 2017: What is Energy? in a live-streamed web conference on Monday.

An international contest now in its sixth year, the Flame Challenge is judged by 11-year-olds around the world, challenging adult scientists at every level  from graduate students to senior researchers  to answer and communicate familiar yet complex concepts in a way that is understandable to an 11-year-old.

The students will discuss the six finalists entries to the competition, and the winner this year will have understandably answered: what is energy?

To be part of such a widely recognised global event from such a small rural community is a huge achievement for our school and our pupils are ecstatic to have been chosen, says Ms Cagney, principal of Banogue NS.

Banogue is the only school from Ireland and one of two from Europe to be partaking in this prestigious global event.

Students from Ms Cagneys senior class are excited to be joining Alda and Stony Brook Universitys Alan Alda Centre for Communicating Science as judges for the international science competition on the day.

As far as I know, nothing happens without energy, said Alda, who is a six-time Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor, writer, science advocate and visiting professor.

Night and day, were surrounded by it, moved by it  we live and breathe by it. But what is it? he asked.

Banogue National School is a small rural school with an enrolment of 48 pupils in total.

The school prides itself on offering its pupils an insight into the world of science.

Its really cool to be talking about science to kids from other schools around the world, said TJ Regan, a 4th class pupil in Banogue.

The pupils will go live for this years flame challenge webinar on Monday, April 24 at 4pm.

The Flame Challenge began in 2011 when Alda proposed to scientists his childhood query: what is a flame?

In 2015, scientists wrestled with what is sleep?, and in 2016, they took on what is sound?

Last year around 26,000 students from 440 different schools around the world participated as judges for the competition.

The parents association urges those interested to follow their progress on Facebook, where they will have live updates: Banogue National School Parents Association @banoguens.
THE 9m pedestrianisation of OConnell Street will move a step closer in the coming weeks as exploratory works get underway.

Limerick City and County Council has confirmed that site investigations works deep below the citys premier street will start shortly.

These are required to determine the location of services such as water and electricity and the condition of the crown of the coal vaults.

It will involve the excavation of narrow shallow trenches using mini diggers along the edge of the footpaths and across the street.

The trenches across the street will be carried out in stages to allow traffic to continue to flow.

Up to four separate crews will be working at any one time along the street in order to complete the works as quickly as possible  and within a three month timeframe.

The council has warned that these works will result in the suspension of a number of parking spaces.

Funding of 4.1m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has been secured to revitalise OConnell Street from the Denmark Street junction as far as the Barrington Street junction, approximately 786 metres in length.

The total cost of the project is 9.1 million with the balance of 5 million coming from Limerick City and County Council.

In a statement, mayor of Limerick Kieran OHanlon said: Im delighted that work is going to be carried out on the rejuvenation of OConnell Street. A new look OConnell Street is part of the overall transformation of the city centre.

"These site investigation works are necessary and Im happy that all businesses will be accommodated with access at all times. The city centre remains open for business.

Years in the pipeline, it is anticipated cars will eventually be removed from the main portion of OConnell Street by 2018.

A design team was put in place last year.
Apr 27, 2021, 12 PM

The only recorded example of the 1861 Madison Court House, Fla., 3 postmasters provisional stamp used on cover will be offered May 9 during the Siegel sale of material from the Deane R. Briggs collection of Florida in the Civil War.

The Position 76 Jenny Invert error stamp, once part of the McCoy block of four stolen in 1955, will be offered by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries May 11 as part of a series of auctions in New York City.

By Michael Baadke

Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries of New York City has scheduled a series of six auctions for May 9-12 at the firms offices in Manhattan.

Among the six sales is a single-lot offering on May 11 of the Position 76 Jenny Invert error, the single United States 1918 24 carmine rose and blue airmail stamp with inverted center (Scott C3a) that was stolen as part of the McCoy block of four in 1955, and finally recovered less than one year ago.

The other five sales in this series will offer the Deane R. Briggs collection of Florida in the Civil War (May 9), U.S. and Confederate States postal history (May 9-10), the Steven Walske collection of North American blockade run mail and French royal packet mail (May 10), U.S. stamps (May 11-12), and the Vaquero collection of U.S. essays and proofs (May 12).

The auction of the McCoy Jenny Invert stamp is taking place on behalf of the American Philatelic Research Library, declared the rightful owner of all four stamps from the McCoy block in 1979, when Ethel B. Stewart McCoy donated her ownership of the then-missing stamp block to the library.

The world-famous error stamp is listed in the 2017 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers with a value of $450,000 for a stamp that is unused.

During the six decades between its theft and recovery, the Position 76 Jenny Invert was separated from its companions and skillfully reperforated at top and left in an apparent effort to conceal its true identity.

The stamp has original gum and is previously hinged according to its 2016 certificate from the American Philatelic Expertizing Service; a 2016 Philatelic Foundation certificate also accompanies the stamp. Both certificates note that the stamp has a thin spot, described as tiny by the Foundation.

The Siegel catalog for this sale, which can be digitally downloaded on the Siegel website or ordered in print form from the firm, runs close to 50 pages, with a detailed history of the 24 Jenny airmail stamp that includes background on the establishment of airmail service in the United States, and leading into the development, design and production of the stamp  and the famous error found on the first day of sale in a single sheet of 100.

An additional 11 pages of reporting by philatelic researcher and expert Ken Lawrence fills in the background on Ethel B. Stewart McCoy, the respected collector and exhibitor whose prize Jenny error block was stolen from an American Philatelic Society exhibition on Sept. 23, 1955.

The whereabouts of the stamp remained a mystery until 2016, when it was brought to the New York City offices of the Spink auction firm by a young man from Northern Ireland who discovered it there among items left to him by his late grandfather.

Its the third of the four stolen stamps to be recovered and returned to the library, and the second to go on the auction block. The library plans to retain the Position 65 (upper left) stamp from the block, and the Position 66 (upper right) stamp has never been found.

McCoy died in 1980, a few months before the library took possession of the Position 75 error stamp, which it sold in 1981.

This sale of the Position 76 stamp, Lawrence wrote in the new auction catalog, will support APRLs mission as she would have wished.

The Deane R. Briggs collection of Florida in the Civil War

This substantial auction series begins May 9 in an afternoon session that offers the Deane R. Briggs collection of Florida in the Civil War.

The covers (and a sprinkling of loose stamps) that make up this auction of 200-plus lots come from Briggs award-winning collection. The current president of the Confederate Stamp Alliance, Briggs introduces the sale with a preface to the catalog and notes that after obtaining material from the William G. Bogg collection in 1987, he built it into an exhibit that filled 160 pages in 10 frames, and picked up four grand awards along the way, as well as an international gold award at London 2015.

The collection was also shown at World Stamp Show-NY 2016 as an educational exhibit.

There are plenty of historic rarities in this auction, including five consecutive lots of material from Madison Court House, Fla.

Considered the only recorded example of the Madison Court House 3 postmasters provisional stamp (Scott 3AX1) used on cover, from Florida to the District of Columbia, the stamp features bottom-right corner sheet margins and a large left margin, and is canceled by a Paid oval marking.

The contents of this cover, dated Feb. 13, 1861, document it as the earliest of all postmasters provisionals used in the Confederate States, according to Siegel. The cover is ex-Ferrary, Duveen, Hind, Caspary and Gross, and is listed with the Scott catalog value for the stamp on cover, at $65,000.

The stamp on this cover, by the way, is the example pictured in the Scott catalog, and the stamp pictured next to it in the same catalog is another of the five Madison Court House lots in this auction: the only known example of the same gold on blue 3 provisional stamp with Cents misspelled Cnets (Scott AX1a).

Confederate and United States postal history

Additional Confederate States postal history is offered, along with selected U.S. postal history, in a sale that extends from May 9 to May 10 with 276 lots.

A large group of stampless covers includes examples arranged by state, plus China inbound and outbound mail.

The sale offers two examples of the 1846 5 black Washington New York, N.Y., postmasters provisionals on cover, a number of appealing 1847 covers, and more.

A nice legal-size envelope franked with four of the 1931 5 violet Winged Globe airmail stamp (Scott C16) features the autograph of Charles A. Lindbergh (as C.A. Lindbergh). The cover has a Pan American Airways return address, a typed delivery address to Cristobal, Canal Zone, and a purple first-flight cachet. The Siegel estimate on this handsome item is $400 to $500.

The Steven Walske collection of trans-Atlantic mail between the United States and France

Over the past few years, the Siegel firm has offered items from the collections of philatelic researcher, writer and exhibitor Steven Walske, including material from the Walske collection of trans-Atlantic mail between the United States and France, auctioned in 2016.

The 200-plus lots in the Walske collection of North American blockade run mail and French royal packet mail in this auction series is arranged in four main groups: Revolutionary War, French Royal Packet Mail, War of 1812, and the Civil War.

The selection of French royal packet mail from the late 18th century actually opens with a remarkable 1792 Spanish folded letter mailed from New Orleans to Bordeaux, France, via Havana, Cuba, and Spain.

The letter has one of only three recorded strikes of the ornate Nueva Orleans laureated oval postmark from this period on a cover, according to the Siegel auction catalog description. One of the other two is in the collection of a Havana museum, and the other is described as being in poor condition.

The cover on offer is also struck with the Yndias (West Indies) straightline handstamp, and was carried by the Spanish royal mail packet El Tucuman.

Ex-Dr. Skinner and Risvold, this cover is offered with an estimated value of $25,000 to $35,000.

United States stamps

The May 11-12 general sale of U.S. stamps includes material from the Brian M. DeBroff collection of high-grade Washington-Franklin issues, and showcases, in many instances, the finest examples known for specific issues. Thirty-five stamps in this sale claim the top grades of 100 or 100 Jumbo. A number of these stamps are identified as being the only one verified to have achieved the highest possible grade.

An example is the 1911 8 olive green George Washington (Scott 380), a stamp that lists in the Scott U.S. Specialized catalog for $225 as a very fine never-hinged example.

However, the stamp in this auction is certified with a 2009 Professional Stamp Experts grade of Gem 100 Jumbo, a grade so high that it is not valued in either the Scott catalog or in Stamp Market Quarterly. The latter publication lists a $10,500 value for the simple 100 grade.

In the description for this stamp, Siegel notes: This is the highest grade possible on the grading chart and this is the only example to achieve this ultimate grade. The next-highest grade awarded is a single example graded 98.

The mint never-hinged stamp is described as having a lovely pastel color and mathematically perfect centering.

The sale includes U.S. regular postage, airmail, special delivery, possessions, and other back-of-the-book issues, as well as philatelic literature, collections and accumulations.

The Vaquero collection of U.S. essays and proofs

The auctions series concludes May 12 with the Vaquero collection of U.S. essays and proofs, presenting a dazzling selection of unfamiliar and familiar designs in rich colors often not seen on the issued stamps.

An example is the 3 Liberty Spencer Patent Rainbow plate essay on wove paper, presented as four vertical pairs and two singles (originally another vertical pair). Each perf 12 essay is printed in a different combination of multiple colors; the set (Scott 79-E30r) is listed with an estimate of $4,000 to $5,000.

There are also some delightful revenue stamp essays in this sale, including the spectacular unissued $5,000 yellow orange, green and black Persian Rug large die trial color proof on India paper (Scott R133ATC1e).

More information about the May 9-12 Siegel sales

The catalogs for this auction series can be viewed on the Siegel website, with online bidding available through Stamp Auction Network.

For more information, contact Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, 60 E. 56th St., Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10022.
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A collector sea urchin may look benign, but if a predator comes near it will release a cloud of toothy jaws.

A common and colorful sea urchin has some truly bizarre appendages that seem to move independently from its body, and now scientists know why: It shoots these tiny, venomous jaws into the water to deter predators.

These teensy, toothy jaws are called pedicellariae, and when scientists discovered them in the early 1800s, they thought the jaws were parasites because they seemed to move independently from the urchin. Now, researchers find that urchins use their pedicellariae not only to defend themselves when attacked, but also as a warning to fish and other sea creatures to "stay away!"

Tripneustes gratilla, otherwise known as the collector urchin, is a widespread species found in shallow waters in the Bahamas, the Indo-Pacific region and even the Red Sea. [Gallery: See Photos of Glorious Sea Urchins]

A collector sea urchin may look benign, but if a predator comes near it will release a cloud of toothy jaws. (Image credit: Laura Dinraths/Shutterstock)

Cloud defense

Pedicellariae are found only in echinoderms, particularly sea stars and sea urchins. The type found on collector urchins are known as globiferous, meaning they have a three-pronged jaw and a venom sac at the end of a long stalk. When disturbed, the urchins shoot a cloud of pedicellariae into the water around their bodies. Those that meet their mark sink their tiny, venomous teeth into the predator's skin. Even if a predator fish tears away the structure in its haste to flee, the jaws remain embedded, and the venom sac keeps pumping irritating toxins into the fish's flesh.

The head of a pedicellaria from a collector sea urchin. (Image credit: Courtesy of Hannah Sheppard Brennand/Southern Cross University)

What Sheppard Brennand and her colleagues discovered was that fish don't have to make direct contact with sea urchins to be shot with pedicellariae. To prompt T. gratilla to shoot off these structures, the researchers poked the sea urchins with forceps in a lab for 30 seconds, to simulate predation. Then, they incorporated pedicellariae into squid snacks and offered them to two species of fish that prey on urchins: the black axil chromis (Chromis atripectoralis) and the stocky anthias (Pseudanthias hypselosoma). In an aquarium setting, the fish ate 50 percent fewer treats containing venomous pedicellariae compared with treats containing no pedicellariae. When the researchers washed the pedicellariae of their venom, the fish readily accepted between 80 percent and 90 percent of the squid snacks embedded with tiny jaws, compared with fewer than 20 percent of the treats if the venom wasn't rinsed.

The researchers also tested their squid snacks in the wild at Coffs Harbour Marina, between Sydney and Brisbane, using a GoPro camera to record video of fish behavior around the treats. Again, the fish avoided the pedicellariae-filled food and gravitated toward the clean options.

Unpalatable pedicellariae

Clearly, pedicellariae were unpalatable, Sheppard Brennand said. Next, the researchers put fish in a tank with two flumes, one of which had a sea urchin about 28 inches (72 centimeters) upstream. When the sea urchins were prodded to release their pedicellariae, the fish tended to avoid being downstream, the researchers found. Fish spent less than half of their time in a flume filled with pedicellariae, compared with 70 percent of their time in flumes with an undisturbed urchin or no urchin at all.

"Discovering that the pedicellariae cloud deterred fish was the most exciting finding," Sheppard Brennand said. "We had hypothesized that this might be the case, but until you actually do the research and examine the data, you don't know what the outcome will be."

Deterring predators with a long-range defense may save the urchins a lot of wear and tear, since they don't necessarily have to be bitten by every fish that needs to learn to stay away, the researchers wrote. Lots of animals have "pursuit-deterrent" signals like this that don't require contact with predators. Porcupines have their quills, for example, and some species of spider kick off tiny, irritating hairs. Bombardier beetles spray hot, irritating chemicals. And urchins, it seems, have their mobile bite.
Scientists have extracted DNA from the skeletal remains of several 19th-century sailors who died during the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, whose goal was to navigate the fabled Northwest Passage.

With a new genetic database of 24 expedition members, researchers hope they'll be able to identify some of the bodies scattered in the Canadian Arctic, 170 years after one of the worst disasters in the history of polar exploration.

The results were published April 20 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

A doomed voyage

Led by Sir John Franklin, a British Royal Navy captain, the 129-member crew embarked in 1845 in search of a sea route that would link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The sailors were doomed after their ships became trapped in thick sea ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in 1846. [In Photos: Arctic Shipwreck Solves 170-Year-Old Mystery]

The last communication, a short note from April 25, 1848, indicated that the surviving men were abandoning their ships  the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror  just off King William Island and embarking on a harsh journey south toward a trading post on the mainland. None of them seems to have made it even a fifth of the way there.

Over more than a century, search parties and scientists have discovered the remains of several Franklin sailors in boats and makeshift campsites scattered along this route. The bones bear scars of diseases like scurvy. Some even have the signatures of cannibalism, according to one recent study that confirmed the 19th-century reports of Inuit witnesses who had described piles of fractured human bones. Several artifacts from the HMS Erebus, including a medicine bottle and tunic buttons, as well as the ship's bronze bell, have also been uncovered.

In the latest look at the array of bones, a team led by Douglas Stenton of Nunavut's Department of Culture and Heritage, a territory in northern Canada, conducted the first genetic tests on members of the expedition who died following the desertion of the ships.

Stenton and his colleagues were able to get DNA from 37 bone and tooth samples found at eight different sites around King William Island, and they established the presence of at least 24 different members of the expedition. Twenty-one of these individuals had been found at locations around Canada's Erebus Bay, "confirming it as a location of some importance following the desertion of Erebus and Terror," Stenton told Live Science.

The researchers say their results offer a more accurate count of the number of expedition members who died at different locations. A few of the early fatalities were buried at Beechey Island and their frozen remains, which were exhumed by archaeologists in the 1980s, were eerily well-preserved. The bones of the sailors who died after abandoning the ships, however, were much more scattered, dispersed by animal scavenging and human activity.

Stenton said that, in one case, bones from the same individual were found at two different sites about a mile (1.7 kilometers) from each other. The researchers think that an 1879 search party most likely found some of the bones, and then carried them to the new site and reburied them.

Stenton and colleagues hope they will eventually be able to use the database to identify the crew members and better reconstruct what happened in the final months of the expedition.

"We have been in touch with several descendants who have expressed interest in participating in further research," Stenton said. "We hope that the publication of our initial study will encourage other descendants to also consider participating."

Women among the dead?

Four samples in the study were identified as female, which doesn't fit with the picture of an all-male expedition crew. The authors ruled out the possibility that these samples came from Inuit women because the genetic and archaeological evidence associated with these four individuals also suggests they were European. [Tales of the 9 Craziest Ocean Voyages]

"We were surprised by the results for those samples because in planning the analysis it hadn't occurred to us that there might have been women on board," Stenton told Live Science.

Stenton and his colleagues think the most likely explanation for this discrepancy is that ancient DNA studies commonly fail to amplify the Y chromosome (the male sex chromosome) due to insufficient quantity or quality of DNA, which can result in false female identifications of the dead. However, the researchers noted that it wasn't unheard of for women to serve in disguise in the Royal Navy.

"Some of these women were smuggled onboard [the] ship, and others disguised themselves as men and worked alongside the crew for months or years before being detected or intentionally revealing themselves to be female," the authors wrote.

They cited cases such as Mary Anne Talbot, who served on two Navy ships during the Napoleonic wars of the 18th century before being found out after being wounded. Unfortunately, Stenton said he doesn't think it will be possible to definitively say whether the four Franklin samples are really just false results, but his team concluded that it would have been very unlikely for so many women to be serving secretly on this voyage.

Original article on Live Science.
The sound of an object crashing to the ground or the sight of a bright flash of light: These are some of the things that people with a condition called exploding head syndrome can sense, even though the events did not really occur, a new study finds.

Little is known about this startling syndrome, but it does appear to be more common than previously thought, said the study, which was published online April 6 in the journal Cephalalgia.

Despite the condition's name, no actual explosions take place when a person has exploding head syndrome. Rather, the phenomenon is considered to be a "sensory" sleep disorder, according to the study. [Top 11 Spooky Sleep Disorders]

When a person with exploding head syndrome is either falling asleep or waking up, he or she may hear a thunderously loud noise, said study author Brian Sharpless, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Virginia. In a previous study, Sharpless found that about 13.5 percent of people experience the phenomenon at some point during their lives.

Scientists still don't know why this phenomenon occurs, but one of the more popular theories involves a part of the brain called the reticular formation, Sharpless told Live Science. This area, located in the brain stem at the back of a person's head, is responsible for helping a person go to sleep, said Sharpless, who is also the editor of the book "Unusual and Rare Psychological Disorders" (Oxford University Press, 2016).

"Going to sleep is sort of like shutting down a computer," Sharpless said: The brain goes through a series of steps. One of these steps involves "shutting down" the brain cells that are responsible for hearing, called the auditory neurons, he said. But when someone has exploding head syndrome, instead of shutting these neurons down, something could cause them to fire all at once, leading the person to "hear" a sudden, loud noise in his or her head, Sharpless said.

The reticular formation is also thought to play a role in another strange sleep phenomenon called sleep paralysis, Sharpless added. During sleep paralysis, a person wakes up and is unable to move; he or she may report seeing things at the same time.

"Dropping an object from a height"

In the new study, 49 college students who all had experienced exploding head syndrome were interviewed about their symptoms by either a clinical psychologist or doctoral student in clinical psychology.

Although the participants' experiences varied  some had experienced only one episode, while one person reported 150 episodes  the study revealed several commonalities, the researchers said.

For example, the most common type of noise that people reported hearing was the sound of someone "dropping an object from a height," followed by a bang, an explosion and a door slamming, according to the study.

People who experience the phenomenon don't report hearing speech, or anything articulate, Sharpless said. "It's mostly a really loud sound."

Fear and a racing heart were also very common symptoms, according to the study. And just over a quarter of the people in the study reported seeing a flash of light.

Sharpless said he was surprised that 14 percent of the people in the study said they "forgot how to breathe" during an episode of exploding head syndrome, a sensation that the individuals considered extremely frightening.

As scary as the episodes may seem, for the most part, they are painless, the study found. Just a few study participants reported experiencing a mild headache or feeling hot, Sharpless said. Indeed, if a person experiences pain during an episode, that could be a sign of a more serious health condition, Sharpless said.

A little-known condition

The study showed that only about 10 percent of people who had exploding head syndrome ever told a doctor about it, Sharpless said. In some cases, when the people did tell their doctors, the physicians didn't know about exploding head syndrome, Sharpless said.

The name exploding head syndrome was coined in 1986, but the phenomenon has been documented as far as back as the late 1800s, Sharpless said. A doctor in Philadelphia described the experiences as "sensory discharges." Later, in the 1920s, another doctor referred to the phenomenon as "snapping of the brain," Sharpless said.

Even today, the condition is little understood, and some people with exploding head syndrome have mistakenly attributed it to government operatives pointing "directed energy weapons" at their heads, Sharpless said. [Top 10 Conspiracy Theories]

But exploding head syndrome really is the result of something happening in the brain, Sharpless said.

"Sleep is very complicated, and there are a lot of ways it can go wrong," Sharpless said. "This is one of them."

Originally published on Live Science.
Bangladesh, a global hub for the textile trade, has been suffering from serious air and ocean freight congestion, with leading forwarders expecting things to get worse before they improve.

Forwarders have told Lloyds Loading List that importers of garments and textiles from Bangladesh continue to be thwarted by port and airport congestion that is driving up supply chain costs. Bangladesh saw export earnings rise 4% to US$25.94 billion in the July-March period of the current fiscal year, supported by 10% year-on-year export growth in March that was largely attributed to shipments of apparel, a major component of the countrys economic health.

Nooruddin Chowdhury, Bangladesh country manager at DHL Global Forwarding, told Lloyds Loading List that economic growth in the country had been underpinned by the expansion of its textiles and readymade garments industry. Around 82% of Bangladeshi exports are dependent on textile products, he said.

But transport capacity has not kept pace with the growth of the sector. Forwarders noted a major surge in demand in March from Bangladesh saw air freight rates soar. Weve seen a high single digit increase in rates and pre-booking times are now pushing a week, one source told Lloyds Loading List last week.

The airports in Bangladesh are facing space shortage for import and export goods, resulting in congestion, overflow and capacity issues at the airports, added Chowdhury. This has contributed to delayed shipments entering and exiting the country. Besides space constraints, there is also insufficient cargo handling equipment and resources to manage the increasing volumes in Bangladesh.

He said Biman Bangladesh Airlines management and local civil aviation authorities were now trying to expand its cargo handling areas to cope with the current capacity issues and there were also plans to build a new import warehouse on the northern side of the Biman Cargo Village. These will help to alleviate the congestion and capacity issues currently faced, he said.

The key gateway port of Chittagong is also proving a bottleneck for the apparel industry. The port has a shallow draft, which limits vessel capacity, and has suffered from congestion for much of the last year, hitting textile producers bringing in raw materials from Asia and exporting finished products to Europe and North America.

Chowdhury said berthing delay at Chittagong had decreased from 5 - 6 days during June to December 2016, to 1  2 days as of March 2017 due to lower import levels. However, we expect berthing delays during the peak period  from May to November  to be around 5 days, which could increase to 7 or 8 days during the post Eid-ul-Fitre and Eid-ul-Azha periods in late June and late August/early September, respectively, as the ports will be closed during the major holidays in Bangladesh, he added.

Shippers will also likely be affected by the network reorganisation of the container shipping consortium The Alliance. The apparel industry in the UK currently relies on rapid imports with short lead times from Bangladesh, said investment analyst Stifel. One of three new mega-alliances announced it will only have one scheduled service, with a 25-day transit time, from that part of Asia, so they (Bangladesh apparel shippers) cant use that alliance.

Chowdhury said local authorities were desperately pushing forward with a number of new projects that would boost capacity in the coming years.

The current situation has resulted in delayed shipments for importers of more than a week, he added. This is exacerbated by the decreasing capacity for ocean freight brought about by the recent Hanjin insolvency and mergers in the shipping industry where rates are now on the rise.

To minimize delays for exporters, DHL has been proactively working with customers and authorities to ensure their shipments are loaded onto the vessels on-time.

Image: Shutterstock.com
The WACO System global network for independent freight forwarders has appointed three new members in North America, eastern Europe, and central Asia.

ITN Logistics is the new Canadian member, described as an independent global logistics provider and single source for all transportation and logistics requirements. Trans Global Projects (TGP) is the new member for Azerbaijan, offering services including Customs clearance, port handling, vessel agency, local transport and international transport by road, sea, river, and air. And ACE Logistics Bel has been appointed in Belarus. Founded in 2011, it provides air, sea and road transport services, as well as various warehousing and other logistical solutions

The three new members will be officially welcomed to the WACO family during the groups Annual General Meeting (AGM) this week in Valencia, Spain. The WACO System includes 112 independent forwarders in 109 countries and holds two meetings a year, facilitating hundreds of bilateral meetings for members to network and grow business.

We are delighted to be accepted as a member of the WACO network as the designated agent for Azerbaijan, said Azer Aliyev, regional director for Trans Global Projects. Having a good and reliable network is very important and is something we have long enjoyed through WACO.

Ignas Puluikis, managing director for ACE Logistics Bel said: We are delighted to represent Belarus, a developing country with great potential that is at the crossroads of the European Union and the Russian Federation, and we look forward to working with our new partners in the network.

Ian Kennedy, managing director of ITN Logistics, commented: The ITN Group of companies is very much looking forward to joining The WACO System. We are excited to find new business partners but more importantly new friends.

Richard Charles, executive director of The WACO System, commented: We continue to grow our presence globally with the addition of local experts with a proven track record in the worlds most dynamic economies.
Dear Mr. Premack: I currently have a special and general Power of Attorney from my wife, in order to close on a home equity loan. My bank had recently informed me that they could not close on the loan due to fact that I'm using a POA. I'm retired military and had the POA done at the Judge Advocate's office in Germany. I wanted to ask if there is a way I can close the loan using a POA or do I need a specific type of POA?  JF

Prior to 1995, home equity loans were illegal in Texas. Texas was the last state in which the homestead was granted very broad protection against creditor's claims. The banking industry then convinced the Texas Legislature to approve a modification to the Texas Constitution, and sold the voters on the benefits of equity loans. Since that vote, both home equity loans and reverse mortgages have been legal in Texas.

However, unlike most states, the legal authorization for equity loans is found in the Texas Constitution. Changing the Constitution is a formidable task, much more difficult than making a change to a regular statute.

With that background, we come to your question: can you, as Agent, use your wife's POA to close on an equity loan? That question was answered by the Texas Supreme in Finance Commission v. Norwood. The court determined that the Constitution forbids using a POA to close on an equity loan unless that POA was executed (signed) at the lenders' office, at an attorney's office, or at a title company's office.

It seems that your bank is taking that court decision quite literally, which is understandable from their perspective. If they allow you to use the POA to close on the equity loan, and later it is determined that the closing was illegal, then they are embroiled in a legal battle to recover the loan balance. The bank is construing that Judge Advocate's office in Germany is not "an attorney's office" as required by Texas law.

Thus, the bank won't allow you to execute the equity loan on behalf of your wife using the legally inadequate Power of Attorney. The Power of Attorney cannot, under the bank's interpretation of the Norwood decision, be used to close on the equity loan because it was not signed by your wife in a legally approved location.

What can you do? You could argue with the bank. Maybe an officer higher up the ladder will change the bank's policy, but that outcome seems unlikely. You could have your wife sign a new Power of Attorney in one of the legally approved locations, and provide proof to the bank of its origin. However, if she is still in Germany that may be an impractical solution. Or you could wait to close on the loan until your wife is back in Texas, avoid acting as her Agent under the Power of Attorney, and have her sign the equity loan personally. While it may cause some delay, that tactic is certain to appease the bank.

Please note that equity loan (especially reverse mortgages) have some pros and some cons. They can free up your home's equity, but are also often expensive to close and must always be paid back with interest. If you can get an unsecured loan rather than a loan secured by a lien on your home, then you will not be putting your home at risk of foreclosure should you later be unable to repay the loan.

Paul Premack is a Certified Elder Law Attorney with offices in San Antonio and Seattle, handling Wills and Trusts, Probate, and Business Entity issues. View past legal columns or submit free questions on legal issues via www.TexasEstateandProbate.com or www.Premack.com.
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Hershel "Woody" Williams, who earned a Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for combat heroism, on Iwo Jima in World War II, will speak during the dedication of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at 10 a.m. Saturday in LaFayette Park, Albany.

Retired Congressman Michael McNulty of Green Island, a Gold Star brother, and Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan also will speak. McNulty's brother, William, a Marine, was killed in the Vietnam War.

Frank Currey of Selkirk, a former Army sergeant who earned a Medal of Honor in World War II, also is expected to participate.

The family of Army Capt. Timothy Moshier of Bethlehem, who was killed when his helicopter crashed in Iraq, will lay a wreath.

The Rev. Charlene Robbins will give the invocation. Her son Army Staff Sgt. Thomas Robbins of Delmar died in an accidental explosion in Iraq.

Last year, Gold Star Families of the Greater Capital District and the Tri-County Council of Vietnam Era Veterans launched a successful campaign to raise $75,000 for the project.

Generally, monuments honor those killed in combat but not their families. The new monument also preserves the memory of the fallen and stands as a reminder that freedom is not free, Williams said.

One side of the black granite monument bears the words "Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to Gold Star Mothers, Fathers, and Relatives who have sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom."

A second side tells a story through the four granite panels: Homeland, Family, Patriot and Sacrifice. At the center of this tribute is the cutout that represents the loved one who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Williams originated the idea of Gold Star Families monuments. Before he enlisted in the Marines, he was a cab driver and one of his duties was to deliver Western Union telegram death notices to families who had lost a loved one in World War II. The experience prompted him to think of a way to honor and pay tribute to the families.

He founded the Hershel "Woody" Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, which helped launch an effort to build at least one Gold Star Families Monument in every state. To date, 18 monuments have been dedicated and 44 are in progress.

Last year, Joe Pollicino of Latham, president of the Tri-County Council of Vietnam Era Veterans, suggested the monument to Carrie Farley of Nassau, president of the State of New York American Gold Star Mothers.

Pollicino, Farley and others formed a committee, chaired by John McKenna III of Clifton Park, for construction and fundraising for the monument.

Farley's son Army Staff Sgt. Derek Farley was killed Aug. 17, 2009, in the Afghanistan war. McKenna's son Marine Reserve Capt. John McKenna IV of Clifton Park was killed in 2006 in Fallujah, Iraq.

"The sacrifices of our families are inseparable from the sacrifices of our sons and daughters who have fallen in service to our country," McKenna said at the start of the fund drive.

Gold Star Mothers include moms who have lost a son or daughter in combat, accidents, sickness and suicides while on active duty. Gold Star Families include immediate family as well as grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews.

Veterans walkathon

A Veterans walkathon will begin at noon Saturday at the Sharon Park Drive Pavilion in Cook Park, Colonie. Registration begins at 11 a.m. The event is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the Legion of Albany County.

Donations benefit Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center programs, assisted living homes, the Fisher House in Albany and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

Turn in donations at the walk or mail them to Veteran Walkathon Judy Benner, 13 Broderick St., Albany, NY 12205. For information, call Benner at 869-8668 or Dave Bishop at 590-6483.

News of your troops and units may be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.
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Troy

The city school district will pay to have two city police officers at Troy middle and high schools for the 2017-18 school year, district officials said. The city administration will apply for a new federal grant to cover future costs.

The district set aside $200,000 to cover the police costs for one year, but anticipates the expense will be lower since the officers won't be working as school resource officers the entire year.

Superintendent John Carmello and Board of Education President Jason Schofield said the SROs are popular among district residents.

"It's a great thing that the district is able to save the SROs," Schofield said.

The school district is drawing on its budget surplus to pay for its two SROs. The district expects to exceed the 4 percent state cap on the fund balance it can keep in reserve. The one-time SRO payment would come from this fund.

Mayor Patrick Madden didn't plan to send officers back to the city schools without new federal funding to avoid overtime costs and maintain patrol division staffing.

While the city has been in contact with the Troy school district, Madden said he had no discussions with the Lansingburgh Central School District about funding its SRO.

The federal funding agreement ends June 30. The city didn't eliminate the three SRO positions from the 130-member police force but returned the officers to patrol duties.

Madden previously said the city would study police overtime as it related to the SROs.

The city is trying to have maximum patrol officers available for each shift, Madden said.

"The public wants to see a police presence out on the street," he said.

The city anticipates the U.S. Department of Justice will announce an application period in May for funding SROs. Madden said the city would apply.

Carmello said the school district has to work out the details of the financing for the officers with the city and the terms for having them in the schools. The superintendent said the one-year arrangement anticipates the city obtaining the federal funding.

Madden said he wants to arrange a meeting among officials from the Troy and Lansingburgh school districts, his administration and the police department to discuss what should be expected in the future.

Madden said he supports having SROs in both school systems.

kcrowe@timesunion.com  518-454-5084  @KennethCrowe
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A father fighting for custody of his two children was among those who filed a complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct against then-Webb County Court at Law II Judge Jesus Chuy Garza, claiming bias, favoritism and improper actions, according to records obtained by Laredo Morning Times.

The father, who requested Laredo Morning Times not disclose his name in fear of retaliation, said in the complaint that Garzas negligence led to his then-3-year-old daughter being abused by a male juvenile while in the care of her mother.

There is currently an ongoing investigation by the Webb County Sheriffs Office into the charges of child endangerment by the mother of the children and the charges of a male suspect(s) residing at the home of the mother of the children where the children continue to have contact with such males at that home, according to the complaint, which was filed in June 2015.

The father said he was the one who asked the Sheriffs Office to investigate the child endangerment claims. He also said he filed a complaint with the Sheriffs Office in regard to the claim his daughter had been sexually assaulted. Its unclear what, if anything, happened with those complaints.

The allegations that Garza had shown bias and favoritism were contained in one of four complaints against the judge that were pending before the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The commission wrote in a document detailing Garzas voluntary agreement to resign from office in January that he does not admit to guilt, fault or liability regarding the complaints. He denied the allegations in their entirety.

The agreement between the commission and Garza, who was indicted on a misdemeanor influence-peddling charge, resolved the four pending complaints against him. The commission agreed to suspend further disciplinary proceedings in exchange for his resignation.

The agreement says the commission suspended its investigations into the complaints after receiving notice of an active criminal investigation related to the allegations or attorneys involved in the complaints.

The father said he was not notified that the commissions investigation had been closed due to Garzas resignation agreement. Rather, he said he received a letter weeks later notifying him of the agreement.

He alleged in his complaint that Garza participated in ex parte communications with the court-appointed attorney who was advocating on behalf of a child. An ex parte communication is any communication between a judge and a party to a legal proceeding outside of the presence of the opposing party or the opposing party's attorney.

The complaint also alleged that the judge exhibited bias and favoritism toward the mothers attorney. Garza approved documents to be sealed without proper grounds or documentation as well, according to the complainant.

Temporary court orders submitted by an ad litem attorney were approved by Garza without proper evidence or grounds, the complaint states.

Judge Garza has demonstrated preference to the opposing attorney in court by using a different tone of voice and not letting my attorney present all of the evidence, according to the complaint.

The father who filed the complaints with the commission and the Sheriffs Office said he has grown frustrated trying to find answers concerning the alleged sexual assault of his daughter.

He said he feels the Webb County Sheriffs Office is giving him the runaround.

When Laredo Morning Times tried obtaining information on the outcome of his complaints, the Sheriffs Office responded with an email citing a portion of the Texas family code where it states a report of alleged or suspected abuse or neglect is confidential and not subject to public release.

The Sheriffs Office also declined to say if the investigations were open or closed. A spokesperson for the Webb County Attorneys Office, which prosecutes juvenile cases, said the office did not have an open case on the juvenile.

Up to this point, there have been several attempts to get information and I havent been able to, the father said. I want justice for my daughter. I want safety for my kids.

Laredo police initially had the case but transferred it to the Sheriffs Office after receiving information that the alleged incident happening in El Cenizo.

When the father went to the Sheriffs Office, he was told no investigation was open because he had not filed a complaint.

I was advised to file a complaint and press charges against (the juvenile) and the mother for failing to report to me what had happened to my daughter, he said.

He then filed the complaints. Two years have since passed, but the father said he still cannot find out from the Sheriffs Office the status of the complaints.
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A jury selection date has been set in the 111th District Court for a man accused of fatally assaulting a 47-year-old man in October, court records state.

Mario Alberto Martinez pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder during a hearing held March 30 before 111th District Court Judge Monica Z. Notzon.

A grand jury indicted Martinez, 21, in January for the murder of George Albert Bustos. The indictment alleges caused Bustos death by striking his head and body with a wooden board or object.

Records state a June 5 jury selection date in his case has been set.

The case began Oct. 25 when officers were dispatched to an assault report in the 1100 block of San Agustin Avenue at about 3 a.m.

READ MORE: Laredo child fatally chokes on grape

A woman alleged Martinez had assaulted her boyfriend, Bustos, with a wooden object, possibly a fence board.

Paramedics encountered Bustos on the ground.

He was unresponsive and was bleeding from the face.

He had a bump to the right side of his head, according to reports.

He was taken to Laredo Medical Center and later airlifted to San Antonio due to internal bleeding, where he died.

Authorities said Bustos died of complications of head trauma, ruling his death a homicide.

Martinez is scheduled to appear May 2 in the 111th District Court for a pretrial hearing.
1 Missing boy: Authorities in Los Angeles County searched Monday for a missing 5-year-old boy whose father was arrested two days earlier after being found unconscious in a park. South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said investigators were having a difficult time getting answers from the boys father, Aramazd Andressian Sr. He was arrested Saturday on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction after paramedics found him unconscious in South Pasadenas Arroyo Park. Investigators dont know why the man was unconscious, Miller said, adding that there is no evidence he was attacked. The childs mother reported Saturday that her estranged husband had failed to drop the boy, Aramazd Andressian Jr., off at a prearranged meeting place.

2 Triple homicide: A shooting involving gang members killed three people early Monday inside a home in Savannah, Ga., police said. The victims were identified by authorities as Courtney German, 31, William Mullins, 24, and Shayla Curtis, 18. A person of interest in the case was arrested on unrelated charges in nearby Jasper County, S.C., but had not been charged in the Savannah slaying, said police Lt. Racine Chaney .
As both chambers have passed their versions of the state's budget, The lieutenant governor has appointed five Senate members to a conference committee, who along with the appointed House members will work out the differences between the different versions. The clock is winding down for this session, but I am confident we will come to an agreement and pass the state's budget.

Here are five things happening at your Capitol:

1. Convention of States

House Joint Resolution 39, which is identical to Senate Joint Resolution 2 passed by the Texas Senate, was recently heard in a Texas House committee. These resolutions call for a convention of states, which is a gathering of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures with the purpose of proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This is possible through Article V of the Constitution, which was created to provide states with a tool to stop potential abuses of power by the federal government. These resolutions could enact term limits for U.S. officials, as well as impose spending limits and limit the powers of the federal government.

2. SchoolFinance Bills

Last week, the Senate Education Committee heard a number of bills related to the state's school finance system, which contains some provisions based on costs from almost 30 years ago. Senate Bill 2145 proposes a new funding system and would provide the same per student funding for school districts, with additional money for specific student groups such as disabled students and English language learners.

When the school finance system was ruled unconstitutional in 2005, the Legislature cut local property taxes by a third. To make up the difference in revenue for those school districts, the Additional State Aide for Tax Reduction (ASATR) was created to ensure school districts would receive the same amount of funding they received in 2005-06 school year. In 2011, the Legislature decided this program should end September 2017. Senate Bill 419 would extend this date to ensure many school districts would not be negatively affected by the loss of this promised funding.

3. Legislature Timeline

As I write this column, we have a little over a month left till the end of this legislative session. While that might sound like there is a lot of time left, we are getting down to some important deadlines. Senate Committees are finishing up their hearings of Senate bills and will soon start hearing bills which have been sent over from the House Chamber. An important thing to take note, is that if a Senate or House bill is not heard and voted out of their respective chamber committees in the next two weeks, those bills will likely die for lack of time left to go through the legislative process. It will be a busy few weeks, but I look forward to continuing to work hard for Senate District 3.

4. EmergencyPreparednessSales Tax Holiday

Many Texans are familiar with the tax free holiday in August, but did you know you could have purchased, tax free, emergency preparedness supplies from April 22 to 24. Created during the 84th Legislative Session, this tax free holiday ensures Texans are able to be prepared for the next potential fire, flood or tornado.

There is no limit on the number of qualifying items a person can purchase, including:

Portable generators (less than $3,000)

Hurricane shutters and emergency ladders (less than $300)

Batteries, carbon monoxide detectors, coolers and ice chests, first aid kits, fuel containers, fire extinguishers, etc. (less than $75).

If you missed it this year, be sure to mark your calendar for next year.

5. San Jacinto Day

On April 21, we commemorated San Jacinto Day, which honors the 178th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto between the Texan and Mexican armies. In 1835, after the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed, Mexican President Santa Anna brought his army to Texas to suppress the uprising of support for Texas independence. While the Texans lost a number of areas to Santa Anna, they were not going to back down without a fight.

On April 21, 1836, our forces fought and won the Battle of San Jacinto, also capturing General Santa Anna. After this triumphant victory, Texas became fully independent from Mexico. While the battle only lasted 18 minutes, hundreds of Mexicans were killed, injured or captured while only nine Texan soldiers were killed and 26 were wounded.

We have those brave men and women to thank for our beautiful state.
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Officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have given The Woodlands Development Company the green light to add triploid grass carp to The Woodlands Waterway to help address water quality issues.

According to information from TPWD, the development company has been permitted to release 300 grass carp into the Waterway. Texas has allowed the stocking of triploid grass carp since 1992 as an effective biological tool for the control of nuisance vegetation.

"The only grass carp we allow in the state of Texas are triploid," said Mark Webb, district fishery supervisor for the College Station/Houston district. "That means the eggs are pressure treated to induce a third set of chromosomes. That makes them sterile and not capable of reproducing."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woodlands debates whether stocking waterway with carp is a good idea

Webb said all triploid grass carp are tested and certified before they leave a hatchery to ensure they cannot reproduce.

According to TPWD, grass carp have definite food preferences and prefer bushy pondweed, American pondweed and hydrilla. The fish feed only on plants, not on fish eggs or young fish, go dormant during the winter and resume intensive feeding when water temperatures reach 68F, live for at least 10 years and probably longer in Texas waters, grow rapidly and may exceed 60 pounds but are difficult to catch with conventional fishing methods.

The algae is now under control, but the aquatic weed, Southern Naiad or Bushy Pondweed, is still a problem, said John Powers, assistant general manager for the township. Powers said TWDC also is using an EPA-approved aquatic herbicide to treat the weeds.

The problem with the Waterway water quality came to light last May when Ironman officials changed the swim route two days before the competition due to water quality concerns in the canal, with officials stating the water was not suitable for swimming. The entire 2.4-mile swim course then was completed in Lake Woodlands.

DISTURBING: The most polluted places in Texas

Ironman Texas officials rely on The Woodlands Township for water testing and assessment, and those results are evaluated according to the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards for Primary Contact Recreation. However, according to information from the township, the water quality in the Waterway is 100 percent the responsibility of The Woodlands Development Company.

Board member Bruce Rieser, who also serves as chairman of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau, said during the board's Feb. 16 meeting the issue has been a topic of conversation for the CVB.

"Obviously the Waterway is critical and really important to our ability to make (it) an attraction," Reiser said in a previous article, noting several community members had asked him about the smell of the water.

Maintenance of the water quality of the Waterway is defined in the Waterway Maintenance Services Agreement between the township and TWDC, according to Powers.

Powers did not know the date the fish would be released into the Waterway. Officials with TWDC could not be reached for comment.
AUSTIN -- The Senate Finance Committee on Monday took up a bill that its author says will help the state understand the true cost in state funds of illegal immigration in Texas. Though the federal government is responsible for maintaining border security, its failure to secure the border is costing Texans millions, says Dallas Sen. Don Huffines. The Legislature approved $800 million to pay for more troopers and more resources for border security last session, and the Senate version of the budget includes the same amount for the upcoming biennium.

Huffines says that his bill, SB 764, will help the state's argument that Washington, D.C. should pay Texas back. "When the federal government fails to protect the border, then the federal government should reimburse the state for its expenditures," he said. "With this cost accounting Texas can better explain to the federal government the severity of the consequences of its failure of its responsibilities." His bill would require the Comptroller to tally and release each biennium the total cost to the state incurred by people not lawfully present in the U.S. It would also require that the report break out the specific costs for healthcare, education and incarceration of these individuals.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will pay an official visit to Cambodia from April 24th-25th (Photo: VNA)



The visit, made at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, is also an important diplomatic activity in the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2017.

The two countries set up diplomatic ties on June 24th, 1967. They have maintained delegation exchanges at all levels, thereby consolidating mutual trust between their leaders and people.

Among important visits in 2016 were a State visit to Cambodia by Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in June and an official visit by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in September.

While Cambodian National Assembly President Heng Samrin attended a ceremony marking 70 years of Vietnams first general election in January, Prime Minister Hun Sen attended the World Economic Forum on the Mekong Region in October and paid an official trip to Vietnam in December.

Vietnam currently has 190 investment projects with total registered capital of USD2.89 billion in Cambodia, focusing on agriculture and forestry. Cambodias investment in Vietnam has also been on the rise, with 18 projects worth USD58.125 million at present.

Bilateral trade exceeded USD2.9 billion in 2016 and is estimated at USD936 million in the first quarter of 2017, a year-on-year increase of 11.6 percent. The Q1 figure consists of USD582 million of Vietnamese exports, up 8.9 percent, and USD354 million worth of Cambodian goods, up 16.2 percent from a year earlier.

About 960,000 Vietnamese people visited Cambodia and 212,000 Cambodians spent holidays in Vietnam last year. That made Vietnam the biggest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia, which in turn ranks 13th in the number of arrivals to Vietnam.

Cooperation between the two sides ministries, sectors, localities and organisations have been reinforced through delegation exchanges, mutual support in economic development, collaboration in health care and culture, and people-to-people exchange, thus helping to maintain peace, stability, friendship and cooperation along the shared borderline.

Regarding security-defence relations, the countries have enhanced coordination in sharing information and resolving issues arising along the border. They have increased joint patrols at sea and worked closely to search for and repatriate the remains of Vietnams volunteer soldiers who laid down in Cambodia during wars.

They have also kept the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of this country to sabotage the other countrys security and stability.

Vietnam and Cambodia are also striving to finish land border demarcation and marker planting as soon as possible so as to foster peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development along their joint borderline./.
Pyongyang, North Korea

North Korea has detained a U.S. citizen, officials said Sunday, bringing to three the number of Americans now being held there.

Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name Kim Sang-duk, was detained on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, the chancellor of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Park said Kim, who is 58, taught accounting at the university for about a month. He said Kim was detained by officials as he was trying to leave the country from Pyongyang's international airport. A university spokesman said he was trying to leave with his wife on a flight to China.

The State Department and also the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang said it was aware of a Korean-American citizen being detained recently, but could not comment further. The embassy looks after consular affairs for the United States in North Korea because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations.

Park said Kim had taught at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China before coming to Pyongyang. He said he was informed that the detention had "nothing to do" with Kim's work at the university but did not know further details.

As of Sunday night, North Korea's official media had not reported on the detention.

The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology is the only privately funded university in North Korea. It held its first classes in 2010. It is unique in the North for its large number of foreign staff.

Colin McCulloch, the director of external affairs, said the university was not under investigation and was continuing its normal operations. He said he could not immediately confirm Kim's hometown.

Though no details on why Kim was detained have been released, the detention comes at a time of unusually heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Both countries have recently been trading threats of war and having another American in jail will likely up the ante even further.

Last year, Otto Warmbier, then a 21-year-old University of Virginia student from suburban Cincinnati, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison after he confessed to trying to steal a propaganda banner.

Kim Dong Chul, who was born in South Korea but is also believed to have U.S. citizenship, is serving a sentence of 10 years for espionage.
Spirit of Texas Bank celebrated San Jacinto Day Friday by honoring veterans, as well as individuals who played a significant role in Texas history.

San Jactinto Day remembers the April 21, 1836, Battle of San Jacinto -- the final battle of Texas' fight to win independence from Mexico. General Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna at the battlefield located in present-day Harris County.

During Friday's ceremonies at the bank, Lt. Col. Louis Foster Thompson, who shot down the last Japanese aircraft of World War II from his F4U Corsair, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Behind him marched Retired Army Sgt. Maj. James Williams, the last surviving Buffalo soldier. The two stood among veterans, first responders and five Texas Heritage families who were honored at the bank's plaza, where the Eternal Flame burns for all who have died for and all who continue to represent the spirit of Texas.

"I think it's wonderful," said Thompson, who turns 95 in October, as he shook the hands of soldiers thanking him for setting an example. "I didn't realize so many veterans were still alive. They are passing away about 1,200 a day now."

"It's been a long time (since someone thanked him for his service)," he then laughed. "I've got one foot in the grave and I get recognized."

Behind him stood Texas Lady Liberty, depicted on the San Jacinto battle flag, which was brought to the battle by Sidney Sherman and his 52 volunteers, the Newport Rifles of Kentucky. Below her statue at Spirit of Texas Bank now lies the etched names of great Texans from the 19th century.

One by one, descendants of those individuals accepted honorary trophies to recognize the service of those names, including Jose Francisco, who was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence; Frances Cox Henderson, who was a Linguist, mathematician and philanthropist; Alphonso Steele, who was a San Jacinto veteran and Montgomery County resident; Luther Dorsey, who served as a Buffalo soldier and Conroe resident; and Bass Reeves, who was a legendary U.S. Marshal.

Within the crowd of community members and elected officials - some in cowboy hats, Texas-themed vests and button-up shirts - sat Barbara Smith, of Conroe, who represented Steele as one of his descendants in attendance at the ceremony. Steele is the grandchild of Smith's great grandmother Alice Sparks Steele. Alphonso Steele married in Montgomery County and is buried in Mexia.

"It means a lot to keep Texas legacy alive and how such a few men stood up for something we claim is home now," said Smith, who visited with Alice as a child who talked about him." It's Texas history we need to keep it alive. Each year, we build on history. I just want my family to remember what went before them and how hard these people worked and fought."

The ceremony featured a presentation of colors, a B-25 bomber flying over and a firing salute for the men and women who serve their country.

"This evening was about honoring people that are legacy families who have done amazing things and people who individually today stand for that, save, resolve and support the causes that make us great as a community," CEO of Spirit of Texas Dean Bass said.

The attendees caught a sneak peek of the plans for the new Yellow Rose Theater and to hear Country Music Hall of Fame's Michael Martin Murphey share his passionate knowledge on Texas history and sing Yellow Rose, Wildfire and more. The "We Are Stronger" trailer was also shown, which is a new Montgomery County movie related to post-traumatic stress disorder and the family experience with the hope to save lives.

The event concluded with a clip of "San Jacinto" from the Emmy Award-winning documentary "Sam Houston Closing Prayer."

Panorama Village resident and daughter of the late Sam Houston IV, Vicky Allen, attended the event with her husband Bill Allen, whose family founded the city of Houston.

"My dad was all about teaching the children about Texas history," said Vicky Allen, whose family privately held a final farewell memorial service Friday for her father. "That was his main goal. He loved talking to children. He went to many a school and talked to the Texas History classes; he's fought to try to keep Texas History in the schools also, because they are wanting to discontinue that.

"I hope that with everything he has done that they will continue on with teaching Texas History and letting everyone know how important it is here for our state."

At the end of the night, she stood below Texas Lady Liberty and looked upon her father Sam Houston IV's name etched on a plaque in Taysha Park -- where he lit the Eternal Flame on April 21, 2015, as the great-grandson of the general who led the decisive Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution.
Romain Grosjean heads to Russia this week with the ambition of achieving another point-paying finish for the Haas F1 Team.

Bahrain yielded an eighth place finish for the Frenchman but it remains to be seen if the Hass VF-17 chassis, praised by Grosjean for its overall balance, can remain in contention for points in Sochi.

"It was good to score points in Bahrain," Grosjean said in the team's preview.

"Clearly, we deserved them  since race one, actually. I think the most encouraging fact for now is that the car is performing well everywhere weve been.

"So now we go to Russia, which was a bit of a tough one for us last year. Well see if weve made progress and if the car is working well at every type of circuit.

"If so, then pretty much everywhere we could score points."

While Sochi is close to Bahrain in terms of set-up, Grosjean believes however that track temperatures could throw a wild-card into the mix.

"A lot will depend on the temperature. The tarmac in Bahrain is very rough. Its very smooth in Russia.

"Theres a lot that we need to think about. I think clearly weve got a good baseline, so were going to keep working on that and keep trying to improve the car and see what we get in Sochi."

Grosjean earned his best F1 finish in last years race in Russia when he came home eighth. The Sochi Autodrom is indeed a circuit which appeals to the 31-year-old.

"I do quite like the fast Turn 3. Its a very high-speed corner, flat out, then just going into Turn 4, coming out of the corner, then braking straight away for Turn 4.

"I think the corners flow into each other quite nicely. Its a good track to drive."

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

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The nation's highest court has rejected attempts to revive a civil rights lawsuit brought by a Houston paint contractor who was shot in the back and paralyzed by a police offer in 2010.

In declining to hear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed that lower courts acted properly in granting Houston Police Officer Chris Thompson qualified immunity in the shooting incident, which took place following a late-night traffic stop on the Southwest Freeway.

Thompson stated he feared for his life as an apparently intoxicated Ricardo Salazar-Limon walked away from him after resisting arrest. Thompson claimed the man was reaching toward his waistband beneath an untucked shirt when he fired, though it turned out Salazar-Limon was not armed.

In a forceful dissent to the high court's unwillingness to consider the case, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said a jury should have been allowed to address Salazar-Limon's assertion that the police officer acted without provocation. He denied pushing Thompson and claimed he was only walking back toward his pickup. He also denied reaching into his waistband.

"The question whether the officer used excessive force in shooting Salazar-Limon thus turns in large part on which man is telling the truth," Sotomayor wrote. "Our legal system entrusts this decision to a jury."

Sotomayor, joined in dissent by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, wrote that issuing summary judgment in favor of police is appropriate only when significant facts are not in dispute. She said she was troubled by a "disturbing trend" of instances of alleged excessive police force that never resulted in a trial because judges continually grant qualified immunity.

"Only Thompson and Salazar-Limon know what happened on that overpass on October 29, 2010," Sotomayor said. "It is possible that Salazar-Limon did something that Thompson reasonably found threatening; it is also possible that Thompson shot an unarmed man in the back without justification. What is clear is that our legal system does not entrust the resolution of this dispute to a judge faced with competing affidavits."

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in June 2016 that a lower judge had properly dismissed Salazar-Limon's lawsuit because of the threat perceived by Thompson, who testified that he had been pushed toward freeway traffic before a combative Salazar-Limon turned away.

Sotomayor noted that a different Court of Appeals had decided in 2014 that the absence of a weapon in police shooting cases is potential evidence to discredit police testimony.

In such cases, a jury should weigh the credibility of differing accounts, she wrote.

Responding to Sotomayor's dissent, Justice Samuel Alito insisted that the high court had acted uniformly over the years in applying the law and had always maintained a neutral posture.

Salazar-Limon suffered a spinal cord injury, resulting in paralysis of his lower body. After a period of rehabilitation, he pleaded no contest to charges of resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.
Authorities found Monday morning a 5-year-old girl who had gone missing Sunday night at a Waller County campground.

The girl, Precious Valdez, appears to be fine, said Dana Lewis, communications supervisor with the Waller County Sheriff's Office.

She was found around 8:30 a.m. asleep at the campground, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, huddled next to an air conditioning system at a vacant house. The unit was releasing heat, Lewis said.

She was transported to the hospital as a precautionary, a deputy at the scene said.

The girl, Precious Valdez, is described as 3 feet tall and about 50 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She went missing around 10 p.m. from the park, where she was with a family member.

The Waller County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Rangers, the FBI and Texas Equusearch were involved in the search, said Frank Black, director of search operations for Texas Equusearch.

Volunteers with Texas Equusearch started searching Jellystone Park and the surrounding areas around 7:45 a.m. Monday. A dog team, ATVs and sonar equipment for nearby water were all in use. There were drones on standby, Black said.

Valdez was wearing a light green shirt, blue jean shorts and pink sandals.
AUSTIN -- Negotiations to write a final state budget, combining the Senate and House versions that are about $500 million apart in dollars but light years apart in how to pay for everything, will start the week off with a bang.

The reason is that late Friday, Attorney General Ken Paxton sided with the Senate in its ongoing budget war with the House. He issued an opinion saying the Senate plan to delay the transfer of $2.5 billion into a state highway fund by a month was legal.

House leaders contend it is not, calling the maneuver an Enron-like accounting trick that was tantamount to "cooking the books."

Instead of transferring the cash in August, the Senate has proposed to transfer the money in September. 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.

Given that the House and Senate have been trash-talking each other's budgets, the start of negotiations is expected to open with some expected chilliness, as in who kicked open the freezer door.

Sanctuary cities, again

On Wednesday, the House is set to take up a controversial proposal that would require local sheriffs and jailers to comply with federal requests to hold on to people in the country illegally or face a misdemeanor criminal charge.

It is part of so-called "sanctuary cities" legislation that Gov. Greg Abbott made a priority item this session. At issue is whether local law enforcement should honor every federal immigration request by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain individuals in the country illegally until federal officials give further instructions or take them into custody.

Here's what to watch: The House version differs in several ways from a tougher version of Senate Bill 4 that the Senate approved in February.

For example, one of the Senate bill's major enforcement mechanisms is a provision that would withhold state grant money from local jurisdictions that do not comply, a punishment Democrats have argued would hurt domestic violence programs, veterans' courts and other local services.

It also would charge a sheriff or other local officer overseeing a jail with a Class A misdemeanor for refusing to comply with immigration detainer requests. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000, or both. Such a charge effectively would force the elected officials out of their job and bar them for life from working as a police officer or jailer in Texas.

When the bill gets to the House floor for debate, expect far-right Republicans to try to beef it up to match the Senate's bill, while Democrats will try to slow and derail the debate with a flurry of amendments. Watch the action here on Wednesday.

Making the grade

Answering the call from many angry school board members, the House Public Education Committee on Tuesday will consider changes to the A-F grading scale. Superintendents were angered in January when the Texas Education Agency released a preview of how the scale would grade schools.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath stressed that the scale was still a work in progress. Some lawmakers and superintendents questioned how the grading scale prioritizes standardized testing while others criticized the system for using an A-F scale what would characterize schools and districts as failing.

Given backlash both here and across the nation from parents who say their children are over-tested in school, the House Public Education Committee will take up HB 1333 to make some revisions. The bill would reduce the number or frequency of student assessments and rejigger how grades for schools and districts are graded. HB22, a bill sponsored by Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Humble, also takes a stab at the A-F scale, is floating around the House, but has yet to be scheduled for a floor vote.

Pitched by Rep. Jason Issac, R-Dripping Springs, HB1333 would also change how the state builds its controversial A-F grading scale, which caught the ire of many superintendents and school board members who were non-pulsed with how their school districts scored when the Texas Education Agency unveiled preliminary grades in January.

Pension hair-pulling

Local pension problems in Houston and Dallas continue to attract attention, as legislative leaders try to pass bills to solve financial issues for both cities.

On Friday, Dallas' contentious negotiations over its police and fire pension plan blew up after Mayor Mike Rawlings tagged a compromise a taxpayer bailout and criticized House Pensions Committee Chairman Dan Flynn, R-Canton. Firefighter and police groups then blasted Rawlings, and a potential deal appeared to have unraveled.

Houston's pension reform package, after being derailed last week by an amendment Sen. Paul Bettencourt planned to offer, could reach the Senate floor for a vote as early as Monday. At issue in the Houston-area Republican's amendment is whether or how to move newly hired city workers into "defined contribution" pensions similar to 401(k)s rather than traditional "defined benefit" pensions.

If the upper chamber can clear that hurdle, the proposal would move to the House, where Mayor Sylvester Turner hopes the friends he made during 26 years as a state representative will help him pass the reform plan.

Hazing crackdown

In what will be a busy week, when Senate and House committees will be feverishly passing out bills in what is an annual ritual as the legislative session nears its final month, a process that some lawmakers have compared to college-like rush.

Perhaps it is appropriate, then, that a bill to ramp up hazing enforcement at Texas colleges and universities will be considered for passage in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Senate Bill 50 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, will better define hazing and will prohibit those responsible for hazing from avoiding prosecution under current law if they report their own hazing. It is also designed to better address alcohol-related hazing, a common problem on some campuses.

Watch the hearing here on Tuesday afternoon.

Vaccine choice

The House Public Health Committee will wade into vaccine politics again on Tuesday morning as it takes up HB 1124. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, would allow parents who choose not to vaccine their children to opt out of immunizations more easily.

The bill is one in a bundle of bills on vaccines that are riling up parents statewide. It worries parents who choose to vaccine their kids, for fear that the anti-vaccine movement  which has grown nearly 20-fold in the last 13 years  will keep growing, increasing the risk of outbreaks of diseases.

Parents skeptical of vaccines say they should have ample choice to decide what drugs they don't want put into their children's bodies. This bill would allow people who say they haven't gotten their children vaccinated to sign paperwork at their school opting out of the required immunization.
Francisco Charles, called Frank by friends, showed love for his country in many ways, from serving in Vietnam to training altar servers at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.

Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Charles died April 18. He was 78.

Charles grew up near Frio City Road with nine siblings. He was very mischievous when he was younger, so my mother asked the local grocery store to give him a job, his sister, Esther C. Puente, said.

As early as elementary grades, Charles worked a few hours after school before coming home. That is why he was always a working man, his sister said. He always had a job.

More Information Francisco Charles Born: Sept. 15, 1938, San Antonio Died: April 18, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Hijinio and Hortencia Charles; wife Maria Charles; sisters Stella Charles, Lydia C. Lopez, Rita Charles and Rosa Gonzales; brothers Alfred Charles and Silvano Charles. Survived by: Daughter Julie Favre, sons Marco Gonzalez (daughter-in-law Monica), Mario Gonzalez; sisters Esther Puente (brother-in-law Gilbert), Evangeline Charles; brother Raymond Charles; three grandsons, two granddaughters, three great-grandchildren, and numerous friends and family. Services: Visitation is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Road, with a Rosary at 7 p.m.. Funeral Mass 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 9883 Marbach Road. Burial 9:30 a.m. Friday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. See More Collapse

Growing up, Charles went house-to-house selling tomatoes and fruit with his father, who was a food vendor, Puente said. He was in the ROTC in Lanier High School and, one year after graduating in 1957, Charles joined the Air Force.

While stationed in Vietnam he told his sister, I can hear the bombs but don't tell Dad. Charles also served tours in Japan, Okinawa, and Greece, rising in the ranks to retire 25 years later as a master sergeant.

After retirement, he married Maria Ortiz. The two created a blended family, bringing together his daughter from a previous marriage and her two sons.

Her strength in life is what made her beautiful, Charles once said about her to his son Mario Gonzalez.

Charles and his wife both worked civil service jobs at local air force bases. She worked at Kelly AFB, and he was in the logistics department at Brooks, retiring after 20 years. Maria Charles died of cancer in 1999.

Knowing she was dying, she made Dad promise to take care of himself and never give up, and after her death, he doubled his efforts in the church, Gonzalez said.

Photos sent to him by St. Rose of Lima altar servers, now grown up and married, are displayed throughout his living room, his sister said.

They kept up with him, sending invitations to weddings, quinceaneras, and graduations, Gonzalez said.

Charles regularly helped out at his parish, putting food packages together for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which distributes it to those in need.

Charles was passionate about his faith, family, and friends, his sister said. We always checked on each other and helped each other, she said, adding, love goes in a circle.
Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, confirmed Monday that she is running for lieutenant governor in 2018.

Kounalakis of San Francisco is a longtime Democratic Party donor and delegate who has never held elected office. She said Monday that, as the daughter of a Greek immigrant and after seeing the tough immigration measures President Trump is proposing, she would stand up to the biggest bully in America: Donald Trump.

I think after this last election a lot of people are asking, What more can I do to make a difference? Kounalakis said. I asked myself that same question.

Kounalakis joins state Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County), and Asif Mahmood, a Democratic physician from Los Angeles, as the top declared candidates in the race to replace former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor next year.

Kounalakis said her business experience as a developer  she was president of AKT Development, which was founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos  gives her an advantage.

I am the only person in this race who has built infrastructure. I have built roads, water lines, Kounalakis said.

However, it has long been debated how much power the lieutenant governors position actually has. Newsom said after a year into his term that it was time to get rid of the position unless it could be fully empowered and that the states top two constitutional officers could run as a single ticket.

Kounalakis said she received assurances from each of the top Democrats running for governor  Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin  that the position would be empowered under their tenures.

She declined to say if she would self-fund her campaign. She said the candidates to whom she has donated over the years have always first shown that they can create broad grassroots support, and thats what I intend to do, too.

She plans to visit each of Californias counties.

Hernandez has already culled dozens of endorsements from members of Congress and the state Legislature, law enforcement groups and labor unions.

Mahmood, who has never held elected office, also has cast himself in anti-Trump terms.

As a Muslim immigrant from the great blue of state of California, Im a triple threat to Donald Trump, Mahmood said. Ill be a strong voice for all the people he is trying to silence.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
An Arlington ISD student sustained life-threatening injuries when he was struck by an SUV as he walked to school Wednesday morning.

Student Was In Crosswalk When He Was Struck

According to CBS DFW, the crash occurred around 7:30 am as the 15-year-old boy walked in a crosswalk near the intersection of Park Springs Boulevard and West Pleasant Ridge Road.

The boy was taken to Medical City Arlington via ambulance before being flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. The boys injuries are considered life-threatening and latest reports have him listed in critical condition.

Images from the scene illustrated the sheer force with which the teen was struck, showing an SUV with significant body damage and a shattered windshield. The drive of the SUV stayed at the scene and was arrested for outstanding warrants. Administrators with the Arlington Independent School District say the boy attended James Martin High School.

Texas Traffic Accident Statistics

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recorded 3,531 traffic-related deaths in 2015. This averages to about one death every 2 hours and 29 minutes.

Pedestrian fatalities totaled 550 in 2015, marking a 12.7% increase from 2014.

An additional 246,335 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2015 with 17,011 people suffering a serious injury.

TxDOT estimates a reportable crash occurred every 61 seconds in 2015.

Contact an Experienced Child Injury Attorney

At Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys, we have the experience and resources to handle your childs case. If your child has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our offices immediately. We are available 24/7, nights and weekends, and we represent clients/victims all over the country.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
According to an affidavit, 20-year-old Jack Dillon Young was on medication and was texting when his pickup collided with a church bus in Concan last month. The horrific accident left 13 people dead.

DPS Affidavit Shines New Light on Fatal Concan Bus Crash

In an affidavit for a search warrant, the Texas Department of Public Safety states that Young admitted to consuming the prescription medications Clonazepam, Ambien, and Lexapro prior to the crash. He also claimed that he was distracted by his cell phone at the time of the collision. In addition to Youngs admission, the affidavit states that a DPS investigator who found several medications in the front seat of Youngs pickup. These included 29 Zolpidem pills, 30 Escitalopram pills, an empty bottle of Prazosin, and an empty bottle of Clonazepam.

Zolpidem is the generic form of Ambien, and Escitalopram is the generic form of Lexapro.

At the time the affidavit was filed, investigators were seeking access to Youngs phone records. Young could face manslaughter charges once those records are analyzed.

Texas Traffic Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

3,531 traffic-related fatalities were recorded in Texas in 2015. This marked little charge from the 3,536 deaths recorded in 2014.

An additional 246,335 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2015 with 17,011 people suffering serious injuries.

Based on reportable crash data for 2015, TxDOT estimates:

oOne person was killed in a traffic accident in Texas every 2 hours and 29 minutes.

oOne person was injured every 2 minutes and 8 seconds.

oA reportable crash occurred every 61 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys is a personal injury law firm with offices in Corpus Christi, Texas, San Antonio, Texas and Houston, Texas representing accident victims nationwide.

Our attorneys are available to respond to auto accidents at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition, or acquiring, of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. Remember, your choice does matter. Contact our offices - we are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
1 Britain politics: Anti-EU U.K. Independence Party says it will promote social unity by banning face-covering veils and barring the opening of new Islamic schools. The right-wing party on Monday unveiled what it calls an integration agenda ahead of Britains June 8 election. It also calls for the prosecution of parents of girls subjected to female genital mutilation. Green Party lawmaker Caroline Lucas accused UKIP of full-throttled Islamophobia. UKIP played a major role in Britains decision last year to leave the EU but is struggling to gain political power. Its only lawmaker in the House of Commons recently quit the party. Polls give Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservatives a big lead over the main Labor opposition.

2 Factory safety: Dozens of global clothing companies are not complying with a plan to ensure better safety in Bangladesh garment factories following the deadly collapse of a building four years ago, a rights group said Monday. Only 29 out of 72 recently contacted companies are releasing information about how they source their products in Bangladesh, and many brands have held out completely, Human Rights Watch said in a report. That makes it impossible to hold them accountable for ensuring safe conditions at factories they work with, the group said. Bangladeshs garment industry has invested more than $1 billion in safety improvements since April 24, 2013, when the Rana Plaza garment factory complex collapsed outside Dhaka, killing more than 1,130 workers and injuring 2,500.
Local News, Crime, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 24 2017

Montesano: There have been too many hit and run accidents that have led to death. We need to make sure that were providing law enforcement with the tools they need to solve these crimes."

Long Island, NY - April 24, 2017 - Today Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R,C,Ref- Today Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R,C,Ref- Glen Head ) announced that he is sponsoring two bills that would help law enforcement solve hit-and-run cases. The first would create a yellow alert system that would help track suspects in the event of an incident. The second establishes that the driver of a motor vehicle who knows, or suspects theyve collided with any person or property, must stop their vehicle, investigate and report the incident to authorities. It also would create a new crime of aggravated leaving the scene of an accident.

There have been too many hit and run accidents that have led to death, serious injury or serious property damage. We need to make sure that were providing law enforcement with the tools they need to solve these crimes and give justice and resolution to the victims, said Montesano.

The yellow alert system would assist law enforcement in tracking suspects in hit-and-run incidents based on witness statements. Hit-and-run cases are difficult to solve, the alert would work in the same way as an Amber or Silver Alert by notifying law enforcement and other officials of the crime. The alert would encourage witnesses to contact law enforcement with information such as a full or partial license plate number and the basic make and model of the vehicle. Montesano is hoping the yellow alert will make witnesses feel more comfortable going to law enforcement and also deter anyone from leaving the scene of an accident.

California passed legislation in 2015 that requires operators of a motor vehicle to inspect any collision with a person or property. Denver, Colorado implemented this system in 2012 and saw a 76 percent arrest rate in hit-and-run cases when law enforcement activated the alert.

Weve heard time and time again from suspects of hit-and-runs that they didnt know they hit anything serious, or that they thought it was a pot hole or a curb. This legislation would require the driver to actually get out of their vehicle and investigate what they hit, and report if there is or was in fact an accident, Montesano said.
Local News, Business & Finance, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 24 2017

Zeldin: "This is key funding to improve walkability and bicycle access in the Town of Brookhaven."

Patchogue, NY - April 24, 2017 - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced that $1,580,000 in federal funding has been awarded to the Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced that $1,580,000 in federal funding has been awarded to the Town of Brookhaven for the construction of new sidewalks and curbs along Old Town Road, in Port Jefferson Station and Coram , including bicycle and pedestrian access, and Americans with Disabilities Act regulated sidewalks, among other projects. The $1.58 million in federal funding represents 80% of the total cost of the project.

Congressman Zeldin said, This is key funding to improve walkability and bicycle access in the Town of Brookhaven. The $1,580,000 will go a long way in improving the sidewalks and bridges along Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station and Coram, which are in desperate need of repair. Last Congress, I proudly helped lead the bipartisan effort to pass the highway bill, which secured funding for the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG). Our transportation and infrastructure are essential to the Long Island economy, way of life and safety, and I will continue working to ensure that states and local governments have the flexibility and resources necessary to strengthen our infrastructure and improve transportation safety, job creation, and our overall economy and quality of life.

New York State Senator Ken LaValle said, Its critically important that we continue to invest in infrastructure to maintain the quality of life in our Towns. With the new construction of over a mile of curbing and over 2 miles of sidewalks, pedestrians, bicyclists and the disabled will have safer routes to travel. I am pleased that by working together, the federal and state governments are continuing to improve Brookhavens infrastructure.

New York State Senator Tom Croci said, These vital funds will not only help to improve the deteriorating infrastructure around the Town of Brookhaven, making it safer for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, but will also strengthen the economy and support job creation. I would like to commend Congressman Zeldin for fighting for this much needed funding for Brookhaven. It is leadership and collaboration like this that helps our communities thrive and keeps our neighborhoods safe.

Assemblyman Steve Englebright said, "Old Town Road connects the communities of Port Jefferson Station and Coram and both hamlets will soon become more pedestrian and bike friendly with the construction of new sidewalks as well as bicycle access along this route. With funding secured by Congressman Zeldin, the Town of Brookhaven will build walkability and bicycle lanes into our local community and encourage healthy and carbon-free transportation alternatives to driving around town."

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said, I want to thank Congressman Zeldin for his commitment to Brookhaven Town and his leadership in securing the funding to make our roads safer and more accessible to everyone. Infrastructure keeps the Town moving forward and upgrading it improves our quality of life and creates jobs that drive the local economy. Congressman Zeldin has always been a strong advocate for the people of the First District, and I look forward to working with him to help find more ways to make Brookhaven a better place to live and work.
Casualties continue to pile up in the wake of the Talibans spectacular suicide attack on an Afghan Army corps headquarters in Balkh province on April 21 that killed more than 140 Afghan security personnel. Afghanistans defense minister and the Army chief of staff have resigned, and President Ashraf Ghani has fired four Army corps commanders.

From Reuters:

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect, the office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced in a post on its Twitter account.

Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Fridays attack on a major army base in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Ghanis office also announced that he had replaced the commanders of four army corps in response to the attack, and defence officials said as many as eight army personnel had been arrested  heightening suspicions the attackers had inside help.

As Reuters notes, the resignations took place as US Secretary of Defense James Mattis is visiting the country.

FDDs Long War Journal has warned for years of the gathering Taliban threat, and how the group has taken advantage of the US drawdown coupled with a weak Afghan military and continued safe haven and support from Pakistan to take over territory. For years, both NATO and the US military have attempted to reassure us that all is well in Afghanistan (see the aftermath of the defeat in Sangin for the latest example) and that the Afghan military is more than capable of stepping in and securing the country.

One hopes that the Taliban assault on the Afghan Armys 209th Shaheen Corps headquarters and the staggering casualties caused by only 10 fighters will give US Secretary of Defense Mattis pause and allow him to soberly reevaluate the situation in the country.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
The Taliban claimed credit for a suicide attack outside of a US base in eastern Afghanistan that has hosted CIA operatives who are hunting al Qaeda and other jihadists in the region.

A suicide bomber detonated a vehicle packed with explosives at the main gate for Camp Chapman, a base in Khost province that used to be known as Forward Operating Base Chapman. A US military spokesman confirmed to Reuters that the assault took place and it appears casualties are among Afghan forces guarding the perimeter. No US military or civilian personnel are reported to have been killed, and the number of Afghan casualties has not been disclosed.

On Voice of Jihad, the Talibans official website, the group claimed that the suicide bombing was followed up by an attack team that was able to enter the base and engage Afghan forces.

To begin, a brave Mujahid of the martyr team slammed a van filled with explosives into the base, enabling the rest of Mujahideen to get in and engage in a deadly fighting, the Taliban stated. This version of the operation cannot be verified at this time.

Camp Chapman is located in the heart of Haqqani Network territory. The Haqqani Network is a Taliban subgroup that administers Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces, and is closely allied to al Qaeda. Sirajuddin Haqqani, one of two deputy emirs of the Taliban and the groups military commander, also serves as the operational commander of the Haqqani Network.

Chapman hosts members of the Central Intelligence Agency who are hunting al Qaeda and other allied terror groups operating in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Agencies. The base has been used to gather intelligence and direct drone strikes in Pakistans tribal areas.

The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and al Qaeda targeted the CIA at the base on Dec. 30, 2009, when Abu Dujanah al Khurasani, a longtime Internet jihadi whose real name is Humam Khalil Muhammed Abu Mulal al Balawi, detonated a suicide vest on the base. The blast killed seven CIA officials and contractors, and a Jordanian intelligence officer. Khurasani had been recruited by Jordanian intelligence to provide targeting information for the USs covert air campaign against al Qaedas leaders and operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan. He enticed the CIA with promises of being able to produce Ayman al Zawahiri, al Qaedas second in command, and then detonated a suicide vest once he was granted access to the base.

The Taliban also struck Chapman in December 2012, when a suicide bomber killed two civilians and an Afghan soldier in a suicide blast at the main gate.

Todays suicide attack in Khost took place just three days after a Taliban suicide assault team penetrated security at the Afghan Armys 209th Shaheen Corps base in Balkh province in the north. More than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed in that attack. Afghanistans minister of defense and the Army chief of staff resigned, and four Army corps commanders were dismissed today, just as US Secretary of Defense James Mattis is visiting the country.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
In 2015, Uber almost got itself kicked out of the iOS App Store.

Apple CEO Tim Cook brought Uber CEO Travis Kalanick into the companys Cupertino offices and laid down the law, the New York Times reported.

So what exactly did Uber do to land itself in hot water with Apple? The original NYT report initially said the company was tracking iPhones, but it has since been clarified to describe Ubers actions as identifying and tagging iPhones even after its app has been deleted and the devices erased. The reason Uber did that, the company said, was to prevent phone thieves in China from creating Uber accounts and requesting rides before wiping the devices and doing so again and again.

We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if theyve deleted the app, an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch. As the New York Times story notes towards the very end, this is a typical way to prevent fraudsters from loading Uber onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phoneover and over again. Similar techniques are also used for detecting and blocking suspicious logins to protect our users accounts. Being able to recognize known bad actors when they try to get back onto our network is an important security measure for both Uber and our users.

But how exactly did Uber track devices after they had been wiped? Security expert Will Strafach looked at a 2014 build of Ubers app and found the company was using private APIs to pull iPhone serial numbers from the device registry using Apples IOKit framework. Ubers fingerprinting technique doesnt work in iOS 10, so the company cant identify your device after you delete the app, Strafach noted (as spotted in a worthwhile read on Daring Fireball).

Apparently, Ubers fingerprinting wasnt a big enough privacy violation to get kicked out of the App Store. Apple found that Uber was not only violating the App Store developer rules, but trying to cover its tracks by geofencing its code so Cupertino app reviewers wouldnt see the private APIs at work. That didnt work for long, which is how Kalanick ended up in Cooks office. According to the NYT, Kalanick was visibly shaken by the encounter.

Why this matters: Uber is having a rough year entirely of its own making. Its unclear if this latest privacy kerfuffle will inspire more Uber users to delete the app, as they did when widespread allegations of workplace harassment came to light and a video of Kalanick yelling at an Uber driver emerged. But it is clear that Uber needs to do something to fix its public relations problems. Maybe not acting so terrible all the time would be a good place to start.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > A Mix of Gandhian Economics and Socialism

BOOK REVIEW

by Arti Khosla

An Alternative Philosophy of Development: From Economism to Human Well-Being by B.P. Mathur; published by Routledge Taylor & Francis; 2017.

This is the latest book from B.P. Mathurs pen. A former civil servant, B.P. Mathur worked in several capacities with the government and had a ringside view of the administration, its strength and its failures. This extensive experience coupled with his idealism and knowledge of our spiritual heritage has inspired him to voice his concerns about several things not right about our economy, public policy and governance as such.

This book essentially outlines the authors disappointment with the current model of economic development in India that has not delivered. It is because, the author feels, the model of development we adopted is a blind imitation of Western ideas where emphasis is on persuit of wealth and individual profit. It encourages consumerism and wastefulness as also creates a vast chasm between the rich and poor. India went in for this model in 1991 when faced with a serious foreign exchange crisis. Liberalisation of the economy at the behest of the International Monetary Fund became necessary. Prior to that the country was following the Nehruvian model of socialism where state enterprises were considered as the commanding heights of the economy and though privatisation existed it played a secondary role. The reference-point for economic growth was the Soviet-style five-year plans.

In 1991 the country entered an era of free-market economy and GDP growth became a serious persuit. The economy grew at the rate of seven to eight per cent but this additional creation of wealth has not helped the poor. The benefit of growth has been cornered by 20 per cent of the people while 80 per cent are wallowing in poverty. India has today more millionaires and billionaries but at the same time a vast multitude cannot afford their two square meals a day. Thus the current model of development has resulted in more poverty, inequality, unemployment, environment degradation due to the culture of consumerism we copied from the West.

The author finds this model utterly unsuitable since it is based on the Western culture which is materialistic while Indian culture is essentially spiritual which values austerity, control over ones senses and promoting qualities of sympathy, empathy, comradeship and brotherhood. The author devotes a full chapter in Part 1V of his book on Indian culture with its salient features of tolerance, solidarity, family values etc. with which he is linking his alternative philosophy of development. In addition to the current model not being attuned to the indian ethos its failure is also due to poor governance.

In Part 1 of the book the author describes how we have failed to improve the quality of life of citizens of this country. Our education system at all levelsbe it primary, secondary or universityis totally in disarray. The health facilities for common people are in dismal conditions. We have failed to address rural distress. Agriculture has been neglected and has become an unrumenerative occupation. Low prices for their produce and rising debts have made thousands of farmers to end their lives due to desperation. Poor governance is of course responsible for this failure.

There is no denying the authors belief that good governance is a pre-requisite for development. The author details the requirements for good governance in chapter 14 under Part Three of the book. These are usual ones as recommended by successive committees and commissions on Administrative Reforms, namely, accountability, performance linked career development, decentralisation, eradicating corruption, depoliticisation of services etc.

While the present model of development with focus on GDP has been found irrelevant, the alternative model the author suggests should be one where progress is measured in terms of human capability, dignified employment for everyone, equitable distribution of income and wealth and ecological sustainability and social well being of the community. What that model should be. Gandhian economics? Or socialism? The author veers around to both these philosophies. Gandhian philosophy is relevant insofar as it stresses on individual dignity by providing gainful employment to each person and welfare of the poorest of the poor. Revisiting socialism (not of the Soviet variety) is considered desireable in creating an egalitarian society where life chances are not allocated by structural inequalities in social, economic and political constructions of societies. This mix of Gandhian economic model plus some ideas drawn from socialism as propounded by Karl Marx and others does not clearly indicate what in practice this model is going to be. The author himself does not seem to be very clear about how exactly we go about this alternative model.

The emphasis appears to be for the model of development which should resonate with Indian culture rather than blindly following as at present the one attuned to Western culture. The essential features of Indian culture are tolerance, accommodating others, oneness and solidarity of universe, family values, purusharth etc. Essentially it is steeped in spirituality. The authors grasp on all things spiritual is visible in this effort.

The author has quoted extensively from several economists, philosphers, scholars and nobel laureates to buttress his arguments. Similiarly he has supported his views on the dismal state of education, health, agriculture etc. by giving statistics and numbers. Some repetitions and contradictionsnot withstanding the book is worth the read by students of economics, policy makers and those generally interested in the affairs of the nation. The repetitions are inevi-table when one writes in a general flow rather than have a structured draft before him. One only wished that the print was not kept that small which is not easy on the eyes.

Aarti Khosla is a former Additional Secretary, Government of India. She is now a free-lance writer.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > The Bug of Espionage

One bug which has bitten both India and Pakistan and now Bangladesh is the espionage. issue. Anyone who visits from the neighbouring country is considered a spy until proved otherwise. It really depends on the External and Home Ministries whether a particular person would be let off freely. In other words, the police force is an arbiter. And it goes without saying that the sentence awarded to the person would be life-time imprisonment or death.

Normally, the court decides. However, the case in Pakistan is different because it is ruled by the military. Still the civil courts have their role depending upon local military commanders. They in fact have the last word. Even the death sentence is awarded by them. The question of evidence arises but it again depends on local military commanders.

The Dawn from Karachi has reported how Jadhav, an Indian businessman, was sentenced to death. Indian RAW Agent/Naval officer 41558Z Commander Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a Counter-Intelligence Operation from Mashkel, Balochistan, for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan. The spy has been tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded death sentence, the militarys public affairs wing, ISPR, announced on Monday (April 10).

Sartaj Aziz, Advisor on Foreign Affairs to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has admitted that there was little evidence to convict but other things, he says, add up to prove Jadhavs involvement. In any case, Sartaj Azizs words are adequate. Since Pakistan has submitted the relevant papers to the Secretary General, UN, it believes that the verdict, if he at all delivers, would be in favour of Islamabad.

Indeed, it is hell for a person who visits a neighbouring country. He or she is pursued by the Intelligence Department wherever he goes. Even the shopkeeper is questioned as if he is party to the buyers selection of the place. Markets want buyers from a neighbouring country because they spend a lot of money. But the questioning by the police deters them.

I recall that once a Pakistani who picked me up from the airport was upset by the police car that followed. He stopped the car and asked the driver why he was pursuing the car. He said in reply that he was not to blame. He was doing what his superior had asked him to do. My friend, who was a leading editor, knew the military superiors. The result was that the car pursuing us increased the distance but it did not give up doing so.

Assume that Jadhav was a spy of sorts, but what could he have spied? Technology has advanced so much that through a satellite you can read from air even the digits painted on the car number-plate. Therefore, Jadhavs guilt would be considered Pakistans revenge for some other deed.

The Pakistan announcement did not say when the trial would commence and how long it would continue before the verdict was handed down. In the case of Jadhav, the announcement mentioned that the sentencing had been ratified by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. It has not been spelled out why and on what ground.

Since Pakistan has denied even counsellor facilities after as many as fourteen requests made, it is difficult to know the reason for the death sentence to Jadhav. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has warned that if the sentence to Jadhav was carried out, it would be an unfriendly act. The recent surgical strike should be a warning. New Delhi can go to any extent.

Both India and Pakistan should sit across the table and decide the matters between them once and for all. Kashmir may be separated from other problems and discussed at a separate committee. There is no reason why the two cannot do business or set up joint ventures. In fact, goodwill would be generated if they could only ease the visa facilities for tourists to begin with. Unofficial trade which is going on at the borders can be allowed to increase. Official trade would bring in all kinds of problems because both countries have a long list of grievances against each other.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said recently that there was no reason why India and Pakistan could not live as friendly countries. The fact of the partition happened seventy years ago and whatever the wounds inflicted by both of them, is a painful story. One million people were killed in the forced migration, the biggest in the world. Thirty to forty million people had to find new homes because they did not feel safe at their places after partition.

Jadhav is not the last person to face a death sentence by a military tribunal but sets a new precedent, of trial of civilians by military court. Apparently, political parties are not happy and they have tried to abolish military courts. The matter came up before the Pakistan National Assembly only a few days ago. There was a fierce opposition from the democratic and liberal parties. But unfortunately the military had the last word and tribunals have come to acquire a legal sanction.

Since Pakistan has a large say in the SAARC it may be prudent for other countries in the region to discuss some kind of common market and ways to establish even unofficial methods for trade and business. At present the business through Dubai is large but expensive. Agreed that Kashmir is a running sore, but some ways should be found other than pelting stones to sort out the problem. Too much emphasis on the Islamic aspect is encouraging only the communal parties and postponing the solution.

Jadhavs sentence has become another problem between the two countries. The efforts should be how to lessen such instances of sentence-at-will. These are not conducive to peace in the region.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > The Truth is in Custody for 115 Days!

The following piece, written by Professor Kaseem, a well-known poet and critic (who is also an Assistant Professor, Nizam College, Hyderabad), has been rendered into English by Anishetty Shankar, a writer and freelance journalist, and sent to us for publication. This is about seven members of a fact-finding team that left Telangana for Chhattisgarh to extend support to the Adivasis struggle there. The team members were arrested by the Telangana State Police and handed over to the Chhattisgarh Government on December 25, 2016. Since then they have been lodged in Sukma jail. This write-up is about the plight of the team members.

The rulers turn truth into untruth and make us believe in untruth by projecting it as the truth. Sometimes they keep us in delusion. Its as true as the fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun, as was conveyed to us by Copernicus. Its as true as the fact that Galileos eyes were gouged out. Its as true as the fact that Socrates was poisoned. Its as true as the fact that Buddha received enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Its as true as Charvaka. Its as true as the fact that the Sun rises everyday in the east. Truth always remains as the fire. Truth always burns the untruth. Truth always smashes the untruth. The rulers always conceal the truth. They always hunt the truth. They threaten the truth. They arrest the truth. They murder the truth. Throughout history truth always faced repression. Yet it stands erect. The wave always falls after having risen. Once again it falls to rise. That is the truth.

Fact-Fact Finding Committee,

Pull out the truth/peoples doctor/

Our Ramanatham Brothers.

This song I had heard long ago. The state, the symbol of untruth, murdered the truthfact-seekers Ramanatham, Narra Raghava Reddy, Aaneda Narayana, Purushotham, Azam Al. But the fact (truth) can never became untruth. The truth-seekers never stop.

Thus, the democratic, responsible citizens, the Telangana Democratic Front activists and leaders, began their journey to find out the facts in Chhattisgarh. They started from Hyderabad to Chhattisgarh. Why did they go to Chhattis-gharh? We all know how the lives of Adivasis in Chattisgharh have been destroyed for a decade!

The children being encountered at Basaguda the women being molested and raped, the youth either kept in custody or subjected to encounterthe private army called Salwa Judum torching houses of the poor, burning the crops to ashes, killing Adivasis and hiding the dead bodiessuch untolerable, unimaginable acts of the state-sponsored illegalities are literally countless.

Why so much of violence and violation of human rights? Chhattisgarh is at the centre of a huge national wealth in the form of minerals. This wealth is under the feet of the Adivasis. The multinational companies started eyeing on this huge and immense wealth. It is most unfortunate that our country laid out the red carpet and provided all favourable opportunities for these MNCs to step into the Adivasi heartland. In such a situation, the sons of the forest are fighting to protect this wealth for usfor our furture generation. Thats why the state is so mercilessly crushing themtheir fight is for their right over the natural resources.

Previously the state attacked, arrested and experimented with all their force and tactics on Dr Binayak Sen (who was supporting the Adivasis in their struggle for their rights and extending his medical aid to these innocent sons of soil), famous Gandhian Himanshu Kumar, journalist Malini Subramanyam, Rights activist Soni Sori, academic Bela Bhatia. All these personalities in society are relentlessly straining their nerves and making all efforts to ensure peoples support for these Adivasis who have been fighting for the sovereignity of this land and thereby becoming thorns in the eyes of the state. The fault of these personalities and Adivasis is that they are standing for the rights of the people, they are asking for the constistutionally guaranteed rights to be extended to the citizens. They arent supporting the exploitative measures of rulers and the government! How funny! In our country the rule-framers are the genuine rule-breakers! That is precisely true. To bring such anti-people activities of the state to light, a seven-member fact-finding team started from Telangana on December 24, 2016 to Chhattisgarh. This team consisted of High Court advocates Chikkudu Prabhakar, Balla Ravindranath, Duddu Prabhakar, President, Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi of AP, Thudumdebba leader Ramanala Laxmaiah, journalist Durga Prasad, Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika leaders Rajendra Prasad and Nazeer. All these people are actively working in the peoples domain for the last ten to thirty years. They have all actively worked in the recent Telangana agitation.

The Telangana Police arrested this team at Dummugudem (Khammam district) on December 25, 2016 and handed over the team-members to the Chhattisgarh Government. The Chhattisgarh Police is second to none in violating the existing laws and Acts. Thats why without any enquiry, applying the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act on the Fact-Finding Committee, the police drove the team members to the Sukma District Jail. Arresting the fact- finding committee members who were going to inquire into the facts about the social conditions of the Chhattisgarh citizens therewas this a crime! This act of arresting and remanding the members of the fact-finding committee was nothing but murder of democracy! If anyone asks any question he/she becomes anti-national and anti-police!

In fact, these seven arrested members are the Telangana activists who worked tremendously in the recent Telangana agitation. Chikkudu Prabhakar had been active in the movement since 2007. When the people were in complete despairhe had mobilised them in large numbers in Khammam, Warangal, Godavari-khani, Mandamarri, Manch-erial, Hyderabad, Mahaboobnagar for public meetings. The people powerfully exhibited their aspiration for the separate State of Telangana. In all these activities, Prabhakar worked from behind the curtain. When the people and students were fighting actively for the State, the politicians made the agitation defunct. At that time the forces agitating for Telangana organised the Coordination Committee of the JAC and Prabhakar moved from district to district and built up rootlevel JACs. With the clear vision of politics for the separate Telangana State, different forces came together under the chairmanship of balladeer Gaddar to form the Telangana Praja Front. In its organisation, Prabhakar worked tirelessly. He was second to no other activist.

Duddu Prabhakar, born in a Dalit family in coastal Andhra, with a vast experience of caste, and revolutionary politics, travelled a long distance to shape alternative politics in the State. During the heavy repression in the tenure of YSR, he organised the Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi and made it an active participant in the Telangana movement with the sole intention of giving justice to the Dalits in democratic Telangana. He involved the entire Dalit community in the Telangana agitation, as he dreamed of the vast number of Dalits getting justice in their own State. Thus, his organisation actively participated for Telan-gana and joined every agitational step of the Telangana Prajaswamika Front.

Ramanala Laxmaiah has been working since a long time for the welfare of the Adivasis. When the Coatal Andhra rulers were destroying the lives of lakhs of Adivasis, he felt that at least the Telangana State would fulfil the rights of the oppressed Adivasis. He is fighting for the protection of the resources and at the same time standing firmly for the existence of Adivasis.

Durga Prasad, being a journalist, worked hard to bring the whole journalist fraternity into the Telangana movement. After the formation of Telangana, he worked untiringly in organising the Telangana Democratic Front in the State. And he is seriously working in the State as a journalist.

Balla Ravindranath is a lawyer by profession. In fact during the agitation, the lawyers of the High Court seriously worked in the movement Participating in the challo Assembly programme, going in rallies to the Arts College to show solidarity with the Arts College studentshis role was commendable. He is the main person in the CRPP working for the rights of the prisoners in India.

Rajendra Prasad and Nazeer both spent their lives for achieving the Telangana State. Rajendra Prasad has been working since 2007 in the formation of the Telangana Students Forum in the Telangana movement. He is very active in every activity/agitational step of the TVV. He is an active member of the students JAC. Nazeer worked hard to build the TVV unit at the Arts College and ensured the continuous participation of students in the agitation. He kept the spirit of Statehood alive.

I have explained the roles of these seven individual activists to bring their activities and aspirations towards Telangana before the public. And the government arrested these activists and handed them over to the Government of Chhattisgarh! The people should know who their rulers are! What is their mentality, their concerns towards the Telangana activists! The government must initiate action to get them released. This should be our immediate demand. Its the duty of one and all to protect the rights of the people when the government itself violates those rights. Our mass support paves the way for the release of all these persons from the jail. It also gives moral support to the voice of the Rights movement.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Kashmir Needs a Healing Touch Today

What is the meaning of victory of Farooq Abdullah from the Srinagar constituency where not even seven per cent votes were polled? In many of the booths merely two per cent votes were polled. I know there are past precedences of such a situation in at least three Indian States when people boycotted and the government determinedly went for polls and was able to form ministries. But when the world is watching and we claim to be the biggest democracy of the world, shouldnt it be a matter of deep concern? Can any democracy legitimise seven per cent votes cast? Farooq Abdullah may enjoy the Lutyens housing complex as a senior leader but the credibility of the political parties is at an all-time low in Kashmir. You may win elections but you are losing the people. How to win over the people? Has there been any credible attempt by the government? Kashmir seeks serious answers from us all.

The outrageous video of a Kashmiri youth being taken as hostage or human shield by the armed forces is a dangerous act and will further alienate the people in the Valley. We know the forces are under deep stress and so are the people of Kashmir who have been facing deep insecurities and all kind of difficulties for the past so many months. I am happy that Lt General H.S. Panag, a highly decorated officer of the Indian Army, who has retired now, expressed deep shock and anguish over it. Let us acknowledge that life is not normal in Kashmir despite a civilian government.

It is easy to blame the Army but the fact is that they are just doing their job. Their problem is that when they are sent to Kashmir or the North-East, most of them go with a mind as if they are entering into a dushman ki territory or enemy territory. Most of them do not have any understanding of the Kashmir conflict or the issue of aadivasis or the North-East. As they enter into these areas, every dissent or protest becomes anti-national, inspired by the foreign agent. In terms of Kashmir, anti-national has a direct connotation which means pro-Pakistani and the result is well known to us. Without understanding the deeper political issues of the region, the forces will not be able to control the situation.

One needs to realise that these are not the old age wars where you can conquer everything by guns and ammunition; that is only possible by winning over the hearts of the people. These days it has become more so because of the uncontrolled tongue of the political leadership. It is the failure of the civil administration and political leadership of the country which continue to treat the Kashmir issue as an administrative one ignoring the historic reality of the entire problem. Political rhetorics and jargons will not take Kashmir far. The unfortunate part is that the politicians of the day have used Kashmir as a political tool to create hatred and phobia among their respective constituents without understanding the complex issue in all sincerity.

The PDP-BJP Government in Kashmir today has no control over the situation. They remain a government on paper as violence continues. Mehbooba Mufti does not have the stature of her father who could have definitely spoken to all the groups. We do not have a Sheikh Abdullah who was a power-house and had credibility among the people. The other leaders, including his son and grandson Omar Abdullah, remain isolated today. The entire situation seems to be looked after by a set of experts who perhaps despise any political person of the State. This has resulted in the entire issue being discussed and decided by the self-proclaimed anti-terrorism experts and those who want to discuss the entire problem in the Indian-Pakistan binary without speaking to the local Kashmiri civil society and political leadership. The problem with the Kashmir experts is that they want to isolate all others and address only the non-Kashmiri population from the India-Pakistan perspective. They have little time for introspection and the only thing they advise is more arms, more forces and more power to the military. None of them is ever bothered about how to initiate a political process. Though there is a civilian government there but its credibility is the lowest and it is also totally isolated. Delhis media and experts look down in suspicion on every political person and civil society activist, media in the State, Once the political parties and civil government fail, who does the government initiate negotiations with? It is here that the maturity of a political leadership comes into focus on how to meet such a situation. In the age of whatsapp and internet when everything is now coming out in the open, it is important for political leaders to show their better side but for the Hindutva supporters, Kashmir is just a political agenda for elections. The ranting over Kashmir is so high-pitched only to highlight how the Pandits were forced to migrate, how their women were molested and raped by the Jehadis. The emotions on Kashmir in the rest of country are too high and help in consolidating some sections against the minorities known as Muslims.

It is sad to see authors, celebrities, diplomats joining debates on Kashmir in a very parochial way. It looks as if we are more worried about a geographical landscape without an inch of sensitivity or feeling towards the fellow Kashmiris. We talk of Kashmiri Pandits but completely forget the Muslims in Kashmir who have faced harassment and intimidation all their lives. Why is it politically correct to speak of Kashmiri Pandits while completely ignoring the issue of Kashmiri Muslims? The whole propaganda and perception developed outside Kashmir is that Muslims are not pro-Indian and the only people defending India are Hindus, particularly the Kashmiri Pandits. This happens when we build our perceptions from those for whom the land mass is more important then the people in the region. When you want to know about Kashmir, you cannot ignore the past, the history and crime perpetrated on Kashmiri subjects by different rulers including the Dogra regimes.

For years, we have been told how much subsidies the Indian Government is providing to Kashmiris and how everything is so cheap and easy in Kashmir and how each one of the Kashmiris is a traitor, a Pakistani agent. In the 1990s when the Ram Mandir movement grew and we had a few high-decibel loudspeakers who became the heart-throb of the peoplethey used to describe the Kashmir situation only in terms of the atrocities committed on Hindu families in general and women in particular. Kashmir became a hell-hole in the perceptional ideas of middle-class Hindus where everything is anti-Indian and our forces are there to defend the people.

Such issues cannot be handled in a surcharged atmosphere but with a cool mind and acknowledging that the history of Kashmir is complex and needs careful understanding. That nothing can be resolved in the region without taking into account the people which means inclusion of the leadership of the Kashmiri Muslims in the Valley. It cannot be just political leadership but also academics, civil society and other actors. By terming everyone as anti-national we are pushing the whole Valley into the brink of disaster. If the political leadership is discredited, then whom are you going to talk to?

The role of the armed forces is to protect our borders. They cannot be used for day-to-day administrative work which is the job of the civil administration. The Army jawans come from diverse socio-cultural background and live in deep stress. For them obeying orders from the higher-ups is the most important thing and therefore J&K for them becomes an alien area. Most of them come with their own understanding and follow the orders. With active militancy in the region, it becomes difficult for them to manage things. Whatever is happening today in J&K is the extensive use of the Army which is not advisable in the long term. Unfortunately, there are many self-proclaimed nationalist experts who want to make us believe that we should do what Donald Trump did in Afghanistan. How can you not feel offended when someone wants to suggest that the hapless man who was taken as human shield by the forces in Kashmir was not the first of its kind incident and Israel has been doing it for long? Is it not surprising when we hear people spreading the message to send Yogi Adityanath to Kashmir? The connotation of such messages is clear: that Kashmir is a Muslim problem and it needs to be handled with an iron hand. It is with that idea that the government knows well that whatever the armed forces are doing, has got support from the ordinary masses. It looks as if the government is acting decisive in Kashmir because it is not allowing secessionists to stand. But if these issues were that simple, the problems would not have been there.

I would not blame the Army for the disturbing situation in Kashmir. The blame is on the political leadership which continues to ignore the need of a political dialogue. Can we rise to the occasion and engage with the Kashmiri people and all the stakeholders including those in Ladakh, Jammu as well as other parts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir? We must remember that Kashmiris have been a peace-loving people but the antipathy of our civilian administration and lack of will among the political leadership has created such a situation today that most of the youth in the Valley seem to be completely alienated. The government needs to think beyond the adminis-trative mechanism. Farooq Abdullahs win may not bring any result as at the moment both the parties of Kashmir, the PDP and National Conference, are at the lowest level of their credibility and there are no other political groups in the Valley with whom the government can engage in negotiations.

It will be good if the political parties think about this seriously and not use the Kashmir issue as a political plank to enhance their domestic TRP ratings. If the government is serious it must start to work; otherwise it will be too late for any negotiation. Let the government talk to Kashmiris as it is time to heal the scars and build confidence among the people so that peace and normalcy returns. We know that Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence and military leadership will always play the religious card and try to exploit the sentiments, but for us it is important to show our sincerity and discuss the issue on the table with all the stakeholders. There is proof of direct involvement of the Islamic groups too and this needs to be handled in the administrative way by the police and paramilitary. But all our efforts to win over Kashmir will be of no use if ordinary Kashmiris faith in the civil administration is not restored and the political leadership is not made accountable towards the people. You can win the people with sincere efforts and healing touch and not through highhandedness. Let us hope that good sense will prevail and there will be a genuine political effort to bring normalcy in the region
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > By-elections in Jammu and Kashmir: Where do they Lead to?

by Gautam Sen

Jammu and Kashmir has just gone through a spell of by-elections affected by murder and mayhem, saturated deployment of security forces, huge public resistance to the electoral process and an atmosphere in which no reasonable display of will of the electorate was manifestly feasible. The by-elections were slated to the Anantnag and Srinagar Lok Sabha seats. Unprecedented public opposition to these elections and threats to those electors interested in voting, and intimidation and violence against the officials deployed for the polling brought down the polling percentage to seven, seven deaths of civilians occurred with scores injured. The by-election to Anantnag has been postponed and re-scheduled on May 25, 2017 in the light of widespread disturbances during the Srinagar poll. The by-election to the Srinagar parlia-mentary seat was held in a vitiated and violent atmosphere, impeding the election process to such an extent that the Election Commission of India had to perforce conduct re-poll in 38 polling booths subsequently on April 13, 2017. The voting percentage further declined in the re-poll.

The significant drop in polling percentage cannot go unnoticed. While the voting percentages were 25.90 and 28.84 in Srinagar and Anantnag respectively in the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the turnout was much higher in the 2016 State Assembly elections. Now, with the precipitous decline in the voters participation in these by-elections, the threat to the electoral democratic process is looming large in the State. Farooq Abdullah, the former Chief Minister and National Conference party leader, has won the Srinagar by-election with 58 per cent of the abysmally low 52,719 votes cast of a more than 12 lakh strong electorate of the parliamentary constituency. In a sense, this is a victory shorn of intrinsic electoral support because of the failure of the polity in Jammu and Kashmir and the electoral institution of India to deliver an outcome with the will of the people substantially declined.

While the State Government is presently functioning from the winter capital of the Jammu city, the State administration in the Srinagar Valley has been contending with the periodic political disturbances initiated by the Hurriyat factions and militants. The civic unrest in the Valley which started de-facto after the killing of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahidin leader, on July 8, 2016, did not effectively die down. Public violence against the civil administration, the security forces and de-facto against the Indian state has been on, with periodic lulls in between. In this backdrop, the by-elections were held to fill up vacancies resulting from the vacancies arising in the above-referred parlia-mentary seats consequent of Tariq Hamid Karra and Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party vacating the Srinagar and Anantnag seats won by them respectively in the 2014 general elections.

In normal circumstances, conduct of by-elections to fill up electoral vacancies, would have been a routine democratic phenomenon. However, what is normal seems to have become an extraordinary and exacting phenomenon in Jammu and Kashmir today. The apparent reason is that the mainstream political class of the State has become ineffective, cannot set the agenda for democracy and is functioning with a near-total hiatus from the masses or voters. The State administration is presently like a superstructure functioning without the confi-dence of those to be governed, and consequently denuded of its effectiveness. The Election Commission of India (ECI), therefore, cannot be blamed for its failure to conduct the by-elections with confidence, support and participation of the States people and its electorate. It will be of interest to know the precise assessment of the Union Government and its Home Ministry on the States electorate apropos the by-election process which apparently turned out to be an exercise bereft of the peoples whole-hearted participation.

The time has come to take stock of the realities of the prevailing situation of the State. Representative democratic institutions seem unable to function in the present circumstances. The prospective scenario is most depressing and does not bode well for Jammu and Kashmir and the country. A counter-narrative to the discourse set by the separatists and militants, is lacking and seems beyond the capacity of the States mainstream political class to set. A few political elements like Mohammed Yusuf Taregami of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Independent MLA Engineer Rashid, etc. could have acted like catalysts to negate the sense of alienation among the masses and Kashmiri youth in particular, but have failed to do so. They also did not get the requisite reinforcing support from fellow mainstream political elements in the State. In these circumstances, the Union Government should not shy away from hard decisions and reckon a spell of Governors Rule as an inescapable option for some time.

There is a need to de-link the political objectives of the mainstream national parties at the national level with those in the States perspective. This may appear unrealistic but may be unavoidable if national interest is to be accorded due priority or precedence. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is part of the ruling dispensation in the State, has a primary responsibility to set the trend in the above regard. But the issue is whether it will do so. It may be difficult for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to adopt a dichotomous approach on the above lines because it does not have a national presence and has to compete with the Hurriyat factions for the same political constituency in the State. The political dilemma is substantial for both the BJP and PDP. Unless they break out of the present mould in which they are functioning in Jammu and Kashmir, the decay of democracy in the State cannot be halted with attenuation of the States linkage with the Indian state and polity. The threats emanating from radicalisation of the milieu in the adjoining areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, coupled with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, cannot be countered without an approach on the above lines. Reliance on the instrumentality of the security apparatus at the disposal of the Indian state is unlikely to reverse the decline of democracy and the States rightful place in the Indian Union.

Governors Rule may not be a long-term panacea. But, it may be the only viable option to deal with the intractable political situation which has developed in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two years. The ECI, in the present circumstances, should take a pragmatic view of the political and internal security milieu, and consider freezing the election process for at least a year, reckoning the low level of public morale. Going through the motion of the electoral process in an environment where the will of the electorate cannot be expressed substantively in an unfettered manner, will only serve to erode the democratic process without any gain for the Indian state in a true sense. Prospects for starting a worthwhile dialogue between those alienated from the democratic process and the States integrated status with the Indian Union, and the Union Government may be better with a seasoned Governor like N. N. Vohra running the State administration.

The author is a retired IDAS officer who has served in senior positions of the Government of India, a State Government and also in Jammu and Kashmir. The views expressed here are the authors own.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Threat to Constitutional Structure

From N.C.s Writings

A situation of unprecedented confusion synchronising with the onset of serious crisis for the entire constitutional structure of the Indian state presents before the nation today.

On the one side is the outright challenge of the BJP, the most aggressive of political parties, threatening to defy the entire administration in a manner never seen before; and on the other, the ruling party at the Centre presents a picture of utter disunity with factions not only squabbling but at times taking recourse to physical violence to settle scores with each other. The prospect of a total breakdown of the system is no longer a matter of mere academic disputations but frighteningly an emerging reality. One wonders whether this premonition bothers those at the helm of public affairs in our country today.

With the imposition of the ban on the mammoth protest rally of 15 lakhs that the BJP leadership has threatened to stage in the Capital on February 25, it is clear that the overwhelming mass of public opinion in the country wants that such a confrontation should be avoided in view of the tense communal situation prevailing in many parts of North India. Most of the political parties outside the ruling Congress have disfavoured the imposition of the executive ban as suchsensitive as they are to the imperative of upholding civil liberties parti-cularly in troubled times such as thesebut at the same time have openly warned against such a massive rally that may touch off an explosion of communal violence which nobodyneither the BJP nor the governmentwould be in a position to control. In fact, such an assurance from the BJP has largely lost its validity after what happened on December 6 when the Babri Masjid was demolished in the face of the BJP Governments assurance to protect it.

Defying all appeals for forbearance, even by those usually friendly to it, the BJP leadership has taken up the ban itself as a challenge, and has unleashed a campaign of such venom that it openly undermines its claims to be a responsible party wedded to constitutional politics. A noteworthy feature of this latest round of BJP campaign is the open diatribe against the minority community, with its more aggressive supporters openly questioning if tolerance has at all been an axiom of Hindu faith. In other words, in contrast to the former style of BJP campaigning, which tried to project Hindutva as a way of life in which tolerance towards other communities was constantly claimed, the latest model of the BJP Raj promises no such approach of tolerance towards the non-Hindu minority communities.

The contours of the Hindutva that one can discern from the latest phase of propaganda by different members of the Sangh Parivar are thus one of an aggressive, bigoted approach. The opening that Vajpayees reasoned stand offered on the morrow of the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, seems to have been abandoned by the Sangh Parivar, whose present stand hardly takes into account the need for the BJP to abjure an aggressive Hindu communal posture.

In this context, one has to note that Advani during his recent visit to Bombay made no effort at demarcating the BJP from the Shiv Sena with its avowed campaign for calculated and systematic pogrom of the Muslim community. One recalls the suicidal phase of Akali politics when even its moderate leaders did not care to demarcate themselves from the militants with the result that today they have been reduced to the status of prisoners of the militant elements. Such a retreat from the moderate constitutional line can hardly enhance the position of the BJP in the national scene.

With all its lampooning of what it calls pseudo-secularism and of its opponents bid to capture the Muslim vote-bank, it is time for the BJP leadership to understand that any party aspiring to govern this country has to convince a good section of the minority community about its serious concern for its life and living as citizens of this country. This is precisely what in the eyes of the public demarcates Gandhijis Ram Rajya from the prevailing Ram cult of the militant battalions of the Sangh Parivar.

Here is the real test for the BJP leadership in its bid to be the future rulers of this republic. The controversy over the proposed February 25 rally has to be judged against this background, and not as a mere law-and-order issue. In dealing with this forbidding phenomenon of aggressive communalism, political parties ranged against it have to make a common cause in defence of constitutional politics of the parlia-mentary pattern. Inevitably, the task of forging such a common stand falls on the largest among the political parties, which happens to be the Congress party.

As the ruling party without majority support in Parliament, the Congress has all the more the responsibility of conducting itself as a unified political formation which would not permit factional politics to debilitate Its strength and influence before the public. What is amazing is that at the very moment when unity is the need of the hour, the Congress party has succeeded in emerging as a house divided against itself.

(Mainstream, February 20, 1993)
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > The Prime Ministers Office: Origin and Evolution

Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, had only his Special Assistant, M.O. Mathai, to assist him in his work. Mathai had the rank and salary of a Joint Secretary to the Government of India. However, Nehru was, for much of his seventeen years (1947-1964) as the PM, also the Minister of External Affairs. So, he drew on the Ministrys four Secretaries to assist him not only on foreign affairs but also on several domestic matters. What is more, despite his towering personality, he had, as his Cabinet colleagues, people who were major political figures in their own right, for example, C.D. Deshmukh as the Finance Minister, Govind Ballabh Pant as the Home Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as the Education Minister, Krishna Menon both as the Defence Minister and Minister without Portfolio dealing with Foreign Affairs. Moreover, when he died in 1964, the size of the Government of India and its responsibilities were much smaller than what they became even by the early seventies.

Panditjis successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, was first to have a Secretary to the PM in the form of the senior ICS officer, L.K. Jha. However, there was only one Joint Secretary and two Deputy Secretaries to assist Jha. What is more, this small group of officers was not called even the Prime Ministers Office, let alone Secretariat as we knew it later, under Indira Gandhi.

It was only in the Government of Indira Gandhi that the Prime Ministers Secretariat, as we know it today, was born. The architect of such a Secretariat was P.N. Haksar whom Indiraji inducted as the Secretary to the PM in March 1967. When she became the Prime Minister in January 1966, initially she allowed L.K. Jha to continue as the Secretary to the PM. However, she found Jha as also the Information Adviser, B.G. Verghese, a noted Right-wing journalist who had been the editor of the Right-wing newspaper, The Hindustan Times, highly pro-USA, and more generally pro-World Bank and IMF.

However, with Deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai as the Finance Minister, and the conservative old guard Congress party leaders of the likes of Kamaraj, Nijalingappa, Sanjiva Reddy and Atulya Ghosh and our massive dependence on imports of wheat and rice from the USA under that countrys Public Law 480 in the famous ship-to-mouth programme, Indiraji and Haksar had to tread very carefully on all policy matters, particularly economic ones.

The old guard did everything possible to constrict and constrain her. Moreover, Ashoka Mehta as the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, and the ultra-Right-winger S. Bhoothalingam as the Finance Secretary, made the still greenhorn Indiraji to follow the dictats of the World Bank and IMF. The most serious action they took was to force her to devalue the rupee by a whopping 57 per cent in December 1966, allegedly to deal with a shortage of foreign exchange. There was a furore in Parliament at this step.

The disastrous devaluation led Indiraji to pack off Jha in March 1967 as the Ambassador to the USA and induct P.N. Haksar, a senior Foreign Service Officer with known Left-wing views, as her Secretary. It was Haksar who first coined and implemented the term Prime Ministers Secretariat.

Then, in March 1969, the General Body of the Congress party called a meeting of the All India Congress Committee. It met at Bangalore. The aim of the old guard was to get the AICC to endorse their conservative, indeed reactionary, policies in all areas. On Haksars advice Indiraji did not attend the AICC meeting. Instead she sent to the AICC a Note entitled Some Stray Thoughts (drafed by Haksar) laying out a radical Left-of-Centre policy on a whole gamut of issues ranging from the economy to foreign policy, Predictably, the old guard rejected that Note. Somewhat in response to such rejection, Indiraji dropped Desai from her Cabinet, and took the Finance Ministry directly under herself. She then took a major radical step of nationalising all private sector banks.



Meanwhile, in mid-1969, the election of a new President of India came up. The old guard put up one of their members, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, as their candidate for that crucial top job of the country. Mrs Gandhi retaliated by getting the highly respected labour leader, V.V. Giri, as her candidate and called on all Congressmen and women, both at the Centre and in the States, to vote as per their conscience (another piece of Haksars advice). A battle royal took place extending over many months. Finally, Giri was elected by a huge margin.

With that victory in her hands, Indiraji expelled the entire old guard from the Congress party and thereby consolidated her position as the leader of the Congress party and govenment. It was also a great victory for Haksar and the Prime Ministers Secretariat.

It was against such a backdrop that she inducted me into the Prime Ministers Secretariat as the Special Assistant for S&T to the PM with the rank of a Joint Secretary to the Government of India. I was just 30 years old. I went into that position after getting two Masters degrees. The first was in the advanced field of Radio Astronomy at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory of the University of Cambridge in the UK. The Director of the Observatory and my Superviser was Professor Martin Ryle, one of the inventors of Radar during World War II. Ryle got the Nobel Prize in 1982. My second Masters degree was from the MIT in the USA.

I actually joined the Prime Ministers Secretariat on June 15, 1970. I could not meet either Inidraji or Haksar on that day as they were both at the General Conference of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). So I actually met both at them the next day. There had never been a full-time S&T Adviser to any Prime Minister in our country, working out of that Secretariat on a 24x7 basis before. So, I had to operate in uncharted waters. I met Haksar on June 16 and asked him what my brief was. Haksar said: Ashok, first of all, remember always that the Prime Ministers Secretariat does not exist; only the Prime Minister exists. Later that day, Haksar issued the following internal order in the PMS:

Ashok Parthasarathi has joined the Prime Ministers Secretariat yesterday as Special Assistant for Science and Technology. He will normally put up files and papers directly to PM. On important matters he will put up papers to PM through me.

When I asked Haksar what were important papers, he said: You have to decide that in each case.

At that time the PMS was composed of two IAS Joint Secretaries, B.N. Tandon and G. Ramachandran, an Information Adviser to the PM, the late Sharada Prasad, who had the rank of a Joint Secretary, two Deputy Secretaries and one Under Secretary, M.M. Malhoutra.

I met the PM also on June 16, 1970. She was not just warm and but affectionate. She said: Ashok, I want you to be my eyes and ears on all aspects of S&T worldwide. I also want you to be my link with the S&T community both at home and abroad.

As I went back to my room, I was both overwhelmed and honoured by what Indiraji expected of me. I settled down in the next two months.

Many years later, after Indiraji had declared an Internal Emergency in June 1975, the Emergency had run its course, and Mrs Gandhi lost the general elections of 1977, the Janata Party had come to power and its Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, had been sworn in on March 20 that year, one of the first things he did was to change the name of the Prime Ministers Secretariat to the Prime Ministers Office. That is because all the leaders of the Opposition-to-Congress parties who had been in prison together for some 20 months wanted the Prime Minister Secretariatwhich they viewed as the central power-house of the Emergencyto be abolished.

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone to the other extreme and is reported to have a gargantuan Super Secretariat of around 800 persons structured in terms of formal, informal and many shadowy groups.

The author is a former S&T Adviser to late PM Indira Gandhi and Secretary to the Government of India in several major S&T Departments of the Union Government.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > EVMs, Rapes and Kidnappings in UP

MUSINGS

This entire week during my interactive talks with persons from Uttar Pradesh, there has been focus on three prime aspects: Their doubts about the very proper authentic functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines! Those doubts coming up soon after the UP election results were announced and are getting strengthened after the EVMs did throw up some ugly truths in Madhya Pradeshs Bhind district. And why should it be presumed that only few EVMs were faultythat is, those found faulty in Madhya Pradesh? There is every chance that many more of those machines were tampered or fiddled with. Why shouldnt there be a thorough investigation of the EVMs used for the Uttar Pradesh elections? Why should we go by the assurances given by the Election Commission?

After all, the Election Commission is manned by a group of civil servants handpicked by the government, so it is a body which is directly under the control of the political rulers of the day... In fact, to put it rather too bluntly, peoples faith is shaken and till that is restored there is little point parroting alls okay with the EVMs. No, alls not okay. Huge dents on the very trust factor. There is not just simmering anger and above all the feeling of getting cheated.

Then, the people of Uttar Pradesh have begun to doubt the very intentions of the government of the day. Imagine, these rulers do not know the difference between romance and rape! Have they heard of Romeo and Juliet! If they had heard or read those heart-touching lovelorn tales, they wouldnt have formed the anti-Romeo squads that go killing love!

The BJPs anti-Romeo squads seem not just bizarre but silly. Mind you, Romeos cannot be thrown in the eve-teasers category, because they are teenaged romantics and with that a harmless lot. Why kill romance! Why are efforts on to push and pull us towards some dark ages where only the brute-cum-fake-cum-heartless can survive!

Have the rulers of the day heard of something called emotions or romantic notions or those fragile feelings tucked in the heart? In fact, the truth is that women love romance and romantics and Romeos, so why the hell should the State turn killer of emotions!

Why Not Anti-Rape and Anti-Kidnapping Squads!

In fact, the BJP Government of Uttar Pradesh should form anti-rape squads and with that arrest the BJP politicians who are rape-accused in the Muzffarnagar riots of 2013. But how can those rapists be touched! Arent they part of todays ruling class, ruling over the same lot of women theyd raped!

Another dark reality of Uttar Pradesh is that young girls from the minority community are getting kidnapped and forcibly converted and even married into Hindu households. This has been ongoing for the last few years, yet no squad to throttle the goon-kidnappers of these young Muslims girls!

This fact was first highlighted in 2016, when members of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat travelled to Kushinagar and saw for themselves the ground realities. And in January 2017 journalist Shweta Desai of the DNA had brought out a detailed feature on this alarming build-up in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Her feature titled Reverse love-jihad surfaces in UP is a must read.

Im quoting from the findings of the fact-finding team of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, which had travelled to Kushinagar district in eastern UP to investigate reports about the persecution of the Muslim community in the district at the hands of Adityanaths Hindu Yuva Vahini, and brought out their report at a press conference held at Lucknow on January 1, 2016.

Reports of large-scale rapes and kidnappings of Muslim girls, sometimes as young as 12 years, are true. These criminal incidents started on a large-scale since 2013. Most of the kidnapped or lured girls remain untraced while some are known to be living as Hindus. According to girls who have managed to flee from the clutches of their kidnappers, it has emerged that they were lured under various pretexts or snatched away from their villages. They were taken to distant places and temples where they were raped, forced to undergo shuddhi (purification) and then married forcibly to Hindu boys. Girls who have managed to return are threatened and attempts are made to kidnap them again. The few who had the courage to go public and lodge complaints with the police, are harassed and threatened with the connivance of the local police and administration which threatens the victims and files counter-cases against them under SC/ST and Goonda Acts as a pressure tactic to force the victims to withdraw their complaints and cases. In one such case, Muhammad Haneef of village Dharmauli, father of a victim girl, collapsed and died in the office of the CO due to dire threats and filthy abuses.

The delegation members had met a number of such girls who were living under terror in villages like Dharmauli (thana Hata), Bajaria (thana Bishanpura), Gram Madhopur (thana Bishanpura) and Bajnaria (thana Bishanpura). The delegation found that the atrocities against Kushinagar Muslims, kidnappings of their young girls, anti-mosque agitation, and engineered riots are going on with the active support of the local police and administration.

Update On The Meat Front!

Amidst all the meat politics, its relevant to know that out of the six top meat exporters in India, four are non-Muslims. Here go the detailsAl Kabeer Exports Pvt. Ltd. (ownersSatish and Atul Sabharwal, Mumbai), Arabian Exports Pvt. Ltd. (ownerSunil Kapoor, Mumbai), MKR Frozen Food Exports (ownerMadan Abbott, New Delhi), PML Industries (ownerA.S. Bindra, Chandigarh. Incidentally, A.S. Bindra happens to be the father of ace shooter Abhinav Bindra.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Checkmated by Teesta: Hasina Visit and the Trajectory of India-Bangladesh (...)

by Purusottam Bhattacharya

The much hyped state visit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, concluded on April 10, 2017 with feelings of satisfaction on both sides barring the much anticipated missing accord on sharing of the waters of the river Teesta between the two countries. This was the first state visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister to New Delhi since the NDA Government of Narendra Modi came to power in May 2014 and the second one since she assumed power in Dhaka in January 2009. Her last state visit took place in January 2010. Since then India-Bangladesh relations have undergone a remarkable transformation.

Gone are the days of the tension-filled, even charged, atmosphere in the ties between Dhaka and New Delhi that was the hallmark of the period 2001 to 2006 when Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power in Dhaka in alliance with the radical Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami and other hard-core religious partners. Hasina brought about a fundamental change in the scenario by addressing the principal Indian grievance that Bangladesh was acting as a sanctuary of the insurgent groups from the North-East of India by cracking down on them and even handing over several insurgents to the Indian authorities. Besides, she took several other measures which also transformed the ambience of India-Bangladesh relations over the past eight years to which New Delhi responded warmly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid a visit to Dhaka in June 2015 when the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), which had been pending since 1974, was signed.(Purusottam Bhattacharya: 2016: 273-285)

Therefore it would not be an over-statement to say that the atmosphere preceding the just concluded visit of Sheikh Hasina was surcharged with expectations of a further fillip to the already warm ties that existperhaps the closest India has at the moment with any of its immediate neighbours.

A quick assessment of the visit is that these expectations were largely fulfilled barring the elusive Teesta pact which has been pending for the past six years. The two countries signed no fewer than 22 agreements, the two principal core ones being related to defence cooperation and connectivity. India offered a $ 500 million line of credit to Bangladesh for defence purchases from this country. Besides the defence framework pact consisting of five agreements opens up different opportunities for coordination between Indian and Bangladesh forces, including joint exercises, coordinated patrols, naval exercises, even training institutes. Experts believe this will open a new chapter in a sector hiherto unex-plored with Bangladesh beginning to look at India as a dependable defence supplier. If the defence framework agreement works as intended, Dhaka will no longer have to look towards China only as a defence supplier. However, it may be apt to add here that the defence pact has already come under criticism from some quarters in Bangladesh.

Connectivity was also one of the main themes of the visit and this has been a major element in the dialogue between the two countries for the past several years. India announced a $ 4.5 billion line of credit which is expected to be utilised for the development of three ports in BangladeshPayra, Mongla and Chittagong as well as railways and roads. The other key MOUs were on passenger and cruise services on the coastal and protocol route, cooperation on cyber security and the peaceful uses of outer space. The bilateral commitment on fighting terrorism was strongly reiterated in the joint statement which vowed to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stessed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terror... the fight against terrorism should not only seek to disrupt and eliminate terrorists, terror organisations and networks, but should also identify, hold accountable and take strong measures against states and entities which encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, and falsely extol their virtues. Needless to add, the message directed to Pakistan in particular and terror groups in South Asia and elsewhere in general is unmistakable. The visit, no doubt, strengthens India-Bangladesh coope-ration in fighting cross-border terrorism in the eastern parts of South Asia.

However, the much anticipated Teesta pact which has been pending for several yearsproved to be elusive. Being primarily an agrarian country, Bangladesh needs and wants free flow of river water for its sheer existence. Any restrictions on river water flows can result in large arid zones in that country. Though the issue of the sharing of the waters of the principal river, Ganga, was resolved in 1996 during Sheikh Hasinas first government, doing so in the case of Teesta is proving to be contentious. The Teesta originates in Sikkim and flows through North Bengal before entering Bangladesh where it merges with the Brahmaputra. A treaty on the sharing of the waters of this river was drawn up prior to the visit of Dr Manmohan Singh, the then Prime Minister of India, to Dhaka where it was to be signed in September 2011. In the draft treaty India and Bangladesh were allocated 39 and 36 per cent of the water flow, respectively. However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to accept the draft treaty on the ground that the volume of water in the Teesta was not adequate to allow for sharing. The proposed treaty would have hurt the interests of farmers in North Bengal which is a sensitive issue for West Bengal. On the other hand, Bangladesh proposes to under-take irrigation projects on the assumption that adequate waters from Teesta would be available. (Purusottam Bhattacharya: 2016: 273-285)

When Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh in June 2015, Mamata Banerjee accompanied him and the LBA was signed with Banerjees consent. However, the Teesta water-sharing agreement was not a part of the agenda due to resistance from Banerjee and remained unresolved. Though Modi initiated a dialogue with Banerjee, nothing came out of it as any settlement in poll-bound West Bengal (held in April-May 2016), that appeared to hurt the interests of the State, was unacceptable to Banerjee. Bangladesh, on the other hand, viewed the Indian stand with Mamata calling the shots as yet another instance of Indian insensitivity towards the vital interests of Dhaka.

This is the backdrop to the just concluded visit of Sheikh Hasina so far as the Teesta issue is concerned. Expectations of some kind of an understanding was high specially due to the fact that Mamata Banerjee went to New Delhi during Hasinas visit in response to an invitation from President Pranab Mukherjee though doubts still remained. However, in bilateral discussions with Sheikh Hasina, Banerjee reiterated her misgivings about the Teesta pact on the lines mentioned above. On the contrary she offered to share waters of other smaller rivers of North Bengal such as the Torsa with Bangladesh. Prime Minister Modi, on the other hand, declared emphatically that the Teesta pact will be signed during the tenure of the NDA Government in New Delhi and the Hasina Government in Dhaka. Banerjee sugarcoated the new offer with promises of supply of surplus power from West Bengal to Bangladesh. The offer from Banerjee took everyone by surprise. Diplomats and other experts from both sides responded that this was not a feasible proposition though the grounds for such non-feasibility still remain unclear. The basic refrain seems to be that the Teesta pact has been ready in a concrete form for a number of years and what remained to be negotiated was its final shape to the satisfaction of both sides. Banerjees new proposal threw a spanner in the works and appeared to change the para-digm altogether. The reactions from the Bangla-desh side, including from Sheikh Hasina herself, has been unfavourable. On the final day of her visit to New Delhi, Sheikh Hasina said at a civic reception, somewhat in jest: Pani manga, bijli mila (Asked for water, got electricity). The foreign policy establishment in New Delhi also seems somewhat non-plussed with the new offer and it remains to be seen how the logjam is finally broken.

In spite of these ups and downs the outcome of the visit of Sheikh Hasina is being viewed by observers as positive. One writer feels that the visit has resulted in a restructured strategic relationship between New Delhi and Dhaka. Though Mamata Banerjee visibly does not show it, her presence in New Delhi throughout Hasinas visiteven her shift from an intran-sigent no to thinking of an alternative water-sharing pact and offering electricity to Bangla-deshsignal a significant move forward giving the Modi Government something to work on with her in the coming months.

As already mentioned, there are notable takeaways in the defence and economic agree-ments from this visit. However, the Teesta issue is extremely emotive in Bangladesh and the fact that Hasina was unable to return to Dhaka with an agreement on water-sharing will be surely exploited by her opponents, specially the BNP and its allies who are already vociferous about a sellout to India. Sheikh Hasina faces general elections in December 2018. A concrete Teesta agreement before then remains a window which is fast closing. The issue is no longer confined between New Delhi and Dhaka but has definitely shifted within the ambit of New Delhi and Kolkata. There is no point in speculating here what the possible outline of a final settlement might look like. The issue could have been better handled within India.

It may be recalled that when the Ganga treaty was signed in 1996, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu, played a seminal role in its formulation. The Central and the State governments worked in tandem at that time. That the Ganga treaty has its critics within India, notably West Bengal, is another matter. However, the same degree of coordination between the Centre and West Bengal has been conspicuous by its absence in the Teesta case. Mamata Banerjee was presented with a fait accompli in September 2011 in the shape of a concrete pact which had been drawn up without taking the State Government into confidence (which included both the earlier Left Front Government as well as the then newly-installed Trinamul Government). Such bad handling of the Teesta issue can only be termed as unfortunate.

Indias relationship with Bangladesh is geopolitically truly strategic. This is an aspect which has been much discussed in scholarly literature and need not be recounted here. It is in the interest of both the countries that this strategic partnership flourishes in future and does not remain hostage to domestic political shenanigans. If that happens Sheikh Hasinas visit will have served the cause of peace and security in South Asia.

References

Siddharta Dasgupta, India-Bangladesh Ties: New Challenges for Distant Neighbours in Rajkumar Kothari, ed., Indias Foreign Policy in the New Millennium, Academic Excellence, New Delhi, 2010.

Muchkund Dubey, Indo-Bangladesh Relations- Failure of Leadership on the Indian Side in Mainstream, September 17, 2011.

Anindyo Jyoti Majumdar, Making sense of India-Bangladesh Relations in India Quarterly, 70 (4), 2014.

C. Raja Mohan, Modis World: Expanding Indias Sphere of Influence, Harper Collins, New Delhi, 2015.

Purusottam Bhattacharya, India and Bangladesh: Can the Assymmetry in Bilateral Relations be Overcome? in Rajkumar Kothari, ed., India Becoming a Global Power in the Twenty-First Century: Rising Challenges and Newer Opportunities., Atlantic, New Delhi, 2016.

A retired Professor of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, Dr Purusottam Bhattacharya is the erstwhile Director of Jadavpur Universitys School of International Relations and Strategic Studies.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on April 21 transferred the first tranche of profit for 2016 in the amount of UAH 10 billion to the national budget, the press service of the central bank has told Interfax-Ukraine.

As reported, the national budget for 2017 suggests that the National Bank will transfer at least UAH 45 billion this year. At the same time, the NBU Council during a meeting on April 15 approved the distribution of UAH 59.45 billion of the National Bank's profit for 2016, including the transfer of UAH 44.379 billion to the national budget and the use of UAH 15.072 billion for the formation of net worth general reserves.

The NBU in 2016 transferred UAH 38.16 billion of profit for the previous year to the national budget. Due to the protracted formation of the National Bank Council, whose authority includes financial reporting approval, the NBU began transferring profit only in October, distributing the entire amount in three tranches: UAH 10 billion in October, UAH 14 billion in November, and UAH 14.16 billion in December.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Apex Court Fast-tracks Ayodhya Trial

EDITORIAL

With the Supreme Court today asking BJP patriarch L.K. Advani and his colleagues, notably Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, to stand trial for criminal conspiracy in the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, that is, more than 26 years and four months ago, newspapers here are full of reports that this spells the end of his political career. [This may be true for Joshi and Bharti as well but Bharti seems unperturbed and at least for the moment has declined to quit her office in the Union Council of Ministers.]

The Apex Court clubbed the trial of these leaders and several others (leaders and karsevaks) also charged with criminal conspiracy on the same issue and ordered to fast-track the trial which would take place on a day-to-day basis so that it is completed in two years.

As Hindustan Times writes today, President Pranab Mukherjees term ends in July and Advani was seen as a contender for the top post.

But now it will be difficult for the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to push for a candidate who will be tried on the orders of the Supreme Court in a case associated with the countrys worst communal violence that left 3000 peoples dead. And as the report in HT underlines, the order will also give Advanis detractors a chance to deny him a shot at the presidency.

Advani had played a crucial role in catapulting the BJP to the centre-stage of national politics by his much-publicised rath yatra from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya in UP two years before the 1992 demolition of the mosque. This was mirrored in the BJPs vote- and seat-shares in Parliament jumping from 11 to 20 per cent and 85 to 120 respectively between the 1989 and 1991 Lok Sabha polls.

In fact, in an article in Hindustan Times today it has been pointed out that regardless of the final verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case, the BJP is likely to only gain. Elaborating on this line of thought it is stated: If the charges against senior BJP leaders are proved true, many might be tempted to see in it a validation of the partys Hindutva credentials. But if they are absolved by the Court, the saffron party would project it as vindication of its innocence and berate the Opposition party for seeking to malign its secular credentials.

Nevertheless, it is further being underscored that in the immediate context the ruling party at the Centre would have to take some tough calls, mostly administrative in nature. The Prime Minister has to decide whether he wants to retain a Minister, Hindutva mascot Uma Bharti, who will be facing a court trial. Another question confronting him and the ruling party is about the propriety of keeping Kalyan Singh in the Jaipur Raj Bhawan. The Supreme Court has said since he enjoys constitutional immunity in his capacity as Governor, he can be tried after he ceases to be in office. Modi has put a high premium on morality in public life and he might be in a dilemma over his next course of action in Singhs case.

Interestingly in Patna, former Bihar CM, Laloo Prasad, a staunch opponent of the BJP, made a significant observation on hearing the news from the Supreme Court. In his view, this development smacks of a conspiracy scripted within the BJP. By this he implied that the prosecuting agency, the CBI, being under the control of the PM, this might have had something to do with the development of the day.

It may be recalled that Laloo, as the head of the Bihar Government, had stopped Advanis rath yatra in his State in October 1990 and earned the wrath of the Hindutva brigade.

While welcoming the Apex Courts decision, Laloo opined: When the CBI says in the court that the conspiracy case against Advani and other BJP leaders should be pursued, what else remains to be said?

He further told reporters at his residence: ...in the RSS and BJP anything is possible. They dont spare anyone. It was Advani who had helped Narendra Modi (to remain as the Gujarat CM) in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat riots, but today he knows best what has happened. These words are indeed pregnant with meaning.

April 19 S.C.
New Delhi: In a huge setback to the LDF led Kerala government, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered to reinstate TP Senkumar as the State police Chief. The Pinarayi government axed Senkumar from the State Police Chief post pointing the lapses of police force while handling the controversial Jisha murder case and Puttingal pyrotechnic tragedy.

Quashing the government's order, the SC pointed that his removal was arbitrary and not as per established law. The court delivered the judgment on the plea filed by Senkumar seeking his restoration into the service.

In the petition, Senkumar challenged the decision of his removal as a violation of section 97 (2) of Kerala police act which assured a two-year-tenure in the DGP post. Meanwhile, Senkumar expressed his happiness over the verdict.
French voters went to the polls Sunday, and as expected, they didn't pick a president. They did, however, narrow the field from seven to two, resolving much of the uncertainty surrounding the contest. Markets welcomed the added clarity, opening Monday sharply higher. France's CAC 40 soared 4.1%.[i] Germany (3.4%), Italy (4.8%), Spain (3.8%) and the rest of Europe rallied, too.[ii] Even though we still don't know the ultimate winner, and even though anti-euro Marine Le Pen made it to the runoff, narrowing the field helps markets form probabilities and assess the likelihood of France's next president pulling the country out of the eurozone. That clarity is enough, and it's a microcosm of what investors should expect from eurozone stocks in what we expect to be a year of falling uncertainty.

Pre-election uncertainty weighed on French and European stocks in recent weeks-particularly as leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon surged in the polls in April, fueling fears that the final round would pit him against Le Pen, guaranteeing France's next president would be an anti-euro outsider. Before the election, French stocks had lagged eurozone stocks most of the year, and both France and eurozone stocks slid from March 28 through the election.

Exhibit 1: French and Eurozone Stocks Pre-Election

Source: FactSet, as of 4/24/2017. MSCI France and MSCI EMU returns with net dividends, in USD, 12/31/2016 - 4/21/2017. Indexed to 100 on 12/31/2016.

Even though we don't yet know who France's next president will be, many of the questions that weighed on French stocks before the vote are answered now. Independent centrist Emmanuel Macron won the most votes-23.9%, edging Le Pen's 21.4%-erasing concerns about Melenchon. Scandal-plagued FranCois Fillon, candidate for Les Republicains (the center-right party of former president Nicolas Sarkozy) didn't advance, erasing concerns about a relatively weaker pro-euro candidate facing Le Pen in the runoff. Macron's 2.5-point margin over Le Pen eased concerns over polls' accuracy, as the last few surveys showed him about that far ahead of her. This should give investors even more confidence for the second round, where polls have long given Macron a 20 to 25-point edge over Le Pen. Not that his final victory is a foregone conclusion-if Melenchon's supporters flock to Le Pen while those who supported Fillon or the Socialists' Benoit Hamon stay home, anything could happen.

But markets don't move on possibilities. They move on probabilities. Before Sunday's vote, it was difficult to assess probabilities for the May 7 runoff, because the polls were so tight, and Friday's tragic terrorist attack added an unfortunate wild card. Melenchon, Fillon, Le Pen and Macron all had decent shots of making the final round. There were too many permutations. It created a fog of fear and what-ifs, which markets generally dislike. They're happier when the fog is gone and they can focus on the future, able to form reasonable expectations. We saw this in the Netherlands in March, when Dutch stocks rallied as it became clear the country's next government would be a fractured-but pro-euro-coalition, and now we're seeing it in France.

This isn't markets' last chance to benefit from falling European uncertainty-there are plenty more political dominoes to fall, starting with France's May 7 runoff. The UK holds a snap election on June 8. Then France votes again, this time for parliamentary elections, on June 11 and June 18 (a two-part contest, like the presidential vote). Germany rounds out the pack with its federal election in September. At each turn, more fog will clear, helping investors better see Europe's bright economic fundamentals and gain more and more confidence in stocks' future prospects. Eurozone stocks should ride this powerful falling-uncertainty tailwind for the foreseeable future.
Qatar Airways (Qatar) intends to launch flights to Kyiv, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan has said on his Facebook page.

The company has already been included in the sales system of Boryspil airport, however the schedule of flights is still unknown.

Reuters also reported the company had announced the launch of 12 new destinations for the 2017-2018 season, among which, in addition to Kyiv, are Cardiff, Malaga, Mykonos, Prague, and Mombasa-Abidjan.

The Qatar Airways network covers more than 140 destinations around the world, annually expanding by about 30%. The aircraft fleet of the company includes 158 aircraft.
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What information do we collect?

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Applicable law recognises certain categories of personal information as sensitive and therefore requiring more protection, including political opinions and trade union membership. In limited cases, we may collect sensitive personal data about you. We would only collect sensitive personal data if there is a clear reason for doing so; and will only do so with your explicit consent.

How and why will we use your personal data?

Personal data, however provided to us, will be used for the purposes specified in this Policy or in relevant parts of the website.

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We do not knowingly process data of any person under the age of 16. If we come to discover, or have reason to believe, that you are 15 and under and we are holding your personal information, we will delete that information within a reasonable period and withhold our services accordingly.

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Please note that some countries outside of the EEA have a lower standard of protection for personal data, including lower security requirements and fewer rights for individuals. We may transfer and/or store personal data collected from you to and/or at a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Such personal data may be processed by agencies and/or suppliers operating outside the EEA. If we transfer and/or store your personal data outside the EEA we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient implements appropriate measures to protect your personal data.

Otherwise than as set out in this Privacy Policy, we will only ever share your data with your informed consent.

Your rights

Where we rely on your consent to use your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes the right to ask us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes or to be unsubscribed from our email list at any time. You also have the following rights:

(1) Right to be informed  you have the right to be told how your personal information will be used. This Policy and any other policies and statements used on our website and in our communications are intended to provide you with a clear and transparent description of how your personal information may be used.

(2) Right of access  you can write to us to ask for confirmation of what information we hold on you and to request a copy of that information. Provided we are satisfied that you are entitled to see the information requested and we have successfully confirmed your identity, we have 30 days to comply.

(3) Right of erasure  as from 25 May 2018, you can ask us for your personal information to be deleted from our records.

(4) Right of rectification  if you believe our records of your personal information are inaccurate, you have the right to ask for those records to be updated.

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(6) Right to data portability  to the extent required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) where we are processing your personal information (i) under your consent, (ii) because such processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contact or (iii) by automated means, you may ask us to provide it to you  or another service provider  in a machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, please send a description of the personal information in question using the contact details in section 15 below. You can also unsubscribe from our email list by sending a blank email to news-unsubscribe@marxist.com

Where we consider that the information with which you have provided us does not enable us to identify the personal information in question, we reserve the right to ask for (i) personal identification and/or (ii) further information.

Lawful processing

We are required to have one or more lawful grounds to process your personal information. Only 4 of these are relevant to us:

Personal information is processed on the basis of a persons consent Personal information is processed on the basis of a contractual relationship Personal information is processed on the basis of legal obligations Personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests

(1) Consent

We will ask for your consent to use your information to send you electronic communications such as newsletters and and fundraising emails, and if you ever share sensitive personal information with us.

(2) Contractual relationships

Most of our interactions with supporters are voluntary and not contractual. However, sometimes it will be necessary to process personal information so that we can enter contractual relationships with people. For example, if you subscribe to one of our publications, or purchase merchandise online.

(3) Legal obligations

Sometimes we will be obliged to process your personal information due to legal obligations which are binding on us. We will only ever do so when strictly necessary.

(4) Legitimate interests

Applicable law allows personal information to be collected and used if it is reasonably necessary for our legitimate activities (as long as its use is fair, balanced and does not unduly impact individuals rights).

We will rely on this ground to process your personal data when it is not practical or appropriate to ask for consent.

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Maintaining a supporter database and suppression lists

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Enforcement of legal claims

Reporting criminal acts and compliance with law enforcement agencies

When we use your personal information, we will consider if it is fair and balanced to do so and if it is within your reasonable expectations. We will balance your rights and our legitimate interests to ensure that we use your personal information in ways that are not unduly intrusive or unfair in other ways.

Data retention

The length of time each category of data will be retained will vary depending on how long we need to process it for, the reason it was collected, and in line with any statutory requirements. After this point the data will either be deleted, or we may retain a secure anonymised record for research and analytical purposes.

In the event that you ask us to stop sending you direct marketing/fundraising/other electronic communications, we will keep your name on our internal suppression list to ensure that you are not contacted again.

Policy amendments

We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review and reserve the right to update from time-to-time by posting an updated version on our website, not least because of changes in applicable law. We recommend that you check this Privacy Policy occasionally to ensure you remain happy with it. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

Third party websites

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Updating information

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Contact

We are not required by law to have a Data Protection Officer  however we have a Data Protection Manager.

Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com
The most spectacular struggle of the Sri Lankan people since the 1953 Hartal is presently unfolding. The power of this struggle has forced the resignation of the cabinet. The governments allies had declared their independence in parliament. Meanwhile, Cabraal, the governor of the central bank, has resigned.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on April 24 recognized Diamantbank (Kyiv) insolvent, according to the central bank's website.

The NBU board made corresponding decision No. 264-RSh/BT as by April 1 the bank failed to achieve the minimum level of regulatory capital adequacy at a ratio of 5% established by the central bank.

Following the National Bank's decision, the Individuals' Deposit Guarantee Fund decided to withdraw the bank from the market by introducing temporary administration for one month - until May 23, 2017.

Tetiana Startseva has been appointed temporary administrator in the bank.
Those responsible for blowing up OSCE SMM patrol outside Luhansk must be held accountable - Kurz

A patrol car of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) ran over a landmine in the Luhansk region, leaving one SMM employee dead and another one injured, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said.

"Tragic news from Ukraine: SMM patrol drove on mine. One OSCE patrol member killed, one injured. [...] Heartfelt condolences to family of victim+SMM team. Death of colleague is a shock to whole OSCE. Hope injured monitor will recover soon," Kurz wrote on his Twitter page on Sunday.

This incident requires a thorough investigation and those responsible for it must be held accountable, he said.

"Just spoke to OSCE_SMM [Chief Monitor] Amb[assador Ertugrul] Apakan: Need thorough investigation; those responsible will be held accountable," Kurz said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has offered condolences to the families and friends of the OSCE SMM (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine) employee killed in a blast that hit a patrol car carrying the mission's observers when it ran over a landmine in that part of the Luhansk region not controlled by Kyiv; Poroshenko has urged holding an investigation of the crime.

"I express condolences to the families and friends of the killed representative of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. And I wish those injured to recover soon. I have given appropriate tasks: Ukrainian medics are ready to provide all necessary aid, if needed," Poroshenko said on his Facebook page on Sunday.

Poroshenko emphasized that the crime must be investigated and those guilty punished. "I have ordered the foreign minister [Pavlo Klimkin] to be in constant coordination with the OSCE," Poroshenko added.

"The Ukrainian side condemns all forms in which the work of the OSCE SMM is constantly being obstructed by militants. The mission's security and freedom of action must be guaranteed," Poroshenko said.
Endless emails, map requests, web searches, and everything else we do online requires the use of energy-hungry, water-guzzling data centers.

Google wants to draw 1.5 million gallons per day from an aquifer to help cool the servers at its facility in Berkeley County. The data center already uses about 4 million gallons of surface water per day, the Post and Courier newspaper reported.

BY MARIA GALLUCCI

Full Story: http://mashable.com/2017/04/23/google-data-center-south-carolina-water-wars/?utm_cid=hp-n-2#eEi7W6VFSaqN
Sanctions is a tool that the European Union applies to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini told Interfax in an interview ahead of her visit to Russia, which is the first one since she took the position in 2014.

"Sanctions are not a policy in themselves, they are linked to the illegal annexation of Crimea and to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We have repeated time and again that when the Minsk agreements are fully implemented, the related sanctions will be removed," Mogherini said.

"Every decision we have taken so far about sanctions was agreed by unanimity. And this unity is reconfirmed regularly, as sanctions are reviewed with decisions on their prolongation usually taken every 6 or 12 months," she said.

"Having said that, we do not aim to extend sanctions 'endlessly': our aim is to see the conflict in eastern Ukraine solved with the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. As I said, sanctions in themselves are not a policy, but one of the tools the European Union, together with many other partners in the world, is using to achieve the end of the conflict in the east of Ukraine," Mogherini said.
The U.S. has called on Russia to influence militant groups occupying temporarily occupied areas on Donetsk and Luhansk regions, asking them to take the first step towards restoring peace in Ukraine, according to U.S. State Department Spokesman Mark Toner.

"The United States again calls upon Russia to use its influence with the separatists to take the first step toward peace to eastern Ukraine and ensure a visible, verifiable, and irreversible improvement in the security situation," said a statement issued by Toner on Sunday following the death of a U.S. citizen working for the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) in eastern Ukraine.

The statement said the death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats, and harassment. The United States urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent, and timely investigation.

"This incident makes clear the need for all sides- and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces-to implement their commitments under the Minsk Agreements immediately. This includes a real and durable ceasefire, withdrawal of heavy weapons, and disengagement from the line of contact. The brave monitors of the SMM have the full support of the United States, and we condemn in the strongest terms all acts of hostility and intimidation toward SMM monitors. They must also have safe, full, and unfettered access throughout the conflict zone," the statement said.

As earlier reported, on Sunday a U.S. citizen was killed when an OSCE vehicle ran over an anti-tank landmine in Luhansk region. Two other OSCE monitors, a citizen of Czechia and Germany, were wounded in the blast and taken to a hospital for treatment.
How do you handle a drunken Chihuahua?

Thats the challenge cops in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania faced earlier this month when they encountered Maxwell, a 12-pound ankle biter ripped to the gills on Smirnoff vodka.

Maxwell, according to reports from Pittsburghs Action News 4 and The Smoking Gun website, was accompanying his 44-year-old owner, who had a vehicular mishap, slamming his car into a fence and pole shortly before 3:30 p.m. on a Thursday. It appears the pair was getting a big head start on the weekend.

Here is a portion of the responding officers report:

As I ran to the vehicle, I located a white adult male, highly impaired, keys in the ignition, turned on, and still in gear. There was a small Chihuahua dog in the car. The driver was just staring at me and failed to respond to commands to secure the vehicle or put it in gear and turn it off. He just turned and stared at me. On his lap was a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka 375 ml. The open bottle was spilled on him and was still pouring into the console of the car. I repeatedly attempted to secure the vehicle but the dog was aggressive and snapping at my hands.

The human suspect was eventually removed from the car, the vehicle was secured with the dog, later identified as Maxwell, still inside while police questioned the suspect to gauge his level of impairment, which appeared to be around an 11 on a scale of one to 10.

Back to the police report:

When we returned to the vehicle the dog Maxwell was drinking the vodka that was spilled and pooled in the console.

Uh-oh.

The situation had taken a turn for the worse  the cops were now dealing with a drunken Chihuahua, a major threat to public safety.

None of the reports explain how the situation actually went down, but heres how I imagine it did: The police back away, secure the perimeter and the sergeant at the scene sighs deeply and shakes his head.

Just two more weeks until my pension kicks in and now this happens  a drunken Chihuahua. Get the chief of the horn. Weve got a Code Red on Cyprus Drive.

The chief deploys the SWAT team and crisis negotiator, then calls the mayor with the bad news.

Your honor, weve got a Code Red on Cyprus Drive.

My god, man. Are you telling me weve got a drunken Chihuahua, a major threat to public safety? Im supposed to give investors from the Sakyahmi Corporation a tour of the citys Cyprus Drive property for their proposed semiconductor facility at 4 p.m. This will ruin everything. You clean this mess up or Ill have your badge!

The chief quickly heads to the scene.

How do we stand, sergeant?

Maxwells still holed up in the car, sir. The negotiator approached and tried to pet him and now the negotiator is missing the tip of his index finger. Maxwell just keeps yapping. Its more of a slurring yap, kind of a shlap. From what we can make out, he wants to go to Taco Bell.

Negative. We cant endanger the citizens safety down there any more. Theyre already eating at Taco Bell. Hold my coat. Im going in to talk to Maxwell.

Sir, you cant. Its suicide. Thats a drunken Chihuahua.

If I dont make it tell my wife I love her. And tell the mayor he can kiss my $@@.

Out of my imagination and back in reality, police did get Maxwell out of the car and down to an animal hospital. After a night treatment, a doctor told Action News Maxwell was back to his normal self, not showing any signs of what happened. Looks like a different dog than the dog presented last night."

For the sake of public safety, lets hope Maxwell stays off the sauce.

Scott Hollifield is editor/GM of The McDowell News in Marion, N.C. and a humor columnist. Contact him at rhollifield@mcdowellnews.com.
The body of the member of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) who was killed in the Luhansk region of Ukraine has been moved to Kyiv-held territory, spokesman for the Ukrainian mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) Dmytro Strutynsky said.

"Consistent with the rules and a request by OSCE SMM [Special Monitoring Mission] representatives, the Ukrainian mission to the JCCC ensured a ceasefire on the Pervomaisk-Molodizhne-Popasna line, creating a passage for evacuating the body. The body was evacuated to Ukraine-held territory at about 10 p.m. yesterday," Strutynsky said on the 112.Ukraine television channel on Monday.

An investigation into the explosion that killed the OSCE SMM patrolman in the Luhansk region is within the mission's jurisdiction, and it is so far unclear whether Ukrainian police would have access to the inquiry, Strutynsky said.

An OSCE SMM vehicle was blown up presumably by a roadside mine near Pryshyb in the Luhansk region at around 10:17 a.m. on April 23. The blast killed a U.S. citizen, a paramedic belonging to the mission; an OSCE SMM employee from Germany also suffered a concussion.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, during which the two discussed among other things, the importance of Russia's implementation of the Minsk peace agreements and the possibility of deploying an international peacekeeping contingent in Donbas under the aegis of the United Nations, the presidential press service has reported.

"The president of Ukraine offered to activate discussions on the deployment of UN international peacekeeping mission in Donbas. The sides expressed concern over dangerous developments in Donbas and noted importance of Minsk agreements implementation, particularly its security components," the presidential website says.

In addition, Poroshenko expressed condolences to the family and friends of an American OSCE monitor, who was killed in a blast of an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission patrol car in occupied territory of Luhansk region on April 23 and "condemned all forms of constant impediment to OSCE SMM operation."

The officials also discussed the outcome of a Normandy telephone conversation of April 18 and U.S.-Russian talks that had taken place in Moscow on April 12.

Poroshenko expressed gratitude for the firm and unwavering position of the United States to continue the support of Ukraine based on the principle "nothing on Ukraine without Ukraine."

The president called for a unified international front to maintain sanctions against Russia "until Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully restored."

What is more, the sides discussed issues of cementing strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States as well as a schedule of bilateral contacts, including at the highest level.
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The Ukrainian Security Service's (SBU) department in the Luhansk region has opened a criminal inquiry into the explosion of an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission vehicle in an area not controlled by Kyiv in the Luhansk region on the counts of a terror attack causing the death of a person.

"The Ukrainian Security Service's department in the Luhansk region has entered information related to this fact into the Unified Register of Preliminary Inquiries under Ukrainian Criminal Code Article 2458 Part 3, (a terror attack causing the death of a person). A team from the regional prosecution service is overseeing the proceeding. The regional prosecutor is controlling the inquiry into the terror attack," the Luhansk regional prosecution service said in a report on Monday.

Those found guilty would face a prison term of 10 to 15 years or a lifetime sentence, with or without confiscation of assets.

An OSCE SMM vehicle was blown up by a mine in the vicinity of Pryshyb in the Luhansk region in the morning of April 23. According to a report of the Ukrainian mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination referring to the officers on duty, a ceasefire was being observed in that period both by Kyiv and the militants in the Luhansk region.

A number of media outlets said earlier that the car explosion killed a U.S. citizen and inflicted injuries on German citizens.

Pryshyb is a village in the Slovianoserbsk district of Ukraine's Luhansk region, which has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) since 2014. The village is situated on the western bank of the Seversky Donets River. The line of contact between the warring sides lies north of the village and along the riverbed.
Implementing best practice care for patients with chronic diseases is one of the greatest challenges currently facing primary care providers. Although digital health technology is hailed for all its potential, could it improve the ability of primary care and internal medicine specialists to help these patients? Share on Pinterest Remote monitoring connects doctors and patients, but does it actually improve care? In the United States, around half of all adults have at least one chronic health condition, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, or arthritis. Treatment for these conditions accounts for as much as 86 percent of national healthcare spending . Cue digital health technology, which includes remote monitoring, mobile health (mHealth) apps, and wearables, such as activity trackers. There are myriad options on the market, but are any of these particularly beneficial for use by the healthcare professional? Medical News Today asked primary care and internal medicine specialists how they use digital health technology in their daily practice and about their views on its potential for revolutionizing chronic disease management. While they acknowledged that new technology has great potential to provide high-quality care, they did not hesitate to emphasize the barriers that prevent its widespread uptake by clinicians and patients.

Remote monitoring: An early success? Wireless remote monitoring of patients vital signs and symptoms was generally perceived as an attractive option by primary care providers (PCPs). This type of monitoring can help with early intervention when specific symptoms are detected. It also allows the patient to be actively involved and engaged in the monitoring process. One of the most successful digital tools currently in use is for managing heart failure, noted Suzanne Falck M.D., associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. In these cases, data from an implanted sensor are directly transmitted to a healthcare professional, who can then use these data to advise about medication, lifestyle, additional clinic visits, or recommendations to visit their PCP or the emergency room. Clinical trials have shown that remote monitoring is particularly effective in reducing hospitalizations in patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators or cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator or pacemaker. It has also been shown to be more cost-effective than conventional management.

Medical apps increasing in popularity As 77 percent of all U.S. adults own smartphones and around half own tablet computers, mobile technology has the potential to make a huge impact on the management of chronic disease, Judith Marcin M.D., a family practice specialist in Chicago, told MNT. Patient-facing health apps can be an excellent way to empower people to take a more active role in their own healthcare, she added. There are currently around 259,000 mHealth apps available in app stores. Of these, approximately 56 percent are aimed at consumers with chronic conditions, particularly diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart disease, and depression. Diabetes is viewed by both PCPs and app developers as the therapy field that offers most potential for mHealth apps. In clinical trials, patients with type 2 diabetes who used an app to monitor blood glucose showed a greater reduction in HbA1c than those who did not use an app, with the biggest benefit seen in younger patients. While few patients receive sufficient support to self-manage their diabetes at present, a recent article in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics notes that apps have the potential to give patients the ability to better manage their condition, improve their disease trajectory, lower rates of complications, and prevent comorbidities.

Wearable trackers: Endless potential or passing fad? Some of the most exciting developments in digital health are wearable technology and devices, according to Dr. Marcin. Wearable devices are currently being studied in a wide variety of settings. On the horizon are portable cardiac monitors, EKGs [electrocardiograms], sleep cycle analyzers, and glucose monitors, Dr. Marcin explained. The potential of this technology is endless. These tools will vastly improve access to care in any setting, as well as [facilitate] increased convenience and likely compliance to certain diagnostic tests. Wearable technology can provide real-time results to a healthcare provider anywhere in the world. This expands the services people can receive along with immediate expert input. Wearable technology will, without a doubt, change the way we approach chronic disease and treatment. Judith Marcin, M.D. Wearable activity trackers such as FitBits have become very popular, although their role in illness and recovery is not yet clear. A 2016 survey put usage at 23 percent in the U.S., 19 percent in Australia, and 15 percent in the United Kingdom. However, the drop rate is huge; as many as 30 percent of users reported abandoning their activity trackers because they did not find them useful, they grew bored of them, or the tracker broke. These devices may not be sufficient to change health-related outcomes alone or with only minimal behavioral change support. One recent study, called TRIPPA, showed that wearing an activity tracker increased physical activity, but did not produce improvements in blood pressure or weight. In another study, called IDEA, participants who wore a multisensor activity tracker in addition to undergoing a standard behavioral intervention actually lost less weight over 24 months than the participants who received the standard intervention alone.

Concerns about barriers to access All the physicians contacted by MNT expressed concern about lack of access to technology among the underserved populations, particularly low-income families. Those individuals that are in most need of these services are often the least likely to have the resources necessary to take full advantage of these programs, commented Dr. Marcin. Adults aged 65 years and older  who are most likely to have two or more chronic conditions  are another group being poorly served by digital health. A recent study led by David M. Levine, M.D.  practicing PCP and primary care researcher at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, MA  showed that in the U.S., only around a fifth of older adults have tablets in their home, and only around 40 percent are using email and the Internet. Seniors use of digital health was low and barely increased between 2011 and 2014, Dr. Levine told MNT. Black or Latino seniors were only around half as likely to be using digital health as white seniors. Dr. Levine pointed out that language can be another barrier to using digital health technology. About 80 percent of my patients speak Spanish, which adds yet another layer of difficulty, because most digital health applications are first created and presented for English speakers, he said.
Social networks are an ideal stage for narcissists to showcase themselves. Accordingly, a lot of people with narcissistic traits are drawn to these platforms as a new study conducted by psychologists from Wurzburg and Bamberg shows.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become an important part of the lives of many people worldwide. Around two billion users were active on Facebook at the end of 2016; 500 million regularly post photos on Instagram and more than 300 million communicate via Twitter.

Various studies conducted over the past years have investigated to what extent the use of social media is associated with narcissistic tendencies - with contradictory results. Some studies supported a positive relationship between the use of Facebook, Twitter and the likes, whereas others confirmed only weak or even negative effects.

Most comprehensive meta-analysis so far

Fresh findings are now presented by scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories Bamberg and the University of Wurzburg. They were able to show that there is a weak to moderate link between a certain form of narcissism and social media activity. When taking a differentiated look at specific forms of behaviour or at the participants' cultural background, the effect is even pronounced in some cases.

The study is managed by Professor Markus Appel, who holds the Chair of Media Communication at the University of Wurzburg, and Dr. Timo Gnambs, head of the Educational Measurement section at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories, Bamberg. For their meta-analysis, the scientists summarized the results of 57 studies comprising more than 25,000 participants in total. They have now published their findings in the Journal of Personality.

Forms of narcissism

They think of themselves as being exceptionally talented, remarkable and successful. They love to present themselves to other people and seek approval from them: This is how psychologists describe the typical behaviour of people commonly referred to as narcissists. "Accordingly, social networks such as Facebook are believed to be an ideal platform for these people," says Markus Appel.

The network gives them easy access to a large audience and allows them to selectively post information for the purpose of self-promotion. Moreover, they can meticulously cultivate their image. Therefore, researchers have suspected social networking sites to be an ideal breeding ground for narcissists from early on.

Three hypotheses

The recently published meta-analysis shows that the situation does not seem to be as bad as feared. The scientists examined the truth behind three hypotheses. Firstly, the assumption that grandiose narcissists frequent social networking sites more often than representatives of another form of narcissism, the "vulnerable narcissists". Vulnerable narcissism is associated with insecurity, fragile self-esteem, and social withdrawal.

Secondly, they assumed that the link between narcissism and the number of friends and certain self-promoting activities is much more pronounced compared to other activities possible on social networking sites.

Thirdly, the researchers hypothesized that the link between narcissism and the social networking behaviour is subject to cultural influences. In collectivistic cultures where the focus is on the community rather than the individual or where rigid roles prevail, social media give narcissists the opportunity to escape from prevalent constraints and present themselves in a way that would be impossible in public.

The results

The meta-analysis of the 57 studies did in fact confirm the scientists' assumptions. Grandiose narcissists are encountered more frequently in social networks than vulnerable narcissists. Moreover, a link has been found between the number of friends a person has and how many photos they upload and the prevalence of traits associated with narcissism. The gender and age of users is not relevant in this respect. Typical narcissists spend more time in social networks than average users and they exhibit specific behavioural patterns.

A mixed result was found for the influence of the cultural background on the usage behaviour. "In countries where distinct social hierarchies and unequal power division are generally more accepted such as India or Malaysia, there is a stronger correlation between narcissism and the behaviour in social media than in countries like Austria or the USA," says Markus Appel.

However, the analysis of the data from 16 countries on four continents does not show a comparable influence of the "individualism" factor.

Generation Me

So is the frequently cited "Generation Me" a product of social media such as Facebook and Instagram because they promote narcissistic tendencies? Or do these sites simply provide the ideal environment for narcissists? The two scientists were not able to finally answer these questions.

"We suggest that the link between narcissism and the behaviour in social media follows the pattern of a self-reinforcing spiral," Markus Appel says. An individual disposition controls the social media activities and these activities in turn reinforce the disposition. To finally resolve this question, more research has to be conducted over longer periods.
Results from a worldwide analysis of over 3,000 patients highlights that there is significant disparity in the referral of patients with liver disease, and that those with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are 12 times more likely to present at an advanced rather than early stage. The study, presented at The International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, showed that in those patients with two causes of cirrhosis, alcohol abuse also leads to a more advanced stage of presentation.

Alcoholic liver disease refers to liver damage caused by excessive alcohol intake, and encompasses several stages of severity (alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis) with a range of symptoms.1 It is the most prevalent cause of advanced liver disease in Europe.2 Young people account for a disproportionate amount of ALD disease burden, with over 10% and 25% of alcohol-related deaths in female and male youths respectively.2

"This study showed that there is a significant disparity worldwide in the referral of patients with liver disease, with ALD patients being seen at more advanced stages than those with viral hepatitis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease," said Dr. Neil Shah, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill, United States, and lead author of the study. Senior author, Dr. Ramon Bataller, added "ALD is an important issue to address as the consequences of the disease can be grave. The results of our study clearly indicate that programmes for early detection and referral of ALD are urgently needed worldwide."

This study, which analysed results from the global alcoholic liver disease survey (GLADIS), involved 16 gastrointestinal and liver centres from six continents, and aimed to investigate disparities regarding the causes of liver disease among patients referred with early and advanced disease. Each centre enrolled 100 outpatients with early liver disease and 100 inpatients with advanced liver disease. Early liver disease was defined as liver disease without evidence of advanced fibrosis (scarring) or cirrhosis, liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) or history of liver-related complications. Advanced liver disease was defined as decompensated cirrhosis (the liver cannot perform all its functions properly), liver cancer or acute liver failure. Patients were excluded from the study if they had a history of liver transplant. The study analysed 1,551 patients with early liver disease and 1,597 with advanced disease.

Of all patients, 84% had one cause of liver disease and 15% had two causes. The most common single causes of early liver disease were Hepatitis C virus in 31.2%, Hepatitis B virus in 22.63% and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in 18.5%, while only 2.8% had ALD. Contrasting with this, among single causes of advanced liver disease, the most frequent was alcohol abuse, present in 31% of patients. Alcohol was also involved in 84% of cases with two causes of liver disease. Patients with ALD were 11.5 times more likely to have advanced signs of liver disease compared with early disease. Patients with two causes of disease, of which one was alcohol-induced, also presented significantly more often as 'advanced' patients.

"This is an important study as it demonstrates that patients with ALD are significantly more likely to be referred at a very late stage of disease, thus reducing the possible interventions which may halt disease progression. This demonstrates the need for earlier detection strategies, such as screening of populations at higher risk", said Prof Helena Cortez-Pinto, Department of Gastroenterology, from Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal and EASL Governing Board Member.
In people born with one hand, the brain region that would normally light up with that missing hand's activity lights up instead with the activity of other body parts - including the arm, foot, and mouth - that fill in for the hand's lost function. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology, say that the discovery could shake up scientists' fundamental understanding of how the brain is organized.

"Scientifically, I think one way to put our results in context is to say, what if the hand area is not the hand area per se, but just the part of the brain in charge of function 'normally' carried by that hand?" says Tamar Makin of University College London, United Kingdom.

"In intact participants, all this is carried by the non-dominant hand," she continues. "But the fact that we see such a striking different representation in that area in congenital one-handers might suggest that this is not actually the hand area. If true, this means we've been misinterpreting brain organization based on body part, rather than based on function. It's kind of mind blowing for me to think we could have been getting this wrong for so long. The implications, if this interpretation is correct, are massive."

But, she cautions, it's still just a working theory at this point.

Scientists have long known that different parts of the brain control different body parts. In the new study, Makin and her colleagues, including Avital Hahamy at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, set out to explore what happens to brain organization in people for whom a body part never existed.

The researchers studied 17 people who lacked a hand from birth along with 24 matched, two-handed controls. Each participant was video recorded while completing five everyday tasks, such as wrapping a present or handling money, to see how he or she went about it. Participants were also asked to move various parts of their bodies while their brains were scanned using functional MRI (fMRI).

"We found that the traditional hand area" - which, Makin notes, takes up a rather sizable portion of the brain - "gets used up by a multitude of body parts in congenital one-handers. Interestingly, these body parts that get to benefit from increased representation in the freed-up brain territory are those used by the one-handers in daily life to substitute for their missing-hand function - say when having to open a bottle of water."

Whether Makin's theory on brain organization corresponding to function instead of body parts pans out or not, the findings reveal remarkable brain plasticity. Her hope is to find a way to encourage the brain to represent and control artificial body parts, such as a prosthetic arm, using the brain area that would have controlled the missing hand.

"If we, as neuroscientists, could harness this process, we could provide a really powerful tool to better healthcare and society," Makin says. "Unfortunately, this process is currently quite restricted in the brains of adults. But by learning how this occurs spontaneously in one-handers, we can get a handle on what we might be able to achieve."

This research was financially supported by the Cogito Foundation; the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society, an Israeli Presidential Bursary for outstanding PhD students in brain research, a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds travel grant; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
The beetle's tough shell and the crab's sturdy armor both owe their strength to a compound called chitin (pronounced "KAI-tin"), one of the toughest known natural materials and also one of most common biological compounds on Earth. New research in mice by UC San Francisco scientists shows that the lungs secrete a specialized enzyme capable of destroying chitin, without which chitin particles inhaled from the environment can accumulate in the airways and trigger inflammatory lung disease.

Insects, molds and parasitic worms - all common sources of allergies or inflammation - produce billions of tons of chitin a year. Enzymes specialized for breaking down and disposing of chitin, called chitinases, evolved very early in the history of life, and are shared by most living things, from single-celled bacteria and fungi to humans. However, the function of these enzymes in mammals (which don't produce chitin of their own) has long been a mystery to science.

In a new study - published online in Cell - researchers in the lab of Richard M. Locksley, MD, the Marion and Herbert Sandler Distinguished Professor in Asthma Research at UCSF, have shown that mice that lack chitin -destroying enzymes soon accumulate chitin in their lungs even in sanitized laboratory environments. These mice go on to develop severe inflammatory lung disease with age, but the team also found that they could dramatically restore lung function in these ailing mice by replacing the missing chitinase enzymes, either genetically or with drugs, a finding that may have implications for understanding and treating age-related lung disease in humans.

"We were very excited to see that improving chitinase activity quickly cleared up the signs of chronic inflammatory lung disease in these mice," said Locksley, who is the senior author of the new study. "To our knowledge this is the first demonstration that chitinases play a key role in preserving lung function in vertebrates."

Study strengthens link between chitin and age-related fibrotic lung disease

Many tissues develop fibrous scar tissue as part of their normal response to injury. These scars typically fade with time, but chronic irritation and inflammation can lead to extensive scarring of organs, known as fibrosis, which our bodies have increasing trouble repairing as we age. Fibrosis is now seen by many researchers as a central underlying risk factor for many diseases of aging, and can eventually lead organs to fail completely. In the case of fibrotic lung disease - which is currently estimated to affect tens of thousands of Americans and appears to be on the rise as the population ages - researchers suspect that a lifetime of environmental exposures trigger chronic inflammation and fibrosis of lung tissue. The resulting tissue damage frequently leads to death within five to 10 years after diagnosis.

Previous research by the Locksley lab had shown that chitin can trigger lung inflammation in mice, and the researchers had suspected that chronic inhalation of chitin particles over a lifetime (through exposure to dust mites or mold, for example) could play an important role in age-related fibrotic lung disease in humans.

In the new study, which was spearheaded by postdoctoral researcher Steven Van Dyken, PhD, researchers showed that specialized cells lining the airways of mice produce a chitinase enzyme called AMCase, which appears to play a key role in preventing chitin buildup in the mouse lung. In mice genetically modified to lack this enzyme, chitin spontaneously built up in the airways and triggered a chronic inflammatory immune response, as well as setting off cellular stress pathways that have previously been linked to lung disease in humans.

Because chitin is so ubiquitous in the environment, the researchers did not have to take any special steps to expose the mice to the compound - even in highly sanitized laboratory settings, Van Dyken said:

"Chitin is a very common, very tough environmental particle found in our homes and workplaces. Our results clearly show that this stuff naturally gets into the lungs, and in the absence of chitinase enzymes that are capable of breaking it down, it accumulates. With time, chitin buildup can make animals pretty sick in ways that look remarkably like human fibrotic lung disease."

Chitin-clearing enzyme could help patients with fibrotic lung disease

The researchers found that young mice were able to tolerate chitin-triggered inflammation without exhibiting signs of lung dysfunction, but as adults these mice experienced rapidly declining health, including many signs of advancing fibrotic lung disease. As a result, mice lacking AMCase died at a dramatically younger age than control mice. However, the researchers also found that the symptoms of lung disease in these mice could be rapidly cleared up by restoring chitinase activity genetically or with drugs.

The team also studied humans with inflammatory lung disease and found elevated levels of chitin in their lungs. They found that humans also produce AMCase, though at considerably lower levels than laboratory mice. The researchers did not find evidence that chitinase activity was any lower than normal in patients with inflammatory lung disease, but they hypothesize a vicious cycle whereby aging-associated lung fibrosis damages the lung's natural ability to use AMCase and possibly other chitinases to clear chitin, allowing increasing chitin buildup to further exacerbate lung inflammation and fibrosis.

The new findings suggest that that enhancing chitinase activity with drugs could be a useful treatment for patients with inflammatory lung disease, the authors said.

"We're excited about potential for using these new insights to help find new treatments for flare-ups or worsening lung disease where people get very sick very quickly," Van Dyken said. "At the moment, there are really no good treatments, so if added doses of chitinase could help or lessen symptoms of fibrotic lung disease, we're really anxious to work towards making such a treatment available."

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (AI30663, AI26918, HL128903, HL107202), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Nina Ireland Program for Lung Health, and the Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center at UCSF.
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.

The other co-authors of the study were undergraduate research assistant Heather Stokes, who was first author of the Scientific Reports paper, and graduate student Jessica Thompson.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences funded this research.
An emergency treatment that could save the lives of car crash victims and others with life-threatening bleeding injuries is to be trialled as part of a new 1.1m study by the University of Aberdeen.

The technique which involves temporarily stopping the blood flow to the lower part of the body until patients can be taken to an operating theatre is to be used at a number of major trauma centres during the trial.

The REBOA technique will be used only on patients with uncontrolled, life-threatening bleeding from injuries to the torso.

This type of injury, often seen in car crash victims or people who have fallen from height, is the most common cause of preventable death in trauma patients.

Whilst a limb can be compressed to reduce blood loss, severe bleeding in the abdomen or chest usually requires an operation to stop it. As a result people with such injuries can bleed to death before they reach an operating theatre.

REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) works by inserting a balloon device, through the femoral artery in the groin, into the body's main artery.

Once above the location of the injury, the balloon is inflated, blocking the artery and stopping the blood flow to the injured parts of the body but, crucially, maintaining it around vital organs - the heart and the brain.

The procedure allows an Emergency department's Trauma Team more time to prepare the patient for surgery.

The trial will compare the survival of those who receive REBOA and those who do not in order to establish whether it is an effective intervention.

The trial will take place across 10 major trauma centres in England over four years. The team estimate around 120 patients may be treated using REBOA during the course of the study.

REBOA is already used in trauma centres in the USA, Japan and parts of Europe but so far in the UK only the Royal London Hospital and the London Air Ambulance have used the technology.

"REBOA is quite a simple concept which many in the medical profession believe will be a tool that helps save more lives. This trial will provide evidence that either supports or refutes that conception," explains Jan Jansen, a consultant in general surgery and intensive care medicine and honorary senior clinical lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, and the chief investigator of the study.

Mr Jansen adds: "The technology is not without its complications. Cutting off blood from half the body can only be done for so long and you have to deal with the consequences of that but with injuries this severe it can be a trade-off worth making. We want to find out if it is worth taking an extra few minutes to do this procedure and arrive in the theatre in a more controlled state.

"It's important to stress that this procedure is only used in extreme cases where there is a real chance of the patient dying in the emergency department.

"All teams involved will be given bespoke training and as well as assessing the success of REBOA we will be evaluating how practical it is to incorporate into the procedures of each individual trauma team.

"Some early adopter teams have already started using this but this trial will provide some thorough research that shows just how effective it is at saving lives."

The study is supported by a 1.1m grant from the National Institute of Health Research health technology assessment board and began on April 1.
At the Mine Clearance Center of the Main Directorate of Combat Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kamyanets-Podilsky of the Khmelnytsky region, another turnout of Ukrainian field engineers has been held, who were trained according to NATO standards, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has reported.

"The next turnout of Ukrainian field engineers was held at the Mine Clearance Center of the Main Directorate of Combat Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kamyanets-Podilsky of the Khmelnytsky region, who, under the guidance of Canadian instructors, completed a training course of an operator's assistant for neutralizing improvised explosive devices," the ministry said on Saturday.

The deputy head of the Center for Moral and Psychological Support, Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Berkuta congratulated Ukrainian servicemen, noting the high professionalism of Canadian instructors and the importance of their mission for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"During the training, exchanging combat experience with Canadian counterparts, the demining center sappers minimize the risk of emergency situations when performing combat missions," he said.

Also, the high level of motivation of Ukrainian sappers was noted by the deputy commander of the group of instructors of the Armed Forces of Canada in Ukraine, Lieutenant Matthew Murphy. In addition, he thanked the command of the Center for all-round support and hospitality.

During just two years of the training mission at the Mine Clearance Center of the Main Directorate of the Combat Support of the Armed Forces in Kamenets-Podilsky, 217 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained in the detection and destruction of improvised explosive devices according to NATO standards.
MADRID

April 24, 2017

New York

10:30 am - 1:30 pm ET

Melinda Telli , MD, Stanford University , Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

, MD, , Stanford School of Medicine, Martin Forster , MBBS MRCP PhD, UCL Cancer Institute, University College Hospital, London, UK

, MBBS MRCP PhD, UCL Cancer Institute, University College Hospital, Sue Friedman , DVM, Executive Director of Facing Our Risks of Cancer Empowered (FORCE)

Madrid

Europe

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United Kingdom

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the United States

Spain's

/PRNewswire/ --PharmaMar (MCE: PHM), a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived anticancer drugs, will host today a Research and Development Event infrom(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150203/727958-b )PharmaMars senior management team and expert speakers will discuss scientific pipeline including; Phase 3 pivotal study with lurbinectedin (PM1183), current and prospective clinical trials, small-cell lung cancer and hereditary breast cancers, and an overview of Company strategy.The presentation will be webcast simultaneously on the calendar section of the Company's Events Calendar page of the website at http://www.pharmamar.com and the slides will be posted there too.A webcast replay will be available on the PharmaMar website for 30 days following the call by visiting the Events Calendar page of the company's website at http://www.pharmamar.com.Expert guest speakers to include:Headquartered in, PharmaMar is a world-leading biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived anticancer drugs. The company has an important pipeline of drug candidates and a robust R&D oncology program. PharmaMar develops and commercializes YONDELISinand has three other clinical-stage programs under development for several types of solid and hematological cancers, PM1183, plitidepsin, and PM184. PharmaMar is a global biopharmaceutical company with subsidiaries inand. PharmaMar fully owns other companies: GENOMICA,leading molecular diagnostics company; Sylentis, dedicated to researching therapeutic applications of gene silencing (RNAi); and two other chemical enterprises, Zelnova Zeltia and Xylazel. To learn more about PharmaMar, please visit us at http://www.pharmamar.com.Contact: Media Relations (+34-638-79-62-15) and Investor Relations (+34-914444500)SOURCE PharmaMar
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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."Source: Eurekalert
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Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States.

One out of five Americans may develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Sun exposure is the main risk factor of developing skin cancer.

Melanoma is the main reason for a vast majority of skin cancer deaths

Causcasians and men older than 50 years have a higher risk of developing skin cancer.

The annual meeting is presented at the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting which is held between April22-26 in Chicago.Bradley T.Andresen, PhD, said, "What began as an experimental error led to a very interesting scientific discovery.""Our research could lead to the development of a class of new cancer-preventive agents."The cancer-fighting properties of Carvedilol drug were discovered when a graduate student in Huang's lab studied whether beta blockers or carvedilol could increase the risk of cancer.However, the student unwittingly tested the anticancer effect of carvedilol drug instead of its risk to promote cancer.The study findings surprisingly showed protective effects against skin cancer.The research team conducted various experiments to find out if carvedilol could prevent skin cancer caused by ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays.Ultraviolet rays are a portion of sunlight that is capable of damaging the epidermal layers of the skin and plays a major role in skin cancer.The study findings revealed thatCarvedilol drug shows a protective effect in the cultured mouse skin cells exposed to UVB and in hairless mice the drug is given after UVB exposure.The drug is found to mainly act by protecting the cells against the cancer-causing DNA damage and cell death by the ultraviolet B rays.The hairless mice which are exposed to the ultraviolet rays and carvedilol may show a decrease in both the severity and the number of tumors which develop when compared to those patients who are not given carvedilol.The studies also showed that carvedilol delayed skin tumor formation more than the sunscreen.The research team also identified that not all the beta blockers may have cancer preventive properties.Andresen, said, "We have preliminary data indicating that the cellular targets for carvedilol are not related to the beta-adrenergic receptors that are the commonly accepted targets for all beta blockers.""They likely target unexpected mechanisms involved in cancer development."Scientists have found that incorporating the carvedilol drug or similar beta blockers in skin creams or sprays could prevent skin cancer that arise due to UV light exposure.This treatment would directly act on the skin without affecting the heart rate or blood pressure which could be altered by beta blockers.By understanding how the drug works, scientists would be able to design new treatments without any cardiovascular effects.Source: Medindia
Its been a while since we have seen desi girl Priyanka Chopra on-screen in Bollywood films. Jai Gangajal was Priyankas last film and since then, she has been busy with her Hollywood commitments. But now PeeCee is back and everyone wants to know which project she is taking next.

After playing a badass villain and an FBI cop, Priyanka is all set to explore the outer space world. According to a media report, she has signed a biopic based on late astronaut Kalpana Chawla. There were rumours that the actress was offered the lead role and now has locked this project.

 Instagram

The film is being helmed by debutant Priya Mishra. I have been working on it for the past seven years. A new production banner will back the project. I was last heading a TV channel creatively and post 2011, quit to pursue filmmaking. This is one of the two scripts that I have written, Priya Mishra told Mid-Day.

For people who dont know Kalpana Chawla, she was the first female Indian astronaut who travelled to the outer space. Born in Karnal, Haryana in March 1962, Chawla studied in Tagore Bal Niketan School and completed aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. In 1982, she moved to US and six years later she started working with NASA. However, in February 2003, she and her fellow mates died when her space shuttle Columbia exploded.

The talks are going on. Its still a work in progress. If everything goes as planned, one can expect Priyanka to soon start working on this film, says a source close to the team.

If the reports are to be belived, this will be Priyankas second biopic film after Mary Kom. But other reports claim that the actor has signed Pink director Aniruddha Roy Chowdharys thriller film. However, nothing official has been announced yet. So is Priyanka all set to explore the space or get in the grey mode? Guess we still need to wait to know more.

Meanwhile, Priyanka is back to Mumbai after wrapping up the second season of Quantico and will be seen promoting her Hollywood debut Baywatch also starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has said all liability the explosion of an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission vehicle in an area of Luhansk region uncontrolled by Kyiv lies with the militants.

"All liability for this tragedy lies with militants, as this area has been fully controlled by 'LPR' gangs since summer 2014. Clause 6 of the Memorandum dated September 20, 2014, proscribes demining of frontline territories, so this tragic incident is another reminder of the enemy's failure to comply with the Minsk agreements," Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

Kyiv is calling for a thorough investigation into the OSCE SMM vehicle's explosion, which killed one mission member and inflicted injuries on two more.

According to the OSCE, a vehicle of the OSCE SMM was blown up by a landmine on its way back from a patrol mission two kilometers from the contact line in the Slovianoserbsk district of Luhansk region on the morning of April 23. A U.S. paramedic working with the OSCE was killed in the explosion, and two OSCE monitors suffered injuries.
Ukraine's delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) demands starting the impeachment process against PACE President Pedro Agramunt, who visited Syria as the head of a delegation, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"Agramunt cannot head the PACE assembly, because he has violated the organization's principles. The chairperson of the PACE session said a hearing will be held at which Agramunt will be asked to answer questions. The Ukrainian delegation will demand changes to the rules procedure and initiate impeachment proceedings," Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page.

Ukrainian parliament deputy and PACE member Volodymyr Ariev wrote on his Facebook page that many PACE delegates are demanding Agramunt step down, as did Ukrainian MP and PACE delegate Boryslav Bereza.

"Agramunt's trip with a Russian delegation, including with members of the Russian lower house of parliament, to visit Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is the same as spitting in the face of Europe' political elite. He did not make the trip as a private deputy, as a Spanish lawmaker, but as PACE president. Several days after the visit Assad carried out a chemical gas attack that killed almost 100 Syrians, including children," Bereza said.
National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine's Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has said the death of a OSCE observer and wounds suffered by two other OSCE observers are the fault of Russia's military and political leaders.

"The explosion was a planned terrorist act directed at the OSCE mission in Donbas. Russian political and military leaders are entirely to blame, since they fully control occupied territories of Donbas. No actions taken by the Russian hybrid force take place without the consult of Russian military leaders," the NSDC's press office said.

According to Turchynov, the vehicle with observers was destroyed by a mine placed by militants.

"One of the tasks practiced by the terrorists is halting patrols in the occupied territory and attempts to monitor the transport of Russian weapons and military equipment," Turchynov said. He noted that Russian military in the region where the explosion took place guaranteed the safety of the observers.

As earlier reported, about 10:17 on Sunday in the area of the locality of Pryshyb of Luhansk region beyond government control (ORLO), a car of the OSCE SMM was blown up, presumably on a mine. According to the Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Monitoring and Coordination (JCCC), at the indicated time, according to the data of duty shifts, both the Ukrainian side and the illegal armed forces of the ORLO adhered to the cease-fire regime.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said a patrol car of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) ran over a landmine in Luhansk region, leaving one SMM employee dead and another one injured. This incident requires a thorough investigation and those responsible for it must be held accountable, he said.

Later the OSCE SMM press service said that an employee of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) was killed and two others taken to hospital for a medical examination.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China, H.E. Mr Wang Yi, of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Mr Sameh Shoukry, of the Hellenic Republic, H.E. Mr Nikos Kotzias, of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif, of the Republic of Iraq, .. r Ibrahim AL-Eshaiker AL-Jaafari, of the Italian Republic, H.E. Mr Angelino Alfano, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Peru, H.E. Mr Salvador Alejandro Jorge del Solar and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Dr Guadalupe Palomeque de la Cruz,

Referring to the heritage of the great ancient civilisations of the states they represent and the international resonance of each individual culture,

Underlining that, transcending time, the impact of these civilisations is omnipresent and remains actual to this day, decisively influencing the course of humanity,

Regarding richness and diversity of cultures as the great heritage of mankind, and as an essential accumulative contribution that continuously enriches the collective human civilisation, both historically and at the present day,

Bearing in mind that civilisations throughout the course of humanity have not ceased to interact and communicate,

Supporting the Olympic Ideal, the idea of Olympic Truce, as well as sportsmanship and fair play, as means for promoting communication, friendship and mutual understanding,

Taking into consideration the rapidly changing and complex challenges that the world is facing, such as terrorism, radicalization, extremism, violence, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of related intolerance,

Strongly advocating friendly relations and continuous dialogue between countries, and the need for international cooperation and understanding as a means to address cultural, social, economic and political challenges,

Stressing that each State bears the primary responsibility of providing protection for its cultural heritage, while underlining the positive contribution of international cooperation with the State concerned upon its request and based on its relevant priorities, including through UNESCO and the other relevant United Nations specialised agencies, programmes and funds,

Deploring the fact that armed conflicts have become both a serious threat to the integrity of world heritage monuments and the cause of illicit trafficking in cultural property deriving from armed conflict areas,

Devoted to prevent and counter any future destruction of archeological sites and cultural heritage in general caused by terrorist acts,

Highlighting the need for further cooperation in fighting against and preventing effectively illicit trafficking in cultural property and ensuring their restitution and safe return to their countries of origin,

Recalling the relevant UN Security Council and UN General Assembly Resolutions on the protection and safeguard of the cultural heritage and property as well as the relevant Resolutions of the UNESCO General Conference,

Reaffirming their strong support for UNESCOs primary role in promoting the protection and preservation of cultural heritage,

Recognizing civilisation and cultural diplomacy as a soft and smart power, and as a major component of international relations, and agreeing that culture can and must be further deployed as an agent of economic growth.

They emphasized:

The need to enhance the dialogue among civilisations through continuous communication and cooperation, in order to promote understanding, recognition and tolerance between cultures and peoples.

The importance of using the dialogue among civilisations as a powerful tool of diplomacy, thus contributing to bridging gaps and enhancing mutual understanding.

Advancing the Belt and Road Initiative for international cooperation, among others, will play an important role to promote civilisational dialogues and increase people-to-people bonds.

Their will to strengthen cooperation on cultural issues among the participating States, with a view to enhancing the sustainable social and economic growth of each ACF member.

They agreed:

To establish the Ancient Civilisations Forum (ACForum) with the participation of the following countries: Bolivia, China, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, and Peru, as a platform for dialogue and cultural cooperation among the participating States. The Forum shall be open to future enlargement on a consensual basis.

To encourage communication among participating States regarding cultural exchanges and cooperation in all related fields.

To conduct dialogue and consultations with a view to reaching coordinated positions where appropriate, on issues of major importance relating to the protection of cultural heritage, within the relevant international organizations, such as UNESCO.

To examine the most appropriate ways to enhance the ACForums efforts to optimize the use of culture as an effective tool for contemporary diplomacy.

To work together, as appropriate, and in coordination with UNESCO, in order to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of the ACF members,

The participating States agreed that a Ministerial Meeting of the ACForum will be organized on an annual basis. The Chairmanship of the annual Ministerial Meeting will rotate among participating States.

The next Ministerial Meeting will be held in 2018 in Bolivia. Peru expressed its readiness to host the annual Meeting in 2020 and Iraq in 2021.

Athens, April 24, 2017
I thank the President of the Republic, who, through his wisdom, always contributes to the broadening of our thinking.



I thank all the delegations who accepted our invitation, the invitation of China and Greece, to be here today.



We live in a time when international relations are developing. Which isnt to say that the nation state and cultures have any less of a role.



But we are in an era dominated by economic and defence policies, and in which we must start to promote the cultural dimension of international relations even more intensely and in a more coordinated manner.



The initiative we launched today is linked to the work of the UN and UNESCO and their principles. And for this reason, I hope that we agree to invite these two organizations to the next Forum.



We are living in an era of instability. In this era, culture, and ancient civilizations in particular, provide continuity and stability. Through the wisdom they bequeathed to us, they give us criteria for resolving contemporary problems.



They facilitate our efforts to formulate plans. Plans through which we will integrate all sides of humanity, gaining greater understanding of difference and looking upon it as wealth. They will prompt us toward more tolerance for difference and, even more so, assimilation of difference.



Our civilizations  and this is the good fortune of the 10 states invited to this Forum  are civilizations that are part of our global heritage. They are civilizations that are extension of epochs before globalization even made its appearance.



We are starting with the Forum, which, from our initial discussions, we have agreed to continue, to sustain it and move its meetings from city to city, from capital to capital. We are launching this forum in Athens, which is also, in a way, a cultural capital.



We know that hard power dominates in the contemporary world. But, in the end, and this is my opinion, those who speak the language of soft power win. Those who are convincing, who are a model based on principles and values, and who have vision. In other words, those who have culture.



Culture in both senses. 'Civilization', as a way of life, as the creation of forms of existence, and 'culture', as a creative, reproductive and motivating factor of forms and structures of life.



In the history of humankind, there were various civilizations. Many died out, others were absorbed by third civilizations, and a number endured through time and play and important role even today.



There were ancient civilizations that produced great tangible and intangible works, whose messages and intellectual and material accomplishments survive and, in a sense, are relevant to this day.



It is wonderful, I confess, for one to go to work in the morning and see the Acropolis and remember and reflect on what is the quintessence of tragedy, the ancient Greek theatre, Pnyx, the assembly of the Demos, democracy. All of these principles and values that are also mothers of modernity.



But we have to say and confess that Greek civilization would not have survived without the Roman Empire, that mother of multi-ethnic political entities that spread the rights, the notion of the citizen and of administration throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.



And Greek civilization may not have survived in the way that it did if it had not been carried on by the intellectuals of the Arab world. A world that, in the regions where it developed, produced great civilizations. In Babylon, Mesopotamia, Egypt. And next to them they had the great civilization of ancient Iran, for which those of us who still play chess today have a weakness.



So, to this world, to these regions we owe the art of administration, intellectual games like chess. The viewing of the heavens as the present and future of humanity.



We owe them wonderful cities, like the cities of Iran, as well as the great Pyramids of Egypt. In a sense, we also had pyramids on the other side of the world, in Central and Latin America. On a side of the world that has the great spiritual civilizations of Peru, Bolivia and Mexico  the great civilizations of Central and Latin America.



It was they who, on the other side of the world, sought harmony with the heavens. If Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley civilization, Greece and Rome are the great line of western civilization, together with the indigenous peoples of America, the other line, equally great, with tremendous achievements, was the great Chinese civilization of magnificent discoveries. From paper and printing to the compass, porcelain and, above all, the very structure of state existence.



And next to this civilization there was another great civilization that honoured us  Greek civilization. A civilization that synthesized many different cultures and produced the Indus civilization of enduring and multicoloured manifestations. The anthropomorphic Gods, as in Ancient Greece, and the great mathematicians who discovered zero and the negative numbers.



All of these civilizations present here today, and of which I noted just a few characteristics, great and small to different degrees, contributed to the shaping of the contemporary world.



They developed across a region that is by no means negligible. Forty percent of the world's population lives in this region. These civilizations represented here today are very much alive. They continue to exist both autonomously and as a presence incorporated into contemporary world culture.



They exist in letters, in the arts, in technology and in political culture. They all contain harmony with the heavens, the right to resist, new ways of organization, and all of them  and this is an element they all have in common, you will allow me to say as a scholar  pose equally central questions, from Confucius and the Taoists to Socrates and Aristotle. From the great poets of Iran and India, the great poems, to the spiritual world of Central and Latin America.



From the Sun God scholars of Egypt, to Bolivia and Peru. From the great Roman tradition of political philosophy, we have the same universal questions, which are alive today.



What did our forebears ask six or seven or three thousand years ago? They asked: What is life? What is the purpose of a human being's life? What is humankind's relationship with nature? What is the relationship between the individual and society? And what is the relationship between the citizen and power?



There is no contemporary philosophical, sociological or anthropological current that does not pose these questions, which were posed thousands of years ago by our civilizations. Our civilizations were and are great. But they do not belong to us. They belong to all humanity.



So, our civilizations are relevant, and this is the first point. The second is that, for us, culture is power, soft power. Just as effective, in our opinion, as military might or economic hegemony. Because culture wins people's hearts and minds.



But even at the hard core of politics itself, we need what we call a political culture. That is, we need tolerance for others. Respect for their opinions and existence. We need  and many countries have forgotten this  a culture of consensus and compromise. Frankness and fortitude. Resistance and the ability to fight for rights and justice.



So culture helps develop relations founded on principles and values. It brings what is different closer. And, in fact, it doesn't just bring it closer, but considers it wealth and not something hostile.



And there is its third side. Culture is also a global economic power today, because every culture produces particular goods, reproducing and disseminating them.



Today, culture and what we call the "culture industry" even create jobs. Shall we consider research and education? Modern design? Tourism associated with cultural accomplishments?



All three of these elements of culture  its relevance, its economic power, its ability to connect and stabilise the world in an unstable era  are also associated with the new capabilities brought by what is called the 4th industrial revolution, the 2nd machine age.



It is associated  and we, as a forum must associate it  with utilization of the internet, with the development of mobile phone applications, like tours of ancient monuments, tours of our cities, which have great cultural heritages. And with the reproduction of souvenirs in three-dimensional forms, by the new 3-D printers.



We can jointly develop everything from video games to films. All of these new technologies enable us to collaborate and promote common values and principles. We can also develop our intercultural relations. Networks of monuments and cities.



My dear President, dear friends, whom I thank once again for coming to Athens, we worked for over a year and a half  two years, I would say  on an idea that has existed since the 1990s, for us to get here today.



The main issue regarding this forum, from our perspective, is that it is an element of a specific perception we have of international relations. It is an element of a positive agenda, because very often  with the current conflicts, wars and civil strife  negativity and difficulty dominate the international agenda. We have to develop a positive agenda: that of the cooperation of our cultures within the framework of multiple collaborations in all sectors.



Today, on the initiative of Greece and the People's Republic of China, we convened with the aim of formulating a kind of cooperation  not in a legal way, of course  a union of states with great cultures that play an important role to this day.



We are cradles and stewards of civilizations with thousands of years of history. We are cultures that, in the best way, helped shape our world today.



We want to work together for a common good, for common prosperity, not to separate ourselves from others, but to make the message broadcast by culture even stronger.



And our joint invitation to you  with my friend the Chinese foreign Minister, Wang Yi  was no coincidence. We have a peculiar historical relationship with China; a relationship founded on mutual respect and on understanding of the world we live in. And we have the common question: how can we capitalize on the elements of our cultures in a way that is beneficial and productive for all of us and for humanity?



We are  and we have to consider this  the successors of a spirit thousands of years old, at the epicentre of which is the notion of the human being. If we find what unifies us and we perceive it, we will have taken an important step for promoting peace and cooperation in the world.



We all know that our countries are visited by tens of millions of people. This year alone, 30 million tourists will come to Greece. Tourists who look with great respect  sometimes with greater respect than those of us who live in these countries  upon the accomplishments of our civilizations.



And we all see that the human intellect produced great works, leading us to the question: How did they achieve this without the technologies we have at our disposal today?



I think they achieved it because the human mind and its capabilities know no bounds. We can always surpass the boundaries holding us in. This culture has nothing to do with the colour of one's skin, with social or national origin.



But it does have to do with a simple element: the magnificence of human life. Wherever the human heart beats, the mind produces, or should produce, culture. And it is in our hands and in the hands of every human being to produce positive culture, a positive agenda in international relations. To use the power of our minds for good, peace and progress.



The cooperation of these civilizations  as depicted by our constellation  shows that we can and must join or cultural heritages and contribute, however slightly, to a better humanity.



Through our forum, we are being called upon to glorify the past in order to create a positive future.



Finally, I feel the need, beyond thanking my friend, my good friend, the President of the Republic and all of you  many of who are old friends of mine  to thank all of the personnel and collaborators at our Foreign Ministry and at the Foreign Ministries of all of the states that worked for our success and gladly accepted our invitation to be here.



And naturally I want to thank all of our associates at the Greek Foreign Ministry, who, in the midst of the difficulties our country is having, managed to organize today's forum, showing that even a country in a deep crisis can capitalise on culture and civilizations to emerge from that crisis.



Because I often point out that culture says the inexpressible, that certain something paradoxical, strange. How is it that culture can say something inexpressible? It can say it because it says it in a different way. It says it implicitly, through a poem, a sculpture, a painting.



And because culture can enable us to escape from fears, concerns, insecurity. It can give us stability, it can give us optimism, and it can give us courage.



Culture is a great plunge into the wounds of humanity, and it extracts whatever gold there is from these wounds, making us richer.



I hope we continue like this, creatively, with our culture. I thank my old and new friends very much for this meeting, and I hope this forum continues with our presence, or with the presence, in the future, of new Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ministers of Culture and our associates.



I thank you all very much.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has denied the allegations by representatives of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) on the alleged involvement of Ukrainians in the explosion of a vehicle carrying OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) observers in an area in Luhansk region not controlled by Kyiv on the evening of April 23.

"We are categorically denying the allegations on our involvement in the mine blast of an OSCE SMM vehicle," Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

"I would like to remind you that the area where the incident happened has been under the control of the so-called LPR since summer of 2014," Motuzianyk said. "There can be no Ukrainian sabotage groups, and are none," in this area, he said.

"The Ukrainian side is observing the Minsk Agreements; in addition, the Joint Center for Control and Coordination reported that the Ukrainian side observed 'the regime of calm' on the day when this incident had happened. The enemy observed it as well," Motuzianyk said.
14:30 25.04.2017 Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference on the results of Committee of Ukrainian Voters study on 'Rating of Governors' Activity for the First Quarter of 2016'

1 min read

On Tuesday, April 25, at 14.30, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference on the results of Committee of Ukrainian Voters study on "Rating of Governors' Activity for the First Quarter of 2016." The participants will include Director General of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine Oleksiy Koshel, an analyst of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine Denys Rybachok (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Fanchi-Invest LLC (Mykolaiv region) has informed about pressure by Prosecutor General's Office and police in Voznesensk and Nova Odesa districts of Mykolaiv region.

"[Law enforcers] have been giving me nightmares me for four years. The enterprise of the holding Novohryhorievske was raised and equipment was seized. They did not explain the reasons of the raids, as the investigation was started and they do not allow us to study the materials of it," Director of Fanchi-Invest Roman Stefanchyshen said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on April 21.

He said that he inherited the company from his father. After his death in 2014 law enforcement agencies tried to unlawfully seize the company.

"There were attempts to share all assets, working capital of the enterprise. Total lawlessness is seen in the regional prosecutor general's offices. They opened a case against me in on districts and seized an enterprise in another district, which at least is not in line with territorial jurisdiction," he said.

Fanchi-Invest LLC was founded in 2014 in Sebyne (Nova Odesa district of Mykolaiv region). The company buys seeds, plants crops, process crops, produces cereals and packages them for retail chains. In 2016, its goods turnover was around UAH 46 million.
Here are five stories and events to start your week:

Carrier Strike Group Poised to Arrive Near Korea

The USS Carl Vinson strike group is poised to arrive near South Korea. As concerns over a potential North Korean nuclear weapons test continue to mount in the Asia-Pacific region, Vice President Mike Pence said, "With regard to the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, 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," according to Stars and Stripes. His comments came Saturday at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to the publication. Watch for Navy Admiral Harry Harris, the head of Pacific Command, to discuss the issue this week on Capitol Hill.

Mattis Heads to Afghanistan After Deadly Assault

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on Monday, just days after Taliban launched one of its deadliest attacks of the Afghan war. The militants targeted Camp Shaheen, an Afghan army corps base in the northern part of the country, inflicting heavy casualties in an ongoing battle near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, U.S. Central Command said Friday. At least 160 Afghans were reportedly killed, The New York Times reported Sunday. Some 6,700 of Afghanistan's roughly 320,000-member security forces were killed last year and more than 12,000 were wounded, a record, the newspaper reported.

After US Drops 'Frankenbomb' on Afghanistan, Questions Linger

Via Oriana Pawlyk of Military.com: Questions remain over the future use and cost of the GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) -- nicknamed "mother of all bombs" -- dropped April 13 on an ISIS tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan. Experts have questioned MOAB's estimated price tag of $170,000. In terms of explosive yield, a B-52 bomb load can pack the same punch, if not more. And the Air Force has a limited supply of the munitions, which were built in-house with various pieces and parts shortly after the war in Afghanistan began in 2001. "It's basically a frankenbomb," one official said.

Navy Renews Flight Restrictions on T-45 Trainers After New Incident

Via Hope Hodge Seck of Military.com: Less than a day after T-45 Goshawk instructor pilots took to the air after a 12-day safety grounding, two pilots reported headaches and oxygen deprivation issues during a single flight, Military.com has learned. In light of the incident, the Navy has doubled down on altitude restrictions, limiting instructor pilots to 5,000 feet and less than two Gs of force. Cmdr. Jeannie Groeneveld, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Forces, told Military.com the incident took place near the previous safety-restricted altitude of 10,000 feet, when a senior instructor pilot was performing maneuvers and pulling in excess of 4 Gs.

Government Shutdown Looms Amid Funding Deadline

The U.S. government faces the prospect of yet another shutdown if Congress fails to act by Friday to approve funding for federal agencies in the current fiscal year. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill and officials in the White House are scrambling to reach a deal to avert the shutdown but the talks have stalled over issues supported by President Donald Trump and opposed by Democrats, including additional funding for the military and a border wall. The last government shutdown occurred in 2013. Military leaders have repeatedly warned the Republican-controlled Congress against passing another short-term spending measure known as a continuing resolution, or CR, rather than a full budget for the rest of fiscal 2017 because doing so would limit their ability to spend money where it's needed most.

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
(Xinhua) 16:08, April 23, 2017

BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- A set of bamboo slips dating back more than 2,300 years were officially recognized Sunday by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's earliest decimal calculation tool.

"The significance is that it's decimal, not duodecimal as seen in other countries. Decimal did not appear in Europe until the 15th century," said Li Xueqin, head of the Research and Conservation Center for Excavated Texts of Beijing-based Tsinghua University.

The 21 slips, crafted around 305 BC during the Warring States Period, are 43.5 centimeters long and 1.2 centimeters wide each.

When arranged together as a multiplication table, the slips can perform multiplication and division of any two whole numbers under 100 and numbers containing the fraction 0.5.

The slips have inscribed numbers and holes, where threads used to go. A user would pull the threads corresponding to numbers needed to be calculated in order to see the result.

The owner of the slips remains unknown, according to Li. "Our guess is that the tool might be used in trade, or measurement of land in the kingdom of Chu."

In July 2008, Tsinghua acquired a rare collection of 2,500 slip bamboo items from the late Warring States period, which had been smuggled out of China, including the multiplication table.
The Navy's number two officer has ordered that all recent hypoxia-like episodes -- both for the T-45 Goshawk trainer and the F/A-18 Hornet -- be placed under comprehensive review in hopes of coming up with a plan to fix the problems quickly.

In an April 21 memo obtained by Military.com, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran directs Adm. Scott Swift, the commander of all naval forces in the Pacific, to lead the review, probing the "facts, circumstances and processes" surrounding recent cockpit episodes, including how Navy officials have addressed each incident.

"The seriousness in which the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations view these incidents is reflected in the seniority of those leading the review," Moran wrote in the memo. "[Swift] and his team have full authority to draw on previous work and subject matter experts from across the naval aviation and Navy medicine enterprise to assist in their task."

At the end of this 30-day review, Moran added, the review team will be able to validate current actions being taken and recommend additional tasks, if needed, to solve the problem.

A persistent trend of pilots suffering tingling and numbness in their extremities, shortness of breath, and other hypoxia-like symptoms during T-45 and Hornet flights came to a head earlier this month when Fox News reported that some 100 T-45 instructor pilots had refused to fly, citing safety concerns with the aircraft. Days later, the Navy announced the start of what would be a 12-day temporary grounding of the entire fleet of 197 T-45 trainers to review the concerns and come up with a plan to move forward.

On April 18, senior instructor pilots were allowed to resume flights with a 10,000-foot altitude limit and modifications to the mask apparatus that bypassed the onboard oxygen generation system. In the meantime, Naval Air Forces widened the team working on the cockpit problem, bringing in aeromedical experts, industry professionals, and NASA engineers, among others to consult.

But as Military.com first reported, there was a new cockpit episode the same day the senior instructors got back in the cockpit. A pair of pilots out of Kingsville, Texas, got headaches and felt other oxygen deprivation symptoms after conducting aerial maneuvers at the top of the altitude limit. In response, the Navy imposed new restrictions, limiting pilots to 5,000 feet in altitude and two Gs.

In his memo, Moran said Swift could decide the makeup of his review team, but requested it include representation from the engineering, aeromedical, fleet aviation, legal and public affairs communities.

In a release, Navy officials added that the service is taking an "unconstrained resource" approach to fixing the cockpit oxygen problems, and that the issue continues to be the number one safety priority for naval aviation.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.
(Xinhua) 08:20, April 24, 2017

ATHENS, April 23 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Sunday urged all sides to make voices of peace and reason on the Korean Peninsula issue, and reiterated China's consistent and definite stand on denuclearizing the Peninsula.

Wang made the statement when asked about the situation of the Korean Peninsula at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias.

Wang said that there were already enough shows of force and confrontation at present and that "we need to make peaceful and rational voices."

China's stand on the issue of the Korean Peninsula is constant and definite, and will not change, which means adherence to realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and adherence to maintaining peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, peaceful means must be applied to solve the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, Wang noted.

Though China is not the focus of the current contradiction, and though the key to solving the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula is not in its hands, China, adopting an attitude of assuming responsibility for peace of the Korean Peninsula and regional stability, has always been exerting efforts for resuming peace talks, according to Wang.

Recently, China has put forward a legitimate and reasonable proposal on the issue, which is winning understanding and support from more and more countries, the Chinese minister said, adding that China welcomes solutions proposed by other sides concerned if they also hold sincerity for peace.

"China will not be swayed by the various statements concerned, and will not renounce its due responsibility," Wang said, "China will continue maintaining dialogue and consultation with all sides and continue playing a constructive role in solving the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula."

Wang is visiting Greece to take part in an international forum on ancient civilizations.
(Xinhua) 08:22, April 24, 2017

BUDAPEST, April 23 -- The worldwide celebrity Jackie Chan, who was the guest star of the opening ceremony of the 2017 Chinese Film Festival here on Sunday, told reporters he would be considering making a film in Hungary.

"Hungary is a place where I have always wanted to come, the scenery here is really beautiful, and most importantly it is cheap, and that counts nowadays when making movies around the world becomes more and more expensive," the martial arts master said shortly before the beginning of the ceremony.

The 2017 Chinese Film Festival kicked off here Sunday with five movies, one of witch is Jackie Chan's latest production, Kung Fu Yoga.

"Hungary has a very good filming environment. Today, I arrived at five o'clock, but I immediately went to see the city's scenery: it is really very beautiful, and also very clean, the air and the weather are also very good, I consider making a film here," he added.

He also recalled that his film "Shanghai noon 2" was set to be shot in Hungary, but finally went to Prague, because of tax issues.

Chan is not only an actor, but also a well-known producer. According to him, he made close to 250 films.

He explained that he was thinking of retirement, when the U.S. market suddenly opened up to him, and later, "when the U.S. market shrank, the Chinese market started to grow, and is getting bigger and bigger," he explained.

"I do not know when to retire. I believe in work transformation, later, and then a few years later I will mainly act in feature films, art films, and less action films," he told Xinhua.
(Xinhua) 08:34, April 24, 2017

QINGDAO, April 23 -- A Singaporean warship arrived Sunday at Chinese city Qingdao for a four-day visit and joint drill.

The North Sea Fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) Navy held a ceremony to welcome missile frigate RSS Intrepid, which is accompanied by Chinese ship Yancheng. Altogether 141 Singaporean naval staff were onboard the frigate.

The two navies will visit each other's ships and hold exchange activities.

After the visit, the RSS Intrepid and Yancheng will conduct a joint drill practising the Code for Unalerted Encounters at Sea, focusing on simple subjects such as communication and formation maneuvers.
(Xinhua) 09:03, April 24, 2017

XI'AN, April 23 -- A coalition was established Sunday in northwest China's Shaanxi Province to promote innovation and cooperation on space exploration under the the Belt and Road Initiative.

The coalition, set up in the provincial capital of Xi'an, encompasses 48 universities, research institutes and academic organizations at home and abroad. It was initiated by the Chinese Society of Astronautics and Xi'an-based Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Tian Yulong, secretary-general of China National Space Administration, said the alliance will boost exchanges on space innovation between its members and help joint training of high-caliber professionals.

China designated April 24 as Space Day last year to mark the anniversary of the country's first satellite launch Dongfanghong-1 in 1970.

Xi'an, home to more than 200 aerospace research centers and enterprises, will hold major celebrations on Monday.
File photo taken on Feb. 4, 2017 shows French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron addressing a campaign rally in Lyon,France. Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by several pollsters. (Xinhua/Han Bing)

PARIS, April 23 -- Centrist candidate and former minister of economy Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on Sunday came out on top in the first round of the French presidential election, according to projections by polling agencies and official partial results.

An updated estimation by research firm Elabe for local broadcaster BFMTV indicates that Macron leads with 24 percent of votes, and Le Pen 21.8 percent.

A total of 11 candidates participated in this year's race towards French presidency, and the two leading candidates are set to face off in the runoff on May 7.

At a gathering after the vote, Le Pen hailed the results as "historic," and expressed "profound gratitude" to her supporters.

She called on voters to join her to create "national unity," promising to bring "great alternative" to the country.

Macron later also greeted a cheerful crowd of supporters, saying that "in one year, we have changed the face of French political life."

The centrist candidate, holding a prominent pro-European Union(EU) position throughout his campaign, urged unity in France and Europe, and pledged to revive the European project.

"I will be a president who transforms, protects and helps those have little," he said, promising to embrace "all the French people."

Outgoing French President Francois Hollandecongratulated Macron on the phone for advancing into the second round, according to French media reports.

European Commission chief spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said on social media that Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the commission, also congratulated Macron on the results and "wished him good luck for the future."

Right-wing conservative candidate and former prime minister Francois Fillon conceded defeat Sunday night, and vowed to vote for Macron in the runoff on May 7.

"The defeat is mine. Do not scatter, stay united," Fillon told his supporters in a gathering after the vote.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, in the fifth place, also announced that he would endorse Macron for the runoff vote.

According to the updated estimation, Fillon ends up in the third place with 19.9 percent of votes, while far-leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon ranks fourth with 19.3 percent.

"Once the official results are known, we will respect it," said Melenchen, who has not yet conceded defeat.
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Industry body SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures) is likely to file a caveat in Supreme Court Monday seeking relief on the BS-3 (Bharat Stage-III) vehicle ban, CNBC-TV18 reported.

SIAM will be asking for a three month extension for liquidating the old BS-3 stock.

Among the automobile manufacturers who plan to move the Supreme Court are Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and M&M. They account for 95 percent of the CV market.

Commercial vehicle makers have roughly 30,000 units lying unsold, which could lead to a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore, according to sources. Half of the unsold inventory (around 15,000) is with Tata Motors.

Ashok Leyland had confirmed that 10,664 units of its commercial vehicles were impacted by the Supreme Court ban on BS-3 vehicles, but the financial hit will be minimal as the affected engines would be upgraded for after-market sales.

The Hinduja flagship firm said the BS-3 engines would be upgraded to BS-4 standard using its new intelligent exhaust gas recirculation (iEGR) technology.

On March 29, the Supreme Court had declined to postpone the ban on sale of BS-3 vehicles from April 1.

(With inputs from PTI)
Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "Bharat Financial Inclusion is looking good. The way it is trading, looks like it is heading to levels closer to Rs 800 zones. It might go there; stop loss at Rs 760 or even Rs 770 should be fine."

Jubilant Foodworks is another stock that looks good to me. The stock can climb to levels closer to Rs 1,075 zones, keep stop loss below Rs 1,030," he said.
White House says tax plan details probably not to be ready until June

(Xinhua) 10:55, April 24, 2017

WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The White Housewill release the governing principles for its tax plan on Wednesday, but the details of a complete tax proposal probably won't be ready until June, a senior White House official said Sunday.

"I think what you're going to see on Wednesday is some specific governing principles, some guidance. Also some indication of what the rates are going to be," Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House office of Management and Budget, told Fox News on Sunday.

"I don't think anybody expects us to rollout bill language on Wednesday. In fact, we don't want to do that," he said.

Mulvaney said the Trump administration has not decided whether its tax plan will be revenue-neutral or add to the national debt.

"You can either have a small tax cut that's permanent or a large tax cut that is short-term. I don't think we decided that," he said.

Asked about his previous comments that the complete tax proposal probably won't be released until June, Mulvaney said "that's still probably fair," adding the administration has already started working with the House and the Senate committees to build some momentum for the tax plan.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Saturday that the Trump administration is planning to bring the high corporate tax rates down and simplify tax codes for individuals.

He noted that the administration will count on the compounding effect of strong economic growth over the next decade to finance the tax cuts.

"We're looking for reforms that will pay for themselves with growth," Mnuchin said at an event Saturday at the International Monetary Fund headquarters, adding the difference of a little over 1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) over a 10-year period could generate as much as 2 trillion U.S. dollars of revenue in the United States.

However, as the U.S. labor market approaches full employment, many economists are concerned that the Trump administration's tax cuts proposal could increase the federal deficit and push up the national debt.
An unfavourable test report by the Central Food Lab in Kolkata has led the canteen stores department (CSD) to suspend sales of Patanjali's Amla juice, the Economic Times reported today.

Started in 1948, the CSD is the retailer for India's defence forces with selling nearly 5,300 products to about 12 million personnel of the Indian defence services, including their families and ex-servicemen. The Ministry of Defence manages the CSD which comprises 3,901 unit-run canteens, and 34 depots, and accounts for nearly 5-7 percent of total sales volumes for most consumer product companies.

In a letter dated April 3, the CSD is said to have asked all its retailing depots to make debit notes for their current stock of the product so that it can be returned to the company.

Incidentally, the same lab in Kolkata had detected high lead levels and MSG in the samples of Nestle Maggi noodles two years ago, that had led Nestle to withdraw the brand across India. The company was able to get the product back on the shelf after a long-drawn legal battle and millions in losses.

For Patanjali, Amla juice was the product that helped it strengthen its foothold in the Indian consumer market and enter more than two-dozen other categories.

However, it is not the first time that the Rs 5,000-crore Ayurved company will be locking horns with the regulators. The company has been questioned for selling noodles and pasta without the requisite licences, and had faced flak from the FSSAI over the allegedly misleading advertisements for its edible-oil products.
The fee hike is set to be implemented from October 2, 2020

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I'm travelling in the Bay Area, in a cab driven by a woman software tester. She says she has been out of job for months now and driving a cab is the only way she can pay her bills, living just outside of San Francisco.

My company is looking for coders and testers but in Asia, I inform her. "A lot of coders from India have taken up jobs here, and are willing to work cheap," she tells me. Seated at the back, I couldnt spot whether she was sarcastic, disappointed or angry.

Even as I take her email id, promising to inform her if I hear of any opportunity, I could only empathise with her.

While shopping with a friend at a CostCo, roaming on the Embarcadero or while eating lunch at GooglePlex, I realise that every third face is an Indian. Not a bad mix, I muse as I savour the various state foods of India in Charlies cafe at the Google headquarters.

The words of the cab driver were still pinching me somewhere, as I felt helpless about her condition.

Why Indians dominated the Bay Area tech industry

Earlier, on a flight from New York to San Francisco, the person on my adjacent seat, happened to earlier own a beer joint in Palo Alto. "Mark (Zuckerberg) and his colleagues used to hang out at my bar often," he told me.

Asking me where I was from, he said the biggest homes and best cars in Bay Area were owned by Indians. I asked where he was from  he said his parents came from Italy.

I realised that everybody in this country was an immigrant if we traced second or third generation, including President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump.

In San Francisco, meeting a lot of tech startups including those at Dave McClures 500Startups, I am appalled by the lack of black faces in the tech startup industry. I met only one, out of the 30 odd companies I met. "Some of it is due to the lack of skills, some of it is because of discrimination," I'm informed by a friend living in the US for 40 years now.

"Indians were the blacks in the 1990s. I myself faced this discrimination," Vivek Wadhwa, a professor at Stanford University told me at an Oakland cafe.

Also read: Trump amends H1B rules, entry level techies to be hit hardest

"With the emergence of Indians at the helm in the tech industry, now the tide has turned. Most tech startups want to hire Indians  firstly, they are hard-working and secondly they possess the requisite tech skills," he tells. "Indians are the new whites in the tech industry now," he remarked.

The rise of Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai to the helm at Microsoft and Google did help.

But is the tech industry here helmed by Indians, interested in solving the problems of the developing world? "Sadly no," says Wadhwa, just back from a trip to New Delhi, where some of his family resides.

On an H-1B, cant start a company

I also met a few Indians, who just got approved for a green card, and had started a company. On an H-1B visa, foreign workers are not allowed to start a business.

Thus, those who wish to go by the rule, wait years to get a residency status and start a company. This person, an alma mater from BITS Pilani, waited for over a decade.

Though some Indian tech entrepreneurs who wish to call America their home, have migrated the headquarters of their companies and thus sponsored themselves on either a L1 visa or a H1 visa.

"The practice was rampant, but not now so much," a former colleague tells me. His brother started an IT outsourcing company which sponsored him for a H-1B visa and later a green card, in the 1990s. He is back to India, running his IT business from Kerala.

When culture, besides cost starts playing a role

Donald Trumps new H-1B guidelines have named companies such as Infosys, TCS and Cognizant who the White House has said were misusing the H1-B lottery system.

"Top recipients of the H-1B 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," a senior US administration official said. Trump has thus directed his administration to do away with the lottery system.

This might benefit the tech startups which hire in small numbers compared to the big IT outsourcers who apply for visas in thousands. However, does hiring from a foreign land become imperative for Indian tech startups based in the US? Is cost the only factor at play here?

"One issue that startups face in scaling up business in their early days is (consistency of) culture. That's the reason of me moving here," explains Abhinav Asthana, co-founder and CEO of Postman, who is based in Bay Area on a L1 visa.

Asthanas company has about 10 employees based in the US, and only he is on a work visa/ permit, the rest being US citizens. He has clients has such as AMC Theatres, Clarifai, and BigCommerce. Other Indian tech startups which have opened offices or moved headquarters to the US are Druva and Freshdesk.

Gaining the lottery system was easy. Apply more, and you stand more chance of getting a cheap worker placed offshore.

Consultants in Bay Area also took advantage of it and placed a worker from India from one client to another. The workers got tied as bonded labor to the system and to the employer who could easily exploit them.

Tech startups from Israel, Japan, China, India or Germany which needed to fly key staff to set up a base in the US, lost out in the raffle. They would apply for just one or two visas and would never win the lottery.

Doing away with the luck based system and focusing on merit as well as wages, would benefit the startups around the world, looking to expand to the US. Big IT companies would rather now offshore work to cheaper destinations than hire expensive labor onshore. This would also help drive innovation as talented scientists, designers, architects and other specialists would often lose out as large IT corporations would flood the raffle with their applications.

Clearly, as US moves from a lottery based H-1B system to a more merit-based program, startups from across the world headquartered in the US are going to benefit more, in attracting global talent to Silicon Valley than the big IT outsourcers.

It will also alleviate the pain of American software programmers who get disadvantaged as they get replaced by cheap foreign workers.

harsimran.julka@nw18.com
A private security gurad stands at a gate of Snapdeal headquarters in Gurugram on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, April 3, 2017. Picture taken April 3. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi - RTX33YCH

The multi-billion dollar e-commerce space may witness a dramatic shift going by the latest news that's doing the rounds. Kalaari Capital, one of the earliest investors in Snapdeal, has given the green light for the proposed sale to rival Flipkart.

Snapdeals largest stakeholder SoftBank, which has for long been trying to sell its portfolio company, was initially facing stiff resistance from other early investors such as Kalaari and Nexus Venture Partners. But Kalaari has finally agreed to a sale after weeks of talks. Snapdeal is valued at USD 1 billion, much lower than its peak of USD 6.5 billion a few years ago.

However, it remains unclear whether Snapdeals founders  Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal  have given the go-ahead for the sale. According to the shareholders agreement of the company, SoftBank requires agreement of at least two major shareholders of Jasper Infotech  the company that owns Snapdeal - to go ahead with the sale.

On the other hand, Flipkart  the largest online retailer in India  might also place a bid for digital payments platform FreeCharge. Owned by Snapdeal since 2015, FreeCharge commands a price between USD 40-75 million.

FreeCharge, once touted as the crown jewel of Snapdeal by none other than its Chief Executive Officer, Kunal Bahl, was commanding a valuation of USD 700-900 million as recently as last year. If the deal is finalised at its current valuation of USD 40-75 million, it will be a huge loss for Snapdeal which bought the company for USD 400-500 million in a cash-and-stock deal.

The Snapdeal sale, if successful, will mark SoftBanks foray into Flipkart. Flipkart, according to a two-step agreement, will receive a significant investment ranging between USD 1-1.5 billion from the Tokyo-headquartered investor post the merger.

Incidentally, Flipkart is not the only company which showed an interest in FreeCharge. Paytm, backed by Alibaba, has already shown interest in buying rival FreeCharge.

SoftBank has made sizeable investments in Indian startups, including online cab aggregator app Ola, hotel room aggregator Oyo and online grocery delivery service Grofer among others. The company is also reportedly looking to make a significant investment in One97 Communications  owner of Paytm.
Security personnel train at a counter-terrorism and jungle warfare school in Kanker village, about 140 km (87 miles) south of the central Indian city of Raipur March 19, 2007. Thousands of tribal people in this central state of Chhattisgarh have seen ancestral lands turned into a war zone of landmines, ambushes and refugee camps as a 40-year-old Maoist insurgency in India gathers momentum. The region is now a stronghold of up to 4,000 well-armed Maoists, police say, who freely roam the forests of southern Chhattisgarh in what locals call the "red zone". Picture taken March 19, 2007. To match feature INDIA-MAOISTS/TRIBALS REUTERS/Parth Sanyal (INDIA) - RTR1O0BZ

Hours after Naxals killed twenty-six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the heinous attack.

In a series of tweets, the PM said, "Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely...We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain... Condolences to their families."

Reacting to the situation, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who was in Delhi to meet PM Modi, has called an emergency meeting later on Monday, state home minister Ram Sewak Paikra told CNN-News 18.

The attack on the CRPF road-opening party moving towards Chintagufa area occurred around 12.25 pm in south Bastar area of the state.

"We have lost twenty-six men in the encounter. As of now, we know that these men were out for a road opening task and they came under heavy fire from Naxalites...," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R P Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon. Mohammed and Oraon were said to be out of danger.

Narrating the horrible experience, Costable Sher Mohmmad said, "First, villagers traced our location and strength then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. In retaliatory firing, we also killed many of them. At least 3-4 naxals were shot in the chest."

Meanwhile, CRPF Cobra teams have launched a major search operation under the guidance of senior officials to nab the ultras.

"A helicopter has already left for the spot to evacuate the injured. The encounter is still on," a senior officer said. Reinforcement parties from the nearest CRPF camp have also been rushed in, the officer added.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) said, "Approximately, at 1500 hrs message was received by the IAFs anti-Naxal task force Commander about the ambush of CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma district. Immediately two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal. One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role. On landing at venue of ambush, it was learnt that the mortal remains of 11 CRPF martyrs and seven injured jawans were to be airlifted. Immediately, the injured were airlifted and shifted to Raipur for treatment. One of the jawans succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur. The helicopter landed with casualties at Raipur approximately at 1700 Hrs. More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the martyrs."

Speaking on the tragic incident, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari on Monday said the government should take action against people who are behind the attack.

"Extremely unfortunate, hope govt will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for the attack," he said.

Earlier in the day, Bomb disposal squad diffused 10 kg of IED explosives planted by Maoists in Dantewada.

This was the second major attack on CRPF personnel in 2017. On March 11, twelve CRPF personnel were killed in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh after the Naxals ambushed a CRPF patrol party in the Maoist hotbed and looted their arms. Four personnel were also injured in the attack.

In 2010, in the worst attack on CRPF, 76 men died in Dantewada as they were on an area domination exercise.
Cyprus sees a role for India in its reunification process, President Nicos Anastasiades has said ahead of his visit to the country.

"Those who are close to Turkey can be helpful," he said when asked whether he would seek India's help to reunify Cyprus, whose about 37 per cent area is under Turkish occupation since 1974.

"Of course we shall ask Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi if any kind of possibility to intervene on the Cyprus question," he said, but insisted that Cyprus won't do things that may make friends uneasy.

"If they are not able to intervene, we will not ask them. We are not going to ask something that may harm India's interest," he told visiting Indian journalists.

Now, the talks have restarted and he is hopeful of finding a solution.

Anastasiades is visiting India from April 25-28 with a 60-member delegation and will meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi. He will also visit Mumbai.

The talks between the two sides to reunify the island stumbled over the years on the issue of territory and security.

The Turkic-speaking community want a significant say in the decision-making process and want Turkish forces on the ground even after the reunification, which are the main sticking points in the talks.

His remarks assume significance as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit India soon after him.

The aim of the visit is to reaffirm Cyprus' ties with India, which has supported the country's unification efforts.

On a question about India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Anastasiades said Cyprus - as a member of the bloc - supports India's bid.

He also reaffirmed Cyprus' support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council. "India is not a threat to any of its neighbours. It's a stabilising factor," he said.

During his visit, the president will promote Cyprus as a gateway for Indian companies wanting to enter the European markets. As the double taxation avoidance treaty is in place, authorities here feel that it would give level-playing field to all.

Cyprus also wants India's help in developing a Silicon Valley-type technological park. It also seeks to cooperate with India in the shipping sector.
The Indian economy will see an over three-fold expansion at USD 7.25 trillion by 2030 and clock an average growth rate of 8 per cent over the next 15 years, Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya said today.

In a presentation made at its Governing Council meeting -- chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by 28 state chief ministers -- here today, the government think-tank projected the size of the Indian economy.

"Our base GDP is large. If we grow at an 8 per cent average rate for the next 15 years, our GDP will be Rs 469 lakh crore by 2030 (around USD 7.25 trillion)," Panagariya told reporters.

The country's GDP stood at around USD 2.11 trillion in 2015-16, he said.

He was briefing the media after the meeting about the Aayog's detailed presentation on a 15-year vision, 7-year strategy and 3-year action plan for the country.

When asked whether the Aayog has given up hopes of double-digit growth, he said, "We could grow at 8 per cent in rupee and 10 per cent in dollar terms."

Elaborating further on this, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said this is an average growth rate as it could not be the same in all years.

Panagariya explained, "(In my presentation) I said in 1999-2000, we were Rs 46 lakh crore (economy) at 2015-16 prices. We added Rs 91 lakh crore to this by 2015-16. We came to Rs 137 lakh crore by 2015-16... a little lower than USD 2.1 trillion."

On the Prime Minister's pitch for having simultaneous elections and changing the financial year from April-March to January-December, Panagariya said the prime minister has said it is good to change the financial year to January-December because it coincides with harvest season and is good from farmers' perspective.

He said the prime minister has asked the states to think about changing of financial year to January-December.

On these matters, Kant said, "These were the suggestions made by the prime minister. One was simultaneous elections and other was financial year. We are a very large country. States also matter. They need to give their inputs."

On state's performance, the Niti Aayog CEO said there are 100 districts in the country which have not performed well on various parameters in the area of health, education, electricity. If these 100 districts' performance can be improved then the country can progress well, he added.

At the third meeting of the Aayog's Governing Council today, Kant also apprised the gathering about the work done by Niti for transforming the economy and cooperation with states in the sectors of education, health, infrastructure etc.

He also asked the states to treat Niti as their outpost in Delhi.

Panagariya gave an outline of the draft Action Agenda, prepared with inputs from the states, which was circulated at the meeting.

In his presentation, he put forth over 300 specific action points that had been identified, covering the whole gamut of sectors.

The period of the Action Agenda coincided with the period of the 14th Finance Commission's award. This gave stability to the funding estimates of both the Centre and states.

He solicited the inputs and support of the states in taking the vision forward.

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia made a presentation on the Goods and Services Tax (GST), explaining the benefits of the system and the way forward. He urged the chief ministers to expedite the enactment of State GST Act (S-GST).

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a presentation on how to double farmers' income. He touched upon areas such as irrigation, technology generation and dissemination, policy and market reforms, e-NAM, livestock productivity etc.

Niti Aayog's member-agriculture Ramesh Chand also elaborated on some of the steps needed for doubling farmers' income and spoke of the various elements of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, such as 'Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme', 'Har Khet Ko Pani', and 'Per Drop, More Crop'.

The Niti Aayog's document titled "India 2031-32: Vision, Strategy and Action Plan" says "new India awaits two wheeler or car, air conditioner and white goods for nearly all".

According to Panagariya's presentation, India's per capita GDP will rise by Rs 2 lakh in 2031-32 from 2015-16.

India's per capita GDP is currently Rs 1,06,589 and will reach Rs 3,14,776 in 2031-32, it added.

India's urban population will rise by 22 crore in 2031-32 to 60 crore from 2011's figure of 37.7 crore.

Central and state expenditure will rise by Rs 92 lakh crore in 2031-32 to Rs 130 lakh crore from Rs 38 lakh crore in 2015-16.
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. PTI Photo by Kamal Singh(PTI12_30_2016_000162B)

Increasing trade protectionism will hurt the global economy and welfare of people, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has warned.

"Questions are raised today in certain quarters about the global compact, which we have developed over the years- multilateralism driving the rule-based flow of goods and services- to deliver growth, development and poverty reduction for all and achievement of global public good.

The attempt to change the discourse from opening up and focusing on competitive advantage to increased protectionism will only hurt the global economy and welfare of people, Jaitley said in his address to the World Bank Development Committee.

"We need to bond together and renew our compact to protect the World from falling into spiral of slow economic growth, rising inequality and irreversibly altered climate, conflict and fragility," said the Finance Minister.

"I would thus like to call upon this august gathering today to reaffirm our full commitment to the mandate of the Development Committee and to deliver Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our own twin goals. Noting that there is no doubt that the developing world needs large and growing resources for achieving SDGs and the twin goals of our institutions, he said this necessity is the underlying argument of the billions to trillions discourse.

"All the developing countries also know that mobilisation of larger domestic resources and creating conditions for better flow of investment finance from both domestic and international private sector would be necessary for achieving their development ambitions," he said.

At the same time, it would be necessary for the multilateral system, especially the World Bank Group, to be stronger than ever to play a meaningful and decisive role in translating this development agenda into reality, he asserted.

In his address, the Finance Minister said that the World Bank should provide leadership in setting global standards in terms of financing, process efficiency, benchmarking, operations, monitoring and evaluation.

"We also sincerely hope that the implementation of the new safeguards and procurement policies is indeed characterised by adoption of country systems, a shorter processing time for all clients and hands on implementation support in Fragile and low capacity countries, he said.

Observing that enormity of the development challenges, its financing and the required knowledge support are continuously changing, Jaitley said this calls for development approach which is constantly evolving and is based on real partnership.

"The sustainability of developmental reforms relating to infrastructure, energy, human capital, resource mobilisation and knowledge development can be ensured in partnership mode on a long-term basis," Jaitley said.
The Medical Council of India or MCI has issued a public notice to all physicians in the country asking them to prescribe drugs only by generic names. Back in September 2016 the MCI had amended clause 1.5 of the Indian Medical Council Regulations of 2002 making it mandatory for every physician to prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters.

It has now warned of disciplinary action against doctors violating the code. If a medical practitioner is found guilty the medical council will remove the concerned practitioners name from the Indian Medical Registry rendering him ineligible to practice.

The government is also planning to issue a comprehensive code as part of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act that would make pharmacies, pharma companies and doctors accountable. Last week PM Narendra Modi had also indicated that the government may bring in a legal framework under which doctors will have to prescribe generic medicines.

So, to find what this push for generic drugs mean for various stakeholders, CNBC-TV18's Shereen Bhan caught up with Devi Shetty Chairman Narayana Hrudayalaya, Shailaja Chandra Former Chief Secy Delhi, DG Shah Secretary General, IPA, Jagannath Shinde President, AIOCD and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw CMD Biocon.

Below is an excerpt of the interview.

Q: Let me start by asking you for your first comments. The move by the government and the Medical Council of India (MCI) seems to be to crack down on the nexus between pharmaceutical companies and doctors. That is a move that no one will argue against. It also seems that the government would like to bring down the cost of healthcare and provide more affordable healthcare. Again, no one would argue with that. But the MCI, with its reiteration of its guideline and the confusion that the Prime Minister's comments seem to have caused without the requisite regulatory framework being put in place, what do you see happening on the ground? Is this order in its current avatar, with the current framework implementable?

Shetty: Right now, first of all, I would like to compliment the government for coming up with this regulation which should have been done many years ago. It did not happen, finally it is happening. But, the problem is the implementation. The implementation is a problem because you have to realise that there are more than 30,000 companies making medicies. Even garages make medicines.

Now as a doctor, I prescribe the medicine. If I am only writing the generic, who decides which company's medicine patient should take? Is it from one of those big companies with their big reputation or pone of the garage operators? And pharmacists will obviously sell medicine company's product which gives him the big margin. In the end, patient suffers. Now who is responsible?

We are always, even today, one of the biggest problem we have in delivering healthcare in a hospital where everything is under control, is the medicine what I am giving to the patient really has the real bioequivalent what they claim to have because in India, we do not have a very rigid guidelines. After four years of medicine being in the market, there is no need for bioequivalence study. So, it is very difficult to implement this at the timespan what the government has planned. But if the government says that if we can do it over a period of one year or two years or three years, it is possible and it should be done.

Q: You have mentioned several things, let me pick up on that. You are saying that this is not implementable at least over the next few years. A lot needs to be done before this order can be made a reality in the manner that it benefits the patients. But at this point in time, with the MCI reiterating its guidelines that have been sent to all state governments, that have been sent to all medical practitioners, what is happening on the ground? What is the confusion that you are seeing on the ground and are we now talking about the power shifting from the pharmaceutical companies to the power shifting to pharmacies? Is that what we want?

Shetty: I do not think that is the intention, but in reality, that is where it is. When a medicine is made by a company and sold, government and all of us expect that it should be of quality. Why we insist on a particular branded drug is because when we know that a particular branded drug is used from a reputed company, we are sure that at least the quality is maintained.

Now if the brand is not there, we do not know where the tablet came from. That is our fear.

Q: Would you feel comfortable prescribing only generic medicines today? I am asking you this. This is the guideline that the MCI has sent out. Will you be comfortable prescribing only a generic today or would you still prescribe a branded medicine? And I want to get clarity on whether you are allowed to prescribe branded generics or branded products because the MCI circular is vague.

Shetty: I have no problem in writing the branded drugs, but I should at least have the option to say that these branded drugs, give a few options that it should be from this, this, this company because I am at least sure that the generic drug what they are using, patient is taking, has the bioequivalence. At least I know that the patient is getting the right dose of medicine.

Q: So, in its current avatar, is this pro-patient, is it anti-patient in its current avatar and where we stand today?

Shetty: It is done as a pro-patient policy, but right now, at this moment, it is a bit difficult to implement. A country like US which is the largest pharmaceutical market in the world does not have more than 200-300 companies. You can monitor them. When you have 30,000 companies, how are you going to monitor the quality of the medicines what they are making?

Q: As Dr Shetty was pointing out, on the face of it, it looks like the move of the government is pro-patient, but how it will eventually work on the ground, the kind of regulatory infrastructure that we need to have in place, the required quality control that we need to have in place, that is where the big question marks are.

Shaw: It is an absolutely valid question because let me be very honest. I think it is very well intentioned. I can quite see where the government is coming from, but it is a knee jerk reaction to an age old problem. We know that there is no parity in the quality systems basically on a state-to-state level. We have a central drug control authority that controls a certain type of drug, certain levels of drugs and then there are state level regulators who then give their own approvals to drugs at a state level.

How can this ever be tenable unless you have a uniform accepted drug regulatory system across the country, then at least you can basically say that okay, we can guarantee that the quality of a generic drug is the same, irrespective of who manufactures it and where it is made. But this is not the case. First and foremost, you are comparing companies who are fly by night operators, who have no quality systems or very poor quality systems who do not do bioequivalence (BE)/bioavailability (BA) studies, who do BE/BA studies with large companies who go through very extensive regulatory audits from various international regulators.
U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he and China's President Xi Jinping walk along the front patio of the Mar-a-Lago estate after a bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 7, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RTX34M9Y

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call today with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive near the Korean Peninsula.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Infosys is likely to expand its board and induct two new members. According to sources, the company will consult with its founders on the new members.

The company will consider external consultants feedback on the board expansion. The founders are in the midst of submitting a list of preferred candidates, which will be presented to the nomination and remuneration committee, sources said.

The nomination and remuneration committee will look at list submitted by founders and the list submitted by the management. Shortlisted list will then be presented to the board, who will take the final decision.

MD Ranganath, the current Chief Financial Officer, is in the race for the board seat, sources said.

The news gives assurance of renewed discussions and engagement between the founders and board.

Infosys was recently in news for disagreement between its current board and the founders over proposed salary hike of its Chief Operating Officer Pravin Rao.

Co-founder Narayana Murthy had raised questions over corporate governance lapses within the Board headed by CEO Vishal Sikka and executive chairman R Seshasayee.
Xi calls for restraint over DPRK tensions in phone conversation with Trump

China hopes all parties can exercise "restraint" on the DPRK issue, and not take "provocative actions", said Chinese President Xi Jinping during a phone conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump on Monday.

Xi stressed China is strongly against any action that would violate any UN Security Council resolutions. The Chinese president added that only if all parties take their responsibilities and work together can the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue be solved.

The phone conversation came amid rising tensions over Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs, with concerns growing over the possibility of a sixth DPRK nuclear test.

During the phone call, the two presidents also talked about bilateral ties, pledging close contact through various means to promptly exchange views on major issues of common concern.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L2) and his US counterpart Donald Trump (R1) hold talks at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the US on April 7, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Xi called for strengthening communication and cooperation between the two countries in fields including trade, military, law enforcement, the Internet and culture.

Trump has spoken highly of his meeting with Xi at Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this month, saying he is looking forward to meeting with President Xi again. Trump also added that he is looking forward to his visit to China .

This was the second phone call between the two leaders this month. On April 12, Xi and Trump talked about the Korean Peninsula situation, and matters related to Syria.
business Here's what S&P has to say about border adjustment tax In an interview to CNBC-TV18, John Kingston, Director-Global Market Insights at S&P Global shared his readings and outlook on the note published by S&P on border adjustment tax.
MobiKwik may soon merge with close rival Freecharge in an all-stock deal, according to a report in Business Standard. A Chinese investor, keen to foray into India, is willing to pump Rs USD 200 million into the merged entity. Some banks have also shown interest.

Jason Kothari, the CEO of Freecharge, has been trying to sell off the e-wallet company for sometime now. He has been in talks with various investors in the US and China.

PayPal had earlier shown interest in investing into Freecharge, but the deal did not materialise. PayU, backed by Naspers, is rumoured to be interested in FreeCharge.

Freecharge is a part of online shopping platform Snapdeal, which has also been in merger talks with e-tailer Flipkart.

The merger talks between Freecharge and MobiKwik are in their initial stages. The major investor in both the digital payments companies is Sequoia Capital.

MobiKwik, which has opened 13 new offices in the country and has added over 1,000 employees to its workforce, has also been looking to raise over Rs 1,000 crore and is in advanced talks with many banks and mutual funds. This round of funding should be initiated by the end of April or early May.

Not only MobiKwik, start ups like Flipkart and Paytm are also keen on acquiring Freecharge.

While individually, the two would be valued at USD 300 million each, together, the new entity could be value at around USD 700 million-USD 1 billion.
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Ronnie Screwvala has launched a Rs 100-crore scholarship fund for online education. This fund, which has begun with an initial corpus of Rs 10 crore, will provide funding to deserving students pursuing online courses.

"We expect to close the fund in the next 12-18 months," said Screwvala who is also the Co-founder & Chairman, UpGrad in an interaction with Moneycontrol.

This fund has an aim to get to Rs 400 crore in the next 3-4 years. He said that he will raise the rest from other like-minded individuals and corporates committed to building this eco-system of tomorrow. He will also be tapping into corporate social responsibility funding.

"If need increases, I will put in additional funds. The challenge will be to convince the corporates to put in funding, since they will also benefit by getting skilled manpower," he added.

The scholarship fund will give out scholarships ranging from Rs 25,000 to up to Rs 2 lakh. Further, the fund will also facilitate loans for those that would not qualify for scholarships but would look for funding to repay once they get promoted post their online studies.

Screwvala said that the fund will also invest and partner with online education platform UpGrad, co-founded by Screwvala, focussed on everything Data and Digital.

"The Indian IT sector pretty much built the Indian middle class in the last two decades and now it's time to disrupt and re-invent and we believe the careers of tomorrow will involve deep experience in all aspects that touch Data and Digital," said Screwvala.

Recent reports from IDFC, World Economic Forum and others have highlighted huge contradictions in India's employable workforce. Almost 75 percent of graduates (mostly undergraduates) are unemployable and on the other side 48 percent of Indian employers have difficulty filling their jobs with the right people.

When asked about why he chose this scholarship to only cater to online education, Screwvala said that the offline model is expensive and the capacity that can be taken by new universities is also limited to 3000-5000.

"Where is the trained faculty that can be attracted to join universities in smaller towns. The idea with online is unlike offline, one need not quit their job," he explained.

Since drop-out rates in online courses are high, Screwvala said that at UpGrad, they have added an interactive element to each one of them and removed anonymity so that each student is responsible. Due to this, their completion rates are over 90 percent.

While UpGrad offers several courses to make individuals industry-ready, Screwvala said that the scholarship will be available for pursuing any credible online course.

"Free does not work in India and we would want students to be accountable. They will need to complete the course. The right attitude is important. We will also need to see if they are taking these courses for the right reasons," he said.

For the fund, Screwvala wants the male-female ratio to be 70-30. Also, they aim to attract female talent who have taken a break from work post maternity.

The idea, he says, is to educate and upgrade without you leaving your job. He added that they would want to build credibility around the online model and make professionals realise that it is necessary to upgrade every 2-3 years.
Last week, meetings were held between the Uttar Pradesh chief minister and the UP Sugar Mills Association over the deadline to clear arrears. Sugar companies are also seeking de-reservation of molasses as well as forward movement on the cane linkage pricing formula.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Sanjay Tapriya, CFO, Simbhaoli Sugars & Siddharth Shriram, Chairman, Mawana Sugars discussed the key takeaways of the meeting.

However, Siddharth Shriram said that the government is looking at long-term solution to increase sugar production in Uttar Pradesh.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Latha: Are you getting a sense that there is a time bound end to these arrears payments?

Shriram: The government and the farmers wish to be paid but now they are pretty well assured of being paid because the sugar season has been good but the main thing to understand that there are two basic conflicts going on in the mind of the government. One, how to remunerate the farmers more come what may and second, how to keep the sugar prices low to satisfy the consumers - that's a conflict that cannot be overcome without continuous pain to one side or the other. The fact is it is the consumer who pays everybody else including the company, farmers, workers etc. So if you keep the sugar prices low then we are not sure that we will be able to increase sugarcane prices etc. Therefore, the linkage formula is an absolute vital necessity.

Latha: I wanted to know if chief minister suggested anything immediate in terms of payment of arrears and yet maintaining the health of the company?

Shriram: I think he is very concerned about it. I was not in the meeting nor was Mr Tapriya as far as I am concerned. There were very limited members. We are only hearing snippets of what happened and we are hearing from the government bureaucracy. They are going after people who are habitually late payers.

Sonia: Were you a part of that meeting and what do you think the solution could be. How long do you think it would take for these arrears to get paid and at this point in time what is the current situation as far as the arrear amount is that needs to be paid to the farmers?

Tapriya: I was not in the meeting but let us understand the position. It is not a position which has been of this year; this has been a cumulative situation from last three-four years. UP has been reeling under high cane arrears largely because there has been a price gap between the sugar which has been sold by the UP millers and he cane price which has been paid by the UP millers in the past.

This year the situation has started correcting and it started correcting when the sugar prices have started going up, in fact if you look at the total numbers, the record payments have been made by the UP millers this year, pertaining for this year as well as for the last year because of the situation that has emerged in the last four years, quite a few millers are not having working capital lines from the bankers and in this industry which produces for six months and sugar is supposed to be sold for 12 months or even more than 12 months most of the time, a working capital is required so that one can monetise the sugar in the stock and pay to the farmer. So the biggest problem today is the millers who are not having the working capital, they have the inventories.

Sugar is supposed to be sold for full year; one cannot sell more sugar than what is required by the market on a single day even if by reducing the price. So sugar need to be sold for monetise purpose, working capital is not there so the farmers payment bound to get delayed on that account but I am seeing positive part of that, out of this year's Rs 24,000 crore almost Rs 20,000 crore has been paid so the arrears have reduced significantly.

However, two years back we were talking about Rs 12,000 crore arrears, last year we have been talking about Rs 8,000 crore. So, net arrears have come down. I always look in this industry; there is always a very high self correcting process in this industry and we are on the track on that process and over a period of time probably by 5-6 months the problem will be by far and it will over almost.

So we have to live with that time and definitely there are specific pains, a specific farmer community will suffer but by the end of the day they will be paid for this year as well as last year and by next year they will be paid the full money. So we recognise the working capital is not there, sugar is in the godown, sugar need to be sold and if anything leftover, any dues for which sugar is not there then the companies today are in a position or in a process of finding the solution because the market is better than what it was.

Also watch accompanying videos wherein Vijay Banka, Wholetime Director and CFO of Dwarikesh Sugar Industries shared his views and outlook on the meeting.
Reliance Industries | Company will make a capital contribution up to $50 million in Breakthrough Energy Ventures II LP. (Image: Reuters)

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Reliance Industries (RIL), which is scheduled to report its results for the quarter ended March 31 on Monday post market hours, has posted muted performance around the time of its results in the past few quarters but the stock may buck the trend this time.

Data show that the stock has posted negative returns in the past four quarters on the day after its results. Over the past eight quarters, the stock goes into the earnings (ahead of or on the day of the earnings) with flattish performance.

"This quarter has been an exception where the stock broke an 8-year high on Feb 21 and marched northwards making 52-week high, Rohit Singre, Senior Research Analyst (Equity  Technical) at Bonanza Portfolio Ltd told Moneycontrol.com.

We expect profitability of the company for the current quarter on a consolidated basis to be flat both on sequential as well as on a yearly basis but the commentary on Jio and energy project execution will be the key, he said.

This time, RIL's fourth-quarter earnings are expected to be steady to strong as higher petchem profitability may drive sequential operational improvement.

Petchem segment should benefit from strong cracker margins, analysts believe. According to the average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18, gross refining margin during the quarter is expected to be at USD 10.9 a barrel against USD 10.8 a barrel in the previous quarter.

RIL is expected to report 11.8 percent year-on-year (YoY) rise in its net profit to Rs 8,081.5 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared to Rs 7,227 crore reported in the year-ago period, IDFC Capital said in a report.

The net sales are likely to rise by 30.9 percent on a YoY basis to Rs 653,723 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared to Rs 499,570 crore reported in the year-ago period.

After the 2008 crash, RIL stock performance was muted for nearly eight successive years.

This heavyweight counter broke out of a massive consolidation phase finally on February 21, when the stock moved out of the long multi-year congestion zone to confirm a strong technical breakout.

The price development was accompanied by humongous volumes; indicating tremendous buying interests, said experts.

The stock has been a standout performer on D-Street so far in the year 2017. It has already rallied nearly 30 percent so far in the year and is close to reclaiming the tag of King of D-Street -- the company with highest market capitalisation on the BSE.

There has been no stopping for this stock as the prices hastened beyond the 1400 mark in no time to give 30 percent returns. Hence, as far as direction is concerned, it remains strongly up and the higher degree chart structure looks extremely sturdy, Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst Technical, and Derivatives, Angel Broking Pvt Ltd told Moneycontrol.com.

If we consider past four quarterly results day, the stock prices have been trading with a slightly negative bias post results on three out four occasions. However, we do not expect the history to repeat itself if we consider the recent price and volume activity in the counter, he said.

We have collated a list of views on how to trade RIL ahead of Q4 results:

Analyst: Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist  Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in

Since the last three weeks, this counter is consolidating with an Inside Bar kind of formation on the weekly charts which has a range of Rs 1337  1449. Considering the fact that the scrip has already rallied 30 percent in the last three months, one can safely assume that such a robust move can be in anticipation of good numbers which the market tried factored in.

Hence, there will a threat of backlash from the trading community if the expectations are not met on result day.

Therefore, we recommend investors who already own this counter to buy out of the money put with a strike price of 1360 to protect the downside risk related to result-day volatility whereas fresh buying can be considered around 1350 levels if scrip corrects.

Analyst: Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst Techical and Derivatives, Angel Broking Pvt Ltd.

We expect the stock to continue its northward rally to surpass the all-time high quite soon. Every meaningful dip in this stock is likely to get bought into.

Thus, traders/investors who remained on the sidelines in the recent run should pounce on to any decline towards 1350  1300 (if any) post the result announcement. A strong base has now been shifted towards Rs 1,235 and we do not expect the stock to go below this level in the near-term.

Foram Parekh, Research analyst (Equity  Fundamental) at Bonanza Portfolio Ltd

Talking about past behavior of the stock on result day, we havent seen much moment historically. We are recommending short strangle strategy can be used to eat the premium. The strategy consists of simultaneously selling one slightly out of the money Call & one slightly out of the money Put.

Rohit Srivastava, Fund Manager  PMS, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas.

RIL has been outperforming the market since Nov however it may have completed this move and is due for a correction. This has been one of the best performing periods in years. A pull back to Rs1300 or 1234 in the coming weeks cannot be ruled out, and a move above Rs 1450 may change this opinion.

Birendrakumar Singh, AVP  Technical Research, Systematix shares and stocks

Reliance gave a multiyear breakout in February 2017. The breakout is out of the 8 years of consolidation that has formed a NeoWave Non Limiting Triangle pattern. The breakout of this 8 years of consolidation is significant, indicates a target of Rs1,735-2,002 and higher.

Short term trend is overbought and is likely to consolidate in a range of Rs1,319 and Rs1,448 levels. One should maintain existing long position, in the case of a reaction buy in a range of Rs1,340-1,319 levels.

A decisive move above Rs1,448 would indicate further breakout with an immediate target of Rs1,513. Long term target is placed at Rs1,735-2,002, time period 18 months.

Reliance Industries owns Network 18, which publishes Moneycontrol.com. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Donald Trump

Washington's move to probe steel imports could trigger a trade dispute between the United States and its major trading partners, who are likely to take retaliatory steps, the official China Daily said in an editorial on Monday.

The article was the strongest official response yet to US President Donald Trump on Thursday launching an investigation of China and other steel producers for dumping cheap steel products into the United States.

"By proposing an unjustified investigation into steel imports in the guise of safeguarding national security, the US seems to be resorting to unilateralism to solve bilateral and multilateral problems," the China Daily said.

The probe could result in efforts by the United States to curb imports that will affect the interests of a number of its major trade partners, including China, it said.

"If the US does take protectionist measures, then other countries are likely to take justifiable retaliatory actions against US companies that have an advantage ... in fields such as finance and high-tech, leading to a tit-for-tat trade war that benefits no one," it said.

The article called on the United States, the world's top economy, to use the settlement mechanism under the World Trade Organization to resolve the dispute over steel.

Reducing imports will not alter the weak competitiveness of U.S. steelmakers, help restore U.S. manufacturing or bring back jobs, as President Trump hopes, it said.

It was a marked shift from official comments on Friday. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a briefing the country needed to ascertain the direction of any US investigation before it could make a judgment.
Local governments participation in the Belt and Road initiative will help domestic businesses become stronger and expand their overseas expansion, said members of a trade delegation from Central Chinas Hunan Province to Belarus and Serbia.

Countries along the B&R route such as Belarus warmly welcomed the initiative in a hope to ride on Chinas rapid growth, delegation members told the Peoples Daily on their flight to the two countries.

The engagement of local governments in the B&R initiative is in line with Chinas calling to construct the route in a way led by government, participated by businesses and supported by the public, they added.

The delegation, headed by Du Jiahao, Party secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, paid a visit to the two countries to seek industrial cooperation within the framework of B&R initiative, a grand blueprint put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. Other members included mayor of Changsha, Party secretary of CPC Zhuzhou Committee as well as chiefs of major enterprises from the province.

The provincial leaders planned the tour in last August, but the delegations head changed to mayor of Changsha at last moment. Meanwhile, the Belarusian side did not lower reception formality and its President Alexander Lukashenko received the delegation according to the planned schedule.

Such a high-profile reception by Belarusian President, which is rare in diplomatic occasions, shows his strong willingness to cooperate with Chinese enterprises, said delegation members, adding that it bolsters Hunans confidence to encourage its companies to invest in Belarus.

Hu Zheng, CEO of the China-Belarus Industrial Park Development Co., hailed the construction of the park as a representative project of China-Belarus cooperation along Belt and Road route.

The birth of the park, according to Hu, can date back to as early as March 2010, when Xi, then Chinese vice president, visited Belarus.

During his trip, Xi agreed with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenkos proposal to build the industrial park. Belarus made the proposal in a bid to learn from the example of Suzhou Industrial Park jointly established by China and Singapore.

Both countries inked the deal on the China-Belarus Industrial Park in September 2011. The park, 25 kilometers from the Belarusian capital city of Minsk and occupying approximately 91.5 square kilometers, is so far the largest overseas industrial park built by China. Its coverage accounted for about one third of Minsks 300-plus square kilometers territory.

Cooperation with China is high on Belarus agenda. Lukashenko named the industrial park as Great Stone, vowing to build the park into a great stone cementing bilateral cooperation.

Amid the reasons that Lukashenko thought highly of Belarus-China cooperation, Hu explained, can be attributed to Chinas economic strength as well as its development miracle in the past decades since the launch of the reform and opening up policy.

In order to introduce more capitals for Great Stone Industrial Park, Lukashenko, in an executive order issued on June 5, 2012, created one of the most investor-friendly environments by offering a 10-year-free-tax policy for enterprises registered in the park and promising a 50-percent tax cut in the next decade. Furthermore, the land that they have rented can be privatized for as long as 99 years.

During his Belarusian visit on May 12, 2015, President Xi, together with his Belarusian counterpart Lukashenko, witnessed the signing ceremony of bilateral cooperation documents covering politics, culture, economy, technology, education and local affairs. The industrial park was confirmed as a cooperation priority during the visit as well.

In the following two years, more Chinese companies from Hunan and other provinces have played an increasing part in the Belt and Road projects in Belarus, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Hu said that domestic enterprises used to enlarge their overseas markets by relying heavily on market resources, but thanks to the Belt and Road initiative, the companies can also benefit from the direction pointed by governments and their coordination.

Zhou Qinghe, chairman of Chinese rail vehicle manufacturer CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, agreed with Hu, saying that the Belt and Road initiative offers the businesses promising opportunities.

We want to share a profit from the cake, but worry about the potential risks, Zhou said, adding that the delegations visit gives the business circles a chance to go global together.

Besides, the stable political environment and prominent geographic advantages are among the reasons why Hunan chooses Belarus as an investment destination, members said, adding that its location at the border area of Eurasian Economic Union and the EU endows the country a unique strategic position.

In addition, its economic potential, which stays at a similar level with that of China in 1990s, leaves more space for bilateral cooperation, delegates said.

Belarus has good talent resources, industrial basis and research capabilities, but failed to translate those advantages into tangible outcomes in a high-efficient way, Hu said, adding that Chinas manufacturing and service sectors can play a huge part in this regard.

To better extend overseas coverage under the Belt and Road framework, delegates suggested the Chinese companies should find new cooperation space with complementary resources, share their resources for win-win benefits in globalization process, and respect the market rule as well.

Many en-route countries make a bullish bet on the Belt and Road initiative in a hope to ride on Chinas rapid development for an accelerated growth, Hu said.

Local governments engagement into the proposal will not only help Chinese firms go global, but also open their door wider to the outside world and speed up the pace to transform growth model and restructure economy, he added.
Ex-choir director in Bucks County pleads no contest to molesting two students, secretly filming another
On April 21, the All-China Womens Federation and State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) held the official launch ceremony for a 2017 family reading initiative.

A short film was broadcast at the ceremony, summarizing the results of the initiative so far. Ambassadors for the initiative, Xu Ying and Chen Geng, introduced the proposal to representatives of participating families, detailing the positive effects of parents and children reading together. Among others, Xu and Chen noted that reading with their parents gives children a sense of familial affection and happiness. A list of 210 titles that are suitable for parent-child reading were also released at the ceremony.

Song Xiuyan, vice president and first member of the secretariat of the All-China Womens Federation, attended the ceremony, along with Zhou Huilin, vice bureau chief of SARFT.

Song pointed out during an interview that World Book Day 2017, which fell on April 23, is an ideal catalyst for families and society as a whole to embrace literature, working together to ensure that each and every family has the opportunity to read together. This, Song explained, will benefit countless households and children across the country.
April 24, 2017

Syria Summary - U.S. Moves To Cut Off The East - But For What?

The situation in the north-west Syria is turning favor of the Syrian government, though much work needs to be done. The army is recovering new ground in Hama governate and an intense bombing campaign is waged over Idelb governate which is held by al-Qaeda. As an analyst generally in favor of the opposition concedes:

Continued support for the northwest insurgency amounts to effectively subsidizing a jihadist safe haven in the Levant.

...

The proxy war against the Syrian regime in the northwest, for the West, is lost.

The head of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri, agrees. He tells his forces in Syria stop holding land and to revert to guerilla war:

Ayman al-Zawahri told the jihadis, who control Syria's northwestern Idlib province and other territory, to remain steadfast and change tactics in order to wage guerrilla war. Al-Qaida began fighting alongside Syria's rebels early in the civil war and won allies among the opposition because of its military prowess. Al-Qaida's official branch, the Nusra Front, changed its name to the Fatah al-Sham Front and formally cut ties with al-Qaida last year, but is still widely seen as being linked to the global terror network.



Map via ISW - bigger

In the south-west Israel is trying to steal another part of the Golan Heights by giving fire support for al-Qaeda groups which fight against the Syrian army in the area.

Attacks by "moderate rebels" in the south, supported by the U.S. and Jordan, have failed to take ground in the city of Deraa. They need to take the city to have some anchor for an "independent" southern "safe zone" from which the U.S. proxies could then threaten Damascus.

At the begin of April Kurdish forces under U.S. command had loudly announced that they would soon attack Raqqa and take it from the Islamic State. But no attacks on Raqqa have been seen. The operation seems to be at a halt. ISIS forces are allegedly moving from Raqqa further east to Deir Ezzor.

In south-east Syria U.S. supported "rebel" forces have moved from Jordan northward into the Syrian desert (not yet shown on the map above). They plan is to move further north towards Raqqa and to meet up with U.S. Kurdish proxy forces. This move would cut any land route from west-Syria to Deir Ezzor where a garrison of the Syrian army is protecting more than 100,000 civilians by holding out against ISIS forces. From Jordan the U.S. trained and supplied "rebels" are also moving east along the Iraqi-Syrian border. This will hinder Iraqi forces from moving into Syria and against ISIS in support the Syrian government forces in Deir Ezzor.

The whole Syrian east will thereby be cut off and under control of U.S. proxy forces. But what are the U.S. plans for this area? While the area has some oil and gas it is landlocked, lacks infrastructure and governance with mostly hostile forces surrounding it. The forces the U.S. supports are prone to infighting. It will be hard to defend the area against any serious attack. U.S. and Jordan forces will be needed to keep it under control. For how long?

I fail to see a larger strategic plan behind this that would make any sense. But the same architects that launched the failed war against Iraq are behind this move. The neocons are back and very happy about the new course of the Trump presidency. The architect of the war in Iraq, Paul Wolfowitz, is now collaborating with the neocon officers in the Trump cabinet:

In recent days hes jumped right back into the public debate, nudging President Trump from the pages of the Wall Street Journal to follow up his bombing strike in neighboring Syria with more aggressive actionand, he tells me, privately emailing with Trump Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and national security advisor H.R. McMaster, both longtime contacts since his Bush days, in hopes they will pursue a U.S. strategy of stepped-up engagement in the Middle East.

Mattis is currently traveling through the Gulf countries to collect money for future U.S. plans in Syria and elsewhere. The neocon senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham will tonight have a private dinner with Trump in the White House. No sensible strategy has ever come from these folks. But their lunatics plan always causes huge damage for little if any gain.

Posted by b on April 24, 2017 at 17:48 UTC | Permalink

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'Captain America' star Chris Evans has been named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, and admits his mother will enjoy being able to "brag" about his new title.

8 hours ago
My wife and I went to a Science March on Saturday (Earth Day) in Morganton, N.C. Who would have ever thought civil protests would be held to defend the truth revealed by science?

This nonpartisan march was sponsored by the Morganton Humanist Alliance. One of the speakers had an interesting story, one that struck home with me. This speaker (Mr. Robert Vasile) was a computer scientist who later emigrated to the USA from Romania. The speaker had a little experience with revolutions in that he and about 200,000 other Romanians rose up in protest against communism. After the revolution, he was asked to write a high school paper on the revolution. But the speaker said he was puzzled about one thing. He asked his Mom why she and her neighbors didn't do something when they saw their neighbors being whisked off by the secret police, never to be seen again, and other atrocities. His Mom replied that she always thought someone else would do something. The speaker then asked his grandfather the same question: Why didn't you do something? His grandfather replied that he always thought the Americans would come to their village.

Decades later, the speaker returned from the USA to his grandfather's village sporting his cowboy hat and boots and a T-shirt with an American flag on front. He greeted his grandfather saying, "Grandfather, your dream has come true. The Americans have come!" The speaker said the morale of the story is that everyone keeps feeding the crocodiles, hoping the crocodiles will eat them last: but eat them, they will.

This story hit home with me. For so long, I, too, kept waiting for someone to "do something" about the bad things I kept seeing happening in our country and around the world from politics to climate change to a host of other things that concerned me. But my wife and I both realized that sitting around the kitchen table solving the world's problems was truly only feeding the crocodiles. To our delight, we also discovered that being with others who share our concerns is very empowering. We now feel that we can have a say in what happens in our country. It is a good feeling.
On April 23, this year's World Book Day, the city of Shanghai released a guideline to support the development of brick-and-mortar bookstores. According to statistics, Shanghai is expected to open about 20 new bookstores this year, four of which opened on World Book Day.

Many believe bookstores are making a comeback, often in the form of themed shops. Zhu Bing, an official with Popular Bookmall, said the company has opened a number of themed stores - such as a 24-hour store, a movie-themed store and store aimed at female readers - to meet different readers demands

As more physical bookstores open, they will have a stronger market presence in Shanghai, according to the guideline. A senior publisher attributed the emergence of chain stores in Shanghai, including Jiangsus Popular Bookmall, Zhejiangs Boku Book City and Chongqings Sisyphus bookstore, to the city's welcoming environment and strong appetite for reading.
Emma Wall: Hello and welcome to the Morningstar series, "Ask the Expert." I'm Emma Wall and I'm joined today by Morningstar Investment Management's Cyrique Bourbon to talk about the French election.

Hello, Cyrique.

Cyrique Bourbon: Good morning, Emma.

Wall: So, the French election is in two parts and we've had part one where two frontrunners have emerged which will go head-to-head next month in the second round of the elections and they are two people that perhaps you would assume were the outsiders because what we have in essence here is the French election with neither of the two major parties.

Bourbon: Exactly. I think, that is the kind of main message. First is that the traditional parties, the left and the right, are not represented. So, this is interesting from the perspective of the view the French people have taken for the future. Obviously, Marine Le Pen was generally expected to be of the final two given the kind of populism movements and the rise we've seen from these types of movements in the last couple of years globally, but also importantly in France.

Emmanuel Macron, very interesting to see him come as first. Clearly, which is good from a political perspective. I think the French have taken the view that the traditional way of looking at politics, left/right, you probably needed to go beyond that. And Emmanuel Macron, his message was clearly to try and harness the best of both in this campaign. And the French seem to willing to give him this mandate or at least he is clearly in the lead.

Wall: He is in the lead and he will be the youngest French President since Napoleon I read this morning. He doesn't have a political background unlike Marine Le Pen which has controversial politics but comes from a family of politicians. What do those two things mean for the French people?

Bourbon: I mean, I think, I would divert slightly. I mean, Emmanuel Macron, he doesn't come from a traditional, say, political family but he does have a similar background in terms of his studies. He has been well-trained. Obviously, he is very young. He has risen through the ranks very quickly. So, he is clearly very clever and has very strong views and very interesting ways of being accepted and presenting himself. So, I think it's very refreshing as well for French politics to have a younger candidate who has got strong views, who seems very dynamic and very positive generally.

Wall: Let's boil it down. This is a sort of beginner's guide to French politics. Le Pen is basically the Trump of France, is that fair, anti-EU, anti-immigration, and Macron is much more left-wing, much more pro-Europe, is that fair?

Bourbon: I think on Le Pen, that's definitely fair. She is clearly anti-Europe, anti-euro, anti-European Union and she basically wants to close the borders in light of what's been happening, especially in the last few years. Macron, I'd say, is still quite  I'd say he is economically a bit more close to the right and socially, in terms of values, probably more close to the left. So, I think, it's kind of a good blend that should work quite well for French politics in the future.

Wall: And Macron is the leader so far, but we have learned over the last couple of years not to trust the polls. We've seen that in the U.S. and indeed, in the U.K. over Brexit. We've also seen a right-wing politician be very positive for markets in the U.S. Le Pen maybe a divisive character, but if she follows the policies and has the same effect on markets that Trump has in the U.S., it could actually be a positive thing for stocks. What are the likely outcomes in terms of investment both for economics and indeed, stock markets of these two results?

Bourbon: Yeah, I mean  and I think we see it a little bit this morning. We've got about 4% rally in French equities, broadly speaking, European equities, but banks are up about 9%, 10% in a couple of hours. I've personally thought the outcome of Macron/Le Pen was broadly priced in but it clearly seemed it kind of wasn't. So, it would be interesting to see what happens next.

I think the outcome from a Le Pen win in two weeks' time is most likely to be negative. If you start kind of do the math after the scores last night, you still get to about  probably about 40% for Marine Le Pen. Probably the best-case scenario, I think the kind of unity of the French people against the kind of extremism that she represents will probably prevail. That's what's happened before. Of course, a lot of people say, with Trump you never know. But I think it's quite different.

I mean, the type of moves you require for Le Pen to win in two weeks' time are way, way, way, higher than you saw with Trump winning last year in the States. So, kind of, unlikely in my view. So, from a market perspective, yes, it would be negative if Le Pen were to win. For Macron, it's broadly positive, but I thought most of it was priced in, clearly wasn't quite. And just  I mean, my personal view of investments does remain very long-term and we don't anticipate any short-term moves based on the outcome of political events.

And worth reminding people and investors that political elections and obviously political mandates are by nature short term, they are finite, so therefore, in the case of France, it's five years and that does mean that for investors with long time horizons of five years on the scale of 20 to 30 is actually not that much.

Wall: Cyrique, thank you very much.

Bourbon: Thanks for having me.

Wall: This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching.
With the provincial governments announcement of 16 new housing policies last week, a major rental owners association expressed concern and disappointment at what it deemed hasty steps made without proper discussion.While FRPO shares the government's interest in protecting Ontario's renters, todays decision to make changes to rent control legislation, including a proposed roll-back of the 1991 Exemption, was made without formal consultation with the very industry directly responsible for the development and operation of rental housing, the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario said in its statement.In the release of Ontarios Fair Housing Plan, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Finance Minister Charles Sousa said that the measures would focus on ensuring rental supply and improving affordability, as well as clamping down on speculation.But the move will only endanger a significant number of planned new rental units, FRPO president and CEO Jim Murphy warned.The announcement by the Wynne government will put thousands of units, and millions of dollars in provincial revenues at risk. It is a rash, politically motivated decision, which will hurt, not help generations of Ontario renters, Murphy said.Just a few days prior to the release of the Plan, the FRPO cautioned that roughly 9,000 purpose built rental suites in Ontario, representing $2.7 billion in gross investment, will be exposed to risk in the event of rent control rule changes.Among the Plans most notable provisions is expanded rent control that will apply to all private rental units in Ontarioincluding those built after 1991, which are currently excluded. Also, following B.C.s lead, the province implemented a 15-per-cent speculation tax to be imposed on buyers in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area who are not citizens, permanent residents, or Canadian corporations.

Related stories:

Changes to rent control rules will put thousands of planned units at risk - FRPO

Poll: Broker sentiment on Ontarios new housing plan
This year, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to invest 63.3 billion RMB ($9.2 billion) in the construction of power infrastructure. The region will also spend 45.7 billion RMB ($6.6 billion) and 17.6 billion RMB ($2.6 billion) on thermal power projects and power grid projects respectively, Economic Information Daily reported on April 24.

The thermal power projects, with an investment totaling 50 billion RMB ($7.3 billion), will be located primarily in northern and eastern Xinjiang - areas with abundant coal resources.

According to Xinjiang Electric Power Company, the 1,100 kv high-voltage direct-current transmission project from Changji in Xinjiang to Guquan in Anhui is a key project of 2017. It has a total investment of 2.88 billion RMB ($418.7 million).

In addition, as part of the implementation of the urban power network distribution project, Xinjiang will proceed with a new round of rural power grid upgrades, speed up the construction of a clean-energy heating demonstration project, and promote electric vehicle-charging infrastructure.
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

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.
A 100-year-old woman from eastern China's Shandong province celebrated her 80th wedding anniversary on April 23, honoring the 80 years Wang Yonglan has spent together with her 96-year-old husband. The anniversary also happened to fall on her 100th birthday.

According to Wang's daughter-in-law, Li Xihong, the centenarian has led an ordinary life. She gets up at 6:00 a.m. every morning and drinks a cup of tea. She often plays mahjong or chess, and also has a fondness for fruit and other snacks.

"My grandmother could still go for a walk and take care of herself in her 90s," said Wang's granddaughter, Ma Huaiyu.

A few years ago, Wang was diagnosed with amyotrophia, the progressive atrophy of muscles. As a result, one of her legs became much weaker than the other. But, amazingly, Wang recovered her ability to walk after one year under the care of her family. Now she is able to walk around her house, sometimes even without the assistance of her children.

After 80 years of marriage, Wang still enjoys a good relationship with her husband, Ma Shouchun. Her eldest son, Ma Shanming, said that his father is a good-tempered person who he can hardly remember getting angry.

"My grandparents make us feel secure and warm," added Ma Huaiyu.

Two years ago, the couple started keeping diaries. They write down everything that happens in their lives, and they have also begun bookkeeping. Last year, Wang's great granddaughter was born, and the family now spreads across four generations.

On the occasion of their anniversary, Wang made a wish that she can live to be 104, so she can be with her husband when he celebrates his 100th birthday.
KUNMING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Border police in southwest China's Yunnan Province recently seized more than 60 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in coffins and arrested the suspected trafficker.

The 330 bags of drugs were found in a van attempting to enter China from Myanmar on Thursday, after the police received information that the suspect, surnamed Bai, was planning to traffic drugs into the country.

The police said two "empty" coffins inside the van raised their suspicions. They found red powder that smelled like meth at the bottom of the coffins, dismantled them and found the bags of drugs in hidden compartments.

Further investigation into the case is underway.
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China to raise annual per capita R&D spending to 500,000 yuan by 2020

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- China will increase its annual per capita spending on research and development (R&D) to 500,000 yuan (72,800 U.S. dollars) by 2020 from 370,000 yuan in 2014, the Ministry of Science and Technology said Monday.

According to the 13th five-year plan for national science and technology talent development (2016-2020) released by the ministry, China had 5.35 million people working in R&D by the end of 2015, the world's largest pool of R&D talent.

More than 1.1 million overseas Chinese skilled workers returned to China from 2011 to 2015, three times the number of the previous three decades combined, it said.

However, the country is still facing problems, including a lack of researchers in cutting-edge, high-end fields and insufficient expenditure on R&D talent.
(File photo)

PYONGYANG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday it will continue developing nuclear weapons for self-defense against military threat from the United States.

The Korean Workers' Party's official daily Rodong Sinmum said in a commentary that the U.S. move to dispatch a nuclear carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula is dangerous.

"This is an undisguised military blackmail against the DPRK and a dangerous action that plunges the peninsula into the touch-and-go situation," it said.

"Steadfast are the Korean army and people's will and resolve to annihilate the invaders to the last one and totally round off the showdown with the U.S. by bolstering up their nuclear deterrent for self-defense in every way," it added.

The DPRK has intensified its condemnation of the United States recently, vowing to retaliate with nuclear weapons amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"It is a wicked design of the U.S. to shake the DPRK's will for increased nuclear deterrent through intensive military threat and blackmail and then realize its ambition for 'the north's dismantlement of nukes,'" said the newspaper.

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK. The U.S. had better recognize this," it said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said recently Washington was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula to check attempts by the DPRK to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.

Speculations are high that Pyongyang would conduct another nuclear or missile test around April 25, which will mark the 85th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
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Florida remains in a state of emergency as active wildfires burn throughout Central Florida. One is still burning in Polk County.

Dry condition concern Osceola residents

County remains under burn ban

Florida dealing with dozens of active wildfires



Those living in heavily forested areas in the county next door, Osceola County are taking precautions.

Blanca Adamski lives in rural St. Cloud; the dry weather is a concern for her.

Well, you see how close [these trees are]," she said. "If that lights up my roof is going to get fire. So I worry about that, you know?

Because of the lack of rain, Adamski finds herself watering her plants frequently. She says she smells smoke in the area often, which scares her, especially because of her elderly father who lives nearby, but alone. She makes sure to check on him daily.

You put a match here and everything is going to go flying, look at all the trees we have here," said Adamski. "You see my property back there we all have an acre, so one little match and thats it.

It is so dry in Osceola County that it is under a burn ban due to the conditions. Osceola County Fire Chief Daniel McAvoy expects the ban to last for a while. He said residents should take precautions to keep safe.

One of the things is to keep the foliage trees at least 30 feet away from your home. Make it happen. You know, cut it down, tear the trees down," stated McAvoy. "Whatever you gotta do, you gotta do to protect yourself.

Adamski is looking into cutting the trees surrounding her and her fathers home as a precaution. I just hope we get rain. Cause everything is drying up. Everything is dying. Look at all the palm trees. Mostly the fires that is what I am worried about.
About 14 flights were delayed Monday morning after the lone running tram at Orlando International Airport went down  the third such incident in less than a week.

The airport says Monday's issue is a result of a sensitive new safety system and human error.

Tram at Orlando airport was down from 10:10 a.m. to 11:03 a.m.

It's the 3rd such incident in less than a week, officials said

About 14 flights were impacted

The new trams were put in place by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority says the new system has many complex alarms and safety features, and it does not take much to set off those alarms, requiring system checks by MHIA or its onsite subcontractors.

Phil Brown, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO, said the issue Monday was caused by human error.

The tram connecting Airside 3 to the main terminal building went out of service from 10:10 a.m. to 11:03 a.m.

An incident also happened in the nine o'clock hour Monday morning where a subcontractor inadvertently hit into a junction box. That triggered an alarm for the outside doors in the station, shutting the system down for safety purposes.

American, United and Spirit Airlines were primarily affected. Passengers on the impacted flights received priority status to board their flights.

There were no passengers on the tram at the time, airport officials said.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority said it is working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America and its subcontractors, who are responsible for the installing and operation of the tram system, to resolve the ongoing issues.

"We expect them to bring all resources to bear to address these issues," Brown said, "Including putting human resources in place, technical assistance in place. They are a global industry name and should be able to bring these to bear.

"We have told them that verbally," he continued. "This afternoon we sent them a letter notifying pursuant to our contract provisions, that we expect them to address not only the issues that our passengers have suffered for those that have met missed flights, but we expect them to salvage their reputation because we believe they are responsible for managing this effort."

Brown said the airport was putting together a claims system where passengers can submit claims for having missed flights, and they plan to work with Mitsubishi to address those claims.

Brown said 400 passengers have missed flights because of the tram breakdown over the last few days. He said no passengers missed their flights Monday because of the tram issues.

"I'm apologizing that they have suffered this," Brown said. "This is not what we want to present for Orlando International Airport."

Brown said they will see what passenger concerns they can address, though they may not be address everything.

The tram was shut down for about three hours on April 19, impacting thousands of travelers and delaying several flights.

"It kinda shocked me and I didn't see it coming," said Andre Alan. He works for a private passenger service at the airport. He pushes wheelchairs to gates and helps people get on their flights on time.

But with the tram service breaking down he had a hectic day at work. "I thought I was going one way and then I had to go another way. Go downstairs, go over there, to go over here. I am like, oh geez, it's crazy," said Alan.

There was another outage on Sunday that lasted about an hour. More than 50 passengers missed their flights.

Airport officials said the walkway between Airside 3 and the main terminal building was opened. Buses were also put into operation to transport travelers.

Alan says he hopes this detour doesn't happen again but he's advising travelers to come to the airport with ample time.

"Come here early every single time. Just come here early, just in case anything happens, Alan said. Because right now they're doing refurbishing So just come here early just in case."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Eldar Samadov, deputy head of the Working Group of Azerbaijani State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, said Apr. 24 that according to the information he has, two Azerbaijanis  Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev  who are held hostage by Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh region, are experiencing some health problems.

The Commission discussed this issue in detail with international organizations, he said.

Representatives of the international organizations noted that they will conduct the necessary monitoring regarding this issue and even invite international doctors to examine the two Azerbaijani hostages, Samadov added.

The work for releasing the two Azerbaijani hostages continues on the instruction of the Commissions chairman, Samadov said.

During an operation in July 2014 in Shaplar village of Azerbaijani Kalbajar district occupied by Armenia, the Armenian special forces killed an Azerbaijani, Hasan Hasanov, and took hostage two other Azerbaijanis, Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov.

A "criminal case" was initiated against them. Afterwards, a "court" sentenced Asgarov to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years in prison.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Witness testimony began Monday in the case of Juan Rosario, accused of killing an 83-year-old woman back in 2013.

Prosecutors says Rosario brutally beat Elena Ortega, robbed her, set her home on fire and left her to die inside.

The jury heard from Ortega's neighbors and from deputies and firefighters who found Ortega inside her home.

When Elena Wilson took the stand Monday, she talked about making sure that her elderly mother, who lived alone, was safe.

I mean they never really had much, but she kept cash in two frames on her dresser. She put the cash in the back of the frame, thought it would be hard if someone came to..." she said, crying softly. "Im sorry."

One of the most descriptive witnesses was a crime scene investigator, whose testimony appeared to support the states assertion of robbery as motive.



Did you photograph that piece of furniture because of the open drawers?" asked Ryan Williams, who represents the state.

"Yes, sir," responded Joanna Fletcher. Many of the items appeared to be open, cabinets and drawers. It appeared like it was ransacked at one point.

After describing the crime scene, including a blood-soaked mattress by which Ortega was found, Fletcher noted that investigators uncovered an envelope with a substantial amount of cash. Fletcher said that investigators found the frames in which Ortega was known to hid money shattered in several pieces.

The state says the case went unsolved for months because the community was afraid of Rosario.

But Rosario's attorney said the state's main witness, a woman who lived with Rosario at the time and said she helped him cover up the crime afterwards, is an unreliable witness who changed her story several times.

"She is the whole state's case, and we are going to ask you to return a not guilty verdict for a lack of evidence," attorney Roger Weeden said in his opening statement to the jury.

Weeden also brought up a man who helped Ortega with chores, attempting to show that Rosario may not be the only one capable of robbing Ortega.

The Rosario case is the first time Brad King, state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Florida, will prosecute an Orange-Osceola Circuit Court case as special prosecutor to replace State Attorney Aramis Ayala.

Back in March, Ayala announced she would not seek the death penalty in any case and the governor reacted by taking her off 22 first-degree cases, including the Rosario case.

While a legal battle between Ayala and Gov. Rick Scott continues, King has agreed to try those 22 cases, announcing he would seek the death penalty in the one against Rosario.

The trial is expected to last throughout the week. And because this is a capital case, if jurors find Rosario guilty they will have to return for another week in May or June to decide if Rosario should be put to death or face life in prison.
The number of folks who enjoy cruising is growing markedly each year, and many serious cruisers will head for a cruise port at the drop of a hat -- and theyll provide the hat. Some provide the most obscure reasons to justify another vacation on the high seas. Sorta like imbibers who -- before bending elbows -- drag out the old line about it being five oclock somewhere. (This excuse ranks ahead of the one about drinking for health reasons.)

Count us among that group -- the cruise bunch -- who figure theres a cruise ship somewhere going, well, somewhere. After all, the vessel and its ports of call grab our attention, sometimes without much thought about the miles required to get there (Despite current examples to the contrary, weve never found the skies to be anything but friendly, and further enticements include transFAREnt plane tickets.)

Failure to recognize fetching locales is a monumental mistake for several reasons. For one, its a simple matter to add days and call it a cruise/land vacation. For two -- and its a big TWO -- arriving early can assure leisurely boarding while others sometimes battle weather delays and travel hang-ups.

Theres a reason Florida was, is and likely always will be best known for cruising. More than three-fourths of its state boundaries are bordered by water, and its tropical weather is favorable to cruising a high percentage of the time.

Truth to tell, it might be justifiably called the cruise state, but legislators chose the sunshine state. No matter.

We went on a just because cruise recently from the Port of Miami, adding a couple of days for a visit to Miami Beach. Our time there was more than sun-splashed. It was sun-drenched -- daytime temps in the 70s and a few digits short of 70 degrees at night.

During this visit, we mostly people-watched on Ocean Drive. The world strolled, jogged and rolled passed, on both two and four-wheeled vehicles, and albeit rarely, three-wheeled conveyances were spotted.

Tourists thrilled in the near-perfect weather setting, as did the locals, many of whom have why-get-in-a-hurry? countenances. For the latter, its another day in paradise. When the sun doesnt beam down on a precise schedule, theyre apt to report it missing, with Old Sol pictures appearing on milk cartons within days.

My wife marveled at stretches of giant ivy, seemingly flourishing with little attention. Huge blossoms of this and that also dominated.

Diners took meals at sidewalk cafes that stretch for blocks. There, they enjoy not only their food, but also an endless parade of both strollers and vehicles.

We lodged at the Victor Hotel, a Miami Beach landmark. Constructed in 1936, it was extensively renovated recently and continues to be one of the most popular hostelries. (Its founding date provided a trivial side note. The Victor was serving America one year before my discovery of America.)

Guests who swear theyd ride bikes if available are brought up short. Turns out, they are offered by the hotel without charge. I had straddled a bike and was set to pedal before remembering my plan to get my exercise serving as a pallbearer for my friends who jog.

The Victors lobby is filled with objects dart, including an oft-photographed lifelike giant pheasant.

We were but a stones throw from Miami Beach, and my throwing ability is pretty much what it never was. Tourists mingled with hundreds of families gathered in great numbers to enjoy their Sunday afternoon. Sand volleyball courts stretched as far as eye could see. Children splashed in the surf. Folks of all ages lined up to exercise on parallel bars; others tossed Frisbees and flew kites.

On Ocean Drive, the parade sometimes stopped completely, particularly when shiny antique cars drew much attention.

Strolling down the sidewalk was a man with a python draped around his neck. At that time, Brenda and I opted to cross the street. The sun beamed down there, too.

Dr. Don Newbury is a speaker in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Send inquiries/comments to newbury@speakerdoc.com.
A grandmother who has spent more than two years in prison on convictions of murder and engaging in organized criminal activity soon will be freed, her attorney said Monday.

Dorothy Bingham, 59, of Jacksonville should be released within the next two weeks, after a Tyler appeals court sends the mandate, said Bingham's attorney David Schulman of Austin. The State Court of Criminal Appeals last month declined prosecutors' request to rehear Bingham's appeal, court officials said.

"I thought we had a pretty strong case because basically she was convicted on innuendoes and speculation," Schulman said in Sunday's Jacksonville Daily Progress.

Bingham's granddaughter, Patricia Sexton, was found guilty of her husband's murder and sentenced to life in prison in 1999, but Schulman said it was "quite a leap of faith on the jury's part to think Dorothy had anything to do with it."

Bingham, who is being held at the Mountain View unit in Gatesville, was convicted in Bobby Sexton's murder and engaging in organized criminal activity in May 2000. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison for each charge. She was acquitted of the charges in August.

According to court records, Patricia Sexton in 1998 talked her lover, Michael Fielding, into shooting Bobby Sexton, allegedly for his Social Security benefits, and then reported him as a missing person.

Sexton's body was found more than a month later in Anderson County.

Prosecutors' case against Bingham included testimony that she was present when Fielding agreed to kill Sexton, that she gave Fielding a box of rubber gloves to be used in the murder and discussed Sexton's death benefits with her granddaughter after the murder.

Bingham's trial lawyer, Jacksonville attorney Hogan Stripling, has said he blamed Bingham's conviction on "all the publicity surrounding the event."

Fielding, who plea bargained for 35 years in prison, testified to shooting Sexton in the chest at close range with a shotgun and said an accomplice helped dispose of the body near the Neches River.
When a young Sul Ross State college student went missing in October, it sent chills around parts of West Texas.

When her remains were found in a shallow grave near Alpine in February, it brought tears.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

Trend:

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left for an official visit to Lithuania, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Apr. 24.

Within the framework of the visit, Mammadyarov will meet with his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevicius and other government officials.

During the talks, the sides will discuss prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania.
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The parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is in negotiations with local officials to build a new distribution center on San Antonios South Side that would bring at least 1,000 jobs here, according to three city officials and one local business executive briefed on the project.

The Massachusetts-based off-price retailer has already won some tax incentives from the Southside Independent School District, according to the four people briefed on the talks. The school board approved a tax exemption for an unnamed company at its April 6 meeting.

Sergio Chico Rodriguez, Bexar County Precinct 1 commissioner, and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff both said they knew of the project, but not the name of the company. District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran said the city has been in negotiations with a company regarding a project on the South Side, but she wouldnt disclose the name, citing ongoing negotiations and confidentiality agreements.

RELATED: Hulu posts job openings days after announcing San Antonio expansion

San Antonio Economic Development Foundation spokeswoman Jamie Bloodsworth declined to comment on the same grounds.

Rodriguez said the city is competing with Arkansas and a couple of other states for the new facility, adding that the company hasnt requested incentive funds or tax breaks from Bexar County.

The distribution center would employ at least 1,000 people and would be located on the citys South Side, near the intersection of U.S. 281 and Loop 410, said the officials briefed on the project, who wish to remain anonymous because negotiations havent been made public. Its unclear whether the company has purchased the land required for the project.

If there is an opportunity to bring a thousand jobs to San Antonio and a thousand jobs to the southern sector of San Antonio, were always happy to talk to these companies, Viagran said.\

RELATED: Rue21 closing 400 stores, including several in the San Antonio metro area

TJX Cos.  the retailers parent company based in Framingham, Massachusetts  did not return requests for comment.

Off-price brands such as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack have fared well as shoppers forgo traditional apparel chains in favor of bargain retailers and online giant Amazon.

T.J. Maxx has four stores in San Antonio and one in New Braunfels, according to the companys store locator. Marshalls has six locations in the San Antonio area and one in San Marcos, according to the retailers website.

The proposed distribution center would join several others operated by major retailers in the San Antonio area.

RELATED: Texas manufacturers continue to see bright business environment

In June, Dollar General opened a $100 million, 1-million-square-foot distribution center in East Bexar County. In December 2014, Bexar County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a property tax abatement agreement for the center.

Amazon opened a distribution center in San Marcos last summer after San Marcos City Council members approved an incentive package in July 2015 that would refund the company 85 percent of personal property taxes and 40 percent of real property taxes for a decade with a possible five-year extension.

In 2012, the company received $7.6 million in direct tax incentives from Schertz, Guadalupe County and the Schertz Economic Development Corp. for a separate 1.25-million-square-foot center there. The building, which opened in September 2013, cost about $150 million to build.

Amazon also operates a sortation center on the citys West Side and another center on the citys Northeast Side that fulfills orders for the Seattle-based retailers two-day delivery subscription service Prime Now.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports

Staff writer Alia Malik contributed to this report.
Courtesy Photo

No matter the price of oil, you're always looking for the most economical way to produce every well. You know that the lifting energy of plunger lift comes from the gas and pressure of the well itself, making it the least costly production methodbut you also know it doesn't apply to every well and it doesn't operate on wells for which it is not suited. Where can you get the information and training you need before you make your lift decision?

PLSI President Mike Swihart is asked that question all the time and he is happy to provide schools for engineers and field personnel. He can train your engineers on how to qualify wells for plunger lift and train field personnel on operations and maintenance issues.

While plunger lift is a tried and verified lift system, it is not covered thoroughly in most degree programs. That's why Mike has taught classes on plunger lift at Texas Tech's petroleum department in the past, and he can provide that information to your team.

Or maybe you've tried plunger lift and, without fully understanding the parameters, it failed because it was tried on the wrong well. Mike can help eliminate those errors and let you apply plunger lift only where it will be a success.

Classes can be all day, half day, two hours or maybe a lunch and learn. They can be done at PLSI offices, your office or in the field.

For everyone these are hands-on classes. Mike and his staff bring plunger lift controllers and other equipment so participants can learn more effectively. He also makes use of videos and numerous graphics. This is all about making you more comfortable in the use of plunger lift.

Topics covered include:

 Brief History of the Technology

 Liquid Loading in Flowing Wells

 Four Basic Applications

 Identifying/Qualifying Candidates

 Surface/Downhole Considerations

 Surface/Downhole Completions

 Installation/Startup/Optimization

 Plunger Types/Applications

 Field Operations/Maintenance

 Electronics/Automation/Telemetry

PLSI's Mike Swihart, Russell Franklin and Steve Caldwell recently taught this school at the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course in Lubbock .

Armed with this information and with class handouts for future reference and the availability of PLSI by phone or in person, you and your team will be equipped to qualify wells and maintain equipment and cut your lifting costs on any well for which plunger lift is appropriate.

It is said that knowledge is power, so PLSI is providing you and your staff with the power needed to maximize production while minimizing costs. This plays well not only in a tight economy, but also when prices return.

Call PLSI this week to start minimizing production costs.

The phone number for Production Lift Systems is 432-699-1200 or 800-594-3887. The website is www.productionlift.com.
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The Greater Houston Partnership and other local organizations whose members own some of the city's priciest commercial real estate have come out in support of a ballot measure over whether the Houston Independent School District should pay its share of property taxes to the state as part of the so-called Robin Hood system of school finance.

The business coalition, which also includes Central Houston, the Houston Building Owners and Management Association, Uptown Houston, the Houston Business Realty Coalition and the "C" Club, said the school district should pay the $77.5 million it owes to the state.

If not, it faces having $8 billion of the city's highest-valued commercial properties permanently reassigned to another school district, a process referred to as "detachment."

GONE: Ex-HISD employee on the run after accusations of impregnanting a 13-year-old student

The detachment process would affect more than 80 commercial properties in the Galleria, Greenway Plaza, and downtown Houston, the coalition said in a statement Monday afternoon. While the value of commercial property slated for detachment this year is $8 billion, HISD estimates it would climb to $22 billion in 2018.

"No one in our community wins under detachment," Greater Houston Partnership president and CEO Bob Harvey said in the statement. "We are encouraging a vote in support of Proposition 1 so that Houston businesses can continue to help fund Houston's public schools and its future leaders."

HISD SHAKEUP: HISD administrator resigns after special education troubles uncovered

HISD is facing detachment because it of its new status as a property-wealthy district. Such districts are required to purchase attendance credits or face losing property taxes.

Houston real estate developer Alan Hassenflu, chairman of the Houston Business Realty Coalition, said detaching properties from one school district and reassigning them to another would "wreak havoc on the real estate market."

"Having a patchwork of varying tax rates paid to a variety of school districts will hinder economic development in our community," added Mano DeAyala, president of the "C" Club.

FROM HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: On split vote, HISD board agrees to put 'recapture' back on ballot

After voters initially voted against paying the state, the Texas Education Agency reduced HISD's recapture obligation by more than half in part by exempting 50 percent of the value that HISD loses through its 20 percent homestead exemption.

Should the properties be detached, the district would also lose the portion of the tax rate that covers bonds for school construction, which eventually would force a property tax rate increase.

Proposition 1 will be on the ballot May 6.
BART police are beefing up patrols at Oakland stations after dozens of juveniles terrorized riders Saturday night when they invaded the Coliseum Station and commandeered at least one train car, forcing passengers to hand over bags and cell phones and leaving at least two with head injuries.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Witnesses told police that 40 to 60 juveniles flooded the station, jumped the fare gates and rushed to the second-story train platform. Some of the robbers apparently held open the doors of a Dublin-bound train car while others streamed inside, confronting and robbing and in some cases beating riders.

Ive been there 24 years and this is the first time Ive heard of anything like this happening, said Keith Garcia, a BART police officer and union president.

Alicia Trost, a BART spokeswoman, said Monday that seven people were robbed  with the victims losing a purse, a duffel bag and five phones. Six people were robbed inside the train car, with a seventh confronted on the platform, she said. Police received no reports of guns or other weapons being brandished.

A police summary prepared after the incident said that at least two victims suffered injuries to the face or head that required medical attention.

The attack was so quick, police reported, that the teenagers were able to retreat from the station and vanish into the surrounding East Oakland neighborhood before BART officers could respond. The train was held for about 15 minutes as authorities interviewed victims and witnesses and tended to the injured.

Trost said police arrived at the station in less than 5 minutes, but that the robberies took place in just seconds.

BART police had increased the number of officers patrolling Oakland stations Saturday night because of a recent rise in the number of police calls. A BART police sergeant and an officer were in the stations back parking lot on patrol when the station was stormed, Trost said. They were the first to arrive at the concourse after the crime was reported.

Rebecca Saltzman, president of the BART Board of Directors, said the board to examine ways to prevent a recurrence.

This was obviously a terrible event and Im sure very scary for the victims and the BART employees involved, she said. Were looking at it very closely to see how we can respond to make sure it doesnt happen again.

Director Robert Raburn, whose district includes Coliseum Station, said he was very disturbed that such an aggressive action would put BART passengers and employees at risk. It cannot occur with impunity.

Six of the nine cars on the train had working surveillance cameras, and BART police were viewing video from those cars as well as station cameras, Trost said. Since many victims and witnesses were unsure which car they were on, and didnt know if the swarm had entered other cars, BART police are reviewing video from all working cameras. All BART trains are scheduled to be equipped with working cameras by the end of June.

We are in the process of pulling all surveillance video, and we will share with Oakland police, Oakland Unified School District and Oakland Housing Authority to see if they can help identify the minors, Trost said. We have had success with sharing images of juveniles with this group and identifying and making arrests in the past.

The images cannot be shared publicly, she said, because the attackers appear to be minors.

Trost said Oakland police have told their BART counterparts that other incidents involving large groups of teens took place in the general area Saturday night. Oakland police officials declined to comment, and would offer no details Monday, referring questions to BART police.

Robberies committed by small groups of people who snatch valuables from riders when trains stop at stations then dash off just before the train departs have been known to happen on BART, Trost said. But this was the first time she was aware of a train being swarmed by a large group of teens.

Were taking this seriously, Saltzman said. Things like this have happened elsewhere but not at BART.

Last month, according to two television reports, a swarm of teenagers invaded a carnival near the Oakland Coliseum, beating workers and stealing prizes from the game booths. Robberies involving small groups invading stores and restaurants in the Bay Area are not unheard of. But incidents involving such large groups are rare.

The incident presents another challenge for BART, which hired a new police chief last week. The agency has struggled to contain fare evaders and is studying ways to make it harder to enter a station without paying.

Demian Bulwa and Michael Cabanatuan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dbulwa@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @demianbulwa, @ctuan
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

Trend:

Closing of the Spring School on Entrepreneurship, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: Business Fundamentals was arranged at UNEC.

The event has taken place within the project EE- KEY- AZ Entrepreneurship Education: A Key to Job Creation and Employability in Azerbaijan.

Head of the Department for International Cooperation Anar Kazimov noted that UNEC teachers, especially young research fellows and students have taken possession broad knowledge and experience on entrepreneurship, establishment and development of business within the project.

According to the project, familiarization with the particulars and performance of the business infrastructure of Germany and Azerbaijan has also happened. 10 graduate students of the University of Siegen and 12 of UNEC attended the project.

A Professor of the University of Siegen Petra Moog who expressed satisfaction of her visit at UNEC and evaluated the projects implemented in the university thanked the teaching staff and students of the University of Siegen and UNEC, as well as the representatives of the University of Montpellier for their active participation.

P. Moog noted that she got closely acquainted with most manufacturers performing in Azerbaijan and obtained detailed information about the countrys economy within her trip to Azerbaijan.

She said Azerbaijan has a strong economy and non-oil export is being developed in the country rapidly.

Views on the latest tendencies and problems of Azerbaijan economy were exchanged within the event. A Working Group of the Round-table organized in Germany and the experts of the Winter School arranged at UNEC were awarded certificates in the end.

The EE- KEY- AZ Entrepreneurship Education: A key to Job Creation and Employability in Azerbaijan Project was approved for funding by the DAAD. The Project is to be implemented within 4 years and has an actions plan on several directions.

UNEC is the brand of Azerbaijan State University of Economics. The brand of UNEC has been registered and patented by the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent on January 21, 2016.
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You've "gato" get your hands on these.

From cute cats in front of colorful backgrounds, to dogs decked out in Fiesta garb, dozens of 2017 Fiesta medals feature our favorite four-legged pals on them.

Take a look the more than 40 animal-themed Fiesta medals in the gallery above.

The clink-clanking of Fiesta medals feels like it has amplified in recent years as the shiny, colorful baubles are now made in honor and jest of everything imaginable  odes to famous locals, miniature Whataburgers, even President Donald Trump has made a cameo.

RELATED: 21 things to know about Fieta medals for rookies and vets alike

About 450 individual Fiesta medals have been combed through by the San Antonio Express-News this year, and those are just the ones that were submitted. The total number of individual medals released for Fiesta 2017 across the city could easily reach near the 1,000 mark.

The Fiesta Store's Director of Retail Mari Morales told mySA.com they expect to sell about 17,000 total medals from their location this year.

Staff writer Rene Guzman contributed to this report.

erobinson@mysa.com

Twitter: @eeelizzzabeth
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"Let's go, this is our time to shine," Dady told the Express-News after finding out about being part of the new Food Network's new "Iron Chef Gauntlet" competition. "This is our time to really showcase San Antonio."

San Antonio's still shining after Dady survived Round 2 of the six-episode competition cooking show Sunday night with a pork shoulder ragu and celery root ravioli he devised from the opening Chairman's Challenge.

The show, a reboot of the network's arena-style cooking opera with the stern and wickedly playful Brown of "Good Eats" renown in the chairman's role, challenged the competitors to create dishes using a whole butchered pig.

Brown chose Chicago chef Sarah Grueneberg as the winner among the six chefs for her pig's-head wonton. It was a triumphant turnaround for Grueneberg, a Houston native who was on the bottom after last week's Chairman's Challenge before beating Los Angeles chef Nyesha Arrington in a Secret Ingredient Showdown, sending Arrington home.

Grueneberg, who was in San Antonio last week for a watch party at Dady's Shuck Shack, said during the episode that she sees Dady as the chef to beat.

Brown then turned his scolding jets on Seattle chef Shota Nakajima, declaring his bland, hammy concoction as the losing dish. As is the winner's prerogative in the show's new dog-eat-dog format, Grueneberg then chose celebrated Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer to battle Nakajima in a loser-goes-home showdown.

Sawyer was sent home after losing a pitched battle of bananas and plantains judged by Iron Chef Jose Garces and chef Anne Burrell.

The five remaining chefs Dady, whose restaurants include Tre Trattoria and Two Bros. BBQ Market in San Antonio; Grueneberg of Monteverde in Chicago; Michael Gulotta of Mopho in New Orleans; Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat in Chicago; and Nakajima  will compete in next Sunday's episode, called "Sweet and Savory."

On the May 21 finale, the last remaining chef will cook against Iron Chef all-stars Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon for a chance to become the newest Iron Chef.

"Iron Chef Gauntlet" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on the Food Network. The Express-News will follow Dady's progress, stand or fall.

msutter@express-news.net

Twitter: @fedmanwalking
From hooking 'em at the University of Texas to getting hitched, a newlywed couple found a way to incorporate their past cheerleading careers into their future together.

Natalie and David Grun were high school sweethearts before they both moved from their hometown in Humble to Austin to attend and cheer for the University of Texas. The Longhorn lovebirds tied the knot on April 8 in Conroe. They had the support  and stunts  of their fellow cheer alumni to root for their new husband-wife team.
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Handed flutes of Champagne, my wife and I were welcomed aboard the 540-passenger, all-suite Silver Spirit, the largest of Silverseas seven Italian-owned boutique ships. A uniformed crew member escorted us to our eighth deck stateroom where we were greeted by a tuxedoed butler. A 25-year-old native of India, Noro was his name.

Hed be at our service, he said, during the 10-day, $3,915 per person Caribbean voyage that would take us from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Cayman Island, Belize, Honduras, Mexico and Key West.

Hit butler on the phone base index if you need me, Noro suggested. Ill bring you canapes and drinks every afternoon, shine your shoes, wash and press your clothes, make reservations at the specialty restaurants, help with anything.

With a complimentary box of chocolates on the coffee table and bowl of fresh fruit and chilled bottle of French Laurent-Perrier rose Champagne nearby awaiting us  not to mention anticipated gourmet meals overseen by an acclaimed French chef  my health-conscious wife had a quick response. You can skip the afternoon canapes and drinks, Dorothy said.

The stateroom had a rich baronial feel with dark woods, twin beds, a walk-in closet, balcony, sofa, club chair, desk and two flat TV screens embedded in mirrored walls, one in the living room area, the other in the bedroom section. A bathroom with marble accents had a glass-enclosed shower stall and jacuzzi tub. A minor quibble was with my bunk-like bed. It could have used a layer of memory foam to make it cushier.

The tours included an ear-splitting, splashy airboat ride on a lagoon populated with manatees and alligators in Belize. We saw a manatee. No alligators. Its the mating season, the female guide explained, stifling a smile. Thats why gators arent around. Theyre busy.

In Cozumel, Mexico, we visited Mayan Indian ruins, a tequila museum and chocolate factory. Tastings made it all worthwhile. On the Honduras island of Roatan, we enjoyed a semi-submersible boat ride. A school of sergeant major fish seemed to be following and observing us rather than the other way around.

At breakfast and lunch we kept it simple dining in the Terazza restaurant and just sampling a couple buffet items, leaving room for the elaborate dinners fashioned by the Silver Spirits 51-year-old executive chef Jerome Foussier, who boasts of having served royalty and government leaders.

Schooled at Bordeauxs Hotellerie University, Foussier gained experience in the pressure cooker kitchen of Le Taillevent, the famed Michelin three-star Paris restaurant, did a two-year stint as personal chef for the emir of the oil-rich kingdom of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thain, and was engaged by the Ritz Carlton Hotel group, setting up kitchens, menus and staff for restaurants in new five-star Dubai, Qatar and Jamaica hotels.

Along the way hes prepared dinners for an impressive number of VIPs. Among them: Nelson Mandela, the first President Bush, former Madeline Albright as Secretary of State and then-Vice President Dick Cheney.

Albright was especially friendly and spoke French fluently, Foussier recalled. For Cheney we had an elegant dinner ready when he met in Qatar with the emir, but he only wanted a hamburger. Shook us up, but I think we satisfied him.

The Qatar sheik wasnt a fussy eater, the chef continued in his accented English. Very open-minded, over 6 feet tall, weighed 300 pounds, had three wives and 24 children. One of his sons has since succeeded him as emir.

Dinner menus regularly included complimentary wines with choices of two appetizers, two soups, two salads, two pastas, two fish entrees, three meat entrees and four desserts. Filet mignon and two differently seasoned Angus beef burgers were always available.

The culinary highlight was dinner in Le Champagne, the ships 16 table specialty restaurant ($40 per person) on one of the two formal nights. Our very proper, sophisticated, tuxedoed French waiter turned out to be the 21-year-old son of the executive chef.

We started with a glass of Champagne and dainty assortment of butternut, scallop, mango, lobster and mushroom hors doeuvres. A terrine of warm foie gras with berries followed. Lobster thermidor was my entree and Dorothy chose New Zealand rack of lamb. For dessert I went for the flambeed pancake rather than a Grand Marnier souffle and my wife settled on a three petite chocolate lava cakes choice.

We only experienced about five minutes of rain during the 10-day vacation, leaving us in a sunny, nostalgic frame of mind and looking forward to our next cruise.

Si Liberman is a retired Sunday editor of the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press.
CLARKSDALE, Miss. (AP)  The Mississippi Delta has no shortage of museums, historic attractions and clubs devoted to the blues. But visitors will find the region has many other stories to tell, from the cotton plantations where African-American families worked and lived in desperate poverty to culinary traditions that reflect a surprising ethnic diversity.

THE BLUES TRAIL AND MUSEUMS

You can't miss the big blue guitars marking the famous crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale. This is where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to learn how to play the blues.

Roadside signs for the Mississippi Blues Trail make it easy to find other sites as well, from Clarksdale's Riverside Hotel, where Bessie Smith died, to the Dockery Farms cotton plantation in Cleveland, where many pioneering bluesmen lived, worked and made music, among them Charley Patton, Roebuck "Pops" Staples and Howlin' Wolf.

A sign in a field at Clarksdale's Stovall Plantation notes that Muddy Waters' songs were recorded here in 1941 by musicologist Alan Lomax as he collected folk music for the Library of Congress. The sharecropper's shack that Waters lived in has been restored and relocated to the nearby Delta Blues Museum . In Indianola, the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center pays tribute to King's life and legacy. He's buried there as well.

These museums and others use photos, artifacts, videos and other exhibits to explore the blues' roots, beginning with African musical traditions brought to the South by slaves. Because Delta cotton plantations were relatively isolated, musical styles developed here uninfluenced by trends elsewhere. But eventually many African-Americans who barely eked out a living working for white landowners in the decades after the Civil War migrated away from the South, seeking economic opportunity elsewhere along with an escape from segregation and racial terror.

Muddy Waters left the Delta for Chicago in 1943. B.B. King left Mississippi for Memphis, where he got his big break at radio station WDIA. These and other bluesmen were worshipped by 1960s music giants like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. "Muddy Waters' music changed my life," said Eric Clapton. As the title of one of Waters' songs puts it, "The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll."

CAT HEAD, CLUBS AND FESTIVALS

Stop in Cat Head, a Mississippi blues music and gift store in Clarksdale, for a chat with owner Roger Stolle, a blues fan who moved there to "help pull the blues scene together in a way that would get people to come." Local clubs stagger their schedules so you can hear live music every night. Stolle keeps a list online of who's playing where.

Clarksdale's best-known club is Ground Zero, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman and Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett, but blues fans may be disappointed by party-vibe bands playing songs here like "Sweet Home Alabama." A more interesting venue is Red's. Don't be fooled by its rundown appearance and tiny, informal living room-style interior. Red's showcases under-the-radar, brilliantly talented musicians like Lucious Spiller whose performances will make you realize why the blues still matter.

Delta festivals include the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, Aug. 11-13, and the Oct. 12-15 Deep Blues Fest. Next year's Juke Joint Festival will be April 12-15, 2018.

FOOD, LODGING AND CURTAINED BOOTHS

Mississippi cuisine isn't just catfish and barbecue. Doe's, in Greenville, where a security guard watches over your car as you dine and walks you to the parking area when you leave, is known for steaks the size of your head and has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Chamoun's Rest Haven in Clarksdale, founded by a Lebanese family in the 1940s, serves some of the best kibbe you'll find outside the Middle East. At Larry's Hot Tamales, ask owner Larry Lee to share stories of how Mexican tamales became a scrumptious Mississippi staple. For upscale bistro fare like ceviche and roasted vegetables, try Yazoo Pass in Clarksdale.

To learn more about culinary traditions in Mississippi and elsewhere in the South, visit the Southern Foodways Alliance website.

Delta accommodations range from motels to the Alluvian, a luxury boutique hotel in Greenwood. The city, once a major shipping point for Delta cotton, is also where the movie "The Help" was filmed. Today Greenwood is headquarters for Viking Range, the kitchen appliance manufacturer, and a Viking cooking school (classes fill up fast so book ahead). Other Greenwood spots include the excellent Turnrow bookstore and the tasting room for the Winery at Williams Landing, which specializes in wines made from Mississippi-grown muscadine grapes. Pick up a bottle for dinner at Lusco's, a BYOB restaurant famous for whole grilled pompano fish and for curtained booths that offered cotton traders privacy for business deals, romantic liaisons and alcohol consumption.

A unique lodging option in the Delta is spending the night in a preserved sharecropper's shack at the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale or at Tallahatchie Flats in Greenwood. Some travelers may find the concept offensive as a sugarcoating of the misery experienced by those who had no choice but to live this way. But for others, a night spent in a rustic cabin that rattles with the howling wind or shakes to its foundations in a thunderstorm may evoke the very vulnerability that makes the blues so haunting.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, issued a statement Monday afternoon in response to threats from President Trump to shut down the government if Congress will not approve funds to build a fence on our southern border.

"President Trump is threatening to shut down the government if he doesn't get to build his symbolic border wall," Cuellar said in the statement. "He wants to cut things like education, transportation, and health care, to fund his pet project.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

Trend:

Azerbaijani soldiers and officers who became disabled in the April battles have been supplied with high-tech prostheses at the directions of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva.

These high-tech prostheses were chosen after careful examination of individual needs of the soldiers and officers who lost their body parts in the April battles in 2016.

At a meeting with a group of the disabled soldiers and officers on April 3, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva gave instructions to supply them with artificial replacements for missing body parts to help them regain or maintain their mobility.

At Mehriban Aliyevas directions, the disabled soldiers and officers were supplied with prostheses manufactured by the worlds leading prosthetics companies, including German Otto Bock and British RSL Steeper.

The prostheses and orthopedic devices supplied to the disabled soldiers and officers are:

Harmony P3 vacuum system

Produced by Otto Bock, Harmony P3 vacuum system does both, regulating the best possible fit of the residual limb in the prosthetic socket with a weight-activated mechanical vacuum pump.

Smaller and lighter than its predecessors, the Harmony P3 pump sets itself apart with a lightweight and slim design that is readily compatible with a visually appealing cosmetic cover and can be combined with various prosthetic feet. The mechanical Harmony pump is intended for users with a moderate to higher mobility grade.

C-Leg 4 microprocessor knee

The C-Leg 4 microprocessor knee expands on clinically proven technology to deliver an improved, even more reliable patient experience while also making it easier to use and fit.

Manufactured by Otto Bock, the C-Leg has been setting fitting standards for transfemoral amputees since more than 15 years. More than 40,000 users worldwide rely on the C-Leg technology. The microprocessor-controlled leg prosthesis system is ideal for anyone with high stability and reliability requirements in everyday life. It also meets the demand for mobility and freedom. The knee joint is controlled by a complex sensor system, which permits adaptation to various walking speeds. Stability even in uncertain situations, walking slow or fast, negotiating slopes and walking down stairs step-over-step  the C-Leg supports these types of everyday mobility.

Bebionic3 prosthetic hand

Manufactured by RSL Steeper, Bebionic3 is the world's most advanced prosthetic hand.

Sleek, elegant and cutting-edge in both design and technology, Bebionic pushes the boundaries of multi-articulating myoelectric hands. As the worlds most lifelike, functional and easy to use myoelectric hand commercially available today, Bebionic is comfortable, precise and intuitive for patients, transforming the lives and abilities of amputees around the world  from helping them perform simple tasks like tying shoelaces to giving them back their control and their pride.

Silicone cover for lower limb prostheses

After an amputation, many affected individuals want to recreate their outside appearance in as much detail as possible. This can be achieved with a custom-made, anatomically shaped silicone cover based on the sound limb.

Every silicone cover is one of a kind and features a number of benefits.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijani companies Ayan and Ag Naftalan are in talks with Kazakhstan over supplies of lemonade, mineral water and naphthalan ointment, said the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry.

The ministry noted that an export mission consisting of 19 Azerbaijani entrepreneurs is now in Kazakhstan.

The Azerbaijani businessmen met with representatives of Kazakh companies and discussed expansion of ties and the possibility of supplies of Azerbaijani products to Kazakhstan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Georgia will sign a new 250 million euros worth agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB), Sputnik Georgia quoted the countrys Finance Minister Dmitry Kumsishvili as saying.

These funds will be spent on construction of the East-West highway, Kumsishvili told reporters.

The minister noted that EIB doubled the volume of investments in Georgia in 2016 and its portfolio stood at 1 billion euros.

In 2016, the European Investment Bank (EIB) allocated funds to Georgia for the development of the automobile infrastructure, agriculture and processing industry, as well as infrastructure development, including the restoration of Tbilisi's infrastructure damaged as a result of the June 2015 flood.

With a total length of about 185 kilometers, the East-West highway is the main artery for long distance road traffic in Georgia. This highway is also part of the Pan-European corridor linking the EU with Central Asia through Caucasus and part of the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) program.

The development and upgrading of this key highway, which started in 2006, is one of the top priorities for Georgia since it will enhance the country's position as the main conduit of regional trade and passenger movements.

Taken as a whole, the project is expected to enhance the safety conditions of this major route for transport of goods and people between Asia and Europe, thus improving trade and boosting the region's economy.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Carver Center and Early College High School at Midland College have been selected by Educational Results Partnership and the Institute for Productivity in Education as a 2016 Honor Roll School.

The honor roll is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and highlight successful practices that improve outcomes for students, according to a press release from Midland ISD. Schools on the list have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations.
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For about five minutes after the clink of the first domino falling onto another, a design of symbols and swirls, some fanning outward and others curling in, unraveled throughout the gym floor Monday morning at St. George Episcopal School.

At one point, the words chain of love, also spelled out in dominoes, unfolded in full color to the thunderous roar of excited students and teachers.

In all, 22,844 dominoes were used in the 60-by-30 foot design. Each domino symbolized the $22,844 the students at St. George raised for their sister school, St. Benoit, in Mombin Crochu, Haiti. Monday morning was the culminating event of their chain of love month-long fundraising drive for St. Benoit.

When you spread the love, its the domino effect. It goes to others, said Sarah Taylor, 12.

Students spent three weeks raising money for St. Benoit, doing everything from selling arts and crafts in a Haitian-style marketplace, to hosting spaghetti dinners, to asking for donations at the morning car drop-off like Sarah did.

She came to the carpool every single morning, whispered Jessica Leibowitz, coordinator of the fundraiser and director of communications for the school, of Sarah.

St. Georges has been fundraising for St. Benoit for 12 years now, raising over $200,000 for the school. Teachers, staff and high school student alumni have visited the school in Haiti.

Sarah said her favorite part of the fundraiser was seeing the children and Skyping them. She said she cant wait to FaceTime the Haitian students later this week and tell them how much theyve raised.

Leibowitz said the money will be going toward teacher salaries, student supplies and uniforms.

Some of the students have been writing their Haitian peers regularly, while others have been able to hold video conferences with them. They mostly share music, Leibowitz said, singing to each other and sometimes coordinating to sing the same songs.

The kids need to know the world is way bigger than this. Its way bigger than their bubble, than their community, Leibowitz said.

On Sunday night almost 30 kids spent six hours setting up the domino design. On Monday morning, all of the students gathered in the assembly with teachers and parents to watch the symbols and colors unfurl in the literal domino effect.

Weve learned how to give to other people more, to love other people more, said Ellen Fisher, 12. Weve learned that its not just about yourself.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net
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Immigration agents in Houston last week arrested 95 immigrants here illegally - 86 percent with prior criminal convictions - in the region's first targeted operation under the Donald Trump administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced Monday.

It's the latest in a serious of publicized raids across the country that the government says show that it is focusing on dangerous criminals, not tearing families apart, and included immigrants convicted of murder and aggravated assault.

IMMIGRATION IN TEXAS: First new immigration detention center under Trump to be built in Conroe

"The importance is to secure our communities," said Bret Bradford, acting field office director for Houston. "There's bipartisan support for getting these folks off the street."

Few details were provided about the Houston area raids, which were conducted over a five-day period beginning April 17, but federal agents said the operation was in line with similar efforts in the past, which occur about quarterly.

Immigrants were arrested in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, and Wharton counties.

Of the 95 immigrants arrested last week, 82 had criminal histories, including convictions for burglary, child abuse, cocaine and weapons possession, and for re-entering the country after previously being deported, which is a felony.

HISTORY LESSONS: What the U.S. can learn about immigration from ancient Greek myths

The agency did not detail the backgrounds of the immigrants it detained, including only short summaries of five arrests. They ranged from a 55-year-old Salvadoran who had been convicted of manslaughter and had previously been deported 30 years ago to a 25-year-old Mexican with a conviction for indecency with a child by exposure.

The last large-scale sweep in Texas, part of a national effort in February, detained more than 680 people across the country, though none in Houston. That included 51 people in the Austin region, which encompasses San Antonio and Laredo, more than half of whom had committed no other crimes beyond being here illegally.

Federal statistics from mid-January through mid-March show that immigration agents arrested 21,362 immigrants, about a third more than in the same period last year under the administration of former President Barack Obama. Arrests of immigrants with no criminal records more than doubled to 5,441 in that time frame.

THE ECONOMICS OF IMMIGRATION: Farmers fear deportation of workers could hurt livelihood

Advocates have blasted the Trump administration for going after immigrants who have been here for years and haven't committed crimes. They've pointed to a series of highly publicized incidents, including the deportation of Jose Escobar, a Houston father who had been here for nearly two decades and had a provisional work permit from the federal government until agents suddenly revoked it at a routine check-in.

"They are saying they're going after bad hombres and it's increasingly clear that they're not," said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice Education Fund, an advocacy group in Washington D.C. "We see it increasingly as a PR strategy designed to provide cover for a very hard-edged strategy where virtually anyone is eligible for deportation."

But the federal statistics, first obtained by the Washington Post, show that the number of total arrests, including how many non-criminal immigrants have been detained, are actually more than a quarter lower than in the same time frame in 2014. In that period, 29,238 immigrants were arrested, 7,483 of whom had no previous criminal convictions.

TO THE NORTH: Canada's minister of immigration explains what successful immigration policies look like

The Obama administration later that year enacted new priorities to focus on deporting immigrants who had been convicted of violent crimes or those who had recently crossed the border, lowering the number of overall deportations.

In total, Obama deported more than 5.2 million immigrants during his presidency, according to an analysis of federal statistics by the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C.

In an interview Sunday with ABC News, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the administration's first priority is deporting criminals.

"We don't have the ability to round up everybody and there's no plans to do that," he said. "(But) I believe that everyone who enters the country illegally is subject to being deported."

The idea that immigrants here illegally jeopardize public safety has been a mainstay of both Trump's campaign and his presidency so far.

He began his campaign by criticizing Mexican immigrants for bringing crime after a woman was shot dead on a San Francisco pier by an immigrant who had been deported five times and had several felony convictions. Throughout his race, Trump surrounded himself with the families of victims who have been killed by immigrants, inviting them on stage and making frequent references to their plight.

IMMIGRATION IN HOUSTON: Two Houston doctors facing removal by Immigration officials are granted temporary stay

An executive order Trump signed in January said that people who enter the country illegally pose a "significant threat" and he directed the Department of Homeland Security to publish a weekly list of crimes committed by immigrants who were released from local jails under so-called sanctuary city policies. The report was temporarily suspended this month after including numerous errors.

The president also created a special office in the Department of Homeland Security called Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, which will be tasked with recording crimes committed by immigrants here illegally and supporting their victims.

The idea was pushed by a once obscure Houston group known as The Remembrance Project, which has since relocated to Washington D.C. and has the close ear of the Trump administration.

Its founder, Maria Espinoza, has said she became interested in immigrant crimes after the 2006 death of Houston Police officer Rodney Johnson. The case sparked nationwide fury, as his killer, an immigrant from Mexico with a long rap sheet who had previously been deported, seemed like the poster child of cracks in the immigration system. He shot Johnson several times in the head while sitting handcuffed in the back of the squad car.

Supporters have praised Trump for bringing the topic to the forefront after years of silence from other politicians.

But critics say he has grossly misrepresented how often immigrants commit crimes.

An analysis of Census data in March by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington D.C., found immigrants here illegally are 44 percent less likely to be incarcerated than native-born Americans.

Roughly 1.6 percent of immigrant men between 18-39 are in custody, compared with 3.3 percent of those born in the United States, found a similar 2015 analysis of Census data by the American Immigration Council, an advocacy group also in Washington.

The Migration Policy Institute has estimated that there are 820,000 people with criminal convictions in the country illegally, including 300,000 with felony convictions.

The federal government currently has the resources to deport about 400,000 immigrants a year.

Three of those counties targeted in the latest raids - Montgomery, Brazoria and Galveston - are among 19 across Texas that have applied to partner with immigration agents in a controversial jail screening program called 287(g). The Harris County sheriff's office dropped its partnership earlier this year because of costs.

Reporter Lise Olsen contributed to this report.
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At least one bill that would give residents of unincorporated areas more power to fight annexation by a city won approval in the state Senate on Monday and is on the way to the House.

The Senate passed SB 715, filed by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, on a 20-10 vote. If it becomes law, residents would have a chance to vote on whether or not they want to become part of a city through annexation.

Final passage of it, or several other annexation bills, could dramatically curb San Antonios ability to grow in the future and could halt the citys current attempts to annex a rapidly developing part of north Bexar County along Interstate 10 West  a scaled-down version of the annexation plan the city proposed two years ago.

Scores of Bexar County residents, including many who live in the I-10 area that San Antonio is planning to annex, showed up at a committee hearing earlier this month to show their support for Campbells bill. She said shes heard from people all over the state, people frustrated with the fact that the power of annexation is in the hands of city planners.

A lot of residents, a lot of people, they dont want a forced annexation, they want a voice, said Campbell, who filed a similar bill in 2015. Thats what this bill does.

Last week, state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, proposed several amendments to the measure, including one that would have grandfathered San Antonios I-10 West annexation plan, in addition to existing plans to annex a commercial area along U.S. 281 and, in 17 years, a large residential area along that same corridor.

He proposed an amendment that would have allowed cities to still pursue annexation of areas within five miles of a military base without a vote. Military officials have said annexation protects the bases from encroaching development.

Menendez also suggested that all San Antonio residents  and not just residents in the areas being considered for annexation  get to vote on whether to absorb a new area.

Campbell rejected all of the proposals. U.S. 281 and a large portion of I-10 West are in her district.

However, the senator did accept Menendezs proposal to grandfather a recently executed agreement between San Antonio and the suburban city of Converse. Converse plans to annex parts of unincorporated Bexar County that San Antonio declined to absorb, and San Antonio will give up territory in exchange.

At least three House bills  HB 299, HB 424 and HB 2272  have been filed this session to strip cities like San Antonio of the ability to initiate large-scale annexations of unincorporated areas. All are pending in the House Land and Resource Management Committee.

We are very concerned about it, said Jeff Coyle, San Antonios director of government and public affairs.

Coyle said its a really tough environment for cities right now in the Legislature, referring to the spate of proposed bills that could seriously affect large municipalities to make their own governing decisions, like Senate Bill 2, which would force cities to hold a property tax rollback election if the annual tax revenue climbs above a certain threshold.

Supporters of annexation argue that cities need it in order to have the power and flexibility to grow and to extend better services to urbanized areas on cities edges.

Those opposed make the case that cities use annexation as a land grab, gobbling up tax revenue from new residents while not providing better or any services in return. They also dont want their property taxes to go up.

The Texas Municipal League, which opposes the Campbell bill and other annexation reform measures, commissioned a study last year from TXP Inc., an Austin-based economic development consultant, to study annexations impact. It found that states that allowed cities to determine when they could annex saw faster economic and population growth, and better bond ratings, compared to cities in states that had tighter annexation restrictions.

Unexpectedly, the study also found cities in states with more flexible annexation laws actually physically grew more slowly than in states with the stricter laws.

To Bennett Sandlin, the TML director, that might be a sign that cities dont necessarily exercise annexation power just because they have it but that there are greater benefits to the tool.

Texas has thrived because we have broad annexation laws, Sandlin said.

vdavila@express-news.net
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Extension of the OPEC deal in May is quite likely, because OPEC and non-OPEC partners will be under pressure to extend it, as the market expects this outcome, Spencer Welch, director of the oil markets and downstream team in the London-based IHS Markit, told Trend Apr. 24.

Extension has already been priced into the market. So, a failure to extend the deal would result in a market price drop, added Welch.

As for the volume of cuts, the expert said it is most likely that the existing cut levels will be rolled over because to try to re-negotiate each countrys individual number would be time consuming and very difficult.

Talking about the effect of the current OPEC output cut deal, Welch said the price went up as expected and compliance was better than expected.

But oil inventory data is not yet showing a decline, however, there is a considerable time lag in the availability of some stock data, he added.

The expert noted that the rapid rise in US production is making things difficult for OPEC  it is making it harder to re-balance the oil market and harder to pull down oil inventories, and the US production rises are not going to stop.

Welch concluded that current market situation is as follows: supply and demand is in balance, but demand is not yet exceeding supply.

In December 2016, OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached their first deal since 2001 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices.

OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from Jan. 1 with top exporter Saudi Arabia cutting as much as 486,000 barrels per day.

Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce the output by 558,000 barrels per day starting from Jan. 1 for six months, extendable for another six months.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Democrats in Comal County are mourning the loss of their county chairwoman, Roberta Robbi Boone, who was killed Friday evening in a traffic accident on Texas 46.

The Department of Public Safety could not provide any details Monday on the incident, saying the trooper investigating it hasnt yet filed a report. A member of Boones family said her Toyota Prius was hit by a truck at FM 311 and Texas 46 and she was flown to University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

This is a person who made a difference in the world, Ann Patla, treasurer of the Comal County Democratic Party and a close friend of Boone, said Monday. It will be very difficult to fill her shoes.

Boone, 75, led local Democrats since 2010 and worked tirelessly for the party in the county and the state, Patla said.

Democratic voters are far outnumbered by Republicans in Comal County, but Boone maintained a positive outlook and helped her party open a local office, recruit new members and  with limited success  field candidates. The only Democrat for a county office last November, Fred Riter, garnered 11,943 votes in the sheriffs race, losing to Republican Mark Reynolds, who received 49,063.

The thrust of our efforts has been to get people out to vote, Boone, a former teacher, said in a 2014 interview. I think (potential Democratic candidates) feel right now this is a Republican voting district, and theyll wait until their opportunities (to get elected) are better.

Shed been a widow since the December death of her longtime spouse, Daniel Boone, who ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in 2012 for the U.S. House and in 2014 for the Texas Senate. The couple raised four children and operated a bed-and-breakfast.

Ruth Pharis, the county Republican chairwoman, called Robbi Boone a very classy lady.

She was a strong advocate for her party, Pharis said, noting that Boone was active on legislative issues and statewide Democratic matters. This county is a strong Republican county, and she did very well in trying to get her point of view over.

A statement by Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said, in part, All of us will miss Robbis determination and passion going forward. Our thoughts are with the entire Boone family during this difficult time.

A memorial service is set for 2:30 p.m. May 6 at Unitarian Universalists of New Braunfels on Alves Lane. About 40 acquaintances of Boone gathered informally to celebrate her life Sunday at the New Braunfels home of Bob and Cindy Peterman.

Robbi and Daniel Boone were a dynamic couple, Cindy Peterman said Monday. So often people want to do something, but they sit there and think of all the reasons they cant do it, or why it cant be done. That was never the case with those two.

Robbi Boone was positive and enthusiastic about the future of the party here in Comal County, said Rick Nathan, president of an affiliated group, Democrats of Comal County. Her death is a huge, huge loss. Everyones been devastated.
REYNOSA, Mexico  A string of deadly clashes with drug gangs over the weekend has left at least 35 dead across Mexico, including the killing of two top cartel leaders in Tamaulipas early Saturday morning, according to officials.

Federal forces in Reynosa killed Julian Loisa Salinas, the Gulf Cartel leader in Reynosa, and Francisco Pancho Carreon, head of the rival Zetas cartel in the state capital of Ciudad Victoria, was killed, officials said.
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A man in his 20s was shot and killed Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of a restaurant on the North Side, police said.

Authorities were called just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday to the Chick-Fil-A in the 20th block of Northeast Loop 410 and McCullough Avenue near North Star Mall and found a man lying on the ground. Emergency crews pronounced the man dead at the scene, San Antonio police Sgt. John Kellogg said.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  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.

RELATED: Mexico says 2 top drug traffickers killed near US border

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?"

RELATED: Acapulco Easter weekend shootout continues recent history of violence in former tourist mecca

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.
Eric Gay, STF / AP

Starting today, more than 40 polling locations across town will be open and ready for early voters to cast ballots in this years municipal and school elections. Visit the Bexar County Elections page for a list of locations.

From Monday through Thursday, polls will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All locations will be closed Friday for the Battle of Flowers. Polls reopen Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., then close Sunday. Polls open again Monday and Tuesday, May 1-2, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Early voters can visit any location to cast a ballot. Election Day is Saturday, May 6.
SAN ANTONIO  Two teens were arrested Monday afternoon after a wrong-way crash that led to a short standoff with police when the officer saw what looked like an "assault-type" rifle, according to officials on scene.

A police officer noticed the vehicle sometime after 1 p.m. Monday on the Northwest Side, noting the vehicle appeared to have a window shattered by a bullet, said San Antonio Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia Khalid Al-Falih will visit Baku on Apr. 25-27, Azerbaijans Energy Ministry told Trend Apr. 24.

The issues related to the upcoming visit were discussed with Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev and Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Baku Musaad Al-Sleem.

Natig Aliyev noted that this visit is an important event for development of energy cooperation between the two countries.

The Azerbaijani minister recalled that he had close communications with Minister Al-Falih during the events held within OPEC and expressed his confidence that the meeting in Baku will further strengthen the ties between the two countries, according to the ministry.

Ambassador Al-Sleem, for his part, noted that Al-Falih, who was the head of Saudi Aramco for a long time, has great experience in the oil and gas sphere, and his meetings in Baku will benefit the development of bilateral energy cooperation.

As part of his visit to Baku, the Saudi minister will hold meetings with Natig Aliyev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyngulu Bagirov, Executive Director of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) Shahmar Movsumov and President of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev. Meanwhile, the program of Al-Falihs Baku visit, at his own request, includes visits to Bibiheybat and Sangachal.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Legislators often say that the budget shortfall of nearly $5 billion in this session is due to a decline in the state's pivotal oil and gas industry, and that's true to a certain extent. But another cause is the overly generous $10 billion in tax cuts in the 2015 session that robbed state government of revenue sources it had depended on for years.

The Republicans who control both chambers love to promise and deliver tax cuts. Voters like it too, but there can be too much of a good thing. Texas is a low-tax state by any fair definition, but some politicians seem to think we're Massachusetts with more sunshine.

Even in this session, which started out in a financial hole and remained there, key legislators were again promising even more tax cuts. Why? Because, well, that's worked so many times before.

Eventually, however, that approach can lead to state government that doesn't have enough revenue to cover basic services - like now. The state's colleges and universities are looking at major budget cuts in operations this session. For years the state has barely had enough money to fund highway maintenance, much less new construction. Our public school system has been ranked among the 10 worst in the nation.

This year, most state agencies were told to trim their budgets by 4 percent. There's always fat, of course, but it's hard to describe state government as overfunded. And many of these spending cuts at the state level mean cities and counties have to spend more in response, so there's no real savings to many taxpayers.

One option this year could be to undo the tax cuts of 2015. But to some, that would be defined as a tax increase, so it's not politically possible.

It's also not clear when - or if - the oil and gas industry will rebound. Demand is flat or declining as wind and solar power increase every year. That includes Texas, by the way, which has the most wind-energy production of any state.

As always, you get what you pay for. In Texas, the Legislature needs to pay for more basic services.

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Eighteen children and two adults were transported to the hospital Wednesday afternoon following a school bus crash on Detroits west side.

Details of the Detroit School Bus Crash

The Detroit Free Press reports that the crash occurred near the intersection of Dexter and Boston around 4:11 pm when a vehicle rear-ended the school bus.

While it is unclear what school the children attend, officials did confirm that there were no serious injuries reported among the students.

The driver of the other vehicle, a man in his 70s, was the most seriously injured of those involved in the accident; however, details on his condition were not immediately available.

School Transportation Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 1,344 people killed in school-transportation-related crashes recorded between 2004 and 2013. This averages to 134 fatalities per year.

Of the 1,344 fatalities, only 8 percent were occupants of school transportation vehicles.

Most (71%) of the people who lost their lives in these crashes were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crashes.

Nonoccupants, including pedestrians, bicyclists, etc., accounted for 21 percent of the fatalities.

Among the 106 occupants killed in school transportation vehicles between 2004 and 2013, 45 were drivers and 61 were passengers.

An Experienced School Bus Accident Attorney

Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys are available to respond to school bus accidents at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition, or acquiring, of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. Remember, your choice does matter. If your child was injured in a school bus accident, contact our offices  we are available 24/7, nights and weekends and we represent clients/victims all over the country.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
Fresh Express has issued a recall of certain cases of Organic Marketside Spring Mix after two Wal-Mart customers complained of finding a dead bat in their prepackaged salad.

About the Fresh Express Recall

According to reports, the contaminated prepackaged salad was purchased at a Wal-mart store in Florida. Concerns of illness were brought to officials attentions after the consumer reported that they had eaten some of the salad before the bat was found.

The deteriorated body of the bat was turned over to federal authorities, but the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been unable to rule out the possible existence of rabies. As such, the CDC recommended the consumers be treated for the disease. Wal-Mart removed the salads from its shelves and is offering full refunds to anyone who purchased to product.

Description of the Recalled Salads

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall covers Organic Marketside Spring Mix sold in a 5 oz. clear container.

Recalled containers are marked with the product code G089B19 and a best-if-used-by-date of APR 14, 2017.

The UPC Code of 6 8113132897 5 is located on the bottom of the container next to the bar code.

Contact an Experienced Product Liability Attorney

Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys are leaders in the area of product liability litigation. Our Defective Drug and Products Division has extensive knowledge and resources in order to represent our clients efficiently and aggressively. We represent a multitude of people who are battling against manufacturers of defective drugs and/or products.

Your choice does matter. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries because of recalled foods or supplements, call Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys immediately. We represent clients/victims all over the country. We are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The laying of the first stone of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines (TAP) offshore section is scheduled for 2018, a source in Italys Saipem SpA told the Natural Gas World.

At this stage, the company is not involved in construction of TAP, said the source.

Saipems activities will begin when the micro-tunnel area will be available and we are interested in making the area available to organize the micro-tunnel operations. We are following this project with great care, added the source.

In April 2016, TAP consortium awarded to Saipem SpA the contract for Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) for the offshore section of the project. TAPs 36-inch offshore pipeline across the Adriatic Sea  between the coastlines of Albania and southern Italy  will be approximately 105 kilometers in length, down to approximately 820 meters below sea level at the deepest.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union.

The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.

The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italys south.

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albanias mountains.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
A Total Lunar Eclipse reached it's maximum totality just before 5a.m. this morning on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 in the Illinois Valley area. The next visible one in Illinois will not occur until 2025.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Apr. 24

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Turkmenistan is preparing for the International Transport and Logistics Conference to be held May 4-5, 2017 in the Avaza National Tourist Zone, the Turkmen government said in a message.

Applications for participation in the conference were submitted by representatives of foreign transport and logistics companies, international organizations, Turkmen state agencies and investors, said the message.

A number of topical issues, including the role of transport and logistics in the economy, the future of the logistics system, prospects and development of the communication infrastructure of the railway industry, marine and river transport may be discussed at the conference, according to the Turkmen government.

Turkmenistan takes an active stance in the issues of international cooperation in the transport sector, including within the framework of the UN, by putting forward initiatives and implementing infrastructure projects on the creation of transnational corridors together with foreign partners, the message said.
On every conceivable front, the Democrats double downing down on the strategy that led them to hemorrhage losses in representation, meaning power, at every level of government. In keeping, more and more voters are leaving the party.

The latest repeat of a failed strategy is to try to smear Sanders in a cack-handed effort to win over his base. This is as likely to succeed as calling Trump voters deplorables did.

The reality is that the Democratic party leders have no strategy. Instead, they are taking the playbook of a mad scientist in a kitschy horror movie, frantically spinning dials and flipping switches as his invention has gone out of control. His control, needless to say.

The Democrats actions made clear they were fixated on the Federal government patronage and revolving door goodies that control of the Executive branch conferred. Beyond the state-that-is-almost-a-country of California, the lucre isnt large enough for them to deviate from their stance of being party of the 10% and trying to hold onto their traditional base by being marginally less God-awful than Republicans. Reader johnnygl flagged this section of a Washington Post story on how the post-election strategy of Russiaphobia plus Trump bashing plus yet more identity politics isnt working with voters:

Democrats have lost considerable ground on this front. The 28 percent who say the party is in touch with concerns of most Americans is down from 48 percent in 2014 and the biggest drop is among self-identified Democrats, from 83 percent saying they are in touch to just 52 percent today. That is a reminder that whatever challenges Trump is having, Democrats, for all the energy apparent at the grass roots, have their own problems.

Lets put this more bluntly: even with Trump turning out, whether by virtue of capture, inclination or not caring, backing solidly Republican positions, with his impulsive foreign policy shows of manhood as an added huge negative, Democrats are becoming more and more immune to lesser-evilism. The party has tried to fool voters too many times with hope and change and other pro-worker cant while delivering the goods only to their wealthy patrons. The defectors arent coming back until the party starts to deliver for them.

The Unity campaign is revealing how desperately the Democrats are clinging to their self-delusion. They seem to believe that they can kick Sanders and his voters and yet still get them to turn out at the polls for them. By contrast, Sanders, who knows what moves his base isnt him personally but his policies, has only upside from participating in this charade. He gets a platform to keep selling his message, while the Democrats kid themselves that they can peel away his supporters without making concessions.

One proof that the operatives recognize the Unity campaign is backfiring is the upsurge in attacks on Sanders via the most loyal Democratic party mouthpieces, the Washington Post and the New York Times. With the election proving that the establishment media doesnt have much sway with great swathes of the public, these hit pieces are tantamount to throwing water balloons at Sanders from the Acela: they may make gratifying splashes but they dont do real damage. But they demonstrate yet again how committed the party remains to losing if winning requires giving more to ordinary citizens.

The first smear masquerading as reporting, Bernie Sanderss strange behavior, ran last week in the Washington Post. It was so obtuse, presumably by design, that I remarked then: This is either a candidate for Most clueless political piece every written, as in What about power struggle dont you understand? or Democratic party authoritarianism in action. The two possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

The article, by Aaron Blake, is intellectually dishonest from the get-go. This is its first paragraph:

Bernie Sanders has embarked on a Come Together and Fight Back tour with with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez. But hes not really helping on that first part.

Really? Sanders launched a Unity Tour and Perez and the Democratic Party establishment decided to come along? This sort of unity charade is a Democratic party fixture.

Let us not forget why this exercise is even seen as necessary. The Democrats are trying to win over Sanders voters who correctly saw the selection of Perez as DNC head over Sanders pick Keith Ellison as a big fat middle finger to them. This Unity Tour is the 2017 analogy of the many efforts to reintroduce Hillary Clinton to voters, as if after decades of overexposure, they were somehow in the dark as to what she was about. They presume that if Perez hits the road with Sanders, theyll come to like the new DNC, even though it is just the same as the old DNC.

The benefit to Sanders is that this is so patently foolish is that all he has to do is play along. He gets to go around the US and keep pitching his preferred policies.

But as Perez is getting boos at virtually ever whistlestop, someone must be at fault! And it cant possibly be that the Democrats are trying to get the dogs to eat dog food that theyve already rejected. No, it must be Sanders doing. The article proceeds from the straw man that it is Sanders job to create Democratic party unity, when the onus is on the party to find a way to reach his voters.

Put it another way: the Post, presumably reflecting the views of the Democratic elite, sees voters as chattel. They actually seem to believe that Sanders is like an old Tammany hall boss, or a union leader, who can deliver a block on his say so. So look at the things the Post views as offenses:

He said that he still isnt actually a Democrat He repeated his line that President Trump did not win the election; the Democrats lost the election  drawing some angry responses from Hillary Clinton supporters who see this as either a shot at her or as something that Sanderss primary campaign contributed to (or both) Sanderss message has differed from Perezs in a couple key ways

The big hissy fit, however, that Sanders hadnt endorsed Ossoff yet, stating yet another obvious fact that Democrats dont want the children to hear: Some Democrats are progressive, and some Democrats are not, and saying he didnt know enough either way to decide.

Sanders did relent and endorse Ossoff. While purists are unhappy over that move, the reality is that his support will make perilous little difference either way in an affluent district in the South. And as reader Marina Bart pointed out in comments, the tisk-tiskers are missing the real play:

If the entire corporate media is aimed against you, it is very hard to fight back. Six corporations control something like 90% of media distribution in this country, and they deliver the messaging their plutocratic owners desire. Now add Silicon Valleys corporate-controlled social media platforms, which have the same masters, same agenda, and same willingness to manipulation what information their users can access. Activists alone cannot win national elections. We need some sizable chunk of the millions who dont really like or want to think about any of this, whether because theyre comfortable or despairing. They want the same policies we want. They just dont want to work hard to get it, or grapple psychologically with the real situation were facing, because its upsetting. To reach those voters, we need some media coverage that isnt aggressively hostile or deceitful. Thats why the Unity Tour was a brilliant thing for Bernie to do, even if it means getting prodded into sort of endorsing a hack like Ossoff. Bernie is trying a strategy to take over the party from within. To do that means things like Okay, sure, Ill endorse Ossoff. Hed be better than a Republican. But hes no progressive, and we need a progressive movement. And then the Dems scream at him again, and try to squeeze better compliance out of him, but the damage TO THEM is done  lots of discussions of Ossoffs positions, which means more people find out that hes opposed to universal health care. I saw people all over the place in the last few days saying they had given Ossoff money and now they were sorry. Next time, maybe theyll do a better job of vetting the candidates the neoliberal Dems are pushing. And Bernie trundles on, saying things the corporate media has been hiding: how the Democratic Party lost seats all over the country during Obamas term, just how bad that is. Hes shown the DNC Chair to be a boor and a boob. Hes making it much harder for the Democrats to run the play theyre trying to run. Hes slowing down their ability to promulgate numerous false stories about who they are, how popular they are, what policies are popular, where their money goes  all of this is really helpful to any real change, no matter what comes next.

The effort to beat Sanders into line became more obviously two-faced with another hack job, this one in the New York Times, At a Unity Stop in Nebraska, Democrats Find Anything But.

The cause celebre is that Sanders has backed a young progressive, Heath Mello, who is running for mayor of Omaha. Per the fixation of the Democrats with the top of the ticket, since when have they cared about a mayoral campaign, particularly in flyover?

Mellos offense is that he is being depicted as anti-abortion. But that is a trumped up charge. Mello is Catholic. Hes adopted the formula that many Catholic campaigners have so as not to offend fellow Catholics who might be inclined to vote for him: to say hes personally pro-life but politically supports abortion rights.

So what is his sin that has gotten the attack dogs after him, when anyone with an operating brain cell knows the real issue is his economic positions? This is apparently the only real dirt:

Mr. Mello, a practicing Catholic, supported a Nebraska State Senate bill requiring that women be informed of their right to request a fetal ultrasound before an abortion.

Let us contrast that with the actions of Democratic party vice presidential nominee, Tim Kaine, who also took the position that he is personally pro-life but politically supports the right to abortionsper Politico:

He pledged in his 2005 gubernatorial campaign to reduce the number of terminated pregnancies in the state by promoting adoption and abstinence-focused education. That cycle, the state NARAL chapter ripped Kaines GOP opponent, Jerry Kilgore, as an extremely anti-choice candidate but still withheld its endorsement of Kaine because he embraces many of the restrictions on a womans right to choose. In a 2007 NARAL scorecard, Kaine was described as a mixed-choice governor and his state got an F grade thanks in part to a number of laws and other policies restricting access to abortions. Two years later, Kaine upset both local and national reproductive rights groups by signing a law that authorized the sale of customized Choose Life license plates. Kaine argued he was supporting free speech, but his critics complained that the law would fund pro-life organizations and didnt square with another very important hat that he was wearing at the time: Obamas personally picked head of the Democratic National Committee.

And proving how captured groups will go to bat for Team Dem, the validators for the attack on Mello and Sanders are the heads of the American Federation of Teachers and the pro-abortion group NARAL. But did either of them object to Tim Kaines clearly dodgy record? From the same Politico story quoted above:

Tarina Keene, president of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, declined to comment specifically on Kaines stance on abortion. Instead, she issued a statement focused on her groups reasons for endorsing Clinton.

Oh, and what about the sainted Obama, who doesnt have the vexing problem of having been raised Catholic? Or the Clintons?

In fact. both are official backers of the policy devised by Richard Nixon: of having abortions be legal but keeping them scarce by not having the government pay for them. That of course is not problem to the affluent 10% that is the Democratic partys true base. The Hyde Amendment, the legislative embodiment of the no Federal funding of abortions except to save the mothers life or in cases of incest or rape, became law in 1976. The law was made more restrictive in the 1980s. The only change under the Clinton Administration was to allow for Medicaid to cover abortions for rape and incest.

Recall that Hillary Clinton said that in 2008 abortions should be safe, legal and rare, and by rare, I mean rare. categories that are not mutually compatible. And that is consistent with an earlier statement, reflecting her Methodist roots, that she saw abortion as morally wrong.

From an Atlantic story in 2016:

For the most part, Clintons stance matches the official stance of the United Methodist Church, or UMCthe tradition in which she was raised and remains a faithful member.To understand Clinton, according to her husband, you should look first at her Methodist faith. Her youth pastor and lifelong mentor, the Reverend Donald Jones, said she views the world through a Methodist lens.. Clinton has made efforts to reach out to pro-life advocates and, The New York Times reports, she shows sincere respect for those whose stance is motivated by religious belief. It is not clear, however, that the public understands Clintons piety or the depth of her attachment to the Methodist tradition.

Needless to say, that resulted in Clinton in having a nuanced position on abortion that might look a tad too equivocal. Again from the Atlantic:

One of Clintons greatest challenges in the run-up to November will be to persuade the Millennialspeople aged 18 to 35who supported Bernie Sanders to go to the polls. Mother Joness Kevin Drum argued recently that young voters appreciated Sanders simple and clear rejection of limits on abortion: Hes for X, full stop. Hes against Y, end of story. Millennials want a decisive answer, Drum said; otherwise it doesnt sound like the truth. Because Clinton is open to regulations on abortion, progressive Millennials may see her as another tired establishment pol who never gives a straight answer about anything.

And Obama, the 11th dimensional chess player whose religion has never seemed to impinge on his politics? Obama issued Executive Order 13535, which extended the Hyde Amendment to Obamacare.

But youd never know that reading the howls of the loyal camp followers, like Lauren Rankin in Allure, who followed close on the heels of the New York Times hit piece with Bernie Sanders Actions Show He Values Votes More Than Women. It apparently does not occur to her that a $15 hour minimum wage and other worker protections will give women a much greater ability to get abortions because more women who are now middle or lower income would be able to pay for them themselves.

And this is yet another demonstration of the Democrats embracing failure. Womens fashion magazines were virtually ordering their readers to support Hillary Clintons campaign. Similarly, a female friend described Alternets pre-election editorial stance as How to have better orgasms while voting for Clinton.

Yet recent polls show that female tribalism didnt work very well. Sanders has more support among women than men. It appears that women are more acutely aware of the precariousness of their financial position that fashion magazine writers and editors are.

In other words, the attacks on Mello and Sanders are rank hypocrisy. If you are card-carrying neoliberal, you are permitted to have nuanced positions on abortion. Bona fide progressives need not apply.

But as much as the mainstream media and orthodox Democrats try to have it both ways, savage Sanders yet win over his base, the more they will prove that he should proceed apace with his bottoms-up takeover campaign.
By Jessica Goodhart. Originally published at Capital and Main

Barely 18 and fresh out of high school, George Estrada was lucky to land a job as a solar installer. He needed work, and the pay  $15 per hour  was not bad for a teenage dad willing to work hard.

The year was 2012. SolarCity  the company cofounded by Elon Musks cousin Lyndon Rive, had just gone public after gobbling up smaller installers across the country. While SolarCity has been an incredible job engine, for some workers the pace of growth has come at a cost. In lawsuits and interviews, workers allege being denied overtime, meal and bathroom breaks, minimum wages, and complain about managers inattention to quality and safety.

At first it was good, Estrada remembers. But four years later, after SolarCity had exploded in size, from 2,500 employees to more than 15,000, Estrada quit, disillusioned by what he says was the companys focus on meeting sales goals over workmanship and the well-being of its employees.

Estrada had taken a ride on what some call the solarcoaster, joining an industry that has provided jobs and opportunity to tens of thousands of workers across the country, even as it has recently faced mass layoffs and employee lawsuits  raising concerns about how fairly workers in a fast-growing, Wall Street-fueled industry are being treated.

No company is more emblematic of the residential solar industrys rollicking ride than SolarCity, with its recognizable fleet of green and white trucks, vast army of salespeople and installers, and its headline-grabbing chairman, Elon Musk, whose electric car company Tesla acquired SolarCity last November, several months before reporting in securities filings that the solar company had shed 3,000 jobs in 2016.

SolarCity, which is based in San Mateo, built its name on a zero-down financing model that leveraged investor dollars and federal tax credits to finance a rapid expansion that has yet to produce positive returns. Its big vision captured the imagination of environmentalists like Bill McKibben, who wrote a 2015 New Yorker article that quoted chief executive officer Rive proclaiming that his goal was to get solar on a rooftop every three seconds. The climate crisis seemed to demand that kind of vision and scale of operation.

The industry also includes smaller regional firms such as Sullivan Solar Power in San Diego, where Estrada went to work after leaving SolarCity. Started in 2004, Sullivan Solar Power built its customer base slowly and aimed at creating a highly trained and well-compensated workforce. Estrada would find a different pace of work there, one that he says has allowed him to focus more care on each customer and to build a future as a skilled electrician, able to find work in any industry.

At SolarCity, crews are provided with panel pay, a bonus system that incentivizes speed by paying installers for every panel they install if that rate is higher than their hourly wage. According to Estrada, the rapid pace led to leaky roofs when holes drilled to secure the panels werent properly sealed, requiring return visits after customers complained.

It is impossible to know whether the companys incentive system led to sloppy workmanship, but complaints of roof leaks following SolarCity installations do appear on the Better Business Bureaus website. Homes outfitted with solar are required to pass muster with city building inspectors.

Estrada claims he was asked by supervisors to accept bonuses in exchange for not reporting overtime. Because of the pace of work, he was unable to get time off to be with his family, he says. In 2016, he quit, before the company began laying off workers.

SolarCity declined to comment for this story.

Some workers I interviewed spoke highly of the company, crediting SolarCity with providing ample training and promotion opportunities, generous benefits, as well as a chance to be part of an innovative company on the forefront of the move toward clean energy. One former installer, a graduate of Homeboy Industries training program, described SolarCity as the best job I ever had and is now earning $55,000 a year as an inspector for the company. Kevin Midei, who worked as an installer in Maryland in 2015, and who now runs his own business, says SolarCity is cool and forward-looking, and, he says, in reference to the 2016 layoffs, like any other young industry, it faces ups and downs.

George Estrada, however, is hardly alone in criticizing SolarCitys employment practices. Ravi Whitworth, another installer, and four other plaintiffs, are seeking class action status in an amended complaint filed in March in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, claiming that the company denied them overtime, minimum wages, meal and rest breaks.

The company did not provide its workers access to bathrooms during worktime, requiring them to urinate in bottles or buckets while on the job, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs  installers from various parts of California  claim to represent 2,000 workers at the company.

One of the lawsuits allegations  that SolarCity failed to compensate installers for travel between jobs  was repeated in another lawsuit by former SolarCity crew leader John Zazueta, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2016.

Zazueta also alleges he was fired by SolarCity after he refused to perform electrical work under conditions he deemed unsafe. His charge echoes Estradas claim that, when he worked out of the San Diego warehouse, certified electricians would get fired if they asked too many questions.

Some of the lawsuit allegations are also echoed by Jake, a Southern California field inspection coordinator for SolarCity who requested that his real name not be used in this article. He confirmed that installers clock out between jobs and also said the company was not always forthcoming with promised wages.

Theres the thing where they promise if you get it done in a certain amount of time, you get this bonus pay, but it never happens, he said. Jake has spent about four years in the industry, with a year and a half of that at SolarCity, and earns $16 per hour. He too hopes to become an electrician.

SolarCity is not the only firm to face adversity recently. Even though business is strong for many installers, the residential solar industrys other large national firms, including Vivint and Sungevity, have also had a difficult year, according to Energywire. A chaotic layoff at Sungevity, which declared insolvency in March, prompted the filing of a lawsuit by workers alleging the company violated laws requiring advance notice of mass layoffs.

Nicholas De Blouw, an employment attorney, works at a firm that has brought lawsuits seeking class action status for employees at the big solar companies, including Verengo, Sunrun, Vivint and SolarCity. These companies focus on meeting corporate targets has caused them to run afoul of California labor law, he says.

Its a classic example of these big corporations caring about one thing  especially if they are filing IPOs [initial public offerings] on the stock exchange  they care about the shareholders bottom line. Employees in the field are the ones that get the squeeze, says De Blouw.

Sitting in the backyard of an Escondido customers home, Estrada is happy, having finished a days work installing panels for Sullivan Solar Power, where he went to work in 2016 after leaving SolarCity.

Estrada is in a five-year electrical apprenticeship programwith a steady wage progressionthat gives him access to full health, dental and vision benefits while he earns $17.25 per hour. It took him four months to quality for the program, a process that included tests and interviews, and that puts him on a path to be an electrician, where he will be able to earn more than $90,000 per year.

Youre talking about a way different story, says Estrada who, at 23, has a second child on the way. Here we take our time, he adds. We replace every tile. We double-test everything. Like every apprentice in the firm, he always works under the supervision of a journeyman electrician.

Sullivan Solar Power doesnt have the reach of SolarCity. Since its inception in 2004, the company has served more than 6,000 homes in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties, to SolarCitys 300,000 in more than 20 states. Still, it is a major player in San Diego, voted by San Diego Union Tribune readers as the best solar company in the area and listed by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country seven years in a row. It has about 150 employees and revenues of $50 million a year, according to its founder, Daniel Sullivan.

Sullivan brings to the job his background as an electrician and hires workers through International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hiring halls. He acknowledges that using union labor costs more, but says that what he spends on the front end he saves by only having to do the job once. Homeowners are installing a generating system on the roof of their most valuable asset, he points out. The company has no customer complaints on the Better Business Bureau website.

The company also has a different approach to growth than SolarCity. Whereas SolarCity, a public company, has relied on Wall Street investors to finance its rapid expansion, Sullivan Solar Power has reinvested its profits.

Of course, the vast majority of residential solar companies do not hire union labor through hiring halls. But Sullivan Solar Powers employment practices are the norm for firms that are building the giant, utility-scale solar arrays in the desert, according to Carol Zabin, co-chair of the University of California, Berkeleys Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy. The benefits of union jobs in the solar industry go far beyond higher wages, says Zabin.

The state-approved apprenticeship programs used by union firms give workers a set of skills and capabilities that can be used broadly, not only in solar, but in all kinds of other kinds of construction projects, giving workers a real career, not just a job as a solar installer, making them much more employable, Zabin says.

The entire solar industry is becoming more serious about training and there are good jobs to be had at union and non-union firms alike, according to Brano Goluza, an associate professor at L.A. Trade Technical College, who has run a renewable training program for the past 10 years. Whereas five years ago, companies were looking for bodies, Goluza says, now they are requiring board certifications and are also looking for licensed electricians and other tradespeople.

A new and fast-growing industry, solar is like a teenager going through the expected growing pains, according to Goluza.

In spite of President Trumps pro-fossil-fuel agenda, the demand for clean energy alternatives is not going away, Goluza adds. Growth has slowed in the rooftop solar industry in the past year, but many see the evolution of battery storage technology and vehicle electrification as promising for the long-term health of the residential solar industry.

And industry leaders have been cautiously optimistic that Republicans will leave be the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), a major policy driver of rooftop solar, in spite of Trumps efforts to roll back the Clean Power Plan.

There is support for solar on both sides of the aisle, according to Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. She said that the extension of the tax credit, which will ramp down over time, was developed and passed by the same folks who remain in control of Congress.

As long as there are more homes going solar, thats good news for George Estrada who, after a long day on a rooftop, says he loves his work.

You do something different every day. Youre out in the sun, Estrada says. Nothings better than this.
Jerri-Lynn here: This post reminds us of the role states play in policing and repressing protest over pipeline and fracking activities. With the Trump administration formally committed to promoting these activities, and judicial appointments expected to push courts further rightward, protestors looking to challenge such activities face formidable obstacles.

By Steve Horn, is an Indianapolis, IN-based Research Fellow for DeSmogBlog and a freelance investigative journalist and past reporter and researcher at the Center for Media and Democracy. His writing has appeared in Al Jazeera America, The Guardian, Vice News, The Intercept, Vocativ, Wisconsin Watch, Truth-Out, AlterNet, NUVO, Isthmus and elsewhere. Originally published at DeSmogBlog

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a report titled, Potential Domestic Terrorist Threats to Multi-State Diamond Pipeline Construction Project, dated April 7 and first published by The Washington Examiner.

The DHS field analysis report points to lessons from policing the Dakota Access pipeline, saying they can be applied to the ongoing controversy over the Diamond pipeline, which, when complete, will stretch from Cushing, Oklahoma to Memphis, Tennessee. While lacking credible information of such a potential threat, DHS concluded that the most likely potential domestic terrorist threat to the Diamond Pipeline  is from environmental rights extremists motivated by resentment over perceived environmental destruction.

The Washington Examiner is owned by conservative billionaire Philip Anschutz, a former American Petroleum Institute board member. His company, Anschutz Exploration Corporation, is a major oil and gas driller involved in the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in states such as Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Paul Bedard, the Examiner columnist who published the document and an article about it, did not respond to repeated requests for comment from DeSmog about how he obtained it or who leaked it to him.

In his story, Bedard did not explain how he obtained the document marked Unclassified / For Official Use Only, and the memo is not up on the DHS website. The DHS also did not respond to multiple requests for comment, nor did Fox News 13 in Memphis, which also ran a story on the memo.

Anschutz, a major Republican Party donor, formerly owned the company Pacific Energy Partners,which was sold to Lehman Brothers and then immediately to Plains All American for $2.4 billion in 2006. The Diamond pipeline is co-owned by Valero Energy and Plains All American, which also co-owns two other pipelines, the Saddlehorn Pipeline and the Grand Mesa Pipeline, which carry the same type of oil Anschutz drills in the DJ Basin from Colorado to Cushing, Oklahoma.

DHS Reports Sources

In the reports preamble, it states that This product is intended to assist government, law enforcement, emergency managers, and private sector security partners in preventing and responding to potential threats during construction of the pipeline. DHS also admits in the report that its analysis is in large part based upon open source materials, or those collected mostly by doing online research.

The information used in this [Field Activity Report] is drawn from open source reporting, DHS reporting, and other law enforcement intelligence reports, wrote DHS.

We have medium confidence in the information obtained from open sources, which includes media and NGO reports and websites whose information is credibly sourced and plausible but may contain biases or unintentional inaccuracies. When possible, open source information has been corroborated through other law enforcement and government sources.

Pointing to Dakota Access Pipeline Battle

A major part of the report, based on information from DHS and its Fusion Centers in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Arkansas, details other incidents identified as potential parallels for conflicts surrounding the Diamond pipeline. The Dakota Access pipeline is prominent among those featured in the analysis.

While the Diamond Pipeline project has not seen the same level of disruption as the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), we are concerned that negative perceptions about enforcement efforts against DAPL opponents could inspire like-minded individuals to seek out reprisal violence against similar targets, including the Diamond Pipeline,the report reads.

We have medium confidence in our assessment that potential attacks against the Diamond Pipeline or related entities would most likely be simple and designed to damage physical infrastructure or equipment by sabotage or arson. Our judgment is based on our review [of] law enforcement information, open source information, and official government reports on tactical trends in historical attacks and trends in attacks against DAPL construction efforts in 2016.

The Diamond pipeline, set to cross through territory which includes the infamous, 19th-century forced relocation of Native American tribes known as the Trail of Tears, has come under opposition by citizens in all the states it traverses. Like Dakota Access and the encampment set up at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, the Choctaw Nation has announced it will open a similar one called Oka Lawa Camp, situated near the town of McCurtain, Oklahoma.

Dakota Access protesters at the Standing Rock site often clashed with out-of-state police brougt in to North Dakota with heavily militarized garb and gear. Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, who oversaw the emergency response at Standing Rock, is now advising other states as they prepare for protests over the Keystone XL pipeline, recently approved by President Donald Trump.

Oklahoma Pipeline Protest Bills and DAPL

The DHS report isnt the only sign of backlash against pipeline opponents unfolding in the Sooner State.

On February 28, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed HB 1123, which was introduced by Republican Rep. Scott Biggs and sets harsh mandatory punishments for trespassing and a list of other crimes related to critical infrastructure. In the most severe scenario, citizens could receive a felony sentencing, $100,000 fine, and/or 10 years in prison if their actions willfully damage, destroy, vandalize, deface or tamper with equipment in a critical infrastructure facility.

The bill, currently under consideration by the state Senate, defines critical infrastructure mostly as it pertains to oil and gas industry-related assets, including oil and gas pipelines.



Credit: Oklahoma House of Representatives

Minutes before voting on the bill, Biggs  who received a $1,000 campaign contribution from Energy Transfer Partners for his successful 2016 electoral run  cited protests in other states as the impetus for the legislation.

Across the country, weve seen time and time again these protests that have turned violent, these protests that have disrupted the infrastructure in those other states, he said on the House floor, as reported by StateImpact Oklahoma, a state-level National Public Radio affiliate. This is a preventative measure  to make sure that doesnt happen here.

Similarly, the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association pointed to protests at Standing Rock as the rationale behind Biggs bill.

Coinciding with that bills passage in the House, Republican Rep. Mark McBride introduced the related bill HB 2128, which grants companies the ability to bring civil damages lawsuits in similar scenarios outlined in HB 1123. It also calls for civil liability for those paying the salaries of paid protesters.

A person who is arrested or convicted of trespass may be held liable for any damages to personal or real property while trespassing, reads the bill, which passed in the House on March 2 and now awaits a Senate vote. A person or entity that compensates or remunerates a person for trespassing as described in subsection A of this section, may also be held vicariously liable for any damages to personal or real property committed by the person compensated or remunerated for trespassing.

McBride received a $2,500 contribution for his 2016 campaign from Continental Resources  a company whose oil flows through Dakota Access. He said his bill will help get rid of paid protesting from potential out-of-state activists opposing the Diamond pipeline.

What this bill does, if you are a paid protester and you cause damage to public or private property, we will hold the person who paid you liable for the damages, he said on the House floor minutes before his bill passed. You can get on your computer and Google paid protesters, theres websites there that hook people up to paid protesting. We currently have a pipeline that [will go] through Oklahoma and theyve already said that theyre moving people from North Dakota down here to protest that pipeline, so I think its something we want to be ahead of and not let it happen like in North Dakota.

McBride also made the unsupported claim that those protesting Dakota Access were paid $3,000 per month for their activism and recevied an arrest bonus. Minutes after McBrides bill passed, Arnella Karges  executive vice president of the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association  tweeted out her thanks to him for his work and leadership on this important issue.

The Oklahoma American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has come out against both bills, saying their purpose is to quell free speech and public protest.

The First Amendment protects our right to stand in the Capitol rotunda, Ryan Kiesel, executive director of the Oklahoma ACLU, recently told the Oklahoma Gazette. It also protects the rights of Oklahomans and Americans to engage in speech and activity, knowing that if they engage in civil disobedience, that the penalties they face should not be disproportionate. If we chill and keep people home, away from the cameras and away from the public they are trying to wake up on any number of issues, we are doing a real disservice to our democracy.

Similar anti-protest bills have been introduced in 19 different statehouses nationwide so far in 2017. Among those states are Tennessee, where the Diamond Pipeline terminates, and where the Senate has introduced legislation which offers civil lawsuit immunity to a person driving an automobile who is exercising due care and injures another person who is participating in a protest or demonstration and is blocking traffic in a public right-of-way.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (David Kaye) and its Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (Maina Kiai) recently came out in opposition to the slate of bills, as well.

If enacted, the Bills would highly curtail the rights to freedom of opinion and peaceful assembly in ways that are incompatible with US obligations under international human rights law, they wrote, pointing to the Oklahoma legislation as particularly problematic. The Bills would have a chilling effect on protestors, stripping the voice of the most marginalized, who often find in the right to assemble the only alternative to express their opinions.

Scare Tactics

Oklahoma University graduate student and Oka Lawa Camp organizer Ashley McCray told DeSmog she sees the DHS report as part of a broader portfolio of scare tactics ultimately coming from powerful corporate interests.

The report was crafted as a scare tactic to help deter folks from practicing their First Amendment rights and their duty as civic citizens, said McCray. This report and the pending legislation are just two pieces of multifarious evidence we have that show the lengths to which politicians will cater to Big Oil.

As DeSmog reported in 2013, a DHS Fusion Center in Nebraska had similarly labeled anti-Keystone XL activists as potential eco-terrorists, based on questionable evidence. An open records request submitted to Oklahomas Fusion Center by DeSmog was denied on the grounds that it dealt with an ongoing investigation. Requests submitted to the Arkansas and Tennessee Fusion Centers are still pending.

DHS Fusion Centers exist as an information-sharing and intelligence-gathering network between the federal government, state-level governments, and localities. Their activities have come under fire by civil liberties advocates, with many civil liberties abuses documented in a 141-page 2012 U.S. Senate report.

The pipeline, which will cross six rivers including the Mississippi River, has received the two permits it needs from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and necessary state-level permits. It is currently under construction.

We will not be deterred, said McCray. We will continue to move forward to raise awareness to what is happening in Oklahoma and throughout the route of the Diamond Pipeline as well as continue to create unity between the people who are being affected. We do so in a completely peaceful and prayerful manner and we will continue to counteract their spin factors and scare tactics in the same way.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends most of her time in Asia and is currently researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National.

This week has started with much sturm und drang as Trump closes in on the 100 day milestone  the benchmark for presidential achievement set by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) in 1933.

Its worth recapping what FDR achieved in those first 100 days after his March 4, 1933 inaugural address actually 105, but that tidbit has been left out of the story. Major legislation included: the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the Glass-Steagall Act, the National Industrial Recovery Act, and the Securities Act, as well as the creation of the Civilian Conservation Crops, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Works Progress Administration, a record summarized in this Time magazine account, The First 100 Days. Some of these measures were later tweaked or modified, while some initiatives were subsequently overturned by the courts.

The purpose of this post, however, is not to discuss FDRs legacy formidable as it remains and one thats especially vivid if you ever have the chance to stroll around Hyde Park, site of his home and the first US presidential library.

Instead, I wish to discuss how congressional Republicans and Trump are using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) enacted as part of Newt Gingrichs Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 to roll back regulations drafted in the waning days of the his predecessors administration. As I wrote in my first post on this issue, Republicans to Use CRA to Roll Back Midnight Rules and Benefit Oil Companies, the CRA allows rules finalized during the past 60 session days to be overturned, by a simple majority vote in both houses on a CRA resolution of disapproval, using expedited procedures, followed by a presidential signature. If the president vetoes the CRA resolution, the regulation could still be rescinded if a 2/3 majority in each house votes to override the presidential veto. Crucially and importantly, once the regulation has been successfully voided, the regulatory agency is barred from reviving the rule in substantially the same form foreverin the absence of new legislative authority.

Rollback of Fourteen Midnight Regulations

Now, as I pointed out in that earlier post, the 1996 legislation had only been used once before to roll back a regulation an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ergonomic rule squelched early in George W. Bushs administration. Yet just because CRA authority hadnt so far been extensively used, doesnt mean it wasnt there to be used. If agencies had paid more attention to CRAs deadlines during the electoral cycle and completed their necessary rule-makings more quickly in 2016, the CRA may not have come into play at all (more on this below). As just one example discussed at greater length in my January post, as well as other posts linked within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had tarried in its Dodd-Frank rule-making efforts, and its resource extraction issuers rule forcing disclosure of payouts (ahem, bribes) made to secure benefits was one of first measures to end up on the CRA chopping block.

So far, 14 rules have been rolled back, covering a variety of issues, including abortion funding, drug testing, education performance, environmental protection, government procurement, gun control, internet privacy, land use, retirement plans, and teacher preparation. And just last week, Press Secretary Sean Spicer took the administrations latest victory lap for its s CRA record, in his April 19 press briefing:

As Ive mentioned here, were now at a dozen Congressional Review Act pieces of legislation that have been signed that have had, I think, a very positive impact and will have a very positive impact on job creation. When you  and Ive noted before to you that only one had ever been signed in history before  thats a pretty significant achievement for this President.

The Congressional Research Service has determined that any rule made final on or after June 13, 2016, is in theory, vulnerable to a CRA resolution of disapproval, according to a New York Times DealBook article, Republicans Paths to Unraveling the Dodd-Frank Act that I discussed further in my February post, Republicans Deploy CRA Authority to Roll Back Regulations. Sixty session days means that sometime next month, well reach the limit and know exactly which rule-makings remain valid, and which have been more or less permanently rescinded absent new legislative authority and further rule-making procedures.

Rolling Back the Rollback?

Not so fast. Last week, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Anchorage, Alaska, in which it:

challenges the revocation, and seeks reinstatement, of a [Department of the Interior] rule that protects wolves, bears and other wildlife in national wildlife refuges in Alaska from cruel and ecologically harmful predator control practices, such as killing wolves and their pups in dens and gunning down grizzly bears at bait stations.The Center also challenges the revocation of, and seeks to preserve, Interiors authority to enact future rules to protect predators consistent with its statutory mandates to conserve natural diversity on Alaska wildlife refuges (citations omitted).

The plaintiff alleges that the CRA provision that bars any future rules in substantially the same form as the revoked rule imposes a constraint on future rulemaking violates the separation of powers that must be maintained between the legislative and executive branches under the U.S. Constitution.

Its extremely unlikely that the plaintiffs will succeed in this lawsuit, and manage to overturn the CRA as discussed further in this New York Times piece, Group Sues Trump for Repealing U.S. Wildlife Rule in Rare Legal Challenge. In fact, I think the suit is likely to be dismissed before the court considers the merits, on the grounds that the plaintiffs have failed to establish standing to sue. So the CRA is likely to continue to be good law.

Yet until the suit (and any similar actions), wind their way through the courts to their ultimate resolution, the minuscule possibility that the CRA might be overturned on constitutional or other grounds exists.

The CRAs Outer Limits

So, its extremely unlikely that any pending or future lawsuits would cause the CRA to be overturned resurrecting some or all the 14 revoked rule makings (as well as any further ones that might occur).) Yet as I wrote in my February post, Republicans Deploy CRA Authority to Roll Back Regulations, theres reason to think that CRAs scope may be greater than has so far been widely acknowledged in providing authority to overturn rules that are seemingly long-settled. Permit me to quote form that post:

Kimberley Strassels WSJ piece, A Regulatory Game Changer,has attracted lots of chatter, for its assertion that the CRA could be used to rescind rules that go back as far as 2009. Strassel makes two arguments. First, she points out that the CRA mandates any federal agency promulgating a rule to submit a report on said rule to the House and Senate, and recognizes that the 60-day window for invoking CRA is triggered by the later of when the rule is published in the Federal Register or when Congress receives the report. At least in theory, if current regulators were to submit the missing reports no matter when the underlying rule was finalized Congress could invoke the CRA and pass a resolution of disapproval and invalidate the rule. Strassel asserts that there are rules for which no required reports were filed, which suggests that potentially more rules could be rescinded under CRA procedures: Bottom line: There are rules for which there are no reports. Really? Im willing to believe there are. Unfortunately, she fails to identify any specific rule. Another potential problem, according to Strassel, is the CRAs expansive definition of what counts as a rule which extends beyond measures published in the Federal Register to include guidance that agencies issue (e.g., on transgender bathrooms or on campus sexual assault). This means in theory that the CRA could be invoked against any rules or guidance dating back to 1996, when it was passed, for which results were not correctly filed.

Now, since I wrote that post, the administration has failed to act on this broader interpretation, and in fact seems to acknowledge that the 60-day review period for CRA resolutions will expire next month. But in another April op-ed piece, the Wall Street Journal doubled down on the interpretation that the full scope of the CRA has yet to be tested, in Trumps Deregulation Project. Allow me to quote from that piece at length:

But our colleague Kimberley Strassel has explained how the law applies to past rules that agencies failed to report to Congress as required. The same is true for guidance letters, such as the Education Departments sexual assault Dear Colleague, that were imposed with the force of law without having to go through a public comment period. The Administration could require agencies to work up lists of rules that were not properly reported, and send them up for rejection. Bonus: If Congress disproves a rule, the CRA stipulates that an agency cannot issue the same regulation again. That is much more powerful than perennial blue-ribbon regulatory commissions or a pledge to identify two old regulations to replace for every new one, which usually achieve less than advertised. The minds behind this interpretation are the Heritage Foundations Paul Larkin and the Pacific Legal Foundations Todd Gaziano, who helped write the CRA. They are combing federal records for potential candidates. There appear to be hundreds, and heres an example: The EPAs interpretation of the Supreme Courts Rapanos opinion in its waters of the U.S. rule, which has let the agency pummel property owners with tenuous claims about drainage into navigable waters. Some Republicans may want to move on to other legislative priorities, and floor time is limited. But agencies could report a handful of rules at a time so as not to swamp the House and Senate as they consider the budget or Mr. Trumps nominees.

I admit that I havent been able to decide whether this more expansive interpretation of what the CRA allows is valid. Nor has there been any real consensus one way or another among the practitioners Ive consulted. But I will go out a bit on a limb here. If significant obstacles continue to obstruct Trump legislative achievements in areas such as immigration, healthcare, the budget, and tax cuts not to mention the debt ceiling issue I believe the Trump administration may decide to test the limits of what the CRA might allow in terms of rolling back regulations. Already, Spicer is presenting the limited successes thus far as a major achievement. The temptation to continue to pursue further CRA rollbacks will only increase as Trump beings to understand how difficult legislation is to achieve even when both executive and legislative branches are controlled by the same party.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 24

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan April 25, the press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.

It is expected that Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will receive the Turkish foreign minister.

In addition, the Turkish delegation will hold talks in the Senate (the upper house) of the Uzbek Parliament, the ministries of foreign affairs and foreign trade.
'It wasn't meant to be': Chandler Smith comes up short in third Chandler Smith talks about what more was needed tonight and what could've been done differently as he puts a cap on the season.
(Natural News) If you are familiar with the fraudulent practices of the pharmaceutical industry, then you know how much power some of these companies have. Cancer drugs are a multi-billion dollar business. In the past, we have seen Big Pharma use the power of the state to grant themselves monopolies on drugs to control the market. We have also seen outrageous price rises in many useful and necessary drugs. In light of this information, the following story should come as no great shock.

After getting its hands on leaked internal documents, including emails and presentations, The London Times recently revealed that one of the worlds leading drug companies created artificial shortages and threatened to destroy supplies of life-saving cancer drugs to drive up prices in Europe.

South African company Aspen Pharmacare, whose European headquarter is based in Dublin, wanted to impose a rise of up to 4,000 percent after purchasing the portfolio of cancer drugs from the British firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for more than 270 million (or nearly $350 million) in 2009.

After they had bought the rights to five cancer medicines, they started to drive up the price. Since the patent had long expired on drugs that Aspen bought, and there was no competition from other manufacturers, Aspen had free reign. In England and Wales, they exploited a loophole that enables a company to impose rises if an existing brand name is dropped. In 2013, the company raised the cost of the leukemia drug busulfan from 5.20 ($6.66) to 65.22 ($83.59), while the price of the blood cancer medicine chlorambucil jumped from 8.36 ($10.72) per pack to 40.51 ($51.92).

Since 2012, Aspen Pharmacare actively tried to impose higher prices on its cancer drugs throughout Europe. The leaked cache documents cited by The Times showed that employees called for celebrations over price hikes of cancer drugs.

Weve signed new reimbursement and price agreement successfully: Price increases are basically on line with European target prices (Leukeran, a bit higher!) Lets celebrate! an Aspen employee wrote in one of the emails.

Aggressive approach to negotiating with European authorities

In October 2013 Aspen threatened to stop supplying medicines if Italian authorities did not agree to price rises of up to 2,100 percent. Temporary drug shortages were orchestrated to increase pressure.

At one point, a pharmacist wrote to Aspen and its Italian distributor to complain that due to a deliberately small supply of cancer medicine he had to choose which of sick two children was to receive the single package of medicine he had left.

And Italy was not the only country suffering from the unscrupulous business practices of the firm. Several other countries including Belgium, Germany, and Greece reported significant shortages of cancer medicine at about the same time.

In 2014 several staff members at Aspen Pharmacare systematically plotted to destroy stocks of life-saving cancer drugs during a price dispute with the health service in Spain. At some point, they stopped the direct supply of five drugs, leaving patients reliant on foreign packs of expensive medicine.

When an employee at Aspens headquarters asked what he should do with existing Spanish packages of the medicine, a senior executive replied that they could not be sold due to a price dispute, adding that donating or destroying the entire stock were the only options.

In yet another email from the company, employees discussed whether they would make more money if they sold cancer drugs destined for Italy in Spain, even though that would mean putting Italy out of stock. (Related: Read more about the Big Pharma drug cartels at DrugCartels.news.)

These internal emails showed corruption on a whole new level. To increase the profits, Aspen was plotting to destroy supplies of medicines to create temporary shortages to increase pressure and eventually get what they wanted. Though the emails provide clear evidence of their inhumane practices of putting profits before people. Aspen did not address questions about the destruction of cancer drugs.

In the companys defense, Dennis Dencher, chief executive of Aspen Pharma Europe, said the price rises were at levels appropriate to promote long-term sustainable supply to patients and claimed they had been increased from a very low and unsustainable base.

Stay informed about the horrible practices of the cancer industry at CancerScams.com.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

TheTimes.co.uk

Independent.co.uk
(Natural News) Vitamin D intake may help keep common colds and flu at bay, British researchers found. Various studies have previously established that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of respiratory infections, and the recent analysis further emphasizes the vitamins role in boosting the immune system. To test this, researchers at the Queen Mary University of London pooled data from 25 separate trials with a total cohort population of 11,321 participants.

The research team found that vitamin D supplementation provided a modest protective effect against respiratory infections. Lead researcher Dr. Adrian Martineau said vitamin D supplements helped reduce the risk of developing respiratory illnesses such as colds and flu by 10 percent. Participants suffering vitamin D deficiency were shown to benefit more from supplementation.

According to researchers, vitamin D supplementation may help prevent respiratory infection in one out of 33 individuals. In contrast, flu vaccination may prevent infection in one out of 40 individuals. This suggests that vitamin D supplementation could be a more ideal preventive against respiratory conditions. The findings were published in the British Medical Journal.

Vitamin Ds protective effects seen in more studies

Vitamin D supplementation helped reduce respiratory infections in elderly population, according to a 2016 study. As part of the study, researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus examined 107 patients with an average age of 84 years old. The patients were given either higher monthly vitamin D doses or lower daily vitamin D doses. The study revealed that patients who had higher doses exhibited a 40 percent reduction in acute respiratory diseases after a year. However, researchers stressed that the findings warrant further research.

This finding requires a confirmatory trialThis is a potentially life-saving discovery. There is very little in a doctors arsenal to battle ARI, especially since most are viral infections where antibiotics dont work. But vitamin D seems able to potentially prevent these infections. If our results are confirmed by a larger trial, high dose vitamin D, ideally using daily dosing to minimize fall risk, has the potential for substantial public health benefit through ARI prevention for the large and growing population of long term care residents, wrote lead author Dr. Adit Ginde in ScienceDaily.com. The finding were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Another study revealed that higher vitamin D intake may cut the risk of respiratory tract infections. To carry out the study, researchers examined 140 volunteers who were given either vitamin D supplements or placebo. The researchers found that patients in the vitamin D group had a 25 percent decrease in respiratory tract infections at the end of the study period compared with those in the placebo group. The research team also found that patients who took vitamin D supplements reduced their antibiotic use by nearly 50 percent.

Our research can have important implications for patients with recurrent infections or a compromised immune defense, such as a lack of antibodies, and can also help to prevent the emerging resistance to antibiotics that come from overuse. On the other hand, there doesnt seem to be anything to support the idea that vitamin D would help otherwise healthy people with normal, temporary respiratory tract infections, said researcher Dr. Peter Bergman in MedicalNewsToday.com. The results appeared in the journal BMJ Open.

A small study published in 2010 also revealed that vitamin D supplementation helped reduce the incidence of influenza A in children. To assess this, Japanese researchers examined more than 3oo children and found that the incidence of influenza-A infection was only 10.8 percent in those who took vitamin D supplements, compared with 18.6 percent in the control group. The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

You can take better care of your health by reading the articles found in Cures.news.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

BBC.com

NPR.org

ScienceDaily.com

MedicalNewsToday.com

ScienceNews.org
(Natural News) Its no secret that in todays world, the mainstream media and the celebrities that inhabit it are really nothing more than puppets for the highest bidder. Kim Kardashian is a perfect example of this fact: The reality TV star and socialite has come under fire multiple times for her advertisement of a controversial morning sickness drug. Even the FDA sent out a warning letter due to the misleading nature of her previous social media posts regarding the drug, Diceglis. You know its bad when the federal government actually intervenes.

While Kim K first felt the backlash for her unscrupulous advertisement of a product that can cause birth defects in 2015, it seems that Kardashian is taking another swing at promoting the controversial drug. While two years have gone by, opinions about the drug and her endorsement of it havent changed.

When Kim K first promoted the product in 2015, she used her Instagram account to showcase the morning sickness drug to millions of fans  but the FDA didnt take too kindly to the fact that she failed to include an explanation of the risks and side effects associated with the drug. In fact, Kardashian even claimed that Diceglis posed no increased risk to the baby, which is quite simply, untrue. Kardashian also reportedly described how happy she was with the drug and how it made her feel a lot better  so much so that she also announced she would partnering with the company.

The FDA was quick to crack down her post, calling it misleading and irresponsible.

Just a few decades ago, Diceglis was taken off the market due to overwhelming complaints and hundreds of lawsuits claiming that the drug caused birth defects. Now, for some reason, the drug is back on the market. Manufacturer Duchesnay USA claims that these fears about the products safety were unfounded, and it is now considered safe.

Just a few months ago, a medical report also showed that the drug was essentially ineffective and nothing more than a waste of money. And yet, Kim Kardashian has chosen, once again, to advertise the product on her Instagram feed. She posed along with a picture of the previous, highly contested, post, and wrote, Remember this? She went on to describe the benefits of the drug  but this time, she included a link to the FDA website and warned of a potential side effect: Drowsiness.

Diceglis was originally on the market as Bendectin thirty-some-odd years ago, but a series of lawsuits alleging it caused birth defects led to the product being pulled from the marketplace in 1983. Then, Duchesnay stepped in and began selling their product made with the same two active ingredients. But a new study to review data from the original research on the drug, from the 1970s, has left doctors with more questions than answers. (RELATED: Learn more about other harmful effects of medications at DangerousMedicine.com)

Study co-author Dr. Navindra Persaud, a researcher at St. Michaels Hospital and the University of Toronto in Canada, says that there is little evidence the drug is effective  and that some of their findings have provoked questions on whether or not the drug should have even been approved. While the initial trial claimed that the drug was 14 percent more effective than placebo, the validity of this finding may not be up to par. Thirty-seven percent of the placebo group dropped out of the study before its completion, and data for 30 patients were excluded from analysis. Supposedly, this was because the data was recorded without a record of patient visits. The Daily Mail reports that Dr. Persaud said, women prescribed this drug should stop taking it and speak to their doctors about other options to treat morning sickness.

If nothing else, the take away from this is that just because a celebrity is willing to use their face to sell you a product doesnt mean its worthwhile.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

Mirror.co.uk

NBCNews.com
No, the origin of this particular "hobbit species" is not the Shire. Scientists revealed that the Homo floresiensis, dubbed as hobbits for its tiny stature, likely evolved from an ancestor from Africa and not the Homo erectus as previously believed.

According to a report from Phys Org, researchers from the Australian National University discovered that while the Homo erectus was the only other hominid who lived in the same region of Indonesia, there's no evidence linking it to the Homo florensiensis who's known to have lived in Indonesian island Flores as recently as 54,000 years ago. Instead, the study revealed that the latter was more likely to be a sister species of Homo habilis, one of the earliest human species from Africa 1.75 million years ago.

"The analyses show that on the family tree, Homo floresiensis was likely a sister species of Homo habilis," study leader Dr. Debbie Argue said. "It means these two shared a common ancestor. It's possible that Homo floresiensis evolved in Africa and migrated, or the common ancestor moved from Africa then evolved into Homo floresiensis somewhere."

The recent research was more comprehensive, using 133 data points all over the body, as opposed to previous studies which targeted just the skull and jaw.

Argue pointed out that their findings show that there's no evidence supporting the theory that Homo floresiensis evolved from the Homo erectus. In fact, a number of features -- like the structure of the jaw -- even suggest that the floresiensis were more primitive than the erectus.

One possibility is that the hobbit species could have branched off over 1.75 million years ago, evolving even before the earliest Homo habilis.

"When we did the analysis there was really clear support for the relationship with Homo habilis," Professor Mike Lee of Flinders University and the South Australian Museum said.

Lee added that they are 99 percent sure that Homo floresiensis, which occupies a "primitive position on the human evolutionary tree," has no relation to Homo erectus and is not a malformed Homo sapiens.

The research was published in the Journal of Human Evolution.
A drone footage of a blue whale feeding off the New Zealand Coast has been captured by researchers from the Oregon State University. The rare recording shows that the big mammals are picky eaters, and they won't consume the meal, unless its size is worth their effort.

On the video (see below), the big mammal is seen lunging towards a big patch of krill, roughly about its size. As it approaches its meal diligently, it turns on its side, pumps its flukes and increases its speed to about 6.7 miles per hour. On the other hand, another scenario shows the whale passing through a smaller patch of krill without feeding on it.

"Modeling studies of blue whales 'lunge-feeding' theorize that they will not put energy into feeding on low-reward prey patches," said lead researcher Leigh Torres, a principal investigator with the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, in a statement.

"Our footage shows this theory in action. We can see the whale making choices, which is really extraordinary because aerial observations of blue whales feeding on krill are rare," Torres added.

As mentioned by Smithsonian Magazine, a blue whale can reach up to 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tons. In comparison, a male African elephant only weighs six tons.

With its behemoth size, it consumes a lot of energy when accelerating or slowing down. Simply opening its mouth to catch its prey can slow it down to 1.1 miles per hour; thereby, it has to be selective and has to consider the amount of krill it can catch in one lunge.

"The whale bypasses certain krill patches -- presumably because the nutritional payoff isn't sufficient -- and targets other krill patches that are more lucrative," Torres said.

The researchers think that the "picky" behavior of blue whales is due to energy conservation. Because of their size, stopping to lunge-feed and then speeding up again requires a high amount of energy. Therefore, they need to choose when to feed to maximize their energy.

According to Whalefacts.org, these giant sea creatures can consume as many as 40 million krill per day through filter-feeding.



World Wildlife Fund (WWF) noted that there are only about 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales globally, making them an endangered species. Climate change poses threat to its population, as warmer temperature may kill krill population, blue whale's top prey.
Kurt Hafner, an Army staff sergeant at Fort Jackson, was arrested after carcasses of 24 dead animals were found inside his apartment in northeast Richland. He was charged with 24 counts of ill treatment to animals.

According to The State, the carcasses were found when Hafner was being evicted in his house, which was described by the police as filthy -- the floors were covered with feces, garbage and Hafner's belongings. Investigator Joseph Clarke said it is the worst animal cruelty case he's ever seen.

"This home was in disarray, to say the least," Clarke told WISTV. "There was a lot of fecal matter from the K-9 that we found deceased. There was personal papers, residual ammunition and personal property belonging to the suspect. The house was in tremendously bad shape with a really bad odor of decomposition."



Among the dead animals are bearded dragons, poisonous snakes, turtles and a dog. The report added that the beagle-mix was found draped in a sheet. Most of the animals died as they were trying to escape their deplorable cages.

According to Sheriff Leon Lott, based on the investigation, the animals have been left in the house without food and water since February.

As per Japan Stripes, the property managers decided to evict Hafner after he refused to let crews inside his unit for a routine maintenance. Before the eviction, neighbors had been complaining about the bad smell reeking from Hafner's unit. Hafner was taken into custody at Fort Jackson.

In many states, abandoning an animal is a criminal offense. However, most only offer misdemeanor charges that include fines and a short period of imprisonment.

According to ABC News, in 2003, five men were arrested after 150 animals from a wholesale pet business were found dead in a warehouse in Mount Vernon, New York. For the horrible act, they only paid a $1,000 fine and spent a year in prison.
It seems like there are a lot more science supporters like Bill Nye than President Donald Trump knows about. There was an outpour of support during the recently concluded "March for Science" protest during Earth Day to fight alternative facts.

The global "March for Science" protest was conducted last Saturday, April 22. The march was instigated to fight what many believe as an "assault on facts" led by some politicians. Some protests aimed directly at Trump, who once said that climate change is a hoax. Trump even passed by some protesters while going about his day.

The March for Science was also conducted during Earth day celebrated last April 22. The group marched to the U.S. Capitol while carrying their pro-signs signage.

"Stop denying the earth is dying," one sign says according to a report. Amidst the rain, the protesters continued to the Washington Monument to march for their cause. March for Science aims to uphold transparency of data with regard to the real condition of the environment.

"Science is political but it is not partisan. Science serves all of us. Together we can -- dare I say it -- save the world! Let's march!" Nye, head of the Planetary Society, said in a statement.

Scientists believe that in order to tackle environmental problems, transparency of data should be acknowledged, which alternative facts are preventing to proliferate. The truth should be out there. Communicating and disseminating information is just one step in dealing with the problem. Accepting the fact that there are indeed problems to be solved is another.

"March for Science" surprisingly mobilized a good number of supporters against one enemy -- alternative facts. Although some say that the protest isn't about President Trump, some believe that the influential leader has a lot to do about the current predicament.

"We have never before had a chief executive with absolutely zero credibility, at home and around the world, on any issue," Denis Hayes, organizer of the 1970 Earth Day said in a statement. "We have never had a President who is absolutely indifferent to fact vs. fiction."




Spring cleaning can lead to some pretty shocking discoveries. Imagine rummaging through your garage and stumbling on a weapon amidst old knick-knacks.



According to a report from Fox25, South Shore veteran Bruce Wescott has spent decades buying and selling antiques for more than 40 years. It's not a new purchase, but the retired postmaster said that it can sometimes take him years before looking over the things he buys.

This time, an explosive surprise was waiting for him in one of his boxes. The 68-year-old actually found a 19th century live cannonball with a fuse still sticking out of it. Upon taking it to a nearby gun shop, Wescott realized the danger of his 15-pound antique bomb.

"'Hey I got a cannonball for you to buy, Civil War $1000!'" Wescott recounted his experience at the gun shop. "He took it right away and said 'buddy that looks live to me, out the door please.'"

The collector drove home, then promptly called the police who instructed him not to touch the cannonball. Wescott left it on his front lawn as the neighbors were evacuated to safety.

The bomb squad took the grapefruit-sized cannonball to the town landfill where they were able to detonate it with no problems, according to a report from Boston Globe. The officers believe that the cannonball was "live ordinance and contained explosives".

"The citizen was very smart," Hull Police Department Chief John Dunn told Boston Globe. "It's refreshing that he would call the police so fast."

No one was injured or hurt in the experience. In fact, Wescott's 92-year-old mother reportedly enjoyed the experience and the attention from "three young strapping firemen".

In the meantime, Wescott will likely be keeping an eye on his antiques.

"I really don't want to deal with cannonballs in the future, I'd rather stay away from cannonballs," Wescott said.
No one knew what to call the mysterious strip of purple and green light that appeared in the sky. So, it was dubbed Steve.

According to a report from the European Space Agency (ESA), its citizen astronomers were the first one to get a glimpse of the strange ribbon of light. Now, the agency's magnetic field Swarm mission has also encountered Steve and is beginning to play their part in understanding this spectacular new-found feature of the northern lights.

"In 1997 we had just one all-sky imager in North America to observe the aurora borealis from the ground," University of Calgary professor Eric Donovan explained at a recent Swarm science meeting in Canada. "Back then we would be lucky if we got one photograph a night of the aurora taken from the ground that coincides with an observation from a satellite. Now, we have many more all-sky imagers and satellite missions like Swarm so we get more than 100 a night."

Social media and citizen astronomers also play a significant role in new discoveries, especially in a phenomenon as popular as the auroras.

Donovan met with several members of a Facebook group called the Alberta Aurora Chasers. From the group's collection of photographs, the professor spotted a bizarre purple streak of light. It was referred to as a "proton arc," but Donovan knew these arcs are invisible and the purple streak must be a different phenomenon.

It was named Steve instead.

Meanwhile, Donovan and other colleagues used data from the Swarm satellites to try and figure Steve out. They managed to match a ground sighting of the lights to a glimpse from one of the satellites.

"As the satellite flew straight though Steve, data from the electric field instrument showed very clear changes," Donovan revealed.

He explained that a temperature about 300 kilometers above the planet's surface increased by about 3,000 degrees Celsius. The data also spotted a 25-kilometer-wide strip of gas moving to the west at a speed of 6 kilometers per second as opposed to the 10 meters per second at either side of it.

It turned out Steve occurs frequently, but the scientific community is only starting to recognize it as a distinct atmospheric phenomenon. Donovan told Gizmodo that he and his colleague Bea Gallardo-Lacourt are working on explaining the conditions that Steve occurs in, which they're planning on publishing.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Apr. 24

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

EU special representative for Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian will visit Uzbekistan on April 26-28, said the press service of the EU delegation in Tashkent.

He is expected to meet with officials, businessmen of Uzbekistan, as well as get acquainted with the EU-funded projects in Uzbekistan, according to the message.

The press service said the EU financial assistance to Uzbekistan will amount to 168 million euros in 2014-2020.

Projects aimed at rural development will be implemented as part of the program of the EU assistance to Uzbekistan.
Berkeley College Republicans and supporters of Ann Coulter are making good on their promise.

A legal team representing the student group and the conservative provocateur on Monday slapped the University of California, Berkeley with a lawsuit claiming the university violated free speech rights when it called off Coulter's speaking visit.

"This case arises from efforts by one of Californias leading public universities, UC Berkeley  once known as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement  to restrict and stifle the speech of conservative students whose voices fall beyond the campus political orthodoxy," the lawsuit read in part.

Berkeley College Republicans scheduled Coulter's visit for April 27, but the university last week called off the event for security reasons.

Days later, the university changed course and allowed the event to go on, but it penciled in her visit for May 2 instead of this upcoming Thursday. That rescheduling decision prompted the student group and Coulter's legal team to promise a lawsuit, which was fulfilled Monday.

The University of California system, UC Berkeley Police Department and numerous university officials were named in the lawsuit.

Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer for Berkeley College Republicans, held a news conference in San Francisco later in the day to discuss the lawsuit.

"Ms. Coulter will pretty much never be allowed to speak at the same time, place and manner as liberal speakers on the Berkeley campus, Dhillon said. "This is unconstitutional."

Meanwhile, Coulter has announced on Twitter she is coming to Berkeley on April 27.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, said the threat of violent protest should convince any sane person to reschedule.

"I believe this is a political effort by her to sell more books, get more attention and promote Ann Coulter," Speier said.

UC Berkeley provided the following statement Monday in response to the lawsuit:

The University of California welcomes speakers of all political viewpoints and is committed to providing a forum to enable Ann Coulter to speak on the Berkeley campus. The allegation contained in the complaint filed by Young Americas Foundation that Ms. Coulter is being prohibited from speaking because of her conservative views is untrue. As the complaint itself notes, Young Americas Foundation has sponsored many other speaking events at UC Berkeley in past years, including that of conservative political commentator and author Ben Shapiro, and the organizations efforts have led many notable conservatives to share their viewpoints with students and the public on campus. UC Berkeley has been working to accommodate a mutually agreeable time for Ms. Coulters visit  which has not yet been scheduled  and remains committed to doing so. The campus seeks to ensure that all members of the Berkeley and larger community  including Ms. Coulter herself  remain safe during such an event.
One college graduate's tweet that recalls the chiling words his stepdad told him years ago has resulted in a viral wave of praise across social media.

Daivon Reeder, 22, took to Twitter last week to tweet a photo of himself smiling in his cap and gown with an ode to his stepdad's previously negative comments.

The tweet read: "My step dad told me it was pointless to go to orientation, I wasn't going to graduate.....4 years later he in jail & I'm well.... "

By Monday, the Detroit native's tweet garnered more than 602,000 likes and 148,000 retweets.

My step dad told me it was pointless to go to orientation, I wasn't going to graduate.....4 years later he in jail & I'm well....  pic.twitter.com/bLftj8BXni  KING  (@daivonreeder) April 20, 2017

"The last few days I've been thinking about all the trials and tribulations I've been going through," Reeder said before he graduated from Eastern Michigan University on Saturday.

Reeder said his stepdad told him there was "no point" of going to college because he would not graduate.

Stuff happens to you. You can run left or right, Reeder said. I ran right in a positive way.

Reeder told Jermont Terry, a reporter at NBC affiliate WDIV-TV, that he did not publish the tweet to bash his stepdad but rather to motivate others who may be faced with challenges. Reeder perservered through school even after losing his academic scholarship.

Terry reports that Reeder will graduate with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a minor in military science.
Former President Barack Obama used his first public appearance since leaving office to dole out advice to young people on leadership, managing social media and even marriage. What he didn't do was mention his successor.

At a forum Monday for students at the University of Chicago, adjacent to where his presidential library will stand, Obama talked about his formative experiences as a community organizer and as a young politician running for office in Illinois. But for much of the panel event, he listened.

"Although there are all kinds of issues that I care about and all kinds of issues that I intend to work on, the single most important thing I can do is to help in any way I can to prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and take their own crack at changing the world," Obama said during event, which was invite-only and streamed live online.

He told the hundreds of area students in the audience that his focus after holding the nation's highest office will be civic engagement with young people, and he that he hopes his presidential library, which will stand near the edge of campus, will be part of that mission.

Since delivering his farewell address in his hometown of Chicago in January, Obama has kept a low profile. He met privately Sunday with a group of at risk young men, talking about gang violence and opportunities for jobs.

His first public engagement Monday came as President Donald Trump neared his 100-day mark in office. But Obama shied away from addressing specific policies or his own two terms as president. When it came to current events, like immigration, he stuck to generalities.

He also gave advice.

When a college student panelist asked how to conduct a project involving interviewing day laborers, Obama told him to ditch the clipboard. When others asked about being young in the age of social media, Obama advised them to limit photos posted online, including being "more circumspect about your selfies."

He also dropped in a marital tidbit, saying it's best to "listen to understand" instead of listening "to respond."

"I learned that in marriage," he said to laughs from the audience. "That'll save you a lot of heartache and grief."

He encouraged students to talk to people who have opposing viewpoints, asking a college Republican panelist to discuss his campus experiences.

Obama said his work as a young organizer, which included meeting with Chicago public housing residents, laid the foundation for his time in office. He said he's been reflecting as he works on a book chronicling his political career.

"This community gave me a lot more than I was able to give in return," he said. "This community taught me that everybody has a story to tell that is important."
An 86-year-old grandfather was killed Monday morning in a raging, 2-alarm house fire sparked by a riding lawn mower in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Bernadino Pellegrino was found dead outside the home. According to the state fire marshal's office, the lawn mower was under the deck of the home on Beaver Village Way when it caught fire, igniting the victim's clothing and causing the house to go up in flames.

The fire eventually caused the roof of the home to collapse.

East Bridgewater Fire Chief Tim Harhen said Pellegrino's wife was able to escape, but there was nothing first responders could do to save him.

"Obviously something terribly went wrong and unfortunately caused his death," Harhen said.

Officials said the fire broke out around 9 a.m. The street remained closed afterward as crews worked to extinguish the fire.

Aerial footage from NBC Boston's SkyRanger helicopter showed the home's solar panels sinking into the roof as flames shot out.

Firefighters from nearby Bridgewater, Brockton, Hanson, West Bridgewater and Whitman also responded to the scene.

Neighbors said they were shocked by the death.

"It's horrible, I can't imagine, I really can't," neighbor Chris Binda said.

Neighbors, family and friends gathered nearby to comfort one another, as the family's pastor tried to help them make sense of it all.

"It's of course an unspeakable tragedy, losing a loved one like this," Father Paul Ring of St. John the Evangelist Church said.

Father Ring said Pellegrino lived with his wife and adult daughter, who cared for them. Their daughter was not home when the fire broke out.

He said while they had medical issues that kept them mostly close to home, Pellegrino had a great spirit and was like a grandfather to the neighborhood children.

"He was a very feisty man," Father Ring said. "He was full of life. He loved his family, he loved being at home, he loved working outside."

The fire remains under investigation by the district attorney's office, East Bridgewater police and the state fire marshal's office.
A group of Massachusetts state senators is traveling to Washington to lobby against some of the budget cuts proposed by President Donald Trump.

State Sen. Sal DiDomenico is leading the group, which plans to be in DC from Tuesday through Thursday.

The Everett Democrat told reporters the lawmakers will sit down with members of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation, but also hope to meet with representatives of key federal agencies, including the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Education, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

DiDomenico said the group wants to show how Trump's proposed cuts would hurt real people in Massachusetts.

He said the lawmakers will pay their own way out of their campaign accounts.

Many members of the state's congressional delegation have been particularly harsh critics of Trump.
Gov. Chris Sununu is voicing his support for legislation to strengthen New Hampshire's rape shield law amid concerns that House lawmakers may try to water it down.

The legislation stems from the case of Seth Mazzaglia, who was convicted of murdering University of New Hampshire student Elizabeth "Lizzi" Marriott, of Westborough, Massachusetts, in 2012. Mazzaglia's lawyers wanted to introduce evidence about Marriott's sexual past during the appeals process, a move the state Supreme Court eventually rejected.

The Marriott family is backing the legislation, which would keep a victim's sexual past from being offered as evidence at any stage of court proceedings.

A House committee votes Tuesday on the bill. The same committee rejected language defining what counts as "sexual activity" from a similar bill earlier this year.

Sununu supports the bill as written.
Illinois is receiving more than $16 million in federal money to help fight a prescription drug addiction crisis.

Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants. The money will go toward prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Duckworth says the money "will go a long way toward ending the opioid epidemic." Durbin says it's a crisis that impacts every community in Illinois, from urban to suburban and rural. [[401282965, C]]

Nationwide, more than 33,000 deaths from opioid-related overdoses were reported in 2015. In Illinois more than 1,835 died in 2015. That's a 16 percent increase over 2013.

A U.S. surgeon general's report found only one in 10 people with a substance use disorder receives the care they need.
Iran ranked as South Korea's second-biggest oil exporter over the first three months of 2017 as it ramped up output to regain market share after sanctions were lifted last year, the first time ever it has claimed the No.2 spot for a quarter, Reuters reported.

South Korea's March imports from Iran more than doubled from a year ago to a record of 18.54 million barrels, or 597,935 barrels per day (bpd), data from state-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) showed on Monday.

For the January-March period of 2017, Iran seized the No.2 spot with shipments of 46.73 million barrels, also more than double from the same period last year and the highest on record for a quarter.

In the first quarter of 2016, Iran was South Korea's fifth-biggest oil supplier behind Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar, according to KNOC data.

This year's surge in Iranian crude supply came after Tehran was exempted from production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to clear a global glut.

Iran's jump to the No.2 spot is also due to solid condensate demand from South Korean refiners such as SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank.

Saudi Arabia held onto its spot as South Korea's top oil supplier for both March and the full quarter.

Shipments from Saudi Arabia rose 10.8 percent in March from a year ago to nearly 26 million barrels, or 838,387 bpd, from 23.46 million barrels last year.

In the first quarter, the world's top oil exporter shipped 77.12 million barrels of crude to South Korea, up 4.4 percent from about 74 million barrels in the same period of 2016, according to the data.

Overall, South Korea's March imports increased 11.7 percent from a year ago to 95.9 million barrels, or 3.09 million bpd, the data showed.

The world's fifth-largest crude importer brought in 278.18 million barrels of crude in the first three months of 2017, up 4.9 percent from 265.3 million barrels last year.
Officials at Indiana University have issued a warning after two attempted abductions occurred in less than an hour on the Bloomington campus early Sunday.

The first incident occurred just after midnight, according to a community alert from the Indiana University Police Department.

Authorities said a woman was walking along the side path of Indiana Highway 45/46 bypass near Bart Kaufman Field on the north side of campus when a man approached and tried to force her into his car.

She was able to escape, according to police, and the suspect fled the area in a newer-model black Toyota sedan.

Less than an hour later, another woman was injured in a second kidnapping attempt that took place less than a mile away.

Officials said the victim was walking on Dunn St. near Gate 7 on the west side of Memorial Stadium around 1 a.m. when the second attack occurred.

Three men believed to be in their 20s drove up in an older-model black Jeep Cherokee and one of them asked the woman if she needed a ride, according to police.

When she refused, officials said she was beaten up, with one of the men knocking her to the ground and causing her to lose a tooth, according to WTHR.

The men then fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Students on campus were on alert after hearing of the attacks, which took place over the schools popular Little 500 weekend.

It was really scary to hear, especially being a young woman, IU student Therese Capriglione told WTHR.

My parents sent me here with pepper spray and I keep it with me, especially because I have night classes, she added. I've been followed here on campus and it's scary and so I just always keep my pepper spray on me.

The area it happened in is close to the dorm we live in and so that was a little bit scary, added Katie Emmert. My mom called me also just to make sure we were okay.

Authorities are urging students and visitors not to walk alone, asking community members to look out for each other.

If you cannot be with a group of trusted friends, tell one or more of them where you are going, whom you will be with, when you expect to return, and let them know you will contact them if anything changes, officials said in a community alert.

No one is in custody in connection with either incident, according to police, who continue to investigate.

Anyone with information on either attack is asked to contact IU police.
Beginning on Monday April 24th, voters will head to the polls to cast their vote in races that could change how North Texas cities are run.

More than a dozen mayoral seats and even more city council seats are up for grabs across the region.

One of the more heated races is for the council seat representing Uptown and much of downtown Dallas.

Two of the three candidates in that race squared off in a debate Sunday evening.

Dozens of eager residents crowded in and around a gazebo at a Dallas restaurant to hear from the Incumbent: Dallas councilman, Philip Kingston and one of his challengers, Attorney Matt Wood.

Many in attendance know who they want leading District 14 the next four years, but not everyone.

I came here not knowing how I was going to vote, said Richard Morgan.

Emmalee Vernon is also an undecided voter.

I came here today to try and figure out the difference between the two candidates, she said.

Vernon says she initially was set on voting for Kingston. However, she received a mailing that detailed many people she respects who also support Wood.

Wood challenged Kingston on his support of using DART money to help solve a public safety pension crisis.

I think that creates two problems out of one, said Wood. I think thats a bad idea. I think it puts the burden on the people who need DART the most.

The DART plan is necessary because the numbers dont work otherwise, responded Kingston.

After the hour-long debate, both candidates feel voters saw fundamental differences between them.

Im a transactional attorney, I bring people together, said Wood. Hes a litigator, he fights. Thats a difference.

I have a long track record of making positive improvements and fighting for their interests and stopping really bad projects and essentially whats being said on the other side is: I want to work with those who seek to harm us, said Kingston.

Morgan still left feeling torn mostly over Kingstons support for a 2-way conversion project on McKinney-Cole.

I like a lot of what Kingston had to say but that McKinney conversion project is really hard to get over, he said.

Candidate Kim Welch, a magazine publisher, was not in attendance.

Welch told NBC 5 that he received the invitation with very little notice and had a prior commitment out of town he could not get out of.

Election Day is Saturday May 6th.
Rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula are causing deep concerns among the many South Koreans who now call North Texas home.

We always knew how dangerous North Korea is said Jasmin Lee of Irving, but I dont think many people realize how more severe it would get.

A student at UT Arlington, Jasmin Lee moved here with her family from Seoul, South Korea at the age of 3.

I dont think its to a point where were too worried, where were really like trembling worried, said Lee, but I think its just that were worried in a way that something possibly may happen but we just dont know what or when.

The only Korean radio station in Texas, AM 730 DKNET Radio in Dallas is hearing from worried listeners.

Some listeners are actually cancelling their visiting plan to Korea right now, but also I hear from one listener, she is visiting next week said Jeremy Kim, AM 730 Chief Producer, shes worrying, but not really thinking something is actually happened.

The stations General Manager still has family in South Korea, and has been calling to check on them.

I really worrying about them and also Korea too , said Minjung Kim, so I called them I said oh we were worried but thats going to be okay so thats what Im hoping and Im praying for.

Nearly 100,000 Koreans now call North Texas home.
Marchers took to the streets of Mid-City and Hollywood Monday to mark the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

The March for Justice began at the Armenian Genocide Martyr's Square at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue. It ended Monday afternoon outside the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles, where it joined another group of marchers.

The second march, organized by the Armenian Genocide Committee, began at midday at Pan Pacific Park on Beverly Boulevard.

More than 200,000 people of Armenian descent live in Los Angeles County, making Southern California home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia.

The march commemorates the victims of the Armenian genocide, which began in 1915 and resulted in the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in a campaign blamed on the Ottoman Turkish government. The genocide has been chronicled by historians, who often view it as having been ethnic cleansing, but Turkey has denied it occurred, saying the deaths of Armenians was a function of the chaos of World War I, which also claimed Turkish lives.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and Rep. Dave Trott, R-Michigan, last month introduced a resolution asking Congress to formally recognize the genocide.

"Over 100 years ago, the Ottoman Empire undertook a brutal campaign of murder, rape, and displacement against the Armenian people that took the lives of 1.5 million men, women, and children in the first genocide of the 20th century," Schiff said. "Even today, hundreds of thousands of religious minorities face existential threat from ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It is therefore all the more pressing that the Congress recognize the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide and stand against modern day genocide and crimes against humanity."

Earlier this month, county supervisors introduced a motion proclaiming April "Armenian History Month."

Road closures prompted by the massive protest kept traffic restricted around The Grove shopping center, the Fairfax District and south to Wilshire Boulevard for much of the day.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is heading to Argentina for a trade mission organized by the state's embattled economic development agency.

Scott delayed the trip by a day to monitor wildfire conditions across the state, but he is also making the visit during a time when parts of his agenda remain unresolved in the waning days of the 2017 session of the Florida Legislature.

One of the items that Scott is battling over is whether to keep intact Enterprise Florida, the agency that put together the trade mission.

House Republicans are pushing to dismantle Enterprise Florida despite objections from both Scott and Senate leaders. Scott has strongly criticized House leaders including House Speaker Richard Corcoran over their proposal, contending it cost the state jobs.

During his trip to Buenos Aires, Scott is expected to meet with Argentina President Mauricio Macri and discuss trade opportunities, a spokesman for Scott said.

"Just like he has fought for jobs all session long, and has made his priority of job creation abundantly clear, Gov. Scott is going to Argentina to bring more jobs to Florida," said McKinley Lewis in a statement.

Scott is expected to return to Florida on Thursday.

This is Scott's 13th trip abroad since he became governor in 2011. Former Gov. Jeb Bush took 16 trade missions during his eight years in office.

He traveled previously to the South American countries of Brazil, Colombia, Chile, as well as Japan, Israel, England, France, Spain, Canada and Panama.

Scott is scheduled to be joined on his trip to Argentina by first lady Ann Scott, airport and port officials as well as top officials with several Florida-based corporations, including Eric Silagy, the president and CEO of Florida Power & Light, the state's largest utility company.

While Enterprise Florida's operations are primarily paid by tax dollars, Scott's travel expenses are usually covered by private donations to Enterprise Florida.
A Florida man was arrested after officials say he snorted cocaine in front of deputies as they were evacuating residents from a neighborhood that was being threatened by a massive brush fire.

Joshua Paul Benz, 25, was arrested Friday on a charge of possession of cocaine, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office.

Benz was booked into jail where he remained on $5,000 bond, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.

Deputies were clearing residents from the Golden Gate Estates neighborhood where the 5,500-acre fire was approaching when they spotted Benz walking in the middle of the street, NBC 2 reported.

Benz motioned for a deputy to stop his patrol car and walked up to the deputy and snorted the cocaine from a plastic bag, officials said.

Benz turned around with his hands behind his back and stood there with the bag still in his hand, officials said. He was taken into custody.
A former Haitian coup leader is expected to avoid a life sentence in a plea deal he's scheduled to make in a U.S. court.

Federal court records in Miami show Guy Philippe will plead guilty Monday. Philippe had been scheduled to stand trial May 1.

Philippe faced a potential life prison sentence if convicted of drug smuggling and money laundering conspiracy charges. His attorney, Zeljka Bozanic, confirmed he'll plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors that avoids a life sentence.

Philippe led a 2004 Haitian uprising that ousted then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He was elected to the Haitian Senate in November but was arrested and brought to the U.S. in January before taking office.

Philippe unsuccessfully claimed he was immune from U.S. charges as a senator.
Protesters sprawled in lawn chairs, worked on math homework and played cards on main roads around Venezuela's cities Monday, joining in sit-ins to disrupt traffic as the latest slap at the socialist government.

Thousands shut down the main highway in Caracas to express their anger with the increasingly embattled administration of President Nicolas Maduro. They turned the road into a kind of public plaza, with protesters settling in for picnics, reading books and reclining under umbrellas they brought to protect against the blazing Caribbean sun.

Juan Carlos Bautista passed the afternoon playing dominos.

"We want to be free. I'm here fighting for my children and my children's children," he said.

In South Florida, dozens of elected officials held a press conference in Doral Monday to send a clear message to Caracas and Washington.

"I denounce Maduro the dictator and his regime for using violence against its own people," said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz.

Diaz called on President Trump's administration to impose more sanctions against Venezuelan officials and encouraged the Venezuelan people to keep fighting.

"What you have in Venezuela is a dictatorship disguised as democratic socialism," said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Other elected officials standing in solidarity with the Venezuelan people are Doral Mayor J.C. Bermudez and Miami City Commissioner Francis Suarez.

The Caracas gathering was largely peaceful, though some protesters wrapped bandanas around their faces and threw stones at police, prompting state security forces to release a cloud of tear gas.

The protest movement is entering its fourth week and has been deadly.

In the mountain town of Merida, state worker Jesus Sulbaran was fatally shot Monday at a pro-government rally. Venezuela ombudsman Tarek William Saab said that in addition to Sulbaran, five people were injured at the event. His killing was at least the 22nd death linked to unrest that began almost a month ago over the Supreme Court's decision to gut the opposition-controlled congress of its powers.

On Sunday, the Interior Ministry said Almelina Carrillo died in a hospital after being hit on the head by a frozen water bottle that someone threw from a high-rise toward a pro-government rally last week.

The current wave of protests is the most intense the economically struggling country has seen since two months of anti-government protests in 2014 that left dozens dead. But while those protests were led by young people who built flaming barricades in the street, this month's movement is attracting masses of older protesters, who say they are fighting not for themselves, but for the younger generations.

Protesters in at least a dozen other cities staged sit-ins, with some building barricades to stop traffic. In Caracas, protesters dragged concrete slabs, garbage and even a bathtub into the road.

Retired professor Lisbeth Colina said she decided to participate in the sit-in for her grandchildren.

"The side that gives up is the side that loses," she said. "We must remain in the streets. I'm not scared of the repression they're throwing at us," she said.

Maduro said Sunday that he wouldn't give in to opponents and again urged them rejoin negotiations they broke off in December. He also said that the government had no plans to expropriate General Motors' Venezuelan subsidiary. A court last week ordered the seizure of a GM plant and the company responded by shuttering its operations in the country.

But opposition leaders are rejecting calls for dialogue and demanding the immediate scheduling of elections.

"The government wants to use negotiations as a ploy to divide us, demobilize us, and win itself time," congress Vice President Freddy Guevara told reporters. "This protest is an exercise in resistance and a test of our conviction."
Tehran, Iran, April 23

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Iran is going to sign a deal on South Pars gas fields Phase 11 with Total which will most likely happen in less than a month, Irans Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Trade Amir Hossein Zamaninia said.

The news comes a few days after US President Donald Trump extended a halt to the implementation of a set of sanctions on Iran, easing concerns by Total that their deal with Iran would be stalled if Trump implemented the sanctions.

Previously, the company was waiting for the settlement of some changes in Washington, which now have happened and the company is continuing the talks, Zamaninia mentioned in an interview with ISNA news agency April 23.

On February 19, Irans Deputy Oil Minister Ali Kardor said Total had started planning to build the first pillar of the platform at South Pars Phase 11. "A team from Total recently visited Iran. They have stressed that they will continue their cooperation with Iran," Kardor said.

The CEO of Frances Total Patrick Pouyanne had said Feb. 9 that the company planned to make a final investment decision on a $2 billion gas project in Iran by summer, but added the decision hinged on the renewal of US sanctions waivers.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson certified on April 18 that Iran is complying with the terms of former President Barack Obama's historic deal to roll back its nuclear program. The certification, made to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), extended sanctions relief to Iran.

In an April 2016 campaign speech, Trump claimed that Iran had already violated the deal, immediately after Obama had made it.

Last week Iran caught up with Qatar in extracting gas from the joint field. With the new deal, Iran will probably leave Qatar behind, fulfilling a decades-long dream.
A defrocked priest wanted for sexually abusing a child in New York was found in Guatemala and extradited back to the U.S. over the weekend, authorities said.

Augusto Cortez, 53, was wanted for allegedly sexually abusing a girl in 2014 in Southampton, Long Island. He fled to South America when he realized he was being investigated, according to Southampton police.

Cortez ran away to several South American countries before Interpol located him in Guatemala, police say.

He was extradited back to the U.S. with the help of U.S. Marshals and was arrested at JFK Airport on Saturday.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

He was remanded to jail without bail and is set to return to court on May 15.

Cortez is a registered sex offender, according to Suffolk prosecutors. He was expelled from the Vincentian Order after he was convicted of forcible touching in Brooklyn in 2009.
What to Know China President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a phone call with President Trump, according to reports

Healthy foods are taking real estate from candy at some CVS stores, the store chain announced

Robert De Niro helped Burt Reynolds onto the red carpet for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of his new movie "Dog Years" in New York

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

China Urges Restraint on N. Korea in Phone Call with Trump

President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with President Trump, Chinese state media reported, amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test. The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula. The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. However, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that the military response isn't likely. Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China.

Obama to Make First Post-Presidency Appearance

Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to make his first public appearance since leaving the White House, with plans to hold a conversation at the University of Chicago. Obama is expected to discuss community organizing and civic engagement with young leaders from area schools, according to a release announcing the event. Beginning at 11 a.m. at the schools Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, the discussion is invitation-only, but a television feed will be provided. Former advisors said the 44th commander in chief is not expected to criticize current President Donald Trump, who has tried to dismantle several of Obama's chief accomplishments, including the Affordable Care Act. Instead, Obama will focus on supporting activism in the next generation of leaders.

Border Wall Is Immoral, Expensive, Unwise, Pelosi Says

A deal to fund the federal government this week won't necessarily include all the funds needed for a border wall, but White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said there will be "enough to get going"  even as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called it "immoral," NBC News reported. Asked by "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd in an exclusive interview whether the Trump administration would push a government shutdown if border wall funding is not included in a bill to fund the government this week, Priebus said, "it will be enough in the negotiation for us to either move forward with either the construction or the planning or enough to get going with the border wall." Pelosi said she and the Democrats will stand firmly against construction of a border wall. "The wall is, in my view, immoral, expensive, unwise, and when the president says, 'Well, I promised a wall during my campaign.' I don't think he said he was going to pass billions of dollars of cost of the wall on to the taxpayer," she said.

New Orleans Taking Down First of 4 Confederate Statues

New Orleans planned to begin removing the first of four prominent Confederate monuments, the latest Southern institution to sever itself from symbols viewed by many as a representation racism and white supremacy. Workers were to begin removing the first memorial, one that commemorates whites who tried to topple a biracial post-Civil War government in New Orleans, overnight in an attempt to avoid disruption from supporters who want the monuments to stay, some of whom city officials said have made death threats. Three other statues to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis will be removed in later days now that legal challenges have been overcome. Nationally, the debate over Confederate symbols has become heated since nine parishioners were killed at a black church in South Carolina in June 2015.

CVS, Starbucks Highlight America's Love-Hate Relationship With Sugar

Healthy foods are taking real estate from candy at some CVS stores, the store chain announced, a response to changing customer preferences and shopping habits, NBC News reported. In CVS Pharmacy's new store prototype there's less space for sugary snacks, particularly at the front of the store, where healthier food, vitamins, supplements and cosmetics with more natural ingredients will be displayed. "It seems pretty clear that CVS has a fairly serious approach to trying to create a healthier environment in its stores," said a professor of nutrition at New York University, pointing to its 2014 decision to stop selling tobacco products. But the professor and other food branding experts note that health food labeling can mislead or misdirect consumers, too. The fancifully colored "Unicorn" Frappuccino from Starbucks could have as much as 76 grams of sugar, because Starbucks is known more for coffee than milkshakes.

Burt Reynolds Makes Rare Public Appearance at Tribeca Film Festival

Robert De Niro helped Burt Reynolds onto the red carpet for the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of his new movie "Dog Years" in New York. It was a rare appearance for the 81-year old actor, who at times struggled to walk. Reynolds was given a chair on the red carpet, so that he could speak to a limited number of press outlets about the film. He was overjoyed at the turnout. In the film, which is still shopping for distribution, Reynolds portrays an aging movie star who realizes his best days are behind him. The actor sees similarities in the character with his own life.
Whether it's the two teenage girls in Brentwood or the four young friends found killed in Central Islip, victims of the violent MS-13 gang are turning up in alarming numbers on Long Island.

It comes as no surprise to the head of the FBI's Long Island gang task force, Geraldine Hart, who says violence is that gang's prime business.

"They bolster their ranking among other gangs by using violence," she told News 4 in an exclusive interview.

The gang that originated in El Salvador has more than 200 hardcore members on Long Island, and they're unafraid to kill for no reason. The FBI has now joined the investigation into the murders of young people on Long Island in recent months.

MS-13, also called Mara Salvatrucha, is believed to have been founded as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by immigrants fleeing a civil war in El Salvador. It grew after some members were deported to El Salvador, helping to turn that country into one of the most violent places in the world.

It's now a major international criminal enterprise with tens of thousands of members in several Central American countries and many U.S. states.

MS-13 often looks to provide the kind of personal relationship that newly arrived immigrants lack, according to the FBI. Local gang members are getting direction from gang leaders in El Salvador.

"This is not a local problem. This is a national and international problem. We know that there are direct links from El Salvador up here into the New York area," the FBI's Michael Osborn told News 4.

Gang violence has been a problem in Central Islip, Brentwood and other Long Island communities for more than a decade. Brentwood and Central Islip are neighboring communities comprised of large populations of working class Hispanic and other minorities, located about 2.5 miles apart.

The gang problem is so systemic in Suffolk County that outreach groups like Strong Youth Start are working with kids in middle school to show them there are alternatives to life with the gangs.

"It's easy to recruit in schools," said Luis Amador, who works with Strong Youth. "A lot of these kids, when they come to this country, they don't have support system."

Last month, the task force scored a major victory with the arrests of a number of MS-13 gang leaders, but the murders in Central Islip earlier this month served as a reminder of what law enforcement is up against.

"I know the community may be frustrated but I am here to say we are in this until the end," said Osborn.

Suffolk Police Commissioner Timothy Sini has echoed the sentiment in the recent weeks.

"Obviously we know the community is very on edge," said Sini. "We will be enhancing patrols in the area significantly and for an indefinite period of time."

Sini has also said that part of the MS-13 trademark throughout the country is to prey on recent immigrants.

"There's a host of factors as to why MS-13 would prey on immigrant families, but it boils down to the fact that MS-13, they are individuals who prey on the vulnerable," he said. "They engage in acts of violence, they engage in acts of savagery."
One of two defendants has pleaded guilty in the death of Sarah Stern, a 19-year-old New Jersey student who was allegedly robbed, killed and then dumped over a bridge last year, prosecutors said Monday.

Preston Taylor entered a plea to seven counts, including robbery and tampering with physical evidence. He also agreed to testify again his codefendant Liam McAtasney, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said on Twitter.

A grand jury has now indicted McAtasney on seven counts, including first-degree murder, the prosecutor's office said Monday afternoon. He faces life without parole if convicted.

Stern's body has not been found. According to prosecutors, McAtasney strangled the young woman in the course of committing a robbery at her Neptune City home Dec. 2.

Taylor allegedly helped McAtasney get Stern's body out of the house and throw her over the Route 35 Bridge in Belmar.

Taylor faces up to 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Stern, an aspiring artist, was a graduate of Neptune High School, where she played softball and was a member of the swim team. She went to Brookdale Community College for a year, where she studied art and TV production.

Prosecutors have said McAtasney was motivated by robbery in part and stole thousands of dollars from Stern. Cash was found in a safe buried at a park in Neptune. Stern's clothing was found in another safe buried on Sandy Hook.

At a court hearing in February, prosecutors said Taylor -- who took Stern to junior prom -- told police McAtasney had planned Stern's slaying for six months.
Starbucks' new "Unicorn Frappuccino" has made waves online for its colorful presentation, but a Connecticut health department is trying to draw attention to the large amount of sugar found in the purple-pink drink.

[NATL] Wildest Food Crazes: Emotional Support Chicken

On Friday, the Stratford Health Department called out the newest Starbucks treat on Facebook. The post read, "While the Unicorn Frappuccino may be pretty to look at, it's loaded with 59 grams of sugar! That is over two times the amount of sugar recommended by the American Heart Association!"

According to the nutritional information provided by Starbucks, a grande size (16 ounce) of the drink contains 410 calories and 59 grams of sugar. The smaller tall size (12 ounce) contains 39 grams of sugar, and the supersized venti (24 ounces) contains 76 grams of sugar.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting daily sugar intake to no more than 36 grams for men and no more than 25 grams for women.

Starbucks provides the nutritional information for its drinks on its website. Many of the other Frappuccino drinks have comparable sugar contents.

Zagat 2017: Top NYC Restaurants and New Dining Trends
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney came out in favor of legalizing marijuana one day after 22 people were arrested at a pot party early Sunday morning.

The real solution is to legalize it in the state of Pennsylvania as they did in Colorado and we wont have to use police resources in these kinds of activities, Kenney told a group of reporters Monday morning.

The so-called Philly Smoke Session was organized via social media and held in a Frankford warehouse. Three women and 19 men were arrested. Police confiscated 50 pounds of marijuana, $50,000 in cash, four handguns and several edibles.

Police said they had been planning a bust for two months. Kenney was not aware of their investigation.

I dont micromanage the police department and they dont tell us what they were doing, the mayor said.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Daylin Leach, who co-sponsored a medical marijuana bill, told NBC10 Friday that he is also in favor of legalizing cannabis. Leach and his co-sponsor on the bill, Sen. Mike Folmer, were both attending the World Medical Marijuana Conference & Expo in Pittsburgh. Folmer used cannabis-based treatment to help cope with chemotherapy while battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In March, Gov. Tom Wolf said Pennsylvania is not ready for full legalization.

Meanwhile, Delaware Gov. John Carney is weighing whether or not to introduce recreational legislation to his state.
The Navy SEAL accused of recording himself molesting a young girl while she slept and possessing dozens of images of child pornography has been extradited to Virginia, the District Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia confirmed.

SEAL Team One Petty Officer 1st Class Gregory Kyle Seerden, 31, of San Diego, was arrested by federal marshals April 3 in California after a three-month investigation. He is a member of SEAL Team One, based in Coronado, California.

Seerden remained in the custody of U.S. Marshals until he was transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, Monday where federal charges have been filed, according to the district attorney's office. It was not immediately known when Seerden would face a judge in Virginia.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents began investigating Seerden in January after a woman reported he had sexually assaulted her at his hotel on the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia while she intoxicated.

As part of the investigation into the alleged sexual assault, NCIS investigators got permission to seize Seerdens iPhone 7. Investigators reportedly found 78 images of child pornography, including an image involving a dog, and videos Seerden made of himself a sleeping girl, according to the court documents.
U.S. Capitol Police arrested four demonstrators for smoking marijuana on Capitol grounds, legal marijuana advocates said.

Demonstrators intended Monday's smoke-in to be an act of civil disobedience. Those lighting up want pot to be legalized nationwide and for the federal government not to interfere with states that already have legal pot.

Two men and two women were arrested by U.S. Capitol police shortly after they started smoking Monday afternoon, said Nikolas Schiller, a co-founder of the group D.C. Marijuana Justice (DCMJ).

The four were charged with possession, a violation of federal law, Capitol Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki said.

It wasn't clear whether they had attorneys.

Those arrested included DCMJ co-founder Adam Eidinger. He also was arrested with seven others Thursday during a pot giveaway near the Capitol.

Before the arrests, speakers shared emotional stories about marijuana. One woman said it saved her little girls life.

My daughter went from 50 to 60 seizure a day, sometimes 12-15 minutes long, she said. Since she's been medicating with marijuana she is now 91 percent seizure-free.

Others tried to make the case that it's less harmful than tobacco and alcohol.

But many think marijuana is a gateway drug to dangerous substances and argue it shouldn't be used by anyone, especially children.
More than 200 firefighters battled a massive five-alarm fire in College Park, Maryland, for hours, in what a spokesman called one of the largest fire suppression efforts in Prince George's County history with an estimated loss of $39 million.

The fire broke out Monday morning on the fifth floor of Fuse 47, a seven-story, mixed-use development of about 250 apartments and retail stores that was under construction in the 4700 block of Berwyn House Road, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department spokesman Mark Brady said. The flames quickly spread to the sixth floor.

PHOTOS: 200 Firefighters Battle 5-Alarm Fire Near UMd.

Crews brought the blaze under control by about 3 p.m. Monday, although many hot spots remain and will require firefighters' attention overnight, Brady said an in update on Twitter. Firefighters continue flowing water into the structure.

Since about 9:35 a.m., firefighters struggled to control the blaze.

"Our biggest challenge here has been access," acting Prince George's Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale said.

Fire crews from several jurisdictions battled a massive fire Monday at a building under construction near the University of Maryland. The fire also prompted officials at the university to cancel classes due to the smoke, and a nearby home for senior citizens was evacuated. Prince Georges County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins reports.

Firefighters said it was like battling a wood pile surrounded by concrete.

With all that wood, its very hard to catch up with it, Barksdale said.

More than 200 firefighters fought this five-alarm fire that broke out in a mixed-use development in College Park.

The rainy weather caused the smoke to stay close to the ground, Brady said.

A woman who lives nearby told News4 a cloud of smoke settled on her house.

"The whole house is consumed with smoke," she said. "It's unbearable. I have to leave."

The University of Maryland College Park, located nearby, closed at 1 p.m. due to poor air quality, President Wallace Loh said. Students on campus were told to stay inside and close their windows and doors.

"Everything on campus smells like burnt electronics or something," student Emory Bacon said.

Senior citizens living at the Spellman House across the street were relocated to a community center in the 4900 block of Lakeland Road. Northbound Baltimore Avenue remains closed.

PGFD 5 Alarms - 200 Fire/EMS personnel on scene 4+hours operations. One of, if not the, largest fire suppression efforts in County history  Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) April 24, 2017

Video from the scene showed flames and plumes of black smoke pouring from the roof of the building.

Because the Fuse 47 building was still under construction, there were many void spaces for the fire to travel through. The building's fire suppression system was also not fully operational, according to Barksdale.

University of Maryland students who planned on calling the building home watched in amazement.

I was looking to rent there, and they were sending emails, Alexis Ankrah said.

One member of the Office of Emergency Management suffered an ankle injury but was treated at the scene and remained there, Brady said. A second firefighter was transported to a hospital for overexertion.

All of the workers in the building when the fire started made it out safely.
Investigators are looking to identify the cause of a motorcycle crash that killed a man in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

The crash happened around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Chelsea police confirms. The driver, a 39-year-old man from Lawrence, was on Guam Road when he crashed his motorcycle into a building.

He was rushed to the Whidden Hospital in Everett, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Officers from the Chelsea Police Department as well as from the Massachusetts State Police responded to the scene.

The State Police Accident Reconstruction Team has not yet identified what caused the crash, but believe speed may have been a factor.
Tehran, Iran, April 24



By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:



Irans Khosravi border checkpoint to Iraq has been closed since April 21 when Iraqi truck drivers went on strike to protest against a ban on bulk cement imports to the Kurdistan Region.



Since then, some 600 Iranian trucks have been stuck in the Iranian side of the checkpoint while 100 other Iranian trucks are stuck on the Iraqi side, Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization Director Mohammad Javad Atrchian told Mehr news agency April 24.



According to Atrchian, officials from Irans Kermanshah Province are in talks with Kurdistan Region officials to solve the issue.



Iranian officials from the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Transport, and lesser officials from Kermanshah Province are planning a second round of talks with Kurdistan officials for April 26.
Police in Rhode Island have arrested a suspect after a fatal shooting early Sunday morning.

According to affiliate WJAR-TV, officers from the Central Falls Police Department responded to reports of a shooting around 1:40 a.m.

Police found 43-year-old Maurice Botelho in the basement of a house with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after.

The suspect, 20-year-old Mael Vasquez, was sitting on the porch stairs at the residence when the officers arrived. Vasquez told police he had shot an intruder in the basement and was acting in self-defense against someone who was attacking him.

He's been charged with possessing a stolen firearm and is being held on bail after a Sunday arraignment.

It's not clear if he has a lawyer.
Three people were hospitalized early Sunday morning following a crash with an alleged wrong way driver in Nashua, New Hampshire.

New Hampshire State Police said troopers and Nashua Fire arrived to the F.E. Everett Turnpike, just north of the Massachusetts state line, at 2:45 a.m., where the crash occurred.

Police said upon arrival, authorities discovered all three victims trapped in their vehicles.

Authorities identified the operator of a silver Toyota Camry, who was allegedly traveling the wrong way, as Juan Osorio Marin, 23, of Hudson, New Hampshire.

Police said Osorio Marin was semi-conscious and appeared to be suffering from life threatening injuries. He was extricated from the vehicle and then transported to Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts.

The operator and passenger of a black Honda Accord, allegedly struck by Osorio Marin, were also extricated from their vehicle. Police said two medical helicopters were called in to transport the victims.

One victim was taken to Tufts Medical Center in Boston and the other to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, both for life threatening injuries. Their names have not been released.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 603-223-4381.
Why did VMware acquire Wavefront? The start of the answer to this question comes with an understanding of what Wavefront is (or was). Wavefront was started by former Google engineers who set out to build a monitoring system for the commercial market that had the same features and benefits as the monitoring system that Google had built for itself.

Due to the massive scale of Google, such a system would have to have two key attributes:

The ability to consume and process massive amounts of data very quickly. In fact, the Wavefront website make the claim, "Enterprise-grade cloud monitoring and analytics at over 1 million data points per second." The ability to quickly find what you want in this massive ocean of data

So, it is clear that the folks at Wavefront viewed modern monitoring to be a big data problem, and it is clear that some people at VMware were willing to pay a fair amount of money for a monitoring system that took a real-time and highly scalable approach to monitoring.

Why is modern monitoring a big data problem?

Rather than just assume that VMware and Wavefront are right about the idea that modern monitoring is a big data problem, let's look at the underlying trends in the IT industry to determine what is changing monitoring in this manner. It is not enough that Google (and by extension other public clouds like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure) have a big data monitoring problem. The question at hand is whether or not monitoring for the typical enterprise has become a big data problem.

The key insight is that the IT environment today could not be more different that it was as recently as five or 10 years ago. Ten years ago, there was one language (Java), and an application ran on one operating system, which ran on one physical server. Applications were updated as infrequently as possible, and changes in general were made as infrequently as possible.

The image below depicts the typical "IT stack" at an enterprise today.

Bernd Harzog/IDG

What is so different about the modern IT environment is the following:

In response to an unlimited demand for business functionality implemented in software, agile development and DevOps were invented to speed code to market. In response to the same pressures, new languages and run times were created. The above two changes lead to a very diverse application stack, with frequently arriving and changing applications. At the infrastructure layer, everything (compute, networking and storage) is virtualized and is often subject to automated management.

In summary, the modern IT stack now consists of very diverse application stacks, with a rapid rate of change (many changes per hour) running on an abstracted and dynamic infrastructure.

How does monitoring have to respond?

If you look at how monitoring is done today, it really has not changed in response to the changes in the IT stack listed above. Monitoring today consists of many different vendors, each collecting a slice of the total data, analyzing it, alerting on it, displaying it in dashboards and providing in reports.

Now, it might be tempting to try to find one vendor that can monitor that entire stack for you. Before you go down that road, remember what happened the last time that was tried. It was called Business Service Management with offerings from BMC, CA, HP and IBM, and it failed miserably (20 years ago) because even then the pace of innovation was so high that each vendor could not keep up. So they acquired companies to fill the gaps in their product lines, and they were never able to integrate them, which resulted in the mess, which in turn resulted in the failure of the BSM suites.

So, the first very important realization is that due to the accelerating pace of innovation in the industry, monitoring must remain a multi-vendor problem. This is so because various parts of the monitoring problem are "whole company" problems that require a significant investment of capital in intellectual property to solve.

Monitoring must also generally change to embrace the following principles:

If the stack is diverse (especially at the application layer), then each component and layer of the stack needs to be monitored. Transactions need to be monitored from their inception to their end in the application system (browser to database and back again). The entire stack needs to be monitored from the top of the the stack to the infrastructure (browser to hard disk or storage device and back again). So, the number of things that need to be monitored increases dramatically. If the environment is dynamic due to frequent changes at the application layer and automation at the infrastructure layer, then monitoring needs to be much more frequent. Every five minutes is no longer frequent enough. Every minute is no longer frequent enough.

The big data approach to monitoring

If we accept that monitoring is a multi-vendor problem due to the diversity of the problem, and we accept that the granularity of monitoring and the frequency of monitoring must increase due to the dynamic nature of the stack, then monitoring is a real-time multi-vendor problem.

There are then two approaches to implementing real-time big data monitoring:

Have every vendor integrate with every other vendor and try to maintain a nightmare of a compatibility matrix. Have every vendor integrate with a common high-performance, big data back end especially built for the real-time multi-vendor monitoring problem.

Summary

The diversity of the modern application stack, and the rate of change at both the application and infrastructure layers, requires that monitoring become more granular and more frequent across the multiple vendors required to cover the IT estate. This turns monitoring into a multi-vendor big data problem.
Has your computer been infected with a suspected NSA spying implant? A security researcher has come up with a free tool that can tell.

Luke Jennings of security firm Countercept wrote a script in response to last weeks high-profile leak of cyberweapons that some researchers believe are from the U.S. National Security Agency. It's designed to detect an implant called Doublepulsar, which is delivered by many of the Windows-based exploits found in the leak and can be used to load other malware.

The script, which requires some programming skill to use, is available for download on GitHub.

Some security researchers have used Jennings's script to scan the internet for machines infected with the implant. Their results have varied widely, showing between 30,000 and 100,000 computers with the code on them.

Below0Day, a penetration testing company, has tweeted graphs showing which countries are most affected. The U.S. sits at the top, with 11,000 machines.

Several other countries, including U.K., Taiwan, and Germany, have more than 1,500 machines infected.

Its not clear when these machines were infected with the implant, Jennings said. However, the suspected NSA exploits that deliver Doublepulsar were leaked a week ago, at which point anyone with some hacking skills could start using them.

Security experts are worried that cybercriminals or foreign governments might take the leaked exploits and attack vulnerable machines over the internet. They say computers with older or unpatched Windows systems are particularly at risk. Rebooting a system will remove the implant, but not necessarily any malware associated with it.

Jennings said he developed his script by analyzing how the Doublepulsar implant communicated over the internet to its control server. However, his original intention was to help businesses identify the implant over their networks, not to scan the entire internet for the implant.

Theres been a lot of discussion on Twitter, he said. People are wondering if maybe the script is incorrect, because they are surprised by the number of systems infected.

However, not one has presented evidence that his computer script is wrong, Jennings said.

"Theres probably a group out there, or many out there, using these exploits to compromise vulnerable machines, he said.

Older Windows Server systems, especially those running without a firewall, are considered easy to hack with the exploits. Thousands of these machines around the internet appear to be exposed.

Dan Tentler, CEO of security provider Phobos Group, has been looking at the accuracy of the script. Hes already done manual checks on 50 machines that were flagged as infected, and all 50 of them were.

Usually if you check that many, and the scripting is bad, you would expect to find a handful that were false positives, he said. But Ive found zero false positives.

Itll take more time for security researchers to vet the accuracy of the Doublepulsar search results. But Tentler recommends system operators take steps to prevent infection from the recently leaked malware.

Users should install all available patches on their Windows system, he says. Past patches from Microsoft will address the danger, but older operating systems like Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 no longer receive support from the company.

Users can consider upgrading the system to a newer OS. They can also run antivirus products like Windows Defender to help them root out any malware.
The number of Windows computers infected with NSA backdoor malware continues to rise since Shadow Brokers leaked the hacking tools on April 14.

DoublePulsar infection rate climbing

Two different sets of researchers scanning for the DoublePulsar implant saw a significant bump in the number of infected Windows PCs over the weekend.

For example, Dan Tentler, CEO of the Phobos Group, suggested that Monday would not be a good day for many people, as his newest scan showed about 25 percent of all vulnerable and publicly exposed SMB machines are infected.

Interesting!

new scan suggests ~25% of all vulnerable smb machines publicy exposed are currently infected.



expect more bloodbath. pic.twitter.com/2rR4Yyhxtc  Dan Tentler (@Viss) April 24, 2017

On Sunday, Tentler had scanned 1.17 million hosts and found 33,468 to be infected.

current status:

1.17 million host scanned

33,468 found infected. pic.twitter.com/GEeOYKMgjP  Dan Tentler (@Viss) April 23, 2017

The infection rate had been holding steady at 2.85 percent before it climbed to 2.91 percent and then 2.95 percent. Tentler explained:

@parrotgeek1 3% of all endpoints, not just windows.

3% of "every machine on the internet with 445 open"

its not always smb, not always windows.  Dan Tentler (@Viss) April 23, 2017

It is important to note that DoublePulsar is like a stealthy malware downloader; infected devices are open for more exploitation, as it can be used to download other malware.

The presence of DoublePulsar doesnt mean theyre infected by the NSA. It means there is a loading dock ready and waiting for whatever malware anyone wants to give it, Tentler told CyberScoop. The chances are none that all these hosts [were hacked by] the NSA. It is effectively trivial to go compromise all these hosts with the flick of a wrist.

Elsewhere, using the detection script developed by Luke Jennings of Countercept, security firm Below0Day tweeted that it had detected 30,626 DoublePulsar implants on April 18. Of those, 11,078 were in the U.S. A few days later, Below0Day had detected an additional 25,960 implants.

On Sunday, Below0Day wrote:

On the afternoon of April 21st, we initiated another masscan to get a new list of hosts with open 445 port. This time around we identified 5,190,506 hosts with port 445 open. We then ran Countercepts detect script and identified 56,586 hosts with DOUBLEPULSAR SMB implant.

The U.S. was still the most infected country, but 14,091 DoublePulsar implants were detected this time. That's up 3,013 from a few short days ago.

Microsofts viewpoint of DoublePulsar infection numbers

It was widely reported on Friday that thousands of Windows machines were infected with DoublePulsar. As it does now, the exact number of affected Windows boxes varied, depending upon which security researcher's numbers you trusted.

Microsoft, which issued patches to mitigate most of the exploits, expressed doubts about the accuracy of the number of real-world infections to Ars Technica on Friday. Ars added that people should know that there's growing consensus that from 30,000 to 107,000 Windows machines may be infected by DoublePulsar. Once hijacked, those computers may be open to other attacks.

Shodan shows more than 100,000 devices that could be infected

John Matherly, the creator of Shodan, added detection for DoublePulsar last week.

Shodan has added detection for DOUBLEPULSAR to SMB. Affected IPs have the "doublepulsar" tag added to them. Example: https://t.co/kYZulylQ1s  John Matherly (@achillean) April 21, 2017

Matherly told CyberScoop that Shodan had indexed over 2 million IPs running a public SMB service on port 445 that are vulnerable to DoublePulsar. Last Friday, Matherly said more than 100,000 devices could be impacted, with 45,000 confirmed to be infected thus far.

DoublePulsar infections up by nearly 77,000 since Friday

Tiago Henriques, CEO of BinaryEdge, also said the number of devices infected with DoublePulsar is still climbing. The total number of infections on Monday morning, according to BinaryEdge, has increased 76,697 since the Friday. The company showed the total number of infections per day:
Twenty-one-year-old claims he was "letting off steam"

A NEWBURY man threatened to kill his mother and burn down her house in a drunken rage over a laptop, a court heard.

Rhys Haydan Lewendon-Kirkwood said he was letting off steam during the row, in which he also threw beer over his mother outside her home on Saturday, April 8.

Appearing at Reading Magistrates on Thursday, April 13, Mr Lewendon-Kirkwood, of Greenham Road, pleaded guilty to common assault.

The court also heard how the 21-year-old was in breach of a suspended sentence handed down by the crown court in September 2016 for a serious assault on his husband on their wedding day.

Addressing magistrates on Thursday, the prosecution said: On April 8, Mr Lewendon-Kirkwood has gone round to his mothers address in Newbury.

She has seen him in the driveway with her laptop and she has challenged him and tried to take it from him.

His mother has recognised him as being drunk. Hes holding a can of beer which he has thrown over her.

Hes then threatened to burn her house down and kill her.

The defendant said he was letting off steam.

Defending, Steve Molloy explained his defendant was in breach of a suspended sentence for ABH and admitted it was for quite a serious assault, for which his client was found guilty after trial at Grimsby Crown Court.

He added: The ABH was against his husband on the day they tied the knot.

District Judge Davinder Lachher heard a probation report, which revealed Mr Lewendon-Kirkwood suffered from mental health issues and alcoholism, which led to daily drinking.

The court also heard that the existing community order imposed on the defendant was not going well according to the probation services.

The probation officer added: He hasnt committed any hours of unpaid work due to his employment. He deliberately asks to work on Saturdays so he doesnt have to complete the community order.

Despite this, the probation service made a recommendation to defer the sentence for three months.

The recommendation was rejected by the District Judge.

District Judge Lachher said: Im afraid thats not good enough. Somebody needs to take it back to the crown court.

Its no good asking to defer it  its effectively been deferred for seven months already from September last year.

Hes had time to show willing.

Mr Lewendon-Kirkwood was released on conditional bail to appear at crown court on May 23.
Residents can hear proposals at an exhibition next week

Residents can hear about plans to build a new fire station in Theale next week.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is looking to build the new station in Wigmore Lane.

The service said that the proposals are at an early stage and subject to the outcome of negotiations with the sites owner. However, it is holding a public consultation to talk to local residents and gather feedback.

The exhibition will take place in the Gateway Centre, Theale Library, Church Street between 3pm and 5pm and between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday May 3.

Assistant chief fire officer at RBFRS, Simon Jefferies, said: Although were some way off opening a new station, we want to ensure that local residents are formally consulted with and kept informed every step of the way.

All are welcome - if you would like to find out more about our plans, please come and see us at Theale Library on the 3 May.

The announcement comes a week after the RBFRS announced that it would be closing Pangbourne fire station to help save money.

For more information contact BusinessSupportTeam@rbfrs.co.uk or call 01189 384606.
Tehran, Iran, Apr. 24

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Tehran is ready to meet Pakistans needs in the energy sector, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the visiting Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, SHANA news agency reported April 24.

The Peace Pipeline has been stretched to the border with Pakistan and Iran is hopeful that Pakistan carries out necessary measures with stronger will to complete the project, Rouhani noted.

Iran may cancel the gas pipeline deal with Pakistan due to long-delayed construction works, the head of National Gas Company, Hamid Reza Araqi, said Jan. 27.

Iran signed a deal with Pakistan during Mahmoud Ahmadinejads presidency to export 22 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of gas.

Tehran even offered a $500 million loan (a third of the pipelines cost) to Islamabad to start pipeline construction in Pakistans territory, but then withdrew citing financial problems under sanctions.

Pakistan should have started Iranian gas imports in early 2015, but it has not started construction of its part of the pipeline.
Gurbir Singh By

Express News Service

There were whoops of joy last week after Britains Scotland Yard arrested liquor baron Vijay Mallya in London. The UK police acted on an extradition plea by Indias Central Bureau of Investigation to get Mallya to face charges back home for wilful default of over Rs 9,000 crore in bank loans to the failed Kingfisher Airlines. Mallya also faces charges of diverting Rs 293 crore from an IDBI loan for his personal use.

There is voyeuristic pleasure in watching the downfall of the rich and mighty who flaunt their wealth. The King of Good Times wore his success on his sleeve, posing amidst nubile nymphets for his annual Kingfisher Calendar, and spraying champagne on his Formula 1 racing team. Such flamboyance excites envy, as it does a secret joy to bring down such people a peg or two.

The celebrations in India were, however, short-lived as a London court granted bail to Mallya within hours of his arrest. British courts dont grant extradition pleas easily, and it will be a long haul for the Indian authorities before the liquor baron is brought back to India.

A Questionable Exit

The government obviously must do everything possible to recover the money he owes the banks and his unpaid employees. However, we need to investigate afresh how he was allowed to get away in the first place. When Mallya fled the country on March 2, 2016, he did it in style.

He appeared in the court the previous day, and walked through airport security in Delhi with over a dozen suitcases. Mallya was obviously going for good, but nobody stopped him.

Theres another obvious angle to the Mallya story. The government has decided to go after him to prove to a home audience that the fight against corruption and wrongdoing in high places is serious. After Mallya was arrested in London, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: Indeed. There is no place for corruption in India. Those who have looted the poor & middle classes will have to return what they have looted.

But is the Mallya drive a foil to cover the failure to bring back the hordes of black money parked abroad? Remember the Rs 15 lakh due in every Indians bank account?

A bit of deep-drilling shows the actual record of fighting financial wrongdoing is not a pretty picture. In its latest admission, the central government recently handed over a list of corporate defaulters in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court conceding that Rs 5 lakh crore remains unpaid in defaulted loans.

The Union finance ministry affidavit has admitted that as many as 2,277 cases of loan defaults were pending for more than 10 years!

Big Fish Roam Free

While officially, the names of the biggest defaulters have remained under a shroud, media investigation has spilled the beans. Newslaundry.com, for instance, last year exposed the Top 10 list of defaulters whose outstandings totalled Rs 56,197 crore. Of these, Usha Ispat owed Rs 16,911 crore, Llyods Steel Rs 9,478, and Hindustan Cables Rs 4,917 crore.

Is the government as proactive as it is in the Mallya case to recover these monies?

Sadly, not. As much as Rs 1.14 lakh crore has been written off as non-performing assets by state-owned banks. The nation wants to know what was done to recover these unpaid loans.

How can such large amounts siphoned off or lost in mismanagement be written-off?

This swindling of the banking system is not just an ethical issue. It has brought the public sector banks to their knees; and this can trigger a financial crisis anytime soon. Loan defaults that have become NPAs with banks have spiralled 135 per cent in two years from Rs 2.62 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 6.15 lakh crore by December 2016. Capital adequacy norms enunciated by the Basel Conference in 2013 reveal Indian public banks are way below healthy risk levels, and will require a minimum refloat Rs 4 lakh crore in fresh capital.

Former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, K C Chakrabarty, in a recent interview with a business magazine estimated that stressed loans in the system (which includes NPAs) to be more than Rs 20 lakh crore. He claims as much as Rs 4 lakh crore has been written off as bad debt and questions why bank boards have not been superseded because of high NPAs.

We have to get Mallya, but should the other swindlers roam free?

[The author can be contacted at gurbir1@gmail.com]

There were whoops of joy last week after Britains Scotland Yard arrested liquor baron Vijay Mallya in London. The UK police acted on an extradition plea by Indias Central Bureau of Investigation to get Mallya to face charges back home for wilful default of over Rs 9,000 crore in bank loans to the failed Kingfisher Airlines. Mallya also faces charges of diverting Rs 293 crore from an IDBI loan for his personal use. There is voyeuristic pleasure in watching the downfall of the rich and mighty who flaunt their wealth. The King of Good Times wore his success on his sleeve, posing amidst nubile nymphets for his annual Kingfisher Calendar, and spraying champagne on his Formula 1 racing team. Such flamboyance excites envy, as it does a secret joy to bring down such people a peg or two. The celebrations in India were, however, short-lived as a London court granted bail to Mallya within hours of his arrest. British courts dont grant extradition pleas easily, and it will be a long haul for the Indian authorities before the liquor baron is brought back to India. A Questionable Exit The government obviously must do everything possible to recover the money he owes the banks and his unpaid employees. However, we need to investigate afresh how he was allowed to get away in the first place. When Mallya fled the country on March 2, 2016, he did it in style. He appeared in the court the previous day, and walked through airport security in Delhi with over a dozen suitcases. Mallya was obviously going for good, but nobody stopped him. Theres another obvious angle to the Mallya story. The government has decided to go after him to prove to a home audience that the fight against corruption and wrongdoing in high places is serious. After Mallya was arrested in London, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: Indeed. There is no place for corruption in India. Those who have looted the poor & middle classes will have to return what they have looted. But is the Mallya drive a foil to cover the failure to bring back the hordes of black money parked abroad? Remember the Rs 15 lakh due in every Indians bank account? A bit of deep-drilling shows the actual record of fighting financial wrongdoing is not a pretty picture. In its latest admission, the central government recently handed over a list of corporate defaulters in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court conceding that Rs 5 lakh crore remains unpaid in defaulted loans. The Union finance ministry affidavit has admitted that as many as 2,277 cases of loan defaults were pending for more than 10 years! Big Fish Roam Free While officially, the names of the biggest defaulters have remained under a shroud, media investigation has spilled the beans. Newslaundry.com, for instance, last year exposed the Top 10 list of defaulters whose outstandings totalled Rs 56,197 crore. Of these, Usha Ispat owed Rs 16,911 crore, Llyods Steel Rs 9,478, and Hindustan Cables Rs 4,917 crore. Is the government as proactive as it is in the Mallya case to recover these monies? Sadly, not. As much as Rs 1.14 lakh crore has been written off as non-performing assets by state-owned banks. The nation wants to know what was done to recover these unpaid loans. How can such large amounts siphoned off or lost in mismanagement be written-off? This swindling of the banking system is not just an ethical issue. It has brought the public sector banks to their knees; and this can trigger a financial crisis anytime soon. Loan defaults that have become NPAs with banks have spiralled 135 per cent in two years from Rs 2.62 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 6.15 lakh crore by December 2016. Capital adequacy norms enunciated by the Basel Conference in 2013 reveal Indian public banks are way below healthy risk levels, and will require a minimum refloat Rs 4 lakh crore in fresh capital. Former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, K C Chakrabarty, in a recent interview with a business magazine estimated that stressed loans in the system (which includes NPAs) to be more than Rs 20 lakh crore. He claims as much as Rs 4 lakh crore has been written off as bad debt and questions why bank boards have not been superseded because of high NPAs. We have to get Mallya, but should the other swindlers roam free? [The author can be contacted at gurbir1@gmail.com]
Gokul M Nair By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: 'Culinary Entertainer reads Chef Silke Stadlers visiting card, a simple yet curious title instead of fancy designations. When asked, she shrugs and says, Food is all about enjoying it. Why complicate it?

City Express caught up with the Swiss chef, seated on the fi rst fl oor of the cozy Writers Cafe in Royapettah. She is in town to train the chefs at the cafe, which includes women survivors of burn injuries. Its not Silkes first trip to Chennai. She was here last November to train the chefs before the opening of the Writers Cafe in December.

I remember when the walls here were plain and the whole cafe was just being built. Look at it now! she gushes. Her admiration is evident when she speaks of her trainees  nearly 30 this time, with eight women rehabilitated by the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC). Im really happy the way the girls have progressed. In fact, now its them teaching to the boys!

Silke considers it a privilege to teach the culinary arts since she did not have the luxury of food while growing up. I was born in East Germany during the Cold War. I was 18 by the time the Berlin Wall fell, she recollects.

I still remember vividly, we didnt have much in terms of food choices. In West Germany, people would have access to all varieties of food, fruits and material possessions but across the wall, we would have to stand in line just to get one banana! So we learned to make good food from simple things. She says she intends to train the chefs at the cafe to make something out of nothing  so to speak. I realised through those experiences that we must have the heart, eyes and mouth for cooking. This is what I train the girls as well. Open your eyes, learn well and you never know how inspiration will strike you! Silke grins. But she admits the job isnt easy.

We have a big team of chefs in training here  nearly 30 people, so it was a bit hard to remember all the faces when I started training them, she says. Also, they were shy and restrained and I had to whip them into shape! I merely showed them how to do it.... we approached each problem as a group, and helped them look out for each other when the chips were falling down! And that she avers, is the very essence of what they try to teach them about life. We dont just teach them how to prepare meals, we teach them how to be strong together and that we are all the same! However, she adds, this doesnt mean they are excused for the quality of food they prepare.

I can be quite a hard taskmaster....we cant treat them special, we have to treat them like everybody else. It certainly is challenging for them because the food served here is Swiss-inspired and does not include normal local food. You have to teach them a few times to get them to replicate the fl avours of the cuisine, she mulls. Silke has travelled to Thailand, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Italy, France, Russia, etc. She has previously worked in Suhl, Hamburg, Stuttgart (all cities in Germany) and later in Zurich, Switzerland. Based now out of Lucerne, she often conducts culinary sessions and runs her own catering service back home. She will be in Chennai for the next two months training the new batch of chefs.

CHENNAI: 'Culinary Entertainer reads Chef Silke Stadlers visiting card, a simple yet curious title instead of fancy designations. When asked, she shrugs and says, Food is all about enjoying it. Why complicate it? City Express caught up with the Swiss chef, seated on the fi rst fl oor of the cozy Writers Cafe in Royapettah. She is in town to train the chefs at the cafe, which includes women survivors of burn injuries. Its not Silkes first trip to Chennai. She was here last November to train the chefs before the opening of the Writers Cafe in December. I remember when the walls here were plain and the whole cafe was just being built. Look at it now! she gushes. Her admiration is evident when she speaks of her trainees  nearly 30 this time, with eight women rehabilitated by the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC). Im really happy the way the girls have progressed. In fact, now its them teaching to the boys! Silke considers it a privilege to teach the culinary arts since she did not have the luxury of food while growing up. I was born in East Germany during the Cold War. I was 18 by the time the Berlin Wall fell, she recollects. I still remember vividly, we didnt have much in terms of food choices. In West Germany, people would have access to all varieties of food, fruits and material possessions but across the wall, we would have to stand in line just to get one banana! So we learned to make good food from simple things. She says she intends to train the chefs at the cafe to make something out of nothing  so to speak. I realised through those experiences that we must have the heart, eyes and mouth for cooking. This is what I train the girls as well. Open your eyes, learn well and you never know how inspiration will strike you! Silke grins. But she admits the job isnt easy. We have a big team of chefs in training here  nearly 30 people, so it was a bit hard to remember all the faces when I started training them, she says. Also, they were shy and restrained and I had to whip them into shape! I merely showed them how to do it.... we approached each problem as a group, and helped them look out for each other when the chips were falling down! And that she avers, is the very essence of what they try to teach them about life. We dont just teach them how to prepare meals, we teach them how to be strong together and that we are all the same! However, she adds, this doesnt mean they are excused for the quality of food they prepare. I can be quite a hard taskmaster....we cant treat them special, we have to treat them like everybody else. It certainly is challenging for them because the food served here is Swiss-inspired and does not include normal local food. You have to teach them a few times to get them to replicate the fl avours of the cuisine, she mulls. Silke has travelled to Thailand, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Italy, France, Russia, etc. She has previously worked in Suhl, Hamburg, Stuttgart (all cities in Germany) and later in Zurich, Switzerland. Based now out of Lucerne, she often conducts culinary sessions and runs her own catering service back home. She will be in Chennai for the next two months training the new batch of chefs.
Sujatha Narayanan By

Express News Service

So, Sathyaraj went on record expressing his regret for what he said nine years ago. Nobody, however, questioned why these protesting voices in Karnataka erupted just as a fi lm of Baahubali-2s scale was set for release. These arent isolated cases, mind you. Rajinikanth wanted to go to Sri Lanka to participate in a housing project for Tamilians in Jaffna, and was forced to cancel his plans. Kamal Haasans Vishwaroopam-2 is said to be gearing up for release this year but the furore over Vishwaroopam-1 is still fresh in our memory.

We want our icons to talk, to share their opinions, to give their two cents on whatever it is that occupies news space, and yet, we wont accord them their space to voice, to create and to act as citizens of a free country! The next time Rajinikanth has to make travel plans for an event, does he have to check with every fringe group out there to verify if he has their stamp of approval on his passport? While we seek out actors and film talents to give their bites on current affairs, politics, and sometimes, even the weather (!), why is there such intolerance towards what they say or do? A common man has the freedom to tweet on raging issues but when a celebrity does it, all hell breaks loose, and it comes back to haunt them just as a film on which crores are riding, is set for release? A certain responsibility is vested in all of us as citizens, as much as it is with celebrities. Our country, it seems, has a seasonal penchant for turning the spotlight on film stars, and then, suddenly for throwing stones at those very people! The recent jallikattu controversy saw so many righteous comments directed at Kamal Haasan, following some of his tweets.

He was lectured so much about what he should or should not opine that he finally had to remind them of his right to free speech: Just because you do not approve of what Im saying does not mean I wont say it  my opinions are mine just like you have yours. Icon-bashing has become a phenomenon in India and social media has made it an easy pastime. We are obsessed with our film stars, and dont really let them live with their opinions. The slack we cut for our own selves, we refuse to cut for celebrities.

Why? Sathyaraj exercised just caution and expressed regret in his statement last week which will now ensure the release of Baahubali: The Conclusion in Karnataka. But what indeed is the value of a blackmailed apology? Who is playing the class teacher here and trying to bring errant celebrities to book? What joy does anyone derive when they force a fellow citizen, who also lives in a free democratic country, touted to be one of the greatest Republics in this world, to disown what he/she believes in? How does a personal point of view or political affiliation affect your perception of an actors professional work? Where is the rationale behind Indias faceless fringe elements targeting an actor only so they can get him to say one word: Sorry.

So, Sathyaraj went on record expressing his regret for what he said nine years ago. Nobody, however, questioned why these protesting voices in Karnataka erupted just as a fi lm of Baahubali-2s scale was set for release. These arent isolated cases, mind you. Rajinikanth wanted to go to Sri Lanka to participate in a housing project for Tamilians in Jaffna, and was forced to cancel his plans. Kamal Haasans Vishwaroopam-2 is said to be gearing up for release this year but the furore over Vishwaroopam-1 is still fresh in our memory. We want our icons to talk, to share their opinions, to give their two cents on whatever it is that occupies news space, and yet, we wont accord them their space to voice, to create and to act as citizens of a free country! The next time Rajinikanth has to make travel plans for an event, does he have to check with every fringe group out there to verify if he has their stamp of approval on his passport? While we seek out actors and film talents to give their bites on current affairs, politics, and sometimes, even the weather (!), why is there such intolerance towards what they say or do? A common man has the freedom to tweet on raging issues but when a celebrity does it, all hell breaks loose, and it comes back to haunt them just as a film on which crores are riding, is set for release? A certain responsibility is vested in all of us as citizens, as much as it is with celebrities. Our country, it seems, has a seasonal penchant for turning the spotlight on film stars, and then, suddenly for throwing stones at those very people! The recent jallikattu controversy saw so many righteous comments directed at Kamal Haasan, following some of his tweets. He was lectured so much about what he should or should not opine that he finally had to remind them of his right to free speech: Just because you do not approve of what Im saying does not mean I wont say it  my opinions are mine just like you have yours. Icon-bashing has become a phenomenon in India and social media has made it an easy pastime. We are obsessed with our film stars, and dont really let them live with their opinions. The slack we cut for our own selves, we refuse to cut for celebrities. Why? Sathyaraj exercised just caution and expressed regret in his statement last week which will now ensure the release of Baahubali: The Conclusion in Karnataka. But what indeed is the value of a blackmailed apology? Who is playing the class teacher here and trying to bring errant celebrities to book? What joy does anyone derive when they force a fellow citizen, who also lives in a free democratic country, touted to be one of the greatest Republics in this world, to disown what he/she believes in? How does a personal point of view or political affiliation affect your perception of an actors professional work? Where is the rationale behind Indias faceless fringe elements targeting an actor only so they can get him to say one word: Sorry.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a three-hour-long gunbattle with the CPI (Maoist) in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday. While eight others were injured, seven personnel, including the Commander of Central Forces, were reported missing after the attack.

Chief Minister Raman Singh convened a high-level meeting and called for a greater need to remain vigilant and formulate better strategies to counter Maoist threat. Sukma has emerged as the new headquarters of the Maoist rebels, the Chief Minister said.

The call assumes significance as the attack seems to have happened due to an intelligence failure. A CRPF officer told Express there were no inputs on presence or movement of armed rebels in such large strength. We were caught off-guard, he said, adding there were three rebels for every jawan trapped in the attack.

The selection of ambush location and trapping of jawans suggest the level of preparedness and information gathered by the ultras. The Chhattisgarh police did not respond to queries on failure of intelligence inputs. We need to find out, the DGP A N Upadhyay said.

What is more shocking is villagers briefing Maoists about the movement of troops.

In guerrilla warfare, local population have to be at the centre of gravity. It appears there is a trust deficit with forces as tribals, for whatever reasons, having come out in support of an outlawed group, Brigadier (Retd) B K Ponwar, director of Kanker-based Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College told Express.

Also, the forces reportedly took a break, on their way back from the Road Opening Party, for food. If that is true, it exposes how jungle warfare rules were flouted by security forces by moving in a casual manner in areas having strong presence of guerillas, Ponwar added.

The Chhattisgarh Nagrik Sangarsh Samiti too denounced some decisions of the States anti-Naxal strategy. Why is the base for providing inputs for Maoist-affected districts located in Bhilai instead of suitable locations in Bastar? asked Vishwajeet Mitra, convener of the Samiti.

Troopers must remain doubly cautious, especially during return journeys after operations. The rebels had their own local intelligence to understand the movements of forces. Being casual will offer rebels enough scope to find their enemys weak spots. If they had taken a break to have food under a tree, it is extremely shocking. Such negligence proves fatal, Ponwar added.

CRPF's official handle tweeted out the details of the 25 personnel who were killed in the ambush:

Drenching roots of the nation with their blood 25 heroes inspired by the motto of #NationFirst made supreme devotion to our motherland. pic.twitter.com/5To465Vdz4  CRPF (@crpfindia) April 24, 2017

RAIPUR: At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a three-hour-long gunbattle with the CPI (Maoist) in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday. While eight others were injured, seven personnel, including the Commander of Central Forces, were reported missing after the attack. Chief Minister Raman Singh convened a high-level meeting and called for a greater need to remain vigilant and formulate better strategies to counter Maoist threat. Sukma has emerged as the new headquarters of the Maoist rebels, the Chief Minister said. The call assumes significance as the attack seems to have happened due to an intelligence failure. A CRPF officer told Express there were no inputs on presence or movement of armed rebels in such large strength. We were caught off-guard, he said, adding there were three rebels for every jawan trapped in the attack. The selection of ambush location and trapping of jawans suggest the level of preparedness and information gathered by the ultras. The Chhattisgarh police did not respond to queries on failure of intelligence inputs. We need to find out, the DGP A N Upadhyay said. What is more shocking is villagers briefing Maoists about the movement of troops. In guerrilla warfare, local population have to be at the centre of gravity. It appears there is a trust deficit with forces as tribals, for whatever reasons, having come out in support of an outlawed group, Brigadier (Retd) B K Ponwar, director of Kanker-based Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College told Express. Also, the forces reportedly took a break, on their way back from the Road Opening Party, for food. If that is true, it exposes how jungle warfare rules were flouted by security forces by moving in a casual manner in areas having strong presence of guerillas, Ponwar added. The Chhattisgarh Nagrik Sangarsh Samiti too denounced some decisions of the States anti-Naxal strategy. Why is the base for providing inputs for Maoist-affected districts located in Bhilai instead of suitable locations in Bastar? asked Vishwajeet Mitra, convener of the Samiti. Troopers must remain doubly cautious, especially during return journeys after operations. The rebels had their own local intelligence to understand the movements of forces. Being casual will offer rebels enough scope to find their enemys weak spots. If they had taken a break to have food under a tree, it is extremely shocking. Such negligence proves fatal, Ponwar added. CRPF's official handle tweeted out the details of the 25 personnel who were killed in the ambush: Drenching roots of the nation with their blood 25 heroes inspired by the motto of #NationFirst made supreme devotion to our motherland. pic.twitter.com/5To465Vdz4  CRPF (@crpfindia) April 24, 2017
By Express News Service

PATNA: Rubbishing apprehensions about tourist arrivals in Bihar declining in the past one year since total prohibition was enforced in the State, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said there was, in fact, a rise in arrival of both domestic and foreign tourists following the liquor ban.



Apprehensions about the State losing revenue due to dwindling tourist arrivals after prohibition was imposed are wrong. More tourists visited Bihar last year than the previous year, said Kumar.



While 1.69 crore domestic tourists arrived in Bihar in 2015, their number was 2.85 crore in 2016, a 68 per cent rise. Similarly, while 9.23 lakh foreign tourists visited the State in 2015, their numbers rose by 9 per cent to 10.10 lakh in 2016, he told journalists on the Assembly premises, quoting official figures.



Nitish Kumar, who is the national president of JD(U) and has been campaigning for a nationwide liquor ban, said some vested interests are spreading misinformation about Bihar losing revenue due to total prohibition, which his government implemented in the State in April 2016.



Last week, CM Kumar was in Kerala and Mumbai, where he spoke on the benefits of total prohibition. People who attended the event in Kerala were very impressed when I told them of the liquor ban in force in Bihar and how it has transformed the socioeconomic environment in the State, said Kumar about his visit to Bharananganam in Kerala.



CM Kumar said his government is deeply committed to continue the liquor ban in the State, and said the next phase of the governments campaign is to eradicate social ills such as child marriage and the practice of dowry.



Speaking on Bihars loss of Rs 1,000 crore in revenue in 2016-17, the chief minister said prohibition had absolutely no role in it and it was caused mainly due to demonetisation and other matters.



PATNA: Rubbishing apprehensions about tourist arrivals in Bihar declining in the past one year since total prohibition was enforced in the State, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said there was, in fact, a rise in arrival of both domestic and foreign tourists following the liquor ban. Apprehensions about the State losing revenue due to dwindling tourist arrivals after prohibition was imposed are wrong. More tourists visited Bihar last year than the previous year, said Kumar. While 1.69 crore domestic tourists arrived in Bihar in 2015, their number was 2.85 crore in 2016, a 68 per cent rise. Similarly, while 9.23 lakh foreign tourists visited the State in 2015, their numbers rose by 9 per cent to 10.10 lakh in 2016, he told journalists on the Assembly premises, quoting official figures. Nitish Kumar, who is the national president of JD(U) and has been campaigning for a nationwide liquor ban, said some vested interests are spreading misinformation about Bihar losing revenue due to total prohibition, which his government implemented in the State in April 2016. Last week, CM Kumar was in Kerala and Mumbai, where he spoke on the benefits of total prohibition. People who attended the event in Kerala were very impressed when I told them of the liquor ban in force in Bihar and how it has transformed the socioeconomic environment in the State, said Kumar about his visit to Bharananganam in Kerala. CM Kumar said his government is deeply committed to continue the liquor ban in the State, and said the next phase of the governments campaign is to eradicate social ills such as child marriage and the practice of dowry. Speaking on Bihars loss of Rs 1,000 crore in revenue in 2016-17, the chief minister said prohibition had absolutely no role in it and it was caused mainly due to demonetisation and other matters.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: Chief minister Raman Singh, who convened a high level meeting following the deadly Sukma attack, called for a greater need to remain more vigilant with a better strategy to counter the Maoist threat.

Such a statement assumes significance in the backdrop of the tip-off miss that led nearly a 100 central paramilitary forces deployed for the road opening party (ROP) to be "ignorant" about the presence of over 300 armed Maoists within the radius of 1-2 kilometre waiting to ambush them.

The CRPF base-camp in Burkapal is barely four kilometres from the encounter site. A CRPF officer said there were no inputs about the presence or movement of armed rebels in such large numbers.

We were caught off-guard, he said, and added that the ratio of armed-conflict stood at one jawan for every three rebels.

He added that during the attack there were only fifty jawans trapped in the ambush, which worked in favour of the Maoists, the officer added.

The selection of an ideal ambush spot and trapping the jawans suggest the level of preparedness and information gathered by the ultras. The Chhattisgarh police avoided responding on the failure of intelligence inputs.

We need to find out, DGP A N Upadhyay said. The villagers also briefed the Maoists about the ROP forces movement rather than notifying the forces about the naxals presence.

In guerrilla warfare, the local population has to be at the centre of gravity. It appears there is a trust deficit with the forces since the tribals, for whatever reason, came out in support of the outlawed, Brigadier (Retd) B K Ponwar, director of Kanker-based counter terrorism and jungle warfare college told the New Indian Express.

The forces that left their base camp in the morning were returning around noon and reportedly took a break midway for food. The incident equally exposed how the rules of jungle warfare were "flouted" by the security forces when they "moved in a casual manner" to areas having strong guerilla presence.

It is an unfortunate incident. The troopers must remain doubly cautious during their return journey as the rebels had their own local intelligence network to know about the movement of forces. Being casual will offer the rebels enough scope to find their enemys weak spot. If they had taken a break for food under a tree then its extremely shocking, since such negligence proves fatal, said Ponwar, an expert in jungle warfare .

The Chhattisgarh Nagrik Sangarsh Samiti too denounced some decisions in the States anti-Naxal strategy.

Why is the base for providing inputs from a drone across the vast stretch of Maoist affected districts is located in Bhilai instead of a suitable location in Bastar. The station house officers from the police stations located in the Maoist stronghold along the border areas should be consulted during every joint inter-State operation against the left insurgents, said Vishwajeet Mitra, convener of the Samiti.

RAIPUR: Chief minister Raman Singh, who convened a high level meeting following the deadly Sukma attack, called for a greater need to remain more vigilant with a better strategy to counter the Maoist threat. Such a statement assumes significance in the backdrop of the tip-off miss that led nearly a 100 central paramilitary forces deployed for the road opening party (ROP) to be "ignorant" about the presence of over 300 armed Maoists within the radius of 1-2 kilometre waiting to ambush them. The CRPF base-camp in Burkapal is barely four kilometres from the encounter site. A CRPF officer said there were no inputs about the presence or movement of armed rebels in such large numbers. We were caught off-guard, he said, and added that the ratio of armed-conflict stood at one jawan for every three rebels. He added that during the attack there were only fifty jawans trapped in the ambush, which worked in favour of the Maoists, the officer added. The selection of an ideal ambush spot and trapping the jawans suggest the level of preparedness and information gathered by the ultras. The Chhattisgarh police avoided responding on the failure of intelligence inputs. We need to find out, DGP A N Upadhyay said. The villagers also briefed the Maoists about the ROP forces movement rather than notifying the forces about the naxals presence. In guerrilla warfare, the local population has to be at the centre of gravity. It appears there is a trust deficit with the forces since the tribals, for whatever reason, came out in support of the outlawed, Brigadier (Retd) B K Ponwar, director of Kanker-based counter terrorism and jungle warfare college told the New Indian Express. The forces that left their base camp in the morning were returning around noon and reportedly took a break midway for food. The incident equally exposed how the rules of jungle warfare were "flouted" by the security forces when they "moved in a casual manner" to areas having strong guerilla presence. It is an unfortunate incident. The troopers must remain doubly cautious during their return journey as the rebels had their own local intelligence network to know about the movement of forces. Being casual will offer the rebels enough scope to find their enemys weak spot. If they had taken a break for food under a tree then its extremely shocking, since such negligence proves fatal, said Ponwar, an expert in jungle warfare . The Chhattisgarh Nagrik Sangarsh Samiti too denounced some decisions in the States anti-Naxal strategy. Why is the base for providing inputs from a drone across the vast stretch of Maoist affected districts is located in Bhilai instead of a suitable location in Bastar. The station house officers from the police stations located in the Maoist stronghold along the border areas should be consulted during every joint inter-State operation against the left insurgents, said Vishwajeet Mitra, convener of the Samiti.
By PTI

SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today urged the Centre to immediately begin talks with all stakeholders including Pakistan for peace in Kashmir, without waiting for the situation to improve.

"Talk now. You have to talk now and talk to stakeholders and talk to everyone," he told reporters here. He said Pakistan had to be brought on board, too. "Even if you are bitter with Pakistan, you have to talk to Pakistan. You have to bring them on board," he said. The former chief minister, who won the recent bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, said the government should not wait for a "conducive atmosphere" before starting the dialogue.

"If the government really wants to talk so that peace is established, then they should not wait for the last stone to be hurled or the last bullet to be fired," he added. India, he stressed, stood for the rights of the people. Denying those rights would create "further wounds and alienation" among the people of Kashmir.

"We are digging the grave of democracy if we do not talk," he warned, and called for "respecting" the Indian Constitution. "Why do they not respect the Constitution that they swear by? You ban internet, you ban whatever you have...You are not going to win the war of hearts by banning these things." Referring to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today, the NC leader said the Centre and the state government had been saying for long that they would start a dialogue.

Abdullah said that for two years, there was talk about a dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat. Former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had also said that talks would be held with Pakistan, he added. "But nothing happened," he said.

"It is wonderful that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have met, (but) they must have discussed more than what we know." A delegation led by BJP leader and former minister Yashwant Sinha had recommended measures for Kashmir after a visit but "not a single item" had been taken up. He referred to the CM's comment today that stone-pelters had to stop throwing stones for the talks to take place. "Days before that, she said this gun culture must stop (and) then we will talk," he said.

"These things are not going to end." Asked if he endorsed stone-pelting, Abdullah replied that he supported the people as they were fighting for their rights which had been denied to them. "What are they fighting for? They are not fighting for the Chief Minister's post, MP's post or MLA's post. They are fighting for the rights of the people," he said.

He stressed that the NC had been requesting the Centre "over and over" to initiate talks so that concrete steps for peace in Kashmir could be taken. "They had a discussions in (former Prime Minister A B) Vajpayee's time, (former deputy prime minister L K) Advani's time, also met (the separatists) and certain recommendations were made. But nothing was done," he said. The former Union Minister said the government had to be sincere in wishing for a dialogue.

"Otherwise, if it is just to buy time, then it is going to be a failure. AFSPA will also be settled once you have peace." On recent student protests in Kashmir, the NC leader said the situation would continue to be tense unless "the main situation" was addressed.

"I feel sad, really sad that our children are going to suffer and they are not going to be able to get their education," he said. "Education is the basis of tomorrow." Reiterating his call for Governor's Rule in the state, Abdullah said if the government had been able to "serve and deliver", he would not have made this demand. He said his party would support any decision of the central or state government for the prosperity of Kashmir, but not side with them if the decision was going to be destructive.

SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today urged the Centre to immediately begin talks with all stakeholders including Pakistan for peace in Kashmir, without waiting for the situation to improve. "Talk now. You have to talk now and talk to stakeholders and talk to everyone," he told reporters here. He said Pakistan had to be brought on board, too. "Even if you are bitter with Pakistan, you have to talk to Pakistan. You have to bring them on board," he said. The former chief minister, who won the recent bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, said the government should not wait for a "conducive atmosphere" before starting the dialogue. "If the government really wants to talk so that peace is established, then they should not wait for the last stone to be hurled or the last bullet to be fired," he added. India, he stressed, stood for the rights of the people. Denying those rights would create "further wounds and alienation" among the people of Kashmir. "We are digging the grave of democracy if we do not talk," he warned, and called for "respecting" the Indian Constitution. "Why do they not respect the Constitution that they swear by? You ban internet, you ban whatever you have...You are not going to win the war of hearts by banning these things." Referring to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today, the NC leader said the Centre and the state government had been saying for long that they would start a dialogue. Abdullah said that for two years, there was talk about a dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat. Former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had also said that talks would be held with Pakistan, he added. "But nothing happened," he said. "It is wonderful that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have met, (but) they must have discussed more than what we know." A delegation led by BJP leader and former minister Yashwant Sinha had recommended measures for Kashmir after a visit but "not a single item" had been taken up. He referred to the CM's comment today that stone-pelters had to stop throwing stones for the talks to take place. "Days before that, she said this gun culture must stop (and) then we will talk," he said. "These things are not going to end." Asked if he endorsed stone-pelting, Abdullah replied that he supported the people as they were fighting for their rights which had been denied to them. "What are they fighting for? They are not fighting for the Chief Minister's post, MP's post or MLA's post. They are fighting for the rights of the people," he said. He stressed that the NC had been requesting the Centre "over and over" to initiate talks so that concrete steps for peace in Kashmir could be taken. "They had a discussions in (former Prime Minister A B) Vajpayee's time, (former deputy prime minister L K) Advani's time, also met (the separatists) and certain recommendations were made. But nothing was done," he said. The former Union Minister said the government had to be sincere in wishing for a dialogue. "Otherwise, if it is just to buy time, then it is going to be a failure. AFSPA will also be settled once you have peace." On recent student protests in Kashmir, the NC leader said the situation would continue to be tense unless "the main situation" was addressed. "I feel sad, really sad that our children are going to suffer and they are not going to be able to get their education," he said. "Education is the basis of tomorrow." Reiterating his call for Governor's Rule in the state, Abdullah said if the government had been able to "serve and deliver", he would not have made this demand. He said his party would support any decision of the central or state government for the prosperity of Kashmir, but not side with them if the decision was going to be destructive.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: As Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti talked about the disillusionment of youth in the Valley during her interaction with Central leaders, the anger was on display in city centre on Monday as students, including girl students, staged protests and clashed with security personnel.

As the class work in colleges resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for a week due to students protest, the students of SP College and SP Higher Secondary school in Lal Chowk area took out a protest march.

Carrying placards and banners, the students were protesting against the assault of students of Government Degree College Pulwama by security forces and manhandling of students during Valley-wide protests last Monday.

We are protesting against the manhandling and beating up of students by security forces. It is unfortunate that the Mehbooba Mufti government is now targeting student community, said the protesting students amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.

As they reached the Maulana Azad road, police and paramilitary personnel intercepted them and lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse them.

While the cops were trying to deal with the protest, the female students of adjoining women's college also came out on roads to protest against the police highhandedness. The security personnel fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesting students.

As the cops rained tear smoke shells, the protesting students hurled back some of the tear gas shells towards the policemen.

The clashes soon spread to the adjoining areas, including volatile Maisuma area, and soon the whole Lal Chowk area presented a war-like situation with tear gas shells and stones flying everywhere.

It was total chaos in the city centre. The shopkeepers pulled down the shutters of their establishments and vehicular movement in the area was halted, leading to massive traffic jams.

As the clashes intensified, the protesting students, who were joined by youth, indulged in heavy stone pelting on cops and their vehicles. The cops also fired several rounds in air to scare the protesting students, who, however, did not relent.

The sporadic clashes continued till late forenoon.

At least eight students, a couple of photo journalists and a police officer were injured during the day-long clashes. Police also detained six students.

The Valley is witnessing students turmoil after over 50 students were injured in clashes with security forces in premises of Degree College Pulwama in South Kashmir on April 15.

After Valley-wide protests of students on April 17 against police raid on degree college Pulwama, authorities closed the colleges for the week and also suspended mobile internet services.

Meanwhile, suspected militants shot dead district president of ruling PDP in Pinglaen area of South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Monday.

A police officer said PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar, who is the partys district president for Budgam was intercepted by militants in Pinglaen village this afternoon.

The militants intercepted his vehicle and fired from point blank range towards him, he said.

The PDP leader, who was also a lawyer by profession, sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and another in the back and was shifted to Srinagar hospital, where he succumbed.

No militant group has claimed responsibility of the killing.

Dar is the second PDP leader and third mainstream political worker to be shot dead by militants in South Kashmir in eight days.

Earlier, on April 16, militants had shot dead a PDP worker Bashir Ahmad Dar in Rajpora area of Pulwama district.

On the same day, gunmen also shot dead a lawyer Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, who was former public prosecutor and associated with opposition National Conference.

SRINAGAR: As Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti talked about the disillusionment of youth in the Valley during her interaction with Central leaders, the anger was on display in city centre on Monday as students, including girl students, staged protests and clashed with security personnel. As the class work in colleges resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for a week due to students protest, the students of SP College and SP Higher Secondary school in Lal Chowk area took out a protest march. Carrying placards and banners, the students were protesting against the assault of students of Government Degree College Pulwama by security forces and manhandling of students during Valley-wide protests last Monday. We are protesting against the manhandling and beating up of students by security forces. It is unfortunate that the Mehbooba Mufti government is now targeting student community, said the protesting students amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. As they reached the Maulana Azad road, police and paramilitary personnel intercepted them and lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse them. While the cops were trying to deal with the protest, the female students of adjoining women's college also came out on roads to protest against the police highhandedness. The security personnel fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesting students. As the cops rained tear smoke shells, the protesting students hurled back some of the tear gas shells towards the policemen. The clashes soon spread to the adjoining areas, including volatile Maisuma area, and soon the whole Lal Chowk area presented a war-like situation with tear gas shells and stones flying everywhere. It was total chaos in the city centre. The shopkeepers pulled down the shutters of their establishments and vehicular movement in the area was halted, leading to massive traffic jams. As the clashes intensified, the protesting students, who were joined by youth, indulged in heavy stone pelting on cops and their vehicles. The cops also fired several rounds in air to scare the protesting students, who, however, did not relent. The sporadic clashes continued till late forenoon. At least eight students, a couple of photo journalists and a police officer were injured during the day-long clashes. Police also detained six students. The Valley is witnessing students turmoil after over 50 students were injured in clashes with security forces in premises of Degree College Pulwama in South Kashmir on April 15. After Valley-wide protests of students on April 17 against police raid on degree college Pulwama, authorities closed the colleges for the week and also suspended mobile internet services. Meanwhile, suspected militants shot dead district president of ruling PDP in Pinglaen area of South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Monday. A police officer said PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar, who is the partys district president for Budgam was intercepted by militants in Pinglaen village this afternoon. The militants intercepted his vehicle and fired from point blank range towards him, he said. The PDP leader, who was also a lawyer by profession, sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and another in the back and was shifted to Srinagar hospital, where he succumbed. No militant group has claimed responsibility of the killing. Dar is the second PDP leader and third mainstream political worker to be shot dead by militants in South Kashmir in eight days. Earlier, on April 16, militants had shot dead a PDP worker Bashir Ahmad Dar in Rajpora area of Pulwama district. On the same day, gunmen also shot dead a lawyer Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, who was former public prosecutor and associated with opposition National Conference.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran and Kyrgyzstan signed a memorandum of understanding to boost political and economic cooperation.

The nine-article document was signed by Ali Larijani, Iranian parliaments speaker, and his Kyrgyz counterpart Chynybai Tursunbekov in Tehran Apr. 24, the state-run IRINN TV reported.

The MOU envisages parliamentary cooperation, expanding trade and economic ties and taking legal measures for fighting drug production and smuggling.

The two countries also decided to encourage inter-parliamentary relations through creating parliamentary friendship groups and organizing regular exchanges by holding mutual visits.

Fighting extremism and terrorism in the region was also a part of the signed memorandum.

Heading a parliamentary delegation, Chynybai Tursunbekov arrived in Tehran on Apr. 23.

He is scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi and head of Irans Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gholam Hossein Shafei.
By IANS

BELAGAVI: A minor girl trapped in a dry borewell for nearly 54 hours was found dead on Monday night at a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district, said a rescue team official early Tuesday.

"The rescue team members found six-year-old Kaveri dead and buried in mud around 11.50 p.m. at about 30 feet in the borewell pipe. She fell and remained stuck since Saturday evening," a member of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told reporters at Jhunjarawadi village in Athani taluk, where the tragic accident occurred in this northern district, 640km from the state capital Bengaluru.

The Pune-based NDRF team retrieved Kaveri's bruised body from the dreaded borewell through a parallel tunnel it dug for two days after drilling the rocky terrain.

"We have shifted the body in an ambulance to a state-run hospital at Athani for autopsy before handing it over to Kaveri's parents," said the official.

Kaveri accidentally slipped and fell on Saturday evening into the open borewell in a farm while playing with friends near her house in the village, 145km from Belagavi.

"We have registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the absconding owner (Shankarappa) of the borewell and the farm land on which it was left abandoned after it dried up due to drought and scorching summer," Belagavi Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters at the accident spot after midnight.

Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from the district, lamented that Kaveri could not be saved despite all efforts by the NDRF team and the fire brigade personnel.

"It's a tragic incident which should not have occurred. Our heart-felt condolences to her bereaved family even as the entire state mourns for her," Jarkiholi told reporters here.

Kaveri's grieving and inconsolable mother Savita told news channels that no other child should meet the fate of her young child.

"We appeal to the state government to shut all open and dry borewells anywhere in the state so that no other child will die like my dear Kaveri," said Savita.

BELAGAVI: A minor girl trapped in a dry borewell for nearly 54 hours was found dead on Monday night at a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district, said a rescue team official early Tuesday. "The rescue team members found six-year-old Kaveri dead and buried in mud around 11.50 p.m. at about 30 feet in the borewell pipe. She fell and remained stuck since Saturday evening," a member of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told reporters at Jhunjarawadi village in Athani taluk, where the tragic accident occurred in this northern district, 640km from the state capital Bengaluru. The Pune-based NDRF team retrieved Kaveri's bruised body from the dreaded borewell through a parallel tunnel it dug for two days after drilling the rocky terrain. "We have shifted the body in an ambulance to a state-run hospital at Athani for autopsy before handing it over to Kaveri's parents," said the official. Kaveri accidentally slipped and fell on Saturday evening into the open borewell in a farm while playing with friends near her house in the village, 145km from Belagavi. "We have registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the absconding owner (Shankarappa) of the borewell and the farm land on which it was left abandoned after it dried up due to drought and scorching summer," Belagavi Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters at the accident spot after midnight. Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from the district, lamented that Kaveri could not be saved despite all efforts by the NDRF team and the fire brigade personnel. "It's a tragic incident which should not have occurred. Our heart-felt condolences to her bereaved family even as the entire state mourns for her," Jarkiholi told reporters here. Kaveri's grieving and inconsolable mother Savita told news channels that no other child should meet the fate of her young child. "We appeal to the state government to shut all open and dry borewells anywhere in the state so that no other child will die like my dear Kaveri," said Savita.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Power Minister M M Manis derogatory remarks on Pembilai Orumai activists in Munnar have snowballed into a major controversy and could not have come at a more inopportune time for the LDF Government, with the Assembly set to convene on Tuesday.

The main Opposition UDF is expected to raise the issue in the House which will put the Pinarayi Vijayan Government on the backfoot.

Meanwhile, various organisations have called for Manis resignation while pressing for criminal charges to be brought against him. Chief Minister Pinarayi on Sunday told reporters in Delhi it was not right to pass such remarks. Pembilai Orumai is a womens collective. It is not right if he insulted them, he said. On whether action will be taken against Mani, he said, I will let you know about it after speaking to the person who made the comment.

Veteran CPM leader and Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V S Achuthanandan also flayed Manis anti-woman remarks. It is not the Communists line to speak against the working class and women or to justify the encroachments. The CPM cannot justify if anyone adopts such a stand, whoever he might be, he said.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded the removal of M M Mani. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Ramesh called for a case to be registered against Mani and his arrest for insulting womanhood. Mani was behaving like a person who had lost his mental stability, he alleged. According to Ramesh, Mani had violated the oath of office which required the incumbents to protect the people and the wealth of the state. But instead, the Power Minister was championing the cause of the encroachers.

Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma blasted Manis comments saying, Its an unpardonable comment. Quite unfortunate too.

Former Rajya Sabha MP and Haritha Keralam Mission vice-chairperson T N Seema urged the minister to withdraw his remarks. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded a case be lodged against M M Mani who  had put a price on the dignity of women.

Further, he said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should clarify whether Mani was being allowed to continue in office due to the lack of competent persons among the LDF MLAs.

The Chief Minister should decide whether Mani ought to continue(as minister), Kummanam said.

According to the BJP state chief, the CPM had thrown down a gauntlet to the people of Kerala by foisting Mani on them. The day is not far-off when women will sweep Mani out with brooms. Mani who is wont to using abusive language against anyone, is an insult to Malayalees, he said.

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) too joined the chorus with AAP state convener C R Neelakantan demanding criminal charges should be brought against him for his remarks against Pembilai Orumai.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Power Minister M M Manis derogatory remarks on Pembilai Orumai activists in Munnar have snowballed into a major controversy and could not have come at a more inopportune time for the LDF Government, with the Assembly set to convene on Tuesday. The main Opposition UDF is expected to raise the issue in the House which will put the Pinarayi Vijayan Government on the backfoot. Meanwhile, various organisations have called for Manis resignation while pressing for criminal charges to be brought against him. Chief Minister Pinarayi on Sunday told reporters in Delhi it was not right to pass such remarks. Pembilai Orumai is a womens collective. It is not right if he insulted them, he said. On whether action will be taken against Mani, he said, I will let you know about it after speaking to the person who made the comment. Veteran CPM leader and Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V S Achuthanandan also flayed Manis anti-woman remarks. It is not the Communists line to speak against the working class and women or to justify the encroachments. The CPM cannot justify if anyone adopts such a stand, whoever he might be, he said. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala demanded the removal of M M Mani. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Ramesh called for a case to be registered against Mani and his arrest for insulting womanhood. Mani was behaving like a person who had lost his mental stability, he alleged. According to Ramesh, Mani had violated the oath of office which required the incumbents to protect the people and the wealth of the state. But instead, the Power Minister was championing the cause of the encroachers. Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma blasted Manis comments saying, Its an unpardonable comment. Quite unfortunate too. Former Rajya Sabha MP and Haritha Keralam Mission vice-chairperson T N Seema urged the minister to withdraw his remarks. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded a case be lodged against M M Mani who  had put a price on the dignity of women. Further, he said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should clarify whether Mani was being allowed to continue in office due to the lack of competent persons among the LDF MLAs. The Chief Minister should decide whether Mani ought to continue(as minister), Kummanam said. According to the BJP state chief, the CPM had thrown down a gauntlet to the people of Kerala by foisting Mani on them. The day is not far-off when women will sweep Mani out with brooms. Mani who is wont to using abusive language against anyone, is an insult to Malayalees, he said. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) too joined the chorus with AAP state convener C R Neelakantan demanding criminal charges should be brought against him for his remarks against Pembilai Orumai.
Sinduja Jane By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A recent Madras High Court order has left the government doctors community furious. Subsequently, services in government hospitals across the State were affected by the doctors strike last week. Their main grouse was that the court had cancelled 50% reservation for government doctors in PG admissions.

The order, passed by a single bench consisting of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana on April 17, drew the ire of all opposition political parties, who issued statements condemning the abolition of the quota.

But a fine reading of the judgement points out that the carefully worded order did point out how the 50% reservation for government doctors was termed illegal by a Supreme Court order.

Yet, it went on to direct the State health department to compute the incentive marks for a candidate, who is the petitioner in the case and had served in a remote/tribal/hilly area for three years, while preparing the rank list for admission to the postgraduate courses in 50% reservation category for government servants. So, the order actually granted incentive to a doctor for having served in a remote area.

Problem with method

Detailed conversations with the protesting doctors revealed they were against the method of computation of the incentive marks that the high court upheld. There are about 1,600 seats in postgraduate courses in government colleges and 50% of these  about 800  are reserved by State government laws for doctors who served in government institutions.

Last year, in a case involving Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court ruled that such a reservation for government doctors is illegal and the central governments Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, is the only rule book that should be followed.

Instead of reservations, the central governments rule gives 10% incentive marks for each year of service in remote or difficult areas.

The incentive marks are calculated based on marks obtained by the candidate in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. While the high court order indirectly acknowledged 50% reservation for government doctors, where it differed with was the method of calculating the incentive marks from the brochure for PG admissions released by the State government.

As per the brochure, out of the total 100 marks, 90 will be proportionate to the marks obtained by the candidate in NEET and the remaining 10 marks based on service after finishing MBBS.

One mark for each year of experience, one mark per year for service in rural areas, two marks for service in hilly and remote areas and two marks for service in government hospitals in Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Ramanathapuram districts.

Mismatched incentives

So what is the real grouse of the protesting government doctors was that the central governments rule gives much higher incentive to the candidates who work in remote/tribal/hilly areas.

As per the ruling, 1,000 seats will go to doctors in the remote areas. Again, after non-clinical seats, only a few will be left for others working in (other) rural Primary Health Centres. This is atrocious, said Dr K Senthil, State president, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association.

The main argument was that imposing the central governments rule will make serving in government hospitals in areas other than those classified as remote, hilly or difficult will become unattractive.

If this system prevails, there will be no specialists in government hospitals, which are facing manpower shortage. If 30% incentive is given to in-service doctors serving in remote areas, then there will be no seats for doctors serving in other areas, said Dr PC Rupesh, State joint secretary, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association.

No entrance exams

Young MBBS graduates who joined government medical services in rural and semi-urban areas are upset since they consider that they are unjustifiably stopped from taking any entrance exams during the first two years of service as per the contract. What makes the government service attractive is the promise of the 50% quota in PG admissions in government colleges. As doctors protest, patients are forgotten.

The government stopped us from appearing for entrance examination for the past two years. There was a bond only after two years of government service that the doctors can write entrance exam. If they were allowed to write the exam, majority of them would have escaped from these difficulties, said one of the protesters in Chennai.

When contacted by Express, a senior health official said: The government has appealed against the Madras High Court order. It will affect hundreds of doctors working in PHCs in rural places and this will affect the public health system in the state.

CHENNAI: A recent Madras High Court order has left the government doctors community furious. Subsequently, services in government hospitals across the State were affected by the doctors strike last week. Their main grouse was that the court had cancelled 50% reservation for government doctors in PG admissions. The order, passed by a single bench consisting of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana on April 17, drew the ire of all opposition political parties, who issued statements condemning the abolition of the quota. But a fine reading of the judgement points out that the carefully worded order did point out how the 50% reservation for government doctors was termed illegal by a Supreme Court order. Yet, it went on to direct the State health department to compute the incentive marks for a candidate, who is the petitioner in the case and had served in a remote/tribal/hilly area for three years, while preparing the rank list for admission to the postgraduate courses in 50% reservation category for government servants. So, the order actually granted incentive to a doctor for having served in a remote area. Problem with method Detailed conversations with the protesting doctors revealed they were against the method of computation of the incentive marks that the high court upheld. There are about 1,600 seats in postgraduate courses in government colleges and 50% of these  about 800  are reserved by State government laws for doctors who served in government institutions. Last year, in a case involving Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court ruled that such a reservation for government doctors is illegal and the central governments Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, is the only rule book that should be followed. Instead of reservations, the central governments rule gives 10% incentive marks for each year of service in remote or difficult areas. The incentive marks are calculated based on marks obtained by the candidate in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. While the high court order indirectly acknowledged 50% reservation for government doctors, where it differed with was the method of calculating the incentive marks from the brochure for PG admissions released by the State government. As per the brochure, out of the total 100 marks, 90 will be proportionate to the marks obtained by the candidate in NEET and the remaining 10 marks based on service after finishing MBBS. One mark for each year of experience, one mark per year for service in rural areas, two marks for service in hilly and remote areas and two marks for service in government hospitals in Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Ramanathapuram districts. Mismatched incentives So what is the real grouse of the protesting government doctors was that the central governments rule gives much higher incentive to the candidates who work in remote/tribal/hilly areas. As per the ruling, 1,000 seats will go to doctors in the remote areas. Again, after non-clinical seats, only a few will be left for others working in (other) rural Primary Health Centres. This is atrocious, said Dr K Senthil, State president, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association. The main argument was that imposing the central governments rule will make serving in government hospitals in areas other than those classified as remote, hilly or difficult will become unattractive. If this system prevails, there will be no specialists in government hospitals, which are facing manpower shortage. If 30% incentive is given to in-service doctors serving in remote areas, then there will be no seats for doctors serving in other areas, said Dr PC Rupesh, State joint secretary, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association. No entrance exams Young MBBS graduates who joined government medical services in rural and semi-urban areas are upset since they consider that they are unjustifiably stopped from taking any entrance exams during the first two years of service as per the contract. What makes the government service attractive is the promise of the 50% quota in PG admissions in government colleges. As doctors protest, patients are forgotten. The government stopped us from appearing for entrance examination for the past two years. There was a bond only after two years of government service that the doctors can write entrance exam. If they were allowed to write the exam, majority of them would have escaped from these difficulties, said one of the protesters in Chennai. When contacted by Express, a senior health official said: The government has appealed against the Madras High Court order. It will affect hundreds of doctors working in PHCs in rural places and this will affect the public health system in the state.
By Associated Press

ATHENS: A migrant boat sank overnight in the eastern Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, leaving at least 16 people dead, including two children, Greek authorities said Monday. Two women from it were rescued and several other people are believed to be missing.

Greece's coast guard said the bodies of nine people  six women, two men and a child  had been recovered from Greek waters off the island of Lesbos, while Turkish authorities found the bodies of a further six men and a child in Turkish waters.

One of rescued women was pregnant. She told Greek authorities she had been among roughly 25 people who had set sail late Sunday night from the Turkish coast heading to Lesbos. The nationalities of those involved were not immediately available.

A search-and-rescue operation was ongoing. The alert was raised Monday morning by a Greek navy vessel that spotted bodies in the water.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants have crossed into Greece from the nearby Turkish coast, hoping to head to more prosperous European countries. But a European Union-Turkey deal reached last year  in which those arriving on Greek islands face deportation back to Turkey  has significantly reduced the number of people attempting to cross the Aegean.

Most undertake the short but dangerous journey on overloaded inflatable dinghies or occasionally sailboats. It was unclear what type of smuggling vessel was used Monday, or how it ran into trouble.

ATHENS: A migrant boat sank overnight in the eastern Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, leaving at least 16 people dead, including two children, Greek authorities said Monday. Two women from it were rescued and several other people are believed to be missing. Greece's coast guard said the bodies of nine people  six women, two men and a child  had been recovered from Greek waters off the island of Lesbos, while Turkish authorities found the bodies of a further six men and a child in Turkish waters. One of rescued women was pregnant. She told Greek authorities she had been among roughly 25 people who had set sail late Sunday night from the Turkish coast heading to Lesbos. The nationalities of those involved were not immediately available. A search-and-rescue operation was ongoing. The alert was raised Monday morning by a Greek navy vessel that spotted bodies in the water. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have crossed into Greece from the nearby Turkish coast, hoping to head to more prosperous European countries. But a European Union-Turkey deal reached last year  in which those arriving on Greek islands face deportation back to Turkey  has significantly reduced the number of people attempting to cross the Aegean. Most undertake the short but dangerous journey on overloaded inflatable dinghies or occasionally sailboats. It was unclear what type of smuggling vessel was used Monday, or how it ran into trouble.
By PTI

KARACHI: Four paramilitary soldiers were among five people killed and three others injured when a roadside bomb targeted a convoy of troops in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.

Four Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers and a civilian were killed in the attack when a convoy of the paramilitary troops was targeted by a roadside bomb in the Mand area of Kech district yesterday night, police said. The convoy was going from Gwadar to Mand town in the Makran coastal division near the border with Iran when a bomb went off destroying the vehicle and damaging another, they said.

"Four FC soldiers were martyred in the explosion while a civilian was also killed. Three soldiers were injured," Bashir Ahmed, Makran Division Commissioner said.

He said the civilian was travelling with the FC men.

"The roadside bomb was detonated via remote control device," he added.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

KARACHI: Four paramilitary soldiers were among five people killed and three others injured when a roadside bomb targeted a convoy of troops in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province. Four Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers and a civilian were killed in the attack when a convoy of the paramilitary troops was targeted by a roadside bomb in the Mand area of Kech district yesterday night, police said. The convoy was going from Gwadar to Mand town in the Makran coastal division near the border with Iran when a bomb went off destroying the vehicle and damaging another, they said. "Four FC soldiers were martyred in the explosion while a civilian was also killed. Three soldiers were injured," Bashir Ahmed, Makran Division Commissioner said. He said the civilian was travelling with the FC men. "The roadside bomb was detonated via remote control device," he added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
By AFP

PARIS: Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have emerged as winners of the first round presidential vote in France.

The result clears the way for a straight two-way fight between the pair in a run-off on May 7, with opinion polls flagging Macron as favourite.

Here are some of the international reactions to Sunday's vote:

European Union

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated the pro-EU Macron and wished him "good luck" in the run-off, Juncker's spokesman tweeted.

"To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it's the hope and future of our generation," tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns Le Pen could lead France away from the bloc.

"Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on May 7. France must remain European," the Frenchman tweeted.

Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "respects" the result, and is "in favour of building good and mutually beneficial relations".

Russia has appeared as a keen backer of Le Pen, who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise visit to Moscow ahead of the vote.

Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks".

"It's good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy," Steffen Seibert said in a tweet.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed confidence that the 39-year-old would be France's next president.

"I'm sure he will sweep away the far-right, rightwing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round," Social Democrat Gabriel said in a video posted on Twitter during a trip to Amman.

Writing on Twitter, he added: "I'm glad that @EmmanuelMacron is leading the field. He was the only truly pro-European candidate."

Austria

The head of the Austrian far-right FPOe, Heinz-Christian Strache, congratulated Le Pen on her "historic success".

"Europe's patriotic spring can celebrate another success and step forward... The old established parties and their discredited representatives will gradually disappear into insignificance all across Europe. They have been ruining Europe for years!" he said on Facebook.

Strache said that because "established French parties" were backing Macron, it would be a "wonder" if Le Pen won the second round.

"But the system, like in Austria, is on the brink. It is just a question of time. More and more citizens have had enough of the system politicians responsible for the current disaster."

Britain

Former Conservative finance minister George Osborne, recently appointed editor of London's Evening Standard newspaper, hailed a good result for the centre.

"Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs," he tweeted.

Denmark

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed cautious optimism that former banker Macron would emerge victorious over Le Pen.

"Congratulations @EmmanuelMacron. We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reform oriented France => Good luck!"

Norway

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, whose country is not a member of the European Union, tweeted: "We need more not less cooperation in #Europe."

The Netherlands

Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the anti-Islam anti-immigrant Freedom Party, swung behind Le Pen, welcoming the result as a "bright day for patriots in France and elsewhere who want more national sovereignty and less EU and immigration.

"I have just sent her my sincere congratulations. Now on the way to a vigorous second round, I am hoping for a President Le Pen."

PARIS: Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have emerged as winners of the first round presidential vote in France. The result clears the way for a straight two-way fight between the pair in a run-off on May 7, with opinion polls flagging Macron as favourite. Here are some of the international reactions to Sunday's vote: European Union European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated the pro-EU Macron and wished him "good luck" in the run-off, Juncker's spokesman tweeted. "To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it's the hope and future of our generation," tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns Le Pen could lead France away from the bloc. "Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on May 7. France must remain European," the Frenchman tweeted. Russia Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "respects" the result, and is "in favour of building good and mutually beneficial relations". Russia has appeared as a keen backer of Le Pen, who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise visit to Moscow ahead of the vote. Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks". "It's good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy," Steffen Seibert said in a tweet. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed confidence that the 39-year-old would be France's next president. "I'm sure he will sweep away the far-right, rightwing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round," Social Democrat Gabriel said in a video posted on Twitter during a trip to Amman. Writing on Twitter, he added: "I'm glad that @EmmanuelMacron is leading the field. He was the only truly pro-European candidate." Austria The head of the Austrian far-right FPOe, Heinz-Christian Strache, congratulated Le Pen on her "historic success". "Europe's patriotic spring can celebrate another success and step forward... The old established parties and their discredited representatives will gradually disappear into insignificance all across Europe. They have been ruining Europe for years!" he said on Facebook. Strache said that because "established French parties" were backing Macron, it would be a "wonder" if Le Pen won the second round. "But the system, like in Austria, is on the brink. It is just a question of time. More and more citizens have had enough of the system politicians responsible for the current disaster." Britain Former Conservative finance minister George Osborne, recently appointed editor of London's Evening Standard newspaper, hailed a good result for the centre. "Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs," he tweeted. Denmark Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed cautious optimism that former banker Macron would emerge victorious over Le Pen. "Congratulations @EmmanuelMacron. We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reform oriented France => Good luck!" Norway Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, whose country is not a member of the European Union, tweeted: "We need more not less cooperation in #Europe." The Netherlands Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the anti-Islam anti-immigrant Freedom Party, swung behind Le Pen, welcoming the result as a "bright day for patriots in France and elsewhere who want more national sovereignty and less EU and immigration. "I have just sent her my sincere congratulations. Now on the way to a vigorous second round, I am hoping for a President Le Pen."
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead.

"I don't think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we dont call him a terrorist," 73-year-old Musharraf said. Referring to Saeed's house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, "Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States."

"They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi they dont talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him," he said, while talking about the Mumbai attacks.

In January this year, 68-year-old Saeed was placed under under a 90-day house arrest. There were reports that Pakistan was immense pressure from new the Trump administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations.

Saeed carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

His organisation JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26, 2008, which was masterminded by Saeed.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009.

Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, "If the current prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesnt want it."

The former dictator also said that he would like to contest the 2018 general elections.

"Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel.

Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan.

"I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," said the former president.

"There are many good people who can run Pakistan," he said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good."

Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism.

"It didn't come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way."

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has claimed that Jamaat-ud Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 166 people dead. "I don't think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we dont call him a terrorist," 73-year-old Musharraf said. Referring to Saeed's house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, "Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States." "They may be talk about Haqqani and Shakil Afridi they dont talk about Hafiz Saeed, only India keeps talking about him," he said, while talking about the Mumbai attacks. In January this year, 68-year-old Saeed was placed under under a 90-day house arrest. There were reports that Pakistan was immense pressure from new the Trump administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations. Saeed carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. His organisation JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26, 2008, which was masterminded by Saeed. Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009. Referring to the current relations between Pakistan and India, Musharraf said, "If the current prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] wants peace, he is in the best position to go for peace with Pakistan. But he doesnt want it." The former dictator also said that he would like to contest the 2018 general elections. "Yes, I am looking to relaunch my political career, The Express Tribune quoted Musharraf as saying, citing excerpts from his interview with WION (World Is One News) TV channel. Musharraf, however, said he was not keen on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan. "I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," said the former president. "There are many good people who can run Pakistan," he said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good." Denying any sort of criticism over his plans to join either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Musharraf said his earlier decision to join them was something the country needed at the time to eliminate corruption and nepotism. "It didn't come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way." Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections. Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending.
By AFP

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call Monday with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula.

The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month.

Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice-President Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days".

The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.

Confusion has clouded the carrier group's whereabouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia.

Pence also renewed calls for Beijing -- Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner -- 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."

In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action.

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents.

Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"I told him that we highly appraise US words and actions that show all options are on the table," Abe told reporters following the call.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions."

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call Monday with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula. The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army. "(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry. "The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties." It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month. Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice-President Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days". The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday. Confusion has clouded the carrier group's whereabouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia. Pence also renewed calls for Beijing -- Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner -- 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." In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year. China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action. The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung. The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents. Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force. "I told him that we highly appraise US words and actions that show all options are on the table," Abe told reporters following the call. "We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions."
By AFP

WASHINGTON: The UN Security Council has to be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling the status quo "unacceptable."

"This is a real threat to the world," Trump said while hosting UN Security Council ambassadors at the White House. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve."

"The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," he said.

The comments are sure to once again ratchet up tensions.

North Korea is pushing on with its ballistic missile program, believed to be preparing a sixth nuclear weapons test, and has detained a US citizen -- the third to be held in the country.

At the same time, the United States has ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific, near North Korea. The group is due to arrive by the end of April.

WATCH VIDEO:

The Pentagon said its leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to US senators on Wednesday at the White House, rather than the usual secure rooms at the Capitol.

US Vice President Mike Pence is heading back to Washington after visits to Asia and Australia, with North Korea headlining talks.

Trump has intimated he is willing to ramp up US military pressure on North Korea while simultaneously encouraging China to use its influence on its ally, while rejecting bilateral diplomacy with Pyongyang.

"People have put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem," he said.

The US leader spoke about North Korea in telephone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday and with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, the White House said.

In the call with Xi, "the two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a White House statement said.

WASHINGTON: The UN Security Council has to be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling the status quo "unacceptable." "This is a real threat to the world," Trump said while hosting UN Security Council ambassadors at the White House. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve." "The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," he said. The comments are sure to once again ratchet up tensions. North Korea is pushing on with its ballistic missile program, believed to be preparing a sixth nuclear weapons test, and has detained a US citizen -- the third to be held in the country. At the same time, the United States has ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific, near North Korea. The group is due to arrive by the end of April. WATCH VIDEO: window.__ventunoplayer = window.__ventunoplayer||[]; window.__ventunoplayer.push({video_key: 'OTI1Njk5fHw4fHw2fHwxLDIsMQ==', holder_id: 'vt-video-player', player_type: 'vp', width:'100%', ratio:'4:3'}); The Pentagon said its leaders and other top officials will give a classified briefing on North Korea to US senators on Wednesday at the White House, rather than the usual secure rooms at the Capitol. US Vice President Mike Pence is heading back to Washington after visits to Asia and Australia, with North Korea headlining talks. Trump has intimated he is willing to ramp up US military pressure on North Korea while simultaneously encouraging China to use its influence on its ally, while rejecting bilateral diplomacy with Pyongyang. "People have put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem," he said. The US leader spoke about North Korea in telephone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday and with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, the White House said. In the call with Xi, "the two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a White House statement said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24



By Fatih Karimov  Trend:



Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared an amnesty on the occasion of the Mab'ath (the anniversary of the appointment of Mohammad to prophethood) religious holiday in the country.



Khamenei agreed to pardon or reduce the sentences of 593 inmates convicted by various Iranian courts on Apr. 24, the leader's official website said.



The head of Iran's judiciary Sadiq Amoli Larijani appealed to the Supreme Leader with a letter in which he asked for pardon and reduced sentences of some convicts of military, civil and revolutionary courts.



The supreme leader signed a relevant decree. Iran's Constitution grants him the right to pardon or reduce the sentences of convicts upon the recommendation of the judiciary chief.
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North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, in the latest sign of rising tension as U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to call the leaders of China and Japan, Reuters reported.

The United States ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to mounting concern over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days," but gave no other details.

North Korea remained defiant.

"Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary.

The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a "gross animal" and said a strike on it would be "an actual example to show our military's force".

The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.

A senior U.S. administration official said Trump was expected to speak later on Sunday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In another sign of the intense focus on Pyongyang in Washington, the White House is expected to host U.S. senators for a top-level briefing on North Korea on Wednesday, a White House official said.

The official said the briefing would be led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.

South Korea has put its forces on heightened alert.

China, North Korea's sole major ally, opposes Pyongyang's weapons programs and has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.

Speaking during a visit to Greece, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were already enough shows of force and confrontation and appealed for calm.

"We need to issue peaceful and rational sounds," Wang said, according to a statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry.
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US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to take steps necessary to contain "provocative actions" of North Korea, Sputnik reported citing local media.

The two politicians held a phone conversation earlier in the day, the Kyodo news agency reported citing Abe.
Researchers at Penn State have received more than $1 million in first-year funding from the National Institutes of Health to investigate malaria transmission in Southeast Asia with a goal of working toward the disease's elimination in the region. They will receive up to approximately $9 million over seven years for this project.

"In 2014, the most recent year for which data are available, about 438,000 people died from malaria worldwide," said Liwang Cui, professor of entomology, Penn State, and the project's principal investigator. "And that's just a tiny fraction of the people who were diagnosed with malaria that year -- 214 million people contracted the disease."

Cui noted that Southeast Asia accounts for 7 percent of global malaria deaths, and the majority of these cases occur along the borders of these countries. Recently, he added, the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries -- Cambodia, China's Yunnan Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam -- have committed to eliminating malaria by 2030 in all countries of the GMS.

Among the many projects they will pursue with their grant, Cui and his colleagues -- which includes Jetsumon Sattabongkot, faculty of science, Mahidol University, Thailand -- will continue to use molecular diagnostic tools to conduct malaria surveillance and to identify transmission hotspots and risk factors for malaria infection, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of current treatment regimens, along the borders of three countries within the GMS -- China, Myanmar and Thailand.

The researchers will also examine how environmental changes affect disease transmission, and whether changes in mosquito biting behaviors -- for example, outdoor/indoor biting -- have a genetic basis. In addition, they will use genetic techniques to examine resistance to several commonly-used insecticides among the major vector mosquitoes, and they will track the spread of resistance to other sites.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"Our previous work has found that the mortality rates of the Anopheles sinensis mosquitoes from both central and southwestern China were all below 90 percent for the five insecticides tested -- deltamethrin, permethrin, DDT, malathion and bendiocarb -- suggesting that they [the mosquitos] were all resistant to pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates and organochlorines," said Cui.

According to Cui, fake drugs to treat malaria are often sold in the border regions of Southeast Asia. As part of their project, he and his colleagues will investigate the extent of this problem using a special diagnostic tool they developed.

"Many migrants, due to illegal immigration status, often actively avoid contact with the authorities and seek malaria treatment at private sectors and small drug vendors," he said. "As a result, border areas represent the biggest market for counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs."

The team already has made many advances in these areas and the new funding from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will enable them to continue this work.

"We will use innovative molecular and genomic technologies to reveal the underlying mechanisms needed to design integrated, targeted control measures that attack the roots of the malaria problem," said Cui. "By strategically selecting three countries in this region with drastically different malaria epidemiologies, we expect that the findings of these studies will benefit the entire malaria community."
China's electric-car market is already the worlds biggest, but a government proposal to introduce "new energy" vehicle quotas for automakers is further charging it up. With the threat of the measure looming, major manufacturers at the annual auto show in Shanghai are announcing big plans to boost their electric vehicle (EV) offerings in China.Volvo has confirmed it will introduce its first 100-percent electric car in China in 2019, while Ford will market its first hybrid vehicle in early 2018 and envisions 70 percent of all Ford cars available in China will have electric options by 2025.Industry players say the push could have a profound impact on the green-car sector, as resulting economies of scale bring down the costs of producing and buying such cars. Chinese sales of "new energy" vehicles jumped 53 percent last year to 507,000 units, fuelled by government incentives.Overall, a world-leading 24.38 million passenger cars were sold in China in 2016. "Right now, the (EV) market has been driven by regulatory and government (subsidies)," admitted David Schoch, Ford's Asia-Pacific president. "But we do believe that in the very near term, as we scale up more batteries, the cost will come down." China has offered incentives for EV purchases to help fight chronic air pollution but has begun scaling back those inducements this year, causing sales to stumble. Instead, the government intends to force the hand of manufacturers.A proposal published in September could require "green" vehicle production quotas as early as 2018, under a complex system of earned credits. Market leader Volkswagen sold four million cars in China in 2016 but only a few hundred were "green". The German manufacturer now plans to begin production of an electric car in China next year, in a joint venture with Chinese group JAC.VW expects to sell around 400,000 new-energy vehicles in China in 2020, said Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen China. The quota plans have brought some pushback, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel lobbying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang over the issue.Chinese Industry Minister Miao Wei said in March that a reduction or deferral of the quotas was possible. But automakers plan to get ready. "We are fully, with all forces, working to be able to fulfill this quota system already next year," Heizmann said.General Motors says it plans to launch at least 10 new energy vehicles in China, targeting 150,000 in annual sales by 2020. "We have a pipeline ... that is going to put us in a very good position from a fuel-economy requirement perspective" that will enable GM to meet any EV rules, said Matt Tsien, head of GM China. The Chinese market is dominated by local manufacturers including sector pioneer BYD, which sold 96,000 EVs last year.
Of dozens of startup electric car makers in China, only two or three will be around in five years' time, the chief of Nio told Reuters, after the automaker unveiled its first production car aimed at taking on Tesla Inc's Model X.



China's government has been promoting electric vehicles in its battle with urban smog, with startups flooding the market after it opened up the sector to investment from technology firms and non-automotive backers.



"A car business is the world's toughest business to start," Chairman William Li said in Chinese on the sidelines of the Shanghai auto show. "If you look in five years, there won't be more than two or three companies reaching the minimum level of sales needed."



Nio, formerly NextEV, has lined its coffers with big-name investors, recently closing a second round of funding led by tech firms Tencent Holdings Ltd and Baidu Inc, Li said. He declined to state the size of investment or the automaker's valuation.



The company now has nearly 40 investors, expanding its backers from five or six early founding investors, he said.



Nio unveiled its first mass-production car at the Shanghai show - the ES8 pure-electric, seven-seat sport-utility vehicle. The model is set to go on sale next year with more features than the Tesla Model X at a lower price, Li said.



He said there is an opportunity for Nio to succeed by focusing only on electric cars and offering better service and digital functionality, areas where traditional car makers have difficulty.



"Traditional car companies aren't seriously doing this," Li said. "Their focus is still on hybrids and traditional cars."
Sivakumar, 56-year-old farmer from Nagapattinam said: The heat was intense and we found it tough to get basic facilities like toilets, drinking water and food. But we are no strangers to gruelling conditions. It hasnt rained in my village for two years. We know what heat and lack of water feels like. We may be living on the street in Delhi, but this is nothing compared to the hardship our families are facing back home. We have no choice.

Swaraj Abhiyan, led by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, has been waging a legal battle in the Supreme Court for the rights of drought-hit farmers across the country. Earlier this month, after Yadavs visit to Jantar Mantar, the outfit decided to add Tamil Nadu to their drought relief public interest litigation in the apex court.

Delhi is no stranger to protests. Being a capital city, every day tens of marches and sit-ins take place here. So much so that there is a designated place near Jantar Mantar where all kind of protesters are allowed to come and raise their voice. But the real challenge is to make those in the corridors of power, a few hundred meters away, listen to your demands.Through their 40-day-long Satyagraha, a group of 200 farmers from Tamil Nadu managed to achieve what many powerful groups have failed to do. From holding dead rats in their mouth to conducting mock funerals, to threatening to drink their own urine, the drought-hit farmers put Delhi to shame before conditionally suspending their agitation after Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami visited the protest site and assured them of assistance within a few weeks.Tamil Nadu is facing its worst drought in 140 years, which has led to hundreds of farmer suicides. The 40-day protest in temperature of above 40 degrees Celsius has made its mark in the history. Heres a look back:For the protesters, the day started with a hunt for toilets. Some found space in public toilets, but the queues were often so long that they had to wait for hours. Since most of these farmers were penniless, they depended on the generosity of Tamil migrants in Delhi for food. And yet, life on the street was preferable to the one in their villages.Nachiamma, 61, from Tiruchirappalli has seen her loan amount more than double from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 7 lakh in the past four years. She had tough 40 days but she cant restart her life without a loan waiver. Women, she says, had it harder at the protest. Women faced all the hardship that men had, plus some additional ones. I am old so I could not walk long distances to get water or food. We dont have too many clothes and didnt feel safe walking the distance. As a result, we were forced to use the nearby toilets. The only time we got to take a bath was when the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tanker came here. Even then, we could not always take bath because the same water had to be used for drinking also.Farmers from Tamil Nadu display skulls, who they claim are the remains of Tamil farmers who have committed suicide, during a protest demanding a drought-relief package from the Centre, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi (Photo:Reuters)The farmers had to resort to mortifying means to grab the attention of the political masters.They held dead rats in their mouths, shaved half their heads and moustaches, mean worn womens clothing, some even slashed their hands and conducted mock funerals. Despite all this, no minister or senior bureaucrat visited them for more than five weeks. On Saturday, farmers announced that they will drink their own urine. P Ayyakkannu, the state president of the National South-Indian Rivers Linking Farmers Association said, There is a reason farmers decided to adopt this means of protest. We wanted to show the authorities the real condition of Tamil Nadu farmers. The government needs to know our condition. We have no water. If Modi gives us water, we will not have to drink urine.In these bleak times, the farmers found an unexpected ally  the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. In the first ten days of the protest, we would have died of starvation had it not been for the kind people at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. We found out that the Gurudwara was just about a kilometre away from the protest site. When public toilets were getting overcrowded, some of us walked for 15 minutes to the Gurudwara and used the toilets there. When there was no food, we would eat at the langar. It was godsend for us. It kept us alive in those days, said 63-year-old S Jayaraman, who has a loan of Rs 8 lakh to repay.Later, however, most of us stopped eating at the Gurudwara. We are rice-eating people. There are some pro-Jallikattu activists in Delhi who also sympathised with our cause. They started supplying us rice. Even the Sarvana Bhawan restaurant gave us free food, he said. But we will never forget the generosity of the Gurudwara.TN farmers celebrate at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday as the Madras High Court has directed the State government to waive loans of all farmers in cooperative banks. (PTI Photo)According to Ayyakkannu, 72-year-old leader of the movement, the demands are fairly simple. First, we want the government to comply with the 2016 Supreme Court order on the Cauvery River, asking Karnataka to share water with Tamil Nadu. Second, we want the government to implement its river-linking project quickly. We also want them to set up a pension for Tamil Nadu farmers, pass a farm loan waiver and give drought-relief funds to the farmers. We also want the government to implement the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission. The returns should at least double the cost of farmers inputs. If UP can get a farm loan waiver, then why cant Tamil Nadu? Do we have to wait for elections? Last year, we met Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, who assured us that he would do something. But the government has not reached out to us yet.Tamil farmers dressed up as women during their protest at Jantar Mantar. (PTI Photo)He explained: In 1970, 60 kg rice used to cost Rs 40 and a bank managers salary was Rs. 150. Today, the same amount of rice costs Rs. 880 but a bank manager earns Rs. 66,000. Somewhere, farmers have been left behind.Anupam, Swaraj Abhiyan spokesperson said, It is deeply disturbing to see the distress of Tamil Nadu farmers. We have resolved to fight for their rights and justice. We are trying to get orders of relief from Supreme Court and have filed a petition through Prashant Bhushan. We have planned a Yatra led by Yogendra Yadav in the beginning of next month in the seven drought affected districts of Tamil Nadu. We are also rolling out drought duty in Tamil Nadu for 45 days in May-June 2017. Drought duty is a youth internship program by Y4S, our youth wing, where we intend to fill the gap between rural and urban India, youth and farmers.
Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Maoists indulging in mindless killing. My deep condolences to the bereaved families. RIP...  M Venkaiah Naidu (@MVenkaiahNaidu) April 24, 2017

Shocked & saddened at death of our brave @crpfindia soldiers in #Sukma. My deepest condolences & prayers are with families.  ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 24, 2017

Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

): Hours after Naxals killed twenty-five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the heinous attack.In a series of tweets, the PM said, "Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely...We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain... Condolences to their families."Reacting to the situation, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who was in Delhi to meet PM Modi, has called an emergency meeting, state home minister Ram Sewak Paikra told CNN-News18.The attack on the CRPF road-opening party moving towards Chintagufa area occurred around 12.25 pm in south Bastar area of the state."We have lost twenty-five men in the encounter. As of now, we know that these men were out for a road opening task and they came under heavy fire from Naxalites...," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said.The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R P Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon. Mohammed and Oraon were said to be out of danger.Narrating the horrible experience, Costable Sher Mohammed said, "First, villagers traced our location and strength then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. In retaliatory firing, we also killed many of them. At least 3-4 naxals were shot in the chest."This was the second major attack on CRPF personnel in 2017. (Meanwhile, CRPF Cobra teams have launched a major search operation under the guidance of senior officials to nab the ultras and recover the stolen arms and ammunition."A helicopter has already left for the spot to evacuate the injured. The encounter is still on," a senior officer said. Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.The Indian Air Force (IAF) said, "Approximately, at 1500 hrs message was received by the IAFs anti-Naxal task force Commander about the ambush of CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma district. Immediately two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal. One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role. On landing at venue of ambush, it was learnt that the mortal remains of 11 CRPF martyrs and seven injured jawans were to be airlifted. Immediately, the injured were airlifted and shifted to Raipur for treatment. One of the jawans succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur. The helicopter landed with casualties at Raipur approximately at 1700 Hrs. More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of the martyrs."Speaking on the tragic incident, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari on Monday said the government should take action against people who are behind the attack."Extremely unfortunate, hope govt will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for the attack," he said.According to reports, Monday's attack took place in the same area where the last attack happened.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for a detailed report on the Naxal attack on CRPF jawans in Chattisgarh's Sukma district. MoS Home Hansraj Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj have also left for Sukma to assess ground situation there.Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a "set back and a big tragedy". Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.This was the second major attack on CRPF personnel in 2017. On March 11, twelve CRPF personnel were killed in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh after the Naxals ambushed a CRPF patrol party in the Maoist hotbed and looted their arms. Four personnel were also injured in the attack.In 2010, in the worst attack on CRPF, 76 men died in Dantewada as they were on an area domination exercise.(- With agency inputs)
Turkey will increase the length of visa-free stay for Russian citizens, the nation's foreign minister said Sunday, Anadolu reported.

"We are extending the visa-free period of the Russians in Turkey from 60 days to 90 days," Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Alanya district of southern Antalya province.

Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia soured following the downing of a Russian warplane that violated Turkish airspace last November.

Kremlin ordered sanctions on Turkish food products, an end to visa-free travel and a ban on Russian tourists taking package holidays in Turkey.

Relations were normalized this June and July through a letter and subsequent telephone calls between the countries leaders. Since then, increasingly Turkey and Russia relations have become normalized and are expected to get higher.
Exposing that somewhere the government failed to tackle the Maoists, an even bigger attack took place on Monday, killing 26 CRPF men in the same Sukma district. This is forcing New Delhi to rethink and revaluate the strategy to deal with the Naxals.

There has to be a level of unpredictability in the movement of forces. We cant be seen every day taking a route and coming back. The deeper areas have to be sanitised first, he said.

: On March 17, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told Lok Sabha that the number of Naxal-affected districts in the country has fallen to 68 from 106, a decline of more than 35%.He said the Naxal problem was waning and will come down further, going forward.This was in sync with his earlier statement in January that demonetisation has completely crippled Naxals funding. The intelligence information received by us shows their problems have increased. Their strength has reduced, Singh had said.About a month and more than 40 deaths later, the Home Ministers claims are ringing hollow. On March 11, as the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and Lucknow were celebrating the decisive win in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Naxals had struck in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, killing 12 CRPF personnel on the spot. Two others succumbed to their injuries later, taking the toll to 14. The Home Minister said, the deadly attack showed the frustration of Naxals.Former Home Secretary and BJP MP RK Singh told CNN News18 that there is a need for ground intelligence gathering.Former CRPF Director General Prakash Mishra, under whose tenure Naxal attacks had come down, termed the current situation as a complete failure of strategy.Mishra added that maintaining stealth is crucial to success of anti-Naxal operation, while the current focus is to be seen to be doing stuff on the ground.Central Reserve Police Force is doing with a part time director general (DG) for a month now. After K Durga Prasads retirement in February, Sudeep Lakhtakia has been holding additional charge of the post of DG.In the Sukma incident, preliminary details suggest one flank of the CRPF company came under attack from Naxals who were waiting in hiding to attack. And soon, 23, including the inspector who was leading the group, were killed.It was the same area where the March 11 attack took place. A top Home Ministry officer told CNN-News18 that the investigation report of the March 11 attack has not been handed over to ministry as yet.Is overconfidence and complacency creeping in our anti-Naxal policy? Could we have learnt lessons from the Biji Encounter, if the investigation was completed in time? Could Burkapal Encounter be avoided if the Biji Encounter lessons were implemented? Experts are now raising tough questions.
New Delhi: The Centre has directed state governments to display separately the foodgrain subsidy borne by the Centre and states at PDS shops, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Monday. The move is aimed to stop state governments from hijacking the credit for selling highly-subsidised grains to the poor.



Wheat and rice are being sold through PDS (public distribution system) shops, also known as fair price or ration shops, at a highly-subsidised rate of Rs 2 and Rs 3 per kg, respectively, as per the Food Security Law.



"It is unfortunate that most states are taking credit for this even though the entire PDS foodgrain subsidy is borne by the central government. So, we have asked states to display the details at PDS shops," Paswan told reporters.



The Centre bears a subsidy of Rs 22 on wheat and Rs 29.64 per kg on rice. "Except for one or two states like Tamil Nadu that are further subsidising it and selling it free of cost, others are not shelling out (anything) from their pocket," he said.



Paswan further said the states have been asked to prominently display the foodgrains subsidy on a board at all ration shops for public awareness.



"More public awareness is required on this issue because for instance in Bihar the poor think that Nitish Kumar is giving foodgrains at Rs 2-3 per kg. People were not aware that the Centre was providing it," he added.



The central government's annual food subsidy bill is over Rs 1 lakh crore.
: Eleven Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on Monday in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.The encounter took place at around 12.25 pm between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in south Bastar area of the state. There have been several instances in the recent past when CRPF personnel, especially those stationed in Chattisgarh area, have come under attack.: Naxalites laid a deadly ambush and killed 12 jawans of the CRPFcrpf in the restive Sukma district.: At least 10 paramilitary commandos were killed and five injured in a Maoist attack in Bihars Aurangabad district.: Naxals attacked a CRPF camp in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, killing one jawan.: Seven paramilitary soldiers were killed in a landmine blast in central Chhattisgarh.: Three CRPF men were killed and over a dozen injured after a gunfight between Naxals and the security forces in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district.: Five policemen and two civilians were killed in a Maoist attack in Jharkhands Palamu.: Two jawans were shot by Naxals, receiving minor injuries in Chattisgarhs Maoist-hit Rajnandgaon district.
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as the Valley continues to remain on the edge days after the bypoll violence and amid reports of Kashmiri students being threatened outside the state.



Mehbooba, whose PDP is in alliance with the BJP in the state, is likely to press for some political initiative from the Centre to address the situation.



On Sunday, a 27-year-old Kashmiri researcher at the premier BITS Pilani in Rajasthan left for home after alleging that he was threatened by some unidentified persons, barely three weeks after joining the institute.



Hashim Sofi, who hails from Bandipora district of Kashmir, had told the hostel's chief warden that on Friday morning, he had found the door of his room and his clothes inked with threats and abuses, an official of the institute said. Following the incident, BITS Pilani administration ordered a probe.



Prime Minister Modi has asked the chief ministers of all states to "reach out" to Kashmiri students, reiterating an earlier appeal by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. At a NITI Aayog meeting on Sunday, Modi "seconded" Mehbooba's suggestion that states should take interest in the students from Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister "urged states to reach out to these students (of J&K) from time to time", said a statement by the PMO quoting Modi's concluding remarks.



The reported threats to Kashmiri students have given ammo to the Opposition National Conference whose working president Omar Abdullah has questioned Mehbooba Mufti's continuance in office. "Posters threatening Kashmiris in UP, BJP Ministers threaten Kashmiris with bullets, BJP poaches MLAs to win MLC seat and @MehboobaMufti clings on," Omar had said in a tweet.



The Modi-Mufti meeting also comes against the backdrop of recent bypoll to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which witnessed large-scale violence and the lowest turnout ever. In the bypoll, the PDP also lost the seat to National Conference, just in nearly three years after the 2014 general elections.



The PDP and the BJP are not on the same page on the issue of dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting and this has led to friction between them.



BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga recently advocated strong action, saying "traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets".



This comment drew the ire of the PDP, which said there was a "conspiracy" to keep trouble brewing in the Valley.







"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 economicdis-empowerment," senior PDP leader Peerzada Mansoor had said in a statement later.



Against the backdrop of the strains, BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir Ram Madhav last week held a meeting with senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu in Jammu. Madhav then met Ganga, who later expressed regret for his controversial comment.



(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: A national level netball player from Uttar Pradesh has complained she was divorced by her husband Azam Abbas by uttering talaq thrice on phone for giving birth to a baby girl.



The woman Shumaila Javed, a 7-time national champion, also alleged her in-laws harassed for dowry and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking justice.



"My in-laws tortured me over a period of time asking for dowry from my parents. Nobody from the police department or the district administration came to my help. I have also written to PM Narendra Modi for justice," Shumaila said.



This comes amid a raging row over triple talaq , the practice whereby Muslim men give instant divorce by uttering talaq thrice either in person or over SMS, Phone, Facebook, and Whatsapp. There are several petitions in the Supreme Court seeking to do away with the practice.



The All India Muslim personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has made it clear it will not support in the Supreme Court any move by the central government to do away with triple talaq.







AIMPLB though has accepted the fact that it is an inappropriate form of divorce and claimed the Muslim law board will do away with it over a period of time.



AIMPLB vice president Kalbe Sadiq has said the Board will end the practice of triple talaq in one-and-a-half years and the government should not interfere in the matter.
"There is no option but to talk," Mufti said.

"BJP and PDP are together because of Vajpayee's vision, PM modi highlighted this...There were discussion with separatists during Atal ji's time. We should continue from that point," Mufti said.

Amid increasing cases of violence in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to press for dialogue to defuse the situation.Mufti has been facing flak over how the government has not been able to check the fresh spurt in violence in Kashmir.She briefed Modi on the prevailing situation in the state and told him that the Centre should seriously think about the welfare of the state.Speaking to the media after the meeting, she said, We discussed about the unrest in the valley that began after the bypolls were announced. Talks are necessary to end the current situation.We cannot have talks in an environment where bullets are being fired, she added.The PDP and the BJP, which are running the coalition government in the troubled state, are not on the same page on the issue of dealing with the growing trend of stone-pelting and this has led to friction between them.BJP minister Chander Prakash Ganga recently advocated strong action, saying "traitors and stone-pelters should be treated with bullets".This comment drew the ire of the PDP, which said there was a conspiracy" to keep trouble brewing in the Valley."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 disempowerment," senior PDP leader Peerzada Mansoor had said in a statement later.Against the backdrop of the strains, BJP's pointsman for Jammu and Kashmir Ram Madhav on Friday last held a meeting with senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu in Jammu. Madhav then met Ganga, who later expressed regret for his controversial comment.(With PTI inputs)
Coordination of the state governments with the PMO, especially through Resident Commissioners of each state posted in Delhi.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi evaluated 13 BJP Chief Ministers and five deputy CMs on 12 parameters of governance during a conference of the BJP-ruled states on Sunday evening.The conference, held just after the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhavan, was also attended by BJP president Amit Shah. And once again, the party laid emphasis on the use of social media as a tool of mass communication. Each state was asked to share its social media strategy to project achievements of both the state and central governments among the public.At a meeting with BJP lawmakers during the recently-concluded Budget Session of Parliament, the Prime Minister had told party MPs to hone their skills on social media as future elections would be fought on digital platforms.All states were asked to make a short presentation.Other issues discussed include:-How to present achievements of the government in the positive light.-Social media strategy for effective communication.-Performance of ministers in state governments and how effective they are in addressing the issues raised by party workers.-Big projects and schemes of the state governments which can be expedited with the help of the Union Government.-Welfare schemes for the poor by the states, as party celebrates birth centenary year of Jan Sangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyay.-The status of implementation of digital programs especially Bhim App and priorities.-Whether 5000 copies each of a collection of writings by Deendayal Upadhyay have been bought and distributed by each state government.-Performance of core group in each state and how effective this mechanism has been in bridging the gap between the government and the party.-Popular state government scheme which can be replicated else where.-Any major project or scheme which remains pending for the want of central assistance.-There was also a review of the targets set in the last CMs conference held at Maharashtra Sadan.-The focus clearly seems to be consolidation of party position and preparations for general elections in 2019.
While states have followed their own strategies  from Chhattisgarh's controversial Salwa Judum civilian militias to Andhra Pradesh's Greyhounds, a special battalion of militarised police  the Union government's anti-LWE (left wing extremism) strategy has gone through drastic change since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014.

The Rajnath Singh-led Home Ministry tweaked the IAP by focusing on block-level development, rather than the earlier approach of developing the district as a whole. Attempts were also made to reach out to Adivasi communities, who are often caught in the crossfire between the police and the Naxal.

However, there were some instances of success, like Andhra Pradesh's Greyhounds, specialised police unit dedicated to anti-Naxal operations. The Greyhounds were given commando-style training, special weapons and let loose on the Peoples War Group (PWG), the splinter of the original party formed by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal, operating in Telangana and Andhra.

: With the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in an ambush at Sukma by Maoists, the government's anti-Naxal strategy is under the spotlight once again.The Modi government adopted a "short-term gains" approach, compared with the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government's "development" approach, which sought to quell extremism through a combination of land reforms and social justice, a process where the gains could only be measured in the long run.The NDA approach relied on narrowing the focus to 25% of the "most Naxalite-affected area" spread across seven states, and posting the "best" IAS and IPS officers there. It was said that bringing order to these districts will simplify efforts in the remaining areas.The NDA approach came about because it was felt that the previous regime's strategy, which relied on Integrated Action Plan (IAP) formulated by the Planning Commission, was too broad and diffused to effectively deal with LWE. The Action Plan had a budget of over Rs 13,000 crore, and was expanded to cover over 80 districts affected by LWE in seven states.However, all these approaches have suffered from serious lacuna. Even though Manmohan Singh described Naxalism as "the most serious internal security threat", it has not received the commensurate resources.Unlike the Kashmir insurgency, or those raging in the North East (Naga, Manipur), the Indian Army was always wary of getting sucked into a battle with the Naxalites in the heart of India. With opposition from the armed forces, it was the police and paramilitary forces that shouldered the responsibility of fighting LWE.Often, police forces were poorly trained and armed. For instance, the Salwa Judum militias were so undisciplined that they would do more harm than good by harassing civilians.Amid numerous instances of human rights violations, the Greyhounds managed to decimate the PWG and drive it out of Andhra. So much so that in 2004, the PWG merged with the Maoist Communist Centre, operating out of Bihar and Jharkhand, to form the CPI-Maoist, which is now the biggest LWE force.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Indian Army and the Centre on a plea seeking a review of the Sahayak system and its alleged misuse.



The plea, filed by journalist Poonam Agarwal, comes weeks after Lance Naik Roy Mathew, a jawan who was seen criticising the system in a sting operation video, was found dead in a barrack in a Maharashtra cantonment.



His death had triggered calls for introspection and for the orderly system, considered a colonial relic, to be abolished.



Sahayaks are attached to Army officers when serving with units or headquarters functioning on war establishment. A parliamentary panel had earlier deemed the system as "demeaning and humiliating", saying it lowers the self-esteem of a jawan.



Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, however, told Parliament during the recently concluded Budget Session that there was no proposal to do away with the Sahayak system.



In a written reply to Lok Sabha, he had said that grievances brought to the notice of military authorities were properly redressed, and added that there was a new system in place in which the grievance could be aired directly to the Army Chief through WhatsApp, after a soldier has exhausted all other options.



In the sting video, Mathew had reportedly said that higher officials allegedly mistreated their 'Sahayaks', and forced them to do petty jobs like polishing shoes, washing clothes and taking their pet dogs for walks.



Two more soldiers  Sepoy Sindhav Jogidas Lakhubhai of the Army Medical Corps and Lance Naik Yagya Pratap  also took to social media to attack the Sahayak system, but the army said both of them were never assigned any Sahayak roles.
Srinagar: A clash was reported between school students and security forces here.



One photojournalist was injured in clash between students of SP Higher Secondary School and police personnel. The school had just been reopened after it was closed for a week following similar student protests.



A group of students tried to take out a protest march from S P College on Maulana Azad Road here but were prevented by the police, a police official said.



He said some students indulged in stone-pelting following which the cops and other security forces used batons to chase them away.



Colleges opened in Kashmir on Monday after a gap of five days as authorities shut higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of valley-wide student protests last Monday against alleged highhandedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15.



This comes as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to press for dialogue to defuse the situation.



She briefed Modi on the prevailing situation in the state and told him that the Centre should seriously think about the welfare of the state.



"There is no option but to talk," Mufti said.



We cannot have talks in an environment where bullets are being fired, she added.



(With PTI inputs)
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What better way to start the week than with an interview with Walter von Kanel, the irrepressible CEO of Longines. After 49 years at the company, there is nothing he hasnt seen before. So even if he is very proud of the new Longines Conquest V.H.P. and its quartz movement, hes keen to remind us that he was already battling with Japanese giant Seiko for supreme quartz precision back in the 1960s. Read the full interview today on WorldTempus. My second interview comes at the end of the week, when Nicolas Sestito, co-CEO of Graff Luxury Watches, explains how he has been working on the synergies between Graff jewellery and watches over the past year since he joined the company.



Tomorrow we continue our popular series on the best-selling watches in the worlds biggest markets with a look at the United Kingdom. In her first article for WorldTempus, Ming Liu, a noted writer on the world of watches who also contributes to the Financial Times and the Economists 1843 magazine, among others, takes the pulse of the watch market in the only country in the top 10 markets for Swiss watch exports where the figures actually increased last year.



As Longines boast of a sub-2,000 Swiss franc chronometer certified watch with silicon components shows, watch brands are increasingly competing on both price and value for money. David Chokrons selection of entry-level models seen at Baselworld this year provides further evidence of this trend. He shows that there is a great choice for the consumer who has the equivalent of 1,500 to 3,000 Swiss francs to spend on a timepiece. In fact, for even less than that you can now treat yourself to a self-winding mechanical watch with a grand feu enamel dial. Find out more on Wednesday.



Among the numerous watches launched at Baselworld this year, there were a fair few anniversary editions. Some brands are also celebrating major milestones this year, while it was left to our contributor Olivier Muller to point out other anniversaries that had been missed even by the brands themselves. Find out which ones on Thursday.



Over the weekend you can relax with a focus on an artistic craft that is rarely seen in watchmaking. Reproduced from Breguets own magazine, Le Quai de lHorloge, the article takes a look at the technique of cameo engraving. It adds to a series of articles on artisanal techniques used by Breguet, such as engine turning and hand-finished movement decoration.
This would mean present incumbent Loknath Behera would have to be removed from the post. The court held Senkumar's removal was arbitrary and not as per established law.

Speaking to CNN-News18 after the verdict, Senkumar said: This verdict will help other police officers who face similar problems. I want to thank the legal team that backed me.

The apex court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision that had not found fault with the state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Kerala government to reinstate ousted DGP TP Senkumar causing a major embarrassment to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta delivered its judgment on a plea filed by Senkumar seeking his reinstatement.Reacting to the verdict, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said: We accept the Supreme Court verdict. Courts examine the legal aspects of government decisions. As of now, only a small portion of the verdict has come out. We will get the full verdict by the evening. Whatever is to be done legally, will be done.Senkumar added that he was in no hurry to get reinstated. I am not at all in a hurry to be reinstated. For 11 months, I was not in a hurry. This case was for a cause mainly for the younger generation to come.He also thanked advocates Dushyant Dave and Prashant Bhushan for taking up the case pro bono. Many times, officers like us cannot approach the Supreme Court. We cant afford that kind of money, he said.Senkumar was shifted out by the newly elected Vijayan government in May 2016 citing lapses in the probing the Jisha murder case and the firework tragedy at the Puttingal temple. Senkumar, who was transferred as head of the Police Housing Construction Corporation, did not take charge and challenged the decision in court.The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected "erring" police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.The state government had told the court that Senkumar's transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to the April 10, 2016 incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.On April 10 last year, when Senkumar was Kerala's DGP, there was an explosion leading to a blaze after a fireworks display went awry at Puttingal Temple in Kollam district. As many as 110 people had died while over 300 were injured in the incident.(With PTI inputs)
This morning when colleges reopened, students of SP higher secondary school poured on the streets and started protesting. The police swung in action and tried to prevent them from staging a protest.

"We are not using any force by firing live ammunition but occasionally using smoke shells to disperse the students," a cop who is part of the crowd control told News18.

: Fierce clashes broke out in the heart of Lal Chowk soon after colleges reopened after a week's break, around the same time chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was persuading Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend an olive branch to youngsters.The government had closed colleges after students across the valley clashed with police and CRPF in Kashmir on April 17.The students retaliated with stones and brickbats.Frightening scenes were witnessed at MA Road after irate students surrounded a police vehicle and attacked it with stones.Some of the students climbed on to the roof of the vehicle thumping their feet. Others pelted the vehicle with stones. The police showed great restraint and fired scores of tear smoke shells."There can't be more restraint than what we have shown today."The clashes forced closure of shops and led to huge pile up of vehicles forcing the police to suspend traffic on M A Road.
"We have lost twenty-six men in the encounter. As of now, we know that these men were out for a road opening task and they came under heavy fire from Naxalites...," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said.

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

My heart goes out for the families of Sukma martyrs. Violence in any form is completely unacceptable.  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 24, 2017

My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in #Sukma.We salute the sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts https://t.co/fTx6JOc9hz  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) April 24, 2017

: Twenty-five CRPF personnel were killed in a horrific attack unleashed by the Maoists on Monday, their second major assault of the year 2017.Sher Mohammad, a CRPF soldier and a survivor, told the media that there were close to 300 Naxals when the jawans came under attack, while they were busy constructing a road. "First Naxals sent a villager to check our locations. Women Naxals were also there," he said, adding that the CRPF also killed many Naxals."In retaliatory firing, we also killed many of them. At least 3-4 Naxals were shot in the chest," he said.Taking stock of the situation, home minister Rajnath Singh said that he had spoken to the home secretary about the incident. "We are taking this attack as a challenge, we will talk to Raman Singh and decide about my visit to Raipur."Condolences from across the political spectrum poured in as the leaders came to know about the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter, calling it a "cowardly and deplorable" attack on the CRPF personnel.Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal condoled with the victims and their families on Twitter, calling the violence "in any form unacceptable".Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences to the families of martyred CRPF personnel, saluting the "sacrifice and courage of Bravehearts."This was the second major attack on CRPF personnel in 2017. On March 11, twelve CRPF personnel were killed in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh after the Naxals ambushed a CRPF patrol party in the Maoist hotbed and looted their arms. Four personnel were also injured in the attack.In 2010, in the worst attack on CRPF, 76 men died in Dantewada as they were on an area domination exercise.
New Delhi: Chhattisgarhs Sukma district witnessed bloody scenes on Monday when Maoists killed 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in an ambush attack. Hours after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a statement condemning the attack. Former CRPF Director General (DG) Dilip Trivedi tells News18s Uday Singh Rana there is an urgent need to review CRPFs role in anti-Naxal operations, and the jawans must be given more bullet-proof jackets and protective head gear. Edited Excerpts:



India has lost 40 CRPF jawans in Naxal violence in the past month or so. Doesnt it show that the existing strategy of anti-Maoist operations is failing?

Both the central and state governments must realise that it is essentially a law and order problem. It should be up to the state police to build its capacity. The CRPF should only be used as a strike force. Local police in these areas have completely abdicated their responsibility. Local police stations generate a lot of local intelligence. It is up to them to determine the nature of the threat. If they want, they can take a company or two from CRPF for a strike operation, but the constant deployment of the CRPF will only create confusion.



2017 has been a deadly year for CRPF. Has the government failed to learn from past mistakes?

On a governmental level, the fault is the failure to build a capable police force. But at an operational level, too, things must change. They (the government) are asking the CRPF to do the polices job. The CRPF cant continue to go out on patrols. Such operations make them visible, and thus the easy targets for Maoists.



Are there any long-standing issues that need to be resolved?

One of the biggest issues is the lack of equipment. The CRPF needs to be given more bullet-proof jackets and protective head gear.



Would you say that things have gotten worse?

Over the years, I would say things have definitely improved. There was a time when Maoists used to talk of creating a Red Corridor from Pashupati to Tirupathi. They have been contained. These are just desperate attempts when they (Maoists) are losing the battle. The flame burns the brightest before it flickers and goes out.



From Kashmir to Sukma, the CRPF jawans are in the line of fire. What are the new challenges for CRPF jawans?

It is not just in Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. CRPF jawans deployed in the North East face the same problem. During any major deployment, the maximum deployment is by the CRPF. In fact, as a joke, CRPF jawans have given themselves the moniker Chalte Raho Pyaare Force because they are always on the move. Even during elections, the CRPF is deployed. They just dont get the time for rest or recuperation.
Researchers have found that 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs at a regular pace is more likely to make you feel energised 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 study co-author Patrick J. O'Connor, Professor at University of Georgia in the US.



"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," O'Connor said.



The study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, aimed to simulate the hurdles faced in a typical office setting, where workers spend hours sitting and staring at computer screens and do not 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.



"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," O'Connor said.



Study participants were female college students who described themselves as chronically sleep deprived - getting less than 6 and half 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.


Mumbai: Actor Akshay Kumar, who won the National Award this year, urged those criticising the honour to "take it back" if they felt he did not deserve it, the PTI reported.



Kumar won his first National Award this year in the best actor category for his role in "Rustom". The decision, however, was met with criticism with many arguing that it was not fair.



When quizzed about it, Akshay told reporters, "I've been hearing it for the past 25 years, whenever someone wins there is some discussion around it. This is not new. Someone or the other always creates a controversy. 'He shouldn't have won, the other person should have.'



"It's okay. I've won this after 26 years, 'agar woh bhi aapka mann kare toh le lo' (take it back if you feel like it)."



The 49-year-old actor was speaking at an event of Movie Stunt Artist's Association on Monday.



Asian Heart Institute and Akshay have partnered to give insurance cover to 370 stuntmen under the health and accident insurance scheme for the year 2017-18.



Asked if he would be considered for the Padma Bhushan for his philanthropic work in the future, Akshay said, "You have to do major work to earn such an award. Only then people can feel you deserve the award. We keep doing these things for our stuntmen, whatever we can in our capacity."



The "Airlift" star said it was good that some award functions in Bollywood were recognising the efforts of stuntmen but hoped more people acknowledged their hard work.



(With PTI inputs)
Ever since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces last year, Kashmir has sunk into a political crisis, which Muzaffar Hussain Baig, former deputy chief minister and one of the top leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, describes as the darkest period in history.



In a freewheeling conversation with News18s Suhas Munshi, Baig says PDP has suffered in alliance with the BJP, and if Mehbooba Mufti believes that the government is not functioning, she should go back to the people and try to get a mandate. Edited excerpts:



Suhas Munshi (SB): Past few months have been very tumultuous. The voter turnout was quite low and mainstream institutions like police and political workers are being attacked. Has mainstream now become the fringe in Kashmir?



Muzaffar Hussain Baig (MB): I personally expected a very low turnout, but it cannot be attributed to a single factor. The low voter turnout is not just an expression of alienation of people from mainstream politics and electoral politics.

When we witness a 70% voter turnout, people ask where is the Kashmir issue, but if there is a 4-5% voter turnout, we say Kashmiris are not with India.



We dont see the subterranean disillusionment  the disenchantment of people with the governance process. Historically, the Kashmir Issue has dominated the politics in Kashmir. But now there is the Kashmir Issue and issues of Kashmiris issues like development, employment and physical connectivity with the rest of India.



As far as mainstream politicians are concerned, they have played a diabolical role. In Kashmir, they have always played on the sense of their insecurity and focussed on the identity issue, not the development issue. In Delhi, they have always given the impression that people of Kashmir will opt for Pakistan, but for their intervention. So in this diabolical role, they have managed to create a cleavage and distance between people of Kashmir and the idea of India. As a result, emotionally there has not been any connect between people of India and Kashmir, which other states have.



SM: Isnt the present coalition government also responsible for this disillusionment that you speak of?



MB: The disillusionment is not just with the alliance government but also with the opposition. If that was not the case, at least Congress workers would have come out and voted in the recent Parliamentary bypolls.

People have seen through us and they have sent a message to us. It is a message not just to the mainstream India but also to the government of Jammu and Kashmir.



SM: In an interview last September, you claimed that Mehbooba should assess the success of this coalition government. Seven months have passed since you made that statement. How do you review your statement?



MB: I had said that she should not resign but she should re-evaluate. And it is not a question of resigning in protest against the BJP. If she has to resign, she can resign for good reasons.



I think she did not really get sufficient time. She was not in zone of peace. Though I must also point out that people gave the alliance a chance. Mehboobas government suffered no real turmoil till Burhan (Wani) was killed.

So people had given us a chance, but because of inexperience of people in the government, and also perhaps due to lack of commitment, for these reasons the government was not able to deliver.



I suggest Mehbooba Mufti should take a hard look at the way her colleagues are working. And if she finds that they are not working properly, she should give them marching orders. She should get a new team. If Mehbooba Mufti believes that the government is not functioning, the alliance is not functioning; she should go back to the people and try to get a mandate from people.

We should not stick to the chair just for its sake. That will only alienate the people even more.



SM: In this period of turmoil, of the two coalition partners, PDP and BJP, who do you think has suffered more?



MB: It is PDP which has suffered. The development has been comparatively better in Jammu than it has been in Kashmir. So obviously for lack of development, the grievance will be much more in Kashmir than it will be in Jammu. Kashmir happens to be the strong field for PDP, not BJP. So obviously PDP has suffered more.



SM: How would you describe the current period of turmoil? Do you think this phase is worse than even 90s?



MB: This is the darkest period in our history. It is worse because of the change in demography. From 1989, it has been 27 years. Now, we have a new generation of people up to the age of 27 who have grown in a period of instability, militancy and terrorism. This generation has changed demography and this generation is disillusioned. And therefore, the ratio of population which is disillusioned today is more than the ratio of population that was disillusioned in 1990. We are not addressing problems of these people.



SM: Do you think the alliance will last its complete tenure? Some leaders in your party say the BJP is behaving arrogantly.



MB: The alliance will not break. People will not forgive us if we do not deliver on governance. It may not be very well articulated, but real grievance among people is you gave us impression that joining hands with Modi will bring a sea-change in economic development, tourism, power structure etc. What have you done so far?



I sadly have to say that whatever failure we have suffered cannot be attributed largely to the central government. The central government is marginally responsible.



SM: Some compare Vajpayees approach to Kashmir with the manner in which Narendra Modi has handled Kashmir. What difference do you see between the two?



MB: Narendra Modi is the sort of person who exudes authority and the potential to do good for J&K in economic terms as well as to resolve Kashmir issue is much greater with PM Modi than it was with Vajpayee. Vajpayee was not such an undisputed and overpowering leader. But PM Modi is more powerful, more dominating, and can carry public opinion with him, even if it comes to dealing with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.



SM: How do you see the continuous battle between the stone pelters and security forces in Kashmir? Do you see this ending anytime soon?



MB: This issue of stone pelters has to be understood in the right perspective. When I see the image of a stone pelter behaving cruelly with a CRPF jawan, who behaved with dignity and restraint, I simultaneously remember the picture of thousands of boys in Baramullah, running a race to join the Indian Army thousands at a time.



The issue is, what do we have to offer to the Kashmiri youth. If we can offer them prospect of dignified life, they will run for it, but if we offer corruption, non-governance, they wont believe any promise. Then they will be tempted to take out their frustration, and how do they do that? They will do that through stones.



It is true that Kashmir issue has to be resolved, but it is not in the hands of Hurriyat Conference, it is not even in the hands of Pakistan. It is wrong to assume that we talk to the Hurriyat and the issue will be resolved. Hurriyat never had any control.



SM: Talking about the youth, for the first time in several decades, one saw the students in Kashmir coming out in protest against the security forces. This was a reaction to the police crackdown in a degree college in South Kashmirs Pulwama. Do you think the police made a mistake there?





MB: Police invaded Pulwama degree college. This was the worst thing that could have happened. They should have cordoned the college. Police made a similar mistake earlier as well. I assure you that Burhan Wani could have been arrested, and a lot of bloodshed spared. He was drugged one section of police wanted to arrest him, another wanted to kill him.



Now the officer who ordered police to go in the degree college should be looked into. I will ask the Chief Minister to find out who authorised this officer to order police to move in because the entire youth, all colleges, have got involved since.

And mark my words, if the youth get a leadership this time, if youth power is unleashed and they organise themselves into a political power, Hurriyat will be irrelevant and mainstream politicians are going to be irrelevant. If youths find a political platform, all of us will be redundant, it will be a different ballgame and this will turn out to be a very, very dangerous turn of events.


British Telecom has filed a criminal complaint with Italian prosecutors over an accounting scandal at its Italian unit and has handed them computer records and also dispatched its head of compliance to Milan to give evidence.In the complaint, filed on March 21 and reviewed by Reuters, BT accuses several former Italy executives and other employees of breaking company rules and unlawful conduct. It comes five months after the phone company first revealed financial irregularities at BT Italy and took the first of two write-downs totalling 530 million pounds ($680 million).The complaint is consistent with allegations of irregularities and bullying first made public by Reuters on March 30. A BT official at the time declined to comment when asked if the company had filed a complaint.Watch videoReuters first saw the complaint, which typically is not a document that is made publicly available, earlier this week.The Reuters investigation found that a network of people in BT Italy had exaggerated revenues, faked contract renewals and invoices and invented bogus supplier transactions in order to meet bonus targets and disguise the unit's true financial performance. All of these practices had been going on since at least 2013, current and former staff have said.The BT complaint asserts to prosecutors, who began investigating the unit's accounting problems in January, that BT is itself a victim of any fraud found to have taken place.The company's director of ethics and compliance, Gareth Tipton, met Italian magistrates in Milan in the second half of February, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters. BT also gave prosecutors computer records collected during an internal investigation at the Italian unit in late summer 2016, the sources said.BT spokeswoman Gemma Thomas said in a statement: "We cannot comment on the ongoing investigation." Reuters contacted Tipton by email who referred to the statement from Thomas.The complaint alleges misconduct against three former senior executives of BT Italy and two former employees, though it does not make a specific criminal accusation against any of them.It alleges former BT Italy chief executive Gianluca Cimini was responsible for grave violations of corporate governance rules in relation to contracts and suppliers, and for using intimidatory behaviour when dealing with staff.It alleges former chief operating officer Stefania Truzzoli manipulated results that were used to award staff bonuses and that she also manipulated data that was communicated to BT Europe during the internal presentation of results.Cimini and Truzzoli declined to comment for this article. Truzzoli said she would respond to the allegations to the relevant authorities.The BT complaint alleges former chief financial officer Luca Sebastiani failed to report financial irregularities to his managers and also induced an employee responsible for invoicing at BT Italy, Giacomo Ingannamorte, to issue fake invoices.It also alleges Luca Torrigiani, formerly responsible for government clients and other large accounts in Italy, violated BT's rules in the manner in which he chose suppliers and for receiving a payment from an agent of BT Italy.The complaint said Cimini, Truzzoli, Sebastiani, Ingannamorte and Torrigiani were all sacked. It did not elaborate on any of its allegations.Torrigiani's lawyer, Riccardo Chilosi, told Reuters that his client "strongly disputed" BT's allegations and was suing the company for unfair dismissal.Ingannamorte told Reuters he too was appealing in court against his dismissal, adding that he issued the invoices in question at the behest of his supervisors.In an email to Reuters, Sebastiani said he had only taken up the job of CFO at BT Italy in May 2016 and denied any wrongdoing, adding he considered his dismissal "totally unjustified". He said he could not be held responsible for any accounting practices that had been used by the company for years and that, also thanks to his input, had subsequently been the subject of a "critical review."BT said in its complaint that it suffered financially from unlawful conduct, because the inflated results at BT Italy meant that it had paid bonuses to staff who did not merit them and that it had also paid taxes on income that did not exist.BT's shares fell 20 percent when it announced its expanded writedown of 530 million pounds in January. That prompted several BT shareholders to file class-action lawsuits alleging the group misled investors and failed to promptly disclose the financial irregularities.
Japan's Nikon filed lawsuits against Netherlands-based ASML, the world's third-largest chip equipment maker, and Germany's Carl Zeiss, saying its lithography technology was illegally used by the two."The basis of Nikon's claim is that ASML and Zeiss employ Nikon's patented technology in ASML's lithography systems, which are used globally to manufacture semiconductors, without Nikon's permission, thereby infringing Nikon's patents," the company said in a statement on Monday.ASML and Carl Zeiss were not immediately available to comment.Nikon, the world's eighth-largest chip equipment maker, said it had filed patent infringement cases against the two in the Netherlands, Germany and Japan.


TCS did not provide details of the geographies where hiring was done.



However, the 11,500 number is lower than TCS' hiring from international markets in 2015-16. According to the company's annual report, it had inducted 16,173 people from international markets into its workforce in fiscal 2016.



America accounted for over 55 per cent of TCS' USD 4.4 billion revenue in the January-March 2017 quarter, while over 25 per cent revenue came from Europe.



Companies like TCS and Infosys use work permits like H-1B visa (in the US) to send engineers to work on client sites. However, over the past few weeks, the US and other countries like Australia have taken steps to tighten their visa regime.



This, in turn, has forced companies to adjust their business models to reduce their dependence on visas and hire more locals overseas instead.



The development comes at a time when the over USD 140 billion Indian IT industry is grappling with challenges like fluctuating currency movement and technology changes at a fast pace.



New technologies like automation and artificial intelligence are also making a number of jobs redundant that in turn is impacting hiring at IT firms.



TCS added about 79,000 employees in 2016-17 as compared to 90,000 gross hires in the preceding financial year.



"...going forward, we have said directionally it is going to come down and the total net intake also will be lower than what we have done this year," TCS Head of Global Human Resources Ajoy Mukherjee said.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recruited over 11,500 people outside India during 2016-17, including graduates from engineering and B-schools in the US, as it ramps up local hiring in offshore markets to tackle visa-related challenges.The country's largest software services firm added 79,000 employees (gross) and 33,380 employees (net), taking its employee base to 3.87 lakh at the end of March.Hiring locals in overseas markets often pushes up operational costs for IT outsourcing companies.However, with the governments in markets like the US, Australia and New Zealand tightening their work visa norms, Indian IT companies are hiring more local talents in offshore markets to ensure compliance with rules."Our local hiring programmes in various geographies are progressing well. In FY'17, we recruited over 11,500 employees outside India, including some engineering campuses and the top-10 business schools in the US," TCS CEO and Managing Director Rajesh Gopinathan told investors.Watch video
New Myanmar Oil Pipeline (Photo : Getty Images)

The opening of the new Myanmar oil pipeline, which stretches 770 kilometers from Kyaukpyu in western Myanmar to China's border, is expected to reduce China's reliance on oil supplies that pass through U.S.-influenced sea lanes, giving the country greater energy security.



A report by asia.nikkei.com said that the Myanmar pipeline can carry up to 22 million tons of oil a year, which is nearly equal to 6 percent of China's total oil imports last year. The crude oil that will be transported through the pipeline will be processed in refineries in Chongqing and Kunming.



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The pipeline was a joint venture between state-owned China National Petroleum and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, with the Chinese partner having the majority stake.



China National Petroleum said that the 140,000 tons of oil unloaded from Azerbaijan from the first tanker began on the same day that the pipeline opened.



With its economy rising, China is becoming more dependent on oil imports. In 2016, about 65 percent of oil consumed in the country came from imports, an increase of 5 percent from the previous year.



Nearly half of China's oil imports came from the Middle East, which arrived through tankers that pass through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, where U.S. crude oil to other countries passes.



The U.S. has criticized China over its claims in the South China Sea and the country understands well the economic impact in case the U.S. closes off the sea route in the disputed waters.



Under President Xi Jinping, China improved its oil and natural gas pipeline links to Russia and Central Asia. The addition of the Myanmar pipeline is seen to bolster its energy security as well as boost its influence with Russia and other suppliers.



The pipeline has been the result of the warming China-Myanmar relations. China is Myanmar's largest trading partner and a major source investment.



The country is also dependent on China's assistance to keep the peace along the shared border. It can also benefit from China's Belt and road initiative through infrastructure investments and funding from China.


Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call today with US President Donald Trump, days before an American supercarrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula.



The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army.



"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.



"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."



It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month.



Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice President Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days".



The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.



Confusion has clouded the carrier group's whereabouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia.



Pence also renewed calls for Beijing -- Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner -- 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."



In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.



China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action.



The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.



The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents.



Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.
London: Not making eye contact with your fellow students at Oxford University could make you guilty of racism, according to the varsity's latest guideline.



The university's Equality and Diversity Unit has advised undergraduate students that "not speaking directly to people" could be deemed a "racial micro-aggression" which can lead to "mental ill-health", the PTI reported quoting The Telegraph.



Issued at the start of the Trinity term, the third term at the university, the advisory claims that asking someone where they are "originally" from implies they are a foreigner.



It also claims that "jokes drawing attention to someone's differences" and "not speaking directly to people" are potential forms of "every day racism".



The university's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in the newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence."



"But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong," the newsletter states.



However, some critics slammed the newsletter, saying it would make the students over sensitive.



Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at the University of Kent, said the guidance was "completely ridiculous" and will make students "hyper-sensitive" about how they interact with one another.



"Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime. They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking," she said.



Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University's guidance was "overstepping the mark" by telling students "how they should feel and think".



Tom Slater, co-coordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking project that highlights censorship on university campuses, called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.



"This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students," he told The Times.



An Oxford University spokesman was quoted as saying that, "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 staf towards achieving these aims," he said.



Last year, Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too "distressing".



Earlier this year, it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as "right-hand man" and "gentleman's agreement" under its code of practice on inclusive language.



(With PTI inputs)
Peshawar: A Pakistani court on Monday allowed Hindus to worship at a Shiva temple in Abbottabad district which had been off limits to them for 20 years.



A bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) headed by Justice Ateeq Hussain Shah permitted Hindus to worship at the Shiv Jee temple of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under section 20 of the Constitution.



The temple had been closed for any religious activity over property dispute.



In 2013, a Hindu Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) filed a petition with the PHC Abbottabad bench that they had purchased the property through lease by a legal owner.



The petitioner pleaded that after partition of sub- continent the NGO has been looking after the temple.



The petitioner and the head of the NGO Balmaik Sabha, Sham Lal, said that the temple was constructed 175 years ago.



The British regime took over the temple and handed it over to Gurkha Rifles. The Hindu soldiers use to pray.



After partition in 1947, the Balmaik Sabha took over the charge of the temple and other property till 1960 when Cantonment Board Abbottabad (CBA) seized temple and all Hindu properties.



He said that eight years ago CBA granted permission to conduct prayers in the temple.



Lal disclosed that in 2013 he filed a petition against the seizure of temple and Hindu properties by CBA.



Lal is a retired official of Pakistan Military Accounts (PMA) Abbottabad. His two family members are also working in PMA and rest of the family is residing in Abbottabad.


Foreign leaders and local interlocutors, a.k.a. pundits, might as well take a vacation for the next few minutes until Donald 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 putting the world on notice that the U.S. is no longer the weak sister, if I may use an old expression, it had become under President Obama. Theyll tremble at the thought of engaging America 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 largest, 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 Kerry. With the other, he pens a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan 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 United Nations Security Council  China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.  plus Germany and the European Union. What, pray tell, does Trump think would happen if the U.S. 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 ones 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 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 hes 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.

Parker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Washington Post. Email her at kathleenparker@washpost.com.
Wal-Mart in China (Photo : Getty Images)

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sets eyes on Guangdong Province, a key manufacturing base and foreign trade hub, for its expansion. In the next five years, the U.S. retail giant will be opening more than 40 stores and a fresh food distribution center in the province.



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On Thursday, Wal-Mart and the provincial government of Guangdong signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the plan in expanding the latter's business.



As a major dynamic economic base in southern China, Guangdong is an important market for us. We will continue to grow in China and accelerate our development here, Wal-Mart Global Executive Vice President and Wal-Mart International Chief Administrative Officer Scott Price said.



Wal-Mart also plans to increase its cooperation with the local government on local sourcing, retail innovation and development.



We will continue to increase sourcing of Guangdong products and help more of them enter our global supply chain system, Price said.



From the launch of its first China store located in Shenzhen in 1996, Wal-Mart has grown with more than 400 stores in the mainland, 92 of which are in Guangdong.



Upgrades in the logistics system and construction of a cold chain distribution center in Guangdong are also included in the investment plan.



The retail giants expansion plan in Guangdong was among the 14 agreements signed during the 2017 China (Guangdong)-U.S. Investment Cooperation Conference held in the provincial capital, Guangzhou, on Thursday.



$2.289 billion worth of investments were entailed in the contracts. The amount will fund a variety of areas, including finance, information technology, transportation, automobiles, intelligent manufacturing and environmental science.



China has grown to be the second largest U.S. investment destination. In 2015, more than $15 billion of direct investments were made by Chinese companies in the U.S., exceeding the American investments in China for the first time.



Investment from China in the United States is just starting to gain momentum, and the prospects for U.S. investment in China are still huge, said Vice Minister of Commerce Yu Jianping.



The conference aimed to take actions on boosting bilateral trade and investments as agreed upon by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in their meeting held earlier this month.



Last year, more than 20 percent of the China-U.S. trade volume was accounted from Guangdong. The province has drawn in $8.51 billion actual investment from the U.S., while Guangdong businesses have made $4.17 billion worth of investments in the U.S.



According to Guangdong Governor Ma Xingrui, the province provides very broad market prospects.



The volume of Guangdong's imports of goods will surpass $360 billion in 2020. The province will have mass demand for high-tech products, modern services and high-quality consumer goods and foods, Ma said.



The governor also said that the provincial government will give great support to local firms to create overseas warehouses, exhibition centers and branches, aiming to increase the volume of Guangdong products exported to the U.S.



Wal-Marts expansion in Guangdong is expected to bring developments both to the company and to the province.


Bruce fights the Robins and the Alfred question is answered in Batman vs. Robin #3

Bruce Wayne's inner demons are weaponized as he fights the Bat family in Batman vs. Robin #3
Draconian and heartless

Several of the placards read - Stop the Property tax; The Property tax is draconian and heartless and Government must ax d tax. At about mid-morning, approximately 30 vehicles left the Pierre Road Recreation Ground in Felicity. Leading the motorcade was Ummah T&T leader, Imam Rasheed Karim.

They drove throughout the Borough of Chaguanas and many residents cheered and shouted their support.

Speaking at the start of the mortorcade, Karim said that their rights as law-abiding citizens were being trampled upon by the ruling Peoples National Movement, saying that while they had to pay taxes, other persons who lived at HDC houses and were squatting on State lands, do not have to do so.

He said, You and I, ordinary hardworking law-abiding citizens of this country, need to stand up for our rights especially when our rights are being trampled upon. This property tax that they are going to implement is going to affect society; it is going to cause depression and despair in the population. It is a dark day in our country; it is a gloomy day in our country. Karim said that there are approximately 13 requirements which landowners had to fill out on the property tax forms and wondered whether they would be fined or jailed if they do not do so on time.

were unable to complete the firm within the deadline.

The obvious consequence of the property tax, he added, is that business owners would pass it on to the poor man by raising prices of their products. Every time the businessman has to be taxed, the poor man is taxed, so there is no middle- class in Trinidad and Tobago. Is either you are rich or you are poor, Karim said.

Meanwhile, National Solidarity Assembly political leader Nirvan Maharaj, has added his voice to the chorus of dissent regarding the property tax, saying that government should immediately withdraw the impending tax and revert to the old system until proper consultations are done with stakeholders regarding the mechanisms of collecting the tax. He said that issues of proper safety, security, valuation, confidentiality and most importantly, equality of treatment amongst all property owners in Trinidad and Tobago, were matters that must be considered.

Maharaj said, There is no doubt in my mind that this impending property tax by the Government seems to be a systematic and organized attempt to engage in a subtle form of discrimination and unfair treatment of productive law abiding citizens, who labour for years to build a life for themselves and their children, while supporting and propping up those individual who continuously depend on political patronage and handouts to survive. He said that government must ensure the equitable treatment of all property owners once they occupy property, whether by paper title ownership, squatting, State lands, tenanted lands, regularized or not. He said,  To do differently, is to send a message to our country that it is better to engage in criminality, and break the law, rather than work hard and sacrifice for what you desire. This type of message must never be allowed to flourish in our nation, because what is good for one, must be good for all.

Productive law-abiding citizens must be cherished and praised rather than brutalized and penalized for working hard for themselves and their children.
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North Korea Warns China of Catastrophic Consequences for Favoring the US

China-U.S. Talks to Resolve North Korean Crisis (Photo : Getty Images)

The North Korean government has issued a warning to China, saying that it would suffer "catastrophic consequences" for siding with the U.S., the Daily Star reported.



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In a statement made through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea accused China of allegedly failing to criticize the actions of the Trump administration and at the same time taking punitive measures against North Korea.



North Korea has been reportedly hit hard by the strict economic sanctions imposed by Beijing.



"It should get itself ready to face the catastrophic consequences to its relations with the DPRK," the statement said.



Historically, China and North Korea have cooperated and worked together, with China being the other's biggest trading partner.



But the statement said: "Not a single word about the U.S. act of pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war after introducing its hugest-ever strategic assets to our waters is made.



"But such rhetoric as 'necessary step' and 'reaction at decisive level' is openly heard from a country around the DPRK (North Korea) to intimidate it over its measures for self-defense."



Reports said earlier this month that China plans to send military vehicles to North Korea's border as a move to ease tensions between the U.S. and North Korea that could trigger a nuclear war.



But in its statement, North Korea criticized the China-U.S. alliance, particularly the economic sanctions.



"Particularly, the country is talking rubbish that the DPRK has to reconsider the importance of relations with it," the statement added.



"If China keeps applying economic sanctions to the DPRK while dancing to the tune of the U.S. 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 to its relations with the DPRK."



The tensions between the U.S. and North Korea heightened as U.S. President Donald Trump deployed a U.S. fleet to the Korean Peninsula, raising fears of World War III.



This week, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced that it would push through with plans to deploy the THAAD missile system to South Korea and hope to deliver it as soon as possible.


A 5-year-old boy is missing in California, and police say his father, who was found passed out in a park when he was supposed to be in charge of the child, is unable or unwilling to give them helpful answers. Police in South Pasadena took Aramazd Andressian Sr. into custody and extensively searched Arroyo Park for the boy, Aramazd Andressian Jr., after the father was found unconscious near his vehicle early Saturday morning, the Los Angeles Times reports. The boy's mother, who's separated from Andressian Sr. and shares custody, called police the same morning after he never showed up to drop the boy off. She says she last saw the boy in a Skype conversation on Tuesday.

The little boy is 41 inches tall, weighs 55 pounds, and was last seen wearing a turquoise shirt and plaid shorts. He has a small mole on the bottom of his right shoulder, police said in a Facebook post. "When we found out the boy was missing, we don't know if he crawled out of the car himself, if he walked away, if he was abductedwe have no idea," South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller said Saturday, per ABC7. Andressian Sr. has been arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and child abduction. Police, who haven't disclosed whether they think the father may have harmed the boy, says his story is "all over the place" and he seems to have a "very selective memory" about what happened to his son. (Read more missing child stories.)
When an Icelander arrives at an office building and sees "Solarfri" posted, they need no further explanation for the empty premises: The word means "when staff get an unexpected afternoon off to enjoy good weather." But the revered Icelandic language, seen by many as a source of identity and pride, is being undermined by the widespread use of English, both for mass tourism and in the voice-controlled artificial intelligence devices coming into vogue. Linguistics experts, studying the future of a language spoken by fewer than 400,000 people, wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the Icelandic tongue. Former President Vigdis Finnbogadottir tells the AP unless Iceland takes steps to protect its language, "Icelandic will end in the Latin bin." A number of factors combine to make the future of the language uncertain.

Tourism has exploded in recent years, becoming the country's single biggest employer, and analysts at Arion Bank say one in two new jobs is being filled by foreign labor. That is increasing the use of English as a universal communicator and diminishing the role of Icelandic. The problem is compounded because many new computer devices are designed to recognize English but they do not understand Icelandic. It ranks among the weakest and least-supported languages in terms of digital technologyalong with Irish Gaelic, Latvian, Maltese, and Lithuanianaccording to a report by the Multilingual Europe Technology Alliance assessing 30 European languages. Iceland's Ministry of Education estimates about $8.8 million is needed for seed funding for an open-access database to help tech developers adapt Icelandic as a language option. (Read more Iceland stories.)
Almost 30 years after the Lockerbie plane bombing, the lone criminal conviction in the case may be getting another look. The widow and son of Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi have begun a fight to overturn his 2001 conviction, reports the Guardian. Among other things, they say crucial testimony by Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci was bogus and should have been ruled inadmissible. The pair have met with an attorney who plans to present the case to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, which will decide whether an appeal is warranted. It's not just Megrahi's family backing the move: Some relatives of the 270 victims of the 1988 bombing also are pushing for an appeal in the belief that the true culprit is at large.

The most prominent is British doctor Jim Swire, whose 23-year-old daughter was killed. Shortly before Megrahi died, I met him in Tripoli and reassured him I would still do everything I could to clear his name," Swire tells the Daily Record of Scotland. "I am delighted that this request for an appeal is now being placed before the SCCRC." However, the US group Victims Of Pan Am Flight 103 does not support the new move, reports the BBC. Megrahi died of prostate cancer in 2012 at age 60 at home in Libya, three years after he had been granted early release from a Scottish prison because of his terminal diagnosis. (One woman didn't learn her son died on Pan Am 103 until 2013.)
Fans and former Happy Days co-stars are mourning Erin Moran, who was found dead in southern Indiana on Saturday. The AP reports that no cause of death has been determined for the 56-year-old former child star, and an autopsy is pending. The Harrison County Sheriff's Office says emergency workers found her around 4pm after receiving a call about an unresponsive female. The recent life of Moran, best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham, is as mysterious as her death, reports the Indianapolis Star. She moved to Indiana with husband Steve Fleischmann in 2011, but is believed to have struggled with homelessness after being kicked out of the trailer they shared with Fleischmann's mother.

Moran is believed to have died in her mother-in-law's trailer park, where she had apparently been living again in recent months. Neighbors at the park in Corydon, Ind., tell People that she was always friendly, but "kind of hibernated at the end" and hadn't been seen outside much lately. Former Donna Reed Show actor Paul Petersen, founder of a support group for former child actors, says Moran's troubles were "many and complex" and at least six former child stars tried to reach out to her in the week before her death, reports the New York Daily News. "OH Erin... now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth," tweeted Henry Winkler. "Rest in it serenely now." (Read more Erin Moran stories.)
Riley Hancey, the Utah man who was turned away for a lung transplant by University of Utah Hospital after he was found to have traces of pot in his system, received new lungs in a different state months later, but it wasn't enough to give his story a happy ending. Riley, whose lungs collapsed after a severe case of pneumonia last fall, died on Saturday, KSL reports. He had just turned 20 last week, per the Salt Lake Tribune. A few weeks ago, he underwent transplant surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, which agreed to treat him after his parents searched the country for a willing hospital. His parents say that after being drug-free for around a year, he smoked pot on Thanksgiving, days before becoming ill, which was enough to get him kicked off the transplant list in Utah, BuzzFeed reports.

Riley's family says he died of complications from the surgery. "We know that in our hearts we gave him every opportunity to survive," the family said on a YouCaring page. "He will live in our hearts forever. Riley is now free to climb every mountain ... and run every river [and] ... will continue to do so with his family in spirit." In an earlier statement, the Utah hospital said it does not transplant organs in "patients with active alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use or dependencies until these issues are addressed." BuzzFeed notes that, in a sad irony, the Pennyslvania doctors treated Riley with Marinol, an FDA-approved synthetic version of the marijuana ingredient THC, to stimulate his appetite after his weight dropped to 97 pounds. (A Canadian woman survived for six days without lungs in her body.)
Several avid northern lights watchers who call themselves Alberta Aurora Chasers on Facebook were sharing photographs at a talk when a professor at the University of Calgary noticed something strange. The citizen scientists were referring to a purple streak of light as a "proton arc," but no proton auroras are actually visible. Intrigued, Prof. Eric Donovan looked into the matter and, looping in other scientists, realized they were observing a previously undescribed night light, reports the BBC. The group of amateurs took to calling the light "Steve," with one joking that it's more than just a nice name but possibly also an acronym for Sudden Thermal Emission from Velocity Enhancement.

Meanwhile, the European Space Agency lined up its Swarm satellite with another Steve sighting to collect data. While the light remains largely a mysteryoutside of it not stemming from solar particles interacting with the Earth's magnetic field, as is the case with aurora borealisSwarm revealed that the temperature of the arc was 5,400 degrees hotter inside the ribbon of gas than outside, and that the ribbon was moving 600 times faster than the air around it. Steve is "actually remarkably common, but we hadn't noticed it before," one ESA scientist says. "It is amazing how a beautiful natural phenomenon, seen by observant citizens, can trigger scientists' curiosity. This is a nice example of society for science." (Tourists in Iceland were caught driving under the influence of the aurora.)
Politico is out with a damning report about the Obama administration's dealings with Iran last year in the lead-up to a nuclear arms accord. The story by Josh Meyer alleges that former President Obama gave up more than he acknowledged publicly, particularly in regard to a prisoner swap ahead of the deal. The Obama White House released seven prisoners it characterized as non-dangerous businessmen, neglecting to mention that three of them had been deemed a threat to national security by the president's own Justice Department. (They'd been accused of illegally shipping US macroelectronics to Tehran for use in surface-to-air and cruise missiles.) What's more, Politico found that the US also quietly dropped criminal cases against 14 fugitives, including Seyed Abolfazl Shahab Jamili, who allegedly procured thousands of parts with nuclear applications for Iran by way of China.

"They didnt just dismiss a bunch of innocent business guys," one former federal law enforcement supervisor tells Politico. "And then they didnt give a full story of it." In fact, Meyer writes, the White House actions "derailed" its own successful investigations into Iran's proliferation network, angering Justice Department prosecutors. A senior Obama official acknowledges that anger but says such compromises are necessary and pale in comparison to the greater good of a nuclear deal. Here's one sample of early reaction, from the conservative Hot Air site: "Barack Obama and John Kerry desperately needed a win on foreign policy in 2015-6 after seeing its 'smart power' approach turn the Middle East and Caucasus into flames," writes Ed Morrissey. "They didnt care if it was a short-term win that sacrificed long-term national security." Read the full Politico piece here. (Read more Iran stories.)
The White House accuses Syrian leaders of gassing their own civilians, and it's looking to punish anyone in the nation connected to the weapons. On Monday, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against 271 employees of a Syrian agency believed to have developed and produced chemical weapons, reports USA Today. The department characterized the move against chemists and researchers at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center as one of its largest sanctions actions ever. The penalties mean that those individuals can't conduct any business with the US, and any assets they have in this country would be frozen, notes the Los Angeles Times.

"These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women and children," said the department in a statement. Also Monday, President Trump met with a group of UN ambassadors at the White House, and he criticized the Security Council for failing to impose new sanctions of its own on Assad. "The United Nations doesn't like taking on certain problems," he said. (Read more Syria stories.)
In what Reuters and Fox News call a "rare" move, four top officials in President Trump's administration will brief the entire US Senate on Wednesday. The topic? North Korea. It's not unusual for top administration officials to address members of Congress on Capitol Hill, but in this case all 100 senators have been asked to go to the White House for the 3pm briefing, which was convened by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will address the senatorsan "unusual" configuration of officials, per Reuters. A similar briefing for the House of Representatives is reportedly in the works.

The news comes as US officials are increasingly concerned about North Korea's nuclear and missile tests and its threats against the US and other countries. President Trump recently spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by phone, Fox notes. Xi reportedly told Trump during the call that China opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons program and wants "all parties" to "exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation," while Abe agreed Japan would work to urge Pyongyang not to take any provocative actions. (Read more North Korea stories.)
Egyptian and US navies launched a joint exercise in the waters of the Red Sea.

Cairo : Egyptian and US navies launched a joint exercise in the waters of the Red Sea, media reports said.

According to a press release by Egypt's army on Sunday, the drills, dubbed "Eagle Salute 2017", come as part of an Egyptian army's plan for joint exercises with friendly countries to improve mutual military capabilities on the use of latest technologies.

Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Pakistan are participating in the exercise as monitors, Xinhua news agency reported.

The exercise includes a wide range of activities such as planning and organising joint combat operations, both day and night, in coordination with air force elements.

The combat scenarios involve securing maritime areas against various threats.

Other activities include search-and-rescue training and inspecting and raiding suspect ships, with the participation of naval and special units from both sides.

The bilateral relations between Egypt and the US deteriorated after the Egyptian military ousted former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which led Trump's predecessor Barack Obama to cancel the joint Egyptian-US military exercise of Bright Star.

The ties, however, have improved under the new US administration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to support the key ally with $1.3 billion annually in military aid.
The Syrian army and allied forces advanced against rebels in western Syria near Hama city on Sunday, building on recent strategic gains in the area, a military source and a monitoring group said.

Government forces captured the town of Halfaya and nearby villages, they said, taking back territory that rebels seized last year from forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

"We gained control of Halfaya and several hills in the area," the Syrian military source said. "The army will of course continue its fight."

Boosted by Russian air strikes and Iranian-backed militias, the Syrian army has pushed into rebel areas north of Hama, expanding its control this week along the western highway that links Damascus and Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, said the army began advancing into areas near Halfaya when rebels withdrew on Sunday, following intense battles and air strikes.

Sources on the rebel side could not immediately be reached for comment.

Warplanes have pounded Halfaya and swathes of territory near the highway in a region vitally important to Assad's government, which has shored up its rule in the populated west of the country.

Rebel factions, spearheaded by Islamist militants from the former al-Qaeda affiliate and also including Free Syrian Army groups, have been fighting fiercely to defend the towns in recent days.

The army's earlier capture of Soran, its northern gateway to Hama city, meant it had reversed most of the territorial gains rebels made in their major offensive last month.

With the help of its allies, the government has gained the military upper hand in the six-year war against the wide array of rebels, including some groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies.

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'Russia's Ukraine actions impedes improvement in relations'

Washington : US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned Russia that its interventions in Ukraine are an obstacle to improving relations between the two nations, a media report said.

Urging both Russia and pro-separatists in the Ukraine to immediately respect the ceasefire, Tillerson made the remarks in a phone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday, Efe news reported.

During their conversation, Tillerson also talked about the results of his visit to Moscow earlier in April. According to a statement by US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner, both leaders talked about the trip and the message that Tillerson sent to the Russian government earlier.

The statement said that although the US was interested in improving relations with Russia, but President Vladimir Putin's government's actions in the east of Ukraine remained an obstacle.

Tillerson also assured the US government's firm commitment to supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. He said that sanctions against Moscow would "remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements."

The agreements signed in Belarus capital Minsk in February 2015, aimed to put an end to the armed conflict between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists and to support the country's territorial integrity.

The Minsk agreement initiated a settlement process which despite making considerable progress, has failed to end the hostilities, as there were still violations of the ceasefire in the area.

Tillerson's remarks on sanctions against Russia were a change in the stance of the US government regarding the conflict, as President Donald Trump suggested in January that he would end the sanctions against Moscow for its interference in Ukraine, an idea that France and Germany opposed.

During the phone call, Poroshenko also conveyed his condolences to the US government for the recent passing away of an American observer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's monitoring team (OSCE).

The OSCE observer lost his life on Sunday in a landmine explosion in the separatist province of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

Both Tillerson and Poroshenko agreed that this tragic incident highlights the need for all parties, especially those led by pro-Russian separatists, to immediately comply with the Minsk agreements.

The US State Department also extended its condolences to the family and friends of the victim and condemned the incident in another statement.

"This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats and harassment," the statement said.

"The US urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent and timely investigation," the US Department of State statement said.

Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have already demanded an investigation to clarify the death of the observer.
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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is set to participate in the monthly dialogue youth conference in Ismailiya on 25-27 April, which coincides with Sinai Liberation Day, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported on Saturday.

A source at the president's office told Al-Ahram Arabic that around 1,200 youths are set to participate in the conference, which is held monthly and is periodically attended by the president.

Several ministers and MPs, as well as the heads of some political parties and other public figures, will also attend the conference.

The president is planning to address issues including a rise in the prices of the food commodities, the government's efforts to support citizens in terms of healthcare, and sustainable development in the fields of gas and power.

Over the past several months, consumers have struggled with a surge in prices after the government floated the local currency, cut subsidies and imposed new taxes such as the Value-Added Tax; all part of a long-term economic reform programme.

El-Sisi is also set to answer questions submitted by citizens through an initiative established by the youth leadership programme called "Ask the President."

This will be the president's third appearance at the Youth Conference which started in October 2016 as a platform for the youths to discuss political and social issues.

Last January, during the second conference, which was held in Aswan, El-Sisi addressed the impact of Ethiopia's under-construction Grand Renaissance Dam on Egypt's share of Nile water as well as potential ramifications of US President Donald Trump's pre-election pledge to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The initiative to hold the monthly youth conference was adopted at the first annual National Youth Conference in October in Sharm El-Sheikh, which drew over over 3,000 people.

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Two people were killed and another 42 injured on Monday in two separate road accidents in Egypt, both involving buses.

A bus accident on the Cairo-Alexandria Road, in Beheira governorate, left two dead and 18 injured, according to Egypt's state-run news agency MENA.

The victims were taken by ambulance to Wadi Al-Natrun Central Hospital, where they are receiving the appropriate care, the health ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed told MENA.

The bus involved in the accident was reportedly carrying workers.

Another accident on Monday morning left 24 people injured after a tourist bus overturned on the Suez-Ein Sokhna Road.

A medical source at Suez Public Hospital told MENA that 24 people were undergoing treatment for a range of injuries.

Deadly road accidents take place on an almost daily basis in Egypt, which is notorious for poor road-safety conditions, badly maintained infrastructure and loosely enforced traffic regulations.

Egypt saw 25,500 road fatalities in 2015, while the total number of car accidents was 14,500, according to a study published by the state's official statistics body CAPMAS in August 2016.

According to a global status report on road safety in 2015, published by the World Health Organisation, Egypt ranked 16th for road fatalities among Arab countries and 109th globally out of 180 countries.



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New Delhi:

Utkal Univerity in Odisha has declared the BA, BSc and BCom results at 3PM on its official Utkal University Examination Management System or UUEMS website i.e uuems.in. or utkaluniversity.nic.in. The University had conducted the undergraduate and postgraduate annual examination for all the three streams-Arts, Science and Commerce. To view results, students can log in to the official website uuems.in.

The results for BA, BSc and BCom will be released by the Utkal Universitys Vice-Chancellor Ashok Kumar. Students will get their marksheets and certificates in a week. As per the reports, the Utkal Univerity has for the first time planned to dispatch migration certificate of students to respective colleges.

This year a total of 50,332 students had appeared for the Plus III exams out of which maximum there are about 35,110 candidates from Arts stream, 9,966 were from Science and 5,256 were from Commerce stream.

Marksheets and certificates will be provided to students within a week after publication of results. For the first time it has been planned to dispatch migration certificate of students to respective colleges, informed Pradip Kumar Behera, Controller of Examinations, Utkal University.

Also Read: Goa Class12 HSSC Results 2017 ; check here to download

Steps to download Utkal University results 2017:

# Visit the official website  utkaluniversity.nic.in

# On the homepage, under the results section click on UG results 2017

# A new page will open

# Enter your roll number and other details

# The results will be displayed

# Take a print out for future reference

All the Best.




Chennai:

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday said he that he had raised the demand for a five year exemption from NEET for the Union Territory, at the Niti Aayog meeting held in New Delhi.

Since students from both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu did not appear for CBSE exams, there were 'difficulties' for them in clearing the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET),he told reporters at the airport.

Referring to Tamil Nadu Assembly adopting two bills seeking exemption from the test and now awaiting Presidential assent, Narayanasamy said Puducherry had also earlier taken up the matter with the Centre.

Also Read: NEET Exam 2017: CBSE releases admit card; click here to download it

"Prime Minster Modi should personally intervene in this matter and give a five-year exemption for Puducherry from NEET," he said.

This was one of the issues raised at the Niti Aayogmeet in Delhi, the Chief Minister said, adding,others included farmers' welfare and development schemes forthe Union Territory (UT).

Also Read: SSC SI Recruitment 2017: SSC invites application for Delhi Police CAPFs and Sub Inspectors posts in CISF

Like Tamil Nadu, farmers in the UT were also suffering due to drought and his government had, therefore, waived cooperative loans, the Chief Minister said. Similarly, loans in banks should also be waived, he said and sought Centre's intervention in this matter.

Also Read: Soon JEE Advanced test will be possible over mobile phone; click here to know more




New Delhi:

Renowned South filmmaker and actor Kasinathuni Viswanath shall be honoured with highly prestigious award of the film industry, Dadasaheb Phalke award for the year 2016.

Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday has approved of the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award committee.

The award shall be conferred by the President of India at a function on May 3 at Vigyan Bhawan consisting of a Swarn Kamal (Golden Lotus), a shawl and a cash prize of Rs 10 Lakh.

A presenter of classical and traditional art, music and dance, K Viswanath has been a guiding force in the Indian film industry and has been an inspiration for many art filmmakers till today.

Also Read: 64th National Film Awards: Akshay Kumar Best Actor for Rustom, Neerja Best Film; Zaira Wasim Best Supporting Actress

As a director, he has made fifty films since 1965 known for their strong content, endearing narrative, honest handling and cultural authenticity.

His films on a wide range of social and human issues had great appeal to the masses.

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Mumbai:

Director Hansal Mehta has recently completed the shooting of his upcoming project 'Simran' which stars the B-town diva Kangana Ranaut as lead.

Mehta took to Twitter to share a picture from the wrap-up party in which he is seen posing with his leading lady.

"And it's a wrap on #Simran. Thank you crew and friends.What a journey this has been!" Mehta posted on Twitter.

The movie also stars Sohum Shah.

'Simran' went on floors in October last year in Atlanta, United States and going to hit the silver screens in September 2017.

On the work front, Hanshal is also busy shooting his other forthcoming film 'Omerta'.

Starring National Award winning actor Rajkumar Rao the movie is expected to be released in 2017.

The 'Queen' actress who has received a moderate response on her last release 'Rangoon' is also gearing up for his other upcoming projects like 'Manikarnika', 'Divine Lovers' and many more.

And it's a wrap on #Simran. Thank you crew and friends. What a journey this has been! pic.twitter.com/zv2o20ZgIt  Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) April 23, 2017

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Raipur:

At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and seven wounded in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on Monday, the deadliest attack by naxalites targeting security forces this year.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the attack.

Singh will also travel to Raipur on Tuesday to take stock of the situation. He apprised Modi of the circumstances leading to the attack and steps taken for treatment of those injured in it.

The home minister, who is in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was earlier briefed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on the attack.

He said he would possibly go to Sukma on Tuesday. "It is a very sad and unfortunate incident... We have taken the attack as a challenge," Singh told reporters.

Later, in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, he said the incident was "very painful" and "No one will be spared."

He said he would be talking to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.

"I have already asked Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir to leave for Sukma," Rajnath Singh said.

The naxalites mounted the assault around 12:25 PM in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on. About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted, a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.

Also Read | Sukma Naxal attack: Here is the list of jawans who lost their lives

Rescue operations by IAF choppers

According to an official press release:

On 24th April 17, a message was received by the Anti-Naxal Task Force of the IAF that three CRPF jawans were critically injured in an encounter by Naxals at Burkapal in Sukma distt of Chhattisgarh. In no time two Mi-17V5 helicopters were airborne from Jagdalpur. On reaching Burkapal, it was realised that the casualties numbered seven.

They were quickly picked up by one of the helicopters and rushed to Raipur for treatment. Unfortunately, one jawan succumbed to his injuries inflight. In the meantime, a requisition was received to pick up 24 CRPF martyrs from Burkapal immediately. Responding with alacrity, the helicopters were quickly turned round, and braving all odds such as landing at a field helipad after sunset, two helicopters picked up the bodies of 25 martyrs at nightfall and brought them to Raipur for postmortem.

In addition, in another operation in a separate sector, 3 injured Jharkhand Jaguar commandos were evacuated by Ranchi-based IAF Mi17 helicopters in late evening from Piparadhaba in Balrampur distt of Chhattisgarh and taken to Ranchi for treatment. This life-saving mission too was executed after sunset.

Total Casualties evacuated to Raipur 08. +03 to RanchiTotal Mortal remains brought to Jagdalpur 25.Total Helicopters involved 04.(3 Ex Raipur/ Jagdalpur + 1 Ex Ranchi)

Further operations will continue tomorrow morning at first light / as per Requisition from CRPF/ State administration.

Political reactions

Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured, the president said in a tweet.

The prime minister tweeted, Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families, he added.

The incident occurred near Burkapal village within Chintagufa police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assualt rifles, the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 naxalites must have got killed in the befitting retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector rank officer, was among those killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families.

Also Read | Sukma attack: 25 CRPF jawans killed in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh; PM says 'their sacrifice will not go in vain'

Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation, he tweeted.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was extremely distressed over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a set back and a big tragedy.

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the countrys largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official were killed in the deadliest naxal attack in adjoining Dantewada district on April 6, 2010.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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Sambhal:

Warrant against the SpiceJet's managing director has been issued by Consumer forum for ignoring its two-year-old order to reimburse the air tickets cost to a passenger, who was not allowed to board the plane.

Sambhal District Consumer Forum Chairman Liaqat Ali issued the warrant against SpiceJet's MD, taking strong exception to the airline ignoring the Forum's order issued on October 25, 2015, said the passenger's counsel Devendra Varshney.

The repeated attempts to contact the airline's officials to obtain their version of the incident proved futile.

Senior advocate Varshney said the matter dates back to April 20, 2015 when his client Navdeep Gupta, a resident of Chandausi in Uttar Pradesh had bought an online air ticket for Rs 5,000 at Hyderabad to travel to Delhi the next day. But when Gupta reached the Hyderabad airport he was denied the boarding pass on the pretext that he did not have a hard-copy of the online ticket and was told to produce one to obtain the boarding pass.

Also Read: Kingfisher Airlines employees say their main concern is recovery of unpaid dues

The airline's insistence on producing the hard-copy of the ticket eventually led to Gupta missing the flight. The airlines did not pay back Gupta the cost of the ticket either.

An aggrieved Gupta subsequently moved the district consumer forum, which on October 25, 2015 ordered the airline to pay him Rs 5,000 along with 9 per cent interest and Rs 1,000 as costs.

But, the company did not abide by the forum's order leading Gupta to approach it once again for enforcement of its directions, said Varshney adding the matter has been fixed for next hearing on May 30.

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Patna:

Both the Houses of Bihar Legislature on Monday unanimously adopted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill, becoming the second state after Telangana to pave the way for rollout of the GST from July 1.

Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as Legislative Council adopted the Bills related to GST with one voice.

Bihar became the second state after Telangana to ratify GST which needs nod of the states after its clearance in Parliament.

Also Read: PM Modi in NITI Aayog meet: GST relects spirit of one nation, one aspiration, one determination

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaking in the state Legislative Council described the passing of GST by all the parties together as a historic moment.

Expressing thanks to all the members, Kumar said Bihar has been in favour of GST from the beginning.

Even after change of government, Bihar continued with its support to GST, Kumar, who is heading the Grand Alliance government of JD(U), RJD and Congress, said.

He said the budget session of the two Houses were prorogued on March 31 in anticipation of passing of GST in Parliament and its coming to the state for the same.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi, who had headed a ministerial committee on GST during NDA rule in Bihar, expressed happiness over adoption of GST related bills with the help of all the parties.

He expressed thanks to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for standing in favour of GST from the beginning. On his advise, I had accepted Chairmanship of GST as Finance minister of the state during NDA rule, the senior BJP leader said.

In the Legislative Assembly, bills related to GST were taken up in pre-lunch session and with ruling JD(U), RJD, Congress and even opposition BJP and its NDA partners in support of GST bill, it was adopted through voice vote.

Commercial Tax minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had moved the Bihar Goods and Service Bill, 2017 and the Bihar Taxation (Amendment) bill, 2017.

While all the major parties were in favour of GST, JD(U), BJP and Congress tried to score over each other in taking credit in state Legislative Assembly over it.

Sushil Modi praised Nitish Kumar for continuously being in support of GST even when BJP was opposed to it when he was heading a NDA ministry in Bihar.

A statesman looks for good of next generation while a politician merely looks for next election while taking decision on such issues, Yadav said in praise of Kumar.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar lauded the prime minister for the historic GST legislation which he said would help in checking corruption and increase investment.

Congress Legislature Party leader Sadanand Singh said that his party has been in support of GST from the beginning.

Due to obstacle created by BJP, the GST could not be approved in 2006 during UPA ministry. On account of this, the country lost around 12 lakh crore and now it has been cleared, he said.

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Shimla:

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Shimla, the BJP on Sunday launched a cleanliness drive in all 34 wards of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC).

Party leaders and workers took to the streets, carrying brooms. They also launched a mass contact programme and collected donations from people.

Party spokesman Mohinder Dharmani said social and religious organisations have contributed to the cleanliness drive and the city will be cleared of garbage and dirt.

However, the Congress dubbed the campaign as an eyewash and a desperate attempt reach out to voters in the run-up to the Shimla Municipal Corporation polls, alleging the party had done nothing for the people during the past four-and-a-half years.

The BJP in Himachal Pradesh is going to sound the poll bugle with the rally of the prime minister at the Ridge, Shimla, on April 27. The elections in the state are slated for this year-end.

Also read: Shimla's first ropeway will take you from Ridge to Jakhu in just 5 minutes

Also read: Winter makes a comeback: Thunder squall in Shimla, fresh snowfall in high hill areas



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The 12 former ministry employees are accused of helping two German archaeologists steal samples from King Khufu's tomb and other restricted locations

Egypt's administrative prosecution body has referred 12 former antiquities ministry employees to trial for allegedly allowing members of a German archaeological expedition to steal samples from the Giza Pyramids in 2013.

According to a statement from the prosecution body, the 12 men, who worked in the pyramids department, will be tried in a disciplinary court.

Investigators allege that the 12 men committed various crimes in 2013, such as allowing a group of Germans to illegally take a piece of a cartouche from a small compartment above King Kufu's burial chamber. The German group also took fragments from the walls and ceiling of King Kufu's tomb in the Great Pyramid, as well as fragments from another tomb.

In taking their samples, the group used a sharp tool and damaged the antiquities, according to prosecution investigations.

The 12 defendants are also accused of allowing the German group to enter unauthorized areas in the Giza Pyramids and take photos without permission.

In November 2013, a documentary called The Cheops Project was published on YouTube, showing researcher Dominique Goerlitz and author Stefan Erdmann during their secret trip inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Giza. The documentary shows the difficulty they faced in reaching the cartouche.

A sample of the cartouche was taken during the unauthorized expedition and was subjected to laboratory analysis in Germany.

When the documentary was released, the antiquities ministry learned about the illegal expedition and imposed penalties on the two German archaeologists.

The ministry described the incident as a serious violation of Egypt's ancient heritage and the Great Pyramid in particular  the only surviving monument of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The ministry has placed a ban on any archaeological cooperation with Dresden University, which reportedly supported the work of the German archaeologists, as well as the scientific laboratory where the samples were analyzed.

The findings of both archaeologists have been rejected by the ministry, which claims that the expedition was conducted by amateurs, not expert archaeologists.

The German embassy in Cairo has also denounced the actions of the two archaeologists, stating that the researchers are not affiliated with the embassy or the German Archaeological Institute, nor do they represent any official mission from Germany to Egypt.

In August 2014, the German authorities returned the stolen samples of cartouche to Egypt, handing them over to the Egyptian embassy in Germany.



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Chennai:

Tamil Nadu is bracing for a bandh called by DMK-led opposition parties on Tuesday in support of drought-hit farmers even as the state government asserted that normalcy will not be affected.

Police said all steps have been taken including deployment of adequate personnel across the state to ensure maintenance of law and order.

DMK, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, IUML and a host of trade unions affiliated to the opposition parties, farmers bodies, the film fraternity and other organisations including a lorry operators association have pledged support to the general shutdown.

Also, associations of local vegetable markets, groceries, several trade unions of auto-drivers are among those who support the bandh.

State government sources, however, said essential services will not be affected and claimed that the bandh will not have any impact since all necessary measures have been taken to see to it that people were not inconvenienced.

Local, long-distance buses of the state-run transport corporations and trains will ply as usual and essential services including milk and electricity supply will be normal, they said.

Ruling AIADMK (Amma) and the BJP have hit out at the bandh call terming it politically motivated.

On April 16, a meeting of parties including Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, IUML chaired by DMK working president M K Stalin gave the bandh call.

According to DMK, the bandh is to urge the central and state governments to fulfil the demands of farmers and farm labourers which includes adequate relief and setting up of Cauvery Management Board.

Other demands include remunerative price for paddy, sugarcane, immediate disbursal of cane arrears to the farmers, increasing the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 152 ft and cancelling Methane and Hydrocarbon projects.

Waiver of crop loans given by nationalised banks, adequate monetary compensation to farmers affected by drought are among the demands of a group of ryots who protested in Delhi and in other parts of Tamil Nadu.

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Chennai:

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the govt is considering setting up telemedicine centres to allow patients have a consultation with specialist doctors.

The initiative will help people in making appointments at outpatient departments of hospitals, collect lab reports, share blood availability status in government hospitals that is accessible online, he said.

Naidu said the Centre is also considering setting up a 24x7 national health helpline to provide answers to people's medical queries but the proposal is yet to be approved.

Addressing the 25th convocation ceremony at Sri Ramachandra University here the Union information and broadcasting minister said India spends about 4.2 percent of its GDP on healthcare goods and services, compared to about 18per cent by developed countries.

Also Read: Religion-based reservation unconstitutional: Venkaiah Naidu

"Compared to many developed nations it is low. The government's healthcare expenditure has not been commensurate with the demands. We need to catch up with the global standards," he said.

On the availability of physicians, Naidu said the number of doctors available per 10,000 people is more than 20 in developed countries, whereas in India it is just six.

"The country needs 10.5 lakh doctors but we have only6.50 lakh physicians. Presently, there is one doctor per 1,700people in India. However, according to WHO norms, it should be is one doctor per 1,000 people. India should also aim at having one doctor for every 1,000 people," Naidu said.

The Union minister said the NITI Aayog has recommended the opening of 187 medical colleges by 2022 to attain this goal.

On the number of women MBBS students taking up post-graduate courses, he said it is comparatively low at 51 percent.

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Jaipur:

A 27-year-old Kashmiri researcher left for home after alleging that he was threatened by some unidentified persons, barely three weeks after joining the premier BITS Pilani in Rajasthan.

Hashim Sofi, who hails from Bandipora district of Kashmir, had told the hostel's chief warden that on Friday morning, he had found the door of his room and his clothes inked with threats and abuses, an official of the institute said.

Following the incident, BITS Pilani administration has ordered a probe.

Read more: J-K: 300 WhatsApp groups used to mobilise stone-pelters to disrupt operations at encounter sites, says police official

"The student had met the chief warden... Today, we learnt that the research scholar was not in his room and left without informing the project investigator and institute authorities."

"The institute has taken serious note of the matter and has asked standing committee on student affairs to investigate the matter and submit a report swiftly", media coordinator of the institute, Giridhar Kunkur said.

Sofi had joined as a Junior Research Fellow in pharmacy, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).

Read more: Cow vigilante mob attacks man and girl child in Reasi, Jammu

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New Delhi:

Political leaders across the spectrum condemned the attack on CRPF battalion, while left at least 25 soldiers dead on Monday. According to ASP Jitendra Shukla, 6 CRPF jawans have been injured in the incident. It is said that a team of 150 CRPF personnel was supporting the road construction work when the Naxals attacked the CRPF personnel. The weapons of jawans have also been looted.

Chief Minister Raman Singh

Enquired about the medical condition of CRPF personnel injured in Sukma. Pray for their speedy recovery and well-being: Chhattisgarh CM



I will hold a meeting with senior officials and ascertain further details on this incident: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

I will also talk to the Union Home Minister and Prime Minister as well: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

President Pranab Mukherjee

Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured: Pranab Mukherjee

PM Narendra Modi

Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely: PM Modi



We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. Sacrifice of martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families: PM Modi

Read | Live updates: 25 CRPF jawans killed in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi

Sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma.We salute sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts: R Gandhi

Union Minister Venkiah Naidu

Deeply pained, their sacrifice should not go in vain.Classic case of mindless killing, no place for such things in democracy: V Naidu

Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families: HM

Home Minister Rajnath Singh



Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation, tweets HM Rajnath Singh

Injured Jawan Sher Mohammed

First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many: CRPF's Sher Mohammed

They were around 300 & we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest: CRPF constable Sher Mohammed injured in Sukma

MoS Home Hansraj

MoS Home Hansraj Ahir will visit Raipur today in the wake of Naxal attack that claimed the life of 24 CRPF personnel

Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh CM has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari

Extremely unfortunate, hope govt will act with alacrity.Hope govt initiates appropriate action against ppl responsible for attack: M Tiwari

In Pics: Sukma Naxal attack kills 25 CRPF personnel

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New Delhi:

The Delhi Police on Sunday received more than one call every minute, about election-related grievances during the MCD polls.

Over 850 calls were received by the Delhi Police on Sunday between 8 AM and 7 PM, out of which 328 were hoax.

As many as 127 calls were received from Rohini, the maximum from any district, followed by 107 calls in outer district. The north district received 31 calls, the least among all the districts that went to polls.

Only one call was received from the New Delhi district, which did not go to polls since it falls under the New Delhi Municipal Council.

Also Read: MCD elections 2017: 54% polling recorded in Delhi

Many calls were about firing outside polling booths that turned out be false information. Even in the lead-up to the election, we received calls about exchange of fire between candidates or their supporters, a senior police officer said.

Police control room (PCR) staff handled 121 calls between 10 AM and 11 AM, which was the busiest hour for them.

Most of the calls pertained to campaigning, followed by calls about quarrels and false voting. While 186 calls were about candidates campaigning during elections, 144 were about quarrels and 118 calls were about false voting.

Ten calls were about defective EVMs and four were about liquor being distributed. Leave of officers were cancelled and the entire force was deployed, a senior police officer said.

Over 56,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the national capital to ensure that elections in 13,022 wards of the three civic bodies are carried out peacefully.

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Panaji:

Interim anticipatory bail was granted to former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday in realtion to the illegal mining scam being probed by the Special Investigation Team of the state Crime Branch.

He also appeared before the SIT for questioning in connection with the case. Kamat was summoned for the second time by the Goa Crime Branch this afternoon.

Prior to his visit to the Crime Branch, the former chief minister moved an anticipatory bail plea before the district court here this morning.

The court granted him interim bail and fixed the next hearing for May 2.

While granting the relief, the court ordered Kamat to furnish a bail bond of Rs one lakh and a surety in like amount.

Read more: Supreme Court cancels HC order on granting bail to Bachcha Rai in Bihar topper scam

"I have experience in the past about such cases. That is why I moved for anticipatory bail", Kamat told reporters outside the court.

He then went to the Crime Branch where SIT began questioning him in connection with the case.

The veteran Congressman, who is named in the FIR filed by the Crime Branch in the case, was summoned last week 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.

Read more: UP: Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Akhilesh's dream project, under Yogi Adityanath govt's scanner; being scrutinised for 'scam'

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.

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New Delhi:

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Monday took a jibe at CM Mehbooba Mufti for meeting prime minister in an 'effort to save her job' and said that she has just managed to get a reprieve of three months.

"While @MehboobaMufti goes door to door in Delhi to save her job the state teeters on the brink - student protests are a new worry," Abdullah tweeted.

"The CM has managed to get herself a reprieve from the PM & secured her job for 3 more months. Sadly nothing will improve with her in office."

The chief minister Mufti on Monday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asserted that he should be open to hold talks with stakeholders in a bid to arrest the deteriorating situation in the Valley.

Read | CM Mehbooba Mufti on Kashmir issue: PM has intention of holding talks, but dialogue can't happen amid stone pelting, bullet firing

However, she cautioned, that an atmosphere needs to be created for a dialogue. "There are some youths who are disillusioned, others are being incited," she told media in New Delhi.

Reacting to the statement, National Conference leader accused Mufti of deviating attention from her own mismanagement of the state, "Madam, you are UNABLE to hold elections to the Parliament seat you vacated. Please wake up & smell the reality of your leadership," he tweeted.



Kashmir is in the grip of increased violence since the April 9 by-poll for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. The security forces are under intense pressure as they are faced with almost daily protests and stone-pelting.

The army and the CRPF have received some praise for showing restraint under provocation, and also come under criticism, especially after a video showed a civilian tied to a jeep as a human shield as it drove through the streets to avoid being attacked.

Read | PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar shot dead by militants in Pulwama



Unified Command meet on Tuesday

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister told media on Monday that the situation in Kashmir would be discussed in a meeting of the Unified Command on Tuesday.

The GOC-in-C Northern Command, GOC 16 Corps, GOC 15 corps, DGP J&K, IG BSF, IG CRPF, senior officers of the IB and RAW and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh will also participate in the meeting in Srinagar.

.@MehboobaMufti The CM has managed to get herself a reprieve from the PM & secured her job for 3 more months. Sadly nothing will improve with her in office.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 24, 2017

While @MehboobaMufti goes door to door in Delhi to save her job the state teeters on the brink - student protests are the new worry.  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 24, 2017

Madam, you are UNABLE to hold elections to the Parliament seat you vacated. Please wake up & smell the reality of your leadership. https://t.co/ZuIngp5iRg  Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) April 24, 2017

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all Chief Ministers to take care of students from Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states, a remark that assumes significance in view of some recent untoward incidents against them.

Modi's advice at a meeting with Chief Ministers came after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti raised the issue.

At the meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council, Modi "seconded" Mehbooba's suggestion that states should take interest in the students from Jammu and Kashmir who are studying in other states.

The Prime Minister "urged states to reach out to these students (of J&K) from time to time", said a statement by the PMO quoting Modi's concluding remarks.

Also Read: PM Modi in NITI Aayog meet: GST relects spirit of one nation, one aspiration, one determination

This comes days after six Kashmiri students of Mewar University in Rajasthan were thrashed by some locals there. Two local youths were arrested later in connection the incident.

The accused were not students. Following the arrest, state Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had tweeted, "Kashmiri students are our children.

The Police have taken prompt action and apprehended the culprits." Also, in Meerut last week, a hoarding had been put up by a right wing activist, asking Kashmiris to leave Uttar Pradesh. He too has been arrested.

Also Read: Economy to expand three-fold to USD 7.25 trn by 2030: Niti Aayog

The Prime Minister also took note of the invitation extended by Mehbooba to various state governments to organise events in her state.

"The Prime Minister suggested that states could organize events there," the statement said. Later tonight, Modi tweeted, "Appreciable gesture by J&KCM @MehboobaMufti to invite other states to organise eventsthere. Urged CMs to accept this invite from J&K CM."

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 23, 2017

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New Delhi:

She is beautiful, intelligent, opinionated, known for speaking her mind, now the Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon also thinks she has an "activist streak" in her but has no plans to join politics.

"I'm the kind who can't toe any party line. And I have problems with almost every political party. There's no party I have come across whose ideology matches with mine. There are people whom I believe in now, but I just prefer to be a free voice," she says.

The 42-year-old actress says that she would rather have an opinion than lose it in the din of party politics.

"I'm not going to be told what I can or should say, or what my sensibilities are. If my sensibilities say that something is wrong, but the party says, 'waah-waah', I just can't do that. So I would rather be a voice which is not scared of anyone than join politics and lose it," Raveena told PTI.

Trending News: Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not Muslim? Click here to know What the DNA test of actor revealed?

The actress also believes that to bring in a change in the country, citizens must start by "being the change" they want to witness.

"We need to start being the change we want to see. We can criticise all we want, but if goons keep getting elected because of powers like 'bhaigiri' or 'moneygiri', then we don't have any right to complain. We lose the authority because we put them there," she says.

Until like-minded people come together, the system will not change, she points out. "Things will continue like this, "she warns.

Raveena says she has often been criticised for praising leaders for doing their job well.

"Yes, there are people who I think are doing good work, while people around them might not be doing (such) good work.That doesn't mean I'm supporting a particular party," she says.

"Today, if you say you are proud of your prime minister or president, you will be trolled. We used to be proud when we said that Indira Gandhi was the first woman PM of India. But today, it is like taboo. Praise Modiji or Rahul Gandhi... and people will say that you are politically inclined," Raveena adds.

The actress, who stars in the recently released revenge thriller "Maatr", regrets that rape is rampant in the country, and stresses that criminals are not afraid of the law anymore.

"We come from a land where women were worshipped as goddesses. Where has that respect gone now?"

India, she adds, needs a strong legal structure.

"We talk about moving towards a new, progressive, liberal and educated India. Then why are mindsets not changing? Had these things happened 60 or 70 years ago, we'd understand. But not now."

Raveena, who is often attacked on social media, says she is indifferent to what is said about her on Twitter. Actors were trolled even before the internet came to the fore, she adds.

"I don't care. I don't even read the tweets. I'm not interested in playing the victim. I say what I want to when I want to, whether the people like it or not. But trust me, everybody gets trolled. We actors get trolled even while shooting on the streets.

"We have faced all this, the abuses and comments people pass when we shoot for songs. You all are facing it for the first time, but we've been facing it for a long time. As I said, the basic mindset (of the people) needs to change."

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Thane:

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday demanded that the countrys highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna be conferred on the late revolutionary and freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

We all are together in demanding (Bharat Ratna for Savarkar) and some leaders of opposition (in Maharashtra) also want the highest honour for Savarkar. We should now act to make this a reality, Uddhav said here.



The Sena chief was speaking at the closing function of a three-day long convention on Savarkars writings. Uddhav also demanded that a replica of prison cell at the Cellular jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where Savarkar had been kept by the British should be built in Mumbai.



The youth and citizens should be educated about the contribution of Savarkar towards the Hindu Rashtra and the freedom struggle, the Sena chief added.

ALSO READ: BJP MP courts controversy, says undeserving people got Bharat Ratna before 1990

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Related Egypt Court of Cassation orders retrial for 149 sentenced to death in Kerdasa police killings

A Cairo criminal court issued on Monday a preliminary death sentence to 20 defendents undergoing retrial for involvement in an attack on a Kerdasa police station in August 2013 in which 12 policemen were killed, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

The criminal court also set 2 July to issue its final verdict for those 20 as well as the rest of the defendants in the trial.

The preliminary death sentence is pending the non-binding consultative opinion of the countrys grand mufti, per Egypt's penal code.

Once the court issues the final verdict in the case, the defendants have the right to appeal the verdict once again.

The defendants in the case were found guilty of storming the Kerdasa police station in August, killing and mutilating the bodies of 12 policemen and two civilians who happened to be there, attempting to murder 10 other policemen and destroying the police station.

The defendants are also charged with torching several police vehicles and being found in posession of heavy firearms.

The attack took place in August 2013 following the forced dispersal of sit-ins in support of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

In February 2015, a criminal court issued a death sentence to 183 people found guilty of involvement in the attack, 34 of whom had been tried in absentia.

Only 149 defendants appealed the court order and are currently undergoing retrial.

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New Delhi:

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday night briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the attack on a CRPF team in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district in which 25 jawans were killed.



Singh will also travel to Raipur on Tuesday to take stock of the situation.



He apprised Modi of the circumstances leading to the attack and steps taken for treatment of those injured in it.



The home minister, who is in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was earlier briefed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on the attack.

Sukma Naxal attack: As it Happened

Sukma attack an act of cowardice



Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said the attack on CRPF personnel in Sukma shows Naxals cowardice and assured that the injured jawans will be provided with all possible help.



I pay my condolences to families of martyred personnel and those who have been injured in the attack. All possible help will be provided to injured jawans, Singh said.



The attack on jawans in Sukma shows Naxals cowardice, he said.



Singh, who was in the national capital to attend some programmes, cut short his visit and went back to Raipur. Back in state capital, Singh called an emergency meet to discuss the situation.



I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting (on the attack), he wrote on Twitter.

Sukma Naxal attack: List of CRPF men who lost their lives



Attack a challenge to government



The government has taken as a challenge the killing of CRPF personnel by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said and vowed that no one will be spared.



It is a very sad and unfortunate incident... We have taken the attack as a challenge, Singh told reporters in New Delhi.



Later, in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, he said the incident was very painful and No one will be spared.



He said he would be talking to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.I have already asked Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir to leave for Sukma, Rajnath Singh said.



Earlier, Singh had asked Ahir to travel to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.



Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families, Singh tweeted.



At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.

Political reactions: PM Modi says sacrifice of slain CRPF jawans will not go in vain

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New Delhi:

The Apex Court on Monday instructed the Kerala Government to reinstate former DGP Senkumar, saying he was transferred from the post on the basis of random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

The Supreme Court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) decision that had not found fault with the state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

"We direct reinstatement of DGP T P Senkumar," a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected "erring" police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

Also Read: Blame game over temple fire tragedy continues

The state government had told the court that Senkumar's transfer was not a punishment for the "lapse" which had led to April 10, 2016, incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.

On April 10 last year, when Senkumar was Kerala's DGP, there was an explosion leading to a blaze after a fireworks display went awry at Puttingal Temple in Kollam district. 110 people had died while over 300 were injured in the incident.

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New Delhi:

Twitter is buzzing with news alerts from India and rest of the world. Here are the latest updates from the micro-blogging site in one scroll:

#11:18 PM

US issues 271 sanctions in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons: AP - ANI

#10:29 PM

Comprehensive study of building-height restrictions near #MumbaiAirport will be carried out, Civil Aviation Minister @Ashok_GajapathiA - PTI

#10:26 PM

Ex-IAS officers write open letter to @VasundharaBJP, demand "justice" for #PehluKhan who was killed allegedly by #gaurakshaks in #AlwarA - PTI

#10:20 PM

Tripura: A woman sold her eleven-day-old son for treatment of her ailing husband in Teliamura town in Khowai district - ANI

#10:19 PM

Union minister @MVenkaiahNaidu condemns attacks by #CowVigilantes, says they have "no business, no right to take law into your hands" - PTI



#9:47 PM

AAP leader @ArvindKejriwal warns of launching #Movement if the MCD exit poll results, which predicted a BJP-sweep, come true. - PTI

#9:43 PM

#Sukma Naxal attack: HM Rajnath Singh to visit Raipur tomorrow #ChhattisgarhA - ANI

#9:22 PM

Animal rights group @PetaIndia urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban all meat products from menu at government meetings and events. - PTI

#9:22 PM

Occasional hiccups in #SinoIndia ties due to border issue: Union Minister @arunjaitley says in US. - PTI

#9:07 PM

Chhattisgarh: CRPF revises death toll to 25 (earlier death toll was 26) in Sukma Naxal attack - ANI

#9:03 PM

#SUKMAUPDATE: @crpfindia revises death toll to 25 (earlier figure was 26). #NaxalAttackA - PTI

#8:59 PM

#AirForce enhances capability at Halwara base (Punjab) close to Indo-Pak border, deploys additional Sukhoi #Su30 MKI fighter jets. @IAF_MCCA - PTI

#8:59 PM

Indian national #KulbhushanJadhav's sentencing through Pakistan's kangaroo court will not help the cause of peace in the region:#Jaitley. - PTI

#8:54 PM

Most acts of terrorism across the world will have some #Pakistanlinks: #ArunJaitley. - PTI

#8:54 PM

Largest paramilitary force @crpfindia sans regular chief for nearly 2 months; ADG #SudeepLakhtakia holding charge in additional capacity - PTI

#8:54 PM

1 year extension given to Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha, extension to be given from 12.6.16 - ANI

#8:54 PM

People in Varanasi pay tribute to 26 CRPF personnel who lost their lives in a naxal attack in #SukmaA - ANI

#8:46 PM

Navi Mumbai Police arrested 18 people in a Cryptocurrency scam (digital currency); case registered, investigation on. - ANI

#8:43 PM

24 people, including 12 security personnel, injured in clashes between stone-pelting students & law-enforcing agencies in #SrinagarA - PTI



#8:38 PM

Allahabad HC grants bail to ex-UP minister #BabuSinghKushwaha, who has been in jail in connection with the #NRHMScamA - PTI



#8:30 PM

Odisha govt advances summer vacation in schools by a week, both govt & private schools closed till June 17 from tomorrow. #HeatwaveA - PTI



#8:28 PM

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh holds emergency meeting after 26 CRPF personnel lost their lives in a Naxal attack in #Sukma . - ANI

#8:19 PM

Ludhiana Court summons Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh in a case filed by IT Department - ANI

#8:16 PM

TN braces for #bandh called by DMK-led opposition parties tomorrow in support of drought-hit farmers, govt says normalcy won't be affected - PTI



#8:08 PM

Cabinet Secretary #PKSinha given one-year extension: Official sources.- PTI

#8:06 PM

Enquired about the medical condition of CRPF personnel injured in #Sukma. Pray for their speedy recovery and well being: Chhattisgarh CM - ANI

#8:03 PM

Sri Lankan Navy sailor, YPNR Weerasinghe (39),idies while undergoing diving training at Naval base at Kochi. - PTI

#7:54 PM

#SUKMAUPDATE: Toll goes up to 26 - PTI

#7:55 PM

3 CRPF personnel injured in a naxal attack in Daltonganj in Jharkhand - ANI

#7:47 PM

By predicting a BJP-sweep in exit polls, ground being prepared for a "rigged" #MCDpoll results, says AAP's @dilipkpandeyA - PTI



#7:41 PM

Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured: Pranab Mukherjee - ANI

#7:36 PM

WB Chief Minister @MamataOfficial condemns #Sukma naxalite attack on #CRPF personnel. - PTI



#7:38 PM

It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an Ordinance was passed in this regard :Venkaiah Naidu on DMK alleging Hindi imposition - ANI

#7:37 PM

Parliamentary Committee on Official Language only recommendatory & not mandatory: Venkaiah Naidu on DMK alleging Hindi imposition- ANI

#7:36 PM

Its a very unfortunate incident, I will talk to CM Raman Singh for more details: HM Rajnath Singh #SukmaA - ANI

#7:33 PM

@LtGovDelhi order to pay Rs 97 cr for ads totally wrong, we will challenge it in the court, @ArvindKejriwal tells PTI - PTI

#7:32 PM

I will also talk to the Union Home Minister and Prime Minister as well: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh #SukmaA - ANI

#7:30 PM

I will hold a meeting with senior officials and ascertain further details on this incident: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh #SukmaA - ANI

#7:29 PM

Delhi excise dept asks all distributors to maintain a week's stock of all approved liquor brands in order to ensure "uninterrupted supply" - PTI

#7:22 PM

NC chief #FarooqAbdullah urges the Centre to immediately begin talks with all stakeholders, including Pak, for peace in Kashmir - PTI

#7:22 PM

Pak envoy #AbdulBasit to PTI: No breach of bilateral pact by not giving consular access to #KulbhushanJadhav, who is on death row in PaK - PTI

#7:04 PM

Death toll of CRPF personnel in #Sukma Naxal attack rises to 26 #ChhattisgarhA - ANI

#7:02 PM

Sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma.We salute sacrifice&courage of our bravehearts:R Gandhi - ANI

#6:56 PM

We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. Sacrifice of martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families: PM Modi #SukmaA - ANI

#6:55 PM

Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely: PM Modi #Sukma - ANI

#6:47 PM

Deeply pained,their sacrifice should not go in vain.Classic case of mindless killing, no place for such things in democracy: V Naidu #SukmaA - ANI

#6:37 PM

Spoke to MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma, he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation, tweets HM Rajnath Singh - ANI

#6:36 PM

Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families: HM - ANI

#6:29 PM

Govt committed to ST status to 6 Assam communities- Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea Tribes, says @KirenRijijuA - PTI

#6:28 PM

Uttar Pradesh will be an open-defecation free state by October 2018: Chief Minister @myogiadityanathA - PTI

#6:27 PM

They were around 300 & we were around 150, we kept firing. I shot 3-4 Naxals in the chest: CRPF constable Sher Mohammed injured in #SukmaA - ANI

#6:26 PM

First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many: CRPF's Sher Mohammed - ANI

#6:22 PM

90 CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by Naxals.Weapons of jawans have also been looted #ChhattisgarhA - ANI

#5:54 PM

Sukma attack: Chhattisgarh CM has cancelled his engagements in Delhi and has rushed for Raipur where he will hold a meeting later today - ANI

#5:42 PM

Chhattisgarh: Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj leave for Sukma - ANI

#5:38 PM

Jawans injured in CRPF-Naxals encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma shifted to hospital in Raipur. - ANI

#5:31 PM

CRPF-Naxals encounter in Sukma: Death toll of CRPF personnel rises to 12, 6 jawans injured #ChhattisgarhA - ANI

#5:29 PM

Patna,Chennai,Guwahati,Thiruvananthapuram,Jaipur,Lucknow airports to be tag free after trial run from 24th to 30th April: CISF - ANI

#5:28 PM

INS Mumbai, INS Trishul & INS Aditya entered Toulon, France on a goodwill visit during overseas deployment in the Mediterranean. - ANI

#5:26 PM

Reliance Industries reports 12.3 pc rise in March quarter net profit at Rs 8,046 cr. - PTI

#5:26 PM

Earlier Cong used to win every poll. They were zero in work, hero in polls. Similar is case with BJP today, #ShivSena mouthpiece #SaamanaA - PTI

#5:24 PM

We are not imposing Hindi but promoting it like any other language, Union MoS (Home) @KirenRijiju - PTI

#5:22 PM

#SUKMAUPDATE: Chhattisgarh CM @drramansingh cuts short his New Delhi visit, rushes to Raipur. #NaxalAttackA - PTI

#5:13 PM

6 more airports- Patna, Chennai, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Lucknow- to go handbag tags-free; trial begins - PTI

#5:10 PM

Cypriot President @AnastasiadesCY arrives in India tomorrow on five-day visit, to meet Prez Pranab Mukherjee & PM @narendramodiA - PTI

#5:08 PM

#Sukma: Seven CRPF troops critically injured, being evacuated. #NaxalAttackA - PTI

#5:03 PM

Chhattisgarh CM calls emergency meeting later today after 11 CRPF personnel lost their lives in an encounter with Naxals in Sukma - ANI

#5:03 PM

11 #CRPF personnel killed in #NaxalAttack in #Sukma in Chhattisgarh. - PTi

#5:01 PM

Extremely unfortunate,hope govt will act with alacrity.Hope govt initiates appropriate action against ppl responsible for attack: M Tiwari - ANI

#4:55 PM

Maha to purchase power from #Jaitapur nuclear plant in the state only if it's affordable, state govt functionaries say. - PTI

#4:50 PM

Will resign if my party asks: Ker min & CPI(M) leader #MMMani whose remarks against women plantation workers triggered a row - PTI

#4:47 PM

11 CRPF personnel have lost their lives in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma - ANI

#4:42 PM

Hum sarkar se vinamrata se maang karna chahte hain ki sarkaar ki jo J&K ko lekar niti hai use woh sarvjanik karen: Manish Tiwari, Congress - ANI

#4:34 PM

PPD leader #AbdulGaniDar dead; was attacked by militants earlier in the day in Pinglena area of #Pulwama - PTI

#4:29 PM

Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union protests against China's move to "standardise" official names of six places in the state - PTI

#4:25 PM

Vice President #HamidAnsari leaves for five-day visit to Armenia, Poland - PTI

#4:18 PM

#NASA astronaut #PeggyWhitson breaks US record for most days spent in space, surpassing Jeff Williams' record of 534 days aboard the #ISS. - PTI

#4:11 PM

#BiharLegislativeAssembly unanimously adopts #GoodsandServicesTax (GST) bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill. - PTI

#4:11 PM

There cannot be two parallel jurisdictions to deal with the same issue, says #SC while transferring plea to #NGT. - PTI

#4:09 PM

#SC transfers to NGT a 23-year-old PIL on pollution in #RiverYamuna. - PTI

#4:07 PM

#MiningScam: Former Goa Chief Minister #DigambarKamat gets interim anticipatory bail, appears before #SIT. - PTI

#4:04 PM

Danish musicians take their instruments underwater to create new sounds and provide a captivating new experience for their audiences. - AFP

#4:02 PM

President #PranabMukherjee will embark on a two-day visit to Goa and Telangana beginning tomorrow. - PTI

#4:02 PM

Mumbai: AIU recovered 16 gold bars of 10 tola each totally weighing 1.865 kg valued at Rs. 56,00,000, three persons arrested. - ANI

#3:59 PM

SC directed Uttar Pradesh government to fill up the vacancies of 3,000 sub-Inspectors and 30,000 Constables. - ANI

#3:56 PM

TTV Dinakaran reaches Delhi Police Crime Branch for the third day, for questioning over 'Two leaves' symbol alleged bribe case. - ANI

#3:45 PM

Protesters raise anti-Pakistan army and anti-Pak Govt slogans during demonstration against forcible land grabbing by Pak army in PoK's Kotli - ANI

#3:44 PM

#Sensex bounces 290.54 points to close at 29,655.84; #Nifty reclaims 9,200-mark, climbs 98.55 points to 9,217.95. - PTI

#3:44 PM

#UPDATE: Seven CRPF personnel injured, four critical in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma. - ANI

#3:37 PM

Protest in PoK's Kotli against forcible land grabbing by Pakistan Army - ANI

#3:33 PM

Gayatri Prajapati case: SC allowed plea of complainant, asked UP police to provide protection to victim's family members. - ANI

#3:22 PM

Chhota Rajan case: A Delhi Court also ordered arrest of three other convicts with immediate effect. They are currently out on bail. - ANI

#3:21 pM

Six #CRPF personnel injured in attack by Maoists in #Sukma district of Chhattisgarh: Officials. - PTI

#3:20 PM

After receiving copy of judgement, govt will do whatever it can legally to comply with court order: Kerala CM on SC order to reinstate DGP - ANI

#3:02 PM

Chhattisgarh: 10 kg of explosives planted by Maoists recovered in Dantewada. - ANI

#3:02 PM

India aims to cut petroleum imports as it boosts alternative fuel use -Reuters

#3:00 PM

Xi urges 'restraint' on N. Korea as US carrier nears -AFP

#2:59 PM

Lot of dumping&filling has been done here.Boundary of Bellandur Lake not clear, authorities asked to fix it:CEO,Lake Dev Authority,Bengaluru - ANI

#2:51 PM

Four CRPF personnel of 74 battalion including Inspector Raghuvir Singh injured in an encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.- ANI

#2:49 PM

Chhota Rajan and three others convicted in a fake passport case, by a Delhi court. Arguments on sentence to be heard tomorrow- ANI

#2:48 PM

New vending machine, designed by a student of Indian-origin, at US varsity offers morning after pills.- PTI

#2:42 PM

SC seeks Government's reply on a plea against coastal regulatory zone clearance to Kudankulam units.- ANI

#2:40 PM

PDP Pulwama district President Abdul Gani Dar attacked by terrorists today, has succumbed to his injuries.- ANI

#2:39 PM

Don't wait for conducive atmosphere, talk now. Talk to stakeholders, to Pak even if you are bitter with them:Farooq Abdullah on J&K Govt- ANI

#2:33 PM

German DAX stock market index hits new all-time high- AFP

#2:18 PM

One person arrested in connection with alleged thrashing of cattle traders in Delhi's Kalkaji- ANI

#2:11 PM

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is my idol.I wanted to make something special on his birthday, made this huge Rangoli in 20 hours - Abhishek Satam- ANI

#2:10 PM

Actress Raveena Tandon says she has always had an "activist streak" in her but has no plans of joining politics.- PTI

#2:08 PM

PDP district president for Pulwama shot at; rushed to hospital: Police.- PTI

#1:57 PM

States should display at PDS shops the foodgrains subsidy borne by Centre and states: Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan- PTI

#1:52 PM

Food Ministry favours hike in tur dal import duty from 10 per cent to 25 per cent- PTI.

#1:42 PM

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi today- ANI

#1:40 PM

Karnataka:TDP MP N Kishappa's son vandalised Bagespalli toll gate after staff stopped his vehicle.Toll gate operators filed case with police- ANI

#1:40 PM

PM's appeal is only on paper. Kashmiri students beaten many times. This govt needs to implement laws & provide security: Asaduddin Owaisi- ANI

#1:38 PM

Jammu and Kashmir: PDP District president Pulwama Abdul Gani Dar attacked by terrorists, admitted to hospital. More details awaited.- ANI

#1:35 PM

First large-scale malaria vaccine trial for Kenya, Ghana and Malawi- AFP

#1:29 PM

Unitech's sector 70, Vista project in Gurugram: SC warns real estate major of coercive action if it fails to deposit interest amt by May 8- ANI

#1:23 PM

We have set target to declare 30 districts ODF (Open defecation free) till Dec 31, 2017 and entire UP till Oct 2018: UP CM Yogi Adityanath- ANI

#1:21 PM

US Defence Secretary Mattis makes unannounced Afghan visit: US official- AFP

#1:19 PM

Centre in its report to Supreme court says "each cow and its progeny across India should get a Unique Identification Number for tracking"- ANI

#1:16 PM

Each district should have a shelter home of capacity of atleast 500 abandoned animals.Will help reduce smuggling,Centre states in the report- ANI

#1:16 PM

Centre's report on the issue states "Responsibility of safety and care of abandoned animals is mainly of the State govt"- ANI

#1:12 PM

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy raises demand for exemption from NEET at the Niti Aayog meeting.- PTI

#1:12 PM

Centre told the Apex court that a Committee headed by Joint Secy, Home Ministry was formed, which has given certain recommendations- ANI

#1:10 PM

Cow protection and smuggling of cattle across India-Bangladesh border: Central government submitted its report in the Supreme Court, today.- ANI

#12:56 PM

Clashes break out between protesting students and security forces in Srinagar college.- PTI

#12:51 PM

Home Minister Rajnath Singh views Kashmir situation with top security brass.- PTI

#12:46 PM

There is no rift between BJP-PDP, there is some issue regarding MLC election.We noticed lack of communication,will address it:Ram Madhav,BJP- ANI

#12:44 PM

Main concern is to bring normalcy in Kashmir within 1-2 months, have extended all support to the state: Ram Madhav, In-charge J&K Affairs- ANI

#12:41 PM

There won't be peace in J&K till there is BJP-PDP Govt. Governor's rule is never a solution, they should change their way: GN Azad,Congress- ANI

#12:32 PM

ITBP troops use snow scooters to patrol high-altitude Indo-China border in Uttrakhand- ANI

#12:31 PM

Next two,three months are really crucial for us.Spoke to HM regarding this,we need everyone's support for improving situation:Mehbooba Mufti- ANI

#12:28 PM

Never received order by Consumer Forum related to matter, received execution petition filed by Complainant &already complied by it: SpiceJet- ANI

#12:26 PM

Sambhal-Consumer forum issued bailable warrant to SpiceJet MD for ignoring its order to reimburse ticket's cost to man,not allowed to board- ANI

#12:23 PM

A

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Bengaluru:

Rahul Gandhi's remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's advice to bureaucrats not to use social media for self-promotion, was flayedby Union minister Nirmala Seetharaman on Monday saying it showed his lack of experience.

Speaking to reporters here, she said the prime minister has been an 'absolutely motivational force for all of us."

Not just ministers, but also the bureaucrats have been extremely inspired by the way he consults them and takes their views, said the commerce and industry minister.

"The prime minister also sent many of them to the places of their first posting so that they can see what differences are happening and what can be done further with their help."

Read more: NITI Aayog meet: PM Narendra Modi pitches for simultaneous elections, changing fiscal to January-December

"So for a prime minister who is motivating officials and ensuring bureaucracy works together... To oppose and criticise that just shows lack of experience in Rahul Gandhi", she said.

Gandhi had taken a dig at Modi, saying he was not in a position to lead by example on his counsel against self-promotion.

"Leading by example is clearly overrated", Gandhi had tweeted after Modi told bureaucrats not to use social media for self-promotion or spend too much time online.

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.

He has 29.3 million followers on Twitter and has emerged as the the most followed world leader on photo-sharing app Instagram with 6.9 million followers, surpassing US President Donald Trump.

Seetharaman denied DMK working president M K Stalin's charge that the Union government was imposing Hindi on the people, saying there was no attempt by the Centre to do so.

Read more: AIMPLB decides to tread social media path to clarify Sharia laws

"I would clearly state here that there is no attempt to impose Hindi, especially when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' scheme that bridges the cultural gap in the country and improves interaction among the states", she said.

The minister said the idea of 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' is that each year one state will connect to any one state in India.

"Suppose Karnataka as a state decides to have an agreement with Bihar, then Kannada will be promoted in Bihar and vice versa. The idea is to connect one state to another", she said.

Seetharaman requested Stalin not to 'distort' facts, especially as he belongs to a big political party and hails from a family with a political background.

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Mumbai:

Serious loopholes in Indias blood banking system have been exposed by a report which suggests that more than 6 lakh litres (2.8 million units) of blood has been wasted in last 5 years.

Shockingly, in a country where blood shortage is faced by many patients, the blood banks wasted around 6 per cent precious units of blood and its components. This amount of wasted blood equals 53 water tankers.



Among the worst offenders were states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. Not just the whole blood was discarded but components that save like red blood cells and plasma were also wasted, a report in TOI said.

More than 6.75 lakh units of blood and its components were wasted in 2016-17. What is worrisome is the fact that 50 per cent of the discarded units included plasma which has a longer shelf life of one year, unlike the whole blood and red blood cells that have a life of just 35 days.



The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has revealed the shocking wastage when responding to an RTI query raised by Chetan Kothari.

Maharashtra, the only state to have crossed one million mark in blood collection, was at the top in this list with maximum wastage of whole blood, followed by West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra, UP and Karnataka are top three in discarding the highest units of red blood cells.

The maximum units of fresh frozen plasma was wasted by UP and Karnataka. More than 3 lakh units of fresh frozen plasma was wasted in 2016-17. This is most ironic because several pharma companies import the fresh frozen plasma to produce albumin.

"The figures are alarming because blood shortage is a chronic problem in our country. It exists everywhere, right from the most interior parts of the country to metros like Delhi and Mumbai. Delhi alone faces an annual shortage of 1lakh units," said Kothari.

India faces an annual shortage of 3 million units of blood. Shortage of blood, plasma or platelets often led to maternal mortality and deaths in accident cases.

The lack of coordination between blood banks and hospitals and absence of robust blood sharing network have been blamed for the crisis.

A collection of upto 500 units is acceptable and manageable, said Dr Zarine Bharucha of the Indian Red Cross Society said.

"But we have seen and heard of camps where 1,000 to 3,000 units of blood is collected. There is no way to screen a donor or take their medical history. Most importantly, where is the place to store so much blood," she said, adding that what is needed is patient awareness.

"Why can't people walk into regular banks and donate once every three months," she said.



One unit of whole blood contains components such as red blood cells, plasma and platelet. But most government run blood banks lack the fractionalization facility in order to process the blood and break it into components.



"This alone results in a huge wastage as doctors nowadays insist on transfusing components. A physician treating a dengue patient, for instance, would prefer to give a platelet transfusion instead of unnecessarily pumping the patient with bottles of whole blood," said a senior blood bank officer.



States like West Bengal have outdated banking methods given the fact that they mostly issue whole blood instead of the components.



"We have created more than 200 storage centres in interior areas for emergencies. We have takers for emergency blood only once a week or once in two weeks. But we would rather be prepared to save a life than worry about unused units of blood," Dr Satish Pawar, head of Directorate of Health Services in Maharashtra said.

ALSO READ | Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium helps lower blood pressure

He added that Maharashtra is planning to create more component separation facilities. Dr JS Arora of the Delhi-based National Thalassemia Welfare Society said that needy people are forced to pay multiple times for a unit of blood.

"We have an online system where all the banks are supposed to update their stock status real time but it's under-utilised," he said.

ALSO READ | This new blood test will give you a quick diagnosis for heart attack!



"In 2016-17, there is a near 17% fall in wastage. Also, hospitals have to keep blood in emergency reserve to deal with mass casualties," a senior health ministry official told TOI.
New Delhi:

India moves a step closer to its mission to Venus as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning for a mission to Venus, which is likely to be launched after 2020. However, to make this reality ISRO is now inviting proposals for space-based experiments from scientists across the country.

According to a report, the spacecraft using 500W of power will carry instruments what would weigh 175 kg. The scientific community has been given a deadline of May 19 to suggest space-based studies.

The Announcement of Opportunity is just a beginning. The studies must be finalised, a project report would have to be presented and approved.

He further said that,  A formal mission may not happen before 2020, The Hindu quoted a senior ISRO official as saying.

An approval for the mission to Venus needs to be taken from ISROs Advisory Committee on Space Sciences, followed by the SpaceCommission and finally by the government.

Isro said that Venus is described as the twin sister of the earth because of the similarities in size, mass, density, bulk composition and gravity.

"It is believed that both planets were formed at the same time around 4.5 billion years ago," Isro stated.

According to Isro, the exploration of Venus began in the early 1960s with fly by and lander missions and atmospheric probes.

"In spite of great progress made in exploring Venus, there still exist gaps in our understanding about surface, sub-surface features and processes, and super rotation of the Venusian atmosphere, its evolution and interaction with solar radiation solar wind," Isro stated.

What mission to Venus will mean to India?

Closest to Earth approximately every 583 days, Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Similar to Earth in several aspects, Venus takes only225 days to revolve around the Sun. Its closeness to the Sun, makes it hotter.

It will be another feather in the cap for India if ISROs mission to Venus turns out to be successful.





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Kabul:

After the deadliest-ever Taliban attacks on a military base triggered calls for officials to step down, the Afghan defence minister and his army chief resigned on Monday.

"President Ashraf Ghani has accepted the resignation ofthe defence minister and army chief of staff," a one-linestatement from the presidential palace said.

Angry Afghans had called for the resignations of minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem, among other officials, after the assault outside the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

Ten gunmen dressed in soldiers' uniforms and armed withsuicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops at close range in the mosque and dining hall. The exact toll from the assault remains unclear.

Afghan officials have so far ignored calls to break down the toll it has given of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded, but have been known to minimise casualties in such attacks in thepast.

The US has said that at least 50 soldiers were killed, and some local officials have put the number of dead alone ashigh as 130. The raid under scores the Taliban's growing strength morethan 15 years since they were ousted from power, and as they gear up ahead of the spring fighting season.

Many Afghans slammed the government for its inability tocounter the attack, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults, including one on the country's largest military hospital in Kabul in March that left dozens dead.

Twelve army officers, including two generals, were sackedfor negligence over that attack. Officials put the death toll in that attack at 50, but security sources and survivors told AFP more than 100 werekilled in the brazen assault.

Military analysts have slammed the 'total intelligence failure' over such assaults, and called for new strategies tocounter them.

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 Afghansecurity 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 in surgent groups, as Kabul's repeated bids to launch peace negotiations with the Taliban have failed.

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Seoul:

Human Rights Watch on Monday said that China should immediately reveal the whereabouts of eight North Koreans it detained last month. Rights group also added that they risk severe torture if they were returned to the North.



Most North Korean refugees begin their escape by crossing into China and then try to make it to third countriesoften in Southeast Asiawhere they seek asylum in the South.



If caught and returned to the North they can face severe punishment. China regularly labels North Koreans as illegal economic migrants and repatriates them based on a border protocol adopted in 1986.



By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong-Uns administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch.

ALSO READ: North Korea shows off inter-continental ballistic missiles at Kim Jong Un birthday parade



The group it highlighted which includes at least four women, was detained by Chinese officials in mid-March after they were stopped for a random check in Shenyang, in northeastern China.



Human Rights Watch said that on the basis of information from sources it considers usually reliable, the group was still believed to be jailed in China. But it feared they may soon be returned to the North since most repatriations happen two months after detention.



There is no way to sugar coat this: if this group is forced back to North Korea, their lives and safety will be at risk, Robertson said. More than 40 North Koreans, including children and pregnant women, have been held by China over the past nine months, Human Rights Watch said, and at least nine forcibly returned to the North.



Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, more than 30,000 North Koreans have escapedmost after a deadly famine in the mid-90sand settled in the South. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is believed to have tightened border controls since he came to power after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011.



The number of refugees arriving in South Korea plunged nearly 50 per cent to 1,417 last year.

ALSO READ: US suspects North Koreas hand in 81 million dollar Bangladesh bank account theft

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New Delhi:

39-year-old Emmanuel Macron, the founder of the political movement "En Marche!" is all set to become the youngest president in the history of France.

Without the backing of a major political party, the former merchant banker is expected by pollsters to defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a face-off next month. Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen face a run-off election on 7 May in which Mr Macron is expected to triumph.

"I want to be your president," he told his supporters after he was declared winner according to early results of the first round of the French presidential vote.

So let us know about Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frederic Macron's life and political career



Early Life

Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frederic Macron was born on December 21, 1977, in Amiens to Francoise Nogues, a physician, and Jean-Michel Macron, Professor of neurology at the University of Picardy. After working as a public servant, he became an investment banker at Rothschild, earning millions before becoming an economic advisor. His career leapfrogged to great heights and earned millions, before becoming an economic advisor to Francois Hollandes presidency in 2012 and then economy minister two years later.

Education and Married Life

He got married to Brigitte Trogneux, his former school teacher in La Providence high school in Amiens, who is 24 years older than him. They first met when he was fifteen and have officially been a couple since Macron turned 18. Macron says she is his right hand in preparing campaign speeches.

On Sunday, the couple cast their ballots at the polling station in the Northern French resort city of Le Touquet. Coincidentally, the polling station was located in the same town hall where they were married 10 years ago, in October 2007

Macron obtained a master's degree in public affairs at Sciences Po, before training for a senior civil service career at the Ecole nationale d'administration (ENA) in Strasbourg. He graduated in 2004. But instead of immediately entering politics, Macron assumed a post at the Rothschild bank.

Political Career

In 2006, Macron became a member of the Socialist Party (PS). From 2012 to 2014, he served as an advisor to President Francois Hollande, but resigned a year later after the latter failed to appoint him as chief of his administration. He returned to politics on August 26, 2014, when he was appointed the economy minister.

While a member of Hollandes government, Macron earned a reputation of a liberal politician, advocating balanced state finances and liberal market. His most notable initiative was a bill intended to spur business activity and ensure equal possibilities.

In 2015, he announced that he was an independent politician and in August 2016 resigned from the government. This came shortly after he announced the foundation of his own political movement, "En Marche!". Macron has described this organization as being a mix of elements from both the left and the right.



Electoral Campaign

He opened his 2017 electoral campaign with a nearly two-hour speech at a rally in Paris, starting it with asking his supporters: "Are you ready to change France?"

Macron lays great emphasis to the problem of unemployment, which President Hollande failed to solve, among his top domestic policy priorities.

"I want to speak about our battle against unemployment, which adjudges some of our people to spend their days under a house arrest. It would be an economic and social battle," the presidential hopeful said, promising to create favorable conditions for employers and employees.

Macron explained that he decided to run for the presidency when he understood that only a president has the power to truly reform the country.He is convinced that he bears no responsibility for the social and economic developments in France in the past five years. "I was neither a president, nor a prime minister," he said once.

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Beijing:

Days before an American super carrier is due to arrive in the Korean Peninsula, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea during a phone call on Monday with US President Donald Trump.

The conversation came amid growing concerns that Pyongyang will conduct another nuclear or missile test to mark the 85th anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its Korean People's Army.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula", Xi said, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

Read more: India should focus more on its economic development: Chinese media

It was the second phone call between the two leaders since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month.

Speaking in Sydney on Saturday, US Vice President Mike Pence said the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson would arrive in the Sea of Japan, bordering the Korean Peninsula, "in a matter of days".

The ship joined other warships for joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea on Sunday.

Confusion has clouded the carrier group's where abouts in recent days after President Donald Trump suggested the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was sent towards Australia.

Pence also renewed calls for Beijing -- Pyongyang's only major ally and largest trade partner -- 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."

Read more: China should reveal whereabouts of eight North Koreans: Human Rights Watch

In February China announced it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

China also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment", as Pyongyang vowed a "merciless" response to any US military action.

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-Sung.

The North has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks, threatening to hit back against any provocation from the US and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea, which both host large American military contingents.

Before his latest conversation with Xi, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking to him about the joint drill between the Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

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Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that Egypt has ever borne the responsibility of fighting the forces of darkness and terrorism throughout history.

Shoukry made the statement while participating as the head of the Egyptian delegation to the first Ancient Civilizations Forum, which kicked off in Athens on Monday.

The member states participating in the forum are Greece, China, Bolivia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Mexico and Peru.

Shoukry pointed to Egypt as a crossroads of civilisations and a melting pot of religions, highlighting the presence of diverse peoples settling here throughout history.

On Egypt's newly formed national council to fight terrorism and extremism in the country -- formed after this month's Palm Sunday suicide bombings on cathedrals in Tanta and Alexandria -- Shoukry said the body represents an important step in countering poisoned ideologies and encouraging peaceful coexistence.

The Egyptian foreign minister also held meetings with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Chinese FM Wang Yi on the sidelines of the forum.





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Beijing:

Chinese official media said on Monday stated that India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian Ocean and more on its economic development.

"New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers", an article in the state-run Global Times said.

"In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development", it said.

"New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy", it said.

Read more: China should reveal whereabouts of eight North Koreans: Human Rights Watch

China on Sunday celebrated 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet. A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

"With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the country's overseas interests", a report in the same daily said.

As a consequence, China's military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said.

As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of former Sovietship has finished its blue sea training, he said.

While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new "logistic" based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.

Read more: India will pay dearly if it plays Dalai Lama card: Chinese media

"As the world's second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development", an article in the Global Times said.

"The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions", the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.

"India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers", it said.

Unlike China, India operated the aircraft carrier since 1961.

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New Delhi:

NASA's awe-inspiring astronaut Peggy Whitson who will become the most experienced US astronaut in terms of time spent in space will be felicitated by US President Donald Trump through a phone call from Oval Office on Monday.

Whitson, 57, will surpass the current US record of 534 days held by NASA's Jeff Williams, 59.

She also became the first woman to hold command of the International Space Station twice and hold records for the most time spent in space by a woman and for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman.

Read more: NASA's Peggy Whitson creates history, holds command of International Space Station for the second time

Trump's daughter Ivanka will join the phone call along with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins.

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London:

After conducting raids in two clothing factories in the city of Leicester, Britains immigration officials have detained 38 Indians, including nine women, for overstaying their visas or working illegally.



The UK Home Office Immigration Enforcement team raided MK Clothing Ltd and Fashion Times UK Ltd in the city in the East Midlands region of England last week and held 38 Indians and one Afghan man.



Of those detained, 31 had outstayed their visas, seven had entered the country illegally and one was working in breach of their visa conditions, Leicester Mercury reported.



The officials took 19 people into detention pending their removal from the UK while remaining 20 were ordered to report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are dealt with.

ALSO READ: US accuses top Indian IT firms TCS, Infosys of H-1B visa norms violations



Using illegal labour is not victimless. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and denies legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities,? said?assistant director Alison Spowage, from East Midlands Immigration Enforcement.



The penalties for businesses that do not play by the rules are rightly severe. This operation, one of the largest-scale my team has conducted, sends a clear message that we have the resources to tackle immigration abuse. All of our operations are intelligence-led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us, she said.



Immigration officials were accompanied by Leicestershire Police and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers during the raids. The two firms could face fines of up to 20,000 pounds for each illegal worker if it is proven they did not take steps to establish their employees legal status.



This translates up to 240,000 pounds for MK Clothing Ltd and 180,000 pounds for Fashion Times UK Ltd. The two factories are yet to comment on the raids. Under UK immigration rules, employers are required to carry out details right to work checks on the employees they hire and are liable for hefty fines if they are found to have hired workers who do not have the legal right to work in Britain.

ALSO READ: Nasscom hopes to overcome immigration-related issues

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's lawyer has lodged a complaint against a French political scientist accusing him of inciting an assassination of the Turkish leader, the state-run news agency reported on Monday.

The allegations against the French researcher follow comments he made about the outcome of the April 16 referendum on controversial constitutional changes that will tighten the president's grip on power.

Philippe Moreau Defarges, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, said all legal paths to challenge Erdogan had been shut off and that the only two options left were civil war or assassination.

The 'Yes' camp won just over 51 percent, a narrower-than-expected victory, but the country's top election board last week rejected opposition calls to annul the referendum after complaints of vote-rigging.

Defarges said on French broadcaster BFM on Saturday that Erdogan's strengthened powers would lead "only to catastrophe".

"There will either be a civil war or another scenario... his assassination."

Huseyin Aydin, a lawyer representing Erdogan, said Defarges' comments were not a simple expression of opinion.

The comments were "clearly instigating the crime in question," Aydin said in a four-page complaint submitted to an Ankara prosecutor, quoted by state-run Anadolu news agency.

Critics say Erdogan has become increasingly authoritarian since becoming president in August 2014 after more than a decade as prime minister, and the number of prosecutions for insulting him has risen.

Artists, journalists and schoolchildren have all been targeted.

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Under the slogan of "Freedom and Dignity", 1,500 Palestinian security detainees in Israeli prisons started a hunger strike on 17 April protesting their mistreatment by authorities

The Arab Parliament issued a call on Monday urging the Arab and international communities to "put an end to the suffering of Palestinian detainees", following news of a large-scale hunger strike in Israeli prisons.

The statement called on international organizations, including the United Nations, to pressure Israel to abide by international law regarding the rights of Palestinian security detainees, many of whom have been on hunger strike for over a week.

Declaring the slogan "Freedom and Dignity", 1,500 Palestinians in Israeli prisons started a hunger strike on 17 April protesting abuse at the hands of authorities.

The strikers are calling for an end to arbitrary detention, the release of minors, an end to solitary confinement, and the right to proper health care, education, family visits.

In it's statement on Monday, the Arab Parliament requested that fact-finding committees be sent to inspect the conditions of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons and to exert pressure for their release.

The statement also condemned the ongoing arbitrary detention of Palestinians and the arrest of Palestinian minors.

"Israel continues its assaults on the Palestinian people ... through killing, detention and land appropriation," the statement said.

The call for the hunger strike was made by Marwan Barghouti, secretary general of the Fatah movement, who has been in prison since 2002 and is serving five life sentences.

Barghouti was placed in solitary confinement last week. The strike was also supported by solidarity marches in the West Bank and Gaza, drawing tens of thousands of supporters.



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Islam Maytat thought marrying an Afghan-British businessman was her ticket to a new life as a fashionista in London. Instead she became a widow living under militant rule in Syria.

At just 23, the young Moroccan spent three traumatic years in northern Syria under the Islamic State group's so-called "caliphate".

Tens of thousands of foreigners have joined militant groups in Syria, including women who are encouraged to marry and raise the children of IS fighters.

Some, like Maytat, have been lured unknowingly into marriages with would-be militant.

Maytat spoke to AFP after fleeing IS's northern stronghold of Raqa to territory controlled by a US-backed alliance fighting the extremist group.

Now safe in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, Maytat holds her gurgling 10-month-old daughter Maria in her lap as she tells her story.

"Meeting my husband was one of the things that motivated me to study fashion design in Europe, but I had no luck. Everything went wrong," she said.

She first met Khalil Ahmed -- an Afghan-British trader who worked in Dubai -- online in early 2014, and they married two months later.

He flew to Morocco to marry her and they then went to Dubai, stepping into a complex web of lies and journeys across the Middle East that would eventually take her to Syria.

Ahmed proved to be a strict, controlling husband who did not allow her to wear makeup or bright clothes.

After a brief trip to Afghanistan to meet his family, Maytat was eager to get to London and start working as a stylist.

Ahmed proposed travelling to Istanbul, convincing a reluctant Maytat that it would be easier to move to London from there.

But as soon as they landed in Turkey, Ahmed immediately drove her to the southeastern city of Gaziantep near the border with Syria.

Ankara has long been accused of turning a blind eye to IS fighters using the porous Syrian-Turkish border to transport people, goods, and funds -- allegations it vehemently denies.

In Gaziantep, Maytat and Ahmed moved into a large house full of ecstatic couples from countries including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and France.

"I asked them 'Why are you here?' And they told me they were there to migrate to the caliphate in Syria," Maytat recalls.

In June 2014, IS declared a self-styled "caliphate" across Syria and Iraq, where it implemented its literal interpretation of Islamic law.

"I began to cry. It was two weeks after the caliphate was declared and the women kept saying 'We're going to the land of the caliphate, the land of the Muslims', and they were all happy," Maytat says.

In August, Ahmed and Maytat made their own journey across the border into war-ravaged northern Syria.

They settled in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, where Ahmed's brother was already living with his family.

"I said to my husband 'Why did you destroy my life like this? You should have told me from the beginning that this is what we were going to do'," Maytat recalls.

"And he said 'You're my wife -- you have to listen to what I say'."

Tears welling, Maytat says she had felt powerless to resist Ahmed, her only link to her previous life.

By September, she was pregnant with her first child -- Abdullah -- and Ahmed was sent to a month-long military training before deploying to IS's front in Kobane.

On October 8, 2014, Ahmed's brother told Maytat her husband had been killed in combat.

"I became more depressed. I said to myself, this is the only person I knew in this foreign land, and now I'm alone here," she tells AFP.

Pregnant and alone, Maytat moved into a shared "guest house" for widows of Islamist militant, mostly Uzbeks and Russians.

This is when the military training started.

"When they forced us to do weapons training I was pregnant, but I had no choice," she says.

Unable to communicate with many other widows, Maytat was allowed to move into a building housing other Arabic-speakers.

"There were French, Tunisians, Moroccans and Algerians. I stayed there until I gave birth to Abdullah."

Less than a year after her first husband died, Maytat remarried in order to escape the shelter.

Her second husband, an Afghan known as Abu Abdullah, took her to Raqa, the de facto capital of IS's caliphate.

"I couldn't deal with life there -- he wouldn't let me leave the house -- so I asked him for a divorce two months later," she says.

She then married for the third time in three years, this time to an Indian fighter in Raqa known as Abu Talha al-Hindi.

That 18-month marriage produced her daughter, Maria.

When Maytat learned Abu Talha had been killed battling the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, she joined up with another militant widow, a Yazidi woman.

They escaped IS territory via "a secret route" that she refused to divulge.

Traumatised by her past, Maytat is now also worried about her future and that of her two young children.

"I still don't know what to do with my life.

"I hope to return to Morocco with both of my children, but I don't know if I'll have a future or not there."

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I recently attended a Chamber of Commerce event where noted economist Don Klepper-Smith said Connecticut state government must make profound structural changes to spending and regulations to avoid a fiscal catastrophe. He presented compelling evidence to support the need for change, including:

Connecticut is last among New England states in job recovery and has recovered only 74 percent of the jobs lost from the 2008 recession;

Approximately 575 people are leaving Connecticut each week;

While the national economy is growing at a rate of 2-3 percent, our state is only seeing 1.1 percent economic growth;

Connecticut has the second highest state and local tax burden, with an average of $7,000 per person;

Major employers, like General Electric, are in the process of leaving the state.

Klepper-Smith said that, economically, Connecticut has made tenuous gains, at best, since the recession in 2008. He added that another recession would be devastating.

While I am referencing statements Klepper-Smith recently made, he isnt alone in warning us about these dangers our state faces. A host of economists, rating agencies, and financial institutions has been warning Connecticut for a long time that the state must change its spendthrift ways. We need to cut taxes and regulations and make it more affordable for businesses and residents to stay in our beautiful state.

The taxpayers of Connecticut recognize the need for a change in the way the state conducts business. I believe that is why we have an 18-18 Republican-Democrat tie in the state Senate and why Democrats hold the slimmest of majorities in the House. Their actions have sent a loud and clear message to Hartford that they are taxed too much.

Somehow, my Democrat colleagues still have not heard the message. On April 25, the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee will hear public testimony on SB 1054, An Act Concerning Various Tax Rates, The Use Of Certain Taxes And Fees For Tourism And Other Programs, Establishing The Mental Health Community Investment Account and Concerning The Purpose Of The Capital Region Development Authority.

What this bills long title doesnt tell you is that it contains language to institute a so-called millionaires tax that Democrats have been pushing for years. A new income tax rate of 7.49 percent would be levied on single filers earning $500,000, heads of household earning $800,000, and joint filers earning $1 million, and it would be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year.

This follows the same old logic espoused by Democrats and union leaders that wealthy state residents arent paying their fair share. It ignores the fact that these are the very people with the resources to leave Connecticut any time they choose. And since a number of these high earners also are job providers, their absence would continue to put downward pressure on the states employment numbers.

Proposals like this continue our state on the path of revenue seeking that has not resolved the states fiscal problems. It also flies in the face of the very warnings financial experts have been shouting at us. Measures like this will have a negative impact on our bond ratings and projected fiscal outlook. It will also deter businesses and people from settling here, further hindering economic recovery.

Connecticuts wealthy are not an endless well the state can continue to tap.

In the Aesops fable, a farmer and his wife are overjoyed to learn one of their geese can lay golden eggs. But they are impatient for more gold and cut open the goose hoping to find a treasure trove. Instead, they killed the source of their income.

Lawmakers have already been making deeper and deeper cuts in their quest for more revenue. The goose is already on life support and will surely meet its end if this continues.

And just like the farmer and his wife, Democrats will find themselves standing over a dead carcass with empty hands and empty pockets, their dreams of prosperity killed by their own hand.

State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, represents the 26th District comprised of Bethel, Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton, Weston, Westport and New Canaan.
LONGUEUIL, QC, April 24, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX: INE) ( Innergex  or the  Corporation ) will release its First Quarter 2017 financial results on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, and will hold a conference call to discuss the results on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at 9 AM (EDT). The speakers will be Mr. Michel Letellier, President and Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Jean Perron, Chief Financial Officer.

To participate in the conference:

Date and time: Wednesday, May 10, 2017

9 AM EDT Phone numbers: 1 888 231-8191 or 647 427-7450

A replay of the conference call will be available on Innergex's website at innergex.com.

Innergex will hold its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, at 4 PM (EDT).

To participate in the meeting:

Date and time: Tuesday, May 9, 2017

4 PM EDT Location: Club St-James 1145, Union Avenue Montreal QC H3B 3C2

About Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX: INE) is a leading Canadian independent renewable power producer. Active since 1990, the Corporation develops, owns and operates run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, wind farms and solar photovoltaic farms and carries out its operations in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, in France and in Idaho, USA. Its portfolio of assets currently consists of: (i) interests in 48 operating facilities with an aggregate net installed capacity of 994 MW (gross 1,658 MW), including 30 hydroelectric facilities, 17 wind farms and one solar farm; (ii) interests in one project under construction with a net installed capacity of 17 MW (gross 25 MW), for which power purchase agreement has been secured; and (iii) prospective projects with an aggregate net capacity totalling 3,560 MW (gross 3,940 MW). Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. is rated BBB- by S&P.

The Corporation's strategy for building shareholder value is to develop or acquire high-quality facilities that generate sustainable cash flows and provide an attractive risk-adjusted return on invested capital and to distribute a stable dividend.

SOURCE Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

For further information: Karine Vachon, Director - Communications, 450 928-2550, ext. 1222, [email protected]

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www.innergex.com


OTTAWA, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde will join the 16th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York, NY this week. He will be at UN headquarters Monday April 24 and Tuesday April 25 to mark the tenth anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and will speak about the steps needed to advance its implementation.

"The adoption of the UN Declaration is a milestone in the history of advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world," said National Chief Bellegarde. "It took almost 10 years for Canada to express its unqualified support for the Declaration. Now that we have this commitment, we must work together effectively as partners to realize those rights. The work we are doing as Indigenous peoples with the Government of Canada to co-develop an Indigenous Languages Act is an example of how we can work together on essential, important work. This must be our approach to advance all our rights using the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as our framework for reconciliation."

On Tuesday April 25, National Chief Bellegarde will deliver a statement at the UN General Assembly Hall on behalf of the Coalition on the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

On Tuesday afternoon from 1:15  2:45 PM, AFN is co-hosting a special side event on the Implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. For details on this special side event please visit the AFN website at www.afn.ca.

The UN Declaration sets out minimum standards for ensuring Indigenous peoples enjoy fundamental human rights, including the collective right to self-determination and rights to our lands, territories and resources. The Declaration is an essential framework for reconciliation and renewing the nation-to-nation relationship as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The Government of Canada gave its unqualified support to the UN Declaration on May 10th, 2016.

The 16th Session of the UNPFII's special theme is "Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: measures taken to implement the Declaration". For live video streaming of all open meetings visit http://webtv.un.org/

The AFN is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. Follow AFN on Twitter @AFN_Updates.

SOURCE Assembly of First Nations

For further information: Alain Garon, Bilingual Communications Officer, Cell: 613-292-0857, [email protected]
VANCOUVER, CANADA, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Avigilon Corporation ("Avigilon") (TSX: AVO), provider of trusted security solutions, today announced that it will hold a conference call to discuss its fiscal 2017 first quarter results on May 15, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. ET; 2:00 p.m. PT. The call will be hosted by Alexander Fernandes, Avigilon's Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and Ric Leong, Avigilon's Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President. All interested parties are invited to participate. Avigilon expects to report its financial results for the fiscal 2017 first quarter that same day after the close of markets.

CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS:

DATE: May 15, 2017



TIME: 5:00 p.m. ET; 2:00 p.m. PT



DIAL IN NUMBER: +1 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191



LIVE WEBCAST: http://ir.avigilon.com or http://bit.ly/2ocAvLX Webcast will be archived for 90 days



REPLAY: +1 416-849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056

Call will be recorded and available until 11:59 PM (ET) Monday May 22, 2017

Reference number: 9062794

About Avigilon

Avigilon Corporation provides trusted security solutions to the global market. Avigilon designs, develops, and manufactures video analytics, network video management software and hardware, surveillance cameras, and access control solutions. To learn more about Avigilon, visit avigilon.com.

 2017, Avigilon Corporation. All rights reserved. AVIGILON, the AVIGILON logo, and TRUSTED SECURITY SOLUTIONS are trademarks of Avigilon Corporation.

For further information:

Darren Seed

Vice President, Capital Markets & Communications

T: (604) 629-5182

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information and statements in this news release contain and constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements as defined under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements normally contain words like 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'plan', 'intend', 'continue', 'estimate', 'may', 'will', 'should', 'ongoing' and similar expressions, and within this news release include any statements (express or implied) respecting Avigilon's planned timing for a conference call to discuss its fiscal 2017 first quarter results and associated financial statements (the "Financial Results"), its planned hosts for the call, and its planned timing for its reporting and disclosure of the Financial Results.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, including, without limitation, assumptions that: Avigilon will be able to hold the conference call on the date and time set out in the news release, that Mr. Fernandes and Mr. Leong will be available to host the conference call, that the Financial Results will be completed in a timely fashion and released on the schedule set out in the news release, and that the associated requirements with respect to the completion of the Financial Results, including without limitation the auditor review, officer certification and Board of Directors' approval, will be completed in a timely fashion to facilitate the timeline set out herein.

Although management believes that the forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Avigilon's business, as more particularly described in the "Risk Factors" section of Avigilon's Annual Information Form dated February 28, 2017, which is available under Avigilon's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements set out herein include, but are not limited to, unforeseen events, developments or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. Although Avigilon has attempted to identify factors that may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, predicted, estimated or intended. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of Avigilon. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Avigilon undertakes no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Avigilon Corporation

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OTTAWA, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) praised Canada today for providing solutions to the plight of a record 46,700 refugees through their resettlement to Canada in 2016. This is the largest amount of refugees admitted in a year since the implementation of the 1976 Immigration Act and a significant contribution to UNHCR's global appeal to increase much needed refugee solutions.

"This is a tremendous achievement which reflects Canada's longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and assisting them with their integration into Canadian society," said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, UNHCR Representative in Canada. "Without this support, scores of refugees would have been left in life-threatening situations and without any hope. Canada has again shown the world that successful resettlement is possible, particularly when government and civil society work together. Building on this success, UNHCR will continue to work closely with Canada to expand resettlement solutions to benefit the most vulnerable refugees."

"Canada is proud to work with UNHCR to bring vulnerable refugees to our country. These newcomers help us build our society, culture and economy in long lasting and enduring ways," said the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. "Canada hopes to increase global refugee resettlement and support civil society and other jurisdictions to expand resettlement along with developing other solutions for the world's most vulnerable."

Historically, Canada's largest resettlement effort was with the Indochinese movement, which at its high point resulted in 40,271 refugees being admitted in 1980. In 1986, the Nansen Medal was awarded to Canada and its people in recognition of its response to the Indochinese Movement that directly helped thousands of persecuted individuals to start new lives Canada. Thirty years later, Canada proves once again that the same spirit of compassion and altruism continues to be present.

Compared to 2015, the 2016 resettlement level reflects a striking 133 per cent increase. This is due in part to the success of Canada's humanitarian transfer of Syrian refugees carried throughout 2016 with UNHCR's support, and which combined efforts by both the government and civil society to support the resettlement and integration of Syrian refugees into various communities across Canada.

"I am so grateful for the opportunity to come to Canada. Having two of my children going to school and the smiles I now see on the faces of my other three disabled children is a dream come true. Back home, they would have been made fun of, or ignored, but here, everyone wants to help out," says Shamsa, a Syrian mother of five who arrived to Canada in 2016. "I am so touched by this and can't wait to also give back to the community."

With the current levels of forcible displacement worldwide (21 million refugees) and an estimated 1,190,000 individuals in need of resettlement in 2017, UNHCR continues to appeal to countries, including Canada, for solidarity with refugees: only one per cent of refugees ever get a chance to be resettled. Resettlement continues to be a unique and tangible response to those in need of protection as it offers extremely vulnerable refugees an opportunity to restart their lives in safety and dignity.

Over the last four decades, Canada has generously welcomed some 700,000 refugees.

For information on Canada's resettlement programs: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/index.asp

For information on resettlement in Canada:

http://www.unhcr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Canadian-Resettlement-Fact-Sheet-ENG-April-2017.pdf

For information on Shamsa and family:

http://www.unhcr.ca/news/syrian-family-canadian-resettlement/

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been protecting, for over 65 years, the rights and well-being of refugees all over the world. It works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home.

http://www.unhcr.ca or http://www.unhcr.org

The Nansen Refugee Award is given annually to an individual or organization for outstanding work on behalf of refugees. It was created in 1954 in honour of Fridtjof Nansen, legendary Norwegian polar explorer, scientist and the League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

http://www.unhcr.org/nansen-refugee-award.html

SOURCE United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

For further information: Gisele Nyembwe, Public Information Associate, UNHCR Canada, Tel: (613) 232-0909, extension 225, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

www.unhcr.ca


Tokyo stocks rose Monday as investors cheered news that market-friendly Emmanuel Macron came out ahead of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round of France's presidential election.

The French vote was being closely watched as a gauge of populist sentiment following the election of Donald Trump as US president and Britain's vote to leave the EU.

Macron, a former banker and economy minister, won 23.7 percent of Sunday's first-round vote, slightly ahead of National Front leader Le Pen with 21.5 percent, according to near-final results from the interior ministry.

The two go through to a second round on May 7. Nine other candidates were eliminated.

"Polls have repeatedly suggested that Macron is likely to comfortably beat Le Pen in the second round," Diego Iscaro at research house IHS Markit Economics said in a commentary.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.37 percent, or 255.13 points, to finish the day at 18,875.88. The broader Topix index of all first-section issues ended up 0.98 percent, or 14.61 points, to 1,503.19.

The euro rose sharply against the yen, a plus for Japanese shares because a cheaper currency inflates the repatriated profits of firms doing business abroad.

In early Asian trading, the European single currency was at $1.0865 against $1.0726 on Friday. It had earlier gone as high as $1.0937, about two percent above its New York levels.

The euro also rose to 119.79 yen from 117.07 yen.

The second round will come down to a battle between the pro-European, pro-globalisation vision of Macron and Le Pen's hostility to the EU and NATO.

In Tokyo trading, Sony surged nearly four percent to 3,730 yen after nearly tripling its annual net profit forecast on Friday.

Other exporters won support from the weaker yen. Panasonic traded 3.35 percent higher at 1,308 yen and Hitachi rose 0.52 percent to 590.5 yen.

Troubled auto parts supplier Takata soared 9.93 percent to 498 yen.

It was not clear what was driving the rise, but markets are keeping a close eye on a possible deal to sell the Tokyo-based company to a foreign buyer.

Toshiba, facing massive losses racked up over many years from its US nuclear business, rose 0.38 percent to 208.1 yen after announcing it plans to split its major operations into wholly owned units to speed up decision-making and improve governance.

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MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - As the country celebrates Canada's 150th birthday, Scott MacEwan, Canada's Salt Historian, is recounting a rich tapestry of how salt has played a major role since the very beginnings of the nation. For 150 years, salt has been an essential Canadian commodity and for 150 years, Sifto Salt has been a significant part of its history and innovation.

"Striking salt in the small Ontario town of Goderich began as an unexpected discovery, but would go on to significantly impact Canada's economy and international trade," said MacEwan. "It put our salt on the international map and truly changed the course of Canada's history."

1867  Canadian Confederation

1867  (Not) Striking Oil Creates a Billion Dollar Salt Boom

The history of salt in Canada and the fortunes of entrepreneur Samuel Platt and his Goderich Petroleum Company took a surprising turn in 1866 while drilling for oil. Later described as a wonder of "go-ahead-iveness" by a local paper, Platt's Goderich-based drill operation was initially the butt of many jokes from the town's locals, including a prank of pouring oil down the drill hole to have Platt believe he'd struck black gold. At the 964 foot mark, only 36 feet from his goal, he shockingly struck salt, inadvertently tapping into the great Michigan Salt Bed, one of the largest and purest salt deposits in the world. Platt, recognizing the opportunity he stumbled upon, renamed his company the Goderich Salt Works and salt well and boiler pan operations began in 1867. Goderich Salt Works was folded into Sifto Salt 87 years later.

1867  Salt from Canada Wins Worldwide Kudos

A chemical analysis conclusively proved the salt discovered in Goderich was the purest known at the time, and the most concentrated possible. It was also deemed most useable in chemical composition for meat and dairy processing.

Platt's salt was entered in an international competition at the 1867 World's Fair Paris Exhibition and came out on top, winning a coveted award for taste. Salt from Canada was now on the international map.

1871  The Salt Boom Mints a Middle Class

At the time of Platt's salty discovery, Goderich was a desolate place rife with typhoid, thick dust, and no sewers or standard town utilities, with some residents having to travel a half mile to retrieve water for their families.

The salt boom had an almost immediate impact on the town and created many middle-class spin-off industries like cooperages to build salt barrels, harness shops for horse-drawn wagons, stores and a school house. The salt industry also modernized the town of Goderich by paving streets, adding boardwalks and permanent lighting. By 1871, the town of Goderich had over 17 active salt operations that produced thousands of barrels of salt each day to keep up with demand from America, predominantly for preserving and curing meat.

"In many ways, Platt's discovery of salt turned out to be a more valuable discovery than oil," added MacEwan.

1890  The Salt Bust

By 1890, high American tariffs on Canadian salt and cheap English salt brought into Canada duty-free (as ballast on ships) negatively impacted production and sales. Combined with a local wood shortage (needed to fuel salt evaporators) and a series of fires among salt operations in Goderich, many companies shut down for good. By 1900, only two salt works remained in Goderich.

1940  Salt History Repeats Itself in Saskatchewan

Similarly to the Goderich salt strike, a large deposit of rock salt was discovered in the Unity district of Western Saskatchewan in 1940 by a drilling crew searching for oil. Two wells were swiftly created to extract the salt, signaling the tentative comeback of Canada's salt industry, and operations continue by Sifto to this day.

1940-1960s  The Salt Industry in Canada Innovates

Initially tested in New Hampshire in the winter of 1938, the city of Detroit became an early adopter of using salt for melting ice on slippery winter roads in 1940. This innovation quickly spread across North America and was of great value to Canada due to our weather conditions.

The company that would become Sifto continued to innovate, identifying other opportunities for the vast supply of salt available. In the 1940s they began to produce cattle blocks of salt, essential to sustain livestock and in the early 1960s, Sifto began to produce water softening salt for homes in areas where hard water is present.

1954  Sifto Revives the Salt Industry in Canada

Further drilling in Goderich confirmed a vast bed of rock salt with exceptionally high quality and Sifto invested millions to sink a shaft for a new mining operation.

1965  Canada Reaches a Salty Milestone

By 1965, world production of salt grew to a record one hundred million tonnes a year, with approximately 4% mined in Canada.

1981  Canada's Most Prolific Salt Packer Retires

Ruby Anna Howey, a salt packer at Sifto Canada's Unity plant in Saskatchewan retired after having personally packed 43,000 tons of salt over her 28-year career. Laid end-to-end, the packed packages of salt would span a distance of 5,000 miles and would reach from Halifax to past Vancouver.

2007  The Salt Industry in Canada Starts Producing Salt for Pools

Though it took longer to catch on in Canada, salt water pools gained in popularity and Sifto began producing pool salt.

2017  150 Years of Salt History in Canada

Today, as Sifto celebrates 150 years of salt history and innovation in Canada, Canadians continue to rely on Sifto to provide quality salt and mineral products for winter snow and ice removal, animal nutrition, water softening, swimming pools, chemical, industrial and food applications.

About Compass Minerals

Compass Minerals is a leading provider of essential minerals that solve nature's challenges, including salt for winter roadway safety and other consumer, industrial and agricultural uses, and specialty plant nutrition minerals that improve the quality and yield of crops. Named one of Forbes' 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America in 2015 and 2016, Compass Minerals' mission is to be the best essential minerals company by delivering where and when it matters. The company produces its minerals at locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Brazil and the U.K. For more information about Compass Minerals and its products, please visit www.compassminerals.com.

Compass Minerals is the proud producer of the Sifto brand. With roots dating back to 1867, we've been here from the beginning. Canada is our home, too. Sifto provides you and your family with a variety of salt products for your every need.

SOURCE Sifto Salt

For further information: Media Contact: Patrick McCaully, Pointman! Public Relations, 416.855.9427 x-301, [email protected]; Company Contact: Tara Hart, Manager of Corporate Affairs, +1.913.344.9319, [email protected]
CALGARY, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Cervus Equipment Corp. ("Cervus" or "the Company") (TSX: CERV) today announced that it will host its first quarter 2017 results conference call on May 11, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The Company intends to disclose its financial results after markets close on May 10, 2017.

President and CEO, Graham Drake, and CFO, Randy Muth, will discuss Cervus's financial and operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, and then take questions from securities analysts and institutional shareholders.

Interested parties may access the conference call by dialling (647) 427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. Please connect approximately 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call. The conference call will be archived for replay until Thursday, May 18, 2017 at midnight. To access the archived conference call, dial (416) 849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and enter the reservation number 12909264 followed by the number sign.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available at: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1415152&s=1&k=285A3DBF74FDADD6AAB774BB28E20ABC

Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. The webcast will be archived at the above website for 90 days.

About Cervus Equipment Corporation

Cervus acquires and operates authorized agricultural, construction, materials handling and transportation equipment dealerships. The Company has interests in 64 dealerships in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, employing more than 1,500 people. The primary equipment brands represented by Cervus include John Deere agricultural equipment; Bobcat and JCB construction equipment; Clark, Sellick and Doosan material handling equipment; and Peterbilt transportation equipment. The common shares of Cervus are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol "CERV".

SOURCE Cervus Equipment Corp.

For further information: Graham Drake - President & CEO, (403) 567-2095, [email protected]; Randy Muth - Chief Financial Officer, (403) 567-2097, [email protected]
Regina event kicks off plantings across Canada

REGINA, April 23, 2017 /CNW/ - CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) board chair Robert Pace, and president and chief executive officer Luc Jobin, took part in a special tree planting ceremony Sunday celebrating Canada's 150th birthday and Regina's place in the nation's history.

Pace and Jobin also unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the planting and milestone. CN, with its partner TreeCanada, is planting special Canada 150th trees and placing commemorative plaques in 150 Canadian communities this year.

"We chose to have these special celebrations in communities across the country which have had a critical role in the history, present and future of Canada," said Jobin. "In hundreds of Canadian communities, including Regina, the railway has been a part of life for generations. We honour that history, and here in Regina, we proudly look toward our shared future with this community celebration."

A sugar maple tree representing Canada was planted and a commemorative plaque unveiled in Regina's Victoria Park today.

Through its various tree planting initiatives, CN has planted 1.2 million trees across North America since 2011.

CN is a true backbone of the economy, transporting more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network spanning Canada and mid-America. CN  Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries  serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information on CN, visit the company's website at www.cn.ca.

SOURCE CN

For further information: Media: Patrick Waldron, Senior Manager, Media Relations, (514) 399-8803; Investment Community: Paul Butcher, Vice-President, Investor Relations, (514) 399-0052

Related Links

http://www.cn.ca


CHICAGO, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Boyd Group") today announced the April 19, 2017 opening of a collision repair location in Salem, Oregon. The location previously operated as C.E. Miller Auto Body and has served the community for 63 years.

"We are pleased to be growing our presence in Oregon and particularly this location which is in the capital of the state and close to the busy north-south Interstate 5 highway," said Tim O'Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group. "This location has served the collision repair needs of three generations of drivers and we are pleased that Kevin Crow will continue to manage this center. He and his team are committed to providing the same professional and friendly service that is the signature of all Gerber locations."

The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Kim Allen at the contact coordinates below for more information.

About The Boyd Group Inc.

The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Company"), directly and through subsidiaries, is one of the largest operators of non-franchised collision repair centers in North America in terms of number of locations and sales. The Company operates locations in five Canadian provinces under the trade name Boyd Autobody & Glass (http://www.boydautobody.com), as well as in 20 U.S. states under the trade name Gerber Collision & Glass (http://www.gerbercollision.com). The Company uses newly acquired brand names during a transition period until acquired locations have been rebranded. The Company is also a major retail auto glass operator in the U.S. with locations across 31 U.S. states under the trade names Gerber Collision & Glass, Glass America, Auto Glass Service, Auto Glass Authority and Autoglassonly.com. The Company also operates a third party administrator, Gerber National Claims Services ("GNCS") that offers glass, emergency roadside and first notice of loss services. GNCS has approximately 5,500 affiliated glass provider locations and 4,600 affiliated emergency roadside services providers throughout the U.S. For more information on The Boyd Group Inc. or Boyd Group Income Fund, please visit our website at (http://www.boydgroup.com).

SOURCE Gerber Collision & Glass

For further information: Stephen Boyd, Vice President, Corporate Development, Tel: (204) 594-1776, [email protected]; Kim Allen, Director of Business Development, Tel: (847) 410-6003, [email protected]
VANCOUVER, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") or (the "Company") (TSX:MAW) (Frankfurt:MXR) (PINKSHEETS: MWSNF) announces mobilization of a geophysical survey contractor to extend the ground magnetic data coverage at the Company's 100% owned Rajapalot Project in Northern Finland. Two diamond drill rigs continue to operate on site 24/7.

Key Points:

Given the success of the winter diamond drilling program at Rajapalot, which discovered gold mineralization well beyond the current limits of geophysical coverage, Mawson has mobilized a geophysical crew to extend ground magnetic acquisition;

A total of 105 line km of ground magnetics at 50 metre spacing is planned to be collected over the next two weeks;

Mr. Hudson, Chairman and CEO, states, "Our winter drilling program has significantly expanded the footprint of gold mineralization at Rajapalot, well beyond the area where we have detailed ground geophysical data. Owing to the association of pyrrhotite and magnetite with gold mineralization, ground magnetics is a valuable tool to map gold-bearing host rocks at Rajapalot under the thin glacial soil that covers 99% of the prospect area. While winter conditions persist, we have moved quickly to mobilize a geophysical team to site."

The planned ground magnetic survey will cover the newly discovered area of potassic-iron-sulphide alteration described in Mawson Press Release March 06, 2017 at South Rajapalot. Line spacing for the new survey will be 50 metre at Rajapalot, and 10 metre infill at Palokas. To date, drilling has defined a zone that extends for 1,200m along strike and 400m in width that remains open. Further mineralization of the same style was reported in News Release April 06 2017 and included PAL0048 (6.0 metres @ 2.0 g/t gold from 53 metres and 13.7 metres @ 2.0 g/t gold from 82 metres), PAL0043 (12.0 metres @ 1.2 g/t gold from 10.6 metres), and PAL0040 (5.0 metres @ 1.2 g/t gold from 37.3 metres). The true thickness of the mineralized interval is interpreted to be approximately 90% of the sampled thickness.

Mineralization consists of sulphide, magnetite, biotite and chlorite hydrothermal mineral assemblages hosted in predominately grey albitites. Textures range from veined albitic granofels through fractured and brecciated to locally schistose. Veining and fracture fill minerals include magnetite, pyrrhotite and magnetite-pyrrhotite (+/- quartz). Local retrograde chlorite after biotite and vein-controlled chlorite+/- tourmaline and magnetite are also present. Preliminary hand-held XRF analysis confirms the presence of associated scheelite and molybdenite, the former visible under UV light as tiny veinlets and disseminations. The iron-rich nature of the mineralized rocks is a common theme in either the oxide or sulphide form, with a variably sulphidic and chloritic overprint. The alteration is clearly post-metamorphic, reduced, and most likely driven by granitoid intrusions. Chlorite is regarded as the lowest temperature silicate mineral with gold, structurally controlled in apparent association with quartz veins. Altered rocks enclosing the mineralized package contain locally abundant talc and tourmaline. Figure 1 shows the area in which the ground magnetic survey is being conducted along with the updated location of diamond drill holes.

In other news, two diamond drill rigs remain at site as winter conditions persist for a few weeks longer than expected. 53 holes (PAL0027-PAL0077, PAL0079, PAL0080) have been completed to date, totaling 10,250 metres of diamond drill core. A total of 19 holes have been reported, while results are pending for an additional 34 completed holes. A further 3 diamond drill holes are planned to be drilled before the completion of the winter program.

Technical and Environmental Background

The ground magnetic survey is being conducted by two personnel from GeoVista AB (based in Lulea, Sweden). Measurements are on a fifty metre line spacing conducted either in E-W or NW-SE line orientations and are locally infilled to closer spacing where required by geological complexity. Levelling and post-collection processing are completed by Dr Hans Thunehed of GeoVista AB.

The qualified person for Mawson's Finnish projects, Dr. Nick Cook, President for Mawson and Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

About Mawson Resources Limited (TSX:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, PINKSHEETS:MWSNF)

Mawson Resources Limited is an exploration and development company. Mawson has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic Arctic exploration company with a focus on the flagship Rompas and Rajapalot gold projects in Finland.

On behalf of the Board,

"Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEO

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

SOURCE Mawson Resources Ltd.

For further information: www.mawsonresources.com, 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7, Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.mawsonresources.com


OTTAWA, April 23, 2017 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on National Volunteer Week, which takes place from April 23 to 29, 2017:

"Every year, almost 13 million Canadians across the country volunteer their time, energy, and talent to help improve the well-being of others and make Canada an even greater place to live.

"National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate Canadian volunteers and thank them for the selfless work they do to help those around them. As we mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, we honour the essential contributions volunteers make to our country, this week and throughout the year.

"This year's theme Volunteering, eh? How do you recognize volunteering in 2017?  encourages us to celebrate the many acts of generosity that Canadians carry out each day. Whether cleaning up our shorelines, tutoring young people after school, or preparing a meal for Canadians in need, volunteers remind us that our commitment to support each other makes us who we are as a country.

"The Government of Canada is proud to honour the contributions of these exceptional individuals through Canada's Volunteer Awards. Canada's communities are stronger and more inclusive thanks to the efforts and dedication of our countless volunteers.

"On behalf of the Government of Canada, I invite all Canadians to take the time this week to thank a volunteer who is making a difference in your community by using the hashtags #MakeADifference and #NVW2017."

Associated Links

Canada's Volunteer Awards Program

Volunteer Canada

This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

For further information: PMO Media Relations: 613-957-5555

Related Links

http://pm.gc.ca/


VANCOUVER, April 24, 2017 /CNW/ - West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. reports first quarter 2017 results:

First Quarter Highlights

Sales improved by 7% compared to the previous quarter.

Earnings up 56% from previous quarter.

Improved product pricing across operating segments.

Strong operating metrics despite some weather-related challenges.

Quarter ending net debt to capital ratio of 16%.

Results Compared to Previous Periods









($millions except earnings per share ("EPS")) Q1-17 Q4-16 Q1-16 Sales 1,189 1,107 1,077 Adjusted EBITDA1 245 193 130 Operating earnings 183 127 79 Earnings 123 79 42 Basic EPS ($) 1.58 1.01 0.51 Adjusted earnings1 134 101 49 Adjusted basic EPS ($)1 1.71 1.28 0.60

1. In this News Release, reference is made to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted earnings and Adjusted basic EPS (collectively "these measures"). We believe that, in addition to earnings, these measures are useful performance indicators. None of these measures is a generally accepted earnings measure under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and none has a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Investors are cautioned that these measures should not be considered as an alternative to earnings, EPS or cash flow, as determined in accordance with IFRS. As there is no standardized method of calculating any of these measures, our method of calculating each of them may differ from the methods used by other entities and, accordingly, our use of any of these measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures used by other entities. Refer to the tables in the section titled "Non-IFRS Measures" in our first quarter 2017 Management's Discussion & Analysis for details of these adjustments.

Operational Results

Our lumber segment generated operating earnings of $152 million (Q4-16 - $107 million) and Adjusted EBITDA of $191 million (Q4-16 - $144 million). Improved product pricing was the primary driver of improved results. SPF shipments were lower than production due in part to weather-related transportation delays.

Our panels segment, which includes plywood, LVL and MDF, generated operating earnings in the quarter of $12 million (Q4-16 - $17 million) and Adjusted EBITDA of $15 million (Q4-16 - $20 million). Improved product pricing was offset by increased costs associated with our WestPine MDF plant restart.

Our pulp & paper segment generated operating earnings of $31 million (Q4-16 - $20 million) and Adjusted EBITDA of $40 million (Q4-16 - $30 million). Higher pulp prices, higher BCTMP shipments and lower NBSK production costs were the primary drivers of improved results. Both Hinton Pulp and Slave Lake Pulp set quarterly production records.

Outlook

We will continue to focus on operational improvements which, together with warmer weather in Canada, should contribute to improved lumber production and shipments. Our two NBSK pulp mills will undergo major scheduled maintenance during the balance of 2017 which will reduce normal NBSK pulp production by approximately 25,000 tonnes. Our WestPine MDF mill is expected to gradually work through start-up issues over the balance of the year but we do not expect to achieve targeted production levels until late in 2017.

The most challenging immediate issue facing the Company is the current softwood lumber dispute. We are expecting the U.S. Department of Commerce to announce preliminary countervail duty rates very shortly, to be implemented in May 2017, and potentially to be applied retroactively over a 90-day period. West Fraser will receive its own duty rate. Anti-dumping duty rates are expected to be announced in late June and implemented in July 2017 and could potentially be applied retroactively over a 90-day period. Ted Seraphim, our President and CEO, said: "It is regrettable that our American neighbours have chosen to renew this long-standing dispute which creates so much uncertainty for lumber market participants and threatens to undermine some of the tremendous work our two countries have undertaken to grow the markets for North American lumber. However, we are fully cooperating with the U.S. investigation as we continue to believe that the allegations of subsidy and dumping are groundless."

Mr. Seraphim also added: "I want to thank all of our employees for their tremendous effort and dedication to continuously improving our safety awareness and at the same time focusing on achieving operational excellence. Our focus is not on any one quarter but on long-term results and we are certainly making progress towards achieving our goals."

Management's Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A")

The Company's MD&A is available on the Company's website: www.westfraser.com and on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile.

The Company

West Fraser is a diversified wood products company producing lumber, LVL, MDF, plywood, pulp, newsprint, wood chips and energy with facilities in western Canada and the southern United States.

ForwardLooking Statements

This Report contains historical information, descriptions of current circumstances and statements about potential future developments. The latter, which are forwardlooking statements and are included under the heading "Outlook", are presented to provide reasonable guidance to the reader but their accuracy depends on a number of assumptions and is subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual outcomes and results will depend on a number of factors that could affect the ability of the Company to execute its business plans, including those matters described in the 2016 annual Management's Discussion & Analysis under "Risks and Uncertainties", and may differ materially from those anticipated or projected. Accordingly, readers should exercise caution in relying upon forwardlooking statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise them to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Conference Call

Investors are invited to listen to the quarterly conference call on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time (11:30 a.m. Eastern Time) by dialing 1-888-390-0546 (toll free North America). The call may also be accessed through West Fraser's website at www.westfraser.com.

West Fraser shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol: "WFT".

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.



Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets



(in millions of Canadian dollars, except where indicated - unaudited)







March 31 December 31

2017 2016 Assets



Current assets



Cash and short-term investments $ 86 $ 50 Receivables 393 297 Inventories (note 3) 744 581 Prepaid expenses 17 10

1,240 938 Property, plant and equipment 1,692 1,685 Timber licences 546 551 Goodwill and other intangibles 373 371 Other assets 20 20 Deferred income tax assets 17 35

$ 3,888 $ 3,600





Liabilities



Current liabilities



Cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit $ 36 $ 15 Operating loans (note 4) 108 - Payables and accrued liabilities 398 379 Income taxes payable 27 21 Reforestation and decommissioning obligations 43 44

612 459 Long-term debt (note 4) 409 413 Other liabilities (note 5) 290 272 Deferred income tax liabilities 212 215

1,523 1,359





Shareholders' Equity



Share capital 549 549 Accumulated other comprehensive earnings 145 150 Retained earnings 1,671 1,542

2,365 2,241

$ 3,888 $ 3,600 Number of Common shares and Class B Common shares outstanding at April 24, 2017 was 78,166,003.

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.



Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity (in millions of Canadian dollars, except where indicated - unaudited)







January 1 to March 31

2017 2016





Share capital



Balance - beginning of period $ 549 $ 579 Common share repurchases - (8) Balance - end of period $ 549 $ 571





Accumulated other comprehensive earnings



Balance - beginning of period $ 150 $ 164 Translation loss on foreign operations (5) (32) Balance - end of period $ 145 $ 132





Retained earnings





Balance - beginning of period $ 1,542 $ 1,404 Actuarial gain (loss) on post-retirement benefits 11 (60) Common share repurchases - (42) Earnings for the period 123 42 Dividends (5) (6) Balance - end of period $ 1,671 $ 1,338





Shareholders' Equity $ 2,365 $ 2,041

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.



Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Earnings (in millions of Canadian dollars, except where indicated - unaudited)







January 1 to March 31

2017 2016





Sales $ 1,189 $ 1,077





Costs and expenses



Cost of products sold 740 749 Freight and other distribution costs 160 159 Amortization 51 49 Selling, general and administration 44 39 Equity-based compensation 11 2

1,006 998 Operating earnings 183 79 Finance expense (7) (8) Other (note 7) - (16) Earnings before tax 176 55 Tax provision (note 8) (53) (13) Earnings $ 123 $ 42





Earnings per share (dollars) (note 9)



Basic $ 1.58 $ 0.51 Diluted $ 1.58 $ 0.50





Comprehensive earnings



Earnings $ 123 $ 42 Other comprehensive earnings



Translation loss on foreign operations (5) (32) Actuarial gain (loss) on post-retirement benefits 11 (60) Comprehensive earnings $ 129 $ (50)

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in millions of Canadian dollars, except where indicated - unaudited)







January 1 to March 31

2017 2016 Cash used for operations



Earnings $ 123 $ 42 Adjustments





Amortization 51 49

Finance expense 7 8

Foreign exchange gain on long-term financing (1) (9)

Loss on power agreements, net of settlement costs - 11

Post-retirement expense 19 17

Contributions to post-retirement benefit plans (14) (12)

Tax provision 53 13

Income taxes paid (36) (9)

Other 3 (1) Changes in non-cash working capital





Receivables (91) (36)

Inventories (161) (96)

Prepaid expenses (7) (5)

Payables and accrued liabilities 7 5

(47) (23)





Cash provided by financing



Proceeds from operating loans 110 116 Finance expense paid (1) (1) Dividends (5) (6) Common share repurchases - (50)

104 59





Cash used for investing



Additions to capital assets (56) (49) Government assistance - 4 Other 1 -

(55) (45)





Change in cash 2 (9) Foreign exchange effect on cash 13 4 Cash - beginning of period 35 (16) Cash - end of period $ 50 $ (21)





Cash consists of



Cash and short-term investments $ 86 $ 19 Cheques issued in excess of funds on deposit (36) (40)

$ 50 $ (21)

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements

(figures are in millions of dollars, except where indicated - unaudited)

1. Nature of operations

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. ("West Fraser", "we", "us" or "our") is a diversified wood products company producing lumber, LVL, MDF, plywood, pulp, newsprint, wood chips and energy with facilities in western Canada and the southern United States. Our executive office is located at 858 Beatty Street, Suite 501, Vancouver, British Columbia. West Fraser was formed by articles of amalgamation under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and is registered in British Columbia, Canada. Our Common shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WFT.

2. Basis of presentation and statement of compliance

These condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34, Interim Financial Reporting as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and using the same accounting policies and methods of their application as the December 31, 2016 annual financial statements. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with our 2016 annual consolidated financial statements.

3. Inventories

Inventories at March 31, 2017 were written down by $5 million (December 31, 2016 - $5 million; March 31, 2016 - $14 million) to reflect net realizable value being lower than cost.

4. Long-term debt and operating loans

Long-term debt















March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 US$300 million senior notes due October









2024; interest at 4.35% $ 399 $ 403 US$8 million note payable due October









2020; interest at 2%

10

10 Notes payable

4

4



413

417 Deferred financing costs

(4)

(4)

$ 409 $ 413

The fair value of the long-term debt is $397 million (December 31, 2016 - $391 million) based on rates available to us at the balance sheet date for long-term debt with similar terms and remaining maturities.

Operating loans

Our revolving lines of credit consist of a $500 million committed revolving credit facility which matures September 30, 2020, a $33 million (US$25 million) demand line of credit dedicated to our U.S. operations and an $8 million demand line of credit dedicated to our jointly owned newsprint operation. In addition, we have demand lines of credit totalling $59 million dedicated to letters of credit, of which US$7 million is dedicated to our U.S. operations.

At March 31, 2017, our revolving credit facility was drawn by $108 million (net of deferred financing costs of $2 million). Letters of credit in the amount of $46 million were also supported by our facilities, leaving $444 million of credit available for further use. At December 31, 2016 there were no amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility, as a result, the associated deferred financing costs of $2 million were reported in other assets and our outstanding letters of credit were $48 million.

Interest on these facilities is payable at floating rates based on Prime, U.S. base, Bankers' Acceptances or LIBOR at our option.

All debt is unsecured except the $8 million joint operation demand line of credit, which is secured by that joint operation's current assets.

5. Other liabilities















March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 Post-retirement (note 6) $ 156 $ 162 Reforestation

87

69 Decommissioning

27

25 Other

20

16

$ 290 $ 272

6. Post-retirement benefits

We maintain defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans covering a majority of our employees. The defined benefit plans generally do not require employee contributions and provide a guaranteed level of pension payable for life based either on length of service or on earnings and length of service, and in most cases do not increase after commencement of retirement. We also provide group life insurance, medical and extended health benefits to certain employee groups.

The status of the defined benefit pension plans and other retirement benefit plans, in aggregate, is as follows:















March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 Projected benefit obligations $ (1,653) $ (1,648) Fair value of plan assets

1,522

1,507 Impact of minimum funding requirement

(15)

(13)

$ (146) $ (154) Represented by







Post-retirement assets $ 10 $ 8 Post-retirement liabilities (note 5)

(156)

(162)

$ (146) $ (154)

The significant actuarial assumptions used to determine our balance sheet date post-retirement assets and liabilities are as follows:















March 31, 2017

December 31, 2016 Discount rate

3.75%

3.75% Future compensation rate increase

3.50%

3.50%

The actuarial gain (loss) on post-retirement benefits, included in other comprehensive earnings, is as follows:







January 1 to March 31



2017

2016 Actuarial gain (loss) $ 15 $ (81) Tax recovery (provision) on actuarial gain (loss)

(4)

21

$ 11 $ (60)

7. Other



January 1 to March 31



2017

2016 Foreign exchange loss on working capital $ (1) $ (10) Foreign exchange loss on intercompany financing1

(3)

(17) Foreign exchange gain on long-term debt

4

26 Loss on power agreements

-

(19) Other

-

4

$ - $ (16)

1. Relates to US$200 million of financing provided to our U.S. operations. IAS 21 requires that the exchange gain or loss be recognized through earnings as the financing is not considered part of our permanent investment in our U.S. subsidiaries. The balance sheet amounts and related financing expense are eliminated in these consolidated financial statements.

8. Tax provision

The tax provision differs from the amount that would have resulted from applying the British Columbia statutory income tax rate to earnings before tax as follows:







January 1 to March 31



2017

2016 Income tax at statutory rate of 26% $ (46) $ (14) Non-taxable amounts

(3)

2 Rate differentials between jurisdictions and on specified activities

(5)

(2) Unrecognized capital losses

-

1 Other

1

- Tax provision $ (53) $ (13)

9. Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share is calculated based on earnings available to Common shareholders, as set out below, using the weighted average number of Common shares and Class B Common shares outstanding.

Diluted earnings per share is calculated based on earnings available to Common shareholders adjusted to remove the actual share option expense (recovery) charged to earnings and after deducting a notional charge for share option expense assuming the use of the equity-settled method, as set out below. The diluted weighted average number of shares is calculated using the treasury stock method. When earnings available to Common shareholders for diluted earnings per share are greater than earnings available to Common shareholders for basic earnings per share, the calculation is anti-dilutive and diluted earnings per share are deemed to be the same as basic earnings per share.







January 1 to March 31



2017

2016 Earnings









Basic $ 123 $ 42

Share option expense

10

2

Equity-settled share option adjustment

(2)

(2)

Diluted $ 131 $ 42









Weighted average number of shares (thousands)









Basic

78,164

82,281

Share options

841

955

Diluted

79,005

83,236 Earnings per share (dollars)









Basic $ 1.58 $ 0.51

Diluted $ 1.58 $ 0.50

10. Segmented information







Pulp & Corporate



Lumber Panels paper & other Total January 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017





















Sales











To external customers $ 810 $ 126 $ 253 $ - $ 1,189

To other segments 26 2 - -



$ 836 $ 128 $ 253 $ -













Operating earnings before amortization $ 191 $ 15 $ 40 $ (12) $ 234 Amortization (39) (3) (9) - (51) Operating earnings 152 12 31 (12) 183 Finance expense (4) (1) (2) - (7) Other - - 1 (1) - Earnings before tax $ 148 $ 11 $ 30 $ (13) $ 176











January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016





















Sales











To external customers $ 729 $ 136 $ 212 $ - $ 1,077

To other segments 29 2 - -



$ 758 $ 138 $ 212 $ -













Operating earnings before amortization $ 100 $ 15 $ 14 $ (1) $ 128 Amortization (37) (3) (9) - (49) Operating earnings 63 12 5 (1) 79 Finance expense (5) (1) (2) - (8) Other (5) (2) (23) 14 (16) Earnings before tax $ 53 $ 9 $ (20) $ 13 $ 55

The geographic distribution of external sales is as follows:







January 1 to March 311



2017

2016 Canada $ 254 $ 247 United States

675

620 China

148

116 Other Asia

101

77 Other

11

17

$ 1,189 $ 1,077

1. Sales distribution is based on the location of product delivery.

11. Softwood lumber dispute

The Canada  U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement ("SLA") expired in October 2015 and on the expiry of that agreement a one year moratorium on trade sanctions by the U.S. came into place. The Government of Canada and the U.S. Trade Representative have been unable to reach agreement on a new managed trade agreement.

On November 25, 2016 a coalition of U.S. lumber producers petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate alleged subsidies to Canadian producers and levy countervailing and anti-dumping duties against Canadian imports. The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated its investigation and is expected to make a preliminary determination regarding countervailing duties in April 2017, and in June 2017 for anti-dumping duties. If the U.S. Department of Commerce determines that "critical circumstances" apply, duties could be applied retroactively up to 90 days prior to the preliminary determinations. We have been chosen by the U.S. Department of Commerce as a "mandatory respondent" to both the countervailing and antidumping investigations and as a result will receive unique company specific rates.

SOURCE West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.

For further information: Chris Virostek, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer; Rodger Hutchinson, Vice President, Corporate Controller and Investor Relations, (604) 895-2700, www.westfraser.com

Related Links

www.westfraser.com


[April 24, 2017] Amec Foster Wheeler Wins Major Radiological Remediation Contract with the U.S. Navy

Amec Foster Wheeler announces today it has been awarded a five-year contract with U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to clean up and restore Navy properties contaminated with low-level radioactive materials and industrial wastes. Many of the properties are on the Superfund National Priority List and are predominantly located in California. The contract has an aggregate maximum value of US$240 million for the multiple awardees and is estimated to reach completion by 2022. Winning this contract places Amec Foster Wheeler in a prime position for remediation work with the U.S. Navy. It recognises Amec Foster Wheeler as a leading company for innovative solutions involving investigation, remediation, and handling of radioactive materials. The company's proprietary Orion ScanSortSM1 soil sorting technology and Orion ScanPlotSM2 mapping technology will be used to safely deliver cost-efficient results. Amec Foster Wheeler has an established and leading position in radiological remediation and waste management. This contract comes on the back of Amec Foster Wheeler's project wins and ongoing work for the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, and other public and private-sector clients around the world. Ann Massey, President of Amec Foster Wheeler's Environment & Infrastructure business, said: "Using our proven expertise and experience in radiological remediation, we will continue our 15-year history of support for the U.S. Navy's environmental programs to deliver a first-class service. We use safe, efficient and highly innovative methods for the environmental remediation of radiological waste. We are proud to receive this commission from NAVFAC, which complements our ongoing work on similar radiological projects around the world and represents another example of our success in this area." ENDS Notes to editors: Amec Foster Wheeler/b> (www.amecfw.com) designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers across the global energy and related sectors. Employing around 35,000 people in more than 55 countries and with 2016 revenues of 5.4 billion, the company operates across the oil and gas industry - from production through to refining, processing and distribution of derivative products - and in the mining, power and process, pharma, environment and infrastructure markets. Amec Foster Wheeler offers full life-cycle services to offshore and onshore oil and gas projects (conventional and unconventional, upstream, midstream and downstream) for greenfield, brownfield and asset support projects, plus leading refining technology.



Amec Foster Wheeler shares are publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and its American Depositary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Both trade under the ticker AMFW. Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains statements which constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements include any statements related to the timing, results and success of contracts, and are generally identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "will," "may," "continue," "should" and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Amec Foster Wheeler, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking statements. Amec Foster Wheeler does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements after this date to conform such statements to actual results, to reflect the occurrence of anticipated results or otherwise. Publication on Website A copy of this announcement will be made available on Amec Foster Wheeler's website at www.amecfw.com by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following publication of this announcement. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of this website are not incorporated into and do not form part of this announcement. 1 ORION ScanSortSM is a portable, conveyor-based system for laboratory quality radiometric scanning and real-time segregation of radioactive material. ScanSortSM offers significant benefits over traditional sorting methods, such as reducing waste volumes by up to 95%; scanning excavated materials precisely and accurately; and reduced manpower, transport and disposal costs. 2 ORION ScanPlotSM is a mobile system that performs surface and shallow-depth radiological examination and characterisation of open land. It provides instant output in a customisable GIS report format and delivers spatially precise maps with plotted locations of detected radioactivity, including concentrations of each radioactive isotope detected and measured. It delivers fast, accurate all-weather scanning of up to 20 acres per day, over difficult terrains. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170423005005/en/

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[April 24, 2017] PhD Students Hired From Campuses Receive 26% Higher Salaries Than Bachelors in Engineering Graduates: Says Zinnov

BANGALORE, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bangalore has the largest undergraduate talent base whereas Chennai tops the list for postgraduate talent Cost to Company (CTC) in Tier 1 institutes is 2 times more than that in Tier 2, emerging and Tier 3 institutes owing to sizeable Joining and Retention bonuses Leading management consulting firm, Zinnov, today released its annual benchmarking study titled the 'India Global In-house Center (GIC) Campus Compensation Study 2017'. Zinnov's campus compensation report is leveraged by R&D GICs to design compensation and benefits packages for B.E./B.Tech, MBA and Non-Engineering campus hires and Interns across various tiers of Indian institutes. In 2016, 35 GICs participated from Software, Semiconductor and Engineering Services Industries. Compensation offered is measured per recruit across four key salary anchors - Total Guaranteed Cash (TGC), Total Cash Compensation (TC), Total Rewards (TR) and Cost to Company (CTC). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130213/594614 )

India continues to produce a significant number of fresh engineers (80000) who are available to work in R&D GICs, a 33% increase in the last two years. The Government's initiatives to increase the number of IITs across the country to uplift the quality of higher education in India and collaboration between academia and GICs is increasing the pipeline of suitable talent for R&D. Across selected engineering streams, Bangalore has the largest undergraduate talent base whereas for postgraduate talent, Chennai tops the list amongst all locations. The ongoing war for talent has pushed companies to increase their emphasis on campu recruitment owing to efficiencies in terms of scale, cost and time to hire. Organizations are looking at campus hiring as a way to establish a vibrant and cohesive work environment and as a lever to establish diversity across age, geography, experience and gender.



The study indicates that GICs still perceive that the quality of talent in Tier 1 colleges are of high calibre and pay a premium to on-board them with 2 times higher compensation than those from other institutes. The Average Total Guaranteed Cash paid to B.Tech graduates from Tier 1 institutes is about 10 Lakhs, 50% more than that in Tier 2 institutes. Speaking about the findings of the study, Anand Subramaniam, Engagement Manager and Delivery Head (G.A.P), Zinnov, said, "The permeance of software and fungibility of skills across industry verticals is forcing GICs to increase their emphasis on campus compensation and engagement to gain a competitive advantage in attracting fresh talent."

70% of the organizations have detailed salary components such as Guaranteed Cash, Variable Pay, Retirals, Monetized Benefits and Stocks for campus hiring. However, only 20% of the study participants offered Stocks to the campus recruits. On an average, GICs offer 1.5 lakhs as joining bonus which is disbursed to students after completion of 12 or 18 months. For outstation students, it is a common practice to provide accommodation in a serviced apartment for an average of 16 days. Most GICs allow new hires to claim relocation allowance based on the actual amount spent or fix a cap on the maximum amount and provide it in the 1st month's salary. Anand Subramaniam, Engagement Manager and Delivery Head (G.A.P), Zinnov, said, "Product Management and Product Development roles command higher salaries in campuses compared to Quality roles. In addition, GICs tend to hire for Quality and Support roles more from Tier 2 and 3 institutes across the country." The study also highlighted that converting interns to FTEs is one of the preferred mechanisms of recruiting fresh hires at R&D GICs. Internships enable companies to showcase the quality of work to candidates and increase brand penetration in campuses. 70% of the GICs offer internships for a period of 3 to 6 months and provide an average stipend of INR 25,000 per month to Engineering students. About Zinnov Founded in 2002, Zinnov is headquartered out of Bangalore with presence in Houston, Silicon Valley, and Gurgaon. In over a decade, Zinnov has built in-depth expertise in engineering and digital practice areas. We assist our clients in globalizing their operations and maximizing their footprint by: - Effectively leveraging global resources for engineering, IT, digital and business ops for higher throughput - innovation, productivity and cost savings - Enabling companies to focus on new product development and core business processes by finding the best partners - Growing revenue for their products and services in India and other emerging markets With our team of experienced professionals, we serve clients in Software, Automotive, Telecom & Networking, Semiconductor, Consumer Electronics, Storage, Healthcare, Banking, Financial Services and Retail verticals in US, Europe, Japan and India.

Media Contact:

Kinjal Chhetri Panwar

Media & PR Relations

Zinnov Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

[email protected]

+91-8197140140



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[April 24, 2017] OSIsoft Expands Relationship with Rockwell Automation

OSIsoft, a leader in operational intelligence, is proud to announce that Rockwell Automation will integrate the PI System technology into FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices, the latest step in an expanding relationship between the two companies to enable digital transformation. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170424005010/en/ FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices (Photo: Business Wire) FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices is an upcoming appliance from Rockwell Automation that auto discovers devices on industrial networks to conduct diagnostics and monitor their health. FactoryTalk Analytics for devices provides early warnings, diagnoses problems and gives insight to take action. All of this to improve uptime of your process or machine. Users of the system can receive "action cards" through their smartphones, tablets or a web browser or engage with the device through "Shelby," an innovative natural language voice-activated (bot) system. PI System technology embedded in FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices captures and organizes the vast amount of data generated by these networks so it can serve customers immediately from the appliance, or later have the data delivered to Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure via FactoryTalk Cloud for further Big Data analytics. "Industrial customers need deep, detailed insight into their operations in real-time to stay competitive: that is what drives our FactoryTalk strategy," said John Genovesi, Vice President of Information Software and Process Business, Rockwell Automation (News - Alert). "OSIsoft shares the same vision and the same dedication to industrial customers. By collaborating, we can make digital transformation for more companies a reality." OSIsoft and Rockwell Automation will showcase Industry 4.0 soutions based around FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices and other technologies at Hannover Messe (News - Alert) taking place April 24-28 in Hannover, Germany in the Microsoft Pavilion, Hall 7, Stand C40.



"Our research on IIoT shows that one of the biggest areas of opportunities to drive ROI is prescriptive analytics for productivity, availability, and efficiency in operations. It is not enough to know what went wrong, or even what will go wrong. Executives need to know what actions to take now based on this analysis," noted Matthew Littlefield, President and Principal Analyst, LNS Research. "It's encouraging to see long time partners like Rockwell Automation and OSIsoft deepen their collaboration with a focus on delivering flexible and scalable prescriptive analytics solutions because no company can do this alone." OSIsoft and Rockwell Automation

OSIsoft and Rockwell Automation have collaborated for over a decade on solutions for companies in energy, manufacturing, food & beverage and other industries where operational excellence is absolutely critical. OSIsoft's PI System powers the FactoryTalk Historian embedded in many Rockwell Automation systems. Data from FactoryTalk Historian can seamlessly be delivered to enterprise-wide PI Systems tracking equipment at multiple sites from multiple vendors to give customers a single, high-fidelity view of their operations. BHP Billiton, for instance, manages millions of data tags across mines, transportation assets and production facilities to reduce variability and increase quality. Other mutual customers include Tyson Foods, Loram, and AB-InBev, among others. OSIsoft PI System technology ships in approximately 1,800 Rockwell Automation Systems per year, according to Martin Otterson, Senior Vice President of Customer Success at OSIsoft. By 2020, OSIsoft anticipates that hundreds of thousands of devices from various vendors with PI System technologies will be shipping annually, Otterson added. "Right now fewer than 14 percent of companies have completely connected their production data to the rest of their enterprise," Otterson said. "Our relationship with Rockwell Automation will fuel the development of products and solutions that will let more people take advantage of machine and operational data for more projects in more ways than ever before." The PI System: The Inside Secret of the Industrial Internet of Things OSIsoft's PI System is one of the world's most widely-used technologies for the Industrial Internet of Things. The PI System captures data from sensors, manufacturing equipment and other devices and transforms it into rich, real-time insights that engineers, executives and partners can use to reduce costs, dramatically improve overall productivity, and create new connected services and smart devices. Some of the world's largest organizations, including over 1,000 leading utilities, 95 percent of the largest oil and gas companies and more than 65 percent of the Fortune 500 industrial companies, rely on the PI System to manage their businesses. Worldwide, the PI System manages over 1.5 billion sensor-based data streams. About OSIsoft, LLC OSIsoft is dedicated to helping people transform their world through data. For more, please visit www.osisoft.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170424005010/en/

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday dismissed allegations that Russia had hacked the Danish military, a day after a Danish newspaper cited Danish government members as making the allegation.

"Russia as a state does not do hacking attacks," Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

Answering a different question about the presidential election in France, Peskov also denied allegations that the Russian state had interfered in France's electoral process, saying allegations it had were "primitive and wrong."

He said the Kremlin had not taken sides in the French election.

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[April 24, 2017] UroGen Pharma Welcomes New Board Member Kate Falberg

RAANANA, Israel, April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UroGen Pharma Ltd., a privately held, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that is developing advanced non-surgical treatments to address unmet needs in the field of uro-oncology, announced today the appointment of Kathryn Kate Falberg to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ms. Falberg will also serve as the Chair of the Board's Audit Committee.

Ms. Falberg brings extensive executive leadership and management experience in the life sciences industry. She most recently served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC. Previously, Ms. Falberg served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Strategy and Chief Financial Officer of Amgen. Ms. Falberg currently serves on the boards of Aimmune Therapeutics, aTyr Pharma, Axovant Sciences, BioMarin Pharmaceutical and The Trade Desk, and recently served on the board of directors of Medivation until its acquisition by Pfizer. Ms. Falberg holds a B.A. and M.B.A from UCLA, is a CPA, inactive, and a UCLA Certified Director. Arie Belldegrun, MD, Urogen Pharmas Chairman, commented, We are extremely pleased to welcome Kate to the UroGen Board of Directors. Kates financial and industry expertise and track record make her an excellent choice for UroGen. We look forward to Kates contributions and benefitting from her counsel. Kate Falberg commented, I am delighted to have the opportunity to join UroGen's Board of Directors. UroGens dedicated team is developing important cutting edge treatments in the uro-oncology space and I look forward to providing financial leadership and operational guidance as the Company continues to grow. About UroGen Pharma Ltd.

UroGen Pharma is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced non-surgical, local treatments to address unmet needs in te field of urology, with a focus on uro-oncology. The Company has developed RTGel, a proprietary sustained release, hydrogel-based formulation for potentially improving the efficacy and safety profiles of existing drugs. UroGen Pharma's sustained release technology is designed to enable longer exposure of the urinary tract tissue to medications, making local therapy a potentially more effective treatment option. UroGen Pharma's lead product candidates, MitoGel and VesiGel, are designed to potentially remove tumors by non-surgical means and to treat several forms of non-muscle invasive urothelial cancer, including low-grade UTUC and bladder cancer. Moreover, UroGen Pharma has recently completed a worldwide licensing agreement with Allergan Pharmaceuticals International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allergan plc, for the use of RTGel with neurotoxins for the treatment of overactive bladder and related conditions. UroGen Pharma is headquartered in Israel and also maintains a corporate office in New York City.



Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained herein other than statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements, including statements regarding UroGen Pharmas business strategy, clinical development plan and operating plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the timing and success of preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of UroGen Pharma, including with respect to the efficacy and safety of its product candidates; UroGen Pharmas ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of its product candidates, and the labeling for any approved products; the scope, progress, expansion and costs of developing and commercializing UroGen Pharmas product candidates; UroGen Pharmas ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; UroGen Pharmas anticipated growth strategies; UroGen Pharmas expectations regarding competition; the anticipated trends and challenges in UroGen Pharmas business and the markets in which it operates; UroGen Pharmas ability to attract or retain key management and personnel; the size and growth of the potential markets for UroGen Pharmas product candidates and its ability to serve those markets; the rate and degree of market acceptance of UroGen Pharmas product candidates vis-a-vis alternative therapies; UroGen Pharmas expectations regarding regulatory requirements; developments in applicable regulatory regimes; UroGen Pharmas ability to enter into and maintain collaborations; and the manner in which UroGen Pharma intends to use its cash resources and the sufficiency thereof. Moreover, UroGen Pharma operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment in which new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for UroGen Pharmas management to predict all risks, nor can they assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any such factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained herein. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur, and UroGen Pharmas actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. UroGen Pharma undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date hereof to conform to actual results or changes in expectations. CONTACT: Stephanie Carrington, ICR, Inc. [email protected] 646-277-1282



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[April 24, 2017] UBM India Launches the First Edition of 'World of Facilities'

MUMBAI, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- India's Premier Trade Event and Conference for the Facility Management Product and Service Industry UBM India, India's leading exhibition organizer launched the first edition of World of Facilities (WOF) today at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), Goregaon, Mumbai. A three-day exhibition (24th-26th April, 2017), World of Facilities is India's premier trade event and conference for the facility management product and service industry. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493270/UBM_Lamp_Lighting_Ceremony_of_World_of_Facilities_2017.jpg )

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/490513/WOF_UBM_Logo.jpg )

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/471349/UBM_Logo.jpg )

The inaugural ceremony of World of Facilities 2017 took place in the presence of key dignitaries Mr. Sandeep Sethi, Managing Director - West Asia, Integrated Facilities Management - JLL India; Mr. Dharminder Salwan, Director Blackrock APAC & Board Member iNFHRA; Mr. Yogesh Mudras - MD, UBM India and Mr. Abhijit Mukherjee - Group Director, UBM India, amidst a sizeable industry gathering. Through the expo, UBM India provided a trade platform for the facilities management supplier industry to showcase their innovative products and services, network, and connect with key decision makers from every level of a wide range of sectors. With leading global real estate services firm JLL as its knowledge partner, the expo also witnessed a high profile conference on the side-lines where stalwarts from the fraternity discussed industry trends, a peek into future possibilities, challenges, and market insights and also provided in-depth solutions. The show brought together more than 100 exhibitors and over 200 major Indian and global brands of the facilities management industry such as HIKVISION, Zeta, NESTLE, Cannon Hygiene, 3M, Karcher Cleaning, Charnok Cleaning, Uniclean, MCS, Buzil Rossario, Pure Duct Services, SMS, Sierra ODC, Aura Facility Management, Arrow Greentech Ltd, Synconext India Pvt Ltd., MCS Solutions (P) Ltd, Fine Grace and HygieneTech amongst others. WOF showcased an exciting array of novel and futuristic products and services, ranging from smart solutions, security solutions, air conditioning and mechanical ventilation, to energy management, environmental management, hygiene cleaning and waste management solutions, FM Software and IT solutions, facilities services, workplace, HR services and much more. Significantly, the event is well-supported by key associations - Hospitality Purchase Managers Forum (HPMF), Global Infra-facilities and Project Management Association (GIFPMA), The Infrastructure Facility Human Resource & Realty Association (iNFHRA) and Indian Pest Control Association (IPCA); Knowledge Partners - Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL India), along with Maharashtra Fire Service as a partner. The two-day conference delivered unique and innovative value propositions to exhibitors and visitors alike. It focussed on the endless possibilities in the domain as well as challenges faced by facility managers, admin and operations managers, purchase managers, facility technical heads on cost management, manpower management, integrated facility management, automation, security and new technologies. The conference has an excellent selection of renowned speakers from the industry that include Mr. Sandeep Sethi, Managing Director - West Asia, Integrated Facilities Management, JLL; Mr. Subroto Mukherjee, Head Administration & Facilities Management, Cipla Ltd.; Mr. Sandeep Sudan, Head - Centre of Excellence - Global Corporate Security, Reliance Industries Limited; Ms. Ratna Pawan, Global Head of Security Risk, GSCs and Technology; HSBC Operations, Service and Technology - Operations, HSBC Electronic Data Processing India Pvt. Ltd.; Mr. Manish Kachhy, Head Intelligence and Vigilance, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., and Ms. Gandhali Samant, Senior Technology Evangelist - Microsoft, to name a few. Day 1 saw renowned industry thought leaders engaging in panel discussions on 'Getting FM to boardroom'; 'Data, Analytics and Internet of Things'; 'Sustainability: Strategic or Tactical Approach?' and knowledge sessions on 'Technology and the changing role of Facility Managers'; 'Trends impacting FM industry'; 'Driving value through technology-enabled procurement'; 'Energy Procurement' and 'Evolving patnership models'.



The schedule for Day 2 includes panel discussions on 'Diversity and Inclusion - An industry fad or robust business sense?'; 'Cleaning, Hygiene, Waste Management and Green Solutions'; 'Attracting Talent to the FM Industry (industry examples)'; 'Pest Control: Pest Impact on Properties - Role of IPM, FM Industry and Public Health' and 'FM's Role in Managing New-age Talent'. Further, it will have knowledge sessions on 'Future of Work'; 'Ensuring Security through Technology'; and 'Changing Scenario on Compliance and Labor Laws', to name a few. Speaking at the maiden launch of World of Facilities 2017, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, "A combination of several factors has created a huge potential for FM services in India. These include the boom in real estate, growth in retail and hospitality sectors, modernisation of technology, increased standards of living, and the need for efficient management of vast and ever increasing human traffic at malls, hospitals, airports and workplace clusters. The industry is expected to reach a value of approximately $19.4 billion by 2020. Simultaneously, the tendency towards eco-friendly, green initiatives - that will help conserve energy and resources for the future - have also led to an increased sensitisation towards facility management services."

He added, "As innovators and community influencers, UBM India felt it was the right time to present the maiden edition of World of Facilities to India and showcase top-of-the-line, novel and the most eco-friendly products on offer. I am sure the World of Facilities will further catalyse the growth of this sector and its conferences will provide relevant food for thought to industry professionals." Sandeep Sethi, MD - Integrated Facility Management, JLL West Asia, and also Chairman, Steering Committee, World of Facilities, said, "The facilities management industry is about $7.5 billion large. It has grown by around 15% in the last three years. The projections are that it will continue to grow at the same pace through 2020. It is at this opportune time that JLL as knowledge partner has joined hands with UBM India to launch World of Facilities. This is going to be India's premier and most comprehensive B2B platform for the facility management industry. The show comprises two formats - expo and conference. The event catered to many local and global suppliers, manufacturers, consultants, service providers, along with thousands of people participating from different verticals. All participating organisations will benefit from the extensive learning and showcasing of latest initiatives by the facilities management industry. With JLL as the knowledge partner, along with support from various organizations, such as Maharashtra Fire Services, iNFHRA and a few others, World of Facilities is set to provide a unique platform for various stakeholders from across the world, across different industries to engage, network and learn from each other. JLL is delighted to partner with UBM to influence the facilities management landscape for this powerful event." Industry speak and launches at World of Facilities 2017 Prashant Sule - Brand Director, Cannon Hygiene (India) Pvt. Ltd. "The Facilities Management (FM) industry in India has been growing steadily at a CAGR of around 17%, and is primarily fuelled by the growth of property management and real estate market growth. Global firms are taking on single contracts spanning multiple locations, are able to rationalize costs, standardize processes and deliver uniform quality. There is a need for organized players in the sector, and Cannon Hygiene which is a valued part of the OCS Group of the UK, is geared to grow along with the Group. The marketing build up to the expo has been good and should attract quality players from the industry, which would provide a good exposure to the stakeholders. We will continue to launch new products and services through our hygiene vertical." Karan Thakkar - Founder and MD, EcoCentric Management Pvt. Ltd. "Facilities management has seen a sharp rise in the last couple of years and will grow exponentially in future. Facilities management is a very wide-ranging topic and every field within the sector, is an industry in itself. So far all the companies in the industry have done a great job, and overall efficiency in numbers will greatly go up once the focus is on strategy. Many young entrepreneurs have also got in this space, and have looked at new ways of reducing manpower and other costs, leading to growth of the sector. I am also looking forward to the views of industry stalwarts who would participate at the expo. We are launching a well-received 48-hour disposal pick up program for e-waste, designed especially for Facilities Head, as in times of urgency they would not need to panic, but would need to just get in touch with us." Vivek Mata - Managing Director, Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd. "The facility management industry is expanding at an impressive rate at present. Innovation in the facility management industry in India does exist but not to an extent in comparison to other developed markets like the middle-east or Europe. India is the hotbed for investment for leading companies from across the globe. Facility management companies in India are known to provide best in class services to clients. This stands as a strong basis for the exponential expected growth rate. We are looking forward to meeting all the representatives from leading facility management companies and to develop a good and healthy professional relationship with them which can foster a win-win situation for clients. Charnock is launching its latest range of micro-fibre cleaning systems. These micro-fibre cleaning systems are best-in-class in terms of product quality and are aggressively priced for the Indian market." Vishal Jain - Founder and CEO, Syncolite India Pvt Ltd (Brand name: Synconext) "With the need for commercial real estate projected at more than 40 million sq. ft. per year - the future is indeed very rosy. Our sensor-gateway-software system that ensures employee comfort, energy savings and hands-off controls to help all things electronic to 'talk' to each other; and thus functions seamlessly, remotely and economically." Amarjot Joura - CEO and Founder Director, Pureera India Pvt. Ltd. "The Facility Management (FM) industry in India is expected to achieve a significant transformation. The upward trend amongst the key stakeholders in acceptance of the need for organised facilities management and the growing competition from entry of international FM companies is driving widespread increase in innovation. We are expecting to be able to showcase our revolutionary hand and surface hygiene products to the key stakeholders in facilities management from healthcare, hospitality, IT, ITES, BPO, manufacturing, retail, infrastructure, government, and education sectors. We are going to introduce our two revolutionary antimicrobial hand and surface hygiene products. The first one is a 24 hours hand sanitizer called safe touch 24, and the second one is a long-lasting surface disinfectant called SurfaceSHIELD. Both of these products are unique and have the potential to mark the beginning of a new era in effective hygiene and infection control." About UBM India: UBM India is India's leading exhibition organizer that provides the industry with platforms that bring together buyers and sellers from around the world, through a portfolio of exhibitions, content led conferences and seminars. UBM India hosts over 25 large scale exhibitions and 40 conferences across the country every year; thereby enabling trade across multiple industry verticals. A UBM Asia Company, UBM India has offices across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. UBM Asia is owned by UBM plc which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. UBM Asia is the leading exhibition organizer in Asia and the biggest commercial organizer in mainland China, India and Malaysia. For further details, please visit ubmindia.in. About UBM plc: UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organiser in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors - from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to http://www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM, UBM Plc on LinkedIn Media Contact:

Roshni Mitra

[email protected] Mili Lalwani

[email protected]

+91-22-61727000

UBM India



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[April 24, 2017] No More Compromise Between Price and Efficiency: Elecard Provides Support of AV1 Implemented in Its Flagship Product, StreamEye

CUPERTINO, Calif., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The rapidly increasing demands of IT industry drive a need for an open mainstream codec without excessive patent licensing fees which ensures fast streaming of 4K video while reducing the amount of bandwidth. The stiff challenge was taken by the Alliance for Open Media, a consortium including industry giants such as Amazon, Cisco, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, and Netflix. The joint efforts have led to the creation of a royalty-free codec - AV1 which can boast a number of winning features, such as advanced performance, compression efficiency and compatibility to any modern device at a required bandwidth. It is projected to provide a considerable quality advantage over HEVC, with estimated improvement to reach 25%. Andrey Pozdnyakov, the founder and president of Elecard Group, explains, "The quality of intra frames encoding is striking, almost all intra blocks in AV1 are encoded more efficiently than in HEVC, with a similar partitioning. Asymmetric Numeral Systems coding by Jarek Duda brought an entropy coding mechanism which is many times faster and simpler than CABAC." It is hard to overestimate the importance of AV1 global distribution for easier, cheaper and faster streaming of video content. Elecard believes that this emerging format wil boost the development of the streaming industry and the team is ready to support its further expansion. "The Elecard AV1 suite of analyzer solutions will help accelerate the debug and design cycles, allowing for better time to market. We are perfectly positioned to answer the demand from a technology and support perspective. This royalty-free open source codec will be fully supported by Elecard  an aggressive business strategy will be designed to enable the AV1 ecosystem," comments Marc Clement, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing.



A beta version of Elecard StreamEye supporting OAM AV1 will be demonstrated at NAB Show 2017, April 24-27, in Las-Vegas. Beta orders will be accepted for a select group of customers and partners. Find out the performance results of AV1 vs HEVC encoded streams.

Please contact us for more information on AV1 availability and associated partner program. Elecard Office contact: tel. +1 (415) 952-6332

[email protected] About Elecard Elecard is a provider of video compression technologies (Linear, OTT, File-based) as well as professional Analysis software and Embedded QoS/QoE probe technologies used to enable today's video ecosystem. Elecard supports: MPEG-2, AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265, VPX, MPEG-Dash, HLS, AV1. Elecard Analysis tools, Encoder platforms and Codec SDK's enable system architects, designers and QA to shorten development cycles and improve time to market. Elecard is based in the United States, Canada, Russia and Vietnam. For more information, please visit www.elecard.com 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/no-more-compromise-between-price-and-efficiency-elecard-provides-support-of-av1-implemented-in-its-flagship-product-streameye-300444344.html SOURCE Elecard

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The UN Security Council has to be ready to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, US President Donald Trump said Monday, calling status quo "unacceptable."

"The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," Trump said while hosting UN Security Council ambassadors at the White House.

"This is a real threat to the world," he said. "North Korea is a big world problem. And it's a problem we have to finally solve."

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Croatia honoured on Sunday the victims of its most brutal World War II death camp, an event again snubbed by ethnic Serbs, Jews and anti-fascists who accuse authorities of tolerating a pro-Nazi ideology.Conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, several ministers and foreign diplomats attended a commemoration ceremony at the site of the Jasenovac camp which was dismantled 72 years ago.Letters by survivors of the camp known as Croatias Auschwitz  a reference to the German Nazi death camp in Poland  were read during a ceremony that concluded with a multi-denominational service and laying of wreaths.The camp, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Zagreb, was run by the countrys Nazi-allied Ustasha regime who persecuted and killed hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Romas and anti-fascist Croatians.But for the second consecutive year, representatives of those groups boycotted the official commemoration denouncing what they see as a resurgence of pro-Ustasha sympathies. Instead, they organised their own separate events.On Saturday, several thousand people including survivors of the camp, victims relatives and foreign diplomats attended a ceremony organised by anti-fascists and ethnic Serbs.We cannot and will not accept the reluctance of authorities regarding judgement of the Ustasha regimes character and policy of non-reaction to its symbols, the head of an anti-fascist association Franjo Habulin said.Anti-fascists, ethnic Serbs and Jews in particular are incensed by a plaque with the Ustasha slogan For the Homeland Ready unveiled at Jasenovac last November. It was created as a memorial by former paramilitaries to honour fellow fighters killed in the region at the start of Croatias independence war in the 1990s.Jews in Croatia are to hold their separate commemoration on Monday.Plenkovic, who took over following snap elections in October, has pledged to move away from the climate of intolerance seen under his centre-right predecessors.But critics say his administration has not done enough to tamp down extremism and expressions of nostalgia for the countrys pro-Nazi past.During Sundays ceremony at Jasenovac, a group of anti-fascist activists displayed a large banner that read Remove the Ustasha Salute.Jasenovac was the largest and most notoriously brutal of Croatias death camps, where many inmates were killed by hammers, knives and stones.The total number of people killed there remains disputed. It varies from tens of thousands to 700,000, according to Serbian figures.
"Orekan has been engaged in lengthy pattern of fraud that has been perpetuated across at least 10 different financial institutions," says Keith Holleran, a special agent with the Dept. of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Providence.

"He has a contact in Africa that is sending him these passports," Vilker told Magistrate Judge Patricia Sullivan during a hearing on Friday , as two of Orekans supporters sat behind him. ICE tells me he can absolutely flee the country.

The defendant has significant ties to a different countrythe affidavit mentions a substantial amount of passports that have passed muster at a number of bankswiring of tens of thousands to the defendants mother in Nigeria, Sullivan said.

Finally, and very significant, the defendant had contact with law enforcement in November 2016, was released and continued the behavior and then charged in January 2017, released and again continued the behavior, Sullivan added.

"Now facing federal charges knitting together what is now unlike instances in November and January, a very substantial charge exposing him to a period of incarceration and risk of deportation."

A Nigerian man who allegedly duped a number of banks out of more than $100,000 faced a federal judge last Friday, April 21, after being arrested on April 10 by agents from the Department of Homeland Security and charged on four federal criminal charges. Opeyemi Abdulahi Orekan, resident of Rhode Island was involved in an organized fraud ring that used fake passports from Nigeria and Ghana and fraudulent identities to defraud a number of banks out of tens of thousands of dollars. The federal government is charging him with bank fraud, passport fraud, identity theft and access device fraud.Investigators say Orekan used nine different identities, including a number of passports from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, to open bank accounts at a number of bank branches including Bank of America, Webster Bank and Santander to deposit counterfeit checks and then withdraw bank funds. Counterfeit checks from NRG Residential Solar Solutions, the Viking Corporation and Bosch were deposited into accounts, according to the affidavit.Orekan would then allegedly send the funds to an individual in Nigeria. The transactions occurred at a number of bank branches in Johnston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Providence and Warwick. Bank America reported nearly $37,000 in losses from at least one of the accounts and another $26,000 from another one of Orekans accounts. Santander reported a near $20,000 loss in connection with Orekan.He also allegedly used fake identities to open accounts at TD Bank, Wells Fargo and Chase Bank.Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vilker told the court that investigators have gathered a number of records and evidence including passports that were found in a ceiling crawl space which, he said, has made their case stronger. A bag filled with passports was also found in an old, rolled-up carpet found by the property manager of one of the apartments where Orekan resided. That's when the property manager contacted the FBI.Forensic tests of the passports determined that two Republic of Nigeria passports were altered and two Republic of Ghana passports were counterfeit. Four additional US admission stamps, machine readable visas adn two Ghana drivers licenses were also tested and determined to be counterfeit.Attorney John F. Cicilline, who is representing Orekan (who is currently being detained), asked Magistrate Judge Patricia Sullivan to release Orekan as has ties to a number of family members in Rhode Island and is not a flight risk. He asked the judge to possibly release Orekan with conditions such as electronic monitoring.The judge denied Cicillines request saying electronic monitoring isnt a full proof tool adding that the evidence against Orekan is strong and that the investigation shows its become even stronger.Source: NBC News
on Sunday

the solution to Fulani invasion is ranching. There is nowhere in the world where we have cattle moving about except in Nigeria. Why must we live with animals? How can we continue to spend on security in the midst of recession? We must ranch our cattle. Nigeria must come together to support herdsmen ranch their cattle.

"Report where there are issues. Two wrongs can never make a right. People will begin to be afraid of Benue if we continue this way. No matter the provocation, we must be law abiding so that government can fight for us."

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, praised President Buhari for restoring peace to the state. The state has been in crises in recent times ranging from clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers as well as attacks by gunmen in some parts of the state. Federal Government had deployed security forces to comb the flash points across the state leading to arrest of several persons linked to the state most wanted criminal, Terwase Akwanza, aka Gana.Speaking to newsmen at the government house, Makurdi, on his return from China, the governor reiterated the need for ranching as a panacea for putting an end to the herders/ farmers clashes in the country.He said there was need for Nigerians to embrace ranching, this he explained would halt the incessant attacks between herders and Nigerian farmers.He added thatWhile commenting on the recent skirmishes between herders and framers in Ikpayongo area of the state in which six persons were reportedly killed and many others injured, he urged the youths to be law abiding and stop taking laws into their hands.He said that two wrongs cannot make a right, Ortom advised the people of the state to always report whenever there were issues to the appropriate quarters so that government could take up the matter with a view to finding solutions to them.Well, his comment didn't go down well with some of the indigenes of the state, who are grappling with incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen and militants.See some of the comments below...Source: Benue News
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has expressed shock over the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governo...

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has expressed shock over the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governor of Osun State.Oba Ogunwusi, who said this in a statement issued by Director of Media and Public Affairs of the Oonis Palace also mourned the deaths of Dipo Famakinwa and veteran actor, Olumide Bakare.The statement read, The Arole Oduduwa, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife commiserates with the entire Yoruba race and members of the House Of Oduduwa all over the world over the sudden deaths of three of our prominent sons Senator Isiaka Adeleke; Dipo Famakinwa and Olumide Bakare which occurred at different times and locations within a space of three days.It was a rude shock to us at the Royal Court of Ife to this morning receive the unpleasant news of the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke just two days after we lost a very virtuous son, Mr Dipo Famakinwa who had tirelessly worked very closely with the Oonis Palace, the Southwest state governments and other stakeholders for the much desired regional integration and development of Yorubaland through his Development Agenda For Western Nigeria known as DAWN Commission, and a Nigerian Veteran actor, Mr Olumide Bakare popularly called Oluwalanbe who had also made colossal contributions to the growth of the globally recognized Nigerian film industry called Nollywood.The noble efforts of these gentlemen will continue to rank them among our pride forever.It is thus saddening that while we were not yet out of the shock of the untimely deaths of Dipo Famakinwa and Olumide Bakare, another big tree fell, our amiable Asiwaju of Ede kingdom, a Senator of the Federal Republic His Excellency Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke who had in the past meritoriously served us as the 1st executive governor of the State of Osun.This is indeed a trying period for us to have suddenly lost these three giants who were being greatly enjoyed in their various areas of calling especially at this time when the are needed most.May their souls rest in peace and may the Almighty God give their immediate families the fortitude to bear the loses.
The former Head of New Media for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Convener of pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nig...





The former Head of New Media for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Convener of pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians, Prince Deji Adeyanju has again been arrested for staging a peaceful protest demanding the freedom of renowned blogger and convener of PDP National Youth Frontier, Mr Austin Okai who was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS over alleged criticisms of the government of Kogi state.Adeyanju was reportedly arrested alongside the Co-convener of the group, Mr. Ariyo Raphael Dare today the 24th of April, 2017 in front of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja.A video also shows men of the security operatives spraying water cannons on the peaceful protesters before whisking the both men away.In the picture, Adeyanju is seen in the front police van being taken to the FCT police station.Recall that on the 21st, Prince Adeyanju was arrested for staging a peaceful protest against the planned secret trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by the Buhari-led federal government.Recall also that Mr. Okai was reportedly picked up and whisked away to Lokoja on Sunday, April 9, 2017 by the security operatives after he was allegedly trailed to an eatery on Abacha Barrack road in Utako area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he had gone to eat with some of his friends.He was also said to have quickly sent an SOS to one of his friends via SMS who then made the arrest known to his other friends and well-wishers after he had demanded from the operatives to make a call to his people to inform them of his arrest.Reports also indicate that Mr. Okai is being allegedly interrogated on his sources of information about Kogi State. The unconfirmed reports also alleged that Mr. Okais arrest was on the orders of the Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello who feels that someone was selling them (the governor) out by giving Mr. Okai classified information he writes about on the social media. Before the first arrest, Adeyanju had alleged threat over his life by the security operatives.According to him, Just got out of a 1-hour meeting with Commissioner of Police of FCT. In attendance was a Director of DSS and Brigade Commander of the Army.They said theres security concerns over our rallies: #SayNoToSecretTrial of Nnamdi Kanu #FreeZakZakky I asked what concern: No Answer.Then threats and more threats. I told them, rally will go on as planned tomorrow for #SayNoToSecretTrial and #FreeZakZakky on Wednesday.Then threats and more threats. I told them, rally will go on as planned tomorrow for #SayNoToSecretTrial and #FreeZakZakky on Wednesday.The DSS guy said: Deji, we have never disturbed you in all your rallies.Why ZakZakky and Kanu They have a major issue with ZakZakky & Kanu.
Over 800 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, on Saturday defected to the Peop...

Over 800 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, on Saturday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).Leading the defectors to the PDP, the APC Chairman in the council area, Aniefiok Ekah, said the defectors had endured severe hunger in APC and could therefore no longer continue to tolerate such.Mr. Ekah, who submitted every document belonging to APC in his possession for destruction, however, appealed to the PDP not to treat the returnees as outcasts.He explained that some of them left PDP in 2015 due to cheating by some party leaders, who refused to protect their interests.This is the membership register, registration forms and every other item in my possession.They were all given to me by APC, please burn them to ashes, there is nothing like APC again in Nsit Ubium.We left PDP in the first place because of cheating, middlemen were short-changing us of what was meant for party supporters, but we have suffered so much hunger in the APC, Mr. Ekah said.The state Chairman of PDP, Paul Ekpo, while receiving the defectors, thanked them for the bold steps taken and pledged to fully integrate them into the PDP family.Mr. Ekpo said the PDP in the state would continue to accord importance to the interest and welfare of members, adding that the deflectors would be fully integrated into the party.In his remarks, the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, said that stakeholders of PDP in Nsit Ubium would continue to hold side by side the philosophy of building industries and empowering the people.Mr. Luke, who is also member representing Nsit Ubium state constituency, frowned at some stakeholders, who refused to report back progress to the people at the grassroots in their constituencies.He assured the people that he would not rest on his oars in delivering the dividends of democracy which spans through educational support, agricultural support and empowerment in numerous sectors.Mr. Luke called on Nsit Ubium people to support the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, to continue in office after 2019.The speaker urged party supporters in Nsit Ubium to receive the defectors with open arms, advising the youths to abhor all forms of criminality and violence by promoting peace in the area.
Abubakar Umar, a retired colonel and social critic, says Sambo Dasuki, immediate past national security adviser (NSA), has been detained f...

Abubakar Umar, a retired colonel and social critic, says Sambo Dasuki, immediate past national security adviser (NSA), has been detained for a lengthy spell because he belongs to the wrong camp.Dasuki has been in detention since November 2015.In a statement on Sunday, Umar called for his release and noted that the former NSA was being unjustly detained because of his ties to former President Goodluck Jonathan.He expressed concern that despite three courts granting bail to the former NSA, the government has refused to release him.The only explanation one can find for Col. Dasukis lengthy detention without trial is that he belongs to the wrong camp. He has also the misfortune of having served as national security adviser to the much vilified Nigerian President of Ijaw extraction, the statement by Umar read.Colonel Dasukis fate is tied to that of his former principal President Goodluck Jonathan  an honourable and patriotic Nigerian who conceded defeat and congratulated the winner of the 2015 Presidential election Gen. Muhammadu Buhari even before INEC declared the final results, when he could have held on tenaciously to power as is the norm in many Third World Countries.The former military administrator of Kaduna state lauded the suspension of Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) and Ayodele Oke, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).He, however, noted that fair-minded Nigerians are sceptical over the conduct of the governments anti-corruption war which appears to be aimed at the persecution of the opposition.The decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend the SGF Mr David Babachir Lawal and the DG NIA Mr Ayodele Oke while they are being investigated is a welcome development in its war against corruption. It is also remarkable and commendable that the Govt. has decided not to detain the duo while they are being investigated, said Umar.This is a welcome departure from the prevailing anti democratic process by which accused persons, particularly from the opposition camp, are unlawfully detained pending the commencement of investigations, or refused bail granted by law courts.There is national unanimity in support of the war against corruption which is expected to be non-discriminatory and waged by a meticulous adherence to the rule of law. For the war to be meaningful and sustainable, it must be elevated beyond a President Buhari personal struggle to a national one.Umar urged the federal government to obey the rulings of the courts and immediately set free Dasuki.Our extant constitution is quite clear on this issue. The federal government does not have the power to determine which offence is bailable or whether an accused person is deserving of bail. It should therefore obey courts decisions and release Col. Dasuki without any further delay. His unlawful detention, campaign of calumny and pretrial publicity make it impossible for him to receive a fair trial, he said.Dasuki is accused of diverting funds meant to combat the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke as an icon and a great philanthropist.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke as an icon and a great philanthropist.He said this in a statement released on Monday, a day after the former Osun Governor passed on.Jonathan stated that the void his death has caused will be hard, if not impossible to fill.I received the news of the death of Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke with a sense of great personal loss. It is hard to imagine that the very lively and warm Serubawon has died.Though I am very sad by his death, I give God the glory for his life of contribution to Osun state, where he was the first civilian governor and to Nigeria, where he was an icon and to humanity in general because he was a great philanthropist.He will be greatly missed and the void his death has caused will be hard, if not impossible to fill. May his soul rest In Peace and may he achieve al Janna firdaus. I pray that God grant his family and supporters the fortitude to bear his loss, he said.
Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, says he is worried about the place of the current administration in history.

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, says he is worried about the place of the current administration in history.Speaking in an interview with NIGERIA NOW, a magazine, Dogara revealed that he had written advisory memo to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari on the steps to take to succeed.He said it would be in the interest of all for Buhari to succeed because if Buhari fails; all of us have failed it is one government and we cannot extricate ourselves.Sometimes I sit down, craft memos by myself and take it to the executive; it is not my responsibility, the government has its own advisers, but I fear a lot about the place this government will occupy in history, he said.All of us will be involved in that history, none of us will run away whether you just a member, a leader, a chairman of a committee, whoever you are it is our government, it doesnt even matter which political party you belong to, it is one government and we are all involved.So the point is what is the legacy we are leaving behind? What are we achieving? Thats the thing that gives me nightmares sometimes.He added that his greatest fear is not political battles or controversies, but the inability to have a lasting legacy, which will impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.I tell people that one of the things God has developed real well in me is to remove fear from me, I fear nothing, he said.The only thing that frightens me is if this eighth assembly which, by virtue of the grace of God, I have been called to lead, is unable to leave landmark achievements; that is what bothers me and prevents me from sleeping.At times, I begin to think about what it is that we have achieved, done wrong or could have done better? What is the next line of things we can do for the betterment of the lives and living conditions of our people?It is going to be two years, what can we really say we have done that has improved the lot of Nigerians? What will be our place when the history of this country is written?Those are the issues that prevent one from sleeping, really, as against political battles with individuals or thinking about next elections  those are not the issues at all.
Over the weekend there was report that Chocolate City Rapper, Ice Prince and DMW boss had a fight during a show organized by CEO of Quilox...



Over the weekend there was report that Chocolate City Rapper, Ice Prince and DMW boss had a fight during a show organized by CEO of Quilox, Shina Peller in Warri has denied he ever fought with DMW Boss, Davido in Warri. The reports further claimed that some equipment backstage was destroyed.

Well the Chocolate City Rapper has denied he ever fought with DMW Boss, Davido in Warri.





According to Ice Princes manager Nanle who spoke to Pulse, the rapper and Davido had no issues in Warri.

There was no dispute between anybody. After the event, both Davido and Ice Prince went clubbing.
French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron on Monday took aim at the course Turkey has taken under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who recently won a controversial referendum greatly expanding his powers.

Macron, the centrist candidate who faces far-right leader Marine Le Pen in France's May 7 second round, said if elected he would ensure France protected "democrats in all countries".

"I regret very deeply the route Turkey is taking, and I disapprove of it," the former economy minister told reporters at an event in Paris commemorating the Armenian genocide.

Turkey vehemently rejects the use of the term genocide to describe the mass killing of Armenians during World War I, arguing the episode was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died.

France officially recognised the event as a genocide in 2001, a move that has soured relations with Ankara ever since.

The day after Erdogan won the disputed referendum on expanding his powers, Macron said there would be "no progress" in Turkey's EU accession talks if he became French president.

He said the referendum marked "an authoritarian drift" by the Turkish authorities.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to leave ex-President Goodluck Jonathan alone and focus on his government which is losing dir...

President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to leave ex-President Goodluck Jonathan alone and focus on his government which is losing direction.The Arewa Peace Coalition (APC) gave the advice in a statement issued by Abdulkadir Mohammed, the groups coordinator.Mohammed also called Buharis attention to prevalent national issues, including the presidents lopsided appointments and the economic hardship facing the country.He urged Buhari to discourage the current negative campaign against Jonathan and focus on the mandate of fixing Nigeria and improving the quality of lives of the millions of Nigerians.Nigerians didnt vote Buhari to come and give excuses on why he cannot perform they believed he was capable and particularly fit for the job of president, Mohammed said.Since you won the 2015 election, we have been waking up almost every day to hear stories about how Jonathan did this and Jonathan did that. We have become tired and fed up.When will we begin to hear what Baba Buhari has done? When will we begin to hear of what our Baba has done to salvage Nigeria?Bashing Jonathan at every opportunity has not solved any of the problems you met as president. Nigerians have already voted Jonathan out. They are disappointed that years after Jonathan has left, there is no day that the Buhari presidency does not attempt to feast on Jonathan. Why then did we vote for you?The group also advised Buhari to acknowledge some of the successes of his predecessor and consolidate on them.Mr President, there were quite a few successes of the Jonathan presidency. Acknowledge those successes and use them to your advantage, Mohammed said.And then work to correct and avoid the mistakes that dogged the Jonathan presidency. That is how successful nations work.Please leave Jonathan alone. Go around the country and ascertain things for yourself. Two years into your presidency, you are yet to visit more than 30 states in Nigeria.The group also the president not to leave out any section of the country in his appointments.Appoint a competent team to assist you in the onerous task of fixing Nigeria. Appoint people in every nook and cranny of Nigeria, Mohammed said.The Buhari presidency must not be over-saturated by people from the northern part of the country or people who share a peculiar history with you.You are now a Nigerian president NOT a Northern, Daura or CPC president. You are president over Muslims the same way you are president over Christians.It is with great discomfort that we write you this piece. In 2015, many of us came out in large numbers to vote for you because we believed that things would change for the better if you became president of Nigeria.When you ascended to the position of President of Nigeria. We rejoiced across the streets of northern Nigeria. Some of our kinsmen trekked hundreds of kilometers to celebrate your win in the 2015 elections.Two years into your administration, everything has turned on its head. The price of food has skyrocketed across Nigeria. The quality of education has nosedived. Access to affordable health care has become a problem. Farmers are no longer encouraged to go to their farms. Nothing seems to be working.
Angry youths have protested the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke as they barricaded the roads and burn tyres in Osun, Southwest Nigeria.

Angry youths have protested the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke as they barricaded the roads and burn tyres in Osun, Southwest Nigeria.An eyewitness told newsmen that the youths have taken over the streets in Osogbo and Ede to protest the death of Adeleke.There are burn fires everywhere, especially in Ede, Osogbo and environs, an eye witness who craved anonymity told our reporter.Because of the tense atmosphere, an autopsy had been ordered to be conducted, which had put the burial on hold, according to a family source.Also, in Ede, protesting youths attacked the NTA reporter, Mr. Tope Alabi and his cameraman.Adeleke died at the early hours of Sunday at the age of 62.
Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi rubbed salt into the wounds of Real Madrid by recreating the Argentine's celebration the morning after Barcelona's stunning win.Messi popped up with a dramatic last-gasp winner at the Bernabeu on Sunday night to seal a thrilling 3-2 La Liga victory.In the aftermath of that sensational goal in Madrid, Messi ripped off his shirt and showed it to the home fans as the jubilant Barca supporters celebrated.And the trio made sure they reminded their rivals of his iconic goal, which was his 500th strike for Barca, by recreating the celebration ahead of training on Monday.Meanwhile Suarez led the tributes to Messi after he scored the 500th goal of his club career to give Luis Enrique's side a last-gasp 3-2 win over 10-man Real Madrid.Messi struck twice in a dramatic victory to take Barcelona to the top of LaLiga.Ivan Rakitic was also on target for Barcelona, while Casemiro and James Rodriguez - the Colombian having equalised in the 85th minute - scored for hosts Real, who had captain Sergio Ramos sent off for the 22nd time in his Madrid career in the final quarter.Ramos received an El Clasico red card for the second successive season 13 minutes from time. Messi was fortunate that the Spaniard's two-footed challenge did not make contact with him and that he avoided serious injury.Former Liverpool forward Suarez was quoted on Barcelona's official website as saying: 'It's time to enjoy beating a direct opponent, Madrid. It's time to enjoy the best player in the world and of all time.
A Non-governmental organisation, Sudais Foundation has started selling a bag of rice at the rate of N11,000 in Kaduna as against the marke...

A Non-governmental organisation, Sudais Foundation has started selling a bag of rice at the rate of N11,000 in Kaduna as against the market price of N17,000.Hundreds of people gathered at Gamagira road by Kasuwan Bacci round about to buy the rice.In an encounter with newsmen, one Abdulwasiu said: "the selling of the rice at cheaper rate started last Monday by a businessman under his foundation called Sudais foundation but by Tuesday last week, business men heard about him and reported him to police for selling the rice below market price.The man was arrested by the police, people followed him to the police station and after 3 days, the police released him and the selling of the rice continues."
Militant groups in the Niger Delta are threatening to resume attacks due to unfulfilled promises of the Federal Government.





Militant groups in the Niger Delta are threatening to resume attacks due to unfulfilled promises of the Federal Government.A statement issued by the militant groups said, There is no more time; the Federal Government must act now and show seriousness and commitment to the plight of Niger Delta or we will be forced to resume attacks.We must make sure we liberate our people from the slavery of the Nigerian state. We believe that the Federal Government will not be surprised to see another crisis in the Niger Delta and they should not blame anyone if such happens.The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is not sincere in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.We know very well that the visit of the Vice-President (then Acting President) to oil producing states was a big scam, camouflage, deceit and delay tactics by the Federal Government to achieve its normal daily crude oil production.We want to state here clearly that we are tired of all unfulfilled promises; we are tired of developing Niger Delta in the media, we are tired of the Vice-Presidents unending meetings without follow-up actions, they added.The statement was authorised by leader of Niger Delta Watchdog, General John Duku; General Ekpo Ekpo of the Niger Delta Volunteers, Commander Henry Etete of the Niger Delta Peoples Fighters and Commander Asuquo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters.
The newly deployed mobile CCTV camera procured by the Lagos State Government for the operatives of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad, RRS, ...

The newly deployed mobile CCTV camera procured by the Lagos State Government for the operatives of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad, RRS, has recorded its first surveillance arrest.The suspect was arrested in Oshodi while the Mobile CCTV was being deployed at Oshodi to monitor the area.The suspect Emmanuel Alowonle, 18-year old, a native of Ondo State, disclosed during interrogation that he came to Lagos about two years ago and worked as a bus conductor in the area.Alowonle was arrested after stealing from another commuter handbag on the pedestrian walk way.The mobile CCTV camera was parading oshodi when it sited Emmanuel in the crowd picking from a passers-bys handbag.The CCTV camera was jointly managed and put into use by both the RRS operatives and technical assistance by the Lagos State Response Unit, (LRU).The emergency management parastatal of the Lagos State Government handled the technical know-how of the camera while men of the RRS took charge of the security aspect of the newly deployed security mechanism.The surveillance patrol team afterwards patrolled through Ilasa area, mile 2, and Airport road in the same manner of test-running and putting into use the mobile surveillance technology.The mobile CCTV is geared towards helping security operatives in close monitoring and wider view of Lagos crime-prone areas and also enhanced prompt detective ability of security men in the state.It will be recalled that the Lagos State government in its effort to combat crime in the state gave out the surveillance mobile CCTV to further help in the tracking down criminals and identifying crime scenes in the State.The Governor while handing over the security mechanism to the Commander RRS said, the present administration was on top of the fulfillment of its triangular tripod agenda which security and empowerment of security operatives lingers on.Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Olarinde Famous Cole, said that there would be no hiding place for those who come to Lagos to perpetrate crime, adding that the police would fish them out of your hiding.The suspect have however been charged and handed over to the security task force for further investigation.
Apostle Johnson Suleman, General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, who spoke through his media adviser, Phrank Shaibu has vowed not to all...

Apostle Johnson Suleman, General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, who spoke through his media adviser, Phrank Shaibu has vowed not to allow allegations made against him by his alleged lover, Miss Stephanie Otobo, go unchallenged. He dared the Canadian based lady to prove all her allegations in court.

He said:

It is not for her to probe the wisdom of the mother in going to beg for forgiveness. The mother has done what she felt was right and we have responded to the mothers appeal for forgiveness.

Cant you see the contradiction in the claim of being poisoned by Apostle? First, she claimed that the poison was given to her by Apostle in a hotel. Next she said it was in a dream. Perhaps, she would come up with another bizarre tale. Seriously, even my three -year- old daughter can do better.

On Otobos claims that if Apostle Suleman presents his international passport, it will reveal that both of them travelled together on a certain day to Canada, Shuaib responded: How do you travel with someone you have never met? It is clearly an illusion and part of her romantic fantasy.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun has said a National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu was not resp...

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun has said a National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu was not responsible for his emergence as the ruling partys National Chairman.Oyegun made the remark in an interview with Vanguard while responding to a question that some people are alleging that he has not been fair to those who assisted him to emerge National Chairman of the party, especially, Bola Tinubu.The APC Chairman insisted that everybody in the party and not a particular individual aided his emergence.According to Oyegun, Everybody assisted me to this position and I am grateful to all of them. The only thing is my personality and integrity; I dont joke with these two things because they are the only currency that I have and I will defend them at any time.I dont believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position, everybody assisted me and someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told.You will then see that everybody did assist me to become National Chairman. This means that I am there for everybody. I dont belong to any camp in the APC. I belong to all members of APC high and below.
Operatives of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, on Monday morning killed two female suicide bombers while the third blew herself up in ...

Operatives of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, on Monday morning killed two female suicide bombers while the third blew herself up in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.The female bombers attempted to enter the city through Mamanti village in Jere Local Government Area at about 5.10 a.m but were shot dead before detonating the explosive devices strapped to their bodies.In a statement by the State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, one of the female suicide bombers, however, blew herself up.The statement reads, Today at about 05:10hrs, three female suicide bombers attempted to enter Mamanti village Jere Local Government. They were intercepted by Civilian JTF. In the process, one of the bombers detonated IED strapped to her body killing herself alone.The other two tried to escape but were shot dead by security personnel on duty.EOD mine drafted to the scene to sanitize and render the area safe.
German tourists were top of the list of visitors to Egypt during the first three months of the year

The number of tourists visiting Egypt during the first quarter of 2017 rose by 51 percent compared to the same period last year, an official source at the tourism ministry told Ahram Online late on Sunday.

Egypt received around one million tourists during the period from January to March last year, according to data from the state's statistics body CAPMAS.

Germany topped the list of visiting tourists, followed by Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, China and the United Kingdom during the three first months of 2017, said the source, who gave no figures and asked to remain anonymous.

There was also a significant rise in the number of Japanese tourists compared with the same January-March period of 2016, according to the ministerial source.

Egypt aims to attract 12 million tourists by the end of 2017 through a plan that includes increasing the international presence of national carrier EgyptAir, tourism minister Yehia Rashed said in an interview with Reuters last year.

Egypt's tourism industry has been suffering since a Russian passenger jet crashed in Sinai in October 2015, killing all 224 people on board, most of them holidaymakers.

Since the deadly incident, Russia has suspended flights to Egypt, seeking tighter security measures at all Egyptian airports.

Egypt's tourism revenues dropped to $3.4 billion in 2016, a 44.3 percent decline from the previous year, the Central Bank of Egypt said in January. The figure is a far cry from the $11 billion in revenues generated by the sector in 2010, when 14.7 million tourists visited the country.



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On Nov. 12, 1927, at 4:55 p.m., President Calvin Coolidge pressed a golden telegraph key aboard his yacht on the Potomac River -- the same one used to open the Panama Canal 13 years before -- and activated bells more than 300 miles away, signaling the opening of the Holland Tunnel.

Construction had begun seven years earlier after the New Jersey Interstate Bridge and Tunnel Commission and the New York State Bridge and Tunnel Commission posited the construction of a tunnel connecting Jersey City and Lower Manhattan. The project's title was the not-so-snazzy Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel.

The original chief engineer for the tunnel was Clifford M. Holland, a Harvard engineering graduate who worked on tunnels for New York's Interborough Rapid Transit Company before being named to lead the Vehicular Tunnel project in 1919.

The greatest obstacle to the project was the carbon monoxide emitted from the vehicles, which would asphyxiate drivers if not properly ventilated as the gas accumulated inside the mile-and-a-half tunnel. The task was thought impossible; even Thomas Edison said so.

A bust of Clifford Holland honors the original chief engineer for the tunnel. (File photo)

But after seeing experiments by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Yale University and the University of Illinois, Holland solved the problem by designing four large, 10-story ventilation towers, one for each tube, on both sides of the river.

But, alas, the project's chief engineer would not live to see the tunnel's opening. Holland, already diagnosed with a weak heart, compounded by trips to oversee construction requiring multiple compressions and decompressions, suffered a mental breakdown from the stress. He was sent to Kellogg's Sanatorium in Battle Creek, Michigan, to recover. Holland had hoped to be present when the digging crews, one from each side of the river, met in the middle, but he suffered a fatal heart attack two days before that happened.

He was 41 years old.

To honor the engineer, it was decided that the tunnel would bear his name.

The first year of the tunnel's operation saw 8.2 million vehicles move back and forth from Canal Street in Manhattan to Downtown Jersey City. In 2016, the Holland Tunnel saw more than 15 million vehicles pass through its tubes, a testament to the work of Clifford Holland and the construction crews who built this remarkable engineering feat that has lasted for 90 years -- so far.

The Holland was the first New Jersey-New York Hudson River vehicular crossing, followed by the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and the Lincoln Tunnel in 1937. Farther north, across the New York state line, the Tappan Zee Bridge didn't open until 1955.

Editor's note: This piece examines one of Hudson County's top 25 news stories since The Jersey Journal's founding in 1867, as selected by the paper's editorial staff and local historians.

NEXT: Bayonne Bridge opens
The 19th edition of the Ismailia Film Festival runs between 19 and 25 April

The 19th Ismailia Film Festival announced the winning films from each section Sunday during a ceremony at the Ismailia Culture Palace.

Culture Minister Helmy El-Namnam attended the award ceremony, in addition to festival head Essam Zakaria, Ismailia Governor Yassin Taher, Suez Canal Authority head Ehab Mamish, and head of the National Cinema Centre and advisor to the culture minister in film affairs Khaled Abdelgelil.



The ceremony began by honouring child participants in the Animation workshop, held during the festival in collaboration with Egypt's Animation Society.

This year's two honourees, late director Mohamed Kamel El-Qaliouby and late critic Samir Farid, were posthumously granted the festivals Honourary Award.

Egyptian director Adel Badrways animation film The Long Road won best Arabic film.

Dutch film Radio Kobani won best film in the main competition for full-length documentaries.

The film was chosen for its effective and engaging treatment of an important humanitarian subject.

Radio Kobani centres on a 20-year old Kurdish woman named Dilovan, who started a radio station in the war-torn Syrian town of Kobani to document the city's final days under the control of Islamic State and the stories of refugees returning to their ruined homes.

The jury prize winner for the same section was the film Those Who Remain, a co-production between Lebanon and the UAE directed by Elaine Raheb. The film also won the Special Jury Prize Muhr Feature Award at the Dubai International Film Festival.

The best short documentary prize went to Palestinian-Lebanese film A Man Returned, while the special jury award in the same section went to Spanish film Saint Lazaru's Miracle.

For the short fiction competition, the best film award went to French film Chasse Royale while special jury award went to Ukranian film The Black Mountain.

South Korean film My Father's Room won the award for best animation, while Lebanese film Silence won the special jury award in the same section.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Nicole A. Hammond, 26, of Ohio, appears in court in Jersey City on Thursday, April 20, 2017, on charges she and Jeremiah Conley, 37, brandished a gun at a man during an argument in Jersey City Wednesday.

(Michaelangelo Conte | The Jersey Journal)

Jeremiah Conley, 37, of Ohio, appears in court in Jersey City on Thursday, April 20, 2017, on charges he and Nicole A. Hammond, 26, brandished a gun at a man during an argument in Jersey City Wednesday.

A Columbus, Ohio, man and woman were arrested after allegedly brandishing what appears to have been a BB gun during an argument with a man in Jersey City Wednesday.

Nicole A. Hammond, 26, and Jeremiah Conley, 37, have been charged with aggravated assault for allegedly pointing the gun at the man from inside a vehicle, the criminal complaint says.

They are also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, the complaint says, adding that a BB gun was recovered by police after the alleged victim walked into the South District police station to report the incident.

The pair made their first appearance on the charges in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City on Thursday via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. At the hearing, they were ordered released on their own recognizance.

"That was a BB gun," Conley blurted out during the hearing but the judge quickly cautioned him to avail himself of his right to remain silent as the hearing was being recorded.

Their next court appearance in the matter is set for June 15 before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.
The Delaware & Raritan Canal Watch will sponsor a bird walk 8 a.m. Sunday, April 30, at the historic Van Wickle House in Franklin Township and following the canal towpath.

The walk leaders are naturalists and history buffs Barbara and George Dawson.

"We should see or hear Baltimore and orchard orioles, warbling vireos, house wrens and other nesting birds," said Ms. Dawson. "We'll also identify plants and look for butterflies along the way."

The Dawsons will also discuss the Van Wickle House and the significance of the Delaware & Raritan Canal.

Participants should meet in the canal parking lot at the foot of DeMott Lane. The GPS and mapping address is 1289 Easton Ave., Somerset.

The walk is free, and no registration is required. Participants should bring binoculars and drinking water.

For further information, contact the Dawsons at 732-249-2670.

The nonprofit D&R Canal Watch helps promote, enhance and preserve the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park.

This item was submitted by the D&R Canal Watch.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- The case against a former Edison police officer charged with firebombing his supervisor's house in 2013 has dragged on long enough and needs to be taken to trial, a judge said Monday.

"Let me start off by saying, this is case is old, real old," Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez said during a hearing on evidence in the case Monday. "It's in my lap now I need to get it resolved."

Michael Dotro, 39, of Manalapan, has one case against him set for trial in August, but the most serious charges of attempted murder and arson have been held up in pre-trial motions and appeals for months.

Dotro is accused of setting his police captain's house on fire while his wife, children and 92-year-old mother were asleep. Edison police Capt. Mark Anderko had ordered Dotro to undergo a fitness-for-duty evaluation and changed his shift days before the fire, authorities said.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said Dotro was angry about the orders and the arson was payback.

The most recent delays in the case have focused requests by Dotro's attorneys to inspect the pickup truck he allegedly used on the night of the firebombing.

The state appeals court ruled in February to allow the inspection without the prosecutor's office present, as long as the defense met a handful of requirements, including an extensive video recording and being supervised by two retired judges.

Dotro's defense team was supposed to have inspected the truck in April and return the video the Jimenez, but the inspection was delayed due to scheduling conflicts with the retired judges, Dotro's attorney Robert Norton said in court.

"I've got my work cut out for me to find a date that's acceptable for everyone," Norton said. "I know you want this done. I want this done as well. We are certainly not delaying it by any fashion."

Norton told the judge he expected the inspection to occur in mid-May.

Norton is also representing Dotro in a separate, unrelated official misconduct case in which Dotro is accused of buying marijuana in uniform, allegedly for his wife, Alycia, and trying to sell the drug.

Dotro and his wife are also accused of slashing a woman's tires who worked in the police department's violations bureau and accessing the department's computer database illegally to review police records on the incident together.

The couple's two-week trial in that case is scheduled to start on Aug. 14.

In January, Dotro was sentenced to probation after striking a plea deal in a case where he and three other officers planned to get back at another officer who gave Dotro's family member a DUI.

Dotro resigned from the force in September after making the deal. In December, his bail was reduced to $800,000 and his travel restrictions were lifted.

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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NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Lakewood rabbi who runs a school for children with developmental disabilities pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of stealing public funds for personal use.

Osher Eisemann, 60, the founder and director of the School for Children with Hidden Intelligence in Lakewood, is accused of using a private fundraising nonprofit for the school to launder $630,000 in public tuition funds.

He was indicted last month on charges including theft, money laundering, corporate misconduct and misuses of government funds.

Eisemann, through his attorney, pleaded not guilty to all charges before Superior Court Judge Benjamin Bucca in Middlesex County.

Deputy Attorney General Anthony Robinson told Bucca the state has offered a plea deal that would require a prison sentence of five years in exchange for Eisemann admitting to a second-degree charge of theft by unlawful taking. As part of the plea deal, Eisemann would also pay restitution, Robinson said.

Eisemann, of Lakewood, faces up to 15 years in state prison on the charges.

An attorney representing Eisemann, Lee Vartan, declined to comment after the brief court hearing. However, Vartan maintained his client's innocence in a previous statement given to NJ Advance Media.

"Rabbi Eisemann has never taken any SCHI funds for his personal use, and we strongly deny that there was any ill intent in the use of SCHI funds," Vartan said in the statement. "We look forward to the complete exoneration of both SCHI and Rabbi Eisemann in this investigation."

SCHI receives $1.8 million a month in public tuition from the Lakewood School District to teach students with special needs. Authorities said Eisemann took $430,000 of that money for a personal business venture, the clothing company TAZ Apparel, LLC.

Authorities said Eisemann also laundered an additional $200,000 of the funds in a scheme "intended to make it appear that he was repaying debts he owed to the school using personal funds."

SCHI officials previously called the attorney general's investigation "baseless" and said the school has a long history of providing a "superior level of services to meet the unique needs of severely-disabled, medically fragile, and socially-emotionally challenged children and youth adults."

An attorney representing SCHI, Robert Rabinowitz, declined to comment after Monday's arraignment.

Attorney General spokesman Peter Aseltine said the arraignment was held in Middlesex County because three of the districts that send children to SCHI are in the county: Highland Park, Edison and Monroe.

Eisemann is scheduled to be back in court on June 12.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEW YORK -- The family of a 31-year-old New Jersey man struck and killed by a vehicle in Manhattan last year after waiting hours for police to respond to an earlier crash has filed a federal lawsuit.

Thomas Sauicke Jr., of Hazlet, was driving south on the FDR Drive on Jan. 21, 2016 with his wife and daughter when he was involved in a two-vehicle collision near 42nd Street around 5 p.m., according to court papers.

Sauickie made multiple calls to the police and was told by an operator each time that officers were on their way, the suit said.

After more than two hours passed and police failed to show, Sauickie noticed an officer on the other side of the FDR Drive, the suit said. He walked across the road to talk to the officer and was hit by a car while walking back to his vehicle to rejoin his family, according to the lawsuit.

Sauickie was struck at 7:27 p.m. and died the following day.

The negligence and wrongful death suit filed by Sauickie's widow Tracie J. Orr and young daughter names the New York Police Department, the New York Fire Department, the city's EMS and the owners of the car that struck Sauickie as defendants.

The suit was filed last week in federal court in Manhattan.

Sauickie graduated from Raritan High School and Monmouth University. The West Keansburg volunteer firefighter worked for R. Helfrich & Sons Charter Bus Company in Hazlet, according to an online obituary.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FREEHOLD -- A Neptune City teen pleaded guilty Monday to throwing the body of his childhood friend, Sarah Stern, from the Route 35 bridge in Belmar and agreed to testify against the man accused of strangling her in December.

Preston Taylor, 19, was charged with helping another high school friend, Liam McAtasney, dump Stern's body early on Dec. 3 and leaving her car on the bridge in an attempt to make her death appear like a suicide.

In a tension-filled 50-minute court proceeding before Superior Court Judge Richard English, Taylor pleaded guilty to robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing or desecrating human remains, tampering with physical evidence and two counts of hindering apprehension.

Sarah Stern

A somber Taylor, with his hands shackled to his waist, provided the judge and the attorneys with chilling details of the case, saying it was McAtasney's plan to kill Stern after learning in August that she had come into money from her grandmother.

He told of how they discussed the plan several times over the following months, with Taylor initially trying to dissuade McAtasney from killing their friend but then eventually giving in to the plan.

Hours after Taylor's plea, a grand jury handed up a seven-count indictment against McAtasney.

The indictment charges McAtasney with murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, hindering the apprehension of himself, tampering with evidence and disturbing or desecrating human remains.

The panel also found an aggravating factor that increases the penalty for murder from between 30 years and life in prison to life in prison without parole.

Unless a person is sentenced to life without parole, a life sentence in New Jersey equates to about 75 years behind bars, with the requirement that the defendant serve nearly 64 years before becoming eligible for parole.

McAtasney's next court date would be in about two weeks for an arraignment on these charges.

His attorney, Charles Moriarty, who was not in court on Monday, said McAtasney insists he had nothing to do with Sarah Stern's death and that Taylor is trying to avoid a murder charge by blaming McAtasney.

"My client still expresses that he had nothing to do whatsoever with this," Moriarty said.

In return for Taylor's plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the most serious charge against him -- felony murder. He could have faced life without parole if convicted of that charge.

"He came up with a few ideas to kill her and dispose of the body to get the money," Taylor said of McAtasney.

Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Decker asked Taylor a series of questions to show that he knew of McAtasney's plans but didn't try to talk him out of it or go to police.

The only instruction Taylor gave McAtasney, he acknowledged, was to tell him to avoid killing Stern during daylight hours.

"Liam McAtasney needed your help on that bridge," Decker said.

"Yes," Taylor responded.

"And you provided that help," Decker followed up.

"Yes," Taylor repeated.

As it stands now, prosecutors plan to ask for a 20-year prison term. His attorney, John Perrone, will argue at sentencing for a 10-year prison term. Based on New Jersey's criminal laws, Taylor would have to serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole if he gets the 20-year sentence.

His sentencing was set for July 21, but that date could be delayed if he has not yet testified in McAtasney's case.

Taylor's plea comes the same day the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office is expected to present the case to a grand jury for indictment. Perrone said Taylor wanted to admit his role.

"He's got closure. He made admissions," Perrone said after court. "This was something he had to get off his chest. He had to atone for this."

He said McAtasney, whom Taylor has known since their freshman year of high school, is a "Manson-like person," who exerted control over Taylor much like serial killer Charles Manson held over his cult followers.

Taylor said he was to get $3,000 of the $10,000 McAtasney stole from Stern that she kept in a safe in her bedroom.

After the killing, they broke open the safe, which they later buried empty at Shark River Park in Wall Township, and put the stolen money in another safe they buried at Sandy Hook, Taylor said.

Taylor said he was at work with his father on Dec. 2 when McAtasney called to tell him he was going to "do it," which Taylor knew meant kill Stern and steal her money. When McAtasney returned to the Neptune City house he shared with Taylor, he told Taylor he had strangled Stern and hid her body in a downstairs bathroom of her home.

McAtasney instructed Taylor to go back to the house to hide Sarah's body outside and to search for a cellphone McAtasney left behind, Taylor said.

Following those instructions, Taylor walked to her house, went in the back door and dragged her body to the backyard where he hid her body in bushes and covered it with leaves, he said.

When McAtasney finished work for the night, the pair went back to Stern's house to retrieve her body, Taylor said.

He said McAtasney put her body in the front passenger seat of her car and drove it to the Route 35 bridge while Taylor followed in his car. With Taylor on the northbound side and McAtasney on the southbound side, they waited until traffic was clear before removing her body, Taylor said.

McAtasney couldn't get her body over the railing, so Taylor drove his car behind Stern's and helped his friend toss it over the side, he said.

"You're certain the body went over the side?" Perrone asked his client.

"Yes," Taylor said.

That question posed to dispel claims that Stern committed suicide or ran away.

Taylor said he and McAtasney later made up stories that Stern had once tried to commit suicide.

"What was the purpose of leaving the car?" Perrone asked.

"To make it look like a suicide," Taylor said.

Taylor was arrested Feb. 2, nearly two months after Stern was reported missing. Her car was found abandoned on the Route 35 bridge with the keys inside, prompting a massive search and weeks of uncertainty about her fate.

McAtasney, 19, is charged with strangling Stern and robbing her. The two teenagers grew up with Stern in the same Neptune City community. Taylor took Stern to the junior prom.

While Taylor detailed his involvement, his parents sat in the back row of the courtroom listening glumly.

Stern's father, Michael Stern, sat in the front row using a tissue to dab tears from his eyes.

Taylor has remained in the Monmouth County jail since his arrest.

A witness told investigators McAtasney admitted to strangling Stern, 19, in her Neptune home on Dec. 2 before stealing money from her, authorities have said. Authorities initially said they stole $7,000 but Taylor on Monday said it was $10,000.

Stern's body has not been recovered but authorities have occasionally returned to the river to search. They were most recently there on Friday along with Taylor.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said investigators haven't given up searching for Stern's body. He said divers plan to be on the water this week.

Perrone sought to have his client released from jail under the state's new bail guidelines. But Judge David Bauman ruled to keep Taylor behind bars, and a state appellate last week court upheld that decision.

He said Taylor was raised by "very down-to-earth and wholesome people," attended Catholic schools and was religious before he met McAtasney.

"There was a change," he said. "And this change was Liam McAtasney."

Staff writer Alex Napoliello contributed to this report.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
How ridiculous is it that Berkeley, the school that once birthed the national free speech movement, can't have a speaker based on threats of violence?



Sure, back in the 1960's, the attempt was to silence students about black civil rights. But everyone's entitled to their say in a free society - even a poisonous harpy like Ann Coulter.



Flip-flopping on whether she can speak, and relegating her to a time when few can attend, is a shameful stifling of unpopular viewpoints.



Berkeley and other schools have also canceled speeches by Milo Yiannopoulos, the former Breitbart editor and professional jerk. Hecklers have tried to drown him out. We've seen the same for white supremacist Richard Spencer.



It gives these shock jocks exactly what they want: Victim status. But even more tiresome are universities with no gumption to stand up to their fascist students.



And if those threatening violence aren't students, why not just arrest them? Or close off the event to outsiders? They can't be allowed to determine who can and cannot speak on campus.



As Robert Reich, a former Clinton official who is now a professor at Berkeley, argues, if schools can't do everything in their power to foster and protect free speech, "they aren't universities. They're playpens."

Exactly.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
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In this 2014 photo, Gov. Chris Christie a bill implementing changes to New Jersey's bail system approved by voters. The reforms were supported by Christie and a wide array of groups including the Supreme Court, the state attorney general, the public defender and the ACLU. But the implementation has sparked fights over the ground rules.

(File photo)

TRENTON -- Citing "grave concern" among county prosecutors, New Jersey's attorney general has asked the state's court system to add gun possession and other crimes to the list of offenses for which suspects are automatically recommended to be locked up under the state's new bail system.

The request came just a few months into the new set-up, which has been taking heat from the state's law enforcement community.

And according to letters obtained by NJ Advance Media, it sparked a fight with public defenders and civil liberties advocates, who called the move a knee-jerk reaction and warned tinkering with the system this soon could undermine the reforms.

New Jersey underwent major criminal justice changes in January when it moved away from cash bail toward an arrangement where judges can order defendants jailed based in part on a risk assessment that weighs the suspect's criminal history and the charges they face.

The reforms were meant to ensure violent offenders were locked to await trial while those accused of minor crimes didn't languish in jail just because they couldn't post meager bail amounts.

In its first few weeks, however, those changes have drawn scrutiny from police and some elected officials over cases where defendants were arrested and quickly released because they weren't deemed a threat, only to commit more crimes in short order.

Last week, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and state lawmakers held a press conference to criticize a so-called loophole that allowed those charged with illegal firearms possession to be released into the new Pretrial Services program, in which defendants return home and are subjected to varying degrees of monitoring by court staff.

But the attorney general, Christopher Porrino, is looking to work around the state Legislature to similar ends, asking the administrator of the court system to make a raft of changes in-house.

His Division of Criminal Justice director, Elie Honig, sent an April 7 letter to Judge Glenn Grant, acting administrative director of the courts, requesting tougher pre-trial sanctions for certain crimes, citing cases where defendants accused of brandishing weapons or leading police on dangerous car chases were allowed to walk free until trial.

The new system uses an algorithm called the Public Safety Assessment, or PSA, that measures risk of flight and danger to the community and informs a judge's decision whether to order a defendant released into the monitoring program or held without bail. Certain crimes carry more weight in the PSA and, while the final decision is up to the judge, the most serious offenses come with a presumption of jail.

Prosecutors are now asking the list of crimes in that category be expanded.

Honig said the court should give heavier weight to offenses including unlawful possession of a handgun and eluding police, asking such crimes be classified as "violent" offenses under the PSA and come with the automatic recommendation that the defendant is locked up.

In his letter, Honig cited three gun cases, including one out of Passaic County where a man allegedly pointed a gun at his step-daughter's boyfriend, telling him "I have this for you."

The man, Austin Chagoya, was charged with aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and various weapons offenses, but Pretrial Services recommended he be released with limited monitoring, according to the letter.

Division of Criminal Justice Director Elie Honig.

Honig also cited another case out of Union County, in which a suspect, David Crooks, allegedly led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle that took them across several lanes of traffic, sideways, on a state highway, before he crashed into a road sign and spun out of control.

Crooks was arrested for second-degree eluding, among other charges, but was released on the condition he check in with Pretrial Services every other week, according to the letter.

Yet under the new system, a judge will only consider locking someone up if prosecutors ask them to, and Honig acknowledged that in most of the cases he cited, that request was never made.

In his own letter last week, Alexander Shalom, a senior attorney for the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote it was "particularly peculiar" that prosecutors would cry foul over the release of defendants they never bothered to ask be jailed in the first place.

Honig wrote that was because the defendants' low PSA scores and the recommendations of Pretrial Services "posed significant practical obstacles to detention."

But both Shalom and Joseph Krakora, the state public defender who wrote his own letter to the court, pointed out that such obstacles are frequently overcome. Judges can, and have, order defendants jailed even despite the PSA or Pretrial Services recommendation if they find good reason, they wrote.

It's unclear whether the court will accept the changes prosecutors have recommended. In a statement to NJ Advance Media, Grant said there were "understandable concerns" raised by the attorney general.

"There continues to be a productive dialogue between the courts and the offices of both the attorney general and the public defender to assess all aspects of criminal justice reform and any improvements that might be made through legislation or adjustments to the PSA," Grant said. "However, the legislation authorizing the use of the PSA rightly requires that the evaluations be based upon empirical evidence."

Shalom and Krakora argue the prosecutors' request is "clearly premature" and based on "limited anecdotes."

Preliminary data from the judiciary shows that in the early weeks of bail reform, judges across the state and in most individual counties granted more than half of prosecutors' requests to have defendants locked up.

Statewide, the average was a little more than 54 percent granted versus almost 46 percent denied. But officials caution not to draw conclusions based on the limited data pool of just a few weeks' worth of rulings.

In his letter, Shalom said the new system was imperfect and its tools "are certain to need modifications."

"But we should not be rash," he wrote.

State officials say there aren't more people committing crimes while awaiting trial under the new system than there were under the old one, where a defendant could still post bail and get right back to breaking the law.

"Unfortunately, some defendants will reoffend while on pretrial release regardless of the system in place," Krakora wrote. "At least now the courts are making these decisions based on empirical risk assessment."

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- In the wake of a campaign where Donald Trump was accused of using anti-Semitic memes, attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions rose by more than a third last year, according to a report issued Monday by the Anti-Defamation League.

Such incidents increased by 35 percent to 1,266 from 941 in 2015. That was more than 10 times higher than the 3 percent increase recorded between 2014 and 2015. Almost 30 percent of last year's incidents, 369, took place in November and December as Trump was elected president.

In New Jersey, anti-Semitic attacks rose by 15 percent to 157 in 2016 from 137 in 2015. In both 2015 and 2016, New Jersey had the third highest number of incidents in the nation, behind only New York and California.

"It is deeply troubling that there are at least three anti-Semitic incidents reported in New Jersey every week," said Ross Pearlson, ADL New Jersey regional board chair. "We know that for every incident reported, there's likely another that goes unreported."

During the first three months of 2017, the number of anti-Semitic incidents continued to increase, including bomb threats against Jewish community centers in New Jersey and elsewhere, and vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.

In all, there were 541 incidents from January to March, up 86 percent over the same period in 2016 and on track for more than 2,000 incidents by the end of the year, the ADL said. In New Jersey, there were 24 incidents during the three month period this year.

U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Gov. Chris Christie and other state and federal lawmakers attended a March rally at the JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, one of the centers hit with bomb threats.

"I'm appalled, but unfortunately not surprised to hear of the increase of anti-Semitic incidents over the past year," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th Dist.), who also attended the rally. "Sadly, anti-Semitism and discrimination are alive and well in the 21st century."

The ADL said the presidential election contributed to the increase in anti-Semitic attacks. The group reported 34 separate incidents connected to the campaign, including graffiti in Denver that read, "Kill the Jews, Vote Trump," and a individual in St. Petersburg, Fla., who was told, "Trump is going to finish what Hitler started."

"There's been a significant, sustained increase in anti-Semitic activity since the start of 2016 and what's most concerning is the fact that the numbers have accelerated over the past five months," said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the ADL's chief executive officer.

While the ADL did not attribute the increase in attacks to Trump, the group was critical of him during and after the 2016 presidential election.

Trump's two-minute closing commercial showed pictures of prominent Jews as a narrator warned of "those who control the levers of power in Washington and for the global special interests."

During the campaign, he accused Hillary Clinton of holding secret meetings with international bankers; retweeted a picture of Clinton and a Jewish star against a background of dollar bills; used the slogan "America First," the name of the World War II-era group that blamed the Jews for trying to push the U.S. into war against the Nazis; and told members the Republican Jewish Coalition that they wouldn't support him because "I don't want your money."

After the election, he named Stephen Bannon, former head of the Breitbart website that is a favorite of white supremacists, as a top White House aide and reacted to reports about potential ties between Russia and his campaign by blaming U.S. intelligence agencies for leaking information. "That's something that Nazi Germany would have done," he said.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), in his March speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, decried what he called the "white nationalist dog whistles blown by Steve Bannon from the West Wing."

As president, Trump issued a statement commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day without mentioning the 6 million Jews who were its main victims, and initially resisted requests to condemn the rash of anti-Semitic attacks that had occurred earlier this year. The ADL called Trump's silence about the attacks "mind-boggling."

Trump finally spoke out Feb. 21 following a trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that must still be done to root our hate and prejudice and evil," he said after his visit.

And he began his maiden speech before a joint session of Congress the following week by condemning the attacks.

"We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms," he said to loud applause from both sides of the aisle.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Schools and local governments will feel the pinch in Gov. Chris Christie's final budget, a rating agency said Monday of the $35.5 billion spending plan.

The budget includes just $16.1 million in new direct aid for schools, and the vast majority of schools won't see any increase from this year's levels. They do benefit from indirect aid, in which the state picks up the tab for debt service and teacher retirement benefits. Those supports would increase by more than $500 million from this year to next.

Local governments won't fare much better, S&P Global Ratings said, as they'll receive just $1.7 million, or 0.11 percent, more than the current budget.

Both are limited by state law on how much they can increase property tax levies from year to year. There are, however, some exceptions. Property taxes and state aid are their primary sources of income.

But school districts that are seeing enrollment growth will likely struggle most, analysis said.

New Jersey school districts with booming enrollment have been hit especially hard during Christie's tenure because the governor has regularly awarded flat state aid. Even if Christie had followed the formula, a cap implemented by state lawmakers would restrict some districts from seeing the full increase in aid they are owed under the formula.

"The proposed budget holds kindergarten-grade 12 aid to schools flat to fiscal 2017 levels for most aid items, except for charter school aid, host district support aid and school choice aid," S&P said. "Therefore, districts experiencing enrollment increases could face budgetary pressure as state aid effectively declines on a per pupil basis."

Christie spokesman Brian Murray said the S&P report bolstered the governor's argument that the state needs to get pension and health benefits under control.

"More than $670 million of new state money is going to subsidize pension and benefit payments, nearly $500 million for teachers alone," Murray said in a statement late Monday. "That is why the Governor's call to examine ways to buttress these pension systems with additional assets and reforms should be a top priority between now and June 30."

S&P said it doesn't expect Christie's budget, as proposed, to move municipalities' credit ratings, but funding for schools is more unsettled.

The governor wants to rewrite the school funding formula, under which 31 low-income districts receive more than half of the roughly $9 billion in direct state aid. Those district are guaranteed high levels of state funding by a state Supreme Court decision.

Dropping his own controversial plan, Christie in his February budget addresse issued a challenge to Democrats who control the Legislature to work with him to come up with a new funding scheme.

What progress, if any, they've made is unclear.

"Changes that result in significant loss of state aid revenue could place pressure on a district's fiscal position, particularly those with limited reserves," S&P said.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Suzey Shoukry, Halla Shafey, Gehan Fayez and Marwa Ezzat decided to hold an exhibition together after meeting at Luxor's International Painting Symposium

Cairo's Nile Art Gallery hosted this week a group exhibition titled We Met in the South, featuring work by four Egyptian women artists: Suzey Shoukry, Halla Shafey, Gehan Fayez and Marwa Ezzat.

On 20 April the gallery hosted a seminar in parallel to the exhibition, which closed 23 April.

The seminar was moderated by art critic Yasser Mongy, who provided a reading of each of the works and highlighted some similarities and differences between the artists approaches.

As the title suggests, the exhibition emerged after the artists met and bonded at the Luxor International Painting Symposium held in December, deciding to hold a show together.

The exhibition showcases their diverse artistic voices and the vision and expressions of each.

Shoukrys work is a collection of black and white monochrome paintings. They are all, as the artist stressed, untitled so as not to steer the viewer in a certain direction.

From our differences come our agreements, she said at the seminar.

An artist, journalist and art critic, Shoukry has written for several newspapers and magazines, such as Al-Ahrams Evening Paper, Nahdet Misr newspaper, and Akhbar El-Adab magazine.

She also served as a member of the jury committee of El-Sawy Culture Wheel between 2008 and 2010.

Shoukry has been honoured several times by national culture institutions, including by the Minisrty of Culture for overseeing a group of Egyptian, Arab and foreign artists at the 9th Luxor International Painting Symposium.

Shafeys colorful abstract work harmonised with that of the other artists, according to Mongy.

A student of Magd El-Saginis atelier, Shafey pursued her passion for art using pastels after a long career of 25 years as a development economist.

The artist has said she is interested in colour, line, form and texture. Her work often depicts rural and urban landscapes and childhood memories.

In 2013, she was awarded the first prize for non-members from the Pastel Society of England for her painting Girl from the South of Egypt. She was listed among 10 artists to watch in 2016 by the prestigious international Pastel Journal.

Fayez, head of the mural painting department at Minyas Faculty of Fine Art, displayed a number of her large scale cubistic pieces, characterised by their use of primary colors.

Her murals have been displayed in a number of solo exhibitions, most recently in 2016 in Murals of Abu Sweilem. She has also displayed in group exhibitions such as Ajyal: The First International Salon, and the Third Borollos Symposium for Drawing on Walls and Boats.

As for Ezzat, a lecturer at Luxors Faculty of Fine Arts, her works were dominated by greens and reds, symbolically themed around a woman and a cat.

Ezzat served as the Dean of Isis Art Gallery until 2010 and is the author of Materials and Techniques -- a book on drawing and painting.

She has received a number of awards, including the painting prize from the Fine Arts Lovers Society in 1999 and 2001, the judges award in painting at the Youth Salon in 1998, as well as the Bibliotheca Alexandrina prize in painting at the Youth Salon in 2007.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Editor's note: This is Day 8 of a two-week tour of Middle America as Matt Arco and Andrew Maclean connect people in New Jersey with those in red states. Track everything on Twitter via #MeetInTheMiddle or at NJ.com/meetinthemiddle.

TULSA, Okla. -- Weclome back to another installment of Red State Roulette, our ongoing series connecting New Jerseyans with supporters of President Donald Trump in Middle America.

The video project is part of our two-week trip through 12 states on our #MeetInTheMiddle project.

The Red State Roulette game is simple: We prerecorded 11 questions two weeks ago from people around New Jersey. And so we didn't go into any interview with preconceived notions, we're using an iPhone app to launch a random number generator.

We ask our interview subjects to tap the phone, which stops the generator and selects a single number, 1 through 11. We then play the corresponding video on a laptop and show the people we're interviewing the question from the person back in New Jersey.

At the MeadowBrook Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., on Sunday, Paul DeAngelis took a question from Phil Papa from Hoboken, who asked Trump supporters what they think the new president would do to better their lives.

"I believe that Donald Trump's policies will better Americans overall," DeAngelis said.

DeAngelis, a self-described third-generation concrete man from Pittsburgh, Pa., said having a businessman in the Oval Office will be better for everyone and went into details why.

For the rest of his interview -- including his views on the border -- play the video above.

And please continue to follow along at nj.com/meetinthemiddle and jump in the comments if you have ideas for us. We have our prerecorded video questions but we're not limiting all of our interviews to those questions.

And be sure to check out the question from Ocaris Ortiz, of River Edge that Tony Covert, of Nebo, Missouri, answered Tuesday ... or Chris Sayres' of Harrison, Ark., answer to Brian Simmons, of Hoboken on Wednesday ... and Eric Burns of Shreveport, La., who took a question from Laura Christie of Jersey City on Thursday.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Several aides to President Donald Trump regret the decision to actually throw away Gov. Chris Christie's transition plans, according to a report by the New York Times.

The report, published Saturday, examines how Trump often relies on people outside the White House for advice. Christie, a longtime friend, is among the 20 counselors listed in the piece.

The Times makes reference to months of reports that Christie and Jared Kushner, Trump's New Jersey-bred son-in-law and senior adviser, have a chilly relationship, and how that was reportedly part of the reason Christie was dumped as the chairman of Trump's transition team after the election in November.

The newspaper reported in February that a senior Trump aide "made a show of tossing" Christie's plans "into a garbage can."

But multiple reports in recent weeks said Christie still enjoys a close relationship with Trump, a former Atlantic City casino magnate, often speaking to him on the phone. Several people close to Christie have confirmed that to NJ Advance Media.

Trump has also named the New Jersey governor as chairman of a task force to find ways to fight the nation's opioid addiction epidemic.

The Times reported in Saturday's piece that Kushner 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," the report said. "He has been a frequent Oval Office visitor and has worked with the White House on the opioid addiction crisis."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
UNION TWP. - The township's first woman police officer has been awarded $355,000 after a jury determined she was discriminated against by township officials when she was denied lifetime health benefits upon retirement.

MaryAnne Cosimano has paid for her own health benefits since she retired from the Union Township Police Department in 2010. At the time, the township determined she fell just short of the 25 years of service required to receive lifetime health benefits.

A federal jury, however, determined earlier this month that the department discriminated against Cosimano because she was a woman. The $355,000 judgement is intended to cover past and future health expenses.

"She was the first female police officer in the department and the first cop who didn't get lifetime benefits," Cosimano's attorney David Corrigan said.

Township officials said they were stunned by the verdict and are considering an appeal.

"The verdict conflicts with the final judgment of the Superior Court of New Jersey upholding an arbitration award that found that Ms. Cosimano was not contractually entitled to lifetime health insurance paid for by the taxpayers of Union at the time she retired," said Union township Attorney Daniel Antonelli.

The township has argued that Cosimano was a year short of the 25 year requirement.

"The township is considering all of its options, including appealing the decision to the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals," said Township Administrator Ron Manzella.

Cosimano

joined the department in 1986 as a dispatcher and eventually became a patrol officer before being promoted to detective in 2000. Before joining the police department, Cosimano had worked a year in state Motor Vehicle Commission.



In early 2010, the department reassigned Cosimano from the detective bureau to the patrol division after she missed time with a finger injury, saying that she couldn't fulfill the duties of a full-time detective.

After her transfer, she held a desk job, which included a $3,000 pay cut from her detective salary, township officials said.

Cosimano filed a grievance with the local police union in June after her demotion from detective to patrol officer. She alleged in her lawsuit that the denial of lifetime health benefits resulted from gender discrimination and as retaliation for the grievance.



When she filed the suit, township officials said Cosimano had waived her year of service with motor vehicles as part of a union agreement.

Corrigan said that since his client was successful in the trial, he will plans to recoup legal fees.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Wrong-way cop's Bible banter silenced by his attorneys as trial continues

STATEN ISLAND -- Two of the three survivors of a wrong-way crash that left two men dead in 2015 are expected to testify this week against the ex-Linden police officer accused of driving drunk and plowing head-on into a tractor trailer.

The trial of Pedro Abad, who was fired from the Linden police department after the fatal crash, enters its second week on Monday and jurors are expected to hear from the tractor trailer driver, whose name has never been released by authorities.

Later in the week, former Linden police officer Patrik Kudlac, who was a passenger in Abad's car, is expected to take the stand.

Abad is accused of speeding and driving drunk when he went the wrong way on the West Shore Expressway as he was returning home from the Curves strip club in his Honda Civic on March 20, 2015.

He passed several vehicles before plowing head-on into the tractor trailer, killing two of his passengers - Linden resident Joseph Rodriguez and Linden officer Frank Viggiano, both 28,

Kudlac, who was critically injured, said in an interview with NJ Advance media he only has vague memories of going to the strip club, and he fell asleep in the back seat of Abad's car before the crash.

Kudlac said he was awakened by a horn and the headlights of the truck. He recalled the impact, and then only momentary consciousness. Kudlac subsequently resigned from the police force because of his injuries.

Abad faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and manslaughter, among other charges. Prosecutors have said he had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit at the time of the crash, though Abad's attorney has challenged the methods of the blood test.

Toxicologist William Dunn, of the New York City Chief Medial Examiner's Office, testified last week, however, that the blood alcohol level could have been higher.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Palladino may also play a video that depicts a recreation of the crash this week as the case continues to unfold in Staten Island. The video shows the two "Do Not Enter" signs that Abad would have passed when going down the ramp and the distance he traveled in the wrong direction before the crash, authorities said.

Each morning as Abad enters the courthouse, he had been reading a Bible verse for reporters.

Last week he gave a statement explaining he is trying to spread the Bible, because after the crash occurred, he was declared dead and he saw God, and "God told him things."

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The ministry's Artistic Theater House will offer free admission to public theatres in Cairo and Alexandria on 25 and 26 April

In celebration of Sinai Liberation Day on 25 April, Egypts Artistic Theatre House (which operates under the Ministry of Culture and oversees all state-owned theatres) will provide free admission to all performances at public theatres on two consecutive days, 25 and 26 April.

Ismail Mokhtar, head of the Artistic Theatre House told Ahram Online that the free entry is "part of Culture Minister Helmy El-Namnam's focus on the important role of theatre in the country and its goal to attract the public."

Performances will include The Trial, based on Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, to be staged at the National Theatre in Cairo. The play is a fictionalised account of the US' famous 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which debated whether the theory of evolution should be taught in state-funded schools.

Yaoum An Qatalu Al-Ghenaa (The Day They Killed Singing) will be staged at Cairo's Taliaa Theatre. According to Al-Ahram Weekly, the play presents a struggle between two brothers as they search for the secrets of existence and the universe. The play is directed by Tamer Karam.

The highly successful Qawaaid Al-Ashq Al-Arbaain (The Forty Rules of Love), based on the novel by Elif Safak and adapted for the stage by Rasha Abdel-Moneim, will be staged at Cairo's Salam Theatre.

Other plays will include Al-Ashq Al-Masmouaa (The Overheard Love) and Aashaa Aamal (A Business Dinner) at Malak Opera Theatre, as well as Doctorah Fi Al-Hob (A Doctorate in Love) at Alexandria's Beram Al-Tunsi Theatre, to name a few.

Check with the theatres for details regarding showtimes and other performances.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture



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What to eat at New Orleans Jazz Fest: Our favorite dishes
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.
Experience in public office or the need for change. Voters in District 9 are being asked at Tuesdays election to judge what they value more when it comes to who will represent them on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
The Images of Truth puppet show will be performed by New Delhi's Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust

Related Egyptian puppet troupe participates in New Delhi festival

The ongoing India by the Nile festival will close with a puppet theatre performance titled The Images of Truth, to be staged in Alexandria on 25 April and Cairo on 27 April. The Images of Truth (Satya ke Pratiroop) is produced by the Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust in India.



Deemed groundbreaking and subversive at the time of its debut, the puppet play was commissioned in 1993 by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, a leading government-funded arts organisation in New Delhi.

According to India by the Nile's official website, the trailblazing show continues to mould theatre practices today in India by offering an alternative to mainstream theatre.

In line with Ishara's commitment to creating socially aware puppetry, this performance explores the spiritual journey and life's work of inspirational figure and leader Mahatma Gandhi.



Directed by Dadi D. Pudumjee, founder of the Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust, the musical, non-verbal show offers an audiovisual view into Gandhi's achievements and the compound effects they have had on contemporary India, resulting in an inclusive experience for all generations.

Programme:

Tuesday 25 April, 2.30 and 6.30pm

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria

Thursday 27 April, 7pm

Hanager Theatre, Cairo Opera House Grounds, El Gezira, Zamalek, Cairo

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture



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WEST DES MOINES (AP)  West Des Moines business owner Kelly Sharp wants to transform an empty retail space in Valley Junction into a rustic-chic wine and coffee bar featuring a white quartz stone bar, exposed brick walls and seating for 44.

Along with adding beautiful finishes to the 117-year-old building she owns the structure needs serious improvements to bring it up to city and safety codes and make it usable as a restaurant.

She is looking at about a $380,000 investment.

Its costly when you have older buildings to upgrade, Sharp said.

But Sharp and other historic West Des Moines business owners wanting to make changes have new options to help defray those costs.

An incentive program aimed at the citys historic district is set to revive the look of the retail and commercial center and encourage new business to locate there, said business and city leaders. The city has committed $1 million to fund the incentives, The Des Moines Register reported.

Things are happening here, said Jim Miller, executive director of the Historic Valley Junction Foundation.

Miller wants to see the momentum continue. Even if we have 10 buildings that have $30,000 to $50,000 in improvements, my gosh what a difference that would make.

Property owners looking to add retail, restaurants, coffee shops, bars and other businesses face mounting costs to upgrade the buildings, some of which are 100 years and older.

Some need structural improvements, while others need new plumbing, electrical or fire protection, including sprinkler systems.

Others are just looking to add awnings and signage. And a few are looking to make major changes including adding or tearing down walls.

Owners may apply for up to $75,000 in no-interest loans to improve buildings used for commercial, office, industrial or mixed-use properties. Loans will be repaid through additional property tax generated by the improved property.

Eligible projects include new or replacement roofs, renovation of under-used spaces, improvements to awnings or facades, additions and architectural or engineering fees.

A second fund also awards up to $75,000 in assistance to bring properties in compliance with health and safety regulations, including adding sprinklers; making buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act; adding or upgrading electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems to code; adding grease tank equipment and others. This grant requires matching funds from property owners.

Applicants may request money from both pots. They are excluded from the program if they already are receiving assistance through a property tax rebate program the city implemented in September.

That program provides a 100 percent property tax rebate over five years when property owners build or renovate vacant retail, office, mixed-use and industrial buildings in exchange for a $500,000 investment and five full-time jobs.

The new set of incentives will target smaller projects, the city said.

Sharp said her renovation plans for Vino 209 Wine Cafe are contingent on getting grants and loans from the city.

This will allow me to take some under-utilized space and turn it into something, she said.

Her plan is to transform the former retail space into a spot where shoppers and visitors can relax. Along with wine and coffee, Vino 209 also will serve cheese platters, sandwiches and desserts and offer a small party room.

Half of the 117-year-old building now houses her longtime Heart of Iowa Market Place gift shop, while the other half was home to an interior design business that recently relocated. The improvements also will increase the value of the building.

City development leaders are hoping the funds spur more development in the historic district. The businesses must be in an area that stretches from Railroad Avenue north to Vine Street and the blocks between Sixth and Fourth Streets.

Theres also a sliver along First Street between Walnut and Railroad that is included, along with an area south of Railroad between 11th and Sixth.

One of the things identified in the market plan for the district is to have more bars and restaurants, said Clyde Evans, director of community and economic development.

That requires more fire sprinklers and grease traps to be installed, he said. He also wants to see some unused or warehouse space on the upper floors of some buildings be renovated into residential spaces or offices.

These funds are to help offset some of those costs, he said. This area is where West Des Moines started and theres a lot of attention there.

About 150 businesses operate in Valley Junction and the occupancy rate hovers at 90 percent.

Cindy Lane will apply for a $25,000 grant that will help her pay to add a new awning and tuck-pointing to her business Cindys Boutique at 114 Fifth St.

This will help the looks and the structure of the building, she said.

I hope people will take advantage of the program, she said. Maintenance now will avoid more costly projects down the road, she said.

Miller said he knows of some of the business that plan to apply for the money, including the owners of the Cafe Su who are doing a full interior renovation.

And the new owners of the former Wicker and the Works location are renovating the one-time car dealership building.

With so many potential improvements on the horizon, Miller said hes not concerned that property and rental rates will climb so high that it pushes out small local businesses that are the essential and sustaining elements of Valley Junction.

Its a priority for us to not have that happen. Rents are still really affordable, he said.

The city has offered other incentive programs, including low-interest loans to Valley Junction businesses, but did have any takers, Evans said.

There was a lot of red tape, and property owners just werent interested, he said. Now theres a different mix of property owners who are interested in getting the citys help with renovations, he said.

This is a 2-year pilot program but it all depends on how quickly we run out of money, Evans said. But that would give us a good reason to go back to the city council for more money, he said.

The application deadline for the first round of incentives was April 12. Evans said he expects the city council to consider the applications at its May 1 meeting. The city will disperse left over money in a second round this summer, he said.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  President Donald Trump made a very long distance phone call to the International Space Station, to congratulate its commander on breaking the record for the most time spent in space of any American astronaut.

The president spoke Monday with Peggy Whitson, an Iowa native who was born in Mount Ayr, commander of the International Space Station, and fellow astronaut Jack Fischer.

Whitson, the first woman to command the International Space Station, surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in orbit by an American. That record was set last year by Jeffrey Williams.

Trump joked that the call was possible because of "great American equipment that works, and that is not easy."

He said he's more impressed by the astronauts than by any of the politicians he deals with in Washington.

Trump's daughter and close adviser, Ivanka Trump, and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, joined him in the Oval Office during the call.

Whitson says it's a "huge honor to break a record like this," and that it would not have been possible without the support of NASA.

Last month, Trump signed new legislation adding human exploration of Mars to NASA's mission.

Whitson said she's excited about the new legislation and said there is equipment being made now in preparation for the launch.

Whitson already was the world's most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By the time she returns to Earth in September, she'll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.

The world record  879 days  is held by Russian Gennady Padalka.
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VALPARAISO  A Gary man charged with battering and raping a female acquaintance Thursday refused to sign an order prohibiting him from having further contact with the woman.

Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa issued the order anyway during the initial court appearance Monday morning of Aaron Singleton.

Pleas of not guilty were entered on behalf of the 39-year-old man, who faces counts of rape, sexual battery, invasion of privacy, battery, theft, interference with reporting a crime and criminal mischief.

When the details of the rape and invasion of privacy charges were read, Singleton said he did not understand and had them read a second time.

"I caught rape or something in there like that," he said.

Singleton is accused of going to a female acquaintance's home, allegedly striking her, taking her cellphone and removing the SIM card and then sexually assaulting her.

Singleton was arrested at the North Porter County Government Complex in Portage after leaving the woman's home, according to a police report.

Bond was set at $7,500 cash. Singleton was told his case was being transferred to another courtroom where the issue of a public defender would be discussed.
MICHIGAN CITY  One officer is on administrative leave and the second returned to work Monday following an officer-involved shooting over the weekend.

Michigan City Police Chief Mark Swistek said Monday the names of the two officers involved in the incident at Franciscan Health will be released later this week.

"The officer involved in this weekends shooting is currently on paid administrative leave, which is customary after an officer involved shooting. The second officer that was present at the time of the incident returned to work today," Swistek said in an email.

The Indiana State Police is investigating the incident which happened just before 4 p.m. Saturday.

A preliminary investigation revealed two Michigan City off-duty police officers working security at the Franciscan Health hospital were called to the parking lot by a family member of Thomas J. Walsh III, 46, of Michigan City. Walsh was reportedly refusing to leave his vehicle and seek medical assistance, state police said over the weekend.

When the fully uniformed officers made contact with Walsh, he was sitting on the passenger side of his pickup truck, police said. At one point during the interaction, Walsh withdrew a handgun from his truck and pointed the weapon at one of the officers standing by the driver's side door, state police said.

"The officer standing on the passenger side, for fear of injury/death to the other officer, pulled his weapon and shot Walsh several times," state police said.

Walsh was given immediate medical attention and airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. He was in stable but critical condition Monday evening, according to hospital staff.
PORTAGE  William D. Spates had been out of jail for just over three hours when he was killed in an officer-involved shooting Saturday morning.

Spates, of the 2700 block of Brown Street, was arrested Tuesday, April 19, and accused of battering his wife and two children.

Spates, who has a long history of arrests in both Lake and Porter counties according to court records, was charged with felony counts of strangulation and domestic battery and two misdemeanor counts of battery. He was transported to a local hospital for breathing problems and then transported to Porter County Jail.

Porter County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Sgt. Jamie Erow said Spates was released from jail on bond at 10:29 p.m. Friday. A 10-day no-contact order had been issued when he was arrested. His home is just around the corner from where the shooting occurred.

Additional details of the shooting were released by the Porter County Sheriff's Office Monday that indicated Spates attempted to run over Portage police Officer Grant Crizer during a traffic stop in the driveway of a home in the 5200 block of Royal Avenue.

Crizer made a traffic stop on a blue 2004 Jeep Liberty at approximately 1:47 a.m. Saturday. Spates pulled into the driveway on Royal Avenue. At some point the suspect put his vehicle into reverse and accelerated rapidly into the officers fully-marked squad car, striking it, police said. Witnesses initially reported hearing the officer yelling commands to the driver, and an engine revving, followed by six to seven shots fired, according to a news release from Erow.

Erow said she could not specifically answer as to whether or not all the shots were fired by Crizer or if Spates had a weapon. She said that is still under investigation.

"However, I can relay that evidence at the scene and witness statements show a Taser was deployed prior to shots being fired," she said.

According to the Porter County Central Communications incident history for the event, Crizer reported shots fired and that he needed another unit. He told dispatch that his vehicle was struck and the subject tried to run him over. He requested EMS step up their response. Another officer arrived on scene, helping to pull Spates from the vehicle and immediately began rendering aid with his tactical first aid kit. Portage EMS arrived on scene and pronounced Spates dead.

Portage Police Chief Troy Williams said Crizer, 34, has been put on paid administrative leave.

Crizer was hired by the Portage Police Department on Aug. 17, 2014. He had previously served on the Lake Station Police Department since January 2008.

"Officer Crizer has had no disciplinary incidents with the Portage Police Department. He has received one chiefs letter of commendation and was selected to serve on the departments SWAT Team," said Williams in a news release.

Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said in the release Monday that an autopsy was performed on Spates, 39, over the weekend. The results revealed that Spates received multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and head, leading to his death.

Harris said toxicology results are pending.

Erow said detectives and crime scene investigators with her department and the Indiana State Police worked throughout the weekend and are still investigating.
INDIANAPOLIS  Indiana law enforcement is entering a brave new world where police can obtain and test any Hoosier's DNA profile against crime scene evidence, so long as a prosecutor can show the person probably committed a felony.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 322 requiring police to take a cheek swab DNA sample from every person arrested for a felony, starting in 2018.

Currently, only individuals convicted of felonies have their DNA records permanently entered into a state police database.

State Sen. Erin Houchin, R-Salem, the sponsor of the new law, said she expects police will catch more criminals once they have a bigger pool of DNA records to check against blood, fluids and other detritus gathered at crime scenes.

She also refused to rule out someday expanding the DNA collection mandate to include those arrested for misdemeanors or traffic infractions.

"DNA profiling is an accurate, widely used tool that will help law enforcement solve crimes and convict those who are responsible," Houchin said.

The new law provides that an individual's DNA sample only will be added to the state's database after a judge affirms that police had probable cause to arrest the person, which means it's more likely than not the person committed the crime he or she is accused of.

That's a significantly lower standard than the guilt beyond a reasonable doubt required for conviction.

If prosecutors are unable to convict, the law establishes a process for the person to request his or her DNA be expunged from the state database.

However, the Indiana Code also provides that if the record is not deleted as requested, that oversight does not invalidate any future arrest or conviction based on DNA evidence that shouldn't be in the database.

State Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, opposed the measure because he said it runs afoul of 4th Amendment protections against illegal police searches because an arrestee's DNA record will be used for investigatory purposes, not just identification.

"This is no different than the government coming in your house looking for evidence to see if there's anything laying around that they might be able to put together to find out you committed another crime. There is no difference," Young said.

"Why can't we just do it the right way and get a warrant?" he asked.

The law was approved 36-13 by the Senate and 84-13 in the House. Both chambers are Republican-controlled.

State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, and state Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, were the only Northwest Indiana lawmakers to vote against the proposal.
INDIANAPOLIS  The state of Indiana is providing the Gary Community School Corp. another interest-free loan to meet its April employee payroll and health insurance premiums, as well as cover student bus service for the month.

The State Board of Finance voted 3-0 Monday to approve a Common School Fund loan of $3,265,144 to the financially struggling school district.

It comes six weeks after the state provided a $3.75 million loan to Gary schools for its March payroll and critical vendor payments.

The heavily indebted school corporation in February requested a $14 million loan to carry it through the remainder of the school year.

But the Indiana Distressed Unit Appeals Board only has been willing to recommend the State Board of Finance authorize monthly borrowing that meets just the district's most immediate financial obligations.

Going forward, both State Auditor Tera Klutz and State Budget Director Jason Dudich indicated the finance board won't be authorizing any more loans unless the Gary school board actively takes steps to cut its employee count and other costs.

"If we lose our window to reduce the workforce when enrollment has declined year-over-year, then I feel like we've tied our hands yet another year," said Klutz, a Republican.

A state-appointed emergency manager is due to supplant the Gary school board in coming weeks assuming Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signs into law Senate Enrolled Act 567.

That measure, approved overwhelmingly Friday by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, gives the emergency manager sweeping powers to cut costs and restructure the district's academic program with a goal of balancing its budget and paying off more than $100 million in debt.
HAMMOND  Region high school students will be touring the U.S. District Courthouse.

Some 60 students of the Hammond Career Center will visit Wednesday, and more than 40 students of Wirt-Emerson Visual Performing Arts High School in Gary will visit May 3.

They will see presentations by a federal judge, a representative of the U.S. attorney's office, the Federal Community Defenders who represent indigent criminal defendants, the U.S. probation office, the U.S. marshal's office and the court's jury administrator.

The students also will meet a Homeland Security officer and his canine partner.

Kerry C. Connor, president of the local chapter of the Federal Bar Association, said the tour is part of a Civics Month the association conducts in the spring.

"We have a responsibility to teach young people about how their judicial system works," Connor said.

"Inviting students into the federal courthouse to meet judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and federal law enforcement officers, to learn about jury selection, and even to register to vote is an invaluable hands-on educational opportunity. Students are amazed to learn how passionate and committed each participant is to their role in the judicial system."

She said Sue Brown, courtroom deputy for Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry, and Tiffany Rogers, a deputy clerk, are helping to coordinate the students' visits.
HIGHLAND  The show must go on, even if in a different direction, the Town Theatre board of directors has decided.

With the recent Town Council cancellation of plans to renovate the Town Theatre, its board of directors said it will temporarily remain an entity to promote other areas related to the arts  which actually is part of the board's charter.

In February, Director Keith Bruxvoort reported the board has almost $41,000 in the bank from donations and fundraising efforts.

"I think there's plenty that we could keep doing" by donating to worthy arts-related endeavors, board President Dawn Diamantopoulos said.

In answer to one board member's question about a group supposedly interested in buying and saving the theater, Diamantopoulos said it proved to be a dead end.

"There will be no Town Theatre," she added.

The Town Council recently approved a contractor bid to tear down the theater and some other buildings in the area that the town owns  except for one that houses a Mexican restaurant.

With the theater firmly out of the picture, "I think we need to support the young people" in the arts, said Director Mary Shelton.

Diamantopoulos agreed this should be the board's new direction  the same basic premise but aimed in directions away from the Town Theatre.

This could include financial help to Purdue University Northwest's Hammond campus with its music theater group, helping with poetry events and giving scholarships to future film-making students.

Director Matthew Domasica suggested donations to the booster organizations for the Highland High School band and the orchestra.

The board expects to continue operating as long as its money remains.

"Once we have no funds ... then probably our purpose is over," Diamantopoulos said.

The board said it hopes people who contributed to the theater project by purchasing memberships will let their money be used to support the arts.

However, the board also said it will arrange refunds for membership holders wishing to get their money back.

A mechanism to handle any refund requests is now in the works.

"The details will be forthcoming," Diamantopoulos said.

The board's next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. May 25 in the Highland Public Library.
LaPORTE  Fifteen years ago, a Hanna woman who bought a computer at a pawn shop found child pornography on it when she got home. Police now have in custody the man they say is the computer's original owner.

David Harrison, 42, was charged in LaPorte Circuit Court with Class C felony child exploitation and five counts of Class D felony possession of child pornography.

Police said more than 1,400 images, including children having sex with adults, were recovered from the hard drive, along with two short child pornography videos.

Also recovered from the hard drive was Harrison's resume, according to court documents.

Harrison was reached in northern Virginia and promised to turn himself in, but never showed, said LaPorte County Police Chief of Detectives Pat Cicero, the lead investigator in the case.

Gary Biggs, a deputy with the LaPorte County Police Warrants Division, said Harrison was discovered wanted during a computer check after stopped by police in Springfield, Missouri.

He said members of the Fugitive Apprehension Street Team and an agent with the U.S marshal's office returned Harrison last week.

The case is also an example of the ongoing effort by LaPorte County police to reduce the number of outstanding warrants in the system.

Harrison was still being held Monday on $20,000 cash only bond following his initial court hearing on Friday.
The Valparaiso High School Chapter of UNICEF will hold a fundraiser Tuesday at area Valparaiso residents. The Dining Downtown for UNICEF fundraiser lets people dine at a variety of restaurants. The restaurants are Blue Point, Fork & Cork, Main+Lincoln, Pikk's Tavern and Sage. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to UNCEF USA.

Diners don't have to say anything when they order. A percentage will be given to UNICEF that day.

Isabel LoDuca, a freshman member of the group, whose parents own Pikk's Tavern and got on board with this fundraiser. LoDuca then reached out to other restaurants to inspire a kind of competition between them. Whoever is able to donate the most will receive a prize from VHS UNICEF.

It's an all day fundraiser but opening/closing hours vary by restaurant.
VALPARAISO  The Valparaiso University Law School is celebrating a recent ranking for practical training by National Jurist magazine.

The magazine gave the law school an A+ rating and No. 7 ranking for its practical training program, which enables students to gain real-world experience.

The ranking is a wonderful validation of what we do at Valparaiso University Law School every day, said Derrick Howard, associate dean for experiential learning at Valpo.

As one of the first schools in the nation to establish law clinics in 1967 and field placements since the 1980s, we are extremely proud of our heritage as a law school that fully prepares students for the practice of law.

Since joining the law faculty in July 2015, Howard has redesigned the schools experiential education program in what he calls the Millennium Counsel Initiative.

First-year students take courses that teach basic research, writing and analytical skills. The Introduction to Experiential Learning course includes a live-client rotation component that is based on medical school clinical rotations, Howard said.

This process exposes first-year students to training opportunities that touch on most of the skills the American Bar Association now deems vital to a complete legal education, Howard said.

Skills include interviewing, listening, counseling, problem solving and communicating and building relationships with clients in a professional manner.

Other experiential offerings at Valparaiso Law School include externships, law clinics, study abroad programs in England, Israel and Palestine, simulation courses, Moot Court, International Moot Court, the Trial Advocacy course and competition, law review, client counseling and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

Derek Warner, a third-year law student who is scheduled to graduate this May, is among the students whove benefited from the real-world education.

Valparaiso Law School has an amazing practical training program and has been preparing students for success beyond the bar exam, Warner said. Overall, I gained research, writing, time-management and individual leadership skills through my experience.

Warner participated in a live-client opportunity where he drafted documents for clients including a power of attorney. He also was offered multiple externships with a supervisor from the law school and participated in the law schools tax clinic where he represented clients in tax-related matters and negotiated with the IRS and Department of Revenue.

I am very fortunate to be a part of this program and have recommended to many friends who are contemplating pursuing law to look at Valparaiso Law School and the clinic offerings, Warner said.

I also recommend to the lower classmen to look at a clinic position because there is nothing you can learn in a classroom that compares to the client interaction and experience gained in the clinic.
Indiana is getting $10.9 million in federal funding to fight the opioid crisis. Most of that money will go toward treatment.

Background

The use of heroin and opioid painkillers has exploded across the United States in recent years. An estimated 91 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared opioid use an epidemic in this country.

Indiana has the 17th-highest rate of drug overdoses in the nation. In Northwest Indiana, both Lake and Porter counties had record number of heroin overdoses last year.

However, treatment often is hard for opioid addicts to access, particularly if they are poor or lack private insurance. Inpatient rehab and detox are especially difficult to find. Wait lists are common.

Early last year, then-President Barack Obama requested $1 billion in new funding to expand treatment. Congress overwhelmingly approved the spending in December. The money will be awarded to states over the next two fiscal years.

What's next

The Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction plans to spend the $10.9 million on:

Expanding residential treatment and detox programs, particularly those that serve pregnant women and the parts of the state most devastated by the opioid epidemic. This will take up the bulk of the funding.

Improving access to medication-assisted treatment, by helping patients pay for it and training more physicians to offer it. Research has found medication-assisted treatment, where patients take craving-reducing drugs like buprenorphine or naltrexone, to be the most effective way to treat opioid addiction.

Providing treatment to juvenile offenders. The state already treats adult offenders through its Recovery Works program.

Training recovery peer support specialists for placement in emergency rooms in the most high-risk counties.

Purchasing and distributing the overdose-reversal drug naloxone to local health departments.

Launching a public awareness campaign to reduce the stigma surrounding drug treatment.
Five people are dead, including three children, following a fast-moving four-alarm fire in Queens Village on Sunday afternoon, according to the city police department.

The blaze, which started at a house on 208 St. near 112th Ave, was under control by 4:25 p.m.

The fire spread from the two-story house to another home, the FDNY said.



Police sources told NY1 that the people who died in the fire were ages two, nine, 14, 20, and the age of the fifth victim is not known at this time.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday's blaze resulted in the biggest loss of life from a fire in the city since seven children from the Sassoon family were killed in a Midwood fire March 21, 2015.

There is no confirmation yet on what started the fire, which is under investigation.

The fire department said it received a 911 call on the fire at 2:36 PM.

A driver who passed by the home said he called 911 and saw flames on the first and second floor of the house.

That driver reported seeing a man tumble out of a second floor window before flames engulfed the house.

A man who lived in the building's basement described the moment when flames broke out. "I smelled smoke and I alerted my neighbor to see if he was burning something. He said no. Then he went and opened the top door, and the smoke came out and like pushed us out the door," the man said.

"It was a big gust of smoke," the witness described. "When I looked back, I saw it ripping through the front  the first floor."

Officials said some of the victims were in the attic of the house, and could not be saved in time.

Neighbors told NY1 there was no opportunity to go into the house to help the victims. One woman said the best she could do was move away a car that was in the driveway, running with the keys in ignition, to prevent further damage.

Another witness said he thought he heard what sounded like three explosions, but that has not been confirmed.

Photos courtesy @FDNY on Twitter.
NEW YORK - Con Edison says a cable failure is to blame for Friday's power outage, which crippled most of the subway system during the morning rush.

The power failed at the 7th Avenue-53rd Street Station in Manhattan.

That caused signal problems, which led to service disruptions and suspensions on most of the lettered lines for several hours.

Hundreds of straphangers were also stranded in the dark on disabled trains.

Portable generators were brought in to supply power, but those were removed Friday evening after service returned to normal.
82-year-old Sumiko Iwamuro runs a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo, where she spends her days making gyoza dumplings, but when the sun sets, she turns into DJ Sumirock, an energetic party-starter dropping beats in popular nightclubs around the Japanese capital.

Sumiko discovered her passion for techno music 12 years ago, while choosing the music at her sons birthday party, and apparently found it fascinating enough to dedicate a whole year of her life to learning the tricks of DJ-ing at a school for disc jockeys. She then started making her own tracks, most of which consist of techno beats mixed with jazz, French chanson and classical music. These combination proved a hit with Japanese nightclub-goers and 82-year-old DJ Sumirock is one of the most popular disc jockeys in Tokyo.

Photo: @sumirock27

When I spin the tables, I just want to match the beat, choose the right music, but the best thing is for my audience to enjoy themselves, Iwamuro told Reuters. That they do! Even though the vast majority of her audience is usually 60 years her junior, Sumikos music transcends the wide generation gap, making her very popular on Tokyos nightclub scene.

Her events are, well, shes got this energy that goes beyond age, and that can equal any young persons here, 25-year-old clubber Fuminari Fujii said. Shes really cool!

The elderly Japanese DJ says that spinning turntables in a nightclub is similar to running a dumpling restaurant: In both, results can be seen immediately. If the customer eats what you have made, it shows on his face if it is delicious; and if a DJ is good, everyone will dance happily.

Sumiko Iwamuro inherited the love for music from her father, who was a jazz drummer. During World War II, she would listen to jazz records, muffling the gramophone with a cushion so her neighbors couldnt hear that she was listening to music made by Allied enemies. She still has a soft spot for jazz, often incorporation it in her DJ-ing sets.

When she was 19 years old, she began helping out in the family restaurant, so she couldnt pursue a career in music, but shes definitely making up for lost time now.

DJ Sumirock is a monthly fixture at DecabarZ, a apopular nightclub in the heart of Shinjuku district, but she hopes to one day break into the New York club scene as well. For someone who only took up DJ-in in her 70s and managed to become so popular, it doesnt sound like an impossible dream.

And if Sumiko Iwamuros inspiring story doesnt convince you that age is just a number and its never too late to follow your dreams, check out this article on Berlins legendary Techno Grandpa, a 68-year-old nightclub reveler who has the energy and joie de vivre of a guy in his 20s.


Hamp Returns to Toyota Thu., Jun. 23, 2022 Julie Hamp, who resigned her position as chief communications officer of Toyota in 2015 after being arrested in Japan on suspicion of drug charges, has returned to the automaker.
Since public and business trust in journalism is at such a low level, media in general need to adopt the no surprises journalism policy of the Wall Street Journal.

The policy was explained to the April 6 meeting of the Arthur W. Page Society by WSJ activism reporter David Benoit.

David Benoit

Some attendees thought what Benoit was saying is that WSJ shares stories with subjects before they hit print. That would be a revolution at many media which check facts but do not show entire articles to subjects before publication.

WSJ communications director Steve Severinghaus said in an email that WSJ does not share full articles but it practices no surprises journalism which means that subjects are made aware of what we intend to report about them and are given appropriate time to respond to those points.

Attacking fears that truth might be dead, a thought proposed by the April 3 Time mag, the Society reaffirmed its commitment to truth and facts and said journalists and PR people must work closely together.

Benoit is noted for his scoops and deep reporting, said Talking Biz News in naming him Business News Journalist of the Year in 2015. It is operated by Chris Rouch, Distinguished Scholar in Business Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Benoit Hits Hard; OReilly: Non-Responder

Benoit covers activist shareholders and hedge funds and their impact on corporate America.

Recent stories are on the ouster of Klaus Kleinfeld as CEO of Arconic; proposed ouster of Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith; activists who want changes at Whole Foods, and activist pressure on General Motors to have two classes of common stock.

Benoit gives targets a chance to respond to various charges but they have to do that.

An instance of someone not responding in detail to charges although he had chances to do that is Bill OReilly, formerly of The OReilly Factor on Fox News.

He has dismissed sexual harassment charges as completely unfounded but has not supplied anything beyond that comment. Exactly why Fox paid $13 million to settle five cases against him has not been revealed.

Gerard Baker, WSJ editor-in-chief who addressed the Page meeting, also called for a non-confrontational relationship between the media and story subjects.

Baker points out that social media has given citizens plenty of outlets for their views besides traditional media.

Issue is Fairness

Lindsey Loving

The main issue on the table is whether media are treating their subjects fairly. Numerous PR and journalism groups are addressing this issue.

A new name entering the picture is the News Media Alliance, which is running full page ads in newspapers across America headlined: Reporters, editors and photographers create real news. Journalism you can trust.

The Alliance until last September was known as the Newspaper Assn. of America, representing some 2,000 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. Based in Arlington, it is the leading voice of the news media industry.

Our advocacy, proprietary research and events bring together todays brightest minds to craft the news media business strategies of tomorrow, says a statement of purpose. Lindsey Loving is manager of communications.
Fraser Seitel

For close to five decades, David Rockefeller, who died last month at the age of 101, was my employer and friend. First as public affairs director of Chase Manhattan, the $100 billion bank he chaired, and then as a consultant, I helped advise Mr. Rockefeller on all manner of communications.

One of my primary duties was to serve as a drafter of Mr. Rockefellers speeches. I say speech drafter and not speech writer because the speeches were his; they were ultimately always written by him, not me. I merely helped and would never presume to take credit for the great mans words. (Are you listening Pulitzer Prize Peggy Thousand Points of Light Noonan?!?)

Being a Rockefeller, David rarely showed annoyance, except for once. And the subject of that annoyance was me, because of a speech Id drafted. And the takeaway from that one awful speech-drafting experience is a lesson that all speechwriters should take to heart.

Heres what happened.

Chairman Rockefeller was to address an international economic forum on the topical subject of bank loans to lesser developed countries. In those days of sky-high oil prices, bank loans to lesser developed countries  or LDCs  were particularly worrisome. Countries like Brazil, Mexico and Argentina desperately needed money to finance their oil-dependent economies, but their ability to repay bank lenders was becoming increasingly dubious. As bank LDC debt rose, the stability of the banking system, itself, appeared imperiled.

So, Mr. Rockefellers speech on this topic had to be meticulously crafted, to reassure bank shareholders  not to mention the world  that banks could weather the LDC debt storm.

The chairmans speech went through 13 drafts before all concerned were satisfied that the tone was right. Earlier drafts  on hard analysis by the bankers  were too bold, offering promises to support the LDCs beyond levels many felt prudent. So, these earlier passages were stripped out and replaced by more benign assurances.

On the day of the speech, I accompanied the chairman, and a colleague passed out advance copies of the speech to the assembled members of the press. I read a version at my seat as Mr. Rockefeller delivered the speech, which he did without a flaw.

After the talk, I commended him on a job well done, and we returned triumphantly to the bank. Our satisfaction was short-lived.

The next morning, a headline in The Wall Street Journal read, Passages Rockefellers Speech Leaves Out Tell More than Those Included.

The story recounted how an earlier draft of Mr. Rockefellers speech, containing subsequently-excised explosive passages, had mistakenly been handed to reporters. Prior to the speech, I had carefully made sure that Mr. Rockefeller had the right copy in hand but failed to double check the copies we had distributed to the press. My bad.

And Mr. Rockefeller, correctly, was not pleased. Did he belittle or scream or rant or demand (understandably) his speech drafters head? Of course not. He was David Rockefeller, not Donald Trump!

But he was properly piqued.

Rockefellers arched eyebrow was reminder enough to one chagrined speech drafter always to review, personally, every final draft before exposing the speech to public scrutiny.

Forty years later, the lesson remains learned.

***

Fraser P. Seitel has been a communications consultant, author and teacher for 40 years. He is the author of the Prentice- Hall text The Practice of Public Relations, now in its eleventh edition, and co-author of Rethinking Reputation" and "Idea Wise. He may be reached directly at [email protected]
The Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Arizona hosted the opening rounds of the 2017 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series this past weekend. Plenty of familiar faces were at the front of the pro racing classes, but some up-and-coming racers also made their presence known with strong finishes.

The Pro 4 class was competitive all weekend long, but it was Bryce Menzies who was able to edge out Carl Renezeder for the opening race, with 2016 Champion Kyle LeDuc rounding out the podium in third. Renezeder was able to maintain his lead at round two, however, and he held off Menzies to earn the win. Rob MacCachren finished the final Pro 4 race of the weekend in third place.

In the Pro 2 class, Jerett Brooks came out strong in his debut in the class to earn the win, holding off second-place MacCachren and off-road legend Jeremy McGrath, who finished in third. On night two, MacCachren earned the victory in Pro 2, giving him an impressive three podiums on the opening weekend. Menzies finished behind MacCachren in second place, and this was also his third podium finish of the weekend. Rounding out the podium in third place is RJ Anderson, star of the recently released XP14K video.

In the Pro Lite class, Brock Heger was on fire in Arizona over the weekend. During round one, Heger earned the win after holding off Brooks and Ryan Beat, who finished in second and third, respectively. During round two, Heger fought off second-place Brian Deegan and third-place finisher Brooks (who earned his third podium as well!).

Eliott Watson proved hes a force to be reckoned with in the Pro Buggy class, as he swept the weekend. Darren Hardest Jr. didnt earn a victory in Pro Buggy over the weekend, but he ended the opening rounds with two impressive second-place finishes. Kyle Aarup finished in third place at round one, while Bud Ward earned the final podium spot in Pro Buggy at round two.

The next stop for the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series will be held at Estero Beach Resort in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. For more information, visit LucasOilOffRoad.com.

MORE OFF-ROAD RACING STORIES

2017 Lucas Oil Opener Photo Gallery

LeDuc, Brooks Clean Up at Lucas Oil Off-Road Finale

Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Rounds 1-2 Results

Round 2

Pro 4

1. Carl Renezeder

2. Bryce Menzies

3. Rob MacCachren

Pro 2

1. Rob MacCachren

2. Bryce Menzies

3. RJ Anderson

Pro Lite

1. Brock Heger

2. Brian Deegan

3. Jerett Brooks

Pro Buggy

1. Eliott Watson

2. Darren Hardesty Jr.

3. Bud Ward

Round 1

Pro 4

1. Bryce Menzies

2. Carl Renezeder

3. Kyle LeDuc

Pro 2

1. Jerett Brooks

2. Rob MacCachren

3. Jeremy McGrath

Pro Lite

1. Brock Heger

2. Jerett Brooks

3. Ryan Beat

Pro Buggy

1. Eliott Watson

2. Darren Hardesty Jr.

3. Kyle Aarup
An Offaly man has collapsed and died after allegedly having an argument with two teenagers, the Irish Independent has reported.

Police in the English capital are looking into the death of Joseph Kelly (62) after he was discovered unconscious in Moselle Avenue area of Wood Green, north London on April 12.

Police were called to reports of an altercation and an unconscious man in the area on the night in question. Mr Kelly, who is originally from Tullamore, was brought to hospital but died a short time later.

Mr Kelly is understood to have previously worked all over Europe as a fitter and welder before settling in London. He wasn't married and had no children, but police have indicated he had a close circle of friends.

A post-mortem carried out on April 13 did not establish a definitive cause of death, but did refer to Mr Kelly's generally poor state of health, according to the Independent. Police are now awaiting the results of further tests in order to frame their investigation.

Detectives are investigating the incident but nobody has been arrested in connection to the case. Detectives have said they are keen to talk to two teenagers who they believe had a verbal argument with Mr Kelly before he died.

The lead detective on the case, Luke Marks said: "The death is not being treated as a homicide, however a police investigation into the circumstances of the death continues."

He said he was "very keen to trace anyone who saw Mr Kelly in Moselle Avenue," and in particular wants to speak with two teenagers who had argued with him shortly before he collapsed.

He urged the young men to get in touch with police.

More as we get it...
Beef Buzz News

Latest Cattle on Feed Report Shows Industry Doing a Good Job Managing Growing Cattle Supplies

On Friday of last week, the United States Department of Agriculture released its latest cattle on feed report. According to it, placements in the overall cattle inventory seem to be higher than most would have expected. The resulting implications of this, however, seem to be somewhat moderated when compared to the reported marketings. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays spoke with Oklahoma State University Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel about his reaction to the numbers crunched by USDA. He says on the whole, this report may be viewed, slightly negative.







"The April USDA Cattle on Feed report showed an on-feed inventory fractionally higher than one year ago at 10.9 million head for feedlots over one thousand head capacity," Peel wrote in his analysis of the report. "Placements were larger than expected at 111 percent of last year and were, in fact the largest March placements in the current data series back to 1996."







Peel contends that placements often receive the most attention in these monthly reports and may cause some bearish reaction. He says too, that the general idea that placements will grow should not be a surprise, while placements, along with the placement weight breakdown, provide more specific indications of the timing of fed cattle marketings and slaughter in coming months.







"Three years of confirmed herd expansion since 2014, and likely continued expansion in 2017, means that the cattle pipeline is growing, with plentiful feeder cattle supplies headed toward feedlots for months to come. Record March placements are consistent with the fact that the industry is in the first sustained herd expansion since the early 1990s, predating the current data period. However, sometimes it almost seems like increased monthly feedlot placements are viewed as a new source of supply that suddenly materialized and wasn't already anticipated."







March marketings were 110 percent of last year. Monthly feedlot marketings often receive little attention, Peel says, being viewed mostly as history by the time the report is released. However, strong marketings since mid-2016 have contributed greatly to the strength of fed cattle markets so far in 2017.







"Smaller carcass weights Aggressive marketings and reduced days on feed have played a part in helping to hold beef production to smaller year over year increases and thus supporting boxed beef and fed cattle markets," Peel writes. "The cattle industry in general and feedlots in particular have done a good job managing growing cattle supplies for most of the last year. If this continues the industry can do much to minimize the supply pressure coming to bear on cattle markets in the coming months. Given the reality of growing beef production, the bigger key for the foreseeable future is continued strong domestic and export beef demand."







Listen to Peel and Hays break down the numbers in this month's cattle on feed report from the USDA, on today's Beef Buzz.







The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.























Listen to Peel and Hays break down the numbers in this month's cattle on feed report from the USDA

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Agricultural News

National Association of Wheat Grower Veep Jimmie Musick in DC This Week- Carrying Farm Policy Message to Capitol Hill

The National Association of Wheat Grower officers are in Washington this week- planning on meeting with lawmakers as they return from the two week Easter holiday recess- and perhaps to offer congratulations in person to Sonny Perdue, as a confirmation vote for the former Georgia Governor is expected this afternoon. Current Vice President Jimmie Musick of Sentinel, Oklahoma talked with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays about the time this week in DC- Hays and Musick discussed the fly in on Saturday at the Oklahoma City Farm Show as he stopped at the RON booth.





Musick says that they plan on reminding lawmakers about staying the course on Crop Insurance as an integral part of the federal farm safety net- and that NAWG hopes to encourage Secretary Purdue to be a strong advocate for agricultural interests within the Trump Cabinet.





Listen to Ron and Jimmie's conversation from Saturday at the Farm Show by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.

















Ron Hays talks with Jimmie Musick of Sentinel, Okla about his travels to DC this week

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Cattlemen's Foundation Encourages Ranchers Affected by Wildfires to Apply for Assistance by May 1

To date, $952,000.00 has been donated to the Fire Relief fund set up by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, a 501(c)3, to aid Oklahoma ranchers following the wildfires in early March.







"100 percent of the fire relief donation funds will be distributed directly to ranchers affected by the wildfires within 90 days of the fires and we want to remind ranchers that the application deadline is fast approaching," said Jeff Jaronek, Coordinator of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation.







Applications are due May 1, 2017 and will be reviewed by a committee to distribute the funds in an equitable manner. Documentation should be attached to completed applications, such as; USDA-FSA Form 578, USDA-FSA program applications, receipts for veterinary care, receipts/estimates for fence repair, receipts for special feed purchase, etc. The application can be accessed at www.okcattlemensfoundation.org.







"We strongly encourage all producers who have suffered loss to apply for assistance," Jaronek said.







In Oklahoma, more than 310 thousand acres burned causing a wide variety of losses to livestock, pastures, hay, fences, facilities and homes. It has been estimated that the economic impact of the fire exceed $16 million.







"We've received donations literally from all over the country and contributions continue to come in daily," Jaronek said.







To donate visit www.okcattlemensfoundation.org or send a check with Fire Relief in the memo to Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, P.O. Box 82395, Oklahoma City, OK 73148.







Source - Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association













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Drea Hubbards parents know where her birthday parties will be every year.

Were going to the zoo, Dreas father, Justin Hubbard, said a day after Drea was born at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. Were planning on having (her birthday) annually at the zoo.

Kymica Hubbard was on the zoo train Sunday afternoon when she went into labor. She told her mother she didnt think she could make it to the car before giving birth.

She was right. She had Drea about 3:30 p.m. near the Holland Meadowlark Amphitheater, which opens this summer just north of the Desert Dome.

Kymica, 24, and her husband, 27, spoke with reporters Monday afternoon at the Nebraska Medical Center. Newborn Drea  5 pounds, 5 ounces and 19 inches long  was with them.

Justin said Kymica was trying to speed things along by walking at the zoo Saturday and Sunday. Her due date, he said, was Mothers Day.

We were on the train, and I was telling my husband and my mother that I was having contractions, and they were getting closer and closer together, Kymica said. He kept telling me Im over-exaggerating: Just calm down and relax. 

Kymicas mother took two of Justins other children to get ice cream. Kymica started walking up a hill with Justin, who was holding their 1-year-old son, when her water broke.

I got, like, five more steps and I was, like, Her head, her head,  Kymica said. And he said What do you mean her head? ... Then he was, like, Oh, my gosh, shes having the baby. 

Kymica still was standing when Drea emerged from the womb. Justin, a customer service specialist for a commodities broker, caught the child and wrapped her in a sweater.

I mean, I went to (certified nursing assistant) classes, but I wasnt set up for this, Justin said. But prior to that she had been telling me Youre going to deliver this baby at home. 

The birth took about two minutes from the time the water broke, the Hubbards said. A woman who said she is a nurse rushed over to help, but it was a done deal, Kymica said.

A man stepped up and helped Kymica lie on the ground. Someone notified the first-aid station, and nurse Krystal Hartmann responded.

Hartmann, a registered nurse from Childrens Hospital & Medical Center, said she has staffed the medical centers zoo station for 17 years. Drea, she said, was the first human baby she had seen delivered there.

We got a call from the radio stating there was a lady in labor down at the north gate, Hartmann said. I showed up, but they had taken care of it. So my job was waiting until 911 got there and making sure the baby and mom were safe.

Justin said his daughter started cooing immediately after birth as he cradled her in his arms. Her arrival, he said, was the most beautiful thing a man can see.

The birth attracted quite a crowd. Neither parent noticed they had become the center of attention until Drea was safely wrapped up.

When I looked up, Justin said, I could see tons of people. I saw people from the side, like, videotaping. It was unique. Just the love that surrounded it made it even better.

The story will be one the Hubbard family tells over and over, the parents said.

Im going to have to tell it wherever I go, Justin said. Im still in that A-ha moment, like, this didnt happen. But it did. Im still in that shock phase.

Drea had been chosen as the babys name beforehand, the parents said. But her nickname is appropriate: Pooh Bear.

The family received a years pass to the zoo in a gift basket with stuffed animals and other commemorative items. Childrens Hospital also delivered a basket to the Hubbards, with items for both mother and child.

Drea is expected to go home Wednesday. Her dad stared down into her tiny face on Monday and called the child a precious gift from God.

It was a crazy experience, Justin said. I wouldnt trade it for the world.

As for mom?

I never thought Id be having a baby in a public place, Kymica said with a laugh.

World-Herald staff writer Chris Peters contributed to this report.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Austin Russell, now 22, was barely old enough to drive when he set out to create a safer navigation system for robot-controlled cars. His ambitions are about to be tested.

Five years ago Russell co-founded Luminar Technologies, a Silicon Valley startup trying to steer the rapidly expanding self-driving car industry in a new direction. Luminar kept its work closely guarded until Thursday, when the startup revealed the first details about a product Russell is touting as a far more powerful form of lidar, a key sensing technology used in autonomous vehicles designed by Google, Uber and major automakers.

Lidar systems work by bouncing lasers off nearby objects and measuring the reflections to build up a detailed 3-D picture of the surrounding environment. The technology is similar to radar, which uses radio waves instead of lasers.

Russell said Luminars version, consisting of its own patented hardware and software, will provide 50 times more resolution and 10 times the range of current lidar systems. Those improvements, he said, will enable self-driving cars to be sold on the mass market more quickly.

Austin Russell has backing of PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel

In a warehouse on a San Francisco pier where Luminar has been testing its lidar, Russell wasnt shy about making big claims for its technology.

When you see your vehicle is powered by Luminar, you will know you will be safer, he said. We need to get to the point where humans dont have to constantly baby-sit and take control of autonomous cars.

If Luminars lidar lives up to its promise, some of the worlds biggest technology and auto companies may have been upstaged by an entrepreneur who says he memorized the periodic table of elements when he was 2 years old. By the time he turned 11, Russell says he was tinkering with supercomputers.

Like Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, Russell won the early support of PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who became a billionaire after investing $500,000 in Facebook. One early Luminar investor is a venture capital company backed by Thiel and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.

Critics say the cost of lidar is a bigger problem than safety

Also like Zuckerberg, Russell is CEO of his company, which has roughly 150 employees. Russells father, Michael, a former commercial real estate specialist, is the companys chief financial officer.

Now Russell will have to prove he has indeed invented something revolutionary.

While lidar is a key component in self-driving systems, some believe Luminar may be working on the wrong problem.

The big challenge for lidar systems these days is not safety but cost, said Alex Lidow, CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, which supplies chips for lidar. The systems currently cost thousands of dollars apiece.

You dont need the resolution that would allow a car to stop before a bug hits its windshield, Lidow said. The question comes down to What is the exact right amount of information for the car to make exactly the right decision all the time? 

Luminar plans to begin manufacturing 10,000 lidar units at a 50,000-square-foot plant in Orlando, Florida, this year. Russell wont disclose what theyll cost.

About 100 of the lidar systems will be tested by four makers of autonomous cars that Luminar isnt identifying. The partners include technology companies and automakers, Russell said.

Luminar faces big competition in the lidar business

Luminar will be competing against other lidar suppliers such as Velodyne and Quanergy Systems, each of which has raised $150 million so far. Velodynes backers include Ford Motor, which invested $75 million.

By comparison, Luminar has raised $36 million, some of which has been used to set up its headquarters on a former Silicon Valley ranch that used to be home for a collection of vintage military tanks.

Waymo, a company spun off from Googles early work on self-driving cars, also looms as a competitor. It hopes to sell its technology, which includes a lidar system, to automakers.

One sign of lidars importance: Waymo has accused Uber of stealing its technology. Uber has denied the allegations.

Waymos self-driving cars have logged more than 2 million miles in autonomous mode on city streets without a major traffic accident. Most of the roughly three dozen accidents that Google had reported through last year were fender benders.

Russell isnt impressed.

Its very easy to build an autonomous vehicle that is safe 99 percent of the time, he said. Its that other 1 percent thats the tricky part.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The University of Nebraska system would take a hit under the latest recommendations from the State Legislatures Appropriations Committee, but some say it could have been far more severe.

Other higher education entities would receive fairly flat levels of funding under the budget-setting committees proposals, issued late last week. One exception is the small Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, a higher education monitoring group that is recommended for staff cuts and other trims.

Public universities in Nebraska have acknowledged that budget cuts and tuition increases probably will be necessary over the next two school years because of the states current financial situation. The committees proposals didnt change that.

The Nebraska State College System said in a statement Friday: We believe we have been treated fairly; however, it is important to note that with flat funding, the NSCS will need to look at some combination of budget cuts and tuition increase to cover our core needs over the next two years.

The Legislature will debate the Appropriations Committees proposals and finalize a budget next month. Another state revenue forecast is due this week, and major changes in the financial outlook would affect the Legislatures budget decisions.

The states six community colleges would take a small cut in the Appropriations Committees recommendations, while the state colleges  located in Peru, Wayne and Chadron  are recommended for the same amount of state money over each of the next two years that they received this year.

The committees proposal last week differs little from expectations this year of flat or decreased funding for higher education during a time of financial shortfalls for the state.

They did a lot better than a lot of states under similar circumstances, coordinating commission head Mike Baumgartner said of Nebraskas colleges and universities. The Appropriations Committee did a good job of looking out for higher education, Baumgartner said.

He said Iowa, Missouri, Texas, North Dakota, Illinois and Wyoming are expected to impose tougher cuts on public higher education.

Hank Bounds, president of the NU system, has stated repeatedly that lower state allocations to his system will lead to budget cuts and tuition hikes. Bounds has said mandatory increases in expenses, such as raises, rising health insurance costs, utilities and other costs will force NU to make cuts of close to $50 million over the next two years.

But Bounds offered a more conciliatory analysis Friday.

Members of the Appropriations Committee share our goal to grow Nebraska, and I appreciate their hard work, Bounds said in a written statement. We know this is a difficult year, and the University of Nebraska is prepared to make necessary cuts.

The Appropriations Committee issued a preliminary plan about two months ago that recommended the NU system  with schools in Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney  receive $576 million over each of the next two years.

The latest proposal suggests NU receive $573.5 million the first year and $583.5 million the second.

Both the initial and final Appropriations Committee proposals fail to match the current years baseline for NU of $583.1 million (although NU took a midyear cut of about $13 million to that baseline; other institutions absorbed a higher percentage in midyear cuts). But both are somewhat more generous than Gov. Pete Ricketts proposal, which called for NU to receive $571 million in operating money the first year and $577.7 million the second year.

Greg Adams, head of the Nebraska Community College Association, said State Sen. John Stinner, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, tried to look for every million he could find to balance the budget and at the same time keep us as whole as he could.

The situation could be worse, Adams said.

The coordinating commission will receive a total of $1.5 million more over two years for a scholarship program it oversees for students in need.

Nevertheless, the Appropriations Committee asked the commission to trim two positions from its 13-member staff and to cut travel expenses and membership to a professional organization. Baumgartner said one of the two positions is currently open.

The commission will reallocate the resources we have to deal with other budget cuts, he said.
Nature photographer Michael Forsberg will give the 2017 Lavin Memorial Seminar at 2 p.m. Friday in the Hardin Hall Auditorium on the University of Nebraska-Lincolns East Campus.

The seminar is free and open to the public.

Forsberg, whose photos have been featured in National Geographic, Audubon and other magazines, majored in geography at UNL. His talk will include reflections on that time, the sandhill cranes migration, the Great Plains and the Platte Basin.

An induction ceremony by the Gamma Theta Upsilon geography honor society will follow the lecture. The seminar honors Stephen Lavin, who spent three decades with the UNL geography department. He died in 2011.

Hardin Hall is at 3310 Holdrege St.

Concordia University to showcase students artwork

The best of Concordia University student artwork will be on display through May 3 at the Marxhausen Gallery.

The university is in Seward, Nebraska, west of Lincoln.

The best artwork is determined by Concordias full-time art faculty members. About 60 students had work selected. Art majors are required to enter their work.

The Marxhausen Gallery is in Jesse Hall and is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Women in Science program planned for UNMC festival

The University of Nebraska Medical Centers Nebraska Science Festival will hold a free panel discussion featuring women in STEM  science, technology, engineering and math.

The program, titled Women in Science, will be held Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Do Space, 7205 Dodge St.

Panelists are Francesqca Jimenez, a researcher at HDR; Rebecca Stavick, executive director of Do Space; Nancy Williams, co-founder of No More Empty Pots, a nonprofit for self-sufficiency, food security and economic resilience; and Dr. Jessica Maxwell, assistant professor in UNMCs department of surgery.

Longtime history professor to deliver his last UNL lecture

Patrice Berger, a UNL history professor and director of UNLs honors program, will give his final lecture Friday.

Berger, who has been at UNL for 47 years, will give his talk, Remembrance of Things Past, at 3:30 p.m. in the Colonial Room of the Nebraska Union on the city campus. His lecture is free and open to the public.
LINCOLN  A bill requiring Nebraska schools to adopt policies in support of parenting and pregnant students will need to negotiate a detour if its still going to cross the finish line.

Legislative Bill 427, sponsored by Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, was scheduled for a third and final vote Monday when an unfriendly amendment was filed by Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard. The amendment resulted in the bill being skipped over for the day because of a procedural rule.

Erdman said rural schools already find ways to take care of pregnant or nursing students without being told to do so by the Legislature. His amendment would limit the requirement to school districts in Omaha and Lincoln.

Its not relevant for us, Erdman said Monday. School board members are calling me saying We dont need it. One size does not fit all. 

When the bill returns to the agenda, Erdman will file a motion to return the bill to second-round debate, where his amendment could be discussed and voted upon. However, if the motion to return the bill fails, the bill would remain on final-round consideration for a vote.

Erdman tried to amend the bill during second-round debate to make the bills requirements optional for schools. The amendment received 21 votes, four fewer than it needed.

Vargas said he opposes Erdmans latest amendment. He said he doesnt think the real challenges facing parenting students fall along an urban-rural divide.

All kids in Nebraska deserve policies that support them so they can finish school, he said.

The measure says K-12 schools must accommodate student mothers who breast-feed. They must provide an appropriate place for students to pump breast milk and store it.

The bill also requires the State Department of Education to put out a model policy for accommodating pregnant and parenting students that local districts could adapt.

Vargas said statistics show that 70 percent of teen mothers leave school and do not return after having a child.

Nebraska school districts have varied policies about pregnant and parenting students, according to surveys done by the ACLU of Nebraska. Only 17 percent have formal policies that address the breast-feeding needs of students, although many work with students on a case-by-case basis.
SCHUYLER, Neb. (AP)  Authorities say a 3-year-old Nebraska boy has died after a car power window closed on his neck.

Colfax County Attorney Denise Kracl said Monday that the 3-year-old, Everton Isay Romero Romero, was pronounced dead Friday at an Omaha hospital. Kracl said Everton never regained consciousness after the window closed on him April 15 outside a store in Schuyler, where he lived.

Kracl said it was unclear how the window button was activated in the parked car. Evertons mother had powered the rear window down, authorities said.

Investigators said they couldnt determine how long the window was closed on the boys neck.

Kracl said no autopsy was performed because there was no evidence that any law was violated. She said the boys mother acted appropriately the entire time.

Schuyler is about 60 miles northwest of Omaha.

Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Spiro Moustakes remembered his World War II comrades every Christmas with a donation to the Goodfellows charity.

Moustakes and his wife, Mary, of Omaha, honored the deceased members of the 101st Airborne Infantry Division with a $10 donation. The couple, who were married 66 years, also remembered their late family physician, Dr. Adolph Srb, with another $10 donation to Goodfellows.

Its a tradition that Mary Moustakes will have to continue alone, if shes able. Spiro Moustakes, 96, died April 20 in hospice care.

I miss him very much, Mary Moustakes said Sunday. He cared for people, and we always (donated) what we could. If I am able, I will continue to do it.

Funeral services for Moustakes will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church, 9012 Q St. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bel Air Chapel of Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries, 12100 West Center Road.

Moustakes grew up in Omaha and graduated from South High in 1938. He obtained a chemistry degree from the University of Omaha, now the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in 1942.

He tried every branch of the service when World War II came, but they wouldnt take him because of his (poor) eyesight, said Mark Jensen, a friend of the couple. Then he got into the Army as a medic.

Moustakes worked for months in a hospital at Mourmelon, France, with the 326th Airborne Medical Company, which had lost 30 percent of its members in the Battle of the Bulge.

The then-24-year-old Moustakes joined a relief convoy to Bastogne, Belgium, to aid soldiers who had been encircled there by German forces. After the 101st and other units broke out, Moustakes marched into Germany.

Moustakes and other members of the 101st visited Adolf Hitlers mountaintop retreat at Berchtesgaden, named the Eagles Nest, after Germanys surrender in April 1945. He brought home a doorknob as a souvenir.

Moustakes and Mary were married in December 1945. He worked as a lab technician for years at Omahas old Doctors Hospital and he volunteered as a Boy Scout leader. Last November, Jensen said, Moustakes finally was given several medals that he earned for his World War II service but had never received. The medals were presented to Moustakes by Gov. Pete Ricketts and then-U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford.

Getting the recognition for his service became more important to him as he got older, because he wanted his family to know about it, Jensen said. I worked with him to record his story for them.

In addition to his wife, Moustakes is survived by daughters, Pamela Schiffbauer and Elaine Evans; sons, Gus and Nick; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A 4-year-old boy was shot in the hand Sunday at a duplex at 3301 Blondo St., authorities said.

The boy was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in serious condition but with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to Officer Michael Pecha, a police spokesman.

Police were called to the scene at 5:12 p.m., Pecha said.

Officers at the scene declined to describe the type of weapon.

A week ago a 17-month-old girl was shot in the face at Pine Tree Apartments, 10375 Hamilton Plaza. Her father rushed her to Childrens Hospital & Medical Center.
Once upon a time, a subspecies of giant tortoise lived on Fernandina, the least-explored island in the Galapagos.

In 1906, explorers with the California Academy of Sciences found one male Fernandina Galapagos tortoise  and killed it to preserve as a specimen.

The next sign came in 1964, when an expedition to the island reported finding tortoise droppings. An aerial survey in 2009 spotted something resembling a tortoise. But for all practical purposes, this reptile has been lost to the world for 111 years.

Now the quest to find it  and two dozen other lost species  is about to be renewed.

Global Wildlife Conservation, a Texas-based organization, is launching a global search for what it calls the top 25 most wanted animals (and one plant). None is officially extinct. But, collectively, these species have not been seen in more than 1,500 years.

The list, which was compiled in consultation with dozens of experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, includes a bat, a bee, a parakeet, a sea horse and a kind of coral. The experts were asked to nominate species that had not been spotted in more than 10 years and had cultural significance. Species already declared extinct, such as the Tasmanian tiger, were not considered.

Most important, project lead Robin Moore said, was a glimmer of hope, for their rediscovery.

We are in an extinction crisis, and I think people need to feel at least theres some hope, said Moore, a biologist and director of communications at Global Wildlife Conservation. Hope is a more powerful motivator than despair.

From an initial list of 1,200 nominations, the organization narrowed things down to what Moore called 25 quirky, charismatic poster species that, if they still exist, would be found in a total of 18 countries across the globe. It does not include species for which many people are already looking, Moore said. One of those is the long-sought ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird reported to have been seen in Arkansas in 2004 (although that sighting is in doubt).

Moore said the organization hopes to start expeditions in the late summer, after an initial effort to raise $500,000. The kind of search will vary, he said.

Scientists might launch a two-week quest in the grasslands and swamps of Myanmar to look for the pink-headed duck, which has been lost for 68 years. Larger mammals, like the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo of Indonesia, might be best spotted with remote cameras.

Talking to locals could be key to finding the scarlet harlequin frog in the cloud forest of Venezuela.

Divers and vessels will be required to search for Wellingtons solitary coral, which was abundant in some parts of the Galapagos until an El Nino event in the early 1980s.

Moore has firsthand evidence that this campaign could work. In 2010, when he was at Conservation International, he and colleagues launched the Search for Lost Frogs, which enlisted scientists across the world in search of 10 missing frogs. Within a year they had found three, and they rediscovered 12 others.

Want to help? Tips and sighting reports are welcome, Moore said.

Here are five species for which to look, though none is thought to be in the United States. The others can be seen at lostspecies.org.

 Namdapha flying squirrel: This squirrel has been missing for 36 years. A single specimen collected in a national park in northeast India is the only evidence that it ever existed.

 Syr Darya shovelnose sturgeon: This small sturgeon is native to the Syr Darya river of Central Asia. It was last seen in the 1960s in Kazakhstan.

 Pink-headed duck: The males of this species have deep pink heads and necks that you might think would be easy to spot, even in the wilds of Myanmar. But despite vigorous searches after unconfirmed sightings in 2006, it has remained elusive since it was last seen in 1949.

 Himalayan quail: This quail, which is known to have lived in at least two locations of India, is the longest-missing species on the list. It was last seen in 1876.

 Scarlet harlequin frog: This frog was last seen in 1990 and is known from a single stream in the Venezuelan cloud forest. But anecdotal reports suggest that it could still live in a remote area scientists have not yet examined, Global Wildlife Conservation says.
The Omaha City Council District 6 race pits Brinker Harding, a former mayoral chief of staff whos on the city Planning Board and brokers commercial real estate deals, against Dwite Pedersen, a semi-retired drug and alcohol counselor who served 16 years in the Nebraska Legislature.

Both have lofty notions of improving their southwest Omaha and Elkhorn district and Omaha as a whole. Each is aware that street repair is where the rubber meets the road for a lot of their prospective constituents right now.

The City Council reconfigured District 6 this year so that it includes all of the former Elkhorn, which had been split between two Omaha City Council districts. The new boundaries shifted current District 6 Councilman Franklin Thompson to a different district; hes not running for re-election.

Harding worked for then-Omaha Mayor Hal Daub from 1995 to 2000, first as the mayors assistant for community growth and planning, and then as Daubs chief of staff for two years.

He has worked 17 years for the commercial real estate company Colliers International. Mayor Jean Stothert appointed Harding to the Planning Board in 2014; fellow members elected him president last year.

That gives me a unique set of tools to come to the job with, he said. But what I think as important is the level of interest, the level of commitment and passion I have to do it.

Harding, who likes to tell people that hes a fourth-generation Omahan, says he wants his children to grow up in a well-run city that offers great opportunity.

I know it sounds a little hokey, but whether someones working for their church, or their kids volleyball team or Little League team, my passions public service, Harding said. I want to take that energy and that passion and kind of use my life experiences to work not only for District 6, which goes from the east bank of the Papio (Creek) to the west bank of the Elkhorn River, as well as all of Omaha.

Pedersen touts his career in substance abuse counseling and in the Legislature.

Pedersen said he didnt craft any major legislation while he was a state senator, but instead helped build support for those initiatives that he believed were worthy and represented his constituents needs.

I am one helluva representative, he said.

Im a consensus maker, he said. I want to bring consensus to all of the issues, and I want to make Omaha one together.

He said he lived in Boys Town, where he worked as a counselor, and for 44 years and counting in Elkhorn.

Elkhorns home, Omahas a bigger home, and Elkhorns part of that bigger home, Pedersen said.

He would, he said, bring the skills and approach of his profession to his work on the City Council.

Serenity is a better commodity to work with than anger, Pedersen said. You dont have to have all that spit and sputtering and calling each other names. ... Help people move forward, thats what Ive done for a living.

On the issues, Pedersen said streets are the biggest thing hes hearing about from voters, from 84th Street all the way west.

They are really complaining about streets, he said. They want the streets fixed.

Pedersen said the city should revive a policy of resurfacing a set number of streets per year in each City Council district. He said it should be funded through wheel tax and gas tax revenue. If those sources dont provide enough money, go to the people and ask what theyre willing to do. You might have to go to the people to do a bond issue.

Harding said he would look to shift money from elsewhere in the budget to pay for improving and maintaining streets. He said he didnt know what he would cut or where funding would come from, except for possibly the citys restaurant tax.

Asked whether the city should require its trash hauler to pick up yard waste separately, Harding said he would personally prefer to see separate pickup, and would like to explore whether the citys Oma-Gro compost could bring in more money.

Pedersen supports separate yard waste pickup.

He said he is hopeful that adding a fifth Omaha police precinct, in the Elkhorn area, will ease residents concerns about police visibility and response times, but if it doesnt, he would press for adding more police officers.

Citing the planned West Farm/South Farm and proposed Avenue One developments, Harding said he would use his knowledge of the real estate business and government to speed up the development of Olde Towne Elkhorn into a historic business district, a la Dundee, Blackstone or Benson.

Harding beat Pedersen in the April 4 primary, winning 57 percent of the vote to Pedersens 42.

Harding had raised more than $55,000 before the April primary, according to the campaigns most recent filings. That included contributions from several companies in real estate development and construction, including $2,500 from the Nebraska Realtors PAC and $5,000 from Swain Construction Co. Contributions to Harding from individuals included $2,500 from Omaha Steaks executive Bruce Simon, who had sued the city over its unimproved street resurfacing policy.

Pedersen had raised $13,400, including $5,000 from labor unions. Individual contributions included $1,000 from businessman and philanthropist Mike Yanney.

District 6

Brinker Harding

Age: 56

Party: Republican

Occupation: senior vice president, Colliers International commercial real estate

Home: Omaha

Public offices held: Omaha Planning Board member, 2014 to present

Education: attended University of Kansas and University of Nebraska at Omaha

Family: married; two children

Faith: Catholic

Dwite Pedersen

Age: 75

Party: Republican

Occupation: drug and alcohol counselor

Home: Omaha

Public offices held: state senator, 1993-2008; Learning Community Council, 2008-2012

Education: bachelors degree in counseling, Doane College, 1995

Family: widowed; three children

Faith: Catholic
In politics, Bernie Sanders and Scott Walker sit poles apart  and now they bring the nations polarized politics to Omaha City Hall.

Do we need that? Do we need national political figures from the left and the right imposing their views on non-municipal issues into the May 9 election of our mayor  a race that is officially nonpartisan?

Regardless, here they come, the liberal Sanders campaigning last Thursday in Omaha for challenger Heath Mello, a Democrat, and the conservative Walker today boosting the candidacy of incumbent Jean Stothert, a Republican.

Its a distraction, said political scientist Randall Adkins of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. What we should really be talking about is bringing jobs to the city, economic development, fighting crime and poverty, streetcars and other local issues.

Adkins said he cant recall national figures previously coming to Omaha to stump for mayoral candidates.

Walker, the Republican governor of Wisconsin who announced his candidacy for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination but dropped out amid low poll numbers, speaks later today.

Sanders, the independent U.S. senator from Vermont who sought the Democratic presidential nomination, last week touched on his national positions, such as free college tuition, expanded access to health care and paid family leave.

On a national tour promoting Democratic candidates in local races, he said that in defeating money and power, The country is now looking at Omaha, Nebraska, as the first step.

OK, its often fun to think that the country is looking at Omaha, whether thats actually happening or not. But Adkins said he sees one positive from the two national political figures coming to town for the mayors race.

It signifies Omahas movement to a major metropolitan area nationally, he said. You might expect that in Atlanta, San Francisco, New York or Chicago. It sort of says we have reached that status.

The Wall Street Journal last week wrote about Omaha, noting Mellos opposition to abortion. That is not nearly a city hall issue.

But some abortion-rights advocates said Sanders and the Democratic Party shouldnt support those who restrict abortion.

Mello, a Catholic, said he is pro-life but would do nothing as mayor to restrict reproductive health care. Stothert, too, opposes abortion.

So why is abortion even being mentioned in connection with the race for mayor of Omaha?

National issues aside, a very small percentage of a mayors work is partisan  its mostly about financial management and civic leadership.

Long ago I covered City Hall for five years for The World-Herald, and a lot has changed since then. One thing that hasnt changed is that on most days the mayors duties dont involve party.

In this race, its not as though Jean Stothert would have potholes filled from the right side and Heath Mello from the left.

Perhaps the days-apart appearances of Sanders and Walker in Omaha will generate excitement and boost voter turnout, which typically isnt high in off-year elections like Omahas.

Turnout could increase on both sides, Adkins said. Bernie Sanders will energize Democrats to turn out and vote, but he also may energize Republicans to vote. Thats the part thats unpredictable.

In Omaha, which is much different from the heavily Republican state, Democrats have a voter-registration edge, and Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump by about 15,000 votes  though she lost the electoral vote to Trump in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.

Also unpredictable, the professor said, is what independent voters will do.

Stothert bested Mello by a couple of percentage points in the primary. Third-place finisher Taylor Royal, who had criticized the mayor for not voting for Trump (she wrote in John McCain), received 11 percent of the vote and then endorsed Stothert.

Will Royal voters march en masse with the mayor? Its hard to say.

I had the honor of moderating the first Stothert-Mello debate March 24 at the Commercial Real Estate Summit at the CenturyLink Center. As the challenger, Mello was on the offensive  and Stothert at times seemed to think he was being offensive. She repeatedly said he was misinformed.

As we departed backstage, away from microphones, I asked the mayor whether she and Mello were still more or less friendly despite their differences. Sounding peeved, she said it was unfortunate that some people have to sling mud.

An eight-year veteran of the Legislature in Lincoln, Mello didnt respond but said to me the temper and heat of their debate that day was nothing compared to legislative debate.

Kudos to both candidates for having continued to debate face to face, including the post-primary session sponsored by The World-Herald and KMTV. The more they challenge each others positions, the better they are vetted  and the better for voters in deciding whom to put in the Mayors Office the next four years.

But the old saying that all politics is local takes a hit when widely known figures come to town, seemingly making local politics national.

By accepting endorsements from such politicians on the right and the left, the mayoral candidates may each appeal to their base. But dont they risk turning off voters in the middle who are still undecided?

Lets continue to hear our candidates takes on local issues. It might be fun to welcome Bernie Sanders and Scott Walker, each of whom sought the highest federal office, but  no disrespect  what do they know about Omaha?

Issues important to cities, Adkins said, are not necessarily issues that are important at the federal level.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker drew a few hundred people to a Monday rally with Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert  and a few hundred union members to protest outside the event.

Walker, whose moves to restrict labor unions have made him a polarizing figure nationally, said theres a clear distinction between Stothert and challenger Heath Mello. The governor came to Omaha in part as a response to last weeks Mello rally with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Do you want Midwest common sense? Walker asked about 250 attendees. Or East Coast radical values?

He pointed to several specifics, including Stotherts property tax cuts and her moves to add police officers and eventually a fifth police precinct.

But about 100 union members including firefighters, teachers, laborers and operating engineers said at an earlier gathering that neither Walker nor Stothert share their values. The group, along with about 100 others, then went to protest the rally.

To Scott Walker, I say, go back to Wisconsin. Omaha does not need or want your political agenda here, said Tracy Hartman-Bradley of the Omaha Education Association. To Jean Stothert, I say, be wary of the company you keep.

In his first term, Walker pushed for a budget bill that ended collective bargaining rights for many public employees and mandated that they cover part of their health care and pension costs. The measure brought national attention and huge protests to the Wisconsin State Capitol.

He survived a recall effort and was elected to a second term. Last year he ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for president.

Stothert, a Republican in an officially nonpartisan election, said she sees many similarities between herself and Walker.

Folks, she said, my opponent wants more government and he will raise your taxes to get it.

Stothert was elected in 2013, in part by promising to resolve the pension issue. Shes agreed to put more city money into the pensions and received concessions from city workers on pension benefits.

Stothert has criticized Mello for accepting $25,000 from the fire union, saying it would be difficult for Mello to objectively negotiate a contract with a group that has given such a large contribution to his campaign. Stothert argues that Mello would bring back benefits for unions that would take the city back to the days of the pension funding crisis.

Mello says he could remain objective when negotiating agreements.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, who described himself as a good friend of Walkers, reiterated that Walker has done the same kind of things the mayor has done except at the state level.

He said Stothert has addressed voters No. 1 concern by twice pushing to lower property taxes.

Omahan John Georgeson, who attended the rally and asked both Walker and Ricketts to sign his collection of 2016 Republican presidential pins, said he likes Stotherts push to roll back pension benefits for union members.

Shes a sweetheart, he said. And shes done good things for this city that weve needed for decades. Shes a wonderful leader.

Walker is the latest sign of growing national attention on Omahas mayoral race.

Sanders, an independent who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for president, sparked a national debate by campaigning for Mello.

Some Democrats questioned whether Mello, who opposes abortion, can be considered a progressive. They argued that abortion rights are too important to allow for compromise; others said there should be room for disagreements within the party on even the most important issues.

Nebraska Democrats, including supporters of abortion rights, have defended the progressive credentials of Mello, a Democrat.

Monday, Mello said Walkers record should concern every single working family in this city.

It speaks volumes in regards to who Mayor Stothert is bringing in today to campaign for her, to talk about very similar governing styles, and the admiration she has for the way hes governed Wisconsin, Mello said.

Mello and Stothert have already repeatedly clashed over union support. The firefighters group has been one of Mellos biggest financial backers and has connections to a third-party group running anti-Stothert ads.

Stothert has had public battles with the citys labor unions, and both the firefighters and the police officers have taken her to court.

Mello drew the nod not only of the fire union but also the citys largest civilian union, as well as the first-ever endorsement from the Omaha Public Schools teachers union. The police union is remaining neutral.

But Stothert points to the fact that she has negotiated labor agreements with all the citys bargaining units as proof that she can work with unions.

Steve LeClair, the president of the fire union who helped organize the anti-Walker protest, said he doesnt think the mayor represents the values of working Omahans.

This mayor bringing this governor in signals to us that she does not believe the same things we believe in, LeClair said.

World-Herald staff writer Christopher Burbach contributed to this report.

* * * * *
WASHINGTON  Its about time.

That was the reaction of Nebraska and Iowa farmers after the Senate on Monday confirmed Sonny Perdue as the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

The industry faces no shortage of challenges at the moment  from falling incomes to bird flu  and Perdue is among the last members of President Donald Trumps Cabinet to be confirmed.

Everyone was quite anxious, said Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. We need a Cabinet-level official that is going to be an advocate for agriculture.

Hill and other Midlands farming groups say they have that now in Perdue  and not a moment too soon.

Hill noted that Trump has proposed cuts to the Department of Agricultures discretionary budget and threatened to walk away from the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has benefited U.S. farmers.

All four Republican senators from Nebraska and Iowa supported the nomination, which was approved 87 to 11. The nominees cousin, Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., voted present.

Iowa and Nebraska lawmakers have talked about the need for the new administration to ease the burden of federal regulations and promote farm-friendly trade policies.

The tardiness of Perdues nomination caused some heartburn among agricultural interests as discussions on trade, budgets and a new farm bill that needs to be authorized by the fall of 2018 have picked up steam.

Given some of the troubling talk about trade coming from Washington, the incoming agriculture secretary should work overtime inside the new administration to advocate for free trade policies around the globe, prioritize bilateral trade deals and fight to expand market access by opposing tariffs, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said in a statement.

Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson expressed confidence that Perdue will be able to make up for lost time but acknowledged that he has a lot on his plate.

It is important to ramp up quickly, Nelson said.

Farm issues are often dominated less by partisan or ideological considerations and more by jockeying between regional and crop-specific interests.

Thats why the prospect of a Southerner in charge of the department initially raised some concerns in other parts of the country.

Mississippian Mike Espy served as agriculture secretary under President Bill Clinton, leaving in 1994. Otherwise, USDAs leadership has been largely dominated by Midwesterners over the years.

Tom Vilsack of Iowa served as ag secretary for eight years under Obama and Nebraskan Mike Johanns filled the post for two years President George W. Bush.

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said in a statement that Perdue proved himself in the confirmation process.

He understands regional differences and is committed to ensuring that agriculture holds a prominent seat at the table during trade negotiations, Fischer said.

Nelson acknowledged hearing some regional-based concerns when Perdue was first named but said he was reassured during a meeting Sasse hosted between Perdue and Nebraska farm groups.

I just was very impressed not only with his knowledge about agriculture across the country but most of all his willingness to want to learn about agriculture, particularly in Nebraska, Nelson said.

Still, both Nelson and Hill said they are encouraging Perdue to hire Midwesterners, including people from their own states.

Were hopeful that well have some good Midwestern people, if not some really good Nebraska people, Nelson said.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement that she hopes to see one of the many qualified Midwesterners land a top spot at the department.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also a member of the committee, even offered a name. In a statement, Grassley said he has urged President Trump to consider Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey for a senior USDA role.

Secretary Northeys long career and work on behalf of Midwestern agriculture shows that he understands the tradition of family farming, which functions differently than corporate farming, Grassley said. Theres no doubt hed be an asset to the administration as it works to serve the full diversity of American agriculture.

Perdue, who served two terms as governor of Georgia, grew up on a farm, trained as a veterinarian and worked in his familys agribusinesses.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived unannounced in Afghanistan on Monday to assess Americas longest war as the Trump administration weighs sending more troops.

Kabul was the final stop on a six-nation, weeklong tour Mattis said was intended to bolster relations with allies and partners and to get an update on the stalemated conflict in Afghanistan. He is the first member of President Donald Trumps Cabinet to visit Afghanistan.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top American commander in Kabul, recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

As part of the administrations review of Afghan policy, Trumps national security adviser, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, visited Kabul last week to consult with Nicholson and with Afghan officials.

McMaster said in a TV interview after returning to Washington that the U.S. in recent years has scaled back its military effort against the Taliban. Our enemy sensed that and they have redoubled their efforts, and its time for us, alongside our Afghan partners, to respond, he said.

Among the questions facing the administration is how to maintain pressure on a resilient Taliban and keep up counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan without prolonging a stalemate that is costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

The war began in October 2001. The U.S. has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. They ended their combat mission against the Taliban in 2014 but are increasingly involved in backing up Afghan forces on the battlefield.

Mattis was visiting just days after a bloody Taliban attack that killed more than 100 Afghans on a base in the countrys north. The Taliban also controls key parts of Helmand province in the south. Officials say nearly a dozen of the attackers wore army uniforms and rode in military vehicles, raising concerns of help from inside the compound.

Afghan officials said earlier that the countrys army chief and the defense minister resigned following the weekend Taliban attack. The officials said that President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday. It was not immediately clear who would replace Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim.

Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The presidents official Twitter account also confirmed the resignations.

In addition to the Taliban insurgency, Afghanistan also is fighting to extinguish a small but troublesome presence in Nangarhar province of militants affiliated with the Islamic State group.

Two weeks ago, Nicholson created a stir by ordering an attack on an IS stronghold in Nangarhar using the militarys most powerful non-nuclear bomb, the so-called mother of all bombs.

Mattis has declined to disclose details of damage done by that bombing, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called an atrocity.
25 jawans martyred after 300 naxals attack CRPF team in Chhattisgarh

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Twenty five CRPF personnel have lost their lives in an encounter with 300 naxalites in Chhattisgarh. An encounter had broken out with the naxalites at Sukma in Chhattisgarh after the patrolling party of the CRPF was fired upon.

25 personnel were seriously injured in the attack. However they breathed their last at hospital. Six more jawans are being treated for injuries at a hospital in Raipur.

A chopper was sent to the spot to evacuate the injured. Reinforcement parties from the nearest CRPF camp too were sent to the spot.

The encounter took place between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area at around 12.25 pm on Monday. This area is the worst hit by naxalites. The jawans who lost their lives were from the 74th battalion of the CRPF. All the weapons, wireless and ammunition belonging to the jawans were looted by the naxalites.

In a second attack, three CRPF personnel were injured by Maoists in Daltonganj, Jharkhand.

It may be recalled that 12 CRPF personnel had been killed earlier this year in the same area in an encounter with the naxalites.

Following the incident, a high-level meeting has been called for. The meeting has been called by the Home Secretary and several other officials would also attend. The meeting would immediately take stock of the situation. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh toon has called for an emergency meeting following the attack. Meanwhile Minister of State Ahir Singh will visit Raipur to take stock of the situation. A high-alert has been declared in Chhattisgarh.

Condolences pour in

Pranab Mukherjee on Monday strongly condemned the attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh. He also offered condolences to families of deceased and prayers for the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. ''We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. Sacrifice of martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families,'' Modi said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep pain over the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in Sukma district of Chattisgarh.

''Extremely pained to know about killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families,'' he said.

The home minister also asked MoS Home Hansraj Ahir about attack in Sukma and also said that he is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu took to Twitter to say: "Deeply pained over the loss of our Bravehearts at Sukma. These sacrifices shall not be in vain. Maoists indulging in mindless killing. My deep condolences to the bereaved families. RIP..."

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi expressed sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma. ''We salute sacrifice & courage of our bravehearts,'' he said.

OneIndia News
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26 CRPF killed in C'garh: Modi condemns 'cowardly attack' says sacrifice will not go in vain

India

oi-Madhuri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned the attack which killed 26 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in an encounter with 300 naxalites in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

''Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely", Modi tweeted.

"We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families", he said in another post.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh while addressing media said that he will hold a meeting with senior officials and ascertain further details on this incident. He further said,''I will also talk to the Union Home Minister and Prime Minister as well.''

At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and and six others wounded in a deadly ambush by naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

The attack took place at around 12.25pm between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in south Bastar, one of the worst Maoist violence-affected region in the state.

OneIndia News
8 killed, 60 injured as bus overturns in Jharkhand

India

oi-PTI

Ranchi, April 24: Eight passengers including four children were killed and 56 persons were injured after a bus overturned on the Pithoria-Patratu road in Ranchi.

"Eight passengers including, four children were killed on the spot and 56 others injured when a bus overturned at a sharp bend near a valley on the Pithoria-Patratu road," said Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldip Dwivedi.

The injured were rushed to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, said Diwedi. The Police said that investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident is underway.

Other senior police officers too rushed to the spot following the incident.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das expressed grief at the loss. Das has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh for each of bereaved families and Rs 20,000 to those injured.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 9:08 [IST]
Aadhaar-like card for cows: Centre submits report to SC

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

New Delhi, April 24: If all goes well as per the government plan, cows in India will soon get Aadhaar-like cards! Yes you read it right!

On Monday, the Centre submitted a report to the Supreme Court regarding cow protection.

In a crackdown on cow smuggling, a committee headed by the Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry has been formed, that has given some recommendations.

In its report, the Centre has told the apex court that each district should have a shelter home, with a capacity of keeping at least 500 animals.

The report also made it clear that it will be the responsibility of state governments to ensure the safety of abandoned animals.

Another recommendation of the report is to provide special care for the cattle that are beyond the age of milk production.

In Gujarat, Dalit activists have demanded that cows should be given aadhaar-cards and hay depots should be opened in each village to ensure that cows do not consume plastic.

Dalit activist Natu Parmar from Surendra Nagar district of Gujarat is planning to organise a programme in this regard on May 10. In 2016, a Dalit family was brutally attacked by cow vigilantes in Una district of Gujarat.

In January this year, it was reported that 88 million cows in this country will have unique indentification numbers. The innovative move was taken to keep a track on timely vaccination of cows and to monitor their health.

The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 148 crore. A yellow-coloured polyurethane tag with a 12-digit unique identification number, will be placed inside the center of the earlobe of cows.

The technicians will place polyurethane tag inside the ears of cows with tag applicator. The technician will then update the 12-digit identification number with the help of an online database and also provide the cattle owner with all the information regarding the cow.

The tamper-proof tag just weighs eight grams so that it doesn't cause any inconvenience to the animal and its cost is Rs 8 per piece.

OneIndia News
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Bengaluru: Missing 6-yr-old found dead in neigbours house; police suspect rape

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Bengaluru, April 24: On Monday, Bengaluru woke up to the shocking news of alleged rape and murder of a six-year-old girl. The girl went missing five days ago from her home at Veerbhadranagar locality in the city.

Her body was found under a cot in her neighbour's house, reported the media. A case has been registered in Girinagar police station in the city.

Police suspected the minor was raped before she was murdered. Police sources say investigations are underway to find out the details about the case.

Child rights activists in the city are demanding proper probe into the case. Activists want the culprits to be given severe punishment.

In recent times, Bengaluru has witnessed several cases of sexual assaults on minors in schools. However, the latest case of rape and murder of a minor has severely dented the image of India's IT hub.

OneIndia News
After Telangana, Bihar adopts GST; Nitish terms it as 'a historic moment'

India

pti-PTI

Patna, April 24: Both the Houses of Bihar Legislature on Monday unanimously adopted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill, becoming the second state after Telangana to pave the way for roll out of the GST from July 1.

Bihar Legislative Assembly as well as Legislative Council adopted the Bills related to GST with one voice. Bihar became the second state after Telangana to ratify GST which needs nod of the states after its clearance in Parliament.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaking in the state Legislative Council described the passing of GST by all the parties together as "a historic moment."

Expressing thanks to all the members, Kumar said Bihar has been in favour of GST from the beginning.

"Even after change of government, Bihar continued with its support to GST," Kumar, who is heading the Grand Alliance government of JD(U), RJD and Congress, said.

He said the budget session of the two Houses were prorogued on March 31 in anticipation of passing of GST in Parliament and its coming to the state for the same.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi, who had headed a ministerial committee on GST during NDA rule in Bihar, expressed happiness over adoption of GST related bills with the help of all the parties.

He expressed thanks to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for standing in favour of GST from the beginning.

"On his advice, I had accepted Chairmanship of GST as Finance minister of the state during NDA rule," the senior BJP leader said.

In the Legislative Assembly, bills related to GST were taken up in pre-lunch session and with ruling JD(U), RJD, Congress and even opposition BJP and its NDA partners in support of GST bill, it was adopted through voice vote.

[Also Read: Telangana legislature ratifies GST Bill]

Commercial Tax minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had moved the Bihar Goods and Service Bill, 2017 and the Bihar Taxation (Amendment) bill, 2017.

While all the major parties were in favour of GST, JD(U), BJP and Congress tried to score over each other in taking credit in state Legislative Assembly over it. Sushil Modi praised Nitish Kumar for continuously being in support of GST even when BJP was opposed to it when he was heading a NDA ministry in Bihar.

"A statesman looks for good of next generation while a politician merely looks for next election while taking decision on such issues," Yadav said in praise of Kumar.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar lauded the prime minister for the historic GST legislation which he said would help in checking corruption and increase investment.

Congress Legislature Party leader Sadanand Singh said that his party has been in support of GST from the beginning.

"Due to obstacle created by BJP, the GST could not be approved in 2006 during UPA ministry. On account of this, the country lost around 12 lakh crore and now it has been cleared," he said.

PTI
Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam

BITS Pilani shocker: After threats, Kashmiri scholar forced to leave course midway

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Srinagar, April 24: A Kashmiri Junior Research Fellow in the Pharmacy, Science and Engineering Research Board in the prestigious Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, was forced to leave his course midway after he was threatened in the college campus.

According to News 18, Hashim Sofi, 27, was so petrified by the incident that he decided to leave BITS, Pilani for his home in Bandipore, Kashmir last week. He reported the incident to the college authorities before returning home.

Sofi said some unknown miscreants scribbled threats on his shirts and the door of his hostel room. Sofi was an inmate of the Maliya Bhavan Hostel in the institute. He told News 18 that on Friday morning, he was shocked to see the threats written on his shirt he had left to dry in the open, and the door.

"The abuses shocked me. I reported the matter to my warden and guide. They were very sad, they had been supporting me all along," he said. "What did I do? I fail to understand," he added.

The college assured Sofi that he was safe and asked him to concentrate on his studies. However, the threats were so intimidating to Sofi that he did not want to risk his life for education. Moreover, his family in Kashmir also asked him to come back home immediately as his life was more important than anything else.

In fact, Sofi joined the college just 20 days ago before the incident happened on April 20. "My parents told me there was no need to stay and endanger your life. I may even return to the campus, but it will require a lot of convincing to get my parents' nod," he said.

The institute issued a statement on the entire episode. "The institute has taken a very serious note of the news item and asked the standing committee on student affairs to further investigate the matter and report back swiftly."

The incident happened just few days after 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 called as "stone pelters", the enemy of the country and its army.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked all the state governments to take necessary action to provide safe environments for all the Kashmiri students pursuing education in various parts of the country.

Kashmiris across the country are facing backlash in various parts of the country after several incidents of violence and stone pelting have been reported from the trouble-torn state in recent times.

OneIndia News
Chhattisgarh Naxal attack: CM Raman Singh calls emergency meeting in Raipur

India

pti-PTI

Raipur, Apr 24: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday held an emergency meeting after 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel lost their lives in a Naxal attack in the state's Sukma district.

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh holds emergency meeting after 26 CRPF personnel lost their lives in a Naxal attack in #Sukma . pic.twitter.com/nsLA7LwEcj  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

The meeting was held at the chief minister's official residence here with senior administrative and police officials in attendance, a Public Relation Officer of the CMO said. The CM took details of the incident and also took stock of the situation in the wake of the attack.

He directed the officials to make every necessary arrangement so that the bodies of martyred troopers will reach to their native places as early as possible, according to the officer.

Singh also directed to provide best possible medical assistance to the injured personnel admitted in the two hospitals in Raipur.

At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed near Burkapal village under Chintagufa police station area of Sukma this afternoon after Maoists ambushed a patrolling team of the paramilitary forces.

The Chief Minister, who was on an official tour in Delhi, immediately cancelled his engagements after coming to know about the incident and arrived in Raipur by the evening flight.

From the airport, he directly went to the hospitals where the injured personnel were admitted, before chairing the top-level meeting. The CM has expressed his condolence to the bereaved families.

PTI
No one has guts...: Junior defence minister's reply to China question

Twitter down as several users report login issues on website

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Twitter fires over 200 employees in India, left with a dozen staff

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades to visit India

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 24: Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will be paying India a state visit from April 25 to 29, an official statement said.

"This is the first visit of the President Anastasiades to India," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.

Starting his visit from Mumbai on April 25, President Anastasiades will have a meeting with governor of Maharashtra C Vidyasagar Rao.

On April 26, he will address a business forum in the western metropolis and laterb in the day travel to Delhi.

On April 28, he will be accorded ceremonial welcome and will participate in delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Pranab Mukherjee will hold a banquet in his honour.

Cyprus, eighth largest foreign investor in India, has cumulative Foreign Direct Investment of above $8.5 billion in areas of financial leasing, stock exchange, auto manufacture, manufacturing industries, real estate, cargo handling, construction, shipping and logistics.

On November 18, India and the Mediterranean island nation signed a revised agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, along with its protocol. This replaced the earlier Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement signed on June 13, 1994.

The revised DTAA will enable source based taxation of capital gains on shares, except in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.

In addition, the DTAA will bring into effect updated provisions as per international standards and in accordance with the consistent position of India.

"Some Agreements and Memorandum of Understandings are currently under negotiation and will be signed during the visit," the statement said.

President Anastasiades had meetings with Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2015.

In October 2009, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil paid a state visit to Cyprus.

IANS

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 17:10 [IST]
EC bribery case: An evasive TTV Dinakaran stares at arrest

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

T T V Dinakaran accused in the Election Commission bribery case was evasive during the questioning by the Delhi police. Sources tell OneIndia that his answers were not satisfactory and he was evasive most of the time.

Dinakaran who is Sasikala Natarajan's nephew was questioned at Delhi for two days. The police put before him an audio clip in which he is allegedly heard speaking about a bribe to be given to EC officials to bag the AIADMK's two leaves symbol. Dinakaran, however, denied that he had any conversation.

It may be recalled that the police had arrested Sukesh Chandrashekar from Delhi. He is said to be the person who agreed to strike a deal of Rs 50 crore with the EC officials to get the AIADMK symbol. A petition claiming the symbol is pending before the ECI. After claims were made by the Paneerselvam and Palanisamy camps, the ECI decided to freeze the symbol.

Delhi police sources say that they have ample information about the money trail. We asked him if he had got in touch with any EC officials to which the answer was in the negative. He also denied having any association with Sukesh, the officer also informed.

The Delhi police say that they have a strong case on hand. "We will bring him face to face with Sukesh. We have enough evidence to implicate him," the officer informed. When asked if Dinakaran would be arrested, the officer said that they have not taken a call on that as yet. "If he refuses to cooperate then an arrest would not be ruled out," the officer said.

OneIndia News
'Two-finger test' should be banned in matrimonial dispute cases too, says Maharashtra doctor

Khota sarkar left with egg on their faces: Team Uddhav on Andheri win

Uddhav Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Thane, April 24: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the Maharashtrian freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar should be bestowed with the country's highest civilian award 'Bharat Ratna'.

He also said that opposition even wants highest honour to the freedom fighter.

While speaking at the closing function of a three-day convention on Savarkar's writings, Uddhav demanded that a replica of a prison cell at the Cellular jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where Savarkar was kept by the British should be constructed in Mumbai.

He said that the ruling and opposition party should join hands and demand the Centre for 'Bharat Ratna' for Savarkar who dismantled caste system in Hindu culture.

He added that everyone should be aware of Savarkar's contribution to the country as a freedom fighter.

It is to mention that Shiv Sena had earlier also demanded the same over the years including a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the Centre to honour Savarkar.

OneIndia News
Hyderabad shocker: Woman sold off for Rs 3 lakh to Saudi man

India

oi-Vicky

Another case of a woman being deceived by agents and being sold off in Hyderabad has been reported. Salma Begum, 39, a resident of Hyderabad was sold off to a person in Saudi Arabia. She is facing mental and physical harassment at the hand of her kafil.

A resident of Babanagar, C Block, she was allegedly sent to Saudi Arabia on a housemaid visa. The two agents who are also from the same area had sold her off for Rs 3 lakh. The agents have been identified as Akram and Shafi.

Her daughter Sameera has appealed to the government to save her mother. She said she had even approached the agents, but they did nothing. She also said that the police too had not helped her.

The daughter said that she had got a message from her mother stating that she had been sold off for Rs 3 lakh. She also said that the Kafil in Saudi Arabia wanted to contract marriage with her, but after she refused, he is not letting her get back to India.

She has appealed both to the Telangana and central government to help get her mother back. It is said that debts and financial troubles drove the lady to take up the job offer in Saudi Arabia. She thought that she would work there as a maid, but was taken aback to find out that she had been sold.

OneIndia News
ISI terror on tracks: All brag and no show, NIA finds

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

All brag and no show is what the National Investigation Agency has found during the questioning of Moti Paswan in connection with the Ghorasan railway track bomb case. The NIA questioned several persons including Paswan after it was found that a bomb had been planted on a railway track at Ghorasan in Motihari district of Bihar.

The NIA has learnt that Paswan was just bragging about an ISI link. He had no role to play in planting the bomb, NIA officials said. The Bihar police had arrested, Paswan, Shanker Patel and Mukesh Yadav for allegedly planting the bomb on the track on October 1 2016.

Following his arrest, Paswan had told the police that he had planted the bomb at the behest of the ISI. He also said that he was taking instructions from his Nepal based handler, Shamshul Hoda.

The NIA says that it has found nothing to suggest that Paswan had planted the bomb. The chargesheet will be filed in the Ghorasan case. The NIA also says that it is conducting a separate probe into the Kanpur train derailment case in which 140 persons were killed.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 8:00 [IST]
Close shave for Kar CM Siddaramaiah: Chopper makes emergency landing after bird hit

India

oi-Anusha

A helicopter with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Parameshwar on board made an emergency landing on Monday. A bird strike during take off forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at Bengaluru's HAL airport. The duo was on its way to Hassan on Monday morning when an eaglet hit the copter.

A release from the Chief Minister's office said that the bird hit the helicopter within seconds of take off and the alert pilot landed safely. The Chief Minister and Home Minister continued their travel to Hassan in the same helicopter after a team of technical experts found no glitches. The duo was on their way to Hassan to launch development works in Shravanabelagola ahead of Mahamastakabhisheka.

It may be recalled that a helicopter that Siddaramaiah was to board in January 2015 from the same airport developed technical snags. Fore broke out in a part of the helicopter which was noticed by the ground staff. The Chief Minister had cancelled his helicopter ride and travelled by road after the snag was noticed. The Chief Minister along with then home minister K J George were seated in the copter when the fire was noticed.

OneIndia News
Kashmir unrest: Don't blame the Doval doctrine, blame the enemy within

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The message from Delhi was clear and that there shall be no talks with the separatists of Jammu and Kashmir until the stone pelting stops. The Ajit Doval doctrine for Kashmir makes it clear that there shall be no appeasement. "Let them go on, they will tire out," he had said during a speech a few years which famously went on to become the Doval doctrine.

There are many who have blamed the doctrine and say that only talks can solve the problem in Jammu and Kashmir. However, an analysis of the situation would show that between December and January there was a sense of calm that had returned to the Valley and the doctrine had, in fact, worked.

Security analysts say that if violence has returned to the Valley it is not because the doctrine has failed. It is only because the enemy is within. General Qamar Javed Bajwa, after taking over as the Pakistan army chief appeared to have made a promising start.

However, by March, the violence in Kashmir was back and the new chief of the army in Pakistan did exactly what his predecessor Raheel Sharif did.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that there is no point in talking to the separatists as they do not want peace. Even if they decide to talk, Pakistan would nudge them and ensure that violence breaks out every day.

For the Doval doctrine to work, the need of the hour is a change in mindset among the politicians in Kashmir. They cannot appease the separatists and need to take tough measures against them. The question is will someone muster up the courage and hit the separatists. They may have stopped issuing their calendar of protests like they did for nearly six months after Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was killed in July.

Today, the violence is in auto-mode. People have been coming out on the streets on their own and instigating violence. To add to the problem are the dozens of handlers that Pakistan has managed to infiltrate into the Valley. These persons distribute large chunks of cash to ensure that the violence continues unabated. To sum it up, one should not blame the Doval doctrine for the problem, but the enemy within.

OneIndia News
NSA Ajit Doval, late CDS Gen Rawat among others to be awarded Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman

Kashmir violence: Rajnath reviews Kashmir situation with Ajit Doval

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 24: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir amid continued unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Rajnath discussed the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the Valley, which has witnessed many protests and stone- pelting incidents in the recent past.

The home minister discussed increased infiltration bids from across the border with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the top officials of the Home ministry, the paramilitary forces and the chiefs of the intelligence agencies.

Rajnath directed the officials to ensure intensified vigil along the International Border and the Line of Control to foil attempts by the militants to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir during the summer, the sources said.

A possible strategy to deal with the challenges arising out of the increasing incidents of stone pelting on the security personnel was also discussed at the meeting, they said.

The home minister and the top officials also reviewed the security situation across the country, particularly along the western border from Punjab to Gujarat.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 14:08 [IST]
I will break your legs: SFI issues threat to principal in presence of cops in Kerala

'If I have nominated even one person using authority, I'll resign': Kerala governor on VC row

Kerala: Ostracised from own community, PMO steps in to grant justice

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Mananthavady, April 22 - Thanks to the Prime Minister's App and the intervention by the Kerala Human rights commission, a couple who were ostracized from their own community for the past five years is now gaining support to fight back and lead a normal social life.

The couple, 27-year old Arun and 24-year old Sukanya hailing from Mananthavady were socially 'boycotted' after sending a legal notice by the Yadava community leaders to its members not to interact with them two days after their wedding.

"They did not accept me as few in the community maintained that I was not from the community and was from a scheduled caste which is not true. I had provided them my caste certificate. My close relatives were informed not to visit my house and also not to attend any of the functions which me and my wife is a part of", said Arun to OneIndia.

However, I am now hopeful as there are a lot of like-minded people who are supporting me, he added.

Meanwhile on Friday, the human rights commission sent a notice to the Wayanad district collector and the state DGP seeking explanation on the treatment meted out to the couple. The commission has asked for an explanation in a week's time.

The couple got married in June 2012 in a temple in Mananthavady and later got registered. However the members of the community did not accept the marriage as the duo did not 'follow the customs'.

The couple were blessed with a baby girl during 2015. Sadly, none of the relatives were allowed to visit the house during this period.

It was during November 2016 that a formal notice was sent to the members of the community intimating on the social boycott by the leaders. This notice sealed their fate.

"We are a community that has been following the path shown to us by our ancestors. Impure persons who corrupt such a way of living should be shunned. They are 'Kuladrohis (Traitors of a clan) and members who support them too will be considered so", the notice went on.

It was after continuous humiliation from the community that the couple decided to seek the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by lodging a complaint through the PMs Mobile application. They got a reply in a month's time seeking a reply from the state government.

The couple in the meantime also sought the help of a Delhi based lawyer Sreejith Perumana to fight the case.

With the PMO intervention and the human rights commission registering a case, the couple is hoping that the community members will accept them.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 6:40 [IST]
Ludhiana court summons Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh in IT case

India

oi-Madhuri

A local court in Ludhiana on Monday summoned Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh in connection with a case filed against him by the income tax department.

The IT department had filed a chargesheet against Singh in connection with its probe against him and his son in a case of alleged untaxed foreign assets.

According to the complaint, the I-T department said during its investigations Singh was "found to be the beneficiary" of a trust and other properties owned and created by his son Raninder in a foreign territory and when questioned about these, the Congress chief ministerial candidate for the state gave a "false statement on oath" about the ownership of these assets.

The case came to light when the Income Tax department received information about Raninder allegedly holding the offshore account in Switzerland as part of details received by the Central Board of Direct Taxes from its French counterparts in 2011.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 20:32 [IST]
Modi to preach Doval Doctrine to Mehbooba at crucial meet today

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A crucial meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti is scheduled to be held on Monday. The meeting is important considering the violence that has been plaguing the state. Moreover, all is not well between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Peoples Democratic Party in J&K.

During the meeting, both leaders would discuss both the government in the state and also the violence in the Valley. Modi would make it clear that issues between the two parties would be sorted out.

However, he would make it clear that 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, the PM would tell the J&K CM.

This effectively means that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval doctrine would continue to be in force in the Valley. 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.

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.

What is the Doval doctrine:

The Doval doctrine in nut-shell 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. Further 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
Mufti meets Modi: Is PDP-BJP alliance intact? Rumours say otherwise

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, April 24: On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to take stock of the ongoing violent situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, clashes broke out between security forces and students in the Valley.

After meeting PM Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh, Mufti told reporters that she discussed the current violent situation in the Valley with them. However, as rumours are rife that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in J&K is on the verge of collapse, Mufti stayed away from talking anything about it.

However, BJP spokesperson Ram Madhav later told the media that the PDP-BJP alliance in the state was safe. "There is no rift between the BJP and the PDP. There is some issue regarding the member of legislative council election. We noticed lack of communication, we will address it," said Madhav.

While the BJP reiterated that the alliance was safe, a senior PDP leader told News18 that Mufti should immediately end the partnership. Senior PDP leader and former deputy CM Muzaffar Hussain Baig said Mufti should "go back to the people," instead of "sticking to the alliance" with the BJP.

Baig added that the PDP has been "the loser in the coalition" as it has "lost more political capital than the BJP". On Monday, the Congress said peace in the Valley won't come till the rule of the PDP-BJP continues.

"There won't be peace in J&K till there is the BJP-PDP government. Governor's rule is never a solution, they should change their way," Ghulab Nabi Azad of the Congress, told reporters.

The rumours of trouble brewing in the PDP-BJP alliance emerged after BJP leaders in the state expressed their opinion of taking a tough stand against stone pelters and local protesters in the Valley.

However, CM Mufti and her PDP colleagues want to soften their stand against the local population after several civilian deaths were reported during clashes between protesters and the army in recent times.

On Monday, Mufti said that unless and until situation in Kashmir was not under control, talks were not possible. "First, let us take control of the situation, otherwise it's not possible to talk under the shadow of stone pelting and gun shots. (Pehle humein situation ko sambhaalne dijiye, kyunki pattharbaazi aur goli ke mahaul mein baat nahin ho sakti)," said Mufti on if peace parleys would be soon started with various stakeholders in the state.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 13:50 [IST]
Murder at Jayalalithaa's Kodanad Tea Estate

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A security guard was hacked to death at Jayalalithaa's Kodanad Tea Estate near Kotagiri in Tamil Nadu. Unidentified men who entered the estate late in the night hacked to death one Omkar who was working as a security guard.

Another security guard has sustained injuries in the attack. The assailants have escaped and the police have filed a first information report. The police are currently investigating the matter for more leads. The motive of the attack is not known as yet.

The tea estate served as a second home for Jayalalithaa. The workers at the estate fondly remembered her following her death and said that she would stop by and talk to them every time she visited the place. The tea estate had come under the scanner of investigators probing the disproportionate assets case. There was talk that the tea estate would be seized following the DA case verdict.

The court had however abated Jayalalithaa as she had died. As a result of this, the properties owned by her would not come under the scanner of the agencies.

OneIndia News
Narayansamy asks NITI to exempt Puducherry from national entrance test

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, Apr 24: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday said he had raised the demand for a five year exemption from National Entrance cum Eligibility Test for the Union Territory, at the Niti Aayog meeting held in New Delhi.

Since students from both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu did not appear for CBSE exams, there were 'difficulties' for them in clearing the NEET exams, he told reporters at the airport in Chennai.

Referring to Tamil Nadu Assembly adopting two bills seeking exemption from the test and now awaiting Presidential assent, Narayanasamy said Puducherry had also earlier taken up the matter with the Centre.

"Prime Minster Modi should personally intervene in this matter and give a five-year exemption for Puducherry from NEET," he said. This was one of the issues raised at the Niti Aayog meet in Delhi on Sunday, the chief minister said, adding, others included farmers' welfare and development schemes for the Union Territory.

Like Tamil Nadu, farmers in the UT were also suffering due to drought and his government had therefore, waived cooperative loans, Narayanasamy said.

Similarly, loans in banks should also be waived, he said and sought Centre's intervention in this matter.

PTI
No ordinance on use of Hindi as official language passed: Venkaiah Naidu

India

oi-Madhuri

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday while addressing media said that it is totally false and mischievous to allege that an ordinance for use of Hindi as an official language has been passed.

''Parliamentary Committee on Official Language only recommendatory and not mandatory,'' he said.

Parliamentary Committee on Official Language only recommendatory & not mandatory: Venkaiah Naidu on DMK alleging Hindi imposition pic.twitter.com/1D7MsMx2Nj  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

His comments came in the backdrop allegations levelled by certain quarters that the Modi government is trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states. DMK leader M K Stalin has accused the Centre of trying to relegate people who don't speak Hindi, to second-class citizens and of pushing the country into becoming 'Hindia'.

The controversy was generated after President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the recommendation of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language that all dignitaries including the president and ministers, especially those who can read and speak Hindi, may be requested to give their speech/statement in Hindi only.

The president has accepted several other recommendations, including making announcements on board aircraft in Hindi followed by English.

It may be recalled that DMK was a member of the government of India in 2011 when this recommendation was made and forwarded by the Parliamentary Committee to the Hon'ble President.

OneIndia News
Fragmented Third Front in Rajasthan unlikely to pose any threat to BJP and Congress

NDA plans a strategy on triple talaq as it planned for election of deputy chairman of RS

Non-BJP parties strive to unite for presidential polls: Yadav

India

oi-PTI

Vadodara, April 24: Former Janata Dal United president Sharad Yadav on Monday said the non-BJP parties were trying to arrive at a consensus to select a common candidate for the presidential election.

"Bringing the non-BJP parties together for putting up a common candidate for the presidential poll is not easy. But there is enough time for it as the poll is scheduled for July," he told PTI in Vadodara.

"After coming together, these parties will decide who will be their common candidate," Yadav said.

CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury had recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to explore the possibility of fielding a joint candidate, while RJD chief Lalu Prasad talked about cobbling together a Bihar-style 'Mahagathbandhan' grand alliance. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier called for a larger unity among the regional parties to take on the BJP.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 16:42 [IST]
Palanisamy raises NEET, Cauvery issues at NITI Aayog meeting

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, April 24: Chief Minister K Palanisamy paon Monday said that he had raised a number of issues concerning Tamil Nadu, including its demand for exemption from NEET test, at the NITI Aayog meeting held in New Delhi.

"We stressed for the exemption of NEET for Tamil Nadu at the NITI Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also, it has been insisted that the Cauvery Management Board CMB should be constituted immediately," Palanisamy told reporters upon his return from Delhi.

"Tamil Nadu has been insisting that it be given exemption from the National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test NEET for MBBS and BDS courses, with the state Assembly having adopted two bills in this regard. The bills are awaiting Presidential assent." he said.

Palanisamy reiterated the demand for setting up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and spoke about inter-linking of rivers, protecting the rights of Indian fishermen, retrieval of Katchatheevu and stepping up budgetary allocations for Central schemes among other issues.

PTI
FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K

PDP leader shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama, J&K

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A PDP leader was shot dead after terrorists shot at him at Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. President of the Pulwama unit of the PDP, the leader Abdul Gani Dar was shot at by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists at the Pinglan area in South Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir: PDP District president Pulwama Abdul Gani Dar attacked by terrorists, admitted to hospital. (Visuals from the site) pic.twitter.com/EOtPquRAFA  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

Gani was heading towards Srinagar when the incident took place. He received bullet injuries on his chest. He was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. The incident according to reports took place between the Pahoo and Pinglan villages of Pulwama district.

OneIndia News
People in rest of India should ensure safety of Kashmiris: Farooq Abdullah

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, Apr 24: Safety of Kashmiri students across the country should be ensured by the people of the respective places, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said here on Monday.

"It is not the Chief Ministers who can do anything. It is the people of India who must realise. It is for them to protect the people of Kashmir," Abdullah said. He was commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to all Chief Ministers to ensure safety of Kashmiri students in their states.

Modi had made the appeal at a meeting of Chief Ministers after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti raised the issue. "It is not the question of government, it is the question of people of India who will have to honour and protect the students and the people of Kashmir in the rest of the country," the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said.

Modi had made the appeal against the backdrop of thrashing of six Kashmiri students of Mewar University in Rajasthan by some locals last week. Abdullah also slammed a top police official of J&K for his certain comments about nomads against the backdrop of an assault on a nomadic family and demanded action against him.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu, SD Singh Jamwal had said that the nomads should take proper permission from the authorities for moving their herds to avoid incidents like the recent one in which a family was assaulted by some people on the suspicion that they were ferrying cows for slaughter.

"The first tragedy was the statement of IGP Jammu. I condemn that. He said they did not have any permit to move. When did we have permit for these people to move their herds towards the cooler pastures? They (nomads) always move their herds towards the pastures in the summer because they could not keep them in Jammu," Abdullah said.

"Permits were never issued," the former Chief Minister told reporters here. The statement of the police officer came after an attack on a nomad family in Reasi area of Jammu allegedly by cow vigilantes.

"They (nomads) should have permission from the concerned deputy commissioner and they should move during the daytime so that there is security and people will know that they are moving in legalized manner," Jamwal said while commenting on the Reasi attack.

Jamwal said the Police Headquarters has issued an advisory to all police stations to see that such movements take place in a legalized manner. Demanding action against the official, Abdullah emphasised that police have to protect the people rather than blame them. "Had I been the Chief Minister, I would have sacked him (IGP) for his statement," he said.

PTI
Massive chain of unimaginable employment

Having worked very closely and in proximity with the industry, let me break down the chain of employment at every level of a two-day middle-class wedding with a guest list of 500-600 people working in shifts:

Unskilled labours, such as cleaners and waste pickers: 15-20 people, earning Rs 600 - Rs 800 per shift Skilled and unskilled floral labour: 30-35 people earning Rs 850 - Rs 950 per shift Parking, security: 8-10 people earning Rs 600 - Rs 700 per shift Valet and drivers: 8-10 people earning Rs 600 - Rs 700 per shift Truck drivers: 3-4 people earning Rs 600 - Rs 700 per shift Labour for tables, tents, chairs and other infrastructure: 15-20 people earning Rs 850 - Rs 950 per shift Catering team staff -- servers and cooks: 25-30 people earning Rs 900 - Rs 1,000 per shift Technical staff for installation on lights and sound: 6-7 people earning Rs 850 - Rs 950 per shift Ground support manpower: 4-5 people earning Rs 1,500 - Rs 1,800 per shift -- consisting of college students trying to earn money to support their families and education and acquiring a new skill in managing events Ritual-based service providers such as pandits, men for dhol, nadaswaram, etc: around Rs 1,500 - Rs 2,500 per person A chain of employment for women -- Mehndi artists, rangoli artists, packing of trays and sweets, etc.

Photograph: A florist at work.

A segment that has been struggling to rise economically

Just with the list above, I would assess the employment on a simple two-day wedding of 500-600 invitees would be a total of 120-150 people earning a total of Rs 300,000 to Rs 370,000, with a monthly income of anywhere between Rs 6,000 to Rs 25,000 per person.

Most of the people mentioned above belong to a segment that has been struggling to rise economically.

This is a very small portion of the chain of employment the wedding industry gives rise to. If I were to include studio photo teams, women who make floral pieces for hair, tailor, dhobi etc - the list would be much, much longer.

Photograph: Elder musicians earn by playing at baraat bands.

Indias love for flowers and the floral industry

Take a walk around the local flower markets, especially during a wedding season, and you will be shocked with the massive amounts of people who make a living on these beautiful gifts of nature. Even today, with my long association with the floral market, it pleasantly surprises me to see the unending chain of employment.

Just to give you a surface-level idea of this chain, it consists of floriculture farmers, flower sellers in the market, people who make floral garlands and the labour for carrying the inventory of flowers, drivers, etc -- the list is long here too.

The floral industry for weddings also employees lakhs of women who work on creative and intricate flower work, flowers for hair, floral jewellery etc -- I can write an entire article on this alone.

Photograph: A florist at work at a wedding.

Urban career choice

Over the last decade or so, the wedding industry has given rise to a whole gamut of urban career choices such as candid photographers, make-up artists, wedding planners, set designers and so on. The wedding industry has allowed passions such as photography and ikebana designing to become a career.

You can pick and choose from this wide range of service providers based on your budget preferences and spending capabilities for your wedding. You may choose to spend from Rs 500,000 to Rs 5,000,000 on the wedding, but be assured that you can hire a photographer, make-up artist or even a wedding planner to suit your budgets.

Photograph: A wedding pandal being decorated with flowers.

Simple math

This is my realistic math for most simple weddings with 200 invitees:

Cost of venue: Rs 200,000 Cost of food: Rs 120,000 Cost of clothes: Rs 80,000 Cost of studio photography and videography: Rs 45,000 Basic decor: Rs 85,000 Cost of priest and other ritual based service providers: Rs 50,000 Hiring few mini buses: Rs 35,000 Cost on invitations: Rs 15,000 Other service providers such as make-up artist, people for mehndi, etc: Rs 35,000 Furniture on rent: Rs 60,000 Basic lights, sound, generator: Rs 35,000

I may have missed out on many items, but a simple town or city wedding is impossible in Rs 500,000.

If you want to pass a bill on the wedding industry, here are my top picks. These are valid, rational and actually stand to make a difference:

Standardise earnings for the employment chain at weddings and make regulations to support the poorer strata of people working at such functions. Make mandatory thoughtful waste segregation at weddings. A ban on plastic. Food wastage - hygienic storage and distribution of leftover food to the poor Employment of transgenders Stringent watch on tax evasion in weddings.

About the Author:

Sowmya Raghavan - Co-founded 3Productions, a wedding planning & consultancy firm. She has spearheaded her business that made her company unique in its officering of in-house crafter decor and across the board planning services for events. 3Production strives to spread employment to large amounts of people by working with skilled labour like carpenters, fabricators, etc.

Photograph: A floral team after a day's work.
Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs'

Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India

AAP "merely a party of UT Delhi", only Cong can challenge BJP in Gujarat, HP: Azad

Pulwama college incident: Students clash with security forces yet again

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Srinagar, April 24: As colleges and universities opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir Valley, students again clashed with security forces and resorted to stone pelting, officials said.

Students of the S. P. College assembled on the Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in Srinagar.

The Police tried to prevent the students from blocking the road. Sporadic clashes continued as security forces tried to restore traffic on the highway.

It may be recalled that over 50 students were injured after they protested against a temporary check-post outside the college by the security forces.

The security forces attracted criticism after video clippings showing students being beaten inside the college premises by them, went viral on social networking sites.

IANS

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 13:13 [IST]
Quickly get a doctor for Kejriwal, his EVM fever has spiked: Vijay Goel

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Union Minister Vijay Goel decided to play good samaritan to Arvind Kejriwal. " Oh no not again. Jao jao jaldi jao doctor ko bulao, nabs dikhao #Kejriwal ka haal batao his #EVM fever seems to have started again. ( Go quickly, call a doctor, get Kejriwal checked. His EVM fever seems to have started again)

Goel's tweet came a few hours after Kejriwal once again raised doubts about EVMs and said that they had been tampered with. The allegations were made by the Delhi chief minister after the exit polls for the MCD elections 2017 were out in which a huge victory for the BJP had been predicted.

State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava told a press conference that North corporation's Bakhtawarpur ward recorded the highest turnout at over 68 per cent, while south Delhi's Lado Sarai registered the least turnout at 39 per cent. He said 18 electronic voting machines were replaced owing to battery or button related issues.

OneIndia News
RSMSSB CHO Recruitment: Check vacancy, eligibility and how to apply

IT dept conducts raids at 40 locations in Rajasthan, 3 businessmen on radar

To marry her love, Rajasthan teacher changes gender

Rajasthan govt initiates intra-state airline services to boost tourism

India

oi-PTI

Jaipur, April 24: Rajasthan Tourism minister Krishnendra Kaur Deepa said that the government has initiated intra-state airline services to boost tourism.

The state will take care of the safety and security of international tourists, she said while inaugurating the 9th edition of Indian Travel Bazar in Jaipur.

"With the Centre's support the state government is developing Sambhar and Pushkar lake," she added.

Union joint secretary Tourism Suman Billa said that "the country has witnessed 11 per cent rise in footfall of international tourists last year. The domestic tourist market is strong and is seeing 8-9 per cent rise every year. In 2016, 1.7 billion domestic tourists travelled India."

India stands 40th in Travel and Tourism Competitive Index, which was 65th position in 2015.

Electronic visa is being provided to 168 countries, which enables for visa in 72 hours, Billa said, adding a toll free 1363 number service has been started for safety of tourists.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 12:19 [IST]
Bharat Jodo Yatra will proceed to Srinagar, come what may, says Rahul Gandhi as march enters Maharashtra

'Will resign as MLA if proven wrong': Defiant Jarkiholi defends 'Hindu' remark even as Cong slams him

Shocking breach of security, says Rahul Gandhi on Aadhaar fiasco

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 24: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the government as the Aadhaar numbers and bank account details of millions in Jharkhand were compromised, terming it a "shocking breach of privacy and security".

"Shocking breach of security that has left lakhs of innocent citizens extremely vulnerable," said Gandhi on his official Twitter account, posting along with it an article in a national daily reporting the news.

"I am proud that we took the lead on Aadhaar, but let's not compromise a great initiative by turning a blind eye to major privacy and security concerns," he added.

The Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, and addresses along with names of more than a million people were compromised by an error on website, maintained by Jharkhand's Directorate of Social Security.

IANS
Why Punjab farmers burn stubble at this scale when others do not

In the killing of those protecting Hindus in Punjab, a massive ISI plot revealed

Sidhu to pay Rs 24 lakh compensation to farmers from own pocket

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Chandigarh, April 24: Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs 24 lakh from his pocket to the farmers in Amritsar whose crops turned to ash in a fire accident in Rajasansi on Friday night.

Sidhu, who visited Othian, one of the affected villages, said that the fire broke out in the fields due to short circuit. He said that the power department will be paying Rs 8,000 per acre to the affected farmers, taking a total relief of Rs 24 lakh as around 300-acre crop was gutted in the fire.

He said that the announced compensation will not be enough and that's so he visited the place to announce another Rs 24 lakh ex-gratia from his own pocket and added that it his responsibility to help the farmers of Rajasansi who had supported him.

The minister stated that there is no harm in compensating the farmers as he earns money from television shows.

Sidhu assured that he will speak to the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to increase the compensation for crop loss.

Sidhu had also asked Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha to take up the fire accident issue and ensure that high-voltage wires hanging over the crops are removed or rectified.

Sidhu had given Rs 1 crore for the 'Go Green, Go Clean' campaign when he was the member of Parliament from Amritsar at that time.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 13:41 [IST]
Swaraj asks Indian embassy in Saudi to rescue Hyderabad woman

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Apr 24: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday asked the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue and repatriate a woman from Hyderabad who has been allegedly facing mental and physical harassment by her sponsor there.

Swaraj's direction to the Indian embassy officials in Riyadh came after a media report said the woman was deceived by her agents and was now physically harassed by her sponsor.

In a series tweets, she said, "I have asked Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue and repatriate her to India at the earliest. I have asked @ProtectorGenGOI to proceed against the agent who sent her to Saudi Arabia."

Salma Begum, 39, a resident of Babanagar 'C' block was allegedly sent to Saudi Arabia by two agents identified as Akram and Shafi of the same locality on January 21, 2017 on a housemaid visa.

PTI
The big BJP family

Amid work, top BJP leaders did not forget to pose for the camera. PM Modi made it a point to tweet the picture too.

Picture credit: @narendramodi

We are BJP CMs

BJP CMs Sarbananda Sonowal, Yogi Adityanath, Manohar Parrikar and others at the BJP CMs' council meeting at the party office in New Delhi on Sunday.

Picture credit: PTI

The winning duo

PM Modi smiles at Shah as the latter addressed the meeting.

Picture credit: PTI

BJPs India NITI

NITI Aayog vice chairperson Arvind Panagariya addressed a press conference after the governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Sunday. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant also attended the conference.

Picture credit: PTI

Listening to PM Modi

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar flanked by Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed, Goa CM Manohar Parrikar along with other CMs during the 3rd meeting of the governing council of NITI Aayog chaired by PM Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Sunday.

Picture credit: PTI

A smiling Raje

Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje during the 3rd Governing Council Meet of the NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Sunday.

Picture credit: PTI
Thanks to Sushma Swaraj, Karnataka man can finally bring his Pakistani wife home

India

oi-Anusha

Nearly a year after his wedding, a man from Karnataka can finally bring his Pakistani wife home, thanks to the intervention of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Daniel Henry Devanur, a resident of Hubballi in Karnataka, had been fighting to get his Pakistani wife Silvia Noreen on a visitor's visa to India for the last ten months. Silvia who landed in India on April 19 will head to Hubballi shortly with her husband.

Daniel who got married in June 2016 in Lahore was unable to bring his wife to India. A tweet to Sushma Swaraj brought an end to his woes. Silvia has been issued with a visa for three months which is extendable upto two years. Within the time frame, Silvia will apply for an Indian citizenship, the family said.

@SushmaSwaraj Good evening Dear mam, because of your help we both husband wife are together, God bless you. pic.twitter.com/mha0vnPl39  Daniel Henry Devanur (@DanielDevanur) April 20, 2017

The bride Silvia's family had settled in Pakistan before partition. Daniel got his marriage registered and a certificate issued by the government of Pakistan. He returned to India in July 2016 but was unable to procure a visa for his wife as no gazetted officer was willing to sign a sponsor letter. Disappointed, Daniel tweeted to Sushma Swaraj who asked his wife to connect with the Indian embassy. In a matter of days, Silvia received her visa and flew down to New Delhi.

Thanks to the efforts of the ministry, a couple from across borders now have a fairytale ending.

OneIndia News
Threat to J&K students: Mehbooba tells states to treat them as their own

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In the wake of the threats being faced by students from Jammu and Kashmir in other states, Mehbooba Mufti made an appeal to ensure their safety. "They are like your own children, call them once in a while," the J&K CM said at the Niti Aayog meeting attended by all CMs.

"They should not be harassed and attacked. They are like your own children and also ambassadors of your states back home," Mehbooba also said at the meeting. "Please reach out to them aninquirere about their well-being," she said. "Call them once in a while. Make them feel at home," the J&K CM further said.

She was backed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM told the CMs that they should reach out to the students of other states. On Friday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too made an appeal to ensure the safety of students from Jammu and Kashmir.

In the past week, several posters have come up threatening J&K students. One poster in Uttar Pradesh threatened the students with dire consequences, if they did not leave the state.

OneIndia News
Explained: What the SC said and how is Talaq-e-Hasan different from triple talaq

Triple talaq through social media is similar to postcard: AIMPLB member

India

pti-PTI

Ahmedabad, Apr 24: Amid a raging debate on the manner in which 'triple talaq' is pronounced by Muslim men in the country, an All India Muslim Personal Law Board member on Monday said conveying talaq (divorce) through an SMS or social media was just another mode of communication.

AIMPLB member Hasan Raza said the new age practice of conveying the divorce through SMS or social messaging app Whatsapp is similar to using a postcard or a telegram in the past for the purpose.

"In the past, letters or telegrams were used to convey such messages (of talaq). Now, people send an SMS using mobile phones. So, it is just a way of communicating that message. However, we need to look into the credibility of that message. Such a message (of talaq) should not be sent in anger," he said.

He, however, did not state his position on whether pronouncing talaq in such a manner was justified. Raza, who is also a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), was replying to a query on whether he found it inappropriate for a Muslim man to dissolve his marriage by sending an SMS or a WhatsApp message to his wife.

He and the JIH's Gujarat unit president Shakeel Ahmed Rajput were addressing a joint conference here. Raza said the Gujarat chapter of the JIH has launched a campaign to spread awareness about Sharia laws, particularly those governing triple talaq, in the state. He told reporters that the issue of triple talaq has been used as "a tool in the vote bank politics".

"Our contention is that the issue has been unnecessarily politicised. It has become a tool of the vote bank politics. Our aim is to create an awareness about it among the masses. We want Muslims to interpret the law properly," Raza said, adding that "JIH will not let this issue turn into a political game". Citing the data, which he said has been acquired through RTI, the AIMPLB member claimed that the number of divorce cases in Muslim community was far less than being projected.

"As per the information we received about the cases of divorce filed in 13 different family courts in some Muslim-dominated areas across the country between 2011 and 2015, only 1,307 such cases were filed by Muslims as against 3,827 cases of Christians and 16,505 cases of Hindus," he said.

Explaining the drive launched by the JIH for dispelling the "misconceptions" about the Islamic laws, Rajput said, "The initiative named as 'Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign' is the part of a nationwide awareness drive launched recently by the central body 'Jamaat-e-Islami Hind' in an attempt to educate and reform Muslim community". He said the campaign, launched across the country, will continue till May 7. "This initiative is aimed at educating Muslims about the personal law. Our objective is to make them aware about various rules, instructions and procedures prescribed in our law," Rajput said.

"We have set the target of reaching out to at least 10 lakh Muslims in Gujarat through door-to-door campaign, seminars, interactive sessions and mohalla meetings. We will make people aware about triple talaq, polygamy and many other aspects of Islamic law," Rajput added. Earlier this month, the Centre had told the Supreme Court that the practices of 'triple talaq', 'nikah halala' and polygamy impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women and deny them fundamental rights guaranteed by Constitution.

The apex court on March 30 observed that the practices of 'triple talaq', 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims were important issues involving "sentiments" and a Constitution bench would hear the pleas challenging these from May 11.

Influential Muslim organisations like the AIMPLB have opposed the court's adjudication of these matters, maintaining that these practices stemmed from the Holy Quran and were not justiciable.

The AIMPLB had recently said it would issue a code of conduct under which those pronouncing 'triple talaq' without valid reasons mentioned under 'Sharia' (Islamic law) will face social boycott.

PTI
In UP 166 criminals killed in encounters in past five years: Yogi

This Diwali, UP CM Yogi asks govt employees to celebrate festival with needy, deprived families

Modernisation of police force helped in controlling crime in UP: CM Yogi

Yogi govt orders demotion of DySP to inspector for taking bribes in rape case

UP govt reviews security cover of VIPs

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

Lucknow, April 24: In one of the latest move amid many reforms in Uttar pradesh, the newly-elected Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday ordered to reduce the security cover various opposition ministers and VIPs in the state.

Some high-profile opposition ministers whose security cover has been downgraded from Z category to Y category are- former minister Azam Khan, Samajwadi party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and senior leader Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav.

However, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati will continue to enjoy Z plus security cover, according to a report.

Reacting on Yogi's decision, Khan told a leading daily, "It seems more than a co-incidence that on Saturday I received threat letters from someone outside UP and on Sunday my security cover was reviewed and pruned."

The security cover of 105 VIPs has been completely withdrawn and the security of 46 politicians has been downgraded.

On the other hand, senior BJP leader Vinay Katiyar will have an upgraded security cover, with Z category security.

Following threat to his life, the security cover of UP CM Yogi Adityanath has been upgraded, who already has Z plus security cover. Now 35 National Security Guards (NSG) commanders and a Quick Response Team will also be deployed with him.

On Saturday night, the UP security committe, comprising of newly-appointed UP DGP Sulkhan Singh, Principal Secretary (home), ADG Intelligence and ADG (security) reviewed the security of around 151 former ministers, MLAs and other VIPs.

"After the latest security review, more than 1,200 security personnel will be spared for other law and order duties in their respective district", an officer told TOI.

Last week, in an attempt to ban the VIP culture, the Centre government directed that red beacons should be removed from the vehicles of all ministers.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 13:47 [IST]
UP polls: Law against triple talaq saved families of thousands of Muslim women from breaking-up: PM

Explained: What the SC said and how is Talaq-e-Hasan different from triple talaq

For triple talaq victims, judicial verdict in favor but social verdict still against them!

UP: Two sisters receive triple talaq messages via fax, text

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Ghaziabad: Even as cases of triple talaq case are on the rise, more Muslim women who are victims of the practice are approaching the police, and some are able to reach out to the ministers. In a recent case, two sisters identified as Mehrana and Imrana from Ghaziabad received triple talaq messages via letter and over the phone.

#TripleTalaq: 2 sisters divorced by spouses(who are brothers) from Saudi, one received a letter and other was divorced over phone #Ghaziabad pic.twitter.com/H80H03aBMt  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 24, 2017

The two woman who got married to two brothers two years ago allege that they were harassed by theuir husbands soon after the wedding. The duo now seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for justice.

They said it has been two years that they received the talaq messages two years ago and the case is still pending.

According to Imrana, the woman who received talaq over phone, said that she was forced to leave the house and was not provided proper provisions.

She said that her husband did everything possible to get rid of her and later went away to Dubai for work.

According to Mehrana, the woman who received talaq message through fax said that she was harassed by her husband over dowry. The duo said that triple talaq should be banned for the safety of Muslim woman.

Meanwhile, a case was registered in Sanathnagar police station of Hyderabad after a man allegedly gave talaq to his wife on WhatsApp.

According to the police, a woman identified as Sumaina Shafi had complained that she had received a message on WhatsApp from her husband.

When asked, Shafi who was married to Owais Talib in 2015, received a message 'talaq talaq talaq' on November 28, 2016. The case is still pending according to the police.

According to Sumaina, Ammi Jaan, a guardian of her husband used to treat her very badly, Sumaina said

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 11:21 [IST]
Vice President Hamid Ansari embarks on visit to Armenia, Poland

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, 24 April: Vice President Hamid Ansari is expected to discuss India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group during an upcoming visit to Poland. Ansari, who left on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland on Monday, will hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

The vice president, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium & Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, D P Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish president and the prime minister, who will host a banquet in the vice president's honour. He will also meet the speaker of the Senate.

Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them, MEA Secretary (east) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.''So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the vice president with an opportunity to thank Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums," she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the president, prime minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan. The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, an External Affairs Ministry official said. Ansari will also address students and faculty at the Yerevan University.

The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour. The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the vice president of India to Armenia. In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex. "It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the vice president on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw,'' an MEA Official said.

The ambassador of India will host a reception where the vice president is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others. India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD. "As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 per cent in just one year,'' the official said.

PTI
What is ISI's 'Operation Krishna India' all about

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

"They will come dressed as Sadhus and carry out spectacular terror attacks," is what an Intelligence Bureau alert states. The alert issued specifically for the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence has directed its operatives to dress up as Sadhus and carry out attacks.

IB officials say that the ISI has trained several persons to launch attacks in India. Now it has told its operatives to dress up as Sadhus so that they could avoid detection by the Intelligence agencies. Officials say that the ISI has named this operation as 'Operation Krishna India'.

As per the instructions of the ISI, operatives would come dressed as Sadhus and carry out a fidayeen attack in UP and MP. The ISI has activated modules of the SIMI in MP to carry out the job, the alert also states. The areas that are under the radar of these terrorists in disguise are Agra, Mathura, Ayodhya and Varanasi. The instruction is to target crowded areas where the number of pilgrims is high.

Following this alert security has been stepped up in all these places. While officers say that the alert is a routine one, they also point out that security is in place.

Officials are also revisiting a 2016 investigation in which it was found that members of the Students Islamic Movement of India had planned such attacks. It was found that an operative by the name Ghaus Mohammad was living under the name of Karan Khatri in Lucknow. He was in touch with some persons from Nepal. The module was, however, busted when police arrested four persons after they slipped into UP from Nepal.

OneIndia News
CPI(M) has a problem with the Congress Bharat Jodo Yatra: Heres why

Yechury alleges jungle raaj under BJP in UP

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 24: Expressing outrage over right-wing outfits attacking police stations in Agra, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said there was a 'jungle raj' (lawlessness) in Uttar Pradesh.

"BJP MPs and MLAs are leading mobs to attack police stations in Uttar Pradesh. If this is not jungle raj, what is? Constitutional responsibilities," Yechury asked on Twitter.

"We get enraged (and rightly so) when cops are attacked by stones in Kashmir. How are these BJP MPs and MLAs different when they attack police," he asked.

Right wing activists including members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday attacked Agra's Sadar Bazaar and Fatehpur Sikri police stations and roughed up policemen.

The activists were led by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Fatehpur Sikri, Choudhary Udai Bhan Singh. They wanted the release of their party members against whom an FIR had been registered.

The Hindu outfits on Saturday tried to lay siege to the Taj Mahal and forcibly enter the restricted 500 metre zone to demand the lifting of a ban on saffron scarves.

IANS
Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out

Constable sentenced to life for instigating minor to suicide after sexual abuse

UP: Man films wife committing suicide, does nothing to stop her

Afghanistan: Suicide car bomb attack near old airport in Khost

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Kabul, April 24: A suicide car bombing near an airport rocked eastern city of Khost in Afghanistan on Monday.

"A suicide car bombing struck near the old airport in Khost. We cannot provide details of casualties but fear that there are possible deaths," Xinhua news agency quoted the source as saying.

Khost province public health officials said a minor child who sustained injuries in the attack was shifted to the city hospital.

The attack occurred hours after US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit.

Government troops cordoned off the area shortly after the blast in an area where a base of NATO and US forces is also located. No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

IANS
Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot

This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how

Pakistan: Bomb kills four soldiers in Balochistan

International

oi-PTI

Quetta, April 24: An improvised explosive device hit a Frontier Corps vehicle on Sunday in the restive southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan, killing four soldiers and wounding three others, the military said.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balochistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting.

"At least four FC soldiers embraced shahadat martyrdom while another three sustained injuries," the military said in a statement.

Balochistan is the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.

Around 500 Baloch rebel militants on Friday surrendered to the government as Islamabad pursues its development agenda linked to the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC in the southwest province.

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 Balochistan's deep sea port of Gwadar to China has reduced the violence considerably.

AFP

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Story first published: Monday, April 24, 2017, 9:41 [IST]
Donald Trump congratulates NASA astronaut who sets space record

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Apr 24: US President Donald Trump on Monday made a very, very long distance call, from his Oval Office to the International Space Station, to congratulate Peggy Whitson who broke the record for most days in space by a US astronaut.

He spoke with Whitson, commander of the International Space Station, and fellow astronaut Jack Fischer. When Trump asked Whitson "what we are learning from space", she explained to him some of the challenges of living on the ISS. She informed him of an experiment aboard the space station to convert urine to water - which the astronauts have drunk, saying "it's really not as bad as it sounds". "Water is such a precious resource up here that we also are cleaning up our urine and making it drinkable.

And it's really not as bad as it sounds," she said. Trump quipped, "Well, that's good. I'm glad to hear that. Better you than me." Fischer gave his own perspective to the challenges of living at the space station. "It's amazing. Oh, and then, you know, now I'm talking to the President of the United States while hanging from a wall. It's amazing," he said.

The International Space Station is, by far, the best example of international cooperation and what we can do when we work together in the history of humanity. "I am so proud to be a part of it. It's just cool," he said.

Whitson said on a typical day the astronauts wake up and look at the messages from the ground. On any given day, it can be dramatically different, she added. "On one day, we might be focusing on science. On another day, we might be repairing the carbon dioxide removal system.

On another day, soon Jack and I are going to do a spacewalk. We talked about, last Saturday, we did robotics operations. I love the diversity of the different activities that we do. Plus, you know, we have over 200 investigations ongoing on board the space station, and I just think that's a phenomenal part of the day," Whitson said.

Trump said the astronauts are making great difference to the mankind. "You're making a great difference, I have to say." Fischer said this is probably the most exciting in space exploration, certainly in his lifetime. "We are about to just have an explosion of activity. There is so much involvement on the space station with commercial industries and commercial partners. We have an entire program to manage the science," he said.

PTI
US will share encrypted data with India to help fight terror

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

D-India has time and again complained that it does not get enough support from the United States of America where digital evidence is concerned. However now, the US has assured India that it would share encrypted data on the internet and social media platforms relating to cases of terrorism.

Several cases of online terror have fallen flat due to want of evidence. India has constantly said that such cases can be cracked only if countries such as the US cooperates. Several cases have gone into the cold storage for want of evidence. With groups such as the Islamic State operating online, digital evidence becomes crucial.

The assurance was given to the National Investigation Agency during a meeting with FBI's deputy director, Andrew G McCabe. The NIA had told McCabe that it would require the support of the US in cracking cases relating to online terrorism. The NIA says that crucial data in such cases could be made available only by the US.

The NIA said that in cases pertaining to the IS, the chats, emails and conversations are coded. If the US would cooperate with India in such cases, then it would be easier to crack such cases. Moreover when such cases land up in court, it would be easier for the NIA to secure a conviction after producing digital evidence.

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Panguna landowners have reacted angrily to a report that the PNG Government supports formerly Rio Tinto-linked company BCL in its bid to convince authorities it should be given exploration rights at the controversial Panguna minesite  the scene of major civil unrest in Bougainville in the 1990s.The President of the Special Mining Lease Landowners Association, Philip Miriori, said his group was 100% opposed and that many other Bougainvillians shared this view.Claims of unanimous landowner support for BCL were wrong and insulting, Mr Miriori said, adding it was time PNG Prime Minister ONeill and Bougainville President Momis heard some true facts.He also went on to say In fact, during the first phase the issue of an exploration licence, we are the only Landowner Association that has a say as it will be our minerals and land that will be disturbed and subject to exploration. It is only later, when the mine is redeveloped that the other Landowners will need to consider their position.Our group owns the land and the mineral rights for the minesite. Nothing can occur on the site without our permission, Mr Miriori said.We are being deliberately passed over despite Bougainville Government assurances that no action would be taken on the minesite without proper respect to peoples views.Many Bougainvillians were angered at the statements about PNG Government support for BCL. I expect we will hear much more this week, he said.Mr Miriori was referring to a planned gathering of ex-combatants from the Bougainville conflict, which erupted on the back of BCL and Rio Tintos operation of the old Panguna, leaving only environmental carnage and deep-seated disputes over improper payments and lack of accountability with the death of many of our friends and family.All this will do is further motivate our people to stand up against BCL, stronger and more vocally, Mr Miriori said.Most people in Bougainville know of Francis Onas words: BCL should never be allowed to return to Bougainville.The SML group made their position very clear to Bougainvilles President Momis at a meeting in late February and another earlier in December last year.We said we will never accept BCL. It is the same company that caused turmoil in Bougainville which lasted more than 10years. It is run by ex-Rio people. And it continues to break its promises, try to bully us and misrepresent us, as it tries to drive a wedge between our people and ignore our rights as the owners of the minerals.It is time people woke up to this. In 28 years, BCL has done nothing for Bougainville or PNG except make empty promises or ignore us. Why would we even consider giving BCL anything  they have given us nothing and they owe millions in unpaid rent and hundreds of millions in compensation for ruining the environment.There is a better way forward which will finally get rid of BCL and bring some real hope back for Panguna and future Bougainville independence and prosperity.
The Japanese Experts Group presented their report on Meetotamulla Garbage Dump to President Maithripala Sirisena today (April 24) at the Presidents Official Residence in Colombo.

Head of the Experts Group, Mitsutake Numahata handed over the report and made a power-point presentation explain the recommendations of the group.

He said as a short term measure, the garbage dump should be stabilized to ensure there would not be further collapses. Before the onset of the monsoon the shape of the dump should be streamlined and the base should be covered with polythene. As a secondary measure, the shape of the dump should be made symmetrical with a broad base to ensure proper distribution of the gravity.

The experts group also proposed long term measures to remove the dump by adopting 3-R system of reduce, reuse and recycle.

President Sirisena thanked the Japanese Experts Group for undertaking a comprehensive study within days of the disaster and said that the Japanese expertise would be useful to solve the major issue of garbage in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that although the Meetotamulla disaster began as a human tragedy, now the garbage has become a political issue. He said the need for a lasting solution to the issue and sought continued support from Japan for this endeavour.

Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Patali Champika Ranawaka and Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma were also present on this occasion.

Brief outline of the Japanese Assessment Report

Assessment of the Site in Meethotamulla

Possible cause of the collapse

Safe management of the site

Measures for stabilization in short term and longer term

Exchange of technical views with GOSL relevant authorities such as:

Ministry of Disaster Management, Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Ministry of Mega polis and Western Development and etc.

Observation of the Karadiyana dumping site

Technical Recommendations: Short term measures for Meethitamulla

Short Term measures: Safety management and prevention of secondary disaster

Warning system based on rain fall is critical

Maintain dump shape in the short term

Do not change the shape of waste layers. Shape waste layers only stabilization of the dump is confirmed through all the monitoring indicators. It will take time.

Technical Recommendations: Mid-Term measures for Meethotamulla

Mid- Term measures : Stabilization of the site through comprehensive approach

Gas control and water drainage

Leachate control and treatment

Assessment of soil modulus of dump

Shaping dump into stable slopes

Technical Recommendations: Medium & Long term measures

According to our experiences, in addition to construction of landfill site, it is necessary to have

Waste segregation

Introduction of intermediate treatment such as waste incinerator

3R (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle) The recognition of solid waste management costs

Public awareness and consultation.

(Presidents Media)
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:

A survey by Context Summits of more than 200 institutions and family offices, representing prominent fund of funds, endowments, pensions, sovereign wealth funds and private investors, has found that these sectors are still committed to maintain their allocations to alternative assets and new strategies.

"For the second consecutive year, one of the overarching themes from our Miami event is that institutions and family offices are maintaining their commitment to alternative asset managers," said Mark Salameh, co-founder and CEO of Context Summits. "These investors are seeking new managers that can produce strong risk-adjusted returns and help diversify a traditional portfolio from risks in equity and credit markets. The findings provide evidence that the alternative asset management industry continues to grow and mature, with new strategies and ideas entering the market every day."

The second annual Allocator Trends Report was conducted during the Context Summits Miami 2017 event, held February 1-3, 2017 which convened more than 2,000 industry professionals, representing $3.1tln in cumulative assets under management.

John Culbertson, chief investment officer of Context Capital Partners, added, "In 2016, while some very large funds ex......................

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Opalesque Industry Update - An American university has chosen Bermuda as its domicile for the first known student-run captive insurance company. Students enrolled in the Davey Risk Management & Insurance Program at Butler University's Lacy School of Business in Indianapolis, IN, were granted licensing approval from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) this month to launch the captive, which will self-insure a variety of risks for the university, including its celebrity mascot, a bulldog, and its fine art collection. MJ Student-Run Insurance Company Ltd, to formally open for business this August, is believed to be the first of its kind in the world. "We're the first university I know of to have a student-run captive," said Zach Finn, Clinical Professor and Director of the four-year programme he helped launch in 2012. "Other universities have told us we've now disrupted the market-that we are basically akin to the first finance programme to have students manage an endowment. Many believe that in the next 20 years, this will be the standard for insurance and risk education." Butler students and faculty received the news from the BMA this month during a five-day visit to the island in which they also met with members of industry and the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA). "Butler's recognition reaffirms the fact of Bermuda's top-tier qualities; its independent analysis validates what many in the risk solutions industry have long determined," said BDA CEO Ross Webber. "The students' research and application is a wonderful endorsement of Bermuda's strengths, responsiveness and robust, agile regulation. These attributes have made our jurisdiction the world's leading captive domicile for several decades." Students also met with service providers Aon, KPMG and Conyers law firm, companies they had selected to work with to create, launch and manage the captive. "It has been a privilege to partner with Butler University and assist with the formation and management of what is believed to be the first US student-led insurance company," said Anup Seth, Managing Director of Aon Insurance Managers Bermuda. The project took shape at Butler last year when Professor Finn, who previously worked as a risk manager and risk analyst, assigned students an objective comparison of insurance domiciles both in the United States and overseas. Two groups of students each were assigned five competing markets for which they conducted analyses on capitalisation, premium and excise taxes, and other standard comparisons. Finn then asked them to contact the regulators of each domicile to check responsiveness. "Bermuda and Vermont were the only two domiciles that got back to us-within four hours," he said. Students ultimately made Bermuda their top choice because of its mature market and sophisticated infrastructure. In a captive feasibility study, they noted "Bermuda is the oldest and most established captive domicile in the world" and "one of the largest international markets for insurance." They added: "The main advantage that sets Bermuda above [other domiciles] is the regulatory environment...and the access to professional infrastructure. The regulatory environment is robust, yet flexible, as the regulation is risk-based." "The opportunity to have our students come down here and interface with a large swath of the global reinsurance market is unbelievably powerful," said Finn, whose team then worked with Conyers to set up the captive as a legal entity, did an RFP for a captive manager, selecting Aon, and worked with KPMG to develop five-year pro-forma financial statements. "We identified risks we might want to write and underwrote those. We identified loss-control recommendations and specimen policies and talked about rating and audit, and just everything," said Finn. "I'm a big believer that all business education should be a mix of academic and experiential." Bermuda is the top global captive jurisdiction, home to close to 800 captive insurance companies, supporting primarily Fortune 500 corporations in the US, and generating over $55 billion in annual gross written premiums. "Butler's student-run captive concept is an extremely innovative idea," noted Eric Heinrichs, Managing Director, KPMG Bermuda. "It's no surprise they've identified Bermuda as the best domicile for their captive, and I'm very excited to be working with this great group of students." "Conyers is very excited to work alongside the students and staff of Butler University. The Butler team is both knowledgeable and energetic, which has made it a pleasure to work with them on this very hands-on initiative," said Conyers Associate Jacqueline King. "We look forward to continuing to work with them." The Bermuda captive will insure the school's mascot, celebrity English bulldog Butler Blue III, nicknamed Trip, which has 20,000 Twitter followers, as well as Butler's bomb-sniffing dog, Marcus. It will also cover all other student-run start-ups at the university and Butler's fine-art collection. "This was the coolest project I have been a part of in my four years at Butler," said Brad Weber, 22, who, after graduating next month begins his first job-as a risk analyst with a manufacturing multinational serving the aerospace industry. "This captive was formed to change the way insurance is taught in schools and help alleviate the current talent crisis in the insurance industry," he said. "It's already serving that purpose."
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Do you want to know about Graphdiyne Market 2016 - 2021? CAGR will be more than XX% to worth XX Billion

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Know about the future of Global Nonionic Specialty Surfactants Market and what makes it a Booming industry according to following research report: 2016-2021

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Global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) Market Professional Survey Report 2016 Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.The Research report comprises key growth drivers and barriers of the global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) market, including their impact on production and demand in the next few years. The product specifications, major geographical segments, and competitive analysis of the global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) Market have also been discussed in detail in the research report. In addition, the study includes a detailed analysis of the potential opportunities in the global market. It further includes the market attractiveness analysis, in which the product segments are studied based on growth rate, market size, and general attractiveness.Download Sample Pages of this Premium Report:The research report on global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) market offers a clear understanding of the market, focusing on the key growth factors and potential opportunities. It presents future projections of the Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) market on a global as well as on regional level. The research study further presents the past performance of the global market, coupled with the statistics from 2016 to 2021 on the basis of volume and revenue. A Porters five forces model analysis has also been provided in the report to determine the competitive scenario of this market.Get 30% Discount on this Report:In addition, a detailed value chain analysis has been included to present a comprehensive view of the market. Furthermore, the major geographical segments of the global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) market have been evaluated in the research report. The product portfolio, financial status, and business policies of these players are studied in the report in detail. Using SWOT analysis the report has studied the strengths and weaknesses of the profiled players.For more inquiry before Purchase:Firstly, the report introduces the Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) markets fundamentals: Definitions, classifications, applications, industry chain overview, industry policies and strategy, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structure and so forth. Then it evaluates the world's crucial region market conditions, together with the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity fulfillment, supply, demand and industry growth rate and so on. Lastly, the report brings up new business SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.The report consists of six parts, attending to:A) Fundamental information.B) The Asia Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) industry.c) The North American Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) industry.d) The European Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) industry.e) Market entry and investment feasibility &f) The report conclusion.Global Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) Market Research Report 2016This report studies Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2011 to 2015, and forecast to 2021.Company Profiled in this Report: Invista Butachimie Evonik INEOS Dow DuPont Adisseo Cyanco Cornerstone Sterling Chemicals CSBP Asahi KaseiComplete Report Available @About Research n Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
Global Metallic Electrical Conduit Industry 2017 by Manufacturer - Atkore, ABB, Legrand, Schneider Electric, Calpipe

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In this report, the global Metallic Electrical Conduit market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2022.The Global Metallic Electrical Conduit Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Metallic Electrical Conduit industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Metallic Electrical Conduit market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis and major regions development status. Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (North America, Europe, China and Japan) and other regions can be added.Download Sample Report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Metallic Electrical Conduit in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanGlobal Metallic Electrical Conduit market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAtkoreABBLegrandSchneider ElectricCalpipeBarton engineeringZJKANAMET ELECTRICALWheatlandKingland & PipelineOtherAccess Full Report With TOC @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoFlexible ConduitsRigid ConduitsOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Metallic Electrical Conduit for each application, includingIT and TelecommunicationsEnergy and UtilityTransportationIndustrial ManufacturingOthersAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Current and Projected Gadolinium Market size in terms of volume and value 2015-2025

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Gadolinium is a rare earth metal, silvery white, ductile and malleable. Gadolinium is employed in various application segments including electronics, medical equipment, imaging agents and nuclear reactors among others. Being a rare earth metal, the price of gadolinium have increased many folds over the years and the trend is expected to continue in the near future.Superior metallurgic characteristics and high efficiency have been the major factors driving growth for gadolinium market. Small amount of gadolinium improves the temperature resistance and efficiency of metals such as iron. Gadolinium has been gaining acceptance in the medical equipment and nuclear applications. Therefore, growing demand for nuclear energy and medical equipment has been a major driver for the industry. Price of gadolinium has been increasing over the years which have been a major factor restraining market growth. Research and development activities to increase the application scope of gadolinium are expected to offer huge growth opportunity in the market.Request Report Sample@Increasing demand for nuclear energy mainly in the Asian countries of China, Japan is expected to drive the demand for gadolinium in the region. With increasing threat of energy crisis several developing economies have increased their investments in the nuclear energy segment. Emerging geographical segments such as India, Pakistan and other developing economies in the Asia Pacific region is expected to offer huger growth opportunity in the region. Increasing shift of demand towards the renewable sources of energy mainly in the developed economies of North America and Europe is anticipated to slow the market growth in the region.Major industry participants in the gadolinium market include Goodfellow Corpration, GFS Chemicals, Inc., All-Chemie, Ltd, Pascal Technologies, Inc., Fredericksburg, VA Alfa Chemical Corpation, Molycorp, Super Conductor Materials, Inc., Inorganic Ventures and Molycorp Corporation among others. This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically-supported and industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as market segments, regions, product types and distribution channels.Visit For TOC@About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Blog:
Neurological Disorder Drugs Market: Germany Exhibits CAGR of 6.8% during Forecast Period in Overall Market

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Europe Neurological Disorders Drugs Market: SnapshotNeurological drugs are developed to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular diseases, and others. The growing prevalence of these disorders across the European region is anticipated to drive the demand for neurological disorder drugs market in the coming few years. The research report projects that intensifying concerns about living an adjusted life have prompted several patients to seek help. According to the study, the Europe neurological disorder drugs market was valued is expected to reach a valuation of US$32.0 bn by the end of 2024 as compared to US$18.3 bn in 2015. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the overall market is expected to surge at a CAGR of CAGR of 6.4%.Obtain Report Details:Increasing Research and Development Fuels Market GrowthThe Europe neurological disorders drugs market will be fueled by the growing initiatives taken by governments of several countries to educate the masses and to develop new drugs. For instance, European Parkinson's Disease Association in Europe is offering affordable medications to patients, campaigning to raise awareness, and supporting research and development activities to drive the overall neurological disorder drugs market. The market has also seen a steady emergence of several research and development programs that are focused toward developing effective drugs that come at affordable prices. The collective rise in the spending of countries on developing neurological disorder drugs is expected to improve the markets revenue in the coming few years.On the basis of various disorders, the market caters to disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular disease and others. Out of all of these segments, the cerebrovascular disease held the dominant share in terms of revenue in 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the cerebrovascular diseases, which can manifest as a stroke, migraine and headache is the common cause of worry for several patients. About 80% of the patients suffering from cerebrovascular diseases across EU% show these symptoms. Thus, this segment is expected to exhibit a robust growth rate in the coming few years.Germany Stands out as Highest Consumer of Neurological Disorder Drugs in EuropeFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:In terms of geography, the Europe neurological disorder drugs market is segmented into Germany, France, Italy, Spain, U.K., Russia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, and Rest of Europe. The research report states that Germany held a significant share in the market in 2015, closely followed by France. The regions will dominate over the forecast period due to the rising prevalence of neurological disorders and improving the awareness about the diseases due to support groups and government initiatives. Furthermore, the rising pool of geriatrics in Germany will also boost the uptake of neurological disorders drugs in the coming few years.Presently, Germany, the U.K., France, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain are the leading countries in Europe in the neurological disorder drugs market. The study indicates that Switzerland will offer several growth opportunities to the overall market as awareness about these life-altering diseases grows.The leading players operating in the Europe neurological disorders market are Merck & Co., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bayer AG, Astra Zeneca, F-Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Novartis AG, and GlaxoSmithKline plc. Among these, Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline plc and Novartis AG. The research report states that the market is consolidated due to the presence of several small players in who hold significant share in the market. Most of these companies are focusing on improving their pipelines and expanding their geographical outreach to retain their dominance.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market Growing at a CAGR of 5.59% to 2021

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The Report analysts forecast the global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment market to grow at a CAGR of 5.59% during the period 2017-2021.Worldwide Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment market report of 2017 provides a detailed market overview as well as industry analysis for / of companies, manufacturers and distributors covering data on gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, sale price and more.Factor VIII is an essential blood-clotting protein, which is also known as an antihemophilic factor. In individuals, factor VIII is encoded by F8 gene. Defects in F8 gene lead to hemophilia A, a recessive X-linked coagulation disorder. Factor VIII is generated in liver sinusoidal cells and endothelial cells outside the liver across the body. This protein mixes in the bloodstream in an inactive form, and binds to another molecule called von Willebrand factor, until a damage to blood vessels occur. In response to injury, coagulation factor VIII gets activated and separates from von Willebrand factor.Request a sample copy of Global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market Research Report @The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global factor VIII market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the global demand for factor VIII.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Factor VIII Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Other prominent vendors :Alnylam PharmaceuticalsAmarna TherapeuticsAsklepios BioPharmaceuticalBiogen IdecBioMarin PharmaceuticalCatalyst BiosciencesThe listed pricing for this Global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market report starts at $ 3500. Request Discount for Global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market Research Report @Table of Contents in Global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market Research Report:PART 01: Executive summaryPART 02: Scope of the reportMarket overviewTop-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodologyResearch methodologyEconomic indicatorsPART 04: IntroductionKey market highlightsHighlightsPART 05: Deficiency overviewPART 06: Pipeline analysisPART 07: Market landscapeBrowse full table of contents and data tables For Global Factor VIII Deficiency Treatment Market Report @Related Reports: -2017-2022 Germany Human Micobiome Market Report (Status and Outlook)The Human Micobiome market size will be XX million (USD) in 2022 in Germany, from the XX million (USD) in 2016, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) XX% from 2016 to 2022.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
Biopsy Devices Market: 2016 World Market Outlook and Forecast up to 2024

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A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken from the body for in-depth analysis of the sample to reach an effective diagnosis of a condition, wherein conventional diagnostic methods such as x-rays and body scans do not provide any conclusive evidence. Biopsies are usually carried out to detect cancer, though their application is not restricted to it. This procedure is mostly performed by interventional radiologists, cardiologist and surgeons. Biopsy might be recommended in one of the following condition, among others:A mammogram shows a lump or mass, indicating the possibility of breast cancerA mole on the skin has changed shape recently and melanoma is possibleA person suffers from chronic hepatitis and possibility of cirrhosis needs to be ruled outTypes of biopsies:There are different kind of biopsies performed for different conditions and usually sharp tools are required to remove small amount of tissues. Listed below are some of the common types of biopsies:Needle biopsyCT-guided biopsyBone biopsyBone marrow biopsyUltrasound-guided biopsyLiver biopsyKidney biopsyAspiration biopsySkin biopsySurgical biopsyIn biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed by a device and then sent to pathologist where thin slices are prepared and mounted on slides. The sample is then dyed and examined under a microscope to check for any abnormalities.Read Full Report:Global Biopsy Devices Market Outlook: Burgeoning growth in incidence rate of cancer fueling demand for preventive testsHigh incidence of cancer is one of the main factor responsible for growth of the biopsy devices market. As per statistics released by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 14 million new cases of cancer were reported worldwide in 2012, with incidence rate expected to surge by exponentially by 70% over the following two decades. Furthermore, growing geriatric population characterized by a weak immune system, across the globe and increasing consumer health awareness leading to increasing preventive screening are other factors inadvertently fueling growth of the biopsy device market. Apart from this, stringent regulations posed on the companies in terms of labelling, designing and performance issues, as well as high cost of the devices are the major restrain factors which are hampering market growth. One of the main example of this is regular inspection by the regulatory authorities, in which evaluation of the equipment, records inspection and licensure are checked.Global biopsy device market is projected to witness steady growth in the foreseeable future, with North America, followed by Europe being the largest revenue contributors collectively accounting for around 70% of the overall market. However, rampant increase in government spending on strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in emerging economies such as India and China, in turn is expected to position Asia Pacific as the fastest growing market for biopsy devices through 2024.Market segmentation:On the basis of product type, the global biopsy device market is divided as follows:Needle based biopsy devices (disposable and reusable)Vacuum-assisted Biopsy (VAB) DevicesFine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) DevicesCore Needle Biopsy (CNB) devicesBiopsy curettesBiopsy BrushesBiopsy PunchesBiopsy forcepsGeneral Biopsy ForcepsHot Biopsy ForcepsAutomated biopsy devicesBiopsy Guidance SystemsManualRoboticOwing to their ease of use and wide availability, needle based biopsy devices account for the largest market share and are expected to retain their dominance in the market through 2024.On the basis of technology, the biopsy devices market is segmented as follows:Ultrasound-guidedMammography-guidedMagnetic resonanceCT scanStereotactic-guided biopsyOn the basis of end user, the biopsy devices market is segmented as follows:HospitalsAmbulatory surgical centersDiagnostic centersResearch laboratoriesOthersVacuum assisted biopsy procedure is one of the most important diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of breast cancerOn the basis of Anatomy, the biopsy devices market is segmented as follows:BreastGastrointestinal (GI)ProstateLiverLungKidneyGynecologicalOthers (thyroid, pancreas, and gall bladder)Download exclusive Sample of this report:Key Players in the Global Biopsy Devices Market:Boston Scientific CarefusionCook MedicalC R BardDevicor Medical ProductsHologicIntact Medical CorporationPrecision Biopsy, LLCScion Medical Technologies LLCIntegra LifeSciences CorporationCregannaFocal Therapeutics, IncArgon Medical Devices, Inc.Becton, Dickinson and CompanyAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Disposable Gloves Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Analysis, 20162024

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Prevalent Scenario in Disposable Gloves MarketDisposable gloves are highly recommended to maintain hygiene majorly in healthcare industry. The global market for disposable gloves is primarily driven by the growing healthcare industry and increasing awareness of hygiene among healthcare service providers and food service industry. Rise in incidence of human infectious diseases across the globe and increasing need for infection control drives growth of the global disposable gloves market. In 2014, a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Global Rise in Human Infectious Disease Outbreaks, examines the global changes in the frequency of outbreaks of infectious disease between 1980 and 2013. In all, the study covered 12,102 outbreaks of 215 diseases, with 44 million individual cases in 219 countries across the world. The increasing number of outbreaks significantly increased focus on maintaining hygiene, which in turn has led to rise in demand for disposable gloves across the world.Read Full Report:With technological advancements, numerous variants of disposable gloves have been developed, which include natural rubber, nitrile, vinyl, neoprene, and polyethylene. Each of the type has a different benefit as compared to conventional rubber gloves and they are used in wide range of applications such as medical, food, automotive, industrial, and households. For instance, nitrile gloves exhibits properties such as high chemical resistance, friction-less, puncture resistant, and longer shelf life than latex gloves. High durability coupled with wide range of application areas makes nitrile gloves a major potential revenue generating segment of global disposable gloves industry. However, latex gloves segment dominates the disposable gloves market due to its high elasticity and inexpensiveness.Fluctuations in prices of raw materials can hamper growth of the market. The key manufacturers are focusing on long term collaborations with raw material suppliers to reduce the effect of price fluctuations. Growth in healthcare, food processing, and personal care industry are the major factors for demand and growth in North America, followed by Europe. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to be a fast growing market, mainly attributed to economic growth, high industrialization, and increasing safety concerns in healthcare and food processing industry, especially in India and China. These factors have resulted in an increased growth rate of disposable gloves market in this region, as compared to North America and Europe.Fragmented MarketThe global disposable gloves market is highly fragmented due to the participation of many established and emerging players in the digital genome market. Major players involved in the market include Ansell Healthcare (Australia), Hartalega Holdings Berhad (Malaysia), Semperit AG Holding (Austria), Supermax Corporation Berhad (Malaysia),Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd (Malaysia), Rubberex (Malaysia), Top Glove Corporation Bhd (Malaysia), AdventaBhd (Malaysia), Cardinal Health, Inc. (U.S.), and Dynarex Corporation (U.S.).Request for an exclusive sample of this report:Global Disposable Gloves Market TaxonomyThe global market is classified on the basis of the following segments:By MaterialNatural rubberNitrileVinylNeoprenePolyethyleneOthersGlove typePowderedNon-powderedApplicationMedicalExamination glovesSurgical glovesNon-medicalFood serviceIndustrialHouseholdAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Commercial Inkjet Papers Market 2017 Review: A look at what's new and improved

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Global Commercial Inkjet Papers Market: OverviewInkjet papers are referred to special fine papers basically designed for inkjet printers. These papers are generally categorized on the basis of opacity, smoothness, brightness, and weight. Several inkjet printers are manufactured from high quality chemical pulps and deinked pulps. A good quality inkjet paper needs enhanced surface strength, no cockling or curling, and excellent dimensional stability. For many commercial and non-commercial purposes, a smooth surface is required. Even and sufficient porosity is also needed in order to stop the ink from spreading. For low quality printing, an uncoated copy paper is sufficient, but high grades do require coating. The papers thickness also varies accordingly depending upon the purpose it has to fulfill. Commercial inkjet papers are widely used for robust commercial purposes and thus are required to possess extreme surface smoothness and strength.Browse Market Research Report @The market intelligence report investigates into the conceivable growth prospects for the global commercial inkjet papers market and the sequential growth of the market during the course of the forecast period. It also exclusively provisions the mandatory data related to aspects such as the dynamics manipulating the progress in all possible reflective manner. Numerous pervasive and non-pervasive trends have also been stated in the report. An outlook of extensive nature keeping in mind the Porters five forces analysis has been provided to make the vendor landscape transparent to the reader. The report further points out several activities related to R&D, mergers, acquisitions, and crucial conglomerates and corroborations. The companies in attention have been examined on the basis of market shares, prime products, and key marketing strategies.Global Commercial Inkjet Papers Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe advantages of inkjet printing for short term commercial print runs such as personalized direct mail, corporate applications, and books on demand have resolutely established inkjet adoption with rising run length viability and print quality. As a result of this, the demand for coated papers designed for inkjet printing is rising significantly. The progress of the manufacturing and retail sector across the globe is expected to benefit the growth of the global commercial inkjet papers. With the rise in new products and emergence of new brands, there is likely to be a significant leap in the promotional activities, thus benefitting the commercial inkjet papers market in return. Labels used in the food and packaging industry is normally made using commercial inkjet papers. The posters, banners, and promotional flyers are manufactured using commercial inkjet papers.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @However, the market for commercial inkjet papers are likely to negatively affected by the advent of solid ink presses and hybrid print lines that do not require special papers. The incessantly rising prices of the raw materials used to make commercial inkjet papers is also expected to hinder the market growth.Global Commercial Inkjet Papers Market: Regional OutlookOwing to the mounting demand for printing and packaging and rise in commercial activities in several countries in the region, Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as a prominent region in the global commercial inkjet papers market. This trend is expected to gain traction over time. North America is also likely to be an important in the near future due to the escalating manufacturing activities in the region.Global Commercial Inkjet Papers Market: Companies Mentioned in the ReportCompanies such a Hewlett Packard, Epson, Konika Minolta, Ricoh, and Kodak are expected to emerge as prominent names in the global commercial inkjet papers market over the forecast period.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dental Filling Material Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Analysis, 2016 - 2024

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Increasing occurrence of the dental disease especially in the Asian countries including China and India will drive growth of the dental filling material marketDental filling material market size is one of the largest in the dental industry and shows high potential for further growth. Demand for dental filling products is expected to increase in near future, owing to rising awareness regarding oral hygiene and improving personal aesthetic appeal. The economic downturn impacted the dental filling material markets and resulted in fewer patients visiting the dentist between 2008 and 2011; however, the market is gaining traction on the back of economic revival worldwide.Increasing healthcare expenditure, escalating demand for cosmetic dentistry, and rising awareness for dental care will boost the demand for dental filling materials. The glass ionomer segment is projected to grow at lucrative CAGR during the forecast period (20162024). The amalgam/silver fillings segment is also expected to grow at significant rate during the forecast period, owing to its robust nature and its wide application in the cosmetic dentistry.Browse Market Research Report @Ceramic material segment accounted for major revenue share in the market, due to its high durability and its extensive use for the treatment of dental cavities. There is a growing demand for bonding agents, owing to its rising application for aesthetic procedures.The dental filling materials market is fragmented with many global and local vendors, thus there is high competition amongst companies to gain maximum revenue share in the industry.. Players such as Coltene Whaledent Dentsply, DMG Chemisch-Pharmazeutische Fabrik, GC America, SDI Limited, Kerr Corporation, Pentron Clinical Technologies, DenMat Holdings, Kuraray Noritake Dental, and Kettenbach engage in advanced technology to manufacture sophisticated, performance-driven, and aesthetic dental filling.Dental filling is a type of healing dental treatment used to repair minimal to moderate tooth fractures, tooth decay, and other damaged surfaces of the teeth. Dental filling materials can also be used to even out tooth surfaces for better biting or chewing. Enamel loss is a common component in tooth decay that results in discomfort as well as tooth sensitivity. Sensitivity caused by enamel loss can be significantly improved or completely eliminated once an appropriate dental filling material is used to smoothen the dental surface. Depending on the level of tooth decay or damage, the affected or damaged tooth can require additional or alternative procedures such as dental crowns, root canal treatment, dental implants, and dental bridges. Dental crowns are used to provide additional support to the teeth, especially in cases where the teeth is damaged considerably and is unstable. The infected, abscessed, or nerve damaged teeth may require a root canal procedure for the treatment. Dental implants and dental bridges are used for irreparable tooth damage, which requires tooth removal and replacement.Growing prevalence of the dental disorders is the major factor driving the demand for dental filling products. According WHO, worldwide, around 60% to 90% of children and 100% of adults are suffering from dental cavities, and this number is expected to increase in near future. In addition, rising demand for cosmetic dentistry as well as product advancements in tooth filling products is projected to drive the dental filling material market.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @Dental Filling Material Market:On the basis of type of dental fillings, the global dental fillings market is classified into:Direct fillingIndirect fillingOn the basis of type of material, the global dental fillings market is classified into:Gold fillingsAmalgam/silver fillingsComposite (plastic/glass) resinsPorcelain/ceramics fillingsGlass ionomerAccording to National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, more than 50% of 5- to 9-year-old teenagers have minimum one cavity or filling, and this proportion is around 78% among 17 year-olds in the U.S. The well-developed healthcare infrastructure and high per capita income in the U.S propels the demand for dental filling material for cosmetic and therapeutic application. The Asia pacific dental filling material market is projected grow at highest CAGR during the forecast period due to large geriatric population and increasing disposable income in this region.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Fluoropolymer Film Market Analysis, Price trends & Forecast 2024

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The Fluoropolymer Film Market is expected to boost due to increasing adoption of flexible packaging. Flexible packaging is essential in food & beverage industry specially for ready to eat meals, and frozen foods. According to The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, food packaging market in the U.S. is forecast to witness CAGR of 2.9% between 2016 and 2022. Further, increasing adaptability of flexible packaging for beverages due to their ease in handling, availability in different shapes and sizes has strengthen its market.Request for detailed table of contents of this research report@Global Fluoropolymer Film Market size is anticipated to expand at a significant growth rate during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to its consumption in numerous industries like personal care products, automobiles, packaging, electrical & electronics, and construction.The major application of fluoropolymer films is in packaging industry owing to its chemical resistant properties, and tensile & durable packaging offered by it. As per The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, flexible packaging industry of the U.S. was USD 31.1 billion in 2014 and had registered a CAGR of 3.8% from 2004 to 2014.Flexible packaging is essential in food & beverage industry specially for ready to eat meals, and frozen foods. According to The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, food packaging market in the U.S. is forecast to witness CAGR of 2.9% between 2016 and 2022.Fluoropolymer films are used significantly in construction sector on doors and windows for safety and security application. Furthermore, these films possess the properties of temperature control, light control, excellent aesthetic appearance and protection from UV rays.Inquire about to purchase this research report@These films are used in vehicles for tinting windows, and in some regions, it is mandatory to tint the window as per the government regulations. The surge in upper class segment population and rising income levels has given a boost to automobile demand. Further, the market for high end luxurious cars is at its peak as it delivers a status symbol for its users.Key manufacturers in fluoropolymer film market are The 3M Company, Sealed Air Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, Honeywell International, Inc., Evonik Industries, Bemis Company Inc., Bayer AG, E. I. du Pont de Nemours, The Dow Chemical Company.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:
Advanced Combat Helmet Market - What can we expect in 2017?

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Global Advanced Combat Helmet Market: SnapshotThe global advanced combat helmet market is largely driven by the growing need of governments and defense agencies to provide better standards of soldier safety and combat tactical advantage in the face of growing global security threats such as terrorist attacks, border insurgencies, and internal conflicts. The defense sector is heavily adopting advanced combat helmets in order to protect their soldiers and law enforcement officers from head injuries caused from gunshots, IED explosions, and shrapnel. In addition, the demand for helmets integrated with the best vision and communication technologies is also increasing. Features such as night vision cameras that offer better situational awareness in the dark or in any difficult situations are becoming more of a necessity. The demand for these integrated technologies is also boosting the global market for advanced combat helmet.Browse Market Research Report @In terms of revenue, the global advanced combat helmet market was valued at US$1.7 bn in 2015, and is expected to reach US$3.0 bn by 2024, after expanding at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2016 to 2024.North America Bags Top Demand Volume for Advanced Combat HelmetsGeographically, the global advanced combat helmet market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Of these key regions, North America held the leading share in the global advanced combat helmet market: more than 25% of the total market revenue, in 2015. The U.S. was estimated to hold the top market volume with more than 60% of the overall revenue of North America market for advanced combat helmet for the same year. The research and development effort undertaken by manufacturers in the U.S. is continuously focusing on the safety of the soldiers and law enforcement officers during any combat operations. It is allowing players to manufacture lightweight and increasingly tactile helmets. Mexico is predicted to grow at an exceptionally fast pace in North America as the country is increasingly focusing on strengthening its military and defense forces with better technologies in general. Owing to these facts, the market for advanced combat helmet in North America is estimated to propel over the forecast period.The advanced combat helmet market in Europe is estimated to grow at a substantial pace through Germany, France and the U.K. and their expansive activities in military and defense. Asia Pacific, on the other hand, is estimated to be the leading region in terms of growth rate in the advanced combat helmet market over the coming years. China, Japan, and India above all are investing substantially in the procurement of advanced combat helmets that can offer enhanced safety to the soldiers. China lead the Asia Pacific advanced combat helmet market share in 2015 and India is estimated to be the faster growing country in terms of demand. The increase in investments in the defense sector and law enforcement agencies are expected to boost the market for advanced combat helmet in Asia Pacific during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.For more information on this report, fill the form @Military and Defense Applications of Advanced Combat Helmets at All-time HighBased on applications, the global advanced combat helmet market can be segmented into military and defense, and law enforcement agencies. The military and defense segment us the leading consumer of advanced combat helmets, due to the growing global warfare and terrorist activities and borders insurgencies, while the law enforcement agencies are also adopting advanced combat helmets at a fast pace. Due their rapid adaptation rates, the law enforcement agencies are estimated to be growing swiftly in their demand within the global advanced combat helmet market.The key players in the global advanced combat helmet market so far, have been ArmorSource LLC, BAE Systems, Gentex Corporation, Morgan Advanced Material PLC, Revision Military, Ceradyne Inc., MKU Limited, Honeywell International Inc., Point Blank Enterprises Inc., and DuPont.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
3D Printing Global Market, By Product & Data Validation, 2016 Analysis and Forecast 2022

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According to Publisher, the Global 3D Printing Market is estimated at $3.47 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $12.53 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 20.1% from 2015 to 2022. The factors driving the market include high degree of precision, ability to build customized products, and competency over traditional technique. However, higher production cost, expensive 3D printing software, shortage of skilled labor and inability to manufacture massive outputs are inhibiting the market growth. Moreover, application of 3D printing in different industries and manufacturing process are creating opportunities for the market. The economies of scale gained due to advancement in technology and enhanced manufacturing process will boost the market in future.For more information about this report:Stereolithography has the largest revenue and accounted for more than 30% of the total market. While, Electron beam melting is anticipated to be the fastest growing technology segment with a CAGR of around 30% during the forecast period. Polymer occupies major share of the global market and Metals segment is estimated to be the fastest growing segment and is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 38% during the forecast period. Consumer products segment remains the largest application segment with more than 20% of the market share, whereas healthcare application segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period.North America is expected to represent more than 35% of the market share, while Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market led by the rapid adoption of 3D printing in the developing industrial sectors. Demand for 3D printing is anticipated to increase in countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea owing to the rising adoption and implementation of 3D printing in diverse industrial applications.Some of the key players in the market include 3D Systems, Stratasys, Envisiontec, Exone, Luxexcel, Materialise NV, MCOR Technologies Ltd, Optomec Inc, Voxeljet AG, Microtec Gesellschaft Fur Mikrotechnologie MBH, Amazon.Com, Inc., HP Inc, Canon Inc., ARC Group Worldwide, Inc., Oxford Performance Materials Inc., EOS GmbH and SLM Solutions Group AG.Technologies Covered:- Stereolithography (SL)- Electron Beam Melting- Jetting TechnologyBinder-Jetting TechnologyPoly Jet- Laser SinteringDirect Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)- Deposition ModellingWax Deposition ModellingFused Deposition Modelling (FDM)- Laminated Object Manufacturing- Three Dimensional Printing- Other TechnologiesDigital Light ProcessingMultiphase Jet Solidification (MJS)Materials Covered:- PolymersPhotopolymerThermoplastic- MetalsAlumideGoldGrapheneSilverSteelTitaniumOther Metals- CeramicsGlassQuartzSilicaOther Ceramics- Other MaterialsClayEdible MaterialsLaywoodPaperPorcelainWaxBio-Compatible MaterialRequest Sample Copy atEnd Users Covered:- Aerospace & Defense- Automotive- Consumer Products- Education and Research- Government and Defense- Healthcare- Industrial Products- Food & Culinary- Jewelry- Architecture & Construction- Printed Electronics- Energy- Other End UserArtsForensicsForms Covered:- Powder- Liquid- FilamentPrinters Covered:- Industrial Printer- Desktop 3D PrintersApplications Covered:- Functional Parts- Prototyping- ToolingSoftwares Covered:- Inspection Software- Scanning Software- Design Software- Printer SoftwareRegions Covered:- North AmericaUSCanadaMexico- EuropeGermanyFranceItalyUKSpainRest of Europe- Asia PacificJapanChinaIndiaAustraliaNew ZealandRest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the WorldMiddle EastBrazilArgentinaSouth AfricaEgypt1 Executive Summary2 Preface3 Market Trend Analysis4 Porters Five Force Analysis5 Global 3D Printing Market, By Technology6 Global 3D Printing Market, By Material7 Global 3D Printing Market, By End User8 Global 3D Printing Market, By Form9 Global 3D Printing Market, By Printer10 Global 3D Printing Market, By Application11 Global 3D Printing Market, By Software12 Global 3D Printing Market, By Geography13 Key Developments14 Company Profiling14.1 3D Systems14.2 Stratasys14.3 Envisiontec14.4 Exone14.5 Luxexcel14.6 Materialise NV14.7 MCOR Technologies Ltd14.8 Optomec Inc14.9 Voxeljet AG14.10 Microtec Gesellschaft Fur Mikrotechnologie MBH14.11 Amazon.Com, Inc.14.12 HP Inc14.13 Canon Inc.14.14 ARC Group Worldwide, Inc.14.15 Oxford Performance Materials Inc.14.16 EOS GmbH14.17 SLM Solutions Group AG.Inquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Military Radar Market - Technological breakthroughs, Value chain and stakeholder analysis by 2024

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Global Military Radar Market: SnapshotRadar systems are crucial in the detection of bombs and landmines that are not visible to the naked eye. One of the key products in high demand within the global military radar market are lightweight radars due to their immense potential in domestic defense. Additionally, the global military radar market is currently being driven heavily by an increase in spending by countries to beef up their border and domestic defenses. Several current affairs in the world regarding civil unrest and terrorism are prompting multiple countries to amplify their defensive arrays, of which military radars form an irreplaceable component. However, the growing number of wind turbines being implemented in the world are a key hindrance to the use of military radars, as the movement of turbine blades can significantly degrade radar reception.Browse Market Research Report @The global military radar market is expected to reach US$9.36 bn by the end of 2024. It is projected at a CAGR of 2.4% within a forecast period from 2016 to 2024, in terms of revenue. By the end of 2016, the global military radar market is expected to reach US$7.78 bn.North America to Continue Leading Demand for Military RadarsGeographically, the global military radar market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, and the MEA region. In 2015, North America held the leading share in the global military radar market. This region holds the leading volume of defense related sanctions, boosting the overall demand for radar in national defense forces. The U.S. has one of the most powerful military forces in the world and is a key contributor to the revenue generation within the global military radar market. Both the U.S. and Canada have invested significantly in the radar technology and are likely to continue doing so over the next few years.North America was followed by Asia Pacific in terms of geographical share in value in the global military radar market, for 2015. The growth in this region is owed to the booming volume of defense activities carried out by nations such as China, India, South Korea, and Japan. APAC nations are currently facing serious issues on the infiltration front which is the key reason for the high defense budget allocations in the region. The global military radar market is thus consistently supported by the substantial purchases of military radar systems made by the emerging nations.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @Airborne Military Radars Continue to be in High DemandThe global military radar market is segmented into ground-based, naval, airborne, and space-based radars on the basis of types. Out these, the global military radar market was led by the airborne military radars segment in 2015. The segment was valued at US$2.34 bn in 2015 which was the dominant share in the global military radar market at the time. The high demand for airborne military radars is expected to continue growing owing to the increasing risks of air strikes and airborne terrorist infiltration. The segment is likely to continue on a high rate of pioneering research and development activities and innovative approaches.The leading players in the global military radar market till 2015 included Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Company, The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE System PLC, Saab Sensis Corporation, Harris Corporation, ASELSAN A.S., Terma A/S, DRS Technologies Inc.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cardiac POC Testing Devices Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends and Analysis, 20162024

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Growing prevalence of cardiac diseases, especially in Asia Pacific to drive growth of cardiac POC testing devices marketAccording to a report published by the Heart Foundationan Australia-based organization focused on increasing awareness about heart diseaseheart disease (including Stroke and other Cardiovascular Diseases) is the main cause of death in the U.S., leading to the death of nearly 787,000 people in 2011. The same report stated that around 720,000 individuals in the U.S. suffer from heart attacks each year. Of these attacks, 515,000 are first heart attacks and the rest 205,000 happened in patients who have already experienced a heart attack. North America is characterized by a robust healthcare infrastructure and is well equipped with technologically advanced instruments such as new age cardiac POC testing devices for monitoring the condition in patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. These are some of the reasons for dominance of the North America in the global cardiac POC testing devices industry.However, Asia Pacific is likely to gain significant momentum in the near future. According to a report published by National Centre for Biotechnology Information in 2013, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death in the globe and around half of these CVD cases were expected to be reported in Asia. When compared with the Western world, most Asian countries, excluding Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea, account for high mortality (age-adjusted) from CVD, thereby augmenting growth of the market.Browse Market Research Report @Some of the major companies operating in the cardiac POC testing devices market in the current scenario are Abbott Laboratories, Alere Inc., BG Medicine Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Inc., Medtronic Inc., and Boston Scientific Corp.POC or Point-of-care testing, also known as bedside testing is a diagnostic testing at or close to the point or position of care at the same place and time of patient care. Diagnostic tests have been restricted to the diagnostic centre or medical laboratory, thereby sending off blood samples away from patient care site entailed a waiting period ranging from a few days to a few weeks for the results to arrive. This necessitated continuous care of the patient by the same treatment, devoid of the crucial information and led to the deployment of point of care testing. This in turn led to growth of the cardiac POC testing devices market. POC tests are simple diagnostic tests that may be carried out at the bedside.Cardiac POC testing is a diagnostic test related to the heart that is carried out close to the point of care of the patient. Principally, they are simple blood tests that include coagulation testing and cholesterol testing, among others. Coagulation testing helps doctors assess risk of extreme bleeding or developing thrombosis inside blood vessels in the body, including the heart. Cardiac point-of-care tests include brain natriuretic peptide analysis and Troponin, which are mainly employed to identify cardiovascular ailments such as coronary syndromes, heart failure, and myocardial infarction. Cardiac POC testing device help to detect enzymes that are released at some point in heart failure and in vital cardiac circumstances such as synthesizing troponin, kinase, brain natriuretic peptides and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Moreover, these tests help doctors detect and distinguish between angina and myocardial infarction, which are two of the major causes of heartache and death related to the same. Cardiac POC significantly decreases the time taken to get the reports. In most cases, the reports are supplied within an hour post submission of the test sample. Thus, cardiac POC tests help reduce turnaround time considerably, thereby allowing for instant patient response and effectual management of cardiac diseases. These functionalities will drive growth of the market in cardiac POC testing devices during the forecast period (20162024).Request a sample copy of this report:Cardiac POC Testing Devices Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the market is classified into:DipsticksAutomated molecular testsPortable analyzersImaging systems Sequencing By Ligation (SBL)OthersOn the basis of end users, the market is classified into:Diagnostic CentresHospitalsClinicsResidentialOthersCardiac diseases and the conditions leading to them, including hypercholesterolemia, require constant monitoring of the patient and accordingly adjusting the dosage and the combination of drugs prescribed. High cholesterol can also be hereditary in nature. According to the FH Foundationa global charity focused on increasing awareness regarding Familial Hypercholesterolemia1 in 200-500 people suffered from familial hypercholesterolemia worldwide in 2015. With increasing population, the number is likely to rise in the future, thereby leading to an increase in demand for testing cholesterol levels in individuals. This in turn would propel overall growth of the cardiac POC testing devices market.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Colombia: New Convergent Service Offerings Heat Up Competition the Fixed Communications Market

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"The Report Colombia: New Convergent Service Offerings Heat Up Competition the Fixed Communications Market provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"SummaryWith a revenue of $7.2bn in 2016, or 2.5% of GDP, the telecom services market in Colombia was the fifth largest in Latin America, behind Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela. Between 2016 and 2021, Pyramid Research expects Colombia to be one of the fastest-growing telecom and pay-TV markets in the region, expanding at a CAGR of 4.0%, behind Mexico, Uruguay and Bolivia. Growth will be supported by the increasing demand for both fixed and mobile data connectivity services, as well as operators ongoing investment efforts to roll out 4G/LTE, FTTH and cable networks across the country. Ongoing public initiatives, such as the Vive Digital Plan II, will also be key to support growth in the fixed and mobile data connectivity segments, particularly in rural and remote parts of the country.View Report @Key Findings- Between 2016 and 2021, Pyramid Research expects Colombia to be one of the fastest-growing telecom and pay-TV markets in the region, expanding at a CAGR of 4.0% behind Mexico, Uruguay and Bolivia.- Telecom and pay-TV revenue growth in Colombia will be supported by the increasing demand for both fixed and mobile data connectivity services, as well as operators' ongoing investment efforts to roll out 4G/LTE, FTTH and cable networks across the country. Ongoing public initiatives such as the Vive Digital Plan II will be also key to support growth in the fixed and mobile data connectivity segments, particularly in rural and remote parts of the country.- Colombia continues to be one of the most competitive fixed communications markets in Latin America: Claro is the leading provider of the fixed broadband segment, followed by UNE and Telefnica. In order reduce customer churn and increase overall ARPU levels in the fixed residential segment, operators in Colombia have been increasing their focus on the promotion of double- and triple-play packages, including different combinations of fixed voice, broadband and pay-TV services.- Despite cable traditionally being the most widely adopted pay-TV technology in Colombia, over the past five years, this technology has been losing track to DTH/satellite and IPTV options, a trend we expect to continue in the coming years.SynopsisColombia: New Convergent Service Offerings Heat Up Competition in the Fixed Communications Market" a new Country Intelligence Report by Pyramid Research, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Colombia today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile and pay-TV sectors, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.Get Sample Copy of this Report @The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Colombia compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Colombia.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.- A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony (including VoIP), broadband, mobile voice, mobile data and pay-TV markets.- Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed/pay-TV and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2016 to 2021.- The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.- In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, mobile data and pay-TV services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.- Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Colombias telecommunications and pay-TV markets.ReasonsToBuy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Colombias telecommunications and pay-TV markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying Pyramid Researchs Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Colombias mobile communications, fixed telephony/VoIP, broadband and pay-TV markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.- The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Colombias telecommunications and pay-TV markets.- The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Colombia.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
United States, EU, Japan, China, India And Southeast Asia Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size, Status And Forecast 2021

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This report studies the global Bahrain Life Insurance market, analyzes and researches the Bahrain Life Insurance development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeBahrain National HoldingT'azur CompanyLIC InternationalBahrain Kuwait Insurance Company BSC (BKIC)AllianzAXANippon Life InsuranceAmerican Intl. GroupAvivaAssicurazioni GeneraliState Farm InsuranceDai-ichi Mutual Life InsuranceMunich Re GroupZurich Financial ServicesPrudentialAsahi Mutual Life InsuranceSumitomo Life InsuranceAegonMetLifeAllstateSwiss ReinsuranceCNP AssurancesMeiji Yasuda Life Insurance CompanyStandard Life AssuranceWanaArtha LifeMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Bahrain Life Insurance can be split intoUnit-linkedsegmentProtectionsegmentEndowmentsegmentMarket segment by Application, Bahrain Life Insurance can be split intoApplication 1Application 2Application 3Download Sample Copy Of This Report :Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Bahrain Life Insurance1.1 Bahrain Life Insurance Market Overview1.1.1 Bahrain Life Insurance Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Bahrain Life Insurance Market by Type1.3.1 Unit-linkedsegment1.3.2 Protectionsegment1.3.3 Endowmentsegment1.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Application 11.4.2 Application 21.4.3 Application 32 Global Bahrain Life Insurance Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureView Full Report :3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Bahrain National Holding3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 T'azur Company3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 LIC International3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company BSC (BKIC)3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Allianz3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 AXA3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Nippon Life Insurance3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 American Intl. Group3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Aviva3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Assicurazioni Generali3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Bahrain Life Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 State Farm Insurance3.12 Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance3.13 Munich Re Group3.14 Zurich Financial Services3.15 Prudential3.16 Asahi Mutual Life Insurance3.17 Sumitomo Life Insurance3.18 Aegon3.19 MetLife3.20 Allstate3.21 Swiss Reinsurance3.22 CNP Assurances3.23 Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company3.24 Standard Life Assurance3.25 WanaArtha Life4 Global Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Bahrain Life Insurance in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Bahrain Life Insurance5 United States Bahrain Life Insurance Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Bahrain Life Insurance Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size (2011-2016)6.2 EU Bahrain Life Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS IN BAHRAIN WITH TWO NEW HOTELS OPENING IN 2017

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BAHRAIN  Strengthening its foothold in Bahrain, global hotel management company Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) will triple its inventory of rooms in the Kingdom this year with the opening of two new hotels already under development.Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, a 189-key 5-star luxury resort will be ready by the last quarter of the year and there is a new residences property in Juffair on final stages of being branded as Swiss-Belresidences which will open doors in December 2017. These two new properties will be joining the existing Swiss-Belhotel Seef that has contributed to the groups strong reputation in Bahrain and received several accolades including the Best 4-Star Hotel in GCC at the recent Food & Travel Awards 2017.Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are pleased to expand our footprint in Bahrain where we have enjoyed great success with our flagship property Swiss-Belhotel Seef. The new developments are in line with our multi-brand growth strategy and reinforce our commitment to Bahrain where we continue to see a strong demand. We look forward to a long-term partnership with our valued owners and associates.Bahrain is making significant investment into its tourism-related infrastructure, including a $1.1 billion airport expansion, and the Kingdom also has plans to expand its current exhibition centre to accommodate large-scale events across all categories.Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Mr Laurent A. Voivenel, Swiss-Belhotel Internationals Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, said, The tourism industry in Bahrain is growing rapidly with the Kingdom expecting to welcome 15.8 million annual visitors by 2018. This has significantly pushed the demand for quality hotels. We understand the needs of our customers and are confident both Swiss-Belresidences Juffair and Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef will perfectly complement our existing hotel in Bahrain, as well as supporting our wider expansion plans and growth strategy in the region as a whole by diversifying our product offering.Visit Swiss-Belhotel InternationalStand HC0300 in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade CentreAt Arabian Travel Market from 24  27 April, 2017For further information visitFor media contact:Hina BakhtVice PresidentMPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)Mob: +971 50 697 5146Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.comMPJ - Marketing Pro-Junction is a reputed marketing and communications agency in Dubai offering world-class services. We provide businesses with the most comprehensive and innovative marketing solutions and strategies. We understand the power of integrated marketing and offer our clients holistic up-to-date marketing & communications solutions that are aligned across multiple channels. Technology forms the core of our agency merging digital engineering and analytics with marketing. Advancements in digital technology are reshaping the world and transforming all aspects of business and we optimize it to give you an edge in terms of real-time speed, connectivity and reach.MPJ - Marketing Pro-Junction1110, Yes Business CenterAl Barsha, Dubai, UAEMailing Address:P.O.BOX : 213443Dubai, UAE
Europe Lane Departure Warning (Ldw) System Market Top Player-Continental Ag , Delphi Automotive Plc , Robert Bosch Gmbh

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A recent report added with titled, Lane Departure Warning (Ldw) System, is a comprehensive analysis of the Lane Departure Warning (Ldw) System market. It offers useful market insights such as the market share, size and growth. The current trends, growth opportunities and challenges in the Loyalty are highlighted in the report. Factors that influence market growth are listed in the presented study along with factors that impede market growth for the forecast period 2017-2022. The prospects of the upcoming projects and technological advancements have been highlighted in the market study. The scope and feasibility of the emerging industry applications is evaluated in the market study.Request For Sample Report:The key market players included in the report:Continental AgDelphi Automotive PlcRobert Bosch GmbhAisin Seiki Co. Ltd.Autoliv IncDenso CorporationApplicationThe different applications of the Lane Departure Warning (Ldw) System market are evaluated in detail. The market share, future potential and market size of each application is included in the report. The different applications include:Passenger CarCommercial VehicleDo Inquire About Report:Owing to higher adoption rate and technological advancements, the growth rate of application # is on the rise during the forecast period.The presented study takes into account the key raw materials, price trends, suppliers and the market concentration of the raw materials. The various marketing channels used by different distributors and traders are minutely studied and added in the report.Competitive LandscapeThe competitive landscape of the Lane Departure Warning (Ldw) System market is enclosed in the presented report. The recent mergers, acquisitions and collaborations are all penned down in the report. The key market players are studied in the report. Data related to the major market players include:Browse Complete Report:Company profileProduct specificationSales areaSales, revenue, gross margin (2017-2022)Market share by regionManufacturer 4The different marketing channels, marketing strategies, raw materials, raw material sourcing and key vendors of raw materials is studied under the scope of the market study for the period 2017-2022.With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United States
Global Hemostat Powder Market 2017 - MBP, Medira, Hemotec Medical, Starch Medical, Success Pharmaceutical

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http://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-hemostat-powder-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-48693.html

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When blood vessel walls are disrupted during surgeries, there are occurrences of blood loss, which needs to get coagulated. This process of blood clot formation at the site of injury is known as hemostasis. Hence, hemostats offer temporary blockage by forming blood clot to control bleeding.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Hemostat Powder in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPfizerEthiconGelita MedicalEquimedicalBiocerCeloxHemostasisMBPMediraHemotec MedicalStarch MedicalSuccess PharmaceuticalChangsha HairunMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversMicrofibrillar CollagenChitosanOtherAccess Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSurgical Wound CareGeneral Wound CareThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Hemostat Powder market.Chapter 1, to describe Hemostat Powder Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Hemostat Powder, with sales, revenue, and price of Hemostat Powder, 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 Hemostat Powder, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Hemostat Powder market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Hemostat Powder sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Report states the Global Analgesic Infusion Pumps Consumption 2016 Market Research, Applications, Demands and Growth Analysis

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Analgesic Infusion Pumps Consumption 2016 Market Research Report " to it's Large Report database.The Global Analgesic Infusion Pumps Consumption 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Analgesic Infusion Pumps market.First, the report provides a basic overview of the Analgesic Infusion Pumps industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. And development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.Secondly, the report states the global Analgesic Infusion Pumps market size (volume and value), and the segment markets by regions, types, applications and companies are also discussed.Third, the Analgesic Infusion Pumps market analysis is provided for major regions including USA, Europe, China and Japan, and other regions can be added. For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information. Whats more, the Analgesic Infusion Pumps industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Read All Healthcare Market Research Reports @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.1 Definition and Specifications of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.1.1 Definition of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.1.2 Specifications of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.2 Classification of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.3 Applications of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.5.1 Industry Overview of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps1.7 Industry News Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Analgesic Infusion Pumps2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Analgesic Infusion PumpsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
IoT Security Market Worth USD 41 Billion by 2022 Exceeding Double Digit Annual Growth Rate of 31% from 2016 to 2022

IoT Security Market

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Synopsis of IoT Security MarketIoT Security Market- Overview and ForecastsMarket Research Future published a half-cooked research report on IoT Security Market. The Global IoT Security Market is expected to grow over ~31% CAGR during the period 2016 to 2022 with USD ~41 billion market value in 2022.The Global IoT Security market has been evaluated as growing market and expected that the market will touch high growth figures in Asia-Pacific region during forecast period.IoT Security is a solution protecting connected devices and networks from cyber-attacks. Device manufacturers are offering security solution into their products from a mix of hardware and software features. The high growth in adopting cloud technology by businesses especially to protect financial information of the company is propelling the growth of IoT security market during forecast period 2016-2022. Other factors such as high usage of smartphones for data transmission, via various apps and growing initiatives by major market players to introduce security solutions is also supporting the market to grow in the upcoming future.IoT Security Market - Key Players:The major participants of this market are Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Verizon enterprise solutions (U.S.), Symantec AG (Germany), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Intel Corporation (U.S.), AT&T Inc. (U.S.), Gemalto NV (U.S.), General Electric (U.S.), Sophos Group PLC (UK) and, others.Request to Receive Sample Copy of Report @Competitive Analysis:The Global Key Market Players such as Cisco systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, and other industries are offering wide range of products and services to their end-user industries. Recently, in February 2017, Symantec AG, a leading cyber security company, launched a new cloud security solution to protect enterprise information from cyber threats. This security solution is expected to bring greater visibility and better control over critical assets, and users. Other prominent company Infineon Technologies AG, a leading semiconductor solution provider, has partnership with Chinese electronic manufacturers namely Midea, Huawei Consumer, and CESI to develop security solutions for smart home application sector. These growing advancement in product categories and high involvement of small & large market players in developing IoT Security systems & software services is creating high growth opportunity for IoT Security market in the upcoming future.IoT Security Market Segmentation:The IoT Security market can be segmented into its types and end-users. IoT Security is offering three types of security solution namely network security, cloud security and application security among others. End-user segment is categorized into Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation, Energy & utilities, IT, BFSI and others.Access Report Page @Market Research Analysis:Geographically, North America is expected to dominate the IoT Security market during forecast period 2016-2022. The early adoption of IoT security devices by organization and growing deployment of IoT technology & analytical devices in manufacturing sector is fuelling the market of IoT security in the region. Europe is also showing high growth opportunity in the IoT security market as the government is taking many initiatives to implement security solutions in order to reduce cyber-crime in the region. Furthermore, Asia-pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing region in forecast period 2016-2022 due to growing investment by vendors such as Verizon Enterprise, Symantec, and IBM to provide network and cloud based data security services to the organization in the region.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market 2017 Split by Application, Regions, Capacity, Production & Price

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In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market report is a noteworthy.Request a sample of this report @The Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Industry market report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market report.The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Browse the complete report @Finally, the RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from.If you have any enquiry before buying a copy of this report @Major Points from Table of Content:Chapter One: RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market OverviewChapter Two: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixList of Figure:Figure Picture of RF Coaxial Cable AssembliesFigure Global Production Market Share of RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies by Type in 2015Figure Product Picture of Type ITable Major Manufacturers of Type IFigure Product Picture of Type IITable Major Manufacturers of Type IITable RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Consumption Market Share by Application in 2015Figure Application 1 ExamplesFigure Application 2 ExamplesFigure North America RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Southeast Asia RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure India RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million UDS) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Table Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Capacity of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Capacity Market Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Figure Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Capacity of Key Manufacturers in 2015Figure Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Capacity of Key Manufacturers in 2016Table Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Production of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Production Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Figure 2015 RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Production Share by ManufacturersFigure 2016 RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Production Share by ManufacturersTable Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue (Million USD) by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table 2015 Global RF Coaxial Cable Assemblies Revenue Share by ManufacturersContinued.About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email at: sales@orbisresearch.com
Global Cloud Based PLM Market Size, competitive landscape, Construction, Strategy, Regional Analysis and Growth Forecast to 2022

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cloud-based-plm-market

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/intrusion-detection-system-market

Market HighlightsProduct lifecycle is the process of managing complex product information, engineering and manufacturing workflows, and collaboration. It basically divided into four phases that includes new product development, growth, maturity and decline.In order to make the process simpler cloud based PLM software can into being which connects people, processes, and data across the entire product lifecycle to a central repository of information.The report for Global Cloud PLM Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance.Request a Copy of Sample Report @Major Key players Dassault Systemes (France) PTC Inc. (U.S.) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) Autodesk, Inc.(U.S.) Arena Solutions Inc. (U.S) Aras (U.S.) Infor (U.S.) Accenture PLC (U.S.) Siemens AG (Germany) SAP SE (Germany)Industry NewsIn March 2016, Oracle, launches new SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS Cloud Services to help the organizations leverage the latest in business transformation trends, including big data, social and mobileIn Febuary 2016, Siemens and IBM join hands on next generation of cloud-based building energy management solutionsTaste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Cloud Based PLM Market Research Report- Forecast 2022Browse Full Report Details @Study Objective of Cloud Based PLM Market. To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Cloud Based PLM Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the Cloud Based PLM Market based on various factors- value chain analysis, Porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (RoW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by type, by cloud, by end user, by server and sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Cloud Based PLM MarketWith help of this everyone from concept designer to end user comes on the same page. By incorporating this software, enterprises can reduce costs across different stages of the product lifecycle, including product planning, development, manufacturing, and support.Target Audience: Consultancy firms/advisory firms Data integration service providers Cloud vendors System integrators/migration service providers education service providersMake an Enquiry @Market SegmentationSegmentation by Component: Radio-frequency identification Near field communication Cloud services,Segmentation by Application: Public Private Community HybridSegmentation by Technology: Software as a Service (SaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)Segmentation by End User: Aerospace and Defense Healthcare Telecommunication Automotive ElectronicsBrowse Related Reports:-Global Intrusion Detection System Market Information, by Components (Hardware, Software), by Deployment (Cloud based, Infrastructure based), by End Users (BFSI, IT& Communication, Aerospace & Defense, Software Industry, Manufacturing) - Forecast 2016-2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Surveillance Cameras Market Global 2017 by Application, Regions, Capacity, Production & Price

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http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/2017-market-research-report-on-global-surveillance-cameras-industry

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In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Surveillance Cameras Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Surveillance Cameras Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Surveillance Cameras Market report is a noteworthy.Request a sample of this report @The Global Surveillance Cameras Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Surveillance Cameras Industry market report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Surveillance Cameras Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Surveillance Cameras Market report.The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Browse the complete report @Finally, the Surveillance Cameras Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Surveillance Cameras Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from.If you have any enquiry before buying a copy of this report @Major Points from Table of Content:Chapter One: Surveillance Cameras Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Surveillance Cameras Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Surveillance Cameras Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Surveillance Cameras Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Surveillance Cameras Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Surveillance Cameras Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Surveillance Cameras Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Surveillance Cameras Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global Surveillance Cameras Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixList of Figure:Figure Picture of Surveillance CamerasFigure Global Surveillance Cameras Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Surveillance Cameras Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of Ordinary TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Ordinary TypeFigure Product Picture of Moon TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Moon TypeFigure Product Picture of Starlight TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Starlight TypeFigure Product Picture of Infrared Lighting TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Infrared Lighting TypeFigure Global Surveillance Cameras Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Surveillance Cameras Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Defense ExamplesFigure Transportation ExamplesFigure Residential ExamplesFigure Commercial ExamplesFigure School ExamplesFigure Other ExamplesFigure Global Surveillance Cameras Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (K Units) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure United States Surveillance Cameras Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure EU Surveillance Cameras Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Surveillance Cameras Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Continued..About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email at: sales@orbisresearch.com
2017-2022 Ammunition Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the Ammunition market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Ammunition market by product type and applications/end industries.The global Ammunition market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Ammunition. United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%)and growth Rate (%)of Ammunition in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Ammunition market, including General Dynamics Corporation, BAE Systems, Remington Arms, Ruag Ammotec, Poongsan Corporation, Federal Premium Ammunition, Maxam, Hornady, MBI, Wolf Ammo, Fiocchi, Magtech, Tula, Winchester.The On the basis of product, the Ammunition market is primarily split intoBulletsGunsOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversHouseholdSports and HuntingDefenseOthersGet a Free Sample Copy of this Research Report @Table of Contents1 Ammunition Players/Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data1.1 General Dynamics Corporation1.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.1.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and Specification1.2 BAE Systems1.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.2.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and Specification1.3 Remington Arms1.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.3.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and Specification1.4 Ruag Ammotec1.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.4.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and Specification1.5 Poongsan Corporation1.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.5.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and Specification1.6 Federal Premium Ammunition1.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors1.6.2 Ammunition Product Category, Application and SpecificationQYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Pneumonia Vaccine Market 2017 Outlook & Forecast, Top Manufacturers - GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Merck

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www.9dimenreports.com

This report not only provides a complete picture of the overall condition of the market, but also assists the players in this market to create profitable market strategies in order to gain a competitive edge.Download Free Sample Report @This report studies Pneumonia Vaccine in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer,Covering ManufacturersGlaxoSmithKlinePfizerMerckMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Pneumonia Vaccine in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast),Split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoPneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13)Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23)Access Full Report @Split by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Pneumonia Vaccine in each application, can be divided intoPneumoniaMeningitisSepsisTable of ContentsGlobal Pneumonia Vaccine Market Research Report 20171 Pneumonia Vaccine Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pneumonia Vaccine1.2 Pneumonia Vaccine Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Pneumonia Vaccine by Type in 20151.2.2 Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13)1.2.3 Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23)1.3 Pneumonia Vaccine Segment by Application1.3.1 Pneumonia Vaccine Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Pneumonia1.3.3 Meningitis1.3.4 Sepsis1.4 Pneumonia Vaccine Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Pneumonia Vaccine (2011-2021)2 Global Pneumonia Vaccine Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Pneumonia Vaccine Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Pneumonia Vaccine Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Pneumonia Vaccine Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Pneumonia Vaccine Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Pneumonia Vaccine Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Pneumonia Vaccine Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Pneumonia Vaccine Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Speciality Silicones Market 2017 Outlook & Forecast, Top Manufacturers - The Dow Chemicals, Solvay SA, BASF, Henkel

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This report not only provides a complete picture of the overall condition of the market, but also assists the players in this market to create profitable market strategies in order to gain a competitive edge.Download Free Sample Report @This report studies Speciality Silicones in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer,Covering ManufacturersThe Dow ChemicalsAkzoNobelAshlandBASFHenkelKGaAHuntsman CorpSolvay SAEvonik IndustriesAlbermarleMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Speciality Silicones in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast),Access Full Report @Split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoSilicone ElastomersSilicone GreasesSilicone SurfactantsSilicone Polish/Shinning AgentSilicone Textile SoftenersSilicone Water RepellantsSilicone RubberOtherSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Speciality Silicones in each application, can be divided intoWaste water treatmentTextilesPaintsAgricultureOil & gasElectronicsConsumer goodsAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
FMCSA Announces ELD Public Meeting on Device Specs for ELD Manufacturers

https://keeptruckin.com/

https://keeptruckin.com/

KeepTruckins CEO Has His Say on FMCSAs Public Meeting AnnouncementThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced a public ELD meeting for discussing device specs with ELD manufacturers.The ELD mandate is all set to take effect from December 18, 2017. There are over 3.5 million commercial truck drivers that would require electronic logging devices to stay compliant. And although there are many ELD manufacturers, there are concerns about how compliant their electronic logging devices actually are.According to the announcement by FMCSA, This meeting is intended to address questions received from ELD manufacturers and to review the required standardized output and standardized data sets. Additionally, the announcement also included that the final ELD rule, included detailed performance and design requirements for ELDs to ensure the devices produce accurate, tamper-resistant records with a uniform file format and consistent displays.The meeting will play a key role in helping ELD manufacturers understand the federal regulations set by the FMCSA and the latest ELD mandate, so electronic logging devices can be manufactured in compliance with those federal regulations.There were some speculations that the ELD mandate would be repealed. However, after OOIDA lost the case against FMCSAs ELD mandate and was denied the rehearing petition, those speculations died down.KeepTruckins CEO, Shoaib Makani, believes that the ELD mandate is not going to be repealed and this meeting announcement by FMCSA is another step towards its reality. Shoaib Makani said, The ELD mandate is almost here, and it is here to stay. The FMCSAs public announcement is another step towards making the ELD rule a reality. Its time for fleets to start preparing for the upcoming ELD mandate.Regarding the benefits of ELD mandate, Shoaib Makani said, Fleets with ELDs have been able to save thousands of dollars by minimizing administrative burdens, automating tasks and reducing fuel wastage. The benefits of these devices far outweigh the cost.The FMCSAs public ELD meeting on devices specs is scheduled for May 9, 2017, at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. The meeting will be held from 09:30 a.m. to 01:30 p.m.About KeepTruckinKeepTruckin is on a mission to improve the efficiency and profitability of Americas trucking industry by building great technology products for truck drivers and fleet managers. The company provides drivers with the number one rated Electronic Logbook App for iOS & Android. The KeepTruckin Dashboard for fleets helps teams audit driver logs, manage IFTA fuel taxes, and track vehicles in real-time. KeepTruckin is trusted by over 400,000 drivers and 12,500 fleets. The company is backed by Google Ventures.KeepTruckin is on a mission to improve the efficiency and profitability of Americas trucking industry by building great technology products for truck drivers and fleet managers. The company provides drivers with the number one rated Electronic Logbook App for iOS & Android. The KeepTruckin Dashboard for fleets helps teams audit driver logs, manage IFTA fuel taxes, and track vehicles in real-time. KeepTruckin is trusted by over 400,000 drivers and 12,500 fleets. The company is backed by Google Ventures.KeepTruckin350 Sansome StSan Francisco, California, CA 94104
Digital Transformation of the oil and gas sector

www.globuc.com/digitalsolutions

The oil and gas industry has always been seen as conservative and resistant to change but due to the recent drop in the oil prices, both the upstream and downstream companies are looking now at innovative ways to reduce CAPEX and increase production and safety to achieve operational excellence.The digital technologies and IIoT are seen as the main way to a varied range of key benefits. In a recent survey published by GBC, the keynote speakers of the IIoT and Digital Solutions for oil and gas conference (OMV, Eni, Petronas and Halliburton) have mentioned that the mind-set change in integrating the IT in the overall business strategy and the breakdown of cultural and technical silos will leverage the speed of the opportunities in this sector and will deeply transform the legacy operations. This has a direct impact on the skills required in the future in the oil and gas industry as well.It is a common agreement in the industry that Real time resource optimization, predictive maintenance, personalised service at the retails points and integration of the supply chain make a difference for both upstream and downstream operations. The best business decisions will be taken on the data generated in real-time from the projects.Interconnecting things, assets and people can translate in great opportunities for data storage, and cyber security companies. However, the majority of oil and gas companies want to make sure that security is not only physical but also deeply rooted in the overall IT architecture of the business. Among the challenges which come with this are the readiness of the IoT devices, the lack of standardization and the lack of information management inside and the slow adoption of Big Data technologies.To rapidly progress in the digital journey, the four experts presented the technologies which are on the table of the oil and gas companies, such as: Wireless, fieldbus and open and secured systems, predictive analytics, machine learning, AI, IoT sensors, wearable devices and AR and VR.Companies interested to hear more about the digitalization roadmpas of the oil and gas companies or would like to see technical demos of the solutions which can enable the companies approach the oil and gas projects in an entire new way, can join the IIoT and Digital Solutions for oil and gas conference, which will take place on 7-8 June in Amsterdam, at Okura Hotel.OFFICIAL WEBSITE:CONTACT:Elmira GabidullinaMarketing ManagerGlobal Business Club LtdT: +44 (0) 845 868 8234E: e.gabidullina@globuc.comGBC Ltd is an international company run by professionals with more than 20 years experience and a passion for organising highly successful international oil & gas events.Office 301, 22 Highbury Grove, N5 2ER UK
United States Automatic Gate Openers Market Report 2017

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "United States Automatic Gate Openers Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The market for United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 has been undergoing a transitional phase over the recent past. The continual advancements in technologies and the swift increase in infrastructural development projects have influenced the demand for United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 substantially over the past few years. The swift rise in urbanization and the significant increase in the disposable income of people are likely to maintain the demand pace of United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 in the near future. 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It also discusses the production cost structure of United states automatic gate openers market report 2017. As per the research study, raw material and equipment are two major components of the United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 manufacturing process. Here, researchers have studied the costs of raw materials and equipment with a special mention to their suppliers. Furthermore, the labor and other operational costs experienced in the production of United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 have also been discussed at length in this market report.Obtain Report Details @The report presents an estimation of the overall market size in terms of value (US$) and in volume (kilo tons) and talks about the key segments and the geographical subdivisions of the United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 in details. It presents in-depth information on the development trends and the policies and regulations, concerning United states automatic gate openers market report 2017, implemented in each of the geographical segments. The predominant applications of the United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 have also been talked about at length in this research report.Further, the research study analyzes the regulatory framework of the United states automatic gate openers market report 2017, offering stakeholders a better understanding of the various policies, rules and regulations, and future projects, which are expected to influence numerous proceedings in this market. It also collects in-depth information gained through extensive primary and secondary research methods, which has been assessed with the help of several effective analytical tools. Based on the data attained from such systematic research, the research report presents near-accurate estimates for the market players as well as the readers. Readers will also gain significantly from the references and case studies given in the research study.The research report also presents a thorough assessment of the competitive landscape of the United states automatic gate openers market report 2017 by reviewing the company profiles of the leading players functioning in this market. The market hierarchy has also been identified in this study by analyzing the current developments and future prospects of these players.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Table of Content1 Automatic Gate Openers Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automatic Gate Openers1.2 Classification of Automatic Gate Openers1.2.1 Light Single1.2.2 Heavy Duty Single1.2.3 Heavy Duty Dual1.2.4 Other1.3 Application of Automatic Gate Openers1.3.1 Construction1.3.2 Railway1.3.3 Aerospace&Defense1.3.4 Other1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Automatic Gate Openers (2011-2021)1.4.1 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.4.2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Automatic Gate Openers Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Automatic Gate Openers Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Automatic Gate Openers Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Automatic Gate Openers Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by States (2011-2016)3.1 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Market Share by States (2011-2016)3.2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Revenue and Market Share by States (2011-2016)3.3 United States Automatic Gate Openers Price by States (2011-2016)4 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (2011-2016)4.1 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)4.2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)4.3 United States Automatic Gate Openers Price by Type (2011-2016)4.4 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales Growth Rate by Type (2011-2016)5 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales (Volume) by Application (2011-2016)5.1 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Market Share by Application (2011-2016)5.2 United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales Growth Rate by Application (2011-2016)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6 United States Automatic Gate Openers Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Mighty Mule6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Automatic Gate Openers Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Light Single6.1.2.2 Heavy Duty Single6.1.3 Mighty Mule Automatic Gate Openers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Tractor Supply6.2.2 Automatic Gate Openers Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Light Single6.2.2.2 Heavy Duty Single6.2.3 Tractor Supply Automatic Gate Openers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Amazing Gates6.3.2 Automatic Gate Openers Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Light Single6.3.2.2 Heavy Duty Single6.3.3 Amazing Gates Automatic Gate Openers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)6.3.4 Main Business/Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Automatic Gate OpenersTable Classification of Automatic Gate OpenersFigure United States Sales Market Share of Automatic Gate Openers by Type in 2015Figure Light Single PictureFigure Heavy Duty Single PictureFigure Heavy Duty Dual PictureFigure Other PictureTable Application of Automatic Gate OpenersFigure United States Sales Market Share of Automatic Gate Openers by Application in 2015Figure Construction ExamplesFigure Railway ExamplesFigure Aerospace&Defense ExamplesFigure Other ExamplesFigure United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure United States Automatic Gate Openers Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Table United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)Table United States Automatic Gate Openers Sales Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
CAS Named Digital Journal's Top Pick of Solutions Providers

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3267947

www.DataLoggerInc.com

In its recent report on the Portable Temperature and Humidity Data Logger market, Persistence Market Research (PMR) forecasts steep growth and industry adoption over the next decade. PMR is a market intelligence firm specializing in research and consulting. Heading their leading vendor list is Computer Aided Solutions, aka CAS DataLoggers, a longtime distributor headquartered just outside Cleveland, Ohio. You can read Digital Journals article at:Market Projected to Spike over Ten YearsThe Portable Temperature and Humidity Data Loggers Market report points to the already-growing overall demand for this technology. The market is segmented globally, with North America as the highest consumer. PMR forecasts that the Portable Temperature and Humidity Data Loggers market will continue to grow over the next decade.To quote the report, The rise in the logistics business and temperature-controlled packaging solutions is driving the market for portable temperature and humidity data loggers. The growth in cold chain logistics business is driving the demand for portable temperature and humidity data loggers.Listing the markets Key Players, PMR first names Cleveland distributor Computer Aided Solutions, LLC, aka CAS DataLoggers. Other suppliers listed include OMEGA Engineering Inc. and ThermoWorks.Business BenefitsThe increased demand is caused by the need to increase shelf life of perishable products, from Food & Beverage to Pharma to chemical. Whether in storage or shipment or both, data loggers are an ideal way to measure both the temperature and humidity of perishable products.Not only can portable data loggers monitor and alarm temperature and humidity values, but other models can measure voltage, current, pressure and force. This makes them a flexible technology within the budget of any business or organization.Just Leave Them to Log!As an example, TandD TR-7wf Wireless Data Loggers are next generation 2-channel temperature data loggers with wireless communication and the ability to upload data automatically to a free cloud storage service. In Access Point mode, users can view recorded data directly from smartphones and tablets without a network.Portable data loggers also feature internal batteries allowing them to be used where AC power is not available. Their built-in buttons or keypads provide for convenient stand-alone operation.If youre looking for an inexpensive and simple solution, SwiTrace I-Plug PDF Temperature Data Loggers are ideal for stand-alone data recording of temperature and/or humidity. Perfect for fixed or in-transit monitoring applications, their built-in USB interface makes connection to a PC for downloading data a snap. No proprietary readers or software required to operate, no recalibration, servicing or battery replacements necessary!For more information on our inventory of Portable Data Loggers, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atComputer Aided Solutions, LLC. dba CAS Data Loggers is a distributor of data loggers, paperless recorders and data acquisition equipment.Computer Aided Solutions8437 Mayfield RoadChesterland, OH 44026(440) 729-2570
United States Proton Therapy Market (Actual & Potential), Patients Treated, List of Proton Therapy Centers and Forecast to 2022

https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/united-states-proton-therapy-market-actual--potential-patients-treated-list-of-proton-therapy-centers-and-forecast-to-2022

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ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title United States Proton Therapy Market (Actual & Potential), Patients Treated, List of Proton Therapy Centers and Forecast to 2022 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.This latest report titled United States Proton Therapy Market (Actual & Potential), Patients Treated, List of Proton Therapy Centers and Forecast to 2022 provides a comprehensive assessment of the fast-evolving, high-growth Proton Therapy Market.The unprecedented demand of proton therapy for the treatment of cancer has set the stage for the market to move ahead at a rapid pace. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses high-energy proton beam rather than conventional radiotherapy to irradiate a tumor. The main advantage of proton therapy is that while destroying the target malignant cells, it causes minimal damage to the surrounding cells.The number of proton therapy centers is increasing in United States. Still, industry experts believe that players will miss out on a majority of cancer patients who can benefit with proton therapy, overlooking a huge multi-Billion-dollar potential market.The numbers of patients treated with Proton Therapy is very low whereas; the potential candidates for proton therapy are huge.For a Detailed description and table of contents of this report please click here:IBA dominates the proton therapy market. However, other players like Varian, Mevion, Hitachi etc. have also started to make their presence felt in the market. The increased demand for proton therapy has motivated many prominent cancer centers in the world to provide proton therapy treatment. The number of proton therapy centers in United States is anticipated to increase year on year, which in turn, will result in more clinical research, better clinician understanding and greater patient awareness of its benefits-which will help drive the further growth.This 89 Page report with 28 Figures and 5 Tables has been analyzed from 6 View Points1. United States Actual and Potential Proton Therapy Market (2009  2022)2. United States Actual and Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Treatment (2009  2022)3. United States - List of Proton Therapy Centers Operational, Under Construction and Planned4. Company Analysis - Proton Therapy Centers Operational, Under Construction and Planned5. United States Proton Therapy Centers  Start of Treatment, Patients Treated at Each Proton Therapy Centers6. Proton Therapy Market - Drivers and ChallengesUnited States Proton Therapy  5 Company Analysis1. IBA2. Optivus3. Hitachi4. Mevion5. VarianTo Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com
Global Cyber Security Industry Analysis & Trends 2016-2025: Industry Trends and Key Developments |The Insight Partners

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The Global Cyber Security Industry report categories the global industry by Solutions, Applications and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global industry with the industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Global Cyber Security is associated to information technology security that focuses on protecting computers programs, networks and data from unauthorized access. With the tremendous growth in the number of cyber-attacks and the intensity attacks, it has become mandatory for organizations to have adequate protection from such threats. Cyber-security is the modern day term used for protection against cyber espionages. Huge confidential data requires adequate level of security so that it doesnt get hacked or controlled by someone or else the data gets corrupted. Government, military, public data, Banking Financial Service and Insurance and hospitals are the verticals which produce huge amount of confidential data and transfer this data across networks.Get Complete Report @Huge and confidential data requires highest level of protection. Currently Big Data, predictive analysis trending in various industries; data generation, storage and transfer have undoubtedly became the word of businesses today. These technology trends are here to stay in the coming years and thus have become the primary drivers for the growth of this industry. Additionally, Government regulation on data privacy and growing number of cyber threats are the revenue generators for the Global Cyber Security industry. Also, rise in the usage of mobile devices, cloud and digitization have contributed on Global Cyber Security awareness. Furthermore, the rising scope of BYOD in companies is also driving this industry.The growth of the Global Cyber Security considering the advantages it offers hasnt been so smooth and has faced with certain restraining factors. The primary restraint to the growth of this industry is the lack of awareness about cyber security. The other factor that limits the growth to this industry is the availability of pirated security software and lack of talented security professionals in organizations. Ban on piracy and strict actions taken by Government on piracy could be conducive to reduce the effect of that factor.Request Sample Copy @Amongst the revenue contributors to the Global Cyber Security industry, North America and Europe are leading while APAC with emerging economies in India, China and South-East Asian countries is growing rapidly. Mobile security, SIEM, cloud security and threat intelligence are the applications which have contributed to the growth of this industry.Segmentations Covered in the Cyber Security Market Solution : Identity and Access Management, Encryption, Risk and Compliance Management, Data Loss Prevention, Antivirus/Antimalware, Firewall Management End-user Industry : BFSI, Telecom & IT, Aerospace & Defense, Healthcare Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Cyber Security Market Report Intel Security Symantec Corporation IBM Corporation Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Cisco Systems, Inc. EMC RSA Rapid7, Inc. Trend Micro, Inc. Fireeye, Inc. Sophos Ltd.Access Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Cyber Security industry, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging industries Scrutinize in-depth global industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the industry, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Sound Sensors Industry - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2025 |The Insight Partners

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The Global Sound Sensors Industry report categories the global Industry by Type, Applications, End-users and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global Industry with the Industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Microphones or Global Sound Sensors are the devices that sense the changes in the sounds in its surroundings and then produces an output in the required form accordingly. The output could be in the digitized form. The sound is sensed by the sensor using various techniques, such as whenever there is a change in the air pressure, this pressure based changes instigate the device and it produces the output in the required form. The output can be stored or analyzed as per the requirement of the industrial application. Global Sound Sensors are also popular as acoustic sensors and are useful as they can sense sounds that are difficult for human ears to sense. The marine industry finds its applications of using Global Sound Sensors at varying places. Besides the marine industry, Global Sound Sensors are also being used in the healthcare industry. The sound sensing devices have the potential to detect bone fractures.Get Complete Report @The primary driver for this Industry is the increasing application development besides product development. The customized and easy-to-use applications have propelled the growth in the application of such technologies. The other drivers for this Industry include rising demand of reliable, high performance and cheaper sensors which have been driven by various factors towards miniaturization. In addition, factors such as evolving inclination towards telecommunication market, low manufacturing cost and progress in various application segments are touted as the factors driving this market.The restraints for this Industry include the concern regarding the surface acoustic wave sensors being substituted by other sensors in application and low mass sensitivity. Nevertheless, development of wireless technology and telecom infrastructure have expected to create larger opportunities for Global Sound Sensors Industry in the near future.Request Sample Copy @North American region holds largest Industry share globally for the sound sensor Industry and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecasting period. Western Europe region is also leading the Industry in terms of revenues generated as most of the acoustic wave sensor manufacturers are located in this region. Moreover, Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow speedily over the forecasting period because of improving economies in this region and substantial development primarily in the automotive industry.Segmentations Covered in the Sound Sensors Market Applications : Automotive, Healthcare, Aerospace & Defense, Consumer Electronics, Industrial Sensing Parameters : Pressure, Mass, Temperature, Humidity, Viscosity, Torque, Chemical Vapor Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Sound Sensors Market Report API Technologies Corp Honeywell International Inc. Teledyne Microwave Solutions Vectron International CTS Corporation Boston Piezo-optics INC. Phonon Corporation Panasonic Corporation CeramTec Epson Toyocom CorporationAccess Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Sound Sensors market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this Industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen Industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global Industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Artificial Intelligence in IoT Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016  2025|The Insight Partners

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The Artificial Intelligence in IoT Market report categories the global market by Products, Networking and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global market with the market share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Internet of Things (IoT) has brought everything connected through internet. Increase application of smart devices are enabling us to collect big data on a regular basis. The data gathered are becoming more complex and uncertain and therefore artificial intelligence (AI) came into picture. AI can efficiently deal with the difficulties created by big data. Artificial Intelligence is basically the simulation of logical human thinking using computer technology. Artificial Intelligence provides the framework and tools to go beyond small real-time decision and automation use cases for IoT.Get Complete Report @The report aims to provide an overview of global artificial intelligence in IoT market with detailed market segmentation by technology, hardware, application, and geography. The global artificial intelligence in IoT market is expected to witness exponential growth during the forecast period with its application in safeguarding assets and designing automated decision making.The objectives of this report are as follows: To provide overview of the global artificial intelligence in IoT market To analyze and forecast the global artificial intelligence in IoT market on the basis of technology, hardware and application To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall artificial intelligence in IoT market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key artificial intelligence in IoT players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesRequest Sample Copy @Segmentations Covered in the Artificial Intelligence in IoT Market Technology : Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Image Processing, Speech Recognition Hardware : Computer / GPU Chip, Cloud Application : Security and Access Devices, Facial Recognition, Home Automation, Wearable Device, Robots Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Artificial Intelligence in IoT Market Report Google Inc. Cisco IBM Corp. Microsoft Corp. Apple Salesforce, Inc. Infineon Technologies AG Intel Security Group NVIDIA Corp. Amazon, Inc.Access Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Artificial Intelligence in IoT market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this market use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen market competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
DDoS Protection and Mitigation Market - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry 2026

DDoS Protection and Mitigation Market,DDoS Protection and Mitigation Market share

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DDoS mitigation is a set of techniques or tools used for resisting the impact of distribution denial-of-services attacks on network attached to the Internet by protecting the target and relay networks. The DDoS protection and mitigation solutions and services help to offer protection and mitigation on endpoints from advanced and sophisticated DDoS attacks.The high demand for DDoS prevention solutions from SMEs has encouraged vendors to introduce, cost effective cloud-based and hybrid solutions. However, on-premises hardware, software, and integrated solutions continue to see increased traction among the large enterprises. During the forecast period, the market is expected to witness high demand for hybrid solutions that include both, on-premises equipment as well as cloud services.The key target audience for DDoS protection and mitigation market report are consulting companies, independent software vendors, DDoS protection solutions vendors, government organizations and agencies, system Integrators, managed DDoS protection service providers, and VARs.Obtain Report Details @The factors such as the need to mitigate increasing network and application targeted DDoS attacks, rising penetration of Internet of things (IoT) and connected devices, coupled with the surge in demand from small and medium enterprises are expected to surge the demand for DDoS protection and mitigation market during the forecast period. Also, due to the rise in the adoption of hosted DDoS protection solutions are anticipated to enhance the sales of global DDoS protection and mitigation market during the forecast period. Organizations are rapidly growing their partnership and mitigation solutions across the globe. Therefore, the managed services segment is expected to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period.The DDoS protection market is segmented by component, application area, deployment mode, organization size, vertical and region. Further, by component type, the solution component is anticipated to account for the largest share in 2016. The service segment is expected to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period.Moreover, the consulting professional services segment is anticipated to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Further, the implementation services segment accounted for the largest market share in DDoS Protection professional services market in 2016, owing to the complications in its integration with the present systems.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @North America is expected to dominate the global DDoS protection and mitigation market, followed by Western Europe in 2016. Due to the presence of major DDoS protection vendors and service providers along with the early adoption trends for innovative technologies in the developed economies of U.S. and Canada, the region is expected to grow at an accelerated rate during the forecast period. APEJ is expected to grow at a significantly high CAGR during the forecast period, owing to rising adoption of these solutions and services across SME's and large enterprises developing in the region.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
When will Italys True Fleet Market reach its peak?

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So it seems that last months subdued growth rates from True Fleet have quickly been forgotten with Italys first month of double-digit growth for 2017. While it seemed the growth looked to be slowing somewhat with Januarys + 9.2% followed by Februarys + 5.1% Italian fleet has once again delivered with a + 12.5% for March. The Total Market finished with 232,000 registrations, the best March numbers since 2010, with an 11.9% growth for the Private Market and a massive + 48.4% from Special Channels adding to True Fleets tally and giving the Total Market a 19.3% growth.It was interesting to look into the models from True Fleet. As expected five Fiats were placed inside the top 10 with the Panda still retaining the #1 spot as it has for all of 2017 but it was models from other manufacturers that drove our attention. Released in spring 2016 Volkswagens 2nd Generation Tiguan has been registering over 500 units a month since September 2016 and had it best month on record ever in March with 710 units registered. Placing this into context the previous generations highest volume was a little over half that with 313 units in January 2009. The Ford Fiesta is the other stand-out. Possibly on run out with the new version due later in the year it also achieved its best month ever recording 1,900 units in March. This is only the 3rd month where they have ever reached a four-digit finish the other being 1,235 units (Feb 2017) and 1,305 units (May 2016).We obviously could not finish our press release without touching on Special Channels. This segments registrations are often referred to as tactical and contain figures from Rentals, Dealerships and Manufacturers. While the growth rate of + 48.4% is certainly impressive, both September & October 2016 delivered higher growth rates of 60.8% and 52.5% respectively. What is amazing is the volume, 58,042 units were registered in March beating last months record breaking month of 46,108 units, which was the highest ever recorded since Italian Dataforce records began in January 2004. Fiat was unsurprisingly the OEM with the highest volume, registering 3 times more than its nearest competitor VW and collecting the top 5 places for model ranking with the Tipo in #1 spot with 4,109 units.Dataforce is the leading provider of fleet market data and automotive intelligence solutions in Europe. In addition, the company also provides detailed information on sales opportunities for the automotive industry, together with a wide portfolio of information based on primary market research and consulting services. The company is based in Frankfurt, Germany.Contact: Richard WorrowDataforce Verlagsgesellschaft fur Business Informationen mbHHamburger Allee 1460486 Frankfurt am MainGermanyPhone: +49 69 95930-231Fax: +49 69 95930-333Email: richard.worrow@dataforce.de
Bavarian Inn Restaurant presents Spring Wine Dinner May 5

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Guests are invited to enjoy a wide-ranging tasting tour of European wines at the Bavarian Inn Restaurants upcoming Spring Wine Dinner, scheduled for Friday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m.The Restaurant is teaming up with Cana Distributors of Farmington Hills, Mich., which specializes in small- to medium-size wine producers, to present an exclusive collection of fine European vintages for guests to enjoy, with commentary from Tom Fischer, wine expert at Cana Distributors.Bavarian Inn Executive Chef Phil Fahrenbruch, a 2012 Silver Plate Award winner, has planned a five-course feast featuring creative food and wine pairings.The starter course is spring pea risotto with confit pork belly and a balsamic glaze, accompanied by Clos Palet Vouvray from Frances Loire Valley. A serving of Octopus Carpaccio follows, served with Ruby Red Rose with Grapefruit. Its a blend of 80% Cotes du Provence Rose and ruby red grapefruit juice, popular across France for its refreshing flavor.Next is a salad serving of arugula, Lolla Rossa and butter lettuces, roasted beets, candied pecans, Saint Andre brie, sundried cranberries with a cranberry vinaigrette dressing. The salad course will be paired with Bellavita Sweet Red from Italys Veneto region.Following a refreshing sorbet du jour, the entree is a beef fillet with Dijon wine sauce over creamy polenta. It will be served with Arcaia Cabernet Sauvignon from Veneto, Italy.The dessert course is chocolate pretzel peanut butter cup pie, served with the Bavarian Inns exclusively imported light, semi-dry Liebfraumilch from Germanys Rheingau region.The price for this special food and wine event is $60 per person, with reservations and prepayment required. Reservations may be made by calling 1-800-BAVARIA or (989) 652-9941. For more information, go toand view the calendar of events.About Bavarian InnCelebrating 125 years of service in 2013, the Bavarian Inn Restaurant has become a Michigan landmark. Generations of diners, lodgers and tourists from around the globe have discovered true Bavarian hospitality thanks to Dorothy and her late husband William "Tiny" Zehnder. Guests experience the old-world European charm of the Bavarian Inn  whether its the famous chicken dinners, fresh baked goods or Michigans greatest selection of German beer. Bavarian Inn also prides itself on being one of the top consumers of Pure Michigan agricultural products. Nestled within a backdrop of authentic German architecture, a variety of shops and other fun activities, a trip to Frankenmuth would not be complete without a visit to the Bavarian Inn. Learn more atBavarian Inn online press room:713 S. Main StreetFrankenmuth, MI
Gerald Thurswell To Be Honored By Wayne State University Law School April 27 Gerald E. Thurswell, founder of Thurswell Law, will receive the Honorary Order of the Coif Award at Wayne State University Law Schools 2017 Treasure of Detroit event, April 27. The annual event recognizes those who have made a lasting contribution to the legal profession and celebrates the success of the law school.



The Order of the Coif is an honorary scholastic society, the purpose of which is to encourage excellence in legal education by fostering a spirit of careful study, recognizing those who as law students attained a high degree of scholarship, and honoring those who as lawyers, judges and teachers have attained high distinction for their scholarly or professional accomplishments. Only one Honorary Order of the Coif award is presented each year.



Thurswell received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Wayne State Law School at the age of 23 and went on to form one of the most successful law firms in Michigan: Thurswell Law. His exceptional reputation includes recognition in Whos Who in the World, and being honored by his peers as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" and as a "Super Lawyer." He is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to Michigan, Thurswell is also licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Illinois, New York and Colorado.



"I received a great education at Wayne State University that set me on the path to where I am today. I love what I do, because I am able to make a difference in the lives of people who have been injured as the result of medical malpractice," Thurswell commented in reaction to his upcoming Wayne State Law honor.



Representing clients in Michigan since 1968, Thurswell Law has recovered millions of dollars in extremely complex cases involving medical malpractice, automobile negligence and catastrophic injury. The firm is rated Tier 1 by U.S. News and World Report and has represented clients throughout the state of Michigan.



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Digital Intelligence Technology Market - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry by 2025

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Digital intelligence (DI) is the process of collating the big data of customers to analyze and develop insights. These insights can be used to deliver the best and the most relevant experiences to the customer during digital interaction. Digital intelligence technology includes understanding of customers and usage of the companys website by the customer either through the mobile site or mobile application. The company can use this data to optimize its experience irrespective of time, or place of interaction with the customer. Marketers are able to combine insights from existing, new, and emerging channels which allows them timely, customer-oriented decision-making. Hence, digital intelligence is essentially a modern competitive approach to assess customer expectations and needs.Digital intelligence technology has the ability to transform digital data into real-time data. In todays changing multi-device and multi-channel world, the digital data collected can be turned into actionable and customer centric insights. Digital intelligence technology is the backbone of customer experience management. Recent trends in digital intelligence technology are rise of the intelligent personal assistant at home, chatbots, data driven decisions and so on.Growth of the global digital intelligence technology market is fueled by factors such as increasing need to optimize customer experience management (predictive and real time data), increasing public, corporate, and government use of the internet and digital data, growth in voice and video communications on the Internet, and availability of cheap data storage and processing for the digitization of back offices.Obtain Report Details @These factors are expected to contribute to the growth of the digital intelligence technology market. Tools such as online testing, predictive analytics, and behavioral targeting are used by companies to understand web behavior in real time. There are few restraining factors for the digital intelligence technology market such as data security, linking the real time data, and data quality. There are chances of current technology getting obsolete in the mid to long term due to rapid advancements in technology and software in the market.In recent years, there is an increasing need for deeper understanding of products and its features used by customers and also customer interactions. This is helpful for companies to create the best website or mobile user experience. All this can be achieved through digital intelligence technology, which provides an end-to-end snapshot of customer interaction across various channels such as web, mobile, and offline.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @The digital intelligence technology market is segmented on the basis of deployment, end-use industries, and regions. The segmentation on the basis of deployment includes cloud and on premise. Cloud is further sub segmented into public, private, and hybrid. End-use industries of the digital intelligence technology market include aerospace and defense, information and telecommunications, retail and consumer goods sector, manufacturing sector, healthcare, energy, government and public sector, and others. The market is segmented into five regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America. North America and Europe are the leading regions in the digital intelligence technology market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fingerprint Biometrics Machine 2017 Global Key Players - Safran, 3M Cogent, Crossmatch, Suprema, HID Global, NEC Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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Fingerprint BiometricsReport Details:Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturerTop Key Palyers:Safran3M CogentCrossmatchSupremaHID GlobalNECDermalog Identification SystemsM2SYS TechnologyNorthrop GrummanGreen BitBio-keyZKTecoIntegrated BiometricsClick here for sample report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Fingerprint Biometrics Machine in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSingle FingerMulti FingerOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Fingerprint Biometrics Machine for each application, includingGovernmentHealthcareTransportationHospitalityBanking & FinanceOthersSome Major Points from Table of content:Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Market Research Report 20171 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fingerprint Biometrics Machine1.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Single Finger1.2.4 Multi Finger1.3 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Segment by Application1.3.1 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Government1.3.3 Healthcare1.3.4 Transportation1.3.5 Hospitality1.3.6 Banking & Finance1.3.7 Others1.4 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Fingerprint Biometrics Machine (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @7 Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Safran7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Safran Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 3M Cogent7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 3M Cogent Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Crossmatch7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Crossmatch Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Suprema7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Suprema Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 HID Global7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 HID Global Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 NEC7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 NEC Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Dermalog Identification Systems7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Dermalog Identification Systems Fingerprint Biometrics Machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042Mail :info@wiseguyreports.com
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Market - - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry by 2020

Advanced Metering Infrastructure market, Global Advanced Metering Infrastructure market

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The need for grid modernization and positive steps taken by utilities across the world to replace conventional electronic meters with improved smart meters capable of providing improved meter reading and data collection are the most important factors facilitating growth in the global advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market. Furthermore, launch of dynamic pricing schemes and demand response programs are considered as motivational factors for the use of smart meters. Demand response programs are considered as enablers of growth in the global AMI market.AMI is the integration of hardware, software, and technologies that provide an intelligent connection between consumers. Consumers by participating in demand response programs will benefit from lower electricity bills, while electric distribution utilities will be able to avoid investments in expensive new capacity buildings and benefits from a stable load on a utility grid. Through bi-directional communication between the meter and meter data management, the electrical distribution utilities will be able to remotely manage metering assets and collect information on energy usage in a real-time.Use of AMI offers several benefits to the utilities and end consumers, which includes customer service, system operations, and financial benefits. Early detection of meter failures, improved billing accuracy, time-based tariff options to consumers, faster service restoration, and consumer participation in demand response programs are some of the customer service benefits of the AMI.Obtain Report Details @Increased meter reading accuracy, reduction in number of meter reads, easier outage management, and easier energy theft detection are some of the system operation benefits. Financial benefits include shorter outages and faster restoration, reduced support expenses and reduced equipment and equipment maintenance cost. An AMI typically includes smart meters, communication networks, communicating thermosets and other sensors, and meter data management systems (MDMS), and platforms for integrating of data into existing and new software.The overall market for AMI can be segmented into devices and geographies. On the basis of AMI devices, the market can be segmented into smart meters, communication infrastructure, home area networks (HANS), MDMS, and support systems (in-home display units). An increased emphasis on improving energy efficiency and reducing energy peak demands by encouraging participation in demand response programs are the key drivers of growth in the global AMI market.Installation of smart meters as part of advanced metering infrastructure will enable electric distribution utilities to reduce their operational cost as well as improved identification of energy theft, and outage notification. AMI systems help in meter reading accuracy and reducing theft of utilities resulting in an overall financial benefit to the consumer as well as a service provider. Lack of inter-operability standards in most of the countries of the world may hamper growth in the AMI market. The total capital cost of AMI includes costs of hardware, software, MDMS, IT integration, and installation. The declining cost of AMI hardware is likely to impact positively to the growth in the global AMI market.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @Governments across the globe are encouraging utilities to deploy smart meters at end consumer infrastructure. Moreover, favorable regulatory conditions in North American countries and some part of Asia Pacific are likely to aid rollouts of smart meters in the near future. Presently, North America and Europe dominate the global AMI market. The demand in these regions is majorly driven by governmental support in the form of research and developmental activities of smart grid technology. Asia Pacific is expected to drive the growth of AMI market in the near future on account of the growing population and acceptance of these modern systems by utility companies. Additionally, growing awareness of consumers regarding wastage and consequently carbon footprints is expected to propel growth in the AMI market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart and Connected Offices Market - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry by 2020

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Smart and connected office is a technologically integrated office whereby all the working processes in an organization are made simpler and flexible by extensive use of network based devices. Such integration enables the employees in performing their office tasks efficiently and enables the organizations in generating revenues by coordinating the various functions and reducing the power consumption by implementing eco-friendly processes. Over the traditional office systems, smart and connected office concepts effectively address data security issues, delays in performing various tasks and forgery.On the basis of building types, smart and connected office market is segmented into new buildings and retrofit buildings. On the basis of solution type, the smart and connected offices is segmented into smart HVAC control systems, fire and safety control systems, audio and video conferencing systems, energy management systems, security and access control systems, smart lighting systems and others.Smart HVAC control systems include smart thermostats, pumps and fans, actuators, dampers, heating and cooling coils, control valves and sensors. The fire and safety control systems include fire security, emergency response systems and others. The audio and video conferencing systems include touch screens and keypads, multimedia room controllers, home theatre systems and audio and volume controls. The energy management systems include smart meters and smart appliances.Obtain Report Details @The security and access control systems include card based systems, biometric systems, surveillance cameras and intrusion alarm systems. The smart lighting systems comprises transmitters, receivers, dimming and switching actuators, controllable breakers, relays and occupancy sensors. On the basis of communication protocols, the smart and connected office market is segmented into Modbus, KNX/EIB, LonWorks (local operating network), Zigbee, BACnet, Nema and DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface).Increasing work-on-the-go culture and Bring your Own Device (BYOD) is one of the major factors that are fuelling the growth of smart and connected offices market. Now-a-days business enterprises are promoting the use of mobile devices so as to permit employees in carrying out various tasks such as accessing emails and managing official documents while on the move. This enhances employee satisfaction rate and increases productivity.The smart and connected offices concept is able to integrate such devices and provides real-time data for faster decision making. Stiff competition among the companies to adopt high innovation concepts is another factor contributing the growth of smart and connected offices market. To be competitively ahead, many companies are adopting the concept of smart and connected offices to respond to the needs of employees and keep a track of them. The proliferation of the internet economy with increasing bandwidths has further contributed to the smart offices concept by integrating smart phones and tablets for efficiently carrying out different tasks.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @However, one of the major restraints affecting the growth of smart and connected offices concept is the security risks that are associated with hand-held devices. There is a high possibility of unauthorized access where the users enter without abiding by the company policies and procedures. Another restraint is that such concepts are associated with huge financial investments. When business organizations invest in such technologies, they expect a considerable amount of returns. In some cases the returns are not fully realized due to the unwillingness of the employees to adapt to such systems. Since smart offices are a long term investment, smaller business organizations are reluctant to initiate such investments.To increase revenues and cater to the increasing demand of smart offices, the major players in this market are further penetrating the market by expanding their business operations. For instance, Crestron Electronics, Inc., one of the major players in this market, recently opened their regional office in Dubai. The other players in the market include United Technologies Corporation, Siemens AG, Johnson Controls, Inc. and Honeywell International Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Wireless Logging Services Market - Evolving Technology, Trends and industry Analysis up to 2020

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In todays global economy, businesses are transforming to meet the evolving challenges. Innovations and new business models foster revenue growth, productivity, efficiency and competitive advantage. Rising customer expectations and demand for 24-hour access to the real-time information has become critical for success of a business. Enhanced mobility and uninterrupted access to enterprise data/network has become inevitable for ensuring continuity of the business, which can be easily achieved by switching to wireless technologies.Wireless systems address the deployment, management and control issues of the enterprise with a low cost of ownership. It offers employees a greater flexibility via the pervasive access to network resources and applications, thereby enabling increased productivity. However, such wireless systems must comply with network security policies defined and integrate with the end-to-end network security strategies in order to be effective, compliant and efficient.These wireless systems must also deliver intelligent wireless solutions over advanced technologies such as 3G and 4G which provide high speed connectivity. Wireless logging services deals with offering wireless solutions as an alternative to phone line based and standard cable internet services. These wireless services offer secure high speed broadband internet access connection that works from home or office and throughout the entire coverage area. Business establishments are taking the advantage of these services to connect their remotely available products and services and optimize the revenue.Obtain Report Details @The factors contributing to the growth of wireless logging services market include increased usage of mobile devices and rise of wireless networks in business enterprises. Data hackers are now using more sophisticated tools and options in hacking sensitive data that are causing serious dents in the revenues. There are several vendors available in the market that compete in offering customized wireless solutions for connecting the systems from enterprises side that are secure and trustworthy.To sustain their competitive advantage, vendors are consistently investing in research and development so as to come up with innovative solutions. This stiff competition among the vendors to offer innovative solutions is contributing to the growth of wireless logging services market. Also, there is standardized software available for mobile devices but for specific requirements of consumers, customized solutions are also offered by the vendors. In such a market where there are constant evolutions of new threats, customizations are extremely important.However, these customizations could be very innovative and extremely technical that can prove to be a barrier to the growth of this market. Another barrier to the market growth is the easy availability of pirated solutions online. There are some local vendors in the market that offer pirated solutions online at affordable prices. This causes a major dent in the growth of this market due to the stiff competition from unscrupulous vendors. Even though the solutions offered by them contain fewer features, they are still preferred over major players due to the price index.Fill the form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @The wireless logging services market can be segmented on the basis of services and the end-user applications. On the basis of services the market can be segmented into embedded wireless services, gateways and modem services and machine to machine (M2M) cloud services. On the basis of end-user industries the market is segmented into mobile phones, automotive, transportation, infrastructure and healthcare. The wireless logging services market is majorly driven by the mobile phones due to fast growing use of smart phones. Some of the other players in this line of business include Cisco, Honeywell, Motorola Solutions, ADT, Brocade Communications and Fortinet, Inc among others. These vendors are continuously innovating to keep themselves at par with evolving technologies. For instance, Sierra Wireless, on September 8 2014, has been certified for Verizon wireless 4G LTE network for its third generation 4G LTE modules.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Teleprotection Market: Know the Description, Growth Analysis, SWOT And Forecasting year on the basis of Technology, End Use industry & Geography

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Global Teleprotection Market Research Report 2016 Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.This market research report gives an in-depth idea about the global Teleprotection market. It highlights the recent market scenario, growth in the past few years, and opportunities present for manufacturers in the future. In this research for the completion of both primary and secondary details, methods and tools are used. Also, investments instigated by organizations, government, non-government bodies, and institutions are projected in details for better understanding about the market.Download Sample Pages of this Premium Report:This study estimates the factors that are boosting the development of the global Teleprotection market. On the basis of key principles segments such as end-users, application, product, technology, and region are surveyed comprehensively of the global Teleprotection market. The thorough examination has been done in this report to bring about the share and position of global Teleprotection market. In the report, the complete analysis of the growth revenue is offered.Get 30% Discount on this Report:In addition, a detailed value chain analysis has been included to present a comprehensive view of the market. Furthermore, the major geographical segments of the global Teleprotection market have been evaluated in the research report. The product portfolio, financial status, and business policies of these players are studied in the report in detail. Using SWOT analysis the report has studied the strengths and weaknesses of the profiled players.For more Inquiry before Purchase:With all the data assembled and analyzed using SWOT analysis, there is a clear picture of the competitive landscape of the global Teleprotection market. Openings for the future market growth were uncovered and peripheral competitive threats also surfaced. The trends and developments of this market were studied and it shows there was a well-known strategic direction observed. By grasping market background and using the existent norms, policies, and trends of other leading markets for cross-reference, market information was realized.Global Teleprotection Market Research Report 2016This report studies Teleprotection in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer.Company Profiled in this Report: ABB Siemens GE Energy Alcatel Lucent Alstom Nokia Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories TC Communications RFL ElectronicsComplete Report Available:About Research n Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
Optical Interconnect Market by Product & Data Validation, Analysis and Forecast 2022

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According to Publisher, the Global Optical Interconnect Market is accounted for $3.79 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $13.52 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 19.9% from 2015 to 2022. Growing demand for data security, increasing communication bandwidth and rising mobile cloud computing applications are adding up towards the development of the market across the globe. However, huge investment and sluggish commercialization of optical interconnection related technologies are some restraints restricting the market size. Moreover, the future opportunity for the market lies in growing demand for higher ethernet speed and comprehensive attempt to develop connectivity's.For more informationNorth America commanded the largest market share in the global market due to vast internet penetration. In addition, existence of massive internet based business like Google and Facebook among others have been a major growth driver for the market in this region. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to rising technological advancements.Some of the key players participating in this market include Lumentum Holdings Inc., Fujitsu Ltd., Amphenol FCI (AFCI), Broadcom Limited, Acacia Communications Inc., Molex, LLC, Finisar Corporation, Infinera Corporation, Juniper Networks, Inc., TE Connectivity Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Oclaro, Inc., Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., Dow Corning and Intel Corp.Applications Covered:- Telecommunication- Data Communicationo High-Performance Computing (HPC)o Data CenterFiber Modes Covered:- Single-Mode Fiber- Multi-Mode Fibero Graded Index Multi-Mode Fibero Step Index Multi-Mode FiberInterconnect Levels Covered:- Metro & Long Haul Optical Interconnect- Chip- & Board-Level Interconnect- Board-To-Board and Rack-Level Optical InterconnectProducts Covered:- Optical Engines- Silicon Photonics- Optical Transceivers- Connectorso MPO/MTP Connectorso SC Connectorso ST Connectorso LC Connectors- Cable Assemblieso Multi-Source Agreemento Outdoor Cable Assemblieso Active Optical Cableso Outdoor Cable Assemblies- PIC-Based Interconnects- Free Space Optics, Fiber and WaveguidesRequest Sample CopyRegions Covered:- North Americao USo Canadao Mexico- Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe- Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao Egypt11 Company Profiling11.1 Lumentum Holdings Inc.11.2 Fujitsu Ltd.11.3 Amphenol FCI (AFCI)11.4 Broadcom Limited11.5 Acacia Communications Inc.11.6 Molex, LLC11.7 Finisar Corporation11.8 Infinera Corporation11.9 Juniper Networks, Inc.11.10 TE Connectivity Ltd.11.11 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.11.12 Oclaro, Inc.11.13 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.11.14 Dow Corning11.15 Intel Corp.Make an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Manned Electric Aircraft Market 2021 Analyzed in New Research Report

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Global Manned Electric Aircraft Market Report 2016 Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.The Global Manned Electric Aircraft Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Manned Electric Aircraft industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Manned Electric Aircraft market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.The Global Manned Electric Aircraft Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2021 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Manned Electric Aircraft industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Manned Electric Aircraft market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.Visit on this link to get a sample of report:This report provides comprehensive analysis of Key market segments and sub-segments Evolving market trends and dynamics Changing supply and demand scenarios Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive insights Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsThis study provides an evaluation of aspects that are expected to impact growth of market in an undesired or constructive method. The Manned Electric Aircraft market has been consistently examined with respect to the corresponding market segments. Each year within the mentioned forecast period is concisely considered in terms of produce and worth in the regional as well as the global markets respectively.The Manned Electric Aircraft industry has made research and come up with a report that focuses on the key players in the Manned Electric Aircraft maker market throughout the world.Get Up to 30% Discount on this report:Imperative information like company profiles, product specification, product picture, production, capacity, contact information, cost and revenue is included in this market research report. Similarly, equipment and upstream raw materials as well as downstream demand analysis is also worked upon.The Major players reported in the market include: Sonex Aircraft LLC Fight of The Century Airbus Group Lockheed Martin Boeing NASA Sceptor RollsRoyce company 8 company 9 ...Purchase this Report on this link:Divided by region, this study report is segmented into numerous key sections, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and progress rate of Manned Electric Aircraft in these regions, from 2017 to 2021, covering Global and China , United States , Europe and Japan .Reasons for Buying this Report This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments In order to adduce this market research report, press releases, conscientious information from number of journals, paid databases, presentations has been taken into account.Acquire full report on the same using the below link. You will be redirected to the site.Also, the research study gives a complete list of all the leading players working in the global Manned Electric Aircraft market. Moreover, the financial status, company profiles, business strategies and policies, and the latest expansions in the global Manned Electric Aircraft market have been mentioned in the research study.ResearchnReports has released a new market research report to its comprehensive collection of research studies. This market research report, titled " Global Manned Electric Aircraft market professional survey report 2016", provides an in-depth analysis of this market, zeroing on the key dynamics estimated to influence the growth of the market throughout the forecast period. The product segmentation, important geographical segments and competitive prospect of the global market are also mentioned in this research study.In this Manned Electric Aircraft market research report the core driving factors of this market were identified and the business partners & end users were elaborated. The structure of the business sector, patterns and challenges affecting the market globally are also a part of this extensive analysis. Various interviews and talks were conducted with the prominent leaders of this industry to obtain reliable and updated information pertaining to the market.Research N Reports10916, Gold Point, Dr,Houston, TX,Pin - 77064.Sunny Denis(Sales Manager)sales@researchnreports.com+1 888-631-6977
Global Photovoltaic Modules Market Drivers and Challenges Report 2021

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Global Photovoltaic Modules Market Report 2016 Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.The Global Photovoltaic Modules Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Photovoltaic Modules industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Photovoltaic Modules market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.The Global Photovoltaic Modules Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2021 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Photovoltaic Modules industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Photovoltaic Modules market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.Visit on this link to get a sample of report:This report provides comprehensive analysis of Key market segments and sub-segments Evolving market trends and dynamics Changing supply and demand scenarios Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive insights Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsThis study provides an evaluation of aspects that are expected to impact growth of market in an undesired or constructive method. The Photovoltaic Modules market has been consistently examined with respect to the corresponding market segments. Each year within the mentioned forecast period is concisely considered in terms of produce and worth in the regional as well as the global markets respectively.The Photovoltaic Modules industry has made research and come up with a report that focuses on the key players in the Photovoltaic Modules maker market throughout the world.Get Up to 30% Discount on this report:Imperative information like company profiles, product specification, product picture, production, capacity, contact information, cost and revenue is included in this market research report. Similarly, equipment and upstream raw materials as well as downstream demand analysis is also worked upon.The Major players reported in the market include: Dunmore Corporation Solarpower Systems Kaneka-Solar Aleo Solar Bangkok Solar First Solar Canadian Solar EverExceed Industrial Martifer ...Purchase this Report on this link:Divided by region, this study report is segmented into numerous key sections, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and progress rate of Photovoltaic Modules in these regions, from 2017 to 2021, covering Global and China , United States , Europe and Japan.Reasons for Buying this Report This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments In order to adduce this market research report, press releases, conscientious information from number of journals, paid databases, presentations has been taken into account.Acquire full report on the same using the below link. You will be redirected to the site.Also, the research study gives a complete list of all the leading players working in the global Photovoltaic Modules market. Moreover, the financial status, company profiles, business strategies and policies, and the latest expansions in the global Photovoltaic Modules market have been mentioned in the research study.ResearchnReports has released a new market research report to its comprehensive collection of research studies. This market research report, titled " Global Photovoltaic Modules market professional survey report 2016", provides an in-depth analysis of this market, zeroing on the key dynamics estimated to influence the growth of the market throughout the forecast period. The product segmentation, important geographical segments and competitive prospect of the global market are also mentioned in this research study.In this Photovoltaic Modules market research report the core driving factors of this market were identified and the business partners & end users were elaborated. The structure of the business sector, patterns and challenges affecting the market globally are also a part of this extensive analysis. Various interviews and talks were conducted with the prominent leaders of this industry to obtain reliable and updated information pertaining to the market.Research N Reports10916, Gold Point, Dr,Houston, TX,Pin - 77064.Sunny Denis(Sales Manager)sales@researchnreports.com+1 888-631-6977
It's time for a love story. A big, British-y, turn-of-the-century bodice-ripper that woos you with a captivating combination of history and hopeful, youthful romance, and then rips into your heart with the force of an iceberg tearing into a transatlantic passenger liner.

"Mary's Wedding," launching a six-week run at Portland Center Stage, checks off just about every box.

It feels on a grand scale, though the play, from Canadian author Stephen Massicotte, features just two actors and runs in the smaller Ellyn Bye Studio downstairs at the Armory. It begins in Saskatchewan, so it's at least British Commonwealth. It's set during the early 1900s, when the iceberg threatening Mary, a proper English transplant, and Charlie, a "dirty farm boy on a horse" (as judged by Mary's mother), is the First World War.

Charlie's first-person, front-line descriptions are riveting, living reports to be sure. Even Stateside hounds of 20th-century war literature and films likely aren't familiar with the details of Canada's entry into the Great War and the specific, horrific accounts of the Canadian cavalrymen in the 1918 charge of Moreuil Wood in France and other battles. (In the dreamy, anti-linear piece, Lexi Lapp plays Mary and also re-creates Lt. Gordon Flowerdew, the charismatic head of the British Empire's Canadian Cavalry Brigade.)

And yet. With little spark between the sweethearts and no surprises in their class-clashing saga, "Mary's Wedding" is a dispassionate, sterile affair akin to an extended battlefield reenactment. With breaks for tea.

Lapp and Alex J. Gould as Charlie click with their characters commendably. The pair come across as innocent and eager as a fresh footman and chambermaid on their first day at Downton Abbey before their first dressing-down from the Dowager Countess.

A directing lapse creates distance between the principals, however, as does an over-thought flood of visual projections. These titanic backgrounds relentlessly submerge the set and story in splashy swaths of color. And stars. Lots and lots of ponderous, shimmering stars. It might have been more expedient for the design team to cue up a loop of the trailer for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," or save the digitals for the upcoming Portland Center Stage production of "Constellations."

Line of the night: "We were playing a game. It's called 'try not to let your heart fly out of your mouth,' " says Mary, when Charlie first gives her a ride home on his horse.

Strengths: Despite the dreamscape framing, you pretty much know where Massicotte's path is leading you as soon as Charlie's horse is out of the stable. But scenes are written and conveyed with a wonderful urgency. And Charlie's blow-by-blow letters from the trenches in France -- recounting the lice, the terrifying German weaponry -- will send you to, or back to, the movie "War Horse" and the BBC miniseries "Parade's End" for context.

Weaknesses: The discord between Mary and Charlie falls partly to the script. These are presentational roles, requiring narration, directly speaking to the audience and epistolary performance, so the actors spend valuable time juggling these duties instead of developing their relationship face-to-face.

Some fault falls to director Brandon Woolley, who hasn't found sly ways to sprinkle in small, connective moments. For example, Charlie never helps Mary onto or off her horse, despite the fact that she's never ridden alone and is fearful of the animals. In a backwoods Saskatchewan field 4,000 miles -- pardon, 6,500-plus kilometers -- from London, this gesture would still be gentlemanly, completely called for, and an indelible instance of intimate contact.

The giant crescent projection screen straight out of a 1977 Panavision showing of "Star Wars" overwhelms the eyes. This and the hydraulic columns on the stage -- suggesting felled trees, battlefields and horses -- look tech-y and modern, rather than the somnambulistic "melting world" Woolley envisioned.

Takeaway: "Mary's Wedding" provides great fodder for Great War history buffs. Others will find this quite a limping charge through an esoteric miniature epic.

-- Lee Williams, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

***

"Mary's Wedding"

Where: Ellyn Bye Studio, The Armory, 128 N.W. 11th Ave.

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (except April 30, May 6, 14, 16, 23 and 28), 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (except May 6 and 20) and noon Thursday (except May 25) through May 28

Tickets: $25-$55, $20 rush tickets available 15 minutes before curtain depending on availability, pcs.org or 503-445-3700
ZOOM+-Logo-Tagline-web-colors.jpg

Oregon insurance regulators took Zoom Health Plan into receivership after they "became aware of a material difference between the company's 2016 annual financial statement and its actual financial condition," state officials said Monday.

The Oregon Insurance Division has been on site at the offices of the upstart Portland insurance company since April 5, after they took the company into supervision. At the time, Zoom had informed the state it was exiting the business after sustaining big losses in 2016.

In the ensuing weeks, state officials became aware of the discrepancy between Zoom Health's financial numbers and reality, said Lisa Morawski, spokesman for the Oregon Insurance Division.

She declined to elaborate.

Len Bergstein, a spokesman for Zoom, said the company has been cooperating with state regulators. Zoom has $9 million in the bank, more than enough to handle its responsibilities to its customers, Bergstein added.

David Sanders and Albert DiPiero, both medical doctors and classmates at the University of Michigan, founded ZoomCare in 2006. Sanders, the brash visionary, hopes his company will help revolutionize the business of health care with a chain of clinics offering same-day care, online scheduling and transparent pricing.

The company currently boasts 35 clinics in the Portland metro area, Salem, Vancouver and Seattle. The clinics are not subject to the receivership.

ZoomCare diversified into insurance, which it called Zoom Health, earlier this decade. It was attempting to build an integrated health care model -- like a mini-Kaiser Permanente -- in which Zoom's insurance customers were treated at Zoom clinics. Bergstein said about half of Zoom Health's 2,700 customers get their health care from ZoomCare clinics.

In 2014, the Portland private equity firm Endeavour Capital bought a stake in the company. According to ZoomCare financial statements, Endeavour owns 20 percent of Zoom Health.

But the move into insurance was exquisitely ill-timed, coming just as the industry and the public struggled to adjust to the Affordable Care Act. Zoom Health lost $3.8 million in 2015 and another $4.7 million in 2016.

Last year's loss slashed its capital in reserve by half and left the company perilously close to the minimum capital surplus required, according to state regulators.

Rather than attempt to recover and rebuild, Zoom Health told regulators they had opted to leave the business. It did so, Bergstein said, in large part due to the mounting uncertainty about whether President Donald Trump will succeed in reshaping federal health care policy.

State insurance regulators appointed a receiver Friday to take charge of the operation. The 2,000 customers with Zoom Health group policies will be moved to different carriers. The remaining 735 customers in the individual market will have to find new coverage on their own when their Zoom policies lapse at the end of the year.

Zoom is the third new insurance carrier in Oregon formed since passage of the Affordable Care Act to exit the business. Insurance companies are dealing with tremendous uncertainty as Trump and Congressional Republicans try to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

-- Jeff Manning

503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com
The Tourist Office of Spain has picked Portland to represent the United States for World Tapas Day 2017, a day devoted to celebrating Spanish culture and gastronomy with events, parties and unique tapas created for the event.

The day, which falls on June 15, will be celebrated with a full week of events, including a collaborative dinner from Spanish chefs with Michelin-starred restaurant experience. Some 10 Portland restaurants will take part, including Ataula, Bar Casa Vale, Chesa, Toro Bravo and Urdaneta, offering special tapas ideal for a pit-stop or impromptu crawl.

Portland is the third U.S. city named a tapas ambassador, following Washington D.C. -- home to famed Spanish chef Jose Andres -- and Seattle. Nineteen other cities around the world will host similar events this year. Chefs Mikel de Luis, a one-time sous chef for Martin Berasategui, and Gemma Grey, who spent time with Andres, will serve as ambassadors for the cuisine. Members of the prestigious Culinary School Escuela Andaluza de Cocina Santo Domingo de Archidona from Malaga will fly in from Spain to participate in various events.

The recognition comes as Portland's Spanish food scene, which started in the 1990s with the early excitement around Northwest Portland's Tapeo and the rise of Toro Bravo, continues to grow and impress. Last year, chef Jose Chesa expanded his creative cooking at Ataula with a second restaurant, Chesa. Later this spring, Can Font, a destination restaurant found 45 minutes north of Barcelona, will open a second location in Portland's Pearl District.

The original tapa had humble roots, starting as a savory snack typically designed to accompany drinks, often served for free with each round, a practice still maintained in some Spanish towns. In larger cities, talented Spanish chefs have embraced the tapa, presenting contemporary takes on classics or creating new classics all their own. Restaurants around the world, especially those pairing drinks and small plates, are often labeled with the "tapa" moniker.

But in Spain, la vida tapa goes beyond mere eating and drinking. The tourism board puts it this way:

"For Spaniards, tapas are not only delectable creations defined by richness, variety and high gastronomic quality, they are emblematic of a way of life. Both the tapa itself and the action of 'tapeo' are a part of Spanish culture that extends beyond and extraordinary bite of food."

The Spanish food festivities won't stop when World Tapas Day ends. One month after the event, Toro Bravo will host La Ruta PDX, a gastronomic festival celebrating the culinary culture of Spain with four days of dinners, events, workshops, demos and cultural events. Keep an eye out for more details from that event.

Here's a sneak peak at some of the events coming to Portland for World Tapas Day:

TXOTX CIDER HOUSE DINNER

When: 7 p.m., Monday, June 12

Where: Bar Vivant

The txotx is the Spanish barrel that is filled with local cider. Spanish cider isn't carbonated, so when it shoots out of the barrel, the angle and force are enough. That the act of catching the cider in your glass physically adds the desired effervescence to the drink. Experience the txotx through a special dinner with Chef Cherryl Wakerhauser.

TASTE FROM SPAIN

When: 6 p.m.Tuesday, June 13

Where: Can Font PDX

A special dinner with Chef Josep Vidal in the upcoming Can Font restaurant. Font brings Spain's fine dining scene to Portland, OR. A new gem in the Pearl district showcasing the high end cuisine of Spain thru traditional dishes. Pastry Chef Luis Moyano from Madrid Spain will join Chef Josep Vidal in this special dinner.



TASTE FROM ANDALUCIA

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 14

Where: Plaza Del Toro

The Culinary School from Malaga, Spain collaborates on this diner series with Toro Bravo chef John Gorham featuring dishes from the south of Spain. Junta de Andalucia brings students and top products from the region to introduce Portland to the taste of Andalucia.



MARIDAJE TAPAS AND WINE PAIRING

When: 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 14

Where: Tournant+pdx wines+Conserva

Join Tournant along with PDX Wines & Conserva for an evening of exploring premier Spanish wines, paired with creative tapas and hand-sliced jamon iberico at Tournant's inviting space.



WORLD TAPAS DAY

When: June 15

A renowned Michelin Star Chef will fly from Spain to share this special day with Portland, OR. Tasting and exploring the tapas tour hosted by a local personality and ending the day at the big celebration hosted by La Junta de Andalucia, where local chefs will share their take on tapas. Wine tasting, Gintonic demos, degustations, Iberico products, live flamenco and more. All restaurants will have a special tapas menu and cultural events! All this while enjoying the tapeo culture.

SHERRY CLASS AND TAPAS PAIRING

When: TBD, Friday, June 16

Where: Bar Vivant

Pastry Chef Cheryl Wakerhauser from Bar Vivant/Pix, an official sherry educator graduated from Consejos Sherry Course in Jerez de la Frontera, cadiz will host a unique sherry workshop to educated about Sherry Wine along side sweet and savory tapas.

MICHELIN DINNER

When: 7 p.m., June 16

Where: Chesa

Top Spanish Chef from Portland, OR Jose Chesa teams up with a Michelin Star Chef visiting from Spain to feature modern Spanish cuisine with the Pacific northwest bounty.

CYCLE PORTLAND BICYCLE TAPAS TOUR

When: Two options, Saturday, June 17

Visiting ten of the hottest tapas bars in town, this tour is available as an east- or west-side option. In addition, we will be joined at one location by a renowned Michelin Star Chef for our East side excursion. Casual riding, some moderate hills.

multi-speed bikes and food included (drinks not included). Ride starts and returns to our bike shop. East Tour runs 11 miles from 3 to 7 p.m.. West Tour six miles from 4 to 7 p.m.

BASQUE COUNTRY TASTE

When: 7 p.m., Saturday, June 17

Where: Urdaneta

A special dinner with Chef Javier Canteras featuring the cuisine of Spain's Basque Country.



SPECIAL SPANISH BRUNCH

When: 10:30 a.m., Sunday, June 18

Where: Ataula



A Spanish style brunch by Chef Jose Chesa.



SPECIAL CATALONIAN BRUNCH

When: 10:30 a.m., Sunday, June 18

Where: Can Font



A Catalonian-style brunch by Chef Josep Vidal



SPECIAL SPANISH BRUNCH

When: Sunday, June 18

Where: Bar Casa Vale

A Spanish-style brunch at Bar Casa Vale.

LA MARIENDA

When: 3 to 6 p.m., Sunday, June 18

Where: 180 xurros pdx

Spanish-style "Merienda" (snack time) at 180 Xurros, Portland's first xurros shop. Order the Tapas Tour PDX special and get a traditional "Merienda" (mid-day snack) just like in Spain.



FINAL TAPAS PARTY

When: 7 p.m., Sunday, June 18

Where: Plaza Del Toro

All participants and guests gather at Plaza del Toro to celebrate the closing of #TAPASTOURPDX. Complimentary tapas will be served to represent all the regions that have been showcased throughout the week.

For more information, visit worldtapasdayusa.com

-- Michael Russell
For one weekend a year, Portland becomes the home of some of the funniest people on the planet.

The Bridgetown Comedy Festival, in its 10th year and running May 4-7 all over town, is a destination for top-flight national headliners. It also serves as a milepost for comics in the booming local scene with an interest beyond Portland's open mics and bar gigs.

With a number of local comics moving to Los Angeles and New York recently, a door has opened for some new faces, many of whom will be performing at Bridgetown for the first time.

"It's like college. Seniors graduate to a different city," local comic Milan Patel said. "Based on a combination of seniority and talent, you move up. So if eight people leave, that's eight open spots."

Patel grew up in Vancouver and started doing comedy in Seattle. He first experienced Bridgetown from the audience.

"All my Seattle comedy friends got in before I did. I went to Bridgetown and I hung out with them as they were doing their shows, and I was like, 'This is awesome.' "

Fellow first-timers Andie Main and Marcus Coleman also watched the festival before ever getting in.

"I'd never heard of Bridgetown," Coleman said. "I applied last year thinking it was a small local comedy festival. I had no idea, and then I volunteered."

Main, who has been performing stand-up for five years, had a different initial take:

"The first time I went to Bridgetown I was a couple months into comedy. I didn't bother even applying. I was so overwhelmed and excited. I just wanted to be at every single show. I studied my program, and I was like, 'I have to be at all of these, all the time.' "

Main, Coleman and Patel represent Portland comedy's next generation. For them, getting invited to perform in the city's premier comedy event is a step toward becoming Portland's next big thing.

"Other comedians from around the country will see me, and maybe they'll be like, 'This guy's funny,' " Patel said. "My hope isn't to meet one of the bigger comedians and network with them. I'd rather find cool people. If I see something I like, I generally make a beeline to that person. I'm really excited to meet 20 people like that."

Coleman, who has been doing comedy for two years, sees Bridgetown as an opportunity to expand his horizons.

"I just want to do as well as possible and hope someone sees it and likes it. I hope the rooms are full and somebody in that room can talk to somebody." Coleman said. "I don't know how it works. Send me to whoever is running L.A. or whatever."

For Main, there's something special about doing a festival on her home turf.

"There's a certain hometown advantage," Main said. "You'll see another comic at the Doug Fir, and you're like, 'This is my home, I'm super confident. Watch me just sparkle in front of this group of strangers.' "

***

Bridgetown Comedy Festival

When: May 4-7

Where: Various venues

Tickets:

Festival passes start at $99, individual tickets for selected shows may be available;
Cascade-Siskiyou11.JPG

The author argues that when it comes to the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, the president should have followed the law.

(LC- Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management)

By Travis Joseph

Presidents of the United States, regardless of political party, should always follow the law. Separation of powers is the founding principle of our Constitution.

Law Professor Michael Blumm's guest opinion in The Oregonian/OregonLive ("A misguided attack on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument," April 4) offers a different argument: Presidents should follow the law when it fits a political agenda, but be allowed to reinterpret the law when it doesn't.

This conflict is at the heart of the American Forest Resource Council's legal challenge to President Obama's expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon: Who makes our nation's laws, the President or Congress?

Congress passed a law called the O&C Act in 1937. The law reserves more than 2.2 million acres of BLM forests in Western Oregon for the explicit purpose of "permanent forest production" on "all lands" based on the principle of sustained yield. In 80 years, Congress has not amended, repealed, replaced, or modified the O&C Act. It remains the law of the land.

As made clear in his guest opinion, Professor Blumm does not personally agree with the mandate of the O&C Act. Fair enough. All Americans likely disagree with some of our country's laws. But we must follow them nonetheless - unless or until they are changed - because America is a nation of laws. What's the point if we get to pick and choose the laws we follow?

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened in January 2017 when the president disregarded the meaning of the O&C Act through an executive action. Through that executive action, the president unlawfully repurposed more than 40,000 acres of O&C Lands and indefinitely banned "permanent forest production" on those same lands, despite federal law requiring the opposite.

Professor Blumm personally agrees with the president's decision because he supports a larger national monument in Southern Oregon. Again, fair enough. But as a professor of law at Lewis and Clark College, Mr. Blumm should know that the president doesn't get to make the law. Congress does.

And if Congress wants to expand the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon and rewrite the O&C Act, it can. The Constitution establishes a clear process for doing that: introduce legislation, pass the legislation through the House of Representatives and Senate, and secure the President's signature. The process is difficult, slow, and requires bipartisanship - exactly how the framers envisioned it.

Even though I strongly disagree with Professor Blumm and his account of the process, I respect his personal views on the monument. Diversity of opinion is a good thing. But personal views should not trump the law, the Constitutional doctrine of separation of powers, or a president's commitment to faithfully execute the law.

The American Forest Resource Council's legal challenge is not just about the O&C Act and the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. It's about whether the plain words of federal law have meaning, or whether a president has the authority to disregard those words without Congressional authorization or judicial review.

Share your opinion

Submit your essay of 500 words or less to commentary@oregonlive.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification.

That's an important question today and the answer will have legal implications for Democratic and Republican administrations in the future. It will also have implications for holding presidents to the letter and spirit of the laws the Constitution directs them to carry out.

Travis Joseph is the president and chief executive officer of the American Forest Resource Council.
Ashley Carson Cottingham

At the Department of Human Services, Aging & People with Disabilities program, we work tirelessly to protect Oregonians and to work with providers to ensure compliance and a high quality of care. We are the first to admit we make mistakes. Our data systems are outdated and don't always function properly - we also realize our websites are often not user-friendly. In response to The Oregonian/OregonLive report, "Selling senior care" (April 21), we acknowledge that a decision, made almost a decade ago, to limit the complaints made available online to a specific type (facility abuse), was a poor decision. That is why we are working toward ensuring that the public has easy access to all records about long-term care facilities moving forward.

In Oregon every year, approximately 1,000 individuals living in long-term care settings experience elder abuse. This is unacceptable. These Oregonians are our grandmothers, grandfathers, parents, siblings, friends, partners and spouses. Aside from abuse, other serious issues - such as violations of licensing regulations - regularly occur. It is infuriating that individuals experience poor quality of care, inattention and sometimes abuse at the very time they are reliant upon a facility, and its caregivers, to assist them with their most basic needs. Often times the fines for these types of abuses and violations are less than $500 (an amount set in the 1970s), hardly sufficient to change the behavior of a non-compliant or abusive long-term care facility.

It is disappointing that we spent a year freely cooperating, providing copious amounts of data, answering hundreds of questions, and participating in hours of interviews, only to be characterized as "concealing, whitewashing, misleading, and keeping people in the dark." Those are outright false characterizations. We supported The Oregonian's research and questions for all this time and never charged a fee.

The online tool that The Oregonian created is really wonderful, but it only shows one point in time. Therefore, as of the publication of this project yesterday, it is already out of date. In order for this tool to show the most up-to-date data for the public, we must continue to provide The Oregonian with all of the data. This approach takes a lot of time and money - taxpayer money. We believe it would be a more sustainable use of public dollars for us to spend that time and money to deliver a similar online public tool, a project we already have underway. Our tool is expected to have near real-time data and information, and won't be hosted on the same page where ads appear for the paper and other businesses to profit.

This week in the Oregon Legislature, House Bill 3359 passed out of the House Human Services and Housing Committee with bipartisan support. Aging & People with Disabilities staff, legislators, providers and advocates have worked collaboratively toward much-needed change. If passed, it will put Oregon in the forefront of quality standards in long-term care. Many of Oregon's long-term care providers are doing a wonderful job, are going above and beyond, and are meeting their residents' needs. This legislation encourages the outlying groups of the providers to rise up to that higher standard because no one condones poor care.

We will continue to serve vulnerable Oregonians and put people first. Staff and leadership of the Aging & People with Disabilities program have an unwavering commitment to ensuring safety, choice, and independence for older adults and people with disabilities.

If you suspect a vulnerable adult is experiencing abuse, call the statewide, toll-free number 1-855-503-7233 (SAFE).

Ashley Carson Cottingham, who was born and raised in Oregon, has been the director at the Department of Human Services - Aging & People with Disabilities for a little more than a year. Earlier in her career, Carson Cottingham worked in Washington, DC as an advocate to pass the Elder Justice Act at the Federal level and worked later as a U.S. Senate Committee Staff member for two different committees on issues such as - Elder Abuse, Disability Rights, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Retirement Security and the Older Americans Act.
Preliminary results from France's first round of presidential elections confirmed that centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and nationalist, anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen are heading into a runoff in two weeks, marking what analysts describe as a political earthquake in France.

It is the first time in the history of the modern French Republic that the presidency will be held by a member of a non-traditional party, highlighting a deep anti-establishment sentiment that ultimately could determine whether France remains a part of the EU or follows an independent path like that of post-Brexit Britain and the United States under Donald Trump.

According to projected results, Macron garnered 23.8 percent, and Le Pen won 21.7 percent. The winner needs an absolute majority and that will be determined in a runoff on May 7.

"In one year, we have entirely changed French politics," Macron said at a victory rally Sunday night.

Macron, a 39-year-old center-left former economy minister who is pro-EU, pro-business, led pre-election polls despite his previous association with unpopular Socialist President Francois Hollande. The appeal of his year-old En Marche! (Onward!) movement lies mainly in France's prosperous urban areas, where globalism has benefited many.

His challenge is to galvanize support of centrists and the left, including members of France's fractured Socialist party, and convince voters he does not represent an extension of Hollande's policies.

Macron will face Le Pen and her National Front party, whose strongholds are largely in formerly industrial areas of France where unemployment is high and so is disillusionment with the modern economic and social order. Le Pen, who wants France out of the European Union, has succeeded in winning over large numbers of former leftists and centrists. Over the next two weeks, she hopes to draw from the right and the center, especially those who are most disillusioned with the status quo.

"It is time to liberate the French people," she told supporters at a rally Sunday.
The Oregonian article regarding fire safety at Portland Public Schools ("Fire risks: Most Portland schools lack sprinklers, need better alarms," April 19) has me fuming. I urge the Oregon lawmakers to look up from the number crunching for a moment and get a reality check.

Their proposed budget is $600 million short of what's required for continuing service levels. Portland Public schools are not even fire safe! How can you seriously consider continuing to defund education? Oregon residents have been hearing for years about the state's commitment to education.

I realize all state services are valuable, and I recognize the task of budgeting is extremely difficult. However, the Legislature cannot continue to claim education is a priority when it diminishes resources for schools while investing more in other program areas.

Unacceptable, Oregon.

Megan Sheffels, White Salmon, WA
LAS VEGAS -- A federal jury in Las Vegas found two men guilty Monday in an armed standoff that stopped government agents from rounding up cattle near Cliven Bundy's Nevada ranch in 2014, but then deadlocked on federal charges against four others.

The six men were the first to be tried in the standoff, which was hailed as a victory by states' rights advocates who want vast stretches of federal land in the U.S. West put under local control.

Their case was seen as a preview for an upcoming trial for Bundy; his eldest sons, Ammon and Ryan Bundy; and two others who prosecutors have characterized as leaders of a conspiracy to defy the government with guns.

The judge declared a mistrial for Richard Lovelien, Scott Drexler, Eric Parker and Steven Stewart and scheduled a new trial for June 26, the same day the Bundys are set to be tried.

Earlier, the same jury convicted Gregory Burleson, 53, of Phoenix, of eight charges, including threatening and assaulting a federal officer. He faces a minimum of 57 years in prison at sentencing July 26.

Todd Engel, 49, of Boundary County, Idaho, was found guilty of obstruction and traveling across state lines in aid of extortion. Engel could face up to 30 years at sentencing July 27.

The Bundys have become symbols in the long-running fight over government-owned land. The sons also were accused of leading a 41-day armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon last year. They were acquitted of all charges but kept behind bars to face trial in the earlier standoff near their father's ranch.

Jurors in Las Vegas deliberated for six days and indicated last week they were having trouble reaching verdicts on charges of conspiracy. No one was convicted of conspiracy, mirroring the Oregon case.

About 30 supporters gathered outside court, where Cliven Bundy's wife, Carol, said before the mistrial was declared that the jury saw weakness in the government's case.

"If they can't decide, there's doubt. If there's doubt, there's innocence," she said.

The six defendants answered a Bundy family call-to-arms three years ago in Bunkerville, Nevada, making them co-conspirators in a plan to commit a federal offense and impede or injure federal officers, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also characterized them as the least culpable of the 17 to be tried in the case.

Jurors heard testimony and saw photos of each defendant with an assault-style rifle during the tense standoff where more than 100 protesters shouted for heavily armed federal agents to release nearly 400 cows.

The government was enforcing court orders to get Bundy cattle off public lands for his refusal to pay grazing fees.

No shots were fired. But it is illegal to brandish assault-style weapons against federal agents, Acting Nevada U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre said.

The defendants argued they came to Nevada to exercise constitutional rights of free speech and weapon possession after seeing accounts of Bundy family members met with police dogs, knocked down, stun-gunned and arrested in earlier scuffles with federal agents.

A third trial for six others charged in the standoff is expected in the fall.
JUNCTION CITY, Ore. (AP)  The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants.

From tending the plants to harvesting the grapes, it takes skill and a strong work ethic to produce the winery's pinot noir and chardonnay, and native-born Americans just aren't willing to work that hard, Patricia Dudley said as a cold rain drenched the vineyard in the hills of Oregon.

"Who's going to come out here and do this work when they deport them all?" she asked.

President Donald Trump's hard line against immigrants in the U.S. illegally has sent a chill through the nation's agricultural industry, which fears a crackdown will deprive it of the labor it needs to plant, grow and pick the crops that feed the country.

Fruit and vegetable growers, dairy and cattle farmers and owners of plant nurseries and vineyards have begun lobbying politicians at home and in Washington to get them to deal with immigration in a way that minimizes the harm to their livelihoods. Some of the farm leaders are Republicans who voted for Trump and are torn, wanting border security but also mercy toward laborers who are not dangerous criminals.

Farming uses a higher percentage of illegal labor than any other U.S. industry, according to a Pew Research Center study. Immigrants working illegally in this country accounted for about 46 percent of America's roughly 800,000 crop farm workers in recent years, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Agriculture.

Stepped-up deportations could carry "significant economic implications," a 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture study said. If America's unauthorized labor force shrank 40 percent, for example, vegetable production could drop by more than 4 percent, the study said.

The American Farm Bureau Federation says strict immigration enforcement would raise food prices 5 to 6 percent because of a drop in supply and because of the higher labor costs farmers could face.

In addition to proposing a wall at the Mexican border, Trump wants to hire 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and has served notice that he intends to be more aggressive than the Obama administration in deporting immigrants.

ICE agents have arrested hundreds of immigrants since Trump took office, though how much of a change from the Obama administration that represents is a matter of debate. Field hands have been among those targeted, with apple pickers detained in upstate New York and Guatemalans pulled over in Oregon on their way to a forest to pick a plant used in floral arrangements.

It doesn't appear the arrests themselves have put a sizable dent in the agricultural workforce yet, but the fear is taking its toll.

Some workers in Oregon are leaving for job sites as early as 1 a.m. and staying away from check-cashing shops on payday to avoid dragnets. Farm employers are worried about losing their workforces.

"They say, 'Don't go out, don't get drunk, don't do nothing illegal' because they need us, too. They worry, too," said Moses Maldonado, who is in the U.S. illegally and has worked for nearly four decades tending wine grapes and picking fruit in Oregon.

In Los Banos, California, asparagus farmer Joe Del Bosque said workers are so afraid of being arrested in the field that he struggled to find enough hands in March to pick his crop.

When immigration attorney Sarah Loftin held a recent seminar in the Oregon wine-region town of Newberg to talk about immigrants' legal rights, she was surprised to see about half of those present were winery owners or farmers.

By law, job seekers must provide documents establishing their eligibility to work in the U.S. But the papers are often fake. Many agricultural employers say that it's not their responsibility  and that they lack the expertise  to determine if they're genuine.

At the same time, they say that U.S.-born workers have little interest at laboring in the dirt and the cold at the crack of dawn.

As 18 Guatemalans in hoodies and rubber boots toiled in such conditions recently in Oregon's Willamette Valley, their boss expressed admiration for their willingness to do the back-breaking work he said native-born Americans won't do.

"Homeless people are camped in the fir forest over there," the farmer said, pointing to a stand of trees. "And they're not looking for work."

He lamented that crackdowns may force him to retire because he won't be able to find workers. Fearing reprisals from federal agents, he spoke on condition of anonymity and didn't want even his crop identified.

Some immigration hardliners say people who are in the U.S. illegally steal jobs from Americans. But a 2013 study by an economist at the Center for Global Development looked at farms in North Carolina and found that immigrant manual laborers had "almost zero" effect on the job prospects of native-born U.S. workers.

"It appears that almost all U.S. workers prefer almost any labor-market outcome  including long periods of unemployment  to carrying out manual harvest and planting labor," Michael Clemens wrote.

While lobbying for visa and immigration reforms, agricultural employers are also looking into contingency plans such as mechanization or a switch to less labor-intensive crops. In Vermont, officials are considering a vocational program to train inmates in dairy farming.

Dudley, the vineyard owner, isn't optimistic about some of the alternatives.

"I don't trust that temps off the street, or jailhouse labor, or whatever alternative they come up with would work," she said.

-- Andrew Selsky, The Associated Press
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Anyone who sees Daniel Mellers is asked to call police.

Police are asking the public's help in finding a 21-year-old college student who didn't return after telling his roommates that he was walking to a local convenience store to buy some soda Saturday night.

Daniel Mellers is listed as a missing person, as of Sunday night, according to Newberg-Dundee police. He is a student at George Fox University in Newberg.

Mellers' roommates say that he was last seen at 10:15 p.m. Saturday. When he didn't return that night, his roommates became worried and started to look for him, police said. Sunday morning, his roommates contacted Mellers' parents in Colorado, police said.

A Newberg-Dundee police officer learned from Mellers' cellphone provider that his phone was in Sherwood, but officers haven't been able to find him there.

Police said Mellers drives a gray 2012 Toyota Corolla with Colorado license plates QFS 868. His car is thought to be at an auto-repair shop, but police haven't been able to find it, they said.

Mellers is 5-feet, 11-inches tall, and about 185 pounds. Police ask members of the public who see Mellers to call their local police department.

-- Aimee Green
The most up-to-date post can be found here.

In the months since the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, stories of racism and bullying have surfaced around the country. As of Feb. 10, the Southern Poverty Law Center had received 1,372 reports of "hateful harassment and intimidation."

In this post, we will catalog reports of this nature in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Are we missing a verified incident in Oregon or Southwest Washington? Please send us an email at trending@oregonian.com.

Northeast Portland, late April: A Hispanic woman who owns a home in Northeast Portland told Fox 12 that she and her family have been the targets of vandalism due to their race. Sgt. Pete Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau confirmed Monday that the bias crimes team is investigating two incidents of vandalism at the family's home.

Southwest Pacific Highway, April 28: According to police, coffee not made to his liking and no strawberry jelly with his McDonald's order apparently prompted Noah Kronsteiner, 42, of Tigard, to yell racial slurs at Latino workers at the restaurant, police said.

Northeast Portland, April 25: 35-year-old Joseph Leineweber of Portland faces hate crime-related charges after police say he threatened to kill a woman of Hispanic descent and jumped onto her car during a racial tirade. "I'm gonna (expletive) kill you, you dirty Mexican," he yelled according to the affidavit. The woman told police she feared for her safety and thought the stranger was going to hurt her.

Northeast Portland, April 22: Portland police are investigating reports of hateful graffiti found at the Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Northeast Portland. Officials found graffiti painted on the church and school property, located at 5520 N.E. Killingsworth Street. Officials did not elaborate what the graffiti was but a video from Fox 12 shows at least one swastika.

Northeast Portland, April 21: Sergeant Major Damien T. Rodriguez, an active duty Marine who has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan during his 20 years in the military, is charged with of harassment, disorderly conduct and intimidation in connection with a Friday incident at DarSalam, an Iraqi restaurant in Northeast Portland. One of those charges is a bias/hate crime in Oregon.

University of Oregon, April 20: According to KVAL in Eugene, Police at the University of Oregon "observed a confrontation between apparent Neo-Nazis promoting a Holocaust denial film and members of the campus community." The Neo-Nazis parked a pickup truck with a swastika on it legally on campus and officers did not engage.

Troutdale, March 28: The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday morning that deputies responded to a residence on Southeast 26th Court and found damage to belongings and graffiti "consistent with an Intimidation/Bias Crime," according to a news release. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the responsible party left a note -- kept in place by ammunition arranged in the shape of a cross -- that reportedly said: "If I see you here next month, I will shoot you and burn your house."

Southeast Portland, March 12: Police said an officer found swastikas on cars, fences, trees and other things in the Richmond neighborhood after being called there on reports of hate graffiti.

Salem, March 7: Jason Lee Kendall, 52, was charged with assault and intimidation after he allegedly attacked an employee at a Middle Eastern restaurant with a pipe Tuesday afternoon, yelling, "Get out of America," according to police.

Lake Oswego, March 1: Weeks after Lake Oswego High School administrators introduced a series of racial sensitivity seminars in the wake of a senior prank that involved a "KKK club," the Lake Views student newspaper reports that racial slurs have been found in three boys' bathrooms at the school.

Hillsboro, Feb. 23: Administrators at Liberty High School say several times in recent weeks they have found swastikas and racial slurs written on walls at the the school, KPTV reports.

Eugene, Feb. 4: Two Eugene businesses reported swastika graffiti over the same weekend, reports KOIN.

Northeast Portland, Jan. 25: Some people in Northeast Portland woke to discover Nazi and anti-feminist graffiti in their neighborhood.

Ashland, Jan. 23: Pro-Nazi, white nationalist fliers appeared in downtown Ashland either late Sunday or early Monday. For the most part, said Ashland Police Chief Tighe O'Meara, "People just took the signs down and threw them away."

Oregon City, Dec. 16: Two Oregon City High School students face possible expulsion after a video emerged of them on social media using a racial epithet to refer to African Americans at their school and the school principal.

Pasco, Nov. 30: The Tri-City Herald reports that an argument about Donald Trump turned violent when a 29-year-old Trump supporter, Raymond Williams, called 40-year-old Alvaro Campos-Hernandez a racial slur in a Pasco bar. Pasco police told the Herald both men had knives and that, "The two men struggled, and the fight ended with Williams suffering a 1-inch wound to his windpipe. He was taken to Lourdes Medical Center."

Oregon City, (roughly) Nov. 15 and Nov. 21: A 15-year-old student at the Clackamas Academy of Industrial Sciences (CAIS) in Oregon City told KATU she has received racist notes, written in her notebook, twice in November. Joy Simmons, a freshman studying engineering, said the notes contained the N-word. Simmons, her mother and Teressa Raiford, organizer of Don't Shoot Portland, are asking for an outside investigation into this incident and other reports of racism in Oregon City School District.

Tigard, Nov. 20: Several swastikas, as well as "derogatory messages" about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were discovered at Alberta Rider Elementary School, KATU reports.

Salem, Nov. 17: Salem City Councilor Daniel Benjamin shared a "violent, racially charged" video on Facebook, according to KATU. The video showed African Americans being run over by vehicles and included a description from conservative blogger, Ron Dwyer, which said, "As this video shows people are starting to get tired of the Black Lives Matter bullies blocking the roadways." Benjamin told KATU the post has nothing to do with race and, "To infer I'm a racist is actually racist."

Happy Valley, Nov. 16: A Happy Valley woman said her garage was vandalized with a large swastika Wednesday afternoon after she said she had a run-in with men chanting racist slogans on her way home from a nearby grocery store.

Vancouver, Nov. 15: A custodian at Skyview High School found "hate graffiti" on two walls at the school early on Nov. 15, reported The Columbian. The graffiti covered "a number of subjects, including race, religion and gender." The Clark County Sheriff's Office is aware of the incident.

Portland, Nov. 13: In an email sent out to Portland Village School "Families and Friends" on Nov. 14, Principal Paul Berg wrote, "This weekend our school was hit hard by one, or more graffiti vandals, and there was damage to property, as well as some very hateful language painted on our campus." The school has not yet responded to a request for a comment.

Portland, Nov. 12: Racist, pro-Trump, anti-Semitic and homophobic graffiti was found written on bathroom walls at Reed College, KATU reports.

Portland, Nov. 10: Maria Frazier, a medical assistant at OHSU who is African-American noticed a miniature noose taped to a door above a sign that said, "Stress Reduction Kit" and "Bang Head Here," KOIN reports. For many Americans, a noose symbolizes lynchings but when asked about it, the 47-year-old Caucasian man who put it up said it was a joke related to stress. Frazier did not find the joke funny and the union who represent her called OHSU's response "tone-deaf."



"OHSU thoroughly investigated the employee's complaint and subsequent grievance in accordance with well-established policies and procedures. OHSU does not tolerate discrimination or retaliation in the workplace," said OHSU in a statement.

Silverton, Nov. 9: Two students were suspended from Silverton High School for intimidating classmates. Witnesses reported they were part of a crowd yelling, "Pack your bags, you're leaving tomorrow" and "Tell your family good-bye" at Hispanic students.

Eugene, Nov. 9: Three people were seen wearing blackface on the University of Oregon campus.

North Bend, Nov. 9: In North Bend, "students shouted and chanted 'Go back to Mexico' at an 11-year-old student from Colombia who is an American citizen," wrote The World, "while racist jokes reportedly were told throughout the school."

Bend, Nov. 9: At High Desert Middle School in Bend, several Hispanic students said they were targeted by classmates after the election. "They said that we're dumb, we're rapists, we're retarded, we have no jobs," student Brian Zendejas told NewsChannel 21.

Do you know of a verified incident of racism in Oregon or Southwest Washington? Please send us an email at trending@oregonian.com.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
Longview fire.JPG

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire April 23, 2017 on 23rd Avenue in Longview, Washington that left residents displaced and resulted in two injuries during the response.

(Longview Fire Department)

A house fire in Longview, Washington, left residents displaced, pets missing and two firefighters injured Sunday night.

The incident was one of three fires in Cowlitz County, and all incidents were dispatched within a few minutes of each other, according to a news release. Dispatchers first sent crews at 7:11 p.m. to a commercial fire at the North Pacific Paper Company at 3001 Industrial Way before dispatching a second fire inside a garage in Kelso followed by a large house fire on 23rd Avenue in Longview.

The three incidents required fire crews from the Longview, Kalama and Castle Rock departments and the Cowlitz Fire District No. 2 Fire and Rescue. Longview Battalion Chief Troy Buzalsky said in a news release residents or paper company workers were not injured. One firefighter suffered an electrical shock and another injured an ankle during the 23rd Avenue fire.

Six people lived at the house fire, and three were inside during the incident. All three residents escaped, though two dogs and two cats were presumed trapped inside during the fire.

The home sustained severe structural damage and was called a total loss with a damage estimate exceeding $100,000. The Red Cross was called to help the resident. Fire and police investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

The paper company fire originated near a conveyor, and the garage fire was extinguished quickly, Buzalsky said.

 Tony Hernandez

thernandez@oregonian.com

503-294-5928

@tonyhreports
wheelerandmarshman.jpg

Police Chief Mike Marshman, on right, said Monday he will apply to remain as chief as an applicant in the mayor's national search for Portland's chief of police. (The Oregonian|OregonLive)

The International Association of Chiefs of Police was the only group to submit a proposal in response to Portland's appeal for outside help to conduct a national search for a permanent police chief, according to a public records request.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner, rejected the association's proposal, finding it was lacking, particularly in addressing diversity, according to his spokesman and city records.

Instead, as previously reported, the mayor decided the city would conduct its own search, with a job description completed next month.

"The Mayor determined that when it comes to running a process that's authentically Portland  particularly when it comes to issues of diversity  the City is better equipped to engage the community effectively,'' Cox wrote.

The association, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1893 to promote high standards of performance and conduct within the police profession, has more than 27,000 law enforcement executive members from around the world.

It proposed leading the search for $42,000 plus travel expenses, with a four-person executive search project team led by Andrey Pankov, according to the documents obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Pankov has worked with the association since July and led similar chief searches for the cities of Memphis, Leesburg, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia. At the association, he's responsible for designing and administering promotional tests.

"We are motivated by our commitment to improving law enforcement leadership across the country,'' the association's proposal said. "Assisting law enforcement agencies in the placement of this leadership helps us to attain that goal.''

The association proposed doing an on-site job analysis to identify responsibilities required for the next chief that would satisfy not only the mayor but also "the many constituencies both inside and outside of the police agency.''

The association suggested conducting an online community survey and holding community town hall meetings and smaller sit-down sessions with targeted community stakeholders before the search began to assess where the public wanted the Police Bureau to head and how a chief could fulfill that vision.

The mayor's office sent the association additional questions, asking it to expand on its diversity initiatives, community service commitments and whether it would utilize any subcontractors.

"While they were better on the supplemental responses given, the fact that they were left out of the original response gave the Mayor pause,'' Cox said.

Police Chief Mike Marshman, who recently returned from three weeks of paid leave while under investigation for allegations that his executive assistant signed him in for attending a training class that he missed, said he intends to apply for the permanent job. He said the mayor, as recently as Friday, encouraged him to do so.

"I don't want to abandon ship when things are starting to move forward. I feel obligated to do so,'' Marshman said. "I think morale is on the uptick. We're looking to hire another 15 to 18 officers next month. I feel obligated to continue to work to connect with people who work here and with the community. Those two things are what keeps me going on.''

The city expects to post a job description sometime in May and has estimated its four-month search will cost $19,900.

Under a tentative schedule, screening of applicants would occur in June. Some community representatives would sit in on interview panels for the finalists. A candidate would be selected by the end of July. The mayor doesn't plan to have finalists meet the public in a town hall-type gathering, he said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
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Apple's data centers in Prineville (2016).

(Apple photo)

Apple says it has agreed to buy hundreds of megawatts of wind and solar power to help run its growing complex of data centers in Prineville.

In its annual environmental progress report, issued late last week, Apple disclosed that it has a deal to buy 200 megawatts of power for the Montague Wind Power Project in Gilliam County. Apple says this is the first wind project the company created itself. It's due to begin generating energy late next year.

Separately, Apple said it has a deal to buy power from a 56-megawatt project called Solar Star Oregon II, under construction a few miles from the Prineville complex.

Apple had previously disclosed it also is generating a small amount of electricity from a hydroelectric project on the Deschutes River. And the company said it's also buying solar power from a collection of smaller Oregon arrays.

Prineville has just 9,200 residents, about 30 miles northeast of Bend. But it's become a go-to locale for two of Silicon Valley's largest companies, Apple and Facebook, because of large property tax exemptions that save those companies several million dollars annually.

The data centers themselves aren't huge employers - each company has several dozen Prineville employees. But they've brought hundreds of temporary construction jobs to the city, creating a local housing crunch. And franchise fees generated by their electricity use have provided a substantial boost in city revenue.

Apple has two data centers in Prineville and is building a third. The site used 115,000 megawatt hours of electricity last year, according to the report, more than double what it used the prior year. It's now Apple's third-largest date center by energy consumption.

Overall, Apple's data centers -- including facilities the company leases -- used 778,000 megawatt hours of electricity in 2016.

Pressured by environmentalists, concerned about the effect of that energy consumption on global warming, most large data center operators have committed to using clean electricity to power the facilities. Apple said nearly all its data center power came from renewable energy.

Data centers also use huge volumes of water - Apple said it used 630 million gallons of water last year, a third of that at its data centers, which require extensive cooling to keep tens of thousands of computers from overheating. Last year, Apple reached a deal with Prineville to use treated water from the city's sewage system to cool its facilities there.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
UPDATED WITH CLARIFICATION



"If we could construct a psychiatric Frankenstein monster, we could not create a leader more dangerously mentally ill than Donald Trump."

So says Baltimore psychotherapist John Gartner. He has added that the president of the United States is a "paranoid, psychopathic narcissist who is divorced from reality."

Dr. Gartner has been beating this drum for months, but he is not alone among his colleagues with such dire thoughts about the 45th president.

Despite a professional ethics code that forbids mental-health professionals from diagnosing people who are not their patients, a group of psychiatrists used "an open town-hall meeting" at Yale Medical School last week to sound off on Trump's fitness for office, New York magazine reports.

"I've worked with murderers and rapists, I can recognize dangerousness from a mile away," New York University psychiatry professor Dr. James Gilligan said. "You don't have to be an expert on dangerousness or spend 50 years studying it like I have in order to know how dangerous [Trump] is."

Dr. Lance Dodes, a retired Harvard University psychiatry professor who in February was the lead writer of a New York Times letter to the editor warning about Trump's mental health, also was at the town hall.

"He lies because of his sociopathic tendencies that Dr. Gartner was talking about," Dodes said. "He lies in the way anybody who scams people does. [But] there is also the kind of lie he has that in a way is more serious -- that he has a loose grip on reality. We can say that because he lies about things that aren't that important."

But what Dodes and the other psychiatrists who spoke at the Yale gathering call mental illness, others say is Trump's singular genius. The president, many longtime Trump observers point out, is above all a salesman. He just might be the greatest salesman ever.

"More than a belief in the power of positive thinking or the casual audacity of a tireless salesman, Trump has perfected a narrative style in which he doesn't merely obscure reality -- he tries to change it with pronouncements that act like blaring, garish roadside billboards," Politico's Michael Kruse wrote last week.

Trump biographer Tim O'Brien told Kruse that Trump has failed time and again in his business career, which has included multiple bankruptcies, and yet he's widely viewed as one of the most successful businessmen in the world. "He's not successful at what he claims to be successful at," O'Brien said. "He is, however, arguably the most successful self-promoter in United States business and political history. And that's a form of success."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul suggested in a recent social-media post that Trump's pronouncements might be even more important to Trump than tangible accomplishments, whether the subject is a real-estate development or, now, leading the federal government.

Trump's been in office 3 months & hasnt even NAMED (let alone confirmed) a Dep Sec for Defense or State. That is crazy. 886 tweets though  Michael McFaul (@McFaul) April 20, 2017

That sounds about right to former Trump Organization vice president Barbara Res.

"He creates his own reality," Res told Politco. "He created the reality that he was this big, successful businessman, and now he's creating the reality that he's a big, accomplished president."

This rather prosaic explanation for Trump's untruthful statements and sometimes strange behavior is not one that the psychiatrists at the Yale meeting are willing to accept.

"Worse than just being a liar or a narcissist, in addition he is paranoid, delusional and exhibits grandiose thinking, and he proved that to the country the first day he was president," Gartner said. "If Donald Trump really believes he had the largest [inauguration] crowd size in history, that's delusional." Gartner insists that as a psychiatrist it is his duty to warn the country about Trump's mental state.

Maybe it is, but that a group of psychiatrists would go out on a diagnostic limb and make such statements about the president of the United States is still frowned upon by the psychiatric profession. Said Dr. Bandy Lee, the Yale psychiatry professor who put together the meeting at the university:

"I'm a pariah in my own department."

UPDATE 4/25/17: Dr. Lee has provided a clarification about the event: "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 practice. The organizer, Dr. Bandy Lee, agrees with the Goldwater rule, although she 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. Psychologist Dr. John Gartner was invited as an activist but was not on the actual panel. The organizer emphasizes that the event was independent and did not represent the views of Yale University or Yale School of Medicine."

-- Douglas Perry
Rides for Immigrants

In this April 1, 2017 photo, Antonia Catalan drives her SUV in the town of Redland, Fla., to pick up a migrant worker who is in the country illegally. As a U.S. citizen with a driver's license, Catalan offers free rides to immigrants in the country illegally and without driver's licenses, so they can avoid arrest as fear spreads over President Donald Trump's directives to expand immigration enforcement. (AP Photo/Adriana Gomez)

(Adriana Gomez)

AUBURN, Calif. -- Leticia Aceves remembers the fear of her first drive alone.

She was pregnant and in the country illegally with no driver's license, and little grasp of English or California's traffic laws. She had a doctor's appointment, so she drove on side streets and avoided Highway 49 -- the town's main road -- hoping to lessen her chance of being pulled over by police.

"I was shaking all the way from my house to the doctor's appointment," Aceves said.

Two years ago, driving got less stressful for Aceves and 850,000 other Californians who received driver's licenses under a state law meant to help immigrants living in the country illegally become more integrated into society.

Over the past decade, California has taken several steps to bring immigrants without legal status into the mainstream, including health care for the young and financial aid for college students.

But none of the other measures changed lives so profoundly and quickly as the driver's licenses. Being able to drive without fear of arrest has given immigrants access to more jobs and made them more confident drivers, they say.

Aceves now drives as many as 50 miles a day for her house-cleaning business.

But President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration has made those license holders anxious. Many of them worry that the cards will be used to identify them as being here illegally and lead to deportation. 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 issue facing undocumented immigrants in California isn't at play in Oregon. Since 2008, Oregon has required applicants for driver's licenses or permits to provide proof of citizenship.

In California, the decision to give driver's 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 be challenged 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 can't be used to board airplanes or cross international borders.

Still, the licenses have changed the lives of tens of thousands of people in California. 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 said. When Mesa got a driver's 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.

"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 driver's license and now works as a big-rig driver, hauling wood, computers, foods and other products.

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 said state laws forbid police 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."

This month, though, the American Civil Liberties Union released documents that it contends show that Vermont's 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 where unauthorized immigrants can obtain driver's licenses.

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, it's unlikely that immigrants who have waited this long will apply for a license.

Proponents of California's law argue that licensing immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally has made roads safer, because those with licenses have to pass driving tests and eye exams.

A recent study by Stanford researchers showed that hit-and-run cases were increasing more slowly because licensed drivers are less likely to flee the scene of a crime.

But critics such as Hans von Spakovsky of the conservative Heritage Foundation say issuing the licenses to such immigrants legitimizes their presence in the country and makes it easier for them to stay. Even though the 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."

-- The Associated Press
Mexico has surpassed 2,000 murders in a month for the first time since the summer of 2011, and had more murders in the first quarter of 2017 than in the start of any year in at least two decades.

Unlike 2011, when a bloody cartel clash in Ciudad Juarez was driving the national toll to new heights, the murders driving the 2017 total are spread across a number of states.


ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. --Donald Blakeslee says he's found Etzanoa, a long-lost city.

Etzanoa is the second-biggest settlement of Native Americans found in the United States, Blakeslee said. Now it is the known location of a 1601 battle pitting outnumbered Spaniards firing cannons into waves of attacking Native American warriors.

Etzanoa has been a mystery for 400 years. Archaeologists could not find it. Historians thought reports of a permanent settlement with 20,000 Native Americans in it were exaggerated.

But in Arkansas City, at the confluence of the Walnut and Arkansas Rivers, Blakeslee, an anthropologist and archaeologist at Wichita State University, has found evidence of a town stretching across thousands of acres of bluffs and rich bottomland along two rivers.

What clinched it was the discovery, by a high school student, of a half-inch iron cannon ball. He even found a still-functional water shrine, depicting communication with the spirit world, carved into a limestone boulder in Tami and Greg Norwood's backyard.

It's a good story, all true, Blakeslee said: A lost city, a forgotten mythology -- and the story of the once-great Wichita Nation, decimated by European diseases, and then pushed aside by white settlers and the United States Army. With the discovery, Arkansas City leaders hope to turn the town into a tourist destination.

"We always knew we once had a whole bunch of Indians living around here, because we had found way too many artifacts to think otherwise," said Jay Warren, an Arkansas City Commission member. "But we had no idea until Dr. Blakeslee came along about how big it was."

Etzanoa might have been comparable in size to Cahokia, Blakeslee said. That alone should bring world attention. The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in western Illinois, with its pyramid Monk's Mound, is the biggest Native American urban complex ever built in the United States.

If Etzanoa was bigger, "and it might have been," that will rewrite American history, Blakeslee said.

"The Spaniards were amazed by the size of Etzanoa," Blakeslee said. "They counted 2,000 houses that could hold 10 people each. They said it would take two or three days to walk through it all."

Blakeslee realized the confluence of the Walnut and Arkansas rivers could be the one described by the Spanish. He found traces of houses and granaries. He's walked over much of Arkansas City and saw that the ravines and bluffs fit the Spanish accounts.

After locals told him that people had been digging up "literally tons" of flint tools and clay pottery shards for generations, Blakeslee dug up his own shards, flint arrowheads, knife blades, hide-scrapers and awls.

There are about 3,000 modern-day Wichitas, based now in Anadarko, Okla., said Gary McAdams, who has held several leadership positions with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. The Wichita are intrigued -- and concerned -- by what might come next, McAdams said.

Blakeslee has consulted with them for years, telling what he's found, inviting them to visit sites at Arkansas City and at the 160-foot-long serpent symbol still visible in the pasture grass in Rice County. Wichitas have helped on some of his digs.

"We would have some concern about how they go about developing their thinking about Etzanoa as a tourist center," McAdams said. "We are supportive of any respectful endeavor they want to pursue there -- but would want to provide our input."

-- The Associated Press
When the doors opened at Scottie's Pizza Parlor on Southeast Division on Sunday morning, a line two dozen strong was ready to try a pie the pizzeria had been teasing for the past week.

The Centouno Formaggio is owner Scott Rivera's attempt at a world record: A 101-cheese pizza inspired by the fervor over a similar feat seen in the 2014 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" reboot.

And it's only available for one day: Sunday, April 23.

In the film, the four turtle teens stumble across a 99-cheese pizza, which purple-clad Donatello remarks should be a culinary impossibility. An real-life Australian chef took that as a challenge, baking what's believed to be the world's first Novantanove Formaggio.

Rivera is a fan of the Ninja Turtles franchise  he keeps a mug featuring the characters in his shop  and thought he'd top both efforts for The Portland Mercury's Pizza Week. First, his Southeast Portland pizzeria would offer a 100-cheese blend, the Cento Formaggio.

And for the last day of the citywide celebration, he'd add a stuffed crust to top the world record.

Rivera had initially planned to host an observer from the Guinness Book of World Records. But the complicated procedure  including a hefty fee and manic scheduling  meant the record-breaking event would remain between the owner and his customers.

"That's fine with me," he said. "We know we broke the record. We'll make our own plaque."

The recipe Rivera and his employees used to concoct the Centouno Formaggio was formed and perfected in the weeks leading up to Pizza Week. He has a cheese guy, Greg Hessell of Cowbell Cheesemonger, who helped recommend certain blends and styles

Rivera and his crew then took their time mixing things together to test thickness, taste and consistency. He says he wanted to make "each bite a little adventure," but stopped short of getting too weird with the recipe.

"We're trying to avoid taking you to Funky Town," Rivera said.

The pizzeria makes its Centouno Formaggio with two different blends: a 55-cheese shredded blend and another 35-cheese soft blend. Another nine grated dry cheeses are sprinkled over the crust and tomato sauce and Rivera places a frico crisp of baked parmiggiano reggiano on each slice to make 100.

The stuffed crust puts the cheese count at 101.

It's also one of the least elegant items on the list of ingredients Scottie's has on hand for customer curious about what goes into the pie. The stuffed crust is composed of individual sticks of string cheese laid end-to-end.

All told, Rivera expects to sell 200 pizzas on Sunday, twice as many as usual. In preparation, the crew prepared 160 pounds of ricotta. They usually make 12.

The shop's refrigerator is also full of cheese.

Next year, Scottie's Pizza Parlor will probably dial down its ambitions for Pizza Week, Rivera said.

"We're going to take at least the year off," he said with a laugh before Sunday's opening. "Maybe we'll just sell salads."

Scottie's Pizza Parlor is selling the Centouno Formaggio by the slice for $2. The store will only sell it on April 23, 2017 until closing at 9 p.m.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

@edercampuzano

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
Lightbar+

Authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting in West Linn on April 21, 2017 that led to the death of a man.

(The Oregonian/OregonLive file photo)

The death of a 25-year-old man fatally shot by West Linn police Friday has been ruled a suicide because of his statements and apparent behavior before the shooting, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office.

Chance Ricky Thompson died from a gunshot wound to the head. Police on Monday afternoon identified the officer involved in the shooting as Brad Moyle, a 16-year West Linn police veteran.

West Linn police said officers were called about 10:15 p.m. to a neighborhood in the 2100 block of Long Street after someone reported a man with a handgun apparently threatening to kill himself.

The armed man was shot within minutes of police arriving and encountering him, authorities said.

Thompson died at the scene. Police have not said what led to the shooting or how many shots were fired.

Moyle has been placed on standard paid administrative leave due to an investigation, police said.

Thompson's death marks at least the fifth person killed during an encounter with police officers in Oregon since 2012 whose manner of death was ruled a suicide by the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office. The suicide designation could mean the shooting may not be considered by a grand jury.

The medical examiner's office has said in the past that determining the manner of death in a fatal police shooting as a suicide comes down to evidence found during the investigation that show clear indicators a person intended to have police aid in an attempt to end their life.

In January 2012, Brad Morgan, 21, was fatally shot by Portland police after authorities say he aimed a toy gun at officers while he was on a parking garage roof. Morgan called 911 earlier saying he was suicidal and intended to jump from the garage or provoke responding officers to shoot him.

In February 2015, Bruce Steward, 34, was shot by Clackamas County deputies at his mother's home in Colton when he approached officers while holding a hatchet and a knife. Steward, who had depression, called 911 earlier and falsely claimed a man had a gun in the home and that someone had been stabbed. He was wearing the same clothes as the suspect he described to a dispatcher.

In November 2015, Michael Johnson, 51, was shot by Portland police officers near a hospital after someone called police and said Johnson had a handgun and was suicidal. Before he was killed, witnesses say he held a gun to his head, fired two shots into the ground and aimed his weapon at officers.

In January 2016, Christopher Kalonji, 19, was shot by Clackamas County deputies while sitting on the window sill of the Oak Grove apartment he shared with his mother and father. Two deputies fired after deputies said he reached into his apartment and retrieved a rifle after several warnings not to. Kalonji was in the midst of an apparent mental health crisis, and police hostage negotiators and county behavioral health unit staff spoke with him for hours before he was shot. He told emergency responders that he was going to die, threatened to shoot children, and said he believed someone had been sent to torture and kill him, court documents said. Kalonji died at a Portland hospital from a gunshot wound in the chest.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
U.S. President Donald Trump made a new push Sunday for construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to thwart illegal immigration, with funding for the controversial barrier at the forefront of White House discussions with lawmakers to avert a partial government shutdown at the end of the week.

Trump wants initial funding for the wall, a key campaign promise in his run to the White House, included in the budget to finance government spending to the end of September, but opposition Democrats remain adamantly against its construction.

The U.S. government runs out of operating funds at midnight Friday, giving the Republican-controlled Congress and minority Democrats just days to reach a compromise with the White House.

"The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members," Trump said in a Twitter comment.

Reince Priebus, Trump's White House chief of staff, predicted in an interview with NBC News that enough money will be approved "in the negotiation for us to either move forward with either the construction or the planning or enough to get going with the border wall."

But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "Democrats do not support the wall. Republicans in the border states do not support the wall." She added, "The wall is, in my view, immoral, expensive, unwise, and when the president says, 'Well, I promised a wall during my campaign.' I don't think he said he was going to pass billions of dollars of cost of the wall on to the taxpayer."
Steps to help domestic violence victims

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-04-24 01:29

CITY courts have issued 45 restraining orders to victims suffering domestic violence since the countrys first law concerning this matter took effect in March last year, according to Shanghai High Peoples Court.

In total, local courts have handled 140 applications, of which 45 requests were rejected and a further 50 were withdrawn by the victims after the abusers pledged to change their ways, the court said.

Shanghai was in the lead in the nationwide campaign to protect victims from domestic violence, officials said.

The citys first domestic violence shelter was set up in 2009, but so far only 19 people  17 women and two females under the age of 18  have sought help, according to the civil affairs authority.

The facility is equipped with bedrooms, psychological counseling rooms and an activities center. It provides a temporary safety refuge but most women suffering abuse would rather stay with relatives for fear of making a bad situation worse, according to the authority.

Sexual assault and abduction are also major threats to women and children, officials said.

From 2008 to 2016, Shanghai police have been involved in more than 2,800 reports of rape. From 2011 to 2016, police said they had rescued 147 abducted children and women, and caught 183 suspects.

For judicial bodies, a key question is how to approach victims and how to deal with what has happened to them.

In one case, prosecutors of Qingpu District took time to play with a 4-year-old girl to solve a case in the absence of a confession.

In another case, a mentally retarded woman was raped and gave birth to a girl.

The rapist was sent to jail, while the woman and her parents were unable to raise the girl.

So prosecutors of Jinshan District applied to an aid fund for her and appointed the babys aunt to take care of her.
A focus on Democracy at Risk is the topic of a meeting set for 7 p.m., Wednesday April 26 at the United Church of Christ, 4100 Chestnut Hill Road.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Midland Area, the speaker is Judith Ann Karandjeff, president of the League of Women Voters of Michigan. Her presentation focuses on voting rights, campaign finances, redistricting, and the role of the LWV.
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Without science, especially in the area of medical research, Shelly Lawrence would have been left with a huge dead spot in her life. Back in 1962, while the procedure was still in its infancy, Lawrences father underwent two open heart surgeries. Its exactly that incident that brought her out Saturday to the March for Science-Midland.

Its because of science that I was able to know my father, the Midland resident said. ... The joy that the medical researchers brought our family is tremendous. I have to say, Thank you.

As she held a poster that stated, Thank you Medical Researchers, Lawrence joined with a crowd of well over 500 other science proponents at Carpenter Street School to celebrate Earth Day.

The Midland march joined others across the country that were held to protest the cuts proposed by President Donald Trump, especially those to the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Health.

Marches had the same mission: The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good, and for political leaders and policy makers to enact evidence based policies in the public interest.

Along with 425 other marches around the country, we have chosen to spend our Saturday afternoon here because we believe that science matters, said emcee Matt Vannette, associate professor of physics at Saginaw Valley State University

He also encouraged each one present to begin dialogues with those who dont trust science.

A certain segment of our population views science in a very negative light. So today, and tomorrow, and moving forward, take a caring, compassionate nature out with you to a person you know who distrusts science. They are not going to come to us. We have to be the ones to reach to them. So, go out and talk to people, but be polite, he said.

The march got off to a rocky start. Opening remarks were scheduled to take place inside the schools gymnasium. But, upon arrival, the doors to the school were locked.

However, it wasnt too difficult to adjust and hold the remarks outside on a day that was very appropriate for Earth Day. The fairly cool day, with nary a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze, allowed the sun to beam down and warm the attendees.

Thats what I was hoping for, said march organizer Jim Crissman of the larger-than-expected turnout. We didnt know what we were going to get in the way of weather. But, it turned out fine.

Standing next to Lawrence, Saginaws Janice ODell was attending to share her concern with Trumps policies as she held a sign that stated, Science made America great.

I wanted to say as much as I could with the fewest words. This is very important. We need to speak out and the large group of people here has made quite a statement, ODell said.

Audra Swarthout, associate professor of biology at Delta College, was also troubled by the presidents policies.

Trumps cuts to funding for science and health research concern me, said Swarthout as she held a poster that read, Science Teachers teach people how to think, not what to think.

At Delta, Swarthout teaches microbiology to nursing students.

What I teach are things that are critical to (the health) of all people. Its really important that we continue to support research and education. Otherwise, were all in trouble if the people who are taking care of us dont understand science. Illnesses are going to spread, she said.

The brightest and most colorful person on the day was a participant who dressed up as a moth fox. She came with a costume that featured a mixture of bright, vibrant colors. Her ears were green, orange and black with a touch of light blue. She had an orange nose and eyebrows. Her whiskers were white and the paws were orange. Her skirt was black and wrapped around her waist was a rust/orange apron.

To top it all off, she carried a sign that said: Wild about learning.

Im a scientist and I really enjoy science and I think its really important, she said.

Following remarks by Central Michigan University geology professor Sven Morgan and adjunct Delta physics professor Heather Cleland Host, who also runs the Math Mania Program at Woodcrest Elementary School, the crowd began its march.

The line of marchers stretched at least 100 yards as they followed Hines Street to Ashman Street, ending over the Tridge in Chippewassee Park.
 The handbell choirs of the Midland First United Methodist Church, which celebrated its 40th anniversary.

 The winners of the Midland Daily News Design an Ad contest.
Grieving owners facing law of the jungle with pets

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-04-24 01:29

GUAI Guai, an abandoned dog saved and raised for three years by animal-rescue volunteer Candy Dai, has been given a lavish funeral.

From our first encounter, she attached herself to me, Dai said. I wanted to give her a proper farewell.

Shanghai Shiyou, a pet cremation and funeral service provider in the Pudong New Area, handled the arrangements. Before cremation, the dogs body was laid on a flowerbed. There was chanting, and some of Guai Guais favorite toys were burned.

The ceremony was comforting to me, said Dai, who paid more than 1,000 yuan (US$147) for the service.

In a society where pet ownership is rising and many pets are treated like family members, there is a growing demand for pet funerals and interment. However, there are no regulations pertaining to private businesses providing such services, forcing them to operate in a gray area.

I have never heard of such a business, and we certainly have not licensed any business like that, an official surnamed Zhang at the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau told Shanghai Daily. Pet funeral services are not recognized by any business standards in China.

The citys civil affairs authorities gave a similar answer.

Pets are not in our management jurisdiction, said Gao Jianhua, director of the funeral and interment department at Shanghais Civil Affairs Bureau. We only regulate cemeteries and funeral services for humans.

Without any oversight, concerns arise about the propriety of businesses offering pet cremations. The only place in Shanghai official designated to handle pet remains is the Animal Harmless Treatment Center, which is affiliated to the Agriculture Commission. It charges 5 yuan to dispose of a pet. No funerals provided. The center is in Fengxian District and has two collection spots in the Xuhui and Jingan districts.

Private, illegal agencies that secretly operate pet cremation businesses are not up to standard, Zhang Weijian, director of the center, told Shanghai Daily. Any site undertaking pet cremation should undergo an environmental assessment. Some pets die of infectious diseases, and pathogenic microorganisms could be spread to humans without proper disinfecting and quarantine procedures.

Zhang said some services operating in the gray zone charge several thousand yuan for pet cremation, which is unreasonably high.

They are taking advantage of mournful pet owners and cashing in on their grief, he said.

The center was first established to dispose of animal remains in major incidents, like the one where dead pigs were found floating in Huangpu River.

It began undertaking pet cremation for the public several years ago. Last year, more than 18,000 pets were cremated, including cats, dogs, mice, rabbits and birds. That compared with 1,514 in 2010.

But many pet owners arent aware of the centers service, and into the breach step private operators.

Shiyou was established in 2010 and has become one of Shanghai's largest pet funeral service providers. It claims to have arranged farewell ceremonies for nearly 10,000 pets, and has more than 100 pets buried in its cemetery.

It charges 200 yuan for each cremation, if the ashes are not requested by owners. The fee to bury the ashes under a tree is 9,800 yuan. Shiyou has a 10-year lease to use the land. What happens when that period is up is anybodys guess.

The location of the cemetery is secret. A worker who answered the phone said only people who had pets buried there were allowed the visit.

You will never find it without our guide, she said.

However, a Shanghai Daily reporter managed to find the cemetery on a covert visit to the Group 23 area in Haishen Village in Pudong, based on online clues. The site was hidden deep inside the village on land that reportedly belongs to a villager.

It was clear that the reporter was unwelcome. A woman who pretended to be a guide intentionally misled her and said no visit was possible without Shiyous explicit approval. A Shiyou worker flatly told the reporter that visits were not welcomed and she should leave.

The ashes of the pets are buried under orange trees. Shiyou organizes a fruit-picking event at the grove every year for people with pets buried there. Its not known if the fruit is safe to eat.

Shiyou said it wont compensate pet owners if the burial site is eventually taken over and developed by authorities in the future.
To the editor:

Is there an alternative to the violent conflict resolution that is negatively impacting our country and world? An amazing woman, Tiffany Easthom, will address that question on Monday, May 15, at Creative 360, gathering at 6:30 p.m., with program at 7 p.m. Her vision is not pie-in-the-sky optimism. Ms. Easthom is the executive director of the international organization, Nonviolent Peaceforce, which formed in 2002, and one year later had a team active in Sri Lanka.

She served as the NP program director for the Middle East and country director in South Sudan and Sri Lanka. This past December, after presenting at the UN Security Council, recognizing the value of unarmed civilian protection, called on the UN mission in South Sudan to explore how it can be used to enhance the ability to protect citizens.

Despite the challenges, Ms. Easthom has a hopeful message  standing up and speaking out against violence is critical. NP peacekeepers inspire local communities to action, using nonviolent strategies and personal resolve. She will share their stories that played out in 2016 in Myanmar, South Sudan and Standing Rock.

Hearing Ms. Easthom speak on May 15 may bring to mind that famous Margaret Mead quote, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. I know I will be there to hear her sorely-needed hopeful message, and I hope I will see you there, as well.

KATHY MCCREEDY, member, NP-Midland Chapter

Midland

989-859-7157
BLOOMINGTON  Along with looking at more than $4 million worth of contracts for street and sidewalk work Monday, the Bloomington City Council also will talk about how to fix the city's historic brick streets.

The council, which will meet at 7 p.m Monday at City Hall, is expected to award several contracts for street and sidewalk projects and to consider whether to resurface brick Monroe Street from Clinton to Robinson streets with asphalt or to repair or replace its bricks.

Ward 4 Alderman Amelia Buragas, who represents the Monroe Street area, said she hopes the discussion will lead to a broader look at whether the city should adopt a formal brick streets policy to prevent losing their historical value.

The city staff has recommended Rowe Construction of Bloomington receive contracts for $2.18 million in general resurfacing projects and $1.6 million for street and alley repairs. Rowe was the sole bidder.

The staff also backs an $820,000 contract with J.G. Stewart Contractors Inc. of Bloomington to replace sidewalk access ramps that are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and sidewalks not considered serviceable along the streets to be resurfaced this construction season. The contractor's bid was the lowest of three submitted.

A 650-foot stretch of Monroe was going to be part of the street resurfacing bids, but Public Works Director Jim Karch said the staff pulled it out for further discussion based on Buragas' work with constituents on the topic.

Work on sewers there disturbed the bricks and left the block in "very poor condition," Buragas said.

"In the absence of a plan for what to do in that situation, public works just patched it the best it could using concrete as opposed to putting the road back to the way it was," she said, adding, "It's a disaster for individuals trying to drive down it."

Residents along the one block sent Karch's department a petition asking that the street be fixed this year.

"It was unclear to me from their petition whether they wanted the street resurfaced or fixed retaining the bricks," said Buragas.

While conducting a door-to-door survey in January, Buragas learned the residents "pretty universally would rather have the bricks fixed, but they never knew that was a possibility," she said.

"The residents were incredibly well-informed. They said they would much rather have the bricks fixed. They had a lot of reasons: Bricks have a longer life span, they don't require frequent repaving, it has traffic-calming effects, it's good for water infiltration."

The situation on Monroe highlights the fact that the city has never adopted a policy for the brick streets, which date back a century or more.

"You can't replicate them," she said.

According to a 2009 brick streets strategic plan that the council did not act on, the city's 320 miles of streets include 3.5 miles that are brick.

Buragas said residents from across the city and others in Normal have emailed her in support of saving its brick streets, but she concedes preserving the brick streets is expensive.

The city staff estimated repairing that one block of Monroe as a brick street would cost $300,445 to $469,445 while resurfacing with asphalt would cost $56,333.

But an asphalt street is expected to last 30 years while a brick street's life expectancy is 100 to 150 years, the staff also noted. The 30-year lifespan "is if you allow the street to fall to a very poor condition prior to resurfacing," said Buragas.

And brick streets have value that goes beyond the economics of materials, said Buragas.

"There is a feeling in the community that this is an aspect that we don't want to lose, that this is a historic feature that is worth saving," she said.
BLOOMINGTON  Each morning when Tammy Duckworth wakes up, the U.S. senator begins the day with one assumption.

I assume that the people I disagree with in my job, whether its the president, folks from my party or the other party, I have to believe that they love this country just as much as I do, she said during a town hall meeting Sunday at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.

I assume as much as we may have opposite views on an issue such as eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency or womens reproductive rights, I assume, as hard as it can be sometimes, that they love this country just as much as I do and I try to work from there and try to work together, Duckworth said.

Duckworth discussed a number of topics including the first 100 days of the new administration, environmental issues, education reform, immigration reform, and health care reform during the 90-minute meeting attended by about 350 people.

I want this administration to succeed, because if it succeeds, then the American people succeed, she said. If the administration would put the well-being of the American people first, I would feel better. He is making too many cuts and we will fight him every step of the way. And this is where everyone who is making phone calls and sending emails, is making a difference.

Duckworth, a Democrat from Hoffman Estates, said she has major concerns about Trumps environmental plans.

I dont think what (President Donald Trump) has done on the environment is permanent yet, but I think he is well on his way, and the latest rumor is that he plans on shutting down the EPA office for the Midwest region, she said. That office takes care of the entire Midwest and was the first to raise the flag on the waters in Flint, Mich. We need that office.

Several members in the audience wanted to know more about where health care reform was headed.

What the Republicans and President Trump promised with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act was that they were going to replace it with something better, she said. So far, I havent seen anything better. The proposal that came forward would actually decrease access for men ages 50 to 65 and you would actually not get as much coverage. There are a couple of key words that are red flags and one of them is pre-existing conditions. Almost all of us have pre-existing conditions. Anyone with a pre-existing condition, would be moved into a high-risk pool, so you will still have access to insurance, but it will cost more. And you may not be able to afford it.

Duckworth, who lost both legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq, said she will continue to fight for a better health care act, but understands that it wont be easy or quick.

Before I was wounded I was almost always one of the most physically fit people in any given room, because as a pilot, you had to be, she said. But that can change in the blink of an eye and that is why we have to have a good health care plan in place.

Shirley Campbell of Bloomington said she felt a little bit better about the future of the country after listening to Duckworth.

In the news, you often only hear Trumps version, but you listen to her and know that he is not going to be able to do everything he wants and people like Tammy are going to stand up and fight for us, she said.

Jeremy Romero of Bloomington said he was an independent and didnt vote for Duckworth during the last election but was impressed with some of her views.

I think she presents herself very well and I can see why people really like her, he said. She is engaging, and I think she is very smart and has the best interests of our country at heart.
Q: I read with interest your columns related to exposure to Agent Orange and the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan and often tended the burn pits used to destroy a variety of waste products. Are the VA and the military ever going to get around to looking at the effects of burn pit exposure on the long-term health of veterans who were exposed to them?

A: Burn pits were a common way to get rid of waste at many sites in Iraq and Afghanistan. Waste products in burn pits include, but are not limited to, chemicals, paint, medical and human waste, metal/aluminum cans, munitions and other unexploded ordnance, petroleum and lubricant products, plastics, rubber, wood, and discarded food. In many cases, early in the conflict, no special protective respiratory or hazardous material clothing was provided.

At this time, research does not show evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn pits. The VA continues to study the health of deployed veterans. While no long-term health effects have been verified, toxins in burn pit smoke may affect the skin, eyes, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, gastrointestinal tract and internal organs. However, the high level of fine dust and pollution common in Iraq and Afghanistan may pose a greater danger for respiratory illnesses than exposure to burn pits, according to a 2011 Institute of Medicine Report.

Q: I learned a lot about nuclear weapons since I grew up during the Cold War and the threat of mutually assured destruction was the world strategy of the nuclear powers during the 1950s and 1960s. I thought the whole nuclear world threat was over but I find that military duty today still can result in myriad radiation exposures. Are these radiation events a long-term threat to veterans' health? What are the most likely exposures to radiation?

A: Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through space. When this energy passes through the body, by either penetrating skin or being swallowed or inhaled, it may be harmful.

The extent of the health risk is whether the radiation is ionizing or non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation is the high-energy radiation that causes most of the concerns about radiation exposure during military service. This kind of radiation contains enough energy to remove an electron (ionize) from an atom or molecule and to damage DNA in cells, which can have serious health effects for the veteran and potentially for any of their children.

Military sources of ionizing radiation include nuclear weapons handling and detonation, weapons and other military equipment made with depleted uranium, radioactive material, calibration and measurement sources and x-rays. Non-ionizing radiation is low-energy radiation that includes radiation from sources such as sunlight, microwaves, radio frequencies, radar and sonar. Veterans who worked with any of the ionizing and/or non-ionizing radiation during duty can learn more about radiation exposure during military service and the associated health risks at https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/radiation/basics.asp.

Coming up

Steak and chicken fundraiser dinner; 5-8 p.m. April 28, Chenoa VFW and Auxiliary; $14 advance or $16 at door for ribeye steak, baked potato, salad, dessert and drink, or $9/$11 for grilled chicken breast; raffle, auction; 309-826-3993, 309-262-7626 or 815-579-0399.

Veterans' town hall; 2-3:30 p.m. May 1, VFW Post 454, 1006 E. Lincoln St., Bloomington; cosponsor: Veteran Affairs Illiana Health Care System; includes Peoria Vet Center, Illinois Veterans Education Assistance, veterans' service groups.
Another day, another bad news story for Uber. This time, it's not sexual harassment, gender discrimination, a creepy "God View" tool that allowed spying on celebrities, picket line crossing or even a video of the CEO arguing with his Uber driver giving the company some extra bad PR, but a report that the app was secretly tracking users even after they'd deleted it.

A New York Times profile of Uber's CEO and cofounder Travis Kalanick states that the app continued to track iPhone users even after they'd completely wiped Uber from their phones. This type of phone tagging, called "fingerprinting," is a violation of Apple's privacy guidelines. Uber allegedly "geofenced" Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, meaning Apple couldn't look at Uber's code and find out what was going on. Those blessed nerds figured it out anyway, and soon the matter was brought to Apple CEO Tim Cook's attention. Cook threatened Uber with being banned from the App Store - which would be hugely detrimental to Uber's business - and so Uber stopped tracking its former users.

But why would Uber creepily track users who had deleted the app in the first place?

In a statement to The Verge, Uber first denied using this practice before going on to explain just what it's for and why it's so important. "We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if they've deleted the app," the statement said. "As the New York Times story notes towards the very end, this is a typical way to prevent fraudsters from loading Uber onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phoneover and over again. Similar techniques are also used for detecting and blocking suspicious logins to protect our users' accounts. Being able to recognize known bad actors when they try to get back onto our network is an important security measure for both Uber and our users."

Hmm. Still seems fishy.

[h/t Fader]



Image via Billy Farrell/BFA.com
A teenager unable to properly digest food for the last six years receives an offer for a free treatment. Mya, 17, might finally overcome her condition that doctors describe as rumination.

Mya developed rumination following a bout with the typical flu in the sixth grade. The flu came and went but Mya never got over her digestive problems, her mom Emily told "The Doctors" when the show featured Mya's story.

Mya saw different specialists and got tested for gastrointestinal diseases. No one could tell and help with her condition.

Emily thought the family would lose Mya because she couldn't eat right and thus, don't have energy or nutrition. She fed through a tube and stopped going to school. Her life was no longer normal.

Some thought Mya was faking her disease for attention. Later on, specialists were able to pinpoint what was wrong. Mya suffered from rumination and "The Doctors" panel said more and more kids Mya's age develop the condition because of daily stressors.

Rumination, which is characterized by uncontrollable vomiting after taking food, is a psychological condition. The American Psychological Association (APA) cites people with a history of trauma or face chronic stress and depression could likely develop the disorder.

People with bulimia have rumination. Doctors on the show, however, confirmed Mya was not bulimic nor anorexic.

"My body and my brain pretty much learned whenever food hits my stomach, it needs to get rid of it," the 17-year-old explained. "I don't want to be throwing up. I just want to get better!"

One way of treating rumination is through meditation to deal with the stress and anxiety. "The Doctors" hosts also introduced Mya to psychotherapist Dr. Mike Dow.

Dow believed Mya's flu caused her body and brain function to develop an adverse response to eating. "Your body has learned the response, and it never went away. It got reinforced and reinforced," he said.

Remuda Ranch, which specializes in treating eating disorders, offered Mya free in-patient treatment. She's expected to join a program for people suffering from rumination.

The 17-year-old is looking forward to it so can get her life back to normal. Watch Mya and Dow discuss rumination in "The Doctors" below.
Vermont senator and former Democratic presidential candidate for the 2016 presidential elections, Bernie Sanders, stood his ground regarding his support for a Democratic mayoral candidate who veered away from what Democrats stand for  abortion. Sanders slammed the reports and criticisms after he expressed his support for the anti-abortion candidate.

Sanders joined Omaha mayoral candidate Heath Mello during a rally last week. Mello went against Republican incumbent Jean Stothert for the post. Democrats did not like the endorsement made by Sanders. In an interview on Sunday with "Face the Nation" on CBS, Sanders said he had to attend the rally because Native Americans, African Americans and the Latinos expressed they wanted Mello to be their new mayor. He added he hoped Mello will win the post.

Mello made his mark for being an activist against abortion despite being a Democrat. During his first year in the state legislature in Nebraska, he signed a bill mandating doctors performing abortions to offer women an ultrasound before the process, CNN shared.

Sanders also shared on "Face the Nation" that his support for Mello should not have been a debate because he himself is pro-choice. He countered that he still thinks there is a need to stop Republicans from defunding abortion, specifically Planned Parenthood.

Despite the explanation of Sanders on why he supported Mello during the rally, many still criticized his move. One of his critics, Ilyse Hogue, the president of National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-Choice America, said Sanders' support for Mello was politically stupid.

"Abortion access is not a 'single issue' or a 'social issue,'" Hogue said. "It is a proxy for women to have control over our lives, our family's lives, our economic well-being, our dignity, and human rights."

Since the U.S. Supreme Court recognized women's constitutional right to abortion in the famous Roe V. Wade 1973 ruling, there have been different amendments of the laws in abortion in the different states of the country. Nebraska, however, is one of the few states that banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, Newsmax reported.

After they implemented such law in Nebraska, the number of abortions decreased by eight percent. The state also required a waiting period of 24 hours before a woman could undergo an abortion and must undergo a consulting session regarding the physical and psychological risks of the procedure.
Egypt, U.S. start joint naval drills in Red Sea

From:Xinhua | 2017-04-24 08:29

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CAIRO, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian and U.S. navies launched on Sunday a joint exercise in the waters of the Red Sea, Egypt's army said in a press release.

According to the release, the drills, dubbed "Eagle Salute 2017," come as part of an Egyptian army's plan for joint exercises with friendly countries to improve mutual military capabilities on the use of latest technologies.

Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Pakistan are participating in the exercise as monitors.

The exercise includes a wide range of activities such as planning and organizing joint combat operations, both day and night, in coordination with air force elements.

The combat scenarios involve securing maritime areas against various threats.

Other activities include search-and-rescue training and inspecting and raiding suspect ships, with the participation of naval and special units from both sides.

The bilateral relations between Egypt and the United States deteriorated after the Egyptian military ousted former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which led Trump's predecessor Barack Obama to cancel the joint Egyptian-U.S. military exercise of Bright Star.

The ties, however, have improved under the new U.S. administration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to support the key ally with 1.3 billion U.S. dollars annually in military aid.
A Dutch "abortion boat" docked on the coast of Guerrero, Mexico over the weekend. The organization Women on Waves, which has been in operation since 1999, took their international voyage to assist women who needed to terminate their pregnancy at no cost.

Upon the abortion boat's arrival, pro-choice members of Women on Waves took in two pregnant Mexican aboard their boat. They gave the women abortion pills and watched over them until they were cleared to return to shore, as per Deutsche Welle.

Women on Waves provides assistance to pregnant women in need of abortion under nine weeks only. The organization does not perform abortion surgeries on board. Members say they follow guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) on pregnancy termination.

Inside the group's vessel is a mobile clinic where a gynecologist and a counselor assist the women. The organization insists they have legal permission to hand out abortion pills in this part of Mexico when authorities cleared the abortion boat for its temporary stay off shore in Guerrero.

Dutch boat handing out abortion pills at sea hopes to makes waves in Mexico https://t.co/cRKDj8eTdj @WomenOnWaves_ | by @anastasiabogota pic.twitter.com/lnY6HQ2lTJ  TR_Foundation News (@AlertNet) April 21, 2017

Mexico legalized abortion in 2007 and yet it's still a controversial issue as laws vary in every state. In most cases, pregnancy as a result of a rape, sexual violence or incest, seemed the legally accepted conditions. Guerrero has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

"Access to abortion in cases of rape is really quite limited," Regina Tames of Mexico's women rights group Grupo de Informacion en Reproduccion Elegida (GIRE) said, as per Thomas Reuters Foundation News. GIRE along with other pro-choice and women's group invited Women on Waves to come to Mexico, Mexico News Daily noted.

"We've documented that authorities are still putting up obstacles," Tames said. "We can't have women that want to terminate their pregnancy treated the same way, and prosecuted in the same manner, as criminals."

Meanwhile, prior to Mexico, Women on Waves also sailed to Guatemala to offer free abortion in February. The country's navy, however, detained their ship and kicked out the group before they could offer their services, Life News reported.
Officials at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) observe National Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month this April. They urge pregnant women to seek prenatal STD testing to prevent potential harm to the unborn child.

STD symptoms can go undetected. The infection can be transmitted to the baby and could result in several health problems when not detected early.

STD during pregnancy also raises the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth and stillbirth, as per Baby Center. The risks are higher for pregnant women who have a history of STD, multiple sex partners or injected drug use.

Among the tests recommended are HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. If possible, these tests should be done regularly and more than once throughout the pregnancy to ascertain the health of both mother and child, as per WZZM ABC 13.

The MDHHS recommends pregnant women should get tested for STD infections on their first prenatal visit. Another round of tests should also be done at 26 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Regardless if the results were negative in previous tests, a final screening must still be done on the 36th week, as per Click Detroit.

"If a physician is aware of the woman's infection before the baby is born, they can provide treatment to ensure the baby doesn't become infected," Dr. Eden Wells of the MDHHS said. The health official also urged women to discuss STD prevention and treatment with their doctors, especially if they're high risk.

If positive for STD, pregnant women can undergo treatment immediately with their doctor's guidance. Treatment might also be necessary for the baby once born.

About 20 million STD infection occur every year, as per data and stats from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among those most infected are teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 to 24. Lately, however, STD cases are increasing at an alarming rate not only in Michigan but also in states like Wyoming and Minnesota.
The 24th of April marks the anniversary of the beginning of what the Armenian people call the Great Calamity, and what the rest of the world calls the Armenian genocide. I believe this event is not noticed enough outside of the Armenian diaspora. And, I find in that something deeply disturbing. So, most years I try to hold it up. When I was in the pulpit I visited the subject a number of times. And, now, here, on this blog.

That terrible event visited upon a small nation is sadly, part of a litany, possibly, probably endless, of people bringing terror and death to their neighbors. The Jewish holocaust in the 1940s was the most notorious bead on this string of deliberate and systematic destruction of a people, of a culture, justified because they are the other, and therefore are a threat whose destruction offsets the basic morality of every culture. It continues. More recently we have Rwanda and Srebrenica. Glaringly, our own American history is marked by the genocide of the Native American peoples, together with slavery one of the two original sins resting a rot at the foundation of our American nation.

Me, today, I find myself considering the Armenian genocide in particular, and how it is denied. And what that means to us as human beings. It is one of those examples of what happens when we decide facts are mutable, we can accept what we want, and deny anything inconvenient.

No doubt our human minds and hearts are complex things. Events happen and we order them, we give them meanings. Its what we do. In fact the seed of truth in the critique of news gathering is that necessary selection. I believe that at the very center of this is the mystery of our human memory. What we give our attention to and how we shape it creates the narratives of our lives, tells us where we come from and points to where we can go.

An example. My people are the Irish. While my direct ancestors came here at the turn of the last century almost certainly fleeing poverty, the majority of my people came to this nation fifty years earlier, fleeing something even worse, the great hunger. Theres a memory. Fleeing horrors, we came to a country that was reluctant to accept us. Within the mad rush forward of course we wove stories about ourselves. Some of these were useful, others, not so much. For many the stories were little more than maudlin inspirations for tin-pan alley. Green beer once a year is a sorry remembrance of a lost nation.

Other memories were of past deprivation and oppression and out of those came dreams of new hope and possibility. Irish Americans are second to none in our patriotic fervor for our adopted nation and the opportunities we claimed. And, and this is an important point. What we weave together as our stories are always mix of truth and fantasy. And what we deny or forget may be just as influential on future events as that which we remember.

And, it is messy. Over the last couple of years Ive watched a meme run wildfire over social media which tries to equate the indentured servitude of the Irish, a terrible thing, and American chattel slavery, the conversion of human beings into property. Actually, variations on this meme asserted the Irish had it worse than the Africans. In doing this the authors are clearly trying to minimize the horrors of the enslavement of Africans. Starting from the false equivalency of what happened, a cascade of excuses and denial of the consequences of that evil act follow.

It seems hard to believe this thing, this meme, was created by accident. It is an active act of weaving lies to hide hard facts. Not unlike what we see coming from people who do not want there to have been an Armenian genocide. Instead its a civil war, and, yes, atrocities, but on both sides. Of course, if you go to the old Armenian homeland today, there is that nagging question why are there no Armenians? Why are the old churches nothing but rubble?

Which raises the other issue for us to struggle with, also deeply connected to memory. That is place. What is home? Where is home? In addition to those more ancient homelands, do you come from the rocky soil of New England? Perhaps the plains of the Midwest? Or, like me, that far country of teeming cities clinging to rugged coasts, high mountains in the distance, and a moderate climate? For each of us, no matter how far away our lives may take us, these places have a permanent part in our hearts, and of who we are.

And, in that sense of where we come from, we also have that ancestral homeland. Germany? England? China? Japan? Armenia? And what if our ancestors were kidnapped? There are those who know that bitter question. Where in Africa? Where? Or, what if you know, but if you go to that place and there are only a few stones piled upon each other for you to touch and to recall how your people were shaped, and lived? What if that homeland is now a place where the songs of your ancestors are no longer sung? I think of the native peoples of this continent.

So, back to memory. Back to the power of presence.

People often, I believe, misunderstand the call to presence, to notice this place, to stand here. A person who cannot take memory into this moment is not fully present. And, thats not the end of it, either. We need to have the cascade of hopes and fears for the future living in our hearts, as well.

This is how it can be so complicated. If there is no memory, and no thought of the future, then there is no present. Not really. Not in a way that counts. Not in a way that allows the pregnant possibility of our existence to come forth.

And living into that possibility is the task at hand. What does it mean to live full, to be fully present?

I find as I consider the great sadness of the Armenian genocide, along with all the other horrors and indignities perpetuated upon people, great and small, I feel a sense of loss that I have trouble describing to you here today. But when we dont turn away, when others deny, but we know in our hearts, found through presence to what is, the vastness of our true home, things happen. And within that I feel some sense of hope, some sense of that birthing of possibility as presence itself, shining, fully visible.

And, this is the greatest mystery of it all, the one that must inform every other thought we have: at some point were all connected, deeply, truly. One family. We are all bound up in these acts of memory and loss, of place loved and taken. These are not empty words: the harm done one, is harm done to all. If we hope to act with grace in this world, if we hope for peace in our own lives, for joy, for authenticity, we need to remember all this; and we need a place to put our feet.

Because, and here is a great secret. This place here is our home. All those places that dream in our hearts, and which we should never forget, bring us in their own good time: here. To this place. To this moment.

This is our home. We are heirs to it all
Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav made an offer to his accuser and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi saying if it would satisfy the former Deputy Chief Minister, he was willing to sell his properties to him on half price of the market value.

Yadav, the youngest son of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, while conducting an inspection of the under-construction Digha Bridge in Patna, told the reporters that he was ready to sell off his properties to Modi at a discount rate of 50% if that would make the BJP leader happy.

He, however, still refused to answer how he managed to amass properties including businesses, buildings, and lands in prime locations in Delhi, Patna, and a number of other places without a job, inheritance, or education.

"Sushil Modi is indulging in a low-level politics that we will end once and for all. He was going around saying my family sold soil to the Patna Zoo for a price of Rs. 80 lakh. However, it turns out the soil was sold only for Rs. 9 lakh as found by an investigation by the Chief Secretary. Likewise, all of Modi's allegations are proving to be lies and falsehoods. The truth is Modi has become unemployed and has tons of time in his hands. With nothing better to do, he keeps lobbing these so-called allegations to keep himself relevant and in the headlines," Yadav said.

As reported, the former Deputy Chief Minister has made a number of allegations against the Lalu family accusing them of amassing properties through illegal means and above and beyond their known sources of income.
US Nearly Silent on Iran's Presidential Election as Policy Toughens

04/24/17

By Michael Lipin, VOA

WASHINGTON - 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.



The 6 approved candidates competing in Iran's presidential election

Left to Right: Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, First VP Eshagh Jahangiri, President Hassan Rohani,

Hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Mostafa Agha Mirsalim

(Source: Iranian daily Shargh)



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 administration's toughening Iran policy. But he did accuse Tehran of being the world's "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 Iran's 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 Iran's 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 country's 12-member Guardian Council has vetted andapproved 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 Iran's 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 Iran's system of vetting candidates for a presidential post that is subordinate to Iran's supreme leader has long been understood by U.S. executive and legislative branches of government.

"They know Iran's 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 Iran's 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 Rouhani's 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 Raisi's presidential candidacy.

"Should he win, Raisi has a clear path to being the likely candidate for Iran's 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 Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election - triggered months of nationwide streets protests.

"The Obama administration, which at the time was very new, didn't 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 Iran's so-called moderates, or would they think it is not worth the time? That is the big test."

This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Persian Service.

About the author: Michael Lipin covers international news for VOA on the web, radio and TV, specializing in the Middle East and East Asia Pacific. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Lipin
Iran Tries To Abolish Death Penalty For Trafficking As It Wrestles With Rising Drug Charges

04/24/17

Source: Radio Zamaneh



Iranian parliament's Judicial Commission spokesperson has announced that this commission has agreed with a proposal to reduce death penalty to 30 years in prison for a number of drug-related offences. Meanwhile the number of arrests for drug related charges are increasing in the country.



A female officer searches a women arrested for possession



Hassan Nourouzi an MP and a member of the Judicial Commission of Iranian parliament broke the good news to "Khaneh Mellat", the official media outlet for the parliament.



The abolition of death penalty for some drug and trafficking charges was previously discussed in the Iranian parliament. It is all part of a bill that intends to reform Iranian criminal law and bring down the number of executions related to trafficking, possession and substance abuse.



Under this bill, death penalty for certain drug offences will be replaced by maximum of 30 years imprisonment. However, those convicted of organized trafficking and armed narcotics can still receive the capital punishment.



The bill still needs to be voted on by the members of the parliament and approved by the Guardian Council - a constitutionally mandated 12-member council that has to approve every bill before it can become law.



On 3 April 2017, Iran Human Rights, an organization that documents human rights abuses in Iran announced that in 2016 at least 530 people were executed in the Islamic Republic of Iran - 296 of those were related to drug charges.



At least five juvenile offenders were executed in 2016 in Iran and two of them received the capital punishment for drug related offences.



As the country is trying to bring down the number of executions, the number of arrests for drug charges, possession and trafficking has increased.



Iranian police made nineteen thousand arrests in the first two weeks of april as part of a project to round up "low level drug deals and known users", the interior minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli reported.



Five thousand of the detainees have been identified as dealers and the rest as addicts. The report adds that the detainees will be held for up to six months in rehabilitation centres.

Head of Tehran's Drug-fighting Coordination Council had reported earlier that 150 to 200 small time drug dealers are arrested on a daily basis in Tehran.



While arrests persists and drug dealing remains one of the most severely punished crimes in Iranian jurisprudence with many leading to the death penalty, the numbers linked to the crime remain high.



The interior minister reports however that the government is trying to change its approach in the fight against drugs concentrating more on prevention and treatment.



Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei recently pronounced drug addiction as the top source of harm to the country and called on the government to make "extraordinary, extra-customary and double efforts" to eliminate the social damages suffered by this problem.



In this vein, the interior minister has announced that detention and rehabilitation centers in Tehran have increased in numbers. The rehab centers in Tehran used to accommodate five hundred and can now accommodate up to ten thousand. In other cities the private sector is now joining forces with public efforts to provide greater treatment possibilities.



Rahamani Fazli stated that drug addiction in the country has no boundaries and currently affects the employed and unemployed, rich and poor, students and workers all across the board. Statistics reveal that close to 55 percent of Iranians struggling with addiction are employed.



Islamic Republic has spent billions of dollars annually in its fight against drug trafficking and dozens of enforcement officers are killed each year in such missions.



More than fifty percent of executions in Iran, which has the second highest number of executions in the world, are drug related. The majority of the country's prisoners are incarcerated for drug related charges.



The interior minister states that to date the approach has been to arrest and execute small and middle handlers of the drug trafficking business which he confirms has had little overall effect on reducing the problem.



He stressed that there needs to be greater efforts in capturing the top handlers of the drug trafficking networks in the country. Islamic Republic opposition however believes that the top handlers of the billion dollar drug trafficking business are among the top echelons of the system and immune from law enforcement.
A 32-year-old Russian hacker was sentenced to 27 years in prison in the U.S. for stealing millions of payment card details from businesses by infecting their point-of-sale systems with malware.

The sentence is the longest ever handed out in the U.S. for computer crimes, surpassing the 20-year jail term imposed on American hacker and former U.S. Secret Service informant Albert Gonzalez in 2010 for similar credit card theft activities.

Roman Valeryevich Seleznev, a Russian citizen from Vladivostok, was sentenced Friday in the Western District of Washington after he was found guilty in August of 10 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, nine counts of obtaining information from a protected computer, nine counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Roman Seleznev is the son of Valery Seleznev, a member the lower house of the Russian Parliament known as the Duma. Valery Seleznev accused the U.S. authorities of kidnapping his son when they detained him in 2014 in the Maldives with the help of local authorities and subsequently flew him to Guam.

Roman Seleznev was known in the cybercrime world as a prominent carder  a trader of stolen payment card data. He used the online aliases Track2, 2pac and nCuX and sold millions of credit card details on specialized cybercriminal websites.

U.S. authorities claim that from 2009 to 2013 Seleznev infected the point-of-sale systems of more than 500 U.S. businesses with malware that captured payment card data and siphoned it off to servers under his control. The same technique was used by hackers in some of the largest data breaches that came to light in recent years, including those at U.S. retailers Target, Home Depot and Neiman Marcus.

The laptop found in the hackers possession when he was arrested in 2014 contained 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers. Earlier this month, Seleznev sent a handwritten letter to the judge taking responsibility for his actions and asking for leniency.

In the letter, the hacker described his rough childhood and the events that led up to his life of crime. He wrote that he was raised in poverty by his single mother after his parents divorced when he was two years old.

He described himself as a respectful, polite and good child who tried to make his mother and father proud, but all that changed following the sudden death of his mother when he was 17. He was forced to drop out of college and find work at a computer club, but didnt manage to earn enough to even pay the bills for his mothers apartment.

Thats when he discovered CarderPlanet, one of the first cybercriminal forums specialized in the trading of credit card data, and started using his computer skills to hack into businesses.

After the sentencing Friday, Seleznevs lawyer read a handwritten statement from the hacker that is very different in tone from his previous letter. In it, he described himself as a political prisoner, kidnapped by the U.S. government, the Associated Press reported. He also claims that the sentence is an indication that he is being used as a pawn by the U.S. government to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the world.
Minister for Business Development Alhaji Mohammed Awal has indicated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration will introduce a one-year tax exemption scheme for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) across the country.



The scheme, which is expected to begin in either July or August, this year, is to help support the growth of SMEs, he added.



Mr. Awal made this known on Friday when he visited Horizons Offices at One Airport Square, one of successful collaborations between Ghana and Kenya in Accra.



The minister highlighted policy interventions that the government was making to ensure the growth of businesses in the country and the African continent in general.



Government, he said, was committed to encouraging many start-ups in Ghana to help create jobs and improve the livelihoods of the masses.



For one year, they (start-ups) will not pay taxes; once they dont pay the taxes, they can plough back this money and expand their businesses, we need to make young businesses grow.



Training Programme



The minister said government would this year commence a special training programme for about 1,000 university graduates who will be sent to various parts of the country after acquiring the necessary skills to help educate small and medium enterprises owners on book-keeping, accounting, among others, to ensure the proper management of their businesses.



Government is also in the process of launching a National Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan (NEIP) that will help businesses secure markets during their very formative stages and to help them in the wide supply chain and network, Mr. Awal disclosed.



Support For Distressed Firms



A GHC100 million National Industrial Revitalization Programme under which there will be a stimulus package for distressed companies, as well as, existing ones would also be introduced, he said.



The aim is to ensure that companies that were distressed over the last three to four years due to the erratic power supply, popularly known as dumsor experienced by Ghana, will be helped to come back in business and provide additional jobs.



The minister noted that urgent steps ought to be taken to address the current poor trade volumes on the continent.



He indicated that trade between Ghana and Kenya was not encouraging due to some obstacles, stressing that both countries must work to eliminate these.



Expo



Mr. Awal urged both Ghanaian and Kenyan businesses to take advantage of the upcoming Kenya Trade Expo Ghana 2017 slated from 1-4 November at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.



Acting Chairman of the Kenyan Community in Ghana, Albert Ngumba, in a remark, said Kenyans in Ghana have ventured into banking and finance, agriculture, communication and advertising, among others.



Horizons Offices is a Pan-African serviced office provider established in Kenya in 2009.



It now has about five business centers in three African business hubs namely Nairobi, Lagos and Accra.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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U.S. Cruise liner "Empress of the Seas" arrives in Havana

From:Xinhua | 2017-04-24 08:29

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HAVANA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The cruise liner "Empress of the Seas" arrived in Havana for the first time on Sunday, becoming the second vessel from the U.S. company Royal Caribbean to arrive on the island.

The ship, belonging to one of the world's largest cruise operators, arrived with around 1,500 passengers on board.

Measuring over 200 meters long, the "Empress of the Sea" was received with a ceremony headed by the vice-president of Royal Caribbean, Mark Tamis, and the general manager of Cuba's state-owned Aries Transportes, Angel Diaz.

Addressing the ceremony, Diaz said cruise ship visits were broadening the opportunities for Americans to visit Cuba and get to know its reality.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises from Miami with stops in Havana, which began on March 31. It is the fourth American cruise company to have added Havana to its destinations.

The arrival of Americans in Cuba has progressively risen ever since the two countries restored diplomatic ties in 2015. In the first quarter of 2017, the arrival of American tourists was up 118 percent year-on-year, according to official Cuban data.
The Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) has signed a project implementation contract with a Chinese conglomerate, the Yantai Jereh group.



The deal entails the construction of a 278 kilometer onshore natural gas pipeline infrastructure from the Takoradi Aboadze enclave to the power enclaves of Tema and Greater Accra.



The recent execution of the agreement, which represents a revival of a project that was initially conceived last year, enabled the immediate commencement of site work such as topographical/geotechnical site surveys and front end engineering designs (FEED) which are already underway, as well as on-site civil construction activities which will commence within the next 10 days.



The financial structure of the project includes an innovative 15-year Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model under which arrangement the Yantai Jereh group, along with its investment partners, will fully pre-finance all construction activities related to the project with absolutely no upfront cost being born by the Ghana government.



The entire investment made by the Chinese conglomerate will be recouped by charging transportation fees based on volumes of gas being moved through the pipeline over a period of 15 years, after which ownership of the entire infrastructure will be transferred to the Ghanaian government completely free of any recurring charges or financial encumbrances.



The proposed gas transportation charge of approximately US$1.56 per MMBtu (a standard unit of measurement used to denote the amount of heat energy in fuels and the ability of appliances) is a fraction of the US$4.05 per MMBtu historically charged by the offshore West African Pipeline Company (WAPCO) for similar natural gas transportation services.



One advantage of the onshore pipeline include the fact that it will ensure the secure transportation of natural gas energy resources generated from oil fields located in the Western Region to the east of the country, whilst traversing multiple regions along the coastline of Ghana.



Multiple regional natural gas distribution stations will be constructed between the two major load centres of Takoradi and Greater Accra, with stations being located in Takoradi, Cape Coast, Winneba, Nsawam and Tema, earmarked for phase one, as well as a potential station in the Volta Region in phase two of the project.



These stations will enable manufacturers who wish to construct factories to connect directly to the infrastructure, thus receiving cost-effective natural gas to power their industrial operations.



The project marks a momentous milestone for the new NPP government, which has pledged massive infrastructure development and industrialization initiatives such as one district, one factory to spur economic growth.



Yantai Jerehs Ghana-based Senior Vice President for West Africa, Gao Yong, who will take responsibility for the implementation of the project, said, This project represents a massive opportunity of growth for both Ghana and the Yantai Jereh group. We have been highly impressed with the new administration and their ability to get things done quickly and professionally.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr John Peter Amewu, has issued a 30-day ultimatum for all excavators parked in mining communities across the country to be evacuated.





He said the operators of the excavators had the intention of returning to the mining sites to continue their mining activities hence the directive.



The Minister gave the directive at Tumantu in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region when he led a team to visit some mining sites on Sunday.



This followed the expiration of the ultimatum the Minister gave to all illegal miners to evacuate their equipment and leave mining sites.



He said henceforth all excavators would be registered and would install tracking devices to monitor their operations.



He said the government was not against mining but it must be done within the remits of the mining law



The Minister said illegal miners would be integrated into the mainstream mining by providing them alternative livelihoods under the Multilateral Mining and Integrated Project.



Illegal mining has polluted water bodies and degraded the vegetation all over the country.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has met with 92 employers in Tema in preparation towards its 10th quadrennial delegates conference.



Mr Solomon Kotei, General-Secretary of the ICU, during the breakfast meeting, said it was important to meet with the employers to debrief them out of the negative impression they had about unions.



Mr Kotei said employers always saw Union leaders as their enemies and that always made negotiations between the two parties hectic and unfriendly.



The theme for the delegates conference which would be held in August in Kumasi is, Our Employers Vision Our Concern.



The General-Secretary noted that the chosen theme reflected the acknowledgement of the critical link between the employer and employee in the work environment.



He indicated that employees must have the vision of the employers in mind in order to ensure the success of the work and the securing of their jobs.



Some employers expressed their happiness about the initiative of the ICU to meet them and educate them on the importance of the Union.



They noted that prior to the meeting, they had a different view on how the ICU works.







Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Mr Eric Duorinaah, a Team Leader of the Harnessing Youth Talents for Rural Development (HAYTAFORD) has urged the media to give more attention to the promotion of quality education in Ghana.



He said the media had a crucial role to play to ensure accountability and transparency on behalf of the voiceless in society to help enhance quality education within the education sector.



Mr. Duorinaah made the appeal at a media engagement forum to find effective ways of ensuring accountability and transparency in schools in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions to improve quality education.



The Northern Network for Education Development (NNED) and HAYTAFORD organised the forum for journalists and media practitioners in the Upper West Region with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).



Mr Duorinaah said though there had been an improvement in access to education which had increased school enrollment over the years, quality teaching and learning still remained a challenge and needed collective efforts from stakeholders to address.



He explained that ensuring quality education depended on accountability and transparency from stakeholders in making information relating to education relevant, timely and accessible by students, as well as teachers and other key players in education.



Mr Yelewere Vitus Domevi, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of NNED said it was implementing the USAID Ghana Partnership for Education: Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Education (PTAE) project to promote quality education.



He explained that the project was to be implemented in 25 districts in Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions between the periods of September 2016 to September 2017.



Mr Domevi who presented a baseline report on a survey conducted by NNED on the effective management of education resources recommended that the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education ought to ensure effective project supervision and monitoring to maximise education resources.



The Ministry of Education and local government authorities should constantly expand school infrastructure in respond to increase enrollment to deal with the challenge of overcrowding in classrooms, he said.



Mr Domevi also urged civil society organisations to deepen collaboration with donor agencies and the government to ensure effective project implementation in communities and promote accountability of teachers to parents and their wards.



He called on parents to serve as watchdogs on teachers to promote accountability and transparency among school authorities.



Mr Domevi also urged community members to support school authorities in their quest to sustain the successes the schools had chalked.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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NSIA Insurance at the launch of its new office at Lapaz, in Accra out-doored a new product- APAKAN.



Apakan, a digitally supported payment system product, tailored motor insurance especially for Taxi and commercial drivers was unveiled to the surprise of the public. Apakan is an innovative product which pre-finances the motor insurance cost and affords car owners the flexibility to pay off within 12 months.



According to Aaron Packeys, General Manager-Finance, Apakan gives the insured an opportunity to pay their auto insurance in weekly installments.



If you pay your weekly insurance installment consistently for 3months, NSIA will go ahead and provide your annual insurance for you while you take your time to pay the rest. This means that you dont actually take bulk money to buy insurance.



The easy part is that, drivers and car owners can register with any NSIA Apakan agent or call free on 1850 for subscription and enquiries.



NSIA Insurance Ghana aims at making insurance easy and attractive through the delivery of hassle-free insurance products and services and with its commitment to contribute significantly to increasing insurance penetration in Ghana; there couldn't have been a better opportune occasion and location to launch the product.



The location of the new office is in the bid to bring insurance to the doorsteps of residents of Lapaz and its environs which has a hub of commercial drivers, SMEs and individuals.



Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs. Mabel Nana Nyarkoa Porbley, the Managing Director of NSIA Insurance said NSIA is resolute in its commitment to making insurance easy and convenient to its clients.



Every insurance company is assessed by how viable they are, she said. Currently NSIA Insurance has more than 700% solvency rate and that goes a long way to determine how quickly you are able to pay claims. This means that you should not be scared to insure with us.

We have the capacity to carry your risk and will be able to pay your claims within your shortest possible time.



She also disclosed that NSIA Ghana has been highly capitalized to far exceed the regulatory requirement of GHC 15m, making the company more than capable of managing all risks portfolios in Ghana.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ghana National Gas Company known as (Ghana Gas) has signed a project implementation contract dated 11th April 2017 with the Chinese multinational oil fields service conglomerate known as the Yantai Jereh group.



The project agreement is for the construction of an onshore 278 kilometer natural Gas pipeline infrastructure from the Takoradi Aboadze enclave to the power enclaves of Tema Greater Accra.



The recent execution of the agreement which represents a revival of a project which was initially conceived last year enabled the immediate commencement of site work such as topographical/ geotechnical site surveys and Front end engineering designs (FEED) which are already underway, as well as on site civil construction activities which will commence within the next ten days.



The financial structure of the project includes an innovative 15 year Build operate and transfer (BOT) model where by the Yantai Jereh group along with their investment partners will fully pre-finance all construction activities related to the project with absolutely no upfront cost being born by the Ghanaian government.



The entire investment made by the Chinese conglomerate will be recouped by charging transportation fees based on volumes of gas being moved through the pipeline over a period of 15 years after which ownership of the entire infrastructure will be transferred to the Ghanaian government completely free of any recurring charges or financial encumbrances.



The proposed gas transportation charge of approximately $1.56USD per MMBtu (A standard unit of measurement used to denote the amount of heat energy in fuels and the ability of appliances) is a fraction of the $4.05 USD per MMBtu historically charged by the offshore West African Pipeline Company (WAPCO) for similar natural gas transportation services. Other advantages of the onshore pipeline include the fact that it will enable the secure transportation of natural gas energy resources generated from oil fields located in the Western region to the East of the country whilst traversing multiple regions along the coast line of Ghana.



Multiple regional natural gas distribution stations will be constructed between the two major load centers of Takoradi and Greater Accra with stations being located in Takoradi, Cape Coast, Winneba, Nsawam, and Tema earmarked for phase one as well as a potential station in the Volta region in phase two of the project ,these stations will enable manufactures wishing to construct factories to connect directly to the infrastructure thus receiving cost effective natural gas to power their industrial operations.



The project marks a momentous milestone for the newly elected NPP government who has pledged massive infrastructure development and industrialization initiatives such as one district, one factory to spur economic growth. Yantai Jerehs Ghana based Senior Vice President for West Africa, Gao Yong, who will take responsibility for the implementation of the project went on record to say This project represents a massive opportunity of growth for both Ghana and the Yantai Jereh group, we have been highly impressed with the new administration and their ability to get things done quickly and professionally.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The President, His Excellency Nana Addo-Danquah Akufo-Addo has made a commitment to ensure that Accra becomes the cleanest city in the whole of Africa by the end of his four years tenure.



According to him, it is important for all to also stand by this commitment and help his government in that regard.



According to President Akufo-Addo, the commitment I want to make, and for all of us to make, is that by the end of my term in office, Accra will be the cleanest city on the entire African continent. That is the commitment I am making.



The President made this known in Accra yesterday, April 23, 2017, when the president of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio, together with the chief and people of Jamestown enstooled him as Worrier Chief in Jamestown, under the Stool name, Nii Kwaku Ablade Okogyeaman I, to wit "Royal Warrior; One who fights to redeem his people",



At a durbar held in his honour at Mantse Agbona, President Akufo-Addo was grateful to Oblempong, Nii Kojo Ababio and the Chiefs and people of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area for the honour done him.



"I am going to do everything within my power to be the measure of the title you have given to me this afternoon. I dedicate myself to the welfare of the people of Ngleshie, to the welfare of the people of Accra, and to the welfare of the people of Ghana," he said.



President Akufo-Addo assured Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio that "in my time we are going to bring back the glory of Jamestown."



The president noted that during his campaign, the NPP promised the construction of a harbour at Jamestown and indicated that plans are far advanced, and, this year, you will see the beginning of the construction of a harbour at Jamestown. It will bring jobs here in Jamestown, so the young men and women can be gainfully employed."



He urged the Chiefs and people of Ngleshie Alata to co-operate with me and my government. Help me, so we can work together for the progress of Ngleshie, Accra and Ghana.



The President of the James Town Traditional Council and Paramount Chief of James Town Alata Traditional area, Nii Kojo Ababio, stated that President Akufo-Addo's career as a human rights lawyer and an advocate of the rule of law, and the restoration of multiparty democracy is indicative of a man who has the welfare of Ghana at heart.



It is for this reason that Ghanaians reposed their confidence in him in the 2016 election, at a time that Ghanaians were dissatisfied with their living conditions, he said.



According to Nii Kojo Ababio, President Akufo-Addo won the election with a "historic margin", with the mandate to transform the circumstances of the Ghanaian people.



Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio was hopeful that, under President Akufo-Addo's tenure of office as President, "you will implement programmes and policies that will benefit all Ghanaians irrespective of the political, religious or ethnic affiliations."



Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio also urged President Akufo-Addo to take urgent steps to modernize Jamestown, a move which, he noted, would ramp up economic activities and bring in its wake jobs and wealth for the people.



Specifically, the transformation of the Korle Lagoon into a scenic landscape to boost tourism; the modernization of markets in Jamestown; and the implementation of the 1-District-1-Factory, the Chief added, will spur on economic activities in Jamestown and Accra.



Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio assured President Akufo-Addo that, "we will remember you in our prayers. We will pray for strength and wisdom for you, and I ask all gathered here to unite beyond your government so as to bring prosperity to all."



He further urged President Akufo-Addo to "leave behind a legacy which will leave the beleaguered people of Accra transformed. I know you, as a born and bred Accra person, have the capacity to transform Accra. You have capable people around you to achieve this Herculean task."



For his part, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, Hon Kofi Dzamesi appealed to the chiefs to offer their unflinching support to the government of President Akufo-Addo to effectively run the affairs of the state.



According to him, the president was elected to build Ghana for the betterment of all its citizens and that it behooves on the chiefs to ensure chieftaincy disputes are ended to ensure peace so as to afford the realization of the President's vision of building a changed Ghana for all.

Source: New Crusading Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The public has been urged to de-silt drains and gutters with the onset of the rains.



When the rainy season peaks in June we could have the rain falling several times in a single week, Mr Tetteh Portuphy, the Head of the Forecasting Section of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday.



He said with the intensification of rain, flooding was inevitable if drains and gutters were choked with all sorts of undesirable matter.



Mr Portuphy said people residing in flood prone areas should take all the necessary precautions in order to stay safe especially during the peak season.



He said it was a known fact that some particular places were flood-prone and called on people living in such areas to take the necessary precautions.



Mr Portuphy called on the public not to build on waterways or erect structures that would interfere with the natural out-lay of land in order to pave way for water to naturally sink into the ground adding; this is another means of flood prevention.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), has cautioned traders not to display their wares on the streets and walkways of the Central Business District.



He said selling on the streets posed a threat to lives and advised the traders not display their wares beyond the red line demarcation by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).



Mr Sowah gave the warning on Friday when he interacted with the traders along the streets of Makola Market in Accra and called on his men to continue vigorously with the educational campaign.



I believe that most of the challenges faced within the metropolis are based on the lack of effective educational campaign to sensitise the traders, he said, and promised to engage them at all times to ensure they did the right thing.



Mr Sowah said very soon the AMA would recruit people in uniforms to ensure the enforcement of the bye-laws

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has described as interesting the fact that President Akufo Addo invited former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Mahama to have talks when they were described as incompetent by the ruling government.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, last week Tuesday, met with Ghanas former presidents  Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama at the Flagstaff House.



The purpose of the meeting, according to the Presidency, was to seek the views of the former presidents on some governance-enhancing measures Akufo-Addos administration intends to take.



Speaking during a panel of discussion on Radio Gold Saturday's edition of 'Alhaji and Alhaji', Kwesi Pratt wondered what President Akufo Addo was looking for from the former Presidents Rawlings and Mahama after his government had described them as incompetence.



it is interesting that former president John Dramani Mahama and Jerry John Rawlings are being invited to sit around a table to discuss with an NPP government the state of our national economy; thats an interesting thing. If you go into the records, you will find that former President Rawlings was accused of gross incompetence in the management of the national economy; former President Mahama was also accused of gross incompetence of the management of the national economy and so this meeting what was it all about? Was it to tap into the incompetence of former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Mahama; I find it very very strange he said.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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State Council decides to further cut taxes

The State Council executive meeting, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on April 19, unveiled new tax cut measures, spurring economic dynamism and competitiveness.

In addition to the 200 billion yuan in tax cuts during the first quarter of 2017, the governing body decided to simplify the structure of VAT reform, expand tax cut incentives for small enterprises with limited profits, and increase the proportion of pre-tax deductions for innovation-based tech firms.

Details: >> China to take more tax cut measures

State Council passes draft law on public libraries

The State Council, which held an executive meeting on April 19, passed the draft of the Public Library Act, which clarified the governments responsibility in building public libraries while encouraging social capital to participate. It stated the management, services and digital resources of public resources, as well as integrated development of online and offline platforms.

The draft will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress for discussion.

Details: >> China drafts law on public libraries

State Council boosts employment and entrepreneurship

The State Council also issued a circular on April 19, to promote employment and entrepreneurship.

As stated on the document, employment, a vital necessity to the livelihood of 1.3 billion people across China, is essential to economic development.

In order to boost labor and entrepreneurship, the document stated the State Council planned on implementing a strategy which placed employment as top priority. It supported a new employment pattern, promoted entrepreneurship which could also boost work in the nation, and supported strengthening education and training for employment and entrepreneurship.

Details: >> State Council to enhance employment and entrepreneurship

State Council to reform mineral resource equity benefit system

At the State Councils executive meeting, the governing body also issued a circular on April 20, to reform the countrys mineral resource equity benefit system. Representatives of the group aimed to safeguard a range of national mineral interests and create a fair mineral market.

The circular put forward a series of policy measures, reforming the mineral resource equity benefit system. It also called for coordination among relevant government departments.

Details: >> State Council to reform mineral resource equity benefit system

Combining maternity insurance and basic medical insurance in the workplace

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has come together with the Ministry of Finance and the National Health and Family Planning Commission to issue a circular on implementing pilots on combining maternity insurance and basic medical insurance for employees. The pilot will be carried out in 12 cities, including Handan in Hebei province, Jinzhong in Shanxi province and Shenyang in Liaoning province. The pilot cities will be required to introduce an implementation plan by the end of June, 2017.

Measures to enhance the image of Chinas logistics industry

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, has joined 11 other ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport, to jointly introduce guidelines on improving the quality of logistics services in China. The principle has highlighted and put forward key tasks, such as enhancing an enterprises awareness on service quality, building a quality indicator system and improving service quality standards to promote the industrys transformation and healthy development.

By 2020, a modern quality governance and promotion system for logistic services will be built, featuring orderly, quality and efficient operations.

Interim measures on sharing and managing government information resources

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has introduced interim measures, strengthening the management of its government information resources. It will also promote the sharing of government information between the ministry and other departments, and improve the usage of such information.

Two million public rental houses to be allocated in 2017

Representatives of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development have set a target of allocating two million public rental houses by the end of 2017. To achieve the target, representatives of the Ministry have asked local government to take effective measures in accelerating the construction and allocation of such houses.

Establishing a system on checking economic conditions of families receiving social assistance

A plenary meeting of the joint inter-ministerial conference, detailing social assistance, was held on April 17. Discussions urged local governments to standardize and improve service platforms of grass-roots social assistance, and establish a system on checking economic conditions of families receiving social assistance. Huang Shuxian, minister of civil affairs, stressed the role of the joint inter-ministerial conference at the meeting.
13 Reasons Why is currently flooding everyones newsfeed, and for good reason.

The runaway Netflix original has garnered worldwide attention for its no-holds-barred depiction of the most grim aspects of teenage life in America. People are going wild for it. (If you havent seen it yet, tomorrows public holiday will give you ample time to binge and get up to speed.)

Of course, once you watch the series, the obvious thing to do is to obsessively research all the actors. Where did they go to school? Whats their fave colour? What does their second cousin do for a living?

Instead of haphazardly googling each cast members name and somehow ending up on Carrot Tops Wiki page, heres a full run sheet of your fave actors online handles. A lot of the actors are legit teens, and their Instas reflect that, with their gram brands ranging from 90s-polaroid-and-film aesthetic to heres-me-with-a-puppy-smizing-into-the-camera-im-thirsty af.

Have a look for yourselves, ya creeps.

Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If in doubt, freak em out Run wild, crazy and free tonight, bitches. ??????????? A post shared by KATHERINE LANGFORD (@katherinelangford) on Oct 29, 2016 at 7:14pm PDT

Did you know Hannah is actually Aussie? Yep, 21-year-old actress Katherine Langford is a Perth native who is set for big things in Hollywood. Since starring in 13 Reasons, shes slated to appear in quite a few movies in the coming year. She dont have Twitter.





Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette)

A post shared by Dylan Minnette (@dylan_minnette) on Mar 31, 2017 at 2:38pm PDT

Running with a total of 28 posts, Dylan Minnettes 2.5 million-strong following is pretty impressive. Hes on Twitter, too.





Jessica Davis (Alisha Boe)

A post shared by Boezo (@alishaboe) on Apr 12, 2017 at 4:15pm PDT

Alisha Boes Instagram looks a little like it could be any of your mates  her feeds a mix of selfies with friends and the cast, polaroids and funny candids. Find her on Twitter here.





Alex Standall (Miles Heizer)

Fuck labels A post shared by miles heizer (@younggoth) on Apr 10, 2017 at 7:38am PDT

Miles bio reads child actor and his feed is a collection of ironic memery and selfies. Its good. His Twitter? This.





Tony Padilla (Christian Navarro)

A post shared by Christian Lee Navarro (@christianleenavarro) on Apr 19, 2017 at 5:36am PDT

In the show, Tony drives a dang fine Mustang and his Insta is equally as swagalicious (lol sorry I really cant think of another way to describe it right now Im tired). His Twitter bio tells us he was raised in the Bronx and that he believe[s] in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for ALL people.

Marcus Cole (Steven Silver)

A post shared by Steven Silver (@silversteven) on Oct 23, 2016 at 3:48pm PDT

Seriously, the fans of this show are so intense. On the above insta theres a stream of comments ranging from accusations that killed Hannah to asking if shes dead in real life. Tweens, huh? No Twitter.

Tyler Down (Devin Druid)

A post shared by Devin Druid (@devindruid) on Apr 16, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT

Theres a common theme here: 13 Reasons Why stars love selfies. You can read Devins tweets here.

Courtney Crimine (Michele Selene Ang)

A post shared by MICHELE SELENE (@micheleseleneang) on Jan 16, 2017 at 7:40pm PST

On the show, Crimine is the saccharine sweet schoolgirl with interesting fashion choices. On the gram, her fashion is TIGHT. Her feed is aesthetic. Nice. This is her twitter.

Justin Foley (Brandon Flynn)

You say its puppy love, we say its full grown Back on track, I get my midtown coffee and he barks at all the Central Park horses A post shared by Brandon Flynn (@flynnagin11) on Apr 19, 2017 at 7:17am PDT

Ive never seen a more American looking boy/man.

Sheri (Ajiona Alexus)





A post shared by Ajiona Alexus (@ajionaalexus) on Mar 23, 2017 at 6:21pm PDT

Sheri wasnt given a last name in the show, but her real life name is double-barrel heaven. This girl knows her angles and the magic hour for pics. Heres her Twitter. Bonus round: you can find her on Snapchat with the same handle.





Bryce Walker (Justin Prentice)

A post shared by Justin Prentice (@justin.prentice) on Mar 3, 2017 at 1:17pm PST

Prentice is the character who assaults Hannah in the show and it seems like fans cant quite grasp the fact that he was playing a fictional character. Heaps of comments on his gram comment on his characters actions, which is weird. His gram is cute though. Find him on Twitter here.

Skye (Sosie Bacon)

A post shared by Sosie Bacon (@sosiebacon) on Nov 26, 2016 at 7:11am PST

Not sure if shes related to Kevin, but Sosies Instagram is a collection of cute animals and miscellaneous riff raff.





Montgomery (Timothy Granaderos)

A post shared by Timothy Granaderos (@timothygranaderos) on Apr 4, 2017 at 2:09pm PDT

Jaw definition is to die for on this bloke. Have a gander at actor Timothys Twitter here.

Jeff Atkins (Brandon Larracuente)

A post shared by Brandon Larracuente (@brandonlarracuente) on Apr 18, 2017 at 11:24am PDT

Brandon likes puppy doggies, gym and Getty photos of himself with watermarks. This be his Twitter.

Zach Dempsey (Ross Butler)

A post shared by Ross Butler (@rossbutler) on Apr 19, 2017 at 1:12pm PDT

I reckon you can judge the quality of ones gram off whether or not they have made a meme of themselves. On this measurement, Butler comes out on top. Heres his Twitter. His Snap is @rossfbulter.

Ryan Shaver (Tommy Dorfman)

A post shared by TOMMY DORFMAN (@tommy.dorfman) on Apr 16, 2017 at 1:32pm PDT

Last but absolutely not least is the actor who plays Ryan Shaver, and boy oh boy can this boy take a selfie. I think he might be the most stylish of the cast and I will probs follow him after I publish this story. Kill, ing, it.

Happy stalking my dudes.

Photo: Instagram.
Probably the funniest thing in the world to me is the idea of calling a small adorable animal an old man sounding name. A tiny puppy called Greg? A little kitten called Geoff? A budgie called Kevin? All of this is extremely my shit. So why not  as scientists in Canada have done  extend that to rare, breathtaking atmospheric conditions?

Thanks to the work of scientists and aurora watchers, an entirely new kind of atmospheric phenomenon has been documented, and theyve decided to call it Steve.

Steve presents himself as a beautiful streak of purple light, as seen below:

University of Calgary associate professor Eric Donovan started researching Steve after seeing aurora watchers refer to him as a proton arc, which he knew to be bullshit because, as we all know (duh), proton arcs arent visible from Earth.

Because he had no idea what else it might be, his team launched an investigation, matching ground sightings of Steve with data recorded by the European Space Agencys Swam, a collection of satellites monitoring the Earths magnetic field.

Donovans findings indicated that one particular instance of Steve was a 25-kilometre wide column of gas flowing significantly faster than the gas around it and chilling out about 300 kilometres of the surface of the planet.

They also found out that Steve is hot. Real hot. The temperature within the gas flow increased by a not-insubstantial 3000 degrees Celsius.

Donovan said that Steve is actually super common, they just hadnt been paying enough attention to him:

It turns out that Steve is actually remarkably common, but we hadnt noticed it before. Its thanks to ground-based observations, satellites, todays explosion of access to data and an army of citizen scientists joining forces to document it.

Roger Haagmans from the ESA said its great that we can get to know Steve:

The ground network and the electric and magnetic field measurements made by Swarm are great tools that can be used to better understand Steve. This is a nice example of society for science.

The name Steve was chosen after a line in the 2006 animated movie Over The Hedge, which I know for a fact Ive seen but I cant remember a single thing about.

You can have a look at a whole bunch of images of Steve from a whole bunch of aurora watchers right here.

Source: ESA.

Photo: ESA / Dave Markel Photography.
Uuuuuugggghhhhhhhhh.

Despite the fact that it has been shown time and time again that allowing festival punters to test their pills results in fewer drug-related deaths, injuries and overdoses, the ACT government has STILL given a pill-testing initiative proposed for the Canberra leg of Groovin the Moo the kibosh.

UUUGGGHHHH

National drug-use organisation Harm Reduction Australia approached the ACT government earlier this year, with a plan to trial pill testing for free at the festival in May. The government rejected the proposal on the grounds that it wasnt well enough formed. HRA and its supporters are calling bullshit.

ANU senior clinical lecturer and emergency physician Dr David Caldicott told Fairfax that the proposal, which was based on a successful UK model, was so minutely detailed that the ministers office had the opportunity to ask what uniforms would those conducting the pill testing be wearing?

If there were issues they wanted to discuss they would quite easily have raised them. Every question that has been asked of us as a research group has been answered so unless they were keeping questions in reserve I suspect there are no questions that remain unanswered.

The decision to turn down a pill-testing initiative that would have cost the government zilch and potentially saved lives is absolutely god-smacking. Particularly considering that Chief Minister Andrew Barr, when defending the governments decision to the ABC, said:

I need to be clear, the government is never going to endorse the taking of illegal drugs but we also have responsibilities around harm minimisation. I consider this a health issue, not a law and order issue, but I do need to be clear that the government will not be endorsing the taking of illegal substances but we do recognise people do that and as much as we can provide support for other organisations.

What that harm minimisation looks like if not letting people test their fun-dust before ingesting it, I just do not know.

Drug-taking in Australia is embedded in the culture; youre not going to ever get people to just stop doing it. Pair that knowledge with the fact that the ecstasy circulating in Australia was found in 2015 to be among the most dangerous in the world, and it becomes abundantly clear that allowing pill-testing services at festivals is the absolute best way to minimise drug-related harm.

The discussion at high levels of government regarding drug use and health and safety has been going on for a long time, with a whole summit on the topic held early last year. Health professionals are overwhelmingly on the side of pill testing = good. Festival attendees have indicated over and over that they would use drug testing facilities, and we know it works thanks to ongoing successes in Europe.

But if were still watching state governments determinedly turning away resources that will stop people dying  I just dont know how much good the discussion is doing any more. The whole thing is veering quickly into Mugatu territory.

Basically, for lack of a better phrase:

uuuuuuuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Source: Tone Deaf / Fairfax.

Image: Getty.
It took two years, but there is some measure of justice for 51-year-old James Patrick Stuhlman, whom a trio of teens tried to rob, then shot dead, while he was walking his dog in Philadelphia in 2015.

According to NBC-10 and the Philadelphia Inquirer, a jury late last week found 17-year-old Brandon Smith guilty of second-degree murder for his part in the attempted robbery-shooting of Stuhlman in Philly's Overbrook section in March 2015.

Smith could face a prison sentence of 30 years to life in the shooting, despite the fact that he never touched or fired the gun, according to media reports:

Brandon Smith, 17, (left) has been found guilty second-degree murder for his part in the attempted robbery and fatal shooting of James Stuhlman, 51, in March 2015. The shooter, Tyfine Hamilton (right), just 15 at the time, earlier pleaded guilty to shooting Stuhlman and is serving 25 to 80 years in prison.

Pennsylvania's second-degree murder law lets the jury convict anyone involved in a conspiracy to commit a felony crime that results in the death of the victim, regardless of whether they used the weapon, the Inquirer writes.

The 15-year-old shooter, Tyfine "Tavon" Hamilton, pleaded guilty last year to third-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 to 80 years in prison, the Inquirer reports, adding:

Their 14-year-old accomplice, Alston Zou-Rutherford, pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy and will remain in a juvenile facility until he is 21.

Hamilton allegedly came up with the idea of robbing someone, prompting the three teens to head toward the Overbrook School for the Blind, where they walked around for about 10 minutes searching for a victim before spotting the "old man" walking his dog.

Stuhlman, who owned a landscaping business, leaves behind a wife and a daughter.
Cockroaches crawl across a restaurant countertop.

A chef working in an open kitchen handles ready-to-eat food without latex gloves, and the restaurant's restroom is filthy.

No diner wants to think about cleanliness and food safety when they go out to eat. It's unappetizing. It's not an experience anyone wants to encounter at their favorite restaurant.

Several high-profile cases, including one involving two children hospitalized earlier this year after reportedly drinking a caustic substance at the Star Buffet & Grill in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, has brought more attention to how food safety inspections work. The restaurant has reopened.

Often the high-profile cases -- the ones that shut down a restaurant or involve infestations -- are the ones the public remembers. But restaurants can face equally serious, if not worse, penalties for less visible violations, from dirty high chairs to improperly stored food.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture ensures transparency with inspections, listing food safety reports on its online database. Diners can easily see if their favorite restaurant is listed as in or out of compliance.

But there's more that goes on beyond published inspection reports. Restaurants that fail to comply with the Pennsylvania food code can face stiff consequences.

A look at the citations

A Right to Know request filed by PennLive with the Department of Agriculture for data showed dozens of food facilities in Pennsylvania, including restaurants, were cited during a one-year period from August 2015 to August 2016. In many cases, the owners faced fines and court costs.

The citations are not always for what you'd think.

They ranged from pest infestations to repeat violations of accumulated grease in a microwave and black static dust on the fan guards of a walk-in freezer. Many restaurants are cited for operating without proper food safety documents.

The most serious violations for the period, in fact, concern failure to keep food certifications current and, by extension, the food-handling safety courses those certifications require.

Some of the restaurants cited in Pennsylvania included:

Sun Hing in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County:

Arooga's Grille House & Sports Bar in Shippensburg:

Waffle House, Chambersburg:

Tomato Pie Cafe, Lititz:

Fratelli's Italian Pizza in Luzerne County:

What happens behind the scenes

"There's a lot that goes on in the background," said Dr. Lydia Johnson, director of the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

The department oversees the state's rigorous food inspection program, ensuring food facilities operating in the state are in compliance with the food code.

More than 70 inspectors overseen by nine supervisors, as well as staff from six county health departments and 130 local health departments, are responsible for conducting the retail food safety inspections. They oversee about 45,000 retail food facilities, including restaurants and about 6,000 food establishments such as food processing companies and markets.

Like detectives, food inspectors examine every aspect of a restaurant's operation, from the way food is stored to proper use of cookware and storage of cleaners and chemicals. Food safety inspectors arrive with flashlights, thermometers and clipboards in tow.

They inspect dishwashers for leaks, ensure food is properly stored in walk-in coolers, with chicken stored on lower shelves, and inspect deli slicers for dirt and grime.

They can dock a restaurant for violations that may appear picky to an outsider, such as improperly stored tongs, broken wires on a fryer basket, dirty can openers or large gaps on an exterior kitchen door.

There's a reason for a thorough inspection. The overall goal is to ensure the public's health and safety and prevent the spread of food-borne illness, which can lead to sickness and possibly death.

"It seem to the operators we are being picky, but we know where the risks lie and we are asking them to do things for a reason," Johnson said.

In 2014, the Center for Science in the Public Interest reported restaurants are the most frequent locations for food-borne illness outbreaks, with twice as many incidents as private homes. The nonprofit food safety watchdog group reported that in a 10-year period from 2002-2011, it found that 1,610 outbreaks in restaurants sickened more than 28,000 people.

It's not about going to court



The number of establishments cited for violations represents a small fraction -- about 15 to 20 percent -- of all facilities actually inspected in the state, Johnson said.

The goal behind a food safety inspection is not to send restaurant owners to court.

"We are not out to get anyone. We would rather they be in compliance than go to court," Johnson said.

Essentially, food inspectors are the gatekeepers and protectors of public health. They ensure that the food diners eat, whether it be a fast food burger or fine dining establishment's ahi tuna, is safe.

Inspectors are also trained to work closely with restaurant owners and often help them to fix violations on the spot.

"What we are trying to do is get them compliant," Johnson said. "We are trying to use all of the tools we can do ... it depends on the institution what we need to do to get them compliant."

At least once a year, and sometimes more frequently, they arrive unannounced at restaurants, schools, day care centers, hospitals and farmers' markets -- basically, any facility that provides food to the public.

In a best-case scenario, a restaurant passes an inspection without any violations or is flagged for a few minor violations that can be corrected on site.

"The goal is to do something called 'corrected on site,' and that is a term discussed with the owner," said Nelva Wright, health officer for the City of Harrisburg. "If a light bulb is out, you can put a new one in. It's hard to correct if you have a plumbing backup. That's not going to be corrected on site."

In that case, restaurants are placed out of compliance, meaning they have been slapped with one or more violations that requires a return visit by an inspector. They are given time to fix the problem while the restaurant remains open for business.

Perhaps, a part needs to be ordered for a piece of kitchen equipment or a dishwasher needs to be repaired.

If the problem is so severe, to the point it's deemed an imminent health hazard, such as no hot water or an infestation of mice or cockroaches, Wright said, the restaurant will have to temporarily close. It happens, and it's not always publicized.

Some owners, she said, chose to quietly take a break and resolve the problem by posting an "on vacation" sign for a week or two.

"I give them that prerogative. Just as long as you are not serving the public, I don't care what you call it," Wright said.

Helping owners 'do a better job'

"As food inspectors, we have a lot of responsibility to the community and some responsibility to the owners. We want to make them better. We are not here to shut down businesses. That's not why we are there. Our job is to help them do a better job," she added.

If a restaurant receives too many violations and is put out of compliance, Johnson said, it is sent a warning letter listing the violations. In some cases, an administrative hearing is held.

Typically, when inspectors return and find repeat violations or grievances, a citation is filed with the magistrate. It is then up to the court to rule if a restaurant is guilty or not guilty and whether it will be fined, Johnson said.

In addition, restaurant owners are charged for every inspection until the violations are fixed, something Johnson said has motivated many owners to be in compliance.

If restaurants are repeatedly cited, they can face civil penalties, which are fines that can cost tens of thousands of dollars, she said. The financial penalty is imposed by the agency.

"(The public) is not aware of everything going on in the background. We can only shut the restaurant in certain cases and we're doing lots they are unaware of," Johnson said.
Two adults and a three-year-old child are dead in York County in what police describe as a murder suicide or "pact" between a woman and her son.

Northern York County Regional Police said Frankie Thomas Williams, 21, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at 10:57 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Greenbriar Road in Manchester Township.

Also found dead were his mother, Tammy June Williams, 50, and his three-year-old daughter, Kelly June Williams.

The York County coroner has ruled the deaths of Tammy June and Kelly June Williams as homicides and Frankie Williams as a suicide.

Police said "information on scene" indicated this was "a planned act or pact between Tammy June Williams and her son Frankie Thomas Williams. The mother of Kelly June Williams had recently filed for full custody," police said.

A woman from North Carolina told police she was to have met the residents of the home in Virginia on Saturday for a child custody exchange.

Northern York police said they found the Williams home dark Sunday night, and a dog inside moved the curtain to allow them to see a woman lying on a couch with obvious injuries.

Police forced their way inside and found the woman dead, with a gunshot wound to the head.

Kelly Williams was found dead in a bedroom, also with a gunshot wound to the head. And Frankie Wiliams was found dead in a rear bedroom of a self-inflicted gunshot, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northern York County Regional Police Department at 717.292.3647, through 911, or use the crime tip reporting portion of this website.
UPDATE:

Is Shamir Hunter an opportunistic robber who beat a man to death for $20, or an "innocent kid" who confessed to a murder out of fear?



Those were two options laid out for a Dauphin County jury Monday afternoon as Hunter's trial began for the June 2016 murder of Steve Esworthy in Harrisburg's Midtown neighborhood. The 31-year-old Esworthy was killed in the 1200 block of Green Street, just hours after serving as the best man in his brother's wedding.



Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gettle is seeking second-degree murder and robbery convictions for the 20-year-old Hunter. If the jury agrees, that $20 will cost Hunter his freedom for the rest of his life.



In her opening statement, Gettle promised the jurors "overwhelming" evidence of Hunter's guilt, ranging from eyewitness testimony to his DNA on the murder weapon and Hunter's own recorded confession - and apology - to city police.



Yet Defense Attorney Shane Kope insisted the prosecution case has holes. And just because Hunter told police he killed Esworthy doesn't mean he's actually the killer, Kope insisted.



More than a dozen of Esworthy's relatives watched the jousting between Gettle and Kope. The last time any of them saw Esworthy alive would have been early on June 19, when he left his brother's wedding celebration to walk home.



Gettle said a man out walking his dog saw a man he later identified as Hunter walking about a block behind Esworthy carrying a large stick around 1:30 a.m. When the dog walker finished circling the block, he saw Hunter rifling through the clothing of Esworthy, who was lying on the ground, the prosecutor said.



She said an autopsy showed Esworthy died at the scene from a single blow to the back of his head. "This strike was so hard that it severed his skull from his spinal cord," Gettle told the jurors.



The impact broke the stick, which was found at the murder scene, she said. She said testing showed Esworthy's blood and Hunter's DNA were on the shattered weapon.



About two hours after killing Esworthy, Hunter was on Facebook, bragging that he had committed a robbery, the prosecutor said. Surveillance camera footage that showed Hunter breaking into a car in the neighborhood is another keystone of her case, Gettle said.



She also promised the jurors they will hear Hunter's taped admission to the slaying. "He confessed to the police that he had in fact hit Mr. Esworthy in the head with a stick," Gettle said. "In fact, during the course of the police interview, he apologizes."



Kope urged the jury to focus on "the facts they don't have," although he didn't go into great detail about what might be missing from the prosecution's case. He insisted, too, that there are "alternative ways of seeing those facts" that Gettle will present.



Kope especially asked the jurors to consider the context of Hunter's Facebook post and the circumstances of his police interview.



"You have a young kid who was scared...and made a confession to something he didn't do," Kope said.
With his recent visit to East Chinas Shandong province, Premier Li Keqiang hoped that the big coastal province can lead Chinas economic upgrade.

If Shandong can develop new economic drivers, it will play a significant role in the nations economic landscape, Premier said. As an integral part of Chinas economy, Shandong province has 7 percent of the nations population and generates 10 percent of the national GDP.

During a visit to Dishang Group in Weihai, a clothing company, Premier Li said that although clothing is a traditional industry, it can be vitalized by integrating with the new economy.

Started from a small subcontracting factory, Dishang continued to develop self-designed brands and internet-based customized manufacturing, and has now become a transnational enterprise with annual export revenue of $1.5 billion.

He urged traditional industries such as clothing to upgrade and strive for innovation in the fast-changing market, in order to reshape the worlds impression of Made in China.

At Shandongs capital city, Jinan, on April 20, Premier Li visited Jinan Steel Group, which is closing some of its factories and moving to a new manufacturing base in another city. He said old, excessive capacity can be cut through relocation, and it can actually be a significant opportunity for the company.

New economic drivers should not be only adopted by the manufacturing industry, but also by agriculture and service sectors, the Premier said.

On April 19, while visiting Wego Group in Weihai, a coastal city in Shandong, the Premier spoke highly of its high-tech and value-added products.

The company produces more than 500 kinds of medical equipments and drugs, over 80 percent of which are high-tech and high value-added products.

While the Premier visited Wego Group and a community hospital in Weihai, he repeated that the healthcare industry should be developed to become a pillar industry for the national economy.

At the hospital, he praised medical treatment partnerships, adding that they can help high-quality medical resources benefit more people. The hospital featuring traditional Chinese medicine has formed a medical partnership with Weihai City Chinese Medicine Hospital.

In addition, he said the government still needs to streamline administration and improve services while promoting economic upgrades. At a market supervision office in Weihai, he praised the local reform of developing online government, which has enabled over one-third of paperwork to be done via internet.
Artem Kolesov is shown in a handout photo. The Dalhousie-trained violinist says he fears persecution in his native Russia after coming out as gay in a widely-circulated YouTube video. A Dalhousie-trained violinist who came out as gay in a widely circulated YouTube video says he hopes to stay in North America for fear of persecution if he returns to his Russian homeland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cecilia Concerts MANDATORY CREDIT
A trial resumes today for a former Halifax medical student accused of first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old physics student Taylor Samson. William Sandeson, left, arrives for his preliminary hearing at provincial court in Halifax on Thursday, February 11, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley gives a year end update in Edmonton Alta, on Wednesday, December 14, 2016. Notley says U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to have some unhappy supporters south of the border if he goes after Canadian energy with trade sanctions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
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)
FILE- In this April 4, 2017 file photo, Ohio Gov. John Kasich delivers his State of the State address at the Sandusky State Theatre in Sandusky, Ohio. Kasich's "Two Paths: America Divided or United" is being published Tuesday, April 25. The book reflects on Kasich's career, his run for the presidency and his views on a wide range of issues, from media coverage of politics to voting rights. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)
Charlevoix can't keep season alive, drop to Elk Rapids in D3 regional
Oil market situation improving, surplus shrinking

-Russian energy min

TOKYO

Petroleumworld 04 24 2017

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the oil market was improving with production cuts by OPEC and non-OPEC members, including Russia, trimming surplus supply that had squeezed prices for years, but declined to say whether the output reductions would be extended.

Novak, speaking to reporters on a visit to Tokyo on Friday, said prospects for an extension of the deal, set to expire at the end of June, into the second half of the year would be discussed next month.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries meet on May 25 to discuss extending curbs agreed last year that cut crude oil output by 1.8 million barrels daily, two-thirds of that from OPEC.

"It is up to the discussion of the (ministerial) meeting (in May)," he told reporters. "At the moment we are analysing the condition of the market and trying to develop a prognosis."

"As we see now the situation is gradually improving from the beginning of March," said Novak. "The surplus amount of oil has been reduced. The situation is getting more and more stable and there's less volatility on the market."

Novak said that current oil prices are reflective of the oil market situation, with benchmark Brent prices now around $53 a barrel. The minister said last week Russia will cut its crude oil production by 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the end of April as agreed with other major producers.

Leading Gulf oil exporters Saudi Arabia and Kuwait gave a clear signal on Thursday that OPEC is giving serious consideration to extending the production cuts. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said consensus is growing among oil producers that the supply restraint pact should be prolonged.

OPEC sources said an internal assessment was that if they failed to extend the agreement, oil could slide back to $30-40 a barrel.








ExxonMobil will not get waivers from the U.S. to drill in Russia

WASHINGTON/SPRING, Tx.

Petroleumworld 04 24 2017

The United States will not make an exception for American companies, including oil major Exxon Mobil Corp, seeking to drill in areas prohibited by U.S. sanctions on Russia, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday.

The unusually direct statement served to clarify that the United States would maintain a tough stance on sanctions against Moscow.

"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," Mnuchin said in a statement.

The United States and European Union imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its annexation of the Crimea region in 2014 and its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The sanctions forced Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded oil producer, to wind down drilling in Russia's Arctic in 2014.

"We understand the statement today by Secretary Mnuchin in consultation with President Trump," Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers said.

Exxon had asked for and received in 2015 and 2016 waivers to operate a joint venture with Russian oil producer Rosneft in Russia. European Union sanctions do not keep European oil companies from operating in Russia, a point of annoyance for Exxon.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Exxon had in recent months applied for a Treasury Department waiver to drill with Rosneft. Jeffers said Exxon had not applied for waivers from Treasury since Trump took office.

Any such request would have drawn attention because Exxon's former chief executive, Rex Tillerson, is now U.S. secretary of state. Under his leadership, Exxon lobbied Congress on Russia sanctions, and Tillerson opposed sanctions against Russia in 2014, saying they would be ineffective.

U.S. lawmakers are investigating possible ties between some Trump campaign aides and Moscow. Republicans in Congress as well as U.S. allies in Europe are anxious about any sign that the Trump administration might ease some of the sanctions imposed on Russia.

During his confirmation hearing in January, Tillerson said he never personally lobbied against sanctions and that he was not aware of Exxon Mobil directly doing so, later acknowledging that he spoke to former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew regarding gaps between American and European sanctions on Russia.

Tillerson has pledged to recuse himself until the end of this year from any matter involving Exxon Mobil unless he is authorized to participate. He also has until early May to sell his Exxon Mobil stock.

SANCTIONS CLARITY

U.S. companies frequently file licence applications to the Treasury Department asking permission to undertake activities that would otherwise be barred by sanctions. The U.S. government weighs each application based on national security interests, the law and other factors.

The refusal is unlikely to affect Exxon Mobil's bottom line, as it has not been able to operate in Russia for several years, but it does hinder its growth potential.

Treasury almost never comments publicly on license applications. Mnuchin's statement will likely serve to clarify the U.S. stance on sanctions against Russia at a time when American allies are looking for clues to U.S. policy, observers said.

"It's good from a regulatory perspective as it provides clarity to U.S. companies, but it's also great from a foreign policy perspective," Edward Fishman, a fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank and former State Department official during the Obama administration, said of Mnuchin's statement. "Any uncertainty about the future of sanctions scares our allies and encourages Russia to prolong its aggression in Ukraine."






French voters face two radically different visions of the country's future after centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen won the first round of the French presidential election, triggering a runoff on May 7.

PARIS

Petroleumworld 04 24 2017

French voters face two radically different visions of the country's future after centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen won the first round of the French presidential election, triggering a runoff on May 7.

Macron, a first-time candidate and political independent, had 23.8 percent in Sunday's election and National Front leader Le Pen had 21.5 percent, according to results from the Interior Ministry based on 97.4 percent of votes counted. A snap poll released late Sunday suggested Macron would defeat Le Pen by more than 20 percentage points in the second round.

he result means that for the first time in modern French political history, both establishment parties were eliminated in the first round. Republican Francois Fillon conceded within less than an hour of polls closing after placing third with a projected 19.9 percent, while Socialist Benoit Hamon trailed in fifth place with just 6.4 percent. Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon was at 19.6 percent and refused to concede.

French bonds jumped on Monday, with the 10-year yield dropping to the lowest since January. The yield difference between those securities and their German equivalents, which has acted a barometer of election risk during the campaign, narrowed 20 basis points, the biggest drop since 2012. The euro jumped the most in a month, climbing 1 percent to $1.0838 as of 8:49 a.m. in Paris. It soared as much as 2 percent earlier.

For more on France's presidential election, click here

The outcome is a vindication for pollsters who successfully predicted the top two slots. It still represents an earthquake that will reshape French and potentially European politics for years to come. The rejection of the two main parties reflects the anger coursing through a society traumatized by Islamic terrorism and buffeted by years of sub-par economic growth and high unemployment.

French voters are now putting their faith in unusual candidates, Macron and Le Pen, Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank, wrote in a note to clients after the vote. The French presidential campaign has turned into a stinging rebuke of the traditional parties and their leaders.

The odds are that France won't ultimately produce a result as dramatic as Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. in November or Britain's decision to leave the European Union. What's more, whoever wins will face a challenge to implement his or her agenda. France will hold parliamentary elections in June and neither Macron's En Marche! movement nor the National Front are expected to come close to a majority in the legislature still dominated by the traditional parties.

Macron's Ambition Vaults Palace Aide to the Brink of Presidency

Macron, 39, quickly picked up endorsements, with Fillon joining his Socialist rival Hamon and Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve in backing him against Le Pen in two weeks' time. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel wished Macron all the best for the second round, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief spokesman, Steffen Seibert, welcomed his success on a platform that included a course for a strong EU.

In one year, we have changed the French political landscape, Macron told jubilant supporters in Paris, calling on voters to unite behind him as the voice of optimism and hope for our country and Europe.

Le Pen, 48, addressing National Front backers in Henin-Beaumont, in northern France, said that French voters face a historic opportunity to choose between savage globalization that threatens our civilization or a France with borders that protect our jobs and our purchasing power.

Le Pen, who wants to take France out of the euro and clamp down on immigration, has trailed Macron, a committed globalist, in almost every opinion poll for the runoff by a margin of some 20 percentage points. A snap Ipsos survey late on Sunday suggested he'd win by 62 percent to 38 percent for Le Pen.

Nuclear Power

The candidates, with personalities as different as their politics, now have two weeks to show voters that they are best prepared to assume the presidency of a country that is one of the EU's six founding members, a nuclear power and a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council alongside the U.S., Russia, China and the U.K.

Macron is a liberal technocrat who graduated from the country's elite school, speaks fluent English and did a stint as an investment banker before entering politics. Escaping from the wreckage of Francois Hollande's Socialist government, he mounted an unprecedented independent candidacy that was initially written off.

Le Pen has spent her life steeped in the far-right politics of her father, Jean-Marie, who founded the National Front when she was a child. A lawyer, she has spent much of her career trying to drag the party away from its racist and anti-Semitic roots and toward the mainstream.

The Making of Marine: Seven Dates That Forged France's Firebrand

Le Pen plans to cut legal immigration in France to 10,000 people a year, put a tax on foreign workers and bring back border controls that the EU eliminated. On the economy, she wants to abandon the euro, take control of the central bank and fire up the printing presses to finance welfare spending. Upon becoming president, she plans to go to Brussels to re-negotiate France's status in the EU and to hold a referendum on reintroducing the franc.

Macron, by contrast, wants to rebuild France's partnership with Germany to bring in a new era of European cooperation. He aims to simplify French labor law to boost economic growth and step up public investment in training and education.

Front-runners for the past three months, the rivals crossed swords regularly on the campaign trail in a preview of the themes that are likely to dominate in the next two weeks.

Nationalism is war, Macron, who grew up in Amiens, near the battlefields of World War I, told Le Pen in a televised debate earlier this month. I come from a region that is full of its cemeteries and I don't want to go back to that.

In a March debate, Le Pen mocked the complexity of Macron's answers. You've just spoken for seven minutes and I have no idea where you stand, she said.

The next two weeks will test the appeal of both candidates' stances, above all on the economy, Europe and security. Le Pen said that the path of unfair global competition and the free movement of terrorists was one that represented money as king.

The task is gigantic, Macron said. The fight to lead our country begins today.






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.
WASHINGTON  Jeff Bartos, a real estate executive and Republican fund-raiser from Lower Merion Township, is running for U.S. Senate, he announced Monday, joining a growing field of candidates seeking to unseat Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) next year.

Bartos, a Republican committeeman in Montgomery County who has never run for office, launched his run by accusing Casey of losing touch with Pennsylvania.

"Bob Casey forgot where he came from," Bartos said, adding that Casey "has left Pennsylvania behind and he's become Washington."

Calling himself a "conservative businessman," Bartos blasted the senator for opposing the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and said he would fight for lower taxes and less regulation for businesses, in order to spur economic growth.

Bartos' news release touts his roots in Reading and describes him as a political "outsider," though he travels in elite Pennsylvania political circles. Bartos is a board member at a political committee run by Bob Asher, Pennsylvania's Republican national committeeman and one of the state's most prominent fund-raisers. Bartos said he would resign from that position and said his experience made him a contrast with Casey, whom he described as a "lifelong politician."

Bartos, 44, has spent much of his career in real estate, including as a division president with Toll Brothers, and now owns a contracting company and manages several development companies.

He is part of a growing GOP primary field. Two state representatives, Rick Saccone, of Allegheny County, and Jim Christiana, of Beaver County, have begun campaigns.

Others running include Andrew Shecktor, a Berwick borough councilman in northeastern Pennsylvania, and Paul DeLong, a Williamsport man who filed to run for president last year and for Senate in 2002.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party derided the field and Bartos.

"The party of Trump is desperate for a Senate candidate, so they've turned to Jeff Bartos ... a salesman with a questionable record," said a statement from Beth Melena, a spokeswoman for the state's Democratic Party.

Dale Kerns, of Swarthmore, is running as a libertarian.

Casey's office did not immediately respond to Bartos' announcement.

You can follow Tamari on Twitter or email him at jtamari@phillynews.com.
Perhaps the best way to avoid another large marijuana-party raid such as the one that took place in Philadelphia on Saturday is to legalize marijuana altogether at the state level, Mayor Kenney said Monday.

"The real solution to this is legalizing it in the state of Pennsylvania as they did in Colorado," Kenney said Monday. "We won't have to use police resources in these kinds of activities and actions."

Kenney was responding to questions about Saturday's raid of the "smokeasy" marijuana party in a warehouse in the city's Frankford section. Police said 19 men and three women were taken into custody following an investigation of "large-scale marijuana sales."

Among them was pot activist N.A. Poe, whose real name is Rich Tamaccio, 37. Poe, who worked with Kenney when he was a councilman to pass legislation that decriminalized small amounts of marijuana for personal use, was identified as the organizer of Saturday's event.

About 175 people were released without charges, police said.

Police confiscated 50 pounds of marijuana, $50,000 in cash, four handguns, and about 100 pounds of THC-infused edibles. Partygoers said those edibles included THC-laced gummy bears.

On Monday, Kenney said "It's clearly illegal to sell in those quantities." But he quickly added that there may have been "another way" to go about the situation, "as opposed to the amount of resources that were put into this, especially considering our ongoing relationship with that community," he said.

Kenney said he was not aware that the police were planning that raid.

"I don't micromanage the police department and they didn't tell us they were doing it. Apparently they spent two months of planning. So, I don't know whether that could've been used for a better effort but still, how [the party organizers] set up in a very dangerous building, with the large amount [of marijuana] they had ,called for attention, I guess. And that's what happened," he said.

Kenney said given the location and amount of marijuana, he understood the need for police to investigate.

"I just think the amount of resources that were put into it may have been a little overkill," he said.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
In a sign of the big-box times, Suburban Hardware in Bryn Mawr will close at the end of this month. Everything must go, including owner Charlie Waters and the bear. Read more

In the dusty basement of Suburban Hardware in Bryn Mawr, lit by yellowed fluorescents, are names and dates scribbled in ink across posts, beams, and shelves -- testaments that Wooter '67, Tina '74, Paxton '04, and a hundred others, give or take, had passed through.

They were the teenagers who spent summers and after-school hours working at this storefront shrine for multitudes of Main Liners on home-improvement missions. Nearly all of the kids went their own ways afterward. But Wooter -- Charlie Waters of Haverford High -- stayed. Over the next 50 years, he became as much of a fixture as the bear standing sentry at the front door along Lancaster Avenue.

He had a mental map to every nut and bolt in stock. He fixed locks, cut keys, replaced batteries in watches and flashlights, and, he figures, assembled more than 1,000 Weber grills. No matter the request, the unfailing answer was, "Charlie can do it."

Now, as co-owner and manager, he's facing the toughest task of all: pulling the plug on Suburban Hardware.

The emporium that opened in the early 1900s will close at the end of this month. Everything must go. Including Charlie.

"It's been emotional," he said. "People think it's going to stay here forever, [but] downtown hardware stores are becoming a thing of the past."

To be clear, Suburban Hardware's demise has as much to do with Waters' desire to retire as it does with industry metrics. At 66, it's enough already. Still, he would rather have sold it than closed it. And the fact that he could find no buyer -- on a busy main street that lost its only other hardware merchant a dozen years ago -- speaks to something much bigger than Charlie Waters.

From 2007 to 2012, according to the U.S. Census, the number of independently owned hardware stores decreased by 6.1 percent, to about 15,500. All told, though, there are 35,000 retailers nationwide, including major home centers, and when they are thrown into the mix, industrywide sales for 2016 climbed nearly 6 percent over the previous year, the North American Retail Hardware Association reported.

The wealth isn't evenly spread around, Hardware Retailing magazine reported in its annual industry analysis. "Consumers opened their pocketbooks more freely for home remodeling projects and big-ticket items," it wrote, and that plumped up big-box bottom lines.

Meanwhile, as customers turn to a Lowes or Home Depot for washing machines and kitchen cabinets, employees at the local hardware store might spend 15 minutes solving an appliance riddle and, in the end, sell an 80-cent part.

That Suburban Hardware -- part of the True Value cooperative -- stayed open as long as it did is a tribute to "loyal customers," Waters said. "But customers get older. They had house accounts, and now they're in nursing homes." Most millennials, he noted, use the internet instead of stopping by a hardware store.

Waters' son, Andy, 38, had no interest in taking the wheel. During his senior year in high school, he worked there every spring Sunday. By summer, he concluded that his dad labored too hard for too little money. He went to college and became a mechanical engineer.

"He figured it out," the elder Waters said. "... I'm glad he chose a different path."

In high school, Waters also had a different path in mind -- electronics. So when a friend first offered him the hardware job, he declined. But his buddy was adamant. "To work at Suburban," he told Waters, "is an honor."

Its beginnings seem to be lost in the mists of Main Line history, though a photo hanging in a nearby State Store and dated 1915 shows the store, then called W.L. Hayden Hardware, with a Model-T parked out front. In 1947, the Hayden family sold the business to Kelly and Mario Barone and Ed Riddell, who held on to it for more than four decades. In 1990, it was bought by Waters and Jed Riddell, Ed's son; they also acquired another hardware landmark, Ricklin's in Narberth. Riddell helmed the latter, and Waters stayed at his home base.

With the purchase price came the Suburban Hardware mascot: a real stuffed bear, stationed at the door. In the mid-1990s, however, Bryn Mawr College students, finding its presence offensive, demanded that the bruin be removed. Waters complied, and got a wooden version.

When Suburban Hardware's lease ran out in 2016, with no replacement lined up, property owner Tim Rubin, of R.I.R. Management Services, asked Waters to stay an extra year. He agreed "for my employees," said Waters, who has seven of them. "... We are like family. It keeps me up nights worrying about what they are going to do."

Megan Davis has worked at Suburban since she was 14. She's now 23. Her father worked there as a teenager. "It's bittersweet. You don't live forever, and the boss needs to retire sometime," she said.

"I have customers that are children of customers. ... Customers' children now own homes," said Jim McGovern, an employee for 13 years. He used to work down the street at the now-defunct Bryn Mawr Hardware, which was fronted by an iconic white plaster horse, also gone.

According to Rubin, there are no plans for who or what will replace Suburban Hardware, although considering the amount of space, Waters bets it will be a restaurant.

He won't be diving off the deep end into retirement. He says he will work part time at Ricklin's. He also wants to rent an RV and travel cross-country with his wife, Donna.

And despite many cash offers, he's keeping the bear.
After all the publicity around Philadelphia's first pay-what-you-can restaurant, EAT Cafe, hundreds of people went to the Powelton Village eatery to see it for themselves.

"A guy who'd been living on the street heard about it and he said he didn't believe it. He walked 30 blocks to check it out," said Mariana Chilton, director of Drexel University's Center for Hunger-Free Communities and founder of the restaurant. "He was amazed that it was real."

But six months after opening EAT Cafe, where a three-course meal is served at a suggested price of $15, they're still explaining the pay-anything-or-nothing concept to people, convincing them that it's real.

It's an idea with resonance: A single Philly.com story on the cafe -- run by Drexel in collaboration with Vetri Community Partnership -- was shared more than 150,000 times on Facebook and was read by close to half a million people. But that hasn't necessarily translated into a sustained increase in diners.

When the restaurant opened, the goal was to host 130 customers a night. Right now, the restaurant averages 35 or 40 meals nightly. The managers recently cut back dinner service to three nights per week.

Still, Chilton said it's successful in the ways that matter to her.

"We hit the sweet spot in terms of our patrons: people who don't pay, people who pay a little, people who pay the full price or more," she said. "Our clientele is so diverse."

But she acknowledged a need to retool.

In June, EAT Cafe will add lunch service and patio seating to attract a new customer base.

Beyond that, she said, "We need a lot of things to get it to the point of sustainability." More corporate donors to join La Colombe, Metropolitan Bakery, and Giant. More private party bookings. More grants. More paying customers. "It's a massive group effort."

Educating potential customers remains a slow, even one-to-one, process. There's even a poster in the window explaining to passersby how a pay-what-you-can restaurant works (though a sign for EAT Cafe itself, other than a small, cardboard one hanging on the front door, has yet to be installed).

On social media, some readers complained the restaurant seemed out of their price range. They said they'd rather have a $5 meal they could afford than eat a $15 meal that felt like a handout. To pay less than the suggested price, they thought, would feel shameful.

Callalilly Cousar, 87, who is part of a community advisory board for the cafe, said she had spent the last six months trying to explain the place to her friends and neighbors in East Parkside.

"Some people didn't understand the concept," she said. "Some of them thought it was like a soup kitchen or whatever. But I've taken several people there myself who were thinking that, and they found out it was nothing like that."

But once they go, they get it, Cousar said. She loves the food, the ambience, and the sense that everyone is equal here, no matter what's in their wallets. The menu changes every week or two; recently, it was Italian-focused, so options included a caprese salad, minestrone, and vegetarian pesto lasagna.

"Nobody knows if you're paying or what you're paying. To me, that means a lot," she said. "You don't have to be embarrassed."

Last Friday night, the front dining room started to fill up around 6:30 p.m. A group of colleagues from Penn Presbyterian were holding a graduation party for a social-work intern at the front table. A four-top of recent college graduates who live in the neighborhood sat down for a meal.

At a table by himself, freelance illustrator Adriano Moraes, 40, of West Philadelphia, sketched the scene (including a portrait of a reporter) as he sipped his coffee. He said he comes for the food and the atmosphere, but at times the pay-what-you-can model can be a great help.

"As a freelancer, sometimes you struggle a bit, or they can take too long to pay. My income is kind of a roller coaster," he said. But regardless, he knows where to find a solid meal.

Often, the restaurant's books can serve as a rough gauge for the financial solvency of its customers.

Chef and general manager Donnell Jones-Craven said that, on a recent week, three-quarters of diners paid the full suggested price, or even more. Other weeks, the check total reflects leaner times.

"We have regular customers who may dine here three or four times a month, and at the beginning of the month they have the ability to pay, but in the middle or at the end of the month they may not. Then, when they come back again, they take care of business, if you will -- maybe pay for this visit, and also some extra," he said.

He said ending Saturday dinner service was a tough call. (It's now open 4:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Friday) He had wanted to stay open in case anyone was hungry. But he expects a lunchtime menu of salads, soups, and sandwiches to sell briskly.

For now, his staff is getting extra training, including spending time learning the steps of service at Osteria, said Jeff Benjamin, chief operating officer at Vetri restaurants and a founder of Vetri Community Partnerships.

Benjamin suggested there may be other ways to expand the cafe's income and outreach, maybe through events like chef nights and cooking classes.

"I would love to see us figure out other ways to subsidize it so it doesn't rely on foot traffic," he said. After all, he said, at EAT Cafe the bottom line isn't so much the number of customers that come through, but the quality of the experience. "In that environment, it's not just about the revenue."

EAT Cafe: 3820 Lancaster Ave., 267-292-2768, eatcafe.org

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All who cherish free expression, especially on campuses, must combat the growing zeal for censorship.

Where are the faculty? American college students are increasingly resorting to brute force, and sometimes criminal violence, to shut down ideas that they don't like. Yet when such travesties occur, the faculty are, with few exceptions, missing in action, though they have themselves been given the extraordinary privilege of tenure to protect their own liberty of thought and speech. It is time for them to take their heads out of the sand.

I was the target of such silencing tactics two days in a row earlier this month, the more serious incident at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., and a less virulent one at UCLA.

Claremont McKenna had invited me to meet with students and to give a talk about my book, The War on Cops, on April 6. Several calls went out on Facebook to "shut down" this "notorious white supremacist fascist Heather Mac Donald." A Facebook post from "we, students of color at the Claremont Colleges" announced grandiosely that "as a community, we CANNOT and WILL NOT allow fascism to have a platform. We stand against all forms of oppression and we refuse to have Mac Donald speak."

A Facebook event titled "Shut Down Anti-Black Fascist Heather Mac Donald" and hosted by "Shut Down Anti-Black Fascists" encouraged students to protest the event because "Mac Donald condemns (the) Black Lives Matter movement," "supports racist police officers" and "supports increasing fascist 'law and order.'"

When I arrived on campus, I was shuttled to what was in effect a safe house: a guest suite for campus visitors, with blinds drawn. I could hear the growing crowds chanting and drumming, but I could not see the auditorium that the protesters were surrounding. One female voice rose above the chants with particularly shrill hysteria. From the balcony, I saw a petite blonde walk by, her face covered by a Palestinian head scarf and carrying an amplifier on her back for her bullhorn.

Just before 6 p.m., I was fetched by an administrator and a few police officers to take an out-of-the-way elevator into CMC's Athenaeum. The massive hall, where I was supposed to meet with students for dinner before my talk, was empty  the mob, by then numbering close to 300, had succeeded in preventing anyone from entering. The large plate-glass windows were covered with translucent blinds, so that from the inside one could only see a mass of indistinct bodies pounding on the windows.

The administration had decided that I would live-stream my speech in the vacant room in order to preserve some semblance of the original plan. The podium was moved away from a window so that, as night fell and the lights inside came on, I would not be visible to the agitators outside.

I completed my speech to the accompaniment of chants and banging on the windows. I was able to take two questions from students via live-streaming. But by then, the administrators and police officers in the room, who had spent my talk nervously staring at the windows, decided that things were growing too unruly outside to continue. I was given the cue that the presentation was over. Walkie-talkies were used to coordinate my exit from the Athenaeum's kitchen to the exact moment that a black, unmarked Claremont Police Department van rolled up. We passed startled students sitting on the stoop outside the kitchen. Before I entered the van, one student came up and thanked me for coming to Claremont. We sped off to the police station.

These events should be the final wakeup call to the professoriate, coming on the heels of the more dangerous attacks on Charles Murray at Middlebury College and the riots in Berkeley, Calif., against Milo Yiannapoulos.

When speakers need police escort on and off college campuses, an alarm bell should be going off that something has gone seriously awry. Of course, an ever-growing part of the faculty is the reason that police protection is needed in the first place. Professors in all but the hardest of hard sciences increasingly indoctrinate students in the belief that to be a non-Asian minority or a female in America today is to be the target of nonstop oppression, even, uproariously, if you are among the privileged few to attend a fantastically well-endowed, resource-rich American college.

Those professors also maintain that to challenge that claim of ubiquitous bigotry is to engage in "hate speech," and that such speech is tantamount to a physical assault on minorities and females. As such, it can rightly be suppressed and punished. To those faculty, I am indeed a fascist, and a white supremacist, with the attendant loss of communication rights.

We are thus cultivating students who lack all understanding of the principles of the American Founding. The mark of any civilization is its commitment to reason and discourse. The great accomplishment of the European enlightenment was to require all forms of authority to justify themselves through rational argument, rather than through coercion or an unadorned appeal to tradition. The resort to brute force in the face of disagreement is particularly disturbing in a university, which should provide a model of civil discourse.

But the students currently stewing in delusional resentments and self-pity will eventually graduate, and some will seize levers of power more far-reaching than those they currently wield over toadying campus bureaucrats and spineless faculty. Unless the campus zest for censorship is combated now, what we have always regarded as a precious inheritance could be eroded beyond recognition, and a soft totalitarianism could become the new American norm.

Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of Manhattan's City Journal, and the author of "The War on Cops." She wrote this for InsideSources.com, and it is adapted from Manhattan's www.city-journal.org.
Gov. Wolf wants to protect schools from mass public shootings by hiring "trained security professionals like school resource or police officers." But a bill passed last week by the Senate Education Committee would allow school boards to let staff carry on school property as long as they have a concealed handgun permit and have gone through police-related firearms training. Wolf has already promised to veto the bill.

The governor should reconsider. Letting teachers and staff carry concealed handguns is nothing new in the United States, and there has been good reason for allowing it. Police virtually always arrive after an attack has occurred. Police are very important to fighting crime, but stopping mass public shootings is a uniquely difficult challenge.

For police and security guards, wearing a uniform is often akin to wearing a neon sign saying "Shoot me first," making them easy targets for attackers. The benefit of concealed carry is that the attackers won't know who is a threat to them. In addition, putting police in schools is also incredibly costly, much more so than staff and volunteers who are already working at the schools.

The fear of ending "gun-free zones" is misplaced. Prior to the early 1990s, states that allowed concealed carry didn't have any special restrictions concerning carrying on K-12 property. And there weren't any problems.

Twenty-four states now allow teachers and staff to carry, though the rules vary across states. Alabama, Utah, New Hampshire, and parts of Oregon leave it up to the teachers and staff to carry. The rules in other states are more similar to the Pennsylvania Senate bill and require the approval of the superintendent or the school board, For example, in neighboring Ohio, at least 40 school districts allow teachers to carry.

A common fear has been that someone will take the gun away from a teacher and use it improperly. But this has never happened. And excluding a few cases of accidental discharges when school grounds have been used for off-hours firearms training, there has only been one accidental discharge involving a permit holder on K-12 property. This happened in Utah and resulted in a minor injury.

"From what I've seen in Utah, [school insurance] rates have not gone up because of guns being allowed," says Curt Oda, past president of the Utah Independent Insurance Agents Association of Utah. A survey of school districts in other states that have allowed teachers and staff to carry has also found no evidence of increased insurance costs.

Others are concerned that permit holders will accidentally shoot bystanders or themselves be shot if police respond to the scene and mistake them for the attackers.

In fact, permit holders have stopped dozens of would-be mass public shootings in malls, churches, schools, universities, and downtowns. In none of these cases has a permit holder ever shot a bystander. Nor have police ever accidentally shot a permit holder.

And to address fears of permit holders not being qualified to use a firearm, the Pennsylvania bill requires substantially more training than in most of these other states.

Since at least 1950, all but four public mass shootings in America have taken place where citizens are banned from carrying guns. In Europe, every mass public shooting in history has occurred in a gun-free zone. And Europe is no stranger to mass public shootings, having been host to three of the four worst K-12 school shootings. In the past eight years, it has suffered a per-capita casualty rate 50 percent higher than that of the United States.

Unsurprisingly, killers try to avoid armed resistance. For example, last year, a young Islamic State sympathizer planned to shoot up one of the largest churches in Detroit. In a wiretap, the FBI recorded the young man's explanation for why he picked the church: "It's easy, and a lot of people go there. Plus, people are not allowed to carry guns in church. Plus, it would make the news."

These killers might be crazy, but they aren't stupid. They want to kill as many people as possible. Killers consistently pick defenseless targets where they know that no one will have a gun. Just look at the 2015 Charleston, S.C., church shooting, the 2012 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., and the 2015 attack in San Bernardino, Calif.

Gun-free zones are magnets for murderers. Even the most ardent gun-control advocates would never put "Gun-Free Zone" signs on their homes. Let's stop putting them elsewhere.

John R. Lott Jr. is the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center (http://crimeresearch.org) and the author of "The War on Guns." johnrlott@crimeresearch.org
The Central Government had on Tuesday intervened to prevent the transfer of the Malayali officer arrested by Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria.
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It is incredible that in the 21st Century, in the most technologically-advanced nation on Earth, tens-of-thousands of Americans had to take to the streets to march in support of science. And, their expressions of support are efforts to protest the current governments attack on science that will have a devastatingly detrimental impact on the Earths environment. It was an apropos gathering on Earth Day.

This series of protest marches is particularly important since this week Trumps Department of Energy secretary issued a memo that is not only contrary to science, it will affect the environments health and exacerbate the effects of climate change. Some on the left may think as little of DoE Secretary and former Texas governor Rick Perry as this author does, but while governor he was, in fact, an ardent supporter of renewable sources of energy  all a product of science and all contributing to saving the environment from fossil fuel-driven death. But then he joined Trumps administration.

First, it is noteworthy that as governor, Perry supervised expansion of Texas wildly successful Competitive Renewable Energy Zones. It was an initiative that spurred the construction of electric transmission lines to connect with renewable energy facilities. That initiative took great advantage of wind and solar, and energy storage facilities as a preferred option for sustained power grid reliability; options he now says have destroyed jobs and economic growth, and threaten to undercut the performance of the grid.

Perrys sudden reversal is due to being tasked by Trump as Energy Secretary to start prioritizing fossil fuels [coal] and nuclear energy over renewables. He made that abundantly clear in his memo, reported by Bloomberg, where he said the United States is blessed as a nation to have an abundance of domestic energy resources, such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydroelectric. These sources provide a stable, reliable and resilient grid. As ThinkProgress Mark Hand noted, nowhere in the memo did Perry list wind, solar, or energy storage as options for grid reliability.

The primary point of Perrys memo was complaining about regulatory burdens on fossil fuels, and mandates and tax and subsidy policies he claims are forcing baseload power plants to shut down prematurely. A base load on a grid is the minimum level of demand on an electrical grid over a span of time, for example, one week.

Perry doesnt seem to have an issue with the billions of taxpayer dollars going to the fossil fuel industry as subsidies, or the tax credits the oil industry receives while helping decimate the climate. However, with the Koch cabal pulling the Trump administrations puppet strings, Perry suddenly has a real problem with renewable energy credits and state legislatures mandating that a percentage of energy be generated by clean and renewable energy sources; mandates that are economically and environmentally beneficial to all Americans. There is no doubt whatsoever that if the Kochs could charge Americans for accessing solar and wind for their electrical needs, there would be free-of-charge solar panels on every building in America and Koch-branded wind turbines in every field.

Integrating a diverse combination, not just fossil fuels, of generating resources was a hot topic at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including regional transmission organizations. It has to be noted that electrical grid resiliency was a high priority during President Obamas administration; Perry is not coming up with anything new except forgoing any interest in renewable sources to prioritize using dirty coal.

In fact, as his tenure came to a close at the Department of Energy (DOE), in January former Secretary Ernest Moniz released what is being called a comprehensive assessment by the DOE of the nations electric grid.

An order for a new comprehensive assessment took The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) by surprise. ACORE expressed confusion with Perrys decision to initiate a brand new study founded on the bullshit idea that renewable energy policies are somehow responsible for undermining electrical grid resiliency. ACORE also cant accept the notion that solar and wind are responsible for the decline of coal and nuclear plants. This is particularly true because Perrys conclusion has been debunked regularly, including just last year.

According to numerous studies, including a 2016 long-term reliability assessment from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, ACORE noted the reality today as opposed to the Trump administrations fake news and Rick Perrys lies.

ACOREs president and CEO, Gregory Wetstone said in an emailed statement:

The reality today is that renewable power offers the only realistic economic alternative to natural gas. Together, renewables like wind and solar have combined with natural gas to produce virtually all of the nations major new electrical capacity since 2014. The fact is that low natural gas prices have made coal and nuclear less competitive economically.

Mr. Wetstones remarks are not any kind of revelation, not to officials in the fossil fuel industry nor in Trumps administration. But like everything remotely related to the Trump, facts dont matter when the dirty energy industry is doling out gargantuan campaign donations that allow them to dictate Trumps energy policies.

What really defines Energy Secretary Perrys lack of decency is that despite knowing exactly how beneficial, how reliable, and how inexpensive renewable energy source are, he is going in the opposite direction. Under his governorship, his expansion of renewable energy sources across the state helped Texas lead the nation in wind-powered generation capacity with more than 18,500 megawatts, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Rick Perry is as vapid a piece of work as the man who tapped him to attack renewable energy sources and prioritize fossil fuels and nuclear sources. It takes a special kind of malcontent to know what works, saves the environment, and is more economically feasible than the alternatives and then go in a completely opposite direction. In street vernacular Rick Perry is nothing but an insipid meat puppet. But that shouldnt be surprising; he was, after all, appointed Energy Secretary by the nations champion two-bit meat puppet, Donald J. Trump.
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The Trump administration has asked the entire US Senate to the White House for a briefing on North Korea that will take place on Wednesday afternoon. Could this administration be making a case for a war in North Korea?

Reuters reported, All 100 senators have been asked to the White House for the briefing by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the aides said. While top administration officials routinely travel to Capitol Hill to address members of Congress on foreign policy and national security matters, it is unusual for the entire 100-member Senate to go to such an event at the White House, and for those four top officials to be involved.

The Senate doesnt get briefed by four top administration officials at the White House unless there is an urgent crisis brewing. The Trump administration could be using this briefing as an attempt to distract from their many other problems, but it is probable that this briefing is the next step in the administration laying the groundwork for a strike or operation against North Korea.

The Trump has been acting like they desperately want to be a war White House. With tight sanctions already imposed on North Korea, and with much of the leverage for controlling the behavior of the regime resting with China, it is curious that the Trump administration would hold this briefing in this manner.

There is something coming, and this briefing is a moment that must be paid attention to.
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Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sees Republicans having an unpopular president and no legislative accomplishments, and he is getting worried about Democrats winning back the Senate in 2018.

Buried in a Politico story about Republican 2018 anxiety was this bit about the Senate, Not every Republican is confident about the Senate, either. McConnell has privately expressed concern about Trumps approval ratings and lack of legislative wins, according to two people familiar with this thinking. A student of political history, the Senate leader, has warned that the 2018 map shouldnt give Republicans solace, reminding people that the party in power during a presidents first term often suffers electorally.

It is true that the first midterm election has traditionally been a rough one for the incumbent president, and the closeness of the special House elections in dark red districts in Kansas and Georgia is evidence that the map is only helpful to a degree. If a party is burdened by an unpopular president and lacking enthusiasm among their supporters, elections, especially Senate races, are capable of tipping towards the party that is out of power.

House races can be localized, but Senate races always have a large federal element to them. While Trump will be a dark cloud over House Republicans, he has the potential to be an anchor around the necks of Senate Republicans. It is a much easier argument for Democrats to communicate to their supporters that they can check Trump by winning three Senate seats.

The Senate map is very difficult for Democrats, as only 8 Republicans are up for reelection, and only one looks like a potential Democratic pickup (Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada).

McConnell is right to be scared. An unpopular president, and a sputtering do nothing Congressional majority will make it easier for Democrats to defend their 25 contested seats.

Republicans are getting scared because they see the outlines of Democratic wave building against them in 2018.
Stopping for treats Kids could dress in costume and trick or treat at the Trunk or Treat at Roberts Point Park on Thursday, Oct. 27. Harbor Gibbs, 7, of Hemphill, dressed a character from the movie Scream, stopped for candy at the trunk of Oceana and Sean Jackson of Port Aransas.

Aiding the ARK Deno Fabrie, left, president of Parrot Heads Club of Port Aransas, presents a $9,750 donation that his organization made to the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) on Thursday, Oct. 27. Accepting on behalf of the ARK was Lee Harrison, who volunteers at the ARK.

Sea turtle release slated on Saturday The public is invited to attend a sea turtle release on the beach in Port Aransas on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) release will be at 10 a.m. near Marker 35. To be released are at least two sea turtles of the loggerhead species and five of...

Wednesday, Saturday route set to change in December Garbage pickup days are going to change for one of the three residential waste collection zones in Port Aransas. The first week of December, garbage that is scheduled to be picked up on Wednesday and Saturday will start being picked up on Monday and Thursday, said Mike Reeves, manager of...

Prescribed fire set at preserve soon Folks may see smoke coming from the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlies Pasture on some Saturday soon. But dont be alarmed. The City of Port Aransas applied for and received authorization to conduct a prescribed fire, according to a news release from the preserve. The prescribed fire will take...

First salute Devin Pate, right, a 2017 graduate of Port Aransas High School, gets his first salute after commissioning into the U.S. Navy during a ceremony at Seawolf Park in Galveston on Sept 30. His salute came from San Antonio resident Terry Hale, an Air Force veteran and former Brundrett Middle School...

Council appoints members to advisory boards The Port Aransas City Council appointed several new members and reappointed members to advisory boards during its regular meeting Thursday, Oct. 20. Airport Advisory Board Council members appointed K.C. Campbell as a new member to the Airport Advisory Board and reappointed Mark Creighton and Steven Wilson. Existing members are James...

Silver winners Lee Fuiman of Port Aransas, third from left, competed at the Huntsman World Senior Games Friday, Oct. 7 through Tuesday, Oct. 11, in St. George, Utah. He was part of a team named Es Club 65 that competed in indoor volleyball for 65 plus year-old men at the games. They...

Sister-Corps members to hold reunion, take part in projects A reunion of women who traveled to Port Aransas to help after Hurricane Harvey decimated the town in 2017 will meet here Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 10 through 13. The volunteer group, Sister Corps, arrived in Port Aransas the same week in 2017. They worked with residents to help the...
Five ways the EU could send a message to Hungary's Orban

Politico.eu said there are five ways the European Union could send a message to Viktor Orban and solve a problem like the Hungarian Prime Minister". None of these would make much difference, though.

1. Kick Fidesz out of the EPP

The portal said Orban has been a thorn in Europes side for years", and that patience in Brussels is wearing thin."So far, Brussels has been unable to lay a glove on Orban and Frans Timmermans, the European Commissions first vice president, was cautious about taking further steps, saying after an EC meeting on 12 April that we have to be on a very firm legal ground before we start infringement procedures." Actions taken so far have been mainly on technical issues: but this time the protection of Article 2 of the EU treaties  on core of EU values  is at stake, Timmermans said.The influential news portal in Brussels added the moment of truth for Orban could come as early as April 29 at a meeting of the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) of which Orban is a member  as are Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Juncker told fellow commissioners on Wednesday that its time to speak about the truth."Politico listed five things that EU could do to send a message to Orban.Orbans strongest link to Brussels is his Fidesz partys membership of the European Peoples Party. According to the EPPs statutes, suspending or excluding a party would need to be approved by the European Parliament at the request of either the partys president  Frenchman Joseph Daul  or by seven MEPs from five different countries, politico reminded.

But its not in the EPPs interests to kick out the Hungarians."

2. Ramp up the infringements

The EPP has 216 seats in the Parliament  making it the biggest group, ahead of the Socialists and Democrats on 189  and losing the 12 Fidesz MEPs would shrink its lead. Plus, Hungarian MEPs are seen as loyal and hard working.One obvious target for the EU would be to take action over Hungarys refusal to relocate refugees, politico.eu said. That would also mean taking on the other Central European problem child, Poland, which has taken the same hard line."

The portal reminded that countries on the frontline of migration such as Italy have pushed for infringement proceedings to be launched and it could help the Commission in its court case against Hungary and Slovakia, which objected to being told they must take in refugees. But it could make harder to reach a deal on reform of EU asylum law.

3. Open a rule-of-law procedure

4. Cut off the money

5. Send in the independent experts

The portal noted this was the route taken in the case of Poland and, in the worst case scenario,Politico added, though, that, mainly because Budapest is prepared to talk to Brussels whereas Warsaw is not. As in Polands case, securing unanimity among the EU members countries for suspending voting rights would be extremely difficult.In the 2014-2020 budgetary period, Hungary is slated to receive around 29.6 billion euros in EU funds to finance motorways, railways, energy projects and other schemes in a country whose GDP is around EUR 126 bn a year. Its an important source of cash for Budapest but the likes of Italy and Sweden are keen to claw back some EU funding if Central European countries are reluctant to host refugees. However, changing the EUs budget rules before 2020 would be impossible.The European Parliament has already approved a new mechanism for monitoring the rule of law which would set up a panel of independent experts to make country-specific recommendations during an annual fitness check of each EU member. The schemes backers say it would make life easier for the Commission because it would be less political. But theres a problem. Timmermans knows that he cant propose [a new monitoring process] because he knows hell lose. He has to make sure theres enough support in Council before he can put a proposal on the table," politico.eu cited Israel Butler, director of advocacy at the Civil Liberties Union for Europe, as saying.
Pizza has been a constant in Brian Kesslers life, from the time he got a job in a pizzeria as a teenager until the day he met his wife in a pizza joint. Read moreIggy's Pizza Shop is now open in Mount Pleasant
Watchdog and Public Service reporter

Thad Moore is a reporter on The Post and Couriers Watchdog and Public Service team and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. To share tips securely, reach Moore via ProtonMail at thadmoore@protonmail.com or on Signal at 843-214-6576.
Charleston, SC (29403)

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Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
The Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant handles most of the containerized cargo at the Port of Charleston. Its busy schedule left little time for maintenance dredging during the first quarter of 2017, resulting in higher costs. File/Staff
With fall in the air, cyclamen start peeking through the leaf litter, giving the woodland garden a splash of color when most plants have finished blooming. As those pink, white or magenta blooms unfurl and appear, it is a memorable sight to see. Read moreFall charmers and winter wonders
Tropical Storm Nicole is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane as it churns toward the northwestern Bahamas and Floridas Atlantic coastline. A range of warnings and watches remained in place Tuesday throughout the region. Nicole is expected to cross the Bahamas later Tuesday and strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday night or Thursday. Many areas are still reeling from damage caused by Hurricane Ian, which struck in late September. The hurricane center says Nicole's exact path remains uncertain but some Florida counties  including Flagler, Palm Beach and Volusia  have called for mandatory evacuations beginning Wednesday morning. Read moreTropical Storm Nicole churns toward Bahamas, Florida
GREENVILLE  South Carolina suffers from a brain drain. Addressing this brain drain is the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity for South Carolina to improve our economy. Read moreCommentary: SC loses too many of its college graduates. Here's how to keep more of them.
When members of Charleston's Board of Architectural Review-Large meet Wednesday afternoon, they again will review plans for an 8-story building at 295 Calhoun St.  what will be one of the largest and most prominent buildings at one of downtown's most important gateways. They should stand fi Read moreEditorial: Protect integrity of BAR, Charleston's unique character
With just a small fraction of votes counted hours after the polls closed it was too close to call the winners. Read moreElection could flip control of Charleston County Council, with votes still to be counted
In her latest novel, "Barkskins," Annie Proulx sees the forest for more than its trees.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Shipping News" and "Brokeback Mountain," uses that insight to lament not only the disappearance of the world's woods, but the greedy mindset and morality that allows, and even demands, that it happen.

Exhaustively researched for both time and place, the 700-page book tells an epic, sprawling tale that starts in the late 17th century with the travails of two Frenchmen, Rene Sel and Charles Duquet, who have just arrived in New France (today Canada). The story follows them and their descendants on crooked paths through the trees and 300 years of cutting what was once thought to be the infinite forests that shaded much of North America and the world.

Proulx uses those families of characters and the demise of wildly diverse forests to highlight the biggest true story of our time, climate change, and the critical roles played by the woodsman with an ax and a rapacious society.

"I have been concerned about and interested in global climate change for the past 20 years or so and wanted to write about this momentous shift," Proulx, 81, said in a recent email interview. "But the subject was simply too vast and disparate, so I decided to look at one contributory part of climate change  deforestation.

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"I also wanted to show the change in attitudes toward 'the forest'  from inimical vegetable mass that had to be destroyed, to our recognition that the forests are vital agents in climate change by their ability to absorb and store atmospheric carbon dioxide."

Proulx said the inspiration for "Barkskins" and its long and oft times tragic journey through three centuries of cutting came from personal experience.

"I had observed firsthand the death of the lodgepole forests in Wyoming's mountains when I lived there," she said. "That was certainly a catalyst for the story."

But the story goes well beyond wood chips and board feet to grind its ax on a history of humans' nature that compels us to act in our own self interest to such a degree that our common wealth of natural resources is eventually destroyed.

"The largest question for me was to wonder what there is in many (if not most) human beings that makes us believe that we have a right to plunder the natural earth?" Proulx said. "What is there in us that blinds us to the ecological damage we do? Why can't we recognize we are hastening our own end as a species? Is this the fatal flaw in humanity? These questions underlie the story."
Studying the Bible is central to Paul Larsen's spiritual life. He is a member of the Berean Community Church in Rochester.

"I came from an environment that was all about grace and doing good things, but I didn't necessarily have all the understanding of the Scripture that I do now ... this church has pointed me to the word," Larsen said.

Larsen is the president and sales manager of Ed-Ventures, a travel company facilitating group trips around the world. He grew up attending Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and attended Concordia College in Moorhead. In adulthood, he taught Sunday school in a congregation in another community. He was a single father at the time with a busy work schedule. The experience was formative. Even though he had little spare time, he reflected, "When you give back to him, you have all the time in the world. Sunday was always the best day of the week."

Eventually Larsen moved back to Rochester and began working for his father at Ed-Ventures. He joined the Berean Community Church in 2003 after being invited to attend by his wife, Lynn.

The history of Rochester's Berean community dates back to the 1960s. Several families began gathering in homes in 1962. Through the decades, the congregation grew in size. They built their current facility in 2004.

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Berean refers not to a specific denomination but to a movement that began in the early 1800s. The movement is named after the faith community described in the biblical book of Acts, chapter 17, verses 10-11. The Bereans of the book of Acts were committed to the careful reading of Scripture, and that remains a priority of Bereans today.

The pastor of the congregation is Nathan Brand, who started his position in 2011. The mission statement of the congregation is "Pursuing God. Preparing People. Proclaiming Christ."

Decision-making within the church happens primarily through a board of male elders, and the teaching and preaching of the congregation is designated for men.

Larsen shared that the congregation believes there are different roles for men and women, but he was careful to describe that while their roles are different, they have equal value to God. In addition to the board of elders, there also are directors of the church's various ministries who are both male and female.

Members of Berean Community Church live out their priorities of "loving God and neighbor" through a variety of ministries. They are involved in a mentoring project and softball league with Minnesota Teen Challenge. They also support New Life Family Services. In addition, the congregation has had a partner church in Haiti for the last 15 years.

"It began as us helping them, but then the paradox was flipped upside down," Larsen said. "We had helped them build their church, and then around 2007, our team went there and discovered they were praying for us in America. They were praying for us! There was a mutuality. It flipped our thinking around."

While studying the Bible and time spent in worship both are important for Larsen, he also lives out his faith through respectful conversations with people of different religious traditions.

"The reality is none of us have it 100 percent correct," he said. "God is the only one who is perfect. So he continues to work in all of us. That's part of what happens as we worship and study Scripture."

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Interfaith conversations are something Larsen enjoys and seeks out.

"A lot of people like to spend time with people who are like-minded, but I say, meet people who are not like-minded and you'll learn more about yourself and your own faith," Larsen said. "You don't always have it right. ... I have close friends who are Jewish and Muslim, and I learn in those conversations because I want them to know Jesus. There are things we can agree on and things we can't. But we can always be respectful."

In all his interactions, Larsen aspires to reflect the light of Jesus, and it is the relationships and experiences of the Berean Community Church that nurture his spiritual life. Sunday mornings at the Berean Community Church include adult education, Sunday school and worship. Larsen wants people to know all are invited, "Come to Berean. Come and build a relationship with him," Larsen said. "It's about knowing him. It's not all what we know in our heads; it's also what we know in our hearts."

For service times and more specifics about the congregation, visit their website at www.bereancc.org.
A former Mantorville resident is suspected of murder after a shooting early Sunday in the parking lot of an Indiana McDonald's.

Evan James Franklin Schaffer, 22, now of Orleans, Ind ., will appear before a judge in Lawrence County Superior Court, according to an employee with the court clerk's office.

The shooting occurred about 1:15 a.m. Sunday in Bedford , a south-central Indiana town of about 13,000.

Police were initially called for a report of a fight; before officers arrived, however, they learned one man had been shot and the alleged shooter had fled, local media reports say.

Witnesses provided police with a description of the vehicle and direction of travel; the car was stopped a short time later and Schaffer was arrested.

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The victim, Justin Lampkins, was taken to Indiana University Health Hospital in Bloomington, where he later died.

His sister, Alyssa Stahl, posted on Facebook that Lampkins was in the fourth vehicle in line at the McDonald's drive-through when the shooting occurred.

The person in the first car ordered and moved ahead, Stahl wrote, but the person in the second car, Schaffer, didn't move, so the driver in the third car honked his horn.

Schaffer then got out of his car, went back to the third car and asked its driver if he was the one that honked his horn. That driver said no, so he went to the next vehicle, Lampkins' truck.

"Justin already had his window down and was with his girlfriend and a buddy," she wrote. "The guy (Schaffer) reached in Justin's truck and grabbed him and punched him. Justin got out to go after the guy (Schaffer) and the guy (Schaffer) turned around a shot Justin dead in the chest. The guy (Schaffer) ran and Justin's girlfriend and his buddy told the cops what he looked like and what car he was in and they (Bedford Police) caught him he's in jail for murder charges."

A 2013 graduate of Triton High School, Schaffer had been arrested in Bloomington, Ind., and charged with arson about six weeks ago after he allegedly set fire to his own apartment, possibly as part of a plan to leave the state and begin life anew, according to the police.

The fire was contained to the bedroom of Schaffer's apartment, officials said, and nobody was injured in the fire.

Authorities originally believed the fire was started by a cigarette left in the bedroom. According to a police report, a fire investigator called police officers back to the scene after he found motor oil on the walls and floor of the bedroom. A bucket of oil was also found on the floor.

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Schaffer, his girlfriend and their dog returned shortly after the fire was put out. He admitted to smoking a cigarette in the bedroom before leaving but denied setting the fire. When police noted what appeared to be oil on his clothes, he said he had been working on a car, local media reported.

The fire investigator determined the fire was arson, and police arrested Schaffer and took him to the Monroe County Correctional Center. Schaffer's girlfriend told police he had talked in the past about getting rid of everything and starting fresh.
Southeast Minnesota's most creative kids will bring their latest ideas together next week at the Post Bulletin's second annual Inventors Fair.

The event, for children who like to tinker and invent things, is open to all students in southeastern Minnesota from grades 4-12. Kids are split into two groups, from grades 4-8, and grades 9-12.

The fair gives students a chance to look around them, identify a problem, and pose a solution to that problem with an invention.

The event is open to the public and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 29, at Autumn Ridge, 3611 Salem Road SW, Rochester.

First place winners will receive a cash prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500. The public will be able to vote for its favorite invention and the top two popular vote-getters in each category will receive $750 and $250.

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In addition to the student projects, businesses in the community such as IBM and Limb Lab will be on-site with presentations and as judges.

1. A 'Waffle Bot'

Two waffle-loving Pine Island sixth-graders paired up to make this one happen. Inspired by a similar device they had seen in a movie, Chris Pocklington and Owen Wiebold created a robot of sorts that will dispense waffles. The waffle is cooked in the bot's body and syrup is dispensed once the waffle moves to the bot's mouth. A hand connected to the device is a switch that controls the cook time.

2. Watch a 3-D printer at work

Limb Lab will have a 3-D printer onsite. Last year, the device created a hand. This year, the prosthetic and orthotic company said the printer will create a socket that will eventually be attached to a prosthetic leg as young inventors explore the fair.

3. A patent

Most people have heard of a patent, but ever wonder what one actually looks like, or how to get it? IBM "Master Inventors"  a designation reserved for those who have filed for 50 or more patents in their lifetime  will be on hand to explain how their best ideas are generated and the role that teamwork plays in bringing an idea to life. They'll have examples of real patents they've filed, and someone to explain how that process works.

4. Some of Rochester's brightest inventors

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Businesses like IBM and Limb Lab will be sending some of their best inventors and innovators to the fair as judges, and to hold down booths for students to explore and answer their questions.
The wait is almost over for local fans of Pancheros Mexican Grill.

The Rochester Pancheros will open its doors and start serving its "better built burritos" at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday (of course, it's opening on a Tuesday).

The Iowa-based Chipotle Mexican Grillcompetitor was training staff during the weekend at its restaurant at 4107 North US 52. It's in a 2,000-square-foot space next to Mattress Firm.

Pancheros is known for its focus on freshness and doesn't feature freezers or fryers.

The chain, often compared with the much-larger Chipotle, uses a press to make fresh tortillas. Staff at Pancheros also use a proprietary kitchen device called "Bob the Tool" to mix burrito and taco ingredients together.

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While Tuesday is a big milestone for the Med City location, the hungry customer might want to mark May 2 on their calendar. Pancheros has a tasty tradition of hosting a two-hour $1 burrito sale exactly one week after opening a new restaurant.

To be clear that translates to Pancheros selling $1 burritos from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 2.

This will be Minnesota's fourth Pancheros location. Prior Lake, Minn.-based Maxfield Management Groupis the firm opening Rochester's franchise.

Its leader, Dale Maxfield, is very familiar with the restaurant landscape in Minnesota. He's a former Old Country Buffet executive.

His Maxfield Management firm has taken over several closed Minnesota OCB locations and re-opened them as Golden Corralbuffet restaurants. Maxfield also owns Golden Corrals in Sioux City and Davenport, Iowa, Omaha, Neb., and Kokomo, Ind.

The commercial building that will house Pancheros is on the site of a long-empty shell of a Burger Kingrestaurant.

InSite Real Estate, of Chicago bought that property from Dallas, Texas-based Z's American Properties, demolished the old BK and then built the new complex.
What started off as a project for Josh Brunholzl to complete with his bar mitzvah turned out to be something with a much closer connection to home than expected.

Josh, a 13-year-old member of Rochester's B'nai Israel Synagogue, was one of many on Sunday who shared a personal connection to the Holocaust during "Yom Ha Shoah," or Holocaust Remembrance Day.

While some in the synagogue recalled stories of family members and the trauma the Holocaust brought to them, Josh discovered his connection through a database compiled by the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum. He began researching a boy from France named Leopold "Danny" Brunschwig, who died in Auschwitz at the age of four. Josh was researching the boy as part of his bar mitzvah, a religious coming of age ritual for boys at age 13.

Students are assigned a child victim of the Holocaust so that they're symbolically sharing their bar or bat mitzvah with one of the 1.5 million children killed during World War II. It's a task that brought him and others in the synagogue closer to their Jewish heritage.

Josh tracked down the young boy's living relatives, locating a cousin still living in France. After writing back and forth, it turned out that the woman's son had completed his residency at Mayo Clinic a few years ago.

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"It makes you realize how small the world really is," Josh said.

But no matter how close the connection, said Rabbi Michelle Werner, it's important to remember the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust.

"There's no way to exist without remembrance, we're not human if we don't remember," Werner said. "Everyone says if you don't remember history, you're subject to relive it  it repeats itself. But the truth of the matter is, we're richer, we're nourished by remembering."

Werner said the project allows children in her synagogue to share something very special with a child who never got to celebrate the occasion. It also helps them understand how grateful they need to be for their own life.

"They're sharing the happiest day of their life with somebody who was wiped away by history," Werner said.

The synagogue also paid tribute to 44 children who were killed in Izieu, France, by placing each of their names on an open chair in the synagogue during Sunday's service.

Others like, Taryn Israel Nechanicky, of Albert Lea, shared the stories of generations of relatives who struggled leading up to and following the Holocaust. She recounted the stories of relatives who died, and how the following generations have been named after those who died to keep their memory alive.

It's the stories like these that are so important to share, Werner said, because if they aren't transmitted, it stops there.

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"This history is not distant  this is intimate Jewish history, and it's genetic and it's really very close to heart."
This week at the Capitol is shaping up to be a critical one for lawmakers trying to reach a deal on Real ID.

A House-Senate conference committee has set a deadline of Wednesday to try to come up with a compromise bill. Winona DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski is one of the six lawmakers on the committee trying to find common ground. But disagreement over whether the measure should include language prohibiting undocumented immigrants from getting driver's licenses continues to be a major sticking point.

"I can tell you that there are discussions right now to find that solution," Pelowski said.

Minnesota is one of four states not in compliance with the federal Real ID law. That means beginning Jan. 22, 2018, Minnesotans will no longer be able to use a driver's license to board domestic flights. They would instead have to present other forms of ID  such as a passport or an enhanced driver's license.

Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL lawmakers say they oppose including language in the final Real ID bill that would prohibit undocumented immigrants from being issued driver's licenses. But Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt said it is important to include language in the bill that reaffirms what Dayton has already stated  that governors do not have the authority via the state's rulemaking process to issue these driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

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Pelowski said he is hopeful that lawmakers will be able to come to agreement this week. He said it doesn't make sense to tie the issue of driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants to Real ID.

"That is not really a critical issue for Real ID. That could be something separate and should be something separate," Pelowski said.

Emmer endorses Hagedorn

Republican 1st District candidate Jim Hagedorn got a major boost last week with the endorsement of a key GOP congressman.

Sixth District Rep. Tom Emmer endorsed the Blue Earth Republican's fourth bid for the 1st District seat. What makes that endorsement even more significant is that Emmer is also deputy chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. That organization plays a critical role in determining which U.S. House races are targeted and get federal campaign dollars.

Last month, longtime 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz announced he was running for governor in 2018, setting up a wide open race for the southern Minnesota congressional seat. Hagedorn came close to beating Walz last November, losing by less than 1 percentage point.

So far, Hagedorn is the only Republican in the race. But with Walz out, other GOPers have said they are considering jumping in. They include Olmsted County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Miller, Winona Sen. Jeremy Miller, Rochester Sen. Carla Nelson and Rochester Rep. Nels Pierson. A DFL party official says at least two Democrats are seriously considering running for the seat but has declined to release any names.

Walz racks up the miles

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Since announcing his gubernatorial bid last month, Walz has been aggressively touring the state. During a Rochester visit last week, Walz said he had already been busy getting out to meet people. His stops included Brainerd, Chisholm, Starbuck and Duluth  just to name a few. Some have questioned whether Walz has much name recognition outside of the First District.

Walz said at this point he has been pleasantly surprised by how many people know him.

"I think name recognition is an issue, but I think I'm pretty well known  at least among the activists or the people who are paying attention," Walz said.

He is one of many Democrats who have announced they are running for governor. Other candidates are St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Rochester Rep. Tina Liebling, St. Paul Rep. Erin Murphy and State Auditor Rebecca Otto. There has also been plenty of buzz about 8th District Rep. Rick Nolan possibly running for governor.

Walz called Nolan his "dearest friend" and said the Iron Range Democrat hasn't shared with him if he plans to run for governor. But Walz said before the speculation about Nolan ramped up, he made a contribution to the congressman's re-election campaign.

"He'll make the right decision, what's right for him," Walz said.

Last week, Republican Ramsey County Commissioner Blake Huffman announced he was running. Several other GOPers are also mulling bids, including Daudt, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Keith Downey and Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

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MINNEAPOLIS  When Osman Mohamed Ali returned to Somalia in 2009, he noticed few cultural artifacts remained.

Most relics had been destroyed in the country's 1991 civil war, Ali said, and there were no museums left in Somalia to preserve remaining items.

Worried the last artifacts would be destroyed, Ali began collecting those he could find and brought them to the U.S. In 2011, Ali founded the Somali Museum of Minnesota, which now holds hundreds of artifacts from the country.

Now, the museum is looking to expand. A bill sponsored by Rep. Ilhan Omar, DFL-Minneapolis, would grant $200,000 to the museum over the next two years to expand programs and exhibits. The museum has several cultural programs but lacks adequate room to operate at its current location  tucked into a commercial basement on East Lake Street.

The museum aims to connect Somali youth born in the U.S. to their heritage while educating non-Somali Minnesotans to foster understanding.

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"The museum represents culture and heritage for our community," Omar said.

People of all ages and backgrounds visit the museum, including students on field trips and government employees, said Ali, who serves as the executive director of the museum.

"When they take a tour, they learn something about this culture," he said.

But space constraints have caused the museum to keep much of its more than 700-artifact collection in storage. There's also no room for the museum's dance troupe and weaving classes to use, Ali said.

The bill's funding would let them lease separate spaces specifically for these programs, he said. "This money's going to help us to do more activities and. . more exhibits and display more artifacts," he said.

The museum sidesteps some of its layout issues by conducting outreach away from its physical location. The Somali Museum's dance troupe travels and performs traditional dance across greater Minnesota and in other states, Said Salah Ahmed, who teaches for the museum, said.He gives monthly presentations on Somali culture at Minnesota schools  where he incorporates museum artifacts to enhance storytelling.

"The awareness-raising in between cultures and communities is such an important factor that the museum does," said Ahmed, who's also a Somali language teaching specialist at the University of Minnesota.

This outreach helps bridge cultural gaps between the Somali community and other Minnesotans, Omar said.

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"I think we're sort of looked at as a community that just appeared out of nowhere," Omar said. "For our neighbors, it's really important for them to understand the vibrant culture that we belong to so that they are able to find ways to connect with us through song and dance and poetry."

While the bill's funding would improve museum operations, Ali said he's looking at more long-term solutions.

Ali is working to raise money within the community so the museum can eventually have a larger, central location  which could house all the artifacts and programs. Their fundraising goal is $300,000, he said.
ST. PAUL  Race, policing and preventing officer-involved shootings still stir strong feelings in St. Paul, and those emotions were on display on the city's East Side Thursday, not far from where a black man was shot and killed by police earlier this year.

The African American Leadership Council, St. Paul NAACP and St. Paul Black Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance sponsored the public forum at Progressive Baptist Church, organized to address concerns following the March 15 police shooting death of 29-year-old Cordale Quinn Handy.

The shooting is still under investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell and Mayor Chris Coleman told the audience of more than 50 people  most of them African-American  that they couldn't comment directly on the incident.

Kim Handy Jones recently sued the officers who shot her son. She alleges that officers Mikko Norman and Nathaniel Younce falsified their accounts of what happened when they encountered Handy outside an East Side apartment building. Police were responding to a domestic violence call.

Jones' lawsuit also alleges the Police Department policies made it possible for the officers to commit misconduct without fear of being disciplined. She vowed to keep pushing investigators to release information to her about what happened.

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"Because if it was anyone of you all's kids in here, you would want answers too," Jones said. "You would want the truth and you want answers. And I want justice. And I will not stop 'til I get it."

Before Jones arrived, Axtell expressed a similar sentiment. He said someone had asked, what would he want if he were the grieving parent?

"What I would want is the truth," Axtell said. "And I'm telling you as your chief of police in St. Paul, that I have full confidence that we will be handed the truth."

Many people in the audience were not so confident. They blamed what they called a code of silence that discourages officers from coming forward with information that might get one of their fellow cops in trouble. Members of the audience also blamed the police unions for defending troubled officers and helping them get their jobs back after they get fired.

And for some in the audience, the problem with police is that they don't do enough of the right kind of enforcement.

Chauntyll Allen, a youth organizer in St. Paul, described what happened earlier this week after shots were fired at a Green Line stop near Dale Street and University Avenue. Allen was across the street from the site of the shooting trying to get some young, excited kids out of the area when a squad car pulled up.

"Then a group of kids rolled by saying they were going to spray the whole block. The police officers stopped. They got out. They looked down the block. They got back in their car and they vacated. I no longer saw them," Allen said.

She also said while it's good for police to participate in community engagement activities, police can't be the ones organizing the events.

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"Because, see that's not a community event if you're just throwing it. That's not what we need. You're still in control," Allen said. "And the people who really need that don't want to come be a part of it."

The police chief and the mayor sat quietly through most of the meeting. But at the end, Coleman explained that the Police Department and the city were already working on many of the concerns raised during the meeting  from training officers to respond properly to people having mental health crises or getting them out of their cars to engage with members of the community.

"But, we have sat here for two hours and you've asked us to do stuff without context of everything that we're doing, including all of the work," said the mayor. "You can't tell us that you want us to meet you in the community and then complain that we're having cookouts in parks for kids. That was not started by officers, that was started by community members."

Coleman, who is not running for re-election this fall, said he and the city will keep trying to do a better job to improve community relations.

The meeting ended as it began, with a prayer from the Rev. Dr. Earl Miller. He prayed for the Handy family and for unity.
The Israel Defense Forces struck a base controlled by a pro-Syrian government militia on Sunday killing three and wounding two others, according a statement by the militia  the Syrian National Defense Forces. This militia fights alongside the Syrian army in support of Assad.

The Israeli attack occurred in the province Quneitra. Rebels hold portions of Quneitra; the army and pro-Assad forces control other portions.

The Sunday attack by the IDF followed a strike on Friday against pro-Assad militants in the Syrian Golan Heights. This strike was a response to three mortar shells exploding on the Israeli side of the border. Reportedly, the Israeli army deemed it likely that the fire was not intentional. However, Israel is not going to tolerate any spillover into its territory of the Syrian civil war.

As with the U.S. strike against a Syrian air base, the Israeli attacks occurred notwithstanding Russias backing of Assad and notwithstanding the air defenses it has provided him. Sources say its not clear whether the Sunday bombardment was an air strike or a shelling.

Israeli forces have attacked Syria via the air before. In mid-March, the Israeli air force attacked several targets across the border. The Syrian air defense launched several anti-aircraft rockets in response. One of the rockets entered Israeli airspace and was shot down by an Arrow missile.

Israels target in the mid-March attack was Hezbollah. The attack reportedly was intended to prevent that outfit from obtaining balance-breaking weapons for its arsenal in Lebanon.

After Israel acknowledged its attack, a departure from usual policy, Russia summoned Israels ambassador to explain it. The summons may have been a formality, inasmuch as Israel had already explained itself to the Russians.

Not long before the attack, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Moscow reportedly to explain that Israel would not agree to Iranian military presence, or that of Irans proxies, in Syria, given that the civil war seemed to be winding down and Syrian President Bashar Assads rule seemed to have been preserved. The mid-March attack, and Israels public acknowledgement of it, suggested that Russia understands Israels concern, or at least that Israel thinks Russia does.

Its unclear how Russia will respond to Israels latest incursion, which does not appear to have been directed at Iranian or Hezbollah forces. Most likely, Russia will do nothing consequential as long as Israel doesnt seek to alter the course of the civil war.
 Kate OBeirne, RIP. Kate OBeirne was a neighbor during the decade I Iived in McLean, Virginia, and she always reminded me of how Churchill described meeting Franklin Roosevelt: like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it. Kate was exactly like that. I cant add much to the remembrances from her media colleagues such as John OSullivan, Mona Charen, and Ramesh Ponnuru, and Jim Geraghty, who described Kates TV demeanor as a cross between Katharine Hepburn and a velociraptor. Just so. They dont make them like her any more.

 March for Science fallout? Dr. Roy Spencer reports on Facebook this morning:

There were 7 bullet holes found this morning on John Christys side of our building [at the University of Alabama], and only on his floor. There was a local March for Science here on Saturday which went right past our building (I doubt the shots were fired during the march). Thats all I know at this pointthe police have been interviewing John and othersIm in a different part of the building. Im the last one to believe conspiracy theories, but this seems to be more than coincidence.

Christy is a well-known climate skeptic.

 So its Le Pen vs. Macron. It is widely assumed that Macron will win in a landslide; the Nate Silvers of the world are giving Le Pen only a 1 percent chance of winning. (Thats a gag: Silver, even as late as 8 pm on election night, was still rating Hillary at least a 2 to 1 favorite over Trump. So you never know.) Macron sounds like he ought to be a Marvel comic superhero, but of course as a supposed centrist he represents more of (no)-business-as-usual for France; in other words, more kryptonite for the French economy, which means another five years of stagnation and drift. At which point it is possible that Le Pen might win a majority.

 Meanwhile, over in Germany, where it was just reported that 330,000 German households had their electricity shut off last year (translation here) because people cant afford to pay the skyrocketing prices, the Green Party is slowly sinking in the polls ahead of the fall election:

Benny Peiser of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (an ex-member of the German Green Party from his mis-spent youth) helpfully translates:

Meanwhile, their support in the polls is approaching the parliamentary five percent hurdle. On Sunday, the opinion research institute Emnid presented its latest survey. According to the pollsters, the Greens are now on only six percent  the worst support the Institute has measured for the party in 15 years. Despite the current debate on the meaningfulness of polls, the survey is frightening for the Greens. Forsa and Insa also estimate only six percent support for the party. And in North Rhine-Westphalia, where a new state parliament is elected in May, the prospects for the Green Party are just as bad. It is not so long ago that the Greens debated whether they were already a big tent party. In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011 the polls saw them on 25 percent while the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg elected a green as prime minister. No one expected at the time that the party would fear not to get into the next German parliament by failing to jump the five percent hurdle.

More from the NoTricksZone:
President Trump gave an extended interview to the Associated Presss Julie Pace, a liberal reporter who has done her best to oppose Trump. (See, e.g., here and here.) But Pace played it straight and Trump was expansive, to say the least. The Associated Press has now published a partial transcript of Paces interview with the president.

It is well worth your time to read the entire interview. Trump is a human hurricane, and Pace, to her credit, tried to ask reasonable questions. Mostly, she tried to get a word in edgewise. Here are a few excerpts, but, as I said, the whole thing is worth reading:

AP: You did put out though, as a candidate, you put out a 100-day plan. Do you feel like you should be held accountable to that plan? TRUMP: Somebody, yeah, somebody put out the concept of a hundred-day plan. But yeah. Well, Im mostly there on most items. Go over the items, and Ill talk to you  (Crosstalk.) TRUMP: But things change. There has to be flexibility. Let me give you an example. President Xi, we have a, like, a really great relationship. For me to call him a currency manipulator and then say, By the way, Id like you to solve the North Korean problem, doesnt work. So you have to have a certain flexibility, Number One. Number Two, from the time I took office till now, you know, its a very exact thing. Its not like generalities. Do you want a Coke or anything? AP: Im OK, thank you. No.  TRUMP: But President Xi, from the time I took office, he has not, they have not been currency manipulators. Because theres a certain respect because he knew I would do something or whatever. But more importantly than him not being a currency manipulator the bigger picture, bigger than even currency manipulation, if hes helping us with North Korea, with nuclear and all of the things that go along with it, who would call, what am I going to do, say, By the way, would you help us with North Korea? And also, youre a currency manipulator. It doesnt work that way. AP: Right.

That answer contained a technical response as well as considerable common sense.

Trump talks about his relationship with Congress, in particular Congressional Democrats:

AP: Do you think that you can break through that? I mean this  TRUMP: Yeah, I do. AP: Is one of the biggest challenges for a president. TRUMP: I think (I) can to an extent. But theres a, theres a basic hard-line core that you cant break though, OK, that you cant break through. Theres a hard-line group you cant break through, you cant. Its sad. You cant. Look, I met with Congressman Cummings and I really liked him, a lot. Elijah Cummings (of Maryland). I really liked him a lot. And during the conversation because we have a very strong mutual feeling on drug prices. He came to see me, at my invitation, because I saw him talking about, he came to see me about drug prices because drug prices are ridiculous. And I am going to get them way, way, way down and he liked that. He said you will be the greatest president. He said you will be, in front of five, six people, he said you will be the greatest president in the history of this country. AP: He disputed that slightly. TRUMP: Thats what he said. I mean, what can I tell you? AP: Yeah. TRUMP: Theres six people sitting here. What did he, what, what do you mean by slightly? AP: He said, he said that he felt like you could be a great president if and then  TRUMP: Well he said, youll be the greatest president in the history of, but you know what, Ill take that also, but that you could be. But he said, will be the greatest president but I would also accept the other. In other words, if you do your job, but I accept that. Then I watched him interviewed and it was like he never even was here. Its incredible. I watched him interviewed a week later and its like he was never in my office. And you can even say that.

It is funny how Trump, with his unconventional style, generally wins these exchanges. Here is one more:

AP: If I could fit a couple of more topics. Jeff Sessions, your attorney general, is taking a tougher line suddenly on Julian Assange, saying that arresting him is a priority. You were supportive of what WikiLeaks was doing during the campaign with the release of the Clinton emails. Do you think that arresting Assange is a priority for the United States? TRUMP: When Wikileaks came out  never heard of Wikileaks, never heard of it. When Wikileaks came out, all I was just saying is, Well, look at all this information here, this is pretty good stuff. You know, they tried to hack the Republican, the RNC, but we had good defenses. They didnt have defenses, which is pretty bad management. But we had good defenses, they tried to hack both of them. They werent able to get through to Republicans. No, I found it very interesting when I read this stuff and I said, Wow. It was just a figure of speech. I said, Well, look at this. Its good reading. AP: But that didnt mean that you supported what Assange is doing? TRUMP: No, I dont support or unsupport. It was just information. They shouldnt have allowed it to get out. If they had the proper defensive devices on their internet, you know, equipment, they wouldnt even allow the FBI. How about this  they get hacked, and the FBI goes to see them, and they wont let the FBI see their server. But do you understand, nobody ever writes it. Why wouldnt (former Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John) Podesta and Hillary Clinton allow the FBI to see the server? They brought in another company that I hear is Ukrainian-based. AP: CrowdStrike? TRUMP: Thats what I heard. I heard its owned by a very rich Ukrainian, thats what I heard. But they brought in another company to investigate the server. Why didnt they allow the FBI in to investigate the server? I mean, there is so many things that nobody writes about. Its incredible. AP: Can I just ask you, though  do you believe it is a priority for the United States, or it should be a priority, to arrest Julian Assange? TRUMP: I am not involved in that decision, but if Jeff Sessions wants to do it, its OK with me. I didnt know about that decision, but if they want to do it, its OK with me.

Will Trumps unconventional presidency be a success? I dont know. Ask me in four years. But I will say this: the more I have listened to Trump and, especially, read transcripts of his speeches and interviews, the more I am impressed by the fact that if you look past his gee-whiz real estate developer style and his generally-overlooked implicit self-deprecation, what Trump is telling us is usually very smart.
Australia has been holding over 2,000 illegal refugees on the Pacific islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. These are individuals who tried to enter Australia illegally, something that Australia, unlike the U.S., does not permit. The refugees are from Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Sudan, and some are described as stateless.

The Obama administration, for reasons that remain unclear, agreed with Australias government to resettle some of these illegals inside the United States. The number that Obama agreed to take was classified, but subsequent reports suggest that it is 1,250. Obamas agreement, which was secret at the time, was the subject of a harsh protest by Senator Chuck Grassley and Representative Bob Goodlatte.

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump correctly termed the Obama administrations agreement with Australia a dumb deal. But now, according to the Associated Press as reported in the Japan Times, Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed the agreement on behalf of the Trump administration. Pence is in Australia, on the first leg of his Asian tour:

Trumps 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 well honor the agreement  that doesnt mean we admire the agreement, Pence said during a joint news conference with Turnbull. The fallout over the deal has strained the typically cozy alliance between the U.S. and Australia.

But that is only because Obama agreed to take the illegal refugees in the first place. He obviously had no duty to do so.

I dont know whether Trump is following through with the agreement because he believes Obama made a commitment that it would be improper to back out on, which seems like an entirely reasonably view. Or perhaps Trump is using the refugees as a bargaining chip as he tries to line up as much Asian/Pacific support as possible for his strategy vis-a-vis North Korea. Be that as it may, the deal will be worthwhile, from our point of view, only if the 1,250 refugees are resettled in the Hamptons, or perhaps in Marin County.
including us.

Hadas Gold reports in Politico that President Trump will welcome members of the conservative media for a small reception at the White House on Monday: Among those attending: One America News Network, The Daily Caller and Breitbart, as well as some columnists and talk radio hosts. If all goes according to plan, Power Line will be represented there too and I will have more later. The occasion of the reception, as I understand it, is the completion of Trumps first 100 days in office.

Gold quotes Sean Spicer: Weve definitely done our fair share of meetings with mainstream reporters. Once in a while its important to appreciate the folks who have really covered the president fairly and covered a lot of issues ignored by mainstream media.

As we round into our fifteenth anniversary online next month, I think its fair to say that we have aspired to cover the president fairly and have certainly covered a lot of issues ignored by the mainstream media. But I would concede that Im not an impartial judge of our virtues.
Diamond Banks profit after tax dipped by 38.34 per cent during the financial year ended December 31, 2016.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the banks profit after tax dropped to N3.49 billion from N5.66 billion recorded in 2015.

These financials are contained in a statement issued by the bank in Lagos on Monday.

It said that the banks gross earnings also dropped to N212.41 billion from the N217.09 billion recorded in the preceding year.

The statement said that the bank posted 53 per cent growth year-on-year in total comprehensive income of N12.1 billion, while non-interest income inched by 6.9 per cent to N53.9 billion, ostensibly stimulated by transaction fees.

The statement stated that the banks capital adequacy ratio remained stable at 15.0 per cent, equal to the Central Bank of Nigerias required minimum standard.

It said that revenue from non-interest income, especially its mobile banking, increased from N0.41 billion in 2015 to N2.6 billion in 2016.

Uzoma Dozie, the banks Chief Executive Officer, was quoted by the statement as saying that the companys stable growth continued in spite of the harsh economic headwinds.

Mr. Dozie said that the strategies were primed to promote sustainable growth and profitability in the long term.

He said that the restructuring of banks operating model was a key development completed in 2016.

Following its successful implementation, the emerging model has improved customer engagement, strengthened Diamond Banks value chain approach to business and delivered efficiencies across the bank, he said.

Mr. Dozie said that these measures had helped to improve the banks low-cost deposit base from the retail segment, whilst also facilitating growth in non-interest income and reduction in interest expenses.

In the months ahead, the bank will continue to deploy new technologies and digital applications to drive financial inclusion and convenient banking amidst a decline in the pace of economic activities and weak economic fundamentals, he said.

According to him, the bank will also continue to deepen its retail strategy to mop up low cost funds, expand its credit creation structure and increase market share in all market segments.

(NAN)

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Zimbabwes bond note surrogate currency will not solve its economic problems, the International Monetary Fund said.

The IMF said that only comprehensive reforms would address a fiscal crisis, media reports said on Monday.

The Southern African nation last year introduced bond notes which officially trade at par with the U.S. dollar and are backed by a 200 million dollars bond from the African Export and Import Bank.

The Director of the IMFs Africa Department, Abebe Aemro Selassie, told reporters in

Washington that limited foreign exchange inflows and a lack of monetary policy tools since Zimbabwes adoption of the US dollar in 2009 had worsened cash shortages.

We think that, going down this one (bond) note route, in and of itself, will not address the challenges that the country has, Selassie said, according to a transcript of the media briefing.

So, its very important to have a more comprehensive policy package which also

addresses a lot of the fiscal challenges that the country faces, a lot of the structural reforms that have to be done.

The central bank says it has so far printed 121 million dollars in bond notes, but a high demand for cash has meant that the surrogate currency is also in short supply.

Importers, including mining companies and manufacturers say they are facing serious delays in paying for imports because banks have no dollars to make the payments.

So, its, again, more of a holistic package of reforms that are required to get Zimbabwe out of the place its in right now, Selassie said.

(Reuters/NAN)

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A German teachers union on Monday called for school classes to contain a proportion of immigrants no higher than 35 per cent.

The union said that classes with a greater proportion would lead to integration problems and a drop-off in performance.

The German Philological Association warned that there would be a ghettoisation of the school system.

It welcomed comments by Education Minister Johanna Wanka to Focus magazine that the proportion of children with and without an immigrant background needs to be balanced out.

The associations head Heinz-Peter Meidinger said that Wanka and Culture Minister Monika Gruetters should consider using an incentive system for schools and educational authorities to find solutions to the issue.

Meidinger said that the problem must be handled sensibly and not abused for political purposes.

Wanka told Focus that there should be no classes in which a high proportion of immigrants lead to students speaking to each other mainly in their native language.

(dpa/NAN)

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The Presidency has described the reported resignation of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, as mere distraction and pure mischief.

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, stated this in Abuja on Sunday night while reacting to social media reports on the purported resignation of Messrs. Kyari and Daura.

Mr. Shehu, who frowned at the report, said the Chief of Staff left Abuja on Saturday for China on presidential assignment and would be back by the middle of the week.

He said: The report is pure mischief. What I can tell you is that the President sent the Chief of Staff Malam Abba Kyari to China on an assignment.

He left on Saturday and we are expecting him by the middle of the week.

The DG DSS who spoke with me a few hours ago is busy on his job. Nothing to indicate resignation.

I think these are mere distraction.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that an online outfit; Post-Nigeria, first reported the purported resignation, on Sunday.

(NAN)

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The Borno Police Command on Monday confirmed the killing of three suspected suicide bombers after a foiled attack near Maiduguri.

Damian Chukwu, the Commissioner of Police, made this known in a statement in Maiduguri.

Information just received indicates, today at about 0510 hours three female suicide bombers attempted to enter Mamanti village in Jere Local Government Area.

They were intercepted by vigilantes called Civilian JTF.

In the process, one of the bombers detonated Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) strapped to her body killing herself alone.

The other two tried to escape but were shot dead by security personnel on duty.

Mr. Chukwu said that the police anti-bomb unit had been drafted to the scene to render it safe.

Suicide bombing by teenage bombers is one of the ways the Boko Haram attacks civilian and military personnel in north-east Nigeria.

However, due to intensive surveillance and security measures put in place in the past year, few casualties are recorded during such attacks with most of the victims being the bombers themselves.

The attacks by the Boko Haram have continued despite the terror group losing most of the territory it once controlled in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

(NAN)

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The Kano State Emirate Council on Monday defended itself over an allegation of financial recklessness, saying it is not true that it has spent over N6 billion in less than three years since former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi, became the Emir of Kano.

At a press conference in Kano, the Emirate Council said it has only spent N4.314 billion, and gave account of its expenditures under the new emir.

Mr. Sanusi became emir in June 2014 that year, following the death of his predecessor, Ado Bayero.

The clarifications by the emirate council are coming less than a week after The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission opened an investigation into allegations of questionable expenditures running into billions of naira by the council over a short period of time.

Addressing the press in Kano, Bashir Wali, who as Walin Kano is the traditional official in charge of the finances of the council, said the emirate has spent N4.314 billion within the said period, contrary to the speculated N6 billion.

He said the council had N2.8 billion in fixed deposits with various banks, until February 7, 2014 when it expended N981 million on the Ado Bayero Royal City project under the late emir, Ado Bayero, leaving in the kitty a balance of about N1.8 billion.

The sum of N1.8 billion was the exact amount inherited by His Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II, against the alleged claim of N4 billion.

Mr. Wali stated that, amongst other expenditures, the Council spent the sum of N152 million to procurement furniture for the palace after the death of Mr. Bayero, as all the belongings of the late emir, including the furniture items, were removed and distributed to his heirs in accordance with Islamic injunctions.

The sum of N108 million was also paid to the heirs of the late Emir Ado Bayero by the Emirate Council in respect of his personal cars inherited by the present Emir Muhammadu Sanusi

The cars now form part of Kano Emirate Council fleet of vehicles in the palace, he added.

Mr. Wali also said the Council used N142 million to purchase two bullet-proof vehicles based on the advice and approval of the state government, especially after the assassination attempt on the former emir.

He denied the allegation that the Council purchased two Rolls Royce executive cars for the Emir.

The two Rolls Royce cars were never purchased by the Emirate Council. The cars were donated to His Highness by his friends, Mr. Wali said.

He also said the Council received the sum of N1.7 billion between June 2014 and March 2017, although, according to him, it ought to have received triple that amount in accordance to the law establishing the Emirate Council Fund 2004.

According to the emirate official, the law provides that the Emirate Council should receive three per cent of the total statutory grants of the 44 local governments and also 10 per cent of what the 44 local governments contributed is to be paid by the state government.

From 2012 to date, the council has been denied of this contribution, he stated.

He also said Emir Sanusi upon assumption of office, reviewed the salary structures of the council upward, including their remuneration.

The total monthly pay is now N36 million as against the N9.910 million before September 2014.

Mr. Wali said the state government were fully informed of the review.

The Emirate Councils secretary and treasurer have been summoned to appear at the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commissions office on May 2 to shed light on how over N4 billion was expended and to present legal instruments backing the expenditure.

The emir has been in disagreement with the Governor of Kano, Umar Ganduje, over some of his actions.

Some of the actions include Mr Gandujes planned light rail project in Kano, which the emir described as a misplacement of priority.

The emir also recently blasted the Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, for blaming fornication by Nigerians for the recent outbreak of meningitis in the country.

Mr. Sanusis other progressive stance like call for increased girl-child education in northern Nigeria, and call for regulation of polygamy has put him at loggerheads with a largely conservative traditional culture in Kano and northern Nigeria.

His critics, like Mr. Yari, however allege that Mr. Sanusi does not practice what he preaches.

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The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, a Supreme Court Justice, Sylvester Ngwuta, and others currently before the Code of Conduct Tribunal will continue on a day-by-day basis, the Tribunal has said.

Messrs. Saraki and Ngwuta are among the most prominent of those charged with false asset declaration by the Nigerian government.

While the Senate President faces an 18-count charge for the alleged offence, Mr. Ngwuta was slammed with an eight-count charge.

According to the CCTs practice direction manual for the year 2017, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES: Hearing of cases shall be from day-to-day bases as the diary of the tribunal may permit for the purpose of fair and speedy trial.

The manual, signed by the Tribunals chairman, Danladi Umar, and a member of the CCT, William Atedze, further states that the start time for trials shall be at 9 a.m., every working day, stressing that no attempt to frustrate the speedy dispensation of matters at the tribunal would be tolerated.

The CCTs chairman, Danladi Umar, had at the start of Mr. Sarakis trial stated that the matter would proceed on a day-by-day bases, but later recanted that stance.

The senate president has also made several attempts to prevent the continuation of his trial, forcing the tribunal chair to sound a note of plea to the defence counsel urging them todeviate from prolonging the trial, without due reason.

Mr. Sarakis trial, which was earlier scheduled to continue on April 18 was latter adjourned to April 25 following a notice to the effect of the further adjournment by the tribunal.

Also, the accused persons stand a chance of forfeiting their undeclared asset pending the determination of the trial, as stated in the guideline.

The 12th paragraph of the guidelines allows for the prosecution to apply for a temporary seizure of the asset affected by allegations against accused persons, till the matter is determined by the tribunal.

Also, according to the guideline, the application from the prosecution for the temporary seizure shall be obtained ex-parte, with an affidavit and schedule of the property to be so attached.

By the charges proffered against Mr. Saraki, asset belonging to him, which may be seized include landed properties in various parts of Abuja and Lagos State, as well as a similar asset in London, purchased at the cost of N375 million.

Mr. Ngwuta was also accused of failing to declare landed properties and luxury cars belonging to him. His trial at the tribunal commences on July 5.

As indicated by the guideline, its provisions, containing 26 paragraphs, took effect in February, this year.

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President Muhammadu Buharis media team said on Monday that they were not consulted before a journalist was expellled from the presidential villa.

Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Security Officer, CSO, to President Muhammadu Buhari expelled the correspondent of Punch Newspapers, Lekan Adetayo, from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

Mr. Adetayo, who confirmed the expulsion to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday said it was because of a story about Mr. Buharis ill health published by his newspaper on Sunday.

The Punch reported that the reporter was summoned by Mr. Abubakar to explain two of his recent stories from the State House.

He referred to the lead story of SUNDAY PUNCH of April 23, 2017, titled Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buharis poor health and queried the motive behind it

He also referred to our corespondents column, Aso Rock Lens, published on Saturday, April 22, 2017, and titled Seat of powers event centres going into extinction, The Punch stated in a report Monday evening.

The News Agency of Nigeria said in a dispatch from the State House that Mr. Adetayo was grilled for 45 minutes.

But President Buharis spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has said his office wasnt consulted before the expulsion.

We werent consulted in the media office by the CSO before he expelled The Punch reporter, Mr. Adesina said in a reaction to news reports about Mr. Adetayo on Twitter. President Buhari is committed to press freedom.

An amicable solution would be found to The Punch reporter matter, Mr. Adesina said in a follow-up tweet while emphasising that the president would not hinder press freedom.

Mr. Adetayos report, which his newspaper led with on Sunday, raised questions about a purported cover-up of the presidents health.

It said some State House staffers were allegedly growing increasingly sceptical about Mr. Buharis ill-health, especially as the president had been rarely sighted in public since he returned to the country from a 50-day medical vacation March 10.

The report suggested that the presidents fragile health might have prevented him from meeting some of his top officials, including ministers, adding that most of the duties in the presidency have been unloaded on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr. Adetayos expulsion came nearly two years after the State House, under President Goodluck Jonathan, withdrew the accreditation of a reporter for German radio, Deutsche Welle, for allegedly asking embarrassing question during a visit by Chadian president.

Ubale Musa has since been reinstated by the Buhari presidency.

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Aisha Buhari, the wife of the Nigerian president, has stressed the need for more investment in out-of-school teenage girls, noting that a substantial number of these girls have either not completed their education or have never attended school, and that this portends unpleasant consequences for humanity.

Mrs. Buhari was speaking during a side event at the 50th Session of United Nations Commission on Population and Development, which held recently, in New York.

Mrs. Buhari, was represented at the Session by Hajo Sani, Senior Special Assistant to the President. In her remarks, Ms. Sani reiterated the efforts of Mrs. Buhari under her Future Assured Programme in advocating for the promotion of girl-child education, and vocational education through which thousands of women are being trained in fashion design, interior decoration, cosmetics development, leather work and many other trades.

Ms. Sani also confirmed that the programme is organizing refresher courses for those aiming for higher education but do not have the educational requirements.

Only recently, Future Assured Programme entered into collaboration with National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education with the aim of revitalizing the old system of adult education and community learning centres.

The side event, with theme Investing in out of school teenage girls: a priority for achieving demographic dividend, sustainable development and specific SDGs in Africa was jointly organized by UNFPA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerias Permanent Mission to the UN, to showcase Nigerias rich experience and the enormous results of the commitment shown by stakeholders, which provide a best practice for scale-up in Africa.

Mrs. Buhari commended the organizers for highlighting the issue of out-of-school girls and described the theme of the side event as apt.

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The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Kayode Soremekun, on Monday said the award of honorary degrees of the institution would not go to politicians and moneybags.

Mr. Soremekun spoke at a news conference in Oye-Ekiti to herald week-long activities marking the maiden convocation ceremony of the institution.

According to him, the university does not subscribe to cash-and-carry honorary degrees often given to politicians and moneybags across the country.

We are de-emphasising the mercantilist and cash-and-carry mentality of giving honorary degrees to only the rich and the powerful.

There are many people contributing to the development of this country but nobody is recognising them.

This university has been receiving commendations here and there for ignoring the moneybags.

Everything is not about silver and gold; we should remember the people on this side of the divide, the professor said.

The vice-chancellor said the universitys resolve would convey the intended message that recognition could also go to patriotic Nigerians from humble backgrounds.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the university has selected four awardees for honorary doctorate degrees, with three retired principals of secondary schools and an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert making the list.

The retired principals are, 100-year-old Adepoju Akomolafe; 89-year-old Francis Daramola, former principal of Christs School which is the alma mater of the current Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, and Efunjoke Coker, while the ICT expert is Babatope Agbeyo.

Mr. Soremekun said that the Attah of Igala and Chairman of Kogi State Council of Traditional Rulers, Michael Idakwo, would be installed as the first Chancellor of the institution at the grand finale of the convocation ceremony on Saturday, April 29.

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and Mr. Fayemi are among the dignitaries expected at the convocation.

The vice-chancellor said 504 graduands cutting across 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 academic sessions would receive first degrees while engineering graduands would get inducted into their professional bodies.

In the 2014/2015 session, eight students had First Class honours; 69 Second Class Upper; 79 Second Class Lower; eight Third Class and one Pass.

In 2015/2016 session, 10 obtained First Class; 155 Second Class Upper; 134 Second Class Lower and 40 Third Class.

Mr. Soremekun said an endowment fund would be launched as part of the activities marking the maiden convocation while the universitys postgraduate school would soon begin.

(NAN)

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The Federal Government says it will hold a national conference to discuss and proffer solutions to farmers/herdsmen clashes currently ravaging the country.

Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this when a joint dialogue to analyse the root causes of the crisis submitted its report in Abuja on Monday.

Mr. Ogbeh said the government would engage all stakeholders involved in cattle breeding, as well as farmers to discuss and analyse the situation with a view to finding the solution to the crisis.

The minister listed other stakeholders to be involved in the conference to include policy makers, the security agencies, Ministry of Interior and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN.

He said that the government had earlier appealed to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to analyse the root causes of the clashes in the country, hence the submission of the report.

The issue of herdsmen and farmers clashes and the big question of grazing reserves and ranches done by the committee is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The committee has been working on this matter for two weeks and they brought the summary of their report today.

We have looked at it to see how we can finally deal with this problem. We dont like the conflicts and we do not want them to continue.

We also want to make sure that cattle breeding is not a nuisance but a viable industry.

We are targeting June 2017 for a major national conference on this matter and at that conference we will bring in all stakeholders.

We have to solve the problem and we will solve the problem, Mr. Ogbeh said.

Rabe Mani, the Assistant FAO Representative in Nigeria, Programme, said that access to land, capital, market, infrastructure, inputs and manpower were needed to improve the livestock production in the country.

He said the committee recommended at least a 10-year national livestock or ranch development plan to establish milestones and targets.

According to him, the reason for the plan is to aid entrenchment for implementation.

We facilitated this team. We engaged a cross section of stakeholders ranging from state commissioners, traditional producers, practicing ranchers, people directly in the marketing of livestock products across the country.

Baba Ngalzarma, the National Secretary of MACBAN, applauded the recommendation saying it would help to solve the problems being faced by its members if implemented.

(NAN)

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Aid organisations working to stop the famine in Nigeria will run out of money by June if donors do not give the cash they pledged at a conference in February, worsening an already difficult situation.

A UN official said on Monday that the famine in the northeast of the West African country is one of four hot spots, together with South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia, that constitute the worst humanitarian crisis the world has faced since 1945, the UN said in March.

The UN said in Nigeria, 4.7 million people, many of them displaced by the conflict with Islamist insurgency Boko Haram, need rations to survive.

Of these, the UN added, an estimated 43,800 people already experience famine.

The world body said two months ago that international donors pledged $457 million at a conference in Oslo to address the needs of Africas Lake Chad region, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, to go toward the $1.5 billion dollars.

For Nigeria, the UN added, aid agencies working on the crisis have so far received only 19 per cent of the money appealed for, according to Peter Lundberg, deputy humanitarian coordinator for the country.

By comparison, the UN added, aid agencies working on the crisis in Cameroon have received 23 per cent of the money appealed for; those in Chad four per cent and Niger 47 per cent.

At it stands right now we believe we are running out of money by June-July, Mr. Lundberg said in an interview, adding that donors he had talked to so far had cited bureaucratic reasons for the delay.

Mr. Lundberg was in Oslo as part of a tour of Nordic countries to encourage donors to make good on their commitments and will travel to the UN in New York later Monday to discuss the issue with other member-states.

Without funding now, he said, aid agencies cannot feed enough people, provide the seeds and tools local farmers need to plant crops, or prepare for the rainy season that starts in May, when deteriorating road conditions mean people will be harder to reach.

Mr. Lundberg said the most critical needs for funding are for the World Food Programme, which provides rations to 1.3 million people a month.

They may have to cut rations instead of scaling up as they should ahead of the rainy season, he said.

And the UNs Food and Agriculture Agency, which helps farmers plant crops, has received only 12 million dollars of the 60 million dollars it needs.

Earlier in April, Reuters reported that WFPs funds could run dry within weeks.

The UN is unable to reach an estimated 700,000 people, mostly in the remote parts of Nigerias Borno state, due to the presence of Boko Haram, roadside bombs and near-daily suicide bombings attempts in camps where displaced people live.

(Reuters/NAN)

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Monday deployed 95 personnel to beef up security at Minna High Court as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) looked set to arraign former Governor Babangida Aliyu on Tuesday.

Mr. Aliyu, who served between 2007 and 2015, is expected to be arraigned for alleged N5 billion scam and abuse of office during his administration.

Philip Ayuba, NSCDC Commandant, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Minna.

Mr. Ayuba said that the Corps had been directed to beef up security in and around the court premises where the former governor would be arraigned.

He said that the measure was to avoid any breakdown of law and order before and after the court sitting.

He said that the command would not tolerate any form of thuggery and warned those planning to cause problems to have a rethink.

We will deal ruthlessly with any person or group of people trying to tamper with the peaceful coexistence of the residents.

He called on members of the general public to be law abiding and go about their legitimate business as security measures had been put in place against any form of security threats.

Meanwhile a combined team of NSCDC and DSS personnel have begun general patrol of Minna, reassuring peace-loving citizens of their safety.

(NAN)

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The Bishop of Diocese of Enugu North (Anglican Communion), Ngwo, Enugu State, Sosthenes Eze, has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyis peace and grassroots development initiatives in the state, saying that the governor has extended development to the most-neglected areas in the rural communities.

Mr. Eze equally appreciated the sound relationship the governor enjoys with the stakeholders of the state, particularly his predecessor, adding that it was the first time the state was experiencing such gesture.

The bishop made the remarks during the Diocese of Enugu Norths Centenary Thanksgiving Celebration and Award Service at Cathedral Church of St. Mary, Ngwo, where Governor Ugwuanyi was conferred with an award of Transformational Leader of the Year for Infrastructural Development.

He explained that the Diocese honoured the governor for his rapid transformation of the political and socio-economic landscape of Enugu

State, peace initiatives and commitment to the welfare of the people of the state.

We can see for the first time that a governor is in office and is in a sound relationship with his predecessor which has not happened in the history of Enugu State.

The governor has discovered the most-neglected areas of the state and has taken development to these areas. So, the governor is focused and deserves this award, the bishop said.

Also in his remark, the Chairman of the Centenary Committee, Ramsey Onyia, appreciated the presence and punctuality of the governor at the event, noting that this is the first time since 1979 a governor is worshiping in this church.

Responding, Mr. Ugwuanyi thanked the Enugu North Diocese of the Anglican Church for the award and felicitated with the Diocese on its 100 years of preaching the gospel, adding that it has contributed immensely to the intellectual, moral, spiritual and social development of the people in this area and the society at large.

The governor said that God has been faithful regarding the achievements his administration has been able to achieve, despite the severe economic and other challenges confronting the nation.

We are confident that, with your prayers and the continued support of the people, we will not fail to deliver on our promise to take the State to a higher level of growth and development for the benefit of

all.

On our own as a Government, we promise to do whatever is necessary to maintain the wonderful relationship and partnership that we currently share with religious organizations in the state and we will continue to offer them the support and assistance that they require to succeedin the cause to improve the moral and spiritual fabric of the

society.

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The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni, has warned traditional rulers in Ikorodu area against harbouring criminals who were unleashing terror on their subjects.

Mr. Owoseni gave the warning on Sunday during an interactive meeting with traditional rulers in Ikorodu over the incessant violent crimes by suspected militants in the area.

The police boss expressed sadness over incessant kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, robbery, cultism and killings of innocent persons in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that four police officers, an army captain and a civilian were killed by suspected militants in Isawo area of Ikorodu on April 9.

Mr. Owoseni told the royal fathers that the police would no longer tolerate people being killed and maimed under the watchful eyes of traditional rulers.

He urged the traditional rulers to join hands with the police so that hoodlums would have no place to hide or operate in their domains.

Mr. Owoseni accused some chiefs in the area of collaborating with criminals to unleash terror on residents.

There are Baales (village heads) that are informants and sponsors of criminals in this area.

They allowed militants to build houses harbouring criminals in the creeks.

I want the royal fathers to call their chiefs to order.

This meeting is convened to tell them that we will no longer tolerate silent conspiracy.

Traditional rulers cannot tell me they dont know who is who in their domain; all communities are advised to organise their local vigilantes, Mr. Owoseni said.

According to him, most kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes in Lagos State takes place in Ikorodu area. He urged community to be part of the security management.

In the community, there are hunters and farmers; they cant say they dont know criminals in their communities.

There is conspiracy of silence on criminal activities and this conspiracy must stop.

Traditional rulers and religious leaders must unmask the criminals in their communities.

We have begun operations at Isawo; we need intelligence reports from the traditional rulers.

Killing for rituals must stop and with your support, we can stop those killings.

Let us take ownership of our areas and expose the hoodlums amongst you.

Some of the Baales and chiefs supply foods to these militants; many of them are spies to these vandals and militants, said the police commissioner.

Responding, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Adewale Shotobi, assured that the traditional institution would partner with security operatives in curbing crimes in the area.

Mr. Shotobi said that the royal fathers were investigating the recent killings and other crimes in Ikorodu area so as to expose the hoodlums.

Also speaking, Oba Ajibade Agoro of Imota, noted that increasing crime in the area was due to massive urban-rural migration.

No traditional ruler would be happy for his community to be known for criminality during his reign.

Cultism is our problem in Imota. Few days ago, someone was shot while another person was also shot yesterday.

Our challenge is that when we give information and the police arrest these criminals, after few weeks, the suspects are released, Mr. Agoro said.

(NAN)

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The remains of Isiaka Adeleke has been buried at his residence in Ede on Monday, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

The corpse was brought to the residence from Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo at about 10:46 a.m., where the Chief Imam of Ede, Moshood Akaje performed the funeral prayers at about 11:03 a.m.

Mr. Adelekes body was immediately buried after the prayers amidst tears by families, friends and political associates.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Ibikule Amosun of Ogun, were among the dignitaries that attended the burial.

Earlier in his sermon, Ibrahim Adekilekun, the Chief Imam of Ansarudeen, Ede, described Mr. Adeleke as a man loved by all during his life time.

Mr. Adekilekun, who noted that death is inevitable for all humans, urged family members not to fight anyone over Mr. Adelekes death.

Meanwhile, the Osun Government has declared a three-day mourning in the state.

This is contained in a statement by Semiu Okanlawon, media aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Monday in Osogbo.

This is in honour of the departed first Civilian Governor of the State of Osun, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke.

The 3-day mourning period commences from Monday, April 24, 2017.

 During the period of mourning, all flags are to fly half mast, the statement said.

Mr. Adeleke, 62, was the senator representing Osun West Senatorial District at the Senate under the platform of All Progressive Congress, APC, before his death on Sunday at a private hospital in Osogbo.

(NAN)

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The government of Osun has blamed political opportunists for the attack on one for its officials, Idiat Babalola, on Monday at the funeral rites of late Isiaka Adeleke in Ede.

The spokesperson for the government, Semiu Okanlawon, told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack was an ugly way of honouring the memories of the personality of the late Mr. Adeleke, who was the first civilian governor of Osun State.

Ms. Babalola who was seated amongst some dignitaries, including the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, at Mr. Adelekes burial, was chased out by hoodlums, who accused her of betraying the late senator.

Mr. Adeleke was reported to be nursing a governorship ambition ahead of the election next year, while at the same time, Ms. Babalola was said to have been picked as a running mate to whomever emerges the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

The protesters major grouse against her, it was gathered, was that she was not supporting Mr. Adelekes ambition to return to the government house, despite being an indigene of Ede.

The mob also raised allegations that the government of Aregbesola had a hand in the death of the senator, even though the governor was away in China and there is no evidence yet that the lawmaker was killed.

Some hoodlums looking for every available thing to hold on to only took advantage of the tension created by the death of Adeleke in the minds of his supporters, Mr. Okanlawon said.

What they should have done is to await the outcome of the autopsy, that would guide their actions.

The result of an autopsy conducted by the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital has not been made public.

Mr. Okanlawon said the death of the senator was a collective loss to the people of Osun State and the Ede community.

He said those who took the laws into their hands to launch the attack against Ms. Babalola were hasty and acted based on unverified information.

It was, however, gathered that Ms. Babalola is also a native of Ede, where Mr. Adeleke hails from, and her family and that of the Adekeles have close ties.

Her father, S.O. Babalola, was also at the funeral while she was being attacked by the irate supporters.

PREMIUM TIMES also learnt that the government team, led by the deputy governor, was on its way to the burial but had to turn back on learning about the attack.

Mr. Okanlawon, however, declined comments when asked if the government would take any action against those involved in the attack.

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President Andrzej Duda

President Andrzej Duda on Monday held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The conversation was held at the initiative of the Turkish head of state.

President Erdogan informed the Polish president about the course and results of a constitutional referendum in Turkey and further steps related to reforming Turkey's political system. (PAP)
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.
South Jersey residents will get an opportunity to get a first-hand look at this years gubernatorial candidates during two primary debates on May 9 at Stockton University.

The university is offering a limited number of tickets to the debates at the Campus Center Theatre that are available at stockton.edu/governordebates. The public also has the opportunity to suggest questions to the candidates that can be submitted at the website.

The Republican debate, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., will feature Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, R- Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset, and will last for one hour.

Christie doubles down in PILOT fight as Atlantic County prepares for lawsuit Mayors across Atlantic County are gearing up for a fight against the state to get its 13.5 p

The Democrats will debate at 8 p.m.

Scheduled to attend are former U.S. ambassador Phil Murphy, state Senator Ray Lesniak, D-Union, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, D-Middlesex, and attorney Jim Johnson.

The debates will be moderated by Sharon Schulman, executive director of the universitys William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy.

Civic engagement has always been a guiding principle of Stockton University, Stockton President Harvey Kesselman said in a statement. Political debates like these bring immediacy and relevance to the democratic process for our community and region.
*This guest column ran in the opinion section of the Press on April 24.

In the words of a Tammany Hall politician, No mans life, liberty or property are safe while the legislature is in session. The casino PILOT bill demonstrates his point.

Officially known as the Casino Property Tax Stabilization Act, the PILOT bill does just that. It stabilizes property taxes for casinos at the expense of every non-casino property taxpayer. Depending on the ratio in any given year, property owners could see a tax increase of five to 15 cents per $100 valuation each year for 10 years. Without the PILOT, there would be no county tax increase. This legislation is flawed, but it happened. Now, where do we go from here?

Opposition to the PILOT is not an issue of Atlantic County vs. Atlantic City. It is about property tax fairness, which the New Jersey Constitution demands. Non-casino property taxpayers should not have to pay more because the casinos have their taxes frozen for 10 years. The PILOT removes the value of casino properties from the county tax base. The loss of $3.4 billion worth of ratables, or 10 percent, is financially disastrous for any community.

There are three ways to correct this. The first is to ensure that a minimum of 13.5 percent of casino PILOT payments is paid directly to the county to compensate for the share of county taxes they would otherwise pay. Despite public promises and signed agreements, this percentage never made it into the final bill, but neither did the 10.4 percent the state offered. A difference of $40 million!

The second is to repeal the PILOT. Remember, no PILOT no tax increase. The need for the PILOT was always questionable. Reasonable casino executives said all they wanted was fair property assessments. The PILOT was considered necessary because the Atlantic City government raised casino property tax assessments to fund operational costs. But this is no longer the case since the state controls the citys finances. But repeal is unlikely because somebody has to admit they were wrong.

The third option is to challenge it in court. A first-year law student would question its constitutionality, but can the people win against the special interests? As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, The Constitution says what we say it says. Not very encouraging, but well try anyway. Even if we lose, the depositions should be very interesting.

The Office of Legislative Services stated that the financial impact on county government was indeterminate. They also could not determine whether the PILOT payment would be greater or less than what would be collected without the PILOT. Who in their right mind would enter into a 10-year agreement based on such uncertainties? You wouldnt even lease an automobile without the terms and conditions clearly defined.

The casino operators are smart. Shortly after the PILOT bill passed, a half-owner of Borgata, recently reassessed at only $650 million, sold its 50 percent share to MGM for $900 million, which is not subject to property taxes for 10 years. Borgatas owners protected their investors. Who is protecting us?

They made sure they wrote into the legislation that it cant even be reviewed until 2025! Incredibly, one of the bills sponsors admitted it was drafted by the casino association. How many homeowners would like to write their own property tax bill for the next 10 years?

All of this could have been avoided if the casinos were correctly assessed. Delaware, Nevada, Maryland, New York and other gaming states somehow assess their casinos fairly and dont need a PILOT. Why do we need one in New Jersey?

Dennis Levinson, of Linwood, is the Atlantic County executive.
PEORIA, Illinois, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT / NYSE Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that today, a Form 8-K was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") with respect to monthly retail statistics.

Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (www.sec.gov ).

Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings ) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC.

CONTACT: Rachel Potts, Corporate Public Affairs, +1-309-675-6892

This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.
BANGALORE, India and KARLOVAC, Croatia, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

TO ALL STOCK EXCHANGES

BSE LIMITED

NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE OF INDIA LIMITED

NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGEc

EURONEXT LONDON

EURONEXT PARIS

April 24, 2017

Dear Sir/Madam,

Sub: Press release

Please find enclosed the press release titled "Infosys Expands Footprint in Eastern Europe - Opens Delivery Center in Croatia".

The same will be made available on the Company's website at the following weblink

https://www.infosys.com/newsroom/press-releases/Pages/croatia-karlovac-delivery-center.aspx

This is for your information and records.

Yours sincerely,

For Infosys Limited

A G S Manikantha

Company Secretary

Infosys Expands Footprint in Eastern Europe - Opens Delivery Center in Croatia

New facility to provide research and development service delivery and engineering services capabilities

Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, today announced it is strengthening its engineering footprint in Eastern Europe by opening its first office and delivery center(DC) in Karlovac, Croatia.

In line with the company's strategy to establish global competency centers, offering the best talent in the market and making it available to customers globally, this DC also marks our expansion into Eastern Europe's established heavy engineering sector. The new facility will meet near-shoring requirements, support engineering clients worldwide, as well as offer R&D services.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary of State, Mario Antonic, emphasised how Infosys' strategy to enhance its footprint in the region's established engineering sector is a testament to the local expertise, and by bringing this to organisations across the globe, Infosys DC will also contribute to the growth of research and development activities in Croatia.

Quote

Ravi Kumar S., President and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Infosys:

"As part of our strategy to increase geo capabilities, the Karlovac delivery center will deliver value to our global clients, specifically in the Nordics. The focus will be on consolidating consulting, IT and engineering skills in the areas of power generation, design and development of large gas and steam turbines, digital solutions for service and maintenance, and development of advanced engineering software tools. As we continue to invest in developing global competency centers, tapping local talent and scaling those centers, we will be looking to partner with local academic institutions, co-innovate with clients and nurture a partner ecosystem to help develop skilled workforce that will deliver next-generation services."

The Karlovac facility in Croatia is the latest location across 16 regions in Europe which Infosys has opened as part of its ongoing commitment to client servicing and local job creation.

About Infosys Ltd

Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of over 200,000 innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies, that we bring to every project we undertake.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.

Media contacts:

Asia Pacific

Sarah Gideon

Infosys, India

+91 80 4156 3998

Sarah_Gideon@infosys.com

EMEA

Margherita Di Cerbo

Infosys, Europe

+44 2075162748

Margherita.DiCerbo@infosys.com

Americas

Chiku Somaiya

Infosys, USA

+1 408 375 2722

Chiku.Somaiya@infosys.com

This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE Infosys Limited
RICHMOND, British Columbia, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

INSTI HIV Self Test detects HIV two weeks sooner than other brands

bioLytical Laboratories, a world leader in rapid infectious disease tests, is pleased to announce the launch of the INSTI HIV Self Test in pharmacies across Belgium.

With a single drop of blood, the INSTI HIV Self Test is more than 99% accurate and provides a result instantly. With other home tests, individuals must wait 15 to 20 minutes (after the test is conducted) for a result to be produced or several days or weeks in the case of laboratory tests. INSTI is simple to use and yields greater than 99% accuracy. The INSTI HIV Self Test is an over-the-counter adaptation of the INSTI point-of-care test which has been trusted by healthcare professionals in Europe for over 10 years.

As of 2014, of the estimated 2.5 million people in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region living with HIV, approximately half were not even aware of their status. Locally, estimates suggest nearly 1 in 5 HIV-positive people in Belgium are unaware of their positive status. There are several options available for getting tested, but having access to a very simple yet highly accurate test, allows consumers to test themselves without having to make an appointment at a laboratory, hospital or clinic.

"When developing a HIV home test, we wanted to provide an easy, affordable, consumer-friendly solution that would empower individuals to take control of their health in a discrete way, and within the comfort of their own home," said Robert Mackie, bioLytical's President. "By launching in Belgium, we are able to make HIV testing more accessible. INSTI HIV Self Test which can detect HIV up to two weeks sooner than all other HIV home tests currently on the market."

The launch in Belgium commenced today with an in-country sales team targeting up to 4,900 pharmacies nationwide. Please email retailsales@biolytical.com for further enquiries to list the INSTI HIV Self Test in your pharmacy.

About bioLytical Laboratories Inc.

bioLytical Laboratories Inc. is a privately owned Canadian company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of rapid, point of care in vitro medical diagnostics using its proprietary INSTI technology platform. With a world-wide footprint of regulatory approvals including US FDA approval, Health Canada approval and CE mark, bioLytical markets and sells its INSTI HIV test globally and INSTI HIV/Syphilis Multiplex test in Europe. The INSTI product line provides highly accurate test results in 60 seconds or less, far faster than the 15-20 minutes required for competitors' tests based on lateral flow technology. bioLytical has an active R&D program with a pipeline that includes tests for diseases such as Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, Hepatitis C and Ebola, among others. The company also provides contract services to adapt the INSTI platform to meet custom functional and technical diagnostic testing requirements. For more information, please visit http://www.biolytical.com.

Contact: Robert Mackie, +1 604 204 6784, info@biolytical.com

SOURCE bioLytical Laboratories
Online and in print, Maquinaria OP provides construction equipment sellers across Spain direct exposure to buyers who have come to rely on it as their primary source for finding equipment locally. "The machinery and commercial trucking sectors continue to grow in Spain and across Europe," explains Sandhills' Chief Operations Officer Shawn Peed. "Maquinaria OP and Todo VI have a robust presence in Spain and, with the strong foothold that our brands already possess in these markets, these additions further strengthen the exposure we offer sellers and the value of our resources to buyers."

With the acquisition, Maquinaria OP and Todo VI join the ranks of the industry-leading titles distributed by Sandhills Publishing and Sandhills East, the circulation of which exceeds five million publications each month. The announcement comes on the heels of a series of international acquisitions, including Sandhills East's recent purchase of MOMA Agri and MOMA Farm (www.MOMA.es), print and online resources targeting buyers and sellers of agriculture equipment across Spain. The acquisitions will also result in the cross-listing of equipment both online and in print for advertisers in Machinery Trader and Maquinaria OP, as well as advertisers in MOMA Agri and TractorHouse.

About Sandhills East

As a subsidiary of Sandhills Publishing, Sandhills East builds on the company's decades-long presence in its core industries. Sandhills Publishing has nearly 800 employees and is based in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Its first publication, Machinery Trader, has served the heavy machinery industry since 1978. The company has since added publications and websites reaching the trucking (Truck Paper), aviation (Controller, Executive Controller, and Charter Hub), technology (Computer Power User and CyberTrend), farm equipment (TractorHouse), auction (AuctionTime), and equipment rental (RentalYard) industries, as well as buyers and sellers in international markets (MarketBook).

Sandhills East was established in 2011, quickly expanding to include office locations in Manchester, Peterborough, and Essex, United Kingdom as well as Beaucamps-le-Vieux, France, Madrid, Spain, and Senningerberg, Luxembourg. The company also has offices in Scottsdale, Arizona and Brisbane, Australia.

About Sandhills Publishing

Sandhills Publishing is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our broad range of products and services gather, process, and distribute information in the form of trade publications and corresponding websites that connect buyers and sellers across the trucking, agriculture, construction, heavy equipment, aviation, and technology industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Publishingwe are the cloud.

Contact Us:

Madrid, Spain Office: +34 91 143 68 33

feedback@sandhills.com

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493372/Sandhills_East_Spain_Publications.jpg

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/473503/SandhillsEast_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Sandhills East
RAMALLAH, Palestine, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Arab Palestinian Investment Company (APIC) held its ordinary annual general assembly on Sunday, April 23, 2017 in Ramallah, Palestine. The General Assembly ratified the distribution of USD7,960,000 million in dividends, representing 12.06% of APIC's paid-up capital for registered shareholders as of April 22, 2017: 6% as cash dividends amounting to USD3,960,000 million and 6.06% as four million in bonus shares. Accordingly, APIC's paid-up capital will be USD70 million.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160519/370006LOGO )



APIC Chairman and CEO Tarek Aggad stated that APIC achieved total revenues of USD607.4 million, a growth of 16% compared to 2015. Net profit after tax amounted to USD11.94 million, a slight drop of 3.7% compared to 2015, while net profit attributed to APIC shareholders grew by 15.4% and amounted to USD8.24 million in 2016. By December 31, 2016, net equity attributed to APIC shareholders amounted to USD85.9 million, an increase of 5.3% over 2015 closing.

Furthermore, Aggad said that APIC's share attracted numerous shareholders in 2016, and ranked amongst the top performing listed companies on the Palestine Exchange; the share price surged by 70% by 2016's closing, compared to the same period in 2015, and closed at USD1.90. This positively increased the company's liquidity and turnover ratio, which was 55%.

Aggad listed APIC's subsidiaries numerous achievements in 2016, despite the constant economic and political challenges in Palestine and the region. Most noteworthy was the acquisition of the Diamond Meat Processing Company by Siniora Food Industries in a deal worth USD17 million, with Siniora's share amounting to USD12 million, or 70%. This acquisition is in line with APIC'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.

Unipal General Trading Company obtained exclusive distribution rights for Ferrero in Palestine. Ferrero is an Italian corporation that produces fine chocolate brands such as Nutella, Ferrero Rocher and Kinder. In 2016, APIC increased its shareholding ownership percentage to 93.4% in Unipal, an investment feat that will boost APIC returns.

With the opening of its new Hyundai headquarters in Ramallah completed at a cost of USD4 million, Palestine Automobile Company (PAC) expanded its business with a focus on after-sale services. This center now boasts a state-of-the-art service center, a large spare parts division and a brand-new body/paint workshop. The center will be the base for the future success of Hyundai in Palestine, and will offer customers the ideal conditions to service their vehicles, particularly with new motoring technology in the pipeline, such as hybrid and electric vehicles.

Arab Palestinian Shopping Centers (Bravo) launched its new shopping center in Beit Wazan, Nablus, to augment its share in the Palestinian market. The new shopping center is the largest in Palestine, with a total retail area of 2,300 square meters built over a 10,000-square-meter plot, employing over 100 staff members.

Aggad confirmed APIC's commitment to the communities in which it operates, adding that APIC's corporate social responsibility policy in recent years has focused on medium- to long-term strategic partnerships with vital institutions working in core sectors in the Palestinian society, namely education, health, youth, culture, as well as philanthropy. In 2016, APIC signed various agreements and undertook activities, both material and ethical, with total CSR investments in 2016 by APIC and its subsidiaries reaching approximately USD830,000.

http://www.apic.ps

SOURCE Arab Palestinian Investment Company (APIC)
AUSTIN, Texas, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. (SCV) and Inca Worldwide QED Connect (OTC QEDN) (the Company), announced today that a new audio interview with the Company, is now available. The interview can be heard at http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/4-17-17-smallcapvoice-interview-with-inca-worldwide-qedn/

Inca Worldwide (OTC QEDN) CEO, Kate Bahnsen called in to SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. to go over Company's business model, the markets they serve, how they got to where they are today and the goals for the Company in 2017.

"2017 will be an exciting year for our Company and we know that our investors want to hear from us about our future plans and understand our mission is to offer farmers in Colombia to grow crops like Inca Seeds (Sacha Inchi) instead of Coca Plants.," Kate Bahnsen stated, "We appreciate the opportunity to share our story with our shareholders and the SmallCapVoice.com listening audience".

About SmallCapVoice.com

SmallCapVoice.com is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies build a following among retail and institutional investors. SmallCapVoice.com utilizes its stock newsletter to feature its daily stock picks, audio interviews, as well as its clients' financial news releases. SmallCapVoice.com also offers individual investors all the tools they need to make informed decisions about the stocks they are interested in. Tools like stock charts, stock alerts, and Company Information Sheets can assist with investing in stocks that are traded on the OTC BB and Pink Sheets. To learn more about SmallCapVoice.com and their services, please visit http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/the-small-cap-daily-small-cap-newsletter/.

About Inca Worldwide

Inca Snacks Worldwide is a public listed company on the OTC under the symbol QEDN. Our project offers an alternative to Farmers in Colombia to grow crops like Inca Seeds (Sacha Inchi) instead of Coca Plants. Our Inca Seeds (Roasted Sacha Inchi) a complete protein with all 9-essential amino-acids rich in Omega 3, 6 & 9 and an antioxidant. A real Super-food. Sold to private brands and our own brand Inca Snacks.

www.incaworldwide.com

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:

Our public communications and SEC filings may contain "forward-looking statements"  that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," or "target."

Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about our announced plan to reduce the size of our financial services businesses, including expected cash and non-cash charges associated with this plan and earnings per share of QED retained businesses (Verticals); expected income; earnings per share; revenues; organic growth; growth and productivity associated with our Digital business; margins; cost structure; restructuring charges; acquisition-related synergies; cash flows; returns on capital and investment; capital expenditures, capital allocation or capital structure; and dividends.

CONTACT:

Kate Bahnsen

1-813-295-0137

[email protected]

For SmallCapVoice.com

Stuart T. Smith

512-267-2430

[email protected]

SOURCE Inca Worldwide

Related Links

http://www.incaworldwide.com


NEW YORK, April 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a boutique securities class action firm headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating C.R. Bard, Inc. ("Bard" or the "Company") (NYSE: BCR) and its Board of Directors for potential breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with the sale of the Company to Becton, Dickinson and Company ("BD") (NYSE: BDX). The Company's stockholders will only receive $222.93 in cash and 0.5077 shares of BD stock for each Bard share they own.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/investigations/m-a/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

The investigation focuses on whether Bard and its Board of Directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by 1) failing to conduct a fair process 2) whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company by and 3) what would be an adequate premium for Bard's stock based on Bard's intrinsic value.

Monteverde & Associates PC is a boutique class action securities and consumer litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders and consumers from corporate wrongdoing. Monteverde & Associates PC lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions, whereby they protect investors by recovering money and remedying corporate misconduct.

If you own common stock in Bard and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at www.monteverdelaw.com/investigations/m-a/ or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2017 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://monteverdelaw.com


VIENNA, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A senior AJC delegation just concluded a two-day visit to Vienna.

The 11-member group, led by AJC CEO David Harris and Co-Chair of the AJC Berlin Institute Advisory Board Allan Reich, met with Sebastian Kurz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hans Peter Doskozil, Minister of Defense. Further, they visited with officials at the U.S. Embassy, and exchanged views with parliamentarians from four political parties, in addition to engaging with pro-Israel activists from 13 different non-governmental organizations.

Harris also delivered remarks to a sold-out crowd at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, where he addressed the impact of the new political era on the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

Moreover, the AJC group met with Raimund Fastenbauer, Secretary-General for Jewish Affairs, and Arie Folger, Chief Rabbi of Vienna, as well as other leading members of the Austrian Jewish community.

"Our mission to Vienna, a center of global diplomacy, enables us to deepen our engagement with Austria at a critical moment in world affairs," said Harris. "Our goal is to send a strong message of transatlantic partnership to Austria, and to work with our old and new friends in the country as they bolster their relationship with Israel and the Jewish people."

Among the principal topics discussed were: Austrian-U.S. and Austrian-Israeli bilateral ties; Austria's relationship with Iran; Austria's voting record in international institutions; the OSCE Working Definition of Anti-Semitism (Austria is the current chair of the OSCE); and current pressing issues in Europe, including immigration, integration, and identity.

AJC engages regularly with Austrian diplomats across the U.S. and elsewhere, and the global Jewish advocacy organization meets with Austrian officials each year on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


BOISE, Idaho, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Albertsons Companies today announced that current Jewel-Osco Division President Mike Withers has been appointed Executive Vice President, Retail Operations for Albertsons Companies. Withers will lead the company's East Region operations, while current EVP, Retail Operations Susan Morris will lead the West Region. Jim Perkins, EVP, Retail Operations Special Projects, is focused on targeted initiatives to accelerate growth. All three executives will continue to report to Wayne Denningham, President and COO.

"Mike is an exceptional leader who understands our business and market areas from coast to coast," said Wayne Denningham, President and COO of Albertsons Companies. "Throughout his career, Mike has worked closely with many members of our current leadership team, and his management experience and operations expertise will help all of our divisions run really great stores."

Withers began his career with Albertsons in 1976 in Boise. Like many of the company's executives, he started as a courtesy clerk and gradually worked his way up until he was running his own store. He served as district manager in both Washington and Florida and was eventually promoted to Big Sky Division President with responsibilities for store operations in Montana and North Dakota, a role he also held in both the Florida and Portland divisions. Since 2006, Withers has served as Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for the Florida and Southern divisions, and President of the Southern and Jewel-Osco divisions.

Withers will office at the company's Boise, Idaho corporate campus.

About Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. We operate stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Companies is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2016 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave nearly $300 million in food and financial support. These efforts helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities and veterans outreach.

Contact: Christine Wilcox

[email protected] | 208-395-4163

SOURCE Albertsons Companies
LINYI CITY, China, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 18, 2017, American Lorain Corporation (NYSE MKT: ALN) (the "Company") received a letter from NYSE MKT LLC (the "Exchange") stating that the Exchange has determined that the Company is not in compliance with Sections 134 and 1101 of the NYSE MKT Company Guide (the "Company Guide") due to the Company's failure to timely file with the SEC its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The letter also states that the Company's failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K is a material violation of its listing agreement with the Exchange and, therefore, pursuant to Section 1003(d) of the Company Guide, the Exchange is authorized to suspend and, unless prompt corrective action is taken, remove the Company's securities from the Exchange.

The Exchange has informed the Company that, in order to maintain its listing on the Exchange, the Company must, by May 18, 2017, submit a plan of compliance (the "Plan") advising the Exchange of actions it has taken or will take to regain compliance with Sections 134 and 1101 of the Company Guide by October 18, 2017 (the "Plan Period"). If the Plan is accepted by the Exchange, then the Company will be able to continue its listing during the Plan Period, during which time it will be subject to periodic monitoring for compliance with the Plan. If the Company does not submit a Plan or the Company's Plan is not accepted by the Exchange, then the Company will be subject to delisting proceedings. Furthermore, if the Plan is accepted by the Exchange, but the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards of the Company Guide by October 18, 2017, or if the Company does not make progress consistent with the Plan during the Plan Period, then the Exchange staff will initiate delisting proceedings as appropriate.

Si Chen, the Chairman of the Company, stated, "We understand our obligations under applicable NYSE rules and intend to fully comply with these requirements."

About American Lorain Corporation

American Lorain Corporation is China's leading chestnut, convenience food product and frozen food product manufacturer. The company currently has 13 world-class standards of food production lines, which can supply more than 200 products. For domestic trade, it has more than thirty offices, with its sales network covering large cities, medium-size cities and coastal cities all over China. Regarding international trade, the products are exported to more than 40 countries and regions, such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Europe, which provides our company a high reputation in the international market.

Company Contact

Chen Xing

(86) 18669512977

SOURCE American Lorain Corporation

Related Links

http://www.americanlorain.com


BOSTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- American Well, the nation's leading telehealth company, began the roll out of its newest enterprise telehealth release, AW10, at the American Telemedicine Association Annual Meeting on April 23-25 in Orlando. AW10's initial focus is on minimizing the time a doctor operates telehealth technology while maximizing the time a doctor interacts directly with the patient during a live visit. Later this summer, American Well will expand this technology to enable eligible clinicians  whether practicing within a health system, hospital, practice group, or independently  to sign up and immediately launch and start their telehealth practice.

"With AW10 we're introducing more than 100 new features to the provider user experience that, when put together, let doctors focus more on seeing patients than operating the technology behind the telehealth visit," said Dr. Roy Schoenberg, CEO, American Well. "Everything from patient and provider sign-up, to visit pre-checks, documentation, prescribing and payment are simplified, automated or eliminated from the doctor and their staff's to-dos. We strive to make the provider experience with telehealth time well spent so that more clinicians can see their patients through telehealth without sacrificing efficiency or intimacy."

Added Katie Ruigh, SVP, Product, American Well: "Telehealth, done right, has the potential to free up providers to see more patients faster, more conveniently and more economically than in-person visits. One of our goals with AW10 was to make the path for a physician getting started with telehealth significantly shorter, helping to flatten the learning curve and make telehealth intuitive. This has become particularly meaningful as many physicians enter our national telehealth Exchange to offer specialty services across our partner ecosystem."

AW10 aims to simplify the provider telehealth experience across four critical areas, bringing them closer to interchangeably seeing patients in person and via technology. For doctors, AW10 enables you to:

Turn Telehealth ON for your practice

With AW 10, American Well is streamlining the process of getting doctors enrolled on the telehealth platform and up and running, so that they can be verified and ready to deliver a live visit in minutes.

See patients on your schedule, on your terms, with no surprises.

AW10 reduces the overhead and administration associated with telehealth visits, leaving doctors free to focus on clinical care. Using automated tools and workflows, patients are now fully prepped in advance of a telehealth visit  including insurance verification, payment vetting and technical setup. There are dozens more features that reduce provider headaches including text reminders, fast-track intake and a modernized look-and-feel of key screens.

Conduct smarter, faster documentation, so you can focus on patients.

A completely revamped coding module makes it easy to access common diagnoses and procedures during follow-up visits, seamlessly switch between automated and manual prescribing, and instantly send prescriptions to the patient's preferred pharmacy. Doctors also have greater visibility into non-billable ICD-10 codes, and an easier way to view patient images in the visit console.

Use new, intelligent options for payment and billing, leading to consistent reimbursement.

Unlike "brick and mortar" medicine, telehealth programs require specific tools related to billing and claims. These new tools are incorporated into AW10 and include the ability to collect payment during the scheduling process or defer payment to a later date. Other features/enhancements include automated retry of failed billing transactions, automated follow-up when there are payment issues, and improved financial reporting to monitor end-to-end payment flow.

For more information on the initial AW10 feature set please visit our website. Additional announcements related to specific, significant releases within AW10 will be made in the coming months.

American Well currently serves more than 250 healthcare partners nationwide from a wide array of industries, including health plans, employers, retail outlets, pharmacy and pharmaceutical companies, and 70 health systems comprised of more than 700 hospitals. For more information on American Well's telehealth services and growing partner ecosystem, visit www.americanwell.com.

About American Well

American Well uses telehealth to improve people's access to quality care. Through our partnerships with the nation's largest health systems, insurers, employers, and retailers, our award-winning telehealth Exchange and our direct-to-consumer service, Amwell, we connect millions of Americans to the doctors they trust for live video visits. Through the power of telehealth, we help patients get the care they need in a timely fashion, and help doctors be there for their patients. We build technologies to make healthcare go where people need it most. For more on how we are changing healthcare delivery through telehealth, visit AmericanWell.com.

American Well, the Exchange and Amwell are registered trademarks or trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Amanda Guisbond, Director, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE American Well

Related Links

http://www.americanwell.com


BOSTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- American Well today announced that its telehealth platform, Amwell, is embedded into Samsung Health, Samsung's newly expanded health and medical application that is available on many Samsung devices, including the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, which came out Friday April 21. Samsung Health now features an "Experts" tab through which consumers can have on-demand video visits with a doctor practicing on Amwell. These virtual consultations are available on Samsung devices via the Samsung Health service.

In February, American Well announced it was embarking on a long-term, strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics to develop new healthcare technology services for providers, payers, employers, and other key healthcare stakeholders.

"Ask an Expert," the feature name for on-demand video visits, is the first major development milestone for this partnership. Now, Samsung Health users have the ability to "Ask an Expert" and launch an online doctor visit directly from their devices, using their Samsung account login within Samsung Health. Users do not have to download a separate telehealth app or leave the Samsung Health experience. To start, Samsung users have access to board-certified, U.S. trained doctors via American Well's clinical partner, the Online Care Group.

Subsequent partnership milestones, including American Well and Samsung's collaboration with health systems, are in development.

"Telehealth has the power to truly democratize access to care and bring care home. However, consumers are far more likely to take advantage of this modern technology and convenience when it's seamlessly embedded in an application and service that they are already using and accessing daily. Samsung shares our vision for making care more accessible and more integrated than ever before and we are very proud to partner with them to make this available to patients," said Dr. Ido Schoenberg, Chairman, American Well.

American Well uses telehealth to improve people's access to quality care. The company serves more than 250 healthcare partners nationwide, including 70 health systems comprised of more than 700 hospitals. Through the Samsung partnership, American Well partners will have the opportunity to offer their telehealth services to Samsung consumers.

Providers or payers not currently working with American Well and interested in exploring this opportunity can visit www.americanwell.com/contact us and sign up for more information.

About American Well

American Well uses telehealth to improve people's access to quality care. Through our partnerships with the nation's largest health systems, insurers, employers, and retailers, our award-winning telehealth Exchange and our direct-to-consumer service, Amwell, we connect millions of Americans to the doctors they trust for live video visits. Through the power of telehealth, we help patients get the care they need in a timely fashion, and help doctors be there for their patients. We build technologies to make healthcare go where people need it most. For more on how we are changing healthcare delivery through telehealth, visit AmericanWell.com.

American Well and Amwell are registered trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Amanda Guisbond, Director, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE American Well

Related Links

http://www.americanwell.com


SILVER SPRING, Md., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ANA Enterprise today announced that it will launch the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) Grand Challenge, a new initiative designed to transform the health of the nation by improving the health of America's 3.6 million registered nurses, on May 1. Sage Products (a part of Stryker Medical) is a corporate sponsor of the HNHN Grand Challenge.

"The ANA Enterprise has a long-standing commitment to ensuring the health and wellness of the nation, and we want nurses to be role models of good health," said ANA Enterprise CEO Marla J. Weston, PhD, RN, FAAN. "Nurses are committed to caring for their patients, and they often put their own health aside. As a result, nurses are less healthy than the average American due to the demands of shift work, higher levels of stress, and lack of access to healthy food."

The HNHN Grand Challenge will connect and engage individual nurses, employers of nurses, state nurses associations, and specialty nurses associations to take action to improve their health in five key areas: physical activity, rest, nutrition, quality of life, and safety. The HNHN Grand Challenge will also provide a web platform to inspire action, cultivate friendly competition, provide content and resources to users, gather user data, and serve to connect nurses with each other, and with employers and organizations. There will also be health challenges related to the key areas, such as a quality of life challenge with daily tips to reduce stress, in May, and a safety challenge with tips on safe patient handling and mobility in June.

Seventy state nurses associations, hospitals, nursing schools, and other healthcare organizations have already signed up as partners and committed to a variety to health goals, from increasing physical activity and improving nutrition to preventing burnout. Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, for example, started a "Tender Loving Care" Cart to reduce stress, compassion fatigue and depression among nurses by offering massages, aromatherapy, Reiki, healing touch, and nutritional support, and the Missouri Nurses Association is organizing a "Show Me Healthy Nurses" 5K run.

Both individuals and organizational partners can get information and sign up for the HNHN Grand Challenge by visiting www.healthynursehealthynation.org.

The launch of the HNHN Grand Challenge precedes the annual National Nurses Week (May 6-12), which celebrates the many contributions nurses make to keep America healthy. Nurses, hospitals, and other health care stakeholders are encouraged to download the National Nurses Week Resource Toolkit, which includes materials to help promote this annual observance in local communities and in the media.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has designated 2017 as the "Year of the Healthy Nurse," with the tagline, "Nursing: the Balance of Mind, Body, and Spirit." Each month, ANA will highlight various health, safety, and wellness topics to help guide nurses on their journey toward their best health ever.

For high resolution images of the new ANA Enterprise logo or photos of ANA Enterprise leadership, please click here.

The ANA Enterprise is the organizing platform of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the American Nurses Foundation. The ANA Enterprise leverages the combined strength of each to drive excellence in practice and ensure nurses' voice and vision are recognized by policy leaders, industry influencers and employers. From professional development and advocacy, credentialing and grants, and products and services through its Nursing Knowledge Center division, the ANA Enterprise is the leading resource for nurses to arm themselves with the tools, information, and network they need to excel in their individual practices. In helping individual nurses succeedacross all practices and specialties, and at each stage of their careersthe ANA Enterprise is lighting the way for the entire profession to succeed.

SOURCE American Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.healthynursehealthynation.org/


RICHARDSON, Texas, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Anritsu Company announces support of LTE-A Pro Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology to satisfy the Carrier Acceptance Test (CAT) requirements of a major North American carrier. The LAA tests, which run on Anritsu's ME7834LA Mobile Device Test Platform, positions Anritsu as the first test equipment manufacturer to provide validated LAA tests in a CAT environment to a large North American operator.

Anritsu's LAA offering in the ME7834LA builds on first-to-market capability of the Signaling Tester MD8430A, which is a central component of the ME7834LA. LAA is a 3GPP LTE Release 13 feature and is instrumental in allowing carriers to augment the licensed bands with the unlicensed spectrum (5 GHz - Band 46) and achieve data rates of gigabits per second speeds. The ME7834LA can support these high data rates in a single platform using high order of carrier aggregation, modulation, and MIMO configurations.

"Anritsu is once again first to market with a test solution that addresses LTE technology. We are committed to providing the validation tools necessary for mobile operators, as well as device makers and chipset manufacturers, to verify designs and ensure high performance. The result is consumers will realize a high quality of experience (QoE) when using high bandwidth mobile services," said Paul Innis, Vice President and General Manager of Anritsu Company.

The ME7834LA is a scalable GCF, PTCRB, and carrier-validated test system that enables certification of 3G and LTE devices to industry and carrier standards. The ME7834LA provides test coverage for 3GPP 36.523 as well as a wide portfolio of CAT test plans across multiple operators. For existing users of the ME7834L platform, an upgrade path is available with support for LAA, as well as legacy test cases.



About Anritsu

Anritsu Company is the United States subsidiary of Anritsu Corporation, a global provider of innovative communications test and measurement solutions for 120 years. Anritsu's "2020 VISION" philosophy engages customers as true partners to help develop wireless, optical, microwave/RF, and digital instruments, as well as operation support systems for R&D, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance applications. Anritsu also provides precision microwave/RF components, optical devices, and high-speed electrical devices for communication products and systems. The company develops advanced solutions for 5G, M2M, IoT, as well as other emerging and legacy wireline and wireless communication markets. With offices throughout the world, Anritsu has approximately 4,000 employees in over 90 countries.

To learn more visit www.anritsu.com and follow Anritsu on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

SOURCE Anritsu

Related Links

http://www.anritsu.com


DELRAY BEACH, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Photo & Go announced that Armando Christian Perez a.k.a. Pitbull has become a partner and investor in Photo & Go, a recognized leader in the photo and art industry. Pitbull will serve as a brand ambassador and support the business mission with multiple growth initiatives. His partnership begins with the launch of Project Pause, which provides access to education, motivation and sources of inspiration to all individuals who become a part of it.

"People take so many pictures that they miss the big picture. They're so connected that they're disconnected. It's time to reconnect and enjoy the big picture," said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull). "I became a partner in Photo & Go because I know moments matter and the brand's approach and their technology inspired me."

Headquartered in Delray Beach, FL, Photo & Go is recognized as a company that provides a proprietary Crazy Easy. Crazy Fast. technology platform for the creation and delivery of custom photo decor and products. Pitbull's message of inspiration to his fans and followers, "Dale", is deeply aligned to the Project Pause mantra: Pause. Reflect. Celebrate. His involvement with Photo and Go's Project Pause will kick off with the launch of a contest in celebration of Mother's Day.

"We are delighted that Pitbull has become a partner in Photo & Go as he shares our passion for taking time to reflect and celebrate life's most meaningful moments," said Photo & Go Founder Warren Struhl. "At Photo & Go, we're dedicated to ensuring that our most important memories don't get lost in the digital quicksand. Since the moments of our lives are our visual history, we say, pause, reflect and celebrate them!"

Photo and Go's proprietary technology enables the fastest and easiest way for anyone to physicalize their digital photos. The company has invested several million in capital and four years in the development of its technology and user experience. Pitbull promotes a lifestyle that is meant to inspire and is the perfect fit to inspire photo lovers everywhere to experience Photo & Go's technology and create their own enduring memories.

About Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull)

From Mr. 305 to Mr. Worldwide, Armando Christian Perez, a.k.a. Pitbull, rose from the streets of Miami to exemplify the American Dream and achieve international success. His relentless work ethic transformed him into a Grammy-winning global superstar and business entrepreneur. Landing No. 1 hits in over 15 countries, 9 billion YouTube/VEVO views, 70 million single sales and 6 million album sales, his music has appeared in "Men In Black III," "The Penguins of Madagascar," and he even had a starring voiceover role in the animated 3D movie "Epic." He has been the subject and host of prestigious cable and network specials. His social networking channels include nearly 90 million combined Facebook (@Pitbull), Twitter (@Pitbull) and Instagram (@Pitbull) followers, plus more than 8 million YouTube subscribers (PitbullVEVO and PitbullMusic). On March 17, 2017, Pitbull released his 10th full-length album, Climate Change, after wrapping his second headlining arena run. The album includes Enrique Iglesias ("Messin' Around"), who will join Pitbull on a co-headlining summer tour; "Greenlight," performed on WWE's WrestlMania 2017 with Flo Rida and LunchMoney Lewis; "Bad Man," performed on the 2016 Grammy Awards with Robin Thicke, Joe Perry and Travis Barker; and "Options" featuring Stephen Marley. Climate Change also includes new songs by Pitbull with Jennifer Lopez ("Sexy Body") and Jason Derulo ("Educate Ya").

About Photo & Go

Photo & Go is a family-run company based in South Florida that is obsessed with getting people to fully realize the delight and inspiration that sits in the many photos trapped in their phones. The founders have created several innovative companies in the photo and art industry over the last 30 years. Photo & Go's mantra of "Crazy Easy. Crazy Fast," stands for its proprietary customer experience. The company handcrafts custom photo decor and gifts with direct HD printing, and specialty framing that bring images to life, so that a legacy of memories can live on and not be lost. A 100% Smile Guarantee provides more than satisfaction; It guarantees a smile with each delivery. In addition, the Company recently launched two new divisions: Photo & Go Fundraising and Wallkeepers. Photo & Go Fundraising provides associations and organizations with a fully online fundraising platform and a completely new way to engage supporters and donors with lasting memories and keepsake photo products. Wallkeepers offers a free concierge, in-home wall design service that provides professional expertise on how to create gallery walls with personal photos and art, and also provides museum-quality framing and installation for any home decor.

Media Inquiries for Pitbull:

Tom Muzquiz

[email protected]

Media Inquiries for Photo & Go:

Linda Mignone

[email protected]

SOURCE Photo & Go

Related Links

http://www.photoandgo.com/


Drawing on its multidisciplinary experts in its New York and Washington, D.C. offices, Arup supplied theatrical and lighting design, and structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services, for the project. Arup's teams worked closely with parametric artist Marc Fornes THEVERYMANY; building architect Living Design Lab; specialty design-builder A. Zahner Company; steel fabricator and installer Walters Group; and, general contractor Whiting-Turner Construction Company. The team was cast and led by Michael McCall of Strategic Leisure, on behalf of the Inner Arbor Trust.

Arup addressed an unusual variety of challenges in bringing Chrysalis from concept to construction. Using 3D modeling, the firm evaluated the siting of the pavilion to optimize sightlines for the audience. Extensive wind tunnel tests provided critical information for the design of the structure's galvanized steel frame, which, since it's exposed to the elements, had to be both beautiful and robust. Acoustic studies explored the impact of sound both within and beyond the building. Tunable LED lighting was designed to animate the structure, and emphasize its fluid, organic form.

Jordan Woodson, structural engineer at Arup's Washington, D.C. office, said, "The irregularity of the project was a great appeal for our team; all our experts were really engaged. With such a unique structure, every problem was newwe used a lot of brainpower to solve them!"

The Chrysalis opened on Earth Day, April 22.

About Arup

Arup provides planning, engineering, design, and consulting services for the most prominent projects and sites in the built environment. Since its founding in 1946, the firm has consistently delivered technical excellence, innovation, and value to its clients, while maintaining its core mission of shaping a better world. Arup opened its first US office more than 30 years ago and now employs 1,400 people in the Americas. The firm's employee-ownership structure promotes ongoing investment in joint research to yield better outcomes that benefit its clients and partners. Visit Arup's website, www.arup.com, and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas, doggerel.arup.com, for more information.

Contact: Tami Hausman

[email protected]

646.742.1700

Contact: Rebecca Maloney

[email protected]

617.412.6632

SOURCE Arup

Related Links

http://www.arup.com


EVERETT, Wash., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Technical Services (ATS) and European airline Volotea today announced that they have expanded their working relationship to unveil a first-of-its-kind 150 passenger A319 cabin layout. ATS has received a joint FAA and EASA certification for the A319 configuration. ATS also managed the development and sourcing of key monuments to achieve Volotea's desired layout.

The two companies began working together on an aircraft integration program for the introduction of several mid-life A319 aircraft into Volotea's fleet in September 2015. ATS provided turnkey technical fleet integration services including overall program management, detailed aircraft records review, engineering for cabin interior changes and re-branding, and EASA certification of the final new configuration.

Volotea, the airline of mid and small-sized European cities, has just celebrated its fifth anniversary and carried more than ten million passengers. Volotea offers 243 routes among 79 medium and small-sized cities in 16 countries. Volotea operates from nine bases located in France, Italy and Spain. With its fast growing fleet of 28 aircraft in 2017, Volotea expects to become a 100% Airbus operator in the next few years.

"This new 150 passenger cabin configuration is the first of its kind. ATS is proud to be working with an innovative and forward-thinking partner like Volotea," said Brian Hirshman, President of ATS. "Through ATS' successful technical platform for fleet integration, Volotea is able to add capacity in its A319 aircraft and accelerate growth plans. We look forward to building a long term partnership with ATS," said Isidre Porqueras, Volotea's Chief of Cost and OPS Performance.

Last year, ATS received Aviation Week's MRO of the Year award because of its turnkey technical fleet integration service that enables customers to accelerate capacity growth by integrating pre-owned, mid-life aircraft to its existing fleet. ATS has utilized this service for Volotea's fleet integration program.

About Aviation Technical Services

Aviation Technical Services (ATS) provides a broad and growing portfolio of technical services in MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), Engineering, Component Repair and Parts Development world-wide. ATS supports both narrow body and wide body aircraft operators in the commercial and military aviation markets. Since its founding in 1970, ATS has received numerous industry awards for its support of turn-key fleet transition and integration, aircraft modifications, aircraft heavy maintenance, design services and component repair of accessories, structures, complex composites, hydraulics and electrical components. ATS is headquartered in Everett, Washington. For more information, visit atsmro.com.

About Volotea

Volotea, the airline of mid and small-sized European cities, offers direct flights at very competitive prices. Volotea will count on 28 aircraft this year between Boeing 717 (with a configuration of 125 seats) and Airbus A319 (with 150 seats). Since its creation five years ago, Volotea has carried more than ten million passengers across Europe and expects to transport 4.3 million in 2017. In 2017 Volotea will operate 243 routes among 79 medium and small-sized cities in 16 countries: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Greece, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Israel, Albania, Moldavia, Portugal, Malta, UK, Austria, Ireland and Luxembourg.

SOURCE Aviation Technical Services

Related Links

http://www.atsmro.com


DALLAS, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Poo~Pourri, the original Before-You-Go toilet spray made of natural essential oils, will be available in selected Sainsbury's stores, excluding Centrals and locals, today. Although the product is available throughout the U.K. at boutiques, QVC, Amazon.com and poopourri.co.uk, Sainsbury's is the first U.K. mass market retailer to carry the product.

Poo~Pourri works by creating a film on the surface of the water that traps odors before they beginthus relieving a major source of bathroom anxiety. It's been credited as a life-changing product for people with digestive disorders such as Crohn's Disease, IBS or IBD. It can also help with a variety of health issues caused by bathroom anxiety, from hemorrhoids to colorectal cancer, to pelvic floor dyssynergia.

"Our customers in the U.K. have been so supportive, and we're thrilled they can now pick up Poo~Pourri at Sainsbury's," said Suzy Batiz Founder and CEO of Poo~Pourri. "This means that even more people can be empowered to go whenever and wherever they want with Poo~Pourri."

The United States-based company is a socially responsible business that cares about users' health and the environment. That's why the spray was created with all natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals. It's safe to breathe and safe to flush.

The company launched to notoriety with a viral video ad in 2013 entitled "Girls Don't Poop," and continues to release viral videos like "How to Poop at a Party" and "Save Your Relationship," on a regular basis. The company is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year.

ABOUT

Since 2007, Poo~Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray has been stopping bathroom odor before it begins so you can leave the bathroom smelling better than you found it. With over 250 million combined video views and over 22 million bottles sold, Poo~Pourri has become a pop culture sensation and start-up success. Poo~Pourri is sold in over 9,000 independent retailers and nationwide retailers including CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ulta, QVC and Amazon.com. Poo~Pourri earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval in 2013 and an Edison award in 2014. The company was also ranked on Inc.'s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies. To learn more, visit www.poopourri.co.uk.

Contact:

Rebekah Riley | 972.818.8200

SOURCE Poo~Pourri

Related Links

http://www.poopourri.co.uk/


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A Manhattan federal judge on Friday, April 21, threw out claims seeking more than $3 billion from Len Blavatnik and his holding company, Access Industries and related entities, in the multi-year lawsuit challenging the 2007 merger of Lyondell Chemical Company and Basell Industries.

In his 173-page ruling, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn said, "No amount of mental gymnastics can substantiate a recovery on an intentional fraudulent transfer claim brought against Blavatnik..."

Judge Glenn validated Mr. Blavatnik's long-held position that the merger created incremental synergistic value and that the combined company's 2009 bankruptcy filing was the product of "unforeseeable" events that included "the tragic collapse of a large crane at the Houston refinery, two hurricanes, and of course, the Great Recession." The court went on to note, "The Trustee's challenge to the projected synergies, quite simply, failed miserably."

"It is gratifying that the Court has rejected each and every one of the Trustee's many claims based on the 2007 merger after a thorough review of the facts and the law," said Alejandro Moreno, general counsel of Access Industries. "Even though every other defendant settled, we remained firm in our belief that the claims against Mr. Blavatnik, Access entities, and Access personnel challenging the strategic rationale for and financing of the merger were meritless and based entirely on hindsight. Our position that the decision to acquire Lyondell and merge it with Basell was sound has now been completely vindicated."

"While the Court held that an Access entity should partially refund approximately $7 million on account of a commitment fee for an undrawn credit facility, that claim in no way impugns the judgment or integrity of Mr. Blavatnik, Access or LBI's management with respect to the merger or operation of the combined company during the unprecedented challenges faced by the global business during the Great Recession," Mr. Moreno said.

Access Industries and Mr. Blavatnik are represented by Richard I. Werder, Jr. and Susheel Kirpalani of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.

About Access Industries

Founded in 1986 by Len Blavatnik, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Access Industries is a privately-held industrial group with strategic investments in the United States, Europe and South America. With corporate offices in New York, London and Moscow, its holdings include a number of market-leading companies in the Natural Resources and Chemicals, Media and Telecommunications, Technology and E-commerce, and Real Estate sectors. For more information, visit www.accessindustries.com

SOURCE Access Industries

Related Links

http://www.accessindustries.com


DALLAS, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BT, together with UK tech start-up Coderus, today revealed a tactical app which will act as a virtual 'seventh crew member' to help Ben Ainslie's Land Rover BAR team gain a competitive edge in their bid to win the 35th America's Cup this summer.

Over the past 12 months, the bespoke app has been designed and tested with the help of mobile app experts Coderus, who are based at Adastral Park, home of the BT Labs, as part of the Innovation Martlesham cluster of start-ups.

BT, part of the Land Rover BAR Technical Innovation Group, which is chaired by the management and technology consultancy PA Consulting Group, committed to help the team after the number of crew members allowed on board the catamaran shrunk from eight to six after the last America's Cup. This means that helmsman Sir Ben Ainslie, and tactician Giles Scott, have more responsibilities and less time than ever before.

BT and Coderus needed to develop an app for use on mobile and wearable tech which could intuitively show critical information throughout the race, with no user interaction. It was also essential that the software was well crafted so its operation kept pace with events as they unfolded, as well as being optimised for robust network, hardware and battery performance, given the length of time that the crew spend on the water.

After a series of "agile development sprints" and testing sessions over the past 12 months with Ainslie, Scott, engineers from the team and user experience architects from BT and Coderus, the new app has been designed to provide critical data to the team about the strategic layout of the course, the position of the boat, how many legs of the race are left and how far it is to the next boundary, all allowing the team to make swift tactical decisions and giving them maximum time for manoeuvring.

The app can also tell the team exactly when to power up so that they cross the start line at the second the race begins, gaining a critical advantage from the very beginning by getting the team in front at Mark 1. The leader at this point is expected to win up to 80% of the races for the America's Cup.

The technology works both on a tablet screen and a smart watch, so that the crew members can be alerted to glance down and see vital information about the sailing course instantly. The team will be using high water-resistant Android tablets and watches. During training sessions the technology, along with hundreds of sensors on the boat and voice communications, is all connected back to the shore via BT's military grade 4G wireless link, and back to experts at the team's Portsmouth base via a subsea cable, part of BT's global communications network. This is part of the agreement recently announced by the two companies, with BT working as Land Rover BAR's Technology in Sustainability partner.

The app will be used in a competitive race for the first time on the 26th May as part of the America's Cup Finals in Bermuda. During races the app runs on its own, with no connection back to shore.

Sailing team tactician and Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott said: "We were desperate for an app which could act as a virtual seventh crew member and become central to our decision making process during the race, providing Ben and I with the data that we really need to gain a competitive advantage. We've had great support from BT and Coderus through all stages of the development, from design, build and now refinement out on the water."

Howard Watson, BT Technology, Service and Operations CEO said: "We have teams across the globe dedicated to hunting the most talented user experience and software experts. We found that the very best expertise lay with Coderus in our start-up hub at Adastral Park, and we're delighted to be supporting and working with such an innovative UK tech start-up."

"It's been fantastic for teams across the business to work together on this and showcase the very best of our innovation. We're committed to helping Land Rover BAR not only bring the America's Cup home, but also in helping them set the standard for sustainability in sport, through our technology and technical expertise in networking and engineering."

Richard Hopkirk, Engineering Manager at Land Rover BAR commented: "This has been a fantastic example of how our collaboration with our technical partners can bring out the best of both teams, and allow us to achieve far more than we could do as a Cup team alone. We've managed to merge our in-house sailing and tactical expertise with the software development knowledge of BT and Coderus, and the result will be on the water helping us win races come the summer."

Mark Thomas, CEO of Coderus, said: "We were excited to be identified by BT's technology scouting team for our innovative software expertise, to help create the virtual seventh crew member for Land Rover BAR's America's Cup challenge. This flagship project demonstrates our capability to deliver high performance solutions under extreme conditions. This has been a great team to work with, plus a huge honour to play a small part in representing Great Britain at this prestigious event."

As exclusive broadcast partner for the UK and Ireland, BT is bringing live footage of the competition to millions of people at home. BT will show the 35th America's Cup on BT Sport this summer, broadcasting live coverage through to the finals in Bermuda.

For further information

Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. All news releases can be accessed at our web site. You can also subscribe to receive all BT announcements here and you can follow us on Twitter here.

About BT

BT's purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of six customer-facing lines of business: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach.

For the year ended 31 March 20161, BT Group's reported revenue was 19,012m with reported profit before taxation of 2,907m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

1The results for the period have been revised to reflect the outcome of the investigation into our Italian business. Detail of which is set out in our third quarter results announcement published on 27 January 2017. This financial information is unaudited.

For more information, visit www.btplc.com

About Coderus

Coderus Limited is an innovative software development and consultancy company based in the UK but working across the globe. They pride themselves on close collaboration with clients to understand their current and future business needs. They build software with this in mind, because technology trends change so rapidly, so adopting the most appropriate design, tools and technologies at the outset is crucial.

The experience and depth of capability of those working for Coderus allows them to deliver solutions from a software application to a fully featured cross platform end-to-end design based on detailed customer requirements.

Every project is professionally managed and delivered using world-class development and planning tools to ensure timely and cost effective delivery. They use industry standard project delivery techniques, including an agile delivery approach if appropriate.

In all cases, Coderus assures that the user interface design, coding and platform features will have all been fully optimised to deliver a complete package with the best possible usability and customer performance.

For further information about the limitless possibilities with Coderus, please visit: www.coderus.com

Media enquiries

For photographs, quotes, interview requests or further information, please contact:

Peter Lee

Marketing & PR

Coderus

E. [email protected]

T. 01473 633107

M. 07711 511864

www.coderus.com

SOURCE BT

Related Links

http://www.btplc.com


ANDERSON COUNTY, Ky., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As American whiskey continues its hot streak and consumers clamor for spirits authentically rooted in history, legend and lore, Campari America has taken a step back in time to resurrect long-forgotten, pre-Prohibition brands with the launch of The Whiskey Barons Collection. The first two Bourbons to rise from the annals of whiskey history are Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard  two gems that played a significant role in establishing this pocket of the Kentucky as a hub of Bourbon distilling during the 1800's. A collector's item for both the Bourbon enthusiast and the whiskey curious, the launch of The Whiskey Barons Collection is firmly rooted in connecting consumers with the brands that created a craze, sparked an industry and led the U.S. government to proclaim Bourbon as America's Native Spirit  well before teetotalers pushed for a nationwide ban on all alcohol sales.

A NOD TO THE BOURBON BARONS OF YORE

Prior to Prohibition, Kentucky's Bourbon industry was thriving. More than 180 distilleries dotted the Blue Grass State's countryside at the time, each with their own unique family recipes. Though most of the original recipes and distilling techniques pioneered by those industrious families have been lost to the ravages of time, the Whiskey Barons project has worked to painstakingly piece together these forgotten treasures. In doing so, it has created a living archive of Kentucky's great whiskey history and offers aficionados an incredible opportunity to time travel back to Bourbon's first golden age. Trying to recreate these whiskies was an ambitious undertaking that involved consulting original tasting notes from historical files; finding old product descriptions and taste profiles from packaging and news articles; and interviewing surviving family members who still recall the taste of the original liquid.

"Resurrecting Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard has not been an easy task. The distillers didn't have the luxury of magically discovering old barrels of the original whiskies, and so it has taken two years of detective work and trial and error to piece together as accurately as possible how these lost original recipes would have looked, smelled and tasted like," said Robin Coupar, Campari America Global Whiskies Brand Ambassador.

The team that brought back to life the Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard recipes is comprised of T.B. Ripy IV and Tom Ripy, great-grandson and great-great-grandson of T.B. Ripy and W.F. Bond; Norm Matella, Ph. D. and Campari America North American Technical Center Manager; and Robin Coupar, Campari America Global Whiskies Brand Ambassador. The whiskies were distilled at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, which sits approximately where the Ripy distillery once stood.

"As a huge history buff, this innovation project gave Norm (Matella) and me an opportunity to experiment in a way that we hadn't in the past  kind of like the Bourbon version of Sherlock Holmes solving the great pre-Prohibition whiskey mystery. Diving into the historical tasting notes, interviewing the surviving members of the Ripy family, touring the original Ripy home in Lawrenceburg and playing around with a variety of aged stocks and different processes  it was a dream scenario for two guys who truly love Kentucky Straight Bourbon and all it represents," said Coupar.

While their insights and expertise are valued above all else, Wild Turkey Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell were not involved with the creation of Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard, as they were fully committed with projects for Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve  the hallmarks of Campari America's America Whiskey portfolio. However, moving forward, Eddie Russell will be pouring his passion and expertise into the development of future Whiskey Barons products while continuing his role as Master Distiller and key product innovator for Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve.

ABOUT OLD RIPY

First bottled in 1868, Old Ripy was created by Irish immigrant James Ripy in Lawrenceburg, KY and continued to be made in Lawrenceburg, KY up until 1950 near where the current Wild Turkey Distillery stands.

This 104-proof (52% alc./vol.) whiskey is a combination of eight-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with 12-year-old and younger whiskies for added complexity and oak. It is non-chill filtered to retain congeners, fusil oils, lipid fats and proteins that are believed to have existed in the original. This results in more natural and complex flavor characteristics, fuller body, and a smooth but "chewier" mouthfeel.

ABOUT BOND & LILLARD

The Bond family had been distilling in Kentucky since 1820, however Bond & Lillard wasn't born until 1869 when William F. Bond and his brother-in-law, Christopher C. Lillard, formed a partnership. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 100 proof (50% alc./vol.) and charcoal filtered, a process that simulates the aeration process that happens in the barrel, converting more aggressive congeners to esters that end in more elegant top notes. The result is a lighter colored and flavored Bourbon with more floral notes. As the judges at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair declared, this recipe represents "real delicacy of flavor, beauty in the sparkle and superiority in strength  it bears no equal."

Both Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard retail for $49.99 (MSRP) for a 375ml bottles  a nod to the non-standardized bottle sizing during the pre-Prohibition era. They are only available for purchase in select markets, including California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York City, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The products are also sold at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, KY.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Whiskey Barons products will be donated towards the restoration of the Ripy family mansion, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The goal is to restore this once majestic grand dame, located on Main St. in Lawrenceburg, to its original luster and beauty  much like how Campari America is bringing these beautiful whiskey brands back to life.

About Campari America

Campari America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM). At the heart of Campari America are two legends in the American spirits industry. The first, Skyy Spirits, was founded in San Francisco back in 1992 by the entrepreneur who invented iconic SKYY Vodka. The second is the world-famous Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where they have been making the world's finest whiskies since the 1800's. Both companies were purchased by Davide Campari-Milano and together they form Campari America, which has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Campari America manages Gruppo Campari's portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY Vodka, SKYY Infusions, Campari, Aperol, Wild Turkey Straight Kentucky Bourbon, American Honey, Russell's Reserve, Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Forty Creek Canadian Whisky, BULLDOG Gin, Cabo Wabo Tequila, Espolon Tequila, Appleton Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew Rum, Coruba Rum, Ouzo 12, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, Frangelico, Cynar, Averna, Braulio, Carolans Irish Cream, Irish Mist Liqueur and Jean-Marc XO Vodka.

Campari America is headquartered in San Francisco, California. More information on the company can be found at www.campariamerica.com, www.facebook.com/campariamerica, Twitter: @CampariAmerica and www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy Campari America brands responsibly and in moderation.

Media Contacts:

Sarah Bessette, Campari America / T: (401) 595-2241 / E: [email protected]

Jarryd Boyd, Edible, Inc. / T: (212) 729-2129 / E: [email protected]

SOURCE Campari America

Related Links

http://www.campariamerica.com


DALLAS, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dallas trial attorney Chrysta Castaneda and The Castaneda Firm are being recognized on The National Law Journal's Top 100 Verdicts of 2016 list after winning a multimillion-dollar oil and gas verdict for legendary oilman T. Boone Pickens and his company, Mesa Petroleum Partners.

The state district court verdict against two Midland oil and gas companies and a Dallas-based operator ranked as the 12th highest in the country, according to the National Law Journal.

Baytech LLP and Delaware Basin Resources LLC, both of Midland, Texas, and Dallas' J. Cleo Thompson were ordered to pay over $145 million to Mesa by a Pecos jury for breaches of contracts covering the Red Bull play in the Delaware Basin.

Ms. Castaneda won the 12th largest jury award in the nation last fall as lead trial counsel for Mr. Pickens' company in the long-running dispute. Co-counsel Mike Lynn of Dallas' Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst LLP also represented Mesa.

"This case had several challenges, but we knew from day one that Mr. Pickens was wrongly excluded from his fair share of a valuable deal that he had honored completely," Ms. Castaneda says. "This case emphasizes and validates important legal rights, and we are proud to have been a part of it."

The trial revolved around contracts that Mesa signed with the other companies in 2007 that required them to offer Mesa a 15 percent stake in any new oil and gas assets they acquired in the Red Bull area of mutual interest, covering portions of the Delaware Basin in the Permian.

Instead, as Ms. Castaneda explained to jurors, Mr. Pickens and Mesa were wrongly shut out of lucrative acquisitions by the other companies, in violation of the contracts.

The Castaneda Firm represents litigation clients in the energy industry and beyond. From offices in Dallas, the firm provides extensive experience in a variety of complex litigation, including oil and gas disputes, complex commercial cases, products liability suits, and toxic torts and other environmental matters. For more information: www.castaneda-firm.com.

For more information on Ms. Castaneda and The Castaneda Firm, contact Amy Hunt at [email protected] or 214-801-8116.

SOURCE The Castaneda Firm

Related Links

http://www.castaneda-firm.com


Cert ID proudly announces winning the first-ever BRC Global Standards CEO Award 2017, presented to Joan Moeller at the BRC Global Standards Food Safety Americas Conference in Orlando. This award is in recognition of the commitment demonstrated by Cert ID in expanding the reach of BRC Global Standards throughout North America. Cert ID has also assisted BRC Global Standards Food Safety certificated sites in North America to become 'FSMA Ready,' by delivering the FSMA Preventative Controls Module. Joan Moeller, VP Business Development at Cert ID said, "Cert ID is honored at this unexpected recognition of Cert ID's efforts in the expansion of BRC Global Standards' certifications in North America. Cert ID prides ourselves on excellent customer service and delivering accurate, reliable certification to our clients, thereby providing consumers with greater confidence in the foods they purchase. We are delighted to have been honored in this way by BRC Global Standards."

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160701/385677LOGO )



(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492911/CERT_ID_Logo.jpg )



The CEO Award was initiated by BRC Global Standards CEO, Mark Proctor, to recognize the most promising certification body partner that has driven extensive business growth. The award criteria include certification and additional module delivery, together with highest business retention rate. This combination represents optimum utilization of the BRC Global Standards to drive operational excellence in the food industry.

John Kukoly, US Director of BRC Global Standards shares, "It was a pleasure to recognize the impressive work consistently delivered by the Cert ID team throughout the year. Having a partner such as Cert ID helps BRC Global Standards have a significant impact on the safe production and delivery of food throughout the industry."

Notes to Editors

About BRC Global Standards

BRC Global Standards is a leading brand and consumer protection organisation, used by over 25,000 suppliers in over 130 countries, with certification issued through a global network of accredited certification bodies. BRC Global Standards' guarantee the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensure that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations and provide protection for the end consumer. BRC Global Standards are now often a fundamental requirement of leading retailers, manufacturers and food service organisations.

The BRC Global Standards certification scheme offers comprehensive support to help new and established businesses to achieve and maintain their quality and safety aims.

For more information, please visit http://www.brcglobalstandards.com

SOURCE BRC Global Standards
LONDON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An IGBT is a complex device with the Darlington configuration. Using GTR as the dominant component and MOSFET as the drive component, IGBTcombines the merits of BJT and MOSFET, such as low drive power, low saturation voltage and the like.



For a deeper understanding on the report, visit: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4126828/



With the development of IGBT chip technology, the maximum operating junction temperature and power density of chips keep increasing. In future, the IGBT module technology will be improved in two aspects -- chip backside welding & fixing and front electrode interconnection:

1) the technology without welding, wire bonding or liner/substrate packaging;

2) internally integrated temperature sensors, current sensors, driving circuits and other functional components.



Market Competition Pattern

 China's IGBT industry has developed rapidly under the guide of national policies and the market, and has shaped a complete industrial chain with IDM and OEM models.

 Chinese IGBT supply market is mainly controlled by foreign companies, for example, all of the top five suppliers were foreign vendors who enjoyed the combined market share of 51.9% in 2015.

 The advantages of European and American companies (such as Infineon, Semikron, Fairchild, etc.) are mainly reflected in power, electronics and communications.

 Japanese brands (such as Mitsubishi, FUJI, Toshiba, etc.) target home appliances.

 China seized 1/3 of the global IGBT market share in 2015 and will master nearly 1/2 by 2020, with the AAGR of about 19%.

Subdivision of Applications:

The current saturated Chinese home appliance market will see limited incremental space in the next five years. Among white household electrical appliances, inverter refrigerators with low permeability will generate the fastest growing demand for IGBT in the next five years.



Affected by the government's development plan, China's wind power and PV industries may follow different development paths in the next five years.

Here are some predictions:

 By 2020, China's PV installed capacity will cumulate to above 160GW, which means the IGBT demand will value RMB1 billion or so.

 Given the serious wind energy curtailment, China's total wind power installed capacity is planned to be 210GW by 2020, which indicates that China's additional wind power installed capacity will witness sharp drop in the next five years, so that the demand for IGBTs will shrink.

 The major cities in China plan to invest RMB3.18 trillion in rail transit in 2010-2021. As for high-speed rail, China will own over 4,300 CRH trains by 2020, which will need 1.2 million IGBTs, four times that in 2015.

By 2020, China's electric vehicle (including EV, PHEV, HEV, electric bus / truck) sales volume is expected to exceed 3 million, which will stimulate the IGBT demand to go beyond RMB6 billion.



SOURCE ReportBuyer

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ROCKVILLE, Md., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's leading hotel companies, appointed Eleonora Tarzibachi as Head of Brand Development and Management of its Ascend Hotel Collection, the industry's first and largest global, soft brand collection of independent unique, boutique and historic hotels and resorts. Tarzibachi, who previously served as Choice's Senior Director of International Strategy and Business Performance, will lead the brand's worldwide expansion.

"The essence of the Ascend Hotel Collection is authenticity. These hotels provide travelers an immersive experience enveloped in local charm, no matter where they are in the world," said Janis Cannon, senior vice president of Upscale Brands at Choice Hotels International. "Eleonora's extensive experience in international business strategy brings a true understanding of the global marketplace to the Ascend Hotel Collection. We are so thrilled to have Eleonora at the helm to continue to drive our worldwide reach and provide innovative ideas and solutions for our members and our guests."

Choice Hotels pioneered the "soft brand" concept in 2008 with the Ascend Hotel Collection, delivering to independent hoteliers the ability to remain distinct and unique while equipping them with powerful business tools, including Choice's industry leading technology, robust distribution channels and rapidly expanding award-winning loyalty program, Choice Privileges. Today, there are more than 170 Ascend Hotel Collection properties open and operating around the world.

"I worked closely with the Ascend soft brand in my most recent role as I interfaced with multiple countries and territories for the International Division. I have incredible passion for this portfolio and opportunity," said Tarzibachi. "My international role also provided me with a deep understanding of the different needs of the diverse Ascend Hotel Collection traveler and membership base, as well as its growth potential."

Tarzibachi began her career at Choice Hotels in 2000 as a Business Analyst and progressed to her most recent position as Senior Director of International Strategy and Business Performance where she developed strategic growth plans for the international portfolio.

Ascend Hotel Collection: let the destination reach you.

The Ascend Hotel Collection is a global portfolio of unique, boutique and historic independent hotels and resorts and is part of Choice Hotels International, one of the world's leading hotel companies. Recognized as the hotel industry's first "soft brand" concept, Ascend has more than 170 properties open and operating worldwide, including in France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Australia, Canada, and the Caribbean region. Membership with the Ascend Hotel Collection enables distinctive, independent properties to gain a global presence while maintaining their local charm. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com/Ascend.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the world's largest lodging companies. With more than 6,500 hotels franchised in more than 40 countries and territories, Choice Hotels International represents more than 500,000 rooms around the globe. As of December 31, 2016, 775 hotels were in our development pipeline. Our company's Ascend Hotel Collection, Cambria hotels & suites, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Quality, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, and Vacation Rentals by Choice Hotels brands provide a spectrum of lodging choices to meet guests' needs. With more than 30 million members and counting, our Choice Privileges rewards program enhances every trip a guest takes, with benefits ranging from instant, every day rewards to exceptional experiences, starting right when they join. All hotels and vacation rentals are independently owned and operated. Visit us at www.choicehotels.com for more information.

 2017 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

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LAS VEGAS, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NAB Show 2017, (Booth #SU3116)  Verimatrix, the specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for multi-network, multi-screen digital TV services around the globe, today announced that Cincinnati Bell has broadened its deployment of the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) multi-network solution to support over-the-top (OTT) video delivery of its streaming app, Watch Fioptics. The App is a complimentary offering to Cincinnati Bell Fioptics subscribers to help fulfill the company's mission to deliver content on any device. Verimatrix will enable secure premium services to Roku streaming players and TVs, along with set-top boxes, iOS and Android devices, and future device development, with its ViewRight Web client security package. The Watch Fioptics App is currently available on iOS and Android devices with other devices coming later in the year.

The Watch Fioptics app is an OTT app-based service where subscribers can access their TV package on a variety of devices. VCAS for Internet TV, powered by the multi-network VCAS platform, provides Cincinnati Bell a complete multi-screen security solution for OTT services over networks implementing HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), which is the dominant adaptive bitrate (ABR) protocol supported by Roku and other mainstream CE devices. VCAS for Internet TV enhances the basic HLS security model with capabilities that support subscription and transaction-based pay-TV services to ensure only authorized users can access their content, and provides an easy upgrade to MPEG-DASH delivery as a future service option.

"We have relied on Verimatrix as we have grown our offering to allow users to access their content in the way they wish to consume it," said Cory Beimesche, VP of Consumer Solution Design and Management at Cincinnati Bell. "VCAS for Internet TV enables us to reach all the devices we need and ensures that we can securely deliver OTT video to meet customer demand. Plus, its ability to harmonize rights across these devices helps streamline our delivery."

"The strength of our partner ecosystem and our ability to deploy revenue security solutions quickly and across essentially all device types are what set Verimatrix apart for this deployment," said Steve Oetegenn, president, Verimatrix. "We are excited to not only support OTT delivery of Cincinnati Bell's Watch Fioptics service, but also pave a new path for other operators to easily add Roku streaming devices to their multi-screen lineup.

About Cincinnati Bell

With headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Bell Inc. provides integrated communications solutions  including local and long distance voice, data, high-speed Internet and video  that keep residential and business customers in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton connected with each other and with the world. In addition, enterprise customers across the United States rely on CBTS, a wholly-owned subsidiary, for efficient, scalable office communications systems and end-to-end IT solutions. For more information, please visit www.cincinnatibell.com.

About Verimatrix

Verimatrix specializes in securing and enhancing revenue for multi-network, multi-screen digital TV services around the globe and is recognized as the global number one in revenue security for connected video devices. The award-winning and independently audited Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) family of solutions enables next-generation video service providers to cost-effectively extend their networks and enable new business models. The company has continued its technical innovation by offering the world's only globally interconnected revenue security platform, Verspective Intelligence Center, for automated system optimization and data collection/analytics.

Its unmatched partner ecosystem and close relationship with major studios, broadcasters and standards organizations enables Verimatrix to provide a unique advantage to video business issues beyond content security as operators introduce new services to leverage the proliferation of connected devices. Verimatrix is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company. For more information, please visit www.verimatrix.com, our Pay TV Views blog and follow us @verimatrixinc, Facebook and LinkedIn to join the conversation.

SOURCE Verimatrix

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WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Daniel Morgan Graduate School Professor Dr. Michael Sharnoff released his first book titled Nasser's Peace: Egypt's Response to the 1967 War with Israel.

Published by Taylor and Francis Group, the book chronicles the post-war response and strategy of then Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser following his country's Six-Day War with Israel. Using newly declassified documents, Dr. Sharnoff provides a closer, behind the scenes look at both Nasser's public and private "peace negotiations" in the months directly following the 1967 War.

"Although much has been written on Nasser and the 1967 War, Nasser's Peace is unique because it draws upon more recently available primary resources," said Sharnoff. "These newly declassified documents from the United States, Great Britain, and Russia give light to Nasser's diplomatic negotiations following the war, which up to this point have remained relatively unexamined and misunderstood."

Dr. Sharnoff joined the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security as an Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies in May 2015. He also serves as Daniel Morgan's Director of Regional Studies and is a Senior Analyst at Wikistrat, a geo-political risk consultancy firm in Washington, D.C. Dr. Sharnoff completed his Ph.D. in Middle East Studies at King's College London and is a renowned commentator on Middle Eastern rhetoric. His work has been published in outlets that include The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, and Palestine-Israel Journal.

With the 50th anniversary of the 1967 War this year, Nasser's Peace is a timely and thought-provoking analysis of how a smaller, developing country can manipulate larger, rival countries and how the definition of "peace" can be easily molded.

"[This is a] brilliant examination of the twilight years of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, arguably the foremost Arab leader in the 20th century," said Professor Efraim Karsh, King's College London & Bar-Ilan University. "[Nasser's Peace is a] must read for anyone seeking to understand the endemic volatility of the Arab world and its failure to come to terms with modernity."

"Never before has a book delved into this level of detail on the subject," Sharnoff said. "I'm thankful to be able to share these new revelations with our students at Daniel Morgan Graduate School and readers across the world."

Nasser's Peace is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Dr. Sharnoff will present on Nasser's Peace at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security in Washington, D.C. on May 10. You can register for the event on Daniel Morgan's website.

About Daniel Morgan Graduate School:

Established in 2014, the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security is a Washington DC-based, non-profit graduate school established to accelerate the education, hands-on experience and research competencies of aspiring men and women committed to serving in the US national security community. With an experienced faculty and a crafted curriculum, DMGS seeks to become the leading institution to educate and train graduates to fulfill the future leadership required to meet the expectations of the national security community in the years to come.

SOURCE Daniel Morgan Graduate School
NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte announced today that its top Deloitte Digital executive, Andy Main, has been named to Adweek's "Power List," an annual special issue that features the top 100 leaders in marketing, media and technology, which will be published in the April 24 issue. Main, a principal in Deloitte Consulting LLP and head of Deloitte Digital, joins the ranks of some of the most influential media and tech giants, CEOs of top brand marketers, entrepreneurs and agency leaders.

In its third annual "Power List," Adweek editors considered the influence and performance of global corporate leaders using criteria such as company value, revenue and revenue growth, market performance, consumer reach and affinity, competitive standing, number of employees, key acquisitions, partnerships, industry accolades and media buzz. To read Main's full Power List profile in Adweek visit: http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/adweeks-2017-power-list-our-top-100-leaders-in-media-marketing-and-tech/

"Throughout his career, Andy has pioneered new business models. At Deloitte Digital, he has been the driving force behind our creative digital consultancy model, bringing together Andy's roots in research, data, strategy, technology, creativity and innovation to deliver digital transformation to our clients," said Nidal Haddad, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP and chief of markets, Deloitte Digital. "By being added to Adweek's Power List, it is a confirmation that the unique positioning that Andy created for Deloitte Digital is not just working, but leading the market. We are proud of what we have done in the marketplace, but even more so, we are especially proud of Andy. He is a true friend, colleague and leader."

Main has played an instrumental role in building and expanding Deloitte Digital's marketing operations to include the creative services of Heat, innovation practice Doblin, and user experience designer Flow  providing clients with a full-service creative digital consultancy.

A Deloitte veteran, Main has spent the past 25 years helping Fortune 500 brands modernize their businesses and bring new ideas to market quickly. At Deloitte Digital, he helps clients gain business value by using digital to improve their engagement with customers, employees, partners, communities and suppliers at every touch point along the journey. He has served as a source for industry commentary on the changing marketing landscape, and has spoken at numerous industry conferences including SXSW, Dreamforce and AdExchanger's Programmatic I/O. In 2016, Main was named one of Consulting magazine's "Top 25 Consultants."

About Deloitte Digital

Deloitte Digital has created a new model for a new age  a creative digital consultancy. That means bringing together all the creative and technology capabilities, business acumen and industry insight needed to help transform clients' businesses with digital. With Deloitte Digital's end-to-end capabilities, clients bring their greatest ambitions, knowing Deloitte Digital has what it takes to bring new business visions to life. Visit www.deloittedigital.com or follow on Twitter @DeloitteDigi_US or @DeloitteDigital.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte Digital

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"BIO International Convention is the place to do business, with a record-setting number of scheduled business meetings happening every single year," said Jill Gilbert of Living in Digital Times, producer of the DHSS. "Partnering with BIO not only gives our Digital Health Summer Summit attendees the opportunity to take advantage of BIO's proprietary One-on-One Partnering online business development tool, but it also gives them unprecedented access to C-level executives on the biotech and pharma side of the table."

More than 35,500 scheduled partnering meetings took place over the course of just three and a half days at the BIO International Convention in 2016more scheduled meetings occurring under one roof than any other conference.

"We are excited to announce that we have continued our partnership with Living in Digital Times and Digital Health Summer Summit to deliver the digital health tech agenda that our attendees want," said Sarah Arth, BIO's Vice President for Education. "Digital Health Summer Summit has been the long-standing conference to attend if you want to put your finger on the pulse of the rapidly growing digital health sector and the technology driving it."

This year's DHSS will focus on "Going Vertical: Digital Health's Fast-Paced Climb" with two immersive days of keynotes and panel discussions designed to help companies evolve shrewdly and scale to new heights, on Monday, June 19th and Tuesday, June 20th. Conference content will tackle four key digital health areas:

How Technology is Tackling Our Greatest Healthcare Challenges

Validate or Die: Developing Vigorous Proof of Concept

Radical innovations Rocking the Healthcare World

Pharma and Tech: Turning Great Ideas into Powerful Medicine

View the full DHSS conference agenda and keep up with the current list of speakers here.

BIO 2017 will continue the digital health dialogue on Wednesday, June 21st and Thursday, June 22nd with its own digital health track as part of more than 145 sessions offered. The sessions will focus on how digital health technology is enabling a fundamental shift in the value chain from applications in personal genomics, detection technology and artificial intelligence to investments in the biotech sector.

Cutting edge digital health companies, from mobile prescription renewal apps, to next-generation sensors for disease diagnosis and monitoring, to subject and data management for clinical trials, will also be exhibiting as part of the Digital Health Zone throughout the conference, daily, Tuesday through Thursday.

Those interested in attending the DHSS, can choose from three different conference packages, which include different levels of access to the BIO International Convention and Partnering for a bundled discounted rate. Early bird pricing is available through April 27, 2017. View complete details and register online today here.

The DHSS and BIO International Convention are open to credentialed members of the media free of charge. View complete media guidelines and register online here. Registered media will have full access to both conferences. One-on-One Partnering is not included, but can be purchased separately.

For updates on DHSS, follow Digital Health on Twitter at @DHSummit, "like" Digital Health Summit on Facebook, and follow the hashtag #DHSS17.

For updates on the BIO International Convention and One-on-One partnering, visit convention.bio.org or follow BIO on Twitter at @BIOConvention and @BIO1X1, and follow the hashtag #BIO2017.

About Living in Digital Times

Founded by veteran technology journalist Robin Raskin, Living in Digital Times brings together the most knowledgeable leaders and the latest innovations impacting both technology and lifestyle. It helps companies identify and act on emerging trends, create compelling company narratives, and do better business through strong network connections. Living in Digital Times produces technology conferences, exhibits and events at CES and other locations throughout the year by lifestyle verticals. Core brands include Digital Health Summit, Digital Money Forum, FitnessTech, Baby Tech, [email protected], Family Tech Summit, TransformingEDU, FamilyTech TV, Beauty Tech, Wearables and FashionWare runway show, Mobile Apps Showdown, Last Gadget Standing, Robots on the Runway and the KAPi Awards. The company also works with various foundations and manages the Appreneur Scholar awards program for budding mobile entrepreneurs, as well as the 10 Under 20: Young Innovators to Watch awards recognizing student STEAM innovations in New York City. For more information, visit www.LivinginDigitalTimes.com and keep up with our latest news on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

About BIO

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling "innovations transforming our world" and the BIO Newsletter is the organization's bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.

Media Contacts:

Linda Krebs

LKPR, Inc. for Digital Health Summer Summit

[email protected]

646-484-4539

646-824-5186 (mobile)

Theresa Brady

Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)

[email protected]

202-962-9235

202-279-0536 (mobile)

SOURCE Living in Digital Times

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TAMPA, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dynamic Communities, the supporting organization behind the official User Groups for Microsoft Dynamics 365 & AX (D365UG/AXUG), Microsoft Dynamics 365 & CRM (D365UG/CRMUG), Microsoft Dynamics GP (GPUG), Microsoft Dynamics SL User Group (DSLUG), and Microsoft Dynamics NAV (NAVUG), announced a new Chairperson for the CRMUG Board of Advisors, beginning April 24th, 2017.

Andreas Kraemer (formerly, Wells Fargo) will be transitioning the CRMUG Chairperson role to Clarissa Simpson, a Dynamics 365/CRM leader with Ford Motor Company and current CRMUG member and who has been heavily involved in the User Group by serving on the Board, Customer Care Special Interest Group, and Focus & Summit Programming Committees. Kraemer has officially moved into a role with Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) effective April 24th, 2017.

"The past few years as Chairman have been very exciting and satisfying. We have seen record growth at CRMUG Summit and in our CRMUG Chapters around the world. CRMUG membership has grown to over 33,000 individual members and over 7,000 member organizations globally. I am proud of the growth CRMUG has experienced during my term as Chairman and I will continue to stay involved as my day-to-day duties allow. My mantra 'From Users, For Users' is exceptionally displayed by so many heavily involved members, that consistently live up to our philosophy of 'learning and sharing.' I am excited to see the next chapter unfold with Clarissa stepping into her new role," said Kraemer.

"I want to sincerely thank Andreas Kraemer for his role as CRMUG Advisory Board Chairman. He was a founder of CRMUG Chapters in Washington, D.C. and throughout California. He was instrumental in CRMUG's European launch in Italy a few years ago, participated in planning committees for CRMUG Summit, Summit EMEA and is co-leading the Customer Analytics Special Interest Group. Andreas has always had a servant's heart and willingness to help others," said Tony Stein, General Manager, CRMUG. "We've been very fortunate over the years to have solid leadership and goodwill from so many across CRMUG, and this transition will undoubtedly be a smooth one as both Andreas and Clarissa have always had CRMUG in their DNA,so to speak, to help others realize greater Microsoft Dynamics 365 & CRM success. All of CRMUG is grateful to Andreas for everything he has done for others and is eager and appreciates in welcoming Clarissa's passion as chairperson go forward. Thanks to you both, CRMUG and its membership are truly grateful."

Dynamic Communities is the business management organization that supports technology-centric user groups and associations - providing necessary resources and business operations such as staff, systems and event production. Dynamic Communities is independent from Microsoft; however, the two organizations maintain an intentional close working relationship so that our members can provide a collective voice to Microsoft on user concerns, needs, and requests.

SOURCE Dynamic Communities

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NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The exhibition Erick Meyenberg: The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg is the end result of the artist's collaboration with members of the high school marching band, Banda de Guerra Lobos, at the Colegio Hispanoamericano in Mexico City. Meyenberg and the teenagerstogether with curators, guest musicians, composers, costume designers, and a video production teamco-created choreographies, musical scores, and a series of performances that took the band through some of the city's most emblematic and politically marked sites: the Plaza de Tlatelolco, where striking university students clashed with the state in 1968; the Monumento a la Revolucion, commemorating the Mexican Revolution of 1910; and the Forum Buenavista shopping center, symbolizing Mexico's embeddedness in transnational capitalism.

Meyenberg developed The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg (2016) over two years as a commission for inSite/Casa Gallina, the sixth edition of the public art project, inSite. The exhibition is co-organized by Americas Society and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, and is curated by Americas Society's Visual Arts Director and Chief Curator Gabriela Rangel and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Visual Arts Director Lucia Sanroman. A press preview and reception will be held at the Americas Society Art Gallery in New York City on May 3, 5:00 p.m., followed by a panel discussion. RSVP: [email protected]

Composed of a three-channel projection, flags, a relief sculpture, and archival materials, The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg takes its enigmatic title from the 1917 prologue to Guillaume Apollinaire's 1903 play Les mamelles de Tiresias (The Breasts of Tiresias). Meyenberg's project translates these sources into a critical stance toward normative pedagogical structureshere taking the form of uniforms, discipline, education, gender, the state, and symbols of nationhoodand a conception of the "surreal" not as an evasion of reality, but as an invitation to surmount other realities. Culminating in a synesthetic experience, The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg suggests the complexities of Mexican modernity.

The exhibition is accompanied by a forthcoming richly illustrated publication, which documents the process and performance of The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg and includes essays by Gabriela Rangel and Osvaldo Sanchez, as well as an interview with the artist by Lucia Sanroman.

The presentation at Americas Society of Erick Meyenberg: The wheel bears no resemblance to a leg is made possible by the generous support of the Panta Rhea Foundation and Genomma Lab Internacional. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Additional support comes from AMEXCID, the Consulate General of Mexico, the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Visit as-coa.org/visualarts for more details on all public programs.

Americas Society is the premier organization dedicated to education, debate, and dialogue in the Americas. Established by David Rockefeller in 1965, our mission is to foster an understanding of the contemporary political, social, and economic issues confronting Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, and to increase public awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the Americas and the importance of the inter-American relationship. Americas Society Visual Arts program boasts the longest-standing private space in the United States dedicated to exhibiting and promoting art from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada; it has achieved a unique and renowned leadership position in the field, producing both historical and contemporary exhibitions.

SOURCE Americas Society

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SAN DIEGO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson & Weaver, LLP (J&W) has launched an investigation into whether the board members of FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated (NYSE: FCH) breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE: RLJ).

On April 24, 2017, FelCor announced it had signed a definitive merger agreement with RLJ. Under the terms of the agreement, each share of FelCor common stock will be converted into 0.362 shares of newly issued common shares of RLJ common stock in a taxable merger. FelCor's operating units will be exchanged for limited partnership units in RLJ's operating partnership at a similar exchange ratio of 0.362. Following the merger, RLJ's shareholders are expected to own approximately 71 percent of the combined company's fully diluted equity, and FelCor's shareholders are expected to own the remaining 29 percent.

The investigation concerns whether the FelCor board failed to satisfy their duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the acquisition and whether the board obtained the best price possible for FelCor shares of common stock. Nationally recognized Johnson & Weaver is investigating whether the proposed deal price represents adequate consideration.

If you are a shareholder of FelCor and believe the proposed buyout price is too low and you're interested in learning more about the investigation or your legal rights and remedies, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ([email protected]) at 619-814-4471.

About Johnson & Weaver, LLP:

Johnson & Weaver, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonandweaver.com. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson & Weaver, LLP

Jim Baker, 619-814-4471

[email protected]

SOURCE Johnson & Weaver, LLP

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PEMBROKE PINES, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the only trade association representing the mutual interests between the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders in the Caribbean and Latin America, is proud to announce that it will participate in its first Seatrade Europe this year in Hamburg, Germany from September 6-8 and offer opportunities for its partners to target the cruise executives and attendees through a trade show booth, private meetings, networking receptions and more.

"With the increasingly global nature of the industry, bilateral partnerships abroad are becoming even more valuable," said Adam Goldstein, president and COO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and chairman, FCCA. "The FCCA has a long history of developing these partnerships, and its new initiative at Seatrade Europe offers a proven way for its Caribbean and Latin American partners to get closer to European cruise lines, stakeholders and source markets."

"I am excited for the FCCA to participate in its first Seatrade Europe, but it is even more fulfilling that this presents a new opportunity to help our partners," said Michele Paige, president, FCCA. "We have already been working to prepare our partners for the cruise industry's growingly global passengers, and this initiative presents the perfect opportunity to develop partnerships and business with cruise lines and stakeholders from a key market."

In the spirit of its mission to build relationships and business for its partners, the FCCA has set aside booth space at its Seatrade Europe pavilion (#702) for a select 10 destinations and stakeholders to individualize and showcase their products to the 5,000 attendees. The booth space will also include private meeting space, where destination partners can host one-on-one meetings that the FCCA will help coordinate with the 270 cruise executives in attendance.

The FCCA's Seatrade Europe partners will also have access to these key European river and ocean line executives through the FCCA's expanded partnership with its sister association, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Together, the FCCA and CLIA will co-host a reception on the show floor for their partners, which will gather executives and stakeholders in a casual setting and enable discussions ranging from business operations to family business.

"Creating opportunities for dialogue between cruise lines and the port and destinations community is critically important for our industry's growth," said Cindy D'Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA. "Seatrade Europe has always been an important event for CLIA, and I am looking forward to sharing this experience with our friends at FCCA."

Additionally, the FCCA is working on other initiatives to provide even more exposure for its Seatrade Europe partners, including pamphlets featuring their offerings, which will be distributed to cruise executives.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations' private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com, the FCCA on Facebook, and @FCCAupdates on Twitter.

Media Contact:

Vena Vongachariya

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Related Links

http://www.f-cca.com


He acknowledged co-founders Dan Ochstein CEO, and Earl Rahn, President as he addressed the crowd:

"I'd like to recognize everyone at NewSouth Window. NewSouth started here in Tampa with one location the year I was elected, 2010, and since then they've opened in Orlando, Sarasota, West Palm Beach and soon be Ft. Lauderdale."

NewSouth Window Solutions set up their Tampa manufacturing facility when the economic downturn was in full force in Florida, particularly for the building and construction business. Since that time, they have added 165 jobs in Florida, with a plan to add 50 more with this expansion.

As Scott looked over the impressive 13 acre portion of the 73 acre development, he commented on the scale of the concrete building footprint, stating,

"There's not many places this big, this is outstanding! You better sell a lot of windows."

NewSouth has made and sold hundreds of thousands of high performance window and door units, and plans to continue to climb as a leading provider of energy efficient windows in a state where the inefficiencies of the single pane aluminum still dominate. Ochstein spoke of his vision of the factory direct window company and the decision to build out of need for more space to accommodate the growth.

NewSouth products are designed specifically for the Florida climate, with a special focus on blending energy efficiency with impact resistant strength to defend against the unrelenting Florida sun and storms. NewSouth calls this the Ultimate Florida Window. Rahn stated, "Our products are made in Florida, for Florida homes, by Florida workersand we are supported by the Florida Governor".

Ochstein and Rahn received the Governor's Business Ambassador's Award to recognize their accomplishment and job creation for the state. Pro-business officials, Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Sandra Murman, Hillsborough County Commissioner, addressed the crowd in support of NewSouth Window and job creation. Murman has been an advocate for the NewSouth expansion, and her support has been key for NewSouth Window in Hillsborough County. Murman states, "We are proud to be celebrating the expansion of NewSouth Windows, which is a testament to our strong manufacturing sector and workforce in Hillsborough County."

Howard Bayless and Austin Jones of Marcobay Construction hosted the event as construction briefly halted on the site. Marcobay is the builder and developer of the 73 acre Crossroads Commerce Center in Tampa. NewSouth is planning on moving into the new facility in January of 2018.

SOURCE NewSouth Window Solutions

Related Links

http://newsouthwindow.com


STAMFORD, Conn., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Freepoint Commodities LLC ("Freepoint") today announced that it has closed a USD 2.1 billion revolving bank facility (the "Facility"). The Facility has been extended for another three-year term, to April 2020, and consists of a USD 1.445 billion three year committed tranche and a USD 655 million one year uncommitted tranche. In addition, the Facility has a USD 300 million accordion feature.

BNP Paribas Securities Corp ("BNPPSC"), The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFG, Ltd. ("MUFG") and Natixis, New York Branch are Joint Lead Arrangers for the Facility. BNPPSC and MUFG are also Joint Bookrunners. BNP Paribas remains as the Administrative Agent. Co-Syndication and Co-Documentation Agents include: ING Bank N.V., Natixis, New York branch, Societe Generale and Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch. Other continuing participating banks include: ABN AMRO Capital USA LLC, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd., Deutsche Bank AG (New York branch) and UBS Switzerland AG. Bank of China, New York Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd., New York Branch and Standard Chartered Bank have joined as new participants. The Facility finances the physical merchant activities of Freepoint's expanding global commodities businesses.

"We truly appreciate the strong relationships we have with our existing bank group and welcome the addition of three new participants to the Facility: Bank of China, ICBC and Standard Chartered Bank. Our lenders have demonstrated their sustained commitment to supporting Freepoint's ongoing expansion throughout this amendment and extension process," said CEO David A. Messer.

About Freepoint

Founded in 2011, Freepoint is based in Stamford, CT with over 370 employees worldwide. Freepoint is a merchant of physical commodities and a financer of upper and mid-stream commodity-producing assets. Freepoint also provides physical supply services and related structured solutions for counterparties.

Media Contact

Audrey Belloff

RF|Binder

+1 212 994 7547

[email protected]



SOURCE Freepoint Commodities LLC
ATLANTA, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) announced today that Thomas C. Gallagher, Executive Chairman of Genuine Parts Company, has informed the Board of Directors of his decision to retire as an executive officer and employee of the Company, effective June 30, 2017. Mr. Gallagher will continue to serve as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board following his retirement.

Paul Donahue, President and Chief Executive Officer of Genuine Parts Company, commented, "On behalf of the entire organization, we want to thank Tom for his 47 years of dedicated service to the Company. Tom positively influenced every aspect of the organization during his exceptional career, and his leadership as President from 1990 to January 2012 and CEO from 2004 to May 2016 guided our significant growth over this period. We are forever grateful for his many contributions to the Company and we wish him the very best for the future."

Mr. Donahue added, "Tom has also served as our Chairman since 2005, and we look forward to his continued counsel as Non-Executive Chairman following his retirement."

About Genuine Parts Company

Genuine Parts Company is a distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia. The Company also distributes industrial replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico through its Motion Industries subsidiary. S. P. Richards Company, the Office Products Group, distributes business products in the U.S. and Canada. The Electrical/Electronic Group, EIS, Inc., distributes electrical and electronic components throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Genuine Parts Company had 2016 revenues of $15.3 billion.

SOURCE Genuine Parts Company

Related Links

http://www.genpt.com


NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Glidewell Dental, industry-leading provider of dental products, high-quality restorations and laboratory services based in Newport Beach, California, announced today its expanded partnership with Structo, a Singapore-based dental 3D printing solutions provider, with an investment in two of Structo's newly launched DentaForm 3D printers.

After running three Structo OrthoForm printers in production over the last year, Glidewell has decided to further integrate Structo's Mask Stereolithography (MSLA) technology-equipped printers in order to expand the company's production capabilities. By adding two of the newly released DentaForm printers, Glidewell Dental is now operating a total of five Structo machines in its production facilities.

"Structo's unique MSLA technology is just the type of innovation the industry needs," said David Leeson, director of engineering at Glidewell Dental. "We are very excited to continue this partnership with Structo and improve our production efficiency by adopting the newly launched DentaForm 3D printer."

After a comprehensive evaluation of their expanding production needs, Glidewell Dental purchased two DentaForm 3D printers instead of a larger number of printers from a competing manufacturer, favoring Structo's high throughput capabilities. "Operating two of Structo's new printers is not only sufficient to replace a number of our existing printers, but also allows us to increase capacity overall," added Leeson, who mentioned that they foresee further expansion with more DentaForm printers in the second half of this year.

The Structo DentaForm is capable of printing up to 30 dental models in approximately 90 minutes. Having just launched in February at the Association of Orthodontists Singapore Congress, Structo continues to make waves in the industry by partnering with the world's largest dental laboratory.

"Despite being halfway across the world in Singapore, we are extremely pleased with the support provided by the entire team at Structo," said Cory Kolb, head of support at Glidewell Dental. "We are constantly in touch with their engineering team to exchange ideas and provide feedback, which is crucial in ensuring that our machines constantly operate at an optimum level."

"Having one of the leading dental labs in the world place its trust in our technology shows that our solution is addressing a very critical need in digital dentistry. David and his team have been providing us with a lot of feedback that has contributed to new features and design elements of the DentaForm printer. We are really excited to continue this partnership with Glidewell to help them expand their capacity," added Huub van Esbroeck, one of Structo's founders.

About Structo 3D

Structo is a Singapore-based dental 3D printing solutions provider. Using unique proprietary MSLA technology, Structo designs, develops and builds 3D printers tailored for dental applications. With MSLA, Structo's 3D printers are able to achieve speeds much higher than conventional SLA printers and are revolutionizing the field of digital dentistry with higher throughput and lower costs  all without compromising on print quality. Alongside dental 3D printers, Structo builds control systems and software, and formulates its own photopolymer materials tailored specifically to each use in a range of dental 3D printing applications.

For more information, visit structo3d.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jonathan Lim

Marketing Manager

Structo 3D

Email : [email protected]

About Glidewell Dental

Glidewell Dental is a privately owned corporation that has more than 45 years of history as a provider of dental products, high-quality restorations and laboratory services to worldwide dental professionals. Its CAD/CAM processing capabilities are recognized as among the most advanced in the industry. Glidewell Dental is an industry leader thanks to its innovative dental technology, experienced R&D department, and dedication to providing free or affordable clinical and technical education to promote industry growth.

To view the large selection of Glidewell Dental clinical videos, CE courses, and products and services, visit glidewelldental.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mike Cash

Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Glidewell Dental

Email : [email protected]

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Glidewell Dental

Related Links

http://glidewelldental.com


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Net Lease, Inc . (NYSE: GNL) ("GNL" or the "Company") announced today it will release its financial results for the first quarter 2017 on Monday, May 8, 2017 before the market opens. The Company will host an earnings conference call reviewing these results and its operations the same day, beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. The call will be conducted by Scott Bowman, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Nick Radesca, the Company's Chief Financial Officer.

Dial-in instructions for the conference call and the replay are outlined below. This conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties through the GNL website, www.globalnetlease.com, in the "Investor Relations" section. To listen to the live call, please go to the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary audio software. For those who are not able to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call on the GNL website.

Conference Call Details

Live Call

Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-888-317-6003

International Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-412-317-6061

Canada Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-866-284-3684

Participant Elite Entry Number: 0363637

Conference Replay*

Domestic Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-877-344-7529

International Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-412-317-0088

Canada Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-855-669-9658

Conference Number: 10106108

*Available one hour after the end of the conference call through August 9, 2017.

About Global Net Lease, Inc.

Global Net Lease, Inc. (NYSE: GNL) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust listed on the NYSE focused on acquiring a diversified global portfolio of commercial properties, with an emphasis on sale-leaseback transactions involving single tenant, mission critical income producing net-leased assets across the United States, Western and Northern Europe. Additional information about GNL can be found on its website at www.globalnetlease.com.

Important Notice

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to be materially different. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding stockholder liquidity and investment value and returns. The words "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "plans," "intends," "may," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of GNL's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2017. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and GNL undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results, unless required to do so by law.

SOURCE Global Net Lease, Inc.

Related Links

http://globalnetlease.com


SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan personal injury law firm of Goodman Acker, P.C. is thrilled to announce Attorney Bart O'Neill has been added to its team of highly accomplished and top rated accident injury lawyers.

O'Neill will practice personal injury law, with an emphasis on medical malpractice and birth injury lawsuits, including Cerebral Palsy, Erb's Palsy, shoulder dystocia, and more.

O'Neill earned his Juris Doctorate in 2001 at Wayne State University Law School. He received his undergrad at the University of Detroit Mercy in 1998 with a B.A. degree in Political Science.

Prior to joining Goodman Acker, O'Neill represented hospitals and physicians. His former career has given him a unique perspective that has worked to his advantage when making the decision to join Goodman Acker and represent patients.

"My experience with both hospitals and patients allows me to examine every side of a situation when handling complex medical malpractice and birth trauma cases. Making the decision to join Goodman Acker and represent patients is one of the most defining moments of my legal career," says O'Neill.

O'Neill is also a big contributor to the legal community, giving various presentations at medical malpractice seminars and earning many accolades along the way. He was recently named a "Rising Star" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

To view Goodman Acker Birth Injury Attorney Bart O'Neill's full biography visit http://www.goodmanacker.com/About-Us/Meet-Our-Team/Bart-P-ONeill.aspx

About Goodman Acker, P.C.

Goodman Acker, P.C. is a personal injury law firm based out of Southfield, Michigan. It handles cases throughout the State of Michigan. The law firm represents injury victims in a variety of cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall, medical malpractice, birth injury, and more. The firm offers a free, no-obligation case review and represents clients on a contingency fee basis, which means no legal fees or costs until the case is won or settled. For more information, call the law firm's office today at (248) 793-2010 or visit the law firm's website at www.GoodmanAcker.com

SOURCE Goodman Acker, P.C.

Related Links

http://www.GoodmanAcker.com


MEXICO CITY, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo LALA, S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican Company focused on healthy and nutritious foods, ("LALA") (BMV: LALA B), today reported results for the first quarter 2017. The following information has been presented based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and in nominal terms.

The following chart provides an abridged Income Statement, in millions of pesos. The margin for each figure represents its ratio to net sales and the percentage change from the quarter ended March 31st, 2017, as compared with the same period in 2016:

P&L 1st. Q 16 % Sales 1st. Q 17 % Sales Var. % Net Sales $ 12,509 100.0% $ 14,799 100.0% 18.3% Gross Profit 4,960 39.7% 5,362 36.2% 8.1% Operating Income 1,557 12.4% 1,254 8.5% (19.5)% EBITDA(1) 1,889 15.1% 1,725 11.7% (8.7)% Net Income(2) 1,111 8.9% 704 4.8% (36.6)%

(1) EBITDA is defined as operating income before depreciation and amortization.

(2) Net Income refers to Consolidated Net Income.

Message from Management

Scot Rank, Grupo LALAs CEO:

"The highlight of the first quarter of 2017 for Grupo Lala, was the acceleration of organic sales, which contributed to a total sales increase of 18% versus the first quarter last year. Input cost and the incorporation of recently acquired businesses continue to pressure EBITDA margins, although actions initiated since the exchange rate volatility of last year have contributed to two straight quarters of EBITDA growth".

Please click on the following link for a PDF file containing the full text of the press release:

GRUPO LALA REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2017 RESULTS

Please click on the following link for a PDF file containing the full text of the press release in Spanish: GRUPO LALA REPORTA RESULTADOS DEL PRIMER TRIMESTRE 2017

About LALA

Grupo LALA, a Mexican company focused on healthy and nutritious food, has over 65 years of experience in producing, revitalizing and marketing milk, dairy products and drinks with the highest quality standards. There are 21 LALA production plants in operation and 159 distribution centers in Mexico, United States and Central America, and it has more than 34,000 team members. LALA operates a fleet of more than 7,500 vehicles to distribute their 600+ products, which are delivered to over 500,000 points of sale. LALAs portfolio its led by its two flagship brands LALA and Nutri Leche.

For more information, visit: www.grupolala.com

Grupo LALA is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "LALA B"

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160128/327167LOGO

SOURCE Grupo LALA, S.A.B. de C.V.

Related Links

http://www.grupolala.com


SAN FRANCISCO and TEL AVIV, Israel, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GuardiCore, a leader in internal data center and cloud security, today announced GuardiCore Labs, a global cyber security research team that conducts in-depth research and analysis, providing the security industry with actionable insights into the latest and most advanced threats facing data centers and clouds. GuardiCore Labs delivers cutting-edge breach detection and response methodologies to help GuardiCore customers continually enhance their security posture to protect critical business applications and infrastructure.

GuardiCore advanced security technologies play an integral role in GuardiCore Labs' research and analysis. One key resource is the GuardiCore Global Sensor Network (GGSN), based on GuardiCore deception technology that is installed in multiple data centers around the world. The GGSN engages threat actors via GuardiCore's high interaction deception technology and streams early threat information to GuardiCore Labs expert analysts for new attack identification and analysis. GuardiCore Labs' recent, high-profile threat discoveries include a variant of the MongoDB ransomware attack targeting MySQL databases and the Trojan.sysscan malware, with extensive capabilities to search and extract cookies and other credentials.

GuardiCore has appointed Ofri Ziv, Vice President of Research, to head up GuardiCore Labs. Ofri was previously the head of the GuardiCore Detection Development Group. In his new role, Ofri will lead all research at GuardiCore and will focus on enhancing GuardiCore's current and future product and service offerings as well as developing new tools for the broader security community.

One example of a new tool resulting from GuardiCore research efforts is the GuardiCore Infection Monkey, an open-source penetration testing tool available free to pen testers and other security assessment pros to test their data center and cloud systems for potential security risks. The Infection Monkey was unveiled at the Black Hat Conference in Las Vegas in 2016 and was named one of the "Eight Bad Ass Tools Coming out of Black Hat" by Dark Reading.

"As organizations more aggressively adopt virtualization and cloud-based infrastructures, they face new security challenges that demand sophisticated security solutions," said Ofri Ziv, VP of Research at GuardiCore. "GuardiCore Labs focuses its research efforts on emerging threats targeting data centers and clouds, providing actionable intelligence, advanced technologies and tools designed specifically for these dynamic environments."

About GuardiCore

GuardiCore is an innovator in internal data center and cloud security focused on delivering more accurate and effective ways to stop advanced threats through real-time breach detection and response. Developed by the top cyber security experts in their field, GuardiCore is changing the way organizations are fighting cyber attacks in their data centers. For more information, visit www.guardicore.com.

CONTACT:

Cinthia Portugal

Guyer Group

[email protected]

206.619.8183

SOURCE GuardiCore

Related Links

http://www.guardicore.com


WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is proud to announce that Mary Barra, Chairman and CEO of General Motors Co. and the Honorable Henry Cisneros, Executive Chairman of CityView, will be the luncheon keynote speakers at the 25th Annual HACR Symposium: The Power of Hispanic Inclusion taking place on May 1 and May 2, respectively at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit.

"It is a great honor to have Mary Barra and Henry Cisneros address our Symposium attendees," said Cid Wilson, HACR President & CEO. "Ms. Barra is among the most influential executive leaders in the world, who also shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman in history to lead a major automotive company. Mr. Cisneros, former San Antonio mayor and former HUD Secretary, is a pioneering civic and business leader who has leveraged his executive experiences in government and the corporate sphere to bring about numerous accomplishments in the Hispanic community."

The Annual HACR Symposium: The Power of Hispanic Inclusion brings together some of the nation's most influential Hispanic leaders, government officials, and corporate executives to discuss and identify effective strategies and models for achieving greater inclusion and participation in the areas of Employment, Procurement, Philanthropy, and Governance.

Barra and Cisneros will be among the dozens of speakers and panelist confirmed for the Annual HACR Symposium, who will share their experience and expertise on a range of topics including the state of Hispanics in the U.S., career advancement, the business impact of diversity and inclusion, employee resource group best practices, key initiatives engaging the Hispanic consumer market, and more.

For more information on the 25th Annual HACR Symposium including the agenda and registration information, please click here. For up-to-the-minute updates follow HACR on social media by liking us on Facebook, connecting with us on LinkedIn, and following us on Twitter using the hashtag #HACR2017.

About HACR

Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is the nation's leading corporate advocacy organizations in the nation representing 14 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Its mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. To that end, HACR focuses on four areas of corporate social responsibility and market reciprocity: Employment, Procurement, Philanthropy, and Governance.

Contact: Ariana Solis Gomez

Phone: (202) 682-4012

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)

Related Links

http://www.hacr.org


ISLE OF PALMS, S.C., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthCost, the only network offering an open healthcare marketplace, has launched HealthCost.com to give control back to patients and providers. Through the website and mobile app, HealthCost allows providers to set their own market rates and patients to shop, compare and, eventually, lock-in specific rates that fit their need.

"While open pricing and comparison shopping exists in every other area of our economyfrom airlines to automobilesyou won't find them in healthcare. Until now," said William Moore, founding partner at HealthCost. "We're completely changing the patient and provider relationship by putting both in control of healthcare costs."

Patients now shop for common outpatient procedures

Through HealthCost.com, patients can now search for the exact cost of individual healthcare procedures. While other search tools only share average regional rates, HealthCost openly displays actual costs from each individual doctor and the facility where he or she performs the procedure. Consumers can also compare how costs for the same procedure changes from facility to facility. Access to the HealthCost.com network is open to all, giving any consumer the ability to shop and compare healthcare costs independently of the out-of-network rates that have traditionally worked against consumer freedom.

"Until now, consumers have been kept in the dark about healthcare costs; always being told, it's too complex for them to understand," said Douglas Tardio, founding partner at HealthCost. "Patients have no idea that the cost of a procedure from the same doctor can have drastically different rates when performed at different facilities. Do a search for a colonoscopy in New York City and you'll see a rate of $4,000 at one hospital and with the exact same doctor performing the same procedure you'll see a cost of more than $10,000 at a different hospital. Patients need to know this information so they can make empowered healthcare decisions."

Providers now set their rates

Through HealthCost.com, healthcare providers can now expand beyond their current health plan networks and reach new traditionally unreachable patients. Before HealthCost, providers struggled to reach the millions of uninsured, self-insured small businesses and out-of-network and other self-pay consumers. Once providers join the HealthCost NetworksSM, they have the freedom to control their rates based on the true value of their medical education, experience in caring for patients and the quality of the facility and its staff.

The Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, reports there are 28 million nonelderly uninsured consumers and 63 percent of covered workers are in a self-funded health plan.

"We know there are upwards of 50 million people that aren't being reached by healthcare providers today," said Russell Amico, M.D., founding partner at HealthCost. "When providers control their rates and patients are given the knowledge they need to make the best healthcare decision for themselves and their families, everyone wins."

Believing that a free, transparent healthcare marketplace could complement traditional plan-based solutions for consumers, HealthCost was formed when six colleagues joined forces in 2016. All with differing backgrounds but one shared mission, William Moore, Douglas Tardio, Russell Amico, M.D., Frank Frenzel, William Tausig and Robert Moses are all founding partners of the tech startup, aimed at bringing simple, borderless, and market driven choice to every consumer for the most common healthcare needs. HealthCost.com includes searchable charges and quality data provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), however, providers have the ability to join the network and manage their own rates.

About HealthCost:

HealthCost is the only network offering an open marketplace, through HealthCost.com, for setting, comparing and locking-in healthcare costs. Like other transparent, open markets, consumers and providers (as buyers and vendors) now mutually drive costs and demand. HealthCost providers have the freedom to set their own rates and reach new consumers, no matter how, or if, they are insured. HealthCost consumers have the freedom to comparison shop and lock-in rates with any provider they choose.

SOURCE HealthCost
CHICAGO and WORTH, Ill., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoyne Savings Bank, an Illinois-chartered savings bank ("Hoyne") and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hoyne Financial Corporation, which in turn is wholly owned by Hoyne Savings, MHC, today announced that the completion of the merger of Prospect Federal Savings Bank, a federally-chartered mutual savings bank ("Prospect")with and into Hoyne occurred on April 21, 2017. Prospect's banking business will now be operated as a division of Hoyne Savings Bank. With the completion of the merger, the combined institution has consolidated assets of approximately $500 million, $86.0 million in equity, and operates a network of eight branches throughout the Chicagoland area.

"We are pleased to welcome Prospect's customers and employees to our Bank", said Ralph Carstensen, Hoyne Savings Bank's Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to expand our footprint in the greater Chicagoland market. We look forward to providing our new customers with continued exceptional service and banking products, supported by our growing team that now includes Prospect's banking professionals."

Steven F. Rosenbaum, the President of Prospect Federal Savings Bank, will join Hoyne as the President and Chief Operating Officer and will become a member of the Boards of Directors of Hoyne Savings Bank, Hoyne Savings, MHC and Hoyne Financial Corporation.

"The Board and management of Hoyne Savings Bank and Prospect are delighted to have successfully completed this strategic merger and look forward to serving our customers with the excellent customer service and expanded products they have come to expect," stated Steven Rosenbaum, the new President of Hoyne Savings Bank.

This partnership combines two mutual organizations with very similar cultures and core values. The merger also allows the combined savings bank to offer enhanced benefits such as increased lending capacity, a larger network of branches, and continue each bank's legacy of providing customer service built on relationships of trust, integrity and personalized service. This merger represents a strong financial, strategic and cultural fit and bolsters both banks' capacity and presence in the Chicago marketplace.

The law firm of Silver, Freedman, Taff & Tiernan LLP acted as legal counsel for Hoyne Savings Bank. The law firm of Vedder Price P.C. acted as legal counsel for Prospect Federal Savings Bank. Financial advisory services for the transaction were provided by RP Financial LC.

Hoyne Savings Bank:

Founded in 1887, Hoyne Savings Bank is an Illinois-chartered savings bank serving the residents, businesses and communities in the greater Chicagoland area from offices in Chicago, Worth, Oak Lawn, Wheeling and Woodstock. For more information, visit online at www.hoyne.com or call 773-283-4100.

SOURCE Hoyne Savings Bank
ADDISON, Ill., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of the Illinois 8th District, Addison Mayor Rich Veenstra, and representatives from Illinois' Senatorial and Congressional offices celebrated Earth Day together in Addison at the manufacturing facility of the nation's leading green cleaning products company, Earth Friendly Products. In honor of the company's founder, Dr. Eftichios "Van" Vlahakis, who graduated from Roosevelt University, the company presented the university with a check for $500,000 to establish the Eftichios "Van" Vlahakis Organic Chemistry Lab on campus. The event was hosted by Itasca native and president and CEO of Earth Friendly Products, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks. The employees of the Addison plant were gifted with an extra week's salary, and they are among some of the highest paid minimum wage employees in the nation.

Governor Rauner Congratulates Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks President & CEO of Earth Friendly Products on Company's 50th Anniversary

With 200 people in attendance at the event, Governor Rauner spoke about how Earth Friendly Products is the "epitome of the American Dream and provides Illinois workers with good paying jobs while delivering quality and sustainable products to consumers nationwide."

Congressman Krishnamoorthi presented a proclamation to Earth Friendly Products in honor of the occasion and thanked Vlahakis-Hanks for choosing Illinois as a location for one of its four manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. and creating green jobs for the denizens of Addison.

Other dignitaries present included State Senator Tom Cullerton, Illinois 6th District; State Representative Deborah Conroy, Illinois 46th District; State Representative Robyn Gabel, Illinois 18th District; and State Representative Kathleen Willis, Illinois 77th District.

During the inspiring afternoon, Vlahakis-Hanks spoke about her love of the environment, gave heartfelt praise to her employees, and said it was an honor to be a part of the business community in her native state of Illinois. She thanked Governor Rauner for helping to champion the Future Energy Jobs Bill that will create thousands of clean energy jobs in the state and said the company was committed to creating more green jobs for Illinois workers in the years to come. She encouraged guests to "read labels, know what you bring into your house" and thanked the U.S. EPA for the honor of being chosen as its 2017 Safer Choice Partner of the Year.

As Vlahakis-Hanks stood on the podium, she told the moving story of her father, Van Vlahakis, a Greek immigrant who came to the U.S. with $22 in his pocket. "My father was an eco-pioneer who founded this at the dawn of the environmental movement. He said that success is doing the right thing. That vision guides us to continue to break barriers in green science. I vow to protect people, pets and the planet. Finally, I want to remind you that the small choices you make  even the smallest - can create big consequences for your health and that of the planet."

Vlahakis-Hanks then went on to present a $500,000 check to Roosevelt University President Dr. Ali Malekzadeh to support the organic chemistry lab named in her late father's honor.

Did you know?

Earth Day started on April 22 in 1970. Earth Friendly Products was established only three years before that in 1967 by Van Vlahakis . Not speaking a word of English when he came to the U.S., Vlahakis chose to study chemistry because the root words of chemistry were in his native Greek.

started on in 1970. Earth Friendly Products was established only three years before that in 1967 by . Not speaking a word of English when he came to the U.S., Vlahakis chose to study chemistry because the root words of chemistry were in his native Greek. On the first Earth Day , 20M people, Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor came together to place the environment on the national agenda.

, 20M people, Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor came together to place the environment on the national agenda. In the same year that Earth Day was created, so was the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

was created, so was the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. On Earth Day in 2017, it is estimated that 1B people in 192 countries will come together to rally, plant trees, clean beaches and educate the world about protecting the environment.

in 2017, it is estimated that 1B people in 192 countries will come together to rally, plant trees, clean beaches and educate the world about protecting the environment. The U.S. government currently has no requirements on ingredient disclosure for household products.

The pollution inside homes is 5-70 times worse than outdoor air pollution; this is based on the noxious chemicals typically used in cleaning products.

About Earth Friendly Products Family owned and operated since 1967, Earth Friendly Products is the maker of ECOS Laundry Detergent and over 200 other environmentally friendly products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. Made with plant-powered ingredients, ECOS cleaners are thoughtfully sourced, pH balanced, readily biodegradable, easily recyclable and never tested on animals. Earth Friendly Products is a primary manufacturer that makes its own products in sustainable manufacturing facilities located across the U.S. All Earth Friendly Products facilities are carbon neutral, water neutral and Zero Waste Platinum certified, saving over 53 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually and diverting over 95% of all waste from landfills. Over 100 ECOS products have received the coveted U.S. EPA Safer Choice certification, which means that every ingredient is the safest in its class and that the product has proven superior performance. ECOS, Disney Baby ECOS, ECOS for Pets! and ECOS Pro cleaners are available at selected major retailers throughout the U.S., in over 60 countries and online at ecos.com.

Press contacts:

Alyson Dutch / Andrea Schnorr, BROWN + DUTCH PR, INC.

[email protected]

310.456.7151, 847.525.7756

SOURCE Earth Friendly Products
DUBLIN, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --



Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "India Packaged & RTD Tea Market Outlook, 2021" report to their offering.

This report gives an in-depth analysis of tea industry in India. Taste, convenience, price, and ingredients represent the most influential factors that determine demand for tea in India. Although demand for this hot beverage varies with region, several factors are driving growth including increasing health-consciousness, convenience, wide range of options, and customization to local tastes, among others. With consumers increasingly preferring novel, innovative and sophisticated products, premium (Branded) tea have taken centre stage.



With the Indian consumption of tea rising at a rapid pace, especially among the young and busy population, demand for RTD tea has registered a significant rise over the years. Demand for RTD tea beverages is also gaining traction from the wellness and health claims made by popular brands.

According to India Packaged & RTD Tea Market Outlook, 2021, packaged tea market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 14% over next four years. Indian packaged/branded tea market is segmented into four major segments such as traditional black tea, green tea and herbal/fruit tea and other tea which include Instant Tea, organic tea, white tea, oolong tea, etc.



Among all these categories black tea is a dominant category in the Indian tea market, however green tea is also expanding its presence among young Indian consumers due to its several health benefits. Healthy growth is projected for the market in the coming years driven by increasing focus on health and wellness. Regular & Lime/Lemon flavour green tea is most popular among young consumers. Packaged tea has propelled brands like HUL, Tata Tea, Duncans Tea Limited in its category.

RTD tea market is expected to grow with a significant during forecast period. Lipton by HUL and Nestea by Nestle are the leading players into RTD tea category, whereas Lemon and Peach are the popular flavour in RTD tea. The increasing consumer focus on health has led tea manufacturers to promote the benefits of antioxidants and flavonoids in the beverage.



The preference for beverages with detox and de-stress benefits has also led to the emergence of specialist tea outlets. Urban population is more concerned about their lifestyle as compared to the rural population. The lifestyle of urban population is more fast-paced. Fast-paced lifestyle along with an aspiration to stay fit attracts people to consume ready to drink tea.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary



2. Global Tea Market Outlook

2.1. Market Size By Value

2.2. Market Size By Volume

2.3. Market Share By Country

2.4. Production



3. India Tea Market Outlook

3.1. Market Size By Value

3.2. Market Size By Volume

3.3. Market Share By Category

3.4. India Packaged Tea Market Outlook

3.5. India Ready to Drink Tea Market Outlook

3.6. India Unpackaged Tea Market Outlook

3.7. Production

3.8. Product, Price & Variant Analysis



4. India Economic Snapshot



5. Manufacturing Process



6. Market Penetration



7. PEST Analysis



8. Policy & Regulatory Landscape



9. Trade Dynamics



10. Channel Partner Analysis



11. India Tea Market Dynamics



12. Market Trends & Developments

12.1. Growing preference of on-the-go & healthy beverages

12.2. Exotic flavors of RTD tea

12.3. Supported by numerous health benefits, green tea dominates the market

12.4. Tea Bags are a growing category

12.5. Intensifying competition due to arrival of new players and launch on various brands



13. Competitive Landscape

- Duncans Tea Limited

- Gujarat Tea Processors and Packers Limited(GTPPL)

- Goodwyn Tea

- Hindustan Unilever Limited

- Organic India Private Limited

- Nestle India Pvt Ltd

- Tata Global Beverages Limited

- Typhoo Tea Limited

- Ceylon Tea Services Limited

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5pwwrw/india_packaged

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


SYRACUSE, Utah, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- eAssist Dental Solutions (www.dentalbilling.com) is proud to announce it was a featured guest on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland, a weekly business television program that airs on Fox Business Network and Bloomberg International. Supermodel-turned-business mogul Ireland sat down with CEO Dr. James Anderson and CMO Sandy Gutierrez to find out what makes their company tick. A recording of the full segment, including interviews with satisfied eAssist Dental Solutions clients, is available here.

eAssist featured on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland

"Cash flow is one of the biggest problems for so many dental practices," explained Anderson, "and eAssist is the silver bullet. With us, dentists can focus on their patients and stop worrying about collections. eAssist is continuously working to ensure insurance claims are paid and dentists receive the money they're earned."

As a dentist himself, Anderson saw what happened to his bottom line when he lost a top-performing office manager, and more importantly, he discovered there was no quick remedy to this problem  a problem dental practices across the country face every day. That was his motivation to create a company to handle the many complex back-office duties like EOB postings, insurance claim submissions and reimbursement disputes. eAssist Dental Solutions was the result of that work.

Describing the "nuts and bolts" of eAssist Dental Solutions, CMO Gutierrez stressed that implementing the solution is efficient and straightforward. New clients are assigned a team leader who oversees the process and answers all questions clients might have. The eAssist team manages the essential hardware and software, while dental practice office staff can give their full attention to patients. "We hit the floor running," said Gutierrez, "and begin submitting claims and producing reports from day one."

eAssist Dental Solutions is a comprehensive electronic billing service that seamlessly manages the following tasks:

Proper submission of electronic claims and necessary attachments

Accurate posting of EOB credits and related adjustments to patient accounts

Investigation of questionable insurance claims denials

Fast appeal of denied claims using appropriate documentation

Generation of daily progress reports

Recently, eAssist Dental Solutions launched a dental accounting service to manage the bookkeeping and accounting responsibilities of dental practices. Like all eAssist's outsourced solutions, the accounting service has been designed "by dentists for dentists." The dental accounting service is highly adaptable and includes everything from deposit and payment tracking to an automatic bill pay option. In its quest to achieve collection rates of 100%, eAssist Dental Solutions has also created a patient accounts receivable add-on service for practices looking to completely outsource their billing departments.

About eAssist Dental Solutions

eAssist Dental Solutions is America's leading provider of dental billing services for dental offices and hospitals with dental clinics. The company's end-to-end solution eases the burden on office staff, while optimizing the claims payment and appeals process. eAssist ultimately helps practices be more efficient, profitable and customer-focused.

Contact:

eAssist Dental Solutions

Sandy Gutierrez

801-543-9350

[email protected]

SOURCE eAssist Dental Solutions

Related Links

http://www.dentalbilling.com


MONTREAL, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Inovva is proud to announce that it has acquired the Oyster Group, a Halifax-based company offering circulation management and fulfillment services to regional and specialty magazines in Canada and the United States.

Inovva's web-based suites of publishing management tools allow publishers to work from a consolidated database, making it easier to track and monetize all activities, products and services. This includes magazine subscriptions, newsletter recipients, contest entries and event attendees.

The transaction makes Inovva the only Canadian provider of audience management services with offices in four provinces: Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia.

A great fit

"This is very exciting news," says Inovva President Brinda Luckoo. "The Oyster Group has an excellent reputation in the publishing industry and we are very keen to bring their expertise to our clients. They are well known as a dedicated, hardworking group of professionals who have been helping publishers build their paid subscriptions for some 25 years."

"We spent quite some time looking for the right buyer," says Faith Drinnan, Oyster Group founder and CEO. "Inovva has the personnel, the skills and the vision to ensure ongoing growth for the business we started in 1992. The company shares our values and commitment to both clients and staff. Plus, they have the most extensive range of traditional and digital offerings in Canada."

A smooth transition

Inovva will ensure seamless service continuity to the Oyster Group clients it is assuming. In addition, Oyster Group staff and offices will remain intact, bringing a new standard of service to Atlantic Canada.

Faith Drinnan has been helping magazines acquire and retain subscribers since 1979. While Faith will soon retire from Publishing, Jennifer Taylor, the Oyster Group's former Vice-President, Client Services, will assume the position of Director of Accounts with Inovva. "Jennifer's extensive leadership as well as great circulation and audience management expertise will be tremendous assets to Inovva's team," says Luckoo.

This is Inovva's second acquisition in 2017. In January, the company purchased Publish2Profit, a Calgary-based technology company that offers online sales and accounting solutions specifically tailored to the needs of magazine and periodical publishers. Both deals fit perfectly into the Inovva's development strategy to continuously improve its offering and bring value to its customers.

About Inovva

Inovva provides state-of-the-art digital tools designed to drive growth in the media and publishing industries. The company delivers forward-thinking solutions and expertise that cover all aspects of audience engagement, subscription fulfilment, sales management, rights and royalties management, as well as content management for print, web and mobile platforms. Inovva is a wholly owned subsidiary of EquiSoft Inc., with head offices located in Montreal, Quebec. Website: www.inovva.com.

SOURCE Inovva
"Often in our industry, you see brokers who are focused only on an individual deal, while losing sight of the big picture," Cagle said. "Beckner is an exceptional broker, and this is a perfect example of the Inroads Realty mentality, where we strive to nurture long-term relationships with our clients."

Beckner's penchant for such client relationships has been a hallmark of his career as a real estate broker. In addition to Brandywine, Beckner has long represented the ownership group of a large portfolio of Wal-Mart shadow-anchored centers.

John Mathes, one of the portfolio owners, elaborated on Beckner's abilities. "We have been working with Thad for many years," Mathes said. "He oversees a 22-property portfolio for us, spread out over 12 states. His work ethic, professionalism, deal sourcing, follow-up and organization are second to none, and we are lucky to be able work with him."

Ultimately, Beckner credits his success with hard work. "In this business, clients don't stick around unless you are able to produce great results," he said. "Behind the scenes, we spend a lot of time making sure we understand the market and are able to secure the best tenant opportunities for our property owners. We go after tenants that we believe will produce the best long-term viability for each particular project."

Beckner's notable projects include several single-tenant opportunities in affluent areas of North Texas as well as many large shopping centers in high-growth sections of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Frisco, McKinney and Southlake. He currently manages leasing for about 40 retail properties, many of which are in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

According to Beckner, North Texas represents a great opportunity for retail businesses looking for growth opportunities. "It's such an exciting time to be living and working in North Texas," he said. "The area offers such a great quality of life for a relatively low cost of living, and the region is so business-friendly. There's no place I'd rather be."

If you have a retail project you would like to discuss, contact Thad Beckner at 972-764-5404.

About Inroads Realty

Inroads Realty is a retail real estate company based in Dallas, Texas. Inroads provides retail property owners and tenants with a portfolio of services designed to drive their business forward. Inroads specializes in landlord representation, tenant representation, property and asset management, and investment sales. For more information, visit https://inroadsrealty.com.

SOURCE Inroads Realty

Related Links

http://inroadsrealty.com


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 )



Within the Asia-Pacific region, India is the largest market owing to high agricultural production of crops such as sugarcane, paddy, and cotton and also consequent high consumption of allied insecticides. On the other hand, usage of insecticides is gradually declining in developed regional markets such as North America and Europe due to increased production of insect/pest-resistant Genetically Modified (GM) crops. As a result, currently, North America and Europe collectively hold about 40% of the Global Insecticides Market in terms of volume.

Do Enquiry for Sample Report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-free-sample/578

In terms of value, Organophosphate insecticides hold nearly 30% market share in the global insecticides' market by types. Organophosphate insecticides are widely used owing to their multiple applications such as fumigant, systemic or contact insecticide. Many large-sized companies such as DOW, Syngenta, and BASF manufacture Organophosphate insecticides via trade names - Lorsban, Dursban, Curacron and others. The high demand and ready availability are the factors driving the consumption of the Organophosphate insecticides globally. Another product type, namely Synthetic Pyrethroid insecticide is also widely used, as it is a broad-spectrum insecticide, stable under direct exposure to sunlight and requires minimum usage to control insects. These benefits are cumulatively adding to the growth/consumption of Synthetic Pyrethroid insecticides. The global insecticides market, however, faces many restraints; for instance, environmental and health-related regulations. Recently, i.e., in September 2014, a new regulation banned the production of Chlorpyrifos insecticide as it was found to be harmful to children. Regulatory control on synthetic insecticides is paving the way of increased usage of bio insecticides in agriculture. As a result, research and development to innovate new categories of bio insecticides is also gaining prominence. In 2015, Montana Department of Commerce, U.S., will fund a project to develop a new fungal bio insecticide to control bark beetles in forestry.

Do Enquiry before purchasing Report @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/578

Key Findings of Insecticide Market

Sale of Organophosphate insecticide is expected to dominate the global insecticides market during the forecast period

In terms of volume, organophosphate segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period, highest among all

Asia-Pacific would be one of the leading markets, both in terms of market size and growth rate. Asia-Pacific would reach $7.2 billion by 2020, with a CAGR of 4.5%

would be one of the leading markets, both in terms of market size and growth rate. would reach by 2020, with a CAGR of 4.5% India holds the largest market share in Asia-Pacific region and would generate more than 50% of the revenue through 2020

Companies operating in this market focus on product launches as part of their growth strategy; for instance, in the U.S., DOW Agroscience and Bayer Cropscience launched new insecticides, namely, Sequoia, Closerand Sivanto. Key companies profiled in the report are BASF, Bayer AG, DOW Agriscience LLC, Syngenta AG, Cheminova A/S, FMC Corporation, Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd, Nufarm Ltd, E.I Du Pont de Numerous and Company and Monsanto.

About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact:

Pankaj Kumar

5933 NE Win Sivers Drive

#205, Portland, OR 97220

United States

Direct: +1-503-894-6022

Toll Free: +1-(800)-792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)

Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975

E-mail: [email protected]



Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

SOURCE Allied Market Research
CHICAGO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Childs Dreyfus Group, an interior architecture firm located in Chicago, Illinois, will be hosting weekly open houses for senior college students and recent graduates who are interested in pursuing a career in the interior architecture/design industry. The open houses will be held at the Childs Dreyfus Group Chicago office, located at 70 W Hubbard Street, Suite 300, on April 27th, May 4th, and May 11th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

"As our firm continues to grow, we are always on the lookout for new talent to join our diverse team," says The Childs Dreyfus Group's CEO, Rene Pabon. "Right now, we are looking to add an additional 5-8 designers and 2-3 account executives."

"College students and recent graduates are encouraged to contact us prior to attending the open house to schedule a portfolio review with one of our design professionals," Pabon states. "We're looking forward to meeting junior and senior designers from our community and very excited to see a portfolio of their best work."

Those who fill the open positions will be working closely with architects, interior designers, contractors, and clients on a variety of projects. The Childs Dreyfus Group is looking for candidates who are proficient in Revit, have a strong work ethic and eager to contribute to an award winning team.

"We give our designers the opportunity to be involved in every step of the process, from concept to installation," Pabon says. "If you have a passion for design, there's no better place to start or grow your career than with The Childs Dreyfus Group."

To set up a portfolio review during one of these open houses, contact i[email protected].

The Childs Dreyfus Group is an interior architecture firm that creates authentic and cutting-edge spaces that foster innovation, collaboration, and community. Our services include project consulting, interior architecture, interior design, interior merchandising, construction management, and installation. Learn more about our firm by visiting our website, http://www.childsdreyfus.com.

SOURCE The Childs Dreyfus Group

Related Links

http://www.childsdreyfus.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), one of the fastest growing genetic information companies, today announced that it will report its first quarter 2017 financial results on Monday, May 8, 2017 and will host a conference call that day at 4:30 p.m. Eastern / 1:30 p.m. Pacific to discuss its financial results and recent developments.

The dial-in numbers for the conference call are (877) 201-0168 for domestic callers and (647) 788-4901 for international callers, and the reservation number for both is 11040513. Following prepared remarks, management will respond to questions from investors and analysts, subject to time limitations. We encourage our shareholders and those representing them to send in questions to [email protected]. E-mail questions will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. Eastern / 1:00 p.m. Pacific on Monday, May 8, 2017.

The live webinar of the call may be accessed by visiting the investors section of the company's website at ir.invitae.com. A replay of the webinar will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call and will be archived on the company's website.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation's (NYSE: NVTA) mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical practice to improve the quality of healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate most of the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower price than many single-gene and panel tests today. The company currently provides a diagnostic service comprising hundreds of genes for a variety of genetic disorders associated with oncology, cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, and other rare disease areas. Additionally, the company has created a Genome Network to connect patients, clinicians, advocacy organizations, researchers, and therapeutic developers to accelerate the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of hereditary disease. For more information, visit our website at invitae.com.

Contact:

Kate McNeil

[email protected]

347-204-4226

SOURCE Invitae Corporation

Related Links

http://invitae.com


Push Sensor Patent Documentation Completed and Filed April 2017

TORONTO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. ("iSIGN" or "Company") (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), a leading provider of interactive mobile proximity marketing and public security alert solutions that serves brands, commercial locations, retailers and service providers throughout North America, provides an update on a variety of projects.

Dear Shareholders and Interested Parties,

It has been just over a month since taking on the role of Interim CEO. Since the start of this interim engagement, significant progress has been made in assessing the current state of the Company as well as its obligations, challenges, and opportunities. It is my intention that this letter provides updates as well as answers to common questions and our take on the Company's future growth potential.

The iSIGN's team has invested significant time, energy, and effort to get the company's basic operations and financial information up to date, assess its current status, gauge its potential future viability, and ultimately, to develop and deploy a strategy to address the state of the company's finances, including fundraising and liabilities. As part of this process, we are exploring different avenues (including private sources) for raising capital on terms more favorable to the Company.

Some of our priorities have been to: prepare and ship antenna units to our customers in a timely manner; finalize the push sensor documentation and filing of patent  patent documentation filed in April 2017; initiate Push Sensor prototype development  prototype development initiated in April 2017; immediately commence the development of the Security Alert Messaging ("SAM") software; and develop and deploy a short and long term strategy for revenue growth.

In light of all these initiatives I am deeply concerned with the feedback received from our customers about iSIGN's shareholder interference with their business operations. There appears to be a disgruntled group of iSIGN shareholders who feel entitled to contact the end users of our product to complain about the delays in deployment. Clearly this type of behaviour is disappointing and tremendously undermines the efforts our board and management team has made over last several months.

Finally, I would like to personally thank everyone who has reached out to us through email and various other channels to inquire about the company's status or future plans. As a public company CEO, I must remind you that we are prohibited from answering these questions individually; instead, I ask that you look exclusively to our official press releases and regulatory filings for updates, or contact our [email protected] with questions regarding the specifics of your investment in iSIGN.

About iSIGN Media

iSIGN Media, based in Toronto, is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneering leader in gathering point-of-sale data and mobile shopper preferences to generate actionable data and reveal valuable consumer insights. Creators of the Smart suite of products, a patented interactive proximity marketing technology, iSIGN enables brands to deliver targeted messaging, personalized offers and loyalty perks to consumers' mobile devices in proximity and with real-time proof of redemption. iSIGN's data gathering capabilities provide analytics on price points, typical purchases, in-store dwell time and other shopper metrics that identify emerging consumer behaviors. These insights enable smarter business decisions and provide increased ROI metrics for more transparent marketing. iSIGN delivers relevant, timely messages on an opt-in basis at no charge to consumers, transmitting rich media to consumer mobile devices via Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity in complete privacy as opposed to iBeacons, apps, downloads and required surrendering of personal information. Proven to increase brand engagement and customer loyalty, iSIGN generates preference-based, predictive "clean data" without compromising consumer privacy. Partners include: IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS and AOpen America Inc. www.isignmedia.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may include certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations, which involve risks and uncertainties associated with iSIGN Media's business and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect iSIGN Media's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. iSIGN Media assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

 2017 iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor Its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE iSIGN Media Solutions Inc, Joe Kozar Chief Executive Officer
TITUSVILLE, N.J., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the HealtheVoices Impact Fund, a new grant offering created to support innovative efforts by online health advocates to serve and assist patient communities. Established at the Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ), the HealtheVoices Impact Fund will award projects that align with the Janssen charitable giving mission to advance healing for patients. In its inaugural year, the Fund will distribute a total of $30,000 in grants to online health advocates. The application period begins today, April 24, and continues through June 15, 2017. Applications will be evaluated and selected for funding after the application period ends.

Health-focused online communities and blogs have come to inspire, educate and mobilize both patients and caregivers. Approximately 78% of newly diagnosed patients look to online advocates for support and two in three people living with chronic conditions say that following online health advocates helps them manage their condition better.i

"Online health advocates have immeasurable impact on people living with chronic and life-altering health conditions, providing patient-to-patient support, education and essential resources," said Rebecca Tillet, Regional Communication & Public Affairs Lead, The Americas, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Most online health advocates are not affiliated with a tax-deductible charity and have challenges obtaining funding to support their important work. Through our partnership with the Community Foundation of New Jersey, we have created the HealtheVoices Impact Fund to further support these patient champions in their efforts to serve others."

The HealtheVoices Impact Fund is a new offering that stems from Janssen's annual HealtheVoices Conference, a first-of-its-kind event that brings together online health advocates from a wide range of health communities to learn, share and connect. Now in its third year, the conference offers online health advocates an opportunity to network and learn from each other.

The HealtheVoices Impact Fund has been designed with the guidance of an Advisory Committee of experienced online patient and caregiver advocates. Advisory Committee members will provide input to CFNJ in the review, evaluation, and selection of applicants.

About the Application Process

CFNJ will accept applications for the HealtheVoices Impact Fund through June 15, 2017. Applicants must be based in the United States and outline in their application a proposed project that supports a patient community. Grants will be given to new, innovative ideas and may not be given to support existing or ongoing advocate activities.

Specifically, CFNJ and HealtheVoices Impact Fund Advisory Committee are looking for projects that propose innovative ways to:

Engage, inform and empower patients;

Coalesce and strengthen the online advocate community;

Target underserved populations or healthcare disparities;

Have measurable outcomes identified; and/or

Address high unmet areas or with large scope of impact.

The review, evaluation and selection of the recipients, as well as funding distribution will be handled by CFNJ with input from the HealtheVoices Impact Fund Advisory Committee. Janssen will not be involved in the application review or selection process.

To obtain and submit a grant application, or for more information on the applications process, visit http://cfnj.org/.

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies

At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at @JanssenUS.

About the Community Foundation of New Jersey

Since 1979, individuals and businesses have opened charitable funds at the Community Foundation of New Jersey to fulfill their charitable goals and craft their philanthropic legacies. These Legacy Funds and Donor Advised Funds have granted tens of millions of dollars each year, and enabled the Foundation to launch its own Changemaker Projects that are improving New Jersey and its dynamic communities. The Foundation's funds currently hold over $400 million in charitable assets and made over 5,000 grants last year to charitable work in New Jersey and around the world. Visit www.cfnj.org.

i: "Impact of Health Bloggers and Online Communities." Conducted by Everyday Health in partnership with Janssen. 2/2/16-2/16/16 (N=2,670)

Media Contacts:

Caroline Pavis

610-357-3121

[email protected]

SOURCE Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.janssen.com


MANCHESTER, England, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of work is a key discussion point in every international forum that brings together global organizations of all sizes, types and origins. Workers' skills need to keep pace with technological change, concluded specialists at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2017, held last January in Switzerland.

Jobs Across the World

Jobs Across the World is the most comprehensive and successful global online employment solution, where international applications are welcomed for all jobs in all industries no matter the job seeker or the company is located. Jobs Across the World is committed to helping job seekers and employers around the world connect anytime, anywhere.

"It's a revolution that allows employers to find potential employees at no cost whilst job seekers from all over the world can be addressed by employers from everywhere. It's basically a platform for linking the best talented professionals looking for relocation and employers looking for the most talented," said the company Director.

Rapid technological advances and the digitization of the workplace are making it harder for workers to match their skill sets with the needs of employers, according to recent data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

A 45 per cent of workers surveyed by the OECD believe that they lack the appropriate skill sets to do their jobs effectively. And just 3 in 10 workers believe that they have the right skills to be able to cope with more demanding work.

"We give users what no one else can. Our tireless team of career development experts is dedicated to helping you get hired for the job position you deserve. Our innovative technological platform matches job-seekers and employers all over the world, not just in select countries," added the Director.

Everyone benefits

Jobs Across the World gives employers free access to the resumes of skilled foreign workers in its extensive user-friendly database, which makes it easy to search for potential employees based on such filter categories as occupation, education, skills, experience, language abilities and other requirements

On the other hand, job seekers benefit by paying an attractive price to be entered into the JATW database and enjoy the fact that potential employers can easily access their CV/resume. When an employer is searching for a candidate who meets the criteria for a given job, the candidate receives prompt notification, confirms his interest and the employer is ready to contact him about the job offer.

Are you looking for a relocation job? We offer you the easiest and most comfortable job seeking platform. For more information please enter http://www.jobsaworld.com/ or contact director of marketing, Frank Collins, at +44-20-3150-2049 or [email protected] and start your way to a new job.

SOURCE Jobs Across The World

Related Links

http://www.jobsaworld.com/


KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas City Life Insurance Company (the "Company") announced today that Philip A. Williams has been elected to the Board of Directors. Mr. Williams was also elected to serve as Senior Vice President, Finance.

Mr. Williams joined Kansas City Life in 2002 and has served as Vice President, Securities, since 2003. Mr. Williams had extensive insurance and banking experience prior to joining Kansas City Life and prior experience as Chief Financial Officer in the banking industry.

President, CEO and Chairman of the Board R. Philip Bixby stated that: "Phil has demonstrated through his tenure at Kansas City Life that he has the investment knowledge and financial leadership to help the Company continue its promise of providing Security Assured to our customers."

Mr. Williams will fill the vacancy on the Board created by the resignation of Tracy W. Knapp. The term of the vacancy expires in April 2018.

Kansas City Life Insurance Company (OTCQX: KCLI) was established in 1895 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Company's primary business is providing financial protection through the sale of life insurance and annuities. The Company operates in 49 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, please visit www.kclife.com .

SOURCE Kansas City Life Insurance Company

Related Links

http://www.kclife.com


CINCINNATI, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced Colleen Lindholz, currently president of The Little Clinic, is expanding her role to also lead Kroger Pharmacy as Kroger's President of Pharmacy and The Little Clinic.

Ms. Lindholz has been serving as president of The Little Clinic since 2015. She assumes pharmacy responsibilities from Philecia Avery, who resigned earlier this month to pursue other interests.

"Colleen is passionate about helping people live healthier lives," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising. "Colleen's leadership will help bring our pharmacy and The Little Clinic teams together to advance our mission to simplify healthcare and create solutions that combine health, wellness and nutrition for our customers."

Ms. Lindholz joined Kroger in 1995 as a pharmacy intern in the Cincinnati/Dayton Division. She held several leadership roles in pharmacy and human resources before being promoted to director of pharmacy sales & marketing at Kroger's general office in 2013. She was named to her current role in 2015.

"By bringing together these two closely-related teams, pharmacy and The Little Clinic will share common areas of expertise, support and learn from each other, and develop centers of excellence in our health and wellness organization. This will allow for greater collaboration and give us the flexibility to meet the needs of our customers and associates today and in the future," said Mr. Clark.

Every day, the Kroger Family of Companies makes a difference in the lives of eight and a half million customers and 443,000 associates who shop or serve in 2,796 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger and its subsidiaries operate an expanding ClickList offering  a personalized, order online, pick up at the store service  in addition to our 2,255 pharmacies, 784 convenience stores, 319 fine jewelry stores, 220 retail health clinics, 1,445 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Kroger is recognized as one of America's most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Related Links

http://www.kroger.com


CINCINNATI, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today Kristal Howard has been named Head of Corporate Communications and Media Relations.

Ms. Howard will be responsible for national media and corporate communications and will serve as the company's spokesperson.

"Kristal is a consummate PR pro who understands the intersection of food, media, our customers and other stakeholders," said Keith Dailey, Kroger's senior director of external affairs. "We are excited she has accepted this new role to help elevate Kroger's unique story."

Ms. Howard has been serving as public relations manager for Kroger's Dallas and Houston divisions since 2010. She has been recognized as one of the nation's "Top 30 under 30" PR professionals by PR News in 2013, included in Progressive Grocer magazine's Top Women in Grocery, and was recently named one of 10 "Black Women to Know in PR, Tech & Digital Media" in Ebony magazine. She is a graduate of the University of Houston.

Every day, the Kroger Family of Companies makes a difference in the lives of eight and a half million customers and 443,000 associates who shop or serve in 2,796 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger and its subsidiaries operate an expanding ClickList offering  a personalized, order online, pick up at the store service  in addition to our 2,255 pharmacies, 784 convenience stores, 319 fine jewelry stores, 220 retail health clinics, 1,445 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Kroger is recognized as one of America's most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Related Links

http://www.kroger.com


PHILADELPHIA, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LBC Credit Partners ("LBC"), a leading provider of financing solutions to middle market companies, provided a senior secured term loan to support the recapitalization of KL Outdoor ("KL") by New Water Capital.

LBC served as the Administrative Agent and Sole Lender for the senior secured term loan.

KL Outdoor is a leading U.S. based manufacturer, designer and marketer of branded outdoor lifestyle/recreational and outdoor event products. The Company's product lines include kayaks, stand up paddleboards, canoes, pedal boats, hunting blinds, sleds and portable restrooms as well as related accessories. KL goes to market under several brands including Sun Dolphin, Evoke, Extent and Third Coast, Terrain and Five Peaks.

New Water Capital makes control investments in leading North American lower middle market companies with revenues of approximately $30 million to $300 million in the consumer products, retail, industrial manufacturing and services sectors.

About LBC Credit Partners

LBC Credit Partners is a leading provider of middle market financing solutions including senior term, unitranche, second lien, junior secured and mezzanine debt and equity co-investments supporting sponsored and non-sponsored transactions. With over $2.8* billion of capital commitments, LBC has made investments in companies located throughout North America across a wide range of industries and is committed to a long-term approach to debt investing. Headquartered in Philadelphia, LBC has additional offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. To learn more, visit www.lbccredit.com.

*Information as of March, 2017

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lisa Rubano-Volansky

Tel (724) 979-4293

Email [email protected]

SOURCE LBC Credit Partners

Related Links

http://www.lbccredit.com


"The Internet of Things is happening today and will significantly transform the way how we live", says Hongquan Jiang, Partner at Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH. "We believe SENSORO's robust and easily deployable technologies will accelerate this transformation and change how we see our environment and make decisions. We are excited to see potential collaborations between Bosch and Sensoro in IoT."

SENSORO's flagship technology line, the Alpha Product Suite, provides long-range, low-power solutions for large-scale IoT sensor networks.

"Our mission at SENSORO is to leverage technology to create a better, safer, and smarter way of life," said Vivian Li, SENSORO Co-Founder, CSO. "We are building technologies that will play a critical role in the IoT ecosystem and that will facilitate widespread implementation of intelligent resource management and life safety solutions."

SENSORO is providing the IoT technology for various smart city projects in the UK, Europe, Malaysia, and China. SENSORO technology delivers environmental monitoring and asset tracking for Manchester City Verve, STORM, Putrajaya - Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), and Nanjing China, Fire Safety Department.

SENSORO is focusing on two major fields within IoT: environmental monitoring and asset tracking. The company anticipates producing and shipping over 100,000 environmental related devices and 500,000 asset tracking tags in 2017 to support infrastructure in cities, buildings, and industries including: manufacturing, oil and gas, warehousing, logistics, fleet management, and retail.

About SENSORO

SENSORO was founded in 2013 as part of the Microsoft Accelerator program. The company manufactures beacon devices that collect and send information based on proximity and wireless sensor networks that aggregate digital data from the physical world for IoT applications. SENSORO customers have deployed over 400,000 beacons in over 75 countries worldwide. SENSORO is headquartered at Seattle with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

SOURCE SENSORO INC.
NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, the independent U.S. national organization among Anne Frank organizations worldwide, has obtained commitments from 26 state legislators across 20 states, including Republicans and Democrats, to introduce legislation that would require education in public schools on the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide and other genocides.



Those 20 states are among the shocking 42 U.S. states that do not already require education on genocide awareness and prevention. The 20 states are the initial states in the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect's ambitious new program, the 50 State Genocide Education Project, to mandate genocide education in public schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.



Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect is announcing the 20 states today, Monday, April 24, 2017, a rare day in history on which Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, overlap.



Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect is asking state legislators to sign onto a communique in which they pledge to introduce legislation that would require genocide education, or in some cases to strengthen a state's existing requirement through a commission or task force to keep genocide comprehensive and up-to-date. The 26 state legislators across the initial 20 states have signed on to the communique.



Currently, three states, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey, require genocide education from grades K-12, and have a state commission or task force to keep genocide education comprehensive and up-to-date.



Two states, California and Michigan, require genocide education from grades 7 or 8 through 12, and have a state commission or task force.



Three states, Indiana, New York and Rhode Island, require genocide education from grades 7 or 8 through 12, but do not have a commission or task force.



Louisiana Representative Beryl Amedee (R) and Massachusetts Representative Jeffrey Roy (D) are among the 26 legislators across the 20 states announced today.



Representative Amedee in Louisiana said: "I have had the opportunity to visit Holocaust museums in New York and Washington, DC. During one visit, I overheard a student ask one of her classmates, 'Why should I care if all these people were killed before I was even born?' Her question stunned me! At that moment, choking back tears, I made a commitment in my heart to do what I can to be sure future generations learn about our collective history."



Representative Roy in Massachusetts, who has proposed legislation on genocide education, said: "Our goal is to teach that genocide is not just somebody else's story. Genocide is not simply about killing people, but also about destroying humanity. By including genocide in the curriculum, we will give students a better understanding of the human condition, and increase efforts worldwide for preventing further genocides."



Steven Goldstein, Executive Director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, said: "America has a blot on its national conscience when only eight states require Holocaust and other genocide education with any clear requirement and specificity. Our organization begins with initiatives in 20 more states today, but let's be clear: Never Again means required genocide education in public schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. We won't stop until that happens."



Here are the 26 legislators across 20 states who have made commitments through the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect's communique to introduce new legislation mandating genocide education:



Alaska Representative Justin Parrish (D), Vice Chair, House Committee on Education



Arkansas Representative Michael John Gray (D), House Minority Leader



Connecticut Senator Toni Boucher (R), Co-Chair, Committee on Education



Connecticut Senator Beth Bye (D), Vice Chair, Committee on Education



Colorado Representative Brittany Pettersen (D), Majority Deputy Whip and Chair, Committee on Education



Delaware Representative Jeff Spiegelman (R), primary sponsor of Holocaust Remembrance Day



Delaware Representative Debra Heffernan (D), Vice Chair, House Committee on Health and Human Development



Georgia Representative Tom Taylor (R), House Committee on Governmental Affairs



Georgia Representative David Clark (R), House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs



Hawaii Senator Will Espero (D), Senate Committee on Education



Idaho Representative Hy Kloc (D), House Education Committee



Idaho Senator Cherie Buckner-Webb (D), Assistant Minority Leader and member, Senate Committee on Education



Kansas Representative Bill Sutton (R), Vice Chair, Committee on Education Budget



Kentucky Representative Mary Lou Marzian (D), Committee on Education



Louisiana Representative Beryl Amedee (R), House Committee on Education



Maryland Senator Roger Manno (D), Senator Majority Whip



Maryland Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D), Chair, House Committee on Public Health and Minority Health Disparities



Massachusetts Representative Jeffrey Roy (D), Vice Chair, Joint Committee on Health Care Financing



Missouri Representative Shamed Dogan (R), Vice Chair, House Committee on Rules-Legislative Oversight



Nebraska Senator Rick Kolowski (D), Vice Chair, Committee on Education



New York Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D), President of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators



New York Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D), Committee on Higher Education



Ohio Representative Teresa Fedor (D), House Committee on Education and Career Readiness



South Carolina Representative Robert Brown (D), Second Vice Chair, House Education & Public Works Committee



Virginia Delegate Eileen Filler Corn (D), first Jewish woman elected in Virginia history



Washington Representative Tana Senn (D), Vice Chair, House Committee on Early Learning and Human Services

SOURCE Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect

Related Links

http://annefrank.com


NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- M. Holland Company, a leading distributor of thermoplastic resins, today announced that it has committed its northern Illinois warehousing needs to a new joint venture between G&D Hoffman Transportation and Major Prime Plastics to form a Gold Standard Distribution Center in Coal City, Illinois. The joint venture will feature a 400,000-square-foot building, paved access for nearly 700 rail cars, and a fleet of bulk trucks. Services will include warehousing, bulk transfer and packaging. The joint venture will give M. Holland access to direct rail service from three class one rail providers, UP, BNSF and CN, for service to domestic and international markets.

Major Prime Plastics and G&D Hoffman Transportation have been logistics providers to M. Holland for more than three decades.

Coal City is located approximately 60 miles southwest of Chicago in proximity to some of the largest intermodal yards in the world, providing efficient access to all major U.S. ports for import and export opportunities. M. Holland expects a significant improvement in rail transit times when the new facility is operational in January of 2018.

"We are very excited to be a part of this important venture," commented Pete Nutley, M. Holland's Vice-President of Operations. "We have been working to develop long-term, strategic relationships with third-party logistics partners for several years. This is the finalization of our national warehousing strategy. M. Holland is proud to have 15 Gold Standard Distribution Centers across the U.S."

"We are truly looking forward to joining forces with M. Holland. They have been a great partner," stated Brandon Kearns, Vice-President of Major Prime Plastics. "The one-stop shop facility will drive growth through the alignment of supply with all transportation modes, logistics and speed to market."

"This venture has the potential to develop into a major hub for U.S. inventories," said Jordan Hoffman, Vice-President of G&D Hoffman Transportation. "G&D Trucking, Inc. has had the honor and pleasure of being a service provider of bulk transportation, trans-loading, and warehousing for the M. Holland Company for the past 30 years. M. Holland has been a vital and extremely valuable key to our growth and success throughout those years. We look forward to the continued partnership."

About M. Holland:

For more than 66 years, M. Holland has been the leading family-owned distributor of the highest quality application-specific plastic resins, with commercial and logistical reach throughout the Americas and beyond. Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, the company sells over 1.4 billion pounds of resin annually sourced from the premier resin producers in the world to more than 4,000 customers. To learn more visit: www.mholland.com

For additional information contact:

Alicia Webb

Marketing & Communications Manager, M. Holland Company

847-254-4275

[email protected]

SOURCE M. Holland

Related Links

http://www.mholland.com


KELOWNA, British Columbia, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Marapharm Ventures Inc. ("Marapharm") (OTCQB: MRPHF) (CSE: MDM) (FSE: 2M0) is pleased to announce that Marapharm has been invited by the CSE to attend the Planet Microcap Showcase 2017, in Las Vegas on April 26-28. Linda Sampson and Yari Nieken, directors, will represent Marapharm. As an emerging company, Marapharm will participate in one-on-one meetings, networking and will do a presentation to financial professionals, industry leaders, investors and executives. "We are honored to have been invited to participate in this event, it will give us the opportunity to share the Marapharm story alongside other keynote speakers in this sector," Linda Sampson CEO.

Nevada update

All ground preparation and construction grading is complete at the site. We have altered the plans to accommodate our advanced vertical growing technology and as a result we have experienced some permitting delays. All permits are now ready to go, and construction will be expedited.

In the interim, the Company has brought two modular buildings onsite, which will be modified to meet Nevada State requirements for cultivation and processing. Upon Nevada State approval, the Company will be positioned to apply for recreational licensing, within the time frame of the new schedule as brought forward by the State of Nevada (July 2017). "We would like to thank the mayor of North Las Vegas, John Lee, and Nevada state officials, for their assistance in helping us move our project forward. We invite shareholders to visit the construction site when in Las Vegas," Linda Sampson CEO.

ABOUT MARAPHARM VENTURES INC.

http://www.marapharm.com

Construction photos and videos can be accessed through the Marapharm website. Marapharms common shares are publicly traded in Canada, under the ticker symbol "MDM" on the Canadian Securities Exchange, and in the United States, under the ticker symbol "MRPHF" on the OTCQB, and in Europe, under the ticker symbol "2M0" on the FSE.

Marapharm has 300,000 square feet of medical marijuana licenses for its land and facilities in WA and NV. About two and a half years ago, Marapharm applied in Canada to Health Canada for a MMPR (production and sales) license and has passed the necessary security clearances. The application is currently in the in-depth screening process. In September 2016, Health Canada contacted Marapharm with a provision to amend its application to allow for the new regulations, ACMPR.

Additional information on the operations or financial results of Marapharm are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the CSE website (http://www.thecse.com), the OTC website (http://www.otcmarkets.com), and the SEDAR website (http://www.sedar.com) under the profile for Marapharm Ventures Inc.

STOCK EXCHANGES:

Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB has approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", 'may", "will", "project", "should", 'believe", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumption but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and the forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Linda Sampson, CEO,

Phone: +1-778-583-4476

E-mail [email protected]



http://www.marapharm.com

SOURCE Marapharm Ventures Inc.
NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We are literally the only group in the nation that will gladly give out the names of who we consider to be the top mesothelioma attorneys. Typically, we can offer immediate access to these experts, especially if we are talking about a welder or pipefitter who has recently been diagnosed with this rare cancer.

pipefitter

"As we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303, the reason we place a priority on getting you the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys is that they typically will know how to get the best possible compensation for the diagnosed person. Just as importantly, these extremely skilled full-time mesothelioma attorneys can often tell the diagnosed person the potential value of their compensation claim after learning the specifics of the asbestos exposure." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The Center fears that welders and/or pipefitters with mesothelioma may not get properly compensated if they hire a lawyer/law firm that does not have experience representing these exact types of people with this rare cancer. It takes years to become an experienced welder or pipefitter, much like it takes years to become a skilled mesothelioma attorney.

Between the 1940's and the 1980's, pipefitters were routinely exposed to asbestos while performing their jobs. This is because asbestos was used for insulating pipes and for sealing materials like gaskets. In addition, pipefitters connected pipes to and worked on asbestos-containing equipment such as boilers, pumps, valves, and turbines.

Prior to 1980 a welder could have been exposed to asbestos by simply putting on their protective vest and gloves, both of which contained asbestos. Welders in a factory or a power facility could have been exposed to asbestos just by doing repairs, or being in places where asbestos was present-on a daily basis.

A pipefitter or welder who has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma is urged to call the Mesothelioma Victims Center anytime at 800-714-0303 for on-the-spot access to the nation's most skilled and experienced mesothelioma attorneys. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

Vital tips for hiring a lawyer/law firm to assist with a welder or pipefitter who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma from the Mesothelioma Victims Center:

"If the lawyer you are talking to has never personally handled a mesothelioma financial compensation claim for a welder or pipefitter, call us anytime at 800-714-0303 for direct access to attorneys who have been successfully representing welders and pipefitters with mesothelioma for over a decade.

"Hiring an attorney that has little to no experience in mesothelioma compensation would be similar to sending an apprentice out to do the work of a journeyman; it just doesn't make any sense and will cost money in the long run."

For more information about current working conditions for a pipefitter please review the following website:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm

High-risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, miners, manufacturing workers, pulp or paper mill workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, construction workers, rail road workers, and firemen. Typically, the exposure to asbestos for these types of workers occurred in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 70 years old. Frequently victims of mesothelioma are initially misdiagnosed with pneumonia. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a former pipefitter or welder with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Media contact:

Michael Thomas

[email protected]

800-714-0303

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

Related Links

http://mesotheliomavictimscenter.com


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc.) today released a new video with former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers as part of its Anatomy of a Decision video series. Interviewed by GLG Head of Research for NAFS Eric Jaffe, Vickers discusses his role in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden and why the particular type of operation was chosen, saying: "Unless you had definitive intelligence after, you might have uncertainty, and you would suffer the foreign policy consequences of why did you do this strike on this area, and did you get him, and could you prove it."

Former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Michael Vickers, discusses his role in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden and the key policy decisions surrounding the operation.

From 2011 to 2015, Vickers served as U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, the Chief Executive Officer of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, an $80 billion, 180,000-person, global operation that includes the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Security Service, and the intelligence components of the Military Services and Combatant Commands. During the 1980's, he was a key strategist for the operation to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan and the ongoing war with al-Qaeda.

Vickers also discusses how to evaluate risk versus strategic certainty and how to create paths to success in the decision-making process, saying: "You examine all options...you have to just work it through every step of the way to see that you have a good chance of succeeding and then work out the problems, so your confidence builds as you refine an optionbut it's never one hundred percent."

Other videos in GLG's Anatomy of a Decision series feature interviews with: Jill Abramson, former Executive Editor of The New York Times; Jeffrey Brenzel, former Dean of Admissions at Yale University; Jeff Kindler, former CEO of Pfizer and Chair of the GLG Institute; Ken Mehlman, Head of Public Affairs at KKR, former Republican National Committee Chairman, and Campaign Manager for President George W. Bush; Robby Mook, former Campaign Manager for Hillary Clinton and former Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; Jake Sullivan, former Director of Policy Planning at the United States Department of State; and Pamela Thomas-Graham, former CMO of Credit Suisse.

About GLG / Gerson Lehrman Group

GLG is the world's leading membership for professional learning. Business leaders, investors, consultants, social entrepreneurs, and other top professionals rely on GLG to learn in short- and long-term engagements from more than 500,000 members and other experts. Clients partner with GLG to address their most complex strategic challenges, make better business decisions, and advance their careers through conversations, mentorships, small group meetings, surveys, and other interactionsall within a rigorous compliance framework. Headquartered in New York City, GLG's 1,300+ employees work from offices in 12 countries. For more information visit www.GLG.it.

SOURCE GLG

Related Links

http://www.GLG.it


Earlier this month, the Teamsters sent a letter to the Peruvian government raising issue with Peru not honoring its commitment to service the land bond debt, which hurts the union's pension holders.

The billboards, from the Peruvian American Bondholders for Justice (PABJ), called out Peru at a time when Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne was in Washington and just days after Peru announced it wants to issue up to $3 billion in bonds to finance a state-run oil firm.

PABJ calls on Peru to make good on its existing debts before coming to market with new bonds. At the same time, PABJ warns potential buyers of future Peruvian bonds that Peru does not act in good faith regarding its debts.

Contact Information:

John Anderson

[email protected]

SOURCE PABJ
SHENZHEN, China, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey, a global leading provider of power solutions and smart home solutions, together with its local distributor  Anh Ngoc Trading Technic Informatic Company Limited (ANC for short), is expanding in Vietnam with a lot of marketing activities.

Four new signboards have been set up in Hanoi. Huntkey products, including power supplies, power strips and PC chassis are being sold in Vietnam. "Huntkey is a famous brand in Vietnam. Huntkey products are of top quality. We set up these big signboards, so that customers can find Huntkey easily," the shop owners said.

Huntkey signboards: http://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/1.jpg

Huntkey and ANC have started cooperation since 2007. Within 10 years, Huntkey has become one of the most popular power supply brands in Vietnam. Now, Huntkey is trying to introduce its latest smart power strips to Vietnamese users. In the future, Huntkey will make constant efforts to provide more quality products and first-class service for the market.

About Huntkey

Huntkey Group, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen, is a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and a member of The China Power Supply Society (CPSS). With branch companies in the USA, Japan and other areas, and cooperating factories in Brazil, Argentina, India and other countries, Huntkey has specialized in the development, design, and manufacturing of PC power supplies, industrial power supplies, surge protectors, adapters and chargers for many years. With its own technologies and manufacturing strength, Huntkey has served Lenovo, Huawei, Haier, DELL, ZTE, Best Buy and many other large enterprises for years, and has received unanimous recognition and trust from most of the customers.

CONTACT:

Ferris Liao

+86-755-8960-6658

[email protected]

SOURCE Huntkey Enterprise Group

Related Links

http://www.huntkeydiy.com


BENTON HARBOR, Mich., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the oldest die casters in the US, New Products Corporation, turned 95 on April 22. "We're always injecting New into New Products. We are as lean and nimble as ever," said New Products CEO, Cheryl Miller. The owner-CEO is a third generation family member to run the die cast business, which makes millions of custom aluminum parts every year for the automotive industry, industrial valves, marine engines, and other industries.

New Products employees celebrate the company's 95th birthday.

Miller was honored to accept a birthday gift from the City of Benton Harbor Mayor, Marcus Muhammad, a Proclamation declaring April 24-April 30, 2017 as New Products Corporation Week, for the City.

Employees celebrated Friday with a 1920s carnival theme party, Cracker Jacks and hot dogs. The party was sweetened with cupcakes and raffle prizes, including a $95 gift card.

Employees swapped stories. Byrd Blanchard, a 40-year employee, first started as a punch press operator, then went into Die Repair, a time when NPC was "turning out millions of agitators for Whirlpool washers." Fred Wolf, the longest running current employee at 52 years, loves New Products so much that he came in even when he wasn't scheduled. Chris Conner, a 42-year veteran, is still touched by a gesture of Stanley Miller (son of founder), who brought apple cider from his farm to her home, spending time to get to know her over apple cider from his farm. Mike Selvidge, a 39-year veteran, started his drafting job with pencil and paper. Randle Carpenter learned about a die cast position 40 years ago from his brother-in-law, who worked at NPC. He filled in for a truck driver, until they could find a replacement. Carpenter jokes, he is "still waiting for his replacement." Linda Stright benefitted from NPC's sponsorship of Junior Achievement in high school. When she was hired for IT just out of college, Stanley asked that she stay at least six months. Thirty-two years later, she's more than kept her promise, and paid it forward as a Junior Achievement Advisor. These stories bring home the family business atmosphere, and a uniqueness in employee longevity, averaging 20 years--one of its secrets to success.

New Products is a success story in a difficult industry. The founder, Walter Miller, was an entrepreneurial genius who founded eight Southwest Michigan companies, beginning with New Products. Miller was a pioneer in the die cast industry, receiving commendations for wartime inventions and production. New Products produced millions of parts for post-war consumer products. During the automotive boom, New Products and its "brother" Modern Plastics invented unique metal and plastic timing gears for cars that no other manufacturer was able to replicate.

New Products has survived floods, fires, and economic downturns, yet continues to stand strong. The future looks bright. New Products bought a mortgage on Modern Plastics to expand operations to the vacant property across the street. The business hopes that bankruptcy trustee and property tax issues get favorably resolved so they can move forward. Management is implementing an ambitious new quality system, IATF 16949. The company is also investing in a number of equipment and technology upgrades. New Products is quoting new business and is hiring. Please see www.NewProductsCorp.com or contact Human Resources for open positions.

Founded in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1922, New Products Corporation is a global supplier of custom, precision die cast aluminum and zinc parts for applications in a variety of customers, including automotive, military, industrial equipment, medical instruments, household appliances, transportation equipment, furniture, and more. TS 16949 certified, NPC is a third generation, woman-owned small business, recognized for its world-class quality and on-time delivery. For more information about New Products Corporation, visit www.newproductscorp.com.

Media Contact:

Kristy Lovejoy

[email protected]

(415) 420-5318

SOURCE New Products Corporation

Related Links

http://www.newproductscorp.com


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New York REIT, Inc. ("NYRT" or the "Company") (NYSE: NYRT), announced that it will release its first quarter 2017 results on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 after the market close. The Company will host a conference call to discuss the first quarter 2017 results on Thursday May 11, 2017 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Interested parties may participate in this conference call by accessing the following:

Webcast: http://www.nyrt.com



Teleconference: Toll Free (866) 682-6100

International (862) 255-5401

Please access the website or call the conference center at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call to download and install any necessary computer audio software and/or register for the call. A replay will be available after the call through midnight Eastern Time on May 25, 2017 by accessing:

Webcast: http://www.nyrt.com



Telephone: Toll free (877) 481-4010; conference ID 10351

About NYRT

NYRT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust listed on the NYSE that owns income-producing commercial real estate, including office and retail properties, located in New York City. NYRT's shareholders recently adopted a plan of liquidation pursuant to which NYRT is liquidating and winding down and, in connection therewith, is seeking to sell its assets in an orderly fashion to maximize shareholder value. For more information, please visit our website at www.nyrt.com.



Contacts





Media: Investor Relations: Jonathan Keehner Wendy Silverstein, Chief Executive Officer Mahmoud Siddig New York REIT, Inc. Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher [email protected] [email protected] (617) 570-4750 [email protected]

(212) 355-4449 Carolyn Tiffany

Winthrop REIT Advisors, LLC

[email protected]

(617) 570-4606

SOURCE New York REIT, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nyrt.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketo, Inc., the leading provider of engagement marketing software and solutions, today announced the next generation of Marketo Account-Based Marketing (ABM). The ABM expansion features Account Insight, designed to enable even greater alignment between sales and marketing teams, as well as feature enhancements to power coordinated customer engagement at scale across all channels and touchpoints. The news was announced in front of thousands of marketers at the Marketing Nation Summit in San Francisco.

"I am thrilled to unveil the next generation of Marketo ABM, complete with new functionality that empowers revenue teams to partner more closely than ever to listen, learn, and engage customers and prospects in a coordinated fashion across the customer journey," said Cheryl Chavez, group vice president, product management, user experience, Marketo. "With the new Marketo ABM, both marketing and sales have the engagement tools they need to deliver seamless experiences that grow revenue and build lasting relationships."

With Account Insight, marketers can enable their sales teams with capabilities right in their browser that provide:

A salesperson's account list, prioritized by enhanced account scoring, so that sellers focus their time on the accounts that are ready to engage  and identify those who need more personalized nurturing.

Real-time visibility into account and contact activity, such as event registrations, whitepaper downloads, and more, to engage target accounts in a personalized way and at the right moment, leading to accelerated sales cycles.

ABM At Scale

Companies have quickly discovered that powering account-based strategies at scale requires comprehensive and accurate account data. The enhanced capabilities unveiled today will enable sales and marketing teams to work together to build a comprehensive, accurate, and real-time view of each target account for reaching them in a personalized way. The capabilities include:

Account Hierarchy for creating relationships between parent companies and their various divisions, providing a complete view of the account, enabling marketers to drive engagement campaigns across the entire account.

for creating relationships between parent companies and their various divisions, providing a complete view of the account, enabling marketers to drive engagement campaigns across the entire account. Custom Fields that extend Marketo account records to support an integrated ecosystem of ABM applications and rich customer data for improved account segmentation.

that extend Marketo account records to support an integrated ecosystem of ABM applications and rich customer data for improved account segmentation. CRM Account List Sync that keeps Marketo account lists in sync with changes in CRM systems, ensuring account segmentation and targeting is always up-to-date.

To learn more about Marketo, please visit: https://www.marketo.com/

About Marketo

Marketo, Inc., offers the leading Engagement Platform that empowers marketers to create lasting relationships and grow revenue. Consistently recognized as the industry's innovation pioneer, Marketo is the trusted platform for thousands of CMOs thanks to its scalability, reliability, and openness. Marketo is headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with offices around the world, and serves as a strategic partner to large enterprise and fast-growing organizations across a wide variety of industries. To learn more about the Marketo Engagement Platform, LaunchPoint partner ecosystem, and the vast community that is the Marketing Nation, visit www.marketo.com.

SOURCE Marketo, Inc.
EAST HANOVER, N.J., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis today announced an expanded commercialization agreement with Amgen for AMG 334 (erenumab), which is being investigated for the prevention of migraine. This agreement builds on a 2015 global collaboration between Novartis and Amgen, and leverages almost 70 years of Novartis experience in neuroscience to more effectively reach people with migraine. Novartis and Amgen will co-commercialize AMG 334 (erenumab) in the U.S. Novartis will retain exclusive rights to commercialize the drug in rest of world and will gain commercialization rights in Canada. Amgen retains exclusive commercialization rights in Japan. The companies will continue global co-development.

AMG 334 (erenumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody specifically designed for the prevention of migraine. It targets and blocks the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) receptor, believed to play a critical role in mediating the incapacitating pain of migraine.1 Positive results from a Phase II study and two Phase III studies of AMG 334 (erenumab) in migraine prevention were announced in 2016. In these studies, once-monthly subcutaneous AMG 334 (erenumab) significantly reduced monthly migraine days versus placebo and demonstrated a safety profile comparable to placebo.2,3,4 Detailed results from the Phase III studies are being presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology and submitted for publication. These data will help support discussions with regulatory agencies, with filing anticipated in the second quarter of 2017.

"Migraine is a debilitating neurological disease associated with significant personal, economic, and societal burden. There is an urgent need for effective and well-tolerated preventive treatments that positively impact the lives of people with migraine," said Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. "We are excited to expand our collaboration with Amgen. We look forward to combining capabilities and leveraging our strong heritage in neuroscience in the U.S. and Canada to bring erenumab to more patients in need, as fast as we can."

Under the terms of the agreement, Amgen will receive milestone payments from Novartis, expected to begin in 2017. Novartis will share U.S. commercialization costs with Amgen. Amgen will book sales of AMG 334 (erenumab) in the U.S., and will pay a royalty to Novartis on net sales in the U.S. Novartis will book sales in rest of the world, excluding Japan, and will pay Amgen royalties on the net sales in those countries. Amgen will book sales in Japan, since it will remain an exclusive territory for the company. Novartis will assume agreed upon remaining global development costs up to a cap and share global development costs thereafter.

The agreement is an expansion of a global collaboration with Amgen announced in August 2015 in neuroscience, involving joint development and commercialization of pioneering treatments in the field of Alzheimer's disease and migraine.5

About AMG 334 (erenumab)

AMG 334 (erenumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody specifically designed to target and block the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) receptor, believed to play a critical role in mediating the incapacitating pain of migraine.1 AMG 334 (erenumab) has been studied in several large global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to assess its safety and efficacy in migraine prevention. Following the initial Phase II dose finding study, the efficacy of AMG 334 (erenumab) in migraine prevention has been shown in a Phase II trial and two Phase III trials. The safety profile of AMG 334 (erenumab) in these studies was comparable to placebo. 2,3,4

About Migraine

Migraine is a distinct neurological disease.6 It involves recurrent attacks of moderate to severe head pain that is typically pulsating, often unilateral and associated with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, sound and odors.7 Migraine is associated with personal pain, disability and reduced quality of life, and financial cost to society.8 It has a profound and limiting impact on an individual's abilities to carry out everyday tasks, and was declared by the World Health Organization to be one of the top 10 causes of years lived with disability for men and women.9 It remains under-recognized and under-treated.8,10 Existing preventive therapies have been repurposed from other indications and are often associated with poor tolerability and lack of efficacy, which lead to increasing discontinuation rates and dissatisfaction among patients.11

About the Amgen and Novartis Neuroscience Collaboration

In August 2015, Novartis entered into a global collaboration with Amgen to jointly develop and commercialize pioneering neuroscience treatments in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and migraine. The companies are partnering in the development and commercialization of a beta-secretase 1 (BACE) inhibitor program in AD. Novartis' oral therapy CNP520 (currently in a Phase II/III study for AD) will be the lead molecule and further compounds from both companies' pre-clinical BACE inhibitor programs may be considered as novel follow-on molecules. The 2015 collaboration also focuses on innovative investigational Amgen drugs in the migraine field, including AMG 334 (erenumab) in migraine prevention and AMG 301 (currently in a Phase I study for migraine).

Novartis in Neuroscience

Novartis has a strong ongoing commitment to neuroscience and to bringing innovative treatments to patients suffering from neurological conditions where there is a high unmet need. We are committed to supporting patients and physicians in multiple disease areas, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, Epilepsy and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and have a promising pipeline in MS, AD, migraine and specialty neurology (e.g. neuropathic pain).

Disclaimer

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by words such as "to co-commercialize," "to gain," "to combine," "launch," "being investigated," "builds on," "will," "believed to," "submitted," "anticipated," "excited," "look forward," "expected," "pioneering," "may," "investigational," "ongoing," "commitment," "pipeline," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals for AMG 334, CNP520, AMG 301, other BACE inhibitors of Novartis and Amgen, and other investigational compounds of Novartis and Amgen subject to the collaboration, potential new indications or labeling for products in the Novartis Neuroscience portfolio, or regarding potential future revenues from such investigational compounds and products, and potential future revenues from the collaboration with Amgen. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of management regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that AMG 334, CNP520, AMG 301, other BACE inhibitors of Novartis and Amgen, or other investigational compounds of Novartis and Amgen subject to the collaboration will be submitted or approved for sale in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that the collaboration with Amgen will achieve any or all of its intended goals and objectives, or be commercially successful. Nor can there be any guarantee that any product in the Novartis Neuroscience portfolio will be submitted or approved for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that AMG 334, CNP520, AMG 301, any of the other investigational compounds subject to the collaboration with Amgen, or any product in the Novartis Neuroscience portfolio will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding such investigational compounds and products, and the collaboration with Amgen, could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the company's ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; general economic and industry conditions; global trends toward health care cost containment, including ongoing pricing and reimbursement pressures; safety, quality or manufacturing issues, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Located in East Hanover, NJ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis which provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact [email protected]

References

1. Bigal ME et al. Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Migraine Current Understanding and State of Development. Headache. 2013;53(8):1230-1244. 2. Novartis presents new positive data at EHMTIC showing AMG 334 significantly reduces monthly migraine days in chronic migraine. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-presents-new-positive-data-ehmtic-showing-amg-334-significantly-reduces. Accessed April 2017. 3. Novartis announces Phase III study shows AMG 334 significantly reduces monthly migraine data in people with episodic migraine. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-announces-phase-iii-study-shows-amg-334-significantly-reduces-monthly. Accessed April 2017. 4. Novartis announces AMG 334 significantly reduces monthly migraine days in second pivotal Phase III episodic migraine study. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-announces-amg-334-significantly-reduces-monthly-migraine-days-second. Accessed April 2017. 5. Novartis announces global partnership with Amgen to develop and commercialize pioneering neuroscience treatments. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-announces-global-partnership-amgen-develop-and-commercialize-pioneering. Accessed April 2017. 6. Migraine Research Foundation. Migraine Fact Sheet. 2015. http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html. Accessed April 2017. 7. National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Migraine-Information-Page (link is external). Accessed April 2017. 8. World Health Organization. Headache disorders. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/ (link is external). Accessed October 2016. 9. World Health Organization. Estimates for 2000-2012. Disease Burden. 2012. 10. Diamond S et al. Patterns of Diagnosis and Acute and Preventive Treatment for Migraine in the United States: Results from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study. Headache. 2007;47(3):355-63. 11. Hepp Z, et al. Adherence to oral migraine-preventive medications among patients with chronic migraine. Cephalalgia. 2015; 35(6):478-88.

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: [email protected]

Eric Althoff Novartis Global Media Relations 1-212-830-2408 (direct) 1-646-438-4335 (mobile) [email protected] Christina Zoppi Novartis Communications & Patient Relations 1-862-778-9179 (direct) 1-862-345-4140 (mobile) [email protected]

SOURCE Novartis

Related Links

http://www.novartis.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today announced the return of more than $2 million in licensing fees to 1,123 municipalities in which licensees are located.

Twice a year, as required by law, the PLCB returns a portion of liquor license fees paid by PLCB-approved licensees to the municipalities that are home to those liquor licenses. Municipalities have flexibility in allocating and spending the returned license fees to meet local needs.

The PLCB oversees the regulation of more than 15,000 liquor licenses statewide, including restaurants, clubs, and hotels. Licensees pay liquor license fees ranging from $125 to $700, depending on the type of license and the population of the municipality in which the license is located, as part of the annual license renewal or validation process, as well as in conjunction with approval of certain new applications.

The current dispersal period represents fees paid for approved applications from Aug. 1, 2016, to Jan. 31, 2017. In all, 51 cities, 410 boroughs, and 662 townships received funds ranging from $25 to $879,850.

The complete list of license fee distributions by municipality is available on the PLCB website, www.lcb.pa.gov.

Over the past five fiscal years, the PLCB has returned more than $22.4 million in licensing fees to local municipalities.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits  totaling $15.1 billion since the agency's inception  are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Brassell, 717.783.8864

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Related Links

http://www.lcb.pa.gov


SAN DIEGO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pfenex Inc. (NYSE MKT: PFNX) announced today that its first quarter 2017 financial results will be released on Monday, May 8, 2017, after the market close. At 4:30 pm Eastern Time, Pfenex management will host a conference call to discuss the financial results and provide a business update. A press release outlining the financial results and business update will be publicly distributed prior to the call.

Please call 1-866-376-8058 (US) or 1-412-542-4131 (international) and reference Pfenex to access the call. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately one hour after the call until May 15, 2017. To access the teleconference replay please call 1-877-344-7529 (US) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) and enter the passcode 10106167. The conference call will also be available as a webcast. To access the webcast link please log on to www.pfenex.com.

Pfenex investors and others should note that we announce material information to the public about the Company through a variety of means, including our website (http://www.pfenex.com/), our investor relations website (http://pfenex.investorroom.com/), press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, corporate Twitter account (https://twitter.com/pfenex), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Pfenex-Inc-105908276167776/timeline/), and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/pfenex-inc) in order to achieve broad, non-exclusionary distribution of information to the public. We encourage our investors and others to review the information we make public in these locations as such information could be deemed to be material information. Please note that this list may be updated from time to time.

About Pfenex Inc.

Pfenex Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company engaged in the development of biosimilar therapeutics and high-value and difficult to manufacture proteins. The company's lead product candidates are PF708, a therapeutic equivalent candidate to Forteo (teriparatide) for the treatment of osteoporosis, and PF582, a biosimilar candidate to Lucentis (ranibizumab), for the potential treatment of patients with retinal diseases. Pfenex has leveraged its Pfenex Expression Technology platform to build a pipeline of product candidates and preclinical products under development including other biosimilars, as well as vaccines, therapeutic equivalents to reference listed drug products, and next generation biologics.

SOURCE Pfenex Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pfenex.com


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150203/727958-b )



PharmaMars senior management team and expert speakers will discuss scientific pipeline including; Phase 3 pivotal study with lurbinectedin (PM1183), current and prospective clinical trials, small-cell lung cancer and hereditary breast cancers, and an overview of Company strategy.

The presentation will be webcast simultaneously on the calendar section of the Company's Events Calendar page of the website at http://www.pharmamar.com and the slides will be posted there too.

A webcast replay will be available on the PharmaMar website for 30 days following the call by visiting the Events Calendar page of the company's website at http://www.pharmamar.com.

Expert guest speakers to include:

Melinda Telli , MD, Stanford University , Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

, MD, , Stanford School of Medicine, Martin Forster , MBBS MRCP PhD, UCL Cancer Institute, University College Hospital, London, UK

, MBBS MRCP PhD, UCL Cancer Institute, University College Hospital, Sue Friedman , DVM, Executive Director of Facing Our Risks of Cancer Empowered (FORCE)

About PharmaMar

Headquartered in Madrid, PharmaMar is a world-leading biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived anticancer drugs. The company has an important pipeline of drug candidates and a robust R&D oncology program. PharmaMar develops and commercializes YONDELIS in Europe and has three other clinical-stage programs under development for several types of solid and hematological cancers, PM1183, plitidepsin, and PM184. PharmaMar is a global biopharmaceutical company with subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Belgium and the United States. PharmaMar fully owns other companies: GENOMICA, Spain's leading molecular diagnostics company; Sylentis, dedicated to researching therapeutic applications of gene silencing (RNAi); and two other chemical enterprises, Zelnova Zeltia and Xylazel. To learn more about PharmaMar, please visit us at http://www.pharmamar.com.

Contact: Media Relations (+34-638-79-62-15) and Investor Relations (+34-914444500)

SOURCE PharmaMar
(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493246/Roger_Repeater.jpg )



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/493245/Roger_Earpiece.jpg )



The Roger technology uses the latest digital standard and operates on the license-free 2.4 GHz band. The wireless Roger communication system includes the tiny, virtually invisible Roger Earpiece comfortably hidden in the listener's ear and different types of transmitter-repeater. Roger systems are ideal for people working in broadcasting and show business, who rely on seamless communication with directors, producers, and sound technicians. They are utterly discreet, easy to use and install, and offer unrivalled intelligibility.

With the new upgrade the Roger Earpiece will have:

Unlimited range extension

Incredible sound

Unnoticeable handover

One day battery life

Phonak transmitters and in-ear monitors are ideal for use in productions where communication is a challenge. Steve Morrow, sound producer of La La Land, is an advocate of the Roger technology having used it on the Oscar-winning film. Morrow has used Phonak's in-ear monitors since 2001, and says they have always been a reliable tool: "The quality is great, the battery life is great on it, and they just work."

Evert Dijkstra, CEO at Phonak Communications AG, commented, "The Roger Earpiece range extension is an exciting advance for our Roger Communications system as it really allows our users in the broadcasting world limitless flexibility on what they can achieve. The Roger Earpiece has already been making waves in today's fast-paced media world, where it is vital to have the most reliable and effective equipment to help you do your job. We are delighted we have been able to enhance it even further in such a short space of time."

About Phonak Communications:

Since 1992 Phonak Communications has helped professionals to communicate effectively in challenging environments. Thanks to our working closely with end users to develop solutions that perfectly meet their needs, our miniaturized wireless earpieces, headsets and professional hearing protection devices are used and trusted by demanding customers around the world. Based in Murten, Switzerland, Phonak Communications is a member of Sonova Group, the world's leading hearing healthcare company.

For more information, please visit http://www.roger-studio.com or contact:

Joerg Windhorst, Sales Manager Phonak Communications AG Tel: +41(0)79-822-2404 Email: [email protected]

Caroline Villiers, Public Relations Tel: +44-7808-585184, Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Phonak Communications AG
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Portal Instruments, a clinical stage medical device start-up company announced today that it has received ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 13485:2012 Certification by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) certifying body.

ISO 13485:2012, Quality Management Standard for Medical Devices is the international standard requirements for a comprehensive quality management system for the design and manufacture of medical devices. This certificate of registration from an independent organization ensures that Portal's Quality Management System has been assessed and deemed to comply with the requirements of the ISO 13485:2012 standard within the scope of the following operations - namely the design, manufacture and distribution of hand-held needle-free injection devices for drug administration. A key attribute of ISO 13485 certification is that it is a regulatory precursor for global market entry.

"We are delighted to receive ISO 13485 certification from NSAI," said Patrick Anquetil, CEO of Portal Instruments. "This certification provides current and future customers with confidence and trust in Portal's Quality Management Systems and strengthens Portal's commitment to client quality and end-user service. It is a first step in positioning the company for expansion in the medical device marketplace."

The Portal drug delivery technology is needle-free, fast and computer-controlled. It automatically adjusts the injection velocity up to one thousand times in the half-second it takes to completely deliver a 1 ml dose. The result is the precise administration of high viscosity biologic drugs through the skin, via an extremely collimated jet, the size of a strand of hair. HIPPA-compliant, automatic collection and transfer of injection and health data sets a new standard of engagement between the care team and the patient. With a clear view of patient behavior, protocols can be better managed, research is better informed and compliance is improved.

"ISO 13485 certification shows Portal Instruments' on-going commitment to ensuring that the medical devices designed and built comply with state-of-the-art standards, and are manufactured under closely monitored processes that ensure the consistent quality of their products," said Chris Morrell, Vice President of NSAI Inc.

About Portal Instruments

Portal Instruments is a Series B funded medical device company focused on advanced drug delivery and backed by strategic and venture investors. Portal Instruments is developing and commercializing a highly innovative needle-free drug delivery platform technology to transform the administration of medicines and improve the patient experience for chronic diseases. Portal's needle-free delivery technology is derived from research at MIT and enables the administration of high viscosity biologic drugs with less discomfort and without the anxiety of handling needles. Real time tracking and reporting sets a new standard for interactivity between the patient and care teams, monitoring adherence and potentially improving patient outcomes. Portal Instruments is ISO 13485 certified. For more information, please visit: www.portalinstruments.com or follow @portalcambridge on Twitter.

About NSAI

As a Leading Notified Body & Quality Management Systems Registrar, The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) offers a full range of 3rd party approvals relating to Management Systems Registration & Certification Services. NSAI specializes in the Medical Device, Quality, Environmental, Tele-communications, Information Security and Aerospace industries and is known for offering the Medical Device industry's only true "time-to-market" program for Medical Device Manufactures in support of the CE Mark approval process.

For more information visit www.NSAIinc.com or call 603-882-4412.

SOURCE Portal Instruments, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.portalinstruments.com


HOUSTON and LOWELL, Mass., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing virus-based immunotherapies for cancer, and Alcyone Lifesciences, a leader in neural intervention systems and advanced drug delivery, will reveal clinical data demonstrating the precise administration of DNX-2401, an oncolytic adenovirus, into brain tumors using Alcyone's MEMS Cannula (AMCTM) at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) in Los Angeles, CA.

Neurosurgeon Frederick Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS, will present results from a Phase 1b study confirming reproducible delivery of DNX-2401 by the AMC into recurrent glioblastoma tumors. Infusion accuracy was determined using the "aura method," the displacement of DNX-2401 by gadolinium.

DNX-2401 is a potent oncolytic adenovirus that replicates in tumors and activates an anti-tumor immune response. The AMC is a dual-channel, MRI-safe cannula with the smallest-in-class micro-tip, ensuring optimal and consistent drug distribution while eliminating backflow.

"The AMC cannula standardizes the efficient delivery of DNX-2401 into the tumor of patients with recurrent glioblastoma," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "Based on these results, neurosurgeons in the US and Canada are using the AMC in our Phase 2 clinical trial of DNX-2401 with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA)."

"The lessons learned from more than a decade of attempts at exploiting convection enhanced delivery (CED) for brain cancer treatment weighed critically on the design, development, and implementation of the AMC delivery platform. The drawbacks centered around sub-optimally designed devices that have poor bio-distribution characteristics as well as surgeons' inability to monitor the distribution of these drugs within the tumor," said PJ Anand, CEO of Alcyone Lifesciences. "It is our vision that the AMC intraparenchymal delivery platform will make this modality of treatment a permanent addition to clinical management of brain malignancies."

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: Intra-tumoral Infusion of DNAtrix's Oncolytic Adenovirus DNX-2401 Using Alcyone's Micro-Fabricated Cannula

Session: AANS/CNS Section on Tumors I

Presenter: Frederick Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS

Date: April 25, 2017, 4:31 - 4:40 pm

For more information about DNAtrix clinical studies administered with the AMC, please visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website: NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 with pembrolizumab) and NCT02197169 (DNX-2401 with/without interferon gamma).

About DNX-2401

DNX-2401 is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to treat cancer. DNX-2401 sets off a chain reaction of tumor cell killing by selectively replicating within tumor cells for a period of weeks to months while sparing normal cells then secondarily triggering an anti-tumor immune response directed against the tumor. DNX-2401 has been well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and survival has been prolonged compared to other therapies.

About Alcyone's MEMS Cannula (AMC) Targeted Delivery System

The Alcyone MEMS Cannula Targeted Delivery System was developed using the company's proprietary microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology platform. Without burdening the neurosurgery community with unnecessary additional capital equipment, the AMC can be utilized with any existing commercial imaging and stereotactic system in conjunction with the work-flow friendly clinical use guideline designed by the company's scientist and neurosurgery advisors. Under intra-procedural MRI guidance, neurosurgeons can select a target, navigate the AMC precisely, and observe precision delivery of the therapeutic agent in real time. In addition to the MEMS tip, which has dual micro-channels, the AMC features a unique patented distal end design that helps prevent reflux or back flow along the cannula shaft. This can be a significant drawback with current devices. The AMC platform device is designed for optimal targeted bio-distribution and neurosurgeon's ease of use.

About DNAtrix

DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic virus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

About Alcyone Lifesciences

Alcyone Lifesciences, based in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a privately-held medical device company focused on development of novel treatment modalities for difficult to treat chronic neurological conditions. The Company's patented technology platforms are based on a uniquely engineered amalgamation of microfabrication technologies along with advanced biomedical engineering. Its core products focus on intraparenchymal, intrathecal, and intra-vascular advanced drug therapy, along with the treatment of hydrocephalus. Alcyone's team of scientists, physicians, and advisors includes recognizable leaders in the field of neurology and neurosurgery. For more information, please visit www.alcyonels.com.

Contact

DNAtrix

Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.

S.V.P. Business Development

[email protected]

Alcyone Lifesciences

PJ Anand

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

(978) 709-1946

SOURCE DNAtrix

Related Links

http://www.dnatrix.com


WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) has sent a letter to Jeb Hensarling, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, expressing concerns about the creation of a new federal office called the Office of the Independent Insurance Advocate within the Treasury Department.

Ironically, the new federal office with greatly expanded powers would be created by a provision included in the Financial Creating Hope and Opportunity for Investors, Consumers, and Entrepreneurs (CHOICE) Actlegislation intended to reduce, not increase, federal encroachment resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act.

"This provision of the Financial Choice Act runs completely counter to the intent of Dodd-Frank reform by creating a new, expansive and unnecessary federal insurance bureaucracy with the potential to grow," said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Mike Becker. "The Independent Insurance Advocate could lead to a federal insurance czar with no supervision, who would be positioned to usurp our strong and effective system of state insurance regulation."

"Congress has a mandate to rein in federal bureaucraciesnot create new ones," Becker said. "We call on lawmakers to remove this provision from the Financial CHOICE Act. PIA opposes the creation of an Office of the Independent Insurance Advocate"

The language in question merges the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) with the independent member with insurance expertise on the Financial Stability Oversight Council to create the Office of Independent Insurance Advocate. PIA and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) have both already called for the complete elimination of the FIO, because it is unnecessary.

The director of the new office would be a Senate-confirmed presidential appointee with a six-year term. The new office would have its own budget and would be able to hire its own employees, including attorneys, analysts, and economists.

Although housed in the Treasury Department, the bill has language prohibiting the Secretary of the Treasury from taking action to "delay or prevent the issuance of any rule or the promulgation of any regulation by the Independent Insurance Advocate," and prohibiting the Treasury Secretary from intervening "in any matter."

"We are struck by how powerful this position would be," said PIA National Vice President of Government Relations Jon Gentile. "This office could potentially grow in a manner that would lead to a federal regulatory bureaucracy."

PIA announced plans to conduct a nationwide grassroots campaign urging Congress to both repeal the Federal Insurance Office, and prevent creation of an Office of the Independent Insurance Advocate. PIA is currently the only national association publicly advocating against the creation of this new insurance office.

Founded in 1931, PIA is a national trade association that represents member insurance agents and their employees who sell and service all kinds of insurance, but specialize in coverage of automobiles, homes and businesses. PIA members are Local Agents Serving Main Street America SM. PIA's web address is www.pianet.com.

PIA National Testimony to the House Committee on Financial Services

April 26, 2017 RE: The Financial CHOICE Act of 2017

http://www.pianet.com/docs/2017/financialchoicetestimony042417/



This press release is online at:

http://www.pianet.com/news/press-releases/2017/piaopposeprovisioninchoiceact042417

SOURCE National Association of Professional Insurance Agents

Related Links

http://www.pianet.com/


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network  it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

Workplace Training Can Prevent Opioid and Prescription Drug Misuse

Keeping the Church Relevant with Technology

The Future of Learning is Personal

MEDIA JOBS

M&A / Funds Reporter  InfraLatinAmerica

Contributing Editor, Best Buy Drug Costs  Consumer Reports

Night Editor, Digital Desk  The Wall Street Journal

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

The Art of Storytelling: A Look at Slam Dunk Coverage of March Madness, in 4 Stories

How to Create Viral Content That Wants to Be Shared  in 6 Steps

Blog Profiles: Language Blogs

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS:

Workplace Training Can Prevent Opioid and Prescription Drug Misuse

Dr. Joel Bennett

CEO and Founder

Organizational Wellness & Learning Systems, Inc. (OWLS)

It's increasingly commonplace for employees to use prescription medication outside of intended use to improve job performance, overcome lack of sleep, or to alleviate pain. In late 2016, two national surveys indicated the need for more Rx misuse prevention in workplaces. Although 70% of employers are negatively impacted by Rx misuse, less than 25% educate workers, and 30% do not provide access to alternative treatments. A recent study showed the effectiveness of a wellness-based approach to employee training that raised awareness and encouraged the use of healthy alternatives. The training was adapted from two programs cited in the 2016 Surgeon General's report, Facing Addiction in America, as the only ones that met their criteria for effectiveness for workplace prevention. Says Dr. Bennett: "Compared to before the training, participants reported more motivation to avoid Rx and greater ability to identify healthy alternatives for dealing with pain or stress. Tackling the nationwide opioid epidemic is ultimately about helping people make better choices."

Dr. Bennett is a widely sought after speaker, consultant, and source on issues pertaining to evidence-based wellness; he has also published in a broad variety of academic, industry and business publications and consults internationally.

Website: http://organizationalwellness.com/

Media Contact: Charles Epstein, [email protected]

Keeping the Church Relevant with Technology

Dr. Shane Garrison

Associate Professor of Educational Ministries, School of Theology

Vice President for Enrollment Services

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY

By embracing innovation, churches can identify strategies to modernize the church and connect with today's youth  tomorrow's leaders  via social media and other technologies. Says Dr. Garrison: "Technology and modernization are not usually words people use when describing the church. The hesitation to embrace change is making it hard for Christian leaders to engage youth today. Generation Z are digital natives, their whole lives are dependent on technology and it is necessary for churches to capitalize on this trend to stay relevant now and into the future. Nontraditional communication tools like social media, technology workshops and informal youth ministry meetings will help ensure the church stays relevant. The Christian message doesn't need to change but its delivery can and should."

Dr. Garrison was honored as Campbellsville University's Distinguished Faculty member in 2016. He is also available to discuss the rise of the "Pharaoh Effect" in business and leadership. As a society we are increasingly asking employees to do more, expect more, and demand more, but with far less resources, staffing, and support.

Blog: www.shanegarrison.org

Contact: Jessica Brown, [email protected]

The Future of Learning is Personal

Dr. Mickey Blackwell

Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Education

West Virginia State University

Charleston, WV

With advancements in the use of technology and student data in the classroom, personalized education initiatives are the future. Says Dr. Blackwell: "Personalized learning is where we are all headed. Soon every child will have their own plans, tailored tests, and teachers will know in real-time how that student is performing. It will be up to teachers, with the help of their administrators, to craft new materials, exercises, and tasks that can bring out the best in their students. Plus with the right support, states and districts can embrace this learning revolution and will be better equipped to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their students and what teachers need to be successful in the classroom. This is an immense challenge for the education system, but it will pay endless dividends if fully supported by teachers, policymakers, and parents."

Dr. Blackwell has over 30 years of experience in teaching and school administration, including serving as superintendent and principal at multiple schools, and currently is the executive director for the West Virginia Association for Elementary and Middle School Principals. Dr. Blackwell can speak to developing district-based curriculum goals and related staff development and staff, as well as the impact of public policy on state public school educators and school administrators.

Contact: Michael Timberlake, [email protected]

****************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

M&A / Funds Reporter  InfraLatinAmerica

Contributing Editor, Best Buy Drug Costs  Consumer Reports

Night Editor, Digital Desk  The Wall Street Journal

*****************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

THE ART OF STORYTELLING: A LOOK AT SLAM DUNK COVERAGE OF MARCH MADNESS, IN 4 STORIES. Sports journalism should be more than just statistics. While they support arguments about the G.O.A.T. and which team may be the most dominant, time and again we see they don't always matter  especially during March Madness. Here are four slam dunk examples of March Madness coverage that went beyond statistics reporting: http://bit.ly/2pmrWTX

HOW TO CREATE VIRAL CONTENT THAT WANTS TO BE SHARED  IN 6 STEPS. You know the feeling: You see something on Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat that you must share with friends. But what if you're on the other side of the coin, figuring out how to create content that people will want to share? How do you make something readers will want to put on their timelines? http://bit.ly/2pqS9Ao

BLOG PROFILES: LANGUAGE BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and looks at a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the topic. This week, the team looks at language blogs: http://bit.ly/2pWP8oZ

****************

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

SOURCE ProfNet
NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Questback, the global leader in enterprise feedback management, will present today at HR People + Strategy's 2017 Annual Conference. Questback President, Carol Lee Andersen, and former RSA Insurance Group HR Project Consultant, Alexander Stephanou, discuss the changing landscape of employee engagement. Enterprises are evolving around people and analytics; a transformation that is requiring them to breakdown outdated notions and embrace emerging trends in the use of technology to align people to strategic goals and objectives.

Hosted by the executive arm of SHRM, HR People + Strategy's 2017 Annual Conference brings together influential business executives and thought leaders to participate in an innovative and forward-thinking discussion on HR in today's environment. Andersen and Stephanou will cover the changing concept of employee engagement and the importance of redefining it for today's business requirements. "Employee engagement is probably one of the most used, or misused, soft data concepts in business," states Stephanou. "Employee engagement is fundamentally changing. It is transforming into an integrated measure of how businesses operate, offering human resource leaders a refreshingly new opportunity to secure the delivery of critical outcomes in close collaboration with business leaders."

Employee engagement will transform into a continuous, integrated business measure of employee alignment to strategic goals and objectives, providing detailed insight into the way a business operates and enabling thorough identification of early warning signs of risks and failures. "Employee engagement is the opportunity, and requirement today, to add the why to all of the data we have acquired - and continue to acquire," states Andersen. A cornerstone of Questback's leading enterprise feedback technology, employee engagement plays a crucial, often overlooked, role in a digital world inundated with data. "The next era of HR, people, and business will be integrating data across the organization. It's creating context, answering why, and enabling foresight," Andersen continues. In other words, businesses will increasingly provide their people with the ability to voice their views and impact operations in ways that seamlessly incorporate with their day-to-day work.

ABOUT HR PEOPLE + STRATEGY ANNUAL CONFERENCE

HR People + Strategy is the premier network of executives and thought leaders in the field of human resources. As SHRM's Executive Network, HR People + Strategy provides members access to forward-thinking exchanges, research and publications, and executive-level networking opportunities. The Annual Conference is intended for senior HR leaders responsible for the strategic direction of their organization. By bringing together the best and the brightest, the program provides HR leaders with a powerful and practical learning experience.

Learn more at www.hrps.org.

ABOUT QUESTBACK

Questback is a global leader in enterprise feedback management solutions, allowing businesses to reach out, gather insight, take action, and continuously improve the way they operate. More than 5,000 companies worldwide, including one third of the Forbes Global 2000 such as DHL, John Lewis, General Mills and Swiss, rely on Questback solutions. As businesses merge historically separate disciplines, bringing together employee and customer insight to enable better business decisions, Questback is uniquely positioned to deliver an actionable view of businesses' ability to build long-term bonds of loyalty with both employees and customers for sustained performance. People matter. Get their insight.

Learn more at www.questback.com.

Media contact:

Roslyn Sakaguchi

[email protected]

832-482-8003

SOURCE Questback

Related Links

http://www.questback.com


"Casey is someone who is not afraid to push the envelope. We are confident he will take Quicken Loans' leading national brand to the next level and beyond," said Quicken Loans CEO Jay Farner. Casey brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the agency and corporate perspectives. "Our millions of clients and future clients will see Quicken Loans in creative and unexpected ways as Casey leads our tremendously talented marketing team to leverage our brand, technology, culture and award winning client service record."

Hurbis spent the last 24 years in a wide range of roles, including consumer engagement, strategic planning, digital advertising, partnership development, experiential marketing and everything in between. Most recently, Casey led North American Brand Communications and Advertising at FIAT where he reintroduced the FIAT brand to the U.S. market after more than a quarter century of absence. Hurbis led major initiatives including the creation of two Super Bowl commercials, large-scale brand campaigns, social media promotions and co-branded partnerships.

"I was born and raised in the Detroit area and throughout my career I have never had a chance to work in the city. I am thrilled to not only be working in the heart of city, but for a company as distinctly Detroit as Quicken Loans," Hurbis said. "Quicken Loans has a fantastic brand and a driven marketing team ready to take the company to new heights. I am more than excited to forge new paths in how we tell our story and communicate with our clients and future homebuyers from coast to coast. We are going to push the limits when it comes to creative and innovative marketing campaigns that integrate our digital and traditional strategies."

In 2012 Hurbis, and his Chrysler Group team, were named Ad Age's "Marketer of the Year." He resides in the Detroit area with his wife and two children. Casey is a community leader and serves on the Board of Directors for Adcraft Detroit, and works extensively with Bethany Christian Services, Special Olympics Michigan and The Salvation Army.

About Quicken Loans

Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. is the nation's second largest retail home mortgage lender. The company has closed more than $300 billion of mortgage volume across all 50 states between 2013 and 2016. Quicken Loans moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010, and now more than 13,500 of its 16,000 team members work in the city's urban core. The company generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Primary Mortgage Origination" in the United States by J.D. Power for the past seven consecutive years, 2010  2016, and highest in customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past three years, 2014  2016.

Quicken Loans was ranked #10 on FORTUNE magazine's annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list in 2017, and has been among the top-30 companies for the past 14 consecutive years. The company has been recognized as one of Computerworld magazine's '100 Best Places to Work in IT' the past 12 years, ranking #1 for seven of the past eleven years including 2016. For more information and company news visit QuickenLoans.com/press-room.

Twitter: @QLnews

Facebook.com/QuickenLoans

SOURCE Quicken Loans
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and PORTLAND, Ore., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Qwilt, a leading provider of content delivery and open caching solutions, and Cedexis, the leader in content and application delivery optimization for clouds, CDNs, and datacenters, today announced their Open Cache Quality of Experience (QoE) performance benchmarking program.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) frequently use open caching in their infrastructure to optimize the delivery of content from publisher to end consumer. Open caching often has a profound and beneficial impact on QoE for end-consumers  a benefit that is not yet fully appreciated by publishers. The Open Cache QoE Performance Benchmarking program will enable publishers, for the first time, to monitor, analyze, and fully evaluate the benefit delivered to their service by ISP-based open caching.

Qwilt will leverage its vast network of open cache deployments, deeply embedded in global ISP networks, to quantify, via objective RADAR QoE measurements, the advantage of content delivery through open caching. Qwilt's Open Caching solution improves QoE through the principle of "Closer is Better" when it comes to delivering streamed content: caching at the edge bridges the distance gap between publisher and consumer, and ensures content providers deliver a great experience for their users.

"Through this partnership Qwilt joins the Radar Community, adding open caching QoE data to the over 10 billion measurements we take every day," said Ryan Windham, CEO for Cedexis. "These additional measurements add a new level of granularity within the Radar community, supporting our users in their ongoing mission to better track and improve their consumers' online experience."

"Partnering with Cedexis gives us an opportunity to demonstrate to content publishers the benefit of leveraging Open Caching, deployed in the ISP network edge, to improve the overall performance of online video," commented Alon Maor, CEO of Qwilt. "We look forward to engaging with the Radar Community to help improve the performance of streaming video."

About Qwilt

Qwilt's unique Edge Cloud Platform and Open Caching software solutions help Internet service providers address the dramatic growth of streaming media on their networks and the need for a low latency, high scale infrastructure to support future applications. Qwilt's cloud managed open platform, running on commodity compute and storage infrastructure and deployed close to consumers, creates a massively distributed Edge Cloud that supports applications such as Open Caching, 4K Live Streaming, AR, VR, Self- Driving Cars and IoT. This low latency Edge Cloud architecture enables a high quality streaming experience for consumers on a massive scale. A growing number of the world's leading cable, telco and mobile service providers rely on Qwilt for Edge Cloud applications.

Qwilt is a Founding Member of the Streaming Video Alliance and a leader of the Open Caching industry movement. Qwilt's Open Caching solution is compliant with both the functional requirements and technical specifications that were unanimously approved by Alliance members in 2016. Founded in 2010 by industry veterans from Cisco and Juniper, Qwilt is backed by Accel Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cisco Ventures, Disrupt-ive, Innovation Endeavors, Marker and Redpoint Ventures. Learn more at www.qwilt.com.

About Cedexis

Cedexis provides web-scale, end-user-experience monitoring and real-time traffic routing across multiple clouds and networks. Cedexis Radar crowd sources billions of real user measurements (RUM) a day from a community of 1,000s of popular websites and mobile apps, with traffic routing services based on the insights this data provides, for the best performance, availability, or cost. Trusted by nearly 1,000 global brands including Accor Hotels, Airbus, Cartier, Comcast, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Nissan and Shutterstock. Cedexis is headquartered in Portland, Oregon with offices in Paris, France, San Francisco, CA, Brooklyn, NY and London, UK.

Cedexis Press contact (USA-Canada):

Jacqueline Velasco

Lumina Communications on behalf of Cedexis

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: (408) 680-0564

SOURCE Cedexis
DUBLIN, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Japanese Sales Practices at Pharmaceutical Firms ver2016" report to their offering.

This report discusses about the general sales practices at pharmaceutical firms in Japan. The readers will understand about the current sales activities, regulations, issues, and suggested methodologies.

The number of MR in Japan in 2015 was 64,135. At all type of companies; domestic pharmaceutical companies, foreign companies, and Contract Sales Organizations (CSO), the number of MR had been increasing until 2013, but it turned to decrease from 2014.

Among developed nations, Japan follows the United States in terms of number of MR. However, at the same time, when we look at the number of physicians per number of MR, the United States has approximately thirteen (physicians/MR), while Japan has below five, so we see considerable gap and an outstanding issue in terms of productivi-ty.



While people see less productivity in sales activities, the number of MR still remain quite large. The unique MR skillset and the Japanese old employment system, which emphasized long-term employment, created a situation that renders both internal transfer and dismissal difficult. Also, the pharmaceutical industry has enjoyed considerably high profits, meaning that even bearing these fixed labor costs in mind, there was no sense of urgency to firms' economic viability.

However, at the same time, the MR climate is steadily changing. The use of contract MR is becoming more widespread. New guidelines are calling for greater transparency. The approach of M3, Inc., and others like it, of providing medical information online is rapidly gaining ground. Amidst this, the true presence of physical MR is increasingly being called into question.

In the short term, there are unlikely to be major changes to the current personnel system. In the medium term, as contract MR increase and the Internet is further used for the provision of medical information, there will likely be changes to MR employment and organizational adjustments to follow.

For foreign firms entering in Japanese market, this may be an opportunity to enter a market that offers a great degree of flexibility and provide a new business model. Firms should leverage outsourcing in various fields not only in manufacturing and clinical de-velopment, but also in sales and marketing, keeping a slim organization inhouse.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Summary



2. Scope Discussed



3. Medical Representative



4. Number of MR



5. Number of MR by Company



6. Number of MR by Country



7. Is the number of MR in Japan reasonable?



8. Why So Many MR in Japan?



9. Regulations Concerning the Sale of Pharmaceuticals



10. Financial Contributions to Medical Institutions, Universities, and Physicians



11. Curbing Extreme Sales Tactics



12. Theoretical Underpinnings of Business & HR Strategy at Foreign Firms



13. Declining MR's Presence



14. Future Outlook

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f4kmlw/japanese_sales

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier men's performance activewear and lifestyle brand Rhone today announced a partnership with Equinox, the high performance lifestyle leader, to unveil the luxury fitness club's first ever pop-up retail concept. The Rhone shops will live within 11 Equinox locations across the country, and will showcase an increased assortment of the brand's best-in-class apparel and accessories that use the most innovative materials and advanced technology on the market. Opening to the public on April 24, Rhone pop-up locations will include Equinox clubs in New York (63rd Street, W 92nd Street, E 44th Street), Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, South Bay, Westwood), San Francisco (San Mateo), Washington D.C. (Bethesda), Dallas (Preston Hollow) and Miami (Aventura).

An internationally recognized arbiter of luxury, Equinox offers members an unparalleled experience that goes well beyond fitness offerings, including its Shop @ Equinox locations, which will house the Rhone pop-ups. Every Shop @ Equinox location curates a diverse selection of luxury fashion labels, exclusive collaborations and performance essentials to serve the needs of the brand's clientele.

"We have been working with Equinox since our launch and value the company not only as a retail partner, but also as a fellow disruptive brand in the active industry," said Cortney Ansel, Senior Vice President of Sales for Rhone. "We are looking forward to increased exposure with our target customer through this elevated partnership."

To celebrate the opening of the retail concepts, Rhone and Equinox will host community workout events on May 11 in New York (63rd Street), Los Angeles (Beverly Hills), San Francisco (San Mateo) and Dallas (Preston Hollow). Free and open to the public for Equinox members and non-members alike, guests will be invited to take the gym's most popular group fitness class, the high-intensity MetCon3. Post class, attendees will have access to exclusive discounted shopping, special Equinox promotions and a premium gift bag featuring Rhone's latest GoldFusion technology which infuses gold particles into the brand's highest-performance fabrics for a softer, safer, faster-drying, longer-lasting, odor-neutralizing activewear garment.

"At Equinox, we push the limit and commit to high performance living," said Frank Rappa, Senior Director of Retail for Equinox. "Rhone provides men's premium performance apparel, combining cutting-edge technology and design. Together, we are creating an assortment of styles that work and wear well, representative of both brands, and are taking our members to the highest levels of their personal performance."

For more information on the Rhone brand and its Equinox pop-up shops, please visit Rhone.com/Equinox.

About Rhone

Founded in 2014, Rhone is premium activewear that is engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man. Currently, Rhone is sold in all Equinox locations, at select REI and Bloomingdales locations, as well as Peloton Studios, and close to 150 specialty stores and gyms. More information can be found at www.Rhone.com.

About Equinox

Equinox operates 87 upscale, full-service clubs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Houston and Washington, DC, as well as international locations in London, Toronto and Vancouver. The company offers an integrated selection of Equinox-branded programs, services and products, including strength and cardio training, studio classes, personal training, spa services and products, apparel and food/juice bars.

Launching in 2019, Equinox Hotels will cater exclusively to the high performance traveler to serve as the ultimate hotel destination with a 360-degree lifestyle experience. In its 25-year history, Equinox has consistently offered bespoke experiences and unparalleled services to consumers, developing a lifestyle brand that represents service, value, quality, expertise, innovation, attention to detail, market leadership and results.

For more information, please contact:

Marisa Grimshaw

E: [email protected]

M: 516-606-0756

SOURCE Rhone

Related Links

http://www.Rhone.com


MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick, a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk and benefits solutions, has partnered with Accolade, an on-demand healthcare concierge, to launch its new whole health solution. The proprietary program links Sedgwick's experience and expertise in workers' compensation, leave of absence and disability with a trusted health assistant to circumnavigate workers' compensation, disability, leave of absence, job accommodations and health benefits.

The whole health model is designed to ensure the physical, emotional and financial health of clients' employees and their family members, who may otherwise struggle to access the resources they need in cases of injury, illness or the birth or adoption of a child. With the whole health solution, each member of an employer's health plan is assigned a dedicated health assistant, who works with Sedgwick's claims management and clinical experts to guide the employee through the entire process. The health assistant not only supports an employee and their family towards receiving high-quality care, but also prepares them for returning to work following an absence.

"The integration of health and productivity solutions in our whole health model gives our clients' employees a streamlined and consistent way to access the assistance and care afforded by their benefits," said Dave North, Sedgwick president and CEO. "Using the whole health approach can increase employee satisfaction and engagement, reduce claim durations and lost workdays, and decrease claim costs. Sedgwick is proud to be among the first in our industry to offer employers fully integrated data on their health, workers' compensation, disability and leave programs, combined with a compassionate, holistic approach to employee care."

"Sedgwick offers an extensive portfolio of services in the risk and benefits space, and our partnership on the whole health model aligns care management with the highly regulated benefits process to simplify the experience for employees and their families," said Rob Cavanaugh, Accolade president. "Together, we're adding significant features to the Accolade and Sedgwick platforms to give people the support they need in navigating the complexities of healthcare and related leave programs. Our partnership gives employers an important integrated benefit that strengthens their programs, drives employee satisfaction up, and is proven to drive costs and complexities down."

More information about the whole health solution is available on the Sedgwick website.

About Sedgwick

Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., is a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk and benefits solutions. At Sedgwick, caring countsSM; the company takes care of people and organizations by delivering cost-effective claims, productivity, managed care, risk consulting and other services through the dedication and expertise of nearly 15,000 colleagues in some 275 offices located in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland. Sedgwick facilitates financial and personal health and helps customers and consumers navigate complexity by designing and implementing customized programs based on proven practices and advanced technology that exceed expectations. Sedgwick's majority shareholder is KKR; Stone Point Capital LLC, La Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see www.sedgwick.com.

About Accolade

Accolade is an on-demand healthcare concierge for employers, health plans and health systems. Accolade's team of compassionate, trusted professionals is supported by breakthrough science and technologies to guide people through the healthcare system in a deeply personalized manner. Accolade customers experience industry-leading engagement levels, satisfaction scores unseen in healthcare, better health outcomes and cost savings of more than 10 percent. Accolade has been recognized as one of the 25 most promising companies in the U.S. by Forbes magazine, the fastest-growing private healthcare company by Inc. 500 and a Top Workplace for five consecutive years. For more, see www.accolade.com.

SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sedgwick.com


"We're excited to provide our customers with such exceptional UAS," said Brian Holley, SITECH South's General Manager. "These are survey-grade systems and when you look at them, the engineering and quality are obvious. This technology provides real value and will help our customers perform jobs more safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively."

Construction companies use drones for many purposes, including volumetric analysis of stockpiles, site overviews, and monitoring progress.

Another key use is to analyze job sites before submitting a proposal. With an initial flyover, companies can check the accuracy of project drawings against the actual specs to estimate costs as closely as possible.

"For our construction customers, we feel a quadcopter offers the highest value and most flexibility," said Matt Rosenbalm, SITECH South's UAS / Advanced Technology Specialist. "You need enough control to be able to stop at the boundaries of the project site so your aircraft doesn't fly over other structures, land, and people. Microdrones systems are great for that  and they also have long flight times, excellent stability, great resilience in bad weather, and they're very efficient."

Rosenbalm joined the company in July and is strictly focused on providing unmanned systems products, training, and service. Rosenbalm has his Part 107 license and has undergone extensive UAV training through Trimble and Microdrones.

"I've flown many job sites so far with the md4-1000 and each flight has been a great experience," said Rosenbalm. "Flight planning and implementation are easy. Everyone has been impressed and very pleased with the results."

But Matt says there are still customer questions. "They know this is the direction the industry is going and there is a lot of interest, but they want to verify the accuracy. As more and more users see how well this technology works, adoption will grow exponentially."

Trimble is the world leader in geospatial technology distribution  SITECH South is a Trimble dealer. Microdrones partnered with Trimble in November 2016, becoming their preferred provider of quadcopter UAS. Since then, Trimble dealers world-wide have been signing on to sell Microdrones systems.

"When we saw the Trimble announcement in October, we immediately reached out to Microdrones," explained Holley. "After speaking with them we were so impressed by their mdMapper systems, knowledge, and willingness to help, we put in a purchase order the next day."

mdMapper packages combine aircraft, sensors, and software  everything needed for aerial mapping. Systems available immediately through SITECH South include:

Users can also increase the functionality of their systems by purchasing accessory kits. Options include inspection, multispectral, thermal, and soon LiDAR and methane gas detection kits.

SITECH South has already sold an mdMapper1000DG, the most advanced Microdrones mapping system currently available. "The customer liked the idea of mdMapper1000DG because they wouldn't have to establish so many ground control points," explained Rosenbalm. "The DG (direct georeferencing) is an amazingly efficient tool."

Rosenbalm recently completed DG training with the Microdrones mdAcademy team. He is now prepared to teach others to use this advanced system.

"The future of the construction industry undoubtedly includes drones," said Holley. "One of our main goals is to be a leader in construction technology and a one-stop shop for all our customers' needs. Microdrones packages are an essential piece of the puzzle for us."

However, Holley believes that SITECH South's success is about more than equipment. "Beyond product, we have more than 200 years of combined construction experience and a team of training and service experts that truly cares about their customers. If a client has a problem, a local engineer will be there the next day to assist them. We're fully committed to helping our customers succeed."

To learn more about SITECH South, visit www.sitechsouth.com.

SOURCE Microdrones
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartAdvocate, the incredibly powerful, web-based, integrated case management system designed for personal injury, mass tort litigation, medical malpractice and other litigation practices, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic alliance with litigation finance company Simia Capital.

Simia Capital offers pre/post-settlement funding to seriously injured plaintiffs who are represented by attorneys. They also provide funding for surgery in cases where the plaintiff is uninsured or where the insurance carrier has disclaimed or cut the plaintiff off from receiving medical benefits. The company is comprised of industry veterans. Simia's CEO, Patrick Preece, was one of the first bankers in the litigation funding space and its head of underwriting is an experienced personal injury litigator who had his own personal injury practice for almost 20 years.

"The addition of Simia Capital to our growing roster of business partners continues to enable us to bring added value to our clients," said Arnie Baum, COO of SmartAdvocate. "Litigation can be a long and arduous process. Having a reliable and willing source of settlement funding can be critical to achieving optimal results. The people at Simia understand this, and we're delighted to be able to bring their expertise and resources to our clients."

"We are excited to partner with SmartAdvocate," said Patrick Preece, Simia's CEO. "Law firms that utilize SmartAdvocate do so because they want to be as efficient as possible, and they realize that improved efficiency brings better outcomes for their clients. Our funding takes the financial pressure off plaintiffs, leaving their attorneys free to pursue the best possible case results. It's a great fit and a win-win for those firms and their clients."

"Simia is extremely well capitalized and has the ability to fund any size case. Our business philosophy is not to let rates interfere with helping plaintiffs. Simia prides itself on working with law firms and plaintiffs to provide them the lowest rates possible. Simia's combination of seasoned financing professionals and experienced litigation attorneys, together with its desire to build long-term relationships, makes it a great business partner for law firms. Moreover, we utilize cutting edge technology in the application and funding processes."

About SmartAdvocate

SmartAdvocate is an incredibly powerful, web-based, fully integrated case management system. Initially designed principally for personal injury and mass tort litigation practices, SmartAdvocate is now used by a wide range of litigation firms.

SmartAdvocate was designed by attorneys who understand the challenges that legal professionals face in terms of case management. It allows firms to completely manage all aspects of their cases, no matter how complex or voluminous. SmartAdvocate clients can store, track, manage and classify case information and documents, and communicate in a manner that allows them the highest level of success, and its myriad of reports give law firms the tools to effectively manage their practices. SmartAdvocate is available as a web based system that is installed on a client's server, or as a hosted, cloud based system.

Contact

Arnie Baum

Chief Operating Officer

SmartAdvocate LLC

[email protected]

(516) 723-4636

www.smartadvocate.com

About Simia Capital

Simia Capital is a litigation funding company that provides both pre-settlement and post-settlement funding to seriously injured plaintiffs. Simia is comprised of funding veterans and experienced attorneys; its expertise gives it the ability to assess a case realistically and fund accordingly. Simia works closely with plaintiffs' attorneys without being overbearing, and its utilization of modern technology puts it at the forefront of the industry.

Contact

Adam Connors

Managing Director

Simia Capital

[email protected]

(201) 377-2346

http://www.simiafunding.com

SOURCE SmartAdvocate LLC

Related Links

http://www.smartadvocate.com


GRENADA, West Indies, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, St. George's University hired Sandra Banner, the former director of the Canadian Resident Matching Service, as its new consultant for University relations in Canada.

"I'm thrilled to join the St. George's University team," Banner said. "I look forward to expanding St. George's presence in Canada and strengthening our relationships with the Canadian medical community."

Sandra Banner

Banner will focus on expanding St. George's clinical programs in Canada, which currently include partnerships with the University of Saskatchewan and Vancouver General Hospital.[1] Banner will also assist in recruiting Canadian students and shaping St. George's message to Canadian audiences.

Banner comes to St. George's after serving for 29 years as Executive Director and CEO of CaRMS, the national organization that matches students with residencies in Canada. During her tenure, CaRMS also grew from 1.5 full-time staffers to more than 40. The Service now serves over 7,000 applicants and 650 programs across Canada.

Banner brings a wealth of medical and educational experience to St. George's. She has served as a Board Director on the Physicians Credential Registry of Canada and is an Honorary Member of the College of Family Physicians in Canada. She has also presented to government committees on the state of medical education, including the Advisory Committee on Health Delivery and Human Resources, established by the Deputy Ministers of Health in Canada. Banner collaborated and contributed to the Future of Medical Education in Canada, a ground-breaking report aiming to reform the medical education system in order to better address the health needs of Canadians.

"St. George's University is committed to training the physicians Canada needs to address its nationwide doctor shortage," said president of St. George's University, Dr. G. Richard Olds. "Sandra is the perfect person to lead our efforts in pursuit of that mission."

About St. George's University

St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, social science, IT, and business. St. George's is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. The University's over 17,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. The University programs are accredited and approved by many governing authorities and repeatedly recognized as the best in the region. For more information, visit www.sgu.edu.

Media Contact:

Miriam Cho

(202) 471-4228 ext 101

[1] http://www.sgu.edu/academic-programs/school-of-medicine/affiliated-hospitals/canada/#toggle-id-2

SOURCE St. George's University

Related Links

http://www.sgu.edu


The Advertising Hall of Fame recognizes the most accomplished and legendary figures in the business and will induct Stan Richards, Robert De Niro, Frank A. Bennack Jr., Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Jerry Della Femina, Irwin Gotlieb, Kay Koplovitz and Carol H. Williams to its 2017 class.

Richards, 84, founded The Richards Group as a freelance practice after graduating from Pratt Institute in New York in the early 1950s. Since then, it has grown from a boutique design shop to the largest independently owned advertising firm in the United States, with more than 740 employees and $1.41 billion in annual billings.

"Having worked with countless advertising agencies and their leaders in my 40-plus years building Charles Schwab, I see in Stan that spark of greatness that few leaders ever match," said Charles Schwab, founder of Charles Schwab Corporation, in a letter to the AAF.

"Working in the environment Stan Richards has cultivated was stunning. Working on projects with my peers and Stan Richards was inspiring. When I say experiencing this institution has changed my so-far-short-lived life, I am not exaggerating," said Jamie Lerman, a first-year student at the Pratt Institute, in a letter to the AAF.

Over the course of his career, Richards has received awards in virtually every major creative competition in the world.

In 1999, Richards received the highest honor available to a creative with his election to the Art Directors Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Walt Disney , Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol .

, and . Richards was also chosen by the Dallas Society of Visual Communications as "the single individual who, over his career, has made the most significant contribution to the advancement of creative standards in the Southwestern United States ."

." Richards has been featured in The Wall Street Journal' s "Giants of Our Time" series and named an "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Inc. magazine.

s "Giants of Our Time" series and named an "Entrepreneur of the Year" by magazine. The University of Texas honored Richards with its Reddick Award for leadership in communication, preceded by honorees Walter Cronkite , Ted Turner and Bill Moyers . In 2014, The University of Texas renamed its nationally recognized advertising program The Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations.

honored Richards with its Reddick Award for leadership in communication, preceded by honorees , and . In 2014, The renamed its nationally recognized advertising program The Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations. In addition, Richards serves, or has served, on many boards: The Salvation Army, Episcopal School of Dallas , YMCA, Cooper Aerobics Enterprises, Dallas Symphony Association, United Way, the Creative Committee of the 4A's, Pratt Institute Board of Trustees and the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation.

Said Richards of the honor, "As I reflected on this honor, I often asked myself, 'How did I get here? How did an art director find himself in the Advertising Hall of Fame?' And the answer is that the largest part of the credit goes to the 741 people I love coming to work with every day. The brightest, most talented, most focused group of people one could ever hope to know."

Today, Richards remains highly involved in the creative work the agency develops. He leads his agency from a newly built high-rise in Uptown Dallas custom-designed to reflect The Richards Group's unique culture, which he believes has been key to the growth and success of his firm, dubbed "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Groupers (as employees are known).

Agency disciplines are intermixed throughout each floor, and tenure is vastly more important than titles, of which there are very few. The Richards Group has one of the lowest turnover rates (if not the lowest) of any agency in America, with an average tenure of 17 years for its senior leadership across all disciplines. Practices like signing in before 8:30 a.m. each day encourage discipline and mutual respect and are adhered to by Richards himself  who most days can be found by 7 a.m. in the company's state-of-the-art 11,000-square-foot gym or at one of the employee-led spin classes.

The 68th annual Advertising Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies & Gala Dinner will be held April 25 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. For more information on the Advertising Hall of Fame, visit aaf.org.

About The Richards Group

The Richards Group, located in Dallas, is the largest independent brand-building shop in the nation. Clients include the brands of Cardinal Health, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, GameStop, The Home Depot, Motel 6, Orkin, Ram Trucks, The Salvation Army, Sub-Zero, Wolf and many others. Total billings for the agency were $1.41 billion in 2016. The Richards Group can be found at richards.com or on Twitter, @RichardsGroup.

SOURCE The Richards Group

Related Links

https://richards.com


Members of the state and local IT community nominated thousands of government leaders in March, 2017. StateScoop narrowed the list to the top 150 with the most nominations and StateScoop readers cast more than 100,000 votes nationally in April to select the final 50 2017 winners.

"As a team, we are so committed to this community and have built many deep relationships across the country with top leaders in government IT. We are honored to recognize the distinguished leaders across the state IT community who have made important contributions to their governments, their citizens and the country as a whole in the past year," said Goldy Kamali, founder and CEO of Scoop News Group, StateScoop's parent company.

The full list of 2017 StateScoop 50 Awards winners can be found on StateScoop.com, at: http://statescoop.com/monthly/statescoop-highlights-state-it-cyber-leaders-with-annual-statescoop-50-awards.

"Every year, as we compile the nominations for the StateScoop 50 Awards and open up voting, I'm amazed at how incredible this community is," said Jake Williams, StateScoop's manager of strategic initiatives. "The winners of these awards are among my biggest inspirations, and include leaders who are working every day to make government better. We're honored to know them, to recognize them and to highlight their dedication to public service."

StateScoop celebrated the honorees at a reception Sunday at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers' (NASCIO) midyear conference in Crystal City, Virginia.

About StateScoop

StateScoop reaches IT leaders and innovators from across government, academia and the tech industry, both online and in-person through daily news, radio, TV and events. StateScoop covers news and events impacting state and city technology decisions and brings together government and industry leaders to exchange best practices and identify ways to achieve common goals.

Media Contact

Claire Corbett

SVP of Operations, Scoop News Group

202-255-9599

[email protected]

SOURCE StateScoop
SUNRISE, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the importance of preventing premature births, Sunshine Health is teaming up with the March of Dimes Florida Chapter to support March for Babies events across the state.

March for Babies raises money to treat infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), to fund programs that support mothers and families and to pay for research that will prevent premature births.

"Of the more than 224,000 babies born each year in Florida, nearly 10 percent are born prematurely, before 37 weeks," said Deb Smyers, Sunshine Health's Senior Vice President of Medical Management and Chair of the March for Babies Broward County walk. "It's critical that we raise money to fund research for prematurity treatment and prevention while raising awareness of the importance of prenatal care."

Sunshine Health is the presenting sponsor of the Broward March for Babies and is also supporting walks in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. Last year more than 300 employees participated in walks across the state. In addition to collecting pledges, employees are hosting office fundraisers like "March of Pies" where company executives volunteer to take a pie in the face for the cause. Employees bid for the opportunity to throw the pie  or to spare the leader.

"It's heartwarming to see our employees galvanize around March for Babies every year," said Chris Paterson, Sunshine Health's CEO. "They're always coming up with new ways to raise money, like the pie fundraiser, in addition to the raffles and sales of Blue Jeans Monday passes. It can get competitive to see which department raises the most."

"We are grateful to Sunshine Health for its support and all the company is doing to help fight prematurity and promote prenatal care in Florida," said Guillermo Formoso, March of Dimes Broward Board Chair. "Its employees have also enthusiastically rallied around our mission to help give all babies a healthy start in life."

This year's walk in Broward County on May 6 will be especially meaningful for one Sunshine Health employee.

Rose Aubry, a Sunshine Health referral specialist, was five months pregnant with her third child when she developed preeclampsia. The only cure for the potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication is to deliver the baby.

Aubry's daughter Skye was born at 26 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 14 ounces. She would have fit into the palm of her mother's hand, only babies born so small can't be held. She was placed in an incubator and connected to tubes and machines to help her continue to develop.

Through a March of Dimes' program called Kangaroo care, Aubry was eventually able to touch and hold Skye. The program encourages physical contact between fragile babies and their mothers because studies show it helps with their heart and lung development and also promotes the production of their mothers' breast milk.

Skye left Miami's Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital at Memorial more than 150 days later, weighing a little over 5 pounds.

She's now an adventurous 2-year-old who loves shoes and purses. Her family calls her their "little fashionista."

Aubry and her family are this year's Broward March for Babies Ambassador Family. She appreciates the support she received from the March of Dimes and is excited to be able to give back.

Her advice for new parents of preemies?

"Have faith and don't lose hope," she said. "These babies are so much stronger than we think they are."

About Sunshine Health

Headquartered in Sunrise, Fla., Sunshine Health is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for its more than 800,000 members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Sunshine Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Sunshine Health offers government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, Medicare and Florida's Health Insurance Marketplace. Additionally, we offer a specialty Medicaid health plan for children in or adopted from Florida's Child Welfare system and a full pay Healthy Kids plan statewide. For more information about Sunshine Health, please visit www.SunshineHealth.com.

SOURCE Sunshine Health

Related Links

http://www.SunshineHealth.com


ORLANDO, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Otis, the world's leading manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways, will present an educational session about recent advances in elevator technology at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Conference on Architecture 2017. Otis is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

Bill Walker, senior product manager, new equipment, Otis North America, and Chiara Perry, product manager, new equipment, Otis North America, will lead the "Latest Innovations in Elevator Technology" session on April 27. This is the fourth year Otis has sponsored and participated in AIA's continuing education sessions at the national conference. The AIA conference is one of the largest annual gatherings of architects and design professionals in the U.S., attracting thousands of attendees each year for a first look at the latest developments in materials and technologies.

During the session, Walker will discuss cutting-edge advances in elevator technology, focusing on intelligent building strategies. Topics will include destination dispatching, the new generation of intelligent connected elevators, the future of the passenger experience and self-climbing elevators.

"Innovation, particularly as it impacts the passenger experience, is always at the forefront of our minds at Otis," Walker said. "In this session, we'll take a deeper dive into developments we're working on to ensure that passengers feel connected to and excited by a more personalized vertical transportation experience."

The session also will touch on the future of connected devices and how they can be used to enhance the user experience. "We know that people are increasingly using their smartphones to manage many aspects of their lives, and we're looking at how we can integrate this with the elevator," Walker said. "That could include enabling a passenger to call the elevator with an app, or using locating services to sense and make accommodations for large crowds."

Throughout the three-day expo, Otis elevator experts will be available to discuss Otis' new equipment products and showcase some of the latest advances in elevator technology the company has to offer architects. Additionally, visitors to the redesigned Otis booth (#2117) will be able to examine a scale model of the Gen2 elevator, one of Otis' best-selling elevators, and have a virtual reality experience atop some of the world's tallest buildings.

AIA Conference on Architecture 2017 will be held April 27-29 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Otis is a proud sponsor of the conference and AEC Cares projectOrlando, a one-day community build project held in conjunction with AIA that brings together industry professionals in the conference host city. For more information on AIA, go to the AIA Convention website or visit Otis onsite at booth #2117. More information about Otis and its products can be found at www.Otis.com

About Otis

Otis is the world's leading manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Founded more than 160 years ago by the inventor of the safety elevator, Otis offers products and services through its companies in approximately 200 countries and territories. Otis is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. For more information, visit www.otis.com or follow Otis on LinkedIn, YouTube and as @OtisElevatorCo on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Contact:

Jodi Golia Hynes

561-796-6149

[email protected]

SOURCE Otis

Related Links

http://www.otis.com


WORCESTER, Mass., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bulbs.com, the web's #1 light bulb super store continues to expand its utility rebate program participation into Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Maine.

Commercial and Industrial accounts can save up to 70% on their lighting purchases with eligible utility rebate incentives. Bulbs.com is steadily growing its distributor participation with utility companies across the United States. Most recently Bulbs.com earned participation approval from the following programs:

Dayton Power and Light

and Light Pennsylvania Power and Light

Efficiency Maine

Entergy Arkansas

The new utility rebate program agreements brings Bulbs.com' s participation into all the following states:

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Hawaii

Indiana

Illinois

Kentucky

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Minnesota

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Washington

Bulbs.com' s team of certified lighting experts helps commercial customers to access eligible rebate incentives across the Unites States to reduce the cost of lighting projects. Bulbs.com can also assist customers with its exclusive Buy 'N' Try program; where commercial customers can try out a few LED lamps risk free before committing to a larger purchase. "Bulbs.com is the only online lighting distributor to offer an exclusive Buy 'N' Try program along with a dedicated utility rebate team to help commercial customers make the transition to LED lighting," says Robert Kernweis, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Learn more:

To learn more about utility rebate incentives visit bulbs.com/rebates or call a Certified Lighting Specialist at 1.888.455.2800. Certified Lighting Specialists and utility rebate professionals can provide more information about the best way to transition to energy efficient lighting.



About Bulbs.com:

Bulbs.com, headquartered in Worcester, Mass., is a leading online lighting supplier. Established in August 1999, Bulbs.com provides lighting products to nearly 200,000 commercial customers operating across 300,000 locations in the hospitality, retail, property-management, healthcare, manufacturing, government, education, industrial, and municipal sectors. For more information, visit Bulbs.com.

SOURCE Bulbs.com

Related Links

http://www.bulbs.com


OAKLAND, Calif., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The lighting experts at ULUXUS (http://uluxus.com/) have taken to Kickstarter for the launch of their newest solution, the ULUXUS Link LED Retrofit System. The very first solid solution for T12 & T8 fixtures. The ULUXUS Link will work instantly regardless of any ballast type & condition. The campaign begins on May 1 and has a fundraising goal of $100,000.

ULUXUS Launches ULUXUS Link LED Retrofit System for T12 & T8 fixtures ULUXUS Launches ULUXUS Link LED Retrofit System for T12 & T8 fixtures

Traditionally, converting from fluorescent lighting to LED involved a trade-off. "Plug-and-play" solutions are quick and easy to install, but need lots of maintenance and aren't as reliable as they should be. The more complex option is a ballast bypass rewire. This solution is more efficient and reliable, however, rewiring takes more time and can be dangerous if not done correctly.

"We saw a problem with LED retrofitting and set about solving it," says ULUXUS Founder Leo Kwok. "After much research and development, we're pleased to introduce ULUXUS Link. The very first solid solution for T12 & T8 fixtures. Our system will work instantly regardless of any ballast type and condition. In a matter of two steps, you'll have successfully converted from fluorescent to LED with 100% reliability and safety. We encourage everyone to visit out Kickstarter campaign and learn more about this breakthrough product."

ULUXUS Link offers a conversion process that combines the benefits of plug-and-play with those of full rewiring, yet has none of the associated drawbacks. The real breakthrough is the company's "Leo Links" hardware, which enables anyone to bypass the ballast wires without being an electrician or worrying about safety issues.

ULUXUS Link is comprised of two parts  Leo Links and UT8 LED tubes. As mentioned, the installation process requires no rewiring, and the hardware is 100% compatible with all unmodified fixtures as well as single-end, double-end and non-pin modified fixtures. The first step of the process is attaching the Leo Links to the neutral and line power wires that feed to the ballast. The Leo Links are snapped closed with a set of pliers. Next, the LED harness connects to the Leo Links and then the UT8 LEDs. At that point, the lights are ready to be powered on. And, if necessary, the whole process can be instantly reversed to switch back to fluorescent lighting.

Superior performance and industrial-grade reliability are the hallmarks of the UT8 LED, making it a natural choice for the ULUXUS Link system. Each tube produces up to 2,100 lumens at 150 lumens/watt. Plus, UT8 LEDs have three built-in brightness presets.

ULUXUS will be attending Lightfair International in Philadelphia on May 7 - 11. Prospective buyers can receive invites to see the new ULUXUS Link hardware in action. Interested parties can contact Leo Kwok at [email protected] to details on how to receive an invitation.

Orders of the ULUXUS Link placed during the Kickstarter campaign will ship out immediately in June. More details about the campaign, such as perks and ordering options, will become available at launch on May 1.

About ULUXUS

ULUXUS has been in the lighting industry for over 5 years starting in Hong Kong as an R&D specialty house for energy efficiency products. ULUXUS launched its first North American branded, unique, A19 LED product in 2015 after having the product obtained the Energy Star and UL certifications. That is also when ULUXUS LLC formally registered as a California corporation. The founder of ULUXUS, Mr. Leo Kwok, is a seasoned Silicon Valley engineer and entrepreneur devoting his team's effort to energy conservation product innovation and development, after extensive working experience with large organizations such as IBM and Siemens.

Contact:

Jordan Forteza

Four Syt Brand Solutions

[email protected]

408-518-0584

SOURCE ULUXUS

Related Links

http://uluxus.com


MISHAWAKA, Ind., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) joined AM General President and CEO Andy Hove and United Auto Workers Local 5 leadership at AM General's High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) Assembly Plant, in Mishawaka, Ind., to tour the facility's production line, meet with factory workers, and announce recent U.S. Government contracts to deliver HMMWVs to U.S. allies in Iraq fighting the terrorist group ISIS.

Shortly after Sen. Young's tour of the facility, he and Mr. Hove spoke to a crowd of hundreds of factory workers and assembled media.

Sen. Young said, "The skilled workers at AM General help ensure that our troops and our allies have the best and most modernized vehicles, and AM General serves as a major economic engine for our state. I congratulate the men and women at AM General on earning the contract to deliver vehicles to Iraq to help defeat ISIS."

"Seventy-five percent of our production volume goes to our allies overseas, and each sale is reviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So we are incredibly grateful for the leadership and support of Senator Young," said AM General President and CEO Andy Hove.

Sen. Young's facility visit follows a recently announced $28,195,632 contract modification awarded to AM General to manufacture and deliver 150 new up-armored M1151A1B1 HMMWVs to the U.S. Government for further delivery to Iraq.

Today, there are approximately 230,000 HMMWVs in vehicle fleets around the world.

In addition to discussing these contracts for the delivery of foreign vehicles, Sen. Young also stressed the enduring importance of the HMMWV to the U.S. Army. "The Humvee is an American military icon and will continue to be for decades. It is an essential part of U.S. military operations," Sen. Young noted.

Sen. Young Media Contact: Jay Kenworthy

Indiana Communications Director

Phone: 317-430-7224

E-mail: [email protected]

AM General Media Contact: Jeff Adams

Executive Director / Global Communications & Marketing

Phone: 703-347-2276

E-mail: [email protected]

About AM General

AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Through its military business, the company is widely recognized as the world leader in design, engineer, manufacture and support of Light Tactical Vehicles, having produced and sustained more than 300,000 vehicles in over 60 countries. Its growing Commercial business includes its wholly owned subsidiary, Mobility Ventures, designer and manufacturer of the acclaimed MV-1, the only American made vehicle specifically engineered from the ground up in support of wheelchair users and people with disabilities. AM General is also proud to have been selected by Mercedes-Benz to be its only contract manufacturer in the United States, producing the R-Class vehicle in Mishawaka, Ind. Additionally, the company was selected by the U.S. Postal Service to develop and test advanced automotive technologies for use in the Next Generation Postal Vehicle program. AM General has more than five decades of experience meeting the changing needs of the defense and automotive industries, supported by its employees at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and a strong supplier base that stretches across 43 states. Please see more information about AM General at www.amgeneral.com.

SOURCE AM General

Related Links

http://www.amgeneral.com


Valmont's Coatings Segment captured five wins at the "Excellence in Hot Dip Galvanizing" awards, in the annual event sponsored by the American Galvanizing Association (AGA). Competition for awards in 15 categories included 121 inspiring projects from galvanizers around the world, submitted to an independent panel of architects and engineers for consideration. The winning Valmont submissions include:

In the "Food and Agriculture" category, a project submitted by Valmont's Intermountain Galvanizing was a winner for galvanizing the structure of a heat recovery system utilized in an environmentally friendly greenhouse, where the only water leaving the site is contained in the tomatoes!

Valmont's Industrial Galvanizer facility in Melbourne, Australia won the "International" category for work done as part of the Melbourne University Arts Faculty Redevelopment. More than 480 steel frame sections were hot dip galvanized to form a louvered facade to three sides of the building, creating a stunning 3D visual feature.

In the "Water & Marine" category, Valmont's Tampa Galvanizing is a winner with its galvanization of material for the Volcano Bay Water Park, a spectacular creation from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Galvanizing and paint coating for the Miami-Dade Animal Services Pet Adoption & Protection Center in Doral, Florida merited an award in the "Duplex Systems" category (paint over hot dip galvanizing), submitted by Valmont's Miami Galvanizing.

Valmont's Virginia Galvanizing was recognized in the "Industrial" category with its galvanized work performed for the Cove Point gas liquefaction plant, the first on the East Coast, in Lusby, Maryland.

Rick Cornish, Group President of Valmont's Global Coatings Segment, commented "Valmont Coatings is once again honored to receive accolades in the 'Excellence Awards in Hot-Dip Galvanizing' awards competition. The competition promotes the innovative applications of hot dip galvanizing for our industry services." Valmont Coatings operates 33 facilities, in six countries, with 2,000 employees around the globe.

SOURCE Valmont Industries, Inc.
SAN DIEGO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaCyte, Inc., a privately-held regenerative medicine company, today announced two presentations on April 27 at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine's 5th Annual Cell & Gene Therapy Investor Day in Boston. ViaCyte is developing novel stem cell-derived islet replacement therapies for insulin-requiring diabetes. The company's lead PEC-Direct product candidate is entering clinical development as a potential functional cure for patients with type 1 diabetes with the highest risk of life threatening acute complications. The related PEC-Encap product candidate in development has the potential to provide a functional cure for essentially all patients with type 1 diabetes as well as become an important therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes that depend on insulin to help control their disease.

A live webcast at the 5th Annual Cell & Gene Therapy Investor Day will be available at the time of the presentations here: http://www.arminvestorday.com/webcast.

ViaCyte will also present at the upcoming World Advanced Therapies and Regenerative Medicine Congress in London on May 19.

Details of the presentations are as follows:

Event: 5th Annual Cell & Gene Therapy Investor Day Speaker: Dr. Paul Laikind, President and Chief Executive Officer Panel: Cell Therapy Beyond Oncology: Where Does the Greatest Potential Lie? Date/Time: April 27, 10:25 AM EDT Location: The State Room, Boston



Event: 5th Annual Cell & Gene Therapy Investor Day Speaker: Dr. Mark Zimmerman, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development Fireside Chat: Hosted by Edward Tenthoff, Managing Director & Senior Research Analyst, Piper Jaffray Date/Time: April 27, 5:00 PM EDT Location: The State Room, Boston



Event: World Advanced Therapies and Regenerative Medicine Congress Speaker: Dr. Mark Zimmerman, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development Date/Time: May 19, 9:40 AM BST Location: Business Design Centre, London

For more information about ViaCyte's participation in industry events, please visit: http://viacyte.com/news-events-2/viactye-events/

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a privately-held regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies as potential long-term diabetes treatments to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes-related complications. ViaCyte's product candidates are based on the derivation of pancreatic progenitor cells, which are then implanted in durable and retrievable cell delivery devices. Once implanted and matured, these cells are designed to secrete insulin and other pancreatic hormones in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte has two products in development. The PEC-Direct product candidate delivers the pancreatic progenitor cells in a non-immunoprotective device that allows direct vascularization of the implant in order to insure a robust and consistent engraftment and is being developed for type 1 diabetes patients who have severe hypoglycemic episodes, extreme glycemic lability, and/or impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. The PEC-Encap (also known as VC-01) product candidate is designed to deliver the same pancreatic progenitor cells in an immunoprotective device and is currently in active development as a therapy for all patients with type 1 diabetes as well as insulin requiring patients with type 2 disease. ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Athens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF. For more information on ViaCyte, please visit www.viacyte.com and connect with ViaCyte on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE ViaCyte, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.viacyte.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, a well-known M&A firm, has recently completed the sale of Apple Tuck & Associates Inc., a 50-year-old bridge contracting company based in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. The business was sold to Sunland Development & Construction Co. located in Newport, NC. Apple Tuck and Associates is primarily involved in bridge and reinforced box culverts construction in Central and Western North Carolina.

When David Bare, second generation owner of Apple Tuck & Associates, decided to sell the business and retire, he contacted Brad Offerdahl, founder of Viking Mergers & Acquisitions. "We aggressively but confidentially marketed David's business and because he had such a fine business, we were able to generate a lot of interest. We sold it to the right firm in Sunland," Offerdahl explains.

Rick Williford is the owner of Sunland Development & Construction. Sunland Development & Construction is a 23-year-old company offering a variety of construction services. Williford acquired Apple Tuck & Associates to add bridge building to the construction services his firm can provide and to expand his client base to the Central and Western North Carolina markets.

About Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

Viking Mergers & Acquisitions was founded in 1996 by father-son team, Brad and Jay Offerdahl. For 21 years, Viking Mergers & Acquisitions has strived to provide customized exit strategies and M&A representation to middle market business owners in the Southeast and Florida. Their intermediaries have hundreds of years of collective experience in selling businesses and nearly 75% have owned a business themselves. Having closed over 500 successful business sale transactions, Viking boasts a closing rate of nearly 3x the national average and is proud to be among the top 2% of M&A brokers in the nation. To learn more about Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, please contact their office today at (704) 676-0940, or visit their website to see active business listings or request a valuation for your business.

Media Contact:

Elizabeth McCarty

[email protected]

7046760940

SOURCE Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

Related Links

http://www.vikingmergers.com


WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinity Beverage Group, Inc wholly owned subsidiary, Village Tea Company teas will be a featured ingredient in a new craft beer, called Georgia Tea Party Sweet Tea Amber Ale produced by Eagle Creek Brewing Company based in Statesboro, GA. Eagle Creek selected Village Tea because it wanted to use a higher quality organic black tea that would add more natural tea flavor to its already great tasting product. Eagle Creek produces several award winning craft beers that are sold in beer and wine retailers across the state of Georgia. The Sweet Tea Amber Ale is one of the breweries top selling beers and what says Summer in the South better than Sweet Tea and cold beer. The new production run featuring Village Tea should be available just in time for those long, hot summer days.

According to the Brewers Association (BA), in 2015, craft brewers produced 24.5 million barrels, and saw a 13 percent rise in volume and a 16 percent increase in retail dollar value. Retail dollar value was estimated at $22.3 billion, representing 21 percent market share. "We are honored that Eagle Creek selected our tea, as this sort of collaboration fits squarely in line with our mission to introduce more people to loose leaf tea in non-traditional ways. This is also a great opportunity for us to tap into the excitement and creative energy around the ever expanding US craft beer market and potentially other ready to drink tea based products that appeal to millennials who are constantly looking for new and innovative beverage options that organically appeal to their lifestyles and sensibilities, similar to what we were able to do in the craft spirit sector with the development of Carmen Brown Sweet Tea Rum which featured our Vanilla Rooibos as a key ingredient stated Janon Costley". The Company is currently working with a group on the re-launch of Carmen Brown as well as exploring other similar brand extension opportunities, collaborations and cross promotion opportunities.

Please continue to follow the Company for further updates.

About Village Tea Company:

Village Tea Distribution Company, Inc. (www.villageteaco.com) sources high-quality, unique teas with distinct flavor combinations and packages them under its Village Tea Company brand name in a variety of creative and earth-friendly ways. The Village Tea Company brand is currently sold in many major retailers throughout NorthAmerica. The Company is no longer just about tea, as it is also using its unique positioning in the marketplace to create a distribution platform to introduce other complimentary health and wellness lifestyle brands and products to the US market.

About Affinity Beverage:

Affinity Beverage Group, Inc. (www.affinitybeverage.com) is a holding company that focuses on branded consumer product acquisition opportunities in the $3.4 trillion health and wellness sector. Affinity primarily targets lifestyle brands, companies, and/or exclusive product distribution rights focusing on traditional and non-traditional, healthy beverage options. Affinity will also seek opportunities involving uniquely positioned young brands specializing in all natural/organic foods, bio-food, supplements and personal care products for strategic partnerships, distribution agreements and potential acquisition.

About Eagle Creek:

Founded in August 2013 Eagle Creek Brewing Co is Statesboro, Georgia's first craft brewery. Located in the heart of Southeast Georgia, we focus on producing delicious, interesting and highly drinkable beers using the very best ingredients available.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above.

Source: Village Tea Company/Affinity Beverage Group

P.888.406.1138

[email protected]

[email protected]

Twitter: @[email protected]

IG: @[email protected]

FB: Village Tea Company

SOURCE Village Tea Company/Affinity Beverage Group

Related Links

http://www.villageteaco.com


LACEY, Wash., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mayor of Lacey, Andy Ryder, and representatives from Washington's Senatorial and Congressional offices celebrated Earth Day together in Lacey at the manufacturing facility of the nation's leading environmentally friendly cleaning products company, Earth Friendly Products. A farm to table sustainable luncheon, catered by Elyse's Catering, was hosted in celebration of Earth Friendly Products' 50th anniversary, the same year Lacey was ratified as a city. The employees of the Lacey plant were gifted with an extra week's salary, and they are among some of the highest paid minimum wage employees in the nation. As part of the celebration, the company presented Friends of Costco with a check for $100,000 in support of Seattle Children's Hospital. The 80,000-square-foot, carbon-neutral Lacey facility opened in 2009.

(l-r) Vlahakis-Hanks, President and CEO; Cindee Hyde, co-Vice President of Sales; and Joe Janssen, Chief Operating Officer, of Earth Friendly Products, donate $100,000 to the Friends of Costco

"1967 was a great year," said Mayor Ryder, "When Lacey became an incorporated city and in Illinois a great company was also born." An environmental entrepreneur at heart, Ryder charmed the audience by sharing that he was the first person in the U.S. to create a green carwash. He presented a proclamation thanking Earth Friendly Products for choosing Lacey as one of its four manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S., for creating green jobs for the denizens of Lacey and doing it all with a carbon neutral footprint. He added: this company "lives up to its name of being earth friendly and should be applauded for the work they do."

Other dignitaries present included Rosa McLeod, South Sound and Olympic Peninsula Outreach Director from Senator Maria Cantwell's office, and Phil Gardner, Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman, State of Washington's 10th District, Danny Heck.

The event was hosted by Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president and CEO of Earth Friendly Products. During the highly inspiring afternoon, Vlahakis-Hanks spoke about her love of the environment and gave heartfelt praise to her employees and Washingtonian partners: the Hands-on Children Museum, the Boys and Girls Club, and Harlequin Productions. She gave gratitude for Washington's support of Earth Friendly Products noting that the Association of Washington Business has thrice presented the company with its Green Manufacturing Excellence Award, and the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce commended the company with its Green Business Designation and Green Business of the Year Award. Vlahakis-Hanks also thanked the Washington State Department of Ecology for awarding the company its Safer Chemistry Champion accolade. She encouraged guests to "read labels, know what you bring into your house" and thanked the EPA for the honor of being chosen as the 2017 Safer Choice Partner of the Year.

As Vlahakis-Hanks stood on the podium, she teared up telling the story of her father, Van Vlahakis, a Greek immigrant who came to the U.S. with $22 in his pocket. "My father was an eco-pioneer who founded this company at the dawn of the environmental movement. He said that success is doing the right thing. That vision guides us to continue to break barriers in green science. I vow to protect people, pets and the planet and finally: the small choices you make  even the smallest  can be big consequences for your health and that of planet."

Did you know?

Earth Day started on April 22 in 1970. Earth Friendly Products was established only three years before that in 1967 by Van Vlahakis . Not speaking a word of English when he came to the U.S., Vlahakis chose to study chemistry because the root words of chemistry were in his native Greek.

started on in 1970. Earth Friendly Products was established only three years before that in 1967 by . Not speaking a word of English when he came to the U.S., Vlahakis chose to study chemistry because the root words of chemistry were in his native Greek. On the first Earth Day , 20M people, Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor came together to place the environment on the national agenda.

, 20M people, Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor came together to place the environment on the national agenda. In the same year that Earth Day was created, so was the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

was created, so was the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. On Earth Day in 2017, it is estimated that 1B people in 192 countries will come together to rally, plant trees, clean beaches and educate the world about protecting the environment.

in 2017, it is estimated that 1B people in 192 countries will come together to rally, plant trees, clean beaches and educate the world about protecting the environment. The cornerstone of Mayor Andy Ryder's career was environmental protection; he was the creator of the nation's first green car wash.

career was environmental protection; he was the creator of the nation's first green car wash. The U.S. government currently has no requirements on ingredient disclosure for household products.

The pollution inside homes is 5-70 times worse than outdoor air pollution; this is based on the noxious chemicals typically used in cleaning products.

About Earth Friendly Products Family owned and operated since 1967, Earth Friendly Products is the maker of ECOSTM Laundry Detergent and over 200 other environmentally friendly products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. Made with plant-powered ingredients, ECOSTM cleaners are thoughtfully sourced, pH balanced, readily biodegradable, easily recyclable and never tested on animals. Earth Friendly Products is a primary manufacturer that makes its own products in sustainable manufacturing facilities located across the U.S. All Earth Friendly Products facilities are carbon neutral, water neutral and Zero Waste Platinum certified, saving over 53 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually and diverting over 95% of all waste from landfills. Over 100 ECOSTM products have received the coveted U.S. EPA Safer Choice certification, which means that every ingredient is the safest in its class and that the product has proven superior performance. ECOSTM, Disney Baby ECOSTM, ECOSTM for Pets! and ECOSTM Pro cleaners are available at selected major retailers throughout the U.S., in over 60 countries and online at ecos.com.

Press contacts:

Alyson Dutch / Andrea Schnorr, BROWN + DUTCH PR, INC.

[email protected]

310.456.7151, 847.525.7756

SOURCE Earth Friendly Products
NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wells Fargo and the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) announced today Wells Fargo's $1 million investment to support the national Bank On movement, including a new, 2-year Bank On Fellows program. Local Bank On coalitions across the country, largely led by local government, work to expand access to safe and appropriate financial products and services to the over 65 million people outside of the mainstream financial system who rely on alternative, costly financial services. Wells Fargo's investment will support Bank On Fellows work in a maximum of 5 coalitions across the country for 2 years, and will also support broader Bank On efforts to connect residents to safe, appropriate accounts; coalitions can apply online now. The CFE Fund recently announced that Wells Fargo's EasyPay card was certified as meeting Bank On National Account Standards.

"At Wells Fargo, we're committed to strengthening the economic viability of our communities, particularly for those who are underserved," said Mike Rizer, director of Community Relations at Wells Fargo. "We're proud of our longstanding commitment to the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund and its Bank On efforts, and we're especially honored to make this investment. We know this funding will advance the goal shared by Wells Fargo and the CFE Fund to make safe, affordable, and valuable financial products available to those who are underserved, and we're excited to watch this investment pay dividends in our communities in the years to come."

"For the millions of adults outside the financial services mainstream, meeting basic financial needslike paying bills or depositing and using their paychecksis a costly struggle," said Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. "Bank On coalitions across the country do critical work helping consumers access safe, affordable accounts, and Wells Fargo's generous investment will provide invaluable additional resources and support, including staff, for these coalitions."

The goal of Bank On is to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. The Bank On National Account Standards identify critical product features for appropriate bank or credit union accounts, making it easier for local coalitions across the country to connect consumers to accounts that meet their needs. Core account features include low costs, no overdraft fees, robust transaction capabilities such as a debit or prepaid card, and online bill pay.

The Bank On Fellowship will provide match funding to up to five Bank On coalitions to support a full-time staff position for two years, a "Fellow," to lead coalition activities. The Bank On Fellowship Program is the first national initiative focused on building a multi-city cohort of successful Bank On program coordinators, equipping them with the training, tools, and resources to make significant advancements in local banking access efforts and at the same time generating best practices for other coalitions around the country. The Bank On Fellowship application is now open; coalitions are encouraged to apply here.

Wells Fargo's investment in the Bank On initiative will also support the provision of additional CFE Fund resources to local coalitions, boosting its efforts to expand access to safe and affordable financial products and services. This includes funding and technical assistance to help coalitions improve availability of appropriate low-cost, low-fee transactional bank accounts that meet the Bank On National Account Standards; connect residents to these accounts through community outreach and programmatic integrations; build and strengthen coalition infrastructure and leadership; and pilot programs and research that test new, replicable methods of reaching underserved markets through local government infrastructure. In addition, the investment will support the CFE Fund's vibrant Bank On Learning Community, which provides local coalitions an opportunity to share accomplishments, best practices, and lessons learned with the broader field.

The CFE Fund leads the national Bank On movement, supporting city coalitions working to connect individuals and families to the financial mainstream through partnerships between local governments, financial institutions, and community organizations. To learn more about Bank On and the National Account Standards click here, or follow the conversation on Twitter @CFEfund #BankOn.

About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)

The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting edge experience with large scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Twitter at @CFEFund.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 269,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune's 2016 rankings of America's largest corporations. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo's corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on three priorities: economic empowerment in underserved communities, advancing diversity and social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, on its most recent list of the top corporate cash philanthropists, ranked Wells Fargo No. 3. In 2016, Wells Fargo donated $281.3 million to 14,900 nonprofits and Wells Fargo team members volunteered 1.73 million hours with 50,000 nonprofits. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

About Bank On

Bank On coalitions are locally-led partnerships between local public officials; city, state, and federal government agencies; financial institutions; and community organizations that work together to help improve the financial stability of unbanked and underbanked individuals and families in their communities. The Bank On national initiative builds on a grassroots movement of dozens of coalitions in cities across the country, offering national account standards, capacity grant support, pilot funding, and a learning community. These first-generation banking access programs have already connected hundreds of thousands of people to safe and affordable accounts. In addition to connecting unbanked individuals to accounts, Bank On programs raise public awareness, target outreach to the unbanked, and expand access to financial education. Visit www.cfefund.org/bankon for more information.

Media Contact:

Joel Moore

[email protected]

212.885.0468

SOURCE Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fayetteville eCommerce company WhyteSpyder is preparing for its 4th Annual Catfish, Corndog and Cornhole Tournament, benefitting Mercy Health Foundation. The event will take place at the Mercy Hospital Campus North Field/Parking Lot on Friday, June 16, 2017, with all proceeds going to the Mercy Health Foundation.

"This is our way of bringing the community together to enjoy an afternoon of great food and fun," said WhyteSpyder CEO Eric Howerton.

WhyteSpyder has presented three cornhole tournaments over the last three years, each benefitting a different local cause. This year, 100% of the proceeds from the event will go directly to Mercy Health Foundation and their efforts to improve the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas.

"Events like these that not only provide a financial benefit to an organization that needs it, but also provides members of the community with an enjoyable means of contribution," added Howerton.

Teams can register online and sponsors can find more information about the event at http://catfishcorndogsandcornhole.com/. The registration deadline for event sponsors is May 26. For more information, contact event coordinator, Casey Crowell, at (479) 287-4006 or [email protected].

About WhyteSpyder:

WhyteSpyder helps Walmart and Sam's Club manufacturers setup, manage, and optimize product data and content on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. WhyteSpyder keeps with the strategic vision of Walmart and Sam's Club when creating and managing content. We use any distribution technology accepted by retailers that is beneficial for manufacturers and their agencies. Learn more about WhyteSpyder by calling 479-287-4006 or visiting www.whytespyder.com.

Press Contact:

Casey Crowell

WhyteSpyder

1023 Milsap Rd

Fayetteville, AR 72703

[email protected]

SOURCE WhyteSpyder

Related Links

http://www.whytespyder.com


New Delhi, April 23 : Three persons transporting buffaloes were beaten up by "cow vigilantes" in south Delhi, police said on Sunday.

According to some accounts, a few members of animal rights group People for Animals (PFA), headed by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, were also involved in the assault.

The incident occurred on late Saturday night in Kalkaji area when police was informed by PFA activist Gaurav Gupta about the buffaloes being taken to Ghazipur slaughterhouse in east Delhi.

All 14 buffaloes were rescued and the vehicle carrying them impounded, police added.

However, eyewitnesses said a group of five to six PFA activists allegedly beat up Rizwan, Kamil and Ashu after stopping their vehicle near Kalkaji temple, while three others, said to be butchers, reportedly escaped from the spot.

Rizwan and Kamil, residents of Haryana's Pataudi, and Ashu from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, were admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre from where they were later discharged, police said.

"It is not a case of illegal transport of cattle but carrying them in an inhuman manner. Two FIRs have been registered -- one for cruelty towards animals and the other against unknown persons for assault," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya.

However, Gupta denied that PFA members assaulted the men transporting the buffaloes and claimed that it was some locals, enraged over the manner in which the animals were being transported, who attacked them.

"Rizwan, Kamil and Ashu were later released on bail. Those suspected of assault have been asked to join the police investigation," Baaniya said.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 23 : Kerala Power Minister M.M. Mani on Sunday drew flak for allegedly calling an IAS officer "mad" and made disparaging remarks about women plantation workers.

Opposition leaders attacked Mani, with two leaders of the BJP and the Congress demanding his resignation.

On Saturday evening, the Minister first took on IAS officer Sreeram Venkitaraman, who was involved in clearing usurped government land of encroachments in Mani's home district Idukki.

"In Idukki, most religious establishments are located on land that do not have clear title deed. He (Venkitaraman) is a mad man and should be sent to Oolampara (mental hospital in Thiruvananthapuram)," said Mani, who has waded into controversies with his uttrances in the past as well.

Later, addressing a public meeting in Idukki on Saturday night, Mani, a CPI-M leader, said he knew what all went on during the strike by 'Pembulai Orumae' (Women's Collective).

"It was a stage-managed protest led by vested interests. I know what all happened. When the strike was on, other activities were taking place in nearby forests," Mani said.

Angered by Mani's remarks, women plantation workers' leader Gomathy said they had launched a protest in Munnar town from Sunday afternoon.

"Who is Mani to speak about us? What does he know about us? We will not end our protest till the Minister apologises," a furious Gomathy said.

The 2015 strike by women plantation workers in Munnar had forced the then Oommen Chandy government to hike their wages.

Congress leader Lathika Subhash said Mani had brought shame on Kerala.

"Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should ask Mani to step down for his abusive words against plantation workers. I know the sufferings of these women," said Subhash.

On Sunday, former state Congress President V.M. Sudheeran slammed the Minister: "Mani has become a liability for Kerala."

Communist Party of India leader Prakash Babu had a Biblical take on the whole affair: "What I can say about Mani is to repeat what Jesus said -- Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing."

State CPI-Marxist Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan refused to comment. Kerala Youth Congress President Dean Kuriakose said Mani should be "put in chains for his utterances".

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan promised to talk to Mani.

Kerala Fisheries Minister and party colleague J. Mercykutty Amma dubbed the remarks "unfortunate" and said Mani should not have spoken thus. CPI-M MP P.K. Sreemathi echoed Amma's views.

State BJP leader Sobha Surendran said the Chief Minister should ask for Mani's immediate resignation.
Cairo, April 24 : Egyptian and US navies launched a joint exercise in the waters of the Red Sea, media reports said.

According to a press release by Egypt's army on Sunday, the drills, dubbed "Eagle Salute 2017", come as part of an Egyptian army's plan for joint exercises with friendly countries to improve mutual military capabilities on the use of latest technologies.

Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Pakistan are participating in the exercise as monitors, Xinhua news agency reported.

The exercise includes a wide range of activities such as planning and organising joint combat operations, both day and night, in coordination with air force elements.

The combat scenarios involve securing maritime areas against various threats.

Other activities include search-and-rescue training and inspecting and raiding suspect ships, with the participation of naval and special units from both sides.

The bilateral relations between Egypt and the US deteriorated after the Egyptian military ousted former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which led Trump's predecessor Barack Obama to cancel the joint Egyptian-US military exercise of Bright Star.

The ties, however, have improved under the new US administration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to support the key ally with $1.3 billion annually in military aid.
Shimla, April 24 : It's definitely not going to leave men on a high in Himachal Pradesh, literally!

Saying thumbs down to liquor vends within neighbourhoods, women's brigades across the state, especially in rural areas, have been demanding their closure or shifting.

The protesters left a vend owner with little to cheer about after smashing his kiosk in the remote Shillai area of Sirmaur district.

Elsewhere in Shimla, Kullu, Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi districts, the womenfolk are protesting against such shops being shifted to residential areas with the Supreme Court shutting down liquor vends near highways.

In the last few days, women were protesting against the shifting of a liquor vend from Saloni village to Karer village in Barsar tehsil of Hamirpur district.

On Thursday night, 50-odd women staged a sit-in protest throughout the night against the liquor shop.

The situation was brought under control after a police team rushed to the spot and assured the shop would be shifted.

In the picturesque tourist resort of Narkanda, some 65 km from the state capital and known from growing delicious apples, and Nurpur in Kangra district, women have been demanding liquor shops be shifted from residential areas.

"The consumption of liquor not only creates nuisance in the area but even ruins families," Neena Sarkek, a protestor in Narkanda, told IANS.

She said the administration has assured that the liquor shop would be soon shifted. "If it fails to shift the liquor vend, the protest will begin again," she added.

Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner K.K. Sharma said all the liquor shops have been allocated as per state government's policy.

"If there is a genuine demand from the locals, we are shifting the liquor shops. Most of the ongoing protests are politically motivated," Sharma told IANS.

Interestingly, the Cheuni panchayat in Seraj assembly constituency, the remotest in Mandi district with a population over 1,600, took the lead in passing a resolution in February banning cigarettes, liquor and the playing of cards in its jurisdiction from the next fiscal.

Taking a cue, 15 nearby panchayats have also passed such resolutions.

"Despite passing the resolution by the panchayat, the government has allotted a liquor shop in Cheuni village and that within 25 meter radius of a school. This is a gross violation of the Supreme Court order," local activist and journalist Hem Singh Thakur told IANS over the phone.

Gram Panchayat head Indira Devi said she has filed a public suit in the high court to get relief.

"Allowing a liquor shop to operate in the village besides the panchayat adopting a resolution unanimously is against the spirit of the panchayati raj institutions that empowers governance at the grassroots," she said.

The women's power has prevailed against the sale of liquor.

In Naina Devi area in Bilaspur district, known for the hilltop Naina Devi shrine, local authorities were forced to shift the liquor shop this week from the village following a fortnight-long clamour.

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh had 1,900 liquor shops.

Official records say there were 950 liquor shops and bars located within 500 metres from the highways that were facing closure with the Supreme Court's order that came into force on April 1.

However, after downgrading 16 state highways of 1,308 km length nearly 250 liquor shops have been saved from closure.

The state Communist Party of India-Marxist has demanded that the de-notification of the roads be withdrawn and the government must ensure that there is strict enforcement against drunken driving as is the norm in Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
San Francisco, April 24 : US chip manufacturer Qualcomm and home-grown technology firm Smartron on Monday signed a 3G and 4G patent licence agreement under which Smartron now has a royalty-bearing patent licence to develop, manufacture and sell WCDMA, CDMA2000, and 4G/LTE complete devices.

"Qualcomm is passionate about innovation and is committed to help enable Prime Minister Modi's 'Make in India' vision and lay the foundation for a Digital India," said Jim Cathey, Senior Vice President and President, Asia Pacific and India, Qualcomm International.

The companies will also collaborate on early technology access and advancements in camera testing and tuning and other critical calibrations required for smart devices.

"As India's first premier technology Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Internet of Things (IoT) brand, we are committed to developing next generation of smart devices based on our tronX platform to deliver intelligent experiences to our customers," added Mahesh Lingareddy, Founder and Chairman, Smartron India Pvt Ltd.
Kolkata, April 24 : An Air India flight from Delhi with 254 passengers and crew on board suffered a bird hit while landing at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here on Monday, an AI spokesman said ading that the plane landed safely and none on board was hurt.

Airport engineers came to know of the bird hit while carrying out routine maintenance on the ground before operating the next flight, an airport official said.

The aircraft was grounded till further inspection and repair, he added.

The official further said that all 244 passengers and 10 crew members were reported to be safe on landing in Kolkata, As a result of the incident, the Kolkata-Delhi return flight, that was scheduled to take off at 10.15 a.m., was delayed and was rescheduled for 5.30 p.m.

"We are arranging an alternative aircraft for the Kolkata-Delhi flight," the spokesman added.
Jerusalem, April 24 : A day after a knife-wielding Palestinian teen injured four people in Tel Aviv, a Palestinian woman on Monday stabbed and injured a woman soldier at a West Bank checkpoint, police said.

The incident took place at the Kalandia checkpoint in east of Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri identified the suspect as a 39-year-old woman from Ramallah city.

According to a police statement, the suspect waited for a security check at Kalandia.

She approached a soldier, saying she wanted to ask her something. She then pulled a knife out of her bag and stabbed her. "She was arrested and taken for interrogation," Samri said.

The incident was the latest in a wave of violence that has claimed the lives of at least 241 Palestinians, 41 Israelis, two US nationals, a British tourist and two African asylum seekers since September 2015.

On Sunday, an 18-year-old resident of Nablus city in the central West Bank stabbed four Israelis near Tel Aviv's promenade.

Israel accuses the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the unrest.

The Palestinians say it is the result of 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, home to more than five million Palestinians.
New Delhi, April 24 : Kicking off an era of premium smartphones with the 18:9 screen aspect ratio, South Korean giant LG on Monday launched G6 in the Indian market at Rs 51,990.

Initially launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February, the 18:9 format offers more viewing space and a better immersive experience while streaming videos and playing games.

"The LG G6 is a perfect blend of all that consumers' desire -- minimalistic design, ergonomic excellence and superb durability. We are confident that this product is the best in its league," Amit Gujral, Head, Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics India, told reporters here.

LG G6 features a minimalist design that is sleek all round. It comes with a 5.7-inch QHD+ (2,880 x 1,440 resolution) "FullVision" display.

The device has Google Assistant built-in, empowering users to get quick answers, manage everyday tasks, enjoy their favourite music and videos and search G6 more efficiently than ever.

G6 features dual 13MP rear cameras, including a 125-degree lens on the wide angle and also comes with an expanded 100-degree field of view with its 5MP front camera.

LG UX 6.0 provides a "Square Camera" feature which divides the 18:9 display into two identical perfect squares.

With this, users can shoot images in 1:1 format -- a popular format on social media apps such as Instagram -- and review them in the adjacent window.

The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor paired up with 4GB of RAM and runs on the Android Nougat operating system.

LG G6 is equipped with "heat pipes" for better cooling as part of its efforts to strengthen product safety.
#jobless rate S. Korea's on-year job additions slow in Oct. amid uncertainties South Korea added jobs for the 20th straight month in October, data showed Wednesday, but the growth continued to slow for the fifth month in a row as the country braces for a poss...

#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 ...
New Delhi : The monarchy of Bhutan has remained the biggest beneficiary -- by amount and share -- of Indian foreign aid for 17 years, but over the last nine years, Afghanistan has made it to the distant second spot, preferred over traditional recipients Nepal and Bangladesh, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of Indian foreign ministry data.

Although its share of foreign aid is falling and that of African countries, listed as a group, is growing, Bhutan has remained India's unfailing priority because of its strategic location, its dependence on India and its hydropower potential. Indian aid to Sri Lanka and the Maldives increased fastest, according to aid data between the financial years 2000-01 and 2016-17.

However, the averages over this period conceal substantial fluctuations in aid. For instance, while aid to Sri Lanka fell 69 per cent year-on-year in 2016-17, it rose 118 per cent and 166 per cent in 2012-13 and 2009-10. Similarly, while aid to the Maldives rose 45 per cent in 2016-17, it dropped 89 per cent in 2012-13 after rising nearly 25 times in the previous year.

Among the countries to have benefited most by India's reallocation of aid is Afghanistan.

In eight of last 10 years, Afghanistan makes it to second spot

Before 2007-08, the foreign ministry did not even individually report aid for Afghanistan . Since then, it has been the second biggest beneficiary, by share,in eight of the following 10 years.

In the pre-2007-08 period, Nepal was the second-largest recipient in all years except three, when Bangladesh held that position. Over the 17 years we analysed, Afghanistan received the least aid of the 12 major regions reported by the ministry, the allocation shrinking more than a quarter by amount.

Among regions for which the ministry reports data as a group, African countries are the only significant beneficiaries: India's aid grew 57 times between 2000-01 and 2016-17, rising 4.38 percentage points over the same period. African countries, as a group, were the second biggest beneficiary in 2003-04 and 2004-05 among all regions, countries as well as groups of countries, taken together.

The only constant in this story is Bhutan, but other countries in other regions have been eating into its share at a time when questions are being raised about India's policy of aid to Bhutan's hydropower sector. By change in share over the 17 years, it is better only than Afghanistan, with Bhutan's aid having fallen by 10.45 percentage points.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Vipul Vivek is an analyst. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)
New Delhi : The world's most famous French warrior nearly had his career cut short when his writer died midway through one of his adventures but fans of Asterix the Gaul have much to thank the artist for ensuring the popular series (111 translations and 11 films of the 34 stories) carries on well into the 21st century.

Albert Uderzo, whose 90th birthday it is on Tuesday, was not only a co-creator of the Asterix but eventually emerged as its saviour after his partner and author Rene Goscinny's untimely death in 1977.

The duo was then a little over half-way through the 24th adventure - "Asterix in Belgium" when Goscinny died and Uderzo had to shoulder both the roles. An artist at heart, he also commemorated the loss of his partner memorably - from the point in the story, the sky is always shown dark and overcast. And in the final scene - the banquet in the Gaullish village - the foreground has a most dejected-looking rabbit ('Bunny' was the nickname of Goscinny's wife Gilberte).

Born to Italian immigrants to France, Uderzo showed a marked and totally self-taught ability to draw from his nursery school days. As per the official Asterix website, from the age of 10, he began to sketch characters with big noses.

However he only tried his hand at cartooning after the Second World War, which put an end to his dreams of becoming an aircraft mechanic. Uderzo spent a part of the war in a farm in Brittany where his brother was working - this stint would go on to play a major role in Asterix - but returned to Paris in 1942 to help his father in his business.

Uderzo created a number of characters (usually distinguished by huge bulging muscles) for several magazines but his best work came post-1951 when a significant meeting occurred.

As per his biography on the website, Uderzo, then working for the World Press/ International Press, was "told that someone new, called 'Gossini' is coming to join them. When Albert hears this name, his Italian roots get all excited. But he learns that 'No, his name is spelt G.o.s.c.i.n.n.y. He's French and he's moving here from the United States".

The two however struck it off right away and worked on numerous joint projects, the first notable one of which was "Oumpah-pah le Peau-Rouge" ('Ompa-pa the Redskin', in translation), which is set in French North America in the early 18th century. But they became really famous when Goscinny became the editor of the "Pilote" in 1959 and Uderzo its artistic director. It was in the pages of this magazine that Asterix first appeared, in serial form, before his adventures came out as full albums from 1961.

Uderzo also had decided the setting of the Gaullish village - Goscinny left the decision to him, only noting that it should be near the sea to help incorporate marine voyages when needed. Uderzo plumped for Brittany which he always remained fond of.

However, Goscinny influenced the depiction of Asterix. As per a guide to the series, Uderzo initially drew him as massive and strong, but Goscinny visualised him as diminutive but shrewd warrior, who opts for intelligence over brute strength. Uderzo felt Asterix then needed a strong but dim companion, and with Goscinny amenable, went on to create Obelix.

The series, coming out prolifically - one or two per year - grew so popular that in 1967, both dropped all their other work for it. Even after 1977, Uderzo managed to carry on alone - and magnificently too, though a little less regularly.

The first album he did solely was "Asterix and the Great Divide" (1980) which made full use of the Romeo and Juliet motif and the Berlin Wall. Subsequent adventures went on to take our heroes, whose exploits so far were confined to Europe save one ("The Big Crossing").

"Asterix and the Black Gold" (1981) takes the characters into the Holy Land and the Oily Land, makes innovative use of the Bible and James Bond (as played by Sean Connery) while satirising the current need for petroleum, the internecine conflicts of the Middle East - and in one memorable panel, environmental pollution. "Asterix and the Magic Carpet" (1987) even brings them to India - to tackle a deficient monsoon.

In all, Uderzo was responsible for another eight Asterix adventures between 1980 and 2005, before announcing his retirement in 2011 and handing the baton to a new team. Still an advisor, he briefly picked up his drawing pen again in January 2015 for two cartoons supporting the killed staff of Charlie Hebdo.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in )
Washington, April 24 : US Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on Monday to discuss the countrys security situation with political and military leaders.

Mattis is expected to meet Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and other top government officials. He will also be visiting the headquarters of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO-led mission to train and advise Afghan security forces, CNN reported.

Mattis's visit comes just days after an attack on the country's northern army base that left at least 140 Afghan soldiers dead.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Friday's raid at Camp Shaheen near Mazar-e-Sharif city, with a spokesman telling CNN it was revenge for the deaths of Taliban shadow Governors for Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

Mattis was also due to meet Afghan Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, but hours before he touched down in Kabul, Ghani announced that Habibi and Army Chief of Staff General Qadam Shah Shahim had resigned with immediate effect.

Mattis's visit to Afghanistan follows meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Qatar and Djibouti.

The US Defense Department said his tour is aimed at reaffirming key US military alliances, engaging with strategic partners and discussing cooperation to counter-terrorism.
New Delhi, April 24 : A 32-year-old man was arrested on Monday on charges of assaulting, along with other accomplices, three persons transporting buffaloes in south Delhi, Delhi Police said.

Accused Shashank Sharma was part of a group of 10-12 cow vigilantes which attacked Rizwan, Kamil and Ashu while they were transporting 14 buffaloes in a vehicle in Kalkaji area on late Saturday night, Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya told IANS.

Sharma lives in Rohini area and rents out vans for ferrying school children.

People For Animals (PFA ) activist Gaurav Gupta had tipped off the police about ferrying of the buffaloes to the Ghazipur slaughterhouse in east Delhi, following which the assault occurred.

Police had booked Rizwan, Kamil and Ashu for transporting the animals in an inhuman manner and also registered a case of assault against unknown persons. The three were later released on bail.

Baaniya said closed-circuit television footage from main roads in the area was being examined to identify more persons involved in the attack on the three persons.
Chandigarh, April 24 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday accused the opposition of political gimmicks and said the Congress should prevent Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh from stopping water flow to Haryana through the SYL Canal.

Khattar has been under fire from the opposition first for not arranging a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) issue and later for meeting him without taking opposition leaders along.

Khattar said the Congress, including former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, should approach "(party President) Sonia Gandhi and urge her to prevent Amarinder Singh" from acting on his repeated assertion that he would not let the water flow to Haryana.

Taking a strong exception to the "cheap political gimmicks of the opposition", the Chief Minister said that the opposition earlier "criticised me for not meeting the Prime Minister on the vital issues of Sutlej-Yamuna Lank Canal, GST and the issues of farmers".

"Now, when I have discussed all these issues with the Prime Minister, they are accusing me of not taking them along."

He said that "by not trusting the Chief Minister, the opposition has insulted the 2.5 crore people of Haryana".

Questioning the opposition on the controversy over getting waters through the SYL canal, Khattar said: "The Supreme Court has already delivered its verdict in favour of Haryana and another decision is still awaited. Thereafter, no one would be able to stop construction of SYL Canal."

Haryana and Punjab are locked in a bitter battle over water sharing through the SYL Canal. Punjab has claimed that it does not have any water to share with Haryana.
Raipur, April 24 : Twelve CRPF troopers were killed and half a dozen injured when Maoists ambushed them in Chhattigarh's Sukma district on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire when the members of the Central Reserve Police Force 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa around 1.30 p.m.

A police officer said the troopers, who formed a 99-member Road Opening Party, were readying for lunch when they came under a volley of gun fire. The Maoists also hurled hand grenades.

Eleven men were killed instantly and another critically wounded trooper succumbed to his injuries in a Raipur hospital.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R.P. Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon.

Oraon is in critical condition while the others were said to be out of danger.

"The injured were evacuated by helicopter," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

Sukma Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla confirmed the 12 deaths.

This is the same area where a Maoist carnage in 2010 left 76 CRPF troopers dead. At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.
Paris, April 24 : France's defeated political establishment has begun to rally against far-right leader Marine Le Pen as she goes head-to-head against political newcomer Emmanuel Macron in the final race for the French presidency on May 7.

As Le Pen celebrated the highest-ever voting tally for her Front National (NF) party, candidates knocked out in the first round began to endorse Macron, who ended his insurgent campaign with a first-place finish that confounded expectations, CNN reported.

Anti-EU Le Pen received 21.42 per cent of votes, while Macron was leading in the first election round with 23.86 per cent, according to the preliminary results, published by the French Interior Ministry as having 97 per cent of votes counted.

Both go through to a runoff on May 7.

The result amounted to a comprehensive rejection of traditional politics in France.

It is the first time in six decades that neither of France's main left-wing or right-wing parties has had a candidate in the second round.

Francois Fillon, the mainstream Republican candidate whose campaign foundered amid corruption allegations, emerged swiftly from his defeat with words of support for Macron.

"I promise you, extremism can only bring unhappiness and division to France," he said, describing the National Front as a party of "violence" and "intolerance."

"There is no other choice but to vote against the far right," he said.

The Socialist Party's candidate, BenoAt Hamon, also warned against a Le Pen victory.

"I appeal to you in the strongest terms to beat the National Front by voting for Emmanuel Macron, even though he is not part of the Left," Hamon wrote on Twitter.

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve tweeted his support for Macron, calling on voters to back him in the second round "to combat the National Front's disastrous project to take France backwards and to divide the French people".

Government spokesperson Stephane Le Foll said that incumbent President Francois Hollande will also vote for Macron.

The European Union's head office said France faces a choice between the defence of the EU and those "seeking its destruction", the Telegraph reported.

The European Commission also waded into the contest as Macron was described as a "French John F. Kennedy" - while Le Pen accused him of being "weak" in the fight against Islamic terrorism.

Describing how circumstances had forced the hand of its President, Jean-Claude Juncker, a European Commission spokesman said "the choice was a fundamental one", adding that Macron represents the pro-European values while Le Pen "seeks its destruction".

Alexander Lambsdorff, a vice president of the European Parliament described Macron as a "French John F. Kennedy" and said his first-round victory is good news for Europe.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the boost for Macron shows "France AND Europe can win together!", while Sigmar Gabriel, the German Foreign Minister, said a Macron victory would signal a "new beginning for Europe".

Macron, who quit current Hollande's Socialists only last year ago to launch En Marche party, described himself as the "patriotic choice for France" in a victory speech to his supporters.

His party pushes a liberal, pro-EU agenda.

His rival, Le Pen, took over the FN leadership from her father in January 2011.

Her party wants to slash immigration, clamp down on free trade, and overturn France's relationship with Europe.

Following the first round results, Le Pen made an "appeal to all patriots", saying a vote for her was the key to the "survival of France".

Meanwhile, French police said six officers and three demonstrators were injured during election night violence.

Police said on Monday they had detained 29 people in the unrest between protesters and police at the Place de la Bastille in Paris.

Activists in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble also staged protests that turned violent.

Also, stocks in France and exchanges in European markets opened with rosy note on Monday at the prospect of Macron winning the second round of presidential elections.

The euro jumped to a five-month high after the first round of voting.
Raipur, April 24 : Hundreds of Maoists on Monday ambushed and massacred at least 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

The Central Reserve Police Force said the deadly ambush took place at 12.30 p.m. when its 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa.

CRPF's Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

A trooper who survived the horror said about 300 Maoists surprised the paramilitary personnel when they were readying for lunch.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed hand grenades too, taking the CRPF by surprise.

The CRPF personnel were helping a Road Opening Party when they came under attack.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R.P. Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon.

Mohammed and Oraon were said to be out of danger.

"The injured were evacuated by helicopter," Dinakaran told IANS. "Our party was deployed for road opening to provide security to road construction activities."

Security forces have launched a major search operation.

This is the same area where a Maoist carnage in 2010 left 76 CRPF troopers dead. At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.
Munnar (Kerala), April 24 : Kerala Power Minister M.M. Mani, who is facing flak for his remarks about women plantation workers, on Monday said that he has already apologised but will not go personally to say sorry to some of them sitting on a protest near here.

Meanwhile, the agitating women plantation workers demanded he come to them to apologise and that he must resign as he has no moral right to continue in his post.

Mani told reporters here that he has apologised for his statement on Sunday itself.

"There is no question of me going to Munnar and apologising before the protesting women. Let them sit there as they have been placed there by vested interests," asserted Mani, who addressing a public meeting in Idukki on Saturday, said he knew what all went on during the strike by 'Pembulai Orumae' (Women's Collective).

"It was a stage-managed protest led by vested interests. I know what all happened. When the strike was on, other activities were taking place in nearby forests," he had said.

Soon after the TV channels started airing these visuals from Sunday, there was widespread condemnation of Mani's remarks. Apart from Women's Collective leaders like Gomathy coming down heavily on Mani, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party too got into the act and have demanded that Mani should go.

Gomathy, who is sitting on a road near here since Sunday evening in protest along with three other women workers, said: "We are not going to call off our protest, unless he (Mani) comes and apologises before us. He has abused us in the most heinous words saying we are 'prostitutes'.

"We will remain here till he comes before us and he has no moral right to continue as a minister, he must resign."

Mahila Congress president Bindhu Krishna and her office bearers on Monday morning arrived at Munnar to express their solidarity with Gomathy and told the media that they will be there till Gomathy's demands are met.

"A responsible minister has no business to abuse women and he has to first come here and apologise to these womenA and then resign," said Krishna.

Meanwhile, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist's state secretariat, in which Mani is a member, is expected to meet to discuss this issue. But with the assembly session starting on Tuesday, the Congress-led opposition is certainly to take up this issue on the floor of the house.
New Delhi, April 24 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday condemned the killing of 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists, terming it as "a big loss to the nation".

"The sacrifice of 24 brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter (us) in the fight against extremism," Gandhi said in a statement.

Calling thee attack as "mindless and ruthless", she expressed solidarity with families of the killed troopersand prayed for the early recovery and good health of the injured.

Hundreds of Maoists ambushed and massacred at least 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

The deadly ambush took place at 12.30 p.m. when its 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa.
Kolkata, April 24 : BJP chief Amit Shah begins a three-day political campaign in West Bengal from Tuesday, kickstarting his booth level public interactions with house visits to Naxalbari - where the Maoist movement in India was born half a century back - and carpet bombing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's constituency the next day.

Amit Shah's visit, aimed at giving a boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to corner more political space in the eastern state and emerge as the main opposition to the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, also includes meetings with party workers and addressing gatherings of intellectuals.

The Naxalbari block in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling district was the stage for an armed peasant uprising in 1967 led by the local tribals that inspired the Maoist movement which spread to various other states through the years. The Maoists are also called Naxalites, the name being derived from Naxalabari.

Shah is slated to visit a booth at Naxalabari, where he would hold a party workers' meeting before leading a mass contact programme with a tour to five-six houses. Other national and state level BJP leaders like Union Minister S.S. Ahluwalia and party National Secretary Rahul Sinha, would simultaneously contact residents of some other houses, the party said.

However, Sinha said the visit has no connect with the Naxalbari movement.

"There is no specific significance in Shah starting his programme from Naxalbari. This is a party decision. The event could have been started from any other block," Sinha told IANS over phone.

"This booth level contact programme is meant to enthuse our grassroot workers," he said.

Shah would wrap up his programmes on Tuesday with a meeting with intellectuals at the Siliguri Indoor Stadium.

On Wednesday, Shah would reach Kolkata and head straight for ASouth Kolkata's Bhowanipore, the constituency of the Chief Minister. She also lives in the constituency.

The constituency is considered a mini India of sorts, with a large number of Gujarati residents, as also a fair share of Sikhs and Marwaris, besides housing the ancestral houses of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had surprised one and all by establishing a lead from the assembly segment, with pundits attributing it to the Gujaratis voting en bloc to see one of their brethren (Narendra Modi) as the country's Prime Minister.

In last year's assembly election, however, the BJP finished a distant third, despite fielding Netaji's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose. Banerjee retained the seat with a huge margin.

Beginning his day with a press conference at the Press Club, Kolkata, Shah would do a repeat of Siliguri by holding a booth workers' meeting followed by a hour-long mass contact programme (Booth Sampark Karyakram) by visiting some houses.

"It is the Chief Minister's constituency. He wants to see the state of development programmes in her constituency. Also, residents of the area requested him to visit Bhowanipore," BJP state General Secretary Debasree Chaudhuri told IANS.

On Wednesday evening, Shah would address intellectuals and BJP office bearers at Mahajati Sadan.

In the last leg of his visit on Thursday, Shah is slated to meet representatives of the various Sangh Parivar outfits, hold parleys with the core team of BJP leaders in the state, and then proceed to Newtown, Rajarhat, in the city's north eastern fringe for another round of booth workers' meeting and mass contact programme.

Shah's programme is being seen as a part of the BJP's efforts to strengthen the party organisation at the grass roots, where the Trinamool has an intimidating and overwhelming presence far outstripping other political parties.

Fresh from its spectacular victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has made Bengal, Odisha and Kerala as the target states.

The BJP President's visit to Bengal also comes in the backdrop of the party's noteworthy result in the Kanthi Dakshin assembly seat by-polls where it emerged runners up to the Trinamool, leaving the Left Front and the Congress way behind.
Kabul, April 24 : Five persons were killed and eight injured in a suicide car bombing, claimed by Taliban militants, near a US-operated military base in Afghanistans Khost city on Monday, police said.

"The bomber struck a security checkpoint outside Chapman Camp, a foreign military base on outskirts of city at midday, killing himself and four Afghan security guards manning the checkpoint," provincial police chief General Faizullah Ghairat told Xinhua.

Among the injured were six local security guards and two women in nearby houses who sustained injuries.

No foreign soldier was hurt in the blast which also damaged buildings and shops around, he said.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on April 1, three security personnel were killed and six school children wounded after a suicide car bomber targeted a military convoy in Khost, 150 km southeast of Kabul.

Monday's attack occurred hours after US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country on an unannounced visit.

Mattis visited the headquarters of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) in Kabul where he met Commander General John Nicholson and discussed the security situation, the RS forces tweeted.

He was also expected to hold meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders.
New Delhi, April 24 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will commence a 15-day "Vistaar Yatra" (party expansion tour) from Tuesday from Naxalbari in West Bengal, the party announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that Shah would commence his yatra from Naxalbari booth number 93, and would touch base with party workers, people from all sections of society, panchayat representatives and the local intelligentsia.

"Our party President is of the opinion that when we do any organisational work and put forth our expectation of workers, it is incumbent upon the leadership to lead by example," Irani said.

Apart from Bengal, Shah will cover the states of Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat and Lakshadweep during his 15-day tour.

She said that 3.68 lakh BJP workers across the country had volunteered to take part in the "Deen Dayal Vistaar Yojana" for 15 days, "leaving all your political and personal obligations behind and dedicate full time to organisational activities and expansion".

"Our party chief is carrying the Prime Minister's message of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and the message of 'garib kalyan' (welfare of poor) to a booth historically known to ask through violence uprooting of the Indian state and Constitution," Irani said.

On the reason for choosing Bengal to commence the expansion tour, Irani said that in Bengal, the "BJP workers are facing violence and hardship and he (Shah) wants to stand up with them".

She said that besides Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the other areas of focus for the party's expansion.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Irani said on the one hand there is a party "going through a crisis whose workers are looking out for its leader, while on the other hand, there is a party (BJP) which is winning election after election but not relying on its past glories and paving its way for future".

"And to pave the way for future, our party President is connecting with the party workers at the booth level to expand the party's base," she said.
New Delhi, April 24 : President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday condemned the Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh, which left at least 26 troopers dead.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured," the President said in a tweet.

Hundreds of Maoists massacred at least 26 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.
Raipur/Sukma, April 24 : In one of the deadliest attacks, 300 to 400 heavily armed Maoists, women included, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested patch in Chhattisgarh on Monday, killing 25 troopers and escaping with their AK-47 assault rifles.

Six Central Reserve Police Force personnel were airlifted to Raipur in critical condition. An injured trooper, Sheikh Mohammed, claimed that the subsequent gun battle lasted about three hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion at a place between Burkapal and Chintagufa in Sukma district as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths won't go in vain.

The CRPF said the ambush began at 12.30 p.m. Troopers who survived the horror said the attackers used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers as they launched the attack "from all sides".

"The troopers replied in a befitting manner but taking geographical position to their advantage, the Maoists succeeded in inflicting loss to the CRPF," a CRPF statement said. "A considerable number of Maoists are believed to have been eliminated."

One account said local tribes passed on vital real-time inputs on the movement of CRPF men to the Maoists.

"It's a major tragedy. We will hit back with full intensity," Vivekanand, the Inspector General of Police of Bastar region, said in Sukma after returning from the site of carnage.

The dead included an Inspector, a Sub-Inspector, three Assistant Sub-Inspectors, six Head Constables and 14 Constables.

Chief Minister Raman Singh flew back from New Delhi and presided over an emergency meeting with top officials to re-strategize moves against the Maoists who have shown signs of revival in recent months.

"The entire Chhattisgarh is pained by the CRPF men's killing," a visibly shocked Raman Singh said after landing in Raipur. "The Maoists are feeling a lot of heat in Sukma with increased presence of security forces."

CRPF officials initially said 11 troopers were killed before scaling up the figure to 26. Eventually, the paramilitary force said it lost 25 men.

The 99-member CRPF patrol was on foot on the interior road, providing security to road construction activity, when it came under sudden attack.

Once the fighting died down, Air Force helicopters evacuated the wounded to Raipur hospitals.

Security forces later launched a major search operation to track down the Maoists.

This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed. Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Modi saluted the CRPF.

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killings and offered tributes to the dead and condolences to their families.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killings.

"The sacrifice of brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter our fight against extremism," Sonia Gandhi tweeted.

Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh blamed the massacre on "complete intelligence failure on the ground level".

Raman Singh said it was premature to comment on intelligence failure. He, however, vowed to unleash a full-blown offensive against Maoists in the entire Bastar region, mainly in Sukma district.

He urged security personnel in Bastar to be more cautious and alert as the Maoists could engineer more such attacks in a bid to retain their hold over the sprawling area.

Maoists aligned to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist have been active in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated interiors for decades, running a virtual parallel state.
New Delhi, April 24 : Fearing cancellation of the biannual National Eligibility Test (NET) examination, the All India Students Association (AISA) demonstrated outside the University Grant Commission (UGC) office here on Monday and sought its clarification on the issue.

The students group moved into action on the basis of news in the media a couple of days back, which talked about the "inability" of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to conduct the NET examination.

The examination is conducted by the central board twice a year -- around July and December.

"Certain media outlets had reported that CBSE will not be conducting NET in July, as it is already overburdened with other examinations it conducts on behalf of UGC... We have demanded a clarification on this from them (UGC) within this week," AISA leader Neeraj told IANS.

He said that the suspension of the examination would "simply mean that they want to deny students higher education", and insisted that the test "must take place".

"After causing a massive seat-cut in JNU, they are now denying students higher education. Why do people go for MA... it's because they have interest in a certain area which they want to probe further, and to do that they need financial assistance," he said.

The officials from the UGC met the students and assured them that the issue would be taken up with the Human Resource Development Ministry.

The CBSE, however, has not officially announced whether it would be conducting the examination.

Previous NET examination was held in January this year by the CBSE. One is required to clear this exam to be able to apply for lectureship in colleges.

Top rankers in NET are also eligible for Junior Research Fellowship.
Belagavi (Karnataka), April 25 : A minor girl trapped in a dry borewell for nearly 54 hours was found dead on Monday night at a village in Karnataka's Belagavi district, said a rescue team official early Tuesday.

"The rescue team members found six-year-old Kaveri dead and buried in mud around 11.50 p.m. at about 30 feet in the borewell pipe. She fell and remained stuck since Saturday evening," a member of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told reporters at Jhunjarawadi village in Athani taluk, where the tragic accident occurred in this northern district, 640km from the state capital Bengaluru.

The Pune-based NDRF team retrieved Kaveri's bruised body from the dreaded borewell through a parallel tunnel it dug for two days after drilling the rocky terrain.

"We have shifted the body in an ambulance to a state-run hospital at Athani for autopsy before handing it over to Kaveri's parents," said the official.

Kaveri accidentally slipped and fell on Saturday evening into the open borewell in a farm while playing with friends near her house in the village, 145km from Belagavi.

"We have registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the absconding owner (Shankarappa) of the borewell and the farm land on which it was left abandoned after it dried up due to drought and scorching summer," Belagavi Superintendent of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters at the accident spot after midnight.

Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from the district, lamented that Kaveri could not be saved despite all efforts by the NDRF team and the fire brigade personnel.

"It's a tragic incident which should not have occurred. Our heart-felt condolences to her bereaved family even as the entire state mourns for her," Jarkiholi told reporters here.

Kaveri's grieving and inconsolable mother Savita told news channels that no other child should meet the fate of her young child.

"We appeal to the state government to shut all open and dry borewells anywhere in the state so that no other child will die like my dear Kaveri," said Savita.
Reefill (http://www.reefill.com), a New York based technology startup, is building the first smartphone activated network of water refill stations providing members with unlimited access to cold, filtered tap water on the go. Stations are conveniently located inside cafes and other retail businesses around the city. Reefill has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo (https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/1188ad2c#/) to grow the network from eight existing pilot stations in Greenwich Village to over 100 locations citywide. The goal? To help as many people as possible ditch bottled water.

Last year, US bottled water sales topped $21 billion, finally surpassing those of soda, making bottled water the nations drink of choice. But bottled water, which can cost $2 or more for a single serving, is often just glorified tap water and negatively impacts the environment in a myriad of ways. A decline in public water fountains has left consumers with few options to avoid contributing to this massive waste problem. Reefill solves the economic and environmental problems of bottled water by providing users the same convenience, but without the waste and at a fraction of the cost.

To use Reefill, members (who pay $1.99 per month for unlimited access to all Reefill stations) simply download the Reefill app on iPhone or Android and search the map for the nearest location. When they arrive at the business they activate the station using Bluetooth via the app and then fill their bottles with cold, filtered water in seconds. The app tracks how many bottles members have saved from the landfill as well as how much money members have saved by avoiding buying bottled water, helping reinforce their positive behavior.

Reefills pilot program has been a huge success and we have gotten great feedback from our users who let us know that they are eager to see a citywide network, said Reefill Co-founder and CEO Jason Pessel. We are ready to make that a reality and help as many people as possible ditch bottled water.

There are many ways to contribute to the Reefill campaign. Supporters who help Reefill expand the network with just $19 will get a one-year membership to the service. $39 will get you an insulated stainless steel Reefill bottle and one-year membership. Support of $199 will get you a lifetime subscription and a Reefill bottle. For the duration of each Reefill membership purchased, Reefill will provide someone in the developing world with access to safe water via their partnership with Water.org (http://water.org).

For those looking for even bigger opportunities to help Reefill expand, $1000 will allow you to sponsor a new Reefill station, choose the New York City neighborhood it is installed in and get your name featured on it. If the campaign passes $500,000 in total pledges, Reefill will expand to a new city beyond New York.

You can view the Indiegogo campaign here (https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/1188ad2c#/) and download images and video here (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nk87dwtq959gu47/AACh0qEy_e7CyLz4ALXXbI0ea?dl=0).

ABOUT REEFILL

Reefill was founded in 2015 by Jason Pessel, Patrick Connorton, and Andrew Betlyon. The company set up its first station in September 2016 in New Yorks Greenwich Village. It received an NYU Green Grant, won the New York Public Librarys and Citi Foundations 2016 New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition, is part of the 1776 Startup Incubator and previously participated in Think Beyond Plastics 2015 accelerator cohort.

NEGATIVE IMPACT OF BOTTLED WATER

The manufacturing and transportation of bottled water wastes more than 17 million barrels of oil and creates more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 annually. The bottling process wastes 3 to 4 liters of water for every liter of bottled water produced. Because over 80% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, two million tons of plastic bottles pile up in U.S. landfills each year.
Joan Severance, author of "Manifest Your Mate." Photo credit - Bill Curry

As a former supermodel known for her timeless beauty, Joan Severance knows that a picture is worth a thousand words. The good news for single women is that she put all the words in her new book, "Manifest Your Mate: a Journey for Attraction," which is now available. Joan's insight, personal experiences and sparkling sense of humor have inspired her to write a book on how to find Mr. Right.

"Manifest Your Mate" is a must-read for anyone who is looking for their soulmate. Joan Severance empowers women to learn how to set their sights on what they specifically "want" in a man, stick to their boundaries, and use positive intentional thoughts. This journal/workbook is filled with her personal stories and sound advice for women of all ages. Joan states, "I know from experience that what you focus on, comes your way." The book is available at joanseverance.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble. Ask for it at your local bookstore.

Joan Severance is currently appearing on Vogue.com Beauty Videos to share her exclusive beauty secrets for women to look radiant at every age.

Known for having the best hair in the modeling biz, she has just launched her line of hair care products, called Joan Severance: take 1/ Clean hair wash, take 2/ Smooth conditioner and take 3/ Why Knot detangle therapy. She teamed up with Mauro Spina, her hairdresser for the past 30 years, who created salon quality healthier, organic products that nourish the hair with plant-based oils, like argan, hemp, and moringa. These products make hair silky soft, shiny, and irresistible to the touch. Hair care line is available on Amazon as well as joanseverance.com

Joan Severance's life has been extraordinary. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas. After early graduation from high school, John Casablancas signed her up with Elite Models agency and at age 18 she went to Paris, France. Her career was meteoric; she walked the runways for haute couture designers including Chanel, Versace, and Armani, and appeared in their campaigns.

Back in the U.S., she became one of America's top models, gracing the covers of major fashion magazines around the world. She filmed over 35 commercials for brands such as Revlon, Clairol, L'Oreal, and Maybelline.

The bright lights of Hollywood beckoned, and Joan landed her first role in the TV series "Wiseguy," playing a villainess with Kevin Spacey. She has appeared in over 25 films, including "Bird on a Wire," and "See No Evil, Hear No Evil." Television credits include: "Masters of Sex," "American Horror Story: Asylum," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "CSI: Miami."

Joan is currently writing her second book about her remarkable life as a model and actress with a condition called Vitiligo, which causes the loss of skin color. Her research is taking her all over the world to interview different practitioners and try out their therapies for curing and treating the condition.

"I am inspired by those who can always see the bright side of things. Those that keep their head up and continue in the face of adversity. Those that don't blame others for their demise. Those that take responsibility for their actions. Those who understand the power of 'Ask and you shall receive.'"

Links:

Web sites - http://joanseverance.com/

Facebook - facebook.com/Joan.Severance/

https://www.facebook.com/joanseverancebook/

Instagram - instagram.com/joan_severance

Twitter - twitter.com/joansev

Publicist: Alexandra Radlovic

Email: alexradlovic(at)gmail(dot)com
"We needed room to grow," said Jake Voll.

Security Sales and Solutions, Inc. which operates under the brand SS&Si Dealer Network and supports a network of over 500 of independent alarm dealers around the country, has moved to a larger facility.

We needed room to grow, said Jake Voll, President of SS&Si. The 9,880 square foot building is located in Deltona, Florida and is conveniently located just 20 minutes from Orlando to the west and Daytona Beach to the east.

The distribution side of our business has grown, and we plan to continue that growth through aggressive customer acquisition and expansion of our product line. Voll said. We made a substantial investment to acquire and renovate the property, and well continue to invest in improvements like our dealer training center.

SS&Si will be hosting Innovate 2017, its 2nd annual dealer conference, nearby in Daytona Beach. The conference will take place at the Hilton Oceanwalk Village on June 21 and 22. An open house and additional dealer training will be hosted at the new Deltona facility on June 23.
My T Chai, a South African company known for its premium natural chai teas, announced the teas are now available for purchase on StackedNutrition.com, a popular website for people interested in healthy products.

Chai tea has been a staple of Asian and African countries for thousands of years, and was initially made and popularized in ancient Siam and India. Todays recipes have some small variances from region to region, but in general, chai teas maintain an unmistakable taste profile. My T Chais teas are all made with local South African ingredients, and they are now available more widely than ever thanks to this newest partnership with StackedNutrition.com.

We are excited to announce our teas are now available for sale at StackedNutrition.com, said Michael Chaimowitz, owner of My T Chai. We have put a lot of effort into making these teas in a natural way that showcases some of the unique flavors of South Africa. The partnership with StackedNutrition.com is ideal for us, as it allows us to reach out to new customers who already have demonstrated they care deeply about natural products.

My T Chai has a number of different varieties of chai tea that it creates. One of its most popular products is its Honeybush Chai, which features My T Chais signature blend of spices with a particularly spicy flavor. The company recommends users try it with a bit of honey to truly bring out its natural flavor profile.

All our naturally caffeine free rooibos Chai features only real spices such as cinnamon bark, cardamom seed, ginger root, chicory clove bud and black pepper seed. No artificial flavors or colors added.. Thus My T Chai recommends leaving the teabag in the cup or pot for as long as possible to get the most spice and flavor out of the drink. A full cream milk can also add to the already wonderful taste.

We are eager to bring our teas to a brand new audience of people and to continue to build our brands momentum in the United States, said Chaimowitz.

For more information about My T Chai, visit http://www.mytchai.com.
Japanese American veterans salute the flag at Go For Broke monument in Los Angeles, CA. "These stories speak to the courage, selflessness and patriotism of our Nisei vets in helping to protect our democracy."

Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) today announced the awarding of a $193,080 grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to help preserve, restore and digitize 800 oral histories of WWII Japanese American veterans contained in GFBNECs Hanashi Oral History program.

The 800 oral histories, which represent about 2,000 hours of moving-image playback, will be selected from nearly 1,200 interviews in the Hanashi archives. The histories chronicle the experiences of Japanese American veterans who served in segregated units during WWII, many of whom had families imprisoned in U.S. incarceration camps. The Hanashi program represents the largest compilation of such Nisei veteran interviews, and includes stories from those who served in combat and intelligence units in the European and Pacific Theatres.

This grant from NEH will allow us to preserve these priceless histories of our Nisei veterans, and to better organize and index them so that they can be shared with scholars, researchers and the public for years to come, Dr. Mitchell T. Maki, GFBNECs President and Chief Executive Officer, said. These stories speak to the courage, selflessness and patriotism of our Nisei vets in helping to protect our democracy. Today, their examples can be used to inform public debate and policy as we discuss important issues such as tolerance, social justice and equal protection under the law.

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation.

Note to Media: Go For Broke was the motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated Army unit composed of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland. The term was Hawaiian slang for shooting the works, or risking everything for the big win in gamblingas the Nisei soldiers did while fighting in the field in WWII and facing prejudice at home in the U.S.

About Go For Broke National Education Center

Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that educates the public on the valor of Japanese American veterans of World War II and their contributions to democracy. Our goal is to inspire new generations to embody the Nisei veterans core values of courage, sacrifice, equality, humility and patriotism. Founded in 1989, GFBNEC maintains the Go For Broke monument and the interactive Defining Courage exhibition in downtown Los Angeles, as well as extensive oral histories and archives, education and training programs, and other initiatives. For more information, please visit http://www.goforbroke.org.

Media Contact:

Pauline Yoshihashi

Strategic Communications

For GFBNEC

323/683-8191 Direct

pyoshihashi(at)earthlink.net

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Gevir, a New Zealand-based company that creates a line of supplements using pure New Zealand deer antler velvet as the only ingredient, announced its supplement is now available for purchase on RevNutrition.com, a popular health and nutritional products website.

The company was initially founded by Clint and Shelley Thomson, who were looking for a natural method to treat Shelleys Multiple Sclerosis. After exhausting all of their known options, they discovered deer antler velvet, which has been used in the eastern world for its natural healing properties for thousands of years. As it turned out, deer antler velvet provided them with the best results. Now, their vision lives on through the companys deer antler velvet supplement, now available for purchase on RevNutrition.com.

We are excited to announce a brand new sales partnership between Gevir and RevNutrition.com, said Josh Buckman, CEO of Gevir. Deer antler velvet has become more popular in North America and Europe in recent years, but most people still are unaware of its benefits. The product is a natural, sustainable source of collagen, glucosamine and omega-3 and omega-6 acids. By continuing to form these partnerships with retailers like RevNutrition, we are able to continue educating the public of these benefits and spread its benefits to a wider audience.

The deer antler velvet used in Gevir products comes from the companys own deer farms in New Zealand. Every year, deer grow velvet which is then harvested. Farmers are then able to collect the velvet without having to harm the animals at all. All farmers the company employs are accredited and certified by the New Zealand Veterinary Association.

The company has been owned by Buckman for several years. He began using Gevir supplements during his tenure as a professional rugby player to help relieve the pain and symptoms of the shoulder injuries he suffered throughout his career. He became such a believer that he decided to buy the company and bring its products benefits to the wider world.

From both a personal and scientific standpoint, these are products that work, and have numerous benefits, said Buckman. This is a great next step for our company as we continue to build our brands footprint.

The product comes in both capsules and jars of powder. To find out more about Gevir visit http://www.gevir.co.nz.
It is with great pride and excitement that the team at Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. announces its comprehensive, updated website, which will offer much greater insight into the scope of their work. The websites new design is easier to navigate and features a more user-friendly layout. The goal of the updated design is to offer clients and potential clients a user-friendly experience with easy access to all the information they need to understand the firms mission statement, as well as to inform of the firms activities and successes.

The intense focus that Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. has placed exclusively on employment law and civil rights litigation has earned the firm recognition by Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register as a preeminent law firm in their field. The firm represents employees in all aspects of employment-related litigation, including claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws and federal civil rights laws. The team offers vast experience for both private and public sector employees and employers and represents clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

The legal team at Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. has made it their mission to bring positive change to the workforce, and has provided powerful representation to their clients for more than 35 years. Areas of practice include age discrimination, employment contracts, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), gender expression, LGBTQ discrimination, healthcare law, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, international employment law, whistleblower law, and much, much more.

The extensive new website design provides background information on the legal team, along with constantly updated firm news detailing case outcomes with financial settlements. Users can also access a wide variety of topics through blogs in each area of representation, as well as interviews and articles written by Mr. Gold and other team members in a variety of publications.

To learn more about Sidney L. Gold & Associates P.C. or to speak with an attorney, please visit the updated website at http://www.discrimlaw.net, or call 215-569-1999. The firm is centrally located in Philadelphia.
Editors who work with me tell me I do more background research on my story than most writers, says Guynup. It's important to me to get it right and do a good job. So, I dig in on every story I write.

Award-winning Author, Journalist, and Photographer, Sharon Guynup will be featured in the latest book of the Outlier Leadership Series, Outliers in Writing, set to publish in summer 2017.

In Outliers in Writing, Guynup shares her perspective on various aspects of writing including the significance of contextual information.

Editors who work with me tell me I do more background research on my story than most writers, says Guynup. It's important to me to get it right and do a good job. So, I dig in on every story I write.

Guynup is a freelance journalist covering wildlife, the environment, energy, and environmental health issues. Her investigation for National Geographic into alleged wildlife trafficking from the Tiger Temple in Thailand earned her the 2017 Arlene Award for an article that makes a difference from the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and resulted in the seizure of the monasterys 147 tigers.

Guynup, a public policy fellow at The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC, is currently researching wildlife trafficking and environmental crime that impacts endangered species, ecosystems, and natural resources. This project will produce articles, photographs, a book, and a documentary.

Dr. John Shufeldt, who created the Outlier Leadership Series to empower readers to reach their potential both personally and professionally, is honored to feature Guynup in Outliers in Writing.

Guynups writer qualifications are essential for this book, says Shufeldt. When you read her interview, and learn about the adversity she has overcome in life, her story becomes all the more powerful.

In her interview, Guynup emphasizes the importance of learning from those who have achieved success in their chosen profession.

Look at, read, or study their work, study their methods and techniques, says Guynup. Learn from their career trajectory. Intern with individuals or organizations that are really amazing. Finding a mentor is also a great thing to do.

Each book in the Outlier Leadership Series serve as a virtual mentor to readers. The books provide exclusive interview content from six professionals at the top of their field, action guides and targeted resources for those looking to succeed in a chosen profession.

Outliers in Writing will be the sixth book in the Outlier Leadership Series. Other books in the Outlier Leadership Series include:



Click here for more information on the Outlier Leadership Series and the launch of Outliers in Writing.

About Outliers in Writing:

Outliers in Writing is a how-to guide for aspiring writers, presented through interviews with six seasoned writing professionals. Each interview provides readers with a range of valuable information from storytelling skills and the power of observation, to career strategy and the importance of writing every day. These six incredible writing professionals candidly share their obstacles and ingredients for a successful writing career. Readers will complete this book having received the most potent advice for becoming the best writer possible. Whether you aspire to be a writer, novelist, or journalist, this collection of wisdom will expand your perspective and serve as a foundation for a vibrant career. Outliers in Writing was written as part of the Outlier Leadership Series mentorship books, created by Dr. John Shufeldt.

About John Shufeldt: http://www.johnshufeldt.com

Dr. John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP is a leadership expert in multidisciplinary ventures committed to innovation in medicine, entrepreneurism and education. John has three decades of experience leading high performing teams in businesses that combine his passions for medicine, law, and leadership. He committed to return to school every 10 years to push his own personal envelope. John continues to practice emergency medicine, and is an adjunct professor at ASUs Sandra Day OConnor College of Law.

About Sharon Guynup: http://sharonguynup.com/Sharon_Website/HOME.html

Sharon Guynup is a freelance journalist covering wildlife, the environment, energy, and environmental health issues. Sharons investigation for National Geographic into alleged wildlife trafficking from the Tiger Temple in Thailand earned her the 2017 Arlene Award for an article that makes a difference from the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She is currently researching wildlife trafficking and environmental crime that impacts endangered species, ecosystems, and natural resources as a public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. The project will produce articles, photographs, a book, and a documentary.
Aimetis Anthony has been an extremely valued member of the Aimetis team since 2007. We look forward to supporting him and his efforts in this new role with the confidence of our entire organization

Aimetis Corp., a global leader in intelligent video management software, today announced that it has promoted Anthony Hackett to Director, North America Sales, Aimetis. With current growth in the area, specifically in the United States, Anthony will provide leadership to the whole region.

Mr. Hackett has been with Aimetis for almost ten years. His experience and customer facing skills have inspired our sales organization. Anthony started his career spending six years at Gelia Wells & Mohr, a marketing communications and advertising firm. He helped grow the agency from a small regional company that eventually earned a spot in the Top 50 firms in North America. Hackett went on to work for an electronics manufacturer and was responsible for bringing to market one of the worlds first video analytics appliances.

During his time with Aimetis, Anthony has proven his dedication to customers by providing custom solutions that meet unique and complex needs. He has worked globally and was crucial to major Aimetis accounts. His knowledge and leadership qualities are instrumental to the growth of Aimetis.

Im proud of the opportunity to lead a talented and motivated sales team, said Anthony. Im confident this driven group of individuals will succeed in achieving our business objectives, while building and maintaining strong partnerships throughout the industry, and continuing to deliver rich customer experiences.

Anthony has been an extremely valued member of the Aimetis team since 2007, said Brian Rich, Chairman, Aimetis. We look forward to supporting him and his efforts in this new role with the confidence of our entire organization.

About Aimetis

Aimetis, a Senstar company, simplifies the management of network video for security surveillance by offering smart solutions with the lowest total cost of ownership for our connected world. Combining an industry leading video management system with integrated analytics and centralized management in the cloud, Aimetis delivers the most scalable and easiest to use video management platform on the market. Founded in 2003, Aimetis has established itself as a global leader in intelligent video management from its headquarters in Waterloo, Canada. Aimetis has distributors and certified partners in over 100 countries and serves a variety of industries, including retail, transportation, and others.

Grady Meston

marketing@aimetis.com

+1 (519) 746-8888 x256
Christopher Brown We are very excited to have Chris on board. He understands the industry, its players and challenges, and most importantly, the unique needs of the enterprise email marketer, said CEO Roger Barnette.

MessageGears has a new ace on its leadership team. Christopher Brown joined the companys senior executive team in March as its Vice President of Account Management. Brown will oversee care and development of MessageGears enterprise clients, managing numerous customer-facing teams in charge of client success, technical support, onboarding and deliverability.

Brown brings 19 years of account management and business development experience at Fortune-ranked technology companies to his position at MessageGears. Recently, he was an executive at Selligent, and he has also worked for IBM and Oracle. In his career he managed relationships with some of the worlds largest brands including BMW, Chase, Walgreens, Walmart, InterContinental Hotels, and Expedia.

Along with his account management roles, Brown will also partner with the product management team to ensure that client needs continue to drive the MessageGears platform, Accelerator, further ahead of the industry.

We are very excited to have Chris on board. He understands the industry, its players and challenges, and most importantly, the unique needs of the enterprise email marketer, said CEO Roger Barnette. Hes a perfect fit for the position and will be a tremendous asset to MessageGears and our clients.

MessageGears has experienced significant growth in the last few years. The company secured $2.3 million in Series A Funding in June 2016 to ramp up hiring and support the development of its enterprise marketing platform. In November, the company named long-time Atlanta marketing executive Roger Barnette as its new CEO, with founder and former CEO Dan Roy stepping into a technical role as the Senior Vice President of Product Development.

MessageGears sends billions of messages every month on behalf of global business-to-consumer (B2C) brands such as Expedia, Orbitz, Musictoday, and Runkeeper. Its success is due to its unique email platform that gives marketers unparalleled data access, while offering enterprise-grade security and zero-maintenance of message delivery systems. MessageGears is the only email service provider that allows global brands to deliver individualized experiences to millions of customers in real-time. The product architecture is a perfect fit for Fortune 500 companies, allowing them to send millions of highly personalized marketing messages in real-time.

A recent ESP buyers guide described MessageGears email marketing solution as the answer for clients concerned with data security and/or with massive amounts of ever-changing data. They further said, Clients rated MessageGears number one when it comes to integration, with one client referring to the hybrid cloud delivery approach as truly revolutionary technology (The Relevancy Ring - ESP Buyers Guide, 2017).

About MessageGears

MessageGears is the only email service provider that allows global enterprise brands to communicate with a customer in real-time as if the customer was one of ten instead of one of ten million. The solutions unique hybrid architecture enables large businesses to create meaningful dialogue with their customers, stay in control of their data, and gain better understanding of their customers. Founded in 2010, MessageGears is based in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit http://www.messagegears.com.
Virtual Systems, a leading provider of Print and Mail MIS software, today announced that American Visual Brands, a print and marketing services company, has implemented Virtual Systems Midnight print and mail management software.

Based in Tampa, Florida, American Visual Brands was founded in 2016 and has since become one of the leading providers of wide format printing to clients in the region. Today we offer a wide variety of services, including large format printing, brand engagement, and other marketing services to our clients, says Matthew Fest, president of AVB. We pride ourselves in creating innovative branding solutions to corporations, franchisees and small businesses that are focused on highly engaging concepts. After reviewing a number of MIS systems, we chose to implement Midnight software and have since found it to be the ideal platform on which to run and grow this segment of our business.

For its customers, AVB anticipates quicker turns on estimates, new online proofing capabilities, integrated storefront options, and online job status updates. Furthermore, customers will directly benefit from the broader range of work planning, scheduling and tracking that Midnight provides.

My favorite part of this implementation is that AVB takes full advantage of Midnight softwares broad platform, which goes beyond traditional print to include a wide range of value added services such as wide format printing and direct mail services, mentioned Chris Huber, President and founder of Virtual Systems. Hybridization is the future of print, and AVBs customers can take advantage of this now to get more from their print vendor.

About Virtual Systems: Virtual Systems award-winning Midnight software is 100% browser based and can be run from either the cloud or on premise at your location. Access your information from anywhere using tablets and mobile devices. With powerful dashboards and APIs, companies can easily manage all facets of their business. The revolutionary technology allows companies to leverage all their investments to gain a competitive edge and ultimately please customers.

About American Visual Brands: American Visual Brands is a proud member of the Fest Corporation of Companies, which includes American Marketing and Mailing and American Partner Services. Founded in 1994 by Chuck Fest Jr., the group rises head and shoulders above other marketing companies with specialized and effective in-house services that address the unique requirements of different industries and companies.
Emagination Computer Camps Emagination Computer Camps blends technology learning with the life-long benefits of a traditional summer camp.

Emagination Computer Camps, a national operator of summer technology camps for children since 1982, offers summer programs which blend fun technology learning with the life-long benefits of a traditional summer camp.

Over the past several years, there has been an incredible rise in the interest in summer STEM learning opportunities, said Craig Whiting, president of Emagination. At Emagination, weve always believed in balancing educational time in front of a computer and the developmental benefits which come from non-technology, interpersonal activities.

There are many aspects to Emaginations program which differentiates it from other technology camps. Over a two-week camp session, each camper takes four workshops; three are technology workshops, which they choose from a selection of 26 that Emagination offers, and one is a recreation workshop.

Campers are organized into camper groups, similar to a traditional camps cabin groups, to foster socialization and building friendships through small group activities.

Structured and unstructured playtime is incorporated throughout the campers day with the camps Refresh Time, an hour after lunch to hang out with friends, play games, or socialize before afternoon workshops, and Evening Program, where campers choose from a selection of activities driven by camper interests.

The Saturday in the middle of the session is filled with fun outdoor games and activities such as a slip n slide, color run, Human Pac-Man, and many more. A BBQ, movie night, and Local Area Network (LAN) gaming tournament are all part of the camps Super Saturday.

Returning high school-aged campers can participate in the camps Teen Leadership Program, which gives them the opportunity to learn leadership and life-skills and to put those skills into action by assisting staff both in the classroom and in outdoor activities.

Our mission is to educate, entertain, and help develop healthy kids, said Whiting, and we believe we deliver on that mission with our programs.

Emagination Computer Camps is offered at Boston College in Newton, Massachusetts, Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, Rosemont College in Rosemont/Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, and Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Emagination also offers two specialty STEM programs for teenagers, Emagination Programming Camp and Emagination Game Design Camp.

In Emagination Programming Camp, teens ages 13  17 learn how to program with C# - the worlds most popular programming language for creating Windows applications. This two-week day or overnight STEM program is balanced with daily recreation and a full evening program for overnight campers.

In Emagination Game Design Camp, teens 15 - 18 experience what it's like to work in the video game development industry. They join a team to build a playable 3D game, tour a game design studio, and learn from guest speakers. This two-week overnight only STEM program is an immersive experience, but balanced with plenty of time for daily outdoor activities and recreation.

For more information about Emagination Computer Camps, Emagination Game Design, and Emagination Programming Camp visit http://www.computercamps.com.
The distinguished FedRAMP security certification guarantees the highest quality security compliance, allowing EPAY Systems to compete in all government Cloud First initiatives.

EPAY Systems, a leading cloud provider of human capital management (HCM) solutions, today announced that they have successfully earned Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) certification and have been declared FedRAMP Ready. The certification comes after heavy investments in bolstering security measures and a comprehensive third-party auditing process. EPAY Systems pursued this certification in conjunction with their ongoing commitment to customer security and best business practices.

FedRAMP is a program spanning the entire government that delivers a uniform approach to security assessment, approval and on-going monitoring for cloud products and services. FedRAMP approval increases government agency confidence in the security of cloud systems in three major ways. First, by providing joint security evaluations and authorizations based on a standardized baseline set of security controls, then, by using approved third party assessment organizations to consistently evaluate a cloud service providers ability to meet the security controls and, lastly, by coordinating continuous monitoring services.

FedRAMP standards were set as a result of close collaboration with cybersecurity and cloud experts from the General Services Administration (GSA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DOD), National Security Agency (NSA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council and its working groups, as well as private industry. The program aims to accelerate the adoption of secure cloud platforms, increase confidence in the security of cloud solutions and achieve consistent security authorizations.

To achieve FedRAMP certification, EPAY Systems has heightened their overall security measures, resulting in reduced risk of cyber-attack, a 99.95% uptime, resistance to data exfiltration and increased trust for all customers. The company underwent a demanding process that required implementing technical engineering changes, meeting 350+ mandated security controls, passing a FedRAMP security authorization, and hiring a FedRAMP approved third-party organization to perform an independent audit of the cloud system. For increased preventative measures, change management and auditing software is utilized across the entire infrastructure. Detailed policies and procedures were instituted, monitored, and reported on for all the control families and thorough security and awareness training was mandated to anyone working on the system. To maintain FedRAMP certification, EPAY Systems is subject to ongoing assessment, including monthly vulnerability scans against all operating systems, infrastructure, databases and web applications, Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) management and continuous monitoring.

The government has decided to change the way they do business by shifting away from hosted systems to cloud-based solutions. The FedRAMP certification allows EPAY Systems to compete in new government Cloud First initiatives, and acts as a security stamp of approval for potential customers to host secure information on EPAY Systems servers.

I am very pleased to receive FedRAMP certification, said Rick Labus, Chief Information Officer at EPAY Systems. It was an intensive process, but it is a measure of top level security compliance that will improve the security for all of our cloud users going forward.

About EPAY Systems

EPAY Systems provides an integrated human capital management software system that helps businesses alleviate their HR burden, reduce labor costs, ensure compliance with labor laws and manage their employees more effectively. The companys unified suite of HR technology and administrative services includes recruiting and applicant tracking, new hire onboarding, benefits administration, HR management, time tracking, workforce management, payroll processing, tax management, ACA reporting and performance management. EPAY Systems is the only FedRAMP certified provider of time and attendance. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, EPAY Systems delivers HR solutions to over 75,000 worksites across the globe. For more information, visit http://www.EPAYsystems.com or call 877-800-3729.
Despite the tremendous hype about consumer Robos potentially disrupting the advice industry these past several years, independent RIAs are confident in their approach and service models to withstand this new type of competition.

Shareholders Service Group (SSG) announced today the results of its annual advisor survey in preparation for its 6th annual national conference to be held later this week, April 26-28, 2017 in San Diego, CA.

Key findings from the research show that RIAs that custody with SSG are not worried about losing clients to Robo platforms, rather these forward looking advisors see the business benefits that this new technology can bring to their practices.

According to the research, 80% of RIAs asked said that they were not concerned about Robo advisors, while 50% indicated that they see opportunity in leveraging white-labeled robo platforms to enhance their businesses.

Despite the tremendous hype about consumer Robos potentially disrupting the advice industry these past several years, independent RIAs are confident in their approach and service models to withstand this new type of competition, said Dan Skiles, President of SSG. However, as prudent business owners, many RIAs do see the potential benefits of integrating robo technology to make their firms more efficient and to be able to attract new client segments.

Additional findings from the annual research study show that RIAs are optimistic about their growth opportunities and will be investing in their businesses to take advantage. Top areas of investment to drive their growth goals include investing in new technology and spending more on marketing and events.

These key themes uncovered by our research with RIAs will be the focus for the content we have programmed for our conference this year, said Barry Boyte, SSGs Executive VP of marketing. We are very excited to host over 300 attendees and 28 top vendors for 2 1/2 days of business and practice management content, networking and technology demonstrations.

Highlighting the first day will be a series of technology TED talks from leading tech vendors facilitated by industry technology guru, Joel Bruckenstein. Other technology content will feature a fireside chat with Pershing CIO, Ram Nagappan, an introduction to Morningstar Investment Services, a Morningstar-managed account platform now available through SSG, along with a demonstration of Jemsteps Advisor Pro, white-labeled Robo platform, which has recently been integrated directly into SSG and is available to RIAs working with SSG at preferred pricing.

This type of industry research goes a long to inform how we evolve our custody platform and invest in the key programs, technologies and service models to continue to fuel advisor success, said Skiles. We look forward to showcasing the research at our conference this week and bringing the SSG community together.

To learn more about the upcoming SSG Conference agenda, log onto http://www.ssgconference.com.

About Shareholders Service Group

Shareholders Service Group (SSG), http://www.ssginstitutional.com, provides brokerage and custodial services exclusively for independent registered investment advisors (RIAs). SSG provides a full range of brokerage and back office service and support with a robust technology platform, access to a full suite of investment vehicles, and a highly experienced service team that only serves independent RIAs. The company was founded in 2002, and currently serves approximately 1,500 advisory firms throughout the country. The management team began serving independent RIAs in the late 1980s.
This move signals to the event technology industry that were serious about international expansion and continuing to build traction globally

Attendify, the leading provider of self-service event apps and social lead retrieval tools, has expanded into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region by opening an office in Sydney Australia.

Attendify has already filled crucial leadership roles in Australia, beginning with site leader and Account Executive, Ryan OConnor. Ryan is based in Sydney, and has worked as a sales leader and executive for technology startups with a focus on international growth. His previous role was COO of mobile event technology company, ShowGizmo. Prior to that he was with DoubleDutch, Inc.

What attracted me to Attendify was the fact that the company simply leads by innovation. I've been waiting to find the right product fit for the industry for a while, and feel Ive found it with the Attendify platform, said Ryan.

The company plans on focusing its efforts on Australia and New Zealand initially and then expanding to other countries in the region.

This move signals to the event technology industry that were serious about international expansion and continuing to build traction globally, said Michael Balyasny, CEO of Attendify. Event organisers all over the world are looking to build strong relationships with their attendees, sponsors, exhibitors and employees, and we can help them do this with easy and cost-effective ways to connect people, demonstrate ROI and show event success.

To introduce Attendify to the market, the company will be exhibiting at Meetings and Events Australia (MEA) 2017 from 30 April - 2 May, 2017. Ryan will be meeting with event industry professionals in stand 31 and running demos of the companys self-service event app builder, exclusive social lead retrieval solution and one-click event websites.

Already a global company, Attendify is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, and has offices in Phoenix, Houston, Vancouver, BC and Kyiv, Ukraine. Attendifys Australian headquarters is located at the following address:

Attendify Sydney CBD

Level 35, One International Towers Sydney

100 Barangaroo Avenue

Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

+ 61(2) 8046 6861

About Attendify

Attendify is the only event technology company that helps you build deeper relationships at your events. Unlike other event apps, Attendify helps you create your event app quickly and easily, manage and update your app effortlessly, get real-time feedback and analytics, demonstrate success and ROI. In addition, Attendify offers the first and only Social Lead Retrieval system, an automated website builder and deep event analytics that marketers can use to generate more customers and revenue. Create your app now.
Trusted Objects and Unabiz Sami Anbouba, CEO of Trusted Objects, says: Thanks to our partnership with UnaBiz, we are in the best place to demonstrate our security solutions deliver the data integrity of devices and systems needed to meet the desired security level in Asia.

Headquartered in Singapore, UnaBiz is the first IoT-dedicated network operator to roll out Sigfoxs low-power, wide-area technology in Asia. The company proposes Sigfox-ready solutions for all segments of the IoT: cities, buildings, living things, industries, utilities, health, environment, agriculture and more.

Trusted Objects, based in France, is an expert in end-to-end security solutions for the Internet of Things. Trusted Objects has developed solutions based on tamper-resistant hardware to ensure the IoT includes the appropriate security functions. Trusted Objects solutions include the hardware, a secure firmware and personalization under the control of the issuer.

Under the newly signed partnership, Trusted Objects and UnaBiz will work together to develop POCs (proof of concepts) and solutions to demonstrate how a hardware-based solution will provide improved security levels to Sigfox networks in Asia.

UnaBiz will provide Trusted Objects with support in terms of marketing, communications and consultation services for all IoT related application development, along with a global subscription to its Sigfox network in Singapore.

Trusted Objects will support UnaBiz with its solutions and its technical expertise to develop security solutions for the Sigfox networks in Asia.

Sami Anbouba, CEO of Trusted Objects, says: Thanks to our partnership with UnaBiz, we are in the best place to demonstrate our security solutions deliver the data integrity of devices and systems needed to meet the desired security level in Asia.

Henri Bong, CEO and Founder, UnaBiz adds: Sigfox technology is made for massive deployment as it is extremely low-cost, ultra energy efficient and simple to deploy. Trusted Objects brings to the partnership the right combination of hardware, firmware and services required to deliver advanced security features for Sigfox based solutions in Asia.

Asia is anticipated to be among the fastest developing markets for the Internet of Things. By 2019, 86% of organizations in Asia Pacific will have some form of IoT in place, according to The Internet of Things: Today and Tomorrow research report by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company.

About Trusted Objects

Trusted Objects is a leading independent player in the Secure IoT market, providing innovative embedded firmware and services to dramatically enhance the security of connected devices. The Trusted Objects Secure Embedded Firmware (TOSF) can be easily customized to address a wide range of different security requirements generated by the high fragmentation of the IoT market.

Trusted Objects also delivers a set of services including security assessment, personalization engine, keys and certificates management, fast prototyping to accelerate the deployment of comprehensive solutions that meet the highest security requirements.

Contact

Herve ROCHE, VP Marketing

More information at http://www.trusted-objects.com

About UnaBiz

UnaBiz is an end-to-end Internet of Things (IoT) solutions company dedicated to accelerate the adoption of IoT worldwide. As the exclusive network operator of Sigfoxs low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) in Singapore and Taiwan, UnaBiz joined forces with ENGIE and Sigfox to become the first IoT dedicated network operator in Asia to roll out a nationwide IoT network. UnaBiz aims to shape the future by providing cost-effective and energy-efficient IoT solutions, that include wireless infrastructure, devices and more. This ubiquitous network will allow businesses to connect millions of devices simply, affordably and globally.

UnaBiz helps businesses collect and analyse data from millions of devices allowing them to maximise the efficiency of their resources and increase productivity, by facilitating detection and control of anomalies, accelerating resolution or even preventing them entirely. Our objective is to help businesses realise the true value and full potential of IoT.

For more information, see http://www.unabiz.com and follow on UnaBiz on LinkedIn.
The Strauss Law Firm and Hamilton Captive Management recently hosted their annual summit with clients from across the United States. The annual meeting allows for further education, insight and opportunity for Captive Insurance Company Owners.

The Strauss Law Firm and Hamilton Captive Management strive to continually provide strategic, effective and favorable value ads to their clients' businesses. The 7th Annual Meeting topics included, but were not limited to, Legislative Changes, Regulatory Requirements, Claims Processing and Management, Reinsurance, Scaling Your Business, and Commercial Insurance Solutions. The meeting serves as an opportunity for clients to network, reconnect and share knowledge for optimal performance of their Captive Insurance Program.

Hamilton Captive Management was founded in 2013 on Hilton Head Island, S.C. by Peter J. Strauss, J.D., LLM. With a focus on providing strategic solutions to high-net worth individuals, families, and business owners, Hamilton Captive Management prides itself on its client-centered and customized approach.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Celebrates National Volunteer Week Phi Kappa Phi depends on the commitment and energy of nearly 2,000 volunteers who offer their time and talent to assure the success of our programs. Dr. Mary Todd, Phi Kappa Phi Executive Director

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nations oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, is proud to celebrate National Volunteer Week beginning today, April 24, through April 29, 2017.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, Phi Kappa Phi celebrates the outstanding efforts of its board members, committee members and chapter officers who serve more than 300 chapters nationwide. The commitment and support of these volunteers enable Phi Kappa Phi to continue its 120-year history of recognizing and promoting academic excellence in all fields of higher education.

Phi Kappa Phi depends on the commitment and energy of nearly 2,000 volunteers annually to manage our chapters, serve on boards and committees, and support the mission of the Society, said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd. For much of its history Phi Kappa Phi was run completely by volunteers. Even now, when the daily work is managed by staff, we continue to depend on the good help of those members who offer their time and talent to assure the success of our programs.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Each year the Society inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni on its chapter campuses in the United States and the Philippines. More than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi since its founding.

National Volunteer Week was established in 1974 as a way to recognize and thank volunteers who lend their time, talent, voice and support to causes they care about in their communities.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities available for Phi Kappa Phi members, visit http://www.phikappaphi.org/volunteer.

More About Phi Kappa Phi

Membership in Phi Kappa Phi is by invitation only to the top 7.5 percent of juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction may also qualify for membership. Its mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." Some of the organization's notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist David Baldacci and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each biennium, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1.4 million to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information, visit http://www.phikappaphi.org.
We are excited to have navigators from such an important organization as the American Cancer Society join us for this meeting, says AONN+ Co-Founder and Program Director Lillie Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, ONN-CG.

Nurse and patient navigators from across the United States will be converging on Phoenix for the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) West Coast Regional Meeting from April 27 to 29. This unique meeting brings together oncology stakeholders to attend educational sessions, network with peers, take one of the navigation-specific certification exams, and learn about the new standardized navigation metrics initiative.

As part of its outreach to the local and state navigator community, AONN+ has extended an invitation to the American Cancer Society (ACS)s local navigator population to attend the West Coast Regional Meeting with complimentary registration. AONN+ believes in working with local navigator communities to ensure all the benefits of attending these meetings are available to them.

We are excited to have navigators from such an important organization as the American Cancer Society join us for this meeting, says AONN+ Co-Founder and Program Director Lillie Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, ONN-CG. The American Cancer Society has been a standard bearer for over 70 years and plays a significant role in the fight against cancer.

The American Cancer Society values collaborations with organizations such as AONN+, that share our commitment to high-quality cancer care, states Lynne Padgett, PhD, Strategic Director, Hospital Systems, ACS. The navigator-dedicated education and networking opportunities are two important components offered at AONN+s meetings and are valued by our navigators and program leaders.

AONN+ hosts one regional meeting and one annual conference every year for nurse and patient navigators. These essential providers are on the front lines of oncology patient care and play a vital role in helping patients understand their treatments, answering questions about appointments with their oncologists, navigating medical insurance and other socioeconomic barriers, and many other aspects of patient care.

Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+)

AONN+ is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. Founded in 2009, AONN+ provides a network for all professionals involved in patient navigation and survivorship care services. AONN+ is continuously evolving and remains committed to listening to its membership by meeting their needs as well as responding to healthcare trends such as the emerging Oncology Care Model. To do so, AONN+ has spearheaded the creation of targeted nurse and patient navigator certifications, developed standardized navigation metrics, and launched a number of navigation-centric conferences and meetings designed to give navigators a greater collective voice, continuing education, and networking opportunities with peers.

The Lynx Group

The Lynx Group is a comprehensive medical education and communications company that focuses on delivering results for its clients. With a portfolio of pharmaceutical- and oncology-based publications, The Lynx Group provides pivotal and contemporary information and resources for all healthcare stakeholders. The Lynx Group is also the official association management and marketing company of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care, and the Association for Oncology Practice Management. The Lynx Group lends a voice to these important organizations and supports these oncology stakeholders through publications, websites, conferences, social media, and other resources. Strategix, The Lynx Groups in-house agency, is a strategic consulting, medical education, and communications team that broadens the companys reach to help clients in new ways. Senior-level staff members work directly with clients on strategic partnerships, peer-to-peer and live thought leader engagements, multistakeholder summits, clinical trial recruitment, strategy, branding, market research, surveys, analytics, and other unique offerings. Strategix delivers tactical execution strategically and effectively for some of the worlds largest life science companies and other significant healthcare organizations.

American Cancer Society

Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has funded research and training of health professionals to investigate the causes, prevention, and early detection of cancer, as well as new treatments, cancer survivorship, and end-of-life support for patients and their families. In those 70 years, the American Cancer Societys extramural research grants program has devoted more than $4.5 billion to cancer research and has funded 47 Nobel Prize winners.
Bryn Wesch, CFO of Novus Medical Detox Center, discusses the DEA and the struggles to control opioid use in America. Though DEA officials and pharmaceutical companies cite ongoing efforts to prevent diversion, the perpetual rise in prescription opioid overdose deaths demands a much tougher approach and stiffer penalties.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rising prescription opioid overdose deaths now claim the lives of 62 Americans each day.(1) Yet since 2011, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has slashed its civil case filings against drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and prescribers by more than half.(2) Novus Medical Detox Center, a leading Florida-based drug treatment facility, exhorts the DEA to take immediate action to enforce federal laws, prevent diversion and protect U.S. citizens from the growing prescription opioid epidemic.

CDC data reveals overdose deaths from prescription opioid analgesicsincluding natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic formsexceeded 22,000 in 2015, surpassing 2014s previous record high of nearly 19,000 deaths.(1) While the death toll has continued to rise, a number of former DEA supervisors charge that agency officials began delaying and blocking enforcement actions in recent years. From 2011 to 2014, DEA civil case filings against drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and doctors fell from 131 to 40 per year; and though 64 cases were filed as of October 2016, that number is still less than half of the 2011 total.(2)

The DEA is charged with enforcing drug laws and regulations and ensuring those involved in illicit trafficking are brought to justice. Yet recent investigative reports suggest the DEA is failing to hold pharmaceutical firms accountable for their role in contributing to the current opioid crisis, asserted Bryn Wesch, CFO of Novus Medical Detox Center. DEA staff have expressed frustration over policy changes that make it more difficult to advance cases against pharmaceutical purveyors. Meanwhile, drug companies have hired former DEA and Justice Department officials to act on their behalf, and theyve successfully lobbied Congress to pass laws that give them greater protection while placing a heavier burden on DEA agents.

Several retired DEA supervisors told The Washington Post about cases that languished for years without action.(2) More recently, the Post reported on a case in which federal investigators found that lack of due diligence by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticalsone of the nations largest oxycodone manufacturerscould have resulted in nearly 44,000 federal violations and exposed it to $2.3 billion in fines for failing to report suspicious activity that suggested illegal diversion. But after six years, four investigations and the threat of billions in fines, Mallinckrodt is avoiding legal action after having negotiated a reported $35 million settlement, which one government official dismissed as chump change for a company that posted $3.4 billion in revenue and $489 million in profits last year.(3)

Though DEA officials and pharmaceutical companies cite ongoing efforts to prevent diversion, the perpetual rise in prescription opioid overdose deaths demands a much tougher approach and stiffer penalties, stated Wesch. Unless DEA agents and prosecutors have the authority and support they need to crack down on those enabling illegal diversion, drug manufacturers and distributors will continue to put profits before people.

Wesch calls for government officials and Congress to create, pass and uphold laws that address overprescribing and diversion, and she urges DEA leadership to re-examine and revise any policies that undermine agents ability to enforce laws and pursue cases against noncompliant drug manufacturers and distributors. She also maintains that legal consequences and fines should be quickly and consistently applied to companies that fail to report suspicious activity or are found to be complicit in black-market diversion of prescription medications.

Finally, Wesch proposes that any fines levied against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors should help fund expanded drug education, prevention and treatment programs. Companies that have contributed to and profited from the prescription opioid epidemic should be required to play a role in solving it, she noted. Prescription medications have led many patients to develop substance use disorders. Proceeds from pharmaceutical industry fines can help these individuals obtain the care they need to manage the pain of opioid withdrawal, overcome dependency and achieve successful long-term recovery.

For more information on Novus Medical Detox Center and its medically supervised prescription opioid treatment programs, visit https://novusdetox.com.

About Novus Medical Detox Center:

Novus Medical Detox Center has earned The Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation as an inpatient medical detox facility. Licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Novus provides safe, effective alcohol and drug treatment programs that are based on proven medical protocols and designed to minimize the discomfort of withdrawal. The facility is located on 3.25 acres in New Port Richey, Florida, in a tranquil, spa-like setting bordering protected conservation land. Intent on proving that detox doesnt have to be painful or degrading, Novus set out to transform the industry by bringing humanity into medical detox with individually customized treatment programs and 24/7 access to nursing care and withdrawal specialists. Today, Novus is renowned as a champion of industry standardization and a staunch advocate of patients fighting to overcome substance use disorders. Frequently recognized for its contributions to the industry and local community, Novus has become a regular source to media publications such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and has ranked in the Tampa Bay Business Journals Fast 50, the Florida Business Journals Top 500 and the Inc. 5000 list of Americas fastest-growing companies. For more information on Novus medically supervised detox programs visit https://novusdetox.com.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opioid Overdose: Opioid Data Analysis; CDC website content; last updated February 9, 2017; accessed April 12, 2017. cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/analysis.html

2. Bernstein, Lenny and Scott Higham. Investigation: The DEA Slowed Enforcement While the Opioid Epidemic Grew Out of Control; The Washington Post; October 22, 2016. washingtonpost.com/investigations/the-dea-slowed-enforcement-while-the-opioid-epidemic-grew-out-of-control/2016/10/22/aea2bf8e-7f71-11e6-8d13-d7c704ef9fd9_story.html

3. Bernstein, Lenny and Scott Higham. The Governments Struggle to Hold Opioid Manufacturers Accountable; The Washington Post; April 2, 2017. washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/dea-mallinckrodt
Greg Norman, founder of BathMasters, discusses the best practices to utilize when selecting a contractor. Although it may seem more economical to choose the cheapest contractor, the reality is that it can be extremely costly and may even decrease the homes value in the end.

Spending on home improvements, maintenance and repairs reached an all-time record high of $340 billion in 2015.(1) In the bathroom segment alone, 14.2 million households engaged in a bathroom remodel or replacement.(2) Meanwhile, the Better Business Bureau reported that in 2015, there were more than 3.6 million inquiries and over 4,200 complaints regarding general contractors, as well as approximately 158,000 inquiries and 351 complaints specific to contractors for remodeling and repairs.(3) From shoddy workmanship to not getting appropriate permits to never finishing the job, there are numerous things that can cause homeowners to be unhappy with contractors.(4) BathMasters founder Greg Norman shares the fundamentals for choosing the right contractor for the job, as well as the significance of choosing one who is licensed and insured.

At a time when home improvement and renovations are on the rise, its important for homeowners to safeguard their investment by hiring a licensed, insured and bonded contractor to do the job. Although it may seem more economical to choose the cheapest contractor, the reality is that it can be extremely costly and may even decrease the homes value in the end, Norman cautioned. In fact, hiring an unlicensed contractor is risky business and can even result in steep fines. There are also times when the issues may not be obvious, such as when substandard materials are used, corners are cut or local building regulations are not complied with.(4) Worst of all, a contractor may take partial payment and then fail to return and finish the job.(4)

Unlicensed contractors generally offer lower quotes since they dont pay licensing fees or obtain bonds to cover their work, and may not even have workers compensation insurance.(5) Homeowners may be enticed by the lower price; however, it can mean financial devastation.(5) Unpermitted work that is not up to code can impact the homes value, and the liability and expense to have the work redone will fall on the homeowner.(5) The homeowner will be held responsible for injuries or accidents occurring on the property if the contractor doesnt have workers compensation.(5) Additionally, damage done to a neighboring property is the responsibility of the homeowner who hired the unlicensed contractor.(5)

Norman stressed that a key factor in having successful renovations is for homeowners to do their homework when looking for a reliable and reputable licensed contractor. One of the easiest ways to get started is to request recommendations from family, friends, neighbors and coworkers, and to look at online contractor referral services, contractor websites and review sites. Homeowners can also find licensed contractors by state or look on bbb.org to find licensed and accredited contractors. Next, check the credentials and history of the top selections and get bids from them, including the cost for materials and details of the projects scope. Norman said, It may seem like a lot of work up front, but homeowners need to be vigilant in protecting their most valuable assettheir homes.

Continuing a family legacy of quality construction and excellent customer service, Greg Norman and his brother David have built companies that incorporate the principles of high-quality work, personal integrity and treating customers how they, themselves, would want to be treated. BathMasters, a building, plumbing and electrical contractor with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, specializes only in bathroom renovations. They also stand behind their work with all products and materials having a manufacturer warranty, along with a three-year installation warrantywell over the one-year industry standard.

About BathMasters:

BathMasters is a Virginia plumbing, electrical and building contractor company with showrooms and warehouses in Northern Virginia and Tampa Bay, Florida. BathMasters is rapidly expanding to meet the demand of its customers for high-quality, full-service bathroom renovations as well as tub-to-shower conversions built to last the test of time. With thousands of custom bathrooms remodeled, BathMasters has become the premier choice for bathroom renovation needs.

Co-founders and brothers Greg and David Norman grew up amongst a family of masters. Their father was a master plumber, and their uncles worked as a master electrician, a master carpenter, and a Class A homebuilder. The Norman family legacy has always been about high-quality work, never cutting corners, and integrity with homeowners. It is this legacy that Greg and David continue at BathMasters. Their mission is to improve the skill-level of bathroom installers through their extensive workforce training programs, to the benefit of homeowners and the industry itself. Visit BathMastersVirginia.com and BathMastersFlorida.com.

1. Demographic Change and the Remodeling Outlook. Improving Americas Housing 2017 (n.d.): n. pag. Demographic Change and the Remodeling Outlook. Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, Jan. 2017. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

jchs.harvard.edu/sites/jchs.harvard.edu/files/harvard_jchs_2017_remodeling_report.pdf

2. Americans Love Their Kitchens and Baths: NKBA Research Pegs Industry Value at $134 Billion. 2017 Press Releases. National Kitchen+Bath Association, 17 Jan. 2017. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.

3. 2015 Complaint and Inquiry Statistics. Better Business Bureau, 2016. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

bbb.org/globalassets/local-bbbs/council-113/media/complaint-stats/2015/sorted-by-complaint-statistics-us-2015.pdf

4. Zillow, Inc. How to Find a Contractor. Zillow. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.

zillow.com/wikipages/How-to-Find-a-Contractor

5. Risks of Hiring an Unlicensed Contractor. Better Business Bureau of San Diego, Orange and Imperial Counties, 5 May 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.

bbb.org/sdoc/news-events/consumer-tips/2015/risks-of-hiring-an-unlicensed-contractor/
NewLogo An attempt to tax foreigners and subsidize Americans would lead to backlash and retaliation overseas. In any case, competitive international markets would undermine the purpose of the BAT.

The BAT, which would impose a 20 percent tax on imported goods and exempt exported goods, has been given some serious consideration by both policymakers and economists. But there are too many variables in the international market to expect that it will produce the desired results in terms of more domestic production and tax revenue, says Ranson. For example:



While a tax would cause Americans to substitute cheaper domestic goods for foreign goods, it would also reduce their total spending.

Furthermore, the tax burden would fall on consumers, producers and importers of goods, not on foreign exporters.

The assumption that the dollar would appreciate automatically in response to the tax, thus reducing the cost of imports, is theoretical, and has no historical precedence.

"It is a good idea to cut and simplify the corporate income tax. But an attempt to tax foreigners and subsidize Americans would lead to backlash and retaliation overseas. In any case, competitive international markets would undermine the purpose of the BAT," says Ranson.

Link for "Should U.S. Imports Be Taxed to Subsidize Exports?":

http://www.ncpa.org/pub/should-us-imports-be-taxed-to-subsidize-exports
Exhibitus announced today that the companys Founder and President, Brad Falberg, will be interviewed on the April 25, 2017 show of CEO Exclusive Radio. He will be joined by his business partner, Todd Bugg, Vice President of Operations.

CEO Exclusive Radio is hosted by Soyini Coke, Managing Principal at Annona Enterprises, a strategic advisory firm. Since February 2015, Coke has hosted a weekly discussion with successful CEOs and their most trusted advisors about business and market trends, as well as proven strategies that have allowed their organizations to thrive.

I founded Exhibitus over 20 years ago and enjoyed moderate success in the early years, said Falberg. But when I brought Todd and Mike Edwards, Vice President of Creative Services, on to help me run the company about eight years ago, it was the beginning of a significant growth spurt.

Exhibitus management team believes that when the market is growing, it is the job of the CEO and his/her team to make sure a company takes advantage of that growth. But over the past eight years, the Exhibitus team has discovered that opportunities for more significant growth can lie in subtle industry changes. For example, in the event industry they noticed that many companies were starting to ignore certain design fundamentals required for compelling exhibit structures in favor of saving transportation and setup costs.

Based on our many years of experience, we know and understand the importance of good design to gain brand awareness and overall program results, continued Falberg. As the shift away from design took hold, we began educating clients, leading with the mantra Design Matters. Also, we implemented a creative approach, based on the principles of Design Thinking, that requires greater collaboration internally and with our clients. This methodology has resulted in a number of award-winning projects, thought leadership opportunities and recognition over the past several years.

Falberg and his team will share with CEO Exclusive Radio listeners other ways changing industry trends have provided opportunities for the companys success. To hear this and other shows on CEO Exclusive Radio, go to http://ceoexclusive.businessradiox.com/

Exhibitus

Exhibitus is an award-winning custom exhibit house specializing in 3-dimensional design for trade shows, corporate events, user conferences, permanent installations, museums and corporate interiors. Driven by the philosophy that "DESIGN MATTERS", the company builds jaw-dropping exhibits that capture brand, inspire action and assure business success.

Headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Chicago, New York and Raleigh, Exhibitus also features global service capabilities to support clients abroad. Exhibitus clients include Abbott, AGCO, Alcoa, Cox Business, Ferguson, Kawneer, Lexus, Mimaki, MBX Systems, Toshiba, ViaSat, Verizon, and Wells Fargo.
Meghan Stein Webster This prestigious designation sets Meghan apart and will prove a valuable asset to her clients

Meghan Stein Webster, a REALTOR with The Cassina Group, has earned the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation. The designation distinguishes her as one of only 31 CIPS in the state of South Carolina and one of 3,400 elite real estate professionals in over 45 countries. It was awarded to her by the National Association of REALTORS for completing rigorous coursework devoted to learning international real estate practices and demonstrating proficiency in international business.

We are proud of Meghan and her dedication to her profession said Owen Tyler, Managing Broker and Broker-in-Charge at The Cassina Group, who also holds the CIPS designation. This prestigiousdesignation sets Meghan apart and will prove a valuable asset to her clients.

The CIPS designation is synonymous with advanced expertise, a global perspective, and distinct

understanding of a global buyer. As a designee, Webster has the knowledge and resources to

efficiently work with international buyers, including U.S. residents looking to invest overseas, foreign buyers purchasing in the United States, as well a recent immigrants who might be unfamiliar with real estate transaction practices in the United States.

Meghan Webster is an experienced broker at The Cassina Group. She holds a law degree from

Duquesne University. She is also a graduate of the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS Leadership Program and is currently participating in the South Carolina REALTORS Leadership Program.

For more information on the CIPS designation, visit http://www.nar.realtor/whycips and for more

information on The Cassina Group, please visit http://www.TheCassinaGroup.com.

About The Cassina Group

The Cassina Group is known as Charlestons innovation-driven real estate firm, with a proven

reputation for delivering stronger results through leading-edge technology and building lasting

relationships. Recent awards include top honors from Charleston Magazine, Inc. 5000 and SC Biz News. For more information, visit http://www.TheCassinaGroup.com or call 843.628.0008.
Our dedicated employees are the heart of what makes MediSked a great place to work, and they are what drive us to be the leading brand in our industry. - Doug Golub, MediSked President

MediSked, LLC, a leader in technology solutions for the human services industry, has been named as one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York State for 2017. This is the second consecutive year MediSked has been recognized with the award.

Our dedicated employees are the heart of what makes MediSked a great place to work, and they are what drive us to be the leading brand in our industry, said Doug Golub, MediSkeds president and co-founder. We value the individuality that each person brings to the table and do everything we can to create a positive and productive culture where our staff can thrive and develop personally and professionally while being a critical part of MediSkeds solutions that improve the quality of peoples lives.

Headquartered in Rochester, NY, MediSked is a trusted partner to human services organizations across the country, facilitating the delivery of long term services and supports to over 200,000 individuals across 39 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. MediSkeds comprehensive software suite includes business intelligence tools for data integration, reporting, and population health management; person-centered planning, care coordination, and collaboration tools; and an electronic records system designed to improve provider compliance and streamline service delivery, documentation, and billing.

It is an honor to receive recognition as one of the best employers in New York State, said Tom Hogan, MediSkeds executive vice president of research and compliance. MediSked is poised for a strong year of growth: our high employee satisfaction and engagement are what help us recruit the best experts in the field."

MediSked was one of seventy companies that were recognized by The New York State Society for Human Resource Management (NYS-SHRM) at a public awards dinner in Albany on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.

Created ten years ago, the awards recognize and honor employers whose practices benefit New Yorks economy and workforce. Companies are evaluated through an anonymous, two-part survey that examines an organizations employee satisfaction and engagement as well as workplace practices, policies, and systems. Annual rankings are compiled by Best Companies Group, an independent firm that manages the Best Places to Work programs on state, regional, and national levels around the world.

About MediSked

Founded in 2003, MediSked supports human services organizations across the country, delivering integrated technology solutions and expertise to improve outcomes and cost efficacy in long term services and supports delivery for state and county oversight, payers, care coordination entities, and provider agencies.

Working collaboratively with its clients and partners, MediSked has developed a full-featured software ecosystem, which includes the state-wide data aggregation tools required to support CMS Final Rule transition plans, the capabilities needed to deliver conflict-free case management, and innovations to drive operational efficiencies and improve population outcomes.

MediSked is committed to its mission to be the leading brand in holistic solutions that improve lives, drive efficiencies, and generate innovations for the human services organizations that support our community. MediSked is based in Rochester, New York and maintains offices in Lewiston, New York and Silver Spring, Maryland.
Fifth Annual DattoCon Comes to Denver This is Dattos tenth year in business, and were pulling out all the stops to present our best DattoCon ever.

Datto, the leading provider of total data protection solutions for businesses around the world, today announced that their fifth annual conference, DattoCon, will be one of the largest events of its kind in North America bringing together Managed Service Providers (MSPs), for three days of technical training, networking and educational sessions to help them grow their businesses. The conference will take place June 5-7, 2017 in Denver, CO.

Datto continues to push the envelope when it comes to bringing its partners unique and thought-provoking perspectives on their business. MSP partners who previously attended DattoCon experienced more than 41 percent year-over-year sales growth and doubled their monthly recurring revenue compared to those that did not attend.

As part of DattoCon17, former Discovery Channels: MythBusters hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman will bring their unique scientific method, charming curiosity and explosive experimentation to the stage by challenging the IT beliefs and understanding of everyone attending this years event.

This is Dattos tenth year in business, and were pulling out all the stops to present our best DattoCon ever, said Austin McChord, CEO of Datto. DattoCon has grown exponentially every year and with more than 1,000 partners expected to attend this years event, it will be the largest ever. To support that momentum, weve developed a compelling program that will dramatically impact our MSP partners ability to grow their business through shared best practices, educational sessions and networking opportunities. Plus, we have a few surprises up our sleeve.

This years event, which will include sales and marketing and technical session tracks, will be highlighted by several must-attend sessions, including:



CEO Austin McChords industry keynote and stump the CEO technical session

Managing crisis: How one MSP survived one of the nations biggest controversies

The Datto Executive Download: a panel featuring Dattos leadership team

Tips for building a highly successful MSP with limited staff

DattoCons partner panel and vendor quick-fire sessions

In addition, attendees will receive a first look at Dattos new products and updates before they are generally available. DattoCon is on pace to sell out for the third straight year in a row. Register today at http://www.dattocon.com.

About Datto

Datto protects business data and provides secure connectivity for tens of thousands of the world's fastest growing companies. Datto's Total Data Protection solutions deliver uninterrupted access to business data on site, in transit and in the cloud. Thousands of IT service providers globally rely on Datto's combination of pioneering technology and dedicated services to ensure businesses are always on, no matter what. Datto is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut and has offices in Rochester, Boston, Portland, Toronto, London, Singapore and Sydney.

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An education is more than a transaction. An education should be about inspiring and enriching.

Loren Mayshark entered Hunter College in 2008 with high hopes of gaining a masters degree in two years. Six years, two master's theses, and tens-of-thousands of dollars later, he abandoned his studies without attaining the degree. His forthcoming book is an account of his struggles, which is a microcosm of what is wrong with the US higher education system.

Mayshark's first book, Death: An Exploration, published by Red Scorpion Press, was the winner of The Fifth Annual International Beverly Hills Book Awards and has also been recognized as a finalist in the 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. Finalists will be announced in June.

Mayshark's second book, Academic Betrayal: The Bullying of a Graduate Student, is being released at the end of this month. The book is an extended personal essay by a young man with a dream of becoming a teacher and his journey in pursuit of a masters degree. Loren Mayshark entered Hunter College in 2008 with high hopes of gaining a masters degree in two years.

Six years, two master's theses, and tens-of-thousands of dollars later, he abandoned his studies without attaining the degree. Thwarted by haughty professors, an incompetent administration, and ludicrous policies, he nearly lost his desire for learning and his reverence for the educational system.

I chose Hunter College because of its solid reputation as the finest of the City University of New York (CUNY) schools. But to my surprise, as explained in the book, I experienced one of the worst nightmares a student could encounter. I later discovered that my experience is not unique, and that there are a lot of graduate students across the United States facing similar academic betrayals, says Mayshark I am excited to learn that this emotionally-charged tale already seems to be resonating and might bring awareness to the academic problems many students are forced to deal with every day in the US.

The 163-page book, Academic Betrayal, is published by Red Scorpion Press and will be released on April 27, 2017. It is available on Amazon and most bookstores in the United States and internationally.

Book preview: https://www.amazon.com/Academic-Betrayal-Bullying-Graduate-Student-ebook/dp/B071XY8PCT

Praise for Academic Betrayal: Well written, Academic Betrayal is a cautionary tale shedding light on the darker side of higher education, the hubris of some educators, and the big business focus of universities that have little regard for their most important constituent: the student. - Patricia Pihl, founder and personal historian at Real Life Legacies (reallifelegacies.com)

"Far from seeming like Mayshark has some sort of vendetta, he lays out his case carefully and meticulously. Academic Betrayal is an interesting and important account because it's a story told from the student's point of view. As such, it is useful for students wondering how to navigate a difficult system, and education reformers looking for ideas from a new perspective." Self-Publishing Review

About the Author:

Loren Mayshark is a young author from Bemus Point, New York. He is a regular contributor to Can the Man, an alternative media resource focused on social justice, and The Jovial Journey, a website dedicated to food, drink, and travel. His upbringing enabled him to travel the world, visiting over 38 foreign countries and four continents.

While living in New York City, Mayshark attended the famed Gotham Writers' Workshop and the prestigious New York Writers Workshop where he was inspired to assiduously learn the craft of writing. He is a 2004 graduate of Manhattanville College where he earned a BA in World History. Mayshark also attended the MA History program at Hunter College. He has written for the Permaculture Research Institute and Uisio among other prominent outlets.

For media inquiries regarding, Death: An Exploration and Academic Betrayal: The Bullying of a Graduate Student. Individuals are encouraged to contact Author, Loren Mayshark, directly at (631)678-1530 or via email at mayshark.lj@gmail.com. To learn more about the books or author, please visit http://www.lorenmayshark.com or on Twitter he can be found @LorenMayshark
Miami Periodontist and Dental Implant Specialist John Paul Gallardo, DDS, PA will be attending the 2017 Oral Reconstruction Foundations 2017 Symposium on Tissue Regeneration and Implant Dentistry held in Miami Beach May 4-6, 2017.

The Oral Reconstruction Foundation will present its annual Global Symposium at the Fontainebleau Hotel located in Miami Beach, FL. This annual symposium brings together thousands of doctors from all around the world. The symposium features the latest trends and technologies in dentistry by offering lectures from 29 doctors, panels, and hands-on workshops led by experts in the field.

Its important to note that Miami has become a destination for a continuing education event of this magnitude, said Dr. Gallardo. While the panel of speakers will be second to none, a big part of the education takes place in the hallways between attending colleagues.

The Symposium provides a total of 18 hours of CE credits for the 3 days of instructional and hands-on sessions.

Recognized for a myriad of advancement roles in the areas of periodontics and implant dentistry, Dr. Gallardo has presented and attended symposiums on both a national and international level. He has performed dental implant and tissue regeneration surgeries on patients from more than 38 states and 10 countries since 1994.

Having been a dentist for 25 years now, I come to appreciate more and more the critical importance of being a perpetual student and not only keeping up with technology and new techniques, but contributing to their development, said Dr. Gallardo.

A nationally recognized doctor, educator, and lecturer, Dr. Gallardo has lectured nationally and internationally to dentists and hygienists and has been sponsored by companies such as Procter and Gamble to speak on clinical topics related to gum disease and dental implants. He has been interviewed by the Miami Herald as an expert contributor to oral health-related news updates. Dr. Gallardo provides services at University of Florida to guide dental students in treatments and procedures and also hosts an Elite Doctor Study Club four times a year to bring the latest advancements in dentistry to other dentists in the area. The study club distributes knowledge and information regarding implant dentistry, its latest technology, treatments/procedures as well as discussion in clinical questions.

For more information on Dr. Gallardo, please visit http://www.miamiperio.com.
The message and engagement from the top is key. Its helped us to make wellness a standing agenda item during our all-staff meetings so all employees can hear whats going well and what the committee needs help with."

MINES has been recognized as a Health Links Certified Healthy Business Partner due to their holistic approach to creating a culture of health and safety in the workplace.

Health Links TM, a nonprofit initiative at the University of Colorado School of Public Health, recognizes businesses around the state for their excellence in workplace health and safety. Health Links assesses businesses via an online assessment tool that benchmarks their health and safety efforts. Health Links also provide businesses with expert advising by a local Lead Advisor and connects them with community resources to help them bring health to work. As a Certified Healthy Business Leader, MINES has been recognized for holding manager and supervisors accountable for supporting health and safety, integrating health and safety efforts, actively preventing workplace injuries, and extending health and safety services to employee spouses, domestic partners, dependents, and the greater community.

MINES & Associates promotes health and well-being to our clients through the services we offer as well as through community efforts. It only makes sense to promote those same ideals internally to our staff and to try and create a place thats healthy and safe to work in. We think about wellness holistically whether it be psychological, physical, financial, etc. All of the factors of a persons health are important to us. We have a very tight-knit group and we also have strong support from our CEO. He regularly checks in with staff members about their individual health and safety goals and he takes pride in keeping our workplace safe. We havent had a workers comp claim in over 14 years, and only 2 in the 35 years we have been in business! Ultimately, healthy employees are happier employees.

The message and engagement from the top is key. Its helped us to make wellness a standing agenda item during our all-staff meetings so all employees can hear whats going well and what the committee needs help with. As we are a smaller employee group, the above strategies are helpful. If we were a larger employee group we would recommend tying wellness goals to actual measurable health outcomes while paying close attention to the behavioral economics of participation.  The MINES Wellness Committee

To learn more about what MINES is doing for worksite wellness, read the interview conducted by Health Links here: https://www.healthlinkscertified.org/healthy-business/case-studies/mines-associates

###

Health Links is a nonprofit initiative from the Center for Health, Work and Environment within the Colorado School of Public Health. Health Links is made possible through a start-up grant from Pinnacol Assurance and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Hollis Family Trust. For more information, visit http://www.healthlinkscertified.org or contact Michelle Haan, at Michelle.Haan(at)healthlinkscertified(dot)org

MINES and Associates is a national business psychology firm based in Littleton Colorado. Through robust Employee Assistance Programs centered around delivering high-quality counseling services for employees and their families, industry leading Organizational Development tools, and responsive Critical Incident Support services for when our clients need us most, MINES has been at the forefront of improving employee health and wellbeing for over 36 years.

For more information on MINES, visit http://www.minesandassociates.com or call us at 1-800-873-7138 or email at info(at)minesandassociates(dot)com

Media Contacts:

Health Links

Avery Artman

(303) 724-8572

Avery.Artman(at)ucdenver(dot)edu

MINES and Associates

Nic Mckane

303-468-7651

njmckane(at)minesandassociates(dot)com
NEPC Director Kevin Welner has been awarded the 2017 American Educational Research Associations Outstanding Public Communication of Education Research Award. The award honors scholars exemplary in their capacity to communicate important education research to the public, including education communities. It recognizes a scholar who has demonstrated the capacity to deepen the publics understanding and appreciation of the value of education research in civic decision-making.

Welner is a well-known interpreter of education research for general audiences. He appears regularly in the media, presents at public forums, and has authored numerous op-ed essays on education policy topics. His work has been showcased in the Washington Post Answer Sheet blog as well as on NPRs Here and Now. In addition he was a keynote speaker at the White House Reach Higher conference Beating the Odds: Successful Strategies from Schools & Youth Agencies that Build Ladders of Opportunity.

After learning of his award, Welner commented, The accomplishments this award recognizes rest on a foundation laid over the past two decades by many others. Alex Molnars work at the Center for Education Research Analysis and Innovation (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and the Education Policy Studies Laboratory (Arizona State University); Jeanne Oakess work at the Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (UCLA); and Ken Howes work at the Education and Public Interest Center (CU Boulder) have all helped make what Im doing possible. Welner went on to note that he works with talented colleagues on the NEPC staff and across the country. The NEPC staff and NEPCs 125 fellows make enormous contributions to our collective effort. Providing high-quality research and analysis in support of democratic deliberation about education policy is the mission of NEPC. This award tells me that we are on course."

NEPC co-founder and Publications Director, Alex Molnar, praised Welner, commenting, I can think of no one more deserving of this award. It is an honor to work with such a talented and ethical scholar whose enduring commitment to equity, social justice, and democratic decision-making enrich our scholarship, improve education practice, and strengthen our civic life.

Find Documents:

Press Release: http://nepc.info/node/8605

The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: http://nepc.colorado.edu
Patricks success at Redline in building collaborative relationships with leaders of global banks provides a strong foundation for his promotion and relocation to London. John Hanna, VP of Sales, Redline.

Redline Trading Solutions, the premier provider of high-performance market data and order execution systems for automated trading, today announced Patrick Lau as Director of EMEA Sales, operating out of Redlines office in the City of London.

Patricks success at Redline in building collaborative relationships with leaders of global banks provides a strong foundation for his promotion and relocation to London, said John Hanna, VP of Sales, Redline.

Patrick joins seasoned market data and capital markets veteran Dave Carson, who leads Field Engineering for EMEA at Redline. Together, their team is tasked with expanding adoption of Redlines high-performance solutions, throughout European markets, that include market data software, enterprise data distribution, order execution engines, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service offerings.

With Redlines InRush market data solution supporting over 30 European exchanges, firms may construct a user-specified view of the Best Bid & Offer (BBO) to inform smart order routing and help achieve best execution. New exchange protocols being launched in Europe this year in preparation for MiFID II requirements are being supported by Redline, easing the compliance burden on trading firms.

Our increased focus on EMEA is a direct response to new customers drawn to our high-reliability, ultra-low latency solutions for European equities, foreign exchange, and global derivatives, adds Mark Skalabrin, CEO of Redline. An important driver of our growth is firms migrating away from legacy solutions to meet the demanding requirements of MiFID II.

For more information, contact Redline at salest@redlinetrading.com.

About Redline Trading Solutions

Redline Trading Solutions, a pre-eminent financial technology firm, empowers trading with high-performance market data and order execution solutions that solve todays toughest latency and reliability challenges while reducing costs. With offices in Boston, New York, London, Hong Kong and Belfast, Redlines customers include leading investment banks, brokers, exchanges, hedge funds, and proprietary trading firms. http://www.RedlineTrading.com

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Redline and InRush are trademarks of Redline Trading Solutions, Inc.
On Friday, April 21 the Gwinnett Tech Foundation awarded its inaugural Nana Grant to Amber Aur, a health sciences student at Gwinnett Technical College. The mission of Nana Grants is to provide childcare grants to low-income student mothers attending Georgias public technical colleges and universities.

Nana Grants offers a multi-generational approach to promoting economic mobility through education. Nana Grants gives single mothers the opportunity for a life-changing post-secondary education. At the same time, Nana Grants ensures that children in poverty receive a high-quality early-education experience.

Amber is the first student at Gwinnett Tech to receive a Nana Grant. She is currently studying Diagnostic Medical Sonography. She has a 4.0 GPA and is on track to graduate spring semester 2018. While Amber focuses on her studies her two-year-old son is enrolled and thriving at the D. Scott Hudgens, Jr. Early Education Center, located on the campus of Gwinnett Technical College. The Nana Grant and other financial support she receives from the Gwinnett Tech Foundation allows Amber to be able to afford quality early childhood education for her son, while investing in her education as well.

Amber shares, I moved to Georgia 3 years ago from Pennsylvania to pursue my career and make a better life. I dont have any family here to help with my son. If it werent for the Hudgens Early Education Center I would not be able to attend school and get a career to not only make my life better, but most importantly his. Aur continues, I was so nervous about finding a daycare center I am comfortable with. The Hudgens Center is the best place for my son while I am at school. I truly enjoy everything about it.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Gwinnett Tech is a rigorous program that requires students to take two registries  Abdomen and OBGYN. But Aur plans to push herself even further to get registered in vascular, pediatrics and breast sonography as well. She says, All of these areas have great medical advances to help discover and cure pathological diseases early and to save many lives. I hope one day to be a travel sonographer and make a difference all around the world.

We are so proud of Ambers hard work, and it is an honor to support her journey, says Erica Stephens, Executive Director of Nana Grants. I founded Nana Grants in honor of my mother and grandmother. They worked together to care for me while mom attended nursing school. Its especially fitting that our first grant has been awarded to a health sciences student.

The Nana Grant was gifted through Gwinnett Tech Foundation, which serves to support and enhance higher education at Gwinnett Tech by helping reduce financial barriers students face as they strive to reach their full potential. Mary Beth Byerly, Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Gwinnett Technical College says, Amber is a true example of how talent and tenacity, coupled with educational opportunity can propel an individual economically. Gwinnett Tech is so fortunate to have Nana Grants support for our students. Opportunities such as this scholarship is a real game changer for Amber and her family.

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About Gwinnett Tech

Gwinnett Technical College, one of Georgia's largest technical colleges, is committed to delivering relevant knowledge to meet the workforce training needs of its community. The College offers more than 140 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs and hundreds of seminars, workshops and courses providing specialized training. Gwinnett Tech is Gwinnett County's largest provider of corporate training and also serves residents and businesses in north Fulton County. Gwinnett Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Gwinnett Technical College. In addition, some college programs hold separate licensure or accreditation status with appropriate agencies. For more information, visit GwinnettTech.edu. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.

About Nana Grants

Nana Grants, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to ensuring quality, reliable child care for low-income mothers pursuing a postsecondary education. Each Nana Grant helps cover the cost of on-site technical college/university child care. Our goal is to remove the uncertainty of continuous quality child care from the equation so that student mothers can focus on their studies, graduate, and enjoy family-sustaining employment. By providing access to both quality child care and secondary education, Nana Grants strives to promote economic mobility and a family culture that values educational achievement. For more information visit nanagrants.org.
With PharmaSmart, we now offer our guests a credible, evidence-based program for blood pressure management, including full integration into our Rx Software, and a branded patient health portal.

PharmaSmart International Inc., a prominent Rochester, NY manufacturer of health screening kiosks, and developer of Health IT and health management solutions, announces their partnership with Coborns, Inc. PharmaSmart will deploy its clinically validated blood pressure Kiosk and cloud based Health IT platform across Coborns, Inc.s 36 grocery stores with pharmacies, which operate under the banners of: Coborns, Cash Wise Foods, and Market Place Foods across Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. In addition, kiosks will also be placed in the companys two clinic pharmacies and their Coborns support center in St. Cloud, MN. All kiosks will be manufactured and distributed out of PharmaSmarts Rochester, NY manufacturing facility.

The Coborns, Inc. partnership follows a string of important announcements for PharmaSmart. Most notably, PharmaSmarts signature BPT Rx integration with McKessons new Clinical Programs Solutions (CPS), a product that synchronizes PharmaSmart patient data with Mckessons EnterpriseRx pharmacy management system.

Coborns, Inc. will leverage PharmaSmarts clinical-grade program and McKessons CPS integration to drive Medicare Star Ratings objectives, specifically measures D-14 (Medication Adherence for Hypertension), and C-19 (Controlling Blood Pressure), both of which are triple-weighted measures of high interest to national and regional insurers.

For us this is more than just deploying new kiosks, said Jim Cox, Coborns, Inc.s Pharmacy Director. With PharmaSmart, we now offer our guests a credible, evidence-based program for blood pressure management, including full integration into our Rx Software, and a branded patient health portal. PharmaSmarts integrated solution allows us to easily intervene in cases where blood pressure control is not achieved, and we now have the data to demonstrate our impact on blood pressure control over a managed population.

Cox further stated, We now are in the process of negotiating remuneration with healthcare plans. PharmaSmarts respected clinical brand and healthcare toolbox have helped bring insurance partners to the table. We evaluated deploying traditional, recreational kiosks, but PharmaSmarts program better supports Coborns reputation as a trusted healthcare brand, and bolsters our credibility with physician groups, health plans, and our own pharmacists, who want to know that their patient management tools are backed by evidence.

PharmaSmart Chief Operations Officer and Head of Sales, Ashton Maaraba states, Coborns clinical commitment and investment into controlling blood pressure is further proof that pharmacists deserve provider status, in line with legislation currently before Congress. We are thrilled to be working with Coborns health & wellness specialists to target and treat uncontrolled hypertension.

About Coborns Inc.

St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborns, Inc. is an employee-owned grocery retailer with 8,000 employees and 54 stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborns, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods and Save-A-Lot banners. Coborns, Inc. also owns CobornsDelivers, an online grocery ordering and home delivery service; and stand-alone convenience, liquor, video and pharmacy locations. To support its 120 retail locations, Coborns, Inc. operates its own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center. In 2010, Coborns, Inc. was recognized as Family Business of the Year for Community Service and Philanthropy by Minnesota Business magazine. In 2011, Coborns, Inc. was recognized as Independent Retailer of the Year by Grocery Headquarters. magazine. In 2014, the companys president and CEO, Chris Coborn, was named the Grocer of the Year by the N.D. Grocers Association. In 2016, Coborns was named one of the Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune.

About PharmaSmart

PharmaSmart, headquartered in Rochester, NY, currently serves more than 7,000 locations, including retail pharmacies such as Giant Eagle Supermarkets, Brookshire Grocery Company, Kinney Drugs, Bartell Drugs, Coborns, Inc., SpartanNash, Roundys,/Marianos a division of Kroger, Associated Food Stores, Leader, Good Neighbor, Price Chopper, Astrup Drug, Winn Dixie, Big Y Foods, Harmons Grocery, Wal-Mart Canada, Safeway Canada, Loblaws, Le Groupe Jean Coutu, Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall/Katz Group, Zellers, Sobeys Lawtons, and other fine pharmacies. PharmaSmart also serves major worksites, military bases, University Schools of Pharmacy, hospitals and medical clinics.

PharmaSmarts PS Data Smart Health IT database currently holds more than (50) million targeted patient BP readings. For more information visit the company's website at http://www.PharmaSmart.com or contact corporate communications Katie Miller at (800) 781-0323 x338.
Pacific Union Financial LLC today introduced PacificPlus, an innovative new mortgage program that protects a homebuyers down payment. PacificPlus has +Plus down payment protection by ValueInsured embedded directly into the mortgage loan, and is now available nationwide through Pacific Union Financial. Purchasing a home with PacificPlus gives the homebuyer a sense of safety and security that their down payment investment is protected should the home be sold in a declining real estate market.

With PacificPlus, homebuyers can safeguard their down payment and buy with confidence. Even if they need to move and real estate market values are down when they sell, up to the full amount of their down payment may be covered and, if all program requirements are met, any potential loss would be reimbursed.

We work hard to make sure every interest of our customer is covered. We want the mortgage experience to be easy for our borrowers, but most importantly, we want them to reap every benefit possible from homeownership, said Brandon Story, Chief Strategy Officer of Pacific Union Financial. PacificPlus is another addition to the Pacific Union product offering that ensures our borrowers have the tools they need to make the right financial decisions for their situation.

Were excited to partner with Pacific Union Financial on the nationwide launch of PacificPlus, said Joe Melendez, CEO of ValueInsured. By offering their customers this homebuyer empowerment program, Pacific Union Financial joins other pioneering mortgage lenders in providing the first program that allows homebuyers to protect themselves from unpredictable market fluctuations, and significantly increase their chance of building wealth and security when they buy a home.

To learn more about purchasing a home with PacificPlus protection, and for details on program requirements, contact a Pacific Union loan officer. Visit http://pacificunionloans.com/branch-locations/ to find a loan officer near you.

About Pacific Union Financial

Pacific Union Financial, LLC is a full-service mortgage company located in Irving, Texas, with fulfillment centers in Texas, California, Virginia, and North Carolina and over 35 branches across the country. We originate and purchase residential mortgage loans through Retail, Wholesale, and Correspondent channels in addition to servicing a $23 Billion portfolio. Pacific Union Financial offers white glove service for borrowers with best to bruised credit. Visit http://www.PacificUnionFinancial.com today to see how we work hard to make mortgage easy.

About ValueInsured

Based in Dallas, PVI Agency, LLC dba ValueInsured (SM), is the only provider of down payment protection for modern homebuyers, giving them greater control and flexibility to sell their home even in a down market. ValueInsured's +PlusSM down payment protection is available nationwide and is backed by one of the world's largest re-insurance companies, with over $8 billion in capital. http://www.valueinsured.com

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www.symplr.com Im really excited to have joined symplr during this period of phenomenal growth, and I look forward to accelerating our success further.

symplrTM, a leading provider of software as a service (SaaS) based healthcare compliance and credentialing solutions, today announced that Kyle Allain has joined the company as Vice President and General Manager of Provider Management. Allain leads symplrs Cactus Provider Management sales and operations, including provider, payor and managed care solutions.

A seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare technology industry, Allain has served in a variety of senior leadership roles in client services, business development, product management and operations. He most recently worked as the Chief Operating Officer of API Healthcare, a GE Healthcare company. API Healthcare develops SaaS systems that help hospitals manage labor costs and improve workforce productivity. Previously, he led strategic client development initiatives at Cerner Corporation.

symplrs Cactus provider management platform is leagues ahead of any other product on the market in terms of delivering a complete 360-degree solution for managing all aspects of provider data, Allain said. Im really excited to have joined symplr during this period of phenomenal growth, and I look forward to accelerating our success further.

Allains extensive experience in both healthcare business operations and healthcare technology help him envision both the details of the customer experience and the high-level business benefits.

Kyles knowledge spanning product development, client services and senior-level management give him a unique perspective of the technology that healthcare organizations need, and the best way symplr can help them, said Rick Pleczko, President and CEO of symplr. We strive to be one step ahead of customer needs and with Kyle leading the charge, were well positioned to continue our thought leadership in the provider management space.

About Kyle Allain, Vice President and General Manager, Provider Management

Kyle Allain is Vice President and General Manager for symplrs Provider Management business and is responsible for leading business operations across all modules in the symplr Cactus provider management platform, including credentialing, privileging, professional practice reporting, event reporting and peer review. With more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in the healthcare industry, Allains deep knowledge helps clients improve outcomes through advanced technology solutions. His background includes roles in operations leadership, general management, professional services management, strategic partnerships, client account management, business development, and product management. Prior to joining symplr, Allain served as COO at API Healthcare, a GE Healthcare company, and a best-in-class, award-winning growth business. Previously, he led strategic client development initiatives at Cerner Corporation.

Allain holds a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from Texas A&M University, a master of engineering management degree from Northwestern University and a master of business administration degree from Northwesterns Kellogg School of Management.

About symplr

Founded in 2006, symplr is an industry leader in compliance and credentialing Software as a Service solutions that help healthcare organizations mitigate risk and ensure compliance. symplr has a single mission: to make healthcare compliance and credentialing simpler for all constituents of the healthcare community. For more information or to contact symplr, visit http://www.symplr.com/ or (866) 373-9725.
Prospective students choose Stevens knowing with confidence that they will leave here with exceptional career opportunities and ultimately a great return on their investment. - Stevens President, Nariman Farvardin

A Stevens Institute of Technology education continues to be one of the best values among the nations top colleges and universities, according to new evaluations provided by salary consultancy PayScale in its just-released 2017 College Return-on-Investment (ROI) Report on Best Value Colleges.

The report ranks Stevens 10th overall, factoring in financial aid or without financial aid, among the more than 1,400 public and private nonprofit U.S. institutions in net ROI. The College ROI Report provides information as defined by the 20-year net ROI realized by attending that institution.

Stevens has also consistently offered one of the highest returns on investment in New Jersey. The report ranks Stevens 1st in the state for ROI without factoring in financial aid, ahead of Princeton and all other New Jersey colleges.

This recognition reaffirms our outstanding reputation for laying the foundation for the long-term career success of our graduates. It is a testament to the technology-driven orientation that is at the core of a Stevens education, said Stevens President Nariman Farvardin. Our graduates are recruited into highly competitive positions by the nations top employers. Prospective students choose Stevens knowing with confidence that they will leave here with exceptional career opportunities and ultimately a great return on their investment.

Stevens also ranks well in several categories by school type, including best value engineering schools and research universities. Among engineering schools, Stevens ranked 7th, with financial aid, for its ROI behind peer institutions such as MIT, Harvey Mudd and Caltech. Stevens ranked 6th among research universities nationally.

When it comes to landing a job after graduation, Stevens students continue to excel. Stevens ranked 2nd, behind MIT, for ROI by career path in the business or finance sectors. The result is not surprising as 100 percent of graduates from the School of Business secured jobs in their fields of interest or were accepted to graduate school within six months of graduation. In addition, many graduates with engineering degrees also continue to achieve leadership roles across a variety of industries around the world.

Overall, 96 percent of the Class of 2016 secured highly competitive employment opportunities or admission into prestigious graduate programs. Of those employed, the class reported a record-high average starting salary of $67,100.

Prospective students and their parents are recognizing the value of a Stevens education, as evidenced by the significant growth in applications for both undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Since 2011, undergraduate applications have seen an incredible 105.8 percent increase. Over that same period, graduate applications rose by 139 percent.

In addition, in separate recent rankings, The Princeton Review ranked Stevens 11th in the nation for "Best Career Placement" in the 2017 edition of "Colleges That Pay You Back." Stevens ranked 5th in the nation among "The 30 U.S. Colleges Where Students Go On To Earn The Most Money" by CNBC, 2017. The University Herald also named Stevens as one of the top 5 Colleges Where Female STEM Students Flourish.

For more information about the PayScale 2017 College ROI report, visit: payscale.com/college-roi

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University, is a premier, private research university situated in Hoboken, N.J. overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Founded in 1870, technological innovation has been the hallmark and legacy of Stevens education and research programs for 147 years. Within the universitys three schools and one college, 6,600 undergraduate and graduate students collaborate with more than 290 full-time faculty members in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment to advance the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront global challenges. Stevens is home to three national research centers of excellence, as well as joint research programs focused on critical industries such as healthcare, energy, finance, defense, maritime security, STEM education and coastal sustainability. The university is consistently ranked among the nations elite for return on investment for students, career services programs and mid-career salaries of alumni. Stevens is in the midst of a 10-year strategic plan, The Future. Ours to Create., designed to further extend the Stevens legacy to create a forward-looking and far-reaching institution with global impact.
Carl Borden Breathe was inspired by Bordens own battles with depression and grief as a means to comfort others and let them know that theyre not alone.

Released on the prestigious Real Music label, Carl Bordens sophomore album Breathe is an elegant weaving of various synthesizer soundscapes and virtual instrumentation. Gently guided with the intention of creating a soothing, relaxing musical journey for the listener, Breathe was inspired by Bordens own battles with depression and grief as a means to comfort others and let them know that theyre not alone.

Having fallen in love with songwriting at the age of thirteen, Borden realized he could convey his emotions with more than just words, and at age nineteen he began composing professionally for various producers and recording artists. Since then, Borden has garnered many placements for his music in film and television shows, including Voices of the Hill, a documentary that discusses the history of a small African-American neighborhood in Twinsburg, Ohio called The Hill. Borden also co-wrote and produced the Billboard top ten hit, Home, by Dave Tolliver of Men At Large, which was later featured in the Fox television series Scream Queens on an episode called Handidates. Dedicated to his father who passed away in 1991, Bordens debut 2016 album Echoes of Bliss earned him two Global Music Awards, including one for Best New Age Album.

Born in Dayton, OH, Borden spent most of his school-age years between Winter Haven, Florida and Twinsburg Heights, OH. Hailing from a family of seven that included four sisters (of whom two have since passed away), Bordens parents purchased an old piano when he was a young child that his sisters played on as he would sit and listen. While in high school, he wrote music for an R&B group called Profile, which was comprised of himself and four friends. Borden earned an A.S. degree in Sound Technology from Valencia College in Orlando, FL where he currently resides, and he holds two technical certificates for audio production from both Valencia College and Orange Technical College.

Having composed a variety of music throughout his career, spanning the R&B, rock, country, gospel and new age/meditation genres, Borden is most influenced by music that conveys a positive message of hope and love, always striving to incorporate these concepts into every piece he composes as well. Blessed with the opportunity of creating music that helps people to heal emotionally, and ingrained with a desire to continue making a difference in peoples lives, Borden says, the message I want my listeners to receive is that no matter what their circumstances may be, sometimes you have to slow down and breatheif you just take a minute to breathe, sometimes situations dont seem as bad.

Carl Bordens Breathe begins with I Lift My Hands. This track blends together bold synth line that set the stage for the approaches and environment to follow. The four and a half minutes of this introductory song will keep listeners on the edges of their seats; Bordens ability to create such a coherent introductory statement is unparalleled.  James McQuiston, NeuFutur Magazine

Blissfully relaxing and soul-soothing, Breathe is a quintessential album to own for both recipients and practitioners of massage, healing and energy work!  Candice Michelle, Journeyscapes Radio
These program changes will facilitate the delivery of our high-quality program in an accelerated format.

Emmanuel College is introducing enhancements to its RN-to-BSN Degree Program that will help busy nursing professionals advance their careers. Beginning in the fall of 2017, Emmanuels program will allow registered nurses (RN)s to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in as few as 16 months and for as little as $14,528. These changes will enable nurses to complete their degree in a timely manner, while improving their job security and adding flexibility to their career choices.

With the revised format, Emmanuel will accept 96 transfer credits, including 40 credits awarded for an associate nursing degree or equivalent. Students are required to take eight four-credit nursing courses for a total of 32 credits. The program changes follow a detailed curriculum review process which revealed opportunities to streamline the program while continuing to deliver a comprehensive and rigorous learning experience.

Courses will be offered in a hybrid formatin-person classes will take place on Emmanuels Boston campus every other week with online learning on alternative weeks. Additionally, the length of each course will be reduced from 14 to seven weeks. This change will allow students to take two courses a semester while dedicating their attention to one course at a time. A part-time option is also available for students who wish to take one seven-week course per semester and complete the program in two and a half years.

Were thrilled to introduce these program changes to Emmanuels well-established RN-to-BSN Program, said Diane Shea, Associate Dean of Nursing at Emmanuel College. Our expert faculty, strong alumni network and location in the heart of Bostons Longwood Medical Area have always provided a winning combination for aspiring nurse leaders. These program changes will facilitate the delivery of our high-quality program in an accelerated format.

Emmanuels RN-to-BSN Program prepares registered nurses for new levels of leadership and responsibility in their own careers, while they improve the quality of patient outcomes and address the needs of diverse patient populations. Emmanuel is a supportive environment with exceptional faculty and resources, including a writing center and library. In addition, the Colleges location in the heart of Boston's Longwood Medical Areasurrounded by some of the worlds leading healthcare organizationsoffers convenient access as well as opportunities for networking and professional advancement.

For more information about Emmanuel Colleges RN-to-BSN Program, click here.

About Emmanuel College

A dynamic co-ed, residential Catholic college in the heart of Boston, Emmanuel inspires students to dream big and work hard as they discover  and begin to fulfill  their lifes purpose. Home to more than 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation and around the world, the College provides boundless opportunities for students to expand their worldview through rigorous coursework, collaborations with distinguished and dedicated faculty, participation in a vibrant campus community, and countless internship and career opportunities throughout the Boston area and beyond. Emmanuels more than 50 programs in the sciences and liberal arts foster spirited discourse and substantive learning experiences that honor the Colleges commitment to educate the whole person and provide an ethical and relevant 21st-century education. For more information, visit http://www.emmanuel.edu.
The Drum Search Awards are an event in the calendar a Search Marketing agency never wants to miss. Entries to the search awards have reportedly been higher than ever this year, with iThinkMedia in the final with some of the leading agencies in the UK.

Entering for the first time, iThinkMedia have been nominated by this national award team for Organic Team of the Year and Biddable Team of the Year. For both awards iThinkMedia have proven agency growth, innovation, successful campaigns and a high talent across SEO, PPC and content. For a small agency of 25 people, this is a huge step to getting Hertfordshire on the map within the wider Search Marketing industry.

The Drum Search Awards finals are due to take place at a black-tie ceremony in the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, London, on the 27th May 2017

Chris Ailey, Founder of iThinkMedia said:

To be nominated for two Drum awards at the first time of asking is a fantastic achievement. Im very proud of my team; they have shown that by following our ethos of hard work, innovative thinking and high quality service, it really does pay off. Its a truly exciting time to be working with iThinkMedia.

Syed Ali, Head of Search for iThinkMedia said:

The Drum Search Awards are recognising the very best work in the search industry, by awarding innovation, creativity and talent. Being a finalist really shows the high quality of work we have delivered consistently over the last few years here at iThinkMedia. Its a great achievement and a testament to our on-going and collective desire to improve and evolve."

Dominic Corr, PPC Manager for iThinkMedia said:

The Biddable Team of the Year nomination cap's off what has been a fantastic year for us as a department. A huge amount of credit must go to the team for the results and achievements theyve made along the way but also to our clients for sharing this journey with us."

The Drum Search Awards celebrate the individuals and companies at the forefront of the search Industry. Described by judges as 'the one to win' these awards provide the perfect opportunity for those entering to prove they are the best at what they do.

iThinkMedia are a specialist search engine optimisation agency based in rural Hertford just outside London

iThinkMedia is a digital marketing agency founded by Chris Ailey in 2008 and based in an 18th Century barn in idyllic Hertfordshire countryside. Growing to 25 people in 2017, iThinkMedia are renowned for their expert digital marketing expertise and are well regarded in the industry due to their principled, transparent approach to search engine marketing. Working in synergy, they offer SEO, PPC and content services to a range of businesses mixed in size and industry. Read more at http://www.ithinkmedia.co.uk

More information:

 The Drum Search Awards for information on awards and nominees: https://www.thedrumsearchawards.com/

 iThinkMedia Organic team of the year nomination: https://www.thedrumsearchawards.com/drum-search-awards-2017/organic-team-of-the-year/forming-foundations-for-greatness

 iThinkMedia Biddable team of the year nomination: https://www.thedrumsearchawards.com/drum-search-awards-2017/biddable-team-of-the-year/small-team-big-dreams-in-the-countryside-at-ithinkmedia

For more details, please contact our iThinkMedia team directly:

Mike Friend

Head of sales and marketing

mike(at)ithinkmedia.co.uk

Katie Moore

Content manager

katie(at)ithinkmedia.co.uk

Or alternatively, call our office: 01438 870 220.

Located at: iThinkMedia, The Old Barn, 2 Cole Green, Hertford, SG14 2NN.
All-Pro Bail Bonds If this legislation passes in California, which is four times larger, you can imagine annual costs of no less than $860 million.

All-Pro Bail Bonds is leading the fight against proposed legislation that could eliminate the bail industry, drive up taxes, and increase crime in the state of California, according to Steffan Gibbs, CEO of All-Pro Bail Bonds. Assembly Bill 42 would allow state judges to decide if someone should be released on their own recognizance or kept behind bars because they are too dangerous to be set free.

The bill is modeled after one in New Jersey. Proponents say it would keep defendants who cant afford bail from being held indefinitely before the trial process. Opponents say the bill comes with a hefty price tag and safety concerns. Opponents of the proposed bill feel it would require counties to conduct pre-trial assessments to determine whether someone arrested is a safety threat or at risk not to show up for court. Based on that, the judges would decide whether to release the inmate. While the legislation is aimed at reducing jail costs and overcrowding, critics say it is extremely expensive to implement. Steffan Gibbs, CEO of All-Pro Bail Bonds says, a study by Towson University shows the annual cost to operate a pre-trial division in New Jersey is $215 million. This money comes from the New Jersey taxpayers. If this legislation passes in California, which is four times larger, you can imagine annual costs of no less than $860 million.

Gibbs is also concerned about the safety risks. Early results in New Jersey show an increase in crimes committed by people who were released on their own recognizance. Gibbs spoke to two San Diego television stations, kusi.com and nbcsandiego.com about the bill.

The bill has already passed committees in the state senate and state assembly. At a hearing regarding AB 42 on Tuesday, April 18th, more than 150 bail agents voiced their opposition to the bill. In addition, lawmakers involved in the process received more than 100 letters opposing the measure. Now it moves to the Committee on Appropriations.

Besides the bail bond industry, the legislation is opposed by a number of law enforcement officials, including the district attorneys in San Diego and Los Angeles and the California Attorneys Association.
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Gore) will be featuring products from GORE Military Fabrics, GORE SKYFLEX Aerospace Materials and GORE Cables and Materials at the 2017 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Nashville, TN, April, 26-28, Booth 1045.

Gore offers an extensive collection of high-performance technical solutions that incorporate the latest materials science  ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene)  to meet the militarys complex functional needs and rigorous industry requirements. Gore products have proven themselves in the toughest military conditions, dramatically reducing program risk and ensuring the success of any mission.

Gore will be exhibiting military apparel featuring fire-resistant (FR) innovations, including GORE PYRAD Fabric Technology  an advanced laminate that offers an optimal combination of thermal / flashover burn protection, environmental protection, and comfort. This unique technology self-extinguishes flames so that the fabric does not continue to burn. Also on display will be Gores Fire-Resistant Environmental Ensemble (FREE) line designed with a Nomex outer layer, a durably waterproof, windproof, and breathable GORE-TEX membrane, and a Nomex liner. In addition, Gore will show its Intermediate Weather Outer Layer (IWOL) jacket, constructed from a MASSIF fabric featuring GORE FR Stretch technology in a revolutionary nylon-faced, flame resistant, water resistant laminate.

Gore will also exhibit its portfolio of durable GORE Cables and Materials engineered to perform reliably now and over time. Products that will be highlighted include small, lightweight high data rate cables; no-cure, sealing and surface protection GORE SKYFLEX Aerospace Materials; and excellent shielding materials.

Throughout the summit, Gore will conduct live demonstrations using the Cable Installation Simulator they developed to replicate the conditions an assembly experiences while being routed during installation in an aircraft. Gore specialists will route GORE-FLIGHT Microwave Assemblies through the simulator and evaluate performance using GORE PHASEFLEX Microwave/RF Test Assemblies. The live demo schedule (Booth 1045) is as follows:



Wednesday, April 26, 5:00 PM

Thursday and Friday, April 27-28, 1:00 PM

For more information on GORE Military Fabrics and GORE Cables and Materials, visit Gore at the 2017 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Nashville, TN, April, 26-28, in Booth 1045. Additional details can be found at gore.com/armyaviation2017.

About W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the companys portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs more than 10,000 associates with manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and China, and sales offices around the world. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. 100 Best Companies to Work For lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. Learn more at gore.com.

GORE, GORE-TEX, GORE-FLIGHT, PHASEFLEX and designs are

trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.

Nomex is a registered trademark of Dupont.
Austal USA met with Navy officials to finalize the documentation required to make the delivery of USNS Yuma (EPF 8) official. Documents were signed during a small event held onboard the ship here yesterday.

The EPF program provides the Navy with a high-speed intra-theater transport capability. The 338-foot long Yuma is an aluminum catamaran capable of transporting 600 tons, 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and is designed to operate in austere ports and waterways, providing added flexibility to U.S. warfighters worldwide. The ship's flight deck can also support flight operations for a wide variety of aircraft, including a CH-53 Super Stallion.

Its so exciting to see YUMA join the fleet; an incredible ship built by incredible people, Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle said. Whats even more exciting is seeing how our U.S. Navy is taking these great platforms and expanding their mission sets to support a wide variety of operational needs - demonstrating their value and versatility to our forward deployed Naval forces across the globe.

Todays delivery marks the eighth EPF ship delivered to the Navy as part of a contract for 12 ships worth over $1.9 billion.

Upon delivery of USNS Yuma, three additional Spearhead-class EPFs are under construction at Austals Mobile, Ala. shipyard. City of Bismarck (EPF 9) is being erected in final assembly and modules for Burlington (EPF 10) and Puerto Rico (EPF 11) are under construction in Austals module manufacturing facility.

In addition to the EPF program, Austal is also under contract to build Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy. Five LCS have been delivered while an additional six are in various stages of construction.
Im excited to take on this new role on the Board of Directors and thank Jim for his many years of leadership.

Sepsis Alliance, the nations leading sepsis advocacy organization, is pleased to announce that Steve Maupin has been elected as Chair of the organization's Board of Directors. A senior advisor at Alvarez and Marsal in San Francisco, specializing in healthcare business consulting, Maupins professional experience focuses on the convergence of high technology and medicine. He succeeds Dr. Jim OBrien, MD, MCs, who served as Board Chair for six years, and will remain on the Board of Directors.

Its been a tremendous honor to serve as the Board Chair for the last six years, and I look forward to continuing our efforts under Steves leadership, said Dr. Jim OBrien. Steve has been a terrific asset to Sepsis Alliance's mission, and Im excited to see the organization continue to grow under his direction.

Maupin has served on Sepsis Alliance's Board of Directors since January 2015, and brings valuable leadership and knowledge from his business and personal experience within the healthcare system. At Alvarez and Marsal, Maupin helps clients understand how to apply systems engineering and technology solutions to health care challenges. One of his recent engagements focused on reducing preventable harms, including sepsis, and improving patient and family engagement in critical care.

Maupin also has a strong personal interest in improving the quality of healthcare and how patients and families are engaged in the care delivery process. Having lost a wife cancer and having spent time in the ICU from medical errors during a kidney donation, he has an intimate knowledge of the challenges of navigating our complex healthcare ecosystem, as well as a firsthand appreciation for the importance of patient safety.

Im excited to take on this new role on the Board of Directors and thank Jim for his many years of leadership, said Steve Maupin.

Sepsis Alliance would like to sincerely thank Dr. OBrien for his outstanding leadership and invaluable contributions to the organization during his tenure as Board Chair.

About Sepsis Alliance

Sepsis Alliance is the nations leading sepsis advocacy organization, dedicated to saving lives by raising awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency. A 501(c)(3) organization, Sepsis Alliance was founded by Dr. Carl Flatley after the sudden, unnecessary death of his daughter Erin to a disease he had never even heard of. Sepsis Alliance produces and distributes educational materials for patients, families and health providers on sepsis prevention, early recognition and treatment. The organization also offers support to patients, sepsis survivors, and family members through its sepsis.org website which receives more than 1.5 million visits each year. The organization founded Sepsis Awareness Month in 2011, and works with partners to host community outreach events across North America. Since Sepsis Alliance began its mission, sepsis awareness has increased almost threefold, from 19% to 55%. For more information on Sepsis Alliance, a GuideStar Gold-rated charity, please visit sepsis.org.
Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, announced today it is taking a significant minority stake in Puerto Rico-based Mentor Technical Group (MTG), a leader in life sciences engineering, to add technical services and regulatory compliance to its current integrated services offer for pharmaceutical clients.

MTG provides a complete portfolio of technical engineering and regulatory compliance solutions to the FDA-regulated industry. MTGs experts ensure clients meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations for the pharmaceutical market and fulfill all global validation, calibration and metrology program requirements. In addition, MTG has a comprehensive hard FM and integrated building solutions services offering.

Sylvia Metayer, CEO, Worldwide Corporate Services segment at Sodexo, said: Facilities management in scientific and pharmaceutical environments requires highly specialized expertise and training. Combining MTGs expertise and track record working in regulated environments with Sodexos leading facilities management offering will ultimately deliver the best compliant solution at the best value to our clients in the sector.

Julian Rodriguez, Partner, MTG, said: There is real chemistry between Mentor and Sodexo. We have worked together for the past several years on multiple projects and today we are taking the partnership to the next level. Our companies have aligned vision and values: our business is about supporting life science organizations to get medicines to people as efficiently possible, while Sodexo seeks to improve peoples quality of life.

Sodexos leadership and expertise in integrated facilities management along with their global reach will enable us to expand our services beyond our current geographies. Partnering with Sodexo will bring extended personal and professional opportunities for our teams and broader, more integrated solutions for our clients.

Karen Pleva, Global Head of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences at Sodexo, said: Investing in our capability growth in scientific and technical services is a crucial pillar of our strategy for Pharma and Life Sciences. Partnering with MTG allows us to accelerate our capability development in services that are critical to our clients; in turn enabling our clients to release more and more time back to research, development and production. Theres already a strong alliance between MTG and Sodexo, as weve worked with them across several clients and have gained valuable insights from their expertise. In addition, there is a strong cultural fit and the reinforced offering will benefit our clients and lead to new opportunities for both companies.

Following this investment, Sodexo will have two seats on MTGs five-person board. MTGs current leadership team stays in place.

About Mentor Technical Group

Over the past 16 years, MTG has evolved into Puerto Ricos largest multi-disciplinary service provider to the Life Sciences and regulated industries, giving companies a competitive edge by partnering with them to provide a broad array of cost effective solutions  from unsurpassed expertise in critical utilities management, calibration, validation, metrology and compliance services to managing entire facilities. With a staff of over 500 dedicated resources, Mentor supports 9 of the top 10 Life Sciences companies in the world. Each of Mentors disciplines is supported by subject matter experts, giving clients access to specialised technical services at pace.

About Sodexo

Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over 50 years of experience: from food services, reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance, child care centers and concierge services. Sodexos success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business and financial model and its ability to continuously develop and to engage the commitment of its 425,000 employees throughout the world.

Sodexo is a member of the CAC 40 and DJSI Indices.

Key figures (as of August 31, 2016)

20.2 billion euro in consolidated revenues

425,000 employees

19th largest employer worldwide

80 countries

75 million consumers served daily

17.3 billion euro in market capitalization (as of April 12, 2017)

Sodexo North America

Sam Wells

Tel: +1 301 987 4893

samuel.wells(at)sodexo.com

Sodexo Group

Elsa Melique

Tel: +33 1 57 75 8021

elsa.melique(at)sodexo.com

Jose E. Casellas, CPA CGMA

President

jose.casellas(at)mentortg.com

Mobile: +1 787.399.0867

Office: +1 787.653.6048

Julian Rodriguez

Partner

julian.rodriguez(at)mentortg.com

Mobile: + 1 787-649-8207

Office: +1787-743-0897
Rusty Smallwood, Real Estate Owned Military Donations Team Manager for JPMorgan Chase (Center) receives the Operation Homefront Cornerstone Award from John Pray, President and CEO, Operation Homefront (far right) for his contributions to the national nonprofits mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families. Smallwood is accompanied by his wife, Pat Smallwood (far left.)

JPMorgan Chase has long supported our service members and veterans. As part of their deep appreciation of our military community, they committed to providing 1,000 mortgage-free homes to veteran families. They selected Operation Homefront as a strategic housing partner and under Rusty Smallwoods visionary leadership, we have made the dream of home ownership a reality for well over 400 deserving military families. All agree, Rustys remarkable work in support of our Homes on the Homefront program has allowed us to help our military families thrive, not simply struggle to get by, in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. said retired Brig. Gen. John I. Pray, Jr., president & CEO of Operation Homefront (far right).

Its a great honor to be recognized by our partners at Operation Homefront, but frankly, its a great privilege just to the do the work we do day in and day out in providing veterans and their families with their forever homes, said JPMorgan Chases Real Estate Owned Military Donations Team Manager Rusty Smallwood (Center). As a firm, were committed to giving back to the men and women who served and to helping empower our service members and veterans for success in their civilian lives.

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Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive  not simply struggle to get by  in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves Americas military families. For more information, visit http://www.OperationHomefront.org
We are pleased to expand our portfolio with the addition of our first new-construction dual-branded property in beautiful Elk City, said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts today announced the opening of its first new-build, dual-branded hotel, bringing the Best Western Plus and Executive Residency by Best Western brands to travelers searching for business, leisure and extended-stay accommodations in Western Oklahoma.

We are pleased to expand our portfolio with the addition of our first new-construction dual-branded property in beautiful Elk City, said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Dual-branded properties have become quite popular, as they allow developers to attract customers from two different market segments and increase the visibility for online channels representing different brands and offerings. We look forward to seeing our newest dual-brand in Elk City excel quickly.

Conveniently located halfway between Oklahoma City and Amarillo, the Best Western Plus Elk City / Executive Residency by Best Western features 10 Best Western Plus guestrooms and 60 Executive Residency guestrooms, which are serviced by a shared lobby, food and beverage offerings, a fitness center, outdoor pool and communal areas for relaxation. Executive Residency guests enjoy the added bonus of in-room kitchenettes, which include a stove top, sink, microwave and refrigerator. The hotel is located near the Elk City Municipal airport and is minutes from Elk Citys National Route 66, Old Town Complex and Transportation Museums.

We are truly honored to open Best Westerns first new-build dual-branded property and look forward to welcoming guests to our beautiful hotel, said Gregg Wahlers, general manager of the Best Western Plus Elk City/Executive Residency by Best Western. We wanted to add the extended-stay option to the regular mix of transient rooms, so that our property has the flexibility to offer guests exactly what they need. We are excited to share our Western Oklahoma hospitality with those visiting our town.

Currently, Best Western Hotels & Resorts has 26 Best Western Plus/Executive Residency by Best Western properties in the pipeline and the number is predicted to escalate.

Reservations at the Best Western Plus Elk City / Executive Residency by Best Western may be booked by calling the hotel directly at (580) 303-4851 or by calling Best Westerns 24-hour, toll-free reservations number (800)-WESTERN. Reservations are also available from Best Westerns website at bestwestern.com.

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About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:

Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers seven hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, Executive Residency by Best Western, Vib, BW Premier Collection and GLo. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including nearly sixty percent of the brands North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award in 2016, Business Travel News ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western in the top three upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands for three years in a row, and Best Western receiving five consecutive Dynatrace Best of the Web gold awards for best hotel website. Best Western has also won eight AAA/CAA Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brands commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAAs 56 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Nearly 30 million travelers are members of the brands award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. Best Westerns partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.


Global confections brand Loacker has announced the launch of their inaugural PowerMom Awards and Summit. This grand meeting of maternal minds includes an all-star panel discussion focusing on how to balance motherhood, career and self. Rounding out the event will be an awards ceremony honoring Supermodel Coco Rocha, along with a charitable donation to No Kid Hungry, followed by an evening of shopping, cocktails and mingling. The event will be held on Saturday, May 6th from 6pm  8:30pm at Canoe Studios, located at 601 W. 26th St. Ste. 1465.

The PowerMom panel discussion will include relatable topics such as My Personal Tipping Point, Overcoming Working Mom Guilt/Shame and Im Not Done Yet- The Best is Yet to Come. Participating panelists include Mindee Hardin, Inventor of Boogie Wipes, Narmeen Choudhury, PIX 11 Reporter/Anchor, Anna Fader, MommyPoppins.com Founder and Supermodel Coco Rocha. Essence Magazines Digital Content Director Yolanda Sangweni will serve as panel moderator.

Following the panel there will be a brief awards ceremony in which Coco Rocha will be honored for her admirable example in balancing motherhood with a demanding career. "Im thrilled to have a platform at Loacker's PowerMom event to speak about the most rewarding job I've ever held, that of being a mom to my daughter Ioni. I think its possible to find happiness and balance between family and career, but like everything worthwhile it takes work and constant effort. Im so excited to share my personal experiences during the panel discussion, Coco Rocha.

Recognizing the unique demands of balancing children and career, Loacker aims to empower working mothers everywhere with this PowerMom campaign. Speaking from experience, we often feel alone as we face specific challenges unique to the working mom. The PowerMom movement is designed to provide a platform for dialogue, networking, inspiration, empowerment and action. As a company, Loacker feels honored to provide the foundation for this movement. Crystal Black Davis, Vice President of Marketing/Deputy to the President, Loacker USA.

Popular parenting website Mom.me will serve as the official media partner. On the evening of Friday, May 5th, Loacker will also host an intimate media dinner at Eataly Downtowns Osteria della Pace. This exclusive, seated dinner will provide media with interview access to the PowerMom Panel.

The PowerMom Awards and Summit Presented by Loacker is a free event that is open to the public. To attend the PowerMom Awards and Summit Presented by Loacker, RSVP at http://www.imapowermom.com.

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For additional information regarding Loacker USA, visit the official website at http://www.loackerusa.com. For media credentials to attend the pre-event dinner, awards ceremony or to schedule an interview, please contact Ashli Urquhart at ashli(at)auprnyc.com. To register to attend the event, visit http://www.imapowermom.com.



ABOUT LOACKER

The name Loacker has become an internationally sought-after brand, on store shelves in more than 80 countries. Combining a love of nature with a passion for the art of baking, Loacker selects the best untreated and unmodified raw ingredients with precision and an uncompromising eye. Ingredients consist of the finest Italian hazelnuts that are freshly roasted by Loacker, real Bourbon vanilla pods, luxurious aromatic cocoa, the finest quality milk from the Alps and fresh mountain water. This results in delicious crispy wafers and chocolates created with love and family tradition.

It was over 90 years ago that the Loacker brand started in the little confectionery shop of Alfons Loacker in Bolzano, Italy. In manufacturing their products in the heart of the Italian Alps, 1000 meters above sea level, Loacker focuses precisely on the most important element: pure quality products.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES

Ashli Urquhart  Public Relations

Ashli Urquhart

ashli(at)auprnyc.com

323.547.4609
CTIS, Inc. is pleased to welcome Mr. Robert Pincus to our Board of Directors.

Mr. Pincus has an extensive, 45-year long history working in the commercial banking community, most recently for EagleBank and Eagle Bancorp, Inc., as vice chairman of the board and director until December 2016. In addition to previous appointments as president of the Washington Area Bankers Association and vice chairman of WETA public television, Mr. Pincus has served on the boards of numerous other nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, cancer centers, and foundations. He has been honored by many local organizations and publications, including recognition as one of Washingtonian Magazines 1998 Washingtonians of the Year and election to the Washington Business Hall of Fame in 2004. Mr. Pincus is a true local having received his bachelors degree from the University of Maryland and his MBA from American University.

CTIS CEO, Mr. Raj Shah, says, I am very pleased that Robert has joined our board of directors. He shares our values and our focus on innovation. With his proven track record of extraordinary leadership, we look forward to increased growth, innovation and providing the highest quality of care to serve patients better.

For more information, please contact us at info(at)ctisinc.com or visit the CTIS, Inc. website at

http://www.ctisinc.com.

About CTIS:

CTIS is a wholly owned subsidiary of CSGI. CTIS, Inc., is a leader in developing innovative solutions for the health industry across various areas of the health industry. We are a CMM I Level 3-rated small business, serving the Federal Government, commercial, and non-profit organizations in the National Capital Area for more than 25 years. CTIS has provided informatics solutions and other support services to over 30 NIH projects with the goal to provide outcome-driven IT solutions that improve productivity, efficiency, safety, and privacy.
Recently, 10 Best Franchise bestowed its April 2017 award for Best Franchise Opportunities on H&R Block, Hardees and Circle K.

Each company that is chosen by 10 Best Franchise must satisfy a number of stringent requirements in order to claim an award. Companies are evaluated on the type of franchise opportunity they offer, the ongoing support they provide to franchisees, and other factors such as helping new investors choose locations and build. A company that has received one of these awards can be trusted to provide an exceptional and potentially lucrative business opportunity.

Among the most recent winners of the award from 10 Best Franchise is H&R Block, the top franchise for April 2017. Long recognized as the industry leader in tax preparation for individuals and businesses, H&R Block is a top franchise that provides training and ongoing support for its franchisees. It is even possible for an individual to convert their existing tax preparation business into an H&R Block franchise.

Hardee's has been honored for being one of the best franchise opportunities for those wishing to open their own restaurant. Hardee's has been one of the top-ranked restaurants since it opened its first location in 1960. The mentality at this company is to embrace new owners as a part of the Hardee's family and allow them to benefit from the brand's impressive image.

Top franchise Circle K is widely regarded as one of the top convenience store chains, and they are also a 10 Best Franchise Award Winner. Brand name recognition is one of the perks of being a Circle K owner, and it is one of the few franchise opportunities that virtually guarantees success. The company provides extensive training and support to new franchisees.

The 10 Best Franchise awards are now given monthly to companies that raise the bar and provide exceptional business opportunities. Many franchise programs have joined the ranks of award winners from 10 Best Franchise.

For more details about the award winners for April 2017, visit http://www.10bestfranchise.com.
CS108 UHF handheld sled reader CSL did it again! Seven years ago, they made the impossibly-good CS101 handheld with fixed reader performance in a handheld. The CS108 is the refresh we've wanted and they have set standard for best-in-class performance in a handheld reader

Convergence Systems Limited (CSL), a global provider of passive RFID products and active RTLS equipment, today announced the CS108 UHF handheld sled reader offering the longest read range in the industry. The rugged RFID reader features seamless Bluetooth integration with Android or iPhone platforms, an optional 2D barcode module and a read range of 18 meters.

The new CS108 UHF RFID reader is designed to read and write to RAIN RFID transponders (EPC Class 1 Gen 2 /ISO18000-6C) and communicate via Bluetooth wireless technology with a variety of host devices running Apple iOS and Android operating systems. Designed for versatility, the new handheld reader is ideal for a wide range of industries and applications, including supply chain management, stock inventory control, asset and data management, and logistics.

The rugged CS108 UHF RFID reader is compatible with todays most popular devices, offers a 2D barcode option and delivers the longest read range in the industry today at 18 meters, said Jerry Garrett, CSL Managing Director. This ruggedized RFID reader is lightweight, comfortable and optimized for both long battery life and ergonomic comfort.

CSL did it again! Seven years ago, they made the impossibly-good CS101 handheld with fixed reader performance in a handheld. The CS108 is the refresh we've wanted and they have set standard for best-in-class performance in a handheld reader," said Carl Brown, CEO of SimplyRFID.

Our engineers were amazed at the performance of the CS108 UHF handheld sled reader and the readability through windshields with various compositions of safety glass for our transportation and access control applications, reported Robert Karr, STAR Systems International.

Delivering breakthrough performance, the CS108 from CSL establishes new industry benchmarks for affordability and functionality with a read range far exceeding competitive offerings. The CS108 will carry an end user price of $1,399 or $1,299, depending on barcode module option, and offer a two-year factory warranty. Availability is expected in May 2017.

CSL will demonstrate the CS108 UHF handheld sled reader in Booth #642 at RFID Journal LIVE in Phoenix, May 911, 2017.

About Convergence Systems Limited

Founded in 2000, Convergence Systems Limited is a leading design engineering and manufacturer of radio frequency ID (RFID) readers, antennas, modules, tags and custom designed OEM RFID products. CSL is unique in providing both passive Electronic Product Code (EPC) Gen 2 RFID products, as well as, a full line of active RTLS RFID products. CSL delivers a broad portfolio of RFID hardware that comply with global frequency certifications for retail applications, logistics management, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, access control, transportation and other specialized uses.

CSL maintains business operations in three locations: Hong Kong is home to product development and global sales; Dongguan, China is the manufacturing site for all products; and Dallas, Texas is the site of warehouse operations for North American sales as well as local manufacturing requirements.

A member of standards organization RAIN RFID, AIM and EPC Global, CSL is headquartered in Hong Kong with global distribution channels. For more information, visit http://www.convergence.com.hk
Through the soybean checkoff, farmers contribute one-half of one percent of the net market value of soybeans at the first point of sale to support research, marketing and education projects.

Delaware soybean farmers serving on the Delaware Soybean Board funded six research projects totaling $50,200 on topics ranging from no-till weed management to delivering nutrients via irrigation, also known as fertigation.

Projects that were funded included:

Increasing Yield and Profitability in Double-crop Soybean, led by Corey Whaley and Phillip Sylvester of the University of Delaware, $10,513.

Evaluating the Response of Full Season Soybeans to Various Soil Moisture Levels, proposed by Cory Whaley, James Adkins and Phillip Sylvester, all of the University of Delaware, $9,496.

Effect of Fertigation on Irrigated Season Soybeans to Various Soil Moisture Levels, led by Cory Whaley, James Adkins and Phillip Sylvester, $8,963.

Can Plant Population Play a Role in Reducing Lodging Losses in Soybeans from Dectes Stem Borer?, proposed by William Cissel, Phillip Sylvester and Corey Whaley, $2,409.

Weed Management for No-Till Rye Seeded Soybeans and Double-Cropped Soybeans, led by Mark VanGessel and Kurt Vollmer of the University of Delaware, $13,412.

Assessing the Impacts of Row Spacing and Fungicide Timing on Disease Control and Profitability in Double Crop Soybean Production Systems, led by Nathan Kleczewski of the University of Delaware, $5,407.

Delaware farmers plant about 180,000 acres of soybeans each year, and the crop generates approximately $60 million in value to the state. Delawares agricultural industry contributes about $8 billion per year to the Delaware economy.

The Delaware Soybean Board consists of nine farmer-directors and the Delaware Secretary of Agriculture. Funded through a one-half of one percent assessment on the net market value of soybeans at their first point of sale, the checkoff works with partners in the value chain to identify and capture opportunities that increase farmer profit potential. One-half of the soybean checkoff assessments collected by the state boards are forwarded to the United Soybean Board.

About Delaware Soybean Board: The Delaware Soybean Board administers soybean checkoff funds for soybean research, marketing and education programs in the state. One-half of the checkoff funds stay in Delaware for programs; the other half is sent to the United Soybean Board. To learn more about the Delaware Soybean Board, visit http://www.desoybeans.org.

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The Drake Law Firm, which focuses on personal injury and car accidents, was recently named a Premier Law Firm of 2017 by Newsweek. What sets my firm apart from others is the attention to each clients special needs, said Benjamin Drake, founder of the Drake Law Firm.

Attorney Drake is also celebrating his tenth anniversary of establishing Drake Law Firm. During the course of its illustrious ten years, Drake Law Firm has won numerous notable settlements and recovered millions of dollars for clients in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange County, the Bay Area and San Joaquin County, including Pedestrian v. Trust $2.1 million, Vehicle v. Vehicle $7 million, wrongful death $1.5 million, and Motorcycle v. Vehicle $1.35 million, to name a few.

Drake Law Firm is revered for treating each of his clients as individuals. His level of professionalism and compassion is unusual in the legal field, and he personally visits clients who are unable to come to his office and assures that each has an opportunity to recover and return to their previous state of living.

Benjamin Drake of Drake Law Firm is absolutely amazing. He is always available for professional and personal needs and/or advice, said client Courtney D. Not only is he extremely smart, but he gets to know you personally to better serve your needs. Hes not only helped me, but several members of my family.

About Benjamin Drake, Drake Law Firm

Benjamin Drake is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Encino Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Bar Association. Practice areas of the Drake Law Firm include personal injury, dog bites, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents, and construction accidents. For more information, please call (844) 513-7253, or visit http://www.drakelawgroup.com. The law office is located at 15456 Ventura Blvd., Suite 304, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Bernadette M. Rappold, of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will give the plenary address at this years Great Lakes Economic Forum (GLEF). Sponsored by The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) and presented this year by Toyota Canada, the Forum will take place over three days in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. Rappold will address the Forum on April 26.

A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement official, Rappold will discuss the environmental implications of President Trumps budget and policy agenda. In her address, entitled, Buckle Up for a Wild Ride: Trump and the Environment in the first 100 days, Rappold will also provide practical tips for companies, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders in light of the changing federal priorities.

The Forum brings together hundreds of industry executives, government officials, leading academics, and members of the NGO community who have a stake in growing the economy in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region safely and sustainably while improving the well-being of the regions citizens.

CGLR is a member-based organization that works to enhance regional collaboration and cross-border integration by bringing together stakeholders from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors to advance effective, coordinated, and broadly shared responses to the region's common challenges.

Registration for the forum can be found here.

Rappold, a shareholder in the firms Environmental Practice, focuses her practice on federal and state regulatory issues related to energy and the environment. Rappold has substantial litigation experience and advises clients on regulatory compliance as well as the environmental, safety, and health aspects of numerous business and real estate transactions, including water, air, and chemical hazards. She offers clients perspective gained through years of service at the EPA, as well as a proven private practice of providing practical litigation, compliance counseling, and permitting advice.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the second largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2016, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
WindShare launches new platform to crowdfund support for wind energy. If Americans invested three percent of their savings in the development of renewable energy, America would meet its Paris climate accord targets. WindShare, LLC announces its plans to help Americans do just that.

If Americans invested three percent of their savings in the development of renewable energy, America would meet its Paris climate accord targets. In honor of Earth Month, WindShare, LLC announces its plans to help Americans do just that, while providing critical financing and marketing supporting to community wind developers. WindShare, a new way for everyone to invest in clean, renewable energy, announces it is opening early sign up for its wind energy membership platform.

WindShare Founder and CEO Dan Lemberg hatched the idea while vacationing in the Caribbean. We noticed that despite the abundance of energy sources like wind and solar, which were good enough to power our boat and those around us, the islands still imported large amounts of fossil fuels. Lemberg notes. When I got back to the US, I realized many of our local communities are similar. We import our energy at the expense of the economic effect of having local, utility scale energy production. But many of the community developers were running into finance challenges. I wanted to see if we could fix that.

For consumers, WindShare works like this. A consumer becomes a member and acquires a WindShare. A WindShare lasts 20 years and pays yearly interest from the energy proceeds of community financed farms. The capital raised from WindShare is used to provide financing and marketing support of community wind projects. In return, WindShare obtains rights to a portion of the energy proceed from the wind farm, usually a 20-year energy contract. Those proceeds are used to back the returns provided to WindShare members. Returns can be withdrawn, or left to accumulate. WindShare also pays additional interest on returns based on market performance.

At the end of the 20-year energy contract, WindShare will buy back WindShares for what was paid plus a bonus based on S&P 500 performance.

For the wind industry, the purchase of WindShares provides much needed support and investment in communities across America. WindShare support of local wind projects provide communities with affordable energy, cleaner air, supplemental income for farmers, tax revenue, and jobs.

About WindShare: WindShare makes it easy for everyone to invest in renewable energy. Our unique model provides a way for consumers to support the development of community wind projects while diversifying their portfolio. WindShare members support the development of community wind projects providing energy, tax revenue and jobs for communities across America. Find out more about the WindShare movement online.
UF and every single school with a collegiate recovery community is, quite simply, the solutions to the greatest problem facing an entire generation of American youth

Life of Purpose Treatment is proud to present An Evening for Collegiate Recovery  at the University of Florida. The event will be held at 7:30 pm on May 10th at the University Auditorium.

This benefit concert, featuring Dr. Cheryl Karcher and Ken Block and Drew Copeland of Sister Hazel, will support the UF Collegiate Recovery Community (UFCRC). The concert will kick off the 5th Annual Southeastern CRC Summit hosted by the UF Counseling and Wellness Center.

The Southeastern Collegiate Recovery Community Summit is a yearly event focused on collaboration between colleges and universities in the Southeast to best support students in recovery and to celebrate recovery successes. Students and staff have opportunities to network and share their experiences.

I am so grateful to Life of Purpose for sponsoring our Evening for Collegiate Recovery, said Joan Scully, LCSW, Clinical Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Alcohol and Other Drug Services at the University of Florida. This event will help bring awareness to the solution focused efforts on campus to help students who are in recovery or looking for help with substance use disorders. It is a great honor and privilege to be on the campus where I found recovery, to bring these students the support they deserved to have a normal college experience so they do not have to choose between being in recovery and being a Gator.

Ken Block and Drew Copeland, best known as two of the five members of the platinum-selling southern rock band Sister Hazel, will bring their wildly successful tunes to an intimate acoustic show, reminiscent of their earlier performance days when they canvassed the club and coffee shop circuit as a duo from Gainesville, Florida. Block has been prolific in the studio and at live shows. He often remarks how his recovery is instrumental to his success.

Keynote speaker Dr. Cheryl Karcher, whose journey to recovery was recently featured in the New York Times will also be taking the stage on May 10th. Dr. Karcher has been a frequent dermatology expert on the Rachel Ray show, The View, The Doctors, CNN, CBS news and the Dr. Oz Show. On July 9, 2014, Dr. Karcher was very publically arrested in front of her Park Avenue office in New York City. On July 23, 2017, the New York Times showcased the story of her comeback in the Sunday Styles section. Her story is compelling and inspiring.

It is with tremendous gratitude that we support both this conference and the collegiate recovery community here at the University of Florida, stated Andrew Burki, MSW, Founder and CEO of Life of Purpose Treatment. We unfortunately find ourselves in the midst of a health pandemic that is decimating the youth of this country. The belief that it is too expensive to change the environments of emerging adults with substance use disorders and that we must therefore simply remove the young people from those environments is nothing short of the wholesale betrayal of our childrens future. The significance of UF taking a stand on behalf of these young people and their families cannot be overstated. These arent criminals, these are students and it is our collective responsibility to provide environments conducive to their success as students. UF and every single school with a collegiate recovery community is, quite simply, the solutions to the greatest problem facing an entire generation of American youth.

The University of Florida was the first in the state to develop an academic progression program that aims to provide a safe, healthy, welcoming environment for students to cultivate life skills and celebrate recovery successes.

The formal mission of the UFCRC is to provide a supportive community where students in recovery can achieve academic successes while enjoying a genuine college experience free from alcohol and drugs.

This event is open to the public, but space is limited. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. To learn more about An Evening for Collegiate Recovery, please visit: http://performingarts.ufl.edu/events/life-of-purpose-treatment-presents-an-evening-for-collegiate-recovery/

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About Life of Purpose Treatment:

Life of Purpose Treatment is the only primary care academically focused substance use disorder treatment facility located on college campuses across the United States. With facilities at the University of North Texas, near Middle Tennessee State University and at Florida Atlantic University, the program was specifically designed for emerging adults whose education has been disrupted by substance misuse.
Salus Telehealth, Inc., a market leader and trusted advisor within the telehealth industry, announces the companys VideoMedicine mobile platform has launched Quick Care, a new service offering on-demand consultations with U.S. board-certified primary care providers. Available 24 hours a day, Quick Care provides patients with the option to request and begin a consultation with a provider within a short 30-minute timeframe. The service was developed for VideoMedicine users who want immediate access to a healthcare provider for a minor illness or injury and serves as a quick, hassle-free alternative to an in-person visit to an urgent care facility.

To use the service, patients can simply log into the VideoMedicine app and click the Quick Care banner from their personal dashboard. After the patient provides a brief description of their symptoms, Quick Care alerts all available providers of the request for care. Once a provider accepts the request, the patient is notified and the video call can begin. Upon the completion of the Quick Care visit, the patient is given the option to add the provider to their personal network for easy reference if a follow-up appointment is desired or for any future appointments.

At Salus we strive to provide quality, consistent healthcare services in the most accessible and convenient way possible, says Paula Guy, CEO of Salus Telehealth. We recognized the need among VideoMedicine users to have access to an on-demand service that offered an immediate consultation, and developed Quick Care as a result. There are times when schedules are tight, or a diagnosis simply cant wait. This service allows patients to address a minor condition and receive a diagnosis in the same amount of time it would take them to find their car keys and begin driving to a doctors office.

Below is a list of the clinical services and symptoms that can be treated through Quick Care:

Minor Illnesses

Allergy symptoms

Bronchitis & coughs

Earaches & ear infections

Flu-like symptoms

Pink eye & sties

Sinus infection & congestion

Sore & strep throat

Upper respiratory infections

Urinary tract & bladder infections

Minor Injuries

Bug bites & stings

Minor burns

Minor cuts, blisters & wounds

Sprains & strains

Tick bites

Skin Conditions

Athletes foot

Chickenpox

Rashes

Cold, canker & mouth sores

Other Services

Medication Refills

To access VideoMedicines Quick Care, visit http://www.videomedicine.com or simply download the app from iTunes or Google Play. Providers interested in joining the VideoMedicine platform can learn more and register here.

# # #

About Salus Telehealth, Inc.

Salus Telehealth, Inc. is a full-service telehealth company providing expertise in the comprehensive implementation of telemedicine, along with the worlds first direct-to-consumer, free-market physician network, VideoMedicine. Offering a full solution that includes consultation, hardware and software, Salus innovation has led to the creation of a simple and easy-to-deploy e-clinical model that brings telemedicine to any market efficiently and cost-effectively. Users can easily invite their personal physicians to use the VideoMedicine platform as well, creating continuity of care with preferred providers. The resulting services and systems add value, improve quality of patient care and reduce costs for clients.

The highly experienced Salus team is available to assess, consult and deploy telemedicine solutions for states, hospitals, Integrated Delivery Networks (IDN), school systems and enterprises, as well as a broad spectrum of payors.

For more information, visit http://www.salustelehealth.com and follow Salus on Twitter.

Media Contact:

Jaymie Scotto & Associates for Salus Telehealth

866-695-3629, ext. 23

jsa_salus(at)jaymiescotto.com
One of the kids' solar science challenges included working hand-in-hand with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to construct a working solar car charging station. San Diego Solar Day is intended to motivate kids to shape the future of renewable energy within their communities now and into the future. Were not standing by as the world debates climate change," said Mike Teresso, Baker Electric Solar President Past News Releases RSS Baker Electric Solar Brings Solar...

Baker Electric Solar Wins...

Baker Electric Solar Brings Solar...

Baker Electric Solar, a full-service solar company, and Cleantech San Diego, a nonprofit trade organization supporting the regions cleantech economy, hosted the 2nd Annual San Diego Solar Day (SDSD) on Saturday, April 15 at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM).

This Earth Month celebration is the first solar-intensive middle and high school event of its kind in San Diego. Following the debut of four kid-produced Rock the Sun renewable energy short films and remarks from community leaders, kids ages 10 to 18 took part in a variety of solar science challenges. The activities included: working hand-in-hand with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to construct a working solar car charging station; building and racing mini solar race cars; watching Aurora Solar photovoltaic design demos; creating solar grasshoppers; and taking part in an interactive sun-inspired social media display. The kids also received education and clean energy job tips at college and career readiness booths staffed by community and industry professionals.

Speakers included: Sam Abed, City of Escondido, Mayor; Patricia Prado-Olmos, CSUSM, Vice President of Community Engagement; James A. Floros, Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, CEO and President; Jason Anderson, Cleantech San Diego, President and CEO; and Mike Teresso, Baker Electric Solar, President.

San Diego Solar Day is intended to motivate kids to shape the future of renewable energy within their communities now and into the future. Were not standing by as the world debates climate change and ways to encourage job growth, said Baker Electric Solar President Mike Teresso. Solar and other clean energies continue to drive a powerful new economy while providing a safe clean environment. What better way to sustain this growth and clean energy consciousness than educating and inspiring the next generation? Baker Electric Solar and Cleantech San Diego share this vision.

In sunny San Diego, solar energy has been a key part of our cleantech story since day one, and we are proud to rank #1 in the nation for solar installations, said Cleantech San Diego President and CEO Jason Anderson. San Diego Solar Day is an exciting way to not only celebrate our regions solar strengths, but to inspire and mentor the next generation of renewable energy champions, innovators, and workers.

For more information, visit https://www.bakerelectricsolar.com.

About Baker Electric Solar

San Diego-based Baker Electric Solar designs, installs and maintains solar systems for homes, commercial facilities and utility-scale projects across Southern California. As a member of the Baker family of companies, Baker Electric Solar is a BBB accredited business with an A+ rating and a recipient of the 2016 BBB Torch Award for Ethics. Baker ranks No. 23 on Solar Power World Magazines 2016 Top 50 Solar Contractors in California and No. 76 on the Top 500 Solar Contractors in North America. It was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as San Diegos No. 16 Fastest-Growing Private Company. Baker also earned the Angies List Super Service Award four consecutive years (20132016). For more information, visit https://www.bakerelectricsolar.com.

About Cleantech San Diego

Cleantech San Diego is a member-based organization that positions the greater San Diego region, including Imperial County, as a global leader in the cleantech economy. As a nonprofit organization, Cleantech San Diego is uniquely suited to support the industry by fostering collaborations across the private-public-academic landscape, leading advocacy efforts to promote cleantech priorities, and encouraging investment in the San Diego region. Cleantech San Diegos members include more than 100 local businesses, universities, governments, and nonprofits committed to advancing sustainable solutions for the benefit of the economy and the environment. For more information, visit https://www.cleantechsandiego.org.
News

From Bulgaria

Bulgarian Prosecution Raids Energy Watchdog on Malfeasance Accusations

Bulgarian watchdog faces allegations of premeditated neglect of controlling functions which could have led to higher gas prices and possible EC sanctions for state-run companies

AUTHOR: publics.bg

Entrance sign at the Bulgarian energy watchdog

 publics.bg



The Office of Bulgarias Prosecutor General announced on Monday it has raided the headquarters of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) on suspicion on malfeasance. An investigation will be launched today, aiming to find out whether the energy watchdog fulfilled its lawful duties of controlling natural gas distribution companies regarding investments pledged in their business plans. The prosecution said it will also look into a merger of companies in Sofiagas, later renamed to Overgas Mrezhi. There are suspicions that the EWRC helped keep natural gas prices at artificially high levels.

The prosecution will also investigate a claim by privately held gas supplier Overgas Inc that state-run gas transport grid operator refused it access to the grid and Bulgarias sole underground gas storage at Chiren. The prosecution considers that the energy watchdog did not react accordingly which could have contributed to the launch of an infringement procedure by the European Commission against state-owned Bulgartransgaz and Bulgargaz.

Mr. Sasho Donchev, CEO of Overgas, came under scrutiny last week, when he alleged Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov pressured him to abandon support for the political formation 'Yes,Bulgaria' ('Da, Bulgaria')

Last but not least, with the help of the National Security the prosecution said it will look into the latest pricing decisions of the EWRC regarding natural gas, district heating, and water, the latter only in Sofia. Bulgaria's National Security Agency has already seized paperwork from the EWRC.


Toronto gets a new indie; funding campaign launches for new Bay Area bookstore; Indiana's Books & Brews gets franchised; R.J. Julia's hiring criticized; and more.

Queen Books Opens in Toronto: Two former employees of Type Books have opened a new 1,700 sq.-ft. bookstore in the Leslieville neighborhood.

$50k Sought for New Bay Area Store: Marian Adducci and Shoshana Smith have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $50,000 to open Flashlight Books, a children's bookstore in Walnut Creek, Calif.

How Books and Brews Is Taking Over Indiana: The brewery-and-used bookstore chain, which has three locations, is opening its first franchise location.

R.J. Julia Hiring Practices Criticized by Wesleyan Paper: The student paper at Wesleyan University is challenging the hiring practices of R.J. Julia Bookstore, which has taken over management of the school's bookstore.

Exploring one of Ohio's Beloved Indies: A columnist for the Terre-Haute, Ind.-based Tribune-Star goes hunting for books in Cincinnati's venerable, sprawling Ohio Bookstore.

Indie Chain Expands into South Carolina: Book Warehouse, the used and remainder bookstore chain, has opened in Hilton Head.

CBC Comedy Show Mocks Bookstore Sidelines: The Irrelevant Show, a radio comedy program on the Canadian Broadcasting Services, chided bookstores for selling items other than books.
Quarto Group has made new appointments in its global sales and marketing operations following a restructuring of those functions in 2016 that created a global sales and marketing platform to service all Quarto imprints.

The global English language sales team now reports to Ken Fund, in his new role as chief operating officer, and is structured into three main channels: U.S. sales; U.K. and Europe sales, and international sales.

Tapped to head up U.K. and Europe sales is Andrew Stanley, who will join the company from Thames & Hudson July 10. Last week, Tim Loynes joined Quarto as director of childrens sales; Loynes was most recently at Abrams & Chronicle Books (the Abrams and Chronicle joint U.K. sales unit), where he was head of special sales.

In the U.S., Tara Catogge remains in her current role as v-p, sales director.

Looking after international sales, Mary Aarons has been named director sales, e-commerce and for ANZ, Canada, Asia, Latin America. Monica Baggio becomes director of sales EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Central Asia, Korea, Taiwan, India & Subcontinent.

On the marketing side, the title marketing and publicity unit now reports to David Breuer in his new role as chief creative officer for Quarto. The team is split between the U.S. and the U.K., and adult and children.

In the U.S., Kristine Anderson, who joined Quarto in March 2011, has been named adult marketing director. Anderson has over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She arrived at Quarto from LSC Communications Publishing (Dover Books) where she was v-p of marketing. Diane Naughton joined Quarto in January, as childrens marketing director.

In the U.K., Jessica Axe has been promoted to adult marketing director and Katherine Josselyn was elevated to childrens marketing director.
An Albany man was killed in a single-vehicle rollover accident Saturday afternoon in Whiteside County.

At 3:54 p.m., county deputies were dispatched to an accident on Meredosia Road near Bunker Hill Road, in Albany, according to a news release on Sunday from the Whiteside County Sheriff's Department.

A pickup truck driven by Kit "RB" Wilson, 41, of Albany, failed to negotiate a curve and traveled through a ditch, causing it to roll over multiple times and land on its tires, the release said. Mr. Wilson was ejected from the vehicle and taken to Mercy Medical Center in Clinton, Iowa, where he was pronounced dead, the release said.

A passenger in the truck, Jordan A. Tornow, 21, of Tampico, was treated at the scene for minor injuries and released.

The crash is under investigation by Whiteside County and the Illinois State Police Accident Reconstruction.

Albany EMS, Albany Fire, Erie Police Department, Fulton Police Department, Illinois State Police and Ricks Towing assisted on the scene, the release said.
DAVENPORT -- Despite the rise of Nazism and the horror of 1938's Kristallnacht, the United States and Canada would not accept European refugees. Fortunately, to escape the Holocaust, Doris Fogel and her family were able to live in a ghetto in Shanghai, China.

Among the youngest of Holocaust survivors -- she was born in 1934 in Berlin -- and 10 days from her 83rd birthday, Ms. Fogel was the keynote speaker at the 32nd-annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance program Sunday at Temple Emanuel.

"Remembrance not only obligates us to memorialize those who were killed during the Holocaust, but also reminds us of the fragility of democracy and the need for citizens to be vigilant in the protection of democratic ideals," she said.

It's important to confront hate "whenever and wherever it occurs," Ms. Fogel said. "The Holocaust is defined as much for the courage of the lost as for the cruelty of the guilty."

Eighty years ago, the world "averted its eyes as the Nazi menace threatened to consume an entire people and then proceeded to carry out its unspeakable crimes," she said. "Abandoned by their fellow human beings, they stood alone. For many of the survivors and those unable to be here today, our memories of that time -- the memories of our youth are painful."

"We lost our youth, we lost our innocence, but we survived," Ms. Fogel said.

She was 4 years old the "night of broken glass" in November 1938, which she called "the beginning of the end for the Jews in Europe," she said. Ms. Fogel's father had already died (at 29) when she was less than 2. During Kristallnacht, Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues were set ablaze "by the hands of hate," she said.

"No one could have foretold the horror and hardship the coming years would bring to millions of Jews and others," Ms. Fogel said. "Every day, I realized I was one of the lucky ones."

In January 1939, she and four other family members fled Germany for Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China. It was the only place in the world that required no entry visa or affidavit to enter, Ms. Fogel said, adding they were forced to sell most of their possessions to afford passage. "Most stepped off the boat beautifully dressed, but penniless," she said.

Between 1929 and 1941, 20,000 European Jews fled to Shanghai, she said, noting her father's parents refused to believe the coming genocide and stayed in Germany. They died in the Dachau concentration camp.

"None of us knew we were poor or felt deprived. We simply didn't know any better," Ms. Fogel said of occupied Shanghai, which didn't have running water. The Jews lived in the "poverty-stricken, filthy and unsanitary area" known as the Hongkew Ghetto, she said. "Malnutrition and disease were rampant. Many died of scarlet fever, malaria or malnutrition. Two thousand refugees died in Shanghai between 1938 and 1948."

"Overcrowding, hunger, disease, and even prostitution became facts of life," she said. In July 1942, a German colonel pressured the Japanese to liquidate the ghetto of Jews, but the plan was never implemented because the Japanese weren't interested, Ms. Fogel said.

The Japanese were sympathetic to the Jews based on support they received from a Jewish banking house in New York, and they didn't back Nazi racial policies, she said.

"Staying healthy was a constant problem," Ms. Fogel said of the ghetto. Food was rationed; when she arrived in the U.S. at 13, she weighed 65 pounds.

In the camp, they had one room for five -- they ate, slept and washed there, having to boil water to drink. There was no flush toilet. They used a small pot, and,every morning, a Chinese worker collected the excrement, Ms. Fogel said.

"When peace came to Shanghai, so did the realization of what had happened in Europe," she said. "Rage and anguish was intense as people realized families had perished."

Sponsored by a family in Peoria, Ill., she and her relatives left in April 1947 for San Francisco on a converted American troop ship. On May 17, 1947, "we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and it was an unforgettable morning," Ms. Fogel said.

"Everyone cheered and then we cried. It was hard to believe we were here at last," she said. "Then we cried again for all those who didn't make it."

"Always remember, the impossible -- the unthinkable -- happened and could happen again," she said, noting Shanghai's lessons are "about the strength of the human spirit, about hope and spirit and giving your best, even when times are the darkest."

Appeasement of "bloody tyrants does not work, and violence to minorities does violence to us all," Ms. Fogel said, calling for people to have the courage to speak out against injustice and hatred.

She attended high school and Bradley University in Peoria and lived in Fort Wayne, Ind., for 52 years before moving to Chicago. Ms. Fogel has spoken about her experience around the country and has been on the Speakers' Bureau of the Jewish Federations of North America.

"Who will bear witness to those acts of inhumanity to humanity, perpetrated in the name of a cause, in the name of a theory, all in the name of a demagogue? The answer is very simple -- each and every one of you," she said.

Temple Emanuel's rabbi, Henry Jay Karp, who has been part of every interfaith Yom Hashoah service, said: "Our purpose is not just to tell the story of bygone horrors, to tell of the dark period that once took place in human history.

"But it also is to remind us of how dark the human soul can turn, and how, in the face of darkness, each and every one of us must resolve to make ourselves a source of light, a source of strength and a source of goodness in our world -- to encourage resistance to any future holocaust."
DAVENPORT -- Something definitely was fishy Sunday at the Golden Leaf Banquet Center during the Quad City Fish Swap, where 45 vendors throughout the Midwest reeled in lots of aquatic enthusiasts.

"There's a lot of fish people in the area," said event organizer Alex Nixon, who noted there were 60 tables offering live fish (including, but not limited, to guppies, plecos, koi, African cichlids, angelfish and catfish), new and used equipment (tanks, pumps, filters and heaters) and decor (driftwood, artificial plants and art).

The swap will be held twice a year; last fall's event was at the Davenport Knights of Columbus, Mr. Nixon said. "We outgrew it, and we had to get a bigger space."

"It's a lot of fun -- it's for hobbyists, by hobbyists," he said. "We're not pros. By and large, it's people who do this in their spare time. A lot of people, they're cleaning out their closet."

"People really get into it," said Mr. Nixon, whose job is computer sales. He bought a house with a koi pond in northwest Davenport about 10 years ago and now has a two-car garage that has 50 tanks in it, he said. "It's insane. It's a hobby that's out of control, but it keeps me off the streets, so..."

Koi, during the winter, go to the bottom of the pond and don't need to be fed. "You just leave them be. You don't do anything to them," Mr. Nixon said. "In the winter time, there's nothing to do. It creeps up on you. You get a tank, some fish, and there are some really cool fish. They don't go with the tank you've got, so you get another tank. It's like anything else; you get addicted to it."

He loves angel fish and showed them off Sunday; they were very thin and barely moving. "They're very graceful. They're not kickin' the water around."

"It's kind of an addiction -- you have one set of fish, they breed, and oh, this is really cool," said Craig Pagenkopf, a dairy farmer from southwest Wisconsin who took part in his first fish swap. In his table, he sold Calico convicts (named for their stripes) and tiny Malaysian trumpet snails.

Of his marine collection, he has one 300-gallon tank at home, with 200 fish in it. Mr. Pagenkopf said his cows drink out of a water tank with goldfish that help control the algae. His milk tank is cooled by water.

Kris Yule, a carpenter from Des Moines, also used the metaphor describing his passion.

"We're addicts, especially us African cichlid people -- we're nuts," he said of his favorite fish. He's a member of CEACich Aquatics (a statewide group that seeks to educate, connect and promote the efforts of aquatic life enthusiasts). CEA stands for corals, exotics and African cichlids.

Mr. Yule shops at a fish store (a little more than an hour from his home) in Marshalltown, which had a table Sunday. "It's hard to find a local pet store that cares about people. The first time I walked in there, he spent three hours talkin' to me."

He used to have a fish store in the '90s and stopped when he had kids. Mr. Yule also bred the African fish.

"My kids are old enough now, so I asked my wife, 'There's an empty room in the basement. Why not get a fish tank?'" he said. "That was October, and now I have 14 fish tanks there."

"My wife told me I get a divorce -- at 15 tanks is a warning, and 16 tanks is a divorce."

"I keep fish, but I can't just keep a fish tank. I like them, and I have to do stuff with them. With Africans, I breed 'em," he said. "This swap is awesome. I have yet to be to a fish swap where they were outside the door waiting to get in," as they were here before noon Sunday. "This place is amazing. There's so much stuff. I can't say enough about this. Who knew there were this many fish geeks out there?"

Another of those geeks is Kasey Clark, owner of Prism Beta, based in DeKalb, named for that species of fish. "There are well over 11 species of beta, and these guys have been bred for centuries. I have the fancy kind ... with long, crazy fins and bright colors," she said.

Among the many varieties she displayed Sunday were ones imported from Indonesia, from her business partner, who sells worldwide. "He breeds specifically for the quality, the show type," Ms. Clark said, noting there are wild species from Indonesia. "I'm not a big fan of the wilds. They're a bit finicky, and they're not as brightly colored," she said. "They have their own charms."

Ms. Clark has 300 to 400 betas at home and 30 tanks. Her favorite type is called mustard gas, based on its color; one she bred has a blue body and a tail that looks like a half moon.

She's been breeding for three years. "I got a breeding pair, and it just got out of control really fast," she said. "I get a lot of collectors, a lot of repeat customers."

It's expensive to import, with usually about a $80 shipping fee. "I import so many, I get a quantity discount, so it doesn't cost me nearly as much."

Zoea Warnick started driving at 6 a.m. from Walnut, Iowa (near Omaha), for the event, and she displayed her fish art, T-shirts, decals, shells and all-natural healthy fish food (made with no preservatives).

"We have our fish regulars; we all know each other," said Ms. Warnick, an expert in shell-dwelling fish. "All I do is remember stuff on Google," she joked. The very small fish (many also from Africa) lay their eggs in shells, hide in them and breed in them.

"They each have interesting personalities," she said.
Today is Monday, April 24, the 114th day of 2017. There are 251 days left in the year.

1867 -- 150 years ago: Two women made application to Harvard University for admission to the medical school but were refused by the school officers.

1892 -- 125 years ago: James Shanks moved to Rock Island to work as night clerk in the Rock Island Lines yards under his uncle, Boston Shanks.

1917 -- 100 years ago: John Lipton was renamed chairman of the Rock Island County Board of Supervisors.

1942 -- 75 years ago: The Rev. C. George Engdahl, of First Lutheran Church, Moline, was honored on his 50th birthday and his third year as pastor of the church.

1967 -- 50 years ago: Several small tornadoes slashed into Rock Island and Henry counties yesterday afternoon, smashing farm buildings, uprooting trees and downing utility lines but somehow not causing any serious injury. The main cell swept into Rock Island County from the southwest, hitting Edgington, Taylor Ridge and Coal Valley before passing into Henry County north of Orion and nicking Geneseo.

1992 -- 25 years ago: Three of SouthPark Malls anchor stores are requesting that their property assessments be lowered by a total of $2 million, the Rock Island County Board learned Tuesday. Sears, Roebuck and Co., Von Maur, and Montgomery Wards each have filed appeals with the state Property Tax Appeal Board.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A British-Iranian woman detained in Iran while on a trip with her toddler daughter has exhausted all chance of having her five-year prison sentence overturned in court, her family said Monday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is one of several dual nationals held in Iran by hard-liners in the country's judiciary and security services on espionage charges, likely to be used as bargaining chips in future negotiations with the West.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the news agency, found out this weekend her final appeal to Iran's supreme court had been denied, her husband Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement.

Ratcliffe said he wants the British government to publicly call for Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release, rebut the Iranian spy allegations against her and have the British ambassador in Tehran visit her in prison.

She still has not been allowed to know the exact charges for which she was convicted, Ratcliffe said.

"It is a not such a surprise that this final appeal failed. We have had two secret trials and now a closed panel review," he said. "But it is still nonsense that even at this stage Nazanin still does not have firm details of the charges against her."

Iranian news agencies have said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of plotting the "soft toppling" of Iran's government. Her family says Iran's paramilitary Revolution Guard tried to get her to confess on camera she trained and recruited spies, something she refused.

"I would like to reiterate that I am entirely convinced of Nazanin's innocence," said Monique Villa, the CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "She is not a spy but an innocent mother who travelled to Iran only to show her baby to her parents."

There was no immediate reaction from Tehran on Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Iran does not recognize dual nationality and rarely allows consular visits to dual nationals in Iranian jails.

Among the dual nationals known to be held in Iran are Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his octogenarian father, Baquer Namazi, who are serving 10-year prison sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government." Iranian-American Robin Shahini is serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government," though he recently received bail.

Yet to be tried is Iranian-American Karan Vafadari, an art gallery manager held along with his Iranian wife. Iranian-Canadian national Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a member of the country's team that negotiated the nuclear deal, is believed to have been indicted.

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran 10 years ago while on an unauthorized CIA mission.
PARIS (AP)  France's political mainstream, shut out of the presidency by an angry electorate, united on Monday to call on voters to back centrist Emmanuel Macron and reject Marine Le Pen's populist nationalism.

Politicians on the moderate left and right, including the Socialist and Republicans party losers in Sunday's first-round vote, maneuvered to block Le Pen's path to power in the May 7 runoff.

Voters narrowed the presidential field from 11 to two. France's presidential election is widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave that last year prompted Britain to vote to leave the European Union and U.S. voters to elect Donald Trump president.

The defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Macron, and Le Pen's National Front is hoping to do the once unthinkable and peel away voters historically opposed to a party long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism.

"The voters who voted for Mr. Melenchon are angry voters. They can be in agreement with us," National Front Vice President Steeve Brios told The Associated Press. He said that they express a choice "outside the system."

Choosing from inside the system is no longer an option. Voters rejected the two mainstream parties that have alternated power for decades, in favor of Le Pen and the untested Macron , who has never held elected office and who founded his own political movement just last year.

Turnout was 78 percent, down slightly from 79 percent in the first round of presidential voting in 2012.

Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, whose party holds a majority in the legislature, got just 6 percent. Socialist President Francois Hollande is the most unpopular in modern French record-keeping. He didn't seek re-election.

"We are in a phase of decomposition, demolition, deconstruction," former Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls said. "We didn't do the work  intellectual, ideological and political  on what the left is, and we paid the price."

Francois Fillon, the scandal-plagued conservative Republicans candidate, fared marginally better, coming in third with just shy of 20 percent of the vote.

Both center-right and center-left fell in behind Macron, whose optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders is a stark contrast to Le Pen's darker, inward-looking "French-first" platform that calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

Le Pen went on the offensive against Macron in her first public comments Monday.

"He is a hysterical, radical 'Europeanist.' He is for total open borders. He says there is no such thing as French culture. There is not one domain that he shows one ounce of patriotism," she said.

European stock markets surged, and France's main index hit its highest level since early 2008, as investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world  and the associated potential unpredictability in policymaking  may have peaked.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel wished Macron "all the best for the next two weeks."

Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted that "the result for Emmanuel Macron shows: France AND Europe can win together! The center is stronger than the populists think!"

Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, made it to the second round against Jacques Chirac in 2002 and was crushed in the runoff. Many commentators expect the same fate for his daughter, but she has already drawn far more support than he ever did and she has transformed the party's once-pariah image.

Chirac refused to debate Jean-Marie Le Pen on principle. Macron has already agreed to share a stage with his daughter.

Le Pen offers an alternative for anyone skeptical of the EU and France's role in it, said Louis Aliot, another National Front vice president.

"I'm not convinced that the French are willing to sign a blank check to Mr. Macron," he said.

But Macron's party spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, said that Le Pen is hardly a vector of change.

"She's been in the political system for 30 years. She inherited her father's party and we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running for the next 20 years, because after we had the father, we have the daughter and we will doubtless have the niece," he said, referring to Marion Marechal-Le Pen. "So she is in a truly bad position to be talking about the elites and the people."

Macron came in first in Sunday's vote, with just over 23 percent; Marine Le Pen had 21 percent; Melenchon and Fillon each had 19 percent. Fillon, a former prime minister, bested the former Trotskyist Melenchon by just 94,998 votes.

Protesters burned cars, danced around bonfires and dodged riot police overnight at the Place de la Bastille and Republique. Twenty-nine people were detained at the Bastille, where protesters waved red flags and sang "No Marine and No Macron!" in anger at the results.
The agreement commits the authorities to push for better railway infrastructure to enhance the speed, convenience and competitiveness of services, and to improve customs procedures. In addition, information sharing platforms will be incorporated to improve safety, while a joint work team will be formed to solve problems associated with the transcontinental rail freight.

China is pushing the growth of rail freight to Europe as part of its One Belt One Road economic strategy and transit countries are steadily embracing the initiative as a means of enhancing their own infrastructure and promoting economic development.

Since the first transcontinental service was launched in 2011, the network has grown to serve 27 Chinese cities and 28 destinations across Europe.

For more on the development of China-Europe rail freight, see the April issue of IRJ p18, or click here.
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has named Thomas Gibson Vice President and Western Regional Manager of its Transit and Rail practice, based in Sacramento. Gibson is responsible for technical and operational management, project delivery, staff acquisition and business growth.

Gibson has 37 years of experience in rail systems projects throughout the U.S. and internationally, including implementation of systems and track work for a major light rail transit extension in St. Louis, procurement and manufacturing of light rail vehicles under a contract for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), and implementation of systems for the Seoul, Korea subway lines 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. In addition, he was responsible for management and oversight of general engineering consultant services for a Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Administration (MARTA) five-year track and systems project.

Gibsons expertise includes the integration of large, complex rail programs that include track work, traction power and power distribution systems (overhead contact systems and third rail), communication, signaling, centralized traffic control and vehicle systems projects. Prior to joining WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. Gibson was Vice President and Director of Transit Rail Systems Services at AECOM (12 years); Project Director at Railworks; Senior Consultant at R. V. Bravo & Associates; Director of Projects at Siemens Transportation Systems; Senior Project Manager at Day & Zimmerman; AVP International Sales and Marketing at Harmon Industries; and Director of International Sales & Marketing at Union Switch & Signal.

Gibson earned a bachelors degree in business management from Penn State University. He is a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
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North Korea's brash pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and disregard for chemical weapons norms are enormously troubling. Yet as the current unproductive exchange between that country and the United States demonstrates, China's engagement will be essential for ensuring North Korean President Kim Jong Un does not resort to the use of chemical weapons. Such a strategic miscalculation could be the spark that could bring the region to war.

Over the weekend, North Korea followed a parade of new missiles and launchers with another show of power that failed spectacularlya missile blew up soon after launching. But while the world is nervously trying to gauge North Korea's nuclear capabilities, chemical weapons are said to be firmly within North Korea's grasp and could be used against a neighboring country, with devastating consequences for all.

North Korea, which remains outside of the Chemical Weapons Convention, is reported to possess up to 5,000 tons of 25 chemical agents and has been implicated in the recent assassination of the North Korean president's half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, in Malaysia. The weapon of choice was reportedly the lethal nerve agent VX.

The U.S. responded to the chemical attacks earlier this month in Syria with a military strike on a Syrian airbase that U.S. officials said was home to the warplanes that had carried out the chemical weapons attack. However, the launching of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles cannot be looked at as a model response to be repeated in North Korea. The stakes are far too high and the chances of a strategic miscalculation too great.

In Syria, the focus was internal. Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. A horrific act, yet contained within the Syrian borders. The act was clearly a crime against humanity, and it would be appropriate for the International Criminal Court to indict Assad.

Should Kim decide to employ chemical weapons, the targets would probably be external, likely South Korea or Japan, or perhaps even U.S. forces in the region. In any case, such an attack would place the United States and its close allies in a dangerous predicament.

Nations throughout the region would certainly, and swiftly, call for military action. South Korea would likely see this as the opening salvo in a return to open hostilities. Japan remains sensitive about this issue following the deadly 1995 sarin nerve gas attacks on Tokyo by the cult Aum Shinrikyo. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has already expressed concern about North Korea's possible use of chemical weapons, speculating in front of parliament that North Korea may already have the capability to put chemical warheads on missiles. Both governments would undoubtedly be under great pressure to respond should a chemical attack occur.

Furthermore, the U.S. has maintained a presence in the region for almost 70 years, clearly establishing Japan and South Korea as key allies with vital national interests to be defended. Pressure to defend these key allies would be considerable and immediate.

However, even a reaction that would include limited strikes, such as those against the Syrian airbase, could be taken as the leading edge of operations to bring down the North Korean regime by force. The result could be the shelling of Seoul, a city of over 10 million people, with catastrophic consequences. The counterpunch to such a North Korean action by allied forces would likely be equally swift, resulting in a return to open hostilities on the Korean Peninsula.

To prevent the unthinkable from occurring, the North Koreans must be dissuaded from using chemical weapons. They must be convinced that the use of chemical weapons is a red line that cannot be crossed. China should consider being the messenger for this message.

China also should consider taking an active, forward-looking approach to prevent the use of chemical weapons by North Korea. When Syria deployed chemical weapons, there was speculation that Russia may have been complicit or at least aware of plans to conduct the attack.

There can be no ambiguity about the consequences of the use of chemical weapons. China would need to make clear that the result would be a severing of diplomatic ties between the two nations, closing of the China-North Korea border, an embargo for all trade that is occurring to include humanitarian support, and active global condemnation led by China as a result of chemical weapons use.

Should North Korea fail to be dissuaded from launching a chemical attack, any response should be coordinated with allies in the region and not result from a unilateral decision by the United States as was done in response to Syria. Such a response would do well to include the full authority of the United Nations and be executed by an international coalition.

Finally, the norms against the use of weapons of mass destruction, which includes chemical weapons, could be strengthened. The U.S. strike against the Syrian airbase should only serve as a first response to Assad's use of chemical weapons. The international community could continue to put pressure on Assad, with regime change and transition of power as the only acceptable outcome.

A strong message needs to be sent that the use of weapons of mass destruction will not be tolerated.

Daniel M. Gerstein works at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and is an adjunct professor at American University. He was the undersecretary (acting) and deputy undersecretary in the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security from 2011-2014.

This commentary originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report 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.
Official statements and public discussions on China's willingness to punish or otherwise influence North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a direction favorable to U.S. interests have been markedly optimistic in recent days. In an interview April 19, Vice President Mike Pence said China is taking unprecedented steps to economically isolate North Korea. Esteemed China observer John Pomfret of the Washington Post believes that Beijing is in the process of reconsidering its position on North Korea, in large part driven by Trump administration statements and actions.

At least on the surface, it appears that Chinese President Xi Jinping is giving President Donald Trump something to work with. In February, Beijing stated that it would no longer accept coal imports from Pyongyang and, most importantly, it followed through by rejecting coal deliveries by North Korean ships this month. Following the Trump-Xi summit at Mar-a-Lago and North Korea's latest failed missile test, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster stated in April that there was an international consensus, including the Chinese and the Chinese leadership, that this is a situation that just can't continue.

While encouraging, these Chinese moves are probably motivated more by Xi's desire to project goodwill with the new administration than to help resolve the North Korea problem. Unfortunately, Beijing has shown time and again that its strategic interests in ensuring a stable North Korea along its border override its desire to cooperate with Washington and other members of the six-party talks to denuclearize the peninsula. This means that the Chinese leadership intends to prop up the regime to prevent an influx of North Korean refugees over its shared border and to retain a buffer zone between itself and a potential future unified Korean military force aligned with the U.S. and Japan.

Indeed, China's past behavior is indicative of an approach designed to maintain the status quo. After Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February 2013, for instance, Beijing implemented a range of measures, including new trade sanctions and reductions in energy supplies to the North, but nevertheless decided to continue routine diplomatic and economic relations. Following North Korea's fifth nuclear test in March 2016, Beijing attempted to retain the livelihood loophole to ensure that the United Nations Security Council sanctions were focused only on eliminating funding for the nuclear program instead of threatening regime stability. This meant that Beijing could continue to receive North Korean coalnot an insignificant development, since coal makes up 40 percent of the regime's exports. Whether Beijing decides to uphold its recent suspension of coal imports will therefore be a key indicator in deciphering whether it plans to put heavy pressure on the North.

China has signaled that it would rather engage and support than punish North Korea.

More recently, China has signaled that it would rather engage and support than punish North Korea. Beijing revealed in April, for instance, that despite its decision to suspend North Korean coal imports, their bilateral trade relationship grew by 37.4 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to 2016, with surges in both imports and exports. Additionally, for years, Chinese front companies and banks have been assisting Pyongyang to evade the scrutiny of international sanctions, enabling the regime to acquire the financing to purchase critical technologies for its nuclear program. It has only become more difficult to assess Beijing's role in such networks since, according to former State Department senior counterproliferation official Vann Van Diepen, who said, China hasn't devoted the priority, effort, or resources to thwart this.

To be sure, China is becoming increasingly frustrated with Kim, whether as the result of nuclear or missile tests, or other provocations such as Kim's likely authorization of the assassination in Malaysia of his elder brother, Kim Jong Nam, who had lived under Chinese protection for over a decade. In this context, it was all the more significant that the semi-official mouthpiece of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Global Times, published an op-ed in April underscoring Beijing's opposition to Kim's hostile regime and outlining, in the most detail to date, how China would seek to stabilize its border were the regime to fallin effect implying to Kim that Beijing does not necessarily view the existence of his regime as indispensable to stability. Beijing's decision to suspend coal imports from the North occurred right afterward, which might not have been a coincidence.

Regardless, China's continued support and protection of the North should significantly temper U.S. policymaker expectations of Beijing's willingness to go much further. Trump's tweetI have great confidence that China will properly deal with North Korea. If they are unable to do so, the U.S., with its allies, will! U.S.A.probably strikes the right tone, which is to say that Washington should hope that China wields its leverage, but also be prepared with a Plan B if it does not. Pressure on Beijing of this sort can be productive and healthy for U.S.-China relations, so long as it is accompanied by transparency on both sides. Without it, the chances of misperception and thus miscalculation only rise, with enormous implications for regional security and stability.

Policymakers should also be skeptical that a grand bargain to resolve the North Korean issue could be reached by offering better trade relations with Beijing. If it were possible, which is doubtful, the Chinese would look beyond trade to sensitive geopolitical issues. Beijing would certainly negotiate hard to get Washington to withdraw its recently deployed Theater High Altitude Air Defense to South Korea, and might seek U.S. acceptance of its claims in the South China Sea and resolution of Taiwan's political future as well. Instead, the Trump administration probably has a better chance of influencing Chinese behavior by worrying Beijing that not cooperating will yield a worse North Korean future than cooperation.

Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation. He formerly served at the Defense Intelligence Agency as the daily intelligence briefer to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs at the Pentagon. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

This commentary originally appeared on The Cipher Brief on April 23, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Moscow court dismisses lawsuit filed by Jehovahs Witnesses over suspension of activities

MOSCOW, April 24 (RAPSI)  The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Jehovah's Witnesses against Russian Justice Ministry over suspension of the organizations activities in Russia, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Monday.

On March 15, the Justice Ministry has suspended activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses until the Supreme Courts review of a petition filed by authorities asking to declare religious organization extremist. On April 20, Russias Supreme Court banned the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist organization. The Centre and all its 395 branches are to be liquidated.

Jehovah's Witnesses claim that such actions as the Ministrys lawsuit over liquidation are perpetrated to limit religious freedoms and that 175,000 followers of the organization will be affected.

According to the Justice Ministry, violations of the law On Combatting Extremism were revealed during inspection conducted in the organization. The Prosecutor Generals Offices notice concerning inadmissibility of carrying out extremist activities by Jehovah's Witnesses has taken effect, the Ministry said. Since 2009, 95 materials distributed by the organization in Russia have been declared extremist and 8 Jehovah's Witnesses branches have been liquidated.

Jehovahs Witnesses organization has had many legal problems in Russia.

On January 25, chairman of the Jehovahs Witnesses branch in the town of Dzerzhinsk was fined 4,000 rubles ($67) for keeping and distributing extremist literature banned in Russia.

On October 12, 2015, a court in the Jewish Autonomous Region ruled to ban a branch of The Jehovahs Witnesses in Birobidzhan because of distributing extremist literature by the organization.

On June 16, 2015, Russias Supreme Court declared The Jehovahs Witnesses of Stary Oskol in the Belgorod Region an extremist organization and ruled to liquidate it.

On June 9, 2015, the Jehovahs Witnesses of Belgorod was banned as extremist organization.

In March 2015, a court in Tyumen fined the organization 50,000 rubles ($792) and seized prohibited literature.

In January 2014, a court in Kurgan ruled to ban the organizations booklets as extremist. The books talk about how to have a happy life, what you can hope for, how to develop good relations with God and what you should know about God and its meaning.

In late December 2013, the leader of the organizations group in Tobolsk, Siberia was charged with extremism and the prevention of a blood transfusion that nearly led to the death of a female member of the group.

In 2004, a court in Moscow dissolved and banned a Jehovahs Witnesses group on charges of recruiting children, encouraging believers to break from their families, inciting suicide and preventing believers from accepting medical assistance.

Jehovah's Witnesses is an international religious organization based in Brooklyn, New York. Since 2004 several branches and chapters of the organization were banned and shut down in various regions of Russia.
Russian lawmakers propose prison terms for illegal enrichment

MOSCOW, April 24 (RAPSI)  Lawmakers from A Just Russia party have submitted a bill to the State Duma on punishment of up to 7 years in prison for illegal enrichment, according to the database of the parliaments lower house.

The bill would amend the Russian Criminal Code by introducing such element of crime as illegal enrichment. Unjust enrichment is major overrun on the cost of officials assets over the level of legal income of such individuals, an explanatory note to the document reads.

These offenses would be punished with fines in the amount of fivefold sum of an individuals enrichment with deprivation of the right to occupy determined posts for up to 3 years, or imprisonment of up to 2 years plus fines.

Officials holding public offices would face fines in the amount of up to tenfold sum of illegal enrichment with deprivation of the right to hold determined positions for up to 3 years or prison terms of up to 3 years with fines.

Large unjust enrichment would result in imprisonment of up to 5 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for up to 3 years plus fines.

The same offenses committed on especially large scale would be punishable by prison terms of up to 7 years with fines in the amount of fivefold sum of illegal enrichment, an explanatory note to the bill reads.
Jacob L. Shapiro is the Director of Analysis at Geopolitical Futures. This piece is part of a special RCW series on the U.S.-China geopolitical relationship. The views expressed here are the authors own.

Donald Trumps election has not heralded a new phase in U.S.-China relations.

President Trump has gone from saying China cannot be allowed to continue to rape the United States to tweeting about how he plans to offer Beijing a trade deal in return for solving the North Korea problem. Trump did not label China a currency manipulator as he had promised to do, and the U.S. president accepted the One China policy despite prior intimations that he would not. U.S. activity in the South China Sea is not appreciably different to what it was under former President Barack Obamas administration. Trumps about-face is rooted in both countries imperatives and constraints. The United States and China have a cooperative and at times contentious relationship. This is because of geopolitics and does not depend on who sits in the Oval Office.

The Phases of PRC-U.S. Relations

Since Mao Zedong declared the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, U.S.-China relations have moved through three distinct phases. The first phase lasted from 1949 to 1972. The main feature of the relationship was that the United States and China were on opposite sides of the Cold War. The second phase lasted from 1972 to 1991 and amounted to a complete reversal. China feared the Soviet Union, and the United States was reeling from the Vietnam War. The two countries solidified a more cooperative relationship grounded in a shared geopolitical interest in limiting Soviet power. The third phase began with the Soviet Unions fall in 1991 and continues to the present. This phase has two defining features. The first is economic interdependence. The second is the absence of the Soviet Union as a common enemy and the re-emergence of opposing interests.

Since these two features define current relations between the United States and China, it is worth addressing them in more depth, starting with the interdependent relationship. China grew to become the second-largest economy in the world by relying on exports. Its substantial population allowed China to produce large amounts of goods at a lower cost than most countries. The result was that companies moved their production and assembly operations to China to drive down costs. This had many consequences, but three are of geopolitical importance. First, the United States became the largest destination for Chinese exports. Second, China became the largest source of U.S. imports. Third, millions of American workers lost their jobs because factories in the United States relocated their operations to China.

The intertwining of the U.S. and Chinese economies created new constraints on both sides of the relationship. For China, domestic economic considerations play a larger role than foreign policy disagreements when it comes to relations with the United States. China has reached the limits of export-based high growth because the price of labor in the country has gone up. The problem for Beijing is that Chinese growth peaked before its benefits spread to all segments of society. Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty since 1980, but as of 2010, more than 360 million people in China still lived on less than $3.10 a day. Furthermore, these Chinese citizens face uncertain prospects at best for finding better-paying jobs. Chinas problem now is not specifically poverty, but the drying up of a predictable path to economic prosperity.

China is attempting to shift the focus of its economy toward domestic consumption. But people must have money to consume, and hundreds of millions of people in China do not. This means two things. First, China must prolong export-led growth for as long as it can. It needs to preserve access to the U.S. market, which remains the largest market for Chinese goods in the world. Second, China must find new markets. This is the real goal behind the vaunted One Belt, One Road initiative. China will spend massive amounts of money on infrastructure in other countries if those countries can become markets for Chinese goods in the future. The problem with this strategy is it assumes that infrastructure in a region like the Caucasus can be made secure and that countries like Uzbekistan and Armenia will consume large amounts of Chinese goods.

In the United States, economic interdependence with China has also created constraints. Trump won the U.S. election by securing the votes of lower- and middle-class Americans who either lost their jobs or saw stagnant growth in their earnings. For these voters, Make America Great Again meant that they would get their jobs back and that their children would be able to find well-paid work. But Trump cannot snap his fingers and make those jobs reappear. Furthermore, anything Trump does to try and bring those jobs back to the United States will harm the very people who need help the most.

American consumers are addicted to cheap imports from China and other countries. More than 20 percent of all U.S. imports come from China. Trump could try to raise tariffs and enact protectionist policies, but he faces two problems. First, the president has relatively limited power to raise tariffs except during times of war or when the countrys national security is at stake. Trump would have a difficult time making that argument. He has already experienced the judiciarys power to check the authority of the executive. Furthermore, his own party has long been the party of free trade, and Trumps low approval ratings do not give him the power to compel congressmen to fall in line.

The second constraint holding back Trump from enacting protectionist policies is the effect it would have on the class of Americans who elected him. These voters enjoy the benefits of having goods produced cheaply overseas. Introducing tariffs would raise costs for consumers. American production could not replace imports overnight, and once it did, the price of goods would increase. That does not work for Trump. Midterm elections are a year and a half away, and Trump must be able to show results to his constituents. A trade war with China would not help him do so.

The second defining feature of the current U.S.-China relationship is the absence of a common enemy. The United States and China set aside their differences over Taiwan in 1972 because it was more important for both countries to cooperate when it came to the Soviet Union than it was to squabble on a comparatively minor issue. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the general weakness of its successor, the Russian Federation, eliminated one of the main strategic interests the United States and China shared.

Charades on the Peninsula

The collapse of the Soviet Union also changed the geopolitics of the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Both China and the Soviet Union had treaties with North Korea, but the fall of the Soviet Union increased Chinas influence in Pyongyang. Here the United States and China also have divergent interests. Beijing wants to see a pro-China Korean Peninsula. That is beyond its grasp, so instead it seeks to maintain the status quo: a divided Korean Peninsula, with the North in Beijings sphere of influence. The United States wants to see a unified, pro-U.S. Korean Peninsula. But in the absence of that, Washington will accept a secure South Korea and a regime in Pyongyang without nuclear capabilities. The situation on the Korean Peninsula became another point of friction as well as cooperation between the United States and China in the 1990s and 2000s. But Kim Jong Uns progress in the development of a deliverable nuclear weapon over the last two years has elevated the importance of North Korea in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship.

Recent events in North Korea challenge the U.S. imperative to see a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. The United States would prefer that China manage this problem in a way that maintains the status quo. If China will not or cannot do this, the United States has threatened to take steps to ensure its interests on the Korean Peninsula are secured. This is a game of charades that has been played multiple times since 1991. China uses North Korea to increase its leverage at the bargaining table with the United States when it comes to issues like trade. Washington protests, and China gets North Korea to fall back in line. But now, Beijings control over Pyongyang is questionable. If China is unable to influence the North Korean regime, the United States will be more willing to intervene.

The hope is that Beijings influence remains strong enough to rein in Pyongyang, but hope is not a solid basis for action. When Kim executes family members with anti-aircraft guns and seems to be making progress in developing not just a nuclear weapons program but also a deliverable nuclear weapon, it raises doubts about Chinas level of control and Pyongyangs intentions. The question of how much power Beijing has over Pyongyang is now at the center of U.S.-China relations. Chinas ability to sway the North Koreans will determine whether these relations remain within the current pattern or revert to an earlier form. The most likely scenario is that China will play its part and North Korea will find some way to back down. The United States has sent an aircraft carrier strike group in the western Pacific to remind both Pyongyang and Beijing what could happen if they dont.
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UGA, much like the rest of the United States, has found itself in the midst of sparring opin
For the first time, India may export mangoes to Australia that meet biosecurity standards of the country after Canberra revised phyto-sanitary protocols for the king of fruits.

Robert Gray, chief executive of Australian Mango Industry Association, said Indian mangoes would be for sale outside of the Australian mango season.

However, the fruit has to meet biosecurity standards including irradiation before they are exported, he said.

The phyto-sanitary (related with plants) norms requires irradiation treatment and inspection prior to the shipment.

"Our position is that, as part of the global trade, if we want access to other countries around the world [to export Australian mangoes], then providing the protocol is safe and not bringing in any pests or diseases, then we're supportive of other countries having access into our market," he said, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mexico, the Philippines and Pakistan have previously exported mangoes to Australia over the years.

He said India had started exporting mangoes to the US as well, but it was hard to know what type of volumes would be sent to Australia.

"While India is a huge mango-growing country, their export business is a bit like ours," he said.

"[India will be] targeting affluent markets, markets where they can place small quantities of very high-value product," Gray said.

The report quoted Kaushal Khakhar, chief executive of Kay Bee Exports, as saying that all shipments to Australia would be sent by air, and the company would initially focus on exporting the Alphonso and Kesar varieties of mango.

"Alphonso is slightly tricky but handled well it is one of the best varieties in India," he said.

"Kesar is the best commercial variety because it has a good price, good flavour, and it handles very well," Khakhar said.

He said the opportunity to export mangoes to Australia first opened up several years ago, but the revised protocol has made it a more viable option.

Indian mango exports are likely to surpass last year's level and touch the 50,000-tonne mark in the ongoing fiscal, buoyed by strong demand and supply of export quality fruit, India's Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority had earlier said.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters.
Some decades ago, nearly 90 per cent of Nattukottai Chettiars were entrepreneurs; this has dropped to 15 per cent. The community plans to reverse the numbers through know-how, family support, funding and networking. T E Narasimhan reports.

IMAGE: The Nattukottai Chettiars -- a community with prominent members like former finance minister P Chidambaram -- are known for their business acumen and have created successful business houses in India over the past 150 years. Some of the well-known business houses include the Murugappa Group, the Chettinad Group, AVM Studios, and the MA Chidambaram Group. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/Getty Images .

The Nattukottai Chettiars, which have prominent members like P Chidambaram and A Vellayan, are planning to launch a 500 crore fund to revive entrepreneurship among the community.

The decision was taken at the International Business Conference of Nagarathars held in the United Arab Emirates this month. The conference is held every two years to inspire and empower the growing Nagarathar business community.

The first two such conferences were held in 2013 and 2015.

The focus in 2013 was to instill the legacy of lost entrepreneurship and facilitate networking opportunities among fellow Nagarathars.

In 2015, the objective was to inspire youth to be entrepreneurial.

The Nagarathar

community legacy Thriving mercantile community of South India gave many prominent banks and business houses to the country With 35,000-40,000 familes, the net worth of this community is estimated to be around Rs 1 lakh crore Turnover of companies owned and run by the community members is estimated to be Rs 30,000-40,000 crore per annum spread across Sivaganga and Pudukottai districts, Chennai, Singapore, Malaysia and the US Business interest ranges from pharma, finance, leather, paper industry, owning tea estates and trading Top groups include Murugappa, Chettinad, SPIC, AVM, Thyagaraja Group, Karumuthu and Loyal Textiles

This year's conference looked at know-how, family support, funding and networking, said Chockalingam Annamalai, who hails from the community and is now a banker in the UAE.

Business forums for know-how and support are being planned in all cities across the world where Nagarathars live. They have also tied up with JJ College in Pudukottai, which runs courses on entrepreneurship, and the Indira Gandhi National Open University. The forum will support Nagarathars to join this course.

An online platform was also created to bring angel investors and entrepreneurs together. The angel investors will mentor, invest and provide consultancy.

The conference has also decided to launch a Nagarathar fund with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore that will be increased to 500 crore in the next five years. The fund, which will be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, will have five segments: venture capital, angel investment, crowd funding, working capital and B2B. Five managers, including TiE, would be roped in to manage these funds, said Annamalai.

"Initially, we are looking at mobilising money from corporates and individuals within the community," he added.

These initiatives are designed to revive the spirit of entrepreneurship in the community. Some decades ago, nearly 90 per cent of community members were entrepreneurs, specialising mainly in finance. This has dropped to 15 per cent.

"Over the next 15 years, we want to reverse it to 90 per cent," said Annamalai. Sources said a chamber of commerce floated for the community was planning to launch a venture capital fund with a corpus of 20 crore.

Nagarathars are known for their business acumen and have created successful business houses in India over the past 150 years. Some of the well-known business houses include the Murugappa Group, the Chettinad Group, AVM Studios, and the MA Chidambaram Group.
Infrastructure stocks are once again gaining traction.

Hamsini Karthik lists 5 stocks that can return good profits for investors.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

While the mention of infrastructure usually prompts investors to look at stocks such as Siemens, BHEL, L&T and ABB India, there are mid-cap stocks such as VA Tech Wabag, Jain Irrigation, Greaves Cotton, Carborundum Universal and Sintex Industries, which investors can look at, given the niche segments they cater for.

Being uniquely positioned, most of these companies were vulnerable to the pressures of demonetisation as their clients were sensitive to such unforeseen events.

However, the recovery has been convincing since then and companies expect a steep improvement in FY18 in terms of profitability and ordering activities.

Carborundum Universal

Carborundum Universal, or CUMI, is among globally renowned abrasives manufacturers with fully integrated operations, and could benefit from recovery in economic growth and infra spending.

Apart from abrasives, which account for 41 per cent of its revenues, it also draws support from segments such as industrial ceramics and electro minerals.

These segments have a higher exposure to the domestic market and hence suffered from the lack of orders and execution support.

Analysts at IIFL expect an acceleration in FY18 as domestic demand picks up.

The ramping up of relocated capacities and superior product mix, coupled with higher execution, is expected to lead to 13 per cent operating profit growth by FY19, according to the analysts' estimates.

Kotak Securities analysts, in a recent report, estimate the company's net profit to almost double from an estimated Rs 170 crore in FY17 to Rs 310 crore in FY19.

Greaves Cotton

Greaves Cotton is among the largest manufacturers of single-cylinder (diesel and gasoline engines) and dual-cylinder engines, which are used in autorickshaws and small commercial vehicles.

With a 35 per cent market share, it comes second to Bajaj Auto.

Adopting BS-IV engines will lend maximum support to its automobiles segment, which accounts for about half of its revenues.

Analysts at ICICI Securities say the change in compliance will lead to increase in prices of engines by 8 to 10 per cent, which will be reflected in FY18 earnings.

A pick-up in the non-auto segment such as farm equipment, auxiliary power and services businesses will aid growth.

ICICI Securities feels these segments might grow at 10 to 15 per cent in the next fiscal year, thus aiding an overall growth rate of 16 per cent in FY18.

Jain Irrigation

It is India's largest micro irrigation company and has held its market leadership in this segment for the past six years.

Jain Irrigation also operates in segments such as piping systems, agro processing and plastic sheets.

The goods and sales tax regime would help the firm face challenges from unorganised players.

An increased thrust on rural spending and efforts to improve agriculture would help.

However, being focused on rural and semi urban regions, its execution was adversely affected in the December quarter, which, analysts say, is an aberration.

Those at Edelweiss expect Jain Irrigation's revenues and net profits to increase by 13 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively, between FY17 and FY19.

A reduction in the interest outflow will also aid higher net profit growth.

Sintex Industries

Being a market leader in plastic prefab and storage tanks with a 40 per cent market share, Sintex makes a wide range of plastic products. Its custom-moulding segment provides 44 per cent of its revenues.

Increased spending on infra, especially rural and social, and focus on affordable housing should provide a fillip to the company's prospects.

With this advantage in place, another trigger for Sintex is the demerger of its custom moulding and prefab business.

Analysts at Antique Stock Broking believe that the demerger is a step in the right direction.

'Currently, we believe that the market is not giving the plastics business due value as it is funding the capital heavy textiles business. Once the two entities separate, the plastics business could command a higher valuation,' the analysts note.

VA Tech Wabag

Focused on specialised projects such as cleaning of river beds and setting of up desalination and sewerage treatment plants, the company believes that the next leg of domestic growth will be propelled by these projects.

Analysts at Bernstein also feel that with political issues resolved in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, ordering activities should commence in these states.

'Apart from other states involved in river cleaning we see good order prospects in Karnataka and Mumbai. 2018 should hence see a better year for domestic order finalisation; estimated 30 per cent growth in standalone inflows driven by domestic inflows,' the report notes.

Currently, about 60 per cent of its order book (Rs 10,065 crore offering revenue cover of around three years) is skewed to international orders. This is likely to change in FY18.

MORE STOCK features in the RELATED LINKS BELOW...
The government is going all out to spread awareness about the new indirect tax regime, and training lawmakers is being seen as a necessary first step.

The objective, Dilasha Seth and Archis Mohan find, is to convey to the masses, through every intermediary possible, that the GST is consumer-friendly.

IMAGE: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, centre, arrives at a GST seminar in Gujarat. Along with training, the government is advertising in a big way on GST. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters .

This will be a summer of training not only for businesses but also for politicians. So, members of Parliament and legislative assemblies (MPs and MLAs) with holiday plans to beaches and hills may instead have to spend time learning the finer points of the goods and services tax (GST) set for the July roll-out

The Narendra Modi government is going all out to spread awareness about the new indirect tax regime, and training MPs as well as MLAs is being seen as a necessary first step.

The objective is to convey to the masses, through every intermediary possible, that the GST is a consumer-friendly measure and that the tax incidence will not rise under the new regime, a top government official said.

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia briefed the prime minister and the council of ministers on the basic GST structure at the Prime Minister's Office last week.

MPs, too, were given a GST briefing during the recently-concluded Parliament session, but more is likely to follow in the coming days.

All states have been asked to conduct training for MLAs to educate them and dispel misinformation over the new tax structure.

"We have written to all state governments to convene sessions and conduct training for MLAs. If they need resources in the form of trainers, they will be provided from the department (Central Board of Excise and Customs)," said an official.

Educating MLAs will be key to preventing the public from being misled about the GST rates, the official said.

For instance, currently only the sales invoice has the VAT component, but the GST will include both VAT and excise, making the tax component appear higher than earlier. "It is not true as excise was charged earlier too, but it was not mentioned in the invoice. We do not want people to be misled on grounds that VAT was charged at 5 per cent, but its 18 per cent under GST."

The government is working overtime to make businesses ready for GST as well.

It has already signed a pact with 12 institutions to carry out training for trade and industry. The National Academy of Customs Excise & Narcotics (NACEN), apex institute of the government for capacity building in the field of indirect taxation, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with institutes such as Amity University, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), National institute of MSME, NIIT, OP Jindal Global University for imparting training. The government picked up 12 of more than 100 institutes which had applied.

"These institutes have been sifted on the basis of quality to ensure that the information given out is authentic and at an affordable cost," said another official.

The course fee has been capped at 2,500 per class and 7,500 for a three-day session.

Another half a dozen institutes are likely to be chosen for the purpose.

Laghu Udyog Bharati, a union of micro and small enterprises and an affiliate of the Sangh Parivar, has applied to the government too to be recognised as a trainer.

"We have formally applied to the government. We are hopeful that we will be recognized one of the trainers for the sector," LUB's Delhi chief Sampat Toshniwal said.

The outfit has 16,000 small and micro enterprises across 290 districts as its life member, and over 100,000 enterprises in the sector as its annual members.

The CBEC has already trained around 60,000 officers of both the centre and states since last September.

Along with training, the government is advertising in a big way on GST, through radio jingles, banners and posters in metros and bus stops, besides on traditional media.

Not only that, CBEC zonal chief commissioners have been asked to conduct programmes in locations with population ranging from 100,000 to 200,000.

The CBEC is also planning to come out with thin booklets with FAQs on specific issues like registration, return filing, payments, and input tax credit.

Among others, software solutions firm Tally has conducted more than 5,000 events and reached out to more than 200,000 and will conduct several thousand events before July to ensure that businesses have a smooth transition to GST.

ClearTax too is carrying out programmes to educate SMEs, MSMEs, CAs and enterprises before the GST roll-out.

The Confederation of All India Traders, an umbrella body of traders, has initiated its training modules and claims to have conducted 113 conferences across India in the past 100 days. Its national general secretary Praveen Khandelwal said another 100 conferences are planned for traders by June 30.

"The GST will contribute to ease of doing business. However, training is needed more in the non-corporate sector, where traders comprise 70 per cent," Khandelwal said

Does GST help the common man? Scroll down for more insights.
Amazon India Country Head Amit Agarwal refers to all talk of mergers as 'noise'.

'All this is a distraction, when the focus should be on the customer,' he tells Karan Choudhury.

IMAGE: Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, in Bengaluru. The Amazon India head says, "Right from Day One, we have been focused on building skills and capabilities to provide a great customer experience. We do not hold ourselves back from investing to be able to do that."

Photograph: Abhishek N Chinnappa/Reuters.

For Amit Agarwal, senior vice-president and country head for Amazon India, everything other than customer focus is a "distraction". He refers to all the talk about a possible merger between Flipkart and Snapdeal or mega fund-raising in the industry as "noise" that hurts the customer.

Agarwal discusses how Amazon is ready to invest in the India market for many years and more.

A lot has happened in the last few days in Indian e-commerce. SoftBank, other than reports of putting money in Flipkart, is planning to invest in Paytm.

Do you see SoftBank and Alibaba coming together to fight Amazon?

Our strategy has always been to be laser-focused on the customer. In all this noise, the stakeholder who is most dissatisfied is the customer.

We are always thinking of building a better service. We are happy with our plans of providing massive selections and great pricing and will continue to do so.

There is also talk about who is Indian, who is not.

All this is a distraction, when the focus should be on the customer. I really do not spend much time trying to figure this out.

At the end of the day, what matters to us is how to earn customer trust. They come to us only because we provide a better experience. Our focus is best invested there.

Has the customer-centric focus helped?

We have seen Amazon's growth in the recently concluded quarter at 85 per cent, year-on-year, while most of the landscape remained flat. That shows our focus on customers is allowing us to acquire a leadership position in all things that matter.

You have applied for 100 per cent FDI in food retail. What are your offline plans?

I will not speculate on what we may or may not do at this point.

When does Amazon Pay become an open wallet?

We are excited about the opportunity to offer convenience to customers when they shop on Amazon. What we have seen is customers using Amazon Pay shop more from us every month.

What is your plan for repeat customers?

We have always been focused on our selection, pricing and delivery and that is why we are relevant to customers. When all these things are done, you earn their trust and they buy more from us.

The Prime programme is one such example and we are seeing a lot of repeat customers become Prime members.

Do you see Amazon Pay offering direct competition to market leader Paytm?

If we do a good job and are able to earn customer trust then we will become the payment method they prefer.

What has been the growth in the grocery segment?

Customers can buy gourmet speciality grocery on Amazon. We have Amazon Pantry that has been launched in 53 cities. We have Amazon Now, which offers two-hour delivery. The combination of these three is doing quite well and grocery is probably one of our fastest growing categories.

Amazon Now has partnered with local retailers that are most relevant for that area.

Flipkart just closed a $1.4 billion round. Is capital an issue for Amazon India?

Right from Day One, we have been focused on building skills and capabilities to provide a great customer experience. We do not hold ourselves back from investing to be able to do that.
"I have got GE to change a little bit, and I have changed myself. The two have converged."

Over lunch with Jyoti Mukul, Banmali Agrawala, president and CEO, GE South Asia, discusses how GE is transforming itself into a digital industrial company.

IMAGE: Banmali Agrawala, president and chief executive officer, GE South Asia.

Photograph: Courtesy GE.com.

When I request a lunch with Banmali Agrawala, president and chief executive officer, GE South Asia, I am told that he would like to focus the conversation on how GE is transforming itself into a digital industrial company.

We decide to meet at Amaranta at The Oberoi in Gurugram. Because of the hotel's unusual construction, one has to go down from the lobby right at the entrance to reach the restaurant a few levels below.

I am one of the first ones to reach the restaurant.

When Agrawala joins me, we decide to get over with ordering the food first. My guest opts for a vegetarian express luxury lunch, choosing the Niligiri Paneer Kurma option, and some fresh lime and soda. I go for a Chettinad Curry with Asparagus and a Broccoli Poriyal with Curry Leaf-Tempered Tapioca and Sannas, avoiding the south Indian makeover of the ubiquitous north Indian Paneer.

As we settle down I ask why GE needs to change in the first place.

"There were a couple of themes which Jeff Immelt (chairman and CEO, GE) brought in when he assumed office and one of them was to become global. The international business of GE outside the US at that time was just 30-35 per cent. Today, it is 60-65 per cent. He drove the agenda of getting global very hard and that meant getting stronger talent," says Agrawala.

We are interrupted by a server, who places some Tomato And Lentil Rasam with Lentil Chekkalu before us.

Agrawala takes a look and decides to skip the soup.

We come back to the point he is making. For GE, globalisation meant buying from the cheapest source and selling where the price was the highest.

"Today, globalisation means being more local in local markets. From that perspective, we have made a shift from being a more product-led company to a solution-driven company over the last five years," he tells me.

The other theme is to make GE a pure-play industrial company, so it sold off GE Capital and bought Alstom's power business.

The way the company deals with the government has also changed.

"Earlier, we used to have a mile-long list of deviations from the tender and as a result, we didn't bid. Through a process of consultation with the government and PSUs, we now bid for government projects with zero deviation. We are willing to take on more risk and execute it."

That came on the back of doubling of its business in South Asia over the last three years. Now the company sees substantial growth here since GE plays "right at the heart of every infrastructure business where the government is spending money. We have positioned ourselves to win and make opportunity".

So, what did he learn from the whole change process?

"I have got GE to change a little bit, and I have changed myself. The two have converged.

"In terms of me changing, I learnt here the focus on performance and on delivering results in a timely manner.

"In terms of changing GE, just the understanding of the market -- who are the likely partners, who are willing to take suitable risk -- was big.

"I have been able to persuade and convince GE to be more aggressive. Today, GE in India is a very local company."

I ask him how different things are at GE from the way they were at Wartsila and Tata Power, where he worked just before joining GE.

"I used to be a gentle and soft guy and now I am a pretty tough taskmaster," he seems amused as he says that.

"There is a sharp focus on deliverables and results here," he adds. "Now I am confident that if I make certain decisions, I will be backed up by the management."

IMAGE: GE Healthcare employees work in their research and development facility in Bengaluru . For GE, globalisation means being more local in local markets.Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters .

Is it possible for an old-economy company to become more like an IT company, like, perhaps, an Apple?

"We do believe that the physical and digital will converge. You see software companies making devices, cars and here you have a hardware company making software. Remember, the internet of things has internet and things. Both have to go together," he says.

At the same time, it is important for a company to remain attractive as an employer, he adds.

"In many ways, we are fighting for the same talent as Google and Apple in the technology space."

So, what is that key question GE asks a potential employee when it spots one? "We ask youngsters if they want to write code for computer games or want to do something for medical devices and aeroplanes? When they see you can make an impact, they get charged up."

The organisation had to be more agile. "In these times, if you have a company that has stiff hierarchy and too many layers, which by definition will slow things down, it is not a place where youngsters would want to work," he explains.

Is it a fact that Indian companies are more conscious of hierarchy than elsewhere in the world?

"The next generation of business leaders, owners, entrepreneurs, and management are not like 30 years back when I started to work. They are not servile any more. They want a much more open system. They want direct conversation."

Out meal arrives in a large steel tiffin carrier. The waiter unlocks it and places each of the three boxes -- coloured pink, yellow and blue -- in front of us. The aroma of authentic spices is irresistible. We dig right in.

Over the past one year, GE has introduced some new practices.

One such is Fastworks, the basic idea of which is to improve speed.

"We want people to experiment, but if you realise that a trial is not going well then you need to stop and move on. You cannot wait to perfect a product or a solution before you take it out to the market. If you have a broad idea, you take it out to the market, get a quick feedback and tune the product further and keep on making improvements. In a sense, it is an anti-thesis of the Six Sigma approach that GE had earlier," Agrawala says.

The other concept is a mobile app, PD@GE, a unique performance development system.

"Since things change fast, we cannot sit at the end of the year to give feedback. It will be a prepared session. We have done away with annual performance appraisal. If I am able to give feedback almost instantly, all one has to do at the end of the year is to take a summary and review."

The new appraisal system was started in 2016.

How different is working in a company like GE from working in an Indian company?

"In the Indian context, the purpose of business is important. You cannot say that the only objective you have is to drive profit. You have to have a larger purpose in the Indian market. Once you begin to serve the people, business follows. Outside, where basic needs have been met, the focus can be much sharper on shareholder return, stock price etc. The context is different," he says.

Such differences in context also teach one important life lessons.

"Getting out of your comfort zone teaches you so much."

Reaching Finland in 1992 while working for Wartsila after spending his growing-up years in Pune -- "a sleepy old place" -- he was hit hard by two things: One, there was hardly any vegetarian food available, and two, the temperature would fall to minus 32-40 degrees.

"It wasn't normal for me, but it taught me something. You learn to deal with discomfort and make your way through."

Agrawala sees growth coming from technology and data that can make assets more productive.

"I would like to seed this idea in business and in the government. At the moment, we have a dozen conversations; I would like to have a 100."
'The strategy has to be restoring order in one part and countering the very effective propaganda through a very nimble monitoring and response system,' says Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, who retired as the General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps.

When national crises occur, those which can spell existential problems, only national consensus can overcome them.

The more divisive the nation remains, more the adversaries exploit.

In modern irregular conflicts which involve people as the virtual centre of gravity an adversary will always attempt to keep the nation divided.

Slickly put together propaganda with no iota of truth is far more effective than a couple of hundred AK-47s; such is the power of information.

However, information used loosely, without coordination and no plan, is doomed to destroy the initiator, not the target.

These are just a few well known facts about Information Warfare which any good professional warrior will tell you.

The recent controversy over amateur and other videos in Jammu and Kashmir is a fine example to initiate an analysis on strategic communication.

The setting must be well understood. Here is a situation in which a 27-year- old proxy sponsored and supported internal conflict has come to a head after many dynamic curves on the graph.

These have many times indicated potential resolution and potential 'tipping point' for disaster.

Today, Pakistan with its strategic confidence on a new high is sensing that ever since July 8, 2016, when Burhan Wani was killed, it finally has India by the throat.

It is only coincidental that the regional and international strategic environment also appears to have shifted in Pakistan's favor through this period. That notion is part reality and part perceptional.

Yet, it can hardly be denied that Pakistan's propaganda machinery has worked overtime to paint India black and garner for itself a more positive image.

Achieving this at a time when the image of Islamic countries within the international community is highly besmirched has been no mean feat.

However, even more effective has been its strategic communication in relation to its intent in J&K. Here the aim is to generate ideas in the Kashmiri populace relating to a couple of fields.

The first is that India and its security forces are occupiers and that the power of the people always overcomes oppressors and occupiers.

Second is the idea that Muslim Kashmiris have little to do with India and much to do with the larger Islamic Ummah and brotherhood.

Third is the notion that they have suffered for 27 years and now the goal of azaadi is very near; the same was effectively used in 1990 too with the slogan 'Kashmir banega Pakistan.'

To keep these and a plethora more of such crafted themes well embedded it is important for Pakistan to also ensure that the militancy remains alive with acts against the security forces, public servants and political leaders including paralysis of governance.

But the core strategy which is supported by all this is to involve the public in visible resistance to the presence of Indian xsecurity forces.

It is being done through clandestine networks by a diffused leadership with the front face of the comparatively discredited Hurriyat considered as incapable of delivering.

Financial support for this appears to be strong and there has been a bounce back after the setback suffered during the demonetisation.

In this situation attempting to instigate the security forces is a ploy so that they respond.

Each such response can be manipulated through videos without narratives and made to appear as human rights violations which can then be further exploited through media and other means to give a multiplication effect to the movement.

The army employed hard power through the early nineties when hordes of foreign terrorists roamed the countryside. It was necessary then, but conflict is dynamic and as the strength of the terrorists reduced over time so did the army adopt a softer approach.

The elections of 1996 were a landmark which brought change in a more marked way. It is not as if the coming of Sadbhavana in 1997 first saw the introduction of soft power.

The army's basic doctrine of counter insurgency always spelled the need for winning hearts and minds, even from the Nagaland and Mizoram days.

What riles the Pakistan establishment is when the army displays successful adoption of soft power which aims at taking on board the public of Kashmir.

Pakistan's ISPR (the Pakistan military's Inter-Services Public Relations) then follows any method to target the bond between the public and Indian security forces and other institutions such as social organisations and individuals who mean well for the public and for India.

Many people are drawing a parallel between the situation in Kashmir today and that which existed in 1990. There are others who like to believe that India has lost Kashmir.

Let me say clearly to the nay sayers that none of this is true.

In 1990 an active insurgency with a couple of thousand militants under arms existed and more were coming and going through the virtually open LoC as the army's presence was need based for peaceful times.

Armed police units were being rushed in response. They had little idea about dealing with street violence and even less about counter insurgency operations.

However, some ground facts are necessary for the public at large to know for reassurance and so as not to be misled or fall for the manipulation being done by Pakistan.

We then had a division size force with some independent formations performing dual tasks on the LoC and the nascent counter insurgency grid.

Today we have the Rashtriya Rifles (India's finest military experiment) in good strength in the rural expanse of the Kashmir valley.

Reinforcing this is the strong presence of the CRPF in urban areas. The JK police was then just a social police force; today it has an anti-terror force and intelligence arm as good as any.

The border or LoC is secure with a counter infiltration grid deployed in depth although admittedly zero infiltration is not a reality and will never be.

There is 27 years of institutional experience of dealing with diverse threats in the given situation.

Yet, for all the evident strengths the major weakness which persists is the inability to deny Pakistan the non-military aspects of the conflict in its favour. This involves propaganda and manipulation of information and events so as to keep the public of Kashmir alienated.

The running of financial conduits through different clandestine means despite the Indian dragnet keeps the movement fuelled.

What is really different today from 1990 is the persistent presence of 24x7 television and the ever empowering social media.

No piece of information can be away from the eyes of some form of the media or the other.

The availability of the mobile with 3G and 4G makes communication possible across the LoC and sensitise opinion around the world and nationally at the touch of a button.

Thus, the militancy is no longer about physical threats alone, but much more about the mind.

The entire Arab Spring saw the employment of social media most effectively when Whatsapp was not even a reality.

Today it is well known that the flash mobs at encounter sites are generated through messaging on Whatsapp; much of the directions come from across the LoC. The guidance in the conduct of events is provided through this medium.

Those involved in separatist activities fully realise that to convert antipathy to hatred there has to be a stream of messages and videos showing the Indian institutions, political leadership and military in negative light.

Thus no opportunity is ever lost. Latest news reports do indicate that Pakistan has hired cyber warriors on the lines of the US army; videos are shot by networked individuals in the valley which are forwarded to Pakistani masters and their value for exploitation is then judged.

Specific themes are outlined and the separatist network which exists down to the block level remains active forever seeking opportunities.

Till now no one knows who shot the video of the so-called 'human shield' atop the army vehicle and who uploaded it. A short clip with no narrative had an electrifying effect.

What is the answer to all the problems that one is stating; can't have an analysis sans answers? When you have just 200 to 250 terrorists the physical part of the counter insuirgency campaign has lesser significance.

The strategy has to be restoring order in one part and countering the very effective propaganda through a very nimble monitoring and response system.

Intelligence agencies, the army and police organisations just have to merge resources, jointly strategise and execute.

For this the institution of the Unified Command is the best provided it has adequate staffing and a joint think-tank which must be in existence every day.

The joint strategy in 2010 was evolved here. There are enough experienced people to understand its value and set all this in motion, possibly even through gaming models.

In addition, just four other short recommendations.

First, get completely serious on social media. None of the agencies in the valley have expertise on its use or counter.

A couple of high quality Indian academic institutions should be tasked to study this in the Kashmir context.

There are professional communication experts of great standing in India who along with psychologists and social scientists could relish the challenge of studying and testing.

Let it be fast tracked with both defensive and offensive concepts of social media in focus. The organisation to be created should not await the full study report.

It should commence being put into place with a pragmatic mix of civilians and uniformed services both in Delhi and in J&K; it can be refined once the recommendations are received and approved.

Don't look for perfect models since we have time against us and there is scope to learn and improve.

Second, our tremendous experiment with demonetisation would have thrown up enough lessons which can be selectively applied to a conflict zone where finances and their conduits play a major role in fuelling unrest.

Convert this into 'do-ables' to dry out funding.

Third, engagement and outreach is part of the strategic communication effort.

However, it is a nuts and bolts exercise to be undertaken on ground. It cannot be a one off activity on basis of personal capability or restricted to one service or agency.

It has to be a strategy and under the political authority who must have suitable advice.

Before anything else the two terms need a common definition; that is not being attempted here but without commonality of perception this is bound to fail.

Fourth and last, when a crisis situation involving conflict and sponsored activity by an adversary hits us it must be as the navy calls it, 'all hands on deck.'

All involved in the restoration of the situation need a common orientation; it is not the uniformed and security related services alone.

The role of the J&K bureaucracy, the jail service, the district authorities, and many more needs a focus.

Leadership is one facet which can provide this, but more importantly it is training and orientation which is the need.

This is another job for the Unified Command to undertake and conceptualise.

India is too big, too important and too resilient to allow its public to be emotionally distraught.

We have seen crisis before and this is not the last that we will see.

Ideas will make the difference provided political consensus exists and polarisation is curtailed.

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IMAGE: Students clashed with security forces in several places in the Kashmir valley April 17, 2017 during protests against the alleged highhandedness of security forces at a college in Pulwama in south Kashmir. Photograph: Umar Ganie
Following the deadly Taliban attack on an Afghan army base, Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and National Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shaheem on Monday resigned with immediate effect.

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect, the Khaama Press quoted the Office of the President, ARGPalace, as saying on Monday.

Afghanistan Interior Ministrys Major General Tariq Shah Bahrami has been appointed as the acting minister of defence and General Sharif Yaftal.

The deadly attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The terrorists were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistans largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban terrorists drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unarmed soldiers were emerging from Friday prayers and preparing for lunch, according to media reports.

For the next five hours, the terrorists 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.
An injured jawan said around 10-12 Naxalites must have got killed in the 'befitting' retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

IMAGE: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh visits injured CRPF personnel at a hospital in Raipur on Monday. Photograph: @drramansingh/Twitter



At least 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed and six wounded in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on Monday, the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.

Company commander among martyred personnel Inspector Raghubir Singh, the commander of the 99-member CRPF company which was attacked by Maoists in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, was among the 25 personnel killed in the deadly ambush. The names of the others, all belonging to the 'Delta' company of the 74th battalion of the CRPF, are: Sub-Inspector K K Das, Assistant Sub-Inspectors Sanjay Kumar, Rameswar Lal, Naresh Kumar, Head Constables Surender Kumar, Banna Ram, L P Singh, Naresh Yadav, Padmanabhanand and Ram Mehar, Constables Saurabh Kumar, Abhay Mishra, Banmali Ram, N P Sonkar, K K Pandey, Vinay Chandra Burman, P Alagupandi, Abhay Kumar, N Senthil Kumar, N Thirumurgan, Ranjit Kumar, Ashish Singh, Manoj Kumar and Anup Karmakar. The six injured have been identified as ASI R Chembram, Constables Mahender Singh, Jitender Kumar, Sher Mohammed, Lachhu Oraon and Sonawane Eashwar Suresh.

The Naxalites mounted the assault around 12.25 pm in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of Naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on. About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted, a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.

Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured (sic), the president said in a tweet.

Calling the attack a cowardly and deplorable act, the prime minister tweeted, Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families, he added.

The incident occurred near Burkapal village within Chintagufa police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla said.

While 11 bodies were recovered first, 12 were found during combing operations. A jawan succumbed to injuries while being evacuated by air, the officer added.

An injured jawan, brought to a hospital in Raipur, said the CRPF patrol was attacked by around 300 Maoist guerrillas.

IMAGE: Injured CRPF men being brought to Raipur for treatment following a Maoist attack at Burkapal near Chintagufa in Bastar on Monday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The naxals first sent villagers to check our position... I also saw some women Naxals. They were all wearing black uniforms and had sophisticated weapons like the AK series assault rifles, the unidentified jawan said.

He said around 10-12 Naxalites must have got killed in the befitting retaliation by the CRPF contingent.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the Naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

It is understood that the company commander, an Inspector rank officer leading the contingent which was ambushed on Monday, was also killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The Naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force deployed in the area for anti-Maoist operations.

The CRPF later claimed that a considerable number of Maoists are believed to have been killed in retaliatory action by its men after the attack, adding that no body has been recovered yet.

The paramilitary force in a statement said about 300 to 400 Naxals ambushed its patrol party killing 25 personnel and injuring six others in Sukma district.

A considerable number of Maoists are believed to have been eliminated (in retaliatory action by CRPF men) as the tell-tale sign indicate from the ground, it added.

The bodies of all jawans, it said, have been airlifted to Raipur, while the six injured have been admitted to a hospital in the state capital.

CRPF Director General (acting) Sudeep Lakhtakia and senior officials of the operations directorate of the force are expected to visit the site tomorrow to take stock of the situation.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was saddened by the attack and was sending Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families.

Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation, he tweeted.

He later briefed PM Modi about the incident and he will be visiting Raipur on Tuesday.

The officer added Ahir will be accompanied by Joint Secretary (Naxal management) in the home ministry Praveen Vashisht and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was extremely distressed over the attack, as he cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

Another MoS in the home ministry Kiren Rijiju said the incident was a setback and a big tragedy.

Reinforcements, including CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the countrys largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at his North Block office.

Condemning the Naxal attack, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi said such 'thoughtless violence' will never succeed in weakening the resolve to fight extremist forces.

The party also demanded that the Modi government take immediate and strong action against the forces behind the incident.

Describing the attack as 'mindless and ruthless strike on our security forces', Sonia Gandhi said the sacrifice of the brave men was a big loss to the nation.

"Such attacks will never deter the fight against extremism," she said.

The Congress president also expressed solidarity with friends and families of the martyrs and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Party vice president Rahul Gandhi lauded the courage and sacrifice of CRPF personnel while offering his condolences to the bereaved families.

'This thoughtless violence will never succeed in weakening our resolve to fight forces of extremism. My sincere condolences to the families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma. We salute the sacrifice and courage of our bravehearts,' he said on Twitter.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was an unfortunate incident and hoped the Central government take immediate action against those involved in the act.

"We hope the Central government will act against all those who have committed this crime and take immediate and appropriate action against them, be it Maoists or anybody else," he said at the All India Congress Committee briefing.

AICC incharge of communications department Randeep Singh Surjewala said this was the second dastardly attack by Naxalites in recent times in the state.

He said on March 11 this year, 11 paramilitary commandos had sacrificed themselves in a brutal Naxalite attack.

"Did the BJP-led Chattisgarh government learn any lesson? Is it not a clear case of Intelligence failure on part of Central and state government? How does the present government propose to tackle Naxalites?

"The prime minister should take decisive action against anti-national forces, who are directly challenging the might of the nation," he said.

"Our salute to the brave soldiers and condolences to their families," Surjewala said. "Congress fought with Naxals and sacrificed. Nand Kumar Patel/Vidya Charan Shukla/Mahender Karma and other leaders laid down their lives," he said.

The Congress party also tweeted, 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the security personnel who lost their lives in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh.'
Voters in France have comprehensively snubbed the countrys political establishment, sending far-right populist Marine Le Pen and political novice Emmanuel Macron through to the second round of the countrys presidential election.

IMAGE: Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche!, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, celebrates after partial results in the first round of 2017 French presidential election, at the Parc des Expositions hall in Paris. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

With 96 per cent of votes counted from Sundays first round, Macron has 23.9 per cent with Le Pen on 21.4 per cent.

The two fought off a strong challenge from centre-right Francois Fillon and hard-left Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Macron raced on to stage, hand in hand with his wife, Brigitte. The French people have expressed themselves, he said. It is an honour and a responsibility.

IMAGE: Marine Le Pen, French National Front political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, celebrates after early results in the first round of 2017 French presidential election, in Henin-Beaumont. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters

He then paid tribute to the other candidates, naming them and thanking them for their messages of support after a campaign marked by terrorism.

In a year, we have changed the face of French politics, he said. You have succeeded in convincing people that hope for our country is not a dream... In two weeks, I hope I will be your president, the president of the whole of France, the president of the patriots, - the term Le Pen uses to refer to her supporters.

At a rally on Sunday night, Le Pen told her supporters she is offering the great alternative in the presidential race.

She said: This is a historic result. The French must take the step for this historic opportunity. This is the first step to drive the French [people] into the Elysee Palace. It is time to liberate the French people from the arrogant [political] elite.

IMAGE: Supporters of Emmanuel Macron celebrate his victory. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters

The outcome capped an extraordinary few months for a deeply divided France, which saw a campaign full of twists and turns and widespread anger at traditional parties.

It signals a stinging defeat for the Fillon and Socialist Benoit Hamon, meaning neither of Frances mainstream parties will be in the second round for the first time in 60 years.

Macron, a 39-year-old who had never before stood for election and only started his independent centrist movement 12 months ago, will be the overwhelming favourite to win the second round on May 7.

IMAGE: French queue along the street to cast their vote in a polling station inside the school, in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election. Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

He served as an economy minister under President Francois Hollande, ran without the backing of an established party, forming his own called En Marche!

His wife Brigitte is 25 years his senior and taught him at school.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Macron on Sunday and wished the centrist well for the May 7 French presidential runoff against Le Pen.
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the reinstatement of former Kerala Director General of Police T P Senkumar, saying he was transferred unfairly and arbitrarily.

The court also gave credence to Senkumars allegation that he was transferred due to political vendetta by stating that the rule of law should not become a casualty to the whims and fancies of political executive.

The top court said no one could help Gods own country (Keralas tourism tagline) if it is bent upon making irregular or illegal appointments to sensitive posts.

It set aside the order of the Kerala high court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunals decision that had not found fault with the state government's decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief which was taken over by Loknath Behra.

The state governments contention that Senkumar was transferred as a fallout of the events after the Puttingal Temple tragedy, in which 110 people were killed in April 2016, and the infamous Jisha murder case last May, did not cut much ice with the apex court.

On an overall consideration of the material on record and considering the case in its proper perspective, that is the events post the Puttingal Temple tragedy and the Jisha murder and not the two tragedies themselves, we have no hesitation in concluding that the appellant has been unfairly and arbitrarily dealt with, a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

Under the circumstances, we are compelled to set aside the judgment and order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, the impugned judgment and order of the High Court as well as the order dated June 1, 2016 and direct the State of Kerala to reinstate the appellant T P Senkumar as the State Police Chief, the bench added.

The bench said it was little disturbed with the view expressed in the detailed counter affidavit and elsewhere that the appointment of Senkumar was irregular if not illegal.

If that is so and the State Government of Kerala is bent upon making irregular or illegal appointments to sensitive posts, then no one can help Gods own country, it said.

The bench also said that the rule of law should not become a casualty to the whims and fancies of the political executive while referring to Prakash Singh case of 2006 in which it had dealt with the police reforms in the country.

The state government had told the court that Senkumars transfer was not a punishment for the lapse which had led to the Puttingal fire tragedy incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy and the dissatisfaction among the general public on the efficiency of the police.

The apex court, however, snubbed the Kerala government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by putting questions whether he would remove the police chief if his cabinet colleagues were under investigation in any case.

The cabinet colleagues of the chief minister or senior bureaucrats (including the chief secretary) might need to be investigated in an appropriate case.

Can the chief minister then remove the state police chief on the ground that in such an event he or she does not enjoy the confidence of the chief minister or that there is no complete rapport and understanding between the state police chief and the chief minister? The answer is quite obvious, the bench observed.

The court also said that it would be tragic if this court were to come to a conclusion that the removal of a person from a sensitive but tenure appointment based on a stature is the prerogative of the government and judicial review is not available merely because the post concerned is a sensitive one.

Senkumar had earlier told the court that his transfer was a clear case of political vendetta.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected erring police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The court, however, brushed aside the state governments reference to Senkumars interference in the investigation in the Puttingal Temple tragedy and said the reference was somewhat incongruous.

There is nothing to suggest what advantage could be gained by Senkumar in scuttling the investigations in the Puttingal Temple tragedy, particularly since in an earlier part of the detailed counter affidavit it is admitted that the state police chief is not personally responsible for supervising the conduct of events or adherence to safety measures in relation to large public gatherings. Therefore, why would the appellant want to interfere in the investigations, the bench asked.

The court also said prima facie satisfaction of the government to transfer the official must be based on some cogent and rational material.

Nothing has been placed before us in this regard except the view that there was dissatisfaction among the general public on the efficiency of the police.

...there must be some material on record (other than a newspaper report) but unfortunately nothing has been pointed out to us during the course of submissions. It is not enough to merely contend that the State Government was subjectively satisfied that the appellant ought to be transferred out as the state police chief, the bench said.

Senkumar had challenged his removal as a violation of Section 97(2)(e) of Kerala Police Act which assures a two-year tenure to the DGP.

The opinion of serious dissatisfaction must be based on verifiable material and not a perception that the chief minister or other senior functionary might have or the public expectation (as learned counsel for the State put it) that the chief minister might imagine. Quite often public opinion can be misleading or motivated, the bench said.
The government has taken as a challenge the killing of Central Reserve Police Force personnel by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday and vowed that no one will be spared.

He said he would possibly go to Sukma on Wednesday.

It is a very sad and unfortunate incident... We have taken the attack as a challenge, Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

Later, in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, he said the incident was very painful and no one will be spared.

He said he would be talking to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.

I have already asked Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir to leave for Sukma, Rajnath Singh said.

Earlier, Singh had asked Ahir to travel to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

The Chhattisgarh also cut short his Delhi visit and returned to Raipur after the attack.

Singh was in the national capital to attend some programmes and was scheduled to leave for Raipur on Tuesday.

The chief minister has curtailed his stay in Delhi and gone back. He will hold meeting with senior officials from the police and the administration on the Naxal attack there, a state government official said.
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The map shows Rongchen, Xiongxian, and Anxin counties in northern China's Hebei province, where officials are building the Xiongan New Area.

China's government has decided to launch one of the country's biggest development projects with little or no input from the locality or the residents it would affect.

On April 1, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the cabinet-level State Council issued a circular announcing plans for the huge urbanization project to be known as the Xiongan New Area, 100 kilometers (62 miles) southwest of Beijing.

The plan is part of an effort to shift non-capital functions out of congested Beijing by building a modern city center covering three sparsely settled counties of neighboring Hebei province.

Compared with Beijing's population of about 22 million, the three counties of Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin have a combined 300,000 residents with a gross domestic product of just 20 billion yuan (U.S. $2.9 billion), state media said.

Beijing's GDP stood at 2.49 trillion yuan (U.S. $361.8 billion) in 2016, the 21st Century Economic Institute estimated last month.

China's central government had already announced plans in 2014 to ease Beijing's environmental problems by capping the population at 23 million, moving some businesses like wholesale food markets out of the capital and coordinating development with Hebei and the city of Tianjin.

In 2015, Beijing officials unveiled plans to create a "subsidiary administrative center" in the Tongzhou suburban district to the southeast as a partial solution to smog problems and other "urban diseases."

Development of the Xiongan New Area is the next and likely much larger step in the process of reducing growth pressures on Beijing.

Plans call for initial development of a 100-square-kilometer (38.6-square-mile) zone with eventual expansion to 2,000 square kilometers, making it larger than the existing Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Pudong New Area of Shanghai.

Investment in Xiongan is expected to reach 4 trillion yuan (U.S. $580 billion) over the next two decades, the official English-language China Daily reported, citing a UBS Securities research note.

That total would put the investment on a par with the massive 4-trillion-yuan economic stimulus program announced by the government in response to the global financial crisis in 2008.

New opportunities for investors

Reports in China have focused on financial opportunities for publicly traded companies and investors in the new development area, as well as the excitement and surprise of local residents at the central government's choice.

China Daily recorded the reactions of one local property owner upon hearing the news.

"First she was in disbelief. Then she was amazed. Then she realized everyone around her was talking about the same thing," the paper said. The resident was reportedly "overjoyed."

Official media reported that opportunity-seekers and state-owned enterprises have flocked to the area with inquiries about establishing businesses and offices there, although the government has said little about what its priorities are for the new zone.

"I hope specific plans for the area will be made public as soon as possible," the official Xinhua news agency quoted one interested restaurant owner as saying.

"Location of the central area and industrial layout, among other details, have yet to be published," the report said.

Speaking four days after the initial announcement, Hebei party chief Zhao Kezhi said the new zone would be "an innovation hub and a cluster for high-end, high-tech industries."

But aside from the expected benefits, the announcement highlighted the central government's process in making major investment decisions and economic policies.

Although the plan was reportedly considered for months, it appears to have been closely held among members of the Central Committee and the State Council, then sprung upon local citizens and provincial officials.

The official statement suggested that the decision was made ultimately by President Xi Jinping, who sees Xiongan as "a demonstration area for innovative development."

The circular called it "a major historic and strategic choice made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core."

"That seems to be a general characteristic of Xi Jinping's leadership. He wants to concentrate power in the party and in the top levels of the party," said Lowell Dittmer, a China scholar and political science professor at University of California Berkeley.

On April 13, Xinhua published another report stating that plans for Xiongan "are becoming more clear [sic]," but it provided few new details. The purpose was apparently to counter the impression that the plan was not carefully considered or complete.

"Under Xi's direct guidance, the process began in February 2015, with the final proposal deliberated and agreed by the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau on March 24, 2016," the report said.

Xinhua did not explain why local officials and residents were kept in the dark for over a year.

Months of secrecy

The project emerged less than three weeks after China's annual legislative sessions, yet deputies of the National People's Congress were apparently given no clue of the plan in the works.

The sudden news after months of secrecy set off a gold rush of real estate speculation as investors flooded into the backwater counties, bidding up property prices.

The central government has been trying for years to safely deflate the speculative bubble in big cities like Beijing. The last thing it wants is the same problem in the new development zone before it is even built.

Within three days of the announcement, authorities in the new area reported 765 cases of real estate violations, arrested seven people and ordered 71 sales offices to close, state media said.

The local Hebei Daily reported that seven suspects were charged with "illegal farmland occupation, illegal business operations and disturbing public order."

Local governments have moved quickly to suspend new property sales and impose restrictions on development and residential permit registrations, the BBC said.

In an apparent contradiction, Xinhua's report on April 13 stated that "purchases and projects related to land and property and changes to household registration have been blocked in the three counties since June last year."

Last week, Zhao voiced support for the as-yet undisclosed construction plans in the area, indicating that they would involve displacement of citizens and businesses.

Policy making should be based on public opinion and "problems during the process of residents' and enterprises' relocation should be properly solved," Xinhua quoted the provincial party secretary as saying.

The real estate sector should be under the "most strict [sic] control to prevent property speculation," Zhao said.

Poorly coordinated announcement

But the real estate frenzy and the arrests suggest the announcement was poorly coordinated with provincial and local officials. It may have been accelerated by the need to show the public that the government was taking steps in response to Beijing's winter smog crisis.

Unfortunately, the undertaking of such a huge development in a low-intensity area seems bound to have environmental consequences of its own.

It is unclear how closely the Xiongan New Area project will adhere to principles laid out in the government's "national new-type urbanization plan" and a landmark joint study by the State Council's Development Research Center and the World Bank in 2014.

The study called for big cities to "boost their role as gateways to the world, ... moving increasingly into services, knowledge and innovation." The concept may correspond roughly to the goal of ridding Beijing of non-capital functions and polluting business activities.

But the 2014 blueprint was also highly critical of urban sprawl, arguing that greater density "would reduce the energy intensity and car use in cities, thus improving environmental sustainability."

The recreation of non-capital functions in a new 2,000- square-kilometer area seems likely to become a surefire formula for more urban sprawl.

The implied contradictions speak to the mixed motives behind any big investment plan in China that must gain political support.

While developing Xiongan and the Beijing-Hebei-Tianjin areas to ease the pollution burdens on the capital megacity, the plans are also seen as economic stimulus projects and investment opportunities with their own environmental impacts.

"China initiated in 2014 a strategy to integrate the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei for a better economic structure, cleaner environment and improved public services," said another Xinhua report on April 6.

"With that strategy, authorities intend to transform the region into a new growth pole as China's economy slows," the report said.

Lowell Dittmer said the announcement of the new project seems consistent with the government's economic growth mission.

"They want to keep the economy booming at least through the party congress later this fall," he said.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (2nd from L) greet villagers during the inauguration of the jointly built Cambodia-Vietnam Chrey Thom-Long Binh Bridge in Koh Thom district of southeastern Cambodia's Kandal province, April 24, 2017.

Cambodias opposition party leader told his supporters on Monday that upcoming local elections will be better than the last ones thanks to a revamped National Election Committee that includes members from both the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP).

During the speech in Tram Kak district of southwestern Cambodias Takeo province the day before, a video of which posted online, CNRP President Kem Sokha conveyed his optimism that the countrys commune elections on June 4 will be better because the National Election Committee, the countrys electoral body, now includes four CNRP members, four CPP members, and one member from civil society.

Concerns regarding missing names of voters on voters lists have been addressed, he said.

A lot of improvements have been seen in voter registration thanks to the assistance provided to the NEC by Japan and the European community to register voters through electronic means, he said. The number of voters has increased significantly.

The surprisingly upbeat speech came despite recent CNRP concerns about voter rolls and the ongoing jailing of NEC deputy secretary-general Ny Chakrya and opposition activists. Kem Sokha only took over the reins of the CNRP in February after what effectively was the forced resignation of Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile in France since late 2015 and has had numerous defamation lawsuits filed against him, with many still pending trial.

Kem Sokha said there were good signs that voters lists are now secure, and that observers from the international community and local nongovernmental organizations will monitor the elections.

The CPP won more than 70 percent of the vote and secured 1,592 of 1,633 communes in Cambodias 2012 local elections, held before the CNRP was formed.

Domestic monitors, however, detected scores of cases of irregularities during the election campaign, including intimidation, vote-buying, and the destruction of parties leaflets and logos.

The opposition party went on to win nearly half the vote in a general election the following year.

This time around the CNRP is one of 12 political parties competing for 1,646 commune council seats on the June 4 ballot that many see as a bellwether for general elections in 2018.

Observers believe that the CNRP could give the CPP, which has ruled Cambodia for more than 35 years, a run for its money in the June elections.

Party congress on Tuesday

Kem Sokhas comments come just as the CNRP is about to hold a party congress on Tuesday, though municipal officials in the capital Phnom Penh have limited the number of participants to 1,000 people.

The citys deputy governor Khuong Sreng sent a letter on Monday to the CNRP cautioning it not to cause traffic obstructions at the partys headquarters while holding the congress.

He also urged the party to educate its supporters not to use the congress to provoke violence.

At the congress, the CNRP will amend a crucial bylaw that allows the selection of three vice presidents in a bid to placate the countrys Ministry of Interior, which rejected the party's previous method of naming party leaders.

The clash between the CNRP and ministry over the CNRPs leadership selection process began in March after former party president Sam Rainsy resigned.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday warned Cambodians again of war and other negative consequences if they do not vote for candidates from the CPP.

He told CPP supporters in the presence of visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, that there are those in Cambodia who want peace and those who want conflict with neighboring countries, so it is now up to the people to decide.

The floor is yours! he said. Actually there are people who want peace and continued development. At the same time there are people who want conflicts and rivalries in relations with neighboring countries."

Hun Sens comments were an indirect reference to past allegations by the CNRP that maps being used by the CPP government in border negotiations with Vietnam were fake or inaccurate.

The countrys border disputes arose from unclear frontier demarcations left by former French colonial administrators after Cambodia gained independence in 1953. Disagreements over the demarcations have prompted armed clashes between Cambodia and its neighbors, including Vietnam.

During his speech, Hun Sen also spoke in Vietnamese for more than two minutes after he said he felt that the interpreter was not doing an adequate job of translating his speech into Vietnamese.

He asked Cambodians not to condemn him or treat him as a Vietnamese puppet.

When I spoke Vietnamese, I was considered a puppet of Vietnam, he said. However, I have never been called a puppet of France and England when I have spoken some French or English.

In defense of the CNRP

In response to Hun Sens words, CNRP Senior Lawmaker Eng Chhai Eang said his party has made genuine peace and development a priority.

We have reiterated time and again that when the CNRP wins the elections, all Cambodians are winners, he told RFAs Khmer Service. The CNRP wont treat any Cambodian as an enemy. We are one Khmer people. Our foreign policies with neighboring countries will focus on good relations and mutual interests.

Political commentator Meas Ny said he is not convinced that any individuals or groups in the country want to engage in conflicts with neighboring countries, and that some border issues with Vietnam have stemmed from peoples concerns about irregularities.

Cambodians are still divided with regard to border issues with Vietnam, he told RFA. Its not a conflict between the two countries, but rather a conflict among Cambodians over Cambodia-Vietnam border issues.

Its good to develop areas near the borders and improve cross-border commercial activities, he said. However, it is meaningless if a neighboring country does not respect our sovereignty.



Reported by Sothearin Yeang, Vanndeth Van, and Chandara Yang for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" over North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump on Monday, as Japan joined exercises with a U.S. aircraft carrier group heading to the Korean peninsula amid rising tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.



Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its traditional ally amid growing speculation of a sixth nuclear test in the coming days or weeks.



"[China] hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.



Pyongyang insists it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of invasion by hostile U.S. forces.



Analysts said growing nuclear tensions on the ruling Chinese Communist Party's doorstep are a major headache for Beijing.



"Even though they are also a dictatorship, the same as [China], there is still a big difference between their ideas about how a country should be run, their policies," Hebei-based veteran journalist Zhu Xinxin told RFA.



"As the country that is more open to the outside world, and which respects some international law and conventions ... China knows very well that trying to appease North Korea will do the rest of the world no good, nor indeed China itself," Zhu said.



"They are currently juggling various interests, but it is inevitable that Beijing will have to sacrifice those of North Korea in order to protect itself," he said.



Cooperation expected



Wu Fei, senior fellow at the Chinese public diplomacy and international relations think tank Chahar Institute, agreed, saying that some level of cooperation with the United States on North Korea is to be expected.



"I think that there is a certain amount of consensus between China and the U.S.," Wu said. "One is that the peninsula should be denuclearized, and the other is that North Korea can't be allowed to conduct nuclear tests indefinitely, destabilizing the whole of Northeast Asia."



"[The two sides are likely to take] a responsible attitude towards advancing international norms,"' he said. "If that happens, North Korea won't have a pretext upon which to launch a counterattack."



Xi said China will maintain close contact with Washington amid a "rapidly changing" situation, as Japanese forces undergo joint military drills between the USS Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force.



However, Chinese police in the northeastern city of Shenyang appear to be still cooperating with North Korea by detaining and forcibly repatriating North Koreans seeking political asylum after fleeing the country.



New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Beijing to disclose the whereabouts of eight North Korean refugees currently detained in China, and not to repatriate them.



HRW China researcher Maya Wang told RFA that the eight refugees will be in danger if handed over to North Korean authorities.



"This is a group of eight people who face being forcibly repatriated, to face a likely risk of torture, detention or surveillance and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment," Wang told RFA.



"We are calling on the Chinese government to make public details of their situation, and not to send them back to North Korea," she said.



Survivor accounts



HRW's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson cited "plenty" of survivor accounts of routine torture, sexual violence, forced labor, and deaths of previously repatriated refugees.



"There is no way to sugar coat this: if this group is forced back to North Korea, their lives and safety will be at risk," he said in a statement on the group's website.



"The world is watching to see whether Beijing observes its duty to protect these eight refugees or becomes complicit with North Koreas abuses," he said.



The North Koreans were detained last month after being discovered in a random roadside checkpoint in Shenyang, Liaoning province, the group said.



Among the group are two women who said they had previously been sold to Chinese men and faced beatings at their hands, while two others were suffering from untreated injuries, HRW said, adding that it has documented at least 41 detentions of North Koreans in China in the past nine months.



Repeated calls to the Shenyang municipal police department rang unanswered during office hours on Monday.



Earlier this month, China suspended flights to Pyongyang by its flag carrier Air China, and halted all coal imports from the isolated Stalinist state last February.



'Conflict at any moment'



Beijing has warned that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment" following a failed missile test a day after the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung.



There are now fears a nuclear test could be scheduled for Tuesday, the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army.



North Korean state media called the imminent arrival of the Vinson a form of "military blackmail," signaling an imminent invasion of North Korea by the United States.



North Korean propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said any attack would be "rash":



"The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth," the paper warned.



Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Hai Nan for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




The wife of jailed human rights lawyer Xie Yang has spoken publicly for the first time since arriving in the United States, ahead of her husband's trial on , calling for his immediate release amid detailed reports of his torture in detention.



Xie will stand trial at the Changsha Intermediate Peoples Court on charges of "incitement to subvert state power" and "disrupting court order," Chen Guiqiu said in a recent statement.



She said the authorities had prevented Xie's defense lawyers from working on the case after they made detailed reports of Xie's torture in detention public, substituting a government lawyer in their place.



"Xie Yangs family, defense lawyers, and his friends in China and overseas are anxiously watching and waiting for what the authorities will do," wrote Chen.



In a later interview with RFA, Chen Guiqiu called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to release Xie and other prisoners of conscience who are still behind bars in the country.



"The best thing to do would be to release all of them," Chen said. "International calls for this are growing very strong now."



"None of these people have committed any crime, but they insist on jailing them on trumped-up charges, which is the worst kind of inhumanity," she said.

Magnitsky Act for China?

Chen said New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith had pledged continuing interest in the plight of China's detained rights lawyers, law firm staff and associated activists.



"Rep. Smith is paying close attention to the crackdown on lawyers, and he knows all about the torture that these lawyers have suffered, as well as the illegal detention of their family members and so on," Chen said.



"He said he plans to report on this issue ... to President Trump and has a number of measures to address it," she said, in a reference to the Trump administration's reported willingness to bring the Magnitsky Act to bear on Beijing.



The Magnitsky legislation, which originally targeted the Russian officials responsible for the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009, has been welcomed by Chinese activists as the best chance of holding Chinese officials to account for rights abuses.



Trump said in a letter to the Senate and House of Representatives judiciary committees on that his administration is "actively identifying persons and entities to whom the Act may apply and are collecting the evidence necessary to apply it."



"Over the coming weeks and months, agencies will undertake thorough interagency vetting to ensure we fulfill our commitment to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses and corruption accountable," the letter said.



Rights activists have repeatedly called for Xie's immediate release in recent months, detailing his lawyers' reports of his torture in a police-run detention center in the central province of Hunan.



Defense attorney Chen Jianggang, one of the lawyers who exposed details of Xie's torture, said he has since been targeted by death threats on social media, and that the authorities' handling of the case had made a mockery of the right to a legal defense.



"Our right to a legal defense is now worth no more than the paper it is written on," Chen Jiangang told RFA. "The authorities can just rip it up whenever they feel like it."



"The law has no effect in the Xie Yang case and as his defense lawyer I feel very heavy hearted and powerless to do anything," he said. "The law is of no use to us lawyers as a weapon any more."

Scant hope of fair trial



Xie's trial judge Liu Zheng declined to confirm the trial date when contacted by RFA on , saying he couldn't speak to journalists who didn't provide their credentials in person.



Meanwhile, rights lawyer Pang Kun said Xie has scant hope of a fair trial after the authorities appointed a government lawyer to defend him.



"Regardless of whether or not Xie Yang actually wanted to hire [government] attorney Jia Xiaoyao or not, the mere appointment of a defense attorney by the judiciary means that this case has now lost all semblance of impartiality," Pang told RFA.



"The whole thing makes a mockery of the justice system in China."



Initially detained on , 2015, Xie was held under "residential surveillance at a designated location" in a government guesthouse belonging to the National University of Defense Technology in Hunan's provincial capital, Changsha.



Subjected to abuse including deprivation of food and water, Xie was tortured again after being moved to the police-run Changsha No. 2 Detention Center following his formal arrest on Jan. 9, 2016.



Xie was subjected to confinement in a "hanging chair" made of plastic chairs stacked high above the ground for hours at a time, so that his legs swelled up and he was in excruciating pain, he told his lawyers.



He was also deprived of sleep and repeatedly beaten, humiliated, and taunted with death threats against his family, according to copious and detailed notes made public from meetings with his lawyers.



Reported by Ng Yik-tung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Xin Lin for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korea has detained a U.S. citizen who lectured at a foreign-funded university in the capital, according to media reports, bringing to three the number of Americans held in the reclusive state amid rising tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.



Tony Kim was arrested Saturday as he prepared to board a flight from Pyongyang to China with his wife after teaching for several weeks at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST)a school founded by evangelical Christians from abroad and opened in 2010, reports said.



The reason authorities arrested Kimwho also goes by his Korean name Kim Sang-dukwas unclear, but was not connected in any way with the work of PUST, Agence France-Presse reported, citing a statement from the school.



PUST employs a large number of foreign staff and typically enrolls the children of North Koreas elite.



North Koreas official media has made no mention of Kims detention.



The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyangwhich handles consular affairs for the U.S., as Washington has no ties with Pyongyangon Sunday acknowledged that a Korean-American citizen was recently detained and said it is actively involved in talks concerning the situation, without commenting further.



The U.S. State Department also said it was aware of the report about a U.S. citizen being detained, but refused to comment further, the Associated Press reported.



Kim had previously taught Korean at the Yanbian University of Science and Technology in Yanji, China, which is located near the border with North Korea. The AP quoted a source at Yanbian University as saying Kim resigned last August and had not contacted the school since.



A report by South Koreas Yonhap News Agency said Kim had long been involved with relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea, and quoted an anonymous source as calling him a deeply-religious man.



Two other U.S. citizens are currently serving prison sentences in North Korea, which often releases Americans only after high-profile visits by U.S. officials.



Last year, then-21-year-old University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in prison for stealing propaganda material and for crimes against the state.



Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-chul was also sentenced in 2016 to 10 years of hard labor for espionage.



The detention of a third American is likely to stoke what are already heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.



Both sides have issued threats of war, and reports suggest the North is preparing for another nuclear test as a U.S. aircraft carrier sails towards the Korean Peninsula in a demonstration of Washingtons might in the region.



U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will hold a rare briefing for all 100 U.S. senators on the situation in North Korea at the White House on April 26.



Reported by Joshua Lipes.
Nearly a thousand protesters surrounded the police station of Quynh Luu district in central Vietnams Nghe An province on Monday to demand an apology from police for their confiscation of 200 T-shirts carrying protest slogans and beating of the two men caught transporting the shirts, sources said.



The shirts, which police promised later in the day to return, bore the slogan No-Formosa in a reference to the Taiwan-owned Formosa Plastics Group, whose steel plant in coastal Ha Tinh province caused a toxic waste spill last year that killed an estimated 115 tons of fish and left fishermen jobless in four coastal provinces.



Outraged by police mistreatment of those transporting the shirts, Quynh Luu residents including many Catholics gathered outside district police headquarters on April 24 to demand the shirts return, parish priest Dan Huu Nam told RFAs Vietnamese Service.



Im still at the scene and have encouraged people to leave, Nam said.



We and the police have agreed on a solution. They have to apologize for their behavior and must return the shirts to Song Ngoc Church so that we can give them back to the people.



I told the authorities in front of everyone that if they dont resolve this situation properly, we will continue to peacefully protest to demand our rights, he said, adding, The authorities have promised to make a statement in written form.



The protest ended without clashes, and by 6:00 p.m. all protesters had returned to their homes, sources said.



The Formosa Company has voluntarily paid U.S. $500 million to clean up and compensate coastal residents affected by the April 2016 spill, but slow and uneven payout of the funds by the Vietnamese government has prompted protests that continue to be held a year later.



Vietnams government has meanwhile rebuked former environmental minister Nguyen Minh Quang and dismissed two of his deputies over their handling of the waste spill and its aftermath, Vietnams Tuo Tre news said on April 22.



Vo Kim Cu, former party chief secretary of Ha Tinh province has also been dismissed, Tuo Tre said.



Reported by Anh Vu for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Richard Finney.




A government promise to forgo legal action against a group of farmers in Vietnams capital Hanoi and investigate their land dispute in exchange for the release of 19 police and officials over the weekend is extremely rare and due in part to social media scrutiny of the situation, observers said Monday.



A standoff between authorities and the farmers from Dong Tam commune in Hanois My Duc district ended Saturday with the farmers freeing the remaining 19 hostages they had held for a week after winning the city governments pledge to investigate their complaints and not prosecute the villagers.



Hanoi mayor Nguyen Duc Chung emerged from two hours of talks with 50 farmers promising a "comprehensive investigation" into the decades-old dispute that would produce a response in 45 days, according to state media and a copy of the written agreement seen by RFA's Vietnamese Service.



He also said that those who took dozens of police officers hostage since April 15 would not be prosecuted and thanked villagers for treating the captives well.



Chung then signed an agreement and accepted the handover of the 19 police and officials who made up the last of 38 hostages taken the previous weekend.



On Monday, a My Duc resident who gave his name as Hoa told RFA he was pleased by Chungs resolution of the standoff, which he said was a largely unprecedented show of restraint by the state in Vietnam.



Im quite surprised by this solution, which the people have expressed agreement with, because I have never seen such behavior from the government before, he said.



I think social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube played a very important role in the Dong Tam case. It brought the news to the public as it occurred. More importantly, it helped the people understand the truth about what was happening there.



The Dong Tam standoff was sparked by an April 15 clash between police and the farmers, who say the government is seizing 47 hectares (116 acres) of their farmland for the military-run Viettel Groupthe countrys largest mobile phone operatorwithout adequately compensating them.



Police had arrested several farmers for allegedly causing social unrest, and other farmers responded by detaining 38 police officers and local officials, and threatening to burn them alive with petrol if security personnel attacked again.



By April 17, villagers freed 15 police officers, while three other detainees managed to escape by themselves. Nineteen people were still being held until Saturday's talks in Dong Tam, where farmers had erected barricades to prevent anyone from entering.



Humane resolution



Vo Van Tao, a journalist based in the Khanh Hoa province city of Nha Trang, told RFA on Monday that Chung had resolved the standoff in a humane way, but also suggested that the situation in Dong Tam had forced him to do so because the solution he came to was the best option the government had.



He also praised the farmers of Dong Tam, who he called determined, clever and flexible in the way they had appeased the government, but remained tough on their demands.



I have seen some bad precedents, but I think the likelihood of the government changing its mind is quite low this time and they are more likely to keep their promises, he said.



Tao put the likelihood of the government upholding its pledges to investigate the land dispute and refrain from pursuing legal action against the farmers at 60 to 70 percent.



The situation is not like what we saw at Thai Binh beforeback then there was no Internet and the civil movement was not as strong as today, he said, referring to a May-September 1997 period of unrest in the province, when several thousand villagers openly protested against local corruption, land disputes and economic policies.



[This time] I was impressed by the role of social media and the people who gave their suggestions to the government. Social media was instrumental in this case, though I dont think it played the decisive role in resolving this issue.



Due to severe press restrictions during the Thai Binh unrest, it is unclear how many arrests, charges and cases were brought against protesters in the region.



Social media role



During the Dong Tam standoff, the Hanoi government gradually increased a security presence around the commune, while electricity and wireless phone networks were cut off in the area, leaving residents unable to communicate with the outside world.



Vietnams state media reports largely cited statements from the Hanoi Communist Partys Propaganda Unit, which claimed that the farmers illegally occupied land reserved to build a military airfield in 1980 that was recently awarded to Viettel to build a defense-related project.



Other official newspapers reported that outside forces, including lawyers and civil society workers, worked to incite the Dong Tam farmers by posting information about the standoff on social media in the name of democracy.



But netizens widely dismissed the claims, saying the public should have the right to post updates about the situation and discuss it without worrying about being accused of provoking unrest.



On Monday, blogger Doan Trang took to her Facebook account to praise the role of social media in ensuring that daily developments were made available to all during the Dong Tam standoff.



Blame must fall on the government for limiting the freedom of press and censuring the media, she wrote.



Had social media not covered the standoff through comments and analysis  the events of Dong Tam could have been squashed just like those in Thai Binh and [other incidents of unrest] in past years.



Reported by Anh Vu for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
A top U.S. Army general has suggested during a visit to Afghanistan by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that Russia is arming Taliban militants.

General John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said during a joint press conference in Kabul with Mattis on April 24 that he wouldn't dispute that Russia's involvement in the Afghan war includes Moscow providing weapons to the Tailban.

Nicholson avoided offering specifics.

But, earlier on April 24, a senior U.S. military official told reporters in Kabul that Russia was giving machine guns and other medium-weight weapons to Taliban militants.

That official, briefing journalists about intelligence reports on condition of anonymity, said Taliban fighters are now using Russian-supplied weapons in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, and Uruzgan.

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban.

Russia says its contacts with the Taliban are limited to safeguarding security and getting the Islamic extremists to reconcile with Afghanistans government.

Russia has also suggested easing global sanctions against Taliban leaders who cooperate with efforts to launch peace talks with the Kabul government.

Mattis, when asked on April 24 about Russian activity in Afghanistan, said Washington is increasingly concerned about reports of Russian weapons shipments to Taliban fighters.

Mattis said Washington would "engage with Russia diplomatically" whereever possible.

But he said the United States was "going to have to confront Russia where what they're doing is contrary to international law or denying the sovereignty of other countries."

"For example, any weapons being funneled here from a foreign country would be a violation of international law," Mattis said.

WATCH: Mattis Warns Russia Not To Arm Taliban

Meanwhile, General Nicholson on April 24 also said it was "quite possible" that the Pakistan-based Haqqani militant network was responsible for an April 21 attack on an Afghan military base at Mazar-e Shariff that killed as many as 140 Afghan soldiers.

Nicholson said he came to that assessment after considering the sophisticated planning behind the attack.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility.

Mattis's arrival in Kabul on April 24 coincided with the resignation of Afghanistan's defense minister and army chief of staff in the wake of the Mazar-e Sharif massacre.

Mattis, the first member of President Donald Trump's cabinet to visit Afghanistan, met with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and other senior government officials during his previously unannounced April 24 visit.

Mattis's visit -- the final stop on a six-country tour aimed at bolstering relations with U.S. allies and partners -- was focused on assessing the needs in the war against the Taliban and other militants as Washington considers whether to deploy more U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

WATCH: Mattis Foresees 'Another Tough Year' In Afghanistan

General Nicholson recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to bolster Afghan security forces until they eventually can handle the fight against Taliban militants on their own.

U.S. officials say Nicholson's request has been advancing through the chain of command.

U.S. national security adviser General H.R. McMaster visited Kabul earlier in April.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis predicted 2017 would be "another tough year" in Afghanistan after arriving in Kabul on an unannounced visit. He also said the Taliban could rejoin the country's political process if it renounced violence and terrorism. (AP)
A UN report says cases of torture and mistreatment of detainees in Afghanistan have increased despite promises from President Ashraf Ghani and new laws enacted to curb the widespread practice.

At least 39 percent of the conflict-related detainees interviewed by UN investigators "gave credible and reliable accounts" of being tortured or experiencing other mistreatment at the hands of Afghan police, intelligence, or military personnel while in custody, the report says.

That compares with 35 percent of interviewees who reported such ill-treatment in the last UN report, released in 2015.

The Afghan government has acknowledged that problems could be caused by individuals but not as a national policy.

"The government of Afghanistan is committed to eliminating torture and ill-treatment," the government said in a statement.

The report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) is based on interviews with 469 conflict-related detainees conducted over the past two years in 62 detention facilities administered by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghan National Police, and other Afghan national-defense and security forces across the country.

"Torture does not enhance security," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement. "Confessions produced as a result of torture are totally unreliable. People will say anything to stop the pain."

The UN report comes as senior Afghan officials prepare to appear before the UN Committee Against Torture in Geneva this week during a review of Afghanistan's record of implementing antitorture laws.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague is conducting a separate review of torture in Afghanistan.

"Notwithstanding the government's efforts to implement its national plan...the present report documents continued and consistent reports of torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees, mainly during interrogation, and highlights a lack of accountability for such acts," UN officials concluded.

The document notes a 14 percent increase in reports of torture by Afghan National Police, at 45 percent of those interviewed.

The report says that more than a quarter of the 77 detainees who reported being tortured by the police were boys under the age of 18.

A force known as the Afghan Local Police severely beat almost 60 percent of their detainees, according to the interviews carried out by UN investigators.

Nearly 30 percent of interviewees held by Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the NDS, said they had faced torture or mistreatment.

Afghan National Army soldiers were also accused of mistreating some detainees.

Most detainees who reported being tortured said it was to elicit a confession, and the ill-treatment stopped once they signed a written confession. In many cases, they could not read the confession, the report says.

Torture methods included severe beatings to the body and soles of the feet with sticks, plastic pipes, or cables; electric shocks, including to the genitals; prolonged suspension by the arms; and suffocation.

With reporting by Reuters
YEREVAN -- Commemoration ceremonies were held in Armenia on April 24 to mark the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 102 years ago.

In the capital, Yerevan, hundreds of thousands of people marched to the Tsitsernakaberd hilltop memorial to lay flowers at the eternal flame at the center of a monument commemorating the victims of what Armenia calls the genocide..

Armenians from other countries also joined the march that is held annually on April 24.

President Serzh Sarkisian issued a statement calling the ceremony "a march of the resurrected nation that remembers what it left behind and looks to the future with confidence."

Late on April 23, the nationalist Dashnaktsutiun party publicly burned a Turkish flag and marched with torches across Yerevan.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed during World War I as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, a claim supported by many other countries.

The World War I-era mass slaughter and deportation of up to 1.5 million people is considered by Armenia and several other countries to have been genocide.

Turkey rejects this, however, saying that Armenians died in much smaller numbers and because of civil strife rather than a planned Ottoman government effort to annihilate the Christian minority.

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 24 issued a statement expressing sympathy for the suffering of innocent Armenian victims. But he stopped short of using the word "genocide."

Trump described the events that began "in the final years of the Ottoman Empire" as "one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century."

He stated that "beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths."

Trump also said that as the world reflects on "this dark chapter of human history... we must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again."

He said the United States welcomes "the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future."
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
SKOPJE -- Demonstrators took the streets of Macedonia's capital, Skopje, again on April 24 to protest against the proposed inclusion of ethnic Albanian parties in a governing coalition.

The demonstrators stopped outside of the headquarters of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party and demanded early parliamentary elections -- saying a fresh vote would bring an end to the Balkan country's ongoing political crisis

Supporters of the initiative also stopped in front of Macedonia's parliament and urged lawmakers to convene an urgent session dedicated to scheduling an early general election as soon as possible.

The VMRO-DPMNE -- which won elections in December but failed to build a majority coalition -- has, for weeks, successfully blocked Social Democratic leader Zoran Zaev from enacting a coalition deal he reached with ethnic Albanian parties to form a new government.

For the last two months, protesters who are mostly VMRO-DPMNE supporters have praised President Gjorge Ivanov -- a member of the VMRO-DPMNE -- for refusing to give Zaev's coalition a mandate to form a new government, even though it holds a parliamentary majority.

The United States and European Union have called on the VMRO to stop its obstruction tactics, which have prolonged the country's long-running political crisis.


European Union foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has told Russia that the EU wants better ties but cannot pretend that Moscow did not annex Crimea, and said that sanctions will remain in place.

Mogherini, on her first official visit to Moscow in more than two years in the post, spoke at a joint press conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on April 24.

She also criticized Moscow over evidence of violence and abuse against gay men in the Chechnya region, saying it was the Russian government's responsibility to protect the rights of all its citizens.

"Our expectation is that the Russian Federation does its part to protect its own citizens in full respect of human rights principles," she said, adding that she had discussed the issue with Lavrov.

An April 1 report in the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta said more than 100 men had been detained in Chechnya recently on the basis of the assumption that they were gay, and that at least three of them were killed.

Gay men from Chechnya have since given accounts to RFE/RL and other media of their escape from the abuse they faced in the region in the North Caucasus, which Ramzan Kadyrov has ruled with an iron hand and strong Kremlin support for a decade.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has claimed there is no evidence that backs up the reports, which have caused concern in the West and led to calls for Putin to rein in Kadyrov.

Lavrov bristled at Mogherini's words and suggested that Russia would not engage in a substantive discussion on any question involving human rights in Russia unless "sectoral talks" with the EU on various issues are restored.

Mogherini and Lavrov also differed over what Western countries say was a sarin-gas attack by the Syrian government, which has Russia's strong support, which killed more than 80 people in a rebel-held town in Syria's Idlib Province.

Mogherini said that EU-Russia cooperation was "not frozen" and that the EU wants closer cooperation but that progress is hampered by deep disagreements on subjects including Ukraine and Syria.

"It would be quite surreal to consider ourselves as strategic partners and to have respective sanctions," she said.

The EU, United States, and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia after it seized control of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The West has also imposed sanctions over Russia's support for separatists fighting government forces in eastern Ukraine in war that has killed more than 9,900 people since April 2014.

Moscow responded with an embargo on many agricultural products from the West.

Mogherini said the EU sanctions were "not an objective in themselves" but were meant to help end the conflict in Ukraine.

Her visit came a day after a land mine blast in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by the Russia-backed separatists killed an American paramedic who was part of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission.

Two other members of the monitoring mission were injured in the blast, which underscored concerns about the continuing war.

On April 23, Mogherini said the incident was a "reminder of the urgent need for progress on a peaceful resolution of the conflict."

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and Interfax
Former U.S. President Barack Obama made his first public appearance since leaving office in January. He led a panel discussion on April 24 at the University of Chicago, where Obama's presidential library is planned. The 44th president of the United States told the young audience that he hoped to "encourage and support the next generation leaders." While Obama did not comment on his successor, President Donald Trump, he did discuss political divisions in America. (AP)
14 People drink and eat at a cemetery in the abandoned village of Lomysh, near the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Belarus, on the eve of Radunitsa, or the Day of Rejoicing, a holiday in the Eastern Orthodox Church to remember the dead. Every year, residents who left their villages after the Chernobyl blast gather at cemeteries for a day to visit their relatives' graves and to meet with former friends and neighbors. (Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko)
Denmark's defense minister has criticized Moscow's "aggressive" behavior after a report accused Russian hackers of infiltrating e-mail accounts of the country's Defense Ministry.

"This is part of a continuing war from the Russian side in this field, where we are seeing a very aggressive Russia," Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen told Danish media.

A report published on April 23 by Denmark's Center for Cybersecurity accused a group of pro-Kremlin hackers of breaking into the e-mails of Defense Ministry employees in 2015 and last year.

"The hacked e-mails don't contain military secrets, but it is of course serious," Frederiksen said, adding that the hacking "is linked to the intelligence services or central elements in the Russian government, and it is a constant battle to keep them away."

The report identified the hacker group as APT28, also known as Pawn Storm, Sofacy, and Fancy Bear.

The group has links to the Russian government and security services and has previously been named by the FBI and U.S. Homeland Security as being behind "malicious cyberactivity" against U.S. government bodies.

The report comes at a time when several Western governments, including the United States, France, and Britain, have accused Russia of using hacking to influence elections. Moscow denies it.

Western media reports about the Danish accusations said that Russian officials were not available to comment.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
A Kyrgyz diplomat has visited an injured victim of a shooting in Russia that the Russian authorities say they believe was a hate crime.

Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Aiymkan Kulukeeva told RFE/RL on April 24 that a 37-year-old citizen of Kyrgyzstan, Talant Jumaev, was seriously injured in the April 21 shooting in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk.

Kulukeeva said Kyrgyzstan's consul in Khabarovsk, Kadyrbek Myrzabaev, visited Jumaev in a hospital in Khabarovsk on April 24.

Russian authorities say a teenage gunman opened fire in a Federal Security Service (FSB) office, killing an FSB officer and another victim, who the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said was an Uzbek citizen.

The attacker was killed, and Jumaev was the only injured survivor.

The Russian Investigative Committee said on April 21 that authorities had reason to believe the attacker "held neo-Nazi views espousing hatred of people from different ethnic groups."

With reporting by Dvhab.ru and Interfax
A Russian court has fined a woman for her teenage daughter's participation in an unsanctioned anticorruption protest on March 26.

Yelena Makarova, an attorney for 17-year-old vocational high school student Sofia Murzina, told the Meduza news website on April 24 that her client was found guilty of violating a law on mass gatherings and for refusing to leave the unsanctioned rally.

The court in the Sverdlovsk region in the Urals said it imposed the 10,000 ruble ($177) fine against Murzinas mother, Tatyana Lipovets, because Murzina does not have a permanent source of income.

The March 26 protests across Russia were the biggest antigovernment demonstrations in the country since a series of rallies that Aleksei Navalny helped lead in 2011 and 2012.

Thousands of teenagers took part in the March 26 protests.

Based on reporting by Meduza
A Russian man who was jailed following antigovernment protests held nationwide on March 26 has filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

In an interview published in the newspaper Kommersant on April 24, Agora human rights group chief Pavel Chikov said that Sochi resident Vitaly Nibiyeridze's lawsuit was the first complaint lodged with the ECHR in connection with the clampdown on protesters.

Police detained more than 1,000 people in Moscow alone over the anticorruption rallies organized by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, the biggest demonstrations against President Vladimir Putin's government since a wave of protests in 2011-12.

Nibiyeridze was detained while trying to organize a march in Sochi. He spent eight days in jail after a court found him guilty of holding an unsanctioned mass gathering.

His lawyer, Mikhail Benyash, said that Nibiyeridze's suit accuses the authorities in the Black Sea resort city of violating his freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly, and his right to a fair trial.

Chikov said that hundreds of similar complaints will be filed with the ECHR in the near future.

With reporting by Kommersant and Ekho Moskvy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, indirectly accusing him of using his anticorruption campaign to gain political prominence.

Without naming Navalny in comments at a meeting in St. Petersburg on April 24, Putin criticized people he said use anticorruption slogans "as an instrument in their own political fight for promoting themselves."

Navalny was behind anticorruption rallies that brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets across Russia on March 26, the biggest protests against Putin's government in about five years.

Police detained more than 1,000 people in Moscow alone, beating some of them in a show of force, and Navalny was jailed for 15 days.

Navalny has called for another nationwide protest on June 12.

He wants to run for president in a March 2018 election in which Putin is widely expected to seek a new six-year term.

Navalny, however, may be barred from the ballot over a conviction on a financial-crimes charge that he says was baseless and politically motivated.

With reporting by Interfax and TASS
BRUSSELS -- Serbias Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has told European Union officials that Belgrades top foreign policy priority after Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic assumes Serbias presidency on May 31 will continue to be joining the EU.

Dacic made the remarks after he met in Brussels on April 24 together with Vucic, Serbias president-elect, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn.

Dacic told journalists in Brussels after the meeting that it is of the utmost importance that Belgrade's European integration maintains its momentum and avoids standstills.

"It means that Serbia will do its best," Dacic said. "It will try to play a constructive role, which will ultimately yield in the Balkans a zone of stability and peace."

Dacic said he and Vucic talked with the EU enlargement commission about "all existing challenges, including different statements which run counter to the search for common interests in the Balkans but strive to go back to the past which is fraught with a risk of conflicts that, instead, endanger Balkan peace and stability."

Meanwhile, Hahn on April 24 commended Serbia "for having shown leadership when it comes to regional cooperation and good neighborly relations."

In an apparent reference to recent comments by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama about the potential unification of Albania and Kosovo, Hahn said he was disappointed and annoyed by "inflammatory statements from certain leaders in the region."

Hahn said those statements could be considered as "interference in neighboring countries" and that "implying changing borders" was not acceptable and "more than unnecessary and counterproductive."

"If somebody believes that such a kind of statement might put pressure on us, it would be a big mistake because this can easily backfire," Hahn said.

"One should be aware that the Europeans have a strong interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," Hahn said. "This can only be achieved via good neighborly relations, if everybody works together and is contributing to the further development of the region."

Vucic -- the leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) -- was elected in April as Serbia's next president, winning the contest outright in the first round ballot with about 55 percent of the vote.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak


DUSHANBE -- Journalists with state-run media outlets in Tajikistan say they have been instructed to use President Emomali Rahmon's full, lengthy title in reports about him.

Journalists working for state media told RFE/RL on April 23 that they had been instructed to present Rahmon as "the founder of peace and national unity of Tajikistan, the leader of the nation, President Emomali Rahmon."

The director of Tajik State Radio, Farruh Ziyoev, told RFE/RL that the mandatory use of the president's full title was required by law, without elaborating.

Rahmon 64, got the title and a lifelong immunity from prosecution in accordance with a law endorsed by himself in December 2015. The law also protects Rahmon's relatives from prosecution.

Rahmon, a former collective farm chief, has been in power in Tajikistan since 1992 -- a year after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Independent lawyer Shokirjon Hakimov told RFE/RL that Tajik laws do not provide for any penalties for not mentioning the full title of the president in reports.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle to improved U.S.-Russian relations and he reiterated his "firm" support for Kyiv.

Spokesman Mark Toner on April 23 said the call was meant to brief the Ukrainian leader on Tillersons April 11-12 trip to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

He said Tillerson relayed his "message to the Russian leadership that, although the United States is interested in improving relations with Russia, Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle."

Toner said Poroshenko passed on his condolences on the death earlier in the day of a U.S. member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission in eastern Ukraine.

The OSCE said a member of its monitoring staff was killed and two were injured after their vehicle hit a mine in eastern Ukraine in an area controlled by Russia-backed separatists.

The OSCE first deployed staff in 2014 to monitor the cease-fires between the Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces in a conflict that has killed at least 9,940 people. The mission has been extended to at least March 2018.

Tillerson and Poroshenko agreed that "this tragic incident makes clear the need for all sides -- and particularly the Russian-led separatist forces -- to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements immediately," Toner said.

The spokesman said the secretary reiterated the "firm" U.S. commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. He confirmed that sanctions against Moscow will remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean Peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements.

The 2015 Minsk agreement and subsequent related agreements set out steps to end the war between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Europe and restore Kyiv's control over the border with Russia.

Tillerson also "emphasized the importance of Ukraines continued progress on reform and combating corruption," Toner said.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has identified an American paramedic who was killed by a land mine explosion in eastern Ukraine on April 23 while working as an OSCE monitor.

An OSCE statement on April 24 said U.S. citizen Joseph Stone was killed when an OSCE vehicle he was riding in hit a land mine in the separatist-controlled village of Pryshyb in the Luhansk region.

The statement said two other OSCE monitors injured by the blast -- a German woman and a man from the Czech Republic -- were released from a Luhansk hospital on April 24 and transferred to Kyiv.

It said the two were listed in stable condition.

Meanwhile, the armored Toyota B6 Land Cruiser that struck the land mine has been transported to Kramatorsk -- the Ukrainian government's provisional administrative center in the Donetsk region -- for what the OSCE described as an "ongoing assessment."

Ukraine's government in Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine have blamed each other for the land mine explosion.

U.S. 'Shocked'

Self-proclaimed separatist leaders in the breakaway Luhansk region on April 24 claimed that Ukrainian "saboteurs" infiltrated territory under separatist control and planted the land mine in order to "discredit" the Russia-backed militants.

But Ukraine's Defense Ministry rejected that claim, noting that the site of the land mine has been under separatist control since the summer of 2014.

"There can be no Ukrainian sabotage groups, and are none" in this area, Ukraine's Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said.

The U.S. State Department has said it was "shocked" about Stone's death while he serving as an international monitor in separatist-controlled territory of eastern Ukraine.

It called on Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a "full, transparent, and timely investigation."

"This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats, and harassment," a State Department statement late on April 23 said.

Stone's death was the first among OSCE monitors, who were initially deployed to the region in 2014 to monitor cease-fires in a conflict that has killed at least 9,940 people.

International Condemnation

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the incident was a "reminder of the urgent need for progress on a peaceful resolution of the conflict."



Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE in Europe, said there was a need for a "thorough investigation' and that "those responsible will be held accountable."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a similar call.

"The federal government expects that the parties to the conflict immediately do everything possible to ascertain how we reached this tragic point and who holds responsibility for it," she said.

Merkel also said it was time for all sides to start honoring a long-promised cease-fire, adding that the Russian-backed separatists bear the greater responsibility to make sure that happens.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel lamented that "someone who just wanted to help create peace and put an end to the fighting has lost his life."

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko instructed Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin to keep the OSCE informed of Kyiv's investigation into the blast.

"This crime must be investigated and those responsible must be punished," Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

"Ukraine condemns all forms of constant resistance by the rebels to the OSCE SMM's work," he added, using an acronym for the OSCE's special monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine.

Separatists Make 'Unsafe Route' Claim

A statement issued by the Russia-backed separatists in Luhansk on their website claimed that the OSCE team had veered off the main road and was traveling along an unsafe route.

"We know that this patrol team deviated from the main route and was moving along secondary roads, which is prohibited by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate," the separatist statement said.

Eduard Basurin, a senior separatist figure, said the OSCE vehicle "deviated from its main route and moved onto backroads" when it struck what he said was an antitank mine.

The separatists' claim could not be confirmed.

The unarmed, civilian OSCE mission, with more than 700 international observers, seeks to reduce tensions and report on the situation on the ground in Ukraine.

In March, the 57 member states of the OSCE, which include Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, decided by consensus to extend the mandate of the mission for another year, its third extension since it was first deployed in Ukraine in 2014.

Western nations have imposed sanctions on Moscow for its illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and its support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Christopher Miller, AFP, Reuters and DPA


Outside the marquee reads, If you build it, they will come, and thats exactly what is underway  and being hoped for  at the Ashland Theater.

A few Ashland Town Council members, Town Manager Josh Farrar and board members of the Ashland Theater Foundation gathered Monday at the gutted Ashland Theater to celebrate the start of construction on the historic amenity.

Clark Mercer, president of the Ashland Theater Foundation, told those gathered that renovations on the Ashland Theater are expected to cost about $1.6 million.

About $1.1 million has been raised mostly from the town of Ashland and a grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and a capital campaign to raise another $500,000 is in the works, Mercer said.

Renovations planned for the Ashland Theater include expanding the lobby, building an addition to house a green room and office space and making the building accessible by wheelchair. Two Ashland contractors, F. Richard Wilton Jr. Inc. and Chopper Dawson Inc., have been enlisted to handle construction on the building. Another local company, McKinney & Company, is doing design work.

Mercer said when it reopens, the Ashland Theater will have to host more than just films to keep itself in the black.

It has to be multi-purpose, Mercer said, adding that plans call for creating and hiring a full-time position to run the theater as well as a full-time booking manager.

Council Member Kathy Abbott, the council liaison on the board of the Ashland Theater Foundation, said the start of construction is a long time coming.
Workers pick grapes at a vineyard on Mount Helan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.[Photos By Peng Zhaozhi/Xinhua]

More than 150 or 2 percent of vineyard chateaus in wine-making Bordeaux, Southwestern France, are now owned by Chinese, China Business News reported citing industry estimates.

Seeking beyond import business, the chateau investors aim to lock fine wine from production phase for their booming home market, where wine consumption grew 6.9 percent year-on-year, marking the world's number one, to 1.72 billion liters in 2016.

Bordeaux has seen explosive surge of Chinese investors over the past decade, while it took Belgian buyers about 70 years in comparison to acquire over 100 chateaus in the region, Li Lijuan, director of Christie's international real estate market in China, told the newspaper.

Chinese buyers spend on average 5 to 10 million euros on a chateau whose vineyard could take up 10 to 30 hectares, according to an industry works Le Vin, le Rouge, la Chine. Recent corporate investors include subsidiaries of local wine company Changyu and food conglomerate Bright Food Group and COFCO.

Valuation of the chateaus depends on its location, drainage condition, historical output, brand heritage and recognition, analysts said.

Investment return could be as high as 10 percent for those who have marketing and sales channels in China, Li said, adding that Chinese buyers also see chateaus as a resort for family or good real estate investment given long return period.

"About 20 years ago, Chinese economy was boosted by foreign capital including those from France, while nowadays Bordeax could use help from China to retain its world-class standard," Somalina Nguon-Guignet, managing director of French property specialist IFL, was quoted in the book as saying. "France ought to feel pleased by interests it receives from foreign investors."
A Chesterfield County man found fatally stabbed in his apartment Friday afternoon was an early advocate of gay and lesbian rights in Virginia and a registered lobbyist for the movement in 1981 at the Virginia General Assembly.

Bruce M. Garnett, 67, had been dead for several weeks when police were called Friday to check on his welfare and found him deceased inside his residence in the 700 block of Chinaberry Drive, according to police and the victims older brother, Bill Garnett.

Police advised Garnetts family that he had been fatally stabbed and that his pet dog, a Japanese Chin named TyTy, also was found dead, apparently from a lack of food or water for weeks, Bill Garnett said in a phone call Monday from his home in Taiping, Malaysia.

Chesterfield police on Monday confirmed the victims cause of death, which they said is being investigated as a homicide.

Officers forcibly entered Garnetts residence after they were unsuccessful in making contact with him.

We dont have any idea (what happened), Bill Garnett said. He was retired, and he just got his first Social Security check in February. He was looking forward to doing some things that hed never been able to do.

Garnett said his brother, who was gay, was an early pioneer for gay rights in Virginia and helped form the Gay Rights Association in Richmond.

He was an activist in a time when it would be very difficult to be an activist, Garnett said. Things have changed a lot in four decades. I think when he was doing that it took a lot of courage.

According to a February 1978 newsletter by the Richmond Gay Rights Association, Garnett was the first openly gay man to lobby the General Assembly.

The group met to formulate action programs aimed at the repeal, enactment and modification of laws and ordinances affecting the gay and lesbian community, and fought against perceived entrapment of gays by the local police vice squads.

An April 5, 1978, article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Garnett spoke before the Richmond Commission on Human Rights about the employment rights of gays. He argued that homosexuality was not illegal and that the then-illegal act of sodomy applied to some heterosexuals as well as homosexual acts.

A heterosexual isnt known to commit sodomy any more than a heterosexual is known to commit rape, he said.

Garnetts remarks came as the Human Rights Commission was considering whether to include sexual orientation in an anti-discrimination proposal it was considering. Three Baptist ministers also spoke at the proceeding against homosexuality as sinful and immoral, and said homosexuals therefore should not be included in the anti-discrimination measure.

He spoke on behalf of gay and lesbian rights as far back as 1977, Bill Garnett said, and was a registered lobbyist for that movement in 1981 at the Virginia General Assembly. Four decades ago, his passion, courage and energy helped the cause of gay rights to come out of the closet.

Garnett said his brother had worked a number of jobs, including as a computer programmer and an employee of Reynolds Metals. His last position was with Kroger, where he worked the night shift, Garnett said.

He had over the years become rather solitary and suffered medical problems, said Garnett, who has lived in Malaysia for eight years and last had contact with his brother in February.

Garnett said his younger brother lived alone and did not have a partner.

Bruce was an extremely intelligent person; he was just brilliant with algebra and very mathematically inclined, said his sister, who declined to be identified because his killer is at large.

He was a very giving person, the sister added. He was not a wealthy individual, but he would definitively help anybody he could, anybody who came into contact with.

Said Bill Garnett: Bruce was a good person. He was an Eagle Scout, and he once received from the governor of Virginia a commendation for saving a boys life.

Garnett was one of two Scouts who on July 9, 1968, was presented the Certificate of Heroism by then-Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. for rescuing two young boys from drowning in Falling Creek Reservoir, according to a story in The Times-Dispatch. The award was Scoutings second-highest honor for heroic deeds.

Garnett, then 18 and a member of Sea Explorer Ship 863, pulled an unconscious boy from 25 feet of water on July 28, 1967, after he heard the youngster screaming for help, according to news accounts.
Two Fishersville residents avoided jail time early Saturday after an Albemarle County jury found them each guilty of two of three charges stemming from the slaying of a pig from the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.

Lee Edward Oakes Jr., 33, and Jerelyn Aymarie Sutter, 27, were found guilty of felony killing of livestock and misdemeanor animal cruelty, and not guilty of felony theft of livestock, a defense attorney said Saturday.

They face a $500 fine on each charge plus court costs.

Their trial in Albemarle County Circuit Court began Thursday and ended early Saturday morning, after hours of deliberation.

The pair was arrested on July 10, roughly a week after a months-old pig was taken from the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCAwhere Sutter was employedslaughtered and sent to a butcher.

Authorities were able to retrieve the animal before it was butchered, and performed a necropsy that showed it had been stabbed 31 times in the neck.

On July 3, the pig had been caught by officers from the Albemarle County Police Department and taken to the local SPCA. Once there, the pig was put on a leash, walked around the facility and pet by staffers of the SPCA, including Sutter. Sometime later, the pig became unruly and was stabbed multiple times by Oakes.

Workers at the SPCA, an Albemarle County animal control officer, county police officers and the alleged owner of the pig testified over the course of the trial.

Prosecutor Amanda Galloway tried to convince the 14-person jury that Oakes and Sutters actions were not only terrible, but also criminal. She contended that the pair should have known, given Sutters then-employment with the SPCA, that the pig was not theirs to take away. Galloway also said that when the pig became hard to control, Oakes stabbed it out of frustration and anger.

The defense repeatedly stated that, given the circumstances, it was hard to know who truly owned the pig. The guidelines for pigs at the SPCA were shaky, said attorney Alicia Milligan, and it was unclear whether the pig had a previous owner.

She contended that Oakes acted instinctually in killing the animal, but not maliciously. He may have mishandled the actual killing, but, she concluded, but mistakes are not crimes.

A number of animal rights activists, who want justice for Profit, the name they gave the pig, attended the trial to show support.

Lorelei Pulliam, president of Rangers Refuge at Gallastar in Afton, said while she wished there had been a tougher sentence, she thinks the prosecution did a good job.

Im proud to live in this community where this even came to trial, she said. I just think its amazing that that homeless little pig had a commonwealths attorney go to bat for him like they did. Our community stood up and said this type of thing is not right and were not going to let this go unpunished. I wish the punishment was stronger, but Im glad that they were found guilty.

In memory of the pig, Pulliam said the refuge will be creating a new facility for pigs.

Were going to call it Profits Place, she said. [It will be] just for pigs that might otherwise end up in an animal control shelter, so that theres always a place for a pig to go and that the SPCA or animal control will know who to call.
A 75-year-old Charlottesville man will pay a $100 fine after being found guilty of reckless driving Monday in an Aug. 21 crash that killed a high-level businesswoman at the Shops at Stonefield.

Franklin Pollock Reider told police his foot accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake that day when 57-year-old Bonnie Baha, of San Marino, California, and her family tried to cross District Avenue in the shopping center. Police said Reider was attempting to make a left turn from Bond Street onto District Avenue when he hit Baha, her husband and her daughter.

Baha, a top executive with a California investment management firm, was visiting Charlottesville with her family to drop off her son, a first-year student, at the University of Virginia.

She died at the UVa Medical Center. Her husband and daughter were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

In court Monday, Albemarle County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Darby Lowe argued that though Reider may have accidentally stepped on the accelerator when he meant to hit the brake, it is still the drivers responsibility to operate a vehicle in a safe manner. Even if it was not an intentional act, because Reider hit and killed someone, she said, he was displaying reckless behavior.

The prosecutions first witness was Albemarle County police Officer Kasey Flippen, the first officer to respond to the scene of the crash. When he arrived, Flippen said there was a crowd of people surrounding the scene, but he could see a woman lying in the road in a puddle of blood and, next to her, a man lying in the road.

Flippen said he spoke to the driver of the grey 2010 Toyota, identified as Reider, who said he went to brake when he saw the pedestrians enter the crosswalk, but he may have accidentally hit the gas instead.

Michael Lacey was waiting to take his turn through the same intersection when he saw Reiders vehicle begin to make a left turn before it suddenly accelerated.

I saw bodies flying, Lacey said in court.

After the impact, Lacey said he immediately grabbed his phone to call 911. He said Reider looked visibly shaken.

Albemarle Traffic Officer Randy Jamerson then went on the stand to talk about the crash reconstruction and examination of the cars internal computer system. All newer cars have a box that wakes up when the car is jolted and records vital data, such as how fast the car was going seconds before the impact, if the brake was applied and whether the passengers were wearing seatbelts.

From that data, Jamerson said police determined what time the car accelerated and the speed it was going at the time it hit Baha and her family members. Four seconds before the crash, the car was traveling about 8 mph and accelerated to 19 mph at the time of the crash. Based on the data, Jamerson said the brakes were never applied.

Jay Malone Jr., from Brown Toyota, then came forward to talk about the inspection done on Reiders vehicle following the crash. Two Toyota safety recalls were in question, both of which could have affected the accelerator, if they were not completed in Reiders car. One recall replaced the software in the gas pedal to stop it from ever overriding the brake. The other replaced the accelerator bar, which keeps the gas pedal from going down to the floor.

But both recalls had been done on Reiders car in 2010  six years prior to the crash, Malone said.

The defense elected not to present evidence and maintained that the crash was a complete accident. Reiders attorney, Francis Lawrence, said his client should not be convicted of reckless driving because it was not an intentional act.

It was the furthest thing from his mind to put anyone at risk, Lawrence said. Recklessness involves some level of consciousness.

A judge found Reider guilty of reckless driving, but postponed his decision to take Reiders license until he can be retested by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Reider also will pay a $100 fine.
Given President Donald Trumps about-faces on NATO, the Export-Import Bank, Chinas status as a currency manipulator, and a few hundred other issues, it was possible to hope that he might change his mind about trade as well.

Nope.

In recent days the president has gone on an anti-trade tear. He has ordered an investigation into steel dumping, on the pretext that a reliance on foreign steel endangers national security. Trump invoked a 1962 law that would permit the administration to impose tariffs on foreign steel. This will solve the agonizing dilemma of U.S. factories paying too little for their production inputs.

Precisely what qualifies as foreign steel isnt perfectly clear, because some steel is made abroad using U.S. iron ore. The Wall Street Journal notes that U.S. materials make up 85 percent of Canadian steel production, for instance. The paper also notes that some U.S. steel manufacturers are not fitted out to make certain types of steel needed in projects here at home. So either they must re-tool, which will cost more, or the projects might have to end up paying a tariff for foreign steel, which will cost more.

If foreign steel is un-American, then something will have to be done about the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero in New York. It was built in part with steel from Luxembourg.

The president also has ripped into Canada for its trade practices: What they have done to our dairy farm workers is a disgrace. Exactly what the Canadians have done he left unclear: Rules, regulations, different things have changed, he said. In fact, Canadians have lowered their prices to compete with U.S. dairy farmers. The horror.

The fact is, Trump added, NAFTA  whether its Mexico or Canada  is a disaster for our country. This is laughable. The U.S. has added 30 million jobs since NAFTA was signed. U.S. manufacturing output has risen substantially, and pay for factory workers has risen as well; the decline in manufacturing employment is due almost entirely to increased productivity through automation, not the dislocation of jobs to Mexico. Canada and Mexico are now the top two destination for U.S. exports. The trade deals overall effect on the U.S. economy has been modest  perhaps 0.5 percent of GDP  but that effect is positive, not negative.

Last week Trump also issued a Buy American and Hire American executive order, which was blessedly short on quotas and long on assessments and guidance. Nevertheless, it does the public a disservice by reinforcing a misimpression that many products in the U.S. have strictly American-based supply chains. That is rarely the case, and many advanced products are made with parts from all over the world.

Boeings Dreamliner aircraft, for instance, includes parts from Korea, Canada, Australia, Italy, France, Japan, Sweden and Britain. The Apple iPhone is assembled in China from parts made in Germany, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, China, France, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Likewise, more than half of all factory inputs in the United States come from abroad. If imports suddenly ceased, so would U.S. manufacturing  and the paychecks that come from it.

The president ought to know these things. After all, his own product lines are manufactured in Bangladesh, Honduras, Vietnam, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, Germany, Taiwan, Turkey, Slovenia  and, of course, China.
Two years ago Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden was a finalist to run the school system in Boston. When word got out that he might leave Richmond, a grassroots campaign urging him to stay blossomed. A Better With Bedden petition drive sprang up and collected nearly a thousand signatures. Even Gov. Terry McAuliffe made a personal plea.

Bedden opted to stay; city residents breathed a sigh of relief. The Boston Globe tipped its hat, acknowledging after Bedden withdrew his candidacy that its southern competitor had scored a victory: Going into the final phase of the search for a new superintendent, it was clear that Dr. Dana Bedden had been singled out as the favorite  many students, parents, and union members had expressed their full support. But Bedden withdrew as a candidate less than an hour before the committee meeting was slated to start, announcing he had decided to stay in his current position as superintendent of Richmond Public Schools in Virginia. Beddens candidacy for the Boston post had caused the community in Richmond to mobilize. Richmond, you win.

Now, all of a sudden, Bedden is out. And nobody cares to explain why.

On Friday, the members of the Richmond School Board sequestered themselves away from public view for secret talks about Bedden. When they emerged, they said little and conveyed even less. The next day the school division announced that Beddens term will end on June 30. But that was about the extent of their disclosures.

Only two of the seven members responded to press inquiries. Scott Barlow said he would have preferred to see Bedden stay but he would respect the boards decision. Cindy Menz-Erb said she wouldnt have anything to say.

This is outrageous. Richmonds children, parents, and taxpayers deserve better.

They deserve to know where each member stood on the decision, for starters.

And they deserve to know what led to Beddens ouster.

Was it simply the failure of the school system to raise academic performance? If so, how will Beddens leaving improve the situation?

Did Bedden commit some sort of infraction, or fall short of some yardstick, that the public doesnt know about? If the board has a good reason to give him the boot, disclosing it would allay suspicion.

Did the board  composed entirely of new members -- decide to fire Bedden as a way to signal that a new day had dawned and a new direction had been set?

Did the board face pressure from other power centers  such as the mayors office, the business community, or the teachers guild? If so, why?

Is Bedden being offered up as a sacrificial goat to appease the federal Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights? The OCR is investigating claims that black students with disabilities are punished at rates far higher than the rate for white students without disabilities. Its not clear why that is an apt comparison  why not compare disabled students of one race against disabled students of another?  or whether the claim takes into account, as it should, socioeconomic factors. White students make up less than 10 percent of the student population, and many of those students come from well-to-do families. Since low income is a strong predictor of classroom misbehavior, any comparison that doesnt adjust accordingly is probably missing the mark.

Finally, what kind of candidate does the board expect to apply for the job after treating the incumbent this way?

Its theoretically possible that Bedden has since shed the star qualities Richmonders found so appealing just two years ago and become an impediment to progress. But little evidence of such a transformation is apparent. Nor is there any indication that the public has soured on his leadership. The decision to terminate his contract is extremely puzzling.

But the way the decision was dumped in the citys lap  after hush-hush meetings and with no explanation  is intolerable. It could hardly have been bungled any more. The only way for the board to redeem itself is to explain itself.
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.
Whether winds are rotating in a tornado or blasting from a storm in a straight line, a 75 mph velocity can be quite destructive for anything caught in the path.

A severe storm battered Colonial Beach with violent gusts and hail on Friday evening  but there were no indications of a tornado, according to the National Weather Service in Wakefield.

After surveying the damage Saturday, Warning Coordination Meteorologist Bill Sammler determined that winds blew out of the thunderstorm in a straight line at 70 to 75 mph.

At first glance, damage from intense straight-line winds can be indistinguishable from an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado, like the one that hit Irvington on April 6. That tornado was estimated to have 90 mph winds.

A single gust, or series of gusts blowing out of the same direction, can produce substantial damage, like a relatively weak tornado, Sammler said.

The trees that fell were oriented either from west to east or west-northwest to east-southeast, he observed. Trees uprooted and snapped by a tornado would have had a more convergent or chaotic pattern.

That unidirectional or divergent pattern is pretty standard, Sammler added.

Another clue showed that the wind didnt behave like a tornado: There was no well-defined damage path.

The breadth of the damage was really wide, and it was not in the concentrated area like a tornado will typically produce, Sammler said.

Falling trees damaged houses, and the gusts were strong enough to blow over trailers and boat shelters.

In addition to the powerful gusts, quarter- to half-dollar-sized hail pelted the town at the height of the storm and plastered the streets and cars with leaves.

That storm was a supercell  a discrete storm with a defined structure and propensity for severe weather. Like many supercells, this storm exhibited some rotation on radar, but not in the right amount or the right place to clearly indicate that a tornado occurred.

While it was over Colonial Beach, the storm was about 55 miles away from the nearest NWS Doppler radar site in Loudoun County. Because of the curvature of the Earth, the lowest portion of the storm the radar beam could examine was about 4,000 feet above the ground.

At that level, the storm had some relatively weak rotation several miles south of Colonial Beach along state Route 3, but there was no strong radar evidence for a tornado, or one over the town itself.

About 45 minutes after the storm hit Colonial Beach, the weather service office in Wakefield issued a tornado warning for eastern Westmoreland County and northern Northumberland County based on Doppler radar-indicated rotation.

There were numerous trees down in the Sandy Point area, but no reports of a tornado.

***

A rotating thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon also prompted tornado warnings along the U.S. Route 58 corridor from Clarksville to Emporia.

The storm did not produce a tornado, but a funnel cloud was photographed near South Hill. The storm knocked over many trees in the counties of Mecklenburg, Brunswick and Greensville.

On Sunday, another survey team from the Wakefield office went to the Lawrenceville area, but that tree damage was very sparse and there was no conclusive evidence of a tornado path.

Severe storms are unlikely to hit Virginia during the upcoming week, but Sammler cautions that the peak season for severe weather is typically still ahead of us, in late spring.

When storms strike again, he encourages the public to share reports and pictures of storm damage on the Wakefield offices Facebook page or to send an email to akq-report@noaa.gov.

Those are two really good ways to get us information because were monitoring both the inbox and Facebook page during severe weather events, Sammler said.
MONDAY

The Richmond City Council will hold a budget work session at 11 a.m., an informal council meeting at 4 p.m. and a formal meeting at 6 p.m. in council chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 900 E. Broad St.

The Prince George County Planning Commission will hold a work session at 6:30 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive.

TUESDAY

The Chesterfield County School Board will meet at 4 p.m., 13900 Hull Street Road.

The Prince George County Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive.

The Colonial Heights School Board will meet at 7:30 p.m., 3451 Conduit Road.

The Henrico County Board of Supervisors will meet at 5:30 p.m. and again at 7 p.m., .

WEDNESDAY

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors will meet at 3 p.m. and again at 6 p.m., 9901 Lori Road.

The Hanover County Board of Supervisors will meet at 6 p.m. in the Hanover County Administration Building, 7516 County Complex Road.

The Henrico County Planning Commission will meet at 9 a.m., .

THURSDAY

The Hopewell Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m., 300 N. Main St.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
PULASKI  Several versions of motherhood were outlined Monday as a Pulaski woman was sentenced for harming her infant daughter.

There was the 21-year-old defendant, Tuesday Danielle Manning, who will serve 14 years in prison, Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Brad Finch ruled.

And there were two foster mothers  one who had raised Manning and is now bringing up Mannings son; and a second, a neurological nurse who took in Ava Edwards, the daughter whose brain injury and broken limbs Manning was convicted last year of causing.

She took away her life, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Travis Epes said of Mannings treatment of her daughter, without ending her life.

Manning was found guilty in August of aggravated malicious wounding and malicious wounding after entering an Alford plea in which she maintained that she was innocent, but admitted that there was enough evidence to convict her.

An Alford plea is treated as a guilty plea in court.

For the aggravated malicious wounding charge, Finch imposed a 20-year sentence, the mandatory minimum term, and suspended 10 years of it. For the malicious wounding charge, he imposed another 10 years and suspended six. The terms will run consecutively, the judge said. Manning will be on probation for 20 years after her release, Finch said.

The sentencing shed little new light on how Mannings then-8-month-old daughter suffered skull fractures, brain injuries, two broken legs and a broken arm in June 2015. The infants wounds were so severe that the physician who first treated Ava said it was as if shed been in close proximity to a bomb blast, Epes said. Manning had named seven people as possible culprits in her daughters injuries, Epes said, but investigators found each had an alibi for the time period during which doctors said the wounds must have been inflicted.

The infant had been to the doctor three days earlier and was found to have a slight fever but was otherwise fine, Epes said.

Manning herself could not account for a period of close to four hours on the night before she took her daughter to the emergency room, Epes said. At last years plea hearing, Epes recounted how Manning was in Blacksburg with Ava to see a friend, then stay with her boyfriend, a Blacksburg resident. For about four hours, Manning texted the friend and her boyfriend, telling each she was with the other, Epes said in August.

On Monday, Epes recalled how when investigators asked Manning where shed been, her final answer was, I dont know. Im still trying to figure that out for myself.

With the cause of Avas injuries largely unknown, Mondays hearing delved into the extent of the harm and Mannings own turbulent past, which her attorney, Anthony Needham of Pearisburg, said he hoped would inspire some mercy.

Shes a lost child ... a child having a child, Needham said of his client.

Dr. Scott Otallah, a pediatric neurologist with Carilion Clinic Childrens Hospital, testified that Ava had lost large sections of brain matter due to her injuries and that her motor skills, vision and language abilities had all been seriously affected. Now two-and-a-half, Ava has learned to walk with braces on her legs. But her gains in mobility were offset by a loss of language, from the 15 to 20 words she used a year ago to one or two now, Otallah said. The child may not presently have enough brain functioning to handle across-the-board improvements, Otallah said.

Otallah said that it is impossible to predict how much Ava will be able to overcome her injuries but said it seemed certain that she will have long-term effects.

Spectators wiped their eyes and Manning bent her head and took a tissue from her attorney as Rosetta Milligan, a nurse who is now Avas foster mother, testified that while Ava seemed happy, she had declined from a year ago when she was starting to say just about anything she wanted. Now she is back to a single word: Da-da, Milligan said. Ava also had been using some American sign language a year ago but no longer does, Milligan said.

Tammy Reynolds gave emotional testimony about how Manning had been abandoned by her own mother at age 2. Manning and her sister were left with a stranger during a trip to Tennessee  their mother announcing that she had to go to a store for milk and never returning, Reynolds said. Manning was brought up in Pulaski by her father, who had drug problems, Reynolds said. When Manning was 15, the Department of Social Services placed her and her sister in Reynolds care.

By that point, Manning was pregnant with her son. Manning was prone to fighting with her sister, cutting and injuring herself, and using drugs, Reynolds testified. But with counseling and support, Manning became a high school honor student and a certified nursing assistant, Reynolds said. She worked at a childcare center after school to be nearer to her son, Reynolds said.

Tuesday is not a monster of a mom. Instead, she is a deeply hurt child herself, Reynolds said.

After high school, Manning moved back to Pulaski to be closer to her father and others she remembered from earlier years. Things didnt go well, Reynolds said.

In October 2014, she gave birth to Ava. In April 2015, police arrested Mannings boyfriend, Avas father, on allegations of selling drugs out of their home, Epes said. The Department of Social Services put Mannings children in foster care.

The children were returned to Manning about three weeks before Ava was wounded, Opal Squires of the Pulaski County social services office testified.

Reynolds said that she is now raising Mannings son.

Before she was sentenced, Manning said she wanted to say two things  that she was sorry, and to thank Reynolds and Milligan for caring for her children.
GOODE  On a chilly, damp Sunday, alpacas at A Goode View Alpaca Farm parted ways with their warm, thick fleece.

When Goldmine, the first alpaca to undergo her annual shearing, was led out of the barn where the remains of her coat were being scooped into plastic bags and into the afternoons persistent drizzle, she was resistant.

Spectators clucked with sympathy, saying aloud what they imagined Goldmine to be thinking: Wheres my coat?

Jim Beck, the farms owner, said the shearing process is a stressful one for his alpacas, which he described as skittish in nature. They were kept inside and brought to the barn by trailer, in order to protect their fleece from the rain. There were about a dozen unfamiliar spectators, taking it all in. The alpacas were taken to the shearing floor individually, when they feel most secure in a group, Beck said.

And then, of course, there were the shears.

Though some of the alpacas were a bit skittish as their hooves were put into restraints, most were cooperative and squirming was limited. Matt Best and Richard Byler, with Best Alpaca Shearing in New Hampshire, handled the animals easily and efficiently, shearing them each in a matter of minutes.

Jackie Lambert of Appomattox marveled at how calm the alpacas were; she had expected more thrashing. She was also surprised by just how much fiber  the name for an alpacas fleece  each animal produced. Beck said the alpacas yield about 5 to 10 pounds of fiber apiece.

They look so skinny after they take all that stuff off, Lambert said.

The barn was transformed into a salon of sorts, with the familiar whirring of clippers and stray fiber being swept into a dustpan. A few alpacas indicated via squeals they were a little nervous about getting a new look.

The farm, which offers tours and craft workshops, welcomed visitors to observe the shearing. A few picked up pieces of fiber that had drifted out to the spectator seating, and rubbed it between their fingers.

But it was apparent even without touching that the fiber was soft. When Best removed a large swath of fleece from one of the alpacas, a little girl watching proclaimed, I want a blanket made out of that.

Sundays shearing was Linda Hidys second visit to A Goode View Alpaca Farm. She came for a tour last year, and had an opportunity to pet and feed the alpacas. Hidy realized on that trip that alpacas are much friendlier than llamas. Alpacas are good-natured and will eat out of the palm of your hand, she said, while llamas will spit at you.

Hidy learned of the annual shearing during last years tour, and kept an eye on the farms Facebook page for the 2017 date. She again made the trek from Appomattox, with camera in tow, snapping before and after pictures of the alpacas newly shorn for spring.
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.
Theres apparently one group of people that its safe  perhaps even fashionable  to slur.

That would be people living in Appalachia.

In the past few weeks, though, theres been a spate of articles in liberal publications aimed at Appalachia, effectively saying Democrats should ignore the region because it voted heavily for Donald Trump. Thats a fairly antiseptic political point, but the language theyve used is more provocative  and, to some, offensive.

No Sympathy For The Hillbilly, was the headline in New York magazine. Writer Frank Rich said Democrats who are making the case that they could do a better job of appealing to rural voters are suffering an outbreak of Hillbilly Chic.

Instead, Rich urged Democrats to ignore those voters: Let them reap the consequences for voting against their own interests  Theyll keep voting against their own interests until the industrial poisons left unregulated by their favored politicians finish them off altogether.

Curiously  and perhaps tellingly  Rich never even mentioned Appalachia. Instead, he used hillbilly as the way to describe white, working-class voters everywhere, rural or otherwise. It was just a useful, go-to word to conjure up the image he preferred.

Lets pause here and say a few words about that word hillbilly. Is it a slur? Thats complicated. Its not a slur on the level of certain other words we can imagine but wont use. Its a word that J.D. Vance pointedly used in the title of his best-seller Hillbilly Elegy. On the other hand, context matters. There are some words we can use to describe ourselves that we dont want other people using.

Last summer, the Tazewell County-born writer Chelyen Davis  who authors The Homesick Appalachian website  tackled this very question. When an outsider says hillbilly snidely, I hear stupid and backwards. I love being from Appalachia, but living outside it now, I often feel Im defending myself against that stereotype, Davis wrote. The best I can say is this: if you ask me if Im a hillbilly, I might say yes. If you call me one, Ill be mad.

By that standard, we should be mad about Richs language, even if some feel he is making a useful political point about where Democrats should concentrate their resources.

Kevin Baker didnt use the word in his New Republic piece The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless White Mind, in which he wrote about Bernie Sanders recent town hall meeting in McDowell County, West Virginia. Still, he said people in Appalachia dont understand the modern world: The people of Trump Country, like so much of white America, long for a past that never was, and a future that cannot be. A past cleansed of conflict, where a big, paternalistic company gave them nice things if they worked hard. A future where, who knows, maybe an orange-haired grifter really will restore everything to the way it allegedly was back in their parents time because  well, because he said he would.

A community leader in Charlotte, North Carolina, took that a step further. We recently published an editorial pointing out that Trump wants to eliminate the Appalachian Regional Commission, the agency that has helped pay for infrastructure improvements in some counties that supported him heavily. The national Democratic Party tweeted a link to our editorial. James Ford, the co-chair of a Charlotte task force on economic development, replied: There may yet be redemption for them & an oppty [opportunity] to join the struggle. But they must disavow white supremacy. That ideology keeps them stuck.

So Appalachia now equates with white supremacy? Really? Why is it so socially acceptable to paint an entire region as racist rubes in Klan robes?

The liberal website Salon did, at least, weigh in with: Liberal shaming of Appalachia: Inside the media elites obsession with the hillbilly problem. Tennessee historian Elizabeth Catte provides this cutting insight: This genre trades on a bad-faith sleight of hand that displaces the reality that the average Trump voter is a college-educated white individual of some means, not a hillbilly. The sole reason for this genres existence is to provide the liberal elite with the means to feel superior to poor people, of all races, without sounding like Jason Chaffetz.

Were not going to defend Trump, especially when were the ones pointing out how his policies hurt the very region that backed him so strongly. But we will defend Appalachia against facile slurs that are so easily rebutted by old-fashioned facts.

 Appalachia equals white supremacy? Appalachia is hardly the most diverse part of the country. However, there are only eight localities in Virginia that have the unusual distinction of having voted for Democrat Douglas Wilder twice (for lieutenant governor in 1985 and for governor in 1989) and for Republican E.W. Jackson once (for lieutenant governor in 2013). Both were African-American candidates. Those eight Wilder/Jackson localities arent ones with significant black populations, though. All eight, in fact, are overwhelmingly white localities in Virginias portion of Appalachia. Maybe, just maybe, voters there liked what these minority candidates were saying?

 Appalachia equals backward? Like many places, Appalachia has been slow to recognize that the old economy is not coming back. However, if you look closely, youll find lots of interesting initiatives taking place in an attempt to develop a new economy. Wise County now has more broadband Internet than Loudoun County and is developing a technology hub  with data centers, drone companies and a business incubator for cybersecurity start-ups. Another example: Many liberals are now making the case for free community college on the solid grounds that even basic jobs today require more education. So whos actually doing this? Well, Virginia Western, New River and Dabney S. Lancaster community colleges all serve counties officially labelled Appalachia; all three also have programs to provide free tuition to certain qualifying students. Thats downright progressive but doesnt fit the narrative of Appalachians sitting around pining for the mine and mill to come back.

Appalachia is more complicated, more nuanced, than it appears to the outside eye. But theres nothing complicated about not wanting to be mocked, insulted, stereotyped and slurred.
UPDATE 6:55 AM, 4/24: More rain today, and continued chilly in the 40s. The closed upper low to the south continues to circulate deep moisture over our region. It will only slowly move off to the east this evening and Tuesday, with the steady rain gradually becoming more showery. But there could be another 1/2 to 2 inches in many locations across Southwest Virginia, locally more, before that happens. Most locations west and southwest of Roanoke are under either a flood warning or flood advisory, with a flood watch still active over most of the region through tonight. ... Once we get on the backside of the rain, it will turn warmer and dry Wednesday through Friday, with upper 70s-lower 80s highs. END UPDATE

UPDATE 8:20 PM, 4/23: Nothing really new to report. We are in the middle of a prolonged rain event. The rain generally isn't torrential, but there are some heavy bands interspersed in a large area of light to moderate rain. For the most part, this is a beneficial rain for a region that has been dry, but sheer persistence and some heavy banding may cause some creeks, streams and perhaps even rivers to overflow their banks as another 1-3 inches, locally more, especially south of Roanoke, will fall through early Tuesday. The low-pressure system is going to take its sweet time dawdling off to the east or southeast, and so may affect us with showers even into Tuesday. It's also pretty cold outside, with many temperatures in the 40s. This setup might have yielded snow in the higher elevations a few weeks ago, and could have been an areawide wintry mix a couple of months ago. But ... it's mid-April.

----

We've only just begun with the weekend rainstorm.

Looking at radar on this Saturday evening, it might seem a pretty straightforward proposition -- one more wave of rainfall, pushing out of Kentucky and Tennessee, sweeping over and through our region overnight and early Sunday. But the complexities of the atmosphere are not going to let it be that simple.

The atmospheric energy is going to dive southward with such intensity that it will wrap back in a circle. A "closed low" will form, and rather than a less energetic feature that might float on out to sea on upper-level winds like a soap bubble, this system will become an atmospheric whirlpool in no hurry to go anywhere.

So it will gradually move from eastern Tennessee or northern Georgia into the Carolinas on Sunday and Monday, circulating a continuous flow of rich moisture northward. That moisture will be overtopping what is now becoming a quite cool surface air mass -- a cold front on Saturday moved southward a bit slower than expected, allowing some severe thunderstorms to crop up in Southside Virginia in fairly muggy air, but that front is now south of us in the Roanoke/New River valleys with temperatures falling on northeast winds. It may well be in the upper 40s by Sunday morning.

The low will wobble and dawdle generally eastward or southeastward at first, then more northeastward. The result is that we could still be in its backside flow much of Monday, and maybe even on the fringes of it with some showers into early Tuesday. That is why the flood watch continues as late as Monday evening.

Many locations are likely to see 2-4 inches of rain, total, through Monday, and some will get more than 4 inches. Locations along the Blue Ridge south of Roanoke and along the North Carolina line appear likely to be in line for the most.

While we are not coming into this super-saturated, that much rain may be enough to cause some streams to leave their banks and collect water in low-lying areas that easily flood. Some rivers could even go above flood stage by Monday. Much depends on where the heaviest rain bands set up after we've already had a considerable amount of rain (many locations south and southeast of Roanoke already got 1-2 inches today).

It is quite possible that this round of rain will cleanse almost all the yellow and beige off of Virginia on the U.S. Drought Monitor map. But will it be a little too much rain too fast?
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The International Monetary Fund downgraded its 2023 outlook for the world economy, suggesting that ... caused by Beijing's Draconian zero-COVID policy and crack-down on excessive real estate ... Read More Speaking to reporters Thursday, the IMFs Kristaline Georgieva said that the world economy ... urged policymakers to show restraint in spending money to ease the pain. "When monetary policy ... Read More The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed its global growth outlook for next year, warning the world economy is headed for "stormy waters" and that there is a growing risk of a painful ... Read More China and Japan are exceptions, where the economic recovery ... and require faster monetary policy tightening in Asia," Mr Srinivasan said in a news conference during the IMF and World Bank ... Read More More than a third of the global economy will see two consecutive quarters of negative growth in the coming year, the IMF predicted. The downturn in the IMF forecast was no surprise. Growth is ... Read More The International Monetary Fund is ... foresees China's economy growing just 3.2% this year, down drastically from 8.1% last year. Beijing has instituted draconian zero-COVID policy and has ... Read More The International Monetary Fund cut its global growth ... will adhere to a stout monetary policy strategy, fueling a surge in the dollar that has economic and financial repercussions for the ... Read More The U.S economy has proven itself resilient throughout the coronavirus pandemic, recovering from the sharpest quarterly contraction in history, but earlier this year it looked to some as if it had ... Read More The IMF expects the global economy to grow by 2.7% in 2023 ... far right wing leader Giorgia Meloni's immigration policy. World News // 14 hours ago 'Loss and damage' on agenda for U.N. climate ... Read More While the IMF estimates ... Russia's economy is less severe than earlier projected, reflecting resilience in crude oil exports and in domestic demand with greater fiscal and monetary policy ... Read More
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Wildlife movie coproduction shows angle not known to many

Born in China, a Chinese-American wildlife documentary coproduction, has been offering US moviegoers a feast for the eyes and food for thought since opening in US theaters a day before Earth Day, April 22.

The film's stunning imagery was captured over three years, largely in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, and it follows the lives of pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards, with additional footage of red-crowned cranes and chiru, or Tibetan antelopes. It was coproduced by Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group.

"The film serves to increase humans' awareness of the importance and urgency of protecting wildlife," Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said at a reception at China's embassy in Washington on Friday.

"Besides, we can learn much from animals, such as pandas, on how to coexist peacefully and harmoniously," Cui told a group of US guests before the showing of the film.

Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary of the US State Department, told China Daily, "It would be good for American audiences to see Chinese people caring about the planet, and conserving wildlife and natural spaces."

Roy Conli, producer of Born in China, said he had been "totally unaware" of the wilderness of China, including what was happening on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the mountains of Sichuan, before the making of the film.

"It just shows you how wondrous this planet is," said Conli, the Oscar-winning producer of Big Hero 6. "We need to protect animal populations ... in order to protect ourselves."

For Lu Chuan, an accomplished Chinese director, directing the film allowed him to share the beauty of China, and Chinese people's attitude toward life.

"This is a film that will tell our audience that besides Beijing and Shanghai, and besides heavy industries and pollution, China has incredibly beautiful sides that many are hardly aware of - the crystal clear skies, the stunning sceneries and wildlife habitats," Lu said.

In addition to appearing at US theaters, Born in China will be rendered into a dozen languages and later released in over 100 countries and regions, according to Cui Yuying, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office.

Cui said the China-US coproduction is emblematic of the decision at the April Mar-a-Lago meeting of President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump to ratchet up bilateral exchanges, including cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

"The State Council Information Office welcomes and will continue to support international organizations to tell China stories ... to ramp up understanding and friendship between Chinese and people in the US and the rest of the world," she said.

The film's Chinese version was released in August. A trailer is available at nature.disney.com.

Dong Leshuo in Washington contributed to this story.

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com

Cui Tiankai, ambassador to the US (center), Walt Disney Studios Vice-President Paul Baribault (left) and Chinese documentary director Lu Chuan (second from the left) display a poster for Born in China, a Chinese-American coproduction that takes viewers on an epic journey into the wilds of the country. The film was released in the United States over the weekend.Zhao Huanxin / China Daily

(China Daily 04/24/2017 page3)
Potus News China S Leader Urges Restraint On North Korea In Call With Trump | RobinsPost News & Noticias

BEIJING  Chinas president, Xi Jinping, has urged President Donald Trump to show restraint ... call with Xi that the two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Korea ... Read More In a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ahead of a historic ... unity and cooperation, North Koreas state media reported on Sunday. The letter was in response to congratulations Kim ... Read More The United States accused Russia and China on Friday of providing "blanket protection" to North Korea from further U.N. Security Council action and said the pair had "bent over backwards" to justify ... Read More By Ian Prasad Philbrick North Korea has for decades been testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in defiance of international demands to stop. North Koreas authoritarian leader ... Read More BEIJING: China's exports to North Korea rose at a slower pace in September ... Pyongyang declared victory over COVID-19 in August, while its news agency and state television showed elderly ... Read More Former President Trump shared classified letters from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with Bob Woodward ... And dont say I gave them to you. Woodwards audiobook, The Trump Tapes: ... Read More North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory letter to Xi Jinping on his reelection as China's leader, saying he hoped to further develop their ties, state news agency KCNA reported on ... Read More TEHRAN (Tasnim) - North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory letter to Xi Jinping on his reelection as China's leader, saying he hoped to further develop their ties, state news agency ... Read More (The Hill)  Former President Donald Trump ... the U.S., North Korea and South Korea. Trump also reportedly exchanged what he called love letters with the North Korean leader, who has ... Read More The country's former leader appeared reluctant to move. If that is the case, why? What did he say to the man who replaced him, Xi Jinping, which prompted a nod from China's current leader? Read More South Korea's military ... involving a U.S. aircraft carrier. The North Korean launches, part of its record-breaking run of weapons tests this year, were seen as an attempt by leader Kim Jong ... Read More SEOUL, Oct 16 (Reuters) - In a letter to North Korean leader ... South Korea's Yoon apologises for Halloween crush, vows justice, article with gallery 4:39 AM UTC Charged China's Geely truck ... Read More
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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 Japan Says Will Decide Steps on Sakhalin-1 in Consultation ... partners as it reviews details of a decree by Moscow, Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Tuesday. Read More Despite his boss demand, one of ex-President Donald Trumps lawyers reportedly knew better than to claim in early 2022 that Trump had given back all the government records hed unlawfully ... Read More And the president says, I think it's-- it could have been ... Service message from that day shows how angry President Trump was about the outcome. Quote, "Just FYI, POTUS is pissed. Breaking news, ... Read More Yet bizarrely enough, top Republicans have continued to try to pin blame on Pelosi for the attack that was fomented by Trump. Related Story Jimmy Kimmel Says Trump Jokes Cost Him Fans, Was ... Read More Japan kept up its warnings over speculative currency moves following the yens slump to a three-decade low, as it tried to dissuade traders from testing its intervention strategy. The currency ... Read More Donald Trumps potential criminal liability has skyrocketed in light of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinsons testimony before the Jan. 6 committee. A growing number of legal experts ... Read More TOKYO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The head of tax policy at Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic ... hikes in financial income and tobacco taxes, Jiji news agency reported last month. Read More Last year the industry hit its all-time peak with revenues of $18.4 billion, with industry defined as not only animation content for TV, film, streaming and video, but also goods, amusements ... Read More TOKYO, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Japan will decide what to do about the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia's Far East in consultation with its partners as it reviews details of a decree by Moscow ... Read More
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Addabbos proposed bill would allow ... point of view, each online casino is overseen by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. After a lengthy wait, Pennsylvania joined the online ... Read More Lets take a look at the 10 best Pennsylvania casinos for 2022: Now that youve seen our 2022 online ... and Rival Gaming, lets you join a table with other players or start a new table on ... Read More Making warnings on gambling ads stronger is better than what we have now, but to really make a difference to problem gambling, far stricter measures must be instituted. Read More Some of the top software providers lending their craft to this particular online casino include names like Rival Gaming, Arrow's Edge, and Saucify. This new casino also features a great range of ... Read More CHENNAI: The State Assembly on Wednesday passed the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022. The Bill, introduced by Law Minister S Raghupathi ... Read More PlayNow.com, Saskatchewans first and only legal online gaming ... members bill, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act to legalize single-event sports betting in the Senate. Read More CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to prohibit ... to prohibit online gambling and regulate online games in Tamil Nadu and said an online gaming authority will be set ... Read More According to Sharmas report, officials from various departments agreed that online gaming and betting require stricter laws. In the meeting, it was decided that the central government should make a ... Read More An online casino is among the top online gambling sites to provide a wide variety of games. To play any specific games looking for us, we do not need to run several online gaming sbobet88 benefits ... Read More Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on October 1 approved an ordinance banning online gambling and regulating online gaming in the state ... Like the earlier law, this new one also bans poker and rummy ... Read More Ulster University teams up with partners on new digital initiative to raise awareness among students of the dangers of online gaming and gambling. Ulster University, the Consumer Council and Danske ... Read More The NOPEC bill, which would allow OPECs members to be sued under ... but that will depend on whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer moves the bill for debate. Considering the packed ... Read More
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A painting showcased at the 2017 Eye Art International Youth Exhibition, April 23, Beijing. [Photo by Li Hongrui/chinadaily.com.cn]

A man with a fox head puts a stone in a bottle; another with a bird's head looks directly out from the canvas, while a large green cupboard with many drawers appears to be a page from a large picture book.

These three paintings are among 50 works by young Chinese artists being showcased at the 2017 Eye Art International Youth Exhibition at Penn Wharton China Center in Beijing on Saturday.

Being energetic and creative, young artists in China are expressing their identity through their paintings, dances and music.

Their youth gives them a fresh take on the world and relationships. Personal experiences, social changes in China and Western culture have all influenced their creations and distinguished them from their predecessors.

Veteran artists, intangible culture heritage inheritors and experts in the art field and auction company were invited to give advice to young artists at a small workshop after the opening ceremony of the exhibition. Wang Chunchen, a professor at Central Academy of Fine Art, encouraged young people to be braver and break new ground.

"To young artists, the priority is to do the things they like. 'I want, I like and then I create'," Wang said. "Never ask if your creation is art or not, just do it."

Zhang Zhongqiang, the only inheritor of making clay rabbits for Mid-Autumn Day in Beijing said he want to find what young artists like from these showpieces. And he worried that young Chinese artists would not appreciate traditional crafts.

Organized by Eye Art International, the exhibition aims to promote expression, dialogue and understanding of world cultures through exhibitions and art activities.

The show in Beijing will run until April 29 and will tour Israel and New York later in the year.
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A business and technical leader in the diamond exploration and mining industry, James Campbell has spent over thirty years in the diamond industry and is currently Managing Director of Botswana Diamonds plc. His immediate past role was Chief Executive Officer and President of Rockwell Diamonds Inc (RDI) from 1 June 2011 to 30 November 2016.

Preceding this, James was with De Beers for over twenty years, culminating in being General Manager responsible for advanced exploration and resource delivery in the Global Mining and Exploration group. During his career with De Beers he also led a number of diamond exploration and evaluation programmes and small-scale mine development as well as playing key roles in corporate and strategic management and being Nicky Oppenheimer's Personal Assistant.

James holds a degree in Mining & Exploration Geology from the Royal School of Mines (Imperial College, London University) and an MBA with distinction from Durham University. James is a Fellow of the Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Materials, a Fellow of the South African Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, Chartered Engineer (UK), Chartered Scientist (UK), a Professional Natural Scientist (RSA) and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors of South Africa.

As part of James social commitment to South Africa, he serves as chairman of the Joburg Ballet, chairman of the South African Ballet Theatre Trust (SABTT) and acting chairman of Common Purpose SA. He is also a licensed Lay Minister in the Anglican Church of South Africa and an accomplished Ballroom and Latin American dancer. James lives in Irene, Gauteng with his wife, who is a ballet and ballroom dancing teacher, and two daughters, both who are teachers.

In an interview with Rough&Polished, the 'multi-faceted' James Campbell gives an insight into the workings of the company, as well as expresses his views on the 'issues' faced by the global diamond industry.

Some excerpts:

The recent Botswana Diamonds' earn-in agreement to fund diamond exploration activities of Vutomi Mining Pty Ltd is being watched with much interest by the markets. Can you explain the intent of the agreement; the total finance raised; and how, where and in which projects will the funds be utilised?

The Vutomi opportunity was presented to the Botswana Diamonds plc (BOD) board as a unique opportunity due to the confluence of several factors. The first is a portfolio of twenty high interest kimberlites in ten prospecting rights spanning some fifty thousand hectares of prospective ground with the additional potential of further kimberlite discoveries. These projects span the resource pipeline from exploration properties through to Inferred Resource.

The flagship project (Frischgewaagt) is near the worked out Marsfontein Mine which was operated by a De Beers / SouthernEra joint venture and ran at grades of 172cpht and with a return on the $25M investment being achieved in four days. Percussion and core drilling has commenced on this project with a view to proving the commerciality of the kimberlite.

Secondly, BOD and Vutomi believe that South Africa may prove to be the next diamond exploration frontier as there has been very little recent diamond exploration activity, particularly outside of De Beers. This means that the latest (third generation) exploration technologies have not been applied to the numerous deposits in the country. Probably the most successful example of the application of modern exploration technology is the proving-up of the AK6 project (now the Karowe Mine operated by Lucara Diamonds Inc) by De Beers and African Diamonds plc (the predecessor of BOD) following the original discovery of the pipe in 1969 by De Beers.

Thirdly, there is a perception of high risk and high barriers for entry to South Africa whilst in reality there exists both a sophisticated fixed and banking infrastructure and a long history of diamond production in the country. The Vutomi team have strong commercial, financial and technical competencies along with sound local ownership and have identified this opportunity and delivered this package of highly prospective ground.

The deal is structured as an earn-in with BOD offering one hundred million shares and GBP942k in cash (chiefly used to fund exploration work) to acquire 72% of Vutomi. Funds have recently been raised to commence work on this exciting opportunity.

How are Botswana Diamonds shares faring in the stock market after entering into the earn-in agreement with Vutomi? What is the value addition or take away that this exercise has brought to both Botswana Diamonds and Vutomi Mining?

The shares reacted favourably to the announcement of the agreement and equity was raised to fund the Vutomi venture and BODs exploration activities in Botswana. The share price has drifted a little since the fund raising but we plan a series of regular substantive updates as we progress with the various exploration activities.

For the benefit of the readers, can you walk us down the history of 'Botswana Diamonds', right from the formation of the company to its present status? What is the company's philosophy in terms of CSR activities?

The management team at BOD have a proven ability to identify attractive diamond prospects and develop them into valuable assets. The team was part of the successful discovery and eventual sale of the Karowe diamond mine by African Diamonds for $90 million. Lucara Diamond Corp bought Karowe in 2010. The mine is now acknowledged as one of the worlds leading producers of high value stones.

The team developed West African Diamonds which later merged into Stellar Diamonds for $6 million value.

BOD was formed when the AK6 project or now Karowe Mine was sold to Lucara Diamond Corporation. BOD took the exploration interests from African Diamonds plc. The Company was admitted to AIM in February 2011 having been spun out of African Diamonds plc, on its sale to Lucara Diamond Corp.

In addition to the Vutomi venture in South Africa, BOD is active in two separate joint ventures in Botswana - with Alrosa and BCL -on a number of both greenfield and advanced kimberlite projects.

The founders of BOD have a long track record in exploration and in Africa having established numerous stock exchange listed companies including: Minquest  acquired by Arcon; Kenmare; African Gold  now Mwana; African Diamonds plc  acquired by Lucara; Pan Andean  acquired by Petrominerales and West African Diamonds plc  acquired by Stellar Diamonds plc. I was previously Managing Director of African Diamonds, Executive Deputy Chairman of West African diamonds and a Non-Executive Director of Stellar Diamonds.

And, in what area of the mining operation did the joint venture with mining giant ALROSA come about? Can you give us a brief explanation as to how the partnership will proceed going forward? Are there more exploration programs to be executed under this joint venture in SA or in other parts of the world in the distant future?

In 2013 BOD created a 50/50 joint venture with Alrosa, the diamond mining giant, to explore in Botswana bringing together Alrosa technology and people and BOD prospecting licences. Alrosa was already active in Angola and subsequently Zimbabwe, and wanted to explore for new mines in Botswana due to its world-leading diamond pedigree. There are a number of both greenfield and brownfield projects under development by the joint venture, but the JVs focus is Botswana-based.

The global diamond industry has been debating on the many issues including liquidity and other financing matters faced by the industry. What is the scenario in SA and how does SA diamond and jewellery industry fare in this matter? What's your take on the financing banks/financial institutions contribution to the gem and jewellery trade in SA?

Across the global diamond industry, both liquidity and bank finance have been key issues for the trade over the last five years. The so-called middle market of the diamond trade has suffered from declining margins which means that liquidity has been constantly challenged. The lacklustre performance of polished prices have not helped either. The lending banks have subsequently seen the trade as opaque, volatile, high-risk and less appealing; and the trade in South Africa is no different to its international counterparts. It is also fair to say beneficiation has struggled despite great efforts to support it locally as we operate in a highly-competitive international business.

On the exploration side, up until the BOD-Vutomi deal, South Africa has only one junior active in the diamond exploration space. This is BlueRock Diamonds plc which is listed on the London AIM market. Typically, diamond exploration in Africa is funded out of Canada and the UK and to some extent Australia. Sadly, there is little appetite for this kind of investment directly by South African investors despite the sophistication of the local financial markets.

These are challenging times... Some financing banks have left the diamond and jewellery industry; some are in the process of leaving, and some banks are cutting down lending drastically. What do you think is the crucial matter to be addressed at this juncture?

In my opinion, it is all about the financial appeal and confidence for the lending institutions. The banks will not support the industry if they do not have the necessary levels of confidence in the trade and their ability to successfully recover their money. And so, it is actually incumbent on the trade to up its game and give the banks the reason to lend.

Mixing of synthetics with naturals, both in the rough as well as polished stage, has been a major concern to the natural diamond industry worldwide as it erodes consumer confidence. How rampant is this problem in SA; and what steps are being taken to tackle the issue, if any?

I am not aware of any issue specifically in SA, and previously reported stories from other centres regarding the salting of parcels with non-natural/synthetic diamonds have mainly focused on the smaller (melee and down) polished diamonds of which South Africa is not a major producer from a manufacturing perspective. There is a global industry move towards better detection of synthetics in order to protect the integrity of our product in the consumers minds.

What are your views on the 'role of diamonds fueling conflicts'? Recently, the KP UAE suggested a methodology on the valuation of rough diamonds and proposed to establish a Permanent Secretariat for the Kimberley Process, as well as to set up a multi-donor trust fund for the civil society. Your take on these suggestions?

Any effort to assist in the transparency of diamond valuation is to be applauded, to my mind. The industry has always had an image of opacity and this is partly due to the difficulty in valuing diamonds, be it for export duties, royalty purposes, or sales and marketing. So, I think this is a worthy exercise although diamond valuation can be a subjective process and therefore difficult to standardise.

Concerning the KP and civil society, I think a Permanent Secretariat is a good idea. Until now the KP has been generally regarded as a success and the industry and participating governments should maintain their efforts collectively. This includes keeping the relevant members of civil society on board. Our industry needs to be overseen correctly to protect that essential consumer confidence and faith and trust in our product.

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




Botswana to host KP permanent secretariat The Kimberley Process (KP), a multilateral tool for the prevention of conflict diamonds, unanimously elected Botswana to host its permanent secretariat. The secretariat is scheduled to become operational by 2024, according to Reuters.

Zimbabwes artisanal miners depend on forests to survive Hordes of artisanal gold miners throng parts of Mazowe village in Zimbabwes Mashonaland Central Province, where they have cut down thousands of trees to process gold ore. They are some of the miners who mine without a permit, says a report in IPS.

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Petra suspends operations at Williamson after wall breach at tailings storage facility Petra Diamonds says the eastern wall of the tailings storage facility at its 75%-owned Williamson mine in Tanzania was breached, resulting in flooding away from the pit into certain areas outside of the mine lease area. Petra said mine production...
Sergey Ivanov, the president of ALROSA, and Praveenshankar Pandya, the chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India, have agreed to work together more closely to tackle a number of issues facing the diamond industry.

High-ranking officials met recently at the ALROSA headquarters in Moscow in the presence of the diamond company's vice presidents Yuri Okoyomov and Andrey Polyakov.

Ivanov and Pandya have agreed to forge greater collaboration on scientific, trade and regulatory initiatives for creating differentiation between natural and synthetic diamonds; to work towards enhancing the supply of rough diamonds to small scale manufacturers in India and to explore the creation effective price discovery mechanisms in rough diamonds.

Further, the two sides are also agreed to discuss the viability of collaboration for mining of diamonds in India, and creation of a road map for the enhancing employment within Russia through the development of a local jewellery manufacturing industry.

The ALROSA president also assured the GJEPC that the company was fully committed to the generic promotion programme taken up by the DPA.

Specific aspects of the general collaboration are likely to be formalized at a meeting between the two organizations that is expected to take place in early June on the sidelines of 21st St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.




Christies Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva next month will feature a 92.15-carat diamond pendant worth up to $20 million.

The heart-shaped, D-color, flawless diamond is the centerpiece of La Legende, a diamond-and-pearl necklace by designer Boehmer et Bassange. The stone is the largest of its shape, color and clarity ever to be put up for auction, according to Christies.

Another Boehmer et Bassange piece, a pair of chandelier ear pendants titled La Vie Boheme, will also be on offer, with an estimated value of $2 million to $3 million.

Other lots available at the auction, which will feature more than 250 jewels, include an oval-cut, 15.03-carat Burmese ruby set in a ring with diamonds, worth an estimated $10 million to $15 million.

The auction will take place on May 17 at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues.

Christies, one the worlds leading auction houses, had global auction, private and digital sales in 2016 that totalled 4 billion / $5.4 billion. Christies is proud of its extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Christies offers around 350 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christies also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War & Contemporary, Impressionist & Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery.

Christies has a global presence in 46 countries, with 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zurich, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.



Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow




The Commerce Ministry is planning to introduce a comprehensive gold policy, CNBC-TV18 said citing a NewsRise report. According to a ministry official, the gold policy will likely suggest a gold board for overseeing the gold and jewellery sector. The Commerce Ministry will seek shareholders inputs on this policy by June and submit a proposal to the Finance Ministry by August, the official added.

Earlier this year, Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Venugopal Reddy said the government needs to roll out a comprehensive gold policy owing to its role in the economy and to handle the precious metal in a better way. It is time we have a positive approach to policy for gold.There must be positive comprehensive gold policy and I believe it is so important for the economy that so many people are dependent on it, he said. He also maintained that gold is the ultimate currency in the world, though domestically possessing it is part of Indian culture and for women, it acts like insurance.

Meanwhile, the Modi government has taken a lot of steps to formalise and better monitor gold trading in the country. Hallmarking of all precious metals has been made compulsory since last year from Diwali. The government also launched a gold scheme and made PAN number compulsory for purchases of gold jewellery worth more than Rs 2 lakh. All these steps show the seriousness of the government in making gold a commodity.

Not only this, the finance ministry is also formulating a policy to auction gold deposited with banks under the monetization scheme. This will pave the way for the purchase of the precious metal by jewellers and will also mark the complete rollout of the scheme that was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015 to trim imports and check current account deficit.



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




Anglo American said De Beers rough diamond production jumped 8 percent to 7.4 million carats during the first quarter of the year compared to 6.9 million carats, a year earlier.

It said the increase in output was a reflection of the contribution of Gahcho Kue in Canada, as well as growth in response to improved trading conditions.

Gahcho Kue reached commercial production early last month, a move that saw production in Canada grow by 290 percent to 600 000 carats during the period under review from 162 000 carats during the same period last year.

Anglo said production at Namdeb Holdings in Namibia also increased by 6 percent to 500 000 carats due to marginally higher grade at Namdeb while, De Beers Consolidated Mines in South Africa improved its output by 19 percent to 1.1 million carats largely as a result of higher grades at Venetia.

However, Debswana, a 50/50 joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government, registered a marginal drop in output to 5.2 million carats from 5.3 million carats, a year earlier.

Jwaneng dragged Debswana down as it posted an 8 percent drop in output to 2,955 million carats from 3,202 million carats, a year earlier, but this was partly offset by Orapa, which increased its output by 5 percent to 2,106 million carats from 2,001 million carats during the first quarter of 2016.

Meanwhile, Anglo said De Beers total rough diamond sales volumes in the first quarter of the year were 14.1 million carats from three sights, compared with 8.1 million carats from two sights during the same period last year.

In addition, this increase reflected stronger demand in Sight 1 2017, particularly for lower value goods in stock at 31 December 2016, it said.

Anglo also said that De Beers full year production guidance remained unchanged at between 31 and 33 million carats, subject to trading conditions.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




A merger announced in January between the Italian Exhibition Group Spa (IEG) and Arezzo Fiere e Congressi has been approved, thus creating a single representative trade show platform for the entire sector Italian gold and jewelry industry, IDEX Online reported.

The agreement was signed by Lorenzo Cagnoni, President and CEO of IEG, and Andrea Boldi, President of Arezzo Fiere e Congressi, in the presence of the Managing Director and the Deputy Managing Director of IEG, Corrado Facco and Carlo Costa, and of a member of the Arezzo Fiere e Congressi board, Alessia Gualdagni.

The agreement generates a trade show platform that represents the entire Italian gold and jewellery industry with the aim of developing and internationally promoting one of Made in Italy's top quality sectors.

Establishing one single Interlocutor for institutions, associations, companies and traders will lead to a more effective development of a national and international promotion and communication strategy for the entire Italian gold and jewellery sector, directing and using resources and investments to the best possible advantage.

Therefore, 2017 will see Italian Exhibition Group managing the organization of five Shows: VICENZAORO January (which took place January 20-25), OROAREZZO (May 6-9), VICENZAORO September (September 23-27), Gold Italy (October 21-23), VOD - The Dubai International Jewellery Show (November 15-18). Corrado Facco, Managing Director of Italian Exhbition Group stressed: Italian Exhibition Group will be managing an overall of four events in Italy, one in Dubai, an official presence in the United States and a series of other strategic operations in Asia."

The agreement also foresees that Italian Exhibition Group shall manage the organization of the Arezzo gold and jewellery trade shows already in 2017.

The Italian gold and jewellery industry is a European leader due to the quality of its production, design and technological innovation. It includes about 10,000 companies employing 40,000 workers. In 2015 it generated a turnover in excess of 7 billion euros, exports of 6.5 billion euros and a 4.2 billion euro positive trade balance. Despite the negative climate in global demand for gold for jewellery demand, in the first 10 months of 2016, Italian exports reached 4.8 billion euros.




After five years of service for the California High-Speed Rail Authority Chief Executive Officer Jeff Morales announced that he will step down from his position early this summer after the Board of Directors is expected to select a replacement.

Morales was named chief executive officer in May 2012. The California High-Speed Rail Authority says Morales will work closely with the board to ensure the smooth transition of his successor. The Authoritys Board of Directors is expected to meet in the coming weeks to consider candidates before Morales officially departs on June 2, 2017.

Under Morales leadership, the Authority has:

Injected upwards of $4 billion into Californias economy

Supported thousands of jobs in areas that have suffered chronic unemployment and put almost a thousand tradesmen and women to work

Engaged well over 300 California small and disadvantaged businesses

Grown from just over a dozen employees to more than 200 employees

Managed three successful procurement bids totaling more than $3 billion in contracts for 119 miles of construction, with each bid coming in hundreds of millions of dollars below engineers estimates

Advanced the unprecedented environmental approval of the remaining segments

Secured approval of the d plan for expenditure of bond funds, with first bond sales occurring this week

Improved the right-of-way acquisition process, recovering from early delays

Reached agreements with railroads and utilities on critical alignment issues

Initiated the process to bring an early operator onboard this summer, signaling the shift towards commercial operations

Negotiated a landmark agreement with the Madera and Merced Farm Bureaus that resolved many agricultural issues and now serves as a template for agricultural land mitigation system-wide

Before serving as chief executive officer of the Authority, Morales was senior vice president of Parsons Brinckerhoff. He also previously served as executive vice president of the Chicago Transit Authority and as Director of the California Department of Transportation. His experience at the federal level includes serving as a member of President-Elect Obamas transition team focusing on transportation, Vice President Al Gores National Performance Review, the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, the U.S. Department of Transportation and as U.S. Senate staff.
Cabinet office is set to release final Japan leading economic indicators index for February at 1:00 am ET Monday. The leading index showed a score of 104.4 in January.

Ahead of the data, the yen recovered slightly against its major rivals.

As of 12:55 am ET, the yen was trading at 119.46 against the euro, 140.85 against the pound, 110.39 against the Swiss franc and 110.03 against the U.S. dollar.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG (PFFVF.PK,PVTCY.PK), a German supplier of vacuum solutions, Monday said that the second offer by Pangea GmbH, a unit of Busch SE, for the intended takeover of a controlling stake, is again not in the interest of the company and its shareholders. The Management Board and the Supervisory Board urged the shareholders to not accept the Busch Group's offer.

Busch submitted the non-coordinated offer on April 12 after a failed takeover bid made to the shareholders of Pfeiffer Vacuum on February 13.

Pfeiffer Vacuum noted that the price of 110 euros per share offered by the Busch Group is inadequate from a financial perspective.

Manfred Bender, CEO of Pfeiffer Vacuum, said, "The Busch Group is yet again unwilling to offer an appropriate takeover premium to Pfeiffer Vacuum shareholders for the planned acquisition of a controlling stake. Moreover, the Busch Group was yet again unable to present a coherent strategic concept for potential cooperation, which would have afforded us the opportunity to persuade our shareholders of the intrinsic value of possible cooperation and the resultant further improvement of Pfeiffer Vacuum's attractive long-term prospects."

The company also said a high attendance at the Annual General Meeting on May 23, 2017, will be necessary to safeguard shareholders' rights.

The company further said that when the Busch Group began to acquire a stake, Pfeiffer Vacuum offered repeatedly to hold talks and actually held talks on several occasions.

To this day, the Busch Group has not even begun to outline a suitable scheme as to what form a possible concrete cooperation between the two companies would take, Pfeiffer Vacuum said.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
German shares rallied on Monday as French political worries subsided and a survey showed German sentiment hit its highest level in almost six years in a sign that Europe's largest economy is growing strongly.

Centrist Emmanuel Macron won the first voting round of France's presidential election, helping reduce the risks of political instability in the euro zone.

The Ifo institute's business confidence index rose to 112.9 from March's initially estimated 112.3.

The benchmark DAX was up 345 points or 2.9 percent at 12,393 in late opening deals after rising 0.2 percent on Friday.

Banks led the rally, with Commerzbank climbing 9 percent and Deutsche Bank adding 7 percent.

Deutsche Post jumped 4 percent after reports that it plans to invest $268 million in India.

Sartorius gained 2.5 percent after the company posted double-digit growth in first-quarter profit and affirmed its 2017 guidance.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
European stocks rose sharply on Monday after centrist Emmanuel Macron won the first round of voting and moved ahead to the final round of presidential election on May 7, helping ease concerns over political instability in Europe.

Stronger-than-expected sentiment data from Germany also buoyed investor sentiment. The Ifo Institute's business confidence index beat expectations to hit a six-year high in April, in a sign that Europe's largest economy is growing strongly.

The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 1.9 percent at 385.23 in late opening deals after closing marginally higher on Friday.

The German DAX was moving up 2.8 percent and France's CAC 40 index was climbing as much as 4.2 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was rising 1.8 percent.

Banks were broadly higher, with Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Societe Generale and Barclays rising 5-9 percent.

Syngenta gained about 1 percent after the Swiss agriculture firm maintained its full-year targets.

Novartis advanced 1.5 percent after saying new data has confirmed Gilenya is a highly efficacious, long-term treatment option for controlling disease activity in relapsing MS.

Dutch consumer electronics giant Philips Electronics NV climbed 3.5 percent on posting a sevenfold jump in first quarter profit.

Innogy rose about 1 percent after the German energy firm backed its earnings forecast for fiscal 2017.

Deutsche Post jumped 4 percent after reports that it plans to invest $268 million in India.

Building materials company LafargeHolcim was little changed in choppy trade after its CEO Eric Olsen resigned over Syria probe.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
At 8:30 am ET Monday, Statistics Canada releases Canada wholesale sales for February. Sales are forecast to fall 1.0 percent on month, following a 3.3 percent gain in the previous month.

Ahead of the data, the loonie traded mixed against its major opponents. While the loonie rose against the euro and the aussie, it held steady against the yen and the greenback.

The loonie was worth 1.3435 against the greenback, 82.09 against the yen, 1.0165 against the aussie and 1.4573 against the euro as of 8:25 am ET.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Japan will on Tuesday release March figures for producer prices, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Producer prices are expected to rise 0.8 percent on year, unchanged from the previous month's reading.

Hong Kong will see March numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. In February, imports were worth 297.98 billion HKD and exports were at 238.93 billion HKD for a trade deficit of 56.27 billion HKD.

Finally, the in Australia and New Zealand are closed on Tuesday for ANZAC Day, and will re-open on Wednesday.

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX,ABX.TO) announced the company now expects full-year gold production of 5.3-5.6 million ounces, down from previous range of 5.6-5.9 million ounces. A significant portion of the reduction is attributable to the anticipated sale of 50 percent of Veladero, which is expected to close at the end of the second quarter.

Barrick produced 1.31 million ounces of gold in the first quarter at a cost of sales of $833 per ounce, in line with plan. This compares to 1.28 million ounces at a cost of sales of $810 per ounce in the prior-year period. Gold production in the first quarter was impacted by the timing of autoclave maintenance at the Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic. Heavy rains, road closures. and power outages associated with the El Nino weather pattern also impacted production at the Lagunas Norte mine in Peru.

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Business News
By SA Commercial Prop News

Former CEO Craig Hallowes was replaced by Spiro Noussis, a chartered accountant who has over the past four years headed unlisted property loan stock company Lodestone Properties.



ALTX-listed Rockcastle Global Real Estate (ROC) one of the Resilient groups (RESs) rand-hedge property plays on Thursday opened its private placement of units to raise R2 billion.

The private placement of shares, which opened on Thursday to select Mauritian and SA investors, will raise additional capital of about R2bn if fully subscribed. About 3.5-million new shares have been issued at $1.41 per share on the Mauritian share register and 136.5-million at R14.60/share on SAs share register.

The South African price represents a discount of about 2% to Wednesdays closing price of R14.88. The minimum required subscription for shareholders in SA is R1m.

The AltX-listed company earlier this week announced the restructuring of its board and executive management team to try and create capacity to beef up its directly held portfolio of offshore properties.



Former CEO Craig Hallowes was replaced by Spiro Noussis, a chartered accountant who has over the past four years headed unlisted property loan stock company Lodestone Properties. He is also a nonexecutive director of JSE-listed Resilient Property Income Fund. Nick Matulovich and Andre van der Veer were appointed as directors following the resignations of Stephen Delport and Alexandru Morar.

The company is also establishing an office in London to facilitate its push into Europe.



Stanlib head of listed property funds Keillen Ndlovu said on Thursday the management changes simply signalled a shift in strategy from a listed global property market bias to a physical property focus in Eastern Europe and Africa.



Rockcastle owns a $1.1bn portfolio of listed real estate investments trusts across the US, Australia, Europe, UK, Singapore, Canada and Hong Kong, and direct stakes in three Zambian shopping centres.



Mr Ndlovu said the substantial size of Rockcastles equity raise underscored the extent of the companys growth expectations. But he said that so far this year R7bn had already been raised by other listed property companies and that a number of other stocks, besides Rockcastle, were hoping to do the same. "So it will be interesting to see how the market absorbs all these additional equity raisings," he said.



Rockcastle, which was listed by the Resilient group in August 2012, has seen its market capitalisation balloon from about R83m at listing to a substantial R7.8bn on Thursday.



The stock offers investors a forward dividend yield of close to 6%.
Indian IT industry's apex body has said that the two top companies -- TCS and Infosys -- got only 8.8 per cent of H-1B visas for placement of workers in the United States.

"Of the six Indian IT companies, software majors TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) and Infosys received 7,504 H-1B visas in FY 2015, which is 8.8 per cent of the total H-1B visas," said the National Association of Software Services and Companies (Nasscom) in a statement here.

The apex body's clarification was in response to a US official last week accusing top Indian IT firms (TCS and Infosys) of unfairly cornering majority of the H-IB visas, by applying more in the lottery system.



Only six Indian IT firms were among the top 20 recipients of the H-1B visas in fiscal 2015 for their professionals to work in the US, said Nasscom.



US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to reform the H-1B visas norms by replacing the lottery system with a merit-based immigration policy.



"Every reputable data source in the US has documented a growing shortfall between the supply and demand for computer science majors in the US workforce, especially in cutting-edge fields such as cloud, big data, and mobile computing," asserted Nasscom.



The US Department of Labor estimates that there will be 2.4 million unfilled STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) jobs by 2018, with 50 per cent of the vacancies in IT-related positions.





"Indian IT firms account for less than 20 per cent of the H-1B visas; although Indian nationals get 71 per cent of them, testifying their high skill levels, especially in the very coveted STEM skills category," asserted the statement.



Noting that the annual number of Indian IT specialists working on temporary visas for Indian IT service firms was 0.009 per cent of the 158-million-member US workforce, a Nasscom survey also found that the average wage for visa holders is $82,000 besides a fixed cost of $15,000 incurred on each visa, including its fee and related expenses.



"The average wage for visa holders is over 35 per cet higher than the minimum prescribed exempt wage of $60,000," pointed out the statement.



All companies, including US, Indian and others, hire locally and bridge the skills gap by bringing in highly skilled professionals to temporarily work in the US on H-1B and other visas.



"Indian IT firms follow the global delivery model with US and global counterparts working with 75 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies, to enable them become more competitive globally and creating jobs locally in the US," reiterated the statement.



The Indian IT Industry is a "net creator" of jobs in the US and supports half a million jobs directly and indirectly.



Refuting the American accusation, Infosys said it was committed to helping its US clients leverage technology to transform their businesses, empower their employees in new ways and become more competitive.



"To do this, we invest in the local communities in which we operate, including hiring local American top talent, bringing education and training to our clients to shrink the skills gap and work with policymakers to foster innovation within states and across the country," said Infosys in a statement to IANS here.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.

After meeting with Modi, Mufti told reporters that she discussed issue of less voting percentage in recent elections and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.



The worsening security situation in the state that has also rattled the ruling PDP-BJP alliance.



She said her father, late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed "had given a road map" for lasting peace in the state.



"We need a dialogue. We can't be confronting our own people for too long. We cannot hold talks when on one side stones are being thrown and bullets fired from the other side," she said.



She said she also stressed on the Prime Minister to compensate people of the state for the losses they have suffered due to the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.



Mehbooba said she was confident of finding a solution to the festering trouble in the Kashmir Valley.



"I have (called) a Unified Command meeting," she said of the security grid she heads in the state.



"We will find a line of action. There are people who are disillusioned and there are others who are being provoked."

After meeting with Modi, Mehbooba Mufti also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised individuals serving people through Panchayati Raj institutions, and said they play a vital role in India's transformation.

On the National Panchayati Raj Day, Modi said: "Panchayats are effective ways to fulfil aspirations of people in rural India."





"Through all-round progress and grassroots level participation, our government is working towards making 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday' a reality," Modi said in an official statement issued here.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said "Gau Rakshaks" (cow vigilantes) are committing acts of terror against innocent people and warned that continued attacks will stoke anarchy in the country.

The Member of Parliament alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its government did not want to stop Gau Rakshaks as they had a soft corner for them.



He was reacting to the latest attacks by cow vigilantes on some people transporting cattle in Jammu and Delhi.



The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President said the attacks by Gau Rakshaks were increasing day by day and they had so far killed nine people and raped two women.



"They are committing acts of terror. They are beating up whosoever they want. They have become law unto themselves. This is a grave danger for the country. If this continues, there will be more anarchy," he said.





The Hyderabad MP said it was high time the BJP stopped the cow vigilantes "who are from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)".



"They are emboldened by the fact that the party which is in power ideologically shares the same thoughts with them," he said.



"PM only talks and does nothing," Owaisi said when asked about the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Gau Rakshaks in the past.



He demanded that the government deal firmly with the attackers by enforcing stringent laws.



"If BJP is practising Hindutva, let them do it and see what will be its result in the country," the MP added.



Owaisi also voiced concern over the attacks on Kashmiri youth in different parts of the country and an incident in which a Kashmiri scholar was allegedly forced to leave BITS Pilani.



"An environment of hatred towards Muslims and Kashmiris has been created in the country. They are either beating up Muslims in the name of cow vigilantism or assaulting Kashmiri youth," Owaisi said.



He pointed out that many Kashmiri youth were studying in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana under the Prime Minister's scholarships.



"Kashmiris, like Kashmir, are an integral part of India," he said and demanded that the government send a strong message by acting tough against those attacking them.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the killing of 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists as "cowardly and deplorable".

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," Modi tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."



The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killing of 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh on Monday.

"Extremely pained to know about the killings of CRPF personnel in Sukma (district). My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Rajnath Singh tweeted.



He said he had spoken to Chhattisgarh Home Minister Hansraj Ahir, who "will take stock of the situation".
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the government as the Aadhaar numbers and bank account details of millions in Jharkhand were compromised, terming it a "shocking breach of privacy and security".

" Shocking breach of security that has left lakhs of innocent citizens extremely vulnerable," said Gandhi on his official Twitter account, posting along with it an article in a national daily reporting the news.

"I am proud that we took the lead on Aadhaar, but let's not compromise a great initiative by turning a blind eye to major privacy and security concerns," he added.

The Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, and addresses along with names of more than a million people were compromised by an error on website, maintained by Jharkhand's Directorate of Social Security.

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Hundreds of Maoists on Monday ambushed and massacred at least 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

Hundreds of Maoists on Monday ambushed and massacred at least 24 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack this year.

The Central Reserve Police Force said the deadly ambush took place at 12.30 p.m. when its 74th Battalion reached a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa.

CRPF's Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

A trooper who survived the horror said about 300 Maoists surprised the paramilitary personnel when they were readying for lunch.

The guerrillas, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed hand grenades too, taking the CRPF by surprise.

The CRPF personnel were helping a Road Opening Party when they came under attack.

The ambush triggered a major gun battle between the Maoists and the CRPF.

The six troopers who were wounded and have been warded in hospitals include Assistant Sub-Inspector R.P. Hembram and Constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon.

Mohammed and Oraon were said to be out of danger.

"The injured were evacuated by helicopter," Dinakaran told . "Our party was deployed for road opening to provide security to road construction activities."

Security forces have launched a major search operation.

This is the same area where a Maoist carnage in 2010 left 76 CRPF troopers dead. At least 12 CRPF men were also killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Monday's killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.
Eight persons were killed and more than 40 others injured on Sunday when a bus carrying a wedding party met with an accident near state capital Ranchi, police said.

The bus ferrying more than 80 persons was moving to Patratu from Nagari locality of Ranchi when the inebriated driver lost control near Pithoria, around 25 km from Ranchi on the Ranchi-Patratu Road, following which the vehicle went off the road.



A majority of those who were killed or injured were sitting on the roof of the bus.





The injured were admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences at Ranchi.



Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das condoled the deaths and announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to the next of kin of each of the deceased.
In one of the deadliest attacks, 300 to 400 heavily armed Maoists, women included, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested patch in Chhattisgarh on Monday, killing 25 troopers and escaping with their AK-47 assault rifles.

Seven Central Reserve Police Force personnel were airlifted to Raipur in critical condition. An injured trooper, Sheikh Mohammed, claimed that the subsequent gun battle lasted about three hours.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion at a place between Burkapal and Chintagufa in Sukma district as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths won't go in vain.



The CRPF said the ambush began at 12.30 p.m. Troopers who survived the horror said the attackers used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers as they launched the attack "from all sides".



"The troopers replied in a befitting manner but taking geographical position to their advantage, the Maoists succeeded in inflicting loss to the CRPF," a CRPF statement said. "A considerable number of Maoists are believed to have been eliminated."

One account said local tribes passed on vital real-time inputs on the movement of CRPF men to the Maoists.



"It's a major tragedy. We will hit back with full intensity," Vivekanand, the Inspector General of Police of Bastar region, said in Sukma after returning from the site of carnage.



The dead included an Inspector, a Sub-Inspector, three Assistant Sub-Inspectors, six Head Constables and 14 Constables.

Chief Minister Raman Singh flew back from New Delhi and presided over an emergency meeting with top officials to re-strategize moves against the Maoists who have shown signs of revival in recent months.



"The entire Chhattisgarh is pained by the CRPF men's killing," a visibly shocked Raman Singh said after landing in Raipur. "The Maoists are feeling a lot of heat in Sukma with increased presence of security forces."



CRPF officials initially said 11 troopers were killed before scaling up the figure to 25.



The 99-member CRPF patrol was on foot on the interior road, providing security to road construction activity, when it came under sudden attack.

Once the fighting died down, Air Force helicopters evacuated the wounded to Raipur hospitals.



Security forces later launched a major search operation to track down the Maoists.



This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed. Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.



Modi saluted the CRPF.



"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."



Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killings and offered tributes to the dead and condolences to their families.



Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killings.



"The sacrifice of brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter our fight against extremism," Sonia Gandhi tweeted.



Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh blamed the massacre on "complete intelligence failure on the ground level".



Raman Singh said it was premature to comment on intelligence failure. He, however, vowed to unleash a full-blown offensive against Maoists in the entire Bastar region, mainly in Sukma district.



He urged security personnel in Bastar to be more cautious and alert as the Maoists could engineer more such attacks in a bid to retain their hold over the sprawling area.



Maoists aligned to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist have been active in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated interiors for decades, running a virtual parallel state.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Kerala government to reinstate T.P. Senkumar as the police chief, dealing a blow to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Senkumar was removed as Director General of Police on the day Vijayan assumed office on May 25, 2016. The officer is set to retire on June 30.



The Kerala government had justified Senkumar's removal saying he did not do a clean job in the Puttingal temple cracker blast and in the Jisha murder cases.



Senkumar approached the Kerala High Court but failed to get a favourable verdict. He then moved the apex court.



Expressing his happiness, Senkumar, presently the Director of the state-owned Institute of Management, said in Thiruvananthapuram that justice had prevailed and this was a boost to those who work with commitment.





"I take this opportunity to thank my advocates, the media and all those who stood by me in the pursuit of my fight for justice."



Senkumar added: "I will wait for the government to make the next move."



Vijayan told reporters that now that the apex court had given its ruling, "we are waiting for the entire verdict".



"Once that comes, we will do what needs to be done as per the law."



In the assembly, Vijayan had come down heavily on Senkumar, saying he was not fit to head the state police force.



Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the state government should abide by the ruling.



Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, under whom Senkumar served, called it a huge morale booster for the officer and the verdict proved that the cases he probed were investigated in the best possible manner.



Loknath Behra, the current police chief who replaced Senkumar, said he had nothing to say on the verdict. "We are all government servants."


Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday accused the opposition of political gimmicks and said the Congress should prevent Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ' title=' Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh '>Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh from stopping water flow to Haryana through the SYL Canal.

Khattar has been under fire from the opposition first for not arranging a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) issue and later for meeting him without taking opposition leaders along.



Khattar said the Congress, including former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, should approach "(party President) Sonia Gandhi and urge her to prevent Amarinder Singh" from acting on his repeated assertion that he would not let the water flow to Haryana.



Taking a strong exception to the "cheap political gimmicks of the opposition", the Chief Minister said that the opposition earlier "criticised me for not meeting the Prime Minister on the vital issues of Sutlej-Yamuna Lank Canal, GST and the issues of farmers".



"Now, when I have discussed all these issues with the Prime Minister, they are accusing me of not taking them along."



He said that "by not trusting the Chief Minister, the opposition has insulted the 2.5 crore people of Haryana".





Questioning the opposition on the controversy over getting waters through the SYL canal, Khattar said: "The Supreme Court has already delivered its verdict in favour of Haryana and another decision is still awaited. Thereafter, no one would be able to stop construction of SYL Canal."



Haryana and Punjab are locked in a bitter battle over water sharing through the SYL Canal. Punjab has claimed that it does not have any water to share with Haryana.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has given the go-ahead for setting up an Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) to break the nexus flourishing between militants and gangsters in the state's prisons, an official said on Monday.

The Amarinder government, which assumed office last month, is also mulling an effective law, such as the Punjab Control of Organised Criminals Act (PCOCA), to deal effectively with the terror spread by organised criminal gangs, most of which have been allegedly operating in the state for the past 5-7 years with strong political patronage, said an official.

A spokesperson in the Chief Minister's Office said that the ATS would have the mandate to act both against terrorist or militant outfits and criminal gangs.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, whom Amarinder met last week, has agreed to provide two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) companies to ensure security at the high-security jails where hardcore terrorists and gangsters are lodged.

"These additional companies will remain at the prisons for at least six months," the spokesperson said.

The state government is also requesting the judiciary to notify trial courts in jails to avoid frequent movement of members of top criminal gang, who are being targeted to settle inter-gang feuds and rivalries.

Revealing details of the police crackdown on terrorists and gangsters, launched across the state in recent days, the government claims to have arrested 16 dreaded gangsters.

The police crackdown has also led to the busting of two terrorist modules, leading to the arrest of four militants, the spokesperson added.

As of March 15, 2017, there were 22 organized criminal gangs operating in Punjab, with 240 gang members, of which 137 gangsters were lodged in various jails of the state, the spokesperson revealed.
Expressing outrage over right-wing outfits attacking police stations in Agra, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said there was a 'jungle raj' (lawlessness) in Uttar Pradesh.

"BJP MPs and MLAs are leading mobs to attack police stations in Uttar Pradesh. If this is not jungle raj, what is? Constitutional responsibilities," Yechury asked on Twitter.



"We get enraged (and rightly so) when cops are attacked by stones in Kashmir. How are these BJP MPs and MLAs different when they attack police," he asked.



Right wing activists including members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday attacked Agra's Sadar Bazaar and Fatehpur Sikri police stations and roughed up policemen.



The activists were led by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Fatehpur Sikri, Choudhary Udai Bhan Singh. They wanted the release of their party members against whom an FIR had been registered.



The Hindu outfits on Saturday tried to lay siege to the Taj Mahal and forcibly enter the restricted 500 metre zone to demand the lifting of a ban on saffron scarves.
Kathmandu-based Nepal International Development Partners Group (IDPG) has expressed concern over the slow pace of reconstruction work in Nepal since the Gorkha Earthquake of 2015 and urged the government and the stakeholders concerned to expedite the process.

In a statement on the eve of the second anniversary of the deadly earthquake, the group said on Monday that although some progress had been made, there were people and communities who were yet to receive help and for whom the process of reconstruction had not moved fast enough.

"We understand and share their frustrations and realise that these processes will need to move faster," it said.

The IDPG is the apex platform of international development partners present in Nepal who meet to exchange views and information about all aspects of development cooperation and to coordinate joint efforts.

Many international donors, including India and China, had pledged over $4.1 billion immediately after the quake for the reconstruction of various private and public houses, monuments, schools, buildings and health facilities, among others. But due to slow progress, Nepal has not been able to fully utilise the amount pledged from the donors.

Nearly 9,000 people had died and thousands of private and public buildings were completely destroyed in the quake. But even after two years, thousands of people are still living in makeshift structures.

"After much preparatory work... the reconstruction work has gained momentum," the group said, adding that now greater efforts were needed to expand this momentum.

The Nepal government had formed a National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to execute various reconstruction work in Nepal. The NRA also admitted slow pace of work.

"Only 40 per cent damaged houses were rebuilt in two years. Slow progress has been reported even on rebuilding health facilities," NRA Chief Executive Govinda Raj Pokhrel said in a press conference in Kathmandu on Monday.

"We will have fund crunch of another $3-4 billion for completion of the reconstruction job. Now in rural areas, some communities are getting back on their feet and taking ownership of the task of reconstruction," the group said.

"The time ahead will not be easy, but working collectively, it is possible to overcome the trauma and to build back better," the IDPG added.
Here are the unofficial results for Saline County in the 2022 election

As the 2022 general election comes to a close, here are the unofficial results for races in Saline County.
The conditions are not ideal. With the scorching heat, the humidity reaching ridiculous levels, you see men and women toiling hard on the streets of Samoa to make money.

They range from sellers of faalifu, fagu sea, fans, faapapa, brooms and all sorts of home made goods. You have to admire their work ethic. Some of them walk from village to village with baskets of green coconuts and cooked yams to make a sale. Some sell breadfruit when they are in season.

Its heartening to say the least. Its not something pretty to watch but its great to know there are people who are not sitting around and whining about the cost of living when they are not prepared to work.

We all know the challenges and the limitations in Samoa when it comes to money. But we also know that people who are prepared to work are blessed. Now whatever that is, whether its a umu to sell or hawking firewood to the market, bless their souls.

It reminds me about an experience I had a while back. During one hot afternoon, I got a knock on the car window from a stranger.

Young man, she said in a very soft voice, would you like to buy some banana bread (faapapa fai) please? She told me she had been walking all over Apia, hawking two green baskets. The other basket had faalifu fa i (banana cooked with coconut cream). With sweat dripping down her burnt, wrinkled forehead; she said she was desperate to get rid of the stuff, as the bus to her village was about to leave.

Ive only made ten tala as it has been a very tough day, she said. I was sitting under a tree trying to sell them but realising that the bus is leaving soon, I thought it would be best to walk around and ask people (if they were interested).

The womans name was Molo. She is a mother of six; with two of them having married and gone on. But she is still staying with the other four, putting them through school.

We have no money and selling this stuff is all we depend on for a living, she said.

It wasnt much. At $1 a faapapa, she had 16. For the faalifu fai, she had five bundles selling at $5 each. Now, as she was telling me her story, I had a bit of a dilemma. First, Im not interested in banana bread. Second, my family has an abundance of banana at home so I dont need to buy green bananas.

And thats not all. Like many people, Ive become very skeptical about buying food off the streets for obvious reasons.

But I was torn. I couldnt say no to Molo. Im sure many of us who have been approached by people like Molo in town  or anywhere else  understand that feeling.

You see, here was an elderly mother who couldve chosen to allow her children to starve while she just sits around and do nothing. On that day, she also had other options.

One of them is that she couldve just sat under that tree  wherever it was  until it was time to get on the bus. The other option was that since she had $10, that would have been enough to cover her pasese (bus fare) to the village.

But she didnt take any of those options. She was so determined  or desperate  to find money to look after her family that she did not hesitate to pick up the stuff, brave the elements  including the mad drivers in Apia  just to make a lousy $40.

In my eyes, that is courage. That is a mothers love. And it was why I chose to help Molo by letting her get on that bus and giving her a little more so she could buy a mea lelei (meat) for her family that night.

It felt good seeing her walk away as if a massive burden had just been released from her shoulders. Mind you, thats what happened literally since I drove off with the baskets and the amo (long stick used to carry two loads at once).

Why am I retelling you this story?

Well, its an experience some  or many  of us might have already had, especially with the growing number of people like Molo who are selling everything and anything in Apia  and in most places where there is a crowd.

Yes they are annoying and sometimes youd wish they didnt bother you when we have better things to do. But its wise sometimes to stop for a minute, flip the coin and put ourselves in their shoes.

Think for a minute. What are the options for them, especially when they dont have any hope whatsoever of securing a regular job?

Molo could have just sat back and cursed her poor fortune. She couldve chosen to allow her kids to grow up with a life of envy and want. She couldve just given up on life.

She didnt and she will not. She is determined to continue to fight, despite the hardships and the struggles. There are many grandmothers, mothers, sisters and young girls like Molo out there today. And its not just women.

There are grandfathers, brothers, boys who do the same thing for themselves and their families. They are the ones hawking baskets of niu (coconuts) and other food choices at all sorts of hours just to make ends meet.

We know life is not fair. We accept that corruption at the highest level is hurting the poor and that sometimes it feels like we should just all give up since we simply cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But many of us refuse to. And for that we want to say thank you.

To the mothers, women, fathers and boys who are braving the hot sun and pouring rain to feed your children and families, well done.

To the men and women who have had to endure the unfairness in the office, the factory and at work for the sake of helping their families and loved ones, malo lava.

You see; nothing beautiful is ever easy in this life, just as we can never enjoy the daytime if we didnt have the night. And someone once said that its always better to be someone who tried and failed as opposed to someone who was too weak to even try in the first place.

Have a beautiful Tuesday to all those hard working souls in Samoa!
Judge Fepuleai Ameperosa Romas decision to acquit the former Director of the National Prosecution Office (N.P.O), Mauga Precious Chang, of traffic related charges, was plainly wrong.

It cannot be sustained and supported on any basis whatsoever.

That was the gist of the argument from an overseas-based independent prosecutor, hired by the Attorney Generals Office, Satiu Simative Perese, to handle the appeal before the Supreme Court.

The lower Courts decision was not open on the evidence, and, it was plainly wrong, he said.

The crash did not happen as the Court below held, but rather the respondent was negligent in turning the Tuscon in an unsafe manner in front of an oncoming bus which had the right of way.

The lower Courts decision cannot be supported on any proper basis, and at times the decision was unprincipled.

Satiu submitted the argument before Supreme Court Justice Mata Tuatagaloa yesterday. The day in Court saw a legal battle between Satiu and New Zealand based Attorney, Aaron Perkins and former Attorney General, Aumua Ming Leung Wai, who are representing Mauga.

Satiu pointed out that the trial Judge erred in law and/or in fact in deciding to acquit Mauga.

According to Satiu, the Judge misunderstood the evidence and also erred in his understanding and treatment of the evidence and the inferences.

Among other issues, Satiu said the Court needs to consider fresh evidence such as diagrammes and illustrations of the incident.

He noted that using diagrammes or illustrations is a well-accepted practice in the presentation of submissions, particularly helpful in understanding matters requiring the use of spatial awareness.

But Defense Counsel Perkins appealed to the Supreme Court about the need to consider laws of hearing applications on fresh evidence.

Justice Tuatagaloa asked Satiu why the issue of diagrammes and illustrations was raised during the trial and why didnt he seek for an expert to give evidence in support of the diagrammes and illustrations of the crash site.

Last year, the District Court Judge found Mauga not guilty of three traffic-related charges.

The charges include negligent driving causing bodily injuries, an alternative charge of dangerous driving and failure to stop to ascertain whether anyone was injured at the scene.

In his decision, Judge Fepuleai said after considering the evidence carefully, he had reached the decision that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.

The charges against Mauga was the result of a traffic incident involving three cars on Beach Road, Apia, in front of Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi building.

Justice Tuatagaloa is scheduled to deliver her decision on the appeal next month.
The Chairmanship role of the Samoa Submarine Cable Company (S.S.C.C) could be changed  if the Board deems it necessary.

So says the current Chairman, Pepe Fia'ailetoa Fruean, in response to questions about reports a change in the Chairmanship has been mooted.

The situation is that there is a rotating process based on the Constitution, Pepe told the Samoa Observer.

So based upon that rotating, after one year, the rotation moves on to the next director. So that will have to be announced when the Board meets probably next month.

Pepe said the Directors have yet to meet.

They (directors) hadnt met to discuss the next step so its hard for me to make a statement unless the directors actually meet as one group, he said.

So under the process every year it changes to one or the other.

Pepe said the Company has several Directors.

There are six directors, C.S.L, Bluesky, Digicel, who I represent, the Unit Trust of Samoa, Samoa National Provident Fund and Samoa Life Assurance.

So its up to the Directors on what is the next step.

The Directors have to decide whether we follow the process.

So all the directors have to be in agreement with what is the next step.

The government has a strong voice in the final decision.

The decision has to consider the governments view, he said.

They basically own the Cable. The Submarine Cable Company runs the cable on behalf of the government, so the government has a big say, so whatever decision there must be consultations with the government.

So its not a straight forward thing, there are lots of consultations.

The Samoa Submarine Cable Company, a $US49-million project, is Samoas first locally-owned submarine cable company. It was launched in 2015 by the then Minister of Communications and Information Technology Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau

At the time, the Company was viewed as an innovative case of private partnership.

"S.S.C.C. will strengthen Samoa's communication links to the world. The cable will span 1,300 kilometres and link Samoa's largest islands of Upolu and Savai'i to the Southern Cross cable network in Suva, Fiji."

The government said it will mean improved internet for Samoans, while the new cable will also allow existing carriers to reduce internet costs substantially.

The project has been established with financial assistance from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Despite standing policies in the Ministry of Police, which prohibits witnesses statements from being reviewed by suspects during investigation stages, Police Constable Kuini Sitivi said she gave in to a plea by the mother accused by her daughters in a sex case.

This was revealed when the lead investigator gave evidence in the Supreme Court last week during the hearing against the mother and the male defendant accused of attempted sexual violation and indecent assault against the 15-year-old victim.

The victims mother is charged as a party in the case presided over by Supreme Court Justice, Vui Clarence Nelson.

Prosecuting the matter is Lucy Sio while the mother is represented by lawyer, Diana Roma. Masoe Charlie Vaai is representing the male defendant.

The defendant who testified the day before argued that he was in a girlfriend and boyfriend relationship with the victim.

Constable Sitivi said that when interrogation with the mother started, she was informed that her daughters have filed a complaint against her.

The victim accuses the mother of allegedly standing by while the male defendant, her mothers friend from church forced himself upon her in a sexual manner.

Sitivi said the mother pleaded with her to view the written statements by her two daughters.

This was after she admitted to the officer that she let her 15-year-old daughter hang out with a 41-year-old man.

Defense Counsel, Mrs. Roma asked Constable Sitivi if its allowed under police policy for the statements to be viewed by other parties.

The witness said no.

Constable Sitivi made it clear that its not allowed, however after the mother admitted to the allegations and begged her to view the statements by her daughters, she gave the statements to the mother.

She said the mother apologized in tears for her actions and admitted to the allegations.

Mrs. Roma put it to Constable Sitivi that her line of questioning was inappropriate as she accused the mother of allowing her daughter to hang out with the defendant, yet the mother admits that she allowed her daughter to talk with the defendant.

At that time Justice Vui intervened noting that those arguments should be addressed during closing submissions.

Mrs. Roma moved on with her questions and pointed out to Constable Sitivi that her client, pleaded guilty to the charges, however during sentencing when the Police Summary of Facts was read in open court, the mother disputed the context.

Sitivi said she was unaware as she was not present.

Mrs. Roma then put it to the witness that she was trying to get the mother to admit to the allegations of the case.

The defense counsel further stated that Constable Sitivi told the mother that she cant deviate from the case against her.

The lawyer pointed out to Constable Sitivi when the victim testified, her verbal testimony was different from the written statement and according to the victim she was scared of you.

Constable Sitivi in response stated that victims of sexual cases are often like that, they are certain person(s) whom they trust and comfortable telling the experience and maybe that was the case.

The prosecution along with the defense rests their case with the completion of testimonies by the parties. The hearing has been postponed for two weeks for the counsels to prepare their written closing arguments to be submitted for Justice Vuis ruling.
The government is moving to establish Samoas Competition and Consumer Commission.

At the Tuutuuileloloto Hall yesterday, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour introduced the rules and regulations during a Forum held there.

The Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent body that administers and enforces the Competition and Consumer Act 2016 (the C.C.A).

It has the following functions under section 7 of the CCA.

 Advise the Minister responsible for commerce on competition, consumer protection and prices.

 Conduct research into competition, consumer protection and prices.

 Promote business compliance with the C.C.A.

 Promote skills development in the legal, economic and policy aspects of competition, consumer protection and prices oversight.

 Educate the public on the value of competition and consumer protections and

 Issue guidelines on competition, consumer protection, pricing and the administration of the CCA.

Under Parts 6 and 7 of the CCA, the Commission has the power to conduct investigations into legal breaches and take enforcement action, including Litigation.

According to the Acting C.E.O of M.C.I.L, Fepuleai Roger Toleafoa, the establishment of the Commission is a step in the right direction.

This new law is a big help to promote competition in markets in Samoa, he said. It is to establish standards of conduct for those engaged in trade in Samoa and also to protect the safety and interests of consumers.

One of the important issues of this new law is to establish a new Commission to help guide this new regulation by making sure the role of the Commission is effective to the people of Samoa.

He went on to remind that the golden rule about competition is always compete, never collude.

Your competitor is any other business selling the same types of products or services to the same potential consumers.

If you own a supermarket, your competitors are other supermarkets, road-side sellers, fresh food markets, and similar businesses.

If a business you deal with tries to restrict how you operate in a way that is anti-competitive, they may be breaking law.
New playground equipment for Camp Pendleton kids was unveiled Thursday morning at the Armed Services YMCA Fisher Childrens Center on base, drawing a crowd of military parents and their children.

The $15,000 Imagination Playground was built through a KaBoom! grant from the CarMax Foundation. The Armed Services YMCA Camp Pendleton applied for the grant in October and playground equipment arrived earlier this month.

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The playground consists of large, interchangeable, kid-size puzzle pieces that children can put together, using their imagination, to create a play area and in so doing build their cognitive and social skills and practice teamwork.

The child care center at Vandergrift Boulevard and 11th Street last year served more than 560 military children who received 35,627 hours of child care.

The center provides hourly child care for kids ages 6 weeks to 5 years old from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with activities geared to different age groups along with part-day toddler and preschool classes.

It is the only such hourly day care facility on base, said Yesi Calderon, site manager of the Fisher Childrens Center.

The Fisher Childrens Center is open to military families who live on and off the base in the Camp Pendleton area.

The nearly 75-year-old nonprofit Camp Pendleton Armed Services YMCA runs the Fisher Childrens Center with support from community members and businesses.

For more information, call (760) 725-0845.

Visit camppendletonasymca.org or mccscp.com/familycare
Ever since UC San Diego announced the Dalai Lama as Junes commencement speaker, Chancellor Pradeep Khoslas office has been swamped.

My staff, Khosla said, is bombarded with requests for tickets.

Requests are running far ahead of last year, although the 2016 speaker was no slouch: Indias Muhammad Yunus, the microfinance pioneer and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

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The Dalai Lama is a fellow Nobelist (1989, also peace) and the spiritual leader of Tibets Buddhists. Invariably arrayed in crimson and saffron robes and a beatific smile, hes a familiar  even beloved  figure. In December, a Gallup Poll of Americans ranked Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th and current Dalai Lama, as our sixth most admired man.

His upcoming commencement speech generated so much buzz, the university added a separate talk for the public. Tickets for that June 16 event will be available online on May 1 at compassion2017.ucsd.edu.

We should all be excited, Khosla said.

All? Not quite. The Dalai Lamas presence at the graduation ceremonies will ruin our joy, Chinese student Ruixuan Wang wrote in an essay published by the campus newspaper, The Guardian.

Among the 3,534 Chinese nationals who are UC San Diego undergraduates, thats not an uncommon sentiment.

As Chinese, obviously we have been educated in a way that the Dalai Lama is a secessionist who tries to split Tibet from China, said Shihao Han, a 25-year-old international affairs graduate student. Many of us accept this.

During graduation ceremonies, protests are as common as mortarboards. A commencement speaker who can inspire everybody and aggravate nobody is as rare as a Heisman winner whos also a Rhodes Scholar.

Someone is always going to find any speaker objectionable, said Randell Kennedy, president of Bostons Academy Communications, which helps universities choose commencement speakers.

Kennedy has been doing this for decades, and its tougher than ever.

We are seeing more students today who expect to see a speaker they agree with, he said. They are more uncomfortable being in an environment where they are being challenged.

Big names, big hassles

The famous, the successful, the notorious  universities often seek big names to address their graduates.

Kennedy noted that the current roster of in-demand speakers include Oprah Winfrey, whos doing the honors at Skidmore College this year; Mark Zuckerberg, wholl be at Harvard, which he had left  degreeless  to make a fortune with Facebook; and Harry Potters creator, J.K. Rowling, whose 2008 speech at Harvard became the 2015 book, Very Good Lives.

Notable figures have saluted graduates here, too. San Diego State Colleges 1963 commencement saw President John Kennedy advocating a strong, sound and free system of education for all. President Bill Clinton challenged UC San Diegos class of 1997  and the nation  to engage in a dialogue on race relations.

Big names can mean big controversy. During Clintons talk, a 30-foot by 30-foot free-speech zone was established for protesters. The next year, about 100 UC San Diego students silently walked out of the commencement speech by then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Often, Randell Kennedy said, protesters seek to deter a prospective speaker.

Every year, theres a handful who back out, he said. This year, theres been talk of some protest at Notre Dame with (Vice President) Mike Pence coming.

Tussles over who speaks on campus often reflect American ideological battles. Last week, for instance, pundit Ann Coulter tangled with the UC Berkeley administration, after the latter canceled her scheduled talk this month on campus.

Rocked by several recent political protests that turned violent, the university cited safety concerns and offered Coulter another date and time. She refused, vowing to appear at the original time and place  or sue.

Is this about scheduling and security or censorship? Coulter, a fiery conservative, had been invited by a campus Republican group. Berkeley, meanwhile, is routinely described as a hotbed of liberalism.

The Dalai Lama, in contrast, is often seen as apolitical. That wasnt true in the 1950s, when he was the titular ruler of Tibet. After an abortive attempt to oust Chinese authorities and troops, he fled to India and established a government in exile.

In March 2011, though, he resigned from formal authority. Today, the Dalai Lama advocates more autonomy for Tibet but not independence.

He spreads a global message of universal responsibility, kindness and compassion, said Lama Tenzin Dhonden, a Lake Elsinore resident whose official title is Personal Emissary for Peace to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

He is loved and appreciated by people all over the world, Dhonden said.

His talks this June are not expected to vary significantly from Compassion Without Borders, the apolitical speech he gave in 2012 at UC San Diego, San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. Thats fine with Khosla.

Certain messages have to be delivered multiple times to sink in. I think a message of love, compassion, harmony clearly have to be delivered multiple times, the chancellor said.

I think we need a refresh of His Holiness to come here and enlighten us and get us more excited one more time.

Who could object?

Pope and politics

As a professor of political economy at Chaminade University and adjunct senior fellow at Honolulus East-West Center, Christopher McNally studies China.

But when he thinks about Chinese attitudes toward the Dalai Lama, hes reminded of local politics in his home state.

Weve had a Hawaiian separatist movement here, McNally said. UC San Diego hosting the Dalai Lama would be like the Chinese coming here and giving them a check.

McNally admits this is not a perfect analogy  UC San Diego isnt presenting cash to the Dalai Lama, nor is this taking place in Chinese territory.

But thats the way the Chinese perceive it, he said.

Moreover, the fact that the Dalai Lama no longer holds a political post doesnt mean he has no political influence.

That, McNally said, is like saying the pope isnt a political figure.

In February, the UC San Diego chapter of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association made a similar argument.

The Dalai Lama is not simply a religious person, the group maintained in a statement, but also a political exile who has long been engaged in splitting the motherland and destroying national unity.

A delegation of Chinese students met with Khosla to express their concerns. He said he assured them the Dalai Lama would not appear as a political figure.

Nonetheless, Khosla said, the invitation was irrevocable.

That decision bothered Han, the international affairs student. He noted that Chinese students  who make up almost 13 percent of UC San Diegos undergraduate population  were not consulted on the choice of commencement speaker.

When introducing such a controversial figure into an all-campus event like commencement, he said, they should take into account the views of minorities and at least listen to us. Then make the decision.

Han, who has been studying in the U.S. since 2015, estimates that nearly half the Chinese students on campus are not disturbed by the Dalai Lamas visit. And he realizes that, in the West, the monk often is regarded as a modern saint.

But hes bothered that more critical views, like his own, are so quickly dismissed.

That makes me very uncomfortable, said Han, who grew up in Shenzen, a port city in southern China. Every time we speak, they just say we are people who violate human rights, who have no idea what we are saying because we live under such tyranny.

If China is such a tyranny, why are so many Chinese allowed to come here for their education?

The Dalai Lamas visit, Khosla countered, fits with UC San Diegos mission of promoting discussion on important aspects of public policy.

The university, he said, also respects the rights of individuals to agree or disagree as we consider issues of our complex world.

Unlike the Dalai Lamas June 16 public talk at UC San Diego, his June 17 graduation address  entitled The Value of Education, Ethics and Compassion for the Well-being of Self and Others  requires an invitation. Han and his parents, who are flying here from Shenzen, are invited.

Hes not sure theyll attend. Some of his friends have already decided to boycott, while others plan to attend out of curiosity. What will this legendary  and, to some, contentious  person say?

Kennedy hasnt had a sneak peak at the Dalai Lamas speech, but hes willing to share the advice he gives clients.

Keep it relevant, he said, and keep it brief.

The Dalai Lamas public event

When: June 16

Where: UC San Diegos RIMAC Field

What: Festivities begin at 9 a.m. The Dalai Lamas hour-long speech, Embracing the Beauty of Diversity in Our World, starts at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Tickets: Theres a $15 processing fee; optional parking pass is $10. Starting May 1 at 10 a.m., tickets and passes can be reserved at compassion2017.ucsd.edu. There will be a maximum of four tickets per transaction.
They served their country and made what many Americans consider to be a significant sacrifice by joining the armed forces.

After their discharge, they might expect medical care and a stable future in the United States. But when veterans who are not U.S. citizens run afoul of the law, they can face a serious consequence that deprives them of both: deportation.

The situation for these deported veterans, many of whom are living in Tijuana, raises a legal and moral conundrum, say their advocates. Should noncitizen veterans who commit crimes be deported, despite putting their lives at risk for U.S. interests, or does their military service give them a permit to stay? And what severity of offenses should be punishable with deportation?

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The circumstances that lead to deportation are typically varied. In a few cases, people were in the country illegally before enlisting, but the vast majority had permanent residence. Some committed crimes as teenagers or young men, and others encountered troubles after their discharge. Crimes that can lead to deportation under federal law include drug trafficking, murder and drunken driving, among a long list.

It is impossible to know the exact number of deported veterans, because federal agencies do not track which deportees have served in the military.

Representatives of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego, as well as the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, and two congressional committees in Washington said they dont keep track or didnt respond to requests for information.

According to the federal government, any veteran who is told the leave the U.S. has committed a serious crime.

In a statement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said deportations of veterans go through several steps of review: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is very deliberate in its review of cases involving veterans. Any action taken by ICE that may result in the removal of an alien with prior military service must be authorized by the senior leadership in an ICE field office, to include an evaluation by local counsel.

According to a report by American Progress, which calls itself a nonpartisan educational institute, more than 710,000 immigrants were naturalized through military service between 1907 and 2010. The report cited a statistic from the Department of Defense that 24,000 noncitizen immigrants served in the military in 2012.

Hector Barajas, a deported veteran in Tijuana, said many veterans think they are citizens, because military recruiters promise citizenship to permanent residents, and the oath of enlistment is similar to the oath of naturalization.

Youre a citizen if you served, is a common misconception among his noncitizen veteran acquaintances, he said.

Willie Hager, who served two tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, said the plight of deported veterans is a symptom of a broader disregard for former service members.

Its an extension of what happened to us with Vietnam. We came back and nobody wanted anything to do with us. And we had to fight for every single thing that we had, Hager said.

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs is much more helpful than previously, Hager said. Still, he believes that veterans who are deported miss out on care that is their due.

They thought they were going to fight for freedom and democracy, and they get back and lose theirs, he said. From our perspective, theres a lot of anger about that. In our eyes and in our hearts, they are our brothers and sisters.

The counterargument

Critics say that people who commit serious crimes deserve to be deported.

With so many people wishing to immigrate to the U.S., why should we put up with those who have proven themselves to be unwilling to obey our laws, said former federal prosecutor Pete Nunez, whose cases included federal immigration violations for 16 years.

In an email interview, Nunez said that deporting people for certain offenses is as old as the nations first immigration restrictions, which date back to the 1880s.

The theory was  and is  that we allow people to come here according to our laws, and under certain conditions, and if you violate any of those conditions, you are no longer welcome, Nunez wrote.

Several weeks ago, President Barack Obama issued an executive order that will grant a temporary reprieve to certain individuals who are in the country without authorization. Veterans who have been deported were not included in his order.

Nunez agreed with that decision. Veterans, he said, erase their contributions to the country by committing crimes after being discharged.

The fact that they served in the military, then got out of the military and committed one or more deportable crimes, cancels out their military service, he wrote.

Window into their world

Whenever a newly deported veteran is sent to Tijuana, hes likely to meet Barajas.

Barajas, 37, was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. as a child. He served in the Armys 82nd Airborne Division from 1994 to 2001 and was honorably discharged.

In 2004, he was deported after serving about two years in prison for firing a weapon into a car. (He declined to give details but said nobody was hurt. Based on his lawyers advice, he declined to sign a privacy waiver that would have given the government a chance to discuss his case.)

Since then, hes become a champion of this population, in Tijuana and beyond, through a group he leads, Banished Veterans. Ive come into contact with veterans who have been deported to 23 different countries since 1996, from the Vietnam War to current Iraq and Afghanistan wars, he said in a recent interview.

Last January, Barajas set up a shelter in Tijuana that houses up to 15 homeless veterans. He named it the bunker. He spends his days helping veterans there get services like rehabilitation and psychological counseling. Hes always looking for volunteer dentists, physical therapists and mental health professionals.

He thinks veterans are struck with a type of double jeopardy, because they sacrifice once to go to battle for the U.S., and then again when they are faced with punishments more harsh than what a U.S citizen would get for the same crime. We paid our debt to society, he said.

Barajas felt frustrated recently when Andrew Tahmooressi, the U.S. Marine veteran who was jailed for taking banned weapons into Mexico, was allowed to return to the United States. The reason: His lawyer argued Tahmooressi couldnt get treatment for his post-traumatic stress disorder.

Barajas says veterans cant get treatment in Tijuana, but unlike Tahmooressi, they cannot return to the U.S. for care. Its not right, Barajas said. Its also hard for them to receive benefits, since they cant make it to meetings in the U.S.

However, Barajas said, after they die, deported veterans can be buried at military cemeteries. It just makes no sense to be kept away until death, he said.

Pursuing legislation

Rather than wait for another executive order to include these veterans, immigration attorney Margaret Stock is pushing for new federal legislation.

The countrys immigration code now has a lengthy list of offenses that are punishable by deportation. These include major crimes but also many minor ones, she said.

A problem with the current law is that, depending on the way prosecutors decide to charge a crime, the same misdeed may or may not lead to deportation. And certain crimes on the list are not as severe as others. For example, some crimes dont lead to any jail time but they still lead to deportation, she said.

Shes been collaborating with lawmakers in Washington to draft a bill to change that immigration law. Their aim is to reduce these ambiguities and make veterans deportable only for serious crimes that resulted in substantial jail sentences.

This change would be a way of ensuring that dangerous people are deported, while giving a second chance to veterans who committed less-serious crimes, yet who have the potential to become productive members of society in America, Stock said.
The fate of San Diegos five-year-old aggressive pension cutbacks may be decided by the state Supreme Court now that the citys largest labor union has voted to appeal a lower court ruling from earlier this month.

The board of the Municipal Employees Association, which represents about 4,000 city workers, has voted to ask the state Supreme Court to overturn a unanimous ruling by Californias Fourth District Court of Appeal vindicating the pension cutbacks.

The Supreme Court could decline to grant the appeal, but the leader of the MEA said earlier this month that he expects the court to take the case because it has a wide impact across the state.

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The April 11 appellate court ruling overturned a 2015 state labor board ruling that said the cutbacks were illegal because of then-Mayor Jerry Sanders involvement in the successful citizens initiative that made the changes.

That labor board ruling, if upheld by higher courts, had the potential to force San Diego to spend millions creating retroactive pensions for more than 3,000 workers hired since 2012.

The initiative, Proposition B on the June 2012 ballot, replaced guaranteed pensions with 401(k)-style retirement plans for all newly-hired city employees except police officers.

San Diego is the only jurisdiction in California not to offer traditional pensions to new employees.

Supporters of Proposition B said the appellate ruling will reverberate across California by vindicating the power of people to use citizens initiatives to solve problems created by elected leaders.

The leader of the MEA, Mike Zucchet, said the ruling, if not overturned, will make it hard for the city to hire quality employees because many will take jobs with other cities that still offer pensions.

The lawsuit filed by MEA and three other unions representing city employees says Sanders illegally circumvented state labor law by describing Proposition B as a citizens initiative but using the power and influence of his office to gather 116,000 signatures on its behalf.

City employee involvement with the measure would require negotiation with labor unions under state law, the suit says.

Sanders has said he acted as a private citizen, not as the mayor, when he helped create the measure and worked to help get it passed.

The appeals court ruled that the states requirement that city officials confer with labor groups about ballot measures applies only to measures placed on the ballot by leaders of a government agency, not by a citizens initiative such as Proposition B.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
A man who caused a disturbance in a Vista convenience store early Sunday is accused of biting one deputy and injuring at least two others during the violent arrest that followed.

A clerk at the 7-Eleven on East Vista Way called 911 after the man, who was suspected of being on drugs, poured a 2-liter bottle of soda on his own head and threw the empty container at a window before leaving the store about 5 a.m., sheriffs Capt. Charles Cinnamo said.

Arriving deputies found the man with his arms wrapped around a flag pole in the parking lot of a nearby church. His face was bloodied, but it was unclear why, Cinnamo said.

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Believing the man posed a danger to himself or others in his current state, deputies tried to detain him, the captain said. The man immediately became violent and started kicking the deputies while on his back.

The deputies attempted to subdue the man several times with a Taser and pepper spray, but he did not appear affected, Cinnamo said.

When deputies tried to put the man in handcuffs, he is accused of biting one of them in the leg, the captain said. Deputies then beat the man with their hands and impact weapons to make him release his bite.

He was eventually taken into custody and was transported to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries, Cinnamo said. Three deputies also suffered injuries in the fight.

The man was later booked into jail on suspicion of charges that included felony assault on a deputy, being under the influence of drugs and violating his probation. Sunday was his 30th birthday.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
New Orleans workers clad in bulletproof vests removed a monument Monday that was originally erected to honor white supremacists killed in an uprising against the citys biracial government after the civil war.

The Liberty Place monument, which is a 35-foot-tall white obelisk that stood on Iberville Street, was just one of four Confederate monuments that are being taken down.

A demonstrator that supports keeping confederate-era monuments in place yells as workers dismantle the Liberty Place monument. (Gerald Herbert / AP)

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New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu called it the most offensive, of the lot.

The statue was put up to honor the killing of police officers by white supremacists, Landrieu said. Of the four that we will move, this statue is perhaps the most blatant affront to the values that make America and New Orleans strong today.

Protesters opposed to its removal said the monument is part of the citys history.

I think its a terrible thing, said Robert Bonner, who is a 63-year-old Civil War re-enactor. When you start removing the history of the city, you start losing money. You start losing where you came from and where youve been.

The monument was erected in 1891 by the Crescent City White League to honor 16 of their members who were killed in a bloody insurrection protesting the citys reconstruction government. Thirteen white and black police officers and six others were also killed in the battle, which lasted three days until federal troops were called in. An inscription, which was later covered, promoted white supremacy in the south.

The mayor said the effort was not about blame but rather it was to show the world that the people of New Orleans are able to acknowledge, understand, reconcile and  most importantly  choose a better future, making straight what has been crooked and right what has been wrong.

The other three monuments slated for removal are the Robert E. Lee monument which stands in Lee Circle, the Jefferson Davis statue which is on Jefferson Davis Parkway at Canal Street and the P.G.T. Beauregard memorial which stands at the entrance to City Park on Esplanade Avenue.

We will no longer allow the Confederacy to literally be put on a pedestal in the heart of our city, said Landrieu.

The Robert E. Lee Monument is seen in Lee Circle in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert / AP)

The monument of Jefferson Davis is seen on Jefferson Davis Parkway at Canal Street in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert / AP)

The statue of P.G.T. Beauregard at the entrance to City Park at Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert / AP)

619-293-1710

debbi.baker@sduniontribune.com

twitter.com/Debbi_Baker
Teachers have long suspected it. Californians believe it. Researchers have proved it. And we, an educator and a physician, have joined together to spread the message: Increasing kids physical activity boosts academic achievement.

A landmark study published last month in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine finally moved the activity/achievement link from sensible theory to scientific fact. After a systematic review of more than 800 studies, a highly respected team of researchers reported that students who are physically active earn higher grades and score better on achievement tests than their inactive peers.

Its not entirely clear why active students perform better. Some speculate that increased oxygen flow to the brain stimulates learning. Others argue that exercise helps students burn off excess energy so they can focus better in class. Scientists will continue to explore the why, but the what is now settled. Exercise boosts academic achievement  case closed.

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This finding wont come as news to California teachers, who have consistently reported that students concentrate better and have fewer behavioral problems in classes following a physical education or recess period. Its also nothing new to the California Department of Education, which launched Team California for Healthy Kids last year to focus on boosting exercise and nutrition in schools. And it wont surprise California voters, either. According to a November 2011 survey conducted by the respected Field Poll, three-quarters of Californians agree that increasing physical activity would improve academic performance in schools.

Against this backdrop, you might expect that principals and district superintendents would be clamoring to add physical activity to their daily schedules. In fact, California schools are moving in the opposite direction. Today, fewer than half of all school districts meet the state requirement to provide elementary school students with 200 minutes of quality physical education every 10 days (just 20 minutes each day!). High schools fare even worse.

Its not just academic performance that suffers from inactivity. Lack of exercise has serious health consequences for children and adults, increasing risk for diabetes, obesity, hypertension and many other serious chronic diseases. Over the long run, we all pay a steep price for inactivity: higher health care costs, increased absenteeism and reduced economic productivity.

Its no secret why physical activity in schools has taken such a hit. To meet Californias tough achievement standards, many principals and district superintendents felt pressured to prioritize academic instruction over physical education and recess. They thought maximizing classroom time was the best strategy for increasing test scores. Their hearts were in the right place, but their prescription has now been proven wrong.

Its time for California schools to chart a new path, encouraging students to move throughout the day, starting before the morning bell rings, continuing through quality physical education and recess breaks, and ending with active after-school programs that enrich our childrens bodies and minds. We can make health happen in schools. We have the knowledge and resources to make our schools the most active in the nation, and nothing less should be our goal.

Throughout our state, individual schools and school districts have developed outstanding models to follow. Some begin the day with voluntary before-school exercise clubs, so students who arrive early can get a healthy workout, instead of hanging around while waiting for first bell. Others have experimented with Instant Recess, one- to two-minute activity breaks peppered throughout the day that help students burn off a few calories, while clearing their minds to focus on the classroom. Yet another promising approach is integrating physical activity into traditional academic lessons. For example, exercise can demonstrate how the circulatory and respiratory systems function, and individual fitness improvements can be tracked and recorded on school computers for lessons in mathematics and computer science. And all districts should work to improve their physical education classes, so students spend more time moving and less time sitting around.

Parents can help by planning fun and active outings for their families on the weekends, and by telling school leaders that increasing activity is important to them. When all our states education leaders heed parents request and embrace the reality that physical activity and academic achievement go hand-in-hand, our children will be on a path toward greater success in school and improved health throughout their lives.
Regarding DNA test, retired detectives tenacity, solve 1992 murder case (April 14): Caution is required before extolling the merits of familial DNA testing.

While virtually any technology or law enforcement tactic can be useful in some investigations, we dont allow free rein for government agents to tap our phones, read our emails or barge into our homes. The criminal justice system disproportionately incarcerates Latinos and African-Americans, who are consequently overrepresented in DNA databases, and subjected to increased surveillance when familial DNA searches are based on those databases.

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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.

We resist racial profiling not only because it is ineffective, but also because it goes against our values to target communities for heightened scrutiny without any basis for suspicion. The toll such surveillance takes on individual lives, and upon the very premise of a democratic society, can be seen in the nationwide epidemic of police killings of unarmed black men and women.

Jonathan Markovitz

Staff Attorney

American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
A study released Thursday provides an unprecedented snapshot of officer-involved shootings in San Diego County over the past 20 years, an analysis that law enforcement hopes will help improve training and boost public awareness.

Of the 367 people shot, 81 percent had mental issues or drugs  usually methamphetamine  in their system, 44 percent were on probation or parole, and 56 percent were 18- to 32-years-old, according to the report compiled by the District Attorneys Office.

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Hispanic men were shot more than men of any other race, followed closely by white men, the report showed.

The report comes at a time when officer-involved shootings have been in the news, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said at a Thursday news conference, where she was joined by the sheriff and a half-dozen local police chiefs.

The issue of race obviously is a big part of the national conversation, Dumanis said. We hope the statistics will inform and guide the public discussion on race and how it pertains to law enforcement.

Her office, which reviews shootings to determine whether the officer was legally justified or should face criminal charges, decided about a year ago to do the 20-year review. The county does not review shootings by federal agents.

More than half of the 358 shooting incidents from 1993 to 2012 resulted in death. A total of 606 officers were involved in the shootings, as some cases involved more than one officer opening fire.

During that period, county prosecutors filed charges against two officers involved in separate nonfatal shootings: Christopher Chaney in 1995 and Frank White in 2009. Juries found both men not guilty.

Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, policy director of the American Civil Liberties Unions local office, said she was struck as much by the fact the study was done as by what it showed.

This level of transparency is sadly unusual, Dooley-Sammuli said in a phone interview. Its critical information that helps the community understand whats happening, in detail.  We need these reports to be required, not optional. Weve learned that national data is woefully inadequate. California reporting is, similarly, entirely inadequate.

Race, as well as the lack of national data on police use of force, has been a major national issue since a white officer in Ferguson, Mo., fatally shot an unarmed black man last year and was not indicted.

In San Diego County, 19 percent of the people shot by officers were black, a much higher percentage than the regions population of blacks, which is 4.8 percent, according to 2012 census data.

The study also sorted 335 cases in the county where the race of the officer and the subject was known. In 41 percent of those cases, the officer was white and the person shot was non-white. In 26 percent of the cases, both the officer and subject were white.

Dumanis cautioned that drawing conclusions from the race data is difficult because county racial demographics changed during the period of the study, as have the racial backgrounds of officers and the communities where shootings occurred.

Still, the findings support a consistent pattern and it is not surprising, Andre Branch, president of the San Diego chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said in an interview.

Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee, said there has been tension between the Latino community and law enforcement over the years. He recalled a period in 2005 when three Hispanic men were fatally shot by sheriffs deputies in Vista over five days.

Community members were extremely upset, Rios said. They felt law enforcement agencies were not tuned in to the needs of the Latino community.

Rios acknowledged relationships have improved to a degree, but worried much of that improvement has stemmed from immigrant-friendly legislation that has forced changes at the department level. The departments that have established better relationships with the Latino community have done so through better communication, he said.

Sheriff Bill Gore said the study highlights dangers law enforcement officers face and the fact that they often have only a split-second to decide whether to fire at someone.

At the end of the day we have to constantly ask ourselves how we can do a better job, Gore said Thursday.

Also notable from the study:

 48 percent of all shootings involved San Diego police, with the Sheriffs Department involved in 20 percent.

 19 percent were considered suicide-by-cop.

 No less-lethal measures, such as a Taser, were tried first in 80 percent of the cases.

 Nearly half of the shootings happened immediately upon the officer arriving on scene.

 Most shootings occurred during traffic stops, followed by domestic violence incidents.

 An officer was killed or injured in 10 percent of the incidents, while bystanders were shot in 5 percent of the cases.
HONG KONG, CHINA and CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Apr 24, 2017) - Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. (the "Corporation" or "Sunshine") (2012.HK) wishes to announce that the Board has accepted the resignation of Mr. Yuen Wing Kai ("Mr. Yuen") as the Corporation's Hong Kong Corporate Secretary and Authorised Representative effective immediately. Mr. Yuen has confirmed that he has no disagreement with the Board and that there are no matters that need to be brought to the attention of shareholders of the Corporation in connection with his resignation.

Appointment of Hong Kong Company Secretary and Authorised Representative

The Board is pleased to announce that Ms. Chow Man Ngan ("Ms. Chow") has been appointed as the Corporation's Hong Kong Company Secretary and Authorised Representative effective immediately.

Ms. Chow holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting with Laws and is an associate member of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries and The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in the United Kingdom. Prior to joining the Corporation, Ms. Chow worked in a number of listed companies as company secretary and has extensive experience in company secretarial practice.

The Board would like to express its appreciation to Mr. Yuen for his contribution during his tenure of office and to extend its warmest welcome to Ms. Chow on her new appointment.

ABOUT SUNSHINE OILSANDS LTD.

The Corporation is a Calgary based public corporation listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since March 1, 2012. The Corporation is focused on the development of its significant holdings of oil sands leases in the Athabasca oil sands region. The Corporation owns interests in approximately one million acres of oil sands and petroleum and natural gas leases in the Athabasca region. The Corporation is currently focused on executing milestone undertakings in the West Ells project area. West Ells has an initial production rate of 5,000 barrels per day.

Story continues

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This announcement contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the plans and expectations of the Corporation. Such forward-looking information is subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors. All statements other than statements and information of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of words such as "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "project", "plan", "target", "vision", "goal", "outlook", "April", "will", "should", "believe", "intend", "anticipate", "potential", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Corporation's experience, current beliefs, assumptions, information and perception of historical trends available to the Corporation, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to those associated with resource definition and expected reserves and contingent and prospective resources estimates, unanticipated costs and expenses, regulatory approval, fluctuating oil and gas prices, expected future production, the ability to access sufficient capital to finance future development and credit risks, changes in Alberta's regulatory framework, including changes to regulatory approval process and land-use designations, royalty, tax, environmental, greenhouse gas, carbon and other laws or regulations and the impact thereof and the costs associated with compliance. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions and factors discussed in this announcement are not exhaustive and readers are not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as the Corporation's actual results April differ materially from those expressed or implied. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subsequent to the date of this announcement, except as required under applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement and are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists are not exhaustive and are made as at the date hereof. For a full discussion of the Corporation's material risk factors, see the Corporation's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2016 and risk factors described in other documents we file from time to time with securities regulatory authorities, all of which are available on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at www.hkexnews.hk, on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com or on the Corporation's website at www.sunshineoilsands.com.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

This announcement appears for information purpose only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for securities of Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.

(a corporation incorporated under the Business Corporations Act of the Province of Alberta, Canada with limited liability)

By Order of the Board of Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.

Sun Kwok Ping, Executive Chairman

Hong Kong, April 24, 2017

Calgary, April 24, 2017

As at the date of this announcement, the Board consists of Mr. Kwok Ping Sun, Mr. Hong Luo, Dr. Qi Jiang and Mr. Qiping Men as executive directors; Mr. Michael John Hibberd, Ms. Linna Liu and Ms. Xijuan Jiang as non-executive directors; and Mr. Raymond Shengti Fong, Mr. Gerald Franklin Stevenson, Ms. Joanne Yan and Mr. Yi He as independent non-executive directors.

*For identification purposes only
Shooting victim Barry Gibson looks at the memorial in front of Santana High School on Friday, with friend Sheena Wilson, 17, behind him.  John Gibbins (John Gibbins)

Recent self-portrait of Santana High shooting survivor Barry Gibson, painted to reflect his feeling of loss on the day of the crime. The 6" on his forehead was the number given to him by paramedics at the scene.  Barry Gibson ( / Barry Gibson)

SWAT officers check classrooms after a student opened fire at Santana High School, school, killing two people and wounding 13 others.  U-T file photo ( / U-T file photo)

Students Sara Knight and Kristin Chalmers after the shooting.  U-T file photo ( / U-T file photo)

The memorial that sprang up in front of Santana High School after the shooting.  U-T file photo ( / U-T file photo)

Bill Flynn, of Santee, prays in front of the Santana High School sign/makeshift memorial in the front Santana High School on Magnolia in Santee Ca. Flynn had two kids that graduated Santee High, one in 1999, the other in 1997.  U-T file photo ( / U-T file photo)

Randy Gordon, 17, talked about going into the Navy after he graduated.

Bryan Zuckor, 14, dreamed of becoming a stuntman.

Santana High shooter Charles Andy Williams, then 15, at his sentencing. He is now in prison near Blythe.  U-T file photo ( / U-T file photo)

All these years later, there are moments when Barry Gibsons awkward step gives away his past.

Hes 28 now and lives in Georgia. Hes a graduate student at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Hes got a bullet lodged in his left thigh. And sometimes when he walks, his gait takes on a slight limp, a reminder of what unfolded in Santee 10 years ago Saturday.

Every day Ive got pain  sometimes really sharp pain where I almost fall down, Gibson said.

On March 5, 2001, a teenage boy with a .22-caliber handgun killed two people and wounded 13 others at Santana High School.

A decade later, the convicted murderer sits in state prison while many of the survivors still wrestle with the fallout from the worst school shooting in San Diego County history.

For some, including Gibson, the pain has not dimmed much with time. Among the handful of survivors who could be reached and were willing to be interviewed, most talked about their struggles over the years with nightmares, flashbacks and other anxieties akin to those back from war.

What the shooting gave me was a better outlook on life. It made me thankful for what I do have, said Santana teacher Tim Estes, who took a bullet to the side of his back. If the bullet had moved over six inches, I would have been six feet under.

Students Randy Gordon and Bryan Zuckor were fatally shot by freshman Charles Andy Williams. During Williams 2002 trial, he didnt explain why he opened fire, but his attorney said the boy felt alienated at home and bullied by his peers.

Randy was 17. He had talked about enlisting in the Navy. Bryan was 14. He thought someday he might become a stuntman.

Williams is now 25, serving time at Ironwood State Prison near Blythe. Hell be eligible for parole starting in 2051.

Then there are the survivors  those who have managed to find a measure of peace, and those who have moments when they feel unmoored.

Its not something I have control over, Gibson said. It has control over me.

He has tried to exorcise the trauma of March 5 through his art. Last year, he created a pair of oil paintings, each showing a grim figure with a number on his forehead.

One is a picture of Santana survivor Travis Tate, marked with a 5. The other is a self-portrait of Gibson, with a 6. After the shooting, paramedics lined the wounded outside the principals office and wrote the numbers to keep a clear count of the many victims.

Gibson said the stark artwork reflects his sense of loss, the feeling that he was reduced to a statistic and that his life had unraveled with the flash of a handgun.

He still harbors anger  not at the shooter, but at the boys father, Jeff Williams. The handgun used in the crime was among several weapons normally locked in a cabinet at the Williams home. A judge ruled that Williams was negligent because his son knew where the cabinet key was stored.

Like some other survivors, Gibson said he has been in and out of therapy. When he goes to restaurants, he always sits where he can face the door; it eases an anxiety that goes back to the shooting incident.

He moved to Georgia in 2009, after earning a degree in architecture in San Diego.

There are times when he believes that whether you want it or not, evil is going to insert itself on you. He refuses, however, to let what happened overshadow other parts of his life.

Tate, now 28 years old and living in Chino, also tries to resist dwelling on the tragedy. I just try to live my life without any negativity, he said.

Its not easy. He recently responded to a string of interview questions via Facebook, declining to speak on the phone. He wrote that just talking about what happened a decade ago can sometimes trigger night terrors, marked by sweating and flailing.

He has a faint scar on his lip, from where a bullet pierced through.

His life as a young adult has been marked by the usual successes and bumps. He works for an auto-related company. He was engaged to be married, but it didnt stick. Hes taking community college classes on real estate and sailing.

Melisa McNulty works today as a nurse assistant in La Jolla. She was a junior at Santana when the shooting started in the middle of the Santee campus. She was struck in the arm.

Im doing well, she wrote in an e-mail. She still suffers from panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder.

But I refuse to give in to it and just recently applied to nursing school and should hear if I got in by mid-March, McNulty wrote.

Tim Estes, 43, was a student teacher at Santana in 2001. Today hes a special education instructor at the school, which is on North Magnolia Avenue.

He wasnt surprised that at least several other survivors have lasting challenges.

I was really pissed at (Williams) for what he did. He took the lives of two kids  and for what? Estes said.

Estes believes he suffered few psychological wounds because he was an adult when the shooting occurred and perhaps better equipped to weather the shock.

Peter Ruiz Jr. was an adult too, but the fallout for him was fierce. He was Santanas 22-year-old campus supervisor.

While others ran from the gunfire, he dashed toward it. He thought it was fireworks. He tried to stay calm and take charge and ended up taking three bullets  one in his shoulder, two in his back.

It took a year before the full horror sunk in. He went on crying jags. He suffered from PTSD and went into therapy. He had a tough time being on campus and transferred to another high school.

Ruiz, 32, said hes much better now. He might stop by Santana today to mark the anniversary.

He wasnt sure he was ready just yet.

steve.schmidt@uniontrib.com  (619) 293-1380  Twitter @SteveSchmidt1
MOSCOW (AP)  The government of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk survived a no-confidence vote on Tuesday though a majority of lawmakers harshly criticized its work.

The vote reflected simmering political tensions amid Ukraines economic troubles that have eroded public support for Yatsenyuks Cabinet. The failure to pass the motion reflected lawmakers fears that it could lead to the collapse of the ruling coalition and early elections.

Earlier in the day, Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko called on the embattled prime minister to resign and for a new line-up of ministers to be appointed.

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The tension between the government and the factions has become so high that it poses a threat to the coalitions functioning, Poroshenko said in a statement.

Yatsenyuk defended his Cabinets performance during a raucous debate, saying that hatred and anger are not emotions which should unite the political class.

The no confidence motion got 194 votes in the Verkhovna Rada Tuesday, falling short of the 226 votes required to oust the Cabinet. Minutes before it, 247 lawmakers voted to consider the cabinets performance unsatisfactory.

Speaking before the vote, Yuri Lutsenko, who leads Poroshenkos faction in parliament, harshly criticized Yatsenyuk and urged him to step down.

70 percent of people want you to resign, he said. The country cant tolerate the governments inaction any more.

Despite harsh rhetoric, both Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk are keen to avoid snap elections since their political parties have fallen in recent opinion polls as public frustration mounts with the governments lack of progress.

The blocs led by the prime minister and the president are the largest in parliament and they, along with a collection of other political factions, have been in a tug-of-war for influence that has stymied reforms.

Yatsenyuk became prime minister after the countrys ostentatiously corrupt and Russia-friendly president was chased from power in February 2014 following massive protests. Poroshenko was elected several months later with broad support and a seal of approval from Western leaders.

However, a string of very public spats between Ukrainian lawmakers, often involving members of Yatsenyuks and Poroshenkos blocs, have strained the public patience and eroded the confidence of the West.

Last week, International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde threatened to halt the delivery of another installment of Ukraines $17.5 billion aid package that the country is counting on to keep the economy afloat.

Two well-respected reformers resigned in the past week, citing their disenchantment with the governments cronyism and engrained corruption.

Aivaras Abromavicius stepped down on Feb. 3 as the economy minister and said he and his team received pushback on their reform efforts from government leaders including members of Poroshenkos party.

Vitaly Kasko resigned on Monday as Ukraines deputy chief prosecutor, accusing Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin of derailing anti-graft cases. Poroshenko on Tuesday asked the widely criticized Shokin to step down, but it wasnt immediately clear if he did so.

Speaking in Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner hailed Poroshenkos move to replace the top prosecutor as a signal of Ukraines seriousness about its reform process.

Its important to restore the confidence of the Ukrainian people in the justice system, but clearly, theres an immense amount of work yet to be done in countering corruption, including in the prosecutorial service, he said. We recognize that theres a lot more work to be done. 

___

AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Minsk, Belarus contributed to this report.
Beijing appears to be sending fresh signals about its view on North Korea , in order to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to take less aggressive action against the rogue nuclear state, several political analysts say.

"One thing we're seeing is a tactical adjustment on Beijing's part to Trump," said John Delury, associate professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. "There's a kind of game here where Beijing is playing along to a certain extent, almost to call Trump's bluff, and to get the Americans to recognize they have the key in their hand to unlock the problem."

"The key is not military. When you start to look carefully at the military options, they are horrific, just given the economic vulnerabilities of everyone in this neighborhood," he said. "The key the U.S. has is diplomacy."

At least two-thirds of North Korea's trade is with China, giving Beijing tremendous leverage over the state. Recent reports indicate that Chinese authorities are beginning to test that power.

After a North Korean missile test in February, Chinese authorities suspended coal imports from the state for the rest of the year. Media reports citing Chinese academics and opinion pieces in the Beijing-backed Global Times have raised the prospect of cutting oil exports to North Korea. Such action would severely hurt the small, North Korean economy and indicate China's seriousness on curbing the pariah state, analysts said.

"Clearly the Chinese regime is losing patience with North Korea," said Michael Hirson, Asia director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. "We're seeing some incremental steps that the Chinese may be in favor of doing more."

"I think China is signaling to both sides, to the U.S. that China is doing more, that China is acting in good faith to head off a crisis in North Korea," Hirson said. "Primarily they're telling the U.S. that ultimately China feels the only solution in North Korea is one that involves diplomacy and getting North Korea to the table."

Story continues

As a candidate, Trump said he would be prepared to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and talk things out "over a hamburger."

But Trump has changed his tone since winning the election, and the chance of negotiations appears slimmer. Trump has repeatedly pressured China to act on trade, and offered better deals with the U.S. in return.

Vice President Mike Pence said during a visit to South Korea this month that "the era of strategic patience is over" with North Korea. The U.S. ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail toward the Korean peninsula  after some confusion within the administration about when, exactly, that was happening . Pyongyang responded by saying it was ready to sink the carrier . Meanwhile, two Japanese destroyers have joined the U.S. carrier group.

And there's even a chance the United States could build some level of influence over North Korea itself.

"The main leverage we have is the North Koreans want a new relationship with us because they don't want to become too dependent on China," said Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project. "They don't trust the Chinese."

Chinese sanctions alone may not cut it

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone call with Trump on Monday that China opposes anything that runs counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions and that all sides should avoid doing anything to worsen tensions, state media reported.

Xi's own hands are tied in terms of how dramatic a shift he can make on North Korea, because he faces domestic political considerations. The Chinese leader wants stability ahead of a key Communist Party congress this fall.

"Yes, China can do more and should keep up the multilateral sanctions, but at the same time it would be overreaching to conclude that somehow China through sanctions alone can get the North Koreans alone to change behavior," said Zha Daojiong, professor at Peking University's School of International Studies. He noted that North Korea's access to the ocean potentially allows trade with other parts of the world, especially on black markets.

Analysts were also quick to point out that China said more but has actually done little so far on the economic front. The value of imports and exports between North Korea and China in the first two months of this year actually rose nearly 7.6 percent from the same period last year, according to China Customs data.

Part of the problem is China has less control over its trade with North Korea than it appears.

"You're looking at some pretty lucrative business partnerships" due to high risks that elevate prices, said John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at the Harvard Kennedy School. "Even if the Chinese authorities were serious about implementing (sanctions), because of the challenge of corruption at local levels, implementation is a different ballgame altogether."

 Reuters contributed to this report.

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Discover where the limerick form of poetry came from (as far as history knows) and how to craft a proper one yourself.

Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join

In the weeks following the publication of each new issue of The Saturday Evening Post, we receive more than 300 entries to our Limerick Laughs contest. Most of them are well-written, some of them are outstanding, but far too many of them arent really limericks.

So we put together this post to help both budding and flowering poets understand what a limerick is, how to write good one, and where the form even came from.

When youre ready to put your poetry prowess to the test, you can enter our latest Limerick Laughs contest here  for a chance to win $25 and publication in the Post.

Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today

Your favorite mags on a mission

To inspire your poem submission

Of five lines in length

With rhymes of some strength 

The best ones can win a commission!

Limericks: A How-To Guide

There are four guidelines that you should follow to write a good limerick. Although they do allow some leeway for the creative mind, the farther you stray from these guidelines, the less limerick-like your finished poem will be.

First, its length: A limerick is always five lines long. Theres very little wiggle room here.

Second, its rhyme scheme: A limerick always has an AABBA rhyme scheme, meaning that the first, second, and fifth lines end in a shared rhyme, as do the third and fourth. Some authors flirt with the format by swapping those letters around, but at best, these are variations on the limerick structure. For all intents and purposes, if its not AABBA, its not a limerick.

Heres an example. Since The Saturday Evening Post is a family magazine, please refrain from mentally conjuring (or, more importantly, commenting on) the more vulgar version of this classic limerick:

There once was a man from Nantucket

Who kept all his cash in a bucket.

But his daughter, named Nan,

Ran away with a man

And as for the bucket, Nantucket.

You can clearly see the rhyme scheme in this example, but lets talk about rhythm and meter, the third guideline. Although the number of syllables contained in each line varies from one limerick to another, a good guideline is to have 7-10 syllables in lines 1, 2, and 5, and 5-7 syllables in lines 3 and 4. Above all else, though, the lengths should be consistent among rhyming lines. And in nearly every case, A lines are longer than B lines.

Limericks generally use an anapestic metric foot, which is the snooty-English-teacher way of saying it uses a repeating rhythm of two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. In a limerick, the first, second, and fifth lines each hold three stressed syllables, and the third and fourth lines each contain two stressed syllables.

Clear as mud? Lets take another gander at the man from Nantucket. Notice which syllables have harder beats than the rest:

There ONCE was a MAN from NanTUCKet

Who KEPT all his CASH in a BUCKet.

But his DAUGHter, named NAN,

Ran aWAY with a MAN

And AS for the BUCKet, NanTUCKet.

Because of that last syllable in Nantucket and bucket, these lines arent perfectly anapestic, but notice that the rhythm  the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables  is identical in the lines that rhyme. This consistency, along with the rhyme scheme, is what holds a good limerick together.

The final and loosest rule of limerick writing is its silly subject matter. Humor and wordplay almost always work their way into a good limerick. Often disregarded as the amateur poets training-wheel exercise, the limerick prioritizes a spritely wit and cartoonish joy over the lovelorn yearning of the sonnet or the emotional roller coaster (and length) of the Romantic epic. Your limerick doesnt necessarily have to be funny, but if its not, you might have missed the point.

A Brief History of Limericks

So who made themselves the Kings and Queens of Poetry and invented all these rules? The name limerick was first formally recorded as the name of the five-line poem just two years before the beginning of the 20th century, when it appeared in the New English Dictionary. Our brightest poetry historians believe the name originated from the town or county of Limerick, Ireland, in reference to a popular nonsense song that included the phrase Will (or wont) you come to Limerick? An 1880 New Brunswick newspaper ran a five-line rhyming poem about a young rustic named Mallory who drew a small salary; it was to be sung to the well-known tune of the aforementioned nonsense, for the first time connecting the Limerick name and the form. But the format itself is much older.

Edward Lear is often, and incorrectly, called the father of the limerick for his appropriately titled 1846 collection of illustrated short poems, A Book of Nonsense. These poems are easily recognized by their tendency to center on a somebody from somewhere, usually ending the first and fifth lines with the same location word. Undoubtedly, Lear was essential in popularizing the form. However, the actual invention of the limerick lies yet further back in time.

In 1943, Robert Herbert, a librarian from Limerick, reported on the namesake poems earliest origins. He credits the Poets of the Maigue, a group of Gaelic minstrels, with the forms creation midway through the 18th century. These merrymakers were known to improvise limericks as a sporting event in the form of poetic insults. Here we have a sample zinger from one of the minstrels, translated to English by James Clarence Mangan:

I sell the best Brandy and Sherry

To make all my customers merry,

But at times their finances

Run short as it chances,

And then I feel very sad, very.

Okay, so these minstrels probably didnt send anyone home in tears. Put these minstrels in a modern rap battle and theyll come shamed, and not only because of their funny hats.

Searching any earlier in the poetry history books leads us deeper into ambiguity and speculation. Some attribute the first limericks to soldiers coming home from the War of Spanish Succession (17011714), others to William Shakespeare (15641616) or even Thomas Aquinas (12251274). But whenever the limerick was truly born, it retains its playful and humorous spirit.

Nowadays, we at The Saturday Evening Post like to think weve helped keep that spirit alive. Twentieth-century Post Scripts within our pages offered an array of jokes, lyrics, and poetry, including limericks, which touched on subjects ranging from classic literature to space travel to workaday problems. Check out this goofy number from 1903 by Carolyn Wells:

A scholarly person named Finck

Went mad in the effort to think

Which were graver misplaced,

To dip pen in his paste,

Or dip his paste-brush in the ink.

In 1979, the Post brought back the competitive side of poetry with Can You Name This Picture? which asked readers to send in either a snappy one-liner caption or their most whimsical limerick. The contest has been a staple of the magazine for almost 40 years running, albeit under a different name today; in 1992, the rules were amended to a limericks-only contest, and the Limerick Laughs have been rolling in ever since.

In closing, I leave you with a little dandy I wrote for a school assignment when I was 9:

A spider web caught a fly.

The fly began to cry.

The spider came out

But said with a shout,

Eat you? Id rather die.

Think you can do better? The safe bet is, yes, you can, but you still have to prove it: In every issue, we provide a new picture to spark your creativity and dare you to write a great limerick. So dust off that rhyming dictionary, polish up your puns, check out our latest limerick contest, and send us your best. Our mailbox is waiting.
World Malaria Day

Shocking numbers of children are dying of entirely preventable diseases. One of them, malaria, is a leading causes of death for children under 5.

In the United States, its virtually unheard of that diseases such as malaria kill children. But in low-income countries, preventable diseases like malaria are their biggest killers. The majority of children affected are poor, from marginalized ethnic groups or living in remote places with limited access to health services that could save their lives.

When is World Malaria Day?

World Malaria Day is April 25 2021

What is World Malaria Day?

World Malaria Day is a day when we recognize the global efforts and continued investments made to wipe out malaria.

With your support, our teams are working in some of the toughest situations and most in-need communities in the world to change these outcomes for children. Our child health programs focus on empowering frontline health workers to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malaria. When disasters strike, our emergency response teams are on the ground working to prevent disease outbreaks and ensure children have access to healthcare.

There are many ways you can help us provide lifesaving care to children at risk for malaria.
New York City, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/24/2017 -- Ferrochromium, also known as Ferrochrome, is an alloy of iron and chromium containing 50 to 70% of chromium. It is produced by electric arc melting of chromium ore and chromite. Ferrochromium is consumed extensively in the manufacturing of steel to achieve the qualities such as corrosion resistance, tensile strength, heat resistance and yield strength. The global ferrochromium market is anticipated to be in deficit to cater the increasing global steel market in near future. Ferrochromium is mostly produced in India, China, South Africa and Kazakhstan because of large chromite resources found in these countries. The global ferrochromium market is witnessing a modest single digit CAGR growth up till now and is expected to continue in future.



A sample of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10046



Ferrochromium is having its maximum share of consumption in steel industry and due to the ever increasing construction and demand of steel the global ferrochromium market is forecasted to flourish. In order to get a continuous supply of raw material for ferrochrome, China has established its operations in the countries like Turkey, South Africa, Philippines and Zimbabwe which would boost the global ferrochromium market in future. Due to the favourable conditions like lower electricity price and lower labour cost in upcoming markets like China, the production cost reduces comparatively. This will boost the production of ferrochrome to suffice its increasing demand and will contribute in global ferrochromium market.



The global ferrochromium market can get hampered because of the increase in the export tax and fixed export quotas imposed by South Africa on chrome ore, owing to the concern of losing ferrochromium market to China. South Africa is having a significant market share in global ferrochromium market but there are concerns of power supply and higher production cost which would lead to the closure of small competitors and is estimated to slowdown the global ferrochromium market.



Based on the carbon percentage, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as -



Extra low carbon ferrochromium powder

Low carbon ferrochromium powder

High carbon ferrochromium powder

Extra high carbon ferrochromium powder

Based in the available form, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as 



Ferrochromium slag

Ferrochromium powder

Based on the application, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as 



Ball bearing steels

Acid resistant steels

Cast irons

Powder metallurgy

Others (civil engineering, refractory materials)

The global ferrochromium market can be divided into five regions, namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is having the maximum market share in global ferrochromium market, China and India are the countries having an excellent steel market, so these countries are significant in the consumption of ferrochrome. China is expanding its capacity to import chrome ore for the production of ferrochrome from the countries like South Africa, Turkey, Zimbabwe. Middle East and Africa are also marking a significant growth in the global ferrochromium market, Especially South Africa is having plenty of chromite resources for the production of ferrochrome. Europe is an emerging market in the field of ferrochrome and is anticipated to have a considerable market in future due to the flourishing automobile sector in the region. North America and Latin America is at a nascent stage in the global ferrochromium market.



To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10046



Some of the key players in global ferrochromium market are, Nava Bharat Ventures Limited, VISA STEEL, Balasore Alloys Limited, Aarti Steels Ltd, SR Group, Vyankatesh Metals & Alloys Pvt. Ltd



The report covers exhaustive analysis on:



Ferrochromium Market Segments

Ferrochromium Market Dynamics

Historical Actual Market Size, 2012 - 2014

Ferrochromium Market Size & Forecast 2015 to 2025

Supply & Demand Value Chain

Ferrochromium Market Current Trends/Issues/Challenges

Competition & Companies involved

Technology

Value Chain

Ferrochromium Market Drivers and Restraints

Regional analysis for Ferrochromium Market includes



North America

Latin America

Europe

Asia Pacific & Japan

The Middle East and Africa

Report Highlights:



Shifting Industry dynamics

In-depth market segmentation

Historical, current and projected industry size Recent industry trends

Key Competition landscape

Strategies of key players and product offerings

Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth

A neutral perspective towards market performance



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/24/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/



Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles.



Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region.



Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child.



Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children.



BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins.

FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604.

SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England.

CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles.

CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth.

DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269



Contact Adam Green!

c: 801-809-7766

e: g3president@comcast.net



The Mayflower was hired in London, and sailed from London to Southampton in July 1620 to begin loading food and supplies for the voyage--much of which was purchased at Southampton. The Pilgrims were mostly still living in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Southampton, England, to meet up with the Mayflower. The two ships planned to sail together to Northern Virginia. The Speedwell departed Delfthaven on July 22, and arrived at Southampton, where they found the Mayflower waiting for them. The Speedwell had been leaking on her voyage from the Netherlands to England, though, so they spent the next week patching her up.



On August 5, the two ships finally set sail for America. But the Speedwell began leaking again, so they pulled into the town of Dartmouth for repairs, arriving there about August 12. The Speedwell was patched up again, and the two ships again set sail for America about August 21. After the two ships had sailed about 300 miles out to sea, the Speedwell again began to leak. Frustrated with the enormous amount of time lost, and their inability to fix the Speedwell so that it could be sea-worthy, they returned to Plymouth, England, and made the decision to leave the Speedwell behind. The Mayflower would go to America alone. The cargo on the Speedwell was transferred over to the Mayflower; some of the passengers were so tired and disappointed with all the problems that they quit and went home. Others crammed themselves onto the already very crowded Mayflower.



Finally, on September 6, the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. By the time the Pilgrims had left England, they had already been living onboard the ships for nearly a month and a half. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. The first half of the voyage went fairly smoothly, the only major problem was sea-sickness. But by October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. Several times, the wind was so strong they had to just drift where the weather took them; it was not safe to use the ship's sails. The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia, which at the time included the region as far north as the Hudson River in the modern State of New York. The Hudson River, in fact, was their originally intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands. All things considered, the Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees.



As the Mayflower approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9. The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation. However, as the Mayflower headed south, it encountered some very rough seas, and nearly shipwrecked. The Pilgrims then decided, rather than risk another attempt to go south they would just stay and explore Cape Cod. They turned back north, rounded the tip, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, trying to decide where they would build their plantation. On December 25, 1620, they had finally decided upon Plymouth, and began construction of their first buildings.



Master Christopher Jones and several business partners purchased the ship Mayflower about 1607. Its origins prior to that remain uncertain. Its first documented voyage of record was to Trondheim, Norway, in 1609. Andrew Pawling hired the ship to take a cargo of London goods to Norway, sell them off, and buy Norway goods (lumber, tar, and fish) to return back to England. Unfortunately on the return voyage, the Mayflower encountered a severe North Sea storm and the master and crew were forced to toss most of Pawlings goods overboard to lighten the ship. The home of Master Christopher Jones: Harwich, co. Essex, England.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/



Following that, Christopher Jones seems to have stuck with safer trading routes. The Mayflower made numerous trips primarily to Bordeaux, France, returning to London with cargoes of French wine, Cognac, vinegar, and salt. The Mayflower could freight about 180 tons of cargo. The Mayflower also made occasional voyages to other ports, including once to Malaga, Spain, and twice to Hamburg, Germany.



Upon returning from a voyage to Bordeaux, France, in May 1620, the Mayflower and master Christopher Jones were hired to take the Pilgrims to Northern Virginia. This was the first recorded trans-Atlantic voyage for both ship and master, though Christopher Jones had several crewmembers, including pilot and master's mates John Clarke and Robert Coppin, who had been to the New World before.



The Mayflower was supposed to accompany another ship, the Speedwell, to America, but the Speedwell proved too leaky for the voyage so the Mayflower proceeded alone. Departing on 6 September 1620, the ship was at sea for 66 days, arriving November 9. The ship and crew overwintered with the Pilgrims and departed back for England on 5 April 1621, arriving back to England on May 6.



Christopher Jones took the ship out for a few more trading runs, but he died a couple of years later in March 1621/2. The ship was appraised for probate purposes in May 1624, and was referred to as being "in ruins." It was only valued at 128 pounds sterling, and was almost certainly broken up and sold off as scrap.



New York, New York General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Introduces New Geneology Resource Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/



Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com , http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen



Adam's hard work and creativity helped him land this job of a lifetime. He obtained incredible business experience there and spent years innovating, improving processes and setting sales records. Although this dream job in Traditional Corporate America was a fun challenge for him, and something he truly enjoyed mastering, Adam's natural entrepreneurial spirit kept nudging him to do something more significant with his time and talents. http://www.MyChocolatePod.com , http://www.Facebook.com/AdamPaulGreen



Since 2001, Adam has been involved in the Health and Wellness Industry as a successful Entrepreneur, Broker, Product Developer and Manufacturer of Cosmeceutical products. During his career, he has worked with some of the most recognizable Fortune 500 businesses along with many top international Network Marketing companies. Adam has consistently proven his unique ability to help his clients achieve their goals through creative Distribution-Channel Placement, innovative Product Development and custom Manufacturing. Adam currently owns three profitable businesses.



Admittedly, Adam was not initially a fan of Network Marketing. He did not understand the business model because it was new to him. However, once he learned that the REAL focus of Direct Sales is to help average people get a taste of entrepreneurialism --- with minimal risk and at a low cost --- Adam was absolutely convinced of the potential with Multi-Level Marketing.



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About MayflowerHistory.com

MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material.



http://mayflowerhistory.com
Manchester, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/24/2017 -- The Globe and Mail which offer authoritative news in Canada has released an article which states the seven things to know about Canada's new parental leave benefits. The government is set to change the way that parents stay at home with their babies after birth, this will make parental leave more flexible. Meaning that both parents can spend more time with their new born whilst still receiving benefits off the government.



Things to Know:



Parents will be able to stretch out their leave for eighteen months, not only this but the mother can start her maternity leave twelve weeks' prior the baby being born; this is an increase of four weeks.



Parents are able to split the leave as they wish, after the first fifteen weeks of the maternity leave, both parents are then allowed to take leave at the same time.



The changes may not happen until the next year; however, the government is working as fast as possible for it to be changed.



A spokesperson James Freeman was incredibly keen to comment saying, "We were incredibly happy to hear about this change in parental leave in Canada, this is because it gives both the mother and father a chance to bond with their new-born. Canada is a great place to live, and this just makes it even better. If you're wanting to move to Canada, then please contact us, we would be more than happy to help you transition stress free."



About James Freeman

Whether you are looking to emigrate to Australia, Canada or America, James Freeman can no doubt assist you.



For further information and to see how they can help you, visit their website today: http://www.jamesfreeman.org.uk.



PR Contact

Company Name: James Freeman

Contact Name: Michael Thorpe

Website URL: www.jamesfreeman.org.uk

Contact Number: 0161 826 4977

Contact Email: michael.thorpe@jamesfreeman.org.uk

Address: Conavon Court 12 Blackfriars Street Manchester M3 5BQ
[GENEVA] The innovation needed to tackle infectious diseases needs to go beyond developing scientific products that take years of research and development, said experts at the WHOs 2nd global partners meeting on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Geneva last week (18-20 April).



To help fight NTDs  diseases of the poor  there is a need to combine simple community experiences and innovations from sciences, according to David Molyneux, a senior professorial fellow at the UKs Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.



These are simple innovative materials which derive not from basic science, but experiences from communities and those involved in health education, he said.



Africa is among regions bearing a heavy burden from NTDs which include Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, guinea worm disease, echinococcosis, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and leishmaniasis.

We need to attract public-private partnerships, universities and national programmes to develop a novel treatment for leishmaniasis. Bernard Pecoul, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)

It takes a long time to get effective products into public health, explained Molyneux. The use of bed nets, for instance, which has become a very effective innovation in malaria control, was first suggested around 1901. Innovating in the context of infectious diseases has to be looked at beyond product development.



According to Molyneux, mobile phones have become important for mapping and surveillance of diseases such as guinea-worm and trachoma through the use of Short Messaging Service  a way of sending a message from one mobile phone to another  in affected areas.

He said empowering communities, including affected villages, to acquire drugs is an important method for combating diseases. Fifty per cent of treatment for river blindness in Africa, 50 million treatments in a year, were to people living more than 20 kilometres from any health facility.

A WHO report released last week documents an unprecedented decline in NTDs, but warned that 149 countries are still affected and further progress will depend on achieving the sustainable development goals.

At the Geneva meeting, experts outlined several challenges that make eliminating NTDs difficult including the efficacy of drugs, sociogeographic issues, adherence to drug treatments, water and sanitation, and incentives for affected communities.

According to Bernard Pecoul, executive director for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) headquartered in Switzerland, adapting easy-to-use innovations to the condition of people living in remote places can change the dynamics of the diseases control.

For instance, he said, innovations are needed for developing drugs to eliminate leishmaniasis, a complex, severe disease affecting East Africa, India and Latin America. We need to attract public-private partnerships, universities and national programmes to develop a novel treatment for leishmaniasis.

Joseph Ndungu, head of the human African trypanosomiasis and other neglected diseases diagnostics programme at the Switzerland-based Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, said innovations are only important if they go beyond product development.

These technologies need to be delivered to communities living in impoverished areas to help shorten the distance being travelled by patients, said Ndungu.

We are now [at] very advanced stages of developing a test for simultaneous diagnosis of malaria and screening for sleeping sickness, he said, adding that such innovations could provide sustainable elimination of NTDs.



This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.


For Africa to end chronic hunger, governments must invest in sustainable water supplies, writes Esther Ngumbi.



The fields are bare under the scorching sun and temperatures rise with every passing week. Any crops the extreme temperatures havent destroyed, the insect pests have, and for many farmers, there is nothing they can do. Now, news about hunger across Africa makes mass media headlines daily.



Globally, hunger levels are at their highest. In fact, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, over 70 million people across 45 countries will require food emergency assistance in 2017, with Africa being home to three of the four countries deemed to face a critical risk of famine: Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. African governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and humanitarian relief agencies, including the United Nations World Food Programme, continue to launch short-term solutions such as food relief supplies to avert the situation. Kenya, for example, is handing cash transfers and food relief to its affected citizens. The UN World Food Programme is also distributing food to drought-stricken Somalia. And in Zambia, the government is employing every tool including its military to combat insect pest infestation.



But why are we here? What happened? Why is there such a large drought?



Reasons for chronic hunger



Many African smallholder farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture, and because last years rains were inadequate, many farmers never harvested any crops.

Indeed, failed rains across parts of the Horn of Africa have led to the current drought that is affecting Somalia, south-eastern Ethiopia and northern and eastern Kenya.



Then, even in the countries where adequate rains fell, many of the farmers had to farm on depleted soils, and consequently, the yields were lower. Degraded soils and dependence on rain-fed agriculture coupled with planting the wrong crop varieties are some of the fundamental problems that lead to poor harvests and then to hunger. Worsening the situation is the unpredictable climate. Given these fundamental and basic issues that fuel the hunger cycle in Africa, it naturally makes sense to tackle them.



It is not rocket science. Farming goes hand-in-hand with water. There can be no farming without it. While this seems easy to reason, there are few organisations working to make sure that African farmers and citizens have access to permanent water sources. Access to water sources all year round would ensure that farmers can farm year in and year out.



What African governments must do



African governments must, therefore, invest in ensuring that their citizens have access to water. Measures that can be implemented include drilling and rehabilitating boreholes, creating reservoirs and irrigation systems, constructing hand-pumps and implementing water harvesting schemes. Such measures would go a long way and ensure that countries continue to face the same problem both in the short and long term periods.

If Africa wants to end the recurring droughts, hard decisions must be made. Esther Ngumbi, Auburn University in Alabama. United States



Of course it is understandable that it can be hard to choose long-term solutions such as ensuring that citizens have access to permanent water sources year round over investing in short-term solutions when there are people who need help now.



Acknowledging this dilemma, Mitiku Kassa, the Ethiopias commissioner for disaster risk management, is reported to have described how hard it was to direct even a fifth of his budget towards well drilling. But such decisions must be made. The Ethiopian government still made that tough decision and sunk hundreds of bore wells throughout the country.



There is a great need to ramp up water harvesting and conservation efforts across the African continent. African governments and other stakeholders need to increase investment in multiple water-storing techniques. Such techniques include rain and flood water harvesting and the construction of water storage ponds and dams. But there should be no need to reinvent the wheel.



Time to learn from others



African countries can learn from other countries. Countries in the developed world have sustained their agriculture efforts by either drilling water wells to ensure they have access to the water they need for farming or by investing in rain and flood water harvesting. In California, for example, there have been a rise in the number of wells being drilled by farmers who use well water for farming. In 2016 alone, farmers in the San Joaquin Valley dug about 2,500 wells, a number that was five times the annual average reported in the last 30 years.

Countries such as Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand have made progress and are working on pilot projects that capture, harvest and store flood water. Stored water is then available for use by communities when they need it the most. Harvesting and storing water and making it available for agriculture, especially during the dry seasons, will allow citizens and smallholder farmers to farm throughout the year. These would further improve the resilience of farmers to the unpredictability of climate change If Africa wants to end the recurring droughts, hard decisions must be made. By addressing the fundamental and basic issues of long-term availability of water for agriculture, African countries can once and for all end this never-ending cycle of hunger.Esther Ngumbi is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University in Alabama, United States. She serves as a 2015 Clinton Global University (CGI U) Mentor for Agriculture and is a 2015 New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute. She can be contacted at [email protected]
[GENEVA] Developing scientific innovation products from research and development takes time but there is a need for simple innovations to tackle infectious diseases, experts have said.

The experts who attended the WHOs 2nd global partners meeting on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Geneva last week (18-20 April) said that easy-to-use innovations are needed to combat NTDs.

NTDs include Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, guinea worm disease, echinococcosis, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and leishmaniasis, with Africa being among regions bearing heavy burden.

We need to attract public-private partnerships, universities and national programmes to develop a novel treatment for leishmaniasis. Bernard Pecoul, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)

To help fight NTDs  diseases of the poor  there is a need to combine simple community experiences and innovations from sciences, says David Molyneux, a senior professorial fellow at the UKs Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

These are simple innovative materials which derive not from basic science but experiences from communities and those involved in health education, he says.

For instance, the use of bed nets that have become very effective innovation in malaria control was first suggested around 1901. It takes a long time to get effective products into public health. Innovating in the context of infectious diseases has to be looked at beyond product development, he explains.

According to Molyneux, mobile phones have become important for mapping and surveillance of diseases such as guinea-worm and trachoma through the use of Short Messaging Service  a way of sending a message from one mobile phone to another  in affected areas.

Molyneux says that empowering communities including affected villages to acquire drugs is an important method for combating diseases.

Fifty-per cent of treatment for river blindness in Africa, 50 million treatments in a year, were to people living more than 20 kilometres from any health facility, he says. Good science is the basis of good public health. The challenge in NTDs is how to get the best science into public health policy.

Molyneux explains that several challenges that make eliminating NTDs difficult are efficacy of drugs, sociogeographic issues, communities adherence to drug treatments, water and sanitation, and incentives for communities involved in the fight against NTDs.

According to Bernard Pecoul, executive director for the Geneva-headquartered Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), adapting easy-to-use innovations to the condition of people living in remote places can change the dynamics of the diseases control.

For instance, he says that innovations are needed for developing drugs to eliminate leishmaniasis, a complex, severe disease affecting East Africa, India and Latin America. We need to attract public-private partnerships, universities and national programmes to develop a novel treatment for leishmaniasis, he says, adding that this is challenge.

Joseph Ndungu, head of the human African trypanosomiasis and other neglected diseases diagnostics programme at the Switzerland-based Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, says innovations are only important if they go beyond product development.

These technologies, he says, need to be delivered to those communities living in impoverished areas to help shorten the distance being travelled by patients in those areas.

We are now [at] very advanced stages of developing a test for simultaneous diagnosis of malaria and screening for sleeping sickness, he says, adding that such innovations could provide sustainable elimination of NTDs.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
By Alwyn Scott NEW YORK (Reuters) - GE Power, a division of General Electric Co, has signed a services deal with Algerian utility Sonelgaz SPE valued at more than $3 billion, the largest services agreement ever for GE Power and one that creates hundreds of jobs in Algeria, GE said on Monday. Under the 20-year contract with the subsidiary of Sonelgaz, GE will train more than 1,000 workers in Algeria and create about 300 jobs through its Algerian suppliers and its own operations there, Steve Bolze, chief executive officer of GE Power, said in an interview. The agreement builds on GE's growing footprint in Algeria, where it has had a presence for four decades. GE Power, based in Schenectady, New York, signed a $2.7 billion deal with Sonelgaz SPE in 2013 to supply large gas turbines and related technology to nine power plants in the country. In 2014, GE signed a $400 million agreement to build an industrial complex to produce gas and steam turbines under a joint venture with Sonelgaz called General Electric Algeria Turbines. The complex is due to come on line next year, instead of 2017 as originally planned, Bolze said. It is due to deliver its first turbine in 2019. GE was able to expand the latest deal after its acquisition of Alstom's power and grid businesses in 2015. "The service agreement, and digital, will cover the total plant, everything from the gas turbines to the rest of the equipment," Bolze said. The agreement calls for GE to provide long-term maintenance and operations services for 10 power plants in Algeria. GE also will install gas technology upgrades that increase the plants' power output by 420 megawatts and will deploy its industrial internet software applications using its Predix operating system, GE Power's second-largest such agreement, it said. The agreement is expected to save Sonelgaz $2 billion in gas costs over 20 years, GE said. The agreement also positions GE for work with Sonelgaz on maintenance and operations services in other parts of Africa. GE will use its ALGESCO joint venture with Sonelgaz to repair turbines and set up a repair center. GE will also use Sonelgaz affiliate MEI to make replacement parts for GE turbines, GE said. (Editing by Chris Reese and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Mercury is considered a neurotoxin. It is a deadly substance since all organs of the human body are vulnerable to it. Mercury is especially dangerous for women of childbearing age as mercury can affect both the health of the mother and impact on the developing organ systems of the fetus with lifelong consequences.

A pilot study, Mercury Monitoring in Women of Childbearing Age in the Asia Pacific Region, revealed that women of childbearing age living in the Asia Pacific Islands have elevated levels of mercury in their bodies. Minamata Convention Interim Secretariat supported the study which was hosted by UN Environment. The Minamata Convention, Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), and a global NGO network IPEN, jointly conducted the event.

The purpose of the study was to obtain data on the mercury concentration in the hair of women of childbearing age in some countries of the Asia and the Pacific region. Women of childbearing age are considered part of the vulnerable group at risk from mercury. The findings would then provide a picture of mercury levels in selected areas which could contribute to national information related to mercury concerns.

The study involved collecting and examining hair samples from 234 women from the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Tajikistan, and Nepal. Results of the study showed that 96 percent of the women sampled from the Pacific Islands contained significantly elevated hair mercury levels, between 2 ppm - 3.7 ppm. The US EPA's maximum tolerable daily mercury intake is 1 ppm, as reported by Physics.Org.

Most of these women from the Pacific Islands have a high consumption of seafood particularly large fish that have high methylmercury concentrations in their flesh. Research show that eating large seawater fish results to the transfer of mercury to humans, elevating mercury levels in the body. On the other hand, the hair samples from Tajikistan, where fish consumption was low, had the least mercury level at an average of .06 ppm. In Nepal, elevated mercury levels were found in women with low fish consumption, but worked using mercury in making religious images, reports Mercury Convention.Org.

The study showed the importance of continuously bio-monitoring mercury pollution. Mercury contamination is present in marine and freshwater systems around the world and people should be made aware that mercury contamination can come from a variety of sources aside from gold mining and coal power plants. Although the study was made only in the Asia-Pacific region, the information gained contributed to the global information regarding mercury concerns.
Luxembourg is now making a proposal for worldwide companies for their futuristic Space mining Campaign. However, a special visit of Luxembourg prince in NASA, they proposed a lucrative opportunity for US-based companies.

Every minor planet like asteroids, dwarf planets have a potent source of various minerals. Sometimes researchers presumed these asteroids enriched with many precious minerals like platinum.

To harvest those valuable minerals from asteroids and moons, Luxembourg's Prince along with Deputy Prime Minister meet with NASA officials. During the visit on April 12, Prince Guillaume discussed the Space mining campaign with US-based entrepreneurs and investors.

Last year Luxembourg began with a Space mining program and inviting partners to its campaign, called SpaceResources.lu. This space mining campaign is focusing on those space mining firms facing financial, regulatory and legal issues. Recently, this space mining program is looking for the further study on Asteroid resources.

According to Spacenews, Luxembourg proposed the special opportunity for US-based companies interested in this Asteroid mining campaign. Those enticing opportunities considered with research and development money, and equity investment for the office and research establishment for those organizations.

In this regard, Deep Space Industries, an asteroid-mining company based in Mountain View, California is working with Luxembourg on Prospector-X, reported by DSI. Prospector-X is a mission designated for the technological demonstration in low Earth orbit that could be used on future asteroid-hunting excursions.

In addition, Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg's deputy prime minister hoped that they will qualify for future investment in European space agency. However, this investment will give a remunerative access in the European market. Last year, Luxembourg announced their investment around 200 million Euros to establish SpaceResources.lu. Recently, they planned for further investment around 70-100 million Euros in the promising venture in asteroid mining program.

During the discussion in 12th April, Bill Miller, chief executive for Deep Space Industries regrets Luxembourg for the investment. He said, Without Luxembourg, it would be difficult to find capital for such long decade investment in Asteroid mining project.

Different space mining entrepreneurs from other countries are also interested to cooperate in this asteroid mining project. Most notably, Planetary Resources of Redmond, Washington, Tokyo's ispace and Germany's OHB Venture Capital already joined in this program.

However, Schneider is meeting with representatives from other nations, including Japan, China, Portugal, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. This meeting focused on a coordinating work instead of spending money on the same research, said Schneider. Apart from this, Luxembourg courts are drafting laws and regulations for the new industry. They are represented here as additional corporate partners in this asteroid mining campaign.
Health officials have warned people who are living in the Rio Grande Valley at the southernmost tip on the Texas border with Mexico to watch out for themselves against the possible rise of Zika outbreak in their area. They are pointing out the warm weather and the mosquito season as factors on the possible outbreak.

As reported by Fox News, the area, which houses 1.3 million people, are vulnerable to Zika virus because most of their houses don't have sufficient air-conditioning and window screens to protect them from mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are known to carry the virus.

Patrica Pena, a worker with the community nonprofit organization La Frontera Ministries, said to Guardian the that since most people live in poverty, they can't have the financial capacity to even have a proper garbage disposal. With the problem of getting rid of their garbage, there arises the problem of their house getting infested with different kinds of creatures like mosquitoes.

Joseph McCormick, the regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health, echoed Pena's concern. He said that the possible Zika outbreak will mostly affect the poorest of the poor in the area.

Currently, the Texas Department of State Health Services is currently encouraging pregnant woman and symptomatic individuals in the lower Rio Grande Valley to get tested for Zika virus. They said that if tested earlier, the virus could be treated earlier, preventing possible effects on the person carrying the virus.

As recorded, 80 percent of Zika cases does not show any symptoms but once affected by the Zika virus, it would have serious effects like severe birth defects to neurological problems. But what's worse is that a large number of people in the area does not have a health insurance and there is no public hospital that could cater to the poor.

The first case of Zika virus in the US was first recorded last November, in the border town of Brownsville. This prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent pregnant women from going to that place.
Space debris removal is one of the main challenges that space agencies face to ensure the continuation of space exploration programs. The recently held European Conference on Space Debris made a successful effort in drawing the attention of peer researchers and private space agencies toward the issue. The conference showcased some highly interesting short films like Space Debris: A Journey To Earth and Gravity that were based on the dangerous outcomes of space debris accumulation.

Space Debris Will Cause Orbital Nagasaki

International space agencies including NASA and ESA have been emphasizing on the adverse outcomes of launching innumerable satellites into orbit. The junk formed from them includes defunct satellites, splinters formed after accidental collisions and small freckles of paint that continue orbiting in the space. Accidental collision of these small junk particles traveling at extremely high speed can potentially damage the wind shields and solar panels of satellites and the International Space Station (ISS).

According to Brevard Times, the two incidents that led to the production of most number of trackable space debris are the 2007 Feng Yun-1C anti-satellite test by China and the accidental collision between Iridium-33 and Cosmos-2251 in 2009. The combined number of trackable junk pieces produced in these incidents is around 5,700.

As per the most recent public release by the NASA Technical Reports Server, the NASA Standard Satellite Breakup Model (SSBM) explained how the Titan 3C-17 Transtage rocket break-up incident caused the formation of a debris cloud.

According to Donald Kessler, a retired NASA scientist, these fragments may cause a continual cascade of collisions between themselves and with other space objects (including functional satellites) to create even more number of debris particles. This kind of amplification effect, which he called an "orbital Nagasaki," could be detrimental for future space exploration programs.

The severity of the issue can be imagined from the fact that the ISS team members climb into the escape shuttle every time a space junk passes by. This was explained by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet who further added that this has already happened four times since he reached the ISS in November 2016, according to CDA News.

Based upon these analyses, the scientists from various space agencies called for the implementation of an international code of conduct. This can not only help in regulating space activates that could further worsen the condition of space pollution but it can also work toward finding a solution for the same. Such space debris removal initiatives are highly important for the long-term sustainability of spaceflight.
It seems the long-awaited Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will finally make it to the markets this year. Latest reports suggest the software giant will update its Surface Pro line sometime in October 2017. Notably, rumors about Microsoft Surface Pro 5's specs, release date and price have been hitting the internet for quite some time now. Nonetheless, Microsoft has not confirmed any of the alleged reports yet.

According to The Christian Today, the upcoming Surface Pro 5 will come with a new Surface Dial as an accessory along with an updated rechargeable Surface Pen. There are reports that claim the software giant has allotted the manufacturing license to Pegatron for its Surface Pro 5. Pegatron is the same company that manufactures Surface Studio.

Among other specs, the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 is expected to get a lightweight aluminum body, an improved display, Intel's latest Kaby Lake architecture, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a revamped Surface Pen stylus with wireless charging feature. The next-gen laptop is rumored to retain the Surface Connect port, the power connector that is found on the current-gen Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book. It is also possible that the new Surface Pro 5 might ditch the latest Intel processor in favor of Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor.

As far as Microsoft Surface Pro 5's release date is concerned, the 2-in-1 laptop is rumored to get unveiled in October this year at the same event where Microsoft is expected to release Windows 10 Creators Update, also known as Redstone 3, Delhi Daily News reported.

In related news, Microsoft is holding a hardware event in New York City on May 2, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. ET. It is expected that the #MicrosoftEDU event will focus on Windows 10 and Surface offerings that will mainly cater to the education sector.

Join us May 2 for a livestream to learn whats next from Microsoft. Add it to your calendar here: https://t.co/mqNwV5a182 #MicrosoftEDU pic.twitter.com/Jx9JlYbPs7  Microsoft (@Microsoft) April 12, 2017

As Microsoft has not confirmed any of Microsoft Surface Pro 5's specs, price or release date rumors yet, readers should take the information with a hefty pinch of salt.
Google has not yet announced anything about Google Pixel 2's specs, price or release date. Fortunately, the only thing the tech giant has confirmed is that it will surely be launching the second generation Pixel smartphone this year.

According to LearnBonds, the head of Google's hardware division, Rick Osterloh, had previously confirmed in an interview with Android Pit that there is surely a Google Pixel successor in the works that will be launched sometime later this year.

"You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now," Osterloh said.

Notably, the current generation Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL smartphones are considered as two of the best Android-powered devices out in the market. So, there is no doubt that the upcoming Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be more powerful than their predecessors.

Some of the possible Google Pixel 2's specs include an almost bezel-less curved OLED display, Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 835 Pro SoC processor, Adreno 540 GPU clocked at at least 670 MHz, 6GB of RAM, X16 mobile LTE modem chip, Android O out of the box, an IP68 rating and Qualcomm's QuickCharge 3.0 feature with USB-C. It remains unclear if the next Google flagship smartphone will come with a headphone jack or not.

In terms of camera, the current gen Pixel handsets have already on board "the best smartphone cameras ever made." So, Pixel 2 and 2 XL are rumored to get more advanced cameras with software upgrades that will further enhance the picture quality. The upcoming handsets are expected to be manufactured by HTC that has grabbed a two-year manufacturing deal for Google's Pixel phones.

As far as Google Pixel 2's release date is concerned, the handset is highly likely to get unveiled in October 2017. It is the same month the current generation Pixel handsets were announced last year.

As Google has not officially announced anything about Google Pixel 2's release date, specs or price, readers are advised to take the information with a hefty pinch of salt.
Despite the drizzling rain in Washington on Saturday, April 22, thousands of scientists and science enthusiasts participated in the March for Science. This is to show support for the work contributed by science to modern life.

According to Space.com, thousands of demonstrators showed up in white lab coats at the National Mall ahead of the march for a rally to officially kick off the event. Popular scientist Bill Nye the Science Guy, who also co-chaired the march, told the crowd, "We are marching today to remind people everywhere, our lawmakers especially, of the significance of science for our health and prosperity." He also pointed out that many lawmakers -- not just in the United States -- have been actively ignoring and suppressing science, an inclination that he noted as "misguided."

While Nye did not specifically point at President Donald Trump, handmade signs and chants from demonstrators showed their displeasure of the current administration's policies regarding climate change and the environment as a whole. Nye also said that lawmakers must "know and accept that science serves every one of us," adding that science in itself must shape policy.

The New York Times also noted that the street echoed with calls of marchers who trekked toward the capitol, calling to save the EPA and the NIH. Some participants carried signs that showed rising oceans and polar bears in peril, prints of famous scientists and even checklists of diseases that no longer exist in the United States, thanks to vaccines that are consequently a result to science.

In New York, however, the March for Science had a more political climate. One demonstrator had a diagram that read, "Before you dismiss science, Mr. President, here is the molecular formula for hair spray." Another said, "Fund science, not walls." People were also heard chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go," as they passed by the Trump International Hotel and Tower along Columbus Circle.
In Tokyo, the Japanese government will support private companies in their business endeavors in space. In fact, Japan is set to facilitate public lending as well as offer assistance to cover financial damages in case of catastrophic accidents.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, Tokyo will set up a system to limit risks associated with operating satellites. A space business plan with a program that combines private insurance and government guarantees will help cover liabilities that come as a result from rocket launches. The program is expected to expand in order to cover accidents in space, including satellite collisions.

There are currently thousands of satellites already orbiting Earth. This means that if a newly launched satellite hits another in the field, the responsible party could face a huge damage claim. It is a problem that countries like Britain and the Netherlands are skirting with legal frameworks to help their own private companies.

Although considered a latecomer in the business, in November 2016, the Japanese government issued a Space Activities Act. It has also established a system for licensing and launching rockets, as well as the operation of satellites by these private sector companies.

Japan's plans also include setting up more launch pads for smaller satellites, a need that is rising for private sectors. Today, only the Tanegashima and Uchinoura space centers in Kagoshima have such facilities. Therefore, the government is now accepting applications from localities that are willing to be hosts to space centers.

Parabolic Arc noted that aside from the technological development and financing, Japan's Space Activities Act is also designed to determine the success or failure in its space business. It is expected to give a major boost to the business in Japan. In line with this, it not only has the technological strength for such endeavor but a great potential in the field as well. Soon, the world will see startups from Japan launching small rockets carrying satellites into orbit.
Every tech company is doing everything to make new innovations and to improve its products and devices. The well-known HTC company is used to making solid smartphones. But recent reports claim that its upcoming flagship smartphone is going to be "squeezable." The squeezable phone will be named HTC U 11.

According to a Tech2 report, the HTC U 11 is expected to arrive on May 16, 2017. The company will also offer five different colors for the smartphone. The HTC U 11 can either be white, black, red, blue or silver. HTC has remained silent regarding the specs of the device, but rumors and speculations are still spreading the web.

Some rumors claim that the HTC U 11 will feature a 5.5-inch WQHD 2,560  1,440 display screen. It might also feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor -- the same processor that is used for Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Huawei's P10. Users who like to take photos will also love the HTC U 11 because of its 12MP rear camera and 16MP front camera.

According to The Indian Express, the HTC U 11 might have two storage options: the 64GB and the 128GB. As for now, there is no confirmation regarding the RAM size it will have, but it is speculated to have 4GB or even 6GB. The HTC U 11 is expected to run on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with HTC Sense 9 UI.

The Cupertino-based company, Apple, has the intelligent personal assistant "Siri," while South Korean tech giant Samsung has "Bixby." Rumors claim that the HTC U 11 will also have its new virtual assistant.

The company's previous premium smartphone, the U Ultra, failed to make any mark in the high-end smartphone competition. The U Ultra was being dominated by the likes of Apple and Samsung. HTC is hoping that the upcoming U 11 will turn the tides into its favor.
DARLINGTON-- Darlington City Police Department is asking for assistance identifying a person of interest captured on video at the SPC Credit Union ATM, located on North Main Street. The individual shown was possibly tampering with the cash dispensing slot. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Darlington City Police Department Investigations Division at 843 398-4026.
(Recasts to add details on interest, comments in paragraphs 4-7)

By Tatiana Bautzer and Guillermo Parra-Bernal

SAO PAULO, April 24 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson, Novartis AG and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd have expressed interest in a buyout of the controlling stake that two families have in Brazilian drugmaker Hypermarcas SA , two people with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.

The owners of investment vehicles Igarapava Participacoes SA and Maiorem SA de CV, which hold a combined 34 percent of Hypermarcas, hired Banco Bradesco SA and Credit Suisse Group AG to advise them on options for their stakes, including a sale, said the people.

According to one of the people, who requested anonymity because the matter is private, the purchase of the stakes that Brazilian billionaire Joao Alves Queiroz Filho and the Mexican family that own Igarapava and Maiorem, respectively, would automatically trigger a buyout of minority shareholders.

Shares of Hypermarcas closed 3.8 percent up at 30.35 reais on Monday, on optimism that a deal could boost the company's $6 billion market value. The stock had extended gains after the Reuters report, rising more than 7 percent to an all-time high of 31.38 reais.

None of the potential bidders have yet delivered formal, binding proposals, one of the people said, noting that there is no certainty a deal will be struck.

In a securities filing, Hypermarcas was informed by the investors in those vehicles about "the inexistence of any attempts to sell their stakes in the company." The banks and Takeda did not immediately have a comment.

J&J and Novartis declined to comment on market speculation.

Interest in Hypermarcas from foreign pharmaceutical behemoths comes after Brazil's largest listed drug producer spent the past two years focusing on over-the-counter medicines. Hypermarcas raised some $1.5 billion from the sale of personal care brands to Coty Inc, Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc and Ontex Group NV.

O Globo columnist Lauro Jardim reported on Sunday, without citing how he obtained the information, that billionaire tycoon Queiroz and his family were discussing a potential sale of their stakes with a number of unidentified foreign companies. (Additional reporting by Bruno Federowski in Sao Paulo; Editing by Sandra Maler and James Dalgleish)
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A North Lincolnshire motorist who caused the death of a pensioner when she hit a stationary car as she tried to send a birthday message on Facebook while driving has been jailed.

Wendy Thompson, 53, whose address was given at a previous hearing as Windsor Way in Barnetby, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to causing the death of Rodney Lewis, 84, by dangerous driving.

She also admitted causing serious injury to his 77-year-old wife Marlene.

Mr Lewis died from his injuries following the crash on the North Circular Road in London on February 3 last year, while Mrs Lewis suffered a shattered pelvis and broken hip.

Mr and Mrs Lewis, from Enfield, had stopped to help their 21-year-old grandson after his Ford Fiesta broke down. They were trying to summon a recovery vehicle when Thompson's car slammed into the back of them.

Afterwards, Thompson told a lorry driver who had stopped nearby: "I was trying to put my charger in my phone, I just didn't see him," the court heard.

The defendant later told police it was her friend's birthday and she sent a happy birthday message on Facebook.

When she realised the message had not been sent, she went to press it again and the mobile phone had been in her hand at the time, she said.

She was on her way to a business meeting and had forgotten to bring a mobile phone charger with her and was trying to plug her handset into the car, Thompson said.

A crash investigator found Thompson would have had enough time to see the stationary vehicle and avoid the collision if she had not been distracted by using her mobile phone.

Prosecutor Oliver Dunkin said: "This lady foolishly attempted to resend a mobile telephone message by holding the telephone and at the same time using her other hand to plug it in to charge."

Tahir Khan QC, defending, said Thompson admitted her responsibility and would carry the guilt of her wrongdoing "for the rest of her life".

Judge Anthony Leonard QC sentenced Thompson to two years and three months in prison for causing death by dangerous driving and 15 months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving, to run concurrently.

She was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.
In a statement to the Singapore Exchange Nam Cheong said it had taken steps to review options to restructure its business, which were part of ongoing measures to ride out the challenging market.

Nam Cheong said it was holding discussions with its principal lenders to address significant debt maturities, which could involve refinancing and restructuring of loans.

The company has MYR948.7m ($215.7m) in liabilities which are classified as current as at 31 December 2016, which includes a MYR278.6m medium term note issue due for repayment on 28 August this year.

The group is in discussions with a number of its creditors and key stakeholders, including its financial lenders and vendors, in relation to the restructuring options for these obligations, Nam Cheong said.

Restructuring bond issues has proved difficult for a number of Singapore-listed maritime and offshore companies with Rickmers Maritime recently filing for winding up, while Swissco was placed under judicial management, after the companies failed to agree financial restructuring plans creditors and noteholders.

The Malaysian company is also reviewing cashflow projections and cost cutting measures, and discussion with various parties to contain operating costs. It added that it was reviewing efforts to improve its financial position.

Nam Cheongs business strategy was around building OSVs to stock where it built vessels speculatively finding buyers close to delivery to gain better prices, and taking the vessels into own fleet on the short term if buyers could not be found.

With the sharp downturn in the offshore market over the last two years the company has been left it with a large number of newbuildings due to be delivered with no buyers. In addition customers with firm orders have delayed or cancelled deliveries.

According to a VesselsValues report in March Nam Cheong has 56 OSV newbuildings due for delivery worth $746m, the largest orderbook in vessel number terms of any OSV owner worldwide. The new deliveries are set to swell its owned fleet from 18 to 74.

On 17 March Nam Cheongs auditors cast going concern doubts on the company.
CHARLOTTE, NC and CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Apr 24, 2017) - KALEAO, a technologically innovative server solutions company, announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with CREAplus, a consulting, implementation, software developer and distributor located in Italy specializing in delivering value added solutions to the Southern and Eastern European region. CREAplus will promote and distribute KALEAO's KMAX in Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Albania, Montenegro and Cyprus.

"We have been looking for a KMAX-like platform for quite some time," commented Michele Barbiero, Managing Director, CREAplus. "KALEAO was able to nicely roll out a platform which the market is now ready and hungry for and that will allow CREAplus to grow with this market and to become a strategic partner for KALEAO."

KALEAO's KMAX is currently distributed under the company's Early Access Program and will be available for mass production in July of 2017. KMAX is a compact and low power integrated software and hardware platform that provides all of the benefits of a hyperconverged platform. KMAX provides what KALEAO calls "true convergence" by leveraging advanced software-defined hardware and appliance-level web-scale application delivery and management. It is compatible with the vast open source Linux-based software ecosystem available for ARM platforms.

"CREAplus is a significant player in the Southern and Eastern European market and we are looking forward to growing our presence in the territory through their channels," said Greg Nicoloso, General Manager and Business Development Officer, KALEAO. "KALEAO will continue to stay focused on providing companies with the best and most technologically advanced server platforms and this partnership is proof that our efforts and vision are in line with the market's evolution."

About KALEAO:

KALEAO is spearheading the new generation of enterprise and cloud computing by natively converging computation, storage, networking and virtualization into compact, energy efficient, transparent, integrated hardware and software solutions. Its flagship product, KMAX, offers true converged infrastructure in an extremely compact, scalable and low power platform. KMAX provides all of the benefits of hyperconvergence with advanced software defined hardware and integrated appliance level web-scale application delivery and management platform. KMAX delivers more for less, enabling the effortless deployment and management of the services required across the cloud and modern business. Find out more about KMAX and KALEAO at www.kaleao.com

About CREAplus:

CREAplus is an independent consulting, implementation, software development and distribution firm focused comprehensively on IT security and related technologies. Through the synergy of extensive experience and knowledge of highly qualified IT security and software development experts, CREAplus gives its customers full support for implementing secure e-business.

With more than two decades of experience with authentication technology, encryption solutions, data protection, digital signatures, smart card management systems as well as security hardware, CREAplus has a strong position and reputation in the region. CREAplus is based in Italy and Slovenia.
Security Council Elections 2017

To view the full report, please download the PDF here.

The 71st session of the UN General Assembly is scheduled to hold elections for the Security Council on 2 June. The five seats available for election in 2017 according to the regular distribution among regions will be as follows:

two seats for the African Group (currently held by Egypt and Senegal);

one seat for the Group of Asia and the Pacific Small Island Developing States (the Asia-Pacific Group, currently held by Japan);

one seat for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC, currently held by Uruguay); and

one seat for the Eastern European Group (currently held by Ukraine).

The five new members elected this year will take up their seats on 1 January 2018 and will serve through to 31 December 2019.

In addition, Italy is committed to relinquishing the seat it has held since 1 January 2017 after serving for one year, and a by-election will thus be held for one seat for the Western European and Others Group (WEOG). Two WEOG seats are usually up for election in even numbered years, but this years by-election will be held because Italy and the Netherlands agreed to split the 2017-2018 term. The new member from WEOG will serve a one-year term from 1 January to 31 December 2018, completing the 2017-2018 term.

At press time, all six candidatesCote dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Polandare currently running unopposed as sole candidates for their respective regional groups.
Press Release

April 24, 2017 GORDON SEES NEED FOR CULTURAL CHANGE, MORE THAN SHIFTING TO FEDERALISM More than shifting to federalism, in which the country would be divided into autonomous states, Senator Richard J. Gordon said what the country really needs is a cultural change. Gordon explained that even if the Philippines shifted to federalism, the country will remain the same if the government will still be run by the same people. "Parang new society with the same old faces. Kunwari yung society, federal government, eh yun na naman ang magpapatakbo, same people. So ang kailangan natin is cultural change in the way we run the government," he said. Gordon pointed out that what needs to change is the country's electoral system so that candidates, with leadership abilities but do not have sufficient campaign funds, will have the same chances of getting elected as well-funded candidates. "Gusto ko baguhin yung sistema ng eleksyon. Unless we do it, how can you change? Tatakbo akong senador o tatakbong presidente, para makapag-advertise ka, P895,000 for 30 seconds. Para makakuha ka ng ganung salapi, either mayaman na mayaman ka, which means pabor lamang sa mayaman yan. Pangalawa, kung mayaman ka ginamit mo pera mo, malamang babawiin mo somehow yan. Pangatlo, pag kaya mong humingi sa mga malalaki syempre you're putting yourself in danger na kapag nakaupo ka na manghihingi ng pabor sa yo yan," he said. The senator is proposing that the Commission on Elections should hold televised debates in every region which would be funded by the government so that voters will be able to know the candidates better and hence, choose with discernment. "At saka di na talaga gagastos ng malaki ang mga kandidato. Ako payag dyan," he said. Gordon said shifting to federalism should not be a legislative priority this year since the country is not ready for such a transition.
Press Release

April 24, 2017 HONTIVEROS: EXPANDED MATERNITY LEAVE BENEFICIAL TO LABOR, BIG AND SMALL BUSINESS Barely a week before the country celebrates international labor day, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday reiterated her call to modernize the country's maternity leave policy, saying that it is beneficial not only to the labor sector but also to businesses and the economy. Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, said that a broad and progressive maternity leave policy is not only favorable to employees but also a good recruitment and retention tool for businesses of all sizes. The Senator cited the 2007 experience of Google which was able to reduce by 50% its female turnover rate by increasing its paid maternity leave from 12 to 18 weeks. She also mentioned the experience of many other companies in different parts of the world, including Asia, that adopted better maternity leave policies. It was reported that the Philippines is lagging behind other countries in Asia in terms of maternity leave duration. Recently, India, the region's third largest economy, more than doubled its maternity leave for women working at the private sector to 26 weeks from 12 weeks. "A real win-win solution" "An expanded maternity leave policy is a 'real win-win solution' for both workers and employers. It contributes to addressing unemployment and increasing workers' benefits. It improves employee retention and decreases the turnover rate. It also increases productivity and allows businesses of all sizes to save money on costly employee replacement costs such as the training of new recruits. Ultimately, it is beneficial to the economy," Hontiveros explained. Expanded maternity leave is not harmful to small businesses Hontiveros also allayed fears that an expanded maternity leave law is harmful to small businesses that cannot afford to give their women workers additional paid maternity leave days. She said that many international studies showed that paid parental leaves have no significant negative effects on small-scale businesses. The lawmaker also said that the government can allow its different social insurance programs to help legitimate and struggling small businesses provide increased maternity leave days to their employees. Nothing to fear, everything to gain" "We have nothing to fear and everything to gain from a progressive maternity leave policy. I am confident that small and medium enterprises can prosper with a fully implemented expanded maternity leave policy because in the end, it's all about the basic needs of our working people, particularly our women," Hontiveros concluded. The Senate passed on third and final reading Hontiveros' Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017 granting all female workers, regardless of civil status or legitimacy of their children, 120 days maternity leave with pay and an option to extend it for another 30 days without pay. 30 days can also be allotted to fathers and alternate caregivers.
A UC Berkeley student group filed a federal lawsuit Monday accusing the university of unconstitutionally censoring conservative speech, days after administrators said they could not safely accommodate right-wing commentator Ann Coulter on campus this week.

Coulter, an author and television commentator, was invited by the Berkeley College Republicans and the nonpartisan BridgeUSA to speak on campus Thursday night. But campus officials said they could not ensure the safety of those who attended because police had learned of threats of violence by both opponents and supporters of Coulter.

The school offered to schedule her talk for September, and when Coulter refused, the university offered a 1 p.m. appearance on May 2. Coulter again declined, saying she was busy that day. She noted the date was part of the week before final exams, known as Dead Week, when classes are suspended and students are taking time off to study.

Cliff Owen/Associated Press

ALSO Ann Coulter rejects Cal offer to switch date of speech

The offer was a sham because of the timing and because the university, for purported security reasons, was refusing to make large on-campus buildings available for the talk, lawyers for Young Americas Foundation, the sponsor of Coulters planned speech, and Berkeley College Republicans said in its U.S. District Court lawsuit.

At the same time, the suit noted, UC Berkeley has recently allowed speakers invited by liberal students  including former Mexican President Vicente Fox, a critic of President Trumps immigration policies  to appear without similar time-and-place restrictions. Those speeches took place without incident.

Coulter has said she will speak at Berkeley on Thursday regardless of the universitys position because she has a contract.

Im showing up this Thursday, she said in a Fox News interview Saturday evening. Its up to the police to keep me safe.

At a news conference Monday, Harmeet Dhillon, lawyer for the groups that filed the suit, said the College Republicans would likely decide by Thursday whether to host the speaker that day.

Anticipating Coulters appearance, the International Socialist Organization called Monday for its members to protest peacefully by picketing outside the event and challeng(ing) the narrative inside.

Dhillon accused university officials of adopting an unwritten policy that allows administrators to place restrictions on high-profile conservative speakers. The restrictions include scheduling their talks at far corners of the campus during class time and saddling the sponsoring groups with unreasonably high security costs, she said.

The lawsuit said university officials could have taken appropriate security measures to ensure the safety of those attending conservative speaking engagements  as is their duty to all students on campus  but they have refused to do so.

It said UC officials and police have permitted the demands of a faceless, rabid, off-campus mob to dictate what speech is permitted at the center of campus during prime time.

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.

That was a reference to the violence that led UC Berkeley to cancel a scheduled Feb. 1 appearance by another far-right speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, at the student union. The College Republicans said they also had to cancel an April 12 appearance by conservative writer David Horowitz because the university scheduled his appearance before 3 p.m. at a building more than a mile from the center of campus.

In response, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university has applied its policies evenhandedly.

Weve had a wide range of speakers across the political spectrum, including many speakers sponsored by the Young Americas Foundation, Mogulof said. Never in anyones memory has so much staff time been devoted in trying to facilitate an event as in this instance.

Coulter is welcome on this campus, but at a time and place when police say, Yes, we can provide security, Mogulof said. We dont have a protectable venue available Thursday.

The lawsuit seeks damages and a court order prohibiting any unwritten or unpublished policy restricting the exercise of political expression on the UC Berkeley campus.

Bob Egelko and Michael Bodley are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko, @Michael_Bodley
Back in 2010, when Uber was just rolling to a start and no one had heard of Lyft, the idea of selling San Franciscos much-wanted licenses to operate cabs and creating a fund with some of the proceeds to benefit taxi drivers seemed like a good one.

Since then, however, the taxi industry has collapsed as ride-hailing services have flooded the streets of San Francisco offering cheaper rides. The licenses, known as taxi medallions, once sold for $250,000. Today they are nearly impossible to sell.

The Taxi Drivers Fund, meanwhile, grew to $4.7 million. But now, as taxi drivers struggle financially, no one can agree how the money should be disbursed.

The drivers are arguing among themselves and with the Municipal Transportation Agency, which controls the fund. They cant concur on whether the money should be divvied up among themselves, used to pay annual driver permit renewals, spent on a promotional campaign to get people to take taxis, or a combination of those uses.

Aside from trying to get government agencies to more strictly regulate the ride-hailing services, how to spend that money is a top issue in the industry.

Weve got a dying industry with $4.7 million the MTA cant figure out what to do with, said Ruach Graffis, a taxi medallion holder and board member of the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, a drivers union.

The city has 1,800 medallion holders and nearly 4,000 more active drivers, and Graffis acknowledges that the fund wont be a windfall for individual drivers. Its big enough for some of the little stuff but too small to make a difference on the big stuff, he said.

The debate has mostly been civil, but its also been contentious and sometimes emotional, with drivers arguing over issues of fairness and whats better for the future of the taxi business.

With the taxi industry, we have a lot of very passionate stakeholders, a lot of very opinionated stakeholders, said Kate Toran, MTA director of taxis and accessible services.

MTA officials plan to recommend that the agencys Board of Directors vote to divvy up the money among all active drivers. The issue will probably go before the board in early summer, Toran said.

The idea for the fund emerged when the MTA shifted from a long-standing practice of giving medallions away to drivers who had been on a years-long waiting list to selling them for $250,000. The agency agreed to put 5 percent of each sale, or $12,500, into it. When medallion holders decided to sell, they too would contribute 5 percent of the price of the license.

The purpose was to improve the quality of life of taxi drivers, particularly those who were not medallion holders, Toran said. But the fund had few guidelines and loosely defined goals. In 2013, the drivers and MTA officials decided that health or at least dental benefits should be the focus. A solicitation for bids got only one response, Toran said, and that was rejected because it wasnt offering what the MTA was seeking.

Mark Gruberg, a medallion holder, founder of Green Cab and board member for the Taxi Workers Alliance, said disability benefits and scholarships were also discussed. But with the taxi industry faltering, health insurance changing and too little money flowing into the fund, discussions languished.

Steeply declining ridership rekindled the debate late last year. The agency created an advisory panel of drivers, held meetings, and conducted email surveys on how the money should be spent.

The committee, and a larger taxi task force, narrowed the ideas to three: waiving drivers annual renewal fees for a year, funding a public relations and advertising campaign promoting taxis, and paying out the fund to drivers based on their seniority driving cabs in San Francisco.

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.

Eventually, the committee and task force recommended spending $600,000 on renewing the drivers fees and $940,000 on the promotional campaign. That left $3.1 million, which could possibly be paid out to drivers.

But Toran said she and Ed Reiskin, the MTA transportation director, favor splitting the entire $4.7 million up and giving it to drivers. Depending on their longevity behind the wheel, drivers would receive one-time payouts of $586 to $1,155, according to an agency memo. If the MTA were to fund the fee waiver and advertising campaign and disburse the remaining money to drivers, theyd receive $387 to $762.

Some, including driver Tone Lee, have also voiced their support for the cash-in-hand option.

The taxi driver fund should go to the drivers, he said Tuesday.

Gruberg disagrees, calling it shortsighted. He understands the appeal of a payout but thinks it would benefit drivers more to create a social media and advertising campaign promoting the benefits of taxis: safety, professionalism, knowledge of the city.

Some money in the pocket would be nice, he said, but it does nothing to solve the long-term problem.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@ctuan
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Earth Day may have been Saturday, but that didnt stop volunteers from showing up at Ocean Beach on Sunday morning to participate in the Surfrider Foundations annual Earth Day beach cleanup.

Three stations along Ocean Beach  at Stairwell 17, Noriega Street and Sloat Boulevard  welcomed a total of about 250 volunteers on Sunday morning. The Outer Sunset day was bright, sunny and brutally windy. Surfrider, a nonprofit group devoted to coastal defense, provided gloves, trash pickers and buckets, and volunteers set out to collect as much debris as they could find on the shores. Afterward, Surfrider hosted a block party on 45th Avenue with live music, barbecue and beers poured by local breweries Woods and Calicraft.

Each year, Earth Day helps Surfrider shout its message a little louder, but organizing beach cleanups is business as usual for the organization, which holds three cleanup days every month.

Though many San Franciscans may not realize it, pollution and waste throughout the entire city have big impacts on the water quality of the coastline. For example, trash thrown into the bay on the citys eastern side gets flushed by currents through the Golden Gate, where eddies throw the debris into the ocean. Every time we have a cleanup, we collect at least 40 to 50 pounds of trash, said Max Ernst, chairman of Surfriders San Francisco chapter.

Surfrider was founded in 1984 in Malibu, when a group of surfers formed a coalition to protest development plans along the beach where they surfed. The foundation now counts 80 chapters nationwide, focusing on grassroots organizing; the San Francisco chapter has about 50 active volunteers, and a larger network of 2,500 in the city.

Its easy in San Francisco to be disconnected from the beach, because we dont usually get that Lets go hang out at the beach all day weather, Ernst said. Many of Surfriders programs here are dedicated to preempting the cycle of waste that leads to beach pollution: campaigns against single-use plastic, for example, and efforts to put cigarette ash cans around the city, so that those materials later dont end up in the ocean.

The goal is to educate, Ernst said, which hopefully mitigates the problem on the front end. In addition to pollution, another big focus for Surfrider is coastal erosion, and it is trying to push local government to implement a managed retreat solution.

Many volunteers Sunday morning had dogs in tow; even more had their children. At the Stairwell 17 station, across from the Beach Chalet restaurant, corporate and school groups came in droves. Last week, LinkedIn and Salesforce both sponsored employee-led cleanups through Surfrider.

As volunteers returned to the stations, their buckets teeming with garbage, some seemed surprised at the scale of waste theyd encountered. Theyd found cardboard boxes, pillows and blankets, six-packs of beer, huge slabs of wood.

Its hard to see the pollution at Ocean Beach all the time, because the water moves so much here, Ernst said.

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.

And most beachgoers dont realize that Ocean Beach is a national park, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just like Muir Woods and Lands End. If everyone knew they were entering a national park, Ernst said, they might treat it differently.

Surfrider hopes its efforts help make that status more visible. When people see you coming by to pick up trash, maybe they think twice about leaving it on the beach, said David Martinez, one of Surfriders active year-round volunteers.

Ocean pollution affects all of San Francisco in myriad ways  by contaminating the fish that we eat, for instance  but, of course, the surfers who flock to Ocean Beachs swelling waters experience it up close and personal every day. That intimate relationship with the ocean is at the heart of why Surfrider volunteers do what they do. You dont have to be a surfer to be involved, Ernst said. But it just so happens that surfers usually share the sense of responsibility. By being on the ground, youre able to see what issues affect the local community.

Esther Mobley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
The search for a Sonoma County couple and their single-engine plane that went missing in the Sierra Nevada last Monday was called off after rescuers fruitlessly combed wooded and snowy terrain for six days, officials said Monday.

The four-seat Socata TB-20 Trinidad and its occupants, Brenda and Mark Richards of Santa Rosa, left the Truckee-Tahoe Airport around 4 p.m. for an hour-long journey to Petaluma Municipal Airport but never arrived.
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In the past five months, Oakland has endured the tragedies of the Ghost Ship fire that killed 36 people and a blaze at a halfway house that took four lives. Both buildings turned out to be deadly hazards, but both fell through the cracks of the citys inspection system.

Now theres a new danger for Oaklands embattled Fire Department to worry about: the citys spreading homeless encampments.

The threat was made clear in an April 13 fire at a camp along East 12th Street near Interstate 880. Five tents burned and smoke billowed across the freeway during the morning commute. The camps 40 residents escaped injury, but a dog died in the fire.

The cause is unknown, but Fire Department Battalion Chief Dino Torres said the culprit may have been a cooking fire, which are common at homeless camps.

What we do know is that the Oakland Fire Department hasnt been checking the camps for possible hazards. Like San Francisco, which is also experiencing an explosion of homeless encampments, the city occasionally sends fire inspectors to camps  but not on a regular basis.

Homeless encampments are not regulated under the California fire code, said Karen Boyd, spokeswoman for the Oakland city administrators office.

Oakland acting Fire Chief Mark Hoffmann said that because tents arent considered structures, they dont fall in our wheelhouse.

Hoffmann said there is general safety language in city codes that might give the Fire Department the power to say, You have an unsafe activity in a public right-of-way.

However, he said, Oakland has historically been reluctant to enforce such safety rules partly out of fears that it would be seen as an excuse to come down on homeless people.

Fire inspectors will walk through camps now and then. They recently paid a visit to a city-sanctioned camp on Wood Street, where authorities had brought in portable toilets and barriers to keep traffic away. Boyd called it a public education effort in which two inspectors talked with residents about identifiable fire hazards and safety measures.

And the city did move to clear out a camp at Grove Shafter Park, in a residential neighborhood near the junction of Interstate 580 and Highway 24, after tent dwellers were seen using open flames and gas-powered generators.

For the most part, however, the city is still trying to settle on a strategy.

There is an internal working group reviewing/rewriting the citys standard operating procedures around encampments. Boyd said. The fire marshal is involved in the talks, she said.

In the meantime, the city is coming up with a safety flyer to hand out in the camps.

This is not a policy per se, but an immediate step toward increased safety, Boyd said.

San Francisco, which hasnt had any large fires in homeless camps, takes largely the same approach as Oakland.

San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter said the agency conducts inspections in response to any and all fire complaints, including encampments.

When asked, he said the department also takes part in inspections conducted as part of an interdepartmental effort to monitor encampments.

Torres returns: Mayor Ed Lee has tapped Art Torres, a former state legislator and ex-member of the city Public Utilities Commission, to replace Tom Nolan on the powerful San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Word is, Lee picked Torres partly because of criticism that the agency  which handles all things transit in the city  has not been responsive to the public on such issues as bus lanes, parking and traffic congestion.

He understands the pressing transportation issues facing this city and understands how to find smart, innovative solutions to those challenges, said Deirdre Hussey, a spokeswoman for Lee.

Torres said that although the mayor never mentioned concerns about the MTA needing to be more in touch, I hope to bring that kind of thinking with me.

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Torres comes on board as some of the agencys biggest projects are nearing completion, including the Central Subway and the Transbay Transit Center  and with some of its biggest challenges brewing as well, like how to handle traffic at the new Warriors arena in Mission Bay when it opens in 2019.

All of which should make for an interesting ride for Torres, once he is confirmed by the Board of Supervisors.

By the way, Torres son, Joaquin Torres, is president of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission and works in the mayors Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Fare play: The recent report by BART that at least 17,000 people a day cheat on their fares, costing the system anywhere from $15 million to $25 million annually, was a shocker. Add it all up, and it means that every year, the combined populations of San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles  and then some  are jumping the gates.

How BART came up with the figure is almost as interesting as the estimate itself.

According to BART spokesman Jim Allison, analysts started with the number of entry tickets and compared that with clocked exits to see how many people paid the minimum fare to enter the system and then sneaked out without paying the full fare.

Next, they added estimates based on watching people jump the gates.

Finally, they looked at a study of how many people cheat the subway system in New York, then applied a similar formula to BART.

The 17,000-a-day total is a threefold increase in the number of skippers estimated in the last such count in 2014. After that study came out, BART spent $600,000 to combat the problem.

Clearly, something is not working.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
Mark Zuckerberg entered the throng of developers smiling.

It was the first day of Facebooks annual F8 developer conference, and the CEO had just finished extolling Facebooks innovations in messaging, augmented and virtual reality and social networking. As conference goers gawked at Zuckerberg, clad in a sweatshirt and jeans, outside the main convention hall, he extended his hand to greet people face-to-face.

This, developers said, is the reason they go to conferences: to press the flesh with the executives, engineers and other people who create the technology so many of them rely on to build the tools, apps and products they sell. Its a non-virtual reality that augments what they do.

Nor is it a one-way street. Companies rely on developers to fill in the gaps in their products, seize opportunities too small or distracting for big tech firms to dwell on, and lure people into their embrace. Whats an app store without apps, after all?

For Facebook, which sees more than 2 billion people using its website, mobile apps and other online tentacles each month, developers may no longer be crucial for adding to those numbers. But apps that rely on Facebook to authenticate users and spread the word certainly help keep Zuckerbergs production at the top of the social heap.

When you have an active user base thats close to a quarter of the worlds population, you only have so many places to go, said Susan Etlinger, an industry analyst with Altimeter who attended last weeks F8 conference.

Though they both need the other, the relationship between tech developers and companies is not always so simple  or nice.

Twitter has not held a developer conference since 2015, largely due to tensions between the social media company and developers.

At its last convention, which was called Flight, CEO Jack Dorsey took the stage and promised developers that the company would work to reset its relationship with outside innovators. But since then, Twitter has severed even more ties with them.

This year, the company sold Fabric, the platform on which developers could build tools and services using Twitter, to Google.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

The lack of a strong relationship  or any relationship, really  with developers contributes to Twitters sustained mediocrity, according to analysts and industry insiders. The company has been unable to substantially increase revenue or attract a significant number of new users for nearly two years.

Last week, Intel announced that its annual developer conference, known as IDF, would be retired after nearly 20 years. The company said only that Intel is moving on from being a computer-centric company to focusing more on data and new technology.

People who may have planned to go to IDF this year were instead offered online resources and a promise of more specifically tailored events to come.

Snap Inc., one of Facebooks main competitors, has not opened up its Snapchat app to developers or offered a platform on which outside engineers can build.

This, several developers at F8 asserted, may ultimately lead to Snaps undoing.

Facebook, which has tried to buy Snapchat more than once, has since opted to unabashedly copy the companys main feature of its social network: a camera that uses augmented reality and filters to alter photos posted on the app.

Facebook has this army of developers that its allowing to use its (augmented reality) camera platform for free, and that army is going to destroy Snapchat, said Felipe Servin, 31, co-founder of Yo Amo Media, a Miami company. Its brilliant if you think about it: Snapchat is doing it all by themselves. They dont have an army. Facebook does. Facebook has us.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

But these conferences do not come cheap for companies or developers. Thats why the return on investment must be clear.

For Facebook, which has hosted developer conferences since 2007  though not every year  it has been, Etlinger said.

Developers are out there building tools that people are going to use in the context of Facebook, and that will make Facebook even more engaging, time-consuming and appealing to its audience, she said. Its a very strategic event.

Apttus, a financial tech firm in San Mateo, has been holding an annual convention for its customers and developers since 2013. In its fourth year, the early May event, called Accellerate, is expected to draw about 3,000 to San Franciscos Pier 48. It will cost the financial-tech firm a third of its annual marketing budget.

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But, said Chief Marketing Officer Maria Pergolino, theres little else that can replicate the experience of a conference.

We feed everyone with food trucks, we have a wall you can color on, a place where you can do graffiti, she said. We try to create an atmosphere for engagement, so when youre standing next to a person, its networking, but mixed with interactive experiences. ... Its just not good enough to just grab one of your internal people and have them talk at a crowd for a couple hours. But do it right, and, for us at least, it pays off in a big way.

Out on the floor in the main hall of F8, developers lounged in beanbag chairs, chatted with each other over free ice cream bars, served from freezers wheeled in around midday, and tried out Facebooks new toys: virtual reality headsets, augmented reality cameras, robots and codes that interact with users on Messenger, Facebooks chat application.

The conference, which Facebook held at the San Jose Convention Center after years of hosting it in San Francisco, was not without bumps, however.

Several developers said they were locked out of popular sessions that filled up sooner than anyone expected. Without these sessions, developer conferences lose a lot of their value, some said.

I paid out of pocket to be here, said Paris Butterfield, 27, a back-end developer at LexisNexis in Raleigh, N.C., who spent nearly $1,800 to cover the costs of attendance. Its been great to be here and meet people, to hear Facebooks future vision  because other companies, like Apple, dont do that  but it is frustrating when youve been looking forward to a session and then they tell you sorry, its all full.

Others said that, compared with previous Facebook conferences, this years F8 felt disjointed  less of Facebook explaining its vision for the short-term future while showing developers how they could innovate using the platform, and more of Facebook showing off flashy, big-picture, far-future ideas.

The keynote speech on the second day, typically reserved for technical talks designed for developers rather than big-picture ideas polished for the assembled media, focused largely on Facebooks secret Building 8 innovations, including an effort to connect human brains to computers, using optical imaging that would scan a persons brain 100 times per second.

It feels to me like the presentations they made this year are more focused on the media and getting their attention than on us, said Servin, the co-founder from Miami. It feels less geeky, and maybe its just because Im an engineer, but I didnt find it as impressive.

Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twittter: @Marissa_Jae
Third-generation fisherman Giuseppe Joe Pennisi is trying something that goes against the status quo at Fishermans Wharf: to get more fresh, local fish into San Francisco  and, at the same time, to divert more of the profit to local fishers like himself.

He has turned his boat into a floating fish market on Pier 47 to sell his catch to restaurants and fish companies. In a way, hes evoking the spirit of the wharf his grandfather knew from working there in the early 1900s.

It was an early part of San Francisco culture to have fresh, local fish, Pennisi said recently, wearing boots crusted with salt from two days of fishing far off Pillar Point and the Farallon Islands.

Pennisi, 52, began selling his fish directly a few weeks ago, after obtaining a fish receivers license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and is one of two local fishermen to do so. He said the move keeps him in business and could eventually enable him, and perhaps others, to sell directly to the public  if the port and the city allow it.go

San Francisco is definitely sucking up my fish, he said. The fisherman operated a hoist to unload rockfish and sand dabs from his boat, the Pioneer, which he transformed into a fish market by welding together massive steel bars for a new crane and reviving a rattly old ice maker. Hes sold over 80,000 pounds of fish in the past three weeks, and his list of customers is growing.

Like his Sicilian immigrant grandfather, Pennisi is a trawl fisherman, one of the last in San Francisco. Environmental regulations on trawl fishing, which uses a dragnet to catch deeper-dwelling species like rockfish, mean strictly enforced quotas and high costs for the fishers. Since local distributors dont pay enough to make a fishing trip worthwhile, Pennisi said, he has previously sent his fish to China.

I was so frustrated. Why was my fish going to China? said Pennisi, upset by the irony of having to send his fish abroad while Bay Area seafood distributors bring in so much foreign fish. Here I am, tied to the dock and looking at all these local fish markets, and no one could buy my fish.

But after two years of working out the new arrangement with harbormaster Anita Yao and Scomas restaurant on Pier 47, he now can make a bigger cut and is getting more local fish to Bay Area diners and home cooks.

Fishers and fish receivers, including the eight or so seafood companies on Pier 45, have not been allowed to sell to the public since a brief period from 1999 to 2000. The resolution to allow direct sales wasnt renewed by the port because no one requested it, as it didnt turn out to be commercially viable for fishers, said Renee Dunn Martin, communications director for the Port of San Francisco.

But the agency isnt opposed to resuming it now and has been in talks with various state and city agencies to resume the practice, Martin said. Its also planning a public meeting to discuss the issue, because some restaurant owners and fish processors have mentioned opposition.

Its definitely really disruptive to the industry, said Charlie Lambert of Ocean2Table, a Santa Cruz fish company that buys from Pennisi and is helping him work with buyers. In many ways, if more fishermen start taking this kind of example and doing this, then it really eliminates a really huge income source for the distributors.

Lambert was on hand while Pennisi unloaded rose fish, a type of rockfish, to his waiting crew on the pier, who sorted the small, pink-red fish from the gray ice surrounding it. Pennisi remembers helping butcher rose fish when he was 12 for his fathers Monterey seafood company.

Because no one has been fishing these, no one here has seen these in 15 years, he said, over the bark of a hovering sea lion. Were slowly reintroducing them to the market.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

It wont be all that easy to do.

Pennisi mostly targets chilipepper rockfish (Sebastes goodei), often labeled red snapper. In California, chilipepper and many other types of rockfish have had strict fishing limits since the mid-90s, after two decades of intensive fishing took a toll on their population.

Thats why an armed officer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration waited in an SUV on the pier while the Pioneers crew unloaded the boat, and later climbed on board to inspect it.

Thats also why observer Deborah Shelton had gone along for the fishing trip to monitor bycatch for NOAA and stayed to check that each species was sorted correctly and weighed as it came off the boat. Her employer would later send the numbers to the federal government.

The scientists use that to set up future quotas, said Shelton.

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Pennisi pays all observer fees, which he said can add up to $4,000 a trip. With fuel, labor and ice costs, that means he could lose money fishing before being able to sell directly.

Whether or not Pennisi can make it economically, many environmentalists object to his particular type of fishing. Trawl boats often use heavy nets that drag the ocean floor, degrading habitats, and result in a lot of unintended bycatch. However, Pennisi mitigates those issues by using lighter nets and a series of GoPro cameras that have shown surprisingly no noticeable disturbance to the sea floor, said Lambert, who worked as a field biologist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife before becoming a fishmonger. Pennisi also uses specialized netting that allows smaller, younger fish to escape.

Giuseppe is doing a lot of amazing work that can have a major impact on the trawl fishery as a whole, perhaps even globally, which is why weve chosen to work with him, said Lambert.

Still at the hoist, Pennisi checked in with his wife, who was taking their kids to school back home in Chico. Thanks to the epic commute, he often sleeps on the boat between fishing trips, getting ready for the next new customers.

Its going to take time, he said. But everybody likes it because its so fresh.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan
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Criminologist Willard Oliver always wanted to read a biography of Berkeleys first police chief.

So, he wrote one.

It only took Oliver a decade to research and write the 800-page tome, August Vollmer: The Father of American Policing, which was published in February.

He did so many things that were so successful that it made Berkeley  it was the epicenter of policing, Oliver said last week at the Berkeley Historical Society. I have my job because of him.

Oliver, a criminal justice professor at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, came to Berkeley last week for the opening of an exhibit on Vollmer.

I tell my students that youre here because of August Vollmer, and the only reason Im here teaching you is because of August Vollmer.

Vollmers Police Department innovatively used science and technology to solve crimes, and Vollmer helped start the criminal justice program at UC Berkeley.

The Berkeley Historical Society is hosting the exhibit on Vollmer, who was Berkeleys top cop for almost three decades, beginning in 1905. Last week I went to the historical society to meet Oliver, who organized the Vollmer exhibit, because I was curious how he thought Vollmer would react to whats been happening in the city he put on the map because of his progressive police tactics.

The Berkeley Police Department has weathered criticism for its approach to policing postelection brawls. The recent mayhem began with a Feb. 1 protest on the UC Berkeley campus against right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. It escalated into violence and vandalism in downtown Berkeley. Since then, Berkeley police have been in the spotlight for their mostly hands-off tactics.

Its ironic that the celebration of the Father of American Policing is across the street from Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, the battlefield for two recent bloody clashes at rallies held by the presidents supporters.

Two things about the brawls concern me: People would rather trade blows than have a substantive debate with someone who has an opposing political view, and police are unable to stop people from handing out  and, of course, taking  beatings.

If the police dont use force, they get criticized for standing by as people pummel each other. If the police use force to break up fights, theyll get criticized  and sued. As you can see, one public relations disaster is more expensive than the other.

Oliver wouldnt guess how Vollmer would react, but he pointed out that Vollmer handled a crisis almost immediately after being elected town marshal. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, 40,000 refugees were housed in a tent city in Berkeley.

Now youve got a major crime problem, or the potential for one, and he adapted to it and did a stellar job, Oliver told me as we toured the exhibit filled with clips of old news stories.

At the time, there were only nine police officers in Berkeley. So Vollmer, a veteran of the Spanish American War, recruited other veterans and deputized them to patrol the tent city.

Ten years later, Vollmer began focusing on educating his force. He worked with UC Berkeley to create a program where officers took classes in biology, chemistry and other subjects during the summer. It was the genesis of the schools criminology program.

He was very much a progressive, Oliver said. There was a strong belief that through science, through knowledge and education we can better our society, better our communities. He really believed that.

He saw that if officers had the education and the knowledge, they could do great things.

I wonder what happened to that way of thinking, but thats for another column.

With UC Berkeley, Vollmer created the first crime lab for storing and testing evidence. Though he didnt build the first polygraph machine himself, it was made under his direction. In the exhibit, youll see a second-generation machine  a black box with a blood pressure dial, and the needles that drew the graph lines of a suspects truths and lies.

From the 1920s until his death in 1955, police officials and dignitaries from around the world visited Vollmers Euclid Avenue home to pick his brain on policing. Vollmer, who taught at UC Berkeley after he retired from the Police Department, also encouraged the training and employment of women and blacks as police officers.

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If that doesnt convince you that he was way ahead of his time, this will: Vollmer had an open-door policy for the press. One reporter even had a desk at the police station.

Imagine what community relations would be now if police departments were as committed to transparency.

Berkeley police have attempted to explain how their approach to the recent violence at rallies is evolving. For example, two weekends ago, before people were allowed to enter Civic Center Park, they were searched for weapons.

So, the combatants used their fists instead of their confiscated weapons. But I cant stress this enough: Without a proper deterrent to fighting, one of the bloodthirsty fighters is going to kill someone.

If Ann Coulter, another right-wing provocateur, comes to Berkeley this week as she insists on doing, it will be another opportunity for the police to display their improved tactics. I dont know what the solution is, but I do know it has to be innovative.

Maybe Berkeleys new chief, Andrew Greenwood, should tear a page out of Vollmers book.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
At Jardiniere restaurant in San Francisco, customer receipts currently feature a small note below the signature line, subtle enough that some diners might miss it. The fine print reads: Immigrants make America great! They also cooked and served you dinner this evening.

The small political gesture from chef-owner Traci Des Jardins acknowledges the importance of immigrant labor in the restaurant industry. Similar messages have popped up on receipts at restaurants throughout the Bay Area, including Tawla in the Mission and Zuni Cafe in Hayes Valley.

Away from the kitchen, Des Jardins sits on the board of La Cocina, a San Francisco nonprofit business incubator. She also works with a number of hunger relief organizations. But in the upscale dining room at Jardiniere, as well as her five other San Francisco restaurants, the chef prefers to keep her political leanings from infiltrating her dining room.

Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle

I think the politics and food situation overall is very tricky, she said. Theres a big part of me that thinks politics shouldnt come into it.

In recent months, chefs and diners alike have been forced to grapple with the intersection of food and politics, and the restaurant industry is venturing into unfamiliar territory, marked both by staunch political stances and apolitical abstention.

Earlier this month, a bar named Coup opened in New York City, with plans to give 100 percent of its profits to organizations that may be in need of funding under the current administration, such as the American Civil Liberties Union or Planned Parenthood.

While there are no San Francisco food or drink destinations with Coups extreme business model, many restaurants and bars have donated portions of their profits or run nightly specials to benefit organizations like the San Francisco Immigrant Legal Education Network and the Human Rights Watch. Others have run themed specials during political events like the Womens March or Day Without Immigrants.

Stephanie Fields, owner of Sugarfoot, a pop-up restaurant and catering company, is vocal about her political leanings, which in part oppose President Trumps stances on immigration. Fields regularly shares her thoughts on social media; amid her photos of Sugarfoots grits and eggs are posts denouncing racism, misogyny and xenophobia.

The chef is currently working to secure funding for a brick-and-mortar location, and she is already planning to register Sugarfoot as a sanctuary restaurant once it opens.

I think, in part, that the sanctuary restaurant sign will let people know when they enter those doors, the B.S., hate and ugliness stops there, she said.

Fields paused for a few seconds and added: But I dont want it to be confrontational.

More experienced chefs like Adam Sobel, head chef at the Mina Test Kitchen in Cow Hollow, note that there are financial risks associated with saturating a dining room with political content.

Food, in Sobels eyes, is a form of escapism, and it is better for business to keep the experience untethered from weighted political issues.

If a Republican sits at a table and sure, we may not share the same beliefs, but you cant keep someone from dining at a restaurant. Thats still a paying customer, Sobel said. This is a hospitality business, and thats what we focus on.

Based on 2017 projections from the San Francisco Travel Association, tourists will spend $9.22 billion in the Bay Area this year, nearly 3 percent more than the $8.98 billion in 2016.

The Mina Group has fine dining outposts not only in blue states such as California and Illinois, but also in red states such as Wyoming and Florida, where residents vote along more conservative lines.

Sobel said he has had conversations with his staff about how they would handle potential interactions with the president and his administration. While Sobel chose not to go into specifics, he said their feelings about the countrys political state are shared openly behind the scenes.

The goal, he added, is to not let them influence business practices in a way that would offend potential diners of different political beliefs.

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Theres so much competition in San Francisco, were all rooting for each other and fighting for covers, Sobel said. If youre going to be a complete left-winger, youre going to potentially push away customers.

Yet, Sugarfoots Fields said she isnt worried that her outspokenness will hinder the fundraising process for her future space, or even alienate potential customers.

Another fledgling restaurateur, Reem Assil, who is opening an eponymous Oakland bakery in May, shared similar sentiments  because, as she put it, food is inherently political. The mantra will be reflected in her bakery, as she plans to use it as an educational space for people to learn about Middle Eastern food and culture, but also as a place where customers can openly discuss the state of the country, good or bad.

We may not ever be the popular one because we put our politics forward, but were going to be an honest place, Assil said.

During a recent break between food prep and meal deliveries, Fields noticed writing on the bottom of a nearby stop sign.

Underneath the word Stop, someone had scribbled Trump.

See, you cant avoid politics, no matter where you are, Fields said. Its part of the landscape now.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
Moshe Kasher is doing a one-on-one phone interview, but he gives off the vibe of a pre-cable daytime talk show host.

He has a way of making all parties feel comfortable, preferring discussion over monologue, before bringing a (slightly more profane) maelstrom of Phil Donahue-style hot takes.

What the (expletive) happened to Berkeley, man? Kasher says, referring to a recent brawl between pro-Trump and anti-Trump forces in the East Bay city. Literally, you have all-white barbarian hordes storming the gate. Its some Lannister Game of Thrones (expletive).

Its proof that Problematic, Kashers new Comedy Central show that airs Tuesday nights, is more than an act. Kasher has been a full-time comedian of growing success since he moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles in 2008. But his strongest talent may be as a ringmaster, integrating a series of guests and audience members seated in the round, as he tackles a single subject of societal import.

Ali Goldstein/Courtesy Comedy Central

On the first episode, titled Cultural Appropriation, which aired Tuesday, April 18, Kasher admitted to using the n-word when he was a teen (growing up in Oakland, I spent my entire teenage life trying to be down) before deconstructing his own bad choices. The show ends with a hilarious cultural appropriation rap featuring Kasher and hip-hop legend MC Serch.

But in between is a thoughtful and often bracingly personal discussion with his guests, including Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. And while the opinions are as strong as anything in the genre  Australian rapper Iggy Azalea is skewered without mercy  theres no false outrage or pressure for the participants to argue.

Kasher says he plans to leave lampooning Donald Trumps latest moves to the expert hands of John Oliver, Samantha Bee and Trevor Noah, and instead concentrate on the social and political forces bubbling underneath the headlines.

Well talk about the tectonic plates upon which the news cycle is forming, Kasher says. We talk about the social forces rather than about specific news stories.

Ali Goldstein/Courtesy Comedy Central

The comedian says hes comfortable with that format, in large part because of his Bay Area roots. Born in Queens to deaf parents, he moved to Oakland when he was a year old.

Kasher had a rebellious and self-destructive streak, which included getting kicked out of multiple high schools. His 2012 book sums up that history in the title: Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and then turned 16.

But Kasher, 37, says the good in his life, including the will to overcome obstacles  he received a degree with honors from UC Santa Barbara  came from the Bay Area as well. He fondly recalls performing at small venues, including the Stork Club in Oakland and the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco. Hes looking forward to returning for the June 2-4 Colossal Clusterfest, where Kasher and his comedian wife Natasha Leggero will each perform two sets.

I was on my mothers shoulders at antiwar protests when I was a baby, Kasher says. The Bay Area is everything to me and my background. I grew up in Oakland and I started comedy in San Francisco, and that is part and parcel of who I am and what my voice is.

One thing he doesnt expect: a request to speak at one of his former high schools, including Oakland Tech.

Hell no, Kasher says, laughing at the prospect. Im probably on a permanent do not talk list. Although I do one day want to ask to be the commencement speaker at UC Santa Barbara  so I can have my David Foster Wallace This is Water moment.

Kasher says Problematic was launched from discussions between Kasher and @midnight executive producer Alex Blagg, who was looking for a middle ground between the seriousness of The Daily Show and the rapid-fire frivolity of @midnight.

If anything, the finished product is more serious than both shows. Kasher talks about future episodes, including one covering technology, where the proceedings get downright sentimental.

A talk show host in the old-school way is the highest praise we could get, Kasher says. Thats exactly what we were going for. TV has become so churning and mechanical. I wanted something that harkens back to the era where you just feel like youre hanging out with the host.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub

Problematic, hosted by Moshe Kasher, airs at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on Comedy Central. More information at www.cc.com. Colossal Clusterfest comes to San Francisco June 2-4. More information at www.clusterfest.com
PORTLAND, Ore.  With Steve Kerr ruled out for Game 4 of the first round Monday, the Warriors still face an important question: Will Kevin Durant play?

The eight-time All-Star is questionable, a team spokesman told The Chronicle. It is possible that, with a 3-0 series lead over the Trail Blazers, Golden State might not want to bring him back until the Western Conference semifinals.
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A famed Ansel Adams print has sold for over $42,000 at auction.

Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, shot by Adams at 4:05 p.m., on October 31, 1941, was snapped up at Swann Auction Galleries last week at the staggering price of $42,500. The striking image of the moon over a small New Mexican town was among Adams' most popular works. This particular silver print was made in 1976.

Part of the image's allure is in its origin story. Adams was driving through New Mexico when he came upon the scene and instantly knew he'd found his photograph.

MORE: Looking back on Ansel Adams' photographs of Japanese American internment

"We were sailing southward along the highway not far from Espanola when I glanced to the left and saw an extraordinary situationan inevitable photograph!" Adams recounted in a story on his website. "I almost ditched the car and rushed to set up my 810 camera. I was yelling to my companions to bring me things from the car."

In the midst of the chaos, Adams snapped the one perfect image.

Love Ansel Adams' work? Check out more of his iconic images in the gallery above.
If you're among the Bay Area residents complaining about the rising costs of living, here's another report to solidify that view: In parts of the Bay Area, a six-figure income qualifies as "low income."

That report comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which helps determine who's eligible for subsidized housing.

In HUD's latest numbers, San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo show that an income of $105,350 for a family of four can be counted as low income. In those same counties an income of $65,800 is "very low," while $39,500 is "extremely low."

In other areas such as Alameda and Contra Costa counties, $80,400 is considered low-income for a family of four.

These figures could further feed the notion that residents are looking to leave the Bay Area for cheaper areas. A recent poll showed that more Bay Area residents are considering that option: 19 percent of those surveyed "strongly agreed" that they were likely to move out of the Bay Area in the next few years, while another 21 percent "somewhat agreed" they would move. (Only forty-six percent disagreed, or didn't know whether they would move.)

RELATED: Three California cities require the highest salaries in the US to afford a home

These new numbers mark an increase in the figures from last year. San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties listed $98,500 as their low income threshold last year.

Here's the list of counties and the annual salaries that qualify as low income:
A 30-year-old San Francisco man was shot to death Monday on Potrero Hill, police said.

The man was shot about 10:30 a.m. near Missouri Street and Watchman Way, said Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman.

The victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital by car before police arrived at the scene, said police Capt. Raj Vaswani. The man was pronounced dead at the hospital.

His name has not been released, and police said they have made no arrests.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
This article originally appeared on KCRA.

Davis, Calif. (KCRA)  Don't expect to find filling snacks or thirst quenching drinks inside UC Davis' newest vending machine.

Instead, the university is offering a quick fix for that late night or early morning contraceptive need.

The vending machine inside the campus Activities and Recreation Center offers the morning after pill for $30, along with an assortment of other contraceptive items like condoms and pregnancy tests.

UC Davis senior Parteek Singh came up with the idea after a friend was unable to buy the morning after pill in a timely manner.

"They were all out of emergency contraceptives and they weren't going to get anything until Monday," Singh said.

The vending machine is open 18 hours a day and is only inaccessible when the building shuts down between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

The only other place contraception is sold on campus is in the Student Health and Wellness Center, which is only open during business hours.

University medical staff support the vending machine concept, which is an idea taken from Claremont University Consortium and Pomona College in Southern California.

"When a contraceptive method is missed or fails, this provides an option to reduce the risk of pregnancy from that," UC Davis Student Health and Wellness Medical Director Dr. Cindy Schorzman said.

Students on campus are supportive of the idea, no matter how unconventional it may be.

"It's not typical, but it's very useful nonetheless and that's what vending machines are for right," undergraduate student Jose Galindo said.

Student Evalyn Ponce said the morning after pill is a last resort and doesn't believe it's increased availability will lead to more unprotected sex.

"It's definitely a new idea, but I feel like it's not changing people's beliefs, it's just there," Ponce said.

Part of the idea for the vending machine stems from how awkward it can be to have face-to-face interaction when purchasing contraceptives.

Singh said that's the beauty of the machine.

"It's just a machine it's not going to give you and look or anything," he said.

This article originally appeared on KCRA.
Hold the phone on that new Samsung

Samsungs latest phones feature big wraparound screens and lots of glass. They also appear to break more easily, according to tests run by SquareTrade, a company that sells gadget-repair plans. The nearly all-glass design of Samsungs Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus makes them beautiful, SquareTrade said, but also extremely susceptible to cracking when dropped from any angle. Samsung didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hasbros flush

with profit

Hasbros revenue surpassed Mattels for the first time in 17 years thanks in part to hot sales of a board game called Toilet Trouble. Its success follows another Hasbro game that became a viral sensation. In Pie Face, players got hit with a face full of whipped cream. In Toilet Trouble, players take turns flushing a plastic toilet that spits water at their faces. Hasbros profit in the quarter jumped 41 percent, thanks also to rising demand for mobile games and classics like Monopoly, which replaced old-time pieces like the wheelbarrow, thimble and boot with a dinosaur, a penguin and a rubber ducky.

Burned by Fitbit?

A Wisconsin woman told ABC News that her 2-week-old Fitbit Flex 2 exploded and caused second-degree burns on her arm. Dina Mitchell emailed ABC that It was either defective or really mad I was sitting still so long. Fitbit is investigating. Some users complained before about a rash from the Fitbit Force, leading to a 2014 recall.

Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com.
VARNER, Ark.  Two Arkansas killers set to die Monday in the nations first double execution in more than 16 years acknowledged that theyre guilty but fear the lethal injections could subject them to excruciating pain due to their various health problems.

In court filings, attorneys for Jack Jones and Marcel Williams said their medical conditions  which include obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure  could complicate their executions. Jones execution was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and Williams was set to begin at 8:15 p.m. in the same execution chamber.

They asked courts to grant them stays, and their appeals reached the U.S. Supreme Court. (The status of appeals was not resolved at the time this edition was published.)

Williams morbid obesity makes it likely that either the IV line cannot be placed or that it will be placed in error, thus causing substantial damage like a collapsed lung, his attorneys wrote in a filing asking justices to block the execution.

In Jones case, attorneys said he takes a daily dose of two medications to treat chronic pain, and they worry those drugs could desensitize him to the effects of midazolam, which is a sedative and the first drug used in Arkansas lethal injection protocol.

They would be the second and third inmates executed by Arkansas this month. A fourth execution is set for Thursday. Arkansas initially wanted to execute eight men before a drug used to sedate the inmates expires Sunday, but four other inmates have won stays.

Before Ledell Lees execution last Thursday, Arkansas hadnt put an inmate to death since 2005. In several of the 31 states where executions are legal, drug shortages have often forced delays as manufacturers prohibit their use in executions. Arkansas believes that secrecy it grants to suppliers can solve that problem, though it still has difficulty obtaining the drugs. Courts have also forced rewrites of Arkansas lethal injection protocols, causing further delays. Jones and Williams committed their crimes more than two decades ago.

In recent pleadings before state and federal courts, the inmates say the three drugs Arkansas uses to execute prisoners  midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride  could be ineffective because of their poor health.

Jones, 52, has lost a leg to diabetes and is on insulin. Williams, 46, weighs 400 pounds, is diabetic and has concerns that the execution team might not be able to find a suitable vein to support an intravenous line.

In a response filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Little Rock, Ark., lawyers for the state said the inmates had filed an avalanche of lawsuits to obtain stays. The appeals court rejected Jones and Williams requests for stays Monday, and the Arkansas Supreme Court also refused to issue stays.

The initial eight executions would have been the most by a state in such a short period since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state said the executions needed to be carried out before its supply of the sedative midazolam expires Sunday.

Andrew DeMillo and Kelly P. Kissel are Associated Press writers.
The first-ever March for Science happened Saturday 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 took 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.
Energy equipment supplier National Oilwell Varco, Inc. NOV is set to release first-quarter 2017 results before the opening bell on Apr 27.

In the preceding three-month period, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 48.28% due to its cost reduction efforts. Further, the company had reported average positive surprise of 20.35% in the trailing four quarters.

Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

Factors at Play

Houston, TX-based National Oilwell is a world leader in the designing, manufacturing and selling of comprehensive systems, components, products, and equipment used in oil and gas drilling and production worldwide.

With U.S. rig count falling to record levels last year, the capital equipment sales of the company declined considerably. However, as the commodity prices improve and drilling activities pick up, demand for oilfield equipment is likely to rise which could drive the earnings of the company. Nevertheless, even with the increased drilling activities, drillers might have inventories which were accumulated in the preceding months. This could in turn reduce demand for new equipment hampering revenues for companies like National Oilwell. Further, management of the company expects the offshore and international markets to remain challenging in 2017 affecting earnings adversely.

However on the positive side, National Oilwell has managed to come out of the slump financially with a cash balance of $1.4 billion. The companys decision to cut dividends has been painful for the investors but has strengthened the liquidity and financial position of the company.

Further, there were some new developments in the quarter which can affect earnings positively. National Oilwell recently sold 75,000 hydraulic horsepower of fracture stimulation pumps and associated support equipment. This activity is expected to boost returns in first quarter. The company had acquired Aberdeen-based solids control equipment manufacturer Axiom Process in January. The acquisition is expected to improve National Oilwells current portfolio and add to its earnings. All this is also reflected in the price performance of the company. The company underperformed the Zacks categorized Oil and Gas Mechanical & Equipment industry. The companys shares rallied 7% in the last three months, while the broader industry inched up 0.6%.

Story continues

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Price and Consensus

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Price and Consensus | National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Quote

Earnings Whispers

Our proven model does not conclusively show that National Oilwell will beat estimates this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here as you will see below.

Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is 0.00%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are both pegged at a loss of 19 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: National Oilwell carries a Zacks Rank #3 which when combined with a 0.00 % ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.

We caution against Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.

Stocks to Consider

While earnings beat looks uncertain for National Oilwell, here are some firms from the energy space that you may want to consider on the basis of our model, which shows that they have the right combination of elements to post earnings beat this quarter.

NOW Inc. DNOW is expected to release first-quarter earnings results on May 3. The company has an Earnings ESP of +17.39% and has a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Rowan Companies plc RDC is expected to release first-quarter earnings results on May 2. The company has an Earnings ESP of +14.29% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Transocean Ltd. RIG is expected to release first-quarter earnings results on May 3. The company has an Earnings ESP of +11.11% and has a Zacks Rank #3.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
By Devika Krishna Kumar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped nearly 1 percent on Monday, extending last week's decline, on lack of confirmation that OPEC will extend output cuts until the end of 2017 and as Russia indicated it can lift output if the deal on curbs lapses.

Russian oil output could climb to its highest rate in 30 years if the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers do not extend a six-month supply reduction deal beyond June 30, according to comments by Russian officials and details of investment plans released by oil companies.

"We think an extension is highly likely, with a growing OPEC consensus in support of that policy, but the market seems to be attributing last week's decline to the lack of a firm agreement," Tim Evans, Citi Futures' energy futures specialist, said in a note.

"In our view, the drop had more to do with correcting the prior excess optimism and speculative excess, than with any shift in the underlying fundamental scenario, but those requiring a fundamental explanation ... will focus on OPEC or U.S. production growth instead."

Last week, prices plummeted about 7 percent partly on signs that rising U.S. shale production offset efforts by OPEC and other producers to cut output by almost 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of the year.

Brent crude futures (LCOc1) ended the session 36 cents lower at $51.60 per barrel after hitting a session high of $52.57 a barrel.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures (CLc1) dropped 39 cents to settle at $49.23 a barrel, after reaching a high of $50.22 a barrel earlier in the day.

"From a technical perspective, the June WTI contract has now broken another key Fibonacci level, specifically the 61.8 percent retracement of the rally from March 22 to April 12," said David Thompson, executive vice president at Powerhouse, an energy-specialized commodities broker in Washington.

"In addition we are close to breaking a long-term uptrend line that has been in force since early August of last year."

Story continues

Traders and brokers also noted that crude markets were lower despite a relief rally over the French election, with the U.S. dollar (.DXY) noticeably weaker. [USD/] This reflects the prevailing bearish market sentiment, they said.

U.S. gasoline futures (RBc1) fell about 1.4 percent, leading the energy complex lower, as refiners ramp up production after seasonal maintenance and on demand worries, traders said.

Rising U.S. drilling and production have dampened any oil price rally. Investors cut bullish bets on rising ICE Brent crude futures and options by 9,811 contracts to 427,433 lots in the week to April 18.

In the week to April 21, U.S. drillers added oil rigs for a 14th week in a row, to 688 rigs, extending an 11-month recovery that is expected to boost U.S. shale production in May by the biggest monthly increase in more than two years.

U.S. crude production is at 9.3 million bpd (C-OUT-T-EIA), up almost 10 percent since mid-2016, approaching the level of OPEC's top exporter, Saudi Arabia.

(GRAPHIC: Asia's Iranian oil imports http://tmsnrt.rs/2cNidjY)

(Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London, Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Steve Orlofsky)
Richard Burr Mark Warner

The Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump's campaign team played any role in it has stalled amid partisan bickering and staffing problems, according to two new reports.

Sens. Richard Burr and Mark Warner, the committee's top-ranking Republican and Democrat, respectively, told reporters last month that the panel would "look at any campaign contacts with the Russian government ... that might have influenced, in any way, shape, or form, the election process."

Burr, the chairman of the committee, said the investigation "overrides any personal beliefs that I have or loyalties I might have.

"Mark and I might look at politics differently  we don't look at the responsibilities we have on the committee differently," he said then.

But more than three months into the committee's investigation, however, it has descended into a "standoff," according to Yahoo's Michael Isikoff. The committee hasn't issued any subpoenas or requested any key documents such as emails, memos, and phone records from the Trump campaign, in part because Burr "has so far failed to respond to requests from the panel's Democrats to sign letters doing so," Isikoff reported.

Democrats and Republicans also can't agree on who should be able to view the raw intelligence compiled by the US intelligence community about Russia's interference. The CIA, FBI, National Security Agency, and 14 other intelligence agencies in January released a declassified version of their report about Russia's election-related meddling.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) speaks with reporters as he arrives for the weekly Democratic Caucus policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington June 2, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RTR4YK2C

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden "demanded" that all intelligence committee aides, rather than just a select few staffers, be allowed to review the raw intelligence, according to Yahoo. Burr, however, "who has long feuded with Wyden, refused to go along, resulting in a standoff that has badly divided the committee."

Story continues

The partisan feud was foreshadowed in February when Burr, who said he voted for Trump, acknowledged that he had called reporters at the White House's request to dispute damaging reports in The New York Times and CNN about the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia during the election.

A representative for Burr declined to comment. Representatives for Warner and Wyden did not respond to requests for comment.

The committee's Russia investigation is also severely understaffed. The seven staffers who are working on it are doing so part-time, both Yahoo and The Daily Beast reported, and none has relevant legal or investigative experience.

"The biggest obstacle now for a serious investigation into Trump-Russia ties is dedicated resources for staffing," a source with ties to the committee told The Daily Beast.

A brand-new approach?

The partisan bickering and lack of resources  problems that have plagued both the House and Senate intelligence committees  have fueled calls from legal and intelligence experts to establish an independent select committee to look into Russia's election interference and whether Trump campaign associates played a role in it.

The Senate Intelligence Committee "already has a full-time oversight role" as well as "major ongoing legislative projects" and is "simply not staffed at the level or in the manner necessary to also conduct a highly complex and time-consuming investigation" like the Russia probe, Susan Hennessey, a former NSA lawyer, and Benjamin Wittes, a national-security expert at the Brookings Institution, wrote in February for Lawfare.

Congress "has a duty to publicly address major questions the political system is struggling with now in a fashion the public can absorb and process," they wrote.

"What is the president's relationship with Russia? And is there reason to be concerned about it?" they wrote. "The essential problem is that there is no current congressional mechanism with the investigative scope, staffing, and will to answer these questions in a serious fashion."

A bipartisan commission would not require Trump's consent, they added, and the congressional committees' investigations wouldn't need to be disbanded. Warner has said he would "support empowering whoever can do it right" if it became clear his committee could not "properly conduct an independent investigation."

The membership of a select committee, according to Hennessey and Wittes, "should reflect an even partisan split  or as close to it as is politically doable."

"It is essential that the committee be chaired by a person whose commitment to a serious investigation is not subject to reasonable question," they wrote. "Our nominee: Lindsey Graham."

Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said he would be open to forming a select committee to examine reports that US intelligence officials intercepted calls between Trump's associates and Russian nationals during the campaign.

"I want to make sure myself that these intercepts exist, that the communications are outside the norm," Graham told "Good Morning America" in February. "If that's the case, it's time for Congress  in my view, the Senate  to do a joint select committee where we can look at it holistically."

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putin assad

President Donald Trump often said on the campaign trail that he'd likely "get along" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but a recent cruise missile strike in Syria seems to have put a wrench in those plans.

Soon after Trump ordered the strike against Syrian President Bashar Assad's air field on April 7, Assad's ally in Moscow has reacted in a number of ways that indicate a "cold war-like" posture will continue for some time.

On Thursday night, the US detected Russian military planes off the coast of Alaska for the fourth time in four days.

US fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers off Alaska's Kodiak Islands on Monday, flying alongside them for 12 minutes, until they turned around. NORAD again spotted the Russian bombers on Tuesday about 36 miles from Alaska's coast.

A pair of Russian spy planes also flew near the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea on Wednesday, staying in the US Air Defense Zone for a few hours before returning.

Russian Tu-95 bombers

Pentagon officials said they believed Russia was testing the US Air Forces response to their bomber flights.

"We haven't seen this sort of level of activity for a couple of years," John Cornelio, a NORAD spokesperson, told CNN. But he emphasized that this was not "unprecedented" or "unusual."

Russia hasn't conducted these kinds of flights since 2015.

"This kind of cat-and-mouse stuff has been going on for a while now," Howard Stoffer, a former State Department staffer told CNN. Putin "is trying to put the US on notice that the Russians are everywhere and are back to expanding their military power."

The reasons for Russia's support for the Assad regime are many. Its only naval base connected to the Mediterranean is located in Tartus, on the western coast of Syria, and Russia sells large quantities of arms, such as jets and cruise missiles, to Assad.

Story continues

Putin also uses this show of strength to bolster support at home and project strength abroad.

Meanwhile in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the new Ukrainian government since 2014, two soldiers were killed on Thursday in the town of Avdiivka, and eight more were wounded elsewhere.

While casualties have decreased this month due to a new ceasefire announced on April 1, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski recently said that Russia would respond to the US strike in Syria by intensifying the war in Ukraine.

It remains to be seen if this surge in fighting will continue.

Avdiivka

Back in Syria, Assad has moved his jets to bases protected by Russian missiles to further deter any future US strikes. The US could still strike these bases  even with the presence of Russia's anti-air defenses that can knock down Tomahawk missiles  but it could end up killing Russian soldiers, risking all-out war.

Moscow has recently ordered mercenary forces from Central Asia, and South and North Caucasus, dubbed the "Spetznaz of the USSR," to fight under Assad.

The Kremlin also recently announced that it plans to build the "biggest aircraft carrier in the world" to compete with the US's 11 full-sized Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

Russia has longed claimed that many of its actions in Syria, as well as support for the Taliban in Afghanistan, are to fight terrorism  an argument that has some merit, given the attacks in Russia over the years.

But its long-term conflict with the west, with which it's intent on spying, influencing and meddling, is undeniable. Only time will tell if it gets worse.

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By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Workers at Sri Lanka's state-run oil firm Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) called off a strike on Monday less than 24 hours in after the government agreed to consult them before signing an oil tank deal with India. Thousands of Sri Lankan motorists queued for fuel earlier in the day after the workers went on strike to demand the government scrap the deal which trade unions say would give India too much influence over fuel prices. CPC Managing Director Nadun Fernando said the unions agreed to call off the strike after six-and-a-half hours of talks that also involved Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. "The government has agreed to consider the suggestions and proposals of trade unions and other stake holders before any decision on the operation of Trincomalee oil tank farm is taken," he told Reuters. A trade union official said they called off their action after Wickremesinghe agreed in writing to consult them about the deal, which would put 99 oil tanks in the hands of Lanka IOC , a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation . Union leaders said there was speculation the deal could be finalised either when Wickremesinghe visits New Delhi on Tuesday or Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to Sri Lanka on May 11. Sri Lanka has agreed with India to jointly develop and operate all the tanks in the oil storage facility in the port town of Trincomalee, near the world's second deepest natural harbour. Lanka IOC already operates 15 of the oil tanks and the rest have not been used for decades. For its part, IOC has agreed to build a second refinery with a capacity of at least 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) in Sri Lanka, while Modi pledged in 2015 to establish a petroleum hub in Trincomalee. Unions at CPC said handing the tanks to Lanka IOC would give it too much influence over fuel stations. "If they are given, they will have the control to decide the market prices," D.J. Rajakaruna, a CPC union leader told Reuters. State Enterprise Minister Kabir Hashim said the unions had been given false information, as India and Sri Lanka had agreed to give 10 tanks to CPC while 74 were expected to be developed under a joint venture between CPC and Lanka IOC. "It will be signed between the governments of India and Sri Lanka," he told reporters in Colombo. A Lanka IOC official told Reuters that due to trade union pressure CPC would be allowed to use 10 of the 84 tanks earmarked for the joint venture between the two companies. (Additional reporting by Nidhi Verma in New Delhi; editing by David Clarke)
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters. The president dismissed the 100-day presidential benchmark, but will nevertheless hold a rally in Pennsylvania on that day.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to hold a "big rally" in Pennsylvania next Saturday, a date which marks his 100th day in office, and coincides with the White House Correspondent's Dinneran event he previously declined to attend.

A day earlier, Trump dismissed the 100-day benchmark normally used to measure presidential success. Nevertheless, Trump posted on Twitter that he would hold a rally in the Keystone State, a swing region that was crucial to his electoral upset in November, on the day that marks his first 3-1/2 months in office.

It wasn't immediately clear what purpose the White House had in mind for scheduling the Pennsylvania rally. However, the event will take place in the wake of what Trump said would be a "big" announcement on tax reform , and could be an effort to marshal public support for the plan. Trump has staked much of his political support on delivering changes to the tax code, an initiative that has prompted investors to send markets surging to new records.

Interestingly, however, the rally will be held on the same night as the White House Correspondent's Dinner, and threatens to overshadow the gala known derisively as "Nerd Prom." Amid a spat with the press in February, Trump declared he wouldn't attend , departing with a long-held tradition where sitting presidents rub shoulders with the very reporters who cover the White House and Congress.

In recent years, the event itself has come under sharp criticism for being self-indulgent and rife with contradiction.





More From CNBC


BEIJING  Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged President Trump to show restraint toward North Korea despite signs that Pyongyang may be preparing a nuclear test. Xi made the appeal in a phone call with Trump on Monday that reflected growing alarm over North Koreas plans, which could tip the region into crisis.

The phone conversation came after Trump had already used a meeting with Xi in Florida, a follow-up phone call, interviews and Twitter messages to press Xi to do more to deter North Korea from holding additional nuclear and missile tests. The United States and its allies have been on alert for another atomic test by the North.

In the latest call, Xi indicated to Trump that China opposed any such test by North Korea, but he also nudged Trump to avoid a tit-for-tat response to the Norths fiery threats, according to a report on Chinese television.

China adamantly opposes any actions in contravention of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, Xi said, according to the report, evidently referring to a series of decisions by the council to punish North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs.

At the same time, it is hoped that all sides exercise restraint and avoid doing things that exacerbate tensions on the peninsula, Xi said, referring to the Korean Peninsula. Only if all sides live up to their responsibilities and come together from different directions can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible.

The comments reflected growing Chinese fears that the tensions between North Korea and the United States and its Asian allies could spiral into outright military conflict. That widening rift is presenting China with confounding choices between its long-standing ties to North Korea and its hopes for steady relations with the United States.

North Korea did not proceed with a nuclear test April 15, which some experts had expected, but work apparently resumed at its atomic test site in Punggye-ri, according to analysts who have assessed satellite images of the site.

In addition to his discussion with Xi, Trump also spoke with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on Monday. Abe told the president that he strongly endorsed Trumps position that all options were on the table.

Chris Buckley is a New York Times writer.
A man living in the crawl space above a public toilet has been arrested in Japan. But this was no cramped area: it's 92 square meters, or 990 square feet, roughly the same size as this San Francisco condo currently on sale for $995,000.

Takashi Yamanouchi, 54, had apparently been living in these relatively spacious quarters above the bathroom in a city park in the small city of Usuki for the past 3 years. He wasn't the first to find the roomy digs, but told The Mainichi that he moved in only after another squatter had moved out.
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

By Richard Cowan and Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump pressed Democrats on Monday to include funds for his promised border wall with Mexico in spending legislation as lawmakers worked to avoid a looming shutdown of the federal government.

The battle offers the Republican president, whose approval ratings have slid since he took office, a chance either to score his first big legislative win or be mired in a Washington stalemate as he marks 100 days in office on Saturday.

Republicans control both chambers of Congress, but a White House-backed bill to gut former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, failed to gather full party support and imploded last month.

Congressional leaders will likely have to decide by late on Tuesday whether negotiations are progressing enough to try to pass a spending bill funding the government through September, Senator Roy Blunt, a member of the Republican leadership and Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters on Monday.

If negotiations have slowed or stalled, Congress could pursue a short-term extension of existing spending levels to avoid parts of the federal government shutting down at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) on Saturday, giving lawmakers more time to reach a deal. Leading Democrats have said they would support such a measure only if talks are progressing.

Short-term funding measures, known as continuing resolutions, have been used to avert government shutdowns in the past. But in 2013, conservative Republicans forced a 17-day shutdown in a failed attempt to repeal Obamacare.

If no spending measure is in place before Saturday, government funds will halt and hundreds of thousands of the country's several million federal employees will be temporarily laid off.

Those in jobs deemed essential such as law enforcement are expected to keep working in the hope they will receive back pay. Non-essential sectors such as national parks are liable to be closed and programs such as federally funded medical research will grind to a halt.

Story continues

Although the White House said on Monday that another vote to repeal and replace Obamas signature healthcare law could not come for weeks, Trump is dangling the prospect of funding some elements of the law, which enabled millions more Americans to secure healthcare coverage, in exchange for Democrats' support in the spending talks.

The White House has offered to include $7 billion in Obamacare subsidies that allow low-income people to pay for healthcare insurance in exchange for Democratic backing of $1.5 billion in funding to begin construction of a barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border.

WALL FUNDS

Trump has argued that the wall, a major theme of his 2016 presidential campaign, is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the United States. In a Twitter message on Monday, Trump wrote: If... the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be!

Trump's demand that Congress include funds for the construction of the wall remains a White House priority, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday.

"The president has made very clear that he's got two priorities in this continuing resolution: No. 1, the increase in funding for the military and No. 2, for our homeland security and the wall," Spicer told reporters.

The White House is confident in the direction of the talks and an announcement is expected soon, Spicer said, although he declined to say specifically whether Trump would sign a bill that did not contain money for border security and the wall.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Monday called the wall "a pointless waste of taxpayer money. He repeated an assertion made last week that bipartisan negotiations in Congress were going well until the White House began demanding money for the wall as a condition for accepting a funding bill.

A funding bill will need 60 votes to clear the 100-member Senate, where Republicans hold 52 seats, meaning at least some Democrats will have to get behind it.

Trump has said Mexico will repay the United States for the wall if Congress funds it first. But the Mexican government is adamant it will not provide any financing and Trump has not laid out a plan to compel Mexico to pay. Department of Homeland Security internal estimates have placed the total cost of a border barrier at about $21.6 billion.

Aside from inflaming relations with a major trading partner, the planned wall has angered Democrats. They showed no sign of softening their opposition on Monday and sought to place responsibility for any shutdown squarely on Trump and congressional Republicans.

Republican aides in Congress provided no timetable for the unveiling of a bill to fund the government from April 28 to Sept. 30.

Failure to approve a government funding bill could throw new doubts over Republicans' ability to fashion a budget blueprint for the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1 or to succeed in a major effort to cut corporate and individual taxes that Trump has touted.

A Republican congressional aide said over the weekend that Democrats may agree to some aspects of the border wall, including new surveillance equipment and access roads, estimated to cost around $380 million. "But Democrats want the narrative that they dealt him a loss on the wall," the aide said.

(Additional reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Writing by Paul Simao and Amanda Becker; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney)
PARIS  Frances established parties are rallying around the man who helped shut them out of the presidential runoff, maverick centrist Emmanuel Macron  an alliance of convenience aimed at keeping far-right Marine Le Pen out of the Elysee Palace.

Support for Macron also poured in Monday from the seat of the European Union, as well as from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Jewish and Muslim groups troubled by Le Pens nationalist vision.

European stock markets surged, and Frances main index hit its highest level since early 2008, as investors gambled that the rise of populism around the world  and its associated unpredictability in policymaking  may have peaked.

For all the paeans to Macrons unifying vision in divided times, it is now up to French voters to decide whether to entrust him with this nuclear-armed nation in the May 7 presidential runoff. Polls consider him the front-runner but thats no guarantee that the French will come together to stop Le Pen the way they stopped her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from reaching the presidency in 2002.

Frances divided political mainstream, rejected by an angry electorate, united Monday to urge voters to back Macron and reject Le Pens far-right agenda.

Politicians on the moderate left and right, including French President Francois Hollande and the losing Socialist and Republican party candidates in Sundays first-round vote, maneuvered to block Le Pens path to power.

In a solemn address from the Elysee Palace, Hollande said he would vote for Macron, his former economy minister, because Le Pen represents both the danger of the isolation of France and of rupture with the European Union.

Hollande said the far-right would deeply divide France at a time when the terror threat requires solidarity.

Voters narrowed the French presidential field from 11 to two in Sundays first-round balloting, and losers from across the spectrum called on their supporters to choose Macron in round two. Only the defeated far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pointedly refused to back Macron.

The contest is widely seen as a litmus test for the populist wave that last year prompted Britain to vote to leave the European Union and U.S. voters to elect Donald Trump president.

Le Pen, meanwhile, is hoping to peel away voters historically opposed to her National Front Party, long tainted by racism and anti-Semitism. On Monday, she took a step in that direction, announcing she was temporarily stepping down as party leader, a move that appeared to be designed to draw a wider range of potential voters.

Angela Charlton and Elaine Ganley are Associated Press writers.
KABUL  The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top U.S. military officials said Monday.

At a news conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, Gen. John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldnt provide specifics about Russias role in Afghanistan. But said he would not refute that Moscows involvement includes giving weapons to the Taliban.

Earlier Monday, a senior U.S. military official told reporters in Kabul that Russia was giving machine guns and other medium-weight weapons. The Taliban are using the weapons in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, according to the official, who briefed journalists on condition of anonymity.

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Russia says contacts are limited to safeguarding security and getting the hard-line religious fundamentalists to reconcile with the government.

Asked about Russias activity in Afghanistan, where it fought a bloody war in the 1980s and withdrew in defeat, Mattis alluded to the increasing U.S. concerns.

Well engage with Russia diplomatically, Mattis said. Well do so where we can, but were going to have to confront Russia where what theyre doing is contrary to international law.

Mattis met with President Ashraf Ghani and other senior government officials just hours after the nations defense minister and Army chief resigned over a massacre of more than 140 Afghan troops at a military base on Friday.

Nicholson recently told Congress that he needs a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

Robert Burns is an Associated Press writer.
PATNA, India  Maoist rebels killed at least 25 Indian paramilitary soldiers and injured six others in their stronghold in central India on Monday in one of the worst attacks on the countrys security forces in recent years, police said.

The rebels fired from hilltops at a group of soldiers who were guarding workers building roads in a forested area of Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state, police officer Vishwaranjan said.

CNNNews18 television quoted a soldier as saying that hundreds of rebels attacked members of the Central Reserve Police Force and there was an exchange of gunfire between the two sides.

The insurgents, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting for more than three decades in central and eastern India, staging hit-and-run attacks to press their demand for a greater share of wealth and more jobs for the poor.

Last month, the rebels killed 11 paramilitary soldiers in an ambush in the region. In 2010, 76 Central Reserve Police Force soldiers were killed in the Dantewada district in the same state in a similar attack by the rebels.

The government says the rebels are Indias biggest internal security threat. According to the Home Ministry, they operate in 20 of Indias 29 states and have thousands of fighters.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently told Parliament that the Maoists are frustrated because of the success of security operations against them. He said that in 2016, 135 rebels were killed, 700 were arrested and another 1,198 surrendered, according to the New Delhi Television news channel.

Indrajit Singh is an Associated Press writer.
The Trump administration on Monday said it was imposing sanctions on 271 employees of the Syrian government agency that produces chemical weapons and ballistic missiles, blacklisting them from travel and financial transactions in the wake of a sarin attack on civilians this month.

The sanctions on members of President Bashar Assads Scientific Studies and Research Center more than doubles the number of Syrian individuals and entities whose property has been blocked by the United States and who are barred from financial transactions with American people or companies. It seeks to punish those behind this months chemical weapons attacks and previous ones carried out by Assads government, senior administration officials said, and to deter others who are contemplating similar actions.

The United States is sending a strong message with this action that we will hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons, Steven Mnuchin, the secretary of the Treasury, said in a statement. We take Syrias disregard for innocent human life very seriously.

It was the second time the U.S. government has imposed sanctions on Syrians for the governments use of chemical weapons. The Treasury Department blacklisted 18 Syrians in January after an investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the international body that polices chemical weapons, determined that the government had been responsible for three chlorine gas attacks.

Syria agreed in a 2013 pact brokered by Russia to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal and get rid of material that could be used to resume the manufacture of such weapons. But U.S. officials have said that this months attack, in Khan Sheikhoun, indicated that the Assad government still had the capacity to make and use chemical weapons.

In a report issued by the National Security Council this month that included a declassified account of the Khan Sheikhoun attack, the White House said that U.S. intelligence information had indicated that personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in March and on the day of the attack preparing for the sarin assault.

That airfield is believed to have been used by Syrian government warplanes to carry out the attack. President Trump ordered an air strike on the airfield days later.

Julie Hirschfeld Davis is a New York Times writer.
Santa Fe school board hits the books

There's a big study session for the SFPS Board of Education tonight. The district will examine (but not vote on) options for making up a budget shortfall that's somewhere between $2 and $9 million. The options include closing two elementary schools. There's a public comment period, too, which should be interesting.

'To hell in a nutshell'

Many New Mexicans have been going by a name that's close tobut not exactly the same astheir given name for most of their lives. It hasn't been much of a problem, but lately the necessity of a REAL ID-compliant driver's license has

that one man described as "hell in a nutshell."

What ails the New Mexico economy?

Maybe most people here weren't getting rich before the recession, but for a time, they were working at a rate better than the national average. No longer. The state has the nation's highest unemployment rate and what's wrong is

.

SFR founder to be honored

Richard McCord, who moved west to Santa Fe and founded the

Santa Fe Reporter

in the 1970s, is being honored as a living treasure. Across the street at the

Santa Fe New Mexican,

Milan Simonich

of explaining Dick McCord's drive, his passion for news and his love for his hometown.

Now we'd like you to do it for free

It's not a huge programit has a $10,000 price tagbut the University of New Mexico College of Education has been giving teachers who host UNM's student teachers a $50 or $100 stipend for time spent mentoring. The current budget climate means that program, slim as it may be,

.

Confusing bathroom passes roil APS

Bathroom passes handed out by one teacher at an Albuquerque high school featured the phrase "don't get confused" above symbols for the girls and boys bathrooms. Some took offense, saying there's an

. The district says they are unacceptable, whatever the teacher's intent.

March for Science

The March for Science was a global event, as people took to the streets to support everything from stable funding for scientific research to greater belief in the power of science to inform public policy. New Mexico participated with marches

, including here in Santa Fe. Catch some of the event on

.

Warm year, warm week

It's the warmest year on record at the Albuquerque Sunport, and the National Weather Service says that's likely to continue. This will be a

.

Thanks for reading! The Word is investing in sunscreen.

Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/signup

Santa Fe Reporter
Chorus, whose shares have gained 40 percent in the past two years, will join the S&P/ASX 200 Index on May 2, bringing to eight the number of New Zealand companies with a primary listing on the NZX that are also on the Australian benchmark index.

Chorus will replace Duet Group, which is being acquired by an investment group, subject to a scheme of arrangement. Chorus has a market capitalisation of A$1.6 billion. Its shares have outperformed the ASX 200 in the past five years, gaining 50 percent while the index rose 35 percent. The stock rose 3 percent to $4.34 on the NZX today.

While there will be only eight NZX-listed companies on the ASX 200, the Australian stock exchange counts 50 New Zealand companies that have sought to list their shares on the Australian bourse, either through a conventional listing or an ASX foreign exempt listing, which accounts for 35 of the companies. The foreign-exempt category was introduced in 2015, making it easier for Kiwi companies to dual-list by removing requirements to meet compliance with both sets of listing rules.

They include seven New Zealand-based companies that bypassed the NZX in favour of an ASX listing that offers access to deeper pools of capital and greater liquidity, including Neuren Pharmaceuticals, which develops biopharmaceuticals to treat brain injuries and disorders, 9 Spokes International, which sells business tools for smaller companies, jetpack maker Martin Aircraft, and wifi services company Tomizone.

The ASX 200 have a market capitalisation of about A$1.67 trillion while the NZX All Capital Index has a value of about $112 billion.

(BusinessDesk)

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FILE PHOTO - The GM logo is seen in Warren, Michigan, U.S. on October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

By Andrew Chung and David Shepardson

(Reuters) - General Motors Co's (GM.N) bid to block hundreds of lawsuits, potentially worth billions of dollars, over a deadly ignition-switch defect broke down on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal claiming the suits were barred by the No. 1 American automaker's 2009 bankruptcy.

The justices declined to review a 2016 ruling by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected GM's bid to block customer lawsuits related to crashes and diminished vehicle value because the plaintiffs had not been properly notified of the defect prior to the bankruptcy filing.

The case involved a faulty ignition switch in GM vehicles linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries. The switch could slip out of place, causing engine stalls while driving and cutting power to critical brakes, steering and air bag systems.

GM spokesman Jim Cain said in a statement the denial of the appeal "was not a decision on the merits, and it's likely that the issues we raised will have to be addressed in the future in other venues because the Second Circuit's decision departed substantially from well-settled bankruptcy law."

Investors shrugged off the ruling as GM shares rose $0.33, or 1 percent, to $34.08 in Monday trading.

The court's action allows lawsuits to proceed over pre-bankruptcy death, injury, economic loss and used-car economic losses.

"Hundreds of death and injury cases have been frozen in place for years as GM wrongly tried to hide behind a fake bankruptcy," Robert Hilliard, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. "Now, GM can hide no more."

GM's Cain said that "as a practical matter, this doesn't change the landscape much in terms of the GM litigation. The plaintiffs must still establish their right to assert successor liability claims. From there, (they) still have to prove those claims have merit."

The defect prompted Detroit-based GM to begin recalling 2.6 million vehicles in 2014. It has already paid roughly $2.5 billion in criminal and civil penalties and settlements and legal fees in connection with the switch. The company previously acknowledged that some of its employees knew about the switch defect for years before a recall was initiated.

Story continues

In 2015, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled that GM was shielded from liability over its pre-bankruptcy actions. The 2nd Circuit reversed that ruling. Since the plaintiffs were not properly notified of the defect or bankruptcy filing, barring them from suing GM would violate their constitutional rights to due process, the court found.

"Due process applies even in a company's moment of crisis," the appeals court stated.

That ruling affected injury and death cases stemming from pre-bankruptcy crashes, as well as claims from customers who said their vehicles lost value as a result of the ignition switch and recalls involving other parts. The claims could be worth up to $10 billion, according to court papers.

GM, supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, said under the federal bankruptcy code, its 2009 bankruptcy sale to a new government-owned entity made it "free and clear" of former liabilities.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
FILE PHOTO: Uber drivers' cars are parked outside the Ministry of Transportation building during a protest in Taipei, Taiwan February 26, 2017. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

By Julia Fioretti

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - U.S. ride-hailing app Uber told Europe's top court on Monday that it was a digital service, not a transport service, and that a French law clearly targeted online taxi services, in its latest European legal battle with the taxi industry.

Uber expanded into Europe five years ago and has come under attack from taxi companies who see it as unfair competition bypassing strict licensing and safety rules.

In a hearing in Europe's top court in Luxembourg, the U.S. start-up described itself as a digital platform connecting willing passengers with drivers and said it does not itself provide a transport service, which would see it subjected to stricter rules.

Hugues Calvet, Uber's lawyer, compared it to online hotel booking services like Booking.com, saying they did not actually provide the room.

"In fact it doesn't give the transport service itself," Calvet said.

The case before the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ), referred to it by a court in Lille, concerns a 2014 French law on taxis and chauffeured services which makes it a criminal offence to organize illegal taxi services and sets restrictions on the use of software to find customers in the street.

Two of Uber's executives in France were fined last year over UberPOP, Uber's service using unlicensed drivers, which has since been suspended.

Uber, as well as the European Commission, also argued that the French law targeted electronically provided taxi services and therefore Brussels ought to have been notified about it. EU law requires that Brussels be informed of measures relating to online services.

France did not notify Brussels of its law and as such criminal penalties cannot be enforced against Uber, the company argued.

It is the second case concerning Uber that the Luxembourg judges will rule on, the other being a dispute with Barcelona's main taxi operator in which the ECJ is asked whether Uber is a digital service or a transport service.

Story continues

"PRETTY BIG NUT"

The legal tests stand to define whether the Silicon Valley company has a future in Europe after years of battles with city regulators and local taxi associations. Its service has been banned in several countries or cities around Europe after the company lost lawsuits in France, Germany, Belgium and Spain.

The court battles come as Uber struggles with a wave of executive departures and criticism of its work culture.

Referring to the penalties foreseen in the French law, Calvet said a "sledgehammer has been used to crack a nut."

Tayeb Ismi-Nedjadi, a lawyer for the French public prosecutor, replied that Uber was no small company, so "when we're talking about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, we're talking about a pretty big nut."

Uber is valued at $68 billion and its investors include Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and GV, formerly known as Google Ventures (GOOGL.O).

France said its law was not aimed at online services and would also have targeted people meeting travelers at airports and touting illegal taxi rides.

Joanna Hottiaux, a lawyer for the European Commission, said it was hard to imagine that people touting illegal taxi services could be so widespread as to require specific legislation.

An ECJ adviser will give a non-binding opinion on the case on July 4. The case is C-320/16.

(Reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
WASHINGTON: The vexed issue of the Trump administration mulling curbs in H-1B visas has been taken up with by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with the American authorities during his ongoing visit, an Indian official said on Sunday.

The issue was raised by Jaitley during his meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin here on Saturday, an Indian Finance Ministry statement said.

"Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised the issue of H-1B visas for skilled professionals from India and highlighted the contribution which Indian companies and professionals are making to US economy," it said.

The issue stems from recent executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump which indicate a possible tightening of the H-1B visas.

"Issues related to terror funding were also discussed and the US Treasury Secretary appreciated the role of India in this regard, including Indo-US cooperation in FATF (Financial Action Task Force)," the statement said.

"Critical economic issues like Indo-US Investment Initiative, infrastructure collaboration, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, collaboration with USA for smart cities development, etcetera, were deliberated upon during the meeting," it added.

Jaitley is on a five-day visit to the US to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

According to the Finance Ministry, Jaitley also held bilateral meetings with the Finance Ministers of Sweden, France and Bangladesh, as well as with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

Meanwhile, the US, in turn, has alleged that Indian IT companies were unfairly cornering the major share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which the current US administration wants to replace with a more merit-linked immigration policy.

"The top recipients of the H-1B 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 they'll get the lion's share of visas," a senior US official said at a White House briefing last week, according to transcripts posted on the White House website.

"And those three companies are companies that have an average wage for H-1B visas between $60,000 and $65,000. By contrast, the median Silicon Valley (US) software engineer's wage is probably around $150,000," the official said.

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COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is looking forward to strengthen economic cooperation with India, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, noting that development of strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee will be discussed during his visit to the country next week.



Wickremesinghe will arrive in New Delhi on April 25 on a five-day visit during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further expand ties in a range of areas.



Addressing reporters in the central town of Kandy yesterday, Wickremesinghe said he was looking forward to strengthen economic cooperation with India.



He said the development of eastern port district of Trincomalee will be discussed during the visit.



"We have plans for an Indian LNG plant in Trincomalee. That could also be a joint venture with Japan," the Prime Minister said.



India and Sri Lanka will jointly operate the oil storage facility at the strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee.



At least 73 of the 99 storage tanks in Trincomalee is to be managed under a new equity arrangement between the two countries, Lankan Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody had said earlier.



Wickremesinghe's trip comes ahead of Modi's visit to Sri Lanka next month to take part in the celebrations marking the UN 'Vesak Day', the most important in the Buddhist calendar.



The Lankan Prime Minister's visit will also be significant in view of the negotiations on the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India.



The ETCA has met with stiff resistance by trade unions and opposition groups.



The Sri Lankan Prime Minsiter has expressed his resolve to seal the ETCA before the end of this year.

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(Photos by Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu; far right and bottom left images by AP Photos)

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Chocolate is love. And if you love chocolate, then brace yourself for something exciting: New York now has its first-ever, 5,000-square-foot chocolate museum, which opened on March 7 to the delight of serious dessert lovers.

Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum and Experience with Jacques Torres is located at the famed chocolatier's Soho location at 350 Hudson Street.

If you're a chocoholic like me, you've probably visited one of the famed chocolatier's nine stores throughout New York City. I've been to the one in DUMBO and can attest to its fabulousness.

"I'm so passionate about all things chocolate that I can think of nothing better than having the opportunity to share my knowledge and its history," said Torres, who partnered with the team behind similar museums around the globe. "Creating an immersive experience in New York that would reflect our love of chocolate was our mutual goal."

Here are 11 reasons you should check out the new Choco-Story Museum:

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

1. Because this chocolate museum is no joke. (Watch this video!)

They take seriously the task of educating guests on the history of chocolate and have the Mayan chocolate-making artifacts used in Ecuador in 3500 BC. See displays of pottery and knives used when cacao was deemed a divine drink of the gods and was consumed during human sacrifices.

(Photo courtesy Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu)

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

2. Because Choco-Story also appreciates their younger clientele ...

... offering them a "kids' corner," an interactive, educational space. Little ones can "dig" for artifacts and in a sand box and play chocolate store in the toy kitchen and cash register.

(Photos courtesy Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu)

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

3. Because they offer a bon-bon making demonstration.

(Photos courtesy Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu)

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

4. Because there's a separate area that follows the bean-to-bar journey

Starting with the cacao tree in the Amazonian rainforest and ending in the fermentation process that results in the chocolate we know we love.

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5. Because Jacques Torres has teamed up with Choco-Story guru Eddy Van Belle

Van Belle currently has chocolate museums in Belgium, France and Mexico. Now the best city in the world has one, too! Check out mouthwatering videos form the Paris (above) and Mexican (below) museums here.

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6. Because there are chocolate samples aplenty.

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

7. Because you can see on display special drinking mugs ...

... like a 1750 Spanish cup fashioned from coconut shell and silver, used in Europe when cacao was the drink of choice among nobility. (Photos courtesy Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu)

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8. Because of the choco-history.

For example: There is a pre-Columbian grinding stone from 500 AD, a ca. 1750-1800 horse-shaped chocolate-cutter used to prepare chocolate pieces for drinks, and French Art Deco chocolate boxes from 1850. Speaking of history, check out Jacques' "Recipe for Business Success" in this clip.

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9. Because you can get bona fide.

In addition to a tour, guests can roll up their sleeves and take a chocolate-making experience taught by a bona fide chocolatier. And at the end they get to eat their creations. Speaking of bona fide: Check out Jacques Torres with the legendary Julia Child in this classic clip. (Excuse the choppy quality, btw; this is vintage!)

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10. Because there are hand-made truffles.

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11. Because of Jacques.

Jacques Torres is the Dean of Pastry Arts at The International Culinary Center (ICC) and has asked students to create a New York City skyline made of chocolate and it's on display in the museum.

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Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Where it is ...

Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum and Experience With Jacques Torres, 350 Hudson Street (entrance on King Street), timed tickets are $15 from mrchocolate.com/museum .

(Photos courtesy Choco-Story New York/Kevin Chiu)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Every doll has its day. For Grandmas2Share creator Marguerite Spagnuolo, that day is Friday on ABC's new reality competition series, "The Toy Box."

The "Shark Tank" spin-off for entrepreneurs -- hosted by Emmy-winning actor Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family") -- features the Bulls Head resident attempting to sell her line of plush dolls to a panel of junior judges at 8 p.m.

Don't get Spagnuolo's Grandmas2Share confused with Cabbage Patch Kids or American Girl Dolls: The plush dolls dressed in floral are not intended to be just toys. They were made to bring comfort to girls and boys who miss -- or never knew -- their grandmother.

"She's supposed to be your family member, not your Barbie doll," Spagnuolo said.

Sure, selling her product to, say, 10-year-old boys was anticipated to be a challenge but Spagnuolo said she's up to the challenge. And working with host Stonestreet was a blast: "He is super funny in person. It looked like he had a great time on set."

Gearing up for her TV debut, Spagnuolo tells SILive she'll host a viewing party for close friends and family Friday night at her Bulls Head home.

MOTHERLY LOVE IN EVERY STITCH

The Staten Island native started her one-woman-show of a business in 2014, when her daughter began to ask about the matriarchs that came before her.

Spagnuolo's daughter, now 13-years-old, never had the chance to meet her grandmothers since they both died before she was born.

"I drew two pictures of what my grandmothers looked like and I cut them out, and my daughter said, 'I wish they were really here.' That's when bells went off in my head," Spagnuolo said when SILive spoke to her back in 2014.

Grandmas2Share dolls come dressed in floral, rocking soft circular earrings and a mini purse meant to hold a photo of you and your grandma. "NiNi" and "MaMu" -- going for $34.99 each -- are the only Grandma dolls available as of now, but Spagnuolo plans on releasing two new models in the near future.

The dolls are programmed to say a few catch phrases but the new models, according to Spagnuolo, will be able to record custom messages for the doll to repeat.

The proprietor told SILive her next doll, rocking golden curls with a blue and yellow floral dress-- will be named "MaMita." Spagnuolo's motto is "You name it, we're gonna make it!"

Grandma dolls are sold solely at Grandmas2Share.com.

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE 'THE TOY BOX'

ABC's "The Toy Box" puts toy makers to the ultimate test: How well do kids actually like their product?

Amateur inventors from around the world go head to head to please a panel of junior judges. The kids will test, critique and decide which toys they like best. The competition's quirky panel of judges includes Aalyrah, Noah, Sophia Grace and Toby.

Before they go head first into "The Toy Box" to meet the junior judges, contestants are critiqued and voted in by professional toy reviewer Jim Silver, Dylan Lauren of Dylan's Candy Bar and Jen Tan of Pixar.

The winner receives backing from the big name toy making company, Mattel, responsible for products like Barbie dolls, Monster High and Fisher Price products.

The winning toy will hit the shelves of Toys R Us after the final episode.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 55-year-old school crossing guard allegedly punched a man inside a mobile home where they both live in Mariners Harbor.

The crossing guard is the aunt of the victim and they live at the same residence, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Katherine Gabel, 55, was arrested inside the 121st Precinct stationhouse in Graniteville on Saturday at about 10:30 p.m., according to police and the criminal complaint.

Gabel, who stands 5' 1" and weighs about 140 pounds, is accused of punching the face and shoulder of a male inside a trailer on the 2700 block of Goethals Road North at about 5:20 p.m. on Saturday, according to the criminal complaint and police.

The victim told police had he had prior surgery on that left shoulder and that he had more pain after being assaulted, according to police.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Along with traditional reading, writing and arithmetic, students at Tottenville's PS 1 got a 21st-century lesson in computer coding Monday, thanks to a new program being rolled out by Google.

PS 1 is Staten Island's pilot school for Google's "CS First Roadshow," a computer science program that teaches kids about the importance of STEM education through interactive coding presentations.

"It's estimated that more than 500,000 U.S. computer science jobs will be unfilled by 2020. Programs like this are critical to ensuring that our next generation will have the skills they need to fill these positions," said Rep. Daniel Donovan, who attended Monday's program. "It's great to see young students engaged and inspired as they learn valuable skills that will support their future success."

Google staffers brought in laptops to introduce each student to computer programing language and coding. Fourth- and fifth-graders used a program called Adventure on the High Seas and coding called "Scratch" to create interactive stories on their laptop.

Former Staten Island Congresswoman Susan Molinari, now vice president of public policy for Google, was also at the demonstration.

"Your future is going to be all about computers," Molinari told students. "Coding is not hard, it's not mysterious. You can do it. and it can be a lot of fun."

Principal Grace Silberstein and Staten Island Schools Superintendent Anthony Lodico walked around looking over students' work and said they were impressed by their enthusiasm and knowledge.

"Coding helps you edit and change things you want to do on your computer," explained fifth-grader Nicholas Baillargeon. He added he'd like to design his own app one day "to help people."

More information about Google's CS First program is available at www.cs-first.com.

(Click on the Comment button above if you would like to discuss this topic.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Officials at the Richmond University Medical Center will be hosting a meeting with local residents Monday night regarding their ongoing expansion, a spokesman for the hospital said.

The meeting, which will be with the Randall Manor Civic Association, will be at 7:00 p.m., the spokesman said.

This will be another in a handful of meetings with the surrounding neighborhood, he said.

Construction of the $62.5 million expansion of the hospital's emergency room kicked off in September.

The new facility will be named after former Borough President James Molinaro, who has been a board member since 1980 when the hospital was St. Vincent's, and who helped secure funding for the institution.

While the new facility is being built, the existing overburdened emergency room will remain open. Once the new building is completed, the old space will be retrofitted for other uses.
While some believe that Trump has succeeded with polices he has put forth -- or at least tried to enact -- in his first 100 days, others feel he's headed down a road of failure that is filled with broken campaign promises.

The president's official 100th day in office is April 29.

"I give President Trump a 6 (out of 10) for his first 100 days. His failure to repeal and replace Obamacare showed that neither he nor Congress was ready with an action plan," said Leticia Remauro, president and CEO of The Von Agency, Castleton Corners.

"Also, his claim that President Obama had him wire-tapped and the questions surrounding whether or not members of his inner circle have been engaged with Russia are weakening his persona. In short, his first 100 days have been as filled with sensationalism and drama as his campaign was," she added.

However, some area merchants favor Trump's desire to lessen regulations they say hurts their businesses.

"I like some of his policies for small businesses, like the rolling back of regulations," said Joe Marchese, a principal in Financial Planning Concepts in Bloomfield. "There needs to be common sense regulations. It's overbearing on some industries."

Other business owners say Trump has simply failed to make changes during his first few months as president.

"I do not think that Trump's first 100 days are particularly successful. It seems Trump was very concerned with having many meetings and discussing important mainstream topics, but simply having meetings is not proactive enough to make positive change," said Ann Marie Selfridge, CEO of Act Care Group, an adult day care facility in Castleton Corners.

REPEAL OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Selfridge, like many other small business owners in the borough, is particularly concerned about Trump's promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

"Working in the health care field and servicing a sick and disabled population, the changes to ACA, depending what they might have been, could have significantly impacted my business," she said.

"...Much of the focus is aimed at the private trade that occurs between the corporations who manage the care. I thought there was going to be a break and a better system would be arranged for Americans. Instead, the new plan (initially proposed by Trump) was weak, mirrored much of the existing ACA and targeted the removal of Medicaid, which is one of the largest functioning and positive health care systems that exist," she added.

But not all Island business owners were opposed to Trump's proposed reform of the ACA.



"His number one issue was repealing and reforming Obamacare, yet he wasn't able to get it through Congress," said Barry Crupi, owner of Barry's Auto Body in Eltingville.

"I know he has many critics, but it is ridiculous that a system makes able-bodied, hard-working Americans pay so much for health care. ... I was dropped from my insurance after Obamacare care and my options are very limited. I can not get one of the better companies I would like to get. They just won't take me after the Affordable Care Act even though I pay an insane amount of taxes," he added.

SUCCESS OR FAILURE?

Some business owners say a president's failure or success can't be measured in just 100 days.

"While he (Trump) failed to get it (Obamacare) repealed, it shouldn't be considered a failure unless he gives up. Thomas Edison always thought of his failures as getting him that much closer to success," said Marchese.

Although Marchese touted Trump's "hard work," he said he feels that Trump "keeps shooting himself in the foot when it comes to his communicating."

"I think his heart is in the right place. I think he wants to fix health care. I think he wants to bring jobs back to the inner city. ... He needs bipartisan support to fix some of the major problems facing our country today," added Marchese.

A LEVEL OF DISTRUST

However, distrust in Trump's abilities is cause for worry, say many business owners.

"It is discouraging that a great deal of the American public aren't supportive of Trump or the policies he proposes regarding many important issues that directly affect people's every day lives. It isn't a good indicator that a great deal of American people don't trust their leader," Selfridge said.

"Distrust and doubt often give people unrest and uneasy feelings. The media plays a huge role in forming perception for people, but with that being said, I don't think Trump uses the media to his advantage, and is quick to make enemies with one of his most powerful tools," she added.

Robert Honor, who owns of Honor Wines in St. George with his wife Lorie, said they are not fans of Trump, adding that the president has done nothing to help small business owners.

In fact, Lorie Honor said she thinks Trump's presidency has created a negative mood that could affect the patronage of small businesses.

"I think when people aren't happy, they don't feel like going out. ... The mindset of a community is important to the happiness of the community. He's created a less happy climate to do business," she said, noting that Honor Wines has a safety pin painted on the front window that some people have taken as a political symbol against Trump.

He husband explained: "That safety pin is not about politics. It's about community. It's about all the things we hope for in our families, community and our life. It's about heart, and having conversations."

Want to discuss this report? Click the comment link near this story's headline to join in the conversation.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Brandon Lee Getz was driving south down the West Shore Expressway two years ago when he saw headlights bearing down on him in the early morning darkness.

Getz, a tractor trailer driver, couldn't believe his eyes. A car was headed straight at him. In the wrong direction.

"I seen headlights coming toward me down the middle" of the road between the two southbound lanes, Getz testified Monday at wrong-way crash cop Pedro Abad's trial.

"I slammed on the brakes and swerved to the left against the guardrail, and he came and hit me," said Getz. "I was just hoping he stayed where he was and he would have missed me."

Getz said he felt and heard a "loud ... jolt," when the two vehicles collided on the grassy median next to the guardrail, and his tractor's hood "flew off."

"I was in shock," he said.

Getz was one of two prosecution witnesses to take the stand Monday in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Abad, 29, a former Linden, N.J. police officer, is accused of speeding and driving drunk the wrong way on the West Shore Expressway, and slamming into a tractor trailer around 4:50 a.m., killing two passengers, Joseph Rodriguez and Linden P.O. Frank Viggiano, while seriously injuring himself and another passenger, former Linden cop Patrik Kudlac.

He is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and other crimes.

Getz said he delivers flour for a mill in Lititz, Pa., in Lancaster County.

JUST DELIVERED TO BAKERY

He said he had just dropped off a load at a Brooklyn bakery and was returning to Pennsylvania when the wreck occurred.

The witness said he was driving behind a box truck in the left lane when he saw that truck move into the right lane.

He said he then saw two other vehicles ahead of him swerve.

It was at that point, Getz said he saw a car's headlights coming at him.

The witness said the car was straddling the broken white line between the right and left lanes.

Getz swerved left in a bid to avoid the crash, and would have done so if the car had stayed straight. However, the car moved toward him, and the front passenger sides of his tractor and the car slammed into each other.

The impact catapulted the hood of his tractor onto the center guardrail, he said.

COULDN'T ESTIMATE SPEED

Getz could not estimate his speed at impact, but said his tractor is programmed so that it can't exceed 72 mph.

The speed limit on the West Shore Expressway is 50 mph, per witness testimony.

A detective previously testified the crash data recorder on Abad's car show it was traveling at 73 mph one second before the crash and at 68 mph when its airbag deployed.

Getz said he didn't approach the car after the collision, and went to the hospital with minor injuries.

He was administered Breathalyzer tests both at the scene and the hospital, as well as a drug test at the hospital, he said. The witness said he wasn't cited for drug or alcohol use.

During Getz's testimony, prosecutors replayed a video shot from the dashboard camera of a limousine, which had been driving on the expressway in the right lane behind Getz.

The video shows Getz passing the limo and a short time later, the limo passing the crash scene.

Abad stared straight ahead and down at the defense table when the video was projected on a large screen for jurors. Roseann Rodriguez, Rodriguez's sister, began weeping.

The trial resumes Tuesday with the medical examiner, a DNA expert and a Curves bartender among the witnesses expected to testify for prosecutors.

--

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The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), over the past weeks has been meeting with various stakeholders as it relates to preparatory multi-agency response, and has stepped up surveillance for yellow fever in the wake of an increase in yellow fever reports emanating from several Latin American countries.

CPSs surveillance mechanism was placed on alert for any potential yellow fever cases in January.

Sint Maarten does not have any yellow fever cases, but due to the current situation of yellow fever being detected in areas in countries where no cases have been detected in several years, this has increased the countrys alert level.

The department is requesting for all to be on the alert and be proactive if you experience any symptoms after having travelled to an endemic Yellow Fever area. You are requested to consult your physician.

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease that is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America. Transmission is primarily between monkeys, and from monkeys to humans.

According to the most recent Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) epidemiological update, suspected and confirmed yellow fever cases have been reported in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Suriname.

Reports of disease spreading among animals is currently under investigation in states bordering Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela, represent a risk of spread of the virus to the bordering countries, especially in areas within similar ecosystems.

In Brazil, since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2016 up to 12, April 2017, there were 2,422 cases of yellow fever reported, including 326 deaths. The case fatality rate is 34 per cent among confirmed cases.

PAHO adds that given the current yellow fever situation in Brazil and the emergence of cases in areas where no cases have been detected in several years, Member States are urged to continue efforts to timely detect, confirm, and adequately treat cases of yellow fever within a timely manner. To this end, health care workers should be kept up-to-date and trained to detect and treat cases especially in areas of known virus circulation.

PAHO and the World Health Organization encourage Member States to take the necessary actions to keep travellers, heading to areas where yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, informed and vaccinated.

The virus is transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti, the same mosquito that can transmit the dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses. Mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected primates (human or non-human) and then transmit the virus to other primates (human or non-human).

In urban areas e.g. within the communities of Sint Maarten, risk can be reduced by eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites and reducing your exposure to mosquito bites.

There is one sure way of mitigating mosquito borne diseases, and that is removing mosquito breeding sites from within and surrounding your premises, and apply mosquito repellent to stop mosquitoes from feeding.

Symptoms of yellow fever according to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) usually appear three to six days after the bite of an infected mosquito. In the initial phase, they include fever, muscle pain, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.

For most patients, these symptoms disappear after three to four days. Some patients enter a second, more toxic phase within 24 hours of the initial remission.

High fever returns, and several body systems are affected, including the kidneys. Half of patients who enter this toxic phase die within 10 to 14 days, while the rest recover without significant organ damage.

Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against yellow fever.

The vaccine is safe, affordable and highly effective, providing effective immunity within 30 days for 99% of those vaccinated.

A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and life-long protection, with no need for a booster. The yellow fever vaccine must be administered at least 10 days prior to travel. Persons that travel to endemic countries where yellow fever is confirmed should get the vaccine.

Travelers with contraindications for yellow fever vaccine (e.g. children below 9 months, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with severe hypersensitivity to egg antigens, and severe immunodeficiency or over 60 years of age) should consult their health professional for further advice about the yellow fever vaccine.

For more information call CPS at 542-2078, 542-3003 or email surveillance@sintmaartengov.org




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"They also felt they had a weak spot in the collection around music that internally they had decided to address and the position will help with that [their art holdings, for example, are much stronger]."

"Tim had also overseen the project as part of the Anzac Centenary Cultural Fund committee which had funded the Flowers of War. It was felt that the work was strong and cost effective and that it would be good to extend me so that I could continue after the 2018 funding ran out for my World War I work.

Latham's appointment will run until 2021. "Tim Sullivan of the Australian War Memorial and some of the staff engaged quite seriously as partners in the Flowers of War concerts about Gallipoli and the Somme so had seen the work up close," he says.

Chris Latham has been appointed musical artist in residence for the Australian War Memorial until 2021.

Much of Latham's job will involve researching, recovering, restoring (often through typesetting and arranging) and recording musical works written during war by serving Australians. Where pieces don't exist, he will propose a commissioning program whereby prominent composers create works about major battles that have no pieces of music to represent them. He says he will "act as a midwife, helping the composers to create works that can speak eloquently about these terrible events and give a voice both to the lost, and to those who lost them".

Latham has been involved with war-related music for a long time: he began work on his Gallipoli Symphony in 2005, working on it for "about three months a year of work for a decade".

While he says "artists are often the last ones to understand why we make the things we do", he acknowledges that "with the benefit of distance, there were clues that pointed the way. A childhood spent daydreaming with toy soldiers about the archetypes of manhood  courage, fortitude, sacrifice and loss. Growing up with Saturday afternoon war movies, the cheap left over propaganda of a previous generation, and the astonishing memorising of a vast, seemingly useless minutiae: the details of battles, planes  the names and specifications of the weapons of war.

"I was also fascinated by the war service of my family and the damage it had caused. I had two grandparents who served, one in World War I, one in World War II, who were both unable to love their children [his parents] as a result. My grandmother, who conversely loved everyone, was cruelly haunted by nightmares from her time serving as a nurse in the Somme. My great-uncle Peter, a famous musicologist, as a young man had hoped to be a great pianist and composer, but for his shoulder being smashed by a bullet, making it deeply painful for him to play."
Four sculptures in the National Gallery of Australia's Asian antiquities collection have been listed as stolen by Indian authorities.

The Indian High Commission advised the NGA that the pieces were subject to investigations by the Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police.

The sacred bull Nandi, vehicle of Shiva 11-12th century, is one of the four pieces reported as stolen, part of the National Gallery of Australia's collection.

Two of the pieces were purchased from Art of the Past - a New York art gallery owned by dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is accused of smuggling more than $100 million of looted or stolen art from India. Mr Kapoor is currently in prison in India.

The NGA was embroiled in the scandal in after it was revealed that one of its showcase pieces, the $5.6 million Dancing Shiva, was purchased from Mr Kapoor.
While the locations are split about equally between the northside and southside, about one in four of the nominated spots is in the Belconnen region, around one in five is in Tuggeranong.

"The first time the speed van came here [Overall Street in Casey] to monitor speed they picked up 66 speeding motorists," Mr Rattenbury said.

"They've come 18 times in the intervening months and the last time they came, just four speeding fines in this area so we are seeing motorists respond to the increased presence in the vans, which is improving safety in our street."

Mobile shift supervisor Tony Taseski said eight camera vans were out each day and five were out at night.

The cameras can monitor up to six lanes of traffic and watch both sides of the road. They can detect a speeding driver up to about 100 metres away (so last-minute braking might not save you).
Last budget the government announced a permanent 25 per cent discount in licence fees to 3.375 per cent of gross revenue, down from 4.5 per cent of gross revenue.

But would cuts in licence fees be enough to save the industry?

Television broadcast licence fees are top of mind in the media industry this week as the federal budget approaches and Network Ten readies for what are expected to be stormy half-year results.

Would a cut to licence fees save commercial networks? Credit:Viki Lascaris

This means the government will receive about $108 million in fees, down from $154 million the year before.

Effectively, the discount reduces Network Ten's fees to about $23 million, down from about $30 million on their 2015-16 revenues of $676 million. Nine's fees drop from about $58 million to $43 million, and Seven's from $77 million to about $58 million.

But the networks want more cuts, arguing licence fees are lower overseas and they repay the public through licence obligations and economic stimulation. For example, UK broadcasters only pay 0.18 per cent of revenue in fees, Seven told a parliamentary committee. (For companies with revenue the size of Ten, Seven, and Nine the fees would be about 0.27 per cent).

More recently they have asked for fee cuts to compensate for a proposed ban on gambling ads screening during live sport. However, one analyst estimates this law cost a network like Nine, which screens rugby and cricket, less than $10 million in lost revenue.
Mining giant Anglo American has suffered a hit to its Australian coal business in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.

Anglo American reported a 9 per cent rise in overall production for the first quarter of 2017 compared with 2016 according to an update released on Monday.

Damaged rail lines have affected output. Credit:Queensland Rail

The miner said Cyclone Debbie in Australia had led to coal production losses in the last week of March and affected the rail network, which is expected to affect sales volumes in the second quarter.

"Mining activities have now restarted at all operations. The impact on the rail network has been more material, and is still being assessed," the company said.
The board of Spotless Group has recommended investors knock back the shock $1.2 billion bid from services company Downer EDI labelling it as "opportunistic, hostile, highly conditional' and unlikely to proceed.

In a statement to the ASX on Monday, ahead of a formal target's statement to be issued later this week, the board played up its own "reset" strategy but also admitted that talks with other potential bidders had faltered.

Spotless chairman Garry Hounsell sold his shares "on-market", meaning he did not necessarily sell to the bidders. Credit:Estelle Judah

After Downer's bid - at $1.15 a share - surfaced in late March, Spotless and its advisers had engaged with several parties about a competing deal including "detailed discussions with a global facilities services company", the statement said.

"The discussions with that party included exploring a potential merger transaction valuing Spotless at a superior value than the Downer offer," the statement said.
Donald Trump proclaims he's going to "investigate new options" of dealing with North Korea. Initially, this seems like a positive, although on reflection it does make you wonder exactly how much understanding the new administration has of the issue.

Why should Trump be able to divine some way of acting that no one's ever managed to think of before? And will these policy options arrive before or after he finishes playing "where in the world is the USS Carl Vinson?" That's the aircraft carrier fleet that the White House seemed to believe was in the East China Sea, poised and ready to strike at Pyongyang, when it was actually sitting in the Indian Ocean.

The key to understanding the North Korean problem is that it hasn't actually changed in the past 30 years. "Dear Leaders" have come and gone; famines have wreaked havoc through the land; yet the rhetoric emanating from Pyongyang remains as inflexible, detached and unreal as ever. The only constant: every year the pantomime regime in Pyongyang parades a burlesque panoply of weapons through the empty streets of its capital, a baroque arsenal that it believes legitimises its claim to pretend-power status. And every year there's a new "surprise"; a new supposedly "breakthrough" weapon for the be-medalled generals and pudgy dictator sporting his ridiculous haircut to inspect. And so it goes.

The problem is there are no new options.
Under-promise, over-deliver. As someone who spent a lifetime making deals, Donald Trump no doubt knows this bit of sales advice. Yet as his presidency nears the 100-day mark, Trump faces a long list of promised policies and reforms, with no idea how to deliver on them.

Though Trump has criticised the 100-day measure  a "ridiculous standard", he wrote on Twitter  he is still scrambling to get something done, like a schoolboy who has put off a term-long project until the last minute. The White House continues to issue vague announcements of impending news on tax reform, healthcare, and the border wall, though nothing has solidified.

US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in April. Credit:AP

The last-minute push is unfortunate, not only because it will fail, but because Trump was more right than he knows when he called the 100-day measure a ridiculous standard. Developed by Franklin Roosevelt after an active first three months in office, when he had delivered on his promise of "bold, persistent experimentation", the 100-day measure made sense for a liberal president in a moment of crisis.

But history shows that the better yardstick is a president's first year. In the first hundred days, everyone is settling in: staff are being appointed, cabinet members are being confirmed, people are moving into offices and figuring out where the light-switches are. Things don't always get off to a smooth or predictable start.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made an unannounced Anzac Day-eve visit to Iraq and Afghanistan to meet serving Australian troops, and leaders of both countries.

In a strictly controlled visit - the details of which were kept secret to protect the safety of Mr Turnbull and his travelling party - the Prime Minister visited Iraq on Sunday, and Afghanistan on Monday.

His office announced the visit on social media early on Tuesday, posting a photo on Twitter of Mr Turnbull surrounded by Australian forces in Afghanistan.
New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English has criticised the Turnbull government's newly unveiled citizenship changes, expressing concern that tens of thousands of New Zealanders would now have to wait years longer to become Australian citizens.

The "special relationship" between the two countries needed to be maintained, Mr English said, adding that government officials were seeking to understand the impact of the changes on a streamlined pathway to citizenship unveiled last year for New Zealanders living in Australia.

There is concern among Kiwis that the changed citizenship conditions  specifically the longer, four-year waiting period before being eligible  undermine the pathway finalised last year by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former prime minister John Key.

"I wouldn't agree it completely undermines it just because the deal was put in place and there is a path to citizenship and that wasn't there before Prime Minister Turnbull agreed to put it in place, but it is disappointing for them  for the Kiwis [in Australia] and for ourselves  that it looks like it will take longer," Mr English said in a press conference on Monday.
A Papua New Guinea politician who criticised Immigration Minister Peter Dutton on the ABC on Monday was actually dismissed from PNG's Parliament last week following corruption findings, Fairfax Media can reveal.

The discovery is a boon for Mr Dutton, who is under siege for his controversial account of the Good Friday rampage on Manus Island, and who is now demanding an apology from the national broadcaster.

Dismissed from office: Former Manus Island MP Ronny Knight appeared on Radio National on Monday. Credit:Facebook

Ronny Knight, who represented Manus Island province in the PNG Parliament until last week, was introduced by ABC presenter Fran Kelly as a serving MP and referred to himself as such during the interview.

Mr Knight's comments were reported by numerous other media outlets on Monday, including Fairfax Media.
In a picture tweeted to Elon Musk's 8.3 million followers, actress Amber Heard is leaning casually on the billionaire inventor's shoulder at the Gold Coast, Musk sporting a lipstick kiss on his cheek.

The tweet and Instagram post seems at odds with Musk's general behaviour on social media, as most of his posts appear focused on his business projects rather than his personal life.

Amber Heard and Elon Musk are treated to some saucy dinner conversation on the Gold Coast. Credit:Twitter/Amber Heard

So why post such an intimate photograph?

Curtin University Associate Professor in internet studies Tama Leaver said Musk's post was far from a casual snap.
Frankly, the news that Bill O'Reilly has finally got his walking papers doesn't move me to joy.

O'Reilly reigned at Fox News for more than two decades. He revelled in his lordly stature, his self-regard puffed up by adoring fans across America. These acolytes even now are readily casting blame upon the women who called out O'Reilly's creepy and predatory behaviour. Perhaps his fans can't distinguish between that behaviour and O'Reilly's unapologetically manly on-air persona. That is O'Reilly brand, and they love it.

Former Fox News host of 'The O'Reilly Factor', Bill O'Reilly. Credit:AP

O'Reilly played a key role in helping get a fellow misogynist elected to the most powerful office in the nation. He planted and nursed the cynical take on journalism that has become a battle cry of the right wing. When confronted with serious reporting done by far more ethical journalists that didn't square with his aggrieved white male point of view, O'Reilly went straight to the charge of bias.

So when we hear Trump idiotically bleat about "fake news," we have old Billo to thank for all those years he laboured in the vineyard.
Keeping it casual: Australian soldiers off duty in Vietnam, 1967. "The uniform is a key element of the Australian Army's identity," the Defence Department says. "It represents our organisation, our culture and our people. By investing in continuous development and modernisation of the uniform, we invest in our soldiers." The Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform takes soldiers from bush to desert to jungle. Credit:Defence Department. However, surprisingly, on a modern battlefield style can sometimes overcome substance.This means the potentially life-preserving protection of a uniform isn't always the priority.

For example, when defence scientists recommended SAS units sent to Afghanistan wear desert camouflage colours of pink and mauve the army said no. "It was manlier to wear khaki, even though it stood out ridiculously, " says Sydney academic Ann Elias, author of Camouflage Australia. Fletcher agrees: "The special forces always like to have their own uniform  they are very conscious of their reputation and appearance." The style and colour of a uniform can make all the difference, he says. This became clear in World War II when, following a ferocious battle between Australian and Japanese forces at Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea, expert camoufleurs were called in after it was revealed regulation army khaki stood out against jungle vegetation. A hand-picked team of artists, designers, architects and scientists were invited by then Prime Minister Robert Menzies to join a top secret organisation headed by the brilliant Australian zoologist Professor William Dakin. Dakin was appointed technical director of camouflage, Department of Home Security, and he called on the skills of more than 100 artists and designers including William Dobell, Louis McCubbin, Eric Thompson and Frank Hinder.

Their mission? To "confuse the enemy and obscure reality": come up with the perfect uniform, disguise genuine defences and make troops and armaments that did not genuinely exist. It was a painstaking process demanding experiments with design, manufacturing techniques and technology. Meantime, uniforms and equipment suitable for World War II jungle campaigns began to be issued. "Shorts, trousers and shirts were all provided in jungle green cotton," The Diggers Living History Group says. "Boots, susceptible to rotting in the humidity of the jungle were redesigned. "American equipment was also worn  M38 gaiters and Herringbone twill trousers were found to be very well suited to the terrain providing protection from thorns and leeches and giving extra carrying capacity in the large cargo pockets."

Coming up with the right style and colour of a uniform isn't always easy. "To produce and deliver uniforms suitable for different climates and types of operation, in the correct numbers and sizes, requires a substantial mechanism of research and development, pattern design, national intellectual property protection, Department of Defence planning, mass production and logistics," says academic Anneke van Mosseveld, who last year published research about the Australian Government Clothing Factory and army uniform. "All these activities spring from a nation's defence requirements as they evolve over time." The Australian Government, says van Mosseveld, was "quick to seek out designs for uniforms appropriate in offshore Pacific and south-east Asian climates as well as in its own territories in northern Queensland and on Thursday Island and instigated the search for better cotton drill fabrics". That also lead to a search for green dyes that soldiers would not be allergic to, and to a preferred variety of cotton being grown in north-west NSW and other locations.

While Australian soldiers originally wore a single uniform for all occasions  from battlefield to ceremonial occasions  this changed too, and they were issued with several styles of uniform. Practical changes also included longer trousers to help prevent mosquito bites and malaria, and higher boots. "By the time we got to Vietnam we had a new form of uniform that was made of more breathable material, with no gaps between the trouser leg and the new GP boot," Fletcher says. The "giggle" or "bush hat" was also an important part of the Vietnam uniform, as the environment was not suitable for steel helmets. And while wool was useful for troops shivering on the Western Front in World War I, it wasn't always practical in Gallipoli, Vietnam or the Middle East.

Fast forward to today and the Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU) is a result of 13 years' research and observation in the field, says former Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison. The AMCU comes in two styles, field and combat, both made in Australia. "Both the AMCU field and combat variations use a tested Australian multicamouflage pattern that will take our soldiers from the bush to the desert and into the jungle," Morrison says. According to the Defence Department, the new service dress uniform "is a darker shade of khaki" with the colour more closely matched to that of the slouch hat. Other changes include improved fabric quality, a more flexible fit, various male and female sizings and maternity pants and skirts. On top, the khaki slouch hat soldiers on. It was first adopted into Australian military service in 1885, the Australian War Memorial says.
The porcelain doll's dress, made from a scrap of parachute silk bearing Flt Sgt DJ McDonalds name tag. Now 94 and living on Sydney's North Shore, Berry says not many people realise Townsville was bombed during World War II. In 1942-43, Australia's mainland, coastal shipping routes and islands were attacked dozens of times by Japanese aircraft. As it happens, 1942 was a big year in personal ways for Berry. At age 20, she met her first husband, a lieutenant from the 8th Division, William (Bill) Harrington Barker Boydell. The pair had been married for just two weeks when Bill was recalled and sent to New Guinea where, sadly, he was killed.

"I found out about his death back in Townsville when a returned member of the 8th told me," Berry says. However, the WAAF volunteer kept working at her wartime duties despite such a personal loss. Townsville, as with the rest of coastal Queensland, grew up fast as the state's military bases, airfields and ports became the front line of Allied war efforts. As the possibility of Japanese invasion began to be understood across Australia, and "invasion" preparation began, people began to speak of the Brisbane Line  that the country's north could be abandoned, with all civilians shifted south of Brisbane  while throughout Queensland the military took charge of roads and rail, bolstering troop numbers and supplies to the north. For Berry, the vast movement of troops helped bring her second husband into her life. In Townsville, she met and later married George Wormald, a "Rat of Tobruk" and the couple had a son. Berry's father, Jim "Mac" McDonald, a World War I veteran and North Queensland Country Party leader, became the movements control officer for Queensland. Despite federal government denials of an official Brisbane Line policy, Berry says the locals knew otherwise.

The strategy included scorching and burning the north so as to deny a Japanese invasion force access to food and transport. "Soldiers were sent to houses and farms offering jerry cans of fuel to enable civilians to evacuate to Brisbane," Berry says. Postwar saw Berry and her husband move to Sydney, where she continued to work and brought up her son. Now, she's still a popular bridge player who wins more than a few hands. She's a great listener, too, honed by those years on "dog shift" tracking vital communications as war unfolded on Australia's doorstep. Brave act saves a remnant of young gunner's chute Donald James McDonald was 20 when he enlisted in the RAAF in 1942, while his sister, Berenice Wormald, began work with the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force in Townsville.

Donald became a "tail-end Charlie" or rear-gunner in the RAAF's Lancaster bombers of 463 Squadron. He had flown more than 10 missions when his plane went down after being hit by enemy fire over Holland in April 1944. His family held out hope, says his sister, Berry. "No news was good news. We thought he could be with the Resistance or making his escape overland." About 13 months passed before Donald's likely death was declared, then confirmed in 1947 when an English cousin went to visit the site identified as the burial place of Donald James McDonald. Here, in a graveyard in the small town of Nieuwolda, the cousin discovered a well-maintained "comrades grave" containing the remains of Berry's brother and six crew members from Lancaster LL892 LO-J. And  in a small, brave act so common during war  the town had kept a memento for Berry and the McDonald family.
Taxpayers have spent more than $3 million on unreliable academic research, as science experts warn that research fraud and plagiarism in Australia is not being properly policed.

Twenty-one research projects largely funded by the federal government breached integrity standards in the past two years, figures from the Australian Research Council reveal.

David Vaux is critical of the new draft national code for researchers.

The federal government body, which provides tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded research grants, stopped funding three grants, recovered funding for one grant, and placed restrictions on funding for one researcher.

Misleading data, ethical breaches and other "minor errors" involving referencing were reported to the council. A total of more than $3,367,700 in government money was linked to six problematic projects in the past two years.
A baby boy is dead and a man is in police custody after an incident in the suburbs of Wagga Wagga on Monday morning.

The two-month-old was rushed to Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital after police were called to the house in Kooringal just before 5am to conduct a welfare check.

The infant died of his injuries in hospital. A 32-year-old man was taken into police custody at the house, and he is assisting police with their inquiries.

A crime scene was established at the house, and police have set up a strike force to investigate the boy's death.
The chances of identifying some of the 35,000 Australian soldiers who lie unknown in foreign fields are a step closer with a dramatic DNA breakthrough by Sydney scientists.

The Australian Army's Unrecovered War Casualties unit and NSW Health Pathology's Forensic Science Service have been working with more that 300 sets of remains thought to be Australian servicemen for the past few months.

Jodie Ward, NSW Health Pathology's forensic DNA specialist, examines the remains of our unknown soldiers. Credit:James Alcock

Now experts at the NSW Health Pathology's Specialist DNA Lab, have successfully extracted DNA from remains recovered from World War I battlefields in France and from the Papua New Guinea theatre of World War II.

Jodie Ward, NSW Health Pathology's forensic DNA specialist, said the breakthrough would allow experts from the Unrecovered War Casualties unit to analyse the individual genetic profiles to determine if they were Australian soldiers ahead of a wider search for possible relatives.
A Sydney man who was in regular communication with senior Islamic State recruiter Mohammed Ali Baryalei, spoke about a plan to kill six or seven random Australians per month in the name of Islamic State, a jury has been told.

Omarjan Azari, 24, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court for doing an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act in a telephone conversation with Baryalei at 9.03pm on September 15, 2014.

Omarjan Azari is on trial for doing an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act. Credit:Daniel Munoz

On Monday, Mr Azari pleaded guilty to a second charge of financing a terrorist group by sending thousands of dollars overseas to foreign fighters.

In his opening address on Monday, Crown prosecutor Peter Neil, SC, said that Mr Azari recruited a "young, impressionable Muslim boy" to do the transactions as Mr Azari felt he was under too much surveillance.
Police are encouraging people taking part in Anzac Day commemorations throughout Brisbane to remain vigilant as they crack down on security in one of their biggest operations of the year.

Acting Chief Superintendent Mark Reid said police had learnt from overseas terrorist attacks to be better prepared for big events in Queensland.

Tens of thousands of people were expected to crowd around the Shrine of Remembrance in Anzac Square on Tuesday. Credit:Michelle Smith

"The threat they cause can be outweighed by the planning opportunities they provide us," he said.

The Dawn Service in Brisbane's CBD will be held in Anzac Square from 4.28am. A main parade will start in George Street from 10am, with the route outlined in closed-off streets below.
The Queensland budget will take a $1.5 billion hit from the impact of Cyclone Debbie and flooding that hit the state.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the exact financial impact of the extreme weather event on the 2017-18 budget was yet to be determined by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt has spoken about the likely impact of Cyclone Debbie and flooding on the next Queensland budget. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

But he said the effect of Cyclone Debbie was likely to be on a similar scale - in terms of the cost of disaster relief and recovery - as Cyclone Oswald, which came in about $1.5 billion.

When Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements with the Commonwealth were taken into account, the net cost to Queensland could be about $500 million, Mr Pitt told ABC radio.
Few Queenslanders, let alone Australians, know that the man recognised as "the architect of Anzac Day" is a former priest from Kangaroo Point and Red Hill.

Now there is interest in giving Anglican priest Canon David Garland  who received an Order of the British Empire in 1934 and died in 1939  an Australian honour.

Canon David Garland (left) in Cairo as senior chaplain for Queensland troops. Credit:Canon Garland Memorial Society

It was Canon Garland who 100 years ago in Brisbane laid out how Anzac Day should be observed throughout the world.

David John Garland came to Australia from Dublin by himself in 1886 and joined the Church of England in 1899 after meeting Canon Tommy Jones in Toowoomba. Canon Garland shifted west, building up bush parishes in West Australia before shifting to New South Wales and ultimately Queensland.
Half an hour before her brother's wedding in Sydney, Cath and Liam Proberts got a shocking phone call.

On Friday afternoon their eldest son had returned home to find Scruffy, the "cheeky" family dog of 17 years, dead, tied to a grass plant in the backyard.

Scruffy, the 17-year-old terrier, was found dead in a Bardon backyard on Friday. Credit:QPS Media

"Someone has attacked Scruffy and hung him off the plant," Mr Proberts recalled his son, Tom, saying.

"He was just distraught when he rang, well distraught and horrified," the 52-year-old award-winning architect said.
TPG Telecom Ltd has announced it intends to become Australia's fourth mobile network operator, along with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

TPG Telecom Ltd has purchased spectrum licenses for $1.26 billion and will spend another $600 million building the network infrastructure. However, it has emphasised it will not be competing across the whole Australian market, just 80 per cent of the population.

So what will the mobile network environment look like in a few years time? It is reasonable to make some informed forecasts.

If the market can indeed support a fourth network, the network scene is likely to be dominated by four carriers whose main offering is 4G mobile communications standard. However, significant inroads by Wi-Fi based services can be expected. Also, "Internet of Things" devices may constitute a revenue stream to the four main operators, but that may well be undermined by emerging linked technologies.
A jailed Melbourne drug trafficker who risks losing millions of dollars worth of "unexplained wealth" is appealing his convictions.

Rocco Arico, 38, was in March sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for extortion, intentionally causing injury, possessing a firearm, and drug trafficking.

Underworld boss Rocco Arico. Credit:Jason South

Arico has lodged an appeal against his sentence and conviction in the Victorian Court of Appeal.

A spokeswoman for the court on Monday said a hearing date has not yet been set.
A major apartment builder in Melbourne has suddenly stopped operating, vacating its offices and abandoning building sites, in an impending second collapse linked to Watersun Homes.

The Victorian arm of Watersun Homes, WSH Group, was recently placed into voluntary administration with $20 million in debts.

Now another collapse could be imminent, leaving further tradespeople with huge unpaid bills.

Watersun Construction, a separate company associated with a number of commercial projects in Melbourne, has seemingly come to a halt.
As RSL clubs prepare to open their doors on Anzac Day, a Melbourne woman has admitted betraying the trust of her sub-branch by defrauding it of almost $30,000 to pay for her drinking.

But Marion Mills will not spend any time in prison, after a magistrate ruled it was appropriate that the 62-year-old's four-month jail term be wholly suspended for two years.

The woman made 80 fraudulent payments to her and her husband's drinking tabs that totalled $28,919.; Credit:iStock

Mills was voluntary treasurer at the Upwey-Belgrave RSL when, between November 2010 and August 2013, she made 80 fraudulent payments to her and her husband's drinking tabs that totalled $28,919, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard.

The RSL issues $5 gift vouchers to members for a drink on their birthdays, the court heard, but Mills issued gift vouchers in the hundreds of dollars.
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While most Perth suburbs were enjoying unbroken sunny skies on Sunday, residents of Hammond Park in the City of Cockburn were rubbing their eyes and gazing unbelievingly outside at a flash hailstorm.

The three reported hailstorms  the others in the Mid West town of Carnamah and the Wheatbelt town of Kellerberrin  were isolated but all caused by the same hyper-localised conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology explained.

The hailstorm in Carnamah. Credit:Rhonda Welsh/Perth Weather Live

"Hail storms are localised because of the nature of thunderstorms as cellular-based," duty forecaster Jessica Wilkes said.

"Hail is always a risk factor, because thunderstorm cells go to the top of the atmosphere, but many elements have to come together to create the right environment.
Police Minister Michelle Roberts has requested information from WA Police as to the number of police suicides which have occurred in WA over the past decade.

Ms Roberts is seeking the information after WAtoday reported on the issue last week.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts is currently seeking information from the Commissioner as to the number of police suicides in Western Australia. Credit:James Mooney

Last Wednesday WAtoday reported the WA Police Union was pushing for a national inquiry into the rate of police officers dying across Australia.

A recent spate of suicides among police officers nationally has prompted the move.
In hiding Elena de Chavez, right, with her daughter Arriana de Chavez look at a photo of her transgender daughter Heart. Credit:Kate Geraghty First there was an arrest and alleged police extortion. Then execution. At the age of 14, Heart grew her hair long, started taking hormone pills and found work washing towels at a beauty parlour. Elena de Chavez 61 holding a photo of her transgender son Alvin Ronald de Chavez also known as 'Heart', searches for his tomb at the Navotos Catholic Cemetery in Manila. Credit:Kate Geraghty When her father died when she was in her early 20s she was left to provide for her mother and two single sisters with four children.

"She was very kind, generous and good," said Heart's sister Arriana. Arriana de Chavez holds her phone displaying the anonymous death threat she received via text message. Credit:Kate Geraghty But Heart's debts grew until she started dealing in drugs last year, earning 500 pesos ($13) for each transaction. Police arrested her in January and demanded money but she couldn't pay, her family says. Elena de Chavez searches for the tomb of her transgender daughter Heart at the Navotos Catholic Cemetery in Manila. Credit:Kate Geraghty

At least seven masked men later burst into the plywood house in a slum where Heart and her family lived, stepping over children sleeping in a narrow hallway. Amid the children's screams one of the men grabbed Heart by the hair and pounded her head on a table, family members say. The body of Rolito Nunez lays on a footpath in Quezon City after he and another man were executed by six unidentified men on motorbikes on April 18. Credit:Kate Geraghty Heart's 61-year-old mother Elena begged for the men not to hurt her as they dragged her out crying. "Ma, help me," Heart screamed. Minutes later four gunshots rang out across the neighbourhood.

One of two victims of a double shooting in the Manila suburb of Baclaran in September 2016. Credit:Kate Geraghty Heart was found inside an empty house with a bullet hole in her cheek, her legs curled under her body. Elena reached her daughter within minutes and dropped to the floor, clutching her as blood spread across her shirt and hands. President Rodrigo Duterte Duterte started cultivating closer ties with Beijing last October. Credit:AP "You did not listen to us,'" she whispered to Heart as she stopped breathing.

Witnesses saw the killers walk away laughing. Transgender woman Heart de Chavez was buried as Alvin Ronald de Chavez after being executed for her drug use in the Philippines. The report to the Human Rights Commission, citing witnesses, implicates police. But not one suspect has been brought to justice for any of the extra-judicial killings which have been documented in investigations by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and media organisations, including Fairfax Media. The Philippine police report for the death of Alvin Ronald de Chavez also known as Heart de Chavez. Credit:Kate Geraghty

According to police statistics, more than 4000 people have been killed by police or supposed vigilantes in the crackdown since Mr Duterte, known as the Punisher, took office on June 30 last year. But there have been few police investigations into the police killings. Police claim every one of those killed by police were drugs suspects who supposedly "fought back". The official police report into Heart's death says "unknown assailants" are wanted for questioning. Heart's family members, who are determined to see her killers brought to justice, are now living in a safe house after receiving death threats. "Ok, enjoy the happiness and bliss because you and your sister will be next. We have eyes always on you," said a text message sent to Arriana.

The family wanted Heart to be buried in Arriana's floral purple dress, the one Heart kept slipping from a hanger to model in front of a warped mirror. The funeral director refused, saying Heart was born a man and must be buried in a man's clothes. The coffin was closed with her body dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and black trousers, her dark hair clipped to the back of her head. For months Mr Duterte's war on drugs had been supported by a majority of Filipinos, while widely condemned outside the country, including by a United Nations special envoy who described it as a "licence to kill". But the killings have now begun to draw strong criticism from the influential Catholic Church and many civil societies, emboldening Mr Duterte's political opponents.

A poll by Social Weather Stations last week indicated support for the crackdown is declining, with 75 per cent of people saying they were satisfied with it, down from 85 per cent in a similar poll in December. Government officials insist the crackdown is being waged with firm adherence to the "rule of law, due process and human rights". It is unclear if the International Criminal Court will accept the complaint against Mr Duterte and his officials, which includes national police chief Ronald dela Rosa. The court can investigate cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes if it deems a nation's own judicial system is unable or unwilling to prosecute. The Philippines signed on to the court in 2011. Mr Sabio has represented two men, Edgar Matobato and Arturo Lascanas, who say they were members of the Davao Death Squad, a unit they say was created and directed by Mr Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City.
To the long list of ambitious goals he has set, no matter how far-fetched they might seem, President Donald Trump on Monday added this: placing humans on Mars.

In a dramatic call from the White House with a pair of astronauts at the International Space Station, Mr Trump urged NASA to speed up its exploration timeline to get humans on Mars "at worst, during my second term."

Mr Trump was celebrating Commander Peggy Whitson, an astronaut who set a new US record of cumulative days in space at more than 534 days. Mr Trump spoke live on a video conference call for about 20 minutes from the Oval Office with Ms Whitson and a second astronaut, Flight Engineer Jack Fischer, who also was at the space station. The president marvelled at the sophisticated technology that allowed them to have a relatively clear conversation.

"That's what we like, great American equipment that works," said Mr Trump, who sat at his desk and was flanked by his daughter, Ivanka, and astronaut Kate Rubins. A number of advisers, including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, also were in the Oval Office during the call.
I argued last week that anecdotal stories about disillusioned Trump supporters were overdone. The fact is that, on a broad scale, Trump supporters say they aren't disappointed. In fact, a poll showed they were more pleased than disappointed, by about five to one.

The Pew Research Centre released a poll showing very little buyer's remorse among Trump voters. The poll showed just 7 per cent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say Trump has performed worse than they expected him to. Fully 38 per cent - five times as many - say he has performed better.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll confirms this - in spades. And, in fact, it shows more buyer's remorse for Trump's opponent in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton.

And were the 2016 election held again today, it shows Trump would avenge his popular-vote loss.
Paris: The crusading French politician Marine Le Pen hates being called a far-right leader. She says if most French voters endorse her harsh anti-immigration plans, that means she is a centrist.

After her breakthrough result on Sunday in the first round of France's presidential elections, Le Pen will put that view to the test. The leader of a once-fringe party shadowed by its defence of World War II-era Nazi collaboration is just one round of ballots away from a backflip into the centre of her nation's political life.

If Le Pen captures the Elysee Palace on May 7, it will be a dramatic turnabout for a fiery leader whose bid for France's leadership was unimaginable a few years ago. But after a wave of bloody terrorist attacks, a surge of refugees and the aching sense that France's identity is slipping away, many voters appear ready to imagine the woman with the cigarette-tanned voice as their president.

"We cannot afford to lose this war. But for the past 10 years, left-wing and right-wing governments have done everything they can for us to lose it," Le Pen said days before the election, after a French citizen killed a police officer and wounded two more on the landmark Champs-Elysees boulevard in an attack for which the Islamic State asserted responsibility.
Villers-Bretonneux, France: Under sombre skies, a lost Digger who lay in an unmarked grave for almost a century has been given a name at last, thanks to the sleuthing of tireless Australian researchers.

Lance-Corporal Vivian George Taylor died in the aftermath of the battle of Le Hamel on July 5, 1918.

It was known as the "textbook victory"  a tactical triumph by Lieutenant-General John Monash, his first as a corps commander. He brought bold new strategies to the battlefield (as well as the new Mark V tank) which were admired and adopted by Australia's allies.

But it was not achieved without bloodshed.
Washington: The White House announced on Monday it would host an unusual private briefing on North Korea for the entire US Senate, prompting questions from lawmakers over whether the Trump administration intends to use the event as a photo op ahead of his 100-day mark.

Press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the lawmakers would be briefed on Wednesday by several senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. He emphasised that the meeting plan had been conveyed by Senate leadership and that the White House was serving "as the location."

Yet the location at the White House perplexed lawmakers who have grown accustomed to such briefings taking place in a secure location on Capitol Hill, where there is more room to handle such a large group.

Past administrations have often held briefings for smaller groups of about two dozen or fewer lawmakers in the White House Situation Room. But they have traditionally sent high-level aides to Capitol Hill to hold discussions with larger groups in secure, underground locations.
PHILIPSBURG:---On Saturday, April 22 around 7.45pm the Central Dispatch Center received information about a shooting that took place in the area of Maho Reef, at the entrance to Point Pirouette. Based on information received it seems that several persons were involved in a shoot-out. Apparently, groups had an argument and they shot at each other on Amazone Drive in front of many visitors and residents of the island.

This case is under investigation by the detective department of the Police Force of Sint Maarten. Two vehicles, both Hyundai brand, were confiscated for further investigation,

The exact reason for the shooting is still unknown, but luckily no one was injured. At this moment, no further details can be given concerning the shooting.

Serious ill treatment at the Carnival Festival Village

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, April 22 around 7.45pm the Central Dispatch Center received information about a shooting that took place in the area of Maho Reef, at the entrance to Point Pirouette. Based on information received it seems that several persons were involved in a shoot-out. Apparently, groups had an argument and they shot at each other on Amazone Drive in front of many visitors and residents of the island.

This case is under investigation by the detective department of the Police Force of Sint Maarten. Two vehicles, both Hyundai brand, were confiscated for further investigation,

The exact reason for the shooting is still unknown, but luckily no one was injured. At this moment, no further details can be given concerning the shooting.

Serious illOn Sunday, April 23, around 4:30 am, a total of three men were arrested in connection with a serious case of ill-treatment against three security employees working at the Carnival Festival Village.

The arrested men with the initials J.J.H, J.P.H., and D.S.K.M. were questioned and remain in police custody for further investigation.

The three members of the security company received serious concussions and had to be taken to the Sint Maarten Medical Center to be treated for their injuries. After treatment, they were allowed to go home. The detectives are looking into this case of serious ill-treatment as the investigation continues.

Man arrested for Ill-Treatment

Friday, April 21 at 111:20 pm the Central Dispatch center received a call for assistance. The Police patrol and ambulance were sent to Lime Road, in St. Peters, where a man seriously injured another man with a piece of 2x4 lumber during an altercation.

When the patrol arrived, they found the victim unconscious on the ground. He was then transported by ambulance to the St. Maarten Medical Center where he remained for further treatment. The suspect with initials R.G.M. was arrested on the spot.

The weapon was later confiscated by the detective department and the investigation is ongoing to determine what exactly happened.

KPSM Press Release
DIAGNOS Announces new partnership in Bangladesh with Eyes for All

BROSSARD, QUEBEC  (Marketwired)  04/24/17  Diagnos Inc. (DIAGNOS or the Corporation) (TSX VENTURE: ADK), a leader in healthcare Artificial Intelligence services including screening, software and algorithm development, data analysis, image processing, announces today the signature of a new partnership agreement with Eyes for All (EFA), that will deploy the Diagnos solution in Bangladesh.

This contract with Eyes for All in Bangladesh will focus on using the DIAGNOS Artificial Intelligence technology platform for government sells. This new project will bring to 15 countries the number of installations worldwide. As per the latest International diabetes federation, Bangladesh has an 8.4% prevalence of diabetes in adults. The total population of Bangladesh is approximately 165 million people; this includes close to 10 million diabetics to be monitored for eye related diseases as per the research published in WHO bulletin in 2013.

Diabetes in Bangladesh is growing at an alarming rate. Nearly half of the population with diabetes, 51.2%, dont know that they have diabetes and dont receive any treatment. A greater number of the diabetes population comes from educated and affluent families with 40.7% came from the richest quintile.

Eyes For All (EFA) is a health technology consultancy company with relationships in Bangladesh across Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), healthcare research institutes and the public sector hospital network. We are delighted to be able to partner with Diagnos in the effort to conduct DR scanning across Bangladesh. The mismatch between existing healthcare infrastructure and demand in the country means that Diagnoss proprietary technology will make a tremendous difference to the lives of many people in the country. said Mr. Zahed Chowdhury cofounder of Eyes For All.

EFA, through its local office in Dhaka, will be responsible for marketing and execution of the DR scanning. We have been in discussions with multiple parties over the last few months in Bangladesh and are excited about the prospect of rolling out CARA in the country.

We are welcoming EFA in our new ecosystem of local business partner. Following our announcement in Saudi Arabia, this partnership in Bangladesh will permit us to screen a large number of diabetic while allowing to focus our resources on our platform. EFA will be our operator in Bangladesh. We are counting on their market presence and community ties to speed up the deployment of CARA with better cost efficiency. We strongly believe in the incremental value of an indirect model to execute our growth plan in country with large culture differential. This model dramatically increases our chance of success, it allows us to be more agile, ties us closely with local communities and brings higher returns. said Yves-Stephane Couture, Diagnos vice-president of sales.

About DIAGNOS

Founded in 1998, DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation with a mission to commercialize our Artificial Intelligence technology combining contextual imaging and traditional data mining thereby improving decision making processes. DIAGNOS offers products, services, and solutions to clients in a variety of fields including healthcare.

About CARA-AI

CARA-AI is a tele-ophthalmology platform that integrates with existing equipment (hardware and software) and processes at the point of care (POC) and comprises: image upload, image enhancement automated pre- screening, grading by a specialist, and referral to a specialist. CARAs Artificial Intelligence image enhancement algorithms make standard retinal images sharper, clearer, and easier to read. CARA is accessible securely over the internet, and is compatible with all recognized image formats and brands of fundus cameras, and is EMR compatible. CARA is a cost-effective tool for screening large numbers of patients, in real-time and has been approved by regulatory authorities including Health Canada, US Food and Drug Administration, the European Union and others.

Forward-looking information

This document contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact DIAGNOS, visit our website at , or visit the SEDAR website at .

Contacts:

DIAGNOS Inc.

Andre Larente, President

(450) 678-8882, ext.: 224
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A primary school has reopened following the death of its head teacher and steps have been taken to help pupils and staff come to terms with the loss.

David Carter, who was appointed head teacher of St Bartholomew's First School in 2013, died on Wednesday (April 19).

The deputy head teacher at the Crewkerne school and governors announced that the school would be closed on Friday (April 21) in tribute to "a caring, committed and inspiring member of the community".

Cards and tributes can be left at the school office. The floral tributes will be left at the front of the school until April 28.

Messages will then be collated to pass onto Mr Carters family.

Parents will be able to collect a letter from the school from a member of staff when they drop off their children today (April 24).

Children have had registration as normal before being given an opportunity to speak to staff to share memories and feelings.

The school is also taking part in a collective worship led by Mrs Coward, the acting headteacher and the schools Rev Stuart Huntley.

A website update about todays activities states: The children will register as normal and a short activity will be available, as well as an opportunity for children to speak to staff to share memories and feelings. At 9am, we will have a special Collective Worship led by Mrs Coward the Acting Headteacher and our own Rev Stuart Huntley.

As a staff team, we found returning to school for the first time very difficult and we are sure it will be a similar experience for parents. Therefore, the church will be open from 9am for you to gather as a parent community to share memories and support one another, just as the children and staff will be doing in Collective Worship.

Bereavement support services will be available in the school for children and staff.

Any parents who feel their child is in need of extra support at this time is being asked to let the childs class teacher know.

In due course, a celebration service for David Carter will be held in St Bartholomews Church.
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A distraught woman is appealing for the public's help in finding her vulnerable husband.

Kahn Eales, 30, from West Coker near Yeovil hasn't been seen since Saturday afternoon.

His wife Amanda Eales, also 30, said she was extremely worried about the dad-of-three.

She last saw him at noon on Saturday, in the couple's High Street home.

"I popped out for half an hour - when I got back he was gone," she said.

Mrs Eales said she's concerned about his state of mind.

Mr Eales, who she describes as being of "slim build, with tattoos on both arms", suffers from depression and is currently on medication, which he has left at home.

"We've been out everywhere looking for him - it's just so out of character for him to do this," she said.

Mrs Eales said there have been two unconfirmed sightings of her missing husband.

It is possible he may have caught a bus from Cavalier Way in Yeovil to The Borough around 1-1.30pm and later visited Tesco at around 4pm.

These sightings are yet to be confirmed by police.

Mrs Eales has produced her own posters and is circulating them around Yeovil in a bid to find her husband.

Mrs Eales thinks there is a possibility he may have gone to Wincanton or Henstridge, or possibly further afield to Dorset.

"We're just driving around everywhere looking for him - if anyone knows where he is, please get in touch," said Mrs Eales.

If anyone knows anything they should call Avon and Somerset Police on 101.

You can also contact Mrs Eales on 07460 832 002.
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The murder of a 50-year-old grandfather who was blasted to death with a sawn-off shotgun in front of his wife and grandchildren cost Avon and Somerset Police an estimated 600,000 to investigate.

Figures released by the county force under the Freedom of Information act show that 108,633.08 was spent on police travel, overtime and additional costs during the inquiry into the murder of Wilfred Isaacs Snr and the shooting of his son, Wilf at Chubbards Cross caravan site.

But that figure does not include normal police officer time and it is believed the real cost of Operation Sweden was closer to 600,000.

The investigation involved 378 officers and staff, with 25 people making up the core investigation team.

Police logged 1,264 exhibits, took 447 statements, filed 267 reports and recorded 1,263 documents such as maps and photographs.

Overtime was the biggest bill in the investigation, with officers racking up 26,830.34 in additional hours, 6,850 for overtime by police sergeants and police staff logging an extra 12,181.77 of overtime.

There was also 17,708.00 for fees and hired and a 3,693.02 catering bill.

A police spokesman said: "This was an extensive and fast-moving inquiry which involved a wide range of policing resources including the Major Crime Investigation Team, Investigations, Local Policing, Catch and Disrupt teams, Crime Scene Investigators/Managers, Intelligence staff and Communications personnel.

(Image: A&S Police)

"A large number of partner agencies and professionals have also been involved, especially in the run-up to the trial, including medical, forensic and ballistic experts.

"In the region of 1,260 exhibits were seized, including bloodstained clothing found at the site, and a thorough forensic examination was conducted of the whole site, which took almost three weeks.

The murder of Wilfred Isaacs Snr and the wounding of his son, Wilf Jr, was the result of a long-running feud between two traveller families - the Broadways and the Isaacs.

The families had not been 'on speaking terms' for a number of years, but lived side by side at the Chubbards Cross Caravan site near Ilminster and there had been a fight between members of the Broadway family and members of the Isaacs family shortly before the shooting at the site on May 5 last year.

After the shooting John and Charlie Broadway fled the site, with John leaving with his sister Bonnie Wilson in her BMW, and Charlie leaving in a Vauxhall Astra, leading to a nationwide manhunt.

Charlie handed himself in at Bridgwater Custody Centre the following day, while extensive police enquiries resulted in the arrest of John in Lichfield, Staffordshire, on Saturday 7 May.

After the shooting, police found a number of guns on the site  including the 12 gauge sawn off shotgun used to shoot Wilfred Snr and his son, which was hidden in a toilet in a disused wash building.

Charlie was sentenced to a minimum of 34 years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering Wilfred Isaacs and the attempted murder of Wilf Junior.

He was also sentenced at Bristol Crown Court for these offences, as well as charges of unlawful wounding - for an assault on Wilfred Senior earlier the same day  and ABH for a prior assault on Wilfred Junior.

John and William Broadway were sentenced to 15-years (plus an extended four years on licence) and 12 years respectively after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Wilfred Senior.

Bonnie Wilson was sentenced to 18-months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, after being found guilty of assisting an offender, while Joseph Finney, 23 and Riley Joe Jones, 21, were jointly convicted with Charlie of unlawful wounding and ABH.

They were both sentenced to 15-months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
If you're one of the many who voted absentee this year in Michigan, the Secretary of State has an online tool to track the status of your ballot, and more.
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.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Ever since enthusiasm started growing over the possibility that there could be a ninth major planet orbiting the sun beyond Neptune, astronomers have been busy hunting it. One group is investigating four new moving objects found by members of the public to see if they are potential new solar system discoveries. As exciting as this is, researchers are also making discoveries that question the entire prospect of a ninth planet.

One such finding is our discovery of a minor planet in the outer solar system: 2013 SY99. This small, icy world has an orbit so distant that it takes 20,000 years for one long, looping passage. We found SY99 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope as part of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey. SY99's great distance means it travels very slowly across the sky. Our measurements of its motion show that its orbit is a very stretched ellipse, with the closest approach to the sun at 50 times that between the Earth and the sun (a distance of 50 "astronomical units").

The new minor planet loops even further out than previously discovered dwarf planets such as Sedna and 2013 VP113. The long axis of its orbital ellipse is 730 astronomical units. Our observations with other telescopes show that SY99 is a small, reddish world, some 250 kilometres in diameter, or about the size of Wales in the UK.

SY99 is one of only seven known small icy worlds that orbit beyond Neptune at remarkable distances. How these "extreme trans-Neptunian objects" were placed on their orbits is uncertain: their distant paths are isolated in space. Their closest approach to the sun is so far beyond Neptune that they are thought to be "detached" from the strong gravitational influence of the giant planets in our solar system. But at their furthest points, they are still too close to be nudged around by the slow tides of the galaxy itself.

Planet Nine could explain why the few known extreme trans-Neptunian objects seem to be clustered together in space. The diagram was created using WorldWide Telescope. (Image credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC))

It's been suggested that the extreme trans-Neptunian objects could be clustered in space by the gravitational influence of a "Planet Nine" that orbits much further out than Neptune. This planet's gravity could lift out and detach their orbits  constantly changing their tilt. But this planet is far from proven.

In fact, its existence is based on the orbits of only six objects, which are very faint and hard to discover even with large telescopes. They are therefore prone to odd biases. It's a bit like looking down into the deep ocean at a school of fish. The fish swimming near the surface are clearly visible. But the ones even only a meter down are fainter and murky, and take quite a lot of peering to be certain. The great bulk of the school, in the depths, is completely invisible. But the fish at the surface and their behaviour betray the existence of a whole school.

The biases mean SY99's discovery can't prove or disprove the existence of a Planet Nine. However, computer models do show that a Planet Nine would be an unfriendly neighbour to tiny worlds like SY99: its gravitational influence would starkly change its orbit  throwing it from the solar system entirely, or poking it into an orbit so highly inclined and distant that we wouldn't be able to see it. SY99 would have to be one of an utterly vast throng of small worlds, continuously being sucked in and cast out by the planet.

The alternative explanation

But it turns out that there are other explanations. Our study based on computer modelling, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal, hint at the influence of an idea from everyday physics called diffusion. This is a very common type of behaviour in the natural world. Diffusion typically explains the random movement of a substance from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration  such as the way perfume drifts across a room.

We showed that a related form of diffusion can cause the orbits of minor planets to change from an ellipse that is initially only 730 astronomical units on its long axis to one that is as big as 2,000 astronomical units or bigger  and change it back again. In this process, the size of each orbit would vary by a random amount. When SY99 comes to its closest approach every 20,000 years, Neptune will often be in a different part of its orbit on the opposite side of the solar system. But at encounters where both SY99 and Neptune are close, Neptune's gravity will subtly nudge SY99, minutely changing its velocity. As SY99 travels out away from the sun, the shape of its next orbit will be different.

The long axis of SY99's ellipse will alter, becoming either larger or smaller, in what physicists call a "random walk." The orbit change takes place on truly astronomical time scales. It diffuses over the space of tens of millions of years. The long axis of SY99's ellipse would change by hundreds of astronomical units over the 4.5 billion-year history of the solar system.

Several other extreme trans-Neptunian objects with smaller orbits also show diffusion, on a smaller scale. Where one goes, more can follow. It's entirely plausible that the gradual effects of diffusion act on the tens of millions of tiny worlds orbiting in the near fringe of the Oort cloud (a shell of icy objects at the edge of the solar system). This gentle influence would slowly lead some of them to randomly shift their orbits closer to us, where we see them as extreme trans-Neptunian objects.

However, diffusion won't explain the distant orbit of Sedna, which has its closest point too far out from Neptune for it to change its orbit's shape. Perhaps Sedna gained its orbit from a passing star, aeons ago. But diffusion could certainly be bringing in extreme trans-Neptunian objects from the inner Oort cloud  without the need for a Planet Nine. To find out for sure, we'll need to make more discoveries in this most distant region using our largest telescopes.

Michele Bannister, Research Fellow, planetary astronomy, Queen's University Belfast

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
This view of the Saturn moon Tethys, taken by NASAs Cassini spacecraft on Jan. 30, 2017, features a huge canyon known as Ithaca Chasma (lower right).

The giant canyon on Saturn's battered moon Tethys snakes into darkness in a new photo by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

The canyon, known as Ithaca Chasma, is visible at the image's lower right, near the terminator  the line between a celestial object's dayside and nightside.

"Ithaca Chasma is up to 60 miles (100 kilometers) wide, and runs nearly three-fourths of the way around icy Tethys (660 miles or 1,062 kilometers across)," NASA officials wrote in a statement today (April 24). "The canyon has a maximum depth of nearly 2.4 miles (4 kilometers) deep."

The contours of Tethys' other large, remarkable feature  a crater called Odysseus, which makes the moon look like an eyeball when viewed from some angles  are barely visible at the upper left, NASA officials added.

Though the space agency released the photo today, Cassini actually captured it on Jan. 30, 2017, when the probe was about 221,000 miles (356,000 km) from Tethys. The image scale is about 1.2 miles (2 km) per pixel.

The $3.2 billion Cassini-Huygens mission  a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency  launched in October 1997 and reached the Saturn system in July 2004. (Huygens was a piggyback lander that touched down on the Saturn moon Titan in January 2005.)

Cassini's fuel is running out, and therefore, the orbiter's work at the ringed planet is almost done. On Wednesday (April 26), Cassini will begin the Grand Finale phase of its mission, performing the first of 22 dives between Saturn's cloud tops and the gas giant's innermost ring. (This gap is just 1,500 miles, or 2,400 km, wide.)

Cassini will go out in a blaze of glory on Sept. 15, plunging into Saturn's atmosphere in a death dive designed to ensure that the probe doesn't contaminate Titan or fellow Saturn satellite Enceladus with microbes from Earth. Scientists think that both moons may be capable of supporting life.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
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Turn-Out Will Be Key

And there is cause for concern in the Le Pen camp. She had long been considered the only candidate who would definitely make it into the second round, but despite her extensive campaigning and despite her years-long effort to professionalize her party and leave behind the radical tinge left behind by her father, who started the party, she still only managed five percentage points more than in the first round of voting five years ago.

Furthermore, it is no doubt a source of annoyance for her that Emmanual Macron, a young politician who has never before run for office and who likewise claims to be against the system -- just from the opposite end of the spectrum -- managed to defeat her in the first round.

But there is reason for caution for Macron as well. In the new situation in which France finds itself, only one thing is certain: There are very few certainties.

And if only a fraction of those who believe that Macron's victory is a given end up staying home on May 7, then Le Pen has a shot at becoming France's next president. Because there is one certainty that has survived: Front National supporters will turn out in force.
Washington, 23 April (SPS) - Swedish Hans Corell, former Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs and Legal Advisor at the United Nations, stressed the imperative that the Security Council act, concerning the handling of Western Saharas issue, with authority and determination to ensure a fair solution enabling the organization of self-determination referendum in this territory occupied by Morocco since 1975.

How this should be done is a political issue that the Council should simply deal with. At the same time, any solution should comply with the international law. In this process, the Council should now examine more radical options than those implemented in the past, said Correl, suggesting three options that were published in Washington by the International Judicial Academy, supported by the American Society of the International Law.

One option is to transform the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) into an operation similar to that of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), endowed with a general responsibility for the administration of East Timor and entitled to exercise all the legislative and executive powers, including the administration of justice.

Another option is to order Spain to assume its responsibilities as an administrative strength in Western Sahara, he added. These two options, he said, require the organization of a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara can exercise their right to self-determination. adding Considering that the issue of Western Sahara is on the agenda of the United Nations for four decades, the solution can be a third option, more radical, that is the Security Council recognizes Western Sahara as a sovereign State. (SPS)

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Opportunities for the beef industry, protection of the Scotch beef premium brand, integration of the supply chain and innovation will be among the topics up for debate in what is likely to be a lively and well-informed seminar session at Scotlands Beef Event 2017 on the farm of Fans at Earlston in the Scottish Borders on Thursday, June 8.

More than 100 trade stands have been confirmed and all the major beef breed societies will be mounting displays of stock.

Host farmers, Douglas and Kelda Stewart, run a mixed arable and beef business extending to 2000 acres with a suckler herd of 400 Aberdeen-Angus cows with all progeny finished on the farm. Features of the event will include a farm tour, a host of practical demonstrations, including a focus on grassland management, cow fertility and innovation, stockjudging competition and seminar.

The event will be opened by Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity.

Scotlands Beef Event has captured the imagination of the beef industry and is expected to attract a large attendance of beef farmers and industry professionals from throughout Scotland and the north of England keen to catch up with all the latest developments in the industry, said Sion Williams, farm manager at Bowhill Estate, Selkirk, chair of the local organising committee.

The seminar will be chaired by local beef farmer and former NFU Scotland vice-president, Rob Livesey, Firth Farm, Lilliesleaf, Selkirk, and the speakers will be local farmers daughter, Anna Playfair-Hannay, who is agricultural technologist for red meat, dairy and game with M&S; Nuffield Scholar, Robert Fleming, a beef farmer at Castle Sinniness, Glenluce, whose scholarship last year took him to Brazil, Paraguay, Canada, USA and Ireland to study beef genetics; East Lothian farmer, John Hamilton, who runs 350 suckler cows at Aikengall and Thurston Mains, near Dunbar; and Adam Woods, beef and suckler editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, who was previously a beef specialist with the Irish advisory and research organisation, Teagasc.
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A Costa Rican company whose software includes the ability to control where, when and how a credit card is used this month opened its second U.S. office in Stamford.

Mario Hernandez, founder and CEO of Impesa, called Stamford one of the leading innovation districts just outside of New York City, in a statement about the new office.

Stamford is the perfect choice for our continued U.S. expansion, he said.

The company opened its office in the Workpoint Center, at 290 Harbor Drive in Stamford, recently and also has an office in Orlando, Fla.

The chief marketing officer for Impesa, a Bridgeport resident who goes by the name kHyal, said when she joined the Latin American company and was looking for a local office she immediately thought of Stamford as the perfect location. Its the right place to bump into people who can lead to other business, she said. There are deals to be made.

Bridgeport wasnt considered as a possibility because its not attracting the financial technology companies that would allow for easy networking opportunities, said kHyal, whose legal name is trademarked.

A short commute from Manhattan  the financial capital of the world  Stamford is home to numerous Fortune 500 and 1000 companies, has a sophisticated talent pool, and is laden with leading companies in technology, finance and innovation, said kHyal. The new location also provides easy access to secondary markets in Philadelphia, Boston, Providence and beyond.

She and her husband, Karl Heine, have been involved with numerous organizations in the region for years and opened the coworking location SoNo Spaces in 2011 in Norwalk.

KHyal, who is also an artist and president of Fizz Agency in Bridgeport, joined Impesa through her connection with Cliff Wildes, who she worked with decades ago at his firm, Microtech International Inc. Wildes is now chief strategy officer at Impesa.

The company was founded by Hernandez in Costa Rica and provides a host of services to help mitigate credit card fraud by providing software that allows total control of how a card is used, kHyal said. This means a company official can limit how, where and when a credit card is used to avoid unnecessary or excessive spending. And you can change the parameters, she added. As far as we know theres no competitor in the world that does it at the level Impesa does it.

While Impesa works with many banks and credit unions, kHyal said the software can be used by any company, big or small, and even individual consumers. Our software is especially great for community banks, she said. They need reasons to have their contingency stay with them or switch to them.

She said Jackie Lightfield, executive director of the Stamford Partnership, was instrumental in helping her connect with the Workpoint Center. Its a fantastic space, kHyal said.

ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227
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STAMFORD  The start of the Atlantic hurricane season looms only a few weeks away. When it hits, a local corporate-nonprofit duo will be ready to respond.

Nestle Waters North America is approaching the 10 million mark in bottled-water donations to disaster relief and humanitarian aid nonprofit Americares. In the 13-year parternship, Nestle Waters has become Americares main partner for delivering bottled water to areas in the United States affected by natural disasters and public health crises. A shared commitment to delivering a necessity to vulnerable communities has solidified the partnership, say executives of the two Stamford organizations.

Nestle Waters is one of our most dependable emergency response partners, said Randy Weiss, Americares director of corporate relations. They have never said no to any request we have made. We know when something happens, we can pick up the phone and be guaranteed that well be able to deliver water within days or the day of the disaster occurring.

After natural disasters strike, residents of affected areas often lose access to safe drinking water. Damage to infrastructure and flooding can contaminate drinking water supplies, leading to a host of problems including poor sanitation, the spread of waterborne diseases and dehydration.

With 30 production facilities across the U.S., Nestle Waters North America can quickly deliver bottled water to disaster areas.

It is about giving back and being good stewards in the community, more than it being about brand and company recognition, said Kevin Cleary, Nestle Waters senior manager of community relations. To give back in this fashion means a lot to our people.

In the past year, Nestle Waters and Americares have delivered more than 1.2 million bottles of water, the equivalent of 36 truckloads, to respond to disasters including Hurricane Matthew in the southeastern states, floods in Texas and the Louisiana Gulf Coast and wildfires in Arizona.

The Americares team can provide information back to us in a timely manner, Cleary said. For us, its so vital to have that accurate information, and Americares is doing a great job with that. It helps as we move the products through the order and delivery processes.

Nestle Waters officials declined to disclose the cost of their donations to Americares.

The Flint, Mich., water crisis exemplified the challenges the partnership faces. The lead poisoning of the citys water supply affected about 100,000 families, including many who would not be able to afford a steady supply of bottled water.

In January 2016, Americares and Nestle Waters responded. Two truckloads carrying 70,000 half-liter bottles traveled to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, which works with some 75 local partners, including church pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and community centers.

When our emergency teams are on the ground, theyre able to talk to partners about the needs people will have, Weiss said. We hear directly from those teams on the ground, and we communicate that information back to Nestle Waters.

More than a decade earlier, the partnership faced its first major test with the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Nestle Waters donated 10 truckloads of water to Americares, part of a larger 1.5 million-bottle donation to all involved disaster-relief agencies.

If there are more severe storms, we know well continue to ask Nestle Waters for more help, Weiss said. Every time we ask, Nestle delivers what is needed.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott
Ive been known to skip a few meals, dump four shots of espresso into one cup and even drink a few of those five-hour energy bottles. I thrive on these adrenaline rushes, but no one can live like that for long periods of time.

Related: 10 Rules for Beating Stress

So, every so often I retreat to my home in South Dakota for a respite from the fast pace of business (or New York City). If youre like me and thrive on adrenaline, Ill be the first to tell you its okay to hit the pause button: It doesnt matter whether youre a small business owner, an entrepreneur or a c-suite executive.

Life is just simply going to be stressful. The competition, the long work hours, the slashed budgets, deadlines and expectations for employees, customers and shareholders: These things, plus the high-risk decisions associated with them, take a toll.

This is hardly news, of course: According to a report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 40 percent of workers surveyed reported that their jobs were very or extremely stressful; 25 percent viewed their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.

But what people should stay attuned to are the ways in which stress can manifest itself -- mentally, physically and emotionally, -- and the negative pesults, like edginess, impatience, anxiety and moodiness. The main sources for the problem? As measured by the American Institute of Stress, they're : workload (46 percent), people issues (28 percent), the demands of juggling personal and professional life (20 percent) and lack of job security (6 percent).

For inspiration on managing all this stress, we can turn to the business greats -- people who run multi-billion dollar corporations. If they can manage their stress levels, the rest of us can, too. Here are five lessons these icons have to teach:

1. Keep it simple.

When you have a couple of hundred emails in your inbox, a day full of meetings and calls and everyone asking you for your opinion, keeping it simple seems like the most complicated goal -- or the last thing on your mind. But its something that must be done, to gain a little perspective on whats most important at that moment.

Related: 7 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Relieve Stress

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has said, The ability to boil things down, to just work on things that really count, to think through the basics . . . Its a special form of genius. At this point, we can all agree that the method to Gatess madness has worked.

One of my own mottos that I try to impart to my team is, Work smarter, not harder. By working smarter, I keep things simple. I dont need to be copied in every single email chain, or be a part of every conversation or decision; thats why I have a team -- to take care of the process. My team feels empowered to make decisions in my absence, so I can focus on what matters most -- growing the business.

2. Focus on what matters.

One of the easiest things to do is become overwhelmed by all that needs to be done or isn't getting done. When were overwhelmed, our tempers flare, and we take things out on those closest to us; things spiral downward.

But ask yourself, Whats really important? I have 20 things on my "to-do" list, but what will happen if, instead of taking care of all 20, I take care of only the top five? Will the world stop spinning?

No, Nothing will happen. Those worries are all in your head.

Richard Branson is synonymous with the Virgin brand, but he is someone who has his priorities straight. Said Branson: If I lose the whole Virgin empire tomorrow, then Id just go and live somewhere, like Bali. Now, if there was a problem with my family, healthwise . . . thats a problem.

It sounds trite sometimes, but prioritizing things that really matter can reduce stress levels considerably. If the big things are taken care of, or are going well, the business side of things will be okay, too. Ive bought and sold over 250 businesses over the years, Ive had my fair share of failures (one of them involved a failed pheasant farm).

But these failures are nothing compared to my family's welfare.

3. Take control.

When we have looming deadlines, meetings with clients or investors, lists a mile long: Our brains can short-circuit. Being overwhelmed breeds inaction and confusion. How can we break the cycle? By taking control of the situation.

If youre stressing about the million things that need to be done, the only number you need to focus on is the number "1." Whats first on your list? Tackle that specific task, and only that task -- forget the others. Being that laser-focused allows you to take control of the situation, which propels you into the next task and gives you a sense of accomplishment, thereby, lowering stress.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said, Stress primarily comes from not taking action over something that you can have control over . . . I find that as soon as I identify it and make the first phone call, or send off the first email . . . it dramatically reduces any stress that might come from it.

4. Take a break.

This sounds like an oxymoron at times, especially when you feel that the fate of the world is resting on your shoulders. But, if youre saying, Cant take a break right now, stop! After all, Im saying it, and I'm the guy who flew from New York to Hawaii for a business meeting. I was in Hawaii for less than 48 hours.

Some entrepreneurs and executives have a higher tolerance for adrenaline rushes and a reputation for being workaholics -- that comes with the territory. But what good are you to your family or your team if you burn out? Working nonstop leads to burnout and slows productivity. Recognizing the signs can save you and your business headaches. In fact, 90 percent of leaders in a survey by the Center for Creative Leadership reported that they managed stress by temporarily removing themselves, physically and mentally, from their source of stress.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki believes in stopping and smelling the roses. Wojcicki said, I think its really important to take time off, and Ive also found that sometimes you get really good insights by taking time off. I agree; I find not just inspiration, but perspective, when Im home at the ranch or going on vacation to Italy with my wife.

5. Plan ahead.

We all know what were doing every single day of the week, so planning ahead is key in managing stress levels. Every Sunday night, I look at my calendar for the week and prioritize meetings, phone calls, events and the duties around those tasks. Then, I print my daily calendar, streamlining my workload even more to stay on track at a granular level.

Organizing, planning and streamlining tasks are effective management strategies; having a good system in place helps things run smoothly, reducing everyones stress levels.

Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, said, The more you can set a cadence around what you do, and the more ritual and the more consistency you can build into your schedule, the less stress youre going to have.

Related: When You Understand Stress You Can Manage It

So, its not just grit, hard work and determination that separate the successful from the unsuccessful: It's also how people manage their stress levels as they run their operations. Were all stressed, after all; its a natural side effect of pushing to achieve our dreams. But how we manage it sets us apart. Dont let stress be your downfall.

Related:

Stress Kills! 5 Ways to Keep Your Stress Levels Low.

5 Things Every First Time Founder Needs to Know

My Surprising Takeaway After Visiting a Gorgeous Meditation Studio in New York City



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
WESTPORT  From the humble acorn comes the mighty oak. From the reclaimed wood of an old perimeter fence came the makings of some walls in the natural wood shingle contemporary house at 2 Acorn Lane.

Someone else might have discarded the slats of the old fence but the current owners found value in them. They refurbished the wood and used it to panel the wall of a hallway and the wall in the great room that contains the stone fireplace. As the world celebrates Arbor Day on April 28, there are probably many people who would express gratitude to these homeowners for repurposing this wood.

Wood of all kinds is celebrated in this house. The flooring comprises white oak in some rooms, pine in at least one room, and Brazilian cherry in others. Outside on the 1.18-acre mostly level property there are a number of trees; so many that the current owners say its like living in the woods, and yet this house is in a quiet in-town neighborhood. In summer time when leaves are abundant they cannot see the neighbors behind them. And yet, this property is not isolated at all. It is close to schools, shops and restaurants along Post Road (Route 1) and the train.

The house was built in 1960 and was updated to accommodate todays style of living. It sits on a corner lot that contains an in-ground swimming pool, slate patio with stone sitting walls, and a pergola over one part of the patio that the family calls their outdoor "living" room. Its a great entertaining space, one owner said. In addition to its numerous trees this property also has holly bushes, other shrubbery, and perennials.

More Information ABOUT THIS HOUSE STYLE: Contemporary ADDRESS: 2 Acorn Lane PRICE: $1,395,000 ROOMS: 11 FEATURES: 1.18-acre level property, corner lot, in-ground swimming pool, sauna, close to train and town, slate patio, interior recently painted, two fireplaces, skylights, lower level kitchenette, pergola, sprinkler system, fenced yard, invisible pet fencing, deer fencing, brook, footbridge, two-car attached garage, workshop, stone walls, oversized pantry and laundry, ample storage, five bedrooms, three full and one half bath SCHOOLS: Long Lots Elementary, Bedford Middle, Staples High School ASSESSMENT: $1,041,800 MILL RATE: 16.86 mills TAXES: $17,565 See More Collapse

The driveway lined in Belgium block provides ample parking for occupants and guests. The open front lawn leads to the wrap-around covered front porch. The front door and sidelights have decorative beveled and leaded glass. There is also a large picture window above the front door, which opens into the two-story foyer, 3,082 square feet of living space, and an open, flexible floor plan. Mounted on the wall of the foyer is another reclaimed board, this one with a number of hooks for coats and hats. The foyer provides access to the dining room - which is currently used as an office, the kitchen and the great room. In addition to the fireplace the great room features a vaulted ceiling in which there are seven skylights.

In the kitchen there is also a vaulted ceiling, this one with five skylights. This house is not lacking natural light. Other kitchen features include granite counters, a new backsplash of white subway ceramic tiles, a Wolf six-burner range, large two-tiered center island with a breakfast bar for four, built-in desk area, and eat-in area. In a hall behind the kitchen is a walk-in pantry. A separate hall between the dining and great rooms contains one full and one half bath, and the hall leads to two bedrooms including the master suite. The master bath has a terra cotta tile floor, jetted tub and stone vanity.

There are three bedrooms on the main level and two more in the finished lower level, where there is also a sunroom and a media or family room with a fireplace and a kitchenette. Both of these rooms have their own doors to the pool and yard. The media room has wall-to-wall carpeting and the mantel of its fireplace is decorated with dentil molding. In the wing that has the two bedrooms there is a sauna. Also on this level is a workshop.

For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Darlene Letersky of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 203-227-8787 or Darlene@finehomesusa.com.
S mall business agony aunt Jo Malone on how to find an office space that will make a great first impression on clients without breaking the bank.

Dear Jo

I run an ad agency based in North-west London. I originally ran the business from my attic and then got an office six years ago round the corner to accommodate our growth. Happily we are still growing and looking to move again.

Im tempted to look at Soho or Shoreditch to try to attract the best talent but am not sure whether its worth the rent.

With the world moving online, how important is where your office is in attracting staff these days do you think?

I completely understand where you are coming from as I started my business at the kitchen table. Soho and Shoreditch offer a lot in terms of location and also being a creative hub and a destination, full of creative talent. Lets not forget the old saying that first impressions count.

However, there is no point paying high rents and taxes until you know you have potential business, as you dont want to spend all your profits on rent without being able to reinvest it into the business. So its really important to have correct projections in place as you dont want to be working 24/7 just to pay for the roof over your head. As an ad agency you do need a presence where you can meet and entertain new business contacts.

I went to a meeting the other day in an old warehouse and from the minute I walked through the doors I could feel the creativity in the air, which is so important to the client as it instantly reaffirms why you are there.

Could you share the office space with another company? If this was an option check out www.wework.com as its a great place to start looking for office shares in London.

Otherwise perhaps rent office space for the days you are meeting potential new clients. Location is always an important ingredient when you are a visual company so whether its Soho, Shoreditch or Shanghai, create a space that tells and sells your story.

Need help with a small-business problem? Contact Jo Malone at askjo@standard.co.uk
P roperty developer British Land on Monday signalled confidence in London, by lodging plans for a makeover of RBS 135 Bishopsgate office which the bank is vacating.

Working with GIC - Singapores sovereign wealth fund- the planning application to the City of London is for a refurbishment of the 340,000 square feet building by Liverpool Street Station.

Plans include improving the connectivity of the property with the street and the approach and access to the building.

The offices will be refurbished and retail space will be increased to around 38,000 square feet from an existing 8,000 square feet.

British Land and GIC also want to upgrade the character of the public space at ground floor level, as well as creating green spaces and terraces at the upper levels

The proposed development is part of the transformation of Broadgate to provide a mixture of renewed and improved offices, public spaces, restaurants and shops which will appeal to a broader range of occupiers.
B ritish Gas owner Centrica sank to the bottom of the FTSE 100 on Monday as the City braced for a 330 million hit from the Conservative partys flagship election plan to cap energy prices.

The owner of the countrys biggest energy provider took the heaviest hammering after work and pensions minister Damian Green confirmed price caps for the two-thirds of British households on standard tariffs will be in next months Conservative manifesto.

Such a cap would swipe 332 million off Centricas operating profits in just the first year, according to Bernstein analysts. The energy giants pre-tax profits for 2016 were 2.2 billion. Shares in Centrica dropped almost 5%, or 8.8p, to 198.8p in response, while the only other listed Big Six provider, SSE, fell 3% to 1404p.

Centrica shares are trading more than a third lower than this time in 2014.

Its going to be tough for these firms to generate the kind of profits they have been able to up until now, warned Neil Wilson at ETX Capital, and with the Conservatives almost certain to win a thumping majority, its highly likely the pledge will be carried out.

The Government considered tighter regulation on the energy industry last September, but ducked out after providers voluntarily froze prices over winter.

Five of the Big Six suppliers, all but British Gas, have since raised standard variable tariffs, forcing about half of UK households to pay more.

The Tories plans are expected to take around 100 a year off the gas and electricity bills of some 17 million British families.

May dismisses claims Tories planning post-election tax hike

Mark Freshney at Credit Suisse warned customer service would fall as a result, and companies could face higher bills. All the energy suppliers will be looking to prepare by taking indirect costs out  billing systems, bad debts, advertising, commissions  companies will have to do all the self-help they can, even if it reduces customer service standards. Putting up prices to business customers may also be a response.

Macquarie analysts downgraded Centrica from Buy to Neutral and claimed: We see the risk of the utilities once again becoming a political punchbag.

Analysts mused that SSE could cancel plans for a 200 million share buyback in response to the cap, while the industry quickly corralled an attack on the Tory plans. Prime Minister Theresa May promised MPs a muscular and strong action to defend against firms milking loyal customers.

But Centrica boss Iain Conn, who has just received a controversial pay rise of almost 40% to take home 4.2 million last year, said the governments plan would reduce competition and choice, stifle innovation and potentially impact customer service.

ScottishPower, another Big Six provider which is owned by Spains Iberdrola, also claimed a price cap will lead to less competition for customers.
V ive la France! the markets declared today. And rightly so. The prospect of a centrist Europhile in the Elysee Palace is as good an outcome from the French elections as investors could have wished for.

If, and its a big if, Emmanuel Macron builds a strong enough government to push through his reforms, Europe should enjoy a healthy extension to what is already its longest run of growth since the financial crisis. While hes remained scant on details of his liberalising plans, the aim is to make it cheaper to hire and fire and bring down Frances stubbornly high unemployment.

Whether hell succeed in this notoriously unreformable country is doubtful, but his commitment to the EU brings much-needed stability to the whole of the bloc, and its economy. Frances non to the Eurosceptic far-right may even stem the anti-EU tide in Italy.

The momentum behind a break-up of the EU, started in the ballot boxes of Britains provinces, has been checked, for now.

For the Citys trading floors, that means Europe is risk on: worth a bet. Citi and Goldman Sachs today urged investors to back French and even Italian banks.

But where does it all leave Britain?

The FTSE 100, reflecting overseas-skewed multinationals, leapt nearly 2% today. The FTSE 250, made up of smaller, more UK-dependent enterprises, gained only 0.9%. That tells you investors reckon Macron will be good for the world, but perhaps less so for Britain. As Panmure Gordon notes, a stronger France dents Britains safe-haven status.

On the whole, though, we should look at this glass of vin rouge as half full, rather than half empty.

Despite Brexiteers excitement at trade deals with New Zealand and elsewhere, the EU will always be our biggest commercial partner, even after we leave it.

Economic growth and stability there is our best hope of limiting the self-inflicted Brexit damage. Macron was our best hope for that. So, sante, Emmanuel.
J immy Choo, the luxury brand famed for its skyscraper heels, on Monday put itself up for sale as part of a strategic review.

The maker of 2995 Cinderella slippers is inviting offers to maximise value for its shareholders.

The shares jumped more than 9%, or 15.89p, to 184.39p, valuing the firm at more than 700 million.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Citi are advising the company, which became a household name thanks to Carrie Bradshaw, the shoe-crazy heroine of Nineties TV hit Sex and the City.

The retailer was founded by designer Tamara Mellon and Jimmy Choo, a cobbler from east London, in 1996. It now has 150 shops.

Mellon left in 2011 and the firm floated at 140p a share in October 2014, but has faced a tough time after being hit by factors such as weaker European trading following a spate of terror attacks.

But it has bounced back and benefited from the weaker pound encouraging tourists to London. Sales rose 14.5% to 364 million last year.

Its majority shareholder is JAB Luxury, part of the investment arm of the Reimann family, whose investments include consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser.

JAB has also launched a review of its strategic options relating to its investment in Bally, including a possible sale of the accessories brand.

Luca Solca, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas, told the Evening Standard: The luxury goods market seems in full swing, supported by a strong rebound of Chinese discretionary spend.
A s the seconds ticked away, the suspense was sharp and real. Never has a first round been so tight, and never have the polls been more mistrusted. Then, a few seconds after 8pm, relief flooded through respectable France. Short of a shock that is unlikely even in our surprising times, Marine Le Pen will not be walking up the steps of the Elysee next month.

The great exhalation of breath was followed by the proclamation of a new political age, with Emmanuel Macron its Messiah. The dominant theme of the post-result ruminations was that the campaign had shaken the Fifth Republic to its foundations. The old pattern of the traditional parties of Left and Right taking it in turn to govern was broken. The vote had answered the peoples longing for hope and change. Bring on the era of national healing and rebirth.

The gratitude for Le Pens second- place showing is heartfelt. There is no doubting the alarm and fear she rouses among mainstream politicians. With electioneering restraints removed, the champions of the centre-Right were the first to let rip with their true feelings. The scandal-hit Les Republicains candidate Francois Fillon, who clawed back to third place, declared that the Front Nationale had a history known for its violence and intolerance and said it could bring only unhappiness and division to France. Having previously derided the young pretender as a waffly, wet-behind-the-ears clone of his former patron, the hapless President Hollande, Fillon announced that his vote on May 7 will be going to Macron. By this morning most honchos of the Right had followed suit and the blessing of what remains of the Socialist Party has already been bestowed.

Macrons achievement is indeed remarkable. In his first attempt at winning public office and with no pre-existing machine to back him, he is set to land the top job. But, as the avalanche of endorsements pouring in from the political establishment shows, the former investment bankers claim to outsider status is hollow. For his presidency to work he and his En Marche! movement, which is fielding candidates for all parliamentary seats, will have to build coalitions with other centrists who emerge from Junes legislative elections. Many will be familiar faces from a past that the voters, and Macron himself, have supposedly rejected.

The task ahead is titanic. France is not in a good place. For decades the country has lived with mass unemployment which remains stuck at 10 per cent, the fifth-worst in Europe. Among the young it is around 25 per cent, one reason why surprising numbers of them have ignored the intolerance inherent in Le Pens rhetoric, listening instead to her promises of disruption and change.

The countrys finances are dire, with the national debt standing at 97.5 per cent of GDP and great swathes of the countryside are economic and social wastelands. Everyone lives with the uneasy certainty that next day or next week there will be another terrorist attack. Each one generates a little bit less outrage. The calls for defiance and solidarity sound feebler and the sense of impotence deepens.

These are tangible problems that might yield to practical solutions. Behind them lurks a broader and deeper malaise. The campaign has lacked a dominant theme. Instead there has been an atmosphere, a feeling that France has lost its way and a growing realisation, tinged with shame, that the cocky display of superiority it still puts on for the outside world is a sham. It is inherent in the slogans chosen by some of the candidates: Arise France, France Unbowed. They are meant to sound defiant and hopeful but the underlying sense is that the country is on its knees.

Macron himself says his motive for standing was a belief that the French were in deep trouble and needed to rediscover our fighting spirit and win back faith in our country from Europe and the rest of the world.

Recovery requires a unity that was not evident in yesterdays result. A sharp-eyed American observer of France, Mary Blume, once wrote of the post-war generation that they were unsure of themselves and unsure of each other. That describes well the climate today. The message peddled by both Le Pen and her far-Left counterpart Jean-Luc Melenchon was that the country had been betrayed by a corrupt elite of their fellow citizens. Le Pen, of course, stokes fear of another enemy within  the immigrant community, presented as a breeding ground for terrorists.

Far more than is usual in a presidential campaign, this one has been an exercise in national introspection, dwelling on identity, values and purpose and is very much a private French affair. The campaign revealed a broad disenchantment with the EU, the great project the French co-founded but in which it now has to play second fiddle to Germany  a sentiment that was eagerly exploited by the Eurosceptics of the far Left and Right. Even Macron, who stressed his devotion to Europe, insists that things in Brussels will have to change.

And so too will France if the talk of unity and renewal is to mean anything. The support for Le Pen and for Melenchon, the communist-backed professional firebrand who won nearly 20 per cent of the vote, means that two in five voters backed extremist candidates. Thus there are large blocks opposed to any surgery on the state sector and who are enemies of the globalised, market-friendly future that Macron symbolises. To deliver the jobs and the economic vitality he promises will take a strong dose of genuine reform. And as the Emperor Napoleon III once gloomily remarked to a British friend: It is very difficult in France to make reforms. We make revolutions, not reforms.

Le Pen took her disappointment on the chin. While supporters sadly rolled up their Marine President posters she delivered a blisteringly defiant speech, quoting de Gaulle and declaring that she was still the authentic candidate of the people. Like the general, she senses a rendezvous with destiny. And she knows how to bide her time.
L ondon is proudly one of the fashion capitals of the world, but our fast changing style can come at a significant cost - paid by hidden workers making our clothes in factories from Bangladesh and China to South America. The global Fashion Revolution movement is on a mission to change this:

1. What is Fashion Revolution Week?

Today marks the four year anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, in which 1,138 garment factory workers were killed and a further 2,500 people injured.

Now in its third year, Fashion Revolution Week remembers those that had their lives cut short in the name of fast fashion and works to improve the conditions and wages of the 75 million garment workers across the globe.

People rescue garment workers trapped under rubble at the Rana Plaza building after it collapsed, in Savar, 19 miles outside Dhaka April 24, 2013. / Andrew Biraj/Reuters

2. Whos behind it?

Fashion Revolution was co-founded in London by fashion designers Orsola de Castro and Carry Somers.

The movement has now spread to almost 100 countries. It has support from celebrities and big names in fashion including Stella McCartney, Lily Cole and Lauren Laverne - to name few.



3. Why is it important?

Globally the fashion industry is worth more than 2 trillion. At least six of the worlds top 20 richest people listed on Forbes billionaires list are in retail - including Amancio Ortega from Zara, and Bernard Arnault CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LMVH.

At the other end of the scale, 90 per cent of cotton farmers and factory workers have no possibility of negotiating their wages or conditions.

"Have you ever wondered who makes your clothes? How much theyre paid and what their lives are like?," asks Orsola de Castro.

"Eighty percent of them are women between the ages of 18 and 24. Many of the people who make our clothes live in poverty. This needs to change.

Fashion in numbers

150 billion number of items of clothing that are manufactured every year 2 weeks typical time it takes to go from design to final production 80 per cent of garment workers who are women 1.31 the extra amount a t-shirt would cost if workers were paid a living wage 18 months how long it takes a garment worker to earn what a fashion brand CEO makes on their lunch break



4. What has changed since Rana Plaza collapsed on 24 April 2013?

Passed in 2015, the Modern Slavery Act requires UK companies that turnover 36m to publish an annual report on the steps they are taking to root out forced labour.

More and more companies are starting to publish their supplier lists, and with greater transparency comes accountability. It's much easier to apply pressure on a factory to stop human rights abuses if you know which UK fashion brand they are making clothes for.



5. How to take part in Fashion Revolution Week

Take a label selfie, tag the brand and ask them #whomademyclothes on Twitter and Instagram account.

Last year, #whomademyclothes reached 129 million people through 70,000 posts. Around 1,200 brands responded, some with an opaque link to their CSR policy, others with detailed information and even photos of the garment workers.

Stella McCartney's label selfie: #whomademyclothes



6. How to shop more ethically

Project Just and the Not My Style app are two companies providing consumers with practical advice about how to improve their buying habits.

Thanks to increased consumer awareness, ethical and stylish brands with online shops such as Gather & See and Reformation are gaining traction, especially with women in their late teens-early thirties.

Londoners on tight budgets could swap clothes with friends or shop for second-hand items, because at least this means garments are being re-used rather than going to landfill.

But if you just cant break the high-street habit follow in Emma Watsons footsteps and only buy something if you can be sure youll wear it 30 times to help you buy less, and slow the fast-fashion cycle.

The Upcycle Project at Building BloQs, sponsored by Avery Dennison. A 2-day event of workshops with Dr Noki, Katie Jones, Alex Noble, Brandy Easter and Susie Bubble, for Fashion Revolution 2016. / Photographer Montana Lowery, models Sienna Somers and Nancy Morris, styled by Novel Beings.

7. What else is happening in London for Fashion Revolution Week

Theres a Fashion Question Time being held at Parliament today, hosted by MP Mary Creagh. You can follow what happens on #FQT.

Theres also a whole week of events, from film screenings - True Cost is a must-see if you havent watched it yet - to fashion debates and swishing (fashion swap shops) evenings.

Click here for a full list of events.
W hen you think of Brixton Brewery with its now iconic B and attention-grabbing bottle labels, do you imagine a big bustling hub situated somewhere on the outskirts of the centre of Brixton? Well, before I stumbled past its HQ, nestled inside a tiny railway arch on Brixton Station Road and about five minutes walk from the markets, the village and Pop Brixton, Im pretty sure I did. In fact according to its founders, its diminutive size is one of the first things people comment on when they first come to visit the taproom. This isnt a hindrance, of course, for out of it not only comes good beer, the names of which - including Atlantic and Reliance - are all inspired by local places, but a lovely story.

The brewery was started by two couples, Jez and Libby Galaun and Mike Ross and Xochitl Benjamin, who met accidentally in 2010 in a local bar in Brixton, having bonded over the fact they both had newborn babies and happened to live on the same street. That was seven years ago; today the beers are sold in many of the local bars and are probably considered by many to be integral to the patchwork of Brixtons food and drink scene.

Turning up last Thursday afternoon I spot two bins outside, both filled with used hops, whilst inside a loud clinking sound echoes around the arch as a man operates a small capping and labelling machine (a useful time-saver given that, according to Xochitl, at one stage they were labelling half a million bottles by hand). Further back, ducking in between various silver tanks, two other brewers are checking up on the first batch of the day, whilst preparing to start another. I talked to Jez and Xochitl about what it means to be a South London brewery.

Brixton Brewery

Why did you start the business?

Xochitl: After wed become friends, we would chat about craft beer being on the rise in London, and because three out of four of us are Canadian, we knew about the tradition of brew pubs and craft beer that hadnt quite hit the UK. We realised it was building here, with places like Kernel Brewery starting, so we started in jest with this idea of having a Brixton Brewery. After that, every time we got together we did some planning, then we started doing homebrewing together. We were also all working full time, and had new babies, so we couldnt find out how to make it work. Jez was the brave one that said someone will do this if we dont, so weve got to do this so he went into the railway arches, found the space, and then we decided to hire a brewer to do some day-to-day management. So it started off part-time but then it took off so quickly, at the same time Jez left his job in IT and started this full time.

What has the reaction been like?

X: We were fortunate to be living in Brixton and taking inspiration from it, [but] we were nervous about what the community reception would be like but the whole range of the community pretty much embraced us right away, and in fact our first customer was Dave from Market Row Wines who is still there. So really we were quite taken aback by how quickly, and how readily, we were accepted. That was humbling.

Jez: If you look at Brixton, it has a lot of local businesses and it does still have an independent ethos to it. So we thought if this was going to work anywhere, it would be here. We specifically took the name so that people could identify with that ethos.

How many beer products do you make now?

X: We have 6 core beers, and then we have a seasonal summer lager, a winter one called Megawatt which is a double IPA, and then we try to get a few experimental ones into the mix.

J: We always try and find some spare capacity in the brew schedule to do one-offs as brewing is a creative process so that gives us the opportunity to try something new - beer culture is very much about exploration and discovery. The challenge that we have is that we are small and we have limited capacity to keep even our core beers in stock, but we do always try and find room. Were not setting out to be an experimental brewery, we want balanced beers that people want to go back to and revisit.

Brixton Brewery

How many bottles you've sold since you started?

J: Weve produced about 1.4 million bottles since we started (or the equivalent in cask and keg). When we started we were brewing once a week and now were brewing up to 8 times a week [about 5000 bottles per day split between bottle and keg] to keep up with demand.

Where do you sell your beers now?

J: We sell in around 100 places around London. Were not on tap across the city because we cant produce enough but we are on tap in local places like The Queens Head, the Effra Hall Tavern, the Effra Social, The Dogstar, and Market Row Wines, as well as some Michelin-starred restaurants in central London. You see the bottles all over, which gives people the perception that were actually bigger than we are. We also sell online.

Whats a typical day of beer making entail?

J: A typical day starts with an early brew at around 6am. You mash-in (mix the grain with hot water, converting the starches to sugar and extracting the flavour from the grain), and that all goes into the brew kettle, where its heated. We add hops to add bitterness, continue boiling for about an hour then turn off the heating elements and add more hops which add flavour and aroma. We then cool that wert (the unfermented beer) and transfer it into a fermenter where we add yeast, which within 12-18 hours will start fermenting, and giving off carbon dioxide and producing alcohol. That will ferment for about 5-6 days and then, depending on the style were doing, well add more hops (a process called dry hopping) to add more flavour and aroma - we then leave those to sit for a couple of days. We cool the beer down to as close to zero as possible, (ensuring that the yeast and hops fall out of suspension), then well transfer the beer to a conditioning tank and carbonate it overnight. The next morning the beer will be ready so well test the carbonation and the flavour, and well package it into kegs and bottles, and label it in-house. We like to do everything in house so that we can control the process from start to finish, and make sure its up to our standards.

Brixton Brewery

Was it important to all of you to start a local London business?

J: We really wanted to be a local brewery and bring back the concept of people drinking locally made beer - because it was a huge tradition in the UK before those breweries died out. Thats why the identity, the names, and the branding are the way they are - theres a lot of restaurants and food businesses around here but people know this is something that has been produced and made here, in Brixton, which I think they really like. Over the time weve been going, weve been continually growing, to keep up with demand, and have just increased capacity by 30 per cent - and it already feels like weve grown into that capacity.

X: We feel strongly that well always want to keep something in Brixton, though, and the taproom which opens on a Saturday is really important for us to show people the brewery. Its very informal - we have a bar set up and people can come and buy a bottle and so on. Weve also done a collaboration with Nanban restaurant on Coldharbour Lane. Its called Market Saison because we like to get local ingredients from the market - and we particularly like to support the guys two arches down who have been there forever and do wholesale fruit and vegetables. Were about to do one with watermelon, but last time we did hibiscus and green tea. We also love The Windmill because its such a passionate group that keeps running Londons only working windmill, and we sponsor their annual bread and beer festival on 1st May. Last year they milled some malted barley for us.

The best craft beer pubs in London 1 /26 The best craft beer pubs in London The Old Red Cow Smithfield A hefty range of interesting beers spans two bars at this Long Lane pub, with significantly more keg than cask on offer. Should the 10-15 on tap not suffice, there are countless more available in bottle. Decent pub grub also features, while the wine list is notably excellent by craft beer pub standards. theoldredcow.com The Queens Head Kings Cross Tucked away around the corner from the station, just off Grays Inn Road, this charming old pub does more than just good beer. On top of three rotating, interestingly stocked hand pumps and more taps it also offers more than 12 whiskies, several ciders, serves platters of cheeses and cured meats, and has board games galore. queensheadlondon.com The Earl of Essex Islington Around 18 beers feature at this pub near the Regents Canal, including many from local London breweries such as Beavertown and Redemption. The pub food menu, which comes with recommended beer pairings, is also decent. Theres a small but sweet beer garden to boot. earlofessex.net Crown and Anchor Brixton Set almost equal distance between Stockwell, Brixton and Oval, this pub offers 20-odd beers on keg and cask. The beers are eclectic, but south London brews feature particularly prominently. Its fairly bustling of an evening, and youll also find a decent roast dinner. crownandanchorbrixton.co.uk The Understudy South Bank This relative newcomer from the National Theatre is the South Banks best pub bar none. Its package includes in excess of 10 beers on tap, a tank of brewery fresh Meantime lager, a decent spirit, wine and cocktail offering, and some pretty sweet views over the Thames to boot. nationaltheatre.org.uk Cock Tavern Hackney Central Originally the home of Howling Hops brewery (before they outgrew the space and launched their own tank bar), this Hackney Central boozer is now home to Maregade Brew Co.. As well as serving their brews, it also specialises in great beer generally. More than 20 lines of it in fact, including a fair bit of Howling Hops stuff. Be aware that its cash only. thecocktavern.co.uk Old Fountain Old Street Theres usually upwards of 15 craft beers on the taps at this comfy (unless its rammed) Old Street boozer, and it has the added bonus of a rather nice terrace. A decent number of the beers available tend to be London brews, with Five Points, Hammerton and Kernel among the regulars. Looking for another point of difference? It has a fish tank. oldfountain.co.uk The Southampton Arms Kentish Town This pub set about equal distance between Gospel Oak, Tufnell Park and Kentish Town stations has resisted going too craft despite stocking around 20 varieties just that  it still feels like a local boozer. Theres a particular prevalence of brews from Londons smaller breweries as well as those from around the UK, while fans of craft cider are also well catered for with five or six on tap at all times. thesouthamptonarms.co.uk The Harp Covent Garden This characterful but cramped old pub a stones throw from Charing Cross station offers a rotating selection of 20 or so brews, main focusing on real ales. And as a regular CAMRA award winner, you can rest assured theyre in good condition. Only problem? It gets absolutely rammed. harpcoventgarden.com Mother Kellys Bethnal Green This Paradise Row beer bar from the team behind The Queens Head in Kings Cross has over 23 numbered taps which correspond to a changing selection of brews  like a Chinese restaurant for beer. Its inspired by a New York taproom, so dont expect a cosy pub  but if the weathers nice, you can count on an outdoor barbecue and plenty of atmosphere on the terrace. motherkellys.co.uk The Lyric Soho The best thing about this characterful pub near Piccadilly Circus is the way it merges the music, fun and frivolity youd expect from a Soho boozer with a surprisingly stunning selection of beers  theres never far off 20 on tap. Oh, and there are open fires. lyricsoho.co.uk Hack and Hop City The latest pub from the team behind The Dean Swift and The Old Red Cow (also in this list), this decent-sized venue just off Fleet Street has more than a decent beer list  more than 20 split between cask and keg. Theres also a gastropub-style food menu, though thats not what brings most people in. thehackandhop.com The White Horse Parsons Green This west London institution  affectionately(ish) known as The Sloaney Pony due to its location and clientele  serves a lot of great British beer, but really comes into its own when it comes to foreign imports  particularly from Belgium, Germany and the USA. Options include Pilsner Urquell tank beer alongside eight hand pumps and around 10 taps, plus more than 130 bottles. The gastropub food is good quality and it boasts a particularly sizeable beer garden along with a calendar packed with beer festivals. whitehorsesw6.com Euston Tap Euston Housed in a teeny stone building just in front of Euston station which was built in 1870 as a form of passenger information kiosk, the Euston Tap is not blessed when it comes to space. Neither is it in any way comfy. However, it does stock an impressive range of beers  20 keg, 8 cask and 150 by bottle, to be exact. Those with an affection for apples should also check out sister site Cider Tap across the road. eustontap.com Dean Swift Bermondsey A rotating selection of more than 15 cask and keg beers are almost always available at The Dean Swift. What makes the place particularly great is that despite this great beer selection, and some very good Sunday roasts served upstairs, it maintains a real local boozer vibe. thedeanswift.com The Fox Haggerston This east London longtimer offers a regularly-changing selection of between 15 and 20 beers on tap at all times, plus some very decent booze-absorbing pizzas. Brews from London makers such as Kernel, Beavertown and Pressure Drop tend to get top billing alongside plenty of international offers. Theres a beer garden out back, too. Cask Pub & Kitchen Pimlico Theres a constantly changing selection of 25 beers on tap at this tucked-away Pimlico pub, not to mention multiple fridges full of interesting bottles. Its the original from the group behind the Craft Beer Co chain, and we reckon its still the best. caskpubandkitchen.com Craft Beer Co Various locations The original Clerkenwell branch of this mini-chain was one of the first proponents of craft beer in London. Its still going strong, while there are now also sites in Brixton, Islington, Clapham, Covent Garden and the City. The Islington branch, which comes with a large beer garden and comfier seating, is a favourite. thecraftbeerco.com BrewDog Various locations Youll no these guys. They do beer for punks, apparently. Whatever you make of BrewDogs marketing gimmicks, they make some bloody good beer. Find it at their bars in Camden, Clapham Junction, Clerkenwell, Angel, Shepherds Bush, Shoreditch and Soho, along with plenty of guest beers from other brewers. The Shepherds Bush branch usually has the biggest selection of beers, totalling more than 30. brewdog.com Draft House Various locations The Draft House group is far removed from the kind of minimalist, vaguely uncomfortable craft beer pub where its all about beer. Expect quirky design, good music and burgers, hot dogs and pub staples served throughout the day. Find sites in Battersea, Fitzrovia, Hammersmith, Tower Bridge, the City and Bethnal Green. drafthouse.co.uk

What has it been like running a business in London?

J: The set-up is hard. Operating in a railway arch that is not designed for electrics and drainage is a challenge. But with staffing weve tended to operate an open-door policy - our first employer had a masters in homebrewing so we took a leap of faith on that. Another one was a home brewer who has now gone to open his own thing in France, and another ones still here. Mike and I were also homebrewers, so we dont have anyone with a commercial beer making background, but weve very much learnt as we go along. We dont really shout about ourselves too much, because we dont want to over promise and under deliver - we feel we could sell a lot more beer but we dont want to try and overproduce. Were first and foremost a south London local brewery and we want to make sure that we always have beer for the customers that have supported us all along.

Do you still drink the beer?

X: Yes, we try to make an effort to keep up with whats going on in Brixton, and were spoilt for choice. Its fantastic to see Pop Brixton be successful, but were still big fans of the old market, and places in the village like Senzala the creperie, Fish Wings n Tings. I live up Brixton Hill so Negril - which was here long before all the other food options arrived in Brixton - is always great. For drinking, we like Ghostwhale on the top of Saltourn Road - Mike and Jez used to get hair cuts there but its now a craft beer emporium. And I like Hood in Streatham, which stocks our beer and serves amazing modern British food.

Jez: There are also a lot of high-end places in central London that stock our beer, so because theyve supported us, we like to support them in turn.

(Brixton Brewery) / Brixton Brewery 3

Are there other London producers that you admire?

J: A real inspiration for me when I was thinking about the brewery was Volcano Coffee Works. The original site was in West Norwood and I met Kurt, its master roaster, when he used to have a coffee stall. I got to know him and could see the journey that they were on, and I wanted to go on a similar journey in beer. Now theyre in Brixton and weve collaborated with them on coffee beers. Theyre very passionate producers and that inspires us.

Brixton Brewery is open to the public on Saturdays from midday-6pm at Arch 547, Brixton Station Road, London, SW9 8PF
W hen we think of "yoga-lebrity's" and fitness blogger types on social media, we envision a young and extremely flexible man or woman taking photos in the latest fitness gear from head-to-toe, striking a pose in a fabulous location. Most of them pose on the beach or with a skyline in the background showing off their latest moves.

But we seem to forget that yoga is an ancient Indian discipline, which exercises the mind, body and soul. Naturally this means there are some amazing yogis in India, not least V.Nannanmal, a 98-year-old a yoga teacher from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Her ability to perform extremely challenging yoga poses defies her age, showing that fitness has no boundaries. She performs headstands effortlessly.

Never extremely ill a day in her life, Nannanmal teaches and practises in a traditional sari - prioritising her health above all. On average she teaches 100 students a day of all ages.

Yoga is known for its health benefits including a boosted immune system, respiratory benefits and improved posture, to name but a few.

Yoga mats - in pictures 1 /14 Yoga mats - in pictures Scroll to see our pick of the best yoga mats... Shutterstock Nike Just Do It Yoga Mat 2.0 This lightweight mat is crafted from dual-textured foam for enhanced traction and a sturdy grip on both sides. Great for after-work meditation classes, it comes in two different colour combinations and is designed with a carrying strap for easy transport. 21, Nike, Buy it now Gaiam Tree of Life Printed Yoga Mat Thin and easy to travel with, the Tree of Live mat has a textured non-slip surface to maximise your grip during sessions. It measures at just 3mm, which makes it perfecting for fitting into your daily carry-all. Its green shade aims to promote calmness and relaxation. 26.50, John Lewis, Buy it now Manduka X Yoga Mat Therell be no embarrassing slips during a sweaty downward dog while using this mat. Made from a lightweight, high-density material, this easy to carry gym kit offers excellent grip - whether you intend to use it for a few post-workout stretches or for a full Bikram Yoga workout. The texture is ideal to roll out on any type of surface, with a thick layer of super density cushioning will protect your spine and joints from the floor below. Its designed with athletes in mind, so you can use it for everything from yoga to running, lifting or swimming. We love the purple colour, but it also comes in blue and black too. 50, Manduka, Buy it now Adidas Camo Yoga Mat Heres one that will not only look good in the studio, but will also last for years to come. The anti-slip grooves of its marbleised texture ensure it will stay firmly in place, while its long length ought to suit various heights. 24.50, Adidas, Buy it now YogaMatters Sticky Yoga Mat A popular choice in yoga studios across the globe, this sticky mat is versatile enough to suit all types of yogis. It is suitable for hot yoga, comes in a standard size that offers plenty of space and has a thickness of 4.5mm thats perfect for those who want some extra cushion. 17, YogaMatters, Buy it now Sweaty Betty Super Grip Yoga Mat The eco-friendly Super Grip mat from Sweaty Betty is made from pure latex that has a soft feel as you perform lying or sitting poses. As the name suggests, it has an impressive grip and keeps its shape when you unroll it. Available in two shades. 55, Sweaty Betty, Buy it now Manduka Liveon Kids Mat One for the little yogis, this colourful mat is free from chemicals and has a supportive cushion to protect bones and joints. It features a fun animal print and has a closed cell surface that wicks away moisture and keeps bacteria at bay. 30.40, YogaMatters, Buy it now Everlast Yoga Mat This great-value option from Everlast is ideal for beginners and provides comfort for everyday meditation. Its crafted from durable foam, has a wipe-clean finish and can be easily rolled up to a small size. 9.99, Argos, Buy it now Yoga Design Lab Combo Mat There are so many beautiful mat designs and colours at Yoga Design Lab that youll want them all. This mat/ towel hybrid negates the need to carry both, is super lightweight and easy to fold. A great one to help you avoid the studio mats, which are the perfect playground for breeding bacteria. Why share when you can have your own? 64, Yoga Design Lab, Buy it now Lululemon 5mm Reversible Mat Thick cushioning made from polyurethane offers relieve to those with dodgy knees and bony elbows. With one smooth and one textured side, you can flip the map depending on how much grip you need. Made for intense poses such as the handstand and crow, this mat needs a wipe down after each class to keep it in tip- top condition. 62, Lululemon, Buy it now

Nannanmal told the BBC that she started to practise yoga with her grandparents from the age of 10 after they would return home from work. Now she has spread her love of yoga to other members in her family and her students; she is the head of three generations of yoga practitioners in her family.

Watch the video above for the full story.
W ith just six weeks left on the election countdown, the political climate is charged. Theres never been a more crucial time to get your allegiances in line. In this pursuit, take Jared Kushner as your guide. Donald Trumps son-in-law and closest confidante reportedly believes in the regular removal of dead contacts and enacted a mass exfoliation when some of his liberal New York friends dropped him after Kushners Great Conversion to Trumpism.

I call it an exfoliation, he told Forbes. Anyone who was willing to change a friendship or not do business because of who somebody supports in politics is not somebody who has a lot of character. He reportedly does one biannually. It is unclear whether he makes new friends to replace the old ones. Heres what you need to know...

Work

The office is full of micro-aggressions that over time grind your spirit into ash. You must exfoliate this ash from your life. Start by thinking about your job in modular terms and itemise it by task. Once you have itemised it, you will realise that there are parts of it that you hate, and parts of it that you like. To make yours the ideal job, you simply need to get rid of the tasks you do not like.

Accordingly, suggest a meeting with a supervisor and try to manage out  another buzzword favoured by the Machiavellian devotee  the parts you do not like. Suggest that another underling might be better poised to complete said tasks; suggest that the tasks themselves are, in fact, rather pointless and could be dispensed of altogether. Likely, your boss will be so astonished that he or she will submit before they really know what has happened.

Friends

There are myriad reasons to exfoliate friends. Perhaps you have recently become a disciple of the Make America Great movement and they are not supporting you; more likely, they have done something to displease you. Perhaps they are an incorrigible flake, or they recently tried to sleep with your boyfriend.

With friends and relationships, there are two sub-categories of exfoliation. There is hard exfoliation: tears, recriminations, a letter detailing why you wish to remove them from your life. Or there is soft exfoliation, which basically means ghosting them.

Relationships

Pretending things are fine if you dont think they are is not helpful, says Dr Sheri Jacobson, clinical director of Harley Therapy, though she recommends a cautious approach. Keep your language blame-free and be open to the fact that you could be wrong  you might not have the whole story about what the other person is going through. Are you actually creating this toxic drama to avoid looking bad?

The truth is that we all grow and change, Jacobson continues. Its unrealistic to expect to stay friends with everyone. If you no longer share interests with someone, its okay to be honest that your friendship has had its time.

It feels ruthless and it requires chutzpah and savvy. If you are going to exfoliate, you must commit.

You cannot lose courage and try and moisturise the situation back to health: there is no such salve that will remedy what you have started.

harleytherapy.co.uk.
F ancy a late spring getaway to the Med? There's no better way to cure the Monday blues than buy booking a weekend away.

Monarch is offering more than 10,000 seats at 29 to destinations in southern Europe as part of its bumper summer sale.

Looking to get your beach fix? You can book cheap tickets to get your beach fix to airports including Faro in Portugal's Algarve region, Alicante in Spain and Palma in Mallorca.

Or if a city break is on the cards, you can also get cheap deals to Barcelona, Verona and Monarchs new route, Porto.

As we enter a cold snap in London, it's never been more tempting to book a spontaneous sun-drenched trip.

The top 25 cheapest city breaks in Europe 1 /33 The top 25 cheapest city breaks in Europe Bratislava, Slovakia Typical price per night: 36 Shutterstock Athens, Greece Typical price per night: 36 Milos Bicanski/Getty Images Vilnius, Lithuania Typical price per night: 35 Maciej Lulko/Flickr Istanbul, Turkey Typical price per night: 27 Chris McGrath/Getty Images Belgrade, Serbia Typical price per night: 27 Shutterstock Wrocaw, Poland Typical price per night: 32 Janek SkarzynskiFP/Getty Images Toulouse, France Typical price per night: 36.50 Rob DeGraff/Flickr Ljubljana, Slovenia Typical price per night: 36.50 Pedro Szekely/Flickr Thessaloniki, Greece Typical price per night: 28 Shutterstock Zadar, Croatia Typical price per night: 36.50 Min Zhou/Flickr Riga, Latvia Typical price per night: 36.50 AFP/Getty Images Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria Typical price per night: 33 Shutterstock Sofia, Bulgaria Typical price per night: 28 Dennis Jarvis/Flickr Tbilisi, Georgia Typical price per night: 24 Shutterstock Nantes, France Typical price per night: 38 AFP/Getty Images Palermo, Sicily Typical price per night: 36.50 Shutterstock Budapest, Hungary Typical price per night: 36 GLars Baron/Getty Images Catania, Sicily Typical price per night: 35 Carlos Bustamante Restrepo/Flickr Leipzig, Germany Typical price per night: 32.50 Shutterstock Krakow, Poland Typical price per night: 32 Jan Kucharzyk/Getty Images Zagreb, Croatia Typical price per night: 32 Shutterstock Saint Petersburg, Russia Typical price per night: 28.50 Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Bucharest, Romania Typical price per night: 28 Shutterstock Warsaw, Poland Typical price per night: 32 Shutterstock Kiev, Ukraine Typical price per night: 28.50 Marco Verch/Flickr

Tickets are now available to travel on selected dates between April and October, but flights must be booked before 2nd of May. Prices are one way per person including taxes and charges.

Tickets can be found only on Monarch.co.uk website
A 17-year-old cyclist was hacked to death by masked youths wielding machetes in a terrifying attack on a London housing estate, witnesses said today.

The victim was chased by a gang wearing balaclavas and carrying large knives who stabbed him multiple times and left him sprawled on the bonnet of a car in Battersea.

Neighbours told how they raised the alarm after being woken at 1.25am on Sunday by the boys scream of help me, Im dying.

He was rushed to a south London hospital by paramedics where he he was pronounced dead around 90 minutes later.

Crime scene: Police at the scene in Battersea after the attack / NIGEL HOWARD

He is the fourth teenager to be murdered in London in this month alone, and the eighth this year.

Residents in Ingrave Street said the gang arrived on the estate in a car and had been hassling passers-by earlier in the evening.

A 45-year-old neighbour said: There were about six of them, they jumped out of the car and started chasing him immediately. He was on his bike but they caught up with him and stabbed him.

Cordon: Police in Battersea after the teenager was stabbed to death / NIGEL HOWARD

Someone shouted police are coming which stopped the others from finishing him off and they got in the car and sped off.

Forensic teams sweeping the area have removed the victims bicycle and a blood-soaked car from the scene for further testing.

A mother laying flowers at the scene said: Its terrifying. My kid is the same age, theres been so many murders around here recently.

I didnt know the poor boy but my daughter saw the guys who did it minutes before, they were covering their faces and quizzing anyone who came out of the block.

She was terrified of them so she lied about her age so they wouldnt hurt her.

Its very sad that this has happened on my doorstep. Were leaving the area next week and I cant wait.

Earlier this month, Scotland Yard revealed knife crime was up 24 per cent and gun crime up 42 per cent over the past 12 months.

Jordan Wright from Catford and Abdullahi Tarabi, from Northolt, both 19, were both chased and fatally stabbed close to their homes earlier this month.

Boxer Karim Samms, 16, was shot dead in a drive-by attack in North Greenwich on April 7.

A Met spokesman said the victims family had been informed of his death.

He said: There has been no arrest at this early stage and enquiries continue.

In a separate fatal stabbing this weekend, a man was killed by a gang wearing ski masks in front of terrified children in Enfield.

Anyone with information should call the incident room at Lewisham via 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A 60-year-old man has been knifed to death in east London  the capitals third fatal stabbing in one weekend.

Police and paramedics scrambled to Bow Common Lane, in Mile End, where they found a man suffering a head injury and a knife wound.

Before being rushed to hospital, the 54-year-old victim indicated that another man was injured at a nearby address.

Officers went to the property and found a second victim, a 60-year-old man, suffering stab wounds.

Despite the emergency services efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

No arrests have been made following the attack before 11.20pm on Sunday.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: Enquires to trace and inform any next of kin are ongoing. Whilst officers believe they know who the deceased is that await a formal identification.

The Homicide and Major Crime Command has been informed and is investigating.

The man was the third person to be stabbed to death in London over the weekend.

It came after a man in his 40s died of his knife wounds after an attack in Enfield on Saturday afternoon.

Within 24 hours of the north London stabbing, a 17-year-old boy was killed by a blade in south London.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information can call police in Tower Hamlets via 101, or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org
A dog owner today condemned the cowardly thief who snatched his chihuahua puppy outside a supermarket and bundled her into a car.

George Calf, 71, was showing off five-month-old Hannah to a group of women in Well Street, Hackney when a man walked over.

Footage apparently shows him taking the dog off one of the women before calmly walking away. The man then went to a Volvo estate and drove off with Mr Calf in pursuit.

Mr Calf said: He was so casual about it. He reached out for Hannah and scooped her out of this poor womans hands who was holding her for me.

He said, Im just going to show the wife before jumping into this car and speeding off like a lunatic with smoke trailing behind him.

Abducted: five-month-old Hannah was a favourite around markets in Hackney, says her owner George Calf

I tried to chase after him even though he was much bigger than me but he was long gone. If I saw him I could have made something up about her having just been born and wouldnt have let him near her  it just didnt seem right.

But I was worried that he would drop her and she could be injured and have to be put down so I didnt want to fight him.

The part-time breeder, who owns four other chihuahuas, says he thinks the thief will use the 1,500 puppy for breeding.

Clue: it is claimed footage shows a man walking up to Mr Calf, who was talking to a woman in a yellow coat, then taking Hannah the chihuahua

Since the theft, at 4pm last Sunday, he has been searching derelict areas of the borough after receiving tip-offs on social media.

Im so worried about her, she will be terrified, he said. I have been to some scary places trying to look for her, sometimes you dont know what youre going to get yourself into.

Im worried he will just get rid of her now he knows were on to him. She is a beautiful dog who can fit in the palm of your hand.

I would be over the moon to get her back with her family where she belongs. All the people at the markets round here loved her and people are in tears about it. She was the one everyone would dote over because she was so small.

Police have told Mr Calf, who is offering a reward for Hannahs safe return, that they hope to obtain the getaway cars registration on council CCTV cameras.

A Met spokesman said: Police are investigating the theft of a chihuahua puppy from Well Street E9 around 3.55pm on Sunday, April 16.

The owner, a 71-year-old man, was showing the dog to some passers-by when it was grabbed by a man. The man walked to a silver car parked in Poole Road, got inside and made off towards Cassland Road and then Gascoyne Road.

He is described as white, around 6ft 2ins and stocky. He wore a white T-shirt, black jeans and black shoes. A woman was also in the car.

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue. Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or @MetCC.
A teenager has been charged with the murder of 42-year-old Damien McLaughlin who died after suffering a stab wound to the heart.

Mr McLaughlin, of Cheshunt, was left with fatal injuries after an alleged attack in Enfield on Saturday afternoon.

Police, ambulances and Londons air ambulance were called to the scene on Exeter Road just after 1.30pm.

Paramedics fought to save Mr McLaughlin's life for over 45 minutes but he was pronounced dead at the scene at just after 2.15pm.

Police have charged a 17-year-old male from Tottenham with murder, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

He is due to appear in custody at Highbury Youth Court on Tuesday.

Police also arrested an 18-year-old man who remains in custody and a third person arrested - a man aged 21 - has been released from police custody.

DCI Larry Smith said: "We have spoken with a number of witnesses, but I am certain that there are other people who will have seen something of note but are yet to contact police.

"I am also aware that people may have recorded footage on mobile phones. I am urging any witnesses, or anyone with material that may assist the investigation, to make contact with police."

A post-mortem examination held at Haringey Mortuary established Mr McLaughlin's cause of death to be a stab wound to the heart.

Mr McLaughlin was one of three people killed in the capital's streets over the weekend.

In Battersea a 17-year-old cyclist was ambushed and fatally stabbed as he tried to flee a gang. And on Sunday a 60-year-old man was found dead from stab wounds at an address in Bow.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to call the incident room on 020 8345 3985 or via 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
T housands of people are at risk of falling victim to computer crime through buying illegal set-top TV boxes that can stream up to 800 channels, a senior detective warned today.

The 100 boxes being imported from China are deliberately infected with malware viruses designed to spy on peoples bank accounts and social media sites, the officer said.

Commander David Clark, of the City of London police, blamed an Only Fools And Horses mentality for people buying cheap imported goods because they think they are getting a bargain.

Police say they are investigating a huge increase in the number of people buying the illegal TV boxes to avoid subscription fees.

Commander Clark, the national lead for economic crime, said buyers did not realise that apps on the boxes often contained malware that could infect other devices in their homes.

He said: The country is now rife with these boxes and there is a high percentage that have malware installed. I would urge people to think carefully about what they are opening up their home and their private life to. This is linked to organised crime in China.

People are risking having their personal details stolen and exploited by organised crime. He added: I think the UK public can sometimes suffer from an Only Fools And Horses mentality in accepting cheap goods.

Commander Clark said at present police only investigate criminals who distribute the TV boxes. However, he warned that detectives were considering taking action against individuals who had installed the devices.

Speaking at a cyber security conference in the City, Commander Clark also warned of the potential risk of a cyberterror attack in London. He raised the scenario of hedge fund traders being held to ransom and forced to fat finger trade  carrying out trading errors by pressing the wrong button  in order to send financial markets into meltdown. He asked: Is it feasible? Could the future terrorist attack by purely cyber to make a vast profit or send the global markets into meltdown?

The officer said there were countless terror arrests being made across the UK that ended in fraud charges linked to computer-generated fake identities, credit cards or fraudulent loans.
A mobile phone containing a womans dying thoughts and precious final photos was stolen by a callous thief.

Haringey police have released CCTV stills of the man they want to trace after the theft from a car in Tottenham.

A womans handbag was stolen from her Toyota as she returned a trolley outside B&Q in Tottenham Retail Park on Saturday, December 3.

Among personal items in the bag was a phone that contained content of sentimental value to victim.

The iPhone belonged to her late mother, who had just recently died, and contained pictures of their last trip together as well as her dying thoughts.

The victim managed to track the phones location to Hackney before it was switched off, police say.

In statement, the victim said: It has recorded the last year of her life, including pictures of our last trip, her on the death bed, as well as her voices and final thoughts she wrote when she was spending her last days in the hospice.

"Losing precious photos at a time of deep grief has been really, really difficult. I have begged the suspect to return my mother's phone but he has chosen to ignore the voice messages I have left on the phone since it was taken.

"He took something that meant a lot for me. [His] behaviour is having a huge impact on me. I have been left upset and emotionally drained and would appeal for anyone who has information concerning this individual's identify to speak with police."

The theft was not captured on CCTV but police have identified a man they want to speak to.

The man in the image is described as a man of Turkish or Arab heritage and is approximately 5ft 7ins tall.

He was wearing a hat and dark clothes at the time of the incident.

PC Hannah Woodfield, the investigating officer from Tottenham Green Ward SNT, said: "I am appealing to anyone who recognizes this man to contact me, and similarly appealing to anyone who thinks they are the person in the image to get in touch."

There have been no arrests at this stage, and enquiries continue.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information about the man in the image are urged to contact PC Woodfield on 0208 345 0715, or via 101, or via Twitter @MetCC or @MPSTottGreen.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org. You can also tweet police via @MetCC
A man has died after he collapsed following a late night row with two teenagers on a quiet road in north London.

Police and paramedics rushed to the scene in Moselle Avenue, Wood Green, shortly after midnight after receiving reports of a fight.

Joseph Kelly, 62, had been arguing with the teenagers near his home before he collapsed in the middle of the road, Scotland Yard said.

He was rushed to a north London hospital where he later died.

Mr Kelly, who was born and grew up in Tullamore, County Offaly in Ireland, worked as a fitter and welder throughout his life.

He worked all over Europe but had recently settled in Wood Green and had a close circle of friends in Noel Park.

He was unmarried with no children.

The incident happened on April 12, and a post-mortem held on April 13 at Haringey Mortuary did not establish a definitive cause of death.

However it did make reference to Mr Kelly's generally poor recent health.

Officers await the results of further tests.

Detectives from Haringey CID are investigating and no arrests have been made.

DCI Luke Marks, the officer leading the investigation, said: "The death is not being treated as a homicide, however a police investigation into the circumstances of the death continues.

"I am very keen to trace anyone who saw Mr Kelly in Moselle Avenue, and in particular I wish to speak with two teenagers who had argued with him shortly before he collapsed.

I would urge those young men to get in touch and simply tell me what happened."

Anyone with information is asked to call Haringey CID on 020 3276 3071. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A man was seriously injured after becoming involved in an argument at the Bijou Club in Manchester.

Police said a man was restrained after the row, but when he tried to break free, he was punched and hit.

The 31-year-old is in a serious but stable condition.

Guests at the club have included Justin Bieber, Tulisa, Drake and Rita Ora.

Greater Manchester Police asked for anyone with information to contact them.


P olice are hunting a man after the alleged sex assault of a 12-year-old girl at a swimming pool in south-east London.

The girl was attacked by a man when she was swimming with her friend at the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich, police said.

Scotland Yard has released an e-fit of a man they want to speak to in connection with the assault, which is believed to have taken place at about 2.30pm on January 7.

Police said the girl was approached and sexually assaulted by a man aged about 30, with black cropped hair, stubble and a goatee beard.

Detective Inspector Steve Birchall, of the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command (SOECA), said: "The children in this case have been targeted in a public swimming pool. The person in the image knew they were children and has acted extremely inappropriately towards them.

It is important we identify him to safeguard children in the same circumstances when they should be able to swim and play safely."

Anyone who may know the man's identity should contact Operation Sapphire on 020 8721 4612 or via 101 or to give information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
A teenage cyclist was stabbed to death by a masked gang and two other men were also murdered in a weekend of knife carnage in London.

In Battersea a 17-year-old cyclist was ambushed and fatally stabbed as he tried to flee a gang in the early hours yesterday.

On Saturday, a man believed to be aged 43, was stabbed to death in Enfield by a group of men wearing ski-masks or hoods.

And last night a 60-year-old man was found dead from stab wounds at an address in Bow.

Residents in Battersea told how they raised the alarm after being woken at 1.25am yesterday by the boys screams of help me, Im dying.

The teenage victim was reportedly found sprawled on the bonnet of a car in Ingrave Street on the York Road estate afer being chased by the gang.

Cordon: Police in Battersea after the teenager was stabbed to death / NIGEL HOWARD

Kemi Alli, 34, a care worker, told how the dying teenager screamed at her repeatedly please help they have stabbed me as she looked out her window overlooking the murder scene.

The mother of three gave emergency medical advice to a man who ran to the scene but was devastated that their efforts had not saved his life.

She said: I heard screams and footsteps of people running away. I looked out the window and the boy was there looking at me and shouting Please help they have stabbed me.

I called an ambulance and a man was next to him. I shouted at the man to apply pressure on the wound, because of my training I have some medical experience. I asked him if the boy was responding and he said just.

It was obvious he was slipping away there was so much blood. I did all I could I was shouting at the man what to do then the ambulance arrived.

"I havent been able to sleep I just keep having flashbacks to the boy looking up at me and screaming for me to help him. I wish I could have done more.

Crime scene: Police in Bow Common Lane / David Churchill

Witnesses described seeing a group of young men arriving on the estate in a car and then hassling passers-by earlier in the evening.

A 45-year-old neighbour said: There were about six of them, they jumped out of the car and started chasing him immediately.

"He was on his bike but they caught up with him and stabbed him.

Another resident said: It was out of nowhere, there was some shouting and screaming and then the boy was laying there bleeding. Police surrounded the estate and told us all to go inside. The level of violence is increasing around here it is really frightening.

Some witnesses said the gang were wielding machetes or large knives.

The 17-year-old, who has not been named, is the fourth teenager to be murdered in London this month alone, and the eighth this year.

The killings come as the Met revealed it is battling an surge in of knife and gun crime in the capital, with a 20 per cent increase in the number of stabbings.

Today Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball said there was concern about the rise in knife crime and urged people with information about the weekend attacks to come forward.

He said : We have seen an increase and the key to tackling this I believe is to stop young people from picking up knives in the first place.

The police have to work together with the community and with schools and other groups to educate teenagers about the dangers of carrying knives.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the attack in Exeter Road, Enfield where a 43-year-old was attacked and stabbed in the street.

Detectives say they are keeping an open mind about the motive for the assault which left the man lying in the street next to a plumbers van.

Witnesses reported seeing his attackers fleeing through a wooded area as they reportedly shed bloodied clothes and tried to escape through Brimsdown Primary Schools playing fields.

Three men, aged 17, 18 and 21, were arrested and were being interviewed in custody today. The 18-year-old was also found with stab injuries near-by.

Paramedics fought to save the life of the man for over 45 minutes but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.15pm on Saturday.

Hannah Faulkner, 33, who witnessed the attack, said: The gang were wearing masks so no one could recognise them.

Her son added: They were wearing ski masks so you could only see their eyes - they looked like ninjas.

One witness said: I heard a scream and I looked out of my window and I saw two guys in hoods running off.

There was a woman crying kneeling by the guy, crying.

Another witness, a 24-year-old student, described seeing a man being chased by three youths and stabbed by a huge blade that looked like a sword. 

She said: He put up his hands as if to say dont hurt me and they were all going for him. They stabbed him and then he stumbled back a few yards and collapsed.

There were children there. Its just horrific.

Residents said a large bloodied kitchen knife with the blade broken off was found in a patch of grass just a few yards from where the man died.

Scotland Yard said they were called to reports of a man stabbed in the street asking for help in Bow Common Lanme at 11.20pm last night.

Officers attended and found the body of another man, aged 60, at a nearby address.

Another man, aged 54, was found with stab injuries.

The incident happened just yards from St Pauls Way Trust secondary school.

Anyone with information should police on 101 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
O ur Food for London campaign today gave more than 350,000 in grants to charities using fresh surplus produce to tackle food poverty.

A total of 358,500 has been allocated to 29 community groups in grants of up to 20,000 each from the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund.

It takes total grant-giving by the fund to 12 million, the most money ever distributed by a newspaper-led charitable initiative in this country.

Projects we have funded include the Antwerp Arms, a community-owned pub in Tottenham that cooks lunches to feed people in need, as well as charities repurposing food surpluses to cook for the poor in homeless hostels, churches and schools.

The grants bonanza comes as our campaigns flagship charity, The Felix Project, which collects surplus produce from supermarkets and wholesalers and delivers it to charities, increased its food collections to more than 500 a month.

The fresh food is given to 61 charities to help feed 16,000 struggling people. A United Nations report estimates that more than 800,000 Londoners worry about their ability to obtain food, and defined them as food insecure.

Our Food for London programme was six-times oversubscribed, receiving 2.2 million of grant applications from 152 groups across 30 boroughs.

The winning grants were agreed in a panel meeting attended by the donors  Citi banking group, D&D London restaurant group and the Dispossessed Fund  as well as representatives of The London Community Foundation, the charity that manages the Dispossessed Fund and was responsible for assessing and shortlisting groups.

James Bardrick, head of Citi in the UK, said: The progress thats been made by the Food for London campaign in such a sort time is incredibly impressive, not least the rapid growth of The Felix Project.

We are proud to contribute through our foundations Pathways to Progress initiative and, having participated in the selection of community organisations that will benefit from grant funding, are humbled by what Londoners do every day, often on a voluntary basis, to facilitate distribution of surplus food to those who need it most.

Des Gunewardena, chief executive of D&D London, said: We are delighted that the generous contributions of our guests is going to help such wonderful charitable groups to carry out their vital works.

Russell Delew, chief executive of The London Community Foundation, said: Of 152 applications, many were from organisations at early stages in their development with nearly half of the 29 organisations receiving funding operating on an income of less than 100,000.

"Funding smaller organisations is important as they are embedded in communities and best placed to respond to local need.

Thanks to the generosity of Food for London supporters, these groups will be able to make a lasting difference to the lives of people across London.
A top-rated central London barbers is hoping to help tackle male suicide by inspiring men to open up about their feelings while in the chair.

Pall Mall Barbers is urging other hairdressers across London to follow suit and join a nationwide brotherhood of barber shops aiming to combat the devastatingly-high rates of male suicide.

Called the Lions Barber Collective, the groups idea is for barbers to use their one-on-one time with customers to offer a listening ear to men who may be suffering from depression or other mental health problems.

Dan Davies, 35, who is general manager of the traditional mens grooming shop, told the Standard: What people tend to do is build a bit of a relationship with their hairdressers.

Its like a friend but not somebody there all the time. So we tend to confide in barbers or hairdressers.

Dan Davies, who said the initiative is about giving men the option to open up about their mental health. / Dan Davies

Barbers see so many different people, he said. I dont think theres another trade in the world where you interact with so many different people.

Once you get to know your clients, you can tell if some things are not quite right. Through that you can make a bit of an effort.

Just by simply asking how they are, or going a bit beyond and asking if they want to grab a coffee.

Actually having a conversation with people, it can make a big difference.

It could be that they are really lonely. We have had people who have had really nasty break-ups and completely broken down.

Top-rated: The barber shop has branches across central London. / Dan Davies

Some men will come in quite regularly for a haircut and they dont need one. So you interact with them.

You dont need training to listen to people. We are not trying to be doctors or prescribe things or change the world. We just want people to be like, if youre struggling, speak. We can have a chat.

Mr Davies, who lives in Surrey, added: Id urge barbers across the world to get involved. When you consider the biggest killer of men under 45 is suicide, thats not right.

We have all been at a point in our lives embarrassed to ask for help. You dont want your families and friends to judge you.

But the barber said they never dig or pry too much and added: You tend to move with the conversation.

Pall Mall Barbers, which was founded over 120 years ago and now has branches in Bishopsgate, Westminster, Trafalgar Square and Fitzrovia, joined the Lions Barbers Collective one year ago.

The international initiative now organises events across the UK to promote what it has coined as BarberTalk, tips and advice which can help train barbers to recognise, talk, listen and advise.

It aims to change the stereotype of male-dominated spaces being devoid of talk about feelings.

More than 6,000 British people die from suicide each year, with 75 per cent of them being male. Across the world, the World Health Organisation estimates that around 3,000 people kill themselves daily.


A lmost 3,000 young Londoners would be able to claim housing benefit again under a Liberal Democrat government, the party said today.

Leader Tim Farron wants to reverse the Tory decision to axe housing support for 18 to 21-year-olds, which the party believes penalises 2,800 people in the capital.

He said: The Liberal Democrats will restore housing benefit for 18 to 21-year-olds and prevent a destructive hard-Brexit robbing young people of their futures.

The announcement comes as the party targets Bermondsey and Old Southwark, where former party deputy Sir Simon Hughes is fighting to get his old seat back from Labours Neil Coyle.

Today the party also took their campaign to Vauxhall where they are targeting the seat held by Labours Brexit chair Kate Hoey.

The Lib Dems are also fielding a candidate in the Speaker John Bercows Buckingham seat for the first time since 2005.

Traditionally main political parties tend to leave the Speakers seat uncontested.
F rench expatriates living in London welcomed Emmanuel Macrons victory in round one of the French presidential race  and predicted the former investment banker and now favourite would win big in the final run-off on May 7.

About 100 guests, including Andrew Marr and Rachel Johnson, gathered at the French ambassadors Kensington residence to watch the Europhile newcomer edge Front National leader Marine Le Pen into second place.

Advertising executive Laurent Colin said he was surprised and relieved that Mr Macron, 39, had come first.

The 47-year-old, founder of London-based French advertising agency Green Family, said: It was a big surprise for me, as I imagined Marine Le Pen would come first. All the events in France  the Bataclan, the affair with Fillon  it was like a red carpet for her.

Mr Colin, who queued for more than an hour to cast his vote in South Kensington as more than 93,500 expats went to the polls, said Mr Macrons strong showing was very important for Europe, adding: For Brexit and French citizens here, it doesnt really change things.

Many expressed relief that Ms Le Pens hardline stance on immigration and Europe had not lured more voters. A senior EU diplomat said: Im very pleased. It wasnt a surprise, but it is reassuring that the French are capable of voting for someone who is pro-European, promising a positive project.

The field was so wide open, but you will see in two weeks time it will not be that close. It will be a massive victory for Macron. French people in London want their country to succeed and not to be torn by the sectarian vote, or by a president not representing the soul of the country.

Another diplomat said: I was pleased see that there seems to be a European point of view thats coming out ahead.
B ritain has had no contact with Marine Le Pens campaign despite the fact that she now has an outside chance of becoming the next French president.

Foreign Office minister Baroness Anelay said: It has been the longstanding policy of this and previous governments not to engage with the Front National, based on positions the party has adopted in the past. We keep this policy under review.

The Tory chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, Crispin Blunt, questioned this today.

He told the Standard: It must nearly always be in British interests to seek to influence political movements to adopt policies more acceptable to British norms. Some level of engagement, whether covert, overt or enthusiastic, would seem to be appropriate.

Emmanuel Macron placed first in the first round of the French presidential election / Getty Images

He does not believe Ms Le Pens advance should in itself change the Governments stance as Emmanuel Macron is the favourite to gain the keys to the Elysee Palace. However, Ms Le Pen won 21.5 per cent of the first-round vote, compared with Mr Macrons 23.8 per cent, and beat the two traditional main party candidates: Francois Fillon, from the centre-Right, and Socialist Benoit Hamon.

British diplomats were left deeply embarrassed after failing to build ties with Donald Trumps presidential campaign last year.

The then-Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, stole a march on the Government by meeting the US president-elect before any minister.

"On the decision not to engage with Ms Le Pen, Ukip peer Lord Stevens of Ludgate said: We made the same mistake in the US leaving the UK behind the curve.
E mmanuel Macron is set to go head-to-head with Marine Le Pen in the fight for the French presidency after its two major parties crashed out of the first round.

In a seismic shift in French politics, independent centrist Macron, who launched his political movement En Marche! (On the Move!) in April 2016, was placed first with 23.75 per cent of the vote.

Ms Le Pen, the far-right Front National leader, was just behind on 21.52 per cent in Sundays vote.

Mr Macron, 39, who could become the youngest president of France ever, had resigned from his post as the governments economy minister just four months after setting up En Marche.

French Election: Macron and Le Pen to fight for presidency

With just weeks to go until he faces Ms Le Pen in a run-off on May 7, this is what you need to know about the unexpected front-runner.

En Marche's Emmanuel Macron will go head-to-head with the far right Front National party's Marine Le Pen / AFP/Getty Images

Background

Mr Macron was born into a middle-class family in the northern city of Amiens where he was educated at mostly private schools. He is the son of a doctor and neurology professor.

He fell in love with his wife, Brigitte Trogneux, a chocolate-maker heiress who is 24 years his senior, when she was his drama teacher in high school and he was just 15.

His defied his parents, who disapproved of the relationship and sent him away to Paris, by marrying her in 2007. She has three children from a previous marriage and seven grandchildren.

Mr Macron has degrees in philosophy and public affairs and also attended the elite National School of Administration, which counts Francois Hollande among its graduates.

Before he became a full-time politician, he worked as a civil servant for the French treasury and as an investment banker.

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte / AFP/Getty Images

Political career in government

In 2012, he left Rothschild investment bank for a senior position in Francois Hollandes staff, deputy secretary general in Elysee Palace.

In 2014, he was made the youngest economy minister in France since Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who went on to become president.

He forged a reputation with the controversial Macron Law - a series of reforms that allowed shops to open more often on Sundays and deregulated some sectors of industry.

The law was forced through by Prime Minister Manuel Valls despite large protests from left-wing rebels.

Mr Macron, a champion of digital start-ups, was well liked by the French business community with his list of pro-business policies aimed at boosting economic growth.

Emmanuel Macron (pictured here with President Francois Hollande) resigned as economy minister from the French government / AFP/Getty Images

The En Marche movement and what Mr Macron stands for

His position in government became increasingly awkward when he set up his centrist political movement En Marche in April and he was threatened with the sack by Mr Hollande.

If you dont respect the rules, youre out, the president said.

By August, he had resigned to focus on a new step in my battle to build a project that isnt compatible with being in government.

Mr Macron insists he is neither Left nor Right but for France. He is firmly on the Left on social issues including equality, immigration and freedom to practise religion in a secular state.

En Marche now boasts more than 200,000 followers and has developed a platform that mixes public investment with business-friendly policies

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Mr Macron has plans to end Frances 35-hour week for younger workers in favour of longer hours.

He also wants workers over 50 to have the option of a shorter week.

He has radical plans to cut the size of some primary school classes and to provide every 18-year-old with a culture-pass which will be worth 500 euros and allow young people to discover France, buy books and attend museums.

Mr Macron is staunchly pro-EU.

Mr Macron set up the En Marche movement in April 2016 / AFP/Getty Images

Controversy

At a protest in June held by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union, he was pelted with eggs and told to get lost after telling a union member the best way to afford a suit is to work.

He sparked controversy with comments condemning Frances colonial past in Algeria. Mr Macron was hit by a wave of criticism when he said Frances history in Algeria was a crime against humanity.

Algerians lived under French rule for 132 years until it won a bloody war of independence in 1962.

He later apologised in response to criticism from French nationals who had to leave Algeria in 1962.

His actions led to a brief setback in the polls.

Mr Macron and his wife arrive to vote at the Touquet polling station in the first round of the French presidential election / Getty Images

He has repeatedly quashed rumours that he is having a homosexual affair, which he claims were started by the entourage of former president Nicolas Sarkozy.
T he widower of murdered MP Jo Cox has pleaded for politicians to conduct a "respectful not divisive" election campaign and take on the "haters".

Brendan Cox, whose wife was stabbed and shot by a right-wing extremist days before the EU referendum, said he welcomed a "robust debate" but urged people to give "short shrift to the haters".

The campaigner has planned a community event called the Great Get Together for June 16, the anniversary of his wife's death and just eight days after the election.

He said: "We've got a proud tradition of vigorous debate in this country.

"We can have strong opinions, big disagreements, but we can still respect those who take a different view.

"I welcome a robust debate, we should also give short shrift to the haters and drive them to margins where they belong.

"I hope we'll have an election that's respectful not divisive."

Mother-of-two Mrs Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed by neo-Nazi Thomas Mair in her Batley and Spen constituency. He was later handed a whole-life prison sentence for her murder.

Brenda's reaction on BBC

Her widower referenced a recent viral video showing Brenda from Bristol, who professed her weariness at having another election in a BBC News vox pop.

He said: "Brenda from Bristol captured the feelings of many when she told the BBC 'Not another one!'

"Brenda said there was 'too much politics'. I would say there is too much bitterness and hatred.

"We've seen it growing for a long time but it's not the British way."
M adeleine McCann may have been abducted by people traffickers and sold to a wealthy family, a former Scotland Yard detective has said.

Almost 10 years after she disappeared while on holiday with her family in Portugal, it is believed the three-year-old could have been smuggled by ferry to Africa.

The news comes as it was revealed a girl who looked identical to Madeleine was seen on a key trafficking route in Morocco shortly after she vanished.

Gangs in Mauritania, West Africa - where slavery was only outlawed in 2007, the year of Madeleine's disappearance - are known to sell youngsters to wealthy Middle Eastern families.

Madeleine McCann - In pictures 1 /33 Madeleine McCann - In pictures Madeleine McCann Maddie disappeared in 2007 PA Kate and Gerry McCann, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared from a holiday flat in Portugal ten years ago, during an interview with the BBC's Fiona Bruce at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough PA Screen grabbed image taken from the Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page of a message from Madeleine McCann's parents, Gerry and Kate, who has described the tenth anniversary of her daughter's disappearance as a "horrible marker of time, stolen time" PA Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz The Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz where Madeleine McCann disappeared Kate and Gerry McCann Kate and Gerry McCann with a computer image of how their missing daughter Madeleine might look Reuters Maddie disappeared in 2007 Madeleine McCann: Disappeared in 2007 aged three PA Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, who has revealed that British detectives working on the Madeleine McCann case are still pursuing "critical" leads as the 10th anniversary of her disappearance approaches PA Kate and Gerry McCann Kate and Gerry McCann before a charity run in London AFP/Getty Images The Ocean Club which is next to Apartment 5A in Praia Da Luz in Portugal, where Madeline McCann went missing PA Kate and Gerry McCann, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared from a holiday flat in Portugal ten years ago, during an interview with the BBC's Fiona Bruce at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough PA Kate McCann Kate McCann speaks to press at a Lisbon court last year AFP/Getty Images Kate and Gerry McCann with their children Kate and Gerry return home from Portugal in 2007 AFP/Getty Images A general view of the coastline in Praia Da Luz in Portugal, where Madeline McCann went missing PA Portugal police Police in Portugal comb the Algarve resort after Madeleine disappeared in 2007 AFP/Getty Images Kate and Gerry McCann Kate and Gerry McCann pictured shortly after Maddie went missing AFP/Getty Images Kate McCann Kate McCann cries during a 2008 TV appearance Madeleine McCann Maddie in an Everton shirt Everton FC/PA A general view of Church of Nossa Senhora da Luz in Praia Da Luz, Portugal, close to where Madeline McCann went missing PA Members of Scotland Yard dig at an area during the search for missing British girl Madeleine McCann in Praia da Luz, near Lagos on 07 June 2014 Reuters Kate and Gerry McCann Kate McCann and Gerry McCann speak to press after being cleared of being formal suspects Getty Images A poster is shown whilst Kate and Gerry McCann give a press conference in 2012 about their missing daughter Madeline McCann Daily Mail Kate and Gerry pictured five years after Maddie went missing Getty Images The Ocean Club which is next to Apartment 5A in Praia Da Luz in Portugal, where Madeline McCann went missing PA Maddie's parents in an interview with Crimewatch A scene from a Crimewatch reconstruction BBC

Former Met detective Colin Sutton told the Mirror: The Mauritania line is certainly a possibility and needs to be looked at.

If someone wanted to get a three-year-old child into Africa its the obvious route.

The infrastructure and contacts for people smuggling are clearly there.

It is unclear if police investigating Madeleines disappearance have looked into links to Mauritania, however private detectives hired by the McCanns reportedly believe there are strong reasons to think she was taken to Morocco, a route into the country.

Four days after Madeleine disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, a traveller told Crimestoppers they saw a girl that looked like Madeleine travelling from Tarifa to Tangier.

Two days after that, a tourist reported seeing a girl identical to Madeleine with a man in Marrakech, looking sad and asking the man with her: "Can we see mummy soon?"

Mari Olli and British husband Ray Pollard had not heard of Madeleines disappearance when they made the possible sighting and only made the connection when they returned home.

Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007 when she was sleeping in the family's apartment with her siblings as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.
A 12-year-old boy was arrested by police in the Australian outback after driving alone for more than 800 miles.

The youth had driven across the country from his home in Kendall on the east coast.

He was stopped by police on Saturday on the Barrier Highway near the remote mining town of Broken Hill with his bumper dragging across the road.

Police said the car had suffered some damage and that it appeared he had been in an accident while making the journey.

He was driving to the west coast city of Perth, more than 2,500 miles from Kendall and had left the family home at about 11.10am on Friday.

Detective Inspector Kim Fehon said: Hed taken the family car. His parents reported him missing immediately after he left home, so they were looking for him.

Officers were still investigating why the boy took the car and attempted to cross the country. He was taken to Broken Hill police station after his arrest before being released to his parents.

Police have not yet said whether he has been charged with any offences.
A mother-of-two was being treated in hospital today after her husband punched a shark to stop it attacking her in the South Atlantic.

The woman, named locally as Frankie Gonsalves, originally believed to be from London was attacked while swimming off the west coast of Africa.

Mrs Gonsalves, a member of the St Helena government, was mauled by the creature near English Bay on Ascension Island at around 4pm on Saturday.

She was snorkelling with her husband when the shark attacked her leg and he punched it in order to scare it away, The Times reported.

Mrs Gonslaves was taken to Georgetown Hospital on Ascension Island, before being airlifted for treatment in the UK.

The woman was savaged by a shark while snorkelling with her husband / Shutterstock

St Helena is a British Overseas Territory, 1,150 miles off the west coast of Africa.

The extent of her injuries is unclear. A witness said the shark also attacked her husband, though it is not known if he was also injured.

Multiple species of sharks are common around Ascension Island including Tiger Sharks which are known for their aggression and can reach 17 ft in length.

Although sharks rarely bite humans, the tiger shark is reported to be responsible for a large percentage of fatal shark attacks, and is regarded as one of the most dangerous shark species.

They often visit shallow reefs, harbours, and canals, creating the potential for encounter with humans.

The St Helena government has warned swimmers they take to the water at their own risk.

In a statement they said: The person concerned was swimming near the shore and her injuries were attended to at the Georgetown Hospital.

An emergency aero-medical flight is being arranged to transport the patient from Ascension Island to receive medical treatment in the UK.

Ascension Island Government has released a warning notice advising people that swimming in the area is to be undertaken at their own risk.
E mmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen will fight for the French presidency after its two major parties crashed out of the first round, in a seismic shift in the countrys politics.

The final results put Mr Macron, an independent centrist, top of the pile with 23.75 per cent, closely followed by far-right Front National leader on 21.53 per cent.

Conservative Francois Fillon was eliminated from the presidential contest receiving 19.91 per cent of the vote, with Leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon coming fourth with 19.64 per cent.

The selection of Le Pen and Macron presents voters with the starkest possible choice between two diametrically opposed visions of the EU's future and France's place in it.

Marine Le Pen cheers supporters on stage after exit poll results of the first round of the presidential election were announced at her election day headquarters / AP

It sets up a battle between Macron's optimistic vision of a tolerant France and a united Europe with open borders against Le Pen's darker, inward-looking "French-first" platform.

Her vision calls for closed borders, tougher security, less immigration and dropping the shared euro currency to return to the French franc.

With Le Pen wanting Frances to leave the EU and Macron wanting closer cooperation, the May 7 runoff could have undertones of a referendum on the countries membership.

While Le Pen faces the runoff as the underdog, it's already stunning that she brought her once-taboo party so close to the Elysee Palace.

Emmanuel Macron waves as his wife Brigitte gestures before he addresses his supporters on election day / AP

She hopes to win over far-left and other voters angry at the global elite and distrustful of the untested Macron.

In his election day headquarters in Paris, Macron promised to be a president "who protects, who transforms and builds" if elected.

"You are the faces of French hope," he said.

Le Pen declared that she embodies "the great alternative" for French voters, portraying her duel with Macron as a battle between "patriots" and "wild deregulation".

She warned of job losses overseas, mass immigration straining resources at home and "the free circulation of terrorists."

France is now steaming into unchartered territory, because whoever wins on May 7 cannot count on the backing of France's political mainstream parties.

Even under a constitution that concentrates power in the president's hands, both Macron and Le Pen will need legislators in parliament to pass laws and implement much of their programs.
T he United States issued an ultimatum to North Korea early today after the rogue regime threatened to sink an American aircraft carrier sent to the region in response to rising tensions between the two countries.

The Pentagon called on the Pyongyang government to refrain from provocative, destabilising actions and rhetoric and return to serious talks with the international community about its nuclear ambitions.

Washington also made it clear that it considered North Koreas unlawful weapons programmes represent a clear, grave threat to US national security.

Provocations from North Korea have grown far too common and far too dangerous to ignore, a US State Department spokesperson added. We do not seek military conflict, nor do we seek to threaten North Korea. However, we will respond to threats to us or our allies accordingly.

The war of words ratcheted up after the North Koreans warned yesterday that they were ready to take out USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier ordered into waters off the Korean peninsula by President Trump, with a single strike.

Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North Korean governments Central Committee, said in an editorial that the country is ready to illustrate its military force by sinking the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The newspaper claimed Pyongyang has weaponry that can reach continental US and Asia Pacific region and the absolute weapon, a hydrogen bomb.

Worried that the crisis was escalating, Chinas President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with Mr Trump yesterday.

Chinas official broadcaster CCTV quoted Mr Xi as telling the US president that his government strongly opposes North Koreas nuclear weapons programme, which is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped all parties will avoid aggravating the situation.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Koreas attempts to develop a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the US mainland.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came amid speculation that Pyongyang could hold a sixth nuclear test this week.

Mr Trump has pressed his Chinese counterpart to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given Chinas status as the countrys sole economic lifeline and major ally.

Adding to the tensions, North Korea detained a Korean-American man in his fifties on Saturday, bringing the total number of US citizens held by Pyongyang to three.

The man, Tony Kim, had been in North Korea for a month teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, He was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the country.

North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean Peoples Army on Tuesday.

In the past, it has used important anniversaries to test its weapons. North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.
The fascination of doll collecting often begins early, as little girls collect and play with toy dolls. As these young girls grow up to become women, the fascination can remain with adults fondly remembering the past as they preserve it for the future.

For the past 40 years, doll enthusiasts from around the area have gathered to share their fascination with others who also remember the dolls of their youth.

Judy Widmeier of Gering said the Panhandle Doll Club was formed in 1977 after she went to a doll convention in Lincoln.

The people who put on the convention told me there were no doll clubs in western Nebraska, but they encouraged me to start one, she said. I put an ad in the paper and had about 30 people in my house that night.

The local group is a chapter of the United Federation of Doll Clubs, formed in 1949 to encourage research, education, conservation, collection and appreciation of dolls. The groups museum and headquarters are in Kansas City, Missouri.

On April 1, the Panhandle Doll Club hosted a luncheon and almost 90 people gathered to hear from internationally known doll auctioneer Stuart Holbrook. During his talk, he noted the most sought-after doll on the market, from the French company A Marque, today sells for around $360,000. There are only about 20 in existence today.

All of us collect something different, Widmeier said. A person usually starts collecting dolls from their childhood. Then, depending how much they want to spend, they either work toward the best of those kinds of dolls or progress through different kinds, up to antique dolls.

Dolls have been around as long as mankind and have taken on many forms. Pioneers traveling west made dolls from corn husks for their children. Later on, cloth and straw became more prevalent.

The golden age of dolls was the late 1800s and early 1900s, a time when German and French doll makers were creating intricate porcelain heads. The heads went onto porcelain, composite, or cloth bodies. One of the major companies at the time was Germanys Kenner-Rheinhardt, more commonly known as K*R.

Kenner-Rheinhardt specialized in character faces and produced about 30 different examples in different sizes, said doll club member Connie Frank. The company employed women to paint the faces and put in the eyes, which were made of blown glass. It was unusual for women to be working in factories at that time.

American companies were importing porcelain doll heads from Europe and manufacturing the doll bodies in their own factories. Later, American companies took on their entire process themselves.

Of course, many of the dolls took on the characteristics of celebrities of the time, including Shirley Temple and Jane Withers.

Just as the clothes make the person, the same can be said about dolls. One of the companies that produced its own dolls and all the wardrobes was the Terri Lee Company, started in 1946 in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Lee and her niece.

Terri went to a show in New York but didnt have a manufacturers certificate, Frank said. Another person sold the dolls for her. That got her in touch with Montgomery Ward, who sold the Terri Lee dolls through its catalog. They ended up selling about 3,600 that first year.

Another firm was the Vogue Doll Company, creators of the very popular Ginny doll series. They took advantage of cottage industry work, recruiting home workers to sew doll clothes for them.

I think we all played with the Ginny dolls because they were so easy to dress, Frank said. Theyre still making dolls today.

Simplicity was also part of the industry, selling patterns for people who wanted to sew their own doll clothes for the Ginny line.

The outfits will sometimes command a hundred dollars or more on the collectors market, Widmeier said. I keep track of outfits like the ones on my Ginny doll collection.

Another accessory that can sell for more than $100 today is a cloth dog that went along with the Ginny doll, manufactured by the German company Steiff. That firm is still in business, making stuffed animals and cloth dolls.

People who want to collect current dolls go for ones made by the American Girl Doll Company, said doll club member Lorene Heilbrun. Theyre the pricey ones that can sell for about a hundred dollars. Theyre all 18-inch dolls now, which is kind of the standard because theyre all easy to dress and also easier to sew your own doll clothes.

All the ladies of the doll club agreed its the thrill of the hunt that keeps them collecting. A collection can be the size of just one doll or as large as a roomful. Many of them admitted theyre afraid to count just how large their collections are.

Connie Frank, who has one of the groups larger collections, is planning to open a doll and toy museum on the fourth floor of the Powerhouse Building at 18th and Broadway in Scottsbluff.

I just want to share my collection with the public, she said.

For more information on the Panhandle Doll Club, call Connie Frank at 308-631-8347.
Kindergartners from around the valley recently discovered history can be fun.

More than 600 5- and 6-year olds descended on the Legacy of the Plains museum on Tuesday and Wednesday for the annual Trip Through Time event to learn how the people who lived in the valley 150 years accomplished daily tasks and how children had fun.

Pioneer games, including jump rope, hopscotch, bean bag toss and duck-duck-goose allowed the students to blow off some steam before they got to work inside the museum.

Visitors to the museum intermingled with the children during the day. Bob and Julie Fox, of Brisbane, Australia, stopped by to see the museum and the Scotts Bluff National Monument. Bob Fox had the chance to see bison, something hes always wanted to see. They were impressed with the number of volunteers willing to give up their time for children to learn about their history.

Elanor Shimek usually volunteers for the event each year.

Its a wonderful experience for the volunteers and the kids, Shimek said. If Im in town, I volunteer.

Not all volunteers were from the museum. Some came from around the valley. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and the Riverside Discovery Center joined together to help students engage in hands-on activities from the past.

It provides kindergartners with a fun and interactive way to learn about the history of the area and what life on the plains was like during the pioneer days, said Ashley Hansen, wildlife education assistant, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

Beth Trupp, a docent at the Riverside Discovery Center, was helping to teach the children about the animals in the area with furs and skulls of different types of animals early pioneers would encounter.

Its so much fun for the kids, Trupp said. I think they all enjoyed themselves.

Tina Dueker, who ranches north of Bayard volunteered after hearing about the event through a friend.

I think its important to teach kids about agriculture, Dueker said. This is a good opportunity to do that.

Morrill kindergarten teacher Jamie Martin brings her class every year to the Trip Through Time.

Its a fun field trip, Martin said. The kids get to touch and play and do things, which is good because 5-year olds dont sit for very long.

Jadie Beam, director of staff development at ESU #13, was pleased with the turn out of volunteers, particularly with the number of WNCC education students who came both days to work with the children.

Some of them came back a second day when they didnt have to, Beam said.

One little boy thanked Beam for inviting his class to the event and asked her if he could stay overnight.

Jordyn McCloud, who is in the Choices program in Scottsbluff, knows she wants to be a teacher and is already taking classes at Western Nebraska Community College. She volunteered during the event to learn a little bit more about being around smaller children.

Events like this get you used to different types of atmospheres with kids, McCloud said.
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Former president Traian Basescu states that Romania could be convicted by the European Court of Human Rights for the National Anti-corruption Directorate prosecutors' actions that finalized with acquittals in court.

He claims he holds information that several people have filed complaints at CEDO against the Romanian state.

"Romania will pay a great deal of money. Do you believe that some of those who have been carried in hand cuffs in front of DNA headquarters will not receive compensation from CEDO? Because I will show you, it's written in black and white, you are not allowed to showcase one in hand cuffs, expose one as guilty until convicted. I know many people who were displayed in hand cuffs for Ms. Kovesi's glory (Chief prosecutor of DNA) starting with 2015 and who have already filed complaints at CEDO," said Basescu at private TV broadcaster Romania TV.

The former head of state gave Bulgaria's example that "received huge fines from CEDO for something like this."

agerpres.
JEFFERSON CITY  The warden of a northwest Missouri prison for women has been named to a top post in the states embattled Department of Corrections.

In an announcement to agency staff, Corrections Director Anne Precythe said Alana Boyles will take over as the director of the Division of Adult Institutions on May 1.

She replaces former adult institutions chief Dave Dormire, who announced his retirement in February amid an agency-wide sexual harassment scandal that has cost Missouri taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees.

Boyles, who has been warden at the Chillicothe Correctional Center since 2014, will oversee the states 21 prisons. She started in the department as a prison caseworker in western Missouri and also was a deputy warden at the Maryville Treatment Center.

Chillicothe houses 1,640 female inmates and is home to a 256-bed substance abuse treatment program.

Dormire, who worked for the prison system for 42 years, was earning $92,000 when he retired. A salary for Boyles was not immediately available.

Boyles appointment is the latest change at the agency. Precythe was picked by Gov. Eric Greitens to oversee the department after serving in a top administrative position with the North Carolina prison system. She replaced former agency head George Lombardi.

Kenneth Jones has been elevated to be the chairman of the Board of Parole and Probation after five years on the panel. Jones, a Republican from Clarksburg, replaces Ellis McSwain, a Democrat from Jefferson City who has served as chairman for the past seven years.

McSwain will continue as a member of the seven-member board, which rules on whether offenders should be released from prison.

Jones, a former sheriff and Republican state representative, is the father of Greitens deputy chief of staff, Caleb Jones.

In the central office, Precythe has filled the deputy director post vacated in December by David Rost with Matt Sturm, who will serve as the No. 2 person in the system. Sturm was director of the Division of Offender Rehabilitative Services and has been at the agency since 1996.

At the Kansas City Community Release Center, Precythe has replaced Warden Lilly Angelo with retired former Warden Sonny Collins. She also has moved two deputy wardens out of the facility and brought in retired wardens to replace them.

The facility was converted last year from a release center like the one in downtown St. Louis to a minimum-security institution that houses inmates who are about to be released but not yet on parole.

Precythes first months as director have been dominated by reports of widespread sexual harassment of female prison guards, which have resulted in millions of dollars in legal payouts by the state.

The scandal was first reported by the Pitch.com, a Kansas City newspaper, which found a pattern of harassment among male workers toward their female counterparts.

Attorney General Josh Hawley told a Senate panel in March that the state was challenging another $28 million in payouts, although not all of those are from the Department of Corrections.

The House has formed a special investigative committee that has been taking testimony about problems within the agency.
ST. LOUIS  A decade ago, the founders of the St. Louis Language Immersion charter schools set out to offer something no other St. Louis school does: the chance for children to become fluent in a foreign language starting in kindergarten, for free.

This rare opportunity to learn almost entirely in a different language has enticed parents from across the spectrums of race and income to enroll their children.

Walk into one hallway of the schools campus on Marine Avenue and youll hear first-graders laughing at a Mandarin Chinese cartoon show. Take the stairs to the other floors and youll hear the murmurs of children conversing in French and Spanish.

But school staff now believe the approach is widening a large racial achievement gap, one that worries them as they are being told to improve their academics after years of unsteady operation.

Some say the original, ambitious vision of full immersion is at odds with constant pressure from the state to improve test scores, including among minority and low-income students.

Now, the schools new president, Lilith Werner, is asking parents and staff to study potential changes such as scaling back the language immersion or adding preschool and afterschool activities.

We are not serving all children the way we need to, said Werner, who was hired in July. Its not only an accountability issue, which of course is important. I also think its a moral issue, whether were preparing people to be biliterate and bilingual as we say they are.

Meanwhile, talk of changes is brewing resentment among parents who fear theyll lose what they signed up for and who believe innovation is being sacrificed for better test scores.

Now I hear about test scores and infrastructure inefficiencies and struggles, and Im not mad at the people who need to make changes so that [this school] is sustainable, said Natalie Bishop, a parent, at Wednesdays school board meeting. But where is the person excited about the vision of an immersion school?

A TROUBLING GAP

Rhonda Broussard founded St. Louis Language Immersion Schools in 2009. Her vision became reality with the opening of The French School and The Spanish School in 2011, The Chinese School in 2012 and The International School in 2014, which serves middle-school students learning French or Spanish.

Then Broussard was ousted in 2015. Parents protested her departure, and several parents still worry today because they fear Broussards vision for full immersion is being threatened under different leadership.

For years, the schools were weathering budget troubles and struggling to enroll more students. The schools campus on Marine Avenue was plagued by building code violations, and the charter organization lacked basic financial and operational systems.

All charter schools have a sponsor, usually a university, whose job is to hold the schools accountable for performance.

Bill Mendelsohn, director of charter school operations for the University of Missouri-St. Louis, which sponsors the immersion schools, delivered a scalding reprimand to the schools in December.

He said in a long speech to the school board that while certain academic and infrastructures were not where it needs to be, what was most disturbing to him was the schools racial achievement gap.

Mendelsohn told the board that the schools mission was inspiring and had benefited some. But we must ask, Who has not benefited? And the answer is: Over half of the students who attend.

About 73 percent of white students who took state tests scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, while just 26 percent of black students did so.

About 61 percent of white students scored proficient or advanced in math, while just 17 percent of black students did so. Black students make up more than half of students here, and about two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a measure of poverty.

The racial achievement gap is widespread in American public schools, and Mendelsohn acknowledged that officials didnt know whether the full immersion model specifically was contributing to it. But he said it did require re-evaluation because it doesnt seem to be working.

Starting behind

Generally, students at the St. Louis immersion schools receive roughly 80 percent to 90 percent of instruction in a foreign language and the rest in English. When the schools started, instruction was almost 100 percent in the foreign language, which is what the founders intended.

Some studies have found that language immersion programs benefit all students academically, including underserved groups such as black students and low-income students.

But staff here say many such students start school without the benefit of having been read to or even knowing their own last names. That makes it difficult for those students to do well without learning much English, especially when it comes time to take state tests in math and language arts, which are all in English.

We know that immersion can work when you have literacy skills in your native language and you are able to transfer them, said Arlene Galve, chief operating officer for St. Louis Language Immersion Schools and head of The Spanish School.

Many of our students are coming to kindergarten with a lot of different needs and they are coming with very weak literacy skills, and sometimes, they are not even ready in their own language to be acquiring a second language.

Some research shows that early literacy skills developed in a childs first language, such as learning phonetic sounds and the alphabet, transfer to learning other languages and are strong predictors of success in learning a second language.

At their founding, the elementary immersion schools taught no English until second grade. Now, staff have phased in at least an hour of English each day starting from kindergarten.

MAKING CHANGES

The school board and numerous staff members credit Werner with improving St. Louis Language Immersion Schools on many fronts in which it was lacking.

Werner has held monthly staff welfare meetings and parent meetings to listen to feedback. There are more school board members, a facilities task force, a full-time human resources specialist and part-time nursing services for students.

Next school year, there will be an extended school day, and the four schools will consolidate, a move meant to increase efficiencies and collaboration.

Werner expects action plans for the schools strategic planning to be finished in time for the next school board meeting in May. The next parent meeting about the planning process will be Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Papin campus.

But many parents still dont trust Werner and are skeptical of the changes happening under her leadership.

That tension boiled over at Wednesdays school board meeting, where more than 20 parents and supporters called for her resignation amid allegations that she had made racist comments to a few Chinese-speaking staff members.

The school board unanimously backs Werner in the matter, and a board-commissioned investigation in the winter found that the alleged comments were a result of cultural misunderstanding.

But parents, still bitter from the ouster of their founding president two years ago, believe the allegations and changes are signs that the immersion program they signed up for is threatened.

I was promised school immersion  . And I was promised native Chinese speakers, said parent Hilary Scott at Wednesdays meeting. From everything demonstrated to us Chinese parents in the last five months, it is clear that our agreements are in jeopardy.
FLORISSANT  Robert Parson Jr. is a lawyer, husband, father of three. He has served as deacon of his church, board chairman of a condo association and as a Seabee in the Navy Reserves.

On Monday night, he will add a new title to the list: first African-American to serve on the City Council.

Its significant in St. Louis Countys largest city, where one in four residents is black and where Parsons election comes less than a year after the city agreed to redraw the boundary lines of its nine wards so that each has roughly the same number of people.

The change in boundaries came at the urging of the New York-based NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the countrys first civil rights law firm.

We believe that the citys current electoral plan may undermine the opportunity of black voters in Florissant to participate equally in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice, wrote Legal Defense Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill and three other attorneys from the firm in a letter two years ago to Mayor Thomas Schneider.

We, therefore, write to encourage the City Council to pursue a readily available fair and inclusive approach to elections that complies with the Constitution, the Voting Rights Act and other applicable laws.

The letter was unexpected, Schneider said, and was the first indication that the city had used incorrect data when redistricting, something it is required to do after every decennial census.

We were surprised by the letter, surprised that the data was flawed, then surprised at how flawed it was, Schneider said. It actually made the wards worse.

The letter was written April 15, 2015, eight months after teenager Michael Brown was fatally shot by a police officer in neighboring Ferguson. The Legal Defense Fund attorneys pointed out that in addition to under-representation on their city councils, both communities have few black police officers, and officers make a disproportionate number of traffic stops involving African-American motorists.

Ifill pointed out that while blacks constitute almost 27 percent of Florissants population, 8 percent of the police force is African-American. And of those stopped by police, 57 percent are black.

Recently, in nearby Ferguson, the U.S. Department of Justice found substantially similar racial disparities in stopping, searching, and ticketing of black motorists, and concluded that Ferguson officials had engaged in a pattern of egregious unlawful conduct, in violation of both the Constitution and federal law, Ifill said in her letter to Schneider.

Continually drawing comparisons between Ferguson and Florissant, Ifill said Florissant officials should be mindful of the significance of this report. In it, then-Attorney General Eric Holder noted that the DOJs report was only the beginning of a reform process, not limited to Ferguson but also with surrounding municipalities.

Because Florissant shares some of the striking racial disparities  we urge the City Council to embrace this important opportunity to proactively address the citys interrelated issues of racial discrimination.

Florissant City Attorney John Hessel said the city had based its redistricting on census numbers provided by St. Louis County. When the allegations arose that wards were not equally representing Florissants population, the city was taken aback.

We said: Really? Hessel said. If your data is right and ours is wrong, we have to correct it.

A balancing act

The city brought to the table David Kimball, a political science professor from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, to help confirm that the Legal Defense Fund data was accurate and to work with a newly convened redistricting commission, appointed by city leaders.

Kimball said the reason for redistricting, which happens every 10 years in congressional districts and in cities divided by wards, is to assure there is an equal distribution of residents within those boundaries. Otherwise it can appear that hanky-panky was going on to tilt the advantage toward a particular race of people, a political party or an incumbent by keeping disproportionate numbers of voters in place, he said.

The Legal Defense Fund argued that Florissants wards violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which requires wards to be of nearly equal population, so that each persons vote may be given equal weight in the election of representatives.

In other words, voters are at a disadvantage if they live in a ward with 1,000 residents while other wards contain only 500 residents. The collective voice of residents of the larger ward is diluted.

That situation is doubly bad, in the eyes of the Legal Defense Fund, if the larger ward also contains a higher concentration of minorities  which was the case in Florissant.

The citys 9th Ward, the only one with a majority of black residents, had previously been drawn up to include 715 more residents than it should have. Stated in more statistical terms, the citys deviation from properly balanced wards was more than 25 percent. Deviations exceeding 10 percent create a prima facie case of discrimination, the firm said.

But moving residents from one ward to another is tricky. If done the wrong way it could actually hurt minority representation. In presenting its case, the Legal Defense Fund said that the Voting Rights Act prohibited minority vote dilution, which can occur by the dispersal of black people into districts in which they constitute an ineffective minority of voters.

Deuel Ross, an attorney with the Legal Defense Fund, said he believed the new plan hit the right balance. In taking 712 residents away from the old 9th Ward, he said, new boundaries left the percentage of black voting-age residents essentially unchanged, at 54 percent.

Similar changes were made in other wards without producing large declines in minority voter percentages. The new boundaries were formally approved in May.

Ross said a goal of the changes was to create an additional opportunity for black voters to elect a candidate of choice, which we achieved by increasing the percentage of black voters in Ward 8, from a 39.7 percent black citizen voting age population to 44.6 percent.

Parson was elected in the 8th Ward.

Although I think I benefited from what happened in redistricting, there were a lot of people of all races that wanted change, said Parson, 46.

A fair and equitable voice

Parson said his community involvement, which includes serving as chairman of the citys Environmental Quality Commission, helped get him plugged into Florissant politics and form a strong base of support to run for council. His wife, Tanya, is a teacher at Commons Lane Elementary, also in the 8th Ward, and a lot of people know me through the school, he said.

Schneider played down Parsons race as the reason for his win over a longtime incumbent.

It was a coincidence. We had a very qualified candidate, the mayor said.

Parson said the City Council should look like those it is elected to serve.

I believe everyone needs to have representation. About a quarter of the city is African-American. We pay taxes like everyone else and deserve representation like everyone else.

While the matter of council wards appears to be resolved in Florissant, a separate but related dispute continues over voting for the Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education. In that case a judge ruled in favor of the ACLU and NAACP, saying that having board members elected as at-large candidates narrowed the possibility of electing minority candidates.

The case has been tied up in appeals. In the meantime, blacks hold three of seven seats on the school board, while 80 percent of the districts 11,200 students are African-American.

Like many other north St. Louis County communities, Florissants black population has steadily increased. In 2000, African-Americans represented 11.5 percent of the citys population. In 2010, that number grew to 26.7 percent. With Parsons election, he becomes the second person of color on the nine-member council, joining 9th Ward Councilman Tommy Siam, who is of Indian heritage.

The Legal Defense Fund walked away satisfied with the citys effort, saying Florissant was setting an example for the region.

The events in Ferguson demonstrated the critical role that municipal government plays in the day-to-day lives of black St. Louis County residents, Ifill said in a statement after the Legal Defense Fund and Florissant reached an agreed on ward map. Florissants decision to help ensure that all residents have a fair and equitable voice in their local government is encouraging.

Hessel, the longtime city attorney, called it the right thing to do. Were headed in the right direction.

But he also pointed out that Parsons running marked the first time a black resident had done so.

Were batting 1,000 percent, Hessel said.
JEFFERSON CITY  On the first day of this years legislative session, House Speaker Todd Richardson, a Republican, vowed to make restrictions on lobbyist gifts to legislators the first bill out of his chamber.

His side of the capitol made good on the promise, too, voting Rep. Justin Alfermans measure out of committee at 7:30 a.m. on Inauguration Day, Jan. 9, and sending it to the Senate on Jan. 17 on a 149-5 vote. Alferman, R-Hermann, was finding it easier to be optimistic despite the obstacles looming in the Senate, where a similar measure stalled last year.

Missouri voters had just voted to end unlimited campaign contributions and had elected Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican who frequently bashed a Jefferson City full of career insiders, well-paid lobbyists and self-serving politicians on the campaign trail. The people were clamoring for a cleanup.

Alferman was less enthusiastic Thursday. During the three months his bill has sat in a Senate committee waiting for a vote, the upper chamber has ground itself to a halt with filibuster after filibuster from lawmakers in both parties.

There is absolutely no way that bill gets done this year, unfortunately, he said. And I dont think its about the bills quality, its a casualty of whats going on in the other chamber.

Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, maintained that senators were still working on a measure to cut down on the capitals notorious unlimited gift-giving policy  politicians raked in more than $500,000 last year. But Alferman doubted any Senate proposal would pass muster in the House. Kehoes would allow legislators to accept $10 in gifts per day; other senators favor caps of $30 or $40 per day. And with the Senate struggling to pass the state budget with three weeks left in session, a fight over the long-sought restrictions is looking increasingly unappetizing.

I see no path for it, said Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, one of the measures chief critics. On the list of things of priority to this state, I dont think it ranks very high.

Aside from the budget, which the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass, the Senate has also put off work on business-friendly changes to the legal system and additional legislation aimed at weakening labor unions.

Compared to paying our bills and creating jobs in this state, a gift ban does absolutely nothing to move us forward, he said.

Greitens, who promised on the campaign trail last year to pass a total ban on lobbyist gifts, has also presented problems for Alfermans efforts.

Failing to disclose who cut him a campaign check for $1.9 million in July or who funded his inauguration was mostly an easy talking point for Democrats. But having his allies create a nonprofit collecting unlimited, confidential donations  in apparent avoidance of the new caps on campaign contributions approved by voters in November  presented a new host of problems.

Recalcitrant Republicans such as Schatz, who said he saw nothing wrong with being taken out to dinner several times this session to talk about legislation, suddenly had cover.

And Democrats, who take their fair share of freebies, too, got to promise amendments to any lobbying bill requiring disclosure of the shady donations.

Ethics is much more than the gift ban, Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, said last month. I really think we need a vote on the transparency issue. Ill do everything I can to add it to that bill.

Its bad enough that hes putting more dark money into Missouri politics than weve ever seen, said Sen. Scott Sifton, D-south St. Louis County. But to act like hes the white knight? I think that lacks credibility in the minds of Democrats and Republicans.

Greitens told reporters last month that he was open to any language that would get gift limits passed this session, but he dodged questions on transparency.

A spokesman for the governor did not respond last week to requests for comment.

An unsuccessful session would mark just one of several defeats for the legislation in recent years.

More than 30 other states have set limits on the amount lobbyists can spend on lawmakers: California says lobbyists cannot give gifts worth more than $10 a month to lawmakers; Colorado lawmakers cant accept more than $50 in gifts in a year.

But Missouri lawmakers have remained averse to changing the rules despite the risk of residents seeing them as corrupt. St. Louis Community College political scientist John Messmer said the reason why was obvious.

A lot of them have told me that they just like getting gifts, he said. They dont think the job is luxurious enough, they dont think they get paid enough, and so they rationalize taking advantage of a few perks to make up for it.

Despite that, Alferman remains confident that the days of unlimited gift-giving are numbered.

Annual lobbyist spending has dropped by nearly half since 2013, when it reliably reached more than $1 million.

Franc Flotron, a longtime lobbyist and former Republican representative and senator, said he noticed a change about five or six years ago.

A lot of the members would say they didnt want expensive meals bought for them, he said. So we started doing family-style dinners that were relatively inexpensive, and we reported the ones who didnt pay and didnt for the ones that paid it back.

And just a few years ago, ethics bills were regularly killed in committee.

This year and last year, the House has proven we can pass a gift ban bill, he said. This stuff isnt going away.
Why is one of America's most pro-choice major Republican office-holders suddenly moving to the right on abortion?

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner made waves last week by warning in advance that he will veto a pending bill that would expand abortion coverage for state workers and Medicaid recipients.

In most of deeply divided America right now, a Republican making such a statement would be considered not only unsurprising, but expected. Illinois, though, is different. The concept of a socially liberal Republican office-holder  a contradiction in terms in most places today  still is a real thing in the land of that first Republican, Abraham Lincoln.

There are reasons that a Republican was able to win the governorship of one of America's most liberal states in 2014, and one of those reasons was Rauner's approach to hot-button social issues: He generally tried to ignore them, keeping the focus on the economy. When pressed on abortion, he leaned far enough left to avoid turning off Democrats and independents who liked his economic message.

Back then, he specifically said he would support lifting the state's restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortion  the very thing that this new legislation would do, and that he now says he will oppose.

Rauner told reporters last week that his new opposition to expanding abortion funding is actually consistent with his previous general philosophy of sticking with fiscal rather than social issues. What we should not do is take on controversial issues right now, but instead focus on getting a balanced budget passed, he told the Associated Press.

Of course, vetoing an abortion-funding bill will be taking on a controversial issue. But so will signing it.

The real point is that Rauner is in trouble in his announced re-election bid next year. He is potentially one of the most vulnerable incumbent Republicans in America, based on the state's continuing fiscal catastrophe. He and the Democratic Legislature blame each other for it, but the voters are likely to blame both.

In that environment, Rauner is going to have a tough enough time keeping the crossover Democratic support he won three years ago. If he has to worry about shoring up his Republican base too, it's game over. Thus the about-face on abortion. It's a calculation that keeping this particular campaign promise could cost him more dearly than breaking it.
COTTLEVILLE  In a move that could open Missouri to thousands of jobs for Uber and Lyft drivers while pounding another nail in the tire of traditional taxi services, Gov. Eric Greitens on Monday signed legislation paving the way for the new transportation companies to more easily operate statewide, effectively superseding local fees and regulations.

One immediate consequence of the new law could be to spawn a major push by taxi companies in St. Louis and other cities to demand that local regulators lighten their rules and fees to match what the new state system will do for Uber, Lyft and other services like them.

Today is a great day for jobs in Missouri, Greitens said at a public bill-signing ceremony at St. Charles Community College, before an auditorium packed with state lawmakers, supporters of the measure and a few protesters.

Thousands of Missourians will now have good work readily available, Greitens said, adding: It shows that as a state, we are committed to fighting for jobs  (and) that Missouri is open for business.

The bill  long sought by transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft and opposed by the traditional taxi industry  sets statewide regulatory standards for the companies and their part-time, independent-operator drivers, smoothing over the states patchwork of local regulations. Those rules had created a scenario where Uber drivers were operating under different sets of rules in different cities or counties, sometimes even facing multiple sets of regulations within the same trip.

Andy Hung, general manager for Uber in Missouri, attended the bill signing and told reporters afterward that the company began expansion of its app-based services as soon as Greitens signature was on the law.

Weve had people opening up the app, thousands of people across Missouri wanting to ride or drive, and now were able to expand across the state, he said. Im very proud the say that we are currently live in St. Charles and Jefferson City.  You can request a ride in St. Charles right now, today, and go wherever you want.

Lyft issued a statement after the signing, lauding this important legislation.

We look forward to announcing expansion plans soon and bringing the many benefits of Lyft to more Missourians, said the statement.

One St. Louis taxi company executive said Monday the legislation codifies the unlevel playing field his industry has long complained of from the ride-hailing services. He said the industry here will begin lobbying local regulators to get the same kinds of fee and regulations breaks that the new legislation gives to the Ubers and Lyfts out there.

What the law does is put taxis at a disadvantage, with minimal regulations for them, said Adam McNutt, president of Laclede Cab of St. Louis. He cited the $5,000 annual fee the ride-hailing services will have to pay to the state under the new law, a fraction of the combined fees that cab companies and drivers must pay to local regulators. In order for us to complete, we need similar regulations.

Taxi companies have managed for years to prevent unfettered expansion of the ride-hailing services, standing on issues like the possibility that drivers with questionable backgrounds would be driving passengers. The new legislation includes statewide standards on background checks for drivers.

The legislation is House Bill 130.
The fever-pitch national hysteria over gun rights ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential elections has all but disappeared now that Donald Trump is president. In terms of federal action directly affecting Second Amendment rights, nothing has changed since President Barack Obamas departure. The absence of an easily identifiable demon in Washington has frustrated gun makers and their top lobbyists.

Obamas presidency was a boon to the industry. Today, the gun lobby is having trouble gaining political traction. A tepid recent effort to ease restrictions on noise suppressors, often known as silencers, made little headway, probably because its hard to get politicians worked up over the need for quieter gun technology.

Stock prices of major arms manufacturers have plummeted. Sales of guns and ammunition are way down. Without the ability to gin up fear among gun owners with exaggerated scare tactics, the National Rifle Association seems more like a toothless tiger these days.

Get ready for a new onslaught as the gun industry zeroes in on its next whipping boy: the federal courts system. During the Obama administration, Senate Republicans moved at a deliberate snails pace to fill the growing list of federal court vacancies. Obama inherited 54 vacancies when he assumed office in 2009. Today, more than 100 vacancies exist, lending Trump enormous potential power to reshape the federal bench.

But can he be trusted? Trump entered office professing unbridled support for the Second Amendment even though he once endorsed a ban on private sales of assault rifles. NRA members were openly skeptical before the election. Since January, he has fallen silent on gun issues.

Gun-rights organizations that heaved a sigh of relief at his election now warn that this is no time to be complacent. The Second Amendment Foundation recently launched a Black Robes Matter campaign to alert members about the high stakes in Trumps court appointments.

It is estimated that President Trump will appoint 38 percent of all judges on the federal bench.  We must make sure that he nominates only people that will respect, preserve and expand our Second Amendment rights, foundation founder Alan M. Gottlieb wrote to members this month.

Speaking after Trumps election, NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre warned, More than 300 Obama-appointed anti-gun judges present an infection for which there is no cure, other than time and vigilance.

At some point, the American public will realize that the existence of 265 million firearms in the hands of gun owners is more than adequate to demonstrate the gun lobbys grip on power. Lobbyists thinly veiled attempt to stoke public fear is little more than a cynical marketing ploy to boost sagging sales by creating controversy where none exists. They have more than earned their right  to be ignored.
Photo submitted by University of Warwick

THE University of Warwick has been awarded 4.25 million of funding for a battery research project to power electric cars, and for driverless vehicles.

The announcement was made by Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary Greg Clark Transport Minister John Hayes, as part of a range of funding for the universitys Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG).

The first project is led by BMW Group, to design and develop power dense batteries in the UK, one of the key steps needed for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

WMG has received a grant of 3.8 million for its part in the project, which will bring together BMW, WMG and Delta Motorsport.

Prof Dave Greenwood, from WMG, said: This research collaboration will utilise WMGs electrochemical materials and engineering expertise, and use WMGs world-class battery testing and validation facilities, for understanding optimal power density in application of Li-ion battery cells, modules and packs.

The second project is Connected and Autonomous POD on-Road Implementation (CAPRI), a consortium, which has secured of funding from Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), which are also known as driverless vehicles.

The on-road mobility service pilot project includes the design, development and testing of new autonomous and connected PODs, culminating in on-road trials at Londons Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. WMG will receive 450,000 for its work in the project.

Prof Carsen Maple, from WMG, said: We will be addressing the Cyber-physical security of the PODs.

We will undertake threat modelling, considering all of the possible attackers and methods for remote and local, physical and cyber-attacks. Using this modelling we will undertake risk analysis and management to secure the vehicles.
Sophie Clausen

BREXIT fall out is having an enormous emotional and professional impact on the daily lives of European Union citizens living in Stratford some of whom are now seriously considering leaving this country for good.

Stratfords 48 per cent to 52 per cent vote to leave the EU last year exactly mirrored the national picture but for those foreign nationals who have lived, worked and raised children in this town the shock of last Junes result still haunts them.

Just days after Prime Minister Theresa May announced a snap general election on Thursday 8th June, Brexit and its fall out continues to dominate local and national politics and perhaps most significantly, millions of ex-patriates living in this country.

Sophie Clausen, aged 42, from Stratford, who is Danish by birth is one of them.

Ive been in the UK for 15 years. Ever since the Brexit vote I have been in a state of limbo. I cant sleep at night and sub-consciously I feel unsure about how people are reacting to me because Im European  it feels like there is a question mark hanging over me and the uncertainty is the worst thing. I love Stratford but I may have to go back to Denmark and start all over again from scratch, Sophie told the Herald.

It wont be an easy decision. Sophies husband is British and they have a three-year-old daughter called Naia who is at nursery. Sophie is also cultural programmes producer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and is currently very busy organising performers and volunteers for this Saturdays Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations.

Having obtained an MA in art and design at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London, she has also held down key jobs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre where she was a senior graphic designer. She was also a cultural officer at the Danish Embassy in London and then spent two years in New York before returning to Stratford which she considers to be her home.

The irony of Sophies story is that she was raised in Elsinore, Denmark, the setting of arguably Shakespeares most famous play, Hamlet, indeed culture is a passionate part of Sophies life but she fears for Britains cultural future post Brexit.

Brexit will change this countrys culture and destiny forever. It will stop young people from travelling to other countries to study. Most importantly for me, I do not want my daughter to grow up in a country that has closed borders  I want to live in a country that embraces the world, said Sophie.

Shes met with Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi to voice her concerns.

I was getting extremely anxious and suffering from sleepless nights. I decided to go and see him as he is part of the government. I asked him, what is the real story? Maybe you can tell me? What if Im exiled? He said he would quit if that happened but hes very happy about Brexit and reassured me the Prime Minister was still negotiating with the European Union. I asked him lots of questions and referred him to articles and interviews in The Guardian and on the BBC and he replied both organisations were left wing. I was just left with a feeling that Britain is cutting ties and burning bridges. I have always felt safe here and Im very grateful to this country which gives hope to the weak and vulnerable. It was a like living a dream just a year ago but now all thats changed, Sophie said.

The worrying plight of Stratfords European community has stirred Stratford District Councillor Jason Fojtik (Lab, Clopton) to table a motion at the dictrict council's meeting on Monday. And in a rare display of political allegiance the motion is seconded by Cllr Robert Vaudry (Cons, Bishopton).

The motion  which Cllr Fojtik describes as, the most important thing hes ever done reads:

The Council welcomes all EU citizens, who are expatriates from the other 27 EU Member States, and recognises the valuable role they play in our local economy and the provision of public services in Stratford-on-Avon District. EU citizens are an important part of our local community and add to the cultural vitality of the District.

The Council therefore resolves:

To establish a mechanism to increase the involvement of EU citizens in local decision-making. Calls on the Government to end the uncertainty regarding the status of EU citizens currently residing in Stratford-on-Avon by guaranteeing their right to live and work in the UK in the event of the UK leaving the European Union.

The Brexit fall out has also had social repercussions as well.

Ingrid Stevens, a self-employed German translator from Stratford, who has lived here with her English husband, David, for seven years, said she noticed things change the day after the Brexit vote.

I always enjoyed the best of contacts with my neighbours but I knew post referendum that a third of them voted for Brexit. People who used to chat with me before dont do so much now, I feel Im a foreigner. The 52 per cent who voted in favour of leaving have decided to impoverish their country, Ingrid said.

Further developments post the EU citizen debate on Monday in this week's Herald.
60% of Our Traffic Is From Mobile, Says CBS, and That's Low

"Mobile really has been the biggest tidal wave in our industry," said Jim Lanzone, CEO of CBS Interactive and chief digital officer for CBS Corporation, delivering a keynote address at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. In fact, CBS's online properties get 60 percent of their visitors from mobile devices. That's actually low for the industry, he added, as some properties get 70 percent.

Social networks are also "a massive traffic source," Lanzone said, illustrating how discovery has broadened from a few years back when search results were everything.

CBS Interactive is a division of CBS, and includes over 25 brands.

Building up mobile, social, and over-the-top (OTT) is critical for Lanzone, and for improving the day-to-day performance of CBS Interactive. "Those are going to be the major trends right now," he said. Among connected TV devices, CBS gets most traffic from Roku, Amazon Fire, and Google Chromecast.

Video content consumption is skyrocketing, and Lanzone doesn't see it plateauing any time soon. Last year, people watched 9.5 hours of video during their day, and this year that's up to 10.5 hours. They're watching in more locations, such as during their commute and at work, and they're watching videos simultaneously. Mobile is driving that growth, since it allows anytime/anywhere access to video. "I honestly believe that number is going to continue to go up, and maybe dramatically," he said.

For CBS's online subscription service, CBS All Access, Lanzone says the company now counts over 1 million subscribers and plans to grow that to 4 million by 2020. The service has a $5.99 per month ad-supported tier and a $9.99 per month ad-free tier. The average age of subscribers is early 40s, which he said is young for an online service. Roughly 30 percent of those subscribers are millennials and the vast majority are pay TV subscribers. The percentage of ad-free subscribers are in the low double digits, he said, adding that many would like to get a free version with larger ad loads. Generating revenue from a variety of sources, and bringing ad revenue down to 50 percent of the total, is important for CBS.

This fall, CBS All Access will launch the latest Star Trek series, which Lanzone called "the big kahuna for us." The first episode will broadcast on CBS, with all following episodes going to the subscription service. The series was developed, paid for, and created by CBS All Access.

Asked about the new golden age of television, Lanzone said, "As a TV lover and geek like me, it's never too much." The challenge, he said, is creating enough good quality content that people want to watch, and with so much competition it's harder than ever to hit a high average. With so many shows in production over various platforms, networks can't monitor them all and have been forced to give more control to showrunners. That's proven to be a good move for quality, he noted.

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Days after the Supreme Court announced a historic verdict in the Panamagate case, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan  the petitioner in the case  to play his role in ending the atmosphere of mistrust of the countrys judiciary.

Being a leader of the nation you carry a major responsibility. You are not an individual Your one call may cause chaos or stability in the country, Justice Nisar said during the hearing of a case regarding encroachment of land in Bani Gala. The CJP had taken suo motu notice after the PTI chief wrote a letter to the former, seeking his intervention in the matter.

Heading a three-judge bench of the apex court, Justice Nisar also observed that people approach courts as they place their trust in the justice system. However, the atmosphere of mistrust must end, he remarked.

Addressing the PTI chairman, the CJP said: Since you are a busy person therefore you dont need to appear in court every day rather you should send a legal team which could guide the court.

Later, speaking to the media outside SC, Imran expressed his gratitude to the CJP for taking up his case besides lauding the top courts five-judge bench, which heard the Panamagate case, for writing down a historic verdict.

The PTI chief went on to say that his party played its role in restoration of independent judiciary in the country and it would still stand by the apex court over the Panamagate case verdict.

On Thursday, the SC declared that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family failed to justify how they accumulated their offshore assets. The larger bench of the apex court, however, could not reach a consensus on the disqualification of the premier and hence ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to settle the saga that started with the Mossack Fonseka leaks just over a year ago.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan did not submit his reply regarding contempt of court during party funding case hearing on Monday.

PTI has been accused of collecting party funds through illegal means in the case.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan was displeased over the matter and directed Imran Khans lawyer to ask his client to take the statement back and apologize.

Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan further said that the verdict will be announced accordingly if Imran does not submit his answer.

Related: Imran should reply to contempt of court notice: ECP

According to details, a four-member commission headed by CEC Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan heard cases against Imran Khan and Hamza Shehbaz regarding the violation of code of conduct at Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The lawyer of Hamza Shehbaz asked for unconditional apology from ECP, whereas, Imran Khans counsel requested to adjourn his case as it is pending in Lahore High Court (LHC) and Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan. He further said that how can we give funds to people by sitting in the opposition?

Chief justice gave his remarks afterwards that the code of conduct is applied to all Members National Assembly (MNAs).

ECP has reserved its decision concerning the code of conduct case and will announce it on May 8.
Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sirajul Haq has branded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a criminal and demanded him to tender his resignation after verdict of Supreme Court in Panama Leaks case.

Haq talked to the media in Mansoora after chairing a meeting and said declared the premier suspicious. He said that the premier should step down until probe of Joint Investigation Team, as ordered by the top court, concludes.

While talking about grand alliance of the opposition, he said that JI is in contact with different political parties.

The senator demanded action against corrupt elements in the society. The JI chief reiterated to continue his struggle against corruption.

Leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam, Shujaat Hussain and Pervez Elahi and chiefs of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Sunni Ittehad Council and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen convened a meeting on Sunday in Lahore and announced formation of a grand alliance against the government and alleged corruption of the leaders.

Apex court let out its verdict in Panama Leaks case last week and ordered establishment of a JIT within seven days to probe PM Nawaz s assets and hold him accountable over corruption allegations.

The committee is to file its report to the top court within two months.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received a royal welcome from King Salman as he landed Sunday in Saudi Arabia for a visit to boost ties after months of tension.

Salman, surrounded by key Saudi officials, greeted Sisi as he stepped off the plane in the capital Riyadh and hosted him for lunch, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

The Egyptian presidency announced the visit in a statement on Friday, saying Sisi's trip was in response to an invitation by Salman and aimed at "bolstering strategic relations between the two countries".

It said Salman and Sisi would discuss "regional and international issues of common interest".

"The struggle against terrorism which threatens security and stability" in the region and beyond would top their agenda, it said.

Sisi met Salman on the sidelines of an Arab League summit in Jordan last month to break the ice after months of apparent tensions between the two allies.

That encounter on March 29 came days after Egypt announced that Saudi energy giant Aramco had resumed delivering shipments of petroleum products after abruptly suspending them in October.

Aramco had halted agreed monthly deliveries of 700,000 tons of petroleum products without explanation.

But the halt came after Egypt voted in favor of a Russian-drafted UN Security Council resolution on Syria that Saudi Arabia strongly opposed.

Moscow is a staunch supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Riyadh is a key backer of the militants who are fighting his regime.

Ties between Cairo and Riyadh had also suffered after an agreement to hand over to Saudi Arabia two Red Sea islands, signed during a visit by Salman to Cairo last year, was blocked by a court ruling.

Earlier this month, an Egyptian court ruled that the decision to block the transfer of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia was invalid.

Cairo has said the islands were Saudi territory which had been leased to Egypt in the 1950s.

Saudi Arabia supported Egypt with billions of dollars in aid after Sisi toppled President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 when the president was head of the Egyptian army.

Saudi Arabia is opposed to the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to which Morsi belongs.
PLATTSMOUTH  A Lincoln man who nearly died in a drug-related incident in Cass County learned Monday morning that he will serve time on probation.

Spencer T. Downing, 22, appeared in Cass County District Court for sentencing on a Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-tetrahydrocannabinol. He recently entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors that reduced the charge from its original felony level.

A Cass County Sheriffs Office deputy stopped Downing in April 2016 at the intersection of Highway 34 and 250th Street east of Eagle. The deputy discovered Downing was choking from the effects of ingesting the marijuana-like substance of tetrahydrocannabinol. The deputy was able to help Downing breathe properly at the scene.

Deputy County Attorney Richard Fedde told the court he felt Downing was fortunate to be alive. He said Downing had stopped breathing for a period of time and would not have been able to recover without the assistance of the deputy. He also said Downing had been involved with the drug before. He was serving probation for a 2015 case involving marijuana in Lancaster County at the time of the traffic stop.

I dont know of anyone who needs intensive treatment more than Mr. Downing, Fedde said. He has good relationships with his family and friends and has the support of a lot of people. He has a ton of good things going for him.

Defense attorney Jonathan Braaten told the court his client had not had any contacts with law enforcement in the past 12 months. He also said Downing had passed all of his drug tests in Lancaster County and would begin intensive outpatient treatment in one week. The court also learned Downing had secured a steady job and was handling many duties there.

Judge Michael Smith told Downing he had considered sending him to jail. He said he opted for probation instead because he did not want to interfere with Downings intensive outpatient treatment program.

Smith ordered Downing to serve 24 months on probation. Downing must pay a $250 fine and all court costs by July 1 and pay fees for probation services such as drug testing. He must also complete 100 hours of community service, enroll in an anger management class, attend a 12-step rehabilitation program and abstain from all alcohol and drugs.
The 27-year-old arrested during a gang altercation in the Bay of Plenty has appeared in court.

Daniel Tere McMeeking appeared in Rotorua District Court this morning facing charges relating to firearms, disorder and drug offences.

He is jointly charged, with people unknown, that he discharged a .22-calibre firearm with reckless disregard for the safety of others.

He is also jointly charged, with people unknown, that he had that firearm in a public place.

Police have also charged him with behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place and possessing cannabis.

No plea was entered when he appeared via audio visual link before Judge Phillip Cooper, who remanded him in custody for a further appearance on May 11.

McMeeking was arrested following police enquiries into a gang altercation that took place at the Kuirau Park markets on Saturday.

Reports from the public suggested shots had been fired in an incident between rival gangs, near a childrens playground. At the time the morning markets were in full swing, and the area was teeming with shoppers.

A short time later, police located a vehicle with damage consistent with a shot being fired at it.

An examination of the scene confirmed to police that a firearm had been involved.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges has been named as the Leader of the House in a list of new appointments made today.

Prime Minister Bill English today announced the appointment of Gerry Brownlee as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nathan Guy as Minister of Civil Defence, Nikki Kaye as Minister of Education and Mark Mitchell as Minister of Defence.

The changes follow the resignations from Cabinet of Hekia Parata and Murray McCully.

In other changes Nicky Wagner has been made Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration and Mark Mitchell has been promoted to Cabinet.

Tim Macindoe, a former chairman of the justice and electoral select committee and Nationals senior whip since the 2014 election, and Scott Simpson, the chairman of the local government and environment select committee, have been appointed ministers outside cabinet.

This is a Government that is focused on the future. Our careful stewardship of the Governments books over the past eight years has given us a rare opportunity to make a difference to peoples lives and we are going to take it, says Bill.

These changes illustrate the depth of talent within Nationals parliamentary ranks.

As education minister, Ms Parata has changed the conversation in our schools and driven sharp rises in achievement for all our students, particularly Maori and Pasifika.

As foreign affairs minister, Mr McCully has improved existing relationships and developed new ones, all the while running a truly independent foreign policy for New Zealand.

Neither will be easily replaced but in Nikki Kaye and Gerry Brownlee we have two very well qualified successors, says Bill.

The same holds true for the Ministers who are picking up the roles relinquished by Mr Brownlee to take up the demanding foreign affairs position.

Bill says he particularly wants to pay tribute to Gerry for his untiring efforts to put Christchurch back on its feet after the 2011 earthquakes.

Having worked alongside him as associate minister for several years his successor, Ms Wagner, is ideally placed to replace him.

The Prime Minister also announced some changes to the housing portfolios.

Social Housing Minister Amy Adams will remain responsible for Housing New Zealand and all aspects of the Governments supply of social and emergency housing. She will also take responsibility for the Crown land programme and have a closer involvement in the Governments overall house building programme.

Building and Construction Minister Nick Smith will continue to oversee the various aspects of building regulation, including planning, minimum codes and building sector productivity issues.

The new ministers will be sworn in next Tuesday and the new Cabinet will hold its first meeting on May 8.
The rumble of traffic was noticeably absent from Katikatis main street this morning as hundreds gathered at dawn to mark Anzac Day 2017.

A temporary road closure diverted vehicles from the centre of town creating a somber silence, fitting for the service conducted in the square outside the Katikati War Memorial Hall.

The weather was still and mild with a sickle moon and the last of the stars fading as the dawn sky lightened.

Katikati RSA president Fred Craig invited returned and current service men and women to assemble before the flag and they stood to attention as pipers played the Pipers Lament. The New Zealand flag was lowered and raised while Dennis Wilks sounded the Last Post on his bugle.



A Katikati RSA representative lays a wreath.

Katikati College head boy and head girl Fergus Chinnery and Gemma Thorp lay a wreath.

Katikati Primary School student at this mornings wreath laying ceremony.

Wreaths were laid by the Katikati RSA, Katikati College and Katikati Primary School in an alcove beneath the honours board bearing the names of Katikati servicemen who died in both world wars. More wreaths will be laid during the second service later this morning.

Katikati College head boy and head girl Fergus Chinnery and Gemma Thorp addressed the crowd, Fergus wearing his great grandfathers medals from the Second World War. Together they read the Anzac poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.

Rev Brendan Gibbs spoke of the troubled world we live in with wars, and threats of war, homelessness and natural disasters. He read Psalm 46 and encouraged those gathered at the service to take comfort in its words God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.



Returned and current service men and women assembled in Katikatis Memorial Square this morning.



Rev Brendan Gibbs reads Psalm 46 during this mornings Anzac service in Katikati.

Dennis Wilk plays the bugle as the flag is lowered during this mornings Anzac service in Katikati.



Crowds disperse after this mornings this mornings Anzac service in Katikati.
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta shares details of his companys ambitious expansion plans at the Arabian Hotel International Conference in Dubai.

Hilton has over 21,000 rooms in its pipeline across the Gulf more than 16,000 of which are already under construction and scheduled to open before 2020. The six markets of the GCC contribute more than a third of Hiltons pipeline rooms across the Europe Middle East Africa  where the company is active in over 60 countries.

Hilton has the largest active pipeline in the GCC both in terms of the number of rooms and properties in construction. Saudi Arabia is the market undergoing most extensive growth with the 7,900 rooms Hilton is developing there set to near triple the companys presence in the market. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Oman all count Hilton as the hotel company with largest number of rooms under construction.



Hiltons GCC active pipeline in numbers

GCC 16,000+ rooms under construction (#1 in the region)

16,000+ rooms under construction (#1 in the region) Saudi Arabia 7,900+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market)

7,900+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market) UAE 5,000+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market)

5,000+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market) Qatar 1,800+ rooms under construction (#2 in the market)

1,800+ rooms under construction (#2 in the market) Kuwait 750+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market)

750+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market) Oman 420+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market)

420+ rooms under construction (#1 in the market) Bahrain 350+ rooms under construction (#3 in market)

[1] All data referenced here is taken from STR March 2017
Nine groups of students from the Nanyang Polytechnic School of Interactive & Digital Media (SIDM) were invited to create a simulated world that offered a glimpse of Rolls-Royces signature Bespoke service through immersive 360-degree motion graphics videos. These videos where then brought to life using Samsungs Galaxy Gear VR headsets.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commitment to this project is another example of how the company deeply values the nurturing of young talent, in parallel with The House of Rolls-Royce in the UK, where our apprenticeship programme is now larger than ever, ensuring that our dedication to handmade quality and craftsmanship continues beyond the current generation, says Mr. Paul Harris, Asia Pacific Regional Director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, on the collaboration.

We are also staying ahead of the curve in the super-luxury industry by partnering with some of the brightest young minds in this country to present our Bespoke capabilities in a new, unique way, as well as supporting innovative, emerging talent in VR.

An independent judging committee comprising Rolls-Royce and VR industry executives finally selected two of the most outstanding VR experiences to showcase to the brands customers in Singapore. Rolls-Royce supported the project by offsetting software and licensing costs, while winning team members each received an Apple iPad.

The winning VR videos introduce the endless possibilities for Rolls-Royce customers to create personal touches on their cars, according to Izz Irfan Sahlan, a student who worked on one of the selected VR videos, says,

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is renowned for Bespoke Luxury design and craftsmanship, and it is a privilege to have this pinnacle company implementing our output, he said.

But besides the accomplishment, this project clearly demonstrated processes, pressures and commercial realities that await us in our post-academic life. Thanks to NYPs collaboration with a real-life global luxury brand, I feel more prepared to enter our workforce in the future.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars plans to start piloting the VR experience to customers in Singapore from April 2017, and to the rest of Asia Pacific from June 2017.
When the owner brought Project Gisele to the Balk Shipyard in Urk, The Netherlands, in 2015, the feat ahead was substantial; but the result impressive. Cut in half on arrival (and again later), Sandalphon was stripped down, torn apart and rebuilt as a luxury explorer without limits.

This project has been challenging for my team. Stripping down a yacht and rebuilt it again might be a harder job compared to new build, comments Daan Balk  CEO of Balk Shipyard.

Azure Naval Architects examined the project and pursued the potential to elongate Sandalphon by several metres, bringing her up to 31-metres in length. Each area was then ruthlessly restyled and redesigned in order for the Balk team to customise a new life on board.

With hard work, expertise and dedication we have achieved the best result as the Owner wished for, Daan continues. Our first cooperation has been very successful and I sincerely hope we can make this a long term cooperation, says Erik Spek, Managing Director of Azure Naval Architects.

With an interior and exterior design by Azure Yacht Design, Sandalphon has turned into a sturdy yet elegant explorer yacht. With many key features, next to that a bar and lounge area on the top deck with panoramic views and a wide variety on water toys she will offer her Owners ultimate explorer experiences.

Her German Owner stated: Sandalphon has turned into an elegant explorer. Thanks to her matt finish in Futura Dark Grey, rugged style and unique character, this is a yacht that would look at home on either the Mediterranean, or the Antarctic.

Sandalphon was launched on Thursday April 20 and will be ready for delivery at the end of June following extensive sea trials.
When Tono Calleja, a journalist from Asturias who now lives in Madrid, was told that there was something that could be done for his dog, he didnt hesitate. Laika was five years old and had been diagnosed with inoperable intracraneal tumour. She couldnt sleep, had difficulty in breathing, and when an emergency scan was done one Saturday evening the vet confirmed Tonos worst fears: the tumour could not be removed surgically.

However, she did suggest an alternative: in Cabra, a village in Cordoba province, she said, there was a veterinary clinic which was using an unusual technique. There was no guarantee that it would work, but it just might. It was a last resort.

The clinic to which she was referring was Ciovet, which has been open less than two years but has already become a benchmark in Spain for cancer treatments for animals. The owners are proud of being the only clinic in the country with a lineal accelerator, and it enables them to give radiotherapy treatment to its canine and feline patients if surgery or chemotherapy are not possible.

Cabra, a small town of 20,000 inhabitants, has become the Houston for domestic animals: in the same way that cancer patients from all over the world travel to the Texan city in search of a miracle, four-legged patients visit this town in Andalucia.

Usually, when a dog is diagnosed with cancer, it is put down. There are a lot of people who cant afford to pay for their dogs treatment, or they are not aware that anything can be done for them, but an increasing number of owners consider their pets to be part of the family and decide to try to save them, explains Ana Ray, a vet at the clinic.

It is not a treatment that everyone could afford. Treatment lasting two or three weeks costs 2,783 euros, plus boarding costs if the owner cant take their dog home between sessions. Despite this, most of the pets come from outside Cordoba, many from northern Spain but also from Portugal and Gibraltar.

During a radiotherapy session / R. C

Some people stay in Cabra during the treatment. Maria Jose Guerrero, who runs a small hotel there, says more than 12 owners have stayed in her establishment, which has been adapted for animals. We help the owners, we feed the animals, play with them...., she says. Others leave their pets in the hands of the vets at Ciovet, where there are carers 24 hours a day who phone them and send them WhatsApp messages with photos and videos every evening after the treatment. The staff at the clinic are well aware of how hard it is for pet owners to be apart from their faithful friends.

From humans to animals

Until a couple of years ago Ciovet, which is part of the Oncosur group, used to be an oncology centre for people. When they opened a new branch in Cordoba city, they decided to convert their old premises into a veterinary clinic, through an agreement with the Veterinary faculty in Cordoba, which is one of the most prestigious in the country.

As the cancer treatment is the same for humans and animals, they were able to make use of the same equipment. They only needed to acquire the anaesthesia equipment; this is not needed for people, but it is for the dogs because they have to be kept completely still. This is one of the delicate parts of the process: although the treatment takes a very short time, there is always a risk in using general anaesthetic.

At present only dogs and cats are being treated at the centre: More dogs than cats, because dog owners tend to be closer to their pets, says Ana Ray. We could treat many types of animal, even exotic ones or small mammals, but there are also logistical problems. We wouldnt be able to get a horse onto the table, for example. We are limited by size.

It is not an easy decision to take. Tono Calleja was in two minds about it. The night before I was due to take Laika to Cabra, I thought hard about it. It was a long journey and she was very ill. She was finding it hard to breathe, she looked dreadful... I honestly thought she was going to die that night, he says. Finally he decided that he would go, even though he kept wondering if he was doing the right thing during the treatment. I kept asking myself, am I making her suffer?

She can walk on her own

Now, after 11 sessions of radiotherapy, it is obvious that Laika has improved. Her back legs are very weak, and Tono and his father have made a type of chair so that she can walk on her own. Its not very elegant, is it? says Tono. We made it with PVC tubes. But whats important is that now she can move without help.

Its still too early to say how Laika has reacted to the treatment. She will have another CAT scan in three months to see what has happened to the tumour, but so far Tono is satisfied. Even if she lasts for another month, I have had another month with her. What is important is that during that month, she is well, he says.

He understands that not everyone shares his opinion. Some of my colleagues say Im mad, because its only a dog. But she isnt only a dog, shes part of my family. I also realise that a lot of people couldnt afford it, because it is expensive. I had to ask my parents to lend me some of the money. But in the end, it costs the same as a holiday in Vietnam, so it just means that this year I wont be going on holiday! he says.
In its most recent tweak to global growth forecasts, the IMF has hiked Spains projected GDP expansion for 2017 to 2.6%, up from 2.3% in January. Although very slight, the increase is an indication that the bodys economists see no immediate threat to Spain posed by Donald Trump; in IMFs January report, it wrote that growth forecasts would be adjusted in April as more clarity emerges on US policies and their implications for the global economy.

In the spring meeting of the IMF, which began on Tuesday, the organistations managing director Christine Lagarde saluted Spain for pulling itself out of a brutal recession. The praise is not undeserved, because Spanish GDP has enjoyed three consecutive years of growth and is now back to pre-crisis levels of health. Nevertheless, Lagarde said that there is still a long way to go before Spain can consider itself completely in the clear - and she correctly identified the main risks as coming not from the other side of the Atlantic, but from within Spain itself.

The threats posed to the continuation of Spains GDP expansion - and in particular to productivity levels - stem from its labour market problems, as Lagarde pointed out. Part of the problem is what she called Spains labour duality - a system in which workers on temporary contracts can be fired at a moments notice with zero cost to the employer, whereas those on permament contracts enjoy almost total immunity from such risks.

Temporary contracts are indeed the scourge of the Spanish labour market, rendering many workers without the stability or support required to forge satisfying careers. The Spanish government, at least, has recently pledged to create 250,000 more permament positions in the public sector throughout 2017 and data from the employment agency Randstad in February indicated that in 2016 21.6% more contracts were made permanent than in 2015. This problem, it seems, has at least been acknowledged as such by the government, although a lasting solution will require Mariano Rajoy to overhaul some of his own labour market reforms of 2012/2013. Whether or not hes prepared to go that far remains to be seen.

There is another problem that Lagarde didnt refer to, though: long term unemployment. Spains long term unemployment level currently hovers at around 9% - the second highest in the EU after Greeces 17% - and according to OECD data just over 50% of Spains unemployed have been without work for twelve months or more. This is a serious problem, as the longer someone is unemployed, the more difficult it is for them to get back to work; as yet, the Popular Party government has not focused on helping this substantial cohort of workers back into employment. So long as this is the case, the rosy picture presented by the IMFs growth predictions wont match the reality for many Spanish households.
Turkeys TAV Airports included Qassim and Hail airports in Saudi Arabia to its portfolio following Madinah and Yanbu. TAV, with its partner Al Rajhi Group, will develop the two airports and operate them for 30 years.

Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has disclosed that they have selected TAV Airports, in partnership with Al Rajhi Holding Group, for operating Qassim and Hail International Airports for 30 years. Upon the closing of the selection process, the number of airports operated by TAV worldwide will reach 17 and the company will be operating four airports in Saudi Arabia.

TAV Airports President & CEO Sani Sener stated: TAV has become one of the world's highly-preferred brands thanks to the know-how acquired in airport construction and operation business. TAV's success in the Madinah Airport project, which was the first airport privatization project in Saudi Arabia, opened new doors in this country. In the last two months, TAV has been selected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Saudi Arabia for the development and operation of three more airports. With the addition of Qassim and Hail to our portfolio, the number of passengers in Saudi Arabia will increase to 10.5 million per annum; while the number of passengers at all airports abroad will reach 25 million. TAV has its signature in the capital city airports of six countries in the Gulf Region, which is the most challenging market of the world. We sustain our growth in the region by working in harmony with our local partners. Furthermore, we continue seizing the opportunities at various regions worldwide".

Providing service to approximately 2.5 million passengers last year, Qassim and Hail airports will reach approximately 6.5 million passenger capacity per year thanks to the new investments.

Located in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, Qassim is one of the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Qassim Airport is the gateway to the region, where the majority of the country's agricultural production takes place and is a significant tourism destination, and 12 airlines including Turkish Airlines launch scheduled flights to the airport.

TAV has been operating Madinah Airport in Saudi Arabia since 2012. In March, the company was selected for the development and operation of Yanbu Airport. Furthermore, TAV has operations at Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam airports through its service companies.
A former bank officer, who stole from the vault in Tazewell and other locations, has pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges in federal court.

A press release from the U.S. Attorneys office said Melissa D. Huffman, 46, of Roanoke, waived her right to be indicted and pled guilty April 24 to a one count Information charging embezzlement from a FDIC-insured bank.

Huffman was formerly a senior vice president with BB&T from 2014 to December of 2016. As part of her official duties, Huffman had access to the vaults of BB&Ts

banks throughout the Western District of Virginia. On several occasions, Huffman stole case from the vaults she visited and caused the shortages to be attributed to subordinate employees at the banks. The branches from which she stole cash included Boonsboro, Fort Hill, Martinsville, Tanglewood, Tazewell, and Warrenton.

United States District Judge James P. Jones scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 1 at 2:30 p.m. At sentencing, Huffman faces a maximum possible penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Huffman agreed to make full restitution and to pay more than $30,000 toward restitution by May 24, 2017.
The Michelin Guide which is an international benchmark in fine dining, will release a bilingual Thai and English edition. The Guide will be jointly promoted by TAT and is projected to boost overall food spending per head of tourists in Thailand by 10 per cent. Bangkok will be the focus of the first Thailand based Michelin Guide, with restaurants and eateries from other Thai destinations to be included in later editions.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, Everyone knows that the Michelin Guides are ideal books for international food lovers. We hope that this partnership between TAT and Michelin will boost high-quality tourism in Thailand, while helping visitors get more out of Thailands rich culinary scene. The Guide will also inspire local restaurants to improve their quality and raise the bar in terms of gastronomic excellence.

Mr. Lionel Dantiacq, President and Managing Director (East Asia and Australia) of the Michelin Group said, Bangkok is one of the worlds culinary capitals, offering amazing cuisine, from fine dining from renowned international chefs to small family-owned eateries. The kingdoms food also has a long, rich heritage which enhances the pleasure of tourists travelling.

The Michelin Guides have been published in Europe for more than a century and now cover 28 countries. The reviews are put together by anonymous inspectors who use time-tested methods to ensure international standards of excellence. A restaurant is then judged for: quality of ingredients; flair and skill in preparation and combining flavours; the chefs personality as revealed through the cuisine, and value for money and consistency of standards.

Providing a showcase of gourmet dining around the world, the Michelin Guides highlight the culinary dynamism of a country, as well as new trends and emerging young chefs. In addition the Guides contribute to the prestige of the local gastronomy, thereby making cities and countries more attractive to tourists.
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Famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough was in Cambridge yesterday, April 22, to give a talk at the #EarthOptimism event, sharing his knowledge about climate change as part of an international effort to mark Earth Day.

The event, which took place at Cambridge Universitys David Attenborough Building, was organised by The Cambridge Conservation Initiative, and drew around 1,300 attendees. Other well-known speakers included Dame Jane Goodall and Professor Stephen Pinker, who also shared their success stories with environmental conservation. Cambridges #EarthOptimism Day was one of 25 events occurring globally to encourage thinking about climate change, with its American counterpart taking place in Washington, and another on the International Space Station.

In an effort to celebrate positive thinking, Sir David said, Im optimistic about children. I see a lot of children, children write to me, and it is my impression that over the last 60 years, they have become aware, and it is their belief that the natural world is their inheritance.

Source: Cambridge News
Aditya Team-BHP Support

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View My Garage





Meeting the Jeep Compass. EDIT: Priced between 14.95 to 20.65 lakhs Mod Note: Our Compass Report has been taken live at this link (Jeep Compass : Official Review). Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!





Fiat Chrysler Automobiles displayed the pre-production model of the Jeep Compass SUV at its manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, near Pune. The vehicle will be manufactured at this plant from June 2017. The media drive is also scheduled for June and the India launch of the car is expected in the third quarter of the calendar year.







Jeep, as we know, has two main model lines - utilitarian (Wrangler) and premium (Grand Cherokee). The Compass comes under the premium line. In terms of positioning, it will be placed below the Grand Cherokee in the company's model line-up.



The Compass measures 4,398 mm in length, 1,819 mm in width and 1,667 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,636 mm and ground clearance of 178 mm. This puts it between the Hyundai Creta and the larger Tucson in terms of length and width. However, with the technology on offer, we expect the car to be priced at par with (or higher than?) the Tucson.



If the displayed vehicle is anything to go by, the build quality of the Compass will be very sturdy. Every panel feels strong and there is no flex in the metal. The quality of the paint job is also very good and shut lines are uniform. No part on the car feels loosely attached. The company claims that the quality of the vehicles sold in India will be no different to the ones offered in international markets.



In India, the Compass will be available with two powertrain options - a 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir petrol with 160+ BHP & 250 Nm on tap and a 2.0-litre diesel developing 170+ BHP & 350 Nm of torque. Transmissions on offer will include a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual dry clutch technology (DDCT) automatic.



The Compass features the company's four-wheel drive technology (known as Jeep Active Drive), which is equipped with Selec-Terrain Traction Management System. This system allows the driver to choose a drive mode based on the terrain the vehicle is being driven on including snow, sand and mud. The system also has an auto mode, which automatically switches between front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive based on the conditions and driving style. The system disconnects the drive going to the rear wheels through 'Driveline Disconnect Technology (DDT)'. The approach and departure angles of the Compass are 17 degrees and 32 degrees respectively.



For the Compass, Jeep has gone with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and an independent suspension at the rear, which provides up to 20 cm of rear wheel articulation. The vehicle comes with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) - a technology that provides variable damping that adjusts to road undulations.



The Compass will come with 50+ safety and security features including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Steering Torque (DST), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Adaptive Brake Lights and Panic Brake Assist among others as standard across the range. The Compass will also be equipped with six airbags (with dual stage passenger airbags). Other features include disc brakes on all four wheels, electric parking brake, 60:40 split folding rear seat and cap-less fuel fill. The Jeep Compass is being manufactured in 50 different trim, powertrain, transmission and colour combinations to suit varying customer requirements.



Fiat Chrysler Automobiles claims to have put the Compass through 1.8 million km of accelerated tests and 25.7 million km of on-road and off-road tests.



The front features Jeep's characteristic seven-slot grille giving it a resemblance to the Grand Cherokee:





Rear end is sober compared to the aggressive front:





Unlike the Grand Cherokee, the smaller Compass gets a black plastic cladding running along its sides and around its wheel arches. Character lines too. FCA wasn't ready to showcase the interiors yet, that's why the dark tints:





70% of the body of the Compass is made of high tensile steel achieved through a process called hot stamping. The Compass is built with 27 hot stamped parts. Build quality feels solid and panel gaps are uniform throughout. The paint job is impressive as well:





Headlamp cluster consists of LED DRLs and projectors:





Familiar chrome Jeep badge sits on the bonnet, above the grille:





Seven slots get chrome inserts. Thin slot on the bumper above the number plate provides additional cooling:





Lower portion of the bumper is finished in black and has a wide air-dam with a mesh grille. Notice the chrome strip on the lower lip:





Foglamp housings are black with a honeycomb mesh pattern and chrome inserts. Turn-indicators are located above:





Parking sensors provided on the sides of the front bumper:





Windshield washer nozzles are located on the bulge of the bonnet. Should have been concealed underneath:





Full wind deflector provided under the front bumper:





Full cladding for the wheel arches at the front...





...as well as the rear:





17-inch alloy wheels shod with 225/60 section tyres don't appear to fill the wheel arches:





Body-coloured ORVMs with integrated turn-indicators:





Door handles with request sensors on both sides (keyhole only on the driver's):





Compass badges are present on both the front doors:





Roof drops towards the rear, while the window line rises. Chrome strip runs at the side of the roof from the start of the A-pillar, all the way to the back...





...to the base of the thick C-pillar, going on to underline the rear windshield:





Ribbed roof for added structural integrity. Dual-tone roof rails feel tough and firmly attached. No sunroof provided:





Roof-mounted spoiler is subtle and not very prominent. It has an integrated high mounted stop lamp. Short stubby roof antenna sits towards the rear:





A closer look at the split tail-lamp. The LED tail-lamp, turn-indicator, brake lamp and reversing lamp are all integrated into the cluster:





Chrome "Jeep" badge is placed in a carved out recess on the tail-gate:





Reversing camera is neatly integrated and sits on top of the number plate:





Badge displaying the variant is placed on the right side of the tail-gate...





...while the badge depicting 4x4 and fuel-type is located on the left:





Rear bumper houses parking sensors and rear foglamps. Twin exhaust pipes with black tips peep out from the right:





Lower portion of the bumper is finished in black and has a fake mesh grille. Look closely - the holes in the mesh are sealed:

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles displayed the pre-production model of the Jeep Compass SUV at its manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, near Pune. The vehicle will be manufactured at this plant from June 2017. The media drive is also scheduled for June and the India launch of the car is expected in the third quarter of the calendar year.Jeep, as we know, has two main model lines - utilitarian (Wrangler) and premium (Grand Cherokee). The Compass comes under the premium line. In terms of positioning, it will be placed below the Grand Cherokee in the company's model line-up.The Compass measures 4,398 mm in length, 1,819 mm in width and 1,667 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,636 mm and ground clearance of 178 mm. This puts it between the Hyundai Creta and the larger Tucson in terms of length and width. However, with the technology on offer, we expect the car to be priced at par with (or higher than?) the Tucson.If the displayed vehicle is anything to go by, the build quality of the Compass will be very sturdy. Every panel feels strong and there is no flex in the metal. The quality of the paint job is also very good and shut lines are uniform. No part on the car feels loosely attached. The company claims that the quality of the vehicles sold in India will be no different to the ones offered in international markets.In India, the Compass will be available with two powertrain options - a 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir petrol with 160+ BHP & 250 Nm on tap and a 2.0-litre diesel developing 170+ BHP & 350 Nm of torque. Transmissions on offer will include a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual dry clutch technology (DDCT) automatic.The Compass features the company's four-wheel drive technology (known as Jeep Active Drive), which is equipped with Selec-Terrain Traction Management System. This system allows the driver to choose a drive mode based on the terrain the vehicle is being driven on including snow, sand and mud. The system also has an auto mode, which automatically switches between front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive based on the conditions and driving style. The system disconnects the drive going to the rear wheels through 'Driveline Disconnect Technology (DDT)'. The approach and departure angles of the Compass are 17 degrees and 32 degrees respectively.For the Compass, Jeep has gone with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and an independent suspension at the rear, which provides up to 20 cm of rear wheel articulation. The vehicle comes with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) - a technology that provides variable damping that adjusts to road undulations.The Compass will come with 50+ safety and security features including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Steering Torque (DST), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Adaptive Brake Lights and Panic Brake Assist among others as standard across the range. The Compass will also be equipped with six airbags (with dual stage passenger airbags). Other features include disc brakes on all four wheels, electric parking brake, 60:40 split folding rear seat and cap-less fuel fill. The Jeep Compass is being manufactured in 50 different trim, powertrain, transmission and colour combinations to suit varying customer requirements.Fiat Chrysler Automobiles claims to have put the Compass through 1.8 million km of accelerated tests and 25.7 million km of on-road and off-road tests.The front features Jeep's characteristic seven-slot grille giving it a resemblance to the Grand Cherokee:Rear end is sober compared to the aggressive front:Unlike the Grand Cherokee, the smaller Compass gets a black plastic cladding running along its sides and around its wheel arches. Character lines too. FCA wasn't ready to showcase the interiors yet, that's why the dark tints:70% of the body of the Compass is made of high tensile steel achieved through a process called hot stamping. The Compass is built with 27 hot stamped parts. Build quality feels solid and panel gaps are uniform throughout. The paint job is impressive as well:Headlamp cluster consists of LED DRLs and projectors:Familiar chrome Jeep badge sits on the bonnet, above the grille:Seven slots get chrome inserts. Thin slot on the bumper above the number plate provides additional cooling:Lower portion of the bumper is finished in black and has a wide air-dam with a mesh grille. Notice the chrome strip on the lower lip:Foglamp housings are black with a honeycomb mesh pattern and chrome inserts. Turn-indicators are located above:Parking sensors provided on the sides of the front bumper:Windshield washer nozzles are located on the bulge of the bonnet. Should have been concealed underneath:Full wind deflector provided under the front bumper:Full cladding for the wheel arches at the front......as well as the rear:17-inch alloy wheels shod with 225/60 section tyres don't appear to fill the wheel arches:Body-coloured ORVMs with integrated turn-indicators:Door handles with request sensors on both sides (keyhole only on the driver's):Compass badges are present on both the front doors:Roof drops towards the rear, while the window line rises. Chrome strip runs at the side of the roof from the start of the A-pillar, all the way to the back......to the base of the thick C-pillar, going on to underline the rear windshield:Ribbed roof for added structural integrity. Dual-tone roof rails feel tough and firmly attached. No sunroof provided:Roof-mounted spoiler is subtle and not very prominent. It has an integrated high mounted stop lamp. Short stubby roof antenna sits towards the rear:A closer look at the split tail-lamp. The LED tail-lamp, turn-indicator, brake lamp and reversing lamp are all integrated into the cluster:Chrome "Jeep" badge is placed in a carved out recess on the tail-gate:Reversing camera is neatly integrated and sits on top of the number plate:Badge displaying the variant is placed on the right side of the tail-gate......while the badge depicting 4x4 and fuel-type is located on the left:Rear bumper houses parking sensors and rear foglamps. Twin exhaust pipes with black tips peep out from the right:Lower portion of the bumper is finished in black and has a fake mesh grille. Look closely - the holes in the mesh are sealed: Last edited by GTO : 27th August 2017 at 15:04 . Reason: Linking to review
Verizon on Monday confirmed reports that it will rebrand its AOL and Yahoo businesses under a new entity called Oath. AOL CEO Tim Armstrong delivered the message via a tweet.

Billion+ Consumers, 20+ Brands, Unstoppable Team. #TakeTheOath. Summer 2017. pic.twitter.com/tM3Ac1Wi36

 Tim Armstrong (@timarmstrongaol) April 3, 2017

The rebranding is part of a plan to reinvest millions into the legacy digital content companies with the aim of creating a major new platform.

The Yahoo and AOL names will not disappear, but their operations will continue under the overarching Oath brand, Armstrong later said in CNBC and Fox Business interviews.

Growth Plans

Once Verizon closes its US$4.5 billion Yahoo acquisition, it plans to make major investments into the newly combined entity. It will have more than 25 brands, ranging from The Huffington Post to Build Studios and Makers, according to Caroline Campbell, senior vice president for brand and communication at AOL.

So yes, AOL and Yahoo brands will not only remain, but a core tenet of Oath will be to deeply invest in those growing brands, she told TechNewsWorld. Oath is the umbrella, and the portfolio of brands will comprise Oath  a house of brands structure.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer will not be part of the combined company, according to Recode, which originally reported the Oath branding designation.

Armstrong reportedly is close to deciding which top Yahoo executives will remain.

AOLs Campbell declined to comment on Mayers status or executive leadership at the new entity.

Verizons deal to buy Yahoos core operating business has been the subject of intense scrutiny. It renegotiated its original acquisition price by $350 million earlier this year, amid concerns about the impact of a cyberbreach that compromised the data of more than 1 billion Yahoo users.

The renegotiated deal valued the Yahoo acquisition at $4.48 billion, giving Verizon access to Yahoos more than 1 billion users, of which 600 million use mobile devices.

Yahoo agreed to be responsible for 50 percent of the liabilities related to non-Securities and Exchange Commission government investigations and third-party litigation related the breach, and to assume 100 percent liability from shareholder suits and SEC investigations.

Brand Blowback

Verizons branding decision is odd, said Rick Edmonds, business media analyst at Poynter.

Still, many reacted similarly to the Exxon brand upon its creation, he recalled.

In terms of the core business proposition, Edmonds doesnt see much in the way of a growth strategy.

Im also not seeing an obvious path to improved performance, he told TechNewsWorld, but its worth remembering that CEO Tim Armstrong has a great record selling digital ads at scale, which is the task at hand.

The initial response to the new branding strategy seems to be characterized more by confusion and doubt than anything else.

The reaction so far has been decidedly negative, said Zach Fuller, an analyst at Midia Research.

The likelihood is given the platforms diminished status for the mainstream online user, Oath will simply go through a period of managed decline, he told TechNewsWorld.

Verizon is transforming itself into a marketing company that uses its wireless assets to reach customers, noted telecom analyst Jeff Kagan.

Verizons decision to create a new overall brand for its content business was a logical next step, he told TechNewsWorld.

After all Verizon was not interested in the AOL or Yahoo business, Kagan said. They are only interested in their users.
Another day, another Uber controversy. The latest incident comes from a report in the New York Times, which claims that Apple CEO Tim Cook threatened to remove Uber's app from the App Store after learning it tracked former users even after being deleted. But the company denies it did anything wrong.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick reportedly told his staff to use this "fingerprinting" technique, which is banned by Apple's privacy requirements, as a fraud prevention method in locations such as China, where drivers were registering multiple Uber accounts on stolen iPhones and using them to request rides. All those extra rides meant Uber paid out more bonuses to the drivers.

To stop Apple finding out what it was up to, Uber reportedly geofenced the iPhone maker's Cupertino headquarters to hide the code used in the fingerprinting process. But Apple engineers at other offices discovered what it was doing, leading to a confrontation between Cook and Kalanick.

In an early 2015 meeting, Cook told Kalanick that he'd "heard you've been breaking some of our rules," warning him that if the practice wasn't stopped, the Uber app would be removed from Apple's store.

"Mr. Kalanick was shaken by Mr. Cook's scolding, according to a person who saw him after the meeting," writes the Times. Understandable, given the damage Uber would have suffered if Cook followed through on his threat.

Since the article was published, Uber has released a statement on the matter. The company suggested to TechCrunch that it has modified the fingerprinting technique to comply with Apple's rules, rather than removing it completely.

"We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if they've deleted the app. As the New York Times story notes towards the very end, this is a typical way to prevent fraudsters from loading Uber onto a stolen phone, putting in a stolen credit card, taking an expensive ride and then wiping the phone---over and over again. Similar techniques are also used for detecting and blocking suspicious logins to protect our users' accounts. Being able to recognize known bad actors when they try to get back onto our network is an important security measure for both Uber and our users," an Uber spokesperson said.

The news is the latest in long line of bad publicity for Uber. It's had to deal with revelations over its Hell software, Greyball, sexism allegations, a lawsuit from Alphabet over self-driving technology theft, Kalanick's argument with a driver, and the CEO's visit to an escort bar in South Korea.
Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have built a flexible microprocessor using the transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD). Like the "wonder material" graphene, TMD can be formed into layers that are only one atom thick, making a surface that is as close to two-dimensional as we can physically get. This ultra-thin surface is what makes the processor flexible.

According to Network World, the processor is not as powerful as our current standard. In fact, it is only a one-bit processor with 115 transistors and is only capable of executing four instructions.

However, in the paper the researchers published in the journal Nature, they point out that this is "a first step towards the development of microprocessors based on 2D semiconductors."

The circuit is 100 times larger than current ARM processors, but the large size was partially intentional.

"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," said Network World.

Multi-bit design and miniaturization should both be fairly straight forward. However, the researchers say they will have to figure out a way to lower contact resistance before they can manufacture on the sub-micrometer scale.

Further development should go much faster than modern microprocessor design since much of the same theoretical and practical applications used in the production of silicon chips can be applied to working with TMD. Furthermore, Samsung and others are already looking into ways to make flexible and ultra-thin phones. Companies like Corning and LG already have bendable, and roll-up screen prototypes developed.

Part of the reason we do not already have these technologies available is due to the brittle nature of silicon chips. It does not take much flex to cause them to crack. If developers working on TMD technology can catch up to current silicon processors, we might start seeing some of these concepts make it to market.
Spotify may soon follow Snapchat's lead into the land of hardware if a handful of recent job listings are any indication.

Spotify is seeking a senior product manager that'll work on hardware out of its Stockholm, Sweden, location. The description notes that applicants will lead an initiative to deliver hardware directly from Spotify to new and existing customers via a "category defining" product akin to Amazon Echo, Pebble Watch and Snap Spectacles.

In another job listing, Spotify notes how voice is quickly becoming a key interaction mechanism for the control of digital devices and services. The product manager for voice will be responsible for the strategy and execution of Spotify's voice efforts beyond its core apps. This person will work closely with Spotify's user interaction team and product managers from other divisions to ensure everything is voice-enabled in a consistent way across the ecosystem.

The voice job also notes that the candidate will be working with major external platform providers (presumably Amazon Echo, Google Home and the like) to ensure Spotify works on those platforms.

Last but not least is a job posting for a director of product for natural language understanding. Among other tasks, this person will grow and lead groups dedicated to building the components of the Spotify conversational interface (again, hinting at Echo, Home integration).

As always, job applications aren't necessarily an indication that a new product is inbound but we do at least know that Spotify is interested in the hardware space.
These days, the need to go wireless can never be more apparent. Headphones in particular are increasingly zooming in that trajectory, a forward movement boosted by some companies choosing to eschew traditional headphone jacks on their smartphones.

With an increasingly wireless era comes an increasing number of wireless options. We'll look at two of the most attractive from the wireless headphones pile: the Bose QuietComfort 35 and the Beats Studio Wireless. So which one should you pick?

Beats Studio Wireless

Beats is quite possibly the most popular premium brand when it comes to headphones, at least in the mainstream space. Many critics, music producers, and sound engineers would certainly contest that, but the Beats range of headphones has maintained its steep popularity over the years, regardless.

The Beats Studio Wireless is a little hard to judge, simply because Beats, unlike other audio companies, traditionally doesn't release technical information and specifications for its headphones, which is surprising for a company selling heavily priced premium products.

That said, Beats says that its Studio Wireless headphones comes with its proprietary Beats Acoustic Engine, designed to create "the emotional experience that the music industry's greatest producers want you to feel."

The pair of cans features dual-mode Adaptive Noise Canceling, which allows users to cancel surrounding noise even when there's no music playing.

Often, however, Beats headphones are attacked for their purported overuse of marketing to sell sub-par products that only seem great. While that argument is rife for discussion, it does have a point: Beats headphones are marketed significantly, appearing in films, music videos, and even endorsed by musicians. But as always, advertising and real life are two very different things.

Case in point: the Beats Wireless Studio features thunderous bass and treble levels, a feature Beats headphones are largely known for. But for all its hype, reviews do point out a number of cons, arguing that the bass and treble are set at unnatural levels, which outputs a "thick sound," and that noise cancellation is sub-par.

Also another gut-punch is the battery life: just 12 hours when used over wireless; 20 when used with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Beats Wireless Studio retails for $379.95.

Bose QuietComfort 35

The Bose QuietComfort 35 is similar to the Beats Wireless Studio in a lot of ways, but it also isn't. For one, both headphones have active noise canceling, but while Beats' cans are met with lukewarm reception, nearly all critics hail the noise canceling on the Bose QuietComfort 35 as one of the best there is.

No surprise there  the Bose brand is synonymous with noise cancellation, and its QuietComfort 35 is no exception.

But more than sound quality, those looking to buy wireless headphones often overlook one crucial metric: battery life. With the Bose QuietComfort 35, that won't be an issue, since the company claims that the headphones can run without charge for up to 20 hours.

The only downside to the headphones is that there's no possible way to turn noise canceling off, which isn't great for situations where you still need to be aware of your surroundings, such as during driving or looking after a toddler.

In terms of sound quality, the Bose QuietComfort 35 has a wide and encompassing soundstage, despite being closed-back units. It lacks any hiss or white noise that may mangle with the sound.

Bose also uses a digital equalizer that tweaks the sound so not one aspect or element is overpowered at any volume. All in all, the QuietComfort 35 provides an accurate and smooth sound, a fairly neutral bass, and a detailed midrange and treble.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 retails for $349.95.

Verdict

The clear winner is of course Bose's pair of cans. Not only is it almost unanimously revered by critics and audiophiles alike, it also offers better sound quality, better noise cancellation, and significantly better battery life at a lesser price than the Beats Studio Wireless.

Do you agree or disagree with the verdict? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Up until now, we have relied on rumors and leaks to get even the slightest bit of information about the Microsoft Surface Pro 5. The Surface Pro 4 was released in 2015 so we expect to see its successor this year; however, Microsoft has not made any announcement about the device despite a rumored Spring 2017 release.

Since nobody but Microsoft really knows anything definite about the much-awaited hybrid, perhaps some have grown tired of waiting for the ultra-secret device. For those who are already impatient, Tech Times has listed down five great alternatives that can rival the Surface Pro 4's technical specifications, and perhaps even come close to the Surface Pro 5.

Take a look at the gadgets below, listed in no particular order.

Apple iPad Pro

We're starting off with Microsoft's biggest competition, Apple. The Apple iPad Pro comes in 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch models that are both powerful enough to attempt becoming a laptop substitute.

The iPad Pro has a 2,048 x 1,536 and 2,732 x 2,048 screen resolution for the 9.7- and 12.9-inch models, respectively, and a four-speaker audio system. It is equipped with Apple's A9X chip with an M9 coprocessor and runs on iOS 10. Price starts at $599 for the 7.9-inch model and $799 for the 12.9-inch version.

Google Pixel C

Google is not falling behind when it comes to developing a high-end hybrid to compete with the most favored devices. The Google Pixel C is basically an Android 2-in-1 device that attempts to rival the technical specifications of the Surface Pro 4.

The Google Pixel C has a 10.2-inch display with a 2,560 x 1,800 screen resolution, stereo speakers and quad microphones, an Nvidia Tegra processor, 3 GB3 LPDDR RAM with 64 GB of internal storage, and a USB-C charger. Since the Pixel C is a Google creation, it already runs on Android 7.0 Nougat and is always one of the first to receive software updates. Price starts at $599.

Acer Aspire Switch 12

Acer markets the Switch 12 as more of a 5-in-1 than a 2-in-1 and for good reason. The Switch 12 can be transformed into the five following modes: desktop, notebook, tent, pad, and display.

The 12.5-inch hybrid device boasts a 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD screen resolution and is equipped with an Intel Core M5 dual core processor, a 4 GB LPDDR3 RAM with 128 GB SSD hard drive, and an Intel HD graphics 5300 with shared memory. Price starts at $649.

Huawei Matebook

The Huawei Matebook is a newcomer in the 2-in-1 market but is already a good alternative to the Surface Pro 4. The basic Matebook with 4 GB RAM and an Intel Core M processor is available starting $399, but if you want something more than the basic, you can always opt for the signature edition.

Starting at $499, the Huawei Matebook signature edition has a 12-inch Full HD IPS touch screen display with a 2,160 x 1,440 resolution. It is equipped with a 6th-generation Intel Core M3 processor with Turbo Boost Technology, a 4 GB LPDDR3 RAM, 128 GB SSD hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 515 with shared graphics memory, and dual Dolby Audio speakers.

Asus Transformer Book T100

The Transformer Book T100 comes close to the basic Surface Pro 4 model. Though it cannot compete with the Surface Pro 4 head-on, it is able to make up for what it lacks in terms of price.

The 10.1-inch Asus Transformer Book T100 has a multi-touch screen IPS HD display at a 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. It is equipped with an Intel Quad Core Cherry Trail processor, Integrated Intel HD graphics, two built-in speakers using the Asus SonicMaster Technology, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB internal storage. Price starts at $255.

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Two researchers from Harvard University announced the discovery of a second copy of the Declaration of Independence in a small records office in Sussex, England. The parchment, called the Sussex Declaration, displays a few differences from the original copy currently kept in Washington D.C.

Second Parchment

Perhaps few artifacts bear heftier importance to American history than the Declaration of Independence. Now, researchers from Harvard University are presenting the only other parchment copy of the manuscript for the Declaration of Independence.

The manuscript was discovered by Emily Sneff in 2015 when she was simply looking for a copy of the Declaration in the British Archives. Wondering why the supposed copy was written in parchment paper, unusual for a mere copy of a document, Sneff reached out to the West Sussex Record Office.

Sneff and research partner Danielle Allen found that British officials had never looked at the parchment closely even after receiving it and that they received the parchment from a local man who worked for the law office representing the dukes of Richmond.

A closer look at material evidence such as the handwriting, parchment preparation, as well as spelling errors has Snell and Allen to conclude that the parchment was likely made either in New York or Philadelphia and that it very likely dates back to the 1780s.

Different Manner Of Listing

What researchers found as the parchment's most interesting feature is the remarkable different manner that the list of signatories was treated. In the original and only copy kept at the National Archives in Washington, the list of names was not ordered by state.

Researchers believe that the reason for the difference in name listing between the original copy and the Sussex Declaration was due to James Wilson and his allies' argument that the authority of the declaration lay not on a federation of separate states, but in a unitary national people.

Who Owned the Sussex Declaration?

While there is not enough evidence to form a certain statement as to who originally owned the document, nor how it came to be in his possession, Snell and Allen believe that the parchment's original keeper was the Third Duke of Richmond, also known as "Radical Duke" for his support of the Americans during the war.

The team is currently working with the British Library, the West Sussex Record Office, and the Library of Congress to conduct further, non-invasive tests on the parchment.

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U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has arrived in Afghanistan, making an unannounced visit to assess the needs in the war against Taliban and other militants.

Mattis, who is the first member of President Donald Trump's cabinet to visit Afghanistan, was expected to meet Afghan officials and U.S. troops while in Kabul.

His arrival coincided with an announcement that the Afghan defense minister and army chief of staff had resigned in the wake of a Taliban attack on an army base on April 21 that killed scores of soldiers.

Afghanistan is the sixth stop on a weeklong tour Mattis said was intended to bolster relations with allies and partners. He also visited Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and the small East African country of Djibouti.

General John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Kabul, recently told Congress that he needed a few thousand more troops to keep Afghan security forces on track to eventually handling the Taliban insurgency on their own.

Mattis was due to meet top officials including President Ashraf Ghani less than two weeks after the U.S. military dropped its most powerful nonnuclear bomb, the MOAB, on Islamic State hideouts in eastern Afghanistan.

Mattis, who served in Afghanistan, has said he is compiling an assessment for Trump on Afghanistan's long-running conflict. He is the second senior U.S. security official to visit Afghanistan this month, after national security adviser General H.R. McMaster.

Around the time Mattis arrived, Ghani's office announced that he had accepted the resignations of Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and the army chief of staff.

Their departure followed one of the deadliest Taliban attacks targeting the Afghan security forces, an assault on an army base in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif.

The Defense Ministry said that more than 100 military personnel were killed or injured in the attack, but officials in Kabul told RFE/RL that more than 130 had been killed. Some officials put the toll even higher.

Ghani's office also said he had replaced the commanders of four army corps in response to the attack.

Trump's administration is seeking to build its strategy for the Afghan conflict -- the longest war in U.S. history.

Taliban militants hold large amounts of territory more than 15 years after being driven from power by a U.S.-led invasion following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

General Nicholson recently told a congressional hearing that he needed several thousand more international troops in order to break a stalemate in the war against the Taliban.

U.S. officials say that Nicholson's request was advancing through the chain of command.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, AP, and AFP
The latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer reveals a downward trend in cancer death rates, despite the increase in the rate of double mastectomies in the United States.

A recently published study by researchers from the Cancer Prevention Institute in California, however, reveals that Asian-American women have seen an increase in breast cancer diagnosis over the past 15 years  although Japanese women were exempt from this.

Asian-American Women

The study focused on the seven major Asian populations that migrated to America: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, South Asians (Asian Indians and Pakistanis), and Southeast Asians (Cambodians, Laotians, Hmong, Thai). While Filipino and Vietnamese belong to Southeast Asia, the ethnic groups seem to have been separated due mainly to the number of cancer incidences in their respective populations.

Scarlett Lin Gomez and her team of researchers examined the prevalence of cancer incidences by age and stage among Asian-American women in California from 1988 to 2013. They found that, in that time period, 45,721 invasive breast cancer cases were identified in their chosen population.

The research found that the largest increase of breast cancer incidences occurred in Korean, South Asian, and Southeast Asian women. As for the exemption of Japanese women, it seems the lack of increase has to do with the group having already experienced the spike earlier.

"[South Asian (Indian and Pakistani), Vietnamese, and Southeast Asian] also happen to be the most recently immigrated groups ... Their patterns are mirroring what we saw for Japanese Americans back in the 70s and 80s," Gomez says.

Breast Cancer Incidences

As mentioned earlier, the research was divided into two particular subgroups: age and stage.

According to the research, all Asian-American ethnic groups saw an increase in breast cancer occurrences for women over 50 years of age. For those under 50, however, women from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian groups were more affected.

Late stage diagnoses were observed in Filipino, Korean, and South Asian women but distant stage breast cancer incidences occurred most in Filipino women.

The most prevalent subtypes of breast cancer were defined by tumor expression of hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Gomez reveals that more HER2 breast cancers were recorded for Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese women than white women in California.

"These patterns warrant additional attention to public health prioritization to target disparities in access to care, as well as further research in identifying relevant breast cancer risk factors for specific breast cancer subtypes," Gomez says.

She added that further study should be done to investigate risk factor and early life exposures, with attention to the genetic susceptibility of Filipino and Japanese women.

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Uber, which has recently been involved in a storm of controversy, was reported to have already been in trouble two years ago when Apple CEO Tim Cook threated to remove the ride-hailing service's app from the App Store.

The incident was revealed through an article by The New York Times that focused on Uber's likewise controversial CEO, Travis Kalanick.

Cook Reprimanded Kalanick In 2015 Meeting

According to the report by The New York Times, Kalanick met with Cook at Apple's headquarters in early 2015. The reason for the meeting was that Kalanick ordered Uber employees to implement a system in the service's app that violated the privacy guidelines of Apple.

"So, I've heard you've been breaking some of our rules," said Cook upon starting the meeting with Kalanick. Cook then demanded that Kalanick stop what Uber was doing, or else the company's app would be taken down from Apple's App Store.

Cook's threat against Uber was a heavy one. If the app would be removed from the App Store, it would no longer work with millions of iPhones, a move that may possibly bring down the company. Kalanick had no choice but to give in to Cook's demand.

What Did Uber Try To Do?

What was Uber doing that prompted such a serious threat from Cook?

It was reported that the Uber app had been secretly identifying and tagging iPhones, even after it was deleted and the smartphones completely wiped clean. By "fingerprinting" the iPhones with permanent identities, Uber was trying to prevent its drivers from cheating rides and claiming bonuses by accepting ride requests from fake accounts that they create.

What made matters worse was that Kalanick ordered his employees to hide the implemented system from Apple employees working in the company's headquarters. However, Apple workers working outside the Cupertino facility eventually found out about the fingerprinting, prompting the meeting between Kalanick and Cook.

Uber Responds To iPhone Fingerprinting Allegations

Uber, meanwhile, has responded to the report, stating that tracking is considered to be a common practice in the industry for preventing fraud and protecting accounts from being compromised.

Uber revealed that it is still using a form of device fingerprinting to prevent the app from being used in fraudulent ways, but Uber has modified it to comply with the privacy rules of Apple.

"We absolutely do not track individual users or their location if they've deleted the app," Uber reiterated in a statement.

Uber Controversies Piling Up

The reported meeting between Kalanick and Cook reveals another Uber controversy, which has not been in short supply recently.

Uber is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Alphabet, Google's parent company. The case recently took a turn for the worse for Uber as the company admitted that it discovered stolen Waymo files in the computer of one of its employees.

Last month, an Uber self-driving car was involved in a major accident in Arizona that caused the vehicle to flip to its side, raising questions on whether autonomous cars can already be trusted.

Uber board member Arianna Huffington said last month that the company needed to change, after the series of controversies that also included a heated exchange between Kalanick and an Uber driver and a reportedly toxic and sexist work environment.

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Two days after it launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, Chinas Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the Tiangong-2 space station last April 22, Saturday.

This marked a major step toward the countrys goal of establishing its own manned space station by 2022, with President Xi Jinping prioritizing the advancement of Chinas space program as part of national security plans.

Launch And Docking Details

The Tianzhou-1 cargo resupply vehicle made the automated connection at 12:16 a.m. EDT on April 22, some 240 miles above Earth. It took off Thursday evening from the launch site in Hainan.

The unmanned cargo craft, weighing 28,700 pounds and is 34.8 feet long, boasts of a payload capacity of around 14,330 pounds.

The mission did not actually involve any crew supplies, but in the next couple of months it will see a number of automated docking attempts as well as fuel transfers to display the spacecrafts capability. The Tianzhou-1s pressurized compartment, for instance, contains a test load to simulate the weight necessary for resupplying a three-member crew for around a month in orbit.

The cargo vehicle, dubbed an important technological basis for building a Chinese space lab, is reportedly able to carry 6 tons of goods and 2 tons of fuel, as well as fly uncrewed for three months, Reuters reported.

Chinese Space Laboratory

The Tiangong-2 space laboratory launched September last year. Also known as Heavenly Palace 2, it became home to two taikonauts or Chinese astronauts when the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft docked with the station in October. This was the countrys longest manned space mission to date.

The one-room lab features the same design as Tiangong-1, Chinas first station. Tiangong-2, however, is not expected to be occupied by humans again, as the next key step for China is to blast off the first module of the Tiangong-3 station, its first multi-module space outpost eyed for completion by 2022 with three major modules in total.

Tianhe 1, the Tiangong-3s core module, is anticipated to launch on top of a Long March 5 rocket anytime in 2018. Tianzhou-2, the countrys next cargo ship, will follow shortly.

Chinas Space Mission

China is moving ahead very rapidly with its space exploration efforts, said Xinhua News Agency, pointing to its first manned mission in 2003 that made it the third nation after Russia and the United States to send a human into space.

The Chinese news agency added that China was excluded from the International Space Station back in 2011 due to U.S. legislation, where U.S. officials reportedly prohibited NASA from working with the Asian superpower out of national security issues. It then proposed its own space lab as a sound replacement to the ISS as it ends its operations in 2024.

Chinas space program, however, isnt without a glitch. In 2013, for instance, its Jade Rabbit rover landed on the moon but ran into a few technical problems.

The U.S. Defense Department has argued that China is pushing forward with its space capabilities to bar other countries from deploying space-based assets during a crisis, but China is firm that it only maintains peaceful space ambitions.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are now officially on sale, and in addition to the LG G6, the flagship pair may be two of this year's best-reviewed smartphones.

No surprise there: the Galaxy S8 is a beast of a device, sporting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip underneath its glorious Infinity Display, complemented by a gorgeous back panel that makes space for no logos other than its own. It's a totem of accomplishment in both design and software, and the pair is also Samsung's much-needed comeback after the whole Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. But just how much does it cost to build one?

Galaxy S8 Manufacturing Cost

According to estimates from IHS Markit, an analytics company, the cost of the materials and manufacturing needed to create a Galaxy S8 unit is quite higher than the cost of building any flagship smartphone out in the market at present.

It costs Samsung $307.50 to build a Galaxy S8  its chipset, internal storage, Super AMOLED Infinity Display, and glass panels included. It's $36.29 more expensive than the Galaxy S7 edge of yesteryear, and $83 more than the iPhone 7, as per IHS Markit's previous estimates.

Of course, Samsung has not offered any word whether the company's estimates are anything close to being accurate, nor is it likely to ever do so. As usual, take everything with a grain of salt, which you might actually want to do, given that Apple CEO Tim Cook himself blasted these form of estimates, previously saying that he's never stumbled upon one that's close to being accurate.

For some perspective, the second most expensive smartphone to produce is the Google Pixel XL, which costs $285.80. This makes the Galaxy S8 the most expensive phone to produce indeed. That said, it makes sense for Samsung to shell out a little more, if to ensure that the Galaxy S8 is a premium device through and through. After all, it needs only good press coverage for the phone moving forward, amid its steady resurfacing from the Note 7's ashes.

Galaxy S8 And S8 Plus

Both the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus were announced late March, and both were released a little under a month later. The Plus version is pretty much the same as the standard variant, only with a larger screen, and a slightly higher-capacity battery.

The Galaxy S8 packs in a Snapdragon 835 chip, 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, and up to 256 GB of expandable memory. It's the first phone to ever come with Bluetooth 5.0 support, one feature that lets users pair two Bluetooth headsets simultaneously.

On the back is a 12-megapixel camera, and on the front is a 8-megapixel selfie camera. The phone supports wireless charging, and is water resistant.

To look at both phones' full specifications, check out our previous article covering the unveiling.

Thoughts about the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, particularly with the standard variant's purported manufacturing cost? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

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There are more frequent collisions between whales and boats than previously thought, according to a new study that looked at the rising whale injuries off the coast of New England.

The study paid an exclusive focus on humpback whales in the southern Gulf of Maine and found that nearly 15 percent of them, which swim to the area every spring to feed, were found to have injuries or scars indicating at least one vessel strike.

Published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, the study noted that vessel strikes on whales have been largely underestimated as the figures are suppressed compared to the actual strike toll on the animals.

Regarding deaths, a report in the Journal of Marine Biology dating back to 2012 noted that of the 108 reported whale collisions that took place between 1978 and 2011 off Alaska, 25 resulted in the death of the animal.

Methodology of Study

In the latest study, researchers reviewed the injuries of 624 individual whales photographed for nine years from 2004 to 2013 in the coasts of Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. The 210,733 photos were categorized according to the type of injury caused by vessel strikes.

According to the findings, 14.7 percent or 92 of the 624 individual humpback whales in the study had injuries from at least one vessel strike, with the majority having four or fewer strike injuries.

Multiple injuries found in parts of a whale's body were hard to assess whether caused by one or more ship strikes. The researchers also spotted one injured whale calf getting injured in two separate events. Irrespective of the frequency of injury, researchers were unanimous in the belief that whale-boat collisions are hazardous and need to be checked.

One reason for the number of injured whales looking fewer was that the whales killed in ship strikes were not being added to the list of injured.

"Vessel strikes are a significant risk to both whales and to boaters," said lead author Alex Hill from Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a charity working for the protection of marine mammals in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Hill called for long-term studies in determining the effectiveness of outreach programs as well as the management policies and actions necessary to evaluate the whale population.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation said whales are unlikely to survive if they are struck by vessels in certain sensitive areas. Similarly, whale and boat collisions can also cause injury and death to people who get thrown off the vessel when it is struck by a whale. There have been collisions leading to the sinking of small vessels.

Impact Of Ship Strikes On Whale Populations

There had been studies to know the impact of ship strikes on whale populations. There are different opinions on the outcome.

A study in 2014 focusing on the eastern North Pacific blue whales proposed changes to shipping lanes to decrease the odds of whale-boat collisions. The study, published in PLOS ONE, held the view that reducing ship strikes go a long way in safeguarding the blue whales.

However, another study published in the same year, this time in Marine Mammal Science, said that reducing collisions would not significantly affect the blue whale population.

Slow Whales Becoming Vulnerable To Strikes

Studies say vessel strikes happen because whales are slow swimmers and they spend more time at the surface and areas of high shipping traffic.

Among the whales, humpbacks are more vulnerable as they are oblivious of the risk of incoming ships because they are busy feeding or mating.

Humpback Whales Are Endangered

The new study also pointed out the fact that humpback whales are listed endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Still, there are no regulations in place to reduce the collision risk by restraining vessels in their vicinity.

Meanwhile, Dave Wiley of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary said the study is useful in framing regulations for federal managers. He said it is "troublesome" to see strike rates are going up.

On the other hand, Scott Kraus of the New England Aquarium expressed skepticism, saying that the number of ship strikes could be exaggerated because the researchers' method of interpreting scars on humpback whales could lead to error. He did, however concur that the study results are valid.

There are a lot of whales getting hit by small vessels, and there may very well need to be some management actions around high-density whale areas, he said.

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NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson has officially spent more time in space than any other American today.

Today, Whitson added another feat to her record-setting space scientist career at 1:27 a.m. EDT with her recent extension at the International Space Station. She broke records by spending 534 days, 2 hours, and 49 minutes (and counting) away from the planet.

Seasoned Record Holder

Currently on her third long-duration stay at the orbiting outpost, Whitson is no stranger to being a record holder, a NASA statement noted. She became the first woman to command the ISS in 2008, as well as the first woman to command it twice last April 9. Last March, she nabbed the record for most spacewalks conducted by a female.

After launching last Nov. 17 with a total of 377 days in space, she has conquered astronaut Jeff Williams previous U.S. record of 534 days, 2 hours, and 48 minutes of space-time.

In March her ISS mission was extended into September this year to allow for more time to devote to onboard experimentation. Once she goes back to Earth, she would have already spent over 650 days out in space, on top of decades of on-ground support for spaceflight.

The astronaut started her career at the space agency in the 1980s and held a couple of research positions with a biochemistry doctorate under her belt.

Declared the Shuttle-Mir Programs project scientist in 1992, Whitson also assumed the deputy division chief post at the Medical Sciences Division of the Johnson Space Center, as well as sat as co-chairperson of the U.S.-Russian Mission Science Working Group. In 1996, she was then selected as an astronaut.

Blasting Off To ISS

Whitson first arrived at the ISS in 2002, as delivered by space shuttle Endeavour for a 184-day stay in the space stations four modules during that time. It was a time to partake of 21 science probes, as well as become the first NASA science officer.

She returned in 2008 as Expedition 16 commander, spent another 192 days out in space, and did her first of five spacewalks.

Whitson was named chief of the astronaut office in 2009, the first woman to assume the position, which she did until 2012.

Since she returned in November for her third ISS stay, Whitson did another three spacewalks and brought her total time devoted outside the ISS to over 53 hours.

Trump Call And #CongratsPeggy

Social media cheers Whitson on with the hashtag #CongratsPeggy.

Earlier this month, Whitson told ABC News that she isnt in it for the record.

Im definitely here for conducting the science, said the astronaut, deeming it a truly important step toward sending humans to longer missions to Mars. The sooner the better.

She added, however, that there are remaining critical questions to answer, from the health implications of living in zero gravity to tackling radiation.

Today, President Donald Trump is set to congratulate Whitson on her new record. One can watch the call live on NASA TV.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The World Health Organization announced on Monday, April 24 that the world's first malaria vaccine will be dispensed in three African countries starting next year in a series of real-life trials to test its efficacy.

Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi were chosen as the three recipients of the vaccine, which is to be administered to infants and young children from high-risk areas via a WHO pilot program.

"Combined with existing malaria interventions, such a vaccine would have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives in Africa," said DR. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa.

Important Facts About The Malaria Vaccine

The promising malaria vaccine bears the name of RTS,S and is delivered through injection. Also called Mosquirix, the product was created by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and is designed to shield children from the most lethal form of malaria currently occurring in Africa.

To develop the vaccine, GSK partnered with the nonprofit PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and received part of the funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Also funding the program are Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Unitaid.

This is the first approved vaccine against malaria and, as BBC reports, it works by training the immune system to attack the malaria parasite spread by mosquito bites.

Clinical trials for malaria showed the vaccine to be partially effective, which is why the health regulator needs to observe its results in an on-the-ground testing program before deciding whether to add it to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention.

"Information gathered in the pilot will help us make decisions on the wider use of this vaccine," added Moeti.

Who Is Mosquirix Intended For?

Mosquirix was created for a four-dose inoculation and will be administered to children as young as 17 months but no older than 5 years old. The testing program is set to involve more than 750,000 children, half of whom will receive the first three doses once a month, followed by the fourth injection at an interval of 18 months.

The WHO pilot program aims to evaluate the vaccine's safety and effectiveness in real life, as well as the usefulness of the four-dose system and the product's impact on decreasing the pediatric death rate associated with this mosquito-borne disease.

Clinical trials showed the vaccine stopped almost four in 10 children in this age group from contracting the disease, while reducing the number of most severe cases by a third and curbing the incidence of hospitalizations and blood transfusion malaria treatments.

However, the numbers are still significantly lower compared with other approved vaccines for different diseases. The clinical trials also note the fourth dose of Mosquirix was crucial in providing the benefits of this vaccine.

The reason Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi are the first three countries worldwide to participate in the pilot program is not only due to the high prevalence of malaria in this part of the world, but also to their good malaria programs, wide use of bed nets, and well-established immunization programs.

Although each country is at liberty to choose which districts and regions will be included in the program, the WHO emphasizes high-risk areas will receive priority.

Malaria claims 430,000 lives every year, with most of the victims being babies and young children in sub-Saharan Africa. In the last decade and a half, global efforts to fight the disease have reduced the number of malaria deaths by 62 percent.

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A judge in Italy has ruled that excessive use of cellphones can cause brain cancer in a case involving a former telecommunications company worker who developed a brain tumor.

Courts Find Link Between Mobile Phone Use And Brain Tumor

Robert Romeo, who worked for Telecom Italia, claimed that constant use of his mobile phone due to work-related purposes was the reason he developed the tumor.

The 57-year-old, who was awarded state-funded pension equivalent to about $535 a month, claimed he used his mobile phone between three and four hours a day for 15 years. A medical examiner determined that the man's brain cancer damaged 23 percent of his bodily functions.

It is not the first time that the court found a link between heavy mobile phone usage and brain tumor. In 2012, Italy's supreme court upheld such a ruling in the case of Innocenzo Marcolini, who developed a tumor in the left side of his head. He claimed to use his cellphone for five to six hours daily for 12 years and normally held the device in his left hand while taking notes using his right hand.

What Experts Say

The rulings of the court will not likely end the debate on whether or not mobile phone use can cause cancer. Brain Tumour Charity chief scientific officer David Jenkinson said that researchers have not yet found sufficient evidence to prove a causal link between mobile phone use and the development of brain tumor.

"We know that many people are concerned about a possible connection between mobile phone use and the development of brain tumors," Jenkinson said. "However, the global research projects that have been conducted so far, involving hundreds of thousands of people, have found insufficient evidence that using a mobile phone increases the risk of developing a brain tumor."

The American Cancer Society said that studies that looked into the potential link between mobile phone use and brain tumors have mixed results. In most of these studies, the patients with brain tumors did not report more cellphone use than those in the control group.

"Most studies do not show a 'dose-response relationship,' which would be a tendency for the risk of brain tumors to be higher with increasing cellphone use," the American Cancer Society said.

Most of the studies also did not show that the brain tumors more often develop on the side of the head where people tend to hold their phones, which is expected to happen if mobile phone use causes brain tumors.

Some studies though found a potential link such as those published by researchers from Sweden. They found an increased likelihood for a tumor on the side of the head where a mobile phone was held in people who use cellphones for at least 10 years.

"It is hard to know what to make of these findings because most studies by other researchers have not had the same results, and there is no overall increase in brain tumors in Sweden during the years that correspond to these reports," the ACS said.

Precautions When Using Mobile Phones

Still, health and safety experts urged precautions when using mobile phones. They recommend keeping the phone away from the head and body especially when the signal is weak. When making calls, mobile phone users are also urged to use the speakerphone of the device or opt to use a hands-free headset.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Alzheimers Q&A: After a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, what is the typical life expectancy?
Through a stream of tears, Becky Wilson told a courtroom how the 1963 killing of her father  East Baton Rouge sheriff's deputy Charles Hurt  shattered her tranquil childhood and rocked the lives of her family for decades.

But as they testified feet from their father's killer, Henry Montgomery, Wilson and her sister, Linda Woods, also offered forgiveness.

Montgomery, convicted of first-degree murder at two trials, was a troubled 17-year-old when he fatally shot Hurt with a stolen pistol. Now 70, Montgomery appeared Monday morning before state district Judge Richard Anderson to ask for a chance at parole more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his mandatory life without parole sentence handed down in 1970 was unconstitutional.

Anderson, who's now charged with determining if Montgomery shows "such irretrievable depravity that rehabilitation is impossible," will decide in late June whether the aging murderer should be eligible for parole or once again be sentenced to die in prison.

Pointing to his disciplinary record during more than a half-century in prison, Montgomery's attorney, Lindsay Blouin, called him "a model prisoner" who's changed dramatically since he first arrived at Angola as a teenager.

Montgomery, stooped and shackled in a bright-orange prison jumpsuit, watched the proceedings intently through wire-rimmed glasses. Just before his attorney made final arguments, Montgomery rose to apologize for the killing and its aftermath.

"Your honor, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Montgomery said, clutching his bound hands to his stomach. "I'm just sorry for this whole situation."

Wilson, who traveled from her home in Arkansas to attend Monday's hearing, said her father's killing when she was 9 years old unmoored her family, crippled them financially and ruined what was once a happy home. She said it also led her to put her son  Jean-Paul deGravelles, now a Lafourche Parish sheriff's deputy who also spoke in court  up for adoption, not wanting to raise him amid the family's dysfunction.

But Wilson said she and her sister met with Montgomery earlier this month to convey their forgiveness.

"I've been praying for him for 40 years," Wilson said. "I forgive him. But I also believe he got a just sentence."

Woods, who was 6 when Montgomery killed her father, expressed similar sentiments in an emotional address from the witness stand. Woods called Hurt "my world" and described in vivid detail being pulled from school to be told her father had been killed.

"I have forgiven Henry Montgomery in my heart, but I didn't always feel that way. For a long time I hated him," said Woods, who added she also thinks his current sentence is appropriate.

A number of officials from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, where Montgomery has spent the vast majority of the last 50 years, testified about his attitude behind bars and disciplinary record inside the prison.

They said Montgomery had just 22 disciplinary write-ups over his nearly 54 years behind bars, calling that number very low and saying he has been a trustworthy prisoner. He's worked in the prison's screen-printing shop for the past 16 years, and his supervisor in the shop called him one of his most reliable workers.

Blouin, Montgomery's attorney, said her client didn't have a documented altercation with guards or other inmates  including even an argument with another prisoner  since at least 1992. That record came despite the bloody atmosphere at Angola for much of Montgomery's time there, Blouin said, with an average of 12 inmates being slain in fights or attacks each year when he first arrived.

She said Montgomery helped found the Angola Amateur Boxing Association, a still-thriving sporting club launched by inmates in the early 1970s, and entered into evidence two forms authorizing Montgomery to travel to Dixon Correctional Institute for boxing matches in 1978. The documents, prison officials said, indicate Montgomery was considered low-risk and well-behaved even then.

Prosecutors didn't argue for a life without parole sentence for Montgomery at the hearing, though they still may present written arguments in the case.

But Dylan Alge, an assistant attorney general who represented the state at the hearing, noted the record shows both an extremely serious crime and evidence of Montgomery's rehabilitation at Angola.

Alge said records from Montgomery's first-degree murder trial indicate Hurt was trying to back away and raised his hands when Montgomery shot him and also noted that Department of Corrections forms from when Montgomery first arrived in state custody indicate he had a prior juvenile record.

"I'm not sure what to do in this case," Alge said.

Little was said Monday about Montgomery's upbringing, experience in school or home life at the time of the slaying. His parents and grandparents are long dead, while juvenile court files and any educational records have apparently been lost or destroyed in the intervening decades.

Just how to handle the cases of juveniles who've committed murder has vexed Louisiana courts in recent years as U.S. Supreme Court decisions have restricted the use of life without parole sentences, once the only punishment for such crimes.

In a 2012 decision in Miller vs. Alabama, the Supreme Court ruled that factors like a teen's brain development, the influence of others, evidence of abuse and other factors needed to be considered before sentencing a juvenile to life without parole, a punishment the high court equated to the death penalty.

But Louisiana argued the Miller vs. Alabama decision shouldn't apply to the roughly 300 inmates  including Montgomery  already serving time in prison.

Montgomery's lawyers successfully challenged the state, and in a January 2016 decision the high court stated that all but those who show "such irretrievable depravity that rehabilitation is impossible" must be given the opportunity to apply for parole.

Monday morning's hearing came as state lawmakers considered a pair of bills that would address the ruling.

One proposal, sponsored by Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, would give the roughly 300 inmates in Montgomery's situation parole eligibility after serving at least 30 years. An identical bill appeared headed into law following negotiations between lawmakers in 2016 but died amid a filibuster during the final minutes of that legislative session.

Montgomery is one of 89 inmates who already clear that bar and Blouin, his attorney, said he's also met the other requirements  including educational coursework and a clean disciplinary record  to petition for a parole hearing.

Anderson, the judge now tasked with determining how to sentence Montgomery, may not need to render a decision if the Legislature passes one of those bills. The judge said he'll issue his ruling on June 24, weeks after the Legislature adjourns.
Two men arrested in armed robbery of $10 at Baker gas station on Saturday, police say
Gov. John Bel Edwards' complicated commercial activity tax proposal was already expected to face a difficult battle at the State Capitol this session.

A new analysis from the non-partisan Tax Foundation probably won't help it win many fans.

In a new blog post, economist Nicole Kaeding attempts to untangle the "incredibly complex tax structure laid out under this proposal" but concludes "This plan is a nightmare."

Edwards, a Democrat, had proposed the idea as a way to shore up the state's budget and lower the sales tax to the level before he took office. He said other ideas in the past had failed to gain much traction so he looked to states like Ohio that have implemented gross receipts taxes, which are taxes on transactions.

"We want something that works, and we can't pass something that people don't understand," Edwards told The Advocate editorial board last week.

Edwards' office didn't immediately respond for a request for comment on the Tax Foundation's new analysis.

The Foundation's conclusion on the proposal:"It will add significant compliance costs to the states tax code, while retaining all of the flaws of Louisianas corporate income tax. The way to fix Louisianas corporate income tax isnt to make it more complicated by adding multiple new layers of tax to it."

The flow chart below illustrates how it would play out.
Louisiana's 2010 overhaul of annual teacher evaluations was touted as a way to provide a meaningful snapshot of teacher effectiveness and improve student performance in the classroom.

But Gov. John Bel Edwards wants to make sweeping changes in the yearly reviews, leading to charges that his office is breaking a deal brokered last year when the annual checks were tweaked.

The governor's proposal, House Bill 532, would undo the rule that at least 35 percent of the evaluation has to be linked to the growth of student achievement.

Edwards' bill would allow local school officials to use students' academic growth however they wish in deciding how teachers should be rated.

Doing so, the governor said in a statement, will give local educators discretion to weigh student gains along with other data "so that it more accurately reflects what's happening in our schools."

The proposal has sparked heavy criticism from groups that favor major changes in public schools and have clashed with Edwards and his education allies for years.

Brigitte Nieland, who follows public school issues for the influential Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, said a wide range of parties agreed last year, after the 2016 changes, the issue would not be revisited for three years.

"This is a deal brokered by the Governor's Office," Nieland said.

She said under the governor's plan, local educators would be tempted to ignore data on annual student academic gains and rely on classroom observations for much of the teacher reviews, an approach that prompted the overhaul seven years ago.

"I find that the bill is totally unworkable," Nieland said.

Sen. Conrad Appel, R-Metairie, who sponsored some of the original legislation on the issue, said linking student gains to how teachers are performing is a key part of Louisiana's education accountability system.

"Without that, we don't know, parents don't know, legislators don't know, no one knows if the teachers, if the school districts, if the structural governance is performing or not performing," Appel said.

The revamped teacher reviews were a forerunner of former Gov. Bobby Jindal's sweeping overhaul of public schools in 2012, including tougher tenure rules for teachers and statewide expansion of vouchers.

Louisiana tenure debate predates sudden national attention While Louisiana is a national leader in the teacher tenure debate, major questions hover ove

The change stemmed from complaints that under the old system of using classroom observations to rate teachers, all but a handful of teachers statewide routinely won satisfactory marks while Louisiana's public school system regularly placed near the bottom nationally.

Backers of the changes said the state could craft a reliable system that would show what affect teachers actually had on improving student performance, all the while accounting for poverty and other factors.

That formula, called the Value Added Model,

Four years later, teacher job reviews still in dispute Four years after Louisiana authorized sweeping changes in public school teachers job evalua

applies to about 20,000 of the state's roughly 50,000 public school teachers.

Teacher unions and other traditional public school groups always opposed the new rules, saying there are too many variables affecting how students fare to make that a part of a teacher's job review.

"We look at getting rid of VAM on a statewide level as a good thing," said Shane Riddle, legislative and political director for the Louisiana Association of Educators, one of several groups that have criticized the review system for years.

Critics say teacher evaluations need changes The state should consider trimming the requirement that links 50 percent of annual teacher e

However, both the LAE and the Louisiana Federation of Teachers have concerns about the governor's plan.

"It means every single district would have a different evaluation model," LFT President Larry Carter said, adding that the measure could be improved with amendments.

Last year, a heavily negotiated bill tweaked the evaluations.

Under the 2016 changes, growth in student achievement would account for 35 percent of the review, down from 50 percent previously.

Other signs of academic achievement would count for 15 percent of the score, and traditional classroom observations by superintendents for 50 percent.

The new rules were hammered out by teacher unions, superintendents, the Louisiana School Boards Association, LABI, Stand for Children and the Council for a Better Louisiana.

The deal also extended for another year  three and counting  a controversial moratorium on using VAM data in rating teachers during the state's move to tougher academic standards.

Stephanie Desselle, who tracks public school issues for CABL, said all the parties appeared satisfied after last year's agreement.

"It is the only objective measure in an evaluation," Desselle said of using classroom performance to rate teachers.

Rep. Frank Hoffmann, R-West Monroe, sponsor of the bill and of the original 2010 measure, noted that he has said all along that if problems arise, he would lead efforts to change the reviews.

"This bill doesn't do away with it," Hoffmann said. "It does affect the way we use it and how it can be used."

The legislation says state data will be provided to local school districts to "assist" in measuring student improvements in the classroom.

Hoffmann said he is not convinced the current system is reliable but he is mindful of concerns raised by the governor's bill.

"It is still in the works," he said. "We are still seeing what we can do with it."

Under current plans, linking student gains to teacher reviews is supposed to resume for the 2017-18 school year.

The changes have been in place in earnest for only one year.

In 2013, one in three teachers got the top rating, and only 4 percent were labeled ineffective.

Riddle said while his group appreciates Edwards pushing the issue, allowing principals to decide how to use the data in 69 school districts could trigger other problems.

"It could cause a huge disparity on how VAM is used," he said.

In his statement, the governor said he has spoken with many educators statewide about using figures on student growth to help rate teachers.

"Teacher evaluations are important, and the principals know better than anyone what progress is and isn't being made," he said.
After a Parole Board last week was set to release a man who pleaded guilty in 2000 to raping a woman, tying her to a tree and fatally shooting her in the eye, Gov. John Bel Edwards tried to calm fears by telling reporters the law that allowed the convict to be freed 50 years before the end of his sentence was no longer on the books.

"The law that allowed for parole consideration on this individual is an old law that is no longer on the books anyway," Edwards said in an interview Friday. "I don't believe we should look at this one incident and one event and have it color everything."

But reinstating the law that allowed 47-year-old Samuel Galbraith to be eligible for parole is being considered in the Louisiana Legislature this session is part of a measure that Edwards put in his comprehensive criminal justice package.

Louisiana Parole Board rescinds release for Vernon Parish convicted killer; victim's mother had said she wasn't told of fall parole hearing The parole for a man who pleaded guilty in 2000 to raping and killing a woman nearly 30 year

The Parole Board has since rescinded its decision to release Galbraith, citing a technicality that prevented the family of the victim from being notified. But the firestorm surrounding the Board's decision to release Galbraith has provided fuel for critics of the proposed changes in Louisiana's criminal justice system who are concerned that elements of the sweeping legislation would allow violent criminals to be released.

Ahead of the legislative session, Edwards endorsed the work of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force, which made recommendations aimed at reducing the state's highest-in-the-nation incarceration rate. The proposals have taken the form of 10 bills that are intended to offer more parole eligibility and prison alternatives, while streamlining criminal penalties. The vast majority of the legislation would impact nonviolent offenders. But a few of the measures are facing considerable opposition from law enforcement because they could give long-serving offenders accused of violent crimes earlier release.

Public outcry over the potential of Galbraith's release, coupled with continued pushback from Louisiana's powerful district attorneys and sheriffs, could be shifting the focus of the proposed changes away from violent criminals.

Gene Mills, president of the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative faith-based organization that backed the prison revamp, said he agrees the provisions that target violent offenders are a step too far. He thinks they will ultimately be abandoned this year.

"In year one of our pursuit of criminal justice reform, we must focus on nonviolent, non-dangerous reforms. The district attorneys have echoed that, the sheriffs have echoed that, and the governor's office has conceded that," Mills said. "I don't believe that will be a part of the package, and if they force it, it's a deal-breaker."

Richard Carbo, a spokesman for Edwards, said Monday the governor met with the district attorneys and sheriff's office to discuss a compromise. After the meeting, he said no official agreement had been made, but they'd established a "working group to work through some issues." But he said the governor is not withdrawing support of the bills that deal with some violent offenders.

"He is in no way abandoning those, we have got to make a dent in the prison population," Carbo said. "He's willing to negotiate, but we all understand that the changes have to be meaningful."

Galbraith was slated to be released from Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel this past Sunday, before the Parole Board rescinded its decision. He will be given another hearing to determine whether he will be released, once the family of the victim is given an opportunity to weigh in.

In 2000, Galbraith pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated rape in Vernon Parish, on allegations that he abducted 21-year-old Karen Hill and took her to a wooded area. After raping her, authorities said, he tied Hill to a tree and shot her in the left eye. A Vernon Parish prosecutor said in an interview that Galbraith told detectives he killed Hill because he wanted to see what "it felt like."

He was sentenced to 71 years in prison after taking a plea deal. He served 17 years with the Department of Corrections and had already served three years in Vernon Parish jail before his plea deal.

Galbraith is a suspect in two other unsolved cases similar to Hill's, Vernon Parish District Attorney Asa Skinner said in an interview Friday. But it's unclear whether that information was presented to the Parole Board. No one from the district attorney's office appeared at Galbraith's hearing, and Skinner's office sent only a two sentence letter which objected to his release, without providing any details.

"The defendant committed a horrible crime and should remain in prison," the letter said.

Skinner declined comment on Monday when asked why no one from his office attended the original parole hearing, saying he would not "try this case in the press."

The law that applied to Galbraith during the time he was sentenced gave first-time offenders the ability to seek parole once they reached the age of 45 and had served at least 20 years of their sentence. The law has since been changed so that inmates convicted of violent crimes have to serve at least 75 percent of their sentences before being eligible for parole.

Senate Bill 139 by Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Metairie, would among other things, revert requirements for parole eligibility back to inmates who have served 20 years and are at least 45 years old.

"This story just turned out to be an example of why we are concerned," said Pete Adams, head of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. "We're opposed to provisions that would trigger early release or early parole or even shorten substantially sentences for violent offenders. This is an example of one of those things in the package that would do that."

Louisiana sheriffs voice concerns about criminal justice revamp The powerful sheriffs association voiced concerns Thursday that violent offenders might be 

Martiny said Monday morning he wasn't familiar with the Galbraith case, but added that he's open to changes to his bill.

"My bill is just part of an entire overview of the whole system, it is not in any way etched in stone," he said. "It's not a 'my way or the highway' situation."

But he noted that the Legislature has a tendency to pass legislation based on single anecdotes, and was hopeful that lawmakers are able to focus on the bigger picture.

"I'm not looking to let anyone out of jail and I'm not looking to upset victims," Martiny said. "But the last thing I want to see us do is kick it down the road to next year."

Prosecutors also raise questions about criminal justice reform The states district attorneys Friday released a sheaf of changes that, if adopted, could wi

According to data from the Southern Poverty Law Center, only 2 percent of releases in 2015 stemmed from discretionary parole releases. Of the cases the Parole Board heard that year, 46 percent were granted release, however the vast majority were for non-violent crimes.

Bruce Reilly, deputy director of Voice of the Experienced, also known as VOTE, a New Orleans-based advocacy group, stressed that creating the possibility of parole does not guarantee anyone's release.

"Louisiana is the most incarcerated state in the nation for several reasons, one of which is because we rarely release someone who committed a serious crime," Reilly said. "Policy should not be based on any one individual, in the same way that wrongful convictions have not resulted in systemic reforms. Judges and district attorneys generally look at a single act when handing down or negotiating a sentence. The parole board uses their discretion regarding future dangerousness and who someone has become since then."

A group of business leaders who support the criminal justice revamp package, including Laitram CEO Jay Lapeyre and Cajun Industries founder Lane Grigsby, emailed Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, Monday afternoon asking him not support efforts to weaken the proposed bills.

"Law enforcement stakeholders are now pushing to further water down the reforms and alter the Task Force recommendations on sentencing and the felony class system. This change would gut the cost savings and render the reforms substantively meaningless," the letter said. "We urge you to defend and pass the full data-driven package of justice reinvestment reforms."
A white supremacist monument is seen by the One Canal Place parking lot and Mississippi River floodwall in New Orleans, La. Wednesday, April 12, 2017. The monument was erected by the Crescent City White League, including Confederate veterans, who attempted an overthrow of the Reconstruction Louisiana government made up of the outnumbered Metropolitan Police and state militia. It commemorates the attack on an integrated police force where nine officers were said to have been killed on September 14, 1874 by white supremacists. The original inscription hailed the success of white supremacy in the 'overthrow of carpetbag government.' Order was restored when the federal troops in came to the city January 1875. When the obelisk was moved in 1993, the inscription was changed to 'honor Americans on both sides who died.' The inscription has been smashed recently and faint graffiti remnants can be seen above the inscription.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu held a brief news conference Monday morning on the overnight removal of the Liberty Place monument.

He insisted that security concerns justified taking the obelisk down in the early morning hours and without warning, rather than scheduling any kind of public ceremony.

And he said the other three monuments scheduled for removal would be taken down in the same manner, adding only that it would happen "sooner rather than later."

The mayor chose to speak in front of a monument to fallen police officers in front of New Orleans Police Department headquarters. He pointed out that the Liberty Place statue was put up in the first place to honor an uprising that killed members of the city's integrated police force during the Reconstruction era.

Landrieu called the Liberty Place obelisk an "affront" both to the United States and "the humanity of millions of Americans."

Click here to watch his remarks.

Original story

Early Monday morning crews removed New Orleans' Liberty Place monument commemorating the failed rebellion of a white supremacist militia, the first of four statues slated to be taken from their public perches.

The unannounced removal marks the beginning of the end of a debate that has roiled the city in the nearly two years since Mayor Mitch Landrieu called for the removal of the monument to the Battle of Liberty Place and more prominent statues of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

The statue will be stored in a city warehouse until a museum or park can be found where it can be placed in its proper context, city officials have said.

The other statues are expected to be taken down soon, as city officials announced early Monday they had secured the private funds needed for the job. However, the Landrieu administration said it would not give advance notice of those removals and did not provide details on who provided that money, how much was donated, how the ultimate fate of the statues would be or how the city would choose new monuments to replace them.

The lack of notice for the work and the fact it was done under the dark of night upset groups on both sides of the debate, with even those who have fought to tear the monuments down calling it a cowardly move.

+5 Monuments 'aberration ... denial of our history,' Mitch Landrieu says New Orleans planned to begin removing the first of four prominent Confederate monuments early Monday, the latest Southern institution to sever

Malcolm Suber, one of the organizers of Take Em Down NOLA, showed up mid-way through the removal. While he said he was glad the monument, one of about a hundred statues and street and place names the group has called to be removed as symbols of white supremacy, he has previously called for the statues to come down in daylight, with notice and a public celebration.

The thing Im amazed at is these people are wearing helmets, flack jackets and covering their faces, Suber said of the workers removing the monument. Why should that be necessary in a democratic society?

Can't see video below? Click here.

Crews, accompanied by dozens of New Orleans Police officers, rolled up behind the Canal Place parking garage about 1:30 a.m. Monday to begin dismantling the monument to the White Leagues failed revolt, a process that took about four hours. Rumors that the city would begin removing the statues about that time had been swirling for days, prompting vigils at both the Liberty Place monument and the Davis statue near Canal Street. But by the time the workers arrived, the last group of monument supporters had left the White League statue to join the larger protest near Davis statue.

City officials have said that security has played a role in keeping details about the removals under wraps in light of threats and harassment reported by contractors who had previously been hired or expressed interest in the job. The police departments SWAT team watched over the removal, with sharpshooters posted in a nearby parking garage and K-9 units checking the scene.

Workers wore bullet-proof vests, helmets and facemasks as they went about the work, which involved lifting sections of the obelisk off the statue piece by piece. The logos on their trucks and equipment was covered in cardboard and the license plates on the vehicles had been removed. One man opposed to removing the monuments told others in his group well find out who they are.

At one point, city officials called to criticize a TV station for taking video that they said was zoomed in too close and could reveal the workers identities.

But the removal was a largely peaceful process, even as small groups of supporters and opponents began making their way to the site after seeing reports about the removal. The tensest moment came as woman supporting the removal argued loudly with a man who opposed it.

As the monument was being removed Joey Cargol, an opponent of taking down the statues who had been loudly criticizing the police and demanding to see a permit for the work, walked up to Suber. Acknowledging that they were on opposing sides, Cargol said he hoped they could agree the removal itself should have been handled more transparently.

"I know we've disagreed on a lot of things, but this is not the ways things should be handled," Cargol said.

"They could have done this, announced it and let people show their opinion," Suber said. "This is the coward's way."

"It's hard to handle a defeat like this and hard to celebrate a victory like this," Cargol replied.

Landrieu first called for the four monuments to come down in the summer of 2015, after Dylann Roof  a white supremacist  killed nine parishioners in a black church in Charleston in hopes of starting a race war. That led to six months of hearings that culminated in a 6-1 vote to declare the monuments nuisances that promoted racial discord because of their ties to a movement known as the Lost Cause, which sought to rehabilitate the image of the Confederacy in the aftermath of the Civil War and re-establish white dominance in southern states.

That removal was delayed, however, as the city found itself tied up in court battles that lasted until earlier this year.

Of the four statues, the Liberty Place monument was largely seen as the most objectionable and Landrieu explicitly described it that way. The monument commemorates a violent 1874 uprising by the White League, which fought and members of New Orleans bi-racial police force as it ousted the states bi-racial Reconstruction-era government for several days before President Ulysses S. Grant sent in federal troops.

A plaque later added to the monument noted the failure of the rebellion but cast it as a part of reestablishing white supremacy in the state.

The monument has always been a flashpoint and a site of rallies by white nationalist David Duke and protests by civil rights leader the Rev. Avery C. Alexander, something that may have contributed to the security on display.

This is also the second time the monument has been removed. It was taken down from its original spot at the foot of Canal Street during roadwork in the late 1980s and put up again only on orders from a federal court, when it was placed in the less conspicuous spot between a garage and the floodwall.

Much about the process remains unknown. The Landrieu administration did not indicate whether the work itself was done by city employees or a firm hired for the process and did not provide information on how the contract had been procured.

They also did not provide a pricetag for the work. The lone contractor who had bid on removing the other three statues said doing that work would cost about $600,000, more than three times the amount the city had received in an anonymous donation to take down the statues.

In a press release two hours after the statue began to come down, the Landrieu administration said it had secured the funding needed to take down the remaining monuments. But its not clear whether it plans to use the bidder on the contract or another firm.

A few miles from Liberty Place, a sizable group also gathered at the monument to Jefferson Davis, just off Canal Street in Mid-City, in anticipation of action there.

Can't see video below? Click here.

The vigil was organized by the Monumental Task Commission, who circulated a notice mid-day on Sunday that they had "a variety of confirmed leads" the city would be removing the Liberty Place and Jefferson Davis monuments. The vigil group, which grew as large as about 60 people, began gathering shortly before midnight. New Orleans police cruisers were present in the area, but no action seemed imminent at any point toward the statue of the man who served as the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The group remained largely peaceful, with candles lit and most milling about discussing the monument, its history as well as that of the other three slated for removal.

Pierre McGraw, the founder of the Monumental Task Committee, spoke on how his group had refurbished the statue and many others, and his sadness that it could soon be pulled from its current location.

"This city is blessed with a lot of monuments, some truly beautiful monuments done by notable sculptors," McGraw said, standing directly in front of a candle-lit Jefferson Davis. "Any other city would be proud to have these monuments."

Another man, who identified himself as Charles Lincoln, also spoke to discuss a petition and a lawsuit he said he plans to file in an attempt to block the monuments' removal.

"These men were great leaders. They were American patriots. They believed they were doing the right thing and they were heroes," he said. " ... Let's get a new lawsuit. The other has kind of shown signs of biting the dust. But this one, I think, has a real chance under both state and federal law."

Even without Davis' removal, there were some tense moments. One man arrived with a sign that read "Black Lives Matter," upsetting several of the vigil-goers who accused him of being a paid protester.

Chris Daemmrich, who said he is from Austin, Texas, but has lived in New Orleans for 5 years, was blocked by several people as he stood in front of the monument, and eventually had his sign ripped from his hands.

Counterprotester blocked by Jefferson Davis vigil participant. Then angry person rips sign from hands, tears it. pic.twitter.com/htVHl2zdqC  Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) April 24, 2017

Another young woman arrived later in the evening, arguing with several vigil-goers before eventually storming off.

After news began to circulate that the Liberty Place monument would be the only one removed on Monday morning, several people shouted that they would return to that area to protest its removal.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu insisted that security concerns justified taking the obelisk down in the early morning hours and without warning, rather than scheduling any kind of public ceremony...
Tuesday can't come soon enough for chilly Canberrans staunchly observing this Anzac tradition.

Conventional wisdom holds - in Canberra at least  that all heaters are strictly forbidden in the capital until calendars have flipped over to April 25.

Many Canberrans stubbornly refuse to switch their heaters on until Anzac Say Credit:Getty Images

Those stubborn enough to observe the rule will be quietly rejoicing come Tuesday when, like clockwork, the first sign of winter weather rolls into town.
There's an interesting test of Donald Trump's presidency coming up: does Wall Street think he has any credibility?

On Friday in the US, Trump promised "a big announcement on Wednesday having to do with tax reform", a promise repeated on Twitter in the wee small hours of Saturday, not untypically.

How or if Wall Street reacts to that promise tonight our time will be an indication of whether the big money still cares, or if the random and sometimes contradictory nature of the presidency means Wall Street no longer takes him seriously.
Australians with food allergies are at risk when deciding whether packaged products are safe to eat because manufacturers are unprepared to indicate which unlabelled foods are safe and which are not, a study has found.

The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute surveyed the allergen risk assessment processes of companies representing 454 different manufacturing sites across Australasia.

It found 30 per cent of edible packaged goods on supermarket shelves had been declared safe to eat after a risk assessment for food allergens but still remained unlabelled, while products that had not undergone any assessment were also without a label.

Food assessed in the survey included cereals, breads, pastas, tinned food, biscuits and lollies.
Australia's most eminent economists have rubbished a proposal for a "gas reservation" policy under which 15 per cent of all gas produced would have to be reserved for local use.

Proposed by former West Australian premier Colin Barnett and not yet ruled out by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the scheme would ensure that industry could get the gas it needed without being charged extortionate prices or subjected to onerous conditions.

A similar scheme exists in Western Australia.

Economists polled in the monthly Economic Society of Australia Monash University Forum have labelled the idea "protectionist" and say while it would lower domestic gas prices, it could cause long-term economic damage.
As our country halts for Anzac Day amid a national debate on "Australian values", it is worth reflecting not only on how our freedom and that of others was protected by the men and women who served in our armed forces, but on whether the values for which they were prepared to die are being sufficiently honoured in today's Australia.

Anzac Day has become the day on which we all stop to consider what it means to be Australian. And this is a question that has occupied Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of late, as he is eager to test any would-be citizens on their grasp of essential Australian values.

Lest he forget. Credit:Daniel Munoz

But we would argue that the federal government itself has been acting in an "un-Australian" way in its pitiless response to the plight of the refugees still trapped on Manus.

Alongside freedom  of association, worship and expression  our Australian values include equality of opportunity, the rule of law, kindness, democracy and fairness. None of these is uniquely Australian; they are based on universal human rights.
Yikang Feng was raised in Shanghai. His grandmother was on Mao Zedong's Long March, the famous military retreat by the communists that saved them from the ruling nationalists' army.

He's now Captain Feng, on his second rotation with the Australian Defence Force to Iraq, training local forces in the fight against the so-called Islamic State.

On the 101st Anzac Day, the capability of a modern army like Australia's that battles shadowy insurgencies among civilian populations, or trains local forces who have their own intricate cultures, rests as much on understanding the world's array of peoples as it does on traditional war fighting skills.

Captain Feng is a case in point. He didn't know what Anzac Day was until he joined the Australian Army. He came to Australia at 18 to study, then became a Sydney finance trader with Macquarie Group and CommSec. He paints and plays cello.
A prominent Papua New Guinea politician has accused Immigration Minister Peter Dutton of being "ridiculous" in suggesting he knew more about violent unrest at the Manus Island detention centre than locals.

Former Manus Island MP Ronny Knight joined other PNG police and defence force officials in stressing the Good Friday violence was unrelated to an incident involving a child being taken into the facility a week earlier.

Mr Dutton has been under fire since Thursday when he claimed, in a television interview, that tensions boiled over due to concerns about a five-year-old boy who was "led into" the Australian-run centre by three asylum seekers.

The minister has been accused of conflating unrelated events to create the impression asylum seekers may have intended to sexually assault the boy.
"I'm going to open a Viking whole-animal carvery and whisky bar in a basement and serve bone marrow and honey mead," said only one person, ever. And so, Norwegian-born Sven Almenning and the team behind Eau de Vie and The Roosevelt cocktail bars have thrown open the raw, weather-beaten farmhouse door of Mjolner, named for Thor's magical, mythical hammer.

Straight in off the street is a carved dragon head perched on the prow of a wooden Viking ship. Downstairs, in the golden-hued bar and moody, brick-walled dining rooms, tables are inlaid with runic symbols and set with Viking horn drinking vessels and monogrammed raw linen napkins. There's a laugh-out-loud moment when a fur-draped waiter unfurls a heavy leather pouch of horn-handled hunting knives for each diner to select the weapon of their choice; another when a complimentary "skal", a toasting drink of mead, honey and vermouth, is poured into horn-shaped shot glasses.

Roasted bone marrow with meat powder at Mjolner restaurant in Redfern. Credit:James Alcock

Head chef Tom Gripton, formerly of Yellow, Bentley and Restaurant Hubert, has grasped the Viking concept by the horns, spending much of the evening at the open carvery heaving bones onto plates, cleaving duck meat from whole rotisserie carcasses and filling hollowed-out loaves of bread with rotisserie meats for the bar menu's trencher ($18).

Bones loom large, with roasted bone marrow ($20) nursing its typically rich, oily innards under a shower of meat dust, this year's genius food hack  basically charcuterie offcuts blitzed with maltodextrin into umami-sweet, porky crumbs. Whoa.
"Why don't you wipe your bum and eat it?" a boy yells at my nine-year-old daughter on our first afternoon in Vanuatu. She's taken aback. It's a difficult insult to answer. What should one reply? "Thank you! I will!" The boy is shouting in Bislama, the national language, but his insults are being helpfully translated by another excited child. It's all gone a bit West Side Story in our huge, overgrown backyard, teeming with local kids, and home for the next five weeks.

We have moved here because our family is portable enough for these small adventures. The three kids are young enough to miss a bit of school, and my husband Keith has a small tech company which, instead of our backyard, he's running from our Port Vila back bedroom. I'm writing and taking care of family life on our usual small budget.

Cabbage and cartooning with friends on the home-school porch.

It's a privilege to be here, in this little house on the edge of a ramshackle village on the outskirts Port Vila, Vanuatu's capital city, but life is not all coconut cocktails and napkins folded in the shape of flamingos. So far, it's cats fighting and dogs howling all night long and exuberant yelling from the kava bar next door.
Josephine Benardos (left) of Eastwood at the Martin Place dawn service. Credit:Julie Power Few World War II veterans survive today and those living arrived in wheelchairs and walkers, supported by friends. Fred Richards, 91, grew up in Cronulla, but served with the American Army's small ships fleet in the south west pacific from the time he was 17. Anzac Day dawn service at the Sydney Cenotaph. Credit:Nick Moir Mr Richards was one of the "forgotten fleet" of 3300 Australians who served with the Americans.

They were "too young, too old, or disabled" to serve in the Australian army, said Daniel O'Brien, the secretary of the US Army Small Ships Association in Australia. Fred Richards, a highly decorated Australian who served in the US small ships during World War II in the Pacific. Credit:Nick Moir These Australian soldiers didn't get recognition from the Australian government until 2009, he said. Mr O'Brien from Byron Bay said his grandfather Lloyd Marsh served with Small Ships Section although he had suffered from polio, something that meant he couldn't serve in the Australian Army. Another soldier served although he only had one arm. Thousands turned out for Sydney's dawn service. Credit:Nick Moir

Mr Richards is one of the last remaining members, and among the most highly decorated. He was awarded American medals, including two Bronze service stars, the US Army Victory Medal, the Australia service medal and the Philippine Presidential Unit citation. "We were small ships that dropped off supplies and troops," he recalled. They often operated under fire. A wreath is placed at the Cenotaph in Sydney's Martin Place. Credit:Nick Moir Mr Richards, a former Cronulla surf lifesaver before he signed up, was saved from death when a halyard got caught around his arm. When the boat rolled over, he went down, but when the boat returned to the surface, the knot around his wrist threw him back up. In much the same way as the first Australian and New Zealand expeditionary forces crept ashore in the dark and cold at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli on April 1915, soldiers in defensive positions were woken in the dark before dawn.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian attends Sydney's dawn service. Credit:Nick Moir "By the time first light crept across the battlefield they were awake, alert, and manning their weapons; this is still known as the 'stand-to'," according to the Australian Army. Per capita, Australia's losses were high. From a population of fewer than five million, 416,809 men enlisted, of whom more than 60,000 were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner, says the Australian War Memorial. In the still, pre-dawn air, the same time as the first wave of 1500 Australian troops landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25th, 1915, thousands gather each ANZAC Day around the Cenotaph for the Dawn Service. Credit:State Archives and Records NSW On Anzac Day 1917, the public was reeling from losses at Bullecourt, France, a few weeks earlier. More than 1000 Australians had been taken as prisoners of war, the largest number in a single action in World War I.

Families were destroyed in weeks, some families losing all their sons in days or even weeks, something that was not lost on Naval chaplain Darren Hindle, a father of three young sons. He prayed to "make us a people zealous for peace and hasten that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation". After the service, he said he hoped this three sons - Oscar, 13, Felix, 10, and Solomon, nine - would grow up in a time of peace. With the wisdom of his name, Solomon said wars happened when countries argued with each other. A century ago, wrote Craig Tibbitts, the curator of the official records at the Australian War Memorial, Australia suffered the worst of the war's casualties and it was unsurprising for brothers to be "all killed in a relatively short period".

These included Five Dock's the Seabrook brothers, the Howell-Price brothers, the Hobbs brothers and the Bartram family of Richmond who lost three of four brothers in 1917, and the Single family boys. The Bartram brothers - Theo, 25, George, 24, and William, 20 - were the sons of William and Fanny Seabrook of Five Dock in Sydney NSW. By the time the brothers joined their 17th Infantry Battalion in Belgium, it was June 1917 and preparations were underway for the great offensive at Ypres, wrote Mr Tibbitts. Despite the "stunning success" of Australian infantrymen at the Battle of Menin Road on 20 September 1917, it was the Seabrook brother's first, last and only battle. "All three were mortally wounded in action, and died in the days immediately afterwards.
The old bugle that is now owned by the Carter family. But no grave would be dug for Edward Maurice Carter, a young bullocky who had sailed from Victoria in 1915 to fight through Gallipoli, the Middle East and the trenches of the Western Front of France. On the morning of May 3, 1917, in the first minutes of a bloodbath known as the second battle of Bullecourt in northern France, he was shot  and then vanished into the ranks of the absent forever. Private Edward Maurice Carter, who was killed at Bullecourt. "I was with Private Carter," a mate, Private H.D. Phipps, reported to the inquiry held to determine what happened to Maurice Carter.

"He was wounded through the right ankle and the left leg, his right ankle being badly shattered. This was a few minutes after zero time and about 100 yards in front of the German front lines. "Corporal Quade and I dressed his wounds and put him in a comfortable position in a shell hole, with a waterproof sheet over him for warmth. We then went forward. He was too seriously wounded to get out of the shell hole unaided." Lance Corporal T. Quade gave the same evidence, and added, "I consider it unlikely that he was taken prisoner as the Germans never held the ground where he was". And this: "The ground was heavily shelled for several days afterwards." Maurice Carter  he was never called Edward  had, in short, been vaporised.

He was 26 and a member of the 6th Australian Brigade Light Trench Mortar Battery. Her second son, Albert Barrington Carter, a Light Horseman at Gallipoli and across the Middle East, came home alive. The close-knit Carter clan, like so many families, was left struggling with a hideous absence. Private Edward Maurice Carter became simply a name among 10,885 names of Australians killed in France who, lacking a grave, are memorialised on a stone wall of the Australian National Memorial above Villers-Bretonneux in northern France. Perhaps Maurice Carter had a premonition about his fate. In the days before he left Australia, he drew aside his youngest brother, a boy of 12 named Andrew but always known as Snowy for his fair hair, and brokered a deal. If he did not return, Maurice told Snowy, the bullock team's yours.

The Carters were known around far western Victoria as teamsters, and Maurice had built up a fine team of bullocks to haul logs from the forest and to carry agricultural produce over rough roads. With Maurice gone, Snowy, aged 14, became the family's new teamster. He and the bullocks headed north to Rainbow, in the Victorian Mallee, to earn money for his grieving mother by carting wheat from big farms to the railhead. Snowy Carter became one of the best-known bullockies in western Victoria before investing in mechanised log trucks in the 1930s. One of his sons, Syd Carter, carried on the bush tradition, logging and hauling and sawmilling for decades. None of the Carters ever forgot the missing Maurice, and Syd, the absent Maurice's nephew, took to studying the battles of the First World War to try to understand how a man could simply disappear.

Five or six years ago, a man down on his luck came to Syd and offered him  for a price  an old military bugle. It had engraved upon it the words "AIF Battle Honours 1914-1918 Gallipoli, Middle East, Western Front" above the rising sun of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces. Syd, an old friend of my family, died, aged 88, a few weeks ago, two days after telling me the story of purchasing the bugle. It was as if, he said, he'd been given the chance to make a link with his missing uncle. Though the provenance of the bugle could never be established, he bought it and gave it to the Heywood sub-branch of the RSL on a promise that it would be played each Anzac Day. The bugle, though in the care of the RSL, would always belong to the eldest son of successive Carter generations  starting with Syd's son John, just as Maurice was an eldest son a century ago. But the little sub-branch had no bugler. The president, Lyall Saunders, cast around and found a young fellow named Joseph Patterson who played trumpet and who lived on a farm not far from where Elizabeth Carter had raised her children at the start of last century.
Disgraced MP Don Nardella will be forced to repay $98,000 in expenses following a "profound" overhaul of Victoria's entitlement system that will include tough new penalties for rorters, "real-time" reporting of expense claims, and removing politicians' ability to set their own salaries and allowances.

Premier Daniel Andrews vowed to take a hardline approach to help restore public faith in the parliament, which was badly shaken following revelations in The Age that former Speaker Telmo Languiller and Mr Nardella claimed a lucrative "second residence" allowance to live on the Bellarine Peninsula, away from their electorates in the western suburbs.

Mr Andrews said, if Mr Nardella continued to refuse to repay the money, the parliament would take the extraordinary step of introducing retrospective legislation to recover it.

It remains unclear how this legislation might work, although senior Labor sources insist it would carry legal clout.
A property owner in the exclusive seaside suburb of Hampton has been left shaken after his home was sprayed with bullets in a late-night attack.

Ray Jacobson said he and his wife were woken by the sound of gunfire about 11pm on Sunday night.

They initially thought the sound of shattering glass was someone trying to break in to their house.

When they ran downstairs, they saw what had happened.
HAMPTON | A Hampton family lent a helping hand -- and a team of mules -- this weekend as an 8-year-old boy with cancer lived his dream of attending prom.

Elliot Burgos of Mason City was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of cancerous brain tumor, in March 2016. Doctors recently gave him a few months to a year to live, mom Shanda Burgos told the Globe Gazette earlier this month, as the cancer had spread around his brain and down his spine.

He had one wish this spring -- going to prom. The Vosburg family played a role in fulfilling that wish.

Denise Williams, who works with Elliot's aunt in Clear Lake, connected the Burgos family with Don and Zach Vosburg, a father and son who drive their mule team and trolley as a hobby.

"When you find out about a kid like this, the cause is well-just, and we are more than happy to help," Zach said via phone Monday. "There's not a whole lot we can do for Elliot's condition, but if this can give him a little bit of enjoyment -- and he enjoyed his day.

"That's all the payment we needed," Zach said.

Assisted by Zach's mom, Sonja, and Zach's 10-year-old son, Isaac, the Vosburgs' 20- to 30-person trolley was full, packed with family and friends as it traveled around Mason City for more than 3 hours Saturday afternoon. They picked up Elliot's brother's prom date and stopped to take photos.

Elliot, who matched his brother, Cameron, in a light-colored tuxedo, later attended Mason City High School's prom, where he was crowned king.

"It was a beautiful day," Zach said of Saturday's weather. "God smiled on us that day."

During most of his time in the trolley, Zach said Elliot sat next to Don.

"He loved sitting next to Dad and getting a feel for what the mules could do," Zach said. "He's quiet and doesn't warm up to people well, but he really warmed up to my dad."

Don said two of his four grandsons are the same age as Elliot.

"When Zach told me this was on the young man's bucket list, it was a no-brainer," he said via phone Monday.

Williams said it's a "ton of work" to transport the mules and harness them.

"They're a great family and did it out of the goodness of their heart," she said of the Vosburgs via phone Monday. "They did not charge them anything, and would not take a dime from them."

The Burgos family expressed their gratitude on their Facebook page, Prayers for Elliot.

"We just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who made this day extra special and made Elliot's dream come true," the family wrote Saturday. "We had such a great time today, and without everyone's help, we wouldn't have pulled it off."

The high school students did a great job of including Elliot -- including the surprise of crowning him prom king, the Burgos family told the Globe Gazette via Facebook Monday night.

Elliot, who is a student at Harding Elementary, has been accepted into a clinical trial studying the effectiveness of the measles virus on treatment of medulloblastoma cells.

A benefit accounts has been established for the Burgos at CENT Credit Union in Mason City.
Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in the Geelong area on Monday night with one call to emergency services reporting up to 20 cars had been trapped.

CFA and SES were unable to confirm how many cars, if any, were trapped but the bad weather caused flooding throughout the region, damaging building and flooding the Surf Coast Highway.

Lightning over Cunningham Pier on Geelong Waterfront on April 24. Credit:Clint Conn Photography

State Emergency Service spokesman Marc Dorey said hundreds of calls were received with most coming through from 6pm onwards on Monday.
Paris: Marine Le Pen announced on Monday that she was temporarily stepping down as head of France's Front National party to widen her appeal ahead of next month's presidential election run-off.

The far-right candidate will face Emmanuel Macron, the centrist, on May 7 with the country divided as never before over Europe.

By distancing herself from the party founded by her father in 1972, Ms Le Pen hopes to reach out to potential voters who backed the Eurosceptic and protectionist far-Left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, and Francois Fillon, the defeated conservative, some of whose harder-line supporters could vote FN.

"I have always considered that the president is the president of all the French," she said. "Under this banner, he or she must unite all the French.
Paris: France's far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen says she is temporarily stepping down as head of her National Front party.

Monday's move appears to be a way for Le Pen to embrace a wide range of potential voters ahead of the May 7 run-off between herself and Emmanuel Macron, the independent centrist who came in first in Sunday's first round.

"Tonight, I am no longer the president of the National Front. I am the presidential candidate," she said on French public television news.

Le Pen has said in the past that she is not a candidate of her party, and made that point when she rolled out her platform in February, saying the measures she was espousing were not her party's, but her own.
FOREST CITY | Jerry Abrahamson was a POW for seven months in 1953 after his plane was shot down during the Korean War.

Although conditions in North Korean prison camps were not as brutal as they were earlier in the war, seven months was "long enough," said the 1950 Forest City High School graduate who now lives in California.

Abrahamson weighed around 150 pounds when he was taken prisoner. When he was released, he weighed just 118 pounds.

Abrahamson, 84, enlisted in the Air Force in 1951. After basic training in San Antonio, he was sent to Okinawa, Japan, in late 1952.

Abrahamson was the radio operator for a bomber crew that flew over North Korea.

On the very first mission he was on, the plane was shot down.

Except for a few bumps and bruises, Abrahamson was not hurt in the crash. However, it was late January and very cold.

"We weren't really properly dressed for it," he said.

The plane was shot down at 1 or 2 a.m. Abrahamson was captured in the afternoon of the following day.

After the crash he tried to walk either south or east toward the coast, but he knew the chances of getting out of North Korea without being captured were slim.

He said the area he was in was heavily populated and as a tall white man, "I stuck out like a sore thumb."

If you are going to be captured, you want it to be by a wealthy society because "poor people don't have enough for themselves, let alone prisoners," Abrahamson said.

He remembers eating a lot of rice. Sanitary conditions were poor and a lot of prisoners became ill.

"You just got well or you didn't," he said.

No one was shot or beaten in the camps he was in, but when POWs were transported from one prison to another, "we were in danger of being bombed by our own folks," Abrahamson said.

The POWs were released on Aug. 30, 1953.

Abrahamson said the release felt "outstanding."

They had a chance to finally get clean, change into decent clothes and eat the kind of food they were used to before being taken prisoner.

"We were all excited about that," he said.

When Abrahamson returned to the U.S., he went to Iowa State University. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering.

After about a year and a half in Milwaukee, Abrahamson and his wife, Ella, moved to California in 1959. They have been there ever since.

Over the years Abrahamson, who lives in Glendale, has worked in the aerospace industry as well as for commercial electric companies.

The Abrahamsons have two children, one grandchild and one great-grandchild.

Abrahamson said serving in the Korean War was "a crash course in humanity."

When you grow up in a small town you don't "rub elbows" with a lot of different kinds of people like you do in the military, he said.

Being a POW exposed him to an entirely different culture, according to Abrahamson.

"I learned a lot about the world and the people in it," he said.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two of four youths charged in a rash of break-ins in a Steinbach neighbourhood three months ago have been sentenced to supervised probation and community service work.

The two teenaged boys, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty in Steinbach court on Thursday to charges of breaking and entering.

Crown attorney Amy Wood told the court that the pair, along with two other youths, stole items from at least two garages and six vehicles on Reimer Avenue, Poplar Crescent, and Walnut Street in the early morning hours of Jan. 8.

Police were called to the area around 2:30 a.m. by a homeowner who spotted the group breaking into his garage. A pair of distinctive checkered pants worn by one of the youths allowed police officers to apprehend him after a brief foot pursuit. By 6:30 a.m., the others had been identified and located, Wood said, thanks in part to cooperation from one of the teenagers.

An RCMP media release later in the month assisted homeowners in recovering many, but not all, of the stolen goods. Returned items included two GPS units, an iPod, jerry cans, a skateboard, two mountain bikes and a range of other smaller items.

You had enough to start your own Canadian Tire store, quipped Judge Ken Champagne.

Defence lawyer Mike Cook noted his clients mother was very concerned about her son, while Rishi Bharath, lawyer for the second youth, said the property crimes were out of character for his client.

Alcohol was a factor for all four of the boys that night, Cook said.

If he was 18, you would send him to Headingleys correctional facility today, Cook acknowledged to the judge. Champagne didnt disagree, noting the day before he had handed a one-year prison sentence to an adult who faced similar charges.

Wood asked Champagne to impose one year of supervised probation, community service work, counselling, and a no-contact condition.

The recommendation is a reasonable one, said Champagne. He granted Woods request, doling out 75 hours of community service work to each of the boys and an additional 10 hours to one of the them for breaching a previous court-imposed curfew.

I dont expect to see either one of you again, said the judge.
I revel in your hatred, a top-hat-wearing, bespectacled Roger Stone says at one point near the end of the excellent new documentary, Get Me Roger Stone, premiering at Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday before its May 12 Netflix release. Because if I werent effective, you wouldnt hate me.

The longtime adviser to Donald Trump is, as journalist Jeffrey Toobin memorably calls him in the film, a malevolent Forrest Gump, popping up at practically every infamous moment of political mischief and mayhem in the past 50 years.

Directors Morgan Pehme, Daniel DiMauro and Dylan Bank, who spent over five years with Stone, offer a full sweep of his career, including Stone himself, swilling a martini in one of his classic pinstripe suits, recalling his start working to assist John F. Kennedys presidential campaign when he was in elementary school.

I remember going through the cafeteria line and telling every kid that Nixon was in favor of school on Saturdays, Stone says gleefully. It was my first political trick.

The film is broken into loosely-defined chapters, each beginning with one of Stones Rules, including Attack, attack, attack. Never defend, Admit nothing, deny everything, launch counterattack and Nothing is on the level.

Its a political philosophy of politics as trench warfare, with lives and reputations treated as chess pieces he can move by calling in smears to The National Enquirer, as the tabloid that outed his own untraditional sex life in 1996 over the election became a reliable and often Stone-sourced pro-Trump news source.

Stonewho says he became a conservative after being given a copy of Barry Goldwaters Conscience of a Conservative when he was a kidhas political beliefs that are about as opaque as President Donald Trumps. He has a long and storied history of course working in Republican politics, from Nixon to Reagan, but left the party after the Enquirer story on his swinging second marriage got him ousted from Bob Doles 1996 campaign. Since, his politics have taken a libertarian bent, with him marching at the pride parade, supporting same-sex marriage and keeping Nixon bongs at his Florida home.

The documentary superbly connects Stones loose devil-may-care politics with those of Trump, the horse to Stones jockey who finally pulled off the impossible that existed only as fantasy in Stones head for decades.

He calls the Trump presidency a manifestation of a dream Ive had since 1988, when he was the first person to suggest Trump run, as a strong man in the tradition of Nixon and Reagan, and refers to the president himself as a prime piece of political horseflesh.

Trump appears as well in an interview that took place prior to the campaign, lavishing praise on Stone as a quality guy with a really rough reputation. (Even after an acrimonious public split, which Trump has described as a firing, the pair have remained in contact, as theyve been for decades).

The similarities between the two menwho found each other on the fringe of acceptable mainstream politics at different times in their respective storied careersmakes for the most compelling narrative in Get Me Roger Stone.

As former campaign chairman Paul Manafort puts it in the documentary: Rogers relationship with Trump has been so interconnected that its hard to define whats Roger and whats Donald. Manafort also suggests, as The Daily Beast has reported , that Stone recommended him for the top job in Trumps campaign.

What the audience is left with when the credits roll shortly after we see Stone pop champagne during an election day broadcast of InfoWars, is the impression that the flashy provocateur revels in his self-defined villainy. He, like Trump, operates on the hate that he generatespowering through and wreaking political havoc like a bull in democracys China shop intent on winning no matter how much he has to bullshit you to get there.

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about, Stone says at one point, quoting Oscar Wilde.

That may predict Stones reaction to the film, which he has said he is seeing on Sunday with his libel lawyer in tow.

He wants you to talk about him, to think that he is a devilish puppet master behind the greatest turns in American political history. He wants you to think that he is a morally defunct chameleon capable of the dirtiest tricks known to manthat there is a real Roger Stone and the Roger Stone who plays it up for the cameras and arrives at just the right moments to stir the pot.

Get Me Roger Stone does justice to its subjecta complicated, devious and at turns charismatic figure whose political rise and fall is as climactic as his wildest dreams could hope. Sort of like the longshot candidate and now commander in chief hes still informally advising.
As the audience at Sundays Tribeca Film Festival premiere of I Am Heath Ledger finished dabbing up their tears, the late actors sisters Kate Ledger and Ashleigh Bell took the stage for a rare public interview about losing their brotherand why its now, and with this documentary, that theyve decided to open up about it.

For us, it was a lot about showing the world what they didnt know about him, Bell said, in a panel interview with the films directors. Obviously he was such a prominent actor and everyone knew that side of him already...But we knew the photographer, the father. He was such a filmmaker. He was such a creator of everything. It was really important to us to be able to show

...more than just the celebrity, Kate Ledger, sitting to Bells left, jumped in. Because he was really not a celebrity. In his eyes, he really wasnt. We wanted that to come through.

She pointed out that this isnt the first time her brothers life has been given this kind of treatment. Theres been some pretty average stuff, other documentaries and stuff that Id never seen, because I never would, she says. I think we always knew we wanted to do something, but we wanted to make sure it was done right.

I Am Heath Ledger, which will have a limited theatrical release on May 3 before premiering in a shorter 60-minute version on Spike May 17, was directed by Derik Murrayprolific in the genre of celebrity bio-docs, with Facing Ali, I Am Bruce Lee, and I Am Chris Farley among his creditsand Adrian Buitenhuis.

The documentary features interviews with co-stars and collaborators including Naomi Watts, Ben Mendelsohn, and Ang Lee, childhood friends, and the entire Ledger family. Michelle Williams, with whom Ledger had a daughter, did not participate, but she gave the project her blessingsomething that Kate Ledger said was a major factor in their participation.

But perhaps the biggest selling point of the film is Ledger himself. Much like the Oscar-winning Amy Winehouse documentary Amy, I Am Heath Ledger features scores of footage that Ledger shot himself, often in selfie-mode, narrating major events of his life and capturing himself in intimate, candid moments.

The film opens with this footage, as Ledger mischievously stares into a camera hes holding himself, saying, Were going to go on a mission right now. Will you come with me?

Nearly everyone interviewed for the film speaks about how the actor was never found without a camera in his hand, foreshadowing what would become a passionate interest in directing near the end of his life and a prodigious talent for photography.

Its very true that Heath was the director, or certainly a co-director of this movie, Murray said at the panel. His vision goes all the way through.

There are several recurrent choruses of the film, from Ledgers surprising talentshe was a chess aficionado and nearly qualified to be Grandmasterto the idea that he was someone who lived his life constantly on the edge, including the risks he took with his performances and his career.

His playfulness permeates the self-shot footage, with his dimples and scrappy handsomeness constantly on display. There seemed to be a constant tension between swagger and insecurity, with Ledger having the confidence and certitude to know that he would succeed as an actor, but a crippling self-doubt that his agent Steve Alexander says led him to nearly drop out of every film he shot.

Childhood friends beam while remembering his generosity, recounting being carted around the world with him as he shot different films, while fellow Aussie actors Naomi Watts (Ledgers ex) and Ben Mendelsohn joked about his Los Angeles house, which became a group home of sorts for young countrymen looking for their big break in Hollywood.

Casting directors would ask you, Are you one of the Aussies living at Heaths place? Mendelsohn recalls, joking that Adrian Grenier, who he once spotted at a party there, was likely doing research for Entourage by studying the dynamic in the house.

There is incessant marveling at his talent and insistence in taking the road less traveled. Director Catherine Hardwicke gushes about how he filmed Brokeback Mountain seven days after finishing shooting Lords of Dogtown. Ang Lee points out that Ledger actually had the most lines in Brokeback Mountain, making the impression that his character was a man of few words a testament to his brilliant performance.

Alexander notes that earlier in Ledgers career, after the successes of 10 Things I Hate About You and A Knights Tale, Ledger turned down the opportunity to audition for Spider-Man, claiming it wasnt the direction he wanted to go in. He starred in Monsters Ball instead.

But tempering the talk of Ledgers career triumphs are recollections of oppressive insomnia and obsessiveness that seemed to really take a toll on his well-being. Many of those interviewed also recall how seemingly aware of he was of his own mortality, even for a person who was in his twenties and riding the wave of great career.

It was interesting because I wouldnt always cue that question, Buitenhuis said at Sundays Tribeca panel, about Ledgers friends talking about how he would discuss his mortality. People would always come up and say that.

To that end, Ledgers sisters as well as his longtime friend Matt Amato, a filmmaker who, along with producer Sara Cline, co-founded the production company The Masses with Ledger, brought up another reason they were keen to participate in this documentary: to clear up rumors and misconceptions about Ledgers state of mind after filming The Dark Knight and playing the Joker.

I hope its an antidote to a lot of the gossip that exists in the world, Amato said on the Tribeca panel. There are some really terrible things about Heath out there.

Bell added that, I dont know if it was the case that we wanted to clear it up, but as soon as he had the movie everything that came into light about The Joker, we were all so confused.

I was really shocked, because that was him having fun, Kate Ledger said.

It was coming out that he was depressed and it was taking a toll, and we were going, What? Bell said.

Honestly it was the absolute opposite. He had an amazing sense of humor, and I guess only his close family and friends really knew that. But he was having fun. He wasnt depressed about The Joker, Ledger added.

Near the end of the film, Alexander echoes what Ledgers siblings said on stage Sunday night, saying that, He was struggling with his demons, but he didnt want to go anywhere but forward.

I Am Heath Ledger, which spends a lot of time celebrating the actors interest in other forms of art and filmmaking, his adventurous spirit, and love of being a father to his child with Michelle Williams, doesnt go any deeper into what any of those demons might have been. Nor does it discuss the cause of Ledgers death, from a prescription drug overdose at age 28.

Perhaps that was a condition of the familys involvement. And to that end, Kate Ledger told the Tribeca crowd that they were super proud of the final product: We love it. We think its amazing.

It was kind of a cathartic experience for us, actually, because we, on purpose, havent done anything. Weve had loads of requests, of course, over the years, and weve waited until we felt comfortable, she said about what it was like working on and seeing the film.

Bittersweet is probably the understatement of the century, Bell said. This was always going to be very difficult for us.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is something of a, if not poisoned, then loaded chalice to take to Broadway.

For one, you have to contend with thousands of individually rendered memories of Roald Dahls book about poverty-stricken Charlie Buckets golden ticket to visit Willy Wonkas eponymous factory, and his life-changing adventure there.

Then there is Gene Wilders defining incarnation as Wonka in the famous 1971 movie (and Johnny Depps less-defining Wonka in Tim Burtons version), and so Christian Borle, without a note being sung in this production, should be congratulated for bravery for taking on the role.

There is no better Broadway name for it, as anyone who saw Borle in his Tony-winning role as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher will attest. Like Wilder, Borle can go from souffle-light to scary-dark, comedy to sweetness, and arch to bonkers, in a blink. He is a little more well-behaved than this reporter had anticipated. Still, unpredictable, kindly, and sporadically terrifying, he sings beautifully too, including a tender and restrained interpretation of Pure Imagination.

But why does this latest production, a production first seen in London, feel too small, too meager, and not magic enough? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory needs to go big, surely, or not at all. The modesty of this production, attractive in smaller theaters, perhaps, feels a little lost on the stage of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, even with Doug Besterman and Marc Shaimans lush orchestrations and arrangements.

A pressing narrative problem presents itself in Act One, which spends far too long emphasizing how good and upstanding Charlie (an excellent Jake Ryan Flynn, who shares the role with Ryan Foust and Ryan Sell) is compared to the other children, which is true, but still

There is Charlies careworn, worked-to-the-bone, widowed and still-grieving mother (Emily Padgett), and his four grandparents permanently stuck in bed, reached atop a precarious structure in the eaves of their dilapidated house, where Paul Slade Smiths wonderful, glass-three-quarters-empty Grandpa George immediately reaches for the obituaries section of the newspaper.

Charlies quest for the golden ticket takes the span of Act One, which is a lot of lead-up to a well-known narrative payoff to take Charlie and Grandpa Joe (John Rubinstein: a great mix of zestiness and old man growl) off to the factory.

To subvert all the Bucket-centric moral certitude, we at least are introduced to the other odious-for-one-reason-or-another children Charlie is visiting the factory with, in the hope of winning a special prize at the end. Some of the children have had their various vanities and behavioral issues transformed to be era-specific.

The German Augustus Gloop (F. Michael Haynie) is addicted to sausages. Veruca Salt (Emma Pfaeffle) has been transformed into the child of a Russian oligarch (Ben Crawford wearing the best fur coat on Broadway). Violet Beauregarde (Trista Dollison) is a social media-obsessed tween who is all about increasing her brand, and Mike Teavee (Michael Wartella) is now as obsessed by his phone and tablet as by the TV itself. The songs sung by him (What Could Possibly Go Wrong? and Vidiots) and his mother (the wonderful Jackie Hoffman) are the most subversive in the showgenuinely angry screeds about the corrosive nature of media on young minds and the dangerous dumbing down of America. Mikes detachment from society is angry, violenthe is a not-too-distant cousin of the frightening lead character in Lionel Shrivers We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Hoffman, with tenderness alongside her own sly sense of mischief, well encapsulates his mother: at the end of her tether, concerned for her son, and also damaged, scared of him herself, and past caring. His fate may prove her perverse liberation.

The gruesome ends for all these childrenso vivid in the book and on filmare not as vivid as they should be on stage. One wonders how much money was left for sets, right from the first sighting of Wonkas amazing edible landscape, which doesnt look that amazing, through to the oddly staged moment of Gloops dispatch. Or is it the thought of children in the audience that has induced the caution? They have read it all in the book, so surely not.

Some of the false economies work well: Alan H. Green as Mr. Beauregarde literally ends up covered in the remains of his daughter; Verucas nutty end is spiked with a bravura piece of ballet, and Hoffman, of course, makes the scene-stealing best out of Mikes end.

The financial and spatial restrictions of live staging make some of the on-stage temerity understandable, but the drama of the childrens fates is such a vital part of Chocolate Factory, one would have hoped for a more vivid staging. One of the cleverest sequences comes in Wonkas course of invisible obstacles, including a wind machine, which every impatient child besides Charliemost physically Michael Wartellas Mikecomes a cropper in.

As for the Oompa Loompas, the little workers who aid Wonka and sing the dark Greek choruses for each errant child, the creative decision has been taken not to use actors below average height but to use full-size actors in black bodysuits kneeling down, their face atop a puppet body, which they manipulate with their hands.

Joshua Bergasses choreography of them is excellentand perhaps the decision was taken not to use actors below average height out of political or cultural sensitivitybut it just feels so odd. Not giving the Oompa Loompas a human shape and form unnecessarily dehumanizes them. It may be an ingenious piece of choreographed illusion, but why not just employ little people actors?

The show is far from a disaster, just far too timid. Borle and Flynn are charming flipsides of the same quirky coin, and as compadres are lovely to watcheven if their final glass lift journey, which modestly raises them from the ground before just as modestly bringing back them back down, seems to speak more generally to this cautious, not-outrageous-enough production. There a critically lacking wonder and magic hereand Charlie and Wonka deserve buckets of both.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 West 46th Street, New York City. Book tickets here.
Sean Hannity is the latest Fox News personality facing allegations of inappropriate behavior after he was accused of propositioning a guest on his show.

During a Friday interview with Tulsa, Oklahoma-based radio host Pat Campbell, former Fox News guest Debbie Schlussel accused Hannity of inviting her to his hotel room before and after a debate with a pro-Palestinian guest in Detroit. Schlussel said she rejected Hannitys alleged advances and that she was never invited on his show again.

Schlussel and Hannity were scheduled to speak together at the Detroit show, Schlussel said. But before the show, Hannity allegedly invited her to an event at a nearby bookstore. The Daily Beast was not able to confirm whether the pair ever spoke at such a show.

He had some event at a bookstore where he signed his book for people standing in line. He asked me to come meet him at this book signing, Schlussel said on Campbells show. So I met him there and it was very awkward. He had me up there with him while he signed books and I felt very weird. These people dont know me and they didnt come for me to sign their books. Then I left to get ready for the show, and he said, Why dont you come back with me to my hotel? and I said no, I have to get ready for the show.

Shortly before the show, Hannity allegedly told Schlussel they would team up against another panelist. But Schlussel told Campbell that the move was a head-fake against her.

Sean came up to me and said were gonna double-team (which was a weird phrase to use) this Palestinian guy that I was up against on the show, Schlussel said. And then every time I tried to open my mouth and say something, they yelled at me and said obey your host, you cant say anything or else were gonna shut off your microphone.

After the show, Schlussel claims Hannity made another advance on her. My dad and my brother were there in the green room, Schlussel said, claiming that Hannity tried to get me to go back with him to the hotel after the show.

Schlussel claimed she rejected the offer a second time, and was not invited on any future Hannity programs.

After that, I wasnt booked on his show again. And he called me and yelled at me, Schlussel said. I got a very weird feeling about the whole thing, and I kind of knew I wouldnt be back on his show.

After her comments to Talk 1170 Radio received widespread media attention, Schlussel told Law Newz that she would not characterize Hannity's behavior as sexual harassment. I would never accuse him of that. Sexual harassment has a special meaning under the law, she said.

She did, however, confirm that Hannity had propositioned her. I never thought I was sexually harassed by Sean Hannity, I thought he was weird and creepy, she said.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Hannity denied Schlussels allegations and accused her of seeking attention.

LET ME BE CLEAR THE COMMENTS ABOUT ME ON A RADIO SHOW THIS WEEK by this individual ARE 100 percent false and a complete fabrication, Hannity wrote. This individual is a serial harasser who has been lying about me for well over a decade. The individual has a history of making provably false statements against me in an effort to slander, smear and besmirch my reputation.

The individual has not just slandered me over the years but many people who this individual disagrees with, Hannity wrote. This individual desperately seeks attention by any means necessary, including making unfounded personal attacks and using indefensible and outrageous political rhetoric.

He went on to threaten legal action against Schlussel.

My patience with this individual is over. I have retained a team of some of the finest and toughest lawyers in the country who are now in the process of laying out the legal course of action we will be taking against this individual. In this fiercely divided and vindictive political climate I will no longer allow slander and lies about me to go unchallenged, as I see a coordinated effort afoot to now silence those with conservative views. I will fight every single lie about me by all legal means available to me as an American.

Hannity and Schlussel have a history of clashing, after she wrote a 2010 blog post accusing him of running a scam charity for military families. Schlussel alleged that less than 4 percent of the revenue from Hannitys Freedom Concerts went to U.S. troops and their families, and that most of the concerts earnings went to lavish expenses. Hannity and his colleagues denied the allegations.

In 2007, Schlussel wrote a blog post accusing Hannity of deliberately ripping off an anti-Muslim column she wrote in the New York Post.

Thats Sean Hannity for you, she wrote in the 2007 post. This is not the first time hes done this to me, just the latest.

UPDATE 4/24/2017: This article was updated to say that Schlussel did not characterize Hannity's conduct as sexual harassment.
FOREST CITY | A teenager driving an all-terrain vehicle near Forest City died Sunday after the vehicle rolled over.

Colby Lynn Schleuger, 14, Forest City, was killed in the crash.

The UTV, a 2013 Polaris, was headed north on 130th Street, about a quarter of a mile south of County Road A-42, at 6 p.m. Sunday when the driver lost control for an unknown reason, according to a report from the State Patrol.

The vehicle entered the east ditch, hit a farm drive and rolled over.

The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office and Forest City Fire and Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City. Schleuger's funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, with burial in Oakland Cemetery in Forest City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family.

This is the second time this month a young person has been killed in an accident in the Forest City area.

Carter Trunkhill, 11, of Woden, was killed in an UTV rollover April 8 south of 350th Street on 100th Avenue, west of Forest City and north of Crystal Lake.

His father, Matthew Trunkhill, was injured.

-- Mary Pieper
The Senate Intelligence Committees probe into Russias election interference is supposedly the best hope for getting the public credible answers about whether there was any coordination between the Kremlin and Trump Tower.

But there are serious reasons to doubt that it can accomplish this task, as currently configured.

More than three months after the committee announced that it had agreed on the scope of the investigation, the panel has not begun substantially investigating possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, three individuals with ties to the committee told The Daily Beast.

The investigation does not have a single staffer dedicated to it full-time, and those staff members working on it part-time do not have significant investigative experience. The probe currently appears to be moving at a pace slower than prior Senate Intelligence Committee investigations, such as the CIA torture inquiry, which took years to accomplish.

No interviews have been conducted with key individuals suspected of being in the Trump-Russia orbit: not Michael Flynn, not Roger Stone, not Carter Page, not Paul Manafort, and not Jared Kushner, according to two sources familiar with the committees procedures.

Its either a real investigation or not, said one individual with knowledge of the committees activities. You have to have an approved investigative guide. You have to make it formal. Can you have a credible investigation with only seven part-time staffers, doing everything in secret?

This is despite the committees leadership giving off a bipartisan, cooperative impression to the public.

Thus far the Senate Intelligence Committee has been focused only on reviewing the Intelligence Community Assessment, Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections, a declassified version of which was publicly released in January. The public assessment concluded that Russia had actively sought to interfere in the presidential race, and had a preference for Donald Trump, and does not draw conclusions about any possible Russia ties to Team Trump.

Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Burr told the public in an update of the committees work on March 29 that this topic was a core mission of the investigation: to look at any campaign contacts from either [campaign] with the Russian government or Russian government officials that might have influenced, in any way, shape, or form, the election process, he said.

The committee has sent letters to various individuals and entities to ask them to preserve documents relevant to the investigation. Carter Page, Roger Stone, and federal agencies have reportedly been among the subjects of these requests. But there is no timeline on when the committee will request the documents theyve asked subjects to preserve.

In one hint about the inadequacies of the investigation, Senate Intelligence Committee member Sen. Ron Wyden last month sent a letter to the Republican and Democrat heads of the panel, imploring them to look into financial relationships between Russia, President Trump, and his associates. The implication behind the letter? That the committee wasnt already looking into it.

And there appears to be a casual informality about the way the committee is conducting itself. For example, when the committee privately decided upon the scope of their investigation, it held no formal vote, according to a source familiar with the committees procedures. While there is a transcript of their decision, there was no roll call vote that can be used to hold individual senators accountable for the decision to move forward.

Meanwhile, the committee has done two major things to date. They have secured access agreements with the intelligence community to review documents, a process which took two months; and they have completed an initial round of interviews with intelligence analysts behind the Intelligence Community Assessment.

Part of the reason why the committee has not acted more swiftly is because of its current structure. The Senate Intelligence Committee is typically an oversight panel, not an investigative one. It is set up more to review than to actively probe.

The biggest obstacle now for a serious investigation into Trump-Russia ties is dedicated resources for staffing, said a source with ties to the committee. Serious consideration is being given to getting outside resources, as is customary in many large Capitol Hill investigations. Serious work requires serious investigative skills and resources, which wouldnt naturally be resident in a committee like Senate Intel.

The committee previously announced that seven staffers had been assigned to review classified documents related to the Russia investigation. These are the majority and minority staff directors, joined by three Republican aides and two Democratic aides.

We have devoted seven professional staff positions to this investigation. These are staffers who already had the clearance, Burr said on March 29.

Of the seven staffers so far assigned to review classified documents related to the Russia investigation, none of them has prosecutorial or investigative experience, according to three sources with ties to the committee.

Most of them lack a background in Russia expertise. Not one of the seven is a lawyer.

I dont see how you can do this without trained investigators and prosecutors. I think you need to have expertise on the intel side and on the prosecution side. You would ideally need someone who knows how to do a counterintelligence operation, said Scott Horton, an attorney who has focused on anti-corruption investigations, with a specialization in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet states.

The investigation already faces a series of obstacles that have heavy requirements on time: the classification of documents, the location of documents at various agencies, and an incredible volume of material.

But of the seven staffers, none has been assigned full-time to the work of the Russia probe, according to four sources with ties to the committee. Every one of the seven staffers has other oversight responsibilities, and thus a dual-hatted role that prevents them from focusing singularly on the investigation.

Of the seven, two are the staff directors of the committeean enormously demanding job even in the calmest of circumstances, which limits their involvement. One of the seven even attends law school part-time.

To do a serious investigation would require not less than a dozen full-time staffers [with] counterintelligence, prosecutorial skills to do it, and people who have a very good sense of the forensic accounting world of Russia and Europe. Without that sort of expertise, youre not going to get anywhere, Horton said. I dont think theyre deploying the resources that are necessary to do a real investigation.

The committees announcement that seven staffers were dedicated to this project was meant to instill faith in the inquiry. But left unsaid was that the list of seven staffers is also exclusionary: No one outside the list would have access to all the materials in the investigation. This is opposed to what occurred in the later stages of the CIA torture investigation, when all Senate Intelligence Committee staff with proper clearance had access to the materials.

In coming weeks, the committee will add two new staffers, one with decades of experience as a lawyer and expertise in intelligence law. But these two staffers will also have a dual-hatted role, and other responsibilities on the committee.

A spokesperson for the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee declined to comment.

The committee has been given the green light for $1.2 million in additional funding over two years for the purposes of the investigation. While the Senate Intelligence Committee had considered hiring dedicated investigators to focus on the Russia investigation, this idea has stalled.

The tragic irony may be that for all of the House Intelligence Committees public dysfunction, it has actually yielded more results in the public interest and is actually making more progress.

After all, the House Intelligence Committee was where FBI Director James Comey dropped the bombshell that the Bureau was undertaking an ongoing investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The committee appears to be expanding its investigationRep. Mike Quigley, a Democratic member of the committee, told The Daily Beast that he traveled to Cyprus to investigate Russian money laundering there as part of the panels Russia investigation.

We believe that were going to move forward in a positive way, Quigley said. The feeling among Democrats is cautiously optimistic. Reset, reboot, move forward.

The House Intelligence Committees investigation took a wrong turn when Chairman Devin Nunes engaged in an embarrassing weeks-long debacle: receiving secret documents from the White House in private, then publicly returning to the White House to brief the president on them in an elaborate ruse.

In the process, Nunes triggered a House ethics investigation into the possibility that he may have spilled classified information, and was forced to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.

The process now seems to be getting back on track. It has now begun scheduling open and closed hearings again.

We tentatively have scheduled the [FBI Director] Comey and [NSA Director] Rogers closed hearing for May 2nd, we are working to schedule the open hearing with [former CIA Director] Brennan, [former Director of National Intelligence] Clapper and [former acting Attorney General] Yates, and we are working to schedule interviews and get documents, said a House Intelligence Committee aide.

Ultimately, the House and Senate investigations into Russia and possible Trump ties have both shown reasons to doubt their credibility.

But with the House, its been a public fiasco. With the Senate, its been a private tragedy.
Once upon a time, you would have put an announcement in the newspaper.

These days, a simultaneous social-media strike speaks more eloquently to the depth of your affection.

Amber Heard and Elon Musk have confirmed to their millions of social-media followers that they are an item by sharing a loved up picture of Musk with a big, red, kiss-shaped lipstick mark on his cheek.

In a co-ordinated strike, the two individuals both shared the same picture at the same time.

Heard captioned it Cheeky.

Rumors that the two are dating have been circulating for some time now.

Just last week, Heards father, David, told Grazia magazine, Amber and Elon are both very serious about each other. She would love to get married. One of the things they want to do is settle down and have a family. They are making plans for that.

The comments were swiftly dismissed by sources close to the couple, who are both recently divorced.

Heards split from the actor Johnny Depp, whom she accused of physically abusing her, was finalized in January, and Musk finalized his divorce from Talulah Riley (who he married twice) in November.

Heard and Musk were first spotted together at the Delano hotel in Miami in July, and again in London, however they have avoided publicly confirming the relationship until now.

Heard, 30 and Musk, 45 have spent several days together recently in Australia, where Heard is filming a new Superhero flick, Aquaman.

In other photos taken over the weekend, the pair were seen holding hands during an excursion into the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Australia with some of Musks six children.

Musk is said to have first become interested in Heard after his cameo appearance in the 2013 film Machete Kills.

Although the two didnt physically meet on set, Musk reportedly emailed director Robert Rodriguez, asking for an introduction.
PARIS  The man who now stands a very good chance of becoming the next president of France, Emmanuel Macron, is trying to shore up his campaign against Russian influence that might favor his opponent, far-right candidate and Vladimir Putin favorite Marine Le Pen.

On Monday, the day after Macron and Le Pen beat nine other candidates to enter the second phase of the election, which will culminate in a sudden-death vote on May 7, sources in the Macron campaign told The Daily Beast they have refused accreditation to RT, the Russian international television network.

It is not just an outlet like the others, said one of these sources, it is a propaganda organ. Therefore we have decided not to give it accreditation.

An RT staffer reached in London by text message told The Daily Beast, All I can say is that we werent on the list and were told we cant come in, despite the fact that our French producers applied for accreditation well in advance.

The extent to which the Macron campaign was victimized in the past by Russian-influenced fake news and cyberattacks has been the subject of multiple reports in the European, British, and American press, but, as U.S. investigators have found, it is hard to draw firm conclusions about who is behind such operations.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported Monday that security-research firm Trendo Micro has determined hackers trying to access the Macron campaigns email accounts are from Fancy Bear, the Russian-backed group that hacked the Democratic National Committee. Putin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov said Monday in Moscow that this all recalls the accusations that came from Washington and which are still suspended in thin air. He said Russia never interfered in foreign elections.

"RT has not received an official reason for its exclusion from the Macron presidential campaign HQ," the network told The Daily Beast in a statement. "We hope that his team will see fit to afford the courtesy of accreditation to RT shortly, and not attempt to curtail journalism, and manipulate the media, by selecting who can and can't report on his campaign."

The decision by the Macron campaign would appear to be a matter of abundant caution, given detailed testimony in the U.S. and extensive dossiers compiled by Western intelligence services about the way Russian efforts to subvert Western democratic processes have been conducted among Russias neighbors, in the United States during last years presidential campaign, and now in Europe.

Last month, U.S. Senator Richard Burr, head of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that Russia is interfering in the French elections just as it did in the U.S. presidential campaign.

"What we might assess was a very covert effort in 2016 in the United States, is a very overt effort, as well as covert, in Germany and France," Burr told reporters at a March 29 news conference. Noting that in France the race for the presidency would come down to a runoff in May, Burr said, "I think it's safe by everybody's judgment that the Russians are actively involved in the French elections."

Clint Watts, a senior fellow at the Center For Cyber and Homeland Security at The George Washington University and co-author of the recently published, Trolling for Trump: How Russia Is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy," testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee in considerable detail about the way Russian state-controlled media like Sputnik and RT (formerly Russia Today) fit into the overall strategy of Russian active measures or infowar:

Russias new and improved online Active Measures shifted aggressively toward U.S. audiences in late 2014 and throughout 2015. They launched divisive messages on nearly any disaffected U.S. audience.  Russias state-sponsored outlets of RT and Sputnik News, characterized as white influence efforts in information warfare, churned out manipulated truths, false news stories, and conspiracies. Four general themes outlined these propaganda messages:

 Political MessagesDesigned to tarnish democratic leaders and undermine democratic institutions  Financial PropagandaCreated to weaken confidence in financial markets, capitalist economies and Western companies  Social UnrestCrafted to amplify divisions amongst democratic populaces to undermine citizen trust and the fabric of society  Global CalamityPushed to incite fear of global demise such as nuclear war or catastrophic climate change

From these overt Russian propaganda outlets, a wide range of English-language conspiratorial websites (gray outlets), some of which mysteriously operate from Eastern Europe and are curiously led by pro-Russian editors of unknown financing, sensationalize conspiracies and fake news published by white outlets further amplifying their reach in U.S. audiences. American-looking social-media accounts, the hecklers, honeypots, and hackers described above, working alongside automated bots further amplify and disseminate Russian propaganda amongst unwitting Westerners. These covert, black operations influence target-audience opinions with regards to Russia and undermine confidence in Western elected leaders, public officials, mainstream-media personalities, academic experts, and democracy itself.

Circumstantial evidence of such activities surfaced during the earlier stage of the French presidential campaign. One infamous example of fake news, known as intox (for intoxication or poisoning) in French jargon, was a fake Agence France Press report in a fake version of the prestigious Belgian paper Le Soir with the headline, Emmanuel Macron, favorite candidate of Saudi Arabia in the presidential election. As the French daily Le Monde reported in early March, Once put on line, this false information flooded the Internet sites of the extreme right.

On the Friday before Sundays first round, Le Monde focused in on four intox that have circulated in recent days": results announced on a dubious site called WikiStrike before any ballots had been cast, claiming to have monitored electronic votes by the French in the U.S. when there were no electronic ballots at all in the French elections; supposed revelations about an offshore account held by Macron, which were totally false; a fake poll showing that one of the most negligible of the 11 candidates would win the first round; and a dubious study putting far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon far ahead of the field. (In the event, he placed fourth.)

In fact, it is far from clear that these specific dirty tricks can be ascribed to Russians or Russian influence, as a study recently cited by Britains The Independent suggests.

And heres the irony: during the first round of the French elections, three of the four leading candidates were actively pro-Russian. Melenchon proposed an international conference with Moscow to renegotiate Europes borders. Francois Fillon, a former prime minister, took a $50,000 consulting fee to arrange a meeting between Putin and a Lebanese pipeline builder. Le Pen, whose party received direct financing from a Russian bank in 2014 and endorsed Moscows annexation of Crimea, was received personally at the Kremlin by Russian President Putin just a month ago.

The only one of the four leading French candidates who built his campaign around strong support for a strong European Union, which Putin hates and sees as an obstacle to his desire for a revived Russian Empire, was Emmanuel Macron.

So now that the stakes are high, and the opposition between the candidates in bold relief, its not hard to see why Macrons staff would decideeven at the risk of accusations they are stifling a free pressthat RT reporters need to be treated a little differently from the rest of the worlds media.
Last Thursday, Arkansas executed Ledell Lee for murder, the first execution in the state since 2005. It was also the first of eight scheduled executions the state originally planned to carry out before its supply of one of its lethal injection drugs expires on April 30.

The biggest news, however, is not that Arkansas carried out one execution, but that lawyers managed to stop four others. Last Monday, the Supreme Court of Arkansas stayed the executions of Bruce Ward and Don Davis for independent mental health evaluations. On Thursday, Stacey Johnson won a stay to allow additional testing of potential DNA evidence. Separately, Jason McGehees execution, scheduled for April 27, was reprieved following a recommendation for clemency by the Arkansas Parole Board.

Undoubtedly, Lees crimes were serious. He was a serial rapist who murdered 26-year-Debra Reese in her home with a tire pressure gauge. However, about 130 murders are committed in the state each year. Arkansas has a death row population of 32. Did Lees crimes really represent the worst of the worst? This is to say nothing of Lees claim of innocence, supported by as-yet-untested DNA evidence, and his claim that his post-conviction lawyer was intoxicated.

The executions in Arkansas have shown that the death penalty is lawless. Officials with complete discretion over the process claim they are bound by the law and have no choice in the matter. In every case across the country, chance and geography, not the seriousness of the crime, determine who lives and who dies. The expiration date of the states supply of midazolam dictated the outcome in Lees case. When the U.S. Supreme Court denied the prisoners appeal on Thursday night, Justice Stephen Breyer dissented (PDF), calling the decision to execute before the drugs use by date expired close to random.

The prisoners who were not executed last week benefited from that same game of chance. The lesson is that death penalty defense lawyers have become better at playing the odds. Every lawsuit or appeal filed, every new psychiatric evaluation or DNA test ordered, has the consequence of driving up the structural costs of execution. Every delay makes it less likely that the executions will be carried out at all.

The slow attrition of the death penalty has reached a tipping point. Today, prosecutors rarely seek the death penalty in the first place: Only 30 new death sentences were passed in 2016, one-tenth of the number passed in 1998. The Supreme Court continues to chip away at the death penalty, most recently invalidating state laws that allowed a judge to impose a death sentence over the objections of a jury. Imports of lethal injection drugs are halted at the border, with no refund for state taxpayers who footed the bill. Even clemency may be more promising than it used to be. Last week, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe commuted the death sentence of Ivan Teleguz amidst surprisingly little controversy. Arkansass overreach gave him cover.

The reason for this success? Lawyers. Lawyers intervene in capital cases sooner than ever and stay in the case longer. They appeal more frequently, file more pleadings, and cultivate new challenges. They do not always win. But the cumulative effect of constructing more barriers to an executionan extra clemency petition, one more Hail Mary stay requestrenders the entire machinery of death unsustainable in the long term.

Conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg defended the Arkansas executions, alleging that anti-death penalty advocates were disingenuous in driving up the cost of executions and then complaining about the death penaltys expense. The strategy may be cynical, but it is successful. The death penalty has become so rare that it is handicapped by its own arbitrariness. It has always been cruel. It is now unusual.

The most unprecedented aspect of the Arkansas executions is the direct involvement of the drug companies. McKesson, the distributor of the paralytic agent, sued Arkansas directly, and the manufacturers of all three drugs in the lethal injection cocktail filed briefs in both the prisoners claims and McKessons lawsuit. McKesson claims that the drugs were obtained by deceit. The first two drugs in Arkansass lethal injection protocol are in nationwide shortage with hospitals on a waiting list. At present, there are no more FDA-approved suppliers left in the United States that are willing to sell drugs to corrections facilities.

If drug companies continue to directly intervene in death penalty cases, lethal injections will become even more difficult to carry out. The Arkansas attorney generals office is outgunned. McKesson is represented by Covington and Burling, the largest and most prestigious law firm in Washington, D.C., and supported by strong local counsel. States seeking to carry out executions face more formidable opponents than ever before.

More clashes are certain. Arkansas plans to execute three more inmates this week. Jack Jones and Marcel Williams are scheduled for execution on Monday night, and Kenneth Williams is scheduled for Thursday. Although a state and federal trial court denied stay requests based on the defendants health claims this weekend, a wave of challenges remain pending and will continue until the time the executions begin. A novel challenge, pending in federal court, is to Arkansass execution protocol, which is unclear as to whether the curtains in the viewing room must be opened when the inmates enter the execution chamber or when the drugs are first administered.

Any delay, no matter how trivial, is a small victory. The prisoners executions are scheduled beginning at 7 p.m. each night and the death warrants expire at midnight. If the clock runs out on the death warrants, Arkansas will not be able to reschedule the executions before the midazolam supply expires at the end of the month. The reality is stark: If these executions are not carried out this week, they likely never will be.

The truth is that the death penalty will die because it simply is not worth the effort. The structural costs of execution, which far exceed those of life without parole (itself a very costly sentence), outweigh any social benefit to victims or the broader community. The sheer randomness of executions undermines any marginal deterrence value of the death penalty over life imprisonment.

This is not evidence that our criminal justice system is broken. To the contrary, this sensitivity to cost is economically rational. In short, our system works exactly as it is supposed to, and we can thank lawyers for that.

Andrew Novak is term assistant professor of Criminology, Law, and Society at George Mason University.
On the eve of the first 100 days of the new administration, the president has predicted a massive tax cut, that could be bigger I believe than any tax cut ever.

This is the Republican Partys idea of Camelot.

For the first three months, the campaign promise of across the board tax reform, business and personal, had remained illusory.

Yet now, there are fresh clues that it can be won before years end, despite the guileful opposition of the Democratic Party and its friends who write exciting columns.

The most important clue is that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has emerged as the administration leader, the Percival of the Cabinet, for overall tax reform and especially for business tax cuts.

I think the presidents priority of tax reform is middle class income tax cuts, simplifying personal taxes, making our business tax system more competitive, Mnuchin recently explained to the Financial Times.

We have one of the highest corporate tax rates, combined with this concept of worldwide taxation and deferral. Which, not surprisingly, leads our companies to either be uncompetitive or leave trillions of dollars offshore.

Even better, Mnuchins argument has a concrete goal. Economic growth is our number one priority. The difference between 1.8 per cent GDP and 3 per cent GDP compounding is staggering. So, whatever issues we have in this country, growth helps solve a lot of those issues.

Talk of growth is a Merlin elixir for the crankiest of Republicans. It makes them giddy. It even makes them trust the king for a little while.

Also Mnuchin certainly knows, as does his president, that recording a 3 percent GDP for any quarter between now and November 2018 will translate into significant Republican gains in the Senate and disheartening results for the Democrats in the House.

The Democratic leadership can see that far more crucial than sniping at the Republican imbroglio of repeal-and-replace is sabotaging the tax reform plan.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York has prepared for the Mnuchin-led offensive this summer by constructing a two-part IED.

The first part is the familiar class-warfare weapon that has unhorsed the GOP since 1930. Anytime the president proposes something on tax reform, said Schumer, the average American is going to say, Oh, hes not doing that because its good for me, hes doing it because its good for him.

The second part of Schumers weapon is more clever, a quid pro quo genius of electioneering. Schumer proposed that if the president is serious about passing real tax reform to help the middle class, he should start by releasing his own full tax returns to erase any doubt of where his priorities lie.

Yet the Democratic opposition is not profound. The Republicans have the votes and the time to start the reform entirely with GOP loyalists.

Heritage Foundation economist Steve Moore estimated at the first of the year that the tax reform package can get through Congress by the end of summer. Now, in the springtime, Mnuchin has moved the timeline to the end of the year.

What the Republicans lack is neither willpower nor timelines but rather Round Table unanimity.

For example, the first three components of the business tax cutas designed by the prominent supply-side economics thinkers, Larry Kudlow, Art Laffer, and Steve Mooreare supported by the necessary Republicans votes in order to pass the House and Senate through reconciliation:

1. Reduce corporate and small business taxes from 35 percent to 15 percent. This will put the economy into a gallop.

2. Permit immediate full expensing of capital investments. This will allow start-ups to blossom.

3. Repatriate with a low-tax-rate up to $2 trillion in profits that are kept overseas to avoid the present corporate rate. This means jobs, jobs, jobs for the realm.

The major problem with the GOP tax reform plan so far is what is called border-adjustable tax. This is a tax on imports. Its supposed to be necessary to accommodate Speaker Paul Ryans and President Trumps aim for revenue neutralitymeaning the tax cut wont add to the deficit.

Kudlow, Laffer, and Moore assert this is a solution that lacks a problem. The business tax cut will make the economy leap. Growth makes deficits vanish like Morgan le Fay.

Importantly, Mnuchin sounds unconvinced by the case for the border-adjustable tax, Its just one of many things were looking at.

Whats most wrong with the border-adjustable tax, according to Kudlow, Laffer, and Moore, is that it is complicatedeven more complicated than the personal tax reform challenges. Republicans like big ideas kept as simple to understand as Excalibur.

At the 100-day post, there is reason to imagine that the same mysterious forces that lined up Nov. 8, 2016, may be at play again:

Brexit to be followed by Trump to be followed by a French election first round Le Pen success to be followed by a repeal-and-replace deal in the House to be followed by serenading for Camelots business rate cut to 15 percent to begin in The Merry Month of May.
Theres no way of counting how many different ways people have found to combine spirits, wines, juices, herbs, spices, sugars and whatnot, and no central record of the discrete names these myriad combinations have had bestowed on them. Until 2005, I would have guessed that their number was in the thousands; now, after more than a decade of ceaseless, hamster-in-a-wheel mixological invention, I would multiply that figure by ten or 20.

The vast majority of these concoctions live only fleetingly, made by one person, once, and die unnamed. Some, though, are christened and mixed again. A few of these named drinks are fortunate enough to make it onto cocktail lists, where their names are recorded for posterity, should anyone care enough to go looking for them. A light sifting of those ever get noticed, written about, discussed. Of that, what, five percent? three percent? one percent?, of all drinks that are invented achieve fame. These select concoctions join the canon, the list of drinks which every experienced, skilled bartender is expected to have at least heard of. It is not a long list, all things considered: no more than 200 or 300 drinks, from the Aviation to the Zombie, with stops in between at the Bronx, the Green Swizzle, the Pink Lady, the Southside and so forth.

But even that list has its levels: no more than 40 or 50 of those drinks are true, universal classics, the ones every serious bartender knows how to mix because she has mixed them a thousand times. And within that elite corps, there is an inner circle, a clutch of drinks that have somehow caught the popular imagination; drinks whose pedigrees are much-debated accretions of fact, myth and legend. Among these one will find the mighty Martini, the mellow Manhattan, the delightful Daiquiri, the dangerous Margarita, the steadfast Old-Fashioned, the sophisticated Sidecar, the rowdy Long Island Iced Tea and a handful of others. Of these cocktail immortals, none has a thicker crust of myth and legend surrounding it than the Sazerac Cocktail, the mix of rye whiskey, Peychauds Bitters, sugar and absinthe that is the State Cocktail of Louisiana. And all of that myth has grown on a framework bolted onto the drink by one man: Stanley Clisby Arthur, the man with three last names.

Arthur was one of those self-creating types in which this country used to abound. Born in Merced, California in 1881, he worked for a while in San Francisco and Los Angeles as a newspaper reporter and photographer and then lit out for El Paso and New York before settling in New Orleans. There he took wildlife photographs for the local papers (he specialized in birds) and wrote childrens books with his wife. Through his interest in the naturalist John Audubon, who had lived in the city, he also began developing an interest in the citys unique history and the jumbled old archives that documented it. In 1915, he parlayed his bird pictures into an appointment as Louisiana State Ornithologist, despite having no formal credentials in the field. In 1920, he went back to journalism, writing local history items for the New Orleans Item and the Whos Who in the Zoo column for its childrens page. Tiring of that, he got himself appointed director of the state Department of Wildlife. When that gig ended, he wrote for a couple of years and then, in 1934, found himself a WPA job as regional director of the Federal Survey of Archives, again without formal qualification. From there he slid into the directorship of the Louisiana State Museum, which he held onto from 1941 until his retirement seven years later (he died in New Orleans in 1963).

In the mid-1930s, Arthur published a series of slim and lively, even gossipy works of local history, based on the archives he and his WPA crew were surveying. Among these works was Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix Em, which he published in 1937. With the exception of Down the Hatch, a crude, semi-literate sheaf of recipes published after Repeal by Paul Alpuente, former bartender at Henry C. Ramoss Stag Saloon, Arthurs was the first cocktail book published in New Orleans, and it was the first to investigate the histories and lore of that peerless citys unique drinks.

Admittedly, most of the books 139 recipes are the standard American tipples of the daythe Manhattan and the Martini; the Highball and the Old-Fashioned. But there are also legitimate Crescent City favorites such as the Ojen Cocktail, the Roffignac, the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Vieux Carre, the Cocktail a la Louisiane, the Cafe Brulot and, of course, the Sazerac.

In 1937, the Sazerac was a fairly well-known drink in America, the sort of thing you could ask your bartender for, if the joint specialized in cocktails and he was a canny old-timer. Even the most educated tippler wouldnt have known much about the drink, though, beyond the fact that it was from New Orleans and the supposition that it was, as O. Henry put it a generation before, one of those drinks invented by the Creoles during the period of Louey Cans. (Louey Cans was not a local mobster, but rather Louis Quinze, alias King Louis XV of France.)

If he or she was old enough, there would also be a memory of the range of gaily-labeled bottled Sazerac-brand cocktails that the Thomas H. Handy Co. of New Orleans sent all around the country back before the Great Drought: the Manhattan, the Martini, the Gin Cocktail, the Vermouth Cocktail, the Brandy Cocktail and, most popular of all, the Sazerac Whiskey Cocktail. If the drinker was sporty enough to have visited New Orleans back in the day, there might also be memories of a visit to the Sazerac House, the old saloon on the edge of the French Quarter owned by the Handy company, where you could get that Sazerac Whiskey CocktailSazerac Cocktail for shortmixed for you on the spot by true artisans.

An old and close reader of the New Orleans newspapers might also recall that, back at the turn of the century, when the drink was first getting famous, it was attributed to Billy Wilkinson, one of the two head bartenders at the Sazerac, and that when New Orleanss mercantile community sent a special train around Texas to drum up business for the city they made sure to secure his services for the journey on the basis of that invention.

Stanley Clisby Arthur had much to add to this fairly meager hoard of facts. Indeed, the story he wove around the Sazerac will be familiar to anyone with even a cursory interest in cocktail history or the culture of American tippling. The outline of his story: in 1783 a young Creole refugee from the revolution in Haiti arrives in New Orleans bearing among other scanty possessions, a recipe for the compounding of a liquid tonic, called bitters, a recipe that had been a secret family formula for years. Antoine Amedee Peychaud, our refugee, opens a pharmacy, selling these bitters either plain or mixed in with a little brandy and served in a porcelain egg-cup, known to the French-speaking population as a coquetier (pronounced ko-k-tay). This he claimed was the worlds first cocktail, and the American mispronunciation of the name of the vessel Peychaud served it in supposedly gave the drink its name. In due time, the drink spread throughout the city, finding a particular home at John B. Schillers bar on Exchange Alley, the Sazerac Coffee-House, named after the well-known brand of Cognac for which Schiller was the exclusive agent.

Schillers Sazerac Cocktail (made with Sazerac Cognac, of course) became the drink of the day, Arthur continues. His bookkeeper, Thomas Handy, took over the bar in 1870; around then, an alteration in the mixture also took place. Peychauds bitters was still used to add the right fillip, but American rye whiskey was substituted for the cognac to please the tastes of Americans who preferred red likker to any pale-faced brandy. Perhaps at the same time, the dash of absinthe was added. This innovation, Arthur concludes, has been credited to Leon Lamothe who in 1858 was a bartender for Emile Seignouret, Charles Cavaroc & Co., a wine importing firm located in the old Seignouret mansion still standing at 520 Royal street. More likely it was about 1870, when Lamothe was employed at Pinas restaurant in Burgundy street that he experimented with absinthe and made the Sazerac what it is today.

Arthurs account is lively and anecdotal and bristles with the kind of fine detail that sells a story. Unfortunately, its also got more holes in it than a Hawthorne strainer. For one thing, the whole part about Peychaud bringing his bitters recipe with him from Haiti is pure, unalloyed bosh, as my colleague Philip Greene has so ably proved. That part about Peychauds brandy-and-bitters-in-an-egg-cup thing being the first cocktail is also impossible. Indeed, Arthur even wrote to Frank Viztelly, the leading lexicographer of his day, to see what he had to say about the origin of the drink and its name. Viztelly sent him back half a dozen quote-filled paragraphs on the topic, including a key 1806 citation from a Hudson, New York, newspaper giving a definition of the drink.

Arthur printed Viztellys whole answer, adding After careful analysis of Doctor Vizetellys data it appears to be certain that the odd mispronunciation of coquetier in New Orleans is the oldest and most positive basis for the word cocktail. If he performed that analysis, theres no trace of it in his text; nothing to see here is the basis of his argument. In other places, his impressive level of detail becomes less impressive the more you poke at it. Take that bit about Leon Lamothe being employed at Pinas restaurant in Burgundy street in 1870. If one turns to Gardners New Orleans Directory for 1870, one quickly finds the basis for this claim in this entry: Lamothe Leon, cash. Pinos Restaurant, r. 151 Burgundy. So: a cashier, not a bartender, at Pinos, not Pinas; as for that r.it stands for residence, as a glance at the beginning of the directory informs us. (Pinos Cafe de la Bourse was in fact on Carondelet St., as Arthur could have determined by looking a few pages ahead in the directory.) You would expect an archivist to know this. And while the 1861 directory shows that Lamothe did work for Cavaroc & Co., agents for Seignouret wines, for a time, theres no sign that the firm ever had a bar or was anything but a wholesale house. (Lamothe went on to own his own bars and restaurants and was a fixture in the citys sporting life, which is probably how he got roped into this whole story.)

Now, I will admit that we all make mistakes and a little sloppiness isnt the end of the world. (Hell, in the second edition of my book Imbibe! I got Frank Farrell, popularizer of the Leatherneck cocktail, confused with Frank Fogarty, creator of the of Last Word cocktail.) But theres one more example from Arthur that goes beyond sloppiness: to bolster his theory of the New Orleans origin of the cocktail, he cites the pseudonymous Henry Didimus, who spent the winter of 1835-1836 in the city and later published an account of it. At one point, a local explains to our traveler the difference between a Brandy Toddy and a Brandy Cocktail: the Toddy is a little water, a little sugar, and a great deal of brandy, while the Cocktail is, as Arthur gives the quotation, the same ingredients, with a shade of bitters. Unfortunately, what Didimus actually wrote was the same ingredients, with a shade of Stoughtons bitters (Stoughtons were the original bitters, dating back to London in 1690). This is not merely sloppy: Arthur is cooking the books so that he can claim Peychauds as the original cocktail bitters. It is, like the rest of his account, fake news.

And yet, to this day most people approach the history of this most romantic and bewitching of cocktails through Arthurs prism and begin with the idea that the Sazerac Coffee House had a famous Cognac-based house special spiked with Peychauds Bitters which they later switched to a whiskey drink and served in an absinthe-rinsed glass. What if, however, we forget about Arthur entirely and go back to the basics of historiography?

The first thing we can establish is that the Sazerac Houses cocktail was a late addition to its fame. A thorough study of New Orleans newspapers from the nineteenth century turns up many occasions where, if the bar had a famous cocktail, that fact would have been mentioned. And yet, in 1871 when Handy opened a branch of the saloon on Carondelet Street, there is no reminder that the famous Sazerac Cocktail can be had there as well. In 1873, when the Daily Picayune devoted three columns to What We Drink in the city, there is nary a hint of the Sazerac. Nor does one turn up in 1876, when the New Orleans Times wrote about the citys old bars, leading with three paragraphs on the Sazerac House, the oldest and best known of them. In 1878, when Handy sold the bar, and in 1882, when its new owner closed it and Handy reopened it, nobody mourned the loss of their Sazerac cocktails or rejoiced in their return. When the Times-Democrat surveyed the state of the citys drinking in 1885, pronounced brandy drinking in New Orleansa thing of the past and enumerated the popular mixed drinks of the day, they included the Rabbledegay from Memphis (I have no earthly idea what was in that one) and the good old Manhattan from New York, but no Sazerac.

Only in 1895 do we get some points up on the board, when the Times-Democrat closes an 880-word article about the Sazerac House and its management with the line, Vincent Miret [Billy Wilkinsons co-head bartender and, like Wilkinson, a partner in the business] is to be congratulated upon his reputation as the best mixer of whisky cocktails in the City of New Orleans. That same year, according to their trademark application, Miret, Wilkinson and their silent partner began bottling the bars cocktails. The first known mention of a Sazerac Cocktail would come in March of 1899, when a fraternity magazine, the Alpha Tau Omega Palm, printed a report on their annual convention, held in the Crescent City the previous November, at which a good deal was heard about the mysterious article, a Sazerac Cocktail. New Orleans was changing from a major working port into a tourist city, and its old bars were part of the attraction.

The irony is that the Sazeracs Whiskey Cocktail, with its absinthe rinse, was barely distinguishable from the absinthe-dashed Improved Whiskey Cocktail, a drink known nationwide since the 1870s. Sure, the Handys Bitters (the firms knockoff of Peychauds Bitters) with which it was made gave it a nice rosy hue, but you could get those nationwide as well. What you couldnt get, however, was Vincent Miret or Billy Wilkinson, big, sporty men who put on a fine show of old-time bartending. Ormore importantlyOld New Orleans. In fact, you still cant get that unless youre actually in New Orleans. Ive drunk (and, I will sheepishly admit, got drunk on) Sazeracs all around the world. Made properly, theyre as good as drinks get. But none of them, no matter how famous the hand that stirred them, ever taste as good as one consumed at the bar of New Orleanss institutions Tujagues or the Napoleon House or Broussards or wherever the loquacious and encyclopedic Chris McMillians working. I dont know how to explain that with chemistry or physics, but its nonetheless a scientific fact right up there with the First Law of Thermodynamics.

Sadly, Miret died in 1899 and Wilkinson in 1905, both of them before the drink achieved the height of its fame. Had they lived, they would have no doubt told their story enough times to protect it from the speculations of Arthur and his ilk. They did all the hard work it takes to thread the impossibly thin needle that is cocktail immortality; they just didnt stick around to get the credit.

The Sazerac Houses Sazerac Cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Straight rye whiskey1 tsp rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water)scant tsp Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur (the Sazeracs secret ingredient)2 dashes Peychauds Bitters1 dash Angostura Bitters.25 oz Absinthe

Glass: Old-fashioned

Garnish: Lemon peel twist

DIRECTIONS:

Take two 6-oz Old-Fashioned glasses. Fill one with ice and set it to chill. In the other, add all the ingredients except the absinthe. Fill with cracked ice and stir well. Dump the ice from first glass and add the absinthe. Swirl it around to cover the inside. Pour out excess. Strain the contents of the second glass into the first. Garnish with a twist a lemon peel over the top.
Everyone spent the weekend talking about the big New York Times James Comey piece, an informative (and infuriating) tick-tock about what was going through the FBI directors head last year as he said what he said about Hillary Clintonand didnt say what he didnt say about Donald Trump.

The big takeaway may be that the reason everything happened the way it did is that everyone involved, from Comey up to President Obama, assumed Hillary Clinton was going to win. Their behavior was guided by that assumption.

In Comeys case, he thought maybe he was establishing his independence toward the person who was going to be his next boss. In Obamas case, it was maybe more that he didnt want to be seen as interfering in an election and felt he didnt need to because Hillary was going to win anyway.

All that strikes me as true. But heres another takeaway for you, and I havent seen anyone make this point, and its an important one: If the Times is to be believedand stories like this one, based on 30 interviews, might get some facts wrong but are generally accurate in the gist of what they conveyComey was often motivated by fear. Fear of how a certain group would react.

We see in three instances that he feared the wrath of the Republicans. One, if he didnt break precedent and speak harshly of Clinton while officially exonerating her last summer. So he spoke harshly. Two, if he didnt announce in late October that the investigation was reopened. So he announced the investigation (which, as we learned too late, again amounted to nothing) was reopened.

And three, if the Republicans in Congress decided post-election to include him and the bureau in its inevitable Clinton witch hunts. So he beat them to the witch hunt, and finally said she was clear just as she drowned. The article doesnt say this, but surely Comey also feared GOP wrath if he did confirm before the election that Donald Trump was under investigation too, which he finally confirmed last month.

We also see at least one instance in which he feared the anger of his own agents (again, with respect to speaking harshly of Clinton last summer. And we know thanks to the late Wayne Barretts work here at The Daily Beast that he had reason to fear them, as agents leaked freely to Rudy Giuliani, who then broadcast them on Fox News).

We even see one instance when he feared the Russianshe knew they had a certain pivotal document, and he was afraid at one point that they would leak it.

So fear of political fallout seems to have motivated almost everything he did. Kevin Drum made this point over the weekend.

But Drum didnt emphasize what is to me the most telling thing, which is that there is one group Comey appears not to have feared at all: Democrats.

Theres a lot in the article about the thinking that went into Comeys statement to the media explaining why Clinton would not be charged. He called her behavior extremely careless, youll recall, and spent about 15 teeing up a federal case before announcing that there wouldnt be one.

The Times story says that Comeys criticism of Clinton was intended to insulate the FBI from criticism that it was too lenient toward a Democrat. It also notes that by scolding Mrs. Clinton, was speaking not only to voters but to his own agents.

But nowhere does the article say that Comey feared how Democrats would react if he raked Clinton over the rhetorical coals without bringing charges. Of course he didnt! Democrats dont scare anybody.

As I recall things, some Democrats expressed some outrage, but it was scattered, nothing like what the Republicans would have done had the shoe been on the other foot. It took the efforts of Matt Miller, a former Justice Department spokesman for Eric Holder, to crystallize for people the contention that what Comey did was in fact outrageous. Miller called it an abuse of power, and he was rightand I confess that even I didnt see things that way until I read Millers writings about it.

So the Times talked to 30 people, and apparently the idea that Comey may have feared how the Democrats would react to any action of his just wasnt brought up. Amazing. Remember what the guy did: He excoriated Clintons ethics; he announced a reopening of an investigation 11 days before the election with no evidence that there was any reason to think Anthony Weiners laptop would revealing a smoking gun (it did not, as Comey subsequently announced); and finally, he kept from the public the fact that his bureau was also investigating the other presidential candidate.

And through it all, he was worried about what Republicans would do to him, but apparently never concerned about how Democrats would react to anything he did. In fact the only lengthy discussion of a Democrat in the piece involves Comeys anger at Loretta Lynch for agreeing to meet with Bill Clinton on that tarmac; he had every right to be upset about that boneheaded move, but as the article showsand as we already knew in real timehe didnt care at all how Lynch and other Justice Department lawyers would react to his taking it upon himself to say the things he said about Clinton.

There are two morals to this story. The first is, well, good on the Democrats, I guess, for not playing politics (Lynch excepted) with such a sensitive matter. This is how things are supposed to work in this country.

But the second moral is that, regrettable as it may be, this isnt how things work in this country anymore. Republicans were so ferociously partisan about everything having to do with Hillary Clintonand Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, and fill in the blankthat they created a reality in which the nations top law enforcement official was thinking more or less constantly about how he could avoid incurring their wrath. Of course, hes a Republican himself, and was involved in Clinton probes in the 1990s, so theres also that. But how that factored in we cant know.

What we do know is that one political party frightens people and the other one doesnt. The party in question needs to learn from this. And I mean right now, while Comey is investigating Trump and the Democrats are in opposition with nothing to lose. When one side has a bazooka, a sling shot wont cut it.
MOSCOWThe Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin is banned from traveling to the United States because his calls for violence helped inspire the pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine in 2014. But if Americas leading ideologue today, Steve Bannon, were to visit Moscow, Dugin, a 55-year-old with a long beard and ultra-conservative views, would gladly sit down and talk with him. Dugin says he sees Bannon, President Donald Trumps chief strategist, as his ideological ally.

One day would not be enough for them to cover all the geopolitics they have in common, Dugin told The Daily Beast in an exclusive interview. First their conversation would be purely philosophical, Dugin imagined, as Bannon and I read the same authors, we are united by the entire treasury of European conservative culture and history.

Dugin, famous in Russia for his deep disrespect for the worlds liberals, looks at Bannon as his last hope in Washingtons conservative political circles.

For a long time, Dugin said he had counted on President Donald Trump as he could see Bannons hand all over the presidential campaign. But Dugins scenario for Russias future ties with the United States crumbled on the day the mad neo-con Trump authorized firing Tomahawk missile at Syria.

Dugin, who forgave Trumps tough on Russia comments, and even Trumps expectations of Russia to give Crimea back to Ukraine, said he tolerated, supported Trump, while many here gave up. But not any longer.

In the interview, Dugin insisted that unlike liberals, who forgave Barack Obamas failed promises, conservative politicians were now turning away from Trump. That is the main difference between liberals and conservatives. We have a deep sense of dignity: The moment the right-wing politicians Marine Le Pen [in France] and Matteo Salvini [in Italy], and all of the alt-right supporters [in the U.S.], saw that Trump was a puppet, they stopped supporting him.

Dugin agreed with a recent Newsweek piece describing his deep ideological connections with Trumps strategist Bannon. Newsweek quoted Bannons words (originally reported by BuzzFeed) at a Vatican conference in 2014. We, the Judeo-Christian West, really have to look at what [Putin] is talking about as far as traditionalism goes, particularly the sense of where it supports the underpinnings of nationalism, Bannon said. When you really look at some of the underpinnings of some of [Putins] beliefs today, a lot of those come from what I call Eurasianism.

Russians associate Eurasianism with Dugins name. He was using the term long before Bannon.

So, even though the two never had a chance to meet, Dugin told The Daily Beast, I connect with Bannons focus of the entire presidential campaign: the denial of globalism, rejection of Americas hegemony, the return of religious and national interests, his criticism of liberals and respect for traditional values, Dugin said. Bannon is a bright personality, his team published my books in the United States, including The Fourth Political Theory.

It was never easy to catch up with Dugins viewshe sometimes says things that, when pressed, he denies later. Readers of his English language website, geopolitica.ru, might think that the ideologue of the Russian Spring lives with the West on his mind. But Dugin celebrates the gap between Russian and Western development, insisting that Western civilization is death and mocks Europeans as Euromonkeys: We should throw away the entire Wests racism, we are people of Asia, of Eurasia, we should stop heading towards European culture.

As leader of the Eurasian movement, Dugin likes to call for destruction of everybody who did not support traditionalist values. He also mocked supporters of Western human rights.

His unforgettable face and Rasputin-like beard have been seen for decades at Russian ultra-nationalist rallies, where he pronounced big, radically anti-Western words into the microphones.

Dugin is talking about creating some new cross-cultural nation [of Slavs and Turkish people] of anti-Atlantic, traditional ideologyhis theory often sounds like a pretty fascist approach, said Alexander Verkhovsky, director of Russian SOVA, a Moscow-based NGO monitoring ultra-nationalist groups. He said and wrote a lot, calling for a war in Ukraine; many Russian nationalists who listened or read Dugins texts actually joined the insurgencies in Ukraine afterward.

In April of 2014, I reported on pro-Russian protests and the so-called Novorossiya Movement in Odessa, a city in the south of Ukraine. One of the movements leaders, Yegor Kvasnyuk, explained to me that long before the Kremlins officials began to speak about the Russian Spring and Novorossiya, new Russia, he had heard the words from the Eurasian revolutionary Alexander Dugin: As early as last September, during a meeting in Russia, Dugin told us that Novorossiya, a sovereign republic, should have devoted, honest Russians to lead it to revive our Russian roots. Kvasnyuk called Dugin the greatest predictor of Russias future.

The same month in 2014, Vladimir Putin spoke about Novorossiya along Dugin lines: Here is Novorossiya: Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Nikolayev, Odessa were not a part of Ukraine during the Tsars times, all these territories were passed to Ukraine in the 1920s by the Soviet government. Putin spoke about a referendum to decentralize power in these regions.

In his public speeches during the first weeks of the war in Donbas, Dugin promised that hundreds of thousands of people would come out in all Novorossiya cities in support of pro-Russian militants. But that did not happen, and Dugin started to fall out of Putins favor.

Now, according to Anton Shekhovtsov, a Vienna-based expert on right-wing movements, Dugin is not connected with the Kremlin at all, otherwise he would have never been fired from Moscow State University.

Shekhovtsov notes that even Russian businessman Anton Malofeyev, a major supporter of the Ukraine rebels got rid of Dugin entirely.

Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin ideologue working on political tactics around the world, says he understands why Dugin failed to become a mainstream figure in Russia.

Dugin never bends, never compromises, and that is why political elites cannot forgive him, Markov tells The Daily Beast. But somehow he always manages to slip in and leave a trace: On my recent trip to Ankara, officials referred to Putins adviser Dugin visiting them recently.

Dugin admitted that Trump was not his only disappointment latelyVladimir Putin has also made unforgettable mistakes for Dugin, the true believer.

When Putin walks away from the right politics, I do not support him, as we conservatives do not support opportunists, Dugin told The Daily Beast. The most serious contradictions began when the Kremlin disowned Novorossiya. We should not have stoppedI reject the decision of freezing the conflict, Dugin said. By giving up on Novorossiya, they failed the dignity challenge, but unfortunately, Putins supporters have a slaves mentality, and live by the principle, Whatever Master orders is the law.

Dugin added that he was not in the opposition, but that he would rather down-size to some remote part of Russia and out of the spotlight, than bend to Putin.

Earlier this month, Dugin wrote on his website about yet another war: What happened on April 7th, 2017 could be the beginning of a Third World War, he commented on the U.S. attacking Syria with cruise missiles. As a rule, nobody wants war, but, alas, wars happen, and sometimes world ones. Therefore, I posit that first and foremost, as in the case of any disaster, it is necessary to remain calm and gather ones thoughts.

It looked like for now Dugin was not leaving the spotlight, he was working in his office on Moscows main Tverskaya Avenue, making predictions and political forecasts, so if Bannon stops by, they would have plenty of time to talk.
Well, if you were thinking that Barack Obama was going to come out in his first public post-presidential appearance Monday and start throwing partisan haymakers, you were mistaken.

What was billedor at least described as, in the account I read Monday morninga speech encouraging activism and political engagement among young people didnt end up being even that. All he did was talk for about three minutes about his days as a community organizer on the same South Side of Chicago where the event was held (I am the first to acknowledge that I did not set the world on fire), and led a pretty earnest and boring panel discussion with six or so of the kind of engaged young people who at age 17 have resumes three times the length of mine today.

CNN tried gamely to stay with it for the full noon hour, but the network cut away at 12:53; just couldnt make it. Then a little panel discussion ensued in which Zerlina Maxwell and Amy Walter both noted that there was a small irony in Obama making this his first choice for a public reappearance because its not exactly like he, as president, set the world on fire recruiting young Democrats. Both also noted, however, that that isnt really a presidents job. And theyre right. Its the partys job.

In any case, it was an intentionally snoozy reemergence, one suspects. A little reminder to liberals looking for him to dive back into the deep end of the pool that he will do no such thing. And unlike most liberals I think that can be defended, to a point. Ex-presidents should stay above the fray, for a while. How would liberals have reacted if George W. Bush had been flinging acid at Obama in the first months of his presidency?

In addition, its kind of his time to get off the stage and let others grab for the brass ring. The year after a party loses the White House is the most Siberian year there is for a political partydispirited, no power, no natural leader, out in the wilderness. Events will force a new leader to emerge. The ex-president should stay out of the way of that process.

The riposte to all that is that Obama, and Bush and Clinton and Bush Sr. and Reagan and so on, were all within the bounds of the normal, while Trump is a unique danger. Thats certainly true. But I still think Obama ought to hold his fire for the big things that veritably demand a response.

There remains the question of what hes going to do with himself. He said at this event that hes going to devote time to preparing the next generation of leadership yadda yadda. And we know hes doing his anti-gerrymandering project with Eric Holder. Anything else?

There was this rumor kicking around at the end of last year that he wanted to start a media company. He apparently discussed it with aides, and even maybe (hence the rumor part) with Mark Zuckerberg.

He did talk a bit again at Mondays event about media fragmentation, which hes discussed a lot. So if Obama were going to start a media company, hed presumably want to try to transcend said fragmentation.

But I dont know what would make him think that he could. Exactly which conservatives are going to watch Obama TV? If he did attempt such a venture, thered be heavily funded right-wing Obama TV monitoring groups ready to start watching for signs of secret Kenyanism and pressuring sponsors before it even went on the air.

Its the same old problem really. Obama wanted to transcend partisanship as president and came into office actually thinking that he could, to some extent. It took him about five years to learn that the Republicans werent going to permit that under any circumstances, at which point he finally started doing some executive orders and going around Congress. Then came the election, in which he was even-handed to a fault, at least when it came to the Russia stuff. And I understood the transition stuff, even as most other liberals complained he was showing Trump too much respect. Outgoing presidents take that peaceful transfer-of-power thing seriously.

But now? As I said, he should pick his shots carefully. But picking shots means that you affirmatively take some. His America needs him to.
A former Kentucky judge who served as a local chair for Donald Trumps presidential campaign was arrested Friday on sex trafficking charges.

Tim Nolan, 70, was charged with human trafficking and unlawful transaction with a minor, according to a press release from Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. Nolan allegedly provided a minor with alcoholand subjected a minor to commercial sexual activity, according to court papers first obtained by the River City News.

The alleged trafficking occurred between July and August 2016 when he was serving as Campbell County chairman for Trumps campaign.

In June, Nolan sued GOPFacts.org for publishing a picture of a man who they claimed was Nolan dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes. Nolan had originally posted the picture on his personal Facebook with the caption Comn [sic] out to the Rabbit Hole and join the clan but quickly deleted it, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. In a suit, Nolan said the picture wasnt him but rather a friend posing as a joke.

Its a joke in the neighborhood because every year [the friend] dresses up as a Klansman and he has two black grandchildren that he loves to death, Nolans attorney said at the time. The Trump campaign kept Nolan on after the KKK incident.

Judges who know Nolan are puzzled by the sex allegations, the Enquirer reports.

I cant imagine what he did, retired family court attorney Mickey Foellger told the paper. Folleger worked as an attorney in the Campbell County attorneys office during the same years that Nolan served as a judge.

I dont want to speculate. Its mind-boggling that he would be with an underage girl.

Nolan won a school board seat in Campbell County, Kentucky last November after running on a platform of giving families school choice vouchers for and eliminating property tax funding for public schools.

We are immensely troubled and saddened to hear of the arrest of Mr. Nolan and grieve for those impacted. Campbell County Schools leadership is currently monitoring this situation and working to determine next steps, the school board told The Daily Beast in a statement. We ask the community for your continued confidence in our commitment to each and every child as we work to provide them with the highest quality education in a safe and secure setting.

Nolans case is being handled in nearby Boone County to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. Nolans daughter, Taunya Nolan Jack, is a current Campbell County circuit clerk. After the investigation against Nolan was announced, Campbell district judge Karen Thomas recused all of the countys district judges and appointed Elizabeth Chandler, a judge from another county.

Nolan served as a district judge in Campbell County in the 1970s and 80s and remained a fixture in local politics after leaving the bench. Nolan served as chairman of Trumps campaign in Campbell County and was part of a group of local Republicans who unsuccessfully tried to remove Mitch McConnell from the Kentucky delegation.

On Friday, Judge Chandler lowered Nolans original $50,000 bond on Friday and ordered him to wear an electronic ankle monitor and stay at least 1,000 feet away from the alleged victim and her family, WKRC Cincinnati reported. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 5.
SPRINGDALE, Ark., April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its strategic focus on protein-packed brands, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) is exploring the sale of three non-protein businesses, the company reported today.

In February, Tyson Foods announced its strategy to sustainably feed the world with the fastest growing portfolio of protein packed brands. As the company focuses on its growth and value creation, it is exploring the sale of its Sara Lee Frozen Bakery business, the Kettle business and Vans. Company officials believe the sale of these businesses will allow Tyson Foods to sharpen its focus on core businesses and expand its protein leadership position in retail and foodservice.

Through our ongoing strategic planning process, were continuously looking at ways to maximize the effectiveness and growth potential of our protein-based portfolio of products, said Tom Hayes, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. The businesses were exploring to sell include well-respected brands, operations and product lines. With our protein-focused strategy, we believe other companies may be better positioned to unlock their value over time.

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, the Kettle business and Vans produce items such as frozen desserts, waffles, breakfast bars and soups, sauces and sides. Any sale would include the Chef Pierre, Bistro Collection, Kettle Creations and Vans brands, a license to use the Sara Lee brand in various channels, as well as the companys Tarboro, NC, Fort Worth, TX and Traverse City, MI prepared foods facilities. Rothschild is acting as Tyson Foods financial advisor on the sale.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the worlds largest food companies with leading brands such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells and State Fair. Its a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts. The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and approximately 115 countries. Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. The company currently has approximately 114,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in the press release may constitute forward-looking statements, such as statements relating to anticipated business growth. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties (including those described under Item 1A. Risk Factors included in our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the period ended October 1, 2016) which could cause our actual results and experiences to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. We wish to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made.
October 2, 1927 - April 21, 2017

Margaret Hayes, 89, of Bryan, passed away on Friday, April 21, 2017, embraced by the love of her family. A visitation will be from 4 to 6 pm, on Monday, April 24, 2017, at the funeral centers. Graveside services are scheduled for 2 pm, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at Rest-Ever Memorial Park. Services are in the care of Callaway-Jones Funeral and Cremation Centers Bryan-College Station.

Margaret was born in Lorraine, Texas to Jefferson and Annie Horton Manley on October 2, 1927. She was a determined lady in her adult life and worked for the county tax office a number of years. She was a loving grandmother who gave encouraging words to her grand and great-grandchildren. She married her husband Norman B. Hayes; after his death in 1991 she dedicated her remaining years to honoring their marriage vows to love him even in death. Margaret was a member of Trinity Baptist Church.

Preceding her in death are Norman Hayes; her parents Jefferson and Annie Manley.

Margaret's survivors are her daughter Linda Ezell; her son Ronnie Hayes and wife Loretta; her grandchildren Holli Neihmier and husband John Adam, Collin Hayes, Natalie Ernst and husband Clay, Norman DeWayne Berger and wife Cindi; her six great-grandchildren.

Express condolences at CallawayJones.com
Former President George H.W. Bush is expected to be home by the end of the week after a nearly 10-day stay at Houston Methodist Hospital, according to family spokesman Jim McGrath.

Bush checked into the Houston hospital April 14 after a cough turned persistent. He was diagnosed with a mild case of pneumonia, which was treated and has been resolved.

McGrath said Bush is expected to remain under observation at the hospital for just a few more days, but is in "good spirits and resting comfortably."

Bush, 92, was hospitalized for 16 days in January after being diagnosed with pneumonia.
Furthermore, the judges said that Monsanto is interfering with the right to food by denying peasant farmers access to seeds.

Farmers in countries that adopted GMO crops have seen their seed choices restricted. Non-GMO seeds are being withdrawn from the market, leading to a decreased choice of seeds.

The judges added that "use of GMOs all around the world is undermining the ability of farmers to access seeds and damaging agricultural production by communities. This situation is also affecting food sovereignty, which implies priority of people's right to food and food production, rather than corporate interests."

Under threat: biodiversity and fundamental human rights

Monsanto's activities also threaten biodiversity, the judges said, as an increasing number of farmers use the same GMO seeds to grow the same monocrops: "By reducing crop biodiversity and local plants, Monsanto has interfered with the right to food and is moreover aggravating the risks of food security and undermining the resilience of local food production systems."

Another dimension of the right to food that was exposed by the witnesses was the impact of GMO seeds on farmers' property rights. For example, farmers who have not bought or intentionally used Monsanto' seeds have had their fields or crops contaminated by GMOs.

In some cases, the judges added, farmers have been forced to pay royalties to Monsanto and have been unable to sell their products as organic or free from GMOs: "Monsanto has aggressively pursued intimidation tactics that have damaged the fabric of communities and caused great anxiety and mental affliction."

In a blistering condemnation of patents on seeds, the judges said that these "are in contradiction with the principle of human right to food which guarantees access to nutrition, the basic need for every human to exist. Intellectual property rights should be rightfully respected, but when companies are taking hold of sources of nutrition, [this should be] under closer scrutiny.

Seed saving threatened by aggressive marketing of GMO seeds

The judges noted that the "aggressive marketing of GMO seeds" has "interfered with the right to food by forcing farming methods that do not respect traditional cultural practices."

They explained, "Farmers that have fallen prey to Monsanto's aggressive and misleading tactics have been forced to buy seeds every year and have lost the ability to save seeds. Since the advent of agriculture thousands of years ago, farmers have been saving seeds for cultivation the next season.

"This cultural practice has allowed for diversity and resilience in periods of drought or against pests. But the spread of GMO seeds by Monsanto has denied farmers the ability to practice agriculture according to their traditional cultural practices. A non-commercial seeds system must exist and expand, ensuring that farmers have the ability to preserve their traditional knowledge."

Widening the perspective beyond Monsanto alone, the judges stated, "Today's dominant agro-industrial model is highly problematic, not only because it is dependent on dangerous chemicals, but also due to its negative effects on climate change, its impact on the loss of biodiversity, and its inability to ensure food sovereignty."

Monsanto's activities could constitute ecocide

The judges considered whether Monsanto could be held liable for the crime of ecocide - defined as causing substantive and lasting damage to biodiversity and ecosystems, affecting the life and the health of human populations - if it were recognized in international criminal law.

They decided that the activities of Monsanto could possibly constitute a crime of ecocide, based on (among other actions):

the company's introduction of large-scale use of dangerous agrochemicals in industrial agriculture;

the production and release of genetically engineered crops, which expose communities and individuals to the risks of increased pesticide and herbicide use;

and severe contamination of plant diversity, soils, and water.



Another future is possible!

The judges pointed out that an alternative farming future to the agro-industrial model is not only desirable but also practical. Referring to the UN- and World Bank-sponsored IAASTD report on the future of farming, the judges said:

"A rise in organic agricultural practices in many places illustrates that farming with less, or without, pesticides, herbicides, and other dangerous chemicals is feasible. Studies have indicated that agroecology is capable of delivering sufficient yields to feed the entire world population and ensure that people are adequately nourished."

In conclusion, the five eminent judges of the Monsanto Tribunal found that Monsanto has:

interfered with people's right to feed themselves from the land;

contaminated soil and water, thus reducing the potential for the production of food;

undermined farmer access to seeds by genetically modifying and patenting seeds, which cannot be saved but which have to be bought anew each year;

promoted the growth of GMO monocultures, which damage biodiversity and undermine the resilience of local food production systems;

introduced the large-scale use of dangerous agrochemicals along with the GM crops that depend on them, thus exposing people and the environment to increased amounts of health-threatening pesticides.

Most damning of all is the judges' conclusion that none of these tragic developments are necessary, as the world can feed itself using agroecological methods.

Claire Robinson is managing editor at GMWatch, a public news and information service on issues surrounding GM crops and foods.

This article was originally published by GMWatch.
Kim Reynolds wins reelection, promises to let Iowans 'keep more of your money'

Our message for you tonight is this: We are not stopping. We are not slowing down," Kim Reynolds told a cheering crowd of supporters.
Its easy to understand how aging adults, many of whom are retired and live alone, can become isolated and disconnected. But we forget that living alone is not the only factor that can lead to social isolation  seniors who live in assisted living communities or with family caregivers may also experience feelings of loneliness.

Beyond negatively impacting seniors emotional well-being, social isolation carries other negative side effects. Did you know isolation and loneliness are even associated with an increased risk for chronic disease and cognitive decline?

Alternatively, regular social interactions  engaging in conversation, playing games and partaking in group activities keep our minds sharp. Studies have shown that cognitive stimulation can help slow the decline of dementia in its early stages, suggesting that social interactions and activities are especially important for seniors living with Alzheimers and other dementias. Unfortunately, these are often the very people who experience lack of stimulation and isolation.

Fortunately, theres an easy fix to this dilemma  its called intergenerational bonding. Bringing seniors and children or young adults together through planned, mutually beneficial activities and programs is one way to help seniors feel connected to others and provide much-needed stimulation. Across the country, more communities, organizations, senior living communities and schools are incorporating intergenerational programs to benefit both the old and the young.

Examples of these programs include older adults serving the young through mentorship programsseniors volunteering in schools as reading assistants, tutors and resources for career and parenting guidance. There are also examples of programs where younger generations visit senior centers and communities for service learning projects; elementary schools may encourage young students to become pen pals with a local senior, or visit a senior community to collect oral histories and tap into seniors as a resource in their learning. There are even examples of older adults and the young sharing settings: day care centers that house both adult care and childcare programs are a growing trend  there are now more than 500 intergenerational day care centers across the country that encourage daily interactions between seniors and children.

All kinds of benefits

Intergenerational programs like these benefit the entire community, but they can be an especially effective in helping seniors combat feelings of isolation and promoting overall well-being. Studies have linked intergenerational interaction with decreased loneliness, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of disease; a Japanese study from 2013 concluded that socialization across generations also increases the amount of smiling and conversation among older adults.

Intergenerational bonding activities can even help slow cognitive decline, making these kinds of activities and interactions especially beneficial to seniors with dementia. According to Generations United, a nonprofit that advocates for intergenerational programming, older adults with dementia or other cognitive impairments experience an uptick in positive engagements when interacting with children compared to other interactions. They also perform better on memory tests than their peers who are not involved in intergenerational activities. And for seniors living with dementia, interacting with children may alleviate social anxieties and communication problems that can be common during interactions with other adults.

Intergenerational programs can pump new life into older adults and senior living communities, making them more vibrant places where seniors grow closer to others across generations, as opposed to growing further away. If youre interested in exploring intergenerational activities, consider calling senior centers in your area for suggestions. For a more comprehensive overview and further resources on intergenerational programs, visit the Generations United website.

Terry Tumpane is the Executive Director at Bridges by EPOCH at Norwalk, a memory care assisted living community that will open in fall 2017. She can be reached at ttumpane@bridgesbyepoch.com.
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NORWALK  The Norwalk Community Health Center will welcome patients into the last bit of usable space in its Connecticut Avenue facility this week with the opening of a new dental suite.

NCHC CEO Craig Glover said the suite will drastically expand the health centers dental services, which previously were only offered once a week through the Mobile Medical Unit.

Weve had some limited dental services or a while, but this is really a huge increase in our ability to do dental procedures, Glover said.

The space, long known as The Big Empty, was the last unused space in the 24,500-square-foot Connecticut Avenue facility, which opened in 2010. Glover estimates the dental suite will serve 550 unique people in the first year.

While Connecticut has the highest rate in the nation of adults who self-reported regularly visiting a dental health professional, the Fairfield County Community Foundation Community Wellbeing Index 2016 found that percentage varies widely by income level and neighborhood.

In Norwalk 34 percent of emergency room encounters for dental conditions were preventable in 2016, and in South Norwalk, 47 percent were preventable, according to the Wellbeing index.

Disparities in the rate of emergency room encounters for dental conditions, among both children and adults, indicates there are major barriers to accessing preventative dental care in low-income neighborhoods, the report found. This is an issue Glover said NCHC is hoping to address with the new dental suite.

The Community Health Center largely provides services to low income individuals and families, many of whom do not receive appropriate preventative dental care, Glover said.

We also know that in our service area there is a demand for these services, particularly for our underserved population, Glover said. And that dental health can have a huge impact on overall health.

The suite, which will welcome its first patients Thursday, is staffed by a dentist, dental assistant and dental hygienist, who will provide a comprehensive range of oral health preventative care and treatment.

Director of Dental Health Meryl Hertz said patients will be referred for some dental services, but will be able to receive basic dental care, restorative care and emergency services.

Another focus will be on children, Hertz said. By a year they should be coming in so we can focus on prevention and getting them used to going to the dentist.

As with all of the Community Health Centers programs, services will be provided regardless of a patients insurance status.

One of the things we do is work with people who lack insurance, Glover said. Thats part of being a community health center.

Some dental services will still be provided by the mobile medical unit, which offers basic dental care on its Friday route.

The Medical Mobile Unit, known as the Health on Wheels (HOW) Bus, began providing services in January 2013. The HOW bus offers a full array of clinical services including medical (Pediatrics, Adult, and Womens Health), behavioral health, dental hygienic and eligibility services. The HOW bus provides clinical care services on-site throughout the Norwalk and Greater Norwalk communities including Open Door Shelter, Norwalk Housing Authority resident sites and Gillespie Center in Westport.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and U.S Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn, visited the facility last week for a ribbon cutting ceremony with local elected officials, patients and providers.

NCHC serves 12,000 Norwalk residents, and provides more than 48,000 medical office visits every year.

We are at max capacity for this facility, Glover said. We have been looking for about a year at potential spaces for a second location.

kkrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
NORWALK  Middle-school students can learn hands-on about local marine life at The Maritime Aquarium this summer.

Current seventh- and eighth-graders in the Norwalk Public Schools may now apply for a free week of fun explorations as part of a summer camp offered through the 2017 Mayors Student Engineering & Science Program. Completed applications are due back to designated science teachers by Friday, May 12.

Students must be in good academic standing and will be chosen based on need, their interest in engineering and/or marine sciences, and other criteria.

Up to 50 students will be accepted with 25 students participating June 26 through 30, and the remaining 25 July 31 through Aug. 4.

Applications are available from seventh- and eighth-grade science teachers in the Norwalk Public Schools, as well as from those at All Saints Catholic and Side by Side Charter schools.

The summer camp program is in its third year. Initial funding came from money raised from home energy-efficiency evaluations offered through the Mayors Energy & Environment Task Force. This years summer-camp programs will be funded by contributions from Bankwell and other local corporations.

Norwalk Councilman John Kydes, chairman of the energy task force, said the camp is a great opportunity for 7th- and 8th-grade students and encouraged students parents to apply.

The demand for acceptance into the program has dramatically increased over the years so I recommend to parents that you get your child's application in before May 12, Kydes said.

Under the leadership of Maritime Aquarium educators, students will build and test a hydrophone, learn about SCUBA diving, participate in a hands-on study cruise aboard the Aquariums new research vessel, and make discoveries about marine animals during an exploration at Calf Pasture Beach.

Maritime Aquarium President Brian Davis said the camp will be an eye-opening experience for students.

But we want it to also be eye-opening as they discover opportunities here at the aquarium  perhaps as a volunteer, or the amazing things happening with high school students in our nationally recognized TeMPEST program, Davis said. We want them to see themselves here for years beyond one week this summer.

The camp programs will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the aquarium, with pre- and post-care available to help working parents. Lunch is included, but transportation to and from the Aquarium is not.

Mayor Harry W. Rilling thanked Kydes and te Maritime Aquarium for arranging the annual summer camp.

This camp is a wonderful experience for our students as it helps them to develop an awareness of, and an appreciation for, Long Island Sound, Rilling said.
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NORWALK  A handful of eighth-graders at Roton Middle School formed two lines in the schools health classroom.

Each dropped down to the ground, kneeled before a manikin and started pumping.

With a thrust of their hands  one on top of the other  each student pushed down on the chest of their respective dummy about two inches deep.

One, they pushed. Two, they pushed. Three, they pushed  all the way to health teacher Lois Snelsons count of 30.

Then they each, in unison, gave a quick tilt of their respective manikins chin, blew in two breaths and continued on with compressions.

One, two, three ... Snelson continued rattling out.

The scene marked a demonstration of the students training for the CPR in School, a hands-only CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, program from the American Heart Association.

In the first week of April, nearly all of the 174 eighth-graders at Roton started their training Snelsons health class.

They began with a pre-test to assess their knowledge of the potentially life-saving technique and moved on to learning how to perform it themselves.

Though the program usually takes about two weeks for students to complete, Snelson only sees her students every sixth day and therefore stretched the learning across most of the month of April.

Its important for students to learn, Snelson said, because just one student knowing how to perform CPR could mean the difference between life and death of those around them in the time of a health emergency.

Instead of just standing around and panicking, Snelson said, they know to pick up the phone, call 911 and to do compressions  if nothing else.

Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home or in a public location die, according to the American Heart Association, because they don't receive immediate CPR. If performed immediately, American Heart Association officials say CPR can double or triple a persons chance of survival  though they say that happens less than 10 percent of the time outside of the hospital.

Eighth-grader John Pellegrino understands the importance of CPR all too well.

A few months ago while his sister played for Brien McMahon High School in an afternoon volleyball match versus Fairfield Warde High School, Pellegrinos grandfather reported not feeling well. Sweat gathered on the mans face and he eventually suffered cardiac arrest.

Emergency personnel responded, performed CPR and took the grandfather to the hospital.

Unfortunately, CPR wasnt enough to save Pellegrinos grandfathers life.

The incident did however underscore for Pelligrino concrete action that could be taken in the light of the tragedy.

Pellegrino said he realized that CPR is something that is important.

Im pumped, Pellegrino said of learning the technique  no pun intended.

In addition to his own training, Pellegrino shared the story of his grandfather with his fellow classmates as they were learning CPR to help illustrate to them with a real-world example of just how important knowing the technique could be in all of their futures.

Pellegrino said he is glad he is armed with the ability to use CPR if necessary in the future, and, Snelson said, many other students expressed they were too.

Across the country CPR has slowly been integrated into public school curriculum. As of this school year, a majority of states have regulations requiring CPR be taught to some degree before high school graduation.

This is the first year school districts within Connecticut are required by a state law to include CPR instruction as a part of the health and safety curriculum.

This is also the first year Snelson has trained the schools eighth-graders CPR. She was able to do so after obtaining materials and dummies through the American Heart Association, with funds given to her through Roton Middle Schools PTO.

With the materials acquired and the first round of students set to receive their certification, Snelson said she plans to offer the training annually to eighth-graders as part of their regular health class curriculum

The biggest thing is giving them the confidence to know what to do, Snelson said.

In the pretest given to students at the beginning of the program, Snelson said nearly all students reported they wouldnt feel comfortable performing hands-only CPR if someone suffered cardiac arrest.

Now, she said. we are almost at 100 percent.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz
Last Wednesday at a factory in Kenosha, Wis., President Donald Trump signed an executive order that, in part, directed the government to review the H-1B visa program in light of his America First governing philosophy. Entrepreneurs looking to hire highly-skilled immigrants are uncertain what the consequences of the order will be.

Entrepreneurs are hopeful the Trump Administration will effectively reform the highly unpopular lottery for 65,000 visas that currently favors outsourcing firms in India over employers sponsoring individual employees. They are also worried the political pressure driving hire American policies will ultimately lead to fewer jobs for everyone. One cited Uber hiring away nearly the entire staff at the Carnegie-Mellon robotics lab to staff its self-driving car research as an example of how too little highly skilled labor undermines the R&D at the foundation of economic growth.

We asked five company founders, all immigrants who know the visa system both as applicants and as employers, their thoughts.

Related: Here's How to Fix the H-1B Visa Program to Drive Startup Growth

"Unclear and difficult for us to assess.''

Jerry Jao, CEO and founder, Retention Science, an immigrant from Taiwan and now naturalized U.S. citizen

"These newly implemented policies by our Government are unclear and difficult for us to assess. My employees are highly educated people and they are bewildered -- imagine the situation of less educated people, with less money and no access to an immigration lawyer.

"We simply do not have enough of skilled labor to support innovation and economic growth. It's not feasible to just tell employers to hire more Americans through a new regulation when we have not addressed the lack of skilled force and training needs.

"Lastly, this affects many non-U.S. born graduate students who are U.S. educated and often trained at U.S. companies but might be unemployable by a U.S. firm. This will result in a serious depletion of technical talent in the U.S. if they are forced to leave the country."

"Makes it harder for startups to succeed.''

Manny Medina, immigrant from Ecuador and CEO of Outreach

"The executive order means two big things to startups. First, it makes it harder for startups to succeed by shrinking the pool of available talent for hire. The war for talent in the tech industry remains fierce and one of the ways weve attracted employees over the last decade is to draft off larger companies like Amazon and Microsoft who are heavy sponsors of H-1B visas. When employees grow tired of the cultures of those giants, were able to snap them up. But under the executive order, the pool of available H-1B visa holders to snatch up will shrink, making the pond from which we fish even smaller.

"But theres also a silver lining. Historically a third of H-1Bs have gone to outsourcing firms like Tata and Infosys to hire resources that are readily available in the U.S. With the increased complexity of securing visas, these firms will likely hire more in the U.S., freeing up visas for other companies to sponsor. For startups with the resources to sponsor H-1Bs, this could work in our favor. I, for one, have begun aggressively pursuing highly skilled candidates from other countries and sponsoring them to work in the U.S. -- starting with H-1B sponsorship but continuing all the way through to green card sponsorship. Theres an opportunity here for startups to step in and grow their businesses by doing the right thing."

Related: Charging a Startup with a VISA -- Just Not the Kind You Think

"The talent pool is too small."

Ximena Hartsock, Chilean immigrant and co-founder and president, Phone2Action

"While it isnt perfect, the H1B program provides a vehicle for companies of all sizes to hire tech talent. Reducing or eliminating the program would hurt those companies. One area that needs improvement is the abuse of the system by outsourcing firms. These firms apply for a high volume of visas, often for entry-level jobs, and shrink the pool for everyone else. Last year, we applied for one of our employees, and she competed with 250,000 applicants for only 85,000 slots.

"I believe the administration is looking at changing wage structures and increased vetting of visa applicants to address some of these problems. I think one solution could be a merit-based application that takes place before the standard lottery process occurs. Other countries have programs like this, and they consider factors like education level, specialized skills and English proficiency.

"Ultimately, our first desire as employers is to 'Hire American,' but unfortunately the talent pool is too small. The good news is the administration has the opportunity to look at the root cause of the STEM shortage by working with schools. High school is too late to talk about STEM, we need to start fostering STEM education in elementary school."

Related: H-1B Visas Keep Down US Tech Wages Says Study. Will it Cause Harm to Indian IT Companies?

"Signs for optimism and concern.''

Harj Taggar, CEO of Triplebyte

"It's tough to know definitely what the recent executive order on H-1B visa reform means for companies since it's mostly a call to action for further review of the program. There are signs for optimism and concern for small business from the words surrounding the announcements. The push towards making the H-1B visa an option for only highly qualified and skilled individuals who are earning market rate salaries for their talents, is to be welcomed. Innovative companies of any size are always happy to pay the best people what they deserve, wherever they're from. Only the outsourcing companies who abuse the H-1B program will suffer from changes in this direction and it's encouraging that they, rather than technology companies building products, seem to be the focus of this reform.

"The main signs of concern for smaller businesses in particular will be on exactly what requirements to show they tried to 'hire American first' are put in place and how high the minimum salary requirements are moved. If either of these levers are pulled too hard, they'll disproportionately benefit larger companies with more resources over smaller businesses. Mostly though, we'll have to wait and see as there just aren't enough specifics in this order to know exactly how things will play out."

Related: 3 Reasons You Need to Look for Global Tech Talent

"Companies may feel a little unsettled by the changes that lie ahead.''

Vip Sandhir, CEO and founder of HighGround

"Though tech companies may feel a little unsettled by the changes that lie ahead for our countrys H-1B visa program, I dont think itll deter the industrys success. Since founding HighGround in 2012, Ive valued the strong work ethic and innovative ideas our employees with H-1B visas have brought to the company as weve grown and evolved. Despite the recent immigration policy changes, I wouldnt shy away from hiring qualified candidates with H-1Bs because weve had tremendous success as a result of their contributions. The current political environment, at least in my company, isnt affecting immigrant tech workers goals and ambitions for their careers in this country. As long as business leaders continue to support employees with H-1Bs through the presidents review of the program, the future of tech in the U.S. will remain bright.

"As immigrant myself from London and the son of immigrants from India, I know first-hand how committed immigrants are to capitalizing on the opportunity theyve been afforded to jumpstart their careers in the U.S. Thats why Ive prioritized building a diverse team; on staff at HighGround, for example, we have employees who have immigrated from a variety of countries including India, China, Egypt, Africa, France, Greece, Russia, Mexico, Vietnam, Ukraine and Philippines. Regardless of how the H-1B program might change, tech companies should continue making their environments welcoming places for immigrants to share ideas and ultimately grow in their roles."

Related:

Will Trump Visa Order Fix a Broken System or Smash it?

H-1B Visas Keep Down US Tech Wages Says Study. Will it Cause Harm to Indian IT Companies?

What You Need to Know About the Temporary Hold on Expedited H-1B Visas



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DONIPHAN  A fire at Robb Feed Yard on Monday morning just north of Doniphan destroyed 2,500 bales of hay and cornstalks and drew firefighters from five departments.

No cattle were lost in the blaze, however.

Doniphan Fire Chief Mike Meyer said the department received a call about the fire at 10255 S. Nine Bridges Road around 8:15 a.m. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had quickly engulfed rows of large round bales of hay and cornstalks on the south end of the property.

Meyer said firefighters quickly went to work to protect cattle, buildings and silage supplies on the property from the spreading fire, which was fanned by strong southwest winds gusting at 35 mph or more.

He said firefighters continued to monitor the site while the bales smoldered throughout the day.

Along with Doniphan firefighters, firefighting crews from Alda, Grand Island Rural, Trumbull and Giltner were on scene to help quell the blaze.

The 2,500 round bales acted as dry tinder to feed the flames as the strong winds quickly spread the fire, said Greg Robb, who owns the feed yard.

Robb said no cattle were lost because of the fire, and the silage and structures on the property were protected by the firefighters quick actions.

The source of the fire may have been burning debris at the towns landfill, which borders the feed yard at the south end of the property, where the hay and cornstalk bales were stored. Meyer said the source of the fire is under investigation by the state fire marshals office.

We suspect that the ashes or embers from the landfill came up and ignited hay piles, Robb said.

He said the cattle at the feed yard were never in danger.

It was strictly the hay bales on the south end of the feed yard, Robb said.

He said there were numerous spot fires throughout the yard from the burning embers.

Because of the intensity of the fire in the hay piles, firefighters let the piles burn while working to keep the fire from spreading further on the property.

We have enough feed on hand, Robb said.
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.

Sharon Randall is a syndicated columnist. Contact her at P.O. Box 777394, Henderson, NV 89052 or at via her website at www.sharonrandall.com.
The Grand Island YMCA will host Healthy Kids Day from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 29, at the downtown Y.

The free daylong event will feature activities such as games and information about healthy eating and safety to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home.

A variety of booths from community partners will feature fun, educational activities and active play, such as bounce houses and Zumba for kids. Free lunch for kids will be provided while it lasts.

We believe in the potential of all children, and we work to help kids find that potential within themselves, said Jenny Pohlmeier, school age child care director at the YMCA. A childs development is never on vacation, and Healthy Kids Day is a great opportunity to educate families and motivate kids to stay active in spirit, mind and body throughout the summer.

Research shows that, without access to out-of-school learning activities, kids fall behind academically, and the summer learning loss is more pronounced among students from low-income families, according to a press release from the YMCA. Kids also gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year.

Locally, Healthy Kids Day is sponsored by the CHI Health St. Francis Foundation.

For more information, call (308) 395-9622 or visit giymca.org.
HASTINGS  Sunday marked year seven of the annual Springfest at the Prairie Loft in Hastings.

The theme for Springfest is Celebrating the Planting Season. The day was full of families enjoying and holding live farm animals, kids activities and eating goods made by local vendors.

This years Springfest included a learning animal barn, live music, hay rack rides, farm equipment displays, kids games, vendors, sheep shearing and much more, all for no admission price.

Prairie Loft Executive Director Amy Sandeen said the event started seven years ago when she had the idea of combining two events the facility already hosted into one event to kick off spring.

We had been offering a fall event to kick off harvest with these kinds of events, and we realized it was great enough to do twice a year.

Prairie Loft still does an event in October for harvest.

Since then, Sandeen said Springfest has been well attended and the numbers keep climbing.

Last year we had 1,050 visitors for Springfest. This year 1,134, she said. Its just wonderful to (have) so many attend.

Sandeen said some of the faces attending are new, and others come every year.

I love meeting new people and families, and enjoy visiting with our regulars as well.

Attendees are not only from South Central Nebraska, but also from Lincoln, Omaha, and as far as Kansas and Iowa. Sandeen said its really a draw for a lot for people in the region.

One such usual visitor is Kristen Laing, a photography vendor and regular visitor of Springfest.

Laing said her family uses the event as an outlet to get away from it all for a while.

We love that we can come out to Springfest and completely disconnect from electronics.

She added that she appreciates Springfest giving her family a chance to see different animals, and uses the experience to connect as a family.

Laing has brought her business and family to the event since its inception.

A new visitor to Springfest this year is Mason Elliott, 9, from Sioux City, Iowa. He liked watching the sheep sheering.

Its weird, he said. He giggled with his family as the sheep made noises during its haircut. That was funny, Elliott said.

With his first time at the event, Elliott said he really looked forward to taking it all in and especially checking out the live animals.

Thats what I want to see, the farm animals, he said with a smile.

The live animals were brought to the event by Rural Ranchers 4-H group.

Laing also noted that she thinks Sandeen does a wonderful job of not only hosting Springfest, but also other events catered to adults throughout the year.

Prairie Loft host Wine, Women and Wilderness quarterly.

Women of different ages, backgrounds, and times of our lives connect together. Amy calls it disconnect to reconnect, Laing said.

The Prairie Loft is also known for hosting the Flatwater Music Festival in June. The venue also is used for many weddings.

On each third Saturday of the month, the Prairie Loft has Family Outdoor Club, during which parents bring their children out to enjoy stories, music and animals, and also to do nature hikes.

Its really a great thing, said Laing.

One major attraction for the kids was Annebelle, the plastic cow which kids got to milk.

Sandeen said that is an opportunity that kids raised in an urban setting may never get to experience elsewhere.

My favorite part is when multiple generations share unique experiences like this," she said. Milking a cow is one of those chances to share stories.

Generally, we are three generations away from the family farm, meaning if grandpa and grandma farmed, chance are their grandkids dont," Sandeen said.

Springfest gives a chance for the two generations to bond.

Prairie Loft teamed up with the Hastings Museum and Hastings Public Library, to just name a few, to provide some activities for the day.

Sandeen said although the event is sponsored, she believes the day is more about togetherness than making money.

She said she appreciated CPI and all of Prairie Loft's sponsors and supporters, who make having a successful Springfest possible.

Sandeen appreciates all who attended and looks forward to next years event.
The Community Youth Council has expanded Brent Luckes interest in city government.

As a member of the CYCs city government committee, Lucke, a Northwest High School junior, has researched the city of Grand Islands budget deficit. This, he said, is what fascinates him the most about city government and CYC.

I like seeing how things work and trying to solve problems, Lucke said. Governments arent run like businesses. You dont just have income and expenses. You have separate funds that are closed off from each other.

Im fascinated by how much more autonomously and independently the different departments of the city run. Its seeing how much separation and how many roles the different departments play in our daily lives.

Wendy-Meyer Schmidt, the city of Grand Islands public information officer and CYC coordinator, said Lucke and the city government committee are working on a presentation regarding their recommendations on how to address the citys budget deficit. She added Lucke was selected to share the voice of the youth and CYC membership at a future city council meeting when the budget is discussed.

He said he applied for CYC after Northwest librarian George Mohr convinced him and some other students to get involved in different organizations. He added there was an announcement at school to go to the schools auditorium to learn more about CYC.

Lucke said he didnt know what CYC was, but that he still decided to attend the meeting.

They talked about what theyd done the year prior with the Emergency Management Center and call center and different projects theyve had. It seemed interesting, he said. I just saw that there was an organization that was separate from school and allowed youth to get involved in their community. Generally, you only have school organizations like FBLA or student council, which are pretty limited.

Lucke added an advantage of CYC has been the ability to have a direct line of communication with city officials and people you would never meet otherwise, such as Grand Island Mayor Jeremy Jensen, Finance Director Renae Griffiths and other people you dont even think about.

In addition to being involved with the city government committee, Lucke also is co-chairman of the committee planning CYCs El Dia de Los Ninos (Childrens Day) event on April 30. He said the purpose of the event is to educate Grand Island youths about the different cultures within the community.

What Childrens Day is doing is teaching kids more about their friends or people they meet that are Hispanic so they can better understand, Lucke said. Kids usually judge people if they are different. The purpose of Childrens Day is to help educate various groups in Grand Island about each other. It is putting a focus on Hispanic culture this year, but it is also helping to teach kids about all the cultures in Grand Island and how diverse a community we really are.

Meyer-Schmidt said Lucke has a natural talent for public speaking and presentation and she is impressed with his leadership on the Childrens Day committee.

Brent looks at things from a different perspective and is not afraid to express those thoughts, she said. Even if his viewpoint is not well received and the group moves in a different direction, he moves on in a positive manner with whatever the consensus is. He has been a wonderful co-chair and has proven to not only be a well-organized and focused leader, but also someone who motivates other CYC members to work toward group success.

Some of Luckes other involvements in CYC include running a game for children at the Nebraska State Fair and the Feast Like a Pilgrim event in which members delivered Thanksgiving meals to families at the Cherry Park Apartments.

He will not be involved with CYC next school year because he will be studying abroad as part of a Rotary program. He will be in Germany from August to July 2018. He said he became interested in the study abroad program after a district lady came and spoke to him and a few of his classmates about the program.

Lucke added he also spoke with former Mayor Ken Gnadt, a Rotary member, about the program. He said Gnadt also said the local club would be interested in sponsoring him and it has since chosen to do so.

He said he is both nervous and excited about the opportunity to study in Germany next school year.

Im a little bit nervous about learning the language mostly. Hopefully, I can get enough fluency or understanding of it by then, he said. Ive been out of the state, but Ive never been outside of the country. The main interest I have in Germany is the history of it and learning it from a different perspective than we have here because American schools are going to have an American bias. Hopefully, I can learn the history from a bit of a different angle.

After studying in Germany, Lucke plans to enter college to focus on a career in urban planning, architecture or something in the general area of designing spaces and places for humans. He added he also plans to minor in economics.

And his post-career plans?

Im thinking about, instead of retiring, going into a career in government, Lucke said. I dont want to do the same thing for 50 years. Instead of trying to run just for state or federal, I might get involved in government in whatever city I live in.
Live election coverage: Josh Shapiro wins race for PA governor

The nation is closely watching PA as it could decide the balance of power in Washington. Check back regularly for statewide coverage updates.
The SIUE campus fire station has officially made its debut to the city of Edwardsville.

The station, located on Northwest University Drive, was the site of 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 celebration, 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.
The morning of March 16 was notable for the terrible tragedy that unfolded near Highland after an SUV plunged into Silver Lake and killed the driver, 32-year-old Cristy Campbell of Glen Carbon.

Campbell drowned after police say she drove her SUV into the lake with her 3-month-old baby inside.

But the baby survived thanks to the heroics of first responders from the Highland Public Safety Department. The Madison County Board honored several of them Wednesday at the start of its monthly meeting: Highland Fire-EMS paramedics Todd Zobrist and Ty Barr, and Highland Police Officers Chris Clewis, Heather Kunz, Shawn Bland and Aric Steinbeck.

Highland police became involved at 5:31 a.m. when a driver spotted the SUV in the lake, and Zobrist and Barr drove to the scene.

They could see the headlights of the SUV under the water, said Highland Fire Chief Brian Wilson. Zobrist dove into the 46-degree water and swam 75 feet to the SUV to find a 3-month-old baby boy floating inside. Zobrist removed the baby and placed him on the roof of the SUV and began CPR, and the baby began to breathe. Todd Zobrist decided not to let rescuers come to him, but held the infant above the water and backstroked until he could stand, and ran the rest of the way to shore.

Barr remained on the shore and coordinated with other first responders, Wilson said. Then Zobrist and Bland helped get the baby  and Zobrist  into an ambulance. Zobrist was hypothermic, Wilson said.

Kunz helped with the resuscitation efforts and helped keep the baby warm as Clewis drove the ambulance to the hospital.

Sgt. Steinbeck kept the scene under control and handled emergency communications, Wilson said.

The 27 board members who were present rose and gave the first responders a lengthy standing ovation.

I think this is one of the impressive things that I have ever seen in Madison County, said Judy Kuhn, who represents County Board District 1 in Highland.

The first responders have received similar accolades from the City of Highland and from Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, state Rep. Charlie Meir, and members of the Illinois Legislature.

Campbell had driven to Highland that morning from her home on Dogwood Lane in Glen Carbon. The house where she lived had been set ablaze and police later found her former husband, Justin Campbell, dead inside the house with a gunshot wound to the head.

The baby has been released from the hospital and is reportedly doing well.

The other six children in the house that morning were able to escape the blaze and run to safety.
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Linkedin Egill Bjarnason (Associated Press) Reykjavik, Iceland  Mon, April 24, 2017 09:14 2025 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea87d2c 2 Science & Tech Iceland,icelandic-language Free

When an Icelander arrives at an office building and sees "Solarfri" posted, they need no further explanation for the empty premises: The word means "when staff get an unexpected afternoon off to enjoy good weather."

The people of this rugged North Atlantic island settled by Norsemen some 1,100 years ago have a unique dialect of Old Norse that has adapted to life at the edge of the Artic.

Hundslappadrifa, for example, means "heavy snowfall with large flakes occurring in calm wind."

But the revered Icelandic language, seen by many as a source of identity and pride, is being undermined by the widespread use of English, both for mass tourism and in the voice-controlled artificial intelligence devices coming into vogue.

Linguistics experts, studying the future of a language spoken by fewer than 400,000 people in an increasingly globalized world, wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the Icelandic tongue.

Former President Vigdis Finnbogadottir told The Associated Press that Iceland must take steps to protect its language. She is particularly concerned that programs be developed so the language can be easily used in digital technology.

"Otherwise, Icelandic will end in the Latin bin," she warned.

Teachers are already sensing a change among students in the scope of their Icelandic vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Anna Jonsdottir, a teaching consultant, said she often hears teenagers speak English among themselves when she visits schools in Reykjavik, the capital.

She said 15-year-old students are no longer assigned a volume from the Sagas of Icelanders, the medieval literature chronicling the early settlers of Iceland. Icelanders have long prided themselves of being able to fluently read the epic tales originally penned on calfskin.

Most high schools are also waiting until senior year to read author Halldor Laxness, the 1955 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, who rests in a small cemetery near his farm in West Iceland.

A number of factors combine to make the future of the Icelandic language uncertain. Tourism has exploded in recent years, becoming the country's single biggest employer, and analysts at Arion Bank say one in two new jobs is being filled by foreign labor.

Read also: Oklahoman author, Texas dispute ownership of 'lunar Bibles'

That is increasing the use of English as a universal communicator and diminishing the role of Icelandic, experts say.

"The less useful Icelandic becomes in people's daily life, the closer we as a nation get to the threshold of giving up its use," said Eirikur Rognvaldsson, a language professor at the University of Iceland.

He has embarked on a three-year study of 5,000 people that will be the largest inquiry ever into the use of the language.

"Preliminary studies suggest children at their first-language acquisition are increasingly not exposed to enough Icelandic to foster a strong base for later years," he said.

Concerns for the Icelandic language are by no means new. In the 19th century, when its vocabulary and syntax were heavily influenced by Danish, independence movements fought to revive Icelandic as the common tongue, central to the claim that Icelanders were a nation.

Since Iceland became fully independent from Denmark in 1944, its presidents have long championed the need to protect the language.

Asgeir Jonsson, an economics professor at the University of Iceland, said without a unique language Iceland could experience a brain drain, particularly among certain professions.

"A British town with a population the size of Iceland has far fewer scientists and artists, for example," he said. "They've simply moved to the metropolis."

The problem is compounded because many new computer devices are designed to recognize English but they do not understand Icelandic.

"Not being able to speak Icelandic to voice-activated fridges, interactive robots and similar devices would be yet another lost field," Jonsson said.

Icelandic ranks among the weakest and least-supported language in terms of digital technology  along with Irish Gaelic, Latvian, Maltese and Lithuanian  according to a report by the Multilingual Europe Technology Alliance assessing 30 European languages.

Iceland's Ministry of Education estimates about 1 billion Icelandic krona, or $8.8 million, is needed for seed funding for an open-access database to help tech developers adapt Icelandic as a language option.

Svandis Svavarsdottir, a member of Iceland's parliament for the Left-Green Movement, said the government should not be weighing costs when the nation's cultural heritage is at stake.

"If we wait, it may already be too late," she said.
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Linkedin Vitnija Saldava (Associated Press) Moscow  Mon, April 24, 2017 15:06 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea95343 2 Art & Culture art,avant-garde-art,vladimir-lysenko,the-bull,pushkin-museum Free

Vladimir Lysenko's painted bull stares with flat black eyes like a double-barrel shotgun, one of his horns festooned in a mosaic of bright rectangles, the tip of his tail stretched toward a glowing orange globe that may be the sun.

Over the years, the painting has become one of the most renowned images of the artistic ferment that bubbled under the strictures of insipid Soviet social realism. But until recently, anyone who wanted to see it had to travel to an isolated, gritty city in Uzbekistan's desert.

This month, more than 200 paintings from the Savitsky State Art Museum of Karakalpakstan went on display at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, a rare traveling exhibit from the gallery widely regarded as having the world's second-best collection of Soviet avant-garde art.

"This exhibition opens completely new, and not very well researched, layers of art that are linked to the international avant-garde," said Pushkin museum director Maria Loshak.

The show also draws attention to the history of the Savitsky museum, which is as remarkable as the works it holds.

In this photo taken on Thursday, April 6, 2017, a visitor looks at Alexander Vokov's Caravan at the exhibition of renowned avant-garde collection from the Savitsky State Art Museum of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, opened in the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum in Moscow, Russia. More than 200 paintings from the Savitsky State Art Museum of Karakalpakstan went on display in Moscow, a rare traveling exhibit from the gallery widely regarded as having the world's second-best collection of Soviet avant-garde art. (AP/Pavel Golovkin)

In the 1950s, painter Igor Savitsky got work in an archaeological expedition in Uzbekistan. He became fascinated by the intricate weavings and elegant pottery of the local Karakalpak ethnic group and collected their art extensively. Local officials, flattered by his interest, helped him establish a museum in the city of Nukus.

Savitsky also was concerned about the fate of the works of the Soviet Union's more adventurous artists.

In the early 20th century, Russia had been a hotbed of bold art experimental movements  Suprematism, Luminism, Constructivism  as well as visions too idiosyncratic to fit into any category.

But by the early 1930s, authorities decreed that art must express Soviet ideals and be comprehensible to the average worker. Bold colors, dancing polygons and strange faces disappeared from the public view, replaced by muscular construction workers and children devotedly presenting bouquets to Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Read also: Former archer seeks to save ancient archery art form jemparingan

Artists unwilling to conform were denounced as "formalists" who valued aesthetics over ideology, and some suffered severe repression. Lysenko was arrested in 1935 and although he was recorded as showing some paintings in the 1940s, little else is reported of his work. He is believed to have died sometime in the 1950s.

Alexander Nikolaev, whose "Way of Life" is the main emblem of the exhibit's advertising, also was arrested. The painting shows a young man in a skullcap staring as if in a trance, against a nearly abstract background of trees and a river.

Savitsky began collecting as much of the "unofficial" Soviet art as he could, reportedly filling train sleeping compartments with paintings to bring them to Nukus, some 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Moscow. Many of the works likely would have been destroyed or deteriorated irreparably if he had not been able to spirit them away to a city far from the central government's attention.

In this photo taken on Thursday, April 6, 2017, visitors attend the exhibition of renowned avant-garde collection from the Savitsky State Art Museum of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, opened in the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum in Moscow, Russia. More than 200 paintings from the Savitsky State Art Museum of Karakalpakstan went on display in Moscow, a rare traveling exhibit from the gallery widely regarded as having the world's second-best collection of Soviet avant-garde art. (AP/Pavel Golovkin)

"He collected works without taking into consideration whether this was a well-known name or not well-known. He collected art with an orientation on the art itself," said curator Irina Kim.

The collection's hometown of Nukus has little else to please the eye. By some measures it's the world's dustiest city, plagued by storms of chemical-tainted sand blowing from the disappearing Aral Sea.

The more elegant environs of the Pushkin Museum are conducive to contemplating the works, and appreciating why many of them would offend conformism-obsessed Soviet censors.

One of Ural Tansykbayev's works nominally celebrates the cotton fields that are Uzbekistan's mainstay, but the dominant element is the nearby road colored vivid purple and rising from the bottom of the frame like a shrouded figure.

Kliment Redko's painting "Motherhood" might work as a Soviet-acceptable portrait of a peasant and her son, except that the mother is helping the son urinate.

"Some of the paintings give indelible impressions, which is why I think this a huge event. Personally, I am in complete awe," said viewer Alla Tiligina.
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Linkedin Song Su-hyun (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Lisbon, Portugal  Mon, April 24, 2017 13:05 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea90fa1 2 Science & Tech ambeo,sennheiser,Samsung,headset Free

Sennheiser, a German audio technology company, is developing an immersive sound program for Android-powered devices in partnership with South Koreas Samsung Electronics, the companys CEO said.



We are working with Samsung on the AMBEO smart headset to make it available for Android devices, Andreas Sennheiser told The Korea Herald at the IFA Global Press Conference. Because a dominant layer of the smartphone market is Android-based phones.



The companys AMBEO ecosystem is a 3-D audio technology involving a proprietary algorithm that makes games and movies sound more realistic. It offers a pair of binaural audio-recording headphones.



We are working (with) Samsung because we need credibility, he said. And we are doing this technology collaboration for compatibility.

CEO Andreas Sennheiser(IFA via The Korea Herald/File)

Read also: Icelandic language at risk; robots, computers can't grasp it



Sennheiser has operated business in Korea for over 30 years, but it has been just two years since the company established a subsidiary in Seoul to expand its operation in Korea, the firms chief said, adding that the country is an important testbed for new technologies.



Korea is one of most technology-savvy countries, he said. Every trend happening in Korea happens in Europe one or two years later.



Sennheiser said the gaming industry of Korea is also highly attractive and he sees significant opportunities to expand the companys business in this area.



We are seeing a strong double digit growth in the Asian region, he said. In Korea, we are quite strong on the professional side, having about 90 percent broadcasters there as our customers, but are yet weak on the consumer side, which we are starting to gain strength.

Topics : ambeo sennheiser Samsung headset

Topics :

This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Alfred Bayle (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Mon, April 24, 2017 18:01 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea9b9fd 2 Science & Tech wearable-sensor,gadget,technology,relationship Free

What if, like in a game, you could see data readouts about your significant other and determine whether theyre angry or really, really angry? A team of researchers from the University of California conducted such a study using wearable sensors.

The study was published in the March issue of Computer and it utilized wearable sensors coupled with smartphones. These were then provided to participating couples as a way to gain insight on their feelings towards one another, reports TechCrunch.

Each of the couples interactions largely took place outside the laboratory setting. And while the team opted to not introduce arguments or touch on subject matter, there were still plenty of data gathered. Couples do as couples do.

Read also: Sennheiser partners Samsung for Android headset program

The wearables detected body temperature, heart activity and sweat. These were coupled with assessments on audio recordings that were used for detecting content and intensity of speech. These were then fed through a machine learning system that was able to capture episodes of conflict with an accuracy of 86 percent.

Afterwards, the researchers are planning to use the machine learning algorithm to try and predict conflict episodes up to five minutes before they occur.

In the future, when this research gets applied to consumer products, guys will have a better fighting chance to avoid an argument when the girlfriend says, Its fine. Hopefully.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

Presumptive Jakarta governor-elect Anies Baswedan has reiterated his campaign promise to close Alexis hotel in North Jakarta, which is known for its on-site strip club and commercial sexual services.

Insya Alloh [God willing] it [the closure] will be carried out after October, the former culture and education minister said in Bukit Duri, South Jakarta, on Friday as quoted by kompas.com. October is the month in which he is slated to officially take office for a five-year term.

He added that the closure would be backed by a bylaw and was part of his plan to fully eradicate prostitution in Jakarta.

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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) saw the highest voter turnout in the history of the capitals gubernatorial elections, with 78 percent of 7.2 million registered voters casting their ballots on

voting day.



This record-breaking level of participation is largely believed to be the result of high religious tensions running throughout the election, which peaked on Wednesday and saw incumbents Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat go head-to-head with Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno.



Turnout increased from 75.75 percent recorded in the first round of voting on Feb. 15 and surpassed the KPUs 77.5 percent target for the 2017 simultaneous regional election.



The heated 2014 presidential race between Joko Jokowi Widodo and Prabowo Subianto garnered a voter turnout of 72.3 percent.



Religious sentiments, which were fostered throughout the campaign period, were effective in mobilizing voters to exercise their rights as Jakarta residents, according to Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), which conducted an exit poll following the runoff election.



Many respondents claimed they had cast their ballots as part of a duty to defend their religion and Muslim leaders, said SMRC program director Sirajuddin Abbas.



They conceded they were driven by a doctrine that mandates Muslims to vote only for Muslim candidates. To go against it would be a sin.



This doctrine was spread widely among voters at the grassroots level, such as in mosques and pengajian (Islamic learning forum), Sirajuddin said.



In early April, 51 percent of Muslim voters said they wanted to be led by Muslim leaders. That number increased to 58.4 percent in the exit poll, he said.



SMRC found that Anies and Sandiaga were chosen by around 67 percent of Muslim voters, another increase from the first round when, combined, Anies-Sandiaga and Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni, the third pair in this years gubernatorial race, garnered 65 percent of Muslim votes.



Muslim votes for Ahok decreased from 38 percent in the first round to 32 percent in the runoff election, Sirajuddin said.



Election Monitoring Independent Committee (KIPP) secretary general Kaka Suminta echoed those same sentiments, saying ethnic, religious, racial and social issues  often referred to as SARA  had deeply affected Wednesdays turnout.



Tensions [surrounding those issues] made residents feel that they needed to save Jakarta through voting, he said.



The emotional factor in this election was high, which urged residents to go to polling stations and cast their ballots.



Despite the high participation, Kaka added, much still needs to be done to nurture democracy in the capital as some parties may still seek to exploit the aforementioned social sentiments.



Meanwhile, KPU Jakarta commissioner Dahlia Umar said the turnout indicated that public political awareness is increasing, thanks to strong candidates such as Ahok and Anies.



The candidates profiles were significant in determining the [high] turnout. People felt that they had to vote for those candidates, she said.



The inclusive voter list (DPT) and high media coverage also contributed to the increased voter turnout, with residents receiving more than sufficient information on each candidate, she added.





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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, April 22 2017

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.

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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 06:09 2025 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea835c6 1 Business CMA-CGM,container,cargo-terminal,exports,Pelindo Free

France's CMA CGM, the third biggest shipping company in the world, aims to increase its market share in Indonesia to 20 percent by year-end from the current 13 percent.

"With aggressive marketing, as well as longer and more efficient routes, we believe we can have 20 percent of the market by end of 2017," said the firm's senior vice president in Asia, Jean-Yves Duval, in Jakarta on Sunday. Jean said the company aims to gradually increase cargo volume to 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from the current 12,000 TEU each week.

President director of state port operator Pelindo II Elvin G. Masassya (left to right), CMA CGM Indonesia president director Farid Belbouab, CMA CGM senior vice president in Asia Jean-Yves Duval and APL CEO Nicolas Sartini take part in a press briefing after the arrival of CMA CGM Otello to Tanjung Priok Port on Sunday.(The Jakarta Post/Stefani Ribka)

(Read also: Tanjung Priok vows to reduce container shipment costs)

To achieve the goal, it plans to open its 16th office in Pekanbaru, Riau, after having opened 15 offices across the archipelago since it began operations in Indonesia in 1995.

CMA CGM recently launched Indonesia's first Jakarta-Los Angeles route, which, according to the company, runs a route time of 23 days maximum, shorter than the normal 30-day shipping time.

The company, with subsidiaries APL, ANL and CPC, has a combined 13 percent market share of Indonesia's sea cargo volume, moving some 12,000 TEU every week to and from and within Indonesia.

CMA CGM recently acquired APL for US$2.4 billion last year to strengthen its position as a shipping company amid low freight rate and sluggish global trade. (bbs)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 11:18 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea8de74 1 National legislative-body,fighting,Funeral Free

A brawl erupted between two members of the legislature during at the funeral of a community leader in Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, after one reportedly took offense to being accused of corruption.

Muhtar Tompo, a Hanura Party member of the House of Representatives, fought with Syamsuddin Karlos, a National Mandate Party (PAN) member of the South Sulawesi Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), at the funeral of Supomo Guntur, a former Makassar deputy mayor in Bontomatene village.

According to kompas.com, the two were chatting among thousands of residents attending the funeral when their exchange became heated and turned physical, so much so that they had to be separated by mourners.

After the incident, the two legislators told reporters they had been discussing the Karaloe Reservoir development project located in Gowa district. The land acquisition process was being opposed by residents for not using standardized land prices.

"Suddenly he was offended and told me I did not understand the situation and tried to slap and kick me," Muhtar said.

(Read also: Wanted ex-legislator in Depok arrested for drug possession)

Syamsuddin said he took offense when Muhtar pointed out that money used to buy the land had been probably been taken by "ghosts, suggesting corruption may have taken place.

"I was angry but I did not hit him. Hes the one who attacked me first by hitting my shoulders," he said.



The Karaloe Reservoir project is currently underway and is planned to be a source of water to irrigate Gowa and Jeneponto districts. (dis/wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 15:40 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea97797 2 Business Intraco,INTA Free

Intraco Penta (INTA) Group will further expand its power generation business by acquiring about a 30 percent stake in PT TJK Power, which operates the 2 by 65-megawatt (MW) Tanjung Kasam coal-fired power plant in Batam, Riau Islands.

The company will buy the shares for Rp 337.5 billion (US$25.6 million) from PT Petra Unggul Sejahtera (PUS), which is owned by the Halim family, the shareholder of INTA.

INTA president director Petrus Halim said in Jakarta recently that this acquisition would be part of INTAs business strategy to strengthen its power generation business.

About Rp 100 billion of the funds needed to finance the acquisition would come from internal sources and the remaining Rp 227.5 billion would be raised from a right issue, INTA finance director Willianto Febriansa said.

(Read also: Power expansion)

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has yet to approve the rights issue.

INTA is currently engaged in five business lines, namely heavy equipment sales, financing services, power generation, mining services, and engineering and infrastructure.

Last year, INTA established a joint venture with Construction Corp. of China  PT Tenaga Listrik Bengkulu  to build and operate a 2 by 100-MW coal-fired power plant in Bengkulu.

Willianto said that TLBs power plant, currently under construction with a total investment of about US$360 million, was scheduled for commercial operation by the end of 2019.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC) and Export-Import Bank of China provided loans worth $270 million for the construction of the power plant.

INTA booked Rp 1.5 trillion in revenue last year, a slight increase from Rp 1.3 trillion in 2015. (dra/hwa)

Topics : Intraco INTA
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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Rome  Mon, April 24, 2017 17:42 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea9b8f1 2 World Italy,#Turkey Free

An Italian journalist has returned to Italy after being detained for two weeks in Turkey, apparently because he entered an area near the Syrian border without proper permission.

Gabriele Del Grande, a blogger and documentary maker who has written about refugees, was detained after entering the area of Hatay in southern Turkey. He arrived Monday at Bologna airport on a flight from Turkey. He said he had been treated well but wanted to know why he was deprived of his freedom for 14 days "for doing his job."

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, flanking Del Grande at the airport, credited quiet diplomacy for the release.

Del Grande said he went on a hunger strike for seven days, so the first thing he wanted to do was "go eat."
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 11:50 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea8f326 1 City Jakarta-administration,river,water,lake,waste Free

The Jakarta administration is set to begin testing purification techniques of Jakarta's river and dam water.

The plan is part of a long-term project by the administration to turn river and dam water into sources of clean water for Jakarta residents. Out of some 13 rivers and streams in Jakarta, none are qualified for consumption.

The trials would be conducted at two artificial lakes, or situ, in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, Jakarta Environmental Agency head Isnawa Adji

"Our plan is to start two pilot projects. Currently, we are checking out potential sites, including Situ Babakan and Situ Mangga Bolong," he said as quoted by kompas.com on Sunday.

(Read also: Jakarta seeing results with cleaner rivers)

In testing the techniques, the agency will cooperate with the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

"We will purify the water using a special device that can eliminate [bad elements such as] e-coli bacteria and others," he said. (dea/wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 15:28 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea96861 1 Politics 2017JakartaElection,PAN,Zulkifli-Hasan Free

The chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Zulkifli Hasan, has described the Jakarta gubernatorial election as proof of the victory of the people in today's democracy.

"The Jakarta election was a victory of the people and a victory for democracy," he said in a discussion of the Four Pillars of MPR RI at Pondok Pesantren Daarul Arqam, Majalengka, West Java, on Monday.

Zulkifli, who is also the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), which supported governor-elect Anies Baswedan in the race, said he was grateful that the election was peaceful and safe, proving the strong bonds among the people of the country.

"We are grateful that the election in Jakarta was safe and peaceful. After I voted I went around, there was no noise, there was no argument. It turned out we were just being attacked in a propaganda war, but our people are brothers to each other," he said.

Discussing nationalism in the event, Zulkfili quoted the late Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Hasyim Muzadi who said that diversity was the hallmark of Indonesia. Therefore, he continued, it was important for the people to care for national unity. (dis/wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 13:28 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea92295 1 National Freeport-Indonesia,workers,Papua-Police,shooting Free

Andi Gani Nena Wea, president of the Indonesian Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI), lamented the actions of police officers who allegedly fired shots at PT Freeport Indonesia workers during a rally in Timika, Papua.

Andri Santoso, Sakarias, Puguh Prihandono, Wibowo, Faisal and Zainal Abidin were reportedly injured during a protest in front of Timika District Court on Thursday, demanding the release of Sudiro, a colleague who is standing trial in an embezzlement case.

"Thousands of our workers called on the judge to suspend Sudiros detention because of his [poor] health, but the judge denied [our demand]," Andi said.

(Read also: Freeport accepts govt terms)

The judges decision to return Sudiro to his cell angered protesters, which led to a clash with police personnel, said Peter Selestinus, one of Sudiros lawyers.

"Someone threw rocks at the feet of the Timika police chief, and officers responded by firing shots  they were aimed at protestors, not the air," he added.

Andi said he has been in direct communication with President Joko Jokowi Widodo to report on the incident and the actions of the Papua Police.

KSPSI will stage a solidarity rally for the victims on Labor Day, or May Day, on May 1.

Neither the Papua Police or the National Police have responded to queries related to the case. (dis/wit)
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 15:18 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea9665c 2 Business bni,Melbourne,Australia Free

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) and the state government of Victoria, Australia, are paving the way for state-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) to open a branch office in Melbourne, the states capital city.

The plan was discussed in a business meeting attended by OJK chairman Muliaman D. Hadad and Victoria Treasurer Tim Pallas in Melbourne on Friday.

BNI treasury director Panji Irawan and Indonesias Consulate General in Melbourne Dewi Sawitri Wahab also attended the meeting, which is a follow up of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the OJK and Victoria state on March 16.

The OJK has delivered the plan of opening a BNIs branch office to the government of Victoria and the Australian banking authority, and now it is BNIs task to continue the process, Muliaman said in an official statement.

(Read also: State lender BNI books higher profit in Q1)

Indonesias investments in Australia are worth AU$1.4 billion (US$1.06 billion), while the latter injected $8.4 billion into Southeast Asias largest economy in 2015.

In the same year, tourism from Australia still topped Indonesias list of holiday visitors, while around 19,300 Indonesian students pursued some form of education in Australia.

We will definitely start the process soon, Panji said, adding that his firm will start preparing to submit a request for a permit and hoped it could secure licenses for wholesale and retail banking services.

Timing will depend on the licenses as [we have] to secure them from the OJK and the Australian authority, he added. (hwa)

Topics : bni Melbourne Australia
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Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistiyono (The Jakarta Post) Washington  Mon, April 24, 2017 16:49 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea99c2d 1 Business World-Bank,AIIB,MoU,Indonesia,Spring-Meetings,IMF Free

World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) president Jin Liqun signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday to strengthen cooperation and knowledge sharing between the institutions.

The MoU provides an overall framework for cooperation between the two institutions in common areas of interest, including development financing, staff exchanges, and analytical and sector work to further enhance coordination at regional and national levels.

Were already financing projects together from Azerbaijan to Indonesia, and Im delighted to further strengthen our partnership. Collaboration between development institutions is essential to make the best use of scarce resources, crowd in the private sector and meet the rising aspirations of the people we serve, said Kim.

In 2016, the two institutions signed a Co-Financing Framework Agreement for investment projects. Since then, they have co-financed five projects involving a power generator in Pakistan, a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, slum upgrading, dam safety and regional infrastructure development in Indonesia.

In 2015, the World Bank Group and the Multilateral Interim Secretariat for the Establishment of AIIB signed a MoU for overall cooperation and knowledge exchange, which ended when AIIB was formally established.

We place a high value on our partnerships because by working together, we greatly increase our potential for positive outcomes in Asia, said Jin.

They are discussing projects to be co-financed in 2017 and 2018. In addition, the AIIB and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank, have co-invested in a power sector project in Myanmar.
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Linkedin Gerry Shih (Associated Press) Beijing  Mon, April 24, 2017 12:47 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea8ffd4 2 World Korean-peninsula,North-Korea,South-Korea,Xi-Jinping,Donald-Trump,US-China Free

President Xi Jinping called for restraint when dealing with North Korea during a telephone call with President Donald Trump, Chinese state media reported Monday, amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon carry out a sixth nuclear test.

The official broadcaster CCTV quoted Xi as telling Trump that China strongly opposed North Korea's nuclear weapons program, which are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and hoped "all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation" on the Korean Peninsula.

The Trump administration has warned that all options, including a military strike, are on the table to halt North Korea's ambitions of developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. However, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that the military response isn't likely. Trump has reportedly settled on a strategy that emphasizes increasing pressure on Pyongyang with the help of China.

"Only if all sides bear the responsibilities they're supposed to bear and come together, can the nuclear issue on the peninsula be resolved as quickly as possible," Xi told Trump, according to CCTV.

The phone call, which took place Monday morning Beijing time, came as South Korean officials warned there is a chance that the North will conduct a nuclear test or a maiden intercontinental missile launch around the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday.

Trump has pressed Xi to exert greater pressure against North Korea, given China's status as the country's sole economic lifeline and major ally. Monday's call is the second time that the two leaders have spoken by telephone since meeting in Florida earlier this month.

In a Friday interview at the Oval Office, Trump told the AP that he declined to label China a currency manipulator mostly because he needed Xi's help with the North Korean crisis.

"They are working with us on North Korea. Now maybe that'll work out or maybe it won't," Trump said, adding that he had a "great relationship" with the Chinese president.

Trump also spoke Monday with and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and they agreed to urge North Korea to refrain from what Abe called provocative actions.
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Linkedin Juliana Harsianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, April 25 2017

There is much more to find in this northern coastal city.

Most people generally associate Tegal with warteg or warung Tegal (Tegal food stalls) and sate kambing (grilled skewered lamb). However, spend a day or two to try some other popular local dishes and soon you will find yourselves trying to extend the vacation.

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Linkedin Tarko Sudiarno (The Jakarta Post) Situbondo, East Java  Tue, April 25 2017

After a year of special care at the Wildlife Rescue Center in Yogyakarta, nine green peafowl were in February released to their habitat in Baluran National Park, Situbondo, East Java.

Known as green peafowl of Java (Pavo muticus), these beauties have regained their freedom at the eastern tip of Java.

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Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara  Tue, April 25 2017

The government is set to start its air bridge program this year to improve the flow of goods and reduce price disparities in Papua, the countrys easternmost province.

Under the program, the government will operate 11 air routes, so that it can better distribute staple goods to the provinces remote and mountainous areas.

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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, April 25 2017

State electricity company PT PLN has revived Indonesias long held ambition to operate nuclear power plants after it officially floated the idea for the first time in its new business plan, which will guide the companys operation until 2026.

PLNs so-called business electricity procurement plan (RUPTL), officially endorsed by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry last month, also opened up the possibility of installing nuclear plants in remote regions, as an alternative to high-cost renewable energy sources.

While the RUPTL maintains that nuclear energy remains a last resort for electricity procurement, it notes that the energy source must be considered if renewable sources from water, wind, geothermal, solar and biomass fail to meet the desired target.

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Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistyono (The Jakarta Post) Washington  Tue, April 25 2017

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is optimistic that United States President Donald Trumps recent executive orders that put Indonesia on its trade-probe hit list will not harm the overall trade relationship between the two countries, describing them as not very compelling charges.

IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld said the US would remain reliant on Indonesia for several commodities, such as palm oil, as the worlds largest economy could not produce those goods locally on a massive scale.

At some level [] trade is helpful for productivity as it allows specialization of production among countries. Indonesia is actually a deficit country itself, so I dont see any charge [by the US] against Indonesia as being a very compelling charge, he said to Indonesian journalists on the sidelines of IMFs Spring Meetings on Thursday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, April 24, 2017 11:28 2024 a291276806121264c0bd211cdea8e8e2 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,cross-border-tourism,outdoor-activities,TimorLeste,tourism,#tourism Free

The April 22-23 debut of the Atambua Adventure Off-Road 2017 event in Atambua, the regency seat of Belu, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), gathered 70 cars from 14 teams consisting of citizens from both Indonesia and Timor Leste.

The event is a cross-border activity in which participants tour the border regions that separate Timor Leste and Indonesia.

Thank you to the Tourism Ministry for its support throughout the event, were going to make this a regular event after seeing such an enthusiastic response from the people of Timor Leste, said Belu Regent Willybrodus Lay.

Read also: White sand awaits tourists in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara

Willybrodus echoed the sentiments of a previous statement made by the ministry on tapping into cross-border tourism to help boost the local economy.

He then urged all parties as well as Atambuas tourism sector to promote the area online.

Were going to make a hashtag called Atambua Kota Festival [Atambua Festival City] and come up with tourism events throughout the year and promote them on social media. Again, this is possible because the ministry has declared Atambua a festival city and tourism destination, he added. (kes)
There will be a vote in Albany tomorrow on State Sen. Daniel Squadrons legislation aimed at preventing Rivington House-like debacles in other communities.

The Senate Health Committee will take up the Rivington Act, which would require the state to produce a public closure report when any nursing home is threatened, to reject any closure plan if community health needs cannot be met and to consider recommendations from local stakeholders.

Rivington House was, of course, stripped of its restrictive deed, closed and then sold for $116 million to luxury condo developers. City and state officials failed to provide the public with information about the closure.

The legislation is co-sponsored by local Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou. Senator Squadron used a procedural maneuver to force a vote. You can watch the hearing live tomorrow at noon by following this link. The full text of the legislation is available here.
Growing Out of Populism?

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CAMBRIDGE  After nine dreary years of downgrading their GDP forecasts, macroeconomic policymakers around the world are shaking their heads in disbelief: Despite a populist-propelled wave of political tumult, global growth is actually set to outperform expectations in 2017.

Its not just American exceptionalism. Although US growth is very strong, Europe has been outperforming expectations by more. There is even happy news for emerging markets, which are still bracing for US Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes but have gained a better backdrop against which to adjust.

The broad story behind the global reflation is easy enough to understand. Deep, systemic financial crises lead to deep, prolonged recessions. As Carmen Reinhart and I predicted a decade ago (and as numerous other scholars have since corroborated using our data), periods of 6-8 years of very slow growth are not at all unusual in such circumstances. True, many problems remain, including weak banks in Europe, over-leveraged local governments in China, and needlessly complicated financial regulation in the United States. Nonetheless, the seeds of a sustained period of more solid growth have been planted.

But will the populist tide surging across the advanced economies drown the accelerating recovery?

Or will the recovery stifle leaders who confidently espouse seductively simple solutions to genuinely complex problems?

With the International Monetary Fund/World Bank meetings coming up later this month in Washington, DC, leading central bankers and finance ministers will have ringside seats at Ground Zero. Who can doubt that US President Donald Trump will make a Twitter punching bag out of any of them who dares criticize his administrations planned retreat from open trade and leadership in multilateral financial institutions?

Before then, Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, his winter White House.

It is hard to overstate how much rides on the Sino-US relationship, and how damaging it would be if the two sides could not find a way to work together constructively. The Trump administration believes that it has the bargaining tools to recalibrate the relationship to Americas advantage, including a tariff on Chinese imports or even selectively defaulting on the more than $1 trillion the US owes to China. But a tariff would eventually be overturned by the World Trade Organization, and a default on US debt would be even more reckless.

If Trump can persuade China to open up its economy more to US exports, and to help rein in North Korea, he will have achieved something. But if his plan is for the US to retreat unilaterally from global trade, the outcome is likely to hurt many US workers for the benefit of a few.

The threat to globalism seems to have waned in Europe, with populist candidates having lost elections in Austria, the Netherlands, and now Germany. But a populist turn in upcoming elections in either France or Italy could still tear apart the European Union, causing massive collateral damage to the rest of the world.

French Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen wants to kill off the EU because, she says, the people of Europe do not want it anymore. And while opinion polls have the pro-EU Emmanuel Macron beating Le Pen decisively in the elections second-round runoff on May 7, it is hard to be confident in the outcome of a two-person race, especially given Russian President Vladimir Putins support for Le Pen. Given the unpredictability of an angry electorate, and Russias proven capacity to manipulate news and social media, it would be folly to think that Macron is a lock.

Italys election is not for another year, but the situation is even worse. There, populist candidate Beppe Grillo is leading polls and is expected to pull in about a third of the popular vote. Like Le Pen, Grillo wants to pull the plug on the euro. And, while it is hard to imagine a more chaotic event for the global economy, it is also hard to know the way forward for Italy, where per capita income has actually fallen slightly during the euro era. With flat population growth and swelling debt (over 140% of GDP), Italys economic prospects appear bleak.

Though most economists still think exiting the euro would be profoundly self-destructive, a growing number have come to believe that the euro will never work for Italy, and that the sooner it leaves the better.

Many emerging-market countries are dealing with populists of their own, or in the case of Poland, Hungary, and Turkey, with populists who have already turned into autocrats. Fortunately, a patient Fed, a resilient (for now) China, and a growing Europe and US will help most emerging economies.

The outlook for global growth is improving, and, with sensible policies, the next several years could be quite a bit better than the last  certainly for advanced economies, and perhaps for most others as well. But populism remains a wildcard, and only if growth picks up fast enough is it likely to be kept out of play.
Damian Lewis is another example of someone privileged not realising just how privileged they are.

It stands to reason, if youve been brought up with abundance and wealth, with a first-hand education and knowing not of money troubles or trodden aspirations, then the problems that you consider problematic others will laugh in the face of.

Damian Lewis, Eton education, British Golden-Globe nominated actor with a net worth of 14 million, has described himself as a minority.

A minority in the acting world that is. In some instances, yes, he is. When you look at all the actual actors in the industry, and I dont just mean those in Hollywood, I mean those in London bedsits taking whatever soul-destroying acting job that comes their way in the hope that it will eventually lead to something bigger, then yes, Damian certainly is in the minority. The glittering, shining, wealthy minority.

During a live Q&A with The Guardian, the Homeland actor was asked if a lack of funding in the arts industry was harming diversity. In response he said;

"We have to protect against lack of diversity. If theatre, film, TV, dance, opera, ballet are going to remain true art forms, they must be reflective of all society.

But that's a different point from saying that only privately educated actors are becoming dominant in acting, because statistically that's not true.

A handful of actors from privileged backgrounds have done well, very well, and of course that's high profile news. But whenever I work, wherever I work, as an actor educated at Eton, I'm still always in a minority.

What is true and always rewarding about the acting profession is that everyone has a similar story about them being in a minority. From whatever background. And that coming into the acting profession is when we all finally find likeminded people,"

What seems to be the fundamental issue with his answer is that he wants to rally round a pity party for himself. To insinuate that he has a story similar to that of the working-class class actor who cant afford drama school or the comprehensively educated child who has had drama cut from the curriculum and cant afford to attend a weekend stage school is simply delusional.

Statistically, if you look at all actors across the industry, yes Eton graduates dont make up the majority - however if we look at the top 10% of actors, the ones everyone really takes note of when we look at the industry, then we are inundated with actors from middle-class to higher-class backgrounds. Why? Because they can afford to be actors.

Whether you believe it or not, to become a successful actor and to have acting as your full time job you need money or absolute sheer luck more than you need talent.

You need money for auditions, for fees, for equipment, for rent, for travel, for saving, to be in the right place at the right time, to be able to drop everything at a moments notice to shoot off to an audition, for an agent I could go on.

It might all sound a bit remedial, but taking the decision to persue acting is becoming a little more than a fantasy for actors from a working class background. On average a one-year course at an accredited drama school can cost 9,000 - 13,000, with no funding. A three-year course can range from 9,000 - 13,750 per year with part funding. Even if you do get funding the hours required in school make earning enough money for anything else on the list near impossible. Thats before youve even got your first job, which will probably be something in a tiny theatre to 40 people, or two seconds in an advert or a pantomime tour. Not that there is anything wrong with that  but its doubtful Damian Lewis ever had that on his agenda.

I doubt Damian Lewis ever had to question his career or consider whether he was going to make it big. For Damian Lewis, his privilege meant he would be successful in whatever he chose to do.

This is not to say that the Lewises, Cumberbatches and Redmaynes are not credible actors, because they absolutely are. Many trained after going to university, but that in itself shows what it takes to be able to become a well-trained and educated actor. To pay for one degree and then pay for a second degree in actor training is something that wouldnt even cross a working-class actor's mind.

With fees climbing, places at schools shrinking and horrifying career statistics, diversity in theatre has never been more important.

We need the higher-class, the lower-class and everything in between, but what we really need is for folk like Mr Lewis to accept and admit his privilege. Be thankful and respectful that you were delivered more than most and instead of trying to coincide your minority with theirs  use your minoritys wealth and influence to help create more diversity within the industry that has shown you and your cohort so much opportunity.
Shipley will be one of the most closely scrutinised seats in the upcoming general election, because it will see Womens Equality Party (WEP) leader Sophie Walker pitted against Tory MP Philip Davies.

Heres everything you need to know about Walker, who launched her challenge today.

Whats her background?

I am standing against @PhilipDaviesMP to offer Shipley an MP for equal rights, not petty fights. https://t.co/VQNYZ4oXNj #Sophie4Shipley  SophieWalker (@SophieRunning) April 23, 2017

Walker grew up in Glasgow and lives with her husband and two daughters. She worked as a journalist for 20 years, covering politics, business and finance.

In May 2016, Walker ran for mayor of London as the WEPs candidate  coming sixth with 5.2% of the total votes.

What is the Womens Equality party?

WE are targeting our 1st Westminster seats #GE17 is chance to put hope & equality on the agenda, says @SophieRunning https://t.co/4VNHRa54ck  WomensEqualityUK (@WEP_UK) April 18, 2017

The party was founded by Catherine Mayer and Sandi Toksvig in 2015, making it particularly new on the scene. Walker was chosen unanimously to be the partys leader the same year.

describes itself Itas a new collaborative force in British politics uniting people of all genders, diverse ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs and experiences in the shared determination to see women enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men so that all can flourish.

Why is it particularly interesting that she is standing against Davies?

(PA)

Davies has a chequered track record when it comes to womens issues. He has campaigned for Parliament to recognise International Mens Day and previously criticised militant feminists. He was also accused of trying to filibuster a proposal to help end violence against women by speaking for 77 minutes  he opposed the bill saying that it is sexist to say the focus should only be on violence against women, adding that he stands for true equality where all people are treated equally.

As leader of the WEP, Walkers views are far from Davies, so its set to be a particularly tense show-down.

Walker said to The Guardian: Philip Davies basically is a sexist misogynist who puts his own ego ahead of his constituents. His anti-equality agenda in Westminster threatens the rights and freedoms not just of women but also people with disabilities, BAME (black, Asian, and minority ethnic) and LGBT+ communities.

However, Davies refutes accusations that he is sexist, saying: I have consistently asked Sophie Walker to quote just one thing I have ever said which has asked for a woman to be treated less favourably than a man, and she hasnt been able to find even one quote from the 12 years I have spent in parliament.

How are people reacting to the news?

Many are thrilled not only that Walker is running, but also by the fact that shes up against Davies.

So. @SophieRunning is standing against Philip Davies. Go on woman. I could not be more delighted.  Jean Hatchet (@JeanHatchet) April 23, 2017

Sophie Walker standing against Philip Davies is going to be absolutely hilarious. The woman is a total badass. #wep #GE2017  Abi Fitz (@Abi_Fitz) April 23, 2017

What happens next?

This is amazing news! Couldn't think of a better place to send a strong message about modern feminism. Go Sophie! https://t.co/OcHPgjY59A  Claire (@clairegowson) April 23, 2017

The campaign will begin in earnest now, with the WEP unveiling its full election campaign strategy later this week.

The party is also in talks with the Lib Dems and Green Party about standing down to help Walkers chances in Shipley. It looks like Walkers gearing up for a fight as well, judging by what shes been saying.

I have spoken to women across the constituency who are determined to make this election his last, she said. I understand that Philip Davies is a bit of a gambling man  Id advise him not to bet against us.
According to Oxford Universitys latest Equality and Diversity guidelines, students and staff who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be accused of racist behaviour.

Equality and Diversity Unit Thehave advised students and staff that not speaking directly to someone could be considered a form of racial microaggression.

Cases of casual racism on campus have also been deemed highly inappropriate, such as asking someone where they are originally from or questioning their accent.

The warning has arisen in Oxford Universitys Trinity term newsletter and has been further circulated by the Equality and Diversity Unit.

The newsletter says: Racial micro-aggressions might include not making eye contact or speaking directly to people; not believing someone is British jokes drawing attention to someones differences.

The newsletter continues, highlighting how this subtle everyday racism on the University campus could lead to mental ill-health.

The aim of the warning to both students and staff at the institution is to raise awareness about casual racism on campus, and find ways to combat it.

Some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence.

But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong.

In recent months some universities have been accused of pandering to the snowflake generation of students: the term

defined by Collins Dictionary as the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking offence than previous generations.

Tom Slater, a co-ordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking (FSUR) initiative which flags censorship issues on university campuses, was outraged by the warning, telling The Times: This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students.

A spokesperson from Oxford University said: The equality and diversity unit works with university bodies to ensure that the universitys pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity and the newsletter is one way of advising and supporting staff towards achieving these aims.
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Morocco is an Arabic country in North-East Africa, renowned for its deserts, scorching African sun and for being the setting to the film Casablanca.

Arabic and French are its two official languages, but you can easily get by with English. Its one of only 33 monarchies in the world, and its also the only Arabic country where Muslims live in harmony with the Jewish community.

Ive visited this filmmakers paradise twice. The first time I travelled to Morocco was to discover its culture  to experience the constant haggling and badgering to spend money, to ride a camel and to taste authentic Moroccan couscous whilst sipping mint tea. The second time, I went there to shoot a documentary about the only Arabic country where followers of Islam and Judaism live peacefully side-by-side.

Jews have populated areas of Northern Africa for 2,500 years. Muslims and Jews co-existed peacefully with each other for centuries, until European political movements, especially the French colonisation, caused enormous social changes. In pre-colonial Morocco, Jews were regarded as a tolerated ethnic minority. They enjoyed the right to religious autonomy with certain political, sociological and symbolic obligations. These conditions are best described by the term ahl al-dhimma  people of pact, which describes various safety precautions, as well as discriminations in various political aspects throughout several historical periods. Jews were commonly known as dhimmis  non-Muslims or the protected people. They had the right to practice their religion freely, but also had certain restrictions  being prohibited from riding horses, wearing shoes near mosques, wearing colourful clothes or building synagogues. They were even required to pay a tax for being dhimmis.

Terrorism

Wars waged in the Middle East in 1967 and 1970 caused a wave of social unrest aimed at Moroccan Jews. In Casablanca, the city with the highest population of Jews in Morocco, there was a terrorist attack against the Jewish community. In spite of the unrest and wars, Jews continue to live in Morocco and, more importantly, they live in peace. Although the numbers have diminished greatly, as there are only about 3,000 Jews living in Morocco now, their culture and customs are noticeable throughout the country.

I walked through the mellah - a Jewish district surrounded by a wall - to discover and experience the source of their culture. Mellahs are not the same as European ghettoes, designed to ostracise Jews  in Morocco, mellahs are created to protect their culture. Although at first glance a mellah appears the same as any other place in Marrakesh, Casablanca or Fez, the Star of David  a symbol of the Jewish faith  features on almost every wall along the way. The Star of David and The Crescent Moon side by side on one of the walls! This sight, which was completely normal to the locals, came as a huge shock to me. I stopped for a while to fully appreciate what I was seeing. I felt a shiver down my spine as I thought "Wow, this is incredible, these two religions really do live in peace with each other here"  before looking at the passers-by around me. They no longer noticed these signs; they live together in this city after all, they visit the same stores. There is peace between the two sides and it doesnt appear as if it will ever be disturbed again. There was an inexplicable aura of peace in the air and I could feel the good, positive vibes of Marrakesh vibrating through the air.

The Great Media Lies

I wanted to find out more about what the future holds for Jewish culture in Morocco. Many Jewish Moroccans leave to go Israel or France and settle there for good. I visited a school in Casablanca  the Ecole Narcisse Leven.

According to Headmistress Sylvie Melloul Ohnona, British and American media lie about the Jewish situation in Morocco. Its not true that children are discrimanted against on account of their religion. In classes, everyone is perceived as equal, regardless of their faith. The situation of Moroccan Jews can improve, however, many people emigrate in search of better job opportunities and higher salaries. Here, the main concern is job opportunities, rather than someones creed.

After tasting a delicious, if a tad too sweet, Moroccan tea, Sylvie took me on a tour around the school. Just as we set out, the bell rang, signalling a break in classes. What I saw will stay in my memory for a long time: the sight of ten-year-old boys in kippahs playing side by side with their Muslim friends. Their smile and that childish twinkle in their eyes  this sight filled me with a certain hope and belief. There was no segregation amongst them, be it down to religion or anything else, the only that mattered was the here and now.

Walking along the school corridors, I saw not only childrens drawings depicting the friendly relationship between the two sides, but also the menorah, a seven-lamp ancient Hebrew lampstand in one of the classrooms. At the end of the tour, the Headmistress told me a very important thing: Morocco, despite being in one of the poorer areas of the world, is a country thats very open to new ideas and cultures that contribute to a brighter future of their nation.
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Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Monday that his office will train prosecutors to better navigate immigration law, and consider a defendant's immigration status before making a plea offer or recommending a sentence that could have serious consequences, such as deportation.

Misdemeanor convictions like minor drug possession, petit larceny and crimes of moral turpitude (i.e. jumping a turnstile) can have disproportionately serious consequences for non-citizens. For an undocumented New Yorker, such a conviction might prioritize her for deportation, or complicate efforts to acquire legal residency based on marriage or dangerous conditions in her country of origin.

Lawful residents, including green card holders, refugees, and students studying on visa, can also face deportation. Misdemeanor convictions can be grounds to bar a lawful resident from reentry to the country after an international trip, as well.

"I am committed to equal and fair justice for all Brooklyn residentscitizens, lawful residents and undocumented immigrants alike," Gonzalez said in a statement Monday.

Post-conviction immigration consequences have historically varied, depending on how long a person has lived in the U.S., and whether he or she has prior convictions, according to the DA's office.

Taking this into account, Gonzalez will hire two immigration attorneys to help staff assess each individual case. If a defendant is believed to be a non-citizen, the assistant DA will flag the case, to ensure that his or her defense counsel considers possible immigration consequences.

Gonzalez was careful to emphasize Monday that his office does not intend to "frustrate" the federal government's intentions to deport non-citizens who have "caused real harm and endangered others."

"We will not stop prosecuting crimes," he said, adding that the new policy will focus on trading a misdemeanor charge with a possible immigration consequence, for a comparable charge that is typically immigration-neutral.

For example, if a person is arrested for trespassing, and is also found to have a small amount of marijuana in her pocket, the DA would likely choose an immigration-neutral trespass plea, over a misdemeanor drug offense.



(Scott Lynch / Gothamist)

Jose Calderon, president of the Hispanic Federation, praised the new initiative. "For far too long, our justice system has carelessly triggered double jeopardy for immigrants, who were unaware of all their legal options that may impact their ability to remain with their families in this country," he stated.

Make The Road New York Director Deborah Axt also praised the move. "It's critical that Brooklyn residents heading to court know the potential immigration consequences of their cases," she said.

"An arrest still means that you are going to be processed and fingerprinted, so this doesn't do anything to stop that," cautioned Jordan Wells, a staff attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union. "You're still getting on ICE's radar."

"We think some of this low-level stuff should be decriminalized altogether," he added.

Mayor de Blasio has consistently pledged to remain tough on crime, while limiting cooperation between the NYPD and federal immigration officials. The Mayor has also defended Broken Windows, which prioritizes quality-of-life policing as a way to prevent more serious crime.

Advocates have pushed back since November, arguing that President Trump's executive orders on immigration could impact any immigrant in the criminal justice systema system that broken windows feeds.

The vast majority of New Yorkers arrested on Broken Windows charges are black or Hispanic. The grassroots Coalition to End Broken Windows argues that this disparity is unjustifiable, period.

Gonzalez has spoken out against Broken Windows, saying that the policy "does not keep us safe."

But the coalition criticized the acting DA Monday, saying that this latest initiative doesn't go far enough in helping New Yorkers negatively impacted by the practice.

"It may actually give people a false sense of protection," the group stated. "It also doesn't do anything whatsoever to help the non-immigrant New Yorkers who are devastated by low-level arrests and prosecutions on a daily basis."

According to Wells, cooperation from the DA's office could still be a big help to criminal defense attorneys looking to minimize consequences for their clients. "Without the prosecution being on board, defense attorneys are sort of powerless to negotiate," he said.

"The recognition here is that a slap on the wrist criminal justice-wise can become a knockout punch immigration-wise," Wells added.
A host of federal and local agencies began conducting nuclear response drills in the New York and New Jersey area on Monday as part of a four-day long FEMA-led exercise known as Gotham Shield 2017.

The drills, which are theoretical and do not involve actual volunteers posing as victims, will simulate a scenario in which a 10,000 ton improvised nuclear device goes off on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel, FEMA spokeswoman Lauren Lefebvre told Gothamist. MetLife Stadium will serve as the primary response center, and the event will be "focused on interagency and multi state coordination during a nuclear incident," Lefebvre said.

The various drills will bring federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, FBI, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers together with state and local entities like the Greater New York Hospital Association and ambulance response teams from across New Jersey.

McCabe Ambulance, one of those response teams, will set up at MetLife, where "some thousand imaginary victims of a nuclear incident will be triaged, decontaminated, treated for injuries including burns and transported," Mickey McCabe told NJ.com on Sunday. Those drills do not involve actual equipment, though "virtual decontamination tents" will be set up by firefighters, according to North Hudson Fire Department Chief Frank Montagne.

The preparedness exercises are not, Lefebvre stressed, related to recent concerns about nuclear missile tests in North Korea. "This is something that's been planned well in advance of anything going on in current climate," Lefebvre said. "It's just a test of our ability to communicate across federal, state, and local levels."

Still, the preparedness drills have some patriotic, paranoid Americans alarmed, with InfoWars.com publishing an article declaring that a "False flag watch is now active. 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, and danger is at hand."

That theory, which has spread to corners of the conservative and End Times blogospheres, speculates that the government could plan on "hijacking and converting the simulated actions," in a manner similar to what "many researchers believe was at work on the day of 9/11."



Via Reddit

There is also a video making the rounds on Reddit, causing some commenters to worry that the government could make a fake nuclear blast seem real, perhaps as some sort of false-false-flag event? In any event, the Redditors have encouraged each other to exercise caution and maybe consider leaving town.

Asked about the rumors, Lefebvre said that she was aware of them, but declined to comment.


A Queens jury found a man not guilty of driving while high earlier this month after holes emerged in the arresting officer's account, and the officer's Facebook posts showed him praising a motorist ramming into a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters.

Shortly after midnight one morning in November 2014, Officer Jordan Bistany, driving a police car disguised as a taxi, pulled over a man named Alberto Rodriguez as Rodriguez drove in a BMW sedan on the Cross Island Parkway. Bistany is part of a Queens Highway Patrol unit dedicated to busting drunk and otherwise intoxicated drivers. Rodriguez is Hispanic, and was driving with a female African-American passenger. At first glance, Rodriguez's case seems fairly straightforward: after Bistany pulled him over, Rodriguez acknowledged that he "smoked a blunt" 20 minutes prior, and that he didn't have a valid license, according to Bistany's account.

In the course of a week-long trial, Rodriguez's lawyer acknowledged that Rodriguez smoked marijuana and refused a urine test, and he had indeed been driving with a revoked license. However, other problems became apparent with Bistany's account. For one, Bistany testified that Rodriguez had weaved from the right lane into the center lane four times. He couldn't say how far Rodriguez's tire had gone over the line, but more importantly, he couldn't articulate a traffic law violation that Rodriguez had committed, which officers need to establish probable cause to pull someone over. Merely crossing into another lane on the highway isn't a violation unless it interferes with the safety of another driver.

Bistany said in court that he saw Rodriguez weave just after Rodriguez merged onto the Cross Island from the Long Island Expressway, that he pulled up alongside Rodriguez to see if he was texting, and when he saw that he was not, pulled him over.

Highway patrol cars are equipped with dashboard cameras that are constantly recording and erasing footage, so that when officers hit "record," the devices preserve the footage from 30 seconds prior. Bistany said that the whole sequence of events from first seeing Rodriguez to pulling him over took "just under a minute," but he had no dashcam footage to back up his account. Asked why he didn't activate the camera, he said, "I forgot..I just forgot."

Bistany testified further that when he approached Rodriguez's car and Rodriguez rolled his window down, Rodriguez had weed crumbs all over his shirt and pants. Yet he produced no weed crumbs as evidence, and never tried to search Rodriguez's car to see if any could be recovered. The crumbs, he said, all fell onto the highway when Rodriguez stood up, and retrieving them would have been too risky. Rodriguez was not charged with marijuana possession.

Perhaps most damaging to Bistany's credibility was a series of Facebook posts that Rodriguez's lawyer Steven Epstein brought up at trial. In one post, Bistany shared a video of a driver in Minneapolis plowing into a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters with the caption, "My new hero." In another, he wrote that he would enact a "slowdown in arrests because of actions of police officer [sic] De Blasio as it relates to the black mambazo," according to testimony by Epstein. "Absolutely no enforcement action in the form of arrests and/or summonses is to be taken unless absolutely necessary and an individual must be placed under arrest in relation to the statements of mayor De Blasio," Bistany wrote.



(Courtesy of Steven Epstein)

Bistany wrote these and other similar posts around the time of the late 2014/early 2015 NYPD slowdown in response to the mayor's perceived lack of support for police, amid Black Lives Matter protests and the politically motivated murder of two officers in Bedford-Stuyvesant. In another post mentioned during the trial, Bistany linked to a New York Post article about the United Federation of Teachers endorsing an anti-police-brutality rally being organized by Al Sharpton: Bistany wrote, "Sorry city teachers but it looks like your going to get numerous tickets in your future..... You can thank your union boss."

Asked in court if he wrote this, he said, "I dont recall. Maybe I did." He said he hadn't actually tried to pull over teachers. Regarding the police slowdown post, he said, "I believe I copied and pasted thatI didnt follow through, but like I said, my activity has remained exactly the same as it always was." Bistany said that the posts were jokes. Epstein pressed him on this, saying, "You joke about that? You joke about people running into crowds of innocent protesters?"

"Yes," Bistany said.

Epstein made the case that Bistany had no justification for pulling Rodriguez over, that he did so only after seeing Rodriguez and his passenger, and that although Rodriguez copped to smoking weed, Bistany failed to establish that he was too high to drive. On this last point, the jury agreed, acquitting Rodriguez of driving while impaired, a felony.



In another post, Bistany wrote that he wanted to "call in airstrikes on these pieces of garbage," in reference to Black Lives Matter protesters who fought with cops on the Brooklyn Bridge. (Courtesy of Steven Epstein)

In a remarkable turn of events, the trial closed with the judge, John Latella, directing the prosecutor on the case, Michael Brovner, to circulate Bistany's Facebook posts throughout the Queens District Attorney's Office and disclose them to any defense attorneys working cases involving Bistany. Legal Aid lawyers had tried to introduce the posts previously, but judges had blocked them, Epstein said.

"These were pretty substantive and pretty egregious posts for a police officer to make," Epstein said. "Based upon Judge Latellas directive [prosecutors are] under a clear mandate to the court to" disclose the posts. Failing to do so "could potentially open up the door to a motion to vacate a conviction," he said.

Epstein declined to make Rodriguez available for comment.

The jury did convict Rodriguez of aggravated unlicensed driving, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and as many as 180 days in jail. His sentencing is set for June.

Bistany's Facebook, now set to private, also seemed to violate a department social media policy that prohibits publicly identifying as an NYPD officer, making statements that reflect poorly on the department, and posting while on the job (In addition to the Black Lives Matter messages, Bistany posted photos of fresh car wrecks with glib captions such as "At least he was wearing his seatbelt.....")

The officer, a 14-year NYPD veteran who makes $132,800, has faced accusations of misconduct before. He was the subject of four Civilian Complaint Review Board complaints containing six allegations, as Epstein stated at trial. Of those, four allegations were deemed unsubstantiated, two were uncorroborated, one outcome was unavailable, and one was settled through mediation.

Bistany has also been named in three federal civil rights lawsuits. One stemmed from a 2011 incident where several officers beat and pepper-sprayed two men who were walking past a fight on 42nd Street, then arrested them on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and obstructing governmental administration. The charges were conditionally dismissed, and the city settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount of taxpayer money. Another suit, by a transgender woman who said that police arrested her after workers at a Midtown McDonald's beat her for using the women's bathroom in 2006, was withdrawn without the city paying anything, according to court records.

The third is a class action lawsuit filed in 2014 by the Legal Aid Society alleging that officers including Bistany set up unregulated checkpoints on highway exit ramps, then questioned and searched people without cause, and lied in arrest reports about how the stops were made. In one stop, Bistany allegedly arrested a man who drove into an informal checkpoint even though he blew a 0 on a Breathalyzer. Bistany justified the stop by saying that he pulled the man over for having tinted windows and an air freshener blocking his mirror. The man said he had neither, and his charge, for refusing a drug test at the precinct, was dismissed and sealed. The practice of shadow checkpoints has continued despite five judges ruling that such stops are illegal, according to the suit.

That case is ongoing.

Bistany did not respond to a Facebook message seeking comment. The Queens District Attorney's Office and NYPD press office did not return emails by press time.
It's our annual Labour Weekend tradition ...The Sound 'Hall Of Fame' Countdown... Where we honor the greatest 500 songs of all time as voted by you.
Despite the gloomy weather, thousands came out to Central Park for Saturday's Science March, each attendee carrying a sign more nerdy than the last. Expect another large turn-out on May Day, with a host of citywide actions scheduled around May 1st to celebrate the historic workers holiday. Below, we've rounded up some pre-May Day festivities, as well as the best in local rallies, benefits and anti-fascist reading groups.

Rally For #FairFares

Transit affordability advocates got a major victory earlier this month when the city council announced their budget proposal would include money for half-price MetroCards to those living below the poverty line. De Blasio, however, insists the state should fund the #FairFares initiative. Advocates plan to gather at the steps of City Hall on Tuesday to demand the mayor get on board with transit affordability.

FREE, Tuesday April 25th, 1 p.m. | New York City Hall



March To End NYPD 'Gang Raids'



On the one year anniversary of the largest gang bust in NYC history, a host of police accountability groups will rally on the steps of City Hall to demand that the NYPD cease "conducting militarized raids and takedowns that lead to the over-prosecutions of young people from poor neighborhoods of color." Following the rally, a march will make stops at the nearby U.S. Attorney's office and the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

FREE, Thursday, April 27, 3 p.m. | New York City Hall



Stand With B&H Photo Workers



Your friendly neighborhood socialists in the NYC DSA will hold a rally supporting the employees of B&H, who recently organized a union following widespread reports of hazardous working conditions in several Brooklyn-based warehouses. Organizers say that management has threatened to move their jobs 75 miles away, so the DSA is calling on New Yorkers to come show solidarity outside the 9th Avenue shop on Friday.

FREE, Friday, April 28th, 12 p.m. | B & H Photo, 420 9th Avenue, Manhattan



No Walls Party: Immigration Rights Benefit



Popular Gowanus venue Littlefield will host a night of live music, comedy, and art on Saturday, with all proceeds going to immigrant assistance programs Make the Road and Bronx Defenders. The benefit features stand-up comedy hosted by Melanie Martinez, an art show by Sally Erskine, and music from Modern Beast, Ohmslice, and DJ BLKID twins. The $20 ticket gets you access to an open bar.

$20, Saturday, April 29th, 8 p.m. | Littlefield 622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn



Anti-Bomb Rally



An anti-war group called Save the Civilians will lead a protest on Saturday morning against drone strikes, airstrikes, and other forms of bombing. The event kicks off with a rally outside the United Nations, followed by a march to Trump Tower. Organizers say the cause is bipartisan, noting that "No matter what political party or ideology you identify with, this is the time to stand together against violence."

FREE, Saturday, April 29th, 11 a.m. | Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 885 2nd Avenue, Manhattan



May Day 2017: Our Struggles Continue / Nuestras Luchas Siguen



Leading up to May Day, a host of progressive groups plan to hold free social justice programming intended to spread "histories, skills, and wisdoms, while building power towards collective liberation." The programs, which feature a wide-ranging list of collaborators including ICE-FREE NYC and HealthEquity4Black Lives, will take place in Corona, Bushwick, and Washington Heights. Those interested in submitting their own workshop proposal can find more information here.

FREE, Saturday, April 29th, 12 p.m. | Multiple locations, see invite



Anti-Fascist Book Club



The inaugural meeting of the anti-fascist book club takes place Sunday at the LGBT Center in the Village, with a discussion of the first 100 pages of Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism. That seminal analysis of Nazism and Stalinism sold out on Amazon following Trump's election, and all 48 copies appear to be checked out at the New York Public Library. Next up, the group plans on discussing a yet-to-be-named title by James Baldwin.

$10 Suggested Donation, Sunday, April 30th, 2 p.m. | Bureau of General Services-Queer Division, 208 W 13th Street, Room 210, Manhattan




India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian Ocean and more on its economic development, Chinese official media said on Monday.

New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers, an article in the state-run Global Times said.

In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development, it said.

New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter China's growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy, it said.

China yesterday celebrated 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet.

A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the country's overseas interests, a report in the same daily said.

As a consequence, China's military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said.

As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of former Soviet ship has finished its blue sea training, he said.

While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new logistic based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.

As the world's second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. China's construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development, an article in the Global Times said.

The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.

India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers, it said.

UnlikeChina, India operated the aircraftcarriersince 1961.

INS Vikrant which was purchased as an incomplete carrierin 1957 played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of the East Pakistan in 1971 before itwas decommissioned in 1997.

Its successor INS Virat that was commissioned in 1987 has just been decommissioned this month after an eventful four decades of service.

It was succeeded by INS Vikramaditya, a modified version of Russian ship Admiral Gorshikov, which became operational in 2013.

The second INS Vikrant being built in Cochin Shipyard is expected to be ready by 2018.
Installation shot: Untitled (I Can See Russia From My House), 2017, 15 x 10 x 6, dye sublimation printed carpet, bolts, washers, lumber. Im psyched to announce the public installation of a new work, Untitled (I Can See Russia From My House), in Warrenton, Virginia. It is a dye sublimation print on carpet, mounted on a wood support. I suppose it could also be installed indoors, but it would lose a lot of the impact; it really is a piece that is best come upon in the course of daily life. Untitled (I Can See Russia From My House), 2017, washer and bolt installation detail The carpet is affixed to the support using bolts and washers [above]. Longtime Kremlin watchers will note that the image, of the south facade of St. Basils Cathedral, is here reversed. Although an installation shot from December 2016 shows unrelated works installed nearby. It is the artists intention that this piece be viewed and appreciated on its own. Despite what you might assume, it is currently not for sale.

I began blogging about art, film, architecture, writing, and the creative process, both my own and that of people who interest me, in 2001.

Many thanks to the The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant for supporting greg.org that time.

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Hundreds of Maoists on Monday massacred at least 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion in a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths of the troopers won't go in vain.

The Central Reserve Police Force said the ambush began at 12.30 p.m., leading to a gun battle between the troopers and the Maoists who, survivors said, used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers.

Troopers who survived the horror said the Maoists, women included, emerged out of the blue before opening indiscriminate fire.

CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies.

Two more men died subsequently in hospital, taking the toll to 26.

The 99-member CRPF patrol assisting a Road Opening Party was reportedly readying for lunch when it came under attack, taking the victims by surprise.

Air Force helicopters evacuated the wounded to hospitals in Raipur, officials said.

Security forces launched a major search operation to track down the Maoists.

This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed. Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

Modi saluted the CRPF.

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," he tweeted. "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."

The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" by the killings and offered tributes to the dead and condolences to their families.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killings of the CRPF personnel.

"The sacrifice of 24 brave men is a big loss to the nation. Such attacks will never deter our fight against extremism," Sonia Gandhi tweeted.

Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh blamed the massacre on "complete intelligence failure on the ground level".

The killings forced Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to cut short his trip to Delhi where he had gone to attend a NITI Aayog meeting and fly back to Raipur.

Maoists aligned to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist have been active in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated interiors for decades, running a virtual parallel state.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday expressed apprehension that the MCD poll results, slated to be declared on April 26, could be "rigged" and the ground for it was being prepared by "floating" exit polls predicting a BJP sweep.

The Election Commission "deliberately" used old electronic voting machines (M1 and M2 models), even though new generation M3 machines were at its disposal, AAP Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey claimed and termed the MCD polls, held yesterday, as the most "mismanaged" election ever.

However, the poll watchdog maintained that all the EVMs were tamper-proof and the latest variants had additional features such as 'tamper detection' and 'self diagnostics'.

"If this (BJP sweep) is what the exit polls are saying, it is clear that the EVMs have been tampered with and these fake exit polls are being put out to prepare a ground for the rigged results.

"Lakhs of generation 2 and generation 3 EVMs were available with the Election Commission which were VVPAT equipped. But, generation 1 machines were deliberately used to ensure that the VVPATs (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) were not used," Pandey told PTI.

The VVPAT-equipped EVMs dispense a paper slip which helps a voter confirm that his vote has indeed gone to the candidate of his choice.

Asked about the party's expectations in the MCD polls, a senior AAP leader, on the condition of anonymity, admitted that it was not confident of pulling off a huge victory but claimed that the exit poll predictions were "highly exaggerated, if not absurd".

"I am not saying we will win all the three corporations.

But, from the feedback we have received, it would be a travesty if the exit poll predictions turn out to be true.

There is no BJP wave and our campaign on sanitation and corruption did create an impact," he said.

According to the EC, the 'tamper detection' feature makes an EVM inoperative the moment anyone tries to open it, while the 'self diagnostics' feature checks its hardware and software every time it is switched on.

Two exit polls have predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in the MCD polls with over 200 of the 270 wards, where the election was held, in the saffron party's kitty.

The election was postponed in two wards due to the death of candidates.
Twenty-three former bureaucrats have urged Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to arrest those who killed a Muslim farmer and warned that unchecked cow vigilantism will lead to "large-scale violence".

"Very disturbed" by the April 1 lynching of a dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar, the ex-bureaucrats also pressed Raje to punish police and other officials blamed for dereliction of duty.

The petitioners, all from the 1968 IAS batch, include Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Arun Kumar, Aruna Roy and Wajahat Habibullah.

Khan and four other dairy farmers were attacked with sticks and stones by self-styled cow vigilants on a national highway when they were returning to Haryana from a cattle fair in Rajasthan.

The attackers claimed Khan and others were smuggling cows. But they had documents to prove they had purchased the cattle from the fair and had no relationship with cattle smugglers or cow slaughter.

Habibullah told IANS that they wrote to Raje with whom all petitioners have "high expectations" that she would set a precedent by taking action against the culprits.

"We are very disturbed by the lynching and murder of Khan. We are also dismayed by the acts of omission and commission of the government following the incident, including the delay and marked reluctance in arresting all those guilty of the act," reads the April 23 letter.

They said the killing of Khan by an "arbitrary self-appointed group of vigilantes shows how much we have succeeded in undermining the most basic principles and values on which we have based our nation".

They warned that if this kind of vigilantism wasn't checked, it would would "lead to large-scale violence" which could corrode democracy and embolden cow vigilantes to flout the law.

The letter said that "a reprehensible attempt on the part of certain people in authority in Rajasthan as well as in the Union government to deny this horrific incident or to minimise its gravity" have made them complicit in the crime with their "inaction and silence".

They urged the government to register cases and take a decisive action on "the dying statement of Khan".

"The culprits must be arrested to restore the faith of the victims' families and their communities in the system of justice in the country.

"The failure to take immediate action at this juncture will amount to a mockery of good governance and the rule of law and will inevitably lead to anarchy.
Social activist Anoop Nautiyal has opposed a proposal to construct a helipad at the President's Estate in the city, 'Ashiana', saying it would cause massive damage to the environment.

He has written to President Pranab Mukherjee, requesting him to drop the plan.

He cited reports in a section of the local media that the proposal, cleared by the President's Secretariat recently, would involve largescale chopping of trees and relocation of people living on the periphery of 'Ashiana'.

Noting that increased construction activities have already done enough damage to the city's environment, he said a World Health Organization (WHO) survey ranked Dehradun as the 31st most polluted city in the world.

"Dehradun has environmentally, ecologically and aesthetically been ravaged repeatedly by tasteless constructions. Air quality in Dehradun has deteriorated significantly. We are today the 31st most polluted city in the world as per the WHO Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database," the social activist said.

"I request you to kindly instruct your secretariat to completely abandon the idea of building the helipad in 'Ashiana'. There are already two helipads in Sahastradhara and Cantt area which are barely 5-10 kms from 'Ashiana'. On top of this, presidential visits to Dehradun are extremely rare.

"Considering all these facts if the helipad were to still come up at the President's Estate, then it will be one more nail in the green coffin of Dehradun. I earnestly hope that you will send out a strong message of environmental conservation and augmentation by taking a firm no-helipad stand on the issue," he wrote to Mukherjee.

The president had stayed in 'Ashiana', also called the President's Bodyguard Estate, for three days in September last after its renovation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her government would prioritise the state's interest when it comes to the Teesta water sharing deal with Bangladesh.

"We have said earlier as well that we have to protect the interest of our state as well. If there is sufficient water left after providing it to all the people in the state, we have no issues in giving the spare water to Bangladesh," said Banerjee, who is on a trip to north Bengal.

She said the state government shares a good relation with the neighbouring country and mentioned having helped them with the state's spare water earlier.

"We love Bangladesh. We have helped Bangladesh earlier by providing water from the Farakka barrage. Besides, I have also proposed that the water from other rivers like Torsha, Dharla could be tapped if needed," she added.

Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, was invited for talks to New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina during the latter's four-day visit to India from April 7. During the deliberations, the Teesta water sharing issue was discussed, but no headway made.
In a huge setback to the Pinarayi Vijayan government, the Supreme Court on Monday directed Kerala to reinstate T P Senkumar as the state police chief.

Senkumar was removed as Director General of Police on the day that Vijayan assumed office on May 25, 2016.

Reinstating Senkumar, the bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta in their judgment said that the Senkumar was dealt with "unfairly and arbitrarily" and it was post the Puttingal Temple tragedy and the Jisha murder and not the two tragedies themselves that led to it.

Speaking for the bench, Justice Lokur said, "We are also a little disturbed with the view expressed  (by the Kerala government)  that the appointment of the appellant (Senkumar) was irregular if not illegal. If that is so and the State Government of Kerala is bent upon making irregular or illegal appointments to sensitive posts, then no one can help God's own country."

The court said that it also a "little disturbed" by resurrection of both cases as soon as the present government in Kerala assumed office.

"Suddenly, these issues resurfaced as soon as the present government assumed office. This might perhaps be a coincidence but it might also be politically motivated, as suggested by . appellant."

Brushing aside the state government's submission that its subjective satisfaction in removing Senkumar could not be gone into, the court said: "The subjective satisfaction of the state government must be based on some credible material, which this Court might not analyze but which can certainly be looked into.

"Having looked into the record placed before us we find that there is no material adverse to the interests of the appellant except an expression of opinion and views formed, as far as he is concerned, as late as on 26th May, 2016."

"This make-believe prima facie satisfaction by itself cannot take out judicial review of administrative action in the garb of subjective satisfaction of the State Government," it added.

The DGP has won a moral victory as he is set to retire on June 30 and now it has to be seen if the Vijayan government reinstates him quickly or delays it.

In removing Senkumar, the Left government had said this was because he did not do a clean job in the Puttingal Temple cracker blast and in the Jisha murder cases.

Not one to be put down easily, Senkumar approached the Kerala High Court, but failed to get a favourable verdict.

He then approached the apex court.

Expressing his happiness, Senkumar, presently the Director of the state-owned Institute of Management in Government, told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that justice has prevailed and this is a huge boost for people who do their job with utmost commitment.

"I take this opportunity to thank my advocates, the media and all those who stood by me in the pursuit of my fight for justice. This verdict will now become good for others also," said a beaming Senkumar.

Incidentally in the floor of the assembly, Vijayan had come down heavily on Senkumar and informed the house that he is not an officer who merits to head the state police force, when the Congress-led-opposition had raised the issue in the assembly in 2016.

"Now I will wait for the state government to make the next move and also I am waiting for the papers from the Supreme Court," said Senkumar as he was asked when he would take over as the state police chief.

Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy under whom Senkumar served told reporters that this was a huge morale booster for the officer and the verdict now proves that the cases that he probed were investigated in the best possible manner.

Vijayan's office told the media a decision will be taken on what needs to be done after all the papers are received from the Supreme Court.
The Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Monday held a protest rally here against China's move to "standardise" official names of six places in the north eastern state.

The students, carrying placards and banners, shouted 'anti-China' slogans and burnt the effigy of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Arunachal Pradesh has never been a part of China and Arunachalees hold strongest patriotism for India.

"Arunachal is an integral part of India and if we go by history, people of the state had participated in the country's freedom movement. People here have never been under the Chinese rule," AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said.

He also criticised the state government for remaining silent over the issue, adding that the matter needs to be taken seriously.

China had announced standardised official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh, days after it lodged strong protests with India over the Dalai Lama's visit to the frontier state.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday played down apprehensions of a financial loss caused by prohibition and said the state, instead, had witnessed a surge in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals.

"Against 1.69 crore domestic tourists in 2015, the figure was 2.85 crore in 2016, a 68 per cent increase," he told reporters in his state Legislative Assembly chambers here quoting from official figures.

Likewise, against 9.23 lakh foreign tourists in 2015, the state played host to 10.10 lakh foreign tourists in 2016, a 9 per cent hike, Kumar added.

He quoted statistics to dispel the apprehensions of loss to the state exchequer due to the implementation of prohibition in the state in April, 2016.

Kumar said the state accrued a loss of around Rs 1,000 crore in revenue collection in 2016-17 and maintained that this was not due to prohibition but mostly on account of demonetisation and other factors.

The JD(U) chief has on several occasions claimed that instead of an estimated annual excise duty loss of about Rs 5,000 crore due to the liquor ban, the state had gained "double the amount" as people were investing the money saved from alcohol consumption on good food, clothes, furniture etc.

Kumar has been visiting various places in the country on invitation from organisers of liquor ban campaigns.

On April 21, he was at Bharananganam in Kerala to address the 18th state-level Assembly of Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conferences Temperance Movement. On April 22, addressing a function in Mumbai, he had listed the virtues of not drinking.

"Those who attended the event in Kerala were immensely impressed when I told them in details about the implementation of the liquor ban in Bihar, which has transformed the social environment and resulted in economic gains," said the chief minister.

Kumar, who led the world's longest human chain, involving over four crore people, in support of prohibition in Patna on January 21, also criticised the Centre and various state governments for "finding ways to denotify national and state highways" to work a way around a Supreme Court direction that there should be no liquor outlet within 500 metres of any highway.
His Excellency Thorir Ibsen, Ambassador of Iceland to India since 2014, has served as Ambassador to the European Union, to Belgium and to France amongst other countries. He was also the Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change and holds a Master's in International Relations from the Faculty of Political Science, York University, Canada. In an interview with Sarah Berry, he talks about areas of cooperation between his country and India, as well as his experience and journey in India. Excerpts:

Do you feel the people-to-people connect between Iceland and India can be enhanced? Iceland is a country with a population of approximately 330,000. Though we cannot have a large representation and presence in India, we do have a focussed one.

There are two areas which we target actively: tourism and business. For the former, movies are an excellent medium to establish a long-term recall value and generate tourism. Not only are we actively in touch with location agencies, but also travel agencies, providing them the required information and help required to promote the country.

The word-of-mouth generated has been so strong that over the past three years we have seen a yearly exponential increase of 50 per cent in the issuance of visas. In fact, the Hindi film song 'Gherua', shot in Iceland, was much appreciated by viewers. Often, Indians combine their visit to Iceland with other countries like the Nordic Countries, UK, The Netherlands, Germany etc. In fact, the winters also see a number of Indian visitors arriving in the country to enjoy the Northern Lights.

So, yes, I am pretty satisfied with the accomplishments made in this connection. We are indeed breaking the ice.

Which are the areas, according to you, for further cooperation?

One field where I see immense cooperation is the field of tourism. In fact, there is in Iceland an association by the name of the Iceland Pondicherry Friendship Association. I foresee a direct flight between both countries taking shape in the near future, which will greatly enhance the tourism prospects between both countries. Climate-related issues and the field of renewable energy are two other fields where I see opportunities for more intense cooperation.

As far as business is concerned, some very prominent Icelandic companies have established their niche in India, for example Ossur in the field of prosthetics, EC Software in the field of IT, Marel in the food processing industry. Women entrepreneurship and gender equality are other important areas.

Iceland has played a pioneering role in the field of clean energy. Is Iceland assisting India too in this field?

Besides solar and wind energy, hydro and geothermal forms of energy also play an important role. A long-term plan is being developed between Iceland and India in order to tap the abundant geothermal energy present in India.

What is Iceland's stand on India's candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

Iceland was the first Nordic country which supported publicly India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Iceland has shown interest in cooperation with prominent universities in India.

How do you envisage the cooperation between the two countries in the field of education?

Iceland has a large number of programmes on offer for postgraduate studies and beyond, of which a large number are in English. Geo-thermal energy, soil conservation/land reclamation, sustainable fisheries and gender equality are some of the more popular areas of study for international students. Indian students opt often for studies in the field of geo-thermal energy. In fact, the Indian diaspora in Iceland is increasing steadily. A number of Indian doctors are employed in Iceland.

How popular are Indian food and yoga in Iceland?

Very popular indeed! Icelanders visit India for the International Yoga Day. Besides this, Indian food is very popular in Iceland. Of course, the spices are toned down a bit, and there are Indian restaurants in Iceland. In fact, mixes of both cuisines are also common and the outcomes are pretty exotic!

You have been in India for about two years. Could you tell us about your experience here?

The diversity mystifies and amazes me. India is a beautiful country. My family and I are nature lovers and we have really enjoyed the mix of flora and fauna present here.
Haifa is on the "front line" in any action in the north but this blog looks at life in the shadow of danger to all of Israel
Sri Lankan filmmaker, Prasanna Vithanage was in Assam recently to receive the third Biswaratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award at a function organised by the Asom Sahitya Sabha. Launched in 2013 by Assams leading literary forum, the first award went to Bangladeshi dance exponent, Lubna Marium and the second to Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan.

In an interaction with local scribes, the 50-something film director paid tributes to the works of Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Guru Dutt, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Jahnu Barua along with Bhupen Hazarika. According to Prasanna, the simplicity conveyed with creative ardours by these filmmakers inspired him to try his hands at filmmaking. Born at Panadura, on the outskirt of Colombo in 1962, Prasanna started working in theatre and soon emerged as a sensitive visual translator of inner conflicts carried by ordinary people along with their journey for individual freedom. He has received applause from the international audience for Sisila Gini Gani (Ice of Fire), Anantha Rathriya (The Dark Night of Soul), Akasa Kusum (Flowers of the Sky), Pura Handa Kaluwara (The Death on a Full Moon Day), Ira Madiyama (August Sun), Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka (With You, Without You) and Usawiya Nihandai (Silence in the Courts) among others.

Prasanna, whose movies have been screened in various international film festivals, expressed his concern over the crisis faced by small-time filmmakers in different parts of the globe, but is optimistic over digital screening of quality films for the benefit of filmgoers. He argued that the screening of regional movies (inclusive of Sinhalese films) with multiple subtitles, through various alternate media outlets, would help the industry to survive for a better future. Even though Bollywood movies enjoy important market shares in Sri Lanka, Prasanna asserted that there were still sizable serious filmgoers in his country who support alternate filmmaking.

Talking about the strong presence of female characters in his movies, the director revealed that it was because of his mothers influence on him. He termed his mother as a strong individual and admitted that her influence has remained a real strength for him in all the time of crisis.

He appreciated the national spirit of India, which is somehow missing in his island nation. Unlike Indians, who are diverged but united in oneness, the Lankans are yet to nurture the spirit of nationalism, Prasanna stated. He admitted that Lankan society remains ethnically divided even after the end of the gory Tamil uprising in northern parts of the country. He also revealed that unlike India, there was no such freedom movement against the British colonial rule in Sri Lanka.

The writer is the statesmans guwahati-based special representative
Can language become a dominant factor in polarising politics of our time? Seemingly Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarmas positioning of Assamese as a compulsory medium of instruction up to Class X is based on a sentimental ownership of the language and not by sound educational logic. As the choice of a language should be left to students and their parents, the minister is withdrawing options for them by declaring a kind of mono-lingual authority for Assamese that does not augur well for the multi-lingual state of Assam.

Of course, the minister left two small options  one, Bodo for tribal areas of Bodoland and Bengali for the Barak Valley. The overwhelming emphasis on Asomiya is reminiscent of the earlier emphasis on Sanskrit, which was later given up and revised. The issue here is not just about policy-making but also recognising linguistic diversity in Assam and allowing free choice of a language as a medium of instruction.

It is important to understand why the imposition of language and using it in a certain way becomes the hallmark of state policy towards the minorities. It wont be out of place to mention that recently the West Bengal government in North Bengal initiated a committee to research into the status of the Rajbangshi tongue as a language and proposed to recognise it in the context of North Bengal. The West Bengal government intended to address the question of the Kamtapur demand by recognising Rajbangshi language.

Unfortunately no Rajbangshi scholar is included in the committee and only scholars with a particular language and scientism were included in the committee. It has scholars like Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Ananda Gopal Ghosh, Subodh Sarkar and Bijay Sarkar, all of whom are known for their theoretical inclination to undermine languages that are minority languages as part of Bengali.

The two cases of Assam and West Bengal run parallel to each other. In the case of Assam minorities are subjected to a compulsorily learning the major language of the state. In case of West Bengal a recognition of Rajbangshi as a language qualified to become a medium of instruction sounds far-fetched, as many of the these scholars believe that Rajbangshi is a dialect of Bengali. Again in Assam, tribal languages which are used as a medium of instruction will now face a fear of extinction if Assamese has to be compulsory up to Class X. In both cases, there is a clear attempt to bulldoze minority languages.

The question is, why should a state policy be so biased that it has to establish superiority of language of the dominant cultural identity? What is the compulsion of the ruling group to secure the dominance of the dominant language while the languages of marginalised groups are left to languish and probably to die out? This act of immiserisation of marginalised languages constitute the policy of ensuring dominance of a ruling elite often formed on the basis of language, religion, caste and tribe.

The other question is can the ruling elite be homogeneous in language and culture? Seemingly Biswa Sarma and the West Bengal government are carrying out an implicit agenda of setting up dominance of the language of the majority. The justification for such a language policy remains in the linguistic division of states and provinces in India. Similarly, the recent approval of the President of India for ministers and top officials to speak only in Hindi creates a similar situation in Parliament and the high echelons of power.

It is definitely important to understand how a particular state treats its linguistic and cultural minorities as there is no alternative to giving a fair and equitable treatment to minorities at every level of our national life. If we have to build up a national identity based on unity in diversity as a principle, it is to be recognised that a majority linguistic group in one state is necessarily a minority in another state. The way minority languages are denied a fair treatment in West Bengal, it has its immediate backlash in states where Bengali is a minority language. Needless to say it will induce a sense of alienation and iridescence for those perceived majority languages in places where they are in minorities.

In case of Assams multicultural and multilingual mosaic, imposition of Asomiya as the only medium of instruction has a bitter history of falling apart and fostering mistrust. Similarly in North Bengal, leaving out smaller linguistic groups while giving a partial and not-so-acceptable recognition of Rajbangshi as a language, creates mistrust for smaller groups like Rabha, Bodo, Dhimal, Santal and others. This kind of a skewed policy of recognition to some and disrecognition to immediate others creates a double trap. On the one hand, it creates challenges for a language as it gets identified with dominance and on the other, it leads to appropriation of smaller linguistic groups. In the context of Assam, such a skewed policy creates a lot of unease among Non-Asomiya linguistic groups, as they are constantly threatened by such linguistically aggressive state policies.

The government remains insensitive to cultural and linguistic diversity. As there is an increasingly racist, linguistic and culturalist fundamentalism fanned by state policies, the latest diktat by the governments have a serious fall-out. In bigger countries like the US and Canada, there is an official policy of multiculturalism that India never has. It has been emphasised by the Centre that the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights of freedom of conscience and recognition of everyones religion and language and prevent discrimination on the basis of race, caste, sex and religion, which is a foolproof arrangement towards cultural and linguistic equality. As things emerge, the government and the ruling elite and the state policy become the biggest source of casualty in this constitutionally-given mandate of protection and propagation of minority cultures.

The justification that comes from Assam government for making Asomiya, Bengali and Bodo compulsory for schoolchildren, is the reason that children are forgetting their mother tongue in private schools. While this aspect of policy framing is for the good of future generations, imposition of a dominant language on other language groups causes an equal obstruction to learning of their mother tongue. In the Brahmaputra valley, where there are many tribal languages, the policy needs to be corrected by a rider that children from tribal groups will also have the right to learn their own mother tongues. This recognition of tribal languages will be in line with various articles of the Constitution, while the imposition of a state language on ethnic and linguistic minorities goes against the grain of Constitutional intent.

The policy of the West Bengal government to give a political recognition of Rajbangshi as subsidiary language but without situating it in its proper historical and cultural context creates a deeper sense of anxiety and alienation among Rajbangshi speakers. The rationale for such a onesided decision stems from a majoritarian sense of belonging to a dominant language as part of a democratic power game and reduces language to a mere political tool of statecraft. One needs to remember that language is the finest expression of human essence and hence entry into any language is taking part in a form of life. If the interest of building up a unified nation is to be formed, the governments of Assam and West Bengal need to be extremely sensitive to the ground reality of tribal and minority languages. Bereft of this, turning language into a tool for politicisation is a polarising act that has a terrible fall-out in breakdown of common and shared faith in living together in mutual co-existence.

The writer is an author and a philosopher based at the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. His latest book is Bet Thought and Consciousness, Notionpress, 2017
TV host Jimmy Fallon, known for Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, says he doesnt fret over competition with other TV chat shows.

"There's (David) Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel. I mean, you have a lot of options. I can't worry about that stuff," Fallon said in a statement

He added: "I just got to kind of keep doing the best stuff we can possibly do, keep our heads down, and then, when we come up for air, you see all the fun stuff you did, and you go, That was a pretty good body of work'."

Asked how he differentiates his show from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Fallon said: "We are in New YorkLast names."

Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon is aired in India on Comedy Central.


Six more airports in the country could soon do away with the practise of stamping passengers' hand baggage tags, after few prominent ones ushered in the new system from April 1.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), tasked to guard 59 civil airports in the country, on Monday initiated a week-long trial of the new system at the airports of Chennai, Patna, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Beginning April 1, the CISF has already done away with the system at seven such air facilities in Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

"The week-long trial at these six airports will end on April 30. We will take a call based on the results and the assessment.

"If all the security concerns are found satisfactory, we will be ushering in the new regime of non-stamping of the hand baggage tags at these six airports very soon," CISF Director General O P Singh told PTI.

The trial will ensure that adequate security gadgets and logistics are provided at these six airports so that full proof security measures are in place once the stamping of the hand baggage tags procedure is discontinued.

By having the stamped tags on the hand baggage, the security personnel used to be assured that no weapon or ammunition like material enters the aircraft with the passenger and now with the deployment of smart cameras and re-positioning of security paraphernalia at the seven airports, the same objective is being achieved.

The procedure remained a major irritant for passengers and they have made many complaints in this regard to airport authorities saying this system poses hassles for them as it consumes time and in case they forget to get it tagged, security personnel would ask them to go back and get it done.

The output roller trays at the seven airports, which have initiated the new drill, have now been extended in order to provide more visual clarity to the security personnel on each and every bag even as they have been instructed to minutely go through the x-ray images before clearing the hand bags.

A committee comprising officials of the CISF, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the airport operators has been recently constituted to smoothen the roll-out of this new protocol at all the 59 airports guarded by the paramilitary force.

This was done after a high-level meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and his counterpart in the Civil Aviation Ministry, Jayant Sinha, in which the earlier BCAS order about stamping the hand baggage tags was stayed.

The meeting while staying the BCAS order had sought a thorough review of the security apparatus before the new measure could be launched.

The CISF said it had sought modifications in the airport security for doing away with the hand baggage stamping and "to make sure that passengers could not access bags containing restricted items which are segregated by CISF personnel for checking (after X-ray scanning)".

DG Singh had said the new measure will enhance "passenger experience and provide hassle free security environment to them" while travelling through the airports.

The new protocols are only meant for domestic passengers and those travelling to international destinations will have to get their hand baggage tags stamped as usual.
The Central government on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the Aadhaar card was made mandatory for getting subsidised food grain through the Public Distribution System as this was not reaching the poor.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra was further informed by the government that around 2.33 crore ration cards, used to get the benefits under the PDS scheme, turned out to be fake.

PDS is mostly misused in the country so Aadhar card was made mandatory, said the government.

The government's response came on a public interest litigation filed by NGO Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan which sought quashing of the Centre's February 8 notification that made it mandatory for beneficiaries to possess Aadhaar cards for purchasing subsidised food grain under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The notification is applicable in all states and Union Territories, except Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir.

The plea said due to the notification's implementation, people are being deprived of their rightful entitlement under the NFSA and it violates the Constitution's Articles 14 and 21.

Buyers of ration under the NFSA, who do not possess the Aadhaar cards, or are not yet enrolled for it but are desirous of availing subsidies under the NFSA, are required to file applications for Aadhaar enrolment by June 30.

The plea said in October 2015, a Supreme Court interim order had allowed for voluntary use of Aadhaar and ruled that no citizen can be denied a service or subsidy for its want as it sought directions to enforce what it said was the fundamental right to food to Delhi residents, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups dependent on subsidised food grain distributed by the Delhi government through the Public Distribution System.


Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will commence a 15-day "Vistaar Yatra" (party expansion tour) from Tuesday from Naxalbari in West Bengal, the party announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that Shah would commence his yatra from Naxalbari booth number 93, and would touch base with party workers, people from all sections of society, panchayat representatives and the local intelligentsia.

"Our party President is of the opinion that when we do any organisational work and put forth our expectation of workers, it is incumbent upon the leadership to lead by example," Irani said.

Apart from Bengal, Shah will cover the states of Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat and Lakshadweep during his 15-day tour.

She said that 3.68 lakh BJP workers across the country had volunteered to take part in the "Deen Dayal Vistaar Yojana" for 15 days, "leaving all your political and personal obligations behind and dedicate full time to organisational activities and expansion".

"Our party chief is carrying the Prime Minister's message of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and the message of 'garib kalyan' (welfare of poor) to a booth historically known to ask through violence uprooting of the Indian state and Constitution," Irani said.

On the reason for choosing Bengal to commence the expansion tour, Irani said that in Bengal, the "BJP workers are facing violence and hardship and he (Shah) wants to stand up with them".

She said that besides Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the other areas of focus for the party's expansion.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Irani said on the one hand there is a party "going through a crisis whose workers are looking out for its leader, while on the other hand, there is a party (BJP) which is winning election after election but not relying on its past glories and paving its way for future".

"And to pave the way for future, our party President is connecting with the party workers at the booth level to expand the party's base," she said.


Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday denied as incorrect the perception that the Centre is imposing Hindi language on others, maintaining that the government has only notified the recommendations of a parliamentary panel.

"I was pained to read in a section of the media today (Monday) that DMK leader M K Stalin has alleged imposition of Hindi by the central government," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said in a statement here.

"The government of India has no intention to impose any language on anyone," he stressed.

"I would like to clarify that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language headed by the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram made a recommendation (about use of Hindi by Ministers, MPs etc.) and the same was forwarded to the President of India on June 2, 2011," Naidu said.

"This committee suggested that all those occupying high political offices and who can speak and read Hindi language may be requested to give their speeches/statements in Hindi. The President and all Ministers come in this category."

Naidu said the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led government notified this recommendation on March 31.

He said the committee's suggestion was only recommendatory and not mandatory.

"It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an ordinance was passed in this regard," Naidu said.

DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "attempting to decimate the unity of the nation" ever since he came to power at the Centre.

He also alleged that the BJP government was "betraying the non-Hindi speaking citizens".

Naidu, however, pointed out that the DMK was a member of the Union government in 2011 when this recommendation was made and forwarded by the parliamentary committee to the President.


AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said "Gau Rakshaks" (cow vigilantes) are committing acts of terror against innocent people and warned that continued attacks will stoke anarchy in the country.

The Member of Parliament alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its government did not want to stop Gau Rakshaks as they had a soft corner for them.

He was reacting to the latest attacks by cow vigilantes on some people transporting cattle in Jammu and Delhi.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President said the attacks by Gau Rakshaks were increasing day by day and they had so far killed nine people and raped two women.

"They are committing acts of terror. They are beating up whosoever they want. They have become law unto themselves. This is a grave danger for the country. If this continues, there will be more anarchy," he said.

The Hyderabad MP said it was high time the BJP stopped the cow vigilantes "who are from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)".

"They are emboldened by the fact that the party which is in power ideologically shares the same thoughts with them," he said.

"PM only talks and does nothing," Owaisi said when asked about the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Gau Rakshaks in the past.

He demanded that the government deal firmly with the attackers by enforcing stringent laws.

"If BJP is practising Hindutva, let them do it and see what will be its result in the country," the MP added.

Owaisi also voiced concern over the attacks on Kashmiri youth in different parts of the country and an incident in which a Kashmiri scholar was allegedly forced to leave BITS Pilani.

"An environment of hatred towards Muslims and Kashmiris has been created in the country. They are either beating up Muslims in the name of cow vigilantism or assaulting Kashmiri youth," Owaisi said.

He pointed out that many Kashmiri youth were studying in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana under the Prime Minister's scholarships.

"Kashmiris, like Kashmir, are an integral part of India," he said and demanded that the government send a strong message by acting tough against those attacking them.


The Centre on Monday said it is not imposing Hindi on anyone but promoting it like other regional languages.

"We are not imposing Hindi but promoting Hindi like any other language," Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told reporters here.

Rijiju is the minister incharge of the Department of Official Language.

His comments came in the backdrop allegations levelled by certain quarters that the Modi government is trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.

DMK leader M K Stalin has accused the Centre of trying to relegate people who don't speak Hindi, to second-class citizens and of pushing the country into becoming "Hindia".

The controversy was generated after President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the recommendation of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language that all dignitaries including the president and ministers, especially those who can read and speak Hindi, may be requested to give their speech/statement in Hindi only.

The president has accepted several other recommendations, including making announcements on board aircraft in Hindi followed by English
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government has taken as a "challenge" the killing of CRPF personnel by Naxals in Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

"We have taken the attack as a challenge," he told reporters here.

Singh described the incident as "sad and unfortunate".

"It is a very sad and unfortunate incident. I will talk to Chief Minister Raman Singh for more details," he said.

Earlier, Singh asked Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir to travel to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

"Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Singh tweeted.

At least 26 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Sukma district today, the deadliest attack by Naxalites targeting security forces this year.
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The Indian Air Force on Monday inducted its frontline Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft into the 221 Squadron, 'Valiants', at its base in Punjab, enhancing the IAF's capabilities, an official release said.

Su-30 MKI is a state-of-the-art all-weather multi-role fighter jet capable of undertaking varied air combat and ground attack missions. Developed by Russia's Sukhoi, it is built under licence by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The induction of Sukhoi fighter jets at a frontline base close to the India-Pakistan border will act as a force-multiplier for the defence forces.

The Western Air Command chief, Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar handed over documents pertaining to the first Su-30 MKI aircraft to Squadron's Commanding Officer, Wing Commander H.S. Luthra, during the induction ceremony.

Daljeet Singh, Chief Executive Officer, MiG Complex, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, was also present.

The 'Valiants' was formed as an offensive fighter squadron in February 1963 at Barrackpore (West Bengal). It was then equipped with Vampires, Spitfire, Hurricane and Su-7 aircraft.

Su-7 aircraft dominated the East Pakistan's skies in support of the Indian Army's blitzkrieg advance in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war.

Later, the squadron was equipped with MiG-23, the Russian swept-back wing fighter bombers, which were the first to fire at the enemy during the Kargil War of 1999.

The squadron flew MiG-23 aircraft till 2009.
India's military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world's fifth largest spender at $55.9 billion, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) revealed on Monday.

As per the figures, the US remains the world's largest military spendere registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.

Four others in the top 15 spenders include China, Japan, South Korea, Australia.

China is second on the list spending $215 billion, an increase of 5.4 per cent.

However, the growth rate was "much lower" than in the previous years, the SIPRI report said.

Russia increased its spending by 5.9 per cent to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender.

Saudi Arabia, the third largest spender in 2015, dropped to the fourth position in 2016 with its spending dropping by 30 per cent in 2016 to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.

Pakistan does not figure in the top 15 spenders, and spent $9.93 billion.

"The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq," the report said, adding however that US' 2016 figures remained 20 per cent lower than its peak in 2010.

"Despite continuing legal restraints on the overall US budget, increases in military spending were agreed upon by Congress," said Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) programme.

"Future spending patterns remain uncertain due to the changing political situation in the US."

Military expenditure in Western Europe rose for the second consecutive year and was up by 2.6 per cent, while falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending.

Last year's global military spending accounted for 2.2 per cent of the worldwide GDP.

Military spending as a share of GDP, was highest in the Middle East with an average of 6.0 per cent, while the lowest was in the Americas, with an average of 1.3 per cent.

However, data for all Middle Eastern countries was not available.

For countries where data is available, substantial increases were seen in Iran and Kuwait, while sizable decreases were noted in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, SIPRI said.A

In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure rose by 4.6 per cent in 2016. Spending levels are related to the many tensions in the region such as over territorial rights in the South China Sea.
Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the government has taken up the H-1B visa issue with the United States, but it is not discussing the problems of individual IT companies.

"We are certainly talking with the US administration on H-1B visas. However, I am not talking on each of these firms," she told reporters here.

She was responding to a query about the US accusations that top Indian IT firms, including TCS and Infosys were unfairly cornering the lion's share of H-1B visas by putting extra tickets in the lottery system, which the Trump administration wants to replace with a more merit-based immigration policy.

The minister said India has raised the issue of change in the H-1B visa policy and "not on specific companies".

As regards H-1B, after due discussions, an understanding was reached between India and US on issuance of these visas and India is raising the issue of proposed changes announced by America.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already raised the issue of restrictions on H-1B visa twice with the US as India fears the curb would impact the movement of Indian IT professionals to America.

President Donald Trump has 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.

The Indian IT industry has expressed serious concerns over this as these visas are mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations.

The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals.

India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.
Three Indian warhips today reached the Toulon Naval Base in France for a three-day visit, in continuation of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and West Coast of Africa.

"The warships, INS Mumbai, Trishul and Aditya, were warmly received by the officials of the French Navy at Toulon Naval Base in coordination with the Indian Embassy," an official spokesperson said.

The visiting ships are a part of the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command and the Task Group is headed by Rear Admiral R B Pandit, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, who is flying his flag on the guided missile destroyer, INS Mumbai.

"On completion of the visit at Toulon, the bilateral exercise Varuna between the Indian Navy and the French Navy is scheduled from April 24 to 30. The Varuna series of exercises began in 2000 and have grown into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies," the official said.

The last such exercise was held off the Indian coast, the spokesperson said in a statement here.

"The warships' visit to Toulon seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and like-minded countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen the existing bonds between India and France," he said.

"The visit of Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, to France, coinciding with the visit of the Indian Navy ships to France and conduct of the exercise Varuna, amply demonstrate the Indian Navy's engagement with the French Navy," he said.

Luthra is scheduled to visit the French frigate FNS Auvergne, a French nuclear submarine unit, as well as an underwater weapons facility. He would also call on senior official in France, including Vice Admiral Charles-Henri du Che, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Sea Area (CECMED).

"With the establishment of the strategic partnership with France in 1998, there has been significant progress in all areas of bilateral co-operation including defence, nuclear energy and space. A high level committee for defence cooperation between the two countries at the level of Defence Secretaries met in Paris in 2015. Bilateral exercises such as Garuda, Shakti and Varuna have been a regular feature between the two nations," he said.
Warning that most terrorism "across the world have some footprint" in Pakistan, Indian Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday that the international community has to take action.

While India's relations with its neighbours have improved, "our problem comes from our western neighbour" because of terrorism, he said at the Council on Foreign Relations here.

Every initiative by India to improve ties with Pakistan have met with hostile reactions, the latest being the "unprovoked gesture of a military court sentencing an Indian to death through a kangaroo court process" in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"I think that doesn't help the cause of peace in the region at all," he said.

Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was a spy for India and following his capture under controversial circumstances in area near the border with Iran, a military court handed him a death sentence.

"If you've seen all our efforts over the last few years to normalize the relationship (with Pakistan), we've seen a reaction," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "went there, and it was immediately followed up by an attack in Pathankot air base in India, then an attack on our Uri military camp".

Answering audience questions about the state of India's relations with neighbours, Jaitley said economic relationship was an area of strength with China and has picked up significantly, but border problems persisted despite an initiative by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve them.

"We had a mechanism set up in order to resolve the (issue) and define the border itself," he said. But over the last 14 years, "the mechanism has not been able to come out with an answer".

"We believe that it's important the border get settled, because that's in the interests of regional peace," he added. "And obviously, you'll have occasionally some issues arising because of that unsettled situation."

China is now India's biggest commercial partner accounting for about $70 billion in annual bi-lateral trade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday condemned the killing of 24 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists and expressed pain at the great loss.

Modi termed the act as "cowardly and deplorable" and said that the sacrifice of the personnel will not go in vain.

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," the prime minister tweeted.

Reaching out to the bereaved families of the personnel, Modi wrote: "Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest."

Home Minister Rajnath Singh also took to Twitter and said he was "extremely pained" by the killings.

"Extremely pained to know about the killings of CRPF personnel in Sukma (district). My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Singh tweeted.

Singh said he had spoken to state Home Minister Hansraj Ahir, who "will take stock of the situation".

Modi also said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

The attack took place at Sukma district at around 12.25 PM between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area of the worst Maoist-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.

The jawans are from the 74th battalion of the CRPF. Earlier this year, the Nxals killed 12 CRPF personnel in the region.
While Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was in New Delhi discussing with Prime Minister Narendera Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh the issue of restoration of peace in troubled Kashmir, terrorists shot dead her party, PDP, leader Abdul Gani Dar on Monday morning at Pulwama in South Kashmir. The situation in Srinagar also took a serious turn when students of a leading school boycotted their classes and started pelting stones at the security forces when education institutions reopened in the valley after being shut for a week because of violence.

Dar was shot by unidentified terrorists shot in the Pinglana area of Pulwama while he was driving his car. He was rushed to a hospital in the district where he succumbed to injuries.

This is the third terrorist attack on ruling PDP activists in Kashmir during the past two weeks. An activist of National Conference was also shot a few days ago.

Before joining the PDP in 2014 when Mufti Sayeed became Chief Minister, Dar held various positions in the Congress.

Significance is being attached to Mehboobas meeting with Modi and Rajnath before whom she stressed the need to initiate a dialogue with all stakeholders, including separatists, in a bid to check violence in Kashmir. She emphasized picking up the threads of peace process where these were left by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Her meeting with Modi and Rajnath comes at a time when the PDP-BJP alliance was under tremendous strain on various issues.

Mehbooba, who has urged the security forces to exercise restraint, will on Tuesday hold a meeting of the Unified Command at Srinagar. Top brass of the Army, CRPF, BSF, police, central and state intelligence agencies and bureaucracy will attend the meeting that will take stock of the prevailing situation and formulate action plan to restore peace in the valley. The strategy to tackle the unruly elements to ensure a smooth summer tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath pilgrimage in the valley is also expected to be discussed.

The security forces faced an uneasy situation this morning when school students joined the protests and indulged in stone pelting and raising anti-India slogans. Despite great provocation, the security forces exercised restraint and tried to keep the students away from the main road by spraying water at them. Education institutions were shut last week following incidents of stone pelting by students of colleges who were protesting against police entering a college in Pulwama.

Students of the Sri Pratap College also indulged in pelting stones and marched towards the Maulana Azad Road, the business hub of Srinagar. This resulted in sporadic clashes between the students and security forces.

Meanwhile, the state police have cracked down on nearly 300 Whatsapp groups that were indulging in mobilising stone pelters in different parts of the valley. The police have also registered cases against those indulging in spreading rumours to incite the youth against the security forces.

Also, while the BJP in its state-level meeting at Doda accused the National Conference and the Congress of engineering trouble in Kashmir in a bid to destabilise the PDP-BJP coalition government, the National Conference has accused Mehbooba of mishandling the situation in the valley.
PDP district president for Pulwama Abdul Gani Dar,who was shot at by suspected militants on Monday, has succumbed to his injuries.

Gani was shot at by the militants in Pinglena area of Pulwama district, 31 kms from Srinagar, Monday afternoon, a police official said.

Abdul Gani Dar is was earlier associated with Congress. He joined PDP in 2014.
President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday condemned the Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh, which left at least 26 troopers dead.

"Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured," the President said in a tweet.

Hundreds of Maoists massacred at least 26 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.


The top security brass of the country on Monday reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir amid continued unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh was given a detailed presentation on the latest ground situation in the state in the wake of violence since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, official sources said.

They discussed the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the Valley, which has witnessed many protests and stone- pelting incidents in the recent past.

Singh discussed increased infiltration bids from across the border with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the top officials of the Home ministry, the paramilitary forces and the chiefs of the intelligence agencies.

The home minister directed the officials to ensure intensified vigil along the International Border and the Line of Control to foil attempts by the militants to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir during the summer, the sources said.

A possible strategy to deal with the challenges arising out of the increasing incidents of stone pelting on the security personnel was also discussed at the meeting, they said.

The home minister and the top officials also reviewed the security situation across the country, particularly along the western border  from Punjab to Gujarat.


Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the attack on a CRPF team in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in which 25 jawans were killed.

Singh will also travel to Raipur on Tuesday to take stock of the situation.

He apprised Modi of the circumstances leading to the attack and steps taken for treatment of those injured in it.

The home minister, who is in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was earlier briefed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on the attack.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed sadness the killings of CRPF troopers in an ambush by Maoist guerillas in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

"Saddened at the tragic death of CRPF jawans in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. Strongly condemn violence. My sympathies with the bereaved families," Banerjee tweeted.

Hundreds of Maoists on Monday massacred at least 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in the bloodiest attack in the state since 2013.
The Supreme Court on Monday fixed a timeline for recruitment of police personnel including Sub-Inspectors, head constables and the constables in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Setting the time line for the filling up the vacancies spread over four years, the bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said that for any breach of the time line indicated by the top court, the officers concerned shall be held liable.

Approving the road maps, the bench made it clear that the Chairman of the Police Recruitment and Promotion Board "shall not be changed midstream" once the recruitment process has commenced from the issuance of notification till the holding of the exam.

The order passed on Monday separately in respect of the six states would see recruitment of 19,396 Sub-inspectors (direct) and Inspector (on promotion) and 1,02,619 constable in Uttar Pradesh.

The top court by its April 17 order had asked the Home Secretaries of the six states to be present before it with the road map for filling the vacancies. It had also said that it would monitor the filling of the vacancies.

The court asked the Home Secretaries of Bihar and Jharkhand to come again on Monday as it found that their response was inappropriate.

Karnataka gave a road map by which they would fill all the vacancies by 2019.

In the course of the last hearing of the matter, the court was told that six States that head large vacancies included Uttar Pradesh (150,679), Bihar (34,532), Jharkhand (26,307), West Bengal (37,325), Karnataka (24,388) and Tamil Nadu (19,804).

Saying that it would monitor the filling-up of the vacancies, the court had said that in the first instance it would focus on Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand , West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.


Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the government as the Aadhaar numbers and bank account details of millions in Jharkhand were compromised, terming it a "shocking breach of privacy and security".

"Shocking breach of security that has left lakhs of innocent citizens extremely vulnerable," said Gandhi on his official Twitter account, posting along with it an article in a national daily reporting the news.

"I am proud that we took the lead on Aadhaar, but let's not compromise a great initiative by turning a blind eye to major privacy and security concerns," he added.

The Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, and addresses along with names of more than a million people were compromised by an error on website, maintained by Jharkhand's Directorate of Social Security.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the situation in the state will improve in the next two or three months, after which a dialogue could be initiated.

Though the CM did not specify who the talks would be with, she had earlier invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's policy on Kashmir at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in an apparent suggestion for talks with separatists.

"I understand that the coming 2-3 months are crucial for us. I want to say that you will find the situation of Jammu and Kashmir changed. We will first restore normalcy and then talks can be initiated," she said after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh here.

She said the central government at the highest level would have to take a decision on initiating a dialogue.

During the meeting, at which BJP's general secretary incharge of the state, Ram Madhav, was also present, Mehbooba briefed Singh about the law and order situation in the Valley, where violence broke out during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

She said there had to be an end to incidents of stone pelting and firing by security forces.

The issues would be discussed at a meeting of the Unified Command in Kashmir.

Asked about the possibility of the imposition of Governor's rule in the state, Mehbooba said only the central government could comment on that.

The two leaders discussed steps needed to bring peace back to the Valley, where student protests against police actions have been gaining ground in recent days.

Mehbooba also raised the issue of security of Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, referring to reports of alleged threats to them in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Singh told Mehbooba that all state governments had been instructed to provide security to Kashmiris in their states and asked to take strong action against anyone threatening or harassing Kashmiris.

He mentioned a home ministry advisory sent on this on Friday.

At a meeting of the NITI Aayog yesterday, Mehbooba had asked all chief ministers to reach out to Kashmiri students in their states and treat them as their "own children".
Actress Raveena Tandon says she has always had an "activist streak" in her but has no plans of joining politics.

"I'm the kind who can't toe any party line. And I have problems with almost every political party. There's no party I have come across whose ideology matches with mine. There are people whom I believe in now, but I just prefer to be a free voice," she says.

The 42-year-old actress says that she would rather have an opinion than lose it in the din of party politics.

"I'm not going to be told what I can or should say, or what my sensibilities are. If my sensibilities say that something is wrong, but the party says, 'waah-waah', I just can't do that. So I would rather be a voice which is not scared of anyone than join politics and lose it," Raveena said.

The actress also believes that to bring in change in the country, citizens must start by "being the change" they want to witness.

"We need to start being the change we want to see. We can criticise all we want, but if goons keep getting elected because of powers like 'bhaigiri' or 'moneygiri', then we don't have any right to complain. We lose the authority because we put them there," she says.

Until like-minded people come together, the system will not change, she points out. "Things will continue like this," she warns.

Raveena says she has often been criticised for praising leaders for doing their job well.

"Yes, there are people who I think are doing good work, while people around them might not be doing (such) good work.

That doesn't mean I'm supporting a particular party," she says.

"Today, if you say you are proud of your prime minister or president, you will be trolled. We used to be proud when we said that Indira Gandhi was the first woman PM of India. But today, it is like taboo. Praise Modiji or Rahul Gandhi and people will say that you are politically inclined," Raveena adds.

The actress, who stars in the recently released revenge thriller Maatr, regrets that rape is rampant in the country, and stresses that criminals are not afraid of the law anymore.

"We come from a land where women were worshipped as goddesses. Where has that respect gone now?"

India, she adds, needs a strong legal structure.

"We talk about moving towards a new, progressive, liberal and educated India. Then why are mindsets not changing? Had these things happened 60 or 70 years ago, we'd understand. But not now."

Raveena, who is often attacked on social media, says she is indifferent to what is said about her on Twitter. Actors were trolled even before internet came to the fore, she adds.

"I don't care. I don't even read the tweets. I'm not interested in playing the victim. I say what I want to when I want to, whether the people like it or not. But trust me, everybody gets trolled. We actors get trolled even while shooting on the streets.

"We have faced all this, the abuses and comments people pass when we shoot for songs. You all are facing it for the first time, but we've been facing it for a long time. As I said, the basic mindset (of the people) needs to change.
I drove six hours, knocked on the door and a young girl opened the door. Behind her stood a middle-aged woman with short hair and a smiling face. I would not have recognized her on the street, for I was seeing her after forty years. But I knew she was Cathy. Cathy was unforgettable.

Forty years earlier, I was a sophomore student in Kolkata, India, when Dick Johnson, my fathers new colleague from New York, moved into the apartment next door. With him came his wife Esther and daughter, Catherine Isabella.

Cathy could not bear the burden of her polysyllabic name and promptly reduced it to a short, spiffy Cathy. It fitted her better, for she was lively, brisk and direct. Meeting me for the first time, she smiled shyly, but then quickly took my hand and said, Ill be your friend.

I was her friend if only because I was the only one around of her age who spoke English.

She did not speak a word of the local language and needed someone to explain the strange new world around her.

I felt important showing her around, walking crowded streets and narrow lanes through throngs who marvelled at the odd pair of a gangly youth and a pretty foreigner with flowing tresses. She wore Madras shirts and denim pants and explored with me noisy bazaars, smelly fish markets, decaying old palaces and, when our joint resources permitted, cheap roadside tea shops.

We took long walks in the dusk on the crumbling boardwalk on the Hooghly River, and flouted, with unspeakable joy, our parents firm instruction not to go anywhere near unhygienic street snacks.

We had our parents liberal permission to go to the libraries  they believed it would broaden our minds  and we took full advantage of it, sitting for hours with open books, our fingers discreetly interwoven under the desk, conveying messages our intermittent whispers could not. On rare occasions, we were permitted the other mind-broadening luxury of going to selected plays in local theaters. We dressed specially, which meant I wore cologne and a decent pair of trousers, while Cathy looked resplendent in a cardigan and her mothers lipstick. We could stay out later than usual, and on the way back we huddled close on the backseat of a taxi.

I left town when I graduated, and Cathy went about the same time to a boarding school far away. A few years later the Johnsons returned to the US.

Forty years later I moved to Washington with a UN job, and, in a remarkable coincidence, had lunch with a colleague who had known the Johnsons when they were alive and living in New York. He found Cathys address for me: married and divorced, she now lived with her daughter in Maryland and worked as a teacher.

As Cathy came forward and kissed me, I whispered the words I had always wanted to tell her but never dared to articulate, You look beautiful!

The writer is a Washington-based international development advisor and had worked with the World Bank. He can be reached at [email protected]
In a nation of some 200 million, I doubt if a handful could pinpoint Panamas location. And yet, this tiny Central American state has dominated Pakistans political discourse for the last year to the point of tedium.

Finally, after nearly two months of hearings before a Supreme Court bench, the verdict is here. And, as I had predicted to friends a few weeks ago, it is a cop-out that has both sides declaring victory.

For me, the abiding image is of the Sharif brothers, Nawaz and Shahbaz, embracing and beaming at each other. In the PTI camp, we watched Imran Khan and senior party members pass sweetmeats around.

For the SC, the verdict gave the impression of balance and fairness, with something for both sides to cheer about. Imran Khan had a lot of praise for the two dissenting judges who declared the prime minister ineligible to rule because he didnt meet the criteria of honesty and integrity laid down in the Constitution.

The ruling PML-N is gloating over a verdict that, for the time being, has let their leader off the hook. As far as the party is concerned, it has every chance of hanging on to power until the 2018 election. Here, according to opinion polls, it is most likely to win a majority. So whos the real winner in the verdict?

When the Panama brouhaha began a year ago, I had suggested that the Sharif brothers were masters of kicking the can down the road, and would drag matters out indefinitely. Now, with a joint investigative team (JIT) being set up, expect more of the same.

Even though the SC has required the JIT to submit fortnightly progress reports, the fact remains that members of this committee will all be serving members of the civil and military bureaucracy. To expect them all to perform their tasks independently is a rather big ask.

Then there is the problem of the team having to obtain and verify information in different jurisdictions. Will they be able to force banks and government departments in Dubai and Qatar to hand over documents? And all this in two months? Forgive my scepticism, but having first-hand knowledge of the pace at which our bureaucracy works, I have some doubts.

No wonder that Imran Khan is demanding the PMs resignation. He knows how difficult it will be to get a group of civil servants to report against a sitting PM. But hes right in underlining Nawaz Sharifs loss of moral authority to rule.

Irrespective of the legal rights and wrongs of the case, it is clear that the daily drip-dripdrip of corrosive evidence against Sharif and his family has done much to strip away the aura of decency he had tried to project. And his disqualification by the two dissenting judges on the bench has reinforced the impression of corrupt practices at the heart of the Sharif empire.

With supreme irony, Asif Zardari has also demanded Nawaz Sharifs resignation, and asked if he would be taken to the local police station for questioning, or would the JIT go the PM House? The reference here was to his own vicious treatment over a decade of incarceration.

Indeed, the PPP has good reason to be aggrieved at what has often appeared to be its targeting by the judiciary, starting with Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos judicial murder to the sacking of another elected PM, Yousuf Raza Gilani. In many other cases, the judiciary has displayed an apparent animus against the PPP.

And yet, despite demands for his resignation from the opposition, Nawaz Sharif isnt going anywhere. He didnt get to where he is by being sensitive to corruption charges. Throughout his political career, he has shown himself to be tough and opportunistic.

Imran Khan has given examples from other countries where leaders tainted by the Panama Papers have either provided full disclosure (David Cameron), or resigned (Icelands Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson). However, members of Putins and Bashar al-Assads inner circle have not even bothered denying the allegations against them contained in the leaks.

As we know, there is no tradition of resignations in Pakistan. Even in Israel, Bibi Netanyahu is mired in corruption charges, but is refusing to step down. But in Israel, the police are far more independent than they are in Pakistan, and have investigated similar charges against presidents and prime ministers before.

Whatever happens next, Panama is a name that will continue to resound on our TV chat shows for some time to come. But will the verdict reduce corruption? I doubt it. But it will force crooked politicians to be more careful about their bookkeeping. A final factoid: the verdict triggered the stock exchanges biggest bull run, with the index shooting up by 1,800 points in a single session. Do investors know something we dont?

Dawn/ANN.
The situation in Afghanistan can be described as a stalemate at both the strategic and tactical levels.

The security environment is precarious, socio-economic development is stagnating, and the reconciliation process has reached an impasse.

The NATOISAF strategy to clear-hold-build-transfer-exit has succeeded only partially as the Taliban and the Al Qaida have not been eliminated and terrorists owing allegiance to ISIS are increasing in number.

The fledgling Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) are not yet capable of managing security after the premature withdrawal of the US-led NATO-ISAF intervention force.

The Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF, ANA plus ANP) numbers are small (352,000).

The ANA lacks heavy weapons, artillery, air support and helicopters for logistics support. The standards of the junior leadership are low and the troops are inadequately trained and equipped.

They do not have the level of motivation necessary to undertake complex counterinsurgency operations on a sustained basis.

Cases of fratricide and desertions with weapons are commonplace.

While the ANSF and the remnants of the NATO-ISAF forces control most of the large towns and the airports, the Taliban and the Al Qaida between them control large swathes of the countryside.

Governance is virtually non-existent outside Kabul. The approximately 13,000 NATO-ISAF troops now in Afghanistan are on a train-advise-assist mission.

Unless Afghanistans regional neighbours, the Central Asian Republics (CARs), China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Russia join hands with the international community to supplement the ANSFs efforts to eliminate the insurgents, the security environment is likely to deteriorate further and may degenerate into a civil war.

Afghanistan and India have had a historically friendly relationship. Its location at the strategic cross-roads between South Asia and Central Asia and South Asia and West Asia makes it an important geo-political partner.

It boasts vast mineral deposits. When the Chabahar port in Iran becomes operational, India will gain access to the Central Asian Republics through Afghanistan.

Hence, peace and stability in Afghanistan are vital national interests for India. India supports the installation of a broad-based and stable representative government in consonance with Afghan customs and traditions.

The imposition of the Western model of democracy will not be appropriate. India would prefer a government that adopts a stance of neutrality between India and Pakistan, but should be willing to work closely with any government that is truly representative of the Afghan people.

Indias efforts to provide greater assistance are being hampered by the lack of geographical contiguity. It has only limited access to Afghanistan as Pakistan has not given India transit rights.

Indias attempts to allay Pakistans fears about her intentions have not been successful as Pakistan has steadfastly refused to discuss this issue.

Afghanistans problems cannot be resolved unless the transDurand Line challenges that it faces from Pakistan and the Haqqani network are addressed simultaneously.

The India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership agreement was signed in October 2011. It calls for close political cooperation with a mechanism for regular consultations and joint initiatives on regional and international issues.

It stipulates a strategic dialogue to provide a framework for cooperation in the field of national security. Security cooperation is intended to enhance mutual efforts against international terrorism, organised crime, illegal trafficking in narcotics and money laundering.

The agreement specifies that India will assist in the training, equipping and capacitybuilding programmes of the ANSF.

It commits the two sides to strengthening trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation, as well as cooperation between other bodies of business and industry representatives.

India has committed itself to continue to provide assistance for Afghanistans reconstruction and development programmes and capacity-building. Indias policy objectives in Afghanistan are in consonance with the strategic partnership agreement.

Besides a stable and preferably neutral government, these objectives include the following ~ to ensure that Afghanistan does not again become a base and safe haven for terrorists and radical extremists; counter Pakistans quest for strategic depth, acquire access to Afghanistan and through it to the CARs; establish broad-based engagement with all political groups; support Afghan-led reconciliation efforts, as visualised by the Afghan High Peace Council; assist Afghanistan to train its administrative and judicial staff to improve governance and the delivery of justice; and, further enhance people-to-people contacts.

Indias national security objectives comprise supporting the capacity-building efforts of ANSF by ensuring the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, including the supply of war-like stores; ensuring the safety and protection of Indian assets and infrastructure in Afghanistan; and, cooperating to share intelligence.

Indias economic policy objectives are to increase trade with Afghanistan and through it with the Central Asian Republics; enhance Indian business investment in Afghanistan; assist Afghanistan to develop its natural resources; further increase Indias reconstruction and capacity-building programme; enhance this countrys energy security; for example, through the commissioning of the TAPI pipeline; assist Afghanistan to replace narcoticsbased agriculture with regular agriculture; and, work towards the implementation of SAFTA.

Finally, unless the security environment improves substantially, governance and development will continue to be relegated.

The P-5 needs to be persuaded to supplement the ANSF with a United Nations or a regional peacekeeping force to eliminate the Taliban.

There is no support in Afghanistan for another peacekeeping force. Nor is there support in India for sending troops to Afghanistan.

However, it is generally realised that the fight against the Taliban and the Al Qaida must be won as it has long-term security implications for the country.

For India, peace and stability in Afghanistan are vital national interests. By definition, vital interests must be defended by force if necessary. Along with other neighbours ~ if invited ~ New Delhi should be willing to deploy up to one division (15,000 troops) to join such a force.

The writer is Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi
It must rank as an irony of international relations that last Sundays missile misadventure in North Korea has staved off a crisis in the peninsula. Nonetheless, it has been a major loss of face for Pyongyang as the missile ~ part of a military parade ~ exploded seconds after it was launched on the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung. The failure of a missile-launch isnt exactly breaking news for the North, but direly embarrassing is that the disaster had marred the ceremonial grandstanding associated with North Koreas founder. Not that a confrontation with the US was dangerously imminent, but the threat of a catastrophe appears to have receded for now.

Neither Donald Trump nor Kim Jong-un have followed up on their threats; equally neither has compromised on their respective positions, when not a defiant show of belligerence. No wonder the retreat from the brink has been fraught on both sides of the divide. The scaling down of tension is inherently deceptive as there has been no change in the fundamental positions and causes of the friction.

The North Korean regime remains ruthless and firm in its determination to buttress its nuclear programme. President Trump is much too impetuous to even attempt a sober evaluation of the US equation with President Kim Jong-un. A North Korean generals bluster that his country could defeat all its enemies so that there would be nothing left even to sign a ceasefire mirrors the escalating fantasies provoked by tension.

No less belligerent was Trumps 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. The war of words has not abated even in the aftermath of the missile misadventure if the caveat of the US Vice-President, Mike Pence is any indication ~ The era of strategic patience is over.

The nub of the matter must be that strategy and patience are not exactly Mr Trumps forte. The outlook today is more awesome than what it was in 1994, when the Clinton administration had considered a pre-emptive war with North Korea. A war is the worst possible outcome to the crisis; the devastation can be unimaginable both in terms of human suffering and the world economy. North Korea, like perhaps Iran, is loath to give up its nuclear arsenal.

One could even argue that the recent cruise missile attack on Syria has served to strengthen Pyongyangs resolve though one country is a long way from another and not merely in terms of distance. Given the opaque administration, details of the Norths nuclear arsenal may never be known; but it is generally believed that its missile is capable of targeting Japan. However daunting the crisis, a jaw-jaw is better than war-war, as Winston Churchill had once remarked.
In death, four-month-old Kuheli Chakraborty exemplifies the negligent nonchalance of the healthcare system in West Bengal. Her epitaph can be as stark as that, And it scarcely makes any difference if that system is under the public or private sector; both can be equally heartless.

Across the divide, a sense of accountability has been a systemic casualty.

The death has occurred once again at Apollo Gleneagles, the swanky healthcare outfit off Kolkatas EM Bypass.

Six days after the tragedy there is no response whatsoever from the government, amidst the hype over the West Bengal Clinical Establishments Act and the commission that had been put in place after the previous death in Apollo, the atrocious bills, and the vandalism at CMRI in the aftermath of a patients death.

Such totemic intervention brings cold comfort to the bereaved families.

This time, sad to reflect, the health department has chosen not to react, preoccupied as the leaders are with the inauguration of a new auditorium, the hi-falutin platitudes on Civil Services Day, not to forget the chief ministers visit to Odisha that had political and religious overtones.

In the event, a probe into Kuhelis death is yet to be commissioned. Despite the heartrending tragedy, her mother drew a blank on her visit to Swasthya Bhavan, where a very senior officer (Director of Health Services) was not present at noon.

Reports suggest that other worthies were similarly insensitive. In desperation, the distraught woman has sought an appointment with the chief minister.

The system as a whole is awaiting a nod from on high before the state puts its shoulder to the wheel, if at all.

The setting up of a three-member committee by Apollo does not inspire confidence; it knows the kind of report that will be palatable to the management.

The bare facts are simply stated, and these have not been disputed by the hospital authorities. They were given a days deadline by the health department to furnish the report; we do not know yet whether it has been filed. What we do know is that the infant was in need of a colonoscopy for which she was allegedly administered an overdose of anaesthesia.

Kuhelis condition was aggravated as she was made to languish without food on April 17 and 18.

As the colonoscopy was repeatedly postponed for no stated reason, two successive cardiac arrests drove her to death in one of Kolkatas super-speciality hospitals.

There is a fundamental question too many and both the hospital management and the government need to clear the air.

A police force drawn from four police stations, forming a cordon sanitaire around Apollo, was admittedly necessary to protect the establishment from vandalism.

Yet it chimes oddly with the hideous reality within.
The sheer absurdity of the no-detention policy till Class 8 will hopefully be corrected with states being accorded permission to detain students in Class 5 ~ the conclusion of the primary stage ~ and then again in Class 8, which marks the transition point from middle to senior school. HRD minister Prakash Javadekars statement signals a welcome deviation from the Right to Education Act which makes it mandatory to ensure automatic promotion till Class 9 with no evaluation whatsoever for the better part of school life. In many or most schools, especially those run by state governments, there is no praxis to evaluate what has been taught or to assess what the students have assimilitated, if anything.

The fact that 25 states have already agreed to withdraw the no-detention policy reaffirms the inbuilt opposition to a breathless provision of the RTE Act. In West Bengal, from one dispensation to another and cutting across party lines, the authorities are seemingly in favour of promotions with no questions asked. Both the advancement of learning and assessment will be taken care of with the overwhelming majority of states set to revert to the pass/fail construct. The minister has been remarkably forthright to admit that the no-detention policy has led to deterioration in the quality of education.

The proposal to give the student two chances to clear the Class 5 and 8 exams is reasonable enough just as the provision for remedial classes is geared to help students who cannot easily attain the benchmark. However, this ought not to be confused with the booming business of private tuition. Schools have been given the responsibility to smoothen out the transition to the extent possible. It is fervently to be hoped that the amendment to the RTE Act, now before the Cabinet, will be cleared with urgent despatch.

A logical objective of the changes that are on the anvil is to improve the quality of school education. Towards that end, the HRD ministry plans to notify the learning outcomes in the refashioned RTE Act. Not that the provision on the impact of education is not integral to the flagship legislation; close to a decade after the Act came into effect, the feedback on the learning outcomes is yet to be notified.

Happily, the data will now be advanced to parents as well. Clearly, it is a three-pronged approach towards school education, one that involves teachers, the taught and the parents no less. Teachers will be made accountable and responsible, and this duty towards the profession makes it essential to notify the learning outcomes. At the end of the day, however, the chief merit of the RTE amendment is that the no-detention policy is set to be junked.
The recent bypoll in Srinagar and resultant video footage dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Holding elections in a strife-torn region was a wrong decision to start with. Even the state had protested to the Election Commission (EC).

However, for the EC and the government, it was a tough choice. Delaying the election would have given the opposition including the National Conference (NC) and proPakistan separatists more ammunition.

Poll-eve violence when eight protestors were killed in police firing and scores including police and CRPF personnel injured should have been the trigger to call off the election.

EC failed to read the scenario and act in time, resulting in only seven percent polling. With time this will haunt the government.

A flood of videos began emerging, some showing security personnel containing agitators and some of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and police personnel being heckled, manhandled and assaulted by locals.

However, the video which grabbed national headlines, resulting in widespread debate and comments was that of a local, Farooq Ahmed Dar, being tied to the front of a jeep. Most critics of the action termed it as employment of a human shield by the army.

Amongst the critics were also a few veterans, who opined that this video would haunt the army for ages.

Opposition parties and armchair strategists termed it as shameful for the army, some claiming that the army has become anti-national and lost the goodwill of the locals.

However, within the nation and from all walks of life, the Army also received immense support. Many supported the young major who took this decisive step, ignoring those who had criticised the action.

The hierarchy of the Army and the government took a firm decision to support him. However, possibly to strengthen its stand for any future legal engagement, the Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry (COI) to enquire into the circumstances leading to the incident.

For those who pass judgement in haste and resort to bashing organisations, it is essential to understand the circumstances under which the incident occurred. Many versions are afloat, however for a layman the situation can be easily explained.

It was election day and violence was in the air. Mobs were moving around, targeting polling booths, preventing people from voting and attacking security personnel at random.

As per the Election Commissions ruling, security to polling booths is to be provided by CAPF and local police.

The Army is only in an area-domination role, to prevent any militant attack.

At one polling booth in Budgam, ITBP and police personnel were surrounded by a violent, threatening mob of over five hundred.

There was a fear that they could be lynched. They appealed to the army for assistance and the army reacted. A Quick Reaction Team (QRT) under a major in the vicinity was tasked to rescue the trapped personnel. Here is where there are differences on what transpired.

Some claim that Farooq Ahmed Dar was picked up while returning from voting, while the army version says that he was one of the stone throwers and hence detained.

Regardless, the situation was grave. The QRT was small and light, the mob large. Under normal circumstances, the trapped personnel of CAPF and police, feeling threatened by the mob, could have opened fire in self-defence, resulting in casualties.

However, ultimately the mob may have prevailed and they would have become casualties, possibly even killed.

The Army officer would have been compelled to break into this mass of violent humanity only by opening fire, thus adding to casualties. Such action would have made headlines across the globe and been seen as highhanded.

This solution employed by the officer on the spur of the moment created such fear amongst those surrounding the booth that they opened a path for him, thus enabling rescue of the trapped staff without a shot being fired.

This ingenious action therefore prevented a catastrophe. The individual was taken back to the military camp, offered a cup of tea and then handed over to his village sarpanch, unharmed and secure.

To make the officer the only culprit was unwarranted. To compare the army to an occupation force was unjustified. If the Army was highhanded, then the mob which surrounded the booth and threatened personnel inside was not made up of saints.

Similarly, those who insulted and attacked CAPF personnel on polling duty were no innocents. In a similar vein, those who pelt stones and interrupt operations against militants intentionally, enhancing army casualties, are no nationalists, nor are they simply misguided youth, as termed by the opposition.

In any jurisdiction, assaulting government staff on duty is a crime, hence must be acted against. Showing restraint, avoiding the use of firing except as a last resort, accepting injuries and insults, security forces have faced the brunt.

Had the political leadership and local intelligentsia sought to wean away youth from the path of selfdestruction, Kashmir would not have been at the crossroads it now is at.

At this juncture, instead of playing politics and indulging in one-upmanship, everyone needs to join hands to defuse the situation, prevent loss of lives and injuries to youth.

The youth are our future, they need to be educated, not turned against the state, misguided and made cannon fodder for Pakistan or their Hurriyat supporters.

The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.
Researchers have found that 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs at a regular pace is more likely to make you feel energised 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 study co-author Patrick J O'Connor, Professor at University of Georgia in the US.

"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," O'Connor said.

The study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, aimed to simulate the hurdles faced in a typical office setting, where workers spend hours sitting and staring at computer screens and do not 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.

"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," O'Connor said.

Study participants were female college students who described themselves as chronically sleep deprived  getting less than 6 and half 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.


Television actor Parth Samthaan has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a senior police official said on Monday.

The actor, known for his roles in television shows Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan and Best Friends Forever?, was earlier booked under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) based on a complaint filed by a model.

POCSO charges were added on Sunday after the complainant claimed that she was molested by the actor four years ago when she was 16-years-old, he said.

Meanwhile, the actor has moved an anticipatory bail application to evade arrest, the official said.

The 20-year-old model had accused Samthaan of molestation and filed an FIR against him at the Bangur Nagar police station on March 26.
The soul of any culture lies in its festivals, for around this pivot revolve customs and traditions, reflecting the lives and times of its people.

The photo exhibition titled 'Hungarian Cultural Festivals', by Gyorgy KonkolyThege, renowned travel photographer from Hungary, presented the country in a new light to its viewers.

Konkoly-Thege, an economist by education, has followed his passion for photography for more than 20 years now. Being a globe-trotter, having visited over 100 countries till now, his exhibitions have been presented to both national and international audiences.

Why the sudden change of path? The photographer clarifies: "After finishing my studies, I worked for a few years for an export company. Around that time, I stepped on Indian soil, though only for a day, for the first time. This was way back in 1982. Within a few years, I realised that a formal office routine was not my cup of tea. After dabbling in business, I started selling my photographs, which had become, by then, a good collection."

His exhibition in India, inaugurated by the Ambassador of Hungary H E Gyula Petho, is an amalgamation of four major Hungarian festivals:

* Sziget: one of the world's most iconic music festivals. KonkolyThege has been coveringit for more than 10 years and has visited all 24 festivals.

* Ozora: along with the Solar United Natives Festival, is one of the two sizeable psytrance festivals in Hungary.This event saw a record number of 60,000 visitors in 2015.

*Mediawave: a small festival, though an active and familiar one in Komarom.

* Kurultaj: Organised every two years in Bugac, this is the largest traditional festival in Europe, celebrating the preservation of ancient traditions ~ for example, the tribal assembly of the Hun-Turkic nations. This festival sees guests from 27 nations like Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Every artist derives his/her inspiration from some source. What is Konkoly-Thege's? He explains: "The ambience of the festivals is really relaxed, which makes taking photographs easy. Moreover, my main focus is on the visitors, the side events and all the unique things associated with the festivals. In some countries of the world, photography can be challenging, as people do not prefer being photographed. Another inspiration for me is nature. I have visited 102 countries of the world and the colours of nature are simply baffling."

The exhibition's message, as per Konkoly-Thege, is to bring the culture of his homeland to India ~ a country known for its diversity. Having visited India about 40 times, almost 6-7 times in the second part of the 90s, making documentaries on India, he simply loves India. April is but a hot month of the year. Konkoly-Thege retorts "Last year, I was in India during the month of August, when it was both hot and humid. Now it is only hot."

The exhibition, a joint initiative between the Embassy of Hungary and The Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, communicates not only the message about the festivals of the country but its rich culture, its history and the bonding between humans during times of festivities, which are of great social importance.
Five persons were killed and eight injured in a suicide car bombing, claimed by Taliban militants, near a US-operated military base in Afghanistans Khost city on Monday, police said.

"The bomber struck a security checkpoint outside Chapman Camp, a foreign military base on outskirts of city at midday, killing himself and four Afghan security guards manning the checkpoint," provincial police chief General Faizullah Ghairat told Xinhua.

Among the injured were six local security guards and two women in nearby houses who sustained injuries.

No foreign soldier was hurt in the blast which also damaged buildings and shops around, he said.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on April 1, three security personnel were killed and six school children wounded after a suicide car bomber targeted a military convoy in Khost, 150 km southeast of Kabul.

Monday's attack occurred hours after US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country on an unannounced visit.

Mattis visited the headquarters of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) in Kabul where he met Commander General John Nicholson and discussed the security situation, the RS forces tweeted.

He was also expected to hold meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders.
Six people, including three security personnel, were injured during protests in Paris against the result of the first round of the French presidential elections, police said on Monday.

At least 29 people remained in police custody following the demonstrations in which leftist activists came out to voice their opposition to independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, both of whom are set to battle it out at the runoff Elysee Palace on May 7, the police told Efe news.

Anti-fascist and anti-capitalist demonstrators gathered at Place de la Bastille and Place de la Republique, in the heart of Paris, two hours before polling stations for the first round of voting closed on Sunday night at 8 p.m.

Initially, protestors built barricades in the squares, but as exit poll data started to filter through pointing to a victory for both Macron and Le Pen, the demonstrations became more violent.

Several people threw firecrackers, causing damage to nearby vehicles and shop windows.

Activists in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux and Grenoble also staged protests that turned violent.


Afghan President Ashraf Ghani met with visiting US Defense Secretary James Mattis, ahead of expected decision on more US troops for militancy-hit country, government officials said.

According to a statement by the Afghan Presidential Palace on Monday, the two sides discussed the security situation of Afghanistan and the region, fight against terrorism and bilateral ties, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Both sides talked over bilateral relations and cooperation. They also discussed fighting terrorism, narcotics and corruption," the statement added.

This is Mattis' first visit to the country since US President Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

"The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) was standing at the first line against terrorism and continues its earnest counter-terrorism efforts with full might for ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan, region and the world," Ghani said during the meeting .

However, the statement did not say whether the two sides discuss sending of more US troops to the war-hit country.

The Pentagon chief said that US will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for the future of Afghanistan, according to the statement.

The NATO and US forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after 13 years of military presence in the country but around 13,000 foreign troops remain to train and assist Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) fighters.
Trump makes special call to US astronaut Peggy Whitson (Lead)

US President Donald Trump made a special Earth-to-space call to congratulate NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson for her record-breaking stay aboard the International Space Station.

"Today, Commander Whitson, you have broken the record for the most total time spent in space by an American astronaut, 534 days and counting," Xinhua news agency quoted Trump as saying on Monday.

"That's an incredible record to break and on behalf of our nation, I'd like to congratulate you," he said, describing Monday "as a very special day in the glorious history of American space flight".

In response, Whitson said it was "a huge honor to break a record like this" and that she was "so proud of" the team that made this spaceflight possible.

Whitson has held several records over the course of her NASA career. In 2008, Whitson became the first woman to command the space station, and on April 9 became the first woman to command it twice. In March, she seized the record for most spacewalks by a female. And at 57, she is also the oldest female astronaut in space.

During the phone call, Trump asked several questions, including the timing for sending humans to Mars, despite the fact he signed a bill last month that set a goal for NASA to do that by 2033.

"Well, I think as your bill directed, it will be approximately in the 2030s," Whitson said, explaining that "space flight takes a lot of time and money, so getting there will require some international cooperation".
Authorities are searching for two inmates who walked away from the Helena Pre-release Center last week.

On Saturday, Joshua Lee Little Bird was reported missing just before 10 p.m. after failing to return to the Colleen Street facility from work.

Little Bird is described as a 27-year-old Native American man who is 5-foot-10 and weighs about 175 pounds. His head is shaved, but his hair is black. He has brown eyes, wears glasses and has a scar on his left eyebrow.

Little Bird was last seen wearing black pants, a white shirt, gray shoes and a black coat.

Little Bird was sentenced in 2015 on a felony charge of criminal endangerment out of Yellowstone County. He has a prior conviction of assault with a weapon in 2010.

Meanwhile, another pre-release resident serving time for drug convictions also remains on the run after not returning from work Thursday.

Yancy Lee McCrea, 30, has sleeve tattoos on both arms, in addition to tattoos on his chest, left calf, right leg, face and neck.

McCrea is described as a 5-foot-9, 260-pound Native American man with black hair and brown eyes.

He was sentenced for felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs out of Lake County.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of these men is urged to contact local law enforcement. The Helena Police Department can be reached at 406-442-3233.
A Cairo court on Monday upheld 20 death sentences against suspected Islamists over the killings of 12 policemen in an attack on a police station near Giza in August 2013, reports said.

The Cairo criminal court will issue it final verdict against the suspects on June 2 following a ruling from the country's Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic authority, the daily Al-Ahram reported on its website.

The defendants are alleged to have attacked a police station in Kerdasa, close to the pyramids at Giza, in the aftermath of the army's overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi .

The 12 police officers were among 15 people killed in the attack, during which the suspects allegedly mutilated the policemen's bodies as well as those of two civilians, tried to kill 10 other policemen and wrecked the police station, Al-Ahram said.

A criminal court in February 2015 issued a death sentence against 183 people found guilty of

involvement in the attack, 34 of whom were tried in absentia.

A total of 149 defendants appealed the death sentence and are currently undergoing retrials.


A freight train connecting Russia with China has arrived in an inland city bringing goods from Moscow to the former revolutionary heartland of the Communist Party, a media report said.

The train connecting Russia with Jiangxi province arrived on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The train was expected to bring resources from Europe and boost local development.

The journey started from Kansk, where buses first transported 38 containers more than 260 km to Bazaiha, followed by a train journey of more than 7,000 km, before reaching Ganzhou in eastern China.

Ganzhou, an inland area with a complex landscape, was important in early revolutionary activities due to its remote mountain ranges.

However, its wartime geographical advantages became a stumbling block in development.

The government tried to push regional development in the past few decades, but Ganzhou won no major projects or key investment due to its geography, resulting in slow, sometimes nonexistent, industrial growth.

Many people in Ganzhou are still living in poverty.
Social-liberal Emmanuel Macron will face far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a run-off for the French presidency on May 7, according to election officials.

With 90 per cent of the ballots counted from Sunday's first round, Macron has garnered 23.5 per cent of the vote, while Le Pen has 22.08 per cent, Efe news reported.

In third place is conservative Francois Fillon with 19.75 per cent just ahead of leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon with 19.45 per cent.

In fifth place, far behind the four most popular candidates, is socialist Benoit Hamon, with 6.2 per cent of the votes, followed by Gaullist Nicolas Dupont-Aignan with about 5 per cent, just over the threshold needed for a candidate to have his campaign costs reimbursed by the national government.

Macron, 39, a former Economy Minister, is vying to become France's youngest-ever president, while Le Pen, 48, the leader of National Front is intent on becoming the first woman to lead France.

Although his opponents tried to paint him as the heir of unpopular French President Francois Hollande, it appears that Macron  with his fresh image and proposal to "unblock" antiquated elements of French society  has struck a positive chord among voters.

Macron pulled his support from retirees, working people and independents, garnering about 25 percent of each group's votes, according to the Ipsos polling firm.

He also managed to garner 24 per cent of college graduates as well as the support of 32 per cent of voters in households earning more than 3,000 euros (about $3,300) per month.

Le Pen, meanwhile, lost the lead she had enjoyed among the youngest voters, who inclined toward Melenchon drawing the votes of 30 per cent of citizens aged 18-24.

She received her support from people who have trouble making it to the end of the month on their salaries (43 per cent), those who feel that the next generation will have a lower living standard (25 per cent) and those with the lowest incomes (32 per cent), among others.

Fillon obtained 45 per cent of the votes from electors over 70 years of age and the votes of 36 percent of French retirees, according to Ipsos.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called upon his countrymen to vote against Le Pen in the runoff.

Cazeneuve said that "the presence of a candidate of the extreme right  obligates us to unite all supporters of the Republic against her."

Turnout nationally appeared to be similar to the last election in 2012, at about 80 per cent, reports the BBC.

Almost 47 million people were eligible to vote.

Nearly 60,000 police and soldiers were deployed across the country to secure polling, with France still reeling from the shooting of a policeman on the Champs Elysees.


Pakistan on Monday rejected India's assertion that it is violating a bilateral pact by not giving access to retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court there.

India has made 15 requests for consular access to 46- year-old Jadhav, who has been convicted of "espionage and sabotage" by a Pakistan army court.

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said in an interview that as per the bilateral pact on consular access, cases pertaining to political and security issues, will be decided on merit, indicating that consular access cannot be taken for granted.

Categorically dismissing the charge that Jadhav was a spy, India has maintained that he was kidnapped by Pakistani authorities from Iran where he had legitimate business interest.

Rejecting India's stand that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran, Basit said he was caught in Balochistan and tried for "espionage and sabotage".

He also alleged that the Indian national had been travelling to Pakistan for several years and was carrying two Indian passports, including one with a fake name.

On India's position that the whole trial against was "farcical and done in a hush-hush manner", the Pakistani envoy asserted he was tried in a military court because it was not possible to try him in a civilian court.

On repeated requests for consular access to Jadhav by India, which has also accused Pakistan of violating the bilateral pact on the issue, Basit said, "We have a bilateral agreement under which it is clearly said that in matters relating to political and security issues, those cases should be decided on merit.

"So, we have so far taken a decision strictly in accordance with the law of the land and as per the bilateral agreement of 2008 (with India). We have not breached anything.

We are proceeding as per our laws as well as bilateral obligation and commitment."

The high commissioner also referred to the appeal process in Pakistan, saying Jadhav can always go to an appellate court and if the verdict is upheld then he can file a mercy petition to the Pakistan army chief and the Pakistan president.

On whether his family can meet him, Basit said it was "too premature" to comment on how the case is going to proceed.

Asked about media reports of retired Pakistani Lt Col Mohammad Habib being abducted by Indian authorities near Indo-Nepal border, the Pakistan envoy said his government is in touch with the Nepalese government on whereabouts of the missing Pakistani national.
An official North Korean website warned on Monday that Pyongyang will "wipe out" the United States if Washington starts a war on the peninsula, the latest tit- for-tat sabre-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in the region.

The US supercarrier Carl Vinson will arrive in waters off the Korean peninsula "in a matter of days", Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday, amid reports the North could be preparing a sixth nuclear test.

Pyongyang is still believed to be far from reaching its aim of building a missile capable of reaching the US mainland, but the secretive nation has ramped up its rhetoric in recent weeks and has carried out two rocket tests this month alone.

In a series of editorials the Rodong Sinmun newspaper  the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party  said the North's forces were undeterred and called the US strike group's imminent arrival "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said today, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

A day earlier it said the North's revolutionary forces were "combat-ready to sink the US nuclear aircraft carrier with a single strike".

Pyongyang's rhetoric intensifies every spring, when the US and South Korea hold joint exercises it sees as rehearsals for an attack on the North.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri today claimed that the dispatching of the Carl Vinson signalled a war: "It is proof that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day."

The editorial, described as being written by an army officer, said it was a "big miscalculation" for Washington to compare the North to Syria, which did not launch an "immediate counterattack" after a US cruise missile strike earlier this month.

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

There is speculation the North may conduct another test to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of its Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday.

But it has never tested an intercontinental ballistic missile with sufficient range to reach the continental United States  although it has ambitions to develop one  nor is it known to have miniaturised atomic technology sufficiently to be able to fit a nuclear warhead on a rocket.

US officials have repeatedly warned that "all options are on the table" to curb the North's weapons ambitions, including military strikes.
A Pakistani court on Monday allowed Hindus to worship at a Shiva temple in Abbottabad district which had been off limits to them for 20 years.

A bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) headed by Justice Ateeq Hussain Shah permitted Hindus to worship at the Shiv Jee temple of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under section 20 of the Constitution.

The temple had been closed for any religious activity over property dispute.

In 2013, a Hindu Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) filed a petition with the PHC Abbottabad bench that they had purchased the property through lease by a legal owner.

The petitioner pleaded that after partition of sub- continent the NGO has been looking after the temple.
North Korea said that the US is sending nuclear carrier taskforces to waters off the Korean Peninsula around April 25, the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Army.

The official Minju Joson on Sunday, published by the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, quoted unspecified military sources as saying that the US plans to "hurl several nuclear carrier taskforces, including Carl Vinson and Nimitz, into the operational theatre of the Korean Peninsula around April 25".

The North Korean army will hit back "whether they are on the peninsula, at military aggression bases in the Pacific or in the US mainland across the ocean" if provoked, Xinhua news agency quoted the newspaper as saying.

"If our Juche weapons with potentials unimaginable by the US open fire, they will destroy the US forces and their stooges to the last man so that there would not be left even a single man who will sign the surrender document," it added.

Juche means the "self-reliance thoughts" created by the North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, which serves as the basis for all domestic, military and foreign policies of the country.

US President Donald Trump said recently Washington was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula to check attempts by North Korea to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.

Speculations are high on whether Pyongyang could conduct another nuclear or missile test around April 25.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned Russia that its interventions in Ukraine are an obstacle to improving relations between the two nations, a media report said.

Urging both Russia and pro-separatists in the Ukraine to immediately respect the ceasefire, Tillerson made the remarks in a phone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday, Efe news reported.

During their conversation, Tillerson also talked about the results of his visit to Moscow earlier in April.

According to a statement by US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner, both leaders talked about the trip and the message that Tillerson sent to the Russian government earlier.

The statement said that although the US was interested in improving relations with Russia, but President Vladimir Putin's government's actions in the east of Ukraine remained an obstacle.

Tillerson also assured the US government's firm commitment to supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

He said that sanctions against Moscow would "remain in place until Russia returns control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine and fully implements its commitments in the Minsk agreements."

The agreements signed in Belarus capital Minsk in February 2015, aimed to put an end to the armed conflict between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists and to support the country's territorial integrity.

The Minsk agreement initiated a settlement process which despite making considerable progress, has failed to end the hostilities, as there were still violations of the ceasefire in the area.

Tillerson's remarks on sanctions against Russia were a change in the stance of the US government regarding the conflict, as President Donald Trump suggested in January that he would end the sanctions against Moscow for its interference in Ukraine, an idea that France and Germany opposed.

During the phone call, Poroshenko also conveyed his condolences to the US government for the recent passing away of an American observer for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's monitoring team (OSCE).

The OSCE observer lost his life on Sunday in a landmine explosion in the separatist province of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

Both Tillerson and Poroshenko agreed that this tragic incident highlights the need for all parties, especially those led by pro-Russian separatists, to immediately comply with the Minsk agreements.

The US State Department also extended its condolences to the family and friends of the victim and condemned the incident in another statement.

"This death underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which these courageous monitors work, including access restrictions, threats and harassment," the statement said.

"The US urges Russia to use its influence with the separatists to allow the OSCE to conduct a full, transparent and timely investigation," the US Department of State statement said.

Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have already demanded an investigation to clarify the death of the observer.


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My family has worked in schools for 4 generations, from one-room schoolhouses to brand new school media centers. Many things have changed since I was a kid playing in my grandmothers school library -- bell bottoms and pet rocks are no longer in fashion -- but unfortunately very little has changed for the school buildings here in Helena. It has been 40 years since we passed an elementary school bond. This community hasnt made a major investment in its children's schools, in a generation. All three of our children attend Helena schools and my husband and I teach in this incredible district. As a teacher, I have had the opportunity to be part of several successful bond elections and have never met a community member who regretted voting to improve their community schools. This bond will rebuild three dilapidated and outdated elementary schools, revitalizing them. Safety and technology upgrades will provide much-needed improvements in physical safety and accessibility across the district, impacting every student. Most Helenans agree, our children are the heart of our community. A vote for this bond will not be a vote you regret. Where do we want to be in another generation?
The Montana Senate has rejected an attempt by Gov. Steve Bullock to revive a bill that would have allowed counties to conduct the May 25 special congressional election by mail.

The Republican-led Senate rejected the Democratic governor's proposed amendment to a separate election bill 27-21 on Monday.

Republican Sen. Doug Kary urged the Senate to return the bill to the governor without the mail-ballot amendment, saying it was too close to the election to happen.

The election to replace U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montana's U.S. House representative is among Democrat Rob Quist, Republican Greg Gianforte and Libertarian Mark Wicks.

County election officials had supported a mail-only election option, saying it could save as much as $750,000.

But the measure stalled after Montana Republican Party chairman Jeff Essmann said a mail-only election would benefit Democrats.
The green shoots sprouting from the soil do little to calm Varsha. Her farm and family mean the world to the 46-year-old. Even as she sees her farm come alive in myriad shades of green, she has been worried sick about her daughter, Tejaswini. Married for six years, the 22-year-old has been childless.

Until a few months ago, Varsha thought Tejaswini would never be able to conceive, for she was born without a uterus. Unlike girls her age, she never got her periods, she says. A sonography confirmed the absence of a uterus, a condition called Mayer-Rokitansky syndrome. But now, Tejaswini can get pregnant and have her own baby, after her mother volunteered to donate her uterus to Tejaswini.

India is gearing up for its first uterus transplantation, the next big thing in reproductive medicine after in vitro fertilisation. If everything goes as per plan, Tejaswini will be India's first uterine transplant recipient, providing her baby with a womb that was once home to her for nine months. I am desperate to have a baby and carry it in my womb, says Tejaswini, sitting next to her husband, Santosh, a Solapur resident.

Tejaswini will undergo the womb transplantation on May 18 at Galaxy Care Laparoscopy Institute, Pune. We are all set for the surgery, says Dr Shailesh Puntambekar, medical director of the institute. What makes the surgery all the more unique is that we will be retrieving the uterus from the donor laparoscopically.

Puntambekar, a surgeon known for his breakthrough keyhole surgery in cervical cancer, is confident that his vast experience in hysterectomy and laparoscopic surgeries will come in handy for the uterus transplantation. Laparoscopy can revolutionise the procedure, he says. The blood loss will be bare minimum. A uterine transplant patient undergoing open surgery to remove the uterus would require a few blood transfusions. Our donors need lesser hospital stay and reduced anaesthesia time. They can go home after 48 hours, he says.

The world's first uterine transplant baby was born in Sweden in 2014, and the team behind the medical marvel was led by Prof Mats Brannstrom of the Sahlgrenska University Hospital at Gothenburg. Brannstrom's track record as a babymaker has been quite impressive so farsix babies with two ongoing pregnancies.

While listening to a talk by Brannstrom in 2014, Puntambekar realised that the uterus can be removed from the donor much faster. Brannstrom initially took 14 hours to take out the uterus, which later came down to six hours. The woman would be under anaesthesia all this while. This can be done laparoscopically in just two hours. With this idea, I started doing my experiments, says Puntambekar. He went to Tubingen University in Germany and perfected his technique by doing vessel harvest in cadavers with cervical cancer. Brannstrom and his colleagues, Dr Pernilla Dahm-Kahler and Dr Niclas Kvarnstrom, will fly to Pune next month to assist Puntambekar and his team.

High on hope: Dr Shailesh Puntambekar with Santosh, Tejaswini and her mother | Janak Bhat

The woman who receives the donor womb has to undergo three major surgeries. First, she has to undergo the transplantation surgery that will place the retrieved uterus in her pelvis. She can only have a C-section, not a normal delivery, says Puntambekar. The nerves cannot be transplanted along with the uterus. Without the nerves, the uterus cannot undergo spontaneous contraction and relaxation required for normal delivery, he explains. Here you can only transport a physical uterus, which will act as a home for the baby, but the uterus has no ability to function on its own to push the baby outside. So the baby will have to be delivered through a C-section.

Tejaswini is planning to have only one child. Once the baby is born, she will have to undergo yet another surgery. That is to remove the uterus, so she can stop taking immunosuppressive medicines, says Puntambekar.

But why would a woman be willing to go under the knife again and again to have a baby? For women born without a uterus, the only option available is to have a baby through surrogacy. As commercial surrogacy could soon be banned in India, uterus transplantation becomes the next best alternative. It allows a woman to experience motherhood from pregnancy onwards and have a legal, biological and gestational baby.

One in every 4,000 women in India is born without a uterus. There are about 4 lakh women with congenital absence of uterus in the country. The number could be higher as many of them do not disclose it owing to social taboo.

The surgery benefits women with non-functional uteri, too. Valli, whose uterus transplantation at Galaxy Care is scheduled for May 15, does not menstruate and has had two intrauterine deaths and two abortions. The surgeons will replace her uterus with her mother's so that she can have a baby. Broadly speaking, all women who have ovaries, but no functional uterus and are capable of bearing their own child could be considered eligible for uterus transplant. Those who have had hysterectomy very early but have had their ovaries intact are good candidates for the transplantation surgery, says Dr Kamini Rao of Milann fertility centre, Bengaluru, who is planning to perform two uterine transplants in June. It offers promise to women who have had their uterus removed at a young age due to cancer or postpartum haemorrhage or in cases where the uterus is severely damaged due to genital tuberculosis or Asherman's Syndrome.

The recipient should be in the reproductive age group, ideally less than 35 years, with a good number of oocytes (immature egg cells), for better results. However, donor oocytes can also be used in case the woman does not have healthy eggs.

The donor should be a close relative who is immunologically compatible with the recipient. An ideal uterus donor is someone who has had a successful pregnancy, a sure-shot sign that the uterus can hold a baby. Women up to the age of 55 years can be considered for uterus donation. However, younger donors who menstruate are preferred. An active uterus sheds its uterine endometrial lining every month. Only the basal layer remains that forms into a new lining in the following menstrual cycle. The embryo burrows itself into this wall of endometrial lining. If the uterus is menopausal and completely atrophic, we will have to menstruate the recipient and get the uterus to function, explains Rao. Combination hormones of oestrogen and progesterone are given to the woman to initiate menstruation. The recipient then goes through an IVF before the transplantation. We collect eggs, make embryos and ensure they are good enough before moving on to the surgery, says Rao.

Dr Kamini Rao, Milann fertility centre, Bengaluru

What challenges do the doctors anticipate? For one, organ rejection, where the recipient's immune system attacks the uterus. Doppler scan is used to check for signs of rejection. The recipient's cervix will also be examined. Blueness or too much redness can be signs of rejection.

Even the mother of the world's first uterine transplant baby had three mild episodes of organ rejection, one during pregnancy. But Brannstrom and his team were able to overcome that.

A genetic donor and immunosuppressants can reduce the chances of rejection. If the rejection cannot be modulated with drugs, then the uterus will have to be surgically removed.

Infection is another concern. The first uterus recipient in the US had to get the transplant removed a few weeks after the surgery, owing to an infection. The surgery was performed at the Cleveland Clinic on February 24, 2016. The uterus belonged to a deceased donor. Immunosuppressants make a recipient vulnerable to infections. They are prone to infections in the first three weeks. However, all these recipients are healthy, unlike liver or kidney transplant patients who have been suffering from their diseases for a long time, says Puntambekar. The uterus recipient is typically a young woman who doesn't have any medical problems and her tolerance to immunosuppression will be excellent. So the chances of infection are very low.

According to Dr Milind Telang, consultant laparoscopic gynaecologist at Galaxy Care, the immunosuppressives taken by a recipient during pregnancy are less likely to have any serious detrimental effects on the baby. Women who conceived after renal transplant have been able to deliver healthy babies without any congenital anomalies. They were on immunosuppressives throughout their pregnancy, he says.

Though Brannstrom transferred the embryos into the recipients' uteri after a year, Puntambekar plans to do it in six months. The protocol is already written, shown to Brannstrom and agreed by him, he says. There is no data that says if you implant the embryos after six months, the result will be poor or vice versa. The idea is to allow the recipient to go off immunosuppressives as early as possible.

Also, living conditions in India are quite different from that of Sweden. In Sweden, they don't have tuberculosis. Their houses are cleaner and better managed, says Puntambekar. In India, women often get infections from the toilet or unhygienic environment. So we can't wait for one year to transplant the embryo.

The joy of experiencing pregnancy and motherhood comes at a price of the patient's own health, says Dr Sumit Sharma, chief renal transplant surgeon and consultant in the urology department, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon. But, as an afterthought, he adds, But then what do I know? I have fathered a child, not mothered one.

Dr Kiran Coelho, consultant, gynaecology at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Mumbai, is aware of the risks associated with uterus transplantation. Yet, she says, I think it is wonderful for women who don't have a uterus. Uterine transplant could be ideal for them.

All the women shortlisted for uterus transplantation had one thing in common, says Puntambekarthey all wanted to carry a baby in their tummy.

Some names have been changed.
The World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Washington to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions, officials said.

Under the MoU, both sides on Sunday agreed to cooperate on areas, including development financing, staff exchanges, and analytical and sector work, Xinhua news agency reported.

"It paves the way for the two institutions to further enhance coordination at the regional and country levels," the World Bank said in a statement.

The two institutions have already signed a co-financing framework agreement last April.

Since then, they have co-financed five projects, namely supporting power generation in Pakistan, a natural gas pipeline in Azerbaijan, and slum upgrading, dam safety, and regional infrastructure development in Indonesia.

The World Bank and AIIB are discussing more projects to be co-financed in 2017 and 2018, said the statement.

"Signing this memorandum of understanding fits into our vision of a new kind of internationalism," said Jin Liqun, president of AIIB.

"We place a high value on our partnerships because by working together, we greatly increase our potential for positive outcomes in Asia," the statement quoted Jin as said.

"Collaboration between development institutions is essential to make the best use of scarce resources, crow in the private sector, and meet the rising aspirations of the people we serve," said Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank.

Top multilateral development banks (MDBs), including World Bank, AIIB, New Development Bank, recently have agreed to deepen collaboration to encourage private sector investment in infrastructure to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the world.

The MDBs pledged not only to leverage their resources by joining forces to co-finance projects, but also help generate interest among private sector investors in public-private partnerships and the development of infrastructure.
It was a day of disappointment for the AIADMK cadres who had expected the Panneerselvam and the Palanisami teams to hold talks and take the merger forward. But what they saw was again the press conferences by both the factions just to blame each other for not turning up for the meeting.

Seven days after T.T.V. Dhinakaran agreed to step aside, the AIADMK merger still seems to be a hard task. The OPS faction has laid down two major demandsV.K. Sasikala and her family should completely exit the party and the state government should write to Centre requesting a CBI probe into the death of former chief minister J.Jayalalithaa.

They cannot come to the talks with any pre-conditions, said K.P. Munusamy after holding an hour-long talks with OPS and his supporters in his Venus Colony residence in Chennai.

R. Vaithiyalingam, Rajya Sabha MP, who is heading a committee formed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami, said, We had sent messages to their (leaders in the OPS faction) mobile phones. But they did not turn up.

Apparently, as an indication to the ouster of Sasikala and her family, all the banners and posters of the party chief in front of the AIADMK head quarters at Lloyds Road in Chennai were removed earlier in the day.

But truce is something that both the teams cannot imagine anytime soon. It seems the merger is a long drawn out process which might witness several ups and downs over the next few weeks.

While the OPS camp demands for all the lucrative portfolios in both the party and the government, the Palanisami camp, which holds sway in the western beltknown as the Kongu belt in Tamil Naduwants to stay powerful. But the urgency of coming together, sources say, was the upcoming local body polls.

The Madras High Court had instructed the state government to hold the local body polls before July this year. It has been almost nine months since the term of the local bodies came to an end. The election which was scheduled for November was postponed after the DMK went to the court. Unless the 'two leaves' symbol is retrieved, both the warring factions cannot imagine a victory.

The OPS camp is demanding both the chief minister and the party general secretary post for Panneerselvam. However, Palanisami is not ready to give up the CM post. Sources say he is not willing to compromise on this from day one when the merger talks began. Palanisami, who recently went to New Delhi for the Niti Ayog meeting and had a brief discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is firm on continuing as the chief minister.

The Palanisamy team has also not made its stand clear over demanding a CBI probe into Jayalalithaa's death and ousting Sasikala's family from the party.

It is pending in the Election Commission. The commission will come out with its decision as to if Sasikala can continue as the general secretary of the party, says Vaithiyalingam. However, the OPS camp doesnt seem to compromise on these two demands.

With these manoeuvres and counter-manoeuvres, the AIADMK seems to have lost its 'two leaves' forever.

State Governor in-charge Ch Vidyasagar Rao has not yet commented or asked for any report from the government on the prolonging political instability which has put the state administration at stake. While Union minister Venkaiah Naidu repeatedly claims that the BJP is not in anyway involved in this and only wants political stability, his party and its leadership at the Centre will never relish any regional satraps growing in any state.

In fact, all these years, Jayalalithaa and her arch-rival M. Karunanidhi were hard nuts to crack and the BJP could not manage to score more than 2.5 per cent votes in the state. With a rainbow alliance in 2014, it managed to get only 19 per cent votes, which is much less than the single share of the two Dravidian parties.

On the other side, the DMK has already started bringing all the opposition parties together and fight against the unstable government. The one-day hartal called by the DMK and the other parties on Tuesday has received support from all sides.
After scores of changes, both chambers of the Montana Legislature have agreed on a version of the bill that would set rules for the state's medical marijuana industry.

On Monday, the state House of Representatives passed a version of Senate Bill 333 that came out of a conference committee, which is made up of members of the House and Senate.

The Senate approved the conference committee version with a third hearing on Friday.

Proponents repeatedly presented the bill in the House on Monday as "sideboards" to an industry that, without the bill, would remain largely unregulated.

Opponents were skeptical of the rapid amendments made to the billscores of language changesin the past couple weeks.

"The bill is too big, too complex and has too many moving parts," said Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby. "And it was brought too late in the session."

SB333 picks up where a ballot initiative, I-182, left off. Voters approved the initiative in November to ease restrictions on the program, which threatened to put many providers out of business.

While the initiative calls for testing, SB333 would require it for some providers. The bill would also initiate a "seed-to-sale" tracking system for the product and renew provider licensing procedures.

The structure to generate revenue, a fundamental part of the bill, saw multiple changes during the past couple weeks. There were proposals for taxes, various fees and sometimes a combination of both.

The current version, which has been passed by both the House and Senate, restores a gross sales tax that was previously removed by a committee. It calls for a 4-percent tax on gross receipts for the next year and a 2-percent tax after.

According to a fiscal note for the bill, the 4-percent tax could raise as much as $811,167 in that first year, given the current number of registered cardholders.

The current bill also proposes licensing fees for providers. That would cost $1,000 for providers serving 10 or fewer registered cardholders. The fee would be $5,000 for those who serve more. Licenses would be renewed annually.

Nearly three-quarters of providers serve fewer than 10 cardholders, according to the state health department. Those smaller providers would also be exempted from mandatory product testing for about three years.

The fees and taxes are meant to cover the entire cost of the program.

This industryits a business," said Rep. Rae Peppers, D-Lame Deer. "And if we are to see it succeed, we need to make sure that we have those fees to support the testing, tracking systemswhatever we need to ensure its success.

While it's a positive sign for proponents of the bill that both chambers agreed on language, some groups still oppose its swift passage.

Kari Boiter of the Montana Patient Rights Network said on Monday that the tax hits smaller providers more heavily than the larger ones, which she said led the House Taxation Committee to adopt a fee model.

She also worried that the tax would more directly transfer into the cost of medical marijuana for cardholders.

Everything that was done to address patient and small providers concerns has been completely gutted by the conference committee," Boiter said.

Other opponents to the bill have decried the use of tax for a medicinal product. Montana Cannabis Industry Association lobbyist Kate Cholewa said previously that the tax structure is more equitable for all provider business sizes.

SB333 still needs to pass a third reading in the House. After that, it would go to Gov. Steve Bullock.
Intense clashes broke out on Monday at MA Road, close to Lal Chowk, the heart of Srinagar, when colleges reopened after seven days' break.

Colleges were closed after students across Kashmir took to streets on April 17 against the assault by security forces on the students of a college in Pulwama on April 15. 50 students were injured in the incident.

When colleges opened, students of SP higher secondary school poured on the streets and commenced protests.

The police swung into action and tried to prevent the marches.

The students retaliated with stones and brickbats.

Frightening scenes were witnessed at MA Road after irate students surrounded a police vehicle and attacked it with stones and bricks.

Some of the students climbed on to the roof of the vehicle.

Others pelted the vehicle with stones and smashed it with sticks.

The police showed great restraint and fired scores of tear smoke shells, but no bullets.

The clashes forced closure of shops and led to traffic snarls.

A number of private vehicles were seen stuck between Polo View to Sheri Kashmir Park.

The area between Ghanta Ghar, clock tower, at Lal Chowk to Residency Road and beyond presented the look of an area as if ravaged by storm.

Several reporters, relaying the clashes live, had to scurry for cover after they were caught in barrage of stones.

The clashes were so intense that it seemed police would open fire to prevent getting lynched by the mobs.

The students near the women's colleges also joined the protests. Several of them were seen pelting stones and shouting slogans.

Several policemen were injured in the clashes.

A senior police officer said they didn't chase the students inside the colleges as it would have flared up the situation across Kashmir.

"We refrained from chasing them into the college because it would have been seen as an assault on the institution," the officer said.

SP Imtiyaz Parlay and deputy SP Imran Ahmed were also injured in the clashes.

Parry was injured in the elbow and Ahmed was hit in the back and ankle.

The violence happened on a day when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to start a dialogue with separatists and youth of Kashmir.

Earlier, militants murdered PDP district president Abdul Gani Dar in Pulwama in south Kashmir.
A security guard at late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa's Kodanad Estate was found hacked to death on Monday. Another guard sustained severe injuries.

Police sources say a few incriminating documents have gone missing from the estate | Image source: Twitter/ANI_news

According to police sources, a group of eight men entered the estate last night and assaulted the guards, killing Bahadur Singh. Police sources say a few incriminating documents have gone missing from the estate.

The murder comes in the backdrop of the ongoing controversies in the AIADMK party post Jayalalithaa's death.

The two AIADMK factions, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E.K. Palaniswami and his predecessor O. Panneerselvam, are chalking out a route for a remerger even as Jayalalithaa's close aide and Sasikala's nephew Dhinakaran, appointed as deputy general secretary by Sasikala, has been isolated in his party. Dhinakaran has been recently embroiled in a cash-for-symbol scam and is being questioned by the Delhi Police for the same.
Looks like the stars are not in favour of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan these days. For, his government is continuing its journey from one embarrassment to the next.

Barely days after the Munnar encroachment controversy where the government faced backlash following the CM's harsh comment against the district collector who pulled down a cross installed in an encroached land, the Supreme Court has now dealt a resounding blow to the government.

On Monday, the apex court reinstated a top police officer T.P. Senkumarwho was removed as the state police chief by the CM immediately on assuming office on May 25, 2016.

The LDF government, contending his handling of certain cases were totally unsatisfactory, had replaced Senkumar with Lokanath Behera, considered close to the CPI(M). The new SC ruling will unseat Behera.

Senkumar had approached the SC citing "political motives" behind his removal. "My performance is nine out of 10. I was in no way directly responsible for the two cases (Puttingal and Dalit student murder). If that is the case, 96 police officers were transferred by this government. Nine political murders occurred in the state. Will the chief minister, who is also the home minister, take responsibility? If not, why should the chief minister say I should take responsibility?" Senkumar had argued in the court.

In a verdict, considered to be for the first time in history, the SC said Senkumar was unfairly treated by the state government. "On an overall consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the opinion that Mr. Senkumar has been unfairly treated. We have no hesitation in setting aside the judgment and directing the reappointment of the petitioner," it held.

The verdict has already created political ripples in the state with the opposition demanding the resignation of the CM. The Chief Minister has lost his moral right to continue office with the overturning of his government's decision by the apex court, said opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.

Senkumar will assume his post with immediate effect and he will be in service till June 30, when he will retire. It is a major setback for the CM personally as he had criticised Senkumar on several occasions and had even accused him of having a soft spot of the BJP.

Meanwhile, a colleague of PinarayiM.M. Mani, known best for foot in mouth syndromehas created yet another headache for the CM by talking in innuendos against Pembilai Orumai, the women trade union movement that had created history in Munnar tea plantations area.

A section of Pembilai Orumai are on a hunger strike in Munnar demanding an apology from Mani. All opposition parties have rallied with the Pembilai Orumai team, with the BJP even calling for a hartal demanding Mani's resignation.

Even other ministers from the Pinarayi cabinet have criticised Mani, considered close to the CM.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) secretariat is meeting tomorrow amid all these controversies where the CM will have to give a lot of explanations.
A prominent Maldivian blogger, who was critical of Islamist extremism and government corruption, was stabbed to death on Sunday, police said, and the main opposition party demanded an international probe into the killing. Social media activist Yameen Rasheed was stabbed 14 times in the chest and once each in the neck and face, local media reported.

"He was stabbed to death early in the morning and we are investigating the matter," police spokesman Ahmed Shifan said. The government in a statement condemned the killing and said President Abdulla Yameen had instructed state agencies to bring the perpetrators of "this heinous act to justice".

Significant numbers of radicalised Maldives youths have enlisted to fight for Islamic State in the Middle East. Three Western diplomats said that moderate Islamists have been threatened via social media for their "anti-Islamic" views. Rasheed had received death threats, mainly after he posted criticism of radical Islam, according to his close friends.

The 29-year-old blogger worked as a computer programmer and software developer at the Maldives Stock Exchange and identified himself as "disobedient writer" in social media. He ran a website called The Daily Panic.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), in a statement, called for an international investigation into Rasheed's death as the incident followed a "spate of similar stabbings of prominent politicians and political commentators". "The MDP strongly believes that the Maldivian police service does not possess the capacity, credibility or political impartiality to conduct such a high-profile investigation on its own."
A few months ago when the Kashmir valley was thrown into a spiral of agitation and unrest, I met a separatist politician considered relatively moderate even by intelligence agencies and backchannel conduits who have long worked covert communication lines to those demanding secession. Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen militant, had just been killed in an encounter and the valley had erupted in tumultuous protests. The separatist warned that people like him were losing control of the street. We are slowly becoming irrelevant to this new generation and wont even have the influence to de-escalate this agitation, he warned. Please go back and tell Delhi they need to start some dialogue process or soon there will be no one to talk to. What was more chilling was his admission that many of his public pronouncements now deliberately focused on issues of Muslim identity. I need to speak their language, he told me, otherwise no one will come to listen to me.

A senior officer who has worked in the counterinsurgency grid for decades told me that this may be one of the biggest shifts in the last few years. Earlier, Islam was a subset of azaadi; now we are heading towards azaadi becoming a subset of Islam, the police officer analysed. Burhan Wani, who used social media as a weapon of insurgency, underlined this new trend, when in his videos he called for a Caliphate in Kashmir. At a hospital, I met a young, schoolgoing boy who had joined the street marches against Wanis killing. Now he lay strapped to a hospital bed, his eyesight irrevocably damaged in one eye from the injury caused by a pellet gun. What did he see in Wani, I asked the teenager. He is fighting for Islam, he said, barely able to articulate his words, Islam and also azaadi.

The question we have to ask ourselves today is how did we get to this point. Even if there is greater radicalisation among young men who have grown up in the shadow of the gun and had a childhood formed almost entirely by curfews, unrest and violence, what is the solution now? To use these voices to smear every Kashmiri Muslim as a treacherous enemy who needs to be crushed with forcelike the current discourse on Twitter suggestsis to simply spawn even greater hatred and deepen the already widening gulf between Delhi and Srinagar. To do nothing but believe that the might of the Indian State will wear down the valleys agitators is to quite frankly lose Kashmir. And I dont mean the territory; I mean the peoplewe have reached a point where we are actually staring down that abyss. And in the name of this rage-fuelled nationalism we are actually letting down the men we claim to defendour soldiers and security forces. We are forcing them to carry the burden of failed politics.

The truth is there is a dangerous vacuum in Kashmir, one that is now being grabbed by Islamists, reactionaries and even militants and one that should have been filled with politics and an innovative outreach process. The failure in Kashmir today is a failure of imagination. It is a product of denialism by successive governments in Delhi. It is a consequence of several missed opportunities. It is a result of confusing voting percentages with political normalcy so that when the reverse happens, like the abject 2 per cent turnout when repolling took place in several places in Srinagar, we are felled by our own argument. Yes, Kashmiris have often voted in large numbers; political workers have often paid with their lives to take part in the electoral process and yes, 2002 was a watershed election in breaking from a more contentious past of rigged polls. Since then every election has been unfailingly fair, and the low turnout this time is ironically a testimony to the transparency of the democratic process. That, if any, is the only silver lining as grey clouds settle over the once clear-blue mountain skies of the valley. But to mistake crowded hotels, overbooked airlines, beauteous Gulmarg ski slopes and even voter turnout with a normalisation of the situation has been a fatal error. Many of us who have been reporting from Jammu and Kashmir for decades now have always argued that there is a discontent and a disconnect simmering right under the surface and it barely takes a matchstick for the low-simmer to turn into a forest fire.

Guarding rights: A man returns from a polling station in Dooniwari | AP

In this past week, we have seen a tragic video vs video battle playing out in the wounded valley. There are horrific pictures of soldiers being heckled, jeered and kicked; there are also videos of civilians being thrashed by soldiers. There are videos of mainstream political workers of the PDP being made to raise anti-India slogans at a militants gunpoint and there is the absolutely chilling video of a man tied to the front of a military jeep, used as a human shield against stone-pelters. Several retired generals who have served on the ground in conflict zones have condemned the Army making any breach with established norms and rules. But even they have not been spared the label of anti-national on social media. Each video is as disturbing and lays bare the unaddressed fault-lines of Kashmir. But instead of beginning a mature or meaningful public debate or even private conversation through the backchannels, people have begun to shout hostilities at each other in some twisted version of the Patriot Games. Its almost like all our conversations have become some version of a prime-time television war.

And that brings me to what I believe is the most dangerous influence on our national debate around the situation in Kashmir. It is true that the agitators in Kashmir have become much more aggressive and violent than before. I have personally seen women rush towards police posts, snatching away weapons, or crowds come perilously close to armed soldiers, virtually daring them to shoot. But to label an entire population or to see a three-dimensional issue in flat cardboard form is self-defeating. And, for the most part, huffing and puffing television anchors who have spent little to no time on the ground in the valley have done more damage to the idea of India there than anyone else. With their hashtag nationalism and their vitriolic, reductionist screen captions, they have stubbornly declined to look at history, context or complexity. They have made it impossible to have an intelligent, nuanced debate about Kashmir; their oversimplified proclamations are banal at best and dangerous at worst. Its hard to say what has come first in the present environmentthe populism of politics or the populism of the mainstream media.

Either way we have reached a crossroads in Kashmir. Every stakeholder must take their share of responsibility and, above all, the rule of law must be restored. Otherwise we are entering a season of turmoil that will leave no one unscathed.
BUTTE  A Butte man was arrested Friday night after police responded to a call of a disturbance and possible sexual assault in an apartment on the 200 block of West Park Street around 10:40 p.m.

Police said witnesses told them Dennis Schadler, 33, was drinking with a man and a woman in the apartment. Schadler allegedly entered the bathroom with the woman and tried to sexually assault her.

According to Silver Bow County Undersheriff George Skuletich, Schadler told police he believed he had paid to have sex with the woman, which police said the woman denied.

Schadler was booked into jail for felony sexual assault, purchasing prostitution and felony probation violation.

Schadler pleaded guilty in 2010 to felony attempted robbery after he was knocked unconscious by Burger King employees during a botched robbery. He was sentenced to 60 months with the Department of Corrections.
I am deeply moved, said 87 year old Auschwitz survivor, Mrs. Miriam Eshel, to President Reuven and First Lady Nechama Rivlin, at an event at the Presidents Residence, of Zikaron BaSalon (Remembering in the Salon/living room), a social initiative now running for 7 years, bringing together Holocaust survivors with younger generations in peoples homes to tell of their experiences. Mrs. Eshel said, It is a great privilege, after such a catastrophe, the Holocaust, in which I lost all my family, to come here to the Presidents Residence and receive such an honor. Sometimes, I truly cant believe that I merited survival, and why none of my family did not. Now, in deep sorrow, I will share with you my sad tale. I was born in Czechoslovakia, and I was 13 and a half when the Hungarians and the Germans arrived in our area. One day alone passed until there was a thumping knock at the door, and a German officer told my mother prepare your children with a kilogram of food, and we will come to take them but told her, not you as you have a baby. Half an hour later, he came with a vehicle and took us all, my father and eight children.

President Rivlin turned to Mrs. Eshel, and said, The great privilege is for us to host you here at the Presidents house. He continued, The Holocaust touched the entire people of Israel; it touched us as individuals and stands in our collective memory. Before the State of Israel was established, and in its early days, every child in Israel knew of the Holocaust, and would meet survivors with the numbers tattooed on their arms. This was an inescapable testimony of what had happened there. To the inconceivable events  from a human and national perspective. Our need today is one of telling and educating our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren what happened there. We are such a strong country, such a united people, and we are obligated by these things. He stressed, The inalienable duty is for all of us to remind the world what happened, and to say, Never Again. This is not just for us  we know how to watch over and safeguard ourselves and our security  it is for you, Never Again, we say to the world.

The President concluded his words, The Presidents House is the peoples house, and this meeting, Zikaron BaSalon is a tradition in which we are participating. I want to thank you for coming today to tell your story, through this house, to the whole people. Thank you.

Miriam told of her experience during the Holocaust, of her arrival with her family to the Auschwitz concentration camp, and of the moment she saw her mother for the last time. We arrived at Auschwitz, to Mengele, and with the staff in his hand he decided it would be the last time I would see my mother and siblings. When I asked for her, people around me said to me, Dont worry, you need to be strong, your mother is no longer suffering, nor your brothers and sisters. I know that they took them on trucks and buried alive in pits.

She continued, I was taken to the bunks in the camp, and then to work, and then went on to tell of the time of her liberation after being forced into the Death March together with three of her friends, and of how with their last strength they kept each other going, to carry on and survive until they could go on no more and ran to hide in a barn by the side of the road. There they huddled together, and davened Shema Yisrael in the hope they would not be found. Miriam told how, We heard footsteps, and we were sure we were about to be shot, and we called out over and over, Shema Yisrael, and to our surprise a Russian soldier appeared before us. The first thing we asked from him was food. He told us to change our clothes into ones he gave us, and to run because the Germans were still in the area. Thats how we were saved.

Miriam, nee Roth, was born in the Czechoslovakian city of Irshava in July 1930. She was the second of nine children  all of whom were murdered by the Nazis  but for one brother, Baruch. They met again by chance in Prague and immigrated to Israel together before the State. Baruch fell in battle during the War of Independence at the age of just 16. Miriam married Yaakov (Greenbaum) Eshel, and had two daughters, nine grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

The event at the Presidents Residence today was watched online, on news sites and on the Presidents Facebook page by more than 150,000 viewers.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Mark Neiman, GPO)
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

The Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar told the Limmud FSU Moscow conference today that Russian President Vladimir Putin has done more for the Jewish community in Russia including fighting anti-Semitism than any other Russian leader.

Rabbi Lazar, addressing more than 2,000 Jews at the Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) FSU Study conference today, said: Putin was the first president to publicly speak out against anti-Semitism and did the most for the Jews in Russia. There is no institutional anti-Semitism in Russia. The attitude toward the Jews in Russia is excellent.

Referring to Putin, the rabbi compared him favorably with previous Russian leaders. In contrast to Gorbachev and Yeltsin, who were not interested in hearing about the situation of the Jews in Russia, Putin was the first to say that anti-Semitism has no place in Russia. He was the first to speak publicly against anti-Semitism, and did the most for the Jews in Russia. This is not self-evident, nor is it obvious that there can be a conference in Russia today like the study of FSU with more than 2,000 Jews.

Regarding recent anti-Semitic statements by Russian parliamentarians, Lazar said, Its just a drop in the ocean. These statements are of course inappropriate, but they are not the end of the world either. Our goal is to have a finger on the pulse and raise the issues on the political level in order to protect the Jewish community. We must cooperate with the government as long as it protects us.

On a more amusing note, Lazar referred to the Russian authorities policy of banning the popular Pokemon Go mobile phone game in religious institutions. If anyone finds Pokemon in our synagogues, we will be glad.

Lazar also warned that French Jews should leave that country if nationalist presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who is leading in current polls, should win the election. The situation in Europe is very worrying. If Marine Le Pen is elected president of France, the Jews must leave, he said.

He also voiced general concern about the rise of nationalism across Europe. The situation there is very worrying. Not only because of immigrants, but also because the general population is heading toward radicalization. The best example of this is the rise of extreme-right parties.

When asked about recent media reports linking President Donald Trump and Chabad, Lazar said: I do not like that people are intentionally looking for ties between Trump and Chabad or between Trump and the Jews in general. The only thing I can say it, its excellent that Ivanka Trump is Jewish, and that Trumps grandchildren are Jewish too, but I have nothing to add beyond that.

Before the US presidential election, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner visited the grave of the late Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, in Queens, NY. The site is popular among Orthodox Jews seeking a blessing and inspiration.

Lazar also defended Putin for his role in supporting Syrian President Bashir Assad. It is not certain that there are better options for Syria than Assad. The Arab spring did not produce positive results. It seems that the Arab countries are not yet ready to accept the rule of democracy.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Magen David Adom is Israels National Red Cross Association and has been a member of the International Red Cross Movement since 2006. As accepted in most Red Cross societies around the world, Magen David Adom operates, as part of its humanitarian activities, a tracing services unit for restoring family ties. The service is provided to people forcibly separated from families and loved ones due to wars or disasters. To successfully locate relatives, MDA cooperates with sister Red Cross societies around the world, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other international tracing services.

MDAs Tracing Unit has unique importance In Israel, in which many Holocaust survivors reside. Families or survivors whove lost touch with loved ones during the war seek to trace information about their whereabouts. Handling such requests receives the highest priority within MDA as many years have passed since the Holocaust, decreasing the odds for restoring family ties.

Since Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2016, 145 new requested have been filed to MDA. Since the establishment of the unit in 2008, 3,521 cases have been researched. In most cases, the unit has succeeded in reuniting family members of a certain degree or retrieving documents disclosing their faith. In six cases pairs of siblings were reunited, some of them hadnt even known about the existence of one another.

Susan Edel, who volunteers with MDAs tracing unit: Most requests filed to our unit are by families of holocaust survivors who are searching for ancestors abroad. Once a request is a filed, I operate in every possible manner and in cooperation with bodies and resources around the world to trace information. In many cases, we succeed in tracing documents indicating where these families were during the war and where they perished. This job fulfills me with an immense sense of satisfaction.

MDA Director General, Eli Bin: Magen David Adoms Tracing Unit for Restoring Family Ties has succeeded in reuniting and restoring ties between many families over the years. The units work has contributed greatly to individuals seeking for closure and relief, some of which believed they will never learn about the faith of their loved ones. I am confident that thanks to the units dedicated and hard work we will get to witness more emotional reunions.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump heads into one of his most challenging weeks, juggling a renewed health care push and a looming budget deadline, and readying for a potential showdown with Democrats over paying for a border wall.

The symbolic 100-day mark for the administration is Saturday  the same day government could shut down without a budget deal. Trump has announced a rally in Pennsylvania that day.

Aides stressed on Sunday talk shows that funding a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and a vote on an effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obamas health care law were priorities. But they also expressed optimism that a shutdown could be avoided.

I dont think anyone foresees or expects or would want a shutdown, said budget director Mick Mulvaney on Fox News Sunday.

Trump would like to revive a failed effort by House Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. He 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.

But so far, negotiations have proven difficult, with disputes over the border wall and health law subsidies to help low-income people afford health insurance. House members received little information from leaders on a conference call Saturday. A one- or two-week extension might be needed to prevent a shutdown.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said on NBCs Meet the Press that he believes the spending bill will include something satisfactory to reflect Trumps desire to build a wall. The legislation would keep the government running through Sept. 30, the end of the budget year.

We expect the priorities of the president to be reflected, Priebus said, citing ongoing talks with the House and the Senate. He added that itll be enough  to move forward either with construction or the planning, enough for us to move forward through the end of September, to get going on the border wall and border security.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California described a border wall as immoral and expensive when asked if there was any scenario in which Democrats will agree to money for a wall to avoid a shutdown.

Democrats do not support the wall, she said, speaking also on NBC. Republicans on the border states do not support the wall.

The Republicans have the votes in the House and the Senate and the White House to keep government open. The burden to keep it open is on the Republicans, Pelosi said. She noted that when Trump promised to build a wall during his campaign, he never indicated he would pass billions of dollars of cost of the wall onto the taxpayer.

On Obamas health law, Priebus said hed like to have a vote on the GOP replacement bill in the House this coming week. But he insisted it didnt make too much difference to the White House whether the vote came next Friday or Saturday or Monday.

Its a marathon, not a sprint, he said.

Trump tweeted a warning at Democrats on Sunday, saying: ObamaCare is in serious trouble. The Dems need big money to keep it going  otherwise it dies far sooner than anyone would have thought.

Trump is also planning to outline a tax cut plan on Wednesday. He told The Associated Press on Friday that it would include a massive tax cut for both individuals and corporations.

On Fox, Mulvaney said to expect some specific governing principles, some guidance, also some indication on what the rates are going to be. He added: I dont think anybody expects us to roll out bill language on Wednesday.

Speaking to the AP, Trump dismissed 100-day markers as artificial. Still, his 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 the high-profile failure in repealing and replacing Obamas health 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.

(AP)
Two condemned Arkansas killers who admit theyre guilty but fear their poor health could lead to extreme pain during lethal injections set for Monday might become the first inmates put to death in a double execution in the U.S. in more than 16 years.

Jack Jones and Marcel Williams are set to die in what would be the second and third executions in Arkansas this month. The state set an aggressive plan to execute several inmates before one of its lethal injection drugs expires at the end of April.

The state executed Ledell Lee last week in the states first use of capital punishment since 2005. Gov. Asa Hutchinson originally scheduled four double executions over an 11-day period in April. The eight executions would have been the most by a state in such a short period since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state said the executions needed to be carried out before its supply of the sedative midazolam expires on April 30.

Courts have blocked four of the eight scheduled executions.

The last state to put more than one inmate to death on the same day was Texas, which executed two killers in August 2000.

Williams was sent to death row for the 1994 assault and killing of 22-year-old Stacy Errickson, whom he kidnapped from a gas station in central Arkansas.

Authorities said Williams abducted and assaulted two other women in the days before he was arrested in Erricksons death. Williams admitted responsibility to the state Parole Board last month.

I wish I could take it back, but I cant, Williams told the board.

Jones was given the death penalty for the 1995 assault and killing of Mary Phillips. He strangled her with the cord to a coffee pot.

In a letter earlier this month, Jones said he was ready to be killed by the state.

I forgive my executioners; somebody has to do it, wrote Jones, who had a leg amputated in prison because of diabetes and uses a wheelchair.

The letter, which his attorney read aloud at his clemency hearing, went on to say: I shall not ask to be forgiven, for I havent the right.

The inmates have suffered several legal setbacks as the executions near. A federal judge on Friday rejected their request to stop the executions over their health concerns.

Two federal judges ruled against the inmates in separate cases Sunday. One denied a stay of execution to Williams, saying that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has jurisdiction in the case. Another federal judge denied the inmates request for changes to the rules for witnesses to view the executions.

After the setback in a lower court, both inmates on Sunday asked the appeals court to halt their executions based on their poor health.

Lawyers for Jones say he suffers from diabetes and is on insulin, has high blood pressure, neuropathy and had one leg amputated below the knee. He is on heavy doses of drugs they say could prevent the lethal injection drug midazolam from working and lead to a tortuous death.

Williams lawyers say he weighs 400 pounds and it will be difficult to find a vein for lethal injunction, so the drugs are unlikely to work as intended.

(AP)
Marking Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, 28 Nissan, Yad Vashem launched a new online exhibition, Last Letters from the Holocaust: 1942, featuring ten emotional letters written by Jews before they were murdered. A two-minute siren sounded at 10:00am nationwide, marking the beginning of the days events.

As Israel marks Holocaust Martyrs & Heroes Remembrance Day, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, calls on the public to submit the names of family members and friends who were murdered during the Holocaust, and to provide survivor testimony about their experiences from this period. To date, Yad Vashems Shoah Victims Names Project has collected over 4,700,000 names of Jewish men, women and children murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. It is a race against the clock to collect as many names of those murdered during the Holocaust before there are no more survivors left, says Dr. Alexander Avram, Director of the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem.

Yad Vashem officials add, This ongoing project is particularly pertinent given the central theme of this years Holocaust Remembrance Day, Restoring Their Identities: The Fate of the Individual During the Holocaust. Nazi Germanys ideology of destroying the Jewish people not only included the desire to murder every Jewish man, woman and child on the face of the earth, but also centered on its attempt to obliterate any evidence of Jewish life and heritage. Since its inception, Yad Vashem has endeavored to reverse these efforts by gathering the names of the millions of Jews murdered in the Shoah and commemorating the rich and diverse culture of decimated Jewish communities across Europe and North Africa.

Restoring the victims identities by documenting, remembering, researching and educating not only commemorates the world that was lost, but also makes a substantial contribution to shaping a new and better world. Bonding in this way with specific individuals from the Holocaust enables us, in our post-Holocaust generation, to gain meaning that helps shape our own identities and enriches our world.

In this vein, Yad Vashem has uploaded a new online exhibition entitled Last Letters from the Holocaust: 1942, presenting a small selection of the final messages written by Jews trapped in Nazi-occupied Europe in 1942 to their loved ones. These emotional missives represent the last wills of Jews who wished to impart their desires, hopes and dreams to their loved ones, in several instances their own children. For many recipients, they were the final greetings and messages they would hear from their family members.

Yad Vashems Archives house thousands of such letters, many of which are now viewable online, some for the first time. The letters included in this online exhibition were sent from Belarus, France, Germany, Holland, Poland and Ukraine, and were written in a variety of languages, including Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Polish, Russian and Yiddish. Each letter and postcard reveals the last remaining fragment, both physical and personal, of the victims: their own handwriting. This is another method by which Yad Vashem portrays the personal identities of the victims of the Holocaust as individual people  mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, contemporaries and friends  who must never be forgotten. We will continue our efforts to bring the identities of the victims back from oblivion, remarked Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves:



EDITORS NOTE: This is a weekly look at the latest developments in the South China Sea, home to several territorial conflicts that have raised tensions in the region.



PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS VISIT ISLAND, IRKING CHINA

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano flew to the island of Pag-asa in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a protest from China, which also claims the remote territory.

The Philippine government reiterated its claim to the island, where Filipino troops and villagers have lived for decades in a tiny community amid islands claimed by multiple countries.

The public argument came amid a thaw in once-frosty relations between the neighbors after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office last June. Duterte has moved to rekindle Manilas friendship with Beijing and court Chinese state-sponsored investment for railways and other much-needed investment projects.

The two Philippine officials traveled with dozens of journalists to inspect an eroded airstrip that the Philippine government plans to reinforce and lengthen. The government plans to build a dock starting next month to accommodate ships with construction materials, Lorenzana said.

About 1.6 billion pesos ($32 million) has been earmarked for the construction work, including a fishing port, solar power generators, a water desalination plant, improved housing for soldiers and facilities for marine research and tourism.

Pag-asa is internationally known as Thitu island and is called Zhongye island by China. Its the second-largest island in the South China Seas hotly contested Spratlys archipelago.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China was gravely concerned about and dissatisfied by the island visit, adding that China has lodged representations with the Philippine side.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and has aggressively tried to fortify its foothold by transforming seven mostly submerged reefs into island outposts.



CHINA TO HOST PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, OTHERS AT SUMMIT

China will host Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and 27 other world leaders at a summit next month showcasing President Xi Jinpings signature foreign policy initiative. Only a few heads of state from Western industrialized democracies will attend, however.

Vladimir Putin of Russia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Spains Mariano Rajoy are among those slated to appear at the summit, which aims to consolidate support for Xis One Belt, One Road program to stitch together the Eurasian continent with infrastructure investment.

That includes a push to draw Southeast Asian nations further into Chinas economic and political order, despite territorial feuding over the South China Sea.

The May 14-15 summit is seen as a measure of Chinas international prestige at a time when Xi has positioned China as a rising outward-looking regional power. That has drawn particular attention because of questions over President Donald Trumps America first push to remove the U.S. from trade agreements and other international entanglements.

China has sought to frame Xis vision for the China-led development program as an inclusive, mutually beneficial project rather than a statement of geopolitical ambitions that should arouse Western suspicions. The program aims to build roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure along the ancient Silk Roads maritime and overland routes with close to $100 billion in funding.



USS CARL VINSON, S. KOREA NAVY TO HOLD EXERCISES

South Koreas Yonhap News Agency reported Monday that South Korean naval ships will conduct training exercises with the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson, as tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula continue to eclipse those in the South China Sea.

North Korea marks the founding anniversary of its military on Tuesday, and South Korea and its allies are bracing for the possibility that it could conduct another nuclear test or launch an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

North Korea often marks significant dates by displaying its military capability. It so far has conducted five nuclear tests.

Trump spoke by phone with both the Japanese and Chinese leaders Monday. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted Chinas president, Xi Jinping, as telling Trump that China strongly opposes North Koreas nuclear weapons program and hopes all parties will exercise restraint and avoid aggravating the situation.

The Carl Vinson had been visiting Singapore when U.S. officials earlier this month announced it had been dispatched to waters off the Korean Peninsula in an apparent show of force in response to North Korean moves.

It has been making its way to the Sea of Japan since then, making stops in Asia along the way.

While the U.S. has dispatched what Trump called an armada of ships to the region, including the aircraft carrier, U.S. officials have told The Associated Press that the administration doesnt intend to militarily respond to a North Korean nuclear or missile test.

(AP)
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has thanked American service members based in American Samoa, citing challenging times for the military in the Asia-Pacific.

Completing a visit to the region and en route back to the United States, Pence addressed some 200 soldiers during a refueling stop in Pago Pago. He told the troops the Trump administration was seeking a large increase in military funding.

During his stop, Pence also dedicated a sign that will greet visitors at a veterans clinic. He met with American Samoan officials and troops and then flew to Hawaii at the last stop on a tour that included a visit to the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

The trip offered evidence that Pence has become one of President Donald Trumps chief emissaries on the world stage, patching up relations, reassuring allies still wondering what to expect from Trump and diving into international crises like North Korea.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that the vice president was shortening his stay in Hawaii to a few hours so that he could fly back to Washington in what promises to be a very busy week for the administration and Congress.

Pences office said he would depart Hawaii on Monday afternoon after meeting with U.S. Pacific Command leaders and troops stationed in Honolulu. Plans for a Tuesday visit to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor have been postponed, Pences office said.

Pences trip to Asia was planned weeks ago. But it dropped him in South Korea just in time to deliver North Korea a stern warning from the U.S.: that all options are on the table when it comes to curbing the Norths nuclear ambitions, and that the Trump administration will seek support from its allies to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

His foray into the DMZ and his meetings with South Korean and Japanese leaders allowed Pence to shape a key American foreign policy issue, presenting a new challenge for a politician whose prior foreign policy experience was limited to trips to the Middle East as a congressman and trade missions to Japan, China, Israel and Europe as Indianas governor.

Pences early foreign travel schedule contrasts sharply with a mostly homebound Trump, who is not scheduled to travel overseas until late May for NATO meetings in Belgium and a gathering of the Group of Seven major industrial nations in Italy. Pence partly covered that ground when he visited Germany and Belgium in February.

Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, had visited nine countries by late April 2009, his first three months in office, checking in with allies such as Canada, Britain and Germany. The last first-term president to wait until May to take his first foreign trip was Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Enter Pence, whose still-evolving diplomatic playbook includes several components, all steeped in humility, personal ties and his religious faith.

In some ways, Pence is the advance team: His earlier trip to Europe and his Asia trip that ends Tuesday are partly laying the foundation for journeys being planned for Trump. In other ways, Pence is the face of reassurance, offering in-person outreach to world leaders Trump has clashed with or who have doubted Trumps commitment to them at the start of his presidency.

In meetings with his counterparts, Pence frequently passed along greetings from Trump and told his hosts how much America valued their alliance, language thats commonplace in diplomacy but understated compared to the more free-wheeling Trump.

On Thursday, for example, Pence told Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo how proud he and Trump were to partner with him and spoke of their hopes of working together.

(AP)
Unfortunately, if we set aside a day for every tragedy in Jewish history, the calendar would be full. But the scope, circumstances and impact of the Holocaust are so immense that a special day of remembrance was deemed appropriate. I never discussed the day itself with my parentsboth survivors, both in Heaven nowbut I suspect they would have agreed. My mother, ztl, warned against getting comfortable with the memory.

As a child of survivors, and as a student of history, I have sought to understand as much as I can about what occurred during those tragic years. Its not a morbid fascination; its a thirst for knowledge that might somehow be useful in dealing with todays issues that endanger the Jewish people and help prevent future tragedies. No one can deny that a generation has not passed where many peoplenot just an isolated madmanhave expressed their eagerness to finish what Hitler started. Did my mother have these fears as a child in pre-war Czechoslovakia? I doubt it. Her memories of life before Germany invaded were happy ones; the Jewish community got along fine with their Czech neighbors, she recalled. Then the Nazis came and the towns Jews were rounded up. My mothers most vivid memory of that day was how the non-Jewish neighbors came out to watch. And no one said a word.

Do you know about anti-Semitism? I asked my 14-year-old granddaughter. She was sitting with me as I prepared to speak on the subject over the holidays. Yes, she said. We saw a video about it. The video presented other young teens being asked about their perceptions of Jews. Theyre all rich, said one. They have all the power, said another. Nearly a century later and nothing has changed. Except for one thing: Now, there is a State of Israel. So the chants of Jews, go back to Palestine, have ended, and the existence of a Jewish State has joined the list of reasons to call for Jewish extermination.

I repeat: its not morbid fascination. Its a matter of paying attention. A single day does not pass without an incident or a threat. If you follow international headlines, this is not news to you. There are a half million Jews in France who no longer feel safe looking like Jews. In France. While in the Middle East there are Muslim leaders who have openly stated their desire to see all Jews return to Israel as soon as possible, so they can kill them all at once.

You would think that Muslim leaders in the Middle East would be most concerned with their peoples quality of life, but killing Jews is a higher priority. Despite all my years of reading, I never understood how the Germans could concentrate their efforts on anything but saving their own soldiers once the Allied invasion proved that their march to world domination had come to an end. But killing Jews was such a high priority to the Nazis that they studied its efficacy like a science. In The Holocaust, a new 500-page study by Laurence Rees, we learn how the Nazis were able to reduce the cost of murdering Jews to about two German pfennings a person. Less than one U.S. cent. Another new historical study by Peter Hayes entitled Why demonstrates how the Nazi regime used just two trains per day from 1942-44 to move three million people to the death camps. In 1944, as the Allies closed in, three trains per day deported 440,000 Hungarian Jews in eight weeks. Priorities.

My mother recalled standing on Mengeles infamous life-or-death line. Trains had arrived from everywhere. Elderly men, pregnant women, children, the sick, the hungry Her three-year-old nephew stood with the family and asked his mother, Mgeit ins hargenen? Are they going to kill us? One sister whispered to my mother, Mken nisht lozen Mommy alein. We cant let Mommy go alone. So she went to the gas chamber with her mother.

Why recall all this? Because we must. Because remembering our loved ones, these six million innocent souls, brings a sense of them back to life. Thats the least we can do.

But more, we remember for us. We remember because we live in a volatile world and its critical to be honest about anti-Semitism, to call it out and to stand up to it. Even when things simmer down and look fine, it can grow dark very quickly.

And if you dont believe me, just ask my mother.

Dov Hikind

NY State Assembly
The leader of al-Qaida urged his followers and other militants in Syria to unite ranks and prepare for protracted jihad, or holy war, in a recording released Sunday night.

Ayman al-Zawahri told the jihadis, who control Syrias northwestern Idlib province and other territory, to remain steadfast and change tactics in order to wage guerrilla war.

Al-Qaida began fighting alongside Syrias rebels early in the civil war and won allies among the opposition because of its military prowess. Al-Qaidas official branch, the Nusra Front, changed its name to the Fatah al-Sham Front and formally cut ties with al-Qaida last year, but is still widely seen as being linked to the global terror network.

In Sundays message, released through al-Qaidas As-Sahab media arm, al-Zawahiri cast the Syrian conflict as part of a wider struggle aimed at imposing Islamic rule on the region and beyond. The local leaders of the Fatah al-Sham Front have tended to portray its struggle as being confined to Syria.

Al-Zawahri said an international satanic alliance would never accept Islamic rule in Syria, apparently referring to the Syrian government, its ally Russia, and the United States, all of which are actively targeting the group.

The Fatah al-Sham Front is perhaps the most powerful rebel-aligned faction, but dozens of other factions  both hard-line Islamists and more mainstream groups  are also battling Syrian President Bashar Assads forces.

Zawahri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the global leader of al-Qaida after he was killed in a U.S. raid in 2011, made his last public broadcast in May 2016, when he issued an audio message calling for unity among fighters in Syria.

Meanwhile, authorities began a sixth round of evacuations on Monday for civilians and fighters from the opposition-held neighborhood of al-Waer in Homs, Syrias third largest city, activists and Syrian state media reported.

Government forces have besieged the neighborhood since 2013, according to the Washington-based monitoring group Siege Watch. Rebels, opposition activists and their families agreed to vacate the district in an agreement signed in March in exchange for the end of hostilities. The government will retake control of the neighborhood after the last of twelve rounds of evacuations are complete, in an expected three to four weeks, according to local media activist Osama Abou Zeid.

He said about 16,000 people are expected to leave the neighborhood, instead of reconciling themselves with the governments notorious security services. Siege Watch estimates there have been 60,000 people trapped under the siege.

An estimated 1,800 people, including some 500 fighters, left on Monday, said Abou Zeid. They are being taken to Jarablus, a town on the Turkish border that is under the control of Turkish and Syrian opposition forces.

Areas all over Syria have surrendered to the government in exchange for relief from its sieges. Rebels and dissidents are offered exile to rebel-held areas in northern Syria, if they do not want to reconcile with the authorities. Tens of thousands have accepted to leave from areas around Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo, Syrias largest city. Another 8,000 people have left two pro-government towns in northern Syria, besieged by rebels, in recent weeks.

Critics say the population transfers are redrawing Syrias map along sectarian and political lines.

In northern Syria, warplanes struck the town where a chemical attack killed scores of people earlier this month.

The airstrikes in the opposition-held northern town of Khan Sheikhoun, where nearly 90 people were killed in the chemical attack, killed at least four people and wounded 10 others, according to the activist-run Thiqa News Agency and Edlib Media Center. It was not immediately clear who carried out the strike.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five people, including a child, were killed in the attack on a vegetable market in the area.

Conflicting casualty figures are common in the Syrian war.

This is not the first time that warplanes have targeted Khan Sheikhoun in the aftermath of the gas attack. Warplanes targeted the rebel-held district four days after the attack, killing one woman and wounding her son.

(AP)
6:54AM IL: [PHOTOS & VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] A female soldier was stabbed and wounded in her upper torso by a terrorist at the Kalandia Checkpoint, on Jerusalems northern border a short time ago.

According to the Magen David Adom report, she was injured in the area of her shoulder and is conscious. The terrorist was shot and wounded. More to follow.

Below is a photo of the knife the female terrorist pulled from her bag to stab the soldier.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: MDA Spokesman Unit & )
MISSOULA -- Andrew Anglin celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday last week on his neo-Nazi blog, The Daily Stormer, the same website he used to call for a "troll storm" against a Jewish woman in Whitefish and her family.

In the post last week, the publisher of the site with a tab called "The Jewish Problem" presented himself as a torch bearer for free speech. Anglin is based in Ohio but law enforcement officers have said he is out of the country.

"I love free speech," said Anglin in the post. "I love the internet. I love these things not only because they are good but because they are the creation of white men ... "

Whether the speech on Anglin's site is protected under the First Amendment is one question raised in a lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court of Montana in Missoula.

The Southern Poverty Law Center and Montana co-counsel John Morrison filed suit against Anglin on behalf of Tanya Gersh, the Whitefish woman who was the target of the "troll storm," alleging invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of the Montana Anti-Intimidation Act.

"Conceptually, the First Amendment protects the expression of opinions and does not protect terroristic personal threats and attacks on private citizens," Morrison said.

"This is not a public debate about an issue. This is people threatening and attacking individuals and putting them in fear of their lives."

The moral issue seems straightforward: The "tsunami" of messages that resulted from Anglin's campaign are vile and offensive, and the verbal and online assaults drove Gersh to seek trauma therapy, the complaint said. It said the attacks made her hair fall out and caused weight gain.

The legal issues, though, present some sticky wickets, according to a couple of faculty members and legal scholars from the University of Montana.

"I certainly couldn't say going in that the First Amendment questions are cut and dried one way or the other," said Anthony Johnstone, an expert in constitutional law and a faculty member of the Alexander Blewett III School of Law. "But the First Amendment protects hate speech."

One question, he said, is whether this case provides the elements that place it within the established exceptions to protected speech. True threats of harming an individual are not protected, and the direct incitement to violence is unprotected, too, along with other exclusions, he said.

"But all of these exceptions to the freedom of the press are narrow."

The current case could clarify a First Amendment question left unanswered in a 2015 opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, Johnstone said.

That case involved a man named Anthony Douglas Elonis who posted threats online against his wife after she left him, arguing the communications were "therapeutic," Johnstone said.

In one post, Elonis says this, in part:

"Did you know that it's illegal for me to say I want to kill my wife? ... It's very illegal to say I really, really think someone out there should kill my wife ... " Elonis went on to describe the best place from which to launch a mortar at his wife's home and provided a diagram.

The court took an unusually long time to consider the case, but the justices only answered the question of what the federal criminal statute meant, Johnstone said. The statute required Elonis to intend to make a threat, not just communicate in a way a reasonable person would consider threatening.

But the justices left open the freedom of speech question, he said.

"Justices (Samuel) Alito and (Clarence) Thomas expressed frustration with the Court's failure to reach the freedom of speech issue, and would have held that the freedom of speech does not protect threats made either recklessly, or threats that a reasonable person would take the communication in context as a threat," Johnstone said in an email.

"That question, left unanswered by the court in Elonis, may shape the scope of free speech protections in the Whitefish case."

Lee Banville, a faculty member in the School of Journalism and expert in media law, also pointed to Elonis as one that could influence the outcome in the Gersh case.

The Supreme Court reversed the conviction of Elonis because of the concept called "true threats," Banville said. Only if a person intends to threaten, and not if the alleged victim feels threatened, can the person be convicted, he said.

In that case, the threat is "a true threat" and not protected speech, he said.

Gersh and the Southern Poverty Law Center can argue that Anglin intended to threaten and intimidate since he posted her contact information and encouraged his followers to "troll" her.

"But they have to show that the intent there was to carry out those threats," Banville said.

Anglin himself appears to be one step removed from the barrage of hateful and threatening messages left for Gersh and her family, seeing as he encouraged and appeared to instigate voicemails and social media comments left by others.

And many foul messages wished her dead and were riddled with epithets and expletives, but they weren't necessarily direct threats.

"You should have died in the Holocaust with the rest of your people," said one caller, according to the complaint.

"You are surprisingly easy to find on the internet. And in real life," said another message.

"Hickory dickory dock, the kike ran up the clock. The clock struck three and internet Nazi trolls gassed the rest of them," said yet another.

Anglin accused Gersh of trying to force the mother of Richard Spencer  a leader of a movement mixing racism, populism, and white nationalism  to sell her building in Whitefish. According to the complaint, Gersh offered to help sell the building if Sherry Spencer wanted, and then passed on names of other real estate agents when Spencer changed her mind.

The biggest problem for the Southern Poverty Law Center is that the worst comments are not made by Anglin himself, the defendant, but by third parties, Banville said. Legally, under the Common Decency Act of 1996, anyone who publishes online isn't responsible for comments generated by others.

"It's the Troll Creation Act of 1996," Banville said. " ... At least up until this moment, the courts have said that act is a get-out-of-trouble-free card."

In many free speech cases, the offensive party loses at the district court level because the actions seem clearly wrong to the typical person, Banville said. But on appeals, the cases move away from a jury's considerations to the bigger legal questions about free speech.

"That's when the courts start to get much more esoteric and not specific, and that's when you start to see these things overturned," he said.

The case of the Westboro Baptist Church picketers also may relate, Johnstone said. The church is known for conducting anti-gay demonstrations at military funerals. Protesters picketed the funeral of the son of a man who then claimed the intentional infliction of emotional distress, as Gersh does, he said.

But the Supreme Court justices found the picketers were within their rights. They stood in a public space, far enough away from the funeral, and they were speaking on a matter of public concern.

"As offensive as their message was, it was still newsworthy," Johnstone said.

The picketers were removed from the person who claimed emotional distress, he said. They were speaking out in public, he said, not targeting a campaign of harassment day after day.

"I think the allegations (in Gersh's complaint) tell a story of extreme and outrageous conduct," Johnstone said. "That alone does not answer the question of whether that publication is protected under freedom of the press."

The constitutional principles are the same whether a publication is digital or broadsheet, he said. But the digital format affects the facts and circumstances of the case, he said; it's easier to "drum up a troll storm" online, and the severity might place the speech outside the protections of the First Amendment.

Morrison, a partner with Morrison, Sherwood, Wilson & Deola, said the lawyers representing Gersh are handling the case on a pro bono basis unless the court awards attorney fees. Montana has a strong commitment to respecting all people regardless of their race, religion, gender, and other classes, he said.

"Our objective is to stop this behavior and make sure it doesn't happen anymore," Morrison said. "And we want to impose sufficient damages to make that happen.

"We also want to compensate the Gershes for what they have been through."
Two thirds of British households could see energy bills fall later in the year after the Tories adopted a price cap as a manifesto pledge in the run up to June's snap election.

Damian Green, work and pensions secretary, claims energy price caps would be in the Conservative manifesto to be revealed early next month.

He said on Preston on Sunday, the ITV morning television show: 'Some people feel the energy companies have taken advantage of them.'

Energy freeze: The Conservative party are set to make a price freeze a major part of its manifesto

Today, Centrica and SSE have been two of the biggest share price fallers in the FTSE 100.

Centrica shares are down nearly five per cent, while SSE are down 3.5 per cent to 198.05p and 1,395.50p respectively.

It is estimated that Centrica  owner of British Gas  would see operating profits take a 332million whack from an energy price cap, according to analysts at Bernstein on behalf of the Financial Times.

The company recorded pre-tax profits of 2.2billion last year.

Iain Conn, chief executive of Centrica, told the FT that the Government's plans would 'reduce competition and choice, stifle innovation and potentially impact customer service.'

In 2016, Mr Conn's pay package rocketed nearly 40 per cent to 4.2million.

It is believed a measure to cap bills for households on a standard dual fuel variable tariff would save the average family 100 a year.

CONCERN FOR INVESTORS Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'Details of the clampdown will only become known upon publication of the party manifesto on 8 May, but the market is already taking evasive action, amid fears of what the policy may mean for power utilities profits and therefore dividends. 'This will be of some concern to income investors in particular, as SSE is the fifth highest yielding stock in the FTSE 100 and Centrica the eleventh highest.'

Theresa May said last autumn she was prepared to 'intervene in dysfunctional markets.'

Ofgem would play a major part, setting a maximum price for energy bills in different regions.

That would follow a cap introduced this month for pre-payment meter users, who tend to be low income households.

She said at the Conservative party conference last year: 'Where companies are exploiting the failures of the market in which they operate, where consumer choice is inhibited by deliberately complex pricing structures, we must set the market right.

'It's just not right that two-thirds of energy customers are stuck on the most expensive tariffs.'

In the lead up to the 2015 general election, Ed Miliband, former Labour leader, promised an energy price freeze.

At the time, the Tories claimed the idea would mark a return to '1970s-style interventionism.'

However, Mr Green insists the Conservative policy is different, as Ofgem  the energy regulator  would be setting a cap, not a freeze, which would be flexible and reflect market conditions as wholesale prices change.

Five of the so-called six big energy firms have imposed price rises of up to 10 per cent in the last few months, with only British Gas stating it would freeze prices until the summer.

One firm, EDF Energy, has announced two quick fire price rises - one in December and another earlier in the month.

The energy giants have largely blamed green initiatives from the Government for rises in recent years, alongside fluctuating wholesale costs.

Ofgem referred the energy market to the Competition and Markets Authority in June 2014.

Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at comparison website uSwitch, said: 'Quite rightly, politicians want to ensure that consumers get a better deal on energy.

'But a price cap on standard variable tariffs would do more harm than good.

'Price caps may sound like a magic bullet, but heavy-handed price intervention could have the unintended effect of leaving consumers worse off.

'Instead of lowering bills, previous market interventions in the energy sector have led to lower switching rates and higher prices  a finding backed by the CMA in its energy market investigation.

'A price cap would be the death knell for competition. It would remove any incentive for energy companies to drive down prices and fight to keep their customers, entrenching the position of the incumbent big six.'
Some 26 years ago the Mitterrand government in France nationalised Banque Rothschild. Now the tables have been turned.

Baron David de Rothschild who nursed the French bank back to health and now chairs Rothschild & Co, must be watching with admiration as his protege Emmanuel Macron marches on the Elysee Palace.

It is hard to imagine any banker winning high office in Britain or the US, where public opinion is still dead set against the financiers. But a hard-nosed banker in Paris may be just what France needs.

If, as he has promised, Macron slashes corporate taxes and introduces flexible labour markets, then potentially France's high unemployment rate of 10 per cent of the workforce and 25 per cent of the young could finally be tackled.

Banking on it: French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron has promised to slash corporate taxes and introduce flexible labour markets

Certainly the financial markets are betting on wholesale reforms.

Relief that extremists from the Right have been vanquished by a neo-Conservative sent share prices across the Continent soaring.

Most fascinating, the rally was led by bank shares. Europe's biggest banks, including BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank, climbed by almost 10 per cent. Even Italy's badly damaged banks managed a rally.

Stronger equity prices help to put a safety net under Europe's banks, but it is hard to put to one side the problems of overbanking, bad debts and poor profitability identified by the International Monetary Fund.

It is not clear what kind of magic Macron would need to conjure up to clear Europe's banks of 1trillion of non-performing loans that have crushed lending across the region.

After the defeat of the far-Right in the Netherlands and the likely burst of the Marine Le Pen bubble, a relief rally is justified. There is a huge amount of work to be done for the cockerel to crow again.

Field work

As much as one admires Frank Field MP for tireless work on pensions and welfare reform, it is hard to support his continuing vendetta against Sir Philip Green.

The retail tycoon went further than almost any other former owner in coughing up 363million of his own cash to make good the BHS pension fund.

Had the pensioners been dumped into the Pension Protection Fund they would have been considerably worse off.

A better target for Field's attention at present would be the Tata Steel pension fund with its 130,000 members.

It is terrific that Tata Steel wants to keep Port Talbot in production, having previously threatened to close it, and has plans to invest 1billion over five years. Britain needs steel production as part of our economic security.

The price for rescuing the company and the current workforce is that they are being moved into a less generous defined benefit scheme.

The deal agreed with the workforce is that Tata Steel sheds the company covenant or guarantee to cover future shortfalls.

As pensions guru John Ralfe notes, walking away from pensions obligations, unless the UK company is insolvent, would be difficult.

It does seem as if Tata is prepared to offer some funding promises so that the pension scheme could be transferred to the Pension Protection Fund.

But that is hardly a happy solution given that higher-paid pensioners would see income capped and those lower down the food chain would see them cut by 10 per cent.

Tata Steel is notionally an independent company with its own shareholders and board.

But it is also part of one of the richest industrial and services empires in India and a family of enterprises which includes hugely successful Jaguar Land Rover.

In much the same way as Green, as the former owner of BHS, was threatened with court action if he didn't cough up, so should the Tata group of companies step in.

Tata's good name and reputation demands a generous settlement.

Kurd losers

What could go wrong? With financier Nat Rothschild the biggest shareholder in Genel Energy, with 7.95 per cent of the equity, BP veteran Tony Hayward as chief executive and subsequently chairman, and the backing of City bluebloods JP Morgan Cazenove and Goldman Sachs, the Kurdistan-based oil group looked like a winner when it was brought to the stock market.

It soared to a peak value of 2.4billion in 2014.

But almost everything that could go awry did, with the Kurds having to divert funds to fight Islamic State, the oil price falling and some panicky exploration in Angola and the Ivory Coast that came up dry.

After huge losses the shares are worth less than one-tenth of their peak price and Hayward is out on his ear.

Easy come, easy go.
Top Bank of England officials were told about Libor rate rigging as early as 2005, witnesses claim.

Court documents unearthed by the Mail reveal that fears were raised about the toxic rate years before the financial crisis.

And they cast fresh doubt on evidence given to Parliament by ex-Governor Lord Mervyn King, when he denied all knowledge of wrongdoing.

The Bank of England has always denied any role in the scandal

A fresh review of thousands of Libor documents reveals that regulators secretly discussed the rates at least four times before Lord King told MPs that a trawl of records revealed no evidence of wrongdoing or reporting of wrongdoing to the Bank.

It follows a BBC Panorama investigation which uncovered a secret recording in October 2008 of Barclays staff discussing how the Bank of England had asked them to fix rates to give a false impression of the lenders financial health.

Fraud investigators are now probing claims the Bank of England ordered lenders to change their rates at the height of the financial crisis, making them look stronger than they really were.

It follows the conviction of a string of traders who rigged Libor  which is used by banks to set their borrowing costs  to boost their profits.

But while Lord King and colleagues now have lucrative jobs in academia and the private sector, they are languishing in jail.

The Bank of England has always denied any role in the scandal  insisting it knew nothing of any criminality and never attempted to fix rates itself.

Doubts: Ex-Governor Lord Mervyn King has denied all knowledge of wrongdoing.

Last night, its former Governor told the Mail that he stood by his original comments made to MPs back in July 2012.

He said: There is a world of difference between dysfunctional markets and criminal behaviour designed to profit individual traders.

This difference was examined in detail in the Treasury Committee.

My evidence was clear and I stand by it. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely untrue.

A Bank of England spokesman declined to comment.
Mail-order fashion brand Boden is set to step out of the catalogue and into high streets across the UK.

The retailer well known for its bright prints and cosy knitwear is due to open concessions in John Lewis stores.

This autumn it will open inside John Lewis branches in Oxford Street, Cambridge, Reading, Southampton and Oxford. More are planned for 2018.

Branching out: Boden is known for its bright prints and cosy knitwear

So far the companys only physical shop is in Hanger Green, west London, but it plans to roll out shops across the UK and beyond.

The brand had a turnover of 283m in 2015 and pre-tax profit of 23.9m.

Jill Easterbrook, the former Tesco director who joined Boden in February, said:

We are really excited to be going into John Lewis. I cant wait for more people to discover Boden.
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By Zach Gewelb

Authorities were searching for an unidentified male in connection with an assault in Jamaica that occurred Friday in the 103rd Precinct.

Police said a 19-year-old victim was involved in a dispute with the suspect at 190-34 Jamaica Ave. who stabbed him in the back with a sharp object before fleeing the scene on foot in an unknown direction.

The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he was in stable condition, police said.

The suspect is described as an 18- to 20-year-old man wearing a dark sweatshirt and glasses, according to police.
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By Naeisha Rose

What started as a quiet Sunday afternoon in Queens Village became deadly after a three-alarm fire in the southeastern part of the borough took the lives of a family of five in a frame house located at 112-16 208 St. Four children were among the victims

Neighbors saw smoke around 2:30 p.m. and at 2:36 p.m. a bystander called 911. The FDNY rushed to the scene and was joined by the NYPD, Con Edison workers, American Red Cross responders and the medical examiner. Stunned neighbors gathered outside the fire-ravaged home along with elected officials.

The five victims removed from the home were: Chayce Lipford, 2; Rashawn Matthews, 10; Jada Foxworth, 16; Melody Edwards, 17; and Destiny Dones, 20, the NYPD said.

Fire marshals were at the scene investigating the cause of the blaze, which the FDNY said started at 112-16 208th St. and then spread to 112-12 and 112-18.

A bystander in a white shirt gave his phone to the grandfather in the brown pants who tried to go back into the house, but the grandfather fell back after the house blew up, said Maude Rennie, who was at her aunts house with her cousin at a backyard christening for a new arrival in her family.

The grandfather yelled at a man in an orange shirt who jumped out of the window and he asked why werent you watching them before he got sick and vomited, Rennie said.

The man in orange was screaming that I got to call my wife and had a slight burn on his hand, she said. He said that there were two kids on the second floor and he was arrested after trying to go back in.

The man who jumped out of the window was sent to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and was expected to survive, police said.

Rennies cousin, who asked not to be identified, said a Jeep exploded in the driveway after a wire snapped because of the fire and hit the car.

It was like a mushroom cloud of smoke. It was big and growing in the air. It looked like a tornado with bits and pieces of debris was flying in the air, she said.

Near the burned-down house was state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and state Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (Cambria Heights), who consoled relatives and neighbors.

Gina Bailey Briggs, a close family friend, arrived at the scene after 6 p.m. and was distraught. As she screamed, Why, God, did this happen to them? several times, Comrie held her in his arms, trying to comfort her as tearful neighbors spoke with Vanel.

FDNY EMS Lieutenant Paul Yunek also hugged Briggs.

Neighbors later brought her away from the scene so that she could catch her breath.

It was horrible. We were helpless, we couldnt do anything, but the FDNY did an awesome job because this was crazy, Rennies cousin said.

Last Thursday a fire in an apartment house on Putnam Avenue in Ridgewood killed Firefighter William Tolley, who died after falling off the roof of the building.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose @cngl ocal.com or by phone at (718) 2604573.

Deceased:

Dones, Destiny

20-year-old female

Edwards, Melody

17-year-old female

Foxworth, Jada

16-year-old female

Matthews, Rashawn

10-year-old male

Lipford, Chayce

2-year-old male
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By TimesLedger Staff

The Center for the Women of New York is celebrating its 30th anniversary at its annual awards luncheon Saturday by honoring two women who were at the forefront of the Womens Movement.

Carole De Saram, who was responsible for removing credit barriers for women, and Merle Hoffman, who helped establish one of the nations first abortion centers, will be honored April 29 at the Trailblazers for Womens Rights event at Douglaston Manor.

Other honorees also will be recognized for their roles as Women of Distinction and Good Guys in helping women achieve their goals.

Were honoring some who made changes in the second wave of the Womens Movement, said Ann Jawin, founder of the center, who worked with the National Organization of Women on education and employment issues. She was part of a 10-year class action suit against the city Board of Education to make changes in the curriculum and policies involving girls.

De Saram, who joined NOW in 1970 and was president of the New York Chapter, fought against financial discrimination that women faced and enabled them to obtain credit cards in their own names. She led a protest against unequal pay for women that shut down the American Stock Exchange.

In 1976, Hoffman, a womens health care pioneer, co-founded the National Abortion Federation, the first professional organization of abortion providers in the United States. After New York state made abortion legal in 1971, Hoffman helped establish Choices Womens Medical Center, now one of the nations largest womens medical facilities. She is president and CEO.

In the next generation of women making a difference, former Queens Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrozza has just written a book called Love and Money on economic power for women. A practicing elder law attorney, Carrozza is an executive member of the New York State Bar Association and a member of the Legislative Womens Caucus. She has appeared frequently as an expert legal contributor to TV programs.

Among the other women to be honored are Yoselin Genoa-Estrella, the executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens, who works with vulnerable families so they can keep their homes and find new ones. She has helped 120 families buy their first home and saved 75 from foreclosure.

Dr. Jasmin Moshirpur, the director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Department at Elmhurst Hospital, has committed her career to improving and redefining womens health care and medical education. She is the medical director of the Queens Health Network.

Malini Shah, who is president of her own diamond company, is an influential community leader as a volunteer liaison for Councilman Paul Vallone. She spent more than 30 years teaching children in India and is a cultural ambassador for India arts at festivals around the world.

On the Good Guys list, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi has developed a new initiative to enable individuals and families on the verge of homelessness to remain in their homes. His proposed rental subsidy program has drawn wide support across the political spectrum and would slash the citys bill for housing the homeless.

Harbachan Singh, who is the president of the Queens Civic Congress and the Sikh American Friendship Foundation, has spent more than two decades fighting for Queens residents on every front, from quality-of-life issues to womens rights. He is the former chairman of the UN Headquarters Committee on Contracts.

Rev. Ned Wight, a minister at the Unitarian Universality Congregation in Shelter Rock, L.I., has campaigned womens causes and pushed for full gender equality. He spent 10 years overseeing the congregations Vetch program that allocates some $12 million annually to grantees to promote social change.

The nonprofit center, founded by Jawin in 1987, is dedicated to empowering the women of Queens through workshops and events that give them the skills to improve their lives, both professionally and economically.

The luncheon runs from noon to 4 p.m. at Douglaston Manor, 63-20 Commonwealth Blvd. in Douglaston.

Tickets for the event are $125.
The US government put 271 Syrian chemists and other officials on its financial blacklist Monday, punishing them for their role in the deadly chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in early April.

In one of its largest-ever sanctions announcements, the US Treasury Department took aim at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), which it said was responsible for developing the alleged sarin gas weapon used in the April 4 attack.

The attack left 87 dead, including many children, in the town of Khan Sheikhun, provoking outrage in the West, which accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of being responsible.

The sanctions include a freeze on all assets in the United States belonging to 271 individuals on the blacklist, and block any American person or business from dealing with them.

According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington-based think-tank, the SSRC is Syria\s leading scientific reasearch center, with close links to the country\s military.

The center itself was already the subject of two sanctions declarations, in 2005 and 2007, due to its alleged role in developing weapons of mass destruction.

The Treasury said in a statement Monday that the SSRC is specifically behind the Syrian government\s efforts to develop chemical weapons and the means to deliver them.

The 271 either have specific scientific expertise for the program or have been involved in it since 2012, it said.

"These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assads horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"The United States is sending a strong message with this action that we will hold the entire Assad regime accountable for these blatant human rights violations in order to deter the spread of these types of barbaric chemical weapons."

The Treasury\s action followed the US military\s firing 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on April 7 to punish the government and set a warning against any further chemical weapons attacks.

"These sanctions are intended to hold the Assad regime and those who support it - directly or indirectly - accountable for the regime\s blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118," Mnuchin said.

The attack on Khan Sheikhun was also debated in the UN Security Council. But Russia, a close ally of Assad, vetoed a resolution on April 12 demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the attack.

Assad has denied the attack, branding it a "fabrication" by the West.

The US Treasury already had imposed sanctions against 18 Syrian officials in January. The sanctions effectively aim to shut those targeted out of global financial networks, making it difficult for them to do business or even travel.

Mnuchin said the administration "will relentlessly pursue and shut down the financial networks of all individuals involved with the production of chemical weapons used to commit these atrocities."

SOURCE: AFP
French President Francois Hollande on Monday urged voters to reject far-right leader Marine Le Pen in next month\s presidential runoff against pro-EU candidate Emmanuel Macron.

Macron is the clear favourite to become France\s youngest-ever president after topping Sunday\s first round of voting with 24.01 percent of votes, ahead of National Front (FN) leader Le Pen on 21.30 percent, according to final results.

The vote revealed a country deeply divided, with 39-year-old Macron, an advocate of open borders and free trade, leading the vote in cities and Le Pen topping the polls in rural areas that feel left behind by globalisation.

In a solemn address to voters, Hollande warned of the "risk for our country" of a far-right victory and said he himself would vote for Macron, who served as his economy minister for two years.

The Socialist president joined a long line of politicians urging voters to back Macron in order to thwart the anti-immigration, anti-EU Le Pen.

Le Pen seized on the flurry of endorsements for Macron from the ruling Socialists and main opposition Republicans  both of which crashed out in the first round  as proof he was the choice of the discredited old guard.

Visiting a market in the northern town of Rouvroy on Monday, 48-year-old Le Pen lashed out at the "rotten old republican front"  the ad-hoc anti-FN coalition formed by mainstream parties whenever the party is at the gates of power.

"I\ve come here to start the second round campaign in the only way I know  on the ground with the French people," she said.

Macron received several congratulatory calls on Monday from European leaders relieved to find him in pole position.

Thanking Hollande in a tweet for his support, the former investment banker called on the French to "remain true to France\s values" in the May 7 runoff.

He and Le Pen will take part in a TV debate on May 3.

France\s traditional political class suffered a stunning blow on Sunday, with voters fleeing the ruling Socialists and conservative Republicans who have governed for the past half century in favour of the extremes or outsiders.

Both Macron and Le Pen campaigned as rebels who transcended the left-right divide.

Conservative candidate Francois Fillon was seen as the favourite until January when his campaign was torpedoed by allegations that he gave his British-born wife and two of his children fictitious jobs as parliamentary assistants.

In the end, the Republicans party candidate trailed in third with 20.01 percent, ahead of radical left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon on 19.58 percent.

On Monday, Fillon told the party\s top brass he lacked "the legitimacy" to lead them into parliamentary elections in June.

"I need to rethink my life and heal my family\s wounds," he told them, according to a statement.

Fillon and fifth-placed Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon have both rallied behind Macron but Melenchon pointedly avoided endorsing the centrist.

Addressing thousands of flag-waving supporters in Paris on Sunday evening, Macron said he aimed to unite "patriots" against "the threat of nationalists".

Le Pen, who has been hoping to emulate Donald Trump\s victory in the US, said the French faced a choice between "runaway globalisation" and a protectionist France.

Her plans to restore France\s borders with its European neighbours, pull out of the eurozone and hold a referendum on leaving the EU had sown fear of another devastating blow to the bloc after Britain\s vote to leave.

The euro and European stocks rose Monday, buoyed by polls suggesting Macron would beat Le Pen by more than 20 percentage points in the second round.

After addressing euphoric supporters in Paris on Sunday, Macron spent the evening with friends at a well-known Paris bistro, drawing criticism for what some saw as his triumphalist attitude.

"We need to be humble. The election hasn\t been won and we need to bring people together to win," Richard Ferrand, secretary general of Macron\s En Marche (On the Move) movement, acknowledged on BFM television Monday.

Le Pen gained over 1.2 million new voters compared with her last presidential bid in 2012, securing 7.7 million ballots, a result she hailed as "historic".

But her share of the vote was far below a March poll high of 27 percent.

She follows in the footsteps of her father Jean-Marie, who made it through to the 2002 presidential run-off in what was a political earthquake for France.

Le Pen senior went on to suffer a stinging defeat when mainstream parties closed ranks to keep him out.

Sunday\s first round capped a rollercoaster campaign in a demoralised France, which has been rocked by a series of terror attacks since 2015 and is struggling to shake off a deep economic malaise.

Le Pen seized on a jihadist attack that claimed the life of a policeman in Paris three days before the vote to stress her tough line on immigration and security, but the attack did not appear to sway voters.

SOURCE: AFP
FINDLAY  Farmer Troy Uphoff was out planting corn Monday morning, enjoying both a sunny spring day and the prospect that Sonny Perdue would soon be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the nation's agriculture secretary.

I think farmers will be extremely pleased to see former Gov. Sonny Perdue confirmed as secretary for the United States Department of Agriculture, said Uphoff, 42, who farms 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans near Findlay and also raises cattle.

The Senate voted to confirm Perdue 87-11. The son of a farmer from Bonaire, Ga., he will be the first Southerner in the post in more than two decades. He has owned several agricultural businesses, but isn't related to or affiliated with the food company Perdue or the poultry producer Perdue Farms.

Uphoff cites Perdue's strong background in agribusiness and his training as a veterinarian in giving the nominee the opportunity to hit the ground running on behalf of farmers' interests.

I think he brings a lot to the table for producers in the United States, and specifically for producers right here in Central Illinois, said Uphoff, who serves as district 11 director for the Illinois Farm Bureau representing DeWitt, Piatt, Macon, Shelby, Moultrie and Christian counties.

As agriculture secretary, Mr. Perdue has pledged to be an advocate for open and international markets which is very important right now to our farm income, income projected to be about half of what it was just four years ago.

Perdue is clearly going to have a fight on his hands as he battles to support agribusiness in the face of President Trump's disdain of international trade deals. Trump has also proposed slashing USDA programs, a move likely to bring him into open conflict with farmers.

Bailey Edenburn, Shelby County Farm Bureau manager, said no one doubts the enormity of the task facing Perdue. He's got a huge job. The United States Department of Agriculture is a giant government entity, and it covers a lot of ground, said Edenburn. She pointed out it runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, once called food stamps, and many other critical functions.

Edenburn said, however, that Perdue is the right man for the job of negotiating with Trump to hammer out trade deals that won't stiff farmers and agribusiness.

There are compromises to be made, and President Trump says he is a deal-maker, so, hopefully, Mr. Perdue can make some deals, she added. But we're very excited about having an actual farmer to be head of the agriculture department, and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do in that job.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. was among dozens of companies and organizations that signed a letter of support sent to the Senate urging Perdue's confirmation and saying he has a proven record of effective governing and dedicated public service.

There have been 30 secretaries of agriculture since the job was created in 1889 and though some were raised on a farm, only two actually lived and worked in agriculture as adults, the letter added. If confirmed, Sonny Perdue will be number three.

At his confirmation hearing in March, Perdue assured nervous farm-state senators that he will advocate for rural America, even as Trump has proposed deep cuts to some farm programs. He also promised to reach out to Democrats.

Still, Perdue, 70, is getting a late start on the job. Trump nominated him just two days before his inauguration, and then the nomination was delayed for weeks as the administration prepared his ethics paperwork. Perdue eventually said he would step down from several companies bearing his name to avoid conflicts of interest.

As agriculture secretary, he'll be in charge of about 100,000 employees and the nation's food and farm programs, including agricultural subsidies, conservation efforts, rural development programs, food safety and nutrition programs such as food stamps and federally-subsidized school meal.

Perdue will take office as farm prices have been down for several years in a row and some parts of the industry, including cotton and dairy farmers, say they need the department and Congress to rewrite agricultural policy to help revive their business.

Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Perdue will help facilitate recovery in small American towns.

"I know he will put the needs of farmers, ranchers and others in rural America first," Roberts said.

Perdue's main task over the coming year will be working with Congress and coordinating his department's input on the next five-year farm bill. Current farm policy expires next year, and lawmakers on the House and Senate agriculture committees will have to find a way to push it through Congress amid heightened partisan tensions and concerns over spending.

At his hearing, he pledged to help senators sustain popular crop insurance programs and fix problems with government dairy programs.

Perdue may also find himself in the uncomfortable position of defending agriculture in an administration that has so far given the issue limited attention, despite Trump's strong support in rural areas. Trump has proposed a 21 percent cut in USDA programs and has harshly criticized some international trade deals, saying they have killed American jobs. But farmers who produce more than they can sell in the United States have heavily profited from some of those deals, and are hoping his anti-trade policies will include some exceptions for agriculture.

At the hearing, Perdue said he would be a "tenacious advocate and fighter" for rural America when dealing with the White House and other agencies and noted a growing middle class around the world that is hungry for U.S. products.

"Food is a noble thing to trade," Perdue said.

Trump has also reached out to farmers on regulation, saying the government has too many rules that negatively affect farm country. That issue is expected to come up on Perdue's first day in office Tuesday, when the president holds hold a round table discussion with farmers and sign an executive order "to provide relief for rural America," according to the White House.

The White House hasn't said when Perdue will be sworn in, but he is scheduled to speak to USDA staff Tuesday morning.
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ALBANY  Ariel Agudio and Asha Burwell suspected, before the fight even began, that whatever was happening on the bus that night was colored by prejudice.

"The climate on the bus was racial ... from the get-go," Agudio testified Monday in Albany County Court.

By the time Agudio and Burwell took the stand on the sixth day of trial, the jury was well aware that there had been a drunken rendition of "99 Bottles"  and an offer of a sandwich to "stop singing" or "shut the (expletive) up," depending on who was testifying.

Because of the way Agudio was seated  to the side of the bus rather than to the front  she had an insider's view into what happened next, she testified. That's when she saw Mary Glisson, a white woman who had been drunkenly serenading the bus, allegedly mutter "ratchet b___s" under her breath in reference to Agudio, Burwell and Alexis Briggs, who are all black.

"Every time I've heard 'ratchet' it pretty much meant 'ghetto,' in my opinion," Agudio said.

"I felt like if we were white she would have said something completely different if she was angry at us," she added. "So to me, it was as if she were saying that, you know, because we were black."

Agudio and Burwell, both 21 and from Long Island, were called to the stand Monday to testify as the Albany County District Attorney's office seeks to prove they lied last year when they reported they had been the victims of a racially motivated hate crime on a CDTA bus full of drunk college students.

On the stand, the women stuck by their original story, which is that in the early morning hours of Jan. 30, 2016 they were jumped by a group of white students who were hurling racial slurs. Before this happened, they say, they had attempted to ask students why no one yelled at the singing white girl to be quiet, but everyone yelled at Agudio to "shut up" when she dared confront someone who called her "ratchet."

Assistant District Attorney David Rossi grilled the women, who are seen on CDTA surveillance footage striking passengers, over their role in the fight and why it was that the students he brought in to testify only heard Agudio making threats to assault the other passengers.

"Isn't it true that looking back now, you understand that when you told the world that you were jumped by a bunch of men on a bus that that was not true?" he asked Burwell.

Both Agudio and Burwell said that both men and women assaulted them that night. They conceded that Agudio had walked back to confront Glisson about the "ratchet" comment, but that she eventually sat back down in her seat after being yelled at by other passengers to "shut up and sit down."

Neither could remember who threw the first punch, but Agudio testified that four other women were primarily involved in "throwing punches" and pulling hair, including Glisson. Eventually, as people noticed a fight underway, more passengers crowded in the back of the bus and became involved, they said.

Agudio's hair extensions were ripped out in the process, leaving her with bald patches afterward. A man could be seen on CDTA footage helping her to pick them up before getting off the bus. Burwell choked up on stand when she recalled her friend's hair getting yanked out.

"When they realized that her hair could come out, everyone participated in it," she said of Agudio. "It was comical. It was like a game to try to rip out every single piece of her hair."

Rossi, during cross-examination, disputed the women's accounts, at times indicating the video clearly showed Agudio climbing over a seat and punching people while men attempted to separate the groups of women.

"When you spoke with police did you think it was important to tell the truth?" he asked Burwell.

"Yes I did," she said.

"Did you remember that Ariel had just told you that she had three b___s down?" he asked, referring to a 911 recording of the defendants' calls for help that night.

"I did not hear her say that," Burwell said.

"Did you remember that Ariel had just told you that she beat up a boy?" he asked, again referring to the recording.

"I did not hear her say that either," she said.

After six days and several dozen witnesses, both sides rested their cases Monday. Closing statements will be delivered Tuesday and then the jury of 12 will be instructed to reach a unanimous verdict.
ALBANY  Hoosick Falls officials will seek to terminate its use of a Glens Falls law firm that has been representing the local government in negotiations with the two companies identified as the likely sources of contamination by the toxic chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in the municipal water system as well as private wells.

The village's Board of Trustees will hold an open emergency meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to discuss "concerns related to our legal representation," according to a public notice posted to the village's website. An agenda posted Monday specifies that the board will seek to "terminate its engagement" with the firm, FitzGerald Morris Baker Firth, for all matters related to the contamination crisis.

The meeting of the Board of Trustees comes after months of controversy over a proposed legal settlement between the village and the two companies, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and Honeywell International.

A proposed settlement that FitzGerald Morris negotiated on behalf of the village with the two companies was tabled by the Board of Trustees in late February.

The $1.04 million draft settlement agreement, which included roughly $310,000 in fees payable to the law firm, faced outcry from residents and state and federal legislators. The concerns centered on a part of the agreement that would have prohibited the village from bringing future claims against Saint-Gobain and Honeywell related to the pollution.

The village authorized the hiring of FitzGerald Morris in April 2015 on the recommendation of village attorney John R. Patterson. But records indicate the Village Board did not vote until February 2016 to approve the contract with the firm. Patterson's own firm, based in the village, was recently acquired by FitzGerald Morris  a quiet move that attracted a fresh round of criticism from many in the community.

The vote to table the settlement took place a month after the Times Union filed a formal request for a copy of the village's retainer agreement with the law firm. The request also sought any records that "may disclose any pecuniary interest or other dealings between Mr. Patterson and FitzGerald Morris Baker Firth," as well as any financial disclosure forms filed by Patterson with the village.

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The village said "no such forms, statements or records were located."

Elevated levels of PFOA were found in the village water system in 2014 by Michael Hickey, a former village trustee whose father died of cancer. Village officials said the draft settlement agreement with Saint-Gobain and Honeywell was intended to cover the costs of the small community's expenses for engineering, water sampling, and legal and public relations advice since the contamination was discovered.

Monday's meeting will be held at the Rensselaer County Senior Center at 69 Church Street.
April the giraffe has brought a bundle to a tiny zoo in rural upstate New York, thanks to a YouTube video livestream of her pregnancy and the birth of an incredibly cute calf that has riveted viewers around the world.

Owners of the for-profit Animal Adventure Park won't say exactly how much they've pulled in from all the April-related ventures, but internet marketing experts conservatively estimate the haul in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The money will be used for zoo upkeep, wildlife conservation in Africa, and a favorite cause of the zoo's founders  local children with unexpected medical expenses, the park owners say.

"The monies are going to allow the park to continue to grow and improve," said Jordan Patch, who started the 20-acre zoo with his wife four years ago in Harpursville, Broome County. "But also the money will help support our conservation efforts in Africa, so we're actually providing tangible results for wild giraffes."

The ventures include the Toys 'R' Us-sponsored YouTube stream, monetized text messages, a clothing line and the sale of T-shirts, caps and fuzzy toys.

All Patch would say for sure, moneywise, is that a Gofundme campaign has raised more than $150,000 for the care of April, her mate Oliver and their male calf, as well as upgrades to their exhibit space. And he expects 150,000 park visitors  twice as many as last year  to pay $11 to $13 to see the giraffe family along with the park's 200 other animals, including alligators, monkeys and zebras.

Neither Patch nor Toys 'R' Us, which features a giraffe as its corporate mascot, would talk about how many dollars were attached to April's video stream. After coming online Feb. 23, it has become the second most-watched livestream in YouTube history with more than 232 million views.
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There's nothing like a full palette of fall colors  dappled in sunlight, broken by a half-hidden mountain lake and fading to the bluish-grays of peaks beyond  to draw the eye of our Adirondack photo contest judges.

Chris Tennant, a native of central New York and present-day resident of Virginia, is the winner of our 518Life Adirondack photography contest.

Tennant has won a weekend getaway for two at Colgate Inn in Hamilton, NY. His photo, as well as some of the others who made the final cut, will appear in the June/July version of 518Life which will be published on May 18.

While the photo submissions  more than 100 -- had an abundance of quality to them, Tennant's "Last Light," taken from the summit of Mount. Jo overlooking Heart Lake, stood out as the hard-to-resist eye candy, a visual example of what the Adirondacks can offer.

Tennant grew up in Bainbridge, Chenango County, went to Ithaca College and now lives in Virginia with his wife and three young boys. He travels back to New York for several weeks each year.

"I got my start in photography when I received a Pentax K-1000 for my 10th birthday," Tennant said by e-mail. "In addition to being a talented artist my Dad was also the art/photography teacher at the High School which meant a steady supply of B&W film for me to shoot. I maintained my interest in photography ever since."

After college, Tennant moved to Virginia to pursue my graduate degree. "While there," he said, "I happened upon a documentary about the Adirondacks and knew I had to go back to photograph the area. And for the last 5 years, I've made an annual pilgrimage to the region in the fall."
Albany

All Albany Police retirees may once again get reimbursed by the city for doctor visits, a practice ceased more than seven years ago.

The city's past practice of reimbursing for Medicare Part B to Albany Police Department retirees and their spouses over 65 years old was reaffirmed by a state Supreme Court Appellate Division decision.

Art Scheuermann, an attorney who represented Albany police officers, civilians and communications units with the local union Council 82, said in late 2009, Albany stopped reimbursing for Medicare Part B  which covers nonhospital health services.

"Our lawsuit against the city filed against the Public Employment Relations Board said that the city could not unilaterally change those benefits for all the active employees without bargaining in contract negotiations," he said.

The courts determined Albany violated civil service law when it stopped the reimbursement without negotiating the terms in a contract, which has been a practice since 1983, Scheuermann said. The change did not affect those who had already retired and were receiving Medicare.

This could leave the city on the hook for the payment  currently $116 per person per month  for any active member who retired after Jan. 1, 2010, and is enrolled in Medicare, Scheuermann said.

In 2010, the cost was about $80 per month, he said.

With the rising costs of Medicare, municipalities have tried to find ways to cut costs  one of them being eliminating or capping the reimbursement of Medicare Part B. In 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tried to cap the reimbursement for state employees.

New York is one of three states, with Hawaii and California, that reimburses the full premium for retirees.

Albany officials wouldn't say how much a switch back to reimbursing for Medicare Part B could cost upfront, nor going forward.

"Although we are disappointed with this decision, we respect the process and are considering our options moving forward," Bill Kelly, the city's interim corporation counsel, said in an emailed statement. "Rising medical costs continue to be a burden for municipal governments all over the country.

"We remain committed to making reforms that provide quality health care to our employees and retirees at a cost that is fair to taxpayers."

Mayor Kathy Sheehan could not immediately be reached Sunday.

Albany budgeted $11.7 million for retiree health insurance and Medicare for city employees this year, a roughly 6 percent increase from 2016. It is unclear what the breakdown in those expenses are.

The city has one month from April 6  when the decision was handed down  to appeal the determination.

Those who retired prior to Jan. 1, 2010, but hadn't enrolled in Medicare are part of a separate lawsuit that still is pending.

afries@timesunion.com  518-454-5353  @mandy_fries
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After a contentious winter that saw protestors descend on congressional town hall meetings across the nation, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York's 21st Congressional District has quietly re-emerged  holding her traditional small gatherings in the district's most far-flung places.

Stefanik, R-Willsboro, took a break from publicized constituent meetings during the tumult surrounding Republicans' attempt to overhaul the Affordable Health Care Act. Many town hall-style meetings across the country were filled with shouts from progressive protesters questioning their representatives not just about health care, but about their stances on President Trump's immigration and environmental policies.

There were also occasional protesters outside Stefanik's Glens Falls office during those weeks.

But Stefanik last week went back to her "Coffee with your Congresswoman," series, hosting a 3:15 p.m. meeting in Lyons Falls  a village in Lewis County about 40 miles southeast of Watertown.

She will hold another meeting at noon Monday at the Shirley J. Luck Senior Center in Johnstown, Fulton County.

Stefanik's spokesman said in a statement Sunday that Stefanik has held 13 other coffee events since she took office in 2015 and hosted 50 private meetings with constituents this year. She will also be part of a town hall broadcast May 8 on the Mountain Lake PBS station in Plattsburgh.

"The televised town hall is a way we can reach a very broad audience in our geographically large district at a time of heightened national interest," wrote Tom Flanagin, Stefanik's communications director. She "is committed to finding fresh approaches to reaching her constituents," Flanagin said.

But some commenters on the congresswoman's Facebook page at the end of last week expressed displeasure with the format of her public outreach.

"An hour meeting on a Monday in the middle of the day. Yeah, sounds like you're real interested in hearing from your constituents, huh?" Mike Chapman posted.

Stefanik hosted about 80 people last week at the Lyons Falls Library, where much of the conversation focused on challenges facing farmers such as dropping milk prices and tightening labor standards, according to coverage of the meeting in the Watertown Daily Times.

Republican Rep. John Faso of Kinderhook, of the 19th Congressional District, also was greeted with protesters at recent Capital Region events, including outside his televised town hall meeting held at WMHT studios in North Greenbush earlier this month. Faso has said town halls offer organized groups more of an opportunity to disrupt than allow constituents a space to ask meaningful questions.

Around the same time as a February protest outside Stefanik's Glens Falls office, the congresswoman said on her Facebook page that it was "unfortunate and counterproductive that a small number of activists believe the best way to address the very serious issues facing our country is to hijack and ambush community events for the sole purpose of political theater."

Wendy Liberatore contributed. lstanforth@timesunion.com  518-454-5697
CHICAGO -- Many teens spend their summers lifeguarding or ice-cream scooping. Not Evon Lopez.

Lopez, at 16, spent the summer between her sophomore and junior years of high school interning at Abbott Laboratories. At graduation from the eight-week program last August, she delivered a PowerPoint presentation detailing, among other things, corporate safety initiatives at the health care company headquartered outside Chicago.

Sound like a snooze? To the contrary, Lopez said the experience reinforced her interest in architectural engineering.

Asked to name the highlights of the program, the teen described a visit to Abbott's nutrition facility in Ohio where employees explained how they created formula to save infants' lives.

"It just shows that their goal is to help as many people as they can in any way possible," Lopez said of the company, "and that's a place that I would like to work in."

An interest in jobs with a greater social purpose is a hallmark of the millennial generation. But Lopez is a member of Generation Z, the post-millennial group that is just starting to graduate from high school and college and catch the interest of employers.

Gen Z is composed of the kids who were born, roughly, between 1995 and 2010 and came of age during the Great Recession.

Though it's too soon to say how Gen Z might shape the workplace, early surveys paint a portrait distinct from the wide-eyed, self-involved image of their millennial predecessors. Gen Zers, an emerging trove of research suggests, are entrepreneurial yet pragmatic, hardworking yet easily distracted, with a streak of realism running through their desire to make a social impact.

Some employers are trying to appeal to Gen Z early, with versions of internships normally reserved for college students now being extended to high schoolers to create a pipeline of talent.

At Abbott, which started its high school internship five years ago, starting younger also is meant to address the shortfall of women and minorities in the STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - workforce, which is important as it serves an increasingly diverse customer base.

"What we want to do is increase the possibility that they will enter STEM, be successful at it and be able to go on and have meaningful careers in these areas," said Corlis Murray, Abbott's top engineer and leader of the high school internship program. "The younger we reach them, the higher we increase that probability."

With the rise of early professional exposure, members of Gen Z are positioned for powerful careers, said Jeanne Meister, partner at Future Workplace, a human resources research firm in New York.

"They are definitely more serious and mature entering the workforce" than millennials, Meister said.

Assigning sweeping generalizations to a generation of 60 million people is, at best, an inexact exercise, but that doesn't stop a steady drip of research from offering varied takes on Gen Z.

"They are radically different from millennials," said David Stillman, co-author, with his 17-year-old son Jonah, of the book "Gen Z @ Work," released in March.

If everyone-gets-a-trophy millennials, reared by baby boomers during flush times, prioritized passion and teamwork, then Gen Z, raised by independent Generation Xers during times of financial distress, learned that you have to fight hard to win, Stillman said.

"We have a generation entering the workforce that is extremely competitive," said Stillman, who has written several books on how generations interact in the workplace.

Some Gen Z traits seem old-school.

Three-quarters of Gen Zers say they are willing to start at the bottom and work their way to the top, implying a respect for paying dues, Stillman's research found. More than 60 percent said they are willing to stay at a company for 10 years, suggesting a return to employer loyalty after the job-hopping tendencies of millennials. Only 8 percent said they want an open-office concept, despite workspace design trends that have been knocking down walls to emphasize collaboration.

But other traits are less traditional. For example, more than half of Gen Zers want to write their own job description, reflecting a desire for a hypercustomized career experience that could be driven by the personal branding that social media has pushed since they were kids, Stillman said.

That preference could draw them to small and medium-sized businesses, where employees can more easily wear multiple hats than at large companies, he said.

Indeed, a survey last year by Accenture of the 2016 graduating college class, by some measures the vanguard of Gen Z, found they are three times more likely to want to work at a small or medium company than a large one, presenting big companies with a recruiting challenge.

Some employers are being proactive by planting a seed early.

Southwest Airlines last summer hosted its third class of high school interns, who worked for eight weeks at the company's Dallas headquarters. This fall it plans to host its first "aviation day" for kids in third through eighth grade, a free event that will include guest speakers and a tour of an aircraft maintenance hangar.

Anticipating a massive skills shortage as baby boomers retire, Greg Muccio, a senior manager in Southwest's "people department," said the airline industry needs to drum up excitement among youth.

"We have consciously set down a path to start reaching a much younger audience to encourage them and make them aware of a career in aviation," he said. Some of the industry's biggest needs are in hourly entry-level jobs that don't require higher education, so Muccio wants to appeal to high schoolers who may not be interested in or ready for college.

Southwest this summer also will host its third summer camp for the high-school aged children of employees across the country. The three-day event of tours and games in Dallas, which last year drew 150 teens, aims to steer those already familiar with the company to careers there by showing what it takes to be a pilot or a mechanic.

The camp left an impression on Chicagoan Kyle Norbut, who participated just before starting his freshman year at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana last year. The 18-year-old acting major, who was impressed by the family atmosphere and the sense that employees were "having a ball," intends to pursue a career in theater - but now is considering a flexible side job at Southwest.

Back at Abbott, the company is starting to see the fruits of its high school investment.

Nick Urh, who was in Abbott's first high school internship class, went back as a college intern and now is in its professional development program, rotating through various divisions at the company. He is currently in the diabetes division in Alameda, Calif., working on glucose meters that will no longer require finger pricks.

"It really opened my eyes to the potential we had to impact so many lives," he said.

Urh, 23, who grew up in Gurnee, Ill., and graduated last year from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is on the generational cusp. He says he identifies with both the millennial eagerness to make a social difference and the Gen Z appetite for job security - and, thanks to the internship, sees a path to achieve both.

Urh expects to be hired as a permanent employee at Abbott once the program finishes in June and hopes to pursue a career there in manufacturing operations.

"Why should I leave?" Urh said.

Music to an employer's ears.
Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot, Israel

As a teenager, Dorka Sternberg watched as Nazi officers, enraged after two youths from the underground fired a handgun at them, randomly picked 25 young men and women from a roundup in her Polish hometown, Czestochowa, lined them up against a wall and shot them dead.

"I was lucky, I suppose, because I am here," Sternberg, 93, said, recalling the event last week in her small kibbutz house in a lush coastal area of northern Israel.

Not long after the war ended, Sternberg met one of the few legendary fighters who had managed to emerge alive from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the most significant, albeit doomed, act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. She joined his group of pioneering Socialist Zionists, who drew up plans immediately after the war, while still in Poland, to build a kibbutz, and a new life, along with a museum to honor the dead in the Jewish homeland.

On April 19, 1949, the sixth anniversary of the start of the Warsaw uprising and nearly a year after the establishment of the state of Israel, they broke ground for the communal farm and named it Lohamei Hagetaot, Hebrew for "the ghetto fighters." The same day, on the kibbutz grounds, they laid the foundation stone of the Ghetto Fighters' House, the world's first Holocaust museum.

The closing event of Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day will take place in an amphitheater outside the museum on Monday.

Of the 150 Holocaust survivors who founded the kibbutz, Sternberg  who shared her testimony with museum visitors for years  is one of the last ones alive to bear witness. As her generation fades away, the Ghetto Fighters' House is grappling, like other institutions, with the question of how to educate future generations about the Holocaust and combat ignorance and denial.

"What will be in another generation from now?" asked Arye Carmon, the chairman of the museum's board.

"Our answer is to position the Holocaust as a warning sign," he said, pointing to the international growth of xenophobia, threats to liberalism and democracy, and the challenge of alternative truth enabled by social media. He described Auschwitz as the nadir of what he called "a deteriorating continuum of evil."

So instead of dealing with the Holocaust as a static historical event, and only a Jewish tragedy, the museum is advocating a more dynamic approach with a focus on the moral lessons for all of humanity.

In one sign of change, President Reuven Rivlin of Israel has invited former President Joachim Gauck of Germany to join him at the closing event here Monday.

It is a stark departure from the past, when prominent German representatives were not asked to attend formal Israeli commemorations, partly in fear of offending the survivors. (The main opening ceremony took place Sunday, the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, at Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.)

The invitation to Gauck, initiated by Carmon, has prompted criticism. The leaders of seven Israeli youth movements from across the political spectrum, both religious and secular, signed a letter to Rivlin protesting Gauck's presence, saying it could imply the Jewish people's forgiveness "for the greatest crime perpetrated in human history."
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DECATUR  The retrial of Elliott T. Murphy in the 2009 death of a 61-year-old Decatur man is set to begin today in Macon County Circuit Court.

The victim, Jerry Newingham, a Vietnam-era Army veteran, was riding his bicycle on West Sawyer Street the afternoon of Aug. 24, 2009, when a group of about eight teens attacked and robbed him, ending his life by repeatedly punching him and stomping on his head, police and prosecutors have said.

A short time later the same day, most of the same teens found 46-year-old Kevin Wilson sitting in Garfield Park. He was attacked in the same manner, but survived. He suffered multiple serious injuries and has no memory of the incident.

Half-brothers Murphy, then 16, and Deonta Johnson, then 14, were identified by police and prosecutors as the leaders of the group and the ones who inflicted the most serious harm.

After a panel of the 4th Appellate Court overturned the convictions of Murphy and Johnson in October 2013, they were granted new trials. The judges cited legal issues in reaching their ruling. They said there was a conflict of interest involving an attorney in Murphy's case, and the judge who transferred Johnson to adult court should have considered treatment alternatives in the juvenile justice system.

Murphy's trial is set to begin today. Johnson's new trial has not yet been scheduled. He is due in court for a pre-trial hearing May 12.

Three of the teens who were charged in connection with the attacks are serving 20-year prison sentences after pleading guilty to first-degree murder: Branden White and twin brothers Dedrick and Fredrick Rhone.

Associate Macon County Judge Jeffrey Geisler is presiding over the Murphy trial. The trial prosecutors are First Assistant State's Attorney Nichole Kroncke and Assistant State's Attorney Kate Kurtz. Murphy's attorney is Assistant Public Defender Bruce Berry.
DECATUR  Law enforcement agencies throughout Macon County and the state will be driving home the point this week that cellphone use behind the wheel wont be tolerated.

Today marks the start of the states first Distracted Driving Awareness Week, an initiative of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Texting while driving has been outlawed in Illinois since 2010, and using a hand-held cellphone while driving has been prohibited since 2014.

Yet its not uncommon to see people doing so, police say.

We get numerous infractions every week, said Sgt. Ron Atkins of the Macon County Sheriffs Office. The larger issue is harder to keep track of, and thats the wrecks that are caused by distracted driving. It can be very difficult to prove after the fact.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks crashes involving distracted drivers, and estimated that such accidents killed 3,477 people and injured 391,000 in 2015.

Deputies from the sheriffs office and officers from the Decatur Police Department and Decatur Park Police will be out looking specifically for distracted driving behavior this week, according to representatives from those agencies.

Both Atkins and Sgt. Steve Hagemeyer of the Decatur Police Department said there was no question that cellphone use caused at least some traffic accidents over the past few years.

Hagemeyer noted that its common to see people using the speakerphone function on their phones while holding them away from their ears. That behavior still violates the law, which only allows for phone conversations through a hands-free bluetooth device, he said.

Its not ear-free, it's hands-free, he said.

Atkins said its important to note that some activities, while not prohibited by state statute, should be avoided. Those include putting on makeup, eating food, playing with a pet and adjusting the radio.

All those arent illegal, per se, but they can lead to an accident if somebodys not careful, Atkins said.
At Middlebury College, student demonstrators recently shut down a speech by Charles Murray, the conservative author, in the process injuring a Middlebury professor who was accompanying him.

At Claremont McKenna College, student protesters this month succeeded in shutting down a speech by Heather Mac Donald, another conservative author. In a subsequent letter, students from the adjoining Pomona College explained that Mac Donald is a fascist, a white supremacist, a warhawk, a transphobe, a queerphobe, a classist, and ignorant of interlocking systems of domination that produce the lethal conditions under which oppressed peoples are forced to live.

Outbursts of campus activism can be good, potentially even great. But far too often, they turn out to be about expressing what students regard as the correct values, rather than actually improving peoples lives. Expressive protests take up a lot of time and energy, and produce an abundance of passion. But they tend to do little or nothing to address the injustices that students say they want to remedy.

Efforts to shut down speakers are the worst and the most extreme form of campus expressivism. It should go without saying that at colleges and universities, free speech is indispensable, and interferences with it are deplorable.

But I want to emphasize a different point: Those who shut down Murray and Mac Donald apparently thought that they were striking a big blow for justice, but they really werent.

If the goal is to combat interlocking systems of domination, students have a lot of opportunities, whether the activity involves helping particular individuals who face terrible conditions, or devoting time and attention to some kind of reform that might produce systemic change. Instead of silencing speakers, how about helping victims of domestic violence, or working on behalf of increasing the earned-income tax credit, one of the best programs for combating poverty?

To be sure, most forms of campus expressivism are a lot less harmful than efforts to shut down speakers.

Officials at Harvard, my university, recently announced that they are seeking substitutes for the final line of the alma mater, written in 1836, which ends: Be the herald of Light, and the bearer of Love/Till the stock of the Puritans die. According to one faculty member, the line could be seen as complicit with racism.

In my view, the reference to the Puritans has some charm, but its a product of a particular time and place, and its not a horrible idea to find a substitute for it. But careful scrutiny of old song lyrics isnt exactly the best way to change the world. It belongs in the same category as protest activities about old statues or names on old university buildings, perhaps the most common recent form of campus expressivism.

At Princeton, for example, students engaged in a 32-hour protest and sit-in at the office of President Christopher Eisgruber, asking him to excise Woodrow Wilsons name from its buildings and programs because Wilson believed in racial segregation. But how, concretely, would it further the cause of racial justice if Princeton dropped the name of its former president (and the president of the United States)? Were the protesting students focusing their time and attention in the right place?

No one should deny that symbols matter, because they can affect how people experience their institutions. It is important to reckon with history, and in some cases, changing names might make sense, especially if a building was originally named after a prominent defender of slavery.

But far too often, student expressivism looks inward at college life, rather than outward at the world, focusing on what is happening on campus rather than in places where people most need help. It ensures that students will devote their limited time, idealism and concern for justice to actions or reforms that do little or nothing to improve human lives.

Previous generations of student activists contributed immeasurably to the civil-rights movement and the fight against sex discrimination. On the right, they helped create the Federalist Society, which has transformed how judges and lawyers think about the Constitution. On the left, they have given life to the movement for LGBT rights.

In the current era, student activists would do well to think much less about how to express their values and instead to focus insistently on a single question: If I succeed, how many people will I actually be helping?
Audio could see some serious advances if Sennheiser and Samsung have their way. Audio specialist Sennheiser is teaming up with Samsung to develop smart headphones, according to a new report.

(Image credit: Sennheiser's AMBEO smart headset debuted at CES this January. (Credit: Tom's Guide))

Speaking to The Korea Herald today (Apr. 24), Sennheiser CEO Andreas Sennheiser said that his company has inked a deal with Samsung to work on his firm's AMBEO smart headset. He said that the Samsung partnership is designed to lend Sennheiser some credibility in the Android universe.

Sennheiser first unveiled its smart headset concept at CES in January. The company said at the time that wanted to capture what it calls "immersive 3D audio" to deliver better sound to smartphones. There's a potential implication for virtual reality and augmented reality, too, as 3D sound could potentially lead to a more immersive experience when you strap on a VR headset like Samsung's Gear VR.

MORE: Best Headphones - Top Rated Headphones and Earbuds

Sennheiser's AMBEO smart headset uses two omni-direction microphones in the ear pieces that can hear subtle differences in sound before they reach your ear. It then adjusts the audio it's receiving to enhance the quality, delivering what Sennheiser bills as "lifelike audio."

"It places the listener in the exact, original sound field, so whether you capture a rainforest or a buzzing city, listening to the binaural recording will make you feel like you are there," Sennheiser said in announcing the AMEBO headset (opens in new tab).

To actually take advantage of the technology, however, you'll need to have AMBEO-ready content. So, the technology will let you record in 3D audio to your smartphone and then play it back through your headset. An accompanying app will be used to record the content and ensure it's in the right format to hear it through the headset.

The Samsung tie-up comes in the wake of Samsung's purchase last year of Harman, a well-known audio company with a slew of brands under its banner. It's not immediately clear how Samsung and Sennheiser will team up on the AMBEO technology, but Sennheiser did tell The Korea Herald that in addition to credibility, the Samsung partnership will help the company more quickly ensure compatibility with its technology on Android devices.

"We are working with Samsung on the AMBEO smart headset to make it available for Android devices," Andreas Sennheiser told The Korea Herald. "Because a dominant layer of the smartphone market is Android-based phones."



It's an important development for the AMBEO line. In a statement last week, Sennheiser said that it was planning to launch AMBEO with iOS compatibility in the near future. It added that Android device support would be coming "later this year." It's unknown at this time whether the Samsung partnership will expedite the Android launch.
The ACT Government has knocked back a proposal to allow pill-testing at the Canberra leg of the Groovin The Moo festival.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr defended the Governments decision, telling ABC Radio the proposal had not been well enough formed, while ANU senior clinical lecturer Dr David Caldicott  who was involved in the proposal  has counted this, saying the proposal was in fact, so minutely detailed that the ministers office had the opportunity to ask what uniforms would those conducting the pill testing be wearing?

If there were issues they wanted to discuss they would quite easily have raised them, he added.

Every question that has been asked of us as a research group has been answered so unless they were keeping questions in reserve I suspect there are no questions that remain unanswered.

Barr remains unmoved, although he acknowledges the need for harm reduction measures.

I need to be clear, the government is never going to endorse the taking of illegal drugs but we also have responsibilities around harm minimisation, Barr told ABC Radio.

I consider this a health issue, not a law and order issue, but I do need to be clear that the government will not be endorsing the taking of illegal substances but we do recognise people do that and as much as we can provide support for other organisations.

This needs to be an evidence-based, public health decision, not a Facebook petition.

ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury also slammed the Governments decision, telling Fairfax, weve got a group of health experts, with the right equipment, ready to provide a service free of charge to government. We cannot afford to pass up these kinds of opportunities to roll out proven evidence-based harm minimisation measures.
Nick Cave has thrown his support behind a suicide prevention app for indigenous people of Australia. The Warlpiri community of Lajamanu in the Australian Tanami desert are crowdfunding the app which could provide hope for communities in need.

Aboriginal suicide rates are at epidemic levels with three people taking their own lives each week. Young Aboriginal people are said to be four times more likely to take their own life than their non-indigenous peers, a rate that is sadly among the highest in the world.

Since 2005, however, there hasnt been a single suicide in Lajamanu. The community itself may have the answers and its hoped the app can get this important message out.

With Aboriginal people committing suicide on an unprecedented scale, a group of elders are creating an app based on ceremony story and law, explains Cave. Join them in fighting for lives of young Aboriginal people and lets show Aboriginal Australia we believe in them.

The community-led and community empowering project is the subject of a GoFundMe campaign, with indigenous elders providing all content for the so-called Kurdiji 1.0 app. Read more here.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City police are investigating after a woman was found dead inside a home near 62nd and Tracy Monday. Police say they, along with Kansas City firefighters, discovered the woman's body just before 8 a.m. The cause of her death is still under investigation.
Jim Murray will never forget the first time he heard "Study for Strings" by the Czech composer Pavel Haas. It was a performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra in Kansas City back when Murray was a junior at William Jewell College.
Russia has been talked about in the news a lot in the past several years, and has garnered an incredible amount of attention in the USA of late. They have been accused of hacking a political partys files in order to favor one over the other. They have been accused of blackmailing our politicians and planting their own agents. They have been accused of spreading a huge amount of fake news throughout our country, in order to change the course of the general election.

On top of that, some in Europe believe that President Vladimir Putin was pushing for Brexit to weaken the EU, because he would like to take back more of Eastern Europe. While it would be nice to consider this alarmism, he has already taken Crimea, half of Ukraine, and doesnt seem interested in stopping anytime soon. Below are 10 reasons why we should keep a careful eye on Russia and their actions over the next several years.

10. They Shut Down Estonias Internet Infrastructure For Almost a Month

Estonia is an Eastern European country near the Russian border, and they are actually quite unique when it comes to any country in the world, because they rely on the internet for almost everything. They use the internet for paying parking fines, voting, paying utility bills and taxes, and almost anything else you could imagine. Children in Estonia are taught to use the internet properly in school at a young age, and it is considered one of the most tech savvy countries in the world.

Thats why, in 2007, Estonians understandably freaked out when their internet infrastructure was hit by a cyber-attack that managed to keep the entire system down for three whole weeks. Estonians are understandably worried that it was a test for a possible Russian invasion down the road. Estonia was once part of the Soviet Union, is seeded with ethnic Russians so Putin could attempt to pull something similar to Crimea, and with their infrastructure down, it would be hard for them to resist the chaos Putin could create. With the recent aggressive moves by Russia both in terms of cyber-crime and their continuing ventures in Ukraine, Estonia fears they may be next and is preparing for war.

9. The Russian Mock Invasion That Would Take Key Islands From Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Some may think that Russia would never dare go that far into Eastern Europe, or really keep pushing at all much beyond Ukraine. However, people back during WWII said that Hitler would stop after he took the Rhineland, and they were very, very wrong. The truth is that Putin has no reason to stop unless someone makes him, and he has already taken Crimea and roughly half of Ukraine. While some may be skeptical, back in March of 2015, Russia conducted a mock set of invasions that were set on the rather insane and clearly made up idea that the West was trying to physically overthrow Putin and pull off some kind of coup.

In response to this fake threat, the test invasion conducted would have them take away key islands from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, making it almost impossible for the NATO allies to come to the rescue. While the Russians tried to give a flimsy pretext that it was in response to a Western based attack, that doesnt really hold water, because the real strategic value of those islands is that it would cut off the Baltic States from NATO. This means that Russia would be able to easily take Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia and force them back into the Soviet Union, and it would be almost impossible for NATO to provide any kind of proper support or help. The fact that Russia put so much time and effort into practicing such an attack is troubling, to say the least.

8. With the EU Increasingly Weakening, Russia is in a Stronger Position to Invade Eastern Europe

When the Brexit vote occurred, Putin tried to remain indifferent on the surface, but many experts believe he was very excited. The main thing that stops Putin from taking back the former Soviet States is a strong European Union and a strong NATO, which kind of coincide in a lot of ways right now. Unfortunately, both NATO and the European Union are in historically weak positions, and it seems like that problem is only going to increase as time goes on. With the United Kingdom out of the EU, it is possible more people could leave, and it may be much harder for the Western Europeans to mount any kind of proper defensive support if Putin rolls into Eastern Europe.

This also hurts the sanctions put on him by the United States and the European Union, as the sanctions are only as strong as the united front the countries performing them keep up against the Russians. If the European Union continues to dissolve, Russia will have more negotiating power with individual states, and will find it easy to bully small European countries with their comparatively large economy. In the end, both in terms of potential invasions and in terms of negotiating power, the Russians win big whenever Europe becomes weaker. To make matters worse for the Eastern Europeans, we have a US president who knows little about NATO and campaigned, in part, on it being obsolete (though hes finally coming around on its importance), and cares about our agreements to protect small countries even less.

7. Russia Today is Kremlin Controlled and Russian Fake News Propaganda is a Global Machine

President Putin tries to dance around the issue, so it isnt quite as obvious to everyone, but the truth is that Russia Today might as well be Putins personal blog. It is funded, owned and operated by the Kremlin  in other words the Russian government. The government claims that it is not totally government controlled, but Putin also admits that it should kind of be expected that they will say things that are positive about the government and its agenda. While not saying it outright, it is clear the purpose of Russia Today is simply to spread the Kremlins propaganda all over the world. It is perhaps one of the most unreliable sources on the planet, but many people who see Russia Today in other countries do not realize just how unreliable it is.

To make matters worse, a lot of fake news regarding the US election was traced right back to Russians, and there is reason to believe many of them were even paid trolls. Despite Americas best efforts to handle its own elections, it is scary to think how easily the Russians have managed to manipulate emotions and decisions simply by posting fake stories. If that wasnt enough, there is reason to believe that a lot of similar propaganda is being spread in Europe as well, in order to weaken support for the EU and bolster the image of Vladimir Putin around the world.

6. We May Call Putin a Tyrant, but Hes Extremely Popular in Russia

Putin may be a man who is very interested in conquest, and he has some very grand plans. For this reason, many people like to put him in the realm of comic book villain, and look at him as a truly evil individual. While he does support a lot of draconian laws, especially against gay people, the truth is that Russia has always had very fascistic laws and very little freedom. The Russian people are fairly used to hardship, rationing, and not having a particularly strong say in government. When it comes to being a fascist, if anything Putin is lenient compared to some of the leaders of the past. What this means is that while he is dangerous to us, when we act is if he is horrible to the Russian people and posit the possibility of them one day rising up against them, it shows a fundamental lack of understanding of our Russian rivals.

We assume that they have the same priorities we do, but they simply dont. Americans are more concerned with individual freedoms and dont particularly care about refighting old battles. However, when Putin took back Crimea, it came with a great surge of popularity back home, because he was bringing back a certain amount of Russian pride as well. The Russian people felt stronger, and better to know that Putin was bringing back the old Soviet Union. Many of them now see him not as another politician, but as a transformational figure that has helped bring Russia back to what it once was. Russians still complain about politics and the country in general, but Putin still keeps his approvals in the low 80s, and even watchdogs from other countries believe the polls are at least mostly accurate. We arent saying Putin is a nice guy, but it is important to understand the people you are up against. We may not like Putin, but the fact that he is popular at home is not just Russian propaganda.

5. Putin Has Consolidated Power and May Very Well be President for Life

One of the things that makes it harder for a country like Europe or the United States to deal with threats from dictators is that the dictator has the advantage of remaining in power forever, consolidating his holdings, making him capable of carrying out truly long term plans. On the other hand, countries like the USA have regular elections that change our governmental leaders, which means we constantly have to refresh our policies to deal with the latest threats. Every president will have a different idea on how to deal with our foreign enemies or rivals, and that means an entirely new road map. In the meantime, someone like Putin can remain in office for nearly two decades, ensuring he can slowly work on his goals.

Putin was first term limited, then made a new position for himself that was above the president to get that problem out of the way. Then, he managed to become president again after taking care of the pesky term limit issue. And, while he hasnt said he will run yet, many expect him to run again next year, and with his popularity, it would be hard for him to lose unless something catastrophic happened to Russia to completely tank his poll numbers. And with calls from some within the Russian government for Vladimir Putin to remain president for life, it seems clear that has been the plan for quite some time now.

4. Theres a Possibility They Have Blackmail Material on the US President

While we know that Donald Trump has business dealings in Russia, which have been the subject of much suspicion and rumor, and that many in his campaign were said to have contacted Russia during the campaign, which has led some to believe that there is far more to the story. According to a dossier of information, much of which is hard to verify, Trump visited Russia as part of a beauty pageant, and while staying in a hotel room, he got up to some antics that were quite risque and embarrassing. He allegedly had prostitutes pee on a hotel bed that had once been used by Barack and Michelle Obama.

And according to the dossier, the Russians had been monitoring this room, and now have incredible dirt on Trump. Due to his many business dealings with them, and this blackmail they had, they decided to push him toward politics, and did their best to help him succeed, because they believed that they could use their blackmail to get sanctions lifted or other pro-Russia policies put in place. Of course, there is no proof that this blackmail exists, or that the event occurred as alleged, but the thought that they have blackmail on our president is very troubling. And even if they do not have that kind of blackmail, the fact he once admitted to having a large amount of business dealings with Russia, and would not disclose his taxes, still makes things suspicious for other reasons.

3. The Gay Concentration Camps Currently Operating in Chechnya (Part Of Russia)

Right now in Chechnya, a region which is now part of the Russian Federation, gay people are being rounded up like dangerous animals and either tortured for days on end or killed. These men are being held in what are essentially being described as concentration camps for gay people. Bounties are being paid for gangs of mercenaries to round up gay men wherever they can find them. This includes their homes, secret gay hangout spots, and they will even perform sting operations to find gay people.

There are reports that they are receiving beatings and electric shocks, and are sometimes even being released simply so they can be re-caught for sport, and so that the hunter can double dip on the bounty for the captured gay person. Some are blackmailed and threatened with much worse torture or death if they dont pay large sums of money  because being gay is illegal in Chechnya, these men are all too eager to agree to avoid even worse punishment. Unfortunately, the only group that really has the power to stop this is the Russian government, and they are denying that there is any purge going on. Considering their knowledge of what happens in their territories, it boggles the mind that they do not know. And when you look at their own reputation when it comes to gay people, the sad truth is that the Kremlin likely understands what is happening and approves of it  gay people are not welcome in Russia.

2. Russia Currently Has the Largest Active Nuclear Stockpile in the World

When most people think of the most powerful nuclear country, they tend to immediately think of the United States. But the truth is that Russia actually has a slightly larger stockpile of nuclear weapons than the US does  this includes both stockpiled warheads and those that are fully operational and ready to go. The United States has close to 7,000 nuclear warheads, but Russia has over 7,000, beating the US by a small margin. They also have about forty more active nuclear warheads than America does, with both countries having close to 2,000 that they are ready to launch. Some may think China is close, but they actually dont have any operational warheads at the moment. The next closest countries are actually France, with a few hundred, and the United Kingdom, with a little over 100 in terms of operational nuclear weapons.

For this reason alone, Russia has to be respected. With one of the largest economies, areas of sheer territory, and that many nuclear weapons, they are a very strong force to be reckoned with. A ground invasion of Russia has already been proven to be all but impossible, and a serious air battle would lead to them threatening nukes against the US. In the meantime, it is hard to prevent Russia from taking back countries in Eastern Europe without starting some kind of full blown war, or threatening the use of nuclear weapons  an empty threat because we know Russia could respond in kind. Due to being such a strong nuclear power, apart from fighting proxy wars over the ground Russia is trying to occupy, there isnt a lot we can do to slow them down.

1. Military Service is Compulsory for Young Men, so Nearly All Russian Males Have Military Experience

The Russians are also dangerous because nearly every male of any decent health has at least a few years of military service under his belt. The Russians have made it compulsory for young men between the ages of 18 and 27 to serve in the military so that every capable citizen will be ready if necessary, and also to keep the military strong, full, and well-disciplined at all times. Now, draft dodging is fairly common for this reason, as not everyone wants to join the military, but it can actually be quite hard to do. Without a legitimate medical reason, you often need to pay thousands of dollars for fake documents to forge your way out of it. And you may still be caught and forced into service anyways, especially if you try tricks like staying at a different address than the one you put down officially.

And despite the draft dodgers, this means Russia still has a very, very large portion of its healthy young men learning the ways of the military lifestyle, and how to fight and die for their country if needed. With a percentage of men with military training much higher than that of other countries, they have a very large pool of capable people to pull from if they end up in any extended wars or conflicts spread throughout the world. Some countries near Russia, such as Sweden, have recently added compulsory military service in order to prepare for the potential threat they see coming down the road. The world has to be very watchful of Russia, and those who live in Eastern Europe have the most to fear.

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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said an interview with Politico he cannot rule out a union between Albania and the breakaway province of Kosovo  formerly part of Yugoslavia  if the countrys EU membership bid is off the agenda. Rama added that such an alliance with Kosovo was not his own wish but a possible alternative to the closed door of the European Union.

There is a lack of understanding, or a lack of vision in not realizing that this region needs Europe, but Europe needs this region too, the Prime Minister said.

On April 19, Ramas statement was seconded by the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, who expressed frustration over what he called the lack of vision by the EU toward the region.

I have said also in 2013, and I can repeat that now: if the EU is closing the door for Kosovo, all Albanians in the region are going to live in the same space, in order to later integrate into the European family, Thaci said.

These statements are added to the ones made a few days ago by the mayor of the Albanian-populated town of Bujanovac in the Southern Serbia, Jonus Musliu, who said that a union of Albania and Kosovo is senseless without the Presevo valley, without Medvedja, Bujanovac and Presevo  now is a key moment for Albania and Kosovo to show Serbia that this is a part of Albania that must not be touched.

The Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic reacted by saying that the mooted unification between Albania and Kosovo will remain only wishful thinking, and called on the EU to react. If I said that all Serbs should live in one state, I would be hanged from a flagpole in Brussels, Vucic added.

Reacting to this also, Dacic Serbias first deputy PM and foreign minister, said that Albanian politicians are becoming the main threat to peace and stability in the Balkans and Europe.

The coordinated statements of Rama, Thaci and Musliu show that a Greater Albania is the objective of all Albanians. Today Musliu added Nis (a town in southern Serbia), tomorrow it will be Skopje (in FYROM), Ulcinj (in Montenegro), Epirus (in Greece). Will the EU, US and Great Britain say something? If they do not do so this time, when a Greater Albania has reached Nis, they will be directly responsible for the consequences, Dacic said.

The international scene

He said that Albanians need to chose their words carefully, as their protectors who bombed Serbia (in 1999) so that they could snatch Kosovo away from Serbia are not on the international scene.

That will never happen again. Serbia is not provoking anyone, but it does not fear anyone. Luckily, all of this is mere dreaming. However, experience has taught us that the road leading from a dream to a nightmare is short, the minister said.

The US ambassador Albania, Donald Lu, also reacted to Edi Ramas statements and said that careless calls for the unification of Albania and Kosovo undermined the regional stability in the Balkans. Similar statements were made by the US Embassies in Serbia and Kosovo.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the plan for the Greater Albania is being brought back again undermining the foundations of stability and under NATOs auspices.

The representative of the European Commission also commented that, statements which can be perceived as interference in the interior affairs of neighboring countries are not helping in building good neighboring relations.

In 1999, NATO bombed Yugoslavia in response to what the alliance said was ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population of Kosovo. The province seceded from Serbia in 2008, but its political status and the formal declaration of independence remain questionable under international law.

Most EU member states welcome the secession of Kosovo, but Russia reacted with condemnation, saying the unilateral action creates upheaval in the Balkans. Serbia, for its part, does not recognize Kosovo as an independent entity as well.

If the Albanian plan is to go ahead, the wider region is in danger of erupting as there is a strong Greek indigenous population in Southern Albania (Northern Epirus) too, a reality that will further complicate things should borderlines begin to move again in the Balkans

Read more here.

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The MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) for the Pan Arab Region will announcing the winners of the 10th MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition in a final award ceremony to be held at the Bahrain International Circuit on April 27.



The competition is held in partnership with Community Jameel, a social enterprise organisation that operates a wide range of initiatives which promote and contribute towards positive societal change and economic sustainability; Zain Group, a leading telecommunications innovator in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa; and Tamkeen, an organisation tasked with developing Bahrain's private sector and positioning it as the key driver of economic development.



The 74 semi-finalists from 11 Arab countries will undergo another round of training to present their work over a three-day period from April 25 till April 27 to a jury that brings together some of the Arab world's key investors and businessmen.



This year's edition, which is of special importance as it celebrates the competition's 10th anniversary, registered years of success and excellence while serving generations of young Arabs and their creative entrepreneurial ideas.



Hala Fadel, chair of the board of MITEF Pan Arab, stressed on technology and innovation as drivers of entrepreneurship in the region, saying: "For our 10th anniversary, we want to gather the best entrepreneurs from the region, for them to learn from each other and from the global ecosystem. We insist on technology and innovation as the main drivers going forward for entrepreneurship in the region, and we think we are best positioned to lead this new trend."



Fady Jameel, president of Community Jameel International, commented on the anticipated event: "The final award ceremony of this grand competition is just around the corner. The number of participants this year exceeded all expectations and we are absolutely delighted to be part of this exciting event, yet again, for the tenth year. Together we can truly give birth to an outstanding generation of young entrepreneurs."



Commenting on Zain's support of the competition, Zain Group CEO-Operations, Scott Gegenheimer, said: "We are delighted to partner other esteemed organisations in the holding of this event in Bahrain, supporting the kingdom's 2030 Economic Vision, which is based on sustainability, fairness and competitiveness. Zain recognises that technology, innovation and youth are key drivers for entrepreneurship across the region and our collaboration with MIT Enterprise Forum reflects Zain's strategic vision of supporting young aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams."



Chief Executive of Tamkeen, Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi emphasised the importance of this competition and said: "This year, Tamkeen chose to be a strategic partner for this prestigious competition. This is at the heart of our goals as a firm, to offer our support to all entrepreneurial initiatives in all vital sectors. We are proud to host this regional competition for the first time in Bahrain stemming from our belief that such competitions inspire entrepreneurs to challenge themselves enabling them to develop and present their ideas in a competitive environment."



The 74 teams from 11 Arab countries competing in the semi-finals are distributed as follows: Egypt (20), Lebanon (11), Saudi Arabia (9), United Arab Emirates (9), Jordan (7), Tunisia (5), Morocco (5), Bahrain (3), Sudan (2), Libya (2) and Algeria (1). All the qualified teams participated in special trainings and preparatory activities that were held in Egypt, Jordan and the UAE.



The cash prizes, which exceed $160,000, will be distributed among three finalists who will be selected in each of the three tracks: Startups, Social Entrepreneurship and Ideas. The winners will also benefit from advanced training sessions, personal mentorship and guidance not to mention a great deal of media coverage and excellent networking opportunities. - TradeArabia News Service


Ducab, the Middle Easts leading manufacturer of high quality cables and cabling products owned equally by Abu Dhabis Senaat and by Investment Corporation Dubai (ICD), hosted an event in Jordan recently to reveal its innovative product portfolio.



The event was held under the patronage of UAE Ambassador to Jordan Bilal Al Budoor, with the attendance of a senior level Duca delegation headed by chief commercial officer (CCO) of Ducab Mohammad A Al Mutawa, and a number of government representatives, contractors, project engineers, and consultants.



At the event, Ducab introduced the company to the Jordanian market by highlighting its complete portfolio of cabling product and services, specifically focusing on its high-voltage cables, overhead conductors, and renewable and solar cables.



The seminar also elaborated on the benefits of Ducabs specialised products including the FlamBICC fire performance range of cables that are tested in a dedicated fire test lab and specially developed to survive and operate during fire conditions.



Al Mutawa said: At Ducab, we are committed to being the highest-quality global cable manufacturer, providing smart, safe and environmentally conscious products for a continually developing modern world. We offer total quality excellence, both in terms of products and service, to ensure the delivery of superior value to our customers. With 38 years of experience in the industry, we have built a culture of continual innovation and look to take every project to the next level through technologically advanced cabling solutions.



Coinciding with the technical seminar, Ducab signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Afaneh Group of Jordan, through which it will carry out Ducabs business in Jordan.



Ducabs comprehensive product range includes a variety of high, medium and low voltage cables, as well as low smoke zero halogen cables, and fire-performance cables, copper rods and wires. Additionally, the company introduced specialised products that are designed for particular sectors and cabling needs for the energy, general construction, industrial, defense, transport and specialty industry verticals.  TradeArabia News Service


New Zealand Minister for Economic Development Simon Bridges today (April 24) formally announced the countrys participation in the big event by delivering a letter of acceptance from Simon William English, Prime Minister of New Zealand, reported state news agency Wam.



The country shares close ties with the UAE, as well as a shared vision in many key areas, such as energy and education. It has also been a vocal supporter of Dubai on its journey to hosting the next World Expo, it stated.



The Expo will be a festival for all, where, through its theme, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, it will give people a glimpse into the future as well as providing a platform to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration.



New Zealands desire to take part in the first World Expo in the Mena and South Asia region is grounded in the countrys core values, Kaitiaki, Ingenuity and Integrity, said the report.



Kaitiaki is a New Zealand term used for the Maori concept of guardianship, reflecting the countrys goal of preserving its environment and culture for generations to come.



The idea of Kaitiaki, along with New Zealands other values of ingenuity and integrity, echo the Expos three pillars, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, it stated.



The use of more clean energy is a common goal of the UAE and New Zealand, which signed an agreement in 2014 on the deployment of renewable energy solutions in various parts of the world.



Welcoming the NZ decision, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, said: "There are many goals in common between New Zealand and the UAE including working towards achieving a clean and renewable future."



"New Zealands decision to take part in Expo 2020 underlines the importance that Dubai plays as a global destination and a point of convergence for the peoples of the world, consistent with Expos overall theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future," he stated.



New Zealand Ambassador to the UAE Jeremy Clarke-Watson pointed out that the country had a strong trade and economic relationship with the UAE.



"Our countries embrace innovation and technology, so we are excited to share knowledge and ideas as we work together towards Expo 2020 Dubai," noted Clarke-Watson.



While the duo already has strong ties in renewable energy, trade and agriculture, New Zealand is also keen to strengthen relations in technology, space, health care, environmental planning and protection and medical research, he added.
After strong showings in two special elections for congressional seats, Democrats are beginning to believe they have a real shot at winning control of the House of Representatives next year. But if they hope to succeed, theyre going to have to stop fighting one another.

The first straw in the wind came in Kansas, where a virtually unknown Democrat came within a few percentage points of winning the House seat that Mike Pompeo, now President Trumps CIA director, won by 32 points only six months ago.

That threw a scare into us, a top Republican strategist in Washington confessed. Even in conservative districts, theres a backlash against Trump.

Even more tantalizing was last weeks primary election in the suburban Atlanta district once held by Tom Price, Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services. A 30-year-old Democratic newbie named Jon Ossoff took 48 percent of the vote and almost won the seat outright. Now Ossoff faces a tough runoff in June against a well-funded Republican, Karen Handel, who wisely distanced herself from Trump.

In a district owned by the GOP for the last 37 years, Ossoff rode a wave of anti-Trump enthusiasm and raised an astounding $8 million from Democrats around the country. He had help from a long list of progressive groups, too, with one exception: Our Revolution, the political action committee founded by Bernie Sanders.

Why didnt Sanders pitch in for Ossoff? Hes not a progressive, the Vermont senator told the Washington Post.

By Sanders yardstick, thats true. In a district Trump won narrowly in November, Ossoff ran as a generic moderate-to-liberal Democrat  a Hillary Clinton Democrat, in effect. A Bernie Sanders-style progressive, he wasnt.

But Sanders brusque dismissal of the Democrats hottest new face produced anguish even among some of his allies. What was Bernie thinking? a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus moaned to me. Thats going to make it harder for Ossoff to raise money for the runoff.

On Friday, Sanders relented. It is imperative that Jon Ossoff be elected, he said in a written statement. I applaud the energy and grassroots activism in Jons campaign. But the episode revealed a problem for the Democrats: They seem trapped in an endless loop of their bitter 2016 primary campaign.

The unresolved conflicts were on painful display last week when Sanders and the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, former Clinton backer Tom Perez, attempted to stage a unity tour. The official theme was Come Together/Fight Back, but togetherness was in short supply on the first few stops.

Perez was booed by Sanders supporters several times, even though he praised the Vermont senator lavishly and presented a policy message (drawn from Clintons notably progressive platform) not too different from Our Revolutions. In return, Sanders delivered a reprise of his 2016 message, arguing that the party still doesnt get it. The Democrats have not put forward an agenda that speaks to the needs of people in pain, he said.

Intraparty squabbles normally wouldnt matter much in a non-election year. But in addition to Georgia, House seats are up in Montana and South Carolina, conservative states where Democrats need to cast a broad net.

Their strength in the Kansas and Georgia contests have led many to believe that they have a better-than-expected chance to gain 24 House seats in 2018, the number they need to gain a majority. Georgia showed that the House is in play, Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster and strategist, argued. That was a huge turnout for a special election. Democrats are energized and mobilized.

Still, the House remains an uphill battle, in part because redistricting has made few seats susceptible to change. And Democrats have a chronic problem turning out voters in a non-presidential year. Democrats underperformed the last two midterms by about 20 percent, warned Doug Sosnik, a former aide to President Clinton. Can they change that? Maybe, but just opposing Donald Trump wont be enough.

To win a majority in the House, Democrats will have to do everything right. Running Sanders progressives in every district is probably not one of those things. Democratic strategists have targeted 23 districts with Republican incumbents where Clinton won the presidential vote. Most of those seats are in the Sun Belt, seven in California alone.

Many of the up-for-grabs districts are not natural progressive territory. Sanders and his supporters have decisions to make ahead of the 2018 congressional election: How progressive will they demand that Democratic candidates be? How tough a litmus test will they apply?

They hope to change the party and change control of Congress, too. The choice before them is: Which do they want to do first?
Renault Trucks, a French commercial truck manufacturer owned by the Volvo Group, has introduced its new model K Xtrem - designed for construction, building site supply and long-haul conditions - into the Middle East market.



The robust model, developed to take on the most challenging environments found in the Middle East, was launched during Renault Trucks Xtrem Days event in Marrakech, Morocco, for industry leaders from Greater Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Turkey.



Designed for the most heavy-duty uses on the most extreme terrains such as quarries and mines, the K Xtrem comes with a reinforced chassis and an automated, reinforced Optidriver Xtrem gearbox.



The new model offers a total capacity of 32 to 36 tonnes, and features a cast iron engine flywheel housing and C-shaped side member reinforcement.



Added to this, customers can specify 24-inch wheels, bolstering the models ability to tackle the toughest terrain, said Renault in its statement.



The Xtrem Days event was dedicated to the Renault Trucks C and K ranges, bringing together over 450 clients from over 18 countries. Participants were given the opportunity to test drive the vehicles and attend workshops to discover more about the ranges.



On the new model, Gregoire Blaise, Renault Truck vice-president for Greater Middle East, said: "When developing the C and K ranges, we deployed significant resources to ensure these vehicles deliver maximum reliability and robustness. Each range underwent rigorous quality trials and were also exhaustively field tested under actual operating conditions."



"The K Xtrem version takes this one step further by offering our customers the most robust chassis in the market, specifically designed to meet extreme conditions such as those in the Middle East market," he stated.



The launch of the K Xtrem follows shortly after the introduction of the robust C and K range from Renault Trucks in 2016.



"Targeting customers who work not only in the construction and long-haul industries, but in heavy construction as well, these new model ranges were designed and developed by working closely with international customers, who were involved in the project from the design stage right through to testing in actual operating conditions," noted Blaise.



According to him, the K range has set new standards in terms of robustness.



"The range has an impressive design with a full steel bumper, exceptional obstacle clearance and the best approach angle on the market. The K Range's variety of chassis reinforcements such as the K Xtrem allow it to adapt to even the toughest conditions," explained Blaise.



"The Renault Trucks C Range is perfectly designed for construction, construction site supply and long haul conditions. It has a high payload, low fuel consumption and comfort of a road vehicle," he stated.



Blaise pointed out that its excellent pulling power, manoeuvrability and obstacle clearance capacity made it an excellent choice not only for professionals delivering materials in urban settings, but for those working in specialised fields such as earthmoving, concrete transport and fertiliser transport.-TradeArabia News Service
Power generation capacity in the Mena countries will have to rise by almost 150GW to reach 440GW by 2020, an increase of just over 50 per cent on the current available capacity of 290GW, to meet the demand created by population growth coupled with industrial and economic expansion, a report said.



The launch of the first phase of Saudi Arabias 9.5GW National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) early this year provides the latest illustration of the major changes occurring in the Mena power sector, explained the new report titled Mena Power 2017from Middle East business intelligence service Meed.



This has led to a raft of alternative energy projects being planned or implemented in the region.



The report shows that governments across the Mena region are making increasing commitments to achieve diversification in their power sectors to improve energy security and reduce reliance on gas imports, including detailed analysis on more than 60GW of planned renewable energy projects.



The move towards integrating renewable energy into development programmes has been facilitated by the sharp drop in photovoltaic (PV) solar technology costs in recent years.



The cost of installing PV solar has fallen by 80 per cent since 2007, and the three major PV solar projects tendered in the UAE since 2015 have all achieved, at the time, word record low tariffs. In particular, the 2.99 cents a kilowatt hour ($c/KWh) tariff selected for Dubais 800MW PV project in 2016 was the first time that the cost of renewables had fallen below conventional fossil fuel plants. In addition to renewables, state utilities are also moving forward with plans for alternative energy, from nuclear power to clean coal.



Another key shift in the regions power sector is the move towards increased private investment and privatisation in the generation of electricity as governments cut budgets in response to the lower oil price. Saudi Arabia, the largest utilities market, is the leading example of this, with Riyadh preparing to sell off the first 20GW of its generation assets to private investors in 2017. Egypt and Oman are also undertaking preparations to significantly restructure and privatise large parts of their electricity markets.



Increasing demand



The power sector is one of the most active segments in the Mena projects market at present, with few issues more pressing than the need to meet rising demand for electricity. Rapid population growth coupled with industrial and economic expansion is driving a sharp increase in consumption, with peak demand growth averaging 5.2 per cent across the region in 2015.



The pressure on governments to deliver uninterrupted electricity for residents and businesses increased further following the political uprisings in 2011, so utilities cannot afford to allow supply to fall out of step with demand.



While the collapse in oil prices since mid-2014 has caused the scaling back or cancelling of many projects deemed nonessential, investments in the power sector have continued to move ahead.



In 2015, the total available capacity reached an estimated 289,861MW for the countries analysed in the Mena Power 2017 report, which was 15 per cent more than the peak demand of 246,742MW. While the total nameplate installed capacity for the 14 countries was 307,164MW, the actual available power was much lower due to out-of-operation plants in countries such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia.



With a minimum 15 per cent recommended reserve margin, representing the amount of unused available capacity at peak load as a percentage of total capacity, the region as a whole is in a race to build new capacity to keep ahead of peak demand growth and maintain sufficient reserve margins.



In the GCC, all of the utilities were able to meet demand in 2015. However, some were in a less comfortable place than others. Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia all had reserve margins of less than 15 per cent during peak periods. Kuwait in particular, with a reserve margin of less than 9 per cent, is a race to ensure installed capacity remains ahead of demand.



In the rest of the Mena region, several utilities are facing financial problems, while civil conflict is the main concern for others. Iraq, usage in the short term, faces by far the biggest challenge in meeting demand. In 2015, peak for electricity rose by 21 per cent to reach 21,000MW, 46 per cent higher than the peak output of 13,400MW.



Reserve margins will be put under hotter pressure in the coming years, with nearly all states across the Mena region recording an increase in peak demand in 2015. Libya was the only country that recorded a drop in peak demand in 2015, but it is expected to grow at an average of 5 per cent a year or higher until 2022.



Capacity - building race



To keep pace with demand forecasts and to restore or maintain reserve margins of at least 15 per cent, most utilities across the region will have to undertake an extensive capacity-building programme in the period up to 2020.



Meeds Mena Power 2017 report states that the largest requirement will be in Egypt, where an estimated 27,985MW of new capacity is needed as a result of its rapidly growing population and economic expansion. While Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will require additional capacity of 20,239MW and 5,758MW respectively, the actual newbuild requirement will be much higher because of the need to replace or upgrade existing units on account of age. This will also likely be the case in Libya, where much of the power infrastructure is outdated or has been damaged by fighting.



Irans requirement for an estimated 25,600MW of new capacity by 2018 is also due to a combination of rapid population and industrial growth. As Tehran seeks to increase oil exports and encourage private investment in to its development programme, it is likely to require significant additional capacity to meet future demand.



Reducing consumption



In addition to utilising renewable energy to meet growing demand for power, the regions utilities are looking at ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce consumption. Efforts are being made to improve efficiency on both the supply and demand side. Curbing electricity consumption and reducing feedstock usage will help preserve gas reserves and also reduce pressure on government finances, which in many cases have been severely reduced by lower oil prices.



On the supply side, utilities are beginning to invest significant capital into improving and upgrading existing power infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt are all pushing ahead with schemes to upgrade plants to combined-cycle facilities, boosting capacity while using less fuel. There is now a growing trend to choose combined-cycle configurations for new capacity so that the most efficient technology is in place.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a globally recognised aerospace company headquartered in Dubai, has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the AWAS group of companies, a global leader in aircraft leasing.



The acquisition is from funds managed by Terra Firma Capital Partners and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.



Operating for more than 30 years, AWAS is one of the worlds leading aircraft leasing companies, with a fleet of 263 owned, managed and committed narrow and wide-body aircraft, including a pipeline of 23 new aircraft on order to be delivered before the end of 2018. AWAS currently provides customized aviation solutions to over 85 airline customers in over 45 countries, said a statement.



The combined company will have an owned, managed and committed fleet of 394 aircraft with a total value of over $14 billion. It will serve over 110 airline customers in over 55 countries from offices in Dubai, Ireland, Singapore and the US.



DAE managing director Khalifa H AlDaboos said: This acquisition of AWAS is strategically compelling and propels DAE into a top 10 aircraft leasing platform. Our leasing business has been growing at a rapid clip and this acquisition will more than double the current size of our business, providing the necessary scale for DAE to best serve its customers.



DAE chief executive officer Firoz Tarapore said: Over three decades AWAS has built a respected brand, a highly experienced workforce, and a world-class platform with all key capabilities in-house. We are delighted to be able to acquire this platform, and to combine it with our capabilities to offer our global customers an even wider range of aviation solutions. In addition, this combination results in a well-diversified portfolio with the ability to generate strong risk-adjusted returns.



The transaction will be financed by DAEs internal resources and committed debt financing. The transaction is subject to required regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2017, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service
Former CEO of Irish Stock Exchange Healy Dies

The European stock markets are mourning the passing of one its own.

Tom Healy, who led the exchange between 1987 and 2007 has died.

Healy was born in 1950 in Co.Westmeath, and served as head of the Irish Stock Exchange for 20 years. More recently, he was chief executive of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) (formerly the Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM), before retiring in 2010.

Healy was credited with rescuing the Irish Stock Exchange from the threat of extinction, transforming the Dublin market from a sleepy backwater into one of the one of the leading destinations for international listed funds and debt securities, according to local media reports.

From being a market exclusively focused on domestic shares and government bonds, Dublin under Healy's leadership looked outward to the wider world. In 1990, the first listed fund made its debut on the Irish Stock Exchange while the first debt fund listed in 2000. The exchange is now number one in the world for listed funds and number two for debt funds, according to local data. Then in 1995, the Irish Stock Exchange became an independent market once again after more than two decades as part of the London Stock Exchange. Healy also acted as a consultant to the World Bank, the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development, and was involved with the World Federation of Exchanges and the Federation of European Securities Exchanges.

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Taking a position against distracted driving isn't exactly an earth-shaking move. But increased awareness of the dangers and consequences of driving while distracted can be life-changing, in a positive way.

This is Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week. The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police asked for the declaration, which was granted by the governor and both Illinois houses.

As a society, we're in agreement of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The mystery is why we treat distracted driving any differently.

The numbers tell a troubling tale. A total of 10 percent of fatal crashes, 15 percent of injury crashes, and 14 percent of all police reported motor vehicle crashes in 2015 were reported as distraction affected crashes. That translates to 3,477 deaths and an estimated 391,000 injuries in 2015, a nine percent increase in fatalities as compared to the previous year. Young drivers, 16 to 24 years old, have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers since 2007.

We all need to halt our hypocrisy. While 80 percent of us have agreed that emailing or texting behind the wheel is completely unacceptable, a third of us who believe that think it's OK to read messages while driving.

Late last month, a distracted pickup driver ran into a bus, killing 13 people. The driver was not only texting, but he may have been intoxicated. Imagine the lives affected already by that one brief moment of distraction while doing something clearly foolish and even more clearly damaging. Image how those affects will be magnified and compounded as the ripple through the hundreds of lives already touched by the loses, and the thousands more who will be touched.

As the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police said it its media release announcing Illinois Distracted Driving Awareness Week: Texting while driving is more than just personally risky. When you text and drive, you become a danger to everyone around you.
Which country has the most number of heritage sites? While some have none at all, some countries boast of having around 50 heritage sites that show the art and craftsmanship of locals living in the area. Do you want to visit them all? Here are the top five countries with most UNESCO counted places.

Italy, 51 sites. Topping the ranks is Italy with 47 cultural sites, and four of the 51 total spots are considered natural sites. It's entirely understandable since Italy flourished during the Roman Empire and Renaissance period. So, if you're around the area, try visiting the City of Verona, Costiera Amalfitana, and the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli in case you no longer wanted to step foot at the Colosseum.

China, 50 sites. Almost close to Italy, China has 50 sites all in all after elevating its culture during the past dynasties, according to The Telegraph. Being one of the oldest civilizations in the country, it's no wonder they have almost perfected their pursuit of culture. Other than the Forbidden Palace and The Great Wall, try heading to the Chengjiang Fossil Site, Lushan National Park, and the Ancient City of Ping Yao.

Spain, 45 sites. The Spanish Regime has a vast empire even colonizing different countries such as the Philippines, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and more. By then, Spain already has a thriving culture and tried to introduce them to the world. Wanna travel to its national parks? Then sprint to Teide National Park, where the country's volcano is located, or the Donana National Park. For more nature-loving spots, the Palmeral of Elche, Ibiza, and the Serra de Tramuntana will do.

France, 42 sites. France is known for its historic empire and how they uphold their arts. From the Greek and Roman colonies to the reign of Louis XI the Prudent and Louis XVI, France boasts of being one of the most recognized countries for its culture and traditions. If you're no longer the Parisian traveler that wants to visit the Eiffel Tower, try the Fortifications of Vauban, Historic Site of Lyon, and the Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs.

Germany, 41 sites. Germany has its fair share of Roman influence, said the World Atlas. Beyond that, there are already tribes during the Bronze Age that have come in contact with the Gaelic and Gaul groups of Europe. Its culture and sites have a mixed influence on the religious and secular environment of the country. Anyway, if you don't find yourself drinking their beers in pubs, go to the Bergpark Wilhelmshohe park and take a walk, or the City Hall and Roland in Bremen market square for that matter.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
Out of the 425 airlines on the list, Qantas Airways won the title of the world's safest airline for 2017 in its fourth consecutive year. The Australian flag carrier recorded zero fatalities since it began flying in 1920.

Aviation analyst AirlineRatings.com awarded once again Qantas Airways as the world's safest airline for 2017. The results were based on the airlines' fatality records and operational excellence as well as various audits from the governments and aviation bodies. AirlineRatings.com honored 20 carriers as the forefront when it comes to safety.

The Australia-based website said of the third oldest airline in the world that Qantas "remains the standout in safety enhancements and operational excellence," according to CNN. Qantas has proven to be a world leader that it has no recorded fatalities over its 96-year history. The British Advertising Standards Association also acknowledges it as "the industry's most experienced carrier."

Some of the safest airlines in the world for 2017 also appeared in TripAdvisor's top 10 list of the best airlines. Singapore Airlines was second best, Air New Zealand came at fifth place and Alaska Airlines at number nine while Delta Air Lines was the only North American major airline recognized. The title of the best airline in the world went to Emirates, but it dropped off the top 20 list of the safest airlines last year.

The rest of the top 20 safest airlines in the world for 2017 are All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airline System, Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia. AirlineRatings.com also recognized the top 10 low-cost carriers for 2016. These carriers earned a seal of approval after passing through over a thousand audits from the International Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018


Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : HMH APPOINTS A NEW CEO Industry: Travel PR

Dubai: Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) has announced today the appointment of Mr Aboudi Asali as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - April 24th, 2017 - Dubai: Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) has announced today the appointment of Mr Aboudi Asali as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).



Mr Asali joins HMH with over twenty years of hospitality experience, starting at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston. After several years in operations, Mr Asali joined Arthur Andersen as a Real Estate and Hospitality Consultant in Bahrain and then London. He came back to the Middle East in 2002 as the Vice President International Lodging Development for Marriott International where, during his tenure he signed more than 40 hotels across the region. In 2012 Mr Asali established a company to guide hotel operators and owners in the Middle East and Africa region and negotiated a number of contracts with Hilton, IHG, and Starwood.



Mr Asalis last position was the Senior Vice President Development at Jumeirah Group where he was responsible for the expansion of both the Jumeirah and the Venu lifestyle brand, in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Europe.



H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Chairman & CE, MANAFA LLC, and Vice Chairman, HMH, said: Mr Asali will be a key member of our management team with a clear mandate for identifying growth opportunities for the expansion of HMHs portfolio in the hospitality sector fulfilling our strategic vision. Mr Asalis extensive experience in the region and successful history in development and attaining both management and franchise agreements will surely be a recipe for success.



About HMH

Founded in 2003 in Dubai, HMH  Hospitality Management Holding is a fully integrated hotel management company that prides itself for being one of the pioneers among local groups that are specialized in the dry segment. Being the largest operator in the sector within the region, HMH provides hotel owners and developers a broad spectrum of world-class management solutions with five distinct, yet complementary, hotel brands catering to varied market segments from luxury to budget. These include The Ajman Palace Hotel, Coral Hotels & Resorts, Corp Hotels, EWA Hotel Apartments and ECOS Hotels.



HMHs strategic expansion in the Middle East and North Africa has been successful in unlocking a world of opportunities while creating value for its stakeholders, associates, staff members and customers. The existing portfolio is located in some of the most desirable destinations across the MENA region, with a pipeline of hotels under development to grow HMHs regional footprint even further.



For more information about HMH please visit http://www.hmhhotelgroup.com

or https://www.hmhhotelgroup.com/subscribenow



For media contact:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: +971 50 697 5146

Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

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Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS IN BAHRAIN WITH TWO NEW HOTELS OPENING IN 2017 Industry: Travel PR

Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, a 189-key 5-star luxury resort will be ready by the last quarter of the year and there is a new residences property in Juffair on final stages



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - April 24th, 2017 - BAHRAIN  Strengthening its foothold in Bahrain, global hotel management company Swiss-Belhotel International (SBI) will triple its inventory of rooms in the Kingdom this year with the opening of two new hotels already under development.



Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef, a 189-key 5-star luxury resort will be ready by the last quarter of the year and there is a new residences property in Juffair on final stages of being branded as Swiss-Belresidences which will open doors in December 2017. These two new properties will be joining the existing Swiss-Belhotel Seef that has contributed to the groups strong reputation in Bahrain and received several accolades including the Best 4-Star Hotel in GCC at the recent Food & Travel Awards 2017.



Mr. Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, said, We are pleased to expand our footprint in Bahrain where we have enjoyed great success with our flagship property Swiss-Belhotel Seef. The new developments are in line with our multi-brand growth strategy and reinforce our commitment to Bahrain where we continue to see a strong demand. We look forward to a long-term partnership with our valued owners and associates.



Bahrain is making significant investment into its tourism-related infrastructure, including a $1.1 billion airport expansion, and the Kingdom also has plans to expand its current exhibition centre to accommodate large-scale events across all categories.



Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Mr Laurent A. Voivenel, Swiss-Belhotel Internationals Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, said, The tourism industry in Bahrain is growing rapidly with the Kingdom expecting to welcome 15.8 million annual visitors by 2018. This has significantly pushed the demand for quality hotels. We understand the needs of our customers and are confident both Swiss-Belresidences Juffair and Grand Swiss-Belresort Seef will perfectly complement our existing hotel in Bahrain, as well as supporting our wider expansion plans and growth strategy in the region as a whole by diversifying our product offering.



Visit Swiss-Belhotel International

Stand HC0300 in Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre

At Arabian Travel Market from 24  27 April, 2017



For further information visit http://www.swiss-belhotel.com



For media contact:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: +971 50 697 5146

Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

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Ultimate Aurora Prize Laureate to Receive US$1,000,000 Award to Amplify Humanitarian Work

24 APRIL 2017  YEREVAN The Selection Committee for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity has today announced the names of the five 2017 finalists who have been chosen for their exceptional impact, courage and commitment to preserving human life and advancing humanitarian causes. They are:

Ms. Fartuun Adan and Ms. Ilwad Elman, Founders of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, Somalia  Mother and daughter who are unwavering in their mission to protect human rights, womens rights, and facilitate peace building, development and the rehabilitation of child soldiers amidst insecure and dangerous conditions

 Mother and daughter who are unwavering in their mission to protect human rights, womens rights, and facilitate peace building, development and the rehabilitation of child soldiers amidst insecure and dangerous conditions Ms. Jamila Afghani, Chairperson of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization, Afghanistan  a polio victim who accidentally received the gift of reading and has dedicated her life to bringing reading and education to girls and women, while enlisting the help of Muslim leaders of faith in her mission.

 a polio victim who accidentally received the gift of reading and has dedicated her life to bringing reading and education to girls and women, while enlisting the help of Muslim leaders of faith in her mission. Dr. Tom Catena, Surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan  A Catholic missionary and doctor who for nearly a decade remains the only permanent doctor to treat the remote and war-torn regions half-million population, performing more than 1,000 operations each year

 A Catholic missionary and doctor who for nearly a decade remains the only permanent doctor to treat the remote and war-torn regions half-million population, performing more than 1,000 operations each year Mr. Muhammad Darwish, Medical Doctor at the Madaya Field Hospital, Syria  A student of dentistry returned to his hometown and took on the full responsibilities of a medical doctor, began to perform medical procedures, offered care and maintained meticulous documentation of the conditions of patients, many of them children, affected by persisting violence, thus bringing international attention to the besieged area

 A student of dentistry returned to his hometown and took on the full responsibilities of a medical doctor, began to perform medical procedures, offered care and maintained meticulous documentation of the conditions of patients, many of them children, affected by persisting violence, thus bringing international attention to the besieged area Dr. Denis Mukwege, Gynecological Surgeon and Founder of the Panzi Hospital, The Democratic Republic of the Congo  An obstetrician turned gynecological surgeon who is providing physical, psychological and legal support to more than 50,000 survivors of sexual violence in the war-torn country while fearlessly seeking to bring to justice those responsible

The finalists will be honored at the Aurora Prize Ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia on May 28, 2017 when one will be chosen as the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate. The Aurora Prize Laureate will receive a grant of US$100,000 to support the continuation of their work, as well as a US$1,000,000 award, which will give them the unique ability to continue the cycle of giving by supporting organizations that have inspired their work.

The Selection Committee, co-chaired by Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian George Clooney, includes Nobel Laureates Oscar Arias, Shirin Ebadi and Leymah Gbowee; former president of Ireland Mary Robinson; human rights activist Hina Jilani; former Foreign Minister of Australia and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group Gareth Evans; and former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo. The Committee shortlisted the five finalists from more than 550 nominations for 254 unique candidates submitted by the general public from 66 countries and in 13 languages.

Speaking on behalf of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Vartan Gregorian, Committee Member, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative said, We are gratified by the enormous response generated by the call for nominations. It is an acknowledgment of our shared humanity and values. While geography and circumstances differ for each nominee, it is the similarities that unite them all. Individual human beings risk their own well-being and safety in order to rescue those in desperate need of help, and it is Auroras mission to support these saviors. We believe that those who are rescued will themselves continue the cycle of gratitude and giving.

Marguerite Barankitse from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi was named the first Aurora Prize Laureate on April 24, 2016 in Yerevan, Armenia. Following the horrifying experience of being forced to witness the execution of 72 Hutu neighbors whom she tried to hide to keep safe from persecution, Ms. Barankitse, a Tutsi, has spent the last 20 years providing safe haven for orphans and refugees escaping violence and abuse during her countrys civil war. She has rescued and educated roughly 30,000 children, and the hospital she opened in 2008 has treated more than 80,000 patients to date.

Children from Brazil to Ethiopia to the many Burundian refugees in Rwanda are thriving today because they now have the love, education and support they need, thanks to the generous backing of the 2016 Aurora Prize, said Barankitse. The powerful work of the 2017 finalists is truly awe-inspiring. These individuals embody the spirit of gratitude in action by keeping hope alive for so many of our brothers and sisters around the world. Their work is destined to unleash the human potential for love.

The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was established in 2015 by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors. The Aurora Prize will honor an Aurora Laureate each year until 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide (1915 -1923).

Ms. Fartuun Adan and Ms. Ilwad Elman

Fartuun Adan is the Executive Director of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, (EPHRC) an NGO based in Mogadishu, Somalia. In 1996, Somali warlords assassinated her husband for his peace-making efforts. Since then, Ms. Adan has championed human rights, peace-building, development, and the rehabilitation of child soldiers across Somalia, often under insecure and dangerous conditions. In 2010, Ms. Adan initiated the Sister Somalia program to support gender-based violence victims who had survived rapes and/or escaped forced marriages. She established Somalias first sexual violence hotline and rape crisis center in Mogadishu in 2011. To date, the center has served over 400 Somali women and girls, offering counselling and medical services, business start-up kits and funds, entrepreneurial skills training, and relocation to a safe place. Ms. Adans 27-year-old daughter, Ilwad Elman is her mother's partner in the work of EPHRC. Ms. Adan has received an International Women of Courage Award from the United States Department of State in addition to an award from the government of Germany for her work with the Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre. In 2015, Ms. Adan and Ms. Elman received the Gleitsman International Activist Award from Harvard University.

Ms. Jamila Afghani

Jamila Afghani is the founder of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization. She works with families to support the acceptance of girls schooling in rural areas and engages with thousands of imams to deliver sermons on the importance of educating women and womens rights, defending their rights under both Islamic and international law. Ms. Afghani has worked in the field of education since her graduation, serving Afghan youths in the refugee camps in Peshawar. Her social and economic projects for the empowerment of women, youths and children operate in 18 provinces of Afghanistan. She has received the Religious Peacemaker Award from the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding and many national and international awards.

Dr. Tom Catena

Since 2007, Dr. Tom Catena, a Catholic missionary from Amsterdam, NY, has been the only doctor permanently based in Sudans war-ravaged Nuba Mountains, which has a population of more than half a million people. Dr. Catena typically treats up to 400 patients in a day and is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patients have been known to walk for seven days to receive treatment from him and typically visit the hospital with injuries from bombing attacks and ailments varying from bone fractures to malnourishment and malaria. Limited by his surroundings, Dr. Catena sometimes uses decades-old treatments and often doesnt have electricity or running water at his disposal. He estimates that he performs more than a thousand operations a year. Dr. Catena was an Aurora Prize Finalist in 2016, and is globally regarded as a preeminent humanitarian medical professional.

Mr. Muhammad Darwish

Muhammad Darwish is a 26-year-old dentist from the besieged town of Madaya, Syria. While many doctors in Syria have fled violence and systematic attacks on hospitals and medical personnel, Darwish chose to return to Madaya. He is one of the three remaining doctors there, serving a population of more than 40,000 people. Darwish was targeted and threatened by Syrian government forces on multiple occasions because of his humanitarian work. By meticulously documenting the conditions of his patients, many of whom are children, Darwish has brought international attention to the conditions in Madaya.

Dr. Denis Mukwege

Dr. Denis Mukwege founded the Panzi Hospital in 1999 in response to the devastating war that surrounded his community in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since 1999, Dr. Mukwege and his staff have helped to care for more than 50,000 survivors of sexual violence. In addition to treating survivors physical wounds, the hospital provides legal, and psycho-social services for its patients. Dr. Mukwege has been fearless in his efforts to increase protections for women and to advocate that those responsible for sexual violence be brought to justice, including the Congolese government and militia groups laying siege to the eastern DRC. Dr. Mukwege has received numerous honors and awards including the 2014 Sakharov Prize. He has been named one of the Top 50 World's Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine (2016), nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize, and has received an honorary doctorate from Harvard University.

2017 Nominated Organizations

Each Finalist was invited to nominate up to three organizations to receive the $1 million award.

Ms. Fartuun Adan and Ms. Ilwad Elman

Elman Peace & Human Rights Centre, Somalia

Vive Zene, Center for Therapy and Rehabilitation, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Panzi Foundation, USA and DRC

Ms. Jamila Afghani

Womens Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality (WISE), USA

Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, USA

Karama Network of Advocacy and Human Rights (KNAHR), Afghanistan

Dr. Tom Catena

African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), USA

Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), USA

Aktion Canchanabury, Germany

Mr. Muhammad Darwish

Dr. Denis Mukwege, Panzi Foundation in USA and DRC

Yennenga Progress (Sweden)

LAssociation des Victimes, Parents et Amies du 28 Septembre 2009 (AVIPA), Guinea

About the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity

On behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, an Aurora Prize Laureate will be honored each year between 2015 and 2023 (in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) with a US$100,000 grant as well as the unique opportunity to continue the cycle of giving by nominating organizations that inspired their work for a US$1,000,000 award. Recipients will be recognized for the exceptional impact of their actions on preserving human life and advancing humanitarian causes.

The Aurora Prize Selection Committee includes Nobel Laureates Oscar Arias, Shirin Ebadi and Leymah Gbowee; former president of Ireland Mary Robinson; human rights activist Hina Jilani; former foreign minister of Australia and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group Gareth Evans; former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo; President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York Vartan Gregorian; and Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian George Clooney.

About the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative

Founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to empower modern-day saviors to offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid and thus continue the cycle of giving internationally. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is an eight-year commitment (2015 to 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) to support people and promote projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute, and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiatives various programs: The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES Initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan who have, already in the second year, been joined by several dozen new donors and partners. The Initiative welcomes all who embrace a commitment to our shared humanity.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is represented by three organizations  Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, Inc. (New York, USA), the 100 Lives Foundation (Geneva, Switzerland) and the IDeA Foundation (Yerevan, Armenia).
Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 24

To explore investment opportunities in Punjab, Hinduja Media Group MD & CEO and whole-time Director of Hinduja Ventures Ltd. (formerly Hinduja TMT Ltd.), Ashok Mansukhani will meet Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tomorrow.

According to sources, the group has evinced interest in Headend in the Sky (HITS) cable broadcast in the state. It facilitates digitally compressed programming via satellite using a single headend. The television channels are down-linked by the HITS operator at a central facility and then uploaded by it to a satellite after encryption. These signals are then down- linked by the local cable operators and delivered to consumer homes via cable.

Having acquired government approvals for its HITS business in 2015, the Hinduja Group plans to roll out its digital television distribution business under the brand name NXT Digital across India.

Capt Amarinder Singh had recently met Hinduja Group Director Shom Ashok Hinduja on his three-day Mumbai visit to woo investors, as part of the state governments Invest Punjab initiative.

According to industry sources, in 2015 there were around 50 lakh TV households in the state with cable network having a share of over 24 lakh households while 15 lakh households were under DTH network.

The NXT Digital Broadcast Centre is a state-of-the-art next-generation technology that has been designed and purpose-built to provide a variety of services to the cable distribution fraternity and their customers across the country.
Lt Gen Subrata Saha (retd)

IN November-December 2014, the entire nation lauded, indeed celebrated the unprecedented voter turnout in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. The overall voter turnout of 65 per cent was in freezing temperatures, even as people were struggling to recover from the devastation caused by the terrible floods of September 2014. A little over two years later, the voter turnout in the recently concluded by-polls in Srinagar and Budgam constituencies dipped to 7 and 2 per cent, respectively.

We pride ourselves on having a political system that is by far superior to any other in the immediate and extended neighbourhood.

Instead of that unprecedented voter turnout, we are now witnessing unprecedented stone-pelting and violence with the rage shamefully engulfing school and college children. The victor and vanquished of the electoral process, and ironically the disruptors of democracy all seem to be together on the same page, as they level accusations and counter-accusations on the violence rather than answering the how and why of the violence.

Talking about the Parliamentary elections in April-May 2014, one of the most erudite and experienced personalities of Kashmir had told me, "In Kashmir Farooq Abdullah losing is unthinkable". He added, the Kashmiri voter had learnt to make choices and more importantly faith in the "Indian" electoral system had been revived.

The more critical elections obviously were the Assembly elections, due after some months. He went on to add, "If you succeed in providing that sense of security without being obtrusive or intimidating, people will come out in large numbers."

Soon after our conversation came the unfortunate devastating floods in September 2014. Loss of property was huge, mercifully human loss, though sad was limited, particularly so given the scale of the disaster. Most political quarters made pleas to postpone the elections to the next year, but the people, administration and the security forces were ready to go ahead. The people were desperate to get their flood relief quickly through an effective administration. The Election Commission decided to go ahead in November-December, just before harsh winter sets in. For security forces this is the toughest period when temperatures have dipped but it has not snowed yet.

It's to the credit of all the security agencies the way they came together in true mission mode. They were instructed and convinced of the need to be visible everywhere but not obtrusive. The intensified deployment had to be sustained for nearly three months. An early start was essential for the people to see and gain confidence and equally for the candidates to be able to campaign freely. Joint meetings of all agencies of the core group at the Corps HQ was followed through for the first time with the apex leadership from Srinagar jointly chairing meetings at the district and sub-district level.

Unprecedented resource mobilisation from within and outside the Valley was undertaken. For instance, the entire reserve of protected vehicles was inducted from the base depots. Some really innovative technology infusion was done to smarten procedures, particularly in surveillance and interagency communication. Any candidate travelling out would be known to anyone and everyone in the grid who needed to know. Any gathering of people was picked up aerially and monitored closely. The security grid was adapted to meet the changing requirements. There was proper networking and synergy achieved through repeated rehearsals, communication and joint monitoring by leadership of all agencies. Grenades were recovered sometimes just in time and just a whisker away from rally sites.

As the election pitch picked up so did the separatists calls for boycott, but the people were in no mood to listen. They wanted a government of their choice that would deliver with urgency  getting the relief before winters was playing uppermost in most minds. The adversary too got panicky by seeing the mood of the people  undergirded by strong security. They made desperate attempts to disrupt by pushing in weapons, land mines and terrorists from across the line of control, all of them were foiled. Highly trained and equipped terrorist groups were eliminated not without loss of blood of the security forces.

As the election dates arrived, more security forces came in and polling staff mustered from all over. Absorption and orientation of this added strength was done smoothly of course, with anecdotes of good humour in those stressful circumstances. The polling staff was delivered across remote cross-country terrain in mine-protected vehicles aptly called "Rakshak". On reaching the destination they would refuse to let go off the hand of the Company Commander. Of course, they understood when reminded that in a democracy the Army cannot be inside a polling booth. The polling staff rose to the occasion. It is to the credit of all the security agencies and the administration that the elections were conducted most professionally. All parties went on record hailing the fairness of the election unambiguously. Not one civilian life was lost in the entire electoral process of the Assembly elections 2014.

This was the true victory of democracy, won over all attempts to boycott, disrupt and delay. In many ways, the success removed the very cause for which the militancy began in 1989, that is the alleged rigging of elections. Around the same time as the legislators got voted to power, it was time for the Durbar to move down to Jammu. A royal tradition followed most faithfully even till date where the government moves from Srinagar to Jammu for the entire winter. Incidentally, this winter was just after the floods. Imagine you are voted to power with the hope that you will provide succour and just when you are needed the most you are politicking in fairer weather. This was the beginning of the loss in hopes in leadership and democracy. Ironically, some separatist leaders who claim to be champions of the people's cause too preferred escape to other areas in the country to avoid the winter cold.

The awaam (people), of course, remained in Kashmir and so did the security forces. Avalanches came down, roads got washed away, snow and land slides blocked access, but all these challenges were overcome as the two  awaam and jawan  weathered the harshness of the winter together, waiting for the spring to come, bringing back the political leadership, the Durbar with ominous warnings of a hot summer. This is the story every year!

Through the winter of 2014-2015, hectic political parleys led to an agenda of alliance  a bridge was supposedly laid between Jammu and Kashmir by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Whether it was the fragile health of the well-meaning architect, or was it the fragility of the bridge design or the piers? It was too much for it to withstand the vengeful and vicious designs of the adversaries within and without. For the adversary across and their cahoots, the failed bridge provided ready fodder for vicious propaganda and killing whatever hopes, if any, for democracy.

See how effective the vicious propaganda is. So much friction and heat amongst the two; awaam and jawan who weathered the cold winter together.

While the victor and the vanquished seem to be obfuscating accountability for the key question, the disruptor of democracy is brazenly manipulating people. This will cost everyone dearly. We should not end up in a situation where democracy is abolished and people's representation is demolished.

The writer was the Corps Commander, Kashmir, in 2014-15.
Over the past month, there has been a $1 per hundredweight downturn in the collective Class III futures for the remainder of 2017 contracts. Plus, dairy products prices have been off nearly 10 percent in the two most recent every-other-week trading sessions at New Zealands Global Dairy Trade. With that as a backdrop, Rabobanks Tom Bailey shared milk price insight with those attending the 13th Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nev.

Rabobank is forecasting mixed price results for 2017, explained Bailey. Income over feed costs should remain slightly positive, he went on to say. However, the downside scenarios of Rabobanks forecast have been triggered and 2017 income over feed costs now sit in negative territory with little upside until U.S. production slows.

There will be little to no profit for U.S. producers, which will trigger a much needed slowing of supply, said Bailey.

There is concern about global prices, however.

U.S. prices are facing headwinds partially because milk production continues to grow stateside, he said when discussing the supply situation. That being the case, the U.S. has to sell dairy products overseas or milk prices will go down given current milk production trends, he said in reference to growing U.S. milk production.

From a profitability standpoint, the U.S. has lost some competitiveness on the cost of making milk on the world wide stage, he said, noting that New Zealand and some European countries have reduced their cost of production while the U.S. has seen labor costs and hauling fees (in some regions) pick up.

Despite strong dairy product demand globally, the world remains awash in milk, said Bailey when discussing consumer demand.

Plus theres a risk that Europe will be releasing 4.5 million metric tons of milk onto the global market, which would displace sales from other countries, he said. That 4.5 million metric tons of milk is in the form of dairy products that the European Commission purchased from its member countries last year in order to bolster milk prices.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com . (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2017 March 27, 2017 .

As Bailey mentioned early in his presentation at the Reno, Nev., meeting, trade is important to the U.S. NAFTA (which includes Mexico and Canada) and China are the most important markets for U.S. dairy exports, said Bailey. Redrawing NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) will likely not bode well for the U.S. dairy industry during the negotiation period, Bailey surmised.
Washington, April 23

The US state of Indiana has passed a resolution recognising Sikhs significant contributions to America.

The Indiana Senate recognises and acknowledges the significant contributions that American Sikhs have made across the US and to the State of Indiana on the great occasion of Vaisakhi as National Sikh Day, said the resolution.

Passed unanimously by the Indiana Senate on Friday, the resolution was introduced by Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch.

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Eminent community leader and chairman of Sikhs political affairs committee Gurinder Singh Khalsa started the senate session with a Sikh prayer. US Vice-President Mike Pence sent his support for the resolution, a media release said today.

Also for the first time, National Sikhs and Vaisakhi Day will be celebrated on May 15 in the Indiana State House with Governor Eric Holcomb.

Passage of the resolution is an important milestone in the history of Sikhs in the US, said Khalsa who was instrumental for the move. This is the start of something special and significant for Sikhs all across America, he said. Khalsa hoped his efforts would expand Sikh culture of selfless service to community and be a beacon of hope in spreading Sikh values of humanity, diversity, interfaith dialogue and economic empowerment.  PTI
Sundays meeting of chief ministers arranged by NITI Aayog saw diverse ideas thrown around with an option to pick and choose. The BJP chief ministers read out their report cards expecting a pat or a word of approval from the Prime Minister. Their mind, however, was elsewhere. Most of them tweeted about Antyodaya, meaning the rise of the last person, because of its association with Deendayal Upadhyay, who was the subject of a four-day ongoing RSS seminar in the national capital. Prime Minister Modi was on a different planet where having simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections and a shift to a new January-December fiscal year occupied his attention. In-between he praised states for sinking their differences over GST without listening, or responding, to the CMs beseeching him to make good in time their revenue losses on account of the GST rollout.

Apparently on being prodded by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Narendra Modi also remembered to make an appeal to the CMs to protect Kashmiris living in their states. The BJP-PDP coalition has been going through a rough patch of late and Mehbooba Mufti had to be pacified even if the platform was a little inappropriate. The PM also asked states to spend more on infrastructure. He spoke about hiking fund allocations to states, whereas CMs kept asking for more. The opposition CMs, notably the ones from Bihar and Tamil Nadu, complained of bias in fund allocations. The Himachal CM gave instances of fund squeeze under Central schemes. The Punjab CM kept up the pressure on a farm debt waiver, while seeking funds for border area development.

It was left to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to question the replacement of the Planning Commission by the NITI Aayog and point out that the space for constructive debate is shrinking with forums such as the National Development Council and the Inter-State Council becoming almost defunct. Two years down the line the NITI Aayogs role remains hazy and undefined. At the end of the day, it remains far from clear what we mean by New India.
Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, April 24

Residents of Charkhi village in Charkhi Dadri district today blocked the Bhiwani-Dadri road in protest against power crisis in the area and allegedly manhandled an official of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

A police team led by a DSP later reached the spot and persuaded the protesters to lift the blockade.

Village sarpanch Gulzari Lal said that they had been facing power crisis for the past several days. We have been urging the power officials to increase the power supply as we have been getting hardly 5-6 hours of supply. Long power cuts have also resulted in water crisis, he said and added that the water and power crisis led to heavy resentment among the villagers who gathered on the highway and blocked it.

Atul Ranga, SDO, DHBVN, said that he was beaten up by villagers when he went to the village to listen to their grievances. Around 250 persons blocked the road when I went to the village to assure them that their problem will be resolved, but some of the villagers assaulted me, he said.

However, the sarpanch refuted the claim and said that the SDO was accompanying the police and no violence took place in the village. After some hours when the blockade was lifted, an Executive Engineer of the DHBVN informed him over phone that they had lodged a police complaint against the villagers for assaulting the SDO, he said. The power official also refused to increase the power supply to the village, he said.

Charkhi Dadri DSP Suresh Kumar said that the police had registered a case against several villagers who allegedly assaulted the SDO and blocked the road.
Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 24

The proposed launch of UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here has triggered a political slugfest among the ruling Congress, BJP and the CPM, ahead of the civic body polls due in May and Assembly polls in November.

Insiders say the BJP will target the Congress through the scheme. Shimla Mayor and CPM leader Sanjay Chauhan said they welcomed the Prime Minister here but the BJP had turned the scheme into a political propaganda to save the BJPs anti-Shimla stand on the issue of the Shima smart city mission.

The Centre discriminated against Shimla and gave smart city tag to Dharamsala, Chauhan claimed.

Chauhan said during the last Lok Sabha polls, the Prime Minister had promised special package for Himachal, increase of duty on import of apple and green bonus. We hope he will tell people how much he has delivered after three years in power and we expect to tell people as to why The Ridge is not banned for big rally which houses a 107-year-old heritage drinking water tanks under its concrete surface, the Mayor asked.

State Congress president Sukhwinder Sukhu said the party welcomed the Prime Minister here, but he must give answers on promises he had made to people in the last Lok Sabha elections.

Sukhu said the Prime Minister must explain how the state BJP bought land worth Rs 20 crore, including Rs 5 crore in Shimla, in the name of the party in different places in the state just before demonetisation. We have information that 50 per cent of money used in the land purchase was black money, Sukhu alleged.

On launch of UDAN scheme, Sukhu claimed that the credit went to former Chief Justice TS Thakur who had directed the Centre to restore Delhi-Shimla flights, not to the Prime Minister and the BJP. But Shimla BJP legislator and chief whip in the Vidhan Sabha Suresh Bhardwaj termed Congress and CPM charges baseless, saying that the Congress was a sinking ship while the CPMs days in the SMC are numbered.
Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 24

Elaborate security and other arrangements are being made for the one-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Shimla on April 27 and about 2,000 security personnel will be deployed at Jubbarhatti Airport and Annandale helipad to the rally venue at the historic Ridge Maidan, besides intelligence men in plain clothes.

A Special Protection Group (SPG) team today discussed the arrangements with BJP leaders and visited the venue of the rally and the route to be followed by the convoy of the Prime Minister. All hawkers and street vendors from Kennedy House Chowk to The Ridge via The Mall have been removed.

Police sleuths have swarmed the forest area from Annandale to Mall Road. However, suspense over roadshow of Modi continues and the police are evasive on the issue while party leaders said it would depend on Modi.

The Prime Minister will arrive at the Shimla airport (Jubbarhatti), 22 Km from here, in the morning and launch UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) in Shimla and 50 upgraded airports. He will fly to Annandale by airforce chopper and drive straight to the venue of the rally.

Later, Modi will address a rally for almost an hour from the permanent podium from where former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had announced statehood to Himachal on January 25, 1971. It would be the first visit of Modi to Shimla after becoming the Prime Minister and the second to Himachal.

Modi, who was in-charge of Himachal for organisational affairs of the BJP for nearly eight years, had left Shimla in 2002 and also visited Shimla once as Chief Minister of Gujarat. The BJP is making all-out efforts to make the rally a grand success and, besides launching the Swachhata Abhiyan (cleanliness drive), a mass contact programme has been started to extend invitation for the rally to people.

Uncertainty over Hydro-Engg College stone

Shimla: Uncertainty prevails over laying of the foundation stone of Hydro-Engineering College at Bilaspur by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state on April 27.

Though all arrangements have been made by the Department of Technical Education to get the foundation stone laid by Modi on The Ridge before he addresses a public meeting, BJP leaders are against any government function on The Ridge. The BJP leaders feel that since the rally on The Ridge is a party function, they will not want either Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh or Technical Education Minister GS Bali to be present there.

UDAN to boost tourism: Hoteliers

Shimla: BJP men supporting saffron flags and huge presence of policemen and SPG commandoes in plain clothes virtually outnumbered tourists ahead of the April 27 UDAN launch show-cum-BJP rally to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. From historic Ridge and The Mall to the AG Chowk and Annadale helipad, the policemen dotted the city, turning a famous tourist town into a khakhi fortress. Hoteliers here are hoping that the subsidized air flight scheme-UDAN- would help boost high-end tourists in the capital city once Delhi-Shimla air-connectivity is restored on April 27. President, Shimla Hoteliers and Restaurant Owners Association Harnam Kukreja said the association welcomed the UDAN scheme as it will boost tourism. For the moment the town has seen a dip in tourist arrivals even as BJP men have booked about 10- 15 per cent rooms for their thousands of guests or party workers expected to camp here for two days to welcome Prime Minister for the April 27 Parivartan rally here. Because of the overbearing presence of gun-toting policemen in the city, tourists both domestic and foreigners have changed their journey plan and instead preferred visiting Kullu-Manali or Dalhousie, revealed hoteliers.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 24

The 79th annual meeting of the J&K Rajya Sainik Board, followed by 64th meeting of the State Managing Committee, for the Flag Day Fund was held at Raj Bhawan here under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra.

The Governor appreciated the efforts put in by the Sainik Welfare Department to further enhance interaction between the ex-servicemen/serving soldiers and the civil population, including programmes organised during the Flag Day celebrations.

The Governor mentioned that due to their presence in far-flung areas, the Army should be able to complement efforts of the Sainik Welfare Department in maintaining effective liaison with ex-servicemen/widows. He expressed his deep concern about the status of non-pensioner ex-servicemen/widows and observed that he had recently written to the Defence Minister to consider significantly enhancing the quantum of relief to non-pensioner widows below and above 65 years of age, which is presently too meagre to meet the cost of living.

He suggested that the Sainik Welfare Department should consider organising Defence melas to raise funds for the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families.

He called upon the citizens and civil society organisations to donate liberally for the J&K Flag Day Fund, which is used for promoting the welfare of ex-servicemen and families of martyrs.

The Governor complimented the Northern Army Command Headquarters for developing software for the Sainik Welfare Department to computerise the database of ex-servicemen.

He emphasised that an institutional framework should be put in place in facilitate re-employment of eligible and qualified ex-servicemen for the jobs available in the Central and state governments and impressed the importance of increasing awareness about the horizontal reservation of 6 per cent for ex-servicemen in jobs under the state government.

The Governor observed that all welfare schemes for ex-servicemen and their wards should be regularly revised and updated to address their problems and stressed the need for an effective grievance monitoring system to be put in place at the district and state levels to ensure that their problems are solved expeditiously.

The Rajya Sainik Board approved grants to the non-pensioner ex-servicemen and widows from the state Flag Day Funds being doubled to Rs 12,000 pm to help them financially. It increased the grant for decent last rites to Rs 5,000. For wards of ex-servicemen and widows figuring in merit list of Class XII, an incentive of Rs 5,000 has been approved and dependent children clearing the Civil Services Exams will get an award of Rs 10,000. Education grants to children of martyrs have been enhanced from Rs 1,200 to Rs 3,000 per annum.

Earlier, there was no provision for widows to buy four-wheelers from the CSD, which has now been approved. The status of a number of other welfare schemes of the Centre and state governments for helping out ex-servicemen and their families in various fields, including daughter marriage, education, house repair and penury grants, was discussed and decisions taken.

Brig Harcharan Singh (retd), secretary, Rajya Sainik Board, made a detailed presentation and provided details of the various measures taken for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and financial status of the board.

Prominent among those present in the J&K Rajya Sainik Board meeting were BR Sharma, Chief Secretary; Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, GOC-in-C, Headquarters, Northern Command; Prabhu Dayal Meena, Union Secretary, Department of ESM Welfare, New Delhi; Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to the Governor; RK Goyal, Principal Secretary (Home) and Navin K Choudhary, Secretary, Finance.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 24

On the day when Mehbooba Mufti pitched for dialogue, suspected militants shot dead a senior leader of her party in south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Peoples Democratic Party district president for Pulwama, Abdul Gani Dar, 55, was shot dead by gunmen when he was on his way to Srinagar from his home in Rohmu, Pulwama, on Monday afternoon.

Abdul Gani Dar, a senior advocate, was driving his car when he was targeted by militants near Pinglana, 26 km from here. The militants, who were also in a car, overtook Dars vehicle, and then fired at him from close range, the police said.

The militants intercepted the car at a deserted place and then fired at Abdul Gani Dar. The victim was admitted to Pulwama hospital and then shifted to a hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries, said Superintendent of Police, Pulwama, Rayees Mohammad Bhat.

A search operation was launched to nab the assailants, who are believed to be two to three in number. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the killing.

Two policemen, including a driver, were escorting PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar when the militants attacked him. They were, however, not carrying any weapons and were in civvies. The two of them are being questioned by the police.

Dar had contested on a Congress ticket in the 2008 Assembly elections from the Rajpora constituency in Pulwama district. He joined the PDP in 2014.

The killing of the PDP leader happened on the day when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and discussed the prevailing situation in the state.

Dar is the third political activist who has been killed in south Kashmir in the past 10 days. On April 15, PDP worker Bashir Ahmed Dar was shot dead and his cousin was wounded in a militant attack in Pulwama district. A day later, former public prosecutor Imtiyaz Ahmed who was associated with the National Conference was shot dead in the neighbouring Shopian district.

Political activists are being targeted in south Kashmir even as the Election Commission of India deferred the byelection for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency that covers four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama.

Chief Minister condemns incident

Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has strongly condemned the killing of PDP leader Abdul Gani Dar. In her condolence message, the Chief Minister said Dar was a selfless worker who lived and died for the people of his area. Conveying her sympathies, the Chief Minister directed the police to identify the killers and take action, an official spokesman said.  TNS
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 24

Ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Ghani Dar was shot dead in a militant attack in Pulwama in south Kashmir on Monday.

Police said PDP district president, Pulwama, Dar was fired upon by militants at Pinglina on the outskirts of Pulwama town.

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His vehicle was intercepted by militants at Pinglina and he was fired upon. The injured Dar was shifted to a Srinagar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they said.

The attack on the PDP leader came on a day when Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and discussed the prevailing situation in the state.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 24

As colleges and universities opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir Valley, students of Sri Pratap Higher Secondary College (SP College) clashed with the police and resorted to stone pelting, officials said.

Tension broke out after a group of students assembled on the Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces, causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in Srinagar.

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The officials said the police tried to prevent the students from blocking the road.

Sporadic clashes continued as security forces tried to restore traffic on the highway.

The classes in all the colleges across the Valley were suspended on Tuesday following widespread student demonstrations a day earlier against the alleged high-handedness of security forces against the students of Degree College, Pulwama, on April 15.

Students of many of these institutions held protests demonstrations on Monday and clashed with the security forces, leaving several dozen students injured.

Following the clashes, the Divisional Administration had issued orders for closure of Kashmir University, all colleges and higher secondary schools across the Valley for a day on Tuesday.

The suspension of teaching work in the colleges was then extended first by a day, then two days and then by another day on the weekend as a precautionary measure. With inputs from agencies
Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 24

As educational institutions opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir valley, students, including girls, clashed with the police and indulged in stone-throwing. It triggered a shutdown in the commercial hub, Lal Chowk.

The police arrested six protesting students on the spot and lodged them at the Kothi Bagh police station.

The officials said the situation remained largely peaceful in other educational institutions in the Valley, including Degree College, Pulwama, where students attended their classes after a week of suspension.

The situation in Pulwama and other places was normal. There were disturbances around SP Higher Secondary School where students clashed with the police and marched towards the commercial hub, said a senior government official.

Meanwhile, Srinagar SSP sustained minor injuries in the clashes at Lal Chowk which spread to Regal Chowk, Residency Road and Amira Kadal.

The protesters were mainly from SP Higher Secondary School, SP College, Government College for Women, MA Road, and Kothi Bagh Higher Secondary School, all located in the vicinity.

Protests erupted in the Valley on April 17 against the assault on students in Pulwama Degree College on April 13. All the educational institutions witnessed massive protests forcing the authorities to close the colleges from April 18 to April 23.

After the incident, the protests spread to all parts of the Valley, especially Government College for Women and SP College, Srinagar, and other districts injuring around 70 students.

However, the colleges and schools reopened today after six days leading to clashes again.

Education Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari said the colleges and schools would continue to function normally.

The situation was normal at all colleges, including those in Pulwama. There were some clashes at SP Higher Secondary School where we will post additional staff from tomorrow so that the situation is handled peacefully. The educational institutions will continue to function normally. No college or school will be closed, the minister said. He appealed to the students to concentrate on their studies as the government would take care of all their issues.

Girls too join in protests

Meanwhile, girl students also took to streets and clashed with the police. This is for the first time in the Valley, that a large number of girls also indulged in stone-throwing. Photographs of girls throwing stones on the police went viral on social networking sites like Facebook.
Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 24

Gurdev Singh is a senior citizen based in the city and he is presently consulting a neurologist. The medicines prescribed by the doctor are not available in the entire city, but only at the in-house pharmacy of his private clinic, which he feels dig a hole in his pocket as these are priced very high.

The Medical Council of Indias (MCI) latest directions regarding prescription of medicines with generic names has come as a big relief to several patients like Gurdev Singh.

These medicines are very expensive. Apart from giving hefty prescription fee to the doctor, the burden of buying medicines looms large over me. I am a retired person and buying costly medicines is a very difficult task for me. I hope doctors adhere to the guidelines and it brings some relief to the patients, says Gurdev Singh.

Experts on the other hand, have expressed that this will not solve the problem as desired since generic drugs are being marketed as branded generic drugs and are priced exorbitantly.

Even the doctors at government hospitals prescribe medicines with brand names and patients are unable to buy these medicines at drug stores or Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Not only this, a majority of the doctors who practice privately have opened drug stores inside their clinics and the medicines prescribed by them are available only at these in-house drug stores as the doctors prescribe medicines of specific brand only.

Meanwhile, reacting to the use of generic drugs by doctors, the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) says it is important that cost-effective medicines be provided to patients. But this needs a lot of infrastructural development and quality control.

Dr SS Soodan, president, Dr Shakeel ur Rahman, General secretary and Dr Arun Mitra, senior vice-president of the IDPD, said unfortunately the generic drugs in the country were being marketed as branded generic, which meant that they were being marketed by companies with different brand names and not in the name of pharmacological formulations. These drugs are being sold in the market with huge profit to retailers. On the other hand, branded medicines are sold to retailers at a profit margin of only 20 to 30 per cent. Unless this anomaly is sorted out and the price of branded-generic drugs is not brought down, the use of generic brand will offer minimum benefit to patients and huge profit to retailers.
New York, April 24

In an unusually harsh editorial, The New York Times has described Indias security crackdown in Kashmir as brutal and cautioned that it would feed more militancy.

The editorial which was published on Saturday said the Indian government must ensure that human rights are protected in Kashmir.

The New York Times editorial boards comments came days after a video showing a civilian tied to a military vehicle as a human shield in Kashmir went viral.

The editorial commented that members of Indias armed forces reached a new low in the long history of alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir when they beat and tied 24-year-old shawl weaver Farooq Ahmad Dar to the front of a jeep using him as a human shield against stone-throwing crowds.

The incident, which came to light when a video spread on social media, provides a gauge of an insurgency that has waxed and waned over nearly three decades in Kashmir, the editorial titled Cruelty and Cowardice in Kashmir said.

It added that following the incident, Indias army chief General Bipin Rawat vowed action against those responsible for tying Dar to the jeep. But he also warned that Kashmirs stone-throwing youth and separatist militants may survive today, but we will get them tomorrow. Our relentless operations will continue.

The editorial said, Such posturing will only doom Kashmir to a deadly spiral, where more brutal military tactics will feed more despair and more militancy.

The editorial said the Modi government would do well if it followed the recommendations by a report presented to him by a group of citizens in January that cited strong feelings of discrimination and a complete lack of faith by Kashmiris in government promises.

The report had pleaded for improved human rights and a multi-party dialogue aimed at a durable political solution.

The editorial also warned that Indian democracy would lose its credibility if Kashmiris were robbed of a chance to dream, along with the rest of India, of a peaceful, prosperous future if the recommendations of the report were not implemented.

The group that visited the Valley twice last year on a fact-finding mission has recommended multi-dimensional dialogue that includes that talks with Hurriyat should be initiated at the earliest and has asked the government to improve human rights situation and resuscitate democratic linkages between people and allow Kashmiris to assemble and meet to hold discussions. PTI
Raipur, April 24

At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed and six wounded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, the deadliest attack by naxalites targeting security forces this year.

The naxalites mounted the assault around 12.25 pm in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in the country.

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The area is close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of naxal violence which has seen a number of such attacks in the past resulting in high casualties.

Read: 3-lakh-strong CRPF without regular chief for nearly two months

"As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on.

About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong.

An injured jawan, Sher Mohammed, said, First, Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 of them attacked us. We also opened fired and killed many.

First Naxals sent villagers to trace our location, then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. We also fired and killed many: CRPF's Sher Mohammed pic.twitter.com/myrI62i959  ANI (@ANI_news) April 24, 2017

The incident occurred near Burkapal village within Chintagufa police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

While 11 bodies were recovered first, 12 were found during combing operations. A jawan succumbed to injuries while being evacuated by air, the officer added.

Sourav Malik, another personnel who was injured in the attack, said the patrol came under sudden fire from Maoist rebels.

CRPF officials said the ambush set up by the naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of the same district where 12 personnel lost their lives.

Read more: 12 CRPF men killed in Naxal attack

It is understood that the company commander, an Inspector rank officer leading the contingent which was ambushed today, was also killed.

The officer said the CRPF patrol, like in the Bheji incident, was sanitising the area where a road is being laid between Burkapal and Jagargunda, when the assault happened.

The naxals were believed to have also looted over a dozen weapons of the slain personnel, the officer said.

All the troops belonged to the 74th battalion of the force depolyed in the area for anti-Maoist operations. "We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos of the CRPF and its other units, have been rushed to the scene from the nearest camp of the paramilitary force, the officer added.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.  Agencies
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday approved the Yogi Adityanath governments roadmap to fill over 1.5 lakh vacant posts in police department of Uttar Pradesh in four years, saying it would help improve law and order situation. The Uttar Pradesh Government told a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India that it planned to recruit about 33,000 constables and sub-inspectors every year, to fill the entire vacancy by September 2021. tns
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

The coming few months will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulging in some hectic diplomatic activity.

The Prime Minister is likely to visit at least seven nations in the coming months. The two high-profile visits are the ones to Israel, which will reset the clock on Indias relationship with Israel and Palestine; the second will be the PMs likely visit to the US in May to meet US President Donald Trump. Sources said while the Israel trip is already scheduled, the dates for the US trip are still being worked out.

The other countries Modi is likely to visit will be Sri Lanka, where he travels next month, Russia, Spain, Germany and Kazakhstan.

First, the Prime Minister will travel to St Petersburg in Russia to attend the International Economic Forum (SPIEF) from June 1 to 3. He is then likely to visit Spain.

After that, the PM will visit Kazakhstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Astana on June 7-8. At the upcoming SCO meet, both India and Pakistan will be admitted as full members.

Since Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif is also likely to attend the SCO Summit, the speculation is that a possible meeting or an unscheduled pull aside between the two leaders may take place.
Nicosia, April 24

India can help Cyprus in its quest for reunification as it has close ties with Turkey, President Nicos Anastasiades has said ahead of his maiden visit to the country during which he will reaffirm the island nations close and time-tested ties with New Delhi.

Those who are close to Turkey can be helpful, he said when asked whether he would seek Indias help to reunify Cyprus, which has about about 37 per cent of its area under Turkish occupation since 1974.

Of course we shall ask Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi if any kind of possibility to intervene on the Cyprus question, he said. Anastasiades will be on a state visit to India from April 25-29.

His remarks assume significance as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit India on April 30.

At the same time Anastasiades insisted that Cyprus wont do things that may put friends at unease.

If they are not able to intervene, we will not ask them.

We are not going to ask something that may harm Indias interest, he said.

As the talks between the two communities - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriotshave restarted this month Anastasiades is hopeful of finding an early solution.

The reunification talks stumbled over the years over the issue of territory and security. The Turkish speaking community, which is in minority, wants a significant say in the decision making process and want Turkish forces on the ground even after the reunification which are the main sticking points in the talks.

Replying to a question on Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Anastasiades said his country as a member of the 48-member bloc supports Indias bid.

He also reaffirmed Cyprus support for Indias permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

India is not a threat to any of its neighbours. Its a stabilising factor, he said.

The President said that Cyprus, which share excellent ties with the countries of the European Union and with neighbours like Greece, Egypt and Israel, can play a role in furthering Indias interests by speaking to its partners to give the most favourable treatment to India.

Cyprus also wants to help India to facilitate the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.

Anastasiades will lead a 60-member strong delegation.

During his visit he will travel to Mumbai and Delhi. He will meet his counterpart President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He will present a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi to his Indian counterpart.

He will be accompanied by the ministers of finance, energy, transport and agriculture.

The main aim of the visit is to reaffirm Cyprus ties with India which has supported the countrys unification efforts.

During his visit, the delegation accompanying him will promote Cyprus as a gateway for Indian companies wanting to enter the European markets by setting their bases in the country.

With a double taxation avoidance treaty in place, authorities here feel that it would give level-playing field to all.

It also wants to cooperate with India in space sector as it feels that clear skies of Cyprus can help Indian scientists to do a lot of research in space sector by establishing a centre.

Service sector is another area where Cyprus has a lot to offer to India. Cyprus is also looking to collaborate with India in the healthcare sector. Cyprus, which boasts of its beaches, wines and natural beauty, also wants to promote itself as a tourist and marriage destination for Indians, arrival of whom remained less than 2,000 over the years.

The government also keen to woo Bollywood producers to shoot their movies in the country. Anastasiades is expected to be given a guided tour of Bollywood studios in Mumbai.

Indian High Commissioner here Ravi Bangar feels that there are a lot of potential for the two nations to cooperate specially in health care and service sector.

Indian doctors can do very well here, he said, adding that keeping in mind the common disease profile in two nations there was a lot of scope for research collaboration.

Cyprus also wants Indias help in developing a Silicon Valley-style technological park.

I am going to ask them (Indians) if there are people who can help us in know-how, the President said.

Cyprus, which is Europes second largest shipping management centre, also seeks to cooperate with India in the sector.

India and Cyprus share historical ties. India has always supported Cyprus in its reunification efforts. In turn, Cyprus has always supported India in every international forum and on the Kashmir issue. Cyprus attaches a lot of significance to its ties with India and a bust of Gandhi outside the parliament of the country highlights this fact.

Nicosia also has roads named after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Indians have contributed to the peacekeeping mission in the country. A road in Larnaca, where the countrys main international airport is located, is named after Major General Kodandera Subbaya Thimayya who served as the commander of UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in 1965. India too supported Cyprus in its struggle for independence.

Almost all Cypriot Presidents have come to India on State visits. In October 2009, the then President Pratibha Devisingh Patil paid a State visit to Cyprus. Cyprus and India enjoy robust economic ties.

Cyprus is a major investor in India. With cumulative Foreign Direct Investment of above USD 8.5 billion, Cyprus is the eighth largest foreign investor in India and has invested in areas such as financial leasing, stock exchange, auto manufacture, manufacturing industries, real estate, cargo handling, construction, shipping and logistics.  PTI
Beijing, April 24

India should focus less on speeding up the process of building aircraft carriers to contain China in the Indian Ocean and more on its economic development, Chinese official media said on Monday.

New Delhi is perhaps too impatient to develop an aircraft carrier. The country is still in its initial stage of industrialisation, and there will be many technical obstacles that stand in the way of a build-up of aircraft carriers, an article in the state-run Global Times said.

In the past few decades, India and China have taken different paths in terms of aircraft carriers, but the different results achieved by the two countries point to the underlying importance of economic development, it said.

New Delhi should perhaps be less eager to speed up the process of building aircraft carriers in order to counter Chinas growing sway in the Indian Ocean, and focus more on its economy, it said.

China on Sunday celebrated 68th anniversary of the establishment of its navy amid massive expansion of its fleet.

A fleet of three Chinese naval ships left Shanghai in the morning for a friendly visit to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

With the expansion of foreign trade, as well as Chinas One Belt and One Road initiative, the Chinese navy has taken on a new mission, which is to protect the countrys overseas interests, a report in the same daily said.

As a consequence, Chinas military strategy for the navy has changed and it must increase its presence overseas to meet the new requirements, military expert Song Zhongping said.

As a signature achievement of the navy, the Liaoning aircraft carrier built from an empty hull of former Soviet ship has finished its blue sea training, he said.

While the Chinese navy flexed muscle with massive expansion of overseas with new logistic based in Gwadar in Pakistan and Djibouti in the Indian Ocean, the Chinese official media sought to project India deploying aircraft carriers decades ahead of China in a negative light.

As the worlds second-largest economy, China is now capable of building a strong navy to safeguard the security of strategic maritime channels. Chinas construction of its first aircraft carrier is a result of economic development, an article in the Global Times said.

The country would have finished work on it several years ago if Beijing had simply wanted to engage in an arms race to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, the article said in defence of China deploying its first aircraft carrier in 1912.

India itself could be taken as a negative example for a build-up of aircraft carriers, it said.

Unlike China, India operated the aircraft carrier since 1961.

INS Vikrant which was purchased as an incomplete carrier in 1957 played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of the East Pakistan in 1971 before it was decommissioned in 1997.

Its successor INS Virat that was commissioned in 1987 has just been decommissioned this month after an eventful four decades of service.

It was succeeded by INS Vikramaditya, a modified version of Russian ship Admiral Gorshikov, which became operational in 2013.

The second INS Vikrant being built in Cochin Shipyard is expected to be ready by 2018. PTI
New Delhi, April 23

The national Capital recorded a turnout of 53.53 per cent in elections to the Municipal Corporation Delhi (MCD) held today amid complaints of faulty EVMs. After a rather sluggish start at 8 am, the voting gradually picked up during the day. The turnout for the MCD polls in 2012 was 53.23 per cent.

State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava told mediapersons that north corporations Bakhtawarpur ward recorded the highest turnout at over 68 per cent. At 39 per cent, the turnout was the lowest in South Delhis Lado Sarai. He said 18 electronic voting machines (EVMs) had to be replaced owing to battery/button issues.

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Of the 13,000 polling stations, EVMs were changed in only 18. This shows our EVMs are unhackable, robust and no wrong can be done, Srivastava claimed. However, in a tweet, Delhi CM and AAP convener observed: Reports from all over Delhi of EVM malfunction, people wid voter slips not allowed to vote. What is SEC doing? (sic).

Polling was held in 270 of the 272 wards of the three municipal corporations. The election in two wards was postponed owing to death of candidates. A total of 1,32,10,206 voters, among them 1.1 lakh first-timers, were entitled to exercise franchise to elect councillors for 270 wards falling in three corporations  NDMC (103), SDMC (104) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (63).

Two exit polls claimed that the BJP could be headed for a landslide victory, winning over 200 wards, and AAP could well be staring at a rout on its home turf, barely two years after it bagged 67 of the 70 Assembly seats. Also, Congress attempts to regain lost ground could come a cropper.  TNS & Agencies

Notice to 2 channels

The State Election Commission (SEC) has sent notices to two private news channels for airing opinion polls. The channels  Times Now and ABP News  have been asked to give reasons for airing the opinion polls in violation of the Election Commission guidelines. The Delhi unit of the Congress had on Saturday approached the SEC against a leading media house, which had published and aired opinion polls on the municipal elections.

AAP cries foul

AAP spokesperson Richa Pandey Mishra claimed people in several polling stations had to go back without voting as several EVMs were not functional. The areas with faulty EVMs include Mangolpuri, Patparganj and parts of South Delhi. Some machines did not beep when the AAP button was pressed, she claimed.
New Delhi, April 24

A special court has allowed a former navy officer, facing trial in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case, to go abroad for 25 days but asked him not to travel to London where prime accused Ravi Shankaran, who has been absconding, is learnt to be living.

Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal granted the relief to ex-naval lieutenant Kulbhushan Parashar, who sought permission to travel to several countries, including France, Spain, Czech Republic, Russia and Greece from June 4 to July 1 for meetings and exploring business opportunities relating to food imports.

The court said Parashar would not be permitted to stay abroad beyond the permitted time and should not seek extension on any grounds, including medical.

The 2006 Navy War Room leak case involves leakage of over 7,000 pages of sensitive defence information from the Naval War Room and the Air Headquarters, having a direct bearing on national security.

He shall not contact any witnesses while abroad, he will not object to the examination of witnesses in his absence and in his absence, his counsel will accept all the notices on his behalf.

It is also made clear that accused/applicant shall not travel to London, UK, during this period where accused Ravi Shankaran (proclaimed offender in the case who is absconding), is stated to be residing, the judge said in the order.

The CBI had opposed the plea, saying the case was at the stage of recording prosecution evidence and the trial was being expedited.

It had also alleged that there was a strong suspicion that Prashar might not return to India, which could delay the proceedings. It had said that Shankaran was residing in London and there were chances of Parashar fleeing from justice.

Parashar is facing trial along with four accused, including three former naval officers.

Besides Prashar, former commander Vijender Rana, sacked naval commander VK Jha, former IAF Wing Commander Sambha Jee L Surve and Delhi-based businessman and arms dealer Abhishek Verma are facing trial in the case for the offence of criminal conspiracy under IPC and under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act (OSA). All the accused are out on bail.

The court had earlier framed charges after the five accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Prime accused Ravi Shankaran is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender by the court. PTI
New Delhi, April 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the killing of CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists as "cowardly and deplorable".

"We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain," Modi tweeted.

"Condolences to their families. May those injured in (the) attack recover at the earliest." The Prime Minister said the government was monitoring the situation in Chhattisgarh closely.

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "extremely pained" over the Chhattisgarh killings.

"Extremely pained to know about the killings of CRPF personnel in Sukma (district). My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families," Rajnath Singh tweeted.

He said he had spoken to Chhattisgarh Home Minister Hansraj Ahir, who "will take stock of the situation".

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said he was "extremely distressed" over the Naxal attack in his state.

"I am extremely distressed to know about the Naxal attack in Sukma. I am cancelling my Delhi tour and returning to Chhattisgarh to attend a meeting," he wrote on Twitter.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said, Sincere condolences to families of CRPF personnel martyred in the attack in Sukma. We salute sacrifice and courage of our bravehearts.

The Congress described the killing of CRPF personnel as extremely unfortunate and called on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to initiate appropriate counter action.

Addressing the media, party spokesman Manish Tiwari said, "Extremely unfortunate. Hope government will act with alacrity. Hope government initiates appropriate action against people responsible for attack."  Agencies
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

Having a law against torture in terms of UN Convention was in our own national interest, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

India faces problems in extradition of criminals from foreign countries because of this (having no law against torture). Its in our own national interest to have such a law, a Bench of Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud said. Its also an issue of international reputation of the country, it added.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by former Law Minister Ashwini Kumar seeking a direction to the government to put in place a proper legal framework in terms of International Convention against Torture which India signed in 1997. The top court had in September 2016 issued a notice to the Centre on the PIL that demanded proper guidelines to prevent torture, cruelty, inhuman or degrading treatment of jail inmates. It also sought rehabilitation, relief and compensation for victims of custodial violence and torture.

The former Law Minister gave the example of Purulia Arms Drop Case accused Kim Davy who could not be extradited from Sweden to face trial in India. India is berated for it, he added.

Terming it as a matter of sublime importance, he said of the 161 countries which were signatories to the 1997 United Nation Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, only nine, including India, had not ratified it. Kumar was supported by Amicus Curiae Colin Gonsalves who submitted that even the NHRC has said India needed a standalone law on the subject.

The court gave 10 days to the government to firm up the governments response after the Solicitor General told the Bench that Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi would be away to Geneva between May 2 and 9 for a conference on the subject. He said he would take up the issue with the Home Ministry and Law Ministry.

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar explained to the Bench the steps taken by the government and submitted that the bill on the issue had lapsed. Kumar said the government has referred the issue to the Law Commission which was examining it. So many matters are pending before the Law Commission. It should be taken up as a matter which requires extreme urgency, the Bench said.
New Delhi, April 24

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Kerala government to reinstate former Director General of Police (DGP) TP Senkumar, saying he was transferred from the post arbitrarily.

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The apex court set aside the order of the Kerala High Court which had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunals (CAT) decision that had not found fault with the state governments decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of the state police chief.

We direct reinstatement of DGP TP Senkumar, a bench comprising Justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The Kerala government had on April 11 defended in the apex court its decision to transfer Senkumar, saying he had protected erring police officials in the 2016 Puttingal temple fire tragedy in which 110 people were killed.

The state government had told the court that Senkumars transfer was not a punishment for the lapse which had led to the April 10, 2016 incident but it was for how he had handled the fallout of the tragedy.

On April 10 last year, when Senkumar was Keralas DGP, there was an explosion leading to a blaze after a fireworks display went awry at Puttingal Temple in Kollam district. As many as 110 people had died while over 300 were injured in the incident. PTI
Udhagamandalam (TN), April 24

A security guard posted at late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas Kodanad Estate was killed on late Sunday night by unidentified men.

A 40-year-old security guard posted at a bungalow, frequently visited by late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in Kodanad near here, was found murdered, the police said on Monday.

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Another security personnel, who was on duty at the bungalow, was also injured in the attack by an unidentified gang, which allegedly broke into the bungalow to steal valuables and some documents, they said.

The incident came to light this morning when workers at the tea estate noticed the security guards, Om Bahadur and Kishore Bahadur, lying in a pool of blood with their hands and legs bound and informed the police.

Superintendent of Police, Murali Ramba, and other high-ranking officials visited the spot and held inquiry, they said.

Kishore Bahadur was shifted to a hospital, the police said.

Quoting villagers, the police said a 10-member gang in two vehicles was seen entering the area in the early hours.

All check posts in the Nilgiris district, connecting Karnataka and Kerala have been alerted, they said, adding investigation is on.  Agencies
New Delhi, April 24

Vice President Hamid Ansari on Monday embarked on a five-day visit to Armenia and Poland, during which he is expected to discuss with Polish leaders Indias bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Ansari is slated to hold talks with leaders of the two nations, besides attending a host of events. This is his first visit to Armenia and Poland.

The Vice President, who will be in Armenia till April 26, is accompanied by his wife, Salma Ansari, Union Minister of State for Small, Medium and Micro Industries Giriraj Singh, Members of Parliament Sitaram Yechury, DP Tripathi, Vivek Tankha and Thupstan Chhewang and senior officials, besides media representatives.

He will reach Poland on April 26 and over the next two days meet the Polish President and Prime Minister, who will host a banquet in the Vice Presidents honour. He will also meet the Speaker of the Senate.

Poland has been very supportive of our bid for membership to the NSG and we have been very appreciative and thankful to them, MEA Secretary (East) Preeti Saran said when asked about the possibility of a discussion on NSG in Poland.

So certainly, when it comes up, it will provide the Vice President with an opportunity to thank the Government of Poland for their support to India, not only in seeking membership of the NSG but also in other international forums, she told reporters on Thursday.

In Armenia, Ansari will hold discussions with the President, Prime Minister and the foreign minister in the capital of Yerevan.

The visit intends to further strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and develop cooperation and partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest, an External Affairs Ministry official said.

Ansari will also address students and faculty at Yerevan University. The president and prime ministers will host banquets in his honour.

The visit to Armenia takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Armenia. This is the second visit at the level of the Vice President of India to Armenia.

In Poland, Ansari will inaugurate a business seminar. He will deliver a lecture at the University of Warsaw and will inaugurate the Indian Embassy Chancery cum Residential Complex.

It is befitting that the embassy is being inaugurated by the Vice President on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our embassy in Warsaw, an MEA Official said.

The ambassador of India will host a reception where the Vice President is expected to meet members of the Indian community in Poland and others.

India has close economic ties with Poland. Indian investments in Poland amount to around USD 3 billion and Polish investments in India are of about 600 million USD.

As Polish business looks for market and opportunities beyond Europe, India is a natural partner. Our trade has gone up by 25 per cent in just one year, the official said. PTI
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking direction to the government to incorporate biographies of all the 10 Sikh Gurus in school syllabi, saying public interest litigation has its own limitations.

Petitioner Subhash Chander Katyal had sought appropriate directions to the Union of India, all the States and Union Territories to incorporate detailed life history and teachings of all the 10 Sikh Gurus along with Guru Granth Sahib in syllabi of all the classes in history books for teaching.

He submitted that the life history of Sikh Gurus and history of Sikhs had not been given appropriate place in history books whereas there is mention of other historical personalities and different rulers.

Without entering into the merits, suffice it to say that what shall be taught in the schools or what shall be included in the syllabus of all classes cannot be directed by this Court in exercise of power of judicial review, a bench headed by Justices Dipak Misra said rejecting the petition.

Be it noted, despite expanded horizon, public interest litigation has its own limitations. Any litigant should not feel, when he files a public interest litigation that his hope and aspirations for anything and everything deserve to crystalise.

He should not harbour the feelings that for any idea to be fructified, he can knock at the doors of this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. The broad canvass that is sought to be painted in this petition, as it appears to us, does not come within the domain and sphere of the public interest litigation, the bench said in its order.

It said courts cannot enter into the domain of what is to be taught in schools and what should be included in the syllabus.

Petitioners counsel contended that life history and teachings of the Sikh Gurus should be incorporated in the school syllabi as these facts had been omitted.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 24

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today sought the opening of a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) centre in the state during his meeting with Union Textile Minister Samriti Irani in New Delhi.

The Chief Minister said as per the Skill India programme launched by the Central Government, such institutes were being opened to provide job-oriented training to the youth in each state. He further said Uttarakhand had its unique traditions and handicrafts, besides a large number of people in the hills were involved in rearing sheep and produced woolens, which are known all over.

Rawat said in the absence of proper training and technology, their products were not able to compete at the international level. He said in the absence of any such institute the traditional arts and crafts were getting lost and there was an urgent need to preserve and conserve such art forms. He hoped that if such a national institute was opened in Uttarakhand, the youth of the state would be able to amalgamate their traditional knowledge with modern and latest technology which ultimately would not only help in saving the traditional art form but would also provide jobs to them.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 24

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today met Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh in New Delhi. He apprised him of agriculture-related schemes in the state in detail. The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister to approve a cluster-based farming project, to be funded by the World Bank, worth Rs 71,470.00 lakh for a period of seven years for Uttarakhand.

The Chief Minister informed the Union Agriculture Minister that 88 per cent agricultural land was non-irrigated in the state, besides the fact that agriculture was a major source of livelihood of the people of the state and 91 per cent farmers fell under the frontier and small category. Owing to the lack of use of latest technology in farming, the state was not getting the desired results in the sector, he said.

Rawat said cluster-based schemes had been prepared for the area considering the local ground realties. He said a project worth Rs 71,470.00 lakh for developing 400 clusters comprising local crop seeds production, organic farming, mechanisation of agriculture, moisture conservation, development of irrigation facilities, distribution, post harvest, technology, skill development, etc had been examined by the state Agriculture Department.

The Chief Minister also urged him to approve a special package similar to Jammu and Kashmir worth Rs 500 crore as a compensation for loss of tropical fruits due to disaster.

Rawat requested him to dispatch the proposal of Rs 700 crore from the World Bank to the Department of Economic Affairs for the overall development of horticulture at the earliest.
Kabul, April 24

Afghanistans Defence Minister and army chief of staff resigned on Monday after the deadliest ever Taliban attack on a military base, threatening to overshadow a visit by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis as Washington looks to craft a new strategy for the country.

Mattis met Afghan officials and US commanders who are pushing for more troops. But his arrival in Kabul came amid the fall-out from Fridays Taliban assault on a base in the north of the country in which more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed. He said the Taliban need to renounce violence and reject terrorism to join the political process.

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect, the office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced on Twitter.

Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, said the resignations were because of Fridays attack on a major army base in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Ghanis office also announced that he had replaced the commanders of four army corps in response to the attack, and defence officials said eight army personnel had been arrested - heightening suspicions the attackers had inside help.

The attack underlines the scale of the challenge facing the Western-backed government and its international partners more than 15 years after the United States invaded the country.

At a news conference, Habibi and Shahim insisted their resignations were voluntary. We should always look for solutions to problems and therefore I have decided that there should be another guardian standing guard, Habibi said.

Russia sending arms to Taliban

The head of US and international forces in Afghanistan said on Monday he was not refuting reports that Russia was providing support, including weapons, to the Taliban. General John Nicholson was speaking in Kabul during Mattis visit .  Reuters
Kabul, April 24

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of his Defence Minister and Army Chief of Staff on Monday, after more than 140 soldiers were killed last week in the deadliest ever Taliban attack on a military base, the Presidents office said.

Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect, the presidential palace announced in a post on its Twitter account.

Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, said the resignations were because of Fridays attack on a major Army base in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

In a serious security failure, 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 soldiers and new recruits eating a meal and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers, according to officials.

Multiple Afghan officials said the final death toll was likely to be even higher.

The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and suicide vests, they said.

Ghani declared Sunday a day of mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half staff.

On Monday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace in Kabul to demand the resignation of top Afghan defence officials over the attack.

The attack, and resulting military leadership shake-up, come as the Afghan Army prepares for what is expected to be a year of hard fighting against Taliban militants, who now control or contest more than 40 percent of the country.

Nearly 9,000 US troops remain in Afghanistan, in addition to thousands of international coalition forces.

The administration of new US President Donald Trump is considering whether to make changes to the US mission training and advising Afghan forces, and conducting raids against militant groups such as Islamic State.

The German military, which has led much of the advising effort in northern Afghanistan, said in the wake of the attack it would continue to work with the Afghans.  Reuters
Beirut, April 24

The leader of al-Qaeda urged his followers and other militants in Syria to unite ranks and prepare for protracted jihad, or holy war, in a recording.

Ayman al-Zawahri told in a recording released last night the jihadis, who control Syria's northwestern Idlib province and other territory, to remain steadfast and change tactics in order to wage guerrilla war.

Al-Qaeda began fighting alongside Syria's rebels early in the civil war and won allies among the opposition because of its military prowess.

Al-Qaeda's official branch, the Nusra Front, changed its name to the Fatah al-Sham Front and formally cut ties with al-Qaeda last year, but is still widely seen as being linked to the global terror network.

In Sunday's message, released through al-Qaeda's As-Sahab media arm, al-Zawahiri cast the Syrian conflict as part of a wider struggle aimed at imposing Islamic rule on the region and beyond. The local leaders of the Fatah al-Sham Front have tended to portray its struggle as being confined to Syria.

Al-Zawahri said an "international satanic alliance" would never accept Islamic rule in Syria, apparently referring to the Syrian government, its ally Russia, and the United States, all of which are actively targeting the group.

The Fatah al-Sham Front is perhaps the most powerful rebel-aligned faction, but dozens of other factions, both hard-line Islamists and more mainstream groups, are also battling Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

Zawahri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as the global leader of al-Qaeda after he was killed in a US raid in 2011, made his last public broadcast in May 2016, when he issued an audio message calling for unity among fighters in Syria.

Meanwhile, authorities began a sixth round of evacuations on Sunday for civilians and fighters from the opposition-held neighbourhood of al-Waer in Homs, Syria's third largest city, activists and Syrian state media reported.

Government forces have besieged the neighborhood since 2013, according to the Washington-based monitoring group Siege Watch. Rebels, opposition activists and their families agreed to vacate the district in an agreement signed in March in exchange for the end of hostilities.

The government will retake control of the neighborhood after the last of twelve rounds of evacuations are complete, in an expected three to four weeks, according to local media activist Osama Abou Zeid.

He said about 16,000 people are expected to leave the neighborhood, instead of reconciling themselves with the government's notorious security services. Siege Watch estimates there have been 60,000 people trapped under the siege.

An estimated 1,800 people, including some 500 fighters, left on Monday, said Abou Zeid. They are being taken to Jarablus, a town on the Turkish border that is under the control of Turkish and Syrian opposition forces.

Areas all over Syria have surrendered to the government in exchange for relief from its sieges. Rebels and dissidents are offered exile to rebel-held areas in northern Syria, if they do not want to reconcile with the authorities.

Tens of thousands have accepted to leave from areas around Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo, Syria's largest city.  AP
Paris, April 24

He was once the subject of mockery in French political circles  now it appears that Emmanuel Macron could have the last laugh. At 39, and running on an independent ticket, he has made through to the May 7 runoff where he will face far-right leader Marine Le Pen. He secured 8.4 million votes  more than any other candidate  in the first round.

Macron, who has never before held elected office, was current President Francois Hollandes Economy Minister but quit to create his own party, En Marche, which pushes a liberal, pro-EU agenda.

To his fans, Macron is the jolt that France needs  a dynamic fighter for reforms who could pull the country out of its economic malaise and crisis of confidence. To critics, he is an opportunist selling himself as a political rebel despite serving under Hollande for years and attending the same elite schools that have trained generations of French leaders.

His rival  Marine Le Pen  fits into well-defined political boxes. Macron does not. He wants to cut regulations that discourage entrepreneurship, reduce the size of the French state, welcome refugees and promote closer European integration.

As most other parties are now backing him, he is almost certain to win. But he may struggle to get enough of his candidates elected to Parliament - where more established parties, such as the Republicans and the Socialists, currently have the most seats.

In French politics, if you were neither right nor left you were nowhere. He has turned this into strength, said Pascal Lamy, the former head of the World Trade Organisation who has known Macron for over a decade.

If he is victorious, it will have major implications, not just for France, but for Europe.  Agencies
Melbourne: For the first time, India may export mangoes to Australia that meet biosecurity standards after Canberra revised phytosanitary protocols for the 'king of fruits'. The Indian mangoes would be for sale outside of the Australian mango season. However, the fruit has to meet biosecurity standards, including irradiation, before being exported, he said. PTI

Facebook not arbiter of truth: Sandberg

London: Responding to the criticism that Facebook has been facing over dissemination of fake news, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg has said that the company is not an "arbiter of truth". "We are really a platform and we take our responsibilities on false news very seriously. And we know that people want to see accurate news on Facebook and that's what we want them to see," she added. IANS

Driverless car test drive on UK roads

London: A consortium of British companies on Monday unveiled a plan to test driverless cars on UK roads and motorways in 2019. The Driven consortium led by Oxbotica, which makes software for driverless vehicles, also plans to try out a fleet of autonomous vehicles between London and Oxford, the BBC reported. Previous such tests in the UK have mainly taken place at slow speeds and not on public roads. IANS
Tokyo, April 24

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he and US President Donald Trump had agreed to maintain close contact over North Korea, while demanding Pyongyang show restraint as tensions in the region rise.

Abe told reporters after a telephone call with Trump that he appreciated the US leaders stance of showing that all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea.

Tensions have risen sharply over North Koreas advancing nuclear and missile programmes. The United States has ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula, prompting Pyongyang to say it was ready to sink the carrier.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the US carrier group in a show of solidarity.  Reuters
Paris, April 24

France's defeated political establishment has begun to rally against far-right leader Marine Le Pen as she goes head-to-head against political newcomer Emmanuel Macron in the final race for the French presidency on May 7.

As Le Pen celebrated the highest-ever voting tally for her Front National (NF) party, candidates knocked out in the first round began to endorse Macron, who ended his insurgent campaign with a first-place finish that confounded expectations, CNN reported.

French President Francois Hollande today called on voters to back centrist Emmanuel Macron in the second round, warning of dangerous consequences if far-right candidate Marine Le Pen were to win. "The presence of the far-right in the second round is a risk for the country," Hollande said in a televised address. What is at stake is France's make-up, its unity, its membership of Europe and its place in the world. He said he would vote for his ex-Economy Minister, because he was best placed to unite the people of France.

Defeated candidates, the Republicans Francois Fillon and Socialist Benoit Hamon, both urged supporters to vote for Macron.

Earlier in the day, far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Macron of being weak in the face of Islamist terrorism. Seeking to exploit Macron's lack of experience in the area, she told reporters in her northern stronghold of Henin-Beaumont: "I'm on the ground to meet the French people to draw their attention to important subjects, including Islamist terrorism, on which Mr Macron is, to say the least, weak."

However, Macron noted that Le Pen has less experience of national government than he does.

Global markets reacted with relief to Sunday's first round of voting, which broke the dominance of established parties of the centre-left and centre-right but still left a pro-European Union centrist and former economy minister in pole position to become France's next leader.

Anti-EU Le Pen received 21.42 per cent of votes, while Macron was leading in the first election round with 23.86 per cent, according to the preliminary results, published by the French Interior Ministry as having 97 per cent of votes counted. Both go through to a runoff on May 7.

The result amounted to a comprehensive rejection of traditional politics in France. It is the first time in six decades that neither of France's main left-wing or right-wing parties has had a candidate in the second round.  Agencies
Caracas, April 24

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for local elections in Venezuela  but not at the presidential level, which millions in his strife-torn nation are demanding.

Maduro in his weekly television address on Sunday endorsed voting planned for later this year at the mayoral and gubernatorial level.

Electionsyes, I want elections now, he said.

That is what I say as the head of state, and as the head of government, Maduro declared during his broadcast, which aired after three weeks of street protests that have claimed the lives of 20 Venezuelans.

Saturday saw peaceful, silent marches across Venezuela as protesters clad in white paid respects to those who have died.

More demonstrations are planned today, in a bid by Maduro opponents to drive him from power.

At present, a presidential election in Venezuela is scheduled to take place next year. The government has ruled out voting this year at the presidential level, as opposition leaders have demanded.

Dissidents blame the government for the unraveling of Venezuelas once-booming economy, which has left the country with shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

The spark that set off the near-daily protests was an attempt by the Supreme Court to take over the powers of the opposition-dominated Congress.  AFP
Washington/Beijing, April 24

US President Donald Trump said on Monday the UN Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea, amid escalating tensions over its missile and nuclear programmes, saying people had acted as if blindfolded for decades on a big problem that finally needed to be solved.

The status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable, Trump told a meeting of UN Security Council ambassadors at the White House, held at a time of mounting concern that North Korea may be preparing a sixth nuclear bomb test.

The council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, Trump said. This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem and it's a problem that we have to finally solve," he said. People put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem.

Trump gave no indication as to when new sanctions should be imposed on North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier called for all sides to exercise restraint in a telephone call about North Korea with Trump, as Japan conducted exercises with a US aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.

Angered by the approach of the USS Carl Vinson carrier group, a defiant North Korea, which has carried on nuclear and missile tests in defiance of successive rounds of UN sanctions, said the deployment was an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade. The US should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act, Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Norths ruling WorkersParty, said.

Two Japanese destroyers have joined the carrier group, and South Korea said it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

Trump, in his phone call with Xi, criticised Norths continued belligerence and emphasised that its actions are destabilising the Korean peninsula. He also spoke by telephone with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint, Abe said.  Reuters
Beijing/Seoul, April 24

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all sides to exercise restraint on Monday in a call about North Korea with US President Donald Trump, as Japan conducted joint drills with a US aircraft carrier strike group headed for Korean waters.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The carrier group was sent by Trump for exercises in waters off the Korean peninsula as a warning, amid growing fears North Korea could conduct another nuclear test soon in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Angered by the approach of the US carrier group, a defiant North Korea said on Monday the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson was an extremely dangerous act by those who plan a nuclear war to invade the North.

The United States should not run amok and should consider carefully any catastrophic consequence from its foolish military provocative act, Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Norths ruling Workers Party, said in a commentary on Monday.

Whats only laid for aggressors is dead bodies and deaths, the newspaper said.

Two Japanese destroyers have already joined the carrier group for drills in the western Pacific, and South Korea said on Monday it was also in talks about holding joint naval exercises.

Washington and its allies fear Pyongyang could be preparing to conduct another nuclear missile test or launch more ballistic missiles.

China is increasingly worried the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of its isolated and poverty-struck neighbour.

Xi told Trump that China resolutely opposes any actions that run counter to UN Security Council resolutions, a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.

China hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the peninsula, the statement paraphrased Xi as saying.

The nuclear issue can only be resolved quickly with all relevant countries pulling in the same direction, and China is willing to work with all parties, including the United States, to ensure peace, Xi said.

The issue has gained added urgency as North Korea prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean Peoples Army on Tuesday. It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches.

Repeated provocation

Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described his conversation with Trump as a thorough exchange of views.

We agreed to strongly demand that North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint, Abe told reporters.

We will maintain close contact with the United States, keep a high level of vigilance and respond firmly, he said.

Abe also said he and Trump agreed that China, North Koreas sole major ally, should play a large role in dealing with Pyongyang.

A Japanese official said the phone call between Trump and Abe was not prompted by any specific change in the situation.

The U.S. government has not specified where the carrier strike group is, but US Vice-President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive within days.

South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun gave no further details about the Souths plans, other than saying Seoul was holding discussions with the US Navy.

I can say the South Korean and US militaries are fully ready for North Koreas nuclear test, Moon said.

South Korean and US officials have feared for some time that North Korea could soon carry out its sixth nuclear test.

Satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity under way at North Koreas Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week.

However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a tactical pause before another test or was carrying out normal operations.

Adding to the heightened tensions, North Korea detained a US citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country.  Reuters
Djibouti, April 24

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis urged France to continue its fight against terror in Africa as he visited Djibouti, a strategic Horn of Africa nation which hosts Washingtons only permanent military base on the continent.

Camp Lemonnier, home to some 4,000 US soldiers and contractors, is vital to US military operations in Somalia against militant groups like Al-Shabaab, and also provides support for US operations in Yemen, where special forces regularly carry out drone strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

China is also in the process of establishing its first overseas military base in the small port country just a few miles from the US camp, which has raised concern in Washington.

I have no doubt that the French will continue to make their own decisions in their own best interest and that the terrorists will not enjoy these decisions after the (French presidential) election, Mattis told reporters.

They have always proven that they will stand up when it is time to stand against something like this. The US backs Frances Operation Barkhane, under which its military is fighting Islamists in five countries across the Sahel regionMauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger and Burkina Fasoalongside African allies.

During the visit to the former French colony Mattis met with President Ismael Omar Guelleh as well as with General Thomas Waldhauser, commander of US troops in Africa.

For (the defence department) Camp Lemonnier and Chabelley are critical in terms of logistics. They support multiple US combat command, a senior defence official said, referring to an airfield close to the camp, from which the US military operates drones.

Another senior defence official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, played down any concerns about Chinas base construction.

At this point I dont see why we should not be able to comfortably coexist with the Chinese presence, the way we do with the Japanese, the French... the official told reporters last week.  AFP
Connexions Loyalty, a subsidiary of Connecticut-based customer service company Affinion Group, purchased the assets of an existing Tulsa travel service center in January and hasnt stopped hiring since.

The company said in a news release that its purchase of the existing infrastructure in east Tulsa allowed it to retain 50 existing jobs. It has added 100 jobs in the meantime, bringing the number of employees up to 150. Connexions Loyalty plans on adding another 200-plus to its call-center operations at Corporate Woods business park on 129th East Avenue.

Tulsa has become something of a call center hub due to a plentiful workforce and available telecommunications infrastructure. The metro area has about 16,000 people employed at call centers, according to data from the Tulsa Regional Chamber.

The jobs added will be travel consultant positions, which will help handle the travel rewards program for a credit card company, according to a news release.

We are excited to join the Tulsa community. The consultants we retained are top producers, and theyre excited to be back to work, helping customers create their individual travel experiences, said Kathy Austin, vice president of human resources. Our goal is to substantially grow the customer service center by hiring more individuals in the Tulsa area with strong customer service experience; travel industry experience is a plus but is not required.

Austin said Tulsa was attractive to the company because of the existing travel industry experience and the availability of potential employees.

The consultants will help book airline tickets, hotel accommodations and car rentals.
Everyones heard about performers receiving their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In Tulsa, Oklahomas film legends are being honored with a circle.

The Oklahoma Walk of Fame can be found on the sidewalk outside the historic Circle Cinema, where for a couple of years the nonprofit art-house theater has been adding one circular stone at a time.

James Garner. Alfre Woodard. Tony Randall. Mary Kay Place. All of them Oklahomans and many with Tulsa roots.

The theater is up to 43 now, and on several occasions, the honorees have been present for the dedication of their medallion, or family members have appeared for those who have passed on.

Ill always remember Roy Clark looking down at his and saying, I never thought Id get this close to Gene Autry! whose stone is right next to his, said Clark Wiens, co-founder of the Circle Cinema Foundation, with a chuckle.

Or Tracy Letts saying, in effect, that with the ashes of his father (honoree Dennis Letts) spread at sea, that he would consider this to be his fathers memorial here, his final resting place in Tulsa.

Members of the board considered the walk of fame idea, and when they discovered that the granite markers could be made in a round shape, Circle Cinema began remaking its sidewalk.

Theyve been very popular with people stopping to look at them, either as they enter the theater or when they leave, and the most popular comment is always the same: I cant believe all these people are Oklahomans, Wiens said.

The theater has worked to coordinate the dedication of many of the medallions with times that an honoree comes to Tulsa, such as when Tulsas Jeanne Tripplehorn or Tim Blake Nelson have screened a new film at Circle Cinema.

At other times, there have been surprise visits, like when Jennifer Jones son stopped in with the Oscar winners grandchildren.

And there have been highly organized ceremonies, as when more than 100 members of the Creek Nation and Will Sampsons family were present for the medallion dedication for the One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest star.

Once in a while, someone decides to take action to have a medallion added to the Oklahoma Walk of Fame.

That was the case with Circle Cinema members Daniel Moses and Bonnie Scott.

We saw these medallions and enjoyed them, and they were all Oklahomans, and I said, Well, my friend in the Navy, Hoyt Axton, should have a spot here,  said Moses, who paid to sponsor a medallion honoring the Oklahoma native, whose songs have appeared in many films and who also acted for years before his 1999 death.

We served together for about six months in 1958 on the USS Princeton, and wed go work out together and I had some really great experiences with him, Moses said, laughing about a memory of Axton getting into a fight over an extra piece of chicken in the chow line.

It was a good feeling to watch them drop that granite stone in, and now every time we go to the Circle, we take a look at it. He was a good guy, and his mother was just wonderful.

The Circle Cinema keeps the sidewalk area lit at night so that guests can observe the medallions day or night.

More are already being made to add in the future for Oklahoma stars who will someday need a circle.
Legendary investor Warren Buffett told us to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful."

Well, there's plenty of fear to go around in the energy industry these days, from persistently low oil prices to geopolitical concerns. And the stock prices of big oil companies have taken big hits. Is it time for smart investors to start getting greedy and buy? Let's check on beaten-down big oil stocks ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), BP (NYSE: BP), and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) (NYSE: RDS-B) to see which -- if any -- look like bargains right now.

ExxonMobil, the biggest of the big

Despite some pretty solid fundamentals, industry behemoth ExxonMobil has taken its lumps along with the rest of the integrated majors since the current weak oil market began in 2014:

Starting in 2016, the stock began to show some life, before sinking lower again this year. This despite Exxon's status as the only integrated major with positive free cash flow and its best-in-class credit ratings of Aaa from Moody's and AA+ from Standard & Poor's. The company's return metrics, like return on equity and return on capital employed, are among the industry's highest, a sign of good management.

So, Exxon may be strong, but is it a "bargain?" Traditional earnings ratios are of limited help here, because sector earnings have fallen to a degree that such metrics -- like the PE ratio -- look sky-high across the industry, or are unavailable because a company's earnings are in negative territory.

A good proxy metric, though, is dividend yield, which gives us a sense of how cheap the stock is relative to its dividend. And ExxonMobil's dividend payout hasn't been cut during the recent slump, which would drastically alter the yield.

In fact, as you can see from the chart below, ExxonMobil's current yield of about 3.7% is near the high end of its 10-year range, indicating that the stock may indeed be in bargain territory right now:

BP doesn't stand for "bargain price"

Like Exxon, BP's dividend yield is also at the high end of its range, although in 2010, the company slashed its then-record-high dividend back in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizons oil spill. At nearly 7%, BP's yield is nearly twice that of ExxonMobil's. But that doesn't necessarily mean BP's stock is twice as cheap.

You see, BP has a problem Exxon doesn't: It can't seem to get its breakeven point low enough. The breakeven point for an oil company is the oil price point above which the company earns a profit. Some big oil companies have gotten their breakeven points down to $50/barrel, and luckily for them, oil prices have been hovering just north of that level so far this year.

But BP has announced its breakeven point will rise to $60/barrel this year, which means it isn't profitable at today's oil prices (or at the oil prices of the last two years). After a public backlash, BP CEO Bob Dudley reassured investors that the breakeven price would drop to $35/barrel-$40/barrel by 2021. That's a long time to wait, though, even with a 7% dividend in return for your patience. As a result, BP isn't looking like as much of a bargain as Exxon at the moment.

Royal Dutch Shell scores high

Royal Dutch Shell's breakeven price is far lower than BP's. In fact, many of the company's newer deepwater oil projects -- including those in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil -- are below $40/barrel. While Shell's CEO Ben Van Beurden hasn't given a specific breakeven price, some industry analysts put it and Exxon's at about $50/barrel.

However, Royal Dutch Shell combines Exxon's breakeven price with a best-in-class dividend yield of about 7.4%. That dividend is also near a record high, indicating that Shell, too, may currently be in bargain territory.

There's another question mark when it comes to evaluating Shell. The company is wrapping up the integration of its recent major purchase, gas giant BG Group. While this gives the company additional exposure to the booming liquefied natural gas market -- for which global demand is expected to increase by 4% to 5% per year through 2030 -- it will also force Shell to sell off more than $30 billion in assets by 2018. Like Shell's breakeven point, those assets haven't been identified. They'll probably be some of the company's less profitable assets, but nobody knows for sure.

All of this makes Shell a probable bargain at its current prices, but it's not a stock without risk.

Investor takeaway

Indeed, where the price of oil goes over the next decade is going to be one of the biggest determinants of the success -- or failure -- of these and other big oil companies. And nobody knows where that price is heading. If per-barrel oil prices collapse, say, below $30, nobody is going to think these stocks are bargains at today's prices. On the other hand, if oil prices jump to $75/barrel, people who jumped into these stocks now will be hailed as geniuses for getting in when they did.

That said, ExxonMobil is looking like one of the best big oil bargains right now, with Shell probably a bargain as well. BP might be a bargain if it can get its breakeven point under control, but the other two are probably better bets for the time being.

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John Bromels owns shares of BP. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron and Total. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Police in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, arrested a Muskogee man Monday who fled Oklahoma last year while free on bond in a 2013 homicide near 71st Street and Memorial Drive.

A news release says 23-year-old Jordan Batice Mitchell, who had an address in Odenton, Maryland, was arrested just after 12:30 a.m. Monday after a search of his vehicle turned up a loaded 9 mm handgun with a 30-round magazine, 15 grams of heroin, 4 grams of crack cocaine, 8 grams of marijuana, 14 various pills and $740 in cash.

Police said Mitchell gave the arresting officer a false name, and that officers determined after taking his fingerprints that he had an active murder warrant in Tulsa County.

Mitchell was charged with first-degree felony murder on Aug. 11, 2015, in the Sept. 27, 2013, shooting death of Christian DeHart, who was found dead in a garage in the 7100 block of South 77th East Avenue.

Court minutes show Special Judge Clifford Smith granted Mitchell a bond reduction on March 22, 2016, after a preliminary hearing and ordered that Mitchell stand trial on the murder count.

Mitchell posted a $350,000 bond a week later and pleaded not guilty before District Judge Sharon Holmes during his trial court arraignment June 13.

Holmes set a jury trial for April 24.

Assistant District Attorney Erik Grayless moved Aug. 24 to have Holmes revoke Mitchells bond because he had picked up a felony drug charge in Oklahoma County. Holmes set a hearing on the matter for Sept. 8, but court minutes state Mitchell did not appear, which prompted the judge to issue an arrest warrant.

Tulsa World archives state Mitchell and 27-year-old Darrelle Lydelle Goff were first charged with the same offense on Nov. 8, 2013, but that Mitchells charge was dropped during a May 2014 preliminary hearing pending further investigation. Once prosecutors gathered more evidence, they refiled the felony murder charge against Mitchell, who turned himself in to authorities on Aug. 19, 2015.

Goff is scheduled for a jury trial in October.

Goff has been free since May 6 on a $350,000 bond, which Holmes authorized last April over the states objection.

Police said Mitchell partnered with Goff to rob Hart and two other people, alleging that Goff facilitated a high-dollar drug deal between Mitchell and a person who lived at the home.

They said Mitchell and another man, armed with rifles, went to the home in the middle of the night demanding marijuana. Both of them are accused of shooting DeHart and leaving.

Goff, in addition to felony murder, faces two counts of shooting with intent to kill and one count of robbery with a firearm.
Tulsa police are investigating after two people reportedly followed an employee into a McDonald's as the employee was taking out the trash.

The employee propped open the restaurant's back door, located in the 1400 block of North Peoria Avenue as he was taking out the trash. The two people, at least one of them armed with a firearm, entered through the door and held the employees at gunpoint, Tulsa Police Officer Jeanne MacKenzie said.

The two suspects absconded with an undisclosed amount of cash about 5:40 a.m. Monday from the restaurant. None were injured during the robbery, police said.

One suspect was wearing a brown jacket and a hoodie. The other suspect was wearing a black hat with a blue bandana, MacKenzie said.

Anyone with information may contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 918-596-COPS (2677), online at p3tips.com/918 or through the Tulsa Tips app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or iTunes stores.
Former Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris says hell take his boxing gloves to Washington if hes elected to Congress from Oklahomas 1st District.

I want to fight for you, Harris said Monday in declaring his candidacy in the eighth-floor lobby of the office he used to oversee at the Tulsa County Courthouse.

During his 16 years as district attorney, Harris hung the boxing gloves on the office doors of employees who had been fighting the peoples fight.

Harris is one of at least four Republican candidates seeking to succeed Rep. Jim Bridenstine, who is not seeking re-election.

Other announced candidates are Andy Coleman of Owasso, Danny Stockstill of Tulsa and Kevin Hern of Tulsa.

The 1st District includes all of Tulsa, Washington and Wagoner counties and small slivers of Rogers and Creek counties.

Harris said he will be directed by Gods holy word and the U.S. Constitution and predicted victory if it is Gods will.

Government is not our savior, he said. The only savior we have is named Jesus Christ, and he is the son of God.

Harris promised to protect children and the elderly and said the First Amendment rights of speech and religion are being stolen from us.

Political correctness, he said, is taking away the American dream, and the rule of law is breaking down.

I am a Christian; I am a conservative; and Im proud to be a Republican, Harris said.
Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE: MMP) and Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO) both offer investors very similar current yields of 4.45% and 4.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, both companies have sector-leading credit metrics, which improves the security of those payouts. But while each appears to be an excellent candidate for an income investor's portfolio, Magellan has two additional security features that give it the upper hand for investors that value safety above all else.

Cash flow is king

As a refiner, Valero turns oil into refined products such as gasoline and diesel. That's its core business, so the company has direct exposure to commodity prices, which can have a significant impact on its profitability. Last year was one of those years where its exposure to commodity prices had a major impact on earnings and cash flow. In fact, adjusted net income plunged 59.7%, while net cash provided by operating activities slumped 14.1% to $4.8 billion. While the company still generated more than enough money to cover its $1.1 billion in dividends and $2 billion in capital spending, the concern is that a string of even worse years could jeopardize the company's ability to maintain the dividend.

Magellan, on the other hand, has limited direct exposure to commodity prices, because the master limited partnership primarily owns assets that generate stable fees. In fact, last year only 13% of its operating margin came from commodity-related activities, while the other 87% came from fees for services. Magellan's distributable cash flow thus edged up 0.5% last year to $947.5 million despite a very tough year for the energy sector. That ability to deliver stable cash flow in tough years makes it much more likely that Magellan will be able to maintain its payout over the long term.

Visible growth on the horizon

The other factor that plays in Magellan's favor is the clear visibility it has into future cash-flow growth. For example, the company expects to generate roughly $1 billion in distributable cash flow this year as a result of new fee-based projects entering service. Because of that clearly visible cash flow growth, Magellan expects to increase its payout by 8% this year. Further, with $900 million of construction projects already under way through next year, Magellan plans to provide investors with another 8% increase in 2018.

Valero also has clearly visible growth on the horizon, since it's spending $1.1 billion in expansion capital this year, including $265 million on a pipeline joint venture with Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE: PAA). However, while that pipeline project with Plains All American Pipeline will generate stable cash flow once it enters service, the bulk of the company's other projects will only increase its capacity to process commodities. Thus, there's no guarantee that these projects will generate incremental cash flow once they enter service, since prices could collapse. While that's not what Valero expects to happen, it simply can't be ruled out. So investors can't bank on seeing these projects grow Valero's cash flow to the same extent that Magellan's investors can take its projects to the bank.

Investor takeaway

Valero and Magellan Midstream Partners are both good income stocks. However, because of its focus on operating primarily fee-based assets, Magellan generates a much more stable cash flow stream. That not only lowers the risk of it running into trouble maintaining the payout during down times but also increases the visibility of future growth. Those two reasons make Magellan a better dividend stock than Valero, in my opinion.

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This weekends torrential rainfall has resulted in the release of floodwater from Lake Hudson and Grand Lake, according to the Grand River Dam Authority.

At the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 11 spillway gates have been opened at Pensacola Dam, discharging 50,080 cubic feet per second of water from Grand Lake, a news release states. The lakes elevation as of Sunday afternoon was 747 feet, five feet higher than the target elevation.

Meanwhile, three floodgates opened at Robert S. Kerr Dam, discharging 40,557 cubic feet per second of water from Lake Hudson, according to the release.

The lakes elevation Sunday was 626 feet, seven feet higher than the target elevation.

GRDA is restricting access to the spillway areas below the dams during the process and issued a reminder that entering floodwater discharge is illegal.

Much of northeast Oklahoma received 2.5 to 4.5 inches or more of rain between Thursday and Sunday, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet.
NITV will premiere Australian TVs first contemporary childrens animation series with an Indigenous perspective when Little J & Big Cuz launches on Friday.

Featuring an impressive voice cast Miranda Tapsell, (Little J) Deborah Mailman (Big Cuz), Aaron FaAoso (Old Dog) and Ningali Lawfoolf (Nanna) the series follows five year old Little J and his cousin, nine-year old Big Cuz, as they explore themes of Indigenous identity, connection to country, traditional knowledge and cultural practices.

Guided by their wise and wonderful Nanna, their enthusiastic teacher Ms Chen, and accompanied by their Old Dog, Little J and his Big Cuz navigate lessons of bravado and humility, impulsiveness and patience, shame and confidence, selfhood and empathythemes that are common to childhood everywhere.

Select episodes will also feature in six Indigenous languages including Djambarrpuyngu, Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte, Walmajarri, Yawuru and Palawa kani.

NITV Channel Manager Tanya Orman said: As Australias first animation series featuring Indigenous children, Little J & Big Cuz lets Indigenous kids see themselves on screen in a positive and fun way. The series is truly wonderful and features the best Indigenous writers in the country, great directors and animators, and a truly amazing cast.

Importantly, Little J & Big Cuz works towards demystifying Indigenous culture for non-Indigenous children and enable schools to value and share this culture and knowledge, just as much as it will demystify schools for Indigenous kids.

Little J & Big Cuz is part of a springboard strategy created by The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), with a body of written, visual and interactive teacher and family resource materials being developed. This additional resource material can be used in classrooms and the family home to stimulate discussion and encourage active engagement to enhance understanding of traditional experience and the importance and enjoyment of attending school and becoming part of the school community.

SNAICC  National Voice for our Children CEO Gerry Moore comments: As the national peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, SNAICC is incredibly proud to be a part of this project. Starting school can be daunting for any child and strong partnerships between early childhood services, schools, communities, children and their families are crucial in ensuring a positive transition experience. Little J & Big Cuz takes us all on a journey, walking in the footsteps of our little ones, as they make this important transition.

Little J & Big Cuz is a Ned Lander Media and Old Dog Pictures production, commissioned by NITV and funded by The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and Screen Australia, in association with Film Victoria, Screen Tasmania and The Australian Childrens Television Foundation.

Friday 28 April at 7:30pm, or on weekdays from Monday 1 May at 4pm.
Not even a broken TV would stop Connie from watching her brother Sam Johnson win at the Logie Awards, last night crowding around an iPhone to watch him take Gold and Silver for Molly.

Connie and the Love Your Sister village were instrumental in getting him to the finish line and it was a moment she would not miss.

My sister is succumbing finally to the perils of cancer after a three-decade long tussle and rather than rolling over she is going out blazing with an attempted world record for the longest line of coins, Johnson told the Crown Palladium audience.

She is putting together a row of coins in the shape of a love heart  the biggest love heart this country has ever seen made in five cent pieces from cancer families all around the country with the entire proceeds going directly to our scientists and researchers  no skimming, no admin.

It is only $2.90 for one metre of five cent coins. The heart is being laid in 12 days and on behalf of my beautiful sister Connie, who Id like to dedicate this award to, Id like to urge everyone watching, affected by cancer or not, to join us in our quest to keep families safe from the terrors of cancer.

But his Gold Logie win was upstaged by an incoherent Molly Meldrum, denying Johnson a chance to join a rollcall of classic Logie speeches.

Johnson also told media, Im not a TV personality, I am a Facebook personality and as far as I can tell even if you factor in the viewing numbers of Molly and even if you factor in Mollys inherent iconography, it doesnt explain me being in that [Gold Logie] category. To me, our lovely Sister village had a lot to do with it and I am so annoyed I didnt have the presence of mind to acknowledge them. I had it all planned. This about Connie for me  and the village who wanted their snotty-nosed brother to give it a crack.

Source: Herald Sun
A Syrian refugee carries his youngest son at a petting zoo during an outing arranged by his Canadian sponsors, in March 2016. The Syrian family came to Canada under a government programme that allows private citizens to sponsor refugees.  UNHCR/Jimmy Jeong

OTTAWA, Canada  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) praised Canada today for providing solutions to the plight of a record 46,700 refugees through their resettlement to Canada in 2016. This is the largest amount of refugees admitted in a year since the implementation of the 1976 Immigration Act and a significant contribution to UNHCRs global appeal to increase much needed refugee solutions.

This is a tremendous achievement which reflects Canada's longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and assisting them with their integration into Canadian society, said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, UNHCR Representative in Canada. Without this support, scores of refugees would have been left in life-threatening situations and without any hope. Canada has again shown the world that successful resettlement is possible, particularly when government and civil society work together. Building on this success, UNHCR will continue to work closely with Canada to expand resettlement solutions to benefit the most vulnerable refugees.

Canada is proud to work with UNHCR to bring vulnerable refugees to our country. These newcomers help us build our society, culture and economy in long lasting and enduring ways, said the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Canada hopes to increase global refugee resettlement and support civil society and other jurisdictions to expand resettlement along with developing other solutions for the world's most vulnerable.

Historically, Canadas largest resettlement effort was with the Indochinese movement, which at its high point resulted in 40,271 refugees being admitted in 1980. In 1986, the Nansen Medal was awarded to Canada and its people in recognition of its response to the Indochinese Movement that directly helped thousands of persecuted individuals to start new lives Canada. Thirty years later, Canada proves once again that the same spirit of compassion and altruism continues to be present.

Compared to 2015, the 2016 resettlement level reflects a striking 133 per cent increase. This is due in part to the success of Canadas humanitarian transfer of Syrian refugees carried throughout 2016 with UNHCRs support, and which combined efforts by both the government and civil society to support the resettlement and integration of Syrian refugees into various communities across Canada.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to come to Canada. Having two of my children going to school and the smiles I now see on the faces of my other three disabled children is a dream come true. Back home, they would have been made fun of, or ignored, but here, everyone wants to help out, says Shamsa, a Syrian mother of five who arrived to Canada in 2016. I am so touched by this and cant wait to also give back to the community.

With the current levels of forcible displacement worldwide (21 million refugees) and an estimated 1,190,000 individuals in need of resettlement in 2017, UNHCR continues to appeal to countries, including Canada, for solidarity with refugees: only one per cent of refugees ever get a chance to be resettled. Resettlement continues to be a unique and tangible response to those in need of protection as it offers extremely vulnerable refugees an opportunity to restart their lives in safety and dignity.

Over the last four decades, Canada has generously welcomed some 700,000 refugees.

For information on Canadas resettlement programs: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/index.asp

For information on resettlement in Canada:

http://www.unhcr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Canadian-Resettlement-Fact-Sheet-ENG-April-2017.pdf

For information on Shamsa and family:

http://www.unhcr.ca/news/syrian-family-canadian-resettlement/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contacts:

Gisele Nyembwe

Public Information Associate, UNHCR Canada

Tel: (613) 232-0909, extension 225

Email: [email protected]
Madison students are building on the momentum of last week's walkout calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Taking a PhD, regardless of the subject is an experience like no other. It is challenging and is never easy. This is why, people who have chosen this path find the experience very stressful. In fact, a Belgian study has recently revealed that students who are pursuing PhD degrees are more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress.

In the study, 3,659 students were enrolled in PhD programs were surveyed at the universities in Flanders, Belgium, Big Think reported. Roughly 50 percent of these students have reported symptoms of poor mental health conditions, and what's worse is that one-third of the respondents have reported experiencing at least four type of symptoms, which is really worse compared to their highly educated peers.

Some of the most common symptoms reported were feelings of depression, constant strain, unhappiness, sleeplessness and others, And based on the study, one of the biggest reason that influences the psychological distress is when students are prevented from meeting the needs of their families due to work. But the researchers have not drawn the conclusions yet on what exactly causes the problems.

On the other, it was observed that there are a few things which helped control the symptoms. The students who have had inspirational supervisors, those who have straight and clear plans about their careers are the ones who have exhibited less symptoms of poor mental health.

This means that universities must be able to do something about this. According to Inside Higher Ed, mental health issues are one of the biggest obstacles to the success of graduate students, and it is not enough that universities offer counselling programs. They must acknowledge the problem and come up with solutions to help destress their students. As far as the researchers are concerned, they also suggest that colleges should take efforts to help students achieve healthy work-family balance and workload.
Many Americans would agree that pursuing college and earning a degree can give them the financial boost that they need for the rest of their lives. Reports have shown how an average college graduate can make more income compared to non-degree holders or an average high school graduate.

However, it is not easy to obtain a degree without having to spend a significant amount of money for college. This is why most students would take on student loans in order to afford college education. In fact, according to Student Loan Hero, more than 44 million borrowers are in student loan debt. But here's the catch. There are actually ways, in fact, creative ways for students to be able to pay for college without having to borrow money.

For those who have already exhausted all options when it comes to scholarships and financial aids, there are still ways to be get creative and afford college education. Here are some of those ways according to Elite Daily.

Consider modeling

There are plenty of options that students can find when it comes to modeling. They can be a model for a local ad campaign, for some local artists who want to make a bigger name, etc. Aside from the extra cash, this could be an added exposure for students especially when they get to be seen on the social media.

Think of crowdfunding

Crowdfunding for education is not a bad cause. And it is worth a try because it can easily be shared and spread in the social media. There might be a lot of individuals who could extend a helping hand.

Be a counsellor during summer camp

Becoming a camp counsellor can open doors of opportunities for students to their dream college. The money will be able to help pay for the tuition, and the experience is also something that can they can leverage on if they want to take a paid mentorship or leadership position in the long run.
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Soon-to-be college students might already be looking for a good quality, yet affordable school by now. And while it is not easy to look for one, here's a New York college that offers not only 100 percent free college tuition, but also 100 percent job placement rate.

Webb Institute is one of the very few schools in the United States that offer a free tuition for college education, Business Insider reported. This school is also proud to be one of those that offer strong academic programs and the nation's best schools for undergraduate education.

According to the school's official website, they are recognized as a college with outstanding academics and are highly recommended to the applicants by The Princeton Review. While it really sounds very promising, there is actually a catch in all of these for the attendees. The students who aspire to enjoy all of these rewards must take double major in naval architecture and marine engineering.

Webb has very few students, which is why they can assure the best learning experience, considering that the ratio is about 8:1. They have an enrollment of roughly 90 students and have direct access to their professors. And unlike any other colleges, it is the not the students that switch classrooms; their professors are the ones who change rooms between classes.

Because of their strict and rigorous academic standards, the graduates get to experience the rewards after college because the students all can immediately find employment in the maritime industry. They also can land promising careers in the fields of engineering and finance.

So for the incoming college students who are interested to take majors in naval architecture and marine engineering, but could hardly afford college, Webb Institute would be the best school to provide the amazing opportunity for those who want a high quality education for free.
Oxford University has just issued its latest guidance which says that students who don't make eye contact when talking to others are racists. This has sparked controversy with critics accusing the university as completely plunging into leftist delusion.

The guideline was issued by Oxford's Equality and Diversity Unit which classified other behaviors like not talking to other students and asking someone where they came from as types of racism. The guideline went even as far as saying that these types of micro-aggressions can even lead to mental ill health.

This is not the first time Oxford issued a guideline that seems to overstep the boundaries because it dictates students what they should think and feel. Last year, the university's law students were told that they can skip lectures if they find the topics distressing.

Dr. Joanna Williams, a lecturer of higher education at the University of Kent, said that by issuing such guidelines, the university is accusing people of committing a thought crime based on an incorrect assumption.

She also added that these force people to look at each other as a person of color as well as place them into stereotypical boxes. Because of this, people cannot relate to each other naturally and spontaneously as their conversations will be laden with making sure that they follow all these guidelines.

Other critics accuse Oxford of feeding the egos of the snowflake generation, which Collin Dictionary defined in 2016 as the generation who are more prone to take offense and are less resilient than those generations before them.

Oxford's Equality and Diversity Unit defended itself saying that they are trying to create an atmosphere that is free from discrimination but filled with equal opportunity.

Meanwhile, it seems like other universities are following after Oxford. Earlier this year, Cardiff Metropolitan University stopped using gender specific terms in their vocabulary. The University of Glasgow, on the other hand, issued trigger warnings to theology students who are studying the crucifixion of Jesus.
Sleep is important to all but because of stress and many other factors, many students don't get enough sleep. This does not only add to more stress but it makes a lot of students more inefficient. Here are a few tips from experts how to sleep better and get the much-needed rest.

Develop a consistent bedtime routine

Habits play an important role in every aspect of people's lives. Thus, it makes sense that people should also develop a habit in their sleep routine. Research has proven that developing a consistent bedtime routine is very helpful.

Dim the lights in the room

According to research, bright bluish light sends a message to the brain that it is still daytime stopping the brain to release chemicals that are very important to sleep. This is also the reason why some people who leave their lights on at night wake up tired the next day. Scientists from the Harvard Medical School suggests using red, dim lights in the evening to make the brain get to sleep faster.

Stop drinking alcohol

Partying and booze are part of the college life. However, these habits cost a lot of students the much-needed rest. Regardless of the articles that talk about red wine and booze, the National Institute of Health research revealed that alcohol drinkers take more time to fall asleep than those who do not.

A warm bath

Although there's not a lot of studies to back it off, taking a warm bath before sleeping seems to have a calming effect on the body and making people doze off faster.

Blowing bubbles

Rachel Marie Salas, a neurology professor at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, suggests blowing bubbles to make the body doze off easily. She said that it is like a breathing exercise that clears the mind and relaxes the body helping people sleep easier.

Listening to classical music

Another research showed that listening to classical music has a calming effect on the mind. The study showed how a group of students had improved their sleep quality and relaxed their minds as they listen to classical music while on bed at night.

See the doctor

Some students have serious insomnia problems. When this is the case, it is strongly recommended that students should seek help from medical experts because there might be an underlying reason for that insomnia.
Bilingualism is the ability of an individual to speak two languages well. A study by Florida Atlantic University researchers found that two languages can develop simultaneously but independently in young bilingual children.

Their study was published in the journal "Developmental Science." The researchers found that each language proceeds to grow independently from another language when children learn them from birth. It grows at a rate that reflects the quality of the children's exposure to each language.

In a press release via EurekAlert, it was reported that the researchers conducted the study on Spanish- and English-speaking children. They discovered that the children's Spanish skills became vulnerable as children's English skills develop but not the other way around.

Their longitudinal data found evidence that the children's rates of Spanish growth declined as they developed stronger English skills. However, their Spanish skills did not cause their English-speaking growth to slow.

Erika Hoff, Ph.D., lead author of the study, said that, similar to monolingual developments, the size of bilingual children's vocabularies and the grammatical complexity of their speech are strongly related. She did clarify, though, that vocabulary and grammar in one language are not related to the same factors of the other language.

Holt and her collaborators David Giguere, a graduate research assistant at FAU and Jamie M. Quinn, a graduate research assistant at Florida State University used longitudinal data on bilingual children who were exposed to English and Spanish at birth. They measured the vocabulary and level of grammatical development in the participants in six-month intervals between the ages of two and a half to four years old.

It was noted that the researchers hypothesized that vocabulary and grammar development on the same timetable may be influenced by an internal factor to the child. They also explored the possibility that children may need specific vocabulary to start learning grammar and that vocabulary can provide the foundation for grammar.
Former President of the United States Barack Obama will be appearing in public stage for the first time since he left office. On Monday, he will be speaking at a University of Chicago forum.

The audience of the forum will be a group of politically diverse students from high school age to those in graduate school. The 44th president will lead the forum.

According to NBC News, people should not expect Obama to criticize current President Donald Trump. His advisers said that he will instead advocate for his own administration's policies such as the Affordable Care Act.

It was noted that students will not be censored if they discuss Trump. It includes one self-identified Republican and others who described themselves as Democrats or progressives.

Sources claimed that Obama has not communicated with Trump since he left office but expects to be a resource if sought out. They clarified that the lack of contact between the two leaders should not imply that there is anything bad about their relationship.

The event is not sponsored by Obama's presidential foundation. The former president is coming as an individual and is working with the University of Chicago.

The current administration has been vocal in its efforts to retract Obama-era policies. First it was the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act and, recently, Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of the Department of Education, has withdrawn a series of policy memos developed by the Obama administration.

NBC Chicago reported that former President Obama will be discussing community organizing and civic engagement with "young leaders from area schools." The event will start at 11 a.m. at the school's Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.

The discussion is invitation-only but a television feed will be provided. The event is part of the former President's post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world.
University professor Tony Kim also known as Kim Sang-duk, who is a Korean-American citizen, has been detained on Saturday. This has increased the number of Americans believed to be held by the secretive nation to three.

If confirmed, the arrest would complicate the relations of both nations. Park Chan-mo, chancellor of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) revealed that Kim was detained over the weekend.

He also said, according to the New York Times, that Kim had taught accounting at the university for nearly a month. Kim previously taught at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China before he went to Pyongyang.

Apparently, Kim was detained by officials at Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang. This was when he was trying to leave North Korea.

A South Korean news agency described Kim as being in his late 50s. It was also revealed that he had been involved in aid and relief programs to North Korea.

The Swedish Embassy in the reclusive country said that it was aware that a Korean-American citizen was recently detained. The agency checks consular affairs in North Korea on behalf of the United States since the latter does not have formal diplomatic ties with the country.

The South Korean government, with its Unification Ministry and National Intelligence Service, was unable to confirm the report. However, the reclusive country has been known to detain foreigners in order to gain diplomatic leverage. It is believed that two other Americans are known to be held in the country.

PUST was founded about seven years ago by Korean-American businessman James Kim. It became the only private university in the country.

According to a 2014 report by BBC, students at the institution are hand-picked by the North Korean government to attend. Classes are taught in English but traditions of the country still remain.

Bustle noted that the two other Americans believed to be detained in the reclusive country are Otto Warmbier, a college student in his 20s, and Kim Dong Chul. Both of them have been sentenced to several years of hard labor last year.
People with good financial literacy are less likely to worry about their retirement age. If one is equipped with the right knowledge on finance, he or she going to accumulate more stream of income in their lifetime. This will prepare them to sustain their lives for old age.

Hiroshima University's Associate Professor Yoshihiko Kadova and Nagoya University's Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan came up with the study that led to these findings by conducting a survey across Japan on their calculation skills, intuition on pricing behavior, and knowledge on financial securities, Eureka Alert reported. The respondents were asked how much wealth they have accumulated and how they felt about their lives when they reach beyond the age of 65. This is the first study on financial literacy concerning people's feelings on old age, which makes it very useful for policy makes in developed countries with more ageing population.

The study found that Japanese society doesn't necessarily have high financial literacy. It also found that men are more financially literate than women. The main thrust of the study is that financially literate people will earn more money in their lifetime making them more confident in facing older age and whatever problems they will have in life.

The Untied States is celebrating April as Financial Literacy Month to increase financial knowledge among its citizens, Investopedia reported. Experts give three ways that can make financial literacy more effective and significant. This first advice is that everything changes including the economy, the financial industry, and an individual's financial situation.

Another advice is to start teaching real financial literacy beginning in college. Students should be taught how to handle debt, since it is in college that they are most likely to encounter for the first time student debt, credit card, and other liabilities. Finally, people should never stop learning about financial literacy, to keep up with the ever changing arena.
Oral history is becoming increasingly popular among schools in countries like the United States, Germany, and more. Eyewitnesses give their own accounts on what happened in the past, encouraging students to be like historians and critically question the sources. However, a new study suggests that hearing the story from eyewitnesses makes students accept the account uncritically, which leads to learning less.

A study by the University of Tubingen published in "American Education Research Journal" claims that students learn less from videos of eyewitness than from a video that shows a transcript of that interview, Science Daily reported. The study observed 900 students coming from 30 different schools in Germany on the topic of "Peaceful Revolution in the GDR" taught through oral history accounts. The students were divided into three groups, where one group worked with the witnesses; the other watched a video recording, while the third group watched the transcript video of the witnesses.

The study found that the students who listened to live witnesses did not meet the standard the teaching unit was aiming for. These students showed less learning on the epistemological principles on the lessons of history. These students didn't have a clearer insight of the eyewitness' special perspective and the necessity of dealing with the accounts critically.

Since the eyewitnesses experienced the events first hand, it would be difficult for the students to detach themselves and have their own objective view of the historical event. University of Konstanz's Christiane Bertram, who is the author of the study, said, "Students got so impressed with the oral accounts of the eyewitness that they overestimate the success of their own learning experience. Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology's Ulrich Trautwein said the study encourages innovative new teaching methods to undergo scientific examination to improve its effectiveness.

One example of oral history is the upcoming "Discovering Your Legacy Through Oral History" event at the Central Texas Genealogical Society, Waco Tribune-Herald reported. The event will have interviewers who will read accounts from "I Remember When... McLennan County Before 1960." The event is supposed to help the attendees develop strategies on interviewing and questioning.
Union Pacific Plans to Invest $57 Million in its Nebraska Rail Infrastructure

Union Pacific is boosting safety and efficiency with an approximately $57 million infrastructure investment in Nebraska this year. Projects funded by Union Pacific benefit Nebraskas overall transportation infrastructure without taxpayer funds.

Union Pacifics investment plan funds a range of initiatives: $53 million to maintain railroad track and $721,000 to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include:

$6 million investment in the rail line between Gibbon and Overton to undercut 43 miles of track.

$8 million investment in the rail line between Alexandria and Hastings to replace 51,488 concrete railroad ties.

"Union Pacifics targeted investments fund projects that strengthen our railroad tracks, increase safety and minimize delays as trains travel through communities across Nebraska," said Donna Kush, Union Pacific vice president  Public Affairs, Northern Region. "Maintaining a healthy railroad is the foundation of our ability to serve customers and communities across the state."

This years planned $57 million capital expenditure in Nebraska is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2012 to 2016, Union Pacific invested more than $638 million strengthening Nebraskas transportation infrastructure.

Union Pacific plans to spend $3.1 billion across its network this year. The company has invested $51 billion since 2000, contributing to a 40 percent decrease in derailments during the same time frame.

ABOUT UNION PACIFIC

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. From 2007-2016, Union Pacific invested approximately $34 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

The statements and information contained in the news releases provided by Union Pacific speak only as of the date issued. Such information by its nature may become outdated, and investors should not assume that the statements and information contained in Union Pacific's news releases remain current after the date issued. Union Pacific makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update any of this information.
UW College of Arts and Sciences to Honor Faculty at Annual Awards Luncheon

Ten University of Wyoming faculty members will receive Extraordinary Merit Awards in research and teaching during the UW College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) annual awards luncheon Saturday, May 6.

They will be honored at the UW Conference Center, 2229 Grand Ave., starting with a reception at 11 a.m., followed by a noon luncheon. A&S also will honor this years outstanding former faculty member and alumni during the reception and luncheon.

The awards luncheon is open to the public at a cost of $35 per person. For more information, or to RSVP and pay online, visit www.uwyo.edu/as/alumni%20and%20friends/luncheon.html.

A&S faculty members who will be honored are:

-- William Missouri Downs, Department of Theatre and Dance.

-- Tyler Fall, Department of Religious Studies.

-- Susanna Goodin, Department of Philosophy.

-- Scott Henkel and Arielle Zibrak, both Department of English.

-- Harvey Hix, Creative Writing Program and Department of Philosophy.

-- Hannah Jang-Condell, Department of Physics and Astronomy.

-- Robert Kelly, Department of Anthropology.

-- Zhuang Niu and Man-Chung Yeung, both Department of Mathematics.
UW Graduate Students Honored with Annual Awards

Each year, the University of Wyomings Office of Academic Affairs and the Graduate Council solicit nominations for awards that honor graduate students and their mentors. This years winners draw from colleges across campus and celebrate outstanding graduate teaching and research.

The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Mentor Award recognizes outstanding faculty commitment to graduate student mentoring. The John P. Ellbogen Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Awards go to graduate teaching assistants to honor their excellence in teaching. The Outstanding Masters Thesis Award recognizes a graduate student for an exemplary masters thesis. And the Outstanding Dissertation Award is granted to a graduate student for an exemplary doctoral dissertation. Each award carries a stipend. The 2017 winners are listed below.

Distinguished Graduate Faculty Mentor: Narina Nunez, professor of psychology

Professor Nunez has a long and impressive history of mentoring graduate students in psychologys doctoral program, writes Department of Psychology Chair Karen Bartsch Estes.

Nunez currently advises four doctoral students and has mentored 12 to their doctoral degrees. Former student Andre Kehn, now an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota, writes: I cannot sufficiently explain how influential Narina has been on my life, both professionally and personally.

John P. Ellbogen Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching:

Stephanie Bachtelle Stacy, Ph.D. in psychology, 2018 (Tustin, Calif.)

Across multiple settings Stephanie Bachtelle Stacy has proven herself to be an outstanding teacher, writes Department of Psychology Professor Carolyn Pepper. She cares deeply about her students, is organized in her presentations, and challenges herself to grow as an instructor.

Stan DeVore, Master of Science in zoology and physiology, May 2017 (Casper)

Stans character is the key to his success, writes Department of Zoology and Physiology Department Head Donal Skinner. He holds himself to the highest standards, with the result being that his knowledge and understanding of the material is superb.  There is no doubt that he is one of the most dedicated teaching assistants we have ever had the privilege of working with.

Peyton Lunzer, Master of Arts in English, May 2017 (Bainbridge Island, Wash.)

Peyton is one of the most impressive graduate students that Ive had the good fortune of working with in my time here at UW, writes Department of English Assistant Chair Julia Obert. Indeed, Peytons students have been raving about her since her very first semester as a UW instructor; her students frequently note that she is accessible, caring and accommodating, and they comment that both her in-class instruction and her written feedback are highly effective in helping them to hone their skills.

Emily Pifer, MFA in creative writing, May 2017 (Canal Winchester, Ohio)

Emily has described ENGL 1010 as a gift, writes Creative Writing Program Director Jeffrey Lockwood. This is her opportunity to cultivate a generation capable of clear thinking and potent writing -- and she takes this as a profound responsibility.

Hadi Shafei, Ph.D. in computer science, summer 2017 (Rasht, Iran)

Hadi is an exceptional teacher; I would say he is among the best I have ever known, writes Department of Computer Science Head James Caldwell.  [H]e found ways to explain the material to students in ways I often had not thought of. He is a patient teacher with a quiet and respectful manner.

Jessica Sutter, Ph.D. in physics and astronomy, 2020 (Portland, Ore.)

Jessica is one of the best TAs I have ever seen, writes Physics and Astronomy Department Chair Daniel Dale. She has really shined in helping me develop a completely new set of lab activities. She also has made the lab exercises fun, by suggesting engaging scenarios in which to embed the work.

Outstanding Masters Thesis: Amy Reece, Master of Science in chemical engineering, December 2016

Her thesis, titled Microfluidic Inertial Focusing Fundamentals, Limitations and Applications for Biomedical Sample Processing, was an exceptional undertaking that would have been ambitious for most Ph.D. students, writes Department of Chemical Engineering Head Vladimir Alvarado. This project involved a background and expertise in several disciplines, from applied physics to chemistry and cell biology.

Outstanding Dissertation: Abdullahi Hussein Ali, Ph.D. in zoology and physiology, March 2016 (Garissa, Kenya)

I am simply not aware of a more deserving candidate for this prestigious award, certainly in my past four years but possibly ever, writes Department of Zoology and Physiology Department Head Donal Skinner. A student who has raised over $1.25 million for their research on his own, started an NGO, received numerous international accolades AND published/submitted six papers from his dissertation.

Hussein Alis work focuses on the range collapse, demography and conservation of the critically endangered hirola antelope in Kenya. Read more here.
ABBs customised solutions help drive efficiency and streamline equipment feedback

Vietnam now has one of the highest growth rates in the region and in the world. This growth can be attributed to the rising population and the expanding economy.

In order to continue to develop at a sustainable pace, a reliable power supply is needed. The existing power infrastructure cannot easily be replaced. As with any equipment, if it is maintained in a structured way it can perform reliably and last for a long time.

Vietnam has started to upgrade its national grid to meet the requirements of the smart revolution. Many substations have had new measurement technologies installed to help with remote monitoring and control. City electrification and mass transportation have led to the increase in electrical power demand, emphasising the need for digitalisation within the national grid.

Vietnams energy requirements are driven by the need for a reliable supply to reduce dependence on imported fuels and enable developing rural areas to access affordable electricity.

By cutting response time, supervisors are able to make crucial decisions faster

Vietnams progress towards digitalisation in distribution has already begun:

Phase 1: Completed

- Pilot projects for automatic metering and renewable energy sources are underway.

- Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City monitoring systems have been upgraded and are ready for smart grid operation.

- More than 95 per cent of all substations 110 kilovolts or bigger are automated, ready for smart grid operations.

Phase 2: To 2022

- The country should extend the automatic metering system.

- Commission pilot projects for smart homes and smart cities.

- Develop technical standards for energy storage and smart appliances.

Phase 3: 2022 onwards

- The progress in expanding information, communication, and technology infrastructure should continue.

- Smart grid applications should be implemented, which will balance supply and demand at the consumer level.

- Use renewable energy in the distribution grid with time-of-use pricing rates.

Sustainability in the power sector

Power sustainability is built on five pillars:

- Efficiency is the key to a sustainable energy future.

- Smart transmission and distribution grids are necessary to support efficiency and renewable energy.

- Integration of renewables and reliability improvements are increasingly important.

- Managing and optimising two-way power flow and information is vital.

- Technology in the form of digitalisation will remain a key factor in addressing market opportunities.

Where ABB Ability comes in

ABB Ability is a unified, cross-industrial digital capability  extending from devices to the cloud  with devices, systems, solutions, services, and a platform that enables customers to access more information and use it to enhance their efficiency. ABB Ability connects customers to the power of the Industrial Internet of Things, and through their services and expertise, they can go further by turning data insights into direct actions that close the loop and generate tangible value in the physical world.

ABB tailored digital solutions

Ageing infrastructure, new regulations, distributed energy resources, and the convergence of information technology and operations technology are just a few of the issues that are dramatically changing the utility landscape today.

ABB Ability provides tailored digital solutions and products for the differing needs of utility providers, from power generation to transmission and distribution. Be it advanced diagnostics that prevent unplanned downtime or the complete control of individual coal-fired boilers, ABB Ability grants utility providers an in-depth understanding of their processes and gives them unparalleled control.

Virtual power plants

ABB Ability provides central control and complete optimisation for more than 2,800 distributed units within one of the worlds largest virtually-controlled power plants.

Reliability is a core deliverable for the power industry, which is challenged by the variability of renewable supply, the unpredictability of consumer demand, and, as anyone in Vietnams central provinces will tell you, the capricious volatility of Mother Nature. Better modelling  and modelling that improves over time  can have implications not only for service uptime, but also for cost management.

ABB Ability solutions handle real-time processing of large signal and data sets. It manages and controls equipment to insure optimal functionality, regardless of the external scenario.

ABBs system for utilities lowers the costs for produced energy and optimises internal production. It also improves nominated load schedule fulfilment by enabling utility providers to get power where it is needed, when it is needed.

Power plant boilers

ABB Ability can reduce boiler startup costs by 15 per cent, improve efficiency, and decrease NOx emissions by 5-15 per cent through remote services.

The cost of equipment failure is not measured by downtime alone. The negative monetary effects of faulty equipment are exacerbated by the time and cost of getting the equipment functioning again  as well as the impact of the failure on all processes and outputs both up and down the internal value chain. The figures get particularly expensive when core equipment is involved, so maintaining the performance integrity of the entire system is paramount.

ABB Ability solutions for utilities can remotely monitor a plant and activate a notification mechanism should the performance of a unit falter. This will prompt investigation, analysis, and a subsequent service recommendation. If necessary and available, standby units or other workarounds to maintain the performance integrity of the system will be initiated.

Power plant automation

ABB Ability can help to optimise processes, reduce risk, and increase operator efficiency and plant availability by reducing abnormal events by 40 per cent.

At least 40 per cent of the worlds cyber-attacks target the energy sector, and up to 40 per cent of abnormal events within a given plant are due to operator actions or errors. Maintaining the integrity of the system is therefore an emergent issue that cannot be ignored.

The ABB Ability solution leads to improvements in reliability, availability, forced outage rates, and human resource allocation. Risks are reduced by increasing cyber security, while alarm management results in greater operator efficiency and accident avoidance. Improved control loop performance leads to higher plant availability and efficiency.

Connected equipment lifecycle management

The right work, on the right equipment, at the right time, using the right resources can increase a piece of equipments lifespan by three years, save up to 15 per cent in operation and maintenance costs, and reduce overtime costs.

More than ever, utility companies are being challenged to maintain high equipment availability, reliable capacity, and ubiquitous safety, all the while dealing with financial pressures caused by ageing infrastructure and the limited capital available for maintenance and replacements.

ABB Ability Connected Equipment Lifecycle Management ensures that the right work is being done on the right equipment at the right time  driving down maintenance costs, reducing unplanned equipment failures and system outages, and increasing performance, availability, and reliability.

Digital substations

ABB is bringing the Industrial Internet of Things to electrical substations and cutting downtime by up to 50 per cent.

Conventional electrical substations typically use miles of copper cabling for point-to-point connections. Copper is expensive, has limited signalling capacity, and, in the environment of a substation, introduces potential safety risks to workers and equipment.

This outdated method of signalling results in expensive testing and maintenance, leaving critical information stranded until periodic checks are made on location. If supervisors were able to leverage the data in real time, it would be a huge opportunity to improve grid integrity and reduce power interruptions.

By replacing copper wires with fibre-optic connectivity, ABB is able to lay the foundation for automated, high-performance digital substations. Through ABBs fibre-optic network, they can collect and analyse data using cloud-based software to arrive at solutions that optimise power-grid equipment health.
When Sergio Aguero put City ahead in the second half of a bruising semi-final, Wenger's side were on the verge of another dispiriting defeat in arguably the worst season of the Frenchman's 21-year reign.

But, despite being out-played for long periods, Arsenal summoned a spirit and desire too often missing from their performances this term.

Nacho Monreal's equaliser forced extra-time and Sanchez's predatory finish in the additional period secured a final date with Premier League leaders Chelsea back at Wembley on May 27.

Arsenal's third FA Cup final in the last four years - they won it in 2014 and 2015 - gives them a record 20 appearances in the showpiece match of the famous old competition.

Crucially, it presents Wenger with a chance to mute the mounting criticism from his club's supporters who want him to resign.

The Gunners' failure to challenge for the Premier League title has been compounded by their slide out of the top four.

But those close to Wenger believe he is still leaning towards staying.

With fourth placed City well adrift of leaders Chelsea, boss Pep Guardiola is destined to finish his first season empty-handed.

He now faces the difficult task of lifting his players before a vital derby against Manchester United as the top four battles heats up on Thursday.

City came close to striking first when the diminutive David Silva rose to meet Aguero's cross with a header that Petr Cech pushed over.

Silva departed due to injury soon after, but City monopolised possession and Arsenal were often reduced to kicking their opponents out of their rhythm.

Aguero and Raheem Sterling combined to bundle the ball into the net just before half-time, but the goal was controversially ruled out because Leroy Sane's cross was adjudged to have gone out as it looped over the bar before curling back into play.

OFF THE CANVAS

To City's frustration, television replays suggested a tiny part of the ball was still in play before it reached Aguero.

Yet Arsenal's play still lacked conviction and by the 62nd minute the scoreline finally reflected City's dominance.

When Yaya Toure seized the ball after Aaron Ramsey's mistake deep in City's half, the Ivorian spotted Aguero and sent a long pass towards the striker.

Aguero surged away from Monreal and, although his first touch almost ruined the chance, he recovered to lift a deft finish over Cech for his 30th goal this season.

If that felt like the knockout blow, Monreal had other ideas and he hauled the Gunners off the canvas in the 71st minute.

Having laboured for so long, Arsenal suddenly sprang to life and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain swung over a superb cross to the far post, where Monreal timed his run perfectly to slot home from close-range for his first Arsenal goal in over two years.

City almost hit back immediately, with Toure's 25-yard volley pushed onto a post by Cech before Fernandinho headed against the crossbar from Kevin de Bruyne's corner.

Danny Welbeck couldn't win it for Arsenal with a fine curling strike before extra-time, but Sanchez came to Wenger's rescue with a far more prosaic effort in the 101st minute.

Sanchez has been a problem for Wenger with his mood swings this season and he was well below his best for long periods once again.

But he was in the right place at the right time when a goalmouth melee ended with the Chilean beating Gael Clichy to the loose ball and firing in from close-range.
Roll up roll up: Customers learn about tour offerings and prices at the HCM City Tourism Fair 2017.

The number of bookings at Fiditour increased by 25 per cent over the same period last year, said Tran Thi Bao Thu, the companys communication and marketing director.

Bookings for tours to foreign countries have filled up, while domestic tours are expected to close four to five days prior to departure, she said, adding that 90 per cent of tours were booked in advance.

Package tours to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have sold well due to good prices and easy visa applications via travel agents.

A four-day tour to Taiwan and South Korea costs around VND10 million and VND13.99 million, respectively, cheaper than some domestic tours.

Vietravel expects to serve 20,000 holiday-makers, a year-on-year increase of 15 per cent, said Tran Thi Viet Huong, the companys communication and marketing director.

Tours to foreign countries are almost fully booked, while 70 per cent of domestic tours have sold out, Huong said.

The long holiday and reasonable prices have increased travel demand, said Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, deputy director of Vietrantour.

Vietrantour has been working with airlines, transport service firms, hotels and restaurants to get prices that are 30 per cent cheaper than market prices for tours, she said.

Four-day tours from Ha Noi to Da Nang/Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Da Lat are priced from VND 4.7-5.9 million (US$208-260).

A package tour to Israel costs VND55.9 million (US$2,470), which is as much as the return fare of a Ha Noi-Israel air ticket.

Tour packages from Ha Noi to the Maldives have also been popular due to reasonable prices and attractive destinations.

Tran Tuan Anh, deputy director of Vietravel Ha Noi, said the number of bookings for the upcoming holiday was expected to rise by 18-20 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Tour prices have remain unchanged or are even cheaper than usual, Anh said.

Domestic tours

Tours to foreign countries have outstripped domestic tours due to competitive prices, good service and the attraction of new experiences.

Airfares as well as prices for accommodation and hospitality services at domestic tourist destinations are more expensive than usual, said Tran The Dung, deputy director of Young Generation Travel Company.

Domestic tours have sunk, while foreign tours have sold out, Dung said.

It is difficult to keep prices of package tours unchanged during the holiday due to the rising costs of plane tickets and services for tourists.

The cost of plane tickets for the Sai Gon-Ha Noi route, for example, rose from nearly VND3 million (US$132) to nearly VND4 million during the holidays.

Domestic tours to beaches such as Phu Quoc, Con Dao and Nha Trang, as well as Da Nang/Hoi An, Ha Noi/Yen Tu and Ha Long Bay, have been bestsellers for the upcoming holiday period.
CapitaLand Vietnam recognises the role that Feng Shui plays when customers purchase residential projects. Feng Shui on a scientific and metaphysical science level is an astronomical study of how the planetary bodies in our solar system affect our planet. In essence, Feng Shui is a study of how these planetary bodies impact earth, and as these positions change annually or over time, their impact also changes.



This will be the second time that CapitaLand Vietnam has organised such a seminar for homebuyers. As CapitaLand Vietnam sets its customers as priority, the company continues to look after its homebuyers with a special team called the Customers Relations team.

This seminar is one of CapitaLand Vietnams activities to show its care and appreciation for its customers. Last year, the Feng Shui and Astrology 2016 seminar by the same internationally acclaimed Feng Shui Consultant, Dato Joey Yap, was highly appreciated by the Vietnamese audience. Dato Joey Yap was also the Feng Shui consultant for Feliz en Vista and D1MENSION, CapitaLand Vietnams high-end residential projects in Ho Chi Minh City.



Feng Shui and architecture are intertwined with shared basic principles. When an architect designs a building, they are conscious of the environment. Similarly, Feng Shui also emphasises harmony with nature and the environment by going with the flow of Qi. Some principles in Feng Shui are also common architectural principles. For example, having a sharp or solid structure too close to the main door would block the Qi, Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam, shared. In architecture terms, this would also be done to create a comfortable space after the main door. We hope to spread knowledge to the Vietnamese market on the practical benefits of Feng Shui in residential projects, and change the mindset that they are only relevant in other places such as Singapore or China.



Dato Joey Yap is an internationally acclaimed and bestselling author with more than 160 books published. His literary work has been translated and published in every continent of the world, making it to local bestsellers list on numerous occasions and having sold more than four million copies worldwide. Some of his bestsellers have also earned The Merit Award from The Asean Book Publisher Association. He is also a passionate and internationally renowned speaker who is highly sought after in business communities and corporate events. His talks have an appeal that transcends barriers of age, culture and occupation.

During the Feng Shui and Astrology 2017 seminar, Dato Joey Yap will illuminate on five key aspects. Firstly, how to gain competitive edge with industry sights, trends and patterns. Secondly, how to acquire decision-making tools that will help you soar higher in your endeavours, be it in career, business or investment. Thirdly, how to transform your life and navigate health as well as relationship problems with finesse. Fourth, how to create your own personal path to success by tapping into his systems and strategies. Finally, how to unlock the secret to Chinese metaphysics and see how it works, and what it can do for your life.
photo source: Reuters

In early Asian trading, the European single currency was at US$1.0879, against US$1.0726 on Friday at 2100 GMT. It had run up as high as US$1.0937 earlier, up about two percent from Friday.

Against the Japanese currency, the euro was trading at 119.71 yen, against 117.07 yen on Friday in New York. It hit 120.91 yen earlier.

The French vote was being closely watched as a bellwether for populist sentiment following the election of Donald Trump as US president and Britain's vote to leave the EU.

Macron, a former banker and economy minister, won 23.7 per cent of votes in Sunday's first round, slightly ahead of National Front (FN) leader Le Pen with 21.9 per cent, according to near-final results from the interior ministry.

The two go through to a second round on May 7. Nine other candidates were eliminated.

A victory for Macron would make him the country's youngest leader in modern history.

Markets are happy to buy what they see as the fact - that 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron will be confirmed as the next president of the French republic in two weeks' time," Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank, said in a commentary.

The euro's rally highlighted how many investors were nervous ahead of the vote, analysts said.

"The market's initial reaction was stronger than expected - it means that many people had their guard up ahead of the vote," Yuji Saito, Tokyo-based forex director at Credit Agricole, told AFP.

"There were many factors that required caution. It was a tight four-way race and tough to predict the outcome."

'MARKETS WILL BE REASSURED'

Among those failing to make the cut was Communist-backed eurosceptic Jean-Luc Melenchon, who had enjoyed a late surge ahead of the first-round vote in an election marked by widespread disillusionment with the political class.

"Markets will be reassured that the dreaded Le Pen versus Melenchon run-off has been avoided," Diego Iscaro at research house IHS Markit Economics said in a commentary.

"Moreover, polls have repeatedly suggested that Macron is likely to comfortably beat Le Pen in the second round."

The second round will come down to a battle between the pro-European, pro-globalisation vision of Macron, 39, and Le Pen's hostility to the EU and NATO.

Le Pen, 48, wants France to quit the eurozone, restore border controls and stage a referendum on leaving the EU.

Her critics accuse her of sanitising the image of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and racism associated with her firebrand father, who started her far-right National Front (FN) party.

Le Pen has predicted the EU "will die" and has vowed to take France out of the euro and hold a referendum on membership of the union.

The proposal has caused alarm, with most polls showing the French against a "Frexit" or a return of the franc, fearing chaos for the eurozone's second-biggest economy.

Le Pen has downplayed the risks, accusing sceptical rivals and economists of scaremongering.
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the group from International Bloggers' Association are due to visit beautiful landscapes of the capital city and three main filming locations for Kong: Skull Island including Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, and Quang Binh.

At an April 22 reception for the group, Dinh Ngoc Duc, head of the VNAT Tourism Marketing Department said he hopes the trip will provide the bloggers an insight into the countrys rich cultural history and traditions through which they will introduce them to international friends as a contribution to spurring Vietnams tourism development.

During their first-day tour in Vietnam, the group visited a number of popular destinations in Hanoi such as Ngoc Son Temple, the Royal Citadel of Thang Long, and the Temple of Literature.

They also savoured delicious street food including egg coffee, shrimp cakes, spring rolls, and lotus seed and longan sweet soup.
French presidential election candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party Francois Fillon casts his ballot at a polling station in Paris, on April 23, 2017, during the first round of the Presidential election. (Photo: AFP/Pool/Christophe Archambault)

Over 50,000 police backed by elite units of the French security services were on high alert, patrolling the streets less than three days after a gunman shot dead a policeman and wounded two others on the central Champs Elysees avenue.

Nearly 47 million voters will decide whether to back a pro-EU centrist newcomer, a scandal-ridden veteran conservative who wants to slash public spending, a far-left eurosceptic admirer of Fidel Castro or to appoint France's first woman president who would shut borders and ditch the euro.

The outcome will be anxiously monitored around the world as a sign of whether the populist tide that saw Britain vote to leave the EU and Donald Trump's election in the United States is still rising, or starting to ebb.

Emmanuel Macron, 39, a centrist ex-banker who set up his party just a year ago, is the opinion polls' favorite to win the first round and beat far-right National Front chief Marine Le Pen in the two-person run-off on May 7.

For them to win the top two qualifying positions on Sunday would represent a huge change in the political landscape, as the second round would feature neither of the mainstream parties that have governed France for decades.

"It wouldn't be the classic left versus right divide but two views of the world clashing," said Ifop pollsters' Jerome Fourquet. "Macron bills himself as the progressist versus conservatives, Le Pen as the patriot versus the globalists."

But conservative Francois Fillon is making something of a comeback after being plagued for months by a fake jobs scandal, and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon's ratings have surged in recent weeks. Any two of the four is seen as having a chance to qualify for the run-off.

The seven other candidates, including the ruling Socialist party's Benoit Hamon, two Trotskyists, three fringe nationalists and a former shepherd-turned-centrist lawmaker are lagging far behind in opinion polls.

"I have no idea who I'm going to vote for. It's a disaster. I am going to go and vote but only because I have to," said 60-year-old Pierrette Prevot in Paris.

Security has played an important part in national debate since Thursday's killing of a policeman by a suspected Islamist in Paris, with some arguing it could increase Le Pen's chances.

But previous militant attacks, such as the November 2015 killing of 130 people in Paris ahead of regional polls, did not appear to boost the votes of those espousing tougher national security policies.

Adding uncertainty to France's most unpredictable election in decades, pollsters say they might not be able to give precise estimates of the outcome at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) as usual, because small and medium-sized polling stations will be open one hour longer than in past elections.

"CHEERING MADLY"?

The possibility of a Le Pen-Melenchon run-off is not the most likely scenario but is one which alarms bankers and investors.

While Macron wants to further beef up the euro zone, Le Pen has told supporters "the EU will die". She wants to return to the Franc, re-denominate the country's debt stock, tax imports and reject international treaties.

Melenchon also wants to radically overhaul the European Union and hold a referendum on whether to leave the bloc.

Le Pen or Melenchon would struggle, in parliamentary elections in June, to win a majority to carry out such radical moves, but their growing popularity worries both investors and France's EU partners.

"It is no secret that we will not be cheering madly should Sunday's result produce a second round between Le Pen and Melenchon," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said, adding that the election posed a risk to the global economy.

If either Macron or Fillon were victorious, each would face challenges.

For Macron, a big question would be whether he could win a majority in parliament in June. Fillon, though likely to struggle less to get a majority, would likely be dogged by an embezzlement scandal, in which he denies wrongdoing.
US tech giant IBM and Five9 Vietnam, a local private telecoms and software company, have just announced they will work together on cloud services to bring cognitive computing to enterprises and organisations across Vietnam.

Accordingly, Five9 is the first organisation in Vietnam to tap into Watson APIs on IBM Bluemix to create and bring to life solutions that transform industries and society, starting with the banking and finance sector, healthcare and television.

Also as part of the event, Five9 announced a training partnership in cognitive computing with four top universities in computer science education in Vietnam and inked deals with three first businesses in Vietnam to propel the application into life.

Through a variety of agreements, IBM and Five9 will help businesses, educators, researchers, startup entrepreneurs and users in Vietnam gain access to artificial intelligence applications, while provide opportunities for many generations of developers to enhance their skills related to artificial intelligence and promote innovation.

The agreement with IBM will establish Five9 as the first company in Vietnam to build apps with cognitive capabilities that analyse unstructured data collected from social media to understand customer needs.

Cognitive application is still new in the world. Together with IBM, Five9 will implement cognitive computing technology in Vietnam on a comprehensive scale, hoping to contribute to breakthrough changes in all aspects of life and the economy, said Nguyen Trong Huan, chairman of Five9.

The adoption of AI and cognitive computing for the delivery of improved personalised services is constantly increasing. Cognitive technology is not only about AI systems that can learn, reason and process natural languages, but also augment human intelligence and performance to make smarter business decisions, said Eric Yeo, IBM Vietnam country general manager.

By collaborating with Five9 in the delivery of cognitive capabilities, IBM hopes to empower a community of cognitive builders in Vietnam, and change the way people in Vietnam extend their expertise across any domain of knowledge to solve complex problems, he added.

Through the new partnership, Five9 will also have access to IBMs global network of technical and industry expertise, education, mentoring and enterprise customers and business partners, all of which can help to bring new and innovative cognitive products to Vietnams market quickly.

Also at the event, Five9 closed deals with three businesses in Vietnam, the first of many - VTVlive, OneNet and state-owned Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnams Hanois Hoai Duc branch- to launch cognitive computing applications for real life uses.

On the same day (April 20), at the Government Office Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam received IBM Vietnam and Five9 Vietnam top leaders on the occasion these two firms announced of solution applications and the deployment of cognitive and AI training in Vietnam.

At the working session, Dam congratulated the IBM workgroup led by IBM vice president Zane Adam.

Dam said that the Vietnamese government has paid a growing attention to AI application into addressing Vietnams diverse socioeconomic development needs, particularly in the fields of healthcare, education and transport.

The government is penning a pilot project on AI application in state management, and will soon call for domestic and foreign businesses and also startups to contribute input in the form of comments, as well as technology and training support to the project.

The project objective is to create a chance for people to freely access latest technology applications and data, particularly in three above-said priority fields.
(L-R) IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Chairman of the IMFC and Bank of Mexico Governor Agustin Carstens, and IMF Communications Director Gerry Rice are pictured during at the World Bank IMF Spring Meetings Apr 22, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo: AFP/Zach Gibson)

WASHINGTON: With fears rising that the Trump administration will follow through on its threats to raise trade barriers, world finance ministers are united on one message: protectionism threatens the global economy.

Except that the word "protectionism" was omitted from the final statement of the International Monetary Fund's semi-annual meeting on Saturday (Apr 22).

"We reaffirm our commitment to ... avoid inward-looking policies, and preserve global financial stability," the ministers said in the communique.

The missing word did appear in the statement following their last meeting in October, which warned about a global economy "increasingly threatened by inward-looking policies, including protectionism."

And US pressure at a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Germany last month forced the group to strike the commitment against protectionist policies, in place since the early days of the 2008 financial crisis - a position credited with helping to prevent the Great Recession from becoming worse than the 1930s recession.

Still, Mexico's central bank chief Agustin Carstens downplayed the significance of the latest edit, saying the word is "relative." "The use of the word protectionism is very ambiguous," he told reporters at the conclusion of the meetings.

The ministers agreed on the importance of trade for growth and "promoting a level playing field in international trade," he stressed. "The final goal is to take advantage of trade. Nobody denies that," said Carstens, who heads the steering committee of the IMF's 189 members.

"I think everybody is in line that we need free and fair trade, and I think that is what is really reflected in the communique." There was "very strong consensus" among the ministers, he added, "that we should strengthen contribution of trade to our economies."

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

Concerns about threats to trade have pervaded the normally placid meeting of finance officials, fuelled by US President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries that have trade surpluses with the United States - especially China and Germany.

But protectionism is also evident in the British decision to leave the European Union, as well as the rhetoric of some candidates in Sunday's French presidential election.

Some of it represents fear of the unknown, since the Trump administration has not yet announced any actual policy steps. Still, consistent statements from US officials are troubling free trade advocates.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin repeated that the US focus will be on "more rigorously defending ourselves against unfair trade practices" including against countries with large surpluses.

The IMF has flagged rising protectionism and possible trade wars as a threat to the global economic recovery just when it is finally gaining momentum.

World growth is expected to hit 3.5 per cent this year and 3.6 per cent in 2018, the fund said. But it warned rising barriers to trade would hurt those it is supposed to help by curbing growth and raising prices.

However, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, like Carstens, also tried to focus on the areas of agreement among ministers, noting in reference to trade the general "recognition we need to secure what has been conducive to growth."

OTHER COUNTRIES ON ALERT

Amid the meeting's strained atmosphere, and despite the final statement's language, officials presented a unified stance in stressing the need to work to prevent new barriers to trade.

"It is especially important to enhance the multilateral system of open and free trade and investment, jointly resist protectionism, and accelerate the liberalisation of global trade and investment," China's central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan said.

Like many other officials at the meeting, he warned in his statement that "rising anti-globalisation and protectionism sentiment against international trade and investment pose challenges to global growth."

And Brazil Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles noted that the "impressive expansion of international trade and finance ... generated large and unprecedented welfare gains around the world."

But the benefits have not been shared equally, he said, which is creating a "perception of unfairness" that "fed movements supporting inward-looking and protectionist policies" in some countries.

Meirelles also called for action to help all members of society feel "included in the economic progress," partly because it is "crucial to garner political support for furthering global integration and productivity."
IREXs PV solution provided for Green One UN House in Hanoi, with total capacity of 110 kilowatt peak

Vietnams potential for solar is great, with 1,600-2,700 sunlight hours per year and an average direct normal irradiance of four-to-five kilowatt-hours (kWh) per square metre, comparable to Thailand, the Philippines, Spain, and Italy.

However, the solar photovoltaic (PV) market in Vietnam is still in its early stages, with approximately six-to-seven megawatts (MW) of solar PV capacity currently installed. Its projected potential, if the most beneficial scenarios occur, might be two-to-five gigawatts (GW) for residential and commercial rooftops and 20GW for solar PV plants.

Vietnams renewable energy sector is lagging behind other countries in terms of technology, policy, and feed-in-tariffs (FiT). Thus, many international energy firms have remained hesitant to make investments in Vietnam, despite the countrys tremendous potential for renewable energy developments. The latest move of the government to raise the solar FiT to 9.35 US cents/kWh is expected to shake up the local power market. The new FiT is sufficient for investors to cover expenses and help to develop the solar energy industry in its early stages. As a result, more foreign energy firms will study the possibilities of doing business here as well as hunt for competent local partners.

IREXs mainstay Solar System Operation Centre makes monitoring and management processes more convenient

However, only Vietnamese firms with serious investment in solar energy are capable of embracing these opportunities. Some local firms have even developed international standard technology and accumulated experience in both local and foreign markets. IREX is one of the exemplary Vietnamese renewable energy brands, which has contributed to the growing presence of Vietnams solar panels in the global market.

IREX is well known among international investors thanks to attending InterSolar, the worlds leading exhibition series for the solar industry. At the InterSolar 2016 solar industry exhibition in US San Francisco IREX  the only representative from Vietnam  introduced their business model: From cells to a turn-key solution.

IREX panels also meet the following European and US standards issued by TUV Rheinland: IEC 61215:2005, IEC 61730:2004, and UL 1703.

In Vietnam, IREX is the solar energy leader in successful installations for large projects and for residential needs. The companys strength is in the direct production of solar panels and components such as PV modules and cells, made to internationally-compliant standards.

IREX is now turning its focus to the local renewable energy sector, which forecasts to experience fast growth in the upcoming years, following the implementation of favourable incentives. To step up its game, IREX has invested in a new high-tech energy equipment complex in Phu My I Industrial Park, in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Taus Tan Thanh commune.

With a capacity of over 300MW per year, the new factory is equipped with automated and semi-automated machinery to ensure the high quality of its products, especially IREXs mainstay Solar System Operation Centre (SSOC). The solution makes monitoring and management processes more convenient, allowing users to easily access experts via any device connected to the internet.

According to the firms director Dong Van Sen, IREXs strategy is in line with that of its sister company Bach Khoa Investment and Development of Solar Energy Corporation (SolarBK). The company focuses on differentiating its products and achieving the highest efficiency  providing all-in-one solutions for both businesses and households.

Take the Green One UN House in Hanoi for example  the building incorporates IREXs SSOC solutions to ensure tight security. Together with co-operation from SolarBK, IREXs research-and-development (R&D) team has developed a remote monitoring system specifically for the building  an example of the tailored solutions that give IREX the edge over competing firms with imported technology.

Solar PV panels on the buildings roof generate 10 per cent of the buildings annual electricity requirements. As a result, the Green One UN House is becoming a role model for green buildings in Vietnam. It was also the first building in the country to be awarded the Gold Lotus Rating from the Vietnam Green Building Council.

Another prominent project marked the sucessful co-operation between SolarBK and IREX, Light up the Spratly Islands, is providing electricity for the historic and geographically important Truong Sa island group. This project brought SolarBK, as well as IREX the prestigious 2012 Energy Globe Award.

IREXs Sen said that soon the energy market will become more competitive than ever before, due to the increasing entrance of foreign investors. These new entrants multiply the number of options for customers and stir up competition in the domestic market.

To obtain the expansions objective, IREX will not stop at producing PV panels, but increase investment in different segments of the solar energy field. We have plans to expand existing manufacturing facilities and upgrade production lines in 2017. A new R&D centre will be developed to produce more clean energy applications in the country, he said.

Founded in 2012, IREX has inherited 40 years of research and the creative values of SolarBK in manufacturing and selling renewable energy products. With this strong background, the company has the competence to be proactive in controlling materials, consulting, designing, implementing, managing, and transferring PV projects.

For more information, please visit website: solarbk.vn
What would you say about the development of the companys Vietnamese branch over the past 24 years?

Schneider Electric has experienced a double-digit growth rate in Vietnam in recent years, thanks to the countrys fast-growing economy. After two decades in Vietnam, Schneider Electric has expanded its operations across many segments.

In the real estate sector, Schneider Electric has a diverse portfolio, including commercial, residential, industrial buildings, and data centres. Meanwhile, in the energy field, we offer energy management and automation solutions to help businesses foster growth and efficiency.

With similar growth planned over the next few years, we expect the latest investment to keep our business growing strongly both in the export and domestic markets. We will research and develop new offerings in response to customers requests or expectations. Especially, some new products will only be available in Vietnam.

The new plant is just our first step in Vietnam, as we see ample potential for domestic consumption and export production. We remain open for expansion, such as a possible increase of the plant to meet the rising demand in the future.

The plant will be one of the main manufacturing sites for Asia-Pacific and other key worldwide regions. Could you share some highlights of the new plant?

Measuring more than 12,000 square metres in size on 26,000sq.m of land area, the new plant will be one of the companys largest in its global network of more than 200 manufacturing factories. The plant is designed to meet expectations of both Vietnamese and international customers.

It will be equipped with advanced machinery to efficiently produce high-tech electronic products for smart homes, in addition to the traditional wiring products that we have been manufacturing in Vietnam. The plant will deploy LEAN manufacturing concepts and Schneider Electrics latest energy and process management solutions, enabling it to flex and scale to the sophisticated demands of customers.

The plant will stick to three principles, including global process management, qualified raw materials, and workforce training, in order to manufacture quality products meeting Schneider Electrics global standards. These elements not only ensure our products high quality but also their reliability for domestic and foreign customers. In fact, products manufactured in Vietnam have received positive feedback from customers across the globe. Australia is one of the strongest growth markets for our made-in-Vietnam products.

The new Saigon Hi-Tech Park plant will be one of the largest in Schneider Electrics global network of more than 200 plants

Vietnam is an important market for Schneider Electric. What are the groups commitments to the development of the country?

Over the past two decades, Schneider Electric has demonstrated a strong commitment towards Vietnam. In this respect, we always seek business opportunities to strengthen our presence in the country. This plant is proof that the value Schneider Electric offers Vietnam is exactly what it brings to other countries like the US, Germany, or Australia.

The move is also part of our efforts to develop Vietnamese talents, including engineers, technicians, and skilled professionals involved in industrial technology. With the opening of the new plant, employees will have a chance to access an international talent development programme as well as work overseas.

We believe the Vietnamese market contains unbridled and immeasurable potential for long-term investment. This has inspired us to build the plant to meet higher local needs and scale up the business in the future. Therefore, Vietnamese customers can have a chance to experience the most advanced technology at reasonable prices.

Last but not least, Schneider Electric is committed to contributing to the technological advancement of Vietnam. In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), equipment is not only automated but also connected with digital devices to ensure efficient operation. We will keep bringing in new technology, automation, and connectivity solutions as we grow together with Vietnam.

Eco-friendliness is an important requirement for all factories. How are green technologies incorporated in the new plant?

Every aspect of sustainable development has been thoughtfully integrated into this project. Rather than installing air-conditioning, we use a cooling system to manage energy efficiently. Meanwhile, water is recycled to ensure zero wastewater.

Staying true to its green mandate, the plant applies Schneider Electrics newly-launched EcoStruxure platform in every building segment. EcoStruxure is IoT-enabled open and interoperable system architecture and platform that lets us monitor and manage energy consumption in different parts of the plant. This platform delivers enhanced values, including safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity.

With all these efforts, the new plant is expected to cover more than 80 per cent of the LEED green building criteria and is projected to obtain the LEED Platinum certificate in 2017.

Employee welfare is another crucial matter. What steps will Schneider Electric take to ensure a healthy and happy workplace?

The new building is designed to provide a physically and mentally motivating environment for our employees. We have created open spaces on campus to enhance collaboration and connectivity in work. Meanwhile, the informal meeting room will bring people together to foster brainstorming and innovation.

Besides, we set aside some private space to cater to the needs of employees. They will be able to wind down after work in the well-being corners. The idea is in line with our flexible work-life balance programmes, like yoga, running, swimming, and guitar clubs.

The workplace even helps employees better integrate work with their lifestyles. Schneider Electric applies the activity-based working concept, which allows people to decide how and where they work in the office at any time, depending on their tasks.

- On April 18, Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, officially opened its new manufacturing plant located in Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City. - The plant has merged Schneider Electrics two previous local facilities to become one of the companys largest manufacturing factories globally. The new plant is geared towards both Vietnamese and international customers. - The plant reflects Schneider Electrics newly-launched EcoStruxure, which enables open and inter-operable system architecture and provides a platform delivering enhanced value around safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity. - The building is designed based on the concept of agile working and is sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and uses recycled water to ensure zero wastewater is produced. It also satisfies the criteria of many industrial certificates, such as ISO 9001, IS0 14000, ISO 50001, OHSAS 18001, zero-accident, and is obtaining the LEED Platinum certificate.

We expect the new environment to make our employees happier and more productive, which will help the company keep its lead in the business. It reflects our brand strategy Life is On, which means a good life and modern civilisation can only be on if energy is available.
The decree will make sure less buyers get their fingers burnt

Among the big projects to be launched is An Khanh New City Developments sale of its first phase this quarter. The mega $2 billion project is developed by South Koreas Posco E&C and Vietnams Vinaconex, located in Hanois Hoai Duc district, along the Thang Long Boulevard.

Scheduled for completion in 2013, the city is expected to supply 6,440 apartments, equivalent to 392,319 square metres of accommodation, enough for 30,000 people.

Even though Hoa Phat Group, the investor in a more than 1,000 apartment Mandarin Garden in Cau Giay districts Tran Duy Hung road, refused to release its launching time, real estate experts predicted the project would be soon launched.

At the beginning of this month the CT7D, located in Le Van Luong street and invested by Nam Cuong Group and the FLC Landmark Tower of FLC Group will also be launched, with a total of 200 units and prices ranging from VND23 million ($1,200) to VND28 million ($1,470) per square metre.

In Gia Lam district, over the Red River, the second lot of Rung Co Residentials belonging to the Eco Park is also being launched, with around 1,500 apartment units.

In addition, Victoria Van Phu, Star City, Diamond Tower and Song Da City View will also add apartments to the mix.

Real estate consultant CBRE Vietnam expected that there would be 3,000 units in Hanoi launched this quarter, compared to 1,950 units in the third quarter. There were more than 4,600 units launched in the second quarter.

This decline, according to CBRE Vietnam, could be due to the Decree 71, effective on August 8, 2010 providing guidance on the Housing Law, which caps the proportion of units sold via capital contribution contracts at 20 per cent with the remaining 80 per cent sold on transaction floors.

This decree, CBRE Vietnam said, had put a pressure on developers with low financial capabilities and enhanced market transparency.

However, CBRE Vietnam executive director Richard Leech said new project launches would continue trending towards more affordable options.

With the opening and improvement of major infrastructure routes, the capitals western and southern districts are attracting new residents with easier access for commuting into the core urban districts, Leech said.

He said that the Decree 71 was expected to benefit the market by enhancing transparency, placing pressures on developers with low financial capabilities, lessening the threat of price bubbles and limiting speculative forces.

Tran Nhu Trung, Savills Vietnam associate director, said the Decree 71 had showed off its advantages to clearly regulate five types of mobilising capital investment. However, Trung said the procedures to implement Decree 71 were still complicated and wasted customers time and energy.

The more simple it [decree] regulates, the more it is practical in the real life, Trung said.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV) has submitted a detailed proposal to upgrade and expand Tan Son Nhat International Airport by 2020 to the Ministry of Transport. - Photo vnexpress.net

It estimates the cost of newly building and upgrading the runway area, terminals and transport system around the airport at around VND19.3 trillion (US$850 million).

With demand expected to grow by 15 per cent a year, the airport will need to handle 50 - 60 million passengers by 2025, when Long Thanh International Airport in neighbouring Dong Nai Province is expected to be inaugurated.

By 2020 the CAAV seeks to upgrade Tan Son Nhat Airport to serve 43  45 million passengers a year with parking space for 80 aircraft of various kinds like ATR72, A320, A321, B747, B777, B787, and A350.

It seeks to keep the existing two runways and build three more.

One more terminal, T4, with a capacity of 15 million passengers a year will be built in addition to the existing terminals, which have a capacity of 28 million passengers.

Of the three existing ones, one is used by the military.

The city plans to build a Y-shaped flyover to link Truong Son Street with the airport.

The CAAV wants to entrust the work inside the airport to Viet Nam Airlines Corporation, meaning the carrier has to mobilise the resources needed to build the runways and terminal.

The city will finance the upgrade and expansion work outside the airport.
Earlier this month, Rent-A-Ports subsidiary Rent-A-Port Green Energy inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on wind and solar-driven micro-desalination, to solve the problems of salinisation in the rice fields of the Mekong Delta.

At first, the Belgian firm and MARD will set up five demonstration wind-powered water desalination plants with an investment of $15 million, capable of providing fresh water for at least 200 hectares of rice fields in five locations across the Mekong Delta. Each demo plant consists of two water production units, with a total combined peak capacity of 400 cubic metres per day. The salinity of the fresh water produced would be below 0.1 per cent, making it suitable for irrigation and even drinkable.

We are expecting around 250 such plants to be built in the region, as a part of supporting Vietnam in improving rice production and the livelihoods of the regions farmers. We are also willing to help Vietnam identify and seek the most suitable financing source for the development of such plants in the Mekong Delta, Marc Stordiau, managing director of Rent-A-Port, said at the MoU signing ceremony.

Besides this project, the company is planning a series of projects aimed at providing green energy to parts of Haiphong and Quang Ninh, where the Deep C cluster is located.

We hope to contribute to the community in which we operate. We are committed to a long-term business strategy in Vietnam, where Rent-A-Port will apply its core philosophy of sustainable development and environmental protection, Stordiau added.

The Deep C cluster began with Dinh Vu Industrial Zone (DVIZ) on the Dinh Vu peninsula in the northern port city of Haiphong. From a deserted area mainly used for fishing, over the past 20 years, Dinh Vu peninsula has turned into a fully-functioning industrial zone with reliable state-of-the art utility systems. So far, DVIZ has drawn $3 billion in investment from 70 multinational companies, creating more than 10,000 jobs directly and 50,000 indirectly.

Thanks to the success of DVIZ  also known as Deep C I  the company has expanded to the south of Dinh Vu for Deep C II and Cat Hai Island for Deep C III. This last Deep C installation is located next to Lach Huyen Deep Sea Port, adding another 1,000ha of industrial land to Haiphong. The group is also currently expanding its base in the neighbouring province of Quang Ninh to 1,500-plus hectares. Together, all these developments will form the Deep C cluster of over 3,000ha in northern Vietnam.

According to Stordiau, Deep C III, whose construction is going to start by the end of this year, is planned to be Vietnams first eco-industrial zone.

Frank Wouters, general director of Dinh Vu Industrial Zone JSC, added that the company has started projects in green energy including wind-powered water desalination in Haiphong, pioneering solar energy in northern Vietnam, and waste-to-energy modules in Dinh Vu and Uong Bi. It is also considering developing inland waterway ports in Haiphong and the northern province of Hai Duong, which would divert truck deliveries to a safer and more ecological route by sea.

Subsidiary Rent-A-Port Green Energys management was the driving force behind the pioneering C-Power far-shore wind farm in the North Sea. This was the first time that wind turbines were built so far offshore  30 kilometres off the coast. According to Wouters, Deep C Power  the twin of C-Power  will soon come to Haiphong.

Rent-A-Port has also helped Vietnam get greener in more visible ways. In August 2016, the group worked with the Quang Ninh Peoples Committee on a project to clean Halong Bay. The project, with the estimated cost of $125 million, which will last from 2017 to 2026, will collect and treat waste on the bay and from the cruises operating there.
Shares fell on the two local markets on Monday morning due to low investor confidence despite companies announcing positive development outlook at their annual shareholder meetings.

The benchmark VN Index dropped 0.3 per cent to close at 710.47 points. Viet Nams key index has fallen a total of 0.6 per cent in the previous two days.

The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange was down 0.4 per cent to end at 88.52 points. The northern market index moved up 0.5 per cent on Friday.

Market trading liquidity was low with more than 98 million shares being traded, worth nearly VND1.8 trillion (US$79.8 million).

Investors remained cautious about current market conditions, given that the market is nearing a short national holiday this week, even as listed companies continued to announce ambitious business plans for the future.

Consumer goods producer Masan (MSN) on Monday morning held its annual shareholder meeting, targeting post-tax profit of VND3.2-3.4 trillion for 2017, an increase of 15-22 per cent compared with 2016. MSN shares ended flat on Monday morning.

Other sectors also underperformed, including banks, insurance and brokerage firms, energy and plastic producers.

Among these companies, Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID) and Viet Nam National Petroleum Group (PLX) were down 0.9 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

The afternoon session starts at 1pm.
Workers at a manufacturing chain inside an LG Electronics Vietnams production plant in Hai Phong.- VNA/VNS Photo Lam Khanh

According to the General Department of Customs (GDC), as of April 15, exports by FDI firms reached nearly US$10.87 billion, down 13 per cent month-on-month.

Despite the fall, however, the sector accounted for 65.1 per cent of the total export turnover this year (January 1 to April 15, 2017) at $70.05 billion, which marked an increase of 10.95 per cent over the same period in 2016.

FDI firms in the country now have an accumulated 2017 trade surplus of $3.92 billion, making them significant contributors to national export value.

Meanwhile, Viet Nams total export from the April 1 to April 15 was $16.37 billion, a month-on-month drop of 13.9 per cent.

This took total exports for this year to more than $107.58 billion, an increase of nearly $16.76 billion or 18.5 per cent over the same period in 2016.

However, the months leading to April 15 have seen a trade deficit of $2.56 billion, about 4.9 per cent of export value.

On the other hand, Viet Nams imports from January 1 to April 15, 2017 reached $55.07 billion, up 23.1 per cent over the same period last year.

Accumulated import turnover for FDI firms reached more than $33.06 billion, up 23.7 per cent year on year, accounting for 60 per cent of the nations total imports.

The GDC report said the manufacturing sector will grow significantly with the opening of new FDI factories, on top of a record FDI disbursement of $15.8 billion in 2016. The construction sector should benefit in particular from higher FDI disbursements as also continued public investments in the energy and transport sectors.

The first quarter has also saw foreign firms add $7.71 billion in newly registered and supplemental capital. They increased their capital contribution and share purchases by 77.6 per cent over the same period in 2016, with $2.9 billion for 493 newly registered projects and $3.9 billion for adding capital to 223 existing projects.

On the domestic front, export value for certain goods showed strong declines: steel was down 62.8 per cent; computer, electronic parts and accessories, down 27.8 per cent; textiles, down 20.4 per cent; wood products, down 23.8 per cent.

Only a few goods showed improvement in export value. Rice was up 6.5 per cent and mobile devices and accessories went up three per cent.

According to a recent study by the Vietnam Centre for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR), China was Viet Nams largest foreign investor for the first quarter of 2017, surpassing Japan and South Korea, with 66 new and renewed projects generating a total registered capital of S0.82 billion.
The lawyer who will oversee the Russia inquiry has experience investigating the White House
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Whats the result of phone calls between world leaders and President Donald Trump on North Korea? Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte faces accusations of crimes against humanity. Plus, China looks to repatriate eight North Korean defectors. VOAs Steve Miller has your Asia news, in a minute.
Im Chaem is riding her bicycle along a dusty road with her grandson towards a cattle field where she and her grandson will feed the livestock before sundown.

With a calm smile on her face, the former Khmer Rouge cadre, whose charges were dropped in February by the international tribunal investigating the regimes crimes after a dispute over jurisdiction, says she is relieved.

Now, Im fine. Everything is finished and I never did anything wrong, she said during an interview at her home in Anlong Veng, formerly a Khmer Rouge stronghold.

Now nobody bothers me. Im happier since before it was on my mind but now its finished.

Chaem, reportedly a district secretary of Preah Net Preah in Banteay Meanchey province under the Khmer Rouge, was charged in March 2015 with crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, enslavement, imprisonment and political persecution.

In February, however, the court dropped the charges, determining that her case did not fall within its jurisdiction as she was neither a senior leader nor one of the Khmer Rouge leaders most responsible for its crimes.

Chaem owns a farm now in Anlong Veng where she grows ginseng, rice and other crops.

Her daughter, Kaing Narin, concurs that her mother did nothing wrong. Im happy [with the decision] because nobody accuses her anymore. She said nothing, but I think shes happy now, Narin said.

The decision has prompted fresh questions over government influence at the U.N.-backed tribunal.

Professor Peter Maguire, author of Facing Death in Cambodia, said that it was clear that Chaems case was never going to happen for the simple political reason that Prime Minister Hun sen opposed them.

The court deserves credit for their patience perseverance given the political headwinds they faced; the court certainly exceeded my expectations. Now it is time for them to go home, he told VOA Khmer via email last month.

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than three decades, has repeatedly said he does not want to see further prosecutions of Khmer Rouge officials, which he said were costly and could lead to civil war.

In March 2015, Human Rights Watch accused Hun Sen of blocking prosecutions at the tribunal.

Cambodian prosecutors and judges appointed to the ECCC have repeatedly refused to cooperate with prosecutions of additional suspects, it said.

Long Panhavuth, a court monitor with the Cambodia Justice Initiative, said he was preparing to review the decision to drop Chaems case.

Justice doesnt mean whether the court issued the right verdict or the closing order. It is to make the public see the fairness of the whole investigation and also so the ordinary people are able to understand the meaning of the decision, Panhavuth said.

Neth Pheaktra, a tribunal spokesman, said there was no government pressure on the judges, saying their decision was in line with the law and professionalism and was evidence-based.

Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, said the decision would be hard to accept for Chaems victims.

We know in advance some decisions will not meet the peoples satisfaction, he said.

This is a decision which is hard to accept.

Long Khet, executive director of Youth for Peace, an educational NGO, said the decision risked creating a culture of irresponsibility.

It affects the truth-seeking procedure, which is not comprehensive. And it can breed a culture of irresponsibility.

For Chaem, the decision means she can forget and live out the rest of her days, she hopes, out of the limelight. I can live in peace now, she says.
Oeut Ang, the man sentenced to life over the killing of a prominent government critic, Kem Ley, in July last year, has appealed the courts decision, his lawyer has said.

Ang, who during the proceedings identified himself as Choub Samlap, which means meet kill in Khmer, was sentenced on March 23 for the murder of Ley, who was killed in a daylight shooting at a Caltex gas station in Phnom Penh on July 11.

The authorities detained Ang shortly after the incident. He claimed to have carried out the murder over a $3,000 debt.

Yung Phanith, Angs lawyer, said the appeal was made as a life sentence would not allow Ang the opportunity to reform.

He added that Ang regretted his actions and hoped the court would reconsider the life sentence.

We have looked at his actions ... it happened after he had met a bad person. He has realized he needs to correct himself and will use [this lesson] to serve society, Phanith said.

Y Rin, municipal court spokesman, said the appeal would be formally lodged with the Court of Appeals this week.

Leys killing came amid heightened political tensions in the run up to local elections in June and a general election scheduled for next year.

Civil society groups accused the municipal court of conducting a poor investigation into the murder, ignoring key witnesses and evidence pointing to a wider plot to kill Kem Ley, which many believe was orchestrated by members of the security forces.
North Korea has detained a U.S. citizen, the third being held by the communist country for alleged offenses against the state. The 50-year-old university professor was arrested Saturday at Pyongyang International Airport as he was about to leave the country. His arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and North Korea over its illegal nuclear arms program. VOA's Zlatica Hoke has more.
Afghanistans defense minister and military chief have both resigned following Fridays deadliest ever attack on a major army base that killed at least 140 soldiers and wounded many more.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the raid on the Afghan National Armys 209th Shaheen Corps in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Afghan President President Ashraf Ghanis office, in a brief announcement Monday, said, Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect and the president has accepted their resignations.

Habibi later told a joint news conference with Shahim at the defense ministry that they resigned on their own and were not forced to do so.

Following sacrifices our men are rendering (in this fight), I am also morally bound to resign in the national interest and set an example for my successors so they will also show moral courage and do the same for resolving issues facing them in the future,country, Habibi later told a joint news conference with Shahim at the defense ministry

Afghan officials and witnesses said that a group of ten heavily armed suicide bombers attacked and carried out the massacre just when hundreds of soldiers and officers were about to finish afternoon prayers in a mosque located deep inside the highly fortified facility.

Authorities have so far declined to confirm the number of casualties.

The government observed day of national mourning on Sunday in honor of the deceased soldiers.

Unnamed security officials and politicians in the capital city of relatively peaceful Balkh province claim the death toll could be as high as at least 180 and said special forces were also among them.

A presidential spokesman told reporters on Sunday an investigation was underway.

"Afghan president has ordered a full and technical investigation with regards to the attack on the military base. In order that the result of the investigation must be acceptable to the president and the people of Afghanistan, Shah Hussain Murtazawi told a news conference in Kabul.

The insurgent attack has led to a flood of criticism of President Ashraf Ghanis administration, with many accusing it of nepotism and appointing incompetent officers to key security posts who have failed to rid army ranks of soldiers suspected of links to the Taliban.

A Taliban spokesman claimed that four of its fighters who participated in Fridays raid had served at the military base.

On Sunday, U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster spoke to his Afghan counterpart, Haneef Atmar, and condemned the terrorist attack.

On behalf of the President Trump administration, and the American people, Gen. McMaster reaffirmed U.S. support for the people and security forces of Afghanistan, Haneefs office said. It added that Atmar told McMaster his government is determined to clear ranks of Afghan forces of "enemy influence and infiltrations".

The U.S. military has repeatedly shown concern over thousands ofghost soldiers in the Afghan army, meaning personnel who do not exist but their salaries are being drawn.

A month ago, militants attacked the country's largest army hospital in Kabul and killed more than 50 people, including doctors and soldiers. However, militants who have pledged allegiance to Syria-based Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for that attack.
3 U.S. President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka hold a video conference call with Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA on the International Space Station from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S.
An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed as the Ottoman Empire disintegrated during World War I, according to a version of events accepted by many historians but disputed by Turkey - which is blamed for the atrocities. As Armenians across the globe commemorate the 102nd anniversary on April 24 and honor those who perished in what they characterize as genocide, debate continues about the politics of that word.

We do not blame todays modern day Turks for what happened 102 years ago, but there is a moral responsibility that the leadership of the country that claims succession from the Ottoman empire to address that, says Armenia's Ambassador to the U.S. Grigor Hovhannissian, who also told VOA that Turkeys denial is the only denial that matters to us because Turkey is our neighbor.

But he also said that Armenians have a lot to be grateful for.

The challenge was to survive. The fact that we survived, there are Armenians in the world, there is a Republic of Armenia, a tiny little country, but it still exists, is an act of defiance, a miracle - so obviously the genocidal intent failed. Thats what we celebrate.

Turkey says the death toll has been inflated and those killed were victims of civil war and unrest. Two years ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan invited both sides to investigate.

If we want to discuss the Armenian issue, we first need to present the incident in actuality, and this is a job for historians  we are opening our archives. Armenia should open its archives too, Erdogan said.

Broad acceptance but some hold-outs

While the atrocities are broadly accepted by the United Nations, the pope and many countries as genocide, recent U.S. administrations have resisted using the word.

Armenian National Committee of Americas Executive Director Aram Hamparian says Turkey is to blame.

The Turkish government seeks to exercise a veto over what the American government can and cant say about the Armenian genocide. Theres a broad based civil society congressional effort to overturn that veto, to reject that gag rule," he said.

Part of that this year, Hamparian told VOA, was a letter by 84 members of the U.S. House [of Representatives], including the top Democrats and Republicans on the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees who came together and asked President [Donald] Trump to speak honestly about this crime when he makes a statement on April 24."

VOA was unsuccessful in its attempt to reach out to the Turkish embassy for comment.

The debate

Obviously it was in the context of a war, [in] which Turkey itself felt threatened," said Thomas de Waal, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Europe, and author of Great Catastrophe  Armenians and Turks in the Shadow of Genocide. "Lots of Turks died in that war. Some at the hands of the Russian army. Turkey itself was occupied and broken up. So the Armenians themselves were identified as the enemy  although it was collective guilt being attributed to the whole population, men, women and children, for the actions of a few who certainly were fighting for the Russians against the Turks at that time.

When it was all over," de Waal said, "and Turkey kind of saved itself through Kemal Ataturk, who founded the new modern republic of Turkey, Turkey kind of invented this myth about itself that its been born in purity, that it was a Turkish homeland and the other minorities didnt really matter, so Turks grew up with this feeling that theyve done nothing wrong.



Changing attitudes in Turkey

But de Waal says Turks are beginning to see things differently.

Turkish historians and scholars have started writing about it. Books are being published in Turkey. My own book on this issue was published in Turkey earlier this year, which wouldve been unthinkable a few years ago. So society has changed a bit, de Waal said.

While lots has been accomplished during the centenary, what now? Waal asked. With a closed border with Turkey and the nonresolution of the Azerbaijan conflict, de Waal says that while genocide recognition is very important, the Armenian diaspora should also think about ways to turn the Armenian economy around.

Meanwhile, the movie The Promise set against the backdrop of the mass killings and deportation of Armenians during the World War I, is bringing the story to moviegoers and is set to officially open this week throughout the U.S.
Whats the result of phone calls between world leaders and President Donald Trump as North Korea prepares to celebrate its military? Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte talked tough this weekend as he faces accusations of crimes against humanity. Plus, China looks to repatriate eight North Korean defectors. VOAs Steve Miller has your Asia news, in a minute.
U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson on Monday broke the record for most accumulated time spent in orbit by an American.

Commander Whitson, who is aboard the International Space Station, was congratulated by U.S. President Donald Trump, who spoke to space station astronauts via video.

"Five-hundred thirty-four days and counting. That's an incredible record to break," Trump said from the Oval Office. "On behalf of our nation, and frankly on behalf of the world, I'd like to congratulate you."

WATCH: Trump congratulates Whitson



The 57-year-old Whitson is the most experienced U.S. spacewoman. She is scheduled to return to Earth in September, at which time she will have spent 666 days in space over the course of three flights.

"It's actually a huge honor to break a record like this," Whitson told Trump.

The two also discussed the potential for further space travel, including to Mars, which NASA has said it wants to accomplish by the 2030s. However, Trump moved that deadline up, telling Whitson that he'd like to see a Mars trip "at worst, during my second term."

It wasn't immediately clear whether the president's comments were meant to be taken literally.

Whitson also explained to Trump how technology in the space station allows astronauts to convert their urine to drinking water. "It's really not as bad as it sounds," she said.

"Well that's good, I'm glad to hear that," Trump responded. "Better you than me."

Trump also spoke with U.S. astronaut Jack Fischer, who arrived at the space station for the first time last week. Asked by Trump how his flight went, Fischer, an Air Force pilot, responded: "Sir, it was awesome. It made even my beloved F-22 feel a bit underpowered."

Trump, who was speaking alongside his daughter Ivanka Trump, said he was honored to speak with the astronauts.

"I've been dealing with politicians so much. I'm so much more impressed with these people, you have no idea," he said.
In the run-up to the first round of the French presidential elections comparisons were drawn invariably between ideological bedfellows Donald Trump and National Front leader Marine Le Pen. But the rise of the centrist Emmanuel Macron also shares some similarities with Trumps capture of the White House  at least when it comes to having the skill to fire up an army of enthusiastic volunteers, many of whom had not previously been active in politics.

Macrons rise  he topped the poll in yesterdays first round featuring eleven candidates  is an object lesson for Europes centrist politicians in how to combat the populism of the right. The continent's centrists of both left and right were quick to congratulate Macron, with even the German government throwing caution to the winds and wishing him luck in the second round of voting.

Chancellor Angela Merkels official spokesman Sunday wished Macron all the best and the German Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, also hailed the results putting Macron ahead of Le Pen. I'm sure he will sweep away the far-right, right-wing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round," Gabriel said in a Tweet.

Like Trump, Macron has never been elected to anything. The 39-year-old former investment banker and briefly socialist economy minister  he was appointed to the post by outgoing French President Francois Hollande  has gone from being a rank outsider to the favorite to win the French presidency in the run-off next month against Le Pen.

Naysayers dismissed Macrons bid when it launched as a champagne bubble that would quickly burst. It hasnt. In less than a year the progressive maverick, who bills himself as neither left nor right, has rapidly built up his party En Marche! (Onwards!). It now boasts 250,000 members  twice the size of Frances establishment Socialist Party.

Since 1958, when the Fifth Republic was established by French wartime leader Gen. Charles de Gaulle, no independent candidate without electoral experience, has come near to securing the Elysee Palace.

Macron may be chalk to Trumps cheese when it comes to ideology: hes pro-globalization, pro-free trade deals, pro-EU and welcoming of immigrants. But like Trump and Europes populist right-wingers, Macron has benefited from rising public anger toward the establishment party machines. Macron on the campaign trail promised a democratic revolution to upset a hidebound French political system and has been every bit as dismissive of the old party dogmas as Le Pen.

When challenged on his government inexperience in the wake of the terrorist shooting on the Champs-Elysees last week, Macron parried that hed prefer not to have any, judging by the ineffectiveness of experienced politicians in France in recent decades.

Much of his campaign has been built on the excitement of his followers as well as his own character. They have flocked to stadium rallies and organized thousands of small-scale gatherings at cafes and bistros around the country to debate policies and to engage doubters.

Regardless of whether the reforms they push are for more free trade and deregulation or protectionism and nationalism, those who position themselves as outsiders benefit from public disdain of the elites, as both Macron and Le Pen did on Sunday, humbling the countrys established parties of left and right. But whereas Le Pens challenge comes from the nationalist fringe, Macron has mounted a populist insurgency from the center of French politics.

In France, the establishment parties went to their radical wings to pick their presidential contenders, leaving Macron an opening in the middle. His supporters may be different from Trumps  they are more white collar, metropolitan and educated  but like Trumps followers they, too, have grown tired of the old party dogmas that have failed to provide stability and security.

In France, Britain, the Netherlands, Austria and the U.S. the same people  blue- and white-collar workers, intermediate occupations and farmers  are joining the populist revolt, according to Christophe Guilluy, author of The Twilight of Elite France (Le crepuscule de la France den haut). The rift between the global markets winners and losers has replaced the old right-left split, he argues.

Macrons electoral trick has been to persuade enough of the losers  mainly white-collar but to a greater extent than predicted blue-collar voters as well  that he has some pragmatic policies that will provide answers to the challenges facing France, from streamlining the pension system, freeing many households from housing tax and reducing government charges and fees and cutting back on regulations and bureaucratic red tape.

Now in the second round two very different stark views will be presented for voters to pick from: Macrons more inclusive and cheerful view of a France that has the confidence to remain open to Europe and trade and welcomes new immigrants and those already in the country, and a more traditional view of France presented by Le Pen that points to rampant globalization as a danger to the countrys culture, jobs and security.

Victory will largely be determined by how Frances traditional working-class casts its vote.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama returned to public life Monday, urging young people in his adopted hometown of Chicago to be activists in their communities, much like he was before running for political office.

On a sunny spring morning at the University of Chicago campus, Obama told an audience that as a community organizer three decades ago in Chicago, he learned that "ordinary people, when working together, can do extraordinary things," a lesson "that stayed with me."

The 44th U.S. president moderated a panel of young people made up of a high school senior, college students and recent graduates working in their fields of study, saying he hoped to "help and prepare the next generation to take up the baton and take on the world." He said such pressing problems of income inequality, climate change and unfairness in the criminal justice system are "serious, they're daunting, but they're not insoluble."

Emma Finkbeiner, a public relations and advertising graduate student at DePaul University in Chicago, sat in the audience of more than 500 at the packed Logan Center for the Arts auditorium. Finkbeiner, who works in community and government relations at DePaul, said the talk was really encouraging.

I think a lot of conversations happen about our generation and about young people without us, and so him including young people and taking so much time to just talk about how we can be more civically engaged and encourage our peers to do the same really said something about what he cares about.

WATCH: Related video report by Kane Farabaugh



Obama has stayed out of the public eye since leaving office three months ago, ignoring the political controversies of Washington. Obama, a Democrat, derided his successor, real estate mogul turned Republican politician Donald Trump, during last year's national election campaign as unfit to assume the presidency, but Obama has declined to offer any commentary on Trump's performance since he took over the White House.

Illinois Institute of Technology international student and architecture major Naila Opiangah of Gabon said Obamas pitch for engaging people of different opinions and hearing from the lone Republican on the panel made the discussion so much more beautiful.

Not just because Im from another country, but also because Im really into politics and a lot of people might consider me a liberal. Im also always willing to talk with other people and to see that President Obama was reinforcing that idea that I was kind of leaning towards since November 8th [election day 2016], it was really, really a great experience for me.

As he greeted people at the University of Chicago, where he once taught law school classes and where his presidential library is planned, he joked, "What's been going on since I've been gone?" But he offered no thoughts on Trump's often controversial early months in office.

After the talk, Ayanna Watkins, the youngest panelist and a senior at Kenwood Academy High School in the universitys neighborhood, called the former presidents interest in young people rare.

It was genuine. Hes actually trying to sit down and discuss matters, and from there create solutions for the problems, which many adults and people of power dont do for the youth. So that was something that was very influential overall; that hes actually trying to ask my opinion.

While staying out of the public eye, Obama has spent time on vacation with his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama. He was spotted kitesurfing at airline titan Richard Branson's Caribbean island retreat in February. More recently, the Obamas spent time aboard the luxury yacht of film studio magnate David Geffen in French Polynesia, alongside rock star Bruce Springsteen, actor Tom Hanks and talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Both Obamas also signed multi-million-dollar deals to write their memoirs.



The former president first ran for political office in Chicago, elected as an Illinois state senator. The event program said the town hall-style meeting Monday is part of Obama's "post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world."

At the end of the heavily attended panel discussion Monday, Obama said he was excited to see what [all those present] do in the future.

In the coming weeks, Obama is accepting a Profile in Courage Award in Boston, giving private paid speeches in the U.S. and Europe and attending an event in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The Communist Party of China has recently warned its members of eight major red lines while using the popular social media platform WeChat, prohibiting behaviors like accepting or giving electronic red envelopes to buy votes.

The warning showcases the partys resolve to fight corruption ahead of this years 19th party congress, which is slated to elect Chinas top leaders for the next five years.

By tightening its grip, observers say the party may have gone too far to limit its 88 million-strong members social media presence.

And it may have exposed the true nature of Chinese-style elections, which is in no way free since no candidates are allowed to solicit votes, they add.

Red lines

Last week, the partys anti-corruption body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, published a notice on its WeChat account, detailing words and acts that its party officials would be disallowed on the social media platform.

Those include criticizing government policies, sharing pornography, spreading rumors or making inappropriate comments, opening online shops and leaking state secrets.

Two of the eight red lines specifically refer to the irregular use of WeChat red envelopes as bribery kickbacks, or to buy or stump for votes.

Once found crossing the red lines, party officials will be disciplined, the notice warned.

Striking flies or tigers?

Observers, in general, believed electronic red envelopes on WeChat are most likely seen in small-amount briberies or vote-rigging as they are capped at 200 yuan ($29) each.

Thus, lowly bureaucrats rather than high-ranking officials are more likely to resort to the platform to bribe or buy votes. In other words, the trace of corrupt flies rather than tigers is more likely spotted on WeChat, according to Qiao Mu, formerly a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The timing of the warning still makes it applicable to the partys top-level elections, which is reshuffling its 2,300 delegates for the 19th congress, and also highlights something else, the professor said.

Elections [in China] are mostly pre-organized by the party, which means that there wont be any real and free competition. Therefore, soliciting or stumping for votes [via WeChat] is [firstly] disallowed, Qiao said.

But the warning coincides with the timing of elections for the 19th party congress delegates. So, I think that the ban on soliciting or stumping for votes via WeChat may also apply to [nation-wide] elections, he added.

Qiao said Chinese-style elections are never free and fair, even if they may appear to be so.

One such example can be found in the electoral unit in Guizhou, which elected Xi Jinping to be a delegate to the 19th national congress by a unanimous vote last Thursday despite the fact that Xi has never lived or worked in the province; neither has he gone on any campaign trail there.

Tightened online control

While WeChat allows unlimited money transfers, it would also be suicidal for corrupt officials to engage in large-sum vote-buying activities as the platform is not only censoring users private messages and group chats, but is also keeping a tab on their financial dealings, said Ren Jianming, director of the anti-corruption and governance research center at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Through such means of communications, the [past] record of users massages can be easily traced unless it involves one-on-one interaction, Ren said. Any group chats [or activities] can be easily leaked and reported. If one tries to rat them out, an investigation can be easily conducted as users content is mostly stored and can be retrieved.

Another law professor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, urged the anti-graft body to clarify its definition of irregular uses of electronic red envelopes as the warning may have already sent a chilling effect to normal social exchanges of cash gifts on occasions such as weddings or Chinese New Year celebrations.

The warning has not only restricted party members right to freedom of expression on WeChat, but also greatly limited their presence on social media as WeChat users, Qiao adds.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has arrived in Afghanistan on a previously unannounced visit to discuss the countrys security situation with political and military leaders.

Mattis is expected to meet with U.S. General John Nicholson, the ground commander for international forces in Afghanistan, as well as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other top officials.

The visit comes days after about 10 Taliban militants killed at least 140 people in the deadliest insurgent raid on an Afghan military base in 16 years.

The militants were dressed as Afghan soldiers when they arrived at the regional headquarters of the Afghan National Army in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

General Mohammad Radmanesh, a spokesperson of the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said that the militants were allowed on the base without all of the proper checks after pleading for urgent care for a man in their vehicle who was covered in blood.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was in retaliation for the recent killings of Taliban shadow governors for Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

The Afghan government is investigating the incident.

4-Year Security Plan

Mattis is visiting as Afghans are looking to President Ghani to announce a four-year security plan for the country in the coming weeks.

Afghan and U.S. officials say Mattis will be discussing the plan with Afghan leaders while in Kabul.

Possible elements of the four-year plan include the provision of up to 200 U.S. helicopters and other aircraft for Afghan forces, along with doubling the number of Afghan special forces, according to U.S. and Afghan officials familiar with the ongoing discussions.

However, a U.S. official stressed to VOA on Monday that the Pentagon is still working with Congress and the White House to firm up the new administrations Afghanistan policy and financial commitments before making any final planning decisions.



WATCH: VOA Pentagon correspondent reports from Kabul
The Rock County Sheriff's Office on Saturday released these surveillance photos of Joseph Jakubowski taken April 4 at the Mobil Gas Station, 1215 Milton Ave., Janesville.
U.S. officials are reluctant to label a recent spike in piracy off the waters of Somalia as a trend.

"We're not ready to say there is a trend there yet, but we'll continue to watch," Marine General Thomas Waldhauser said Sunday at a news conference at a military base in the tiny African nation of Djibouti where U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was visiting.

Waldhauser suggested that drought and famine in the region had led pirates to carry out the six recent attacks on commercial ships carrying food and oil.

More than 20 million people from Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen are in danger of dying from starvation within the next six months, according to the U.N. World Food Program.

The rash of pirate attacks comes after a five-year downturn in the assaults which had grown to crisis proportions from 2010 to 2012.

Piracy "certainly has increased" said U.S. Navy Captain Richard Rodriguez.He said, however, that dealing with piracy was not a mission for his troops, who are instead focused on counterterrorism in the Horn of Africa and developing the capacities of national armies in Somalia and elsewhere in the region.

VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report.
France's two contenders for the presidency launched their campaigns Monday in a frantic bid to garner an absolute majority by convincing voters they each have the measure of change that French voters want.

The choice before French voters in the final round of elections on May 7 will be between staying the course in the European Union or following the lead of Britain and leaving the bloc.

In picking former banker and economy minister Emmanuel Macron and nationalist crusader Marine Le Pen, voters rejected mainstream parties in what analysts said amounted to a revolution in French politics. For the first time since the founding of Charles de Gaulle's Fifth Republic, the left-leaning Socialists and the right-leaning Republicans were shut out of the race.

"In two weeks, I want to become your president, the president of all the people of France. The president of patriots against the threat of nationalists," Macron told supporters at a rally after his victory in the first round, taking a jab at Le Pen and drawing on the sensibilities of French voters who want change, but not at the cost of overturning France's relationship with Europe.

Le Pen's victory message to supporters was one of determination to march ahead with an agenda to strengthen France's borders, curtail immigration, chase out the establishment politicians, and throw off the influence of Brussels.

"It is time to free the French people from the arrogant elite who want to dictate people's behavior, because, yes, I am the candidate of the people," she told cheering supporters.

EU partisanship

EU officials, in an unusual move, congratulated centrist Macron, a gesture analysts say shows the alarm that Le Pen's advance to the second round is causing among EU leaders.

"Le Pen's program will cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs in France and in Europe," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Monday during a visit to Jordan. "It will be done at the expense of the ordinary workers, and that is why we support Emmanuel Macron."

France, Gabriel said, "is a large European nation without which we cannot shape Europe. That is why his program for France is tantamount to a new beginning in Europe. We have the chance together to manage to reform Europe with Emmanuel Macron."

European markets soared as did the euro on Monday, something analysts attribute to relief the race will be between a moderate and a candidate of the extreme.

In the days before the poll, speculation had grown that far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon might have a chance after his popularity surged in the final moments, which would have meant a race between the far right and the far left.

How far from center?

In the first round, the polls were mostly correct in predicting a shift to non-traditional parties, but analysts caution the second round could be more unpredictable, since it will be a measure of how far voters want to go in their push for change.

Polls and many observers are betting on a Macron victory, saying Le Pen will find it difficult to reach beyond her established support base, which is largely in the economically depressed, de-industrialized northeast of France.

Macron will have to convince voters that he does not represent an extension of the policies of unpopular outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande, despite the past close ties between the two men.

Some analysts believe the task may not be so difficult, considering many voters on the center and left may see themselves as voting against Le Pen, rather than for Macron.

French voters, they say, may have attained the change they wanted at this stage by excluding the traditional parties from the race.

Jean-Yves Camus, a political analyst in Paris, sees the appetite for change as similar to that of the United States last November, but believes the French may not be ready to go all the way.

"There's the same feeling I heard in the United States at time of its election," Camus told VOA. "We also have this feeling here. But the National Front is not the only party that wants to change the system. The left also wants to change the system.

"There is anger at the politicians, but I think not to the point where this will become a revolution," he said.
After an unprecedented global rally in support of science-based policymaking, organizers of last Saturday's March for Science say the real measure of success will be whether they can translate the event's enthusiasm into action.

After crowds rallied in Washington and more than 600 other locations around the world April 22, march planners now urge those who participated to go out into their communities and advocate for science.

"WE MARCHED. NOW, WE ACT," reads the updated March for Science website, which lays out It lays out a week of action. Suggestions for Monday target local engagement: Start science game nights or book clubs, for example. Tuesday calls for contacting policymakers on science issues.

The more than 260 groups that backed the march also are urging their members to stay engaged.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU), which represents 60,000 earth and space scientists, has five weeks of action planned, with a similar strategy: Write your representatives; speak in your community; organize.

Symptom

As a scientist-led movement, the March for Science is unprecedented in its size and reach. It is a symptom of the concern that has been building in the scientific community. Scientists say ideology has overtaken evidence as the basis for policy on climate change, vaccines and much more.

"Certainly, though, recent political events in the U.S. and around the world have heightened that incentive" to mobilize, said AGU Executive Director Chris McEntee. "So, we are seeing larger and larger numbers of our members who want to participate."

Others are seeing the same thing. The union representing Department of Energy employees says membership has grown 30 percent in the last four months. Advocacy group Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has added about 3,000 members to its network of scientists, engineers, economists and other experts. The science network now tops 20,000.

"There's just a lot of energy out there," said Andrew Rosenberg, director of the UCS Center for Science and Democracy. "People want to know what they can do. And many, many people in the science community realize that retreating to your lab and hoping things go OK is just not sufficient in the current climate."

Some have decided it's time they step into the political arena. About 5,000 scientists have announced plans to run for office since the beginning of this year, according to 314 Action, an advocacy group that champions scientists seeking elected office.

"That is five times more than our most optimistic projection," said Shaughnessy Naughton, who founded 314 Action after an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2016.

Scientists have felt under attack since before the Trump administration, she said. But Trump's hostility to climate science "certainly has been a catalyst for getting more scientists to say, 'Enough. I can't just write another polite letter. I need to step up and get more involved.'"
Rodrigo Tot, a 60-year-old farmer and activist, was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize on Monday for work in his Guatemala homeland, an honor that comes after two previous Latin American winners were murdered in the last year.

The diminutive, soft-spoken evangelical pastor was recognized for defending his indigenous Q'eqchi community's lands against a mining company and the government.

In a statement, Goldman praised Tot for "intrepid leadership of his people and defense of their ancestral land" and noted his fight has come at great personal cost: In 2012, one of his sons was shot to death in "an assassination that was passed off as a robbery."

In an interview with the Associated Press, Tot said he was grateful for the honor but remains the same leader and person as before.

"I think this could be a stimulus for the work we do," he said, adding that he considered the award all to be recognition for "the struggle, because we are fighting hard for our land and our natural resources."

Latin America is the most dangerous region for environmental activists, with more than 570 of them murdered between 2010 and 2015, according to the London-based group Global Witness.

In March 2016, Goldman honoree Berta Caceres of Honduras was killed by armed men who invaded her home. And in January 2017, Mexican indigenous leader Isidro Baldenegro, another recipient of the prize, was slain in Mexico's northern state of Chihuahua.

Mining interests

Tot, leader of the Agua Caliente "Lote 9" community in El Estor in Guatemala's eastern department of Izabal, has fought for decades to try to make the government recognize locals' right to fertile farmlands that are also coveted by mining interests for nickel and gold deposits that lie beneath.

The struggle began in 1974 in response to a new law requiring landholders to pay about $4,500 to receive property titles. In 1985, a provisional title was granted to Tot and 63 other indigenous farmers in the community while they completed payment.

But three years later, records of the community's ownership of the land mysteriously disappeared. And when the last payment was made in 2002, the government refused to hand over the legal title.

In 2004, the Mines and Energy Ministry granted a mining license for a region covering 16 Maya communities including Agua Caliente, and those rights later passed to Compania Guatemalteca de Niquel.

"That is why we defend it, because there are lots of natural resources," Tot said. "There are 10 springs that supply lots of communities. We are preserving the mountain because if it dies, there will no longer be any water."

He and the community have fought in the courts to block mining on their land, arguing it poses environmental risks to forests and streams.

"Tot indefinitely delayed mining in Agua Caliente," Goldman said in its statement.

Allegations of violence

Mining companies have been accused of using violence against those who oppose their projects in Guatemala, often in poor and marginalized indigenous communities. Other lawsuits allege abuses including rape and forcibly removing farmers from their terrain.

According to Calas, a Guatemalan environmental and social law nonprofit group, in every case where indigenous communities have opposed mining projects, the government has backed the companies.

Tot said he has received threats against his life. In 2012 the Inter-American Commission on Human rights ordered protective measures for him and his lawyer, something that the Guatemalan government has not provided.

"I will never forget the loss of my son, but I continue to fight," Tot said. "We are no longer in the 1980s, when they could make a leader disappear and everything was kept quiet. Not today. When they make a leader disappear, 10 more rise up."

Recounting his arrival in in the community at age 12 after his parents died, Tot said he learned to love the land while growing up there. As an 18-year-old during Guatemala's 1960-1996 civil war, he was conscripted into the Civilian Patrol, a paramilitary organization that aided the army in controlling the population.

Tot said he was forced to do so and didn't support the military. He said that "there were many disappearances" during the period, including the killing of the community's then-leader for his efforts to defend the land.

But Tot used the experience to learn how to organize resistance.

On March 18, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights agreed to consider a lawsuit brought accusing Guatemala of violating the community's rights to land, natural resources, free determination and self-government by denying their title.

"We are not only asking to be legalized. We already paid. We have the receipts, the records and the right," Tot said. "We have to defend [the land] as far as can be."
Out of the numerous privileges that Indias political and administrative elite has claimed for itself, none was more coveted than the flashing red light atop their cars. The screaming sirens and red beacons made policemen jump to attention, halt traffic and wave VIP vehicles through crowded roads and red lights  sometimes even as ambulances waited  raising public ire.

Now, this most visible symbol of Indias VIP culture is being dismantled, much to the delight of ordinary citizens.

Saying that every Indian is a VIP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banned the use of the red light or lal batti, long a symbol of power and status. Starting May 1 only emergency services such as ambulances and fire engines will use blue lights.

The step comes three years after the Supreme Court called the widespread use of red lights reflective of the Raj [British rule] mentality and the antithesis of the concept of a Republic. The court was responding to a petition questioning why a host of public officials were flashing the lights.

These symbols are out of touch with the spirit of new India, Modi tweeted after the decision was announced.

The step has been widely welcomed as putting an end to a practice that sets Indias rulers aristocratically apart from the public.

Why should one class of people be above others or made to feel that they are more equal than us? questions New Delhi resident, Ratna Dehadrai, who has often fumed in traffic jams created by VIP cars.

However many point out that doing away with the red light targets no more than an outer symbol in a country where the ruling elite is probably the most entitled among the worlds major democracies.

We have not got rid of feudalism while modern democracy has come, says independent political analyst Neerja Chowdhury in New Delhi. Entitlement  the whole concept has deepened rather than getting diluted.

She recalls the excitement of a young lawmaker when he was appointed a minister. What was he excited about? He said my car will now have a laal batti. It symbolized power, it symbolized being recognized within your peer group, within society.

Although he and other politicians and officials may get accustomed to battling horrendous traffic jams like the rest of the country, they will continue to enjoy a host of privileges that give them priority access to every kind of public service from roads and airports to schools.

They jump airport queues, go past security checks, enjoy special access to tickets on overcrowded trains and get priority treatment in government hospitals. Top ministers live in sprawling, British-era colonial bungalows in the heart of New Delhi with a retinue of gun-toting guards that not only accompany them everywhere, but sometimes also their spouses on shopping trips.

But what has truly raised public wrath is a VIP mindset that sees some behaving as a law unto themselves.

They have been in the news for holding up commercial flights because they arrived late.

Last month, a member of parliament from the regional Shiv Sena party, Ravindra Gaikwad, hit the headlines when he not only struck a 62-year-old Air India employee, but later unrepentently proclaimed that he slapped him with his slipper 25 times. Why? He was in a rage about not getting a business class seat on an economy-only class flight.

Commercial airlines banned him from flying, but were persuaded by the government to lift the ban after a few days. A skeptical public, used to politicians getting away with such misdemeanors, was not surprised.

Many columnists and opinion makers say that such incidents are deepening a disconnect between politicians and voters and hope that Modi will target other perks of power that Indian public servants enjoy.

After the red light reform was announced, The Times of India noted in an editorial that a message needs to go out up and down the government.

You are not a superior being. Stand in queues, carry your own baggage, dont throw tantrums at toll plazas or manhandle airline workers, dont lord it over the people you are paid to serve.

That truly reflects public sentiment, but it may take years to happen.
A British-Iranian woman detained in Iran while on a trip with her toddler daughter has exhausted all chance of having her five-year prison sentence overturned in court, her family said on Monday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is one of several dual nationals held in Iran by hard-liners in the country's judiciary and security services on espionage charges, likely to be used as bargaining chips in future negotiations with the West.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the news agency, found out this weekend her final appeal to Iran's supreme court had been denied, her husband Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement.

Ratcliffe said he wants the British government to publicly call for Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release, rebut the Iranian spy allegations against her and have the British ambassador in Tehran visit her in prison.

She still has not been allowed to know the exact charges for which she was convicted, Ratcliffe said.

"It is a not such a surprise that this final appeal failed. We have had two secret trials and now a closed panel review," he said. "But it is still nonsense that even at this stage Nazanin still does not have firm details of the charges against her."

Iranian news agencies have said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was convicted of plotting the "soft toppling" of Iran's government. Her family says Iran's paramilitary Revolution Guard tried to get her to confess on camera she trained and recruited spies, something she refused. She had traveled to Iran with her daughter to visit family there.

There was no immediate reaction from Tehran on Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Iran does not recognize dual nationality and rarely allows consular visits to dual nationals in Iranian jails.

Among the dual nationals known to be held in Iran are Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his octogenarian father, Baquer Namazi, who are serving 10-year prison sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government." Iranian-American Robin Shahini is serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government," though he recently received bail .

Yet to be tried is Iranian-American Karan Vafadari, an art gallery manager held along with his Iranian wife. Iranian-Canadian national Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a member of the country's team that negotiated the nuclear deal, is believed to have been indicted.

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson , who vanished in Iran 10 years ago while on an unauthorized CIA mission.
Militants in Iraq ambushed a convoy of off-duty soldiers near a town in the country's sprawling western desert, killing at least 10 and wounding 20, officials said on Monday.



Iraqi Maj. Emad al-Dulaimi said the attack took place the night before near the town of Rutba. The militants were armed with assault rifles and rockets. Al-Dulaimi said he blamed the Islamic State group.



The Islamic State group later in the day took responsibility for the attack. A statement on the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency claimed 18 were killed in the ambush, including two officers.



IS has carried out many similar attacks targeting Iraqi forces in the past months to detract from the ongoing battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul.



Rutba lies about 390 kilometers west of Baghdad in the country's vast Anbar province. It's the last sizable town on the way to the border with Jordan.



Iraqi forces launched a wide-scale military operation last October to retake Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city from Islamic State militants. The eastern half of the city, separated in two by the Tigris River, was declared completely free of IS in January and now Iraqi forces are fighting to rout IS from all of the western, more densely populated half of the city.



The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said last week that 493,000 people have been displaced from the city and that as many as 500,000 others remain in IS-controlled parts of western Mosul.
Nine-year-old Fahad works at a tailor shop in Peshawar with his brother to provide for their family of 11, including his six brothers, two sisters and his parents.

Making just $20 a month, his job hinders him from going to school.

Every day on my way to work, I see students who go to school and it is very hard for me to ignore them, Fahad told VOA. My parents are poor and I have to work to be able to make ends meet.

Fahad is not alone on having to trade off school for work. An estimated 3 million children have no access to formal education in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

Around 3 million children are not going to primary schools. The government has worked on census to have accurate statistics on out of school children, Mushtaq Ghani, provincial government spokesperson, told VOA.

Nearly 58 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 16 are currently out of school in KP, according to Dawn, a local English language daily. Extreme poverty and lack of infrastructure remain the main reasons behind the lack of schooling.





Insecurity, terrorism

Continued insecurity and terrorism exacerbate the problem.

There were 867 attacks on educational institutions in Pakistan from 2007 to 2015, resulting in 392 deaths, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch.

Over the past 10 years, several militant groups, including Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have repeatedly conducted attacks on schools and universities across the country, particularly in the KP region.

Analysts believe that these attacks are part of an organized effort to instill fear among the masses and undermine education in the country.

Militancy has a huge and negative impact. It made life harder and day-to-day survival is at risk in KP, Arif Naveed, an education policy expert, told VOA.

According to analysts, ongoing counterterrorism measures in the country have also added to the problem.

As a result of ongoing military operations in the tribal region, thousands of children have not been able to attend school. The military operations have displaced over a million people in the region, making it extremely difficult to continue sending their children, particularly girls, to school.

Many schools were demolished, infrastructure destroyed and a lot of lives were lost as a result of terrorism and counterterrorism activities in the province, Naveed added.







Long-term consequences

Pakistan has a population of nearly 200 million people, with more than 25 percent under the age of 15.

Experts warn if the government fails to recognize the urgency in addressing education, there will be dire consequences.

With no economic opportunities for youth, the outcome will be disastrous, Naveed said.

Khadim Hussain, a political analyst from Peshawar, echoes Naveeds concern, saying depriving children from education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will have "unimaginable" results for the entire country.

The children deprived of their right to education are potential terrorists as they can be easily brainwashed and lured towards extremism, Hussain told VOA.

Over 60,000 people have reportedly died over the past 10 years due to terrorist attacks and most suicide bombers have been either teenagers or young adults in their early 20s, according to Pakistani media reports.

Uneducated and unemployed youth will be an easy target for extremists and militant groups, Hussain added.

KP governments measures

Khyber Pakhtunkhwas government said it is serious about tackling the issue and has allocated over a quarter of the budget toward education.

The government wants implementation of the education reforms and wants to ensure that every child goes to school, Mushtaq Ghani, provincial government spokesperson, told VOA.

Recent statistics by Alif Ailan, an education advocacy organization in Pakistan, reveal 48 percent of primary and secondary schools in KP region have to operate without adequate physical infrastructure.

The government has released billions of funds [Pakistani Rupees] to build infrastructure of schools, including boundary walls, restrooms, furniture, drinking water and electricity," Ghani said. Parents will be charged with fine or imprisonment if they fail to send their sons or daughters to school."

However, education expert Arif Naveed is critical of the legislation and said such bills are symbolic.





Madrasas as substitutes

Parents who cannot financially afford to sending their children to mainstream education institutions, they consequently send their children to local madrasas [religious seminaries], most of which do not charge fees, and provide children with food and accommodation.

Experts say these religious schools mainly focus on religious education and every madrasa teaches religion according to its own ideology and interpretation.

There is a possibility children coming out of these religious seminaries will be inclined towards extremist views, political analyst Hussain said. In every street of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, theres a madrasa. Every sect has their own religious school for girls and boys.

Critics charge that these religious schools rely on outdated curriculum with little or no relevance to modern education.

Government should devise reforms for religious seminaries, too. Madrasa registration and their syllabus is a big issue, Sardar Hussain Babak, former minister of education in KP, told VOA.

A majority of parents, usually daily-wage laborers, prefer their children to support the family to put food on the table.

Because of that, some children do not go to school, either from the onset like Fahad, or later, dropping out to learn skills to work as laborers and earn money.

While pessimistic about the future, Fahad still keeps some hope that one day he will be able to live as a child.

I want to be able to go to school, Fahad said. But until that dream comes true, he wants to have a plan B.

I will be a tailor in the future if I could not go to school, he said.
The southern U.S. city of New Orleans, Louisiana has begun removing four prominent monuments that paid tribute to the city's racially segregated past.

Workers began dismantling the first memorial, which commemorates whites who tried to topple a biracial government in New Orleans in the years after the U.S. Civil War, after midnight.

Officials decided to remove the statue in the dead of night in an attempt to avoid disruption from opponents of the removals.

New Orleans's majority-black city council voted in 2015 to take the statues down, but legal battles over their fate have prevented their removal until now.

The decision also triggered death threats, prompting workers to wear bullet-proof vests and helmets.

The other three memorials, which salute the president of the breakaway Confederate States of America and two famous Confederate army generals, will be removed in the coming days.

New Orleans is the latest entity to remove symbols that memorialize the Confederacy, a coalition of 11 southern states that seceded from the original United States between 1861 to 1865 over the issue of enslaved African-Amercans, and waged an unsuccessful war against their northern neighbors.

The symbols are viewed by many as a representation of racism and white supremacy.

The debate over Confederate symbols has become heated since nine parishioners were killed at a black church in South Carolina in June 2015 by Dylann Roof, a young self-proclaimed white supremacist.
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 trip to a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year.

He met a Muslim refugee from the Middle East there 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 on 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.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) later urged the pope "to reconsider his regrettable choice of words" for using the term concentration camp.

"The conditions in which migrants are currently living in some European countries may well be difficult, and deserve still greater international attention, but concentration camps they certainly are not," the AJC's head, David Harris, said in a statement.

"The Nazis and their allies erected and used concentration camps for slave labor and the extermination of millions of people during World War II. There is no comparison to the magnitude of that tragedy," he 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, such as deals between the European Union (EU) and Libya and the EU and Turkey. Humanitarian groups have criticized both deals.

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 centuries.

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.
MENOMONIE  The Minneapolis man accused in the beating death of a UW-Stout student from Saudi Arabia has been bound over for trial.

Cullen M. Osburn, 27, faces charges of felony murder and aggravated battery in an altercation involving Hussain Saeed Alnahdi that took place outside a pizza restaurant in downtown Menomonie in the early morning hours of Oct. 30, 2016. Alnahdi died in an Eau Claire hospital as a result of traumatic brain injuries the following day.

On Thursday, Dunn County Judge Rod Smeltzer found probable cause that Osburn committed the felonies. After the preliminary hearing, however, Osburns attorney, Christopher Zipko, claimed it was a matter of self defense and said, Theres no possible way that my client assaulted Mr. Alnahdi. ... From everything that weve looked at, I dont even think there was an assault.

Menomonie Police Department Kelly Pollock testified Alnahdis blood was drawn at the hospital, showing a 0.284 percent blood alcohol content.

Pollock said that a female witness heading eastbound on Main Street passed between Alnahdi and an unknown white male on sidewalk in front of Toppers Pizza around 2 a.m. on Oct. 30. She stopped and turned around when she heard yelling behind her.

Pollock said the woman told her she saw Alnahdi put his hands up in the air in a gesture that indicated he did not want to have any problems, then saw the unknown man hit Alnahdi once and believed he tried to hit Alnahdi a second time.

She saw him [Alnahdi] fall backwards, Pollock said. She saw his head strike the side of the building.

Describing the other man, Pollock said the woman saw him running westbound down Main Street.

Pollock also attended the autopsy of Alnahdis body at UW-Madison at which Dr. Michael Steier, forensic pathologist, found that Alnahdi sustained a skull fracture on the right side of the back of his head and determined the cause of death to be from a traumatic brain injury.

He said it required a great deal of force similar to an automobile accident or a fall from a higher story building, Pollock said.

Deonte L. Hughes, Osburns brother, testified he was inside Toppers Pizza with his sister, Mariah Hughes, and friends Joshua Sims and William Hall. As they waited for their pizza order, Hughes wondered where Osburn was, and, looking through the window, saw him outside being grabbed by the collar by Alnahdi and the two men in an altercation.

Hughes said he saw that his brothers necklace had been ripped off, but did not remember witnessing Osburn make contact with Alnahdi, but said he saw his brothers arm swing and saw Alnahdi on the ground as he was pulling Osburn away.

Sims also testified that he, too, saw Alnahdi grab Osburns collar, but did not see Osburn hit Alnahdi from inside the restaurant.

I came out when the dude was falling, Sims said.

An arraignment has been scheduled for Thursday, April 27. Osburn remains in custody in the Dunn County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
An international media watchdogs choice of Taipei for its first Asia office confirms its ranking of Taiwan as the freest place in the region for journalists despite competition from neighboring countries with long-standing democracies, the group and the island government say.

The French-based media freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) will open a formal office in Taipei within the next few months -- after rejecting a site in Chinese-controlled Hong Kong -- to monitor East Asia and build connections in local languages with local reporters, said regional director Cedric Alviani.

On the press freedom index published by RSF every year, Taiwan is the best country in Asia, he said. Opening an office in Taiwan is also a way to recognize all the efforts, all the improvements that have been made in the past decades in Taiwan, which is contrasting a lot with the global situation, which is rather decaying.

Press freedom arrived with democracy

Taiwans authoritarian government restricted media content before democratization in the 1980s. Content in the local Taiwanese dialect was banned and the government jailed the translator of Popeye for eight years because it saw the cartoon as a slight against strongman Chiang Kai-shek.

The island of 23 million people, with four mainstream daily newspapers and more than a half dozen cable TV networks, now exercises little control over the content put out by licensed media organizations.

For such an authoritative group to set up in Taipei, I think one aspect is (RSFs) recognition for Taiwans democracy and Taiwans degree of media freedom, said George Hou, a mass communications lecturer at I-Shou University in Taiwan.

In addition, on the future path toward democratization, this will of course continue to push us," he said. "Even though weve been recognized, theres no turning back on this path.

Taiwan welcomes group

Taiwans government welcomed the watchdogs plans as it wants other countries to notice local media freedoms and differentiate the island from political rival China. China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the 1940s and uses its economic clout to block the islands membership in the United Nations and other bodies requiring statehood.

We very much welcome (RSFs) decision to set up an Asian headquarters, Taiwan cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung said. He calls the promotion of free media part of Taiwans smart power campaign for stronger recognition overseas in the absence of a U.N. seat.

For Taiwans movement toward democracy and focus on this universal value, its especially meaningful to get approval from this organization, Hsu said.

Group: Taiwan top in Asia

Taiwan ranked No. 51 on the watchdogs list of 180 spots around the world last year, with Hong Kong in 69th place and mainland China at No. 176. China carefully screens out any media content that may offend the government and owns the countrys major media outlets.

Japanese media, despite operating in one of Asias oldest democracies, have faced an evasive government, a crackdown on certain websites and a "long-term censorship policy" following their reports on a nuclear power plant meltdown in 2011, according to fellow media watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists.

Questions about government pressure against media in Japan came up again in March 2016 when three television anchors were fired. They had criticized a restart of nuclear power in Japan and proposals to end the governments pacifist military policies.

In South Korea, which is also a democracy, former president Park Geun-hye introduced stricter requirements for registering online newspapers and a provision to let third parties request the removal of defamatory Internet content, says the U.S.-based democracy advocacy group Freedom House.

A lot of countries, they actually are free on paper, but the government authorities, the police put so much surveillance and pressure on media they cannot do their work freely, Alviani said. I would say in Taiwan the authorities really respect the rules as they have been set.

Rejection of Hong Kong

Reporters Without Borders, a 32-year-old group with 12 offices and 130 correspondents, was working last year toward setting up its first Asia office in Hong Kong, a more common go-to place for international organizations seeing regional presence.

The NGO scrapped that plan because it feared the Chinese government might eventually shut it down or endanger the local staff, Alviani said. In the long run it might be difficult to run our activities from Hong Kong, he said.

Reporters Without Borders will monitor the media in Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, both Koreas and Mongolia from the Taipei office.
A human rights organization wants China to "immediately disclose" the whereabouts of eight North Koreans refugees, including four women, who were detained in China in March.

Human Rights Watch said it believes the group that was randomly stopped in Shenyang, in northeastern China, is still in China. HRW wants Beijing to promise it will not return the refugees to North Korea, but will instead give them asylum or allow them to depart to a third country of their choice.

Phil Robertson, HRW's deputy Asia director, said, "By now, there are plenty of survivor accounts that reveal Kim Jong-Un's administration is routinely persecuting those who are forced back to North Korea after departing illegally, and subjecting them to torture, sexual violence, forced labor - and even worse."

Robertson urged Beijing to "respect its obligations under the Refugee Convention by protecting these eight North Koreans, and under no circumstances force them back to North Korea."

HRW said at least 41 North Koreans have been detained in China in the last nine months, including a teenager, a 10-year-old child and a pregnant woman. The rights organization said it believes at least nine of the 41 have been "forcibly returned' to North Korea.

The rights group said it does not have "reliable estimates" of how many North Koreans have been sent back to North Korea by China.

HRW said China forcing North Koreans back to North Korea where they face serious human rights violations or torture is "a practice forbidden by international treaties to which China is a party."
The Italian and Greek governments are counting on France's likely next president Emmanuel Macron to help them see off populist parties that blame European Union-enforced austerity and open immigration policies for economic and social ills.

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras and Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni both called Macron on Monday to congratulate him after the independent centrist won Sunday's first round of voting in the French election.

The former economy minister, who is seen in southern Europe as an opponent of rigid austerity, is favored to defeat far-right, anti-EU candidate Marine Le Pen in the May 7 run-off.

Five Star Movement a concern

The ruling parties in heavily indebted Italy and Greece hope his enthusiasm for the EU will help them see off challengers such as Italy's Five Star Movement, which wants a referendum on ditching the shared euro currency.

A Greek official said Tsipras and Macron had an amicable discussion in which Macron noted his previous support for Athens in tough bailout talks with EU powers.

I supported the need for a change of stance towards Greece, the official quoted Macron as telling Tsipras. It is certain that if I'm elected we will work closely together to ensure that Europe meets the needs of our generation.

Gentiloni also spoke to Macron, an Italian official said, adding that the two would work together to ensure Europe can face its economic challenges.

Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, who is plotting a path back to power at elections due next year, also welcomed Macron's first-round victory, saying he represented a Europe that looked to the future, not to the decimal points.

Italian European Affairs Minister Sandro Gozi told Reuters a Macron presidency would bolster the ruling Democratic Party (DP) against populist forces like Five Star, which opinion polls show rivaling the DP with as much as a third of the vote. A path to government remains difficult, however, given its refusal to consider alliances and Italy's electoral system.

Le Pen's plans

Five Star and the right-wing Northern League question to varying degrees the adoption of EU open-immigration policies, the cornerstone of which is the Schengen open-borders area.

Macron's first round win and his likely victory in the second round will help give us a push, Gozi said.

Le Pen wants to get out of the eurozone, to get out of NATO, to dismantle Schengen and basically do many things that either the Northern League or Five Star want to do here. So if Macron wins, it is excellent news for us.

The French connection

For Greece, a Le Pen victory would knock its major EU ally out of the union and weaken its defenses against a push from Germany, the bloc's biggest creditor, for continued austerity.

Greece has debts equal to 178 percent of its economy and is struggling to conclude a progress review on reforms prescribed by its international lenders in exchange for vital loans.

Outgoing French President Francois Hollande helped fellow leftist Tsipras seal a 86 billion euro ($93 billion) bailout from the EU in July 2015, its third since 2010, which kept the crisis-hit country in the eurozone.

It expires next year, however, and Athens now needs France to lobby the rest of the EU, especially Germany, to agree to debt relief. Tsipras is counting on this support as the next election approaches in 2019.

Markets react to results

Relations between Greece and France are strategic, they are based on mutual interests and common views on European affairs and I believe that Macron would stick to Hollande's policy, which was supportive on Greece, deputy foreign minister George Katrougalos told Reuters.

A senior Greek government official close to the bailout talks, which resume this week in Athens, agreed that a Macron presidency would be sympathetic and supportive of Greece.

Markets in Greece and Italy also welcomed the prospect of a Macron victory next month. Greek 10-year government bond yields hit a two-and-a-half-year low and Italian yields sank despite a credit rating downgrade on Friday.
Authorities in southwestern Somalia have executed four al-Shabab militants convicted of carrying out explosions that killed some 80 people.

The men had been sentenced to death in February by a Somali military court in the city of Baidoa, 240 kilometers southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.

Reading the execution order Monday, the court's deputy general attorney, Mumin Husein Abdullahi, said the men were behind simultaneous blasts that targeted two Baidoa restaurants in February 2016.

Following convictions with clear and concrete evidence, the court orders the implementation of the death sentences," he announced.

As regional officials and dozens of cheering residents watched, the men were shot dead by a firing squad in Baidoa.

The men were brought in a public arena. Their hands were tied behind their backs with cord and on a post and then a half-dozen masked firing squad shot them dead simultaneously, one of the residents told VOA on condition of anonymity.

Al-Shabab's insurgency aims to drive out African Union peacekeepers, topple Somalia's Western-backed government, and impose its strict version of Islam on the Horn of Africa state.

The groups attacks do not only target military and politicians but also civilians at hotels, restaurants and other crowded public places.
Monitors in northern Syria reported fierce fighting Sunday between Islamic State fighters and U.S.-backed Kurdish units at an airbase about 50 kilometers from the jihadists' de facto capital, Raqqa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and several other regional media reports are calling the fighting the "Battle for Tabqa," a key Euphrates River town downstream from Raqqa.

Details were sketchy late Sunday, but the pro-government news outlet al-Masdar said stiffened IS resistance included a suicide attack that killed at least 15 Kurdish fighters near the al-Tabqa dam. The report said the Kurdish force nonetheless had repelled the IS attack early Sunday.

Al-Masdar also reported that jihadist infighting erupted Saturday in nearby Tabqa city over apparent disagreements on whether extremist fighters should surrender.

Neither report has been independently confirmed. However, if verified, they would coincide with U.S.-led coalition airstrikes Saturday that killed at least five people and wounded an unknown number of others near Tabqa city.

Anti-IS offensive gathering steam

Analysts describe Tabqa as the last fortified line of defense for Islamic State fighters seeking to defend western Raqqa from a gathering anti-jihadist offensive.

The anti-jihadist forces, led by U.S.-backed Kurds and a separate, largely Syrian Arab militia, have been pushing toward Raqqa for weeks, and are expected to launch coordinated attacks on the city later this year.

In a separate development Saturday, Israeli airstrikes targeted a Syrian base near the northern Israeli border that Israel says housed a militia group loyal to embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

An Israeli military statement said the strikes early Sunday in Syria's Quneitra province came in response to Syrian artillery shells that allegedly landed late last week in the Golan Heights - a strategic Syrian plateau bordering Israel seized by the Jewish state in the Six-Day War of 1967.

There were no reports of casualties in either exchange.
Days after the brazen Taliban attack on an Afghan military base, top U.S. military officials are "not refuting" reports Russia has been arming the insurgent group.

"We continue to get reports of this assistance and, of course, we had the overt legitimacy lent to the Taliban recently by the Russians that really occurred late last year," said U.S. General John Nicholson, the ground commander for international forces in Afghanistan.

Nicholson made the comments Monday in Kabul alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who made a previously unannounced visit to Afghanistan, after stops in Qatar and Djibouti.

Mattis noted Russia is choosing to be a strategic competitor in a number of areas, including in the war-torn South Asian country.

"We will engage with Russia diplomatically, we will do so where we can, but we will have to confront Russia when what they are doing is contrary to international law or denying the sovereignty of other countries," Mattis told reporters in the Afghan capital, where he also met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

Deadly attack

The U.S. defense secretary's visit Monday comes days after about 10 Taliban militants killed at least 140 people April 21 in the deadliest insurgent raid on an Afghan military base in 16 years.

The militants were dressed as Afghan soldiers when they arrived at the regional headquarters of the Afghan National Army in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

General Mohammad Radmanesh, a spokesperson of the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said that the militants were allowed on the base without all of the proper checks after pleading for urgent care for a man in their vehicle who was covered in blood.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was in retaliation for the recent killings of Taliban shadow governors for Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

The Afghan government is investigating the incident and, on Monday, President Ghani announced that Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim were stepping down in the aftermath of the siege.

Mattis on Monday noted the "barbaric" nature of the attack and the challenges associated with the mission.

"2017 is going to be another tough year for the valiant Afghan security forces and the international troops who have stood, and will continue to stand, shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan against terrorism," he said.

The defense secretary said there was a "pretty low standard" for the Taliban to join the Afghan political process, noting they "need only to renounce violence and reject terrorism."

Long-term US-Afghanistan policy

Mattis traveled to Afghanistan as U.S. President Donald Trump has directed a review of U.S. policy for the country and as Ghani looks to announce a four-year security plan for his nation in the coming weeks.

Possible elements of the four-year plan include the provision of up to 200 U.S. helicopters and other aircraft for Afghan forces, along with doubling the number of Afghan special forces, according to U.S. and Afghan officials familiar with the ongoing discussions.

However, a U.S. official stressed to VOA on Monday that the Pentagon is still working with Congress and the White House to firm up the new administration's Afghanistan policy and financial commitments before making any final planning decisions.

When asked by reporters Monday about deploying more U.S. forces to Afghanistan amid what General Nicholson has called a U.S. stalemate with the Taliban, Mattis said he was "owed some degree of confidentiality" on what he will recommend to Trump.

"Right now we are engaged in defining the challenge [and] the way ahead with a whole lot of nations. There is no one nation that is going to carry all of this," Mattis said.
President Donald Trump has again made separate telephone calls from the White House to the leaders of Japan and China to discuss concerns about North Korea.

The 30-minute call between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meant to increase pressure on Pyongyang not to engage in further provocative actions, but was not prompted by any significant change in the situation, according to officials in Tokyo.

"We agreed to strongly demand North Korea, which is repeating its provocation, show restraint," Abe told reporters in Tokyo on Monday.

"We will maintain close contact with the United States, maintain a high level of vigilance and firmly respond," he added.

Abe also said he and Trump agreed that a larger role in dealing with Pyongyang should be played by China.

Trump subsequently spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about North Korea, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The Chinese president said he hopes all sides avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the Korean peninsula, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Trump, in the phone call with Xi, criticized North Koreas continued belligerence and emphasized Pyongyangs actions are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula, according to a White House readout issued Monday. The two leaders reaffirmed the urgency of the threat posed by North Koreas missile and nuclear programs, and committed to strengthen coordination in achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

U.S. officials have repeatedly said all options remain on the table to deal with further North Korean provocations.

The conversations between Trump and two of his counterparts in Asia (where it was Monday morning) took place as a US Navy strike force, led by the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, is approaching the Korean peninsula.

Officials in Seoul announced Monday the USS Carl Vinson is scheduled to hold a joint training exercise with South Korean naval ships.

Consultations are under way in connection with the exercise, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told reporters. But he provided no additional details.

The approach of the American naval carrier strike group has not gone unnoticed in Pyongyang.

Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike, read a Sunday commentary in the Rodong Sinmun, the Workers Party newspaper.

Such threats are common from the reclusive state.

North Korea on Tuesday celebrates the anniversary of the founding of its military, a key holiday in the country.

There are concerns Pyongyang, in conjunction with the anniversary, will demonstrate a show of force by possibly firing more ballistic missiles or conducting its sixth nuclear test.

Such activities by North Korea are prohibited under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

North Korea sole significant ally, China, also opposes Pyongyangs programs to develop weapons of mass destruction.

President Trump has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is applying pressure on North Korea to not engage in further provocations.

It is speculated by analysts in Washington and Beijing that China is threatening to cut crude oil supplies to its impoverished neighbor should it conduct another nuclear test.

US citizen detained

Meanwhile a third U.S. citizen was detained Friday by North Korean authorities as he was about to leave the country.

The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) confirmed the detention of Kim Sang-duk, who had been teaching accounting at the privately-funded school started by evangelical Christians.

We cannot comment on anything that Mr. Kim may be alleged to have done that is not related to his teaching work on the PUST campus, the university said in a statement on Sunday.

At least two other U.S. citizens are known to be held in North Korea.

The U.S. State Department said it is aware of reports that a third American had been detained and is working with Swedish diplomats on the case.

The United States and North Korea have never had diplomatic ties. Swedens embassy in Pyongyang represents the interests of American citizens in the country.

North Korea has a pattern of detaining and sentencing American visitors to prison in order to get high profile visitors to go there to obtain their release.
U.S. President Donald Trump will sign several executive orders on energy and the environment this week, which would make it easier for the United States to develop energy on and offshore, a White House official said on Sunday.

"This builds on previous executive actions that have cleared the way for job-creating pipelines, innovations in energy production, and reduced unnecessary burden on energy producers," the official said on condition of anonymity.

On Wednesday, Trump is expected to sign an executive order related to the 1906 Antiquities Act, which enables the president to designate federal areas of land and water as national monuments to protect them from drilling, mining and development, the source said.



On Friday, Trump is expected to sign an order that would fit into his administration's "America First" energy policy, the source said, but did not provide details.

The new measures would build on a number of energy- and environment-related executive orders signed by Trump that seek to gut most of the climate change regulations put in place by predecessor president Barack Obama.

It was unclear how Trump planned to address use of the Antiquities Act in his order, or if he will try to undo actions taken by Obama to put certain areas off limits to drilling and mining. No president has ever removed a monument designation created by former presidents.

Obama had used the Antiquities Act more than any other president, his White House said in December, when he designated over 1.6 million acres of land in Utah and Nevada as national monuments, protecting two areas rich in Native American artifacts from mining, oil and gas drilling.

He had also banned new drilling in federal waters in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans using a 1950s-era law that environmental groups say would require a drawn out court challenge to reverse.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said during his confirmation hearing in January that he believed Trump could amend Obamas monument designations but that any move Trump made to rescind a designation would immediately be challenged.

There is strong pressure from some Republicans in Congress to reform how future presidents use the act to give more input to states and Congress.

Last month, Trump signed an order calling for a review of Obama's Clean Power Plan, which required states to slash carbon emissions from power plants. Trump also reversed a ban on coal leasing on federal lands.
U.S. President Donald Trump is to sign at least four executive orders this week, giving him the distinction of having signed more directives (28) in his first 100 days in office than any president since Franklin Roosevelt.

A check by Politifact shows FDR signed 76 such orders in the same 100-day period in 1933.

Overall he [Trump] has signed a record number of executive orders, said White House spokesman Sean Spicer Monday.

The 28 directives Trump has signed since taking office January 20th are mostly aimed at such things as rolling back regulatory reform, restricting illegal border crossings and creating jobs. Most have had little immediate effect, but have started a review process that could lead to future action.

The four Trump will sign this week bring his total to 32, include one calling for a review of the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allows a president to protect lands of historic or scientific value by declaring them national monuments.

President Barack Obama frequently used the Antiquities Act, notably last December, weeks before he left office, when he prohibited oil drilling on 650,000 hectares of land in Nevada and Utah that is said to be rich in Native American artifacts.

A senior White House official did not mention the Obama administration specifically, saying only that past administrations have overused the law to designate large chunks of land far in excess of what is necessary for protection.

Another Trump order sets in motion an America First Offshore Energy Strategy, including a review of mostly Obama-era energy policies that restrict the number of locations available for offshore oil and gas exploration.

Trump often accused Obama during the presidential campaign of effectively short-circuiting the legislative process by executive fiat, making rules and regulations that could not make it through a Congress dominated by opposition Republicans.

"I don't think he even tries anymore. I think he just signs executive actions," Trump said of then-President Obama in 2015.

Obama signed 276 executive orders during his presidency, the fewest by any two-term president in the modern era. That is an average of fewer than 35 a year, less than any other president since Grover Cleveland in the 19th century.

Presidential historian Max Skidmore of the University of Missouri-Kansas City says executive orders are a time honored way of accomplishing politically unpopular goals. Skidmore, who has written books about presidential powers, points to President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation, signed in 1863 at the height of the Civil War, or President Harry Trumans 1948 order desegregating the military.

When Truman desegregated the military, there was no way on earth Congress would have approved, Skidmore told VOA. Congress was under the control of arch conservative Democrats in the 1940s, so they certainly werent going to pass such legislation. The only way to do it was by executive order, he said.

John Hudak, a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, says it is normal to see a surge in executive orders at the beginning of any presidency, as an administration tries to undo the work of the previous president.

Politics in the United States have a funny way of dealing with executive orders, Hudak said. Every presidential candidate hates executive orders, but every president loves them, and the party in power in the White House loves them and then becomes their staunchest critics as soon as theyre out of the White House.
Observers say one of the few positives that supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took from the controversy-marred narrow referendum victory last week was the widely touted bump in support from southern Turkey's restive predominantly Kurdish region.

Critics say that bump had more to do with fraud and intimidation, but Erdogan advisers and members of his ruling AK Party argue it signifies a sea change in Kurdish sentiments toward the president and away from separatist politics.

The Kurds stood next to Erdogan at a critical turning point, wrote Abdulkadir Selvi, an influential columnist with Hurriyet newspaper, who added that these results have reminded the ruling party of its historical responsibility in the solution to the problem.

Adding to the weight of Selvi's words is that fact that he is widely seen as being close to Erdogan.

Kurds saved Erdogan, coalition with nationalists failed. Erdogan needs to pay back this favor, tweeted Altan Tan, a parliamentary deputy from the pro-Kurdish HDP party, highlighting the widely held belief that Erdogans strategy of courting Turkish nationalist voters in the referendum failed.





But many within the pro-Kurdish movement remain deeply skeptical there has been any momentous change in policy, "No one really believes that, said Ertugrul Kurkcu, an HDP deputy and its honorary president, dismissing any hopes for a new peace process. He argued that actions speak louder than words.

The day after the referendum they arrested another HDP MP in Mus," he said. "Who is is going to make peace with whom? The government with their local henchmen will make a peace process? This is something very amusing, in fact."



The "henchmen" Kurkcu is referring to is Huda Pa, a hardline Kurdish Islamist party that strongly backs Erdogan.

Turkish security forces continue to crackdown on the PKK, the outlawed Kurdish insurgent group, claiming this week to have killed more than 50 rebels. But Friday saw the unexpected release from jail of two HDP parliamentary deputies. A dozen more remain in jail, including the party's co-leaders. Last week also saw the PKK call off a prison hunger strike.



Erdogan has presided over previous peace efforts, and while they ultimately failed, his efforts were initially rewarded by a surge in support from Kurdish voters. Analysts suggest that, given the animosity between Erdogan and the HDP  in particular, its imprisoned leader  peace efforts could circumvent the party and involve direct talks with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. That is what occurred in previous attempts at negotiations, the last of which ended in 2015 amid mutual recriminations.

The PKK has been fighting for greater minority rights and regional autonomy since 1984. The conflict has claimed over 45,0000 lives.

Observers say Turkey's presidential and general elections in 2019 could provide a powerful impetus toward peace efforts, in Erdogan's calculations.

"If Turkey is able to go back to that environment of seeking a negotiated solution to the Kurdish problem, then this would not only have a positive impact regarding stability at home,but surely enhance Turkeys diplomatic hand abroad," said Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. "From there on, Turkey could adopt different policies toward the PYD."

The PYD is the main pro-Kurdish party in Syria, which Ankara designates as a terrorist organization, linking it to the PKK. The PYD militia, the YPG, forms the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Force that is fighting Islamic State and is militarily backed by Washington.



That support remains a major point of tension between the NATO allies, and is expected to top the agenda when U.S. President Donald Trump meets Erdogan next month in Washington.





Many predict Trump will press Erdogan to change his stance towards the Syrian Kurdish forces, which would likely pave the way to an enhanced U.S.-Turkish relationship, a top Erdogan priority. But hawks within the Turkish presidency are pressing for military incursions into Syria and Iraq against the PKK.

AKP is not on its own when speaking about the PKK, said HDP deputy Kurkcu. They have made a coalition with the MHP [Turkish nationalist party], they have made a coalition with the hardliners in the army. Therefore, this coalition does not allow for any reconciliation in this respect.

Erdogan has repeatedly threatened new cross-border operations against the PKK, and local reports say military preparations are already underway. But observers suggest Erdogan is likely still digesting the lessons of the referendum and has not yet decided on his future strategy.
A New Lisbon man faces a substantial battery charge after allegedly striking another man multiple times at Poor House Bar in Necedah.

Daniel D. Corey, 30, could be sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison or be fined $1,000, or both, if convicted. Corey also faces one count of damage to property, use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon. For the property damage charge, Corey could get a $10,000 fine or nine months in prison, or both, and a $1,000 penalty or 90 days incarcerated, or both, for the disorderly conduct offense.

According to a criminal complaint:

On March 23, two Juneau County deputies were called to the Poor House for a report of a fight. A bartender called in the complaint and spoke to police upon arrival. She claimed Corey hit a man seated at the bar and left after the incident.

The deputy noticed the man had blood by his left ear and was intoxicated. He was allegedly slurring his words and didnt want to say much. Emergency personnel arrived and tended to the man.

Another bartender was interviewed who said he took a cell phone video of the attack. He claimed Corey struck the man several times. The bartender said the fight began over a past issue in which Corey had beaten up the mans younger brother and he said he would do the same to him. Corey also said the alleged victim made a negative claim against the Black Pistons biker gang that he is a part of. The bartender said Corey took a knife out and stabbed it into the top of the wooden bar, causing damage. He started punching the victim several times until he fell to the floor. Corey left the bar, which was also videotaped.

Police watched the video and it confirmed many of the things the bartender said. In the video, the victim told Corey It was just a cut, which set him off and he punched him hard with a closed fist. The man didnt defend himself and was almost knocked unconscious. Corey held him up against the bar and punched him in the face about four more times as the bars staff yelled for him to stop. In the video, it appears Corey is wearing the colors of the Black Pistons.

The man was taken to Mile Bluff Medical Center and treated for his injuries. He told police he was just minding his own business when Corey entered the bar and started the fight. The following day, the victims brother told police he had a fractured jaw and would require surgery. He also told police his younger brother had been beaten severely by Corey three months earlier but didnt report it for fear of retaliation.

Corey is scheduled to make an initial appearance at the Juneau County Justice Center on May 3 at 9 a.m. He was released on April 12 after posting a $5,000 cash bond.
More than 700 global leaders in business, government and civil society from 65 countries are meeting to explore the opportunities and challenges offered by eCommerce, with a special focus on developing countries.

The future of e-commerce could not be brighter. The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development or UNCTAD is kicking off eCommerce Week with new statistics, which show the global size of the market in 2015 reached $25 trillion.

UNCTAD Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi urges developing countries to join the action and not be left behind in the eCommerce revolution.

Those countries, populations and small enterprises, which have no presence on the digital platform are not only invisible, but they basically cannot grow, they cannot compete, he said.

Kituyi says his own country of Kenya shows how the danger of being left behind by the digital phenomenon can inspire governments into taking political action.

He says four years ago, Kenya enacted a new law to provide every school child with a laptop. Since computers run on electricity, he says the government accelerated moves to make this service available throughout the country.

In four years, more primary schools have received electricity in Kenya than in the preceding 55 years. So, the appetite for digital inclusion with sound policy can trigger investment in infrastructure for other purposes, which had been held back because of low political priority, he said.

eCommerce week will feature panel discussions on topical issues such as cybersecurity and cybercrime, digital trade, and youth employment in the digital economy.

Luminaries, including Jack Ma, founder and chairman of one of the largest global eCommerce businesses, the AliBaba Group, will address the high-level event to offer insight into the transformational power of eCommerce.
The U.S. and China are launching four rounds of talks, as U.S. President Donald Trump heads to China later this year in a visit aimed at strengthening cooperation to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

In a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, Trump said he's "looking forward to the state visit to China," according to a readout published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Coordinating efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and addressing the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programs are expected to be high on the agenda in Trump's first visit to China.

"President Trump [during his call with Xi] criticized North Korea's continued belligerence and emphasized that Pyongyang's actions are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula," the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders met in Mar-a-Largo earlier this month.

In a departure from the previous administration, four rounds of talks are being initiated to focus on U.S.-China relations under the Trump administration.

The first round of the US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue, led by the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon, will be held in Washington in the coming months.

"We would like to start the preparation soon of the first round of Diplomatic and Security Dialogue, Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, Cyber and Law Enforcement Dialogue, as well as Social and People-to-people Exchange Dialogue," Xi told Trump in the phone call, according to the Chinese government statement.

For years, the main channel to manage U.S.-China relations was the bilateral Strategic and Economic Dialogue, an annual high-level gathering for the two countries to discuss a wide range of regional and global issues.

The dialogue started under the George W. Bush administration as the Strategic Economic Dialogue and was later upgraded by former President Barack Obama after he took office.

A possible time for Trump's visit to China is in November, when he will attend the U.S.-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the East Asia summit in the Philippines, along with the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in Vietnam.
Tensions are again flaring up between the United States and North Korea as concerns grow that the communist state will celebrate another important national holiday with a nuclear test or an intercontinental ballistic missile.

On the eve of the 85th anniversary of the founding of the (North) Korean Peoples Army, there are reports of renewed activity at the North Koreas Punggye-ri nuclear test site, although analysts caution it is unclear whether a test is imminent.

Strike force

Meanwhile, two Japanese destroyers joined a military exercise with the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group that is en route to the Korean peninsula region. South Korea said on Monday it was in talks with Washington about holding its own joint drills with the U.S. naval strike force.

In early April, U.S. officials sent out confusing messages that the Carl Vinson group was heading toward Korea in advance of the April 15 birthday of North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, which is often celebrated with a provocative weapons test. Instead of a nuclear test, Pyongyang held a military parade and attempted a mid-range missile test that failed. And the aircraft carrier was, until last week, actually in the Indian Ocean, where it was engaged in training exercises with Australia.

North Korea Sunday responded defiantly to the renewed U.S. military show of force, saying it is combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike, in a commentary in the North's ruling Workers' Party Rodong Sinmun newspaper.

American detained

Adding to the tension, North Korea detained a Korean-American man named Tony Kim, who was teaching accounting at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST). He was arrested Saturday at the Pyongyang International Airport on his way out of the country.PUST was founded by evangelical Christians and opened in 2010, with students generally the children of the country's elite.

The university's chancellor, Chan-Mo Park, told the Reuters News Agency Sunday, "The cause of his arrest is not known but some officials at PUST told me his arrest was not related to his work at PUST. He had been involved with some other activities outside PUST such as helping an orphanage."

While Pyongyang allows some foreign religious organizations to undertake humanitarian work, a number of missionaries have been arrested for violating a ban on proselytizing or committing alleged crimes against the state.

Chinese pressure

Reports of a shortage of gasoline in Pyongyang and gas prices rising from 70-80 cents to $1.25 per kilogram at one station in the nation's capital may indicate that Beijing is intensifying efforts to pressure the Kim Jong Un government to give up its nuclear and missile programs. It is unclear if the gas shortage is due to China cutting off oil supplies or because it threatened to do so. (Gasoline is sold by the kilogram rather than liter in North Korea.)

A Saturday editorial in the Chinese Communist Party newspaper the Global Times said if North Korea conducted another nuclear test, Beijing would increase sanctions that would result in, dramatically decreasing the amount of petroleum exported to North Korea." North Korea relies on China, its largest economic trading partner by far, for close to 90 percent of its petroleum imports.

The Global Times editorial also warned it would not militarily intervene if the U.S. conducted a preemptive strike against a North Korean nuclear facility.

Beijing should oppose the move by diplomatic channels rather than get involved through military actions, the editorial stated.

However, the editorial also said China would get involved militarily if South Korean and U.S. troops cross over the inter-Korean border and try to topple the North Korean regime.

South Koreas Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duk-haeng Monday said the Chinese Communist Party Newspaper editorial, while not official policy, reflects that Beijing is taking a more assertive role in trying to restrain its ally in Pyongyang.

As the Chinese government understands that North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations are serious threatening factors to the peace and stability of Northeast Asia, we understand that China is pressuring at highest level to resolve it, said Lee.

Trump, Xi

Chinese state television reported that in a telephone call Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, said that he hopes all sides exercise restraint over the issue of North Korea and that China opposes anything that runs counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions.

North Korea analyst Woo Su-keun at Donghua University in Shanghai said the Trump administrations increased threat of military force has been effective in convincing the leadership in Beijing to take stronger measures to prevent a deadly conflict that could draw the region into war.

If President Xi does not cooperate with President Trump, President Trump may come up with actions that could impact China both internally and externally, so President Xis strategy is to be as cooperative as possible with President Trump, he said.

Japanese consultations

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed to maintain close contact over North Korea, while demanding Pyongyang show restraint as tensions in the region rise.

The 30-minute call between Trump and Abe was meant to increase pressure on Pyongyang not to engage in further provocative actions, but was not prompted by any significant change in the situation, according to officials in Tokyo.

Youmi Kim contributed to this report.
Despite intense police and military activity, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have demonstrated through the big cities against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. Violent clashes between security forces and other paramilitary forces with protesters as well as riots have left dozens injured, about 270 detained and at least 12 dead.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called Sunday for local elections, but not an early presidential election, which millions of protesters have been demanding.

In his weekly television address, Maduro endorsed voting later this year at the mayoral and gubernatorial level and also called for talks to resume with the opposition. He asked Pope Francis to "keep accompanying the political dialogue.

Another large anti-government demonstration is planned for Monday after tense protests erupted across the country in the beginning of this month that left at least 20 people dead.

Saturday, protesters clad in white held peaceful, silent marches across Venezuela to pay respects to those who have died.

Human rights groups have said more than 1,000 people were detained during recent disturbances and over 700 are still in detention.

Demonstrators have been calling for presidential elections due next year to be held earlier and for Maduro to step down. The government has ruled out voting this year at the presidential level.

The opposition blames the government for the unraveling of Venezuela's once-booming economy, which has left the country with shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

The near-daily protests were sparked by an attempt of the Supreme Court to take over the powers of the opposition-dominated Congress.

Venezuela's government has also barred opposition leader Henrique Capriles - twice a major presidential candidate - from running for office for 15 years.

The 44-year-old Capriles, currently governor of Miranda state, which surrounds Caracas, is one of the most recognizable leaders behind the protest movement that has been roiling the country for three weeks.
Concerted campaigns in the Greater Mekong Subregion [GMS] to radically reduce the impact of malaria has lifted hopes a vital target to eradicate malaria from the region may be within reach.

Deyer Gobinath, a malaria technical officer with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Thailand, said the outlook is positive for eliminating severe forms of malaria across the region within the next decade.

The goal is for most of the GMS countries by 2025 to try and eliminate falciparium malaria  the most severe form of malaria  the falciparium malariia - and then by 2030 basically all forms or all species of malaria, Gobinath said.

In 2015, WHO leaders said there were 14 million malaria cases across Southeast Asia, resulting in 26,000 deaths. Globally, in the same year, the WHO reported 438,000 lives lost, mostly in Africa and warned that 3.2 billion people  almost half the worlds population  face health risks from the disease.

Mortality rates decline; challenges remain

The campaigns in Southeast Asia cover Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, all reporting consistent declines in mortality rates, by as much as 49 percent since 2000.

Populations most vulnerable to the mosquito-borne disease are largely in remote border regions, isolated from infrastructure and immediate medical support.

The key areas of concern lie in regions between Thailand and Myanmar  also known as Burma  and in Cambodia among others.

But Saw Nay Htoo, director of the Burma Medical Association, said collaboration between medics and local communities has had a positive impact in reducing malarias impact.

In the ground level we set up the malaria [clinic] post which we have at least one malaria health worker, according to the population they have, to detect malaria, he said. And if there is malaria positive then the patient is given the malaria medicine. So we have been doing this for three years. It seems our program is going very well  there are less malaria cases in the border areas.

Combination of drugs

The fight against malaria is largely based on a combination of drugs known as Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy, or ACT, as the main line of drug treatment.

The World Health Organization's Gobinath said Thailands medical infrastructure and funding support have all contributed to lowering the numbers of malaria cases.

For malaria in Thailand heres been quite a remarkable decrease  a steady decrease, decline in the number of confirmed cases of malaria. In the past 10 years or so something like 30,000 cases in 2012; to 2015 it was 19,000 to 20,000 cases. So its been a gradual but persistent decline of confirmed malaria cases, he told VOA.

But he said for progress to be sustained it will require continued political will and commitment.

WHO officials said attention needs to focus on migrant worker populations moving across the regions borders. Thai health authorities have taken steps to enable medical access to migrant populations at risk of malaria, largely in remote border areas.

The battle far from over

But challenges remain, said Maria Dorina Bustos, a WHO technical officer with responsibilities for monitoring drug resistant strains of malaria across 18 countries in the Asia Pacific.

Dorina Bustos said the region with drug resistant forms of malaria is spreading. The Thai-Cambodia or the Thai-Myanmar border, you need to think about the Thai-Laos border because the Southern Laos drug resistance is also about evident  is documented, it is also there. And what is actually more alarming is happening in the Cambodia side, she told VOA.

She said drug resistance becomes evident in the delay in clearance of the parasite from the patient. Dorina Bustos says the use of fake drugs and self-treatment also opens the way to drug resistance.

What we are seeing in the last five years is that it is really emerging in the most parts of the region  initially just in the Western border of Cambodia and now it has also spread to the east and almost the whole country, Dorina Bustos said.

She said there is a need for close monitoring of major population centers  especially in India and Africa  to ensure successful treatment and avoiding issues of the use of fake medicines.

A positive note has been ongoing investment and research in new drugs, including commitments by major pharmaceutical industries.

Its really here in the Mekong where we really have a problem. Cambodia, the borders of Thailand, the borders of Thai/Laos and Cambodia/Vietnam  its very specific in the Mekong region, she said. For Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and even India, Bangladesh and Nepal the ACT [Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy] is all working perfectly well.
A 30-year-old man was killed Saturday evening while walking along a stretch of Highway 14 in Walworth County.

Austin Fehrm of Darien was killed while walking near the edge of the roadway of the highway near the intersection of S/D Town line Road when he was struck by a pickup truck towing tanks of nitrogen fertilizer typically used on farms.

Fifty-one-year-old Brian Gunnick of Darien was driving the 1998 GMC 2500 truck and trailer, according to the Walworth County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement were called to the crash around 6 p.m. on Saturday and Fehrm was declared dead at around 7:45 p.m. the same night.

The crash is being investigated by Walworth County deputies and the Wisconsin State Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle inspectors.
The artists are present. Photo: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

Only at the pop-cultural melting pot that is the Tribeca Film Festival does a leisurely Saturday afternoon include a tete-a-tete between the Academy Awards newest filmmaking darling and the single most well-regarded performance artist alive. Its hard to imagine a more intimidating interviewee for the Birdman and The Revenant director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu than the great Marina Abramovic, a woman so intense that her silent stare has reduced strangers to tears. (She is the queen, right? Im super nervous, Inarritu joked.) But they were perfectly cordial with one another during their chat Saturday afternoon, discussing everything from their posthumous legacies to fart jokes to the hazards of mood-stabilizing medication. Heres what we learned.

Marina Abramovic is not going to abide by your itinerary.

Abramovic began by playfully reciting the festival-assigned minute-by-minute breakdown of the afternoons itinerary  Final question, 3:31. Who wrote this?  and then proceeded to ignore it completely, cutting right to a question from the audience.

Neither Abramovic nor Inarritu will ruin your childs birthday.

During the audience Q&A portion of the afternoon, a young boy stood up to the mic and proudly announced that the day had already been the best 14th birthday he could asked for, before launching into a question about how best to make impressions when billions upon millions of users are creating content. To his credit, Inarritu did a bang-up job concealing any expression of horror at the question, offering a diplomatic half-answer and moving along in short order.

Inarritu does not have fond memories of Mexican films from his childhood.

Abramovic asked Inarritu about the state of Mexican film when he was growing up, and as he tells it, matters were relatively dire: When I was a little kid, Mexican films were practically nonexistent because very few were being produced, and it was a government-controlled industry. It was a terrible period, from the 70s to the end of the 90s  There would be seven Mexican film directors, and youd only get a new one if one of them died!

The first movie Inarritu remembers seeing is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

You have not lived until you have heard Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu say the words Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (A bonus thing we learned: Marina Abramovic has never heard of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.)

Inarritu is not a fan of organized religion.

Inarritus sickest burn of the day: Our brain does not always possess the ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Thats how religion has survived for 2,000 years.

Finally, six more fascinating facts about Marina Abramovic.

She wants to go into stand-up comedy or clowning. She recently became obsessed with a 1985 documentary about Akira Kurosawas production of the samurai epic Ran. She desperately wants to play a woman scrubbing the floor on her hands and knees in the background of a scene in Inarritus next film. She has never taken Prozac. She saw The Revenant twice. She enjoys frequenting planetariums. Whew! Marina Abramovic may be the most interesting woman in the world.


If theres one thing CNN should know about Bill Nye, its that hes always been a science guy. So what on Earth were they thinking putting him on a panel with a climate-change skeptic on Earth Day? That just seems cruel and usual.

Nye, who is obviously a climate-change believer, because hes, like, a science guy, had to face off with William Happer, a physicist and Trumps potential top science adviser, who argued that carbon dioxide is good because people couldnt possibly be polluting the planet. Yeah, totally! (Hold on, just going to pull a sea turtle out of these six-pack rings.) Theres this myth thats developed around carbon dioxide that its a pollutant, Happer said, but you and I both exhale carbon dioxide with every breath. Each of us emits about two pounds of carbon dioxide a day, so are we polluting the planet?

After that, it looked like Bill Nyes head was about to spin. I will say, much as I love the CNN, youre doing a disservice by having one climate change skeptic, and not 97 or 98 scientists or engineers concerned about climate change, Nye said.

Happer later compared the Paris Agreement on climate change with the Munich Agreement and Nazi appeasement, which made everyone elses head spin, too! Just watch the video above. And then go recycle something.
Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton could probably spend the rest of her days walking into New York venues to the sound of shocked applause. So why not explain the connection between elephants and terrorism while shes at it? It being the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismails virtual-reality short The Protectors: Walk in the Rangers Shoes, of course. After audience members experienced the anti-poaching struggle faced by employees of the Democratic Republic of the Congos Garamba National Park via VR headsets, Clinton joined the post-film panel to discuss efforts to end the illegal killing of elephants.

While working under the Obama administration as secretary of State, Clinton said, she learned the channels through which the profits of the illegal ivory trade are currently being passed  and to whom. It became clear to everyone that this was not just a terrible crisis when it came to the elephant population, explained Clinton. It was a trade, a trafficking that was funding a lot of bad folks, a lot of bad actors. It was being used to take ivory and sell it in order to buy more weapons, and support the kind of terroristic activity that these and other groups were engaged in. As for which countries purchase the most illegal ivory, Clinton observed that the United States comes in second in the world. China is going to be a key player but we are, too, she noted. Clinton also took her support for the film to Twitter on Saturday, tweeting in part, A thrill to join team of Kathryn Bigelows The Protectors at #Tribeca2017. Lets protect the earth & all its beauty.
Sit down. Be humbled by the mass success of Kendrick Lamar. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella

If ever youve wondered what its really like to take a back seat to Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran can currently be found keeping it warm. After a relentless 12 weeks of Sheerans Shape of You leading the Hot 100 with no end in sight, its finally been unseated by the biggest song of Kendrick Lamars career. Kendricks lead single from DAMN., the ironically cocksure HUMBLE., has risen to No. 1 after debuting at No. 2 just a few weeks ago. Not only does it knock Sheeran down a spot, the song now becomes Kendricks first-ever solo No. 1. Hed previously only got that far with Taylor Swift by his side for his appearance on the Bad Blood remix  much like Drake only knew what No. 1 felt like with Rihanna by his side for some time. If youre keeping score, it took Kendrick Lamar as many albums as it took Drake to reach his first solo No. 1 song (though, technically, Drake still had the help of Wizkid and Kyla on One Dance, while HUMBLE. is all Kendrick.) But back to being anything but humble: In addition to taking No. 1 with an album that did bigger first-week numbers than Drakes latest, Kendricks album spawned a No. 1 song while More Life has so far topped out with Passionfruit and Fake Love at No. 8. Did we mention Kendricks DNA. has also reached No. 4? So, about that seat.


Photo: Lacey Terrell/Murray Close/Getty Images

Like Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies star Laura Dern is experiencing a career revolution. But dont call her turn as Renata in the HBO hit a renaissance: The daughter of Hollywood heavy hitters Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, shes been acting professionally since age 5, working with Martin Scorsese before most kids finish elementary school. Like her peers on Big Little Lies, Dern has nary a dry spot in her decades-spanning filmography. From Steven Spielberg to David Lynch, her resume is always ripe for a deep dive  especially now, given her role in the recently released Wilson, and Lynchs upcoming Twin Peaks revival. The diversity of genre and medium in Derns oeuvre makes her, like Nicole Kidman, one of the most interesting actresses working today.

Heres a primer for those who might not be familiar with some of Derns most famous, alluring roles on both the big screen and television.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains

Dern was just 13 years old when she appeared in this Lou Adler cult classic opposite an equally green Diane Lane. They play members of the Stains, an 80s punk band that gains notoriety before emerging as fanatically aggressive versions of their former selves. The film, which also featured former members of the Sex Pistols and the Clash, is a crash course in kinetic filmmaking, and with its underground credibility, Dern cemented herself as an iconoclast worth watching. Available to rent on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.

Blue Velvet

Blue Velvet was Derns first collaboration with the auteur David Lynch, and it kick-started their long and intensely unique professional relationship  which will culminate in May when Dern joins Lynchs Twin Peaks. Many consider Blue Velvet a primer for Peaks, as both share an infatuation with the grotesque underpinnings of technicolor suburbia. In Velvet, Dern plays Sandy, the quintessential girl next door to Kyle MacLachlans Jeffrey. The neo-noir film made Lynch a household name, and punched the cards of vets like Isabella Rossellini and a terrifying Dennis Hopper. Derns part has been immortalized by an infamous crying meme, but Sandy is more than just an innocent foil in this diabolical story. Shes the vulnerable but versatile co-lead, and she proves that Lynch isnt interested in pretty girls lacking pathos. Sandy is the beating heart at the center of the macabre Blue Velvet, a reminder of the quiet, warm things we fight and long for. Available to rent on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.

Wild at Heart

If anything, Wild at Heart changed how the film world regarded Laura Dern. Based on the novel by Barry Gifford, David Lynchs adaptation paired Dern with an equally off the grid Nicolas Cage. As Lula and Sailor, Dern and Cage are lovers united by passion but separated several times by violence and murder. The films complicated plot is threaded through with Lynchs signature weirdness and heightened sense of destiny. Derns Lula is all bright-pink shirts, leopard-print skirts, leather kisses, and frizzy-haired seduction. The part was a coming of age for the actress, who said, I didnt do four years of university, I just went to the school of David Lynch. Available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Rambling Rose

This 1991 drama paired Dern with her mother, Diane Ladd, earning the pair Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominations. This made them the first-ever mother-daughter duo nominated for Academy Awards in the same year, and Dern, at age 24, one of the youngest-ever Best Actress nominees. Neither walked away with a statue for Rambling Rose, but that doesnt negate its impressive place in their respective film catalogues, especially for Dern, who  in her natural, springy-haired joyfulness  calls to mind a young Jennifer Lawrence. The Great Depressionera film was a critical and financial hit that elevated Dern to household-name status, and set her on a path for the successful years to come. Available to rent on Amazon and iTunes.

Jurassic Park

Perhaps her most famous role, Derns turn as paleobotanist Ellie Sattler lies in direct opposition to a part like Renata on Big Little Lies. Sattler is Jurassic Parks resident feminist, one who questions the nature of mankind, and famously purports that women should inherit Earth. Derns Sattler never succumbs to genre foibles; she remains a fierce survivor until the end, a woman who can crack computer passwords, fight velociraptors, restore her partners faith in reproduction, and deny the charms of Jeff Goldblum. Available to stream on Netflix.

Citizen Ruth

Ive never fallen in love with a character more, Dern said of her titular role in Alexander Paynes Citizen Ruth. There was not a scene where I wasnt barfing or fucking or vomiting or burping. I was just a disgusting mess. The 1996 film tackles the controversial subject of abortion, and as the central figure in the debate, Dern is as ghastly as one can be  huffing aerosol cans out of paper bags, hurling expletives at passersby. All the while, she remains remarkably watchable. Its no wonder Dern loved this role so much  its perhaps her finest, grossest performance to date. (Payne would also go on to direct Derns Big Little Lies co-star Reese Witherspoon in her breakthrough role as Tracy Flick in Election.) Available to rent on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.

Ellen

Few discussions of Ellen DeGeneress formative sitcom Ellen take place without mention of its most famous installment, The Puppy Episode, in which her character comes out as a lesbian to her audience  and DeGeneres came out to the world. But most dont remember that its Laura Dern as Susan who motivates this revelation. Susan comes on to and eventually persuades Ellen to reveal her true identity. Though at first reluctant, Ellen eventually says those famous words: Im gay. The moment shocked audiences, and immediately threw the careers of DeGeneres and Dern into turmoil. In a 2007 interview, Dern said that she didnt work for more than a year after the episode aired due to the controversy. Regardless, the Ellen episode cemented Dern in television history. Available to stream on ABC.com.

Inland Empire

Not so much a movie as it is a filmed nightmare, Inland Empire is David Lynchs most recent cinematic work. Lynch reunited with his muse for the 2006 project, which was both heralded and vehemently criticized upon release. The narrative is hardly sequential or decipherable, but it does whet the appetite: Dern plays Sue, an actress trapped in a lurid, folktale-like dream, where she is constantly running through doorways and at the mercy of a tantalizing storytelling device that never truly crystallizes. As with Blue Velvet, her character might be best remembered for her elastic facial contortions, but Dern is really something else here, lending gravitas to what could be simply a series of elemental entanglements. Available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Enlightened

Enlightened is, quite simply, one of the best television series of our time, and one of the most egregiously canceled. Derns turn as Amy Jellicoe, a woman whose nervous breakdown results in both her demotion at work and her personal downward spiral, should be part of the pantheon of great TV antiheroes, if she werent so sadly forgotten. The HBO series raked in a Golden Globe for Dern, but never quite caught on the way it should have. As Amy, Dern was her most extreme: frantic, manic, bitter, vulnerable. She wore every hat. Big Little Lies brought her the acclaim she rightfully deserves, but Enlightened is Laura Dern at her absolute best, a hot mess as engaging and transformative as the Tony Sopranos and Walter Whites of the world, if not more so. Available to stream on HBO Go and Amazon.

The Master

This power of this quiet, persuasive performance almost goes without saying. As a devout follower of the Cause, a Scientology-esque cult, Dern turns up at the films midpoint and haunts it to the end. The Master paired Dern with one of our generations most talented directors  Paul Thomas Anderson  and demonstrated the terrifying influence devout women can have in the house of untrammeled power. Available to stream on Netflix.

Wild

The film that paved the way for Big Little Lies, Wild united Dern with Witherspoon, and accounts for Derns second Academy Award nomination. As Bobbi, the mother of Witherspoons Cheryl, Dern gives the film its motivation and its devastating centerpiece. Shes barely there, but her presence looms large. Director Jean-Marc Vallee would reteam with Dern and Witherspoon for Big Little Lies to even greater effect, but its here that you get the essence of their relationship. Derns ability create haunting characters is perhaps her greatest strength, and in Wild its mined to perfection. Available to rent on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.
Richard Simmons. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV

Richard Simmons posted his first Facebook update since returning home from the hospital last week. The fitness guru went to Cedars Sinai Medical Center with a case of severe indigestion last Monday, according to People, and returned home Thursday with help from LAPD detective Kevin Becker and his housekeeper to avoid the paparazzi. (Simmons was the subject of the recent podcast Missing Richard Simmons, which delved into his disappearance from the public eye.)

Hope youre having a beautiful Sunday. I wanted to take a moment to send a big thank you to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center during my short stay there this week. They make you feel good even though youre in the hospital for feeling bad.



Another shout out goes to the wonderful men and women of the Los Angeles Police Dept. They were so helpful and kind as I returned home.



Lets take a minute and all be thankful for medical professionals, police, firefighters and our brave military forces here and around the world. They risk so much every day to make us well and keep us protected.

Becker told People, He looks really great  He is getting older like all of us but he is in good shape. He is in great spirits. He was laughing and joking and talking. He is very friendly, very funny, adding, He is just fine. He is just a private guy now, he said. If he wants to go somewhere, he goes.
The world of their creation: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Photo: Joan Marcus

Though often described as confections, musical comedies have no known recipe. If they did, a show like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opened on Broadway tonight, ought to have been a treat. Its main ingredients include the beloved 1964 childrens book by Roald Dahl and the two successful movie musicals it inspired: one (renamed Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) starring Gene Wilder in 1971 and one (under the original title) starring Johnny Depp in 2005. The last Dahl adaptation, Matilda, was an international hit. David Greig, who wrote the new shows book, is a much-lauded playwright in England and his native Scotland. The songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, best known for Hairspray in 2002, have since provided top-drawer scores for Fame Becomes Me, Catch Me If You Can, and (God help us) Smash. In hindsight, perhaps it was a sign of trouble that Sam Mendes, who directed the London production  which ran for three and a half years  declined to direct again for New York, but Jack OBrien, who staged Hairspray, quickly came aboard. So did Christian Borle, a two-time Tony-award winner, to play Willy Wonka, the eccentric chocolatier.

So why did the thing turn into a hideous, cheap-looking, melted Whitmans sampler?

The glib answer is: too many cooks. (The confectionery puns are inevitable in writing about a show that has little other content.) The longer answer begins with Dahl. On the page, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory immediately reveals itself as a bad candidate for stage musicalization, despite a number of so-called songs (actually weird doggerel) already in the text. For one thing, the story is so heavily patterned it quickly grows both predictable and laborious: One at a time, five children find the golden tickets that Wonka has hidden in his chocolate bars; when they come to the factory to claim the grand prize, they are eliminated in aptly awful ways until only our hero, Charlie Bucket, remains. (We know he is our hero because he is neither fat nor rich nor gross nor acquisitive.) To the extent Dahl invests much writerly energy in anything, its not in evocative dialogue or depth of character but in the imaginative products and bizarre processes of the factory: the squirrels who sort the nuts, the Oompa-Loompas who make the chocolate, the glass elevator to anywhere. Dahl is also keenly interested in the punishments for the losing children. (One of them turns into a giant blueberry; another gets flushed down a garbage chute.) As such, its both a weird read and a disturbing one, having crossed over from the delightful snark and shiver of other Dahl books like Matilda and The BFG into something thats borderline sadistic.

The two movie adaptations got around these problems by substantially altering the story (in different ways) and playing up the fantasy and special effects. For the stage musical those solutions were themselves problems. With fans invested in the different versions of the tale, the authors, perhaps at the behest of the rights holders, seem to have felt obligated to include elements of all three, leading to a confusion of characterization and tone that Greig could not resolve. (Shaiman and Wittman do a better job of interpolating into their professional but unmemorable score The Candy Man Can and Pure Imagination, two Anthony NewleyLeslie Bricusse songs from the 1971 movie.) And when the theater is in competition with film over special effects, theater will lose. Understanding this, and apparently in response to the London productions elaborateness, OBrien rebuilt the New York version as a simpler affair, hoping the audience would use its imagination to fill in the blanks; the result is an unusually dull set design by Mark Thompson and effects that would hardly have seemed special 20 years ago. When Wonka, who has spent much of the first act in disguise as a candy store owner in order to give Borle something to do, reveals himself as the grand wizard of chocolate, the transformation scene involves a crowd gathering around him while he takes off his overcoat.

At least the Oompa-Loompas are fun  the first one or two times we meet them. Even so, I doubt this musical would have proved at all likable even if an apt style and thrilling visuals had been found for it. The story is too maudlin and, at the same time, too angry. Its fundamentally self-cancelling: Wonka, despite Borles somewhat listless attempts to justify him, is hardly more likeable than the awful kids (played by adults) and their families, whereas Charlie and his family are sweet but negligible. Want to change the world? / Theres nothing to it goes a typically gassy lyric from one of the interpolated songs  but Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a lesson in what happens when pure imagination sours.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
Selina Meyers dreams just get smaller and smaller each day. Once, she dreamed of the Oval. (She lived that dream for a hot second, and it turned out to be about 98 percent nightmare.) In last weeks episode, she dreamed she could reclaim the office of the president. Now, shes significantly lowered those expectations: Fine, she doesnt need the presidency. But what does a woman have to do to get a presidential library? And even those dreams diminish by the episodes end. Shes going to have a much harder time getting this goddamn, look-at-the-size-of-my-dick, bring-history-to-life presidential library than she thought.

This whole idea takes shape while Selina is touring the Stuart Hughes Presidential Library and Museum. Shes climbed over the protective wall to sit behind his desk, because why wouldnt she do that? Veep usually gets all the love for its rapid-fire profanity, and rightly so, but this is a perfect bit of mostly wordless physical comedy: As Hughes approaches, Selina tries to hoist herself back over the wall and gets stuck, feet in the air and head hovering above the ground, until Gary rescues her and plops her on her (cute!) high heels just as the other ex-president strolls past. I also love the quiet moment of Selina sitting at the desk that opens the episode. With zero context, that scene could be from anywhere: a flashback, a dream sequence, the real Oval Office.

(Sidebar: I know Veep takes place in alterna-America where it appears theres never been an Obama presidency. All the former presidents weve seen are white guys, including Hughes  and this is the first time were actually seeing President Hughes, right? In the Veep universe, have there only been white presidents?)

Selina casually floats the idea of a presidential library to ex-POTUS Hughes, who very rudely asks if she can even have one. Seems like itd be more of a bookmobile. Selinas reply: Oh my goodness, youre so funny! If only the American people could have known you for your sense of humor instead of your bizarre indifference to apartheid. Then Selina gets excluded from a photo op of former presidents in front of Air Force One alongside President Montez; she gets stuck smiling with the first ladies sans Mrs. Hughes, who, as Selina so kindly suggests, is probably hanging from the rafters somewhere. I love that Selina can never be totally sure why she is treated as a second-class president: Is it the circumstances of her ascent to office, the brevity of her term, the fact that shes a woman, or just generic, petty political bullshit?

Soon enough, Selina announces her plan to Andrew, Richard, and Gary, clapping along with the words, SELINA MEYER BELONGS IN AN INSTITUTION, which, yeah, I mean, she might? (Also: She was in one already. You know, her spa trip.) This brings us to a tiny moment that is my absolute favorite of the episode, even though it is only two words: Garys vision of the wing of the library dedicated to her outfits. Just the way he gestures as he says, Dresses, belts! I die.

Maybe a female architect, Richard suggests? Ugh, no. Were not redoing a kitchen here. (As Selina once said, Fundamentally, people hate women. And no one on Veep hates women more than Selina.) Shed like everyone to use the JFK library as a reference point: You know, he was also a part-termer.

She wants the library at Yale, where she went to law school, but those bulldogs emphatically reject her. Fuck Yale, Selina says. I am here for that. Also, they asked for a donation  NOT surprised. The only way to get your alma mater to not ask you for money is to traumatize a well-intentioned undergrad who is making those calls as part of some work-study arrangement by telling her that in real life you have taxes and you cant take econ pass/fail anymore and all your hopes and plans are for NAUGHT and do not call again for 15 years because thats when you anticipate having some spare change to throw at an institution where you already spent tens of thousands of dollars. Whatd they do with all those tuition checks? Roll them up and smoke them in the quad?

Anyway, on to plan B: Smith! (Why did someone who hates women so much attend a womens college? I have to assume Selina did not get accepted at any of her top choices, Yale probably included.) Who do we find at Smith but Regina Pell (Amy Brenneman), a.k.a. Gigi, a lesbian with whom Selina had a little Chardonnay-fueled experimentation way back when. At first it seems like Selina actually handles the situation really well: The Smith undergrads are angry that Selina pardoned that prison magnate, but she Smith-speaks her way out of it, talking about a patriarchal phallus quo and charming these little lefties into cheering for her.

Everything could be fine  except for Andrew. Andrew has been screwing one of Selinas staffers  an unpaid staffer, as it turns out, so therefore someone who is not beholden to the NDA she signed  and her texts to him are read aloud by one of those cyber-Siri voices. This is all worth it to watch Gary scream and spasm like hes having a rage seizure: YOU ARE THE FUCKING DEVIL. When Selina fires this staffer, the Smith students protest. That woman, they explain, is the real victim here. No justice, no library!

Gigi tells Selina the only way out of this mess is to rehire, as Selina calls her, Frida Swallow. No dice. And no, Gigi is not interested in having that glass of Chardonnay anymore.

Meanwhile, over in Jonah-land, I have a confession to make: I think  I agree  with Jonah? With like, a lot of the things he says? I think he makes some [deep breath] not-terrible points?

I know. It shocked me, too. Im honestly kind of appalled. But if I cant be real with you  strangers on the internet reading these recaps  what then?

Jonah is trapped on an ethics committee, so no mans land. In a statement its hard to argue with, he insists, No one in Congress cares about ethics, and he wants Furlong to get him out of this purgatory. The only way out of ethics is to get into Furlongs power-broker dinner parties. But the wives run that scene, and Jonah isnt married so he isnt invited. Jonah is furious. Fuck that dated paradigm! AMEN.

I am a ballin bachelor sexual congressman and I will be passing bills by day and smashing gash by night, he continues, which, okay, those are not the words I would have used but I think the sentiment is solid. Why should you have to be married to be taken seriously in this country? Plus, its not like being married has stopped any of the dirt bags on the Hill from slutting it up all over this town.

Kent and Ben point out that if Jonah doesnt get married, everyone will think hes gay. Goddamn it, I hate homophobia, Jonah says. Me too! See what I mean? Jonah is talking sense. This one time. Even a broken clock, as they say.

But Jonah is such a horrendous twerp on the dates Kent and Ben set up for him that two of the women pretend to go to the bathroom only to bolt from the restaurant. Date No. 3, which was going pretty well, falls apart when Dan crashes and plays the part of Mr. Steal Your Girl by warning this prospective Mrs. Ryan, This predator has roofied more women than Kappa Alpha Cosby.

Were running way long here, so Im going to trust all of you remember (in vivid detail!) the fact that Amy leaked the video of Buddys opponents wife snorting coke and that Buddy, in return, got plastered and indecently exposed himself to a police officer, and that Amy wound up having to play the role of lobotomy Barbie to stand by her man, the very thing she had just sworn to never do. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Amy.

A Few Other Things

 Richard, on Selinas presidency: Never forget. Oh, sorry! Thats the Holocaust. Totally forgot.

 That sweaty pederast has ruined more kids than the Common Core.

 Selina, upon learning that people are more interested in her library than they are in adult literacy or AIDS: Well, I guess AIDS had a good run.

 Andrews got a Pakistani investor who can donate $20 million as long as Selina can get his cousin off the no-fly list. Selinas take: As long as he promises not to blow up my library, I dont really give a shit.

 Richard was standing still in case he was in the painting!

 How do we feel about Jane referring to Dans penis as his Walter Cronkite?

 R.I.P., Garys gift-wrapping room.

 Mike tells one of his babies to say bye-bye to Selina. Selina: It doesnt have to say good-bye.

 Selina sent Catherine to etiquette school, where you learned to interrupt, evidently.

 Catherine and Marjorie want a BABY. Oof.

Insult of the Episode

Selina to Gigi, on the Smith women protesters: I dont like the word shrill because its so misogynistic, but in this case 

Compliment of the Episode

Selina, responding to Garys concern that living with Andrew wont read well with small-town America: Unlike small-town America, Andrew fucks me in a way that I really enjoy.

Jonah Shall Henceforth Be Known As

Professor X-Gayvier (h/t Furlong)
Tom's Red Pepper, a Chinese restaurant in Middleton, closed Wednesday after 10 years.

Owners Chuan "Tom" Tien Li and Hsiu Li thanked their friends and customers on the restaurant's website, Facebook page, and answering machine.

They said they had come to the end of their lease, but encouraged fans of the restaurant, 1019 N. Gammon Road, to check back about their future plans.

"We are evaluating our options at this time and will post our news here. We have enjoyed serving our customers and hope we can continue when our future plans are finalized," they wrote.

Tom Li has been a chef since age 16 when he started cooking in his native Taiwan, according to the Tom's Red Pepper website. Tom Li came to the U.S. in 1984, with Hsiu following the next year.

The couple worked together in a restaurant in Houston, Texas, before moving to Madison. They had the "good fortune" of eating with friends at a restaurant whose owner was looking to sell, they wrote on the website.

That restaurant, the Red Pepper Chinese Restaurant and Lounge, 1518 N. Stoughton Road, was the couple's first. They've worked side by side for more than 20 years, the website noted.

"The hardest thing for us was getting our name out there," Hsiu said. "This is one of the reasons we named our restaurant 'Red Pepper' to show that we have spicy cuisine and that we are unique."

Hsiu said they never advertised, and that people came to the restaurant by word of mouth. They kept prices low to stay competitive and offered authentic Chinese dishes with fresh ingredients and flair, she wrote.
The Sock It to Diabetes Walk, benefiting the American Diabetes Association, will be at 9 a.m. Saturday starting at the Baylor Bear Trail, 101 Bagby Ave.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

Registration is available online at www.diabetes.org/communitywalk.

A registration event also will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday on the patio at Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant in the Central Texas Marketplace, 4651 S. Interstate 35.

For more information, call 915-217-5289.

Watergate and religon

Historian and religious studies scholar Anja-Maria Bassimir will present After Crisis: Watergate and Positions on Politics in Contemporary Evangelical Magazines from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday in Cox Lecture Hall at Baylor Universitys Armstrong Browning Library, 710 Speight Ave.

The program is sponsored by Baylors Institute for Studies of Religion.

For more information about the free lecture, visit http://bit.ly/2pevFmA.

Oral history program

Central Texas Genealogical Society is having a Discovering Your Legacy Through Oral History event from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday in the meeting room at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd.

The event will feature a panel of interviewers, who will read excerpts from the I Remember When  McLennan County Before 1960 oral memoirs project, which was conducted by the Baylor Oral History Institute and the Waco-McLennan County libraries.

The program is geared to help attendees learn the art of questioning and interview strategies for use in their own oral family history projects.

For more information, call 750-5945.

Youth art showcase

Mission Wacos first Youth Spring Art Showcase will start at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Jubilee Theatre, 1319 N. 15th St.

The showcase will include dance, musical instruments, visual arts and theater performances from children and youth in the Creative Arts, Urban Expressions and Jubilee Theatre programs.

Cost is $3 for adults, $2 for children and free to ages 3 and younger.

For more information, call 753-4900.

Elder law seminar

Ridgecrest Retirement and Health Care, 1900 W. Highway 6, will host a free elder law seminar at noon Wednesday.

James and Elisa Rainey of the Waco law firm Rainey and Rainey will speak about the purpose of and need for a will as well as when and how to probate a will.

Space is limited. To reserve a spot, call 776-9681.
When Charis Garman entered Rapoport Academys Meyer High School four years ago, her two older sisters had already set the bar by becoming two of just a handful of Rapoport Academy students to go to college outside of Texas, school officials said.

But one of Garmans first high school mentors pulled her aside and said a few significant words that would shape her high school career and change her postsecondary plans.

She just didnt know how much until she received her acceptance letter to Harvard University at the end of last month.

When I first went over to the high school, I dont think we had even started school yet, but I just went in and met with the dean at the time, and he just said to me, You have no ones shoes to fill but your own,  Garman said. I hadnt even spoken to him before, and that was the first thing he said because he knew both of my older sisters. For me, that was just, wow. I wanted to achieve something and do a lot because I can.

Now, in just a few short weeks, shell graduate and become Rapoport Academys first student to attend an Ivy League college and shell do it with a fully covered tuition plan from the university, school officials said.

Garman will be one of 2,056 students accepted for Harvard for the graduating class of 2021. The school had a 5.2 percent acceptance rate for the almost 40,000 applicants in Garmans class, according to an article by The Harvard Crimson, the college newspaper.

Rapoport Academy had one other student accepted to Harvard in 2010, but the student went elsewhere, the public charter schools spokesperson, Bridget Heins, said.

Garman is also one of at least two other Waco-area students to be accepted this year, with one in Midway ISD and another at Vanguard College Preparatory School, Heins said. The three were expected to visit the campus together as part of the orientation process, Garman said.

Garman, who also works at her familys food truck and restaurant, Xristos Cafe, wasnt expecting the acceptance letter at all, she said. She was on duty when a ping on her phone alerted her to an email from the school.

When she realized what she was reading, she had to step out to call her mother and started the conversation by leading her down a list of other schools she applied to and was rejected from, she said.

We just started crying. It was unbelievable, really, especially because she led with, I got waitlisted here, and I didnt get in here,  her mother, Stephanie Garman, said. I was doing the whole, You know, Charis, its whatever Gods plan is and whatever is going to happen, its meant to be. 

Medical school

The 18-year-old wants to go to medical school to become a neurosurgeon and knows Harvard will prepare her for that, she said.

For Rapoport Academy, the accomplishment is causing a buzz in the hallways, Heins said.

At Rapoport, we want our students to believe that with hard work, they can achieve their dreams and go to their dream schools. Everyone is just brimming with excitement, Heins said. Now weve got a student we can show to the elementary students and the middle school students and the other high school students that it is obtainable. I dont think Charis really understands what this moment looks like for the rest of Rapoport. It doesnt matter your background. What matters is what youre doing with the opportunities here at Rapoport.

But working hard to achieve her dreams has always come naturally to Garman, dean of students Mike Studer said. Studer was also her social studies teacher for two years. He has watched her grow in all of her classes and said her work ethic is unmatched.

Charis is driven by a really intrinsic motivation, Studer said. She has high expectations and high standards for herself, and unless she meets those expectations, then she isnt happy.

In ninth grade, she and her mother sat down with the academic counselor and sorted out a plan for Garman to graduate with an associates degree her senior year. Rapoport Academy offers more than 60 college credit hours for students starting in ninth grade at no cost to families. And, yes, Charis Garman will graduate with her associates degree from McLennan Community College on May 16, before she receives her high school diploma, she said.

Set an example

But Garman credits her motivation to the hard work shes seen her mother, grandmother and two sisters display. She also wants to set an example for the three younger siblings she has following close behind, she said.

I think being the third daughter and having successful siblings and cousins, everybody has to find their place, Stephanie Garman said. But I think Charis, when she was little, always knew what she could do. She was always the one (asking), Is it fair? Is it right? I can do it this way or I can do it that way. Its always just been there. Weve never been, You have to make As. You have to do this. Were just not like that. Its just something inside her that drives her, more than anything.
WAHOO  Smith Park in Wahoo will get a few foliage additions this Arbor Day thanks to a donation from Union Bank and Trust.

Wahoo Branch Manager Jamie Nordstrom said Union Bank and Trust branches across the state will be donating trees to the community as part of its 100-year celebration.

Nordstrom and Wahoo Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Stuhr are still working together regarding the exact number of trees and tree species.

Stuhr said theyve removed several trees in Smith Park in recent years due to poor health and that their philosophy is to replant at a two-to-one ratio.

This past fall, a larger ash tree was removed as part of their Emerald Ash Borer protocol. Parks and Recreation will be removing Ash trees on public grounds over the next two to three years to stay ahead of the EAB threat, Stuhr said.

The incoming trees will be strategically placed throughout the park in order to plug holes in the canopy created by the recent removals, he added.

Stuhr said he has not decided on the exact species he will use in the April 28 plant, but plans on using diversity, species that are native to southeast Nebraska and those that will grow to create a large shade canopy.

Stuhr said some species he is considering are oaks, maples, hybrid elms, thornless honeylocust, bur oak or red oak.

Almost eight years ago, several hybrid elms were planted to replace elm trees taken down by Dutch Elm Disease and they have done well, Stuhr said.

Some of the variety of species Stuhr is looking at will reach 40 to 70 feet in height and 30 to 40 feet in width at their peak.

To increase the survival rate of the new trees, Stuhr said they wont be planting tiny saplings, but trees with a trunk width of two to three inches.

Were not talking small ornamentals, but trees with a two to three inch caliper, Stuhr said.

Using larger trees to plant increases the trees ability to become established as it avoids the potential for damage by overall park use, Stuhr said.

The plan is for the trees to be planted on April 28, Stuhr said.

We want to highlight the day, to draw recognition to it, Stuhr said.
The charges against a Madison City Council member who was arrested in North Dakota last fall during protests over a controversial oil pipeline have been dropped.

Rebecca Kemble was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing, destruction of evidence, resisting arrest and engaging in riot after she was arrested in southern Morton County on Oct. 10. But those charges, along with 32 other misdemeanor cases relating to protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline, were dismissed in March, the Bismarck Tribune reported Friday.

Kemble said she was acting as a legal observer at a peaceful prayer ceremony when police showed up. Her attorney argues in a court brief Kemble was arrested while she tried to leave and turned off her camera, and was not deleting evidence, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

Many of the protest cases were thrown out after they did not meet the burden of proof to show that proper notice was given that the land was private or due to lack of evidence, according to the Bismarck Tribune.

The council member had traveled to Morton County to present the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe with a parchment copy of a recently passed City Council resolution that expressed solidarity with the protesters.
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is proposing to buy and protect 130 acres near Cherokee Marsh north of Madison for $1.5 million to add to the countys bank of land kept for preservation.

Under a proposed agreement negotiated between Parisi and landowners, Dane County would buy 53 acres and be responsible for protecting an additional 77 acres owned by an area farmer.

The land, located near the intersection of River Road and Highway 19 in the town of Westport, would become part of the Cherokee Marsh Natural Resource Area, according to the county.

Through this acquisition were forever preserving key river corridor and lands integral to the incredible work were doing to clean up our lakes, Parisi said in a statement. People for generations to come will be able to access this area for outdoor recreation and enjoy these one-of-a-kind natural resources.

The land proposed for purchase and protection is next to a tract the county acquired two years ago.

Part of the proposed purchase would include land that used to be a farm with livestock. County officials could restore the grass vegetation on the land to reduce runoff, according to Parisis office.

This project connects previously acquired state- and county-owned lands, creating nearly 200 acres of contiguously owned public property in this vital watershed, Parisi said.

The proposed project will be reviewed by the Dane County Parks Commission and Dane County Board committees this week. Board members are expected to vote in May.
When I was The Australian's opinion editor, in the 2000s, I commissioned several writers to make the case against the Iraq war. It was a contrarian thing to do, given the Murdoch press' enthusiastic support for regime change in Baghdad. But in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion, The Australian published an ideologically diverse group of journalists, intellectuals, former diplomats and politicians, who subscribed to the foreign-policy school of deterrence.

The logic was simple. Preventive war was unnecessary, because even a nuclear Iraq could be contained as it had been since the 1991 Gulf War. Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant, but he was also a cynical calculator whose overriding concern was to hold onto power. Deterrence was working: if he used nuclear weapons against US interests, it would have guaranteed massive retaliation, perhaps obliteration. But if we attacked him, why expect him to go gently when he had nothing left to lose?

Not surprisingly, many hawks lambasted the "realists" as anything but realist. Everything after September 11, we were told, had changed. So much so that the containment doctrine that won the Cold War was futile against what George W. Bush termed the "axis of evil" (Iraq, Iran, North Korea).

I am reminded of those heady days as I listen to the debates about North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Once again, we are told that a rogue state is bent on developing nuclear weapons that threaten world peace and that either a preventive strike or regime change, or both, will disarm this strategic and moral threat.
Although it was widely written off as an embarrassing failure, One Nation's campaign in the Western Australia election was a considerable victory in which the party positioned itself to seize long-term balance of power in the federal senate, according to a new analysis.

In the March state election, One Nation secured three upper house seats, but failed to secure any in the lower house, as had been widely expected. The final days of the campaign were derailed by the resignation of some of its candidates and a disastrous interview in which Ms Hanson questioned the safety of vaccinations.

Many commentators suggested that it was the high tide mark for One Nation's electoral surge over recent years.

But a research paper to be published by the progressive think tank The Australia Institute finds that One Nation's result has been broadly misunderstood and the party underestimated.
The Turnbull government has abandoned plans to slash millions of dollars in funding from community legal centres after coming under intense pressure from lawyers, Labor and the states.

The government was due to effectively take $35 million from the sector, which gives free legal help to disadvantaged and vulnerable people in 190 centres across Australia, under new funding arrangements due to start on July 1.

Legal centres warned the 30 per cent shortfall would have plunged them into crisis, forcing them to sack staff and turn away thousands more desperate people who could not afford their own legal advice.

But Attorney-General George Brandis is now promising $55.7 million in extra funding to be confirmed in the May 9 budget, which will prioritise victims of domestic violence and Indigenous people.
The Turnbull government's plan to scrap the 457 skilled migration visa faces new hurdles in the Senate with the Greens set to refer it to a committee to examine if it could harm the economy, hobble individual businesses or put at risk Australia's multicultural fabric.

Trade spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young will move on Monday to secure crossbench and opposition support for an inquiry into the replacement of the 457 class with a pared down system with fewer eligible occupations and shorter visa periods, and which is separated from subsequent citizenship eligibility.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will seek support for an inquiry into 457 visa changes. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

She is confident of obtaining a majority in the Senate to establish the inquiry on the first day of the Budget session because Labor has argued the government's approach is not properly thought through.

However, a successful referral to the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment would need the support of four more crossbench senators.
As military tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated further on Sunday, defence experts said Pyongyang could have the ability to strike Australia with an inter-continental ballistic missile [ICBM] within three years  but it cannot hit the mainland yet.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop delivered a blistering rebuke to the hermit kingdom after it threatened a nuclear strike against Australia for "blindly and zealously toeing the US line", arguing the regime should spend money on its citizens, not on weapons.

And the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling North Korean Workers' Party, suggested the North's "revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier with a single strike". It would be "an actual example to show our military's force" according to the newspaper, but such a strike would also likely lead to war on the peninsula.

Two Japanese navy ships, the Samidare and Ashigara, were en route on Sunday to join the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group for exercises off the Korean peninsula.
Private Patrick Thomas Pyne was among the 4000 Australians who landed at Anzac Cove as part of the covering force on April 25, 1915.

The 19-year-old died some time in the next four days, perhaps right there on the beach moments after he clambered from the landing boat in the dark before dawn.

Christopher Pyne, pictured with his great uncle Patrick Pyne. Credit:Fairfax Media

Just over a century later, his great-nephew Christopher Pyne, who would take charge of his nation's efforts to build the kind of naval boats that had delivered Private Pyne to Gallipoli, found his gravestone by sheer good fortune during a family visit to the peninsula.

On Tuesday night in Canberra, where Minister for Defence Industry Mr Pyne spends half his year, Private Pyne's story will be read out at the Australian War Memorial's nightly Last Post ceremony.
Australia doesn't usually need much encouragement to partner with the US in whatever righteous military conflict it deems just. We've done so in every major conflict since WWI.

Obviously some have been more justified than others.

But the idiosyncratic nuclear-armed regime of Kim Jong-un has just provided the most comprehensive justification possible for a US-led pre-emptive assault: a clearly stated threat of nuclear strike on Australia.

No government can ignore that. The question immediately becomes one of how best to forestall such a calamity. Until now, that's been a mix of diplomacy, sanctions, and implied consequences. But "strategic patience" has run its course.
Chelsea Clinton was one of the honourees at Variety's Power of Women New York luncheon on Friday, but that didn't stop host Vanessa Bayer from making a joke at the Clinton family's expense.

In her opening monologue at the event, the Saturday Night Live comedian introduced the six women who would be honoured that afternoon: Jessica Chastain, Gayle King, Blake Lively, Audra McDonald, Tina Knowles, Shari Redstone and Clinton.

"And they all have one thing in common," Bayer quipped. "None of their mums are president."

The audience groaned a little at that point.
This is a scenario we know all too well; the frequent attempts to humanise men who abuse or kill their partners or children as "a great guy" or "a committed family man" are a well-worn media trope. In the context of a film ostensibly about the female victim, though, this is galling  especially because Colossal has a very shaky idea of where normal interpersonal behaviour ends and abuse begins. Hint: it's not the moment a man punches a woman.

When Oscar starts to use Gloria's kaiju-connection as a standover tactic, orders her around at work, or belittles her in front of their friends, I didn't see a classic cinematic showdown between a villain and a hero, I saw a man systematically isolating and controlling a woman.

For women who've endured emotional abuse, Oscar's scolding tantrums would be chilling reminders of past experience. Watching him lavishing gifts of homewares and furniture on Gloria would recall the sweeping romantic gestures that quickly give way to controlling behaviours. I know because I've been there, and the memories that Colossal dredged up  from public dressing downs about grocery shopping to bitter silent rages that left me almost hysterical, driven mad by neglect  shook me to my core.

The salt rubbed in the wound of those upsetting memories, then, for me and I'm sure many other viewers, is the efforts of Colossal to explore Oscar's point of view while offering scant character development for Gloria.

We don't know much about her life other than some loosely sketched details about being fired from her job, and her resulting hard-partying lifestyle. We hear a lot, on the other hand, about Oscar's disappointments in life, his failed relationship, his broken family. He even gets a big, sad speech in his big, sad house. By the time a flashback unfurls the mystery of Gloria and Oscar's intertwined lives and makes it clear what she's dealing with, it's too little, too late.
Critics of a proposal to fully repeal the states prevailing wage laws decried it Monday as an assault on the wages of blue-collar workers, while proponents framed the move as frugal stewardship of public funds.

A state Senate panel gave the proposal its first legislative hearing Monday.

If enacted, it would mark another crushing defeat for Wisconsin labor unions. They, along with legislative Democrats, are among the staunchest backers of a prevailing wage, a minimum wage requirement for workers on public construction projects.

The bill would eliminate all state-imposed prevailing wage requirements for projects funded by the state. That includes state office buildings, University of Wisconsin System buildings and state highway projects.

The bills Senate sponsor, Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, said it would save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over time.

A recently released memo by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau found existing research on the impact of prevailing wage laws on construction costs is mixed and inconclusive.

As of the start of Mondays hearing, two key state agencies that would be affected by the bill, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Administration, had not submitted estimates detailing its fiscal implications. A third, the UW System, concluded it does not have adequate information to create a meaningful fiscal estimate for this bill.

Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Kenosha, called the bill terrible. He and other critics questioned how it would affect the quality of workmanship on public projects and said it could open the door to out-of-state contractors to underbid local ones.

We have an income inequality issue in this country. Your bill makes it worse, Wirch told the proposals sponsors in the hearing.

Gov. Scott Walker, speaking to reporters at a separate event Monday, said he doesnt care if prevailing wage repeal is accomplished through his budget or by a standalone measure such as the one heard by the Senate committee. Walker included the measure in his plan for the states next budget. But Republican leaders of the Legislatures budget-writing committee removed it from the budget along with other non-fiscal provisions, meaning it may have to pass on its own.

Either way, as long as it happens, Walker said. Thats one more tool to make sure taxpayers get better bang for their buck.

Prevailing wage rates are calculated on a county-by-county basis for individual building trades. In Dane County in 2016, the prevailing wage rate for a plumber was $38.82 an hour. For a siding installer, it was $17 an hour. For a painter, it was $26.70 an hour.

Latest repeal effort

A complete repeal of prevailing wage laws would realize a long-sought goal of fiscal conservatives and business groups to abolish the Great Depression-era requirement.

Two years ago, Republican lawmakers and Walker moved to lift the prevailing wage requirement from projects funded by local units of government, such as cities, counties and school districts. That law took effect in January.

One key prevailing wage requirement would remain in place regardless of what state lawmakers do. Projects that use $2,000 or more in federal funds, including many state highway projects, would not be affected because they would remain subject to federal prevailing wage laws.

Eric Bott, state director for Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin, said other states that have repealed prevailing wage, such as West Virginia, have seen savings. Others, such as Ohio, have not reported poorer workmanship, he added.

Two who testified against the bill were Leroy Miller, a heavy equipment operator from New Berlin, and Luke Burnaman, a crane operator from Portage. Both are union members and U.S. military veterans.

Both men said theyre concerned about how prevailing wage repeal could affect veterans, who they and others who spoke Monday said are disproportionately represented in the building trades.

Burnaman said he and his family moved to Wisconsin from his native Louisiana last year, lured by the prospect of higher wages and better schools for his children.

He questioned why senators would mull prevailing wage changes after recently having increased their own expense reimbursements. State Senate leaders earlier this year approved a 31 percent increase in their daily per diem amount  up to $115 per day, compared to $88 per day last year, the Appleton Post-Crescent reported.

Both Burnaman and Miller are supporters of President Donald Trump, a Republican. Miller said he backed Trump in part because he pledged a $1 trillion plan to rebuild the nations infrastructure.

Miller said he sees a disconnect between that message and the prevailing wage bill, all of the sponsors of which are Republicans.

If it wasnt a problem, then we wouldnt be here, Miller said. Its going to hurt us.

Reporter Matthew DeFour contributed to this report.
A $72 million train station has opened at Aubin Grove, in Perth's south, with the service expected to be used 3900 times a day.

The station, between the Cockburn Central and Kwinana stations on the Mandurah line, was opened on Sunday by Premier Mark McGowan, who acknowledged the former Barnett government's role in the project.

"This will help take cars off the road, it'll make the Kwinana Freeway less congested," Mr McGowan told reporters.

"Get on the train, enjoy the experience, save money, get to the heart of the city, get close to home, it's the right way to go."
Not keen on Bali? The ubiquitous Bintang singlet not your type of travel wear?

Fortunately for the adventure traveller there are another 8,443 islands that make up Indonesia.

There are many more islands just as stunning or more beautiful than Bali.

Actually that's just the ones that have names, no-one knows exactly how many Indonesian islands there are, but its somewhere between 17 and 18000. They're not all as beautiful as Bali, in fact they're often more beautiful.

But beware, the Indonesian government has ordered "ten more Balis" in the next four years, and some of the pristine islands are already seeing development activity.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) organized a Regional Operational Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Border Enforcement for the WCO Americas and Caribbean (AMS) region, in cooperation with Uruguay Customs and the Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB). The Workshop was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 3 to 7 April 2017.

Twenty officers from 17 countries within the AMS region benefitted from the financial support of the Japan Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF/Japan), and successfully completed the Workshop. WCO tools, such as the Risk Management Compendium, the Customs Enforcement Network (CEN), the WCO IPR Model Legislation and the Module on Risk Indicators for Spurious/Falsely-Labelled/Falsified/Counterfeit (SFFC) Medicines, were the main topics covered by the Workshop. Cooperation with the private sector and implementation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in the region were also discussed.

The results of and lessons learned from operations carried out in the region were shared with participants. In addition, some participants presented IPR case studies on new procedures and challenges faced in the fight against counterfeiting, giving rise to discussions on the regions specific needs.

The theory taught was put into practice during a field exercise in the port of Montevideo. One container was selected and then inspected by the team. The inspection resulted in the discovery of counterfeit versions of various popular brands.

On the last day, participants gave presentations on the lessons learned during the field exercise and discussed the way forward.

The Workshop helped participants identify existing gaps within their current IPR enforcement systems and ways to close them. The operational approach adopted by the Workshop was greatly appreciated.
At the invitation of Ambassador Juan Anibal Barria, Permanent Representative of Chile to the Organization of American States (OAS) and Chair of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), WCO Deputy Secretary General Sergio Mujica attended the 17th Regular Session of Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, held in Washington DC on 6 and 7 April 2017. The main purpose of the CICTE is to promote and develop cooperation among OAS Member States to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism. The meeting was attended by high-level representatives of Member States, including Ambassadors, Ministers, Vice-Ministers and technical experts, as well as international organizations with competence in security matters. The theme of the Session was Strengthening National Financial Systems through International Cooperation and Information Sharing as a Means to Prevent Terrorism and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

In his opening address, Ambassador Barria highlighted that violence and terrorism are a real threat to the most fundamental human rights. To face this challenge, international cooperation and the use of instruments and tools provided by the rule of law at national and international level are indispensable. He reaffirmed the importance of putting in place effective mechanisms for the exchange of information both nationally and internationally among enforcement agencies, financial investigation units and the judiciary. The OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Doctor Claudia Paz y Paz, emphasized that, in order to fight terrorism, a multidisciplinary and integral approach is required, to ensure coordination and cooperation among all relevant stakeholders.

After the opening session, the WCO Deputy Secretary General participated in a high-level panel, which also included Mr. Ahmet Uzumcu, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and a senior representative of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1540. Mr. Mujica presented the WCO Security Programme, with emphasis on the Strategic Trade Control Enforcement Programme, highlighting the key role played by Customs in combating terrorism.

During his visit to Washington, Mr. Mujica also held working meetings with Mr. Kevin McAleenan, Acting Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, and his management team. The main topics discussed were the latest developments in respect of the WCO Strategic Plan which will be presented to the next Council Sessions and the key role of Customs to support the implementation of the TFA. Mr. Mujica also thanked Mr. McAleenan for CBPs support and leadership in the development and implementation of key WCO programmes and tools.
Hunters in Dodge, Fond du Lac and Jefferson counties may donate meat from harvested turkeys to food pantries under a new law that goes into effect for this spring's turkey hunting season.

The donated turkeys will be processed free of charge and the meat will be ground and distributed to local food pantries under the new Department of Natural Resources program. The new option for hunters is an expansion of the state's program to allow hunters to donate venison meat from harvested deer to families in need of food assistance.

Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, pushed for the expansion to turkeys last legislative session. The turkey donation program begins this spring as a pilot program in the three counties and will be expanded for the fall turkey hunt later this year.

Hunters interested in donating their turkeys should take them to Pernat-Haase Meats in Juneau, Loehr's Meat Service in Campbellsport or Pernat's Premium Meats in Johnson Creek by May 31.

DNR officials say hunters must field dress the turkey, register it and validate the carcass tag before taking it to the meat processors.

Kleefisch, an avid hunter, said in a statement that he hopes the program can be eventually expanded statewide.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 24, 2017 | 05:15 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Representatives from the Kentucky Cancer Program were in Paducah on Monday to receive a check for more than $10,000 from Bristol Broadcasting Company to benefit the Horses and Hope breast cancer awareness program.The Kentucky Cancer Program's Purchase Area office partnered with Bristol Broadcasting and Paducah Power System during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October for the region's third "Light It Up Pink" fundraising campaign. Special pink light bulbs were packaged and sold to the public for five dollars each, and this year participating partners sold more than 4000 bulbs and T-shirts. Bristol Broadcasting Paducah General Manager Jamie Futrell presented a check for $10,044 to Julie Garland from KCP at a ceremony Monday afternoon at Bristol's Paducah office.Horses and Hope, which was founded by former Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear, supports early detection outreach programs and breast cancer survivor events for women statewide. The check will also help fund KCP's mobile cancer screening unit, that travels across the state and help Kentuckians diagnose cancer early. The mobile unit is equipped to detect several different types of cancer, and helps under-served communities get screenings.Garland stressed the importance of partnering with local businesses to fund KCP's programs. "It's because of ongoing partnerships such as Bristol Broadcasting and Paducah Power that we're able to still go out and provide screenings to uninsured and underinsured people. Not just breast cancer survivors but all cancer survivors, men and women." Garland said.Futrell said Bristol's "Light It Up Pink" program has raised more than $40,000 for cancer programs over the past three years.

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By David O. England

Apr. 23, 2017 | CARTERVILLE, IL

By David O. England Apr. 23, 2017 | 06:04 PM | CARTERVILLE, IL

Since 2002, I have educated people on the workings of the stock market. As the founder of the Eye on the Market-Training Academy and associate professor emeritus of finance, John A. Logan College, my goals have been to empower investors and traders on Main Street, how not to be fleeced by Wall Street and how to build financial wealth.



Mind you; I am not an advisor or a broker, but rather an active trader/investor financial analyst and educator. For the next 12 weeks, I will show what goes on behind the curtain and discuss what Wall Street does not want you to know.



So why am I writing this column? This year and next will be pivotal for many readers and investors in Western KY with the upcoming Fiduciary Rule, along with the current bull market getting long in the tooth, so to speak. Without proper risk management, many may be wiped out by the next bear market begins.



Many may be asking, David, with all the financial analysts, why follow you?



Well, here are five reasons:



First, I have no problem challenging Wall Street. In 2015, I challenged CNBCs main stock picker Jim Cramer and his 49 stocks to buy now. Using my proprietary Simple Simon system, I determined the majority of his buy now stocks were not quality picks. One year after my challenge, only 14 of his 49 picks were in the green. Third-party audit results are on my website.



Second, in early September 2008, using my system, I warned followers and students there was a financial storm coming, and it was time to take profits. Two weeks later, on Sept. 29, the Dow dropped 770 points -- in one day. Those advisors and brokers who made fun of my call were not laughing after the huge drop.



Third, I am not a broker. I do not sell mutual funds or any other securities. Therefore, commissions are not an issue.



Fourth, I develop proven trading systems and provide them, free of charge, on my website at Davidoengland.com.

And, lastly, Wall Street has been extremely successful making investing intimidating. I want to show you how investing can be simple and fun!



I have said that being an advisor/broker can be a difficult occupation. There are good and bad advisors/brokers and many in between. Some are extremely successful for their clients, and some are nothing more than street-corner salespeople selling products that are better for the brokers company than for their clients. In future columns, I will provide questions to ask to determine which group your advisor/broker is in.



By the way, many brokers would appreciate better-educated clients. I do not give buy or sell commands, but teach concepts and tools to make better-informed decisions. In the weeks ahead, you will see how I disprove some market axioms.

Making money without a proven system is tough. Just ask the 82 percent, according to WSJ.com on April 13, of high-fee, actively managed US stock fund mutual fund managers who did not outperform (last fifteen years) the market.



What worked over the last ten, twenty and thirty years may not be as effective in todays market. There is no single best strategy to build financial wealth. I teach proven investing/trading strategies for both Bull and bear markets.



In the weeks ahead, I will be discussing popular topics that include active vs. passive investing, the fiduciary paradox, charting, stocks vs. ETFs, revenue sharing, gold and silver, fundamental vs. technical analysis and how the largest (low vs. high) commission funds performed compared to the market.

And, I hope you will join me.



So, where do we begin? Next week, I will introduce new terms and dispel the Wall Street myth: Dont worry, the market always comes back. This is a very popular mantra with some street-corner brokers to convince customers to buy and hold.



David O. England is the founder of the Eye on the Market-Training Academy (Davidoengland.com) and Associate Professor Emeritus of Finance. This column is for educational purposes only and not intended as financial advice.Your decision to buy, sell, short or hold any investment product is a direct result of your decisions, free will, and research. Questions-send to thetraderseye@gmail.com.
Opinion

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This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its a badge of honour for some Winnipeggers to mention they come from the North End. They like to relate how they, or their parents or grandparents, used to live there. They want us to know that, while they now enjoy the soft life, they have hard-scrabble roots in the storied part of town where people have a PhD in street smarts.

People who still live in the North End arent so quick to romanticize it.

Katherena Vermette, who is Metis, knows the North End as it really is and she has the literary talent to depict it. Her novel, The Break, was honoured Saturday night as Book Of The Year at the Manitoba Book Awards.

CHRIS YOUNG / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Katherena Vermettes The Break gives readers a sense of familiarity with the characters, who often are targets of racism in their community.

The Break is a tensely paced crime thriller, but would hardly be worthy of note if thats all it is. The crime genre is packed with successful writers churning out page-turners.

The book is more important in its astute portrayal of a network of urban indigenous women coping with violence, poverty, addictions, prostitution and men who are chronically absent, both emotionally and physically.

Racism is an undercurrent throughout the North End, but Vermettes novel is not a soapbox for her to join the shouted admonishments that often ruin public discussions of this hot-button topic. Instead, she crafts characters who are frequent targets of racism in Winnipeg and leads us to see them with compassion.

Ultimately, this could be the most valuable contribution of The Break. Instead of hectoring her readers about racism, Vermette induces us to feel affection and moments of admiration for indigenous characters who have considerable shortcomings.

Theyre as fully human as the people we know intimately in our own families. And familiarity can be an antidote to racism.

Her novel is published at a time in Winnipeg when whiffs of racism spark public reactions that can be shrill and over the top, admirable in intention but perhaps overblown in execution.

A senator acknowledges the evils of residential schools but when she regrets positive aspects are overlooked, there are demands for her resignation.

A national magazine tags Winnipeg as Canadas Most Racist City, and a Manitoba politician publicly calls her province Most Racist in Canada. Such incendiary labels are nonsensical, of course: racism cant be quantified in any empirical way that lets people declare who is No. 1.

Sometimes the anti-racism shouts are triggered by a single racist sentence, or even the wrong choice of word from someone who is not up to date on which terms have recently been deemed incorrect. But even such one-time utterances can be enough to incur shouts for a public apology and mandatory enrolment in cross-cultural training.

The problem with shouting is that it doesnt fix the problem. Racists dont change because theyre shouted at. The humiliation of being shouted at leaves them resentful and vowing to be more cautious about how and with whom they express their racism. Shouting drives racism underground, where enlightenment cant shine.

An alternative to shouting is to have a conversation, to listen with a sincere attempt at understanding and explain with respect and patience why racism is wrong. Its harder than shouting, but perhaps more effective.

A second alternative is to buy the racists in your life copies of The Break. Tell them its a crime novel. Let Katherina Vermette bring them to North End, where kitchen tables are crowded with pots of tea, pans of bannock and indigenous women whom we come to regard with tender fondness.

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial collective.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca
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The union representing border guards at Emerson says half of the asylum seekers crossing into Canada there lately have criminal records, but the Canada Border Services Agency says less than two per cent pose any danger to the public.

Of the 135 refugee claimants who arrived from March 20 to April 16, just three  less than two per cent  were found to have criminal records and detained because they were determined to be a danger to the public, the Canada Border Services Agency says.

Customs and Immigration Union national president Jean-Pierre Fortin told the Free Press half of the migrants coming across the border at Emerson in recent weeks have criminal records, and in an interview with another media outlet said they had serious criminal backgrounds.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Detainees arent always dangerous, says immigration lawyer Bashir Khan, who has represented many refugee claimants who have crossed into Canada at Emerson.

The unions allegation comes after a border officer at Emerson was assaulted by a refugee claimant on April 8  and a sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers walking into Canada there.

The Free Press reported on March 31 that 332 refugee claimants who walked into Canada at Emerson applied for asylum in the first three months of 2017  thats more than in all of 2016, according to the numbers provided by the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Councils Welcome Place. The union representing border officers has called for more help to deal with the increase.

We said we need more resources, Fortin said. Were trying to keep Canadians safe but we need more resources. We need to create a dedicated border patrol. Now theyre coming and we dont have more resources. The government is still analyzing it its a concern. The morale of our officers is not very high right now.

The CBSA said the union has given the media inaccurate information. Agency spokeswoman Lisa White said in Manitoba, from March 20 to April 16, RCMP intercepted 135 people crossing illegally into Canada. Of those, the CBSA detained three individuals it determined to be a danger to the public, White said by email.

She said border services is responding to the increase in asylum seekers by working with other federal agencies and international security partners in a sound and measured way, to ensure the safety and security of Canadas border.

There are three reasons for an asylum seeker to end up in detention: When a CBSA officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person is a danger to the public, they are a flight risk or their identity is in question, a detention order may be issued, White said.

In Manitoba, nine people were in custody Tuesday because of an immigration detention order, a Manitoba Justice spokeswoman said. The CBSA order doesnt specify whether theyre a refugee claimant or someone who came to Manitoba through regular immigration. The federal agency provides a per diem for each of the detainees, the provincial spokeswoman said.

Detainees arent always dangerous, said immigration lawyer Bashir Khan, who has represented dozens of refugee claimants whove crossed into Canada on foot at Emerson.

Just because someone is detained does not mean they have a criminal record, Khan said. Manitobas jails would be overflowing if half of the 332 refugee claimants who crossed into Canada at Emerson in the first three months of 2017 were serious criminals. None of his clients are in immigration detention now, Khan said.

Calling half of the refugee claimants crossing into Canada at Emerson criminals is wrong and feeds into an anti-refugee narrative, Khan said.

People who are against refugees are going to use that against refugees, said Khan. In the minds of many people, theyre the other  all criminals or half of them are, and that Canada is an easy target for them  thats the narrative, said Khan.

Anyone who is a a serious violent criminal has no right to make a refugee claim in Canada, said Khan. In such a case, he said, an immigration officer writes a report that declares that person inadmissible to Canada and an exclusion order is issued.

It is then up to the Canada Border Service Agency if they will detain that person in immigration detention or let them live freely in society until they are deported from Canada, Khan said.

The vast majority of refugee claimants are not held in detention. Within three months of arriving in Canada, theyll have an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing, Khan said. Within five months of arriving, theyll get a written decision. If its negative, then their removal from Canada may be ordered right away.

The refugee board has power to say theres no basis for a refugee claim or that its manifestly unfounded, which means the claimant has no right to file an appeal and they can be ordered out of Canada at any time, said Khan. If leave to appeal is granted, it might take 13 months for a refugee claimants case to be decided, and a few more months for their removal from Canada to take place if they lose the appeal.

Fortin said theyre noting the migrants coming across the border with criminal records are trying to bypass Emerson as the weather gets warmer.

They want to avoid the RCMP and now we know they are going elsewhere, he said without saying where. The type of refugee claimants crossing into Canada is changing now, Fortin warned.

At the beginning, most of them were coming with good intentions and they were good people, he said.

But it would seem a trend is happening, not just at Emerson, but at the largest (border crossing) in Quebec.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders

Legislature reporter After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020. Read full biography
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Its one of the darkest chapters in Manitoba judicial history. Now one of the key figures who helped expose a notorious wrongful conviction is preparing to go public with his own findings.

Retired Winnipeg police officer Andrew Mikolajewski is set to release a tell-all book into the botched investigation surrounding the 1981 strangling death of 16-year-old Barbara Stoppel inside the St. Boniface doughnut shop where she worked.

It may be said the case itself represents one of the most disturbing acts of omission by a police service in Canada, Mikolajewski told the Free Press this week in a telephone interview from his home in British Columbia. The investigation began innocently enough but soon took on a life of its own. A domino of misinformation leading to tunnel vision.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

Thomas Sophonow was quickly identified by police as the killer and went through three trials and spent four years in jail while proclaiming his innocence for two decades. Mikolajewski was one of the officers assigned to take a fresh look at the case in 1999, and that ultimately paved the way to Sophonow being exonerated and awarded $2.6 million in compensation following a public inquiry. Mikolajewskis work would also help identify another suspect, Terry Arnold, who committed suicide in 2005 before he could be charged.

This is a family, the Stoppel family, that went through the death of a beautiful young girl, a preliminary hearing, three separate trials. They hated the wrong man, an innocent man, for God knows how many years. Then they lived through the whole thing again with the inquiry. And finally, they still had no closure. This is, in the same way, what Tom Sophonow lived through all those years. It was devastating, Mikolajewski said.

Stoppels family members have thrown their support behind Mikolajewski, who will be releasing the book online at barbstoppel.com in the coming weeks.

Im happy hes doing it for a number of reasons. One, to get the truth out. Two, he gets the freedom he needs, Rick Stoppel told the Free Press on Friday. The Winnipeg real estate agent said he continues to think about his slain sister on a daily basis. He recently got an advance copy of Mikolajewskis work and is anxious to sit down and read it.

I cant forget about it and cant move on because the majority of my life has been involved with this. Its just part of everyday occurrence, he said.

The Free Press reached out to Sophonow for comment. He has mainly stayed out of the public spotlight since the inquiry and now lives with his wife in B.C.s Lower Mainland. He responded with a written statement on Friday afternoon, noting he has already read an advance copy of the book.

The book is written in the most respected memory of a young girl who was murdered, and it is reflective of that, Sophonow said.

I find myself very fortunate that Andrew is writing the book so candidly. There are a lot of hopes that I wish this book would do. Other than the most obvious, I would hope that this book becomes a guide to all the law enforcement agencies illustrating what tunnel vision really is.

Mikolajewski said hes been working on the book since he retired in 2014 following a 28-year career. He said there are many details about his face-to-face meetings with Arnold where he pressed for information about Stoppels killing.

He told me in his own way why he did what he did on the night of Dec. 23, 1981. It was as much as a confession as you can get out of him, said Mikolajewski. Arnold would leave behind a suicide note in which he denied any involvement.

Mikolajewski said his biggest shock in reviewing the file beginning in 1999 was how often Arnolds name had come up in the initial investigation, only to be ignored.

Not only was Tom Sophonow innocent, but the real killers name was peppered all over the report, Mikolajewski said. What struck me is that most, maybe all of the police we had interviewed in the case when we gave them the information we had on Terry Arnold, they all said they didnt know that. I dont know which, if any, of the investigators read the entire report.

Mikolajewski said his biggest challenge in writing the book was to break away from writing like a cop. Hes not making a dime off the online publication  despite the Stoppel family wishing he was seeing a profit.

It would be good if he could have benefited. Hes put so much time into this, said Stoppel.

Mikolajewski said he hopes his work  both in the case itself and now writing about it years later  helps ensure a similar injustice doesnt occur again. Its why the website hes set up to host the book carries a simple message at the top of the page: In memory of Barbara Gayle Stoppel and all the victims that followed.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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Vic Toews is in trouble. Again.

Last week, we learned the Court of Queens Bench judge, and former federal and provincial politician, had contravened the federal Conflict of Interest Act.

Federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson reported last week Toews had twice broken conflict of interest laws in 2013 when he provided lobbying and consulting services to two Manitoba First Nations within a few months of his retirement from politics. The federal law is designed to ensure retired cabinet ministers cannot use the sensitive information they absorbed while in government to enrich themselves or outside entities that have dealings with Ottawa.

FRED CHARTRAND / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Vic Toews, the Court of Queen's Bench judge and former federal and provincial politician, contravened the federal Conflict of Interest Act.

The process that culminated in these findings is very cautious and conservative. In other words, the federal ethics commissioner does not have a tradition of jumping to unfounded conclusions, or engaging in alarmist commentary. However that did not stop Toews from lashing out at Dawson with visceral indignation.

As has been the case in the past, Toews used Winnipeg lawyer Robert Tapper to protest the allegations. As is his style, Tapper threw everything including the kitchen sink at Dawson, in essence accusing her of incompetence and working outside her jurisdiction.

Tappers assertions were almost entirely designed to be noise to distract attention from the fact that a sitting federally appointed judge was found guilty of having violated a federal law in the brief six months between his departure from politics and his appointment to the bench. The findings are serious enough that Democracy Watch, a respected watchdog organization, has said it will file a complaint to the Canadian Judicial Council.

The CJC process is not an easy fit for a situation like this. However, there is still some traction for a complaint.

The CJCs first area of concern is the performance of that judge in court. Every decision, every word they say, every facial expression and physical gesture is open to scrutiny and review by the council. But the CJC is also the guardian of the ethical and moral viability of judges. In that regard, the council may very well have an issue with Judge Toews.

It is very hard to believe Toews would have made it through the judicial vetting process had Dawsons findings been available before he was appointed. Given that his actions took place before that appointment, there should be some concern Toews did not make a full, honest and accurate disclosure of his activities in the period after leaving politics and before accepting his position in the Court of Queens Bench.

Toews argument, enunciated by Tapper, is that at the time of his appointment to the bench, none of the allegations that resulted in Dawsons findings had arisen. Tapper is effectively arguing that Toews should not be subjected to any review or sanctions now because he had not been found guilty of conflict of interest before he was appointed.

Thats an extraordinary argument to make and reveals pretty clearly that Toews is quite desperate to avoid any kind of CJC review. This is largely due to the fact when you add them all together, Toews has assembled a rather impressive list of moral, ethical and legal transgressions.

In 1999, Toews pleaded guilty to exceeding election spending limits while still a provincial politician. Toews blamed the over-spending on decisions by the central Tory campaign to move money in and out of his riding campaign account without his permission. Nonetheless, the conviction stands against him personally.

In 2010, it was learned that he had failed to notify the federal ethics commissioner he was receiving pension income earned during his time as a provincial crown prosecutor. This was a basic requirement of every MP and only remedied after the transgression was reported by the news media.

In 2012, while contesting a messy divorce, we learned Toews had fathered a child with a political staffer to former Tory MP Joy Smith. Despite wide-ranging publicity about his infidelity, Toews dragged out the divorce battle for years, even representing himself at one point. His woeful judgement in this matter resulted in the revelation that he had been chronically unfaithful to his first wife.

In 2015, he suffered the humiliation of having his judges salary garnished after a judge ruled he owed $17,000 in rent on a Quebec condominium he used while still a member of the federal Conservative government. The unilingual Toews claimed the non-payment was due to the fact the court order was written in French and he did not understand what it said. The judge in that case scoffed at his excuse, noting that as a former federal cabinet minister  and a man that speaks both Spanish and Low German in addition to English  he should have had more success interpreting a court order in Canadas other official language.

Some of these issues would have been known to the federal panel that vetted Toews for a appointment. Given its decision, we can assume that what was known at that time was not enough to disqualify Toews.

However, Toews body of unethical and illegal behavior has expanded significantly since he was first considered for the Court of Queens Bench. Its hardly a stretch to suggest now that Toews suitability to serve as a judge may have been viewed a bit differently had the most recent incidents been known in 2014.

Toews and his lawyer would prefer the judicial council and the public not take stock of his what appears to be a long history of unethical and sometimes illegal activity. But when you add it together, its difficult to see how this man deserves to be sitting in judgement of others.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
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Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Judge Vic Toews will remain on the job while a national tribunal looks into his past conduct.

On Monday, the Canadian Judicial Council said it is investigating a complaint against Toews following a report Friday from the federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner stating that he broke conflict of interest rules before becoming a judge.

Johanna Laporte, spokeswoman for the council, said the oversight body is not identifying the complainant because they have not publicly revealed themselves.

A tribunal that oversees the conduct of judges has decided to investigate Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench Judge Vic Toews. (Justin Tang / The Canadian Press files)

We will be opening an official file, and we will be reviewing the conduct of Justice Toews, Laporte said from Ottawa.

Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of Manitoba Court of Queens Bench clarified Toews status Monday after receiving numerous media calls.

The very specific and distinct jurisdiction and process of the Ethics Commissioner, whose jurisdiction, processes and related conclusions may be challenged by Justice Toews, are separate from the jurisdiction and focus of the Canadian Judicial Council, Joyal said in a statement.

That separate Canadian Judicial Council process, to the extent that it will unfold in respect of Justice Toews, must be respected. Accordingly, he remains a sitting judge of the Court of Queens Bench.

A spokesman for Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said the province will monitor the CJCs investigation, await the result and consider whether there is an effect on the administration of justice in Manitoba.

Federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner Mary Dawson found that Toews, a former Conservative cabinet minister, had violated the Conflict of Interest Act after leaving politics in 2013.

She ruled that Toews ran afoul of the act by providing consulting services to two different Manitoba First Nations before he was appointed to the bench in 2014.

In one case, he received a retainer from Norway House Cree Nation, an organization he had dealt with while in cabinet, before a two-year cooling off period expired. In a second case, he acted on behalf of Peguis First Nation in its quest to acquire Kapyong Barracks land, after representing the federal government on the issue, Dawson ruled.

Toews lawyer Robert Tapper denied any wrongdoing on the part of his client over the weekend. He even accused Dawson of acting unethically in her handling of the case, saying she had directed witnesses not to speak to him or Toews.

Asked for comment on the CJC decision to review the judges conduct, Tapper said, via email, that Dawsons report was the product of a flawed process and flawed findings. I fervently hope the CJC sees it for what it is.

A spokeswoman for the ethics commissioner said Dawson would not comment on the matter except to say that she stands behind her report.

Toews is a federally appointed judge. A spokesman for federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Monday the minister had no comment on the matter at this time.

Laporte said the investigation wont follow a strict timeline.

The organizations executive director, Norman Sabourin, will do a quick review of the complaint and send it to a member of the CJCs judicial conduct committee, she said. That person could refer the matter to a panel, which would decide whether the matter, if proven, would be so serious as to warrant Toews removal from the bench.

If they decide yes, then the matter goes to a public inquiry, Laporte said. If they decide no, then it could be closed with remedial measures being proposed for the judge.

Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, said his organization also plans to file a complaint against Toews with the judicial council.

He said his group will file a submission setting out our legal argument as to why his (Toews) violation is serious enough to warrant a recommendation that he be removed from the bench.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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The high cost of phone calls from inside Manitobas correctional centres has raised the ire of inmate advocates, who say the system puts a heavy burden on people who cant afford the price to stay in contact with their families.

Six months ago, the province overhauled its phone system within all provincial correctional facilities, signing on to a five-year contract with Synergy Inmate Phones, a Texas-based company whose corporate website claims it handles calls for hundreds of jails across the United States and Canada.

Since then, some inmates and their families have complained about predatory fees for poor-quality calls. But Manitoba Corrections is defending the system as a quantum leap forward that doesnt unfairly disadvantage the provinces disproportionately high number of adults in custody, awaiting trial.

Prior to October, inmates paid for long-distance calls but werent charged for local calls  at least, not visibly so. Now, sentenced prisoners pay $3 whether theyre dialing locally or long-distance, and calls have a 15-minute limit. Inmates on remand awaiting trial are allowed three free calls a day.

We were very deliberate in terms of our negotiations with Synergy on this point because we didnt want to disadvantage people in Manitoba based on geography  and thats what was happening before, said Ed Klassen, director of operations for custody at Manitoba Corrections.

About one in four inmates jailed in Winnipeg has rural-Manitoba roots, so it made sense to charge the same fee for local and long-distance calls, he said.

Of critical importance for us was to try to shift the free calling onto those groups in custody who are most vulnerable, and thats our remand population, he said.

About 85 per cent of the calls placed from provincial jails are free. Thats a statistic Klassen said has more to do with the fact most Manitoba inmates are awaiting trial than it does with the high cost of the calls for convicted prisoners.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Headingley Correctional Centre. About one in four inmates jailed in Winnipeg has rural-Manitoba roots, statistics show, so Manitoba Corrections officials say it makes sense to charge the same fee for local and long-distance calls.

But John Hutton, executive director of the John Howard Society in Winnipeg, said hes heard from inmates and their families who say its too expensive for them to deposit money into inmates accounts to make calls or accept collect calls. An inmate with a job inside a provincial institution gets only about $6 a day.

Family connections are huge. People need to be connected to their children, to their families. And then they have supports when they come out, Hutton said. There are studies that have shown that if somebody is feeling isolated, not connected to family, friends, community, theyre much more likely to re-offend, and the easiest way to communicate the quickest is through the phone.

Synergy has faced criticism in other jurisdictions. In Nova Scotia, advocates say inmates and their families have run up bills of several hundred dollars each month.

Their business model is the same across the country and its raising a lot of concerns everywhere because its basically downloading the costs onto the poorest of the poor, who cant afford it, said Scott Newman, spokesman for the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba.

He said there are concerns within the legal community about the phone system and its technology, which has sometimes made leaving messages for inmates difficult, even though calls to lawyers and many community-support programs are free for all inmates.

We have to realize that even though somebody is in custody for having done a wrong, for committing an offence, theyre not an animal or a piece of property. Theyre still human, Newman said, saying all phone calls within correctional institutions should be free.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES John Hutton, executive director of the John Howard Society in Winnipeg.

Its just wrong as a human to say, were going to take away all your contacts with people who care for you.

Winnipeg resident Cassandra Golondrina regularly hears from a friend awaiting trial behind bars at Headingley Correctional Centre. The 30-year-old man has a job within the jail and has expressed concern about paying for calls beyond the three he isnt charged for, as he tries to maintain a relationship with his teenage son.

I think its super-important that our incarcerated individuals have a connection to the outside world so they remember why theyre trying to make change, she said. Also for us, on the outside, to know that theyre OK and that theyre making change and that theyre doing things, and to provide encouragement and to help them.

Golondrina said she doesnt believe taxpayers should bear the full cost of inmates calls, but she said its inhumane to think one phone call is equal to half a days salary for a person in custody.

Klassen said Manitoba inmates may not have known they were being charged for local calls before the new system was implemented. Correctional institutions previously marked up prices on canteen items, put the profits in inmates trust accounts and used the money to pay phone and cable-TV bills. About $18,000 a month was paid out of inmate trust accounts to cover phone bills at Manitobas provincial jails under the previous vendor, Klassen said.

This is a quantum leap forward in terms of the communication system that were providing inmates in custody, he said. Just like before, when they didnt see the fee structures that used to be in place, they also didnt see a lot of the infrastructure behind those phones that was degrading and in very poor condition.

The province didnt pay to install the new phone system and doesnt pay for maintenance, which is Synergys responsibility under its contract with the province, Klassen said.

The inmate phone system has a .04 per cent dropped-call rate and has delivered a steady stream of calls: 178,395 calls from all provincial jails between March 1 and April 1, he said.

In the big picture, theres no such thing as a free phone call in the sense that every company  it doesnt matter what company we have  that will provide service in our facilities is there to make money. The previous vendor was the same. So its how we structure the fees in such a way that provides the greatest benefit where its needed the most, he said.

In addition to pre-programmed numbers for free calls to lawyers and community supports, Corrections also offers benefit packages to inmates who are unable to pay for phone calls, Klassen said.

Its all about trying to keep inmates connected to the community.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Scott Newman, spokesman for the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba, says Synergys system burdens the poorest of the poor.
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A small crowd of about 30 people turned out Sunday for a rally against the closure of Concordia Hospitals emergency room.

Its the second rally in two weeks, and Elmwood MLA Jim Maloway said the protest movement is just in its infancy. The first protest was at Concordia Hospital organized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Maloway said the Filmon government also tried to close emergency services at Concordia two decades ago but ended up backing down.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Elmwood MLA Jim Maloway (centre) and his supporters were at Elmwood Curling Club Sunday talking about the impending closure of the ER at Concordia Hospital.

It doesnt make any sense if all youre doing is dislocating 100,000 people (in northeast Winnipeg) to St. Boniface and Health Sciences Centre, said Maloway.

You know what parking is like (at those two hospitals), and the difficulty getting to those hospitals that already have long waiting lists.

Concordia serves northeast Winnipeg, Transcona and the surrounding rural areas. About 30,000 patients seek treatment annually at Concordia.

The dismantling of Concordias ER will start in about six months but it wont disappear overnight, Maloway said.

People are really upset about this, he said.

The rally was held at Elmwood Curling Club and a website at keepconcordiaeropen.com has been started to collect names of people opposed to the closure.

The provincial government is implementing reforms recommended by consultant David Peachey, who was hired by the previous NDP administration.

Two other hospitals, Victoria and Seven Oaks, will have their emergency rooms scaled back to urgent care centres; however, that will still leave them handling 85 per cent of the cases that comprised their current emergency room traffic.

Concordia will lose its emergency room, but will not be transformed into an urgent care centre either. Concordias emergency room underwent a major upgrade in 2008-09.
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Canada was lauded Monday for resettling a record number of refugees in 2016 and called upon to open its doors wider to let in their loved ones left behind.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) praised Canada for welcoming 46,700 refugees in 2016. Its the largest number of refugees admitted in one year since the implementation of the 1976 Immigration Act, the UNHCR said in a news release.

This is a tremendous achievement which reflects Canadas longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and assisting them with their integration into Canadian society, Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the UNHCRs Canada representative, said in a news release.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Al Ali family arrived in Winnipeg in December, four years after fleeing war in Syria. They were sponsored by the South Osborne Syrian Refugee Initiative.

Without this support, scores of refugees would have been left in life-threatening situations and without any hope. Canada has again shown the world that successful resettlement is possible, particularly when government and civil society work together.

One of Canadas largest private sponsors of refugees, Winnipegs Hospitality House Refugee Ministry, said its a remarkable achievement that reflects the governments willingness to resettle a record number of refugees and the efforts of thousands of Canadian volunteers.

Canadians are a compassionate people, and once again this shows it, said Hospitality House executive director Tom Denton.

Its wonderful we brought in all these people, but we didnt give a thought to now that theyre here, they want to bring in their families. The continuing tragedy is that these 46,700 newcomers will now want to bring in their refugee families, and Canadas rules offer no specific way to do this. There has been no way to sponsor ones relatives for a quarter century, other than through the private sponsorship of refugees program that in 2017 is restricted to 7,500 refugees. The need is at least 10 times that.

Last year, Canadas refugee resettlement increased 130 per cent over 2015, in large part from welcoming Syrian refugees.

Canadas Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, said Monday that Canada is proud to work with UNHCR to bring vulnerable refugees to our country.

These newcomers help us build our society, culture and economy in long lasting and enduring ways, Hussen said in a prepared statement. Canada hopes to increase global refugee resettlement and support civil society and other jurisdictions to expand resettlement along with developing other solutions for the worlds most vulnerable.

The UNHCR says only one per cent of the worlds refugees will ever be resettled. In the last 40 years, Canada has welcomed an estimated 700,000 refugees, it said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The number of boys born to Indian immigrants continues to surpass the number of girls, according to a new study that says the skewed ratio doesnt change, no matter how long the women live in Canada.

The discovery that time doesnt correct the gender imbalance came as a surprise to a team of researchers led by a professor at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Literature on immigrant health posits that the longer an immigrant stays, the smaller the gap will be between their health outcomes and the health outcomes of non-immigrants.

We would expect that because that is what happens with smoking, alcohol consumption, said Marcelo Urquia, lead author in the study published Monday in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada.

According to the study, for Indian-born women who already had two daughters, the number of boys born was almost twice the number of girls born. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

But that isnt the case. Its not happening at all.

This study reveals that for Indian-born women who already had two daughters, the number of boys born was almost twice the number of girls born. In cases where the womans mother tongue was Punjabi, that ratio jumps even further to 240 boys per 100 girls. If the woman had been in Canada for less than a decade, that ratio dropped slightly  to 213 boys per 100 girls  while if theyd lived in the country for more than a decade it rose to 270 boys per 100 girls.

Similarly, if the womans mother tongue was Hindi, the ratio was 163 boys per 100 girls; 130 boys per 100 girls if theyd been in Canada less than a decade, but 217 boys per 100 girls if theyd been in the country more than a decade.

In comparison, the Canadian ratio of boys to girls is roughly 105 to 100, in keeping with the worldwide ratio.

Its delicate, Urquia said, because the study pinpoints specific groups. However, he said if they werent to home in on specific groups with skewed ratios, all Indians or even South Asians would be considered to be adhering to these practices.

This wasnt an attempt to pick on anybody, he stressed, adding the research group had community partners throughout who are actively working to help the community address the gender imbalance.

Urquia has co-authored several studies in recent years about sex selection. Although the current study relies primarily on Ontario-based numbers, in a 2016 study he released a composite ratio for Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Prairie provinces were merged in order to protect the small birth numbers in one of the two provinces. Combined, the ratio of third-born boys compared to third-born girls was 147 to 100.

His 2016 study raised public concerns about sex-selective abortion in Canada. While the study makes clear there is scarce direct evidence connecting the abortion of female fetuses after an ultrasound with the skewed ratios, it also notes it is the most commonly cited explanation in settings where son preference and strong patriarchal cultures are prevalent.

The newest study released Monday makes clear, Urquia said, that because the imbalance doesnt correct itself over the years, the let nature take its course argument is no longer valid.

Any attempt to address this issue will need to engage the whole community irrespective of how long they have lived in Canada, he said. There are not very open discussions about this.

Women do not need to explain why they want an abortion, Lynda Tjaden, director of patient services with the womens health program at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, made clear in a statement.

However, she said, women do undergo assessments to ascertain any risks an abortion might cause them mentally or physically and they must have the procedure before the fetus is 19 weeks. In healthy pregnancies they will not typically receive an ultrasound until around the 20 week mark, Tjaden said.

Any earlier ultrasounds would be for medical purposes and it is unlikely that the technician or radiologist would seek to determine gender.

jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Like most large urban centres, Winnipeg is complex and in many ways divided. Geographically, Winnipeg has a long history of racial and class lines, with poverty and the problems poverty creates concentrated in inner-city and North End neighbourhoods.

Many Winnipeg residents, exposed only to negative stereotypes, are fearful of these neighbourhoods and rarely, if ever, spend time in them. It is also the case that many inner-city residents, especially those who are indigenous, feel safest in the inner city, where they are less likely to experience racism.

The University of Winnipegs Department of Urban and Inner City Studies, located in the heart of the North End on Selkirk Avenue, is creating a new bridge across this divide. Beginning on May 3, students from across the city are coming together in a safe and open learning environment where they can discuss the complex issues of our city and learn from each other.

YouthUnited@Winnipeg is a new pilot project funded by the City of Winnipeg. Twenty students from diverse cultural, inner-city and suburban backgrounds are beginning a unique four-month university program aimed at fully engaging in the process of reconciliation.

As described by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), reconciliation requires establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples In order for that to happen, there has to be awareness of the past, acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes and action to change behaviour.

YouthUnited@Winnipeg puts reconciliation into action by bringing indigenous and non-indigenous students together in an experiential learning environment. Experiential learning means moving beyond academic theories. It is learning by doing. It challenges students to reflect on their experiences so that they not only develop new skills, but also question the attitudes and beliefs that can serve to perpetuate racial, geographic and class divides.

Community-based organizations are an important part of this new program. Students will have an opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom through paid work placements at different organizations in the inner city. Students will be exposed to different cultures and experiences and they will be challenged to more deeply understand the historical roots and contemporary contexts that serve to perpetuate our citys divides.

The hope is that students interested in eliminating Winnipegs divides realize they have the power to participate in positive change through civic engagement.

Many U.S. cities have an urban peace corps, such as the City Year program, which invites young people to work in the inner city for the public good. When City Year representatives visited Winnipeg in 2014, they emphasized our city needed to create a youth service program. The University of Winnipeg and the city have now developed a made-in-Winnipeg model that can serve as an example for the rest of the country to replicate.

YouthUnited@Winnipeg is deeply inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report that calls for reconciliation to include sustained public education and dialogue, including youth engagement.

We cannot simply be tourists looking in and at, but people working with and for. Once students return to their neighbourhoods, they will be better prepared to challenge stereotypes when they encounter them. Students will gain a broader understanding of inner-city realities including resiliency, hope and strength.

The TRC reminds us that the journey toward reconciliation will be long and that collectively, we have much work to do. The TRC shows us the path forward. YouthUnited@Winnipeg, in a small and humble way, aims to follow that path.

Shauna MacKinnon is associate professor in the department of Urban and Inner City Studies at the University of Winnipeg. Brian Mayes is a city councillor, St. Vital Ward.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Imagine if every restaurant in the city was part of an international chain. Even if they were all the finest franchises in the world, they could never replace the experience of a neighbourhood eatery with a menu composed through an understanding of regional foods and nuances of local taste.

This past week, I was invited to the University of Manitoba to talk about the future of Winnipeg architecture with graduating students. I used this line as a metaphor to describe the transformational effects globalization is having on their future profession and the cities they will live in.

Rapid urbanization, unprecedented mobility, digital communication and the standardization of building materials and construction techniques are transforming the practice of architecture, and in turn the image of cities across a culturally homogenizing world. Designers and design ideas travel easily across borders today, meaning local design tradition is giving way to globalization.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipegs Canadian Museum for Human Rights is an example of the trend toward globalized design.

Like a restaurant franchise, international architects have become brands that can be purchased as a commodity. In cities such as Vancouver and Toronto, developers clamour to attract the latest global starchitect, lending instant credibility to their project. As architects move from one city to another, buildings are increasingly becoming representations of the designers and less of the place and the people they are built for.

Winnipeg has not been immune to the phenomenon of globalization. At one time, almost all of the major public buildings in the city  the airport, art gallery, city hall and concert hall  were designed locally. Today, it is rare for the design of a major civic building to be led by a Winnipeg architect. The new airport, MTS Centre, Inuit Art Centre and Canadian Museum for Human Rights have American lead designers. True North Square, SkyCity, Millennium Library and Manitoba Hydro are designs produced in other Canadian cities.

A significant trend is also developing where even on smaller projects, local architects are having to collaborate with outside designers, who are brought in as specialists of the building type being developed. As greater mobility provides access to a wider range of knowledge, clients are more often looking for long catalogues of previous experience with very similar projects. This often makes it difficult for local firms to compete without bringing in foreign expertise that targets the project type specifically.

The local architect often takes on a more technical role within these partnerships, navigating authorities, performing building code reviews, developing construction drawings and overseeing construction.

Engaging outside architects often produces very high-quality buildings and can introduce new ideas that create diversity in a city and invigorate the design community. The loss of the local designer, however, might mean that the individual character and unique personalities of our cities will begin to fade in the future.

Architecture is pragmatic, meant to keep the rain off our heads and the cold on the other side of the wall, but it is also an art. Buildings create a sense of place. They represent a moment in time and stand as a record of the people and places they were built for. History, tradition, social values, geography and climate are all conveyed through architecture. The city acts as a canvas for this artistic expression.

Local architects in any city have a natural connection to these ideas, instinctively understanding local materials, quality of light and shadow, traditional craftsmanship and regional construction techniques. With global ideas and designers being transferred from city to city, local knowledge and experience is more important than ever to create meaningful places that connect us to our city on a personal level.

The recently announced Canadian Free Trade Agreement singled out architecture as a profession that will be affected by increased freedom of movement across provincial borders, signaling that partnerships, mobility and specialization will continue to be the future of architecture.

Our local design community can take this movement as a challenge to excel, leveraging the knowledge gained from partnerships to become experts in our own right.

It will be up to those graduating students and our local design community to work even harder to ensure those smaller projects represent us, tell our story and give our city its own distinct, modern personality.

A century ago, you could be dropped into the centre of any city and have a reasonable idea what part of the world you were in. Without nurturing a strong local design culture, a century from now, we will have cities composed of architecture that is like a collection of franchise restaurants and identifying the unique personality that makes cities distinct will be a much more difficult task.

Brent Bellamy is chairman of CentreVentures board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 24/04/2017 (2024 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Well, that didnt take long.

A scant two months after that first awkward handshake between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump  during which Mr. Trump said his country has a very outstanding trade relationship with Canada  the self-styled dealmaker-in-chief took an angry swipe at a Canadian target, saying this countrys dairy industry has been very, very unfair to U.S. farmers.

Speaking last Tuesday at a factory in dairy-rich Wisconsin, one of the swing states that propelled him to his against-the-odds election win last November, Mr. Trump stood in front of a large Buy American  Hire American banner and warned that he is going to make some very big changes or get rid of NAFTA for once and for all.

Andrew Harnik / The Associated Press Files U.S. President Donald Trump

The address was consistent with the way Mr. Trump has communicated with his supporters at rallies since early in the U.S. presidential campaign, employing a signature mix of schoolyard-bully bombast and a very loose association with the facts. It combines to deliver a message that exploits the fears and problems of his audience and then asserts that hes the only guy who can fix them.

In this case, Mr. Trump promised to call Canada, and were going to say, What happened? And they might give us an answer, but were going to get the solution and not just the answer, because we know what the solution is.

He did not, however, elaborate on the nature of the solution that might bring relief to farmers in Cheesehead country.

North-of-the-border reaction was, of course, swift and emphatic. David McNaughton, Canadas ambassador to the U.S., flatly rejected the notion that this countrys dairy policies are the cause of American producers financial woes and noted that the existing trade balance on dairy products favours the U.S. by a five-to-one margin.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump doubled down on his earlier remarks, calling the behaviour of Canadas dairy industry a disgrace and then adding that similar concerns about the lumber and energy sectors could accelerate his effort to dismantle NAFTA.

This second across-the-bow shot prompted Mr. Trudeau to respond that Canada, like all countries, protects its agricultural industries. Lets not pretend were in a global free market when it comes to agriculture, he said.

As these tensions threaten to further sour relations between the two countries, that long, awkwardly competitive Trump/Trudeau handshake is starting to seem like a distant memory. The ramifications of this lurch toward lactose intolerance arent clear  it isnt likely that this dairy-driven discord will suddenly inspire Mr. Trump to call for construction of another wall, this time along the U.S.s northern border, but perhaps the dispute might lead to fewer of our favourite cheesy comestibles finding their way onto local shops shelves.

There is a bright side to be considered, however: as offputting as Mr. Trumps half-and-half-baked harangue was to Canadian dairy farmers, the fact he was engaged in a potential Canada-U.S. trade dispute meant that, at least for a few hours, he wasnt off somewhere else blurting out something that might spark a conflict of a distressingly more nuclear nature.
Cochrance-Fountain Citys Future Business Leaders of America traveled to Appleton, Wis. to compete in the State Leadership Conference April 2-4. Forty-six students entered the competition, which gave them the opportunity to advance to the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Ca. in late June.

CFC junior, Paige Allemann, was elected FBLA State President. She is the 2016-2017 Region IV vice president and will serve Wisconsin FBLA as president for the upcoming year.

The C-FC FBLA chapter was awarded the Gold Seal Award, which is given to the top 15 percent of active chapters. Additionally, members were recognized for their completion of Business Achievement Awards (BAAs) as well as Community Service Awards (CSAs). The BAAs require students to complete a variety of business related tasks. There are four different levels of progression with each level requiring more effort and time to complete. The CSAs require students to complete a certain amount of community service hours. The students are awarded when they complete 50, 200 and 500 hours.

Students competed in a variety of business related events at the State Leadership Conference. The following students advanced onto the National Leadership Conference in California. High school students had to place in the top four to advance, and junior high school students had to place in the top two to advance.
When my University of Wisconsin Colleges colleagues and I speak to friends and neighbors in our communities about our associates degree program, we often emphasize the low cost of tuition at UW Colleges.

The UW Colleges bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree is also a cost-effective program. With its combination of on-campus and online courses and modest tuition cost, students are able to complete a UW Colleges bachelor degree while living at home, remaining employed and potentially incurring little debt. One of our current students writes at www.uwcx.org that the degree program  allowed [her] to continue [her] job and  allowed [her] to have significantly more family time without worrying about commuting to classes.

The UW Colleges bachelors degree builds on the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills students develop while earning their associates degree. Through internships, service learning, and a year-long capstone course, all of which serve to integrate them into Wisconsin communities, UW Colleges baccalaureate students apply what they are learning, while contributing to the success of local businesses and organizations. Because of the feedback from students and local partners, we know that our communities benefit from the UW Colleges degree-completion program. We also know of the importance of our emphasis on application of skills and knowledge based on studies and data from independent organizations (Public Agenda and the Lumina Foundation) and from the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

In its study titled Whats the Payoff? Public Agenda reports that 86 percent of Americans surveyed emphasized the value of students ability to network prior to graduation. The Lumina Foundation, studying company investment in education assistance (tuition reimbursement, for example), found that  at Discover  retention was strong among employees in whom the company had invested. Not only did Discover recoup each dollar invested, Lumina reports, it realized considerable savings by working to grow its own talent in-house; Discover employees taking advantage of the companys support saw their salaries increase and their careers strengthen. According to Lumina, employees at Advocate Health Care who participated in Advocates Employee Assistance Program likewise enjoyed career advancement and income growth. Colleagues at UW-Extension and UW Madison, writing on Labor Market Trends in Wisconsin, note that while employers seek experienced workers,  most students leave college with little applied experience.

The UW Colleges bachelor degree-completion program, with its requirement of internships and service learning, ensures that such networking occurs for our students while they complete the degree requirements. As at Discover and Advocate, businesses in Wisconsin are seeing the value in supporting employee professional development; some students in the UW Colleges bachelor program have received assistance from their current employers. The applied nature of our bachelor degree-completion program solves the problem that Labor Market Trends identifies: our students graduate with extensive applied experience, ready to work in their chosen field.

If you are a prospective student or an employer and would like to learn more about the UW Colleges bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, UW-Richland, or UW-Rock County, I encourage you to contact Joanna Muller, UW-Baraboo/Sauk County and UW-Richland at joanna.muller@uwc.edu or Karen Greenler, UW-Baraboo/Sauk County and UW-Rock County at karen.greenler@uwc.edu. Muller and Greenler will be able to answer student questions and work with employers who wish to host interns or assist their employees in pursuing this degree.
On April 20, a group of eight women dubbed The Amazing Eight by their advocate, received the AWARE award from the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Rape.

The Amazing Eight includes Mary Schmit of Randolph, along with her sisters Laura Lee Bast, Clarice Platz, Carol Brennan, Joleen Amberg, Wanita Nosbush, Jean Lange and Miki Schultz, all who live in Minnesota.

CASAR has been holding AWARE, an event to support survivors and raise awareness to end sexual violence since 2007. The AWARE award is given to individuals and groups and recognizes the way in which awardees courageously responded to sexual abuse and assault and how they transformed their personal adversity into prevention.

Schmit and her sisters grew up in Southwest Minnesota from the 1950s through the 1970s. Six were primary victims of sexual abuse by one or more family members. All eight are secondary victims.

Though the abuse happened during their childhood, it took a conversation following a major family event several years ago before each of the sisters learned she was not alone.

Each thought she was the only one. Even though this happened decades ago, most of the sisters had not found true peace or healing. The realization that their sisters were also victims reopened wounds that had never fully healed.

It also served to form an incredible bond between them. While each sought personal healing, they had a strong desire for some form of justice as a family as well.

The Minnesota State Legislature had passed the Minnesota Child Victims Act. It allowed Minnesotans who were sexually abused as children to bring civil lawsuits, during a three-year window [now closed], against their abuser no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. It encouraged victims to come forward and identify abusers who had never been reported or prosecuted.

The sisters decided to bring a lawsuit against their abusers. For the eight, the lawsuit was not really about the money, according to a press release from AWARE. It was about coming out from behind the shroud of shame and secrecy that surrounds sexual abuse. It was about holding their abusers accountable and reclaiming their lives.

The sisters became motivated to broaden their knowledge of sexual violence. They attended community and youth events that brought forth the voices of survivors. Hearing stories of other survivors, gave them courage and inspiration to speak out about their own abuse and healing, according to the press release.

After the lawsuit was settled each of the sisters found different ways to pay it forward. Several made donations to advocacy agencies so victims of sexual violence could get the help they need. They also realized there was a bigger task at hand.

In 2017, oldest sister Laura Lee led the charge and raised enough money to fund two prevention/education events, including one for 1,200 people in the sisters hometown of Springfield Minnesota. It featured Patty Wetterling, whose son Jacob was abducted in 1989.

These eight women stepped out and stepped up. They dedicated themselves to educating the public on sexual violence and to making sure those who are sexually abused do not suffer in silence.
Need help searching for jobs or writing your resume? The Columbus Public Library offers an open workshop for professional advice titled Work Smart the first Monday of every month. The next session will be held Monday, May 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. People are welcome to drop in at any time during the session; no appointments are necessary.
Items are listed under the day of the event only, running as space permits prior to the event. To submit items, call 745-3511, email jcutsforth@wiscnews.com or visit www.portagedailyregister.com. Include name and phone number.

TODAY

Clinic: 8 a.m. to noon, Columbia County Public Health Walk-In Clinic, Columbia County Division of Health, 2652 Murphy Road, Portage. Use door No. 4. Bring childs immunization record. Visit www.co.columbia.wi.us for more information.

Euchre card party: 6:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Highway 33 East, Portage. Public welcome. Contact: Cloe, 429-2363.

Food pantry: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Second Harvest mobile food pantry, St. Marys Catholic Church, 318 S. Main St., Pardeeville. Do not line up before 3 p.m. Bring boxes, bags, wagons, etc., to carry food. Volunteers are needed by calling Cindy at 742-7687.

Free Stewards of Children Training: 4:30 to 7 p.m. Endeavor Village Hall, 400 S. Church St., Endeavor. Hope House will hold free sexual abuse prevention training for adults. Darkness to Lights Stewards of Children is the only evidence-based child sexual abuse prevention training proven effective in educating adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. This training utilizes a video, workbook and group discussion. Light refreshments provided, and participants are welcome to bring their own food as well. RSVPs are appreciated by calling Jess at Hope House at 608-356-9123 or email JessicaR@HopeHouseSCW.org.

Ice Age Trail Alliance Heritage Chapter informational meeting: 6:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Learn about the trail, hear from someone who has hiked the entire 1,100 miles in Wisconsin, and find out how you can get involved with supporting, building and maintaining the trail. For information, call Debby at 262-930-9713.

Monday Movie Day: 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. The Library will show newly released movies with free admission and popcorn. For a list of whats playing, visit the librarys website at www.portagelibrary.us.

Portage Sharing Supper: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Bartels Middle School, Portage. Food and conversation. Kids Corner for young people to do a craft and hear a story, as well as informational tables for adults. All welcome.

Zumba/Zumba Toning: 6 p.m. Harrisville. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 25

Block Party: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to children ages 4 to 12 (children ages 4 to 6 must have an adult present in the room during the program). This weeks challenge will ask builders to create a city. Registration is recommended but not required. For more information call 742-4959 ext. 211.

Genealogy Researchers: 1 to 3 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Speaker Kathleen McGwin will share the interesting history of Bonnie Oaks, a farm/estate outside of Briggsville that drew writers and other artists in the 1920s through the 1940s. The fascinating story tells how this location played a part in so many artists lives. Zona Gale was one of them.

Knitting and crocheting group: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgwater St., Portage. Bring your projects and share your progress with friends. We will also be doing knit-alongs where we work on a project together. The first project we will be working on is a leftovers sweater, using leftover yarn from other projects. A free pattern will be provided. Feel free to bring your lunch along with your knitting.

Preschool Story Time: 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to children ages 3 to 5. This week its Over the Rainbow as preschoolers have fun with colors in books, songs, a craft and more. Only new families need to register by calling 742-4959 ext. 211 or online atwww.portagelibrary.us.

Teen Tuesdays: 4 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Teen Tuesdays will be held every Tuesday through May 9. The program is for students in 6th through 12th grades. Programs vary by week but crafts, movies and games are regular components, and snacks are provided.

Writing group: 9:30 a.m. Pauquette Wordcrafters, Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. All writers welcome.

Zumba Toning and Pound: 4:30 p.m. Woodridge Primary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

Bingo: 5:30 p.m. Old Chicago, 147 N. Main St., Pardeeville. Bingo will be played every Wednesday, except the first one of the month.

Clinic: 8 a.m. to noon, Columbia County Public Health Walk-In Clinic, Columbia County Division of Health, 2652 Murphy Road, Portage. Use door No. 4. Bring childs immunization record. Visit www.co.columbia.wi.us for more information.

Current Drug Trends  A Community Conversation: 6 p.m. Portage High School, 301 E. Collins St., Portage. Parents and adults can learn about drug paraphernalia, signs of drug or alcohol experimentation and current drug trends in the area. Come early or stay after to view the Hidden in Plain Sight locker displays. Sponsored by Prevention and Response Columbia County and Portage High School.

Endeavor Sharing Supper: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Endeavor Elementary School, 414 Church St., Endeavor. All are welcome and there is no cost. Meals are served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Activities provided for the children in Kids Corner. Informational booths including the Aging and Disability Resource Center and UW-Extension. This months supper is sponsored by Royal Bank and the meal is being prepared by The Broken Egg, Endeavor.

Free blood pressure screenings: 1 to 5 p.m. Divine Savior Healthcare, 2817 New Pinery Road, Portage. No appointment necessary. Call 745-6405 for more information. Do not eat, smoke, drink caffeine or exercise for 30 minutes prior.

Portage Womens Civic League Board Meeting: 9 a.m. Civic League Clubhouse, West Edgewater Street, Portage.

Preschool Story Time: 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to children ages 3 to 5. This week its Over the Rainbow as preschoolers have fun with colors in books, songs, a craft and more. Only new families need to register by calling 742-4959 ext. 211 or online atwww.portagelibrary.us.

St. Vincent de Paul free medical clinic: 9 a.m. to noon. Wilz Drugs lower level, 140 E. Cook St., Portage. No appointments needed. Information needed is name, date of birth and a contact number. A foot clinic is available every week. The clinic can do exams and prescribe medications. Physical therapist available. Discounted medications are available at Wilz and Walmart. Call Bonny Oestreich, RN, at 608-234-0159 for information.

Zumba/Zumba Toning: 5 p.m. Montello. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

Zumba: 5:30 p.m. 1208 Northport Road (the former Freedom Carpeting building). This is a $5 drop-in class. For more information, contact Deb at DJMACK00001@yahoo.com or Rena at 697-6713.

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

AARP Smart Driver classroom course: 8 a.m. to noon, Pioneer Place, Building Four, 298 Meadow Lane, Poynette. Refresh your driving skills and knowledge of the rules of the road, and learn techniques for handling left turns, right-of-way, roundabouts and more. Cost is $15 for AARP members, and $20 for non-members. Space is limited. Register by calling 742-9213.

Bingo: 6:30 p.m. Endeavor Lions Club Bingo, Endeavor-Moundville Fire Department, Endeavor.

Brown Bag Lunch Series: noon, Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Join Hope and Bob Fenske as they share memories from New Zealand in There and Back Again A Hobbits Tale. Cost is $5 at the door. Bring a lunch if you desire. Student groups welcome; please call for group pricing. Sponsored by Ellen Schieber.

Annual community cleanup event: 9 a.m. to noon, Sunrise Park (The Gully), 513 Hamilton St., Portage. Help clean up the park and bordering trails. Hot dogs served at noon for volunteers. For information, call Dan Kremer at 742-2178.

Making A Difference Study Group: 9 to 10 am. Portage Public Library, Bidwell Room, 253 W. Edgewater St. Portage. Making a Difference is a group that is meeting to turn concerns into action. Open to the public. What are your concerns?

Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690.

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

Early Release School Day drop-in Game Day: 12:30 to 2 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to students in first through fifth grades. Well be pulling out old favorites like Twister, card games such as UNO, and lots of new board games. Bring a friend, learn a new game (or enjoy an old favorite) and enjoy some snacks. Registration is not required. For more information call 742-4959 ext. 211.

Pardeeville High School Theatrical Society presents Robin Hood and His Merry Men...?: 7 p.m. Pardeeville Elementary School stage, 503 E. Chestnut St., Pardeeville. Adults are $8, and students and seniors are $6.

PreK-Klub: 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to children ages 4 to 6 who are not currently attending weekly preschool story time. For this final program, pre-kindergarteners will hear the story, A Box Story, and be inspired to use all their STEM skills to make a creation from recycled items. All materials will be supplied. Please verify your childs registration by calling 742-4959 ext. 211.

Seniors Bowling Social: 1 p.m. Fireball Lanes, 817 E. Wisconsin St., Portage. Cost is $6 and includes three games of bowling and shoe rental.

Unique Singles: 5 p.m. Northshore Restaurant at Portage Country Club, Highway 33 East, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers.

Wayne Bartels Memorial Senior Citizen Euchre Party: 2 p.m. Bartels Middle School, East Slifer Street, Portage. Prizes, food and fun. All area senior citizens welcome.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

Briggsville American Legion Mens Early Bird Slow Pitch Softball Tournament: American Legion ball park, Briggsville. Games begin at 9 a.m. and run until dusk. Raffles, food, beer and soda available on the grounds. Runs through Sunday.

Craft supply reduction sale: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 918 Silver Lake Drive, Portage. Featuring various craft supplies, fabric, yarns, beads, patterns, notions and more. A bake sale will be held by a local 4-H club.

Drug Take Back Day: 8 a.m. to noon, Walgreens, New Pinery Road, Portage. Drop off expired or unused medications.

Museum at the Portage: 804 MacFarlane Road, Portage. Open from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in April and May; and 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in June, July and August. Admission is free.

Pardeeville High School Theatrical Society presents Robin Hood and His Merry Men...?: 7 p.m. Pardeeville Elementary School stage, 503 E. Chestnut St., Pardeeville. Adults are $8, and students and seniors are $6.

St. Mary School annual Trivia Night: 7 p.m. St. Mary School, West Conant Street entrance, Portage. Doors open at 6 p.m. Teams of up to 8 people work together to answer 100 trivia questions across topics and genres. Attendees must be 21 or older to attend this event. Pizza, beer, & soda available. No carry-ins allowed. Pre-order Family Size Papa Murphys pizza(s) when you register. Well bake them on site, and deliver to your table. Each pizza is estimated to serve three to four people. Only paying table participants are allowed at the event; no spectators. Cash prizes for top teams. Online reservations received will secure your seat/table until payment to be made the night of the event. Payment must be made by 6:45 p.m. or your seat/table may be given to walk-in registrants. Visit www.stmarytrivia-spring17.eventbrite.com to register.

Snowball Shoot: 10 a.m. Merrimac Conservation Rod and Gun Club, Merrimac.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

Briggsville American Legion Mens Early Bird Slow Pitch Softball Tournament: American Legion ball park, Briggsville. Games begin at 9 a.m. and run until dusk. Raffles, food, beer and soda available on the grounds.

Pardeeville High School Theatrical Society presents Robin Hood and His Merry Men...?: 2 p.m. Pardeeville Elementary School stage, 503 E. Chestnut St., Pardeeville. Adults are $8, and students and seniors are $6.

Student Recital Series: 1 p.m. Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Featuring performances from students of independent music teachers located throughout the surrounding region. Open to the public. Cost is $5 at the door. Sponsored by Portage Soundworks.

Zumba: 5:30 p.m. Rusch Elementary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.
Eighteen Wisconsin Dells downtown businesses will be participating in the sixth annual Downtown Dells Wine Walk on April 28. The businesses are both regular stops walkers have become familiar with as well as new locations. It is also the most geographically diverse Walk yet as locations are spread from Plum Street on the east end to Stand Rock Road on the west end. To assist ticket holders navigate, there will be an Original Wisconsin Duck and the Wisconsin Dells trolley available from 5 to 9 p.m. during the Wine Walk.
InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier and cloud-neutral colocation data center services in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, cloud platforms, Internet service providers, and other customers. Its data centers acts as content, cloud, and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data between its customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; a range of output voltages and currents; connectivity services that enable its customers to connect their IT infrastructure to exchange traffic and access cloud platforms; and systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support, and data backup and storage services, as well as installs and manages physical connections running from its customers' equipment to the equipment of its telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, Internet exchange customers, and other customers. It provides its services to telecom operators, Internet service providers, and content delivery networks; content and cloud providers; and enterprises through direct sales forces, as well as through tradeshows, networking events, and industry seminars. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 51 carrier and cloud neutral colocation data centers in 13 metropolitan areas in 11 countries. The company is also involved in real estate management/holding businesses. InterXion Holding N.V. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes footwear, apparel, and accessories for casual lifestyle use and high-performance activities. The company offers premium footwear, apparel, and accessories under the UGG brand name; sandals, shoes, and boots under the Teva brand name; and relaxed casual shoes and sandals under the Sanuk brand name. It also provides footwear and apparel for ultra-runners and athletes under the Hoka brand name; and fashion casual footwear using other plush materials under the Koolaburra brand. The company sells its products through department stores, domestic independent action sports and outdoor specialty footwear retailers, and larger national retail chains, as well as online retailers. It also sells its products directly to consumers through its retail stores and e-commerce websites, as well as distributes its products through distributors and retailers in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, Latin America, and internationally. As of March 31, 2022, it had 149 retail stores, including 75 concept stores and 74 outlet stores worldwide. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Goleta, California.
Bank of America has a rich history dating back to 1800 and even earlier. It was begun by immigrants as a group of separate and unrelated banks that, over the years, merged and grew together. One such is the Bank of Italy which was founded in 1904 by Amadeo Giannini to serve Italian immigrants that were facing discrimination. He later buys out the Banca de America e de Italia (Bank of America and Italy) which was also located in San Francisco. Over the years additional mergers and changes in Federal banking legislation, as well as the boom brought on by WWI and then WWII, helped boost the bank to national prominence.

Things turned sour, however, in 1998 with a major bond default that led to yet another merger, this time with Charlotte, NC-based Nations Bank to officially become the Bank of America that exists today. At the time, the merger was the largest bank merger in history and the company has only grown in the time since.

Other additions to the new Bank of America include MBNA (a major credit card operator), Fleet Boston (then the US 7th largest and one of its oldest banks), and Merril Lynch, now Merril, which was added to the group in 2008 to provide an investment banking branch. Together the company dominates as one of the Big Four Banks in America. Bank of America lays claim to nearly 11% of all US deposits which ranks in line with its peer group and Bank of America Securities is listed as the worlds 3rd largest investment bank.

Today, Bank of America Corporation provides banking and financial services for individuals, small businesses, institutions, corporations, and governments worldwide. The bank operates in three segments Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management, and Global Banking bringing in a combined revenue greater than $90 billion in 2022.

As of 2022, Bank of America serves approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers. The bank also operates more than 16,000 ATMs and digital banking platforms with approximately 41 million active users.

Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional banking and investment products for retail clients. These range from deposit accounts to savings, credit cards, consumer loans, and IRAs. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and wealth management solutions including, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products. The Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans and leases for businesses of all varieties. The Global Markets segment offers market-making, clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management, derivatives, and FX exchange services.
Core Laboratories N.V. provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, reservoir fluid, and gas samples to enhance production and improve recovery of oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs. It offers laboratory-based analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and oil delivered products; and proprietary and joint industry studies. The Production Enhancement segment provides services and products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, and production. It offers integrated diagnostic services to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to improve the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. In addition, the company markets and sells its products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through distributors. It operates approximately in 50 countries. The company was founded in 1936 and is based in Amstelveen, the Netherlands.




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China, Iran sign first contract for Arak redesign

24 April 2017

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China and Iran have signed the first commercial contract for the reconstruction of Iran's Arak heavy water reactor. The core of the reactor was removed as part of an international agreement limiting Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.

The agreement was signed by China and Iran's ambassadors in Vienna (Image: CNNC)

The contract - signed in Vienna yesterday - is mainly related to the design concept of the transformation of the Arak reactor and some preliminary design-related consulting services. Under the contract, China National Nuclear Corporation will complete the design concept for the renovation of the Arak reactor within the next eight months.

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran said, "The first primary phase of the reactor's design has been accomplished by Iranian experts over the past year and, through signing this contract, the performed design will be reviewed, confirmed and adjusted to international nuclear safety standards by the Chinese side." It noted that Iranian experts have already started work on the detailed design of the reactor.

According to Iranian news agency IRNA, copies of documents related to the design concept of the Arak reactor, which "are significant for the next phase of the reactor's redesigning", will now be delivered to the Chinese side. It noted that Iran and China have held several rounds of talks over the past year to discuss technical details about the contract. The contract, it said, is the first of a number of "more comprehensive contracts to be inked for completion and re-installation of the Arak reactor in the future".

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed between Iran and the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the USA, plus the European Union) in July 2015, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment activities, eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium and limit its stockpile of low enriched uranium over the next 15 years. In addition, Iran also agreed indefinitely not to build any new heavy water reactors or stockpile heavy water, and that the Arak reactor will be redesigned and all used fuel will be shipped out of the country.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Italy is located in Europe and is the 5th most visited country in the world in regards to international tourism arrivals. Most people principally visit the country for its rich history, culture, art, fashion, and cuisine. Tourists also travel to Italy for its ancient monuments, beaches, and beautiful coastline. The country has more World Heritage Sites in the world than any other country. It is no surprise to see why Italy is a country of choice for travelers worldwide.

5. Basicilia of Saint Francis

The Basilica of Saint Francis.

The Basilica of Saint Francis is located in the town of Assisi in the region of Umbria in central Italy. The basilica is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual, and is located in the region where Saint Francis was born and died. The Basilica of Saint Francis is among the most important Christian pilgrimage places found in Italy. The basilica which was constructed into the side of a hill was started in 1228. The Basilica of Saint Francis comprises of a crypt, the Lower Church, and the Upper Church. The Basilica was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The church has become an extraordinary landmark in the charmingly historic town of Assisi.

4. Venice

The famous canals of Venice.

Located in the northeastern part of Italy is the famous city of Venice. The city is situated on an archipelago made up of 118 islands which are connected by bridges and divided by canals. One of the most exciting things about Italy or Venice to be specific is the Venetian Lagoon. The lagoon is an enclosed bay lying between the Piave River and the Po River. The city of Venice is famous for its unique architecture. Venice has also been known by other names including, "The Floating City", "City of Bridges", "City of Canals" and "City of Masks" among others. A portion of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

3. Amalfi coast

The beautiful Amalfi Coast.

The Amalfi Coast is located in the province of Salerno, Italy. It constitutes a stretch of coastline found on the Tyrrhenian Sea specifically on the Gulf of Salerno's southern coast. The Amalfi Coast attracts thousands of tourists every year making the region a popular tourist destination in Italy. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

2. Island of Capri

The beautiful Island of Capri.

The Island of Capri is a small Italian island situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Bay of Naples in Campania, Italy. Capri is the Island's main town, and it also shares the name. Since the Roman Republic period, the Island of Capri has been a resort. Some of the Island's primary features include the ruins of Imperial Roman Villas, the Belvedere of Tragara, the town of Blue Grotto and Anacapri, the Marina Piccolo and the limestone crags known as sea stacks.

1. Rome at night

Walking around Rome at night is a romantic way to beat the crowds.

Rome the capital city of Italy. Walking in Rome at night is described by many as magical. The city, under the yellow street lights, offers outstanding scenery that features over 20 centuries of history and art. The surrounding landscape is surely a sight for sore eyes as one enjoys the view of St. Peter, Piazza Navona, and the Pantheon at night.
Women are an integral part of a country's workforce. However, there are some countries where societal norms or the culture has historically not been very acceptable of women in the workforce. Let's have a look at the top ten countries where women are the most active in the workforce.

10. Iceland (82% female participation rate)

Iceland has been the country with the smallest gender gap between men and women for 6 years in a row. The majority of women in Iceland work. The most common occupations for women are teaching, nursing and office work. The salary gap is also shortening down to 14% less mean salary for women. It should be further noted that only 22% women are in managerial positions and only about 41% parliamentarians are female.

9. Eritrea (82% female participation rate)

Eritrea is a surprising entry on this list but the reasons are not entirely unfounded. Independent for less than 60 years, Eritrea has come a long way and the nation owes much to its women for their participation in liberation. Women are active in almost all aspects of economic activity. However, the lack of formal higher education has hampered the growth of these numbers. Women play important roles in both urban and rural productive activities.

8. Nepal (83% female participation rate)

Nepal is an interesting entry in this list with a significant fact that the women unemployment rate is less than that of men. The literacy rates in Nepal are also low for women (when compared with men). Only 66 women are literate per 100 women according to UNICEF data in 2012. Women in Nepal also partake in almost all economic activities with numbers dwindling as we go up the hierarchy in generally any given industry.

7. Malawi (84% female participation rate)

Malawi is primarily an agricultural country and its no surprise that almost 90% of the working women spend their time in the agricultural and forestry sector (compared to 76% proportion for men). A significant 5% of women work in the retail which is very close to the 7% of men. The scarcity of women working in any other major economic sector can again be attributed directly to mass illiteracy.

6. Burundi (85% female participation rate)

Burundi has the highest employment rate for women since 1994. Primarily an agricultural country, Burundi also has a large majority of women working in the agriculture sector. The gender inequality in most areas is non-existent due to frequent political unrest and civil war.

5. Zimbabwe (85% female participation rate)

Zimbabwe lacks reliable labour statistics due to the economy being in a dismal state of disarray. Women are mostly employed in the agriculture, services or government sector with a particularly high number of women working in the low income group of workforce.

4. Mozambique (86% female participation rate)

Mozambique has one of the lowest adult literacy rates in Africa, with a rate of only 54% for women. It comes with no great surprise many women work in the low to almost non-existent income group. The workforce of the entire country is focused on agriculture.

3. Rwanda (88% female participation rate)

Rwanda has several bright statistics to report with almost 56% women in legislature. However, thats the only bright ray of light in an otherwise improving chart of statistics with women increasing their workforce share as doctors, peacekeepers, business owners and education.

2. Madagascar (88% female participation rate)

Madagascar has high fertility rates which, when combined with a society that has been historically patriarchal to women, are hardly given a chance to hone their tertiary skills. As a result, the most common occupation is housewife and helpers in the agricultural sector.

1. Tanzania (90% female participation rate)

Tanzania also suffers from low literacy rates for women. In addition to that, Tanzanian women suffer from discrimination in most areas which starts as early as transitioning from primary to secondary schools. Salaries for women are on average 63% less than men. Therefore, despite being the top of the list, Tanzania still has a long way to go before it can be truly called a game changing example for working women.
Yugoslavia was a federal republic composed of several countries in which Southern Slavic languages were the most prevalent. There were six republics in the federation: Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia.

At first, Yugoslavia was a constitutional monarchy, but it then became a communist state under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito. After Tito died, the unity of the federation began to falter. In the early 1990s, the federations constituent states began breaking away, which triggered a long period of armed conflict. By 1992, the country known as Yugoslavia was reduced to only two republics, and it dissolved for good in 2003.

The Formation Of Yugoslavia

Map of the former republic of Yugoslavia.

The idea of a Southern Slavic federation began to take shape in the early 20th century, as the two empires that had dominated the region of the Southern Slavs, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire, were on the decline. The last hurrah of these two empires was World War I, after which they both ceased to exist.

During the war, various Balkan exiles and Slavic members of the Austro-Hungarian government formed a committee dedicated to the establishment of a Southern Slavic federation. After WWI ended, the Council of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was set up to govern the Slavic territories that were formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This council pushed for a union with the already independent Southern Slavic country of Serbia. The victorious Allies agreed to the formation of a Southern Slavic federation, and on December 1st, 1918, the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was proclaimed, under the kingship of Serbian Prince Aleksander, who became King Aleksander I. A decade of political infighting followed the establishment of the new kingdom. Eventually, King Aleksander I shut down the parliament and ruled by himself. In 1929, he renamed the country Yugoslavia, which literally means Land of the Southern Slavs.

Two years after World War II began, Yugoslavia concluded a pact with Nazi Germany that made it part of the Axis. But just a day after this pact was signed, a palace coup took place in which the pro-Axis ruler, Prince Paul, was deposed. A day after the coup, Adolf Hitler authorized the invasion of Yugoslavia. What followed was a period of civil war that involved three main factions: The pro-fascist and pro-Axis Utasha, the royalist Chetniks, and the communist Partisans. When WWII ended, the Partisans, led by Tito, took control of Yugoslavia and proclaimed the establishment of a new Yugoslavia, called the Federal Peoples Republic of Yugoslavia. The new communist federation was comprised of 6 republics: Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia. The Serb provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina were also given autonomy as part of the federation.

Titos Yugoslavia

Josip Broz Tito, leader of communist Yugoslavia.

As the ruler of Yugoslavia, Josip Tito steered the country on a course that was independent of the Soviet Union and the other communist states of the Cold War-era Eastern Bloc. In fact, at times, his relations with the USSR were quite frosty. At the same time, Tito maintained some ties to the West, whose aid helped his regime survive. Titos regime was initially highly centralized, but under pressure from leaders of Yugoslavias constituent states, Tito was forced to give up powers. Eventually, he devolved powers to the point that the country was held together only by him and his cult of personality.

Economy Of Titos Yugoslavia

The economy of Yugoslavia under Tito functioned differently than those of other communist states. Tito put his own stamp on communism by initiating a policy known as self-management. Under this economic model, the workers themselves controlled the running of industries through workers councils. It was under this model that Yugoslavia managed its reconstruction after WWII. The result was rapid economic growth and a significant rise in the standard of living. By no means, however, was Titos model of self-management a recipe for a utopian society. Although workers controlled industries in Yugoslavia in theory, the reality was that full participatory democracy in the workplace was not able to take shape because of the monopoly of the Yugoslav Communist Party.

The Disintegration Of Yugoslavia

During his rule, Tito was able to keep nationalist sentiment under control, often using force to do so. He continuously promoted the ideology of Pan-Slavism, which the Yugoslav federation was supposed to exemplify. When Tito died in 1980, however, the nationalism that he tried so hard to suppress began rising to the surface.

In 1989, a Serb nationalist named Slobodan Milosevic became the president of Serbia. He abolished Kosovos autonomy, provoking fears in Croatia and Slovenia that their autonomy would be next on the chopping block. In response to Milosevics pro-Serb nationalist policies, Slovenia amended its constitution to allow secession from the Yugoslav federation. In the fall of 1989, Milosevic urged the Serbs to settle Kosovo en masse, in order to dilute the provinces Albanian majority.

Bullet holes from the Croatian War of Independence in Pakrac, Croatia. Image credit: Zvonimir Atletic/Shutterstock

In 1991, both Croatia and Slovenia voted to declare independence, unless a new deal could be reached on the reorganization of the federation that was amicable to all the republics. But talks to salvage the federation failed. Croatia and Slovenia declared independence, triggering intervention by the federal Yugoslav army. Hostilities ended quickly in Slovenia, and an agreement was reached that allowed the country to control its own borders, though fighting in Croatia persisted.

The Final Yugoslav Republic

In 1992, Serbia and Montenegro proclaimed the establishment of a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, composed only of their two countries. Shortly thereafter, Yugoslavia was expelled from the United Nations and suspended from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Meanwhile, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a three-sided civil war was taking place between Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. The war would go on to claim the lives of some 100,000 people over the period between 1992 and 1995. Atrocities committed during the war drew the involvement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which eventually launched airstrikes in 1994 against Bosnian Serbs to protect the countrys Muslim population. These airstrikes helped convince the Bosnian Serbs to come to the negotiating table. In 1995, the Dayton Peace Accord was agreed to by the warring sides. This agreement provided for a new political arrangement in Bosnia that saw the country split into two self-governing entities: A Bosnian Serb enclave known as Srpska and a Muslim-Croat federation. To enforce the accord, NATO troops were sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kosovo War

The last conflict in the ongoing disintegration of Yugoslavia was the Kosovo War in 1999. Following the abolishment of this Serbian provinces autonomy in 1989, additional measures imposed on Kosovo forced tens of thousands of members of the provinces Albanian majority out of work and restricted the activity of their cultural organizations. Kosovo Albanians protested and rioted in response. In 1996, a militia called the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) emerged, and began launching sporadic attacks against Serb authorities in the province. The Serbian government responded with further repressive measures on the Kosovo Albanians.

Initially, the KLA was viewed in the west with suspicion. Indeed, in 1998, a US diplomat referred to the KLA as a terrorist group. Some believe that this comment encouraged Milosevic to continue his repressive measures in Kosovo. Hostilities between the Kosovo Albanians and Serbian security forces continued throughout 1998 and into 1999, despite growing diplomatic pressure from the West on Milosevic to stop Serbias campaign of repression, and attempts to negotiate a solution to the crisis.

Damage from the Kosovo War in Pec, Kosovo in 1999. Image credit: Northfoto/Shutterstock

Finally, on March 24, 1999, NATO began a campaign of airstrikes against the Serbs, hitting targets both in Kosovo and Serbia proper. The bombing campaign eventually persuaded the Serbs to withdraw their forces from Kosovo. Following the successful NATO intervention and the deployment of peacekeepers in Kosovo, the KLA agreed to disarm. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and was subsequently recognized by the US and other countries, but to this day, Serbia has not relinquished its claim to the enclave and refuses to recognize its independence.

In the year 2000, an opposition candidate won the Serbian presidential elections, but Milosevic refused to hand over power, triggering a popular uprising that eventually persuaded the long-serving ruler to step down. The following year, he was arrested by Yugoslav authorities and turned over to the UN International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague to stand trial for war crimes. In 2003, a new federation called Serbia and Montenegro was proclaimed in an attempt to placate Montenegrins who desired independence. But this new arrangement did not last. Three years later, the people of Montenegro voted in favor of independence. Shortly thereafter, the president of the federation of Serbia and Montenegro announced the dissolution of his office. The union of Serbia and Montenegro was dissolved, thus putting an end to the last vestige of what was once Yugoslavia.

Slobodan Milosevic on trial at the UN International Criminal Tribunal at the Hague, Netherlands.

The Former Yugoslavia Today

All the former republics of Yugoslavia are now independent countries. Kosovo also has de facto independence, and is recognized by the US but is not recognized by the entire international community, nor has it been admitted to the UN. Following Yugoslavias dissolution, its former constituent republics began the process of integration with the rest of Europe.

Slovenia was the first former Yugoslav republic to become a member of the European Union in 2004. Croatia joined in 2013. Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia, now called North Macedonia, are on track to join the EU as well, by integrating EU legislation into their national laws. Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are listed by the EU as potential candidates, but they do not yet fulfill the blocs qualifications for membership. Some former Yugoslav states have also joined NATO. These include Slovenia in 2004, Croatia in 2009, and North Macedonia in 2020.
The Government of Myanmar

The government of Myanmar, as defined by the Constitution of 2008, functions as a parliamentary republic. In this type of government, the heads of the Cabinet are responsible for carrying out the laws set forth by Parliament. In 2008, Myanmar established a new Constitution and created a new form of government, which is divided into 3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This article takes a closer look at government of Myanmar.

History of the Government of Myanmar

From 1885 to 1948, Myanmar was governed as a British colony. This country gained its freedom after World War II in 1948, became a democracy, and established its first post-colonial Constitution. This Constitution refused civil rights to people from ethnic minority groups. In 1962, a military coup detat successfully overthrew the democracy and created a military socialist type of government.

The US and several European countries enacted economic sanctions and boycotts against the military government, resulting in the closure of several western-owned businesses located here. Additionally, various international NGOs were involved in educating the public about human rights violations carried out by the government, causing large retail companies to stop obtaining products from Burma.

In response to these boycotts and sanctions, the military government of Burma agreed to political reform, permitting various political parties to run as public candidates in the 2010 and 2012 elections. On May 10, 2008, this country held its first national election since 1990, voting to approve the new Constitution. The 2010 parliamentary elections were won by the Union Solidarity and Development Party, supported by the military. Although many people believe these elections were fraudulent. In 2015, the National League for Democracy won the majority vote for both houses of Parliament, moving the country away from military-based rule.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of the government is divided between the national level and the local and regional levels. At the national level, the legislative branch is carried out by the Assembly of the Union (like Parliament), which is divided into two houses: the House of Nationalities and the House of Representatives.

The Constitution of 2008 guarantees the military 25% representation in the Assembly of the Union. The House of Nationalities is made up of 224 members. Of these individuals, 168 are elected by the general population and 56 are appointed by the military. The House of Representatives is made up of 440 members, 330 of whom are elected by the public and 110 of whom are guaranteed seats by military appointment.

Executive Branch

The executive branch is headed by the President of the country. The President is based on the political party with majority power in the Assembly of the Union. Currently, that political party is the National League for Democracy. The President is constitutionally responsible for overseeing the Cabinet; although in practice, the State of Councillor does this. The Cabinet is comprised of the Heads of several Ministries, including: Finance and Planning, Industry, Health, Transport and Communication, Ethnic Affairs, Defence, and Education (to name a few).

The executive branch must carry out the rules and regulations as established by the legislative branch.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of Burma remains heavily influenced by the British colonial-era laws and systems. The judicial system here does not, however, guarantee the citizens to a public trial and it is not an independent branch of government. The highest level of this branch is the Supreme Court, which is headed by one Chief Justice and an Attorney General. Burma does not agree to being held under International Court of Justice jurisdiction.
The transport system in Spain is characterized by an extensive network of railways, ports, roads, rapid transit, and air routes. The country's primary modes of transport connects the Spanish capital city Madrid to cities and towns located in different parts of the country. The centrally located city is well-connected by air with the capitals of most neighboring and far-off countries. Several regional and international airports connect the different areas of the country with each other and with places abroad.

Overview Of The Busiest Airports In Spain

Spain is among the most visited countries in the world alongside France, US, Italy, and China. This means that most of the International and domestic routes are always busy, even more so during the tourist season. The 20 busiest airports in the country are evenly distributed in 20 different locations in Spain. In 2016, the number of passengers going through the busiest airport was over 50 million people and the least busy airport handled slightly above one million passengers. All the airports had a significant percentage increase in the number of passengers from the previous year.

1. Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas - 53.4 Million Passengers

The Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas in Madrid, the country's largest city, is the busiest airport in Spain. The airport is also called the Madrid-Barajas Airport and is the main international airport serving the city of Madrid. The airport covers an area of 7,500 acres making it Europe's largest airport by physical size alongside Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. The airport was officially opened in 1928, growing to be among Europe's most significant aviation centers. The Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas is also the sixth busiest airport in Europe. The airport has five terminals and serves as the primary access to the Iberian Peninsula from Europe and the rest of the world.

2. Barcelona El Prat Airport - 47.3 Million Passengers

Located in the center of Barcelona, the Barcelona El Prat Airport is also simply known as Barcelona Airport. The international airport is found in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat, Sant Boi, and Viladecans. The Barcelona airport is the second busiest airport in Spain. The airport handled approximately 44,154,693 passengers in 2016 which was an 11.2% increase from 2015. Barcelona El Prat Airport, which was opened in 1918, mainly serves domestic European destinations and is the main airport in Catalonia.

3. Palma de Mallorca Airport - 27.9 Million Passengers

Also known as Aeroport de Son Sant Joan or the Son Sant Joan Airport, the Palma de Mallorca is an international airport located in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. With 27,970,655 passengers using the facility in 2016, Palma de Mallorca Airport is the third busiest airport in Spain and also the country's third largest airport after the Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona airports. The airport traces its roots back to the 1920s when the postal services required seaplanes to fly to the other Balearic Islands. At present, Palma de Mallorca is a focus airport for EasyJet, Ryanair, and Vueling. It is also the primary base for Air Europa, the Spanish carrier.

4. Malaga-Costa Del Sol - 18.6 Million Passengers

The Malaga Airport (which was officially named the Malaga-Costa Del Sol Airport in June 2011) is located in Malaga, Spain. Malaga Airport is Spain's fourth busiest airport with flight connections to more than 60 countries throughout the world. Approximately 18,628,876 passengers went through the airport in 2016 registering a 15.7% increase from 2015. The Malaga Airport is a significant airport for tourism in the country and it is also the main international airport serving Costa del Sol. Malaga-del Costa Airport was officially opened on March 9th, 1919 and it now features three terminals.
Vials containing liquid (illustration)

By: Tanya ClarkTanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com

Border patrol officers managed to catch a long time smuggler of human semen, police in Thailand said.

According to the police report, the suspect, 25-year-old Nithinon Srithaniyanan, attempted to cross into Laos, at the border crossing of Nong Khai and Vientiane.

The smuggler acted suspiciously, and he was singled out for an inspection. While he was being searched, border agents found a nitrogen tank with six vials of human semen.

Srithaniyanan confessed that he was a long time smuggler, collecting semen from people in Thailand, and then taking the product to a fertility clinic in Laos.

He also admitted to smuggling human semen in Cambodia, where he handed over vials to a hospital. Srithaniyanan told police that he has made 12 successful trips so far.

The semen came from people in China and Vietnam. The suspect was given a fine $6,000 and let go.
Successful Allergy Awareness Scheme For Schools Across Wrexham and Flintshire

This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 24th, 2017

A specialist nurse at Wrexham Maelor Hospital is leading a pioneering allergy awareness training scheme for staff in educational settings across Wrexham and Flintshire.

Lisa Owen, specialist nurse in paediatric allergies, holds a weekly clinic at Wrexham Maelor Childrens Outpatients department, but she also leads the allergy awareness training scheme.

She runs a training day every year for school nurses giving them an update on the latest information and best practice for dealing with children with allergies.

In turn, the school nurses train teachers working in local schools how to look after the children in their classes who can have a wide range of allergies.

Allergies are exploding in the UK. Education and having good awareness of triggers, signs and symptoms is absolutely key to managing allergies, said Lisa.

Raising awareness is really important because so many people have allergies. It can have a big impact on their lives and it affects the people around them too, especially where children are concerned because they have limited control over their environment and need help to manage their situation.

Weve had real success with working with schools and nurseries running this scheme in the East. I run the training day for all the school nurses in Wrexham and Flintshire every year to educate them on how to deal with allergies in the children theyll be working with.

Lisa added: Parents can feel anxious when they put their children into the care of others, especially when they are still very young and the teaching staff who work with them can also feel nervous about how to best look after them.

Its great to give teaching staff more confidence in dealing with allergies. They can help children avoid their allergy triggers and also recognise symptoms and look after them if they do have a reaction.

The most common allergies in children are eggs and milk which can mean that even seemingly simple things like a child bringing in a birthday cake for their classmates can lead to problems for children with allergies.

Louise Sanger, school nurse at St Davids School, Saltney understands the importance of having up to date allergies training as not only does she work with pupils with allergies, but also her son Lloyd has been living with food allergies since he was five.

Louise said the training she receives every year from Lisa is vital to helping children with allergies manage themselves and lead a normal life.

Lisa is excellent, she really knows what shes talking about, its clear and I feel confident to deliver the training to staff afterwards, said Louise.

Every September she gives us an allergy update so we can train school staff in all aspects of allergy care. We look at the causes, what to look for if someone is having a reaction and what to do next depending on the severity of the reaction and we train staff how to administer auto injector pens.

We also do a lot of work with specific children who have more severe allergies and work with them on their care plans so they are looked after in school.

Shes great as shes always at the other end of the phone for advice too.

As a parent, the treatment at the Maelor has been excellent, theyve known my son Lloyd here since he was 5 and we have always felt supported in dealing with managing his allergies.

Louises son Lloyd, 15, who has an egg allergy said: It bother me sometimes because Im allergic to eggs so I cant eat some of what kids my age eat like cakes or doughnuts. I have to take my lunches to school with me. Even my favourite treat ice cream has to be checked as it can have eggs in it.

I have been away abroad on school trips though and I can do most things I want to. I just have to be careful. It gives me confidence because I know my teachers know what to do if I become ill.
Up to 10,000 scientists and academics marched in London Saturday, alongside many undergraduate and post-graduate students, as part of the global March for Science. Workers employed in the science industry also attended as did concerned members of the public who are opposed to attacks on science and funding cuts.

Many brought homemade banners protesting the attacks on science. Others referred to the danger of UK scientific institutions suffering major losses in funding due to Britain leaving the European Union (EU) following last years Brexit referendum.

The march assembled near the Science Museum and National History Museum, adjacent to one of the worlds most prestigious scientific institutionsImperial College London.

The route of the demonstration, which ended with a rally in Parliament Square, passed renowned scientific institutions such as the Royal Society. Satellite marches were held in other UK cities including Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

Socialist Equality Party members distributed copies of the World Socialist Web Site perspective article headlined Science and Socialism, and WSWS reporters interviewed a number of those attending.

Hundreds of those marching brought homemade placards. Jules, who lives in London, brought a homemade placard reading, Galileo was innocent. Asked why she made the placard, Jules said, My sentiment is that Galileos persecution was a long time ago now and we should know better. I thought we were a democracy, not a Florentine principality ruled by the rich. I think Galileos story is still relevant. Thats why I have this banner today.

Asked for her response to claims by march organisers that the defence of science was not a political issue, Jules said, It is political now. Its been made political. I dont think scientists would choose to be out here marching. I know lots of people involved in science and all of them are worried about their funding and worried about the impact of Brexit. All of them are worried about the paucity of students coming here. I think we are losing a lot of the big science agencies, the big space agencies. The atomic research institute is under threat.

Jules explained that the University of Manchester had recently produced two Nobel Prize winners for the development of graphene, and they [the winners] were not English, were they? Where would they be if we had this total introspection and who would want to come here?

She said she opposed recent attempts to slash projects at the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope, which is run by the University of Manchester. One of my friends who works at Imperial College worked at Jodrell Bank, and they said they were working with fine colleagues all around the world and science needs to be above nationalism.

Asked about the source of nationalism, Jules blamed those at the top, adding, I think they are greedy and short-termist.

Sam, a structural biologist who did his PhD at the University of Oxford, joined the march with Michael, a biochemist, who also graduated from Oxford, with a 21,000 debt. They brought a placard comparing their salary with that of Members of Parliamentwho earn more than three times their income, plus expenses.

Sam said, I was lucky as courses were 3,000 a year at the time, so I have about 15,000 in debt. Now you would have about 15,000 a year debt on a course.

We scrape by on 20,000 a year after seven years of education. You have these MPs on a lot more doing very little. What they are doing on cutting immigration is preposterous. We rely as scientists on immigration. There are European Research Commission cuts. They fund a lot of projects that we will lose out on here. We are currently funded by the ERC.

We take these crappy salaries but now weve got the prospect of having to leave the thing we love doing and have worked so hard to get.

Michael said, Theres been a lot of cuts in science post-Brexit and its one of the reasons we are here. These ERC grants are worth 1.5 million pounds per researcher who then splits the money between his department and to workers like us. Its a lot of money.

One of the worst things over the last year with Brexit is the whole denigration of scientific views. We are here to oppose that and I think everyone is too.

Sam said he was opposed to a huge amount of the budget of society going to military spending. It is just ridiculous what is wasted by the military. I dont even know the science budget figure as it is so small.

Jim is an engineer and a psychologist from Manchester. He said, I came to the London protest because I want to celebrate science because science is the area of life youre encouraged to ask questions in, and through asking questions you can be free.

On the subordination of science to war, Jim said, Its definitely present. This issue goes beyond science and into what we see as valuable as a society. In a capitalist structure, you always need to justify things by profit and that relates to war as well.

Jim said, I think a discussion of science in terms of socialism is necessary and we need some real debates about what kind of political model fits science best.

Asked his thoughts on the Trump presidency, he said, Donald Trump, like all of us, is a social animal and operates within a capitalist system. Trump is a symptom of a bigger problem rather than the problem itself. If we want change, we are going to need to change more than the president of the United States.

Manchester

The March for Science in Manchester drew around 300 people, who assembled in the citys main Albert Square to listen to speakers prior to a march. Among those in attendance were scientists and students from the citys two main universities and various colleges. A worker from the Manchester site of the IT conglomerate Fujitsu, who is currently on strike, also attended.

Andy, an analytical chemist, spoke to the WSWS. He said, I see there are a lot of challenges in Britain and around the world today. Theres a big gap between the rich and poor. That is a worry. I had a grant when I was growing up and studying. Thats no longer available for younger people now.

Andy said he was concerned about the danger of global war, With Trump in the White House Its a worrying time, probably the most worrying, politically, in my lifetime.

Ross said, Im actually a physicist from St. Andrews [in Scotland] on my way to Croatia. I wanted to join in with this march to show its importance across Britain, Europe and the world. To show how important science is for all of us, our livelihoods, for all our collaborations with people across the globe.

Ross added, Its quite frightening at the moment, with Trump and Brexit and the general election just being called. Its hard to know whats going on from day to day.

Natyra, 16, and Hafsa, 17, attend Xaverian College where they study a number of subjects, including the sciences. Natyra said, Trump is ignoring the whole thing about global warming and I am concerned about Brexit because so many science projects are funded by the EU. She said only international collaboration had made so many discoveries possible, including the particle accelerator and the genome project.

Hafsa said, Science is about improving life, not dropping bombs.
Some 12,000 people participated in March for Science protests in Australian state capitals and regional cities on Saturday to oppose government attacks on science, scientific research and education.

The largest rallies were held in Melbourne and Sydney, where an estimated 4,000 and 3,000 people attended respectively. Hundreds participated in other cities. Scientists, researchers, university and high school students and families joined the protests, many carrying hand-made banners and placards.

In line with the international protests, March for Science organisers in Australia called for universal literacy, open communication of scientific knowledge, government policy based on peer-review evidence, and stable public investment into scientific research and development.

Rally speakers denounced US President Donald Trump, appealed to the Australian government to take action over climate change, and called for greater funding for scientific research.

University of Sydney Emeritus Professor of Public Health Simon Chapman told the Sydney rally that 500 years after Galileo Galilei was tried for heresy, Trump was the new inquisitor and in charge of the worlds most powerful nation.

Trump had issued orders gagging scientists in his first week as president. Chapman asked: Is there anyone here today who doesnt expect Trump very soon to put conditions on the funding of state universities to weed out any science that might hinder his ambitions? Well, he has already begun.

Chapman said the majority of attacks in Australia were on climate-change science. He pointed to other science funding cuts by former Liberal-National Prime Minister Tony Abbott, but failed to mention cuts to scientific research and education imposed by Labor Party governments.

Both Jonica Newby, a science writer and former host of ABC televisions Catalyst program, and former Liberal Party leader John Hewson couched their speeches about science funding in terms of potential benefits for new sources of profit for Australian business. We know that it will be science and technology that will help our economy surf the change and transitions rather than drown but it requires public support and political will, Newby declared.

None of the speakers in Sydney or Melbourne raised the threat of war or referred to the use of science under capitalism to engineer the increasingly sophisticated weapons developed to destroy and maim. The omission was particularly striking given the recent dropping of the Massive Ordinance Air Blast by the US on Afghanistan, the largest-ever bomb used since the US nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

Peter Doherty, an immunologist, told the Melbourne rally that science was not a political issue. Anyone who attempted to inject politics into the issue was betraying the cause of science. He claimed that Trump could be restricted by the US Congress and hoped the rallies would ensure that sections of the Congress, particularly the more conservative section, would see the necessity to support science.

These attempts to suppress political discussion, promote complacency and sow illusions that governments would withdraw their attacks on science were in contrast to the concerns of the marchers. Their hand-made placards included Schools, not stock markets, Money for science, not tax breaks for business, Protect the voice of independent science, Science, the self-correcting search for truth and Science was always political.

Socialist Equality Party campaigners distributed hundreds of copies of the World Socialist Web Site PerspectiveScience and Socialismat the Sydney and Melbourne events.

In Sydney, Madeleine, a PhD student researching protein changes in the brain that cause epilepsy, carried a placard calling for more than one-year employment contracts for scientists. She explained the difficult financial conditions facing scientists in Australia.

A science degree plus a PhD is eight years of university education but if you dont get a fellowship youre pretty much only offered a 12-month contract anywhere. Without a fellowship, you cant get a permanent job Theres no real tenure track in Australia.

You can get a university position where you teach, but a full-time position in research doesnt exist. My PhD supervisorhes a professorhas a five-year job, and thats the maximum you can get in research. And then you have to apply for your funding again, and theres no guarantee youll get it.

Last year only 10 percent of all applications for grants were successful and they were mostly in clinical research. Basic research, the research that leads to clinical research, is dying in Australia.

Madeleine also opposed the Turnbull Liberal-National governments new restrictions, announced last week, on work visa rights for people coming from overseas. There will be a brain drain and the changes to 457 visas mean that life scientists, biologists, marine biologists and so on, cant come to Australia.

Most people I work with, after they finish their PhDs, dont go into science. You just cant. You cant get a mortgage if youre on a 12-month contract The best way to fund science is to pay salaries and we need people to keep the machines running, support staff. A team of people is the best way to fund science.

In Melbourne, Donna, a high school student, said she joined the rally because she was concerned about climate change: Now theyre [the government] considering building new coal mines and that just feels so backward and contrary to what we need to be doing.

The politicians know that climate science is real. They dont deny other research or scientific discoveries but because climate science has the power to disturb big businesses in the mining industry they say its not real.

Referring to the WSWS Perspective, Science and Socialism, Donna said: I think what this leaflet is saying about capitalism is important. There is an argument that capitalism is human nature, and people are greedy. But thats a kind of insult to the thinking skills and development of the human race. Its just like saying were all animals and are clamouring to the highest positions. Were smarter than that. Its not human nature. Its the people at the top.

Commenting on the danger of war, Donna added: All this war now is so pointless and stupid. Now we have the bombthe big mother of all bombs that the USA dropped on Afghanistanwhich cost millions. American society is so bad right nowthey dont have healthcare for everyoneand they could have spent that money on better education, infrastructure and healthcare. Instead they spent it on this bomb.

Most people want world peace but you get civilians being killed because of the interests of these few. Trump wants to reaffirm the US position as the dominant world superpower.

Alex, an archaeologist, attended the Melbourne march with his partner, Sarah, a scientist. I came to the rally because the idea is that science needs a sharing environment in order to thrive, he said.

You need people who can express their ideas, whatever they may be. Science occurs through constructive criticism and discussion. Any kind of gagbe it political or socialis detrimental to research. The main barrier to that today has orange skin and a very bad hair-do. And he has very similar lackeys in Australia.

A WSWS reporter commented that the attack on science did not simply stem from Trump, but from the subordination of every aspect of society to the profit interests of a tiny corporate elite. Indeed, Alex said. Whoever puts the most money in any issue of sciencethats where the truth is. It cant be disengaged from any financial gain.

The problems of poverty and social inequality, he added, could only be solved once social planning was divorced from the profit motive. Im convinced that this is something that needs to be completely disengaged from profit. There should be a community of scientists working together with the global human beings support, to solve all these problems.

Alex has travelled extensively to conduct his scientific research. I lived for a long time in Italy, he said, and noted that the attacks on immigrants and refugees internationally have been going on for years... We have to go beyond state barriers today. We have to get to a point where we realise that its just the one global community.
The new Berlin Senate composed of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Left Party and Green Party had promised a more humane refugee policy. The Left Party in particular insisted that coalition negotiations had initiated a fundamental shift in deportation practice and the inhumane treatment of refugees. The reality is starkly different. In practice, the red-red-green Senate is feverishly implementing the right-wing asylum and deportation policies of the federal government, a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the SPD.

In December 2016, the same month the new state government assumed power, 51 refugees were deported from Berlin. In response to an information request, the Berlin Senate made clear that direct deportations without detention via group charter flights would continue to the West Balkans and Moldavia.

The Berlin government has also failed to end deportations of refugees back to war-torn Afghanistan. According to Tagesspiegel, Interior Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD) emphasized at the end of February that German federal law [is valid] in Berlin as well, and that Berlin would tamely toe the line.

The Left Party has categorically refused to protect Afghan refugees in the states where it holds power. In the state of Brandenburg, where the Left Party heads the ministries of justice, social services and finance, it has behaved similarly.

In Brandenburg, the majority of state representatives rejected a motion lodged by the Greens, the opposition party in parliament, calling for a cessation of deportations to Afghanistan. As the Potsdamer Nachrichten wrote in March, the Brandenburg coalition is hiding behind the justification that for the evaluation of the security situation in a destination country, the federal government, not the state of Brandenburg is responsible.

The German government has passed a motion permitting refugees to be deported back to war-ravaged Afghanistan.

Instead, the Brandenburg state parliament came to the meaningless decision with the votes of the SPD and Left Party, that discretionary powers employed in right of residence cases and a special need for protection of the affected parties according to EU guidelines should be checked prior to every deportation.

An Afghan refugee became a victim of this cynical policy shortly thereafter. He was abducted by police at his place of work in Brandenburg (Havel), transferred to Bavaria and then deported with 14 other Afghans from Munich to Kabul on March 27.

The Afghan, whose asylum application was rejected in 2014, had lived in Germany for seven years. The extension of his stay ran out on April 20. Another extension would have been possible and after another year he could have received a residency permit.

With the full participation of the Left Party, the governments in Berlin and Brandenburg are pursuing the measures outlined in the 15 Point Plans, agreed by state premiers in February. They are implementing Chancellor Angela Merkels demand for Deportation, deportation and once again deportation.

Ministers from Berlin and Brandenburg raised no principled objections to the deportation policies at the ministers' meeting. The Greens had already declared in a joint paper signed by 10 states that they were ready to participate in deportations to Afghanistan. This includes the Greens in Berlin.

At the end of February, Berlins Interior Senator Geisel visited the deportation centre of the federal police in Berlin-Schonefeld along with his counterparts, Karl-Heinz Schroter (SPD) and Thomas de Maiziere (CDU). Only a short time before this, 124 people were sent from this location to Moldavia and Albania. According to the federal police, such group deportations take place about twice a month.

The responsibilities of the individual stations at the deportation centre include the transfer of deportation documents from the state police to the federal police, the carrying out of identity checks, and investigations of those forced to leave. These humiliating investigations involve forcing victims to completely undress and submit to a full cavity search.

The Centre for the Support for Returns (ZUR) was opened by Federal Interior Minister de Maiziere in Berlin-Wilmersdorf at the end of March. In May, the ZUR will begin its work. In future, between 40 and 50 federal and state officials will work under the leadership of the Federal Interior Ministry to send people as quickly as possible to Afghanistan, Morocco and Tunisia, even though the security situation in these countries is dire.

The federal government is counting on the collaboration of the red-red-green Senate in Berlin. In the new state governments coalition agreement, this course was prepared with the formulation that refugees would be deported only as a last resort and that voluntary returns would be supported. This is, of course, deportation, merely in different packaging.

Last year, three-quarters of the approximately 25,000 deportations nationwide were to West Balkan states. In Berlin as well, most deportations have been to the Balkans.

More than 10,000 people who currently live in Berlin will be forced to leave. Many of these people have had traumatic experiences in their home countries or while fleeing. The threatened mass deportations from Germany have pushed many refugees to despair. A growing number have turned to suicide.

In recent days, sensational accounts of increasing prostitution among young refugees in the Berlin Tiergarten have been making the rounds. Human rights and aid organizations have confirmed that, along with drug problems, prostitution is on the rise. This is the result of overfilled emergency housing, the work ban, and harassment by officials and housing management.

According to RBB-Online, young men from Afghanistan and Pakistan are disproportionally affected, that is, precisely those countries denied the recognition of protected status by federal government. Ralf Rotten, president of the association Help for Boys Inc. spoke on this point and said that this was one of the few ways they have of earning money. They are for the most part not permitted to take a course on the German language, go to school or pursue any form of work, Rotten said.

Some of the refugees are still minors and most of them have only just come of age. They prostitute themselves for room and board, according to refugee aid workers, and can neither write nor speak German and are not in a position to fill out a social assistance application.

They often become homeless after disputes with housing management or minor violations of the house rules, such as smoking.

The social senator of the Left Party, Elke Breitenbach, is responsible in the Berlin Senate for the lodging of refugees and their social protection. She is celebrated in the media because she is releasing refugees who were packed into cramped quarters in indescribable conditions in gyms. As a supposedly more humane alternative, she is now advocating placing these people in storage container areas, so-called Tempohomes, and separating them from the population in ghettos called modular refugee lodgings (MUF).

One of the gyms was not vacated, however, as the Berlin refugee council advocated. It is the gym in Berlin-Lichtenberg, which is a special camp for the easier deportations of refugees from Moldavia, mostly Roma.

In practice, the refugee humanitarianism of the Left Party means deportations of Balkan refugees back to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Syria and other war-torn countries after speedy procedures and a brief stay in Tempohomes and MUFs.
Demonstrations took place in 18 towns and cities across Canada on Saturday in conjunction with the global March for Science, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and many regional and university towns.

Around 4,000 people turned out to Toronto City Hall and marched to the provincial parliament buildings at Queens Park. Speakers at the demonstration included scientists and science students along with local representatives from the Native and environmental communities.

Among the stated objectives of the march organizers in Toronto was to advocate for scientific integrity so that, the process of scientific research should be free from politically-motivated vetting/filtering. While advocating for evidence-based policymaking, the organizers also stated that they want to promote more inclusive science and to celebrate Canadian scientists.

Canadian scientists engaged in repeated protests against the former Harper Conservative government, which imposed devastating budget cuts, redirected government-funded science away from basic scientific investigations to projects aimed at immediate commercial success, and muzzled government scientists by preventing them from speaking out. While the Liberals, elected to power in 2015, have loosened some of the restrictions on scientists expressing themselves, they have done nothing to reverse any of the budget cuts imposed by successive federal governments over recent decades, preferring instead to focus on deepening their strategic partnership with US imperialism in its military interventions around the world.

Tyler, a student engineer, and Alexis, who works in IT, were in Toronto from Florida for the march because they believed that people need to wake up to all the things that science brings us.

Alexis told the WSWS, I think the profits getting to everyone, its snowing everybody. Being able to make money seems like its more important than the environment. Of all the things that are happening in the US right now, the one thing were never going to be able to reverse is all the environmental damage thats occurring. Its very scary.

In the capital, Ottawa, several hundred demonstrated outside parliament. The event was jointly organized by Evidence for Democracy, a group set up in 2012 by scientists during the protests against the Harper government.

Around 300 demonstrators gathered in Edmonton, Albertas provincial capital. Several scientists spoke, including a member of the University of Alberta and a science teacher. Speakers called for science-based policymaking by governments and for more to be done to involve communities, such as First Nations, who have traditionally been excluded from science. A member of the crowd told a WSWS reporter that others had requested to speak but had been prevented from doing so.

Political parties were conspicuous by their absence. There was no presence of the New Democratic Party, which since taking over the provincial government in May 2015 has sought to pose as a determined advocate of action to combat climate change, while at the same time working systematically to uphold the interests of the provinces big oil concerns by urging the construction of new pipelines.

In Vancouver, some 1,000 turned out for a rally outside Science World, while on the other side of the country, protesters in Halifax carried signs reading Defiance for science and Without science, its just fiction.
A significant section of the Labour Party and its media backers are working for the defeat of their own party in the snap June 8 election, sprung last week by Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May. They calculate that a defeat for Labour will enable the removal of Jeremy Corbyn as leader, after their previous attempts failed.

Former Labour leader Tony Blair has called on voters to pressure candidates to commit to holding the Government properly to account in the interests of the country. This should cross party lines.

Although Blair claimed he was not urging tactical voting, his emphasis on backing candidates opposing Britain leaving the European Union, Brexit, was a clear signal to support the Liberal Democrats. According to reports, Blair will join Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron to make pro-European Union interventions during the election campaign.

Last September, Lord Peter Mandelson openly expressed his desire for a snap election that would see Labour defeated and Corbyn slung out of office. Speaking at a Royal Television Society conference, he called on May to bring it on so we can deal with the awful situation in the Labour party earlier than 2020. I get up every day and pray that will be the case.

Mandelson worked closely with Blair to ditch Labours reformist programme and launch New Labour as another version of the Conservative Party in the 1990s. He is part of the cross-party Open Britain group, formed to oppose a hard Brexit, where the UK banks and corporations lose access to the European Unions Single Market.

Since the shock Leave vote in last Junes referendum on UK membership of the EU, hostility to Corbyns leadership on the part of the Labour right has become entwined with efforts to reverse or mitigate the result. Efforts to this end have nothing to do with concern for immigrants or the defence of the free movement of labour. They regard the Leave outcome as a grave threat to the interests of British and American imperialism on the continent, not just on accessing Europes markets but especially as regards NATOs military aggression against Russia and China.

Labour MP Helen Goodman, former Work and Pensions minister, said that there was no hope of her party winning on June 8.

I dont think this election is about changing the Government, she said. It is about preventing the Tories from getting such an overwhelming majority that there is no possibility of dissent in this country.

Goodman has previously called for Corbyn to be replaced. She was speaking after 13 Labour MPs, including Michael Dugher, a former shadow minister, and Dave Anderson, shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland, announced they would not contest the election.

A Green Party call for a Progressive Alliance together with the Liberal Democrats and Labour, based around support for the EU, has thus far been rejected by Farron and Corbyn. But as Blairs statement indicates, sections of the Labour Party are actively working on this basis.

Surrey Labour Party is reported to be ready to back a Liberal Democrat candidate next week. The Daily Telegraph said the local branch will vote on a motion that Labour should not contest the election, but instead swing behind a single progressive candidate.

The move, which is against party policy, is being co-ordinated with the Labour-aligned Compass think tank. Its head, Neal Lawson, has insisted that cross-party alliances are necessary to deal with the threats, challenges and opportunities facing the country in the referendums aftermath.

Compass has set up a 30,000 crowd funding appeal to finance a Progressive Alliance, calling on Labour, Greens, Liberal Democrats, the SNP [Scottish National Party], Plaid [Party of Wales], the Womens Equality Partypeople of all progressive parties and none must come together to make this happenfrom the local to the national.

At the anti-Corbyn Labour blog, Left foot forward, Ranjit Sidhu, urged, We must demand that the parties of the Left work together.

Sidhu urges the pro-Remain parties to agree on single preferred candidates for each seat based on current control and which party has the best candidate to challenge... we must accept, regardless of the individual parties results that the next government will be a Green/Liberal Democrat/Labour Coalition government after the election.

For the pro-Blairite Prospect think tank, this alliance can have no limits. In an article, How should Remainers vote on 8th June? Edward Docx urged his readers to put party politics completely to one side, arguing if you care about the welfare of your fellow citizens and consider the EU preferable to, say, Messrs Putin or Trump, you must now vote Lib Dem wherever they have a chance Yes, even if youre Labour through and through, even if youre a lifelong Tory.

A key element of the defence of the EU is its role in aiding NATO-led provocations against Russia. Those masquerading as progressives are some of the most ferocious warmongers against Russia.

In Lib Dem free zones, Docx calls for the parties to get the consent of their nominating officers and run on a pre-agreed joint ticket under the name The Labour Party and The Liberal Democrat Party. Failing that, the progressives must vote for whichever of the candidates is pro-Europe and against Hard Brexit, including Tory candidates.

This is in line with another crowd funding campaign launched by Gina Miller, the multimillionaire investment manager for SCM Private, who took legal action against the governments attempts to trigger Brexit without a new parliamentary vote. Miller was represented in her legal action by Mishcon de Reya, a leading advocate of the finance and banking sector in London.

Her Best for Britain group is aimed at funding the largest ever tactical voting drive to endorse those candidates who back the need for a meaningful vote by MPs, at the end of the two-year negotiations with the EU. This will almost certainly be directed against pro-Corbyn Labour MPs.

Dan Hodges, a Blairite Telegraph columnist, took to Twitter to announce, Im going to vote Conservative. And Im not going to think twice.

At the Huffington Post, Leon Spence, a former Labour councillor who defected to the Conservatives following Corbyns second election victory last year, calls on Tory activists to go toe to toe with Labour campaigners.

In the face of this concerted campaign, Corbyn is once again determined to avoid any confrontation with the right wing. He has pledged to unveil the most radical Labour manifesto in decades and his first speech on the election was the most left-sounding he has ever made. He stated that the dividing line in the election was the establishment versus the people, he said, pledging that Labour would not play by the rules of the cosy cartel that had rigged the system in favour of a few powerful and wealthy individuals and corporations.

We will not let the elite extract wealth from the pockets of ordinary working people any longer, he continued. Labour would govern in the interests of The nurse, the teacher, the small trader, the carer, the builder, the office worker, the student, the carer.

Corbyn hopes that he can overcome the right-wing saboteurs by appealing above their heads to widespread social discontent and anti-war sentiment that presently finds no outlet. But genuinely acting on these sentiments would require mobilising workers and youth in a political struggle against the Labour right, who constitute a vital element of the cosy cartel Corbyn denounces, and who have made clear their vehement opposition to even the most minimal redistribution of wealth in favour of working people.

This is a struggle that Corbyn, a loyal defender of the Labour Party, which has functioned as the main political prop of British imperialism for more than a century, will avoid at all costs.
The Hawaii state legislature passed a resolution Friday calling on the Pentagon to assist the state in updating its disaster preparedness plans, including the upgrading of the states network of nuclear fallout shelters. The resolution also requests that the military provide radiation survival tips in the event of a nuclear missile strike.

The legislatures resolution cites the threats by President Donald Trump to launch a unilateral attack on nuclear-armed North Korea as the main impetus for seeking to modernize Hawaiis nuclear war disaster preparations.

Reports in the US media have played up claims that North Korea is on the verge of developing missiles that can be loaded with nuclear warheads and reach the Hawaiian Islands or Alaska in less than 20 minutes.

The White House is recklessly ratcheting up tensions, with Trump promising to solve the supposed threat from North Korea and Vice President Mike Pence warning that the US sword stands ready.

The carrier group anchored by the USS Carl Vinson is set to arrive in waters near the Korean peninsula on Tuesday, the same day, according to the US media, that Pyongyang may be planning to carry out a new nuclear test.

Hawaiis network of fallout shelters was built during the Cold War and has not been maintained since the mid-1980s, when state funding was cut.

The resolution calls for the identification of useable fallout shelters and the updating of shelters that are now obsolete. The fallout shelter plan for the island of Oahu was last updated in 1985 and food and emergency supply stockpiles have long since been discarded. Structures on the island previously identified as possible shelters include parking garages.

Oahu is home to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, which hosts the US Pacific Fleet, considered the main target for a possible nuclear missile strike. The base is located near the state capital and Hawaiis largest city, Honolulu, with a metropolitan area population of nearly 1 million.

Japans surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 triggered Washingtons entry into World War II. Much of Honolulu would be devastated by a nuclear strike on the military facilities on Oahu, and depending on prevailing weather patterns, the neighboring islands would be severely affected by nuclear fallout.

This is uncomfortable to think about, but we have a whole generation of people growing up that havent ever really thought about these things, and they need to be educated about the reality and survivability and what we can do, Democratic Representative Matt LoPresti said at a hearing of Hawaiis House Public Safety Committee last week.

According to Governing, Toby Clairmont, executive officer of the Defense Departments Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, told lawmakers at hearings on the resolution that the Pentagon supported the states initiative. He testified, however, that it would take years and significant levels of funding to update the fallout shelter plans for Oahu and the other islands. He added that establishing a new network of emergency shelters that could accommodate the current population was impractical, and insisted that any new disaster planning include instructions on how individuals could supposedly survive a nuclear blast and subsequent fallout in their own homes.

The likelihood of government, whether it be the county, state or federal government, to be able to successfully shelter as large and diverse a population as we have in the timeframe we haveyou are looking at a very low likelihood of that, even if you had all the funds in the world available, he said.

The good news for those fortunate enough to survive a nuclear blast in a fallout shelter, he continued, was that they would need supplies for only two weeks, as dangerous radiation from the fallout would decay rapidly. This, of course, presumes the unlikely scenario of a nuclear exchange being limited to a single strike, killing only millions and avoiding the quick death of hundreds of millions in a wider nuclear war, leading to nuclear winter, the killing off of crops around the world and mass starvation.

The bad news, Clairmont glibly added, is the detonationvery little warning. Wherever you stand, you go where you can, even if that means lying in the gutter in the street or crawling behind your car to see if you can survive that initial blast. Its a grim scenario.

At separate town hall meetings in Hilo on the Big Island on Tuesday, the senior US senator from the state, Brian Schatz, and US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, both Democrats, sought to tamp down concerns sparked by the state legislatures resolution and the lack of emergency planning, while taking an aggressive line against North Korea and criticizing Trumps foreign policy from the right.

I think that you should let me do the worrying, Schatz told the audience. I dont think this should worry you every morning. There is not zero risk, but this is not the kind of thing we should be daily wringing your hands over. Where I do have a concern, is that the president has no plan at all when it comes to North Korea.

The senator went on to declare his faith in Defense Secretary James Mad Dog Mattis to ward off a nuclear conflict. While not a pro-peace guy, Schatz said of the former Marine Corps general, he is a grown-up and he does not want a cataclysmic, what they call a kinetic endangerment.

When asked if Hawaiians should stock up on gas masks or build their own bomb shelters, Gabbard deflected the question, appealing to those in attendance to demand that the federal government construct a missile base in Hawaii to supplement Washingtons already extensive network of defensive and offensive missile bases.

She declared, I am urging colleagues, our Hawaii delegation, our leadership in the state of Hawaii, and urging all of you to help raise voices as we try to get urgent action to make sure that the appropriate capabilities are in place for the defense of Hawaii in particular. This isnt something we can take lightly.
In another step toward world-wide trade war, the International Monetary Fund over the weekend became the second major global economic organisation to back away from a commitment to resist all forms of protectionism.

In the wake of the decision at last months meeting of the G20 finance ministers to drop the phrase from its communique, the IMF adopted the same course at its spring meeting in Washington. In both cases, the free trade commitment was removed as a result of pressure from the Trump administration, in line with the White Houses America First agenda.

The statement issued by the IMFs International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) said it sought to promote a level playing field in international trade, dropping the previous wording.

The current chair of the committee, Agustin Carstens, the governor of the Bank of Mexico, sought to cover over the significance of the decision by suggesting that the previous wording had been removed because the use of the word protectionism is very ambiguous.

In reality, the omission of any disavowal of protectionism is an unmistakable expression of mounting trade tensions, fueled above all by the Trump administration.

These conflicts could not be completely suppressed at the meeting. In his statement to the IMFC, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble said Germany commits to keep the global economy open, resist protectionism and keep global economic and financial cooperation on track.

This statement stood in stark contrast to the remarks of US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. He said the US would promote an expansion of trade with those partners committed to market-based competition, while more rigorously defending ourselves against unfair trade practices.

He directed his comment in particular against the two major countries, China and Germany, that have the largest trade surpluses with the US. Washington insists that the Chinese economy is not market-based, while members of the Trump administration have asserted that Germany enjoys unfair advantages because the value of the euro is lower than where its former currency, the deutschmark, would have been.

While not directly naming Germany, which recorded a record trade surplus last year, Mnuchin said that countries with large external surpluses and sound public finances have a particular responsibility for contributing to a more robust global economy.

The decision of the IMF to bow to US pressure came just days after the Trump administration announced a major initiative aimed at imposing sweeping restrictions on steel imports, which, if carried through, will have far-reaching implications for the global market in this basic commodity.

Under a little-used law dating from 1962, Trump signed an executive order to launch an investigation into the impact of steel imports on US national security. Describing the decision as a historic day for America, he declared that steel was critical to both our economy and military, and that this was not an area where we can afford to become dependent on foreign countries.

The invocation of national security has clear connections to the militarist drive of the administration. But the use of this legislation is also part of a broader strategy on protectionism laid out by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro, the head of Trumps National Trade Council, in a submission to Congress earlier this year.

It is based on using previous US legislation to circumvent international trade laws enforced by the World Trade Organization, enabling the United States to impose protectionist measures with impunity. Significantly, in their paper, Ross and Navarro invoked the infamous Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930, widely credited with being responsible for the trade conflicts of the 1930s that contributed to the outbreak of World War II.

Commenting on the latest Trump move to the Financial Times, Chad Brown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and a former economic adviser to President Obama, said that citing national security to justify restrictions on steel imports amounted to carrying out the nuclear option on trade.

This is one more piece of evidence in the worrisome trend that Trump seems to be turning over every rock and investigating each tool available under US law to stop trade, he said.

In recent years, the US has launched 152 anti-steel dumping cases and has another 25 in the pipeline. But the latest move represents a major escalation. According to Commerce Secretary Ross, the present system is too porous and allows only for narrow complaints against particular countries, which can be easily skirted.

The new measures are intended to bring about a more comprehensive solution with a very wide range of steel products and a very wide range of countries, which could conceivably result in a recommendation to take action on all steel imports.

This would cause chaos in international markets, as steel exporters sought to shift their output to other markets, leading to accusations of dumping, the imposition of tariffs and other restrictionsin short, a full-scale trade war.

There are two essential driving forces behind the actions of the American government: First, the ongoing economic decline of the US, which it now seeks to overcome by political and military meansa process that has accelerated in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent decline in world economic growth and contraction of world markets.

Second, the striving by the Trump administration to deflect rising social tensions caused by low wages and growing economic hardship, and channel them along reactionary economic nationalist lines. In this, Trump has the full support of the trade union bureaucracy, with key union leaders standing beside him as he signed his executive order on steel. It is also backed by the economic nationalists of the Democratic Party, whose most prominent representative is the self-styled socialist Bernie Sanders.

The inherent, objective logic of these processes is economic and military war, to which the capitalist politicians can offer no progressive alternative, as the impotence displayed by the IMF in the face of what it recognises as a great danger once again underscored. This is because the growth of economic nationalism and protectionism is rooted in the very foundations of the socio-economic system based on private profit and the division of the world into rival nation-states.

One hundred years ago, the world was embroiled in the carnage of World War I. It was not the war to end all wars, but only the start of a more than three-decade-long struggle to decide which of the imperialist powers would achieve global dominance. Eventually, after tens of millions of deaths and untold horrors, including the Holocaust and the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan, the US emerged as the preeminent global power.

Now the world is being brought face to face with the even more explosive consequences of Americas economic decline.

But this year also marks the centenary of the greatest event of the 20th century, the Russian Revolution, and the successful conquest of political power by the working class, led by the Lenin, Trotsky and the Bolshevik Party on the basis of the program of world socialist revolution. That must be the perspective that animates the international working class in the struggles it now directly confronts.
Several hundred thousand people took part in demonstrations worldwide in support of the March for Science held in Washington, DC Saturday. The protests were organized in response to efforts by the new Trump administration to suppress scientific inquiry, particularly in the area of climate change, and to slash spending on a wide array of scientific research, from global warming to cures for diseases.

Tens of thousands participated in protests on April 22 that began with the new day in New Zealand and across Australia, and continued in Asia, Europe, Latin America and at hundreds of locations across the United States. There were protests on every inhabited continent and even in Antarctica, where research scientists posted statements of support on the Internet.

By far the main turnout for the protests was in the United States. The largest demonstration, in a steady rain, brought about 75,000 people to Washington, DC, where they rallied on the Washington Monument grounds, within sight of the White House, listened to speeches by scientists and environmental activists for several hours, then marched down Constitution Avenue to the US Capitol.

Over 50,000 people marched in Chicago. The demonstration snaked its way through the citys Grant Park downtown, ending outside the Field Museum of Natural History, where a science expo took place.

College and high school students, teachers, scientists, professionals and entire families travelled from throughout Illinois and surrounding states, some hundreds of miles, to join the demonstration. Many held signs and chanted slogans defending science, reason and social progress. Others were overtly political, denouncing war and the corporate destruction of the environment, or calling for the resignation of President Donald Trump.

In New York City, some 30,000 people marched up Broadway, passing the Trump International Hotel and Tower near Central Park, where they began chanting demands for Trumps ouster from the White House. There were numerous scientists wearing white lab coats, and speakers denounced cuts in the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Several thousand people from the Boston area and throughout New England gathered on the Boston Common. Scientists, researchers and students from Harvard, MIT, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and from many other schools and institutions, voiced their support for science in the face of climate change denial and proposed federal budget cuts.

There were large demonstrations in major California cities, with 15,000 to 20,000 turning out in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, and dozens of smaller marches held throughout the state.

Virtually every major American city saw a sizeable demonstration, as well as most university and college towns, including some as small as Valdosta, Georgia, population 56,000, home to Valdosta State University.

Members of the Socialist Equality Party and other supporters of the World Socialist Web Site attended the main demonstration in Washington, DC, where they distributed thousands of copies of the WSWS perspective Science and Socialism, explaining the SEPs policy of waging a political defense of science through the mobilization of the working class against both the Trump administration and the Democratic Party, and against the capitalist system as a whole.

At many of the rallies, a sharp difference was evident between the speeches delivered, generally of a well-meaning, pro-science character, but lacking any political thrust, and the sentiments of many of those attending, who were extremely hostile to Trump and receptive to the call made in the SEP statement for a political struggle against capitalism and war.

This was the case at the main rally in Washington, where speeches were delivered by scientists who have carried out distinguished acts of public service, like Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, who helped expose the lead poisoning of children in Flint, Michigan by the criminal mismanagement of the water supply by the city and state government, and by well-known advocates of scientific education, like Bill Nye, the former host of the PBS childrens science program.

While the speakers made occasional references to Trump, with the White House visible from the platform, there was no perspective presented on how Trumps policies could be opposed, still less on what social force such opposition should be based. The implicationexpressed most obviously in marching down Constitution Avenue to the US Capitolwas to make an appeal to Congress and the Democratic Party to restrain the worst decisions and cuts made by the Trump administration.

Many of those who marched in the Washington demonstration, however, were in no doubt that everything possible had to be done to build a political movement against Trump, and they discussed the SEPs critique of the Democratic Party as the second party of American big business, equally responsible with Trump and the Republicans for the program of imperialist war, attacks on democratic rights and cuts in social spending.

Frank, a high school student from Washington, DC, told the WSWS, I came here today to show that even though the Trump administration doesnt care about what happens to everyday Americans, theyre totally fine with dumping coal dust in rivers, bringing coal back, bringing smog back to our cities.

He continued, Theres always money for war, but theres never money for science, theres never money for education, theres never money for health careits never anything that goes to help the common people. Its just something so that we can go shoot missiles at a military base in Syria. That attack cost hundreds of millions of dollars, an utter waste ...

Americas two-party system and the way our parties stand today, is very pro-war, he said. It would have to have a complete turnover of people in the parties or the destruction of the two-party system to bring around a multi-party system where there could be a party that supports the people.

Steven King, a retired typographer and former union member, said, Im here today because the march for science is important. The social sciences are just as important as the physical sciences. Right now, the oligarchy is cherry-picking the social sciences so that they can deny the need for psychology and positive-community sociology. They manipulate all of the social sciences, thats going to manipulate people towards the worst ends like war.

Asked what he thought the underlying causes of the attack on science were, he replied, Your ignorance can be manipulated more than your intelligence. And the destruction of education is part of that. And so people dont question, from religious beliefs to your leaders becoming almost like gods. Its ridiculousthat bazillionaires are like gods. Its ridiculous.

Brooke Waligora and Sarah Phillips, two nurses from Michigan, spoke on why they travelled to the rally in Washington.

Brooke said, We are here to let people know that research saves peoples lives. The things we do every day to treat people are all based on science. We are constantly learning so that we can treat people better.

Sarah explained, All the procedures that we do are procedures that were developed by scientific research, and this needs to be continued and expanded. I myself had leukemia, and I was part of a research treatment. Because of that research, that treatment is now the standard that is used to treat leukemia.

I am also here against the cutting of health care. Every day we treat people who don't know how they are going to buy their medicines. Health care is a right which everyone should have.

In contrast to the national rally, where Democratic politicians were barred from the platform, they were able to speak at a number of the regional marches, including Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Lansing, Michigan. They frequently sought to turn the protests in a right-wing nationalist direction.

In Boston, Obamas former EPA Director Gina McCarthy was a major speaker. She claimed that Trump could roll back progress on our air and water quality allegedly made under the Obama administration. The truth is that the Obama administration blocked any significant action on climate change and delayed many pollution rules to the point that they are now subject to repeal by the Republican-controlled Congress

In Los Angeles, billionaire Tom Steyer, the biggest donor to Democratic candidates in 2014 and a likely candidate for governor of California next year, was one of the main speakers. He advocated a form of California First that sounded much like a slightly more environmentally-friendly version of Trumps America First. He boasted that California was the national and global leader in research, technology and innovation, and would remain so, regardless of the policies that come out of Washington, DC.

Even more reactionary were the speeches delivered in San Diego, where Democratic Congressman Scott Peters declared that the US military was doing some of the most important work in renewable energy, and that the Navy is going green, and that this was a patriotic duty, because it reduced American reliance on foreign-imported energy.

Alongside Peters was Ralph Keeling, Director of the Scripps CO2 program at the University of California, San Diego, who launched into a nationalist tirade, stating that unless the United States takes the lead in environmental research and solutions, other countries will tell us how to deal with climate change.

He asked, Do we want the Chinese to fix our problems? in a scornful tone, but the question did not get the expected response of outrage from the crowd. Keeling went on to state his concern that our military bases are affected by environmental problems, referring to these as a national security concern.

Further reports and interviews from science marches throughout the United States will appear on the WSWS this week.
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - A 71-year-old Florida man has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting of his step-son.

The Orlando Sentinel (http://bit.ly/2pS9l1L ) reports that arrest records show Thomas Lathrop of Sanford shot 31-year-old Frank Fort on Saturday at the family home.

According to the records, Lathrop's wife, Juanita, told police her son went to sit on the front porch about 9:30 a.m. when Thomas Lathrop said, "Don't you see me sitting here."

Fort replied he sat there every morning before work. Lathrop then got up and fired a single round at Fort's legs.

While Fort was running away, Lathrop fired two more shots, shattering Fort's pelvis. That bullet lodged in Fort's stomach, causing life-threatening injuries.

Fort was in critical condition Saturday.

Lathrop was being held without bail at the Seminole County Jail.
NORTH MIAMI, Fla. (AP) - A North Miami man is in jail because police say he punched a toddler so hard she needed surgery. The girl's mother is also jailed because police said she did nothing about it for days.

The Miami Herald reports (http://hrld.us/2pRwSQp ) that 22-year-old Tyquan Spencer is accused of punching the 19-month-old daughter of Scarlett Ruiz so hard that she threw up.

When Ruiz got home, police say her older daughter told her what happened. The 24-year-old woman eventually took the girl to the hospital when she developed a fever, but police say she didn't tell doctors what happened. They thought the girl had an infection.

Days later, the girl's symptoms got worse. Doctors performed emergency surgery and found she had a perforated intestine.

Spencer is charged with child abuse. Ruiz is charged with child neglect. Neither has a listed attorney.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Parking could get a lot more expensive next year in the downtown historic district that is both Savannah's business hub and the heart of its vital tourism economy.

The Savannah Morning News reports (http://bit.ly/2orjKNT) the City Council is weighing a consultant's recommendations that would increase rates on some meters and extend the hours drivers would be required to pay for on-street parking.

The plan includes hiking meter rates to $2 per hour - double the current $1 hourly rate - in the busiest areas of the historic district. And parking meter enforcement would extend past 5 p.m. on weekdays and possibly into weekends.

Mayor Eddie DeLoach said the plan won't satisfy everyone "but it's a place to start." The City Council is expected to vote May 11. Changes would likely take effect next year.
MIAMI (AP) - Authorities in Miami are investigating the fatal shooting of a transgender woman.

Authorities say Chayviss Reed was fatally shot at an intersection not far from the north campus of Miami-Dade College.

The Miami Herald (http://hrld.us/2oDxaWo ) reports that Reed is the ninth transgender woman reported killed in the United States this year.

Miami-Dade investigators weren't releasing any details about the shooting.

___

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Florida officials are warning that rabies is active in the Suwannee County wild animal population.

The Suwannee County Sheriff's Office posted an alert to their Facebook on Monday, saying that the Florida Department of Heath in Suwannee County has issued a rabies alert for an area near O'Brien.

The area encompasses 208th Street to the North, CR 349 to the South, US 129 to the East, and the Suwannee River to the West.

They said that the alert was made in response to two different incidents of a fox and a dog showing rabies-like symptoms. Both animals were euthanized.

All residents and visitors in Suwannee County should be aware that rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk if not vaccinated.

SCSO has asked that the public stay aware that rabies is active in Suwannee County. The recent rabies alert is in affect for 60 days.

An animal with rabies could infect other wild or domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies. All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.

Florida officials recommend the following tips to residents and visitors:

Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.

Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact the local animal control agency.

Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.

Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.

Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.

Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Suwannee County at 386-

362-2708.

For more information on rabies, click here.
JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A man from Greenwood, Florida is behind bars after leading deputies in Jackson County on a high-speed chase.

It all started just before 10 p.m. Friday. A deputy noticed a truck speeding near the intersection of HWY 71 and HWY 2. The deputy found out the truck also had an expired vehicle registration.

The deputy tried to pull over the driver, 21-year-old Danny Hall, but he refused to stop. Several units set up a roadblock near HWY 162 and HWY 167, but again, Hall sped off after allegedly yelling profanities at the officers.

Even spike strips deflating his tires didn't stop Hall. He finally lost control after swerving into a patrol car just west of Cherry Court in Jacob City.

Hall was treated at the hospital for minor injuries before being booked into the Jackson County correctional Facility, where he awaits his first court appearance.
FOLKSTON, Ga. (WTXL) - The West Mims Fire is continuing to burn reports saying the fire has in fact grown more than 10,000 acres larger.

The Fish and Wildlife Service of Georgia reported that the West Mims Fire was 36,050 acres, with 4 percent of that being contained as of Sunday.

However, they said that significant fire growth occurred late in the day, infra-red imagery confirming that the current size has grown to be 46,413.

They said that high winds caused the northwestern edge of the fire to spread toward Stephen C. Foster State Park. With 8 to 10 mph westerly winds predicted for Monday, the fire is expected to continue to burn on Fiddlers Island.

While the fire did advance through Black Jack Island Sunday, it is expected to slow as it approaches wet areas north of the Island.

Officials warned that smoke could reach Jacksonville due to wind.

Swamp Island Drive has been closed and access to all water trails, including boat tours, from the Suwannee Canal Recreation area (Eastern side of refuge) have been suspended until further notice. The Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center and Okefenokee Adventures are currently open.
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Today its a place to get a cup of coffee or maybe a slice of pizza, but the former Northern Pacific depot on North First Street was once Yaki
N., a Muslim Arab resident of Gaza, traveled to Israel last summer to see her three grandchildren, two of whom are IDF soldiers. She hadnt seen them for six years.

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When she arrived in Israel, N. knew that she was ill and that her days were numbered. A female IDF soldier escorted her from the Erez Crossing to the entrance to her sons home, in one of the Jewish communities near Gaza.

I opened the door for her and gave her a hug, her son, D., recalls. She saw the children. I said to her, Mother, look, my sons are in the army. My sons are soldiers. We hadnt seen each other for years. I looked at her. She was happy. She asked me to take care of them, to make sure that nothing happened to them. Before we parted, she hugged my two soldiers in her arms and said to them: Inshallah, I hope we will soon get to see this uniform in Gaza. When will Israel come back there? We have no life.

Grandmother kissed us incessantly, says Y., a sergeant in the IDF. She stroked our hair and kept saying, May God protect you.

N. stayed with her family for a month. Shortly after returning to Gaza, she passed away. I feel so relieved, says D., knowing that my mother was pleased with us when she died.

The family members outside their home in the Gaza vicinity area. The first time my son came home in his uniform, I cried. It was a dream come true (Photo: Gadi Kabalo)

Its a complicated story. It begins in Gaza and continues in Israel. D. and his wife gave all their sons Hebrew names. They chose to name them after people from the General Security Service, the Shin Bet, whom they worked with. A., the eldest son, was born in Gaza and received an Israeli name when they came to Israel. Sergeant Y. is the second son. R., the youngest son, serves in the IDF too, holding the rank of corporal.

In order to protect them and their relatives who still live in Gaza City, we are not allowed to reveal their full names and faces. D.s activity is confidential. Even his three sons dont know what exactly he did for the State of Israel. He wears a long custom-made chain on his neck with a medallion featuring the map of the Land of Israel and a Star of David. His sons wear Stars of David on their necks. R.s chain includes the Shema Yisrael prayer as well.

D., a 53-year-old Muslim Arab from Gaza, was a Shin Bet agent, a collaborator. People say his contribution to Israels security is priceless. Twenty-five years ago, he was smuggled from Gaza by the Shin Bet together with his wife and eldest son. They had two more sons since then, both of whom are now IDF soldiers.

The three sons, including the one who was born in Gaza, are in the midst of a conversion process. The two soldiers are undergoing the process as part of the armys Nativ program. They both wear a large kippa, put on tefillin and say a blessing before they eat. They keep their cellphones shut off during Shabbat. A. is in charge of cooking the traditional Jewish stew known as Cholent. Y. celebrated the Passover Seder in the army. R. was the guest of a religious Jewish family in the Gaza vicinity. A., the eldest son, recently resumed a conversion process which he had begun several years ago, when he was involved with a young Jewish girl.

I really feel like I am part of something which is above and beyond, Y. explains. I know more about the State of Israels history and significant things than I know about our own history.

Asked how he feels seeing his sons put on tefillin, D. replies: Its a pleasure for me, a pleasure. I wish it could be broadcast in Gaza. In our home, the Bible and the Quran lay side by side. I am the proudest person in the world. My sons are made in Israel. The first time my son came home in his uniform, I cried. I felt so proud. It was a dream come true. My soldier was born. My hero was born.

The uniform means everything to me. Respect, appreciation. I would do anything for this country, says Sergeant Y.

The uniform is tailor-made for my body, its part of me, says Corporal R. Im willing to die for the state. Theres no question about it. My dream was to serve in the Golani Brigade. I couldnt, for medical reasons too. But I asked to, I begged, I wrote letters to the entire world. I wanted to be a commander too.

And what if you were a fighter and you were told that you had to fight in Gaza too?

I want to go there as part of an operation, a war. I want to show those people in Gaza. This is what I said: I wont come out with a white flag; Ill come out with a flag of Israel.

If there is a war, God forbid, while my children are serving in the army, says D., I would want them to be like any other soldier serving the State of Israel, even if their fate is to be killed.

The two IDF soldiers at the entrance to their home. Tell us where peace is and well go get it (Photo: Gadi Kabalo)

The family members like to talk about their successful absorption in Israel, but it wasnt always easy. From the first grade to the sixth grade, people didnt know that I was an Arab, a Muslim, Y. recalls. In the seventh grade, we were asked to prepare an ancestry project. The teacher asked me, Are you sure you want to do it? I said yes. I stood in front of my classmates for the first time and said: I am an Arab, a Muslim who was born in Israel. Then everyone stopped playing with me. They started calling me you terrorist, you stinking Arab and spitting on me. It lasted for a long time, until the 10th grade. I didnt tell anyone at home about it. I thought I would deal with it on my own, but it didnt go away.

Its the only time in our long conversation that he talks about us and them.

Im dying to hear just one story of what my father did, he says, so that youll all know what we, as a family of Muslim Arabs from Gaza, did and what my father did for this country. I wish he would give me just one story that I could share with everyone. Its important to me. Its pride. Its significant. My father raised me as a Zionist. I am still proud todaybut if people heard what he did, I would be able to walk around with my head held high.

D. began his affair with Israel in the 1970s in Gaza, when his father was shot by terrorists and was hospitalized and treated at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon for more than a month. It was D.s first close encounter with Israel and with Israelis. The father, who passed away since then, knew all about D.s secret activity for the State of Israel.

As a young boy, D. actually organized and initiated protests against Israel. We would chant against the State of Israel, against the occupation, he said. Nevertheless, people in the neighborhood believed he was connected to the Shin Bet, perhaps because of his family and the story of his father who was shot for collaborating with Israel. I would sit down with friends while they were in a middle of a conversation. They would see me and immediately stop talking, he said. They said that I was an informer, that I was giving the Shin Bet names.

The Shin Bet did try to recruit him, but he refused. It took a while before he agreed. He was already 18 years old, working as a waiter in a cafe in central Israel and wandering between Gaza and Israel.

"The first round, D. addresses his activity for Israel, was when I brought information which led to the capture of two terrorist cells, one from Jabalia and one from al-Bureij. I believed in that way. I believe in the Jews existence and in the State of Israels existence.

And what about the Palestinians?

Those people, he says, dont know how to talk. They only know how to kill. They drink blood.

In Gaza, you would be called a traitor.

I dont see myself as a traitor. I see myself as a human being who is against bloodshed. Enough, its time for us to live. I am proud of being from Gaza and I am against bloodshed. I am proud of being from Gaza and I dont kill small children. I am an Arab, a Muslim, an Israeli, a Zionist. I am against terror and against bloodshed. I believe in both people living a good life together. I dont believe in the thing called blood. I believe in the Jewish existence. I believe in the Arab existence. I am an Israeli Arab believer who loves the Jewish people.

D.s cooperation with the Shin Bet continued. Meanwhile, he got married and his eldest son A. was born. He worked in Gaza as a merchant. He had a good life. In 1992, the Shin Bet received information of a Palestinian plan to assassinate D. Security prisoners distributed in the prisons a list of assassination targets, which included 17 peopleagents and collaborators with Israel. D.s name was on that list.

The Shin Bet tried to get him out of Gaza. A relative of his, a five-year-old boy, was brutally murdered. Pictures of the body, which had been abused, were sent to D.s family. They left no room for doubt. They sent the body without an ear. They cut off his organs and sent them, he recalls. It was a warning. D. still holds on to those photos to this very day.

He left Gaza that same year with his wife and son. Before we came here, I offered my wife a divorce, he reveals. I told her, Im leaving, Im in danger. Im going to live in Israel. She said to me, Wherever your shoes go Ill go too. My mother cried. She made my wife swear that I would not walk around with a weapon. My wife promised her, although she knew I had a weapon. She just wanted to calm her down.

The State of Israel tries to help the people who help protect its national security. In the past 20 years, the aid has been official provided through the Security Aid Administration, which is subject to the Shin Bet. The process includes rescue, housing solutions, financial aid to help the collaborator and his family start a new life, professional help, educational programs, employment training and help in arranging the collaborators legal status in Israel. Its a complicated process, which is custom-fit to each person and has often been criticized by different people.

The administration workers who are in touch with the collaborators are members of the Shin Bet, and D. sees them as part of his family. As far as they are concerned, the State of Israel has a moral obligation to people like D. We dont use people and throw them away is the administrations motto. They even talk about a lifelong covenant. The basic goal is to help the rehabilitated person and his family members become independent and integrate into the Israeli society. From this perspective, the story of D.s familywith the sons who chose to enlist and integrate into the Jewish societyis a success story. The administration encourages the rehabilitated persons children to integrate into military or national service in order to help them become part of the Israeli society, although it refuses to provide details about the number of these recruits.

Soldiers Y. and R. In our home, the Quran and the Bible lay side by side (Photo: Gadi Kabalo)

At first, the family settled in Tel Avivs Hatikva Neighborhood. They placed people around me to protect me, because my life was in danger, he recounts. They put a panic button in my house. They told me that as soon as a veiled person approaches you, well come rescue you within two minutes. My wife didnt know Hebrew and signed up for Hebrew studies at an Ulpan. A., my eldest son, was six years old.

My integration was very quick, A. says. Within a year, I already knew Hebrew. I would go to the synagogue with my friends. On our first Purim in Israel, my father dressed me up as the IDF chief of staff.

From Hatikva Neighborhood, the family moved to one of the upscale neighborhoods of Beer Sheva. Later, three years after arriving in Israel, they moved to a Gaza-vicinity community. Their two younger sons, Y. and R., were born there. Nine years separate between Y. and his eldest brother.

I brought A. into this world to leave behind a memory of me, D. told me excitedly last week. I didnt believe I would live. I was sure I would be assassinated. In Israel, I received a visit from Shin Bet people. They said to me, Its now time for you to have more children. They helped my wife undergo treatments. They are the ones who helped us. Thanks to them, we have more children.

The children grew up in a rocket-battered area. I grew up in the Gaza vicinity, and my brother and I would never run into the secured room, says Y. Our parents would say to us, Run into the secured room, but our father would go sit in the balcony and watch. Children who grow up with Qassam rockets are children who are not afraid of anything. Theyre not afraid of tunnels and theyre not afraid of a single thing.

I was never afraid, says R. I dont know the meaning of fear. I dont let it in. Every time it comes, I change the lock. But a reality of missiles is a difficult reality.

Have you ever seen a Qassam hit?

I saw a child who was killed by a Qassam, a moment after he was hurt. I was outside and I heard the siren. A. ran toward me, grabbed me, covered my eyes so that I wouldnt see, and threw me into the house. It was traumatic. I was six years old. But its part of my childhood.

Still, youre being fired on from Gaza.

So? I have nothing to do with them.

A., the eldest son, was the first brother to try to enlist. They wouldnt let me, he says, sadly. I traveled to the Kirya Base. I wrote to the chief of staff, to Shin Bet people. it didnt help. The response I received from the recruitment center was that they couldnt draft me because I was a Muslim and I was born in Gaza and that was what my identity card said. Thats the thing that annoys me more than anything. Thats why I only had an ID issued when I was 20 something. I even asked them not to put down my place of birth, to write that I wasnt born anywhere, just so it wouldnt say Gaza. I failed. I still walk around without an ID, only with A drivers license. I dont want people to see where I was born.

His father, D., interrupts him. No, this is where I stop. Whoever forgets his place of birth is not human. I was born in Gaza and I will never forget that place, but today I live here.

When Y.who was born in Israelturned 18, he was allowed to enlist. The entire family escorted him to the recruitment center. This is something I always wanted, he says. Even when I was in kindergarten, I dressed up as a soldier. I wish I could be a mistaarev (a soldier disguised as an Arab for intelligence gathering purposes). Its one of my dreams. For security reasons, we are not allowed to reveal the names of the units Y. and R. serve in, but they are not combat soldiers.

I cant say Im not jealous of my brothers, says A. Its eating me up, its killing me. Joining the army is Zionism. It means being loyal to the place I grew up in. I wish I could put on the uniform. If I were given the option, I believe I would keep wearing the uniform to this very day.

The three sons studied in Jewish educational systems. Their kindergartens were even religious. At home, D. speaks to his wife in Arabic. The children speak to each other in Hebrew. None of them can read or write in Arabic. I cant even write my name in Arabic, says Y. The youngest brother, R., has trouble speaking Arabic too. I speak Arabic like a new immigrant, he apologizes, and with a heavy Israeli accent.

D. submitted a request to convert to Judaism about 20 years ago. Eventually, he gave up. He is Muslim and his wife, the mother of his children, still prays. She was the one, however, who pushed the children to enlist and to convert, they say. In recent years, they have not been celebrating Muslim holidays, but they do celebrate the Jewish ones.

I see my connection to the Jewish people as a tight connection, says R. From an early age, I knew that I felt Jewish inside despite being defined as a Muslim. I knew that I would convert and join the IDF. In high school, I traveled to Poland. I wanted to. I insisted. I felt that the Holocaust was an inseparable part of Judaism, of what I grew up on. My father supported me. We visited all kinds of placesthe childrens forest, Auschwitz, the signs on the wall of people who were murdered. Every second of this trip, every moment, I cried. I am a Muslim. I am still defined in Israel as a Muslim. My ID still says that Im a Muslim. But in fact, what am I? A Jew.

When I arrived in Israel, the first trip the Shin Bet took me on was to Yad Vashem, D. recalls. I couldnt take it. Thats why when I hear people say that there is no existence for the Jewish people, I ask why. So the Arabs are allowed to live and the Jews arent?

They are still in touch with their relatives who stayed in Gaza. I didnt cut myself off completely, D. reveals. My parents used to come to Israel for a visit every few years. So did my wifes parents and my sisters and their husbands. My mother was slightly tortured in the beginning. They would come to her house every few days, go from room to room, searching, thinking they would find something.

Apart from the visits, how do you keep in touch?

Through WhatsApp, phone calls, whatever we have. We talk every day, under the restrictions. Sometimes they have an eight-hour power outage, so we cant get in touch with them.

What do they tell you?

Everyone wants an Israeli ID now. They say to me, If only we could come live in the State of Israel. Its not only them. I heard it from strangers too, in Gaza, where you see the hunger, where you see the death. A construction worker, who used to come home from a working day with 400 shekels, now works from 4 am to 8 pm for 20 shekels. They are miserable. They have a difficult life. And not all Gazans want Hamas, but they are afraid. Whoever doesnt support Hamas is shot. After I die, I will go to God, and God will take me in. He wont take Hamas in.

And what happened when there were military operations, like Protective Edge, Cast Lead or Pillar of Defense?

During that period, they were finished. They would tell me that they have no electricity, no food, no water. Sometimes they have no water supply for four-five days. They dont shower for a week. Id be lying if I said I didnt feel their pain. But what can I do?

Do you feel lonely?

Its sometimes difficult not having family here, says Y. I sometimes think it could be so much fun if my aunts and uncles and grandparents would come here like my parents came here. I wish they would also contribute to the state and know about Independence Day and Holocaust Day and the other holidays.

They dont talk about Gaza at home. They all agree that there is nothing to talk about. Since they were kids, they knew that their father had contributed to the state, and thats about it. Apart from Y., none of them remembers being harassed over their descent. Nonetheless, R. agrees that we have a cruel youth. We were cruel and we remain cruel.

Although they feel like an inseparable part of the Israeli society, they believe it is a racist society. There is no doubt that the Jewish people are racist, A. says. I am racist myself. I dont like the Arabs mentality. It all begins with a knife and ends with a Katyusha rocket.

Not all the Arabs and not all of Gaza, his father calms him down. In every place, there are good people and there is garbage.

My son heard all these things from me, he defends A. It was my way of strengthening the children. I used to tell them bad things about Gaza. When A. left Gaza, he was five and a half years old. Inshallah, the State of Israel will go back there and I will show him around. He will see the people, and I will tell him who is respectable and who isnt.

I would like to be there, in Gaza, as a soldier, A. says.

Waving an Israeli flag, Y. adds.

Gaza wont get to see me and I wont get to see Gaza, says R.

They all see their future in Israel. Both Y. and R. intend on staying in the army in career service. R. talks about becoming an officer. Its one of the goals he has set for himself. What about peace? They are realistic. Tell us where peace is and well go get it, D. quotes a family joke.

In the meantime, he promises to keep contributing to the state any way he can. Ill work with the Shin Bet till I have two and a half feet in the grave, he says. Even then, people might come and see my finger sticking out of the grave and pointing at someone.

And A., the eldest son, concludes: We have no other country.
A 25-year-old female soldier was lightly injured in a stabbing attack at the Qalandiya checkpoint north of Jerusalem. The female terrorist was neutralized, her condition unknown. The MDA team that was called to the scene evacuated the female soldier to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, with a shoulder stab wound.
A female soldier was stabbed at the Qalandiya checkpoint Monday morning, north of Jerusalem.

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The female assailant was neutralized at the scene, while the soldieran NCO in the Civil Administrationwas lightly wounded in the upper body.

The woman who carried out the stabbing attack was identified as Asya Kabaneh, 41, from the village of Duma in the Nablus area.

Knife terrorist used in attack

Asya, who is a married mother of 9, said during investigation that for a long time she has been in conflict with her husband, who threatened to deport her to her family in Jordan.

The investigation also revealed that she had fought with her husband last night over the education of their children and as a result, she decided to carry out an attack in order for the security forces to shoot her becausein her wordsshe was fed up with her life.

Medical crews at the checkpoint after the attack

Police report that the attacker arrived at the checkpoint and approached security forces, claiming she wanted to ask a question. At that point, she apparently pulled out a knife that was concealed in her bag and stabbed the soldier.

Police and security guards on the scene then neutralized her. The injured soldier was treated lightly by MDA and evacuated to the hospital.

Photo: MDA

The attack Monday morning on Holocaust Remembrance Day comes on the heels of another stabbing attack in Tel Aviv in which an 18-year-old Palestinian from Nablus stabbed several pedestrians in a hotel on HaYarkon Street.
Israel commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday with ceremonies and events throughout the country.

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Two-minute siren in memory of the 6 million Jews (:  ,  ,  )

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The day's events began with a two-minute siren in memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Nazis, which was activated by Holocaust survivor Stephanie Portnoy, 77, who survived the war as a child in Poland. Portnoy activated the siren with the help of her son, Lt. Col. (res.) Yoni Portnoy, who serves in a Home Front Command situation room. Stephanie Portnoy and her son Lt. Col. (res.) Yoni Portnoy activating the siren (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Office)

"My mother's story is a life lesson for me," the son said. "The kindness she was shown by complete strangers is something I've adopted and implemented in my own life. At every point, you can do good for someone." "My mother's story is a life lesson for me," the son said. "The kindness she was shown by complete strangers is something I've adopted and implemented in my own life. At every point, you can do good for someone." Israelis getting out of their cars to stand at attention for the 2-minute siren (Photo: AFP) "Activating the siren helps me come full circle. As a reservist commander at a situation room, I'm responsible for alerting against threats to the citizens of Israel," he added. "Activating the siren helps me come full circle. As a reservist commander at a situation room, I'm responsible for alerting against threats to the citizens of Israel," he added.

The siren was immediately followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (:  ) X

Among those who attended the ceremony were President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Austian Chancellor Christian Kern, Vice President of the Supreme Court of Israel Judge Elyakim Rubinstein, chairman of the World Zionist Organization Avraham Duvdevani, chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky, Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, acting dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, representatives of survivor and fighter organizations and delegations from across the country.

Drivers leave their cars to stand at attention during the 2-minute siren (Photo: Reuters)

Drivers leave their cars to stand at attention during the 2-minute siren (Photo: AFP)

The wreath-laying ceremony was followed by a recitation of Holocaust victims' names by members of the public both in Yad Vashem and at the Knesset under the auspices of Speaker Yuli Edelstein.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

"The last descendents did not have anyone left to say (the Jewish mourning prayer) Kaddish for them," Rivlin said during the Unto Every Person There is a Name ceremony at the Knesset.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

"These were the fighters who, after experiencing the Holocaust and remaining the last remnant of their family, made aliyah, fought, and died in Israel's wars. In their death, they became the symbol that connects Holocaust and revival. But in their death, the memories of their families were also wiped from the world," the president lamented.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: AP)

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Reuters)

Netanyahu, meanwhile, spoke of Shmuel Ben-Artzi, his father-in-law. "He had a tender and pure soul, and he never truly recovered (from the Holocaust)," the prime minister said. "Shortly before he passed away, he kept mentioning his twin sister, Yehudith, who was murdered in the Holocaust. He'd get choked up, tears would roll out of his eyes, and he would not be able to say another thing. In his will, he asked us to write on his tombstone: 'A remnant of a family that was murdered in the Holocaust.'"

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Throughout the day, Yad Vashems International School for Holocaust Studies will be running a variety of activities for educational groups from Israel and abroad, and holding a number of musical performances as part of the Music and Memory project in cooperation with the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

In Haifa, there will be other events on Monday, including a memorial ceremony commemorating those who perished and personal encounters with Holocaust survivors who chose to open their homes. In addition, survivors will arrive at community and educational centers such as the Leo Barak Center, Beit El, the Tiberias Community Center in the Hadar neighborhood and the Ohel Avraham Beit Midrash to tell their story.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

In Poland, the 29th March of Life will take place, beginning at 3:30pm local time (2:30pm Israel time), where more than ten thousand young people from around the world will walk three kilometers from the Auschwitz camp to Birkenau as a silent gesture to the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices. The government will be represented by Minister of Education Naftali Bennett and also attending is Supreme Court President Miriam Naor and Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot.

Wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem (Photo: Reuters)

At 7:45pm, the events of Holocaust Remembrance Day will be concluded in a ceremony at Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot in the presence of President Rivlin. For the first time in the history of the country, a senior German offiical will attend the ceremony: former German President Joachim Gauck will be President Rivlin's guest.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern told President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday how his mother helped a Jewish couple in Vienna after they were forced into hiding when the Nazis rose to power.

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"My grandmother worked in the home of a Jewish family in Vienna, and when the Nazi rose to power, they were forced to hide," Kern began his story. "As an 11 year old, my mother used to take food and drink to the couple every day, until one day she found Gestapo men at the entrance to the hideout. The Jewish couple was never to be seen alive again."

"My mother tells this story over and over to my family," the chancellor added during his meeting with Rivlin in Jerusalem. "I mention this especially since these days, we have to be aware the direct line of remembrance is breaking, the witnesses of that dark period are passing away."

(Photo: Mark Neiman, GPO)

Kern also noted that when he served as the CEO of the Austrian Railways, he worked to promote an understanding of the history of the railways during the Second World War, which had provided a logistical support to the Nazis.

"We have to increase our efforts to keep the memory alive, and we dont just do this to honor the memory of the victims, but I am convinced we must do this for ourselves and for the next generation. It shows and defines in which society and in which future we want to live," he said.

"I stand here as a true friend of Israel, committed to continuously growing the relationship between Austria and Israel," Kern added. "Wherever anti-Semitism raises its ugly head, we will stand together with our Jewish friends and fight against it. We will never rest to guarantee the integrity, dignity, and the safety of our fellow Jewish citizens."

President Rivlin congratulated the chancellor on his support for Israel and his long-standing friendship, and noted that cooperation between the two countries is growing stronger. Rivlin emphasized the many areas in which the countries successfully cooperate and noted the great potential that exists in the areas of security and counter-terrorism, research and development and the field of renewable energy, in which Austria is considered a world leader.

"We are connected not only by the present and future, but also by the past: and of course the painful past of the Holocaust," the president said to Kern.

"This painful past, and especially the issue of Austria's responsibility for its part in this past, have influenced our diplomatic relationship. Tonight Israel is marking its national Holocaust Remembrance Day, and we appreciate the fact that you will take part in it. Israel appreciates your leadership in promoting awareness of this collective responsibility in Austria. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism and fascism have not disappeared  not in Austria, and not in Europe," Rivlin then added,

"I would like to also express my appreciation for your strong and clear voice against such intolerance and hatred. We face challenges and we face opportunities: but we can face them together."

On Sunday evening, Chancellor Kern participated in the opening ceremony for commemoration events on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Sources in the Syrian army said that Russia had expressed willingness to deploy ground forces into Syria if an official request was received from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

In an interview with Al-Quds Al-Arabi, the sources said the Russian Defense Ministry stated it was ready to deploy special forces to places where there could be pressure from rebels in the country.

The sources added that Iran was prepared to expand its participation in battles in Syria, including sending ground forces.
The question of whether the entire German people were responsible for the extermination of Jews in the Holocaust remains disputable. After World War II, Germany tried to reduce the responsibility for the murder of six million Jews to a minimum. As far as Germany was concerned, what happened during those years was a historical mishap, which took place primarily because of one bad person, Adolf Hitler. The majority of the German people, according to this perception, were victims of the Nazi regime themselves. This narrative is emphasized in German film Downfall, which describes the last months of World War II.

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For this reason, the German legal system worked to minimize the number of people prosecuted for their actions during the Holocaust. Up until several years ago, for example, German law determined that serving in the concentration camps was not a cause for prosecution. If we analyze the extermination process in Auschwitz, there were allegedly few Germans who killed Jews with their own handseach person played a small role in the assembly line of the industry of death, so there is no justification for trying them as murderers.

Unfortunately, the State of Israel cooperated with the German narrative. Then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion announced in the 1950s that there is a different Germany. Granted, during that period (West) Germany did have a different leadership, but what about the millions who were part of the Nazi machine? Did they become different in an instant?

A group of boys march beneath Nazi standards in Berlin on February 24, 1936. Hitlerjugend members kept the fire of the revolution burning (Photo: AP)

Most of the Germans who are the subject of this question are no longer alive. Nature takes its course. Nevertheless, there is still one age group that played a decisive role in the Nazi monsters success in the 1940s, and most of its members are still alive. Im talking about the Hitler Youth, Hitlerjugendan organization which was one of the cornerstones of the regime. Contrary to the acceptable image of a youth movement, it played a critical role in the Nazi rule.

Hitler realized that in order to establish the Nazi revolution, he had to enlist the youth before anyone else. That was the reason why the organization was not called the Nazi Youth, but the Hitler youth. The organization was subject directly to Hitler (unlike the police forces, which were subject to Heinrich Himmler). Hitler preferred not to rely on the desert generation of the adult Germans, who were influenced by dangerous ideas of the intellectuals, of the democracy supporters and of the communist and Jewish philosophers, and put his trust in the young people. Their job was to bring the Nazi revolution to the schools, to the public places and into their families.

The members of this movement were more fanatic than the adults and were willing to do anything, including inform on their relatives, for the Nazi ideal. They were the ones who kept the fire of the revolution burning, even when more and more Germans began sobering up from the fantasy of the Fourth Reich in light of the price that Germany began paying in 1943. Were these people ever required to address their responsibility for the Holocaust? Apparently not. The previous pope, Benedict XVI, for example, was appointed to the high post despite being a member of Hitlerjugend. No one gave him a hard time about it.

The responsibility for the Holocaust lies with anyone who played an active role in maintaining the Nazi machine, and in this issuelike in many otherspeople are shirking responsibility and there is exaggerated forgiveness. The Hitlerjugend boys and girls are now about 90 years old, or even less, and many of them are still alive. I dont expect them to be put on trial, but we should expect at least few of those hundreds of thousands of people (or even more) to take responsibility for their actions.
More than 10,000 young people from around the world will take part in the 29th annual March of the Living on Monday, walking the three kilometers between Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland as a silent gesture to the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices.

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Participants are arriving from 50 countries, including Morocco, Panama, the United States and more.

Dozens of students from the Alliance School in Casablanca, Morocco made the journey to the Remah Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of Krakow to meet with Minister of Education Naftali Bennett.

Student delegation from Morocco (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"It is very important for us to come here and see what happened," said the group's teacher. "It strengthens me and my identity as a Jew."

Bennett meeting with students in Krakow (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

David, a student at the school, added, "We learned about the Holocaust in history class at school, and also the one that took place in Morocco. For us, it was important to come and represent our community."

The march will be led by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yisrael Meir Lau, and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett.

Chief of Staff Eisenkot (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

After leading the IDF delegation on a tour of the death camps on Sunday, Eisenkot wrote in the guest book, "This is my first visit on Polish soil as Chief of Staff to see the evil up close, a systematic murder machine of our people, and the great difficulty in comprehending it. The words 'from the Holocaust to revival' are of great importance, along with the understanding that only the advanced State of Israel with a powerful army can prevent similar incidents in the future."

Eisenkot leading the IDF delegation (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The march will also prove to be personal for Minister Bennett, who will march while carrying a handmade piece of embroidery sent to his grandmother from an aunt who perished in the Holocaust. The piece of family history hangs in Bennett's office.

"The embroidery came with the last letter sent from Poland to my grandmother. When the letters stopped, my grandmother realized that the worst had happened," said Bennett.

Bennett posing with the family heirloom in Poland

Prior to the beginning of the march, 12 European education ministers from the EU will convene to discuss cooperation, with an emphasis on the challenge of continuing Holocaust education in a generation without survivors.

In a meeting with the ministers, Bennett said, "The big question is how we continue to talk about the Holocaust not in another 50 years, but in another 500 years. That is our mission. That is our responsibility."
The life story of Holocaust survivor Micha Maor, 84, is interwoven with that of the State of Israel. He dreamed of being a photographer, but would be remembered mainly as the man who photographed the documents that helped convict Adolf Eichmann.

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"There are many Holocaust survivors who have contributed a great deal to the State of Israel, and I am happy that I am one of them," Maor told Ynet.

Micha Maor (Photo: Eli Segal)

Maor was born in Germany in 1933. During the Holocaust, he was imprisoned in a concentration camp in Yugoslavia and immigrated to Israel immediately after the war, in June 1945.

After ten days in the Atlit camp, he began a military career, eventually serving under Rafael "Raful" Eitan. After his release from the army, he decided to study photography in Germany. But then, the Mossad changed his life.

"The state recruited him to the Mossad and assigned him a very interesting task: to stealthily access the office of Dr. Fritz Bauer, who was the District Attorney in Hessen, Germany," said Dr. Tal Misgav, a historian of the Border Police and commander of the Military Museum. "He photographed documents related to Eichmann and then he was sent again on the same assignment. The additional documents he photographed were those that made it possible to unequivocally prove Eichmann's involvement in the Final Solution, without which it could not be fully proven that it was Eichmann."

Maor said that at first, he wasn't aware he had been recruited to the Mossad when he was in Germany, since they suggested that he first work in the photography laboratory, which he later ran. "I ran a few errands and I still didn't know it was the Mossad," he recalled.

"One day, in 1960, the director-general of the Mossad who was based in Germany called me and assigned me a taskto infiltrate the German prosecutor's office in Frankfurt and the office of Dr. Fritz Bauer, who was the district attorney."

Eichmann's trial

The director general described the room to Maor in meticulous detail. "He told me that I would find two binders on his desk, which I had to photograph. I didn't exactly know what the mission was I took a train to Frankfurt with a James Bond briefcase equipped with a Leica camera, a flash, flashlight, film rolls, etc. Even though there was no advance preparation, I was a paratrooper officer, trained in weapons and in Krav Maga. I was an athlete, and I wasn't afraid of anything. "

Maor entered the attorney's office, where he began to photocopy the documents. He didn't know what he was copying but he noticed Eichmann's picture. "I didn't know it was him, but it was written, 'Obersturmmann Fuhrer Adolf Eichmann.' Anybody else who had gone through the Holocaust  would have collapsed right there. I didn't read, I just took pictures. I encountered many swastikas, many signatures of infamous SS officers. As far as I recall, I also had a document by Adolf Hitler himself. Imagine me, a Jew, a Holocaust survivor, touching an authentic Hitler document, touching and photographing."

After about fifteen minutes, Maor sensed someone at the door. "It was the maid who stopped by the door. I saw the silhouette of her shoes. Those were the longest seconds of my life. I immediately packed up my equipment. It was quiet. And ten seconds later, she went on her way. I returned by train to Cologne, and that same night I began to develop the pictures I had taken. Only then did I understand the magnitude of the mission."

Eichmann in Israel

Maor mailed the photographs via a diplomatic post office, and he felt that something was about to happen. "A week or two later, Eichmann was brought to Israel, and then it was clear that these documents would be living testimony written by the Nazis for Eichmann's trial," he said. "I still live it, so much so that when this issue came to light, I recounted (the entire story) to the Germans  and it also appeared in the newspaper Der Spiegel  it amazed them that a Jew had the courage to go into the District Attorney's Office and do this job."

Maor returned to Israel and joined the security apparatus of the young state. He re-enlisted into the IDF and even served in the Military Intelligence's General Staff. Maor was the one who established the Border Police intelligence unit in Israel and to this day, he is considered one of the forefathers of the Border Police intelligence.

On the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Maor decided to convey a personal message: "When I lecture at the schools in east Germany every year about the Holocaust, I do not lecture on my suffering as a child, but rather tell the story of a person who left the inferno and what he contributed to the State of Israel To this day, at the age of 84, I am still active with the International Police Association (IPA) the message is that there are many Holocaust survivors who have contributed a great deal to the State of Israel and I am happy to be one of them."
A significant amount of property the Nazis stole from Jews during the Holocaust has yet to be returned to the legal owners, according to a comprehensive study to be presented Wednesday at an international conference.

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The report examines the state of property restitution after the Holocaust in Europe and is considered the most comprehensive of its kind, examining all the significant legislation passed by the 46 countries that signed the 2009 Terezin Declaration calling for the restoration of Jewish property during the Holocaust.

In countries such as Poland and the Baltic states, where Jews were virtually extinct following the Holocaust, the highest amount of property without heirs is recorded.

Jews in the Warsaw ghetto (Photo: Getty Images)

The study indicates that most western European countries have largely followed the principles of the Terezin Declaration.

However, many of the former communist eastern European countries, especially Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, have yet to meet their commitments.

Warsaw

The stolen property includes pre-war private Jewish properties currently in government and private hands, as well as Jewish religious-communal structures such as synagogues, clubs, and welfare organizations, which have never been returned to the local Jewish community.

The Terezin Declaration expressed a widely recognized principle that no state should profit from property without heirs, and that needy Holocaust survivors, of which there are an estimated quarter of a million, should be provided for with incomes derived from those properties.

However, in most eastern European countries, property left without heirs was transferred to the state and never returned. Furthermore, countries such as Croatia, Lithuania, Macedonia and Slovenia, allow property claims to be filed only by their citizens.

The study also found that the eastern European countries are more likely to return communal property than private property.

But in Latvia, for example, the ownership of Jewish religious-communal property is controversial and therefore the property is ignored in the framework of the Law of Restitution.

Suitcases looted from Jews at Auschwitz (Photo: Shutterstock)

Moreover, a law passed in Croatia in the early 1990s covers only property confiscated during the era of communism. It does not include property taken during the Holocaust and does not cover property that was legally owned by Jewish organizations.

In Poland, only half of the 5,550 communal property claims filed under the 1997 Law of Restitution were accepted.

A dozen European countries have yet to pass special legislation for property without heirs, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Slovenia and Poland.

Researchers found that in Romania, there is a law relating to property without heirs, but it has never been implemented significantly.

Photo: Getty Images

In the case of Hungary, the state has taken a number of legislative procedures with regard to property without heirs since 1997, but the Jewish community sees these steps only as a "down payment" by the government in relation to the value of all lost Jewish property in Hungary.

Gideon Taylor, chairman of the operations committee of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), welcomed the report, saying, "The report sheds light on the failure of certain countries to address the past and to restore what was taken away. In recent years there has been progress in recovering and compensating for looted property, but as the survivors pass away, Europe must ensure that all countries comply with their international obligations."

The report will be presented at an international conference to be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday, under the auspices of European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, calling on EU institutions to support finding solutions to recover stolen Jewish property.

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
Many diaries have been uncovered over the years documenting the difficult experiences of children and adults during the Holocaust. One of these diaries was written by Sylvia Gotmanova, who was only nine years old when Czechoslovakias Sudetenland region was annexed by Germany, and only 10 years old when the Nazis occupied the entire country.

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Sylvia wrote the diary from 1941 to 1942 and dedicated most of it to the world of a growing young girl, the boys she fell in love with, her looks, and the time she spent with her friends. The dramatic events of the war and the Holocaustas they were experienced by Sylvia, her family and the people she knewcan only be discovered between the lines.

The first lines in her diary were written on September 11, 1941: Yesterday was a wonderful day. First of all, I came home from the hospital, where I lay in bed for six weeks due to a fall. Second, I received this diary. Third, my father gave me 100 korunas for a bicycle. I already have 700 korunas and I hope we will buy the bike soon."

Pictures of Sylvia Gotmanova in the diary she kept (photo courtesy of the Ghetto Fighters House)

Before the fall, she goes on, I rode my cousin Yerays bike and now I cant because I can barely walk, and then Im not allowed to meet with other children for 14 more days. Its so stupid. Im not allowed to go to school Im not allowed to sit in the kitchen, because thats where Yeray, Peter and Edita are. We are living in a place rented from Uncle Aula, who I was terribly afraid of.

That same day she also writes: Its raining today, so I cant go out. So it really was a genius idea by grandmother to buy me a diary, especially one with a key. My sister keeps a diary, but in a notebook, and she locks it in a safe.

She wrote mainly about love (photo courtesy of the Ghetto Fighters House)

On September 16, for the first time, she casually mentions the labeling of Jews: When I was at the hospital, I got a letter from Honse Lieven. A year ago, I would have probably been overjoyed, but this year I dont really care. Both Eva and Greta are already seeing someone. Im the only one who isnt. Were supposed to be labeled as Jews soon. Im quite curious about it. A week later she notes, We have been labeled for a while now, and its not that bad.

Immediately afterwards, she writes about her personal life again: Im in loveshould I write it? With Peter Herzog, a friend of Peter Mahror, but it's hopeless, because he has a girlfriend. It doesnt bother me, of course, as long as I can talk to him. I think hes in love with me because another friend, Karel, asked me how old I was. Peter Herzog told me he was offended that I didnt say hi to him. And I dont care. I want Peter.

'Terribly unlucky in love'

A month later, Sylvia writes: A lot has changed since the last time I wrote in the diary. We have been wearing badges indicating that we are Jews, sort of yellow stars (this sentence was erased). Many people are being transported to Poland now, and it will reach us too.

Later, she writes that she is no longer in love with Peter Herzog, but with a different Peterher cousin. I am already ashamed to write in my diary such nonsense, she adds.

In November, she describes the following situation: Yesterday, as I was walking home, on Malanje Street, elderly women were selling lemons, which are usually not for sale. I saw a Jew with a beard stop a few steps before one of the elderly women with the lemons. He stood there for a couple of moments and looked at her. Then he suddenly moved and got closer, but then he immediately changed his mind, looked down at his watch and walked away with a sad expression on his face, so I broke into tears on the spot. I thought that he may have a sick child at home, who cant be without lemon, and now he cant buy the lemons.

In December 1941, Sylvia describes the difficult sights of Jews being transported to the camps: I havent written in my diary for a long time. I am very lazy and forgetful. A lot has changed in the meantime. The transports to Poland are continuing, and now its to Terezin. Zozas guy, Badia, has gone and she was crying all the time even before he left. Edith Mahrer, her mother and father and grandmother (who gave me the diary) and grandfather will leave tomorrow. And Edith Morgenstern. Im completely shocked.

The last time Sylvia wrote in her diary was on April 13, 1942, a week after her 13th birthday. Theres no news. School has begun. Its disgusting. Theres a test tomorrow. I couldnt care less. Ill get a low grade, so what, nothing will happen. There are transports again. This is a horrible, hopeless situation.

This is where the gas chambers were located in the Sobibor extermination camp, where Sylvia and her family were murdered (Photo: Yoram Haimi)

Sylvia keeps writing about her love for her cousin Peter: I am very much in love with Peter, and at the same time I am jealous of Zoza and Lea. I have known for a long time that Peter is in love with Lea, but today Zoza told me that its mutual. I am terribly unlucky.

The young girl concludes her diary with the following words: Id like to stop being occupied with Peter, but its not working. Well, goodbye.

Less than a month later, on May 7, 1942, Sylvia and her familyher parents Simon and Stefanka and her sister Zuzanawere sent to the Theresienstadt ghetto. After about a month in the ghetto, they were sent to the Sobibor extermination camp, where they were murdered.

The diary was donated to the Ghetto Fighters House museum in the Western Galilee by a Swedish woman, whose mother was Zuzanas classmate.

Anat Breitman, who is in charge of the archive at the Ghetto Fighters House museum, defines the diary as an emotionally moving document. It mostly demonstrates how the girl tries to maintain the old order, to keep up with her routine social life on the backdrop of the difficult events taking place around her, which barely infiltrate the world she is describing.

The Ghetto Fighters House museum collected the details about Sylvia and her fate from the donors stories and from information found at Yad Vashem, and is asking anyone who has any other information about the young girl and her family to contact the museum.
The Police Investigation Unit and State Attorney Shai Nitzan decided on Monday to close the criminal investigation against a police officer who opened fire at two Palestinian teenage girls who carried out a stabbing attack with scissors in Jerusalem in November 2015.

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According to the investigation's findings, the two teenage girls were seen brandishing the scissors and seeking passersby to stab with them. One of them succeeded in stabbing an elderly man who was seen escaping the scene bleeding from his neck.

A police officer who arrived at the scene shot them, killing one and wounding the other.

The attack captured by security cameras

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The police officer, a sapper, said in his questioning that he happened at the scene of the attack by chance, got out of his vehicle with his weapon drawn, and ordered the two girls to stop.

Despite his warning and his drawn weapon, the two teenage girls continued coming near him, brandishing sharp instruments that at the time he did not identify.

This prompted the police sapper to open fire at them from a short range to neutralize them, as he believed they were suicide attackers determined to cause harm.

The terrorists brandishing the scissors

Investigators accepted the officer's version that he felt his life and the lives of those around him were in danger, leaving him no choice but to respond to the threat immediately.

The officer's version was supported by eyewitnesses who were on the scene and also testified that they felt the two girls posed a clear and immediate danger to their surroundings.

While no criminal charges will be filed against the officer, the investigative materials were transferred to the relevant authorities in the Israel Police to consider professional ramifications.
Two years after Israel's prime minister vowed to complete the establishment of a museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, funds have dried up and an abandoned construction site is all that remains of the grand project.

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The story of the 1.5 million Jews who fought the Nazisand the 250,000 who died in battlehas long been lost in Israel amid the larger tragedy of the Holocaust and the Nazi genocide of Europe's Jews.

The museum aims to rectify that oversight, but the remaining soldiers, thought to number no more than 5,000, worry they will not live long enough to see it materialize and accuse the government of stalling due to petty political considerations.

"The picture is not complete if we don't understand that together with the 6 million victims, the Jewish people also had a decisive role in defeating the Nazis," said Yitzhak Arad, a 90-year-old former Soviet partisan fighter who blew up 16 German supply trains as a teenager during the war. "I hope to see this museum before I leave this world and that is the wish of the fighters who are still alive."

With the backing of then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Israeli government first committed to the museum in 2002 and vowed to match any funds raised from donors.

The incomplete Jewish war veterans museum (Photo: AP)

Successive governments have renewed the pledge and roughly $6 million already poured into the project has gone toward collecting artifacts and testimonies and to erect a 2,200 square-meter structure in Latrun, near the site of one on the most significant battles in Israel's 1948 War of Independence.

Two years ago, after more than a decade of bureaucratic stalemate, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin attended the official ceremony marking 70 years since Victory Day in Europe and acknowledged that the contributions of Jewish veterans who fought with the US, British, Soviet and other country's militaries have often been overlooked.

They vowed to find the remaining $10 million needed to complete the museum.

Chaim Erez, left, Zvi Kan-Tor, center, and Yitzhak Arad inside the unfinished museum honoring Jewish World War II veterans, in Latrun (Photo: AP)

But later that year, Netanyahu transferred responsibility for the project to Cabinet Minister Ze'ev Elkin's office, and the government did not renew its matching funds commitment.

Repeated pleas from aging veterans for Netanyahu to keep his word have gone unanswered, and critics accuse Elkinwho was born in Ukraineof stalling because he favors securing funds from oligarchs who want to disproportionately recognize the actions of Jews in the former Soviet Union.

Elkin denied the accusations and said that as a grandson of a veteran himself, he has great incentive to see the museum come to fruition. He said the association tasked with establishing the museum had failed in its mission and the government's hands were legally tied.

He called on the association to either quickly find a donor or step aside and let the government handle the project instead.

Ze'ev Elkin (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"They got on a track that is stuck and they keep hoping that someone will bail them out," he told The Associated Press. "That is not going to happen."

The Prime Minister's Office declined several requests for comment.

Chaim Erez, a retired military general and chairman of the association, believes Jewish organizations abroad should participate in the financing, but ultimately it was up to the government to make it happen. "This is a national project that the state has to establish and has to take pride in," he said.

The bad blood has put a damper on efforts to correct the historically distorted narrative of Jews being mere victims of the Nazis who sheepishly marched to their death.

On Monday, Israel marked its annual memorial day. Officially, the day is called "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day." But over the years the emphasis has turned almost exclusively toward the Holocaust part rather than the heroism.

The 550,000 Jewish-American soldiers who fought with the Allies, for instance, are often overlooked, including those who were among the first to liberate the Nazi death camps, often comforting the dazed, emaciated prisoners in Yiddish.

Photo: AP

"The way that the Jewish people are remembered today from the Second World War is, of course, the Holocaust and doubtless this is the main chapter of our history," said Arad, a former director of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, who lost his parents and 40 close relatives in the war. "But still, parallel to this, we should emphasize that we participated in the war. We did our part in the victory and we paid heavily."

There are no museums devoted solely to Jews who fought the Nazis. Individual memorials exist in Israel, and a dwindling population of Soviet veterans still struts out on Victory Day, their medals pinned on old uniforms.

The Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem also has exhibits devoted to the partisans and rebels in the various ghettos.

But veterans say these are just snippets, and the museum in Latrun will be the one place that will serve as their legacy.

"This is also the story of the Jews. We participated massively," said Peter Arton, 95, a Czech navigator in Britain's Royal Air Force, who said a third of his squadron was Jewish.

Piles of German army helmets (Photo: russiainphoto.ru)

Currently, the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II stands as a white elephant facing American, British and Soviet tank models used in the war. The vacant interior is silent but for flapping wings of pigeons that have taken shelter inside.

Baruch Shub, who headed the Organization of Partisans until it shut down last year due to lack of funding, said the museum's status was indicative of the Israeli government's approach. He accused the government of diverting away Holocaust compensation funds and neglecting survivors, veterans and projects aimed at benefiting and memorializing the victims.

"They cheated us," said Shub, 93. "I look in the mirror and say 'what would my friends who died in the forest say about the behavior of the State of Israel that we fought to establish?'"
Marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Monday in Israel and the world, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, Rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin, has published a new prayerbook (siddur) with German translation.

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The prayerbook, whose production spanned four years, features close to 1,400 pages of clear print and attractive design. According to Teichtal, this is the first time in over a century that a one-volume complete Orthodox prayerbook has been printed in Germany that encompasses all daily and holiday prayers with contemporary German translation, along with instructions and explanations regarding the prayers.

"This prayerbook has all the prayers that a person needs for the entire year, including the holidays, except from Rosh HaShana and Yom Kipur," said Rabbi Teichtal.

While in the process of compiling the prayerbook, Rabbi Teichtal founded a Jewish publishing house in Berlin which he named Juedisches. The prayerbook is its first publication.

The new prayer book (Photo: Juedisches Publishing House)

Publishing this prayerbook is also our way of announcing the opening of a new Jewish publishing house in Germany, said Rabbi Teichtal. The next stage is for Juedisches to print other foundational Jewish works. Presently, it is working to publish a Book of Psalms with German translation, and to date, approximately one-third of the job is already complete. It was published in conjunction and with the permission of Kehot, an American publishing house.

Rabbi Teichtal noted that For hundreds of years, one of the main ways of commemorating the tribulations in Jewish history was through prayer. This year, Im certain that reciting the prayer El male rachamim (God Full of Mercyed) in memory of the six million who were murdered in the Holocaust, will evoke great emotion in me, because I will be reciting it along with the contemporary German translation as appears in the new prayerbook.

Aside from the technical advantage of translating the prayers into German, I feel that one way to encourage the younger generation to join us in remembering and honoring the past is by linking memories of the past to a revitalized movement of Jewish spirituality. The fact that specifically here, in a place where they attempted to exterminate European Jewry, there is now a vibrant, active Jewish community, as manifest by the publication of one of the most prominent and basic Jewish works in the German language, attests to the spiritual force and power of humanity, and of the Jewish nation in particular. I sincerely hope that this will be a source of inspiration and message of unity to a younger generation.

Rabbi Teichtal with President Steinmeier (Photo: Juedisches Publishing House)

Half of the new prayerbook are in Hebrew and the other half is in German. Aside from the actual prayers, translation, and elucidation, the prayerbook also includes Ethics of the Fathers; Torah readings for Mondays, Thursdays and Holidays; and basic Jewish laws of prayer. The prayer section is divided into Weekday, Sabbath, Holiday, and fast days. The project was completed by a team of five, including a main editor, translators, and proofreaders, all of whom are members of the Jewish community in Berlin. The endeavor was made possible thanks to generous support of the community.

Several copies of the prayerbook arrived in Germany this past week from Israel, where it was printed. The vast majority of the shipment will arrive in the coming weeks, and the prayerbook will be available for purchase in German Jewish communities, on the Swiss Jewish website Books & Bagels, and on Amazon.

Siddur Tehillat Hashem was compiled in the Sephardic tradition, as customary among Jewish communities that identify with the Chassidic movement. This version of prayer is based on the prayerbook of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, (Ha'ARI), considered to have been one of the great Torah scholars and kabbalists in seventeenth century Safed. There are several versions of Sephardic prayers, and the new Tehillat Hashem follows the version as relayed by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, who wrote the Tanya.

One of the first prayerbooks with German translation appeared in 1895. It was published by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, who was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Frankfurt and one of the leading Orthodox Rabbis in nineteenth century Europe. In the twentieth century, several other prayerbooks were also printed in German, though few encompassed all the prayers.
The cypress tree avenue at the entrance to the cemetery on Moshav Bustan Hagalil, near Acre, seemed to stand taller than ever. As if they, too, were giving a final salute to Hella Rufeisen-Schuepper, the brave liaison who had participated in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and Sunday, on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, passed away and laid to rest.

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She was 96 years old at the time of her death, which took place on such a symbolic and sad date, leaving behind a life story of Holocaust and loss, but also of rebellion and rebirth. Seventy four years have passed since the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto, which became the symbol of the uprising.

Hella Rufeisen-Schuepper

"Life has suddenly become pointless, why continue fighting?" She wrote in an article about her feelings when she received news of the fall of the bunker in the ghetto and the death of the rebels there. "So many young people have perished, millions of Jews are murdered in various ways, poisoned with gas, death is the best and easiest way to go. May death come already." And it did. On Sunday morning.

"My mother wanted to die there," said her son, Eli Dotan. "Her whole life was connected to the fighters, the memories and the thoughts never left her, and now she can reunite with the group she left behind." Hella served as a courier for the Jewish Combat Organization (ZOB), which worked mainly in the Warsaw ghetto and in the Krakow ghetto, testified at the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, was among the torchbearers at Yad Vashem 14 years ago, and wrote an autobiographical book Farewell to Milta 18: The Story of a Courier. "Mother always said that they could never overpower the Germans, but (they did this) for three lines in history: to prove that they didn't go like sheep to the slaughter," the son said of his energetic, caring and loving mother.

Rufeisen-Schuepper with two of her grandsons (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

In the past four years, several Holocaust survivors who have been engraved in the national memory as brave fighters who led a revolt in the ghettos against all odds, passed away; among them, the late Prof. Israel Gutman, who fought in the Warsaw ghetto and became a renowned Holocaust researcher, Pnina Grinshpan-Primer, who was a courier for ZOB in the Warsaw ghetto and died a few months ago, and the late Havkah Folman-Raban, who was also a courier in the ZOB and active in the Warsaw and Krakow ghettos.

The number of survivors of the ghetto fighters is rapidly diminishing. Aliza Vitis-Shomron, who was also a courier for ZOP, expressed her great sorrow over the death of Hella. "She was a friend of mine, I knew her long before the revolt," said Vitis-Shomron, 89, of Kibbutz Givat Oz. "Hella was a courageous fighter, she worked in Israel to commemorate the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, she was a real heroine."

Another former ghetto fighter who expressed his sorrow yesterday is Yehuda Maimon, 93, who traveled the long way from Ramat Gan to the north to accompany Hella on her way to her final resting place. They had met in the Krakow ghetto, and kept in touch over the years. "She hid five pistols under her coat, which for us were like what US missiles are today," he said.

The tales of heroism do not belong solely to the survivors. Tsafrir, one of Hella's grandchildren, described Sunday how his grandmother's stories about smuggling weapons, money and documents captured his heart and influenced his becoming an officer in the IDF Magellan unit.

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (Photo: Getty Images)

On one of the family tours in Poland, he recalled, Hella sat on a boulder, looked down and said: "I should have been with them, but here I am." "Now she is with them," he eulogized sadly. "She was the heroine of my childhood, and thanks to her, I, along with some of her other grandchildren, enlisted in combat units. Her wish was not to take revenge on the Germans but to build a home in Israel."

She left behind three sons, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In recent years, she lived in the shadow of Alzheimer's disease and had trouble identifying those close to her. "My mother had run out of words, but when we held her hand and saw the laughter on her face, that was enough," said the eldest son, Eli.

Shortly before Hella's funeral, her friend and fellow Moshav resident Zehava Reinholdt, 94, had been laid to rest. Reinholdt was a Holocaust survivor from Hungary, who fled with her sister to Budapest and hid under a false identity as a Christian until the liberation. She immigrated to Israel in 1946. She was one of the founders of Kibbutz Yasur and one of the first settlers in Moshav Bustan Hagalil, where she married Hillel Reinholdt, who escaped from Germany in 1938. She left behind three children, seven grandchildren and a first-born great-grandchild, who she unfortunately did not get to meet.
An 18-year-old man from Ashkelon was indicted Monday for making thousands of threatening phone calls and bomb threats to various institutions and venues across the world.

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The indictment in Israel comes on the heels of a similar US Federal indictment filed in Florida and Georgia against the dual Israeli-American national.

The indictment details 2,000 incidents the suspect was allegedly involved in, including false bomb threats to Jewish schools and community centers, planes, airports and sporting events.

The suspect in court (Photo: Dana Koppel)

For example, one of the charges references a bomb threat made against an El Al flight on its way to Israel. As a result of the mid-air scare, French and Swiss fighter jets were scrambled to escort the passenger plane to a safe landing.

In another incident, the suspect threatened an airport in Canada causing a passenger plane to be diverted to another airport and evacuated according to emergency protocols, which led to six people being injured.

The suspect is also being charged with calling in a threat against the airplane belonging to the Boston Celtics, who were travelling for a game. SF Jae Crowder tweeted after the event:

BOMB THREAT SCARE EARLIER.!! NEVER BEEN APART OF SUCH THING. BUT GLAD WE ARE OK AND MADE IT TO OKLAHOMA SAFELY.!!  JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) December 11, 2016

In a more brazen act, it was revealed Sunday that the suspect attempted to extort a Republican member of the US Senate before sending him drugs in the mail and threatening his children.

Other offenses attributed to the suspect include the publication of false information to cause fear and panic, computer crimes, money laundering offenses, weapons possession, assaulting a police officer, mediating drug trafficking, providing means to commit a crime and possessing and disseminating pedophilic materials.

Photo: AFP

The suspect's attorney issued a statement on the indictment, saying, "An indictment was issued in Juvenile Court, in accordance with claims by the prosecution that a portion of the crimes were committed (when the suspect) was a minor. This is not a classic criminal who wants to cause havoc, but rather, a sick offender."

According to Yoni Hadad, an attorney in the cyber department of Israel's State Attorney's Office, "The indictment details more than 2,000 threatening conversations to different countries, airline companies, schools and hospitals all using sophisticated means to conceal his identity. Additionally, he was active on the Dark Net.

"As far as the State Prosecutor is concerned, claims regarding the suspect's personal and medical situation do not protect him from incarceration until the end of proceedings," Hadad said.

Photo: Motti Kimchi

The US Department of Justice and the Israeli Ministry of Justice are negotiating for a possible extradition, but State Attorney Shai Nitzan has temporarily decided against extradition due to the majority of the defendant's crimes being committed in Israel.

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
KHOST -- Suspected Taliban insurgents on Monday attacked a US-operated base in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost, officials said, but gave few immediate details of an assault that coincided with a visit to Kabul by US Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

The attackers had detonated a car bomb at an entrance to Camp Chapman, a secretive facility manned by US forces and private military contractors, said Mubarez Mohammad Zadran, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

But he had little immediate information on any damage or casualties.

"I am aware of a car bomb attack at one of the gates in the US base, but we are not allowed there to get more details," the spokesman said.
IDF Chief od Staff Gadi Eisenkott and Twelve European ministers of education arrived at Auschwitz on Monday to take part in the 29th annual March of the Living.

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"I am proud and honored to pledge that we will always remember the inhumane tragedy that took place in these camps," said Eisenkott before the audience gathered for the ceremony. "The commanders and soldiers of the Israeli Military will always be their voice."

Eisenkott speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day

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Photo: Motti Kimchi

Photo: Motti Kimchi

The education ministers join over 10,000 young people from 50 countries including Morocco, Panama, the United States and others.

"We are standing here in Auschwitz, the cemetery of the Jewish people in Europe, where only 70 years ago there was an unprecedented atrocity when the Nazis, industrially and deliberately, destroyed the Jewish people throughout Europe.

"The lesson here is that we need a Jewish state of our own and to defend ourselves, and the lesson for the whole world is to be human beings," said Minister of Education Naftali Bennett.

Minister of Education Bennett with his Austrian counterpart (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Bennett's Austrian counterpart, Sonja Hammerschmid, told Ynet, "We are here to look at what happened in the past, to understand and to make sure that such things won't happen. I think every citizen should know happened here and in order for it to endure, we need to start at the most basic level, the students."

Bennet at the start of the march (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Hammerschmid added, "Our message is to make sure that something like this does not happen again. This is done by bringing the students here to meet with survivors so that they will know and hear (what happened)."

Photo: Motti Kimchi

Photo: Motti Kimchi

An American student participating in the march told Ynet, "I am very happy to be here at the March of the Living and I think it is very important to remember all the families that perished in the Holocaust. It is also very important to continue living according to their tradition and their memories."

Photo: Motti Kimchi

Photo: Motti Kimchi

Chairman of the March of the Living, Dr. Shmuel Rosenman, said to the marchers, "Since the beginning of the March of the Living initiative, more than 250,000 youth from all over the world have marched on the track. We stick to the words of Elie Wiesel, to instill the memory of the Holocaust in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of young people all over the world, Jews and other religions, so that they too may be witnesses. To ensure that the Holocaust will not become a faded memory, but rather a lesson that every human being carries in his heart forever. "
The Finance Ministry and the Histadrut Labor Federation held talks on Monday in an effort to reach a compromise that would prevent the strike set for Tuesday, treasury sources said.

The Histadrut declared the strike in protest of the terms of employment in the Israel Broadcasting Authority and the new Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation.

The offered compromise will see 170 IBA employees receiving compensation, while some will be hired by government ministries and see a raise to their pensions.
The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court acquitted mob boss Amir Mulner on Monday of the charge of hindering a police officer in the line of duty.

Mulner, who chose to represent himself, was charged after refusing to open the door to his home to police officers.

The judge determined that "it could not be determined from the evidence that the defendant knew police officers were on the other side of the door."
A caregiver was recently released by the police, even though she admitted to stealing property from a deceased Holocaust survivor who was under her care.

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The property was found in the Port of Ashdod moments before it was about to be sent to the caregiver's home in Sri Lanka.

Caregiver caught stealing (courtesy of the family)

The caregiver, a foreign worker, took care of 83-year-old Haviva Lezer until her passing on March 1. "She took good care of Mom. After her passing she cried with us at her funeral," said Ronit, Lezer's daughter.

According to Ronit, after the Shiva mourning period the family returned to the deceased woman's home to find that a lot of property was missing. After checking the home's security footage they saw the caregiver packing items such as clothing, kitchenware, food supplies, a sewing machine and even medicine in boxesall of which were missing.

courtesy of the family

courtesy of the family

"What was most important to us was her jewelry, which we knew she hid in the sewing machine, among them was her wedding ring," noted Ronit.

The family filed a complaint with the police, who quickly tracked down the caregiver and the stolen property. Unfortunately, when the family members checked the sewing machine, they did not find the jewelry, accusing the caregiver of taking them.

The caregiver was interrogated and admitted to the theft, yet categorically denied stealing any jewelry.

After several weeks, the police decided to close the case against the caregiver for lack of public interest.

Ronit expressed displeasure over the police's decision, saying "what she did was wrong. She was treated well by us but acted contemptibly. If she would have asked, we would have given her the property she stole. We had nothing to do with it. After we got it back we donated it to charity."

"We found out that she called a worker's rights hotline complaining that we owed her money," Ronit added. "We do not deny this and are willing to pay her, but she must first return the jewelry."

(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)
The United States must confront Russia for providing weapons to the Taliban for use against American-backed forces in Afghanistan, top US military officials said Monday.

At a news conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, Gen. John Nicholson, the American commander in Afghanistan, wouldn't provide specifics about Russia's role in Afghanistan. But said he would "not refute" that Moscow's involvement includes giving weapons to the Taliban.

Earlier Monday, a senior US military official told reporters in Kabul that Russia was giving machine guns and other medium-weight weapons. The Taliban are using the weapons in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, according to the official, who briefed journalists on intelligence information on condition of anonymity.

Russia denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the US-led invasion in 2001. Russia says contacts are limited to safeguarding security and getting the hard-line religious fundamentalists to reconcile with the governmentwhich Washington has failed for years to advance. Russia also has promoted easing global sanctions on Taliban leaders who prove cooperative.
US officials say the Trump administration will issue new sanctions against Syria as early as Monday as part of its ongoing crackdown on the Syrian government and those who support it.

Two officials say that the sanctions are part of a broader effort to cut off funding and other support to Syria's President Bashar Assad and his government amid the country's escalating civil war.

The officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly.

The decision to expand sanctions on Syria comes less than a month after the US fired a barrage of missiles on a Syrian airfield. The US strike was retaliation for the recent chemical attack on Syrian civilians, which the US blames on Assad's government.

Trump has called Assad "evil" and said his use of chemical weapons "crossed a lot of lines."
European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor lamented the success of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round of the French presidential elections. Le Pen will face centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron in the second round of voting in the presidential elections.

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Macron barely beat out Le Pen for the top spot in the first round of voting on Sunday with 23.74% of the vote, with Le Pen coming in second with 21.53%.

Macron (L) and Le Pen (Photos: AFP)

Speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Kantor described Le Pen as "dangerous" and added that it was "extremely regrettable that more than one in five French voters voted for Le Pen."

Photo: AFP

Kantor highlighted that the National Front leader recently "made comments against the historic record of the Holocaust, which makes her no less dangerous than her Holocaust-denying father who she has tried to hide."

Photo: MCT

Earlier this month, Le Pen denied that France was responsible for rounding up more than 13,000 Jews at a Paris cycle track to be sent to Nazi death camps during the Holocaust.

French public after the first voting round in the presidential election (Photo: Reuters)

Additionally, a senior French Muslim leader has called on the country's nearly 5 million Muslims to "vote massively" to elect Emmanuel Macron president, or in other words, not to cast a vote for Le Pen.

Dalil Boubakeur, rector of Paris' Grand Mosque, called the final May 7 vote to choose the next French head of state "decisive for the destiny of France and its religious minorities."

His statement said: "The Grand Mosque of Paris and its National Federation (FGMP) call on Muslims in France to vote massively for candidate Emmanuel Macron."

Without referencing Marine Le Pen explicitly, Boubakeur says French citizens must comprehend the "threat embodied by xenophobic ideas dangerous to our cohesion."

Similar sentiments were made by several EU leaders, among them European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who came out to endorse Macron in the French presidential race.

Tajani said he Le Pen won't win in the second round of the presidential election on May 7. He called on French people to get involved and defend the European Union.

He added that Le Pen's goal of leaving the EU is a poor choice because "to remain in isolation is a bad solution."

He said there are things to be improved about the EU "but that doesn't mean to destroy it."

Tajani spoke through a translator on Monday at a news conference in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, where he attended a conference of speakers of EU member states' parliaments.

The European Union's head office has also thrown its weight behind Macron in the French presidential runoff against Marine Le Pen, arguing it is a choice between the defense of the EU or those seeking its destruction.

In an exceptional stance during an ongoing campaign, the European Commission says that circumstances forced the hand of its president, Jean-Claude Juncker.

EU spokesman Margaritis Schinas said that "the choice was a fundamental one." He said Macron represents the pro-European values while Le Pen "seeks its destruction."

Following the first round of voting, Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said he hopes a victory in the French presidential election for Macron would mark a break in the rise of extremist populist parties in Europe.

Speaking to Spain's Cadena Ser radio, Dastis stressed the need for caution but added that a win for Macron in the second round against Marine Le Pen would be "good news because his project for Europe is the closest to that of the Spanish government."

Dastis said he hoped an eventual victory for Macron, together with recent Dutch election results, will confirm a move away from populist parties but added that European countries "need to get their act together, need to re-examine and constantly improve the European project."

Le Pen launched an attack on Monday against Macron, presenting him as inexperienced saying he would be weak in facing Islamic terrorism. In a conversation with reporters, she said: "I am going out to meet with the French people in order to draw their attention to important matters, including Islamic terrorism, which Mr. Macron speaks about with gentle, weak words."

France has suffered a series of Islamist terrorist attacks over the past two years, in which more than 230 people have been killed and hundreds were wounded. However, public opinion polls continue to show that French voters are more concerned about the state of the economy than about national security.

Le Pen's emissaries were also gunning for Macron on Monday. They emphasized the fact that Macron had served as economy minister in the very unpopular, outgoing socialist government. "Emanuel is not a patriot, he sold national companies and criticized French culture," said Florian Filippo, deputy to Le Pen in the National Front party. Commentators said that Le Pen's biggest chance of beating Macron is to present him as part of a remote elite class whose life is far from that of the common Frenchman's.

French President Francois Hollande similarly called on his countrymen to vote in the second round of the race, warning that France's position in the international arena is in danger. Hollande said Le Pen's policy would destroy the French economy and threaten French freedom. He stressed that the extreme right is a danger to the state.
German Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who arrived in Israel on Monday, said: "to commemorate the Holocaust Memorial Day, I remind Germany's historic responsibility for the Holocaust and the crimes of the Second World War.

"This very responsibility serves as a guideline for us and an obligation to take action against anti-Semitism and for human dignity. I stand here in Israel in silence, facing the deep void of the Holocaust and a nation that reached out to us despite it."
Former US president Barack Obama returned to the public spotlight on Monday, speaking before an audience on the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS).

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"Ordinary people can perform extraordinary things when they stick together," said Obama during his talk, adding, "The single most important thing I can do is prepare next generation to take their crack at changing the world."

Obama added that young people are the key to solving the nation's most daunting problems and his plan after holding the nation's highest office is to work with them. He delivered brief remarks at the event before asking students on the panel about what influenced them.

Barack Obama speaking in Chicago University (Photo: Reuters)

The discussion was held at the University of Chicago, where Obama's presidential library is planned.

Roughly 500 people, many of whom are students from area colleges and at least one high school, attended the discussion. The invitation-only event is being billed as part of his post-presidency goal to "encourage and support the next generation of leaders."

In a thinly veiled criticism to the recent epidemic of "fake news" accusations levelled against news outlets in recent monthsin no small part by current President Donald TrumpObama said, "A lot of us who have been in politics for a while see a change  it used to be that everyone had the same information but had different opinions on it."

Obama gave advice on leadership, dealing with failure and even social media. He spoke briefly about his experiences as a community organizer before asking the panel of young people for their views.

Obama's presidential library is planned near the edge of the Chicago campus. He said he hopes it'll also serve as a place for young people to become more civically engaged.

On Sunday, Obama met privately with young men on the city's South Side to talk about gang violence and employment.

Obama delivered his presidential farewell speech in Chicago in January.





Obama and Branson on vacation

Following the end of his second term as president, Obama retreated from public life, with only the paparazzi providing the world glimpses of him and wife Michelle as they vacation with such friends as billionaire Richard Branson.

His first public engagement since then comes as President Donald Trump nears his 100-day mark in office.
Iran's Supreme Court has upheld a five-year jail sentence for a British-Iranian charity worker who was convicted on unspecified charges relating to national security, her husband said on Monday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested by the elite Revolutionary Guards in April 2016 at a Tehran airport, as she was about to return to Britain with her two-year-old daughter after a family visit.

Iranian media have said she was convicted of plotting the "soft overthrow" of Iran's clerical establishment, a charge denied by the Foundation and her family. She was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in September.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said the appeal was her last legal opportunity to challenge the sentence. The Iranian judiciary declined to respond to calls seeking comment.
President Reuven Rivlin on Monday slammed French Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who recently denied France's involvment in sending Jews to their deaths in World War II.

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"Two weeks ago, a French presidential candidate denied France's responsibility for the deportation of its Jewish citizens to Nazi concentration and extermination camps, and denied the French involvement in the deportation of the Jews," he said during the closing ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day at Ghetto Fighters' Museum at Kibbutz Mordei HaGetaot.

"A member of her party denied not only French involvement in the deportation of the Jews to destruction, but their very murder," the president added.

Rivlin during the ceremony (Photo: MX1)

"The latest political statements are very disturbing," he noted. "And everywhere the message is the same message: We are not responsible for the Holocaust, we are not responsible for the destruction of the Jewish people that occurred on our border."

"In Poland, the discourse over the local population's involvement in the persecution and extermination of Jews has become a hot topic. Elected officials in Ukraine were furious after I spoke before their parliament and said that 'many of those who helped the Nazis were members of the Ukrainian people, including those who had ransacked and massacred the Jews and in many cases turned them over to the Germans.' And in Britain, a member of the Labour Party who was expelled from it said that 'Zionist Jews collaborated with Hitler,'" the president said.

"It is true that there is no equal responsibility," continued Rivlin. "We do not see any nation other than the German nation as the mastermind behind the diabolical design and execution of the final solution. But we demand self examination from of all those who helped carry out the extermination program."

Bringing his point home, Rivlin asserted that "Disavowing responsibility for the crimes committed during World War II Is a new kind of Holocaust denial, far more dangerous and destructive than what we have known so far. The traditional deniers of the Holocaust belonged to the extreme left and right sides and relied on the quasi-scientific work of so-called historians. Those older generation deniers attacked the facts and magnitude of the Holocaust, together with its goals and root anti-Semitism. Their success was minimal.

"Holocaust denial, however, which is growing before our eyes, strives for a more sophisticated and dangerous goalis not the denial of the existence of the Holocaust but denial of the distinction between a victim and a criminal. It is a denial that seeks to turn all of Europe, from its national leadership to its organizing institutions, into the victims. It is a denial that wishes to abolish the political and moral responsibility that must stand at the heart of the memory of the Holocaust for generations to come.

"Victimhood is the most efficient and sweeping method that exempts from responsibility," he warned.

Le Pen (Photo: Reuters)

At the end of his remarks, President Rivlin invited his guest, outgoing President of Germany Joachim Gauck, to speak. Gauck thanked the president for his invitation to attend the moving event and said, "Before you stands a man, a German man, who has been moved by what he has seen today."

He continued, "Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, I pay my respects to those who were once ostracized, humiliated, persecuted and murdered by another Germany, because they were Jews. I will never think of those inhuman actions with anything but a pronounced sense of horror and profound sadness.



"As President, I made a point of returning to the scenes of these horrific events and mass murders perpetrated by Germans. I met with survivors and listened to them and cried with them. I will never forget their stories. But above all, I will never forget their willingness to reach out in friendship to the Germans of today."

Gauck (Photo: Shai Vaknin/TPS)

Gauck stressed the importance of educating the next generation of Germans about the history of the Holocaust, and noted the significance of the strong bilateral ties between Israel and Germany today. "When I was young, I and millions of other Germans began to read about and realize what Germans before us had done. There was a time when I was ashamed to be German. I was unable to like my country. I hated it even. My generation viewed our parents with disgust. They disclaimed all culpability, they allegedly knew nothing. The majority of them still maintained this silence in the 1950s and 60s and refused to accept responsibility for what had happened. I am sure, Reuven, that we are both filled with joy to see that our people are so close today, not just in diplomatic statements, but also in real everyday life. And as a German who was born in 1940, I want to repeat that I am also filled with gratitude so great that I have no words to express it."

Gauck (L) and Rivlin (Photo: Shai Vaknin/TPS)

He noted that "I may have been the last German President to have been born during the war and during the Shoah. For me, personally, that is a significant fact. But for the German peoples historical awareness and sense of responsibility, year of birth is irrelevant. I have said it many times before. Even future generations of Germans will not have an identity unblemished by Auschwitz. The special and lasting connection between our peoples and Germanys particular solidarity with the democratic State of Israel will remain part of their identity."

In his address at the opening of the ceremony, the chairman of the Ghetto Fighters House Museum Board of Directors, Dr. Arye Carmon, said that It is our duty and it is the obligation of our youth, the people of tomorrow, to bear the burden of the fight against oblivion and denial. Already today, our lives have been exposed to the threat of the future of the Holocaust in the human consciousness. The signs of oblivion and denial arise hand in hand with renewed injury to human dignity and freedom, with renewed manifestations of anti-Semitism and with evil raising its head in those countries whose cooperation with the Nazi oppressor helped exterminate one third of our people."

Carmon stressed that the combined presence of Israels tenth president and the German Republics eleventh president, one of its most prominent leaders, is a sign for the launch of a combined struggle by those fighting for human dignity and freedom, a multi-generational struggle against oblivion and denial and the assimilation of the moral lessons of the Holocaust.

This year's remembrance day marks 72 years since the end of World War II and the Holocaust.
Two representatives of Shas and United Torah Judaism, Rabbi Nathan Elnatan and Rabbi Naftali Lubert, announced on Monday to Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai that they are stepping down from their positions in the Tel Aviv municipality effective immediately following the High Court of Justice's decision to allow supermarkets to operate on the Shabbat.
Three F-35 stealth fighter jets landed on Sunday in Nevatim Airbase in the Negev, joining two others that arrived about four months ago.

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The three planes will undergo a thorough testing and implementation procedure lasting about a year.

Three F-35 stealth fighter jets land in Nevatim Airbase (Photo: IAF)

X

Israel became the first country after the US to receive the American-built jets, which will increase its ability to attack distant targets.

Three F-35 stealth fighter jets arrive in Nevatim Airbase (Photo: IAF)

The main unique capability of the plane is its ability to fly over enemy territory without being identified by radars. Moreover, it is able to carry 16 tons of bombs, missiles and fuel.

In total, Israel is set to receive 50 such planes (F-35A), named Adir by the IAF, with deliveries taking place over the course the next few years, with the last arriving by the end of the decade. Together, they are set to form two squadrons.

The F-35 (Photo: IDF)

Additionally, for the first time in history, the F-35 will participate in Israel's Independence Day aerial demonstration.

Though the government has not released exact figures for the price, at approximately NIS 387 million ($100 million) per airplane, these fighter jets will likely set Israel back almost NIS 20 billion ($5 billion), not including the costs of additional maintenance and support equipment.
Spiritual leader of the Shas political party Rabbi Shalom Cohen is threatening to retire the party from the coalition following a decision by the High Court of Justice to allow supermarkets to remain open in the Shabbat.

In a conference held today in Tel Aviv, the Rabbi sauid that "the High Court is giving us trouble. We need to fight everything it does, and if notwe will retire from the government."
This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

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Zabka, Warszawa, 166 m2

Lokal znajduje sie w budynku apartamentowym Unimax Development w inwestycji Viva Vitolin, przy ul. Grochowskiej 87 w Warszawie. Bedzie dostepny w 4Q 2023 roku (podpisanie umow przeniesienia wasnosci).
The next day, the local newspaper Sydsvenskan reports that seven suspects were arrested and the victim was a 23-year-old, well known to the police. Allegedly, he was threatened before. Apparently, in January he witnessed another murder.

In the infamous Rosengard district one almost doesn't see any native Swedes. There are plenty of Iraqis, or people from the former Yugoslavia, Lebanese, Somalis, and many other nationalities. But few Poles  theyve moved on to other parts of the city.

Rosengard was built in the 1960s. It is one of the governments million program districts: one million low-cost, accessible apartments in concrete skyscrapers interwoven with squares, alleys, bicycle paths, schools, and shopping centers. Today they are inhabited by the citys poorest residents.

REKLAMA

The war between local street gangs has led journalists from European and American right-wing media to make pilgrimages to Rosengard. From there they report on no-go zones", filing their stories from a forbidden district that ordinary Swedes don't go near, a battlefield", sharia area", or lost city".

On February 20th, Paul Watson, a blogger and writer for Infowars, tweeted: "Any journalist claiming Sweden is safe; I will pay for travel costs & accommodation for you to stay in crime ridden migrant suburbs of Malmo. I don't want his money, but Im taking up the challenge.

To be like Zlatan

My guide in Rosengard is Gemila al Kuraishi.

REKLAMA

She works at an asylum center and has been living in Malmo since 1989. She was five years old when she arrived from Warsaw with her parents. Her father was from Iraq, her mother from Poland.

We stroll down the alleyways and main streets. Simple, but well-maintained facades, lots of trees, bicycle stands, garbage bins, flower beds and gardens. Its a bit like a district of revitalized Communist-era apartment blocks in Poland  except that almost everyone here has darker skin.

Some women wear head scarves and traditional Muslim ankle-length dresses. Others show their hair and squeeze into tight jeans. Swedish mixes with Arabic on the street, though the latter is more common. Two teenagers smoke cigarettes. A young man scrubs his balcony. Another, in a baggy gray tracksuit, rides by on a bike carrying a bag of groceries.

REKLAMA

People in Poland ask me on Facebook: are you safe? The news they get is all sensationalized. I've lived here 28 years and I've never been attacked, robbed, or stabbed. I love this place, Gemila says. If Malmo really were so bad, where did all the new neighbors come from? Why do so many people want to live here? The city is expanding, and here there is something for everyone, every kind of music, theater. Hungry in the middle of the night? Theres always something open.

Gemila speaks Polish, but prefers to speak English with me.

To be more precise, she explains. "Oh, look! This food truck under the bridge. When school lunch was bad, we went here for 10-kronor falafel. It was the first place like this in town.

Growing up, her best friends came from China, Chile, and Vietnam. At school every week they celebrated a different holiday: Chinese New Year or Iranian Nowruz. Students brought home-made traditional food.

That everyone is different was normal for us. I remember how, at the beginning of the 1990s, a whole bunch of new kids appeared in the neighbourhood, literally overnight. They were refugees from the Balkans. A simple hi  and we started playing together.

But one thing the area didnt have was native Swedes.

Gemila made her first Swedish friend in college. In her opinion, this is a big problem for Rosengard. How are newcomers from Syria, who mostly keep among themselves, going to assimilate? How will they learn the language if there are so many places where they can speak Arabic? Language classes sponsored by the government are not enough.

Ever since I was a teenager, I remember this division: we, that is immigrants, against them, Swedes from downtown. When they built a McDonalds here, we were all like: hurray! But then we thought: ok, they probably did it so that we wouldn't go to their neighbourhoods.

Gemila doesn't want her son to feel the same way. That's why she sent him to school in a different part of town. And to yet another to play after-school soccer. In Malmo, every boy dreams of growing up to be Zlatan Ibrahimovic, star of the Swedish national soccer team.

"Zlatan lived on this block, my guide points out to me. "His mom would be calling him home for dinner, but he just wanted to keep kicking the ball around.

Many years later Zlatan (along with Nike and a municipal company) built a soccer field here. Zlatan Court also includes a training wall for practicing your aim. The inscription on the nearby bridge, attributed to Zlatan, reads: You can take the man out of Rosengard, but you cant take Rosengard out of the man."

To be yourself

What went wrong here? Ethnic segregation.

"When everyone hints that you are different, you finally just assume that you are. I always say that integration requires the effort of both parties: immigrants and Swedes. It's like rowing: if only one person paddles, the boat will just go round and round.

Recently her son asked her who he was. She replied that he would have to find out for himself. He shares her Polish-Iraqi roots with those of his Lebanese-Swedish father.

As for Gemila, she decided that she was just going to be herself. She can fluently switch from chats with native Swedes to feeling at home in the world of immigrants. Technically Gemila is a Muslim, but at home she helped to decorate a Christmas tree. There was a time when she looked for her identity in Poland, but she was discouraged.

When I talk with Iraqis about my mixed origins, they just wave their hands: "Youre not mixed, you're ours! But Poles reaction is the opposite: they exclude you. Like this waiter in a restaurant in Warsaw who got really rude when he heard me speak Polish. Or this security guy who followed me in a shop in Wroclaw... my friend said: 'He thinks youre Roma.'

We pass under a bridge with a sign: Your home is where your heart is. I see a memorial stone with some flowers and a few candles.

One of the victims was killed here, Gemila explains.

Gangsters are the problem!"

In January, at the bus station in Rosengard, 16-year-old Ahmed was killed. Six bullets, close range. All in the back. After this tragedy people took to the streets to march against violence.

In the basement office on the outskirts of the district I meet with Housam Abbas, Ahmed's cousin.

He was a good boy, not involved in any criminal activity. Good grades, liked at school. His friends loved him. He wanted to become a doctor. The police didn't find any motive', says Abbas with a trembling voice.

Ahmed and part of his family came to Sweden in 2009 as refugees from Iraq. A few years earlier, Housam had made the same journey. He is an engineer and volunteers at a local community center, organising youth talks.

"People reacted strongly to Ahmed's death because up until then those who were killed were mostly connected to gangs. The exception was Rami, who died in December, and then Ahmed. Rami, 24, was killed in a better neighborhood. He was a dentist, studied in Poland for six years, and had just come back last year. He got a job two weeks before he died.

Abbas has a wife and a three-year-old daughter.

"I'm afraid of something happening to them. Every morning I take my kid to kindergarten and my wife picks her up in the afternoon. Recently there was a murder 50 meters from there. And when my wife was writing an article about how much we missed Ahmed, she saw information about another murder on the Internet. She panicked. I didn't know how to calm her down. I called the hospital but they advised me to just be there with her. I love Malmo, but we want to live here safely.

According to Abbas, the police don't do enough to fight crime: they should have more legal powers and more officers. The law should be tightened so that kids under 15 can also be incarcerated. He, Rami's sister, and several activists issued these demands to the Minister of Justice at a recent meeting in Stockholm.

"Those teens know perfectly well that they have impunity. We have a lot of guns coming over the bridge from Copenhagen. Do you know how easy it is to get one? I talked to a 13-year-old who told me: 'If you want, I could get you a handgun for 3,000 kroner'. I was shocked! My wife and I, we wanted to have cameras on our street, but our request was rejected. I read in a newspaper that actually about 200 young people are behind those crimes. Why can't the police deal with them?!

"Some say: 'that's immigrants' fault, we should just get rid of them'", I tell him.

Abbas is genuinely surprised.

I have a Swedish passport, just like Ahmed. We came here and we obey the law. We are Swedes. I work, my wife and sister also work, we pay high taxes. Ahmed's two brothers work in health care. They are good people. Why immigrants? Gangsters are the problem!

We are visible when necessary"

I asked residents of Rosengard if they felt safe here. And got varied answers: on a daily basis life is normal, the press exaggerates", but also I'm scared". That response came from a Swedish teenager of Palestinian origin, who added: If I could, I would immediately move to another district".

A man from Iraq in his mid-twenties simply summed it up this way: We have ordinary people here. And a few spoiled kids.

Anders Wiberg, a deputy police superintendent in Malmo, confirms the statistics Abbas quoted.

"We identified 205 people who altogether have 1.7 thousand sentences. Young people, say, 15 to 25. We arent talking about gangs, but loosely organized local criminal groups, explains Wiberg.

He admits that usually victims have a criminal background, but neither confirms nor denies that Ahmed was indeed a good boy  this is part of an ongoing investigation.

"Do the police have enough funds to manage Rosengard?, I ask.

"Of course we would like to have more, but we are doing our best. We have enough people for our current investigations.

But Swedish media wrote recently: 'Malmo police ask for help'''.

"That was about inside shifts. We got some support.

We talked on March 30, in the morning, just a few hours before the latest murder.

I've been here a few days and I haven't seen any patrols, I say.

"I assure you that were present in the district. We are visible when necessary, Wiberg answers.

In 2008 riots broke out in Rosengard. In the same year firefighters asked for police escort after they were pelted with stones and eggs.

"Is Rosengard a no-go zone?

"There are no such zones in Sweden. It's a misunderstanding created by the foreign media. Moreover, for us it's a go zone", the area where we should be especially present. We have a police station there, says Wiberg.

Asked about Sharia areas", he also denies their existence. He adds, however, that the police identified 15 areas across the country which  although governed by Swedish law  are also home to parallel social structures". Rosengard is among them.

What does that mean? The police report lists informal loans between residents, local authorities settling disputes between people or clans, illegal shops selling smuggled alcohol and cigarettes, special funds with which criminal groups support families of convicts.

According to the report there is currently no area in Sweden where the parallel social system fully exists. But there are surrogates which can develop if they get out of control, especially because these places also share a general reluctance to participate in court proceedings", harbor "religious extremism promoting violence", and cause police difficulties in performing their duties". The close proximity of other, similar districts adds to the problem.

Wiberg is nevertheless convinced that the police can handle it.

We're working with politicians. In about six months a new law takes effect: if we catch a criminal with a gun, they will immediately go to prison. As it is now, if you have a gun, but you're young, you'll be out right away. This reform can reduce violence.

Pole on a ladder

Every year in Malmo's emergency room we treat a few people for gunshot wounds", says Paulina al Kuraishi, Gemila's sister, who was a nurse there for five years.

Back then she saw many wounded young boys visited by family and friends. And the ward would get noisy.

But with me they had to behave. Mute your phone, hide those undies under your pants. Discipline, but out of love. Maybe that's what they lack. Because in Sweden everyone cares only about their own.

"Weren't you afraid?

"Nah! How many times they came to me in the street: 'Oh, you're from the emergency room! Remember me? You threw me out because I was loud'. I still live in Rosengard. I tell them: Boys, empty cans go in the trash can, make it look nice'. All depends on how you approach people.

Paulina remembers that the district got terrible press back in the 1990s. The Stockholm journalists came to look at us like we were monkeys in a zoo. They quoted the ridiculous story about inhabitants destroying wooden floors to grow vegetables in their rooms.

Im ashamed I was once fooled, too. A friend from Stockholm came to visit. Scared like hell, because, you known: Rosengard. We were sitting here, talking, and suddenly someone knocked on the door. It was after 10 pm. In Sweden you don't visit friends just like that, you call them first to make an appointment. I looked through the eyehole  a black guy. My colleague freaked me out enough that I didn't open the door. Half an hour later we heard another knock, this time a neighbor. Again, I didn't open, I don't know why. The next day it turned out that I had left my keys in the keyhole. The neighbor took them to the police. That's how it is in Rosengard. We take care of each other. A Swede wouldn't see those keys, he would just look away.

Paulina also claims that as for the emergency room, more often than juvenile delinquents they would have old Swedes who just wanted to talk to someone. And Poles.

Often they were brought in by an ambulance because they had a few and fell off a ladder! In the evenings we had completely drunk people coming in. The two record breakers on intensive care reached 0,6 BAC each, and they were proud to have survived. Alcohol is very expensive in this country, so we had many Poles stealing the ethanol we use for decontamination.

I took care of myself"

According to the official data from two years ago, over 7,000 Poles live in Malmo, population 320,000. On the corner of Sodra Forstadsgatan and Smedjegatan, next to a Swedish supermarket, an Indian Haweli restaurant and a Middle Eastern shawarma, there is a Polish delicatessen called Polonus". Rosengard extends to the south east. Downtown, where the white Swedes are the majority, is to the north. There native Swedishness meets "immigration light: restaurants with some delicious ethnic food and the hookah shops.

The Polonus is owned by Jan Wilbring, who came in the 1980s.

I had a sister in Sweden and I found myself a fake Swedish wife. In the beginning I worked for a construction company, I washed the toilets. It wasn't nice and easy. I've had my store for 20 years, I make it work.

Wilbring sits in his office and watches the shop on several screens.

Who steals?, I ask.

Roma. I caught them like a hundred times, but I never went to the police because they wouldn't do anything. There is a lot of pressure on them being a victimized group.

I ask Wilbring if he feels safe in Malmo.

In the middle of the night, not quite, but it's not like you go out and you'll get shot in the head. These are fights between gangs. I read what they write in Poland and I can hardly believe my eyes. Ten years ago or so, Sweden played in the Davis Cup against Israel and there was a riot started by some Palestinians. People are still putting those videos on the Internet, like this is whats happening now.

Despite this skepticism, the owner of Polonus supports anti-immigrant Swedish Democrats.

We should help the refugees, but only those really in need. In Rosengard we have a lot of people on benefits, not interested in any work. The state made them dependent. I took care of myself. I am liberal and I believe that a good state gives people a free hand, instead of interfering in raising children or curbing their initiative. The more I worked, the more I was punished by taxes. But I kept working. I have a lot of respect for the Iranian immigrants: they assimilate and bring benefits to the economy. The Persians are said to be the best educated taxi drivers in the world.

According to Wilbring, Sweden is ruled by the political correctness mafia".

You are not PC, you lose your job. The Swedish Democrats are thought to be a racist party, but what the government now introduces  tightened border controls  is a part of their program.

Don't you fear that anti-migrant sentiment may turn against the Poles?

There's always a risk. If there were half a million of us, then maybe. But we're just a few, so we're not the problem.

The global city

Finnur Sverrisson doesnt mind articles about crime in Malmo. But it annoys him that that foreign media focus only on this topic. It creates a distorted image of the city.

Sverrisson came to Malmo from Reykjavik 15 years ago. He studied pre-school education, now he works as a project manager.

A few years ago, on a boat trip, I heard that 193 countries have their representatives in the UN. And in Malmo we have people from 170 countries. We're among absolute world leaders: New York, London, Washington DC, and us. I thought: It would be so cool to have every single country! You know, Malmo  a truly global city. Celebrating diversity.

Little Big Malmo, a socially-funded project Sverrisson invented, is looking for people willing to move in from countries like Tongo, Kiribati, Palau, Andorra, Liechtenstein or Belize. They offer a plane ticket, annual accommodation and even a bike (it is Malmo, after all). The only condition is that a candidate must find a job. Three people have already arrived: from Bhutan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Maldives. Another registered as a citizen of Southern Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011.

We got 400 applications the first week. I'm not surprised. Its a great place to live and raise children. Huge possibilities: many international companies, but also small start-ups. Its green, lots of bicycles, great people. Just 25 minutes by train  and youre in Copenhagen. I used to go there more often, because in Malmo after 6 pm all the restaurants were closed, the streets were empty. Now I dont have to, Malmo developed its own nightlife.

Sverrisson talks about theaters, film festivals, parks, graffiti artists, themed playgrounds scattered throughout the city, about revitalization of the harbor district, about a creative melting pot and those little things that create the magic of this place  like a miniature mouse restaurant made by an anonymous artist on a street downtown.

So where does that dark picture of the city come from?

Those 200 people make a lot of noise. They shoot each other, settling their beefs. Every community has its problems, but since we live in a relatively small city, they come to stand for Malmo as a whole.

Sweden is learning

Prof. Jerzy Sarnecki, a criminologist at the University of Stockholm, explains that crime in Sweden, contrary to popular opinion, is lower than in the 1980s when the number of immigrants was much smaller. Yes, they are more likely to be found in criminal statistics, but this overrepresentation mostly disappears when you take into account the communities in which they are raised.

If we compare an immigrant and a native Swede who grew up in similar social and economic conditions, most of the differences evaporate. The immigrants simply make up the lowest social class and most inhabitants of difficult districts, explains Sarnecki.

Sarnecki, who emigrated to Sweden with his family in 1968, has been studying this subject for years.

In Stockholm, Goteborg or Malmo, there are enclaves with enormous unemployment and with primary schools in which many students dont get good enough grades to go to high school. In such areas  American sociologists described them a hundred years ago  you have gangs and other subcultures. Young people, mainly first and second generation immigrants who have been in Sweden for a long time, are unable to communicate with society. They try to solve their problems by taking matters into their own hands.

Sarnecki thinks that Sweden made a serious mistake.

We knew from American research that there was such a risk. The authorities didnt invest enough in such areas, businesses didnt open stores there. Its a failure of integration; though, it should be noted, it concerns a fairly small group. The typical tendency in capitalist societies is that the poor live in the cheapest neighborhoods, and then when their situation improves, they move out. Many immigrants had lived there for 10-15 years, until they learned the language, got a job, and moved somewhere else. Those who didnt succeed, stayed: people with educational problems, the unemployed. They created criminal structures that will recruit new members.

Nevertheless, Sarnecki is optimistic. Sweden, he argues, is slowly learning. And apart from the police actions, the important thing is to have good kindergartens, good schools and better care for mothers and children.

In the spacious office of Annelie Vanlunteren, Headmistress of the Rosengardsskolen Primary School, one almost doesnt hear the noise from the corridor. A huge board on the wall is covered with colorful cards with names. Yellow is for ordinary teachers. White, blue, and orange are for additional teachers for whom the school gets extra funds  making ap about one-fifth of the staff.

The one-story school buildings have sloping roofs and pastel facades. They are surrounded by playing fields and playgrounds. Some four hundred children with 20 to 30 different native languages attend this school. Half of them have been living in Sweden less than four years. There are no ethnic Swedes. Two children come from mixed marriages in which one parent is a Pole.

The children who have just came to Sweden are sent to a two-month language course and then to regular classes. At this age you learn the language quickly. The bigger challenge is that the group is constantly changing because people are moving out, says Vanlunteren.

A typical primary school has grades one through nine. However, in Rosengardsskolan there are only grades 1-6. Then the students are sent to different schools throughout the city.

"This system was introduced four years ago. Closing grades 7-9 was a political decision to tackle school problems. Now the place is calmer, explains the headmistress.

Students' marks are also slowly improving (in Sweden they are given from the sixth grade). At the end of last year the school was visited by a commission from the ministry of education. Vanlunteren, with visible satisfaction, shows me the results of this inspection: in all six categories (like quality of teaching or helping the students) Rosengardsskolan was rated positively.

The House of God

A few hundred meters from school there is a Catholic church, a bit further a Lutheran church, then a mosque. The latter was torched several times. In 2009 its imam was shot at by Peter Mangs, the man responsible for a series of attacks on people with the immigrant look. Mangs is currently serving a life sentence.

Churches on the edge of the Sharia zone? I pretend to be surprised. The Lutheran pastor Marta Gustavsson isnt having any of it.

It's no Sharia zone. Rosengard has many Muslims, but we're there as well. Many immigrants come to us for help. Most of our congregation are people from the nearby neighborhood, where 80 percent is white, but in Rosengard we organize summer activities for children  games, trips to the beach. Once a Muslim girl said: Dont go in there, it's haram [forbidden]. But another one argued: Come on, it's the house of God, says Gustavsson.

On the board at the entrance of the church hangs a photo of the pastor and other clergy. Mostly women. Swedish Lutherans have ordained them since 1960.

Where do Rosengards problems come from?

If you have many poor people living in one place, you'll acquire a bitter mentality, a feeling that you cannot get out of there. Many residents feel that the others are suspicious of them. And that makes it easier for the criminals.

Those others are the people from your congregation?

Many of them support Swedish Democrats. I think they are unfairly judged. They say: we want to help, but immigrants shouldnt live in such a cluster. They are just scared, says Gustavsson.

Recently the church sent an invitation to the surrounding schools for some Easter classes. Five classes accepted, including four from Ogardsskolan, the school at the mosque.

"Only one was from a public school, so we started calling the headmasters. They said: you know, religion is a sensitive topic, what would the parents say... If secular schools wanted to cooperate with us, we would fight the districts problems more effectively.

We try to build bridges"

"Crime isnt related to a religion or a specific culture. In every community there are bad people and good people. However, the media create a different image. Whenever a Muslim does something wrong, they always mention that it was some Ahmed or other, says Ala Eddin Al-Qut from the Islamic educational organization Ibn Rushd.

Al-Qut wishes that everyone wasn't being lumped together. He feels constantly on the defensive, always assuring people that he respects democratic values ??and renounces extremism. Meanwhile, the approximately 60,000 Muslims in Malmo represent a diverse group. You have newly arrived asylum seekers, immigrants in the second and third generation, converts. Muslim organizations which cooperate with Ibn Rushd use a dozen or so languages: Arabic, Bosnian, Kurdish, Somali... Some Malmo residents are religious, others arent. About 10,ooo people came at the last Eid, the holiday at the end of the Ramadan when Muslims come together to pray. Others probably prayed in informal mosques, because the main one was too small. But, according to Al Qut, there is also a large group of secularized Muslims.

We try to build bridges. We organize courses for the employers, because some of them have a bad image of Islam from the media or they are afraid that their employees will leave on Fridays to attend prayers. We organize courses for the police, although in Rosengard many policemen are Muslims. Sometimes I go to the weekly seminars at the cultural center for Rosengard's youth. Some 80-100 people attend. We have guests from the police, social services, politicians. We disagree; sometimes someone cannot stand the debate and leaves, and then comes back after two or three weeks. We ask them: Are you frustrated? If so, whats stopping you from becoming a Social Democrat, a Green, or a member of any other party and trying to change things? Thats the way to do it.

Al-Qut is a Palestinian Jordanian who studied engineering, but discovered that he has a soul of a social worker. He believes that there is a place for Islam in Swedish social democracy.

We are a minority here. When I come to Sweden, I abide by Swedish law. If someone doesnt, they are free to leave. Countries in which Muslims are majority have their own social systems.

Al Qut had lived in Rosengard for ten years. Then he moved to another, mixed district.

Rosengard is not an easy place for social projects. People are constantly moving in and out. My neighbors changed all the time. The residents speak some 160 different languages, but the traditional Swedish culture is somewhere in Hyllie [southwest district]. How are immigrants able to learn anything about their new country?"

"Arent you afraid of gangs?

"I have four children of school age. If I thought Malmo was dangerous, we'd leave tomorrow.
Ahmedabad: The SIT on Monday opposed former state minister Maya Kodnani's plea to the Gujarat High Court to summon BJP president Amit Shah to prove her alibi in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots case, in which she has been sentenced.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) opposed Kodnani's plea to the bench of justices Harsha Devani and A S Supehiya contending that the plea, made at a belated stage, was not legally tenable and cannot be permitted.

Kodnani, who has challenged her conviction and 28-year jail term in the Naroda Patiya riots case before the high court, has made the plea to summon Shah and seven others as additional witnesses to prove her alibi of being elsewhere and not being involved in the offence.

She made the plea to the high court after a special SIT court hearing another 2002 riots case of Naroda Gam in which too she is an accused, recently allowed her to call 14 witnesses, including BJP president Amit Shah.

The SIT had not opposed Kodnani's plea in the Naroda Gam riots case before the trial court. But, opposing her plea to high court in the Naroda Patiya riots case, the SIT argued that it is not obligatory for the prosecution to call all the witnesses cited in the chargesheet.

In her plea to the high court, Kodnani has said the prosecution dropped Shah and seven other important witnesses without any reasonable ground.

Seven others who Kodnani wants to be summoned as additional witnesses includes former BJP MLA Amrish Patel, Jagdish Patel, Lakhabhai case Rathod, Dhaval Shah, Dhiraj Rathod, Kantibhai Solanki and M D Lakhiya.

The court will hear detailed arguments tomorrow from both the sides.

The high court is hearing appeals by Kodnani and other convicts in Naroda Patiya massacre in which 96 persons were killed.
Washington: President Donald Trump said on Sunday he expected Mexico to pay for the wall he has promised to build along the southern border, resuscitating a campaign promise that roiled US. relations with Mexico in the first week of his presidency.

"Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall," Trump said in a Twitter post.

Trump returned to his Mexico demand on a morning in which he simultaneously tried to pressure congressional Democrats to include funding for the border wall in must-pass spending legislation needed to keep the US government open beyond Friday.

A spokesman for the Mexican president`s office said President Enrique Pena Nieto has repeated that Mexico will not pay for the wall.

The Republican president`s demand that Mexico pay for the border wall triggered a diplomatic crisis with the southern US neighbor during the first week of his presidency. Pena Nieto on Jan. 26 scrapped a planned trip to meet with Trump and the White House floated the idea of a 20 percent tax on goods from Mexico to pay for the wall.

The two leaders agreed the following day not to talk publicly about payment for the wall, the Mexican government said. The White House said the two recognized they had differences over the proposed wall but agreed to "work these differences out."

Trump sought the wall, projected to cost more than $20 billion, as part of his effort to curb illegal immigration. Mexico has rejected payment for the construction project as out of the question.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions told ABC`s "This Week" on Sunday the wall would get paid for one way or another.

"I don`t expect the Mexican government to appropriate money for it but there are ways that we can deal with our trade situation to create the revenue to pay for it, no doubt about it," Sessions said.
Washington: Indian-American Raj Shah, who oversees the White House research operations, has been identified as one of the three West Wing Power Players in President Donald Trump's White House, an influential American magazine said today.

Trump's trusted aide, Hope Hicks, and Eli Miller, who currently is Chief of Staff of the Treasury Secretary, are the other two West Wing Power Players, according to Politico.

"These members of Team Trump have navigated internal White House battles and emerged unscathed," Politico said.

"Shah, a Republican National Committee alumnus, oversees the White House research operation. His team vets people coming to see Trump and works with the White House press office to decide on lines of counterattack to push back on negative news stories," Politico said.

Shah, 32, is the Deputy Communications Director and Research Director at The White House.

"To call Hope Hicks a trusted aide is a vast understatement of her pervasive influence in the West Wing. She is the president's gatekeeper and security blanket: She knows whom he wants to see, whom he should ignore and everyone in between," the magazine said.

Hope Hicks, 28, is the White House Director of Strategic Communications.

Eli Miller, who spent last year travelling across the US with Trump and Steven Mnuchin raising money for the campaign, rose from being the head advance man for Mitt Romney in his 2012 presidential campaign to US Treasury chief of staff in just four years. Now he keeps the trains running at Treasury and is heavily involved in discussions about tax reform, Trump?s top priority.

Tasked with the responsibility to correct inaccurate facts in this age of fast paced social media, Shah has been playing a key behind the scene role in the Trump?s White House, which has been facing onslaught of attack from the mainstream media from day one.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Shah, whose parents migrated to the US in 1980s, was Director of Opposition Research in the Republican National Committee, before he moved to the White House.

Heading a team of at least a few dozen researchers, Shah played a key role in digging out all the information about the Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

In fact, he was the backbone of all the anti-Clinton research during the presidential elections.
Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump on Monday discussed North Korea over the telephone amid heightened tensions surrounding the country.

Abe described the 30 minutes talks as intensive, public broadcaster NHK reported.

He expressed appreciation for Trump's words and actions.

He said they agreed to strongly urge North Korea, which continues to make dangerous provocations, to show self-restraint.

Abe stressed that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is a grave security threat to Japan and the international community.

He referred to a joint drill involving Japanese destroyers and the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group now underway in the Western Pacific.

He said his country will continue to closely work with the US to maintain a high level of vigilance against possible North Korean actions.
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Kabul: Afghanistan Interior Ministry`s Major General Tariq Shah Bahrami has been appointed as the acting Minister of Defense and General Sharif Yaftal as the Army Chief of Staff after officials from the respective posts resigned on Monday.

According to Tolo News, Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim resigned from their respective posts following the deadly Taliban attack on Shaheen Army Corps in Balkh province on Friday claimed the lives of over 100 soldiers.

The militants were able to penetrate inside northern Afghanistan`s largest military installation dressed like the Afghan Army soldiers returning from the front lines, carrying the bodies of wounded comrades.

Dressed in military uniforms, a squad of 10 Taliban militants drove in two army Ford Ranger trucks past seven checkpoints and launched a coordinated attack 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 country`s 16-year war.
Guwahati: BSNL will connect all gram panchyats in Assam through optical fibre network by this financial year, said a top official of the public sector telecom major.

"All gram panchyats in Assam will be connected through optical fibre network by this financial year. There are 1,518 gram panchyats in Assam and 1,060 have already been covered," BSNL Assam Chief General Manager M K Seth told PTI today.

The youth of Assam will be largely benefited through Digital India and Digital Assam programmes by availing all facilities of education and health, sitting in interior villages, Seth said.

BSNL has registered significant growth in Assam in all sectors including mobile data download after demonetisation, he said adding, 570 broadband exchanges have already been set up in the state and 400 mobile towers will be commissioned in the next four months.
Sukma: In a deadly assault, twenty-five CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) jawans were killed by Naxals in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

The encounter between 74th battalion of the force and Naxals occurred around 12:25 pm in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region.

The CRPF jawans were part of the road opening party when they were attacked by Naxals.

Weapons of jawans are also reported to have been looted.

The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an inspector rank officer, was among those killed.

Also Read - Govt sees Sukma Naxal attack as challenge, no one will be spared: Rajnath Singh

"As per the latest report, we have lost 25 men. We are still to account for all the personnel and a search is on. About 7-8 boys are still missing. The last word on the encounter will come once the entire area has been searched and all troops contacted," a senior CRPF officer said, adding the paramilitary patrol was about 99 personnel-strong, as per PTI.

Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain."

On the other hand, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, "Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."

On hearing the news Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh cut short his New Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur.

He held an emergency meeting at the CM's official residence here with senior administrative and police officials in attendance.

Also Read - Where is Sukma and why it's a Naxal hotbed?

The CM took details of the incident and also took stock of the situation in the wake of the attack.

Singh said that the attack showed Naxals' cowardice.

The incident comes at a time when the country's largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief after K Durga Prasad retired on February 28.

The attack comes on the heels of 12 CRPF personnel being killed in Sukma last month.

At that time, the ambush had taken place in a forested patch near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station, around 500 km from the state capital, at 9.15 am when 112 personnel of the CRPF`s 219th battalion were on a road opening duty.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha then, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that Left wing extremists were restless because of the attacks carried out against them by security forces and had called the attack on the CRPF a result of that frustration.

He had added that 135 extremists had been killed, 700 arrested and 1,198 had surrendered in last year. He had also said that there was a 15 percent drop in Left wing extremist incidents in Chhattisgarh in 2016.

(With Agency inputs)




New DelhI: Tata Sons on Monday welcomed the order of an apex corporate tribunal which ruled against a petition that had alleged mismanagement by the company.



The petition by Cyrus Mistry`s investment companies -- Cyrus Investment and Sterling Investment Corp. -- had alleged mismanagement and oppression of minority shareholders by the company.



The order against the petition was given by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on April 17, 2017. It had ruled that the petitioners representing certain companies of the SP Group (SP Group Companies) failed to establish the merits of the petition.



According to Tata Sons, the order has also noted that petitioners failed to demonstrate any cause of action against the company, the Tata Trusts and Ratan N. Tata.



The company pointed out that the tribunal did not see a prima facie triable case to take forward.



"The Tata group, led by Tata Sons, has always been committed to the highest ethical standards and principles of governance. We welcome the NCLT`s order, and it is an endorsement of these values and principles," N. Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman of Tata Sons, was quoted as saying in a statement.



"Tata Sons and the operating companies are focussed on growth to deliver value to our shareholders, and we thank all stakeholders for their continued support."



On April 17, the NCLT had dismissed a plea filed by Mistry`s investment companies to waive off a regulatory bar on them as their original petition had been rendered non-maintainable by the March 6th order.



On March 6, the NCLT had ruled against the maintainability of the petition filed against Tata Sons, which cited governance lapses and compromise of minority shareholder interests after Mistry was ousted as Chairman of the holding company of the industrial conglomerate.



The top corporate tribunal held that Mistry`s family firms were not qualified to file a petition against Tata Sons alleging mismanagement and oppression of minority shareholders.



Under the current rules, only a shareholder with more than 10 per cent effective shareholding can file a minority interest petition with the NCLT.



However, the Companies Act empowers the NCLT to waive off this requirement for a petitioner to hold at least 10 per cent of the total issued share capital of the company to qualify for filing a minority interest petition.



Besides the waiver plea, the main company petition which was filed against Tata Sons was also rejected on April 17.



Subsequently, Mistry`s investment companies approached the New Delhi-based National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on April 19 against the March 6, 2017 order by NCLT which had declared their main petition against Tata Sons as non-maintainable.



On October 24 last year, Tata Sons` Board ousted Mistry as its Chairman and appointed Ratan Tata as Interim Chairman.
New Delhi: The government has asked stent manufacturers to maintain uninterrupted supply of coronary stents by invoking emergency clause in public interest.

The move comes in the wake of various multinationals, including Abbott and Medtronic, seeking permission to withdraw some of their products from India following price control.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has invoked an emergency clause of the Drug Price Control Order, 2013, in public interest to ensure the companies complied with its direction.

The government took action after receiving reports of shortage of stents in the market and hospitals.

"After due deliberations on the current situation and alternatives available with the government to resume normal supply of the coronary stents, it has been decided to invoke the powers of Section 3 (i) of DPCO, 2013," DoP said in a notice.

The government has directed the companies manufacturing coronary stents in the country to maintain production, import, supply of the coronary stents and submit a weekly report on coronary stents produced and distributed.

"They will also submit a weekly production plan for the next week to the NPPA and the DCGI," said the notice, which has already been sent to Abbott Healthcare and India Medtronic, asking the companies to maintain uninterrupted supply of stents.

The government also asked the firms to ensure compliance of the pricing capping of the coronary stents, along with maintaining its uninterrupted supply.

The government has empowered the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to extend these directions to any other producer of coronary stents in India in the next three months.

The order to maintain uninterrupted supply of coronary stents will be valid for the next six months and the NPPA and the DCGI will recommend withdrawal or extension as the case may be, two weeks before the expiry of the period.

Earlier, Medtronic said it has decided to withdraw its latest stents from India following drug price regulator NPPA's move to cap their prices. Besides, Boston Scientific has said it may follow suit.

Last week, Abbott said it was seeking to withdraw two types of its latest stent technologies -- the Alpine drug eluting stent and the Absorb dissolving stent.

In February, the NPPA had brought stents under price control and capped ceiling price of coronary stents at Rs 7,260 for bare metal variety and Rs 29,600 for drug-eluting ones.

The corresponding average MRPs before the price control stood at Rs 45,100 and Rs 1.21 lakh, respectively.

Last month, the drug price regulator increased price of stents by around 2 per cent after taking into account wholesale price index.
Faridabad: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today accused opposition parties of indulging in "cheap political gimmicks" on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue while expressing confidence that the state would get its due share of water.

Seeking to corner the Congress on the issue, Khattar said its leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kuldeep Sharma should ask their party president Sonia Gandhi to speak to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who has been claiming that he would not let the waters flow to Haryana through the SYL Canal.

"Earlier the opposition parties criticised me for not meeting Narendra Modi on vital matters like SYL canal, GST and farmers' issues. Now I have discussed all these issues with the Prime Minister but they are criticising me for not taking them along," he said here.

Khattar said that by not trusting an elected government and the chief minister, the opposition was insulting the people of the state.

Referring to statements by the Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and other leaders on the SYL issue, Khattar questioned who they were to prevent Haryana from getting its waters.

The Supreme Court has already delivered its verdict in favour of Haryana and another decision is awaited, he said.

"Thereafter, no one would be able to stop the construction of the SYL canal," he added.

He accused the Congress of shedding crocodile tears by claiming that no development was taking place in the state.

He challenged the Congress leaders to go to the masses to see for themselves whether development was taking place or not.

Khattar said that in the last about two-and-a-half years, about 3,500 announcements were made and work on 44 per cent of these has been completed. The remaining would be completed within next one year, he added.

Comparing it to the performance of the earlier Congress regimes, Khattar said that 6,400 announcements were made in ten years.

Khattar claimed that if his government got a chance to rule for ten years, more than 10,000 announcements would be made and each of them would be fulfilled.

The Chief Minister ridiculed Congress leaders for claiming that his government had gone on an inauguration spree.

Whenever any foundation stone is laid or a project is inaugurated, it is leaders from the Congress who don't let go any opportunity to claim that it was their project, he said.

Raising questions, Khattar asked what was the necessity for the Congress government to announce projects in 2013, which were later not completed despite the fact that they had one year time from November 1, 2013 to October 2014.
New Delhi: A Delhi court today issued notice to CBI on a plea of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife over the charge sheet filed against the couple in a disproportionate assets (DA) case.

In her plea, Pratibha Singh alleged that the probe agency had not followed the due process of law during investigation and sought that the charge sheet filed against the couple in the case should not be taken cognizance of.

Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal was hearing the matter in which the CBI had filed a charge sheet against the Chief Minister claiming that he had amassed assets worth Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate by 192 per cent to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister.

The final report, filed against nine people for alleged offences punishable under section 109 (abetment) and 465 (punishment for forgery) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, arrayed around 225 witnesses and 442 documents. The CBI had filed its charge sheet on March 31 this year.

Besides the 82-year-old Congress leader and his wife Pratibha, the CBI has also named LIC agency Anand Chauhan, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, stamp paper vendor Joginder Singh Ghalta, MD of Tarani Infrastructure V Chandrasekhar among others as accused, charging them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption among others. Chauhan is currently in judicial custody.

The apex court had on November 5 last year transferred Singh's plea from Himachal Pradesh High Court to Delhi High Court, saying it was not expressing any opinion on merits of the case, but "simply" transferring the petition "in interest of justice and to save the institution (judiciary) from any embarrassment".
New Delhi: An application was filed on behalf of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) didn't follow proper procedure while filing the chargesheet in connection with the disproportionate assets case the former is involved with.

Pratibha's counsel argued whether witnesses and documents that were collected during the investigation could be a part of the chargesheet and if the court could read them for the purpose of taking cognizance.

The counsel also moved an application seeking consideration of these terms, while also requesting to not take cognizance of the chargesheet.

The court has now issued a notice to the CBI and deferred the hearing to May 1.

The date for hearing the argument on charges against LIC agent Anand Chauhan is fixed to be May 17.

A CBI special court was to take cognizance of the chargesheet filed against Virbhadra Singh in the DA case today.

A day after being booked by the CBI special court, the Chief Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring against him and asserted that all charges levelled against him were fabricated.

"The fight has just begun and I know the truth will prevail. All cases against me are fabricated. This is a conspiracy against me stitched by some BJP leaders like Prem Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur. The BJP is misusing its power. There's no truth in it," said Singh.

He also said the case against him is a 'political vendetta' and he was ready to face the charges registered against him.

"This is a political vendetta. I am not afraid of it. I am ready to face the case," Singh said.
Hyderabad: Amid the raging debate over 'triple talaq' and the rights of Muslim women, another case of the age-old practice has emerged in the by-lanes of Hyderabad.

A case has been registered in the Sanathnagar Police Station on the complaint of Sumaina Sharfi under the sections 420, 406, 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on March 16.

Sumaina complained that Owais Talib, who she married in 2015, messaged her 'Talaq Talaq Talaq' on November 28 last year, signifying that their marriage had come to an end.

"After my marriage, we got to know that 'Amma Jaan', my husband's guardian, performs black magic in a 'darbar'. I and my husband stayed in Dubai for a month. After we returned, they made me work like a servant and did not even give me proper food," Sumaina said.

"Amma forced me to be surrogate to her by maintaining relations with her second husband. Even my husband didn't refuse. When I refused, they tortured me and locked me in a room for as many as six days. My father came and took me home."

"After that, I tried to talk to my husband so many times and solve the matter, but he didn't take my calls. Soon thereafter, I received a message on my WhatsApp, stating 'Talaq Talaq Talaq'," Sumaina added.

Investigation into the matter is on.

With ANI inputs
New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday denied as incorrect the perception that the Centre is imposing Hindi language on others, maintaining that the government has only notified the recommendations of a parliamentary panel.



"I was pained to read in a section of the media today (Monday) that DMK leader M.K. Stalin has alleged imposition of Hindi by the central government," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said in a statement here.



"The government of India has no intention to impose any language on anyone," he stressed.



"I would like to clarify that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language headed by the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram made a recommendation (about use of Hindi by Ministers, MPs etc.) and the same was forwarded to the President of India on June 2, 2011," Naidu said.



"This committee suggested that all those occupying high political offices and who can speak and read Hindi language may be requested to give their speeches/statements in Hindi. The President and all Ministers come in this category."



Naidu said the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led government notified this recommendation on March 31.



He said the committee's suggestion was only recommendatory and not mandatory.



"It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an ordinance was passed in this regard," Naidu said.



DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "attempting to decimate the unity of the nation" ever since he came to power at the Centre.



He also alleged that the BJP government was "betraying the non-Hindi speaking citizens".



Naidu, however, pointed out that the DMK was a member of the Union government in 2011 when this recommendation was made and forwarded by the parliamentary committee to the President.


The DOJ said they Chicago and Cook County officials to be aware that they've agreed that a "Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, or any individual."

CHICAGO - The City of Chicago and surrounding Cook County received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice last week, warning them that unless they would assure the DOJ the jurisdictions are abiding by agreements with Feds about their handling of those not legally residing in the United States, federal grant funds could be in jeopardy.

The amount the DOJ says is threatened is $2,333,428.

Both Chicago and Cook County officials say they will continue to refuse to alert federal officials about detained immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally unless the requests are accompanied by a judicial order.

Neither the facts nor the law are on [the Justice Departments] side, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. Regardless, let me be clear: Chicagos values and Chicagos future are not for sale.

Emanuel's position reflects the same counsel a group called "Informed Immigrants" is offering on a new training video made available Monday. The video tells those living in Chicago and Cook County what their local officials view as rights for those in America lawfully or unlawfully.

Immigration groups are lauding the new video entitled "Know Your Rights & Family Preparedness Video."

Right now, millions of immigrants go to bed at night fearing that the next day they may be separated from their friends, family, and the country that they call home," says Juan Escalante, Digital Organizer of America's Voice Education Fund.

"By staying informed, and ensuring families know their rights, we can provide immigrants with the tools they need to protect themselves and their loved ones. Resources like the Informed Immigrant video series will play a crucial role in helping immigrant families plan for the future.

More on the video HERE.

The grant:

The letter from the Department of Justice:
New Delhi: The government has taken as a 'challenge' the massacre of 26 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday and vowed that "no one will be spared".

"It is a very sad and unfortunate incident. We have taken the attack as a challenge," Singh told reporters here.

Later, in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, he said the incident was "very painful" and "No one will be spared," as per PTI.

Earlier, Singh had tweeted, "Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families."

Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the deadly ambush on the 74th Battalion in a forested area in Kala Pathar near Chintagufa as "cowardly and deplorable" and said the deaths of the troopers won't go in vain.

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families. April 24, 2017

May those injured in today's attack in Chhattisgarh recover at the earliest.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

The Central Reserve Police Force said the ambush began at 12.30 pm, leading to a gun battle between the troopers and the Maoists who, survivors said, used hand grenades, automatic rifles and rocket launchers.



Troopers who survived the horror said the Maoists, women included, emerged out of the blue before opening indiscriminate fire.



CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran said 11 bodies were first recovered and a 12th trooper succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here. A subsequent search of the area led to 12 more bodies, as per IANS.

Two more men died subsequently in hospital, taking the toll to 26.



The CRPF patrol assisting a Road Opening Party was reportedly readying for lunch when it came under attack, taking the victims by surprise.

This was the worst attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh since 2010 when 76 CRPF troopers were killed.

Twelve CRPF men were killed in a similar Maoist attack in Sukma early this year.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Hundreds of Kotli residents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are hitting the streets to protest against forcible land grabbing by the Pakistan Army.

Protesters were seen raising anti-Pakistan army and anti-establishment slogans during demonstration against forcible land grabbing.

In recent times, PoK has witnessed a series of protests by residents against the Nawaz Sharif government for the ongoing atrocities and human rights violation by Pakistani forces.

Ever since July, PoK region has been witnessing unrest, with hundreds of people coming out in the open to protest against the Pakistani establishment.

The locals in PoK have alleged that the July 21 election, which saw Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) winning 32 out of 41 seats, was rigid.

The protesters have maintained that they were not allowed to cast their votes, and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and others rigged the polls in favour of Sharif's PML(N).
New Delhi: India`s military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world`s fifth largest spender at $55.9 billion, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) revealed on Monday.



As per the figures, the US remains the world`s largest military spendere registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.



Four others in the top 15 spenders include China, Japan, South Korea, Australia.



China is second on the list spending $215 billion, an increase of 5.4 per cent.



However, the growth rate was "much lower" than in the previous years, the SIPRI report said.



Russia increased its spending by 5.9 per cent to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender.



Saudi Arabia, the third largest spender in 2015, dropped to the fourth position in 2016 with its spending dropping by 30 per cent in 2016 to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars.



Pakistan does not figure in the top 15 spenders, and spent $9.93 billion.



"The growth in US military expenditure in 2016 may signal the end of a trend of decreases in spending, which resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq," the report said, adding however that US` 2016 figures remained 20 per cent lower than its peak in 2010.



"Despite continuing legal restraints on the overall US budget, increases in military spending were agreed upon by Congress," said Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure (AMEX) programme.



"Future spending patterns remain uncertain due to the changing political situation in the US."



Military expenditure in Western Europe rose for the second consecutive year and was up by 2.6 per cent, while falling oil revenue and associated economic problems attached to the oil-price shock has forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending.



Last year`s global military spending accounted for 2.2 per cent of the worldwide GDP.



Military spending as a share of GDP, was highest in the Middle East with an average of 6.0 per cent, while the lowest was in the Americas, with an average of 1.3 per cent.



However, data for all Middle Eastern countries was not available.



For countries where data is available, substantial increases were seen in Iran and Kuwait, while sizable decreases were noted in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, SIPRI said.A



In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure rose by 4.6 per cent in 2016. Spending levels are related to the many tensions in the region such as over territorial rights in the South China Sea.


New York: Warning that most terrorism "across the world have some footprint" in Pakistan, Indian Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday that the international community has to take action.



While India's relations with its neighbours have improved, "our problem comes from our western neighbour" because of terrorism, he said at the Council on Foreign Relations here.



Every initiative by India to improve ties with Pakistan have met with hostile reactions, the latest being the "unprovoked gesture of a military court sentencing an Indian to death through a kangaroo court process" in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav.



"I think that doesn't help the cause of peace in the region at all," he said.



Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was a spy for India and following his capture under controversial circumstances in area near the border with Iran, a military court handed him a death sentence.



"If you've seen all our efforts over the last few years to normalize the relationship (with Pakistan), we've seen a reaction," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "went there, and it was immediately followed up by an attack in Pathankot air base in India, then an attack on our Uri military camp".



Answering audience questions about the state of India's relations with neighbours, Jaitley said economic relationship was an area of strength with China and has picked up significantly, but border problems persisted despite an initiative by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve them.



"We had a mechanism set up in order to resolve the (issue) and define the border itself," he said. But over the last 14 years, "the mechanism has not been able to come out with an answer".



"We believe that it's important the border get settled, because that's in the interests of regional peace," he added. "And obviously, you'll have occasionally some issues arising because of that unsettled situation."



China is now India's biggest commercial partner accounting for about $70 billion in annual bi-lateral trade.


Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Monday held a protest rally here against China's move to "standardise" official names of six places in the north eastern state.

The students, carrying placards and banners, shouted 'anti-China' slogans and burnt the effigy of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Arunachal Pradesh has never been a part of China and Arunachalees hold strongest patriotism for India.

"Arunachal is an integral part of India and if we go by history, people of the state had participated in the country's freedom movement. People here have never been under the Chinese rule," AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said.

He also criticised the state government for remaining silent over the issue, adding that the matter needs to be taken seriously.

China had announced standardised official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh, days after it lodged strong protests with India over the Dalai Lama's visit to the frontier state.
Washington: Social platforms like Facebook may help fight government corruption, especially in countries where press freedom is curbed, say researchers who studied the impact of social media during the 2012 anti-corruption protests in India.

Sudipta Sarangi of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in the US said his cross- country analysis using data from more than 150 countries shows the more Facebook penetrates public usage, the higher the likelihood of government corruption meeting protest.

In short, social media serves as peer of the press, Sarangi said.

"This study underscores the importance of freedom on the internet that is under threat in many countries of the world," Sarangi said.

Facebook helps lessen corruption in governments where press freedom is low.

"By showing that social media can negatively impact corruption, we provide yet another reason in favor of the freedom on the net," Sarangi said.

Researchers, including Chandan Kumar Jha, took into account a number of control variables including other economic, democratic, and cultural factors, said Sarangi.

It also comes on the heels of a volatile American election in which Facebook and other social media platforms were seen as culprits in the spread of "fake news," especially tied to politics.

Researchers began the study in 2012, when social media was being used to organise anti-corruption protests in India.

They also followed the 2011 rise of Arab Spring across the Middle East where large protests toppled governments.

"Our initial results were encouraging in that we found a significant, negative correlation between Facebook penetration and corruption across a small sample of countries," Sarangi said.

Several qualitative studies have touched on the use of social media to oust corruption before, and many other studies have focused on internet or e-government and its impact on corruption.

However, that few quantitative studies have looked specifically looked at social media and its impact on corruption because country-specific social media usage data is hard to acquire, Sarangi said.

The research is the first of its kind to establish a link between social media and corruption across more than 150 countries, showing the complimentary role of social media along with the press in open countries, and its greater impact in countries that are oppressive.

Much of the anti-corruption content posted on Facebook is user-created and shared individually, its audience growing with each share or repost.

In other words, social media as an information and communication technology tool allows multi-way communication as opposed to traditional media such as TV and print media that allow for only one-way communication. The back and forth of communication is harder to control by government censors.

"Social media provides cheap and quick means of sharing information and reaching a larger audience to organise public protests against the corrupt activities of government officials and politicians," Sarangi said.

"It is therefore not a surprise that despotic governments favor controlling social media," he said.

Additionally, interaction in social media platforms typically is shared among friends and family, thus adding a personal connection and therefore more perceived credibility to shared information. Sarangi said individuals may feel compelled to act on such information to show solidarity with family or friends.

The study was published in the journal Information Economics and Policy.
New Delhi: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday that a conducive atmosphere was needed for restoring order in violence-hit Jammu and Kashmir, soon after she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the worsening security situation in the state.

The meeting was held at PM Modi's 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

"We held discussions on various issues including the agenda of alliance between the PDP-BJP, the recent violence during elections and the volatile security situation in J&K,'' Mehbooba Mufti told mediapersons.

During the meeting, both I and the PM agreed that talks can't be held until incidents of stone-pelting and retaliation by security forces stops, Mufti said.

The PM assured me to find a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem while also insisting to follow former PM AB Vajpayee's policy of reconciliation and not confrontation, the J&K CM said.

Modi ji has repeatedly said that he would follow Vajpayee ji's footsteps, whose policy is of reconciliation and not confrontation, Mufti said.

She said her father, late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed "had given a road map" for lasting peace in the state.

"We need a dialogue. We can't be confronting our own people for too long," she said.

She said she also stressed on the Prime Minister to compensate people of the state for the losses they have suffered due to the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.

Mehbooba , however, said that she was confident of finding a solution to the festering trouble in the Kashmir Valley.

"I have (called) a Unified Command meeting," she said of the security grid she heads in the state.

"We will find a line of action. There are people who are disillusioned and there are others who are being provoked."

Ahead of her meeting with the Prime Minister, the J&K Chief Minister also met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other top officials including NSA Ajit Doval and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) director.

Upon Mufti's invitation, Prime Minister Modi had on Sunday suggested that other states should organise events in Jammu and Kashmir and urged them to reach out to the students from the Valley studying in other states.

According to a statement issued by Niti Aayog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi "seconded the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister's suggestion that states should take interest in the students from her state who are studying in other states".

"He urged states to reach out to these students from time to time," the statement said.

Today's meeting also comes in the backdrop of recent bypoll to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which witnessed massive violence and the lowest turnout ever.

In the bypoll, the PDP also lost the seat to National Conference, just in nearly three years after the 2014 general elections.

With the Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Mufti drawing sharp criticism in wake of the recent unrest in the Valley, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav earlier on Friday held a meeting with Finance Minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Haseeb Drabu to discuss the future strategy.

The meeting assumed significance as the BJP is a coalition partner of the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP leaders Avinash Rai Khanna and Satpal Sharma were also among those who attended the meeting held at the BJP office here.

Stone pelting incidents have increased manifold in the region since the BJP-PDP Government came to power in 2015.

The issue of Kashmir unrest also featured in the BJP's core group meeting headed by Prime Minister Modi a couple of days ago.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who won the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency bypoll on has demanded that Governor's rule be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir as the state government had failed to ensure a peaceful election.

Slamming the BJP-PDP Government in the Valley, National Conference's working president Omar Abdullah has questioned the handling of students' protests.

Eight people were killed in clashes during the by-election in Anantnag last week.

The violence prompted the Election Commission to postpone voting.

Last week, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat apprised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of the security situation in Kashmir.

Rawat's meeting with Doval on April 16 came a day after he had separate deliberations with Chief Minister Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra over the law and order situation in Kashmir during his visit to the state.

As many as 411 stone-pelting incidents have been reported in the Kashmir Valley from October 2016 to March 2017.
Srinagar: Ahead of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's crucial meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it has now emerged that nearly 300 WhatsApp groups were used to mobilise stone-pelters in the Kashmir Valley to disrupt security forces operation at encounter sites.

According to The Times of India, 90 percent of such WhatsApp groups have been shut down by the security forces.

The report quoted a J&K police explaining, on the condition of anonymity, how determined attempts were being made to disrupt the operations of the security forces.

Each WhatsApp group has around 250 members, he claimed.

"We identified the groups and the group administrators, who were called in by police for counselling. We have had a good response to this initiative," he said.

In the last three weeks, more than 90 percent of these WhatsApp groups have been shut down, the official said.

He said the government's policy of suspending internet services appeared to be showing positive results in curbing stone-pelting during encounters and cited the recent encounter in Budgam district.

Just a few youth gathered to hurl stones after two militants were gunned down in the encounter on Saturday.

This was in sharp contrast to an encounter in Durbugh village in the same area on March 28, when a large number of stone-pelters had assembled and three of them were killed in firing by security forces.

"With no internet services, the mobilisation of mobs has almost become impossible. Earlier, we would see youth from as far as 10 kilometres from the encounter sites joining the protesters to pelt stones at security forces to disrupt the anti-militancy operations.

"That did not happen yesterday during or after the encounter in the absence of internet on mobiles," the official said.

He said some of the youth listed personal issues like alleged harassment by security forces as reasons for taking to stone-pelting.

"Most of them get carried away momentarily," he said, adding authorities are also looking at further sensitising the personnel on the need to adopt a humane approach while dealing with the youth.

"With the internet facility withdrawn, the activity on these social networking groups and other sites like Facebook has come down drastically," he added.

Stone-pelting on security forces near the encounter sites has been causing major operational problems for the law enforcing agencies over the past one year. More than half a dozen youth have been killed in such incidents in the first quarter of this year.

However, the common people especially those from the business community say they are facing hardships, because of the inability to stay connected online.

"Today, the business depends on internet for communication. I am into stock markets and I have had no business since the mobile internet services were withdrawn on Monday," Mudasir Bhat said.

Bhat said most of the people had done away with landlines and broadband internet services as mobile internet facility gave them more freedom and were also cheaper.

"I had to submit a tender document two days after the internet facility was withdrawn. As the document was to be submitted online, we had to request the concerned department to extend the date till we make arrangements for e-filing," Ahmad said.

He said he has applied for landline connection but the service provider, BSNL, has informed him that it will take time.

"BSNL is the only landline services provider here in Kashmir. I hope the government takes steps to ensure that businesses do not suffer because of this internet ban," he added.

(With PTI inputs)
Srinagar: People's Democratic Party (PDP) Pulwama district president Abdul Gani Dar succumbed to his injuries after being attacked by terrorists on Monday.

The PDP leader died while being treated in a hospital.

The terrorists targetted the PDP member when he was travelling in a vehicle near Pingalana village, about 30 km from Srinagar.

Dar was shifted to Srinagar for medical treatment but he succumbed to injuries.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, invoked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to restore order in troubled state and said that talks are the only way to "move forward" but before that a "conducive atmosphere" needs to be created.

Mufti said the prime minister appears amenable to holding talks with stake holders in a bid to arrest the deteriorating situation in the Valley.

However, she cautioned, that "an atmosphere needs to be created" for a dialogue.

"Talks cannot happen amid stone pelting and firing of bullets," she told reporters after meeting the PM.

Clashes erupt as educational institutions re-open in J&K

As colleges and universities opened on Monday after a week in the Kashmir Valley, students again clashed with security forces and resorted to stone pelting, officials said.



Students of the SP College assembled on the Maulana Azad Road and started pelting stones on security forces causing blockade of one of the busiest roads in Srinagar.

Colleges opened in Kashmir today after a gap of five days as authorities shut higher educational institutions as a precautionary measure in the wake of valley-wide student protests last Monday against alleged highhandedness of security forces with students in Pulwama on April 15.
Bengaluru: A six-year-old girl, who went missing in Karnataka's Veerbhadranagar area was found dead at her neighbor's house on Sunday evening.

The police suspect that the minor girl, identified as AN, was raped and murdered. A case has been registered at Girinagar police station.

Anu, who was studying in first standard, went missing last Thursday, following which her parents lodged a missing complaint with the police.

On Sunday, the victim's neighbours sensed foul smell coming from a house of a person named Anil, who used to stay just next to Anu's house.

The police said the girl's body was burnt and packed in a carton box. Anil allegedly left for his hometown on Wednesday.

Harshit's parents work as a daily wage labourers.
Idukki: Kerala Power Minister and senior CPI(M) leader M M Mani, whose remarks against women plantation workers triggered a row, today said he was prepared to resign if asked by the party.

"Only if my party asks, will I resign", he told reporters at nearby Kunchithanni, a day after opposition parties and women organisations demanded his resignation and apology.

Mani's remarks allegedly questioning the character of women activists of a plantation workers' outfit in the district invited strong condemnation from various quarters, including from some of his own party colleagues.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said, "If any offensive statement was made against them (the women), it was improper."

The 70-year old Minister had yesterday expressed regret for his alleged offensive remarks against the women workers, who have launched an agitation demanding his ouster.

He had also claimed his remarks were wrongly interpreted by the media and that he had not made any offensive remarks against the women workers.

Mani also said that Vijayan and party state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had called him over phone and sought his explanation.

However Mani, known for making controversial remarks, refused to apologise, saying, "Let them sit there and agitate."

He said the chapter was closed and he had nothing more to add while and would not visit the agitating workers.

Protesting the remarks, some of the women workers had launched an agitation yesterday and are continuing it today.

Meanwhile, vehicles kept off roads and shops remained closed in the hilly district in view of a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the NDA.

The opposition Congress led UDF is also lending support to the women's agitation by observing a 'black day'.

Mani had also accused an IAS officer of plotting with the RSS to pull down a cross on an encroached piece of land in Munnar.

The CPI(M) leader had stirred up a controversy few years ago by openly stating that the party had eliminated political rivals in his home district, Idukki.
Padanna: People from Kerala leaving their homes to join Islamic State to fight in Afghanistan and elsewhere has always been a cause of concern for the security agencies.

On the other hand, family members of most of those who have joined ISIS seem to have accepted that they will never see their relatives again.



One of them, Abdul Rahman Hamza, 66, was quoted as saying by in a media report - "Let them die in a bombing".

"What they are doing is not Islamic. The real Islam doesn't promote terrorism," he added.

Hamza's two sons took their pregnant wives and his two-year-old grandson to the remote Afghan region.

And his wife Hafsath was quoted as saying - "I'm scared. I'm frightened. I'm also worried about the small children, their lives. I don't understand why they have chosen that place. I feel angry at times, but I still want them to come back."

Meanwhile, on April 19, a top Home Ministry official had said that the Central government had received no information regarding death of any Indian when the 'Mother Of All Bombs' was dropped on an Islamic State tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border on April 13, as per PTI.

There were media reports that 13 suspected Islamic State fighters from India were among the 96 militants killed when the US military dropped the non-nuclear bomb.

Kabul-based Pajhwok Afghan News agency had quoted an unnamed security official as saying that "13 Indian Daesh militants were also among those killed".

Daesh, an acronym for the Arabic phrase al-Dawla al- Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), is a name used by Afghan and Arab officials to refer to the ISIS.

The term has gained popularity over the last few years besides the more commonly used 'ISIS', 'ISIL' or 'IS' for the terror group.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Self-proclaimed Bollywood film critic Kamaal R Khan, who is known for his controversial tweets, on Sunday took to Twitter to apologise to Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. The 'Deshdrohi' actor also accepted Mohanlal's stardom and stated that he wasn't familiar with his popularity.

"Sir @Mohanlal sorry to call you #ChotaBheem Coz I didn't know much about you. But now I know that you are a super star of Malayalam films," KRK posted on the social media.

The 'Bigg Boss' season 3 star faced a huge backlash from social media users, a few days back, when he compared 'Chhota Bheem' to Mohanlal.

Sir @Mohanlal sorry to call you #ChotaBheem Coz I didn't know much about you. But now I know that you are a super star of Malayalam films.  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) April 23, 2017

It all started when KRK took a dig at the 56-year-old-actor after the latter announced that he will play the role of the mighty 'Bheem' in a Rs. 1,000 crore-budget film based on Mahabharata.

In a series of tweets, he said that Mohanlal was not qualified to play the role of Bheem because his physique was not big enough.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: Prateik Babbar has come to terms with all the complications of his life, and says he has fought the demons of substance abuse. But the actor says he is still "work in progress", and wants to write a book about his struggle to inspire people who are going through the same.

The actor said that his fans were under the impression that he was leading a "happy life", and were unaware about the dark truth of his life. And that is the reason he decided to talk about it in public.

He says the "guilt of being an addict yet having unconditional love from people with all aspirations and hope" from him was killing him. The actor came out in the open about substance abuse in April last year, and has maintained his distance from drugs and alcohol for over a year now.

"There was a part of my life that people didn't know about. All these years, people, fans and admirers saw me in a certain way as a good actor, a happy guy. But that wasn't the case. I wasn't happy, I wasn't being good to myself. I was a heavy addict. It was a huge problem," Prateik told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

He added: "I wanted the fans and admirers to know that side of my life. I didn't want them to have any false impression and that is why I wanted people to know about the downfall of my life. I wanted to tell them this happened to me and I am not perfect."

Prateik, son of late actress Smita Patil and actor-politician Raj Babbar, started his acting career with a small but noticeable role in Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na in 2008. He followed up his act with films like Dhobi Ghat, Dum Maaro Dum and Ekk Deewana Tha. His last release came in 2013 with Issaq.

Prateik says his perspective towards life has changed after the sabbatical and struggle.

"There was a lot of time to introspect and resurrect. There is new direction, drive for life."

Prateik, who also made headlines for his relationship with Amy Jackson and its after-effects, asserted that he is "work in progress".

"It's a full time job -- trying to be at peace in my life, trying to be a better person and be best in every way I can be, be a good brother, be a good actor and a good human being."

The actor, who will soon make his Bengali debut with "Auroni Taukhon", also expressed his plans to write a book about the struggle.

"I have been speaking to people about it and getting positive vibes and feedback. But I want to take baby steps."

While Prateik is interested in the idea of penning a book about his struggle with drugs, he says revisiting the dark days will be troublesome.

"But I have found my peace with it. I have fought back the evils. I have come to terms with all the complications of my life. It will be difficult to revisit the moments but I think it will also give a sense of relief that I have come out of it, and that I have come out as winner."

Prateik will soon venture into the hospitality sector with the launch of a wellness centre in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamsala city later this year.

Talking about the idea, Prateik said: "I was finding myself. I took a sabbatical of five years... The idea is if there are people like me going through a life problem, this is a way to help."

As far as his Bollywood career is concerned, Prateik said talks are on about future projects.

"I am in talks with a lot of producers and directors. The response is very positive... I am looking forward to it."
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is likely to bring some good news for over 47 lakh central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners by making a formal announcement on the revised structure for allowances under the Seventh Pay Commission in next few days.

As per media reports, the committee on allowances will submit its final report on Thursday (April 27), when the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley returns to the country after his visit to US and Russia.

The allowances form a sizeable amount of the salary drawn by a government employee.

The committee on allowances headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa that was set up to review the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission is understood to have finalised its report.

The 7th Pay Commission had earlier proposed the rate of House Rent Allowance (HRA) at 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively.

The Commission had also recommended that the rate of HRA will be revised to 27 percent, 18 percent and 9 percent when DA crosses 50 percent, and further revised to 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent when DA crosses 100 percent.

The existing rates of HRA for Class X, Y and Z cities and towns are 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent of Basic pay (pay in the pay band plus grade pay).

Population of City DA above Present Proposed 50% 100% Above 50 lakh (Class X) 30% 24% 27% 30% 5 lakh to 50 lakh (Class Y) 20% 16% 18% 20% Below 5 lakh (Class Z) 10% 8% 9% 10%

Assumingly, if the Committee accepts the bare recommendations of A K Mathur-led 7th Pay Commission then the HRA component of central government employees will increase ranging between 106 percent and 122 percent.

Take, for instance, a central government employee at the very bottom of the pay scale, where the basic pay (pay of pay band + grade pay) is now Rs 7,000, would currently be entitled to an HRA of Rs 2,100 in a Class X city. As per 7th Pay Commission, the new entry level pay at this level is Rs 18,000 per month against which the new HRA for a Class X city would be Rs 4,320 per month, that is 106 percent more than the existing level.

Similarly, at the highest level of the pay scale, the Cabinet Secretary and officers of the same rank have a basic pay of Rs 90,000, which means they are entitled to current HRA of Rs 27,000 in Class X towns. After the revised pay scale, the new basic pay is Rs 2.5 lakh, for which the HRA would be Rs 60,000, meaning a hike of 122 percent.

Existing Basic Pay (6th CPC) HRA (6th CPC) Proposed Entry Pay as per 7th CPC Proposed HRA as per 7th CPC Class X Class Y Class Z Class X Class Y Class Z 7000 2100 1400 700 18000 4320 2880 1440 13500 4050 2700 1350 35400 8496 5664 2832 21000 6300 4200 2100 56100 13464 8976 4488 46100 13830 9220 4610 118500 28440 18960 9480 90000 27000 18000 9000 250000 60000 40000 20000

As far as Transport Allowance (TA) is concerned, Pay Commission had proposed no increase.
New Delhi: Over four crore subscribers of the retirement fund body EPFO can now make down payment and pay EMIs from their EPF accounts to buy homes.

The subscribers of the the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will be able to withdraw up to 90 per cent of their accumulations in their PF account for purchase of homes.

The EPFO has amended the scheme by inserting a new paragraph -- 68 BD -- to the Employees' Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 1952, to enable a subscriber to make down payment to buy homes and pay EMIs through the EPF account, a senior official said.

The official said, "Since the labour ministry has issued a notification for the purpose, the scheme stands amended."

Under the new provision, an EPF subscriber being a member of a co-operative or housing society with at least 10 members can withdraw up to 90 per cent from the fund for purchase of a dwelling house or flat or construction of a dwelling house and acquisition of site.

It also provides that monthly instalments for repayments of any outstanding payment or interest may also be paid from the amount to the government, housing agency, primary lending agency and banks concerned.

However, the withdrawal facility from the PF account will be available to only those PF members who fulfil the conditions prescribed. One, the member applying under this window should have contributed to the fund for at least three years.

The facility will be available only once to every member during his or her lifetime.

The rule applies to all those who together with their subscriber spouse have at least Rs 20,000 in their accounts.
Mumbai: Actress Alia Bhatt's mother Soni Razdan says rumours surrounding her daughter and actor Sidharth Malhotra's equation do not worry her.

Soni, who is making her comeback on television with Star Plus' "Love Ka Intezar" next month, says Alia is a hard- working actor and no relationship will affect her passion for acting.

"Why should it (link-up) take away from her work? Why should any friendship take away from her hard work. Nobody is saying she is wasting her time with Sidharth and coming late on the sets or going early.

"She loves her work, she is a confident and hard-working girl. She is a young, normal girl. When she is free, it is her choice how she spends her time. Who she goes out with is her prerogative. Why can't she have a nice social life?" Soni told PTI.

The 60-year-old actress says Alia does discuss her personal life with her, but marriage is something which is not at all their focus right now as the young star is busy making her mark in films.

"Alia has been very busy with her work. The last thing we will be talking at this point in her career will be about marriage. I am sure she has got no such idea in her head. It is very far from the topic of conversation. It is a topic you talk about when it is time," Soni says.
New Delhi: American astronaut and commander of the International Space Station's Expedition 51 crew, Peggy Whitson, officially set the US record on Monday for most cumulative days in space.

"At 1:27 a.m. ET on April 24, @AstroPeggy has officially broken @Astro_Jeff's record of 534 days in space," NASA's page for updates from the International Space Station said in a tweet.

Here are some interesting facts you must know about the Whitson, who surpassed NASA astronaut Jeff Williams' record of 534 days in space:

Peggy A Whitson (Ph.D) is currently part of Expedition 50/51, which is her third long-duration mission to the space station.

Whitson and her crewmates, Cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet launched on November 17, 2016.

The Iowa native completed two six-month tours of duty aboard the station for Expedition 5 in 2002, and as the station commander for Expedition 16 in 2008.

She has accumulated 377 days in space between the two missions, the most for any US woman at the time of her return to Earth.

She is also the first woman to command the space station twice, and holds the record for most spacewalks conducted by a female astronaut. Whitson has performed six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes.

"It is one of those rides that you hope never ends. I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions!," Whitson wrote on her Twitter page.

To congratulate Whitson for her record-breaking stay aboard the space station, US President Donald Trump will make a special Earth-to-space call from the Oval Office at 10 a.m. EDT (7.30 p.m. India time) on Monday, NASA said.

Trump will be joined by daughter Ivanka Trump and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins for the 20-minute call which will air live on NASA Television and stream on the agency's website and Facebook page.

Currently, Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who has spent 879 days on orbit in total, holds the world record for the number of cumulative days in space.

(With IANS inputs)
New Delhi: American astronaut and current commander of the International Space Station (ISS) Peggy Whitson, officially set the US record for most cumulative days in space on Monday.

To congratulate Whitson on her achievement, US President Donald Trump, joined by his daughter and close advisor Ivanka Trump and American astronaut Kate Rubins, made a call from the Oval Office to the space station.

As per a NASA tweet, at 1:27 am ET on April 24, Whitson officially broke astronaut Jeff William's record of 534 days in space.

During the 20-minute special 'Earth-to-space' call, Trump spoke at length with Whitson, who was joined by a visibly excited space first-timer, astronaut Jack Fischer.

The conversation started off by Trump congratulating Peggy Whitson, to which she replied saying that it's a great honour.

With Trump signing a new legislation last month adding human exploration of Mars to NASA's mission, Whitson was also asked about the Mars schedule and when could they see a manned probe to the Red Planet. The astronauts explained how so much was going on to make the Mars mission possible and how new equipment were being built to see the mission through.

Jack Fischer, meanwhile, joked with Trump on his first time in space, saying that it was 'cool' how he was speaking to the President of the United States while hanging from a wall in the ISS.

Other things that became a topic of conversation between the astronauts and Trump were the experiments that were being carried out in space and what they were learning, to the President asking them what a typical day aboard the ISS looked like and Fischer referring to Peggy Whitson as a 'space ninja'.

The astronauts concluded their exchange with the US President with their trademark zero-gravity somersault.

Whitson already was the world's most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space. By the time she returns to Earth in September, she'll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.
New Delhi: The internet has brought people closer to each other but also needed is an "innernet" to make us feel our inter-connectedness inwardly too, Tibetan spiritual leader, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, said on Sunday.

"The information age makes us highly aware of our interconnectedness and the internet allows us to see how much we depend on one another. But we also need to have an innernet -- not just a connection on a material or outer level. We need to be able to feel our connectedness inwardly," said the Karmapa at the release of his new book "Interconnected: Embracing Life in Our Global Society".

The book, which came out of a month-long dialogue with a group of students from the University of Redlands, California, who travelled to Dharamsala to learn from him, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, outlines his vision for a global society that truly reflects the interdependence that is now becoming widely recognised and shows a way forward to enacting that vision.

Former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was the chief guest at the launch, said: "His Holiness, the Karmapa, has rediscovered for us the modern meaning of Buddha's personality and the contemporary significance of his life and messages."

The Karmapa, the third-most important Tibetan religious head, is an influential voice in the new generation of thought leaders and spiritual head of one of the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, which has been working with the notion of interdependence for many centuries.

In the book, he argues that despite polarising forces that would seek to erect barriers and deny our connectedness, global economic integration and information technology are making our interdependence increasingly direct and undeniable.

Within this historical moment, "we must not retreat behind walls but join together in collective action to build a global society that acknowledges and draws on our fundamental connectedness", adding that the crucial next step is to move beyond theoretical understanding of our interconnectedness, to begin to actually feel connected in our hearts.
New Delhi: Believe it or not, you can make unlimited calls anywhere in the world and use unlimited high speed data while traveling in USA, UAE and Singapore at just Rs. 2,500 for 7-days

International Roaming has never been so convenient! Vodafone India now introduces a first-time-ever truly unlimited international roaming proposition for travelers to USA, UAE and Singapore in its popular international roaming pack, Vodafone i-RoamFREE. Customers who opt for this pack will not be charged a single additional rupee for calls and data while roaming in these 3 countries.

In case you were wondering, this offer comes with zero riders or hidden costs. There is no cap on the number of calls or amount of high speed data that can be used. Also, calls include all incoming calls and outgoing calls anywhere in the world. This means customers traveling in USA can even make calls to Hong Kong at no extra charges!

Whats more, this pack is available at very affordable price points with options at Rs 5,000 for 30-days, Rs. 3,500 for 10-days, Rs 2,500 for 7-days and just Rs. 500 for every 24-hours. Customers in need of International Roaming service can opt for the duration that best meets their travel timeline and benefit from unmatched value, convenience and huge savings.

For frequent business travelers and those with last-minute changing itineraries, a new flexible option is available wherein one can activate this pack once and automatically get the benefits whenever they travel to any of the 47 countries at Rs. 500 for every 24-hour window of usage.

Launching the UNLIMITED international roaming proposition, Sandeep Kataria, Director  Commercial, Vodafone India, said, This is the first time ever UNLIMITED international roaming proposition and we are very excited to introduce it for our top 3 travel destinations  USA, Singapore and UAE. We are making calls and data, both incoming and outgoing, while traveling in these countries completely free. This completely eliminates the need and hassle of changing SIM cards when traveling abroad and customers can now freely use their local number seamlessly without worrying about any bill shocks or expensive charges. They can remain confidently connected on their existing Vodafone number when they travel, and be assured the best of voice and data services.

Vodafone i-RoamFREE is an international roaming pack which offers home-like tariffs while roaming in 47 countries of the globe. While roaming in USA, UAE and Singapore, all calls and data is now free and unlimited, Benefits on international roaming in other countries include all incoming calls free, and data plus outgoing calls being nominally charged at Re. 1/MB and Rs. 1/minute respectively.
Mumbai: Legendary actor Kamal Haasan is all set to make his TV debut with the Tamil version of popular reality show Bigg Boss. The veteran film personality, who has enthralled viewers as an actor will now host a show on the small screen for the first time.

And it will indeed be an unusual experience to watch the Ulaganayagan play host.

According to a report in news18.com originally attributed to The Quint, Kamal confirmed the news.

Yes, I am doing Bigg Boss in Tamil. Ive tried many different roles in various capacities as an entertainer but never as a host on a television show. Reality television is so far not a reality in my career. I want to see what it feels like, he was quoted as saying by The Quint.

The megastar also heaped praises on Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who has hosted seven seasons of the Hindi version of the show so far. Haasan said that Salman beautifully bonds with the participants and guides them well as a mentor.
Kolkata: West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Ghosh on Friday reiterated his controversial statement, saying those who will oppose "Bharat Mata ki jai" and "Jai Sri Ram" slogan will be relegated to history.

While addressing a public meeting in North 24 Parganas district, Ghosh on Saturday said, "In the entire country from Gujarat to Guwahati and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Bharat Mata ki jai and Jai Sri Ram will be chanted. Those who will oppose it, will be relegated to history."

Reacting to Ghosh's comments, Trinamool secretary seneral Partha Chatterjee had said such comments were unexpected from the leaders of a party like the BJP, which had a rich heritage.

"He is making such despicable comments in his greed for power and to provoke people. It is sad that a political party, which has the names of politicians like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee associated with it, has such people as their face in the state," Chatterjee retorted.

Hitting out at the ruling ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJP leader had said, "You are showing your power here. You are resorting to extortion. BJP is there throughout the country. It has 11 crore members."

The Congress also criticised the West Bengal BJP chief saying, "I just want to say one thing to him that if he keeps on repeatedly using religion and Lord Ram as a political stick, then very soon he himself will become history".
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" on North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump Monday, as Japan joined drills with an American supercarrier heading to the Korean peninsula.

The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North`s sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the flashpoint region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula," Xi said according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea`s nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump`s luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan`s Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump`s administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea`s founder, Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now centring on the next event on the North`s calendar, the anniversary on Tuesday of the founding of its military.US Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan, "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier`s whereabouts after Trump indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The ruling party newspaper in the North on Monday called the Vinson`s deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said Monday, using the country`s official name.

A separate editorial on the North`s propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said that the dispatching of the Carl Vinson signalled a war: "It is proof that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day."

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington`s rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

The new US president has indicated he will not allow North Korea to achieve its goal of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the western United States.

Pyongyang insists it needs a powerful arsenal -- including atomic weapons -- to protect itself from what it says is the ever-present threat of invasion by hostile US forces.
Seoul: A foreign-funded university in North Korea has confirmed the arrest of a US citizen who was lecturing there - the third American held in the country amid growing tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.

Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested at the capital's airport Saturday as he was about to leave after teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) for several weeks, the school said.

The school - founded by evangelical Christians from overseas and opened in 2010 - is known to have a number of American faculty members. Students are generally the children of the country's elite.

The reason for Kim's arrest was unclear but was "not connected in any way with the work of PUST", the school said in a statement.

"We cannot comment on anything that Mr Kim may be alleged to have done that is not related to his teaching work and not on the PUST campus," it said.

The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang - which handles issues involving US citizens as Washington has no diplomatic ties with the North - is "actively involved" in talks, the school's external director Colin McCulloch said in a statement without elaborating.

The Swedish embassy and the South Korean government declined to comment.

Kim is a former professor at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, close to the Korean border. Its website lists his speciality as accounting.

The US State Department said it was aware of media reports over the case but gave no official confirmation.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency gave Kim's age as 55 and said he had been involved in relief activities for children in rural parts of North Korea. It cited a source familiar with the matter who described Kim as a "religiously devoted man".

"He has been involved in relief activities in the North for so long... I don't understand why he was suddenly arrested," the source was quoted as saying.

Two other US citizens - college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul - are currently being held in the North after sentenced to long prison terms.

The pastor was sentenced last year to 10 years of hard labour for spying. Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years in 2016 for stealing a propaganda material and for "crimes against the state".

North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens in the past decade, often releasing them only after high- profile visits by current or former US officials or former US presidents.

Tension is running high on the peninsula amid possible signs of preparations in the isolated impoverished North for another nuclear test.

Chinese President Xi Jinping today urged "restraint" during a phone call with US President Donald Trump as a powerful US aircraft carrier sails towards the peninsula in a show of force.
Pyongyang: A US citizen, teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) and detained here on Saturday, has been identified as Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim, a media report said on Monday



The Korean-American lecturer taught at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) for several weeks prior to his arrest, the varsity told the BBC on Sunday.



The investigation into Kim was for matters "not connected in any way" to the university, PUST said.



Kim was arrested just as he was about to leave Pyongyang on Saturday.



North Korean authorities have not yet disclosed the reason for the arrest.



According to South Korea`s Yonhap news agency, Kim, who is in his late 50s, was involved in aid programmes and had been in North Korea to discuss relief activities.



He reportedly taught at Yanbian University of Science and Technology in China, which is affiliated to PUST.



Two other US citizens currently imprisoned by the North Korean regime are Kim Dong-chul, a sexagenarian of South Korean origin captured near the border with China, and Otto Frederick Warmbier, a student who allegedly tried to steal a propaganda poster while visiting as a tourist, Efe news reports.



Both were sentenced this year to 10 and 15 years of forced labour, respectively.
Qalandiya: A Palestinian woman stabbed an Israeli guard at a key crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem on Monday before being arrested, the police said.

A police statement said Asia Kaabneh, a 39-year-old mother of nine from the West Bank, stabbed a guard at the Qalandia checkpoint, injuring her lightly.

The guard was taken to hospital while Kaabneh was arrested by other guards.

A separate statement from the Shin Bet Israeli domestic security service said Kaabneh had admitted under interrogation to planning the attack after her husband threatened to divorce her.

A wave of unrest which erupted in October 2015 has claimed the lives of 261 Palestinians, 41 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean, a Sudanese and a Briton, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.

Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

The violence has greatly subsided in recent months.


Kabul: US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on a surprise visit Monday, an American defence official confirmed, hours after his Afghan counterpart resigned over a deadly Taliban attack.

Mattis, making his first visit to Afghanistan as defence chief, was due to meet top officials including President Ashraf Ghani less than two weeks after the US dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State hideouts in the country`s east.
Kabul: US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit on Monday, an American defence official confirmed, hours after his Afghan counterpart resigned over a deadly Taliban attack.

Mattis, making his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, was due to meet top officials including President Ashraf Ghani less than two weeks after the US dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb on Islamic State hideouts in the country's east.

He arrived as embattled Afghan security forces faced chaos with the resignations of defence minister Abdullah Habibi and army chief Qadam Shah Shaheem.

The resignations, announced in a terse one-line statement from the presidential palace, came amid fury over the Taliban assault on an army base outside the northern city of Mazar-i- Sharif on Friday.

Ten gunmen dressed in soldiers' uniforms and armed with suicide vests entered the base in army trucks and opened fire at unarmed troops at close range in the mosque and dining hall.

It is believed to be the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on an Afghan military target, though the exact toll from the assault remains unclear.

Afghan officials have so far ignored calls to break down the toll it has given of more than 100 soldiers killed or wounded, but have been known to minimise casualties in such attacks in the past.

The US has said that at least 50 soldiers were killed, and some local officials have put the number of dead alone as high as 130.

The raid underscores the Taliban's growing strength more than 15 years since they were ousted from power, and as they gear up ahead of the spring fighting season.

Many Afghans slammed the government for its inability to counter the attack, the latest in a series of brazen Taliban assaults.

Mattis' visit also comes after the US dropped a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, dubbed the "Mother of All Bombs", on Islamic State hideouts in Achin district in eastern Nangarhar province, killing nearly 100 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.

Mattis, who has previously served in Afghanistan, has said he is compiling an assessment for President Donald Trump on Afghanistan's brutal and seemingly intractable conflict.

The Afghan war is the longest in US history but Trump has scarcely given it a passing mention - other than to call the MOAB strike a success - while campaigning or since entering office.

Mattis said in February his commander-in-chief had been "rightfully reticent" on the matter, as he was waiting for input from his generals.

He is the second senior US security official to visit Afghanistan this month: National Security Advisor General HR McMaster arrived in Kabul days after the MOAB was dropped.

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.
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "restraint" over North Korea in a phone call with Donald Trump on Monday, as Japan joined exercises with an American supercarrier heading to the Korean peninsula.

The US leader has repeatedly called on China, the North's sole major ally, to do more to rein in Pyongyang, as tensions in the region soar amid speculation it will conduct another nuclear test.

"(China) hopes that the relevant parties can maintain restraint and avoid actions that would increase tensions in the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the foreign ministry.

"The only way to realise denuclearisation in the Korean peninsula and quickly resolve North Korea's nuclear problem is for each relevant party to fulfil its duties."

The conversation -- the second since their summit at Trump's luxury resort in Florida early this month -- highlights rising concern in Beijing that tensions between Washington and Pyongyang could spiral into military conflict.

"The international situation is rapidly changing, it is essential that China and the US maintain a close contact and exchange opinions on important matters in a timely manner," Xi told Trump.

Trump also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today, discussing the joint drills under way between the US carrier Carl Vinson and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

"We completely agreed that we strongly demand restraint by North Korea, which has repeatedly taken dangerous provocative actions," Abe told reporters after the call.

Tensions have soared in recent months as North Korean missile tests have brought ever-more bellicose warnings from Trump's administration -- and repeated demands for China do more to help.

Despite its longstanding ties with the North, China has stepped up pressure, announcing in February that it was halting all imports of coal from North Korea -- a crucial earner for Pyongyang -- for the rest of the year.

It also issued a stern warning earlier this month that a conflict over North Korea could break out "at any moment".

The comments came ahead of a failed missile test a day after the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

Missile and nuclear tests are often timed around major dates and speculation is now focused on Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of its military.

US Vice President Mike Pence said today that the Vinson and its strike group would arrive in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- which sits between the Korean peninsula and Japan -- "in a matter of days".

South Korea also said it was considering drills with the carrier group, which is currently conducting joint exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea.

Confusion had clouded the carrier's whereabouts after Trump earlier indicated the "armada" was steaming towards North Korea when in fact it was heading south and was photographed off Java.

The North's ruling party newspaper today called the Vinson's deployment "undisguised military blackmail".

"Such threat may startle a jellyfish, but can never work on the DPRK," it said, using the country's official name.

A separate editorial on the North's propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said the dispatch of the Carl Vinson signalled "that an invasion of the North is nearing day by day".

In the event of an attack, it said, "The world will witness how Washington's rash nuclear aircraft carriers are turned into a huge pile of steel and buried at sea and how a country called America is wiped out from the Earth."

Pyongyang has also detained a US citizen -- Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, who was lecturing at a foreign-funded university in Pyongyang, the university said today.

Two other US citizens -- college student Otto Warmbier and Korean-American pastor Kim Dong-Chul -- are currently being held in the North after sentenced to long prison terms.

North Korea has arrested and jailed several US citizens in the past decade, often releasing them only after high- profile visits by current or former US officials or former US presidents.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. In 1915, the crime perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians was the first genocide of 20th century. The Armenians worldwide commemorate 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

On April 24, the countrys high-ranking officials and guests in Armenia will visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

What is the Armenian Genocide?

The extermination of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during the World War I is called the Armenian Genocide.

Those massacres were perpetrated by the government of Young Turks in various regions of the Ottoman Empire.

The first international response to the violence resulted in a joint statement by France, Russia and the Great Britain in May 24 1915, where the Turkish atrocities against the Armenians were defined as a crime against humanity and civilization. According to them, Turkish government was responsible for the implementation of the crime.

Why was the Genocide perpetrated?

When WWI erupted, the government of the Young Turks adopted the policy of Pan-Turkism, hoping to save the remains of the weakened Ottoman Empire. The plan was to create an enormous Ottoman Empire that would spread to China, include all the Turkish speaking nations of the Caucasus and Middle Asia, intending also to turkify all the ethnic minorities of the empire. The Armenian population became the main obstacle standing in the way of the realization of this policy.

The Young Turks used WWI as a suitable opportunity for the implementation of the Armenian genocide, although it was planned in 1911-1912.

How many people were killed in the Armenian Genocide?

There were an estimated two million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire before the WWI. Approximately one and a half million Armenians were killed from 1915-1923. The remaining part was either islamized or exiled, or found shelters in different parts of the world.

The mechanism of implementation of the Genocide

A genocide is the organized extermination of a nation aiming to put an end to their collective existence. Thus, the implementation of the genocide requires oriented programming and an internal mechanism, which makes genocide a state crime, as only a state possesses all the resources that can be used to carry out this policy.

The first phase of the Armenian Genocide was the extermination of the Armenian population started on April 24, 1915 with the arrest of several hundred Armenian intellectuals and representatives of national elite (mainly in the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople) and their subsequent elimination. Hereinafter, Armenians worldwide started to commemorate the Armenian genocide on April 24.

The second phase was the conscription of about 60,000 Armenian men into the Ottoman army, their disarmament and murder by their Turkish fellow soldiers.

The third phase of the genocide is characterized with the exile of the massacres of women, children, and elderly people to the desert of Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people were murdered by Turkish soldiers, police officers, Kurdish bandits during the deportation. The others died of epidemic diseases. Thousands of women and children were subjected to violence. Tens of thousands were forcibly islamized.

The last phase is the universal and absolute denial of the Turkish government of the mass deportations and genocide carried out against Armenians in their homeland. Despite the ongoing process of international condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey fights against recognition by all means, including distortion of history, means of propaganda, lobbying activities and other measures.

On December 9, 1948 the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, according to which, genocide is defined as an international crime and the signing states are obliged to prevent, as well as punish the perpetrators of the genocide.

International recognition

The Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized and acknowledged by eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions and the decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

There are numerous documents considering the massacres of the Armenian people as a pre-planned and thoroughly implemented act of genocide. Organizations like the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, a number of UN Committees, the World Council of Churches, MERCOSUR parliament and others acknowledged the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide: Uruguay is the first country that acknowledged the Genocide in 1965. The following countries have condemned and recognized the massacre of Armenians as a genocide based on international law: France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Australias state of New South Wales, 45 US states.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan issued a statement on the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS.

Dear Compatriots,



Today is April 24  Commemoration Day for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. We pray to the memory of our blessed martyrs. The Eghern, carried out under the disguise of deportations, was a state program of the Ottoman Empire, and was executed with the unprecedented cruelty and meticulousness.



The April 24th of 1915 had divided the millennia-long Armenia history in two: before and after that tragic date. The wreckage of the Western Armenians, who had survived miraculously, spread all over the world and became the Spyurk.



The material, cultural, and political losses of the Armenian nation are immeasurable; however the greatest loss were the people  bearers of the ancient, rich, and unique civilization.



We, the living, must not only remember and revere them but also live, work, and struggle with a greater vigor, also in their place. Live, work, and struggle with the optimistic outlook, with the belief in good, humanity, and justice.



Over a century has passed from that gruesome day in 1915. We know what we went through in this period of time, and we know that we defeated death. The Artsakh Liberation War is the testimony and proof that we will not allow a new genocide - never again.



The rebirth of the Armenia nation is a reality, and it became a reality thanks to the sons and daughters of the people who had survived. The re-establishment of the Armenian statehood on our native land became a reality because of these sons and daughters, the revival of the Armenian culture and science became a reality because of these sons and daughters.



In these years, we have given the world an entire constellation of the geniuses of the creative mind. Because of the celebrated Armenians, the world learned what had happened to us and learned that these Armenian are the sons and daughters of the nation which once stood at the brink of extinction.



I say this all to underscore the enormous vital and creative potential of our people and my unwavering confidence in our abilities and our future. It is true that in 1915 we were in hell but if on the way back to life we found strength to accomplish all those deeds, now when we have the independent statehood, in the 21st century we are able to do much more.



Today, on April 24, on the day when we pray for the memory for the victims of the Armenian Genocide, we will walk up to Tsitsernakaberd or visit other memorials in different parts of Armenia as well as abroad. Let us remember that this yearly march is the march of the people who survived, people who didnt forget what they had left behind and people who look forward with confidence, the statement reads.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan issued a statement on the occasion of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day, press service of the Artsakh Presidents Office told Armenpress.

The statement reads:

Dear compatriots,

April 24, 1915 has become one of the most tragic and bloody pages of our millennia-old history. In those April days the Ottoman Turkey launched a monstrous plan aimed at complete extermination of the Armenian people, annihilation of our historic homeland, cultural and spiritual values.

This was the first Genocide committed on a state level; one and a half million Armenians became victim to this, almost as many were deported from their ancestral hearths and Fatherland, their property was robbed and embezzled by the butchers.

But, the Armenian people due to their unshakable faith, firmness, endless love and devotion towards the Motherland were able to resist this terrible calamity. The Armenian tricolor was hoisted again in a small part of our historic homeland and today we have free, independent and sovereign Mother Armenia and the Artsakh Republic. Our compatriots having narrowly escaped from slaughter found refuge in different corners of the world and formed a powerful diaspora which lives with the Motherland's concerns and has become an important pillar of our statehood.

The Armenian Genocide will never be erased from our peoples memory. We will firmly continue struggling for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and condemnation of its denial.

This crime with no expiration date must not be forgotten by the civilized world either. Oblivion and indifference is a crime in itself and can lead to new atrocities in the future. This simple truth has been proved many times in the XX and XXI centuries, and we are grateful to all those people and states that were with our nation during those days of ordeal, that go on supporting us today for the restoration of justice in our struggle.

Commemorating the victims we must realize that the most reliable guarantee of our Motherland's defense capacity and security is a free, sovereign and democratic statehood, efficient army, the firm Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity. And we will do our best for strengthening, developing and empowering them.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The recognition of Armenian Genocide by the governments of different countries will enable to move forward, Norwegian historian Bard Larsen said in an interview with Armenpress. He wrote many research and scientific works on the Armenian Genocide.

Armenpress presents the full interview:

-To what extent is the Norwegian society informed about the Armenian Genocide?

-During the past ten years it has become more known in the public. But, sad to say, as for many other countries, the focus is more about the international implications regarding recognition and Turkeys responses. Most people know fairly little about what actually happened in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and the genocidal victims. One must remember that historians, as myself, have limited impact in media. You can write op-eds and articles and so on, but most people do not read them. They read headlines in the newspapers and online, and the whole recognition spectacle pretty much grab the news. This is why it is so important that governments recognize the genocide, so that one can move forward and write about the important stuff, like what actually happened and that the story continues, with Armenians and other Christians being massacred and fleeing the Middle East today.

-More than 10 European countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide. Why Norway is not doing the same step?

-It is the same old story: Economical and geopolitical interests overshadow ethics. The Norwegian governments (and it doesnt matter if they are social democrats or conservatives) are using the same type of ad-hoc arguments: The question of genocide is something historians deal with, not governments, and that the Norwegian government does not want to involve in a debate that could make reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia more difficult. All this is wrong, of course. Historians have dealt with it for decades and all major genocide researchers have concluded that it was indeed genocide. The idea of controversy on the matter is a result of manipulation from the Turks and some of their protagonists. And everyone understands that there can never be reconciliation as long as the perpetrator refuses to admit his crime. But this is the logic of realpolitik: Interests conquer facts and morality.

- You have defended your thesis on the topic of the Armenian Genocide. Are you currently doing new research on the topic?

-I keep myself updated on the important stuff, like Taner Ackams research on the Ottoman telegrams and so on, but I have little time to do any heavy research, due to my work in a liberal think tank, which is quite time consuming. But I write about Armenia and the genocide in op-eds and so, from time to time. It is important to keep those who are interested updated.

- During your research have you made any discovery or revealed an exclusive episode that you can share with the Armenian reader and which can have a unique impact on the international recognition of the Genocide?

-Good question. There may be a window of opportunity now, because of Erdogans election victory and his authoritarian politics. Turkey may very well be thrown out of the European Council because of the death penalty. If Turkey turns its back to Europe and weaken the geopolitical bonds to the democratic world, the government may change its attitude to the question of recognition. Germanys resolution last year also adds up to this opportunity. I will certainly do my part.

-How would you assess todays Turkeys stance on the Armenian Genocide?

-Erdogan is of course very aggressive on the matter. As a populist and authoritarian he is of course very well aware of the benefit of external enemies. So I guess he is using the matter for what its worth: The West is using the Armenians as a tool to slander and break down the Turks etc. etc. His war on the Kurds is another example. One issue I have been working on lately and written about is Erdogans ideology. You all know that he is an islamist who has pretty much ended the Kemalist secular tradition. If you look into the late Young Turk ideology, which was a mix of ethnic nationalism and Islamic opportunism, that is in many ways the direction Turkey is heading today. Erdogan is also an admirer of Zia Gokalp, the sociologist and leading Young Turk intellectual, who found his ideas of a modern homogenous state among European thinkers that later inspired modern day fascism. Erdogans fixation on the Armenians could be also interpreted in view of this ideological nostalgia.

-During the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide you were in Yerevan. What impressions did Armenia leave on you?

-Oh, I was blended. It was wonderful and emotional. It was my first visit to Armenia after years of study on the Genocide, so of course the 100th anniversary and especially my visits to Tsitsernakaberd made a huge impression. Yerevan is a beautiful city. I also had the opportunity to travel around in Armenia: Lake Sevan and the mountains above, Garni, Noravank, Khor Virap and of course Geghard.

-Do you have any plans to visit Armenia again?

-No plans as for now, but I will certainly go again. If an interesting conference pops up, Ill be there. My wife and kids also need to see Armenia. You certainly need tourists, it helps building a country. People have no idea what they are missing.

Interview by Araks Kasyan
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Rafik Mansour  the US Embassy Charge d Affaires in Armenia, paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial on April 24, reports Armenpress.

I am honored to be here today. I know how important this day is for Armenia and the Armenians worldwide. Today on behalf of the US government and people I am here to pay tribute to the memory of 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in 1915, Rafik Mansour told reporters.

He also informed that today the US President Donald Trump will address a message on the occasion of this day. Asked whether President Trump will use the word Genocide, Rafik Mansour said he cannot answer that question.

The US for years has acknowledged that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the atrocity of the 20th century. Today we pay tribute to the unbreakable spirit of Armenians who started a new life also in the US, had a great contribution in our countrys life, by keeping alive the memories related with the Fatherland, Mansour said.

The Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized and acknowledged by eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions and the decisions of numerous states and international organizations. There are numerous documents considering the massacres of the Armenian people as a pre-planned and thoroughly implemented act of genocide. Organizations like the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, a number of UN Committees, the World Council of Churches, MERCOSUR parliament and others acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide: Uruguay is the first country that acknowledged the Genocide in 1965. The following countries have condemned and recognized the massacre of Armenians as a genocide based on international law: France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Australias state of New South Wales, 45 US states.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Turkish law enforcement banned the April 23 Armenian Genocide commemorative event in Istanbuls Sisli district. The event is being held for five years.

Police told the participants of the event they have orders from above to ban the rally, threatening if they dont obey, police are authorized to intervene.

The demonstrators collected the posters, which said: Dont forget, dont let to be forgotten, As long as there is no confrontation, genocides wont stop and took off to the Sisli office of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Melis Tatan, who was delivering a speech on behalf of the party, mentioned the genocide hasnt been limited only with 1915. It continues with the murders of Hrant Dink, Sevag Balikci, Maritsa Kyucuk, the absence of a fair verdict in their trials and the path of covering the real criminals.

Speaker of Nor Zartonk Norayr Olgar said after the Armenians, the genocide continues today in the Kurdish populated regions.

Even after 102 years we call on the state to confront the past. As long as there is no confrontation, there wont be peace, he said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament Frank Engel (Luxembourg) paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

Being here has a special meaning for me. April 24 is marked as the day of a large-scale crime against humanity, which we call the first genocide of the 20th century. This kind of events should be remembered globally, especially in those places where we see hatred towards each other.

The consequence of this very common hatred was the Armenian Genocide, later the Holocaust, and later the massacres of Kurds and Yazidis and so on.

These are the events which should never be repeated.

After 1915 such events happened in many places, and to remember the Armenian Genocide means to remember the people who were victims of genocides worldwide.

Before a countrys official stance, the peoples attitude is important for me. The fact that they know about the Genocide, even in countries were the Armenian Genocide hasnt been recognized, is important, Engel told reporters in the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.

The Armenian people, top officials and visiting foreigners pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide on April 24, in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

The Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman government, has been substantiated, recognized and confirmed by eyewitness accounts, laws, resolutions and decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

The full range of documents which label the massacres of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as an act of premeditated genocide is huge.

Organization like the European Council, the European Parliament, several UN committees, the World Council of Churches, the Parliament of MERCOSUR and others have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide  the first country to officially recognize it was Uruguay, in 1965.

The following countries have officially recognized and condemned the massacres of the Armenian people as an act of genocide, according to international rights  France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, New South Wales of Australia and 45 states of the US.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Turkeys Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker of Armenian descent Garo Paylan released a statement on the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

102 years have passed since the Mets Eghern, however there still hasnt been confrontation with the big human crime perpetrated on this lands  the Armenian Genocide.

Facing the genocide, the past and reality will only contribute to ensuring public peace in our country. Lets not forget that any crime which remains unpunished will become the reason for its repetition. And continues to become.

Let us all together oppose this written denial history. Lets ensure the disclosure of the truth. Lets get healed.

I commemorate the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

May their souls rest in peace, Paylan said in the statement.

The Armenian people, top officials and visiting foreigners pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide on April 24, in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

The Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman government, has been substantiated, recognized and confirmed by eyewitness accounts, laws, resolutions and decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

The full range of documents which label the massacres of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as an act of premeditated genocide is huge.

Organization like the European Council, the European Parliament, several UN committees, the World Council of Churches, the Parliament of MERCOSUR and others have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide  the first country to officially recognize it was Uruguay, in 1965.

The following countries have officially recognized and condemned the massacres of the Armenian people as an act of genocide, according to international rights  France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, New South Wales of Australia and 45 states of the US.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The Yazidi community of Armenia condemns the Turkish governments denialist policy.

President of the Yazidi Union of Armenia Aziz Tamoyan told Armenpress in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial on April 24 that in the early 20th century Turkey committed a genocide at a state level against ethnic minorities, Armenians, Assyrians, Yazidis, Greeks and it still continues to deny that fact.

Turks insist that they didnt commit the genocide, but the reality is different. I call on the international community, the UN, the European Union to be engaged more seriously in this issue. They speak about human rights and they must be able to settle this issue. This is their work, but today each initiative of these structures remains only on the paper, Tamoyan said.

What is happening today against the Yazidis, can happen also against other people in the future. These terrorist groups must be eliminated. They are an evil for humanity. Turkey is also an evil for humanity since this country is the main reason of what is happening now. If Turkey have recognized the Armenian Genocide, I think such events would not happen, he said, adding that Turkey not only doesnt recognize the Armenian Genocide, but also continues its dirty policy.

The Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized and acknowledged by eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions and the decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

There are numerous documents considering the massacres of the Armenian people as a pre-planned and thoroughly implemented act of genocide. Organizations like the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, a number of UN Committees, the World Council of Churches, MERCOSUR parliament and others acknowledged the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide: Uruguay is the first country that acknowledged the Genocide in 1965. The following countries have condemned and recognized the massacre of Armenians as a genocide based on international law: France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Australias state of New South Wales, 45 US states.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The world must recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide, in order for such crimes not to be repeated in the future, deputy minister of foreign affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan said in Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

As long as the Armenian Genocide hasnt been clearly recognized and condemned, there is big danger that similar crimes can be repeated at any moment. Thats why we must be able to create an environment where the Armenian Genocide will be finally recognized and condemned, he said.

Asked which countries might recognize the Genocide soon, Kocharyan said: You know, in reality it is important that everyone recognizes. It is important that the US speaks about the Armenian Genocide not only on the level of states, but rather on high state level, but our final goal is that first of all Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian people, top officials and visiting foreigners pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide on April 24, in the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

The Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman government, has been substantiated, recognized and confirmed by eyewitness accounts, laws, resolutions and decisions of numerous states and international organizations.

The full range of documents which label the massacres of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as an act of premeditated genocide is huge.

Organization like the European Council, the European Parliament, several UN committees, the World Council of Churches, the Parliament of MERCOSUR and others have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide  the first country to officially recognize it was Uruguay, in 1965.

The following countries have officially recognized and condemned the massacres of the Armenian people as an act of genocide, according to international rights  France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina (2 laws, 5 resolutions), Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Vatican, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, New South Wales of Australia and 45 states of the US.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Turkeys pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party issued a statement on the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reports Armenpress.

The statement says: 102 years have passed since the planned genocide of ethnic identity and faith, Mets Yeghern. 102 years ago, on April 24, 1915, the process starting from removing more than two dozens of Armenian intellectuals from their own homes to the way of death by Ittihat ve Terakki (Union and Progress) partys Teskilat- Mahsusa organization continued with exile of hundreds of thousands of Armenians and systematic annihilation of many others.

The party stated the aim of actions committed against Armenians was to create a unitary state. Unfortunately, we were too late in confronting the great crimes making a desert our geographical area. From examples in the world we know that cursing the crimes against humanity, confronting the truth, apologizing the oppressed people and believers, finding ways to restore justice, understanding each other and healing the wounds are extremely important steps to arouse the feeling of conscience and justice. Sharing the pains is an important component of jointly thinking, being able to jointly build a democratic, peaceful and equal future.

As grandchildren of the ancient peoples of Anatolia, we share the pains of 102 years, the shape and human tragedy that happened are in our hearts. We once again remember those who were killed in that period with pain and respect, the statement reads.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Vatican H.E. Michael Minasyan gave an interview to the Italian La Stampa ahead of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Minasyan recalled the Popes visit to Armenia and the significance of the visit  for looking into the future.

The visit of Pope Francis to Armenia in June of 2016 was one of the few visits which the Pope had already planned upon assuming the Papacy, tert.am reports.

La Stampas Vatican Insider inquired from Ambassador Minasyan what significance the Popes visit to Armenia had.

This visit is full of symbols and emotions, I think it reflected the importance of Pope Francis key values in a wonderful way, such as solidarity, being open for the world and freedom.

Solidarity with the Armenian people, people who suffered so much, and the Pope teaches that it is impossible not to have solidarity with those who suffer. Being open for the world, because opening themselves for the world gave courage to the Armenians, to be freed from the shackles of the tempering pain of the Turkish governments denial policy. And finally, freedom, the Popes personal freedom, that he ignored pressures for being able to convey the two other values, Minasyan said.

He recalled Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans remarks, which, in his view, best characterize the significance of Pope Francis visit to Tsitsernakaberd  Your Holiness, today you healed our wounds.

I believe before several tragedies that happened during the history of mankind there is no other tool that silence  as an invitation to listen. Feel, what the victims say, not to speak instead of them, but to pray for them and pray so that mankind doesnt suffer from what they have suffered, Minasyan told the Italian newspaper, asked why Pope Francis was silent during his entire time in Tsitsernakaberd.

Minasyan reminded that back during the 2015 April 12 mass, the Pope mentioned that the roots of current tragic events lie in the tragedies of the beginning of the 20th century.

The Ambassador mentioned that the Popes glance in Armenia also included the Christians of the Middle East, for whom he doesnt get tired to call for peace, because silence cannot be used in the events of such tragedies, which are happening today in front of our eyes.

Minasyan said that we, Armenians, believe the past can help us in looking into the future, and thats why Armenians struggle tirelessly for more than a century.

If the tragedy which happened to my people one hundred years ago had received the correct assessment, the way nations do in recent decades with delay, probably today we would have a different situation in the case of Middle Easts Christians, Minasyan said, stressing Armenians are waiting for this step from Turkey, as well as the realization that cultural and political diversity was their wealth in the past. Unfortunately, this common memory is always being denied and forgotten, he said.

Michael Minasyan stressed that the Pope has spoken about memory on various occasions, but always as a deeply positive thing, because it creates a link between people, peoples, even when it is difficult to accept them.

I believe what he said in St. Peters Cathedral during the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and later next year repeated during his visit to Armenia, was a desire to make this memory the basis, on which it will be possible to build peaceful relations between Armenians and Turks, the reconciliation path, with the understanding that walls can be taken down only by beginning from the truth, he said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement on April 24  the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The statement of the Turkish president is perhaps the most unaddressed and overall statement compared to the previously made ones. His address was read in the St. Vardanants Church in Istanbuls Ferikoy district, the Turkish Anadolu agency reported, which released Erdogans statement in both Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian.

Avoiding to record historic facts, Erdogan only mentioned in the statement The Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the difficult conditions of WW I, by extending condolences to their grandchildren.

Further in the statement, the Turkish president highlighted the role of the Armenian community in the development of the country, mentioning that Armenians are equal and free citizens of the country, just like yesterday, they carry out an important role in the social, political and commercial life.

Erdogan said they will further continue working on standing up for the memory of Ottoman Armenians and Armenian cultural legacy.

Commenting on the election of Istanbuls Armenian Patriarch, Erdogan expressed desire for the election to be over in a short period of time, and wished success in the matter.

I ask God for mercy for the millions of Ottoman citizens, who lost their lives in the difficult conditions of World War I, the statements final part reads.

Erdogans first statement on April 24 was back in 2014. In response to an inquiry of ARMENPRESS, then chief-of-staff of the Presidential administration Vigen Sargsyan particularly said:

We must admit, that this is another, perhaps a more improved manifestation, of covering up and denying the crime of the Armenian Genocide. It contains all the same thesis of the Turkish propaganda machine, which everyone is well aware of  viewing the victim and the executor on the same level, distorting the reason-consequence link, and the call on forming the tools on revising the historic reality  which everyone knows. In reality, another thing is required from Turkey  to recognize history and unequivocally condemn the crimes which exist in it.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump has issues a statement on the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Armenpress reports the statement particularly reads,

Today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many.

As we reflect on this dark chapter of human history, we also recognize the resilience of the Armenian people. Many built new lives in the United States and made indelible contributions to our country, while cherishing memories of the historic homeland in which their ancestors established one of the great civilizations of antiquity.

We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again. We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan always tries to avoid the implementation even of the minimal agreements, at the same time puts forward some maximalist demands, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian told during Orakarg program on Public TV.

-Mr. Minister, Baku says that Armenia allegedly avoids from negotiations, but will have to return to the negotiation table. How would you comment on this?

- The Azerbaijani tries just to pretend a good player, but even here they are not able to succeed. Its well-known that Armenia has always been and remains an advocate of negotiations. Its also evident that it is Azerbaijan who tries to transfer the discussion on Nagorno Karabakh issue to other platforms, trying to avoid negotiations and meetings organized on an approved platform under the auspices of the Co-chairs blaming for it the Armenian side.

Before making those false claims maybe Azerbaijan should try to explain how it happens that Azerbaijan does not implement the agreements reached during the meetings if it is Armenia who tries to avoid the meetings, something that we witnessed just last year regarding the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg.

Azerbaijan always tries to avoid the implementation even of the minimal agreements, at the same time demands the maximum, puts forward some maximalist demands. Everybody comes to the conclusion that Azerbaijan is unable to negotiate. But, despite the attempts of Azerbaijan to avoid the meetings, which we recently witnessed in Munich, and before it in Hamburg, Armenia has always been and remains an advocate of negotiations since the negotiation process has no alternative.

-There are media reports about a possible meeting of the FMs of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan. Is this true?

-There is a general idea that such a meeting should be organized. When there is a final agreement, when the time is known we will inform you.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. French Presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron who received the majority of the votes in the first stage has mentioned that the memory of the Armenian people should be fully recognized.

Armenian men and women of France have had their contribution in shaping our history, Armenpress reports Macron twitted and posted a photo of his visit to Komitas monument in Paris.

Hours ago Emmanuel Macron visited the monument of Komitas in Paris and paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Macron was accompanied by Mourad Papazian and Ara Toranian, Co-chairs of Co-ordination Council of Armenian organizations of France.

Earlier Macron had announced that in case of being elected a president, he will continue the tradition of commemorating the Armenian Genocide, and added that its necessary to continue working in the direction of criminalization of the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian has referred to the statement of the US President Donald Trump on the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, where he refused to use the word genocide.

President Trump has chosen to enforce Ankaras gag-rule against American condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. In failing to properly mark April 24th, President Trump is effectively outsourcing U.S. genocide-prevention policy to Recep Erdogan, an arrogant and authoritarian dictator who clearly enjoys the public spectacle of arm-twisting American presidents into silence on Turkeys mass murder of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and other Christians, Armenpress reports Hamparian announced.

Trumps statement runs as follows, Today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many.

As we reflect on this dark chapter of human history, we also recognize the resilience of the Armenian people. Many built new lives in the United States and made indelible contributions to our country, while cherishing memories of the historic homeland in which their ancestors established one of the great civilizations of antiquity.

We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again. We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Remembrance event dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took place at the monument of Komitas in the Square of Canada in Paris attended by French President Francois Hollande, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, leaders of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France, as well as other high ranking French officials. Armenpress reports headed by President Hollande flowers were laid at the monument of Komitas.

I am here to honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide with silence. Today we must call on civil mobilization and republican vigilance. The struggle for memory is our main activity, a struggle against historical distortions. Its already 100 years that great thinkers voice against genocides. This is the solidarity of France with the Armenian people, something that I remembered also on my way to Armenia, Hollande said, adding that France will never stop speaking about the Armenian Genocide.

Hollande emphasized, We cannot allow distortions. Only truth can reconcile and consolidate. At the same time we should never forget the path leading to the criminalization of denializm. Denialism is not an opinion; it is refutation of the truth and reality.

Hollande added that France should always tell Turkey that the genocide has taken place and it must be recognized. Throughout the globe encountering human rights infringements April 24 reminds us that we have to act. As the President of the country I have always been concerned that France should never evade its obligations. You know that we are linked by an inseparable friendship and this is a fraternal link, the French President stated.

French Presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron who received the majority of the votes in the first stage also visited the monument of Komitas on April 24. Armenian men and women of France have had their contribution in shaping our history, Macron twitted and posted a photo of his visit to Komitas monument in Paris.
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Press secretary of the US President Sean Spicer has commented on the statement issued by the While House on the occasion of April 24.

Armenpress reports during the daily briefing at the White House, answering the question why President Trump did not use the word genocide when describing the events of 1915, Spicer mentioned that the statement was in line with the statements issued by the previous administrations.

A number of previous administrations have used that lexicon. If we look back and examine the lexicon used by Presidents Obama and Bush, and their predecessors, we can say that the lexicon used by the President was in line with them, the press secretary of the White House said.

Trumps April 24 statement runs as follows, Today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many.

As we reflect on this dark chapter of human history, we also recognize the resilience of the Armenian people. Many built new lives in the United States and made indelible contributions to our country, while cherishing memories of the historic homeland in which their ancestors established one of the great civilizations of antiquity.

We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again. We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future.
High street bakery chain Greggs has unveiled plans to open up a new outlet in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, British Baker can confirm.

Although it is in the early stages, the plans have been submitted to Aberdeenshire council for the bakery to take over the Scottish Hydro Electric store on Market Place in Inverurie.

We can confirm that we are looking to open a shop later this year, a Greggs spokesperson told British Baker. We are currently recruiting for 10 new jobs. Those interested in applying should visit greggsfamily.co.uk.

Aberdeenshire currently has five Greggs stores, with the bakery chain opening 145 shops in total last year.

In February 2017, Greggs revealed a strategy for growth that included opening 150 new stores in 2017.
North Wales-based Henllan Bakery has signed a new deal with Tesco to stock six breads and four morning goods.

The deal, which director Tom Moore told British Baker he is delighted about, means that 22 Tesco stores in north and mid-Wales will stock 10 lines of its craft bread.

The breads, which are in stores now, are four loaves (a white and a brown, both in small and large versions), a box bread in white and brown, two packs of four baps (one white, one brown), and two packs of six baps (one white, one brown).

The loaves will all be thin-sliced versions, as Moore said this was a bestseller in the area: I like a nice, thick slice of toast or bread for a sandwich myself, but around here they all prefer a thin slice.

He added that it was a really exciting time for the family bakery, and that the staff had been fantastic.

Were delivering to Tesco with our 16 van fleet six days a week, and the staff have been brilliant  we are lucky to have a really loyal local workforce who have been so helpful and supportive with the winning of new contracts.

Moore also wanted to credit local Tesco buyers Chris Minter and Enfys Fox, whom he said had been key to the new developments.

Denbigh-based Henllan has been making bread since 1908, but this is the first time it has sold them in Tesco supermarkets - they also supply Co-op and Asda.

Moore said: The decision was made two years ago to focus on bread this year, and trolley shoppers as opposed to basket or carrier bag shoppers. So far it has been received really well.
5 Causes of Nursing Home Resident Anxiety Unfortunately, for many reasons anxiety happens more often by long-term care residents than by those who live in
Some of the sandstone to be used in the rehabilitation of Calgary's crumbling old city hall will be coming from across the Atlantic Ocean.

CBC News has confirmed the city is buying sandstone from suppliers in Poland and Spain as well as the U.S. for the $34-million project.

Last fall, city council passed a motion asking the city to examine re-opening a sandstone quarry in the Calgary area for the project.

Several quarries provided the original sandstone for the historic building, which opened in 1911.

Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said that option was examined but the conclusion was that it's not going to work  at least not on the timeframe the old city hall project is on.

The former quarry in Edworthy Park was deemed to be the best potential site. But there are complications.

Carra said the Edworthy family donated the land to the city with the proviso it remain a park forever. To ensure that continues in perpetuity, the family also retained the mineral rights for the land.

Initial discussions were held but Carra said it wasn't going to be an easy deal to reach, if ever.

"It was going to be a bridge too far unless the city made some moves. And the city has made some moves and it still remains slightly a bridge too far because of those two things," said Carra.

Cheaper than local

Despite going off-shore and to the U.S. for its sandstone needs, the city says the cost will actually be cheaper than trying to find stone locally.

"I'm told that we're not going to be able to tell the difference between local stuff and ... so ... I guess that's the way it's going to have to be," Carra said.

The foreign content will be significant. There are over 15,000 pieces of sandstone on old city hall.

Even if local sandstone could be found, Mayor Naheed Nenshi said it would still have to be shipped somewhere else to be processed.

"It does make me sad," he said about the lack of local material being used.

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"The fossils will be different in terms of what's in there. But our No. 1 priority is restoring that beautiful, historical building  that really important part of Calgary's tradition  and doing it quickly and cost efficiently."

The city says it will pay $3 million to the three foreign suppliers but no further breakdown or information about the companies is being provided at this time.

According to the city, the criteria for selecting suppliers was based on six equally-weighted requirements.

They are: price, technical fit, laboratory documentation, colour-calibrated photography, physical samples and cutting services.

It's actually not that unusual to mix stone from different parts of the world on a particular project.

'All about getting the right match'

Shawn Thibault, director of conservation for Ravenstone Masonry Conservation Inc. in Victoria, said it's all about getting the right match.

"To go and find a stone that's maybe not local but has all the same characteristics of the stone that is there, is really important. So to find a stone with that vein and stain or in the States or wherever it may be, it may be a better match than something that could be considered local," said Thibault.

But an equally important consideration besides finding the right stone is to install it correctly and look after the building, Thibault added.

"Even if it is the perfect match, if we don't do all the rest of that system correctly, i.e. we use the wrong mortars or decide to seal the stone or something like that, then we run the risk of damaging the stone that was good to begin with."

After the restoration project, Thibault said it's also important the city do what it can to prevent water from unnecessarily flowing onto the porous sandstone and keep things like salt from near-by concrete from touching the building.

Rather than be worried about where the sandstone is coming from, a local heritage group says the important thing is that the city is looking after a historically-significant Calgary landmark.

Landmark preservation also important

Cynthia Klassen is a past-president of the Calgary Heritage Initiative. She said it's understandable the city looked elsewhere for sandstone given that it would be challenging to re-open any of the old Calgary quarries due to the city having grown around them.

"So re-opening them and creating new industrial sites of that intensity in the middle of a city isn't something that we would be able to entertain currently," said Klassen. "It is an interesting conundrum that we find ourselves in."

But that said, Klassen isn't bothered that European and American sandstone will soon be part of old city hall.

"I don't see that as a big deal because the alternative would be to tear down old city hall and replace it with another glass and steel structure, similar to what we have all over downtown," said Klassen.

Carra plans to keep pushing the city's administration to find a local quarry solution because he says there are other sandstone buildings in Calgary that will need additional stone in the future.

Old city hall is expected to remain a construction site until mid-2020.

It has been designated as a legally protected heritage building by the city as well as by the federal and provincial governments.

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It was nearly a year ago when Allan MacRae got a call from a friend and former colleague warning of trouble brewing at a small Alberta natural gas producer.

Lexin Resources wasn't on the radar of most Albertans last spring, but it was under scrutiny from the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), and some of its own employees had become concerned about safety.

Lexin operated more than 1,300 natural gas wells in the province and the 30-year-old Mazeppa Processing Plant south of Calgary, which processed sour gas  a natural gas that contains hydrogen sulphide and is deadly to humans and animals, even in small concentrations.

It needs to be managed very carefully.

And that's why what MacRae learned shocked him. His contact at Lexin said that because of financial difficulties, the company wasn't maintaining the plant as well as it could and didn't have access to many of its sour gas wells because it hadn't made lease payments to landowners. More importantly, his source was concerned the company wasn't doing enough to maintain the pipelines that carried sour gas to the plant.

MacRae, a professional engineer who'd been the General Manager of Engineering for Canadian Occidental when it owned the Mazeppa Plant in the 1990s, did his own research and came to an alarming conclusion.

"Worst-case scenario would look like this," MacRae told CBC News. "You have a major [pipeline] blowout with sour gas with a southeasterly or easterly wind and it carries over a number of southeast and east Calgary subdivisions.

"Nothing from earthworms and up would survive."

MacRae wrote to the AER about his concerns in late May. The regulator had been monitoring Lexin for months at that point, and in mid-June it ordered that the pipeline system be shut-in until repairs were done. About six weeks later, Lexin told the AER it could no longer respond to an emergency at Mazeppa and that the sour gas leak monitoring system wasn't working. Days later, the regulator ordered the plant to be shut down.

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That intensified a series of disputes between the company and the regulator that led to the AER ultimately suspending Lexin's operations entirely this past February and taking the unprecedented step of forcing the company into receivership so that its assets could be sold off to pay to clean up its financial and environmental mess.

The Mazeppa plant and the sour gas wells are now under the control of the AER. The wells, pipelines and plant have been safely suspended, so the risk has been abated. But the question remains as to how much risk were Albertans in the southern part of the province facing in late 2015 and 2016?

Behind the scenes at Lexin

For the first time, MacRae's original source at Lexin, a former executive, has agreed to talk to media about what he saw as the company unravelled.

CBC News has agreed not to use his real name because he claims he's still owed money from his time at the company and is concerned about legal repercussions. He will be referred to here as Peter Jones.

CBC News has also spoken to other former managers at the company, along with employees, landowners and mineral rights holders who had dealings with Lexin.

Jones said that in the fall of 2015, a farmer called the plant to report what he thought was a sour gas leak.

"A sour gas leak is extremely dangerous, the stuff can kill you in a heartbeat," Jones said. "One or two per cent [hydrogen sulphide] will kill you. We were dealing with sour gas up to 40 per cent."

Jones said the company fixed the leak and then conducted an interior inspection of the pipeline system to find other spots where the metal may have corroded.

Another former Lexin executive told CBC News the Mazeppa plant was in reasonably good shape at that time, having recently gone through what's called a maintenance turnaround, where the plant is taken off-line for a refresh. But the pipeline system was a concern, especially because of its proximity to hundreds of landowners, not to mention Calgary.

After the pipeline inspection was complete, staff at the plant suggested anti-corrosive chemicals be injected into the pipeline system to ward off further corrosion. According to sources, Lexin's leadership didn't follow that recommendation because of the cost.

Lexin's response

In a memo to CBC News, Michael Smith, a director at Lexin, said the inspection of the pipelines in October 2015 found several areas where there was corrosion. He said the main north-south supply line, which runs along Alberta's Highway 2, was subsequently repaired.

Smith said lateral pipelines, which feed the main line, were assessed and shut in, until the company could decide if it was worth fixing them.

Smith said the company looked at the risk, the repair costs of the pipelines and the production losses from the gas fields that were feeding the lateral pipeline system. He said the high cost of the anti-corrosion chemicals was a key factor in deciding what to do with the pipelines, but not the main consideration.

But Lexin's pipeline problems weren't finished.

There would be another gas leak in April 2016, which the AER described as medium consequence, meaning it could have a moderate impact on people and wildlife.

After the leak was reported to the AER, the regulator directed Lexin to shut down the main north-south pipeline until repair digs at multiple sites could be completed. The pipeline system was never reopened.

Keeping Mazeppa safe

Workers at the plant said 2016 was a challenging year for them.

Larry Nagle started working at Mazeppa in 1986 and retired after it was shut down by the AER.

"We were limping along, in some cases, which is not a good situation with a sour gas plant," he said. "You make sure that everything is operating in a proper way."

He offered the following example to highlight just how bad the company's financial situation had become: "They quit buying potable water for the plant in the spring of 2016. The company that was supplying water said, 'We're not bringing any more water because you haven't paid us.'"

In addition to concerns about working conditions, the union representing Mazeppa workers contacted the AER with a list of problems at the plant, including widespread corrosion and Lexin's refusal to test contaminated water in its ponds.

Nagle was one of only a few employees left at the plant in the spring and summer of 2016. He stayed on until late July, just before Lexin wrote to the AER saying it could no longer be responsible for Mazeppa.

"We were basically security guards, but we were only one man per shift," he said. "That is not a safe way to run anything. Anything can happen when you are walking around. You could fall, trip and there is no one to help you."

Lexin and the AER

Lexin and the AER are currently fighting in court over unpaid fees and the regulator's move to force Lexin into receivership back in March. Lexin is appealing the receivership order and largely blames the regulator for its problems.

Many of the court documents are very technical, but they do show the AER's growing frustration with Lexin.

For example, the regulator lists all the safety orders and directions it issued to the company beginning in February 2016, including a notice of non-compliance for its failure to install a dilution gas meter at a sour gas facility.

It also ordered Lexin to clean up a hydrocarbon spill at the Mazeppa plant, and to prove that it still had access to some of its wells after not paying surface leases. The regulator told CBC News it made 276 inspections at Lexin sites in 2016.

In his memo to CBC News, Smith said "we are convinced that no pipeline was operated in unsafe condition. The monitoring systems were in place and backed up by increased frequency operator inspections."

Smith said pipelines that were identified as a risk were de-pressurized and purged to be put in a safe state.

In July 2016, Lexin wrote to the AER saying that because it had laid off nearly all its staff, it could no longer respond to an emergency at the plant or its related infrastructure.

In letters to the AER in January 2017, Lexin said it wouldn't be able to provide health and safety measures for its sour gas wells after February 15, and that it believed the situation created serious health and safety concerns for all concerned.

On February 14, the AER suspended Lexin's operations, in March the company was forced into receivership.

A mess to clean up

The company may have been shut down but its problems remain.

Many of Lexin's natural gas wells will need to be reclaimed, others will be sold. They are now the responsibility of the Orphan Well Association, which is funded by the energy industry but has also received public money in the past.

The list of creditors is long and there are also questions about whether the Mazeppa plant will be sold or decommissioned.

Both the AER and Lexin acknowledge there were health and safety concerns at the company's sour gas operations. The AER is managing those issues now, but it's unclear who exactly will be ultimately responsible for the cleanup, once this has played out in the courts.

You can read more about the AER's claims against Lexin Resources here.

Lexin's statement of defence is below and available here.

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Protesting fishermen have ended their demonstration at the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) office after union officials wouldn't agree to their demands.

The group of fishermen making up FISH-NL  the Federation of Independent Seafood Harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador  is trying to break away from the FFAW. Its vice-president, Richard Gillett, ended an 11-day hunger strike on Sunday.

"We want a meeting with Bill Broderick, John Boland, Keith Sullivan and Dave Decker," said Rod Rowe, a fisherman from Fogo who has been fishing more than 30 years, earlier Monday. "The fishermen [are] fed up with the union here. Our voices are not getting to Ottawa."

"You all watched Richard Gillett starve himself. What did Ottawa do? What did our union do? What did our provincial government do? Absolutely nothing. They were willing to let him die. We're not going to sit down and die either."

About 60 fishermen gathered outside the FFAW Monday morning asking for a meeting with the union and insisting the media be present when the two sides sit down.

The FFAW agreed to meet with representatives from each fishing area Wednesday, according to RNC Supt. Joe Boland, who was acting as a liason. But protesting fishermen left when there was no commitment to allow the media to be there.

RNC warned FFAW of threats of violence

The FFAW is set to meet amongst themselves Monday afternoon to discuss the day's events. The building was empty when demonstrators arrived. A spokesperson said they'd been advised Sunday night by the RNC of threats of violence, so the office was closed Monday.

A statement from the FFAW following Monday's protest said the demonstration was organized by FISH-NL to "generate support in light of its struggling union drive that was rejected by 75 per cent of fish harvesters."

The FFAW also accused FISH-NL's president Ryan Cleary and its leadership of "pitting harvester against harvesters, promoting lies and misstating facts," and said there is little Cleary and FISH-NL will not do "to draw attention and boost their profile."

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The statement said FFAW will meet with harvesters, but not with FISH-NL, and added that the meeting will take place in private, without media attendance.

Rowe said he spoke with John Boland, a staff representative at the FFAW, by phone who told Rowe to "have at her," before hanging up on him.

"Enough is enough," said protester Donald Spence, who fishes out of the Northern Peninsula.

"I'm a member of FFAW, I pays all my dues and I wants to get in that building today."

The protest at FFAW followed Richard Gillett's address to supporters at his original protest site outside DFO in St. John's on Monday morning.

Gillett was released from hospital Sunday following an 11-day hunger strike.

"I wanted to do a hunger strike because it's non-violent, non-confrontational," Gillett, the vice-president of FISH-NL, told the crowd of about 60 fishermen in front of DFO.

"We may not have gotten exactly what we wanted from the government  but I tell you we got far more."

Gillett said he's gotten calls of support from across the province and that the protest has opened people's eyes to the fishery.

"That's what this place was built on, was fish. That's why we came here 500 years ago  and we finally brought that back in the forefront."

Gillett was taken away in an ambulance from his protest site outside of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans building in St. John's on Sunday.

Ryan Cleary, president of FISH-NL, saw Gillett that night at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. He said Gillett lost about 25-30 pounds but that Gillett will "be fine."

"I spoke to him two minutes ago and he was eating a piece of ham," Cleary told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show, adding that Gillett's first meal after his hunger strike was a bowl of soup at the hospital.

Cleary said Gillett told him it was the best thing he's ever eaten.

"He's doing well," Cleary said.

"Bottom line is, he's out of the tent, he's out of the cold and he's eating again."

'There must be change'

Cleary was parked outside DFO headquarters in St. John's, where protesters gathered early Monday morning.

CBC News has learned employees were notified on Sunday and were told to stay home until further notice.

Protesters angry over DFO management and the department's relationship with the FFAW blocked the exit to the building Friday as workers attempted to leave for the day.

Eventually, everyone was allowed through.

"The pressure is not going to let up for change," Cleary said. "There must be change."

'This is a victory'

Gillett started his hunger strike to urge a review of DFO scientific studies and stock management. He also pleaded for an inquiry of the relationship between DFO and the rival FFAW.

While he didn't quite get what he was fighting for, Gillett now has a meeting scheduled with Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

"That's all that Richard got in terms of a commitment from the federal minister of fisheries and oceans," Cleary said.

Cleary said the group is encouraged by DFO's commitment to review the governance around the decision to not open the spring herring fishery, as well as the department's communication.

Though Gillett's demands were not all met, Cleary said the public is more aware now because of the protest.

"This is a victory  awareness within DFO that there's a problem and within the broader Newfoundland and Labrador populous and the country."
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and allied forces advanced against rebels in western Syria near Hama city on Sunday, building on recent strategic gains in the area, a military source and a monitoring group said. Government forces captured the town of Halfaya and nearby villages, they said, taking back territory that rebels seized last year from forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. "We gained control of Halfaya and several hills in the area," the Syrian military source said. "The army will of course continue its fight." Boosted by Russian air strikes and Iranian-backed militias, the Syrian army has pushed into rebel areas north of Hama, expanding its control this week along the western highway that links Damascus and Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitoring group, said the army began advancing into areas near Halfaya when rebels withdrew on Sunday, following intense battles and air strikes. Rebels confirmed the town had fallen after several days of relentless air strikes by jets from Russia and Syria which are accused of a "scorched earth policy" that uses phosphorus and incendiary bombs on civilian areas. "Russian jets had intensified their bombing ahead of the ground offensive the regime launched. This allowed them to advance," said Mohamed Rasheed, spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's (FSA) Jaish al Nasr rebel group. Warplanes have pounded Halfaya and swathes of territory near the highway in a region vitally important to Assad's government, which has shored up its rule in the populated west of the country. Rebel factions, spearheaded by jihadists from the former al-Qaeda affiliate and also including Free Syrian Army groups, have been fighting fiercely to defend the towns in recent days. The army's earlier capture of Soran, its northern gateway to Hama city, meant it had reversed most of the territorial gains rebels made in their major offensive last month. With the help of its allies, the government has gained the military upper hand in the six-year war against the wide array of rebels, including some groups supported by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies. (Reporting by Ellen Francis; editing by Clelia Oziel and Mary Milliken)
MONDAY, April 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- That spare tire you're toting around could be increasing your risk of an early death, a new study suggests.

What's more, the increased risk associated with having a larger waistline occurs even if a person's body-mass index (BMI) indicates a healthy weight, said lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis. He's an associate professor with the University of Sydney in Australia.

People who carry extra weight around the middle -- also called "central obesity" -- but have a normal BMI have a 22 percent higher risk of death than people whose fat is stored elsewhere in their bodies, the study found. In folks with a BMI that indicates obesity, the risk of early death was 13 percent higher for those with central obesity.

The study also found that a large gut poses an even greater hazard for heart health. The risk of heart-related death is 25 percent higher for someone with central obesity and a normal BMI. It's 26 percent greater for those with an overweight BMI and extra abdominal girth, and 56 higher percent for an obese BMI and central obesity, the study found.

BMI is a rough estimate of a person's body fat based on height and weight measurements. Normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obese is 30 and over. Someone who's 5 feet, 9 inches tall is considered normal when weight is between 125 and 168 pounds. Overweight is 169 to 202 pounds. Obese is 203 pounds or higher.

Waist-to-hip ratio is a measurement used to determine if there is excess belly fat. Stamatakis said waist-to-hip ratio is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

"If a person's waist-to-hip ratio is over 0.85 if they are female, or over 0.90 if they are male, then they should be concerned and look into ways to alter their lifestyle to lose or reduce the 'paunch,'" Stamatakis said.

Ruth Loos is director of the genetics of obesity and related metabolic traits program at the Charles Bronfman Institute of Personalized Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

She said these findings jibe with previous studies indicating that belly fat may be more detrimental to a person's health than fat stored elsewhere in the body.

"Studies have been fairly consistent in showing that waist-to-hip ratio contributes to disease," Loos said.

For this latest study, researchers looked at almost 43,000 participants in the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey. Each person's BMI and waist-to-hip ratio was compared against their health history during 10 years of follow-up.

The study participants' average age was 58. And, just over half had central obesity. Forty four percent were overweight. One quarter were obese. Folks who were overweight and obese were much more likely to have central obesity than people with a normal BMI.

Researchers found that the risk posed by a big belly was the same for men and women, Stamatakis noted.

However, men are more likely to store fat around their middle, which could mean they are more likely to develop this risk, Loos said. Women tend to store fat in their hips and buttocks.

"It is indeed true that men have more of the one type of body shape, and women the other," Loos said.

Excessive fat around the waist has been linked to insulin resistance, high cholesterol and increased inflammation, Stamatakis said. These all are risk factors for heart disease.

A high waist-to-hip ratio also can indicate less muscle mass in the legs, which also increases heart disease risk, Stamatakis added.

"In fact, people who have high BMI often have larger amounts of fat stored in the hips and the legs, and this appears to be better for metabolic and cardiovascular health for reasons we cannot fully understand," he said.

Loos said belly fat might be more harmful than fat stored in the hips because it more directly affects the central organs of the body.

"If you store fat around your belly and around your organs, it's going to affect your liver function, it's going to affect your heart function," Loos said.

Both Stamatakis and Loos said people with belly fat should take steps to improve their health, by eating right, exercising and cutting out other risk factors like smoking or drinking.

Unfortunately, weight loss efforts will not necessarily eliminate your spare tire. Weight loss tends to occur evenly across the entire body, and cannot be directed toward any exact store of fat, Loos noted.

"There's no way of specifically targeting that belly fat," Loos said. "Even exercises like doing sit ups are not going to specifically help you lose fat in your belly."

The new study was published April 24 online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

More information

For more on abdominal obesity and health, visit the Harvard Medical School.
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Police on April 17, 2017, arrested two Brazilian photographers who were taking photographs of a barricade of burning tires in the Jardins neighborhood of Sao Paulo and accused them of starting the fire, according to one of the photographers and the police report, which CPJ has reviewed.

Two police officers stopped Andre Lucas de Almeida and Gustavo Ferreira de Oliveira, members of the C.H.O.C. Documental collective, as they finished photographing a protest organised by the Free Pass Movement (MPL, by its Portuguese acronym), Almeida told CPJ by telephone. The officers ordered them to put their hands on their heads, he said.

We were stopped, and they said that we started the fire and that they had [security camera footage] to prove it, Almeida said. They accused us of lacking ethics and shouted at us. They told us to bow our heads when we spoke to them.

Police took the two men to a nearby barracks, where officers questioned them and took their pictures. Almeida said police made him take off his shirt so they could photograph a tattoo on his chest. They were then transported to the 15th Precinct station where, among other things, they were asked if they had any links to political parties, Almeida added.

Both men could face up to six years in prison for the alleged crime, according to a report published online by Carta Capital magazine.

A police statement reviewed by CPJ confirmed the arrests and said the two men were detained after a witness reported that they participated in the act in which the tires were burned to block the road.

The statement said the photographers were questioned and released and that police were investigating the incident.

CPJ could not contact Oliveira.
In an article at The Atlantic this week, Grover Norquist suggests vaping might have swung the 2016 election. Ten million e-cigarettes users oppose further regulations on vaping, and this opposition makes them skeptical of the administrative state. In addition to possible electoral effects, research shows that some e-cigarette restrictions have had harmful results, particularly on young people.

The regulatory push has focused on Minimum Legal Sale Age laws (MLSAs) that prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to young people. In most instances the MLSA threshold is 18, but some states have raised it to 21.

A new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that these MLSA laws increase conventional cigarette smoking for affected youths. Earlier research from the U.K.'s Royal College of Physicians suggests that e-cigarette use was only five percent as harmful as cigarette smoking. Regulations that shift young people from vaping to conventional cigarette use have significant adverse health outcomes.

E-cigarettes have been growing in popularity, particularly among younger people. From 2011 to 2015, the share of high school students reporting use of e-cigarettes increased from 2 percent to 16 percent. E-cigarettes have surpassed cigarettes as the most common nicotine delivery product among young people.

But regulators and advocacy groups are wary of this surge in use. They fear that increased e-cigarette use could lead to higher use of other tobacco products and their related problems.

These fears spurred a wave of MLSA laws at the state level. Only two states did not have such laws in place when the Food and Drug Administration ruled it had the authority to regulate any product made or derived from tobacco, including any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product.

As explained in more detail in an E21 paper on e-cigarettes by Jared Meyer, the regulations deemed any e-cigarette as subject to these rules, even those that were nicotine-free or not derived from tobacco in any way, because they could still be considered components and parts. As a result, all e-cigarettes are subject to the minimum age of 18, nationwide.

Source: Dave, Feng, and Pesko (2017).

MLSA laws reduce the relative cost of traditional cigarettes. Cigarettes are often easier for affected young people to find than e-cigarettes. The relative ease of acquisition might lead some young people to shift from e-cigarettes to conventional ones.

MLSA laws increase youth smoking of conventional cigarettes by 0.7 to 1.4 percentage points, an increase of 8 to 12 percent compared to the baseline. Young people who had not smoked conventional cigarettes before but started to due to MLSA laws may have contributed to about half of the increase in smoking participation, according to the paperThe other half of the increase is from conventional smokers continuing instead of using e-cigarettes as a cessation aid.

MLSA laws both make it harder for young people to quit smoking, and cause more of them to take up conventional cigarettes. If the aim of these regulations is to reduce the exposure and risk of harmful substances to young people, they seem to have failed miserably.

This new study is the latest in a recent string analyzing the effect of e-cigarette MLSA laws, with two finding an increase in youth smoking and one finding a decline. The debate over the effect of the legislation is ongoing and far from a consensus, but the regulatory framework has operated as if the effect of the regulation is unambiguously good and effective.

Just because a minimum age of 18 is in effect throughout the country does not mean the issue of e-cigarette MLSA laws is over. Some jurisdictions have pushed their minimum age even higher. By the end of 2016, four states had a minimum age of 19 and three others had increased the age to 21.

Increases in conventional cigarette smoking for young people raise the rate of related health problems that they will deal with over their lives. States and the federal government will also have to bear the burden of the costs of smoking-related illnesses such as lung cancer, asthma, and heart disease.

Most evidence suggests that MLSA laws do more harm than good when it comes to youth smoking. Electoral effects aside, states and cities should hold off on additional limitsand reverse the ones they have implemented.

Charles Hughes is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on twitter @CharlesHHughes.

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This article originally appeared on MarketWatch.

I had just finished dinner at the restaurant Chez Francoise on Thursday night when I heard the news of the shooting on the Champs-Elysees, about a mile away.

It is being investigated as a terrorist act, and the Islamic State has claimed responsibility. That will help the National Front, founded by Marine Le Pens father, in the upcoming presidential election. (President Trump said in a tweet Friday that the attack [w]ill have a big effect on presidential election!) The party has taken a hard line on immigration and has promised to expand the police force and its powers in a recommitment to law and order. Marine Le Pen is also deeply skeptical of the European Union, in line with her populist commitment to putting France first.

Never has the outcome of French elections been so uncertain. The election is this Sunday (April 23), but at this point, it is impossible to forecast the two winners who will go on to the second round on May 7. In most polls, 30% to 40% of respondents say they are undecided. The leading candidates, besides Marine Le Pen, are Francois Fillon (Republicans), Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!) and Jean-Luc Melenchon (Unbowed France, or France Defiant).

The candidates

The National Fronts Le Pen raises concerns because she is known for racist views, and the attack in Paris will help her. She has tried to distance herself from the extreme views of her father, who was openly racist and anti-Semitic, but in the last days of the campaign she is returning to anti-minority themes.

Hard-left party France Defiant is skeptical of international institutions, as Melenchon has pledged to withdraw from NATO and perhaps from the EU also. The party also supports confiscatory taxes as high as 100% on earnings over a certain threshold, a massive stimulus plan funded by borrowing and corporate nationalization of some industries.

Melenchon is high in the polls, which is frightening many people here. Some see a duel between Le Pen and Melenchon, the far-right candidate versus the far-left.

Fillons center-right Republicans party is more traditionally conservative, with a focus on reforms to Frances welfare state and labor market. The party would also reduce the number of public-sector workers and rein in spending in an effort to get the countrys fiscal situation under control. Fillon was leading until it came out that he paid members of his family to work in his government office with little work to show for it.

Macrons new En Marche! party attempts to fill what Macron sees as a void left open by the other major parties. The party calls for deepening ties with the EU, putting more public funds toward training and infrastructure, and reforms that would make it easier to do business in the country. Macron is the candidate of the right and the left. His views are fiscally conservative, yet he served in the administration of President Francois Hollande. He is less experienced and has risen to prominence only in the past two years.

No incumbent

The elections are unusual because it is the first time in many years that the French president, Francois Hollande, is not running for reelection. Its also unusual that the Socialist Party candidate, Benoit Hamon, has less than 10% of the vote. Wayene Deca, a taxi driver originally from Haiti, explained to me that this means that many people such as himself who would have voted for Hamon will instead vote for Melenchon. A vote for Hamon is a wasted vote.

Francois Fillon should have won the election, but charges of corruption weakened his campaign. However, he is strengthening in the polls and could be one of those selected for the second round.

Some polls project that Le Pen, the National Front candidate, will go on to the second round with Macron. But Isabelle Maquet, a French economist, told me that she is concerned about a Le Pen-Fillon runoff because they are the two candidates with the lowest share of undecideds. Im terrified of that outcome because that would result in Le Pen being elected, she said. If its Fillon-Le Pen, then many people could abstain, but Le Pens supporters might turn out and make her the president.

Influence of Trump, Brexit

The polls are being treated with caution after the unexpected (in some quarters) wins for Brexit and Donald Trump. Furthermore, the polls were predicting a win for Alain Juppe in the primary, but Francois Fillon was chosen.

The results of the legislative elections, which will take place in June, have been overshadowed by coverage of the presidential election. Unlike the United States, the French choose their president and their National Assembly in separate elections. Further, the prime minister, who is responsible for managing the government, must have the support of the majority in the National Assembly. Fillon is the only candidate whose political party has a strong chance of gaining the majority in the National Assembly.

The relatively technocratic Macron would likely be able to find common ground with a National Assembly dominated either by the Republicans or the Socialists, while a Melenchon victory would almost certainly mean Socialist gains in the legislative branch. It is unclear, however, that a Le Pen nominee for prime minister would be able to gain a majority in the National Assembly, since her National Front party is unlikely to have much of a legislative foothold.

A Le Pen victory could therefore result in a constitutional crisis. Not every election tests the foundations of the French Republic, but this is not a typical election. The days of the Fifth Republic may be numbered.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth is a senior fellow and director of Economics21 at the Manhattan Institute. Follow her on Twitter here.

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Over 16 months, more than 75% of patients on Gilenya had either no relapses, no new or enlarged MRI lesions or no disability progression; around 58% showed brain shrinkage levels broadly within the range expected for people without MS



Approximately 60% of patients achieved NEDA-3 (no relapses, no MRI lesions and no disability progression combined) and 38% achieved NEDA-4 (NEDA-3 plus no brain shrinkage), further supporting findings from clinical trials



First real-world multicenter study showing that monitoring brain shrinkage using routine imaging methods is reliable and could be adopted in daily clinical practice

The digital press release with multimedia content can be accessed here:

Basel, April 24, 2017 - Novartis today announced data from the Phase IV M ultiple S clerosis and clinical outcome and MRI in the US (MS-MRIUS) study, which confirmed the effectiveness of Gilenya (fingolimod) in the real-world setting, supporting previous findings from Phase III trials[1],[2]. Results show that Gilenya impacted four key measures of MS disease activity (relapses, MRI lesions, disability progression and brain shrinkage), in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) for up to 16 months[1]. This is also the first time a multicenter study has evaluated and shown that routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans taken in the every-day clinical setting can reliably be used to measure brain shrinkage, a key measure of disease progression, in people with RRMS[3]. Full results are presented at the 69th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

The MS-MRIUS study is a multicenter (33 centers), retrospective, real-world study of 590 people with RRMS receiving Gilenya treatment[1]. At median follow-up of 16 months, 85.8% of individuals treated with Gilenya remained on treatment[1]. Of individuals eligible for NEDA-3 assessment (no relapses, no new or enlarged MRI lesions and no disability progression combined, n=586), 59.6% achieved NEDA-3 status[1]. Of those eligible for NEDA-4 assessment (NEDA-3 plus no brain shrinkage (brain volume loss), n= 325), more than a third (37.5%) achieved NEDA-4 status[1]. The study showed that among the NEDA-4 patients, 86.5% treated with Gilenya had no relapses, 91.1% experienced no disability progression and 79.7% had no new or enlarged MRI lesions[1]. In addition, 58.2% of patients had no MS-related brain shrinkage over 0.4%, which is broadly within the range one would expect to see in people without MS[1].

"These data build on the wealth of clinical and real-world evidence that show Gilenya is a highly efficacious, long-term treatment option for controlling disease activity in relapsing MS," said Vas Narasimhan, Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer, Novartis. "Measuring brain shrinkage has historically been dependent on specialist brain scanning techniques. These ground-breaking new data showing brain shrinkage can be reliably measured by routine MRI scans have the potential to change how this key measure of disease progression is monitored, to ultimately help patients and physicians observe and manage treatment success and outcomes."

The data showed for the first time that MRI scans with techniques readily available in clinical practice (FLAIR - fluid attenuation inversion recovery MRI), was a reliable method for measuring brain shrinkage in more than 95% of people included in the study[3].

Results from the MS-MRIUS study confirm the importance of addressing the four key measures of MS disease activity - relapses, MRI lesions, disability progression and brain shrinkage - through early and effective treatment to impact the course of RRMS and preserve patients' physical and cognitive function over the long-term.

About the MS-MRIUS study

The M ultiple S clerosis and clinical outcome and MRI in the US (MS-MRIUS) study is a Phase IV multicenter (33 sites), retrospective study including 590 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)[1]. The study investigated the effect of Gilenya on achieving 'no evidence of disease activity' (NEDA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) efficacy measures among people with RRMS, and also the feasibility of measuring brain shrinkage in routine clinical practice[1]-[3]. 586 patients were eligible for NEDA-3 and 325 patients were eligible for NEDA-4 evaluation, based on the availability of high resolution scans[1].

Individuals were required to undergo MRI scans within six months before, or one month after, the start of Gilenya treatment, followed by another MRI scan between nine and 24 months after the start of treatment[1].

Evaluation of NEDA was based on measurement of annualized relapse rate, MRI lesions and disability progression, as measured by the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, (NEDA-3) and MS-related brain shrinkage (NEDA-4), measured using whole brain volume loss (no MS-related brain shrinkage >0.4%)[1].

To assess the feasibility of measuring brain shrinkage in routine clinical practice, changes in lateral ventricle volume (LVV) were evaluated using fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI scans. LVV could be used as a proxy for whole brain volume changes, measured in high resolution MRI scans[3].

About Gilenya (fingolimod)

Gilenya is an oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) that is highly efficacious at controlling disease activity in relapsing MS (RMS)[4]. Gilenya has a reversible lymphocyte redistribution effect targeting both focal and diffuse central nervous system (CNS) damage caused by MS[5],[6]. Long-term clinical trial and real-world evidence and experience has shown Gilenya treatment to be convenient for individuals to incorporate into everyday life, leading to high treatment satisfaction, long-term persistence, and ultimately, improved long-term outcomes for people with RMS[7],[8].

Gilenya impacts four key measures of RMS disease activity: relapses, MRI lesions, brain shrinkage (brain volume loss) and disability progression[9],[10]. Its effectiveness on all of these measures has been consistently shown in multiple controlled clinical studies and in the real-world setting. Studies have shown its safety and high efficacy to be sustained over the long term, demonstrating that switching to Gilenya treatment as early in the disease course as possible can be beneficial in helping to preserve individuals' function[11],[12].

Gilenya is approved in the US for the first-line treatment of relapsing forms of MS in adults and in the EU for adult patients with highly-active relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) defined as either high disease activity despite treatment with at least one DMT, or rapidly-evolving severe RRMS[4],[13].

Gilenya has been used to treat more than 204,000 patients in both clinical trials and the post-marketing setting, with approximately 424,000 years of patient experience[14].

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord through inflammation and tissue loss[15]. There are three types of MS: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS)[16]. The evolution of MS results in an increasing loss of both physical and cognitive (e.g. memory) function. This has a substantial negative impact on the lives of the approximately 2.3 million people worldwide affected by MS[17].

About Novartis in Multiple Sclerosis

The Novartis multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio includes Gilenya (fingolimod, an S1P modulator), which is indicated for relapsing forms of MS and is also in development for pediatric MS. Extavia (interferon beta-1b for subcutaneous injection) is approved in the US for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. In Europe, Extavia is approved to treat people with relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS (SPMS) with active disease and people who have had a single clinical event suggestive of MS.

Investigational compounds include BAF312 (siponimod), under investigation in MS, and OMB157 (ofatumumab), a fully human monoclonal antibody in development for relapsing MS. Ofatumumab targets CD20, and is currently being investigated in two Phase III pivotal studies.

In the US, the Sandoz Division of Novartis markets Glatopa (glatiramer acetate injection) 20mg/mL, the first generic version of Teva's Copaxone* 20mg.

*Copaxone is a registered trademark of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Disclaimer

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by words such as "could," "build on," "can," "potential," "in development," "investigational," "under investigation," "being investigated," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential new indications or labeling for Gilenya or Extavia, potential marketing approvals for BAF312 and OMB157, or regarding potential future revenues from Gilenya, Extavia, Glatopa, BAF312 and OMB157. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of management regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that Gilenya or Extavia will be submitted or approved for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that BAF312 or OMB157 will be approved for sale in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that any of Gilenya, Extavia, Glatopa, BAF312 or OMB157 will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding such products and investigational compounds could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the company's ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; general economic and industry conditions; global trends toward health care cost containment, including ongoing pricing and reimbursement pressures; safety, quality or manufacturing issues, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com

References

[1] Weinstock-Guttman B et al. Assessing no evidence of disease activity status in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving fingolimod: results from a longitudinal, multicenter, real-world study. Poster presented at the 69th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 22-28, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Poster 388.

[2] Zivadinov R et al. Impact of fingolimod on MRI brain volume measures in routine clinical practice: results from MS-MRIUS, a longitudinal observational, multicenter real-world outcome study in RRMS patients. Poster presented at the 69th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 22-28, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Poster 350.

[3] Dwyer MG et al. Feasibility of brain atrophy measurement in clinical routine: Results from MS-MRIUS, a longitudinal observational, multicenter real-world outcome study in RRMS patients. Platform presentation at the 69th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 22-28, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Abstract 004.

[4] Gilenya US Prescribing Information. https://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/sites/www.pharma.us.novartis.com/files/gilenya.pdf (link is external). Accessed April 2017.

[5] Brinkmann V et al. FTY720 (fingolimod) in Multiple Sclerosis: therapeutic effects in the immune and the central nervous system. Br J Pharmacol. 2009;158(5):1173-1182.

[6] De Stefano N et al. Effect of fingolimod on diffuse brain tissue damage in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016;7:98-101.

[7] Warrender-Sparkes M et al. The effect of oral immunomodulatory therapy on treatment uptake and persistence in multiple sclerosis. Mut Scler. 2016;22(4):520-532.

[8] Khatri B et al. Comparison of fingolimod with interferon beta-1a in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised extension of the TRANSFORMS study. Lancet Neurol. 2011;10(6):520-529.

[9] Giovannoni G et al. "No evident disease activity": The use of combined assessments in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2017. Doi 10.1177/1352458517703193.

[10] De Stefano N et al. Effect of Fingolimod on Brain Volume Loss in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. CNS Drugs. 2017;31(4):289-305.

[11] Kappos L et al. Inclusion of brain volume loss in a revised measure of 'no evidence of disease activity' (NEDA-4) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2016;22(10):1297-1305.

[12] Lizac N et al. Highly active immunomodulatory therapy ameliorates accumulation of disability in moderately advanced and advanced multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2017;88(3):196-203.

[13] Gilenya EMA Summary of Product Characteristics. http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/002202/WC500104528.pdf (link is external). Accessed April 2017.

[14] Data on file. Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

[15] PubMed Heath. Multiple Sclerosis (MS). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001747/ (link is external) (link is external). Accessed April 2017.

[16] MS Society. Types of MS. https://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-is-ms/types-of-ms (link is external). Accessed April 2017.

[17] Multiple sclerosis international federation. Atlas of MS 2013. https://www.msif.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Atlas-of-MS.pdf (link is external). Accessed April 2017.

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Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining

24 April 2017

Vast Resources plc

("Vast" or the "Company")

Quarterly Production Summary & Operations Update



Vast Resources plc, the AIM listed mining company with operations in Romania and Zimbabwe, presents its operational update and production summary for the three months ended 31 March 2017.

Overview:

During the quarter, extreme cold in Romania and very high rainfall in Zimbabwe adversely affected mining operations.

Manaila Polymetallic Mine ("Manaila") in Romania

(commissioned on 14 August 2015, Vast Ownership 50.1%.):



Despite conditions in Romania reaching lows of minus 30 degrees Celsius, that being approximately 10 degrees Celsius colder on average compared to the comparative quarter for the previous year (3 months ended 31 March 2016), Vast managed to maintain its operations:

21,901 tonnes ore mined (March 2016: 20,362 tonnes; December 2016: 25,269)

20,291 tonnes ore milled (March 2016: 22,510 tonnes; December 2016: 29,439;)

Achieved a milled copper grade of 0.79% (March 2016: 0.96%; December 2016: 0.91%) and milled zinc grade of 0.76% (March 2016: 0.94% - this was not a separate zinc concentrate and was a deleterious element within the copper concentrate, which accordingly incurred a penalty. The Company now has a separate zinc line which provides an additional revenue stream; December: 0.88%)

526 tonnes copper concentrate produced at an average grade of 18.8% (March 2016: 822 tonnes at an average grade of 17.2%; December: 889 tonnes at an average grade of 19.5%)

132 tonnes zinc concentrate produced at an average grade of 26.3% (March 2016: 0 tonnes; December 2016: 165 tonnes at an average grade of 30.0%)

Calendar Q1 production levels are typically lower compared to the rest of the year - the unusually cold temperatures experienced in Q1 2017 exacerbated the usual seasonal drop off in activity: impeded the transport of ore to the Iacobeni Metallurgical Complex; normal mining operations resumed at the end of March; curtailed ore deliveries from the open-pit; the ore stockpile at Iacobeni froze solid, preventing it being fed to the crusher circuit; the flotation circuits froze up to such an extent that their operation would have resulted in mechanical damage to the equipment

Additional operational developments impacted production rates: the planned increase in the stripping ratio to 2.1 (December: 1.5) to expose additional ore mining faces. the larger mill experienced a breakdown in mid-March resulting in reduced milling capacity by utilising the smaller of the two mills - this has now been fixed.



Processing specialists Minxcon Group ("Minxcon") continue to work on enhancing the quantity and quality of the zinc concentrate production, which in the month of April has been consistently registering up to 45%.

A gravity recovery facility is being installed to recover the significant gold and silver contained in the tailings, which will generate a third revenue stream. The Company anticipates that this line will be operational in H2 2017.

Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine ("Baita Plai") and Faneata Tailings Facility ("Faneata") in Romania

(Vast Ownership 80%):

Prospecting licence granted in May 2016 over the Faneata tailings dam located 7km from Baita Plai.

Completed 825m drill programme at Faneata in November 2016.

An internally generated Maiden JORC Compliant Resource Estimate in March 2017 defined a total Mineral Resource of 3.0Mt (Gross, 2.4Mt being net to Vast).

Intention to use Baita Plai processing facility 6.5km away.

Metallurgical test work has commenced to determine optimal processing method.

A feasibility study to recover the contained metals is underway and due for completion in H2 2017. A preliminary economic assessment indicates a break even total processing recovery of 25%.

Continued progress towards obtaining the mining sub-licence for Baita Plai in accordance with Romanian due process - the granting of this mining-licence will allow for commissioning of the Company's third mine.

Pickstone-Peerless Gold Mine ("Pickstone-Peerless") in Zimbabwe

(commissioned on 20 August 2015, Vast ownership 50%):



51,102 tonnes ore milled (March 2016: 54,237; December 2016: 61,356). High rainfall hampered open pit mining operations, and wet, sticky ore restricted the crusher feed facilities.

2,974 ounces gold produced (March 2016: 2,808; December 2016: 4,352). Lower grade areas in the open-pit were mined as they remained accessible and low-grade stockpiles were used to supplement volumes.

A milled grade of 2.06 grams per tonne was achieved (March 2016: 1.71; December 2016: 2.41) notwithstanding the negative impact of the high rainfall during part of the quarter

Construction of the sulphide processing plant is well underway. First sulphide production is scheduled for Q3 2017 (calendar year).

Evaluation of the nearby Giant Gold Mine, which has a current JORC-compliant inferred resource of 500,000oz of gold, is ongoing.

Construction of the toll treatment plant to process ore from nearby artisanal mining operations commenced during the quarter and was commissioned during the current quarter.

Roy Pitchford, Chief Executive of Vast, commented:

"This has undoubtedly been a challenging quarter for the Company from an operational perspective. In Romania, the months of January-March are generally considered to be the most difficult operationally with many mines opting to close their operations. The fact that we managed to not only maintain production during this period but also achieved it during a year that experienced such extreme lows is a significant achievement. In Zimbabwe, we were presented with a different set of challenges due to the unusually high rainfall.

Whilst seasonal changes are to be expected these extreme weather occurrences are unusual and of course temporary. Accordingly, we remain confident that the underlying quality and value prospects of our mines are excellent and expect production rates to increase going forward.

"The quantity and quality of the zinc concentrate production has already improved, with production during April consistently registering grades up to 45% at Manaila. Furthermore, remedial actions taken in March and capital expenditure planned for the current quarter will facilitate a consistent 15,000 tonnes per month mill feed during the September quarter. Positive progress has also been made to install the gold and silver recovery circuit and once operational, targeted for H2 2017, will contribute to Manaila's revenue. Additionally, the experience gained during the period will be factored into future operational plans and the proposed new metallurgical complex to be sited at the Manaila open-pit mine.



"Production at Pickstone-Peerless is returning to normal levels and additional gold production is expected from the artisanal gold processing facility that has recently been commissioned. Continued good progress on the sulphide processing facility promises further increased gold production at Pickstone-Peerless in Q3 2017, and longer-term, the development of the Giant Gold Mine provides the Company with the ability to be a growing gold producer. We remain confident of the future opportunities ahead."

March 2017 Quarterly Production Summary

Operational data: Manaila Units Mar'17 Quarter Mar'16 Quarter Dec'16 Quarter Ore mined Tonnes 21,901 20,362 25,269 Waste mined Cubic Metre 45,143 130,925 38,538 Stripping ratio Times 2.1 6.4 1.5 Ore milled Tonnes 20,291 22,510 29,435 Milled Grade - Cu Percentage 0.79% 0.96% 0.91% Milled Grade - Zn Percentage 0.76% 0.94%* 0.88% Concentrate produced - Cu Dry tonnes 526 822 889 Percentage 18.8% 17.2% 19.5% Concentrate produced - Zn Dry tonnes 132 0 165 Percentage 26.3% 0% 30.0% Concentrate sold - Cu Dry tonnes 321 1,010 889 Concentrate sold - Zn Dry tonnes 0 0 200 Concentrate in stock at period end Cu Dry tonnes 206 78 0 Concentrate in stock at period end Zn Dry tonnes 132 0 0 Operational data: Pickstone-Peerless Units Mar'17 Quarter Mar'16 Quarter Dec'16 Quarter Ore mined Tonnes 51,660 63,825 70,930 Waste and low-grade ore mined Tonnes 546,126 244,855 435,083 Stripping ratio Times 10.6 3.8 6.1 Ore milled Tonnes 51,102 54,237 61,356 Milled Grade Grams per Tonne 2.06 1.71 2.41 Gold produced Ounces 2,974 2,808 4,352 Gold sold Ounces 2,873 2,475 4,706 Gold in stock at period end Ounces 710 556 609

*This was not a separate zinc concentrate and was a deleterious element within the copper concentrate, which accordingly incurred a penalty. The Company now has a separate zinc line that provides an additional revenue stream.

Quarterly Conference Call

Roy Pitchford, Chief Executive of Vast, will host a conference call for shareholders at 10.00 a.m. today.

To participate in this conference call, please dial 0808 109 0701, or +44 (0) 20 3003 2701 if you are calling from outside of the UK, and enter participant code 7061153# when prompted to do so. Please note that all lines will be muted except for Vast's management, however the Company invites shareholders to submit questions to its public relations adviser, St Brides Partners Ltd, ahead of the call via email to shareholderenquiries@stbridespartners.co.uk or through the online chat function.

To access the online chat function, please use the link below and log in as a participant using the event number 959 041 582 followed by the password, 'Vast':

https://sbmf.webex.com/sbmf/onstage/g.php?MTID=e62d8ea047bc3c39f5cbcd22c52d93335

On the right-hand side of the screen you will find an option to submit questions during the call. The Q&A function will only be made live once the call has commenced.

The management team will strive to answer as many questions as possible during the call. A recording of the call will also be made available on the Company's website.

If you have any problems accessing the call, please contact St Brides Partners Ltd on shareholderenquiries@stbridespartners.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 7236 1177.

A copy of the presentation will also be uploaded to the Research, Media & Presentations page of the website at www.vastresourcesplc.com shortly before the call commences.

Competent Person's Review:

This announcement has been reviewed by Mr Craig Harvey, Chief Operating Officer at Vast, and a member of the Geological Society of South Africa and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Harvey meets the definition of a "qualified person" as defined in the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

**ENDS**

For further information visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or please contact:

Vast Resources plc

Roy Pitchford (Chief Executive Officer) www.vastresourcesplc.com

+44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Adviser

Roland Cornish

James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com

+44 (0) 020 7628 3396 Brandon Hill Capital Ltd - Joint Broker

Jonathan Evans www.brandonhillcapital.com

+44 (0)20 3463 5016 Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd - Joint Broker

Duncan Vasey www.pcorpfin.com

+44 (0) 20 7469 0936



St Brides Partners Ltd

Susie Geliher

Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk

+44 (0) 20 7236 1177

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR").
On 24 April 2017, Mr. Andres Colichon has been appointed as CFO of Camposol Holding Ltd.

Mr. Colichon holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, Ohio, USA and an MBA degree specializing in finance and strategy from the Boston University, USA. He held the position of CFO of Grana & Montero for six years. He also worked four years in McKinsey & Co., focusing on strategy, retail, banking and operational transformations in the LATAM mining sector. After that, he was appointed CFO of Grupo El Comercio, to then perform the same function in Grupo San Fernando. His latest experience was CFO at Grupo PRIMAX where he led the structuring of the first corporate bond program of the company.

"We are very excited to welcome Andres to our team, and believe his vast experience in finance and strategy will help us achieve our vision of being the preferred and state-of-the-art supplier of healthy and fresh food for families worldwide," stated Jorge Ramirez, CEO of Camposol Holding Ltd.

For further information, please contact:

Jorge Luis Ramirez Rubio, CEO

jramirezr@camposol.com.pe

Andres Colichon, CFO

acolichon@camposol.com.pe

Jossue Yesquen, Head of IR

jyesquen@camposol.com.pe

Phone: +511 621 0800 Ext.: 7171

About CAMPOSOL:

CAMPOSOL is the leading agro-industrial company in Peru, the largest exporter of Hass avocado and soon the largest producer of blueberries in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing and marketing of high quality agricultural and sea products such as avocados, blueberries, grapes, mangoes, mandarins, shrimps, seashells and other products, which are exported to Europe, the United States of America and Asia.

CAMPOSOL is a vertically integrated company located in Peru. It is the third largest employer of the country, with more than 15 thousand workers in high season, and is committed to supporting sustainable development through social responsibility policies and projects that increase the shared-value for all of its stakeholders.

CAMPOSOL was the first Peruvian agro-industrial company in being part of the United Nations Global Compact and the first in publishing annual Sustainability Reports aligned to the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) indicators; it has also achieved the following international certifications: BSCI, Global Gap, IFS, HACCP and BRC, among others.
JUBA, South Sudan, April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Representing the Government of South Sudan, the Ministry of Petroleum announces that it is welcoming the interest of investors for direct negotiations on oil and gas in blocks B1 and B2. The announcement comes after negotiations broke down with the French oil and gas company Total E & P due to irreconcilable differences.



Multimedia content: http://APO.af/AfYuOD.

Officials of the Ministry of Petroleum met with representatives of Total in Kampala, Uganda in the past two weeks. Also involved in the negotiations to develop an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) for the blocks (B1 & B2) were UK independent Tullow Oil Private Limited Company and the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC). The negotiations reached an impasse over the proposed exploration period and cost recovery limit.

Following lengthy discussions with representatives of the company Total we have decided it is in the best interest of South Sudan to open opportunities to other potential investors, said Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan. We had hoped for a favorable outcome but we believe these large and highly prospective blocks need a fast and ambitious development program to achieve their full potential. B1 and B2 are now open for direct negotiation.

Blocks B1 and B2 were once part of the 120,000 square kilometer area known as Block B, which was divided into three licenses in 2012. The area is highly rich in hydrocarbon deposits but has experienced very little exploration. In March 2017, Pan African independent Oranto Petroleum Limited signed an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) with the Government of South Sudan for Block B3. The area covers 25,150 square kilometers and has estimated reserves in place of more than 3 billion barrels.

The resource base in these blocks are enormous and we need committed operators who are ready to invest and work with our government to comply with the laws of our country, said the Minister. South Sudan is creating an enabling environment for companies to operate. We want companies to invest, explore, produce and we are ready to offer incentives to investors.

The Government of South Sudan has adopted a very pro-business stance with the expectation that aggressive investments in the petroleum sector will stimulate the economy. In 2017, the Ministry of Petroleum announced it was planning to double its total oil production by next year. South Sudan currently produces 130,000 barrels per day but can produce as much as 500,000 barrels per day.

The Ministry of Petroleum invites companies to negotiate directly on Blocks B1 and B2. Government officials will be present at the Africa Oil & Power conference in Cape Town on June 5, 2017 to advance discussions with interested parties.

Distributed by APO on behalf of The Republic of South Sudan Ministry of Petroleum.
French English

First quarter 2017 revenue

Strong Q1 operational performance fully in line with 2017 objectives

Revenue:  374 million, up +1.4% organically at constant scope and exchange rates

Underlying growth at +6.0%

equensWorldline integration plan

ahead of plan to deliver the targeted revenue and cost synergies

All 2017 objectives confirmed

Bezons, April 24th, 2017 - Worldline [Euronext: WLN], European leader in the payments and transactional services industry, today announces its revenue for the first quarter of 2017.

Revenue was  374.3 million, representing an organic growth of +1.4 % at constant scope and exchange rates compared to the first quarter of 2016. The Global Business Lines Merchant Services and Financial Services contributed to the revenue growth, while Mobility & e-Transactional Services was still impacted, as in H2 2016, by the termination of one historical contract in France, which occurred in June 2016 and which therefore will affect Worldline growth for the last time in Q2 this year. Excluding the comparison basis impact resulting from this contract termination, the growth rate of the rest of the businesses was +6.0%.

Gilles Grapinet, Worldline CEO said:

"Worldline today announces a strong start of the year and a solid operational performance for the first quarter of 2017, fully in line with its full year objectives. I was particularly pleased by the robust processing volume growth and in particular the good dynamism of our Financial Services business, which should in parallel benefit in the quarters to come from the commercial development of equensWorldline and from the proven market interest for our strong authentication, instant payment and new PSD2 related offerings. Also, Worldline benefited, as anticipated, from the visible acceleration of the Group's operations in India. In addition, the integration and synergy plans of equensWorldline, Paysquare and KB Smartpay moved fast during the past quarter, therefore comforting our margin progression ambition for the year. Last, in a context of deep changes within the European payment industry, the Group confirms its focus on various market consolidation initiatives."

Q1 2017 revenue performance by Global Business Line

Revenue In  million Q1 2017 Q1 2016* % Organic Growth Merchant Services 122.9 120.8 1.8% Financial Services 168.3 158.3 6.3% Mobility & e-Transactional Services 83.1 90.1 -7.8% Worldline 374.3 369.2 1.4%

* at constant scope and at Q1 2017 exchange rates

Merchant Services revenue for the quarter reached  122.9 million, improving by +2.2 million or +1.8% organically compared to Q1 last year:

Merchant Payment Services , which includes Commercial Acquiring and Payment Acceptance (payment terminal services and online payment gateways services) grew, benefiting from: A strong momentum in India as the demonetization of currency bills end of last year led to higher volumes of electronic payment transactions (c. x2.5 versus Q1-2016); and A strong volume growth in Commercial Acquiring transactions (+8%) , both in Belgium and in the new geographies where the Group operates.



These good operational performances more than compensated the negative price/volume mix effect that was anticipated in Belgium in Commercial Acquiring, as the Group decided to adapt its pricing structure to quickly retrocede the interchange fee reduction benefit to its clients.

Revenue in Merchant Digital Services, which consists in Digital Retail offerings, Loyalty Services and Private Label cards, grew as well, thanks to Digital Retail projects ramp up with major European retailers.

Financial Services revenue reached  168.3 million, increasing by +10.0 million or +6.3% compared to Q1 2016 at constant scope and exchange rates. All four divisions of the Global Business Line contributed to that growth.

Acquiring Processing was particularly dynamic during the quarter, thanks to increased volumes and more project work, mainly for ATM related services in France and in Italy;

Growth in Issuing processing was fueled by good volume increase in Authentication services, notably in Belgium, and by strong project activity;

Revenue in Digital banking increased as well, thanks to continued project developments in France and in the United Kingdom; and

The business line Account Payments benefited from volume growth in the Netherlands and positive evolution in Germany, with more project work with existing and new clients such as Degussa.

Revenue in Mobility & e-Transactional Services reached  83.1 million, down -7.8% organically, as the Trusted Digitization (former  e-Government collection ) business line was impacted as planned by the termination of the French automated traffic offence management system (the "RADAR" contract) that occurred in June 2016. Excluding that effect, the growth of MeTS would have exceeded +12% in Q1 2017. This performance could be achieved thanks:

To a double digit growth recorded in Trusted Digitization, particularly in healthcare transactional services and tax collection activities in Latin America and with more revenue from various projects with French government agencies;



To a strong growth in e-Ticketing , benefiting from a good dynamic on its two main markets: The United Kingdom, where some projects were delivered; and Latin America, where Worldline benefited from volumes ramp-up and price increases, mainly in Argentina; and



To a double digit growth in e-Consumer & Mobility explained by a good project activity in France and in Benelux.

TEAM, integration & synergy plan

Through its TEAM program, evolution of the TEAM project initiated in early 2014, the Group aims, among other things, at achieving significant operating efficiencies from platform and infrastructure rationalization, enhanced resource allocation across its network, improved sales effectiveness and contract profitability, industrialized development methods, and generally by leveraging the Group's resources, size, and global reach to capitalize on the strong growth in the markets and industries in which it operates. With a reinforced focus on quality and customer satisfaction through first time right approach or zero-incident initiative, TEAM constitutes a well-balanced program between operational excellence and efficiency. This program, which has been now extended to equensWorldline, Paysquare and KB SmartPay, is expected to contribute substantially to the improvement of the Group's OMDA margin.

Regarding the integration and synergy plan of equensWorldline, the Group fully confirms the objective of c. 40 million of OMDA run rate synergies expected in 2018, half of which in 2017. The implementation speed of the program is faster than anticipated and 23 improvement initiatives out of 98 have already been fully implemented.

Commercial activity

Commercial activity in Merchant Services was very dynamic, notably in India, were c.250,000 payment terminals were deployed during the quarter, as a consequence of a high demand for electronic payment acceptance in the wake of the Demonetization Act. To this aim, the Company has implemented QR Code based acceptance (Bharat QR, an unified QR code solution common across Visa, Mastercard and Rupay) in Q1 2017, which is a cost effective solution to digitalize the bottom layer of merchant pyramid. In continental Europe, beyond the strong growth in the number of transactions in Commercial Acquiring (+8%), an important consumer credit contract was renewed with KUTXABANK, S.A. in Spain. Worldline also extended its market position in e-acquiring, where its innovative e-Bancontact mobile payments solution has been selected by a major international player in Belgium. It is also to be noted that Worldline Poland obtained the 2016 MasterCard Data Integrity Award for Regional Compliance, which rewards the high quality of transactional and data management services of the Group.

In Financial Services, main achievements of the quarter include the extension of the partnership with Santander Consumer Bank for payment services in Poland, which includes a real-time "instalment credit" solution. In terms of payment security, the Group launched its "Mobile Intrusion Protection" solution, aiming at protecting end users from attacks and fraud, such as the hacking of sensitive data. New payment means were successfully deployed, such as the Group Mobile P2P payment service that went live at a major Dutch bank and that paves the way for future growth in the field of peer-to-peer and instant payment services. More generally, the Group has made significant progresses toward the market readiness of its PSD2 (Payment Service Directive 2) related offerings. In particular, API management is now integrated in Worldline Digital Banking Platform, in view of enabling the PSD2 compliance of the Group's banking customers and further progress have been achieved in developing the PSD2/ Access to Account proposition.

In Mobility & e-Transactional Services, Worldline, together with Atos, will implement for a global leader in medical technologies "Worldline Contact", in order to deliver a state of the art contact center. In e-Ticketing, new services were sold to a major UK rail franchise and the contract for mobile parking payment solution developed by Worldline for the City of Vienna was renewed. Last, Worldline Voucher Management System has been successfully extended for all Telefonica Germany's brands and enables Telefonica prepaid customers to charge their phone credit, reliably and comfortably from anywhere using vouchers.

Backlog remained high at  2.5 billion.

Commercial perspectives are looking very good, with several large contracts expected to be signed in the next few months, particularly around Payment processing in Financial Services, Private Label cards in Merchant Services, as well as different Connected services offers around health and control, as well as Smart Ticketing in Mobility & e-Transaction Services.

2017 Objectives

The Group confirms all the objectives for 2017 as stated in the February 21, 2017 press release.

Revenue

The Group expects to achieve an organic growth of its revenue, at constant scope and exchange rates, of approximatively +3.5% for the full year, with H2 2017 at +5% to +7%.

OMDA

The Group targets an OMDA margin between 20.0% and 20.5%.

Free cash flow

The Group has the ambition to generate a free cash flow of between  160 million and  170 million, including c.20 million of synergy implementation costs

Appendix: Reconciliation of Q1 2016 reported revenue with Q1 2016 revenue at constant scope and exchange rates

Revenue In  million Q1 2016 statutory (reported) Scope effect Internal Transfers Exchange rates effect Q1 2016* Q1 2017 Merchant Services 103.4 +14.3 +3.8 -0.7 120.8 122.9 Financial Services 102.6 +59.5 -3.8 +0.0 158.3 168.3 Mobility & e-Transactional Services 92.8 -0.4 -2.2 90.1 83.1 Worldline 298.8 73.4 0.0 -3.0 369.2 374.3

* At constant scope and Q1 2017 exchange rates

Scope effects refer mainly to the acquisitions of Equens, Paysquare and KB Smartpay on September 30, 2016. Hence, Equens, Paysquare and KB Smartpay revenue for the first quarter of 2016 are included in the Q1 2016 revenue at constant scope and exchange rates, for a like-for-like comparison with Q1 2017. Internal transfers correspond to the reclassification in Merchant Services of the part of revenue from Worldline India that was previously classified in Financial Services, as this revenue relates primarily to business done directly or indirectly (through banks) with merchants. Exchange rate effects reflect mostly the depreciation of the British Pound versus the Euro.

The 2016 figures presented in this document are based on the constant foreign exchange rates data.

Conference call

Worldline's CEO Gilles Grapinet, along with General Manager Marc-Henri Desportes, and Chief Financial Officer Eric Heurtaux will comment on the Group first quarter 2017 revenue, on Monday, April 24, 2017 at 7:30 pm (CET - Paris).

You can join the webcast of the conference:

- on worldline.com, in the Investors section

- by smartphones or tablets through the scan of the QR code or through this link : http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/njc3i93w

- by telephone with the dial-in:

France

+33 1 76 77 22 29

Germany

+49 69 2222 10628

United Kingdom

+44 20 3427 1917

United States of America

+1 646 254 3367

Code:

9111746

After the conference, a replay of the webcast will be available on worldline.com, in the Investors section



Forthcoming event

May 24, 2017 Annual General Meeting

July 25, 2017 Results for the first semester 2017

October 23, 2017 Q3 2017 revenue

Contacts

Worldline Investors Contact

David Pierre-Kahn

Email: David.pierre-kahn@worldline.com

Worldline Press Contact

Tiphaine Hecketsweiler

Email: tiphaine.hecketsweiler@worldline.com

About Worldline

Worldline [Euronext: WLN] is the European leader in the payments and transactional services industry. Worldline delivers new-generation services, enabling its customers to offer smooth and innovative solutions to the end consumer. Key actor for B2B2C industries, with over 40 years of experience, Worldline supports and contributes to the success of all businesses and administrative services in a perpetually evolving market. Worldline offers a unique and flexible business model built around a global and growing portfolio, thus enabling end-to-end support. Worldline activities are organized around three axes: Merchant Services, Mobility & e-Transactional Services, Financial Services including equensWorldline. Worldline employs more than 8,700 people worldwide, with estimated pro forma revenue of more than  1.5 billion on a yearly basis. Worldline is an Atos company. worldline.com

Disclaimer

This document contains further forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning the Group's expected growth and profitability in the future. Actual events or results may differ from those described in this document due to a number of risks and uncertainties that are described within the 2015 Registration Document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) on April 28, 2016 under the registration number: R.16-031 and its update filed on August 4, 2016 under the registration number D.16-0288-A01.

Revenue organic growth is presented at constant scope and exchange rates. 2017 objectives have been considered with exchange rates as of December 31, 2016.

Global Business Lines include Merchant Services (in Belgium, France, Germany, India, Luxembourg, Spain, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United Kingdom), Financial Services (in France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Finland, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan), and Mobility & e-Transactional Services (in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Chile, France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom).

This press release does not contain or constitute an offer of Worldline's shares for sale or an invitation or inducement to invest in Worldline's shares in France, the United States of America or any other jurisdiction.

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WASHINGTON, D.C., April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Israel Project today commended Minnesota state legislators for passing a law that prohibits state agencies from contracting with organizations that participate in the discriminatory Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. The legislation is expected to be signed into law by Governor Dayton.



Despite the preponderance of totalitarian regimes and human rights-abusing governments throughout the world, proponents of BDS focus all their attention on demonizing the only Jewish state  a state that shares immutable values with the United States. The founders of this insidious initiative have openly stated that their goal is for Israel to cease to exist.

The bill passed today ensures that taxpayer funds will not support this unabashed anti-Semitism, and reaffirms the strong relationship between the North Star State and Israel.

The sponsors of this bipartisan legislation are Rep. Ron Kresha and Sen. Warren Limmer. The bill passed in the House 98-28 and in the Senate by a margin of 57-8. The bill must make one additional, quick stop in the State House for concurrence before it is sent to Governor Dayton.

Israel and Minnesota are great friends, and I thank the people of Minnesota for supporting this essential relationship, which is based on shared values, said The Israel Project CEO and President Josh Block. By passing this bill today, Minnesotans are standing strong against discrimination, and are solidly on the right side of history.

Minnesota is the latest of more than a dozen states to pass this legislation, following similar victories most recently in Michigan, Arkansas, and Ohio.

About The Israel Project

The Israel Project (TIP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization that provides factual information about Israel and the Middle East to the press, policymakers and the public. Founded in 2003, TIP works in multiple languages to provide real-time background information, images, maps, audio, video, graphics and direct access to newsmakers. To learn more about TIP, visit http://www.theisraelproject.org.
Annual Event Connects Global Leaders of the World's Most Innovative Companies





25 April 2017 - YPO, the world's premier leadership organization for chief executives, will kick off the second annual Innovation Week in Melbourne, Australia, with the two-day signature event, Igniting Innovation in Australia. YPO Innovation Week 2017 will connect the most respected innovators, disruptors, business leaders and entrepreneurs through a series of more than 50 events around the world focused on innovation and entrepreneurship.

YPO Innovation Week offers YPO chief executives with networking and learning opportunities to infuse innovation into their companies, form strategic partnerships, and positively affect their businesses and the communities in which they work. YPO leaders will be able to leverage new partnerships in innovation, integrate innovation into their company culture, and convert ideas into actionable plans.

Igniting Innovation in Australia, 8-9 May, will bring together leading influencers shaping the innovation agenda in one of Australia's innovation capitals, Melbourne. Members will meet with top innovators, thought leaders and trendsetters learning how to ignite a culture of innovation within any business, and understand the common forces impacting the future.

During these two days, the most dynamic global innovators will come together for a rare chance to network, overturn conventional thinking and leave inspired to infuse innovation in their companies and communities.

"Every business leader needs to focus on innovation to grow and thrive," says YPO Innovation Week Chair Keith Alper, Founder and CEO of GenieCast. "YPO Innovation Week will provide hundreds of opportunities for members to learn from each other and from the most well respected global innovators, disrupters, inventors to help integrate innovation at the most strategic level across all businesses. Combining research, technology and business leadership, Innovation Week is the one place where the world's most innovative companies share their inspiration and insights."

'Democratization of the change continuum has accelerated the pace of discovery, transformation and invention that add value to a product, service or strategy," says serial entrepreneur, corporate advisor, transformation strategist, Igniting Innovation in Australia event chair and YPO member Neville Fielke, with a portfolio including board roles and director at GSG Ventures.

Key event speakers include:

Giam Swiegers, Chief Executive Officer of Aurecon

Adrian Turner, Chief Executive Officer of Data61

Dr. Charles Day, Chief Executive Officer of Innovation & Science Australia

Dave Simmons, Chief Executive Officer of TSG Key Group PTY LTD

Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BlueChilli

Tony Falkenstein, Executive Director of Just Water

John Pollaers, Chairman of Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council

YPO Innovation Week 2017 will continue the events in innovation hotspots around the world, including Tel Aviv, New York, Toronto, Silicon Valley, Hong Kong and more the week of 8-12 May 2017. The mission of YPO Innovation Week is to drive innovation across a diverse range of industries through signature events, live two-way interactive video casts, global conference calls, and "idea jams" as well live two-way video broadcast discussions across more than 30 countries.

For more information, visit the YPO Innovation Week website.

###

ABOUT YPO

The premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world.

YPO is the global platform for chief executives to engage, learn and grow. YPO members harness the knowledge, influence and trust of the world's most influential and innovative business leaders to inspire business, personal, family and community impact.

Today, YPO empowers more than 24,000 members in more than 130 countries, diversified among industries and types of businesses. Altogether, YPO member-run companies employ more than 15 million people and generate USD6 trillion in annual revenues.

Leadership. Learning. Lifelong. For more information, visit YPO.org.

Contact:

YPO

Linda Fisk

Office: +1 972 629 7305 (United States)

Mobile: +1 972 207 4298

press@ypo.org

Note: While the majority of events are member-only, portions are open to the media. Please contact press@ypo.org to arrange interviews.
Indian Male



Education:

FRM (Financial Risk Management, By GARP) charter holder

CFA Level III candidate

Co-Curriculars/Extra Curriculars

Hobbies/Interests

Internships

Work Experience

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Target GMAT Score

Hello Sir,I would really appreciate if you could help me in evaluating my profile for a full time MBA Program starting from 2019. I know this is a bit early for me to start worrying about the application, but I have ample time right now to focus on any shortcomings in my profile. My target will be top 10 schools and I would prefer to join one which is strong in technology domain. I would like to be in technology product management post my MBA.I am anand will be 28 at the time of application.1. Higher Secondary - 92%2. Senior Secondary - 95%3. Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), Stream- Electronics & Instrumentation, College- Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) - 81.9 %4. MSc (Hons), Stream - Economics, College - Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) - 81.9 % (Top 10% of the class)5. Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM)- Indian Institute of Management, Indore - 89% (Top 10% of the class)6. Student Exchange Program (3 Months)- EM Lyon Business School, France - 15.8/20BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus has been continuously ranked as the best Private College of India and boasts of multiple alumni in top firms across the world post their higher education.I amand1. I have an A2 level certificate in German Language and I plan to pursue B1 Level before my application.2. Events Coordinator - Instrumentation Forum, BITS Pilani3. President - Economics and Finance Association, BITS Pilani4. International CFA Research Challenge - Finalist in the zonal round5. Runners up in project presentation in the International Technical Festival of BITS Pilani1. Travelling (Have traveled more than 25 countries, 18 in Europe)2. Photography1. Biotech Park (A Government of India undertaking) - Helped developing a Bioinformatics database, Duration - 2 Months2. Credit Suisse India Pvt Ltd - Worked with Product Control/ Price Verification Team, Duration - 6 Months3. Deutsche Bank, Credit Risk Management - Worked on assessing the risk of Bank's transaction banking portfolio, Duration - 2 Months1. Applications Engineer with one of the top ERP system providers of the world, Duration 2 yearsI have worked as a software developer with one of the major product companies, although I did not get any leadership experience during my stay.2. Business Analyst with a niche Tech Product Firm which provides Risk Management Solutions to Alternate Investment Industry across the worldI would have worked for 1.5 years in this firm at the time of application. The role includes managing clients on a day to day basis under the guidance of senior leadership and also involves managing internal teams of techincal and compliance analysts. My target here would be to gain as much as possible in terms of leadership and client exposure.- Senior Professors from both my colleges, Senior Leader from work experience 1 - I am hopeful that they will give me stellar recommendationsBased on my performance in mocks, I am expecting a score between 720-740.Queries -1. Where do you keep me on the scale with my current/expected Profile ?2. I know I am weak in my experience towards social field. However I would like to know if this would make much of a difference on my resume.3. I have already completed one management degree (PGDM, 2 year course). I would like to know if this would be a hindrance in my application.4. As my profile is a bit heavy on the academic/co-curricular side, are there any schools which prefer such candidates ?Thanks a lot
- Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer receives merciless beating for allegedly stealing from an office in Rivers state

- NSCDC has charged two men to court for attempted murder after they tied up and beat the civil defence officer

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps has charged two men to court for attempted murder and conspiracy after they beat up NSCDC officer, Lucky Wilfred, for allegedly stealing from them.

According to Facebook user, Lorde Bison, Wilfred was allegedly caught stealing in an office building at Agudama street, Rivers state.

READ ALSO: Go after secondary school girls, they are naive  Corp member advises men (photo)

Bison explained that residents in the compound where Wilfred was caught tied him up and beat him mercilessly.

See what happened officer who was allegedly caught stealing

The Facebook user further said the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps command in Rivers state charged two of the men who were part of the mob that beat up Wilfred to court.

READ ALSO: FRSC officials caught sleeping on duty in Anambra state (photo)

Legit.ng gathered that Welcome Obu and Onuoha Oliver are being charged for attempted murder and conspiracy.

Read below:

"The man in this picture, is Inspector Lucky Wilfred an officer of the Nigerian Civil Defence corps. last week Wednesday, he came to steal in an office at Agudama Street, Dline. he was caught and beaten by residents in the compound. that was how they took this picture of him. today the Rivers State Command of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps is prosecuting Mr. Welcome Obu, a resident of the compound and Mr. Onuoha Oliver the secretary in the office are being charged to court for conspiracy and attempted murder of the said thief. this is the height of injustice in Nigeria. we are asking the authority to come into this matter and let justice prevail."

"Please help us share this post till it gets to the Headquarters of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps let justice prevail."

Retired Army Major calls for dialogue between the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Nigerian government

Source: Legit.ng
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(HealthDay)Growing up in a poor family is a well-known risk factor for child abuse, but a new analysis suggests it may also raise a young child's chances of dying from that abuse.

More than 11,000 children, from newborn to age 4, died of physical abuse in the United States during the 15-year study period.

In U.S. counties with the highest levels of poverty, rates of child abuse fatalities were more than three times greater than in counties with the lowest levels of poverty, the researchers found.

Infants accounted for 20 percent of children in the study, but 45 percent of child abuse deaths. In high-poverty counties, there were 9.6 infant deaths per 100,000.

The study also highlights racial disparities. It found that the fatality rate for black children in the lowest-poverty communities is higher than the rate for white children in counties with the highest levels of poverty.

"Child abuse fatalities truly remain a significant problem for especially young children in the United States," said study lead author Dr. Caitlin Farrell.

Farrell, a staff physician in pediatric emergency medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, said this study is the first nationwide analysis to show a link between community-level poverty and rates of child deaths due to physical abuse.

While the notion of community risk factors is relatively new, Farrell said researchers are examining such relationships across various health outcomes, such as the relationship between poor communities and child lead levels.

It's not clear why growing up amid poverty puts kids at greater risk of death. The study authors did not examine why this is happening, and Farrell wouldn't speculate on potential causes.

"We really need further research to understand why this increased risk exists," she said.

The findings were published online April 24 in the journal Pediatrics.

Dr. Robert Block, a University of Oklahoma pediatrician, blames "stresses related to poverty," such as food insecurity, poor education, unsafe neighborhoods and little access to jobs. Parents' frustration can result in "fatal maltreatment of their children," he wrote in an editorial that accompanied the study.

Teasing out the impact of poverty-related factors on child abuse is "really a thorny issue," added Joshua Mersky, co-director of the Institute for Child and Family Well-Being at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Any number of factorsfrom mental health and substance abuse problems to fractured families, domestic and community violence and incarcerationcould play a role, said Mersky, who was not involved in the study.

Farrell and her colleagues examined child abuse deaths from 1999 to 2014 among young children in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Their study used federal data on child abuse deaths due to various means of assault, included assault by blunt object, drowning and bodily force; suffocation; and strangulation, Farrell said. The database did not include deaths due to child neglect, she noted.

The research team also used population and poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau to calculate "county poverty concentration," meaning the percentage of people living below the federal poverty level.

The federal poverty threshold for a family of four was just over $17,000 in 1999 and $24,250 in 2014, the study authors noted.

Overall, there were 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 children, the study showed. Fatality rates varied from 1.3 per 100,000 in counties with the lowest levels of poverty to 4.5 per 100,000 in counties with the highest levels of poverty.

Boys had higher fatality rates than girls3.9 versus 3.1 per 100,000 children.

Black children had 8 deaths per 100,000, compared with 2.7 deaths per 100,000 for whites.

"This to me is calling out for policy solutions to address this problem," Mersky said.

He suggested that "home visiting" programs targeting at-risk parents and children may be one approach. These programs use nurses, social workers or other health practitioners to teach positive parenting practices and ensure that mothers' and babies' basic health needs are met, Mersky explained.

Farrell noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stepped up efforts to prevent child abuse injury and deathnot just react to it.

More information: Caitlin Farrell, M.D., staff physician, pediatric emergency medicine, Boston Children's Hospital; Joshua Mersky, Ph.D., co-director, Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, and associate professor, social work, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; April 24, 2017, Pediatrics, online Caitlin Farrell, M.D., staff physician, pediatric emergency medicine, Boston Children's Hospital; Joshua Mersky, Ph.D., co-director, Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, and associate professor, social work, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; April 24, 2017,, online The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on child abuse prevention. Journal information: Pediatrics

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Students' mental health may be tied to their approach to learning, research suggests.

Experts say changing the way students are given feedback could help them adopt a more appropriate mindset and improve their psychological wellbeing.

Psychological wellbeing

The team from the University of Edinburgh found that students who believed their level of intelligence was fixed showed signs of poorer mental health.

The students scored lower on five out of six areas of psychological well-being compared with those who believed that their intelligence could be improved.

Feedback

Previous studies have found that students' mindset relating to intelligence is influenced by the type of praise given by parents and teachers, as well as the way in which they are assessed.

The research suggests that altering feedback and assessment styles to promote a positive outlook on learning may offer an opportunity to tackle mental health problems among students.

Depression

Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are becoming more common among UK university students.

The number of students seeking counselling has risen by almost a third in the last four years.

Survey

Researchers at the University's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies used a questionnaire to assess mindset and psychological well-being in 148 veterinary students.

Vets are particularly susceptible to mental health problems and are four times more likely to take their own lives than the general population.

The study is published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

More information: Rachel E. Whittington et al. Exploring the Link between Mindset and Psychological Well-Being among Veterinary Students, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (2017). Rachel E. Whittington et al. Exploring the Link between Mindset and Psychological Well-Being among Veterinary Students,(2017). DOI: 10.3138/jvme.1215-192R
Credit: James Steinberg for USC Dornsife Magazine

At the end of a long day, as we put our feet up, reach for the remote control and begin watching TV, we may find ourselves confronted with images beyond our experiencesuch as "The Upside-Down," the mysterious parallel dimension inhabited by a tulip-headed monster portrayed in the Netflix show Stranger Things.

This shadowy world holds up a bizarre mirror to our own, showing us a place of endless darkness and decay, where familiar infrastructure is so overgrown with twisted rope-like tendrils and webs of biological matter as to render it almost unrecognizable. And yet, even though those strange images lie in the realm of the unknown, do we struggle to recognize them? No, we do not.

In about a tenth of a secondtoo quickly for us to even be aware it's happeningour brains figure out what we are seeing and make sense of it.

The extraordinary speed and mastery of interpretation that our brains exercise in such situations is the focus of pioneering research by USC Dornsife vision scientists Irving Biederman and the late Bosco Tjan.

"It's the miracle of pattern recognition," said Biederman, Harold Dornsife Chair in Neurosciences and professor of psychology and computer science. "People can be misled into thinking it's a very easy, simple process because it occurs so quickly and automatically, but the fact is half of our brain is dedicated almost exclusively to vision."

Indeed, Biederman and Tjan's research is focused not on the eye itselfwhat most people think of when they hear the word 'vision'but on how the brain achieves vision.

Biederman compares the way the eye works to a camera recording images.

"Like a camera, the eye doesn't know what it's looking at," he said. "It's our brain that interprets the image, not the eye."

Biederman directs the Image Understanding Laboratory, which is researching how a scene, object or face can be recognized in a fraction of a second, even when we have never encountered that image previously.

His own research explores shape recognition, which provides the major entree to visual cognitionthe process of interpreting and understanding what we see.

"Of course, we also get color, texture and movement, but most of what we understand and remember about what we see comes from shape," he said. "A line drawing of a scene tells us pretty much what we want to know. The question is, 'How is that done?' How is it possible to achieve visual understanding of a scene we've never experienced before?"

First, we need to overcome a deceptively complex problem: Our retina is two-dimensional while the world is three- dimensional.

Biederman invites us to think of a chair and imagine looking at it, or indeed trying to draw it, from the most unusual perspectives.

"If we rotate that chair it can present an infinite number of images, many of whichupside down and viewed from below, for instancewe've never experienced before. Yet, with the exception of a few unusual projections of that image, we'll almost always be able to appreciate its three-dimensional shape."

This ability becomes the miracle of pattern recognition: how we're able to understand scenes never seen before, from viewpoints never viewed before.

It is our brains, not our eyes, that are responsible for achieving vision by interpreting what we see. Credit: James Steinberg for USC Dornsife Magazine

"These scenes and objects are projecting images that are completely novel and yet we can instantly make sense of them," Biederman said. "It would seem to be an impossible feat and yet we do it all the time. A child does it and we do it so easily that we're hardly aware that it reflects an extraordinary achievement."

The Breakdown

So how do our brains pull it off?

The answer, Biederman says, lies in the brain's ability to decompose complex objects into simple shapes like cylinders, bricks, wedges and cones, which he calls "geons."

"It turns out that you can model most objects in terms of a very small vocabulary of these simple shapes, numbering about 30 or 40," he said.

"If we represent an object we're looking at in terms of geons, then we're able to recognize what the object is from almost any viewpoint." That's because the componentsthe geonsthat make up the object are easily distinguishable from one another regardless of viewpoint.

The characteristics of an object that enable us to do thiswhat Biederman terms "nonaccidental properties"are small in number. They include points where contours (the lines that mark the edges of an object and form its outline) meet and end, like the corner of a table; whether a contour is straight or curved, such as a door or a ball; and whether a pair of contours are parallel or converging, such as those on an ice cream sandwich or an ice cream cone.

A few exceptions do exist. For instance, a brick and a cylinder both look the same if viewed directly from the side. "But even then," Biederman notes, "a slight change in orientation of the brick or the cylinder will tell you, 'That's the cylinder and that's the brick.'"

Ultimately, he says, geons and nonaccidental properties are what enable us to look at a previously unseen abstract sculpture and understand its shape. Our brain is able to break down the various parts that make up the whole into comprehensible geons and then come up with an interpretation in terms of nonaccidental properties and vertices. When we cannot represent the object in terms of its simple parts, such as with a nebulous mass, then we will have trouble distinguishing it from another at different viewpoints.

Mapping the Brain

The region of the cortex that is responsible for this amazing feat of perception is the lateral occipital complex (LOC), an area of the brain at the border between the occipital and temporal lobes, just above and behind the ears. Given an image, the LOC will not only determine the geons that make it up, but also the relationships between them.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which measures changes in blood flow within the brain, made identifying the LOC relatively easy, Biederman said. It clearly indicated greater activity in that region of the brain when subjects were shown intact images of objects than when shown scrambled versions of those objects. That knowledge enabled the scientists to concentrate their studies on that area.

Research by Biederman and Tjan, who at the time was professor of psychology and co-director of the Dana and David Dornsife Cognitive Neuroimaging Center, showed that the activation of the LOC does not depend on whether an object is familiar. They tested this by rearranging the geons of familiar objects so that they appeared as novel items, similar to rearranging letters of a word to make a non-word.

"We found that the LOC is activated equally by abstract sculptures and familiar objects," Biederman said.

Understanding Scenes

A single glance is often all that is needed to understand a familiarly ordered scene. A random array of objects, however, may require us to look at each individually to comprehend the whole picture. Credit: James Steinberg for USC Dornsife Magazine

In addition to identifying objects, our brain also needs to make sense of all that we see. Often a single glance is all it takes; however, if faced with a random array of objects, we may have to look at each individually to gain an appreciation of the whole scene. For example, a quick glance at a kitchen is usually enough to immediately understand what we're looking at, but comprehending a messy collection of items piled up in a teenager's closet may require us to look at each object separately.

A recent experiment carried out by Tjan, Biederman and Eshed Margalit, who graduated from USC Dornsife in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in computational neuroscience and is now pursuing graduate studies in neuroscience at Stanford University, addressed this. The study showed that separating the geons of an object so they are no longer interactingin other words, no longer making up the object but simply separated from each othercauses even less activity to occur in the LOC than for an intact object.

If we go one step further and scramble the geons into a mass of random pixels, the LOC shows still less activity. In other words, the LOC is working to interpret both the shape of the parts and the relations between these parts.

Similarly, this sensitivity of the LOC to the relations between parts composing an object is also witnessed with the relations between objects composing a scene. Thus, the LOC shows stronger activation with an image of a hand holding a cup than an image of a hand beside a cup.

"This applies generally, not just to hands and cups but to any pair of objects," Biederman said. "One might have thought the opposite, that two thingsa hand and a cupwould cause more activity in the brain than essentially one thing, a hand holding a cup. But we found that more activity occurs in the LOC if objects are shown as interacting, rather than side-by-side.

"The LOC is an extraordinary mechanism for giving us not only the shapes of parts, but also how they relate to each other, and it does the same for scenes, giving us the shapes of the objects making up the scenes as well as the relations between them," he added. "It is the area where objects become scenes."

A Pathway to Pleasure

Biederman's study of higher-level vision led him to explore the neural basis of the pleasure we derive from seeing and understanding, especially something new.

Visual signals travel a pathway from the retina at the back of the eye, through the optic nerve and along neural fibers and cables to the occipital cortex in the back of the brain. Activation of the LOC follows, and then regions at the back of the temporal lobe spark. This last area is where we achieve a rich interpretation of the visual input, be it a scene, object or face.

Interestingly, opioid receptors, which convey nerve signals linked to pleasure, are dispersed in a gradient along the entire visual pathway, with few receptors in the early stages building to more and more in the later stages.

"We found that being able to recognize a scene that we specifically have never seen before gives us more opioid releaseand thus more pleasurethan something we can't recognize or that we've seen many times before," Biederman said.

This opioid fix explains the joy and appeal of new experiences. But why is novelty important to us? Biederman explains.

"When you have a new experience, initially many neurons are activated. But once the experience is over, the neurons that were most strongly activated inhibit the neurons that were only weakly or moderately activated by that experience. The next time you have the same experience, you get less opioid release. This explains why we seek out new experiences.

"Don't feel sorry for the inhibited neurons, though. They are now freed up to code different experiences. It's a reflection of the brain's extraordinary capacity to divvy up its own neural connections, leaving only a minimal number of neurons to code prior experiences and having lots of neurons in reserve to code new experiences."

Humor and Creativity

Seeing an odd or unexpected interaction between two objects stimulates our brains to release more opioids, thus giving us increased enjoyment. Credit: James Steinberg for USC Dornsife Magazine

This desire for novelty is further borne out by Biederman's research into the links between vision and creativity. Using The New Yorker's popular weekly cartoon caption contest, he is exploring what happens in the brain when it attempts to solve humor challenges. He opted to study humor, he said, "because it provides a practical and universal way to explore creativity that can occur in time frames sufficiently short to be amenable to fMRI analyses.

"In contrast, visual art may be able to give us the new experience we crave, but it can be debatable whether a certain work of abstract art is creative," he said. On the other hand, there is no debate when humor is successful, as the end resultlaughteris pretty much universal.

A cartoon contains an incongruous element, something that doesn't quite fit.

"The caption to the cartoon, to be funny, cannot be obvious but has to link remote concepts that resolve the incongruity in the drawing," he said. "Because the concepts are remote, their linking will necessarily result in the activation of a great number of intervening neurons with a concomitant and sudden deluge of opioid activity, causing us to laugh. But once we've seen the cartoon and we've got the joke, the inhibition of the weakly activated cells by the strongly activated cells reduces the amount of opioid release and thus the pleasure is diminished."

Biederman says this desire for new but interpretable information is a system that makes us "infovores"eager consumers of information.

In earlier research, Biederman and Ori Amir '15, a former USC Dornsife Ph.D. student now at the University of California, Santa Barbara, studied preferences for viewing simple geons. When presented with a pair of dissimilar geons, say a cylinder on the left and a cone on the right, both 4-month-old infants and college students preferred looking at the geons with non-parallel sides or with curves. This correlated with similar studies in the lab that showed how curvy or nonparallel shapes produced higher activity in visual pathway neurons than straight or parallel shapes.

"That greater activity means we get more opioid release and thus more pleasure from looking at those shapes," Biederman said. "Our eye movements are not random but, when we are not engaged in a deliberate search, such as looking for our car in a parking lot, they are directed towards entities that will give us more opioid activitya system that is established as early as four months."

Focus on Visual Crowding

Tjan, who died on Dec. 2, 2016, was an international expert on visual crowding. Postdoctoral and doctoral students in Tjan's laboratory are continuing his legacy of pioneering research, aimed in part at bringing hope to macular degeneration patients with impaired vision.

About 20 percent of us will find our vision degraded as the macula, a region near the center of the retina, degenerates in our later years. As patients lose their high-resolution central vision, many develop a preferred retinal locus (PRL). This means they have learned to compensate for their impaired central vision by looking slightly away from objects on which they wish to focus, thus using the part of the retina with the highest remaining resolution.

While PRL is helpful, it comes with a major disadvantage: visual crowding. This occurs because cells in the periphery of the retina have larger receptive fields than the tightly packed center. Patients with macular degeneration who use PRL to focus on, say, a given letter on a page, often experience visual crowding when other nearby letters activate the same receptive field being employed to perceive a given letter. This results in mixed-up shapes, making it difficult if not impossible to interpret the shapes of letters, objects and scenes.

Tjan successfully demonstrated how a training regimen could reduce visual crowding's deleterious effects on vision.

Tjan pioneered the study of PRL in normal subjects without macular degeneration so he could understand how the condition progresses. By deliberately occluding their central vision, he was able to train his test subjects to use a region of reasonable clarity or resolution away from the center of the retina. Although not as good as the original central vision, this area provides better focus than more peripheral regions.

Further, Tjan and his team used fMRI to show that training actually changes the way the brain works, improving visual processing in the primary visual cortex, the starting point for visual processing in the brain.

"There are just a few really great mysteries in the world," Biederman said. "There is cosmology and dark matter, and then there is higher-level vision and the brain. And we have come a long way in explaining how we make sense of what we see, this extraordinary achievement of the brain that had never been understood before."
Demyelination by MS. The CD68 colored tissue shows several macrophages in the area of the lesion. Original scale 1:100. Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Marvin 101/Wikipedia

A new study has made a major new discovery towards finding the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially paving the way for research to investigate new treatments.

Ahead of MS Awareness Week, which starts today (Monday April 24), an international team involving the University of Exeter Medical School and the University of Alberta has discovered a new cellular mechanism an underlying defect in brain cellsthat may cause the disease, and a potential hallmark that may be a target for future treatment of the autoimmune disorder.

The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation and part funded by the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Paul Eggleton, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Multiple sclerosis can have a devastating impact on people's lives, affecting mobility, speech, mental ability and more. So far, all medicine can offer is treatment and therapy for the symptoms - as we do not yet know the precise causes, research has been limited. Our exciting new findings have uncovered a new avenue for researchers to explore. It is a critical step, and in time, we hope it might lead to effective new treatments for MS."

Multiple sclerosis affects around 2.5 million people around the world. Typically, people are diagnosed in their 20s and 30s, and it is more common in women than men.

Although the cause has so far been a mystery, the disease causes the body's own immune system to attack myelin - the fatty "sheaths" that protect nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This leads to brain damage, a reduction in blood supply and oxygen and the formation of lesions in the body. Symptoms can be wide-ranging, and can include muscle spasms, mobility problems, pain, fatigue, and problems with speech.

Scientists have long suspected that mitochondria, the energy-creating "powerhouse" of the cell, play a link in causing multiple sclerosis.

The joint Exeter-Alberta research team was the first to combine clinical and laboratory experiments to explain how mitochondria become defective in people with MS. Using human brain tissue samples , they found that a protein called Rab32 is present in large quantities in the brains of people with MS, but is virtually absent in healthy brain cells.

Where Rab32 is present, the team discovered that a part of the cell that stores calcium (endoplasmic reticulum or ER) gets too close to the mitochondria. The resulting miscommunication with the calcium supply triggers the mitochondria to misbehave, ultimately causing toxicity for brain cells people with MS.

Researchers do not yet know what causes an unwelcome influx of Rab32 but they believe the defect could originate at the base of the ER organelle.

The finding will enable scientists to search for effective treatments that target Rab32 and embark on determining whether there are other proteins that may pay a role in triggering MS.

Dr David Schley, Research Communications Manager at the MS Society, said:

"No one knows for sure why people develop MS and we welcome any research that increases our understanding of how to stop it. There are currently no treatments available for many of the more than 100,000 people in the UK who live with this challenging and unpredictable condition. We want people with MS to have a range of treatments to choose from, and be able to get the right treatment at the right time."

More information: Yohannes Haile et al, Rab32 connects ER stress to mitochondrial defects in multiple sclerosis, Journal of Neuroinflammation (2017). Journal information: Journal of Neuroinflammation Yohannes Haile et al, Rab32 connects ER stress to mitochondrial defects in multiple sclerosis,(2017). DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0788-z
Bereavement in childhood due to the death of a sibling was associated with an increased risk for death in both the short and long term, according to a new article published by JAMA Pediatrics.

Nearly 8 percent of individuals in the United States are estimated to have experienced a sibling dying in childhood.

Yongfu Yu, Ph.D., of Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, and coauthors conducted a population-based study that included more than 5 million Danish and Swedish children who survived the first six months of life. Death of a sibling was experienced by 55,818 (1.1 percent) in childhood (from six months after birth until 18) and the median age was 7 at sibling loss. During a follow-up of 37 years, 534 individuals in this bereaved group died.

Compared with those who did not experience the death of a sibling, the bereaved group had a 71 percent increased risk of death from all causes. The increased risk of death after a sibling's death was seen across the follow-up but higher risks of death were found in the first year after a sibling's death, as well as among same-sex sibling pairs or siblings with a small age difference, according to the results.

Limitations of the study include a lack of data on social environment and family characteristics which might help explain underlying reasons that link sibling death and increased risk of death for the bereaved sibling. Other factors may also exert influence over the associations researchers have detailed.

"Health care professionals should be aware of children's vulnerability after experiencing sibling death, especially for same-sex sibling pairs and sibling pairs with close age. Social support may help to reduce the level of grief and minimize potential adverse health effects on the bereaved individuals," the article concludes.
Credit: University at Buffalo

Anxiety is a common emotion experienced by first-time parents, one that is felt even more so among parents of newborns being treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

But the key to improving confidence among parents of ill or premature infants may lie in simulated care, according to new research led by University at Buffalo nursing researcher Deborah Raines.

The study, published in the April issue of The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, found that when parents performed simulations similar to those designed to train health care professionals, they reported a nearly 30 percent increase in confidence in their abilities to care for their children.

The simulations, which used the Premie HAL, an infant simulator that can cry, spit up and demonstrate variations in cardiac and respiratory activity, were developed through Raines' new Neonatal Home Environment Learning Program (HELP). The program is the first to design care simulations for parents of infants in the NICU and is a stark departure from the preparation parents receive in the hospital from nurses.

"When teaching a parent to do something, the nurse doesn't allow the baby to get into trouble because they don't want to hurt the child. So mom has never seen the bad things that could potentially happen or the problems that could develop during the procedure," says Raines, associate professor in the UB School of Nursing.

"The simulations allowed them to experience something going wrong. We could allow the babies to throw up, stop breathing or turn blue. And the parents couldn't turn to the nurse for help."

The study gathered 15 sets of parents who had their child in the NICU at one of four Florida hospitals. Of the group, 13 couples were first-time parents.

The parents were given three half-hour simulations that increased in difficulty. The tasks included moving their child and any medical equipment from the car seat to the crib, preparing and delivering daily medication or treatment, and performing emergency resuscitation after the infant stops breathing.

The activities were performed in an apartment setting to simulate the home environment. Aside from the emergency resuscitation, during which the couples worked together, the parents performed each simulation individually. The simulations were completed within a week of their child's discharge and tailored to each child's health needs. Tasks ranged from delivering tube feedings to suctioning a tracheostomy.

"Parents who are taking babies home from a NICU are not only are taking home a new baby who they need to be parents to, but they are frequently taking home a baby who has health care needs," says Raines. "You're mostly a parent, but you're a little bit of doctor and nurse, too."

Each participant scored their confidence in their ability to perform the activities on a scale between one and 10. The scores were recorded before and after each simulation.

Before the simulation, mothers recorded an average score of 6.93, while fathers averaged 6.06. Confidence rose after the simulations to 9.93 for mothers and 8.8 for fathers.

Scores on the emergency response simulation, where parents were required to perform CPR and call paramedics, were the lowest but expected since parents are typically more anxious. Mothers increased from a score of 4.8 to 6.93 and fathers rose from 4.46 to 6.53.

Parents frequently commented on how the simulations were more difficult than they expected without the aid of a nurse.

"Simulation has become accepted as a method to increase confidence among health care professionals. We felt it might have similar benefits for parents," says Raines. "These simulations allow parents to rehearse and experience behaviors, consequences and outcomes of caring for a child with various health needs."

Raines hopes to bring the HELP simulations to hospitals in Buffalo and believes that simulations could improve care transitions for various types of patients.
Researchers are using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify and characterize metabolites of synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs). A better understanding of how metabolic pathways transform synthetic cannabinoids can provide information needed to develop new treatments to counteract the drug's effects. Credit: Anna Radominska-Pandya, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Synthetic cannabinoid abuse is a growing problem in the United States, with new versions of the drugs coming on the market every year. New research is examining how the body processes these man-made drugs and the role that genetics might play in their metabolism. The work could reveal genetic factors that increase a person's risk for experiencing the most dangerous effects of these drugs and lead to new treatments to counteract those effects.

Anna Radominska-Pandya, PhD, professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will present new research examining the toxicity and mechanisms of action for synthetic cannabinoids at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting, to be held April 22-26 in Chicago.

Drugs in the synthetic cannabinoid classalso known as K2, Spice, synthetic marijuana and many other namescome in more than 150 chemical forms. Although these drugs produce mind-altering effects by interacting with the same receptors responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids can act on the brain in a much stronger way and have unpredictable effects that sometimes lead to severe injury and death.

"The growing interest in these products, which are inappropriately labeled as 'synthetic marijuana,' is due to rampant availability, ability to elude detection in standard drug tests, low price and the misconception that these products are not toxic," said Radominska-Pandya. "Due to potentially fatal effects of synthetic cannabinoids, it is important to understand the biological activity and toxicity of these novel compounds so that effective treatments and antidotes can be developed."

Radominska-Pandya's research group has been at the forefront of synthetic cannabinoid research since the group was one of the first to identify and study synthetic cannabinoids in the United States a decade ago. They have made important discoveries regarding potential molecular mechanisms responsible for the longer-acting and stronger effects of synthetic cannabinoids compared with marijuana, findings that may lead to potential antidotes for counteracting the drugs' most dangerous effects.

Most recently, Radominska-Pandya and her colleagues identified the role of certain enzymes in the metabolism of various synthetic cannabinoids. Results from analyzing synthetic cannabinoid metabolites led the researchers to hypothesize that genetic variation could produce metabolism defects that may cause severe effects when using the drug. This research could eventually lead to a way to identify people who can't metabolize and excrete synthetic cannabinoids and thus have the highest risk for experiencing severe or even deadly outcomes from its use.

As new compounds that are chemically distinct from earlier drugs continue to appear on the market, the researchers plan to investigate the pharmacological effects of these new synthetic cannabinoids and determine how the body's metabolism may contribute to their toxicology.

"Our overall goal is to understand the molecular and behavioral pharmacology and metabolism of these compounds as a means to identify effective therapeutic strategies against their acute and chronic toxic effects in people," said Radominska-Pandya

More information: Synthetic Cannabinoids: Rapidly Emerging Drugs of Abuse, Synthetic Cannabinoids: Rapidly Emerging Drugs of Abuse, app.core-apps.com/eb2017/abstr  2834d471e29e28724a2b

Provided by Experimental Biology 2017
(HealthDay)Only a few select incidental thyroid nodules require further evaluation, according to a review published online April 20 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Jenny K. Hoang, M.B.B.S., from the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and Xuan V. Nguyen, M.D., Ph.D., from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, discuss the risks and harms of management of incidental thyroid nodules.

The authors note that indiscriminate workup of incidental thyroid nodules with ultrasonography is not cost-effective and is potentially harmful. Evidence-based recommendations for incidental thyroid nodules include selection criteria for nodule workup based on suspicious imaging findings, patient age, and nodule size. In the absence of clinical risk factors or suspicious imaging findings, workup with dedicated thyroid ultrasonography is recommended only for nodules at least 1.5 or 1 cm in patients aged 35 years or older or younger than 35 years, respectively.

"The recommendations aim to promote identification of significant thyroid cancers, reduce unnecessary workup, and provide guidance for clinical practice," the authors write.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Though transmission of malaria was wiped out in the United States decades ago and infections are falling in parts of the developing world, malaria hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. appear to be far more common than generally appreciated as a steady stream of travelers returns home with the dangerous mosquito-borne disease. That's the key finding from a new study published today in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene that shows malaria led to a count of hospitalized patients and deaths that easily eclipsed other travel-related illness and generated about half a billion dollars in healthcare costs in the U.S. over a 15-year period.

"It appears more and more Americans are traveling to areas where malaria is common and many of them are not taking preventive measures, such as using anti-malarial preventive medications and mosquito repellents, even though they are very effective at preventing infections," said Diana Khuu, PhD, MPH, a scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the lead author of the study, which included contributions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Khuu and her colleagues looked for malaria patients in a database maintained by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that tracks hospital admissions nationwide. The researchers found that between 2000 and 2014, about 22,000 people were admitted to U.S. hospitals due to complications from malaria. Moreover, 4,823 patients were diagnosed with severe malaria, which means they suffered from problems like renal failure, coma or acute respiratory distress that significantly increase the risk of death, and 182 of these patients died.

The study showed that malaria hospitalizations were more common in the U.S. than hospitalizations for many other travel-associated diseases. For example, during the same period, dengue fever, which is common in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and throughout Latin America, and has caused small, local outbreaks in south Florida and Texas, generated, on average, 259 hospitalizations a year compared with 1,489 for malaria.

According to the study, malaria hospitalizations are quite common in the U.S., and the associated burden from these cases is substantial. The researchers found that the average cost per patient was about $25,800 and that the total bill for treating malaria patients in the U.S. from 2000 to 2014 was about $555 million.

Overall, the scientists estimated that each year there are about 2,100 people in the U.S. suffering from malaria, since about 69 percent require hospital treatment. That case count would exceed the high end of the official CDC estimate of 1,500 to 2,000 cases per year. Khuu attributed the difference to the fact that CDC's malaria count is based on reports submitted to the agency by hospitals or physicians, and hospital admission records that were used in her study may capture additional cases that have not been reported to CDC.

While those admissions' records did not include travel history, the researchers believe the malaria infections they documented most likely were acquired during travel to parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where malaria is still common. Over the last 15 years a blitz of malaria interventions that include insecticide-treated bednets and increased access to highly effective malaria drugs has been accompanied by an estimated 37 percent drop in malaria incidence and a 60 percent drop in malaria deaths globally.

Meanwhile, although malaria was eliminated from the U.S. in the 1950s, there are sporadic reports of locally-acquired malaria infections, presumably caused by a mosquito that either fed on an infected traveler or hitched a ride on a flight or ship coming from a malaria-endemic region.

But Khuu noted that mosquitoes capable of carrying malaria are common in many parts of the U.S., and that increases in the number of travelers coming home with the disease increases the risk of malaria re-establishing itself in the U.S. According to the study, the majority of malaria hospitalizations occurred in the eastern U.S. in states along the Atlantic seaboard. Malaria's last domestic stronghold was in the Southeast.

Also, the study found that men accounted for 60 percent of the malaria-related hospital admissions. The researchers believe the overrepresentation of males in the U.S. malaria count may indicate that men are less likely to seek travel advice or, when they do, less likely to adhere to recommendations for preventing infections, like taking an anti-malarial preventive medication and using a mosquito repellent.

The researchers noted that most of the deaths and severe disease appeared to be linked to infections with the malaria parasite known as Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for the vast majority of malaria deaths and severe disease worldwide. But the study found that in almost half of the malaria-related hospitalizations there was no indication of parasite type, though Khuu pointed out that information can be obtained via a relatively simple blood test.

Khuu noted that identifying the parasite causing the infection can be crucial for determining treatment and prognosis. For example, patients sickened by the P. vivax and P. ovale parasites can appear to be fully recovered. But unlike the case with P. falciparum malaria, the P. vivax and P. ovale parasites can enter a dormant stage and then, after treatment, re-emerge to cause a relapse of the disease. According to the CDC, preventing relapse requires both treating the acute infection and, in addition, a course of a drug called primaquine.

"Hospitalizations in the United States from malaria remind us that we live in an interconnected world," said ASTMH President Patricia F. Walker, MD, DTM&H, FASTMH. "For this reason, the U.S. must continue to invest in tropical medicine research efforts and programs, even for diseases like malaria that we don't think of as American diseases. To get the job done, we need a strong NIH a strong CDC, and commitment to military research."

Provided by Burness
Transgender people make up a small percentage of active-duty U.S. military personnel, but their experience in the service may yield long-term, positive effects on their mental health and quality of life.

A study from the University of Washington finds that among transgender older adults, those who had served in the military reported fewer symptoms of depression and greater mental health-related quality of life. The findings were published in a February special supplement of The Gerontologist.

The paper is part of a national, groundbreaking longitudinal study of LGBT older adults, known as "Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, Sexuality/Gender Study," which focuses on how a range of demographic factors, life events and medical conditions are associated with health and quality of life.

Estimated numbers of U.S. military personnel who are transgender vary widely, but range between one-tenth and three-quarters of 1 percent of the roughly 2 million active-duty and reserve forces. A study from UCLA estimates about 134,000 transgender veterans in the United States.

The new paper, by researchers from the UW School of Social Work, explores how military service affects transgender people because previous data indicated that, among LGBT people over age 50, those who identified as transgender were more likely to be veterans than lesbians, gay men or bisexuals.

Reports have indicated that transgender individuals serve in the military at higher rates than people in the general population. In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey of 28,000 individuals, 15 percent said they had served, compared to about 9 percent of the U.S. population overall. And yet, little is known about how military service influences the well-being of transgender veterans later in life.

Other studies have shown that transgender veterans suffer higher rates of depression than other veterans. UW researchers were somewhat surprised, then, to learn that the transgender veterans they surveyed tended to have better mental health than transgender people who hadn't served, said lead author Charles Hoy-Ellis, a former UW doctoral student who is now an assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Social Work.

The traditionally masculine culture of the U.S. military would seem to be a potentially difficult environment for someone who doesn't identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, he said.

But military service creates its own kind of identity, the authors said, because it presents often dangerous and traumatic challenges; overcoming those challenges builds resilience. And that's where the identity as a transgender person enters the picture.

"Many people develop an identity as a military personthat it's not just something they did but something that they are," said Hoy-Ellis. "If transgender people, who are among the most marginalized, can successfully navigate a military career, with so many of the dynamics around gender in the general population and in the military, then that experience can contribute to a type of identity cohesiveness."

The internalizing of negative stereotypes, such as those around sexual orientation, is considered a risk factor for poor mental health, added co-author Hyun-Jun Kim, a UW research scientist in the School of Social Work. Military service could be the oppositea protective factor.

"Often when people think of the transgender population, they focus on the risk factors, but it's equally important to focus on the protective factors and nourish those resources. In this case, what aspects of military service contribute to being a protective factor?" Kim said.

Researchers said they were somewhat limited by the size of their study sample: Out of the 2,450 people ages 50 to 100 who were surveyed for Aging with Pride, 183 identified as transgender. Of those nearly one-fourth, or 43, had served in the military. Of those who had served, 57 percent identified as female. People of color made up 29 percent of the transgender veterans in the study.

But as awareness grows about gender-identity issues, there is opportunity to address support services for transgender veterans at the federal level and in the community, Hoy-Ellis said.

"This is a population that has served the country very proudly, and it's important that we recognize that service," he said. "Learning what we can about transgender older adults with military service may help us develop and implement policies and programs for people who are serving today."

More information: Charles P. Hoy-Ellis et al, Prior Military Service, Identity Stigma, and Mental Health Among Transgender Older Adults, The Gerontologist (2017). Charles P. Hoy-Ellis et al, Prior Military Service, Identity Stigma, and Mental Health Among Transgender Older Adults,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnw173
Placebo effect can help mend broken hearts, says new CU Boulder study. Credit: University of Colorado

Feeling heartbroken from a recent breakup? Just believing you're doing something to help yourself get over your ex can influence brain regions associated with emotional regulation and lessen the perception of pain.

That's the takeaway from a new University of Colorado Boulder study that measured the neurological and behavioral impacts the placebo effect had on a group of recently broken-hearted volunteers.

"Breaking up with a partner is one of the most emotionally negative experiences a person can have, and it can be an important trigger for developing psychological problems," said first author and postdoctoral research associate Leonie Koban, noting that such social pain is associated with a 20-fold higher risk of developing depression in the coming year. "In our study, we found a placebo can have quite strong effects on reducing the intensity of social pain."

For decades, research has shown that placebos - sham treatments with no active ingredients - can measurably ease pain, Parkinson's disease and other physical ailments.

The new study, published in March in the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first to measure placebos' impact on emotional pain from romantic rejection.

Researchers recruited 40 volunteers who had experienced an "unwanted romantic breakup" in the past six months. They were asked to bring a photo of their ex and a photo of a same-gendered good friend to a brain-imaging lab.

Inside a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, the participants were shown images of their former partner and asked to recall the breakup. Then they were shown images of their friend. They were also subjected to physical pain (a hot stimulus on their left forearm).

As these stimuli were alternately repeated, the subjects rated how they felt on a scale of 1 (very bad) to 5 (very good). Meanwhile, the fMRI machine tracked their brain activity.

While not identical, the regions that lit up during physical and emotional pain were similar.

This finding alone sends an important message to the heartbroken, said senior author Tor Wager, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU Boulder: "Know that your pain is real - neuro-chemically real."

The subjects were then taken out of the machine and given a nasal spray. Half were told it was a "powerful analgesic effective in reducing emotional pain." Half were told it was a simple saline solution.

Back inside the machine, the subjects were again shown images of their ex and subjected to pain. The placebo group not only felt less physical pain and felt better emotionally, but their brain responded differently when shown the ex.

Activity in the brain's dorsolateral prefrontal cortex - an area involved with modulating emotions - increased sharply. Across the brain, areas associated with rejection quieted. Notably, after the placebo, when participants felt the best they also showed increased activity in an area of the midbrain called the periaqueductal gray (PAG). The PAG plays a key role in modulating levels of painkilling brain chemicals, or opioids, and feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine.

While the study did not look specifically at whether the placebo prompted the release of such chemicals, the authors suspect this could be what's happening.

"The current view is that you have positive expectations and they influence activity in your prefrontal cortex, which in turn influences systems in your midbrain to generate neurochemical opioid or dopamine responses," said Wager.

Previous studies have shown that the placebo effect alone not only eases depression, but may actually make antidepressants work better.

"Just the fact that you are doing something for yourself and engaging in something that gives you hope may have an impact," said Wager. "In some cases, the actual chemical in the drug may matter less than we once thought."

The authors said the latest study not only helps them better understand how emotional pain plays out in the brain, but can also hint at ways people can use the power of expectation to their advantage.

Said Koban: "What is becoming more and more clear is that expectations and predictions have a very strong influence on basic experiences, on how we feel and what we perceive."

Bottom line, if you've been dumped recently: "Doing anything that you believe will help you feel better will probably help you feel better," she said.
University of Louisville students walk past a public-access automated external defibrillator at the UofL Health Sciences Center. Brad Sutton, M.D., and colleagues have found that a lack of AED registration correlates with an increased chance that an AED could malfunction if needed. Credit: University of Louisville

No national standards exist for the maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and their registration with manufacturers, making these practices voluntary and highly variable. What the public may not realize, however, is that regions where there is a high degree of unregistered AEDs also show a much greater chance that these devices will fail if needed.

That's the finding of a study conducted by cardiologist Brad Sutton, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and assistant dean for health strategy and innovation at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. The group found that significant variability exists in how AEDs are registered and maintained and because of this variability, the true risk for failure remains unknown.

"We know that rapid bystander CPR and the appropriate use of AEDs increases survival rates for the more than 350,000 victims of sudden cardiac arrest in the United States each year," Sutton said. "However, we found that the percentage of public access AEDs that fail standardized testing is quite high, and the incidence of potentially life-threatening malfunction is likely underreported."

"Our data suggests that registering AEDs correlates with increased likelihood that the device will pass testing, and therefore, stand a greater chance of being operational if needed by someone having a cardiac arrest."

"Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States," Keisha Deonarine, senior director of community health for the American Heart Association in Kentuckiana, said. "The American Heart Association believes it is important to do a weekly or monthly visual inspection of AEDs to ensure they are in working order. It may be the difference between life and death."

About the research

The group assessed AEDs in public, non-hospital settings in four geographically distinct regions - Seattle, Suffolk County, N.Y., Central Illinois and Louisville. Each AED was tested according to manufacturer guidelines. A total of 322 AEDs at 190 unique sites were investigated.

The team found that more than one-fifth of the devices - 21 percent - failed at least one phase of testing. Five percent had expired batteries, failing to power on at all and rendering them useless in the case of sudden cardiac arrest.

At the same time, public access AEDs found in areas where there was a higher rate of registration were significantly more likely to pass testing. AED registration was highgreater than 80 percentin both Seattle and Suffolk County, with zero battery failures found in Seattle and only 2 percent in Suffolk County.

By comparision, both Louisville and Central Illinois had lower rates of registration - less than 25 percent - and higher rates of test failure at 19.8 percent in Louisville and 38.2 percent in Central Illinois. Central Illinois also had the highest regional battery failure rate at 12.36 percent.

AED registration typically is handled the way it is with consumer products: The AED is registered with the vendor so the purchaser can be updated on potential recalls and advisories. There also is an industry built around AED maintenance, and many sites with AEDs outsource maintenance of the devices for a monthly fee. Sites with AEDs also can register the devices with some municipalities or other local authorities, but again, Sutton said, this varies greatly from region to region.

"Unfortunately, our data suggests that even when you find an AED in the time of need, it may not work," Sutton said. "These devices require routine upkeep in order to remain functional and ready. This is the major message that our elected officials and community members need to be aware of."

Sutton's research group was made up of Jamie Heimroth, Stuart Crawford and Erica Sutton, M.D., of UofL and Josh Matzke of Eureka College in Illinois. The team presented their findings in November at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, and Sutton said he is currently in talks with AED manufacturer Zoll Medical Corp. to expand this line of study across the United States.

"Our study was limited in that results depended upon the voluntary participation of sites with AEDs," he said. "Those sites that refused to participate in the study may represent yet additional potential device failures, and ultimately, additional potential loss of life."
AutoTrader recently announced that it was shutting down its print magazine after 25 years of circulation.

The magazine was the start of our business and was the heart of the business for 15 years, before the transition to digital started in 2008, said AutoTrader.

As part of the announcement, AutoTrader reprinted the first edition of its magazine  dated April 16-22, 1992.

Priced at 50c and containing 24 pages, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota were the top brands on display.

The reprint provides insight into how much it cost to buy a second-hand car in South Africa 25 years ago  where standout features included tape decks and air conditioning.

South African car prices in 1992

The images and tables below provide an overview of what car prices were in the early nineties. It must be noted that mileage was not included in many adverts, and has been left out.

AutoTrader stated that in 1992, a decade-old (1981) Toyota Corolla cost R7,500.

Today, a decade-old Toyota Corolla, 2008 model, goes for R99,000, it said.

Sedans

Sedans Car Price Ford Escort XR3 1981 R8,000 Opel Monza 1.6GLS 1987 R16,000 Ford Capri V6 1972 R16,000 Nissan Skyline 2.8 GTX 1983 R16,000 VW Jetta Fox 1.6 1988 R16,500 BMW 728i Exec 1986 R25,000 Toyota Corolla 1.6GLS 1988 R26,950 BMW 333i 1986 R69,500 Audi 500 SE Auto 1992 R85,000 Mercedes-Benz 300 EA AMG R129,000

44

44 Car Price Nissan 2.4 Patrol 1990 R45,000 Toyota Hilux 2.4D 1989 R46,500 Land Rover County 110 V8 1989 R95,000 Toyota Land Cruiser 1988 R95,000 Range Rover Vogue 1989 R159,950

Hatchbacks

Hatchbacks Car Price Mazda 323 GLC 5 Speed 1979 R5,100 Datsun Stanza 1800 Resort R7,000 VW Beetle 1600s 1977 R8,500 Daihatsu Charade 1985 R10,500 Ford Laser CEX 1300 1989 R17,750 Alfa Romeo GTV 2.5 49 1982 R18,000 VW Citi Golf 1.3 1989 R19,200 VW Golf GTI 16V 1987 R25,500 Toyota Conquest RSI 1991 R50,500

Sports Cars

Sports Cars Car Price Mazda RX-7 1984 R32,900 Alfa Romeo GTV 6 3.0 R60,000 Porsche 924 1983 R65,000 Lotus Eclat 1982 2.2L R85,000 BMW 325iS 2.7 1990 R110,000 Mercedes-Benz 450SL 1978 R129,000 Porsche 911 Carrera 1985 R210,000

First edition cover

Headline image from Crossley & Webb.

Now read: The Formula 1 car of the future
Police in Pasadena, in the US State of California, are searching for an Armenian boy who has gone missing.

Aramazd Andressian Jr., 5, was last seen on April 18 at 6:45pm via a Skype video call from an unknown location, South Pasadena police said, reported KTLA-TV.

His mother reported him missing on April 22, after his father, with whom she shares custody, failed to show up to their arranged meeting point to drop off their son.

His father Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, a South Pasadena resident, was found unresponsive in Arroyo Park early morning on April 22, a short distance from his vehicle. He was questioned and eventually arrested. The toddler, however, was not with his father at that time.

The man was charged on suspicion of child abduction and child endangerment.

Police dogs had already combed the park on the morning of April 22, but were sent out again in the evening after they had been exposed to Aramazds scent.

The boy's mother and father have been separated for more than a year and have a custody agreement.
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YEREVAN.  The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, on Monday issued an address on the 102nd commemoration day anniversary of the victims of Armenian Genocide

Dear Compatriots,

Today is April 24  Commemoration Day for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. We pray to the memory of our blessed martyrs. The Eghern, carried out under the disguise of deportations, was a state program of the Ottoman Empire, and was executed with the unprecedented cruelty and meticulousness.

The April 24th of 1915 had divided the millennia-long Armenia history in two: before and after that tragic date. The wreckage of the Western Armenians, who had survived miraculously, spread all over the world and became the Spyurk [Diaspora].

The material, cultural, and political losses of the Armenian nation are immeasurable; however the greatest loss was the people  bearers of the ancient, rich, and unique civilization.

We, the living, must not only remember and revere them but also live, work, and struggle with a greater vigor, also in their place. Live, work, and struggle with the optimistic outlook, with the belief in good, humanity, and justice.

Over a century has passed from that gruesome day in 1915. We know what we went through in this period of time, and we know that we defeated death. The Artsakh Liberation War is the testimony and proof that we will not allow a new genocide - never again.

The rebirth of the Armenia nation is a reality, and it became a reality thanks to the sons and daughters of the people who had survived. The re-establishment of the Armenian statehood on our native land became a reality because of these sons and daughters, the revival of the Armenian culture and science became a reality because of these sons and daughters.

In these years, we have given the world an entire constellation of the geniuses of the creative mind. Because of the celebrated Armenians, the world learned what had happened to us and learned that these Armenian are the sons and daughters of the nation which once stood at the brink of extinction.

I say this all to underscore the enormous vital and creative potential of our people and my unwavering confidence in our abilities and our future. It is true that in 1915 we were in hell but if on the way back to life we found strength to accomplish all those deeds, now when we have the independent statehood, in the 21st century we are able to do much more.

Today, on April 24, on the day when we pray for the memory for the victims of the Armenian Genocide, we will walk up to Tsitsernakaberd [Armenian Genocide Memorial] or visit other memorials in different parts of Armenia as well as abroad. Let us remember that this yearly march is the march of the people who survived, people who didnt forget what they had left behind and people who look forward with confidence, reads the address by Sargsyan, the press office of the President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.
The session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Monday was marked by unprecedented events and demands of the deputies with regard to the resignation of PACE President Pedro Agramunt, who known for his pro-Azerbaijani position. The latter has also been involved in the notorious corruption scandal.

Member of the Armenian delegation, Samvel Farmanyan, who is an MP of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), told Armenian News  NEWS.am that all the morning sessions were dedicated to the situation connected with Agramunt. All the groups agreed that the latter has lost credibility and, basically, a political crisis is becoming imminent.

After the session of the political groups, the socialist faction came up with a statement, basically demanding the resignation of Pedro Agramunt. Like the European Peoples Party (EPP), we adopted a similar decision, according to which Agramunt and two persons accompanying him, who the Armenian community remembers as pro-Azerbaijani lobbyists, must respond to the questions of all the groups in the format of public hearings, which must take place tomorrow morning, Farmanyan said.

In his words, the situation is unprecedented. Agramunt had to interrupt the session and take a 10-minute break, but he didnt return to the session after the break, Farmanyan said. The MP also noted that parallel with this, discussion is underway regarding the corruption scandal and setting up of a commission on internal affairs, which will possibly consist of three authoritative PACE Members, former PACE judges or even officials holding responsible posts. Moreover, Farmanyan stressed that the political crisis can be solved by the resignation of Pedro Agramunt during the current session.

Earlier, the Ukrainian delegation to PACE demanded to launch the procedure of PACE President Pedro Agramunts impeachment because of the visit of the delegation led by him to Syria. Agramunt, for his part, noted that his visit to Syria was a mistake, stressing that it became a subject of manipulation by the media. Furthermore, he added that he presented all the explanations regaring his visit to the PACE Bureau. However, after the aforementioned demand and the clashes, the deputies began mentioning the corruption scandals in which Agramunt is involved.
YEREVAN. - China has also experienced mass slaughter, which claimed thousands of lives, that is why the Chinese can understand well the feelings of the Armenians Genocide survivors and sympathize with them.

Chinese Ling Wei Pong, who recently arrived in Armenia and visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, as well as the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute on Monday, told the aforementioned to Armenian News  NEWS.am.

According to her, during the Nanking Massacrewhich started in 1937over 300,000 Chinese were killed. Having visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and watched all the exhibits, she remembered the massacre, which took place in her country.

When I was watching the exhibits in the museum, I had very complicated feelings. So many innocent people, so many children were killedThis is very sad. But Armenia should be stronger now than before. I think each generation should know and remember about the genocides committed in the past so that the country becomes stronger and so that this doesnt recur, the Chinese said.

Before arriving in Armenia, Ling Wei Pong visited Georgia. She noted that although the countries are neighbors and have much in common, their cultures stand in stark difference. According to her, Armenia has a very rich history, which includes many interesting events, as well as very rich culture. Unfortunately, very few people in China know about Armenia generally and the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire particularly. In Ling Wei Pongs words, mainly the Chinese, who travel a lot or work in other countries, know about Armenia. Those who dont leave the country know very little about other countries.

Ling Wei Pong learnt about the Armenian Genocide long before visiting Armenia: she was told about it by her friend, who works in Armenia.

On April 24 Armenians of the entire world and the progressive part of the international community commemorate the victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century. Almost half million Armenians were eliminated in the period from 1915 to 1923. The remaining almost half million Armenians scattered all over the world.

Although the Armenian Genocide has been recognized by many states, Turkey keeps denying this fact.
Getting Ahead of the Safety Curve: Keys to Building a Successful Active Threat Plan

As the national conversation regarding violence in the workplace suggests a heightened awareness stemming from increased media coverage, recent studies suggest there may be statistical evidence supporting this perceived frequency. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 5 percent of all businesses experience an instance of workplace violence each year. For larger organizations with more than 1,000 employees, this rate is increased tenfold to 50 percent. A 2014 report from the FBI found active shooter incidents in the U.S. now occur on an average of once a month. Of these incidents, almost (45.6 percent) occurred at a business, while nearly a quarter (24.4 percent) occurred at pre-K to 12 schools and institutions of higher learning.

Although active threats and the environments where they take place can vary from incident to incident, the common threads found throughout can be woven together to create the fabric of an effective and successful safety program. The following are lessons learned gleaned from past experience that businesses can use as tools for building a solid foundation for a safety-minded workplace:

Mindset to Clear the First Hurdle

More often than not, active threat training is the elephant in the room. Everyone has seen or heard of incidents, but are reluctant to take the steps toward mitigation. The reasons may vary from believing it'll make employees more fearful than empowered to worrying the training might not be "right" for the team. However, looking the other way is not a solution to any problem, much less one with harmful consequences.

The aforementioned statistics illustrate an increasing probability of an active threat incident, making it less an if and more a when. Unfortunately, violence doesn't discriminate on where it can take place, so the entire enterprise  be it headquarters, warehouse, or storefront  should be involved in preventative measures. Breaking through the barrier of apprehension begins with a holistic approach: one team, one goal. Leadership should evaluate the type of training fitting for their organization's culture, articulate the vital importance of such training to employees, and clearly explain how the training will be implemented.

Flexible Response Plans

Violence is seldom a cookie cutter affair and, as such, a "one size fits all" response is likely an ineffective solution. Conversely, having too many threat-specific responses can be confusing, if not outright dangerous. While different threats do warrant varying responses, a series of "stovepipe" procedures can cripple a person with tunnel vision during a high-stress scenario.

All active threat response plans should be built upon the same principles so even if the minute details are lost in the heat of the moment, team members can still make informed decisions to ensure the safety of themselves and others. Streamlining processes encourages a quick implementation and retention of information. Knowledge increases confidence, confidence increases decisiveness, and it is decisive action in a critical incident that saves lives.

Proactive Response Plans

A fortunate trend stemming from unfortunate roots is a movement for companies to get ahead of the curve of active threat response. For better or worse, increased exposure of violence in the workplace means it is no longer an abstract concept but rather an issue thrust into the forefront. A strategy based on hoping nothing happens and performing damage control is a folly that can irreparably destroy a brand, in addition to the obvious harm inflicted upon person and property.

An effective response plan doesn't begin when the incident occurs, but as soon as training can be conducted. Empowering employees with tools on how to identify and communicate to leadership possible high-risk indicators such as signs of growing anger, depression, or erratic behavior can be just as, if not more effective as decisive action during an active threat.

Clear Communication Plans

A cohesive "one-team" mindset supported by a response plan based on fundamentals and foresight cannot take place without clear communication before, during, and after a critical incident. The language plays a critical role in an active threat response program and can dictate the program's success or failure. Such language should be consistent with current policies and procedures so the program is both effective and legally defensible.

Each company will need to tailor its active threat response plan to fit its culture and workplace environment. Thankfully, a simple concept utilized by premier agencies already exists so organizations may build a clear and coherent plan: "Run, Hide, Defend."

Customer Service

Communication during a critical incident is by no means limited to employees, but extends to customer interaction, as well. How company communicates around and with customers during an active threat incident can play a vital role in minimizing harm and mitigating supplemental harm as a result of panic.

Every active threat mitigation plan should include an emergency communication strategy that may contain one or two common components: First is the use of a code such as "Code Adam" alerting employees to a specific issue while customers and vendors remain unaware of any possible issues. The second option is to use plain English so that everyone quickly gains situational awareness. For example, instead of using "Code Red" for an active shooter incident, the alert would announce there is an active shooter situation in progress so employees, customers, and vendors can take decisive actions to seek safety.

Every active threat situation will unfold differently, especially since external factors such as the weather, type of environment, and other variables can present unpredictable outcomes. By being proactive over what that can be controlled, such as implementing sound training strategies, companies can be prepared for and respond to an active threat to the best of its ability. Through the empowerment of its most valuable assets  its people  companies can mitigate risks, protect the safety of its employees, customers, and community.

Jay Hart is the Director of Force Training Institute. He leads a team of first responders, anti-terrorism, cybersecurity, defensive tactics, and crisis management specialists with vast cumulative experience and expertise in safety and security. Hart is also a police lieutenant for one of the largest municipal police departments in Los Angeles County and has testified as an expert in law enforcement training, policies, procedures, and use of force issues. With more than a decade of SWAT experience, he is in charge of his agency's Use of Force, Active Shooter, and Firearms training programs. He is a certified POST Advanced Instructor, Force Science Research Analyst, FBI Firearms Instructor and Law Enforcement Instructor with Krav Maga Worldwide Force Training Division. Hart has worked with numerous retail organizations, as well as global and national Fortune 500 companies on creating and implementing active shooter mitigation programs and emergency management response plans. Moreover, he has helped develop the Countering Violent Extremism in California resource guide and continues to assist organizations in threat assessment, risk management, and emergency management planning. Hart has received numerous awards for his work in the private sector and he is currently a member of the National Research Council Security Advisory Group in Washington, D.C.

Force Training Institute (FTI) is a Los Angeles-based consulting firm specializing in critical incident response and active shooter mitigation training.
I finally got my first tattoo. It was a bit of a vain decision to do so in actuality  but one I would never, ever take back. You see, my first tattoo was actually eyebrow microblading.

As a blonde "ish" light skinned lady, eyebrows have never been my strongpoint. In fact, I really had no eyebrow game at all. Id fill them in every morning and have tried just about every eyebrow product on the market.

So, when I heard about microblading, I was nervous about my first tattoo  even if only semi-permanent  but was quite willing to put myself on the table as a guinea pig in search of new and bold brows.

And Im never using another eyebrow product again after trying it.

In case youve been in a nutshell and havent heard of it, manual microblading is a form of semi-permanent tattoo that involves using tiny needles (instead of a tattoo gun) that make up a small blade to help deposit pigment under your skin.

The cool thing about microblading is that you can have zero brows, blonde ultra-faint brows (me!), have lost your brows due to alopecia or just need a little help filling your arches in  either way, the process creates the appearance of naturally full brows. It even creates a custom color that matches your natural brow color and uses several shades, so they look multidimensional and natural.

I'm not going to lie, I was kind of nervous about the whole semi-permanent part of this procedure, but at the beginning of my appointment, Diana, of Beauty by Diana in Honeycomb Salon, reassured me that'd she'd draw in my brows first to make sure I was into them. And damn if I wasnt!

@beautybydiana__ is all ready to start my #microblading #browgame #strong #tattoo #onmilwaukeelife #scaredbutexcited #thereisaneedle A post shared by Carolynn Buser (@cbuser76) on Jan 19, 2017 at 1:52pm PST

Diana began by smearing numbing cream across my brows, meant to mitigate pain during the procedure. After letting it sit for 30 minutes, she moved on to step two: choosing the ink color shed be using to tattoo me. For the first round of the procedure (there can be as many as three touch-up visits), Diana tries to match the shade to a clients natural hair and skin color profile as closely as possible. You dont want "sharpie" brows, right? Me neither!

She then started to draw hair-like strokes with the tool to mimic natural hairs in my brows. Even though it's not as deep as the regular tattoo, it's still a tattoo because pigment is implanted under the skin. The beginning strokes, or first pass as she calls it, I felt a slight scraping of sorts  but not pain. The sound was a little creepy in my own head, but I can be a bit of dramatic baby, especially with pain or needles on my face.

The second pass I felt the cuts a bit more. Cuts sound painful, I know. It was pain similar to a extraordinarily bad tweezing sessionyou know, when your skin is especially sensitive, and you can feel every single damn hair being ripped out one by one? Fist-clenching and teeth-gritting pain for sure, but not quite crying pain.

I had a few tears the third and final pass, but grit through it, girls. It is SO worth it. Plus, as you'll see above, I have absolutely no pain threshold. The procedure at this point was only 45 minutes or so of actual blading. Thats really it. Less than an hour of discomfort and a year worth of fantastic brows? Yes!

Right after #microblading for @cbuser76 !!! #browsonfleek #beautybydiana #mke #wfb @everlastingbrowsusa A post shared by Beauty By Diana LLC (@beautybydiana__) on Jan 19, 2017 at 2:39pm PST

I couldnt believe how good they looked immediately afterward. I sat up, looked in the mirror and was amazed at not only the transformation but also how my brows area didnt look like they were just needled into my skin. Minimal redness and swelling was visible and they looked AMAZING. I even went out that same night!

I was instructed to keep my eyebrows constantly moisturized by applying Aquaphor in the morning and at night, and I tried avoiding my eyebrows as much as possible when washing my face for the first week, just to be safe, as direct water is a no-no.

For the first few days, my new brows looked slightly red-tinted. Diana had told me that this was to be expected: the reddish hue was from my irritated skin and not the ink itself. They felt a little rough and scabby if you touched them. By day five, it had faded, and my brows were a dark brown (but thankfully still looking totally on fleek). Each day my brows got progressively lighter, and by day six or so, theyd settled on their current wonderful shade. You can see these bad brows loud and proud a few days later below.

 Tutus n art. #latergram #artsyfartsy #mamafterdark #thatskirttho A post shared by Carolynn Buser (@cbuser76) on Jan 26, 2017 at 5:21am PST

Im a busy, sometimes procrastinating professional, so I went in for my touch-up session about eight weeks after when you would typically go in at six. Diana had kept in touch during the eight weeks on my feelings on her handiwork and was ready to add a little warm to my brows in the session. Diana numbed me up, added some warmer tone strokes and added a bit more depth. But this was all so minimal and I have no idea if I would have even noticed a difference.

The beauty of Diana  see what I did there?  is she is a perfectionist. Shes also the sweetest, and an ultra-professional. She was one of the first  if not the first  to offer microblading here in Milwaukee and talked through the importance of training, licensing and experience in picking a provider before proceeding with my new crazy beautiful brows. She is the full package.

A full microblading  consult plus sessions  at Beauty By Diana is typically $495. Lucky for you, she is currently offering a promo price of $395. A bit of sticker shock for some I'm sure, but after doing it I can say my current  and not filling them in every day!  brow situation is so good I would happily pay it time and time again for a year or more of these lovely brows. Your time is worth money, too!

Beauty by Diana recently added a few more procedures to her arsenal as well and I am quite tempted to jump on her bed asap to get one. If youve been contemplating a manual eyeliner or lash enhancement she is your girl. Shes the first (again!) to offer this in the area, so book that appointment asap before shes booked out for months. She even has a special running on it right now too  the regular liner rate is $350 but you can get a promo of $250 if you take advantage now.

Finished product! Sleek #microblading from @beautybydiana__ is  #tattoo #browgame #love #strong A post shared by Carolynn Buser (@cbuser76) on Jan 19, 2017 at 2:41pm PST

I REALLY DO WAKE UP LIKE THIS!
The 11th annual Milwaukee Italian Film Festival  which debuted in 2007 at Marquette's Varsity Theater  premieres eight acclaimed Italian films, April 28-30, at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukees Union Theater, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.

Admission to the festival, as always, is free.

The films  in Italian with English subtitles  run the gamut from comedy to drama to documentary.

Here is the lineup for this year, with descriptions provided by festival organizers:

"FEATHER"  "PIUMA"

(Director, Roan Johnson, Comedy, 2016, 98 minutes)

Friday, April 28, 7 p.m.

Ferro and Cate have just nine months to prepare themselves, as well as their parents, for the arrival of a baby! Will they be ready?

"THE CONFESSIONS"  "LE CONFESSIONI"

(Director, Roberto Ando, Drama, 2016,100 minutes)

Friday, April 28, 9 p.m.

The director of the International Monetary Fund invites an Italian monk to hear his confession at a G8 meeting. Following a tragic and unexpected incident, the G8 ministers and the monk engage in an intensifying struggle regarding the directors confession.

"AN ALMOST PERFECT TOWN"  "UN PAESE QUASI PERFETTO"

(Director, Massimo Gaudioso, Comedy, 2015, 92 minutes)

Saturday, April, 29, 5 p.m.

The inhabitants of a remote mountain village on the verge of economic extinction are desperate to save their small town. Will their wacky plan succeed??

"LIKE CRAZY"  "LA PAZZA GIOIA"

(Director, Paolo Virzi, Comedy, 2016, 118 minutes)

Saturday, April 29, 7 p.m.

Beatrice, a self-proclaimed countess, and Donatella, a mysterious tattooed woman, are both patients of a womens mental institution. Their unpredictable friendship brings them to a hilarious and touching escape and the search for a little happiness in the world of the sane. A modern-day "Thelma and Louise."

"THE LAST WILL BE THE LAST"  "GLI ULTIMI SARANNO ULTIMI"

(Director, Massimiliano Bruno, Drama, 2015, 103 minutes)

Saturday, April 29, 9:15 p.m.

Luciana is leading the quiet life shes always desired with her husband, Stefano. But shortly after finding out shes pregnant, Luciana gets fired and her world starts falling apart. Will she find justice?

"THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION"  "LA VIA DELLA CONCILIAZIONE"

(Directors, Raffaele Brunetti e Piergiorgio Curzi, Documentary, 2016, 52 minutes)

Sunday, April 30, 3:45 p.m.

The Via della Conciliazione leading to St. Peters Basilica is one of Romes most famous images. Few realize this street has not always been there and, in fact, it was not part of Berninis architectural vision.

"DADDYS BOYS"  "BELLI DI PAPA"

(Director, Guido Chiesa, Comedy, 2015, 100 minutes)

Sunday, April 30, 5 p.m.

Vincenzo, a successful entrepreneur, concocts a scheme to bring his three adult children back to the real world from their lives of luxury. They all must do something that theyve never done before  work!

"THE STUFF OF DREAMS"  "LA STOFFA DEI SOGNI"

(Director, Gianfranco Cabiddu, Drama, 2015, 101 minutes)

Sunday, April 30, 7 p.m.

A boat carrying a small acting company, together with a group of mobsters, wrecks on the shores of an island prison after WWII. An homage to Shakespeares The Tempest and De Filippos Art of Comedy.

Parking is available in the UWM Union lot, the entrance to which is on Kenwood Boulevard at Prospect Avenue.

Festival sponsors include the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, the Italian Community Center and Dr. David Paris, D.D.S.
Wisconsins top musicians and industry notables were recognized for their contributions to the states diverse music scene at the 37th annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards Show, held Sunday night at Turner Hall in Milwaukee.

Awards were presented in various categories, ranging from recognition for musicianship and recordings to industry-related technical areas, with recipients hailing from all areas of the state.

Award winners

Artist of the Year: Vinyl Theatre

Album of the Year: Dead Horses  "Cartoon Moon"

Song of the Year: Devil Met Contention  "Fire"

New Artist: J-Council

Female Vocalist: Sarah Vos

Male Vocalist: Travis Schinke, Erik Kjelland

Singer/Songwriter: Brett Newski

Rising Star: Eminence

Alternative Rock/Rock Artist: Kyle Megna & The Monsoons

Bluegrass/Americana: Dead Horses

Blues Artist: Big N Tasty Blues

Christian/Gospel: Night Divine

Country Artist: Driveway Thriftdwellers

Cover Artist: Almighty Vinyl

Folk/Celtic: Sugar Ransom

Hard Rock: Imperial Fall

Metal: Conniption

Punk: The Pukes

Jazz Artist: The Jazz Orgy

Polka: The Squeezettes

Pop Rock Artist: GGOOLLDD

Hip Hop/Rap Artist: IshDARR

R&B/Soul Artist: Tweed Funk

World/Reggae/Ska/Latin: King Solomon

Club DJ/Dance/Electronic: Melvv

Horn/Big Band: Cold Sweat & The Brew City Horns

Tribute: The Prince Experience

Bass Player: Jeff Hammes

Drummer: Mike Underwood

Guitar Player: Bill Heck

Keyboard Player: Aaron Zinsmeister

Reeds/Brass Player: Michelle Jerabek

Strings Player: Thea Morton Voraass

Best Studio Engineer/Producer: Geoff Wilbourn

Best Recording Studio: Rock Garden

Best Live Club/Venue: The Saloon on Calhoun

Best Live Engineer Sound/Lights: Jeremy Boerson

Presidents Award: Marc Solheim

Peoples Choice Awards

(Northeast) Band: Hyde

Fan: Chris & Anita Holloman

Venue: Rocky & Taras Nut Haus

Radio Station: WAPL 105.7

Music Teacher: Mark Budwit

(Northwest) Band: Spicy Tie Band

Fan: Penny Perot

Venue: Live On Main

Radio Station: WIEC-LP 102.7

Music Teacher: Brad Burrell

(Southeast) Band: The Playlist

Fan: Cindee May

Venue: The Saloon On Calhoun

Radio Station: 102.9 The Hog

Music Teacher: Derek Machan

(Southwest) Band: Pat Watters Band

Fan: Mark Breunig

Venue: Fawn Creek Winery

Radio Station: 97.1 WCOW

Music Teacher: Kathy Wacker

WAMI Hall of Fame inductees
Pillar 43, Enclosure D, also known as the Vulture Stone of Gobekli Tepe. Credit: Martin B. Sweatman and Dimitrios Tsikritsis

(Phys.org)A team of researchers with the University of Edinburgh has found what they describe as evidence of a comet striking the Earth at approximately the same time as the onset of the Younger Dryas in carvings on an ancient stone pillar in southern Turkey. The group has published their findings in the journal Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry.

Prior evidence based on ice cores taken from Greenland has suggested that a strike by a comet may have led to the onset of the Younger Dryasa period of Earth cooling that lasted for approximately 1000 years. Other evidence also suggests that the cooling period caused groups of people to band together to cultivate crops, leading to the development of agriculture, which in turn led to huge leaps in technological innovations and societal developments, i.e. Neolithic civilization. In this new effort, the researchers describe evidence they found on a stone pillar at Gobekli Tepe (the oldest known temple site) that aligns with the ice core findingsthat a comet struck the Earth in approximately 10,950BC.

The pillar was created by the people of Gobekli Tepe and now appears to have served as a means of commemorating a devastating eventperhaps a comet breaking up and its remnants crashing into the Earth, causing an immediate environmental impact around the globe and possible loss of life (one of the characters on the pillar was of a headless human.) The team fed likenesses of the images carved onto the pillar (known as the vulture stone) into a computer to determine if they might be linked with constellations. Doing so revealed associations between characters on the pillar and astronomical symbols in the sky for the year 10,950 BC. The fact that the people took the time and considerable effort to create the characters on the pillar suggests something very important must have happened during the same time period that the Greenland ice core suggests a comet struck, approximately 10,890BC.

Wall pillars with three animal symbols in series. Part a) is pillar 2 from Enclosure A, while part b) is pillar 38, Enclosure D (images courtesy of Travel The Unknown).

The researchers have concluded that the carvings on the pillar were likely meant to document the cataclysmic event and suggest that the temple may have been an observatory. They also report that they found evidence of changes to the Earth's rotational axis as a result of the comet strike.

Constellations around Scorpius (Western Lore). Credit: B. Sweatman, D. Tsikritsis

More information: DECODING GOBEKLI TEPE WITH ARCHAEOASTRONOMY: WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? (pp.233-250). B. Sweatman, D. Tsikritsis, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.400780 , www.maajournal.com/Issues2017a.php (PDF) ABSTRACT

We have interpreted much of the symbolism of Gobekli Tepe in terms of astronomical events. By matching low-relief carvings on some of the pillars at Gobekli Tepe to star asterisms we find compelling evidence that the famous 'Vulture Stone' is a date stamp for 10950 BC  250 yrs, which corresponds closely to the proposed Younger Dryas event, estimated at 10890 BC. We also find evidence that a key function of Gobekli Tepe was to observe meteor showers and record cometary encounters. Indeed, the people of Gobekli Tepe appear to have had a special interest in the Taurid meteor stream, the same meteor stream that is proposed as responsible for the Younger-Dryas event. Is Gobekli Tepe the 'smoking gun' for the Younger-Dryas cometary encounter, and hence for coherent catastrophism?

 2017 Phys.org
Data breaches are on the rise and insiders are a big part of it. Credit: Shutterstock

As we become more connected and companies hold more data, breaches are increasing, with more than 4,000 reported in 2016 alone. A statistical analysis of breaches in the United States found that 85% were conducted by someone known to the business, usually an employee or partner.

To protect both themselves and their customers, companies need to secure their data. This starts with critically evaluating what data they hold, and then securing, dumping and outsourcing it as necessary.

We can never be entirely protected from data breaches, but understanding data is the first step to minimising the risk.

Data breaches can take a number of forms

Recently, Australian startup ShowPo alleged a former employee had exported a customer database before going to work for a competitor.

A DuPont employee was charged just this month with stealing 20,000 files  including trade secrets  with the aim of selling them to rival companies in Taiwan.

Employees at Wells Fargo Bank leaked customer information, allowing criminals to impersonate customers and steal more than half a million dollars. Around US$16 billion was stolen, affecting more than 12 million consumers in the US in 2014 alone due to identity theft.

What makes these breaches worse is that once information has been stolen it cannot be easily recovered. If a thief steals a wallet, it can be returned. But this is not true for information theft because the owner still has it. Data can be replicated almost infinitely. The genie can't be put back in the bottle.

This only gets worse as technology improves, allowing for greater storage, concealment and transmission of data.

What data needs to be secured?

The first step in securing data is to do an audit. What data does the organisation hold and where is it stored? Which suppliers, customers, regulators or staff have access to it? This is important as data comes in many forms, and ownership can be quite murky.

For example, does a business own the emails downloaded onto a workers' smartphone?

Next, the type of data needs to be profiled and classified as public, confidential or secret. Not all data is created equal and some may not require confidentiality, such as sales brochures.

Customer data, on the other hand, would be classified as confidential. Especially due to tough penalties in recently passed legislation. These include fines of A$360,000 for individuals and A$1.8 million for organisations, for those that don't divulge breaches of customer data.

So companies need to identify what is high-value or strategically important information.

The next step is to decide whether any outsourcing constraints exist and are relevant to the organisation. For example, do privacy obligations prevent organisations from storing personal information in data centres outside of Australia?

Three strategies

Once the data has been sorted, there are three strategic approaches to reduce the danger of data breaches.

The first strategy involves securing sensitive information with protective fortifications. This could take the form of encrypting it.

But there are some weaknesses to this approach. Encrypted information may make workflows cumbersome, and it may not stop an insider who has been trusted with passwords. It could also lead to a false sense of security.

The second strategy involves devaluing the data held by actively deciding not to hold sensitive information. This is analogous to a retail shop hanging a "no cash kept on premises" sign in the window.

Does a company really need to hold credit card details, for instance, or could that be outsourced to a company like Paypal? Businesses may always need to protect their "secret sauce", but by methodically devaluing data they are less of a target and can concentrate on what to protect.

The third strategy involves seeking outside assistance. This may not be an option for some sectors due to regulation, but storing data in the cloud or hiring a security service provider may be wise if possible. These services often offer security infrastructure unavailable to small organisations, as well as specialists to counter a lack of security expertise inside an organisation.

But, again, there is a trade-off. Outsourcing comes with a lack of control, which may increase other risks. The Australian Red Cross found this out when an external administrator accidentally leaked the personal information of blood donors.

In the end, we can never be entirely safe. But if businesses critically analyse what data they hold, and adopt strategies in response to this, the risk of an insider attack can be minimised.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Vincent Pohl. Credit: UGA

Caring for a husband or wife with cancer significantly diminishes family income, according to researchers from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, who tracked changes in employment and income among working-age couples in Canada.

By matching tax returns with health data from Canada, co-researcher Vincent Pohl, assistant professor of economics at UGA, was able to determine that a spousal cancer diagnosis results in a decline in household income by 5 percent among men and 9 percent among women, on average.

"The average annual household income for the working-age couples we studied was about $100,000, so the loss of income per family is about $5,000 to $9,000, which is a pretty substantial decline," he said. "In a situation where one household member has a devastating diagnosis, it leads to the whole household suffering economically."

One reason for the steep decline is attributed to what's known as the caregiver effectwhen one family member reduces their own employment in order to support another.

"We thought that the household's lessened income could happen in one of two ways," Pohl said. "One is that the person who is diagnosed might not be able to work because they are getting treatment or they're too sick to work. The second is what happens to their spouse: Does the spouse work more to make up for the lost income or does the spouse also reduce his or her labor supply in order to take care of the spouse that is diagnosed with cancer? We find the latter, that spouses reduce their labor supply and therefore have lowered income levels, which leads to the household having lower income levels as well."

The research finds a spouse's cancer diagnosis leads to up to a 3.5 percent reduction in earnings for men and up to a 6 percent reduction in earnings for women. Because family caregiving isn't covered by insurance, this loss of income directly affects the household's bottom line, Pohl said.

"What we need to think about, in terms of policy implications, is how we can protect not just individuals from the consequences of getting sick, but their entire family. That's not really something that existing policies do," he said. "If you think about disability insurance, it's a function of an individual's inability to work. It doesn't take into account that family members might have to take care of an individual and therefore might also lose their job or reduce their working hours and thus their income."

Published in the Journal of Health Economics, the study also finds little difference in work reduction between men and women whose spouses are diagnosed with cancersomething that stands in contrast with some earlier studies.

"We didn't find a big difference, although we do see slightly bigger effects in relative terms for wives than for husbands. The decline in employment was about 3 percentage points in both cases, but it's from a lower level among wives because women were less likely to work to begin with," he said. "We see that if women have a cancer diagnosis, there are a substantial number of husbands who quit their jobs to take care of their wives and vice-versa. This applies to all age groups."

While cancer comes in many forms, spousal behavior does not. The aggressiveness of the disease does not initially affect a spouse's decision to reduce their working hours, although it can change how soon a spouse returns to his or her previous employment level, Pohl said.

"If we look at prostate and breast cancer diagnoses, we see that the family income and labor supply pick up again after two or three years, which is typically the time it takes to treat the cancer," he said. "With more severe forms, like lung cancer, we see more persistent effects."

Pohl and co-researcher Sung-Hee Jeon of Statistics Canada were able to measure household income and cancer diagnoses by using administrative data from multiple sources, instead of relying on surveys as previous studies have done. By tracking working-age individuals for five years following a cancer diagnosis, the research shows how reliably household income is affected by health shocks.

"Our data allowed us to examine behavior on a level that's representative for the entire country of Canada. We observe annual earnings and income and potential cancer diagnoses for 1.4 percent of all households in Canada. That's something no one has been able to do," Pohl said.

Despite the robust data, the effects may not be transferable to the U.S., where health care is handled differently than in many developed nations.

"One reason why we don't see that the spouse works more, potentially, is that health insurance is not provided through jobs in Canada," he said. "In the United States, we could expect that if one spouse is diagnosed with a disease, the other spouse has to keep their job in order to keep health insurance for the family."
A team led by C. Robert ODell (Vanderbilt University), Gary J. Ferland (University of Kentucky), and William J. Henney and Manuel Peimbert (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) directed the Hubble Space Telescopes Wide Field Camera 3 toward M57 on September 19, 2011, and used seven different filters to take a series of exposures. The combined results produced this spectacular image, issued in 2013 as part of the Hubble Heritage Project. Credit: Texas State University

The Ring Nebula is one of the most spectacular deep-sky objects in the heavens. It is easily located by backyard astronomers, intensely studied by astrophysicists and relied upon for show-stopping images on countless book covers and calendar pages.

With an object so familiar, it's easy to forget that somebody had to first discover it. History credits 18th-century French astronomer Antoine Darquier with that accomplishment.

Now, a team of researchers led by Texas State University astronomer and physics professor Donald Olson has applied its distinctive brand of celestial sleuthing to the question and determined that Darquier's contemporary, Charles Messier, was actually the first person to observe and record the iconic Ring Nebula.

Olson and co-author Giovanni Maria Caglieris of Italy publish the findings in the June 2017 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, on newsstands now.

Chasing comets with Messier

Today, Messier is remembered for his catalog of 110 deep-sky objects, of which the Ring Nebula is listed as M57. While the Messier Catalogue is used today to locate these deep-sky objects, its original purpose was to provide a list of objects for comet-hunters of the day to avoid. In fact, Messier first spotted the Ring Nebula on January 31, 1779, while observing the sky near the path of what would become known as Bode's comet:

Charles Messier (1730-1817) in a portrait attributed to the 18th-century artist Nicolas Ansiaume. Credit: Texas State University

"In comparing the comet to  Lyrae on this morning, I observed in the telescope a small patch of light  this patch of light was round and was located between  &  Lyrae," Messier wrote in his notes.

Messier recorded careful measurements of the Ring Nebula's location, proving that he first observed the nebula before anyone else. Yet in his Catalogue, Messier's description of M57 states, "Darquier in Toulouse discovered this nebula, while observing the same comet."

Darquier's "discovery"

In the recent decades, a tremendous number of historical documents have become available online, giving researchers access to materials that otherwise might remain unknown and undiscovered. Darquier's papers are among this trove.

In a letter Darquier sent to Messier in September 1779, Darquier explained that he did not begin to observe the sky near the path of Bode's comet until the second week of February, when he read about Messier's own comet observations in the newspaper.

Darquier later created his own sky catalogue, in which the Ring Nebula was the only nebula included.

Messier published this chart showing the track of the Comet of 1799 through Vulpecula, Cygnus, Lyra, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Bootes, Coma Berenices, and Virgo. In 1799 Messier noticed six nebulae near the path of the comet, and he later added them to his catalogue as M56 and M57 in Lyra, and M58, M59, M60, and M61 in Virgo. Because this chart was not published until 1782, Messier also marked the positions in Virgo and Coma Berenices of eleven nebulae observed during 1781 and later added to his catalogue as M84-M91 and M98-M100. Credit: Texas State University

"In the course of my work, I encountered some nebulae, most of which are unknown;" he wrote, "but one which caught my attention is a nebula located between the two beautiful stars  &  Lyrae."

Darquier's careful notes show that he could not have observed the Ring Nebula prior to February 10, 1779, more than a week after Messier observed it. How it is possible, then, to account for the discrepancy when Messier himself appears to credit Darquier for the discovery?

Fickle language

The confusion stems from language creep and lack of context. Messier's statement appears to be an endorsement of Darquier being the first person to spot the Ring Nebula. In the 18th century, however, "discover" more commonly meant to simply discern something, a use that is almost obsolete today.

Alternatively, Messier could have used "discover" to qualify Darquier's observations as a later, independent discovery. Messier himself uses "discover" this way in his memoir to describe his own Paris observations of Bode's Comet, even though Messier knew by then that Johann Bode in Berlin discovered the comet first.

Regardless of the definition used, Messier and Darquier's own notes settle the question once and for all: The Ring Nebula was first observed and recorded by Messier.
Scientists use models to show the dramatic collapse of the ancient ice sheet over thousands of years. Credit: University of Stirling

The rapid decline of ancient ice sheets could help scientists predict the impact of modern-day climate and sea-level change, according to research by the universities of Stirling in Scotland and Troms in Norway.

Ice sheets are massive land-based reservoirs of frozen water. For the first time, scientists have reconstructed in detail the evolution of the last ice sheet that covered Iceland around 20,000 years ago.

Worrying evidence

The recently published study shows the greatest changes took place at a time when temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rose by around 3C in just 500 years.

The maximum rate of ice loss in Iceland then was on the same scale seen in West Antarctica and Greenland today, providing worrying evidence of how climate change can dramatically alter the world's ice sheets, leading to rapid sea level rise.

Dr Tom Bradwell, from Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences, said: "About 22,000 years ago, the climate awoke from the last Ice Age, and entered a prolonged but gradual period of warming. This triggered the melting of the huge ice sheets that once covered North America and Eurasia.

"We used seafloor data to map the full extent of the last Icelandic ice sheet and fed this geological information into our ice sheet model. The new modelling experiments, driven by climate data from Greenland ice cores, replicate ice sheet behaviour over the last 35,000 years, showing when it melted the fastest and how it behaved.

Dr Tom Bradwell is a Lecturer in Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology and led the research. Credit: University of Stirling

"We found that, at certain times, the Icelandic ice sheet retreated at an exceptionally fast rate  more than double the present-day rate of ice loss from the much larger West Antarctic ice sheet  causing global sea level to rise significantly."

These high-resolution model experiments, published in Earth-Science Reviews, provide an unprecedented view of how the Icelandic ice sheet rapidly reduced in size and volume between 21,000 and 18,000 years ago, mainly through icebergs breaking away from its marine margins. It then collapsed 14,000 years ago, this time abruptly in response to rapid climate warming.

Dramatic collapse

The Icelandic ice sheet reached a maximum size of 562,000 sq. km  an area about the size of France. During its dramatic collapse the ice sheet melted rapidly over much of its surface area, decreasing in size by almost two-thirds, in only 750 years. This large volume of ice melting caused a 46 cm-rise in global sea levels  or more than 1mm rise every two years for over seven centuries  and is equivalent to the ice losses currently being experienced in Greenland.

When compared to the length of time it took the Icelandic ice sheet to grow to its full size  approximately 10,000 years  this rate of change is all the more remarkable.

These abrupt events, seen in former ice sheets and mirrored today, put present-day rates of ice sheet change in a new perspective. However, until recently, much of the data needed to reconstruct and model their shape, size and flow existed unseen below sea level.

Dr Henry Patton, from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, said: "Satellite data show that the present polar ice sheets can respond on alarmingly short timescales to climate and ocean changes. By using data from the geological record to constrain model reconstructions of rapid ice sheet change thousands of years ago, we can better predict how contemporary ice sheets will probably react in the future and the serious impact they have on sea level rise."

Prof Alun Hubbard, who works at UiT Norway and Aberystwyth University, said: "Just like the Icelandic ice sheet, some 20,000 year ago, the retreat of the Greenland ice sheet is now contributing up to approximately 1.2 mm per year to global sea-level rise. That doesn't sound much but given the time-scales involved, and that Greenland's ice loss has increased from nothing 20 years ago to over roughly 350 cubic per year now, makes it a significant cause for concern  particularly for those low lying, coastal regions where much of the planet's population lives."

More information: Henry Patton et al. The configuration, sensitivity and rapid retreat of the Late Weichselian Icelandic ice sheet, Earth-Science Reviews (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2017.02.001
The combination of lucrative incentives and pressure to meet sales goals led to a perfect storm that resulted in Wells Fargo employees creating millions of fraudulent bank accounts, said David King, an associate professor of management in Iowa State University's College of Business. It's an example of how self-interests can trump the best interests of an organization or its customers.

Wells Fargo is not alone. Volkswagen rigged vehicle emissions to comply with government standards, and the maker of the EpiPen came under fire for an exorbitant price increase. King says in all three examples, lack of oversight made it easy for company executives and employees to act in their own self-interest. In a paper, published by the journal Public Integrity, King explains how competing interests within an organization can limit egregious unethical behavior.

"We've created a system of 'What's in it for me?' and 'What can I get away with?' versus 'What's the right thing to do?'. There needs to be a restructuring of corporate governance, so more people, representing various interests, are at the table making decisions," King said. "That way no one person has complete power. They have to make compromises."

In most corporations, investors and managers are the primary stakeholders. King says a third party is needed. He and co-author Leslie Sekerka, a management professor at Menlo College in California, examined how defense procurement - often referred to as an "iron triangle" - is designed to mitigate self-interests. King says the Department of Defense, Congress and major defense firms that make up the triangle all have a stake in determining defense spending. The structure is similar to the three branches of government to allow for checks and balances.

King, a retired Air Force officer who served as a program manager for Air Force systems, explained that each stakeholder brings a different perspective to the table. For example, Congress is interested in jobs and support for military bases in their district, but must be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. The military wants the latest equipment, but at a fair price. The overlap between the two, along with defense firms vying for the contracts, creates a system of compromise.

At times, it can be a tedious and inefficient process, King said. However, the system generally keeps self-interests from prevailing, which could benefit corporations. As organizations grow, it is more difficult to oversee and manage every aspect of the operation, King said. Guaranteeing that all interests - from investors to managers to labor unions - are represented adds a layer of oversight and limits one group from wielding too much power.

Threat to the system

Plans to reorganize or eliminate the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, or USD/AT&L, could erase this system of checks and balances, King said. AT&L manages the budget, sets policy, reviews program costs and measures performance. Eliminating this office would shift responsibility to the individual branches, which could expedite some spending decisions, but King warns it could also lead to problems with oversight.

"It has the potential to put the fox in charge of the hen house, because each branch could essentially change the conditions to favor their own self-interests," King said. "AT&L made life difficult at times, but as a taxpayer I see the benefit. AT&L asked the tough questions and required compromise."

In the corporate world, having another voice at the table may also be difficult at times, but King says it's a necessary oversight. King used the example of Wells Fargo bank audits to illustrate how the current system is less than ideal. Bank managers received a 24-hour notice of an audit, and this did not provide the level of scrutiny needed to prevent problems, King said. In addition to improved oversight, King recommends corporate ethics policies, such as having an ombudsman or a whistle blower program.

More information: David R. King et al, Managing Competing Interests: A Review of Ethics in Military Procurement, Public Integrity (2017). DOI: 10.1080/10999922.2016.1276789
An X-ray of a fossilised gas bubble containing 2.4- billion-year-old creatures

Fossils accidentally discovered in South Africa are probably the oldest fungi ever found by a margin of 1.2 billion years, rewriting the evolutionary story of these organisms which are neither flora nor fauna, researchers said Monday.

If verified as both fungal and multicellular, the 2.4 billion-year-old microscopic creatureswhose slender filaments are bundled together like broomscould also be the earliest known specimens of the branch of life to which humans belong, they reported in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Up to now, the first fossil trace of eukaryotesthe "superkingdom" that includes plants, animals and fungi, but not bacteriadates to only 1.9 billion years ago.

Earth itself is about 4.6 billion years old.

The ancient fungus-like life forms, found in fossilised gas bubbles 800 metres (2,600 feet) underground in South Africa's Northern Cape Province, are remarkable not just for their age but their origin, the researchers said.

It has long been assumed that fungi first emerged on land, but the newly-found organisms lived and thrived under an ancient ocean seabed, tucked in the crevices of volcanic rock.

Nobody was looking for them, explained co-author Birger Rasmussen, a geology professor at Curtin University in Bentley, Australia who was examining lava samples from the Ongeluk Formation to determine their age.

It screamed 'life'

"My attention was drawn to a series of petrified gas bubbles, and when I increased the magnification of the microscope, I was startled," he recalled.

The bubbles were "filled with hundreds of exquisitely preserved filaments that just screamed 'life'," he wrote by email.

The plot thickened when Rasmussen realised that the surrounding lava was not 2.2 billion years old, as previously thought, but 2.4 billion years old.

That extra 200 million years was significant because it straddles a critical threshold in Earth's geological history called the Great Oxidation Eventa rapid and massive outpouring of oxygen into the atmosphere.

The new dating meant that not only had these fungus-like creatures lived in a dark and cavernous world devoid of light, but they also lacked oxygen.

"This would have tremendous implications for the lifestyle of the early ancestors of eukaryotes and fungi," Rasmussen added.

For many years, fungi were grouped with, or mistaken for plants. Not until 1969 were they officially granted their own "kingdom", alongside animals and plants, though their distinct characteristics had been recognised long before that.

Yeast, mildew and molds are all fungi, as are many forms of large, mushroom-looking organisms that grow in moist forest environments and absorb nutrients from dead or living organic matter.

Looking in the wrong place

Unlike plants, fungi do not photosynthesise, and their cell walls are devoid of cellulose.

The creatures unveiled in the new study existed in what is called the deep biosphere, beneath land and sea.

"The deep biospherewhich hosts a significant part of Earth's biomassis very poorly known, and its history even more so," said lead author Stefan Bengtson, a palaeobiologist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Earlier research has turned up evidence that gas bubbles in lava below the bottom of the sea provided living space for fungi as far back as 50 million years.

"What we have now found is that such a habitat existed already more than two billion years agoat a time when fungi were not thought to have yet existed," Bengtson told AFP.

Fungi in this environment most probably live in symbiosis with microbes, using chemically stored energy for their metabolism, added co-author Magnus Ivarsson, an expert on these hidden worlds.

"They may not even have needed free oxygen."

Scientists not involved in the study said its was potentially paradigm shifting, but must be bolstered by further research.

The discovery "challenges current thinking about when and where eukaryotes evolved," Nicola McLoughlin, a professor at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, commented, also in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

It "raises the question of whether we have been looking in the wrong place for the earliest eukaryotes and fossil fungi in particular."

 2017 AFP
Credit: Oxford Science Blog

Based on the strong reactions that it provokes from people, it would be fair to say that mathematics has an image problem.

Maths is one of the few skillsets, unlike reading for example, that people are not embarrassed to admit they do not possess. Class room memories of daunting equations and fractions with no immediate resonance to the real world, scare people into declaring they are frankly, "rubbish at maths".

In reality, mathematics underpins the world around us in more ways than we could ever imagine. Just by paying bills, measuring home improvements and making everyday decisions, people do maths, often without realising.

Our new Scienceblog series will tackle these preconceptions, highlighting the role that maths plays in shaping our understanding of science, nature and the world at large.

In the first of the series, Michael Bonsall, Professor of Mathematical Biology at the Oxford University Department of Zoology, discusses his research in population biology, and what it tells us about species evolution and why grandmothering is important to humans.

What is mathematical biology?

It is easy to get lost in the details and idiosyncrasies of biology. Understanding molecular structures and how systems work on a cellular level is important, but this alone will not tell us the whole science story. To achieve this we have to develop our insight and understanding more broadly, and use this to make predictions. Mathematics allows us to do this.

Just as we would develop an experiment to test a specific idea, we can use mathematical equations and models to help us delve into biological complexity. Mathematics has the unique power to give us insight in to the highly complex world of biology. By using mathematical formulas to ask questions, we can test our assumptions. The language and techniques of mathematics allow us to determine if any predictions will stand up to rigorous experimental or observational challenge. If they do not, then our prediction has not accurately captured the biology. Even in this instance there is still something to be learned. When an assumption is proven wrong it still improves our understanding, because we can rule that particular view out, and move on to testing another.

What science does this specialism enable  any studies that stand out, or that you are particularly proud of?

Developing a numerate approach to biology allows us to explore, what at face value, might be very different biologies. For instance, the dynamics of cells, the dynamics of diseases or the behaviour of animals. The specialism allows us to use a common framework to seek understanding. The studies that stand out in my mind are those where we can develop a mathematical approach to a problem, and then challenge it with rigorous, quality experiments and/or observation. This doesn't have to happen in the same piece of work but working to achieve a greater understanding is critical to moving the science forward.

You recently published a paper: 'Evolutionary stability and the rarity of grandmothering', what was the reasoning behind it?

Grandmothering as a familial structure is very rare among animals. Whales, elephants and some primates are the few species, besides humans, to actually adopt it. In this particular study we took some very simple mathematical ideas and asked why this is the case.

Evolution predicts that for individuals to serve their purpose they should maximise their reproductive output, and have lots of offspring. For them to have a post-reproductive period, and to stop having babies, so that they can care for grandchildren for instance, there has to be a clearly identified benefit.

We developed a formula that asked why grandmothering is so rare in animals, testing its evolutionary benefits and disadvantages, compared to other familial systems, like parental care and co-operative breeding for instance, (When adults in a group team up to care for offspring). We compared the benefit of each strategy and assessed which gives the better outcomes.

What did the findings reveal about the rarity of grandmothering and why so few species live in this way?

Our maths revealed that a very narrow and specific range of conditions are needed to allow a grandmothering strategy to persist and be useful to animals. The evolutionary benefits of grandmothering depend on two things: the number of grandchildren that must be cared for, and the length of the post-reproductive period. If the post-reproductive period is less than the weaning period (the time it takes to rear infants) then grandmothers would die before infants are reared to independence.

We made the mathematical prediction that for grandmothering to be evolutionary feasible, with very short post-reproductive periods it is necessary to rear lots of grandchildren. But if this post-reproductive period is short, not many (or any) would survive. Species with shorter life spans, like fish, insects and meerkats for instance, simply don't have the time to do it and focus on parental-care. Evolution has not given them the capability to grandparent, and their time is better spent breeding and having as many offspring as they can. By contrast long-lived animals like whales and elephants have the time to breed their own offspring, grandparent that offspring and even to great-grandparent the next generation.

How do you plan to build on this work?

Although grandparenting isn't a familial strategy that many species are able to adopt, it is in fact the strongest. Compared to parental-care and co-operative breeding, grandparenting has a stronger evolutionary benefit  as it ensures future reproductive success of offspring and grand-offspring  giving a stronger generational gene pool.

Moving forward we would like to test mathematical theories to work out if it is possible for species to evolve from one familial strategy to another and reap the benefits. Currently for the majority of species rearing grandchildren instead of having their own offspring is not a worthwhile trade-off.

What are the biggest challenges?

Ensuring that the mathematical sciences has relevance to biology. Biology is often thought to lack quantitative rigour. This would be wrong. The challenge is to show how the mathematical sciences can be relevant to, and help us to answer critical questions in biology. This will continue to be a challenge but will yield unique insights along the way in unravelling biology.

What do you like most about your field?

So many things. Firstly, the people. I work with a lot of very smart people, who I look forward to seeing each day. I also get to think about biology and look at it through a mathematical lens. Finally I think the specialism allows us to do fantastic science that has the potential to improve the world.

Is there any single mathematical biology problem that you would like to solve?

Developing a robust method to combine with biological processes that operate on different time scales - as this would have so many valuable, and to use one of my favourite words, neat, applications to our work.

Why did you decide to specialise in this area?

Because of the perspective that we can gain from it and because I love biology and maths. Unpicking the complexities of the natural world with maths and then challenging this maths with observations and experiments is super neat. And I can do (some of this) while eating ice-cream!

More information: Jared M. Field et al. Evolutionary stability and the rarity of grandmothering, Ecology and Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2958 Journal information: Ecology and Evolution
An awn of the seed of Pelargonium carnosum unwinds in response to humidity changes, and the seed digs into the ground. Credit: Jung et al.

Researchers in South Korea have quantitatively deconstructed what they describe as the "ingenious mobility strategies" of seeds that self-burrow rotationally into soil. This is an example of the many ways nature uses biological geometry to provide plants with muscle-like capabilities.

Professor Ho-Young Kim, from Seoul National University in Korea, brought together his colleagues to start a research project based on inspiration he took from watching a plant documentary. Seeds maneuvered to dig into soil using a coiled appendage, known as an awn, that responds to humidity. The team investigated this awn's burrowing and discovered how the nubile sprouts seem to mimic a drill to bury themselves. Their findings, published last week in the journal Physics of Fluids, could have dramatic implications for improving agricultural robotics.

"It was a surprise to us that the plant can produce effective motions without muscles. We immediately investigated plant species with self-burrowing seeds and identified plant species using similar digging strategies," said Wonjong Jung, a former student of Kim and now senior researcher at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology in Korea. "Although the seeds of some plants such as wild wheat have simple curved awns that exhibit only bending motions, the seeds of other plants with helical awns can generate rotary motions for digging. We thought that it was highly probable that the seeds spin themselves to facilitate digging."

The research team studied seeds from the flowering species Pelargonium, whose helically coiled awn responds to humidity, demonstrating hygroscopic expansion. In humid environments, the awn deforms to straighten out. If the seed is anchored, this reaction can create thrust against the soil as the unwinding coil rotationally digs and buries the seed.

"Our work illuminates the surprising functionality and beauty of natural design," Wonjung Kim, a professor at Sogang University in Korea said. "Although plants cannot generally produce active motions due to their lack of muscle, some seeds have evolved to create burrowing toward a better germination environment. More surprisingly, when a helical shape awn is exploited, the burial strategy is remarkably good for drag reduction."

Beyond highlighting another of evolution's wondrous mechanical developments, the mathematical models resulting from this work have direct applications to current and next-generation robotics. Understanding the mechanics of these seeds and how their motion reduces the drag force of the soil's granular environment deepens our insight into soil-digging machine design.

"To obtain environmental information such as soil pollution in inaccessible areas such as space planets, battlefields, or disaster areas, small robots are needed," Kim said. "Our research has demonstrated a reduction in particle drag by rotation, which informs an efficient intruder design method for digging robots. Furthermore, self-burrowing awns provide inspiration for designing non-motorized robots that respond to various stimuli such as heat, light, and humidity."

More information: "Reduction of granular drag inspired by self-burrowing rotary seeds," Physics of Fluids (2017). DOI: 10.1063/1.497998 Journal information: Physics of Fluids
Dutch electronics giant Philips on Monday posted a sevenfold leap in first quarter profits after spinning off its lighting business last year.

Net profit soared to 259 million euros ($281 million) in the first three months of 2017, compared with 37 million euros in the same period last year.

The year-earlier figure had been down some 63 percent, due mainly to taxes linked to its efforts to divest the lighting business.

The Amsterdam-based group said sales also rose to 5.7 billion euros from January to March, up 3.6 percent over the first quarter of 2016. Growth was mostly due to sales of specialised medical equipment, up some three percent.

"We had a solid start to the year," chief executive Frans van Houten said.

"As we become a clearer company there are less incidentals, so it is the absence of incidentals that have actually increased the profit," he told reporters on a conference call.

He highlighted "continued volatility in the markets in which we operate" but stressed that "our HealthTech portfolio grew three percent and achieved further operational improvements."

Philips was best known for the manufacture of lightbulbs, electrical appliances and television sets.

But it pulled out of these activities in face of fierce competition from Asia to focus on health technology such as computer tomography, and diagnostic and molecular imaging.

It also manufacturers such vital medical equipment as defibrillators, as well as household appliancesfrom electrical and hi-tech toothbrushes to kitchen equipment.

The group, which sold its first lightbulb a few years after it was founded in 1891, listed its Philips Lighting division at the end of May, netting proceeds of 750 million euros.

Philips further reduced its shareholding in Philips Lighting to 55 percent, selling a further 26 million shares on February 8.

Shareholders had responded well, Van Houten said. "It was always our strategy to participate in the value creation that Philips Lighting represents, therefore we are not in a hurry to sell down our stake," he said.

The stake would be sold down over the next two years or so, he added, but refused to be drawn about when the next tranche of shares would be released.

Uncertainty in US

The company also expects growth of between four and six percent in full-year sales and Van Houten said that "a lot of innovations"such as in equipment for patient monitoringmade the company confident "for a solid second half of the year."

Philips had a strong order book and sales growth was expected to gain momentum in the second half, Van Houten said.

In the United States the market remained "flat" due to a period of hospital consolidation, as well as US President Donald Trump's vow to reform the health care system.

"All the upheaval around the Affordable Care Act, certainly led some hospitals to be cautious about capital investment," Van Houten said.

Hospitals are "not sure how it would affect the Medicare-Medicaid patient base... so that uncertainty means the market is kind of flat."

While that uncertainty was likely to last into the second quarter, he added Philips had seen strong orders coming from China and India, as well as Europe and that "somewhat compensates for the slower US market."

Philips employs about 70,000 people and works in about 100 countries.

 2017 AFP
The evolution of photosynthetic organisms began approximately 2.5 billion years ago when cyanobacteria came into existence and first used water molecules for photosynthesis. Credit: Waseda University

Scientists have long studied which of the three primary photosynthetic eukaryotes (red algae, green algae, and glaucophytes) has come into existence first to unravel the biological mystery of algae evolution by analyzing their genetic information.

Despite learning that the structure of cyanelles, an organelle unique to glaucophytes, is most similar to the ancestral cyanobacteria among other organelles, these studies have not conclusively resolved the branching position of glaucophytes and left the early branching history of the three primary photosynthetic lineages uncertain.

A recent study by Waseda University researchers indicated that the effect of respiration on photosynthesis in the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa is surprisingly similar to the interaction between respiration and photosynthesis in cyanobacteria. These results suggest that cyanelles retain many of the characteristics observed in their ancestral cyanobacteria.

"From the view point of metabolic interactions, C. paradoxa is the primary symbiotic algae most similar to cyanobacteria," says Kintake Sonoike, a professor of plant and cell physiology at Waseda University. "Our findings provide valuable information for revealing how photosynthetic organisms evolved."

This research is published in Scientific Reports.

The evolution of photosynthetic organisms began approximately 2.5 billion years ago when cyanobacteria came into existence and first used water molecules for photosynthesis, releasing oxygen as a by-product and changing life forms on earth. After an endosymbiosis event involving a eukaryote and a cyanobacterium, red algae, green algae and glaucophytes diverged from its common ancestor, a eukaryotic photosynthetic organism. In this long process, various metabolic interactions in cells have changed dramatically. For example, when cyanobacteria, which had performed both photosynthesis and respiration until then, evolved into chloroplast, mitochondria became responsible for respiration. Yet, there was a lack of information of these aspects in glaucophytes which needed to be addressed in order to understand the diversity of photosynthetic regulation and metabolic interaction among primary symbiotic algae.

In this study, Professor Sonoike measured chlorophyll fluorescence using a pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometer to analyze photosynthesis in C. paradoxa, without destroying the cells, and check its interactions with metabolic reactions such as respiration. The application of such technique to algae is not easy, but being an expert in measuring fluorescence in cyanobacteria, Professor Sonoike successfully adapted the method to this research.

Fluorescence emission of chlorophyll was measured by shining different kinds of light on glaucophyte cells. As a result, the levels of nonchemical quenching (NPQ), a mechanism of algae to protect themselves from intense light, was high in the dark but decreased under low light, and increased again under high light. This implies that photosynthesis of glaucophytes is affected and changed by other metabolic reactions, even in the dark.

"Such concave light dependence was quite similar that observed in cyanobacteria," points out Professor Sonoike. "Although glaucophytes perform photosynthesis and respiration separately with respective organelles unlike cyanobacteria, similar metabolic interactions are observed in both organisms."

These results formulate a new theory on the effects of respiration and other metabolic reactions on photosynthesis. Such metabolic reactions are believed to slow down photosynthetic efficiency, but glaucophytes seem to use a different metabolic pathway to make up for the loss. In recent years, it was found that though plants without DNA regulation on photosynthesis can survive under certain light conditions, such plants can be easily destroyed in nature, where the amount of light depends on the environment. Taking this into consideration, a hypothesis arises that regulating photosynthesis in dark places under weak light through metabolic interactions in advance may be necessary for effective photosynthesis in nature. Professor Sonoike plans to further investigate whether respiration, an opposing reaction to photosynthesis, could actually be helping the efficiency of photosynthesis.

More information: Masahiro Misumi et al, Characterization of the influence of chlororespiration on the regulation of photosynthesis in the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/srep46100 Journal information: Scientific Reports
Measuring the quality of bitumen by means of light rays at the push of a button. Credit: Vienna University of Technology

TU Wien presents several technological innovations at the Hannover Messe: With a simple hand scanner, the quality of the bitumen, which holds the asphalt together, can be measured directly on-site.

Asphalt does not last forever. At some point, it ages and starts to crumble. This has to do with the bitumen, the sticky binding agent, which holds and keeps the rock content in the asphalt. Bitumen is a petroleum product consisting of several organic components, which undergo a chemical change over time. Until now, the condition of bitumen could only be approximately measured in a laboratory. At the Vienna University of Technology, a much easier and more accurate method has now been developed: By means of a fluorescence analysis, this small, mobile hand scanner can measure the bitumen's quality in a quick and simple way.

Aged bitumen loses its useful properties

"Several causes can have a negative impact on the bitumen's quality", explains chemist Prof. Hinrich Grothe from the TU Wien. Together with the team of Prof. Bernhard Hofko, traffic scientist at the TU Wien, he conducted an in-depth study of bitumen. "Environmental influences or manufacturing faults can lead to the aging of bitumen - it loses its elasticity and becomes brittle and fragile", explains Grothe. "The aging of bitumen is a serious problem for road construction, but also for the waterproofing of buildings."

Until now, bitumen has mostly been explored by means of mechanic measuring methods. There are more than 100 different, standardized procedures for the quality measurement of bitumen, but these procedures can only be carried out by trained staff in a laboratory. "There must be an easier way to do this", thought the staff at the TU Wien - and developed a measuring tool based on a fundamentally new principle.

The hand scanner functions with LEDs, which stimulate the bitumen's fluorescence. "Due to the aging of bitumen, its composition changes, particularly the proportions of important components such as alkanes, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes", explains Hinrich Grothe. "The fluorescence measurements reflect the shifts of these proportions."

As it shows, new bitumen can be clearly differentiated from aged bitumen in terms of its fluorescence. "We have identified three wavelengths that are particularly suitable for quality control", says Grothe. "Thus, it is no longer necessary to measure a full spectrum - instead, it is fully sufficient to conduct three individual measurements with blue, violet and ultraviolet light."

Handy fluorescence scanner

Based on these insights, a portable, handy scanner was developed, by means of which a reliable measurement can be performed within seconds. Thus, complete quality control of bitumen becomes possible. In order to use this method in the future not only for analysing new bitumen, but also for recycled bitumen consisting of existing asphalt pavements, data is being collected at the moment. In the future, the bitumen's reusability will thus be assessable at the push of a button. It is already possible to measure whether a certain bitumen has changed its quality between refinery and paving. The bitumen scanner can be used in the fields of production, storage, and processing, as well as for the multifaceted application of bitumen in road construction, the sealing of buildings, or, for corrosion protection of technical components.
Laser-based setup for taking holograms. Credit: ITMO University

Optical engineers from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg developed an express method for estimating the distribution of particles in optically transparent media based on correlation analysis of holograms. As a big part of the study, they created an algorithm capable of image processing in a few seconds. The new method can be applied to engineering devices for monitoring metal shavings in engine oil, studying a plankton in water, or tracking viruses in living cells. The work was published in Scientific Reports.

Typically, holography is associated with three-dimensional images of museum relics, souvenirs, marking products and protective signs. But it is also used in industry for studying the roughness of surfaces and deformations in products.

In the new study, scientists from ITMO University Tatiana Vovk and Nikolay Petrov developed a method for express analysis of the distribution of microscopic particles in transparent media. The approach is based on Gabor holography, the simplest and historically the first type of holography.

The experimental results processed by computer simulation software showed that the method quickly analyzes the concentration, average diameter and transparency rate of particles in a sample medium.

Tatiana Vovk, researcher at Department of Photonics and Optical Information Technologies of ITMO University comments: "There are many ways to visualize particles in suspension or aerosol, as well as methods to process these images. But they take quite a long time, and some cannot cope with analyzing media with high concentrations of particles. Therefore, our goal was to make an express method that could examine samples with any quantity of particles in real time and could be ready for industrial implementation".

Experimental setup: a cuvette with sand particles distributed in water. Credit: ITMO University

As of now, the scientists showed the basic operability of the method, but they believe that it will be useful in many branches of science and engineering. Basing on the study, engineers can build analyzing devices for real-time monitoring of the particle flows and, for instance, utilize them to determine the number of particles in the machine oil. "The friction in mechanical parts causes the release of metal shavings in the grease. They circulate with the oil and wear out the mechanism. The device could help to evaluate this wear level by investigating the pollution of the grease," adds Tatiana Vovk.

Biological applications of this technology are interesting, as well. According to scientists, their method allows them to study the purity of lakes and rivers through determination of the plankton transparency in water samples. This parameter, in turn, indicates the reservoir ecological state, since the optical properties of microorganisms highly depend on the habitat.

The researchers are considering the possibility of adaptation of this technology for tracking the viral particles in living cells. "When exploring mechanisms of virus transport, scientists apply fluorescent microscopy. Such an analysis requires processing of large amounts of data. Our method can potentially help to quickly process these hundreds and thousands of images taken from a microscope. But we need the assistance of some biomedicine experts to solve arising issues and to carefully understand how to combine the fluorescence microscopy with digital holography in the most effective way," says Nikolay Petrov, head of Digital and Display Holography Laboratory at ITMO University.

Computer modelling of the media with particles. Credit: ITMO University

To obtain the particles' parameters, the researchers expose the sample with the collimated laser beam and get the digital Gabor hologram. Then they extract two flat images from the hologram. The focusing on these images is carried out by computational methods, a mathematical simulation. The fast image processing takes place by virtue of the correlation function. The researchers compare the images and thereby receive the needed information about the entire distribution of particles.

Correlation analysis is widely applied not only in image processing, but also in statistical physics and other disciplines that study random processes. For example, it reveals the correlation between the observed values and the types of particles released from collisions inside the Large Hadron Collider.

The light waves emitted by particles. Credit: ITMO University

More information: Tatiana A. Vovk, Nikolay V. Petrov (2017), Correlation Characterization of Particles in Volume Based on Peak-to-Basement Ratio, Scientific Reports, www.nature.com/articles/srep43840 Journal information: Scientific Reports
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Rats that have experienced past episodes of limited food resources make physiological adaptations that may extend their lives the next time they are faced with starvation. New research about starvation physiology will be presented today at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2017 in Chicago.

Researchers from St. Mary's University in Texas severely limited food intake in adult rats on three separate occasions during their lifetime. During the first two periods of starvation, the animals lost 20 percent of their body mass. In the third, the most prolonged starvation period, they lost 30 percent. The research team found that the starved rats had a lower body temperature and lower blood sugar levels when compared with healthy, fed control rats. These physiological adaptations helped the rats to hold on to stored fat for energy and suggest that previous periods of extreme hunger "affected the starvation strategies used by the rats," wrote Marshall McCue, first author of the study.

These findings are important to understand the "potentially adaptive physiological responses to starvation," McCue wrote. He encourages biologists to conduct "experiments of starvation physiology that more closely resemble the dynamic nature of food availability."

More information: Marshall McCue, PhD, will present "Repeated exposure to food limitation earlier in life enables rats to spare lipid stores during prolonged starvation" in a poster session on Monday, April 24, from 12:45 to 3 p.m. CDT in Hall F of the McCormick Place Convention Center.

Provided by Experimental Biology 2017
This article was originally on GET.com at: 3 Least-Visited Countries In Asia

Singaporeans who love travelling around the world and within Asia sure have options when it comes to holiday destinations. For those of us who prefer something more unorthodox and off the beaten track, consider these three least-visited countries in Asia that we at GET.com have narrowed down for you.

Some of these countries are practically unheard of to most people whose idea of an Asian holiday involves places like Bangkok, Taiwan, Seoul, Tokyo, Bali and Johor Bahru - you get the drift.

3 Countries In Asia With The Least Tourists

1. Turkmenistan

If you ever step foot onto the soil of Turkmenistan, be sure to include a trip to its famous blazing gas crater aptly named The Door to Hell. Anyhow, the main reasons why tourists don't visit this interesting country in Central Asia where 80% of its land is desert, is that it's been isolated from the outside world for decades; visas are incredibly difficult to obtain; and like North Korea, independent travel is a big fat no.

From 1985 until 2006, Turkmenistan was ruled by a totalitarian dictator named Saparmurat Niyazov who closed hospitals, covered the republic with golden statues of himself, and named months after his own family.

Thanks to this bizarre individual who shut off the country from the world, this ancient land of great tradition, natural beauty and spirituality is unspoilt and untouched - 100% amazing for adventure seekers.

Can Singapore citizens travel visa-free to Turkmenistan? No. Nonetheless, a spanking new US$2.25 billion airport complete with retail space has been rolled out in Turkmenistan's capital city Ashgabat late last year.

2. Tajikistan

Another remote country that is also in Central Asia is Tajikistan, which is slowly becoming more known and popular amongst travellers. With its rich Silk Road history, a mish-mash of Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam cultural influences, breathtaking mountains and lakes and luscious green landscapes, it is no wonder why more people are willing to take the plunge to travel there despite the fact that it's not an easy location to reach or travel around in.

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Go trekking in Tajikistan's dramatic highland landscapes (don't miss the spectacular Fann Mountains); visit the longest non-polar glacier in the world in the Pamir Mountains, nestled in the Gorno-Badakhshan province; have cozy afternoon tea with friendly Pamiri families; see the tallest embankment dam in the world on the Vakhsh River; and follow the ancient Silk Road while you are at it.

Can Singapore citizens travel visa-free to Tajikistan? No. You can apply for an e-visa, though.

3. Bhutan

Perched high up in the Himalayas, the sacred Kingdom of Bhutan is one of the least-touristic destinations in Asia despite the fact that many travellers probably are dying to visit the happiest nation on earth. Bhutan is also one of Asia's most photogenic destinations.

Where else but Bhutan can you find a country that prioritises Gross National Happiness instead of typical economic indicators the likes of Gross National Product and Gross Domestic Product?

The key reason why Bhutan isn't swarmed with tourists is because their government has imposed strict restrictions on tourist numbers in accordance to their "High Value. Low Impact" ethos.

Those who are looking to visit Bhutan (except Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian passport holders) have to book their trip through a Bhutanese tour operator or one of their international partners. You can't travel there on your own, of course. Your official tour package will take care of your visa, accommodation, meals, internal transport (minus internal flights), camping equipment, and a licensed Bhutanese tour guide.

Can Singapore citizens travel visa-free to Bhutan? No. Also, for those who are curious, here are some countries that Singaporeans probably don't know they require visas to enter. Bhutan is an underrated travel destination that will awaken your wanderlust; it is one of the most peaceful holiday destinations you can visit for a quiet getaway far, far away from all the city hustle and bustle.

*All information regarding visa requirements was retrieved on 14 March 2017 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website.

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Albania's political opposition blocked the country's main roads for more than an hour on Monday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, three months before a general election. The right-wing opposition has been calling for the departure of the Socialist Party premier for more than 18 months in order to make way for a technical transitional government in the run-up to the June 19 vote. Opposition parties, which are also boycotting parliament, have refused to take part in the election unless this transitional government is set up to ensure a free and fair poll. They also accuse Rama of allowing the expansion of cannabis cultivation in Albania to raise money to manipulate voting. Protesters blocked the entrances to highways as they waved Albanian flags and placards reading "Rama go!" and "We want a transitional government". No incidents were reported during the protest, but police have warned organisers that they will be prosecuted if they "breach public order". Lulzim Basha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, told supporters that they would continue their protest movement "until the resignation of the prime minister and the establishment of a transitional government". Rama rejects the accusations against him and has refused to resign or postpone the election. "The time has come to build a modern democratic European state and not block roads and institutions," he said. He accuses the opposition of trying to hinder the implementation of judicial reform, a crucial step towards European Union accession. His opponents have called a meeting of their supporters in the western city of Kavaja on May 7, when a local election is being held, to show their ability to block a poll. Since the fall of Albanian communism in the early 1990s, the results of elections have often been contested by the losing side, including with street protests that have sometimes turned violent. A NATO member since 2009, the poor Balkan country has become a candidate for EU membership and hopes to open negotiations by the year's end.
PUTRAJAYA: Canada's National Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan is on an official visit to Malaysia from today to Wednesday.

The Foreign Ministry said it will be the first official visit to Malaysia undertaken by the country's defence minister since the establishment of bilateral ties between Malaysia and Canada in 1957.

During the visit, Harjit is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman to discuss and exchange views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

"He is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, to discuss and exchange views on issues pertaining to defense relations between two countries.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary of Malaysia-Canada diplomatic relations. Ties between the two countries remain friendly and cordial with key cooperation in areas of trade, investment, defence and security cooperation,"the ministry said in a statement, today.

Harjit is also expected to give further impetus to the bilateral relations and interactions between the two countries in near future.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Court has upheld a five-year jail sentence for a British-Iranian charity worker who was convicted on unspecified charges relating to national security, her husband said on Monday. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested by the elite Revolutionary Guards in April 2016 at a Tehran airport, as she was about to return to Britain with her two-year-old daughter after a family visit. Iranian media have said she was convicted of plotting the "soft overthrow" of Iran's clerical establishment, a charge denied by the Foundation and her family. She was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in September. Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said the appeal was her last legal opportunity to challenge the sentence. "Nazanin discovered this weekend that her final appeal at the Supreme Court has failed, and her 5-year sentence has been upheld," he said in an emailed statement, describing his wife as angry but not shocked. "Her lawyer was told over the phone that there was no more that the Court could do for Nazanins case, and the legal review was closed. There was no court hearing for this judgment." The Iranian judiciary declined to respond to calls seeking comment. Ratcliffe said his wife had still not been allowed to know the exact charges on which she was convicted. He urged the British government to publicly call for her release. "Now it is time for the U.K. government to say Nazanin is innocent. She was a mum on holiday, who works for a development charity in London," he said. Britain's foreign ministry said later on Monday it was "deeply concerned" by reports that the appeal had been rejected. "The prime minister and foreign secretary have both raised Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case with their counterparts in Iran," a Foreign Office spokesperson said. "We continue to press the Iranians for access and for due process to be followed, and are ready to help get her daughter back safely to the UK if requested." The Foreign Office has previously expressed "deep concern" over Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sentence, but has stopped short of calling for her release. She works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a London-based charity that is independent of Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News. Its chief executive Monique Villa described the rejection of the appeal as a huge blow. "She is not a spy but an innocent mother who travelled to Iran only to show her baby to her parents. I stand united with Richard in calling for her immediate release. Nazanin has suffered terribly over her past year," Villa said. "We continue to be very concerned for her health and wellbeing, and she is desperately missed by her family and all at the Foundation. I ask for clemency." Iran refuses to recognise dual nationals and denies them access to consular assistance. The British ambassador to Iran last year visited Zaghari-Ratcliffe's daughter Gabriella, who has been placed in the care of her Iranian grandparents. Last year, the United Nations human rights investigator for Iran called for the immediate release of three Iranians with dual nationality, including Zaghari-Ratcliffe. (Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
An Italian journalist arrested in Turkey while researching refugees near the Syrian border has been freed after two weeks in detention, Italy's foreign ministry said Monday. Gabriele Del Grande, 34, was expected to arrive at Bologna airport in Italy Monday and be met by his parents and Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano. "I spoke to him just now and he's on his way back to Italy. I had the great joy of telling his family. We are waiting for him," Alfano said. Del Grande was handcuffed by Turkish police on April 9 as he was interviewing people who had fled the war-torn neighbouring country for a book he is writing on the conflict and the birth of the Islamic State group. The blogger, writer and human rights activist began a hunger strike last week after claiming he had no access to a lawyer and had been "interrogated" on the content of his research. Del Grande, who comes from Lucca in Tuscany, was a co-author and co-director of a documentary on Syrian and Palestinian refugees, "Io sto con la sposa" ("On the Bride's Side"), that was presented at the Venice Film Festival in 2014.
A Philippine lawyer on Monday filed a complaint at the world's only permanent war crimes court against President Rodrigo Duterte, alleging his war on drugs has caused some 8,000 deaths. Lawyer Jude Sabio urged the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate Duterte and senior adminstration officials and bring charges of crimes against humanity against them for "the terrifying and gruesome situation of continuing mass murder in the Philippines". Sabio, who is the lawyer for Duterte's confessed hitman Edgar Matobato, alleged the president "began his strategy or system of eliminating or killing persons suspected of crimes, including drug addicts and pushers" when he became mayor of Davao City in 1988. "The 'repeated, unchanging and continuous' mass murder being conducted by the President Duterte has already resulted into the deaths of not less than 1,400 individuals in Davao City under his Davao Death Squad and not less than 7,000 individuals in his war on drugs at the national level," the filing said. Sabio travelled to The Hague to hand over his 77-page complaint in person to the office of ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. Bensouda's office confirmed to AFP it had "received a communication earlier this morning by an attorney from the Philippines," adding it would "analyse the materials submitted, as appropriate" in line with the tribunal's guiding Rome Statute and make its decision later. In October Bensouda said she was "deeply concerned about these alleged killings and the fact that public statements from high officials of the... Philippines seem to condone such killings". She warned that "any person in the Philippines who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging ... the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is potentially liable for prosecution before the court." Duterte won election by a landslide last May largely on his promise to launch a war on illegal drugs. Although the campaign has proved popular at home, the president has faced international criticism for the thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings. - Police probe - The Philippine government denies the allegations, and presidential spokesman Ernie Abella said Monday that police were already probing those suspected "of violating procedures." He also pointed to an investigation by the country's Senate, in which Matobato was a star witness, and said the ICC "as a court of last resort, will only exercise jurisdiction over a case once legal remedies in the Philippines have been exhausted." "The so-called 'extrajudicial killings', are not state-sanctioned or state-sponsored. Police authorities are conducting legitimate operations that require observance of operational protocols," Abella added. According to the latest national police figures, police have shot dead 2,087 drug suspects, while unknown killers have murdered 1,398 others in cases described by investigators as "drugs-related". Earlier official figures had put the death toll much higher, including some 4,200 killed in unexplained circumstances. Since beginning work in 2002, the ICC says the prosecutor's office has received some 10,000 requests from individuals, groups or countries around the world to investigate alleged crimes. It is then up to the prosecutor to decide if there is enough cause to open a preliminary inquiry into whether a full-blown investigation is merited. There are currently 10 preliminary examinations, and 10 full investigations under way. A total of 23 cases have been recognised, securing nine convictions and one acquittal. Five trials are ongoing.
Khartoum (Reuters) - Sudan on Monday warned South Sudan to cease its support of rebel groups at war with Khartoum, accusing its president of meeting with rebels last week in a rare public statement from Khartoum's intelligence agency. Sudan regularly accuses its neighbour of backing insurgents in the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions that run along its southern border. South Sudan split away from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war fuelled by ethnic divides and disputes over oil. Monday's statement was exceptional for pinning blame directly on South Sudan's president, potentially suggesting an escalation of tension between the neighbouring states. The National Intelligence and Security Service statement said that "... since last Wednesday and until Saturday, April 22, the president of South Sudan ... and several executive branch leaders and security officials held intensive meetings with leaders of the so-called northern sector in Juba". Sudan has intermittently threatened to close its border with South Sudan if it continued to support rebel groups, an allegation Juba denies. "We warn the government of the south and demand that they stop immediately their interference in Sudanese affairs," the statement added. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Delta Airlines isnt taking chances it wont be able to convince passengers to give up their seats when a flight is overbooked.

Delta OKs Offers to Give Up Seats

In the wake of United Airlines disastrous, forced re-accommodation of Kentucky doctor David Dao, Delta has authorized payments of up to almost $10,000 per overbooked passenger, the Associated Press reported.

An internal company memo obtained by the AP says gate agents can offer up to $2,000 in compensation and ground supervisors can offer up to $9,950. The previous maximums were $800 and $1,350, respectively.

United Airlines has drawn widespread condemnation since a Sunday incident, when security officers dragged Dao off an airplane during boarding at Chicagos OHare International Airport. Dao had refused to leave his seat after he was randomly selected to be bumped from the flight so United could provide seats to a flight crew deadheading to Louisville.

Several passengers captured the manhandling on video, which immediately went viral. United CEO Oscar Munoz initially tried to lay blame for the scuffle on Dao, who suffered a broken nose and a concussion, but later issued a series of public apologies amid the ensuing public relation crisis.

This can neverwill neverhappen again on a United Airlines flight, Munoz said Wednesday on Good Morning America. That my premise and thats my promise.

Republished by permission. Original here.
Ever since states like Colorado started legalizing marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, most customers have had to go into stores to make their purchases. But thats no longer the case for customers of one Colorado business.

Drive Through Marijuana Shop

Tumbleweed Express is a drive-thru marijuana dispensary in Colorado. Its housed in an old car wash. So it also makes creative use of an older building. But of course, the business still has to comply with all laws by ensuring that all drivers and passengers in every vehicle are over 21.

And Tumbleweed Express isnt the only cannabis business to get creative with product delivery methods either. Eaze is a business that will actually deliver medical marijuana right to your door on-demand.

This type of growth makes a lot of sense in this new industry. Other areas like food service offer plenty of different ways for customers to purchase and obtain their products based on their personal preference. So as the legal marijuana industry continues to grow and evolve, were likely to see tons of new and creative changes to distribution, form and function of the end product itself, and in plenty other areas of operation as well.
Sustainability has been a national conversation in recent years, and with political discussions about environmental issues heating up, the time is right for leaders in sustainability to help demystify the issue. As politicians argue about policies, incentives, and ways to legislate sustainability, many businesses have already started to take action.

A common misconception is that sustainable operations will increase costs and eat away at profits. The concern is that contributing funds to overhauling existing processes just to make them more eco-friendly will have an adverse impact on the bottom line. In many cases, however, the opposite is true: sustainable actions lead to better profits.

Edelmans Good Purpose Study found that 73 percent of consumers said they would switch brands to find one that was closely tied to a cause they found to be important or meaningful. Since environmental issues are important to many consumers, it is a great hot button cause to attach to brand development.

Additionally, there are real operational benefits to making processes more sustainable. Take energy for example. The Department of Energy found that the average American creates $3,052 in energy expenditure on the grid every year. When it came down to commercial use, the number was daunting. Nationwide commercial energy consumption reached 18 Billion BTUs. Businesses that can move some of that consumption off the grid to solutions like solar or energy storage often avoid rising costs during peak demand.

The good news is more and more startups are emerging to help businesses and consumers find sustainable solutions to existing operations without significantly increasing costs. Yoav Lurie, CEO of Simple Energy, an online marketplace for utilities explains, Sustainable technologies are creating competition in energy markets in a way that benefits energy consumers. This kind of competition tends to create lower costs for consumers and better products for everyone.

Utilities Market Being Disrupted

Any given area is run by a very small number of utilities that have a significant amount of control over the industry. Dominance and lack of competition like this tends to breed a certain degree of complacency. Lurie points out however that many are starting to make major upgrades to that approach. He shared, Countless utility companies are realizing that updates to the business model can be beneficial, and in some cases, essential for survival. Startups are helping drive that change, making it easier for existing energy and utility companies to upgrade processes to better match demand. Utilities catering to demand is better for business because it will help businesses that are not able to switch to sources like solar or energy storage remain cost effective.

Preventing Fluctuating Expenditures

While the utility market is evolving, it is important to note that there are natural events that cause fluctuations in energy pricing all the time. Take Californias drought for example. If the drought had continued much longer, prices for large use of water would eventually have increased, meaning businesses that were not water-wise might have experienced significant unexpected costs. Similarly, any area that experiences rolling blackouts due to heat or problems with efficiency may see a negative impact on budgets. Providing alternatives that allow users to find the best service may help mitigate some of these costs.

Avoiding Public Reactions

While it may seem a bit less tangible than some of the other reasons listed, public opinion is a powerful force that can have a serious effect on any business. BP, Exxon, and countless other companies are all too familiar with what happens when public opinion turns due to issues related to sustainability. While most corporate giants recover from shifts in opinion, small to midsize businesses usually cannot afford extended periods of public upset. Therefore it is vital that brands maintain a clean record on sustainability.

Sustainability and Small Business

While sustainable energy providers are still evolving, it is clear that small businesses need to be thinking of ways to engage with sustainable alternatives. Lurie shares, Everyone needs to adapt to the ways the market is changing to remain relevant during disruptive periods. Those that do are bound to find new opportunities and secure competitive advantage in their respective markets.
Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now...
Are Slovaks scared of foreigners? The stories of those who are trying to make their homes here suggest that ignorance and bureaucratic inertia, rather than fear, cause more problems. But the situation might be improving.

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The migration crisis, which has resulted in many countries adopting measures to deal with a huge influx of refugees to Europe, and which also influenced last years election campaign in Slovakia, has had an impact on Slovaks attitude towards foreigners.

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The fact is, however, that the countrys approach to new arrivals has always been rather unwelcoming, something that is reflected in its strict legislation, experts from the non-governmental sector who deal with foreigners agree.

Slovaks have always perceived foreigners as being different, Azim Farhadi from Afghanistan, who has been living in Slovakia for more than 18 years and now helps foreigners integrate into Slovak society, told The Slovak Spectator.

He describes the case of a foreigner who has lived in Slovakia for 30 years and works as a doctor but faced serious problems when he wanted to buy a car. The main issue, from an official point of view, was that he was not Slovak.

More hopefully, Emilia Trepacova, a social worker at ADRA Slovakia, which helps people that have been granted asylum or additional protection, thinks the situation is gradually improving as the initial influx of news and comments about the migration crisis, from both politicians and the media, fades.

The fact that neither the media nor politicians hold forth on this topic much has been reflected in our experience, added Trepacova, winner of the White Crow 2016 award. She received the honour together with Khadra Abdile, a Somali refugee who was repeatedly attacked because of her faith and skin colour.

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Language problems

People from the non-governmental sector engaged in helping foreigners approached by The Slovak Spectator agree that among the biggest barriers currently facing foreigners is that of language.

Office workers and doctors in most cases do not speak a foreign language, which would certainly simplify the first contact, Jana Verdura, coordinator of voluntary returns at the Slovak Catholic Charity, told The Slovak Spectator.

Some foreigners The Slovak Spectator spoke to in the past confirmed it is also a problem when visiting a doctor. Though there are some who speak English, when they visit state-run hospitals and medical facilities, they often need to take a Slovak-speaker with them. This is not the case at most private facilities, they admitted.

Moreover, most refugees do not speak Slovak and in some cases not even English. Trepacova says that her organisation always tries to secure a translator or cultural mediator in cases where individuals speak a less common language.

It is then up to our clients how they will approach learning Slovak, she added.

Farhadi says that sometimes people who arrive in the country have no opportunity to start learning Slovak. The situation is different when they find a job with many Slovak colleagues, and are forced to learn and speak the language. If they work with other foreigners, they are not forced to learn it.

Red tape still criticised

After Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the Schengen zone in 2007, the number of foreigners living and working in the country increased, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) branch in Slovakia.

In 2015, there were almost 90,000 foreigners with residence permits in Slovakia, IOM data shows. Foreigners therefore made up 1.56 percent of the total population.

Meanwhile, the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (UPSVaR) reported that there were 35,100 foreigners working in Slovakia at the end of 2016. Compared with the end of 2015, this represents is a significant increase: a jump of 9,600 people.

Foreigners coming from non-EU countries often complain about the excessive amount of red tape.

Slovakia gives many possibilities to EU citizens, but for foreigners from other countries it is very complicated to jump over all the bureaucratic procedures, Oleh Larchyk from Ukraine told The Slovak Spectator in an earlier interview. It took him more than six months to get the paperwork completed, he added.

Steven Gouws from South Africa also mentioned the red tape that he faced when applying for a work visa as being among the main obstacles when relocating to Slovakia. He has lived here for more than six years, and currently works as an English language teacher, mainly for business people.

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Residence permit limitations

Moreover, people with what is known as additional protection, as opposed to full refugee status, face more problems, as they are granted only a temporary residence permit. As a result, they face limitations when seeking a doctor, placing children in kindergartens or asking for social benefits if they need these for any reason, Verdura explained.

As for doctors and dentists, people with additional protection do not receive normal cards proving they are registered with a health insurer: they only have cards issued by the Migration Office that cover the costs of health treatment, she added.

Doctors refuse to accept these cards, since they either lack information about them being used for confirmation of health insurance, or have the information but are not motivated enough to accept them because it is administratively difficult to report this kind of treatment, Verdura told The Slovak Spectator.

Farhadi also points to problems that foreigners without permanent residence permits face when dealing with the foreigners police. While health and social insurance is secured by their employer, they need to deal with residence on their own and this is quite demanding, he added.

Willingness to cooperateis crucial

Since there are still many loopholes in the legislation concerning the integration of refugees in Slovakia, it is necessary for social workers to identify helpful officials or doctors who do not just point to problems but instead seek solutions, Verdura says.

Trepacova confirms this.

We cooperate only with those willing to help, she said, adding that the situation has improved over the past few months and that people are more open to such collaboration.

There are several examples of a positive approach by employees working for the public administration. For example, Verdura recalled a case of one office worker who did her best to help a family place their child in a kindergarten, although they had only temporary residence permits and the whole process was very complicated.

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Also, Farhadi mentioned one employee at a Bratislava-based labour office who personally called him on behalf of a foreigner who had recently lost his job, in order to help him find a new one.

Trepacova also praised the cooperation with the Migration Office, saying its employees are friendlier and more willing to help than in the past.

There are many who really want to help, but often they cannot influence the deep-rooted bureaucratic procedures, Verdura added.

Migration crisis prompted changes

This is especially true for foreigners who have arrived in Slovakia in the past five to ten years, according to Farhadi, who points to some problematic rules set by the current legislation.

For example, applicants who have been refused asylum and instead granted another type of protection face demanding processes when dealing with the authorities. Though they live and work in the country and pay taxes, they need to visit the Migration Office every year and then wait one month for them to decide on their case. Then they have to go to the Foreigners Police to register their residency. This takes them four-five days a year, for which they often have to take vacations from work, Farhadi explained.

He also points to another change that is visible especially outside Bratislava: an attitude towards foreigners among both ordinary people and the authorities that has been negatively impacted by the migration crisis, particularly when people do not know foreigners.

I talked to school children in more than 15 towns across Slovakia between December and February and they asked me questions I had not heard before, Farhadi said, explaining that they mostly repeated negative news spread by the media.

When he asked them about terrorist groups or the situation in the countries from which people often flee, the children new nothing about this.

Dialogue may help

For Verdura, talking about migration and showing positive examples of integrated refugees who consider Slovakia their second home may improve the current situation.

It is necessary to continuously work on changing public opinion, refuting prejudices, talking honestly and openly, and calling facts by their real names, but at the same time finding some kind of balance, Verdura said.

Trepacova illustrated the need for dialogue in the case of a Ukrainian refugee with four children and their neighbour. When they met for the first time, the man had a rather hostile approach to all refugees. However, they talked a little, explaining their attitudes to each other. A few days later, when the woman needed to visit the doctor and nobody from the organisation was able to help, the man offered his assistance.

Of course, these cases are individual, Trepacova admits, adding that it often helps when people, including officials and doctors, see that foreigners are ordinary people with ordinary problems.
Among the several film festivals taking place in Slovakia, one combines the four countries of the Visegrad Group  Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The sixth year of the Visegrad Film Forum, between April 25 and 29, offers a lot of film screenings, lectures on film and TV production, meeting the filmmakers and masterclasses.

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It will be opened by the legendary movie, Neverending Story (1984) as a case study, attended by the British mask and special effects expert Colin Arthur, who made the famous dragon Falco, informed Marek Suchitra on behalf of the organisers.

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Visitors can look forward to various types of successful guests from the personalities of film  be it feature films or documentaries  and find out more about the professions of cinematography that viewers do not know much about, executive director of the festival, Jakub Viktorin, said.

On April 26, at the Film and TV Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (VSMU) in Bratislava where the festival takes place, Italian architect Ludovica Ferrario will give a lecture followed by a discussion; she collaborates with Paolo Sorrentino, on series like The Young Pope (2016) and films like The Great Beauty (2013) or Youth (2015). On the same day Stepan Hulik, Pavla Janouskova Kubeckova and Tomas Hruby, who are behind the Burning Bush (2013) and The Wilderness (2016) projects from HBO TV, will hold a masterclass.

CEO of HBO, Steve Matthews, who oversees central Europe, will discuss the future of European television on April 28.

Apart from film, we also focused on TV production this year, Viktorin said, adding that visitors can have a closer look at the backstage of TV series' production from various positions.

In recent years, TV series offer bigger opportunities for filmmakers in storytelling and sometimes even in the autorial approach, he added.

Films will be not pushed aside, though. The lectures with Ukranian director Sergey Loznits and Briton Colin Arthur (April 27), with Austrian filmmaker Anja Salomonowitz (April 28) and British filmmaker Peter Strickland (April 29) all revolve around movies. Their films will also be screened at the festival, as will the experimental Czech-Austrian piece, Menandros & Thais (2016).

Visegrad Film Forum 2016 (Source: Courtesy of VFF)

The VFF will also offer space for filmmakers who are just starting out: students will present their works in four blocks, each representing two countries; Egypt and the Czech Republic, The Ukraine and Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia, and Ireland with Poland.

Each of the festival days will be concluded by events at five various sites in Bratislava, comprising genres like twist, rock, jazz, rock'n 'roll, international jukebox, indie, electronic dance music, techno and acoustic concerts from selected bands.
A survey shows that in the scandal concerning overpriced orders of the Slovak presidency of the Council of EU, public trust the whistleblower, Zuzana Hlavkova, rather than the Foreign Ministry which organised them.

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People are 2.5 times more likely to trust Hlavkova, the former employee of the Foreign Ministry, than the ministry, led by Miroslav Lajcak, a survey of the Focus polling agency for the Transparency Slovensko International (TIS) published on April 21 found. Hlavkovas version of events is trustworthy for 44 percent of people who remember the case, known as Evka (after the agency which profited most from state orders). Lajcak and his ministry are trustworthy and truthful for 18 percent of respondents, the SITA newswire wrote.

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The remaining 38 percent were not able to say who is right in the dispute, according to the poll made by Focus on 1,006 citizens between April 4 and 9, head of TIS Gabriel Sipos informed SITA.

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Of those who remmber the case and the surrounding scandal, more Slovaks trust Hlavkova than Lajcak in all age ctaegories, except for those over 65  where the trust in the minister slightly rises. Among youths under 24  a total of 38 respondents  not a single person believed Lajcaks version. Also, Hlavkova has more trust among those with higher education, among the Hungarian minority, and among inhabitants of bigger cities. Except of Smer and SNS (both coalition partners) voters, Hlavkova has been more trustworthy for all those who elected a parliamentary political party. However, Lajcak has only 50-percent trust even among the Smer voters  the party which nominated him. In total, 47 percent of Sme voter believe him; 41 percent cannot say who is right, and 12 percent believe Hlavkova.

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Half of Slovakias population noticed the scandal, according to the poll. The arguments most frequently mentioned for believing in Hlavkova are that she had no reason to lie and that her version is more probable, as she presented facts, unlike the ministry. The people who trust the minister mentioned general trust in Lajcak and his fairness and responsibility, as well as the suspicion that Hlavkova wanted revenge in trying to discredit her former employer.

Zuzana Hlavkova pointed publicly to overpriced orders and the fictitious tender five months ago, in cooperation with Transparency International Slovensko. Later, two more former ministry employees  Pavol Szalai a Juraj Zelinka  confirmed her story about the frauds. The Supreme Audit Office, Anti-trust Office, Public Procurement Office and police all launched investigation of the practices at the initiative of TIS but no results have been published so far, according to SITA.

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The theft in a Slovak army ammunition store in Trencin provoked a thorough stocktaking in military stores; however, the army is not willing to specify if anything else is missing.

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Eighty hand grenades and 11 anti-tank missiles were stolen from Trencin  Kubra at the beginning of April, the Sme daily wrote. Police have been investigating the case for three weeks already.

The vanished weapons do not necessarily have to end in the hands of terrorists or criminals but they may get into the hands of extremists who have their people in national armed forces  thus creating a bigger problem than it may seem at first sight.

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Such systems are very much in demand on the black market, both by criminal elements and terrorist or extremist organisations, analyst Jaroslav Nad, head of the Slovak Security Policy Institute (SSPI) explained for Sme.

Pointing to the type of stolen weapons, and also to their number, he opined that the version with extremists is the most probable, as their interest in arming has been evident for some time already.

Insiders under suspicion

Nad and opposition MPs think that the ammunition was stolen by someone who has access to the store and extremists and their sympathisers can be found directly in armed forces (around 10-percent support, according to Nad), or among army retirees and police officers with access to military stores.

MPs of the parliamentary Defence and Security Committee think that it was soldiers or civilians with access to military stores who stole the arms. The goods are apt for trading, as the stolen items are expensive, former defence minister Lubomir Galko (of now opposition SaS) opined, adding that he was sure someone from inside was behind the theft.

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Experts add that apart from extremist groups, individuals could also be interested in the military equipment stolen. Moreover, Slovakia has been recorded as a source of arms for the black market in recent years. Several Slovak arms, especially older guns or machine guns, were used in conflict regions like Saudi Arabia, Syria and Libya.

Police still do not know who is the perpetrator though, and the Defence Ministry led by Peter Gajdos (SNS nominee) is keeping silent  including about more potential thefts  citing ongoing investigation as the main reason. If found, the thief faces seven to ten years behind bars, Sme wrote.